What Was Meant
By: Assilem
CATEGORY: Angst
WARNINGS: None
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://www.geocities.com/assilems_archive/
When I dipt into the
future far as human eye could see;
Saw the Vision of the world and all the wonder that would be.—Alfred Lord Tennyson
PART 1
She had moved on, and Daniel Gabriel Jackson was confused. She had spent three years chasing him, trying to get a hold of him, and every step of the way, Daniel was letting her get closer and closer, but she moved on. Daniel wasn’t so sure whether or not he was glad or jealous that she had moved on. The constant flirting and sexual suggestions were suddenly gone; the constant fly on the wall that was Vala in his office was few to none.
Vala provoked something in him, something that he didn’t quite understand. He didn’t know if it was lust, affection, or an unnamed feeling-a feeling that he didn’t want to admit. It was supposed to be her chasing him, and that’s the way he liked it-although he would never admit it outright. But that all changed, she had moved on.
It wasn’t like Daniel didn’t like the man she was seeing, on the contrary, they had met and eve had conversations before Vala and Craig met and began to date. Craig Martin one of the junior scientists that were brought in to take over for Dr. Lee, who took over Sam’s job while she was in Atlantis. He was nice, young, dirty blonde hair, and Vala seemed to fall for him. Quite fast.
Daniel stared at the piece of paper in front of him. He couldn’t concentrate without Vala in the room, he had grown so accustom to having her there, and asking questions, most of the time silly, and helped him figure out the problem.
Sam,
It’s so weird without
you here, but I’m sure its weird running the Atlantis Expedition. I wish I
could be there. Here things are usual, the Air Force brought in about five new
scientists to take over Bill’s job, since he got yours. I know, it’s a bit odd
having five new ones. There’s Dr. Marie Keller, she’s quite smart, then Dr.
Andrea-Rae Drossi, she’s nice, I haven’t met Dr. Kristena Woods, and Dr. Louise
Wilsons yet, but I hear they’re nice, and then the token male, Dr. Craig
Martin. Speaking of Craig, Vala has taken a liking to him. They’ve been seeing
each other since the moment they met.
This means that she’s
no longer bugging me. Which is a welcome relief. I’m finally getting some work
done with the Asgard database. This information and their history is amazing
Sam. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. It’s insane really.
Bill and his team are working like a team of mad scientists trying to
comprehend all the technology from the Odyssey.
I’ll write soon,
Daniel
Dr. Daniel Jackson,
PhD
Signing the letter, Daniel put it in an envelope and scribbled down Sam’s name on the envelope and placed it on his desk. Standing up, Daniel looked around the room, it was cluttered and no evidence of Vala. She used to leave her magazines and empty juice boxes on his desk, nail polish and her ipod. Now there was nothing, his papers, books, artifacts and coffee cups. It was like Daniel couldn’t hold on to any woman whom he cared for.
It started with his mother, she was ripped away from him. Then his first girl friend, Sherry Beaoumont, he thought they were going to last forever. It was a delusion. Then there was Sarah, he was too caught up in his work and theories to make them work. Then there was Sha’re, beautiful Sha’re, taken away by fate. Janet was never truly his, but he watched his world crumble when she died. Sam, his best friend, off in Atlantis, and Vala, the woman who provoked every kind of emotion from Daniel, but he cared for her.
“Yo
“Yeah, its right here,” Daniel said turning around and picking up a box marked ‘Atlantis Expedition-Dr. Rodney McKay’. “This goes to McKay, its everything I found that should help. Oh and this letter is for Sam. And uh, I’ve included some reference materials and a copy of my dissertation for references of some of the findings.”
“Okieday,” Cameron said taking the box. “
“Couldn’t be better, why?” Daniel asked as he sat back down at his desk.
“Just wonderin’,” Cameron shrugged. “Well, see ya.”
Daniel nodded and waved to
Swinging around in his chair, Daniel hoped that this small distraction would distract him enough from thinking of Vala, and how for the first time in his life, he was positive that he couldn’t hold onto her anymore.
The fact that boggled his mind the most, was how he managed to lose everyone he loved. Was his too self-obsessed or self-focused? Was his work more important than anyone else in his life? Was it something about him that no woman wanted for a lifetime, did he not want to be a woman for his life? Was it just commitment issues?
Sighing, Daniel stared at his computer screen and started to type. Hoping to provide a distraction for even a moment, Daniel put the nagging feeling of his emotions to the back of his brain. Sitting there for hours working was not uncommon for him, he’d sit there for days if he could. Today would be no different. He would sit there, all by himself, the only sound the keys being hit on his keyboard, the hum of the computer and the pages being turned in his research.
He felt Vala enter the room, but didn’t show a sign of knowing. He kept his attention to the computer, pen behind his ear, pencil in his mouth, a piece paper of scribbled notes in his hand. Vala stood in the doorway and looked at Daniel before she made her presence known.
“Hello Daniel,” she smiled.
“Huh? Oh hi,’ Daniel said absently.
“What are you working on?” Vala asked sauntering over to Daniel and the computer, the click of her high heals hit the ground on beat.
“My Doctorial dissertation,” Daniel said turning around to look at her. She was dressed up. A pair of cropped black trousers, a black cami with lace top under a purple short-sleeved shirt, and a pair of purple strap heal sandals. “I uh, have my defense soon…”
“What’s a dissertation?” Vala asked jumping up onto a cleaned spot on his desk.
“Uh, it’s a large formal explanation of ones research to uh achieve a degree,” Daniel explained.
“Oh,” Vala smiled. “How interesting, what’s yours about?”
“Um, the connection of languages with a single common value,” Daniel said. “Its not the best topic, but it provides me with a ton of research and examples.”
“Oh!” Vala grinned. “Well, I’m off. Craig and I are going out to the movies tonight.”
“Yeah, what are you seeing?” Daniel asked looking back to his research.
“The new Harry Potter movie,” Vala smiled. “Teal’c gave me the books, and I have to say Daniel, this world of Magic is quite interesting. My favourite one is the Deathly Hallows, have you read it Daniel?”
Daniel chuckled softly and looked up at Vala, her eyes were smiling she seemed generally happy. He loved that, he loved when she was happy. Whatever it took to make her happy he was ready to take, and if her being truly happy meant that she was with another man, then he had to let that be.
“No, can’t say that I’ve made it to that one yet,” Daniel replied. “I just started to read The Prisoner of Azkaban.”
“Well, I wont tell you about it then,” Vala smiled. “Well Time to see the movie.”
“Well, have fun.”
Vala nodded and watched Daniel for a moment before she turned her heals and walked away. How could Daniel be so blind? For over two years she gave up everything to try and convince him that she was ready to change everything just to be with him. She had true and honest feelings for Daniel, had them since the day she met him, it was something different, something special, something that became the focus of her life. She had tried everything to convince him, but he kept pulling away every time they got closer. Then she had no choice but to give up on Daniel.
She had met Craig and immediately fell for him. She wasn’t sure if it was just lust or affection, but she cared for him. He was sweet and generally interested in her. She was just not able to hold onto Daniel, so why should she have to be alone?
PART 2: Where Do We Go From Here?
“That was a good movie,” Craig said as he and Vala walked out of the theatre holding hands.
“I think that Tonks could have been in there more,” Vala smiled. “I like her, she’s different. Slightly misunderstood, and not like anyone else.”
Craig smiled and pulled Vala into his arms. Her smile brightened as Craig
spoke. “King of like you.”
“Like me,” she said as he leaned in a brushed his lips to hers. Pulling away Vala opened her eyes and smiled. “Where now?”
“Well, if you want, the Roller dome is open, we could go skating,” Craig suggested as he laced his fingers with Vala’s for the second time.
“Sounds fun,” she smiled.
Looking at the couple one would think they were perfectly happy normal people. In reality, their lives were put on the line nearly everyday, and things as a simple movie or being out with each other were treasured and very rare.
Before she met Craig, Vala would spend time helping Daniel in his research, watching movies with Teal’c, shopping with Sam, and running around the gym with Cameron. But now, to somewhat disappointment, but mostly pleasure, she spent time with Craig. She was happy with him, happier than she’d been in a long time. The brief thought that she should have waited for Daniel flickered out of existence. For that matter this relationship with Craig wasn’t to make Daniel jealous, there was no thought of Daniel when she was with Craig.
“Are you okay?” Craig asked causing Vala to look at him.
“Absolutely perfect,” she grinned.
* * * *
Standing in his bedroom, Daniel stared at his tie
collection, trying to decide which one to wear. He had his defense this
afternoon, and typical him, spent the night awake preparing, had realized the
time and headed home for a shower, shave and suit. Grabbing the purple and blue
striped time, he had gotten from Sam for his birthday, he put it around his
neck and grabbed his jacked from the bed. Glancing at the clock, Daniel caught
the time and quickly ran out of hi apartment, he needed to get to the mountain,
then the airport to catch his plane to
Arriving at the mountain, Daniel made his way to his office and started to gather up his research, dissertation, and his tie still hanging loosely around his neck.
“Daniel, all dressed up,” Vala smiled walking in. “Here,” she smiled grabbing the tie and tying it, as Daniel looked at her with an expression of bewilderment. “Where are you going?”
“Oh, my uh, defense for my uh, PhD,” Daniel said shaking out of his bewilderment.
“That time already? Good luck darling,” she smiled patting his beautifully tied tie. “That should hold.”
“Thanks,” Daniel smiled leaning down and giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. “I could never tie these myself.”
Vala smiled and shrugged. “Well, I wont hold you up, I’m going to go meet Craig for lunch. Good luck.”
“Oh right, you two are still together then?” Daniel asked, he knew they were, but he didn’t want to show that he’d been paying attention to her personal life.
“Yes Daniel,” Vala said raising her eyebrow. “I didn’t think you..."
“I heard Rae talking about it,” Daniel shrugged. “But uh, I’ll see you later. We’ll get together with Cameron and Teal’c and do a team night soon.”
