fic: Only Fools (5/9)
I fail at spacing out my posting. *G*
TITLE: ONLY FOOLS
FANDOM: SG-1
PAIRING: Daniel/Vala. Minor other pairings, including a slash one.
GENRE: Romance/Humour/Action-Adventure/Angst/AU. It's a plethora of genres, lets see how I make them work together.
RATING: R
WARNINGS/SPOILERS: None, AU of crack is cracky. I have no shame in this.
SUMMARY: In the waters of the Caribbean lie treasures unfound, leave it to Vala and Daniel to look for the one that causes them the most trouble. (originally written for the dv_exchange)
( part i: original comm link)
part i | part ii | part iii | part iv
Daniel crossed his arms and held back his smile as the small speed boat reached the yacht.
Cameron Mitchell stepped off, giving Vala a one armed hug, a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder and Ray Bans firmly in place, and extended a friendly hand towards Hank Landry. He looked every bit of the good Southern boy his mother raised him to him to be, already oozing an easy charm and friendliness, without even saying a word. Cam, like Jack, was an ex-Navy SEAL, having left the service after a debilitating accident that had almost taken away his ability to walk. He had relocated to the island some years back, after a talk with one Jack O’Neill, his old commander, and like Daniel got sucked into the world of wreck-diving and treasure salving. And while Cameron didn’t talk about it at all, Daniel was sure that Cam’s partnership with himself and Vala left some bad blood between Cam and Jack, who he knew were still as friendly as anyone could ever be with Jack. But, Cam didn’t talk about it much, so Daniel didn’t ask.
“Cameron Mitchell, pleased to meet you, sir.” He gave Landry that sunny grin and Daniel could tell Cameron was already in the man’s good books. It never failed to amaze.
“Pleased to meet you, son.” Landry nodded, before introducing Cam to Carolyn. Daniel couldn’t help but notice how Cameron raised the charm up a notch, especially after Carolyn’s cool hello.
After introductions were made, Cam then turned to Daniel, “What no hug, Jackson? You hurt me.”
Daniel laughed, before stepping forward, hugging his friend hello. “Nice to see you too, Mitchell. Here, let me help with all that stuff.”
“Thanks.” Cameron said, stepping aside. Besides himself, some of Vala’s clothes, and more than a few of notebooks, Cam had also brought with him the supplies they would need for starting the search for the Odisea.
As the three of them, Cameron, Vala, and Daniel, started to move the supplies on board, Vala reached out and surprised Daniel by placing a load of kisses on his and Cameron’s cheeks.
“Just like old times, boys,” Vala winked at both of them.
Grinning happily, Daniel ducked his head and shook it. The flush of heat he had felt at the feel of Vala’s lips against his skin was a dangerous one. They were divorced, for god sakes, but apparently his body liked to forget the fact.
Next to him, Cameron, the lucky bastard, just laughed, “Damn straight, princess. Got the band back together.”
Sometimes Daniel really hated his friend.
--
It didn’t take long after the initial introductions for Vala to start filling in Landry and Carolyn on the more technical and hands-on aspects of their little quest. With help from Cam and Daniel, they started teaching both Landrys the basics of deep sea diving and treasure salving. It was simple enough. Carolyn was young and while she lacked the muscle definition of Vala, who had spent years swimming in the ocean and running on the beach, she had a trim body, which she clearly took care of. Daniel guessed it was the doctor in her and it was clear after the first day in ocean, as they made their way from Key West to Top Sail Key, that Carolyn was a strong swimmer.
It also appeared that whatever little friction that had been between her and Vala after the revelation of Vala’s less than honest intentions in befriending her had cooled.
Her father was a slightly different story.
Hank Landry, in his younger years, as he shared with the group, had been in the Air Force and quite fit, but his age and years of working behind a desk betrayed him. Vala, of course, had laughed charmingly as she helped him and Daniel could see her working her magic on Landry, not once letting man become aware of the fact that they were training him as you would train a child.
Both generally, though, were good sports about it and each day they approached Top Sail Key Daniel felt more and more confident about this whole expedition in general. It was nice, he had to admit, working on something he loved with people that he cared for greatly. He still worked, naturally. He still maintained and carried out all his duties, even when Landry offered him an out, but Daniel had declined, and not just because he felt guilty or bad to suddenly be in Landry’s favour, even though he did sometimes. No, the major reason Daniel declined was because the more he was doing then less was the chance Vala could corner him somewhere on the seventy-five foot yacht. Because Daniel was no idiot and he knew it, deep in his bones, that it would be a very bad idea for him and Vala to spend any significant time all alone. Especially with her running around half dressed all the time.
Very bad.
As it was, Vala kept herself just as busy as he did. Going over each scrap of notes they had left (the boat sinking still prickled at them both), spending time teaching Carolyn and Landry, hanging out and working with Cameron and occasionally flirting with John. The last one, Daniel could admit, he could have lived without, but he also knew Vala and understood that half the time flirting came as easy to her as breathing. It had taken him the first two years of marriage to completely understand and accept it. And now, well, he guessed it wasn’t his problem anymore.
