Chapter Two

You see you'd love to run home but you know ain't got one
Cause you're living in a world that you're best forgotten
And if you're thinking you're a joke do you think that they'll listen
To the one small point I know they've been missing around here
Round here
Broadway
Goo Goo Dolls

Daniel stopped at a little place called The Bubble n Squeak Pub on his way to the Norwich Clinic. He had plenty of time or so he told himself and besides he needed to unwind a bit before he saw Willie and Calla.  Jack had been all over today to take the day off, go home early, whatever else he could come up with to get Daniel out of the SGC earlier than 2:00 o’clock. It was annoying as hell and it pissed him off.  Any other time Daniel would have seen Jacks’ actions and words for what they were; one friend concerned about another but not today. Today Jack was just interfering.

Last night that was not the case. Then he and Jack had a long telephone conversation the gist of which had put Daniel out of sorts all day—even more than he normally was lately. Sitting here in Willie’s office trying to get his hazy brain to kick into high gear all he could do was remember the details of that conversation and what happened after.

“Looks like Ares and them go out just in time.” Jack said in an exasperated voice.

“Excuse me? What do you mean?” Daniel asked.

“Haven’t you seen the news lately?”

“News?” No he hadn’t. “What’s up?”

How far up his ass could Daniel bury his head? “ John Q. is going crazy wanting to know who these beings are and where they came from. Where they went. Now that the press can’t find any of them they want to know what I did with them. They figure we sent them to another planet.”

“Well we did.” Daniel mumbled.

“Yeah, well it’s not like I had brass approval on that one, ya know? So that’s my neck, no problem. But my own military is breathing down my neck and they wanna know which planet they went to so they can bring them back for study. The friggin’ public wants to know why the Stargate program was kept secret for so long and, well, ya know, they just wanna know everything.” Jack grumbled pulling Sam closer to him as they lay in bed.  “Now I know how Calla felt when we were away.” Jack was instantly sorry for his comment. “I didn’t mean…”

“That’s ok, you’re right, we’re in a world of crap and someone needs to clean it up.” Sometimes, with all of his own personal problems, he forgot that Planet Earth was still putting itself back together after it’s first intergalactic war and that entire worlds which had been known to him for decades were just coming to light for the rest of the population.  “I won’t let you down I’m going right to work on this.”  He should have been working on it weeks ago instead he’d been wrapped up in Calla’s problems and the world started slipping through his fingers.

Jack didn’t like the calmness in Daniel’s voice. “The general pop isn’t fond of the mutants.”  Jack waited. Daniel hadn’t been anywhere near a newspaper or news report in weeks and now it was too the point where it could be very much to Daniel and his family’s detriment if someone didn’t clue him in.

“Mutants? What….”

“Yeah, mutants, that’s what they’re calling the, ah, I dunno, ‘magickal beings’, is that what Calla would say? There’s a real push to have those remaining rounded up…into camps.”  Jack stressed the last two words and again waited. He could almost hear the information sinking into Daniel’s brain and his friend sit down on the other end of the line.  “If you can get in touch with the Avalonians I’ll send ‘em through the Gate quicker than a jack rabbit, you got that?”

“They helped us,” Daniel said still trying to comprehend the changing ‘climate’. “Why would anyone be angry….I don’t get it.”

“They’re afraid, Daniel, terrified.  You and I both know that when fearful enough human beings tend to…”

“Kill what they’re afraid of. Jesus Jack! Calla…the kids!”

“Yeah, hey, there ya go. Ya know I’ve been tryin’ to tell you this for a few days now but you’ve had your head so far up your ass you couldn’t hear me. Now that I have your attention, Danny my friend, this might be a good time to start laying off the SoCo.”  Jack advised.

“You don’t understand,” Daniel muttered, “I got a letter from the University today; they regretted to inform me that they’ve had to let her go.” Daniel thought that was so cold and callous after all she’d done and how hard she’d worked. How could they just drop her like that? It had only been two days!  But now it was clear; they knew what she was and they couldn’t wait to get rid of her. Why? Well, before the press got wind of it of course. When that happened all hell would break loose. Calla had a history with the media after all and they adored splashing her picture all over the….