“Sounds good,” Vala smiled as Daniel nodded and walked out of the room.
A small moment with Vala, not caring that she was someone else, a moment where he could just say everything was back to normal.
They had their moments, and now they were over. Vala had found someone else, and at this point, he was happy for her. Or at least pretended to be. He would think to himself, what if he took the chance, would he be in the same place as she and Craig were, would he be living this fairytale that he never thought would come true?
He honestly didn’t know, and he had to beat himself up every day, watching a woman he cared about in the arms of another man. She had given up her trying to get him, and that was his fault. He was the one that kept saying no, kept pushing her away, and she finally pulled away.
“They’re ready for you,” a voice said to Daniel, who jumped slightly.
“Oh, thank you,” he said walking into the room, a panel of ten men and women sat before him, while chairs were filled with undergrads, grad students and even a few PhD students.
“Now presenting, Doctor Daniel Jackson, for his Doctorial degree in Linguistics,” one of the men said as Daniel set up at the podium.
“Thank you,” taking a breath, Daniel looked up and looked around the room. “Good afternoon honoraries, my name is Daniel Jackson. I have three Post Doctorial degrees, and today I will be explaining to you how one common element in languages can relate them all back to the rare dialect of the ancient Egyptians.”
* * * *
Vala sat in the commissary with Craig, who was talking to her about a discovery he had made, but Vala wasn’t interested. She sat there, pushing her macaroni and cheese around her plate.
“You okay babe?” Craig asked looking at Vala. “You seem preoccupied.”
“Oh my uh, my...Daniel, my friend Daniel is doing a presentation and I’m just hoping he does okay,” Vala lied before smiling. “What are we doing tonight?”
“I was thinking we could go out to dinner,” Craig started. “Maybe if you’re up for it, a bit of dancing.”
“Sounds great,” Vala smiled standing up. “I’m going to go back to work however. I have to get all the artifacts that SG-5 brought back catalogued for Daniel.”
“Okay,” Craig said standing up. He walked around the table and leaned over and placed a kiss on Vala’s lip. “I’ll pick you up at your quarters around six?”
“Sure,” Vala smiled giving him a quick peck before walking away. Leaving the commissary, she headed straight for Daniel’s office. She wasn’t lying when she said she had work to do. Only mere hours ago Daniel had kissed her on the cheek. Her skin burned from where his lips touched. Daniel was not going to ruin her happiness. She was bound and determined to let hi go, which was getting easier until this morning. Shaking it off, Vala started to work. There wasn’t much to catalogue, but even after a decade, no one understood Daniel’s preference of cataloging, with the exception of her. She quite liked it that way, made her feel useful to the base.
“Hey Princess,” Cameron said poking his head into Daniel’s office where Vala was sitting, cross-legged, a clip board on her lap and boxes surrounding her. “Whatcha doin’?”
“Cataloging all the stuff SG-5 brought back,” Vala replied. “I thought Dr. Lam gave you time off because of your broken ankle?” she asked gesturing to the cast that donned his right leg.
“I was bored being stuck in my apartment, besides the guy in 5B is creeping me out.”
“Well I can’t help you tonight, Craig and I are going out,” Vala replied.
“You two pretty serious huh?”
“You could say that,” Vala smiled softly as she continued to write.
“What bout
“What about Daniel?”
“I just thought you two had made-up,”
“Daniel and I are just friends, never more,” Vala said determinately.
“That doesn’t sound like you,” Cameron said poking her with one of his crutches.
“Cameron, Daniel and I are just friends. I’m seeing Craig,” she said swatting away the offending crutch.
“You happy with brain-boy?”
“Yes,” she said very softly. “Very much so.”
“
“Dinner,” Vala replied with a smile. “I read in your local newspaper that a local theatre is putting on a show entitled Guys and Dolls. What’s a theatre?”
“It’s a place where people act…kinda like…well…you know…it’s kind of like TV…but not on TV cause you’re right there…Its like live…and, ah hell, its like watching TV,” Cameron tried to explain, but giving up.
“Right,” she laughed softly. “Well, I need to finish this before Daniel gets back.”
“Where is geek?”
“His defense for his doctorate degree,” she said. “He had to
fly to
“I’m gonna see if I can find Teal’c, maybe he’d do something with me.”
Vala laughed softly and waved as she continued her work.
* * * *
The base was quite and only a skeleton crew was on base, as Vala and Craig walked hand in hand back to her quarters. After a night out to dinner and a show, the two decided to call it a night. It was silent when they reached Vala’s quarters. Craig’s hand gently cupped her cheek, as he leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. Vala responded as her arms coiled around his neck. Pulling away, Vala smiled up at him. “Come on in.”
With no response other than his lips to hers again, Vala and Craig both tried to open the door as Daniel came into sight.
His eyes widened as the two disappeared into the darkened bedroom. Staring at the door, as if he saw someone cheating, as if she was cheating on him. But she couldn’t be cheating on him, they weren’t together, so why did Daniel feel like every time he saw her and Craig together that his moment with Vala was over.
But he didn’t want it to be over. He didn’t even get a chance for it to start. He should be the one in that bedroom, running his hands over Vala’s skin.
What was he jealous? Vala was never his, she was nothing more than a co-worker, a friend, a woman whom he watched from a thief and con-artist, to a woman of amazing qualities. He shouldn’t be jealous of a woman that was never his. But in that moment, he didn’t know what to think.
A few months later…
“Sam,” Daniel smiled as Sam walked out of the hanger doors. “Its good to have you back,” he said taking her into his arms for a big.
“You feel so good,” Sam smiled pulling back. “I’m glad to be back, the blonde smiled. “Vala, we need to do some major catching up. You and Craig,” she smiled and she hugged the woman.
“Defiantly,” Vala smiled, her face beaming.
“Cameron,” Sam said leaning over and hugging him. “You got the band back together again.”
“Damn straight!” Cameron chuckled patting Sam on the back. “Good to have you back.
“Thanks, where’s Teal’c?” Sam asked looking around and not
seeing the
“Waiting for us in the car,” Daniel said as he and Sam held hands walking outside. Vala skipped beside them as Cameron lead the team outside.
Teal’c was waiting at the car and Sam’s eyes lit up and she ran to him.
“TEAL’C!” she called running into his embrace. “Its so good to see you. You,
I’ve missed the most.”
“Indeed, so have I Samantha,” Teal’c said hugging her tightly.
“This is cause for a celebration,” Vala grinned. “Shall we?” The rest of the team nodded and laughed as they all climbed into the vehicle.
* * * *
“Why don’t you talk to her?” Sam asked as she and Daniel were gathering tings in the kitchen to bring outside.
“Easier said than done Sam,” Daniel sighed. “She’s with him, she’s happy, how can I ruin that for her?”
“Daniel,” Sam sighed leaning herself on the counter. “Look, I know how you feel, but you deserve to be happy too,” she said grabbing the salad bowl and all the dressing. “Oh and Daniel, use that new PhD of yours.”
Daniel stared at Sam for a moment before he grabbed the condiments and plates and headed outside behind her. Teal’c and Vala were playing Frisbee on the lawn, Cameron was cooking on the BBQ and Sam was putting the table together.
He smiled at the team and decided to just relax. As the night went by, the beer flowed slowly; Vala had discovered the joys of a trampoline and Cameron had spent the night until the darkness fell jumping with her. By the time the night fell, the team found themselves inside. Sam, Teal’c and Cameron playing playstation, and Teal’c kicking their butts, while Daniel and Vala watched them.
“I should be getting back to the base,” Vala said.
“I’ll take you,” Daniel said standing up as Sam turned and looked at him. “I need to get some stuff I left in my office.”
“Thank you Daniel,” Vala smiled. “I’ll see you three later. Have a good night, don’t do anything I would.”
Sam laughed and waved. “Goodbye you two.”
The ride to the base was quiet, Vala spent the time looking out the window. Parking, the two walked into the base.
“Do yeah want me to walk you to your quarters?” Daniel asked as he and Vala walked slowly down the empty hallways.
“Sure,” Vala smiled softly as they walked down towards her quarters. “Daniel?”
“Yeah?”
“You know you’re my best friend right?” Vala asked looking up at Daniel who nodded. “I just wanted you to know that,” she said as they reached her quarters.
Daniel looked down at Vala, her hair pulled back into an untypical ponytail, her bangs swept across her forehead. He was going to say something, but in that moment, he didn’t know what to say, so he did the first thing that came to his mind. He leaned down and captured her lips. The kiss was soft and sweet and Daniel’s arms circled around her body pulling her closer to him.
Breaking the kiss for air, Daniel looked at Vala, eyes brimming with tears, she pushed out of his arms and walked into her quarters, slamming the door. Tears running down her cheeks, Vala slunk down to the floor, burring her face into her knees as the tears turned into sobs, and all Daniel could do was stand on the other side of the door asking why he did it.
PART 3: Something There
He had made her unhappy and he knew it. The moment he kissed her, he knew he screwed up everything. The look in her eyes, were that of hurt, confusion and tears. He knew that he had screwed up and couldn’t make it better by pretending it didn’t happen.
When the next day rolled around, Daniel was sitting in the briefing room reading through Sam’s report as the rest of the team came in. Cameron and Teal’c first, both taking their seats, Sam came in shortly after holding a coffee mug. She gave Daniel a look of ‘what did you do’ just as Vala walked in, her eyes avoiding Daniel’s as she sat opposite Teal’c and beside Cameron.
Daniel looked at her face, her eyes still puffy from the tears, no make-up on her face, her hair pulled into a low pony tail, as hair escaped and framed her face.
Blinking, Daniel looked up at Sam as she smiled and started her briefing. His eyes couldn’t help but fall back to Vala whenever he pretended to check his report in front of him. She was avoiding him, caught his eye once and quickly jerked her head back to Sam.
She made her way out of the briefing room in an instant once Sam finished. Sam looked at the boys and quickly left the room.
