Second Verse, Same as the First
Apr. 8th, 2010 03:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jadelyntateAuthor: Jaded
Story: Second Verse, Same As The First
Disclaimer: I own the idea only. Joss owns Buffy, SyFy owns Stargate. No suing please!
Summary: When one life ends, another begins...
Warning: Contains slash pairings. Nothing adult, just know there will be homosexual relationships.
Previous: Prequel - One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six
We're not done yet
Not going quietly into the night, not me and my friends
We're not done yet, don't take us too seriously
It's just life we'll win in the end
And we walk on and on and on and we walk on and on
~ Superchick, “Not Done Yet”
Chapter Seven
They were getting ready to say goodbye to Woolsey, Hammond, and Davis when the gate unexpectedly dialed. “Shield up!” Carter ordered without hesitation as everyone followed her up to the control room and the soldiers on gate duty got in position.
“It's the SGC,” Chuck announced, checking the IDC. “Landry.”
“Put it on screen,” Carter and O'Neill said at the same time. John smirked slightly as Hammond coughed to cover a laugh at the looks they threw each other.
“This is Atlantis,” Carter said, having apparently won the staring contest. Landry appeared on screen and he didn't look happy. “General, what do we owe this call? We were just about to send our guests home.”
“That's good,” Landry said. “You might want to send McKay with.”
“Why, what is it, what have you screwed up now?” Rodney demanded, soldiering in between Carter and John.
“I'm not sure...”
“General, with all due respect, he's probably going to tell us anyway,” John broke in. Rodney shot him a look but didn't vocally disagree. Landry made a face.
“You're sister was abducted from her house last night,” Landry said and John immediately latched onto his boyfriend when the man began swaying. Ignoring O'Neill and Hammond's bitching about tact and being too blunt, John made Rodney focus on his face.
“Rodney, look at me,” he ordered and dazed blue eyes met his. “We'll find her, we'll get her back, and then will kick the living shit out of the people who took her, alright? Stay with us McKay.”
“Daddy?” John and Rodney looked down to where Willow was standing, looking solemn. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing, I, uh...” Rodney came out of his shock to bend down so he was eye level with her. “Something's happened to my sister and I need to go to Earth.”
“I'm coming with you,” she announced immediately.
“Not without us!” Cordelia said furiously. John's head swung to the staircase in the back, where all the older kids were standing.
“I don't think--” Woolsey began but Anya cut him off.
“Its Uncle Rodney's sister which means it's our aunt!” she said, glaring at the man.
“And no one messes with our family!” Alexander snapped, arms crossed and a pissed off look on his face. Looking at Rodney out of the corner of his eye, John wasn't terribly surprised to find him staring at the kids in confusion and not a little awe.
“Actually, them coming isn't entirely a bad idea,” Davis said slowly. “We can get the proper paperwork for them figured out while Dr. McKay goes to help get Mrs. Miller back.”
“Ronon and I are going with Rodney,” John spoke up. He turned to Teyla. “Can you watch the girls at the SGC?”
“Of course,” she agreed immediately. Landry looked exasperated as O'Neill, Hammond, and Woolsey all nodded.
“We're going to go through now,” O'Neill announced. He looked at John. “Come through in an hour, after you've packed some clothes.”
“I'll take care of your boys,” Jackson offered and O'Neill nodded.
~~~*~~~
After that things moved quickly. Since they were bringing all the kids John convinced Hammond, who was staying to keep an eye on the city while the rest of them went to Earth, to let them bring Kavanagh and Cadman. Rodney wasn't terribly pleased with either of his choices for babysitters but was ultimately outvoted.
Once they were at the SGC, John, Ronon, and Rodney said goodbye to the five girls, got dressed in normal earth clothes, and were transported to Vancouver.
Sitting down at the couch and watching Madison solemnly play, John wished he had his own girls with him. Despite knowing Mitchell, Carter, Teyla, and the rest of the parents wouldn't let anything happen, he had this horrible feeling in his gut that something was going to go wrong.
