The Games People Play Chapter 13--A Conspiracy of Friends
Title: A Conspiracy of Friends
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU "ColonelMitchell has a plan..." Teal'c explained.
Rating: G
Length: Around 1200 words
Category: Angst/Humor
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala; team friendship
A/N: Part 13 of The Games People Play. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Takes place around Thanksgiving. Written for fic101.
A Conspiracy of Friends
Vala stomped back into Sam's office and gave the desk a swift kick. Her friend looked up from the brochures with a start. "Ooooooh, he makes me so angry!" Vala declared, balling her hands into fists in frustration.
"What happened?" Sam asked.
"He doesn't want to go," Vala replied.
"We already knew that," frowned Sam.
"No, I mean, he really doesn't want to go. He says that I spend all our time together dragging him around to do what I want. I told him if he feels that way, then fine. We'll just go by ourselves," Vala related with a determined nod.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Sam asked, her forehead crinkling in disbelief.
Vala paused, then nodded again. "Maybe it's a good idea that we spend some time apart. We're always together--offworld, here in the mountain, even during our downtime now. A week apart will do us both good."
Sam bit her lip thoughtfully. "The trip won't be much fun without the guys.
"Of course it will," insisted Vala, casually leaning her hip against the desk. "We don't need them to have fun, do we?"
"No," Sam shook her head in agreement. "But I really think you should talk to Daniel, Vala. Don't use the trip as an escape for a relationship problem."
"Oh, I'll talk to him. After he apologizes," Vala said flatly.
***
Daniel stormed into the locker room and brushed past Cam and Teal'c, giving the lockers a hard kick. His teammates turned to watch, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "She just makes me so mad!" he gritted.
"Uh oh," Cam said, hiding a smile.
"What has ValaMalDoran done?" Teal'c asked.
"They're still looking pamphlets for that ski trip," he said with a shake of his head.
"Personally, I don't think a week at a ski lodge is such a bad idea," Cam replied.
"I don't like skiing. And--and I guess I'm tired of spending all my downtime doing what she wants. Look at everything we've done in the last month." Daniel sighed.
"You raised no objections at the time," Teal'c reminded him.
"Well, I did this time. I told her I didn't want to go, and she--she says, 'All you ever want to do is stay home with your nose in a book!' Well, if all she wants me to be is--is--is some toy to play with then--then--"
"Jackson," Cam cut him off. "You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing."
"Whaddaya mean nothing?" demanded Daniel.
"She don't mean it that way. She's just used to makin' her own rules," Cam shrugged.
"Yeah, well, maybe I'm tired of making exceptions for her," Daniel replied, shaking his head in disgust.
Cam winced and shook his head. "Y'know, Jackson, there are easier ways to leave a woman."
Daniel's eyes bulged. "What? Who--who said anything about leaving her?"
"I told you I smelled a wedding," Cam commented, turning to Teal'c with a smirk.
"Indeed," the Jaffa agreed.
"Aw, c'mon!" Daniel shoved his hands through his hair. "Will you guys just cut it out!"
***
They were coolly civil all week. Even offworld, Daniel and Vala treated each other with professional politeness and kept their distance. The girls picked a resort and made reservations. Cam and Teal'c decided to conduct their own ski weekend, conveniently taking a room across the hall, and Daniel set about compiling the stack of books that he planned to read during his week off. On Thursday night, he called Jack to ask about his plans for Thanksgiving Day and found out that Sam had already invited him to meet the rest of SG-1 at the lodge.
Friday morning, Cam and Teal'c walked into Sam's lab and shut the door. She turned away from her computer and smiled, getting up to take the extra coffee from Teal'c's hand. "You guys sure you don't want to car pool tonight?" she offered.
"That is, in fact, our reason for coming," Teal'c replied.
"Oh yeah?" Sam asked.
"ColonelMitchell has a plan which he believes will convince both DanielJackson and ValaMalDoran to apologize," he explained.
***
She was sitting in the dim commissary alone. Most of the base personnel had left already and the room was almost empty. Her chin was propped on her fist and, and she was flipping a page in her book as he walked in. She jerked her head up at the sound of his approach and forced a smile.
"Can--can I sit down?" Daniel asked hopefully.
Vala nodded.
"Thanks for seeing me," he said as he slid into the chair opposite her.
"Sam said you wanted to apologize…" Vala trailed off, biting her lip.
His mouth popped open. "She what?"
"I've been thinking, darling, and maybe I--what?" she frowned.