“Vala!” Sam called jogging up to her friend. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Oh I’m fine,” Vala said putting on a smile. “I’m just tired, didn’t sleep to well last night.”
“Vala, I know I’ve been gone for a while, but you know you can always talk to me, no matter what,” Sam said laying a hand on Vala’s shoulder.
“Daniel kissed me,” Vala blurted out suddenly, a tear falling from her eye. Sam’s eyes widened as she looked around to see if anyone heard.
“Come here,” she said pulling Vala into an empty office. Locking the door she turned around. “Daniel kissed you?”
“Last night, he walked me to my quarters, and I told him that he was my best friend, and he kissed me,” Vala said touching her lips.
“Like a friend kiss or?” Sam asked, her face looking anxious.
“It was…” Vala said softly as Sam closed her eyes. “I’m confused. Sam, the other night Craig and I went out for dinner, and he proposed.”
Sam’s jaw dropped before she smiled. “That’s wonderful. Isn’t it?”
“I care for Craig, a lot, he makes me happy. Sam, I really do care for him, and he treats me like a princess,” Vala said sitting down on the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. “I finally thought I was moving on from Daniel, I moved on with my life, I found someone I could care for and who cares for me. My life finally fell into a place where I could start a family with a man, and Daniel screws everything up.”
“Vala,” Sam said softly sitting beside her friend. “Do what makes you happy okay?”
“I don’t know what would,” Vala sighed. Sam sighed and patted her friend’s knee. What else was she supposed to do?
* * * *
“You feeling okay babe?” Craig asked as the two sat cuddled on the couch, Craig stroking her arm as they stared aimlessly at the television.
“Oh I’m fine Craig,” Vala smiled. “Did you see what I put on?” she asked lifting up her finger to show the diamond ring that adorned her finger.
“So that’s a yes then?” Craig asked as Vala nodded. “I’m, I’m, I love you.”
“I love you too,” Vala smiled leaning up and giving him a quick kiss. “What did you say this movie was called?”
“Peter Pan,” Craig said.
“That little fairy has an awful mouth,” Vala said moving down so that her head rested on his lap. “And what is with the little boy not wanting to grow up?”
Craig chuckled and ran his fingers through Vala’s hair. “Well, the story is all about Peter not wanting to grow up, to leave his innocence, and comforts.”
“But…”
“No buts, just watch,” Craig teased as Vala stuck her tongue out.
* * * *
“Daniel,” Sam said walking into Daniel’s office, his nose in a book, his hand scribbling down notes. “Daniel!”
“Oh hi,” Daniel said absently.
“When I told you to use your PhD, I meant Talk to her, not kiss her,” Sam said sitting down opposite of Daniel as he looked up.
“You found out?” Daniel asked looking her straight in the eyes.
“Of course I did. Daniel when you told me you had feelings for her, I didn’t mean for you to just act on them, I meant for you to talk to her, explain things, you have a way with words,” Sam said. “You’re not supposed to just kiss her!”
“I know I screwed up,” Daniel said rubbing his hand over his face.
“You have no idea how much. You made her second guess her engagement,” Sam said looking at Daniel as if he was a teenager being reprimanded for cheating on a test. “You know how much that tore her? She was happy Daniel. I only meant for you to say, oh I don’t know ‘I still care for you, and always will, you’ll never have to run away from me’, or something along those lines.”
“She’s engaged?” Daniel asked, his eyes nearly popping from his sockets. “When? How? Why?”
“Why Daniel?” Sam asked standing up. “Daniel, you’re one of my best friends, and I’m only telling you this to make things somewhat better. Go and talk to Vala, because right now she doesn’t need me, or Teal’c, or Cameron, or Craig, she needs her best friend, she needs you.”
With that Sam walked out of the room and left Daniel to sit there, more confused than he’d ever been. He never expected Vala to move on in the first place, but now she was moving on, and the worst part, she had been happy and he had screwed that up. Pressing his fingers to his temple, Daniel rubbed the on-coming headache as he tried to come up with a viable way to talk to Vala without causing more tension that he already had. Standing up, Daniel put his pencil in his book and walked out of the room, he made his way aimlessly down to Vala’s quarters, why there, he didn’t know, he just had a feeling that she’d be there. Knocking on the door, Daniel waited as he heard shuffling, and a giggle.
“Craig,” Vala said as she pushed him out of her arms, a smile on her face as she opened her door. “Daniel?”
“I uh, didn’t know you were busy, I’ll come back,” Daniel said giving a small nod.
“Daniel,” Vala said as she watched him turn around and walk away. “DANIEL!” When he didn’t answer, Vala dropped her head and turned to look at Craig. “That was Daniel.”
“I figured,” Craig said reaching over taking her hand. “You okay?”
“No,” Vala sighed. “But I will be. I’m kind of sleepy.”
“I’ll let you sleep,” Craig said leaning down and brushing her lips. “Love you, sleep well.”
“Me too,” Vala smiled as Craig pulled away and walked out of the room. Vala closed the door and stared around her bedroom. It was her home, had been since the day she came back from the Ori Galaxy. Looking around, she smiled at the familiar processions, on her bedside, her stuffed giraffe, beside it a picture of her and Daniel on their first karaoke night. His arm was around her shoulders and her head was cocked to lay on his shoulder and they looked happy. They were happy. It was a great night. After a few drinks, she had managed to convince Daniel to sing along with her, Cameron and Teal’c had already done it, so it was only fair. Smiling she looked around, on her walls, pictures of the team and planets they had been on-the peaceful ones. Under her bed, the treasure box with all her prized possessions, the little trinkets from her father, a single bobby pin that Daniel had given her, she had lost the other one when she was kidnapped. A small picture frame with pictures of her and Craig from the picture booths. Her first ever pay-stub.
Everything that meant the world to Vala was there, surrounding her and making her feel like she had a home. By marrying Craig, would she lose the home she made? Would she lose Daniel as a friend? That was one thing she couldn’t do, she couldn’t lose the one man in her life that made her who she was.
Stripping off her clothing, Vala let it drop to the floor, as she pulled on her silk pajamas. Turning her lights off, she crawled into her bed, pulled the covers over her head and tried to shut out the world. She didn’t want to be unhappy, she didn’t want to be the bearer of tears and emotions that she couldn’t handle. Where was the Vala Mal Doran that was a thief, who only thought about herself, a con artist? The Vala where love didn’t exist and emotions just complicated deals. Sex was used as a way of getting what she wanted, a defense mechanism. She’d have sex with a man, leave before he awoke, and take whatever she came for. She was not that Vala anymore, she was a valued member of this society, she was loved, cared for, and loved a man with all her heart.
PART 4: Keep Me Awake
“We need to talk,” Vala said walking up to Daniel as he sat in the commissary eating his breakfast.
“We do,” Daniel agreed with a nod. “Not here though.”
“Meet me tonight in my quarters, we’ll have privacy there,” Vala said giving Daniel a small slime. “I have to go. I’ll see you.”
“Bye,” Daniel said as he watched Vala walk away. Lately, that’s all she’s been doing, walking away. She walked away from him, walked away from problems, walking away from him hurt the most. It was supposed to be easy, he was supposed to say ‘I care for you’ and she’d say the same thing and they’d live like they always dreamed of.
It was supposed to be easy, but it wasn’t. Nothing about it was easy. Nothing was ever easy. Vala’s life had never been easy, and why did this have to stand out and be easy? Walking into Sam’s new office, she sat down and picked up a pen. Sam noticed Vala entering the room, and said nothing, letting the woman sit and play with the pen. If she knew one thing about Vala, especially lately, that it was never good to rush her, she’d talk one her own.
“We’re getting married,” Vala said holding up her hand to show a diamond ring.
“That’s wonderful, congratulations!” Sam beamed putting down her pen and taking a hold of Vala’s hand. “That’s a gorgeous ring.”
“Isn’t it?” Vala asked wiggling her finger.
“When’s the Big Day?” Sam asked looking at Vala in anticipation.
“Umm, we haven’t set a day,” Vala asked. “I do have a question about Tauri weddings, as the only real wedding I’ve been to is, well Tomin and I’s, and that was set in a different galaxy, so that is a bit different.”
“Well, I’ll be glad to help you,” Sam smiled. “I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
“Great, thank you Samantha,” Vala smiled, her giving Sam a grateful smile that spread into her eyes. Sam smiled back and squeezed Vala’s hand.
* * * *
Everything had changed. It changed the second the door shut behind Daniel, who was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and an un-tucked button down shirt. The familiar glasses on his nose were missing, and the blue of his eyes seemed to be brighter without the glass.
“I’m not late?” Daniel asked giving a shrug of slight discomfort.
“No, no,” Vala said pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Thanks for coming Daniel.”
“No problem. We need to talk, and the longer we put it off, the worse it’ll be,” Daniel said, his hands going into his front pockets of his jeans.
“I agree,” she said walking to the wall of pictures in her room. She knew they had to talk, she knew that something needed to happen, and the thing she didn’t know was how to start it. Should she just come right out and say it, explain things, procrastinate until the topic came up? Staring at the pictures, Vala ran her finger along one of the frames and the words just came out.
“You know Daniel, I waited. I waited a long time. I came to Earth, not because of the treasure like I said. I came because of you. That time we spent on the Prometheus, you trusted me, and I had to trust you, and that scared me. I never trusted anyone in my life since the day my mother died. But you, you made it so that I could trust someone again, and I wanted to find out why. So I came, and I was treated with such hostility and lack of the trust that I couldn’t wait to leave, until the look in your eyes that said that you didn’t want me to.
“I was willing to die to save you and your people, because for some reason you meant something to me. I didn’t know what it was. It scared me. I may have tried to live in OriLand, but I wanted to get back here like there was no tomorrow. I needed to get back to you Daniel. I never gave a damn about any culture except my own in my entire life, and I care about Earth. You made me care about Earth Daniel.”
“Vala,” Daniel said interrupting her.