The thought left an ugly taste in his mouth, which turned into thoughts he didn’t like having, so he just pushed them away.
Regardless, John only seemed to flirt back only for fun and without any intent to pursue, as he had assured Daniel. (Not that Daniel had felt threatened, at all.)
The only real blessing during these three days of travel was Cameron. Working his natural charm, he had already managed to diffuse what could have been about five and half major fights (or possible make out sessions, if he was honest) between Daniel and Vala. It was practically normal for them to fight, but Daniel would rather not have any of them in front of his employer, which about three of them had almost been. Cameron had injected himself at the right moment each time. Bless the man.
Now Daniel was heading up toward the sun deck, as their short trip came to an end. He could already see Top Sail Key just on the horizon and suddenly the quiet anticipation he had been feeling for the last few days was threatening to raise his blood pressure. When he reached the top he blinked, his glasses glinting in the harsh sun light. Just towards the bow, by the extra steering controls that could be found on the deck, stood everybody else.
Cameron was leaning against one of the seats, his feet propped up on the small table in front of him. Dressed in broad short and opened, short sleeved white shirt, and dark sunglasses covering his eyes, he was the very picture of laid back and loving it. An ironic statement, as Daniel was sure that just like him and Vala, Cameron couldn’t wait to get into the water. Across from Cameron stood Landry and John at the helm, both dressed in their respective uniforms: a casual suit and captain’s uniform. To Landry’s right Carolyn, sunglasses perched on her forehead, leaned against the ridge of the deck, half listening to her father and Vala speak, half staring out into the horizon.
But it was Vala that made him smile. Sitting just by John, practically on the railing, she was having a hard time hiding her excitement as she described the island to Landry. Her hair was swept up in a pony tail and she had barely bothered fully dressing, clad in a pair of very familiar looking cut offs and a black one-piece.
As Daniel approached, he could hear her describing where she and Cam had found the plate.
“We found the plate near the reef, just on the other side.” She explained, just as Daniel reached them, sending a sweet smile his way. “Hello there, darling.”
He smiled back, nodding to everyone as Landry asked a question.
“But you haven’t got the exact co-ordinates?”
Daniel twisted his lips and sent Vala a look, wondering just how she was going to answer this question.
As her luck would have it, Mitchell answered for her, “That won’t be a problem, there, sir.” He stood, brushing past Carolyn, aiming a grin at her, as he stood by Vala, nudging her amicably.
“Oh?” Landry asked.
Vala winced, “We sort of left a marker-”
“They sank the boat, is what they mean.” Daniel rolled his eyes, glaring at both of them.
Vala gave that fake put upon smile, which to Daniel always meant trouble, but she sounded sincere enough when she said, “But we would never do that to your boat.”
“Just mine,” Daniel added, somewhat petulantly. That boat had been his ticket back into the real world. And, if he was honest, that boat had held more than a few precious memories.
“Our boat,” Vala challenged.
“My boat,” Daniel shot back.
“Ours.”
“Mine.”
And they would have continued on if Carolyn hadn’t interrupted them.
“Um, everybody, I’m not an expert at this, but it looks like someone has beat us to your treasure.”
At those words, Daniel and Vala’s head snapped away from each other so fast it was a shock they didn’t get whiplash. But they didn’t care, because Carolyn was right.
There, just where Daniel had a pretty good feeling his boat lay under thirty feet of water, was a boat with two giant tubes going out the back. The boat looked familiar, but he couldn’t recognise it from this distance. Something Vala was already working on as she hopped down from she had been sitting on the railing and snatched up the binoculars that had been lying by John’s side. She was already pressing them to her eyes and leaning as far as she could from the bow when she snatched them off, cursing.
“Bloody hell! It’s Jack.”
“What!” Daniel exclaimed and snatched the binoculars right out Vala’s hand and taking a look for himself. And there 100 yards of the reef, right over where Vala had sunk their ship was Jack and his rag tag crew on the Homer. Hell had just frozen over and Daniel had only one thing to say.
“Son of a bitch.”
And with that Vala ran down the stairs to the main deck to get as close as physically possible to the other boat. Daniel followed her without a second’s thought and he heard the others following him. As they rushed across the main deck to the furthest point closest to the bow, Daniel could already hear Jack and Vala yelling at each other.
Nothing new.
“It’s mine, Jack!” Vala yelled, her voice carried by the wind.
“Not if I find it first!” Jack taunted back.
As the approached the smaller boat, Daniel had to wonder just how Jack got here, right to this spot where Vala had said the plate was. He knew Vala wouldn’t have just called up Jack for a chat and just tell him about the fact she had found the proverbial missing link in a two hundred year old mystery. There was Cameron, of course, but Daniel knew the man too well and knew he would never betray Vala’s trust in such a way. These turns of events were eating at Daniel when Vala rushed pass him towards the back of the boat.