“This is gonna take some time,” Rodney said, looking up at him and Ronon. Neither men were terribly pleased to have to wait and it probably showed. “Why don't you go back to the SGC, check on the girls? I'll call you if I find anything.”
“That's okay, we'll stay,” John said and Rodney shot him a pleading look. “Seriously, this could take ten or twelve hours. Just...there's nothing you can do here. Go back and be with the girls, keep them safe. I'm sure you have to sign a bunch of stuff anyway. I'll call.”
John was thankful he had a chance to get back to his daughters and guilty at the same time—he should be doing something to get Jeanie back, not worrying about where his daughters were going to sleep. He knew, however, that Rodney couldn't worry about Jeanie and the girls at the same time. Him going back would allow his boyfriend to focus on just Jeanie and, hopefully, get her back that much quicker.
The two left, moving quickly. Agent Barret gave them the transporter and they were back at the SGC in no time flat. They found the kids in the infirmary, being fussed over by doctors, nurses, and orderlies alike. John felt something in him clench when he saw Willow's face fall at the absence of Rodney. Carrying both Cordelia and Anya in his arms, he moved to where Willow was sitting by the baby bed Vivian was in.
“Hey, Squirrel,” he greeted her. She gave him a half-hearted glare, not the answer he was hoping for. “You're dad's working on trying to track down something. He'll be back soon enough.”
Her pretty green eyes filled with tears. “He doesn't want us anymore, does he?”
John almost dropped Cordelia and Anya when they suddenly lurched from his arms to jump on the bed. They snuggled into Willow's side but not before they each hit her upside the head. “Don't be stupid,” Anya scolded. “He's trying to hunt down his sister. He has to focus on her right now.” Cordelia didn't say anything but the look on her face indicated she agreed with her sister.
Willow wiped at her eyes with a tiny fist and John swallowed, mentally urging Rodney to find Jeanie quickly. He was starting to realize some things were going to have to change. His kamikaze acts of dashing heroism (to paraphrase certain someones who shall remain nameless) were going to have to be cut way the hell back. He had kids now and didn't plan on leaving them anytime soon.
He caught Ronon's eye and could see the same realization as he held onto Kendra, who's eyes were impossibly wide as she looked at everyone. Looking around the room, he saw Mitchell holding Molly close to his chest, murmuring as she fussed.
“Alright, we're done,” Dr. Lam announced, smiling as she tickled Cassie's feet. “You can take the kids to the quarters General Landry got for you. Since Dr. Keller wasn't able to come, I'll be the attending physician on their birth certificates. I think Major Davis needed to talk to you about those, by the way.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Mitchell murmured and the woman smiled at him, gathering up discarded wrappers. “Where's Davis and O'Neill?”
“Main conference room,” she told him. “My father's not very happy at the moment.”
~~~*~~~
“Not very happy” was an understatement. Landry had been yelling at a civilian in a suit when they all trooped in with the kids, Alexander in Kavanagh's arms, Vivian in Cadman's. Landry stopped yelling as soon as he saw them but it was too late.
“Open the gate, the kids are going back,” John ordered, face hardening. O'Neill shot him an irritated look as the man in the suit looked at the kids like shark who's smelled blood.
“Don't be ridiculous,” he snapped. “I've already spoken to Hayes. The kids and their records are completely off-limits. The NID just hasn't been told yet.”
His words did not reassure John, who's grip on Anya tightened.
“Daddy, you're squishing me,” she informed him, wiggling. He immediately loosened his grip and she snuggled into his chest. Next to him, Cordelia's grip on his hand tightened before she let go and marched over to stand by O'Neill's side, staring up at the NID thug. Willow, Alexander, Oz, Anya (who slipped down from his arms), Graham, Riley, Angel, William, Faith, and Andrew all joined her, staring. The man had the gall to smile at them as if he wasn't there to try and take them for study.
