Gone Country, CH.6-7: Confrontations and Confessions
Gone Country
CHAPTER 6-7 (Confrontations and Confessions)
A/N: All information on this fic can be found at THIS post.
CH.6: Confrontations
A bright moon shined down pale white light over a clearing in the middle of densely packed trees. If it had been any other night, the sound of crickets chirping, a creak babbling off in the distance, the crunching of leaves as the animals of night came to life after a day full of rest would’ve been heard.
Instead the humid night air was shattered with the ranting of one woman who’d had more than her fair share to drink already.
“I jus’ don’ gedit, Daniel!” Whether Vala knew her words were starting to slur together, Daniel really couldn’t tell. What he did know was she was plenty drunk and swaying dangerously as she stood on the hood of his truck. It was making him beyond nervous, but she’d already smacked away his attempt to get her down or, at the least, steady her.
Now his main focus was to get the bottle of whiskey he’d secretly swiped from Jack’s house out of her hand. It was a harder task than it seemed, seeing as he wasn’t exactly sober himself and she was swinging it around wildly. He wasn’t sure if the fact that the only reason whiskey wasn’t spilling out of the bottle was because it was nearly empty was a good or bad thing.
“How can a man thin’ he can just up and geddaway with hittin’ a woman?” Vala asked him vehemently, point at him with the hand holding the bottle. “Huh? Tell me, Daniel! Tell me how you guys can jus’ geddaway with smakin’ a girl ‘round!” She swung an arm out wide, nearly toppling over into the grass.
Daniel jumped to wrap an arm around Vala to steady her. He was immediately rewarded with a hard kick to his shoulder for the effort.
“Owe! Dammit, Vala!” He stumbled back, rolling his shoulder and placing a hand over the sore area.
She glared at him. “Answer my damn ques’ion…” Her voice was low, and would’ve been menacing if not for more than half a bottle of whiskey coursing through her system.
Daniel stared up at her, still holding his shoulder. “I honestly don’t know, alright? I don’t know why a guy would do that.” He held up his free hand to her. “Now, can you please get down?”
“Why? ‘Fraid I’m gonna fall?” Vala asked playfully, almost doing exactly that. She snorted out a laugh, downing the last dregs of whiskey from the bottle.
Stepping up to the truck again, Daniel placed two hands on the edge of the hood and looked up at her with pleading blue eyes. “Yes, I am. I don’t want ya to get hurt.”
Vala blinked down at him, looking surprised by his words. “Oh…” It seemed like his truthfulness had won out because she squatted down clumsily. “Well, guess I can geddown then…” The bottle slipped from her hands, hitting the bumper with a loud clang before dropping to the ground and rolling a short distance. “Whoops.”
Daniel moved around to help her as she about slipped off the front herself.
She held out a hand, frowning in a mix of frustration and concentration. “I godit.” Vala slipped a little off the edge of the bumper as she was about down and ended up stumbling back into the truck. “Alrighty, I’m down now.”
“Okay, I think we need to get back.” Daniel said as he moved to pick up the lost bottle.
Vala weaved over to him. She flung her arm across his shoulder and leaned heavily into him. “Why?” She whined.
He looked down into her half-lidded eyes. “Well, one, ya drank all the booze…” Daniel held the bottle in her line of vision.
“Oh yeah…” She giggled back, dropping her arm to wrap around his. “Was the secon’ reason?”
Daniel carefully and subtly began steering her towards the passenger side of the truck. Vala stumbled along beside him easily. He wanted to say because she was rip roarin’ drunk and it upset him to see her so messed up and he just wanted to get her home, but Daniel knew better.
“’Cause it’s just time to go home, alright?” He said instead.
She nodded, not caring anymore that he was holding onto her to help her up into the seat. “Soun’s fine to me.”
Daniel heaved an inward sigh of relief and closed her door. Moving around the other side, he climbed in, dropping the empty bottle on the seat next to him. As he slammed his door, he looked over at Vala. She was tracing random patterns into the torn fabric above her head. The grin on her face was beyond dopey and her eyes could hardly focus - damn, she was hammered.
Turning his attention to starting the truck, Daniel turned the key and moved to shift into the right gear. On a normal day, he could do it easily. But partially buzzed and worrying if Vala was gonna make it all the way home before being sick, because he was pretty positive she would be, Daniel had trouble getting it to go.
“Shit…” He mumbled, having to look down at the shift. He blinked as it blurred for a moment. A mass of black hair fell into his peripheral vision.
The smell of whiskey on her breath was strong as she spoke. “Ya ‘kay to drive?”
Giving his head a shake to clear his vision, Daniel finally got it into gear. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He wasn’t going to even begin to give Vala the idea that she needed to drive. It wasn’t the first time he’d driven under the influence before anyway, and he was way better off than she was. Carefully, he pulled the truck back onto the path that led through the trees out of the clearing. It was about a mile before he hit the back road that would slowly take them all the way back to town.
Daniel knew the truck wasn’t weaving on the road - his hand was damn steady on the steering wheel. But his vision was swimming like crazy, and having Vala totally out of it and fucking around in the seat next to him wasn’t helping him focus at all.
“Damn…” He brought his free hand up to rub at his eyes.
Vala, who had been unsuccessful in finding a working radio station, flopped back in her seat and laughed. “Daniel’s druuuunk…” She poked her finger at him.
He shook his head. “No, Vala - I’m not drunk.”
“I thin’ you are…” She shifted closer to him, looking down as her thigh hit the bottle on the seat. “See, where’d all the alcohol go?” Laughing, she picked up the bottle and peered inside the little hole. “Hellloooo?”
Daniel grunted as she fell into him, laughing the entire way. Her head landed in his lap, and he shifted uncomfortably.
She snorted. “Well look whad I foun’…” Vala sing-songed, sitting up abruptly. She dropped the now unimportant bottle back onto the seat. A naughty grin split her mouth wide. “Wanna play some, Daniel?” Her hand reached out and not-too gently caressed between his legs.
“Vala, no.” Daniel did his best to keep his composure. He grabbed her hand and shoved it away. “I’m not sober enough to drive and play.”
Vala laughed. “Ah Ha!” She pointed at him again. “So ya are drunk!”
He nodded, if only to appease her. “A little.” Blue eyes threw her a quick glance. “Now could ya please get back to your side and calm down.”
Shrugging and smiling in victory, Vala flopped back to her side. Her eyes widened in slight wonder and she pointed ahead. “Look, lights.”
Daniel, who had been watching her, looked forward and cursed. Up ahead, just past the road that led to the interstate, a bunch of cop cars had gathered at a car that had driven off the side of the road and into the ditch.
“That’s the last thing I need right now…” Daniel mutter, casually tapping his brakes. The truck came to a stop at the stop sign at the intersection. “Shit, I really didn’t wanna hav’ta take the interstate.”
Clapping her hands, Vala moved to levy herself out of her window. “Alrighty - we’ll jus’ askem to let us through.”
Daniel instantly leaned over and yanked her back down before she could start screaming for the cops’ attention. “NO, VALA!” She yelped as her butt hit the seat, and turned a glare on him.
“Was that for? I’m jus’ tryin’ to help.”
He fell back into his spot on the seat and quickly turned his truck down the road towards the interstate. They’d definitely attracted some notice with their little show, and Daniel really, really didn’t want another DUI. He’d been there, done that, several times.
Vala slapped him in the arm, hard. “Ya gonna answer me?!”
Blue eyes glared her direction as the truck pulled onto the interstate. “No, I’m not gonna answer you!”
“Why not?!” She gasped, crossing her arms.
Daniel laughed sarcastically. “Why not? WHY NOT? Because you’re drunk outta your damn mind, that’s why! And you just ‘bout got us arrested back there!”
“Me?! I jus’ ‘bout got us arrested?!” Vala shouted, face filling with anger. “Las’ I checked, I’m not the one drivin’ drunk.”
Shaking his head, Daniel kept his focus on the road. “Yeah, well there was no way in hell I was lettin’ you drive. Hell, you can barely say two words without slurrin’ them!”
Vala looked suddenly indignant. “An’ so what? What does it matter to ya? You’re the one who took me out there, an’ gave me the whiskey!”
“I didn’t expect you to drink the whole damn bottle, Vala!” Daniel argued. Before she could say anything in response, a flashing of blue and red in the truck rearview mirror had Daniel hitting the steering wheel. “Son of a bitch!”
He pulled the truck onto the shoulder, putting it into park. “Not one word, ya got me?” Daniel directed to Vala, pointing a finger at her. All she gave in response was a heated glare.
The crunching of the officer’s boots on the gravel filtered through the window, and Daniel watched him approach in his side view mirror. Then the man was right at his window, leaning down.
“Yes, officer?” Daniel asked casually, hoping his breath wasn’t as laced with whiskey as he hoped.
“I was noticin’-“
Before he could finish, Vala leaned across Daniel’s lap. “Jus’ noticin’ how he’s weavin’ all over the road, huh? ‘Cause, lemme tell ya, fat police man, Daniel here is totly gone, I mean compledly drunk.” She accompanied her words with a sweeping hand gesture, smacking the cop’s face in the process.
Daniel glared out the windshield, as the now red-faced officer ordered him out of the car. He unclipped his seatbelt, opening his door. Vala clamored out before him, practically falling on her face as she went. She sauntered off along the length of truck, humming in victory.
Slowly climbing out, Daniel turned a death glare on her.
“How much you kids been drinkin’ tonight, son?” From the tone of the cop’s voice, Daniel knew he was trying to get a rein on his anger. Maybe this could still work in his favor…
He looked back at the older man. “She’s had a lot - which is obvious, but I swear I didn’t have that much, sir. I’m okay to drive, honest.”
The cop crossed his arms and fixed Daniel with a knowing stare. “Son, you’re lookin’ kinda tore up to me.”
Daniel nodded reluctantly. “Okay, so I’m slightly buzzed, but you can believe me when I say I know my limits. I stopped when I realized she-“ He threw an angry glance over to Vala, who was drunkenly gazing up at the stars. “Wasn’t going to. Please, officer, just let me take her home. That’s all I wanna do…”
“Yeah, pudgy boy…let him take me home…” Vala’s voice was directly behind him, and then suddenly her hand was on his crotch again. Daniel groaned and moved to step away from her, but she stumbled into his back and caused him to stumble into the cop.
Daniel winced as the police officer’s ass hit the pavement with a loud thwack. Vala’s hysterical laughter didn’t help matters whatsoever. He weaved in place, trying to regain his balance and keep Vala on her feet at the same time.
