BOtR, Ch.6 - 11 (So Surreal, Talk of Daddies, Troubled, Wake Up Call, The Only Reason,& Discussions)
Beginning of the Rest
Chapters 6 - 11 (So Surreal, Talk of Daddies, Troubled, Wake Up Call, The Only Reason, and Discussions)
So Surreal
A content little laugh escaped past his lips and into the bottle of Corona currently pressed against them. Reclining back comfortably against his beautiful fiancé, beer in hand, with a couple more waiting to be imbibed, and a gentle and pleasant buzz starting to take hold, Daniel was utterly and completely relaxed.
"What?" Vala murmured into his ear curiously as she continued to run the washcloth over his finely sculpted chest. She didn't have much to complain about herself. How could she when she had Daniel's naked body resting against her own in the bathtub? The fact that he was slowly getting tipsy as she washed him was an added bonus.
Daniel shifted his head a little to the side and smiled as Vala placed a gentle kiss to his temple. "It's all starting to finally sink in..." He sighed. His arm came to rest on the tub's edge, the bottle tapping against the side. "We are going to be married."
"It is a bit surreal, isn't it?" Vala added. Her hands slowly dabbed the wet cloth at his smooth skin.
Nodding, Daniel ran his free hand over hers as it worked. "A few years ago, I never thought I'd be at such a happy place like this again." He stated, sipping at his beer. "Now I have you and Hayden, and still have the great family I made when I first started on this whole 'Stargate'" He quoted with his fingers. "Journey. I was so use to giving one happiness up for another, and it's such a wonder to have both the then and the now together."
Vala laughed gently. "The then is still your now, it's just more has been added to this happy life you've made." She dropped the washcloth into the water and snatched the almost empty bottle of gold liquid out of his grasp. Finishing it off, she placed it alongside the three other empties beside the tub. Daniel's hand was already grasping for a fresh one.
"You are gonna be good and drunk by the time we get out of here." She whispered mischievously into his ear as he popped the top off the bottle. Daniel snorted and brought the bottle to his lips for a sip. It would have been better with a lime, but he was almost passed the point of actually caring. He barely had it lowered before Vala grabbed it and sipped herself. It took him a slow moment to realize she wasn't gonna give it back.
"Thief." He muttered playfully, reaching over the tub once more to get himself a new one.
Vala pulled him back against her chest as he retrieved the bottle. His slick skin under her fingertips was a wonderful sensation. "You love it." She grinned, placing a suggestive kiss to his shoulder as she wrapped one leg over one of his own.
"A very limber, beer drinking thief." Daniel said contemplatively. He turned his head to place a supple kiss against her neck. "Of course I love it." He smiled, leaning his forehead against her.
"Has anyone told you you're a cheap drunk?" Vala laughed, helping him open his beer.
Daniel took a drink as Vala's fingers removed the top. "Compared to you, I am." He snickered. "But nearly four beers on my own, and only marginally tipsy? I've definitely improved."
"So the others would agree." She brushed a hand through his hair, both of them dipping a little deeper into the water. "They all say you've definitely changed from the Daniel Jackson they first knew." Daniel nodded in agreement, and Vala tilted her head curiously. "I wish I would have met you back then..." Now Daniel shook his head. "If only to have some reference to now."
Daniel placed his Corona down on the side of the tub, and turned so he was facing her. "No, you really don't." He stated firmly. "Naive, innocent, cocky..." At Vala's slight tilt of her head the other direction, he laughed. "Er...Cockier. Didn't have any sense of self worth, or sense of self - period." He smiled at what he was about to say. "A tall, myserious dark haired woman with a body that just screams sex would have sent him cowering into the corner."
"So, the Daniel of then wouldn't have...tried to pick a fight with said 'sex kitten'?" Vala added a naughty purr to her words. Daniel nodded. "Nor would he have been caught dead with her naked in a bathtub drinking beverages, right?"
Blue eyes slowly raked her body top to bottom, as if he'd just realized the sort of position they were in. His tongued flicked out over his lips, and Daniel leaned in to place a suggestive kiss just above her left breast. "The beverages alone would be a big, resounding no." He murmured as he pulled up for a moment. "I hated beer back when."
Vala gave an unbelievable laugh. "YOU hated BEER? Maybe you're right. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't know the old Daniel Jackson."
"That's a good thing because he definitely wouldn't have been caught dead..." Daniel continued to place suggestive kisses to her naked body. "Doing this..." Vala closed her eyes and let his tongue, lips, and hands roam freely. Then her maternal instinct kicked in and she reluctantly pushed Daniel away a bit.
"Our daughter is most likely very much awake just down the hall." She said, looking into his curious gaze. "Having sex in the tub is not a very wise choice."
Daniel licked his lips and nodded. He moved to sit back against the opposite end of the tub, knocking his almost untouched beer into the water in the process. He groaned. "Dammit, that's alcohol abuse!" He said on a laugh as he snatched the bottle out of the tub. He stared at it a moment, then sighed. "For the best, I guess." He dipped deeper into the water with a snicker. "Because that last beer is starting to kick in."
Vala smiled as she watched Daniel ride out the wave of his buzz ratcheting up a notch. She moved across the tub and plucked the bottle out of his hand. She stared down into his content blue gaze, then placed a loving kiss to his lips.
"Did I REALLY agree to marry YOU?" She quipped playfully against his lips. Daniel laughed quietly, and kissed her in return. Patting his chest after a moment, Vala broke the lip lock once more. "Okay, I'm gonna go get dressed and see what our little monster is doing."
Daniel nodded. "Okay." He murmured with his eyes closed. "Maybe it'll give me a chance to sober up a little." He said with a chuckle, opening his eyes as Vala rose out of the tub. The sight of her naked body towering over him was pleasant.
"That'd be wise." Vala stated as she wrapped a towel around herself. She snatched up her bottle of Corona that she'd put on the floor. Sipping from it, she smiled down at Daniel. "I want you alert and coherent when we watch our nice sappy romance movie tonight."
Groaning playfully, Daniel dipped below the water.
Talk of Daddies
An overwhelming feeling of love took him as he leaned in the doorway to Hayden's bedroom. Before him, in the glow of the bedside light, was his entire life. Vala sat with her back against the side of their daughter's daybed, the soon to be five year old wrapped in tight against her chest. Long black hair cascaded to one side as she pressed her cheek against Hayden's head.
They were a picture of beauty - his beauty. The thought had Daniel smiling as he continued to watch on, unnoticed.
The familiar writings of J.R.R. Tolkien flowed from Vala's mouth as she read from the book in her hands. Daniel silently matched each word that fell from her beautiful lips. The Lord of the Rings had been his favorite as a kid, and now it was his daughter's. He'd lost count of the number of times Hayden had been read the story since her birth, especially considering she'd started reading it herself just recently.
For her age, she was exceptionally brilliant. 'Scary smart,' Jack liked to call it. At almost five years old, Hayden could hold a very adult conversation in five different languages. That wasn't even including Ancient or Goa'uld, which she spoke with a fluency that rivaled his own. Her capacity for holding information was phenomenal. Carolyn had said it probably had something to do with Vala being impregnated by the Ori. Jack liked to boast it was just Daniel's smarts being passed on and evolving.
Either way, Daniel found he couldn't be more proud of his little girl. He knew she would most likely change the world, hell maybe even the galaxy, for the better in the future. Definitely in a lot more ways than he had.
And he sensed she knew that also. Yet, she still managed to embody the essence of the young girl that she actually was. Hayden had one hell of an imagination. The stories she could create on the spot were amazing, child-like and yet so magnificent. She loved to play, pretend, have fun, and get dirty. That was the side, Daniel mused, she most definitely got from her mother.
Together, Vala and Hayden had brought back a piece of him he'd been missing for far too long - his childhood. Daniel was experiencing things he hadn't since his parents were alive, and other things he'd never had a chance to know after their death.
He'd forgotten how magical storytime between a child and mother could be.
He hated the fact that he had to break that moment between his two lovely girls now. But, with a wedding being planned, there were things he and Vala needed to discuss. One thing in particular had been nagging at him lately.
Daniel reluctantly cleared his throat gently. Twin pairs of eyes - one grey, the other with an added deep shade of blue - looked up at him. He sighed at their beauty once more.
"Vala, can we talk a moment?" He asked, not bothering to add the 'alone' to the sentence. From the tone of his voice, Daniel knew Vala could tell it was implied. She nodded and whispered something in Hayden's ear before placing a soft kiss to her temple. Hayden nodded, taking the book from her mother's hands. Vala then carefully extricated herself from the blanket she'd wrapped them in, and rose from the bed.
Daniel wrapped a hand around her waist as she came within reach. He pulled Hayden's door almost completely shut as he pulled Vala out of the room.
"What did you tell her?" He asked softly as his other hand came to wrap around her slender waist. Unable to resist, Daniel leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to Vala's lips.
Licking her lips as he pulled up, Vala smiled. "Told her if I wasn't back in five minutes to get ready for bed."
Daniel laughed quietly. "You know, since you left her the book, she'll be up half the night reading it."
"Much like someone else I know." Vala smirked, stealing a kiss from his lips as he shrugged innocently in return. "Now what did you want to talk about?" She tilted her head a fraction, curiously.
"Uhh..." Daniel's gaze turned serious. "Maybe we should move this away from in front of our daughter's bedroom." He began to usher Vala further down the hall to their own room.
She sighed. "I guess that means I'm not going to like where this conversation is leading." Vala flopped on to the bed, curling her arms around Daniel's pillow. She turned around to face him, sitting indian style. The pillow remained plastered to her chest.
"Why would you say that?" Daniel asked innocently, closing the door behind him. He turned to meet the expectant gaze of his fiancé. His face remained neutrally naive.
"You closed Hayden's door, and now ours..." Vala stated. "You really don't want her to hear whatever's gonna be said. By my guess, your question is going to make me very upset, and yelling will probably ensue." She tilted her head again, knowing she was probably right.
Sighing, Daniel removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He leaned back against the door. "We have to talk-"
"You said that already, darling." Vala answered, growing a little uneasy as her mind ran through the possible things Daniel could possibly want to discuss.
Blue eyes, now no longer behind the glasses, fixed her with a patient glare. "Will you let me talk, please?" Vala shrugged apologetically, then nodded. Daniel sighed again, and pushed off the door. Resting his glasses on top of his head, he came to sit on the edge of the bed before her.
"There's something that's been bothering me...a little." He stated, looking straight into her grey eyes. "It has to do with the wedding."
"Okay..." She pulled the word out for a long moment.
Daniel's blue eyes turned almost sympathetic. "We have to talk about Jacek, Vala."
