Tarnished Heroes Chapter Thirty-Eight Hello, I Must Be Going
“It’s over, pumpkin.” Calla whispered and tried to stroke the hair away from Colleen’s brow but her hands didn’t want to co-operate. “I’m so sorry you saw any of that.” “Where’s Dad?” “I don’t know but I’m sure he’ll be here just as soon as he can.” Calla smiled weakly and kissed Colleen’s cheek. “Are you all right? What can I do?” “I’ll be all right.” “It’s a lousy way to spend you birthday. I’m so sorry honey.” “Calla is that you?” Asked a female voice from the other side of the drawn curtain. “Sam?” Calla left her daughter’s side and peeked around the corner to see Samantha lying in the next bed with her face bandaged. Taking the curtain between her damaged wrists, she cinched them closed and drew it back so she could talk to both of them at the same time. “You look better.” Calla remarked. The bandage was big but her eyes were bright and she had good coloring. Yes, much better than the last time she’d seen her. “Jack? Teal’c?” “General’s back to work already, Teal’cs down the hall, he’s doing better.” Sam told her. “Where’s Daniel?” The Big Question of the Day…..where in bloody hell is Daniel Jackson? “I’m not sure but he’s all right.” Calla assured her. “I took care of that he’s just fine.” She looked back over her shoulder to see Colleen glaring at her. The way mom summed up complicated ugly situations into the simplest and easiest of terms could be downright irritating. “Professor Jackson I didn’t hear you come in.” It was Doctor Adams who had taken over for Dr. O’Gara several years ago and at the sound of his voice, Calla hid her hands behind her back. “Hello doctor. How is my daughter and Samantha?” She asked as she looked up at the very young man. Dr. Adams was all of twenty-four if he was a day. He was exceedingly brilliant and sharp having graduated Yale Medical School at the top of his class by the ripe old age of eighteen. “They’re both doing very well.” Dr. Adams relayed with an easy smile. “Now how about you?” He asked as he took her in. Professor Jackson didn’t look so good. “Perhaps we should have a look at you.” Before Calla could say anything her daughter spoke up. “Her hands are broken,” Colleen informed him in a small but defiant voice. She knew her Mother well enough to know that the last thing she wanted to go through was a physical examination but considering the circumstances, it was probably best thing for her. The question in Colleen’s mind was; who broke them? It wasn’t Umpa, no when Mom left the island her hands were fine. The Connection between them broke after that and she didn’t know when her Mother had gone or for how long before she came to her sick bed. Dr. Adams had seen her come in and he watched her pull the curtain back he already knew what Colleen told him. “Let me see,” he held his hands out for hers. “Come on, Professor Jackson.” Slowly Calla brought her hands out from behind her back and placed them in his open palms. “Why don’t you come with me?” He started to lead her out away from Colleen and Sam. “They’ll heal,” she told him. “I don’t need any help.” From where Colleen and Sam were laying, she needed all the help she could get. “Go on, Calla, you should really let him help you.” Sam encouraged. “We’re not going anywhere.” She smiled through the bandage. “I have to go,” Calla said in a quiet explanatory voice. “Where?” Colleen asked and sat up in the bed. “I really I just have to go.” Calla’s eyes started to glaze over. “Thank you for your kindness.” She began making her way to the door. “Mom?” “I think it’s very important that you stay here Professor Jackson,” Dr. Adams said in a light easy tone while motioning to the orderlies to come forward. Clearly, the woman was highly agitated and suffering from some level of shock. “It won’t take long.” He invited as the orderlies came closer. “It must hurt very much,” Dr. Adams sympathized, “I’ll give you something for the pain.” A scene, which could have turned very ugly very quickly, was avoided. If the doctor was willing to help her with the pain and it wouldn’t take long then perhaps she could stay for another moment or two. With the orderlies behind them, Dr. Adams led Calla out of the infirmary and down the hall to the x-ray room where he asked if he could help her take off the shirt and put on the hospital Johnny but Calla refused and he was left rolling up her sleeves. The x-rays revealed that her left wrist had been snapped