All the while the officer was glaring up at them, and Daniel knew his chance of avoiding a jail cell for the evening was effectively gone.
------
“Can you stop pacin’, please?” Vala mumbled from where she lay on the jail cell bench. She’d sobered up a little on the way into the station - of course getting sick all over the back of the cop’s car hadn’t really made things better. But Daniel’s pacing back and forth in front of her wasn’t helping either. It was just going to make her sick again.
Daniel stopped for a moment to glare at her. “Makin’ you nauseous?”
She nodded minutely.
“Good.” He spat back, resuming his pacing.
Vala whined. “Daniel, please! Why do you havta be so damn heartless?”
His sarcastic laugh was loud and made the growing pain in her head spike. “Oh, I’m heartless?” Daniel moved over to the bench and knelt down in front of her. “Am I the one who’s so wasted, I got us arrested? Am I the one who puked all over a cop’s car? Do I smell like I fell in barrel of whiskey right now?”
Pushing up from the bench and paste him, Vala wobbled her way over to the cell bars. “I don’ havta hear this…”
“Where ya gonna go, Vala?” Daniel laughed again, throwing his arms out wide. “We’re in fuckin’ jail! Now we’re gonna have to wait for Jack to come pick our asses up because you had to go and get shitfaced and get me arrested!”
She turned on him. “I wasn’t the one drivin’ the truck!”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right there - I was. And thank god, ‘cause if you’d been drivin’, we’d probably be DEAD! Though we’re pretty fuckin’ close, at least I am, ‘cause Jack is probably gonna skin me alive for this little adventure!”
He stepped closer to her, holding his hand in her direction. “Why couldn’t you just keep your damn mouth shut for once? I would’a gotten out of this in five minutes, and we’d be home now! But no, you had to go and get back at me - for what, I don’t know, but now here we are.”
Vala nodded, regretting it immediately as her world swam. Still, she soldiered on. “Here we are, and you wanna know why?”
Daniel laughed and paced to the far side of the cell. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
“Maybe it’s got somethin’ to do with the fact that you practically ordered me to stay quiet!”
He looked at her in disbelief. “I did not order you, Vala.”
It was her turn to laugh, and tears came unchecked to her eyes. “Yes you did! You ordered me to shut up, and it pissed me off ‘cause I thought I was done bein’ ordered around by men! But no, off you go, and now here we are!”
Daniel took a step back towards her. “What do you mean ‘done bein’?” He asked quietly, suddenly concerned.
“Oh, don’ play dumb with me, Daniel. All men are the same!” Vala spat, now crying outright. She rushed over to him, suddenly alert and focused do to her anger. “All ya’ll wanna do is order women an’ hit ‘em, an’ beat ‘em into submission, and make ‘em think they’re shit!”
She punched a fist into his chest. Daniel stood there and took it, and each one that followed, surprised and upset by this turn of events. Vala continued to rant on as she hit him.
“Well, ya already made me feel like shit with your words, why not you’re fists now, huh? What makes you so damn different, Daniel?!”
Daniel’s common sense finally caught up with him and he took Vala by her upper arms. “Vala, stop!”
“Come on, hit me! Hit me, dammit!” She cried loudly, anguish and exertion making her face red. “I know ya wannna, Daniel - All men wanna. Just do it!” Even as much as she thought she was expecting it, Vala wasn’t quite prepared for Daniel to force her back hard against the wall.
His hands burned like fire into her upper arms as he squeezed her tight. Tears streamed down from beneath her tightly closed eyelids - she didn’t want to see his face when he did it.
“Open your eyes…” Daniel said.
Vala shook her head, refusing.
“Vala, please, open your eyes.” The tone of his voice threw her. It was concerned and gentle, yet angry and filled with turmoil. The combination of it all was enough to get her to comply slowly.
When grey eyes finally looked into blue, the two stared at each other for a short period of time. Then, in an even more surprising move than before, Daniel leaned in and captured her lips in a fierce and passionate kiss. It was hot and painful and angry, but it sent Vala’s head spinning in a way not even the whiskey could achieve.
Daniel could taste the harsh alcohol on her tongue as he plunged his deep into her mouth. He pushed her back against the wall even more, desperate to make this moment stick in her booze-drowned memories of the night. He wanted her to remember this, even if she remembered nothing else.
Both gasped as they separated, Vala’s chest heaving rapidly against Daniel’s. She slowly opened her shocked eyes to once again meet his gaze - where there were now tears beginning to burn.
“I will never, ever hit you, Vala.” Daniel whispered desperately to her. “No matter how much you may think you piss me off or how close I seem to the edge, I promise you right here, right now that I will never lay a hand on you like that. No woman deserves such treatment, ‘specially not a beautiful creature like you.”
Her lip began to quiver as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I don’t know what’s been done to you in the past…” His tears were just as free as hers. “But I can guarantee no one will ever do it to you again in the future. I will never let anyone ever hurt you again, alright?”
Vala nodded quickly. Daniel nodded too, gently releasing his hold on her. She immediately collapsed into him, sobbing in a way she had never done in front of anyone. His arms wrapped around her, supporting her.
------
Jack stalked into the police station, after an hour’s drive to get there, with every intention of ripping two new ones into his two favorite people of the moment. He was thinking up wonderfully colorful expressions and words as one of the troopers lead him through the corridors to the back where the cells were.
He turned the corner, fully prepared to get into the inevitable shouting match with the trouble known as Daniel. But as his pissed brown gaze fell on the two figures on the bench in the only occupied cell, all those words and expressions fizzled out.
Daniel slowly looked up from brushing his fingers through Vala’s long, messy hair. She had her head resting in his lap, and definitely looked far worse for wear than Jack ever could’ve imagined. When blue eyes met brown, the older man saw a hesitant and scared gaze meeting his.
He also saw a world weary look that nearly broke his heart.
Jack stepped up to the bars of the cell, and wrapped a hand around one. He rested his head against them.
“Y’all alright?”
Daniel looked down at Vala as he spoke. “She got sick again.” They were three simple words, but Jack could seem to hear so much more in them.
He nodded against the bars. “Let’s get you two home.”
------
Pulling up in front of the guest house, Jack killed the ignition and looked back at the two in his back seat. Daniel had his eyes closed, and the older man wasn’t sure if he was just dosing or really asleep. Vala, however, was definitely out of it. She’d barely been able to stumble from the cell to the truck - Jack knew she was definitely going to need to be carried inside.
Jack reached back and gently shook Daniel’s knee. He carefully lifted his head off the seat and blinked slowly. “We’re here.”
Yawning, Daniel nodded and moved to shimmy his way out from under Vala’s dead weight. She whimpered with the movement, and Daniel tried to be more careful as he climbed out of the truck.
“You got her?” Jack questioned with concern, knowing Daniel had been drinking that night too.
The younger man nodded absently, reaching into the truck and gingerly maneuvering Vala into a decent carrying position. She moaned, head falling forward and hair falling in her face as Daniel held her in a steady sitting position. He squatted and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You need to hold on.” Daniel whispered to her as he leaned in to wrap his hands under her thighs. Vala nodded drunkenly, tightening her hold on him just as he levered her up and against his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder, and with her legs dangling at his side, she looked like a giant kid.
Jack grimaced in sympathy. He placed a gentle hand on Vala’s head as Daniel walked past. “Damn, she’s trashed.”
Daniel nodded, then slowly trudged his way towards the porch. When he reached them, he had to shift Vala’s weight a little. She moaned into his neck, then quieted again as he climbed the stairs.
“You need me, just call.” Jack said from the truck.
“I will.” Daniel said back loudly, and Vala whimpered again as Jack pulled off towards the main house. “Sorry…almost there.” He whispered, suddenly realizing he didn’t have a way to open the door.
As if on cue, the front door swung open. Daniel steeled himself upon seeing one pissed of Cam Mitchell standing in the entrance. Ignoring the underlying tones to the look, Daniel pushed passed Cam and started carrying Vala back to his room.
“What the hell did you do to her?!” Cam said loudly, and Daniel felt Vala tense against him.
He tightened his hold and continued down the hall. “I didn’t do nothin’, man.”
Cam was hot on his heels. “Sure as shit don’t look like nothin’” He stepped in front of Daniel, effectively blocking the doorway to Daniel’s room. “Where’d ya think you’re goin’?”
Blue eyes glared exhaustedly back at him. “She’s trashed, Cam…”
“Well, no shit.”
“And she’s already got sick twice…” Daniel continued like he hadn’t been interrupted. “My room has the adjoinin’ bathroom.”
Cam placed an arm up on the doorframe and just glared. “I don’t want her in here.”
Eyes widening, Daniel felt anger flare in his chest. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means!” Cam spat, point a finger at him. “You take her out, liquor her up, and then bring back to your bed and have a good time with her…”
A hurt expression flashed across Daniel’s face. “Jesus Christ, Cam! Do you really think I’m that much of a-“
“Daniel…” Vala whispered, her voice slightly panicked. He physically forced Cam out of the way, rushing into his bathroom. Daniel didn’t even bother with the light, just made for the toilet and deposited Vala down in front of it in time. As she threw up for a third time, he swept back her hair.
Cam watched from the doorway, hand over his nose as the smell of regurgitated alcohol filled the small bathroom. “Geez, how much did she drink?”
Pulling in a deep breath, Daniel used his free hand to rub over Vala’s back. “She ‘bout inhaled a fifth of Jack on her own…”
“And you let her drink all that?” Cam asked incredulously.
Daniel turned an indignant frown on his surrogate brother. “I didn’t let her do it - she did it all on her own. I tried to tell her to slow down, but she just kept goin’…”
“Why, did she want to make nice with the toilet?”
Having finished being sick, Vala flopped back against the wall. She wanted to tell them that she was sitting right there and could answer for her own actions, but Vala found she just didn’t have the energy to talk. She let her head drop forward and her eyes close, drowning out the conversation between the two men. She didn’t know how long she sat like that, but a sudden cool touch to her face had her flinching in surprise.
“Sorry…” Daniel whispered with a grimace as he cleaned her face with a washcloth.
Vala cast a bleary look towards the wavering doorway, noticing Cameron was gone. “Where’d go?”
Standing up to rinse the cloth, Daniel looked at her reflection through the mirror. “Cam went to get the blankets and pillows off your bed…” He rang out the washcloth, and squatted back down before her.
