Some time during the night the storm moved off giving way to a bright new day. Sunlight streaming in through the glass doors awoke Daniel Jackson, he raised his forearm to shield his eyes from the light. That was strange, they usually watched the sun set from here. Looking over at the clock by the bed it saw it was two in the afternoon. Calla was snuggled next to him sleeping peacefully and showed no signs of wanting to wake. They slept the entire day away and the kids let them. Not wanting to leave her side but given the hour he knew he should at least inspect the house before she woke. Daniel stuffed his pillows next to her as he got out of the bed.

She looked a little better today. Her skin wasn’t that lobster red but had returned to its porcelain veneer. The dream, vision, whatever it was, was not fading away and he had no intention of letting it do so until he had time to digest it and go over every last detail. Right now she was sleeping and that was good. Daniel drew the curtains and kissed her cheek before leaving the bedroom.

Sleeping next to her again was heavenly. Dreams and visions or not, just holding her next to him all night long was more than enough for him. When he’d pulled her out of the tub last night that was the first time his skin touched upon hers in almost six months. Being able to hold her again, even under dire circumstances, filled him with hope.

“Hi Daddy.” Colleen said as he came into the kitchen. “Sleep well?” She gave him a devilish little grin.

“I see someone’s made…breakfast?” He asked as he picked the cast iron skillet out of the sink. It was covered in burnt egg. “And what’s this? Lunch?” He picked up a bowl half-full of mushy tuna.

“We were hungry.” She said and finished making the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she was working on. “We didn’t want to bother you.”

“Hum.” He turned to look at the little girl. “I know what you’re thinking but all mommy and I did was sleep, ok?”

At the news Colleen frowned. She was hoping her parents were doing more than just sleeping. Mommy was having one of her visions all night long and Daddy was there, both she and Nicky had seen it though they tried to peek in too long. “Are you getting divorced?” She asked finally.

“No,” he told her. “You don’t have to worry about things like that. But I’ll tell you do have to worry about….this mess. Clean up this kitchen before your mother wakes up.” Daniel put on a pot of coffee. “Where’s your brother?”

“Downstairs watching TV.” Colleen huffed and walked off with her sandwich.

When the coffee was finished brewing he poured two cups and brought them up to the bedroom where his wife was still sleeping. Carefully waving one steaming cup under her nose he watched her face twitch and smiled. “Come on, it’s time to wake up.” As her eyes rolled open and she began to move on the bed, Daniel took a step back to prevent the hot coffee from spilling on her. When she smiled up at him with that special look in her eye he was taken aback but not as much as when she spoke.

“Good morning, Beautiful.” Calla cooed and reached out for the cup. She sat up with ease and took a long sip of the Colombian brew.

“Good afternoon.” He sat next to her on the bed. “Sleep well?”

Calla was putting the cup down on the night stand. “I think I must have.” She stretched her arms all the way over her head and yawned a little. There was no pull and no pain at her back. “I feel wonderful this morning.”

“That’s good.” Daniel sipped off of the coffee waiting for her to say something more but she didn’t. She only sat next to him stretching in a ways he hadn’t seen her move in a very long time. Indeed she looked wonderful in fact she was almost glowing this morning. “Do you remember last night?” He asked. From the blank expression on her face he didn’t think she knew what he was talking about. “Do you remember taking a bath last night?” He prodded.

“Um-hum,” she murmured as she took another drink of coffee. “You were right about that, those jets must have really helped my back.” Another drink and she looked at him from over the rim of the cup. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you remember anything else about your bath, Cal?”

Calla felt a coldness strike her heart. “What are you talking about? What happened?” She searched her memory and tried to find what he was looking for. “I don’t belong here do I?” She asked as she gazed around the room and realized she had not awakened in this room and in this bed in quite some time. The lightness and release she felt a moment ago faded away replaced by lead weighted uncertainty.

“You’ll always belong here.” Daniel reassured her. With a great deal of effort and in as soft a voice as possible he said; “I found you floating in the tub last night, face down. The water was very hot and you were red as a lobster when I pulled you out.” Before him her face turned ashen. “I want you to tell me something, Kitty and I want you to tell me the truth, no matter what it is. Do you understand?” She nodded. “Were you trying to hurt yourself last night?” She didn’t answer him. “I found these in your room,” he tossed one amber bottle onto the bed, “this one in the kitchen,” another bottle down, “this one…and a lot of other things…in the attic.” The last bottle hit the bed. “You took these and had a drink before you got in the tub, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she confessed quietly.