almost in half and that the right one was severely strained. Calla didn’t offer any explanation as to what happened. “I know that you have good healing capabilities,” Dr. Adams began as he put the x-rays on the lighted board, “and I’m sure when Doctor Jackson returns he will fix these right up for you but in the meantime the right one needs setting and they both need bandaging.” From the look in her eyes, she was going to refuse. “If you don’t let me help you I can’t say that you’ll ever paint again.” Dr. Adams nudged and thought he saw a bit of light in those eyes but not much. Every good doctor like every good pusher knows when to lay the drugs on the table in order to get his way. “First I’ll give you something for the pain.” Calla held out her arm and he was very careful about the amount of morphine he drew up and gave to her. It was just enough to take the edge off and no more. After the shot, she followed him back to the infirmary and finished the job. General O’Neill was in the infirmary, he watched, and talked while Calla was bandaged, he was the only one who didn’t ask where Daniel was. Calla figured that was because Sam or Colleen had already filled him in. “You look very well.” Calla said to him as the plaster dried on her wrists and up to her index fingers. “Yeah, they gave me a few pints and I’m good to go.” Jack agreed happily. Go. Yes, go. That was right she had to leave. The job was done and Colleen was going to be fine. Jack and the rest were well on their way to recovery so there really wasn’t anything left to do here. Maybe it was the painkiller mixing with the remainder of the coke in her body but she wanted to stay and try to work things out. It was futile. Things could never be worked out between her and Daniel. While now they would both live for eternity, they wouldn’t share it. “You know you look like you could use something to eat. The food here sucks but it’s what we got. How about you come down to the mess with me and we’ll find something.” Jack suggested and didn’t wait for an answer. “We’ll be back.” He said with a smile and serious nod as he led Calla out of the room and down to the mess hall. Daniel Jackson clad only in a baggie pair of Levis appeared in his office at the SGC. Calla and Colleen both felt it when he did. Colleen sat up in bed and tried to reach out to her Father. Tried to tell him that Mom was here and everything was a big mess. While it should be much easier for him to hear her now that he was Immortal it seemed Dad wasn’t listening. No right now, Dad couldn’t hear anything above the roar of his own anger. She crawled out of the bed. “Where are you going?” Sam asked quickly. “Get back in bed Cole.” “Dad’s here I gotta find him.” She ripped the saline IV out of her hand and tossed it onto the bed. To Calla even in her moderately strung out state Daniels’ anger was coming through loud and clear. There were so many levels to his anger and so many things he was pissed off about that he didn’t know where to start. The force of it almost knocked her off her feet. Her heart picked up the pace and a light sweat broke out on her brow. “I must be going,” she said a conversational tone as she looked up at Jack with glassy eyes. “You understand.” “I think you should wait for Daniel.” “He’s here. I really must be going.” “Calla whatever happened you two need to work it out, you can’t just run away.” Jack of course thought she was referring to Daniels’ time with all those women. Yes that is what he thought was first and foremost in her mind but it wasn’t. Soon he would find out that Daniel didn’t recall any such events. “Give the guy a chance, huh? Let him explain. It’s not my place to say it but I know he loves you.” Wherever he was, Daniel was getting closer to where they were standing. “I love him,” she said. “It’s over and I don’t need him to say it.” “What happened? Where did you go? The kids said you went to see Ares.” Jack said in a rushed voice. He didn’t like the look in her eyes or the soft casual tone in her voice. It was as if she was flying on AUTOPILOT or something. Jack like Sam had been home for two days and had had plenty of time to catch up on Current Events. They knew what had been going on in their absence, how the press hounded her and how calliendanny.com made a grand re-appearance on the Internet. About the pictures on the photography web site and about Andrew Hartley, Calla’s new Knight in Shining Armor. If she just cracked