“Why?” Vala asked in drunken confusion as he went back to wiping her face.
Daniel stopped his ministrations, and used his free hand to cup her chin and bring her unsteady focus on him. “Because you are very drunk, Vala, and that’s going to make you very sick, so we’re gonna sleep in the bathroom tonight.”
She blinked. “Oh…” Her face contorted a little. “I did drink ‘lot…”
Daniel laughed a little. “Yes, you did…”
“I was jus’ upset for Janed…” Vala’s eyes were wide as if she was just making the realization herself.
“I know you were, hunny…” Daniel looked up as Cam came to stand in the doorway, arms laden with a comforter and several pillows. He nodded, tossing the washcloth onto the counter, and Cam crammed himself into the small space.
“An’ for myself.” Vala whispered as the two men moved to maneuver her onto the comforter. Cam stilled in his task, looking at her in surprise for moment. He turned it on Daniel when he realized the man hadn’t even blinked an eye at the words.
“Like I said…” Daniel leaned over her, now cocooned in her blanket. “Nothin’ like that will ever happen to you again.”
Vala smiled dopily. “Ya gonna kiss me ag’in?” She plucked her hand out from under the cover and ran a finger along his bottom lip.
Again, Cam’s eyes found Daniel. And again, Daniel ignored him.
“Not this time, Vala.” Daniel took her hand and moved it away from his face. As she frowned, he leaned down and kissed her fingertips. “Maybe when you’re sober…”
“Then I beder ged sober…” She whispered, letting her eyes fall shut.
When he was sure she was really out for good, Cam grabbed Daniel by the shoulder and rammed him hard again the counter.
“What the fuck-“ Daniel gasped, one hand on Cam’s wrist. He looked up, shocked, at his long time friend.
Cameron’s eyes bore into him. “You kissed her?!”
“What the fuck does it matter to you?!” Daniel’s fingers dug into the wrist still pinning him painfully to the counter. “Vala’s a grown woman!” He gasped as Cam pushed him back harder.
“And you’re just a wild teenager in a young man’s body!” Cam spat. “You seduce women and you play with them, then you leave them when you’re done with them! I know you, man - and you’re gonna hurt her!”
The energy he hadn’t felt before came in a surge of anger, and Daniel quickly had Cam pushed back against the opposite wall with his body.
“This whole brotherly protector shit is all noble and everything…” Daniel whispered dangerously. “But you, Cameron, need to back the fuck up, alright?”
Cameron fidgeted under the scrutiny. “Daniel, can you blame me? Am I wrong about the way you are with women? I know you’ve been hurt before, but am I wrong about the hurt you do now?”
The energy quickly ebbed and Daniel fell back to the floor. He flopped back, exhausted, against the counter. The two men sat staring at one another, legs touching in the cramped space, for a long time.
“No…” Daniel finally said on a tired sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re not wrong.” He let his head flop forward. “I know I haven’t given you any reason to trust her with me, but I’m asking now…” Blue eyes came up to meet blue. “Please, just… It’s different this time, alright?”
“How’s it different?” Cam asked quietly, already feeling bad for accusing his best friend, even if Daniel has admitted he was right.
Daniel looked to Vala, whose mouth was slightly ajar. Her face was swollen and puffy from crying, nose red from that and drinking, and even from the small distance, he could still smell the alcohol on her breath. She looked a complete and utter mess.
With a helpless look, he turned his attention back to Cam.
“’Cause I love her.” He whispered with a slight shrug.
CH.7: Confessions
Cameron watched Daniel from over the edge of his beer bottle. It hurt to see his best friend looking so damn confused and wounded watching her laugh and flirt with the group of guys that were essentially their competition in town.
Here he’d been worried about Daniel hurting Vala - but it turned out things were heading in the completely opposite direction. And Cam definitely didn’t like those odds any better than he’d liked the first.
“I… I just don’t get it, Cam…” Daniel mumbled, questioning blue eyes turning his way. The usual light, the slight haze of alcohol that usually filled the orbs after spending the evening in Stoley’s, were both blatantly absent. It stung Cam in an unexplainable way. Vala was inadvertently sucking the vibrancy out of his friend.
“Two weeks…” Daniel continued, unaware to Cam’s internal mishmash of thoughts. “It’s been two weeks since…since I kissed her.” He laughed a little, running a long finger over the top of his glass of water. “And I really kissed her, too…”
Cam rested his bottle on the table top, and rested his arms down as well. “Daniel, man, Vala was completely wasted that night. I doubt she-”
“I know she remembers, Cam!” Daniel whispered desperately, leaning in slightly across the high-top table. “I can see it in the way she looks at me; tell by the way she’s been avoidin’ me like some damn disease!”
He flopped back in his chair. “I don’t know what I did wrong…” Daniel brought his gaze back around to look at Vala, who was leaning in disgustingly close to Bobby Anderson. If he hated that man before, he sure as hell despised him now.
Cam tapped his fingers on his arm, and followed Daniel’s line of sight. Vala’s obvious fake laugh carried across the makeshift dance floor and to their table. “Do you remember what you told me?”
A laugh brought Cam’s eyes back around to Daniel’s. For the first time since the night in the bathroom, humor played across his face.
“You’re gonna hav’ta be a little more specific - we’ve known each other…” Daniel sipped his water, wishing for a beer but fighting the urge. “Oh…since birth?”
Rolling his eyes, Cam took a sip from his bottle. “I meant the night in the bathroom, when Vala was-”
Daniel’s hand came up. “I know the night…” There was a long pause as he pulled in a deep breath. “And yes,” He sighed out, dropping his hand. “I remember.”
Cameron nodded. “Alright, so you told me…” He flicked his gaze in the direction of Vala. “But did you tell her?”
“Cam, I can’t tell her-“
“And why not?” Cam pried, leaning across the table. “Ya asked me to trust you with her, right?” As Daniel nodded, Cam nodded again. “Well, this is me givin’ you that trust. Go talk to her and tell her how ya feel!”
Daniel swallowed, dropping his gaze to his water. “She doesn’t even want to be near me, let alone talk to me…”
A hand on top of his circling the glass had him looking up once more. “Then you go to her and make her listen.” Cam said fiercely, giving Daniel’s hand a squeeze. “I hate watchin’ her hurt you just as much as if it were reversed.”
“She’s not hurting me, Cam.” Daniel sighed, extracting his hand and glass from his best friend’s grip.
“Bullshit!” Cam’s whispered rebuke was harsh. He practically slammed his beer down on the table and held out his free hand in Daniel’s general direction. “Look at you, man. You’re sittin’ here mopin’ over a glass of water.” The glare Daniel gave him didn’t stop Cameron from pushing on. “If this ain’t hurt, then where’s the Daniel Jackson that I’ve known all my life…”
Picking up his glass of water, Daniel continued to glare. “Maybe I’ve grown up.” He muttered before taking a drink.
Cameron pointed his finger. “That’s bullshit too.”
“Fine!” Daniel was the one to slam his drink onto the table this time. “You want me to go talk to her - confess my undyin’ and completely maddenin’ love to her?” Even angry, he was able to keep his voice at a low level.
“That’s exactly what I want you to do.” Cam agreed. “You need to learn to take that extra step, Daniel. It’s time you really did grow up.”
Pushing back his chair, Daniel shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m gettin’ a maturity talk from you.” Though his words seemed mean, the slight smile he fought to hide was a sign he wasn’t intending them to be. He moved around the table to Cam’s side and stopped to watch Vala once more.
Cam reached up and gave his brother by proxy a pat on the shoulder. “Just stop thinkin’ and go for it.”
“Easier said than done.” Daniel admitted, looking at Cameron nervously. When Cam just stared at him unwaveringly, Daniel let out a long sigh. “Alright…” He returned his gaze in Vala’s direction, and then reluctantly began to make a slow walk in her direction.
She really hadn’t been standing too far from where he’d been sitting, but Daniel deliberately kept his pace slow. Despite what Cam had advised, he just couldn’t stop thinking about what he was about to do. Never in his life had he felt so out of place, nervous about what could become of the relationship with Vala. As much as he hated thinking all possibilities of something more than friendship were out of the question, the idea of not being friends with Vala at all because of some stupid mistake made Daniel nauseous.
With each step, Vala got closer and Daniel’s thoughts got more erratic. What would he say? Surely whatever he said, all the guys that now seemed to encircle her would laugh or comment. Normally, Daniel would just take it in stride and outwit them. But with his heart on the line, would he be able to step up what was usually an easy, and welcome, challenge?
He could ask her to go outside; take a walk and confess to her the feelings that had been eating him alive for almost a month. But would she actually go? Like he’d told Cam, Vala had been avoiding him in every way possible. It was such a drastic change from when she’d first moved to their town that just the idea of asking her anything made Daniel insecure. It was a whole new feeling to him...
Now just a few feet back from the gaggle of desperate men that surrounded Vala, Daniel took a moment to compose himself. He tried to focus his thoughts, pinpoint on exactly what he needed to say. He willed his expression to hide every bit of anxiety he was feeling in regards to her…
The raucous laughter of the testosterone pileup had Daniel focusing less on himself and more on what was directly before him. The guys had all seemed to close in, pretty much obscuring his view of Vala. But he could still hear her, even through the cackling of drunken rednecks.
“Okay, easy now… I didn’t say you could touch me like…” Her words made his breathing quicken. All anxiousness was quickly being superseded by jealousy and a protectiveness Daniel had never felt for anyone else. His hands formed into fists at his side, but he didn’t move. Vala could handle herself, and he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate him barging in out of context.
“Hey!”
All control was lost at her angered shout and Daniel shot forward. He shoved his way through the crowd of guys, ignoring their belligerent curses. Finally breaking through to the center, Daniel had to fight back a growl at the sight of Bobby Anderson squeezing a struggling Vala to his body, with one hand gripping tightly to her ass.
Daniel was over to them in a stride, yanking the obviously drunk man off of her. He threw him into the crowd, ignoring Bobby’s unhappy shout and focusing on Vala instead.
“You alright?” He asked, gently gripping one of her shoulders. She nodded, not meeting his gaze as she scowled towards the floor. Daniel wasn’t sure if it was because of what Bobby had done, his intrusion, or both.
“Where the fuck do you come off man!” Bobby’s drunken slur was loud in Daniel’s ear as he came up and grabbed his shoulder hard. Daniel tried his best to ignore the violent shaking Bobby was giving him, but it was hard. Even harder to drown out all the insults being shouted in his ear.
