SKELETONS

by Trish Williams

Copyright © 2001

 

Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart and his friends can only read the title. – Virginia Woolf

 

"I am strong, just like my father," the boy thought.

The small child sat dejectedly on a blanket spread upon the sand, watching a group of older boys play further out in the turquoise blue ocean.   They were laughing and grinning while splashing each other.  Some bodysurfed back onto the beach, while others tried to see just how long they could stay underwater before coming up for air.  The little boy sniffled as he remembered one of the boys telling him he was too little to play with them when he asked. And it was most embarrassing to hear a sharp rebuke from his grandmother upon hearing him plead repeatedly with the older boys to take him along.

Angry protests clamored in his mind as he stuck his little toes into the seawater that crept up to meet him.  Why couldn't he play with them?  Why did he have to be so small?  Why couldn't the gods make him grow taller like he prayed to them to do? It was as if they were having all the fun, and he was forced to remain on the shore, wishing he were anywhere else but here.

With a quick glance up towards the dunes where his grandmother sat, he noticed she was engrossed in conversation with three women, all with small infants.  They sat under the shade of a stand of palm trees, chattering away about something he couldn't care less about. Earlier, he had been sitting with them, playing with toys in which he'd lost interest over an hour ago.  He wanted to do something fun and when the group of boys said they were going out to play in the water, he could not believe his grandmother had refused to let him go along.  Even she had told him he was too little to play in the rough water without either her or his mother and right now, getting in the water was not on her mind.  But when he'd cried even she had said he was strong, even when he was born.  As a compromise she had let him sit where the waves of the sea acquiesced into a gentle lapping at the shore.  She'd made him promise to sit there and not move while she chatted with the women whose babies she had delivered the past week.

Lifting his head towards the sunny blue sky, the little boy silently asked the gods why they had called his mother away for the day. She always told him he was strong and brave.  Surely if she were here she would have understood his point of view.

He remembered one of the stories his mother told him of his father.  Perhaps if he showed his grandmother how brave he was, she would let him play with the older children.  Why should he miss out on all the fun because he was younger than they were? 

Smiling to himself, the little boy knew just what he would do.  He would go all the way down to the bottom, then come back up and swim all the way across the river just as his father had done as a boy.  After all, his mother said his father was one of the strongest and bravest men she had ever met.  Perhaps if he proved to the gods how strong and brave he was, they would see fit to show favor to him and his mother, and bring his father back to them.

Many of the villagers spoke ill of his father's kind, and he did not know why.  Often he wondered if his father was a bad person as they claimed.  Whenever he asked his mother about this, she told him to never think of his father that way.  And when he would press further, she only repeated what she said before: to never think of him in that way.  And when he asked his grandmother the same question, she gave him the same answer as his mother.  The little boy was certain they were hiding something.  Adults always gave some strange answers when they either could not or did not want to explain further.

More times than he could count, he had asked when his father would return.  And in response all they could tell him was 'someday'.  For the anxious little boy, someday did not seem like it was coming.

Perhaps if he performed this feat, his father would come back to them. 

With a quick look up at his grandmother to be sure she was busy chatting with the new mothers, the little boy stood up, stepped back a few paces then ran with abandon into the welcoming turquoise water.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Jack's head hurt.

He was tired of arguing, and damn tired of being made out like he had done something heinous.  He didn't like losing, and he'd be damned if he was going to be defeated on account of some friggin' technicality.  Mentally, he smacked himself upside the back of the head for challenging the observation of two people way smarter than him: a scientist and an archeologist.  The way Jack saw it, by the time he got to the other end of the wormhole, he'd have his defense all figured out.

"Sir, I still say you're wrong," Sam said as they exited the event horizon onto a world only known as P3C-570.

Scientists, the colonel thought with distaste.  Damned if they didn't act like they were never wrong.

"Carter," Jack sighed, still holding his MP-5 defensively, "I still say I'm right."

The colonel smiled a bit as the warm, calm breeze of the planet seemed to ease his headache.  Adjusting his goggles a bit against the glare of the bright sun overhead, his nostrils took in the scent of the salt air.  That meant an ocean or a body of salt water was nearby.  Suddenly, he was hungry for a big bag of potato chips and an ice-cold beer.  As hot as this sun was, he figured it wouldn't be long before he saw a mirage of bikini-clad women imploring him to join them in the water, wherever it was.  And him being the perfect gentleman, he'd be only too happy to oblige.

"That wasn't a word, Jack," Daniel countered as he came through.  Teal'c was right behind him, his staff weapon at the ready.

Jack didn't even try to hide his disagreement. "Yes it is, Daniel," he defended.

The archaeologist was undaunted.  "Disdam is not a word," he corrected.

"I believe Daniel Jackson is correct," Teal'c said, his dark eyes sweeping the landscape ahead with a warrior's tenacity.  "I have not heard such a word spoken among your people."

"Says who?" Jack protested, digging his heel into the sandy soil.  He smiled a bit at a startled salamander which jumped up onto the leg of his desert fatigues.  It bobbed its spiked brown head up and down a few times before springing away, disappearing into the lush green carpet of rough grass.

"The last time I checked that wasn't in any dictionary, sir," Sam jokingly lectured.  "I think you should admit you lost the Scrabble game last night."

"In no way am I conceding," declared Jack, stabbing the air with a pointed finger.  "I still say disdam is indeed a word."

Daniel decided to take the obstinate colonel to task.  "Okay, then use it in a sentence," he challenged.

Jack looked around aimlessly, obviously trying to avoid answering Daniel's query.   To the right of his field of vision he noticed the tall palm trees swaying in the hot breeze midday.  Brilliantly colored flowers dotted a nearby hillside, their soothing scent teasing his nostrils.  If Jack didn't know better, he would have thought he was on some island in the Caribbean.  But before he could start fantasizing about all the kinds of fish he could catch in the water here, he noticed a look on Teal'c's face that said this place was familiar to him.  Jack also could have sworn he had the same look on his face now that he did when they gated to Cartago over a year ago.

Cartago was a world the goa'uld liked to visit frequently when shopping for hosts.  It also was a place where Teal'c came face to face with the son of a man he had killed by order of Apophis.  After a little kangaroo court hearing known to the locals as the Cor-ai, Teal'c had been sentenced to death and wasn't even trying to get out of it.  In the end, he had redeemed himself by protecting the villagers when Apophis decided to make another shopping visit.  They had let Teal'c go and all had been forgiven.

Are there any other surprises I should know about? he remembered asking the Jaffa.

"Been here before Teal'c?" Jack asked, trying to take the heat off.  Daniel and Sam's facial expressions said they knew he was stalling.

"Yes, O'Neill.  It is one of the worlds Apophis has visited," he said, prowling back and forth like a jungle cat on watch for prey.  The statuesque, dark-skinned Jaffa peered more harshly at the surroundings as if looking for something.  "But he has not been here in many years. "

That changed everyone's demeanor.

"Then we should make this a short stay," Daniel deduced.

"Indeed, DanielJackson."

"So to answer your challenge, Daniel," Jack said as he checked out the DHD.  "I think it's high time we got off of disdam planet.  The sooner, the…"

Screams pierced the stillness of the clearing, cutting off further conversation.

An older woman came running towards them, conversing wildly in her own language.  From what Jack could tell, she looked to be around sixty Earth years old.  She tripped in the grass, falling forward but still wailing as she approached.  Daniel sprinted the few yards between SG-1 and the woman to see if and how he could help her.  The rest of the team followed, albeit more slowly and with extreme caution.

"I'm Daniel Jackson, a peaceful explorer from Earth," the archaeologist told the woman as he helped her up.  When she tried to speak to him, her words came out so fast Daniel couldn't make them out.

"Please, slow down," Daniel told her.  "What's wrong?" 

A caramel-colored face with freckles looked up at him with a panicked expression.  "My grandson!" she cried.  "Please help!"

"Jack!" Daniel yelled.  "We need some help over here."

No shit, you couldn't wait for us? Jack thought as they trotted over.  Teal'c hung back a little to protect their rear.  "What's going on?" he asked Daniel.  The woman rattled off in her own language, losing Jack and Sam immediately.  Teal'c was too busy covering their asses to play close attention to what the woman was saying.

"She says they just pulled her grandson from the water," Daniel translated.  "Seems he got dragged in by the undertow or something."

"I smelled salt in the air," Jack said as he looked around briefly for a body of water.  He still didn't see anything.

"So either a salt water lake or ocean is nearby," Sam commented.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said as he approached.  "What has…"  The Jaffa's words cut off immediately when he saw the old woman. 

Recognition sparked in her eyes and she fell to her knees before him.  "Please, my lord!  Help my grandson!" she implored.

"Where is he?" Teal'c pressed, his voice tinged with anxiety.  When she told him, he sprinted away at top speed, leaving behind a befuddled SG-1.

"I guess we should follow," Jack said.

When they arrived at the shoreline, Teal'c was already performing CPR on a small child. From what Jack could ascertain, the kid was pretty young.  Maybe four, five years old tops.  A small gathering of spectators hovered in a semi-circle a few feet away, watching in awe and fear as the muscular Jaffa checked for signs the small child was breathing.  Finding none, Teal'c adjusted the child's neck then covered his mouth with his own, breathing life into the body and causing the tiny chest to rise and fall.  As he resumed compressing the chest with the heel of his hand, they all stood there, amazed at how the Jaffa worked. 

It seemed as if his life depended on saving this child.

Bang! 

Jack heard the fatal gunshot in the back of his mind.  He was running back to a house, his feet moving faster than the speed of light yet too slow to get there as fast as he wanted.  On the floor was Jack's gun, and next to it the bleeding body of his only son.

"I have sent word to his mother," the old woman informed Teal'c as she sank to her knees next to him on the sand.  "Please my lord.  You must help him."

"Oh God, Jack!  What are we going to do?"

"Call 911!" Jack yelled to Sara as he compressed Charlie's chest.  One, two, three, four, five…now open the airway and breathe!  Charlie's chest inflated and deflated, but when Jack checked for a pulse he felt nothing.

Teal'c kept working; kept compressing the small child's chest; kept covering his mouth and breathing his own life force into him.  This child cannot die, his mind screamed.  He must not die…

"He is killing him!" one of the onlookers cried.

"He can't be dead, Jack!  Please!"

"He's not hurting him," Sam defended.  "He's trying to save him."

"Don't die, Charlie.  Please.  If you do I don't know if I could forgive myself…"

"The Jaffa save no one," another onlooker spat.  "The last time his kind were here, they took more slaves and killed those who dared get in their way."

Teal'c didn't have time to defend his species.  The only thing he had time for was saving this child's life.  Nothing else mattered now.

Absolutely nothing.

You must not die, Teal'c thought.  You cannot die…

"Please don't die Charlie.  Goddamnit don't die on me, please!"

Suddenly the child started coughing and spitting.  When he started to cry, the crowd let out sighs of relief and nervous laughter.  His grandmother took off her outer robe and wrapped it around the crying child.  Jack stood there in awe, realizing he had stopped breathing after several long moments.  With a relieved exhale, he watched as the old woman rocked the child and soothed him then rebuked him for scaring her so badly.  The small child hid his head in his grandmother's chest, still coughing and crying.  Teal'c sank back onto his knees, dropping his head backwards as if giving thanks to a higher being for what he'd been able to do.

And it freaked Jack out.

"I will take the boy back to your home," Teal'c panted.

"Thank you, my lord," the old woman cried as she lovingly stroked the child's head.  "I owe you a great debt for saving my grandson's life."

"Teal'c?" Jack asked as he squatted down next to the Jaffa, noticing he was muttering something in his own language.  "Why did you jump to save that kid so quickly?"

The Jaffa raised his head and looked sideways at him with an expression Jack had seen before.  It was a look that said he was not comfortable with what he was about to say, but fate had left him with no other choice.  Jack couldn't figure out why he knew what Teal'c was going to say before he even said it.

"Because he is my son, O'Neill."

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Jack paced near the doorway of the modest home, looking briefly at Sam and Daniel as they sat at a dining room table.   The house had a warm, welcoming feeling to it.  Fresh, fragrant flowers sat in a bowl on the table where his comrades sat, chairs were overlaid with intricately woven throws, the floors had an occasional rug here and there, and the walls were the color of sunset.  The Colonel knew Teal'c's son had a house full of love—the kind of home he and Sara had tried to make for Charlie.  He turned his chocolate-eyed gaze towards the back of the room where Teal'c was with his child, taking special note of the toys in the corner. Shaking his head, he thought of how close their owner had come to dying.

He was still trying to take in everything that had happened.  Just watching as Teal'c had performed CPR had opened the floodgates that held back his memories of his only son.  It wasn't Teal'c he'd seen out there at the beach; it was himself.  It was he trying desperately to resuscitate a son who was dying because of his carelessness, an innocent child who didn't deserve to die so young.  A child he thought his wife would never conceive considering how often he was gone on missions he couldn't talk to her about.  He'd almost lost it out there and cursed himself for doing so.  As if dealing with that wasn't enough, he was still blown away that Teal'c had managed to save his own kid.

And he asked God yet one more time why he couldn't have done the same.

Jack laid his MP-5 on the dining table.  "I'm doing the math," he told Sam and Daniel as he looked at a clump of drying herbs hanging in the kitchen window.

