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Barters N Garters Library
Lovers & Other Strangers
by
Moon Mistress
a/k/a
Lisa Beth Darling

Chapter Thirteen

Well, it seems to me that you have seen too much in too few years.
And though you’ve tried you just can’t hide
Your eyes are edged with tears.
You better stop
Look around
Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes
Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown.
19^th Nervous Breakdown
The Rolling Stones

Annie was very glad to see her husband though it would take them a little bit of time and effort to mend their marriage they would do just that. Nicholas didn’t tell her about the women on Ares’ island or about the strange foursome he’d engaged in with two gay men and a girl. There was no sense in burdening her with that information. Certainly he didn’t mention anything about his Mother. It was a long time before they made love again but she never refused to sleep in the same bed with him and to Nick that was about all he could hope for. It was a long slow road back to where they’d been but they’d make it, just like Mom and Dad always made it back to each other.

Rather than having everyone else leave the house, once back in Colorado, Calla, Daniel and David simply packed a bag and headed for Scotland where they spent the next week laying out the ground rules and getting to know each other better. Upon their return Dr. Adams contacted them, of course he wanted to run his tests on Calla and be sure the Xerinium was gone from her system but he also had a bit of news he wanted to share. Sitting in the good Doctor’s office they got the good news and then the really great news. The Xerinium was gone there wasn’t a trace of it anywhere in her body. And, by the way, David asked for a test to be run;

“Congratulations, Daniel, it’s a girl and a boy.”

Yes! His heart soared and Daniel wanted to do the Happy Dance but instead he turned to David. “I’m sorry, I know you wanted Nick to be yours.”

“Yeah, hey, mabbe…” he winked at Calla, “one day…”

“Maybe,” Daniel said clearing his throat. “I wouldn’t plan on it if I were you.”

“This baby?” Calla asked as she sat quietly in the chair grateful that one of them had had the nerve to ask that the test be conducted but like her Husband she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for David. Then again they had thousands of years so perhaps one day…..

“Is healthy as can be.” Adams assured with a warm smile. “There’s nothing wrong with him.”

“Him?”

“Just a figure of speech, Calla, it’s far too early to tell the gender.” Adams said to her. “But the baby is just fine.”

What could you say? The girl had a destiny, a fate, and she had no choice but to fulfill it. Calla smiled and patted her little stomach. Not showing yet, not for a few weeks but soon. She worried about the Darkness returning and if she’d have to do the spell with David though it didn’t seem to have worked very well with Nicholas. Daniel was sure to insist that he stay far away from her until after the baby came. Life might get a little lonely over the next few months.

But the snow was melting and the crocuses were popping their purple, white and yellow heads up through piles of white. Spring was here. New life was everywhere. If she could just find a way to stop having the same nightmare night after night since they returned from the island then she’d be very happy indeed. But every night now she had to shield her mind before lying down, no matter how much sex they had and she tried to exhaust herself in hopes of achieving that blissful Black Sleep. Where there are no dreams just a warm wonderful floating feeling. Nothing worked. Every night she watched him leave her behind and every morning she woke up crying dreading the day ahead fearing that this day would be thee day. It was looming out there like sniper just waiting for you to stick your head out just a little bit so he could blow it off.

“Do you want to know who the father is?” Adams asked. He had yet to run his test.

“No,” Calla replied. “This is Daniel’s child.”

Or David’s or Ares, there didn’t seem to be any doubt about that one no matter how much she wanted to protest it. There was Nicholas who was not above suspicion.

“No,” Daniel backed her up. “I don’t think we need to have that test run.” Tit for Tat, she had accepted Brigid and he had no talking room on this one. All he could do was swallow the jagged little pill as quickly as possible.

“Me either.” David chimed in.

“Then I guess we’re done here. You make an appointment for a few weeks, ok?” Adams said to Calla who nodded her compliance. The three of them exited the doctors’ office feeling good and optimistic. Calla was going back to work at the start of the week and Daniel was likewise returning to his duties at the SGC. David moved into the guest room on a semi-permanent basis, eventually he’d want his own space they thought but for now it was good. Yes, everything was finally getting back on track.

Standing outside the doctor’s door Samantha Carter suddenly raced down the hall. “I know I said I’d call…I’ve been trying,” she stammered, “I couldn’t get through..”

“What is it?”

“They’re leaving. Now. They’re all leaving.”

“Father?” Calla asked and did not wait for a response. “I told you he would not say good-bye to me. May we go?” She asked Daniel.

“Maybe it’s not the best idea.”

“He’s my Father I have a right to say good-bye, don’t I?”

Daniel could understand how she felt, he’d have given anything for the proper chance to say good-bye and so would have David. “Ok,” he said and they quickly made their way down to the Gate Room. When they got there the wormhole was open and several Norse were making their way through to the Asguard home world.