Rubbing his hand gently against her shoulder, Daniel tried to meet Vala’s gaze. The memories of her ranting drunkenly about being mistreated were at the foremost of his thoughts. “You sure you’re alright? Do you want to get out of here or some-”
Daniel was halted mid-sentence by a dull blow to his left cheek. He yelped, stumbling into Vala. Caught off guard by the sudden shift in momentum, he ended up slamming her back into the wooden railing. She was the one to yelp this time.
As quick as he was able to recover, Daniel pushed himself off of her. Their eyes locked, hers filled with anguish and fury, his apologetic and defensive. It seemed like lifetimes of things passed in the few seconds it took for Daniel to realize Bobby was coming at him again, evident by the sort of snarl getting louder. Vala heard it too, and shook her head minutely.
Never one to back down from a fight, Daniel nodded in contrast, just as minutely. He turned and swung his fist out just in time to connect with Bobby’s jaw. There was a loud crack and Bobby stumbled back in surprise. When he recovered enough, he stood swaying in place and glared at Daniel.
“Jackson, you son of a bitch!” Bobby yelled, and Daniel suddenly realized the bar had gone quiet. “Can’t you keep your dick out of just one woman? Does every piece of ass in this place have to be yours first?”
“Hey!” Daniel shouted back, shaking off the hand Vala had placed on his arm to keep him from answering. “She is not a piece of ass! She is a woman who deserves respect, not to be manhandled by some sleazy, drunken asshole!”
Bobby snorted, swaggering forward a little bit. “Well ain’t that the pot callin’ the kettle black!” He waved his hand around the bar. “How many of these broads in here have you had, man? All of them, I’m pretty damn sure! So don’t come off actin’ all knight in shining armor for this one.”
Daniel scowled as Bobby came to a swaying stop just before him.
“It’s obvious she doesn’t want you.” The drunken man sneered, his whiskey laced breath warm on Daniel’s face. “So why don’t you back the fuck off and live with the fact that I’m better than you yet again.”
Smiling a little, Daniel shook his head. “You didn’t even graduate high school.”
This didn’t deter Bobby. “Yeah, well…” He laughed and leaned in closer to Daniel. “At least I know my place, Jackson. At least I’m not a freakin’ genius too scared to go off and do something.” His finger jabbed into Daniel’s chest. “You are a pussy who is drinkin’ and fuckin’ his life away because you were abandoned by shit broads who used you for nothin’ but a good fuck.”
Rage clouded all other emotions, and Daniel flew at Bobby. The two men fell to the ground, grappling for the upper hand. It wasn’t long before Daniel had it and he was pounding in Bobby’s face with blind fury. And somehow, even after all the personal dirty laundry Bobby had brought up, it was his mistreating Vala that drove it.
“You…don’t…fucking…touch…things…that…don’t…belong…to…you!” He threw a punch between each word. Daniel was vaguely aware of people shouting around him, but the drive to mark his claim was strongest. Bobby thought he was better? Daniel would show him who was fucking best.
Too soon for his liking, a pair of strong arms was yanking him away from a cowering and bleeding Bobby. Daniel struggled against Cam, who was muttering for him to calm down. But he couldn’t - he just couldn’t. How could he let the prick get away with touching his Vala? Her appearance in front of him, hands on his chest, only fueled his need to show her who was best for her. The fact she looked beyond pissed didn’t register in Daniel’s mind right then.
Straining against Cam’s arm lock, Daniel leaned around Vala. “She’s fuckin’ mine, you lecherous bastard.” A slender, yet powerful, grip on his face broke his gaze away from Bobby and right into furious grey eyes.
“Outside, now!” She whispered harshly, releasing his face with force. He noticed her nod to Cam, who began to pull him outside. Daniel didn’t struggle much, but he refused to shut his mouth. There were a few more points he had to get across.
“You touch her again, and I’ll kill you!” He shouted while being dragged, ignoring the stares from the entire bar. “You hear me, you piece of shit?! I’ll fuckin’ kill you!” That was all Daniel could get out before the door to Stoley’s closed in front of him, and the sounds of the street and thunderstorm greeted him.
He was barely out of Cam’s grip and turned to meet Vala when a hand connected with his already throbbing cheek, hard. Daniel yelped again, bringing a hand up to the wounded area. He blinked in surprise to the wet pavement, then up at Cam. His best friend held up his hands in a ‘don’t look at me’ gesture, turned and headed back inside.
Still clutching at his cheek, Daniel looked up at Vala. She was panting, the raindrops pouring around her. They were practically glowing white in the harsh light of the street lamp.
“I am not yours, you arrogant asshole!” Vala said dangerously, pointing her finger at him. It was impossible to see tears in the rain, but Daniel could tell she was crying by the thick quality of her voice. “Don’t you ever fuckin’ think I’m somethin’ that needs to be claimed and defended!”
Daniel stepped out into the rain, holding his free hand out towards her. “Vala, I’m-”
She stepped back. “No!” Vala shook her head. “I don’t want to hear your excuses, Daniel. You are just like every other man out there - you hurt women.” The words alone stung more than her slap had, and Daniel reacted the only way he’d ever known how. He began to get angry. It only intensified as she turned and began stalking down the sidewalk.
Dropping his hand from his cheek, he followed. “I have never hurt a woman like Bobby has, and I’ve certainly never touched you like he was doing in there!” He pointed angrily to the bar now shrinking behind them.
Vala crossed her arms, shaking her head again. “You don’t hav’ta hit a woman to hurt her.” Her voice was angry and condescending, like she was talking to an ignorant child. “And I refuse to let any man treat me like shit any more, whether it be physical or mental.”
“I don’t do that, Vala.” Daniel’s anger morphed into desperation and possible denial. It hurt that she was seeing him the way almost everyone in town saw him. He’d tried to show her what he was really like - that he was a good person.
“Give me a break, Daniel!” Vala shouted, stopping in her tracks and whirling on him. Daniel froze as well, thrown by her outburst. “Do you think I know nothin’ about what you’re like? You think I don’t know ‘bout your two week affairs and drunken one night stands?” She screamed at him, looking hurt and betrayed. “I’ve heard all the stories, and I’ve come to realize you are no different than Bobby Anderson!”
Anger returned at the comment. “Then if I’m just like him, why were you flirtin’ and puttin’ yourself out there all night for him to salivate over?!” He asked on a shouting voice. It was likely they were drawing attention to themselves, shouting at each other in the rain.
Vala’s face contorted a bit in pain. “Because it doesn’t hurt as much to be with him then it does with you!” Her shout, the loudest thus far, was like a dagger shoved through his heart. He physically had to take a step back, like she’d hit him again.
She looked downright regretful for having to say it out loud. “I can’t take being yours for two weeks, and then you movin’ on. I’d rather just have a meaninless thing with Bobby then live through somethin’ with you which would turn in to nothin’ down the line. I won’t be that girl.”
“I…” Daniel found he didn’t have it in him to shout anymore, and lowered his voice considerably. “I won’t do that to you, Vala.” He said softly, stepping closer to her again.
“You would.” The anger was gone from her voice, replaced with what seemed like cold, hard logic. It stung that she seemed so certain of his future actions. Had he really become that much of predictable jerk? “You always have, and you always will.”
Daniel took another step closer, just a couple feet from her now. “You’re wrong.”
She let out a huff of air, and looked at him with shining eyes through the rain. “Am I, Daniel? Am I really that wrong, or are you just denyin’ the truth in some vain hope to get with me? I mean, I’m flattered you’re tryin’ so hard, but is it healthy at all to do this to ourselv-”
“Since that first day you got here,” He interrupted her. Standing directly in front of her, Daniel stared down into Vala’s eyes. “I’ve seen nothin’ but you. Any old flame, any could be girl hasn’t held a torch to you. For months now, you’ve been achingly bright and beautiful in my life, and I’m like a moth to your flame.”
Vala closed her eyes, her lips trembling. “Daniel, please-”
Reaching up, Daniel cupped her cheek. “I know I have a history, and I know you’re sure you’ll be like all the rest. But you’re wrong to be so sure, Vala.” He rubbed his thumb against her chilled skin. “There’s somethin’ different here with you.”
Opening her eyes, Vala’s voice was a mere whisper as she spoke. “And what’s so different?”
Daniel stopped thinking then, leaning his lips down to press them gently to Vala’s. Unlike their first kiss, this one was tender and sweet. Through such an intimate connection, Daniel could practically feel the rest of her defenses shattering. He was exposing her to the world. So he pulled back, fearing she wasn’t ready to let him protect her. Even if it’s what he wanted most in his simple world, he’d let her decide the final verdict.
There was just one last plea he had to put forth.
“I love you.” He whispered, barely audible through the downpour.
Vala stared at him, her mouth falling open the slightest bit at the admission. Then she smiled shakily, finally uncrossing her arms and locking them tight around Daniel’s neck. Her laugh against his neck was weak and emotional.
“I love you too.” She whispered back.
Daniel wrapped his arms tightly around her slender form, squeezing her snug against him. He brought one hand up and placed it against her soaked hair, nuzzling his nose into her right temple. It didn’t take long for the overwhelming joy to take hold, and Daniel laughed triumphantly. He adjusted his grip on her and spun Vala around in the rain.
She laughed along with him, equally caught up in the moment as he was. For the first time since that night in Daniel’s bathroom, there wasn’t any tension or awkwardness between them. They were back to being friends. More than that, they’d just taken the first step into something greater than friendship.
Daniel brought the spinning to a halt then, placing Vala back on the ground. Before she could completely regain her equilibrium, he cupped her face and kissed her again. It was a little more urgent this time, but nowhere near the sexually frustrated kiss in the jail cell. Vala laughed into his mouth, wrapping one arm around his neck and trying to pull herself even closer to him.
A bright flash of lightning, immediately followed by the roar of thunder, had them pulling apart for a second time. Both looked towards the sky, blinking against the onslaught of raindrops.
“Guess we should head back inside, huh.” Vala spoke first, bringing her attention back to Daniel. He was still staring at the sky, his throat exposed to her openly like an unconscious open invitation. She reached up and lightly trailed her fingers down the skin there.
He smiled and brought his gaze down to hers. “Actually…let’s get out of here.” Daniel took her hand and began to lead her back towards the bar, where his truck was parked right outside the door. “We’ll give them fodder to feed off of for at least a week.”
“Sounds good to me.” Vala grinned, wrapping her arm around his and walking beside him as he led the way.