wide-open right here and now, Jack wouldn’t blame her one bit. Eventually someone would tell Jack something he didn’t already know it might as well be her. “Daniel is Immortal now.” Calla smiled wanly. “He will live a long life….without me. I’m sure he will tell you all about it when he calms down a bit.” She tried to gather her strength and will herself to wherever Andy was but it seemed the shot Dr. Adams gave her wouldn’t allow it. It wasn’t enough to make her comfortably numb but it was enough to short-circuit her magick. Calla’s eyes still glassy nervously searched for the nearest elevator and exit. She didn’t want to fight with Daniel didn’t want to argue with him in front of everyone. Still he was gaining and she was just standing here. “Why does he have to live it without you?” Jack asked quickly as he sensed her need to flee. “Don’t you love him anymore?” “I will always love him.” Calla said with sad eyes and a deep sigh. “I must be going. I’ve done something awful, something unforgivable.” She whispered and began to weep without sobbing. Calla backed away when Jack reached out for her she turned tail and ran for the nearest elevator or exit. “It can’t be that bad!” Jack called as he watched her take off little bandaged hands pumping up down as she tried to run but only managed a fast trot and her hair bounced up and down behind her. Daniel had most certainly been unfaithful and if the papers were to be believed so had Calla. Jack just found that so difficult to swallow. Calla would never cheat on Daniel no matter how hard things got for her. Then again, Jack didn’t know about the contents of Hartley’s Happy Kit. Daniel was making his way down to the weight room. He had so much anger and energy he just had to work it off before he saw anyone because otherwise he was likely to explode at the slightest thing and take it all out on some innocent by-stander. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, he drew in great breaths as he jogged rapidly down eight flights trying to outrun the thoughts and images racing to keep up with him from behind his eyes. With loudly protesting hands Calla ripped open the first door she came to and there he was. Daniel was jogging down the last of the steps from the upper floor the door opened and the light caught him, he stopped and looked over at her standing there. God she was a mess. Calla’s hair went in many directions as she looked at him from behind tufts of it with puffy eyes. At her sides were bandaged hands. Last time he saw her, her hands had been fine…if nothing else was. “Kitty?” Her mouth dropped open at the sight of him half-dressed bathed in sweat every muscle standing out in blazing anger. Instinct brought her hands up to him for healing and to take the pain away but fear dropped them when Daniels’ bulging sweaty arms reached out for her. “I love you,” she whispered as she sank to her knees away from his grasp. Fear brought with a great rush of endorphins and adrenalin. Just before her knees hit the ground, she disappeared from his sight. Off to find solace and comfort in the arms of Andrew Hartley and bliss in the needles he had. Jack appeared in the doorway where she had been but a moment ago. “Daniel?” “Jack?” The last thing he expected to see as he was rushing to the weight room was his wife and he was still reeling from it. “Where’d she go?” “You’re asking me?” Jack shook his head. “Damn, you look a lot better than the last time I saw you.” “Yeah, you too.” “Dad?” Colleen cried and pushed Jack out of her way. “Oh, Daddy!” Daniel barely had the time to take in the hospital Johnny before she threw her arms around him. “What are you doing here? Are you sick?” Daniel asked as he wrapped his sweaty arms around his daughter. “What the hell is going on?” He said as he looked up at Jack. Daniel had the most dreaded feeling that his new Immortality and how he’d come about it were only the tip of the iceberg. “We got a lot to catch up on, Daniel.” Jack said in a serious but easy voice. “Maybe you want a shower and a drink before we do.” He reached out and stroked Coley’s back. “Maybe take her back to the infirmary too.” “Pumpkin, what’s wrong with you?” Daniel asked and pushed his daughter away so he could get a look at her. “What happened?” Colleen wasn’t sure what to tell him but sometimes the truth was good. “I fell asleep after you and mom left.” She stuttered. “Woke up a little while ago.” The girl was shaking and trying to