Kisses

By: Pip

CATEGORY: General, Romance

WARNINGS: None

AUTHOR’S NOTES: This started as my FIRST EVER really DALA fic. I was originally inspired by the Bijoux and Noir series (also on ff.net) to start my own series of vignette type little stories. Well that really does seem like forever ago now! I’m surprised I have kept it going this long, and that there are still a bazillion possible ideas! This has truly become my baby love child here.

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:

http://brabbit-hole.livejournal.com/

Important

In her lifetime, Vala had experienced so many types of kisses. As a flirtatious teen, at the hands of the Goa'uld who possessed her, as bargaining tools in whatever scam she was pulling from one moment to the next - kisses were a part of her daily life. Nothing extravagant about them.

She had been so curious in her younger years. Vala learned that those cute village boys were just as interested in her as she was in them. Kisses got her what she wanted. The boys liked kissing her, and the other girls hated her for it. It wasn't her fault she was pretty aand had all the charm. Plus, if she was honest with herself, the kisses were usually enjoyable.

The curiosity vanished the moment her body was no longer her own. Quetesh was a sex goddess. Where Vala had been curious and just breaking the surface in those teenage years, Quetesh was seasoned and delved into deeper waters. Kisses were just the tip of the iceberg for the tramp goddess of the galaxy. Vala unwilling learned the art of the loveless, heartless kiss - amongst other things. The pain of others was a common amusement among the Goa'uld. Kisses became painful and hellish. Unable to control the things happening to her body, or how it affected the many lovers of Quetesh, Vala came to despise kisses and everything that accompanied them.

As much as she despised them, Vala had learned early on how kisses could buy her way to almost anything. After Quetesh, kisses became nothing more than tools of the trade. Long gone was the curiosity of her teenage years, the ridiculous fantasies of true love and affection. Everything was worth something, and soon her something was worth a hell of a lot.

Kisses were a good tool of distraction. She could kiss a man for moments, and come out a few steps ahead. Trinkets and heirlooms were forgotten when Vala put her lips to good use. When the words couldn't get her out of a sticky spot, the mouth found other means to help her escape.

But that kind of business could only go so far. Her high quality kisses soon became more of a hindrance then a help. Word got around, and men became less open to her suggestions. And where kisses from others couldn't be bought, Vala learned to take them. Stealing was a part of the trade, and kissing was no exception. Soon most kisses she had, she had to steal to allow deals to go through. It was a complicated, frustrating way of getting by, and usually others got hurt by it. But there wasn't much she could do about it. Once upon a time kisses had been cute ways of getting HER way. They had been fun and a bit exhilarating. Later, kisses were nothing more than something else she could steal from people.

Until she stole a kiss from a very attractive man defending his planet's very primitive ship.

It had been like many kisses that had preceded it - minus the punching and hitting, of course. She had meant it to be nothing more than another stolen kiss in a long memory of things stolen from good looking men. Nothing more...

Except instead of leaving him wanting more, Vala found herself wanting more...of him.

He brought something back into kissing Vala had thought she had lost years ago.

Curiosity.

It was the curiosity left by that one stranger's kiss that led Vala down a whole new path. A path walked by a very attractive man defending his not so primitive planet...

Once upon a time, Vala stole kisses from men to make her feel important, if only for a moment. Now Vala only takes kisses from one man. Daniel Jackson gives her kisses that make her feel important...forever.

Tease

He wasn't falling for it. He knew her ways.

She was a vixen, a minx. A former playmate of the galaxy. There were so many techniques he knew SHE knew. Her charms were many, but he was strong. He wasn't falling for it.

All he had to do was put her out of his mind. Focus on his work. That's all he needed to do. She was only there to distract him. To draw his attention away from everything but her. He just had to imagine she wasn't sitting there in those skin-tight jeans he adored so much, thigh-high boots that looked so wonderful on her, and a t-shirt that, much to his liking, was a smidge too tight. Nope, she just wasn't sitting there reading that magazine, using her mouth to...

"Dude, that's just downright pornographic!"

...molest an ice cream cone.

Dammit, why did Mitchell have to say something? It broke his focus of trying NOT to focus on her.

He glanced her way momentarily. She sensed his look, and made a downright dirty pass of the frozen treat in her hand with her tongue. It took a lot more will power than he liked to return his attention to the tablet before him.

But he wasn't going to fall for it. One glance wasn't going to get him away from his work. He knew she was bored with him working, and he knew she was just trying to make HIM bored with working. That's all she was trying to do. He just needed to FOCUS on the tablet...

...and found his eyes wandering back to her.

She slurped at the top of the cone, licking her lips slowly, seeming to savor the taste.

She could work magic with that mouth of hers. Hell, her mouth was magic. The way it slowly worked it's way through the ice cream was mesmerizing. Damn, she was good!

He licked his lips quickly, and turned his attention back to the tablet. Another slurp, and he cleared his throat, which had suddenly gone dry. Focus...focus...focus...all he had to do was focus. Tune her out. She would be done with the damn thing soon anyway. She couldn't make it last forever. At least he hoped she couldn't.

"Man, Jackson...I don't know how you can-"

She purred with pleasure as she lapped up more of the ice cream, and it finally sent him over the edge.

Daniel threw down his pen. Rising from his seat, he made his way over to Vala.

"Why darling, did you need-"

He didn't give her time to finish. Like a moth to flame, his mouth was on hers so fast, Daniel had to place his hand on Vala's back to keep her from falling off her stool. He wrapped his other hand around the ice cream cone quickly slipping from Vala's hand.

His tongue found hers, and Vala moaned into his mouth. She tasted like vanilla ice cream.

Daniel pulled away slowly, stealing a few more gentle kisses from her lips. A side glace over at Mitchell confirmed the Colonel to be even more amazed then before, his mouth hanging open in what appeared to be amused surprise.

"I must say..." Vala sighed, looking up at Daniel playfully. "I'm surprised."

"Oh?" Daniel raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"It took you a good while to get over here." Vala shrugged. "I mean...that whole thing with the pickle didn't even last half as long. I'm losing my touch..."

Daniel smiled sweetly, rubbing her back where his hand still rested. "Oh, I didn't come over here to kiss you." Vala tilted her head to the side, intrigued. He looked at his other hand, and his grin went from sweet to smug.

"I just wanted the rest of your ice cream cone."

Daniel stuffed the now melting mess in his mouth, and wiped his sticky hand on Vala's jeans. She gasped in mock-annoyance, and playfully shoved him away from her.

He may have fallen for it, but the results had been oh so sweet.

"Bastard." Vala muttered, returning her attention back to her magazine.

"Tease." Daniel fired back immediately, once again taking his seat. He looked up at Vala one more time. She flipped a page in the magazine while simultaneously flipping one of her pigtails behind her shoulder. He grinned and finally returned his attention to his work.

Several moments passed before Mitchell revived from his shocked state with just one statement.

"Pickle?"

Hope

The destruction was impossible to ignore. A still-smoking crater hundreds of miles deep, and just as wide, where their home had been. Another reminder of how they were rapidly losing ground in their own galaxy.

Daniel tapped at a few buttons on the control console of the cargo ship, checking a few systems. It had been their only saving grace. And yet, he still found it hard to appreciate how the fates had chosen him to carry on yet again...

'Daniel, take Vala and get out of here!'

'No!'

'You have a sure shot of escape. You NEED to take it, NOW!'

'Not without you guys. I can get you out of there...'

'No, Daniel. You can't.'

'You don't think I'm capable?'

'Don't do this, Daniel. You KNOW i believe in you. But you also know there's no possible way you two can reach us in time. Don't play the stupid card - that's my job.'

'Jack...'

'Dammit Daniel! We DO NOT have time for this. You need to go...We'll be okay. We have a chance through the gate...'

'That's bullshit!'

'Vala, tell him...TELL HIM you have to leave. Tell him we can't risk him being captured AGAIN.'

'Daniel, he's right. We have to get out of here. They'll be okay-"

"NO! I can't just leave without knowing you guys will be alright! I...I can't...'

'Danny...'

'Nobody gets left behind...You taught me that.'

'Daniel, your window of opportunity is almost gone. I know what I've burned into your brain since the day we met, and I know you don't abandon your friends. But you HAVE to go. In fact, I'm ORDERING you to go.'

'I've never followed your orders!'

'Then I'm asking...not as a commander, but as a friend. Your BEST FRIEND. Daniel, please. Don't make the last thing I see be you being DESTROYED by those bastards. Please LEAVE!'

'Promise me, Jack. PROMISE ME you'll get through the gate. Tell me all of you are going to make it, please.'

'I give you my word, Danny. Now, please, get the hell out of here.'

'I'm going! And we are so talking about this later!'

'Definitely.'

Daniel wiped the tears from his eyes as the final words Jack had said to him came rushing back. They never said goodbye. Goodbye meant it was actually over, and Jack had promised him things weren't going to be over. But, at that moment, Jack's promises were hardly enough to make him believe. The destruction was just so...real.

Daniel looked out the front of the ship, at the massive crater once more. A lone figure stood near its edge. She was staring down into the depths of destruction, her arms tightly crossed over her stomach. Vala looked back at him, and the despair he saw there made his stomach twist.

He took a deep breath, bashing all his despair down into depths almost as deep as the crater. Her ability to handle it all was gone, and she needed him.

Daniel rose from his seat and made his way out of the ship towards her. She had never expressed it out loud, but she had truly loved the home that was made open to her here. She had been accepted here.

He was still a few feet away when she spoke.

"Do you think they made it?" Her voice was heavy with emotion.

Daniel stopped his approach. What was the correct answer to that? He himself wasn't quite sure their friends, their family, had made it.

'We'll be okay...'

Daniel didn't have the correct answer, but he knew which one was right for her.

"I have to believe they did." He said quietly.

Vala's laugh in response was humorless. "Why do you HAVE to believe, Daniel?"

"Because Jack promised me-"

"Now that's just being naive."

Daniel sighed, looking down at the ground. Grass had grown there once...now it was just a dusty scrap of land. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he walked the remaining steps until he was standing right behind her.

"Can I talk, please?" He asked with a little agitation.

Vala nodded silently, her slack pigtails bouncing the slightest inch.

"I HAVE to believe because Jack promised me-" He saw her shake her head, but she remained silent. "And because I have every faith in their ability to survive. All of them." Daniel took another step, and wrapped his arms around her waist and gently took hold of her still crossed arms.

Vala immediately leaned into him, and Daniel could feel the tremors running through her. She was trying so hard to suppress her grief.

"How can you have faith in the presence of such reckless hate?" Vala asked quietly, desperately needing Daniel to provide her strength. His arms tightened around her, and he rested his head on hers.

'I give you my word, Danny.'

"No matter what happens, there's always room for a little faith." He said softly. He placed a tender kiss in her hair, and Vala sighed sadly. "Faith in our friends. And the hope of seeing them again."

"There is no hope."

Daniel released Vala slightly so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. "Baby..." he kissed her cheek. "There is always hope."

Vala turned in his grasp, and his head lifted from her shoulder. Blue eyes looked into grey, and the sadness in her eyes was overwhelming. "Well, at the moment, I can't seem to find any."

Daniel leaned in and gathered her mouth with his. Anyone else might have thought it a bad time for a kiss, but for them it provided a strength found no where else. Vala wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, holding on for dear life.

Daniel pulled away after a moment. He placed his forehead against hers, and looked into her eyes. "Then I'll have to have enough hope for both of us until you do."

Vala tried to reply with a soft kiss on his lips, but it seemed too much at once, and a sob broke free against Daniel's cheek. Her arms wrapped tightly around his chest, and Daniel quickly lowered her to the ground. And he was her anchor as she cried, his lips pressed into her hair, soothing with gentle kisses and words of comfort. Through her tears and his, Daniel couldn't help question his faith.

Was there any hope for them? For him, for Vala, for the lives of those still out there waiting for their judgment day? Could there be a chance that Jack and the rest of their family were alright?

Jack's last words came back again, and Daniel smiled. He placed a soft kiss on Vala's forehead.

'Definitely.'

Not Enough

"Come on, Daniel. You have to let me up."

The only response Vala got was Daniel groaning against her neck, halting his trail of kisses for a moment. She saw it as an opportunity, and moved to get up.

Daniel had other ideas.

He pulled her back down, pinning her to his chest with strong hands. His mouth resumed its work along her neck.

"Darling..." Vala tried to pull away again. "As much as I'm enjoying this..." She gasped as Daniel reached a particularly sensitive spot.

"Mmmhmm..." Daniel mumbled triumphantly.

She allowed his mouth to roam for several more moments, but then her brain took over again.

"Okay...please stop." Vala used all her strength and will power to sit up. Daniel had to let go to avoid hurting her.

The pout she was met with was so cute, she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips.

"You know I promised Sam I'd meet her this morning."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Why would you do that on our day off?" He whined, looking at his hand playing with the edges of her shirt.

Vala smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. It drew his gaze back to her.

"Because..." She trailed her thumb over the swell of his bottom lip. Daniel kissed it gently a few times. "Someone has taught me that helping others is a good thing." She leaned in and kissed his lips softly.

Daniel return the kiss, then growled in mock-annoyance. "Damn me." he mumbled against Vala's lips. Vala smiled and nodded.

"Damn you," she mumbled in return and kissed him again. While she had him distracted, Vala placed one foot on the floor, and lifted the other leg over Daniel's body to meet it. Daniel whimpered into her mouth, realizing what she had done. Vala pulled away with a smile.

"You cheated." He was pouting again.

She leaned in and placed a kiss on his nose. "Pirate, darling." She turned and went to head for the door, but a hand latched onto her wrist, and pulled her back.

"No kiss goodbye?" Daniel sat up, giving her the puppy dog eyes.

Vala rolled her eyes, but complied nonetheless. She gave his lips a quick peck.

"Goodbye." She rose to leave again, but Daniel held tight to her wrist and pulled her back again.

"One more?" He begged, nuzzling into her neck. Vala lifted her free hand to his chin, kissed his cheek, then turned his face to meet hers. Grey eyes looked sternly onto blue.

"ONE more...that's it, okay?" She said in a firm tone. Daniel nodded reluctantly, and their lips connected for their final kiss. When they finished, Daniel rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

"Bye." He whispered. Vala smiled in victory, and patted his cheek. Rising from the bed, she realized Daniel's hand hadn't let go.

"Daniel..." She warned. He peeked one eye open at her, then sighed in defeat. His hand let go, and he flopped forward onto the bed dramatically. Vala shook her head in amusement. And he said she was childish. He turned his head to glance at her.

"Just ONE-"

Vala didn't even give him time to finish. "Ah!" She turned away and headed for the door. "You've had enough, and now I'm late."

"What you give me is never enough!" He whined once more, voice muffled as he buried his face in the covers.

Vala finally reached the door, and turned back to look at Daniel one last time before she left. He looked at her longingly, and she grinned like the Chesire Cat.

"I know, darling." And with a departing wink, she walked out the door.

Spirits

Knocking. There was A LOT of knocking. Thumping, and pounding, and...knocking.

Vala's eyes opened slowly as she emerged from sleep. The room was dark and quiet, and a glance at the clock showed it to be 3:34 in the morning. She sighed and sat up in bed.

She had been dreaming of knocking - very weird. Not that her dreams were normal compared to most people, but...knocking? Why?

Half-asleep and confused, Vala jumped slightly as the quiet of the room was disturbed by a distinct banging noise on the door to her quarters.

"Well, now that we have THAT figured out." She mumbled.

The knocking came again moments later. Vala groaned and threw back the covers, placing her feet on the floor. She had barely made it halfway to the door when the pounding resumed once more.

"I'm coming!" She growled. Whoever was disturbing her precious sleep was going to get an ear-full the moment she opened that door. She didn't care if the world was being destroyed that very moment.

There was another small tap at the door, as if the person on the other side was messing with her. Vala was in no mood for games. She reached for the handle and started bitching before the door was all the way open.

"I don't know who the bloody hell you think you are, but-"

Vala's voice trailed off as she took in the knocking offender.

"Hey beautiful." Daniel smiled softly at her as he leaned in the doorway. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans, and his glasses were definitely no where to be seen. He looked relaxed, and downright sexy.

"Hey..." Vala barely had the word past her lips before she found Daniel's lips pressed against them. She was resistant at first, refusing his tongue admittance to her mouth, but Daniel only fought harder, and Vala quickly succumb to it. The kiss was deep and passionate, soaking with lust and...whiskey?

Vala pulled away just enough to break the kiss. "You're drunk."

Daniel rested his forehead against hers. "Possibly..." he mumbled with obvious amusement. Before Vala could reply to the comment, he moved in to kiss her again.

They stumbled into the room as Daniel took his weight off the door frame. The only thing that kept them from falling over was the hand he placed at the top of the door to steady himself. His giggle into her mouth had Vala pulling away once again. She looked at him and he smiled apologetically.

She laughed lovingly at the sight of her normally in control Daniel leaning on her door, completely plastered. The irritation she had wanted to express towards him for waking her up at such a god-awful time slipped through her fingers. Daniel took her laughter as a good sign, and closed the door with as much grace as he could muster.

How COULD she be mad a man who was just so damn cute?

He stood by the doorway, swaying slightly, and gave her a sheepish grin. "I guess 'm frogiv'n for walking...waking you?" Obviously sentences longer than a few words were a problem. He sniggered at his own slurred speech.

Vala laughed again. "Yes."

"Good..." Daniel's grin widened. He stuck his hands in his pockets once again. It sent him stumbling forward a little. He recovered after a moment and his sheepish grin returned to his lips as he looked at her.

"Can you help me to the bed..." He asked very slowly, trying to make it come out right. It took a lot of his concentration, and he blinked slowly. Vala shook with suppressed amusement. He stumbled yet again, and it set him off in a fit of giggles. "Because I serisly d'nt think I can make it."

Vala moved to steady him and slowly helped Daniel to the bed.

He collapsed down on his back when they reached it.

"-m waaaasted." He mumbled, then let out a snort of amusement.

Vala sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. She ran a hand through his hair. "What am I going to do with you, my Daniel?"

Daniel looked back at her with such affection in his eyes that it almost took her breath away. No amount of alcohol could fake such love. "You could kiss me again." The gentle smile she had seen when she had opened the door was back.

Vala returned the smile, and leaned in to kiss him. It was less subdued then the two from before, but it wasn't any less passionate. She pulled up a moment, and looked into his eyes.

"What?" He asked quietly. There was a goofy grin on his face, and Vala laughed once more.

"You're so adorable when you're drunk."

Prince

Daniel softly ran his hand over her hair, kissing her temple lovingly.

Vala shifted against him, then gasped in pain.

"Hey, take it easy." He whispered in her ear and wrapped an arm around her chest to halt her movements. "You don't want to do anymore damage."

"It hurts." She mumbled.

"Usually does after being shot." Daniel brushed her damp bangs behind her ear and kissed her temple again. He let his lips rest there and once again resumed stroking a hand through her hair. She sighed at his touch.

"That's the last time I act like you." Vala pouted. Daniel laughed quietly at the statement.

"Yeah, I don't approve of that either."

"Good." Vala moved to tuck her head under his chin. She winced in pain a moment, then smiled when Daniel tightened his hold around her. "Because I am never doing it again."

Daniel placed his lips in her hair for a tender kiss in response. They sat quietly for a good while before Vala tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"You uncomfortable?" Daniel rubbed his hand along her arm.

Vala attempted a laugh, but it came out as a pained cough. "Daniel, I've been shot. Of course I'm uncomfortable."

Another short moment of silence passed, then Vala spoke again.

"How much longer?"

Daniel moved so he could look at his watch. "Shouldn't be long now. An hour at the most."

Vala nodded, then snuggled deeper into his chest. "Good..." She mumbled. Her gaze fell to his right hand still softly stroking her arm. It looked like it was bruised and bloody. Not sure if it was real or just her injury playing tricks with her head, she took the hand in her own.

Daniel winced and Vala lessened her grip.

"What happened here?" She asked quietly. Her thumb stroked his knuckles gently. She could recall being shot, Cam and Teal'c coming to help her, then Daniel being at her side not long after. Things got hazy for a while after that, but she was sure she would have remembered Daniel hurting himself.

Vala could feel Daniel's chest heave in anger as she rested against it. He was silent for a moment, and then he let out a tired sigh.

"I knocked the bastard who shot you flat to the ground."

Vala's thumb stopped its movement. It was hard to think of Daniel hitting someone. She knew he had a violent side, but he rarely ever let it control his actions. His hand tensed in hers, and she could sense his discomfort with her silence.

"Was he unconscious?" She finally asked, her thumb once again resuming its motion.

"Yes..." Daniel answered slowly.

"Good." Vala brought his hand to her mouth, and softly kissed each knuckle. "I've always wanted a handsome man to defend my honor."

Daniel let out a relieved laugh. He leaned in to whisper in her ear again. "I've always wanted a beautiful woman to defend." He placed his lips to her neck, and kissed it softly. Vala sighed, and leaned her head against his.

"Now get some sleep." He said quietly.

And Vala slept in the arms of her prince.

Clueless

Daniel was one of the brightest people Vala had ever known. His mind worked at a breakneck pace, and he could outwit anybody in three galaxies. He could tell her 'I love you' in so many different languages, it was dizzying. He was so amazingly brilliant, and yet so wonderfully clueless.

Vala sipped her drink slowly as she watched him.

Daniel was walking around the pool table, eyes intent on the game he was playing. Him and Cameron were having it out for an outrageous sum of money, and he was definitely focused.

And nearly every woman in the bar was focused on him.

Vala could understand why. It was hard not to salivate at the sight of Daniel. She herself had fallen for his many charms, and even a few of his faults. She loved him for everything that he was.

But the other ladies that were oogling his every movement didn't know that, and she planned to have some fun with that knowledge. Looking from table to table, she grinned. Vala couldn't hear most of them, but she could tell their whispered words and subtle whistles were all directed towards her Daniel.

Vala focused her gaze once more on him. He was so cute when he was concentrating. His brow furrowed in thought, blue eyes blazing as his mind filtered through all the possible options before him. His lips pursed forward in uncertainty, then he worried his bottom lip as if debating his options. He just had no idea how it turned women's insides mushy.

Daniel bent in to make his move, and Vala felt a pang of jealousy as the girl behind him giggled at the sight.

She wanted to go over and knock the prissy woman from her stool, but she refrained.

Daniel missed the shot and groaned. Vala was sure a few of the women wet themselves at the sound of it. She knew it had her taking a long pull from her drink.

He leaned on his pool stick, watching as Cam assessed the situation on the table. The position accented his arms, and pulled his jeans tight around his ass. Vala nearly laughed as one girl about fell off her chair.

For a long time Daniel continued to play, and the women continued to drool. Vala was actually proud of herself for refraining so long. The game was coming down to the wire, and she saw her opportunity to rub every one of those smirking faces in her significant advantage over all of them.

Vala rose from her chair slowly, dangling the almost empty bottle of beer between her fingers. It swayed with her body as she sauntered towards Daniel. She fell into step with the music blaring from the jukebox, her boots clicking along with the beat.

She could feel all those bitchy little eyes on her as she came to stand next to Daniel. He wrapped the arm not attached to the pool stick around her waist instinctively. All the girly chatter had seemed to cease, and Vala knew it was her time to strike.

She leaned up into Daniel's personal space and captured his mouth in a jaw-numbing kiss. He was caught off guard momentarily and her tongue roamed freely through his mouth. Daniel soon recovered, however. He moaned into her mouth with pleasure and returned the kiss with equal force.

His arm tightened across her back, and Vala placed her arms over his shoulder. The beer bottle still dangled from her fingers. They stayed connected like that for as long as not breathing would allow. Finally the overwhelming need for air had Daniel pulling away.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was a little labored. He licked his top lip, then bottom one slowly.

Vala waited for him to open his eyes, then placed another loud kiss on his lips. Daniel smiled with his cute little half-grin.

"What was that for?" He asked while brushing her bangs out of her face.

Vala smiled and shrugged. "No reason." She brought her arms down from his shoulders and sipped from her beer bottle.

Daniel's smile broke into a full blown grin. He grabbed the bottle out of her grasp, and took a swallow for himself.

"Wanna get us another?" he asked after finishing off the rest. Vala took the empty bottle without a word, and took off in the direction of the bar. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled as Daniel watched her retreat, oblivious to the death glares she got in her wake.

Changes

As I watch him slowly dance with her in the middle of my living room floor, I can see the changes in him.

Never before have I seen him grin like that, at least not for a prolonged period of time. He has always been plagued with despair; the sadness was always hidden within that smile of his. In all the years I've known him, it was always there. Now I don't see it.

He spins her around, and she laughs.

I watch his eyes light up at the sound of it. Those blue eyes that once held all the problems of the world within their depths. At one point, I swore the wariness that could be seen there would never go away.

Now all I can see is love, affection and joy.

She leans up and whispers something in his ear. He laughs out loud.

That laugh that I've always loved to hear, but was so rare. It's loud and infectious. I've heard it more in the time since they arrived than in the many years of being his friend.

In a bold move, he tips her back and gives her a romantic kiss.

I remember when he would blush at the slightest hint of being anywhere near the fairer species. He was so innocent and shy when it came to women. I couldn't get him to talk about them without seeing his face turn red.

I about choke on a mouthful of beer as he pulls her back up, and begins to suck on her neck. 'Modesty' obviously isn't a word in his vocabulary anymore. His mouth seems to be permanently attached until she playfully smacks him on the back of the head. He pulls away laughing.

He kisses her again after a moment. It's a quiet and affectionate kiss this time. When they pull apart, he draws her closer to himself. She places her head beneath his chin, and wraps her arms around his waist. They resume their slow dance from before.

I start to think they've forgotten they have an audience - until he looks at me.

Daniel smiles, and it's happy and relaxed. I smile in return.

I can see how he's changed...for the better.

And it all started on Prometheus when Vala kissed him.

Random

The room was quiet as they laid in bed together. Daniel was sitting back against the headboard, eyes gazing over the pages of a book. Vala was resting against his bare chest, wearing nothing but his shirt. One of her legs was draped across his own, and her hand was gently rubbing his stomach.

"Daniel?" Vala questioned quietly before placing a small kiss to his firm chest.

"Hmmm?" Daniel murmured in return. He ran his fingers through her long black hair, never taking his eyes from the page he was reading.

"Why..." Vala kissed his warm skin again. "Is it always a flock of birds?"

Daniel's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"You know..." Vala rested her head on his chest once more. She looked at her hand still slowly massaging his tight stomach. "When people refer to a lot of things moving away fast, it's always birds." She adjusted her position so she could look at him. "Why?"

"Uh..." Daniel didn't know how to respond to such a question, so he just continued to read on.

Vala didn't wait for an answer anyway. "Why not a flock of..." She kissed his chest again. "Sheep?"

"I don't know, babe." Daniel flipped another page.

Vala didn't let it rest there. She pushed herself down to the waistline of his pajama pants, and gently kissed his stomach. "It is a fair question." She began to trail kisses upwards.

"Does it ALWAYS have to be birds?" She shifted for a moment to quickly kiss his appendix scar. It made Daniel shiver, like always. Vala rubbed her hand over it, and returned to her path of kisses up his torso.

"Why can't it be..." She paused between each word to make another kiss. Finally, she reached his shoulder. "A herd of turtles?" Vala placed her lips to Daniel's collarbone. She gave it a long, wet kiss and he shifted.

After a moment, Vala stopped and rested her chin on the end of his shoulder.

Daniel finally turned to look at her. Her eyes were shining with amusement, but were so serious at the same time.

"Herd of turtles?" He repeated with a small laugh, raising an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"Yeah!" Vala gave him a big smile, and Daniel laughed again.

Tilting his head a bit, he kissed her lovingly. The kiss was sweet and lasted only a few moments.

"You're silly." Daniel said as they pulled apart. Vala rolled her eyes playfully and shrugged at the comment.

Both settled back into each other comfortably, and the silence from before returned. It lasted so long that Daniel thought Vala had fallen asleep. He began to rub her back gently, and started to drift off himself.

He was almost asleep when words reached his ears from where she lay resting against his chest.

"And what are flix?"

Lifeline

Nothing was right. His head hurt, his mouth was dry, his leg was screaming out in agonizing pain. It was hard to breathe - Every time he took in air, it hurt. He was feeling confused, lost, and very, very upset.

The tears came to his eyes, and he didn't have the strength to fight them.

Something above him shifted. He trembled at the sound of it as dust came raining down all around.

This was how they went, crushed by a ton of stone. They had been doing what they loved. He had being doing what he loved because they brought him up to love it. When it happened, they had screamed out painfully. Would he even get a chance to scream?

It was ironic how he was going to die exactly like they had. The family that was destroyed by the ancient history they loved so much. He laughed at the sick thought.

It turned into a strangled sob as the slab above him shifted some more. And then he couldn't stop himself from crying. Loud, harsh sobs that caused the dust on the ground beside his head to shoot up in little clouds. He screwed his eyes shut. It hurt his head, but he couldn't stop the crying.

Voices reached his ears, but he was too upset to care.

"Dammit, I'm losing him!" A familiar male voice shouted from somewhere in front of him.

He felt a strong hand squeeze his. "Jackson! It's okay...you're okay."

He wanted to believe the familiar voice. But the deathtrap somewhere above his head shifted again, and he let out another sob.

The hand on his tightened. "Come on, Daniel."

The use of his name sounded weird coming from that voice. He opened his eyes. Through a small opening where the trap door hadn't fallen completely shut, he saw Mitchell laying flat on his stomach looking at him.

His smile was kind and he gave another squeeze to Daniel's hand, which barely reached outside the opening. "You're alright."

The smile may have been friendly, but there was a troubled look in Cam's eyes. The panic returned to grip at Daniel's chest, and he let out a cry in anguish.

"No..no Jackson. Stay with me! Hell..." Cam smacked the floor with his free hand. "Please stop crying - You're going to make me cry."

Daniel ignored the comment, and let the grief take him once again. He barely heard the quiet 'come here' from Mitchell. Suddenly the grip on his hand was gone, and he panicked. It returned quickly, but this time...

"Daniel." Vala spoke softly, and Daniel glanced at her through sobs. She was laying beside Cam, who was still watching on. "Daniel, you need to calm down, darling."

He went to shake his head, but Vala squeezed his hand hard.

"Don't tell me no. Daniel...Dan- Daniel, stop crying!" Her shout made him jump, and he stopped.

"Good...that's very good." Vala stroked his hand with her thumb.

"I...I'm scared." He mumbled, the tears still falling from his eyes despite his attempts to stop.

"I know Daniel."

"They died like this, and...and…I'm scared." Daniel started to cry again. "I don't want to die like this. My mom and dad died like this, and I don't want to. I don't want to die."

"Aw hell..." Cam mumbled sympathetically.

Vala felt tears well in her eyes, and she squeezed Daniel's hand again. He was always so strong - it hurt to see him so afraid. "Daniel, hunny. You're not gonna die here, okay?"

"Yes I am." Daniel mumbled, staring down at the ground.

Vala let out a sigh, and the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. She brought Daniel's trembling hand to her mouth, and kissed the back of it softly. "No. Even if I-" Mitchell cleared his throat, and she smiled despite the situation. "We...Even if we have to lay here until Sam, Teal'c and the others are done, we promise you - You're NOT going to die."

Daniel's bottom lip trembled, and he looked at her.

"You believe me, right?" Vala questioned.

It took a little bit, but Daniel finally nodded as best he could. His blue eyes were still scared, but she saw the stubborn look of a fighter lying within their depths.

Vala smiled and kissed his hand again.

Always Right

Daniel was so caught up in his latest translation that he didn't notice Vala had shuffled into the room until she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It made him jump slightly.

"Hey." He replied distractedly, writing in his notebook at lightning speed.

"Daniel..." Vala mumbled, resting her forehead on his shoulder. "It's two in the morning. You need to come to bed."

"I will..." Daniel tapped a few keys on the keyboard, then returned to writing.

"Daniel..." Vala whined and nuzzled into his neck. "I'm tired."

"Then go back to bed." He replied, annoyance unintentionally seeping into his voice. "I'll be there in a minute...I'm almost done."

Vala moaned against him. "You said that two hours ago, Daniel."

When she got no reply, Vala stood up. Daniel was still writing. "It'll be here tomorrow. You'll have hours to finish it then." She rubbed the back of his neck. "Please..." She placed a kiss in his hair. "Let's go to bed."

"Vala, I said I'd be done soon." Daniel checked one of his reference books quickly, the pen in his hand resuming its motion after a moment. "Go on back to the room. I'll be up in a bit."