"So am I, sir," Sam concurred as she took her helmet off and placed it on her lap.  "And that kid is at least a few years younger than Rya'c.  Which would mean…"

"You don't have to say it, Carter," Jack said, cutting her off with an upheld hand.     "I think we've all figured it out."

"I don't understand why this seems so strange to you two," Daniel said, pushing his glasses up.  "Even on Abydos I was allowed to take a mistress if I wanted.  In that culture, a man's wife and his mistress were actually friends.  They see no conflict in sharing him, or raising each other's children sired by him."

Sam's head snapped around so hard Jack swore she'd gotten whiplash from it.  "You can't be serious," she chided Daniel.  "He cheated on his wife for God's sake."

"I'm very serious," he said plainly.  "Granted there are things about Jaffa society I don't know.  I would think if there was to be any strife, it would be between Drey'auc and the boy's mother."

Sam shook her head slowly and asked, "Does Drey'auc even know about this kid?"

"My money's riding on the fact that she does," Jack said.  "That might explain why they're out here instead of on Chulak."

"Makes me wonder how many more he's got out there," she scoffed.

Are there any other surprises I should know about? he remembered asking the Jaffa.

"If he does, I don't think it's any of our business," Daniel told them.  "We can't judge his culture by our own.  Think about it.  The goa'uld depend on the slave population.  The more of them there are, the better their chance of survival.  And it would make sense for the warrior Jaffa to have as many offspring as possible since they're the strongest."

"So you mean their society pretty much encourages Teal'c to sow his oats across the galaxy?" Sam asked, not entirely convinced.

"Disregarding the crass way you put it Sam, the answer would be yes," Daniel spat.  Sam just rolled her eyes at him.

"For crying out loud, Carter, you're not that naïve are you?" Jack exclaimed with a look that said Sam had a lot of book knowledge but very little 'life' knowledge.  "Soldiers do this all the time and I don't think the Jaffa are any exception.  Children that were fathered by American GIs over in Vietnam are proof we do the same damn thing."

"I know it's a double-standard but even in ancient Egyptian society, male infidelity was tolerated but female infidelity was severely punished," said Daniel, putting a new spin on things.

"That would explain Teal'c's reaction when he found out Drey'auc had hooked up with his best friend," Jack said.  He was about to say more when he heard the door open.

"Forgive my informality," the grandmother apologized as she came out of a bedroom, closing the door with a soft click.  "My name is Mah'ti.  I serve as midwife for this village and a few others close by."   She stopped at the edge of the table, giving each of them a warm smile.  Jack thought she looked like the Oracle in the movie 'The Matrix'.  She had the same warm personality, and it made Jack have a sudden craving for some cookies.

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill," he said, introducing himself with a tip of his cap.  He then motioned to the rest of his team.  "This is Major Carter, and you've already met Doctor Daniel Jackson."  The two of them nodded in Mah'ti's direction and she bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement.

            "You have the mark of Apophis," Daniel observed, making him wonder why he hadn't seen it sooner.

"Yes," she confirmed with a nostalgic smile.  "I lived on Chulak before I was brought here.  I must admit the warmth of this place is most welcome to these old bones of mine."  Mah'ti laced her fingers together and stretched them outwards.  As soon as Mah'ti sat down in a dining chair Jack knew the forthcoming story would be a strange one.  "Several years ago a small band of Serpent Guards brought me here by ship," she recounted.  "A young woman, the mother of my grandson and a scribe of Apophis, accompanied me."

"How long ago was that?" Daniel inquired.

"Over," she paused and counted wordlessly, "twenty seasons ago.  Or is it ten?" Mah'ti shook her head and let out a small laugh.  "The weather here only has two seasons instead of four as on Chulak.  It confuses me at times." 

"Your…daughter," Sam began, placing her hands on the tabletop.  "Was she pregnant when you came here?"

"I was not sure," Mah'ti said.  "Even to a midwife with all of my years of experience, it was not until quite late that I realized her condition."  She dusted off her skirts a bit before continuing the story.  "I was given strict orders to take care of her and I was promised to be rewarded as a faithful servant of Apophis. But considering my daughter was also a faithful servant of Apophis in his harem as well as a scribe, it was a most confusing situation."

"She was one of Apophis' concubines?" Daniel asked, shooting Sam a look she ignored.

"Yes," Mah'ti confirmed.  "And I could not see a logical reason for her banishment."

Oh this just keeps getting better and better, Jack thought.  "Banished?" he asked.  "For what reason?"

Mah'ti straightened up a little.  "We were given no reason," she declared, tossing a brief look at the closed bedroom door.  "She was forcibly removed from the palace under the cover of night by several of Apophis' personal guard.  The First Prime accused her of seducing him," Mah'ti scoffed as she shifted position in her chair.  "At least, that is the official reason," she said in a voice that alleged something else had been going on.

Yeah, the unofficial reason probably was Drey'auc getting wind Teal'c was fucking around on her, Jack thought with a smirk.

"I thank the gods you arrived when you did," she said, looking upward for a brief moment.  "I prayed to them to save my grandson.  Kept praying as I ran to get help.  But I did not anticipate they would send his father to save his life."

Jack decided to cut to the chase and asked,  "Are you aware of what's going on between Teal'c and Apophis?"

Mah'ti lowered her head.  "I am," she said softly.  "But I do not care to discuss it at this time."

Jack could tell she knew a lot more, but didn't want to volunteer it.  It was obvious she was very loyal to Teal'c, but for what reason he couldn't figure out.  Something told him he knew it had to be more than just the kid.  Shit, the woman's daughter was banished from Chulak for seducing Teal'c?  Something didn't wash here, and knowing the Jaffa as he did, it was a given he would have to pull teeth to get the answer.  

Before Jack could contemplate further, he heard the bedroom door open which Mah'ti had previously come out of.  Teal'c looked back into the room to check up on his son one last time.  A gentle smile tugged at his lips, a kind of smile Jack had seen him give Rya'c.  He wondered how the boy would react to finding out he had an older brother. 

"How's the kid doing?" Jack prompted as Teal'c gently shut the door behind him.

"He is strong, and will recover quickly," the Jaffa declared with a father's pride.  "But he requires rest."

"Does he have a name?" he asked.

"Yes.  His name is Adj'an," he said proudly.

"Son of my…beloved," Daniel translated with an incredulous expression.  Sam's expression softened a little as well.

"So why hide him?" Jack pressed, his hands on his hips.  "Scared Drey'auc would find out?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at him, delivering a wordless message, which Jack understood. "Drey'auc has no say in this matter," he said harshly.  "I wish to take my son back to Earth so Doctor Frasier may examine him further."

"You cannot take him without his mother's permission," Mah'ti protested.  "She is in a village some distance away and it will take her quite some time to return."

"I am his father," Teal'c declared haughtily.  "No further permission is needed."

"A father he has never seen," she countered, standing up to face him.

"Regardless of such, he is my son.  And I will take him through the Chappa'ai so the Earth doctors can assure me he is well."

Mah'ti still didn't look convinced.  "You cannot do this!  You…"

Teal'c said something to her that stopped her mid-tirade.  She lowered her head in acquiescence and apologized for her outburst.  Teal'c then apologized for disrespecting her in her own house, and made it a point to thank her again for helping to raise his son.  It was still apparent Mah'ti was not convinced she should let Teal'c take Adj'an to the world of the Tau'ri, but she was worried about the health of her grandson.

"Mah'ti," Teal'c addressed her reverently.  "These are the people of the Tau'ri."

The elderly midwife looked stunned.  "The people of the first world are but a legend among Jaffa," she said.

"They are indeed real," he assured her.  "I slew my own soldiers to save their lives and the lives of others Apophis had condemned to death.  I have sworn allegiance to their world to help them fight against the goa'uld who have enslaved our people."  Teal'c looked at her in earnest and said, "You have my word that no harm will come to your grandson."

Mah'ti sighed and patted Teal'c's large hands.  She wanted to believe him, but…

"Can I offer a suggestion?" Jack requested, pointing a finger in the air.  "How about Carter and I escort Grandmom and AJ back to Earth.  You and Daniel can wait until mom shows up and bring her back."

"She will not be pleased to see you," Mah'ti told Teal'c.

"I will deal with May'at," he rumbled softly.

Sam started to say something, but stopped when Teal'c looked in her direction.

"There are things we must take with us," Mah'ti said.

"Then prepare quickly," Teal'c advised.  "You will be safe in the world of the Tau'ri.  I give you my word."

"Well, Teal'c," Jack began, smoothing back an edge of a throw rug with his foot. "You go get AJ and we'll take him back to Earth."

"His name is…"

Jack interrupted Teal'c with a smile and said, "I know.  But I can remember AJ a whole lot better."  Then he turned to Sam and Daniel.  "Carter, help Grandmom get her and the kid's things together."

"Yes, sir," she acknowledged.

Jack watched as they went into another bedroom, wondering why he couldn't quiet the uneasy feeling creeping over him.  "Teal'c?" he asked.

"Yes, O'Neill?"

"Don't hang around here too long," Jack said.  "As soon as mom shows up, bring her back to Earth.  Even if she's kicking and screaming."

Teal'c's expression said he didn't look forward to attempting such a thing, but he nodded acknowledgement.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Teal'c flinched at the screams, which cracked the peace of the night sky.

Concentrating on a swaying palm tree in the distance, the First Prime of Apophis tried to tune out the sounds coming from the small house a few feet behind him.  The soliders who had arrived with him were still at the encampment, which was over an hour's walk away.  Stabbing at the ground with his staff weapon, he wondered if they could hear the sounds as well.  No matter, he thought.  They were sworn in allegiance to him.  If they did not stay slient, they would pay with their lives.  But for staying silent, he would reward them richly.

He heard a woman's anguished voice curse his name; heard her curse his father's name; heard her plead with the gods why they were punishing her so.  Teal'c couldn't stand to hear her talk so harshly of him even though she was in great pain.  In a last-ditch attempt to deal with it, he began counting the various stars, which were scattered like diamonds across the sky.  They were always so bright and brilliant here, he remembered. 

Another scream so loud, so full of anguish erupted almost causing Teal'c to turn around and storm into the house.  He stopped short when he remembered who he was, and that no one in the house could see him without his helmet closed.  Even if he wanted to, he couldn't be there with her.  Births were a place strictly for women.  The head midwife would have kicked him out even though he was First Prime.  And of all the people in the house only she knew who he really was.

And that made matters more complicated.

Teal'c sat down in the rough grass, placing his staff weapon across his lap.  As the wails grew louder, he wondered how he'd allowed things to get so out of hand.  Bra'tac had warned him about this happening and now it was coming to pass.  Ever since his father was slain by Cronus, being First Prime was his one and only goal—everything else was secondary.  Ever since taking Bra'tac's place as First Prime of Apophis, life had become substantially more complicated.  He was thankful the gentle roar of the ocean helped to drown out the thoughts screaming in his mind. 

The woman wailed again, crying out that she was in too much pain; that she did not want to go on.  She pleaded for the gods to have mercy on her and take her life.  Teal'c heard the midwives-in-training encouraging her to push harder.  The woman, true to her nature, swore at them, telling them she was doing the best she could and if the gods had any mercy they would do it for her.  The wails and screams grew louder, and louder, and louder, disrupting an otherwise peaceful night.  Subconsciously, Teal'c grasped his staff weapon harder with each wail to the point where breaking it seemed a very real possibility.  He wanted it to be over for her, to stop hearing her curse him, to end one portion of a complication only to start a new one.  She screamed and grunted long and loud, and Teal'c fought with all of his being to remain where he was.

And, for what seemed like an eternity, there was no sound at all.

Scrambling to his feet and running towards the house, his mind demanded to know what was wrong.  Was there something wrong with the child?  Why was it not crying?  Teal'c made a move to enter the house, but remembered how stern a rebuke Mah'ti could give for invading her territory. She had already given him a stern lecture when he'd arrived at the house hours ago.   So, instead, he concentrated on the stars in the sky and prayed to the gods for the safety of the child…and its mother.

Its mother was strong, that much he knew for sure.  All of the messages he had received from Mah'ti indicated May'at was very strong, was still going about her work as a scribe.  He remembered with a smile how the midwife had told him May'at carried the child so well it was only until late in the pregnancy anyone knew of her condition.  Drey'auc had not been well when she had carried Rya'c, and for much of the time she was bedridden. And now that he reflected upon it, Teal'c was convinced that had it not been for Mah'ti's relentless work, both Rya'c and Drey'auc would have died shortly after she'd given birth.  Drawing in a deep, cleansing breath, Teal'c told himself that his newly born child and his mother was in the best of hands.

His heart leapt when he heard the strong wail of an infant.

Teal'c was anxious to enter the house, but stayed reverently outside of the door, trying his best not to pace around.  Did he have a strong son?  Did he have a daughter who would one day bear him strong grandsons?  Did the child look like him or his mother?  The more he thought about it, he hoped she'd given birth to a daughter.  Drey'auc would feel less threatened that way.  He tried to look through the windows but saw nothing that would give answers to his questions.

The door creaked open, sending a rush of warm air and the smell of life that had recently arrived.  It almost made him a bit queasy, but he did not let it show.  Turning his back to the door, he quickly closed his helmet.  Besides Mah'ti, no one was to know who he was.  As far as everyone else was concerned, he was there on official business for Apophis.  With him being First Prime, none of them would dare question him further on this matter.  Considering his identify was concealed by the helmet of the Serpent, no one would have reason to.