"Mitchell said you wanted to apologize!" Daniel exclaimed.
"He what?" Vala stared in disbelief. Quickly shoving back her chair, she snatched the book off the table and jumped to her feet. "Well, I'm not apologizing until you apologize!"
"Come on, Vala, this is exactly what I'm talking about," Daniel scrambled up as well. "Everything's gotta be your way!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded hotly.
"What difference does it make who apologizes first?" he sighed.
"Why should I apologize when you're the one who's wrong?" she retorted.
Daniel opened his mouth and shut it again, shaking his head. "You know, forget it. Just forget the whole thing," he said, turning to leave.
"Fine," she snapped, spinning in the opposite direction.
Daniel took two strides and halted, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Vala."
"What?" she froze as well.
"I'm sorry," he said softly as he turned around again.
Vala whirled around again with a huff. "You're sorry?"
"Yes!" Daniel grit his teeth, stomping toward her.
"Well," she smiled. "I'm sorry, too."
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. "Wh--you are?"
"Mmm-hmm," she nodded.
"Well then, why did you--?" he broke off in confusion.
"Because you always look so cute when you're flustered, darling. I simply couldn't resist," she replied.
Daniel raised his eyes to the ceiling and sighed, but Vala laid a hand on his cheek, and her tone became serious. "Daniel, do you really feel as if you have no say in what we do?" she frowned.
"Sometimes," he admitted with a nod. "But I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did."
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," she shook her head.
"I know. Vala, I enjoy spending time with you--and--and maybe there are times when I need someone to remind me that there are other things besides work and my books. But sometimes--sometimes I just really do want to stay home," he said.
"I understand, darling. I'll tell Sam the trip's off," Vala decided.
Daniel gave a grateful smile. "You don't have to."
She shook her head. "It's all right. I really didn't want to go if you weren't."
"Vala, I'll go with you," he told her.
"Are you sure?" she asked hopefully.
"Mmm-hmm," Daniel nodded, then dipped his head to brush her lips with his.
Vala's arms curled around his neck as he drew away, and she pulled him back, returning the kiss ardently. Then, she murmured, "Thank you, darling. And I promise, the next time we have some downtime, we'll do whatever you like."
"Thank you," Daniel smiled.
"Even if I'm bored out of my mind…"
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU "ColonelMitchell has a plan..." Teal'c explained.
Rating: G
Length: Around 1200 words
Category: Angst/Humor
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala; team friendship
A/N: Part 13 of The Games People Play. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Takes place around Thanksgiving. Written for fic101.
A Conspiracy of Friends
Vala stomped back into Sam's office and gave the desk a swift kick. Her friend looked up from the brochures with a start. "Ooooooh, he makes me so angry!" Vala declared, balling her hands into fists in frustration.
"What happened?" Sam asked.
"He doesn't want to go," Vala replied.
"We already knew that," frowned Sam.
"No, I mean, he really doesn't want to go. He says that I spend all our time together dragging him around to do what I want. I told him if he feels that way, then fine. We'll just go by ourselves," Vala related with a determined nod.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Sam asked, her forehead crinkling in disbelief.
Vala paused, then nodded again. "Maybe it's a good idea that we spend some time apart. We're always together--offworld, here in the mountain, even during our downtime now. A week apart will do us both good."
Sam bit her lip thoughtfully. "The trip won't be much fun without the guys.
"Of course it will," insisted Vala, casually leaning her hip against the desk. "We don't need them to have fun, do we?"
"No," Sam shook her head in agreement. "But I really think you should talk to Daniel, Vala. Don't use the trip as an escape for a relationship problem."
"Oh, I'll talk to him. After he apologizes," Vala said flatly.
***
Daniel stormed into the locker room and brushed past Cam and Teal'c, giving the lockers a hard kick. His teammates turned to watch, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "She just makes me so mad!" he gritted.
"Uh oh," Cam said, hiding a smile.
"What has ValaMalDoran done?" Teal'c asked.
"They're still looking pamphlets for that ski trip," he said with a shake of his head.
"Personally, I don't think a week at a ski lodge is such a bad idea," Cam replied.
"I don't like skiing. And--and I guess I'm tired of spending all my downtime doing what she wants. Look at everything we've done in the last month." Daniel sighed.
"You raised no objections at the time," Teal'c reminded him.
"Well, I did this time. I told her I didn't want to go, and she--she says, 'All you ever want to do is stay home with your nose in a book!' Well, if all she wants me to be is--is--is some toy to play with then--then--"
"Jackson," Cam cut him off. "You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing."