Comments and feedback is definitely appreciated!
CHAPTER 6-7 (Confrontations and Confessions)
A/N: All information on this fic can be found at THIS post.
CH.6: Confrontations
A bright moon shined down pale white light over a clearing in the middle of densely packed trees. If it had been any other night, the sound of crickets chirping, a creak babbling off in the distance, the crunching of leaves as the animals of night came to life after a day full of rest would’ve been heard.
Instead the humid night air was shattered with the ranting of one woman who’d had more than her fair share to drink already.
“I jus’ don’ gedit, Daniel!” Whether Vala knew her words were starting to slur together, Daniel really couldn’t tell. What he did know was she was plenty drunk and swaying dangerously as she stood on the hood of his truck. It was making him beyond nervous, but she’d already smacked away his attempt to get her down or, at the least, steady her.
Now his main focus was to get the bottle of whiskey he’d secretly swiped from Jack’s house out of her hand. It was a harder task than it seemed, seeing as he wasn’t exactly sober himself and she was swinging it around wildly. He wasn’t sure if the fact that the only reason whiskey wasn’t spilling out of the bottle was because it was nearly empty was a good or bad thing.
“How can a man thin’ he can just up and geddaway with hittin’ a woman?” Vala asked him vehemently, point at him with the hand holding the bottle. “Huh? Tell me, Daniel! Tell me how you guys can jus’ geddaway with smakin’ a girl ‘round!” She swung an arm out wide, nearly toppling over into the grass.
Daniel jumped to wrap an arm around Vala to steady her. He was immediately rewarded with a hard kick to his shoulder for the effort.
“Owe! Dammit, Vala!” He stumbled back, rolling his shoulder and placing a hand over the sore area.
She glared at him. “Answer my damn ques’ion…” Her voice was low, and would’ve been menacing if not for more than half a bottle of whiskey coursing through her system.
Daniel stared up at her, still holding his shoulder. “I honestly don’t know, alright? I don’t know why a guy would do that.” He held up his free hand to her. “Now, can you please get down?”
“Why? ‘Fraid I’m gonna fall?” Vala asked playfully, almost doing exactly that. She snorted out a laugh, downing the last dregs of whiskey from the bottle.
Stepping up to the truck again, Daniel placed two hands on the edge of the hood and looked up at her with pleading blue eyes. “Yes, I am. I don’t want ya to get hurt.”
Vala blinked down at him, looking surprised by his words. “Oh…” It seemed like his truthfulness had won out because she squatted down clumsily. “Well, guess I can geddown then…” The bottle slipped from her hands, hitting the bumper with a loud clang before dropping to the ground and rolling a short distance. “Whoops.”
Daniel moved around to help her as she about slipped off the front herself.
She held out a hand, frowning in a mix of frustration and concentration. “I godit.” Vala slipped a little off the edge of the bumper as she was about down and ended up stumbling back into the truck. “Alrighty, I’m down now.”
“Okay, I think we need to get back.” Daniel said as he moved to pick up the lost bottle.
Vala weaved over to him. She flung her arm across his shoulder and leaned heavily into him. “Why?” She whined.
He looked down into her half-lidded eyes. “Well, one, ya drank all the booze…” Daniel held the bottle in her line of vision.
“Oh yeah…” She giggled back, dropping her arm to wrap around his. “Was the secon’ reason?”
Daniel carefully and subtly began steering her towards the passenger side of the truck. Vala stumbled along beside him easily. He wanted to say because she was rip roarin’ drunk and it upset him to see her so messed up and he just wanted to get her home, but Daniel knew better.
“’Cause it’s just time to go home, alright?” He said instead.
She nodded, not caring anymore that he was holding onto her to help her up into the seat. “Soun’s fine to me.”
Daniel heaved an inward sigh of relief and closed her door. Moving around the other side, he climbed in, dropping the empty bottle on the seat next to him. As he slammed his door, he looked over at Vala. She was tracing random patterns into the torn fabric above her head. The grin on her face was beyond dopey and her eyes could hardly focus - damn, she was hammered.
Turning his attention to starting the truck, Daniel turned the key and moved to shift into the right gear. On a normal day, he could do it easily. But partially buzzed and worrying if Vala was gonna make it all the way home before being sick, because he was pretty positive she would be, Daniel had trouble getting it to go.
“Shit…” He mumbled, having to look down at the shift. He blinked as it blurred for a moment. A mass of black hair fell into his peripheral vision.
The smell of whiskey on her breath was strong as she spoke. “Ya ‘kay to drive?”
Giving his head a shake to clear his vision, Daniel finally got it into gear. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He wasn’t going to even begin to give Vala the idea that she needed to drive. It wasn’t the first time he’d driven under the influence before anyway, and he was way better off than she was. Carefully, he pulled the truck back onto the path that led through the trees out of the clearing. It was about a mile before he hit the back road that would slowly take them all the way back to town.
Daniel knew the truck wasn’t weaving on the road - his hand was damn steady on the steering wheel. But his vision was swimming like crazy, and having Vala totally out of it and fucking around in the seat next to him wasn’t helping him focus at all.
“Damn…” He brought his free hand up to rub at his eyes.
Vala, who had been unsuccessful in finding a working radio station, flopped back in her seat and laughed. “Daniel’s druuuunk…” She poked her finger at him.
He shook his head. “No, Vala - I’m not drunk.”
“I thin’ you are…” She shifted closer to him, looking down as her thigh hit the bottle on the seat. “See, where’d all the alcohol go?” Laughing, she picked up the bottle and peered inside the little hole. “Hellloooo?”
Daniel grunted as she fell into him, laughing the entire way. Her head landed in his lap, and he shifted uncomfortably.
She snorted. “Well look whad I foun’…” Vala sing-songed, sitting up abruptly. She dropped the now unimportant bottle back onto the seat. A naughty grin split her mouth wide. “Wanna play some, Daniel?” Her hand reached out and not-too gently caressed between his legs.
“Vala, no.” Daniel did his best to keep his composure. He grabbed her hand and shoved it away. “I’m not sober enough to drive and play.”
Vala laughed. “Ah Ha!” She pointed at him again. “So ya are drunk!”
He nodded, if only to appease her. “A little.” Blue eyes threw her a quick glance. “Now could ya please get back to your side and calm down.”
Shrugging and smiling in victory, Vala flopped back to her side. Her eyes widened in slight wonder and she pointed ahead. “Look, lights.”
Daniel, who had been watching her, looked forward and cursed. Up ahead, just past the road that led to the interstate, a bunch of cop cars had gathered at a car that had driven off the side of the road and into the ditch.
“That’s the last thing I need right now…” Daniel mutter, casually tapping his brakes. The truck came to a stop at the stop sign at the intersection. “Shit, I really didn’t wanna hav’ta take the interstate.”
Clapping her hands, Vala moved to levy herself out of her window. “Alrighty - we’ll jus’ askem to let us through.”
Daniel instantly leaned over and yanked her back down before she could start screaming for the cops’ attention. “NO, VALA!” She yelped as her butt hit the seat, and turned a glare on him.
“Was that for? I’m jus’ tryin’ to help.”
He fell back into his spot on the seat and quickly turned his truck down the road towards the interstate. They’d definitely attracted some notice with their little show, and Daniel really, really didn’t want another DUI. He’d been there, done that, several times.
Vala slapped him in the arm, hard. “Ya gonna answer me?!”
Blue eyes glared her direction as the truck pulled onto the interstate. “No, I’m not gonna answer you!”
“Why not?!” She gasped, crossing her arms.
Daniel laughed sarcastically. “Why not? WHY NOT? Because you’re drunk outta your damn mind, that’s why! And you just ‘bout got us arrested back there!”
“Me?! I jus’ ‘bout got us arrested?!” Vala shouted, face filling with anger. “Las’ I checked, I’m not the one drivin’ drunk.”
Shaking his head, Daniel kept his focus on the road. “Yeah, well there was no way in hell I was lettin’ you drive. Hell, you can barely say two words without slurrin’ them!”
Vala looked suddenly indignant. “An’ so what? What does it matter to ya? You’re the one who took me out there, an’ gave me the whiskey!”
“I didn’t expect you to drink the whole damn bottle, Vala!” Daniel argued. Before she could say anything in response, a flashing of blue and red in the truck rearview mirror had Daniel hitting the steering wheel. “Son of a bitch!”
He pulled the truck onto the shoulder, putting it into park. “Not one word, ya got me?” Daniel directed to Vala, pointing a finger at her. All she gave in response was a heated glare.
The crunching of the officer’s boots on the gravel filtered through the window, and Daniel watched him approach in his side view mirror. Then the man was right at his window, leaning down.
“Yes, officer?” Daniel asked casually, hoping his breath wasn’t as laced with whiskey as he hoped.
“I was noticin’-“
Before he could finish, Vala leaned across Daniel’s lap. “Jus’ noticin’ how he’s weavin’ all over the road, huh? ‘Cause, lemme tell ya, fat police man, Daniel here is totly gone, I mean compledly drunk.” She accompanied her words with a sweeping hand gesture, smacking the cop’s face in the process.
Daniel glared out the windshield, as the now red-faced officer ordered him out of the car. He unclipped his seatbelt, opening his door. Vala clamored out before him, practically falling on her face as she went. She sauntered off along the length of truck, humming in victory.
Slowly climbing out, Daniel turned a death glare on her.
“How much you kids been drinkin’ tonight, son?” From the tone of the cop’s voice, Daniel knew he was trying to get a rein on his anger. Maybe this could still work in his favor…
He looked back at the older man. “She’s had a lot - which is obvious, but I swear I didn’t have that much, sir. I’m okay to drive, honest.”
The cop crossed his arms and fixed Daniel with a knowing stare. “Son, you’re lookin’ kinda tore up to me.”
Daniel nodded reluctantly. “Okay, so I’m slightly buzzed, but you can believe me when I say I know my limits. I stopped when I realized she-“ He threw an angry glance over to Vala, who was drunkenly gazing up at the stars. “Wasn’t going to. Please, officer, just let me take her home. That’s all I wanna do…”
“Yeah, pudgy boy…let him take me home…” Vala’s voice was directly behind him, and then suddenly her hand was on his crotch again. Daniel groaned and moved to step away from her, but she stumbled into his back and caused him to stumble into the cop.
Daniel winced as the police officer’s ass hit the pavement with a loud thwack. Vala’s hysterical laughter didn’t help matters whatsoever. He weaved in place, trying to regain his balance and keep Vala on her feet at the same time.