"You may enter, my lord," Mah'ti said graciously with a slight bow of the head. 

Teal'c stepped through the doorway, the question burning in his mind.  The sound of his armor startled a young midwife-in-training who stood right behind Mah'ti.  She looked both in awe and in fear of the Serpent Guard at the same time.   It wasn't a look he hadn't seen before. 

"Fetch the child," Teal'c commanded.   When the woman didn't move right away, Mah'ti gave her a swift rebuke, causing her to leave swiftly.  She tossed Teal'c a fearful look before disappearing from the room.

"How is the mother?" he asked Mah'ti urgently.

The midwife smiled and motioned towards a nearby room. "She is resting," she said.  "The birth was long and most painful for her, but she is strong and will recover quickly."

Looking through the cracked door, Teal'c saw the favorite concubine of Apophis resting.  She was so beautiful, yet so full of anger towards him.  Things had gotten too complicated and although he did not like the means, he had done what was necessary.  He only hoped in time she would find it within her heart to forgive him, and prayed she would not speak ill of him to their child.

"And my child?" he prompted.

"Strong," she told him, obviously pleased with the fruit of her labor.  "And most reluctant to leave the womb.  Never in all of my years have I been through a labor so long."  Mah'ti cackled softly, causing her rounded body to bounce a little. "And here is the child," she merrily announced as the young midwife whom she'd chided earlier came out of another room with a small linen-wrapped bundle cradled in her arms.

"The child, my lord," the young midwife tentatively announced as she reverently placed the child in Mah'ti's arms. 

Teal'c was thankful the helmet was closed and did not show the beaming smile on his face.  He wished with all of his being he could show himself—that his son would see his father's face with his own eyes instead of the glowing red eyes of a Serpent Guard's uniform.  But alas, it was not to be.

"Do you wish to hold him, my lord?" Mah'ti asked Teal'c.  She cooed at the baby while waiting for his response. 

The Jaffa leaned his staff weapon up against a nearby wall and said, "I do indeed." 

Mah'ti lovingly placed the infant into his father's outstretched arms.  With the helmet closed, she couldn't figure out if Teal'c was smiling or not, but the way the father gently stroked the infant's cheek, she knew he was genuinely touched and the bonding had begun.  The baby had a head full of dark, curly hair, and according to Jaffa beliefs, a son born with so much hair indicated great strength and cunning.  At first he was alarmed at the pale appearance of the child.  But after reminding himself that the child's true coloring would take several weeks to appear, he relaxed.

The child was quite content to sleep, and protested with a wail when Teal'c tried to rouse him.  Letting his large finger graze the palm of the baby's hand, he marveled at how strong the baby's grip was. He could not tell if the child looked like him or May'at, but the one thing he did know was that the child was beautiful, healthy and strong.  It was also quite large for an infant, which would definitely account for the amount of pain his mother was in during birth.  Teal'c knew he would have to reward her somehow for giving him such a precious gift.

But he knew Drey'auc would not see it this way.  May'at's child would be a threat to her and to Rya'c.  According to Jaffa custom, her child would have as much entitlement to Teal'c's property and social standing upon his death as Rya'c would.  He had dreamed of a day when his sons would fight alongside of him.  But now he feared the time when this son would come of age.  Would he grow up to hate his father?  Would he come looking for him to gain retribution for banishing his mother from her home?  Teal'c didn't want to think any further on this than he had to.

"Do you have a name for the child?" Mah'ti asked.

"I do," Teal'c said, noticing how peacefully his son slept in his powerful arms.

"And what name do you give him to be known by his people?"

"His name is Adj'an," Teal'c said softly as he caressed his son's face.  "To let everyone know he is the son of my beloved."

"So it shall be written, and thus will be known," she proclaimed.  "May he grow strong and bring you great honor."

Teal'c reluctantly handed the child back to Mah'ti.  Sensing the separation, the child wailed loudly in protest.  Even with all of her experience, the midwife could not get him to calm down.  Calling over one of her apprentices, she instructed her to take the child to the mother and put it to her breast.   Bowing quickly in obedience, the apprentice took the child and did as she was told.

"I will instruct my soliders to leave provisions with you for the child and his mother," Teal'c said, watching as the apprentice left with his son.  The last thing he saw before she shut the door was May'at turning over and groaning in pain as the apprentice midwives tried to make her more comfortable.  "You must make me a promise," he told her, still looking at the shut door.

"What is your bidding, my lord?" she asked.

Teal'c turned around slowly and said,"When Adj'an comes of age, he is not to undergo the prim'tah."

Mah'ti bowed her head in acknowledgement.  That was all Teal'c needed to reassure himself his son would not become a slave.  He wasn't so sure he could prevent it from happening to Rya'c.  Picking up his staff weapon again, he turned to leave and rejoin his soldiers.

"Will you return, my lord?" Mah'ti asked as he stepped outside into the warm night air.

Teal'c didn't turn around.  He just stood there, looking out into the darkness.  "It may be some time, but I will try," he said.  "If I do not, please tell my son I had love for him even before you facilitated his birth into this world."

"And a message for his mother?"

The Jaffa sighed, his heart heavy with guilt. "She is not to know of my visit, nor my naming of the child," he declared.  And with that, he walked out the door and did not look back.

As he made the hour's journey on foot back to the encampment, visions of past few years floated before him on the warm wind.  As fate would have it, the son of the woman he did not love would take precedence over the son of the woman he loved with all of his heart.  Given he only had himself to blame for the situation, what was done was done.  Teal'c promised himself that this child would not become slave.  Mah'ti and Bra'tac both believed the goa'uld to be false gods, and would teach Adj'an the same principles.  May'at was not so convinced, but she valued Mah'ti's counsel.  Though she did not believe truly, Teal'c knew she would abide by his edict not to have the child undergo the prim'tah.

His son was safe as was his mother.  And that was all that mattered to him.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Teal'c looked through one of the front windows of the house, making sure no one was lurking around outside.  The sun had begun its descent, making the sky a brilliant mix of purple and pink with splashes of gold.  His nostrils took in the smell of evening meal preparation, causing him to crave the cuisine of his home world.  Children laughed and played at nearby houses, and men were returning home from a long day of fishing and other activities.

Surely May'at would return soon, the thought making him both excited and nervous.  What would she think of him after all this time?  Did she know he had turned against Apophis?  Did she know he never stopped loving her?  Did she still love him? 

And most of all, did his son know who his father was?

By the gods, the last thing he had expected to do when he got here was to save the life of his own son.  He had faced fear numerous times, but seeing his child lying there, not breathing, his adoptive grandmother wailing and blaming herself for not keeping closer watch, it had sent a streak of fear through him unlike any he had ever known before.  Adj'an had asked him who he was and, although he had wanted to tell the child he was his father, had instead told him he knew his father.  The boy's eyes filled with questions, and Teal'c had promised him he would answer them after he had rested.  His soul ached with the knowledge that his own son's father was standing there in front of him, and the child had no idea.

"I hate to get personal, Teal'c," Daniel began as he settled into one of the comfortable chairs.  "But why did you hide this child?"

"What has Mah'ti told you?" he asked, still looking through the window, watching as the children at a house nearby were called to evening meal.  Teal'c smiled as they cheered and ran with haste, obviously anxious to feed their hunger.

Daniel decided to start with what he knew.  "That his mother was brought here by Serpent Guards," he recounted.  "And Mah'ti was with her."

Teal'c finally left the window, his large hands still clasped around his staff weapon.  His eyes panned around the room before he answered.  "The mother's name is May'at," he recalled fondly.  He went to sit down, but changed his mind, choosing instead to pick up a stray toy near the dining table.  It was simple, a wooden animal on wheels with a string attached for a toddler to pull.  But to Teal'c, it was a developmental connection with a child he hadn't seen since he was an infant.

"Mah'ti said something else that was a bit confusing," Daniel said with a furrowed brow.  He wiped the sweat that beaded on his forehead despite the cool breeze of evening, which swirled through the open windows.  "She said May'at was a scribe as well as Apophis' concubine.  I could be wrong here, but I didn't think women became scribes on your world."

"They do not," Teal'c said flatly.  "But because of her father's high station, special privileges were granted to her.  She studied under Fro'tak."

Daniel's expression softened a bit. "Your best friend," he said, not happy with dredging up the late husband of Teal'c's former wife.

"Yes."

Daniel's blue eyes watched as the Jaffa lovingly placed the toy on one of the chairs.  There were so many questions shooting through his mind, and all of them were extremely personal.  What he wanted to ask Teal'c off the bat was, if this woman was Apophis' concubine, who was to say Adj'an was truly his?  Could that be why Teal'c had her brought to this place?  To flee Apophis' wrath should he find out?  The archaeologist watched as Teal'c took in the atmosphere of the house, obviously reliving fond memories.   He hated to intrude by getting personal, but he just had to know. 

Bracing himself for a stiff rebuke from Teal'c, Daniel went for broke.  "I…I guess my next question is, how did you manage…I mean, she was Apophis'…"

"It is a lengthy tale, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said softly.

"Mind giving me the Reader's Digest version?" Teal'c arched his brow in confusion.  "A shorter version of the tale," he clarified.  Daniel's eyes tracked the Jaffa as he finally decided to take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs.

"Do you read the Bible, Daniel Jackson?"

Besides its historical value in some classes he'd taken in college and graduate school, Daniel couldn't say he did on a regular basis.  He smiled and said, "Not as much as some people."

"I have found it to be an intriguing part of your culture," he proudly announced.  "I have found portions of it interesting.  And some have mirrored portions of my life."

Daniel leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.  "There's something in it for everyone I think," he said with a grin.

"Are you aware of the tale of David and Bathsheba."

"A little," Daniel recounted.  "What sticks out most is David had Bathsheba's husband killed after he had an affair with her."

Teal'c's expression drew his face tighter.  From years of working with the Jaffa, Daniel knew Teal'c was about to confess something he wasn't comfortable with, but had some higher reason for doing so.  He'd seen it right before Teal'c confessed to him that Cronus had killed his father in cold blood.  Considering how heavy that revelation had been, Daniel didn't think anything Teal'c could say next would top that.

"I am guilty of such a thing," the Jaffa confessed.

The archeologist mentally shook his head, realizing he'd spoken a little too soon.

"I killed a man so I could possess the one to whom he had become betrothed," the Jaffa recounted, his voice repentant.  "I sent him into the hottest portion of battle knowing he would not return.  I had planned that after her days of mourning were over I would take her as my wife."

Damn, Daniel thought.  After processing what he'd just heard, the next logical question popped into his mind.  "So how'd you wind up with Drey'auc?" he asked.

"I was convinced to choose a wife who was of Chulak,' Teal'c replied.  "May'at was not of that world.  Her family was captured and brought to Chulak when Bra'tac was still First Prime.  Her father was a scholar in the court of Apophis."

Something about this didn't wash with Daniel  "Well Teal'c, you weren't originally from Chulak either," he lectured.

"That is so, but I was First Prime," Teal'c explained.  "And May'at was not considered to be a socially acceptable wife."

Daniel could read through the lines. "Politics," he declared.  Teal'c's guilty expression met Daniel's deductive one.

"Yes.  Politics," Teal'c confirmed, his eyes dropping to the stone floor like a scolded child.  "And when I had realized my mistake, it was too late," he muttered apologetically.

"So what happened next?"

"As was my right as First Prime I did indulge in the harem," he continued.  "And more often than not it was with May'at.  Apophis became jealous and declared no one was to touch her.  If they did, the penalty would be death."

A few moments of silence passed between the two men, and Daniel realized for the first time that he was literally on the edge of his seat. 

"And you violated that edict," he said, sliding back into the chair.

"Several times," he admitted with a sly look.  "But when I received word May'at was with child, I had her brought to this world against her will."  Teal'c's posture stiffened and he gripped his staff weapon a little tighter.  "Both her life and that of my unborn child were in danger," he declared sharply.  "I had to act."

"Teal'c," Daniel began, letting out a breath he'd held in.  "I can't judge you for what you did."

"But it surprises you."

"No, no it does not," he countered.  "But Teal'c, if Adj'an was born on Chulak, Jaffa society would have accepted him, right?"

"Yes."

"So why drag his mother here?"

"Because I…"

"Mah'ti!" a feminine voice called from outside.  They heard the sounds of running feet approach.  The door swung open, and a woman with skin the color of nutmeg and long, curly dark brown hair twisted into hundreds of braids ran into the house.   A satchel full of scrolls fell to the floor, and a few brushes and a stylus tumbled out and rolled across a brilliantly colored throw rug.  From what Daniel could tell, the woman was around his age, give or take a year or two.

"Mah'ti!  Where is my son!" she yelled.

When she turned and saw Teal'c sitting there with Daniel, it was as if an eternity passed between them in mere seconds.  She looked at him as if she wasn't sure he was really there.  But it wasn't long before her brain told her he was definitely there, and it made an angry scowl come across her face.

"Where is my son!" she demanded as she closed the distance between her and the Jaffa.

"He is safe, May'at," Teal'c reassured her as he rose to his full height.  The woman narrowed her hazel gaze at the Jaffa.  It was a given she wasn't all that happy to see him.

"And why should I believe you?" she demanded, not intimidated by his stature.  "Was it not bad enough you accused me falsely and had me banished?  Now you are here to take my son!"