"You're gonna make me walk all the way back there by myself?" Vala pouted and gave Daniel's shoulders a good shake. He wiggled out of her grasp, pen never stopping its scratching.

Vala walked around his desk and sat down on the edge of it. She tried to get his attention. "I didn't come down here to leave empty-handed."

"Then you'll have to wait a little while longer." Daniel muttered as he looked up at his computer screen.

Vala sighed with annoyance. "Fine" She threw her hands in the air in defeat.

She stood up off the desk, and stomped over to the couch sitting against the wall. "Work yourself into complete exhaustion. I don't care. But I'm not leaving until you're finished." Vala plopped down on the worn leather and crossed her arms.

Daniel paused in his writing. Now he felt bad. He leaned over so he could look at her. She was staring at the floor and pouting.

"I'll be done soon, okay?" He said quietly, knowing he had hurt her feelings.

Vala wasn't feeling very forgiving right then. "Whatever." She mumbled.

* * * *
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, and yawned.

He was exhausted and had worked too long. The pain in his hand from writing too much matched the ache in his head. Why did he let himself get so wrapped up in the translation?

Daniel stood, and turned off the desk lamp that was beginning to hurt his eyes. Walking over to the couch, he looked down at Vala. She had fallen asleep ten minutes into her pout, curling up into a little ball to try and stem off the chill in the room. She hadn't moved since. The thought made Daniel's stomach twist up in knots of guilt.

She had gotten out of a comfortable bed to get him to join her and he'd blown her off. She was just trying to help him and he'd been rude. Now he had to wake her up AGAIN to get her back to their comfortable bed. Where he would promptly pass out from exhaustion and be a useless lump for most of the day.

Sighing, Daniel decided he'd try and make up for his stupidity by saving her the hassle of walking back to their room. Squatting down, he gently pulled Vala to him. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.

Daniel took her weight, his hands firmly gripping the back of her thighs. He groaned as he stood up, and Vala stirred against him.

"Time's it?" She mumbled against his neck.

Daniel kissed her cheek quickly as he started out of his office, and down the hall toward the elevator. "Almost six."

Vala moaned angrily, and Daniel sighed.

"I know, my fault." Vala nodded.

They continued down the hall, and Daniel ignored all the looks from people just arriving for their shift. He was relieved when he reached the elevator. He sighed when the doors pulled open to reveal an empty car. He stepped in, and leaned back against the wall to help take some of the extra weight.

"You're gonna kill your back doing this." Vala sighed, and Daniel could hear the annoyance in her voice.

"I'll sleep it off..." He yawned, and rested his head on hers. "For most of the day."

Vala lifted her head, which caused Daniel to lift his. She glared into his exhausted blue eyes.

Daniel was too tired to put up a fight.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly.

Vala shook her head, and kissed him softly on the lips. She pulled away, and placed her head back down on his shoulder. She was too tired to bitch anyway.

The door dinged open. Daniel pushed off the wall and carried Vala the rest of the way to the room. The whole time she continued to place sleepy kisses on his neck.

Once inside their quarters, Daniel moved over to the bed and gently placed Vala down. She moved under the comforter while he quickly stripped down to his boxers. Tossing his glasses onto the nightstand, he joined her.

"I feel like crap." He mumbled tiredly as he moved to rest against her back.

Vala sighed with annoyance again. "And you're gonna be cranky and mean for the rest of the day, and then we're both gonna suffer." She intertwined her fingers in his, which softened her next words.

"You're so stupid sometimes, Daniel."

"You're right." Daniel kissed her shoulder tiredly, almost completely lost to sleep. "You're always right."

Scattered

"Daniel?"

It was quietly spoken, barely audible over the commotion of the basketball game, but he'd heard it. Turning at Vala's soft inquest, Daniel's adreneline-fueled smile dropped as fast as the basketball in his hands.

She looked at him with anguish in her eyes and tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.

"Vala?" Daniel crossed the court. "What's wrong?"

She held out a thick folder as he got near. Her gaze couldn't meet his.

"I read it." Vala's hand was trembling, and Daniel quickly took the heavy mass from her shaking grasp. He looked down at her, confused. When she wouldn't look up, he flipped open the cover of the folder. His eyes widened as he quickly skimmed the first page.

"Oh." Was all Daniel could say around his suddenly racing heart.

Vala shook her head. That obviously hadn't been the response she was looking for.

"Oh?" She looked up at him, and there was a fury in her grey eyes that he'd never seen there before. "That's all you can say? After going through something so horrible, the only answer you can bare to give me is OH?"

Her anger wasn't meant for him. Daniel knew because Jack had been the exact same way.

"Vala." He felt his hand start to shake around the folder in his hands. He'd never read the entire file himself. The few times he'd tried always left him on the floor of the bathroom, sick to his stomach. "I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"I want you to tell me you didn't jumped through a glass window to save people who didn't deserve to be saved in the first place." Vala returned her gaze to the floor. "I want you to tell me that you weren't as detached as that damn file says. I want you to tell me that you didn't want to die, even though there's a statement in there that says you 'seemed ready to let go'. I want you to tell me..."

Vala looked up at him once more. "I want you to tell me that it wasn't as painful as it says it was." Her face twisted in despair. "Tell me everything in that file is wrong." She brought her hands to cover her face, and let out a sob.

Daniel felt tears come to his eyes as he took Vala in his arms tightly, and pressed his lips into her soft hair. He gave her a tender kiss.

"I wish I could tell you all that, baby." He said as he rocked her. "I so wish nothing in there were true, if only for your sake. But I'm not going to lie to you."

Vala pulled out his grasp and looked at him in uncertainty. "Why did you want to die?" She asked in a horrified whisper. Just the idea of knowing Daniel had given up was hope-shattering. "Why didn't you care?"

Daniel could feel more tears come to his eyes. That was not something he was particularly proud to recall.

"I had thought..." His voice caught in his throat. He waited a moment before continuing. "I had thought I was failing everyone. That I wasn't doing a good enough job. I couldn't find myself anymore." He looked everywhere but at Vala. "I had been putting on a show for everyone for too long. I wanted to run away. "

Vala couldn't stop the question that came to her lips.

"And what about now?" She asked, and the next question was more frightening then the last. "Are you putting on a show for everyone until the chance comes to run away again?"

Daniel turned his face to hers. He saw the panic in her eyes.

The folder fell to the floor in a rain of papers as he cupped her face with both hands. He brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. She let him have all the control, needing to feel his strength.

When he pulled away, Daniel looked straight into Vala's eyes. "No...no, no no." He kissed her lips several times to help emphasize his point. "No show. I love my life. I love Jack, Sam, Teal'c, Mitchell..."

Daniel smiled and pressed a tender kiss against Vala's lips.

"I love you." He whispered against her mouth, bringing one hand to the back of her neck.

Vala closed her eyes against the tears that broke free at Daniel's statement. They were tears of overwhelming relief and joy.

She brought her hands to wrap around his neck. "You're not lost anymore?"

"Only when you're not here to find me." Daniel answered. He leaned his head down and kissed the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Then he pulled her close, and Daniel's mouth found Vala's lips again.

And, for a moment, the pain scattered amongst the papers on the floor around them was forgotten.

Addiction

He was no stranger to addiction.

The feeling that he couldn't possibly live without something being so overwhelming, it dulls every thing but the hunger.

The euphoria of getting that something being so wonderful. That buzz of seemingly endless adrenaline. He knew the pleasures of having the ultimate release.

History, languages, coffee - they all gave him that.

They were all small addictions, but he was no stranger to larger ones either.

The ones that made a person incapable of rational thought. The ones where the need burned so strong, that it never really went away. Even after so many years, he could still sometimes feel the yearning for the sarcophagus. The hunger for the escape from reality the device had given him.

But he had learned to put it out of his mind.

He had learned to put every one of his addictions out of his mind when he needed to focus on the greater task.

Except one.

One that was so sweet to taste, it set his brain on fire and numbed his senses. It could make him feel like a god or bring him cowering to the ground. The way it left his mind buzzing was so intoxicating-

Daniel mumbled something incoherent against Vala's lips, and she pulled back from their kiss.

"What was that, darling?" She asked curiously.

Daniel sat with his eyes closed, tongue flicking out over his lips. They were tingling, and he enjoyed the sensation. He opened his glazed blue eyes to look at Vala straddling his lap.

"I said..." He sighed as Vala's finger burned a path over his bottom lip. "We really shouldn't be...uh..." His voice faltered as Vala shifted in his lap purposely. "We...uh...shouldn't be..."

Vala leaned just off to the left of his cheek, and began to suck right below his ear. Daniel whimpered.

"Shouldn't..." He squirmed helplessly beneath her. "...Makeout..." Her teeth scraped his skin, and he gasped. "...Briefing Room."

Vala flipped her long black hair back and brought her face close to his once more. She nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment, and felt a shudder run through his body.

"Daniel..." She said after a moment.

"Yes?" Daniel squeaked.

"Shut up." Vala breathed out with mock exasperation.

"Okay." Daniel nodded, and allowed his mouth to be captured in a powerful kiss once more. He wanted to say no, but how could he?

Vala was, after all, the one addiction he couldn't resist.

Forgive

Vala snuck a glance at Daniel out of the corner of her eye.

Yep - he was still mad at her. She could tell by the frown on his face, and how he kept his attention on the road before them. Never once did his gaze flick her direction.

Vala sighed and returned to looking out the window.

She hadn't meant to do it. She had just been trying to stop the boredom. It hadn't been her intention for Daniel's semi-new laptop to get broken in the process.

But it had, and Daniel had barely spoken to her since.

It was one thing when he would get loud. Vala could deal with a shouting, ranting, and raving Daniel. She could just shout right back. They would argue at very high volumes for most of the day, maybe even a few days. Doors would get slammed and, on occasion, a few things would be thrown. It always ended in some rather spectacular...stress relief.

But Daniel being angry AND quiet was a totally different animal. It made her feel horribly guilty. Which, she supposed, was the point of him being so quiet. It taught her a better lesson... or something. She really hated it though.

Finally the silence in the truck became too stifling for her.

"Can we talk about this?" Vala asked quietly, turning to look at Daniel.

His eyes never left the road. "No."

"Why not, Daniel?" She whined. Vala twisted a strand of hair from one of her pigtails around her finger. Silence was her only answer, and it made her fidget.

"I said I was sorry." She pouted after a moment, and was semi-relieved when he looked at her.

"I know." Daniel sighed.

"Then why are you still mad at me?" Vala went to move closer to him, but Daniel shook his head at the action. She stopped, and pouted again.

"I'm not mad..." He sighed again. "Just...disappointed."

"Oh." Vala replied. She scooted back over to the passenger window. Now she felt more guilty than before. She had disappointed her Daniel. She looked out the window once more, and sighed again.

The silence lasted a while before Vala spoke again.

"I'm hungry."

Daniel glanced at her a moment. "What do you want?" He asked quietly as he returned his gaze back to the road.

"I don't know." Vala shrugged. "Maybe we can stop at the store when we get into town. We could get stuff to make spaghetti..." Vala's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "Or, how about lasagna?" It was one of Daniel's favorite meals.

"Sure." Daniel shrugged, and Vala's smile dropped. There was a tension between them, and she didn't like it. There had to be some way to make him forgive her.

Vala scooted to the middle of the seat, and flicked on the radio.

"Vala..." Daniel rubbed his forehead wearily. "I have a headache..."

"I'll keep it low. Promise." Vala answered, and then smiled when she found a song she liked. She started to bounce in her seat to the music.

Several songs played, and each one had Vala either dancing in place or singing along.

Daniel glanced at her after a while, and couldn't help the small smile that came to his lips. He couldn't tell if she was actually trying to make him feel better, or just being completely random. Either way, she was cute doing it.

Vala caught his smile, and shook her finger at him.

"Ah, ah! No smiling from you." She huffed while still grooving to the music. "You're supposed to be pouting."

"I AM NOT pouting." Daniel laughed in disbelief.

"Sure you are." Vala shrugged as she moved to change the station. "You're in mourning for your laptop which was accidentally broken by this beautiful woman whom you love more than a crumby piece of technology anyway." She winked playfully at Daniel, whose mouth was hanging open at her statement. "I understand. But pouters are NOT allowed to smile."

Daniel gave Vala a 'PUH-LEASE' look, and was about to retort. But Vala found a song she liked, and cranked up the volume. He tried to speak over it, but Vala just sang along to the lyrics, seeming to ignore him. She danced and sang, and made dramatic faces to the words.

Daniel couldn't fight the grin anymore.

"Come here." He pulled her close to his side as they came to stop at a red light.

He moved in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. When he finished there, Daniel placed another on Vala's forehead.

"It's impossible to stay upset with you."

"I really am sorry, Daniel." Vala sighed as she rested her head against his neck.

"Yeah..." Daniel rubbed her arm. "I think I can forgive you over a plate of lasagna."

Vala smiled. She knew it would get him.

Dinner

"Mmmm..." Daniel sighed as he wrapped his arms around Vala's waist and pressed her up against the counter. He put his wine glass down, and nuzzled his nose into her neck. "Smells good."

Vala giggled against his touch. "It's not even in the oven yet, silly."

Daniel smiled. "I know." He licked her pulse point, and she gasped in response. "I was talking about you."

Vala smiled at the comment and continued to prepare the dish for their dinner. Daniel rested the side of his head against hers and watched her work. Her hands were quick and seemed to move without any thought.

"I think..." Daniel brought one arm around. He rubbed the back of her sleek hand with his finger. "The student has surpassed the teacher."

"You're just trying to make me feel good." Vala laughed. She paused in the preparations as Daniel squeezed her with the arm still around her waist. He ghosted the hand along her stomach to her hip, and then continued down her leg.

"Trust me." He breathed against her cheek. "You feel fine without my help." Daniel placed a soft kiss against her skin.

"And besides..." He pulled back a bit, and Vala let out a deep breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in. "You're the one who's supposed to be making ME feel better."

Vala turned in his loose grasp, and tilted her head to the side a bit. She ran a flour-covered finger along his jawline. "I thought I was."

Daniel grabbed her hand, and turned his head to kiss her palm.

Vala smiled at the tender gesture and reluctantly pulled her hand back. "Let me put this in the oven."

Daniel nodded and watched Vala move across the kitchen. He retrieved his wine glass from the counter and took a long drink when she bent over to place the dish in the oven. He was pretty sure she was doing it on purpose.

Vala pulled up slowly, and Daniel knew she was doing it purposely. He swallowed down the rest of his wine and glanced at the counter momentarily. He smiled when an idea came to his mind.

"Well, we have about half an hour before-" Vala stopped as she was hit with a fist full of flour. She turned shocked grey eyes on Daniel. He was smirking playfully and his eyes gleamed with mischief.

Oh - this meant war.

* * * *
"The kitchen is a mess." Vala giggled as she leaned back against Daniel, sipping from her glass. Or was it his? She had lost track somewhere between the flour fight, makeout session, and actually eating their dinner, and was currently too tipsy to really think about it.

Daniel pulled the glass out of her hand, and took a sip himself. So it was his.

"WE'RE a mess." He laughed.

"But it was fun." Vala looked at his hand as it caressed her stomach. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and let out a deep sigh of contentment.

"Hmm..." Daniel kissed down her neck. Vala heard the clink of the glass on the tile floor and turned her head. She watched as he poured more wine into the glass. "I agree...Very fun." He spilled some mid-pour, and chuckled. "Oops."

Vala giggled. She obviously wasn't the only one who felt a little tipsy. She sat up and turned around in his grasp so her legs could straddle his lap. Daniel's hands immediately went to her hips to help steady her. "Why Daniel..." Vala leaned in close to whisper in his ear.

"Are you drunk?" She giggled again, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled back so she could look at him.

Daniel laughed. "Obviously not as drunk as you, babe."

Vala grinned at the response.

Daniel grinned also and moved in to take her mouth with his. Vala placed her hands on both sides of his face, and Daniel moved his hands to the small of her back. He sat up straighter, pulling Vala's body as close to his as possible. Their mouths twisted and tilted one direction, then another, as their tongues battled it out for dominance.

Vala thrust herself against Daniel, and he moaned into her mouth.

He pulled away to move his mouth back to her neck, sucking on the bite marks he'd made during their earlier makeout session.

"Care to move this to the bedroom?" He breathed as he pushed aside the strap of her tanktop, and tenderly kissed along her collarbone.

Vala pulled Daniel's head back gently by his hair. Her gaze was filled with nothing but want for him.

"I thought you'd never ask...I need to give you a proper apology."

Touching History

He could tell she was bored. She was trying to hide it, for his sake, but he knew.

Vala was resting on her stomach on a stone slab, her feet swinging in the air as she slowly flipped another page of her fashion magazine. Her other hand was fisted against her cheek, and she was absently chewing on her bottom lip.

Daniel watched her from a few feet away, a small smile playing on his lips. Vala was trying to be good so he could enjoy just being an archaeologist again. He glanced down at his notebook in his lap, then up at the wall of inscriptions and hieroglyphs before him. It made him feel good to get back to doing the hands on part of archaeology, but Daniel couldn't shake the nagging feeling of guilt. Vala was suffering for him, even if it was only from boredom.

Daniel placed his notebook on the dusty floor beside him, and turned so his body was facing her.

"Vala." He said quietly.

"Yes, darling?" Vala questioned, never taking her eyes from the magazine.

"Come here." Daniel answered.

Vala stopped reading and looked at him. "What?"

"I said 'come here.'" Daniel reached out his hand to emphasize the words.

Vala's eyes narrowed suspiciously. The sweet smile on Daniel's face could mean a number of things. "Why?" She questioned warily.

Daniel's smile turned into a wide grin of amusement. "Just come here!" He laughed, motioning with his hand for her to come to him. Vala pursed her lips in uncertainty, but found herself getting up anyway. His smile was very hard to resist. She walked over to him and took his hand with hers, looking down into his blue eyes.

"You wanna help me?" Daniel lifted his eyebrows in a questioning manner. He indicated the wall beside them with a tilt of his head.

"Are you serious?" Vala questioned, her voice a mix between confusion and excitement. "I don't know anything about that kind of stuff - Aren't you afraid I'll...I don't know...ruin something?"

Daniel shook his head at her question. "Not if I show you what to do...That is, if you want to learn. Do you want to learn?" At Vala's enthusiastic nod, he grinned. He turned to face the wall again and pulled her to sit between his legs. He wrapped one arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Now what?" Vala asked excitedly. She was glad to be of use to her Daniel.

"First..." Daniel smiled at her enthusiasm. He pointed at the wall with his free hand. "We look for anything that resembles any sort of trigger that would turn something on or open something up. A jewel in the stone or raised hieroglyph. Now, I've already checked, but it never hurts to be thorough."

Vala nodded against him, and there was a moment of silence as their eyes skimmed the wall.

"See anything?" Daniel questioned as he turned his head to look at her.

"No." Vala shook her head and turned to look at him in return. "But if there was, what would we do?"

"Well...we would radio for one of the techs to come take a look." Daniel shrugged. "Booby traps are a common hazard in temples like this, and they can figure out if it's still working and possibly what it opens or does. It's better to be safe then bold."

"I understand." Vala turned her eyes back to the wall. "What's the next step?"

Daniel smiled as he brought his head to rest against hers. "Since there's no obvious signs of booby traps," He reached off to the side and pulled his tool kit so Vala could reach it. "We can start cleaning the area, and translating what it says."

Vala smiled at what he was really saying. "We - meaning I clean, you translate."

"Yes." Daniel laughed quietly. Vala reached for his tools, and he quickly stopped her hand with his. "But..." He dragged out the word slowly. "You can't just start brushing and chipping away at everything. Areas that look smooth and empty could actually have worn glyphs or fading paintings on it." He caress the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Oh." Vala said. "Then how do I know what is important and what isn't?"

"It takes a trained eye, but I'll help you." Daniel kissed her cheek. "Ready to start?"

Vala nodded slowly. She took the paint brush Daniel offered her.

"Now..." Daniel scooted both of them closer to the wall. Vala waited as he searched the area with his eyes. Finally he pointed to a spot.

"Here. Slow and gentle strokes..." He placed his hand on hers, and moved it to the spot he had pointed to. Slowly he used her hand, which was holding the brush, to brush soft strokes over what appeared to be an empty spot. Dust fell from the wall, and a painted image began to appear. "You got it?" Daniel asked quietly in her ear and Vala gave a small nod.

He kissed her cheek again, and shifted slightly so he could go back to the translation he was working on before Vala started to help. He placed his notebook on her leg, and peered over Vala's shoulder to see it. Her hair tickled his face, and he pulled back after a moment.

"Got something to put your hair back with?" Daniel asked, running his hand through the thick black locks. Vala stopped brushing and pulled a hair tie off her wrist. She handed it to Daniel, and went back to work.

Daniel smiled at her focus, and gently began to pull her hair back into a high ponytail. He wrapped the hair tie around it, and pulled it snug against her head. He leaned in and kissed at the back of her neck, nibbling the spot after a moment, then giving it a small kiss one more time.

"That's better." He sighed as he moved back to his reading position. Vala smiled at the cuteness of the whole thing - Daniel pulling her hair back for her.

They sat like that for a while, quietly working on.

"Why do you love this so much, Daniel?" Vala asked curiously after a while, brush still moving like Daniel had showed her. She stopped when Daniel took the brush from her grasp, and placed it on the floor.

"Give me your hand." He said quietly. Vala obliged and rested her hand in his. Daniel moved her fingers along the wall to the spot he was currently working on.

"Close your eyes." He whispered in her ear, and tenderly kissed her neck. Vala did so, and Daniel began to softly stroke her fingers over the hieroglyphs. "You feel that?" He kissed her neck again, and Vala nodded. "They tell a story - about how a great river once flowed here..." He moved her finger from one glyph to another. "Made the land lush and fertile. But the gods deemed the people unworthy of such magnificence, and killed the river. And the people fought back."

"Some villager found this story so important, that he went through the trouble of chiseling it out on the stone. He wanted others to know what happened here." Daniel continued to run Vala's fingers along each raised portion. "Vala..." He moved to kiss the exposed edge of her shoulder. "You're touching someone's revolution."

Daniel moved his hand from hers, and placed it along her cheek. Vala turned to look into his eyes.

"You're touching history, baby." He smiled. He looked so beautiful and so happy to be experiencing this with her. Vala let out a shuddered breath.

Daniel moved in to kiss Vala, and she allowed his passion to overtake her. His hand moved to the back of her neck, and he deepened the kiss. It was a long time before they pulled apart.

Vala let out a shaky laugh. Daniel brushed the bangs from her face, and smiled curiously

"What?" He asked.

Vala smiled as she ran a hand through his hair. "I think I could get used to touching history."

Daniel laughed in response and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

Understanding

Vala pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and gently draped it over Daniel's sleeping form. She was careful to avoid brushing the bruises running from his hip to his neck, but Daniel still moaned as the weight of the blanket covered his injuries.

"Shhh." Vala soothed into his ear, then moved to place a small kiss on his forehead. Daniel shifted his head a moment, then drifted back off to sleep.

Vala smiled and turned to find Jack leaning in the doorway to the den, watching her. There was an unreadable look on his face.

"What?" She asked curiously as she moved to sit on the loveseat.

"Oh..." Jack pushed off the wall and walked to stand in front of where she sat. He pointed to the loveseat, and Vala nodded her approval for him to sit. She pulled the pillow out of his way, hugging it to her chest. Jack plopped down with a sigh.

Vala watched him patiently. Jack glanced at her, than moved his gaze to Daniel a few feet away.

"You're great with him." He said quietly after a moment. "A lot better than I am...was."

Vala could hear the sadness in Jack's voice, and it surprised her. "What are you talking about? You're wonderful with Daniel..."

"Maybe." Jack looked at her. "But you - He listens to you."

Vala let out soft snort at the statement. "Not really."

Jack nodded seriously, diverting his gaze again "Yes he does. Daniel trusts you with everything. I've seen the way he looks at you when he needs your opinion, or how he asks you for help. He never asks me for help like that. He whole-heartedly trusts you."

Looking down, Vala played with the edges of the pillow. "It took a lot to earn that trust, believe me. With you it's different. Daniel has never doubted his trust in you."

"Ha...obviously you haven't heard of some of the darker moments in our friendship." Jack laughed humorlessly.

Vala nodded knowingly. "Yes, I have actually." She stared at Jack, not really sure where this conversation was coming from.

Jack sighed and continued to watch Daniel. "He's so happy with you. I've never seen him so content to just live and have fun before. I knew he could be...I tried to pull it out of him, but...I don't know...Never could get him to be so carefree. You did it. There's just something you give him that lets him open up..."

Vala scooted closer to Jack on the loveseat, and placed her hand on his leg. "That's called sex, darling." She smiled with relief when Jack laughed quietly at the statement. She was beginning to understand why Jack seemed so bummed.

"True." Jack finally said with a smile. "But you know what I mean. You two just have a connection...He needs you."

Vala moved again, close enough so that their legs touched. "He needs both of us."

"I'm not so sure he needs much of me anymore." Jack stated quietly.

Vala turned so she was facing Jack. She placed a hand on his cheek, and he turned his head to look at her.

"I am." She smiled. "You think there's a connection between me and Daniel? What about you two? I've seen the two of you have entire conversations without even saying a word. Never before have I seen two people say the exact same thing at the exact same time more often then you guys. The way you talk to each other is dizzying. Daniel talks about you all the time, and calls you even more. He looks up to you and respects you, and he doesn't ask for your help because he's knows he doesn't need to - you'll always be there for him." Vala wrapped her arms around his shoulders in an awkward hug. "You're his best friend, Jack. That's something I can't ever replace, nor do I want to."

Jack still had a hint of uncertainty in his brown eyes. "Daniel loves you."

Vala nodded at the statement. She rested her chin on the edge of his shoulder. "He loves you too."

They looked at each other for a moment. Movement from the couch had them breaking eye contact.

"J'ck?" Daniel mumbled quietly.

Vala turned back to Jack with a smile and kissed his cheek. "See? Always asking for you first." Sometimes Daniel just had perfect timing.

"Jack?" Daniel questioned again, slight panic in his voice.

Jack rose from his seat quickly, Vala following behind him a little more slowly.

"Yeah, I'm right here, buddy." He knelt down next to Daniel. He smiled as relief filled glazed blue eyes.

"Oh." Daniel sighed. "Thought you were gone."

"Nah.." Jack placed a gentle hand on the back of Daniel neck, careful of the bruising. He looked at Vala as she sat down on the edge of the couch. Their eyes met, and an understanding passed between them. They were in this Daniel thing together. He looked back to see if Daniel had seen, but his younger friend was obviously too looped on painkillers to notice. "Couldn't leave you unprotected with this one ready to pounce at any moment."

Daniel blew a raspberry at the statement. "Spoilsport." He muttered playfully, placing a hand on Vala's leg.

"Isn't he?" Vala huffed, crossing her arms. She winked at Jack, then looked down at Daniel.

Jack watched a look pass from blue eyes to grey. It was full of affection and love, and this time it didn't make him feel uncomfortable to see it.

"Come here..." Daniel sighed as he pulled Vala in for a supple kiss.

Jack couldn't stop the blush that came to his cheeks. He felt like he was intruding, but couldn't seem to pull away from the pair. When he was beginning to think they'd never stop kissing, Vala pulled away. Daniel groaned at the action.

"Can we have sex now?" He whined, never opening his eyes from their kiss.

"Whoa, Danny!" Jack laughed at the blatant comment.

Vala placed her finger on the end of Daniel's nose, and smiled. "Now I know you're high on those painkillers."

"You didn't answer my question." Daniel said, still not opening his eyes.

Vala looked at Jack, and they smiled. "No." They answered in unison.

"We're gonna watch a movie instead." Vala said and Jack nodded. Both rose to a standing position, Vala's hand firmly attached to Daniel's. And when they both looked at Daniel, they were met with an equal glare.

"You guys suck." He muttered.

Oh yeah. They were definitely in this together.

Clean

She had just lowered herself into a hot bath when she heard Daniel come in the house.

Vala immersed herself to her chin, and quietly listened to him move around. He was unusually silent, and Vala suspected the emergency he'd been called to at the base had left him exhausted. She had wanted to go along, but Daniel had insisted she stay home - it was just an archaeological matter that he needed to deal with.

So their quiet day alone together had turned into a quiet day with Vala alone - period.

She didn't really mind too much. It had given her a chance to pick up around the house - something Daniel never seemed to worry much about. She was also able to catch up on all the tv shows she loved and Daniel loathed. But even if the quiet time had been relaxing, Vala was ready to be with her Daniel.

"Vala, you in here?" Daniel questioned softly, opening the door a little bit. She couldn't see him due to the little wall that separated the sink area, where the entrance was, from the tub.

"Yes, darling." Vala answered, sitting up a little. Daniel's head appeared around the wall, and she smiled warmly at him. "Hey."

Daniel gave her a tired smile in return. "Hey." He replied in kind and moved to the bathtub. He placed his hands on either side of tub and leaned in to give Vala a soft kiss. She accepted it happily.

"You taste like coffee." She smiled as he sat down on the tile floor with his back leaning against the tub.

"I think it's the only thing keeping me going." Daniel sighed as he rested his head back on the cool porcelain. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

Vala brushed a hand through his hair. "Rough day?"

Daniel laughed at the question. "That's an understatement."

Vala shifted so she was resting on her arm on the edge of the tub beside Daniel. Her other hand continued to stroke his hair gently. "Wanna tell me about it?" She asked quietly, not really caring if he did or not.

"Well..." Daniel moved over slightly so the hand Vala was resting on could stroke his cheek. "Apparently one of the new scientists brought back an artifact from P8X-whatever, and refused to get it cleared first. Said it would ruin something or other."

"And you had to go in to...?" Vala questioned curiously.

"To settle some ruffled feathers between the scientist and a few of the marines he had pissed off, not to mention Landry." Daniel sighed. "Had to reassure him that all the tests to clear the artifact wouldn't harm it, and convince the marines he was new and didn't quite have the hang of things yet. Then Landry had me sit him down and reiterate that the quarantine protocols are in place for a very good reason. And AFTER THAT... All of them thought it was a good idea for me to stick around and help translate the stupid thing." He turned his head to glance at her. "You know, I never even changed out of my civvies. Just worked right there in jeans and a t-shirt."

Vala winced in sympathy. "I'm sorry."

Daniel looked back up at the ceiling. "Yeah, sometimes it sucks to be so useful. Very inconvenient at times. I just wanted to spend the day here with you." He laughed. "Look how that turned out."

Vala lifted herself up enough to place a sensual kiss to Daniel's lips. The fact they their mouths where facing opposite directions only made it more inviting. They separated after a moment, and Vala stared at him with suggestive grey eyes.

"Day's not over yet." She breathed, and licked at his earlobe.

Daniel twisted his body around so that he faced her. He didn't give her any time to say another word before his mouth took hers in a powerful kiss, his hands cupping the sides of her neck. Vala felt herself being pushed back where she had rested before.

The water overflowed out of the tub as Daniel lowered himself in, clothes and all. He straddled her hips, and Vala moaned into his mouth as he rubbed the wet denim against her.

Daniel pulled his tongue out of her mouth, and moved to place supple kisses on her neck. "Love you." He whispered after an especially deep kiss.

Vala replied in kind as her hands fumbled with the clasp on his belt. She grinned as she felt Daniel's hands begin to move down her body slowly.

She loved it when getting clean could feel so dirty.

S-E-…

"So where's some of the most unique places you and Vala have..." Jack sipped his beer as he glanced at Daniel. "You know..."

Daniel shook his head and shrugged, pretending to not comprehend what Jack was playing at.

"Oh, you know..." Jack sat up in his chair, and waved his hand in the air.

"Have sex!" A twin pair of female voices shouted from the kitchen.

"I was trying to be POLITE!" Jack shouted back to them, and then realized Daniel was laughing. "You bastard." He muttered, once again sipping from his bottle.

"Come on Jack!" Daniel said through his laughter. "I knew what you were talking about." He took a pull from his own beer. "I'm not naive."

Jack point at him with his bottle. "You were!"

Daniel settled back against the lawn chair, a sweet smile on his face. "Yeah, then I met you."

"And look how you turned out." Jack smiled triumphantly.

"Yeah..." Daniel drawled out, a sardonic laugh following. "I'm more fucked up then I was before."

Jack sent the younger man a squinty glare. "You're an ungrateful little shit, you know that?"

Daniel just made a few kissy sounds in response.

