DV - Eight Letters That Changed Everything
Written for the mission_insane fic challenge.
Title: Eight Letters That Changed Everything
Author: ilerya82
'Verse: Stargate: SG-1
Claim/Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Vala Mal Doran
Rating:
Warnings: DV Established - This one is fluffier than marshmallows ;)
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 does NOT belong to me... I can’t stress this enough! I’m just a little fangirl... No money has changed hands to bring you this little, ahem, ficlet. Although, there may have been a little cookie bribery to get me to write this in the first place ;)
Summary: An eight letter answer to a crossword puzzle will change their lives forever.
Table/Prompt: Un-themed #8 / Father
Eight Letters That Changed Everything
The sun was high in the sky, the soft early morning glow filtering through the curtains and into the kitchen. A big breakfast, followed by coffee while Daniel read the paper and Vala did the crossword had become their Sunday morning ritual. This Sunday was no different than any other, Daniel with a steaming mug in his hand, brow furrowed as he endeavored to catch up on the local current events, Vala with her feet in Daniel’s lap leaning back in her chair and chewing on her pencil as she concentrated on the clues from her puzzle. Every so often one would “Hmmm,” or “Huh,” but aside from the odd comment, they were comfortable in the silence.
However, today was a special day. Today, Vala had persuaded the author of the weekly crossword puzzle in the Colorado Springs Gazette to write a special puzzle, just for her. It had taken some cajoling, and a little favour called in to a certain Washington General to get the puzzle printed, but in the end the author had seen fit to help surprise the clueless archeologist. So, Vala put on her best puzzled expression, and began asking Daniel for help, the same as always.
“Darling?”
“Hmmm?” he replied absently as he continued to read his article.
“Darling,” her voice dripping with a saccharine sweet, helpless tone that Vala generally reserved for Daniel when she wanted something, “Could you help me with my little word puzzle? I seem to be stuck on a few words.”
He still wasn’t looking at her, his brow still furrowed and his attentions buried in the local news. She removed her feet from his lap and placed them on the floor, her eyes on him through each motion. Displeasure and disappointment at being ignored were evident in her face.
“Daniel?” Still no reply.
“Darling?” She placed a hand on his forearm. When this still garnered no real acknowledgement from him, Vala did what only she could do best. Coiling her arms around his neck, Vala disrupted his reading by lowering herself into Daniel’s lap and nibbling at his earlobe.
“Vala, sweetheart,” he sighed in annoyance, “I was trying to read that!” His annoyance lasted no longer than a moment though as he wrapped his arms about her and smiled, placing a chaste kiss to her lips. He could read his paper later, right now his focus was on the most beautiful thing in his world.
“Darling,” she purred, “I was working on my little puzzle thingy-” she pulled the puzzle towards her and pulled the well chewed pencil from it’s perch in her ponytail “-and now I’m stuck. Could you help me?” That signature pout came across her lips. “Please?”
Daniel sighed and rolled his eyes, but girlish laughter bubbled up from her, as she knew that she had gotten her way. Again! “Let’s see this puzzle,” he said pulling it towards him on the table, “Now what’s the first clue you’re having trouble with, hon?”
“Twenty-one down: ‘Complete the chain: two word something, you are, we are.’ It had three letters and the middle letter is A, but I have no idea what that could be!” she pouted. Of course she knew exactly what it was, she had advised the puzzle’s author to place it there, but she wasn’t letting on. Vala did her best to seem distraught and frustrated by the clue. Daniel smiled and kissed her brow.
“That one’s easy, sunshine,” he said patiently as he squeezed her tighter about her waist, “it’s the first tense of the conjugated verb ‘To Be.’ The answer is I Am.” Vala’s smile beamed at him and she scrawled the letters in to the squares provided. “Now, what’s next?”
“Umm, eight letter answer to ‘Fraught, filled or abounding,’” she offered the next clue pointing to the line on the puzzle.
“Hmmm,” he offered pensively, “from the other clues you’ve managed to fill out that the letters involved are P-blank-E-blank-N-A-blank-T. What was the trick I taught you for filling in blanks in these puzzles?” Vala chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to appear thoughtful. After a few moments she shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“I don’t remember, darling.”
