The Jello Series
By: spacegypsy1
CATEGORY: General, Humor, Missing Scene, Romance
SEASON/SPOILERS: Season 10 “Unending”
WARNINGS: None
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~spacegypsy1
Eating Green Jell-O
Space appeared to stand still outside the large window. Vala sat across from Teal’c at the group’s dining table. It had been six months since they became trapped on the Odyssey. Around them, quiet prevailed, only the two friends occupied the room.
Vala was bored. Daniel was off reading Azgard, or Ancient or some other A lettered text. Sam was locked in her lab, Landry pruning and Mitchell running. Just me and Teal’c left to fend for ourselves, she thought.
With a half eaten bite of green Jell-o still occupying space in his mouth, Teal’c finally answered her last question, “I believe, ValaMalDoran, that it is ‘Live long and prosper’.
“Hum… and he lived a long life, like the Jaffe?”
“Indeed. Their species lived a naturally long life.”
“Really? No symbiote?” She scooped up another wiggling green piece and sucked it slowly into her mouth.
“None.” He spoke as a master scholar on the subject. Vala accepted his expertise, after all, he was the one with the DVD collections and, thankfully he’d brought them with him.
“Do you like the green?” She offered him another cupful.
He took it gratefully, “Very much.”
“Do you like him better than Darth Vader?”
“Most assuredly.”
Vala leaned back, rocking on the back two chair legs, contemplating this new information. She chewed the inside of her mouth. Plopping the chair back down, she picked up a green jell-o square from Teal’c’s cup and popped it into her mouth. “Why the pointy ears? Is there a reason for that? I mean they all have them, but what is it’s significance?”
“I do not know. That has not been revealed.”
“Hmmm, well, I guess it’s DVD’s tonight, maybe it’s coming up. What season are we on?
“I believe we have already seen the final season. It is finished.”
“Finished!” She jumped from her chair sending it flying back behind her. “It can’t be. There has to be more!”
Teal’c was stunned by her reaction, not that you could tell it from his expression. “There is another series, the next generation of the explorers,” he offered sympathetically as he stood.
“It’s just not the same,” she cried as she stomped off in a huff.
“Vala?” Teal’c called after her, sounding confused and concerned. But she was gone. He sighed, sat down and finished his green Jell-O.
Eating Blue Jell-O
Alone, and no one to play with. Vala was feeling sorry for herself. Two empty bowls of ice cream still sat on the table and a full cup of blue Jell-O waiting to be eaten. With a long loud sigh, she stared unseeing across the room.
A flash of green caught her attention from the corner of her eye.
“Hey.” The flash of green said sitting across from her.
“Jack! Oh, I mean Gen O’Neill and all that military stuff that goes with it.” Vala grinned, happy for the company.
“Jack is fine, what ‘cha doing?”
“Being excessively bored.” Vala stared at the uneaten Jell-O.
“Yeah, me too.” Jack took the Jell-O from in front of her and began to eat. “Where’s Daniel?” he asked around the mouthful of food.
“Where’s Sam?” she countered, sarcastically.
The sarcasm was lost on him. “Locked in her lab, where else? And Daniel?”
She simply shrugged her shoulders.
“They all left you alone? Well, I mean… not that you shouldn’t be… like you’re nuts or something……” he ate the Jell-O to shut himself up.
“Why are you here?” She chose to ignore his ridiculous comments.
A blue Jell-O cube hovered at his mouth. “Now why does everybody ask me that?”
“Because you don’t actually work here?”
“Maybe.” He finished the bite and took another. “I have important business here.”
Her eyes darted to the Jell-O then back to him. “Hmm, I see.”
“I’m waiting to see Landry, Miss Smarty Pants.”
“Landry?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Not Samantha?”
He nearly choked on the bite in his mouth. “I see all my friends when I’m here.”
Now she was having a good time! “That’s not what I heard.”
He sat the spoon on the table, the last cube of Jell-O still on it, “What?!” He did that double take shake of his head.
Vala twirled a pigtail, eyes wide in innocence.
Jack stared at her with intent. “I guess you’re one of those around here that’s in with the gossip click.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” She leaned conspiratorially forward. “I heard it from Daniel. Oh, and Teal’.”
Jack looked at his watch. “I have a meeting with Landry.”
“Of course you do. And I have a meeting with Sam in her lab…I’ll tell her you said hello.”