Immediately, Vala was shaking her head. "No."
"You haven't even heard what I have to say!" He laughed in return, though it barely held any humor. Daniel could already see Vala's anger spiking. And all he had said was the man's name. That did not bode well for the future of the conversation.
The pillow landed in his lap as she pushed off the bed. "I don't care what you have to say, Daniel." She muttered. As he expected, the pacing began. "Anything involving Jacek anywhere in my life is an automatic no."
He knew it was unwarranted, but sudden irritation overtook him. "Last I checked, it was OUR life."
Vala spun on her heels, shaking a hand at him. "No, when it comes to that...man...it's MY life. And I don't care what earth customs say about the father giving the bride away, or..." Her hands waved frantically in the air. "Whatever. I don't want him here. And that is MY choice because he is from a part of MY life before it became OURS." Her voice rose with each word she emphasized.
"I'm your fiancé, Vala!" Daniel wasn't far from shouting himself. "I've been your lover and...and..." He waved his hand in the air, searching for the right word. He hated how quickly their discussion had dissolved into arguing. "Your confidant, the one you've trusted with everything for these past several years. Everything that was your old life is mine too!"
Vala pouted. "Don't even try that on me..."
Daniel sighed. "I'm not trying anything, Vala. I just thought, for our WEDDING, you should give him the option of being here. He has a right, as a father, to know. Even if I despise the man for doing what he did to you, he deserves to know he's getting a son-in-law." Daniel paused, swallowing. His next words were what was really going to set Vala off. "Plus, I think it's about time he finds out that he has a granddaughter..."
As expected, Vala was once again pacing and shaking her head. "No! I don't want that damn impressionable man anywhere near my-" At Daniel's look, she amended her choice of words. "OUR daughter. Do you hear me? He will manipulate her, and make her think that he is the greatest man in the world, and then leave her broken and crying when he DOESN'T follow through! I WON'T put her through that!"
"Hayden's very smart, baby..." Daniel tried to reach out a hand to Vala, but she stepped away from his touch. His hand fell limp against his thigh. "She'll see right through him."
"Oh, like I wasn't able to, right?" Vala smiled bitterly. "Because your precious baby girl is so much better at reading people than her mother?"
Eyes going wide, Daniel shook his head vehemently. "No...God No! I wasn't saying that!" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "He was - IS your father, Vala. There was absolutely no reason why you should have seen through him. It was only natural-" He stopped, hating how stale the words sounded as they came from his mouth. "I wasn't saying that." He finally repeated with a sigh.
Vala didn't like that response any better. "And he IS her grandfather, so it's not much different, DARLING." She practically spat the word at him. "I don't care what you say. No matter how strong or smart Hayden is, that man will get to her. He gets to everyone, Daniel. And I REFUSE to have our little girl go through the exact same heart breaks I did! I will not let her be played like that, do you understand me?"
Daniel nodded slowly. "I understand." His voice had dropped to a gentle level while his gaze fell to the floor. "I'm sorry I brought it up." Blue eyes came up to lock on grey. "I just thought-"
"No, Daniel." Vala sighed, her frustration with him simmering just below the surface. "No, you didn't think at all. You KNEW it would anger me, KNEW we would argue over it, and yet you still brought it up." She shook her head, flopping back down on the bed and keeping her back to him. "Now all you get is me being very, very upset with you."
He crawled up the bed. "I'm sorry, baby." Daniel leaned down to place a surrendering kiss to her neck, but Vala pushed him away. "Does this mean that romantic movie you wanted to watch tonight is out of the question?"
Laughing sarcastically, Vala couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Yes, Daniel. All I want to do now is sleep..." She snuggled deeper into her pillow. "Try and get rid of this headache you gave me."
Guilt crashed against him in waves, and Daniel gave a reluctant nod. He moved to settle in behind her, but once again Vala blocked his attempt at comfort. She turned slightly to look into his confused blue gaze.
"Alone." She practically snapped. Before he could even ask where he was suppose to sleep, Vala pointed towards the closed door of their bedroom. "The only snuggling you'll be doing is with the couch cushions."
Daniel closed his eyes. This was not what he'd been expecting when he envisioned finally voicing his recent thoughts of Jacek to her. Sure, he'd known Vala would get angry. But kicking him out of the bed? That part caught him off guard. "For how long?" He finally asked quietly, sitting up on his knees.
Vala shrugged, not bothering to say anything. She just snuggled deeper into the pillow. The bed dipped and shifted as Daniel carefully climbed over her.
"I'll just get changed..." He sighed. Vala silently watched him strip out of his jeans and t-shirt. As usual, his boxers went next. The sight of his very fine naked body almost had her changing her mind. But Vala remained strong, and quickly the temptation disappeared as Daniel pulled on a pair of loose pajama pants and a wife beater. She was just thankful she'd changed earlier. No need to tempt his...wild side, with her own nakedness.
Slowly, he walked back over to the bed. Leaning over, avoiding touching her too much for fear of being hit, Daniel silently grabbed his pillow. As he pulled up, his blue eyes met hers. The anger focused towards him had Daniel swallowing instinctively. Against his better judgment however, he leaned down to place a gentle kiss to Vala's forehead.
Thankfully, she accepted it - if somewhat reluctantly.
"Night..." Daniel murmured, almost sadly. He clutched the pillow to his chest tightly and quietly shuffled towards the door. Just before stepping out, he looked back at Vala. She was watching him, expressionless. He offered a small apologetic smile, hoping it would at least get some reply back. Maybe even a goodnight in return. When nothing came, Daniel nodded minutely and slipped out. He left the door open a little.
As she watched his shadow dance on the wall down the hall through the doorway, Vala felt the stab of guilt. "Goodnight, Daniel." She whispered, suddenly thinking maybe she had overreacted just a little. Only a little though.
Troubled
Vala shivered. She pulled the comforter tighter around her body, but it really didn't help. It definitely wasn't what she was used to anymore. Strong arms holding her gently against a bare chest, warm breath ghosting along her neck, the rhythmic sound of his deep breathing and powerful, beating heart lulling her into a peaceful sleep...those were all the things she was used to.
Sitting up, Vala rubbed her hand over her chilled nose. She'd expected Daniel to come back to the bed by now. Obviously, he was taking her 'banishment' quite seriously. She was still very upset with him. Probably would be for a day or two. But was sending him to sleep on the couch all that fair? Or wise?
He hadn't been wrong in bringing...him...up. It was only natural, considering they were getting married. Maybe it was the fact that he'd thrown Hayden into the whole thing that had set her off. Not that Daniel really couldn't 'throw her in'. He was right. Jacek was her grandfather. But that didn't mean he had to know about her. Not that he really would care anyway. Still, Daniel had been right.
He'd been right.
Vala sighed at the thought. She HAD overreacted. Way more than a little. Sure, she had a right to be upset over the discussion. But she didn't have the right to punish the man who loved her for just trying to do a decent thing.
Determination, and a deep seated urge to be warm sometime that night, had Vala pulling Daniel's sweatshirt on and slowly making her way out to the living room. The glow of the near-silent tv bathed the room in dancing blue shadows and flickers as she entered. Her gaze drifted from the history documentary on the screen to the form sprawled out across the couch.
He was nuzzled deep into his pillow, one arm tightly wrapped around it. The other hung limply off the side, his fingers brushing the carpet and remote still partially resting in his grasp. He'd kicked his blanket halfway off, most likely when he'd turned onto his stomach. His breathing was deep and slow. Daniel was out like a light.
"Of course." Vala whispered, quietly stepping up to the couch. Kneeling down, she carefully extracted the remote from his slack fingers and switched off the television. She waited a moment for her eyesight to adjust to the much darker moonlit room, her eyes resting on Daniel's face. Instinctively, she brushed back the hair from his forehead, the strands just a little longer from when she'd first met him. She gingerly picked up his arm, bringing it to rest on the couch once more. Daniel shifted at her gentle touch, not really rousing from his deep sleep. Vala moved to drape the blanket comfortably over him, and he murmured something in a foreign language.
Listening, she placed it as Abydonian. She wasn't very fluent in the language, but back before she'd come to have a life on earth it had been spoken here and there. And Daniel had often mumbled it in his sleep. Vala's hands stopped their task of smoothing down the blanket as a name fell from his lips.
"Sha're..."
It had been such a long time since she'd heard him say it. She would never say it to him, but just the idea of his former wife unsettled her. She knew Daniel knew that. And he'd been wonderful about it, trying not to let the name slip out too often. Vala felt guilty at first over the whole thing, but Daniel had reassured her that he understood. "It's a...'Tomin' kind of understanding." He said to her one night, and then she'd understood as well.
Hearing him say it now, in sleep, shook Vala in a troubling way. Was the reason he was thinking of his late wife because he'd so recently asked Vala to be his new one? Would their marriage dredge up memories that he wished never to think about again? Would this wedding bring back that old hurt?
Suddenly feeling very insecure, Vala placed a shaky kiss to Daniel's forehead and retreated back to their bedroom, alone. She pulled on a pair of sweat pants and socks, climbing back into bed. Drawing the covers up to her chin, she closed her eyes. One name clouded her mind as she drifted off to sleep.
'Sha're.'
Wake Up Call
"You know..."
Hayden jumped at the sudden sound of a voice coming from beside her. Her eyes flew to her daddy's face, where one blue eye was peeked open.
"It's rude to poke someone, sleeping or otherwise." Daniel finished, giving her an amused smirk.
Larry pressed tight against her chest, Hayden smiled. "Sorry, daddy. I just wanted to wake you up."
Daniel nodded and yawned at the same time, shifting so he was laying on his side. "I guess that's okay then." He smiled, than fixed her with a mockingly serious stare. "But don't make a habit out of it because, like I said, poking is-"
"Rude, I know." Hayden finished playfully. She rolled her eyes for effect, then squeaked as she was pulled onto the couch abruptly. She giggled against her daddy's chest as he placed a kiss into her hair.
He only had to wait a moment before Hayden looked up at him. Her shining grey-blue eyes made Daniel smile. "You are a sassy little munchkin." He grumbled, pouting just a little. He was pretty good at being a tad dramatic himself. Came from years of being friend to Jack and lover to Vala.
Hayden blinked her eyes innocently, flashing a sweet smile. She leaned up and placed a kiss to Daniel's pouting lips, which made them spread into a satisfied grin. "Morning, daddy."
"Morning, baby." Daniel murmured as he gave her another kiss. Hayden frowned and thrust Larry into his face not even a moment later. He laughed. "Sorry!" He placed a kiss into the stuffed camel's tufts of hair on his head. "Good morning, Larry."
Nodding her approval, Hayden shrugged. "That's better."
