Skating Around the Issue
By: spacegypsy1
CATEGORY: General, Romance
WARNINGS: None
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~spacegypsy1
When the elevator doors opened, Daniel looked up to find Vala standing there waiting. “Hey. How’d the date go?”
“B O R I N G! Yours?” She grinned and hooked her arm through his.
“I wasn’t on a date.”
“Daniel, we need to talk about what is and what isn’t a date.”
His head slanted downward, and he looked askew at her.
“A date isn’t some guy taking you for a cheeseburger, fries, a chocolate shake, a…well…anyway, then expecting to take you to his place and have sex.”
When his eyebrows went up in question, she grinned. “Okay, but not with some guy you barely know and who’s not really your type. On the other hand, a date is when a guy...” Vala indicated Daniel. “Takes a woman out, dressed very sexy by the way,” she pointed to him again, “and takes her some place fun, or a nice dinner, and… Daniel, you didn’t have sex with her did you?”
“Vala! It was a dinner meeting. We worked.”
“Hmm. See. YOU had fun on your little date, because you love to work. I wanted to go roller skating.”
They entered his office arm in arm. “Roller skating?”
She released him; he sat in his chair, she on the desk. “Yes. Do you roller skate?”
“Nope.” He placed his laptop on the desk right beside her thigh, and opened it up. When his knuckles grazed her leg, he pulled the hand away with an internal shudder.
Vala closed the laptop and waited for his scowl. When it didn’t come and he just stared straight ahead, she arched a brow. “Daniel?” She worried, biting at her lip. What was he thinking?
“I can ice skate.” His voice seemed distant.
“Really?” She looked down at him surprised and was reward with the belated scowl.
He shooed her hand from the top of his computer and opened it. “I need to finish with my notes. Go away.”
She hopped down and sauntered towards the door. “Will you take me roller skating some time?”
“I told you I don’t roller skate.” Staring at the screen, fingers poised on the keys, Daniel waited for her reply. She didn’t say a word, and when he looked up, Vala had disappeared.
* * * *
Daniel tightened the laces on his ice skates again, eyes searching for Vala who had gone to the ladies room a good twenty minutes ago. Tired of waiting, he got on the ice to warm up, wondering what in the name of all that was holy had made him agree to teach her to ice skate. He'd circumnavigated the rink three times when he spotted her. Nearly tripping he skidded to a stop.
Vala wore a pale blue sequined wisp of fabric held together with some type of flesh colored material. His jaw dropped. She waved - her usual erratic blur of palm and fingers flashing side to side. Her dark hair, up in a high pony tail, had the seemingly obligatory tiara.
Somehow he managed to move towards her, stopping with a spray of ice. “What have you got on?”
Gingerly, she stepped on the ice, slipped, and grabbed for him. Daniel caught her, his hand coming to rest high on her side. “I researched. I watched a few of those skating competitions. Isn't it lovely! It cost me a fortune.” She grinned up affectionately. He squinted one eye at her. “I've decided I want to be tossed and twirled and...” Her feet went out from under her again, arms flailing wildly as she tried to right herself.
He set her straight. “I think maybe you need to learn to stand up before we do that.”
“Hmph!”
Daniel chuckled, moved behind her, and with hands on her waist he began to move forward. “Just relax and get a feel for the ice.”
“Ahh, I see, nice.” Vala concentrated on the warmth of his hands on her body, relaxing a bit too much. Down she went, feet up in the air, as her six traveled along the ice.
Slowly, he glided to her, his laughter full-blown now. From behind, he reached under her arms, and once again hauled her up. “I didn’t mean that kind of feel!”
Legs and arms swirling and skittering to and fro, Vala gasped in indignation. “I promise you, Daniel, that if you ruin my new outfit I will kiss…ah, kill you!”
His face went blank at her slip of the tongue, and he could not have stopped the thought to save his life - she felt good in his arms as her body came to rest against him. He managed to turn her around to face him, his arm completely around her back, holding her close, before he realized what he was doing. Taking her hands, Daniel began to skate backwards pulling her along easily. “Better?” He finally managed to say.
“Much.” She didn’t grin, or even smile, just stared at him in wonder. Such a strong and capable man, Daniel made her heart go pitter patter.
“Pretend you’re roller skating. Come on, Vala, try it. I’ve got you.”
Hmph! No truer words
were ever spoken, my love.
* * * *
He drove through the front gate, past the parking lot turn, and straight into the tunnel.
“You’re not coming in?” Vala asked when he stopped.
“No, I think I’ll go on home. See you tomorrow.”
“Oh, right. Thanks. I had a lovely time. Thank you, Daniel.”
He watched her until she disappeared through the main door.
Pulling into the Starbucks near his house, he stared unseeing at the menu.
“Yes? May I take your order? Hello? Can I help you?”
“I don’t think anyone can help me.”
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“Oh, ah, just coffee.”