"So?" Jack questioned.

Daniel drained the last of the beer from his bottle, and leaned forward to toss it in the trash can. "Maybe we should wait for the girls to rejoin us..." He sat back, a knowing look on his face. "Before we start discussing our sex lives."

"Now where's the fun in that?" Jack whined.

"You should listen to the man, Jack." Sam emerged onto the porch, a cold beer in one hand for Jack, and a margarita in the other for herself. "He is very smart."

Jack made a 'pfft' sound, and followed Daniel in finishing off his beer. "Supposedly."

Daniel stuck out his tongue, then look up at Vala standing behind his chair. She leaned down to place a beer in his hand, and, before she could pull back up, Daniel wrapped his free hand around the back of her head and pulled her in for a deep, tongue-filled kiss. Vala's hair cascaded down around their faces.

He released her after a moment. "Thanks babe."

Vala flipped her hair back, and patted his shoulder. "Anytime." She smiled, and went to move around the chair to sit in his lap. She lowered herself between his legs, and pulled her knees to her chest. Sipping from her own margarita, she leaned back against Daniel's chest.

Jack sat gaping at the pair, Sam standing next to him with a goofy grin on her face.

"See?!" Sam turned to smack Jack on the shoulder playfully. "Why can't you be more like that?"

"That?!" Jack pointed at them. "You want THAT?!" At his words, Daniel brushed aside Vala's hair and began devouring her neck with his mouth. "That's...that's...that's just obscene to do in public!"

Daniel stopped and looked right at Jack with disbelief. "Public?! We're in your damn backyard!"

"That's out in the public!" Jack fired back childishly. He crossed his arms to emphasize his point.

Daniel laughed and sat back. "What are you? Six?" He finally took a sip from his beer bottle.

"Don't make me come over there!" Jack warned. Daniel mocked his every word silently. "If there weren't two beautiful women between us, I'd so kick your ass." Daniel nodded in an 'oh, I'm sure' fashion, and a comfortable silence settled between the pair.

Sam sat down on the porch in front of Jack, who began to run his fingers through her hair.

"They're like children." She said to Vala, slurping her drink.

Vala nodded in agreement. "They really are." She giggled as Daniel squeezed her closer.

"So, what were we talking about?" He questioned after he sipped from his bottle.

"Sex." Vala stated happily. "One of my favorite topics."

Daniel leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We know." He nipped at the bottom of her ear, and she gasped.

"Yes, you frisky love birds over there." Jack sat up a little straighter. "I want to know some of the more unique places you've-"

"Had sex." Sam finished for him.

"Well-" Daniel paused to let out a loud belch. It had the girls 'eww'-ing and Jack clapping. "Does my office count as weird?"

"Which office, now?" Sam asked, tipping her drink to her surrogate brother. "Because if it's your home office, then no."

"I kinda figured that." Daniel snipped playfully. "You know I'm talking about the one at the SGC."

Jack sat up straighter at the announcement. "The office with two very snooping cameras in it? You guys did it there?"

"More than once actually." Vala shrugged as she took a drink.

"But, the cameras." Jack repeated.

Daniel gave Jack a wicked grin as he sipped from his bottle. "Yeah, well, I know this beautiful blonde who can work wonders with technology."

Jack looked down at Sam, who was giggling quietly. "You knew about that one?" She nodded mutely, still trying to suppress her laughing. He smiled, took a drink, then looked back up at Daniel and Vala. "Okay, where else?"

Before Daniel could say anything, Vala blurted out. "Bathtub."

Jack shrugged. "That's nothing new."

"But..." Vala held up her finger, then ran the same hand along Daniel's jean-covered leg. "Daniel was almost completely clothed at the time. Never even got his jeans off..."

"That's because they were plastered to my legs." Daniel laughed.

Vala looked at Sam, and smiled. "I must say watching him try and get out was...enjoyable."

Sam laughed. "Oh, I'm sure. Pants undone and stuck tight against his ass."

Daniel choked on his mouthful of beer. "Sam!"

"What?!" She replied innocently. "You're hot!"

Daniel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry, that's just disturbing coming from you."

Sam laughed again, and looked at Vala. "They just don't appreciate complements."

Vala nodded furiously. "I know...like Jack wouldn't appreciate me saying he's drop dead gorgeous in those..."

"Moving on!" Jack said quickly, pushing himself down behind Sam as if staking his claim.

"Please!" Daniel whined, tightening his hold on Vala.

"Okay..." Vala turned her head to give Daniel a reassuring kiss. "How about all those high end parties and banquets we're forced to go to sometimes?" She asked as she looked back at their friends.

"Alright, that's interesting..." Jack wrapped his arms around Sam's shoulders.

"How many?" Sam questioned.

Daniel's eyes lit up mischievously, and he looked at Vala. She was grinning like the Chesire Cat.

"Surely not ALL of them?" Sam gasped in amusement.

"At least all the ones I've been to." Vala shrugged playfully.

"That's at LEAST four a year, and you've been here how many years now?" Jack frowned at the math problem he had inadvertently started. "I don't even need to carry the four on that one. Geeze, Daniel!"

"What?!" Daniel answered in a way similar to how Sam had earlier. "Those things are so boring!"

"Yeah, that's why we do those few shots of tequila before each one." Jack agreed. "To loosen things up a bit."

"Jack, you should know how..." Vala giggled as she said her next word carefully. 'LOOSE' Daniel gets after a few shots of tequila."

Daniel blushed at her comment, and the others started to laugh.

"So now we know what happens when you guys sneak off during those things." Jack nodded, sipping his drink. "My, Daniel...she really has turned you into a rebel."

Daniel drained his bottle once again to get over his slight embarrassment, and tossed it in the trash.

"What about you guys?" He kissed Vala's shoulder, then moved to steal another passionate kiss from her lips. Vala made subtle moans and gasps into his mouth as she ran her hand through his hair. They pulled apart after a LONG moment, and Daniel rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Why are we the center of attention here?" He asked while gently massaging Vala's side with his hand.

"Please!" Jack answered. "Look at you two! You guys are hornier than a pair of Chihuahuas! Of course we're gonna focus the sex talk on you!"

"Oh give me a break!" Daniel laughed. He sipped from Vala's margarita as she offered it to him. "You two look at each other like your ready to pounce! Now I wanna hear about some or your wild escapades."

The Dance

They were in the den of their new house together when it happened.

Books, movies, and various other things lay scattered all over the floor. Vala was on one side of the room, putting their DVDs into a brand new home on the entertainment center. Daniel was on the other side, near the gigantic bookshelf he had just built with Jack, Cam, and Teal'c, placing his books where he wanted them.

They were happy, singing to the songs coming from the stereo, laughing and taking loving jibes at one another.

Daniel moved to the center of the room to gather up another stack of books. He froze when an unmistakable melody began to come through the speakers.

Vala recognized the song immediately, and her eyes went straight to Daniel. She slowly crossed over to him as the guitar started to play. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his waist. His immediately came to close around her, and as the words started, they began to dance slowly.

Looking back

on the memory of

The dance we shared

'neath the stars alone

Vala felt Daniel's arms tighten around her, and she rubbed his back gently. Daniel began to sing softly as he rested his head on hers.

For a moment

all the world was right

How could I have known

that you'd ever say goodbye

And now

I'm glad I didn't know


The way it all would end

the way it all would go


Our lives are better left to chance

I could have missed the pain

But I'd of had to miss the dance

Daniel moved his head to her shoulder. Vala could feel him trembling in her arms.

Holding You

I Held Everything

He kissed her shoulder.

For a Moment

wasn't I a king

But if I'd only known

how the king would fall

Vala felt his breath catch inside his chest, and she knew he wasn't gonna be able to hold out much longer.

Hey, who's to say

you know I might have chanced it all

Daniel whispered the words in her ear. He seemed so terrified to say them to her, and Vala understood.

And now

I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end

the way it all would go

Vala felt the tears on her neck as Daniel buried his head against her.

Our lives are better left to chance

I could have missed the pain

but I'd of had to miss the dance

The tears came faster and he began to cry around the words.

Yes my life

is better left to chance

I could have missed the pain

but I'd of had to miss

The Dance

Vala held on to Daniel tightly as he let out a quiet sob. The haunting melody played again, and Daniel pulled up from Vala's shoulder. He looked at Vala with tears welling in his eyes, and she leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips. He brought his hand to her face as she did.

They pulled apart, and Daniel rested his forehead against hers. He stared into Vala's eyes.

"I love you." He said on shaky whisper.

Vala nodded against him. "I love you too."

And she accepted the trembling kiss Daniel placed on her lips before he broke down against her.

Killer

He imagines her amongst the royalty of centuries long dead.

Hair done up above her head in curls and pins, frosted to complete stillness, with flowers, bows, and jewels pouring from those luscious black locks. Even more jewelry dripping from her ears, around her neck, and flowing down her arms.

Wearing long flowing gowns of every color. She would only have them made from silk, satin, suede, and lace. Her corset tied as tight as breathing could allow, and she wouldn't wear any shoes underneath, just to be different from the others.

Her lips painted a deep red, and her cheeks powered to a pale white.

He can see her eating caviar, smoking cigarettes, and drinking expensive liquor from glasses made of crystal and diamonds. Traipsing from place to place, never staying long enough to make any lasting relationships. Taking a trip to Paris to shop and buy perfume because her thirst for pretty and expensive things couldn't be quenched.

She would throw wild parties, and ravish plenty of men with her eloquent tongue and seasoned experience. They wouldn't be able to decline an invitation from her. Her price would be too high to keep, but that wouldn't stop men from trying.

Daniel imagines her in that world as he watches her try on beautiful clothing at a whim. She plays with him, like a cat would a mouse long past it's chance at life. She is a cat. The feline who fusses, bites, scratches, and loves all within a matter of a few moments.

She winks at him, and she is like gunpowder.

She moves to stand before him, and she is like dynamite.

She blows his mind as she places a deep kiss on his lips. He feels her hand slipping his credit card out of his back pocket, but can't deny her access to it. She is his Aphrodite - his Calypso. He buckles beneath the power her lips have over his.

"Thanks darling." She whispers into his ear, then makes a subtle kiss on his pulse point. It drives him wild, and any attempt to take his card back is forgotten. She walks off to pay for her pretty things.

Daniel sighs in defeat. He knows he's been played.

But Vala's got him too in love to care.

Indulge

Daniel pulled Vala into an empty corner of the banquet hall, and steadied her against his chest. It didn't do much good since he was a little unsteady on his feet as well.

"You wanna sneak away for a bit?" He leaned in to whisper in her ear. He ghosted his tongue along her throat, knowing her nicely done hair would hide the action from snooping eyes.

Vala pushed against him at the action, and she giggled.

"I was wondering how long it'd take you." She breathed impatiently.

Daniel smiled, then covered it up quickly. He scanned the room over her shoulder to see if anyone was looking. A few people were watching them, but most of the attention of the room was focused elsewhere. He looked down at Vala, and indicated to the door off to their left a ways with his head. She grinned and pulled out of his grasp. Taking his arm, Vala began to tug Daniel in the direction of the door.

As they stumbled their way to their escape, they passed behind one of the many drink tables. Daniel managed to hook his free hand around a bottle of champagne before Vala tugged him along once more. He knew they weren't being very covert, and thanked multiple gods for the loud music that was playing. It brought people's attention to the dance floor and covered up their uncontrollable giggling.

They neared the door, and Daniel pulled back on Vala's arm. "Wait." He whispered loudly. He brought her to his chest, and scanned the room again. Vala's bubbles of barely suppressed laughter against him was a distraction. Daniel leaned in and placed a teasing kiss on her lips to silence her.

Someone cleared their throat nearby, and the two looked up at a pair of old ladies watching them from a table not far off. They didn't looked too pleased by the couple's antics.

Vala looked at Daniel with amusement, and he shrugged back in response. Vala winked at the women before she devoured her man's mouth in an impromptu makeout session. Daniel caught on immediately, and groaned loudly into her mouth. He pulled her body tight against his, and Vala ground into him hard.

They heard a disgusted gasp come from the direction of the table, and the sound of chairs being moved. Daniel pulled away first and watched as the old ladies moved away.

"What? Didn't like the show!?" He shouted, and Vala smacked him on the chest. She didn't see the dirty looks the old ladies sent to Daniel.

"Shhh! You're gonna blow our escape!" She hissed through her giggles. Daniel began to shake with suppressed laughter, and Vala pulled him through the doorway quickly.

Once the door slammed shut, both burst out in hysterical laughter.

"Did you see their faces?" Daniel gasped between laughs. "Oh, if looks could kill."

Vala pulled on his suit jacket to bring him closer to her. She captured his mouth in another hungry kiss, halting him mid-laugh. She brought her hands to gently pull on his hair. He rubbed his free hand up her exposed back, trying to squeeze the non-existant space out from between them.

Daniel was once again the one to break the kiss. "Maybe we should take this out of the hallway." He gasped breathlessly. He loosened his grasp on Vala, and held up the bottle of champagne between them, swaying a moment.

"I brought refreshments." He grinned as Vala smiled at the sight of the bottle. She wrapped her hand around his, and pressed the open bottle to her lips. She took a long deep drink, stumbling backwards a moment before Daniel wrapped his arm around her.

She lowered the bottle, and licked her lips. A small hiccup escaped, and Vala put her hand to her mouth.

Daniel smiled at her, and before she could say anything about it, he pressed his mouth to hers. He bent down enough so he could lift her up. Vala wrapped her legs around his waist, and her free hand around his neck. The kiss lasted until she felt her back pressed up hard against the wall. She pulled her lips away, and rested her head back. Her breath came in short, heated gasps as Daniel began to suck on her neck, his teeth occasionally taking nips at her skin. He was beginning to work his way south, and Vala feebly tried to stop him.

"Daniel..." Vala breathed. "Daniel...stop."

Daniel pulled away, confused. "What?" He breathed. He pushed her tighter to the wall so he could bring one hand to wrap around the bottle still wedged between them. He took a long draught, draining a good portion of its contents. He pulled the bottle away, leaned over to place it in on the ground, holding some champagne in his mouth.

"We're still in the..." Vala trailed off, mesmerized by the way the liquid flowed down his throat. She placed her hands to it, and then leaned in to lick at it.

Daniel stumbled, distracted by the work Vala's tongue was doing. She unhooked her legs from around his body, and he lowered her to stand on her own. He placed both hands on the wall on either side of Vala's head to steady himself.

"What were we talking about?" He sighed as she finished.

Vala rested her head on his chest and shrugged. "I don't remember." She giggled.

Daniel nuzzled in her neck and laughed. "We've had too much to drink."

Before Vala could reply, the door they had come out of swung open. Daniel pushed off the wall with one hand, turned, and landed with his back to the wall with an 'oomph'. Jack and Sam came into his view, and he smiled. He pulled Vala to rest back against his chest.

"See!" Sam pointed at them. "Told you I saw them come out here."

Daniel laughed as she stumbled against Jack, who wasn't doing a very good job of staying upright himself. He could feel Vala shaking with giggles. He wrapped his arms around her, and pushed off the wall. They were unsteady for a moment, and Daniel couldn't help the snort of laughter as they unintentionally moved closer to their friends. He blinked slowly for a moment as the world came back into focus somewhat.

"You two okay?" Jack questioned with amusement

"Yes." Daniel finally said. He rested his head on Vala's shoulder, and they swayed together contentedly. "Perfect."

"Great!" Jack smiled. "Then let's go back in there and cause some alcohol-induced trouble!"

Daniel laughed, and let Vala lead him back inside the party. As they passed the drink table again, he grabbed a glass of champagne, handed it to Vala, and took one himself. He saw one of the old ladies from before watching them, and Daniel leaned in to Vala and licked her neck. The woman scowled, and he laughed.

Sometimes it was just too much fun to indulge.

Comfort

Vala moans grumpily as Daniel reaches down to pull her into his arms. He kisses her cheek softly in response. The heat that meets his lips is reminder of how strong a hold the fever has on her. She is too sick to walk to the bedroom on her own, so he carries her.

He hates how unusually passive Vala is in his arms. Normally she would fuss about him carrying her. She had said many times that it was nice on the rare occasion, but she was too independent and stubborn to make it a habit. The fact that she says nothing as her forehead rests against his neck is disconcerting.

Daniel doesn't even bother to turn on the lights as he brings his precious cargo to the bed. They would only hurt Vala's eyes. The grey of twilight coming in through the window is plenty for him.

He slowly lowers Vala to lie down on the bed. He wishes he was done having to disturb her greatly needed rest, but he knows she won't sleep comfortably wearing the clothes she's in. He's gotta get her into something less constricting.

Daniel squats down and moves in to remove her boots. In unintentional contradiction to his action, Vala turns to lay on her side with a moan. Daniel sighs and places his hand on her waist to pull her back.

"No." Vala whines tiredly. "Leave me alone." She goes to turn back on her side.

"No, Vala." Daniel says firmly. He gently holds her from moving. She weakly bats at his hand and whines again. "You can't sleep in jeans and boots, baby."

Vala nods. "Yes I can. I've done it before."

She begins to squirm under his grasp. Daniel stands patiently and presses down a little harder.

"Vala, stop." He sooths, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He leans in close, and brushes his free hand through her damp hair. Vala shakes her head, and Daniel assumes it's a combination of her not wanting him to touch her and her disagreement to not letting her move. She continues to squirm against him. "You're gonna wear yourself out."

"No." Vala mutters. "I'm gonna walk out if you don't leave me alone."

"Oh, I'd like to see you try." Daniel laughs quietly. He places his hand on her cheek, and gently strokes his thumb over her skin. It gets her to look at him and stop her fidgeting "I'm just trying to help here. Please, just let me get you more comfortable, then I'll leave you alone for as long as you want."

Vala blinks tiredly. "Promise?"

Daniel smiles, knowing it's just the fever making her grumpy. "Promise."

Vala nods her acquiescence, and Daniel squats again to remove her boots. Once he finishes there, he carefully pulls her jeans off. He can feel Vala watching him the whole time. He finally gets them off, and moves to place them in the hamper. On his way back to Vala, he picks up a shirt off the floor.

"Okay, I need you to sit up." He says reluctantly. Vala moans, but moves to do as he asks. Her arms start to shake as she pushes herself up, and Daniel places his hand on her back to support her. He swings her legs over the edge of the bed with his other hand.

She sits there shaking with exertion. Her eyes are exhausted, and Daniel feels bad for having to keep her awake for so long. He leans in and tenderly kisses her forehead. She sighs as his cool lips touch her skin.

Daniel pulls back and taps his shoulder. "Here, rest against me." Vala complies immediately.

He unbuttons and removes her shirt, and then reaches around to unhook her bra. Awkwardly he brings the straps down her arms, and Vala sighs with relief as he finally rids her of the restriction. It is short lived as the cool air assaults her skin. She begins to shiver.

Daniel quickly lifts her off his shoulder, pulling the shirt he had picked up over her arms and head. He lays her back down, and runs his hand through her hair again.

Vala looks down at the shirt, then back up at him.

"This is yours." She blinks, confused. "You hate when I wear this one."

Daniel, against his better judgment, leans in and places a comforting kiss on her lips. He pulls away silently and takes off his shoes. He climbs over Vala, settling in against her back. One arm instinctively wraps around her waist, and he uses the other to prop himself up.

"Does it make you feel better?" Daniel whispers into her ear. Vala nods and turns her head to look at him. He leans down and kisses her softly, pulling away after a moment to look into her eyes.

"Then I don't hate when you wear it."

Love

"Man, Jackson!" Mitchell groans from his spot on the couch. "WHY do you always let Vala choose the movie?"

I look at him and shrug. If it's not obvious to him, there's no need to explain it.

"All you can do is shrug?" Mitchell whines. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger, and now we suffer constantly."

I raise my eyebrows at his choice of words. "Suffer? Who's suffering?" I turn to Teal'c, giving him a curious look. "Are you suffering, Teal'c?"

"I am not, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c states plainly. I can tell by the amusement in his eyes that he gets it. I love it - always being able to count on Teal'c to understand.

"Oh come on Teal'c!" Mitchell pleads. "Every time it's Jackson's turn to pick a movie, if he's not on some novel kick, he let's Vala pick. And what does she pick EVERY SINGLE TIME?" He looks at me with what I assume to be disappointment. "Chick flicks!"

"There is nothing wrong with the movies she picks." I defend Vala, who's busy with Sam in the bedroom getting changed. I don't understand why it always takes them so much longer to get 'comfy' then we do. Must be a woman...bonding...thing. All I know is Vala usually comes back out in a pair of my pajama pants and a tank top, looking absolutely adorable.

"Indeed, they are very deep, meaningful movies." Teal'c agrees, and I hold my hand to him to emphasize my point as I look at Mitchell. He rolls his eyes.

"You guys are a disgrace to the male race." He grumbles, and before he can continue, the girls rejoin us. Sam settles in on the couch with him and Teal'c, and I make room in the recliner for Vala to join me.

We start the movie, much to Mitchell's now more subtle protests. It doesn't take long for the emotional stuff to start. And I find it hard to believe that Cam can't seem to appreciate the gifts that 'chick flicks' bring to the male race.

Because the deeper the movie gets into the romance and tragedy, the closer Vala snuggles to me.

She sniffles, and I lean in to place a soft kiss in her hair. Her beautiful grey eyes turn to look up at me.

"I love you." She whispers so the others won't hear, and she leans up to kiss me. It's quiet and gentle, and the affection I feel there is a mirror image to my own. She pulls away, and settles back down against my chest. Her hand snakes under my shirt. It's cool and comforting, and she begins to rub soothing circles over my chest.

"I love you too." I reply quietly, playing with one of her pigtails.

Why do I let her pick the movie?

Simple - For love.

Worthy

A cold breeze blew across his bare chest, and Daniel breathed in sharply at the sensation. He yawned, moving his arm across the bed. When all he connected with was rumbled bed sheets, he turned his head and opened his eyes. Vala was missing.

Sitting up slowly, Daniel shivered as the breeze once more touched his skin. He turned his gaze in the direction it had come from, and saw, through the open sliding glass door, Vala standing on the balcony. She was leaning on the railing, her eyes overlooking the city.

Daniel pushed back the bed covers, moving to hang his legs off the side of the mattress. He scrubbed his hand through his hair tiredly, looking around for his pajama pants. He spotted them not far from where he sat and moved to put them on.

He shuffled sleepily in the direction of the balcony. He snagged a blanket hanging over a chair as he walked by without even having to think about it. Yawning again, Daniel stepped out onto the balcony and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

He wrapped his arms around Vala as he came to press his chest against her back. Her skin was chilled, but she didn't seem to notice or care. Daniel sniffed loudly, then leaned in to place a soft kiss on the back of her neck.

"It's kinda chilly." He mumbled, resting his head against hers.

"This place bothers me." Vala said quietly, her eyes still skimming the tall buildings.

Daniel looked at her curiously. "I thought you said you liked it here."

"I thought I did." She sounded unhappy, and it bothered Daniel. "But now it's bugging me. It's too dirty, too cluttered, too loud. I miss the trees, the mountains. I miss your house."

"It's OUR house." Daniel reassured her with a gentle squeeze. "And we're only in Chicago another couple of days." He kissed her cheek. "We'll be back home to the trees and mountains soon."

Vala merely nodded, and turned her head a bit to ghost her cheek along his nose. Her face was drawn into a sad frown. Daniel rubbed her stomach soothingly.

"What's wrong?" He asked with concern.

Vala moved to rest her head against neck, her hands coming to rest atop his. "Why do you love me, Daniel?"

Her question caught Daniel off guard, and he pulled his head back from hers quickly. "What?" He breathed with total shock.

"I asked why you love me, Daniel." Vala sighed. "What makes me so special to deserve your affection?"

Daniel stared down at the top of Vala's head. His brow was furrowed deep in confusion. "Vala, where is this coming from?"

"It's a perfectly reasonable question." Vala shrugged sadly. Her voice sounded so dejected.

Daniel gaped at her, his head shaking slightly at her words. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. Her grey eyes seemed so lost. It was the same look he'd seen momentarily the night before when they were coming back from the archaeology banquet. One that hadn't been there until after Vala's conversation with-

His blue eyes widened with realization. "This is because you talked to Sarah last night, isn't it?"

"Maybe." Vala whispered, diverting her gaze.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "What did she say to you?"

Vala shrugged again. "It doesn't matter. I just want you to answer my question."

"It DOES matter." Daniel sighed with exasperation. "Tell me what Sarah said."

"What does it matter what she said?" Vala glared at him. Her eyes began to fill with tears.

Daniel closed his eyes in annoyance. Not towards Vala, but towards a certain red-headed woman who had become a major thorn in his side. "Dammit Vala, tell me what she said!" He demanded loudly. It made Vala flinch in his grasp. He opened his eyes quickly, giving her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry." He whispered, rubbing his hand along her shoulder. "Just...what did she say?"

"She asked why you loved me." Vala answered quietly. "She asked how it was possible for such an amazing man to settle for such trash." She looked at Daniel, and his heart broke at the despair he saw inside her. "She wanted to know how HER Daniel could ever be with a space whore who cheats, lies, and steals from everyone." Tears now flowed freely down her cheeks. "She said that I didn't deserve you..."

Daniel shook his head, but Vala continued.

"And she's right." She cried. "I don't deserve you. You deserve to be with someone who doesn't have such a sordid past. Someone who is honest and selfless. That's not me." She looked at him. "You deserve someone like her."

Daniel placed his hands on her face, the blanket falling from his grasp. He looked straight into her eyes. "Vala, Sarah had NO RIGHT asking you those questions, or saying those things." She went to open her mouth to disagree, but Daniel captured it in a passionate kiss. She melted beneath him, and he wrapped his arm around her back to support her.

When they separated, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Don't EVER believe I deserve more than you because there IS NOTHING better." He whispered, kissing her nose. "There isn't anything I would give to change being with you. Vala, I'd be so lost if not for you." Daniel pulled his head up, and brushed a hand through her hair. "I don't deserve anything other than you. I'm lucky to have you, even if it took me forever to realize it."

Vala gave him a small smile. He smiled in return, brushing the tears from her face with his thumb. He leaned in with the intention of a gentle kiss, but Vala took hold of his mouth with overwhelming desperation, deepening the kiss. She ran her hand up his arm to the back of his neck, and pulled him in closer. Daniel succumb to her need, bracing himself with his hand on the railing.

Vala pulled away slowly, and Daniel looked at her lustily. He picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist with a squeal of laughter. It made Daniel feel good to hear it. "How could I not love that?"

Vala softly kissed his lips as he turned and carried her inside. "You never answered the question." Her arms wrapped around his neck.

He stopped walking, and tilted his head a moment. "You mean why do I love you?"

Vala nodded, a hint of sadness returning to her eyes.

"Well," Daniel kissed the inside of her arm. "I figured we could tell Sarah in person this morning at the Continental Breakfast." His eyebrows rose suggestively. "Possibly show her."

Vala grinned. "I like that idea." She whispered as he lowered her onto the bed, her lips meeting his in another hungry kiss.

Payback

Their plan was to be as obvious as possible to everyone eating breakfast. They were going to flirt and kiss before all watching eyes, hoping Sarah would be among them.

It wouldn't be hard either, Daniel realized as he followed Vala out of the elevator. His gaze came to rest on the beautiful sway of her hips. The cute little sundress she was wearing looked like something out of a Mid-Summer's Nights Dream, and hugged her figure just right. The royal blue coloring was a nice contrast to her mahogany colored suede boots. His eyes trailed down her legs longingly. Definitely wouldn't be a problem to flirt.

Vala agreed equally on the subject. She glanced over her shoulder at Daniel. He was wearing jeans that were tight, but not too tight. His black shirt accented his firm chest and stomach, and showed off his muscular arms. Their eyes met, and he smiled at her. She was glad he decided to wear his contacts. His blue eyes shined out brighter without glasses.

They neared the dining area, and Daniel pulled Vala to him for a moment.

"Love you." He whispered in her ear, ghosting his mouth along her neck. She shivered longingly.

"Love you too." She looked at him, and smiled. Vala intertwined her fingers with his, and they entered the sun-filled dining area hand in hand.

Daniel scanned the room subtly, as if he was seeing how many people were eating breakfast. His eyes picked up a familiar head of red hair as they roamed the room. He could tell Sarah had noticed them enter, and he immediately brought his other hand to Vala's hip.

He leaned in with a smile, and whispered in her ear. "Twelve o'clock, table by the window. She's watching us, so don't be too obvious when you look." Vala laughed, pretending what Daniel had said had been funny. She placed her hand on his cheek, rubbing it gently over his stubble. As she turned to look at him, she made sure to catch a glance of their target.

"Now Daniel.." She giggled loudly as he squeezed her hip. She tapped his nose with her finger before moving out of his grasp. Walking over to the fruit table nearby, she picked up a banana. "I can think of plenty of uses."

Daniel laughed, playing along with her. "That could be interesting to watch." He moved to gather two trays and plates so they could begin selecting their breakfast choices.

Moving from table to table, they hammed it up for all watching eyes. Vala would giggle as Daniel would accidentally bump into the back of her, his lips unintentially connecting with her neck. Daniel would lick his lips as Vala made subtle suggestive movements with various parts of her body and food choices. And though they were putting on a bigger show then normal, it wasn't really an act at all. Finally, they made their way over to the tables. One by Sarah was vacated, so they took it purposely, continuing to play it casual.

Their "game" continued as they started to eat.

Vala moaned with pleasure as she chewed on a piece of bacon. "Oh Daniel, you have got to try this."

Instead of pulling a piece from his own plate, Daniel reached over and pulled her hand holding the half eaten piece closer to him. He slowly wrapped his mouth around the bacon, his lips touching her hand. As he bit down, he scraped his teeth across her skin. She gasped happily.

"Mmmm, pretty good." Daniel winked playfully. He leaned over and kissed her lips lovingly, his hand running up the exposed part of her leg. He sucked on her bottom lip as he pulled away. "But that's even better."

Vala smiled, and kissed him again. "I love you, Daniel."

A cough that seemed more like a suppressed laugh followed. Blue eyes and grey turned to look at Sarah. She was watching with barely contained disgust.

"Oh!" Daniel sat back. "Hi, Sarah." He smiled pleasantly.

"Hello Sarah!" Vala beamed, playing with Daniel's hand on the table.

"Hello Daniel." She smiled at him sweetly. She turned to Vala, and gave her a hardly believable friendly smile. "Vala."

"So Sarah, you doing well?" Daniel tilted his head curiously. "I mean, I know we saw each other last night, but you looked a little unsteady on your feet when we left the banquet. Did you make it back to your room alright?"

Sarah blushed, and turned to look at the man she had introduced as her boyfriend the night before. "Ah, yes I did, thanks to Tom here." She looked back at Daniel. "Must have had a little more than I thought."

Daniel nodded in understanding. "Well, you always were a lush."

"Wh-what?" Sarah stammered, blushing a deeper red. "Daniel, I don't know-"

"Oh yes you do." He smiled innocently. "Always over-indulging at those types of parties. I do it myself on occasion. Of course it's not at EVERY party I go to, but hey - don't have as high a tolerance to alcohol as you. Family thing, right?"

"Hey, watch it buddy." Tom said in a low voice. Daniel held up his hands as if he'd done nothing wrong.

"Hey, I'm only being honest." Daniel stated. "I mean, I dated her for a while. I understand where you're coming from man. You're just in denial like I was for years."

"Daniel, why are you doing this?" Sarah questioned quietly. "I've been nothing but nice. Why are you being so mean?"

"Sarah..." Daniel leaned in closer to her. "I don't think the conversation you had with Vala qualifies as NICE."

Sarah sat up straighter in her chair, a hard look on her face. "What did she tell you? What ever it is, it's not true."

Daniel sat back in his chair. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it is. We both know how loose your lips get when you have a few drinks in you."

"Daniel, she's lying. I know her...She has a reputation." Sarah pointed at Vala with disdain. "I don't know how she managed to charm you over, but she's nothing but a tramp who uses people for her own means."

Daniel looked at Vala, and could see the tears coming to her eyes. He stood up and walked to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Why do you have to be so hateful?" Daniel questioned loudly, staring at Sarah with anger. "First you ask this amazing woman why I love her, how I can love..." Daniel leaned in close to Vala. "What was that word she used?"

"Trash." Vala spat angrily. Daniel rubbed her shoulder soothingly, then looked back up at Sarah.