“Hi,” was all he was able to get out before the eleven kids simultaneously kicked him in the shins.
“You're a moron if you think we're going with you,” Anya sniffed as the man's eyes watered from where he'd fallen. John shot a quick glance at Landry and saw the man was trying to hide a smile. Lorne, Cadman, and Mitchell were all suddenly fascinated by the kids in their arms and John was slightly shocked to notice Kavanagh's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.
John watched as the man made an excuse and quickly left the room, limping. Once the door was firmly shut, they all burst out laughing and yeah, it was slightly hysterical.
“I've been wanting to do something like that for so long,” Kavanagh hiccuped. “But watching eleven munchkins do it was way better.”
With that simple admission, John's estimation of him went way the hell up, along with his guilt. He really needed to reevaluate his opinion on Kavanagh.
~~~*~~~
Rodney was having a epically bad week. First the girls showed up and he was still, in the back of his mind, freaking. Despite his outer (semi) calm, the idea of being a father, especially to two adorable and smart little girls like Willow and Vivian, scared the living shit out of him. But for the first time in his life, he wasn't thinking about himself as much as he was thinking about what the girls had been through. They didn't need him publicly flailing and freaking out and embarrassing them.
And now the whole thing with Jeanie was just compounding on this. Wallace's situation hit a chord with Rodney, one he wasn't very happy about. But Sharon wasn't his problem, Jeanie was. He knew, just like he knew Pi to the thousandth place, that the corporate president wasn't going to just let them go if they fixed the nanites. And he didn't want to think about what Wallace would do if they failed (which was highly likely considering they'd been relying on a wraith for help in fixing the nanobots in the first place).
He'd been scared a lot of times, especially since joining the Stargate program, but watching as Wallace injected Jeanie with the nanites, knowing it was his fault. He never wanted to feel that way again.
“Look, I'm really sorry about all this.”
Jeanie didn't look at him as she continued typing. “I really don't wanna talk about this right now, OK? We need--”
“I have daughters,” he suddenly blurted out. His sister froze before turning slowly to look at him.
“What?” she asked in the same tone of voice she'd used when he was twelve and accidentally turned her favorite barbie doll into a plastic and fiber puddle.
“We were on some planet and this white light enveloped us and next thing we know, there are kids growing in these little tubes only I'm not sure that's really what happened cause Daniel Jackson's crazy ascended family manipulated it so they'd come to us and apparently they chose me even if they're three and one and--”
“Mer!” she yelled and he went silent. “You have a three year old daughter?”
“And a one year old,” he smiled nervously. “Willow and Vivian.”
“When was this?”
“A couple days ago,” he answered. She stared at him and he fidgeted, not that he'd ever admit to it. “They grow up so fast?”
She continued staring before something beeped and she turned back to the computer. Rodney swallowed as she avoided looking at him again.
“We need to write this program and upload it to my nanites,” she finally said. “I will yell at you later, OK?”
“OK,” he sat down, swallowing and telling himself he shouldn't have expected jubilation or congratulations or even excitement about becoming an aunt. He'd royally screwed up this time and he knew it—Jeanie had every right to be angry at him.
Didn't mean it didn't hurt.
~~~*~~~
“What's it been, a couple of hours?”
“Something like that,” Jeanie agreed.
He knew he was whining. He knew he was being impatient, and more importantly, he knew he was starting to piss his sister off but he couldn't help it. He was nervous and worried and if they screwed up it would be like Doronda all over again only this time he'd be responsible for his sister's death, not just five-sixths of a empty solar system.
“OK, sit down!” Jeanie finally got fed up and ordered. “You're driving me crazy.”
Sulking because worrying was not better, he crossed his arms and stared at her sullenly.
“What are Willow and Vivian like?”she asked suddenly.
“What?!” Rodney demanded, startled.
“You heard me!”
He stared at her. “Where did that come from?!”
“I'm trying to take my mind off the fact that I have tiny robots running through my veins because you needed help with your homework. Would you rather talk about that?” she demanded and Rodney deflated as he avoided looking at her.