Newspapers. Magazines. Television. Calla’s picture everywhere. Nick. Cole. Lilly and him their images were up there with hers. People shouting angry demanding answers…

“What? I’m sorry, Jack, I didn’t hear you.” You’re projecting! Daniel scolded himself trying to ward off the images in his head. Knock it off! But he wasn’t, no, he wasn’t projecting at all he was having a premonition. He saw them swarming around his house and… “Jack…what did you say?” Daniel wanted the image to stop. Jack’s voice did the trick.

“Chill out, Daniel, I said, how did that happen?”

“Yeah, she’s fired. How do you like that?  She worked so damn hard to get those degrees and that job, she loves those kids.  When she gets better she’s going to be devastated.”  To his surprise Jack let out a laugh. “What’s so damn funny?”

“You said ‘when she gets better’.  Good to hear it. That’s the first time you’ve said anything like that.”  Jack nodded his head and wrapped an arm around Sam who was lying in the bed with him.  “Get some rest, Daniel.” Jack hung up. “That guy’s got more problems than Pfizer has little blue pills.”

“I know.” Sam said as she cuddled up next to him. “Still think we’re making the right decision?”

Jack didn’t have to think twice after all he’d been doing this for almost twenty-seven years now. “I’m positive. Come here you.”

After hanging up the phone Daniel went downstairs to get Brigid’s evening bottle and a small snack for himself.  Back upstairs in his pajamas and in bed with his daughter in his arms Daniel fed her and watched the evening news.  He was appalled by what he saw.  People didn’t understand what had happened, however they did seem to understand the origins of their new counterparts.  That surprised him. Daniel understood that fact not because the news announcer told him but by the way Callas’ kind were being referred to, as ‘mutants’ by in large but there were a plethora of other colorful phrases as well.  He wondered where they got that information. Surely they should be calling them ‘aliens’ or ‘extra-terrestrials’ or something like that.

Mutant.

“My Wife is not a mutant.” Daniel muttered to himself. They’d always kept the secret among themselves but it wasn’t really out of fear of being ‘found out’ but fear that the Stargate Program would be exposed and that would wreak havoc from here to there and back again.  He never once, not for half a second, thought of Calla or the twins or dear sweet Lilly as mutants.  “That’s right, Calla’s a goddess not a mutant and the twins and Lil are hybrids.” He remarked to himself and then smiled.  “Not mutants. Hear me?” He asked the baby in his arms who was lazily sucking on the bottle.

On the television screen the reporter showed him clips of scene which took place four days ago in Denver.  The house of a suspected mutant had been burnt to the ground and as far as Daniel knew that poor bastard and his three kids—the ones staring back him all charred and harried—didn’t have a drop of magickal blood in them.  “This isn’t happening.” It hurt. It really stung to hear such dreadful words spoken in such harsh and ugly tones knowing it was his Family they were directed toward. He looked down at his only 100% human offspring who was falling off to sleep with the nipple in her mouth and a line of milky drool running down her fevered cheek.  If anyone found out, would they think Brigid a mutant too?  Would her house be burnt to the ground and her family homeless because of the ignorance and fear of her fellow man? What about Lilly? She was one-quarter mutant.  What about the kids?  What about…..  Suddenly he wondered if this wasn’t the real reason Calla was fired. They were so happy to have her and she worked damn hard for that job.  Did they know?  If so, who else did? And how did they find out?

The late night news was telling him, through the voice and words of a gentleman who had no front teeth and probably hadn’t seen running water in a month. “It’s a ‘spiracy!” The toothless man spat into the microphone. Underneath his picture flashed his name; Reverend Billy Sol Hargus and he spoke into the outstretched microphones just as any Sunday-Go-To-Tent-Meeting preacher could ever do.