Teal'c said something that hinted for her to snap out of her hysteria.  Then the woman said something back to him equally as charged.  It took a few moments for Teal'c to recover from what she said, and Daniel was floored at the way May'at had spoken to the Jaffa.

"Teal'c, I think she just told you to go to…"

"I know what she said, Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c snapped.  Regaining his composure, he turned his attention back to his former mistress.  "I have sent him to the world of the Tau'ri to assure he recovers fully.  Both he and Mah'ti are there."  The Jaffa watched as May'at's angry expression turned from him to the archaeologist sitting in one of her chairs.

"And who are you?" she demanded sharply.  She looked at Daniel with an expression that said he'd better talk quick.

"Uh…my name is Daniel and Teal'c saved your son's life.  He almost drowned."

"I know what transpired," she snapped.  May'at took a few cleansing breaths and a more diplomatic look appeared.  "You are of the Tau'ri?" she inquired.

"Yes."

"The Tau'ri are a myth," she said, not quite sure what to think.

"They are real," Teal'c told her.  "And their world is real.  Free from enslavement by the Goa'uld."

"And why should I trust you?" challenged May'at, turning a piercing gaze on him.  "It was your false accusations, which banished me to this world, and your betrayal of Apophis, which almost cost my son his life."

Teal'c wanted to ask her what she meant, but it wasn't important right now.  "We are wasting time," he declared, picking up his staff weapon and briefly pointing it in her direction.  "Gather up what you require.  We will leave within the hour for the Chappa'ai."

"And if this is a deception, and my son is dead," she hissed, "I will not hesitate to kill you myself."  She pushed Teal'c out of the way and headed into a bedroom, her light-colored robes whipping behind her. 

Daniel jumped when the door slammed shut.  "That went well," he sarcastically remarked. 

Teal'c shot him a disapproving look.  'We had best leave this planet soon Daniel Jackson," he said, gazing towards the bedroom May'at had stormed into.

Daniel wasn't about to argue.  He just walked to one of the windows to watch the last of the brilliant sunset.  As the bright disk slipped below the horizon, and the twin moons hung overhead, Daniel hoped to God Teal'c's inclination was wrong.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

"Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill?" a voice politely asked.

Jack looked up to see the face of a still wet behind the ears doctor.  From what he could guess, she was probably a third year resident.  Given the somber look on her face, she'd been unfortunate enough to pull the short straw, which gave her the duty of coming to them.

"That would be us," Jack said anxiously, jumping to his feet.  Sara remained seated.

"I'm Doctor Simmons," she announced, stretching out a slim hand towards Jack.  He shook it politely, and his wife followed suit.

"How is our son?" Sara asked.

Doctor Simmons paused for a few moments as if trying to figure out how to say what she knew had to be said. "As you know, he hasn't been responding since we've had him on the ventilator.  He's been officially declared brain-dead."

Sara swallowed hard, then said, "How long can we…"

"No," Jack said sharply.  He'd be damned if Charlie would become a vegetable.  It was bad enough he'd found his gun and shot himself with it.  He wouldn't condemn his son to a living hell just to have a body around.  His son's spirit was gone, as much as he hated to admit it.

"Okay," Sara said in a resigned voice.

"There are papers you need to sign," the doctor told them.

Jack and Sara had signed the papers then went to say the last goodbye to their son.  Sara caressed Charlie's face then broke into tears.  "Do it now," she directed.

An emergency room nurse turned off the ventilator, causing it to power down with a low humming sound. 

Jack, Sara, the young resident doctor and the emergency room nurse watched the monitor as the diastolic and systolic numbers began tumbling down.  At a few points the numbers rose a little, but eventually decreased all the way to zero, and the monotone line indicating death rang throughout the room.

The whine of the flatline seared through Jack's consciousness.  And as Charlie's spirit finally left the confines of this world, Jack's will to live left along with it.

Jack shook his head, realizing he was at the SGC, not in a curtained off section of an emergency room of a Colorado Springs hospital.

Pull yourself together, O'Neill, he chided himself.

The graying Colonel stood at the foot of the infirmary bed currently occupied by Teal'c's newly found son.  His grandmother hovered nearby, interrogating every nurse who tried to treat him.  She'd even given Janet a run for her money, especially after they'd started the kid on some O₂.  The protectiveness she exhibited made Jack wish he could go back in time when a grandmother fretted over him.  It made him feel so safe, as if nothing or no one could hurt him.

Even with all the little boy had been through, he asked a million questions about the Jaffa who had saved his life.  He wanted to know why everyone was so afraid of him.  He wanted to know why he couldn't come through the stargate with him.  He wanted to know how the stargate worked and did Teal'c travel through it all the time like the gods.  Most of all, he wanted to know if Jack knew his father like the Jaffa did.  And if so, what was he like.

Oh yeah, I definitely know him, he thought.

"What is that?" Mah'ti interrogated as a nurse came at them with pills and a glass of water.

"They're called antibiotics," Janet informed her as she approached, clasping her small patient's chart to her chest.  "And since he's got a mild case of strep throat, it's just a precaution against any secondary infection." 

Mah'ti still didn't look convinced.

"It's to help him get better," Jack told Mah'ti.  The midwife relaxed a bit before holding out her hand for the nurse to give her the pills.  "I think she wants to do it herself," he told the nurse.  Reluctantly, she complied, but kept watch until Adj'an swallowed the pills and the water.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Jack prompted.

"It has a poor taste," Adj'an complained, still wincing in disgust even after the pills had gone down his throat.

"Yeah, I never did like taking pills myself," the colonel sympathized with a warm smile.  "Still don't.  Ask the Doctor here."  Janet just rolled her eyes at him.

"My chest pains me," he whined to his grandmother.

"Probably from the CPR Teal'c performed on him," Sam commented.

"I would like to give him something for the pain, if that's all right" Janet proposed to Mah'ti.  The midwife granted her approval, and she promptly held out her hand for yet another pill the nurse came at her with.

"I wanted to come down to see how the patient was doing," Hammond said warmly as he walked in.  He smiled at the little boy, a smile that was eagerly returned.  Mah'ti bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement for they had met earlier when she came through the stargate.  "All Colonel O'Neill said before you all spirited away to the infirmary is that a little boy tried to become a fish."

"He's recovering, sir," Janet said with a chuckle.  Normally she'd have had the kid transferred to USAF Academy Hospital since they had a pediatrics wing.  But considering the patient was an alien, shipping him out under heavy guard would have done more harm than good.  "Given this was a salt water drowning, I'm very surprised and happy to see Adj'an is recovering so well."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Usually in salt water drownings there's a concern of pulmonary edema," Janet explained.  "This occurs as the body tries to equalize the salt concentration between the aspirated water and body fluids.  But since there wasn't any water in the lungs, this was a dry drowning.  And with such a quick recovery and the successful CPR that was performed, we've only had to put him on oxygen." 

"Just oxygen?" Hammond asked, a little amazed at the boy's recovery.  "No additional drugs?"

Janet shuddered a little as she remembered the fight the little boy had put up as the nurses tried to get the cannula correctly inserted in his nose.  Between that and trying to calm the grandmother down because she thought they were killing him, she thought she'd have to give the kid and his grandmother a sedative.

Snapping back to attention, she continued.  "Adults usually require defibrillation and drugs, while children much less often require defibrillation.  This is why it's realistic that a child who receives prompt, good CPR post-drowning might actually revive and do well, even in the absence of rapid defibrillation, intubation and drugs."

"How long does he need to stay in the infirmary?" Jack asked.

"At least overnight," Janet advised.  "If I'm satisfied with the test results tomorrow, everyone can go home."  She turned her attention to Mah'ti.  "Just be sure he finishes the course of antibiotics.  If he doesn't, the infection could come back even worse."

"I understand," the midwife said with a slight nod.

"Given everything that has happened, you are one lucky little boy," Janet said to her patient.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" a voice blared over the PA system as the klaxons started blaring.  "I repeat, we have an unscheduled off-world activation."

"It's probably Daniel, Teal'c and mom," Jack said.

"He is the Jaffa who saved my life!" the boy exclaimed at the mention of Teal'c's name then immediately went into a brief coughing fit.

"You must rest now," Mah'ti advised him. 

"But I am not weary," he whined in a five-year old's voice.

But I don't want to go to bed, Dad.  Jack could see Charlie in his baseball pajamas, still pleading for one more story.  You were gone for so long last time.  Puleeezze?

"Rest," she said more firmly this time.  She kissed him gently, watching as the humans formed a huddle a few feet away and out of her and the boy's earshot.

Hammond gave all of the members a strange look.  "Teal'c saved his life?" he asked in a hushed voice with his hands on his hips.

"Yes he did, sir," Sam said. 

"I was looking for help for my grandson," Mah'ti explained to Hammond as she joined the huddle.  "It was then that I saw them.  I implored them to help and the Jaffa offered his assistance."

"Not that I wouldn't expect Teal'c to help out, but you say he saved this child?"

"Yep," Jack confirmed.  "He just jumped in and did God's work."

"Teal'c was brought to us by the gods to save his own son," Mah'ti proclaimed.

Hammond looked a little confused, so Jack decided to clarify things. "He's Teal'c's son, sir."

Janet couldn't stop her jaw from dropping.  "His…son?" she stammered.  "Are you sure about this?"

"The human is correct," Mah'ti said.  "I delivered him as I did his brother Rya'c several years earlier."

Hammond finally found his voice.  "But how…"

"It's a long story, sir.  Even more pressing than that is that they're living on a planet Apophis hasn't been to in awhile, but may decide to make a return visit."

"So relocation may be in order?"

"As a precaution it may be, but we'll know more when they get up here."

No sooner than Sam finished her last sentence, a trio of harried footsteps were heard entering the infirmary.  They all looked up to see Teal'c and Daniel accompanied by a hazel-eyed woman who looked around anxiously for her son.  When Mah'ti pointed to him, she thanked the woman profusely.  They watched intently as the woman rushed to her son's bedside. 

Jack's first thought when he saw May'at was that she'd be quite relived to see her son was alive and well.  His second thought was the woman was extremely attractive; much more attractive than Drey'auc.  Besides the exotic look of hazel eyes against skin the color of freshly unwrapped milk chocolate, she had lovely, womanly curves.  The way the Jaffa looked at her as she hugged their son tightly, it was obvious the history between them was long and complex.  And thinking upon it further, Jack could see why Teal'c had 'cheated' on Drey'auc with this woman.  If he had been in the same position, he wasn't sure he could have remained faithful to his wife.

"Mother!" the boy exclaimed.  He coughed a little as his mother kissed his cheek, then hugged him tighter like the precious thing he was.

"I must apologize, my daughter," Mah'ti said, her voice laden with regret.  "I told Adj'an to remain where I could see him as I talked with the other midwives.  But when I looked back to ask him something, he was gone.  Not long after that, some of the older boys cried out, saying that Adj'an had been pulled out to sea.  I went for help and had one of the midwives sent to retrieve you."

"Why did you do such a thing?" May'at sharply admonished her son.

"I…I wanted to prove I was strong like my father," the boy muttered, looking briefly at Teal'c.  "Remember the stories you told me about him?"

May'at shook her head, tears flowing down her face.  "I did not tell you those things to try them yourself!"

Teal'c looked stunned.  Had she truly remembered those stories he'd told her?  And she had recounted them to their son as well?  Perhaps she was not as angry with him as he thought.  The boy spoke fondly of his father, and Teal'c wanted desperately to tell Adj'an the truth, but the look May'at gave him said now was not the time.

"When will it be?" Teal'c asked her in his own language.

"I do not know," she replied in kind.

"But…but I believed the gods would save me," the boy sobbed.  "Like they did my father."

May'at kissed her son's head and hugged him tightly.  "The gods also tell us to listen to the counsel of our elders.  And I have always told you to never swim alone, and to always listen to your grandmother's instruction when I am away."

"Yes, Mother," he said, dropping his eyes to his chest.  He smiled a little as she kissed the top of his head.

"Is he well?" May'at asked Teal'c.

"I believe Doctor Frasier would know more than I," he deferred, his posture softening at her genuine request.

Janet decided things had calmed down enough to step in.  "He's got a bit of a strep throat, and I've started him on some medication that will help him get well.  But he'll need to stay here for at least one more day.  After that, I'll run some further tests and if everything checks out, he's free to go home."

"In the intervening time, where will we stay?"

"Both you and your mother will be given temporary quarters while you're here," Hammond said.

May'at bowed her head slightly.  "I thank you for your generosity," she said.

"Food and rest would do you well now, my daughter," Mah'ti counseled. 

"I will not leave him," she protested.

"Very well," the midwife proclaimed, knowing she could not change May'at's mind.  "*I* require food and rest so I will take advantage of both."

"I'll take you to your quarters," Sam acknowledged, motioning for one of the SFs to follow.

Jack waited until Mah'ti left with Sam and the SF.  "Are you sure you'll be all right here with…her?" he asked Teal'c.

"We will be fine," he assured.

            "Okay…" he breathed, watching as Teal'c went to stand beside May'at.  The woman looked at him briefly before turning back to gently stroke the face of their sleeping son. 

"Just think, one minute you're coming through the gate and the next minute you're trying to save your child's life," Daniel commented as he and Jack walked out to give Teal'c and May'at some private time with their son.