As Jack left in a huff, Vala rubbed her hands together, stretched her arms out wide and grinned happily.
Eating
Sam walked back to her lab, three small cups of orange Jell-O balanced in her hands. Her mind occupied with her latest venture – some tiny Goa’uld technology that she hadn’t made headway on after three days. She didn’t see Vala until they barely escaped bumping into each other.
“Sorry,” Sam laughed.
“Three? Are you going to eat all of those?” Vala eyed the cups hopefully.
“I might be persuaded to share one.”
“Oh, goody!” Vala followed Sam into her lab.
Setting the stack of books she’d been carrying, Vala greedily took the fullest cup of Jell-O with an apologetic look. “I’m starving.”
Sam smiled, “What are all the books?”
“Oh, some old things from that dreary storage area for Daniel.”
“You don’t need to deliver them?”
“Yes, but he can wait. He has a thousand books, five more won’t make a difference right now.”
Sam looked at Vala doubtingly, “If they’re books he doesn’t have and he needs, that could make a difference.”
“Too bad. He can wait. He’s such a grouch this morning. He hasn’t paid a bit of attention to me, and he keeps snapping at me every time I try to say a word.”
Settling on her chair, Sam began to study the device as she spooned a cube of Jell-O into her mouth.
Vala, holding an orange cube between two fingers looked at the small device in interest. “Oh, that’s a….”
“A what?” Sam asked excitedly.
“Ah, a… I know this one. It’s a…” Vala bit at her lower lip. “It’s actually a… you know, a kind of an emotional enhancer thingy.”
Staring dumbfounded at Vala, Sam scowled, “Hey, I asked you about this three days ago.”
“Yes, well, I wasn’t sure and besides I thought you’d have more fun figuring it out for yourself.”
Sighing with frustration Sam messed with the device until it came on.
“You probably don’t want to do that. It’s rather, well, it’s really for…couples, you know those Goa’uld and their ego’s.”
For a moment Sam looked questioningly at Vala, then she switched the unit off. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Vala sat stuffing the food in her mouth and practically swallowing it whole. Nibbling at a nail she studied the device longingly. “I really need that thing.”
“Oh? Why?”
“If I could sneak it into Daniel’s office, I could see what he was really feeling.”
The Jell-O sat uneaten in Sam’s mouth as she looked doe eyed and confused at her companion. Finally gulping down her recent bite, Sam found her voice, “What?!?”
Elbows on the table and chin resting on the heels of her hands Vala’s eyes lifted to Sam. “That thing, whose name I can’t remember, is a very old Goa’uld apparatus that was used secretly to determine what your companion was really thinking. They haven’t been used in years. Lots and lots of years. But I remember it, vaguely.” Vala shrugged her shoulders, throwing her hands wide in a gesture of uncertainty.
Excited, Sam switched the gadget on. “Okay, what am I feeling?”
Vala continued to eat, “Who knows. It doesn’t work that way. You have to be…well, a pair, a couple, you know, dating or whatever. I’m really not sure it works on non-symbiotic beings. But I could test it out on Daniel.”
“As far as I know you two aren’t…dating.”
“Yes. That’s true.” Vala frowned. “Oh, well.”
Vala and Sam continued to eat their Jell-O.
“Mmmm!” Vala mumbled around a mouthful, “you could test it out on Jack?”
Sam stared, glowering at Vala.
“Well, you two are…”
Sam only stared, a little more warningly.
“Fine. There’s really no other way to test it. It probably won’t work anyway.” Vala pointed at a small hole in the base of the device, “Besides there’s supposed to be a tiny red crystal right there.”
“Damn!” Sam began to pack the small object back into it’s crate. “I guess I’ll just start on the next thing on my list.”
“I guess I’ll take these dusty old books to stuffy old Professor Jackson. Maybe that will coax a smile out of him.” Vala waved her fingers in a goodbye gesture, picked up the pile of books and left the lab.
Sam finished her first cup of Jell-0 peering into the crate she’d just sat the device in. Leaning forward she spotted something in the bottom, picked up the small red object, stuck it into the slot and smiled.
Thinking a moment she stared across the room at the phone. Decision made, she went over and dialed the number. “Hey.”
“Hi, Carter.”
“What are you doing?” Sam looked back at the piece of equipment on the lab table.
“Reading papers, signing papers, stacking papers, you know the usual stuff. What’s up?” Jack met silence, “Carter? You still there?”