“No, let me speak.” With Daniel’s nod Vala took a breath and continued. “I understand that you had a wife and you weren’t over her murder, but Daniel, I had a husband, and a child who would kill everyone I cared about because we refused to believe in their way of life. Daniel I was willing to lose them for your protection. I cared deeply for Tomin, I could almost love him in a way, but you held me back. You made me feel something I never had before, something so deep and it scared me. But you know what I did Daniel? I stuck to try and find out what it was, and hopefully find it not as frightening! I stuck to it, I stayed here to find out what could possibly keep me from everything I ever knew to something strange and scary…
“I was angry with you. Horribly and selfishly angry that you could show me that you could care for me, but not like I care for you. Daniel I waited, I hoped, I did everything I knew to subtly tell you and show you that I needed you. The flirtatious front, that is me, and that is only me because of Quetesh. You know after so many years of being the body of a soul that used sex and my body to get her way, it became me. Became who I was. Who I am. We all have fronts we put up…
“Cameron’s is his sarcasm…his ability to fall back to basic
survival. Samantha’s is her façade that everything is okay, her ever illusive
smile that makes you think everything will turn our. Teal’c, his is that he was
a
“Mine, is my flirting, it’s the only way I know that I know I can cover up what I’m really feeling. I just had to kept he faith that you would be the one to catch me and break through my front. You are my best friend, you were there throughout everything that happened here, everything that I’ve gone through, you were the one to pick up my hand and say that it was going to be okay and I’d survive.
“I waited Daniel, I waited until you were ready, and you know what, I couldn’t wait any longer. I went and decided to let another man to love me. Craig loves me, Tomin loved me, hell, Tomin probably still does. Because you couldn’t love me, I needed to be with someone that could. I couldn’t let my heart break again, because what kind of heart can break when you’d already broke it? Because of you, and your own pride and fear and whatever else that there might be, I can’t be with you until you’d finally given into your desires…or feelings. But I can’t wait…I couldn’t wait.
“Then you kissed me!” She said as tears poured out of her eyes. “When I was finally happy, I was happy, and you kissed me. There was something in the kiss that made me forget who I was, whom I was supposed to be with….How you really felt…I just. I need to know what you feel. Its easy Daniel, just go and say what you feel. What you want from me. Am I just a object of lust that can satisfy your sexual needs, or am I something more?”
Vala stared at Daniel, her eyes puffy with tears, and he looked at her.
“Vala,” he said softly running his hand through his short brown hair. Sighing slightly, Daniel closed his eyes in frustration. “How can you stand there and tell me that I don’t care? I care far too much about you. I was the one that didn’t sleep when you were gone, I was the one that convinced Landry to let you stay on base, because I cared what happened to you. I didn’t know why, but you did something to me that I couldn’t control.
“Do you even know how much it killed me when you disappeared? Something happened….You happened. I’m finally ready to move on in my life, from my wife, and you happened to me. You made me feel something that I haven’t felt in a long time. I spent nights laying awake trying to figure you out. You’re a mystery.”
“How dare you!” Vala screamed. “How dare you lay this on me. I moved on! I found someone!”
“You call Craig someone? Oh come on Vala, you understand nothing of what he says!”
“I can’t believe you just said that,” Vala said shaking her head. “You think that’s all I care about? For Christs sake Daniel! He’s sweet, caring, loving, treats me better than you ever did! He treats me like he loves me, and not like I’m his friend, who he’s ashamed of having feelings for!”
“I’m not ashamed!” Daniel yelled before he grabbed Vala’s head and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips were warm and somewhat welcoming, his arm curled around her torso bringing her closer to his body. Bodies pressed together, Daniel’s hands holding her, while Vala’s were pressed against his chest, as they moved up to curl around his neck.
Pulling away when air became a need, Daniel whispered against her lips. “I’m not ashamed of you.” Before Daniel could say more, Vala leaned up and kissed him again, their worlds colliding, and crashing and nothing mattered but them at the moment.
PART 5: Will It Be?
Vala woke up and kept her eyes closed. She was hoping that whatever happened last night was just a dream. But upon opening her eyes, she saw the body of Daniel beside her, his hand lightly touching her shoulder as his chest moved up and down in a slow steady rhythm. Taking a breath, Vala started to rack her brain as to what happened last night. This was not stable, it was purely based on anger and bursting emotions. There was no stability.
Moving so that not to disturb Daniel, she couldn’t deal with him waking up right now, she didn’t know how to deal with what happened. Standing up, she grabbed the nearest piece of clothing she could find and slipped it over her body, concealing the skin that for one of the first times in her life, that she was slightly embarrassed by. Moving around the room with the skill of a thief, Vala dressed and left her quarters, and Daniel who was asleep in her bed.
The hall was quiet in the morning, but bright, as the light burned her eyes. Vala squinted and waited for the light to adjust in her vision before starting to walk down the hall. The only sound was the sound of her bare feet on the cement floor. She needed a place to go, to hide from the world. Craig’s room was out of the question, she couldn’t see him, not yet. Sam was an option, she was a good option, the woman wouldn’t pry, but the minute Vala explained what happened, she would go after Daniel and Cameron was the same, they were protective of Vala. There was Teal’c, Teal’c wouldn’t say anything, he wasn’t like that, he’d welcome her and comfort her…
Standing in front of Teal’c’s room, she hoped that he was awake at the early hours in the morning, she reached over and knocked on his door. Hoping that he was there, Vala wrapped her arms around her body as the door opened and the soft glow of candle light splashed over her.
“Come in,” Teal’c said softly putting an arm around her shoulders and bringing her into his room. Once Vala settled down on one of his piles of pillows, she looked at Teal’c, her eyes pleading for some sort of answer. “Over the many years that we had spent on the Odyssey, I have provided a great many nights of refuge for you. Many a nights, you would come in search of answers and comfort from your emotions and fears. We would sit in silence until you were ready to tell me of your troubles, I have missed that time that we shared.”
Vala smiled at Teal’c as she picked up one of the burning candles.
* * * *
Weeks Later
“What are the symbols?” Vala asked as she stared at the mission file in front of her. There rest of SG-1 were sitting around the briefing room table, and there were mission files in front of each one, some open, some closed. “The gate address, what is it?”
“Uh,” Daniel said shaking his head and looking up, quickly writing them down, he slipped the paper over to her. “That’s them.”
Vala stared at the piece of paper, her fingers walking over the symbols. “I know this place. It’s a safe haven. Its called Terran, the people there are friendly but cautious, because of their enslavement over the years. It’s a good place.” Pausing. “The main town, is called Yale, and Yale, Yale the last time I was there was a safe haven. They’d be good allies.”
“Well, that settles it, SG-1 this is your mission. Friday morning.”
Vala stared at General Landry and nodded her head. One place she knew that going back would result in her emotions spiking, and she was headed there. She could do it, there wasn’t a thing holding her back than going home. A safe place was something Vala always needed and wanted in her life, and she had it, here on Earth, Terran was just a place she used to call home, where all that was left was memories.
* * * *
She was pregnant and she knew she was, it was painfully obvious. Her hot skin on the cold porcelain as she leaned over the toilet bowl, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the night, in the early morning. Morning sickness that lasted all day, all night, and generally made Vala feel as if she was about to die.
“Vala?” Sam asked from outside the bathroom stall in the woman’s change room. Knocking on the door she waited until Vala flushed the toilet. “Vala, I have your toothbrush.”
“Thanks,” Vala said as the door opened and she stepped out, her pale skin even paler.
“How far along?” Sam asked handing the toothbrush with toothpaste on it over to Vala.
“A few weeks,” Vala replied looking up at her. “How did you know?”
“Women know things,” Sam explained. “Have you told Craig?”
“I don’t know if it’s his,” Vala said as she leaned down into the sink and spit rising her toothbrush.
“As in?” Sam asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.
“As in I had sex with two different men,” Vala sighed, leaning her head against the cold mirror, her reflection hiding nothing.
“Vala,” Sam started leaning against the vanity. “If you need anything, I’m here.”
“Thank you Samantha,” Vala whispered. “I just don’t know what to do right now.”
“Well, you need to do whatever is best for you and the baby,” Sam said softly touching Vala’s shoulder. “Forget about the men, it’s for you and the baby that’s important.”
“I, I need to go on this mission, after this, I’ll tell General Landry,” Vala aid, her blue/gray eyes looking into Sam’s for reassurance.
“If you’re sure we’re not in any danger,” Sam said looking at Vala, worry evident.
“I’m going home,” Vala whispered softly to herself. “We’ll be fine.”
“Come on, before the boys come looking,” Sam said as Vala nodded and the two headed out of the change room, Vala suppressing all the urges to run back to the toilet and throw up her stomach.
* * * *
The team walked down the steps of the gate and looked around. There was a path leading down the hill, and surrounding them were trees and bright green grass and the plain dirt road. It was like a picture out of a painting and the air smelled as sweet and warm against their skin as they’d imagine. The best part was that Vala was home, a place where memories were good and bad and everything in between.
“This way,” Vala said stepping ahead of the crowd of the four. “The closest village is Yale, also the safest, they’re friendly.”
“You’ve been here before?” Cameron asked as they made their way down the dirt path.
“You could say that,” Vala said letting her gun fall to her chest. “I suggest however that you request a lunch with the town leader and to establish trade negotiations. The village Elder, Kolsa, knows more about the races of this galaxy that it will shock you. The town is very small, everyone knows everyone, there is a creek just outside the town, the freshest water and fish in town.” She said softly as they walked into the limits of the city. It was a small town, one main road and on either side, there were shops and a few children running across the road.
Vala looked around the town, and slightly smiled. She remembered being one of the children who’d run through the street chasing others and their pets. She saw a little girl with jet-black hair look at her, eyes wide before she ran towards a woman standing picking out what would be classified as fruit.
“Vala Mal Doran,” a voice said as Vala and the team stopped and looked to the voice. A man about a few years older than Vala stood, his arms folded across his chest.
“Deken Aine,” Vala smiled before she jumped into his arms. “Its great to see you.”