“How long do you think they been here?” Carolyn asked as they started to pull along side.
“Probably not more than a day or so- it takes a full day to lay the grid.” Cameron saved Daniel the trouble of answering as he went to follow Vala, because he suddenly knew just what the hell she rushed off for.
He caught up with her at the back of the yacht, about to toss a tank and mask overboard.
“Vala!”
“Can’t talk now, Daniel. Have things to do.” She spoke quickly, moving to continue her plan.
“No, wait! He pulled her back to face him. “What’s Jack doing here?”
She rolled her eyes, trying to get away. “Obviously someone hired him.”
He rolled his eyes right back at her, unamused. “And who would do that besides us, we’re the only ones that know….” Trailing off, he hoped that it wasn’t what he thought, giving Vala a pointed look. From the look on her face he wasn’t that lucky.
“Vala.”
Dejected, Vala bit her lips before answering and confirming Daniel’s fears. “It might have been Baal.”
“What! Vala, why?”
“He might, possibly, own the island.” Was her answer and Daniel could feel his blood pressure rising. See, Daniel, this is why you divorced her, he reminded himself. Of course this moment of self reflection had him dropping the hand he had on her arm and Vala took the opportunity to finish tossing the diving equipment over board and following it with a smooth dive.
“VALA!” He shouted after her.
Her only answer after she surfaced for a second was, “Stall for me, darling.”
Daniel only stared after her for a second or two before running back to where everybody was. He had to stall for Vala, because Jack was going to kill them one way or another, and it might as well be later.
--
On the old fishing trawler, the Homer, Jack O’Neill watched at the luxury yacht dropped anchor just next to his smaller boat. Show off, he thought, watching as a stout man, probably in his later fifties, not unlike Jack himself, came out on deck. The man reeked money in his crisp suit, not to mention the uppity air he had around him.
“Ahoy, there! Good morning,” the man called out, friendly enough.
Jack shrugged, “Morning to you. Quite the bucket you got there.”
“Thank you!” The man nodded back as three other people became visible just behind him. A young woman, Daniel and Cameron. Jack had to hold back the laughter that threatened to over take him. Of course, if Danny boy and Mitchell were here, Vala was. He shook his head as Daniel greeted him.
"Jack."
"Daniel." Jack nodded back, where Daniel was standing on the deck looking both amused and uncomfortable, "And where's that pain in the ass wife of yours?"
Daniel smirked, "Ex-wife."
"I don't know who I should be congratulating here." Jack smirked back, and really, he didn’t, after all he had always thought those two deserved each other and their respective craziness. This news was almost sad. He had officiated, after all.
"Funny." Daniel rolled his eyes.
"I noticed nobody got the boat." He gave a pointed look to the ocean below them.
Daniel winced, "She doesn't like to talk about it."
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He shook his head, not for the first time marvelling the lengths Vala would go to get something she wanted.
Before Daniel could answer though, the suit interrupted him. “And have you found anything yet, Mr. O’Neill?”
Jack rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, resting a foot in the cooler in front of him, leaning forward. “Well, sir, we’ve just finished setting up our charges and planning to take a look. Feel free to go far away to save that sweet paint job you’ve got going on.”
The man just called back his thanks, still as friendly as ever, almost making Jack feel sorry for the three misfits he had partnered up with. Almost, but not enough to stop his work. Calling over to this crew he said some of his favourite words ever, “Let’s blow some holes!”
--
In the water Vala swam under the Gateship, heading towards the grid Jack and his team had set up only a day before. She had to wait until the last two of Jack’s divers left the area and head back to the Homer, before she could start, but as soon as they were gone she swam swiftly towards the grid.
Moving as fast as possible, because she didn’t know how long it would be until Jack started setting of the charges, she began pulling the pins that held the grid in place- like hell Jack O’Neill was going to beat her to the find of the century. It was nothing against Jack, not really, but she (and Daniel) had fought and bled for this when he hadn’t even believed them half the time. Jack had the hard habit of only believing of what he saw, what he thought, the stubborn ass that he was. And as much as she had cherished all those years she worked for him that last time, when he took the credit for something she and Daniel had found, well, that had been the last straw.
She and Daniel had left rightfully incensed after that and since then they had made damn sure that theirs and Jack’s path didn’t cross.
Fucking Baal.
Vala cursed the man, knowing he must have been the one that put Jack on this little search. She should have made sure to take, or break, that plate when she had had the chance.
Too busy trying to take apart as much of the grid as possible, Vala hoped Daniel was doing his part of distracting Jack, because she could only imagine what would happen if he looked down and saw--
BOOM!
The explosion happened behind her, catching her off guard, and the pressure of the water pressed achingly against her skin as it shoved her forward. It pushed her back, crashing her into part of the grid and she knew she’d have a lovely bruise on her lower back before the day ended. In the same second though, she saw it.