"You sound just like your mother." Daniel laughed again, hugging Hayden, and Larry, tight against his chest for a moment. Then he released her slightly, brushing his hand through her dark brown hair as she leaned back a little. She smiled and he smiled in return.
Her smiled quickly faded into a curious frown. "Why were you sleeping out here, daddy?"
Daniel licked his lip slowly, his hand continuing to stroke through her hair. "I'm surprised it took you that long to ask." He said with amusement. "You are too curious for your own good, missy." Daniel tapped her nose with his free hand. Hayden blinked patiently in return. She wasn't buying his stalling act. He sighed dramatically, defeated. "I kinda made your mommy mad last night..."
"Oh..." Hayden looked down at the couch. "How?" She questioned a moment later.
"Talking about something mommy doesn't like to talk about very much." Daniel gauged Hayden's expression as he answered. She nodded slowly, then squinted at him in a way that he had to bite back a laugh.
"Your not going to tell me, are you?" She grumbled.
Daniel smiled. "No."
Hayden crossed her arms over her chest, Larry dangling from her hand by his neck. Her lips pushed out in a pout - to which Daniel fixed her with a serious look.
"Stop it." He warned, and Hayden sighed in defeat. "That's better. Don't need to be mucking up that gorgeous little face with such things." Daniel smiled again, and placed a kiss on her nose. The edges of a smile played on her lips slowly.
"Now why don't we get up..." Daniel sat up a little more. He reached a hand out to the coffee table to snatch his glasses. As he slipped them on, his stomach rumbled. Hayden giggled. "And make some breakfast?"
She nodded, jumping off the couch gracefully. "Should I wake mommy up too?"
Daniel looked at the tv, staring at his reflection in the screen. He was almost positive it had been on when he'd finally drifted off last night. His thoughts drifted out of the living room and down the hallway. Vala must have shut the tv off, then gone back to bed, not even bothering to wake him. Had it been just to let him sleep, or out of anger? Daniel decided on the latter of the two, and it about killed his appetite right then and there.
A hand on his arm brought him back to the here and now.
"Daddy?" Hayden questioned, and the look of concern in her bright eyes matched that of her mother's. It eased a bit of the unsettled feeling in his stomach.
Daniel breathed in deeply. "Sorry, babe. Got a little lost in thought." He pushed off the couch and ushered his daughter in the direction of the kitchen.
"You didn't answer my question." Hayden stated simply. She looked up into her daddy's curious expression. He hadn't even heard the question. "Want me to get mommy?" She repeated, stopping them just outside the kitchen.
His gaze shifted up the hall, the door at the very end catching his attention. "No, Hayds." Daniel sighed. "Let's let mommy sleep for a bit longer, okay?" He looked down at her again, and she shrugged.
"Okay."
Daniel smiled and watched her retreat into the confines of the kitchen. His focus once more returned to the partially open door at the end of the hall. He wanted so badly to just go rushing in there and apologize for as long as it took for Vala to forgive him. But that wouldn't do, especially since he'd already mentioned breakfast to Hayden. He would just have to put their issue on hold for a little while longer.
The Only Reason
Sitting up in bed, trying to figure out a way to properly apologize to Daniel, Vala heard the sounds of conversation. She slowly crawled to the end of the bed, and laid down at the edge. And she listened.
Hayden's voice was the first to reach her ears.
'You didn't answer my question.' It was simply stated, and a moment later her small voice came again. 'Want me to get mommy up?'
Vala pushed up on her arms at the question. She had to be ready to throw herself back under the covers and feign sleep if she needed to. It was one thing to eavesdrop, another to get caught by your daughter while doing it. There was a significantly longer silence this time.
'No Hayds.' That was Daniel, of course. Vala heard the reluctance in his voice, even from that distance. It made her heart ache with guilt because HE sounded guilty, when he really wasn't guilty of anything. 'Let's let mommy sleep for a bit longer, okay?' She flopped back down on the bed in disappointment.
Even more disappointment consumed her as Hayden didn't put up an argument. There was a simple, straight to the heart of her 'Okay.' Vala dropped her head to the mattress. Where was her daughter's sense of...'always right' when she needed it? Hadn't she raised the little monster, a term of endearment between the two, to always argue? No silly, Vala thought. Hayden had been raised to argue when a point was valid and right, but also to concede in the sake of not being rude when the argument would be pointless anyways.
But what Vala would've given right then for a wake up call from Daniel! It would really have gotten that whole...apology business started off nicely.
When the conversation became more muffled and harder to hear, Vala figured that they had moved into the kitchen. Rising from the bed, she slowly made her way to the door and out into the hall. There, she picked up the conversation again. It had shifted in topic for the moment.
"But it's not part of the main story!" Daniel sounded like he was arguing. Sounds of dishes being moved, and cereal being poured were also heard.
"I don't care, daddy!" Hayden argued right back. "It's in the...the..." She was struggling with the right word, and Vala wanted to rush in there and help her. It was only natural for her. Of course she didn't know what word she was trying to say...
Daniel obviously did. "Appendix." He supplied. Vala could hear the smile in his voice.
There was a pause in conversation, in which Vala assumed Hayden was nodding. "Yeah, the Appendix." Good, she picked up the word. It was rare when she didn't, but it did happen. And Hayden always got frustrated every time it did. She didn't like not understanding something simply because of her young age. Everyone knew she was way smarter than normal, a fluke accident due to Vala's former pregnancy with Adria. It also helped that her father was a damn genius, even if he refused to admit it. Daniel made mention that Vala wasn't dumb, either, but she refused to take credit for their daughter's brilliant mind. That was all his doing, Vala smiled.
Realizing she'd lost the conversation while in her thoughts, she tried to get back into it. They were still debating...whatever it was they had been debating.
"It takes away from the movie, though, don't you think?" Daniel's voice kept getting louder and than quieter. He was moving around the kitchen, most likely fixing a bigger breakfast than cereal. From his tone, Vala could tell he was testing Hayden. Gauging her response, as it were. It was something he did a lot with the little girl. It helped her establish her own opinions separate from theirs, and helped her learn concepts quicker. They didn't want her to just conform to whatever they did. Hayden needed to be her own person, an essence of him and Vala combined, but also herself.
"No, not really, if you think about it." Hayden stated, having thoroughly considered the answer.
The sound of Daniel hopping onto the counter came, along with the distinguished sounds of a spoon dipping into a bowl of cereal in a constant loop. Okay, so he was eating cereal. "Explain it to me then." He mumbled around a mouthful of fruit loops, most likely. It was one thing Daniel ate JUST to piss Jack off.
Vala was now standing just outside the entryway to the kitchen. Another inch, and Daniel would see her. She wanted to hear the rest of the discussion first. They were always such a joy to witness, or in this case listen to.
"Okay..." Hayden sighed, and Vala smiled. She sounded so much like Daniel then. "Aragorn is a main character, right?" Ah, so that's what they were talking about. Of course it's what they were talking about - she was reading the books again. "I mean, he IS the main character, if you think about it." So much more like Daniel with that statement, Vala thought. "And his journey, next to that of Frodo and the Ring, is essential to the story. And Arwen is key to him completing his journey. She is one of the main reasons he is fighting so hard to become his destiny in the last book."
"They even tied her into the fate of the ring in the movie." Daniel added. "But did PJ have the creative right to do that? Change the work of the great Tolkien himself?"
Hayden huffed. "It's romantic, daddy! They are in love, just like you and mommy. And didn't you tell me love was always the only reason to do anything?"
Vala bit down on a laugh. Score one for Hayden, for she was most definitely right!
There was a defeated laugh. Daniel conceded the point gracefully. Vala peeked around the edge of the wall to watch them. Daniel jumped down from the counter and set his bowl down on the flat surface. His eyes lovingly focused on Hayden, he didn't seem to spot Vala. He walked up to their daughter, and placed a kiss into her hair.
"You're absolutely right, Hayds." He murmured, running a hand through her hair. She continued to eat her cereal and flip aimlessly through one of the magazines Vala had left on the table. "You have such beautiful hair, you know that? So soft..." Daniel smiled as Hayden giggled. "Just like your mommy's."
Hayden set her spoon down, and tilted her head back to look straight up at Daniel. "Why do you love mommy?" Her question was so harmless and innocent, full of curiosity and wonder. It was a question that had been answered years ago between the couple over a rather unsettling incident with a former girlfriend of Daniel's. She was sure in her belief of why he did, and just knowing that he did was simply enough. But Vala couldn't help but lean a little more into the wall, anticipating his answer.
Daniel breathed in deeply, his hand now resting on Hayden's shoulder. "I love your mommy because she's smart, beautiful, creative, funny, fun..." He smiled and gently squeezed her shoulder. She smiled back, nodding while still looking up at him. "I love her because she has loved me, still loves me, in a way that no one did for a very long time. And because she loves you more than anything else in this world, even more than me." His gaze slowly drifted around to where Vala was standing, watching. Her breath caught. He had known she was standing there. "I love her because she gave me you, and gave my life a whole greater purpose."
Hayden's gaze followed suit, and she grinned when she saw Vala. "Mommy!"
"Hey gorgeous." Vala smiled down at her, stepping completely into the kitchen. She gave her a strong good morning hug, then pulled up. Daniel had moved back over to the counter almost silently. His focus was on his now soggy cereal.
Blue eyes ventured an uncertain look towards grey. He offered her a sheepish smile, than resumed eating. Vala shook her head at his adorable nature. She shared a wink with Hayden, then was across the kitchen in less than a moment.
Vala cupped Daniel's face in her hands and kissed him desperately. 'Mmmph'-ing into her mouth, he about dropped the cereal bowl in a half-assed attempt to place it on the counter behind him. Both hands now free, they instinctively came to wrap around her back. One moved to the back of her neck, pulling Vala in closer. The other snaked its way down to gently grip at her ass.
Across the kitchen, Hayden giggled quietly. Larry dangled helplessly from her fingers as she watched her parent's literally KISS and makeup. It was the only way she'd ever seen them apologize after the type of shouting like they'd had the night before. And it was the only reason she had yet to really get worked up over her parent's arguments. Because the end so made up for it all.
Aragorn and Arwen so had nothing on her parents.
Discussions
Daniel was the first one willing to break the kiss. Pulling his tongue out of Vala's mouth, a relieved smile spread across his face. He brushed back her bangs from her face with a gentle hand, staring down into her grey eyes.
"Hayden..." He pulled her name out for a long moment, never breaking eye contact with Vala. He brought both his hands to squeeze hers.
Both of them smiled wider when an expectant sigh came from across the kitchen. "I'll go watch tv in the living room." Their daughter muttered, disappointed that she couldn't stick around for whatever conversation they were planning to have.