It seemed that the Avalonians and the other Celts decided to stay as did a very few left from the true Egyptian deities and not from the Goa’uld but most were leaving. Ares and Callestah were talking with Jack when Calla saw them and Ares saw her. He didn’t want her here and was dismayed to see her.

“Am I so unimportant now that you will not even say good-bye to me?” Calla asked him.

“No, of course not. You should not be here, you should be home resting.” Ares said in return. “Why do you come here? We both have what we desire.”

“Do we?” She asked. The room around her seemed to move ever so slowly in a circle round and round and round it went. The more it spun the more detached she began to feel.

“Go to your men, live a good life.” He encouraged.

The Gate Room was emptying now there were very few left to leave. Zeus wandered over to hug her and say good-bye, Poseidon and Morpheus did the same though she did not receive a hug from the King of Dreams. Then they too disappeared through the ring. “Just one hug?” Calla begged in a small voice. “Before you go away forever.” Tears ran freely down her cheeks.

Ares just shook his dark head. “Perhaps I will return one day until then you stay with them and behave yourself they will look out for you.”

“Don’t go.” Now Calla was biting on her bottom lip and shifting her feet side to side as though she had to use the bathroom. “Please, don’t leave me. Don’t go.”

“Don’t be childish,” Ares chided, “I must go and you will stay.”

“Poppa, don’t…”

“Poppa?” Ares caught Daniel’s attention and waved him over. “Take care of your Wife, Jackson.”

“I will,” Daniel didn’t look down at her. “Been a long road.” He offered his hand.

“You want to part on good terms?” Ares laughed as he stared at Daniel’s open palm. “Next we meet perhaps that will happen. Callestah?” The woman came to his side and took his extended arm. “We must part now.” Without looking back or ‘good-bye’ or ‘see ya’ or ‘take care’ or even a peck on the cheek, the God of War led his new Lady to and then through the Stargate.

Calla had been standing between Daniel and David as they watched them go. Daniel so elated he could shout and jump for joy. It was finally over! The bastard was finally out of their lives and now they could put everything right and…..

She was sinking to the floor sobbing and rocking.

The Stargate closed.

What was left of Calla Jackson’s mind shattered and she wailed. “Poppa! Don’t leave me! Come back! I’ll be good! Poppa!”

No one stopped to think of the consequences the action would have on Calla, not really. Callestah saw her way to finally be with Ares and vice versa. Zeus saw a way to keep his race from fading into history. Daniel saw a way to finally be rid of both of them and everyone would live happily every after. After all, Calla was strong and she always said she loved Daniel and only Daniel that she never wanted to be with any other man.

“Idiots.” Achilles said from behind Daniel and David who had both sunk to the ground with Calla.

“Miss your bus?” David asked as he looked up at the well-built blonde man.

“No, I only came to see them off.” Achilles explained. “I’m not an Olympian. I’m staying here. Aren’t you lucky?”

Jack and Sam were rushing over to them. “What happened?” Jack asked. “You need the doc?”

“Yeah, you better get him.”

Calla was oblivious to what was going on around her. She didn’t even hear the screams coming from her own throat, her cries for help and for her Poppa’s return. All she saw the empty Stargate and her Father walking through it without her for a second time. It couldn’t be happening again, such terrible terrible things never happened twice… did they? No, they couldn’t!

“Kitty, come on, honey, stop that.” Daniel said and shook her lightly but she went right on screaming. She sat there on the floor with her hair in one hand pulled back away from her face, her free hand stretched out to the closed Gate and shrieking at the top of her lungs. “Calla! Stop!”

The sound was deafening! Everyone within earshot covered their ears and hoped it would end. Eventually it did. The sound died away. It did. Eventually.

Her free hand came up to claw at her own face and then down her throat before David caught it and stopped her from inflicting anymore damage on herself. That wasn’t easy she was damn determined to keep gouging her flesh with her finger nails.

A few hours later Calla Jackson finally stopped screaming. With little options left to them, she was taken to the Norwich Clinic which was a few hours away from Greenbrier but it was the best damn government psychiatric facility tax money could buy. They locked her in a room with white padded walls and floor. They put her in restraints to keep her from hurting herself and wouldn’t allow her any shoes or even a blanket and pillow. Any object was considered dangerous to someone in the midst of a full blown mental breakdown. They’d even cut her hair off for fear she might try and choke herself with it if she were to escape from the restraints.