"Do you know the story between her and Teal'c?" Jack asked anxiously.  Daniel's body language said he'd found out more than he wanted to know.

"Only the part he told me."

Jack furrowed his brow and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Heavy stuff?" he inquired with a sideways glance.

"That would be an understatement," Daniel declared with a sigh.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Teal'c couldn't fault her for being angry with him.

Had he been the one to come home and notice his son was gone, he would also have been most upset.  But coming home to see the man who had banished her without any real explanation, he figured the least he could do was withstand the anger she freely vented at him.  And all the way to the stargate, she had only spoken with Daniel Jackson, choosing to ignore him or only speaking with him when Daniel didn't know the answer.

After acknowledging the guard, Teal'c paused outside the door of the guest quarters assigned to May'at, debating the wisdom of what he was about to do.  He rationalized that with all that had transpired since they last saw each other, they needed to have words.  Since May'at had calmed down considerably after seeing that their son was safe, Teal'c assured himself that now would be a good time to speak with her.  Surely May'at had several things to say to him that she'd stored up over the years of her exile, and he owed it to her to listen.  She deserved retribution for what he had done to them.

Teal'c opened the door slowly and asked, "Is it agreeable to speak with you?"

"Yes," a soft voice answered.  "Please enter."

The Jaffa hesitated for a few moments before he stepped inside to see his lover of several years sitting at a desk, finishing the remains of a meal.  She still looked as regal and beautiful as he remembered, and the hazel eyes that looked up at him bore into his soul.  And yet again, he asked himself how he could have given up the woman he loved to marry one he did not.  He should have listened to Bra'tac.

"Your suggestion for me to partake of sustenance was wise indeed," May'at said as he shut the door.  "I had not realized how famished I was."

Teal'c smiled at her, taking note of how formal she was in wiping her lips with a linen napkin.  "Our son is asleep and well taken care of," he assured.  "Hovering over him now would not do you much good."

"I know," she said softly.  "My son is the most precious thing I have."

"Adj'an is most fortunate to have such a mother," he said fondly. 

A silent moment passed between them, leaving Teal'c to carefully choose his next words.  Fortunately, May'at spoke first.  After all, she was better versed in the art of conversation.

"These…Tau'ri," she began.  "You trust them?"

"With my life," he said.  "I am most indebted to Doctor Frasier for saving my life several times.  She will be most diligent with Adj'an."

May'at sighed deeply, a smile creeping across her full lips. "All he can speak of is you saving his life," she said, pulling back her curly braids and laying them across her right shoulder.  "I am truly in your debt for it."

Teal'c quickly traversed the physical distance between them. "No debt is owed for something which is my obligation," he said, looking into the eyes in which he'd lost himself countless times.

The former concubine of Apophis bowed her head slightly in his direction. 

"Why does he not know of me?" Teal'c softly demanded.

"And what am I to tell him?" she asked with a wry laugh and a serious look.  "That his father is considered a Shol'va among those in the empire?  That would destroy him."

As much as it hurt, Teal'c knew she was telling the truth.  He wasn't there to defend himself or to justify what he had done in order to serve the greater good and save their people.  But he wondered, since May'at had more than just cause to hate him, why she had seen to it that their son thought fondly of him.  It was almost as if he'd elevated Teal'c to the level of the gods.  May'at had created an image of Adj'an's father to hold on to and although he did not truly agree with it, he would not destroy his son's world without talking to him face to face, and admitting to the boy he was his father.

May'at lowered her gaze to the floor and whispered, "Is it not disgraceful enough his mother was a harlot?"

Teal'c lifted her chin.  "That is not what you were," he declared.

"Do not insult my intelligence," she sneered, pushing his hand away.  She got up to face him on her feet, her eyes stormy and full of angry memories.  "I was trained in the arts of the scribe only because my father found favor with Apophis.  But you and I know women do not become scribes on Chulak.  The only way a woman can gain any kind of status is to either marry well, become someone's mistress, or learn the arts of sexual satisfaction as a concubine."

As harsh as it was coming from her, Teal'c knew what she said was true.  May'at had always been quite knowledgeable of the social order on Chulak.  Women of the highest status were wives or the first wife, the next step down were mistresses or second wives, and at the very bottom were unmarried women and concubines.  The only exception being if one was a concubine of Apophis, it was almost equated with being a second wife since his queen would always come first.

"And since you decided I was not fit to become your wife," she continued, her disdain for him flowing like a river.  "I made it my aim to become Apophis' favorite courtesan."  May'at turned away from him, her hair and robes whipping about her as she went.  "I was so young and foolish then," she muttered.

"It was I who was foolish," he said somberly.  "I should have brought you into my home long before Apophis took you away from me.  And I should have had the strength do to so even afterwards"

The look May'at turned around and gave him told him he'd said the wrong thing.  "The last thing I am is someone's second choice!" she snapped.  "But then again, Teal'c, you desired everything, did you not?"

The Jaffa stifled his first reaction to command her to be silent.  Instead he lowered his voice and said, "I desired you."

"Your actions said otherwise," she declared, resting her hands on her hips.  "You talked to me more than your own wife.  Sought comfort with me more times than I can count.  When you and your soldiers returned from battle, you came straight to me, not to the door of your house and into the arms of your wife.  And even when Apophis made it punishable by death to be with me, you still sought me out."  May'at's lips turned into a knowing yet sinister smile.  "In many ways, I was more of a wife to you than Drey'auc was or ever will be," she said haughtily.

"May'at…"

"It was you who sent me away!" she yelled, stabbing a finger in his direction.  "When your soldiers came for me, I was with child and you did not even know!"

His mind replayed the incident she recounted.  He could still picture her screaming that she was innocent, and that Apophis would have him and his soldiers killed for this.  He flinched inwardly at how she'd called him a coward for not showing his face to her and sending his 'henchmen' to do his dirty work.  She'd cursed him until the transport rings came down and took her away from Chulak and away from him.  As chance would have it, Heru'ur had attacked a nearby planet, and when Apophis demanded to know where May'at was, he had blamed the abduction on him.  That had not been far from the truth given Heru'ur's unwise attempt to come through the Chulakan stargate.  But that was another story.

"Had Apophis learned of the child," Teal'c began, making sure he had May'at's full attention.  "I would have been forced to kill you," he defended, knowing full well Apophis' edict deemed anyone caught having sex with her would be killed, he would more than likely have executed May'at instead of him.  "I could not allow that to happen."

"If that is so, why could you not face me?" May'at asked, settling herself onto the softness of the bed.   Placing her hands in her lap, she gave Teal'c a look that said she wasn't buying his explanation.  "Why have your guards abduct me under the cover of night?"

He couldn't look at her.

May'at sighed heavily and said, "I am finding it difficult to believe your explanation.  Granted I pleased Apophis well, but I was not indispensable.  And even if I did not reveal who Adj'an's father was, we would have been able to remain on Chulak."  May'at studied his body language and it made Teal'c very nervous.  "There is another reason Teal'c.  One you are hiding from me."

"I took the action I did because of the love I have for you," he said, praying he would not have to reveal the complete truth.

May'at looked at a painting hanging on a nearby wall.  "You only loved yourself," she declared.

Teal'c sat down next to her on the bed.  "I have changed," he told her.  "I am not the same."

"Have you?" she demanded as she looked at him again, trying to figure out if he was sincere.  It wouldn't have been the first time he said one thing then did another.  "Shortly after your betrayal of Apophis, those same soldiers who brought me here, came back looking for me and my infant son.   We fled into the swamps and stayed there until it was safe to return."  May'at looked at her son's father, taking note of the surprised and anxious expression on his face.  He was remembering something, but she decided to continue on with her story rather than ask him what it was.  "Several villagers died rather than reveal where my son and I were.  Mah'ti told them it was the will of the gods the Shol'va's mistress and son died in childbirth.  The guards saw that as an omen and left," she said, fighting not to shed tears but losing the battle.

"Do you know who led the attack on your village?" Teal'c asked, knowing there were only two people who knew of May'at's condition when she was taken away.

"Mah'ti said it was Shak'l," she recounted, trembling at the memory.  "She also said it was he who informed Apophis of my whereabouts…and that I had given birth."

Shak'l had told Apophis the true reason for May'at's abduction.   When he had been First Prime, Shak'l had been one of his strongest and most reliable soldiers.  As  Teal'c's best student, he had trusted him enough to charge him with abducting May'at.  But when he had turned against Apophis it looked like he had done everything he could to be named Teal'c's successor, including the attempted murder of his lover and child.  In light of this information, he wasn't sorry at all that he'd killed Shak'l on Cartago.  He just wished he'd known this information before the incident.

Gently grasping her by the shoulders he said, "I had you abducted in order to save your life…and the life of our child."

May'at relaxed in his grip. "You knew?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," he painfully admitted as he wiped away her tears with his thick fingers. "That is why you were taken by ship instead of by stargate.  Do you know the true reason why Apophis kept you so close to him?  Why he seemed to favor you so much?"

She shook her head.  "I thought it was because you found me.  He did reward you richly for doing such."

Teal'c remembered the handsome home Apophis had given him in exchange for many years of service.  In reality he was given an offer he could not refuse; the house in exchange for not taking May'at as a wife.  Her beauty was a curse like it was on all worlds the goa'uld frequented for hosts.  The parasitical beings desired perfect hosts, and they used the Jaffa to obtain them by any means necessary.  Those who found perfect specimens for goa'uld absorption were richly rewarded.

Bracing himself for what he was about to tell her, he said, "You were to serve as a host for his future queen."

May'at's mouth fell open.  "What?" she said.

"Apophis often told me how he looked forward to having you blended," he told her.  "But he had not yet found the right goa'uld to serve as his queen.  I accompanied Apophis personally to pillage several worlds to find your replacement.  Those whom Apophis did not find favorable he killed with the ribbon device.  I even came to the world of the Tau'ri, the first world, to find the potential vessel for his future queen."

May'at was having trouble absorbing the bomb Teal'c had dropped on her.  "So by having me abducted, many others…died?" she asked, her face frozen in disbelief.

"Yes," Teal'c told her somberly.

His mind chose to yet again to flash back to when he had still been First Prime of Apophis.  Sha're, Daniel Jackson's wife whom he had chosen to parade in front of a fickle false god, lying on a table several feet from him.  She had been naked, stunned by exposure to Apophis' ribbon device.  The goa'uld had slithered across her belly as if admiring the body it would soon invade and whose mind it would take over.  All he had been able to do was watch helplessly as the eunuchs had turned her onto her front.  Without a second thought, the goa'uld had burrowed its way into her body, causing Sha're's screams to reverberate throughout the room.  Apophis had been sadistically pleased, and inside Teal'c gave thanks that he had been able to spare his lover this eternal death sentence and prevent his child from being stillborn.

But it had not made witnessing the transference any easier.

"So whom did you find to take my place?" May'at asked, wringing her hands in her lap.

"The wife of Daniel Jackson," he said solemnly.  "Her name was Sha're."

"And he is your…friend?" She was shocked at the irony of his last statement.  "Even though you abducted his wife for goa'uld absorption?"

"Yes," he answered.  "But in saving his life and the lives of O'Neill and Major Carter, pledging my loyalty to this world and proving where my loyalties lie, I have gained his trust.  Although I feared I almost lost it once."

"How?" she inquired, entranced by his tale.

"Several Abydonians, Sha're's people, had been abducted by Apophis' queen and taken to another planet.  My friends and I, along with many other Tau'ri warriors were dispatched to rescue them."  Teal'c didn't like this particular memory at all, but he steeled himself and continued.  "During the heat of battle, O'Neill instructed me to find Daniel Jackson.  When I found him…" His words trailed off as his emotion warred within him.  Being the cause of someone losing a person they loved not only once, but twice, ate at his soul more times than he cared to think.

May'at put a soft hand on his upper arm.  "If this is too much…"

"It is not," he assured, putting his hand over hers for a brief moment.  "When I found him, he was in the grip of a ribbon device wielded by the demon who had possessed the body of his wife.  I was forced to fire upon and terminate Sha're's life in order to save Daniel Jackson's."

"Do you regret taking such action?" she asked.

Teal'c gave her an emotionally intense look. "I do not.  And though I regret Sha're was the one Apophis chose for his new queen, I do not regret doing what I did to save your life…and that of our child."  He pressed her hand a little closer to him, as if letting his body language confirm what he'd just told her.

May'at dropped her eyes to the floor.  "I know," she whispered, withdrawing her hand and putting it back into her lap.  "And knowing Apophis, he will surely want you killed a thousand times over for murdering his queen."

There was something else Teal'c needed to know, and it appeared to be the perfect time to find out.  For the most part, Teal'c was not very concerned with what others thought of him with the exception of a select few.  May'at was one of the few people whose opinion mattered to him.  Over the years, he had solicited her counsel when he had felt he could talk to no one else.  But given she was the mother of his son, that made the need to know her opinion even more important.

"Do you believe the goa'uld are gods?" he asked her.  "Did you ever truly believe Apophis was a god?"

May'at thought for a few moments.  "I would be lying if I said I did not believe it at one time.  But with the things Bra'tac has told me over the years, and what I have witnessed first hand from Apophis…"

"He is a false god," Teal'c interjected forcefully.  "The goa'uld are false gods.  Surely you believe this to be true."