“You too, haven’t seen you since Kendra’s death,” Deken said touching her cheek. “You’ve grown up so beautifully.”
“Thank you,” Vala smiled.
“You gonna introduce us?” Cameron asked jerking Vala out of her thoughts.
“Oh right, Deken, this is Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell,
Colonel Samantha Carter, Teal’c, former
“Welcome to Yale,” Deken smiled.
“Thank you,” Sam smiled back. “We would like to open trade negotiations for our two societies and provide information about a race…”
“Who want to suck the life out of us all,” Cameron supplied.
“You’d have to go with the counsel for that, but that shouldn’t be to hard, if you’d like, I can arrange something,” Deken offered as Vala nodded. “I’ll be right back then, if you want you can wait at the diner, Zeka is making Kaner pudding.”
“I’ve missed that,” Vala smiled. “Thank you Deken.”
“No problem, I’ll be back in a bit.”
Waving, Deken headed off as SG-1 looked at Vala. “Well, we’d better head to the diner, Zeka’s Kaner pudding is the best tasting food in the universe, even better than your mother’s pie Cameron.” She gave a million dolar grin before turning. “As I remember it, the diner is this way.”
The team followed Vala, and weren’t the ignorant when it came to how many people stopped and watched Vala, and the whispers. They caught a few whispered words, about Vala Mal Doran returning, and the death of a woman named Kendra.
“Look, Vala, I don’t know what kind of scam you’re pulling on these poor people,” Cameron started before Vala whipped around, her eyes burning him with anger.
“Has it ever occurred to you that we all come from somewhere Cameron?” she demanded. “That we all have a place that we call home? Or are you too ignorant about your own culture that little ole me can’t come from anywhere because I was nothing more than a common space pirate?”
Cameron and SG-1 stood there, looking shocked as Vala ran off. Teal’c was the first to move, giving a glare to Cameron and the universal signal for not to follow him. Teal’c made his way to where Vala had run and found her leaning against a building, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Vala Mal Doran,” Teal’c said placing a hand on her shoulder. “You should not be upset. There are times when I too believe the Tauri are ignorant.”
“Its not that Muscles,” Vala whispered, her body leaning against the wall behind her. “There’s a lot relying on me…”
“There is much at risk, yes, but is it worth risking your unborn child?” Teal’c asked, his head cocking to the side and giving Vala a look of concern.
“How did you know?” Vala asked whipping her eyes.
“I have observed you for the past few weeks Vala Mal Doran,” Teal’c replied. “There is no doubt that you are carrying a child.”
Vala sighed and smiled softly. “Please, don’t tell anyone…”
“You have my word Vala Mal Doran,” Teal’c vowed as his arm draped over her shoulder. “Come now.”
* * * * *
*
“Vala, what’s the matter?” Daniel asked as he stared at Vala, who was holding a very old book to her body as she walked up and down the rows.
“What ever do you mean Daniel?” Vala asked as her head popped up, and pulling the book closer to her body.
“There’s defiantly something not right Vala,” he said. “There is all this talk about you returning after the death of this woman named Kendra. The records of Kendra Mal are all before one date, and then nothing. Who was Kendra?”
“Kendra Orcia Mal was my mother,” Vala replied fingering the book. “She died when I was eleven. Jecek came back the day after she died, we held a funeral, and then we left.”
“What was so special about her?”
“Daniel, Kendra is a descendent of the man who founded this town, and she freed the town of slavery. Since the day her father died, my grandfather, she was the heir to crown. The government is run by hierarchy with one leader of the Mal family. If one of those crown holders die and there are no children, the second in line will take over, like Nayans did after mother died.”
“You’re the rightful heir,” Daniel said, his mouth agape. “That’s why there was whispering.” Vala nodded.
“Since the day we left, there had been pictures of me sent back here, stories of my achievements, until the day I made them stop. It was rumoured that I died, until I showed up on a little planet called Onys, where the people knew of my family, and sent evidence that I was alive.
“I hoped that living on Earth that I’d be able to escape the world that everyone knew I was royalty.”
“Vala, you’re telling me you’re supposed to be running this planet?” Daniel asked as Vala nodded again.
“And this child after me,” she said before realizing what she said.
“Child? You’re pregnant?” Daniel asked stop asking questions you idiot!
“Yes,” Vala said looking out the window. “I am.”
“And its Craig’s?”
“I don’t know,” Vala sighed. “I don’t know Daniel. It could be yours, it could be Craig’s, I just don’t know.”
“Vala,” Daniel said softly, dropping his pencil and walking over to Vala. He rested a hand on her shoulder and stood in silence for a moment. “If the baby is mine, I’ll do anything you want me to do, I’ll be in its life, I’ll be the father, I’ll be at every ballet recital, basketball game, for every cut, scrape, bruise, broken heart, everything.”
“I’d expect nothing less Daniel,” Vala said turning her head. “I just don’t want the life the child would be bound by blood to live, the child of an heir is no life.”
PART 6: What Was Needed
Searching within herself for the answers she kept asking.
Was this for real? Was she ready for this? Could she make the sacrifice? Could
she be the mother she needed to be? She knew she wanted the child. This baby
was something she wanted with her heart. The child may have been a surprise and
not planned at this moment in time, but that didn’t mean the child was any less
loved.
The need for the child to have a family really impacted Vala the second she
went back home. Going home wasn’t an option, she needed to make her child’s
life better than hers. Going home would mean the same fate, a child of
heredity, where his or her only responsibility was to be an heir to a society
that never needed a leader, but relied more on the material than physical. Vala
couldn’t inflict the same future to her child, a future where there was only a
mother, no father around in their life
She needed to tell Craig. Daniel knew there was a possibility that the baby was
his, and it was only fair to let Craig know. That’s what she was doing,
pacing back and forth waiting for Craig to meet her. She had taken off the
diamond ring and was playing with it between her fingers. She loved the ring,
she loved the man who gave her the ring, but that man didn’t deserve her. She
was for the second time, unaware of who the father of her child was, at least
this time, she could rule out evil power hungry ascended type being
impregnating her without her knowledge.
“Hey, penny for your thoughts?” Craig said walking into the room, his hand
touching her elbow, shaking Vala out of her thoughts.
“I wanted to give this back,” Vala said holding out the ring. “I don’t deserve
it…or you.”
“What do you mean?” Craig asked, searching Vala’s face for an answer.
“I,” Vala started as she looked down to the floor. “I can’t be with you. I
cheated on you, I slept with another man…and I can ‘t live with myself, and you
shouldn’t have to live with me.” The tears that were threatening to fall,
finally fell as she looked at Craig, who stood motionless holding the diamond
ring between his fingers.
“Vala, I can live with you having a one night fling with some man, it doesn’t
change how I feel about you,” he said stepping forward and touching her arm.
“What happened doesn’t matter to
“I got pregnant,” Vala said pulling back. “I can’t ask you to raise another
man’s child. I wont ask you to do that. I’m just so sorry that it had to turn
out like this.”
“It’s Doctor Jackson’s isn’t it?” Craig asked staring at Vala, who stood there,
her face bearing a look of sorrow.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her head dropping. “I wanted to just forget about
it, I wanted to be with you, I do care for you. I just couldn’t bear with
myself any longer. I thought that if I looked at you, you’d know. I couldn’t
help but thank god you went to Atlantis to help Dr. Zelenka, and I just…I hoped
that by the time you came back, everything would be better, I would have
forgotten the entire night. We could go back to the way we were, get married, have
children of our own, but then I got pregnant, and the worst part about this
entire thing, is me.”
“Vala,” Craig said touching her shoulder, her engagement ring still in his
hand. “Its okay.”
“No its not. You deserve someone better, someone who loves you more than me,
someone who at a turn of another mans head wont fall into bed with him. Someone
better.”
“Vala,” Craig said again, trying to stop the woman from talking.
“You don’t know my past Craig, I hurt too many people for my own need, and I
wont hurt you. I can’t…I don’t want to hurt you when everything you’ve ever
shown me was love and affection. I can’t be the one to take that away from you.
I was hoping that by the time you got home, I’d be okay with myself, that we
could move on…but I can’t be okay with myself, because every time I look at you
now, I think, I wish, that it wasn’t you.” Stopping, Vala looked up, her
thoughts continued to rage…That it was Daniel who was holding me in his arms,
that it was Daniel who kisses my nose and tells me that he loves me, “but its
you, and that’s the reason why you don’t deserve me, I come with baggage, I
come with loving another man whom I can’t be with at this time in my life.”
Pulling away from Craig, Vala looked up at him and turned her back. “Don’t follow,
you’ll make it harder.”
Craig stood there as he watched Vala walk out of the room and his life. A
diamond the only thing left in his hand. Tightening his grasp around the ring,
Craig quickly left the room in search for Daniel. Walking quickly down the
corridors, the ring still clutched in his hand, and his need to see the man who
had stolen something from him, something very special to him.
“Dr. Jackson?” Craig said knocking on the door as Daniel looked up from his
work.
“Oh hi, Craig,” Daniel said as he tapped his pencil to his book. “Did you need
anything?”
“I did actually,” Craig said walking into the office. “I needed to know
something.”
“How can I help?” the archaeologist asked putting down his pencil and turning
towards the young physicist.
“Well, I want to know why you stole it?”
“Stole what?” Daniel asked, clearly confused as to what he supposedly stole.
“Her heart. Vala’s heart. Why did you take her heart and her love?” Craig asked
dropping the ring on the books. “Why did you take her away from me?”
“Look, Craig, I didn’t mean to take her away,” Daniel started before realizing
what he dropped, his gaze focused on the diamond and he looked back up. “She
cancelled the wedding?”
“She left me Dr. Jackson, she left me because she loves you,” Craig said,
almost angrily, his eyes burning Daniel’s.
“Look Craig, Vala is her own woman, she only leaves someone when she wants to!”
Daniel said staring back at him, his blue gaze burning Craig’s brown. “If she
left you, its not my problem.”