"You deliberately tore her down last night, and now you're doing it again." Daniel gave her a sincere look of confusion. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because she's no good for you Daniel!" Sarah growled. "She doesn't deserve such a wonderful man. Your 'love' is wasted on her. She has a past...I can remember that distinctly. And I don't know how you can see ANYTHING worth loving in her. She's a dirty little bitch." She stood up, and pointed at him. "You can't love her because I still love you!"

Daniel glared at Sarah with cold eyes. He had so much he wanted to say to her, so much pent up emotion left over from when she'd turned away his help after her time as Osiris. But Vala was one step ahead of him, and captured his mouth in a mind-blowing kiss. He kissed back hard, putting all his bottled up feelings of anger and resentment to work on her mouth. They parted after what seemed like an eternity, and Daniel brushed his lips against Vala's quickly.

He looked up at Sarah. "You're wrong Sarah. I can love her." He pulled Vala closer to his chest. "I do love her, and you wanna know why?" His blue eyes looked into grey. "Because she's beautiful, funny, smart and sexy. She's courageous, caring, and loyal. She keeps me on my toes, always keeping me guessing. She knows everything about me, all the hell I've been through and put her through - and yet she still loves me. What more could I possibly ask for?"

"Daniel, loving her is a mistake." Sarah pleaded, taking a step towards the pair. Daniel instinctively backed up, pulling Vala with him.

"Well, if that really is true..." Daniel looked down at Vala lovingly. "Then this is one mistake definitely worth making." He kissed her again, and pulled up with a smile. "Let's go."

The pair moved to leave, but Sarah's words stopped them.

"I love you, Daniel." She cried out, and Daniel turned to look at her with pity.

"And I love Vala, so you're gonna have to get over that." He shrugged. Leaning down, he whispered something in Vala's ear before kissing just below it. She giggled and pulled out of his grasp. She walked back over to Sarah.

"MY Daniel says to tell you..." Vala smirked. "I'm a better kisser anyway."

With that, Vala sprinted back over to Daniel and jumped on his back. He caught her, and Vala wrapped her arms around his neck, bending over his shoulder to give him a playful kiss on the cheek.

And they left, payback delivered in all its glory.

Sacrifice

It was so beautiful. Such a lovely shade a purple, with ribbons of lace and delicate ties to hold it against the body. It was just perfect, and she had numerous other things that would just work wonderfully with it - namely Daniel.

Vala sighed audibly as she admired the work of art through the window. Her hand touched the glass, desperately longing to touch the pretty thing before her eyes. Her other slipped out of the strong grasp it had been holding on to.

Daniel stopped and turned the moment her hand fell from his. He watched her stare dreamily at a piece of lingerie on display in Victoria's Secret. He shook his head, smiling with amusement. He slowly made his way back over to her.

"Vala?" Daniel called softly, his fingers stroking her arm.

"It's so pretty, Daniel." She sighed, lost in the spell of the clothing. She continued to stroke the glass.

"No, Vala." Daniel answered calmly.

"But I want it so badly." She whined in return, never taking her eyes off the purple wonder.

Daniel laughed quietly and brushed his hand along her cheek. "I know you want it. But...No."

Vala turned her face to look at him, her lips pushed out in a pout. "Why not?" She begged.

Her face was so adorable, and Daniel couldn't resist placing an affectionate kiss to the pout of her lips, his hands coming to cup her face. He pulled away quickly, not wanting to make too much of a scene for the various people passing by.

His blue eyes locked onto hers. "Because we don't need to be buying those things right now." One hand left her cheek, running down her body to her stomach. "Not when you won't be able to wear them anyway."

"But I will eventually!" Vala argued.

"Well, when eventually comes..." Daniel moved his hand under the material of her overalls, and gently stroked her stomach. He smiled and kissed her lips again. "Then we can come back and get it." He breathed against her lips.

Vala rested her head against his neck with a huff. "It'll be gone by then."

Daniel turned his head to place a kiss in her hair. "But you'll have something even more beautiful than anything Victoria's Secret can make."

Vala pulled out of his grasp, and looked at him. Daniel breathed in deeply. God, he loved this woman so much. She took both of his hands in hers.

"So..." Vala cast one last longing look to the display. "I'm making a noble sacrifice?"

Daniel grinned. He bent over, and kissed the exposed side of her slowly swelling tummy. "Absolutely." He pulled back up, and Vala gave him a cute smile.

"Fine..." She sighed, and they started to move on through the crowds once more, hand in hand. "But there better be chili fries involved somewhere for my grand sacrifice."

"With ice cream, right?" Daniel smiled as he looked at her. She nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, and eggrolls." She beamed, coming close so Daniel could wrap his arm around her waist. His hand came to rest on her hip. His gaze flicked back towards the Victoria's Secret display. It was a beautiful piece. But as Vala continued to list off their weird impromptu lunch menu, food now her main objective, Daniel let the image of her wearing it pass. His hand moved to rest on her stomach protectively.

A noble sacrifice, indeed.

Wanted

Rain beat down around her in rhythm with her boots as they clicked on the cobblestone street.

Her stride was strong, a determined power to her step. All she had received was one brief message from a mutual contact. That's all there ever was. Anything else would be too risky.

Her grey eyes scanned back and forth slowly. She knew she was being watched - she was always watched. Men had problems keeping their eyes off her. Eyes she didn't mind...Now hands, those were a problem. But she had been trained very well and could handle herself. It was just, when things got nasty like that, people talked. Talking was very bad. She hoped some idiot wouldn't try anything. Not tonight - not when she'd gotten that message.

She passed many different establishments as she walked - pubs, opium dens, dens for needs stronger than opium, brothels badly disguised as rundown hotels. All the types of places she'd "grown up" in. It took a weathered eye to see the comforts in such joints. She knew that none of them were truly safe, but that's what made them so welcoming.

Whistles and cat calls greeted her as she passed the open doors. Normally she would smile back at the crude gestures made, but now she walked on ahead, face unflinching. Something was off. She could feel eyes, very bad eyes, on her. Not those of the drunks and addicts hanging out of the doorways. She was being followed. Through the rain, she could hear the distinct sound of footsteps behind her. Whoever they were, they were very good at being covert. But there was the occasional slip, a splash in a puddle or material brushing along a wall, and it alerted her to their presence.

She pulled the hood of her jacket farther down over her eyes. Her hand casually came to rest by the weapon dangling from her hip, concealed within the lengths of the long coat.

The sound of a crash came from behind her - a brawl from one of the bars pouring into the street. She stopped and turned, hoping to catch a glimpse of her pursuers. She scanned the growing crowds for anyone out of the ordinary, but there were too many open doorways. There was no possible chance of spotting them.

A loud clap of thunder, and the almost immediate crack of lightning that followed, had most jumping and looking upwards. Vala watched on unphased, still trying to glimpse those who were following. Suddenly someone pulled her back into a dark alcove branching off from the street. She had no time to react, and felt herself pinned against a warm body, a strong arm holding her in place.

A hand swept back her hood roughly, and she felt the familiar sensation of a dagger being pressed to her throat. Her hand instinctively came to grasp the wrist attached to it.

"Bit dangerous for a pretty lady such as you to wander these streets alone." A rough voice whispered just above her ear, water sliding down her neck as his face came to rest alongside hers. "So defenseless." He breathed against her cheek.

Vala smiled and brought the sharp heel of her boot to rest gently in between the man's legs. "Very, very defenseless." She replied, a distinct bite to her tone. The man breathed out a puff of air against her face, before giving her an approved 'hmmm.' The sharp edge of the dagger turned up and moved away from her throat. It came to rest flat against her cheek, and he used it to turn her face towards his.

Her deep grey eyes stared into his bright blue for a quiet moment. Then he broke out in a dashing grin, and assaulted her mouth with a fiery kiss. His hand moved to the back of her head, the dagger pressed flat into her hair. She turned in his grasp so she was facing him, and brought her hand to squeeze his thigh just below his weapon. Their tongues collided, and it seemed the power of them could break the heavens. Like a sign, another crack of lightning flashed overhead.

"I've missed you." He breathed, licking his lips contentedly as they parted.

"Me too." Vala sighed, ghosting her hand along his jawline. "Two months without you, Daniel..."

"Actually, it's been three." Daniel smiled as he moved to return his dagger to its sheath behind his back, underneath his long coat. Vala placed her hand on his cheek, and it stopped his motion.

"I know." She whispered through a smile and kissed him again desperately.

Daniel was allowed to escape in the pleasure of it for only moments. Footsteps just before the entrance to their little hideaway, on the street, had him opening his eyes. Long shadows appeared just in front of the alcove. He kept his lips connected to Vala's, attacking her mouth with his, as he reached for her gun hanging at her hip. He felt her tense against him at the moment.

"Oh..." Vala said in a low voice as they parted, her hand coming to land on Daniel's own gun. She took a silent step back, creating a little space between them.

"Forget to mention something?" Daniel asked quietly, softly cocking the weapon. He looked at her pointedly.

She shook her head, examining his gun quickly. "Oh, just a little thing." She looked up at him. He gave small nod, and Vala cocked his weapon loudly. She heard the stalkers who had been tailing her scramble towards their dark hideout.

In one quick action, Daniel started firing and Vala spun around to a squat before him. She started shooting the moment her gun was even with the bad guys. Bullets ricocheted around them as a few of their assailants got off a couple of shots before falling dead.

The pair moved in perfect unison as they went to reload their weapons. Daniel handed down a clip to Vala as she passed one up to him. The rain of bullets became heavier around them while they moved to reload. It was good that they were bathed in near-darkness and their attackers were too stupid to aim properly.

"Why didn't you tell me you were being followed!?" Daniel yelled over the noise as he released the empty clip.

"You were too busy sucking my lips off!" Vala shouted in reply as she mimicked his action.

"Well, you would think a guy would be able to makeout properly with his girl without having the threat of being shot at!" Daniel barked towards the goons, who were beginning to need to reload their own weapons fast.

"One would think." Vala sighed, and they snapped their clips into their guns at exactly the same moment. Without hesitation, both began firing again. Daniel reached behind his back and grabbed his second gun. He cocked it with his thumb, and moved to the side so Vala could stand. He advanced forward, and together they took out the remaining baddies.

"You know there'll be more." Vala breathed as they quickly took up positions opposite each other on either side of the alcove entrance. She bent down, and retrieved one of the bigger guns from one of the dead men. She looked up at Daniel before she checked the weapon.

"Of course..." He growled. The distinct sound of approaching footsteps could be heard. He, too, bent down to examine his choice of weapons. "There's ALWAYS more!"

Vala hung the gun strap over her shoulder and crossed over to Daniel. They traded back guns quickly, and she leaned down to kiss him. They parted quickly as the footsteps got closer.

"We are wanted criminals, darling." She smiled as she moved back to her position opposite him.

Daniel stood back up, and leaned his shoulder against the wall. Vala watched him, mesmerized. The rain poured down him, soaking his hair to his face, and plastering his already tight clothes to his fit body. The comfortable way he held his guns pointed down towards the ground, waiting for use, barely showed how wonderfully skilled he was. Just the knowledge of the vast knowledge he possessed had Vala's heart beating faster. His blue eyes met hers, and she saw the adrenaline-rush within their depths. Daniel was having fun.

He laughed at her comment. "Anyone worth any effort is wanted these days."

Vala gave him an impish smile. "Are you saying I'm worth the effort?"

Daniel pushed off the wall and moved to stand at the center of the entryway. Vala quickly joined him, and they scanned the empty street quickly. The pounding of boots on the cobblestone was getting louder...any moment now more goons would show up.

Leaning over, Daniel kissed Vala again. "Absolutely, baby." He smiled against her lips, and she smiled too.

The moment was ruined the moment one of their soon to be attackers yelled their names in warning. Daniel rolled his eyes and growled again.

"CAN WE HAVE ONE FUCKING MINUTE, PLEASE!" He shouted. He pushed Vala back into the alcove, jumping backwards himself just as a bullet whizzed by. Daniel looked at Vala, and shook his head.

"They just never listen, do they?" He smiled, raising his guns.

Vala laughed. Being wanted with Daniel was definitely worth it.

Author’s Notes: This has since broken off into its own AU storyline titled “Wanted”

Pride

One minute she was there, and the next she was gone.

Daniel stopped mid-sentence and watched as Vala's chair gave out from under her, and she fell crashing to the floor in a surprised yelp in the middle of the briefing.

There was a moment of stunned silence before Mitchell broke out in hysterical laughter. Daniel couldn't help but follow, and Sam soon joined. Teal's even cracked a smile as Vala pushed the broken chair off her back, giving them all a huffy look.

General Landry leaned over to look at her sitting on the floor. "You okay, Vala?" He asked with a soft chuckle.

"Oh," Vala pouted. "Glad you guys can get a wonderful laugh at MY expense. I could be hurt," She sent a death glare towards Daniel. He attempted to cease his laughter, but failed miserably. "And you would still be laughing."

Daniel licked his lips slowly and turned away from her. He took a deep breath to calm himself and placed the remote for the projector down on the table. Turning back around, he made his way over to her, placing a hand to his mouth to try and prevent the returning laughter from escaping. It was hard when she looked so adorably funny sitting on the floor with her pigtails all askew, arms crossed and lips pushed out in a definite pout.

He knelt down in front of her, and tried to make his face serious. The closest he got was an amused smiled. "We're sorry..." Daniel ignored Mitchell's 'not really' comment and gently cupped her cheek. "Are you okay?" He asked, and another bubble of laughter came out unintentionally with the words. It set everyone else off laughing again

Vala glared at him. "Oh, that sounded sincere."

"I'm sorry, Vala." Daniel laughed gently. "But it was funny, and you don't sound like you're hurt."

Vala looked into his blue eyes, bright with laughter and love for her. She sighed, a small smile coming to her lips. "I guess it was kinda funny."

"Hell yeah it was funny!" Mitchell laughed, and Vala stuck her tongue out at him. She looked at Sam, who grinned brightly at her, then at Teal'c, who inclined his head with a small smile. Her eyes found their way back to Daniel, who was still laughing quietly.

He brought his hand on her face to the side of her head, and pulled her in close. Daniel kissed her temple softly. She sighed with amusement.

"My pride may be damaged forever." She laughed good-naturedly.

Daniel smiled against her, then turned her head so he could take her mouth in a loving kiss. Vala accepted it greatly, and Daniel helped pull her to her feet, their lips never separating. They pulled apart as someone cleared their throat. They turned their gaze to General Landry.

"Pride aside, it's clear your lips work fine." He reprimanded with a smile. Daniel's eyes snapped to Sam for a moment as she swallowed back a laugh at the remark, then back to the General. "Now that we've had a good laugh, and you've kissed and made up - Dr. Jackson, could we please get back to the briefing."

"But where am I supposed to sit?" Vala asked curiously as Teal'c and Mitchell moved her former chair against the wall to be picked up after the briefing.

Before Landry could say anything, Daniel pulled Vala over to the table he had been perched on before. He took a seat on the edge, and patted his leg. Vala sat down on it, and he wrapped his arm around her waist to help her balance. She, in turn, wrapped both arms around his neck.

Daniel kissed her cheek. "Better?" He grinned. Vala nodded enthusiastically.

"Dr. Jackson?" The General questioned patiently, and Daniel turned his head to look at him with a 'what?' look of innocence on his face. The general sighed in defeat, and indicated to the projector with his hand. "Continue please."

Daniel nodded, and turned off the lights with the remote. He winked at Vala, she smiled, and they got back down to business.

Mornings

Vala yawned loudly, stretching out against Daniel. She laid her head down on his shoulder and opened her eyes slowly. The sun was just beginning to peek through the window, casting their bedroom in beautiful shades of red, gold, and purple. Vala inhaled deeply, her hand ghosting over Daniel's muscular chest.

Daniel murmured in his sleep. He brushed his cheek against the top of her head, and placed a chaste kiss in her hair. Vala smiled at the gesture, knowing that he wasn't really awake yet. It was rare when he was up before her. Daniel just wasn't a morning person.

He was like putty in her hands at this time of day, and Vala loved it. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and leaned in to place subtle kisses along Daniel's neck. He shifted under the pressure of her lips, a pleasant smile coming to his face. She moved to his jawline, then up to his mouth. Vala sucked on his bottom lip a moment before she took his entire mouth with hers. It was a deep, passionate kiss that had him coming alive against her. Daniel pushed upwards with his mouth until Vala pulled away. His head fell back down on the pillow and he opened his eyes to half mast to gaze at her.

Vala smiled down at him, brushing her hair back behind her ear. Daniel brought the back of his hand to stroke her cheek softly.

"Morning." He sighed, still feeling more asleep then awake.

Vala grabbed his hand with both of hers, and kissed his fingers playfully. She backed off the bed, stretching his arm out with her. "I'm going to take a shower." She said, wrapping her mouth around his thumb, and pulling it out slowly. Daniel just gave her a silly smile at the action.

"Okay." He yawned, and Vala dropped his hand to the bed. He watched her walk towards the bathroom for a moment, then rolled over onto his stomach.

Vala turned to see him hug his pillow tightly, and drift back off to sleep. She shook her head and smiled. She spent the next hour showering, getting dressed and taking care of a few things around the house. By the time she returned to her sleeping Daniel, a fresh cup of coffee in her hands, the room was bathed in yellow sunlight.

She crossed to the bed, and sat down on the edge beside him. He was still on his stomach, and Vala bent over and kissed just between his shoulder blades. His skin was warm from the sun, and she massaged his muscular back gently. Daniel woke with a start, his head coming up quickly as he breathed in sharply.

"Wha-" He muttered lethargically.

Vala continued to rub his back. "Sleeping hard, darling?"

Daniel nodded with a yawn, turning his head so he could look at her. His eyes began to drift closed again on their own accord, and he couldn't find a reason to disagree with them. Vala waited until he was just about asleep again, then she leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Time to get up, Daniel."

Daniel groaned into the pillow, shaking his head at her words.

Vala nodded despite the fact that he wasn't looking at her. "Yes. Work today."

"No work." Daniel mumbled like a three year old, and Vala smiled. She brought her fingers to twist in his hair at the nape of his neck. Her other hand held the coffee cup not far from his nose.

"I've got coffee." She whispered into his ear again, and she sat back as his head snapped up. He inhaled deeply, sighing. His head turned towards the steaming cup, and his eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of it. Daniel moved to sit up. As soon as he was in a sitting position, he reached for the cup. But Vala held it out of his reach, and straddled his lap.

"Ah, ah." She stared into his sleepy blue eyes that yearned for caffeine. "You know it doesn't come for free."

Daniel smiled warmly at her words. He leaned up and placed a soft, sensual kiss against her lips. Vala brought her hand around his back, and pushed him a little closer. They pulled apart and Daniel rested his forehead against her chest, coffee forgotten for a second. Vala let him rest there a moment, her hand rubbing circles into the back of his head, making his hair messier than it already was. Finally she moved her hand to his chin, and lifted his face to meet hers. He slowly opened his eyes, and Vala kissed his forehead.

"Good morning." She smiled into his blue eyes, answering him from the hour earlier. She moved the cup within his reach, and he grasped it greedily. Vala moved off his lap carefully as he took a deep drink from the cup, sighing with pleasure as he lowered it a moment later.

Her hand ghosted along his cheek as she moved to leave. He caught it in his free hand, and kissed her fingers playfully. Then he wrapped his warm mouth around her thumb, and pulled it out slowly. Daniel looked at her affectionately as he released her hand, the hint of mischief in his eyes. Vala smiled.

Like putty in her hands.

Water

The crystal clear water of the pool felt wonderful on her heated skin as she lowered her legs into its depths. She swished them back and forth, leaning back on her hands to try and capture more sun on her already tanned skin. Her eyes focused, through dark sunglasses, on the lone figure occupying the pool.

Vala licked her lips hungrily as she watched Daniel swim laps across the water. Even when they were on vacation at the most secluded and romantic beach house they could find, he still felt the need to exercise. Despite everyone insisting he didn't have to, that they were all there to relax and get away from life's daily hassles, Daniel wouldn't budge on the issue. He said that laps in a pool did help him relax. Vala couldn't comprehend a reason why she'd thought he shouldn't as she watched.

The water flowed smoothly over his trim body as he pushed through the water. Every muscle along his back, arms, and legs rippled against his lightly browned skin, the cool blue of the waves he made as he went a nice contrast. The speed and ease with which he moved was a true testament to his strength, both physical and mental. Daniel loved the water.

Vala waited eagerly as Daniel moved to turn in the water, pushing off the wall with his feet to head back in her direction. She sighed as his body continued to mesmerize her as he blazed through the water. He slowed his movements as he drew closer to where she sat. He dove under gracefully, coming up between her legs at the pool's edge.

Daniel came up to stand, pinching his nose between his fingers to help with the pressure change. He looked down at her with a smile. "Hey you." His voice was breathless and rough from exertion, his chest glistening with moisture as he breathed in and out quickly.

Vala squinted up at him, pleased with the way water dripped from every inch of his tanned, firm skin. "Hey." She loved how his blue eyes were dark with adrenaline - how he was admiring her body just as much as she was his.

"I must say..." Daniel raised his eyebrows approvingly. He slowly dropped back into the water so he could look up her sleek form at her. "I am definitely approving of this whole mandatory bikini rule Mitchell made." He gently kissed the inside of her thigh, moving upwards slowly.

Just as he was about to make things a little too risqué for their very captive audience on the porch, Vala leaned in. She placed her hand beneath his chin, and tilted his head up to capture his mouth in a hungry kiss. Daniel happily obliged, sucking hard on her mouth. They could hear the whistles of approval from their friends, and Daniel slowly sucked on Vala's bottom lip as they moved to separate their mouths.

Vala brushed her hand through his wet hair, making it stick up in all different directions. "Vacation makes you horny." She grinned down into his lustful eyes, almost an identical shade of blue to the water he was submerged in. Daniel shook his head, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"No..." His tongue flicked across her exposed stomach. "It's your bikini that's making me horny." He grinned innocently into her dark sunglasses. "You should take it off."

Vala tilted her head back and laughed. She loved when Daniel was able to relax enough to say such things where people could hear. Her head moved back to look at him as he came to stand up again.

"You laugh?" Daniel questioned, a naughty gleam to his eyes. "I'm not sure I approve of this."

"Daniel..." Vala warned as he moved to pull her in. "No, Daniel...DANIEL!" She shrieked as he smiled and dragged her from the edge and into the water. She came up to his laughing voice, and splashed water at him.

"Bastard!" Vala cried out playfully. "I had no intention of JOINING you in here!"

Daniel grinned mischievously. "What can I say...you slipped."

Vala gasped and splashed more water at him. Daniel laughed and turned his head slightly against the onslaught of water, grasping her hand as it pushed out. She shrieked again as he pulled her close to his chest. He looked down into her eyes, and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Now this I approve of." He said in a voice rough with lust. Daniel leaned in to kiss Vala again, their tongues crashing against each other passionately. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, pulling herself flush to his chest. His hands squeezed against her ass, and Vala gasped into his mouth. He smiled, and slowly they dipped under the water.

Daniel loved water even more when Vala was in it.

Spectrum

Daniel's head jerked up from his book at the sound of Vala's sharp hiss of pain.

"You okay?" He questioned in concern. When the only things he got in reply were Vala's loud curse and the sounds of banging and slamming following, Daniel put the book down and made for the kitchen.

"Vala, is everything alright in here?" He asked slowly as he came to stand in the entryway.

"No, Daniel, everything is not alright." Vala snapped, looking at him with obvious annoyance. She had her hand pressed tightly against her, blood soaking a small spot on her shirt where it rested. Whatever she had been making was turned upside down on the floor, along with a knife.

Daniel crossed over to her, careful to avoid the mess on the floor.

"What happened?" He asked as he came to stand before her. Vala glared at him like he was an idiot.

"What does it look like happened?" She barked. "I cut my hand, made a mess. It's all quite obvious, Daniel."

Daniel sighed. "There's no need to snap at me." He held out his hand to her. "Let me see."

Vala pulled back slightly. "No."

Daniel just stepped closer, laughing a little. "Vala, quit acting like you're twelve. Let me see."

"Oh, you insult me, then expect me to let you help?" Vala scowled, tears brimming in her eyes. She turned away from him, and walked out of the kitchen. "Don't worry about it. Just go back to reading your book."

Daniel stood for a moment in a state of surprise, his mouth hanging open slightly. She'd been acting hostile towards him for weeks, and he couldn't figure out why. Vala would complain when he tried to help, then complain even more when he wasn't helping. It was beginning to drive him up a wall, and he was sick of it. Intent on finding the reason why she was so irritable, he finally followed.

He found her in the bathroom, struggling to get the first-aid kit out one-handed. His instinct to help overshadowed his plans to find out what was really going on.

"Do you need some help?" Daniel asked quietly. Vala's head snapped up, and he was met with a familiar glare.

"What do you think?" She snapped. She continued to rant on until Daniel's calm finally fell away.

"Stop!" He shouted, and Vala jumped in surprise. "Just stop!" He stepped into the bathroom, body tense with frustration. "You have done nothing but bitch at me for the past two weeks. And I've tried to be alright with it. I mean...I understand everyone has tough times. But you're confusing the HELL out of me, Vala!" Daniel laughed with annoyance, and threw his hands in the air as he turned away. "You bitch at me because I'm in your way...tell me to leave you alone. Then you bitch because I'm NOT helping. You're spinning me in circles."

Daniel turned back to Vala. "And you know what? I'm done putting up with it. I love you, but if your not gonna talk to me when it's so obvious you need to, then I can't do this. Now you tell me what is going on with you and let me help, or I'm leaving."

Fear filled Vala's eyes, and Daniel felt bad for putting it there. He felt bad for having to say what he had. But if scaring her in to talking was what it was going to take, then so be it.

"Leaving for a little while...or leaving you're done - we're done?" She asked in a whisper. Daniel dropped his head at her question, a feeling of dread coming to the pit of his stomach.

"So you do want me to leave." He whispered to the floor.

Vala stepped closer to him. "I never said that." She replied in haste.

Daniel looked up at her, and she was taken back by the moisture in his eyes. "It's what you didn't say, what you won't tell me. I know we've had our issues with trust in the past, but..." He took in a deep, shaky breath. His plan had backfired because it seemed Vala REALLY didn't want him there. "Just tell me what I did, or didn't do, then I'll go."

Vala's heart leapt into her throat. He was really planning on leaving, and it was her fault. So she did the only thing she could think to do. Vala stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Daniel in a fierce hug. He squeezed her tightly in response.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel." She whispered into his ear as he brought his head to rest on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you feel like this. I love you and I don't want you to leave. Not now, not ever." Daniel breathed a sigh of relief against her neck. Vala went to brush her hand through his hair. She winced loudly, having forgotten about its injury.

Daniel pulled away from her enough so he could grab her hand. "Shit, Vala." He examined the bloody slash with care. "You really did some damage here." Pulling her over to the sink, he turned on the water and placed her hand underneath. Vala winced.

"Sorry." Daniel grimaced in sympathy as he gently brushed his thumb over the wound, helping to clear it of the dried blood. He turned off the water when he finished, and brought her palm to his lips. As softly as possible, Daniel placed a tender kiss to the wound. Vala smiled at the action, which once more affirmed how much Daniel truly loved her. She breathed in deeply as he moved to open the first aid kit. There was a very good reason why she had been so irritated lately, but now she couldn't comprehend why she'd felt inclined to keep it from Daniel. He had every right to know.

"Daniel." Vala said quietly, wincing slightly as he began to clean the wound with something a little stronger than water. She didn't wait for him to say anything in response. "There is a reason why I've been so short lately, especially with you."

Daniel continued to work, the only sign he was listening was a slight pause in his minstrations.

"And, to be completely honest, it is something you did." Vala watched his eyes focus deeper on her hand, his own hands tensing. "But it's not something I should be mad at you over. It's something so...amazing." Vala took another shaky deep breath. "Would be amazing if it wasn't so complicated. Still, it's no reason for keeping it from you."

Daniel moved to wrap gauze around her hand, and Vala wished he would stop a moment to look at her.

"Daniel, I'm pregnant." She blurted, tears falling from her eyes. That got his attention. Daniel stopped mid-wrap, and looked up at her with shocked blue eyes. They searched hers desperately, seeing if she was messin' with him. Vala shook her head, letting him know she was serious. A look of confusion and hurt filled his gaze, and Vala felt the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"I've known for a few weeks." Vala placed her uninjured hand on his cheek. "Carolyn told me after our last mission. And I was so ecstatic. I had every intention of telling you...until she told me something else. She said, because of what the Ori did to me to give birth to Adria, that it was likely that the pregnancy would be a difficult one, at best. She was shocked that it had happened in the first place. From what she understood, they had intended for me never to carry another child. And I got mad. It was meant for the Ori, but I focused it on you. I wanted to blame you. For bringing this upon me, upon yourself."

She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Daniel. I shouldn't have kept this from you or blamed you. I didn't want you to get hurt by it, and yet I hurt you even worse by not saying anything."

Daniel saw the anguish in her eyes, the self-recrimination. He wanted to wipe it from her face, and did in the only way he knew how. He leaned in and captured her mouth in a desperate kiss. His hands cupped her face as he plunged his tongue deep into her mouth. Vala came alive against him, and he felt the same desperation within her. He pulled away slowly, placing another small kiss on her trembling lips.

"You have no reason to be sorry." He smiled reassuringly at her. "Your scared, but had the greatest intentions. You just wanted to save me from the possible heartache this could bring. And for that alone, I will love you forever." He kissed her lips again. "But I would rather suffer that heartache with you, then have you suffer it alone."

Vala rested her head beneath his chin. "I hate them, Daniel." She whispered angrily. "They used me to create a life so evil, they cheated through me to rape this galaxy of its freedom. Now, when I have a chance to create life with you, the greatest man in three galaxies, they cheat me...us. A life that would be so beautiful...It's not fair."

Daniel moved to sit on the floor, holding Vala against him as he did. "Nothing is set in stone yet. Carolyn said she didn't even think this could happen, but it did. That's a start right there." He lightly kissed her hair, and smiled. "There we go - breaking down the rules again. We're both stubborn and hard-headed, which means this kid is destined to come out a fighter. This life we've made WILL BE so beautiful. She will be our personal fight against the Ori - Our crusader."

Vala lifted her head to gaze at Daniel with amusement. "You said she."

Daniel looked down at her, and smiled. "If the Ori can have a beautiful woman to lead in their cause, then I think we should too. And with you as her mother, this kid is destined to be drop dead gorgeous."

Vala smiled brightly, then kissed Daniel quietly. "And with you as her father, our little girl will be able to kill Adria with her brain...in ten million different languages...before she's two."

Daniel leaned his head back against the cabinet. "OUR little girl." He repeated amazed, as if the good news was finally sinking in. He looked down at Vala, and gave her his signature half-smile. "We're having a baby."

Vala felt the sting of reality strike again. "Maybe." She whispered, hating how it was possible that the delightful wonder in Daniel's eyes could one day turn to irreversible sadness.

Daniel gave her a strong squeeze. "Definitely." He kissed her temple, and whispered in her ear in a mischievous tone. "SCREW the ORI."

Vala smiled, and nodded, drawing strength from Daniel's confidence.

"Screw the Ori." She repeated. Daniel grabbed her and stood up. She squealed with an excitement that had been suppressed since Carolyn had given her the bad news. Vala wrapped her legs around Daniel's chest, and looked down into his smiling eyes. She brought her hands to cup his face, ignoring the sting in her palm, and kissed him happily. He laughed into her mouth, and Vala pulled away with a laugh of her own.

"We are going to have the most beautiful, intelligent, kickass crusading little girl EVER!" She yelled to the ceiling, allowing herself to get lost in joy. Daniel laughed again, and moved to place her on the counter. One hand came to rest on her stomach protectively.

"Yes..." Daniel kissed her lips softly. "WE are."

Release

The mission had been bad. Worse than bad. Bad was when they came back a little bruised and weary. Not when both Sam and Cameron were in critical condition in the infirmary, neither having regained consciousness since Teal'c and Daniel had carried them through the gate. The mission had been horrible.

And Vala knew Daniel was blaming himself. She could tell as she watched him sit in their living room, staring out the window with unseeing eyes. He was sipping a glass of Jack Daniel's straight up, not even flinching as the whiskey burned the back of his throat. Oh yes, definitely blaming himself.

She placed her purse down on the floor, and slowly approached him. He'd been home an hour longer than she had - how he'd managed to drive home she didn't know. As she neared his chair, Vala braced herself for whatever condition he was in.