* * * *
Two weeks and three missions later, Vala bounded into his office. He smiled. “Hey.”
“Hello. I need you to back me up.” Vala pushed his chair back, sat on his lap, hands on her knees and face turned towards him with a pleading look.
“Okay.” He laid his glasses on the desk. “What’s up?”
“I told that guy I had plans tonight, with you. He keeps asking me out. I keep telling him no. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him it was a date. I told him you and the team were taking me roller skating. You should have seen the look on his face! Sam agreed to go, and Muscles is thinking it over.”
“And Mitchell?” Daniel, completely unaware of his action, brought his hand to the small of her back.
She hesitated as his warmth penetrated her T-shirt. “Cameron insisted with ‘no way, princess’ but he’ll go. I talked Carolyn into going and dragging him along.” For some reason she could not comprehend, Vala felt suddenly uncomfortable sitting so close. She stood and propped her hip on his desk. “Okay?”
“Sure. Fine. Yeah, I’ll go.” Inexplicably he missed her presence on his lap.
She stood. “Good. I’ll meet you here.” She dashed out.
* * * *
Sam and Carolyn were already on the rink, laughing and supporting each other. Daniel stood at the rail contemplating, and Mitchell laced his skates for the third time.
“Muscles? You're not going to skate?” This time she wore pink roller skates, her hair in twin pigtails, a black tank top, and a pink satin short skating skirt.
“I will observe.”
“Pfft!” Vala smacked her gum, popping a bubble, grasped Daniel’s hand as she shot past him, and jerked him forward as she hit the floor rolling.
His neck whipped back as he lunged frontward. Surprised, he made a fatal error. Wheels were not meant to be slammed sideways for a stop. He hit the wooden floor with a thwack! And a painful ‘ow’. If Vala had not let go of his hand she would have gone down with him. The chorus of laughs was identifiable. Mitchell’s cackle, Sam’s giggle, Carolyn’s chirp, Vala’s throaty outburst and Teal’c’s subdued chuckle. “Son of a …”
“What’s wrong, Jackson?” Cam stood over him, hands on hips. “Can’t get the hang of it?” With a grin, Cam took off managing to catch up with Sam and Carolyn, who’d already moved on.
“Daniel, I’m surprised. You whipped around that ice like you were chasing some Ori bad guy!” She offered her hand, but he slapped it away.
Shrugging her shoulders, she skated off backwards, smacking her gum and dancing to the music.
The slow process of getting up was fraught with groans.
“DanielJackson, are you injured?” Teal’c stood on the other side of the railing with brows raised.
“Nope. Just my ego.” Daniel looked off to locate Vala. She was twirling around the other three, her head bobbing.
“Do you require aid?”
“Yeah.” Daniel stood fully and grinned at the Jaffa. “Why don’t you put on a pair of skates and come and hold my hand.”
“I believe ValaMalDoran would be happy to assist you.”
She came around the curve and stopped with a tilt of her head. “Coming along, Darling?” The challenge was evident.
He took off at a shocking speed. Both Vala and Teal’c blinked in bewilderment.
“Never roller skated my…” Vala glared and took out after him. She would never admit it, but it took all of her strength to catch up to him. Coming up behind him, she grabbed his waist and matched his stride.
The other three tired quickly and sat with Teal’c to watch the two. It didn’t take them long to notice that something odd passed between Daniel and Vala.
Daniel reached around, took one of her arms and pulled her in front of him. She whirled around like a ballerina, her eyes adoring. He pulled her close, his face relaxed and smiling.
Mitchell frowned and sat forward, as Sam and Carolyn exchanged knowing looks. Teal’c’s features held nothing visible. Inside he felt relief.
“If you have completed your exercise, ColonelMitchell, might I suggest dinner at O’Malley’s?”
“Yeah, sure.” Cam didn’t take his eyes off the pair, now skating to the couples-only set.
The other three got up, but Cam, brows furrowed, continued to watch the couple.
“Come on Cam. Leave it be.” Carolyn took his hand with a twinkle in her eyes.
The four came to the railing, waiting, as Daniel and Vala skated up.
“You’re not going?” Vala admonished. “We’re just getting started.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.” Cam whispered to Carolyn and was rewarded with an elbow in the side.
“Going to O’Malley’s, you two want to join us?” Sam returned Vala’s huge smile.
When Daniel looked at Vala for the answer, the other four knew for sure something was up.
Shaking her head, Vala indicated her choice.
“Nope, we’ll join you guys later.” Daniel let himself be pulled back into the crowded rink.
* *
“That was fun.” Daniel confessed as they drove out of the parking lot.
“Are we going to O’Malley’s?” Her face still flushed from skating, Vala beamed at him.
“It’s late. We could drive through and see if Mitchell’s truck’s still there.”
“No, I’m tired.”
“Wanna stop for coffee? Decaf for you.” He laughed.
“Mmm, what’s open?”
“My place.”
“Perfect!”
** The End **
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