 “Dat dare…dem ah….dem gob’a’ment people they knew all ‘bout deese aliens n’ muuuu-tents running around on Gods’ Green Earth! Well we ain’t gunna toll-ah-rate dat, Nossir we ain’t!” he said as though he were preaching to the choir and suddenly he was because the people behind him whooped and clapped to show their support of what the toothless man had to say.  “We’re gunna find us dem muuuu-tents and dem aliens and we’se gunna take kaar of ‘em.”  Another round of whoops and cheers came from the peanut gallery. “Look out Light Eyes! We’se comin’ ta git’cha! This here is Gawd’s Land, his own Oasis in the Universe and we are not goin’ ta let yew muddy it with your heathen perversions and pagan ways!”

Another round of whoops and cheers went up.

“Anybuddy out there who feels the same as us on Friday night shudd come on down to Union Street in Denver. We’ll have ourselves a little chat.”

The last round of cheers and approval for the night echoed as the reporter wrapped up the story reminding everyone at home that the term ‘Light Eyes’ referred to the growing idea that those with mutant abilities or alien DNA probably had light colored eyes, mostly shades of piercing blue or green as well as larger eyes than a real human being. The reporter kicked it back to home base and the eleven o’clock anchor, your friendly Chuck Taylor, resumed the newscast.

“This is NOT happening.” He said one more and felt the cold stab at his heart. It was strange the things people fixated upon in order to single out another person and segregate an entire group. After all, Teal’c didn’t have light eyes and most of the aliens he’d met did not. Again he thought of his family and Colleen’s beautiful blue eyes how upset he’d be if anything should ever happen to them.  Lilly’s eyes matched her mother.  How much longer before someone found out about the kids? Maybe they already knew. How much longer before they were harassed? Driven off campus?

What about his light blue eyes? Coley’s?  David’s? Sam’s?

Calla's beautiful green ones

Look out Light Eyes!

At least behind the locked doors of the Norwich Clinic she was safe from the outside world and harm. Wasn’t she?

Maybe.

Sitting in the nearly empty Roadhouse Bar & Grill he ordered his first drink—though not of the day just this particular bar. “Southern Comfort, please.” He said to the bar tender and took a seat on one of the stools at the bar.  The bartender, a heavyset woman who looked like she’d rather be anywhere but here set a clean glass in front of him then filled it with a shot of the amber liquid. Daniel put his money on the bar and she took it away.  “Take enough out for two, I’m gonna have another one.” She smiled, made change, put it in front of him and walked on to one of the other patrons.

Earlier Nick left a voice mail on his cell phone telling him that he’d seen his Mother today and he didn’t think she looked very good nor did he think the people at the clinic were taking good care of her. Nick wanted her out of there ASAP. 

Kids. What did they know? Nothing.

As much as Nick and even Daniel might like to have her at home, might feel better if she were with them, the truth was no one knew how to handle a situation like this. The last time Daniel tried he’d been rescued by Duncan MacLeod and his Faery relatives which was lucky for Calla who had been detoxing so hard Daniel thought she’d have one massive seizure and die right there in his arms.

Daniel drank down the alcohol in two long sips and then motioned for a second.

Last one.  I have to drive.

That usually kept him in line. Well, that and the thought which followed hot on its heels.

I’ll stop in again on the way back.

Daniel tried to keep his drinking under control because he wasn’t doing anyone any good if he was a falling down drunk. So maybe he’d toss one back at work, ok maybe two. But he never drove drunk and he didn’t stumble around the SGC. In the end he imagined that made him a Functioning Alcoholic.  He wished he understood why he drank so much but other than to say it numbed the pain of the responsibility he felt he just didn’t have a good reason.  Daniel often chastised himself for not understanding why Ares didn’t tell Calla he was leaving. He really did think the God of War was simply being cruel and that he didn’t give a shit about his Daughter—his REAL Daughter—now that he had the goddamn clone. Daniel felt Calla had a right to say good-bye to him since she might well never see him again.  He should have known better after all these years of dealing with Ares. The man was an asshole but where Calla was concerned he usually had a good reason for doing the things he did—with the exception of last summer of course.  The bartender put the second shot down in front of him.