Worse she wasn’t allowed any visitors at all for a minimum of 96 hours. She must feel so alone. She must be so scared and he couldn’t comfort her couldn’t even call her. Daniel tried to talk to her with his mind but it seemed she really wasn’t at home right now because although he could feel her no one answered his call. The last time he saw her she was huddled in the corner of the white padded room, her knees drawn up to her chin and her arms—soft fluffy gloves securely fastened to her hands to prevent her from scratching herself—she just huddled and rocked and cried and huddled and rocked and cried and then huddled and rocked and cried some more. The whole time she just muttering; I’ll be good. I’ll be good. I’ll be good. Oxi, parakalo. Siynomi. Don’t leave me. Over and over, the only other word she seemed capable of uttering was Poppa.

All Daniel could do was to stare at her through the small little window of unbreakable glass. They wouldn’t let him in not even to hug her or tell her he’d be back soon. Not just him, no one went in, for a moment Daniel thought Nicholas was going to pitch fit the likes of which he’d ever seen. Then the redness in Nick's face and the anger in his eyes subsided and all he could was stare through the window at the fragile woman huddling in the corner. The sight of her locked away like that and babbling tore at his heart because he was responsible, he’d rushed into this and for what and at what cost? He’d rather deal with Ares on an hourly basis than watch her go through this. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Everything she endured in Zeus’; Dungeon and before, to end up like this, once again he was reminded that the Gods are Cruel. They had sick sense of humor and mean streaks ten miles wide.

As soon as they had realized what a huge mistake it had been they tried to contact Ares and bring him back but it was no good. The Stargate opened on their end but the Olympians and those who had accompanied them dismantled the DHD---hell they friggin’ destroyed it-- so they could not return to Earth and to discourage anyone from Earth from coming to investigate them. If Ares was going to return it would have to be by ship. Since they were about a billion light years away so just getting to him was bound to take a while.

No amount of blue energy was going to bring her back this time. Calla was lost to all of them now. Her Husband her Sa’Tan, her Children and even her Grandchild, they’d all lost her and possibly for good this time.

Maybe if things hadn’t happened so quickly.

Maybe if she’d had time to prepare.

Maybe if, Calla, didn’t love that bastard who called himself her Father so much.

Maybe if whatever it was that she couldn’t remember had never happened.

Maybe if she could have found a way to hate him.

Maybe then she wouldn’t have broken. Wouldn’t have shattered in such an explosive way. Perhaps she would have quietly broken down and indulged in a few little goodies, just a little something-something, you know, just a little. Then, perhaps, she would have picked herself back up and gone on and everything would be fine and no one would be any the wiser.

If wishes were horses beggars would ride.

Later that night feeling outrageously sorry for himself Daniel sat up in his bedroom with a 750 bottle of Southern Comfort thinking of how ironic it all was, how goddamn motherfucking ironic that in the end his very best efforts to keep her safe and sane were the very things which drove her mad and put her in locked ward of a mental hospital in his opinion that probably was not a very safe place. Some of the other guests (they were all ‘guests’ not ‘patients’ were there for violent offenses, he hated her having her there, not only were they crazy but they could smell fear and weakness). Further Daniel thought that he should have seen it coming; he should have known this would happen. Why didn’t he know? Why didn’t he see?

Eros. Kanan. Hartley. They were nothing. Just mere child’s play compared to the day her Father left her behind amid promises of return which never came true. Years ago Maeve had asked him a very simple question which he had answered without trouble but he missed the ramifications of it completely. She’d asked him; who is the first love of all little girls? He answered; their Fathers. If only he realized that being torn between the two of them, at least her in eyes, was preferable to being without either of them then maybe, maybe he would have said no to separating the two women who had shared a battered body for so long. Surely suffering Ares’ presence was better than this.

Half the bottle down his throat and the other half heading the same way he dug the photographs out of her top drawer. It all started with these damn things. If Tom Dyer never took these pictures….

…..these absolutely stunning photographs of my Wife….

None of this would have happened. Hartley would never have been as interested in her work and she wouldn’t have felt ashamed of herself. Damn pictures! Why did she have to pose for them? Why did she have to wreck it all? Why…

“Shit!” Daniel mumbled as the bottle fell over and the amber alcohol soaked the beautiful images of his even more beautiful wife. The more he tried to clean it away the more the photographs disintegrated below his hand just the way she had.

“Why can’t I be enough for you?” He asked the black and white images of the naked woman. “Why do you have to have so many?” Fortunately the photographs did not answer but someone did. Off in the next room Brigid began crying for her late night bottle. Calla usually did that. “Why did you have to steal my heart? I want it back.” Stumbling to his feet, Daniel made an honest attempt to get to his youngest daughter and bring her the nourishment she was so loudly crying for. Thankfully he thought to get the bottle before the baby and it was only he and his pride that were injured when he tripped on his own drunken feet and fell face first down the stairs.

End Of
Lovers & Other Strangers
by
Moon Mistress

Continue to
The Preludes Library and to Session 9

This story and all stories in the Barters N Garters Library are copyrighted to Lisa Beth Darling these stories may not be transferred outside of this URL in any fashion.