“Not really.”
“So, what are my nieces like?”
“They're both redheads,” he said tentatively. She blinked at him.
“Redheads huh?”
“Yeah,” he agreed, swallowing. “Vivian is...she's so small. Willow too but she makes up for it. She's so smart and she actually asked smart questions when I was fixing a door she and O'Neill's son broke.”
“She's three.”
Rodney frowned. “Yeah, so?”
“Just how smart is she?”
And then Rodney got it. “She's not...look its complicated but essentially all the kids are like, adults who've had their memories erased and put in the bodies of children.” At her horrified look, he continued, suspecting he was just digging a bigger hole. “They apparently chose it, they were heroes in their old lives, protectors, Champions. Shifu, Jackson's step son, said they chose us before they were, uh, de-aged and everything. Its...Willow's not allowed coffee.”
“She's three,” she repeated, unknowingly echoing Mitchell's comment and not batting an eye and the random change of subject. Sadly, he suspected she was used to it by now.
“Yes, Jeanie, I'm completely aware of this, thank you. I didn't say I actually gave her coffee, she tried sneaking it away from me at dinner. Angel, Jackson's son, stopped her before she could drink any,” he snapped.
“Are you going to be able to take care of two kids?” she asked doubtfully. “I mean, lets face it Mer, you're not exactly dad material.”
“Okay,” he stood up, hurt and angry and whole slew of emotions he wasn't sure how to deal with, especially since all Jeanie had said was what he'd been privately thinking since the whole kid thing began. “Let's go back to talking about how this is my fault, because I think I liked that better...”
He trailed off as the door opened and guard came in.
“Come with me.”
~~~*~~~
John was in the middle of trying to find some connection that would lead to Rodney and Jeanie when O'Neill came in, absolute fury on his face. John, who hadn't been expecting it, looked up worriedly.
“Did you hear about Rodney and--” The general cut him off with five words that made John sit back down and all energy and life leave his body.
“The Trust nabbed the kids.”
Story: Second Verse, Same As The First
Disclaimer: I own the idea only. Joss owns Buffy, SyFy owns Stargate. No suing please!
Summary: When one life ends, another begins...
Warning: Contains slash pairings. Nothing adult, just know there will be homosexual relationships.
Previous: Prequel - One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six
We're not done yet
Not going quietly into the night, not me and my friends
We're not done yet, don't take us too seriously
It's just life we'll win in the end
And we walk on and on and on and we walk on and on
~ Superchick, “Not Done Yet”
Chapter Seven
They were getting ready to say goodbye to Woolsey, Hammond, and Davis when the gate unexpectedly dialed. “Shield up!” Carter ordered without hesitation as everyone followed her up to the control room and the soldiers on gate duty got in position.
“It's the SGC,” Chuck announced, checking the IDC. “Landry.”
“Put it on screen,” Carter and O'Neill said at the same time. John smirked slightly as Hammond coughed to cover a laugh at the looks they threw each other.
“This is Atlantis,” Carter said, having apparently won the staring contest. Landry appeared on screen and he didn't look happy. “General, what do we owe this call? We were just about to send our guests home.”
“That's good,” Landry said. “You might want to send McKay with.”
“Why, what is it, what have you screwed up now?” Rodney demanded, soldiering in between Carter and John.
“I'm not sure...”
“General, with all due respect, he's probably going to tell us anyway,” John broke in. Rodney shot him a look but didn't vocally disagree. Landry made a face.
“You're sister was abducted from her house last night,” Landry said and John immediately latched onto his boyfriend when the man began swaying. Ignoring O'Neill and Hammond's bitching about tact and being too blunt, John made Rodney focus on his face.
“Rodney, look at me,” he ordered and dazed blue eyes met his. “We'll find her, we'll get her back, and then will kick the living shit out of the people who took her, alright? Stay with us McKay.”