“Oh, yes, sorry. Are you coming this weekend?”
“I was thinkin’ about it. That good for you?”
“Yeah, and maybe you could help me with a little experiment.”
“Will it blow me up?”
“I’m not really sure.”
Eating Red Jell-O
“Daniel!” Vala shouted running into the mess hall.
He nearly dropped the tray he was carrying. Looking around, every eye in the room was on him. Setting the tray on the table Daniel sat as Vala literally jumped across the end chair and took the chair directly across from him.
“What is it?” He demanded in a harsh tone. Vala had been particularly clingy of late and it had his nerves on edge.
“Still a grouch I see.” She commented standing again and going to the line. She loaded her tray with a few cups of the red Jell-O and sat again. “I need your help.”
He didn’t bother to look up from his plate. “Why?”
“Sam has this really old Goa’uld gadget…oh my god, this red is really good, did you try it?”
“What?”
“The red Jell-O.”
Finally Daniel looked up. “What gadget? She has a lab full of them.”
Vala let out a frustrated sigh. This entire week had been ‘Difficult Daniel’ week. She couldn’t figure out what was bothering him. “I don’t remember what it’s called. And Teal’c has never seen it before, but of course he wouldn’t have…he’s Jaffa, it’s for…well,” she went on trying to be vague, “it’s something the Goa’uld wouldn’t have used around…ah, around others, like Jaffa and such.”
Slightly intrigued, Daniel tilted his head and studied Vala a moment. “Okay, what does it do?”
Uh oh, she hadn’t thought to be prepared with some obscure definition, something to get him to help, without really letting him know. Now what?
Daniel waited long-sufferingly. He could almost see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of hers. She was up to something.
“I’m not sure. I don’t quite remember. It’s something to do with, ah, with thought reading - kind of like that other thingy but not really. More a one on one kind of thing.”
Daniel’s appetite was suddenly gone. He was tired. He had no idea what she was talking about. “I don’t have time. Sam can figure it out.” He stood.
Vala looked up at him disappointed.
“I have a lot of work to do. Go talk to Sam.” Daniel left her sitting there looking let down. He hesitated, and then forced himself to walk away.
Okay, that didn’t work. I need a better plan! She left the table heading out the door, then changed her mind and sat again to finish the red Jell-O.
* * * *
“Have you tried the red?” Vala said walking into Sam’s lab.
“Yes, but it’s not my favorite. I’m stuck on the blue.” Sam smiled at Vala briefly before returning to probe yet another mechanism.
“What’s that one?” Vala leaned her elbows on the table.
“I have no idea. You?”
“Not a clue.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. Where’s the other one?” Vala looked up noticing a slight blush wash across Sam’s cheeks. “You found the crystal… and you tested that thing on him didn’t you.”
Sam’s blush deepened. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“If it worked on Jack, it will work on Daniel. Where is it?”
Stopping her work Sam leaned back in her chair and gazed innocently at Vala.
“So. What happened? That thing is meant to read sub-conscious feelings…but it requires both parties to be…well,” Vala started gesturing with her hands, patting her heart, moving her hands up and down her body, “you know, who have some connection. Tell me it worked.”
“Maybe a little. Jack was resisting.”
“You told him?”
“As much as I knew.”
“But it did work?”
“Yes, a little.”
“Great! Where is it? I’m going to sneak it in on Daniel. He’s acting very strange lately. I need to know.”
“Vala, I don’t think it’s right to ‘sneak’ it on Daniel.”
“Just hand it over. Let me test it. I think I can manipulate it a lot more than you can. It takes naquadah. But I carried a Goa’uld symbiote for a long time and I should be able to use it better than you.”
Reluctantly, Sam got the device from its perch on the shelf and handed it to Vala.
“Keep me posted.” Sam called out as Vala dashed from the room. Sam felt guilty. Poor unsuspecting Daniel. But she had a silly grin on her face as she returned to studying her latest piece of technology.
* * * *
Okay. I have to set it
up. I have to remember the sequence. I have to get some time with Daniel.
That’s it. This I can do. If the box holding the machine had not been in
her hands she would have rubbed her palms together in glee. Well Mr… what is that Christmas green guy’s
name… Oh, yeah, Mr. Grinch… I have you now!