“Yes you do, honey,” he said softly, “you just think you don’t know. Remember, I told you about trying to fill in the other spaces first?” She continued to play dumb, starring a blankly down at the puzzle and then returning her doe-eyed gaze to his blue eyes. He took the cue to start her off, since obviously wasn’t going to finish this puzzle without his help now that she had gotten his attention. “Take this clue - ‘Generally plural, offered in celebration.’ There are fifteen letters to the answer. Look, this one is simple: C-O-N-blank-blank-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S. You know this word, what is it?”
“Congratulations!” Vala offered him a beaming smile and wiggled a little in his lap with glee. Daniel wasn’t complaining. He rested his head on her shoulder and continued to read the puzzle.
“How about this next one, ‘The third Sunday in June is devoted to this man.’ Do you know that one?” His question was met with a blank stare. “Silly me,” he continued, “Earth custom… and with Jacek, well… Father, the answer is father.” She scribbled that one down as well, and then turned to kiss his cheek.
“Thank you for understanding, my darling. There are many things I understand, from being here for so many years, but there are still some customs that I… Well, let’s just say you balance my shortcomings,” her voice shook a little with emotion and Daniel could see tears misting in her eyes.
He pulled her closer and held her there, content to bury his face in her hair and breath in the scent of her perfume mixed with her shampoo. She had known so much disappointment in her life, and much of it at the hands of her own family, her own father. Daniel didn’t understand how any man could turn his back on his child. If he had been blessed with children of his own, he would have done anything and everything in his power to keep them safe. So he offered her safety, security, and love by simply being there for her, and she did the same in return. They were more than lovers, he and his fruitcake; they were two halves of a whole.
“Now,” she said as she pulled back, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, “what do you say to helping me finish this puzzle? There are only a few clues left here and some are too difficult for me… Will you help, darling? I’m so enjoying spending this time with you!” Daniel didn’t need any more enticement than that. His mission in life was to see her happy, no matter what.
“Your wish is my command,” he offered her a chaste kiss as she nearly bubble over with joy.
“Good,” her cheeks flushed a rosy red and she averted her eyes to the page in search of the next clue, “How about this one… it’s four letters in the space… blank-O-blank-E, the clue is ‘Shakespeare’s question.’”
“To be or not to be, that is the question,” he said softly, “To be would also be your answer.”
“Thank you, darling. And this one - five letters ‘To become as specified’ with blank-O-I-N-blank in the little boxes?”
“Going, I think. You are going to become… Yes, that sounds right,” he said softly. All of a sudden, the wheels began to turn in his mind; there was something more to this puzzle than met the eye. It was sort of like all of the answers to the hints were pointing to something. And Vala… Well, she nearly burst with excitement every time he gave her an answer as though she didn’t need help with these clues… because she already knew what words she was looking for.
“And this one, darling, ‘a prophet living in Babylon during the Captivity?’”
“Daniel,” his voice barely above a whisper. That second word, it fit now in his brain. One definition for ‘pregnant’ was ‘fraught, filled or abounding.’ If that was the case then the clues that she was feeding him were a sentence, a message. ‘I am pregnant. Congratulations you’re going to be a father Daniel.’ was one hell of a message to hide in a crossword puzzle! But it couldn’t be. Impossible, he thought, it’s just a random crossword puzzle. These things are mass-produced… There can’t be a message to it… A meaning… Can there?
“You are so much smarter than I am, darling! There’s only two left now - can you believe it!” Vala cooed as she turned to look at him. “Daniel,” she dropped the pencil and took his face in her hands, “are you alright? You look very pale, darling.”
Oh dear, what have I done! she thought, concern flowing through every part of her body. She stroked his cheek with her thumb and continued to stare into his eyes. Perhaps this wasn’t the best way to tell him. “Daniel?”
Crushing her to his chest, Daniel scooped her up into his arms and spun her about in the centre of the kitchen floor. Vala giggled and wound her legs about his waist, holding on for dear life. His eyes were brimming with tears when he stopped, grinning from ear to ear.
“Darling, spinning is not really so good for my tummy right now,” she chastised him playfully as he claimed her mouth with his own. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined what this moment would feel like, in fact he had never really thought this moment would come. Daniel had imagined that becoming a father wasn’t in the cards for him, and so he has stopped dreaming of this moment long ago.
But then he had met Vala, his fruitcake, and everything had changed. She’d brought sunshine and joy to his life in so many ways that he had never imagined possible. He had loved Sha’re, that was certain, but never with the depth, passion or fire that he felt for Vala. His burned for her, heart and soul, no two ways about it.