"Whaddaya mean nothing?" demanded Daniel.
"She don't mean it that way. She's just used to makin' her own rules," Cam shrugged.
"Yeah, well, maybe I'm tired of making exceptions for her," Daniel replied, shaking his head in disgust.
Cam winced and shook his head. "Y'know, Jackson, there are easier ways to leave a woman."
Daniel's eyes bulged. "What? Who--who said anything about leaving her?"
"I told you I smelled a wedding," Cam commented, turning to Teal'c with a smirk.
"Indeed," the Jaffa agreed.
"Aw, c'mon!" Daniel shoved his hands through his hair. "Will you guys just cut it out!"
***
They were coolly civil all week. Even offworld, Daniel and Vala treated each other with professional politeness and kept their distance. The girls picked a resort and made reservations. Cam and Teal'c decided to conduct their own ski weekend, conveniently taking a room across the hall, and Daniel set about compiling the stack of books that he planned to read during his week off. On Thursday night, he called Jack to ask about his plans for Thanksgiving Day and found out that Sam had already invited him to meet the rest of SG-1 at the lodge.
Friday morning, Cam and Teal'c walked into Sam's lab and shut the door. She turned away from her computer and smiled, getting up to take the extra coffee from Teal'c's hand. "You guys sure you don't want to car pool tonight?" she offered.
"That is, in fact, our reason for coming," Teal'c replied.
"Oh yeah?" Sam asked.
"ColonelMitchell has a plan which he believes will convince both DanielJackson and ValaMalDoran to apologize," he explained.
***
She was sitting in the dim commissary alone. Most of the base personnel had left already and the room was almost empty. Her chin was propped on her fist and, and she was flipping a page in her book as he walked in. She jerked her head up at the sound of his approach and forced a smile.
"Can--can I sit down?" Daniel asked hopefully.
Vala nodded.
"Thanks for seeing me," he said as he slid into the chair opposite her.
"Sam said you wanted to apologize…" Vala trailed off, biting her lip.
His mouth popped open. "She what?"
"I've been thinking, darling, and maybe I--what?" she frowned.
"Mitchell said you wanted to apologize!" Daniel exclaimed.
"He what?" Vala stared in disbelief. Quickly shoving back her chair, she snatched the book off the table and jumped to her feet. "Well, I'm not apologizing until you apologize!"
"Come on, Vala, this is exactly what I'm talking about," Daniel scrambled up as well. "Everything's gotta be your way!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded hotly.
"What difference does it make who apologizes first?" he sighed.
"Why should I apologize when you're the one who's wrong?" she retorted.
Daniel opened his mouth and shut it again, shaking his head. "You know, forget it. Just forget the whole thing," he said, turning to leave.
"Fine," she snapped, spinning in the opposite direction.
Daniel took two strides and halted, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Vala."
"What?" she froze as well.
"I'm sorry," he said softly as he turned around again.
Vala whirled around again with a huff. "You're sorry?"
"Yes!" Daniel grit his teeth, stomping toward her.
"Well," she smiled. "I'm sorry, too."
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. "Wh--you are?"
"Mmm-hmm," she nodded.
"Well then, why did you--?" he broke off in confusion.
"Because you always look so cute when you're flustered, darling. I simply couldn't resist," she replied.
Daniel raised his eyes to the ceiling and sighed, but Vala laid a hand on his cheek, and her tone became serious. "Daniel, do you really feel as if you have no say in what we do?" she frowned.
"Sometimes," he admitted with a nod. "But I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did."
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," she shook her head.
"I know. Vala, I enjoy spending time with you--and--and maybe there are times when I need someone to remind me that there are other things besides work and my books. But sometimes--sometimes I just really do want to stay home," he said.
"I understand, darling. I'll tell Sam the trip's off," Vala decided.
Daniel gave a grateful smile. "You don't have to."
She shook her head. "It's all right. I really didn't want to go if you weren't."
"Vala, I'll go with you," he told her.
"Are you sure?" she asked hopefully.
"Mmm-hmm," Daniel nodded, then dipped his head to brush her lips with his.
Vala's arms curled around his neck as he drew away, and she pulled him back, returning the kiss ardently. Then, she murmured, "Thank you, darling. And I promise, the next time we have some downtime, we'll do whatever you like."
"Thank you," Daniel smiled.
"Even if I'm bored out of my mind…"