“It is your problem if the baby is yours!”
“Get out!” Daniel said as Craig nodded his head curtly and quickly left the
room as Daniel picked up his pencil and threw it across his room.
Looking around, Daniel ran his hand through his hair and sighed. This was
proving to be a headache, and it all lead back to maybe he should have packed
up his bags, headed to Atlantis and not let Vala and her irresistible
personality that kept him back here on earth. Everything that was Vala kept him
here, he searched high and low for the answers, and all the clues and facts
came back to one single person: Vala. It was all Vala, there was no Sha’re, no
Sarah, no Janet, nobody but Vala.
Looking at his desk, under the papers, and books there were three picture
frames. Each with a woman whom he loved and lost; Sarah, Sha’re and Janet. The
forth picture was not framed, but instead it was stuck to the side of his
computer screen. A single picture of not one person, but two…Daniel sighed and
pulled the picture off the screen. He remembered that picture well, it was at
Sam’s goodbye party. Before Craig came into her life. They were sitting on the
patio, his arm around her shoulders, she was leaning into his body, a smile on
his face, and Daniel had a smile…
For a reason that was beyond Daniel, he had kept that
picture, he kept that picture closest to him, not in a frame covered by glass,
in a world where all he could do was look, never touch, but the picture of he
and Vala, was real, he could remember everything about the picture, the feel of
her skin next to his, the sweet, almost spicy sent of her, the way she made him
feel, feeling of excitement, an aroused feeling, a feeling of being…loved…
She was real, the only real thing he had left…and he never wanted to lose that.
Everything he did from this moment on was to make sure she stayed…make sure
nothing scared her away, he loved her too much, never wanted to see her leave…
* * * *
“So you left him,” Sam said softly. “I’ve left two fiancés. Actually when I say
it like that, doesn’t make me sound too good…”
“You had valid reasons for leaving though,” Vala protested as she pulled the
blanket over her lap, and playing with the fringe. “I left him because I can’t
live a lie…not anymore.”
“That’s a good thing Vala. The reasons you had were valid, you couldn’t be with
a man whom you didn’t truly care about, and that’s completely understandable,”
Sam reasoned looking at her friend, who was in obvious distress about the
entire situation.
“I cared…care about Craig, I just,” pausing, Vala pulled her knees to her
chest. “I can’t hurt or be hurt like that again…” she whispered softly.
“Hey Vala,” Sam said moving so that she was sitting straighter in her chair.
“Why don’t you come and live here with me, I have plenty of room and I’d love
the company.”
“I couldn’t impose,” Vala said quickly.
“You wouldn’t be, I have the extra room, and when the baby comes we can convert
my third office to a nursery. Besides, you wouldn’t be alone,” Sam added in
hopes to peruse her friend.
“Its nice of you to offer, but,” Vala started before Sam cut her off.
“I don’t take no for an answer.”
A smile spread across Vala’s face as she nodded her head. “Okay…”
“Great!” Sam grinned. “We’ll go get your stuff packed up and I’ll get the boys
to move you in this weekend.”
Vala smiled and leaned back into the couch, letting it hug her body. Everything
in her life was not how she planned it, but then again, when was anything
planned? Leaning from a very young age that life was indeed not fair, she knew
that she must be the one to stay and make sure that life didn’t take a turn for
the worse, and she lost everything.
Everything here on Earth was now her home, she had a family, a baby of her own,
a home, friends, a job that was honest, people to take care of her, people to
love her. Everything she had ever searched for in her life, she had. She had
everything but one thing…
Her Knight in Shining Armour that would rescue her from the confines of her
heritage and take her for what she was. The man who in her dreams always
remained faceless, but his warmth, and love made her question everything she
was ever taught. Who worshiped her, but also set her straight. Everything she
ever searched for she hoped to find within Craig, but never found the most
important thing that came with it, she was to love him with everything she ever
had. She didn’t find that in Craig, found that in another man…a man who in the
first place made her come to Earth.
Daniel didn’t worship her, not in the way one thinks worshiping works, oh no,
Daniel worshiped her friendship, her being… At least, that’s what Vala hoped.
* * * *
Daniel walked into his darkened apartment, dropping his briefcase on the
kitchen counter and keys beside the sink. Not bothering to turn the lights on,
he looked around, mind racing. The events of the past few days running through
his mind, so many things, Vala, and the baby, her leaving Craig, and the baby.
The idea that he could be a father, a real life father, scared him a bit. Hell,
it scared him a lot. The idea of someone so tiny and smell relying on him for
everything, it was scary.
He knew very well that in fact the child might not be his, which he was okay
with. Since Vala told him, everything that ran through his mind all revolved
around the child. Of what could be. Three different scenarios…
The first, it wasn’t his. Instead he got to play Uncle Daniel to a little boy
or girl. He’d take them out for an afternoon, give them books for Christmas,
helping with French homework, all in all, the role of an Uncle.
The second scenario was Vala giving birth to a little boy. His boy. He gets to
be Dad, teaching him all about life, how to play catch, ride a bike, how to ask
out his first girlfriend, the facts of life. His son would be his life.
The last scenario was a little girl all his own. Being Daddy, who fixes scraped
knees, broken hearts, lost dollies all with his hugs. He’d be the one to tell
her every chance she looked pretty; she’d be his angel, the one he made sure
that no man would break her heart, and if they did, death would ensue.
Then there’s the scary scenario, the scenario he didn’t want to think about.
The loss of the baby. That was a scenario he wasn’t going divulge into. That
scenario wasn’t something he wanted to think about, or within his power, let
happen.
Daniel sighed and walked through his apartment, not once turning on the light.
Light meant seeing, facing something he wasn’t ready to. The dark was easier,
the dark just meant he was able to search, find and accept…
PART 7: When One Door
The months passed, too slow for Vala who seemed to suffer from every ill effect of pregnancy, and too fast for the rest of the team, who enjoyed every moment of watching the baby grow, although at the same time they didn’t enjoy the constant mood-swings from the expectant mother. Each member of the team tried to keep their patience with Vala at most times, but couldn’t succeed sometimes.
Teal’c decided to take it upon himself to become the Supreme Caretaker, who watched Vala like a hawk, making sure she was careful of the child that grew inside of her.
Cameron became very excited that “his team” was getting a mini-member, and was scheming to obtain SG-1 badges for the unborn child.
Sam took it upon herself to prepare everything for the child’s arrival, she was constantly reading parenting books or shopping for everything the child would need and not need, but she found cute.
Daniel was the worst of them all, constantly checking in on how Vala was doing, making sure she was eating enough, taking her to the Doctor’s appointments, he’d say on the phone for hours upon hours with Vala, sometimes assuring her things would be all right, or merely saying nothing.
Vala in mere frustration of everyone on base giving her name suggestions, to back off and if they had any parenting ideas to tell SG-1, and then if they deemed it safe, to tell Vala. The team even came up with names, as they knew Vala would only accept their suggestions. Sam came up with Olivia or Callum, while Cameron presented Molly and Toby, while Teal’c merely handed over a piece of paper with two words written on it, “You Decide.”
Daniel didn’t suggest or give Vala a piece of paper, instead he sat on Sam’s couch, rubbing her feet, her very swollen feet, discussing her life, the child’s future, everything Vala was thinking.
“What does Craig have to say?” Daniel asked one night, Vala’s pregnancy in the later months, and she was getting more and more worried about the coming baby.
“Oh honestly Daniel, I don’t think he cares,” Vala sighed. “He’s not concerned that he’s the baby’s father. He says there is no chance, not even a one percent chance that she’s his…”
“She?”
“Or he,” Vala replied, caressing her stomach. “The fact that he put in for a transfer is saying everything.”
“Vala, I’ll, uh, I’ll be here, there, for you and the baby, even if it isn’t mine,” Daniel said drifting off.
“Daniel, if it’s not yours, you don’t have to feel obligated, I can raise the baby myself.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” Daniel protested.
“It was my fault we’re in this triangle problem,” Vala replied. “I allowed myself to fall for both of you…you more than him.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Daniel whispered as he noticed the welling of tears in her eyes. “Please don’t cry.”
“Daniel, I have lost every man in my life…my father, my best friend, my first love, my husband, my father again, my Craig, I can’t lose another man,” she said as tears started to run down her cheeks. “I can’t lose another Daniel…”
“I’m not lost,” Daniel whispered.
* * * *
It wasn’t until her eighth month that Jack was able to get
away from
Showing up at the house, pizza in one hand, and a huge teddy-bear in the other, his infectious smile rang through the house, which somehow opted as a way that the rest of SG-1 arrived at the house, each brining a different type of food.
“So, you pick a name yet?” Jack asked taking a drink of his Guinness.
“Well, I’ve narrowed it down for sure,” Vala smiled, her finger dancing over the rim of her water glass.
“Now, Jack, that’s a good name for a baby, or Jacqueline,” Jack smiled as everyone else laughed.
“No offence Jack, but I don’t want my kid named after you,” Daniel teased, his hand touching Vala’s stomach protectively.
“Why not? I’m a great influence you know,” Jack said as Sam snickered into her cup. “Carter, you got something to say to the audience?”
“No sir,” Sam said, quickly putting on a straight face.
“Well, what are you thinking anyway Vala?” Cameron asked, rescuing Sam from further prosecution.
“Well, if it’s a boy, then either, Laine, Fiyaro or Brandt, for reasons I don’t want to dwell into, and then for a girl, after my mother, Kendra, and most likely a form of my middle name, Ceya.”
“Your middle name is Ceya?” Cameron asked, looking a bit surprised.
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know that,” he replied.
“I don’t go introducing myself as it,” Vala replied a little fast.
“Well, I think its pretty, and middle names aren’t really a big deal, I mean mine is Gabriel,” Daniel shrugged.
“Samantha Isabelle Carter,” Sam said raising her hand.
“I got two, and uh…Jonathon Keith James O’Neill,” Jack shrugged, bringing his beer bottle to his lips.
