2012 Month of Love, Day 19--Safe House
Title: Safe House
Character/Pairing: Daniel and Vala
Rating: PG
Word Count:1047
Spoilers: All of Season 10
Timeline: After Sam takes command of the Hammond
He gazed through the window at Vala sitting on the porch without a hat or jacket. The wind was howling, and the snow was whirling. Whirling, that seemed to sum up his time with Vala. She moved, she drifted, she never settled more than a moment. But despite her perpetual motion, she never left them-never left him-completely. She had found a home, security, a freedom unbroken except through the machinations of one minor Goa’uld with a grudge.
A strong gust of wind lifted her hair and reminded him that she needed to come inside. He turned back to the living room to pick up one of the quilts from the trunk beside the couch. He walked to the back door and eased it open slowly.
Daniel moved up behind her and slipped the quilt around her shoulders. She jumped in surprise and pulled out her zat before she realized who it was.
“Easy, Vala. It is just me.”
. “Daniel, you startled me.”
“Sorry. Why don’t we move back into the house? It is too cold to be sitting out here.”
“Give me just a moment, Darling…please?”
Daniel knew most of Vala’s tones, and this one was reserved for things like Adria’s ascension or Daniel’s merger with Merlin. He ignored the wind and snow and lowered himself down beside her. He remained quiet and stared out into the darkness. Daniel soon began to feel the chill. “Hey Fruitcake,” he said softly, “let’s get you inside. I’ll make hot chocolate with milk, the way you like it.”
When she nodded her head, Daniel stood and reached out a hand to pull her up. He tucked the quilt more tightly around her and steered her back inside the cabin. She moved to sit by the fire, and Daniel headed for the kitchen to make the hot chocolate.
The two of them had been hiding at the cabin for over a month-ever since they were attacked by a few of Athena’s Jaffa. Vala thought back to the moment during their mission when Landry’s warning had come through the gate via a coded transmission. Up to that moment, the mission had been typical. Daniel was pouting because Mitchell wouldn’t let him explore some ruins. Muscles had taken leave to attend some Jaffa council thingie. Cameron was as grouchy as one of Bastet’s rather large cats because the band was launching “solo careers.” They had only a few minutes to prepare for the attack before the Jaffa came through the gate. The three lone members of SG-1 were outnumbered and quickly pinned down. If Samantha hadn’t gotten there and beamed them aboard the Hammond, Athena would more than likely have Vala’s brain scrambled by now.
Before her thoughts went any further, she heard Daniel’s phone ring followed by the sound of his muffled voice as he continued to bustle around the kitchen opening and closing doors and clinking pans and dishes.
After a couple of minutes, Daniel returned with hot chocolate. He placed both mugs on the coffee table and insisted that she move to the couch. Once she was settled he handed her the Homer Simpson mug.
He sat watching her with Jack’s ridiculous mug as he drank from the slightly more dignified-and lopsided-mug a young Cassandra had made in one of her art classes.
“Was that Jack? Is there any word?”
Daniel broke into one of his rare smiles. “Vala, it’s over. Athena can’t hurt you again. She can’t hurt anyone ever again. SG-3 captured her. Landry brought in the Tok’ra to remove the symbiote.”
At his words, what was left of her composure crumbled, “Wh-what?”
Daniel shifted toward her and placed his hand softly against her face, “The symbiote is dead; the host is free. And Jack gets to thank Reynolds for removing a threat to SG-1.”
“You are serious, Darling? We can go home now?” He watched Vala thinking through the possibilities.
Daniel brushed the hair back from her forehead and replied, “Jack said to take another week to actually relax. We have been watching our backs 24/7 since we received word that Athena was coming for you. Jack wants us simply to enjoy the cabin.”
Daniel watched Vala’s face light up in the first real Vala-grin he had seen since the whole Athena debacle began. He knew from the twist in his gut that it was time. The month away from everyone, despite being on edge waiting for word on Athena, had made things clear. He couldn’t live without Vala.
He began, “The time Athena took you, I spent every hour Landry didn’t have me locked out of my lab searching for anything I could find about her and her connection to Qetesh. When I saw you in that warehouse confused and afraid, all I could think was it was my fault. You were lost and alone because I hadn’t been more careful with one of the most precious parts of my life.”
“What do you mean, Daniel,” she asked.
Daniel lifted her into his lap and leaned his forehead against hers, “That day, we brought you home to your family. But we became complacent. I became complacent. I should never have stopped searching for Athena. If I hadn’t, you would have been safe. When her Jaffa had us on that planet, the thought of losing you almost killed me.”
Vala leaned in and kissed him softly, experimentally. Daniel pulled her closer and slipped his hands under the back of her sweater. When Vala deepened the kiss Daniel pulled back
“Let me finish, Sweetheart. When we made it to the cabin some things started becoming clearer. To put it succinctly…”
“My Daniel, is never succinct, “ she teased.
He rolled his eyes and began again, “I can’t live without you annoying the hell out of me at all hours because I love you.”
She leaned back just enough to look into his eyes, “Are you sure? I…I don’t think I can take it if you aren’t.”
As he leaned in to kiss her neck, he whispered, “I have never been more sure of anything.”
“Love you, my Daniel,” she whispered back as she captured his mouth with hers once again.