"Thank you." Daniel said to her retreating back as Larry bumped against her leg. She threw a dismissive wave over her shoulder with her free hand. Vala giggled into Daniel's chest at Hayden's antics. "She's so much like you, it's scary." He mumbled with amusement into her dark hair, a kiss following his words.
Vala laughed a little and pulled back. "Like both of us." She pulled one hand out of his, and ran a slim finger down his nose. "She's as much your daughter as she is mine." Staring up into his smiling blue eyes, Vala let out a ragged breath. The events of the night before stood out in stark contrast against his tender look of love, the soft stroke of his hand still holding hers. Especially that name uttered so quietly in sleep.
Seeing her suddenly discomforted, Daniel wondered if maybe her anger from before was returning. He had to make his move now. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Vala beat him to the punch.
"I'm sorry." The words rushed past her lips, and Daniel stared at her for a quiet, perplexing moment.
"Wait, why are you apologizing?" He stammered, feeling completely thrown by her apology.
Vala looked down to her hand grasped in his. She brought her free one to stroke over the top of it. "Because I overreacted last night over the whole..." She swallowed, forcing the next word out. "Jacek... thing."
Daniel shook his head, and then lowered it to try and catch her gaze. "No, no... I cornered you about it. You were right. I had no right to bring him up."
"You did." Vala countered, looking into his surprised eyes. "You're wrong about who was right because it's you who was. As a father, it's your responsibility to Hayden to inquire about her family, essentially your family. You are tied to that man, and I most certainly feel for you in that regard." She paused as Daniel laughed gently, nodding his agreement. "And the fact that you have been there as a friend since long before we ever got together-"
"A delay largely due on my part." Daniel interrupted with a smile, though his eyes were serious and most certainly regretful. Vala returned it the smile gratefully, knowing he was trying to make this easier on her.
She nodded. "Yes, it was. But even so, you have been my greatest friend for so long, and my lover for what will be the rest of our lives hopefully, and that gives you plenty of right alone to inquire about my father." She sighed. "That's why I'm apologizing. I took it to an extreme - the whole anger thing, that is."
Daniel nodded slowly, a smirk coming to his lips.
"What?" Vala asked, now perplexed herself.
He licked his lips and tilted his head a fraction. "Oh, I was just noticing how there was no apology in there for sending me out to exile." Leaning in, Daniel took her lips in a playful kiss. It was almost immediately apparent she wasn't feeling as jovial as he was. He pulled back abruptly.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his concern spiking as Vala moved out of his grasp. It ratcheted up another notch as she started pacing around the kitchen. "Vala?"
She looked at him, insecurity in her eyes. Once more, Daniel found himself baffled. What was going on now?
"Helllooo?" He called out to her as she broke eye contact to stare at the floor.
Vala stopped in the middle of the kitchen and crossed her arms tightly over her stomach. "Last night, I came out to the living room." Her grey eyes found his blue once more. "I never meant for you not to come back to bed, and I was feeling guilty. I was gonna bring you back to our room." She smiled at the memory of seeing him sleeping. "But you looked so...well, cute. Damn you to be so comfortably asleep on me."
Daniel smiled at her words. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. He waited for her to continue.
"So I decided to at least 'tuck you in' properly and all that nonsense." She smiled. "The things a wife would do."
"The thing you have done since we met..." Daniel murmured. "Take care of me."
Vala half shrugged at his interruption. "Yes, well - I turned off the tv." She paused a moment at Daniel's quiet 'I knew it'. "Got you settled properly, and was smoothing out your blanket." She felt a bit foolish relaying every detail to him, but Vala forged on nonetheless. "You started mumbling in your sleep, which is nothing new. Abydonian, which is also nothing to get worked up over...I really wish I could thoroughly understand it so I'd know what you say when you say it. And it's so beautiful coming past your lips. You make talking a whole new art form-"
"Vala..." Daniel couldn't help but grin. She looked at him, a 'hmm?' coming from her throat. "You're rambling, hunny."
She blinked. "Oh...right. Where was I?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. She was feigning forgetfulness and he hated when she did that. Especially when it involved something that was troubling her. "Just cut to it!" He laughed out in exasperation. "Tell me what I-"
"Her name." Vala blurted, her eyes once more examining the bland tile pattern at her feet. Daniel flinched as if physically hit, and he swallowed hard. She didn't need to elaborate on 'her name.' He dropped his arms to his sides.
"I...I did?" He whispered, racking his brain for some kind of memory of dreaming of her. Vala nodded slowly, tightening her arms around her waist. He hated how she looked so insecure and self-conscious standing there because of something he'd murmured in sleep. "I don't remember..."
She shrugged, almost complacently. He hated that even more, and Daniel pushed off the counter to stand before her. "Vala, what do you want me to say? How can I...what...I..." He really didn't know what to do, and it wasn't helping that he couldn't remember saying it in the first place.
"You don't have to say anything, Daniel." Vala sighed with complete understanding. "She was your wife...your first wife. I can understand how the whole making me your new wife thing would bring memories of her back." She looked up at him as he shook his head somewhat. "I'm not asking for an apology or anything of that sort. It just caught me off guard, is all."
Daniel placed his hands on her shoulders. "But it's really bothering you and that's not something to 'is all' about." He moved a hand up to her cheek. "You can talk to me, baby. You know you can."
Sighing, Vala leaned into Daniel a little. "I'm bothered if you're bothered. I don't want our marriage to bring any of that old hurt back from when she..."
"Died." Daniel finished for her quietly and she nodded. She knew it took a lot for him to just say that one word. "Vala, let's get something straight right now, okay?" Vala nodded, bracing herself for whatever 'this is my burden to bear' speech he was about to make. "Yes, I miss my wife..." She closed her eyes at the statement. "Look at me, please." The pleading quality to his voice had her complying instantly. "My former wife. Yes, her death hit me hard and hurt...a lot. But it also helped make me who I am today, helped make me into the man you fell in love with. If she had lived, maybe things would be different. We would never have gotten together because I never would have gone on that trip to Atlantis. I most likely would have stopped gate travel all together if Sha're had been saved."
Daniel guided Vala over to the chair Hayden had vacated. Gently, he pushed her to a sitting position and knelt before her. "And a lot of the bad things that happened because she died, because I was looking for some kind of reprieve for failing her, wouldn't have happened. That under cover mission with Jack wouldn't have hit me so hard, the near falling out of our friendship wouldn't have nearly destroyed me, Kelowna would never have crossed my path, dying a handful of times, including at the hand..." He swallowed. "Blade...of that Replibitch. Hell, the whole Ori thing might never have happened."
"But then, Skaara might not have been saved, thousands of people on different planets would have died because SG-1 wasn't there, the FULL SG-1, to save the day." His smirk was almost smug. "Ascension wouldn't have happened to me, which was a big eye-opening enlightenment - pardon the pun." Vala offered a small smile. "We wouldn't have found that Ancient outpost because I wouldn't have been so hell bent on the Atlantis myth, thus Atlantis itself would never have been found. I would never have gone on Prometheus to get there, thus never would have met up with my future dream girl." He squeezed her knee, and her smile returned.
"Which means I never would have fallen madly in love with that crazy, sassy woman, and the most important thing in my life would never have happened." Vala felt the tears begin to burn in her eyes. "And no matter how great the idea of living with Sha're could have been, it pales in comparison to what you have given me, and that's the beautiful angel out there watching god knows what."
Daniel stood up, and sat down on the table. Vala looked up at him, and he fixed her with a watery, loving stare. "Sha're could walk into this house right now, and I guarantee you she would not even recognize me. I'm not the man she fell in love with. He died in a tent on some planet halfway across the galaxy the moment Teal'c fired his staff. And if she did just walk right in here, I'm telling you she wouldn't be anything but a passing glance to me. I know that sounds so cold, but it's true. Because I've finally moved on and given myself to someone else." He leaned down and kissed the back of her hand. "You."
"You and Hayden, and Jack, Sam, Cameron, Carolyn, Teal'c, Landry." Daniel smiled even as he felt the tears slip down his cheeks. "The love I've found in all of you has all but killed that hurt of Sha're's memory." He shrugged. "And sure, every time I hear 'The Dance', I cry. I may get a little drunk-"
Vala choked out a laugh through her tears. "More than a little."
Daniel conceded the point. "Alright, I may get more than a little drunk every few years or so on the anniversary of our wedding night or her death. But those are my ways of honoring who she was, and how her struggles helped others, including me." He pulled Vala to stand in his embrace. "Now that I've got all that out, let me say that it took a long time to feel such love again, the same and yet different kind of love that you gave me. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me unless I really wanted it to be, and you know I do."
"In no way does this engagement bring back that old hurt." He placed a tender kiss to Vala's trembling lips. "That went away almost the instant you came into my life and made me realize what an idiot I was being for clinging to it for so long." Daniel smiled softly. "If anything, our engagement is bringing back all those good memories of what being a husband is really like. I was honored to be Sha're's and I'll be just as honored, if not most certainly more, to be yours, Vala."
Slowly, she nodded. A relieved smile came to her lips. "Wow." She breathed, fingers ghosting along his jawline.
Daniel quirked a smile. "Am I making you feel better?"
Vala shook her head, then realized how it looked when Daniel's eyebrows rose. "Yes, I mean, you are." She smiled. "But I was wowing over the fact that you talk..." She blinked dramatically. "A lot."
Laughing, Daniel pulled her in tight and placed a kiss in her hair. "The talking's far from being over. We still have to discuss this whole Jacek thing." Vala moaned against his chest, trying to nuzzle herself out of the inevitable conversation.
"Can't you just continue gushing on about how much you love me, and forget that whole...father thing ever popped up?" She mumbled into his thin wifebeater, desperately wishing he'd opted for the no shirt look. It would offer up perfect opportunity to distract away from the dreaded topic of...him.
Daniel rubbed a hand up her back. "Wish we could..."
Vala pulled away from his chest, and looked at him seriously. "Oh, we definitely could." She replied with a nod of her head. Daniel shook his in direct contrast, telling her that they really needed to talk about it. She sighed. "Fine..." Resting her head back down, Vala let out a pouty huff of air. "But you so owe me big time for it."
Tilting her lips up to meet his with his finger, Daniel kissed her passionately. He savored the taste of her after spending all night without her. At one time, he would have laughed at the idea of not being able to make it an entire night without needing Vala so badly. But not now. Now just the thought of not being with her terrified him.
"How about..." He murmured as they parted. "You get to have your crazy way with me from now until eternity." Vala smiled knowingly in response. "Payback enough?"
She shrugged, an impish grin gracing her features. "Maybe, my dear Daniel. Maybe."