I shouldn’t do this. I need to stop doing this. I promised her I wouldn’t drink anymore.

That last made him smile and then he wanted to burst into tears. What would she know if he kept drinking? Nothing. Maybe that would never change. Feeling dejected and like he’d rather crawl into the bottle than continue on, Daniel tossed back half the shot leaving the rest and his ten dollar bill on the bar and promising himself that he would stop drinking.

Twenty minutes and five breath mints later he was sitting in the reception area of the Norwich Clinic waiting for Dr. Willie to come down and greet him. Daniel was not looking forward to this meeting because he knew Willie wanted him to give his consent to terminate Calla’s pregnancy. It wasn’t a horrible idea and in fact it made a lot of sense or at least that’s what he kept telling himself.  Truth was Daniel didn’t know if he felt it was a good idea because there was at least a 50% chance the baby wasn’t his.  Along with his promise to stop drinking he’d made a much bigger one to her a long time ago. So long ago it seemed like it was two lifetimes past. That promise was simple and it was very important to her; Daniel swore that unlike good ol’ Naganti Kanan he would never kill any of her children.  Over the last four or five days all he did was argue with himself about it.  It was selfish, so goddamn self, to say yes to terminating this pregnancy. He tried to rationalize it by saying that this was what she wanted anyway. After all she did run straight to the Women’s Center for an abortion upon hearing the news, hadn’t she? Yes and he chased her down because he knew she’d regret it later.  If she ever did get her mind back, well, they had enough problems, didn’t they?  Would she forgive him for killing one of her children even when he swore it was in her best interest do so? Or would she see right through him right to the liar he was and know the only reason he said yes was so he didn’t have to deal with it?

“Dr. Jackson,” Willie said in a very cheerful voice as he came into view and held out his hand. “Good to see you again but, of course, I’m very sorry it’s under such trying circumstances.”

“Good to see you too, Willie.” Daniel said as he shook the man’s hand. “How’s she doing? Your message said it was important and I’m very sorry I’ve just been so busy lately I couldn’t get here any faster.”

Dr. Willie didn’t get his degree yesterday or his liquor license for that matter so it was easy for him to tell a tipsy liar for what he was. “Not a problem I know how quickly things can move at the SGC and how hard it can be to break away from the place.  Come on up to my office. How are things with you?”

Fuckin’ dumb question.  “OK, I guess.” Daniel muttered running a hand through his short hair and following Willie into the elevator.  The two men rode the rest of the way in an uncomfortable silence. 

Once in Willie’s office Daniel took a seat on the black leather couch wishing he had a flask with him. “You didn’t answer me, how is she?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Calla…..did you know Nicholas was here earlier?”

“Yes,” Daniel said. “He told me.”

“I see, did he also tell you that we had a long talk?”

“No,” he did not that part escaped the conversation. “What about?”

“Oh, nothing really.” Willie tried to brush it off.  “What I’m trying to get it is that after he saw her, Calla had….well…she had a little episode.  I don’t think she took to his company.”  He went on to tell about the screaming fit she had upon waking and how they’d had to sedate her again and after having had to do so already today.  Then he told about the bolting problem they’d had this morning and Calla’s climbing abilities. “Have you thought anymore about terminating her pregnancy? It really would be best, Daniel. The sedative I give her shouldn’t harm the fetus but one can never tell and, for her sake, it would be better, you understand that, don’t you? I’ll be able to get her going on a full regimen of helpful medications.”  Willie sat forward in his chair looking pensive. “So what do you say?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Daniel said uneasily.  “Can I see her now?”