All the while the officer was glaring up at them, and Daniel knew his chance of avoiding a jail cell for the evening was effectively gone.
------
“Can you stop pacin’, please?” Vala mumbled from where she lay on the jail cell bench. She’d sobered up a little on the way into the station - of course getting sick all over the back of the cop’s car hadn’t really made things better. But Daniel’s pacing back and forth in front of her wasn’t helping either. It was just going to make her sick again.
Daniel stopped for a moment to glare at her. “Makin’ you nauseous?”
She nodded minutely.
“Good.” He spat back, resuming his pacing.
Vala whined. “Daniel, please! Why do you havta be so damn heartless?”
His sarcastic laugh was loud and made the growing pain in her head spike. “Oh, I’m heartless?” Daniel moved over to the bench and knelt down in front of her. “Am I the one who’s so wasted, I got us arrested? Am I the one who puked all over a cop’s car? Do I smell like I fell in barrel of whiskey right now?”
Pushing up from the bench and paste him, Vala wobbled her way over to the cell bars. “I don’ havta hear this…”
“Where ya gonna go, Vala?” Daniel laughed again, throwing his arms out wide. “We’re in fuckin’ jail! Now we’re gonna have to wait for Jack to come pick our asses up because you had to go and get shitfaced and get me arrested!”
She turned on him. “I wasn’t the one drivin’ the truck!”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right there - I was. And thank god, ‘cause if you’d been drivin’, we’d probably be DEAD! Though we’re pretty fuckin’ close, at least I am, ‘cause Jack is probably gonna skin me alive for this little adventure!”
He stepped closer to her, holding his hand in her direction. “Why couldn’t you just keep your damn mouth shut for once? I would’a gotten out of this in five minutes, and we’d be home now! But no, you had to go and get back at me - for what, I don’t know, but now here we are.”
Vala nodded, regretting it immediately as her world swam. Still, she soldiered on. “Here we are, and you wanna know why?”
Daniel laughed and paced to the far side of the cell. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
“Maybe it’s got somethin’ to do with the fact that you practically ordered me to stay quiet!”
He looked at her in disbelief. “I did not order you, Vala.”
It was her turn to laugh, and tears came unchecked to her eyes. “Yes you did! You ordered me to shut up, and it pissed me off ‘cause I thought I was done bein’ ordered around by men! But no, off you go, and now here we are!”
Daniel took a step back towards her. “What do you mean ‘done bein’?” He asked quietly, suddenly concerned.
“Oh, don’ play dumb with me, Daniel. All men are the same!” Vala spat, now crying outright. She rushed over to him, suddenly alert and focused do to her anger. “All ya’ll wanna do is order women an’ hit ‘em, an’ beat ‘em into submission, and make ‘em think they’re shit!”
She punched a fist into his chest. Daniel stood there and took it, and each one that followed, surprised and upset by this turn of events. Vala continued to rant on as she hit him.
“Well, ya already made me feel like shit with your words, why not you’re fists now, huh? What makes you so damn different, Daniel?!”
Daniel’s common sense finally caught up with him and he took Vala by her upper arms. “Vala, stop!”
“Come on, hit me! Hit me, dammit!” She cried loudly, anguish and exertion making her face red. “I know ya wannna, Daniel - All men wanna. Just do it!” Even as much as she thought she was expecting it, Vala wasn’t quite prepared for Daniel to force her back hard against the wall.
His hands burned like fire into her upper arms as he squeezed her tight. Tears streamed down from beneath her tightly closed eyelids - she didn’t want to see his face when he did it.
“Open your eyes…” Daniel said.
Vala shook her head, refusing.
“Vala, please, open your eyes.” The tone of his voice threw her. It was concerned and gentle, yet angry and filled with turmoil. The combination of it all was enough to get her to comply slowly.
When grey eyes finally looked into blue, the two stared at each other for a short period of time. Then, in an even more surprising move than before, Daniel leaned in and captured her lips in a fierce and passionate kiss. It was hot and painful and angry, but it sent Vala’s head spinning in a way not even the whiskey could achieve.
Daniel could taste the harsh alcohol on her tongue as he plunged his deep into her mouth. He pushed her back against the wall even more, desperate to make this moment stick in her booze-drowned memories of the night. He wanted her to remember this, even if she remembered nothing else.
Both gasped as they separated, Vala’s chest heaving rapidly against Daniel’s. She slowly opened her shocked eyes to once again meet his gaze - where there were now tears beginning to burn.
“I will never, ever hit you, Vala.” Daniel whispered desperately to her. “No matter how much you may think you piss me off or how close I seem to the edge, I promise you right here, right now that I will never lay a hand on you like that. No woman deserves such treatment, ‘specially not a beautiful creature like you.”
Her lip began to quiver as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I don’t know what’s been done to you in the past…” His tears were just as free as hers. “But I can guarantee no one will ever do it to you again in the future. I will never let anyone ever hurt you again, alright?”
Vala nodded quickly. Daniel nodded too, gently releasing his hold on her. She immediately collapsed into him, sobbing in a way she had never done in front of anyone. His arms wrapped around her, supporting her.
------
Jack stalked into the police station, after an hour’s drive to get there, with every intention of ripping two new ones into his two favorite people of the moment. He was thinking up wonderfully colorful expressions and words as one of the troopers lead him through the corridors to the back where the cells were.
He turned the corner, fully prepared to get into the inevitable shouting match with the trouble known as Daniel. But as his pissed brown gaze fell on the two figures on the bench in the only occupied cell, all those words and expressions fizzled out.
Daniel slowly looked up from brushing his fingers through Vala’s long, messy hair. She had her head resting in his lap, and definitely looked far worse for wear than Jack ever could’ve imagined. When blue eyes met brown, the older man saw a hesitant and scared gaze meeting his.
He also saw a world weary look that nearly broke his heart.
Jack stepped up to the bars of the cell, and wrapped a hand around one. He rested his head against them.
“Y’all alright?”
Daniel looked down at Vala as he spoke. “She got sick again.” They were three simple words, but Jack could seem to hear so much more in them.
He nodded against the bars. “Let’s get you two home.”
------
Pulling up in front of the guest house, Jack killed the ignition and looked back at the two in his back seat. Daniel had his eyes closed, and the older man wasn’t sure if he was just dosing or really asleep. Vala, however, was definitely out of it. She’d barely been able to stumble from the cell to the truck - Jack knew she was definitely going to need to be carried inside.
Jack reached back and gently shook Daniel’s knee. He carefully lifted his head off the seat and blinked slowly. “We’re here.”
Yawning, Daniel nodded and moved to shimmy his way out from under Vala’s dead weight. She whimpered with the movement, and Daniel tried to be more careful as he climbed out of the truck.
“You got her?” Jack questioned with concern, knowing Daniel had been drinking that night too.
The younger man nodded absently, reaching into the truck and gingerly maneuvering Vala into a decent carrying position. She moaned, head falling forward and hair falling in her face as Daniel held her in a steady sitting position. He squatted and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You need to hold on.” Daniel whispered to her as he leaned in to wrap his hands under her thighs. Vala nodded drunkenly, tightening her hold on him just as he levered her up and against his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder, and with her legs dangling at his side, she looked like a giant kid.
Jack grimaced in sympathy. He placed a gentle hand on Vala’s head as Daniel walked past. “Damn, she’s trashed.”
Daniel nodded, then slowly trudged his way towards the porch. When he reached them, he had to shift Vala’s weight a little. She moaned into his neck, then quieted again as he climbed the stairs.
“You need me, just call.” Jack said from the truck.
“I will.” Daniel said back loudly, and Vala whimpered again as Jack pulled off towards the main house. “Sorry…almost there.” He whispered, suddenly realizing he didn’t have a way to open the door.
As if on cue, the front door swung open. Daniel steeled himself upon seeing one pissed of Cam Mitchell standing in the entrance. Ignoring the underlying tones to the look, Daniel pushed passed Cam and started carrying Vala back to his room.
“What the hell did you do to her?!” Cam said loudly, and Daniel felt Vala tense against him.
He tightened his hold and continued down the hall. “I didn’t do nothin’, man.”
Cam was hot on his heels. “Sure as shit don’t look like nothin’” He stepped in front of Daniel, effectively blocking the doorway to Daniel’s room. “Where’d ya think you’re goin’?”
Blue eyes glared exhaustedly back at him. “She’s trashed, Cam…”
“Well, no shit.”
“And she’s already got sick twice…” Daniel continued like he hadn’t been interrupted. “My room has the adjoinin’ bathroom.”
Cam placed an arm up on the doorframe and just glared. “I don’t want her in here.”
Eyes widening, Daniel felt anger flare in his chest. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means!” Cam spat, point a finger at him. “You take her out, liquor her up, and then bring back to your bed and have a good time with her…”
A hurt expression flashed across Daniel’s face. “Jesus Christ, Cam! Do you really think I’m that much of a-“
“Daniel…” Vala whispered, her voice slightly panicked. He physically forced Cam out of the way, rushing into his bathroom. Daniel didn’t even bother with the light, just made for the toilet and deposited Vala down in front of it in time. As she threw up for a third time, he swept back her hair.
Cam watched from the doorway, hand over his nose as the smell of regurgitated alcohol filled the small bathroom. “Geez, how much did she drink?”
Pulling in a deep breath, Daniel used his free hand to rub over Vala’s back. “She ‘bout inhaled a fifth of Jack on her own…”
“And you let her drink all that?” Cam asked incredulously.
Daniel turned an indignant frown on his surrogate brother. “I didn’t let her do it - she did it all on her own. I tried to tell her to slow down, but she just kept goin’…”
“Why, did she want to make nice with the toilet?”
Having finished being sick, Vala flopped back against the wall. She wanted to tell them that she was sitting right there and could answer for her own actions, but Vala found she just didn’t have the energy to talk. She let her head drop forward and her eyes close, drowning out the conversation between the two men. She didn’t know how long she sat like that, but a sudden cool touch to her face had her flinching in surprise.
“Sorry…” Daniel whispered with a grimace as he cleaned her face with a washcloth.
Vala cast a bleary look towards the wavering doorway, noticing Cameron was gone. “Where’d go?”
Standing up to rinse the cloth, Daniel looked at her reflection through the mirror. “Cam went to get the blankets and pillows off your bed…” He rang out the washcloth, and squatted back down before her.
“Why?” Vala asked in drunken confusion as he went back to wiping her face.