Reviews and comments are definitely LVOE!
Chapters 6 - 11 (So Surreal, Talk of Daddies, Troubled, Wake Up Call, The Only Reason, and Discussions)
So Surreal
A content little laugh escaped past his lips and into the bottle of Corona currently pressed against them. Reclining back comfortably against his beautiful fiancé, beer in hand, with a couple more waiting to be imbibed, and a gentle and pleasant buzz starting to take hold, Daniel was utterly and completely relaxed.
"What?" Vala murmured into his ear curiously as she continued to run the washcloth over his finely sculpted chest. She didn't have much to complain about herself. How could she when she had Daniel's naked body resting against her own in the bathtub? The fact that he was slowly getting tipsy as she washed him was an added bonus.
Daniel shifted his head a little to the side and smiled as Vala placed a gentle kiss to his temple. "It's all starting to finally sink in..." He sighed. His arm came to rest on the tub's edge, the bottle tapping against the side. "We are going to be married."
"It is a bit surreal, isn't it?" Vala added. Her hands slowly dabbed the wet cloth at his smooth skin.
Nodding, Daniel ran his free hand over hers as it worked. "A few years ago, I never thought I'd be at such a happy place like this again." He stated, sipping at his beer. "Now I have you and Hayden, and still have the great family I made when I first started on this whole 'Stargate'" He quoted with his fingers. "Journey. I was so use to giving one happiness up for another, and it's such a wonder to have both the then and the now together."
Vala laughed gently. "The then is still your now, it's just more has been added to this happy life you've made." She dropped the washcloth into the water and snatched the almost empty bottle of gold liquid out of his grasp. Finishing it off, she placed it alongside the three other empties beside the tub. Daniel's hand was already grasping for a fresh one.
"You are gonna be good and drunk by the time we get out of here." She whispered mischievously into his ear as he popped the top off the bottle. Daniel snorted and brought the bottle to his lips for a sip. It would have been better with a lime, but he was almost passed the point of actually caring. He barely had it lowered before Vala grabbed it and sipped herself. It took him a slow moment to realize she wasn't gonna give it back.
"Thief." He muttered playfully, reaching over the tub once more to get himself a new one.
Vala pulled him back against her chest as he retrieved the bottle. His slick skin under her fingertips was a wonderful sensation. "You love it." She grinned, placing a suggestive kiss to his shoulder as she wrapped one leg over one of his own.
"A very limber, beer drinking thief." Daniel said contemplatively. He turned his head to place a supple kiss against her neck. "Of course I love it." He smiled, leaning his forehead against her.
"Has anyone told you you're a cheap drunk?" Vala laughed, helping him open his beer.
Daniel took a drink as Vala's fingers removed the top. "Compared to you, I am." He snickered. "But nearly four beers on my own, and only marginally tipsy? I've definitely improved."
"So the others would agree." She brushed a hand through his hair, both of them dipping a little deeper into the water. "They all say you've definitely changed from the Daniel Jackson they first knew." Daniel nodded in agreement, and Vala tilted her head curiously. "I wish I would have met you back then..." Now Daniel shook his head. "If only to have some reference to now."
Daniel placed his Corona down on the side of the tub, and turned so he was facing her. "No, you really don't." He stated firmly. "Naive, innocent, cocky..." At Vala's slight tilt of her head the other direction, he laughed. "Er...Cockier. Didn't have any sense of self worth, or sense of self - period." He smiled at what he was about to say. "A tall, myserious dark haired woman with a body that just screams sex would have sent him cowering into the corner."
"So, the Daniel of then wouldn't have...tried to pick a fight with said 'sex kitten'?" Vala added a naughty purr to her words. Daniel nodded. "Nor would he have been caught dead with her naked in a bathtub drinking beverages, right?"
Blue eyes slowly raked her body top to bottom, as if he'd just realized the sort of position they were in. His tongued flicked out over his lips, and Daniel leaned in to place a suggestive kiss just above her left breast. "The beverages alone would be a big, resounding no." He murmured as he pulled up for a moment. "I hated beer back when."
Vala gave an unbelievable laugh. "YOU hated BEER? Maybe you're right. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't know the old Daniel Jackson."
"That's a good thing because he definitely wouldn't have been caught dead..." Daniel continued to place suggestive kisses to her naked body. "Doing this..." Vala closed her eyes and let his tongue, lips, and hands roam freely. Then her maternal instinct kicked in and she reluctantly pushed Daniel away a bit.
"Our daughter is most likely very much awake just down the hall." She said, looking into his curious gaze. "Having sex in the tub is not a very wise choice."
Daniel licked his lips and nodded. He moved to sit back against the opposite end of the tub, knocking his almost untouched beer into the water in the process. He groaned. "Dammit, that's alcohol abuse!" He said on a laugh as he snatched the bottle out of the tub. He stared at it a moment, then sighed. "For the best, I guess." He dipped deeper into the water with a snicker. "Because that last beer is starting to kick in."
Vala smiled as she watched Daniel ride out the wave of his buzz ratcheting up a notch. She moved across the tub and plucked the bottle out of his hand. She stared down into his content blue gaze, then placed a loving kiss to his lips.
"Did I REALLY agree to marry YOU?" She quipped playfully against his lips. Daniel laughed quietly, and kissed her in return. Patting his chest after a moment, Vala broke the lip lock once more. "Okay, I'm gonna go get dressed and see what our little monster is doing."
Daniel nodded. "Okay." He murmured with his eyes closed. "Maybe it'll give me a chance to sober up a little." He said with a chuckle, opening his eyes as Vala rose out of the tub. The sight of her naked body towering over him was pleasant.
"That'd be wise." Vala stated as she wrapped a towel around herself. She snatched up her bottle of Corona that she'd put on the floor. Sipping from it, she smiled down at Daniel. "I want you alert and coherent when we watch our nice sappy romance movie tonight."
Groaning playfully, Daniel dipped below the water.
Talk of Daddies
An overwhelming feeling of love took him as he leaned in the doorway to Hayden's bedroom. Before him, in the glow of the bedside light, was his entire life. Vala sat with her back against the side of their daughter's daybed, the soon to be five year old wrapped in tight against her chest. Long black hair cascaded to one side as she pressed her cheek against Hayden's head.
They were a picture of beauty - his beauty. The thought had Daniel smiling as he continued to watch on, unnoticed.
The familiar writings of J.R.R. Tolkien flowed from Vala's mouth as she read from the book in her hands. Daniel silently matched each word that fell from her beautiful lips. The Lord of the Rings had been his favorite as a kid, and now it was his daughter's. He'd lost count of the number of times Hayden had been read the story since her birth, especially considering she'd started reading it herself just recently.
For her age, she was exceptionally brilliant. 'Scary smart,' Jack liked to call it. At almost five years old, Hayden could hold a very adult conversation in five different languages. That wasn't even including Ancient or Goa'uld, which she spoke with a fluency that rivaled his own. Her capacity for holding information was phenomenal. Carolyn had said it probably had something to do with Vala being impregnated by the Ori. Jack liked to boast it was just Daniel's smarts being passed on and evolving.
Either way, Daniel found he couldn't be more proud of his little girl. He knew she would most likely change the world, hell maybe even the galaxy, for the better in the future. Definitely in a lot more ways than he had.
And he sensed she knew that also. Yet, she still managed to embody the essence of the young girl that she actually was. Hayden had one hell of an imagination. The stories she could create on the spot were amazing, child-like and yet so magnificent. She loved to play, pretend, have fun, and get dirty. That was the side, Daniel mused, she most definitely got from her mother.
Together, Vala and Hayden had brought back a piece of him he'd been missing for far too long - his childhood. Daniel was experiencing things he hadn't since his parents were alive, and other things he'd never had a chance to know after their death.
He'd forgotten how magical storytime between a child and mother could be.
He hated the fact that he had to break that moment between his two lovely girls now. But, with a wedding being planned, there were things he and Vala needed to discuss. One thing in particular had been nagging at him lately.
Daniel reluctantly cleared his throat gently. Twin pairs of eyes - one grey, the other with an added deep shade of blue - looked up at him. He sighed at their beauty once more.
"Vala, can we talk a moment?" He asked, not bothering to add the 'alone' to the sentence. From the tone of his voice, Daniel knew Vala could tell it was implied. She nodded and whispered something in Hayden's ear before placing a soft kiss to her temple. Hayden nodded, taking the book from her mother's hands. Vala then carefully extricated herself from the blanket she'd wrapped them in, and rose from the bed.
Daniel wrapped a hand around her waist as she came within reach. He pulled Hayden's door almost completely shut as he pulled Vala out of the room.
"What did you tell her?" He asked softly as his other hand came to wrap around her slender waist. Unable to resist, Daniel leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to Vala's lips.
Licking her lips as he pulled up, Vala smiled. "Told her if I wasn't back in five minutes to get ready for bed."
Daniel laughed quietly. "You know, since you left her the book, she'll be up half the night reading it."
"Much like someone else I know." Vala smirked, stealing a kiss from his lips as he shrugged innocently in return. "Now what did you want to talk about?" She tilted her head a fraction, curiously.
"Uhh..." Daniel's gaze turned serious. "Maybe we should move this away from in front of our daughter's bedroom." He began to usher Vala further down the hall to their own room.
She sighed. "I guess that means I'm not going to like where this conversation is leading." Vala flopped on to the bed, curling her arms around Daniel's pillow. She turned around to face him, sitting indian style. The pillow remained plastered to her chest.
"Why would you say that?" Daniel asked innocently, closing the door behind him. He turned to meet the expectant gaze of his fiancé. His face remained neutrally naive.
"You closed Hayden's door, and now ours..." Vala stated. "You really don't want her to hear whatever's gonna be said. By my guess, your question is going to make me very upset, and yelling will probably ensue." She tilted her head again, knowing she was probably right.
Sighing, Daniel removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He leaned back against the door. "We have to talk-"
"You said that already, darling." Vala answered, growing a little uneasy as her mind ran through the possible things Daniel could possibly want to discuss.
Blue eyes, now no longer behind the glasses, fixed her with a patient glare. "Will you let me talk, please?" Vala shrugged apologetically, then nodded. Daniel sighed again, and pushed off the door. Resting his glasses on top of his head, he came to sit on the edge of the bed before her.
"There's something that's been bothering me...a little." He stated, looking straight into her grey eyes. "It has to do with the wedding."
"Okay..." She pulled the word out for a long moment.
Daniel's blue eyes turned almost sympathetic. "We have to talk about Jacek, Vala."
Immediately, Vala was shaking her head. "No."