A single tear rolled down her cheek, her whole face was aglow as she smiled. Her laughter was a whoop of delight, melodious music to his ears. They could have lived the rest of their lives together in happiness, but there was something so beautiful about sharing that life with the pitter-patter of little feet. Besides, Sam & Jack’s little one would need some one to play with as he grows older.
“Well, shall I take this reaction as a happy one?” she asked, her words marked with husky laughter. Still cradled in his arms, she played with the collar of his white Hanes t-shirt, tracing her fingers along the circular opening.
“Happy doesn’t even begin to describe it, Vala,” he said softly as he rested his forehead against hers, “Just being a part of my life, you’ve made me happier than I’ve ever imagined possible… I didn’t think there was any way that I could feel any happier, that there was anything that could add as much joy to my life as I’ve felt being with you… But now - I don’t think it’s possible for me to be anything other than ecstatic!” He kissed her again, passion flowing between them like an electric current. He felt it every time they touched. She set his soul ablaze; it was a fire that only her touch could control. “I have just one” Smack! “more,” Smack! “little question…”
“Yes?”
“Just how did you manage to get a message written into a crossword puzzle in the Colorado Springs Gazette?” Daniel’s tone was incredulous, but it really was a remarkable situation. An alien, living on Earth with the blessing of the IOA, finding a way to make a connection with the local news media and have a message embedded into the answers of a crossword puzzle. There was something incredible about the whole scenario; it was rather like the plot of a 1980’s B movie.
“Ahhh, that…” Vala said with a devious smirk, “You can thank General Jack and a losing poker hand for that, my darling. It’s amazing what he will do to settle a bet!”
“True,” he said, unable to control the mirth that was pulsating through every inch of his body, a chuckle escaping his lips at the thought. Though there would be a hearty celebration from his teammates - their family - it would have to wait. Cupping her behind with his hands, Daniel rose from his seat causing Vala to let out a whoop of surprise.
“This,” he said as he gingerly kissed her lips, “calls for a little celebration.”
Vala buried her head in the crook of his neck, laughing in delight as he whisked her off to their bedroom.
Title: Eight Letters That Changed Everything
Author: ilerya82
'Verse: Stargate: SG-1
Claim/Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Vala Mal Doran
Rating:
Warnings: DV Established - This one is fluffier than marshmallows ;)
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 does NOT belong to me... I can’t stress this enough! I’m just a little fangirl... No money has changed hands to bring you this little, ahem, ficlet. Although, there may have been a little cookie bribery to get me to write this in the first place ;)
Summary: An eight letter answer to a crossword puzzle will change their lives forever.
Table/Prompt: Un-themed #8 / Father
Eight Letters That Changed Everything
The sun was high in the sky, the soft early morning glow filtering through the curtains and into the kitchen. A big breakfast, followed by coffee while Daniel read the paper and Vala did the crossword had become their Sunday morning ritual. This Sunday was no different than any other, Daniel with a steaming mug in his hand, brow furrowed as he endeavored to catch up on the local current events, Vala with her feet in Daniel’s lap leaning back in her chair and chewing on her pencil as she concentrated on the clues from her puzzle. Every so often one would “Hmmm,” or “Huh,” but aside from the odd comment, they were comfortable in the silence.
However, today was a special day. Today, Vala had persuaded the author of the weekly crossword puzzle in the Colorado Springs Gazette to write a special puzzle, just for her. It had taken some cajoling, and a little favour called in to a certain Washington General to get the puzzle printed, but in the end the author had seen fit to help surprise the clueless archeologist. So, Vala put on her best puzzled expression, and began asking Daniel for help, the same as always.
“Darling?”
“Hmmm?” he replied absently as he continued to read his article.
“Darling,” her voice dripping with a saccharine sweet, helpless tone that Vala generally reserved for Daniel when she wanted something, “Could you help me with my little word puzzle? I seem to be stuck on a few words.”
He still wasn’t looking at her, his brow still furrowed and his attentions buried in the local news. She removed her feet from his lap and placed them on the floor, her eyes on him through each motion. Displeasure and disappointment at being ignored were evident in her face.
“Daniel?” Still no reply.