“Were you trying to hurt yourself?” Daniel asked again. “You gotta tell me, Kitty.” Yes, she did have to tell him. If the answer was ‘yes’ then he had to get her help.

“No,” she said absently.

“No, you weren’t trying to hurt yourself or no you’re not going to tell me?”

Calla looked down at the pill bottles and knew he’d discovered the pot and the booze. “No, I didn’t want to hurt myself,” she mumbled and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “I just want to make the voices stop. I just want the pictures to stop.” She took in a deep breath and started to rock back and forth. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I know you don’t approve of such things. I’m sorry.”

“No, I don’t.” He stuttered carefully. “But, if you’d have told me you wanted the pot I would have gotten it for you.” Her eyes widened in surprise and smiled and shrugged his shoulders in return. “I kinda like you when you’re stoned. You’re funny.” Daniel confessed. “You have to get rid of the pills.”

“I know,” she told him.

“The liquor? The nectar casks haven’t been touched, so why the booze?” Daniel asked.

“It’s better.” Was the only thing she had to say as she drew her knees up under her chin. “Do you want me to leave?” Surely he thought her to be a bad influence on the children if nothing else. “I’ll go away.”

“No, I want you to stay with me. I’ll always want you to stay here with me.” Daniel brushed the hair away from her body so he could see her face. “I want you to get better. Here.” He pointed to his head. “The pills and the pot, the booze, they don’t help Calla, in the end they’re just making it worse.” She neither agreed nor disagreed with him, Calla just sat silent. “Promise me you’ll stop.” It was against his better judgment but looking at her right now he just couldn’t take every crutch away from her. “I’ll let you keep the pot if you want, but you have to get rid of the pills and the booze.”

“I need the pills,” she protested in a small voice. “My back and my…..” she shook her head as her voice trailed off for a moment. “They always ache.”

“You said your back felt better today.” Daniel reminded her.

Resting her chin on her knees she looked over at him. “It does.” She agreed absently as she tried to make sense of the whole thing. Waking in this bed felt so right but now looking around she understood it was wrong, she didn’t belong here she never had and she never would. Daniel deserved better than her and certainly he’d already had better women than she in his lifetime. She should go away. Stop trying to make this fantasy a reality and give up. Ares would always take her in. He wouldn’t care about pot pills or booze. It all just came down to the same thing over and over again; I don’t belong here.

“Will you do something for me?” Daniel asked. “Will you lift up your shirt and let me see your back?”

Calla mulled it over for a moment and while she didn’t lift the shirt for him, she did turn so he could do it for himself if he wanted. Daniel lifted the tail of the shirt just a little ways at first and then a little higher and a little higher. “Kitty,” the soft palm of his hand ran down her spine, “they’re gone.” When he woke this afternoon her back had been pressed up against his front and his arms were completely wrapped around her. During the night that lovely blue light worked its magick and took her scars away. “You don’t need those pills anymore.”

Having to look for herself because she didn’t believe him, Calla got up from the bed and turned her back to the mirror. Indeed the marks and scars Kanan laid on her were gone and her back was flawless once more. “Thank you, Daniel. You didn’t have to do that for me.” Calla lowered the shirt and reached for her robe which was lying over the chair, she wrapped it around herself and cinched it tight. “I should go.” Without looking back or saying anything more she left the bedroom.

It was very nice of Daniel to heal her during the night but then again Daniel was a very nice man. What else would he do? Calla peeled off his flannel shirt and put on a pair of blue jeans and pink short sleeved shirt. She tossed the flannel into the laundry pile to wash later. Pity made people do all sorts of things including telling other people that they were not being pitied. It was in one of those situations that Calla figured she now found herself. Daniel was just being Daniel, sweet, patient, kind, loving, fairly dependable Daniel. What did it matter? The dream last night pointed out to her that she never did belong here and it was time to put an end to this little fantasy.

Maybe she had been trying to hurt herself last night and just didn’t know it. Again, what difference did it make? Daniel was a wonderful father and seemed totally in love with his children, she didn’t have to worry about them. Ares had Enya to keep him company in the day and warm at night, no worries for her there. Calla reached under the bed and pulled out the bottle of Jack & Danny. Daniel may have confiscated the pills, she’d go upstairs and find out about the pot in minute, but he’d been kind enough to leave the booze and that was good by her. Calla downed a very long swig straight from the bottle and meandered up the stairs to her attic.

Daniel was waiting for her up there he was sitting on the worn old couch she’d picked up at a thrift store. “I knew you’d come up here.” His open palm patted against the cushion as his other hand held up the pipe for her to see. “Come here and sit with me.”