* * * *
He couldn’t concentrate. The notes before him on the desk seemed to blur, symbols running together. Vala had been suspiciously absent for two days. He tried to focus again, finally giving it up and wandering out the door. After an hour of surreptitiously looking for her he came up empty handed. Daniel stood in the middle of the hallway, hands deep in his pockets, head down, wondering what had come over him.
“Hello.” She said walking past him.
“Vala!” He straightened up, tried to look disinterested. “Hey, you want to get some lunch?”
“It’s
“Really? I guess I missed lunch.”
“Yes, I guess you did. Toodles.” She waved and kept going.
“Wait. You want to get a snack or something. I think they have the red Jell-O again today.”
“Well, maybe later. I could pick some up and stop by your office if you want.”
“Yeah, if you want. I mean that would be fine.”
She was walking backwards, still moving away. “You’re not too busy?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “No, not really.”
“Fine. See ya.” Turning forward, she disappeared around the corner.
* * * *
Vala dumped the entire contents of her large leather shoulder bag onto her bed and carefully arranged the device in the bag. Examining the three outfits on the bed beside the pile of junk from her bag, she made a decision and grabbed up the black fitted T-Shirt and the figure flattering altered green BDU pants. She redid her pigtails, checked her face in the mirror and grinning, left the room.
Stopping by the mess hall she took a tray of red Jell-o and sauntered down the hall. Just outside his door, Vala balanced the tray on one arm (a skill learned in her short term waitressing job) and reached into the bag turning on the device. Feeling the slightest moment of quilt she hesitated, then shook it off and entered his office.
“Hey.” There was just something about the way he said that, that sent a shiver of hope and longing through her.
“Hi.” Daniel smiled in response to her greeting. Such a simple word, but it sent a jolt of yearning right through his heart.
Vala set the tray on his desk, then the bag. She distributed the four cups of Jell-O evenly, placed a spoon in his and then hers and nudged the leather bag a little closer to him.
He got up and pulled another chair to the side of his desk. He thought she looked particularly pretty today, all glowing and bright eyed.
He thinks I’m pretty. She took a deep breath and reached for a cup at the same time he reached for the same one.
Their hands met, fingers grazing one another. Vala could feel the tremor rush through her, felt his mirror reaction. Their eyes locked for an instant, each looking away quickly.
Neither of them touched the food again. They stared. Both smiling shyly.
He likes me.
She likes me.
And then she felt his fear. It hit her like a rogue wave, smashing into her, passing through her with the intensity of a tsunami. She reeled against the power of his feelings. Her eyes opened wide. She pulled in air with a gasp.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Her mind staggered with the images of Sha’re and Sarah. All that he had lost. All the love crushed and destroyed. Tears welled in her eyes.
“Vala. What is it?” He jumped up, came to her. Pulled her from the chair. His fingers wrapped around her neck, his thumb stroking her cheek, his eyes piercing hers. She has real feelings for me. I can sense it. How? This can’t be real. Not her. Not Vala.
“I’m fine, it’s nothing, really.” Oh my god! It works both ways.
Daniel leaned forward, his mouth hovering over hers. Vala braced herself on the desk, knocking the bag to the floor. She heard the device break. Felt the disconnection.
Instantly they jumped apart. Both looking a bit embarrassed.
“I… I need to go.” She snatched up her bag and hurried out of his office.
Daniel stood there wondering what the hell had just happened. What ever it was, he wasn’t having any of it. Vala Mal Doran was an enigma and she wasn’t meant for him.
Eating Purple Jell-O
“Cameron!” Vala shouted coming into the control room.
Both Mitchell and Walter nearly jumped out of their chairs.
“What!? Damn. You scared the bejezus out of me. What’s wrong?”
Vala saw Walter’s interest and took Mitchell by the arm and hauled him across the room. “I need your help.” She whispered.
“What else is new?” He tried to pull his arm free, but Vala held firm.
“Let’s go somewhere else and talk.” Her voice still subdued, she sneaked a peek at Walter to be sure he wasn’t listening. She began dragging Mitchell down the stairs.
Daniel was coming up the stairs totally engrossed in reading the papers in his hands.
“Hey
“Not for all the gold in Goa’uldville.” Daniel disappeared into the control room.
“You can let go. We’re alone now.” Mitchell scanned the empty corridor, snatching his arm free.
“Let’s go to the mess hall. I’m starving.”
Mitchell looked totally confused. “We just left a room with only one other occupant and you want to go to a room full of Marines to talk private?”