"Don't worry..." Daniel mumbled. "This is my first and only one." He held up his glass for emphasis, taking another small sip. Vala noted the fact that he never looked at her. There was a moment of silence, then Daniel spoke again.

"You should be in the infirmary with them." He sighed, sliding down further into his chair.

"So should you." Vala moved to slide her arms down his chest. She was surprised when he made no attempts to stop her. In fact, he didn't react at all to her touch. It made her very uneasy.

"I was ordered off base." Daniel's reply was muffled in his glass as he took another sip.

Vala tilted her head in confusion. She rested her chin on the top of his head. "Teal'c told me you asked Landry if you could leave."

Daniel snorted, feeling slightly buzzed. He hadn't been truthful about it being his first drink. Just like he hadn't been totally honest back on the planet. He was on a roll today. Where would this little lie take him? "I asked to leave before Landry COULD order me to. It was bound to happen anyway."

"No it wasn't." Vala squeezed him gently. "This wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was!" Daniel said loudly, shaking off Vala's comfort. "I was the one who told them they could go in. I KNEW the place was more than likely booby-trapped, and yet I kept that little tidbit to myself. Why?" Daniel laughed humorlessly. "Because I wanted to get to all the secrets buried in those damned ruins. I let my selfish impulses take control, and Sam and Mitchell got hurt in the process. They trusted me, and I used that to my advantage."

Daniel drained his glass in one swift gulp, and chucked it hard against the wall. Its shattering gave him no sense of release.

Vala remained silent against him at his outburst. "Daniel, you know that's not true. You did tell them about the possibility of it being booby-trapped. Sam and Cameron knew, and they still went inside. You're the one who saved them...who got them out." She started to rub his chest gently.

"I should have told them no." Daniel muttered. "This is my fault. I know everyone's thinking it." His head dropped dejectedly.

Vala kissed the back of his neck softly. "No one thinks this is your fault." She moved around the chair so she could look at him. Daniel looked at her, and Vala was at a loss by how dejected he seemed. She placed a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into it. His lips began to tremble as she moved to place a soothing kiss on them. He returned the kiss for a few seconds before he broke down against Vala.

She pulled Daniel to her as he started to cry. She barely held both their weight as he came down upon her, and Vala slowly lowered Daniel to rest against her as they came to lie on the floor. His harsh, wet sobs had tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Vala didn't offer any words or sounds of comfort...she knew they wouldn't do much good. Her hand running through his hair was comfort enough.

Daniel needed this release, and Vala wasn't going to deny him it.

Bad

A cool evening breeze blew in through the window as the truck made its way down the interstate.

Daniel breathed in deep, enjoying the fresh air. It smelled of rain, and he slowly closed the window before the weather would hit. Like a sign, lightning flickered off on the horizon. The near silence that enveloped the cab was just as welcoming as the sounds of the breeze had been. The only thing Daniel could hear was the deep, rhythmic breathing of the woman he loved.

He looked down at Vala, her head resting in his lap. His hand came to rest on her thigh, an instinctual habit of protection. Daniel found he couldn't help it when she looked so innocent, so vulnerable. It was times like this - when it was just the two of them - when Vala would lower all her walls. She would allow herself to just be herself: no flirting, no sexual games, no innuendo. When she was alone with him, Vala let her hair down and succumb to her need to be protected. It had taken a long time for her to admit she wanted and craved for someone to be there like no one ever had.

Now Daniel was more than happy to be that someone.

Returning his attention back to the road, he yawned loudly. Realizing how quickly he was getting tired, Daniel decided it was time for a definite pit stop for coffee. He ran his hand along Vala's leg gently. She stirred against him.

"Vala...wake up." He said quietly.

She lifted her head off his lap, breathing in sharply. Daniel looked down into sleepy grey eyes as she turned in his lap to glance at him.

"Evenin' beautiful." Daniel smiled, then once more returned his focus to the road. He glanced at the road sign as they passed - One mile to the next exit.

"We almost there?" Vala yawned, rubbing her nose into Daniel's stomach to warm it up.

"No." Daniel laughed at the action. "Still got a few hours to go on the interstate, then another couple of hours to Jack's cabin. But I need to make a stop...my body is demanding some serious go-go juice."

Vala sat up and looked at Daniel with mild concern. "You getting tired?"

Daniel looked at her, and smiled at how she still looked half-asleep, her ponytail askew. "Nothing a nice cup of coffee won't cure." Vala nodded sleepily, then yawned again. Daniel motioned for her to lean against him. As she rested her head against his shoulder, he placed a tender kiss in her hair.

"I don't understand why a planet such as this one hasn't established better forms of transportation." Vala mumbled as Daniel changed lanes to get off the highway. She blinked harshly as the bright lights of the interstate truck stops and gas stations bombarded her tired eyes.

Daniel laughed at her comment. "There are plenty of forms of transportation here. You know that."

Vala snorted softly in response. "And yet, you choose to DRIVE to Jack's cabin. I don't get it."

They pulled into one of the truck stops, and Daniel killed the ignition.

"Oh come on!" He smiled as she sat back up. "Where's that spectacular sense of adventure that I love so much?"

Vala blew at raspberry in answer to his question. "I left it at home, where we get plenty of adventure on a daily basis. This is supposed to be our time to relax." She straightened out her shirt, and fixed her hair. Then she gave Daniel a cute little pout of annoyance.

Daniel leaned in, and softly kissed her pushed out lips. Vala couldn't help but smile against him as his tongue made a quick pass inside her mouth. She smacked his chest with mock exasperation, and he pulled back with a grin.

"You're cranky." He laughed and opened his door. Hopping out, he held his hand out to Vala, who took it as she stepped out.

Vala quickly donned his leather jacket against the sudden chill. "I'm tired, hungry..." She leaned into Daniel as he wrapped his arm around her waist, and he steered them towards the inside of the truck stop. "And I really, really need to pee."

Daniel laughed again and squeezed her hip affectionately. "Like I said...you're cranky."

"Just for that..." Vala pulled out his grasp as they walked through the doors. She looked at him as she made for the bathroom. "I'm making you buy an unlawful amount of junk food."

"And that's supposed to be a threat?" Daniel hollered to her retreating back playfully. He ignored the goofy look the attendant gave him and made for the coffee. He was just putting the top on the cup when Vala's voice drifted to him from across the store.

"You like those powdered donut things, right darling?"

Daniel turned and smiled. Vala's arms were already laden with snacks, a bag of chips already open in her hand. He walked over to her, taking a tentative sip of his coffee. He went to snake his other hand into the bag, but Vala caught it.

"Ah!" She fixed him with a 'back off' glare. "These are mine!"

Smiling some more, Daniel lowered his coffee cup and wrapped his arm around Vala. He pulled her close and she tried to fight a smile.

"You're smushing-"

Daniel didn't give her time to finish, taking her mouth in a short but passionate kiss.

"You consider yourself to be mine, right?" He whispered loudly into her ear.

Vala nodded. "Of course, darling."

Daniel backed off from her, snatching the bag of chips out of her hand quickly. "Then the chips are mine by proxy." He laughed as she gave him a squinty glare. He placed a chip in his mouth with a smile.

"You played me." Vala huffed, reaching down to grab the donuts she had asked him about. She knew he liked them. Daniel liked any food that was high in sugar, and low in nutrition. It was amazing how he managed to stay so fit with all the junk that he ate. As Daniel turned to walk down another aisle, Vala admired his ass. Very, very fit.

Daniel looked at her from the other side of the shelving. "I learned from the best." He winked and shoved another chip into his mouth. Vala grinned cheekily and moved to join him as he perused the aisles, not looking for anything specific. Daniel tilted the bag towards her, and she took a chip happily.

They spent a few more minutes looking, then went and paid for the stuff they had.

On the walk back to the truck, Daniel looked at everything Vala had bought.

"Jack would kill you for allowing me to eat all this junk." He said as they reached the vehicle. Daniel unlocked the door and opened it. Vala slid in, and he joined her. She snatched the bag out of his hand as he moved to start the engine.

"Well..." Vala smiled triumphantly as she pulled out the package of powdered donuts from the overflowing bag. "If I didn't let you eat all this..." She ripped open the package, and leaned into Daniel as he pulled the truck out of the truck stop and back onto the interstate. She held up one of the powdery treats to Daniel's lips, and he accepted it greedily. Vala pulled another one out of the package and shoved it in her mouth. "I wouldn't be able to either, and that just won't work. So Jack can get over it."

Daniel laughed and then happily accepted another donut Vala offered to him. "You are so bad for me." He joked around the food in his mouth.

"I know." Vala simply shrugged against him, running her finger along a donut and licking the powder from the same finger.

Daniel kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

Vala turned so she could look at him. She gave him a mischievous smile. "I know that too."

Daniel smiled and pulled her back against him. She laughed and his heart soared at the sound of it.

"Bad food, bad coffee, bad girl." He stated and kissed her hair again. "Who knew so much bad could..." Daniel whispered into her ear, and gently flicked his tongue just below it. "Taste so good?"

Vala shoved another donut in her mouth with a smile.

And he called her bad.

Christen

A shadow fell across Vala's lap as she giggled to the laptop. She looked up to see Daniel looking down at her with a lazy smile, a glass dangling from his fingers. He was trying hard to remain upright without any assistance.

"And what are you giggling at?" He asked with amusement.

Vala moved one of her legs from its position crossed beneath her, and ghosted her foot along the inside of his thigh. Daniel looked down at it, and placed his hand on the back of the couch to steady himself. He moaned with pleasure as she gently pressed her toes against him.

"You, actually." She smiled as blues eyes looked at her with lust.

"Oh yeah?" Daniel smiled, and leaned in to place a hungry kiss on her lips. Vala grinned against him, enjoying the taste of Jack Daniel's on his tongue. She pulled him closer, knowing it would throw him off balance. Daniel laughed as he fell into the couch beside her. He looked at the laptop still sitting in her lap, and poked her playfully.

"Thief." He ungracefully turned to sit, making sure he didn't spill his drink. He scooted closer to her. "That is mine."

Vala nodded. "Mmmhmm."

Daniel smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her against him. "As long as you can admit it. So whatcha doing on there?"

Vala moved a hand to squeeze his thigh. "Talking about you."

Daniel sipped his drink. "Really?" He tried to look at the screen, but found his focus going in and out. He snorted. "Well, whatever it is, I can't read it." He took another drink from his glass.

"That's because you've had too much of..." Vala tapped a finger on the glass still against his lips. "That." She smiled as Daniel looked at her. "You're drunk."

Daniel smiled and moved to kiss her again. Vala placed a hand on his bare chest as he sucked hard on her mouth. They parted after a moment, and he tapped his finger against her lips.

"That is a VERY GOOD point." Daniel laughed then fell back against the couch again. He surveyed the others' progress of his supposed to be bookshelf, then let his eyes roam around the vast room. "So what do you think?"

Vala sat forward to place the laptop on the coffee table. She giggled as Daniel's hand rubbed low along her back. "Think of what?" She squeaked as he pulled her back against him.

Daniel rested his face along side hers. "Of the house." Vala pulled the glass from his hands and placed it to her lips for a drink. "Our house." He placed his lips to her temple in a loving kiss.

Vala lowered the glass, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Daniel caught it, and brought her fingers to his lips. He kissed the tips affectionately. "I love it. I never thought I would end up any place like this." She turned to look into Daniel's hazy blue eyes. "Or be with someone like you."

"Yeah." Daniel kissed her lips softly. "Why would you want to live with such a loser?" He smiled.

"Because I love him." Vala smiled. They looked up as a loud bang came from where the others were still attempting to assemble the bookshelf. She laughed at the site of their two drunken friends. "Even if him and his friends are too incompetent to put a piece of furniture together."

"Hey!" Daniel laughed. "Don't insult the soberly challenged."

Vala snorted at his statement. "You three are definitely 'soberly challenged.'" She once more took a drink from his cup, looking at him over the rim.

Daniel grinned. "And you love it."

"Oh, I really do." Vala grinned and accepted the kiss he gave her.

"Hey Jackson!" Mitchell shouted from across the room. "Quit lockin' lips with your woman and get back over here!"

Daniel laughed into Vala's mouth, and she pulled away quickly.

"Whoops." He giggled as she gave him a 'oh no he didn't' look.

Vala tilted her head to the side in mock confusion. "Did he just refer to me as 'WOMAN'?"

Daniel nodded as he pulled away from her. "I believe he did."

Vala breathed in deeply and growled in a low voice. "That is SO his drunk ass!" She pushed off the couch, and Daniel turned to watch her stalk in the direction of the unsuspecting Colonel.

"Cam, she is sooooooo gonna kick your ass!" Daniel laughed, taking another drink from the glass Vala had returned to him. He savored the Jack Daniel's in his mouth, and lingering taste of Vala on his lips.

Daniel couldn't think of a better way to break in their new house together.

Trigger

"Daniel?"

"Vala."

"Can I have a kiss?"

"What?"

"A kiss. You know...when you put your beautiful full lips to mine and pull every rational thought from my head. When you take my breath away. Can I have one now?"

"Vala, we're in the middle of a doing surveillance, trying to be covert. I don't think kissing is appropriate at the moment."

"Well, neither is making out in the briefing room right before a briefing, but that never stops us."

"Vala...just no. Stay focused on the mission."

"But I'm nervous."

"No you're not."

"Am too."

"You don't get nervous."

"Yes I do. Happens a lot more than people think. I get nervous when you are about to walk into a hostile situation. A kiss would comfort my nerves right now."

"I'm sorry, Vala. It just doesn't feel appropriate."

"Oh, right then. Not appropriate. Okay. Sorry I even asked. Wouldn't want to ruin the mission. How selfish of me to ask the man I love for a kiss to help ca-"

Vala felt herself being pushed back hard against the doors of the truck, wrists pinned above her head with strong, unyielding hands. Lips crashed against hers in a dominating, searing kiss of surppressed passion and need.

She thought it would never end when Daniel tore his lips away from hers. Her chest heaved quickly against him, and Vala realised she was the only one of them left breathless. One of Daniel's hands came to rest on her chest, his fingers playing dangerously close to the cut she'd made in her shirt.

"Vala." Daniel's eyes were on his hand ghosting just above her cleavage. His tone was determined and serious. It held a commanding edge that channeled a certain General they knew.

"Yes, Daniel." Vala's voice faltered. She swallowed at the sheer power Daniel held over her.

His blue eyes flicked up to hers. They were dark with dominance and lust, but there was an edge there that made Vala's heart melt. An edge that meant Daniel was whole-heartedly serious about what he was about to say.

"Stop distracting me." Daniel ordered, his lips close to hers. The heat radiating off him was overwhelming, and Vala found she could only nod. His eyes searched hers for a moment, and then he pushed off of her, releasing her arms. He moved back to his seat before the equipment, focus once more on the task at hand.

Vala stood motionless, watching Daniel. She had always known there was an untamable darkness to him, but seeing it come through always managed to throw her off balance. It both intrigued and scared her, and always came at the most unsuspecting moments. She never knew what would trigger it in him.

A smile played across her still burning lips. She pushed off the doors, and moved to take her seat next to him. As she passed, Vala ran her hand along his shoulders.

"Thanks for the kiss." She whispered in his ear lustily. She gasped as his hand squeezed her thigh aggressively. His eyes turned to hers, and the dark look was there again.

"Quit it." He growled.

Vala smiled and gave a minute nod.

She might not know the trigger, but she would have a hell of a time trying to find it.

Elemental

Sometimes she felt like they were fire and water. Two completely different entities incapable of being together in any sort of comfortable way. They were such a contrast to one another, and at times there wasn't the slightest hint that they could fit together at all.

Her persistence would lick at him like flames. Attitude scorched and stubbornness burned. She was heat embodied. The fires of the universe converged inside, and the only way to ease the pressure was to lash out, hot and untamable.

His indifference crashed against her like waves. Superiority flooded and intellect drowned. He was as cold as the dark depths of the blackest sea. Water poured in from every possible angle - he could only find release by breaking free of inadequate shores, never solid and always suffocating.

She yelled through the heat only she could feel.

He bit back, his words icy and slick.

She screamed fire, her words burning holes within his frozen soul.

He snapped like a sudden thunderstorm, words like 'host' and 'harlot' falling around her like raindrops.

She withdrew a moment from the sting, then the blazing inferno took hold once more. Something ancient that had never known the wrath of the flames for centuries crashed to the floor in her eruption, followed by the volcanic flow of loaded words. Wife, Coward, and a name he held so dear are amongst them.

The surge broke free of its boundaries as he flew within inches of her face. Things poured from his cold lips that could never be returned to the way they had been. It seemed to last forever, but as quick as it had started, the sudden rush settled. The fight was gone, the powerful fury still bubbling beneath the surface.

He brushed past her, not waiting for the aftermath of the damage he'd caused.

And the doused flames broke free of the murky depths. She screamed once more over the roar within to his quickly retreating form, unphased by the look he shot her as the elevator doors closed before him.

* * * *
Vala walked the lonely corridors back to their quarters slowly. Arms wrapped tight around her slightly trembling form, she stared on ahead as the heat within finally fell away.

The fire was gone - leaving her once more as ashes in its wake.

This fight had been bad, and now she hadn't seen Daniel for what was going on four hours. They had both said things - horrible things - and Vala felt that this time they wouldn't be able to put the burned and water-logged pieces back together again.

Through the clash of them, that connection might have finally eroded away. Vala swallowed. Maybe he wasn't coming back - not as her Daniel. And if he did, maybe she wouldn't be there, as his Vala or otherwise.

She reached the door to their room, and opened it slowly. Walking in, she found she didn't have the strength to go much farther. Vala closed the door, and slowly slid down the wall beside it. A shiver passed through her body and she sighed.

The fire always left her cold.

Eyes the color of a gloomy, rain-threatened day scanned the space before her. Where would she even begin to pull back from what was 'theirs' and make it 'hers'? The room that had once been Daniel's alone was now mixed and matched with both his things and her stuff.

Bed sheets they had bought together, made their own that first night they had gotten them. They held the memory of her tears and his, the laughs they shared together in the comfort of each other, the love that had strengthened through so many obstacles. They didn't even have a side distinct to themselves. They shared the bed. Whatever side felt just right for him one evening didn't suit her the next, and they'd use the other. Their pillows were constantly swapping from one side to the other.

His shirts that she always ended up wearing.

Her little stuffed animal that he always cuddled close when she wasn't able to be with him. He said it smelled like her.

She read his books and he enjoyed her magazines.

Vala's eyes landed on her brush and the box that held her hair accessories. The little barrettes and clips she adored, which had Daniel constantly getting her more. She remembered the night when Daniel had let Vala do his hair. They had both been overly exhausted, which always leads to extreme silliness between them. In a crazy fit of giggles, Vala had given Daniel the hair do of the century. It was another tender moment that was held within these walls.

Vala sighed, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. Even 'her' moments and memories had become 'theirs.' Daniel was always in her thoughts, his name constantly falling from her lips when he wasn't around. The memories she held dear were the ones with them together.

She couldn't understand how something so beautifully unstoppable could fall apart at the seams because of their own faults, their own insecurities and weaknesses.

Ironic how when anyone fought against their love, they came together and fought back. But when it came down to them being on different sides with one another, their love was more fragile than a withering rose. The fire would burn the rose, then the water would sweep away the ashes.

When they fought, it was a game of chance - their love being the stakes.

* * * *
Vala sat there for a long time, not knowing how quickly, or slowly, time was passing her by. When the greatest thing she had in the world hung in the balance by a thread, time seemed less than important.

The quiet click of the door opening brought her back to reality. She glanced at the clock on the end table nearest to her. Eight hours since she'd sat down, twelve since Daniel had stormed off. This fight was breaking all sorts of personal records.

"Vala?" His voice was quiet, controlled. It was relieving to know he was coming back as her Daniel, and not as the cold man with the heart of a black ocean that had left her earlier. Still Vala didn't answer for a reason she couldn't understand. She heard the door open a little more, and his shadow fell across her resting place.

She stared straight ahead at their bed as he quietly slid down the wall beside her. His shoulder touched hers. She felt his eyes upon her, and still refused to be the one to give in.

Even after everything that had happened, the fire wouldn't relinquish its hold on her. She wouldn't let him win.

Daniel looked at her for a long moment. She was still angry...He wasn't. He leaned his lips down to place a surrendering kiss on her shoulder, then laid his head down. "I was terrified you'd be gone." He whispered, relieved and yet terrified that Vala still might leave.

Vala sighed. The fire within receded immediately at the tone of Daniel's voice. "I was terrified you wouldn't come back." She finally whispered, reaching down to grasp his hand tightly, reassuringly.

"Guess we were both wrong." Daniel sighed.

Vala knew that was as close as they were going to get to discussing what had happened. It worked for her. They were both wrong. His water cancelled out her fire, and vice versa. No longer on opposite sides of the line, but once again walking it together.

Daniel understood this as well. He moved his head up to place a suggestive kiss on her pulse point.

Vala gasped, and quickly turned to capture his mouth in a desperate kiss. Daniel returned the force in kind, his hands pulling her over to straddle his lap. That task finished, they snaked their way up her hips. Vala tore her mouth away from Daniel's, pulling a strangled 'ah' from his lips. Hers immediately found refuge sucking on his neck, her hands cupping where his neck met his head.

"Twelve hours..." He gasped with pleasure, beginning to pull her shirt up. "...sucks when all you wanna do is..." Vala pulled her mouth away from him to lift her arms up as he tore the shirt off. She looked down at him, both of them panting. Daniel leaned in and kissed her stomach softly. "Kiss and..." He moved up to take her lips passionately, then pushed her up with him so they were both standing. Vala pushed him back against the wall hard. He pulled his lips away with a groan. "Make love."

Vala grinned and yanked his black t-shirt out of his pants, eliciting another lustful groan from him. "Isn't it..." She captured his mouth again, pulling him deeper into the room by his belt. When she couldn't take it anymore, Vala started to unfasten the damned thing.

"Makeup?" She finished as she fiddled with the belt. Finally unclasping it, she pulled it through the loops with impatience, dropping it to the floor.

"Who cares?" Daniel breathed, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way to the bed.

Sometimes she felt like they were fire and water. Two elements never meant to be put together, for the combined power would crush any love out of both of them. But most of the time she knew they were both neither fire nor water, but something else entirely. Something dark and mystic, yet gentle and heartwarming. They were flame and wave, heat and chill, smoke and mist.

They were a part of each other, coming together...

As one.

Air Tonight

Everyone else looked up as somoene entered the large research room. He didn't. It was like a shift in wave frequency or an electric crack in the atmosphere - something he felt along every nerve in his body. He didn't need to look up. He knew who it was because he could feel her standing there.

The click of her thigh-highs echoed around the suddenly hushed room. If there was one sure fire way to silence an entire room of nasally brainiacs, it was to send a former space vixen traipsing into the mix. Of course she didn't traipse. She swayed...giving those scientists a false hope of having her.

It was too bad she was so totally taken.

She casually stepped up beside him, twisting her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. He inhaled deeply at the contact. Like white hot fire that burned so good. She knew it drove him wild, but he knew some of her weaknesses too.

"Busy?" She asked quietly.

He lifted his mouth up from where it rested in his palm. "Little research." He saw her nod out of the corner of his eye. Her hand moved down to rub along his back gently.

"Need anything?" Her beautiful voice got closer as she mimicked his position leaning on the huge workstation. He shook his head minutely and felt her hair tickle his cheek. Her fingers fiddled with the edges of his shirt sleeve. She was being very touchy-feely.

"What do YOU need?" He asked knowingly. Her fingers stopped their motion, and she rested her forehead against his cheek.

"Some money, maybe?" She smiled.

"Don't you just maybe make some of your own?" He asked back patiently. She sighed with mock exasperation and stood back up. He wasn't even surprised when her finger poked his cheek. He fought the small smile that played on his lips. "Back pocket. I only have about a hundred, so please leave me something."

She reached her hand into one of his jean pockets - the one she knew was empty.

"You KNOW it's in the other one." He sighed as her fingers gripped his ass momentarily, then pulled out of that pocket and pushed into the other one. He felt the loss of his wallet immediately. To know that it was in her hands didn't even set off any warning alarms in his head anymore. Before, he had earned for him. Now, he earned for them.

"Awww, that's you and me." She sighed, and he knew she was talking about the picture he kept in there.

"Good to know it hasn't changed since this morning." He answered, then was rocked a bit as she hit her hip against his.

"Sixty, Forty?" She asked hopefully. He shrugged.

"Who gets sixty, and who gets forty?"

She 'hmphed'. "I've taught you too well."

He nodded. "How about we play the fair card, and you take fifty." He made it a statement, not a question. She sighed and he felt the wallet being pushed back into his jeans. Normally she wouldn't have gotten that lucky. But he was only on base for a few hours, so he hadn't bothered with changing.

"Okay, I'm gonna head off." She leaned her hip against the worktable. "You gonna be home soon?"

"Hockey game." He stated, and saw her nod in understanding. "If I'm not home, I'll have to answer to his bitching...and I make it a habit not to have to do that."

"He says the same thing about you." She leaned down, her face even with his. A few moments of silence passed, then as he expected she spoke again.

"Daniel." She stated gently. Finally his smile broke free and he turned his head towards her. He kissed her lovingly, and once more the atmosphere cracked - this time with a heavy, heavy cloud of jealousy hanging in the air. It had him smiling some more and adding a little more to the kiss.

"Buy something I'll like." Daniel said as he placed a final parting kiss to Vala's full lips.

Vala stood up and tapped his nose. "Edible or wearable?"

Daniel stood up, stretching his arms high above his head. He smiled as Vala's eyes wracked his body happily. She rocked on her heels, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Can't it be both?" He asked casually, and didn't miss the choked cough from another part of the room.

He had such a joy making the geeks sweat. When he'd stopped labeling himself as such, he wasn't quite sure. Probably around the same time a certain then colonel had as well. From the looks he could feel the others giving him, Daniel knew they didn't see him that way anymore either. He had switched sides. If the delightfully warm body wrapped in his arms was punishment for going all "warrior" on the academics, then well...he wasn't complaining.

Vala shrugged at his request. "I'll see what I can do."

Daniel breathed in deeply, a naughty smile coming to his lips. "You can do a lot." He murmured as he leaned in to place a second final parting kiss gently to her mouth. Vala agreed against his lips with an 'mmmmhmmm'.

Reluctantly, Daniel let Vala walk out of his grasp. Just as she was about to pass beyond his reach, he latched onto her arm and pulled her back. Their lips connected perfectly for a THIRD final parting kiss.

"Have fun." Daniel stated as he kissed her forehead. He brushed her hair back, letting his fingers brush over her sparkly clip. "Don't get into too much trouble."

Vala smiled and sauntered out of the room. "You know me, darling!" She shouted back down the hall.

Daniel moved to the doorway. "That's exactly my point!" He shouted as he leaned out.

The exciting buzz in the atmosphere fizzled out as she threw a wave over her shoulder. He smiled contentedly as he walked back to his laptop.

He was aware of someone standing next to him a few minutes later.

"Yes, Bill?" He questioned without looking up. A hint of impatience colored his voice playfully. Bill was the one scientist who didn't think of him as a Benedict Arnold to all things academic. He was also the only one with a semi-decent sense of humor.

"I just thought you should know..." Bill let out a little laugh. "That she took all the money you had in your wallet."

Daniel laughed quietly as he nodded. "I know. I have every intention of..." He tapped a few keys. "Having her repay me."

As Bill walked away with a slight chuckle, the thick cloud of envy settled around Daniel.

He grinned - She could always change the feel in the air.

Perfection

A warm, gentle breeze rustled through the trees and sent Vala's hair flying out to the side. For a moment she considered tying it back, but the thought fell away almost instantly. It meant she would have to break the strong, but loving, hold around her body. Nothing in the entire universe could ever have her wanting that to happen.

"Want me to pull it back?" Daniel asked quietly, ever the mind reader.

Vala smiled, but shook her head. As much as she loved it when Daniel would play with her hair, she was just enjoying being in his arms too much. "Don't need too."

Daniel rested his cheek, covered in a thin layer of stubble, against her own. "You don't wanna move." He stated.

Vala shook her head again. "Nope."

"Neither do I." Daniel laughed gently, moving just a little to place a soft kiss to her cheek. "We're so close to perfection." His voice was so soft as he whispered in her ear. Gone were all the worries they carried everyday, the burdens each shouldered for one another and others. This was just them together, amongst the trees, watching the day fizzle out into night. "So close we can almost touch it."

"But do we want perfection?" Vala asked, and was rewarded with a kiss to the temple.

"No." He murmured as his cheek came to rest against hers once more. "Then we'd have nothing left to strive for."

Vala settled back against his chest a little more. "So we'll let perfection be."

"We'll let it be." Daniel repeated as another gust of wind blew across them. It smelled of the rain that was looming just on the horizon where the sun was sinking. The dark clouds were a contrast to the golds, pinks, reds, and purples cast by the dying daylight.

Vala felt Daniel's cell phone vibrating against her through his pocket. She sighed. "We're not supposed to be up here, are we?"

Daniel dropped his head down on her shoulder. "Not really."

"Should we go?" Vala asked, never making even the slightest move to get up.

"We can wait a few more minutes." Daniel sighed, not ready to end the moment yet either.

Vala smiled. "What a rebel you've become."

"Love brings changes." Daniel replied, squeezing her gently. She let out a small laugh, and he kissed her neck. His phone started vibrating again, and this time they both sighed.

"I think they need us." Vala said.

Daniel nodded, and moved to push them both to a standing position. "I think so too." He brushed the dead leaves off the back of her pants. Vala took the opportunity to pull her hair into a high ponytail, walking forward a few steps

"Storm's coming." She stated as a gust of suddenly cold air ripped across the clearing. She felt Daniel come up directly behind her. The last remaining minutes of daylight were quickly ebbing away, letting darkness take its rightful place. They watched it together, knowing her words weren't just meant for the rain.

Daniel placed a warm hand to Vala's shoulder. "Come on."

Vala nodded and turned to begin the small trek down the path they'd hiked up a little while earlier. She heard Daniel fall in behind her.

"Wait." He whispered, and his hand came to her shoulder once more. Vala turned to him, and Daniel flushed up against her. His lips met hers in a tender, loving kiss, his hand placed against the back of her neck. As he pulled away, Vala looked into his gentle blue gaze.

"To remember how close to perfection we were." He stated simply, and Vala nodded as she closed her eyes. Daniel's moist lips placed a kiss to her forehead.

"Stillness before chaos." She stated back just as the world around them quieted. She opened her eyes as Daniel brushed back her bangs. The future threatened on the horizon, the past taunted with actions that couldn't be changed, but for a moment it was just them.

"That's our almost perfection." Daniel smiled, and ran his thumb across her cheek. "That's where we'll find each other."

The overwhelming urge to put something into words that didn't need to be became so strong, and she almost let those three words loose from her lips. Vala stopped herself as Daniel's phone vibrated for a third time. This time, he reached in his pocket and pulled the phone out. He flicked it open.

"Daniel Jackson." Two words brought every worry and burden crashing back into his voice. He looked at Vala, and nodded for her to start down the path. She nodded and turned. As he argued with whoever was on the other line, Vala hid those three words deep inside herself. The moment for them was gone.

Daniel's hand came to rest against her lower back as they walked, and she risked a glance his direction. He smiled a moment and gave her a small nod. He knew.

Vala smiled.

Determined

"I'm sorry about this, baby." Daniel murmured close to her ear as the others broke away from them.

Vala nodded. "It's okay." She looked at Daniel through the torrential downpour. He was soaked and muddy, and sporting a variety of injuries. "I know it's our only option."

Daniel nodded, then turned to the side to spit out the blood in his mouth. As he turned back to her, Vala stepped closer. Her fingers gently ghosted over his split lip, and he winced.

She winced back in sympathy. "It's still bleeding."

Daniel flicked his tongue out over it, and nodded. "Yeah, it won't close in this." He indicated to the monsoon pouring around them. He spit again, and sighed. "And the rain keeps washing the blood down my mouth."

Vala nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry." She replied, guilty.

Daniel shook his head minutely. "Don't be - you didn't split it open." He caught the look in her grey eyes, and placed a hand to her cheek. "Nor did you give me the bruising or bang up my knee. So stop blaming yourself."

"But you're hurt because of me." Vala resisted the urge to stamp her foot.

"No, I'm hurt because we went rolling down a muddy incline."

Vala nodded. "Yeah, because you pulled me away from that tree that was zapped by lightning." She wanted to give him a swift kick for being all heroic -meaning getting himself injured. "Why did you feel the need to break my fall? I can handle getting a few injuries."