Floating out the sand cloud that had occurred in result of the explosion was a sword. Covered in barnacles, the rapier moved towards her and without a thought she snatched from the blue water it floated in.
She barely had her hand around it when the second explosion propelled her towards the surface.
--
During the time that Vala was dismantling the grid, Daniel was making sure that Jack didn’t notice that fact. Up on the main deck of the ship, the small face off between Jack and himself continued. Jack spoke and bantered with Landry and Cameron as Daniel kept a careful eye of the grid below them, more specifically on the barely visible figure swimming around it.
Keeping half of his attention on Vala and half on the conversation between Jack and Landry, Daniel almost missed it when Jack yelled out it was time to blow the charges.
Right away, Daniel straightened, his eyes flitting straight to Vala who was still under the water. “Move, move, move,” he hissed under his breath.
“What did you say?” Carolyn asked from his right. Daniel tried to wave her off but she followed his line of sight and at once realised what he meant.
“Oh my god, Vala!” She exclaimed, clamping her hand over her mouth when she realised she spoke too loudly. Sharing an equally worried look, Daniel and Carolyn turned, hoping Jack hadn’t heard her.
No such luck.
“Crazy bitch!” Jack yelled, angrily pointing to where Vala’s figure moved obviously under the water. “I’ll get her out of there myself!” At those words somebody on Jack’s boat blew one of the charges.
BOOM!
When the first of the charges went off there were a few minutes of disarray as the crews of both boats started yelling in shock, anger, and surprise. Daniel was perphially aware of hearing Carson and Rodney stepping out of the galley, looking to see what was going on, as well as Carolyn’s scream as the boom occurred. Daniel could only keep his eyes of where Vala’s body was still in one piece (thank god!) under the water.
“Vala!” He shouted before turning to Jack and yelling at the man as well for being insane. That was his wife down there! Ex-wi-Daniel cut his off his own mental amendment focusing on where Vala’s body was.
On his boat Jack was too busy to listen to Daniel, yelling at whoever had blown the charge, “Who the hell set of that charge, there’s a person down there!” A flurry of movement and things Daniel couldn’t heard happened on the neighbouring boat and then, suddenly, another charge was set off. His eyes focused on Vala’s body, Daniel watched as the pressure the explosion had on the water pushed at Vala. It slammed her into the hull of Jack’s ship, out of breath, but alive. Everyone was still moving, everybody on the Gateship practically tipping out of the yacht as they leaned forward to make sure Vala was okay. Thankfully she was, one hand curled on one of the water holes on, treading water, her other hand holding what looked to be a sword.
Sword? What the hell?
“You okay?” Daniel yelled, forgetting the sword for a second, part of him tempted to dive overboard to make sure.
Vala nodded, “Hey, darling! I’ll be just over!”, and then used the last remaining ounce of her strength to throw the sword towards the Gateship, like she was throwing a spear or lance. Thanks to many years of swimming and playing in various sports, her throw was a powerful one and the sword landed just by Carolyn and Cam’s head, sticking out of the wall of the ship like a dirty wound. From the deck below Daniel even heard Carson cheering for her, just like Landry was, and smiled.
He would be lying if he didn’t say he felt an intense amount of relief at her seeing her okay, but had to feel some pride that she used her last act to screw Jack from the sword that Cam was currently pulling from the wall.
“Vala! Here, take my hand.” On Jack’s ship there was flurry of movement and then, there by where Vala was clinging and treading water a blonde head appeared. Sam, Daniel thought, relieved. She’d stopped Jack from killing Vala.
He watched as the other woman, a renowned oceanographer in her own right who worked with Jack out of the museum on the mainland, as she leant forward to give Vala a helping hand, much to the arguments of Jack and the rest of the crew behind her. In the water Vala unclasped her diving vest, letting it go along with her air tank floating in the water next to her as she moved to take Sam’s hand.
While Sam helped Vala out of the water and onto the Homer, Daniel squinted, peering at Vala, trying to make sure even at this distance that she wasn’t hurt. As he kept his eyes on Vala he didn’t miss as Jack rounded on her, point and scowling and probably threatening bodily harm.
He could just imagine what Vala was saying back and how that would go over. And then, Daniel didn’t have to imagine so much.
“Jack!” Daniel and Sam called out at the same time as Jack picked Vala up and slung her over his shoulder like a rag doll. Vala shirked in surprise but did not delay in starting to trying to kick and punch whatever piece of Jack she could reach. Daniel winced, after all, Vala packed a punch.
“Put me down, Jack O’Neill!” She shouted, red-faced.
“Not a problem, princess,” Jack replied, cuttingly, as he walked her to the edge of the ship and did indeed put her down. Overboard.
Again, Daniel, Sam, and now several others shouted in protest, but Jack didn’t seem to care.
The sound of Vala’s body made a resounding splash as she hit the water.
She came up to the surface a few seconds later and began swimming to the Gateship, but not before sending Jack the finger. Amused and relieved, Daniel hid a smile as he rushed down to meet her.