hold back her tears. “Don’t be angry, Daddy, she did it for you.” That was what pissed him off most. “Come on, pumpkin; let me take you back to bed.” Without having to be told, Daniel understood that Colleen knew more about what happened between Ares and Calla than he did….way more. The thought was deeply disturbing. He couldn’t let his anger fly at her. Jack opened the door and the three of them made the walk back to the infirmary without much conversation. Daniel tucked his daughter into the hospital bed amid protests that she wanted to go home and there wasn’t anything wrong with her now that ‘it’ was over. “Daniel.” “Hey, Sam.” Daniel smiled a little as he looked at her lying in the bed next to Cole. “How you doin’?” “Better, they say I’m gonna be just fine. Maybe a small scar but they did a good job.” She pointed to her bandaged cheek. “You look good.” She remarked. “Where’s Calla?” “She left.” Daniel mumbled. “Oh.” Is all she said, Sam wanted to know more but thought Daniel didn’t want to talk in front of Colleen. There was no need for the young girl to know about her Father’s small but many indiscretions while they were away in Bacchus’ kingdom. Feeling a Father/Daughter moment in the air, Sam drew the curtain closed. “I know you’re angry, Daddy.” Colleen soothed and reached out for daddy’s hand. “You don’t know what’s been going on since you left it’s been just awful.” Daniel wasn’t following as well as he should have been. “I don’t care,” he whispered and looked around for a moment. Colleen already knew so he might as well say it. “She slept with your Grandfather.” He hissed. “For you!” Colleen admonished in a low voice, shook her head, and started to cry. Daniel reached out and brushed the auburn ringlets away from her face and the fresh tears away from her eyes. “You saw it, huh?” That thought was strange to him. “Did Nick see it too?” “No, but he senses.” She told him. Colleen was glad that it wasn’t Nick who’d seen this one; Nick would have gone after Umpa and probably gotten himself killed. In her mind she reasoned that she saw it because Ares was someone her Mother loved very much. All the dreams Nicky shared with her were dark and gruesome but they never involved anyone she cared about. Until now. “You don’t know what Umpa did. Daddy, she cried the whole time.” Not wanting to talk or think about it any more she rolled over on her side and turned her back to him. “I never asked her to make me Immortal.” No, he never did. And the way Daniel figured it—up until this moment--and in the grip of his anger was that Calla had always wanted Ares and he had always wanted her. She killed two birds with one stone, she got to make him Immortal and fuck her Father. How nice for her. What he didn’t get was how she expected him to stay with her after that. “So she was supposed to let you die?” Colleen asked without turning around. “Fat chance, Dad.” “I never wanted this,” he told her, “I don’t even feel like me anymore.” Colleen turned around to look at him. “You’re still the same….just….” she searched for the right word, “upgraded.” For a moment some of his anger abated and Daniel let out a little laugh. “It’s one heck of an upgrade, pumpkin.” “You’ll get used to it.” She told him and wiped the tears away from her eyes. “I love you, Daddy.” Colleen put her arms out for a hug which was not denied her. “Mom loves you too.” She whispered. “I know.” Daniel laid her back down against the pillows. “Get some rest, pumpkin. Where’s Nick?” “He went home when Mom got back that was a while ago I don’t know why he hasn’t come back.” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “You can call for him now….I mean…if you want.” “Really?” “Uh-huh. You just gotta concentrate.” She encouraged. “Maybe I’ll try it later.” Daniel brought the blankets around her. “Any idea where your Mother went?” Colleen didn’t want to be the one to tell him about Andrew Hartley. “No.” She rolled over again and watched him walk out the door. End of Chapter Thirty-Eight of
A Daniel Jackson
Stargate SG-1
Adult FanFiction Series
By
Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
Phil Collins
After she disappeared from her front lawn Calla re-appeared by her daughter’s side in the infirmary of the SGC. Colleen was half-awake when her head lolled over to see her Mother standing there and she gave out a weak smile.
Tarnished Heroes
An Adult Stargate FanFiction Novel
By
Moon Mistress
Continue to
Chapter Thirty-Nine