Daniel stroked his thumb across her lips. "Well, I can't." His blue eyes flicked up to hers. "And it's a good thing you didn't get hurt because we need you up front."

"Like it really matters?" Vala huffed. "You, with a busted knee and a bruise the size of Abydos along your back, will be right behind me."

"That's because..." Daniel took a limping step closer to her, wincing a little. "Sam, Cam, and any of the other commanding officers here, on this planet now, wouldn't even dream of trying to keep me away from you..." He closed his eyes as Vala fingered the harsh bruise above his left eye. "Not when you need me." He opened his eyes, and gave a small frown. "And I refuse to give anyone else permission to put their hands on you, should you slip and fall."

Vala smiled at his possessiveness. "You are too stubborn for your own good."

Daniel nodded. "I know."

Mitchell came to stand next to them. "People are starting to drift off..." He said sympathetically. "We need to get this show on the road."

"Okay." The pair answered in unison.

* * * *
Vala took a deep breath as she stood at the edge of the churning water. It had already risen a few inches since she'd been standing there. A few more minutes, and the water would begin to spill over the muddied ledge she was perched on.

Not that it really mattered, seeing as they were all about to jump into the rushing mess. A mess that had been the path to the stargate only a few hours before. Wading through miles of water was something she was looking forward to about as much as leading their large group of people through said water.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned back to meet Daniel's exhausted face. There was a long line of people behind him, a series of ropes tying them together. Daniel was holding the end of one out to her. Vala took it, and he stepped up so he could help her tie it firmly around her waist.

"You ready?" He whispered against her ear as he pulled the rope as snug as he could in the pouring rain. His hands were bloody and swollen from doing it countless times back down the line, but he ignored the pain. He had to make sure she was as safe as possible - Vala was the most important person in the group, and he didn't care how biased the thought was.

Vala nodded, and pulled out of his grasp as he finished. She heard Mitchell holler for her to go ahead from somewhere behind her. She swallowed to calm her nerves, and moved to take the first step into the water, already lapping at her boots.

Daniel grasped onto her wrist just as she was about to dip into the murky, rushing muck. Vala turned back to him, and he pulled her close.

"You be careful, you hear me?" He whispered, his eyes glistening through the rain.

"And you watch my back." She breathed. Daniel nodded, and pressed his mouth to hers in a desperate kiss. Vala tasted the blood from his lip, and it seemed to trigger something in her mind. She pulled away, and he released her without a word.

Without anymore hesitation, Vala dropped into the muddy water. She gasped at the sudden change in temperature, and bit down on a few choice curses. She felt a tug on the rope as Daniel jumped in right behind her. He didn't refrain from yelling out.

"Holy shit!" He gasped, and she grunted in response. The tightening on the rope lessened as Daniel came to stand almost directly behind her. His hand came to her hip as the water lapped at her sides. They moved in unison, leading the group through the raging muck.

The moving was slow going, and soon fatigue began to set in. Vala continued to trudge on, not noticing the hand on her hip falling away. She didn't realize how ahead of Daniel she was until he gasped out in a strangled yelp of pain, and she was jerked back hard on the rope.

Vala whipped around just as Daniel broke free of the surface. She moved to wade back to him, but he held up an unsteady hand.

"No!" He growled through his fatigue. "Don't stop...keep going."

Her heart jumped at his shaky voice. "Daniel!"

"Vala, Go!" Daniel barked, then softened his voice. "Get us home, please."

Vala bit down on the overwhelming need to rush to his aid. Turning back around, she started moving once again.

With more effort than he felt he had, Daniel pushed forward with a series of groans and curses until he was directly behind Vala once more. His trembling hand came to rest against her hip again. This time, Vala's hand came to grip hard on his own.

She wasn't gonna let go, and Daniel was determined not to disappoint her.

Appreciate

Daniel shifted to a sitting position in his lawn chair slowly. His arms came to wrap tightly around the slender body in the chair with him.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" He murmured against warm skin, placing a wet kiss to her neck.

Vala laughed quietly. "Yes, darling...many, many times today."

Daniel squeezed her tight. He smiled lazily against her. "Well, I really do - Love you that is."

"I know." Vala continued to flip through her magazine.

"A lot." Daniel whispered into her ear before slowly flicking his tongue across the skin just beneath it. Vala shuddered against him, and he pressed a hand against the inside of her thigh.

"Darling..." Vala placed one hand on his against her, stopping its slow trail northwards. "Are you getting fresh with me?"

Daniel snorted into her hair. "I want to show you how much I REALLY love you."

Vala turned slightly in his embrace, and looked into slightly unfocused blue eyes burning with need, lust, and of course, love. "I don't think that kind of love is recommended after major surgery."

Daniel blew a raspberry. "It wasn't MAJOR surgery." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Exploratory surgery is not major."

"Any surgery you go under is major, mister." Vala stated as she tapped his nose. He rolled his eyes again, then fixed Vala with a pout. She ignored it, and turned back to her magazine.

"It's been weeks..." He whined, resting his forehead against her exposed back. His lips came to her skin softly. "Three LONG weeks, in which I went rolling down a very steep, muddy incline, almost drowned, went through surgery over a possibly busted knee, sickness from anesthesia..." Daniel continued the kisses down her back until he reached the string of the bikini top. His head came up again, and he rested his chin on her shoulder. "All because I was being all romantic and heroic, saving your life."

Vala laughed a moment. "I distinctly remember dragging your butt from that water, through the stargate."

"My hero..." Daniel murmured, placing a kiss to her shoulder. "I should repay you." His hand slid up her stomach slowly. Again, Vala stopped him. "Come on, baby..." Daniel pushed tighter against her, but Vala still shook her head. He laughed against her neck. "I can guarantee I won't feel any pain."

"All thanks to those pain killers." Vala smiled, still focused on her magazine.

Daniel nipped at her flesh. "Good meds..." When Vala still wouldn't react to his advances, Daniel decided to go for a more direct approach. He reached his hand up to her cheek, and turned her face towards his. Before she had a chance to say anything, Daniel took Vala's lips in a passionate kiss. She accepted it for a moment, then gently pushed him away.

"Vala..." He whined against her lips.

Vala pushed him away a little more so she could look into his eyes. "Daniel." She said slowly, fixing him with a serious look. "I watched you almost DIE on that planet." Her hand came to his lips as he opened his mouth to speak. "And you've been so sick and exhausted for the past few weeks. I'm so happy that you're finally beginning to feel like yourself again, and are ready to get things back to..." She smiled. "Normal."

Daniel nodded against her hand, licking her palm mischievously. Vala made a face and he gave her an innocent shrug.

"But right now..." Vala moved her hand away and kissed Daniel softly, wiping her wet palm on the side of his neck. "I'm so much more happy that I can sit here with you, and not have to worry about you. Because for the past three weeks I have been so scared, Daniel."

Daniel sobered at the look in her grey eyes. "I'm sorry..." He whispered, kissing her again. "I didn't mean to scare you..." He sat back, closing his eyes. "You're right...sitting with you is nice. But you know me and medication..." Daniel opened his eyes and gave her a small smile. "I just see you, and...I don't know what I would do without you...I might not have made it if you weren't there this time." He motioned with his hand for her to lay back against him. Vala did so, and Daniel winced slightly at the added pressure to the bruises on his back.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured into her ear as he brushed her hair aside. "And I love you."

Vala smiled. "I love you too."

Daniel kissed her cheek and grinned. "Finally got you to say it back."

Desperation

His heart broke a little more with every single sound of distress Vala made.

Daniel wished he could rush to her side and hold her in his arms forever. Instead he was chained to the wall of a cell watching her suffer from just a few feet away. Watching as what little strength Vala had left quickly ebbed away, and the noose around her neck tightened as her wrists lowered some more.

She was killing herself, and he had to watch on.

And it was all because of a simple kiss. Who knew something they cherished so much between one another could get them into such a dangerous situation? How could they have known that physical contact between a man and a woman out in public was the biggest sacrilege imaginable to that world's culture? When had he stopped thinking with his brain, and started thinking with his heart and...other things...instead? When had his love overshadowed his respect for others' beliefs?

"Daniel..." Vala called out to him weakly. "I can't do this anymore."

Daniel fought against the chains around his wrists. "Yes you can. You're strong, Vala."

Vala shook her head, letting out a tired whimper.

"Yes, baby." Daniel nodded, feeling the tears come to his eyes. "Strong...stubborn..." He yanked hard on one of the chains, feeling it give an inch. "You're a fighter, and you will fight this."

"I'm so tired." Vala sighed, her voice dropping dangerously low. "So tired, Daniel."

Daniel looked to the ceiling, trying to stem his emotions. "I know, but you have to stay awake..."

Vala sighed. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her eyes drifting shut. Her body went limp a second later, and the noose pulled tight around her throat.

"No!" Daniel thrashed out hard, feeling the sharp metal edge of the chains dig deep into his skin. "Vala! Wake up, baby!" He yanked desperately at the restraint that had shifted before. "Son of a bitch! Vala!"

The tears broke free from his eyes as he struggled harder against the binds. Planting his feet, Daniel put all his strength into pulling that one chain out of the wall. He gave a desperate yell, and yanked as hard as he could. There was a sickening snap, and then the scrap of the metal coming free of the stone wall.

Daniel fell to his knees as unimaginable pain shot white hot fire up his now free arm. He couldn't feel his hand at all, and he didn't need to look at his wrist to know he'd broken it. Tear-blurred eyes looked up towards Vala. He gritted his teeth against the pain, and turned back toward the wall.

Letting his free arm dangle at his side, Daniel placed one foot on the wall for leverage. He grabbed at the chain with the hand still attached to it, and pulled with a strangled yell of determination. It was surprisingly easier to move at that angle, and soon he found himself falling backwards to the floor moments later.

A shout of pain broke through as he landed hard on his injured hand. Bile rose in his throat, but Daniel fought against it. He pushed himself to his feet with his uninjured hand and was before Vala in a matter of seconds.

Her lips were beginning to turn a faint shade of blue, and he felt his heart jump into his throat.

"No!" He whispered desperately, and wrapped an arm around her body. He nearly buckled as he pressed his broken wrist against her back to hold her in place against him as he lifted her up. There was barely enough slack for him to loosen the noose around her neck, but it would have to do.

Daniel pulled just enough rope through the loop for it to slip free of Vala head. Unable to hold the weight anymore, he collapsed to the floor with her in his arms. His fingers desperately searched for a pulse, and Daniel felt his stomach drop out when he couldn't find one.

"Vala!" He cried out, panicked. He shook her gently, tears blinding his vision momentarily. "No, dammit! Come on!" Daniel laid her down on the floor, opened her mouth, plugged her nose, and pressed his mouth to hers. He blew precious air into her lungs, then pumped on her chest as best as he could, trying to get Vala's heart pumping on its own.

"No, baby." Daniel sobbed out to her, continuing CPR. "You can't leave me alone. Come on, Vala. You need to breathe, hunny. I can't do this without you." His hand shook as it continued it's work. "Please, Vala..." He placed his ear to her chest, desperate to hear her heart beating. "Oh god!" He sobbed into her bloody shirt, then inhaled deeply as a soft thump came from within her still body.

Daniel sat back up. "Yes!" He resumed CPR, keeping her heart beating. "That's it." Just as his mouth touched against hers again, Vala gasped weakly, then coughed harshly into his mouth. Daniel pulled up with a relieved sob.

"Yes!" He shouted again, running his hand through her hair. He watched as her coughing eased off, and she breathed in and out raggedly. He couldn't stop the tears at how much of a beautiful sight it was. "That's my girl."

"Daniel?" Vala rasped out weakly.

Daniel pulled her into his arms, ignoring the pain that once again shot up from his wrist. He nuzzled into her neck as she weakly, but desperately, wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm here." He sobbed against her, placing wet kisses to her quickly bruising flesh. "I'm here."

Vala buried her head into his shoulder, and started to cry. "I thought I was..."

Daniel pulled away to look into her eyes, and nodded. "You were." He brushed his uninjured hand through her hair again. "But you're here now." Before he had a chance to even think about it, he pressed his lips to Vala's in a desperate kiss. Vala sucked on his mouth just as hard as he did hers. They pulled apart abruptly.

"You scared the shit out of me." Daniel sobbed, placing sweet kisses to Vala's lips between each word.

"I'm sorry." Vala sobbed back.

Daniel hugged her close once more. "Me too, baby. Me too."

They were so wrapped up in one another that neither of them noticed the others watching them. Cameron, Sam, and Teal'c all watched on silently from the other side of the cell bars. They had intended to be the grand cavalry, rushing to the rescue. But one man's overwhelming love had beaten them to it.

And as they watched the couple cling desperately to one another, they were glad it had.

Crazy in Love

A light tap on the door brought Daniel out of his light dozing. He carefully pulled the blanket a little higher over the warm body resting against his, seeing as she was wearing only his shirt. The knock came again.

"Come in." Daniel called out as loud as he could muster without waking Vala. A mildly surprised expression came over his face when he saw who it was. "General?"

It wasn't usually surprising for the General to check up on the members of the team after they came back injured. But, after the ass chewing he'd given the younger man over the incident that had put their lives in danger, Daniel hadn't expected him to come and visit.

Landry looked from him to Vala, and Daniel, for the umpteenth time within one day, felt slightly guilty. It was their disrespectful relationship that had gotten them into this mess in the first place, and yet they wasted no time getting back into each others arms. Hell, they'd practically made out just minutes after Vala had nearly died.

Nobody seemed to understand that the harder their relationship was pushed apart, the tighter they instinctively came together. Daniel would never regret having Vala in his arms, especially after coming so close to losing her. Still, he couldn't help feel like he'd disappointed yet another man he thought of like a father.

"I was just coming to see if you were alright." Landry stated, staying close to the door. If Daniel didn't know any better, he thought he saw guilt play across the General's face. "Both of you."

Daniel looked down at Vala, whose breathing was still slightly wheezy. There was a nasty discolored rope imprint that circled around her throat. "Yeah, we're okay." His gaze shifted to the cast on his wrist before landing on the General once more. "A little shaken, but okay."

Landry nodded. "Good. I never got a chance to check before..."

"Before you yelled at me, sir." Daniel finished. He words were childish, but his tone was understanding.

Landry gave a curt nod. "And for that, I wanted to apologize."

Daniel shifted a little, caught off guard by the unusual admission. "Sir?" He questioned distractedly as Vala whimpered against him. It was a sound that he had hoped never to have to hear again. Leaning down, his free hand ran through her soft hair while he whispered comforting words into her ear. As she settled down again, Daniel placed a sweet kiss to her temple. Still completely asleep, Vala kissed his shirt-covered stomach.

"Jack was right." Hank said with a slight laugh, and Daniel looked up at him curiously. He finally moved farther into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. "He told me that I just wouldn't understand until I saw it for myself, first-hand."

Daniel's head was reeling from total bafflement. "I'm sorry, sir...but what are you talking about?"

"Do you love her?" Landry asked, looking down at Vala.

"Absolutely." Daniel answered without hesitation.

The General nodded. "I always thought maybe it was some," He looked back up at Daniel. "Lust thing between you two. Something I let you two indulge in because it helped settle the tension between both of you, and helped the team work better."

Daniel nodded in understanding. He instinctively began to rub Vala's back even though she couldn't hear the conversation.

"And Jack said that you didn't just fall in lust. That you played all or nothing." Landry held Daniel's gaze. "All I ever saw were you and Vala flirting, or a sexually charged kiss. Then there's the innuendo. So when you came back through the gate, and explained what happened, I assumed-"

"That our sexual passion had gotten the better of us, and put the team in danger." Daniel finished. Again, Landry gave a curt nod. "It did, sir."

"No, son." Hank shook his head. "It was your love, which is something that should never be punished. The rest of your team, as well as General O'Neill - who wasn't even there, immediately jumped to defend Vala and yourself. Mitchell specifically pointed out that it was nothing more than an innocent peck on the lips that got you into the situation."

Daniel looked down at Vala. "Still, I should have had more respect for the culture." He brushed his hand through her hair again. "I don't know when I stopped caring about the views of others - when I stopped thinking before I acted."

Landry chuckled at the statement. "Jack said you'd say exactly that." He rose from the bed and moved to stand beside Daniel. "And he told me to tell you that you have never thought before acting, so there's no reason to beat yourself up for not doing it now. Also, I would venture a guess as to say you stopped caring about the views of others when those others started forcing their beliefs on you."

Daniel nodded slowly, realizing he didn't just mean the people on that horrible planet.

"Wha-?" Vala's raspy voice broke the moment between the two. Daniel looked down at her as she abruptly lifted her head off his lap. His hand rubbed soothing circles on her back once more.

"Hey, it's okay." Daniel leaned down and kissed her hair. "You're safe."

Vala turned her head slightly to look up at him. Daniel took the opportunity to kiss her lips gently.

"See...perfectly safe." He smiled against her mouth.

From the doorway, Hank nodded with a smile, finally understanding what Jack had said.

'They have something so damn wacky and out there. But it's still amazing to watch, knowing no where else will you see such opposites so in love with each other. They give 'crazy in love' a whole new meaning.'

Give

Daniel trailed behind Vala as she stalked out of the elevator, heading towards his office. He fought hard not to stare at the sway of her hips, fearing she would know if he was doing it. He was supposed to be playing confused and bewildered to her expected anger, and staring at her ass was not going to help.

The moment they were within the confines of his office, Daniel set forth the question that would get her going again.

"What the hell was that about?" He asked, referring to her very public outburst minutes earlier in the middle of the briefing room.

Vala spun on her heels, slamming her hand down hard on his workbench. "What do you THINK it was about, Daniel?" She fumed, and Daniel fought hard against the smile trying to break free. She just looked so cute when she was flustered.

He schooled his expression to one of slight cluelessness. "I honestly have no idea, Vala."

Shaking her head, Vala gave him a humorless laugh in response. "Of course you don't! Why would I expect YOU to know? It's not like it's of MAJOR IMPORTANCE or anything..." She looked down at the floor and let out an angry huff of air.

"Did I do something wrong?" Daniel asked as he moved to place a hand on Vala's arm. She held up a warning finger, letting him know he really didn't want to do that. Her grey eyes pierced his blue ones like daggers, and for a moment he thought she would see right through him.

"Oh no! Nothing wrong!" Vala smiled sarcastically. "Not at all! Just being wonderful, dense you, darling. How could I be upset with that?"

Daniel shrugged, shaking his head. "Then why are you upset?"

Vala threw her hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know, Daniel!" She fixed him with a sad, hurt look that made him feel a bit guilty. "You just have no idea, do you?"

Shrugging again, Daniel held out his hands in a totally unknowing gesture. Vala nodded, her eyes getting a little watery. She dropped her gaze to one of the many artifacts scattered over the surface of the workbench. Her fingers brushed across it gently.

"Nevermind then." She said with mild anger. "Don't even worry about it."

Daniel finally smiled, and reached his right hand into his pocket. The other hand went to Vala's cheek, turning her face back towards him. He brought his hand out of his pocket in a fist, and held it at eye length.

Vala met his smile with a hurt scowl. Daniel released his fist, letting a thin gold chain with a small charm on the end fall. It dangled from his fingers, and his grin widened at Vala's shocked look. He took that moment to lean in and place a loving kiss to her slightly parted lips.

"Happy anniversary, beautiful." Daniel smiled as he pulled away.

"You..." Vala whispered, searching his blue eyes, alight with amusement. "You remembered."

Daniel brushed her hair back behind her ear, letting his thumb stoke her temple tenderly. "Of course I remembered." He moved to place the chain around her neck. Vala looked down at the little charm, fingering it delicately as Daniel clasped the necklace in place. "I will never forget the day I stopped being an idiot, and told you how much I deeply loved you for the first time."

Vala smiled, ignoring the tears in her eyes. She smacked Daniel's chest hard. "Bastard! You made me think you'd forgotten." She looked at him with mock irritation as he laughed and rubbed his chest. She pouted. "You're mean and I should hate you."

"I guess that means you don't wanna join me for dinner..." Daniel stated innocently, tapping his fingers on the workbench. He 'oomphed', then laughed again, as Vala threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, while his braced against her back to keep both of them from toppling over.

"Yes!" Vala kissed his neck several times. "Yes, I wanna go to dinner with you!"

Daniel pushed her back a bit, letting his hands rest on the small of her back. He looked down into her now excited eyes, and it made his heart soar. "That's good..." He leaned down and kissed her passionately. "Because I'd hate to have to return that sexy black dress and fantastic pair of boots sitting up on our bed."

Vala's eyes lit up a little more. "My god, Daniel!" She squealed happily. "How am I ever going to top all of this?"

Daniel just smiled mischievously, and pulled her a little closer. "Oh, I can think of a few ways." Vala let out a little laugh as she smirked. "But I think we'll save those thoughts for after dinner."

Vala shrugged innocently, fingers once more going to the charm. "If you insist, darling."

Receive

She swayed gently before him, humming blissfully as she waited for the elevator doors to ding open. Daniel couldn't see her face, be he knew Vala was smiling. And that had him smiling too.

His smile grew as the doors dinged open and she sashayed her way out into the small hallway that led to the next elevator. Her bare feet padded a quiet, slightly uneven, trail as she continued to hum the tune of a song they had heard earlier that evening.

Daniel followed a few steps behind Vala, hands in his pockets. His eyes roamed over every inch of the beautiful woman before him. From her delicate feet, up her wonderfully slender, bare legs to the edge of his suit jacket that she had taken upon herself to put on. His attention moved to her fingertips, just barely peeking out from under his jacket sleeve. They clung to the edge of the material as her arms swayed back and forth with every step she took.

The security checkpoint guard looked up at them as they came to stand before the doors of the next elevator. Vala gave a flirty wave his direction, and the young man blushed. It only made Daniel smile some more.

As Vala stumbled just slightly, letting out a small laugh, the young guard fixed Daniel with a knowing smirk. Daniel just shrugged and placed a hand lightly against Vala's back. She turned her head towards him, and smiled brightly. One that he gladly returned.

The doors to the elevator that would lead them into the bowels of the mountain slid open, and Daniel gently led Vala into the car. He pushed the button for the personnel quarters level. Vala waved a little goodbye to the guard, who once more shared a look with Daniel. The archaeologist just shook his head as the doors closed.

He knew anyone who saw them would think he'd gone out and gotten Vala drunk purposely. Which, in a kind of selfish way, he had. He'd let her have some fun and get a little toasted off champagne on their anniversary. Nobody could really hold that against him. Daniel certainly hadn't done it just to get her in bed. Vala, tipsy or not, was already a willing participant in that regard.

"You have fun tonight?" Daniel finally asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them since they'd left the restaurant. Vala turned to look at him leaning against the wall of the elevator.

"Oh yes, darling." She smiled, stumbling against him as the elevator came to a stop. She leaned up and Daniel placed a soft kiss to her lips. Vala decided that wasn't quite enough and pulled him in for a more exotic kiss.

Daniel forced his lips away from hers slowly, pushing her back gently. "Not here."

"But I have to pay you back, handsome." Vala gave him a naughty smirk as he moved her out of the elevator.

"In our room." Daniel kept his hand on her back as they walked the nearly empty hallway towards their quarters. Vala just shrugged at his comment.

"I like dancing with you, Daniel." She stated as they continued to walk. "We should do it more often."

Daniel had to agree, but decided to play with her a little. "Maybe."

Vala turned her head to look at him expectantly. "It really makes me happy."

"Maybe." Daniel repeated, proud he had resisted her puppy dog eyes.

The comfortable silence returned as they walked the rest if the way to their room. As Daniel pulled the key card from his pocket, Vala leaned into him heavily. Her arms wrapped around his chest. He looked down at her as his free hand rubbed her back.

"You okay?" He asked, slightly concerned.

Vala nodded against him. "Just very much in love."

Daniel smiled and placed a gentle kiss in her hair. "Me too." He swiped the card, and pushed open the door. Vala still clung to him as they walked in. Her head lifted up when she spotted the bucket with a bottle sticking out of it and two glasses beside it on the table.

"Is that?" She asked hopefully, and walked over the table. She pulled the bottle out of the ice, and examined it closely.

"Same kind we were drinking at the restaurant." Daniel smiled as he came to stand up flush against her back. "You said you liked it."

"I do." Vala smiled, then fixed him with a devious smirk. "Are you trying to get me drunk...some more?"

Daniel laughed gently as he leaned in to place a kiss to her lips. "Yes and no. You don't have to drink anymore, if you don't want to." He took the bottle from her hand, and began to remove the wrapper from around the top. "I'm just trying to get myself possibly a little drunk too."

Vala matched his grin as she turned in his grasp to face him. "I think I like that idea."

"I figured you would." Daniel murmured as a loud pop filled the room. He leaned against Vala unnecessarily as he poured the sparkling liquid into the glasses. Placing the bottle down, he handed one glass to Vala, and took the other for himself.

"I love you, Vala Malduran." He whispered into her ear, and Vala laughed a little.

"And I you, Daniel Jackson." She whispered right back. Daniel pulled back a bit and held his glass out towards her.

"To love." He stated with a smile.

Vala softened her own smile, and fixed him with an affectionate look. She tapped her glass against his. "To us."

Daniel conceded the point with a slight nod, and then put the glass to his lips. He went to take a sip, but before he could lower it, Vala tapped his hand up gently. Taking the hint, Daniel drained it empty. As he brought the glass down, Vala already had the bottle ready. She filled it nearly to the brim with champagne, then returned the bottle to the table.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Daniel asked with amusement. He took a small sip this time.

Vala nodded, still sipping from her first glass. "Oh absolutely."

Daniel grinned, and pulled her tight against him. He leaned in and placed a fiery kiss against Vala's lips. As their tongues collided against one another, both put their glasses on the table. Vala took the opportunity to thrust herself hard against Daniel. He in turn pushed her back hard against the table.

She felt herself being lowered to the floor. When they finally broke the kiss, Vala found herself on her back, staring up at a breathless, smiling Daniel.

"I think..." He swallowed. "I'm ready for that payback."

Vala reached out and grabbed him purposely. Daniel groaned lustily as his head came down by her shoulder. In an instant, he found himself on his back staring up at her. Even half-toasted, Vala was still very good. He couldn't help the laugh at how much power she truly had over him.

"It's gonna take a lot to top this perfect night..." Vala stated as she started to unbutton his shirt.

As Vala's lips came to place nipping kisses to his warm flesh, Daniel twisted his fingers in her messy hair. "Oh god, I hope so."

Offers

Vala slowly stirred the spoon in her cup, eyes intent on the crossword Sam had given her. Supposedly it was some big contest going around the base over who could do it in the shortest time. As of the evening before, when her blonde friend had handed her the paper, Daniel was in the lead with a whopping fifteen minute time. The worst time so far was two months, for which General O'Neill currently held the title.

She scribbled some possible answers on a napkin, taking a tentative sip from her coffee. There was the ding of the door to the coffee shop opening. It wasn't until she returned the cup to the counter where she was sitting that she noticed someone was looking over her shoulder.

Vala turned her head to look at a nice looking man, maybe in his mid-thirties. He was smiling sweetly at her. "Yes?" She asked, making her voice just as sweet.

"Tough crossword?" The man asked as he took a seat on the empty stool next to her.

Vala shrugged cutely. "Maybe."

The man set his own cup on the counter. "Would you like some help?"

"No thank you." At the man's confused look, Vala smiled. "It's a little contest where I work. No help allowed." The door dinged again.

"Oh, I see." The man nodded. "A little co-workers' challenge."

Vala nodded in agreement, turning her attention back to the crossword and her coffee. She noted that the man didn't get up.

"I'm Tom." He stated after a moment, shoving his hand between her and the paper she was trying to ignore him with. Vala sighed gently, and fixed him with another flirty look. She gently took his hand, and shook. Once more, the ding of the door filled the coffee shop.

"Vala."

Tom's light brown eyes widened at the name. "Wow, that's..." He smiled. "Different."

Vala nodded. She twisted a finger in one of her pigtails, deciding having a little fun with the poor man couldn't hurt. Especially when she noticed the person leaning on the counter just beyond Tom, his focus on his own coffee and newspaper in front of him.

"I like different." Tom said, cutting right to the chase.

Vala blinked innocently. "Are you flirting with me, Tom?"

Tom shrugged. "And what if I am?"

"How do you know I'm so available to flirt with?" Vala asked curiously, raising her eyebrows a fraction.

Tom smiled knowingly. "A beautiful woman, such as yourself, sitting alone in the middle of the afternoon at a coffee shop downtown, working on a crossword puzzle. It screams single."

Vala turned her stool a little to face him. "I could be waiting for my husband to meet me."

"No ring." Tom pointed to her obviously naked hand.

"Okay..." Vala tapped her pencil to her mouth, considering other possible scenarios. "What if I'm waiting on my boyfriend?"

Tom nodded. "Couples usually sit at a table. You've been sitting at the counter for almost an hour now, with no ring of your cell phone, and no one coming to talk to you."

"You came to talk to me." Vala smiled cheekily.

Throwing up his hands a little for emphasis, Tom laughed a little. "See, it's fate."

Vala reached out a finger, and brushed it down the middle of his shirt. "And what are the fates telling you now?"

"Well..." Tom's eyes flicked momentarily to the low v-cut in Vala's shirt - something she didn't miss, but didn't make any sign of showing she'd seen. "They're telling me you'd like to join me at the nice little Italian restaurant down the street, then see a good romantic movie, which in turn will lead us straight back to my place."

Vala laughed. "Oh yeah?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah."

Turning back to her crossword puzzle, Vala shrugged. "I don't know, Tom. Seems a bit rash."

"Oh come on, beautiful." Tom practically pleaded. "I would die if I didn't get one night with you."

Before Vala had a chance to reply, the man she had noticed before cleared his throat. Both turned to look at him, dressed in a dirty checked over shirt, black shirt, worn jeans, and a crappy baseball cap faded several shades of blue lighter than what it use to be. An off-white dash and a one were the only thing still readable on its front.

"I'm sorry..." He said before taking a sip from his cup. "I couldn't help overhearing." Blue eyes turned towards them, shining bright behind a pair of glasses. "And I must say..." He looked at Tom. "You're going about it all wrong."

Tom looked at the man like the geek he appeared to be. "Really?"

The man nodded. "Oh yeah. She doesn't want Italian food, romantic movies, and then to head to your place afterwards."

"I think I should have a say in what I want." Vala huffed playfully, but both men seemed to ignore her comment.

"Okay, glasses." Tom crossed his arms. "What does she want, I'm curious to know?"

The man pushed off the counter and moved to stand next to him. He stuck his hands in his pockets, and looked at Vala intently. "Well, she wants to go to a trashy Mexican hole in the wall where she can eat a lot of greasy food and drink an insane amount of tequila, leaving with only a slight buzz." Vala tilted her head in slight agreement to his words. "She likes movies where there's guns and explosions, and the possible underlying theme of the hero falling hard for an annoying, but adorable woman who tried to seduce him. But she'd rather go out and get dirty muddin' or loosen up at the firing range instead of being cooped up in a movie theater."

The man ignored Tom's quickly baffling look, and stepped closer to Vala. "And all that adrenaline will get her so wired that she'll barely make it to the car with you before she's got you on your back on the backseat, hands working hard on getting that belt undone."

Vala nibbled on her bottom lip as he took another step closer.

"How'd you like that offer?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Tom peered around his shoulder, looking on, bewildered as Vala nodded her head slowly.

"But what will convince me that your gonna act good on all that?" She asked as her fingers played with the edge of the dirty checked shirt. He pulled a crisp twenty dollar bill from his tight, faded jeans, holding it out for all those watching on to see. Vala grinned like the Chesire Cat, and snatched the bill. She stood up on the bottom railing of the stool, and placed her lips to the man's in an exotic, tongue-filled kiss. His arms wrapped around her back and pulled her body against his. Vala wrapped her legs around his waist, and her hands around his neck.

"How the hell-?" Tom gaped as Vala tore her lips away from the man's.

He smiled up at her. "It's all in the eyes, Tom. Those beautiful, mischievous, loving, slate eyes. Isn't that right, Vala?"

Vala managed to keep her face blank for a moment, then she laughed. "I thought it was all about the hat." She pulled the ratty thing off his head, smacking him with it and sending dust flying. "Where did you get this old, dusty thing anyways, Daniel?"

Daniel 'pfft'ed with mock indignation as he placed her back down on the stool. He scrubbed his hand through his hair a few times, making it stand up in different directions. "I'll have you know that is the cap that was worn by the winning street hockey team five years in a row at work!" His hand grabbed hers holding the cap, and she pulled him in for another supple kiss.