TITLE: ONLY FOOLS
FANDOM: SG-1
PAIRING: Daniel/Vala. Minor other pairings, including a slash one.
GENRE: Romance/Humour/Action-Adventure/Angst/AU. It's a plethora of genres, lets see how I make them work together.
RATING: R
WARNINGS/SPOILERS: None, AU of crack is cracky. I have no shame in this.
SUMMARY: In the waters of the Caribbean lie treasures unfound, leave it to Vala and Daniel to look for the one that causes them the most trouble. (originally written for the dv_exchange)
( part i: original comm link)
part i | part ii | part iii | part iv
Daniel crossed his arms and held back his smile as the small speed boat reached the yacht.
Cameron Mitchell stepped off, giving Vala a one armed hug, a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder and Ray Bans firmly in place, and extended a friendly hand towards Hank Landry. He looked every bit of the good Southern boy his mother raised him to him to be, already oozing an easy charm and friendliness, without even saying a word. Cam, like Jack, was an ex-Navy SEAL, having left the service after a debilitating accident that had almost taken away his ability to walk. He had relocated to the island some years back, after a talk with one Jack O’Neill, his old commander, and like Daniel got sucked into the world of wreck-diving and treasure salving. And while Cameron didn’t talk about it at all, Daniel was sure that Cam’s partnership with himself and Vala left some bad blood between Cam and Jack, who he knew were still as friendly as anyone could ever be with Jack. But, Cam didn’t talk about it much, so Daniel didn’t ask.
“Cameron Mitchell, pleased to meet you, sir.” He gave Landry that sunny grin and Daniel could tell Cameron was already in the man’s good books. It never failed to amaze.
“Pleased to meet you, son.” Landry nodded, before introducing Cam to Carolyn. Daniel couldn’t help but notice how Cameron raised the charm up a notch, especially after Carolyn’s cool hello.
After introductions were made, Cam then turned to Daniel, “What no hug, Jackson? You hurt me.”
Daniel laughed, before stepping forward, hugging his friend hello. “Nice to see you too, Mitchell. Here, let me help with all that stuff.”
“Thanks.” Cameron said, stepping aside. Besides himself, some of Vala’s clothes, and more than a few of notebooks, Cam had also brought with him the supplies they would need for starting the search for the Odisea.
As the three of them, Cameron, Vala, and Daniel, started to move the supplies on board, Vala reached out and surprised Daniel by placing a load of kisses on his and Cameron’s cheeks.
“Just like old times, boys,” Vala winked at both of them.
Grinning happily, Daniel ducked his head and shook it. The flush of heat he had felt at the feel of Vala’s lips against his skin was a dangerous one. They were divorced, for god sakes, but apparently his body liked to forget the fact.
Next to him, Cameron, the lucky bastard, just laughed, “Damn straight, princess. Got the band back together.”
Sometimes Daniel really hated his friend.
--
It didn’t take long after the initial introductions for Vala to start filling in Landry and Carolyn on the more technical and hands-on aspects of their little quest. With help from Cam and Daniel, they started teaching both Landrys the basics of deep sea diving and treasure salving. It was simple enough. Carolyn was young and while she lacked the muscle definition of Vala, who had spent years swimming in the ocean and running on the beach, she had a trim body, which she clearly took care of. Daniel guessed it was the doctor in her and it was clear after the first day in ocean, as they made their way from Key West to Top Sail Key, that Carolyn was a strong swimmer.
It also appeared that whatever little friction that had been between her and Vala after the revelation of Vala’s less than honest intentions in befriending her had cooled.
Her father was a slightly different story.
Hank Landry, in his younger years, as he shared with the group, had been in the Air Force and quite fit, but his age and years of working behind a desk betrayed him. Vala, of course, had laughed charmingly as she helped him and Daniel could see her working her magic on Landry, not once letting man become aware of the fact that they were training him as you would train a child.
Both generally, though, were good sports about it and each day they approached Top Sail Key Daniel felt more and more confident about this whole expedition in general. It was nice, he had to admit, working on something he loved with people that he cared for greatly. He still worked, naturally. He still maintained and carried out all his duties, even when Landry offered him an out, but Daniel had declined, and not just because he felt guilty or bad to suddenly be in Landry’s favour, even though he did sometimes. No, the major reason Daniel declined was because the more he was doing then less was the chance Vala could corner him somewhere on the seventy-five foot yacht. Because Daniel was no idiot and he knew it, deep in his bones, that it would be a very bad idea for him and Vala to spend any significant time all alone. Especially with her running around half dressed all the time.
Very bad.
As it was, Vala kept herself just as busy as he did. Going over each scrap of notes they had left (the boat sinking still prickled at them both), spending time teaching Carolyn and Landry, hanging out and working with Cameron and occasionally flirting with John. The last one, Daniel could admit, he could have lived without, but he also knew Vala and understood that half the time flirting came as easy to her as breathing. It had taken him the first two years of marriage to completely understand and accept it. And now, well, he guessed it wasn’t his problem anymore.