“Yes,”
“Whatever.” He followed her through the halls.
Vala sat down with her tray of meat, potatoes, a pie slice and a cup of ice cream.”
“How the hell do you stay so thin? Every time I see you eat, you put my granmaw to shame.” He sat a cup of purple Jell-O before him and dug in.
“What’s that?” She plucked a bite from the cup and ate it.
“It’s grape. Like granmaw’s homemade grape jam.”
“I don’t think I like this one.” She spit it out into a napkin.
“So, what’s the big secret problem?”
She stared at him without answering for the longest time. With a look of worry she leaned across the table and whispered, “I’ve lost Daniel’s credit card. The big one. The big gold one. Not the little blue one or the little green one, I still have those, but the gold one.”
He did the double take head thing. “You have
She sat up straight, “Well, yes. I always borrow them. Sometimes he actually looks at the bills and makes me pay them. Then he tells me to give them back. But then he forgets.”
“I thought you got your own credit card.”
“Yes, but I’m not going to use mine! Now that would be silly, wouldn’t it?”
He shook his head. That made total sense to him coming from
Vala. He grinned, “You lost
“That’s right. What do I do?” She laced her fingers together and propped her chin on them waiting for his solution to her worst nightmare.
Leaning back in his chair, Mitchell folded his arms across his chest and laughed. “You have to tell him. He needs to report it lost.”
“I can’t tell him! He’ll kill me!”
Sam walked in with Teal’c. After getting their food, the two joined Vala and Mitchell at the table.
Vala covered her face with her hands.
“You didn’t tell Daniel did you?” Sam looked at Mitchell. “I told her to tell him.”
“When did you find this card missing ValaMalDoran?” Teal’c asked.
“Right after we got back from P9X-991.”
“That was three weeks ago!” Mitchell and Sam said at the same time.
“Holy Hannah, Vala, you didn’t mention that.” Sam looked truly concerned.
“I kept looking for it; I figured it would turn up.”
“You’re dead meat sweetheart, not a soul on earth can get you out of this one. I’d rather face an Ori Mothership with a P-90 than be around for this fight.” Mitchell laughed again.
“Oh, boy. This is bad.” Sam gave Vala a sympathetic look.
“I have to tell him?” Vala looked from Sam to Mitchell and back to Sam.
“Oh, yeah.” Sam nodded her head.
“Muscles, will you go with me? I could stand behind you when I tell him.”
“Certainly.” Teal’c bowed his head.
“Well if you’re goin’ now, I’m leavin’ the base.” Mitchell stood.
“I’m going with you,
“Ms. Mal Doran?” A young woman interrupted.
“Yes…ah, airman..airwoman?”
“We found your pocket book on P9X-991 this morning by the gate. I think it’s yours, I’m not sure, it has your base ID in it and Dr. Jackson’s American Express Card.”
“Oh, thank god! You have it?”
“No, ma’am, I just gave it to Dr. Jackson.” The airman smiled.
Vala’s faced dropped. Her mouth fell open and she looked at her teammates.
“I’m gone.” Mitchell walked away.
“Oh, yeah, out of here.” Sam followed Mitchell.
Teal’c bowed ever so slightly and quickly retreated.
Vala grabbed the cup of grape Jell-O and ate it. She was going to die anyway.
Heart Shaped Red Jell-O
Her heart cried for him. Somehow, she had moved from teasing him to loving him. From trying to antagonize him to trying desperately not to love him.
Loneliness ached. Even standing right next to him she could not fill the void. She had started out all wrong. And there was no way to change it.
First impressions do count. There was no way she could leave. This was her home. She would endure. Share his friendship, long for him. Share his laughter, cry for him.
Vala sat dejected on her bed, hands clasped in her lap. Tears leaking, rolling, slowly carrying her soul to nothingness.
Every time he said ‘hey’ her heart would die a little more. She shook her head to get herself together. There was less than an hour before she had to face him at the briefing.
She dried her tears. Washed her face. Sighed in longing again. The knock at the door surprised her. “Come in.”
Sam walked in, an immediate look of concern on her face, “what happened?” Vala had returned the Goa’uld device and left Sam’s lab without a word.
Tears welled again. Vala had cried a river of tears already. How could there be an ounce of moisture left in her body?
Unexpectedly, Sam hugged her, “What happened?” she repeated.
