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It was late afternoon on Gamma. Those who had been witness to Emily’s birth were waiting as the arrivals walked down the ramp in their new home. Casey looked around. Tessa seemed to be full of nervous energy, and she couldn’t stop smiling. Something was up.

"Okay, what gives?" she said. She looked up at Daniel. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Let’s go home, babe," he said.

"Home?"

He nodded. He led the way out of the command building. It too, was in the belly of a mountain, which offered protection from any attacks. There was a vehicle that looked suspiciously like their jeep waiting just outside of the blast doors. He opened the door, helped her get Emily settled into the car seat, then helped her in, and tossed their bags into the back. She looked at the group of people that watched them, the smiles on their faces wide and happy.

They drove down quiet streets, saw children playing in a park near the center of the small town. She gasped when he pulled into a driveway. It looked like the house on Baldwin Street, except for an addition on the side where the driveway was.

Daniel took Emily into his arms, walked Casey up the porch and opened the door. He grinned as she looked around. Every picture, every plant, every rug, every candle was in the exact same place as it had been in their home on Baldwin street.

She walked down the hallway into the main room. Where the door had been between the kitchen and living room, that led to the driveway and garage, was instead a doorway. She went through it, found a tiny hallway, with small bathroom, decorated the same as the main bath, and two bedrooms on either side, one of them empty, the other a finished, furnished nursery. She turned around to look at him.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Since your parents came to dinner a couple of months ago. We knew that we were running out of time. I’m surprised the NID didn’t find out about us, or at least you, sooner. Your father and Duncan made sure construction went along like it was supposed to, Tessa did all the decorating…I took pictures, she did the rest."

Tears filled her eyes. "I love you so much it hurts, Daniel Jackson," she whispered.

"Same for me, Angel," he replied softly. Before he could say more, the doorbell rang, the door flew open, and her family and friends spilled into the house.

Casey found Tessa, hugged her tightly. "Thank you so much! It’s perfect!"

Tessa giggled. "Oh, it was such fun! Everyone knows how much you loved your little house, and when Daniel asked if one could be built like it, we all went to work."

"What about Sam and Jack?" Casey asked.

"We have a house just down the street," Sam replied, a smile on her face.

"So why was I the only one left out of the loop?" Casey demanded to know.

Jack walked over and put his arm around her. "The truth is, Case, we were afraid that the NID had found out about you. If they managed to get their hands on you, we didn’t want them to know that we were all moving here. What you didn’t know couldn’t be pulled out of your head."

She looked at him, then nodded slowly. "You’ve had this planned for longer than it took to build the houses," she replied.

Daniel nodded. "Babe, we knew that we weren’t going to be able to stay there much longer. Everyone at the SGC knew about us. They were all sworn to secrecy, but it was just a matter of time before somebody slipped and let it out. We’ve suspected that the NID had managed to get a mole back inside. We just couldn’t find out who it was. We have an iris for our gate here, and without proper authorization codes, and it has to be given in just the right order, nobody can come through it. There are a few at the SGC who have those codes. Several of them will be joining us here, or going to Alpha, or the new Beta site."

"Casey, the president isn’t going to be re-elected. Everybody knows that. We also have a pretty good idea of who will be in office soon. He isn’t too concerned about defense, he’s more concerned about appeasing the Chinese and the Russians," Jack said. "I doubt it will be long before the Russians are running the SGC completely. If there’s enough money to run it. There’s another committee meeting for funding coming up. This time there are more of the ‘just cut back’ types sitting on the committee than there were when Daniel, Sam and Teal'c testified. Not a good sign." 

Casey nodded. "I believe Daniel threatened to leave the planet if they cut funding."

Jack grinned. "I don’t think that will make a bit of difference now. Because this is a secret operation, a black op, the Senate and House refused to sign off on such a large amount without knowing what it was for. No way will the Joint Chiefs want this exposed to the general public. We expect that the SGC will be cut back to a skeleton crew. With no funds, there won’t be money for the power to use the ‘gate."

"So, you’re going to start moving the teams here, and to the other sites?"