The thought left an ugly taste in his mouth, which turned into thoughts he didn’t like having, so he just pushed them away.
Regardless, John only seemed to flirt back only for fun and without any intent to pursue, as he had assured Daniel. (Not that Daniel had felt threatened, at all.)
The only real blessing during these three days of travel was Cameron. Working his natural charm, he had already managed to diffuse what could have been about five and half major fights (or possible make out sessions, if he was honest) between Daniel and Vala. It was practically normal for them to fight, but Daniel would rather not have any of them in front of his employer, which about three of them had almost been. Cameron had injected himself at the right moment each time. Bless the man.
Now Daniel was heading up toward the sun deck, as their short trip came to an end. He could already see Top Sail Key just on the horizon and suddenly the quiet anticipation he had been feeling for the last few days was threatening to raise his blood pressure. When he reached the top he blinked, his glasses glinting in the harsh sun light. Just towards the bow, by the extra steering controls that could be found on the deck, stood everybody else.
Cameron was leaning against one of the seats, his feet propped up on the small table in front of him. Dressed in broad short and opened, short sleeved white shirt, and dark sunglasses covering his eyes, he was the very picture of laid back and loving it. An ironic statement, as Daniel was sure that just like him and Vala, Cameron couldn’t wait to get into the water. Across from Cameron stood Landry and John at the helm, both dressed in their respective uniforms: a casual suit and captain’s uniform. To Landry’s right Carolyn, sunglasses perched on her forehead, leaned against the ridge of the deck, half listening to her father and Vala speak, half staring out into the horizon.
But it was Vala that made him smile. Sitting just by John, practically on the railing, she was having a hard time hiding her excitement as she described the island to Landry. Her hair was swept up in a pony tail and she had barely bothered fully dressing, clad in a pair of very familiar looking cut offs and a black one-piece.
As Daniel approached, he could hear her describing where she and Cam had found the plate.
“We found the plate near the reef, just on the other side.” She explained, just as Daniel reached them, sending a sweet smile his way. “Hello there, darling.”
He smiled back, nodding to everyone as Landry asked a question.
“But you haven’t got the exact co-ordinates?”
Daniel twisted his lips and sent Vala a look, wondering just how she was going to answer this question.
As her luck would have it, Mitchell answered for her, “That won’t be a problem, there, sir.” He stood, brushing past Carolyn, aiming a grin at her, as he stood by Vala, nudging her amicably.
“Oh?” Landry asked.
Vala winced, “We sort of left a marker-”
“They sank the boat, is what they mean.” Daniel rolled his eyes, glaring at both of them.
Vala gave that fake put upon smile, which to Daniel always meant trouble, but she sounded sincere enough when she said, “But we would never do that to your boat.”
“Just mine,” Daniel added, somewhat petulantly. That boat had been his ticket back into the real world. And, if he was honest, that boat had held more than a few precious memories.
“Our boat,” Vala challenged.
“My boat,” Daniel shot back.
“Ours.”
“Mine.”
And they would have continued on if Carolyn hadn’t interrupted them.
“Um, everybody, I’m not an expert at this, but it looks like someone has beat us to your treasure.”
At those words, Daniel and Vala’s head snapped away from each other so fast it was a shock they didn’t get whiplash. But they didn’t care, because Carolyn was right.
There, just where Daniel had a pretty good feeling his boat lay under thirty feet of water, was a boat with two giant tubes going out the back. The boat looked familiar, but he couldn’t recognise it from this distance. Something Vala was already working on as she hopped down from she had been sitting on the railing and snatched up the binoculars that had been lying by John’s side. She was already pressing them to her eyes and leaning as far as she could from the bow when she snatched them off, cursing.
“Bloody hell! It’s Jack.”
“What!” Daniel exclaimed and snatched the binoculars right out Vala’s hand and taking a look for himself. And there 100 yards of the reef, right over where Vala had sunk their ship was Jack and his rag tag crew on the Homer. Hell had just frozen over and Daniel had only one thing to say.
“Son of a bitch.”
And with that Vala ran down the stairs to the main deck to get as close as physically possible to the other boat. Daniel followed her without a second’s thought and he heard the others following him. As they rushed across the main deck to the furthest point closest to the bow, Daniel could already hear Jack and Vala yelling at each other.
Nothing new.
“It’s mine, Jack!” Vala yelled, her voice carried by the wind.
“Not if I find it first!” Jack taunted back.
As the approached the smaller boat, Daniel had to wonder just how Jack got here, right to this spot where Vala had said the plate was. He knew Vala wouldn’t have just called up Jack for a chat and just tell him about the fact she had found the proverbial missing link in a two hundred year old mystery. There was Cameron, of course, but Daniel knew the man too well and knew he would never betray Vala’s trust in such a way. These turns of events were eating at Daniel when Vala rushed pass him towards the back of the boat.