"Apophis feared many things," she explained, combing a hand through her braids.  "If he were an all-powerful god, why would he fear anything?  And most of all, why would he fear what we felt for each other, so much so that he would decree a sentence of death for anyone who touched me?"

Teal'c inwardly smiled, knowing she'd not only made his point, but believed as he did.  But that brought him to the next issue, the one which caused him more pain than anything.  "Do you consider me to be a shol'va?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

May'at's locked her hazel eyes onto his and said, "For everything Apophis did to us, and to others on countless worlds, your turning against him was only a matter of time."

"But do you see me as shol'va?" he pressed.  Teal'c had no patience for her to dance around the issue.

"No," she said tenderly.  "I just see you as a Jaffa.  A Jaffa who betrayed my heart, impregnated me and in turn had me exiled because of a false accusation.  But a shol'va…no."  She traced the outline of his strong jaw as if reacquainting herself with it.  "But there are many others who see you as such.  And anyone associated with you is also in danger."

"It is not safe for you to remain there," he remarked.  "Apophis has grown strong again.  It may only be a matter of time before they come back."

"Where would we go?" she prompted.  "Our life is there.  Mine and Mah'ti's friends are there.  Adj'an's playmates are there."

"There is another place.  It is where I have hidden away Rya'c and his mother."

May'at shook her head profusely.  "It would not be wise to put me near your wife," she declared.  "She still has not forgiven me.  And I am sure she has not forgiven you."

For a fleeting moment Teal'c relived the incident May'at spoke of.  "She is no longer my wife."

"How did this…"

"When it appeared I would not return from Earth, she had our marriage removed.  And then she married Fro'tak."

"Master Fro'tak?' she asked, remembering the scribe who had taught her most of what she knew.  "Why?"

"She informed me that he was the only one who asked," he replied, still not sure Drey'auc had been telling the full truth about the situation.  "My status as shol'va effected my family as well."

"Drey'auc always was more obsessed with your high station than who you were," May'at stated.  She knew the words hurt, but Teal'c knew she spoke the truth about this.  The two of them had been bitter rivals throughout childhood.  If anyone knew Drey'auc's personality, she did.

"And I have suffered the consequences of choosing her," he confessed in earnest.  "I pledge that I will do everything in my power to correct the wrong I have done to you."

"It will be most difficult to leave," she said, turning the focus back to where it belonged. 

Teal'c noticed she was not comfortable discussing their potential future, and decided not to press her on it.  "I understand," he sympathized.  "But I would not suggest such a thing were the situation not of extreme importance."

"I know," she said softly.   May'at opened and closed her mouth a few times as if trying to force out words which seemed to be stuck in her throat.  "I love our son," she finally said. "I do not regret having him."

            Teal'c smiled when he realized she had finally included him in describing Adj'an's parentage.  "Neither do I," he agreed.

"Before I gave birth, I prayed to the gods that they would not give me a son.  For if they did, he would have been given a constant reminder of the one who rejected me."  May'at shut her eyes for a few moments, trying to summon up the courage to say what took her several years to realize.  "But he is also a part of me, and I knew that he would grow up and turn into a younger incarnation of you. I could not hate something that was part of me.  And as hard as I tried, I could not hate his father whom I loved."

Though he was not pleased to hear May'at saying her love for him was in the past, he did not let his face betray what he felt.  "I see," was all he could say in response.

Sensing this, May'at softened her expression a little.  "It has taken me much time to survive you, Teal'c, but I have.  I had to for Adj'an's sake…and my own."

"Then what do you feel for me now?" he pressed, sliding closer to her.

"I honor you as my son's father," she answered, trying to fight the instinct to flee.  May'at knew Teal'c well enough to know he would not believe she just simply did not love him any longer.  She chose her next words carefully to convey what needed to be said.  "He was conceived at a time when I loved you," she said pointedly.  "But I have fallen out of love with you since then."

Teal'c did not move away.  Instead he sat there, trying to figure out how she could no longer love him.  But what else was there to say?  He still loved her.  That had not changed even with the passage of time and his lapses of judgement.  Teal'c decided that pressing her about exactly why and when she had stopped loving him wasn't an avenue he wanted to pursue.  Or more correctly, he was afraid of what she would say. 

"Who named our son?" he asked, slightly changing the subject.

"Mah'ti did," she replied.  "She never really explained why."

Teal'c settled back a little and said, "She named him that because I requested it."

May'at's hazel eyes grew wide. "How?"

"I was outside the house when you gave birth," he admitted, looking a little sheepish.  "And I saw him only minutes after he was born.  But before I left, I gave him a name to let you know how much you meant to me."

May'at looked stunned.  "I thought you never wanted to see me again," she rasped.

The look he gave her said that was not what he wanted.  "When you cursed me as my soldiers took you away, and even while you cursed me when delivering our son, I still loved you," he said, fighting the urge to take her into his arms.  "And I risked being discovered by Apophis when Mah'ti sent word that you would soon deliver.  It was necessary for my soul to see you one last time, if just for a fleeting moment."

"Mah'ti never told me of this," she muttered, racking her brain to figure out a reason why.

"Because I told her not to," he said, answering her unspoken question.  "Our son's name was to let all who would know him how I felt about his mother."

For a time May'at sat on the edge of the bed in silence, looking at the man she'd loved for so many years.  The part, which was so angry with him, was put to rest, but other feelings in light of the revelations he'd made to her were causing different feelings to arise.  Feelings she did not dare dredge up except on long, lonely nights when she wished his body were lying against her own. 

"Should you require anything for my son…" His words were interrupted by the feel of her hand on chest, causing a response so swift he almost blushed with embarrassment.  "I thought you said you did not love me," he said, looking more than a little confused.

"I may not be in love with you, but I am not dead," she stated as she admired the body she now touched.  "I still have feelings for you.  Even over the years, even with all that has happened, they are still there."

Teal'c knew she was right, but that didn't stop him from relishing in the feel of his stiffened member in response to her proximity.  So much hurt and pain in those eyes, and he knew he was to blame for it.  But there was still admiration and fond remembrance in her eyes, and he could have sworn that for a split second, she looked at him the way she used to.  And it was that look which made him lean in closer, settling his large palm on the firm expanse of her thigh.  She sucked in a sharp breath and he saw her swallow hard, turning her gaze toward the door.

"Teal'c?" she asked, not looking at him.

The Jaffa forced himself to respond.  "Yes," he answered, his mind swimming with need.

"You should take your leave of me now."

            Teal'c mentally slapped himself back into reality.  Backing off he said, "Of course.  It is quite late and you require rest."

May'at nodded, her eyes still trained on the door.  Teal'c rose to his full imposing height, causing the bed to creak a little as he left the soft mattress.  He'd been such a fool.  Did he really think that even after telling her the truth that she'd actually give herself to him?  He'd already taken so much from her that it was practically impossible for him ever to be with her that way again.

But by the gods he desperately wanted to be.  And he felt ashamed to reveal the underlying reason why.

"Is it acceptable for me to retrieve you in the morning for breakfast?"

Now it was May'at's turn to look confused.  "What is…breakfast?" she asked.

"What the humans call the morning meal," he explained, remembering how confused he had been at first hearing of the concept.  "We could partake of it then visit our son."  Teal'c watched as she mulled things over, hoping her answer would be in the affirmative.

"You want to tell him who his father is, do you not?"

"I do not see any benefit in withholding this information from him," he said.

            May'at's smiled and bowed her head slightly in his direction.  "Then I will have this…breakfast with you in the morning.  And we will discuss how to broach the subject with our son."

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

 

In the nearly empty infirmary, Jack watched as the small child drew his interpretation of his home world with the crayons and drawing paper he had given him.  It never ceased to amaze him the care a child took in picking out just the right color to draw what it wanted.  The colonel couldn't help but smile as Adj'an tried to figure out the right color to use for the sky.   He'd already decided midnight blue was too dark, but that sky blue was just too pale.  He finally settled on the one called cornflower blue, and Jack couldn't think of when he'd seen corn with a blue flower on it.

"I like purple dogs myself," Jack commented.

"What is a dog?" Adj'an asked, not looking up as he filled in the twin with a purple crayon.  Jack didn't note the Binney and Smith name for the color.

Oh yeah, definitely your father's son, he thought.  "It's a pet.  An animal you keep around to make you happy.  Every kid should have one."

Adj'an gave him a look that said he still didn't understand.  And damned if he didn't look like Teal'c when he did it.

"Nevermind," Jack dismissed with a wave of his hand.  "What's this a picture of?"

"It is of Teal'c saving my life," he said, pointing to the two figures near the shoreline.  It was obvious the larger one bending over the smaller one was Teal'c.   His finger then pointed to another figure he'd drawn nearby, crying burnt sienna tears.  "There is my grandmother crying, and here is you."  He pointed to the stick figure next to the one drawn of Teal'c. 

Jack shuddered at how accurately the kid had depicted his MP-5.  "You're not afraid of him because he's a Jaffa?" Jack asked as he looked at Mah'ti. 

The elderly midwife rubbed her grandson's back protectively.  "May'at and I have not spoken much of the Jaffa," she explained. "The last time they visited our world Adj'an was just an infant."  Jack picked up the note of anxiety in her voice with that last statement, but decided not to press further in the presence of the kid.

"Many of the villagers say bad things about the Jaffa.  My father was Jaffa so they cannot all be bad, can they?"  Adj'an's eyes pleaded with Jack to tell him his theory was correct.

"No, they're not," Jack assured, briefly placing a hand on Adj'an's shoulder.  "And Teal'c is definitely a good Jaffa."

Adj'an smiled.  "I hope he comes to visit me today," he said with anticipation as he put the finishing touches on the cap Jack's crayon figure wore.  "The doctor says I will be able to return home with my mother and grandmother tomorrow."

"That soon?" Jack asked with mock surprise.  "I'm gonna miss you."

"We all will," Mah'ti assured, her attention growing concerned when the small child sighed and put his head down.  "What concerns you my little one?"

Adj'an stopped coloring to look at his grandmother.  "I…I prayed to the gods to bring my father back to me.  It did not happen," he said dejectedly.

Mah'ti gave Jack a strange look.  "The gods do not always give us what we want or ask for," she explained.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because…" Mah'ti stopped when she saw Teal'c walk in.

Well, speak of the devil, Jack thought. 

"Teal'c!" the boy squealed.  He could barely contain himself as the Jaffa who saved his life came over to his bedside.  The genuine smile of a child was given to him as Teal'c placed a hand on his head.

"How are you feeling?" the Jaffa asked, a warm expression melting his usually stoic features.

"Better," he told him. 

"Mah'ti," Teal'c said, bowing his head slightly in the midwife's direction.

She reciprocated his action.  "My lord," she replied.

"No such salutation is necessary here," he told her.  "Calling me by my name is acceptable."

"As you wish," she said, not quite sure she could ever do so.

Teal'c clasped his hands behind his back.  "I am here to speak with you," he told Adj'an. 

The boy beamed at the news.  "I can write my name!" he proudly exclaimed.  "Observe." Teal'c watched as the small brown hands picked up a black crayon and began to draw several hieroglyphs in the bottom right corner of the picture he'd drawn.  It was a child's interpretation, but he had no problem making them out.

"Most impressive," Teal'c praised, mentally noting how rare it was for a child Adj'an's age to be able to inscribe symbols so well.  "Who taught you this?" he asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"His mother of course," Mah'ti said proudly.

"She wants me to be a scribe," Adj'an added.  "But I desire to be a solider like my father."

The looks all three adults exchanged said things could get quite touchy. 

Sensing he was out of place, Jack felt this was his cue to leave.  And the look Mah'ti gave him only confirmed what he felt.  "Teal'c," he said, drawing himself up from the bed.  "I've got some things to check up on so I'll just…"

"I would like for you to stay, O'Neill," Teal'c politely interrupted.

"Teal'c, I know you want me here, but I think this is a private moment.  Besides, there are some things I really need to check up on."

"I understand," Teal'c acquiesced.  "I thank you for spending time with him."

"Hey," Jack said, smiling at Adj'an, "I never turn down a crayon drawing session.  Besides, we had lots of fun."

"Where is my mother?" the boy asked after Jack left.

"She is discussing an important matter with General Hammond," Teal'c told him as he pulled up a chair to his son's bedside.  "But she instructed me to come here and speak with you about a matter of great importance."

"I am glad she did," he said.

They had both decided at breakfast it would be better for Teal'c to break the news to Adj'an that he was his father.  And with Mah'ti there to confirm things, she believed her presence would have been too overwhelming.  May'at felt this was a time for father and son.  Without her there Adj'an would be more honest about what he felt about the situation.

Teal'c sat down then took a deep breath before speaking.  "Before I came in, I heard you lamenting that the gods did not grant your request to bring your father back to you."

            "Yes," he said, his eyes full of disappointment. 

"What has your mother told you of your father?"

"He was very powerful, strong and held a high station with Apophis," the child said with pride.  "That she loved him very much when I was conceived.  She tells me I favor him."

Looking closer, Teal'c could see the traces of himself and his ancestors in Adj'an's face.  The boy, even at his young age, had the same solid build he did.  And his eyes, still a lighter brown than his obsidian ones, yet darker than the hazel ones of his mother, were a testament of balance between his and May'at's ancestry.  His former lover was indeed correct.  It would be only a matter of years before she saw a near exact replica of him towering over her.