“Darling?” She placed a hand on his forearm. When this still garnered no real acknowledgement from him, Vala did what only she could do best. Coiling her arms around his neck, Vala disrupted his reading by lowering herself into Daniel’s lap and nibbling at his earlobe.
“Vala, sweetheart,” he sighed in annoyance, “I was trying to read that!” His annoyance lasted no longer than a moment though as he wrapped his arms about her and smiled, placing a chaste kiss to her lips. He could read his paper later, right now his focus was on the most beautiful thing in his world.
“Darling,” she purred, “I was working on my little puzzle thingy-” she pulled the puzzle towards her and pulled the well chewed pencil from it’s perch in her ponytail “-and now I’m stuck. Could you help me?” That signature pout came across her lips. “Please?”
Daniel sighed and rolled his eyes, but girlish laughter bubbled up from her, as she knew that she had gotten her way. Again! “Let’s see this puzzle,” he said pulling it towards him on the table, “Now what’s the first clue you’re having trouble with, hon?”
“Twenty-one down: ‘Complete the chain: two word something, you are, we are.’ It had three letters and the middle letter is A, but I have no idea what that could be!” she pouted. Of course she knew exactly what it was, she had advised the puzzle’s author to place it there, but she wasn’t letting on. Vala did her best to seem distraught and frustrated by the clue. Daniel smiled and kissed her brow.
“That one’s easy, sunshine,” he said patiently as he squeezed her tighter about her waist, “it’s the first tense of the conjugated verb ‘To Be.’ The answer is I Am.” Vala’s smile beamed at him and she scrawled the letters in to the squares provided. “Now, what’s next?”
“Umm, eight letter answer to ‘Fraught, filled or abounding,’” she offered the next clue pointing to the line on the puzzle.
“Hmmm,” he offered pensively, “from the other clues you’ve managed to fill out that the letters involved are P-blank-E-blank-N-A-blank-T. What was the trick I taught you for filling in blanks in these puzzles?” Vala chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to appear thoughtful. After a few moments she shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“I don’t remember, darling.”
“Yes you do, honey,” he said softly, “you just think you don’t know. Remember, I told you about trying to fill in the other spaces first?” She continued to play dumb, starring a blankly down at the puzzle and then returning her doe-eyed gaze to his blue eyes. He took the cue to start her off, since obviously wasn’t going to finish this puzzle without his help now that she had gotten his attention. “Take this clue - ‘Generally plural, offered in celebration.’ There are fifteen letters to the answer. Look, this one is simple: C-O-N-blank-blank-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S. You know this word, what is it?”
“Congratulations!” Vala offered him a beaming smile and wiggled a little in his lap with glee. Daniel wasn’t complaining. He rested his head on her shoulder and continued to read the puzzle.
“How about this next one, ‘The third Sunday in June is devoted to this man.’ Do you know that one?” His question was met with a blank stare. “Silly me,” he continued, “Earth custom… and with Jacek, well… Father, the answer is father.” She scribbled that one down as well, and then turned to kiss his cheek.
“Thank you for understanding, my darling. There are many things I understand, from being here for so many years, but there are still some customs that I… Well, let’s just say you balance my shortcomings,” her voice shook a little with emotion and Daniel could see tears misting in her eyes.
He pulled her closer and held her there, content to bury his face in her hair and breath in the scent of her perfume mixed with her shampoo. She had known so much disappointment in her life, and much of it at the hands of her own family, her own father. Daniel didn’t understand how any man could turn his back on his child. If he had been blessed with children of his own, he would have done anything and everything in his power to keep them safe. So he offered her safety, security, and love by simply being there for her, and she did the same in return. They were more than lovers, he and his fruitcake; they were two halves of a whole.
“Now,” she said as she pulled back, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, “what do you say to helping me finish this puzzle? There are only a few clues left here and some are too difficult for me… Will you help, darling? I’m so enjoying spending this time with you!” Daniel didn’t need any more enticement than that. His mission in life was to see her happy, no matter what.
“Your wish is my command,” he offered her a chaste kiss as she nearly bubble over with joy.
“Good,” her cheeks flushed a rosy red and she averted her eyes to the page in search of the next clue, “How about this one… it’s four letters in the space… blank-O-blank-E, the clue is ‘Shakespeare’s question.’”
“To be or not to be, that is the question,” he said softly, “To be would also be your answer.”