“I didn’t realize. I knew his history, but I never, ever realized his pain. Or that my own feelings would surface. I love him, Sam. And he can’t let down his guard. His stone wall is an impenetrable fortress. I should never have used that device.”
Not knowing what to say, Sam patted Vala’s shoulder, “We have a briefing. You gonna be okay?”
“Yes, of course. I was only having a weak moment. It doesn’t really matter.”
Eyebrows rising, Sam looked at her doubtfully. “Okay. You want to meet later for dinner?”
“Sure.” Vala pretended to brighten.
With a heartfelt smile, Sam left.
Vala rushed to the door, “Sam?”
Turning back to face Vala, Sam smiled again, “yes?”
“Thanks.”
“Sure.”
* * * *
Not once did she look at him during the meeting. Pretending to take detailed notes she wrote Vala Jackson all over her paper and drew little hearts and flowers, unaware that Mitchell kept peering, confused, at her notes.
Relieved when the briefing ended, Vala jumped up, gathered her telling notes, and was the first to leave.
As soon as Gen Landry left, Daniel hurried out after her.
Mitchell looked at Sam, who was turned watching the two leave.
“What the hell is going on?”
Sam spun around, “What?”
“Somethin’ going on with those two I should know about?”
Smashing her lips tightly together, Sam shrugged.
“Sam?” Mitchell prompted.
“Who knows,” her shoulders came up once again.
“Possibly, you do, ColCarter,” Teal’c commented.
With a look that clearly said ‘Traitor’, Sam turned to
Teal’c. Then back to
* * * *
Daniel caught up with her in the hall. “Vala?”
Her back stiffened. She stopped but would not turn around. He stood too close, “Yes?”
Leaning forward, he peered around her, his head nearly touching her shoulder. “Hey?”
There it was again. That stupid little word he could put such feeling into.
“What?”
“You want to have some dinner?” He backed up, nervous now.
“I’m having dinner with Sam.” Still unable to turn to him she stared down the corridor.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Okay, how about dessert later?”
Now she did turn, a look of surprise on her face, “dessert?”
“Yeah, later, say around eight? My room?”
She stared aghast at him for a second. “Your room?” It came out too high pitched. She cleared her throat.
“Sure, teammates having a little dessert?”
“No. Well, maybe. Yes. Eight?” She placed her hands on her hips.
“See you then.”
She could only nod as he turned and walked away. The minute he turned the corner, she reeled, her upper body moving in a circle, giddy and grinning.
* * * *
Sam watched her in awe. Vala was completely relaxed and laughing. She ate enthusiastically. She chatted happily.
“Mmm, what time is it?” Vala licked gravy off her fork.
“Ninetee… I mean
“Oh! I have to go. I have to change. I have to eat dessert with Daniel. Bye.” She ran out.
Sam grabbed her head a second before lacing her fingers together and bowing her head as if in prayer. Finally, she stood to leave.
“Where’re you goin’?” Mitchell asked walking in.
“I’m going to call Gen O’Neill.”
“Why?”
“To tell him we now have a pair of spacemonkeys loose on the base!”
* * * *
Vala was ripping hot rollers out of her hair while rummaging
through her drawers. She pulled out a slinky red top. No, much too obvious. The leather halter? No. No. No. Way too
kinky for my archeologist.
Ah! The soft pink sweater. YES! With the leather pants? NO! The skirt with the slit clear up to… NO!
Damn! Five minutes. She slipped the pink sweater on, slid into high heels and wander around in just that and her panties. Now there’s an idea. Don’t be silly!
New blue jeans, flared bottoms, not too low on the hips, and Sam thought they looked good on her. Plopping on the bed she slipped one leg into the jeans and got her high heel caught. She struggled to free it, kicked the other shoe off and wiggled into her jeans.
It was
She knocked on his door at eight-o-one. If she hadn’t been standing still she would have fallen off the high heels at the sight of him. He wore jeans. And an incredible blue shirt that lit his eyes like crystal blue flames.
Forcing a nice smile, she tossed her head a bit to get the loose hair out of her line of sight.
“Come in.”
“Thank you.”
“You look nice.”
“Oh, thank you. So do you.” By the way, that shirt looks so good on you I’d like to rip it off of
you. Stop! Stop thinking!
Daniel smiled, put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the little table. “Have a seat.”
She did. And noticed the red heart shaped Jell-o on a plate in the middle of the table.