"Your father did indeed love her," Teal'c proclaimed, giving Mah'ti a sincere look.  "Very much."  The midwife smiled at him, for she'd known all along that was true.

"Has he ever seen me?"

If only you knew, Teal'c thought, remembering how his infant son, barely a few minutes old, looked cradled in his arms.  He was so small, so helpless, and it pained him to know he could not publicly claim him for fear of endangering his life and that of his mother.

"Adj'an," Mah'ti said in a tone that hinted she'd answered this particular question one too many times.  "I have told you when you are older I will explain."

"He deserves an explanation now," Teal'c said, looking earnestly at the boy.  As much as May'at had tried to give Adj'an some image of his father to cling to, it was time to dispense with the fantasy and show him the reality.  It was something he should have done long ago.  But with the whole fiasco of trying to prevent Rya'c from becoming a slave and having to rescuing him from Apophis a year later, the question of Adj'an and his mother had been pushed further and further back into his mind.  They had been safe on another world, and he had seen no reason to inform General Hammond or SG-1 of their existence.

            "If you were to meet your father," the Jaffa began.  "What would you say to him?"

            Adj'an looked confused for he had never considered what he would say if he met his father.  He only had pictures, scenes in his mind of things he wanted to happen.  He saw himself being hoisted on his father's strong shoulders so he could see high across the fields of lush green grass and dare to touch the sky.  He saw his father at the dinner table with his mother, giving thanks for the meal in which they would partake in.   And he could feel the heat of the fire at night as his father told him stories that both scared and intrigued him.  But after finally thinking further on Teal'c's question, he came up with the answer.

"I would ask him why he never came to see me," he said in a hurt voice. 

            Teal'c touched the boy's shoulder.  "Then ask me," he implored.

            The boy looked confused again.  "I do not understand.  Why should I ask you?"

            Teal'c started to say the words then cursed himself for hesitating.   He summoned the courage from deep within him, telling himself that he owed it to his son to tell him the truth.  "You should ask me because I am the one who sent your mother away; because I am the man who did not come to see you as you were growing up.  And I am also the man who has love for you."

            "So you are…"

            "Yes," he confirmed.  "I am your father."

Adj'an looked stunned.  "Is this true?" he asked Mah'ti.

"Yes, my little one," she said, recounting his birth and the visit from a Serpent Guard only she knew was his father and the First Prime of Apophis.  "It is true.  And you know I would never lie to you about such a thing."

The boy knew that, but other questions swam through his mind.  "Do you have love for my mother?" he asked Teal'c.

"Yes," he said, the emotion clearly showing on his visage.

"Do you have love for me?"

"Without question."

"Then why did you stay away so long?" he questioned with a child's determination.  "Why did you never see me?"

"It is complicated," he explained, knowing his son could not truly comprehend.  "But the fault lies with me for staying away.  I have no defense, and no excuse.  I cannot apologize enough."

"Did you want to see me?"

"More times than I could count," he assured. 

But the words could not calm the eruption that came from his son's lips.  "But you sent my mother away!" he cried.  "How can you say you have love for her?  Or for me?"

Mah'ti gave her grandson a sharp rebuke, more out of surprise than anger at his outburst.  She couldn't recall where Adj'an had heard her and May'at discussing her banishment.  Considering how many times May'at's anger boiled about the incident, it would not have been out of the ordinary for them to mistakenly think Adj'an was sleeping when he'd overheard.

Teal'c told himself the child's anger was warranted, and let Mah'ti know the same.  But how could he explain what had happened?   Everything that had gone on over the years between he and May'at was surely beyond a child's comprehension.  He decided it would be easier and more germane to simply focus on the main reason for their banishment.  After all, it was the truth.  A truth Adj'an needed and deserved to know.

"Has anyone explained to you of the goa'uld?" Teal'c asked.

In light of her previous reprimand, Adj'an looked to his grandmother for permission to speak.  "I have heard stories," he said after getting her nod of approval. "They are the gods who come through the Chappa'ai.  The people of my village and others say the goa'uld are gods, and Apophis is the strongest of them all.  But grandmother says Apophis is a false god, as are all the goa'uld."

"Your grandmother is indeed correct," he confirmed, grateful the midwife was supporting his and Bra'tac's beliefs.  "You must never ever think of the goa'uld as gods.  Promise me that," the Jaffa pleaded.

"Why?" he prompted, his light eyes clouded in confusion.   "Why are the goa'uld not gods?"

Teal'c's mind swam with all the reasons why these parasitical predators were false gods.   For a young Jaffa child, telling them the goa'uld were not gods was like saying the sun did not hold the power to foster life.  "They are beings which use other beings for their own perverse pleasure," he rumbled softly.  "They have killed millions of people, and care nothing for them except their ability to function as hosts, slaves…and Jaffa." 

He paused for a moment to let Adj'an absorb what he'd just said, and to plot what to say next.  Teal'c wanted to confess how he'd assisted Apophis in the harvesting of humans for goa'uld absorption and slaves, but rationalized his son was too young to understand.  Instead he went another route.  One which would link the both of them together and further drive home his reasons why the goa'uld were false gods.  The memory was a painful one, but his son needed to know it.  It was something even Rya'c did not know, but Teal'c made a mental note to tell him upon returning to the Land of Light.

"One particular goa'uld by the name of Cronos, slew my father, your grandfather, in cold blood. He did this as a show of power because he failed to subdue a goa'uld who was much stronger than the one he served."  Teal'c watched as the child listened intently, and he decided to add yet another dimension, which would put things into an even sharper focus for his son.  "When I turned against Apophis, he sent my own soldiers to your world to kill you and your mother."

Adj'an looked very scared.  "They came for us?" he asked his grandmother, his voice shaking.

"Yes," Mah'ti said, calming the child's fear by stroking his head.  "Several of our people died so your mother could take you and go into hiding."

"Then they are evil gods," he said angrily.  "And I will never pray to them again."

"They are false gods," Teal'c corrected.  "And because I fear Apophis returning to your world, you, your mother and grandmother must journey to a place where you will be safe."

Adj'an's expression said he understood, but was not happy with the situation.  "But I don't want to leave!" he whined.  "All of my things are back home."

"You life means much more," Teal'c said.  "It is my responsibility to assure you, your mother and grandmother are safe."

"I won't know anyone there."

"You have a brother there," he told him. 

The child's expression brightened a bit. "I do?" he said, his voice rising in excitement.

"He is a few years older than you," Teal'c said, "and he will love you as much as I do."  Teal'c couldn't vouch for Drey'auc so he just left her out of the equation.  He prayed in earnest that Mah'ti would serve to smooth the inevitable friction between May'at and his former wife.  Drey'auc valued Mah'ti's counsel greatly, and that would make her more amenable towards Adj'an.

"So the gods did answer my prayers," Adj'an deduced, giving Teal'c a satisfied expression.  "They brought my father back to me."

            "You must promise me you will never perform such a risky deed," Teal'c declared, a knowing smile crossing his stoic face.  "I barely survived."

            Adj'an watched his father rise from his chair.  "Was your mother displeased with you?" he asked him.

            Teal'c let the memories of that incident flow through his mind.  In hindsight, it had been a very careless act.  But at that moment, all he had wanted to do was prove to himself and the gods that he was determined to become the strongest Jaffa he could.  His symbiote barely helped him survive.

"Yes she was," Teal'c told him.  "Very displeased." 

            "When do we leave for this place?" Adj'an asked his grandmother.

            "Tomorrow, little one," she said.

            "Father?" he asked.

            "Yes, my son," Teal'c answered, rejoicing that he could call him that openly.

            "I am glad the gods brought you to me."

            The Jaffa didn't believe he could smile any wider, but he did.  "And I am eternally grateful that you and your mother are back in my life again."

Two beds away, cordoned off by a white plastic curtain, May'at wiped away silent tears.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Sitting amidst the many candles, Teal'c started the process of putting himself into Kel No Reem.  Not that he needed them to perform the ritual.  It was more a personal preference than anything else.  The smell of the wax was pleasing to him, and the incense burning nearby enhanced the session.  Inhaling deeply, his thoughts turned towards his newly found son.  He was glad Adj'an was back in his life, and seemed to understand why he had turned against Apophis.  The boy would not become a slave.  He gave thanks that at least one of his children would never carry the burden he'd been forced to for so many years.

            But now it was his mother who was on his mind.  They'd spent a few more moments speaking with their son, answering the many questions he had in his mind about his mother and his newly found father.  It seemed the more they bonded with their son as a family, the more he felt drawn to May'at.  The look of her, the smell of her, it made all the memories of the past come flying back with even more intensity.  The hardest thing besides telling Adj'an he was his father, had been taking his leave of her again as she went into her quarters.  Even after the door had shut, he had remained there for a time, trying to ignore what his body and his symbiote were urging him to do.  It would take an intense session of Kel No Reem to overcome what he was feeling and regain control, but he was confident he could do it.

            A knock on the door made Teal'c's eyes fly open.  "Enter," he commanded sharply.

When the door opened and a rush of a familiar scent pushed its way into the room, Teal'c knew Kel No Reem would not save him no matter how hard he tried.

            "Am I disturbing you?" May'at asked as she stepped into the room.  "If I am I shall take my leave of you."

            Teal'c watched as the candlelight flickered over her face.  "You are not," he said anxiously, hoping that she wouldn't change her mind and leave.  "Please join me."

            May'at pressed the door closed with one hand.  Her body lingered against it as if deciding whether coming here was right.  "This is much more humble than your home as Apophis' First Prime," she commented, her eyes doing a quick survey of his modest quarters.  "I never knew you could subsist on so little.  You always had to have the best of everything."

            "I have truly changed," he said.

            "Yes, you have," she admitted, her smile warming her face.  May'at walked over to a chest of drawers, her fingers skimming across the smooth surface.  "But there is something I do not understand.  You have commanded legions of soldiers, won more battles than any other First Prime before you, yet on this world you choose to follow." She turned to look at the man with whom she'd shared many years of her life and asked, "Why?"

            Teal'c rose to his feet, and approached her.  "When I slew my own soldiers, I had nowhere to go," he recounted.  "I resigned myself to death.  It was O'Neill who offered his home and his world as a refuge for me.  And in exchange I have pledged my loyalty and my skills as a warrior to this world."

"But you do not feel comfortable here."

"I am learning,"

"But it is difficult."

"It is…challenging."

May'at looked at him as if peering into his soul.  He knew what the humans called small talk would not divert her from what she knew was bothering him.  The pure fact of the matter was she knew him better than he knew himself.  There were things he'd told her that no one else knew, and being with her was like being in a faraway place with no worries or concerns.  He did not have to be the stoic First Prime of Apophis when he was in her presence.  With her he could simply be himself, his true self, and indulge in a way he could not with his wife.

A soft hand swept over his head then rested on his shoulder.  "I believe it is past time for your head to be shaven," she observed.  "I will gladly do it for you."

            "It is not necessary…"

            "Where are the implements?" she asked in a determined tone. 

Without further delay Teal'c quickly fetched a razor and two towels: one, which was damp and the other which was dry.  He handed the items to her then removed the black t-shirt he wore.  For a moment he thought he saw a look of admiration in her eyes as he appeared naked from the waist up.  Whatever expression he thought he saw disappeared as she sank to her knees and motioned for him to sit down.

Taking a pillow from the seldom-used bed, he placed it on the floor and obediently sat between her knees.  Teal'c shut his eyes and let her go about the thing she had performed on him countless times.  Using a razor was a bit challenging, but May'at was a quick learner.  It wasn't long before he felt himself relax as the new growth of hair on his head was slowly removed.

Halfway through her work she said, "I have been your confidant and comforter for many years.  Is it so hard to admit your need for me now?"

            "It was never hard for me to admit such a thing," he replied, his tone hinting that if she reviewed their history, she would know he was telling the truth.

"Nevertheless," she said.  "It troubles me to see you this way. Tell me what vexes you." May'at stroked his back as if to will a confession out of him.

His first instinct was to lose himself in the soothing feel of the soft hands caressing his back.  Countless times in the past he'd done so to escape reality, and the last thing he wanted to do was tell May'at what was really bothering him.  But knowing her as he did, if he did not tell her soon, she would find some other way to get it out of him.  And she usually succeeded in getting her way.

Teal'c let down his defenses and told her the things that vexed him.  Shared how difficult it was to fit into this world of the Tau'ri, but thanks to SG-1 and others at the SGC, he was learning.  Confessed how most of the Tau'ri seemed threatened by him, and there were those of this world who, if given the liberty, would experiment on him and his symbiote to further learn how to defeat the Goa'uld.  He then admitted her how desperately he missed his son, and the story of how he was forced to relocate Rya'c and his mother to another world.  And the hardest part of all, was telling her how he had been made to face the consequences of some of his act as First Prime.

"Life has truly been difficult for you here," May'at empathized, her voice like a calming breeze.

"Difficult yes," he concurred.  "But here I am free."

"Free from Apophis?"

"Yes.  But there are still those among our people who are not free and…"

"And you are fighting to free them," May'at said, finishing his thoughts with a chuckle.  "You always were one for giving speeches, even if only in a sentence."

Teal'c couldn't help but smile.  "I apologize," he said.  "I shall endeavor not to inundate you with speeches."