Daniel stopped his ministrations, and used his free hand to cup her chin and bring her unsteady focus on him. “Because you are very drunk, Vala, and that’s going to make you very sick, so we’re gonna sleep in the bathroom tonight.”
She blinked. “Oh…” Her face contorted a little. “I did drink ‘lot…”
Daniel laughed a little. “Yes, you did…”
“I was jus’ upset for Janed…” Vala’s eyes were wide as if she was just making the realization herself.
“I know you were, hunny…” Daniel looked up as Cam came to stand in the doorway, arms laden with a comforter and several pillows. He nodded, tossing the washcloth onto the counter, and Cam crammed himself into the small space.
“An’ for myself.” Vala whispered as the two men moved to maneuver her onto the comforter. Cam stilled in his task, looking at her in surprise for moment. He turned it on Daniel when he realized the man hadn’t even blinked an eye at the words.
“Like I said…” Daniel leaned over her, now cocooned in her blanket. “Nothin’ like that will ever happen to you again.”
Vala smiled dopily. “Ya gonna kiss me ag’in?” She plucked her hand out from under the cover and ran a finger along his bottom lip.
Again, Cam’s eyes found Daniel. And again, Daniel ignored him.
“Not this time, Vala.” Daniel took her hand and moved it away from his face. As she frowned, he leaned down and kissed her fingertips. “Maybe when you’re sober…”
“Then I beder ged sober…” She whispered, letting her eyes fall shut.
When he was sure she was really out for good, Cam grabbed Daniel by the shoulder and rammed him hard again the counter.
“What the fuck-“ Daniel gasped, one hand on Cam’s wrist. He looked up, shocked, at his long time friend.
Cameron’s eyes bore into him. “You kissed her?!”
“What the fuck does it matter to you?!” Daniel’s fingers dug into the wrist still pinning him painfully to the counter. “Vala’s a grown woman!” He gasped as Cam pushed him back harder.
“And you’re just a wild teenager in a young man’s body!” Cam spat. “You seduce women and you play with them, then you leave them when you’re done with them! I know you, man - and you’re gonna hurt her!”
The energy he hadn’t felt before came in a surge of anger, and Daniel quickly had Cam pushed back against the opposite wall with his body.
“This whole brotherly protector shit is all noble and everything…” Daniel whispered dangerously. “But you, Cameron, need to back the fuck up, alright?”
Cameron fidgeted under the scrutiny. “Daniel, can you blame me? Am I wrong about the way you are with women? I know you’ve been hurt before, but am I wrong about the hurt you do now?”
The energy quickly ebbed and Daniel fell back to the floor. He flopped back, exhausted, against the counter. The two men sat staring at one another, legs touching in the cramped space, for a long time.
“No…” Daniel finally said on a tired sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re not wrong.” He let his head flop forward. “I know I haven’t given you any reason to trust her with me, but I’m asking now…” Blue eyes came up to meet blue. “Please, just… It’s different this time, alright?”
“How’s it different?” Cam asked quietly, already feeling bad for accusing his best friend, even if Daniel has admitted he was right.
Daniel looked to Vala, whose mouth was slightly ajar. Her face was swollen and puffy from crying, nose red from that and drinking, and even from the small distance, he could still smell the alcohol on her breath. She looked a complete and utter mess.
With a helpless look, he turned his attention back to Cam.
“’Cause I love her.” He whispered with a slight shrug.
CH.7: Confessions
Cameron watched Daniel from over the edge of his beer bottle. It hurt to see his best friend looking so damn confused and wounded watching her laugh and flirt with the group of guys that were essentially their competition in town.
Here he’d been worried about Daniel hurting Vala - but it turned out things were heading in the completely opposite direction. And Cam definitely didn’t like those odds any better than he’d liked the first.
“I… I just don’t get it, Cam…” Daniel mumbled, questioning blue eyes turning his way. The usual light, the slight haze of alcohol that usually filled the orbs after spending the evening in Stoley’s, were both blatantly absent. It stung Cam in an unexplainable way. Vala was inadvertently sucking the vibrancy out of his friend.
“Two weeks…” Daniel continued, unaware to Cam’s internal mishmash of thoughts. “It’s been two weeks since…since I kissed her.” He laughed a little, running a long finger over the top of his glass of water. “And I really kissed her, too…”
Cam rested his bottle on the table top, and rested his arms down as well. “Daniel, man, Vala was completely wasted that night. I doubt she-”
“I know she remembers, Cam!” Daniel whispered desperately, leaning in slightly across the high-top table. “I can see it in the way she looks at me; tell by the way she’s been avoidin’ me like some damn disease!”
He flopped back in his chair. “I don’t know what I did wrong…” Daniel brought his gaze back around to look at Vala, who was leaning in disgustingly close to Bobby Anderson. If he hated that man before, he sure as hell despised him now.
Cam tapped his fingers on his arm, and followed Daniel’s line of sight. Vala’s obvious fake laugh carried across the makeshift dance floor and to their table. “Do you remember what you told me?”
A laugh brought Cam’s eyes back around to Daniel’s. For the first time since the night in the bathroom, humor played across his face.
“You’re gonna hav’ta be a little more specific - we’ve known each other…” Daniel sipped his water, wishing for a beer but fighting the urge. “Oh…since birth?”
Rolling his eyes, Cam took a sip from his bottle. “I meant the night in the bathroom, when Vala was-”
Daniel’s hand came up. “I know the night…” There was a long pause as he pulled in a deep breath. “And yes,” He sighed out, dropping his hand. “I remember.”
Cameron nodded. “Alright, so you told me…” He flicked his gaze in the direction of Vala. “But did you tell her?”
“Cam, I can’t tell her-“
“And why not?” Cam pried, leaning across the table. “Ya asked me to trust you with her, right?” As Daniel nodded, Cam nodded again. “Well, this is me givin’ you that trust. Go talk to her and tell her how ya feel!”
Daniel swallowed, dropping his gaze to his water. “She doesn’t even want to be near me, let alone talk to me…”
A hand on top of his circling the glass had him looking up once more. “Then you go to her and make her listen.” Cam said fiercely, giving Daniel’s hand a squeeze. “I hate watchin’ her hurt you just as much as if it were reversed.”
“She’s not hurting me, Cam.” Daniel sighed, extracting his hand and glass from his best friend’s grip.
“Bullshit!” Cam’s whispered rebuke was harsh. He practically slammed his beer down on the table and held out his free hand in Daniel’s general direction. “Look at you, man. You’re sittin’ here mopin’ over a glass of water.” The glare Daniel gave him didn’t stop Cameron from pushing on. “If this ain’t hurt, then where’s the Daniel Jackson that I’ve known all my life…”
Picking up his glass of water, Daniel continued to glare. “Maybe I’ve grown up.” He muttered before taking a drink.
Cameron pointed his finger. “That’s bullshit too.”
“Fine!” Daniel was the one to slam his drink onto the table this time. “You want me to go talk to her - confess my undyin’ and completely maddenin’ love to her?” Even angry, he was able to keep his voice at a low level.
“That’s exactly what I want you to do.” Cam agreed. “You need to learn to take that extra step, Daniel. It’s time you really did grow up.”
Pushing back his chair, Daniel shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m gettin’ a maturity talk from you.” Though his words seemed mean, the slight smile he fought to hide was a sign he wasn’t intending them to be. He moved around the table to Cam’s side and stopped to watch Vala once more.
Cam reached up and gave his brother by proxy a pat on the shoulder. “Just stop thinkin’ and go for it.”
“Easier said than done.” Daniel admitted, looking at Cameron nervously. When Cam just stared at him unwaveringly, Daniel let out a long sigh. “Alright…” He returned his gaze in Vala’s direction, and then reluctantly began to make a slow walk in her direction.
She really hadn’t been standing too far from where he’d been sitting, but Daniel deliberately kept his pace slow. Despite what Cam had advised, he just couldn’t stop thinking about what he was about to do. Never in his life had he felt so out of place, nervous about what could become of the relationship with Vala. As much as he hated thinking all possibilities of something more than friendship were out of the question, the idea of not being friends with Vala at all because of some stupid mistake made Daniel nauseous.
With each step, Vala got closer and Daniel’s thoughts got more erratic. What would he say? Surely whatever he said, all the guys that now seemed to encircle her would laugh or comment. Normally, Daniel would just take it in stride and outwit them. But with his heart on the line, would he be able to step up what was usually an easy, and welcome, challenge?
He could ask her to go outside; take a walk and confess to her the feelings that had been eating him alive for almost a month. But would she actually go? Like he’d told Cam, Vala had been avoiding him in every way possible. It was such a drastic change from when she’d first moved to their town that just the idea of asking her anything made Daniel insecure. It was a whole new feeling to him...
Now just a few feet back from the gaggle of desperate men that surrounded Vala, Daniel took a moment to compose himself. He tried to focus his thoughts, pinpoint on exactly what he needed to say. He willed his expression to hide every bit of anxiety he was feeling in regards to her…
The raucous laughter of the testosterone pileup had Daniel focusing less on himself and more on what was directly before him. The guys had all seemed to close in, pretty much obscuring his view of Vala. But he could still hear her, even through the cackling of drunken rednecks.
“Okay, easy now… I didn’t say you could touch me like…” Her words made his breathing quicken. All anxiousness was quickly being superseded by jealousy and a protectiveness Daniel had never felt for anyone else. His hands formed into fists at his side, but he didn’t move. Vala could handle herself, and he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate him barging in out of context.
“Hey!”
All control was lost at her angered shout and Daniel shot forward. He shoved his way through the crowd of guys, ignoring their belligerent curses. Finally breaking through to the center, Daniel had to fight back a growl at the sight of Bobby Anderson squeezing a struggling Vala to his body, with one hand gripping tightly to her ass.
Daniel was over to them in a stride, yanking the obviously drunk man off of her. He threw him into the crowd, ignoring Bobby’s unhappy shout and focusing on Vala instead.
“You alright?” He asked, gently gripping one of her shoulders. She nodded, not meeting his gaze as she scowled towards the floor. Daniel wasn’t sure if it was because of what Bobby had done, his intrusion, or both.
“Where the fuck do you come off man!” Bobby’s drunken slur was loud in Daniel’s ear as he came up and grabbed his shoulder hard. Daniel tried his best to ignore the violent shaking Bobby was giving him, but it was hard. Even harder to drown out all the insults being shouted in his ear.