Daniel moved away and turned on his CD player. Bob Dylan began to sing, Be My Baby Tonight.
Her mouth fell open.
Standing in front of her he offered her his hand. “Care to dance?”
Some space gypsy had stolen her voice. Mouth still open she nodded.
They moved slowly with the music, not really dancing. His arm tight across her back. Her arms resting on his shoulders, hands dangerously close to the back of his neck.
“I still don’t know what happened,” he kissed her temple. “But, whatever it was it changed things between us. If you want, we can take it slow, see what happens?”
Vala relaxed her head against his shoulder, inhaled his scent, closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of him. Warmth and strength and kindness. It was enough. “Yes.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” he placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her back slightly so he could see her eyes. “No promises,” but he kissed her anyway.
“No promises,” she repeated, kissing him back.
Basic Colors
She managed to avoid him for twenty four hours. The clock was counting down the hours in her mind, just like that television show ‘24’ she’d watched last night. Time was running out. Vala swallowed nervously. Her body language, as she walked down the hall towards Daniel’s office, spoke volumes. Like a death row prisoner’s walk to the gas chamber. The electric chair. The hanging tree.
Her stomach did little flips. Siler walked past her, face turned away in avoidance. Everyone knew.
She stopped, swallowing the lump in her throat. She wasn’t ready. Spinning around she headed to the mess hall. Her sanctuary.
A line of Jell-O cups stood like little guards standing
sentry in front of her. Studying them, chin resting on the palm of one hand,
Vala straightened them to even spaces with her other hand, then rearranged the
colors to Blue. Green.
Since the desertion of her team, en masse, yesterday, she hadn’t seen or heard from any of them.
O’Neill found her sitting there staring at the line of cups. “You gonna eat those?” He asked sitting across from her.
Without looking up, she barked out, “Don’t touch them!”
He threw his hands up in surrender. “Not a problem.” Getting up he went to the line and returned with a matching set. Arranging the cups in the same order, Jack watched her. “On your mark, get ready, get set, go!” He dug into the blue.
Vala rushed to begin, spooning a mouthful of the blue.
He finished it before her. “You gotta do better than that.” He started on the green. “Yew, pistachio, I thought it was lime.” Grimacing he swallowed and continued.
She liked pistachio. She was into the orange before him. Neither of them noticed Teal’c standing at the end of the table, “O’Neill.”
“Wha?” He mumbled around the bite into the orange, trying to catch up.
“ValaMalDoran,” Teal’c turned to Vala, “DanielJackson has asked that I inform you – he is waiting in his office.”
The last lump of orange sat like a stone in her mouth. She looked at Teal’c then Jack. O’Neill held the spoon before his mouth and looked at Vala sympathetically. “I’ll go with you.” He offered, taking the bite.
“As will I,” Teal’c bowed his head, hands locked behind his back.
Vala put her spoon down and stared at the two remaining full cups. “Thanks, guys.” She sighed in resignation.
Jack was already done with the purple when Mitchell and Sam arrived.
“Did I miss the memo?” Mitchell sat beside Vala and reached for the red.
“Don’t touch that!” Vala shrieked.
Sam settled next to Jack. He shook his head sadly, without stopping he shoved a purple cube into his mouth. Teal’c had taken the chair at the end of the table after gathering the set of colored Jell-O. It was disappearing quickly.
Mitchell looked at Sam. She shrugged her shoulders and the two got up and retrieved their own set.
Vala was slow on the purple, forcing each bite down. Jack was done with it, but sat back to wait for T, who was already into the orange, to catch up.
“This little scenario remind you of anything?” Jack was slowly eating the red. Raspberry, yuk.
“Urgo.” Both Teal’c and Sam answered.
Mitchell wasn’t doing so well with the pistachio, and from Sam’s odd look she wasn’t too crazy about the orange.
Vala was quiet, staring bleary eyed at the red. Her eyes lifted, scanning the group, one by one.
Jack sat back, threw his hands up and said, “Done!”
With an uncertain smile Vala waited.
Teal’c finished next.
“Excellent T,” Jack reached over and patted the
“Oh, boy. I’m not really sure I can finish all this.” Sam looked at Vala compassionately.
“I’ll wait.” The red still sat uneaten in front of Vala.
Mitchell had gone into automatic mode and wolfed down the last of the red. Sitting back he rubbed at this full tummy and groaned. “Come on, you’re not the back up singer anymore, you’re part of the band. I’ll be standing right beside you.”