“How long do you think they been here?” Carolyn asked as they started to pull along side.
“Probably not more than a day or so- it takes a full day to lay the grid.” Cameron saved Daniel the trouble of answering as he went to follow Vala, because he suddenly knew just what the hell she rushed off for.
He caught up with her at the back of the yacht, about to toss a tank and mask overboard.
“Vala!”
“Can’t talk now, Daniel. Have things to do.” She spoke quickly, moving to continue her plan.
“No, wait! He pulled her back to face him. “What’s Jack doing here?”
She rolled her eyes, trying to get away. “Obviously someone hired him.”
He rolled his eyes right back at her, unamused. “And who would do that besides us, we’re the only ones that know….” Trailing off, he hoped that it wasn’t what he thought, giving Vala a pointed look. From the look on her face he wasn’t that lucky.
“Vala.”
Dejected, Vala bit her lips before answering and confirming Daniel’s fears. “It might have been Baal.”
“What! Vala, why?”
“He might, possibly, own the island.” Was her answer and Daniel could feel his blood pressure rising. See, Daniel, this is why you divorced her, he reminded himself. Of course this moment of self reflection had him dropping the hand he had on her arm and Vala took the opportunity to finish tossing the diving equipment over board and following it with a smooth dive.
“VALA!” He shouted after her.
Her only answer after she surfaced for a second was, “Stall for me, darling.”
Daniel only stared after her for a second or two before running back to where everybody was. He had to stall for Vala, because Jack was going to kill them one way or another, and it might as well be later.
--
On the old fishing trawler, the Homer, Jack O’Neill watched at the luxury yacht dropped anchor just next to his smaller boat. Show off, he thought, watching as a stout man, probably in his later fifties, not unlike Jack himself, came out on deck. The man reeked money in his crisp suit, not to mention the uppity air he had around him.
“Ahoy, there! Good morning,” the man called out, friendly enough.
Jack shrugged, “Morning to you. Quite the bucket you got there.”
“Thank you!” The man nodded back as three other people became visible just behind him. A young woman, Daniel and Cameron. Jack had to hold back the laughter that threatened to over take him. Of course, if Danny boy and Mitchell were here, Vala was. He shook his head as Daniel greeted him.
"Jack."
"Daniel." Jack nodded back, where Daniel was standing on the deck looking both amused and uncomfortable, "And where's that pain in the ass wife of yours?"
Daniel smirked, "Ex-wife."
"I don't know who I should be congratulating here." Jack smirked back, and really, he didn’t, after all he had always thought those two deserved each other and their respective craziness. This news was almost sad. He had officiated, after all.
"Funny." Daniel rolled his eyes.
"I noticed nobody got the boat." He gave a pointed look to the ocean below them.
Daniel winced, "She doesn't like to talk about it."
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He shook his head, not for the first time marvelling the lengths Vala would go to get something she wanted.
Before Daniel could answer though, the suit interrupted him. “And have you found anything yet, Mr. O’Neill?”
Jack rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, resting a foot in the cooler in front of him, leaning forward. “Well, sir, we’ve just finished setting up our charges and planning to take a look. Feel free to go far away to save that sweet paint job you’ve got going on.”
The man just called back his thanks, still as friendly as ever, almost making Jack feel sorry for the three misfits he had partnered up with. Almost, but not enough to stop his work. Calling over to this crew he said some of his favourite words ever, “Let’s blow some holes!”
--
In the water Vala swam under the Gateship, heading towards the grid Jack and his team had set up only a day before. She had to wait until the last two of Jack’s divers left the area and head back to the Homer, before she could start, but as soon as they were gone she swam swiftly towards the grid.
Moving as fast as possible, because she didn’t know how long it would be until Jack started setting of the charges, she began pulling the pins that held the grid in place- like hell Jack O’Neill was going to beat her to the find of the century. It was nothing against Jack, not really, but she (and Daniel) had fought and bled for this when he hadn’t even believed them half the time. Jack had the hard habit of only believing of what he saw, what he thought, the stubborn ass that he was. And as much as she had cherished all those years she worked for him that last time, when he took the credit for something she and Daniel had found, well, that had been the last straw.
She and Daniel had left rightfully incensed after that and since then they had made damn sure that theirs and Jack’s path didn’t cross.
Fucking Baal.
Vala cursed the man, knowing he must have been the one that put Jack on this little search. She should have made sure to take, or break, that plate when she had had the chance.
Too busy trying to take apart as much of the grid as possible, Vala hoped Daniel was doing his part of distracting Jack, because she could only imagine what would happen if he looked down and saw--
BOOM!
The explosion happened behind her, catching her off guard, and the pressure of the water pressed achingly against her skin as it shoved her forward. It pushed her back, crashing her into part of the grid and she knew she’d have a lovely bruise on her lower back before the day ended. In the same second though, she saw it.