“Thank you, darling. And this one - five letters ‘To become as specified’ with blank-O-I-N-blank in the little boxes?”
“Going, I think. You are going to become… Yes, that sounds right,” he said softly. All of a sudden, the wheels began to turn in his mind; there was something more to this puzzle than met the eye. It was sort of like all of the answers to the hints were pointing to something. And Vala… Well, she nearly burst with excitement every time he gave her an answer as though she didn’t need help with these clues… because she already knew what words she was looking for.
“And this one, darling, ‘a prophet living in Babylon during the Captivity?’”
“Daniel,” his voice barely above a whisper. That second word, it fit now in his brain. One definition for ‘pregnant’ was ‘fraught, filled or abounding.’ If that was the case then the clues that she was feeding him were a sentence, a message. ‘I am pregnant. Congratulations you’re going to be a father Daniel.’ was one hell of a message to hide in a crossword puzzle! But it couldn’t be. Impossible, he thought, it’s just a random crossword puzzle. These things are mass-produced… There can’t be a message to it… A meaning… Can there?
“You are so much smarter than I am, darling! There’s only two left now - can you believe it!” Vala cooed as she turned to look at him. “Daniel,” she dropped the pencil and took his face in her hands, “are you alright? You look very pale, darling.”
Oh dear, what have I done! she thought, concern flowing through every part of her body. She stroked his cheek with her thumb and continued to stare into his eyes. Perhaps this wasn’t the best way to tell him. “Daniel?”
Crushing her to his chest, Daniel scooped her up into his arms and spun her about in the centre of the kitchen floor. Vala giggled and wound her legs about his waist, holding on for dear life. His eyes were brimming with tears when he stopped, grinning from ear to ear.
“Darling, spinning is not really so good for my tummy right now,” she chastised him playfully as he claimed her mouth with his own. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined what this moment would feel like, in fact he had never really thought this moment would come. Daniel had imagined that becoming a father wasn’t in the cards for him, and so he has stopped dreaming of this moment long ago.
But then he had met Vala, his fruitcake, and everything had changed. She’d brought sunshine and joy to his life in so many ways that he had never imagined possible. He had loved Sha’re, that was certain, but never with the depth, passion or fire that he felt for Vala. His burned for her, heart and soul, no two ways about it.
A single tear rolled down her cheek, her whole face was aglow as she smiled. Her laughter was a whoop of delight, melodious music to his ears. They could have lived the rest of their lives together in happiness, but there was something so beautiful about sharing that life with the pitter-patter of little feet. Besides, Sam & Jack’s little one would need some one to play with as he grows older.
“Well, shall I take this reaction as a happy one?” she asked, her words marked with husky laughter. Still cradled in his arms, she played with the collar of his white Hanes t-shirt, tracing her fingers along the circular opening.
“Happy doesn’t even begin to describe it, Vala,” he said softly as he rested his forehead against hers, “Just being a part of my life, you’ve made me happier than I’ve ever imagined possible… I didn’t think there was any way that I could feel any happier, that there was anything that could add as much joy to my life as I’ve felt being with you… But now - I don’t think it’s possible for me to be anything other than ecstatic!” He kissed her again, passion flowing between them like an electric current. He felt it every time they touched. She set his soul ablaze; it was a fire that only her touch could control. “I have just one” Smack! “more,” Smack! “little question…”
“Yes?”
“Just how did you manage to get a message written into a crossword puzzle in the Colorado Springs Gazette?” Daniel’s tone was incredulous, but it really was a remarkable situation. An alien, living on Earth with the blessing of the IOA, finding a way to make a connection with the local news media and have a message embedded into the answers of a crossword puzzle. There was something incredible about the whole scenario; it was rather like the plot of a 1980’s B movie.
“Ahhh, that…” Vala said with a devious smirk, “You can thank General Jack and a losing poker hand for that, my darling. It’s amazing what he will do to settle a bet!”
“True,” he said, unable to control the mirth that was pulsating through every inch of his body, a chuckle escaping his lips at the thought. Though there would be a hearty celebration from his teammates - their family - it would have to wait. Cupping her behind with his hands, Daniel rose from his seat causing Vala to let out a whoop of surprise.
“This,” he said as he gingerly kissed her lips, “calls for a little celebration.”
Vala buried her head in the crook of his neck, laughing in delight as he whisked her off to their bedroom.