They all looked at Sam. Then Teal’c took her cup of red and Jack took the purple.
The table was littered with empty dishes expect for Vala’s red Jell-O.
“It’s okay, take your time. I’ll be there for you, Vala.” Sam’s soothing voice brought tears to Vala’s eyes.
With a deep breath, Vala pulled the red close in front of her.
“You can do it, princess.” Mitchell prompted.
“We’re all here; we’ll help you through this.” Jack’s dark brown eyes held a world of kindness.
“I would be honored to assist you, ValaMalDoran.” Teal’c gave her the slightest smile.
“No. I need to do this myself.” One deep breath. The spoon lifted. She swallowed the first bite. Then the next. And on to the last.
Sitting back against the chair, once again she looked at each one of them. “You know, I’m in love with Daniel.”
“Really?” Jack deadpanned.
“Nooo?” Was the sarcastic southern drawl from
“Indeed.” Teal’c bowed his head.
“We know.” Sam reached across and patted Vala’s hand.
Vala stood, straightening her uniform jacket. One by one the others stood and followed in line behind her, towards her doom.
Not far from Daniel’s office Vala suddenly stopped. Like a domino effect, the others bumped into each other. Separating, they fanned out behind her not saying a word.
Vala’s spine leveled up. She took each pigtail and tightened the band around them. She flattened her collar. Brushed imaginary lint from her shoulders. Pulled her jacket down.
Looking back at her entourage she placed a whacky grin on her face, and marched determinedly into his office.
He never expected this. Daniel scowled at the support group, looking past Vala. “Get out.”
They stood their ground.
Daniel’s desk had been cleared, except for one piece of paper, a pair of scissors, a small box and the pieces of a cut up credit card. He stood, walked around Vala and faced the guard troupe. “This is between me and Vala.”
“Oh, I don’t think so Danny-boy.” Jack took a step forward. The others moved in line with him.
Daniel changed tactics. “Come on guys, this is private. I don’t need an audience. Please give us a minute. You can wait outside.”
Teal’c moved to stand slightly to the left and behind Daniel.
Daniel turned, dumbfounded by the implied threat.
“Oh…kay…fine.” He went back to the desk, handed Vala the piece of paper and told her, “You owe me three thousand, eight hundred fifty-nine dollars and forty-nine cents.”
Vala, heart thumping erratically, studied the typed list of charges.
“And I expect cash.” Daniel, palm out, continued, “Hand over the other two.”
She dug into her right jacket pocket and produced two credit cards. Daniel picked up the scissors and cut them in tiny little pieces. Jack relaxed his stance a little, Teal’c took a step back, Mitchell unfolded his arms and Sam studied the little box on the desk.
Daniel looked at Vala for a second, then into the eyes of each of the others. “Now can I have a moment alone?”
Vala laced her fingers and brought her prayful hands to her chest. She turned to the others, silently pleading for them to stay.
“Not gonna happen.” Mitchell took a command posture. Each of the others nodded in agreement.
“I see.” Daniel once again returned to the desk and picked up the little box. He took a nervous breath, once again looked past Vala at the others and then back to Vala and handed the box her.
Sam’s eyes went round as saucers, but the others were too dumb to get it.
Vala took the box. Opened it. Gasped in awe. Eyes filled with fat tears. Head tilted. Face relaxed into a sweet and loving smile.
“Daniel?”
Okay, how do I say this with a room full of people. Not just people. His people. His family. His friends. This is not the way he had anticipated this moment to go.
Daniel cleared his throat.
Confused, Teal’c, Mitchell and Jack peeped around Vala to see what the box held.
“Vala?” He stopped, unsure of how to continue. Daniel looked at Sam who smiled supportively. “Vala, will you…” he pursed his lips together, nervously shuffled his feet, “…will you marry me?”
Lift off! Vala launched herself into his waiting arms.
“Okay, campers, everybody out.” Jack practically ran from the room, the rest of the band right behind him.
“Oh, Daniel. I do love you so.” She kissed him, open mouthed, tongue and teeth and warm loving lips.
When the kiss ended he placed the ring on her finger and smiled happily. “I love you too. I think you’re nuts. But I love you. And no more credit cards.” He kissed her hot lovely mouth, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her flush into him.
“Just one tiny credit card?” She asked out of breath.
“Maybe.”
** The End
**
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