"You haven't even heard what I have to say!" He laughed in return, though it barely held any humor. Daniel could already see Vala's anger spiking. And all he had said was the man's name. That did not bode well for the future of the conversation.
The pillow landed in his lap as she pushed off the bed. "I don't care what you have to say, Daniel." She muttered. As he expected, the pacing began. "Anything involving Jacek anywhere in my life is an automatic no."
He knew it was unwarranted, but sudden irritation overtook him. "Last I checked, it was OUR life."
Vala spun on her heels, shaking a hand at him. "No, when it comes to that...man...it's MY life. And I don't care what earth customs say about the father giving the bride away, or..." Her hands waved frantically in the air. "Whatever. I don't want him here. And that is MY choice because he is from a part of MY life before it became OURS." Her voice rose with each word she emphasized.
"I'm your fiancé, Vala!" Daniel wasn't far from shouting himself. "I've been your lover and...and..." He waved his hand in the air, searching for the right word. He hated how quickly their discussion had dissolved into arguing. "Your confidant, the one you've trusted with everything for these past several years. Everything that was your old life is mine too!"
Vala pouted. "Don't even try that on me..."
Daniel sighed. "I'm not trying anything, Vala. I just thought, for our WEDDING, you should give him the option of being here. He has a right, as a father, to know. Even if I despise the man for doing what he did to you, he deserves to know he's getting a son-in-law." Daniel paused, swallowing. His next words were what was really going to set Vala off. "Plus, I think it's about time he finds out that he has a granddaughter..."
As expected, Vala was once again pacing and shaking her head. "No! I don't want that damn impressionable man anywhere near my-" At Daniel's look, she amended her choice of words. "OUR daughter. Do you hear me? He will manipulate her, and make her think that he is the greatest man in the world, and then leave her broken and crying when he DOESN'T follow through! I WON'T put her through that!"
"Hayden's very smart, baby..." Daniel tried to reach out a hand to Vala, but she stepped away from his touch. His hand fell limp against his thigh. "She'll see right through him."
"Oh, like I wasn't able to, right?" Vala smiled bitterly. "Because your precious baby girl is so much better at reading people than her mother?"
Eyes going wide, Daniel shook his head vehemently. "No...God No! I wasn't saying that!" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "He was - IS your father, Vala. There was absolutely no reason why you should have seen through him. It was only natural-" He stopped, hating how stale the words sounded as they came from his mouth. "I wasn't saying that." He finally repeated with a sigh.
Vala didn't like that response any better. "And he IS her grandfather, so it's not much different, DARLING." She practically spat the word at him. "I don't care what you say. No matter how strong or smart Hayden is, that man will get to her. He gets to everyone, Daniel. And I REFUSE to have our little girl go through the exact same heart breaks I did! I will not let her be played like that, do you understand me?"
Daniel nodded slowly. "I understand." His voice had dropped to a gentle level while his gaze fell to the floor. "I'm sorry I brought it up." Blue eyes came up to lock on grey. "I just thought-"
"No, Daniel." Vala sighed, her frustration with him simmering just below the surface. "No, you didn't think at all. You KNEW it would anger me, KNEW we would argue over it, and yet you still brought it up." She shook her head, flopping back down on the bed and keeping her back to him. "Now all you get is me being very, very upset with you."
He crawled up the bed. "I'm sorry, baby." Daniel leaned down to place a surrendering kiss to her neck, but Vala pushed him away. "Does this mean that romantic movie you wanted to watch tonight is out of the question?"
Laughing sarcastically, Vala couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Yes, Daniel. All I want to do now is sleep..." She snuggled deeper into her pillow. "Try and get rid of this headache you gave me."
Guilt crashed against him in waves, and Daniel gave a reluctant nod. He moved to settle in behind her, but once again Vala blocked his attempt at comfort. She turned slightly to look into his confused blue gaze.
"Alone." She practically snapped. Before he could even ask where he was suppose to sleep, Vala pointed towards the closed door of their bedroom. "The only snuggling you'll be doing is with the couch cushions."
Daniel closed his eyes. This was not what he'd been expecting when he envisioned finally voicing his recent thoughts of Jacek to her. Sure, he'd known Vala would get angry. But kicking him out of the bed? That part caught him off guard. "For how long?" He finally asked quietly, sitting up on his knees.
Vala shrugged, not bothering to say anything. She just snuggled deeper into the pillow. The bed dipped and shifted as Daniel carefully climbed over her.
"I'll just get changed..." He sighed. Vala silently watched him strip out of his jeans and t-shirt. As usual, his boxers went next. The sight of his very fine naked body almost had her changing her mind. But Vala remained strong, and quickly the temptation disappeared as Daniel pulled on a pair of loose pajama pants and a wife beater. She was just thankful she'd changed earlier. No need to tempt his...wild side, with her own nakedness.
Slowly, he walked back over to the bed. Leaning over, avoiding touching her too much for fear of being hit, Daniel silently grabbed his pillow. As he pulled up, his blue eyes met hers. The anger focused towards him had Daniel swallowing instinctively. Against his better judgment however, he leaned down to place a gentle kiss to Vala's forehead.
Thankfully, she accepted it - if somewhat reluctantly.
"Night..." Daniel murmured, almost sadly. He clutched the pillow to his chest tightly and quietly shuffled towards the door. Just before stepping out, he looked back at Vala. She was watching him, expressionless. He offered a small apologetic smile, hoping it would at least get some reply back. Maybe even a goodnight in return. When nothing came, Daniel nodded minutely and slipped out. He left the door open a little.
As she watched his shadow dance on the wall down the hall through the doorway, Vala felt the stab of guilt. "Goodnight, Daniel." She whispered, suddenly thinking maybe she had overreacted just a little. Only a little though.
Troubled
Vala shivered. She pulled the comforter tighter around her body, but it really didn't help. It definitely wasn't what she was used to anymore. Strong arms holding her gently against a bare chest, warm breath ghosting along her neck, the rhythmic sound of his deep breathing and powerful, beating heart lulling her into a peaceful sleep...those were all the things she was used to.
Sitting up, Vala rubbed her hand over her chilled nose. She'd expected Daniel to come back to the bed by now. Obviously, he was taking her 'banishment' quite seriously. She was still very upset with him. Probably would be for a day or two. But was sending him to sleep on the couch all that fair? Or wise?
He hadn't been wrong in bringing...him...up. It was only natural, considering they were getting married. Maybe it was the fact that he'd thrown Hayden into the whole thing that had set her off. Not that Daniel really couldn't 'throw her in'. He was right. Jacek was her grandfather. But that didn't mean he had to know about her. Not that he really would care anyway. Still, Daniel had been right.
He'd been right.
Vala sighed at the thought. She HAD overreacted. Way more than a little. Sure, she had a right to be upset over the discussion. But she didn't have the right to punish the man who loved her for just trying to do a decent thing.
Determination, and a deep seated urge to be warm sometime that night, had Vala pulling Daniel's sweatshirt on and slowly making her way out to the living room. The glow of the near-silent tv bathed the room in dancing blue shadows and flickers as she entered. Her gaze drifted from the history documentary on the screen to the form sprawled out across the couch.
He was nuzzled deep into his pillow, one arm tightly wrapped around it. The other hung limply off the side, his fingers brushing the carpet and remote still partially resting in his grasp. He'd kicked his blanket halfway off, most likely when he'd turned onto his stomach. His breathing was deep and slow. Daniel was out like a light.
"Of course." Vala whispered, quietly stepping up to the couch. Kneeling down, she carefully extracted the remote from his slack fingers and switched off the television. She waited a moment for her eyesight to adjust to the much darker moonlit room, her eyes resting on Daniel's face. Instinctively, she brushed back the hair from his forehead, the strands just a little longer from when she'd first met him. She gingerly picked up his arm, bringing it to rest on the couch once more. Daniel shifted at her gentle touch, not really rousing from his deep sleep. Vala moved to drape the blanket comfortably over him, and he murmured something in a foreign language.
Listening, she placed it as Abydonian. She wasn't very fluent in the language, but back before she'd come to have a life on earth it had been spoken here and there. And Daniel had often mumbled it in his sleep. Vala's hands stopped their task of smoothing down the blanket as a name fell from his lips.
"Sha're..."
It had been such a long time since she'd heard him say it. She would never say it to him, but just the idea of his former wife unsettled her. She knew Daniel knew that. And he'd been wonderful about it, trying not to let the name slip out too often. Vala felt guilty at first over the whole thing, but Daniel had reassured her that he understood. "It's a...'Tomin' kind of understanding." He said to her one night, and then she'd understood as well.
Hearing him say it now, in sleep, shook Vala in a troubling way. Was the reason he was thinking of his late wife because he'd so recently asked Vala to be his new one? Would their marriage dredge up memories that he wished never to think about again? Would this wedding bring back that old hurt?
Suddenly feeling very insecure, Vala placed a shaky kiss to Daniel's forehead and retreated back to their bedroom, alone. She pulled on a pair of sweat pants and socks, climbing back into bed. Drawing the covers up to her chin, she closed her eyes. One name clouded her mind as she drifted off to sleep.
'Sha're.'
Wake Up Call
"You know..."
Hayden jumped at the sudden sound of a voice coming from beside her. Her eyes flew to her daddy's face, where one blue eye was peeked open.
"It's rude to poke someone, sleeping or otherwise." Daniel finished, giving her an amused smirk.
Larry pressed tight against her chest, Hayden smiled. "Sorry, daddy. I just wanted to wake you up."
Daniel nodded and yawned at the same time, shifting so he was laying on his side. "I guess that's okay then." He smiled, than fixed her with a mockingly serious stare. "But don't make a habit out of it because, like I said, poking is-"
"Rude, I know." Hayden finished playfully. She rolled her eyes for effect, then squeaked as she was pulled onto the couch abruptly. She giggled against her daddy's chest as he placed a kiss into her hair.
He only had to wait a moment before Hayden looked up at him. Her shining grey-blue eyes made Daniel smile. "You are a sassy little munchkin." He grumbled, pouting just a little. He was pretty good at being a tad dramatic himself. Came from years of being friend to Jack and lover to Vala.
Hayden blinked her eyes innocently, flashing a sweet smile. She leaned up and placed a kiss to Daniel's pouting lips, which made them spread into a satisfied grin. "Morning, daddy."
"Morning, baby." Daniel murmured as he gave her another kiss. Hayden frowned and thrust Larry into his face not even a moment later. He laughed. "Sorry!" He placed a kiss into the stuffed camel's tufts of hair on his head. "Good morning, Larry."
Nodding her approval, Hayden shrugged. "That's better."
