fan fiction: finding home chapter 7
Chapter Seven--Friends
True to his word, Cameron arranged a celebratory dinner for Vala's new apartment. “We'll do a housewarming party, good and proper, when we get you all moved in. But this weekend we'll just hit Dickey's for some grub and enjoy the down time.”
Cameron was such a sentimental softie, Vala thought with affection. Dickey's Barbecue Pit was where they'd gone to celebrate her making the team all those years ago. Now they could celebrate another milestone there.
Vala did not ride with Daniel to the restaurant. She rode with Cameron and Carolyn, feeling very much like their child in the backseat. She missed Samantha ferociously, but the colonel was back on the Hammond.
Far more people showed up at the restaurant than Vala had expected. She'd known the team would be there. And Carolyn and General Landry. But she hadn't expected Walter and Siler and Dixon and Bill. Teal'c had even managed to get Ishta there somehow.
And Daniel arrived, a cute and charming redhead in tow.
Well, that explained a few things, didn't it? Vala swallowed hard and turned away so he wouldn't see her face. She didn't even care who the mystery chick was. It didn't matter one bit.
The lie tasted bitter. She took a swig of beer to wash away the flavor.
Teal'c placed a hand on her shoulder. Where had he come from anyway? He'd been over with the Mitchells, Ishta, and Walter last time she looked. “I am sorry, Vala Mal Doran. But five years is a very long time.”
“I know that, Muscles. I lived it! And I lived it thinking that I'd lost everything and you all hated me.”
“I know. And like Colonel Mitchell, I deeply regret it. We failed you as teammates and as friends. But we also lived those years. And we lived them in constant worry about your safety until we eventually concluded that you'd been killed by Matthias.”
Against her will, her gaze drifted to Daniel and his ginger companion. “Is that when he hooked up with her?”
“What are you smoking, girl?” Cameron now joined them. “Jackson never hooked up with anybody. He spent the past five years pining over you. And he was the one always insisting that you weren't dead, that you'd eventually come back just like you’d done all the other times. I don't even know who that chick is, but I promise you she's never showed up with him at anything before.”
“They seem pretty comfortable with each other,” Vala said.
Cameron shrugged. “All right, so they know each other. Maybe she's a linguist or archaeologist or something. Hell if I know. I'm just sayin' she's not his girlfriend or anything.”
“We will all find our footing again,” Teal'c said. “You must be patient, Vala Mal Doran.”
Vala snorted. “Patience has never been a virtue of mine, Muscles. You know that.”
“I am well aware. But I do believe your patience will be rewarded.”
That made her giggle. “Now you sound like that food guy you and I used to watch.”
Teal'c's lips twitched. “Indeed.”
“Speaking of food, let's quit yakking and eat.” Cameron slung an arm around Vala's shoulder. “C'mon, come sit with us and don't even worry about Jackson and his mystery lady. It's probably his cousin or something anyway.”
Vala doubted that very much, but she allowed herself to be pulled over to Cameron's table and settled in next to General Landry and handed another beer.
Unfortunately, she had a clear view of Daniel and his “friend” from here. No matter what Cameron said, Vala knew Daniel. He was completely at ease with this girl. This was no first date. And certainly no cousin. Cameron was a moron. Did Daniel even have cousins that he kept in touch with? She was pretty sure he didn’t.
Vala poked at the ribs on her plate. “Patience,” Teal’c’s voice rumbled next to her ear. “Daniel Jackson will ‘come around.’ But you will feel much better if you quit staring at him now.”
“Do you know who she is?”
“I believe Colonel Mitchell is correct, and she is a linguist.”
Nodding morosely, Vala shoved a bite into her mouth. Not for the first time, she wished Bryce were here.
But more than that, she wished she'd come back sooner. Before things had changed so much. Before Daniel had given up and moved on. Before he'd had a chance to find someone else.
###
One couldn't live the life Vala had and not have nightmares. They just came with the territory. Not every night, not even every week, but sometimes.
One also couldn't live the life Vala had and be a loud sleeper. There were too many situations where being noisy would've gotten her killed. So she never thrashed or screamed when the nightmares came.
But she would often wake up cold and shaking.
Daniel always knew, and he would pull her to him and wrap himself comfortingly around her, encircling her in his warmth. Vala usually slept peacefully the rest of the night.