“I should tend to the children.” Calla hid the bottle of JD behind her back.

“I already saw it and they’re fine.” Daniel told her. “You know we need to talk you can’t run away from this, Kitty.” Calla came forward and sat on the floor at his feet. Not exactly where he wanted her but it would do for now. “I looked at your paintings last night while you were sleeping.” Daniel lit the pipe and handed it to her. “You’re very talented.” He said slowly and exhaled the smoke. “You’ve put a lot….detail….into them.”

“Painting gives me something to do.” She explained and took a long toke before handing the pipe back to him. “It’s hard to sleep on most nights.”

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“Yes.”

“You can sleep with me whenever you want.” He took another toke and handed the glass bowl over to Calla. “Just sleep, that’s ok with me.” The old attic was filling up with pot smoke quickly and he lit a stick of incense to help cover the aroma.

“I haven’t been much of a wife, have I Daniel?” She asked and held the hit she’d just drawn into her lungs.

“You have your reasons I’m not trying to push you.”

“What are you trying to do?”

“Talk to my wife.” Daniel refused the pipe when she tried to hand it back but motioned that she should finish it if she wanted. “Colleen asked me if we were getting divorced.”

Calla exhaled a large lungful of smoke in a harsh cough. “What did you tell her?”

“I said we weren’t.” His eyes like his voice turned sad. “Was I lying?”

“Are you giving me an ultimatum, Daniel? Sleep with you or leave?” Calla used the bottom of the Bic to squash the glowing ember and then held the flat of the light over the top of the bowl to extinguish it further.

“No. I just want to know where we stand. I saw your dreams and your paintings, I know you blame me for a lot of things and I’m not saying you’re wrong. But, Cal,” Daniel reached for her hands. They were warm and soft inside his. “You have to tell me; did we ever make love? Did you ever feel what I feel when I’m with you?”

“After David it was difficult,” she said quietly, “David…” her voice trailed off for a moment, “he makes my head hurt.” She confessed with soft sad eyes and then forced herself forward. “But, somewhere along the line, yes, I believe we got back to making love.” Calla rested her head against his knee. “In your arms I am strong and I am weak, vulnerable to you and only you.” She looked up at him. “I used to love it when you were inside me.”

“Now? You don’t want that anymore?”

“Other than to stop hurting I don’t know what I want, Daniel.” Holding up the pipe and giving a little grin she lit it and took another toke. “Or what I can have.”

“Maybe it’s not much,” Daniel began and smiled a little for her, “but you can have me, the kids, our life together. We can get back to where we were where it was good.” He cupped the side of her face. “You don’t have to hide from me. I love you, I always have and I always will.”

Her eyes widened. “Why?”

Daniel didn’t know how to answer her question. There were a million things he loved about her and he could spend the day listing them for her but they weren’t what made him love her. “Because my heart won’t let me do anything else.”

“I’m not an obligation?” Calla rose up on her knees and moved in closer to him. “You really want me here with you?”

“Of course I do. You were never an obligation or a chain around my neck.”

“You chose Rowan.” She said. “You didn’t choose me; I made you take me with you.”

“Listen to me, Rowan….Psyche, whoever….and David are the biggest mistakes of my life and I will regret them until the day I die and the way I hurt you.” Daniel took the bowl out of her hand and settled it on the floor. He picked her up by the elbows and put her down on his lap. Calla rested her head against his shoulder. “I will never, ever, regret you. I am very grateful that you chose me. Every day I thank God that you’re in my life and that we’re still together.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to talk to me, I want you to tell me when you’re scared or hurt or afraid. I want you to tell me when something’s wrong and let me help. I want you to let me love you.” Daniel’s arms encircled her tighter. “We both know you’re not human,” she cringed a little, “that’s ok. You don’t have to pretend to be. You can use your powers here. If you wanna blink and change the paint on the walls go ahead or…I don’t know…whatever…. I don’t care. You should use them, you know. You shouldn’t hide them. They’re part of you, a very wondrous and incredible part of you the woman I love.”

Calla nuzzled her face against the warmth at the nape of his neck. “Say it again.” She whispered.

“I love you.” Daniel ran his hands through her hair and felt the softness of her lips against his skin.

“Again.”

“I love you.”

“Kiss?” She whispered in his ear.

“You say it.”

Calla pulled away from him so she could look at those beautiful blue eyes. “I love you.” Tilting her head and closing her eyes, she bent forward and brushed her lips over his. “I always want to be where you are. I’ve never wanted anything else.” This time her lips did not merely brush over his they closed down gently and danced back and forth while the warmth and weight of his body enveloped her.