Rubbing his hand gently against her shoulder, Daniel tried to meet Vala’s gaze. The memories of her ranting drunkenly about being mistreated were at the foremost of his thoughts. “You sure you’re alright? Do you want to get out of here or some-”
Daniel was halted mid-sentence by a dull blow to his left cheek. He yelped, stumbling into Vala. Caught off guard by the sudden shift in momentum, he ended up slamming her back into the wooden railing. She was the one to yelp this time.
As quick as he was able to recover, Daniel pushed himself off of her. Their eyes locked, hers filled with anguish and fury, his apologetic and defensive. It seemed like lifetimes of things passed in the few seconds it took for Daniel to realize Bobby was coming at him again, evident by the sort of snarl getting louder. Vala heard it too, and shook her head minutely.
Never one to back down from a fight, Daniel nodded in contrast, just as minutely. He turned and swung his fist out just in time to connect with Bobby’s jaw. There was a loud crack and Bobby stumbled back in surprise. When he recovered enough, he stood swaying in place and glared at Daniel.
“Jackson, you son of a bitch!” Bobby yelled, and Daniel suddenly realized the bar had gone quiet. “Can’t you keep your dick out of just one woman? Does every piece of ass in this place have to be yours first?”
“Hey!” Daniel shouted back, shaking off the hand Vala had placed on his arm to keep him from answering. “She is not a piece of ass! She is a woman who deserves respect, not to be manhandled by some sleazy, drunken asshole!”
Bobby snorted, swaggering forward a little bit. “Well ain’t that the pot callin’ the kettle black!” He waved his hand around the bar. “How many of these broads in here have you had, man? All of them, I’m pretty damn sure! So don’t come off actin’ all knight in shining armor for this one.”
Daniel scowled as Bobby came to a swaying stop just before him.
“It’s obvious she doesn’t want you.” The drunken man sneered, his whiskey laced breath warm on Daniel’s face. “So why don’t you back the fuck off and live with the fact that I’m better than you yet again.”
Smiling a little, Daniel shook his head. “You didn’t even graduate high school.”
This didn’t deter Bobby. “Yeah, well…” He laughed and leaned in closer to Daniel. “At least I know my place, Jackson. At least I’m not a freakin’ genius too scared to go off and do something.” His finger jabbed into Daniel’s chest. “You are a pussy who is drinkin’ and fuckin’ his life away because you were abandoned by shit broads who used you for nothin’ but a good fuck.”
Rage clouded all other emotions, and Daniel flew at Bobby. The two men fell to the ground, grappling for the upper hand. It wasn’t long before Daniel had it and he was pounding in Bobby’s face with blind fury. And somehow, even after all the personal dirty laundry Bobby had brought up, it was his mistreating Vala that drove it.
“You…don’t…fucking…touch…things…that…don’t…belong…to…you!” He threw a punch between each word. Daniel was vaguely aware of people shouting around him, but the drive to mark his claim was strongest. Bobby thought he was better? Daniel would show him who was fucking best.
Too soon for his liking, a pair of strong arms was yanking him away from a cowering and bleeding Bobby. Daniel struggled against Cam, who was muttering for him to calm down. But he couldn’t - he just couldn’t. How could he let the prick get away with touching his Vala? Her appearance in front of him, hands on his chest, only fueled his need to show her who was best for her. The fact she looked beyond pissed didn’t register in Daniel’s mind right then.
Straining against Cam’s arm lock, Daniel leaned around Vala. “She’s fuckin’ mine, you lecherous bastard.” A slender, yet powerful, grip on his face broke his gaze away from Bobby and right into furious grey eyes.
“Outside, now!” She whispered harshly, releasing his face with force. He noticed her nod to Cam, who began to pull him outside. Daniel didn’t struggle much, but he refused to shut his mouth. There were a few more points he had to get across.
“You touch her again, and I’ll kill you!” He shouted while being dragged, ignoring the stares from the entire bar. “You hear me, you piece of shit?! I’ll fuckin’ kill you!” That was all Daniel could get out before the door to Stoley’s closed in front of him, and the sounds of the street and thunderstorm greeted him.
He was barely out of Cam’s grip and turned to meet Vala when a hand connected with his already throbbing cheek, hard. Daniel yelped again, bringing a hand up to the wounded area. He blinked in surprise to the wet pavement, then up at Cam. His best friend held up his hands in a ‘don’t look at me’ gesture, turned and headed back inside.
Still clutching at his cheek, Daniel looked up at Vala. She was panting, the raindrops pouring around her. They were practically glowing white in the harsh light of the street lamp.
“I am not yours, you arrogant asshole!” Vala said dangerously, pointing her finger at him. It was impossible to see tears in the rain, but Daniel could tell she was crying by the thick quality of her voice. “Don’t you ever fuckin’ think I’m somethin’ that needs to be claimed and defended!”
Daniel stepped out into the rain, holding his free hand out towards her. “Vala, I’m-”
She stepped back. “No!” Vala shook her head. “I don’t want to hear your excuses, Daniel. You are just like every other man out there - you hurt women.” The words alone stung more than her slap had, and Daniel reacted the only way he’d ever known how. He began to get angry. It only intensified as she turned and began stalking down the sidewalk.
Dropping his hand from his cheek, he followed. “I have never hurt a woman like Bobby has, and I’ve certainly never touched you like he was doing in there!” He pointed angrily to the bar now shrinking behind them.
Vala crossed her arms, shaking her head again. “You don’t hav’ta hit a woman to hurt her.” Her voice was angry and condescending, like she was talking to an ignorant child. “And I refuse to let any man treat me like shit any more, whether it be physical or mental.”
“I don’t do that, Vala.” Daniel’s anger morphed into desperation and possible denial. It hurt that she was seeing him the way almost everyone in town saw him. He’d tried to show her what he was really like - that he was a good person.
“Give me a break, Daniel!” Vala shouted, stopping in her tracks and whirling on him. Daniel froze as well, thrown by her outburst. “Do you think I know nothin’ about what you’re like? You think I don’t know ‘bout your two week affairs and drunken one night stands?” She screamed at him, looking hurt and betrayed. “I’ve heard all the stories, and I’ve come to realize you are no different than Bobby Anderson!”
Anger returned at the comment. “Then if I’m just like him, why were you flirtin’ and puttin’ yourself out there all night for him to salivate over?!” He asked on a shouting voice. It was likely they were drawing attention to themselves, shouting at each other in the rain.
Vala’s face contorted a bit in pain. “Because it doesn’t hurt as much to be with him then it does with you!” Her shout, the loudest thus far, was like a dagger shoved through his heart. He physically had to take a step back, like she’d hit him again.
She looked downright regretful for having to say it out loud. “I can’t take being yours for two weeks, and then you movin’ on. I’d rather just have a meaninless thing with Bobby then live through somethin’ with you which would turn in to nothin’ down the line. I won’t be that girl.”
“I…” Daniel found he didn’t have it in him to shout anymore, and lowered his voice considerably. “I won’t do that to you, Vala.” He said softly, stepping closer to her again.
“You would.” The anger was gone from her voice, replaced with what seemed like cold, hard logic. It stung that she seemed so certain of his future actions. Had he really become that much of predictable jerk? “You always have, and you always will.”
Daniel took another step closer, just a couple feet from her now. “You’re wrong.”
She let out a huff of air, and looked at him with shining eyes through the rain. “Am I, Daniel? Am I really that wrong, or are you just denyin’ the truth in some vain hope to get with me? I mean, I’m flattered you’re tryin’ so hard, but is it healthy at all to do this to ourselv-”
“Since that first day you got here,” He interrupted her. Standing directly in front of her, Daniel stared down into Vala’s eyes. “I’ve seen nothin’ but you. Any old flame, any could be girl hasn’t held a torch to you. For months now, you’ve been achingly bright and beautiful in my life, and I’m like a moth to your flame.”
Vala closed her eyes, her lips trembling. “Daniel, please-”
Reaching up, Daniel cupped her cheek. “I know I have a history, and I know you’re sure you’ll be like all the rest. But you’re wrong to be so sure, Vala.” He rubbed his thumb against her chilled skin. “There’s somethin’ different here with you.”
Opening her eyes, Vala’s voice was a mere whisper as she spoke. “And what’s so different?”
Daniel stopped thinking then, leaning his lips down to press them gently to Vala’s. Unlike their first kiss, this one was tender and sweet. Through such an intimate connection, Daniel could practically feel the rest of her defenses shattering. He was exposing her to the world. So he pulled back, fearing she wasn’t ready to let him protect her. Even if it’s what he wanted most in his simple world, he’d let her decide the final verdict.
There was just one last plea he had to put forth.
“I love you.” He whispered, barely audible through the downpour.
Vala stared at him, her mouth falling open the slightest bit at the admission. Then she smiled shakily, finally uncrossing her arms and locking them tight around Daniel’s neck. Her laugh against his neck was weak and emotional.
“I love you too.” She whispered back.
Daniel wrapped his arms tightly around her slender form, squeezing her snug against him. He brought one hand up and placed it against her soaked hair, nuzzling his nose into her right temple. It didn’t take long for the overwhelming joy to take hold, and Daniel laughed triumphantly. He adjusted his grip on her and spun Vala around in the rain.
She laughed along with him, equally caught up in the moment as he was. For the first time since that night in Daniel’s bathroom, there wasn’t any tension or awkwardness between them. They were back to being friends. More than that, they’d just taken the first step into something greater than friendship.
Daniel brought the spinning to a halt then, placing Vala back on the ground. Before she could completely regain her equilibrium, he cupped her face and kissed her again. It was a little more urgent this time, but nowhere near the sexually frustrated kiss in the jail cell. Vala laughed into his mouth, wrapping one arm around his neck and trying to pull herself even closer to him.
A bright flash of lightning, immediately followed by the roar of thunder, had them pulling apart for a second time. Both looked towards the sky, blinking against the onslaught of raindrops.
“Guess we should head back inside, huh.” Vala spoke first, bringing her attention back to Daniel. He was still staring at the sky, his throat exposed to her openly like an unconscious open invitation. She reached up and lightly trailed her fingers down the skin there.
He smiled and brought his gaze down to hers. “Actually…let’s get out of here.” Daniel took her hand and began to lead her back towards the bar, where his truck was parked right outside the door. “We’ll give them fodder to feed off of for at least a week.”
“Sounds good to me.” Vala grinned, wrapping her arm around his and walking beside him as he led the way.
Comments and feedback is definitely appreciated!