“Daddy?” John and Rodney looked down to where Willow was standing, looking solemn. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing, I, uh...” Rodney came out of his shock to bend down so he was eye level with her. “Something's happened to my sister and I need to go to Earth.”
“I'm coming with you,” she announced immediately.
“Not without us!” Cordelia said furiously. John's head swung to the staircase in the back, where all the older kids were standing.
“I don't think--” Woolsey began but Anya cut him off.
“Its Uncle Rodney's sister which means it's our aunt!” she said, glaring at the man.
“And no one messes with our family!” Alexander snapped, arms crossed and a pissed off look on his face. Looking at Rodney out of the corner of his eye, John wasn't terribly surprised to find him staring at the kids in confusion and not a little awe.
“Actually, them coming isn't entirely a bad idea,” Davis said slowly. “We can get the proper paperwork for them figured out while Dr. McKay goes to help get Mrs. Miller back.”
“Ronon and I are going with Rodney,” John spoke up. He turned to Teyla. “Can you watch the girls at the SGC?”
“Of course,” she agreed immediately. Landry looked exasperated as O'Neill, Hammond, and Woolsey all nodded.
“We're going to go through now,” O'Neill announced. He looked at John. “Come through in an hour, after you've packed some clothes.”
“I'll take care of your boys,” Jackson offered and O'Neill nodded.
~~~*~~~
After that things moved quickly. Since they were bringing all the kids John convinced Hammond, who was staying to keep an eye on the city while the rest of them went to Earth, to let them bring Kavanagh and Cadman. Rodney wasn't terribly pleased with either of his choices for babysitters but was ultimately outvoted.
Once they were at the SGC, John, Ronon, and Rodney said goodbye to the five girls, got dressed in normal earth clothes, and were transported to Vancouver.
Sitting down at the couch and watching Madison solemnly play, John wished he had his own girls with him. Despite knowing Mitchell, Carter, Teyla, and the rest of the parents wouldn't let anything happen, he had this horrible feeling in his gut that something was going to go wrong.
“This is gonna take some time,” Rodney said, looking up at him and Ronon. Neither men were terribly pleased to have to wait and it probably showed. “Why don't you go back to the SGC, check on the girls? I'll call you if I find anything.”
“That's okay, we'll stay,” John said and Rodney shot him a pleading look. “Seriously, this could take ten or twelve hours. Just...there's nothing you can do here. Go back and be with the girls, keep them safe. I'm sure you have to sign a bunch of stuff anyway. I'll call.”
John was thankful he had a chance to get back to his daughters and guilty at the same time—he should be doing something to get Jeanie back, not worrying about where his daughters were going to sleep. He knew, however, that Rodney couldn't worry about Jeanie and the girls at the same time. Him going back would allow his boyfriend to focus on just Jeanie and, hopefully, get her back that much quicker.
The two left, moving quickly. Agent Barret gave them the transporter and they were back at the SGC in no time flat. They found the kids in the infirmary, being fussed over by doctors, nurses, and orderlies alike. John felt something in him clench when he saw Willow's face fall at the absence of Rodney. Carrying both Cordelia and Anya in his arms, he moved to where Willow was sitting by the baby bed Vivian was in.
“Hey, Squirrel,” he greeted her. She gave him a half-hearted glare, not the answer he was hoping for. “You're dad's working on trying to track down something. He'll be back soon enough.”
Her pretty green eyes filled with tears. “He doesn't want us anymore, does he?”
John almost dropped Cordelia and Anya when they suddenly lurched from his arms to jump on the bed. They snuggled into Willow's side but not before they each hit her upside the head. “Don't be stupid,” Anya scolded. “He's trying to hunt down his sister. He has to focus on her right now.” Cordelia didn't say anything but the look on her face indicated she agreed with her sister.
Willow wiped at her eyes with a tiny fist and John swallowed, mentally urging Rodney to find Jeanie quickly. He was starting to realize some things were going to have to change. His kamikaze acts of dashing heroism (to paraphrase certain someones who shall remain nameless) were going to have to be cut way the hell back. He had kids now and didn't plan on leaving them anytime soon.