"Sorry I'm late." Daniel murmured against Vala's lips. "Jack got me all caught up in cleaning out the attic."

"I'm gonna have to hurt that man." Vala smiled.

Daniel laughed. "Not before I do."

Vala nodded, then turned her attention to Tom, who was watching with a sudden realization. "Sorry, cutie. This one caught me ages ago." Daniel turned to give Tom a snarky grin. "And his initial pick up line was way better than yours."

Tom nodded. "Sorry I bothered you, miss."

As he stalked off, thoroughly embarrassed, Daniel turned back to Vala. He fixed her with a curious look.

"What was my initial pick up line again?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Vala smiled knowingly. "Don't you remember, darling?" At Daniel's slight head shake, she placed her hand to his cheek in an eerily familiar way. "You called me a fruitcake, of course."

Daniel laughed loudly, then leaned in to kiss her again.

Quiet

Daniel looked up from his research, which was invading every flat surface, save the floor, of the dining room. He listened intently for any sound from the other parts of the house. It had just struck him how quiet the place had gone in the past hour.

"Vala..." He called out, sitting back in his chair. His fingers twirled the pencil in his hand as he listened for some kind of reply. After a few minutes, where silence was the only thing returned, Daniel pushed the chair back and dropped the pencil on the table. He walked around the table, heading in the direction of the living room and the rest of the house.

"Vala?" Daniel called out again, then stopped as he walked past the wall that separated the dining and living rooms. He tilted his head to the side a fraction, a gentle smile spreading across his face. Before him, on the couch, was Vala.

Her bare legs dangling over the arm, she was flipping through one of the many magazines she loved to read. Her feet were swinging in time to whatever music she was listening to on her ipod - one of the first things she'd bought with her own money, which had made her very happy.

Daniel shook his head a little as he slowly approached her. That would explain why she hadn't heard him, and why he'd heard nothing from her in the last hour. She only jumped the slightest inch as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He placed a gentle kiss to her temple.

"Yes, darling?" Vala asked with a smile as she pulled the headphones from her ears.

Daniel knelt down and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Just wonderin' what you were doing..." He smiled. "It was too quiet in here."

Vala's smile morphed into a naughty grin. "Worried, Daniel?"

He shook his head a little. "Just curious." His blue-eyed gaze dropped to the magazine in her lap. "Whatcha reading?"

"Oh, you know..." Vala shrugged and flipped a few pages. "The usual. Figured I'd be a good girl and let you work."

Daniel laughed gently. "See, now I am worried." He squeezed her. "You never just 'let me work.'"

Vala nodded. "I do when there's gossip to catch up on."

"That stuff is trash." Daniel sighed as he placed another kiss to her temple. He stood back up and released his hold on her, running his hand along her back as he moved back towards the dining room.

Vala fixed his retreating form with a pout. "Doesn't mean you have to walk away."

Daniel smiled at her over his shoulder. "I'm not..." He returned his focus forward as he passed back into the dining room. His eyes searched the cluttered table, finally landing on a book.

"Sure looks like you are!" Vala answered, and Daniel smiled again at the whiny tone she used. He carefully extracted the book from the mounds of papers covering it. Once more, he made his way back out to Vala.

"No I'm not." He argued just for the hell of it. "I'm joining you." He held up his book to emphasize the point. "Scoot..." Daniel waved is hands in a forward motion.

Vala frowned slightly, but still moved forward. "I thought you needed to get that research done today."

Daniel climbed over the back of the couch, and settled in behind Vala. "Today's not..." He paused, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Over yet." He rubbed her back gently. "Sit back."

Without hesitation, Vala settled back against his chest. Daniel immediately nuzzled into her neck, placing a soft kiss to the area where her neck and shoulder met. She giggled a little at the action, then turned her head towards him.

"Besides..." Daniel murmured, his thumb brushing over her lips. He quickly took her lips with his, enjoying how familiar they had become to him. Slowly, he pulled his tongue out of Vala's mouth, giving her another small kiss. "I can afford to spend some quiet time with my beautiful girlfriend."

Vala pulled back. "Oh, I'm not complaining." She smiled with a slight shake of her head. Daniel smiled as well, nodding.

"Good."

Vala settled back against Daniel once more. They read quietly together for most of the afternoon. It wasn't until the room was starting to get dark did Vala realize Daniel wasn't holding up his book much. In fact, it was resting against her stomach, barely open at all. She shifted a little, turning her head towards Daniel. A small smile came to her lips.

He was sound asleep, his mouth slightly open as he rested his head back against the couch. She carefully pulled the book from his limp fingers and placed it, along with the magazine she was now reading and her ipod, on the coffee table. Vala slowly turned herself around in Daniel's lap. Gently, she shifted him into a laying position.

He inhaled sharply as his head touched back against the pillow resting against the arm of the couch. He opened his eyes a little, and stared up at Vala. She pulled the blanket from the back of the couch, and settled it over both of them as she came to rest against him.

"Research..." Daniel mumbled sleepily, his face nuzzling into Vala's hair. His arm came to wrap around her instinctively.

Vala slid her hand up under his shirt. "It can wait." She murmured as her hand rubbed soothing circles. "Now it's quiet time."

Daniel smiled, letting his eyes close again. "Hmm...like quiet time." He murmured, drifting back off to sleep.

"Me too." Vala sighed as she closed her eyes.

Prescribed

Cam was only half listening to the conversation between Sam and Carolyn. The three were all sitting in the doctor's office. He and his fellow Lt. Colonel had originally shown up just to see if there was any update on Daniel's condition, the archaeologist having landed himself in the infirmary once again. That conversation had spiraled into a full blown catch up and gossip fest between the women. He had to sit patiently and wait for Sam to finish chatting so he could possibly get a chance to talk with Carolyn about...private matters.

Leaning back in his chair, Cam turned his head to look out into the infirmary. From where he was, he could see Jackson laying in bed...and several seconds later, Vala quietly taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. Just as she turned her head his direction, Cam dropped his chair back down.

"Didn't you say you ordered princess out of here?" He asked curiously, turning his attention back to Carolyn.

She frowned a moment. "I'm assuming you're talking about Vala." At Cam's nod, she nodded as well. "Then yes, I did tell her to leave. She had been at Daniel's side since you brought him through the gate. Not only did she need rest, but she was starting to get a little annoying."

Cam laughed. "Well, it appears she listens to you 'bout as well as she listens to everyone else."

"What are you talking about?" Carolyn sat up a little straighter.

"She's back at Jackson's side..." Cam leaned back in his chair again, checking to see if Vala was still there.

Carolyn rose from her seat. "What? I told her there would be serious consequences in her future if I found her back any time soon." She moved to peek around the edge of the doorway. "Dammit, she's woken him up."

Before she had a chance to go reprimand the former space vixen, Sam placed a hand on her arm.

"Wait, Carolyn." She whispered to her friend as she looked around the doorway herself.

"Wait?" Carolyn whispered back. "She's disturbing my patient."

Sam shook her head. "Just watch and see what happens..."

Vala sat forward a little more in her chair, brushing back the hair from Daniel's forehead. "You look just awful, Daniel." She whispered, hoping whoever was around wouldn't know she was there. Carolyn had been very adamant about next physicals or something when she warned Vala not to come back for several hours.

Daniel looked at her and managed a hint of a smile. "Thank you." His words came out more as air than anything else. His voice was still pretty shot after having a tube down his throat for what seemed like forever.

Carolyn tried to push forward, but Sam stopped her. "She's making him talk, when he really shouldn't be. She needs to leave."

"Just...watch." Sam hissed.

"I didn't mean that as an insult." Vala shook her head. "Awful is better than dead... a lot better, actually."

"I know." Daniel whispered. He reached out a hand to take her hand sitting on the bed. He squeezed gently, letting her know that he understood how hard it was to watch him like this.

Vala smiled. She reached into her jacket with her other hand. "I brought you something."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up curiously.

"What's that?" Cam asked, his tone matching the look on Daniel's face. He had come to join Carolyn and Sam at the doorway. He imagined they looked like something out of a Scooby Doo episode...three heads poked around a doorway, snooping on possible suspects. Of course, one of their 'suspects' was already in hot water for disobeying doctor's orders.

Both women shook their head at the same time.

"Not sure..." Sam said.

Carolyn was pouting. "That woman just can't leave well enough alone, can she?" She wanted nothing more than to stalk up to her and read her the riot act. "Wait, is that?"

All three eyes landed on the little plastic container Vala placed on the bed with Daniel. It had something red inside.

Sam tilted her head. "I think it's...Jello."

Vala nodded as Daniel adamantly shook his head. "Yes, Daniel."

Daniel looked at her and mouthed the word 'no'.

Cam looked down at Carolyn. "Didn't you say Jackson wouldn't eat?"

She nodded. "He refused. I think he's scared he'll get sick some more, after all the anesthesia he was under. I tried to persuade him to eat just a little bit, but he was adamant about it."

"Vala wasn't in here when that happened was she?" Sam asked in a tone of complete understanding. Vala was, after all, one of her closest friends.

Carolyn looked up at Sam. "No. So how could she know Daniel hadn't..."

They all turned their attention back to the pair.

"I know you, darling." Vala was peeling back the covering on the Jello cup, despite Daniel's obvious protests. "You didn't eat anything they tried to give you." She poked at the top of the jiggly substance experimentally. "Because you're scared you're just gonna throw is right back up."

Daniel didn't even attempt to argue. He nodded quickly.

Vala looked at him knowingly. "I understand you're scared. You don't like being sick, but who does?" She looked over the bed for a moment before remembering she hadn't pulled the spoon from her jacket yet. Pulling it out, she scooted to the very edge of her chair again. "You're not gonna get sick again, Daniel."

This time he did argue. "Yes." He whispered.

"Daniel." Vala said in a firm voice. "Stop being so silly about this." She dipped the spoon into the red jello, taking off a small portion from the top. She held it close to Daniel's mouth. "Open up."

Daniel clamped his mouth shut tight and shook his head.

Vala sighed. "You are not three, mister." The spoon tapped against his lips. When he refused to open them, she sat back. "Look, Daniel..." Vala looked straight at him. "I'm really not supposed to be in here. Carolyn kicked me out on pain of very thorough exams and whatsuch. But I was worried you weren't going to eat." She tapped the bottom of the spoon against the top of the Jello cup. "I'm not asking you to eat a whole big dinner or anything. Just your favorite jello." She held it up for emphasis. "Please?"

"He's not going to do it." Cam stated, ever confident in Daniel's stubborn nature.

Sam shook her head in disagreement. "I'm not so sure..."

Carolyn pointed at them. "Look, he's eating it."

"I'll be damned." Cam mumbled.

Daniel opened his mouth slowly, allowing Vala to lay the spoon on his tongue. He closed his mouth around the utensil, and she slowly pulled the spoon back out. He savored the strawberry taste, gently chewing on the soft food. As he swallowed it, Vala smiled at him.

"Good?" She asked, already spooning more out of the cup. Daniel nodded, and she held out the spoon to him again. This time he wasn't so hesitant in accepting the offering, and soon Vala found herself scraping the last little bits of the gelatin from the almost completely empty container.

"Last one." She smiled, leaning forward one more time. This time, as she pulled the spoon out of his mouth, Daniel latched onto her shoulder and pulled her in for a needy kiss. Vala placed her hands on either side of his head to keep from falling on top of him as Daniel shared the last bite of jello with her, via his mouth.

Both swallowed down the food, but didn't break away from each other. Instead, the kiss became long and passionate, full of all the pent up emotion and need they'd had bottled up since he'd been hurt. When they finally did separate, Vala didn't move very far.

"That was good." She smiled as she flipped her hair to one side, bringing her lips to hover just above his.

Daniel nodded in agreement, leaning up to close the inch gap between them. This kiss was gentle, and he fell back to the pillow after only a moment. 'Thank you,' He mouthed to her, not wanting to strain his voice any more.

"You're very welcome, darling." Vala replied, but before she could kiss him again, someone cleared their throat behind her. She turned her head to meet three pairs of eyes watching them.

Screw not straining his voice. "Busted." Daniel whispered into her ear, now flush with his lips. The first genuine smile came to his lips in what seemed like a lifetime. Vala fell back into her chair gracefully, her body rigid with defiance. Daniel reached out to grab her hand once again. He turned his attention to the three now standing at the foot of the bed.

Cam was smiling like an idiot. Sam was blushing just slightly for the both of them, trying hard to fight her own smile. And Carolyn...Daniel's smile widened...Carolyn was doing the worst act of feigning anger that he'd ever seen.

"As much as I should be very upset by what I just saw here..." She looked from Daniel to Vala. Her facade faltered a bit, a small smile breaking loose. "You did get him to eat something, so I guess I can let it slide - this time." It was obvious that she was being serious, at least about that part.

Vala smiled and nodded, turning to look at Daniel. She felt a hand on her back, and glanced up at Carolyn. The doctor leaned down.

"Thank you." Carolyn whispered into her ear, then stood straight once more. She pointed at Daniel. "You get some rest. That's an order."

Daniel nodded, then looked at Vala once more as the others moved to leave. He barely heard the goodbyes of Mitchell and Sam. He was more focused on the pleased smile Vala was giving him. It did more to make him feel better than any medicine he had ever been given.

His gaze flicked back to the door just as the others walked through. Looking back to Vala, he smiled again and moved his head just a fraction. Vala grinned, getting the message. In a heartbeat, she was climbing to lay in the bed with him. It was a tight fit, but that had yet to stop them before.

"How upset would dear Carolyn get if she saw this going on here?" Vala whispered against Daniel's neck mischievously before placing hungry kiss against it. Daniel let out a puff of air, the only half-ass laugh he could manage, and turned his head to place a kiss in Vala's hair.

"Yeah, I thought so too. And she can just kiss off." She smiled, resting her head on his chest.

Daniel nodded, knowing she would get the message yet again. How could Carolyn get it anyway? She was just a regular doctor, and what did they know about what he really needed?

For him, the best medicine was Vala medicine.

Fireworks

"Boy, is she pissed at you."

Daniel followed Jack's gaze across the yard to where Vala stood glaring at him. He sighed and took a long pull from the beer in his hand. He turned his blues eyes back towards his friend, and shrugged helplessly.

"I didn't intend to-" Daniel mumbled as he fiddled with the label on his bottle.

"Be an ass?" Jack finished as he leaned back in his chair.

Daniel gave him an annoyed glance. "I wasn't gonna put it that way, but yeah, I guess it works."

Jack smiled at him sympathetically. "You never do, Danny-boy. Especially when it comes to your Spacesparrow over there."

"It was just a joke, Jack." Daniel sat forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared at the beer bottle dangling from his fingers. "I never meant to hurt her feelings." He once more fixed his friend with a helpless look. "I wouldn't do that, at least not on purpose."

"Well, making a wise crack about her ability to handle explosives after she's just been burned by one isn't exactly smooth." Jack said as he sipped from his own beer.

Daniel glared at his best friend. "Yes, well, my role model isn't exactly up on the subject either."

Jack laughed. "You need a better role model." He pointed his bottle towards the younger man.

"No..." Daniel sat back again with a sigh. "I just need to know when not to use his 'foot in mouth' technique on my girlfriend."

"You were doing that long before I had any influence on you." Jack stated with indignation.

Daniel shrugged, conceding the point. He drank the last dregs from his bottle, venturing a look towards Vala as she walked inside. She caught his look, and sent him a very unpleasant glare. Daniel dropped the bottle from his lips dejectedly and moved to stand.

"I'm getting another beer." He mumbled as he dropped the empty into the bin they'd set between them.

Jack watched him walk past. "Getting shit faced isn't going to make her just up and forgive you."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah..." He turned to look at his older friend, walking across the yard backwards. "But it'll give me the courage to apologize, and will be a plausible excuse for the stupid things I say when I do."

* * * *
Vala hissed loudly as she ran her arm under the cold water. The flesh that had been scorched by the firework was still burning and throbbing badly. She knew she should go and ask for help, but was stubborn to do so. Because the only person she wanted to make her feel better was the one person she was mad at.

Vala had known Daniel was joking when he'd asked how a woman who had spent her whole life around explosive situations could be injured by puny earth fireworks. But, it had hit a personal nerve, and she'd snapped at him.

Still, Vala realized as she struggled to get the fresh gauze and burn ointment from the first-aid kit one-handed, maybe she had been a bit dramatic. Daniel had been the one immediately at her side when it'd happened, and had only been trying to lighten things when he'd made the comment.

Her arm scraped along the faucet as she continued to struggle with the first-aid kit. She let out a loud curse as the pain in her arm skyrocketed, and had to fight the urge to grasp the aching limb with her other hand. A shadow fell across her not even a second later.

"Here, let me help." Vala looked at Daniel as he stood next to her. She watched him place his beer bottle down on the tile counter with a little more focus than was required, and reach out a hand to take her injured arm gently. As he stood there, continuing to run her arm under the cool water, Vala noticed how he swayed in place ever so slightly.

She pointed with her other hand to the bottle on the counter. "How many of those have you had?"

"Enough." Daniel stated calmly as he moved to open the first-aid kit. His touch was careful and tender as he slowly applied the ointment to the burn, then wrapped it in the gauze. Vala couldn't help her smile as Daniel brought her wrapped arm to his lips and placed a few chaste kisses against it.

"Why do you have to be so completely..." Vala sighed as he lowered her arm, his fingers playing with hers. "Adorable."

Daniel gave her a sweet smile, but his eyes were serious. "I'm sorry for saying what I did."

Vala nodded. "I know...you never intended it to be anything more than a joke. But it still hurt."

"Sorry again." Daniel sighed, looking down at her hand in his. "Next time, I'll just keep my mouth shut."

"No you won't." Vala laughed quietly. She closed the space between them, and placed a hand to his cheek. When he looked at her, she leaned up to place a forgiving kiss to his accepting lips. His arm wrapped around her, and squeezed her tighter against him.

Vala slowly pulled her tongue out of his mouth, and fixed him with an amused smirk. "So how many beers HAVE you had?"

Daniel smiled and nodded, picking up on her subtle reprimand. "A few." As her eyebrows shot up a little, he sighed. "Okay, quite a few. What can I say...I was feeling very guilty." He batted his eyes a few times innocently.

Vala backed out of his grasp. "YOU are a coward, Daniel Jackson!" She laughed as she gave him a playful shove.

Daniel laughed as he took a step back. He picked up his beer from the counter and took a sip. "Only when it comes to you. You scare me." He stopped as a loud boom shook the house gently. He smiled and reached out to Vala. "Come on..."

He led her back outside, where the evening fireworks show had just started in the park across from them. They came to stand by the railing of the porch, where the others had gathered. Vala settled back against Daniel's chest as his arms came to wrap around her waist, beer bottle still dangling between his hands.

"Take it everything's okay in space cadet camp?" Jack asked with amusement as he looked up at them from where he was sitting on the porch steps. Daniel took a sip from his bottle, smiled, and squeezed Vala gently. She smiled as well. Their gaze drifted upwards as a variety of colors erupted above them.

"So beautiful." Vala whispered as she watched the sky.

"Indeed." Daniel whispered in return, his sights set on her rather than the sky. Vala turned to look at him, and smiled when she realized he wasn't talking about the light show above. Daniel smiled back, and leaned in for a passionate kiss.

Their tongues crashed together as the fireworks exploded overhead.

Always

Vala closed the front door with a soft click as the few remaining party guests finally pulled out of the driveway. She turned and rested her back against the door, fixing a loving gaze on the person standing opposite her.

He was watching her with affection in his half-lidded, slightly unfocused eyes. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans, hanging low on his hips, as he leaned back against the wall.

Pushing off the door, Vala slowly made her way over to him. A soft smile graced his lips as he reached one hand out to her. She latched onto it with her own, and found herself pulled comfortably against his chest.

"Have fun?" She asked with a smile that told him she knew he had.

"Mmmmm..." Daniel nodded, then leaned down to capture Vala's mouth in a sensual kiss, his fingers still entwined with hers. His other hand came to cup her cheek. He pulled away slowly, letting his thumb brush over her skin. "Thank you for this."

Vala smiled a little more, then kissed him softly. "You know how I love to throw a party."

"Oh, I do." Daniel laughed gently. "And I think this one tops them all."

"You're only saying that because this one was for you." Vala laughed. "And as I recall, you weren't always so appreciative of them."

Daniel shook his head, a smirk coming to his face. "Well, technically, it wasn't my birthday then."

Vala gave him an innocent smile. "Technically, it still isn't."

"Yes it is!" Daniel argued. "I distinctly remember it being past midnight a few hours ago." He looked up towards the ceiling, trying to focus his thoughts. "Of course that was several drinks ago, sooo..." His blue eyes returned to look into her smiling grey ones. "My memory gets a little foggy when-"

"You're smashed?" Vala asked with a smile.

Daniel frowned playfully. "I was gonna say when I've had a drink or two."

"Because you've only had one or two." Vala nodded in sarcastic agreement.

"Well, I started off with just one or two." Daniel snorted, resting his forehead against hers.

"And most definitely worked your way up." Vala grinned and kissed his waiting lips.

Daniel just shrugged and gave her a dopey smile. "I AM the birthday boy, ya know." He brought his head back to rest against the wall, and his arms wrapped around her waist. "Besides, I'm a lot better off than I have been the last few years."

Vala nodded. "True...you made it through the whole thing this time. And there's only the slightest slur to those eloquent words of yours. Jack would be proud, if he wasn't passed out in the spare bedroom."

Daniel laughed loudly. "I told him not to play all those drinking games with Mitchell."

"Who is drooling all over our couch at this very moment." Vala sighed with a slight shake of her head. "You guys could seriously rival some of my former..." As Daniel brought his head down to give her an amused glance, Vala grinned. "Associates... for drinking your way through a celebration."

"What can I say... the boys of SG-1 just know how to have a good time." To emphasize his point, Daniel placed a hungry kiss to Vala's lips, pushing his tongue deep into her mouth. She laughed lustily back into his, and he groaned as one of her hands pushed against him suggestively. He tore his mouth away and fixed her with needy eyes.

"So do the girls." She whispered into his ear, her voice rough with desire.

Daniel smiled and pushed them off the wall. Vala grasped his hand once more, and began to pull him down the hall towards the back of the house. It was a little slow going, filled with bubbles of laughter on Daniel's part, as he was kind of unsteady on his feet.

"Does this mean I get my birthday present-" Daniel was cut off a moment as he collided with a table against the hall wall. He snorted out a small laugh. "Now."

Vala just turned to fix him with a naughty grin.

* * * *
Her fingers stroked through his damp hair as he rested against her. Vala smiled as he placed soft kisses to her stomach. His hand stroked the inside of her thigh possessively.

"Love you, baby." Daniel whispered softly against her slick flesh. He brought his head to rest on her chest, just below her chin. "Love you cause you make me feel important."

Vala placed a kiss in his hair. "You are important, darling. Always have been, and always will be."

"Thank you for the party...thank you for..." Daniel sighed. "Loving me."

"Something else that will always be." Vala answered quietly, but Daniel had seemed to already have slipped into an alcohol-induced and pleasurably exhausted sleep. She smiled as she brought the comforter to rest just below his chin.

"Happy Birthday, my Daniel." Vala whispered into his ear, allowing sleep to take her as well. She didn't see the smile come to his lips, or hear the whispered 'thank you' around his happy tears.

Groceries

"Let me ask you a question..." Daniel said nonchalantly as he leaned on the shopping cart. He turned it to move down the next aisle.

Vala didn't even look up from the magazine she'd swiped from the rack on their way in. "Sure, darling."

Daniel moved away from the cart to peruse along the shelves. "I'm just curious to know..." He looked back at Vala, and waited for her to look up. Finally, she graced him with her attention with a slight tilt of her head. "How sitting IN the shopping cart actually translates into helping me with the shopping?"

Vala smiled slowly. "I am helping, gorgeous." She pointed her finger to a spot somewhere past Daniel on the shelf. "We need more Coco Puffs."

"Ah!" Daniel smacked his forehead dramatically. "Yes, that's such a help!" He turned to grab the box of cereal. "Thank you so much!" Vala's sarcastic grin matched his sardonic tone as he walked back over to her in the cart. "WHAT would I do without you?!" He tossed the box in her lap. Vala happily accepted the playful kiss Daniel dropped on her lips.

"Eat healthier, of course." She winked as he pulled away.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "And maybe be a little saner..." He grumbled good-naturedly as he moved back around the cart, starting to push it forward once again.

Vala gave him an impish grin. "But you love how I drive you crazy too much."

"I think I love you too much..." Daniel sighed, his blue eyes affectionately staring into hers. She let out a little laugh at the comment, eventually turning her attention back to the magazine. The cart rounded another aisle.

Daniel fixed Vala with a patient stare. "Feel like 'assisting' some more, my wonderful little shopper?"

"Popsicles!" Was the sudden excited squeal he got in return.

"We need...popsicles?" Daniel asked slowly, raising an eyebrow. Vala looked up at him, giving him the 'isn't it obvious?' stare. He shook his head - not that obvious. She sighed and held the magazine up. There was a picture of a young model eating one of the frozen treats...with purpose. Vala tapped the glossy page impatiently.

"She's making me want a popsicle!" Vala smiled.

Daniel eyed the picture, breathing in deeply. "She's making me want one too." He murmured as he tilted his head, and was rewarded with a hard whack to his arm with a box of spaghetti noodles. Vala was glaring at him as he looked at her. Daniel shrugged.

"Hey...you showed me the picture!" He laughed.

Vala shook her head. "I was showing you the POPSICLE..." She tossed the magazine hard onto the shelf nearby, suddenly disgusted by it. Daniel's oogling moment didn't do anything to kill her sudden need for one herself, however. "Which I still want..." Hands gripping the sides of the cart, Vala moved to climb out. Daniel wasted no time to assist her. His hand very slowly wrapped around her back, and pressed Vala tight against him. Her grey eyes shimmered just inches from his.

"Come here often, beautiful?" Daniel couldn't help himself from saying before taking her mouth with his. Vala laughed into it as he carefully lifted her out of the cart. He held her up for a few more moments, then slowly her feet came to rest on the floor. It took several more moments for their lips to part.

"You are such a cheeseball." Vala squeezed her hand over Daniel's face as they pulled apart. His lips pushed out like a fish, and she kissed them gently. Seconds later, she latched onto his wrist and began to drag him down the aisle. Daniel barely had enough time to snatch the end of the cart with his free hand.

"Where are we going?" He asked, trying hard to keep the cart from veering into any of the displays.

Vala looked over her shoulder at him. "Popsicles."

"That explains everything..." Daniel rolled his eyes despite the fact that Vala wasn't looking at him. The other shoppers were staring as she dragged him all the way across the store to the frozen food section. All he could do was smile at their bewildered looks.

The sudden stop Vala made had him nearly colliding against her. Daniel let out a grunt as the cart hit him in the back, hard.

"You REALLY need to warn me before you decide to stop like that." He growled with slight exasperation. He unclenched his hand from around the metal basket, wincing. Vala made no attempt to show that she'd heard him. From the excited look on her face, Daniel had a feeling she hadn't.

She pointed into the freezer before her, bouncing in place. "Popsicles."

Daniel shook his head, unable to resist the amused smile that came to his lips. "You do know that you'll have to wait until we get home to have one." He said slowly, leaning in close to try and divert her gaze towards him.

Vala pushed her lips out in a pout. "Oh Daniel, that's just mean!" She whined, stamping her foot just slightly.

"You sound like you're four, you know that?" Daniel laughed, nodding a little. He closed in several more inches until his lips were hovering just before hers.

Twisting back and forth, Vala wrapped her finger around a section of hair from one of her pigtails. "Please, Daniel..." She fixed him with the most innocent look he'd ever seen her fake for him before. She bounced again, this time in a more tantrum like fashion. "PLEEEASE!" She whined.

Daniel laughed again, turning away from her. He shrugged as he took a few steps, then turned back. Her attention was once more on the frozen treat just beyond the glass. Vala placed her hand to the glass, and started to stroke her fingers over the area directly before her prize.

"I really do love them." She murmured. Daniel dropped his head, grinning to the floor. He walked the steps back to her and reached out his hand to grasp hers.

"You are a fruitcake..." He stated with affection before capturing her lips in a loving kiss. Turning Vala towards him with the hand on hers, he used the other one to open the freezer door and pull out the box of popsicles. Breaking away from her, Daniel held the box before her eyes.

"Popsicles." He smiled, and Vala snatched the box away greedily. In a matter of moments, she had the top ripped open, and was pulling one from the box. She then tossed it back to Daniel. He caught it with an 'oomph', and gave her a pointed glare. Vala simply shrugged and turned her attention to getting the wrapper open. Moments later, she fell into step with Daniel, dropping the wrapper into the cart. Her free arm linked with his.

Daniel tried his best to focus on getting the things they needed. But having Vala standing there, slowly devouring the popsicle with her mouth, had him VERY distracted. Before long, he was ushering her towards the checkout area. If they stayed in the store for much longer, he would be doing something that would most likely get them kicked out...permanently.

Vala was just finishing up her obviously grape popsicle as Daniel was loading the groceries onto the register belt. As he moved around to the other end of the cart, Vala slowly began to lick her fingers. And his resolve completely fell away.

Before every employee and other customer who had been watching on, Daniel crashed his lips against Vala's, squeezing her body tight to his. She moaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He savored the grape taste as his tongue plundered the flavor from her warm mouth. VERY slowly, Daniel pulled away, making sure to suck on her bottom lip a moment.

They just stared at each other lovingly, until the very unsteady voice of their cashier broke the moment.

"Uh, that's uh...forty-five sixteen...sir." He stuttered.

Daniel smiled slowly, licking his lips. His blue-eyed gaze never left Vala's. "You got the popsicles, right?"

The cashier nodded. "Y-yes...sir."

Releasing Vala, Daniel moved to grab his wallet from his pocket. "Good..." He stated as he counted out the money. Handing the boy the bills, Daniel sighed pleasantly. "Because they are very, VERY satisfying."

The boy could only sputter in return. Vala leaned close to Daniel, and whispered in his ear.

"You are very naughty, darling."

Daniel turned to give her a naughty smirk. "Almost as naughty as you, babe." He whispered back before moving to kiss her again.

Kissing You

The lights of the cargo ship were lowered to a dim glow as Daniel passed from the hold to the front of the ship silently. Behind him, Sam, Mitchell, and Teal'c were all very much asleep. Well, he wasn't quite so sure about Teal'c, but the two Colonels were definitely going to be out for a few hours.

Not that he could blame them. All of them were exhausted after having been stranded on an unfriendly planet for the past two weeks. The gate on their end had malfunctioned not long after their arrival, and of course SG-1 had been the prime target of blame. It made just surviving from one day to the next difficult, not to mention trying to barter passage off the planet.

In the end, it'd come down to Vala falling back on her old ways of cunning manipulations and quick steal techniques to get them off that miserable planet. The fact that it was the type of world Vala frequented in her former occupation made Daniel's skin crawl. The place had been infested with drunken womanizers and sexual predators. He knew Vala could hold her own in those situations. It's the reason she was the way she was when they'd first met, why she still fell back on such ways. It had been burned into her very nature, and he didn't expect her to just turn it off like it was nothing. Her sexual nature was part of the charm she so strongly had him wrapped in. But just seeing how she lived her life before deeply upset him, especially since she had shared the burden of her protection with him.

Placing the items in his hand down by the center console, Daniel stepped up behind the only occupied space in the area - the pilot's chair. Snaking his arms down her chest, clasping his hands loosely together, he rested his chin in her hair. Vala inhaled gently at his touch.

"Everyone's asleep." He murmured as his blue eyes stared out at the once spectacular view of traveling through hyperspace. It didn't even spark intrigue anymore, not for anyone aboard their ship at least. It was just another aspect of their everyday lives.

"As you should be." Vala murmured in return. Her nimble fingers easily moved over the controls before her. This was one of her areas of expertise, and Daniel reveled in watching her work with such ease.

He squeezed her gently. "No, as you should be." He placed a chaste kiss in her hair. "You've been going non-stop for almost the entire time we were trapped on that planet. It's time to take a breather."

Vala laughed a little at his words. "I'll 'take a breather' as soon I'm sure my part is done, darling." She patted his hand, almost reassuringly.