Floating out the sand cloud that had occurred in result of the explosion was a sword. Covered in barnacles, the rapier moved towards her and without a thought she snatched from the blue water it floated in.
She barely had her hand around it when the second explosion propelled her towards the surface.
--
During the time that Vala was dismantling the grid, Daniel was making sure that Jack didn’t notice that fact. Up on the main deck of the ship, the small face off between Jack and himself continued. Jack spoke and bantered with Landry and Cameron as Daniel kept a careful eye of the grid below them, more specifically on the barely visible figure swimming around it.
Keeping half of his attention on Vala and half on the conversation between Jack and Landry, Daniel almost missed it when Jack yelled out it was time to blow the charges.
Right away, Daniel straightened, his eyes flitting straight to Vala who was still under the water. “Move, move, move,” he hissed under his breath.
“What did you say?” Carolyn asked from his right. Daniel tried to wave her off but she followed his line of sight and at once realised what he meant.
“Oh my god, Vala!” She exclaimed, clamping her hand over her mouth when she realised she spoke too loudly. Sharing an equally worried look, Daniel and Carolyn turned, hoping Jack hadn’t heard her.
No such luck.
“Crazy bitch!” Jack yelled, angrily pointing to where Vala’s figure moved obviously under the water. “I’ll get her out of there myself!” At those words somebody on Jack’s boat blew one of the charges.
BOOM!
When the first of the charges went off there were a few minutes of disarray as the crews of both boats started yelling in shock, anger, and surprise. Daniel was perphially aware of hearing Carson and Rodney stepping out of the galley, looking to see what was going on, as well as Carolyn’s scream as the boom occurred. Daniel could only keep his eyes of where Vala’s body was still in one piece (thank god!) under the water.
“Vala!” He shouted before turning to Jack and yelling at the man as well for being insane. That was his wife down there! Ex-wi-Daniel cut his off his own mental amendment focusing on where Vala’s body was.
On his boat Jack was too busy to listen to Daniel, yelling at whoever had blown the charge, “Who the hell set of that charge, there’s a person down there!” A flurry of movement and things Daniel couldn’t heard happened on the neighbouring boat and then, suddenly, another charge was set off. His eyes focused on Vala’s body, Daniel watched as the pressure the explosion had on the water pushed at Vala. It slammed her into the hull of Jack’s ship, out of breath, but alive. Everyone was still moving, everybody on the Gateship practically tipping out of the yacht as they leaned forward to make sure Vala was okay. Thankfully she was, one hand curled on one of the water holes on, treading water, her other hand holding what looked to be a sword.
Sword? What the hell?
“You okay?” Daniel yelled, forgetting the sword for a second, part of him tempted to dive overboard to make sure.
Vala nodded, “Hey, darling! I’ll be just over!”, and then used the last remaining ounce of her strength to throw the sword towards the Gateship, like she was throwing a spear or lance. Thanks to many years of swimming and playing in various sports, her throw was a powerful one and the sword landed just by Carolyn and Cam’s head, sticking out of the wall of the ship like a dirty wound. From the deck below Daniel even heard Carson cheering for her, just like Landry was, and smiled.
He would be lying if he didn’t say he felt an intense amount of relief at her seeing her okay, but had to feel some pride that she used her last act to screw Jack from the sword that Cam was currently pulling from the wall.
“Vala! Here, take my hand.” On Jack’s ship there was flurry of movement and then, there by where Vala was clinging and treading water a blonde head appeared. Sam, Daniel thought, relieved. She’d stopped Jack from killing Vala.
He watched as the other woman, a renowned oceanographer in her own right who worked with Jack out of the museum on the mainland, as she leant forward to give Vala a helping hand, much to the arguments of Jack and the rest of the crew behind her. In the water Vala unclasped her diving vest, letting it go along with her air tank floating in the water next to her as she moved to take Sam’s hand.
While Sam helped Vala out of the water and onto the Homer, Daniel squinted, peering at Vala, trying to make sure even at this distance that she wasn’t hurt. As he kept his eyes on Vala he didn’t miss as Jack rounded on her, point and scowling and probably threatening bodily harm.
He could just imagine what Vala was saying back and how that would go over. And then, Daniel didn’t have to imagine so much.
“Jack!” Daniel and Sam called out at the same time as Jack picked Vala up and slung her over his shoulder like a rag doll. Vala shirked in surprise but did not delay in starting to trying to kick and punch whatever piece of Jack she could reach. Daniel winced, after all, Vala packed a punch.
“Put me down, Jack O’Neill!” She shouted, red-faced.
“Not a problem, princess,” Jack replied, cuttingly, as he walked her to the edge of the ship and did indeed put her down. Overboard.
Again, Daniel, Sam, and now several others shouted in protest, but Jack didn’t seem to care.
The sound of Vala’s body made a resounding splash as she hit the water.
She came up to the surface a few seconds later and began swimming to the Gateship, but not before sending Jack the finger. Amused and relieved, Daniel hid a smile as he rushed down to meet her.