He caught Ronon's eye and could see the same realization as he held onto Kendra, who's eyes were impossibly wide as she looked at everyone. Looking around the room, he saw Mitchell holding Molly close to his chest, murmuring as she fussed.
“Alright, we're done,” Dr. Lam announced, smiling as she tickled Cassie's feet. “You can take the kids to the quarters General Landry got for you. Since Dr. Keller wasn't able to come, I'll be the attending physician on their birth certificates. I think Major Davis needed to talk to you about those, by the way.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Mitchell murmured and the woman smiled at him, gathering up discarded wrappers. “Where's Davis and O'Neill?”
“Main conference room,” she told him. “My father's not very happy at the moment.”
~~~*~~~
“Not very happy” was an understatement. Landry had been yelling at a civilian in a suit when they all trooped in with the kids, Alexander in Kavanagh's arms, Vivian in Cadman's. Landry stopped yelling as soon as he saw them but it was too late.
“Open the gate, the kids are going back,” John ordered, face hardening. O'Neill shot him an irritated look as the man in the suit looked at the kids like shark who's smelled blood.
“Don't be ridiculous,” he snapped. “I've already spoken to Hayes. The kids and their records are completely off-limits. The NID just hasn't been told yet.”
His words did not reassure John, who's grip on Anya tightened.
“Daddy, you're squishing me,” she informed him, wiggling. He immediately loosened his grip and she snuggled into his chest. Next to him, Cordelia's grip on his hand tightened before she let go and marched over to stand by O'Neill's side, staring up at the NID thug. Willow, Alexander, Oz, Anya (who slipped down from his arms), Graham, Riley, Angel, William, Faith, and Andrew all joined her, staring. The man had the gall to smile at them as if he wasn't there to try and take them for study.
“Hi,” was all he was able to get out before the eleven kids simultaneously kicked him in the shins.
“You're a moron if you think we're going with you,” Anya sniffed as the man's eyes watered from where he'd fallen. John shot a quick glance at Landry and saw the man was trying to hide a smile. Lorne, Cadman, and Mitchell were all suddenly fascinated by the kids in their arms and John was slightly shocked to notice Kavanagh's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.
John watched as the man made an excuse and quickly left the room, limping. Once the door was firmly shut, they all burst out laughing and yeah, it was slightly hysterical.
“I've been wanting to do something like that for so long,” Kavanagh hiccuped. “But watching eleven munchkins do it was way better.”
With that simple admission, John's estimation of him went way the hell up, along with his guilt. He really needed to reevaluate his opinion on Kavanagh.
~~~*~~~
Rodney was having a epically bad week. First the girls showed up and he was still, in the back of his mind, freaking. Despite his outer (semi) calm, the idea of being a father, especially to two adorable and smart little girls like Willow and Vivian, scared the living shit out of him. But for the first time in his life, he wasn't thinking about himself as much as he was thinking about what the girls had been through. They didn't need him publicly flailing and freaking out and embarrassing them.
And now the whole thing with Jeanie was just compounding on this. Wallace's situation hit a chord with Rodney, one he wasn't very happy about. But Sharon wasn't his problem, Jeanie was. He knew, just like he knew Pi to the thousandth place, that the corporate president wasn't going to just let them go if they fixed the nanites. And he didn't want to think about what Wallace would do if they failed (which was highly likely considering they'd been relying on a wraith for help in fixing the nanobots in the first place).
He'd been scared a lot of times, especially since joining the Stargate program, but watching as Wallace injected Jeanie with the nanites, knowing it was his fault. He never wanted to feel that way again.
“Look, I'm really sorry about all this.”
Jeanie didn't look at him as she continued typing. “I really don't wanna talk about this right now, OK? We need--”
“I have daughters,” he suddenly blurted out. His sister froze before turning slowly to look at him.