Duncan nodded. "And their families. There is no way I’ll make a man or woman leave their family behind. We intend to ‘leak’ the news of the Stargate program to the media on Earth. We figure if it’s exposed, then the people will have a say in whether or not they want the program continued. We have satellites ready to broadcast the complete truth, in spite of what the politicians and respective governments may try to say."

"It’s about to hit the fan then," Casey said. She sat down in one of the rattan bar chairs. "What about the Prometheus?"

"In the past six weeks, every crew member has moved their families here, or to the Alpha or Beta sites. We have four new neighborhoods that have sprung up in the past two months," Duncan said proudly. "The captain and crew could see what was happening on Earth."

"Anybody who’s been through the ‘gate can see what’s happening," Casey replied.

"Aye, that’s true. We can see the big picture. The Alpha and Beta sites are ready to join us. They’ll declare their independence at the same time we do. General Hammond will run the Alpha site, General Monroe will run Beta. We’ve helped them secure treaties with everyone that Gamma has treaties with. The governments on Earth can, how do you put that, ‘pitch a bitch’, but they won’t be able to do anything about this. Thus we’ll be able to continue to protect them."

"Like they’ll appreciate it," she grumbled. "Well, I’m glad to know that Emily is going to be raised somewhere safe," she said. She looked at Daniel, who had settled onto one of the dining chairs, his daughter asleep against his shoulder. "Thank you all for such a great surprise. I love it! It’s home!" There was quiet laughter around her.

"I think we should leave the new family in peace," Tessa said softly. "We’ll all have a chance to visit them later. Casey, Doctor Montigue wanted me to let you know that he expects you in his office tomorrow morning for a checkup. I’ll pick you up and take you."

Casey nodded. "That will be great. Thanks again…we’ll have a barbecue in the next couple of weeks," she promised.

With a chorus of quiet good-byes, the house emptied out, until it was just the three of them.

She stood and went over to where Daniel sat. "I want her to sleep in our room for awhile."

He nodded. "I already have the cradle in there."

She smiled. "You bought that cradle? I thought you said it was too expensive, even if it was an antique."

"Didn’t want you to think I’d get it," he replied with a grin.

"Let’s put her down. I think I have some thanking to do," she said, a seductive smile on her face.

Daniel winked at her. "I think you do, too. I got you a bigger house this time," he grinned.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Emily was asleep, and Daniel was lying on the bed watching her. He looked up when Casey came into the room. She was wearing the little white teddy that she had been wearing the day Emily had been conceived. He could see that her Quickening had returned her body to the way it had been before her pregnancy. Her slender frame was as flawless as it had been since Sam had used the Goa’uld healing device to rid her of the scars left by her enslavement. The only sign that she had ever been pregnant was the dark rose color of her areola and nipples.

"You look beautiful," he whispered.

"So do you," she said, admiring his naked body.

He reached for her, and she went into his arms. "Love you, Angel," he said, pulling the lacy garment from her body.

"Love you, my heart," she replied.

They made love, slowly, gently, reaching their release within seconds of one another. Casey snuggled into his arms, laying on his chest, his body still melded with hers.

"I’ve missed this," she said softly.

"Me too, Angel."

Emily chose that moment to wake up and begin fussing.

"I’ll get the bottle, you get the diaper," Daniel said.

"Okay," she replied. She kissed him one last time, then moved off of his body. She grabbed her robe and went to take care of her daughter.

When Daniel came into the room with the bottle, she patted the bed. She had piled the pillows against the headboard. "Get comfy, Daddy," she said.

With a smile, Daniel complied. When he was situated, Casey shifted until she was sitting against him, between his legs. His arms came around her, settled underneath hers as she held the baby against her breasts and fed her.

"I’m a lucky, lucky man," he said softly.

"Really?"

"Yep. Here I am, holding the two most beautiful blondes in the universe."

Casey giggled. "Sweet talker. We’re lucky too, aren’t we, Emmie? We’re here with the best looking, most wonderful man in the universe. We’re with The Chosen. Can’t get any better than that, can we?"

Daniel settled against the pillows. "I can’t do it without you, babe. You heard what Lya said."

Casey turned her head, placed a kiss on his chin. "Together, my heart. Always. You and me."

"You and me, Angel. Together. Always."

THE END

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