"You sound just like your mother." Daniel laughed again, hugging Hayden, and Larry, tight against his chest for a moment. Then he released her slightly, brushing his hand through her dark brown hair as she leaned back a little. She smiled and he smiled in return.
Her smiled quickly faded into a curious frown. "Why were you sleeping out here, daddy?"
Daniel licked his lip slowly, his hand continuing to stroke through her hair. "I'm surprised it took you that long to ask." He said with amusement. "You are too curious for your own good, missy." Daniel tapped her nose with his free hand. Hayden blinked patiently in return. She wasn't buying his stalling act. He sighed dramatically, defeated. "I kinda made your mommy mad last night..."
"Oh..." Hayden looked down at the couch. "How?" She questioned a moment later.
"Talking about something mommy doesn't like to talk about very much." Daniel gauged Hayden's expression as he answered. She nodded slowly, then squinted at him in a way that he had to bite back a laugh.
"Your not going to tell me, are you?" She grumbled.
Daniel smiled. "No."
Hayden crossed her arms over her chest, Larry dangling from her hand by his neck. Her lips pushed out in a pout - to which Daniel fixed her with a serious look.
"Stop it." He warned, and Hayden sighed in defeat. "That's better. Don't need to be mucking up that gorgeous little face with such things." Daniel smiled again, and placed a kiss on her nose. The edges of a smile played on her lips slowly.
"Now why don't we get up..." Daniel sat up a little more. He reached a hand out to the coffee table to snatch his glasses. As he slipped them on, his stomach rumbled. Hayden giggled. "And make some breakfast?"
She nodded, jumping off the couch gracefully. "Should I wake mommy up too?"
Daniel looked at the tv, staring at his reflection in the screen. He was almost positive it had been on when he'd finally drifted off last night. His thoughts drifted out of the living room and down the hallway. Vala must have shut the tv off, then gone back to bed, not even bothering to wake him. Had it been just to let him sleep, or out of anger? Daniel decided on the latter of the two, and it about killed his appetite right then and there.
A hand on his arm brought him back to the here and now.
"Daddy?" Hayden questioned, and the look of concern in her bright eyes matched that of her mother's. It eased a bit of the unsettled feeling in his stomach.
Daniel breathed in deeply. "Sorry, babe. Got a little lost in thought." He pushed off the couch and ushered his daughter in the direction of the kitchen.
"You didn't answer my question." Hayden stated simply. She looked up into her daddy's curious expression. He hadn't even heard the question. "Want me to get mommy?" She repeated, stopping them just outside the kitchen.
His gaze shifted up the hall, the door at the very end catching his attention. "No, Hayds." Daniel sighed. "Let's let mommy sleep for a bit longer, okay?" He looked down at her again, and she shrugged.
"Okay."
Daniel smiled and watched her retreat into the confines of the kitchen. His focus once more returned to the partially open door at the end of the hall. He wanted so badly to just go rushing in there and apologize for as long as it took for Vala to forgive him. But that wouldn't do, especially since he'd already mentioned breakfast to Hayden. He would just have to put their issue on hold for a little while longer.
The Only Reason
Sitting up in bed, trying to figure out a way to properly apologize to Daniel, Vala heard the sounds of conversation. She slowly crawled to the end of the bed, and laid down at the edge. And she listened.
Hayden's voice was the first to reach her ears.
'You didn't answer my question.' It was simply stated, and a moment later her small voice came again. 'Want me to get mommy up?'
Vala pushed up on her arms at the question. She had to be ready to throw herself back under the covers and feign sleep if she needed to. It was one thing to eavesdrop, another to get caught by your daughter while doing it. There was a significantly longer silence this time.
'No Hayds.' That was Daniel, of course. Vala heard the reluctance in his voice, even from that distance. It made her heart ache with guilt because HE sounded guilty, when he really wasn't guilty of anything. 'Let's let mommy sleep for a bit longer, okay?' She flopped back down on the bed in disappointment.
Even more disappointment consumed her as Hayden didn't put up an argument. There was a simple, straight to the heart of her 'Okay.' Vala dropped her head to the mattress. Where was her daughter's sense of...'always right' when she needed it? Hadn't she raised the little monster, a term of endearment between the two, to always argue? No silly, Vala thought. Hayden had been raised to argue when a point was valid and right, but also to concede in the sake of not being rude when the argument would be pointless anyways.
But what Vala would've given right then for a wake up call from Daniel! It would really have gotten that whole...apology business started off nicely.
When the conversation became more muffled and harder to hear, Vala figured that they had moved into the kitchen. Rising from the bed, she slowly made her way to the door and out into the hall. There, she picked up the conversation again. It had shifted in topic for the moment.
"But it's not part of the main story!" Daniel sounded like he was arguing. Sounds of dishes being moved, and cereal being poured were also heard.
"I don't care, daddy!" Hayden argued right back. "It's in the...the..." She was struggling with the right word, and Vala wanted to rush in there and help her. It was only natural for her. Of course she didn't know what word she was trying to say...
Daniel obviously did. "Appendix." He supplied. Vala could hear the smile in his voice.
There was a pause in conversation, in which Vala assumed Hayden was nodding. "Yeah, the Appendix." Good, she picked up the word. It was rare when she didn't, but it did happen. And Hayden always got frustrated every time it did. She didn't like not understanding something simply because of her young age. Everyone knew she was way smarter than normal, a fluke accident due to Vala's former pregnancy with Adria. It also helped that her father was a damn genius, even if he refused to admit it. Daniel made mention that Vala wasn't dumb, either, but she refused to take credit for their daughter's brilliant mind. That was all his doing, Vala smiled.
Realizing she'd lost the conversation while in her thoughts, she tried to get back into it. They were still debating...whatever it was they had been debating.
"It takes away from the movie, though, don't you think?" Daniel's voice kept getting louder and than quieter. He was moving around the kitchen, most likely fixing a bigger breakfast than cereal. From his tone, Vala could tell he was testing Hayden. Gauging her response, as it were. It was something he did a lot with the little girl. It helped her establish her own opinions separate from theirs, and helped her learn concepts quicker. They didn't want her to just conform to whatever they did. Hayden needed to be her own person, an essence of him and Vala combined, but also herself.
"No, not really, if you think about it." Hayden stated, having thoroughly considered the answer.
The sound of Daniel hopping onto the counter came, along with the distinguished sounds of a spoon dipping into a bowl of cereal in a constant loop. Okay, so he was eating cereal. "Explain it to me then." He mumbled around a mouthful of fruit loops, most likely. It was one thing Daniel ate JUST to piss Jack off.
Vala was now standing just outside the entryway to the kitchen. Another inch, and Daniel would see her. She wanted to hear the rest of the discussion first. They were always such a joy to witness, or in this case listen to.
"Okay..." Hayden sighed, and Vala smiled. She sounded so much like Daniel then. "Aragorn is a main character, right?" Ah, so that's what they were talking about. Of course it's what they were talking about - she was reading the books again. "I mean, he IS the main character, if you think about it." So much more like Daniel with that statement, Vala thought. "And his journey, next to that of Frodo and the Ring, is essential to the story. And Arwen is key to him completing his journey. She is one of the main reasons he is fighting so hard to become his destiny in the last book."
"They even tied her into the fate of the ring in the movie." Daniel added. "But did PJ have the creative right to do that? Change the work of the great Tolkien himself?"
Hayden huffed. "It's romantic, daddy! They are in love, just like you and mommy. And didn't you tell me love was always the only reason to do anything?"
Vala bit down on a laugh. Score one for Hayden, for she was most definitely right!
There was a defeated laugh. Daniel conceded the point gracefully. Vala peeked around the edge of the wall to watch them. Daniel jumped down from the counter and set his bowl down on the flat surface. His eyes lovingly focused on Hayden, he didn't seem to spot Vala. He walked up to their daughter, and placed a kiss into her hair.
"You're absolutely right, Hayds." He murmured, running a hand through her hair. She continued to eat her cereal and flip aimlessly through one of the magazines Vala had left on the table. "You have such beautiful hair, you know that? So soft..." Daniel smiled as Hayden giggled. "Just like your mommy's."
Hayden set her spoon down, and tilted her head back to look straight up at Daniel. "Why do you love mommy?" Her question was so harmless and innocent, full of curiosity and wonder. It was a question that had been answered years ago between the couple over a rather unsettling incident with a former girlfriend of Daniel's. She was sure in her belief of why he did, and just knowing that he did was simply enough. But Vala couldn't help but lean a little more into the wall, anticipating his answer.
Daniel breathed in deeply, his hand now resting on Hayden's shoulder. "I love your mommy because she's smart, beautiful, creative, funny, fun..." He smiled and gently squeezed her shoulder. She smiled back, nodding while still looking up at him. "I love her because she has loved me, still loves me, in a way that no one did for a very long time. And because she loves you more than anything else in this world, even more than me." His gaze slowly drifted around to where Vala was standing, watching. Her breath caught. He had known she was standing there. "I love her because she gave me you, and gave my life a whole greater purpose."
Hayden's gaze followed suit, and she grinned when she saw Vala. "Mommy!"
"Hey gorgeous." Vala smiled down at her, stepping completely into the kitchen. She gave her a strong good morning hug, then pulled up. Daniel had moved back over to the counter almost silently. His focus was on his now soggy cereal.
Blue eyes ventured an uncertain look towards grey. He offered her a sheepish smile, than resumed eating. Vala shook her head at his adorable nature. She shared a wink with Hayden, then was across the kitchen in less than a moment.
Vala cupped Daniel's face in her hands and kissed him desperately. 'Mmmph'-ing into her mouth, he about dropped the cereal bowl in a half-assed attempt to place it on the counter behind him. Both hands now free, they instinctively came to wrap around her back. One moved to the back of her neck, pulling Vala in closer. The other snaked its way down to gently grip at her ass.
Across the kitchen, Hayden giggled quietly. Larry dangled helplessly from her fingers as she watched her parent's literally KISS and makeup. It was the only way she'd ever seen them apologize after the type of shouting like they'd had the night before. And it was the only reason she had yet to really get worked up over her parent's arguments. Because the end so made up for it all.
Aragorn and Arwen so had nothing on her parents.
Discussions
Daniel was the first one willing to break the kiss. Pulling his tongue out of Vala's mouth, a relieved smile spread across his face. He brushed back her bangs from her face with a gentle hand, staring down into her grey eyes.
"Hayden..." He pulled her name out for a long moment, never breaking eye contact with Vala. He brought both his hands to squeeze hers.
Both of them smiled wider when an expectant sigh came from across the kitchen. "I'll go watch tv in the living room." Their daughter muttered, disappointed that she couldn't stick around for whatever conversation they were planning to have.