“Cameron S.M Mitchell,” Cameron added, feeling the need to keep the chain going.
“What does the S and M stand for?” Vala asked, looking curious.
“Nothing,” Cameron said quickly.
“Well, it does mean something Colonel,” Jack said as Cameron shot him a glance.
“Sir?”
“You see Vala, Mitchell’s middle names are Sunshine Moonbeam,” Jack elaborated as a smile that ranged from ear to ear spread across Vala’s lips.
“Sunshine Moonbeam?”
“Yeah, well, my Mom got to give me my middle names okay? Apparently I’ named after some friends who uh, changed her life, whatever that means,” Cameron shrugged leaning back in his seat.
“Four friends ya say?” Jack asked, looking at the younger man.
“And those friends gave your Mother the idea to name you after them?” Sam added as Cameron nodded, his brows frowning.
“Whatcha y’all getting at?”
“Well, you see Mitchell, lets do a bit of spelling,” Jack said as Vala leaned into the table, indent on hearing the great mystery behind his name. “Take, oh I don’t know, five letters from my name.”
“And another five from mine?” Sam added with a smile.
“Then, a few from my name,” Daniel smiled.
“And the remaining from mine,” Teal’c said, a smirk wanting to play upon his lips.
“Are you saying I’m named after you guys!?” Cameron exclaimed. “Wait, I’m being punk’d again aren’t I?”
“’fraid not Kid,” Jack said into his beer bottle, as the look of horror raged over Cameron’s face.
“Why do you this to me?” Cameron asked in horror as everyone laughed, except for Vala, whos laughter turned into a gasp.
“You okay?” Sam asked quickly, looking at her friend.
“I think…No, I’m in labour…” Vala said breathing out her mouth.
“Well now, isn’t this convenient?” Jack asked standing up. “Mitchell, get the cars started, Teal’c, help me get miss Vala here to the SUV, Sam calm Daniel down and grab the bags.”
“Yessir!” Cameron said grabbed the keys from the keybowl on the table and running outside.
“Okay Pigtails, lets go,” Jack said wrapping his arms around Vala helping her stand. “This is a piece of cake!”
Childbirth wasn’t a piece of cake…far from it.
*
* * *
“She’s sleeping,” Jack said gesturing to the child in his arms, as Vala looked up at Jack.
“She?”
“Yeah, you gotcha self a girl, she’s quite comfortable in Uncle Jack’s arms though,” Jack said sitting down opposite of Vala.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Well, Cameron and Teal’c got hungry, so they went down to the cafeteria, then Daniel was hovering, so Sam dragged him to the gift shop, which left me and little Monkey here,” Jack smiled, cradling the child in his arms. “Go see Mama.”
“Thank you,” Vala smiled, looking at her baby girl in her arms. “She’s gorgeous.”
“Yup, doesn’t look a thing like Daniel though,” Jack said as Vala looked at him, her eyes, asking all the questions her mouth couldn’t. “DNA compared, she isn’t Daniel. Yours yes, Dr.Whatshisface yes, but not Daniel.”
“Does he know?”
“Daniel is a smart guy. Besides, between you and me Pigtails, I don’t think he really cares who’s the biological father.
Vala smiled brightly and looked down at the sleeping infant. “She needs a name…”
“That she does,” Jack said as the four other members of SG-1 walked in.
“Welcome back to the living Princess,” Cameron smiled sitting himself down on one of the chairs by the window. “We would have brought you back some food from the caf, but they shouldn’t even serve that stuff to prisoners.”
“How you feeling?” Sam asked sitting at Vala’s feet, her hand touching her leg.
“Tired, sore,” Vala smiled. “She’s gorgeous.”
“That she is,” Daniel said touching the baby’s head. “Have you decided on a name?”
“I have actually,” Vala said positioning the baby so that she was facing Vala. “Sorcia Kendra-Clare Mal Doran.”
“That’s a pretty name for a pretty little girl,” Jack smiled as a nurse walked in.
“I hate to break this up General, but the two need their rest,” the young woman, said regrettably.
“If you say so, keep your eye on the baby, she’s gonna be a trouble maker,” Jack winked as everyone started their goodbyes to Vala and Sorica, who was fussing her little heart out.
Vala looked down at the baby in her arms. One door closed many years ago for her…and it finally opened, and that opened door gave her everything she had ever wanted in her life, and more. She and Daniel started out on rocky grounds, but now, with little Sorcia, they’d get back to that sandy beach where everything was just right.
PART 8: When Everything Changed
Sorcia was defiantly not a quite baby. At only three weeks old, the child spent day and night screaming and shouting until she was held. Sam and Vala would take turns during the night, and during lunch breaks and whenever the rest of the team could get away, they’d come to the house, usually when Sorica finally fell asleep, and wake her up from shutting the front door.
Sam sat at her desk, her blinks were long and few in between, when her eyes were open, the brilliant blue turned grey and glazed as she tried her hardest to read the book she had open; granted it was still on the title page…
“Yo Sam,” Cameron said waving his hand in front of the woman’s face. “You awake there?”
“Barely, Sorcia was up all night long, she didn’t sleep at
all. First she wanted to be rocked, then she was hungry, then she needed her
diaper changed, then she wanted to be sung too, then she wanted to be rocked,
and then hungry again, and then diaper, and then hungry…and then she just
didn’t want to sleep,” Sam said in one breath and a yawn. “Vala finally got her
to sleep around
“Does she still have that cold?” Cameron asked.
“Unfortunately,” Sam sighed. “So when she does drift off to sleep, she wheezes and her little nose is always running.”
“Any clue as to who gave the cold to the angel?”
“No, random proximity thing I’m guessing,” Sam sighed. “My brain isn’t really functioning to its fullest.”
“Well, not to cheer ya up, but got word from the Atlantis base, they’re sending Daddyboy back, he was stuck off world and just got the news,” Cameron said sitting down opposite of the temporary base commander.
“When are they coming through?”
“Early afternoon, I figure we can go with the team that heads over to your place, the big guy can scare the crap out of him,” Cameron smirked.
“Well, we’ll see. I’ll organize a team to accompany him officially,” Sam smiled leaning back in her chair, her head touching the headrest. “Is it bad that I just want to take a nap?”
“Nope,” Cameron said with a grin.
* * * *
The moment that Craig walked through the gate, he looked at SG-1, sans Vala. Four sets of eyes were watching him, each reading differently.
“Welcome back,” Cameron said waving his hand.
“Thanks,” Craig said looking at his former co-workers.
“Well Mr. Martin, I’m guessing you’d like to go visit your daughter?” Sam asked as Craig nodded his head.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” Craig said, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips.
“Well, come on then, Colonel Earls’ team will be your escort,” Sam said as the five left the ‘gate room.
“Carter, when you heading home?” Cameron asked looking at Sam.
”A little later, Daniel can you give me a ride home?”
“Sure, I was gonna go see Vala tonight anyway,” Daniel mentioned turning the corner. “Hey listen, I’ll call you when I’m ready, it shouldn’t be too long.”
“Thanks Daniel,” Sam smiled. “Mr. Martin, I guess I’ll see you shortly.”
Craig nodded as Colonel Earl came into sight. “Ma’am.”
“He’s going to my house. Vala is there, but don’t ring the doorbell, the baby might be sleeping, so knock the door, softly, or call before reaching the door. Don’t just walk in, she may be feeding the baby,” Sam instructed as Craig watched her closely.
* * * *
“There you go sweetheart,” Vala said softly as Sorica’s eyes
closed and the little girl’s mouth opened slightly. “Finally…” she sighed as
Sorica laid peacefully in her bassinette. Her breathing shallow and slightly
wheeze coming out of her mouth. Vala rubbed her chest slightly trying to
comfort the infant. Looking up, Vala stared at the clock, it was only
The knock on the front door disrupted Vala from her thoughts. Making a beeline to the door, she opened it to see Craig standing there.
“Hi,” she said softly. “I didn’t know you were coming…”
“I just found out,” Craig said rolling on the balls of his feet. “Can I come in?”
“Oh yeah, umm, she’s sleeping right now,” Vala said moving out of the way as Craig walked in, followed by an airman, taking his position at the door.
“Ma’am, we have all entrances covered,” Colonel Earls said as Vala nodded her head.
“Okay, did you want a drink or something? I was just making some tea,” she said softly.
“Sure, thanks,” Craig said. This was awkward. “So, what’s her name?”
“Sorcia,” Vala said pulling out two tea mugs from the cupboard.
“That’s a pretty name,” Craig said.
“She’s a pretty girl,” Vala countered. “Look, Craig, I know we didn’t end things best, but…”
“I know,” Craig smiled his hand reaching over to touch Vala’s.
The two stood in silence, looking at each other, not knowing what to say or do, so they stood there. Hands touching, eyes meeting…
“Want to meet her?” Vala asked suddenly, popping herself out of her trance as it were.
“I’d love that,” Craig smiled as Vala stepped away, taking the kettle off the stove, and leading him towards the back of the house.
The door was open a crack, and you could smell the sweet sent of baby. Holding her finger up to her lips, Vala opened the door, the small amount of light shinning in from the window just missed the crib. The small blanket covering the little body, caused for smiles to appear on Vala and Craig’s face. The two walked to the crib, looking down at the infant, a few blonde hairs stood atop her head, her little arms above her head, her chest and stomach rising and falling with every breath.
Craig’s hand drifted down to the child, his thumb stroking her soft cheek. And for in that moment, and in only for that moment, there was no screaming, shouting or arguing.
Sorcia let out a soft cough as her little body shook, and her wheezing became louder.
“She has a cold,” Vala whispered softly as she checked the vaporizer.
Leaving the nursery, Vala shut the door again and walked quietly back to the kitchen with Craig, seeing Sam standing in her kitchen with the rest of SG1 in tow.
“Sam invited us over for dinner,” Cameron smirked as Teal’c turned around, handing the man a can. “I’m makin’ soup!”