“Daniel,” Willie began, “I know it’s a difficult decision and you probably feel like you’re betraying her or something similar but believe me by consenting to this rather minimal procedure you’ll be a doing her…and your family a kindness.” Pursing his lips and placing his fingers under his chin he went on. “I don’t think you understand, today is just the start and she’s had three of these episodes just today. How much do you think her mind can take before she’s lost to all of us forever?  When she’s well again the two of you can have more children but if she never gets better…..” his voice trailed off.  Perhaps it was best if Daniel couldn’t make up his mind just yet. This new discovery of Nicholas raping his Mother, well, the unborn child could be ¾ Olympian and perhaps those running the show would want an infant like that.  In fact, now that he thought about it, Nick said Ares fucked her too so that baby could be 100% Olympian like its Mother.  Best to let that be born and studied.  If they had two of them then--

“Three episodes?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, after we got her calmed down from Nicholas’ visit she had another episode when we tried to get her into the shower. She doesn’t like having her clothing removed.”

No shit. Daniel thought.  “What did Nick do that upset her?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Willie said. “You’re changing the subject. Can you give me an answer Daniel?”

“No,” he said without thinking, “not yet. I’ve still got time, right?”

“Truthfully we can abort the fetus at any time there are no laws governing mu….” Willie stopped and cleared his throat, “governing women like Calla.” He said with a smile.

Mutant….was he going to say Mutant?  He was.  “Then there’s no rush.” Daniel said trying to sound casual.

“You’d better give me an answer soon, Daniel, Calla is becoming violent and I won’t put my staff at risk.” Willie warned.

Calla? Violent?  “What did she do?”

“She bites,” Willie said flatly. “She kicks and nips every chance she gets.  This is why I’ve yet to remove the restrains from her I’m afraid of what she’ll do to herself…you’ve seen her face…or the staff. Sooner or later I’ll have to muzzle her and I’m sure none of us wants that. With new medications we may be able to keep her violent tendencies under control.”  Not to mention whatever powers she may have left to her.

Violent tendencies? If Willie’d said self-destructive tendencies he would have agreed but violent? She had a temper but he would never describe her as a violent woman. “Does the staff know….about her….I mean….that’s she’s…”

“Special?” Willie asked with a cold smile. “Yes, they’re aware of that.” He twirled a pencil around on his desk and appeared to think deeply about his next words but Willie knew what they were well in advance. Never play poker with a shrink.  “It’s hard for them not to notice. You’re aware of these nightmares, Daniel.” He stopped playing with the pencil and looked at the worried man across from him. “The whole floor shakes and, I would have to say that it is the images in her head which are projected on to the walls like some strange movie projector. Very fascinating actually but she hardly blends in here even with all of these nutjobs.”

“That’s not possible.” Daniel muttered without realizing he was talking at first. “Zeus said that after she was separated, the two of them, you know,….after….that Calla, she’s just Calla now. She’s Mortal. She doesn’t have any Powers.”  She had to have or how else would Willie know about the nightmares, the shaking and the movies in her head which played out on the walls?  “She’s human.” Daniel said through gritted teeth.

“Well Daniel, it would appear they may have been slightly mistaken in that.” Oh yes very mistaken and Willie could tell him that if he chose to but he wouldn’t. All the tests they subjected Calla to, all the Ichor they took from her and things they pumped into it, the IQ and other tests they made her take all had fascinating results. Chief among them being that physically Calla wasn’t any different now than she was before and one would expect some difference if Calla were truly a mere mortal woman. She was not.

 Now sitting here in Willie’s office a cold thought struck him and Daniel asked Willie point blank; “Is my Wife safe here? Should I move her somewhere else?”

Well, since he was bringing the subject up. “You know, the staff is a bit leery of her, who can blame them given all we’ve been through lately?  I know you won’t like this idea but just hear me out.” Willie prefaced and then went on. “There’s a clinic, a hospital, in Indiana that might be able to help…”

“Indiana?” Daniel asked quickly.  “No it’s too far.”

“Haven Care is a wonderful establishment with a stellar reputation, Daniel. You can check them out on the web and I advise you to think of Calla more than yourself right now. It’s about what she needs.”

“I want to see my Wife.” Daniel stood up.  Indiana? Abortion? Too much there was just too much going on. He couldn’t keep up. Man! Did he want a drink!

End Chapter Two Of Faded Rose
By Moon Mistress
Continue to
Chapter Three