Not taking his lips from hers, Daniel scooped her up in his arms and then laid her down on her back on the couch. Rather than lay on top of her he took the submissive position and knelt at her side. The heat of desire long held back rose swiftly in him but he didn’t want to rush this moment. The kids were in the basement busy with a stack of DVDs and bags of chips. Besides, Colleen would see to it that Nicky didn’t disturb them just now. They were locked away up here in the attic far away from the rest of the world. When his lips descended to the nape of her neck, Calla’s back arched and she let out a yearning sigh as she held his head in place. At the sound his mouth watered and his body filled with fire. He found himself hoping that during the night that lovely blue energy worked its magick on more than just her back. More than anything else he wanted to make love with her right here right now but he didn’t want her to hurt.

Nervous hands slid the cotton shirt up and then off of her. She didn’t pull away she didn’t cringe or try to hide. Instead she reached out and stripped him of his shirt so that they lay together skin to skin. His chest over her pert perfect breasts and her nipples were hard below him. His heart beat wildly over hers while they kissed and touched and groped and their bodies begged for more. Daniel’s cock was hard inside the restraint of the blue jeans and when he slid his hand between her legs the space there was hot and moist waiting for him to strip off her jeans and have a taste. “I love you, Kitty. You know that, don’t you?” He whispered and reached for the button at her waist.

“Yes, I know.” She offered up no resistance when he slid them off of her. “I love you too, Daniel.”

“You’re sure about this?” Daniel leaned over, one hand in her hair and the other gently massaging the tender area below her panties. “You want to make love with me?” He did more than just check in and pick up work when he went to the SGC, he talked with O’Gara…a lot. O’Gara said she wasn’t ready for this and he didn’t know if she ever would be. Laying there staring up at him as though he were the only man on the face of the Earth she looked ready or at least as though she wanted to try. “Do you trust me?”

The scars down there were ugly and she didn’t really want him to see them but she wanted to try. Every bit of her ached to feel him inside of her again. “Yes.” She brought herself to kiss him once more. “I want to make love with you. You’re still the only man I’ve ever wanted, Daniel and the only one I’ll ever want.” Another brush of her lips over his. “Take.”

“No,” he said. “I’m not going to take from you anymore. But I’ll Give if you want.” He wished he could make the same proclamation, to say that she was the only woman he ever wanted but she wasn’t but he was pretty sure that, “I’ll never want another woman.” The panties slid down her slender legs, over her petite ankles and dropped to the floor. She lay naked and vulnerable before him. There was fear in her eyes and perhaps there would be for a while to come but the desire he saw there was stronger than the fear she felt.

Hesitantly her legs parted while his body descended over hers and she looked away from him not wanting to see whatever flashed across his face when he saw her.

Daniels’ prayers were answered. Soft, smooth, unblemished milky thighs met his gaze. The pink area between was waiting and unmarred. The flat of his tongue ran across the sensitive outer area of that sweet pink flesh. Calla jumped and his hands clamped down on her hips. So long since he’d had a taste of her. So worth the wait. A wave of sudden zealousness washed over him but he held it back. Just because her body healed didn’t mean her mind had done the same. Calla was reaching down to him trying to pull him up to where she was. “Don’t push me away, Kitty.” He said quietly from between her legs. “It’s ok, they’re gone. It won’t hurt. I want to do this, let me.”

Gone? Did he say the scars were gone? She did not have to be embarrassed by them any longer? Calla lay back, dropped her hands to her side and let him continue. When the heat between her legs became so intense that his finger slid into her there was no pain at all. Her hips gyrated and rocked on him while Daniel buried his face between her legs. Calla’s hips rose and fell rose and fell and her breathing became heavy and intense. One hand gripped the short hair at his head and the other the cushion at her side.

“Hei ey Co?” She asked him and fought to hold back the rush coming over her. “Hei ey Co?” She insisted.

“Hei.” Her eyes opened and she looked at him with uncertainty. “Hei,” he said again. A long low moan accompanied the passionate orgasm rushing forth from her. “Daniel,” she moaned and tried to stop it, tried to sit up. “Daniel,” she said again in a heated whisper.

Another finger worked its way into her and she couldn’t say ‘no’ anymore. “I love you, cum for me. I want you too.”

Her eyes closed tightly and she surrendered to the pleasure he was giving her. “Ummm, Danny.” She cooed. “I love you. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”

The wonderfully exotic juice washed over his face, down his chin and over his chest like a sweet summer rain.

End of Chapter Four
Daughter of the Gods: Time Out Of Mind
Continue to
Chapter Five