Wiping his now smooth head with the damp towel, she said, "You do not need to apologize for who you are."  She followed with the dry towel then carefully inspected her work.  Satisfied, she ran her hands over his head as if strolling through a meadow.

"I realize it was ultimately my actions which took you from me, but I will never forgive Apophis for breaking us apart."

"Neither will I," she agreed.

Teal'c drew in his breath sharply, and summoned the courage to say what was truly on his mind. "I would ask you to comfort me," he said gently.  "If you cannot do that then I ask that you service me."

"You ask as if I could refuse," May'at replied, not sure why he was being so duplicitous about what he wanted.

"On this world you can."

"You are concealing something from me again, Teal'c," she playfully chided.  "Tell me what it is that has you so…anxious."

"There is another reason I need your comfort," he confessed, seemingly embarrassed.  But May'at had already figured out what was going on.

"You feel the need to procreate?" she asked, noticing Teal'c's deep sigh. "Why does this bother you so?"

"I do not deserve to ask this of you."

"Deserve?  Ask?" she inquired, feeling very confused.  "This world of the Tau'ri has definitely changed you.  I have never known a Jaffa to seem so apologetic about an instinct the goa'uld have bred into him."

"Such a thing would not be understood by the Tau'ri."

"Surely it has happened before?"

"Yes," he admitted.  "But I was able to put myself into a deep state of Kel No Reem to control it.  I did not expect for you to be here this time."

"I am here," she said, pressing her chest against his back.

"I do not deserve your comfort," he said, his mind recalling just how many times he had seen the breasts he now felt against him.  "Which is why I ask rather than demand."

"And why is it you desire me for this?  Why not choose a female of this world?"

"Because you are here, and I desire you," he told her, his speech thick with want.  "Will you service me?"

"No," she said softly.  "I will comfort you."

He shivered as a line of kisses went from the top his neck down his spine.  May'at took her time, touching each vertebra and the spaces between.  As he remembered their encounters over the years, he found irony in that at one time he had been the teacher and she the student.  But it was not long before the student had become the teacher: one even more knowledgeable than he.  The thought stirred the need within him, and his body reacted accordingly.

Groaning softly, he said, "I am in your debt for this."

"No debt is owed for something it is my pleasure to do," she said, moving her hands across the hardening desire between his legs.  She smiled as he moaned in response.

His breath came out in rasps as her full lips nibbled his ear lobes.  She slid expertly around to the front of his body.  When she slipped a tongue inside his ear, it made him exhale as if someone had punched him in the chest.  Teal'c knew what was coming next as her hands made their way down his chest, and he braced himself for the sensation.

With her hazel eyes focused intently on his, she lightly traced the outlines of the pouch where his symbiote resided.  Using just the right amount of pressure, she traced the cross-shape over and over, taking time to place light kisses on each side of his neck.  Teal'c endured her slow, sweet torture of him until he could take it no longer.  Catching her hands with his, he slowly pushed them down onto the hardness, which had pitched a tent in his pants.

Her hands fumbled with the clasp of his belt.  "What strange garments these are," May'at observed, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"They are strange indeed," Teal'c remarked, giving her a lustful grin.  "But I will instruct you in how to remove them."

Using the same manner of gentle instruction as he did upon their first mating, he guided her hands to perform the movements necessary to remove the garments he wore.  And when she had completely divested him of his clothing, he kneeled before her and took his time removing hers.  In the flickering glow of the candlelight, he sucked in his breath at the sight of her naked curves.  Even with the slight addition to her waistline as a result of giving him a son, she was still as curvaceous and beautiful as he remembered.

"I wish to take you slowly," he panted, his eyes taking in the naked feast before him.  "But I am not sure I can restrain my…"

May'at pressed a silencing finger to his lips and said, "You are Jaffa.  You will find a way…at least temporarily.  After all, my body knows yours as well as you know mine."

 In movements as fluid as a graceful running stream, she slipped her legs around him, interlocking her heels and pressing them into the small of his back. His large hands grasped the globes of her rear end, causing her to moan with want.  May'at watched as his eyes roved over her, and years of erotic feelings and memories coursed through her body.

"I desire you with all of my being," he said.

"And as usual, you talk too much," she gently chided, guiding herself onto the tip of him. 

Teal'c looked at her, his eyes full of desire.  He smiled inwardly as she teased him, clenching and unclenching herself around his iron-stiff manhood.  He withstood her teasing as long as he could, until enduring it further was no longer a desirable option. His gaze turned piercing as he slowly lowered her body onto him so he could.  As they moaned in unison upon the joining of their bodies, his lips captured hers in a hungry kiss.

Memories flashed through Teal'c's mind as May'at's body slowly adjusted to him.  He saw himself taking her for the first time, being with her countless times after he'd returned from battle, and risking his own life to make love to her because his soul would die if he did not.  Squeezing her rear end yet again, he took one of the chocolate-tipped breasts into his mouth, gently licking and sucking until it stiffened.   May'at's arms were clasped around his thick neck, crying out in pleasure as he also adjusted to fit her.  They both knew that when the adjustment of their bodies was complete, the ultimate pleasure they'd shared for years was only a few strokes away. 

Teal'c groaned loudly as May'at began moving her hips against him, the motion brushing the most sensitive part of her sex against the base of his hardness sheathed inside of her.  Her nails pressed into his back as she tried to keep the motion smooth and steady, but soon desire and the feeling of the Jaffa's hands squeezing her bottom while rocking his body with her made her abruptly increase the tempo.

"May'at," Teal'c groaned, his voice shaking with imminent release.

His former mistress did not answer right away.  Instead she held onto him tighter, causing Teal'c to remember how much he missed filling her like this.  And as she cried out that her release was coming, that she was sorry she could not hold back, he quickly maneuvered her back onto the floor, thrusting into her with lustful purpose. As his name erupted from her lips, the tight pressure of her womanhood repeatedly clamping around him forced him to release his seed into her.  The sensation caused his entire body to shake, and as the last of his essence passed into her, he collapsed onto the soft body under him.

In the silent moments after the culmination of their mating they both lay there, listening the sounds of their breathing returning to normal.  Realizing he must be getting heavy, and May'at must be getting cold, he rolled off of her to reach up and pull the midnight blue comforter down over them.  May'at snuggled her naked body back against his, pulling the heavy bedcovering up to her chin.

"I must thank you for sending Mah'ti with me," she said as she closed her eyes.  "She has been invaluable in helping to raise our son."

"I will visit when I can," he told her softly.  "I cannot promise when."

"At least he has a brother to share his childhood years with."

Teal'c let one of his large hands tangle in the curly braids of her hair.  "You and Drey'auc will get along?" he whispered against her neck.

"We will…tolerate each other," May'at told him. "There is much she has not forgiven me for.  But custom dictates we put that aside.  Rya'c and Adj'an are brothers.  That is the larger issue."

"And the issue concerning us?" he prompted, looking into May'at's eyes as she turned over and pressed her breasts against his chest.

"It is like my father told me years ago," she said, a playful smile crossing her full lips.  "Soldiers make dreadful husbands."

"Then explain the one to whom you were betrothed," Teal'c asked, knowing full well the tragedy behind it.  It was something he could never confess to her.

"I was being rebellious," she said, tracing a line down his muscular chest.  "But considering how miserable Drey'auc was, eventually I decided being your mistress was preferable to becoming your wife." May'at gave him a gentle kiss, her free hand feeling the taut muscles in his back.  "If you spoke to me the way you spoke to Drey'auc on a regular basis, I may have had to slay you in your sleep."

Teal'c nuzzled her neck. "Do you still feel that way now?" he asked between kisses.

May'at moaned softly, her hands wrapping around his thick neck. "This world of the Tau'ri is your home now," she said, trying to ignore the stiffness against her thigh, which had been inside of her earlier.  "And granted your intent was…good, I have come to relish my life the way it is.  I am respected as a scribe on my world and earn my living as such.  It is something that never could have happened on Chulak."

            "They say the path to Sokar is paved with good intentions," he panted into her ear.

"I have never heard that saying," May'at said with a chuckle.  "But to further answer your question, I am much more amicable to being your lover than your wife.  Perhaps when I am older I will change my mind.  But I suggest you do not wait until that day."

As tempting as it was, Teal'c couldn't tell himself for sure that he would not wait.  Perhaps time would change her mind and would make her more amenable to becoming his wife.  But May'at was no longer the idealistic young woman he'd committed murder to possess.  She was her own person now.  A person who was doing what her heart had wanted for so many years, and was also raising his son.  As much as it pained his heart, he had to abide by her wishes.

"Then I will not.  And I will not wait to have you again," he groaned, gently pushing her thighs apart.  He watched May'at's eyes narrow at him in a sly fashion as his muscular frame imprisoned her underneath him.

"And should I conceive as a result of this union?" she asked, lightly raking her nails across the firm globes of his ass.  Her action was rewarded by a deep, lustful groan from her Jaffa lover.

"Then I will again be grateful for another child who will not become slave," Teal'c whispered into her ear as he slid himself inside her depths, eliciting a sigh of pleasure from her lips. 

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

Jack was going to miss the kid.

Sighing, he looked at all the things spread out before him on the table.  He'd taken the liberty of purchasing a few things for AJ to take to his new home.  Unlike with his brother Rya'c, he had a much better idea of what to give AJ as a going away present.  As he scooped up the items and placed them into the backpack, his thoughts flew back to the first Abydos mission.

He'd resigned himself to death when he had gone to Abydos the first time.  Daniel had looked so shocked when he realized that fact.  But like Daniel, the stargate program had given him something to live for.  He'd come to realize that no child could replace Charlie, and a part of him wondered if he would ever have another. 

Jack quickly chastised himself.  No matter how much envy he felt because Teal'c had managed to save his son's life, he knew the danger had not been caused by a father's carelessness.  He wondered if Teal'c knew just how lucky he was to be able to save his son.  With a snort Jack realized if he ever did tell him, Teal'c would just say the Jaffa don't believe in 'luck'.  Maybe he would have had a point.

As he trekked to he gate room, he secretly wondered just how things would play out in the Land of Light. Tuplo was most anxious for Adj'an, his mother and grandmother to join them on their world.  Rya'c would probably be a little excited and confused to find out he had a little brother, but would probably take it in stride.  But it was the conflict between May'at and Drey'auc he saw coming, and he didn't envy the Jaffa's role as referee in that fight.  Teal'c's former wife was attractive, he'd definitely grant her that.  But May'at was downright beautiful and it was more than just skin deep.  There was something about her sensuality that could pull a man in and never let him go.

Walking into the gateroom, he figured maybe that was the crux of the history between Teal'c and May'at.  Perhaps Teal'c didn't want to let her go, but was forced to for some reason he didn't know and was damn sure he wouldn't volunteer.  He'd tried to get the reason out of Daniel, but he had claimed Teal'c told him in confidence and if he really wanted to know, he should ask Teal'c.  Looking at the father, mother, child and grandmother gathered at the bottom of the gate ramp, Jack figured the whole thing was just none of his business and left it at that.

"You folks ready to go?" Jack asked them.  They all bowed their heads slightly, the light of  the event horizon rippling across their faces.

 "We are indeed," Teal'c announced.

"I have a present for you," Jack informed the little boy, who smiled widely at the prospect. 

"Gifts are not necessary," May'at told Jack.  "You have done more than I could ever repay."

"Let the kid have some fun," the colonel said with a grin, noticing how excited the child looked about the item dangling just inches away from him.

"What is that you hold?" Adj'an asked, pointing a small finger at the item, which hung from Jack's hand.

"It's called a backpack," Jack explained. "I've put some things in it you might like.  Some paper with different colors, some things called stampers, a few sticker sheets and some colored pens.  The pens aren't as messy as crayons and they're more for writing than drawing."  Jack inwardly cursed himself for being such a sucker at the store and buying everything the salesperson had said she thought a kid AJ's age would like.  "And I put another thing in there you might like.  Your brother has one." 

            They all watched as Jack removed a baseball cap from the pack and put it on Adj'an's head.

"The Chicago White Sox," Teal'c said with pride.

"Best team in the league," Jack boasted.

Adj'an gripped the front of the hat and asked, "My brother has such a thing?"

"Well, I had to get him a Colorado Rockies cap 'cause they were out of this one," Jack explained, tapping the hat brim briefly.

"I am most anxious to play with him," Adj'an said as Jack helped him put the backpack on.

"Again, I thank you for everything," May'at said gratefully.

"You've got quite a mess to straighten out when you get there," Jack said as stopped next to Teal'c.

"It will be difficult," he said, looking into his son's admiring eyes.  "But not impossible."  Teal'c turned to put his free arm around May'at.  A silent moment only they understood passed between them.

"Perhaps the two of you can stand here all day looking into each other eyes, but I am most anxious to set up house on our new world," Mah'ti jokingly chastised.  "Surely there is a need for a midwife there."

"Then let us depart," Teal'c said, looking deep into the hazel eyes of his lover and the mother of his son. "For there is surely a need for a scribe as well."  May'at gave him a smile, which spread a warm feeling through him.  He knew the situation facing him once he got to the other side of the event horizon was difficult, but with his reconciliation with May'at, something he did not even think was possible, nothing seemed impossible.

As they disappeared into the event horizon, Jack told himself he needed to make a return visit to a place he hadn't been in quite some time.  He had to get back to Edora…fast.

 

Fin

 

 

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