From time to time Vala bunked with Samantha on missions. Samantha also picked up on the nightmares. Her response was to sit up for hours with Vala, talking about all sorts of random things-old missions, her childhood, past romances. Vala loved listening; she couldn't even imagine having lived Samantha's life, but hearing about it was fascinating. And eventually she'd fall back asleep to the sound of her friend's voice, and no further nightmares would come.
Tomin actually thought her shivers were physical and would pile extra blankets on her or go add wood to the fire. Neither of those things helped all that much.
Bryce rubbed her arm soothingly and tried to get her to talk about the dreams. The last thing in the worlds Vala wanted to do was talk about any of it. But Bryce's heart was in the right place, and she knew it.
None of the other people Vala had shared a bed with ever noticed her troubled sleep.
Now Vala lay awake, trembling with cold and hating that this was even still an issue. You’d think this many years later the nightmares would eventually stop.
She pondered phoning Bryce, but their last few conversations already had him worried about her. A phone call in the middle of the night would definitely freak him out.
In a couple of weeks she'd be in her new apartment, and she could probably find an all-night bar or nightclub or diner nearby to hang out on nights like this. She’d done it often enough in New York. But for now she was still on base, restless and jittery.
Wondering if Teal’c might be up for a movie night--they’d had plenty of those over the years--Vala slipped out of her room and down the hall toward the Jaffa’s quarters.
Just her luck--she bumped into Daniel in the hall.
And his little red-haired friend. Even bettert.
Pasting on her biggest smile, Vala said, “Working late, darling?”
“Vala!” Poor guy--he looked so startled. “What are you doing up at this hour?” He frowned suddenly. “Are you still...not sleeping well?”
The rat had almost outed her secret--sure, the team knew of her nightmares, but there was no reason for Miss Cute Ginger to know such personal information, girlfriend or not. Vala glared briefly, but Daniel had caught himself, so she let it go and spoke in an airy tone. “Oh, most of the time I sleep just fine. Just restless tonight. Thought I’d see if Muscles wanted to watch a movie.”
“I’m sure Teal’c wouldn’t be awake this late.” Cute Ginger’s words were laced with disapproval. Who’d asked her opinion anyway?
“He doesn’t mind being woken up for a good movie.” She knew she sounded clipped, but Vala couldn’t bring herself to care.
“But we can let him sleep tonight,” Daniel said, almost to himself. He turned to Cute Ginger. “Ah, listen, I’m still wired from that last cup of coffee, so I’m going to be up for a while. But you go on to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
Cute Ginger frowned. “If you’re still going to be working, I can help…”
“No, no, I appreciate the offer, but I’m done with work tonight. Thanks for your help, and we’ll look at that next section of the legal code from P5X-218 tomorrow.”
“Okay…” Cute Ginger sounded doubtful but left. Daniel turned to Vala.
“All right, when did the nightmares start up again?”
Arg, he was so infuriating! Just demanding answers like he had some sort of right to them. Well, he didn’t, and he could shove right off with his smothering need to fix her sad broken self. “Don’t worry about it, Daniel, it’s fine.”
“It’s not fine, Vala. You’re wandering the halls at 3 a.m. And I know Teal’c really doesn’t mind if you wake him, but I’m already up so you may as well talk to me.”
“I don’t wish to to talk to you, Daniel. Not about this.”
“Fine. We won’t talk about it. But come on, I’ve got some of those chocolates you like stashed in my quarters, and I can watch a movie just as well as Teal’c.”
Her brows lifted. “Really, it’s not necessary…”
“Did you even hear me about the chocolate? It’s the good stuff like Sam got you for Valentine’s Day that year. I might even have a bottle of fine Kentucky bourbon Mitchell gave me.”
He really was trying, and maybe this was what friends did. After all, Samantha had supplied her with chocolates over the years, and Muscles did sit up and watch movies with her whenever she wanted him to. So Daniel doing the same was just him keeping his word and trying to be her friend.
She could at least meet him halfway. She tucked her arm through his and flashed her best smile. “All right then, darling. We’ll leave Muscles in peace, and I’m all yours.”
Vala thought she saw something flicker in his eyes, but it was probably just her imagination--the lateness of the hour playing tricks on her brain.
But as they settled in her quarters and Daniel wrapped his arm around her, dispelling the chill, Vala couldn’t help but think it didn’t feel very friend-like to her.
Continue on to Chapter 8.