"Your part is done, Vala." Daniel sighed, rising and moving around the chair to kneel before her. She fixed him with a look that seemed almost...shameful. "You did really good today, ya know that?" He smiled and squeezed her knee affectionately. "The entire two weeks, as a matter of fact."

She shook her head. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Daniel tilted his head a fraction. "Why would you need to feel better? You did what needed to be done to get your team to safety. That's something to be proud of, for which I very much am. Proud and thankful." His lips pressed against her BDU-covered knee in a small kiss.

"You're proud of me?" Vala whispered, almost as if asking would make it untrue.

Nodding, Daniel leaned up a little bit further. He cupped her face softly, his thumb running over her lips slowly. "Of course I am." He breathed, pushing his lips to hers seconds later. One of Vala's hands came to the back of his neck, pulling him in just a little closer. Daniel had to place a hand against the arm of the chair to keep his balance. Separating, he smiled as his thumb continued to caress her cheek.

"Sleep." He whispered. Vala shook her head, and Daniel nodded right back. "Yes, Vala."

She still shook her head. "No. Someone has to stay here at the controls. And the ship is too wonky and unstable for me to feel comfortable with anyone but me doing it."

Smiling, Daniel placed a kiss to her forehead. "I had a feeling you'd say that." At Vala's curious look, he pushed off the chair and moved to retrieve the blankets he'd brought with him from their packs. He laid them over the arm of the other chair, and turned back to her. "It's not exactly the Hilton, but I figured Chez Daniel was just as good, under the circumstances."

Vala smiled at the cute grin on Daniel's face. "That's sweet, really. But you need the sleep just as much as I do, and that chair will do nothing to help you relax."

"Correction, I don't need the sleep as much as you do." Daniel held up his finger. "And you cuddled in my lap will help me relax plenty, especially if it means YOU," the finger pointed at her. "Will be getting some rest." He closed the short space between them, and looked down at her. "Come on Vala, you're beat. Even those ridiculously adorable pigtails of yours are tired." He indicated back to the other chair. "We'll be right at the other console if anything goes wrong, which I'm sure it won't, but just incase."

She squinted up at him skeptically. "And you'll wake me if you need me?"

Daniel nodded. "Absolutely."

Sighing, Vala gave in. "Okay, I guess I could sleep for a few hours."

Practically bouncing in victory, Daniel clapped his hands together. "Thank you." He brushed back the bangs from Vala's face as she stood up slowly. Even rundown and sleep deprived, in the glow of the lights she looked radiant to him. How quickly she had become his everything, his true purpose. "Did my heart love till now?" He stated tenderly, a line memorized ages ago returning to him in that instant. "Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

Vala smiled. Only Daniel would utter such words of affection to her in the confines of an old, dilapidated cargo ship after two weeks of just fighting to stay alive. "Come on, my Romeo." She grinned, happy that this was one cultural reference she knew well. Leading him over to the other chair, she picked up one of the blankets and wrapped it around herself "Whisper words to me with that golden tongue of yours as I drift off in your arms."

Sliding into the chair, Daniel helped Vala settle in comfortably against him and draped the second blanket over them. He placed a kiss in her hair as she rested her head against his shoulder. "What whispered words would you like, my love? Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing? Or something more modern, like Moulin Rouge, Titanic, or everyone's personal favorite - Rent?" He whispered into her ear, and she giggled. "And do you want it in English, or something a little more romantic, say Italian or Latin even?"

"Do you really think my pigtails are ridiculous?" She asked in a small voice.

Daniel didn't even blink at the rapid jump in subject. "I believe I said they were ridiculously adorable." He laughed. "Which makes the whole meaning of the ridiculous part something completely different than normal...I love your pigtails, baby."

Vala's eyes were already closed. "Oh..." She yawned, snuggling deeper into Daniel. "Okay." She mumbled, drifting off quickly.

Placing a hand on the side of her head lovingly, almost protectively, Daniel sighed contentedly. "Sleep well, my sweet Juliet." He rested his head back against the chair. "May your dreams be of..." He grinned smugly to himself. "Kissing me, for if I sleep this night, mine will surely be of kissing you."

Just Desserts

"Okay..." Vala smiled, poking her fork at the pie sitting on the table between her and her all time favorite accomplice. She jabbed at a big chunk, and brought it to her mouth. "Mmmm!" The fork pointed across the table. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." She mumbled around the food, grinning.

Daniel nodded, his own fork still poking at the dessert on the table. They just started into it. "No day but today." He replied almost immediately, and Vala slumped in her chair.

"So not fair!" She pouted, once more jabbing at the helpless pie. "You're way better at this then I am!"

Shaking his head, Daniel bit down on a piece of pie. "No, you're doing really well." He smiled. "Besides, we just got started. After a few, you'll warm into it." Vala sighed in return, looking like she only half believed him. "And it's only a game, babe."

Vala brought one foot up on the chair, wrapping her free hand around her knee. "I know." She absently looked around the deserted commissary. "But you know how I feel about losing."

Daniel laughed. "Yeah..." He pulled the word out. "You don't do it."

"Exactly!" Vala whipped her head back to look at him challengingly. She popped a piece of pie in her mouth for effect. Daniel grinned back affectionately. He loved these little moments when it was just them. He leaned across the table, and Vala met him halfway. Their lips met in a sweet kiss above the pie.

Falling back into his seat, Daniel jabbed at the dessert once more. "It's your turn, by the way." He smiled playfully as more of the delicious treat made it to his mouth. Vala squinted at him, still hovering above the middle of the table.

"Carpe Diem." She finally said, gracefully placing herself back in her seat.

Daniel's eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "Wow, you actually remember that one."

Munching on some pie, Vala shrugged as if it was nothing. "I remember a lot of things we watch together, darling." She pointed the fork at him again. "And now it's your turn, by the way."

He stuck his tongue out at her mocking tone. His eyes were smiling, though, for her previous statement. She might treat it as nothing, but it meant a great deal to him. "You complete me." He smiled sheepishly, one which Vala returned.

Her smile turned into a shit-eating grin. "It was Beauty killed the Beast."

A loud burst of laughter filled the deserted dining area as Daniel cracked up at what she was implying. "Ding Dong, the Witch is dead!" He quipped back playfully. The piece of pie that had halted midway to his mouth at his hysterical outburst continued once more.

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Vala shrugged, also stuffing a piece in her mouth. Daniel shrugged himself, and nodded.

"Do or do not. There is no try." Daniel grinned, knowing Teal'c would praise him for that one.

Vala twirled her fork in the massacre that had once been pie, still only partly finished. "All you need is love."

"Actually, that was the Beatles first." Daniel said, then smiled at her blank look. "Nevermind..." He sat back in his seat, his mind going over possible choices. He sat forward again, thrust his fork in the mayhem on the table, and held it up in a sort of toast. "Here's looking at you kid." Then he popped the piece into his mouth.

Tilting her head, she smiled at him lovingly. Instead of complimenting his, Vala decided to throw a wrench into his work. "You can't handle the truth!" She grinned, still twirling the fork.

Daniel laughed quietly. He decided to attack her counter measure with his own. "You're doing it Peter! You're playing with us!" He sing-songed with a boyish grin on his face. He laughed again as Vala rolled her eyes dramatically. She loved the movie just as much as he did, and he knew it.

The shit-eating grin returned. "My only love sprung from my only hate."

Mouth falling open, Daniel feigned hurt. "Oh, that's cold!" He gasped, shaking his head. He shoved a piece of pie in his mouth. "So not right." He stared down at the mess on the table until Vala placed a finger on his chin and tilted his gaze towards hers. She was once again leaning over the table, her slim waist just barely hovering above the pie.

"Some things are certain." She murmured before kissing him. Daniel brought his free hand to place against her chest. Vala tasted like the pie, and that something that was only unique to her. Their lips parted with a near silent 'smack'. She fell back into her seat, and placed a huge piece of pie in her mouth - which Daniel was watching hungrily. And she knew he was.

As she deliberately 'savored' the piece, Daniel licked his lips slowly. "It wasn't your turn." He finally managed to say before biting down on a piece himself to distract him from Vala's moist, pouting lips.

"You were taking too long." Vala shrugged, and Daniel squinted at her.

"May the force be with you." He stated, regaining some of his composure. His gaze drifted up a moment as the commissary became less empty. Then it was back to the mangled monstrosity to snatch another bite. He sat back in his chair, and looked at Vala innocently. She returned the look, having heard them come in.

"What in the hell are you two doing?" Cam gaped at the science project that once was a pie sitting between the couple.

Daniel chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Eating pie." He said calmly, sarcastically, around the food in his mouth. Vala nodded in agreement, stuffing a piece in her mouth.

Sam crossed her arms like a parent catching the child doing something wrong. "And how did you two come by a whole pie?"

His innocent demeanor quickly ebbed away under her withering blue stare. "Maybe...possibly..." Daniel choked down a laugh. He looked up to see Vala's facade fading as well. "Absconded from the kitchen..." He snickered, poking at the stolen pie with amusement.

"Daniel!" Sam gasped, though everyone could hear the underlying laughter in it. "You stole an entire pie from the kitchen!"

Shaking his head, Daniel continued to jab at the food. "No! I did not steal an entire pie." He looked up at Vala, and sat back in his chair. "WE stole an entire pie." He laughed and she followed with her own bunch of giggling. So much for losing the bad case of the giggles that had led them to this predicament in the first place. Vala placed her head in her arms on the table, now unable to stop the laughter.

Cam watched his two teammates, his friends, laughing hysterically. "Are they drunk or high, or something?" He whispered between Sam and Teal'c.

Head shooting up from the table, still giggling, Vala shook her head and raised her hand holding the fork. "No! We are not drunk, or high, or something!" Daniel laughed at her imitation of Mitchell, and it started her off again. "It's just a very, very, VERY bad case of the giggles." She pointed an accusing fork at the trio. "Which was dying away over some rather delicious pie until you guys decided to show up."

"Seriously." Daniel said trying to rein in his laughter. "What's with the third degree here?"

Sam stared at him, almost disbelieving. "It's almost one in the morning, and you two are alone, unsupervised in the commissary eating STOLEN pie...Doesn't that seem a little wrong to you?"

Shaking his head, Daniel offered a small smile. "No." He squeaked before the laughter started again.

"It's not like anyone will MOURN for the pie..." Vala giggled, eyeing their recent masterpiece. "Or what once resembled a pie."

Cam shrugged. "The kitchen staff might, ya know."

Daniel 'pffted' through a laugh. "Oh, those ol' women love me. They won't mind if I steal a pie or two."

"Correction, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c smiled, completely amused by the state of his two younger friends. "Those 'ol' women', as you say, do not love you anymore."

The archaeologist eyed the Jaffa curiously. "Oh?" He said, swallowing down the giggles.

"Nope." Sam rocked on her heels. "They stopped loving you the moment you weren't available anymore." She looked a Vala, her best friend. "And I think the idea of you stealing one of their precious pies to eat with the woman who took away their chances with you isn't one that will sit well."

The laughter started up all over again at Sam's announcement. "You hear that, baby?" Daniel leaned forward, and placed a hand on Vala's wrist. "You're even makin' ol' ladies jealous!" Vala giggled and moved to place a passionate kiss to his lips. They separated moments later, the kiss just barely killing their overwhelming amusement with everything.

Before anyone else could say anything, Vala perked up. "Life will find a way!" She pointed her fork at Daniel in a 'HA!' motion.

"Death is only the beginning!" He shot back almost immediately, also shoving his fork in her direction. The three other members of SG-1 watched on, perplexed by the sudden outbursts.

Vala squinted at him a moment, then smiled widely. "Hoist the colors." She emphasized it with a swish of her fork.

Blue eyes went wide. "No!" Daniel smacked the table with his forkless hand. "That was mine, dammit!"

"AH HA!" Vala laughed in delight. "I won!"

Daniel shook his head vehemently. "You SO did not win! You cheated!" Vala only shrugged innocently, and stuck her tongue out. Daniel rolled his eyes, jabbed his fork in the pie, and flicked the piece at her. Her shocked look and accompanying gasp of surprise was delightful.

"Daniel!" Sam snapped, but before she could doing anything else, Vala grabbed a bit with her hand and chucked it back at him.

"Vala!" Cam said in an almost identical tone to Sam's.

Both ignored the shouts, and in an instant Vala was across the table and trying to shove the remains of pie into Daniel face. He caught her hands, however. And all they managed to succeed in was toppling the chair over, the pie carcass smushed between them as Daniel made sure Vala didn't get hurt in the fall. They were laughing once again.

"Now see what you did?" Sam looked down at them.

And it was the wrong thing to say. Because the couple shared an equal look of mischief, then Daniel flipped Vala over so she was pinned beneath him. He gave her a fiery kiss, then dashed off in the direction of the kitchen. Vala growled and was almost instantly on his heels.

Teal'c, Cam, and Sam stood there in mild shock for a moment, then followed quickly behind the troublesome pair. The scene that had unfolded within maybe a minute of their stunned stupor was unbelievable.

Daniel and Vala were already covered from head to toe in whatever food that had been most accessible around the now devastated kitchen. They had somehow managed to find the cans of whip cream within that short time, and were now shooting it at each other across a short distance.

"Hey!" The Colonels shouted simultaneously, but it fell on deaf ears. The pair worked their way closer to each other, laughing uncontrollably. Vala suddenly lost her balance, and Daniel moved to catch her. Both fell to the ground, once more tangled up in each other. Their whip cream ammunition fell to the floor with loud, aluminum bangs.

The two laid there, breathless and panting.

"Shit..." Daniel wheezed out. He placed a happy kiss to Vala's lips, not caring that both of them were covered in various food products. He pulled away with a smile, rubbing some of the crap he was covered in all over her face. "You get me in so much trouble!"

Vala laughed, smacking at his chest and smearing what he had on his face a little more. His glasses had been lost somewhere in the initial food fight. Before they could take the tussle any further, she was dragged off him by Cameron, much to their protests. Daniel was held back by Teal'c, not even really struggling in the strong hold. The couple was still laughing, the giggles never really having died down.

"Wow..." Cam drawled. "You two are gonna be in some serious shit over this one." He shared a look with Sam. "And we thought it was bad when they WEREN'T together!"

She nodded, and then almost instantly started shaking her head. Walking up to Daniel, she glared at him like a sister would a troublesome little brother she was babysitting. He smiled impishly, and she shook her head again. Moving over to Vala, Sam got an almost identical smile from her.

"Food fights in the commissary kitchen, stealing pies..." Sam crossed her arms. "What would Jack say about all this, I wonder?"

Daniel finally got Teal'c to release him, and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Actually..." He said in a smug, laughing tone. "It was his idea to steal the pie."

Presence

It'd taken him a little while to find her. When he did, it surprised him. Of all the places she could have gone, she chose there. Knees pulled up to her chest, arms tightly locked around them, she stared out at the Stargate with tear-filled eyes.

He slowly made his way over to her. Blue eyes stared down at the slightly trembling form. Long black locks fell across her shoulders and down her back. She'd had those signature pigtails beautifully done up before. Now all that remained was her slightly askew hair clip, hanging from a limp part of her bangs.

Hoping for her to look at him was pointless, he knew. But he'd never been one to give up on hope, at least not where she was concerned. She had become the hope he'd thought he'd lost after so many years of too much war, too much death. She was his hope.

But not in that moment.

Finally, he folded his legs beneath him and sat down directly in her line of sight. The tips of her boots pressed into his shins as he took up the space before her, and her grey-eyed gaze dropped to look at his hands clasped loosely together in his lap.

She continued to stare at his lap even after he moved those hands up towards her. Carefully, he unsnapped her hair clip and placed it in his back pocket for safe keeping. His hand came back to sweep that limp piece of hair behind her ear. And still, she stared at his lap.

Her gaze wasn't important to him right then. As long as he could get across that it was his turn to be her hope, then she could stare away from him from then til all of eternity. Taking her delicate hand in his stronger, coarser one, he leaned forward and brought it to his lips.

He kissed the back of her hand gently, stroking his thumb over her knuckles as he did so. Uncrossing one of his legs, he moved forward a little more and kissed her BDU-covered knee. This one elicited a soft sigh from her otherwise silent lips. One of her legs dropped off to the side, and he knew this was his admittance to venture forward.

One hand gently resting atop her bent knee, he leaned in until his lips brushed against hers in a delicately simple kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, that beautiful steel stare finally found his blue gaze. She could barely hold the look before she let out a desperate sob and fell into him.

Drawing her tight against his chest, he fell back down to the floor and placed a soft kiss to her temple. The fingers of one hand tangled in her hair, while the other hand rubbed soothing paths up and down her back.

"I'm here." He whispered, his voice stronger than he imagined it could be. "I've got you."

All Done Up

Daniel heard the click of her boots from down the hall, but didn't look up as he saw her come to stand in the doorway out of the corner of his eye. At least not right away. He needed to work and didn't have time for a distraction, and when it came to working and her, she was very distracting. He thought just pretending he wasn't fighting a grin or that she wasn't standing there would make it easier to handle.

Of course, he was wrong. Daniel prevailed for no longer than a minute before his smile broke free.

"You must be lost." He looked at the tablet before him for a moment, then glanced up at her. "Because there's no Halloween party on this floor."

Her green antennae with the sparkly green balls on top bounced as she shrugged. They bounced no matter what she did. That smile that would light him up from inside out spread across her always kissable lips.

"There is now." He noted the huskier tone of her accented voice. Daniel licked his lips slowly at the prospect of that. Blue eyes shined with amusement and affection as they watched her stride toward him, her steps a little heavier and more deliberate. A tray of small paper cups appeared like magic from around her back as she came before him.

Daniel leaned back casually in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "You know those aren't supposed to leave the lounge..." He murmured, eyes roaming over her outfit. Green suede boots up to her knees, over lime green fishnets that led up into a very nymph-like green skirt. She wore a dark green bikini top under a lime green longsleeved mesh shirt. Her lip gloss and eye makeup was all green, and she'd put temporary highlights in her hair. Those were green, of course. She was covered from head to toe in green glitter, the amount only increasing every time her sparkly antennae moved.

If there was anyone in the known universe who could give Kermit a run for his green money, it was most certainly Vala.

She held up a finger, shaking her head. "And my boyfriend is not..." Vala paused dramatically as she plopped herself down on Daniel's knee. His hand immediately went to her back to steady her. "Supposed to be working on Halloween."

"Boyfriend, eh?" Daniel smirked, quirking his eyebrow a little. It was something she rarely ever said, mostly because it just wasn't necessary. Everyone knew they were a couple, had known even before they had been willing to even admit the fact to themselves. But, he had to admit, hearing it every once a while was enjoyable.

Vala nodded, sending a rain of glitter falling around them and into the little cups on the tray. "He shouldn't be working - not when there's such an amazing," Her eyes rolled, but with pleasure rather then annoyance or boredom. "Party going on." To emphasize her point, she picked up one of the little paper cups and held it out to him.

He accepted it with his free hand, never taking his gaze off her as he brought it to his mouth. Daniel sucked the contents down while turning the cup inside out, noting how smooth it went down and how sweet it tasted. That was a very dangerous, yet strangely appealing, prospect.

"Good!" She smiled. "Now it's time for you to put the dusty books away and come join the festivities."

Daniel shook his head. "I wish I could. I want to, really."

Her head tilted. "Then why don't you?"

Blue eyes gave her a specific look. "You know why, Vala. I have work," He nodded in contrast to the way she shook her head.

"No, Daniel."

"Yes, Vala."

Vala straightened her shoulders defiantly. "Well, finish working then." She picked up a little cup and sucked the contents from it casually. Her crossed leg swung back and forth slowly.

Daniel gave her another look. "Are you going to move?"

She made a negative sound, shaking her head as she began to examine the now empty cup for no reason what so ever.

He sighed. "You do know it's very difficult for me to work with a green alien in my lap, right?"

"Yep." Vala stated simply, her leg still swinging.

Daniel closed his eyes. "Vala..." He growled with mild exasperation.

Vala was giving him a neutral stare as he opened his eyes. "I tell you what..." She picked up another cup from the tray. "Have another one of these, and I'll at least move from your lap."

"That won't work." He stated in a tone that said he knew what she was up to.

Her shrug was expected. "What won't, darling?"

Daniel's stare was firm. "You know what."

Grey eyes rolled dramatically. "Daniel, I honestly don't know what you're talking about. All I'm offering is a compromise. Isn't that something you're always suggesting we do...compromise?"

It was Daniel's turn to roll his eyes. When he looked at her again, his gaze was skeptical. "Just one more, and you'll go?"

"No, I said if you did one I'd get off your lap." Vala looked at her lime green-painted nail. "It'll take more than just one more to get me to leave, unless you're willing..."

Daniel snatched up one of the cups and downed the contents. "There, done." He patted her leg to urge her to stand. "Now go sit over there where you can't distract me." His finger pointed to the stool by his workbench.

"Whatever you say, darling." Vala shrugged. "I'll just take these over there with me."

"Good..." Daniel said reluctantly, eyeing both her and the tray as she moved where he'd sent them. Shaking his head, he turned back to the tablet. He didn't have time to party, even if it was Halloween and he had a sexy green alien as his prospective date. Work needed to be done. But damn, those shots had tasted really good.

* * * *
Vala's supposed 'plan' only crossed his mind one more time when he asked her to bring him a book and she'd brought one of those cups with her. She'd said it was the cost of her being his assistant when she could be at the party. He'd told her that she didn't have to stay, but she said it was no fun being a sexy female alien without her handsome space hero.

After that, Daniel got so wrapped up in the translation that he wasn't even realizing he was taking what she offered without a second thought every time she brought him another book. It really didn't seem to click why the translation seemed to be getting MORE confusing rather than less with all the references he had.

Taking his glasses off, he dropped them haphazardly onto an open book and collapsed back in his chair. What was wrong with this picture, ignoring the fact that everything was very, very fuzzy in it? Rubbing his forehead, then moving the hand to the back of his neck, Daniel shrugged. Maybe he just needed another reference.

"That's gotta be it..." He murmured, pushing himself to his feet. Despite the fact that he had to take a few steps to the side to keep his balance, and he found this extremely amusing, it still didn't click. Not even when he weaved his way over to the proper bookshelf did it sink in.

It was when he stood swaying before the wall of books, snickering at the fact that he'd forgotten what reference he was looking for, that all the pieces fell into place.

Daniel snorted out a laugh as he pressed his hands against the bookshelf and rested his forehead against a row of books. "Shit..." He pushed off the bookshelf and stumbled toward the green blur conveniently near it. He leaned heavily into her warm body as he snaked his arms around her waist.

"I should be really, really pissed at you, ya know?" Daniel whispered loudly against her ear. "But that is very, very hard because I find the current situation to be funny as hell." He turned her stool around so that she was facing him. He noted the winning grin on her face. His forehead rested against hers. "Of course that may have something to do with the fact that I'm really, really..." His blue eyes closed and he grinned dopily and leaned in to kiss her.

Vala happily took the kiss, bringing her hand to rub through his hair as his hand braced against her neck. As he pulled back a little, one hand still firmly down on her leg for support, Daniel attempted to glare at her.

"I knew you were going to do this." The words lost their effect as they started to slur together towards the end. Daniel's laugh was cut short as Vala captured his mouth in a loving kiss. He groaned with pleasure, pushing her back against the work bench.

Her hands cupped his face, breaking the kiss with a slurp. His eyes were closed as he licked his lips, now tinted a faint shade of green.

"Ready to go to the party?" She murmured, running her fingers through his hair in a way she knew drove him wild.

Daniel shrugged. "I'd have to go put my costume on...if I could get it on." His eyes were still closed, but his hands were starting to explore the familiar territory of her body. "Actually I'd rather you just take yours off, then I can show you what goes bump in the night."

Vala laughed at his bad joke. She smiled back the way he was smiling at her. "Oh, my little drunken archaeologist."

He rubbed his nose against hers. "Drunk because his sexy female alien wanted to remind him this night is for fun..." Daniel trailed off as he placed a sweet, soft kiss to her lips. "Happy Halloween, Vala."

She grinned, searching his eyes. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

White

Her grey eyes opened as she inhaled deeply. The smell of the heat trickling out from the vent above the bed, as well as the signature scent of the warm body next to hers, filled the air around her. But there was also something else - a very distinct smell. Vala inhaled again, then shifted as a feeling shot through her. She smiled.

Reaching out, she shook Daniel's shoulder gently. "Daniel."

The soft features of his face contorted into a slight frown as he moaned.

"Daniel!" Vala whispered excitedly again, sitting up. The arm that had been draped across her back dropped to the bed and made him moan again in protest.

One blue eye opened slowly, squinting up into her smiling face. "What?"

Vala grinned, and tugged on his arm. "Come on."

"Vala..." Daniel whined, trying to pull his arm back. "What are you doing?"

She just tugged harder. "Getting up and so are you."

Daniel shook his head into his pillow. "No."

"Come on, Daniel!" Vala pleaded, planting her feet and pulling on his arm with all her strength.

"Vala!" He protested as he was dragged towards the edge. "It's the middle of the night, and it's cold, and I'm tired..." Daniel turned his head to glare at her.

Vala released his arm, and placed a hand on her hip. "Up!" She pointed to the floor at her feet for emphasis.

He squinted menacingly her direction, then rolled his eyes as she flashed him that cute innocent grin he'd found he couldn't say no to. "Fine!" He sighed irritably, throwing back the little of the comforter still holding in the precious warmth.

As Daniel slowly extricated himself from the bed, Vala quickly pulled on a pair of his sweatpants. She bounced in excitement as he came to stand before her. He swayed sleepily in place, one arm dangling to the side as he scrubbed his other hand over his face. Then blue eyes fixed on her another glare.

"It's cold." He pouted.

Vala grinned some more. "I know." She announced with joy.

"It's dark." Daniel complained.

She patted his chest. "Come on, put some clothes on." Vala turned on her heels and practically skipped to the doorway.

Daniel scowled to her back. "You stole my pants."

"Stop complaining and just get dressed." Vala said as she turned to look back at him, placing her hand against the doorframe. When all he did was just stand there and glare at her, she stomped her foot. "Hurry up!"

Growling, Daniel stalked exhaustedly to the dresser and pulled out another pair of sweatpants. Slipping them on with a bit of attitude, he slowly moved towards her and the doorway, snatching up a shirt from the floor and pulling it on. He barely had the shirt settled before Vala was pulling him quickly out the door and down the hall. He groaned.

"What are we doing?" He asked with exasperation.

Vala just looked back at him and just continued to smile. He stumbled on behind her until she came to an abrupt stop near the front door. Daniel gently collided into her back. "Crap, why do you do that?"

Still not saying anything, Vala simply pushed his boots towards him with her foot before slipping on her own. "Put these on."

"Do NOT tell me we're going outside!" Daniel whined even as he complied with her request. He was too tired to really have to deal with a whiny Vala. Once again, before he barely had a chance to settle into his boots, Vala had opened the front door and was pulling him out into the freezing cold air. "Son of a bitch, Vala!"

She ignored the rebuke. Instead, Vala wrapped his scarf, which she had snatched from the coat rack, around his neck. His frown softened a little as he watched her put her own on. "Come on." She whispered, tugging him down the steps and out into the yard.

Daniel wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. Part of it was out of support for his tiredness, part was to stay warm, and for the most part he did it because he could. "Why are we out here, Vala?"

"Just wait for it." Vala murmured in response, her arms resting atop his. She laid her head back on his shoulder.

He dropped his lips to her shoulder, letting them rest there. "For what?" He closed his eyes, wishing so desperately for his bed. Vala never answered his question.

Several minutes passed, and Daniel felt his restlessness skyrocketing.

"I'm tired." He mumbled.

She remained silent.

Daniel pouted and lifted his head up. "It's cold."

"Just a little bit longer." Vala finally said.

"Little longer for what?" He asked impatiently. When she didn't answer his question again, Daniel groaned. "Baby, it's freezing out here. I'm tired, I'm cranky because I'm tired," He added. "I'm cold." He knew he sounded petulant, but he didn't care.

Vala turned her head to give her a patient look. "Isn't being able to hold me in your arms safely enough to make you happy?"

Daniel squeezed her tighter, and rested his lips in her hair. "I'd rather hold you safely in my arms from the warmth of our bed, where we could safely sleep in each other's embrace. That'd make me very happy..." He sighed and turned her around in his arms. "Why can't we go do that instead of standing out here freezing our asses off?"

"You can be such a Grinch." She stated affectionately, rubbing a hand against his cheek

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, enough." He released her and moved to head back inside. "I'm too damn tired to deal with your silly little games..."

Vala watched him, and a grin spread across her lips. "Daniel..."

"Gotta wake me up from a good sleep." Daniel rambled on, slowly stalking back to the house. "I was warm. I was having a nice dream with you and some chocolate syrup..."

"Daniel."

He just trudged on grumpily. "Then you have to come along and wake me up, and drag me out into the damn cold for some stupid, unknown reason..."

Vala scurried after him, pulling back on his arm just before he ascended the porch steps. "Daniel!"

"What?!" He turned on her, pulling his arm from her grasp so he could cross them over his chest in annoyance. "What, Vala?"

Her grey eyes drifted skyward for a moment, then came back down to look into his blue. She smiled in an almost shy fashion. "It's snowing."

Daniel slowly turned his attention to the sky. He finally noticed the white flakes drifting earth-ward, just moments before their coolness began to touch his cheeks. His arms began to uncross as the snowfall became steadier.

"It's the first snow of the season." Vala breathed, and Daniel brought his attention back to her at the joy he heard in her voice. The same emotion lit up her reddened cheeks. She was practically glowing. "The first snow..." She looked skyward again, her voice carrying the excitement she felt at the announcement.

Watching her watching the snow fall in the pale moonlight, seeing the smile she wore, Daniel felt all his agitation melting away despite the chill. In the few years she'd been on earth, Vala had come to love the snow. And even though Daniel couldn't say that much about himself, he found he'd come to love it in a way simply because she loved it so much.As the snowflakes sprinkled around her, coolly kissing her face, and dusting her dark her, he brought his hand up. Turning her face towards him gently, he leaned in and kissed her lovingly.

Vala's untied boots clomped on the ground as she moved in closer to Daniel. The kiss wasn't too lengthy, but it still sent her heart into overload with the combination of the snow.

"What was that for?" She whispered as he pulled away, opening her eyes to look up into his affectionate gaze.

Daniel smiled gently, stroked the back of his fingers over her chilled cheek. "First kiss in the first snow of the season." He murmured.

Vala smiled and leaned up to kiss him again quickly. "Definitely not three sizes too small..." He grinned at the statement.

"Come on." Daniel jerked his head back to the house. "Let's head back inside."

"But I want to see the ground blanketed in white." Vala sighed in anticipation.

Daniel took her hand in his and brought the back of it to his lips. "That's gonna take a few hours, hunny."

"Then we can wait and watch."

He laughed heartily, then bent down and snatched her up on his arms. She squeaked in surprise, arms wrapping around his neck as he turned and carried her up the steps. Stopping at the door, Daniel looked at her pouting expression. He smiled as he opened the door and carried her inside.

"Daniel..." Now it was her turn to whine in protest. She went to say more, but stopped as he turned to take her into the living room rather then down the hall, stepping out of his boots as he went. Vala let her own boots slip off her feet. She frowned in curiosity as he flicked the light on. "Daniel?"

Lowering her into the recliner, Daniel pushed the chair to face the window, edging it closer. She looked at him in question and he leaned in to kiss her softly. He unwrapped her scarf, and then his own, and let them drop to the floor carelessly.

"Give me a minute." Daniel moved to the window and twisted the blinds open, and pulled them apart.

Vala watched him leave the room, and then return a few minutes later, her favorite fleece blanket draped over his arm. He flicked the light off as he came back into the room. Daniel indicated for her to get up, and as she did, he sank into the chair. With a swift motion of his finger, he told her to sit back down. Vala obliged and settled against him, her head resting comfortably against his neck. Then Daniel draped the blanket over them.

"Now we can wait and watch." He whispered into her ear, following it with a kiss to her temple. "And share our first snuggle during the first snow of the season."

She grinned, letting out a content sigh. Her fingers stroked random circles over his shirt-clad chest, near his heart. "Is it possible for it to grow more than three sizes?"

Daniel laughed. "Okay, no more Christmas movie marathons with Teal'c."

"Scrooch." Vala mumbled good-naturedly, snuggling deeper into his embrace and his warmth.

To be continued…

Feedback to: legolaschickie@hotmail.com

Stories by Title

Stories by Author

Stories by Rating and Category

DV Archive

Home

Copyright©2004-2011 Midnightstorms.net

All Rights Reserved.