“What?” she asked in the same tone of voice she'd used when he was twelve and accidentally turned her favorite barbie doll into a plastic and fiber puddle.
“We were on some planet and this white light enveloped us and next thing we know, there are kids growing in these little tubes only I'm not sure that's really what happened cause Daniel Jackson's crazy ascended family manipulated it so they'd come to us and apparently they chose me even if they're three and one and--”
“Mer!” she yelled and he went silent. “You have a three year old daughter?”
“And a one year old,” he smiled nervously. “Willow and Vivian.”
“When was this?”
“A couple days ago,” he answered. She stared at him and he fidgeted, not that he'd ever admit to it. “They grow up so fast?”
She continued staring before something beeped and she turned back to the computer. Rodney swallowed as she avoided looking at him again.
“We need to write this program and upload it to my nanites,” she finally said. “I will yell at you later, OK?”
“OK,” he sat down, swallowing and telling himself he shouldn't have expected jubilation or congratulations or even excitement about becoming an aunt. He'd royally screwed up this time and he knew it—Jeanie had every right to be angry at him.
Didn't mean it didn't hurt.
~~~*~~~
“What's it been, a couple of hours?”
“Something like that,” Jeanie agreed.
He knew he was whining. He knew he was being impatient, and more importantly, he knew he was starting to piss his sister off but he couldn't help it. He was nervous and worried and if they screwed up it would be like Doronda all over again only this time he'd be responsible for his sister's death, not just five-sixths of a empty solar system.
“OK, sit down!” Jeanie finally got fed up and ordered. “You're driving me crazy.”
Sulking because worrying was not better, he crossed his arms and stared at her sullenly.
“What are Willow and Vivian like?”she asked suddenly.
“What?!” Rodney demanded, startled.
“You heard me!”
He stared at her. “Where did that come from?!”
“I'm trying to take my mind off the fact that I have tiny robots running through my veins because you needed help with your homework. Would you rather talk about that?” she demanded and Rodney deflated as he avoided looking at her.
“Not really.”
“So, what are my nieces like?”
“They're both redheads,” he said tentatively. She blinked at him.
“Redheads huh?”
“Yeah,” he agreed, swallowing. “Vivian is...she's so small. Willow too but she makes up for it. She's so smart and she actually asked smart questions when I was fixing a door she and O'Neill's son broke.”
“She's three.”
Rodney frowned. “Yeah, so?”
“Just how smart is she?”
And then Rodney got it. “She's not...look its complicated but essentially all the kids are like, adults who've had their memories erased and put in the bodies of children.” At her horrified look, he continued, suspecting he was just digging a bigger hole. “They apparently chose it, they were heroes in their old lives, protectors, Champions. Shifu, Jackson's step son, said they chose us before they were, uh, de-aged and everything. Its...Willow's not allowed coffee.”
“She's three,” she repeated, unknowingly echoing Mitchell's comment and not batting an eye and the random change of subject. Sadly, he suspected she was used to it by now.
“Yes, Jeanie, I'm completely aware of this, thank you. I didn't say I actually gave her coffee, she tried sneaking it away from me at dinner. Angel, Jackson's son, stopped her before she could drink any,” he snapped.
“Are you going to be able to take care of two kids?” she asked doubtfully. “I mean, lets face it Mer, you're not exactly dad material.”
“Okay,” he stood up, hurt and angry and whole slew of emotions he wasn't sure how to deal with, especially since all Jeanie had said was what he'd been privately thinking since the whole kid thing began. “Let's go back to talking about how this is my fault, because I think I liked that better...”
He trailed off as the door opened and guard came in.
“Come with me.”
~~~*~~~
John was in the middle of trying to find some connection that would lead to Rodney and Jeanie when O'Neill came in, absolute fury on his face. John, who hadn't been expecting it, looked up worriedly.
“Did you hear about Rodney and--” The general cut him off with five words that made John sit back down and all energy and life leave his body.
“The Trust nabbed the kids.”