“None of us can actually cook,” Sam smiled to Craig who knowingly nodded. “So you saw her?”
“Yeah, I did. She’s gorgeous.”
‘I know,” Daniel smiled, holding the baby monitor in his hands. “How’s she feeling?”
“Still sick,” Vala sighed taking the coffee mug of tea. “Thank you. Craig and I are going to go talk,” she said as the team nodded.
The two walked into the living room, Vala sitting on the couch, pulling her legs under her.
“We should talk about visiting and stuff,” Vala said softly as Craig nodded.
“Well, I’m going to uh, request a transfer back,” he said as Vala nodded. “Then you two can move it with me.”
“Oh, we’re not moving,” Vala replied as she noticed her team move towards the counter, so that they were looking upon the two.
“What do you mean?” Craig asked. “Vala, she’s ours, I should have say in how she’s raised.”
“You will get it, I’m just not moving… Craig, I’m happy the way I am, happier than I’ve been in a while. She’s happy.”
“She’s got a cold, how can she be happy?” Craig asked, his voice raising a bit.
“Craig, she’s three weeks old, she knows me, she knows Sam, Daniel, Cameron, Teal’c, Jack, she doesn’t know you,” Vala said as she noticed her team walking towards the couple.
“Which is why I’m going to file for full custody,” Craig said as five heads popped up, eyes wide, lips tight.
“Come again there?” Cameron asked stepping forward, Teal’c not far behind him.
“She’s not stable in this house, her mother’s for one an alien, and two her job is deadly,” Craig said, as Vala backed out of the room.
“And your job is any better there buddyboy? You work in a different galaxy,” Cameron said taking charge of the entire argument.
“Daniel, Vala,” Sam whispered to the man, holding the baby monitor. Daniel quickly shut it off.
“Monitor stopped, I’m gonna check on it,” he said dismissing himself as Cameron’s voice started to be raised.
Sneaking into the nursery where Vala stood staring at Sorcia. “He wont get her,” Daniel whispered coming up behind her, his arms going around her waist. He didn’t know if it was out of pure comfort or because of deeper feelings for the woman, but it felt good.
“She’s so peaceful,” Vala smiled softly.
“She’s like her mother, except for that blonde hair,” Daniel smirked against Vala’s ear, his lips touching her ear, so lightly it wouldn’t be noticeable, but she noticed.
“Daniel, on earth can they take the baby away from her mother?” Vala asked, looking at him, her body slightly adjusting in his embrace.
“Sometimes,” Daniel whispered.
“My planet, the child belonged to their father, unless their mother is of status,” Vala replied. “I was my mothers child until she died and I became the property of Jacek…Then when he married Adria, I was hers, and I remember fighting, so hard. I remember running away, and every time I would, Jacek would come out after me, and finally get me, then the last time I ran away, no one came looking, and they gave up on me, and I ran and ran, until I couldn’t run anymore, and then…”
“That wont happen with Sorcia,” Daniel said softly.
The shouting got louder, and Vala and Daniel watched as Sorcia’s face scrunched up and her lips began to tremble, and she started to cry, loud. Picking her up, Vala softly rocked her.
“Daniel, can you take her?”
“Of course,” Daniel said taking the infant into his arms, holding her close to his body.
Walking back out into the living room, her mind started to race. What was to happen if Sorcia left her, the baby was her life. Everything she had on Earth, everything that she tried so hard to change, all wrapped up into her life; she was everything, she was her life, her soul, her happiness… If Craig took her away, Vala wouldn’t have a reason to stay here, she could fall back on her old ways, leave everything she worked so hard to achieve…Sorcia…
Making it into the living room, Craig and Cameron were exchanging very heated words, taking a breath, she held up her hand, and Cameron and Craig stopped talking, as Teal’c took a step closer.
“If you mind, I have a three week old baby who was woken up by your antics. She is no one’s but mine. She is mine, and mine only. She is not Cameron’s, she is not Teal’c, she’s not Sam’s, nor Daniel’s, not even yours Craig. She may have your genetics, but after seeing you for who you are, I don’t want you to be her father,” Vala said, her face straight and angry. “You were an amazing man Craig, I thought I loved you, but you know what? The second you left, changed everything…”
“Vala,” Craig started.
“No, we’re done…”
The last scream that was heard that day was Daniel who screamed for help, as little Sorcia fell limp in his arms.
PART 9: The Good, the Bad and the Goodbye
“Just hold on,” Daniel said softly holding onto Vala’s hand, as she watched her three-week-old baby get pushed out of her sight. “She’ll be okay.”
“Daniel, what happened?” Sam asked coming up to the two, Craig sitting down, staring at the door.
“She started to breath really heavily, and then, she just stopped,” Daniel replied, his arm wrapping tighter around Vala’s body. “I really don’t know.”
“She’ll be okay, Dr. Lam just came, and she brought some of the best doctors in the world with her,” Sam said touching Vala’s arm. “Teal’c is watching over her, no one would say no to him, so he’s being his Lord Supreme Protector…”
“I’ve never been so scared,” Vala whispered softly, her body leaning straight into Daniel’s warmth.
“Me either…” he said barely audible. His hand ran up and down Vala’s back, his gaze falling to Craig, who sat, white faced, as if he had just lost a life.
* * * *
“She’s okay then?” Vala asked as she slowly rocked Sorcia in her arms.
“She’ll be fine,” Carolyn said placing the chart on her desk. “The cold you thought she had, wasn’t a cold at all, but before you say anything, its normal to miss it. What Sorcia has is a condition known as Bronchiolitis, which the smallest airways in her lungs swelled and filled with mucus, which caused her to stop breathing. We don’t usually catch things like that at her age, because its, like in this case, so minor.”
“What does it mean?” Vala asked running her
“It’s a respiratory syncytial virus, it’s more of a nuisance than anything, nothing to be concerned about, just keep a humidifier by her crib, it’ll help clear up her airways. If she starts to cry a lot and reach for her ear or moves her head to one side a lot, then bring her back. It could be an ear infection. Other than that, she’ll be just fine.”
“You sure?” Daniel asked his hand touching Sorcia’s head.
“Quite sure,” Carolyn said as she noticed Craig standing a bit away from them. “Mr. Martin is there something you’d like to ask?”
“No, thank you,” Craig said standing straighter. “As long as she’s going to be all right.”
“She may get asthma when she gets older, but that’s manageable with steroids,” Carolyn said. “I’m actually going to refer Sorcia to a pediatrician, his name is Thomas Gubler, one of the best out there. He’ll be able to monitor her lungs, as well as her development.”
“Thank you,” Vala smiled, looking down at Sorcia.
“Just remember, keep an eye on her breathing, and that humidifier beside her crib should clear up her airways fully within a few days. Other than that, keep it on anyway; it should prevent it from returning.”
Daniel and Vala nodded as Craig folded his arms across his chest.
* * * *
The months started to pass, almost too quickly for Vala, as she watched her baby grow. The day she started to smile, she smiled for everyone who looked at her. Smiling full of dimples and giggles, big blue eyes and gums.
And then she started to ‘talk’, as much as she could, she would talk when someone looked at her, when Sam or Vala talked to her, grabbed constantly at everything she could possibly touch. Cooking was her favourite past time; she’d sit in her highchair and bang her hands repeatedly on her table. When Cameron would cook, he’d give him dough or something similar saying if she were going to bang her hands, she could so something productive.
Craig was back on Atlantis shortly after he met Sorcia, and as each day went by, there was no sign of any type of communication, and Vala had started to give up on the fact that possibly, Sorcia would be able to know her real father… Until the fateful day when the Gate opened and Craig walked through.
They sat in silence in the briefing room, Daniel holding Sorcia, and Teal’c, pretending he had a reason to be standing in the halls. Sam was making excuses to be the one in the control room, playing with the computers…which all she did was sit and tap her fingers against the keyboards in wait.
“Vala…listen, I’m sorry,” Craig said breaking the silence as Vala turned to face him. “I… I was overwhelmed and thought that I might lose my daughter to someone else if I didn’t step in…”
“Craig, I’d never not let you see Sorcia, she’s yours… But I wont let you have her, she belongs with me, where she’s happy, where she has her family to love and take care of her.”
“Vala…” Craig said as the door to the General’s office opened, and they stood up, Daniel’s arms tightening around Sorcia, holding her higher in his arms.
“If you would like to join us,” the Colonel said as the three nodded and walked into the office. “Please have a seat.”
The three adults looked at the General and then at the Judge sitting in the chair. “Well, this decision is an easy one, one of the easiest I have ever made. Also one of the extraordinary ones. I have heard stories of all kinds, but this remains the most interesting, a mother from another planet, a father who lives in another galaxy. However in this case, because Mr. Martin has no judicial rights over the infant, except for the fact of being genetically related, so I must rule in favor of Miss. Mal Doran. In my opinion, children, much like,” pausing to look at the file, “Sorcia, will do better if raised in an environment where there is no a single parent, but also a family within the child’s life. I am going to say that it is up to Miss. Mal Doran to impose visiting rights for her child.”
Vala smiled in relief and looked at Daniel, who placed his lips on Sorcia’s head.
* * *
*
From the moment Craig walked through the gate, Vala didn’t know it wouldn’t be the final time he would leave. He touched Sorcia’s head and said he’d be back. Smiling, Vala leaned over and kissed his cheek, as she handed Sorcia to him.
“Say goodbye,” she ordered lightly.
“Goodbye my sweet baby,” Craig smiled kissing her nose. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Just let me know and I’ll make sure you can have her for the day,” Vala smiled taking the baby back into her arms.
Taking Sorcia’s hand, the two waved before the wormhole disengaged. Vala looked down at Sorcia and brought her to eye level. “Lets go baby girl.”
Sorcia growing up in front of the eyes of the entire SGC was at most times a good thing, but at others, a bad. Vala would go to the base to see the doctors, and everyone from Cameron giving a bogus excuse to take the baby and play, to everyone stopping her to say hi to the child.