"Thank you." Daniel said to her retreating back as Larry bumped against her leg. She threw a dismissive wave over her shoulder with her free hand. Vala giggled into Daniel's chest at Hayden's antics. "She's so much like you, it's scary." He mumbled with amusement into her dark hair, a kiss following his words.
Vala laughed a little and pulled back. "Like both of us." She pulled one hand out of his, and ran a slim finger down his nose. "She's as much your daughter as she is mine." Staring up into his smiling blue eyes, Vala let out a ragged breath. The events of the night before stood out in stark contrast against his tender look of love, the soft stroke of his hand still holding hers. Especially that name uttered so quietly in sleep.
Seeing her suddenly discomforted, Daniel wondered if maybe her anger from before was returning. He had to make his move now. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Vala beat him to the punch.
"I'm sorry." The words rushed past her lips, and Daniel stared at her for a quiet, perplexing moment.
"Wait, why are you apologizing?" He stammered, feeling completely thrown by her apology.
Vala looked down to her hand grasped in his. She brought her free one to stroke over the top of it. "Because I overreacted last night over the whole..." She swallowed, forcing the next word out. "Jacek... thing."
Daniel shook his head, and then lowered it to try and catch her gaze. "No, no... I cornered you about it. You were right. I had no right to bring him up."
"You did." Vala countered, looking into his surprised eyes. "You're wrong about who was right because it's you who was. As a father, it's your responsibility to Hayden to inquire about her family, essentially your family. You are tied to that man, and I most certainly feel for you in that regard." She paused as Daniel laughed gently, nodding his agreement. "And the fact that you have been there as a friend since long before we ever got together-"
"A delay largely due on my part." Daniel interrupted with a smile, though his eyes were serious and most certainly regretful. Vala returned it the smile gratefully, knowing he was trying to make this easier on her.
She nodded. "Yes, it was. But even so, you have been my greatest friend for so long, and my lover for what will be the rest of our lives hopefully, and that gives you plenty of right alone to inquire about my father." She sighed. "That's why I'm apologizing. I took it to an extreme - the whole anger thing, that is."
Daniel nodded slowly, a smirk coming to his lips.
"What?" Vala asked, now perplexed herself.
He licked his lips and tilted his head a fraction. "Oh, I was just noticing how there was no apology in there for sending me out to exile." Leaning in, Daniel took her lips in a playful kiss. It was almost immediately apparent she wasn't feeling as jovial as he was. He pulled back abruptly.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his concern spiking as Vala moved out of his grasp. It ratcheted up another notch as she started pacing around the kitchen. "Vala?"
She looked at him, insecurity in her eyes. Once more, Daniel found himself baffled. What was going on now?
"Helllooo?" He called out to her as she broke eye contact to stare at the floor.
Vala stopped in the middle of the kitchen and crossed her arms tightly over her stomach. "Last night, I came out to the living room." Her grey eyes found his blue once more. "I never meant for you not to come back to bed, and I was feeling guilty. I was gonna bring you back to our room." She smiled at the memory of seeing him sleeping. "But you looked so...well, cute. Damn you to be so comfortably asleep on me."
Daniel smiled at her words. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. He waited for her to continue.
"So I decided to at least 'tuck you in' properly and all that nonsense." She smiled. "The things a wife would do."
"The thing you have done since we met..." Daniel murmured. "Take care of me."
Vala half shrugged at his interruption. "Yes, well - I turned off the tv." She paused a moment at Daniel's quiet 'I knew it'. "Got you settled properly, and was smoothing out your blanket." She felt a bit foolish relaying every detail to him, but Vala forged on nonetheless. "You started mumbling in your sleep, which is nothing new. Abydonian, which is also nothing to get worked up over...I really wish I could thoroughly understand it so I'd know what you say when you say it. And it's so beautiful coming past your lips. You make talking a whole new art form-"
"Vala..." Daniel couldn't help but grin. She looked at him, a 'hmm?' coming from her throat. "You're rambling, hunny."
She blinked. "Oh...right. Where was I?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. She was feigning forgetfulness and he hated when she did that. Especially when it involved something that was troubling her. "Just cut to it!" He laughed out in exasperation. "Tell me what I-"
"Her name." Vala blurted, her eyes once more examining the bland tile pattern at her feet. Daniel flinched as if physically hit, and he swallowed hard. She didn't need to elaborate on 'her name.' He dropped his arms to his sides.
"I...I did?" He whispered, racking his brain for some kind of memory of dreaming of her. Vala nodded slowly, tightening her arms around her waist. He hated how she looked so insecure and self-conscious standing there because of something he'd murmured in sleep. "I don't remember..."
She shrugged, almost complacently. He hated that even more, and Daniel pushed off the counter to stand before her. "Vala, what do you want me to say? How can I...what...I..." He really didn't know what to do, and it wasn't helping that he couldn't remember saying it in the first place.
"You don't have to say anything, Daniel." Vala sighed with complete understanding. "She was your wife...your first wife. I can understand how the whole making me your new wife thing would bring memories of her back." She looked up at him as he shook his head somewhat. "I'm not asking for an apology or anything of that sort. It just caught me off guard, is all."
Daniel placed his hands on her shoulders. "But it's really bothering you and that's not something to 'is all' about." He moved a hand up to her cheek. "You can talk to me, baby. You know you can."
Sighing, Vala leaned into Daniel a little. "I'm bothered if you're bothered. I don't want our marriage to bring any of that old hurt back from when she..."
"Died." Daniel finished for her quietly and she nodded. She knew it took a lot for him to just say that one word. "Vala, let's get something straight right now, okay?" Vala nodded, bracing herself for whatever 'this is my burden to bear' speech he was about to make. "Yes, I miss my wife..." She closed her eyes at the statement. "Look at me, please." The pleading quality to his voice had her complying instantly. "My former wife. Yes, her death hit me hard and hurt...a lot. But it also helped make me who I am today, helped make me into the man you fell in love with. If she had lived, maybe things would be different. We would never have gotten together because I never would have gone on that trip to Atlantis. I most likely would have stopped gate travel all together if Sha're had been saved."
Daniel guided Vala over to the chair Hayden had vacated. Gently, he pushed her to a sitting position and knelt before her. "And a lot of the bad things that happened because she died, because I was looking for some kind of reprieve for failing her, wouldn't have happened. That under cover mission with Jack wouldn't have hit me so hard, the near falling out of our friendship wouldn't have nearly destroyed me, Kelowna would never have crossed my path, dying a handful of times, including at the hand..." He swallowed. "Blade...of that Replibitch. Hell, the whole Ori thing might never have happened."
"But then, Skaara might not have been saved, thousands of people on different planets would have died because SG-1 wasn't there, the FULL SG-1, to save the day." His smirk was almost smug. "Ascension wouldn't have happened to me, which was a big eye-opening enlightenment - pardon the pun." Vala offered a small smile. "We wouldn't have found that Ancient outpost because I wouldn't have been so hell bent on the Atlantis myth, thus Atlantis itself would never have been found. I would never have gone on Prometheus to get there, thus never would have met up with my future dream girl." He squeezed her knee, and her smile returned.
"Which means I never would have fallen madly in love with that crazy, sassy woman, and the most important thing in my life would never have happened." Vala felt the tears begin to burn in her eyes. "And no matter how great the idea of living with Sha're could have been, it pales in comparison to what you have given me, and that's the beautiful angel out there watching god knows what."
Daniel stood up, and sat down on the table. Vala looked up at him, and he fixed her with a watery, loving stare. "Sha're could walk into this house right now, and I guarantee you she would not even recognize me. I'm not the man she fell in love with. He died in a tent on some planet halfway across the galaxy the moment Teal'c fired his staff. And if she did just walk right in here, I'm telling you she wouldn't be anything but a passing glance to me. I know that sounds so cold, but it's true. Because I've finally moved on and given myself to someone else." He leaned down and kissed the back of her hand. "You."
"You and Hayden, and Jack, Sam, Cameron, Carolyn, Teal'c, Landry." Daniel smiled even as he felt the tears slip down his cheeks. "The love I've found in all of you has all but killed that hurt of Sha're's memory." He shrugged. "And sure, every time I hear 'The Dance', I cry. I may get a little drunk-"
Vala choked out a laugh through her tears. "More than a little."
Daniel conceded the point. "Alright, I may get more than a little drunk every few years or so on the anniversary of our wedding night or her death. But those are my ways of honoring who she was, and how her struggles helped others, including me." He pulled Vala to stand in his embrace. "Now that I've got all that out, let me say that it took a long time to feel such love again, the same and yet different kind of love that you gave me. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me unless I really wanted it to be, and you know I do."
"In no way does this engagement bring back that old hurt." He placed a tender kiss to Vala's trembling lips. "That went away almost the instant you came into my life and made me realize what an idiot I was being for clinging to it for so long." Daniel smiled softly. "If anything, our engagement is bringing back all those good memories of what being a husband is really like. I was honored to be Sha're's and I'll be just as honored, if not most certainly more, to be yours, Vala."
Slowly, she nodded. A relieved smile came to her lips. "Wow." She breathed, fingers ghosting along his jawline.
Daniel quirked a smile. "Am I making you feel better?"
Vala shook her head, then realized how it looked when Daniel's eyebrows rose. "Yes, I mean, you are." She smiled. "But I was wowing over the fact that you talk..." She blinked dramatically. "A lot."
Laughing, Daniel pulled her in tight and placed a kiss in her hair. "The talking's far from being over. We still have to discuss this whole Jacek thing." Vala moaned against his chest, trying to nuzzle herself out of the inevitable conversation.
"Can't you just continue gushing on about how much you love me, and forget that whole...father thing ever popped up?" She mumbled into his thin wifebeater, desperately wishing he'd opted for the no shirt look. It would offer up perfect opportunity to distract away from the dreaded topic of...him.
Daniel rubbed a hand up her back. "Wish we could..."
Vala pulled away from his chest, and looked at him seriously. "Oh, we definitely could." She replied with a nod of her head. Daniel shook his in direct contrast, telling her that they really needed to talk about it. She sighed. "Fine..." Resting her head back down, Vala let out a pouty huff of air. "But you so owe me big time for it."
Tilting her lips up to meet his with his finger, Daniel kissed her passionately. He savored the taste of her after spending all night without her. At one time, he would have laughed at the idea of not being able to make it an entire night without needing Vala so badly. But not now. Now just the thought of not being with her terrified him.
"How about..." He murmured as they parted. "You get to have your crazy way with me from now until eternity." Vala smiled knowingly in response. "Payback enough?"
She shrugged, an impish grin gracing her features. "Maybe, my dear Daniel. Maybe."
Reviews and comments are definitely LVOE!