Chapter Eleven

01 May 2009 — Earth: SGC — 05:55 hours

 

As day broke over the forest, birdsong stirred the sleeping couple.  Daniel squeezed Vala close to him.  Inhaling her scent, he kissed the top of her head.  She ran her fingers gently over his chest.

 

“Good morning, Moswen,” her voice, dark and delicious, like honey.

 

“Mmmm… morning, my love,” he whispered.  “I came back, just like I promised.”

 

He could feel her nod her head, “You were gone a long time.”

 

Daniel creased his eyebrows together.  A long time?

 

“What do you mean?” he asked, “It was only a couple days.”

 

Vala got up on her elbow and looked him in the eye.  The smile she gave him was sad and at the same time so happy.  “I’ve studied the Sidhe quite a lot while you were gone, darling.  In the Otherworld, time moves at a different speed.  You were gone for six months.”

 

He thought about his time with the Sidhe and then it made sense.  He remembered that Beltaine was in May and he had left in October… on Samhain.  The shock was evident on his face, and then the sorrow.

 

“Oh, mo ghrá.  I’m so sorry.  To me— it really was only a few days.”

 

She kissed him deeply to let him know that all was forgiven.  She had him now and that was what mattered most.  “Daniel… what does mo ghrá mean?”

 

“It’s Irish for, my love.  Seems I’ve picked up a new language,” he smiled at her.

 

Just then, a black as pitch cat jumped between them.  Vala let out a startled scream.

 

“Good morning to you too, Aisling,” Daniel smiled at the cat, petting the velvety head.  Vala looked at him incredulously.

 

“Vala,” he said in an air of introduction, “this is Aisling.  Aisling, this— is my Vala.”

 

The cat meowed at the woman and began to rub against her lovingly.  Daniel beamed at the feline, “I guess you approve of her?”

 

A meow and that was settled.

 

He turned his focus back to his love, traced a finger down her cheek and smiled, “You’re the most beautiful woman in all the universe.”

 

She actually blushed, “And you’re full of fairy dust.”

 

They came together for a kiss and soon felt their blood begin to boil.  Knowing that the rest of the team would come out looking for her, she had to put a stop to what was undoubtedly coming.

 

“The others could be here at any time.  I don’t think your new found sexual bravado will encompass giving them a show.”

 

He closed his eyes and frowned, “You’re right.  We will just have to get away from here as soon as we can because I have waited too long to love you!  And I want to make it up with lots of sex.  Long and drawn-out… fast and furious, in every room of my apartment.  I have so much to make up for, Vala.  And you are so worth it!”

 

“Daniel, you are incorrigible!”

 

As he kissed her yet again, they heard the unmistakable sounds of boots snapping twigs and crushing leaves.  He wouldn’t let her go though.  The others were just going to have to see them.

 

“Oh—my—god!” Mitchell’s voice rang out, “Get a room, people!”

 

Daniel and Vala laughed.  Nothing could diminish their feelings, not now— not ever.  They looked around and saw who they expected to see, Cam, Sam, and Teal’c.

 

“The forest is my room,” Daniel declared waving an arm around him, “the wind my air-conditioning. The sky my roof and the leaf my bed.  Wanna make something of it?”

 

“Great, he’s waxing poetic.  Just what we needed,” the colonel said with mock annoyance to Sam.

 

“It is good to see you, DanielJackson, whole and healthy,” Teal’c beamed at him. “We were expecting you.”

 

Vala looked confused, “Muscles, I thought you said that I was going to be contacted by the fairy folk, not that Daniel was coming home.”

 

Teal’c just grinned, “There will be time to talk soon.  We will leave you both to get dressed.”

 

Sam stepped forward with a huge smile and dropped a uniform and his glasses beside them.  She giggled, “I kinda thought you might need these.  Welcome back, Daniel!”

 

The prodigal son sat up, making sure both he and Vala were sufficiently covered, “How’d you guys know I’d be back?  And why did you think I’d need clothes?”

 

“Come on, Daniel,” Sam said with a laugh, “every time you disappear you seem to show up naked.”

 

Everyone but the man in question laughed.

 

“Well, hurry up you two, The Old Man will want you to go to the infirmary first, of course.  Don’t take too long, cause I get the feeling this is gonna be one hell of a debrief,” Mitchell said.

 

Daniel had a pang of regret.  He was not going to be able to tell them much, as he was sworn to secrecy.

 

The Jaffa turned and shooed his teammates away from the campsite.  Aisling knew it was time for a hasty retreat to hunt for food as Daniel turned to Vala with a dangerous smile.  Taking her face in his hand, he leaned in and kissed her.  At first, it was gentle but quickly grew.  Her free hand skittered down his chest and wrapped around his already growing cock.  She knew what she wanted to do and broke the kiss with a small ‘pop’.

 

Daniel’s eyes were dark again.  She could see the desire ignite in them.  Pushing him onto his back, she scooted down his body, leaving a trail of wet kisses, and then she came to her goal.  Without even a warning lick, she devoured his shaft whole.

 

“Oh my, god!  Vala…” he yelped.

 

She was very talented with her tongue.  She sucked the head into her mouth, teasing the slit with small licks and then nipping at the underside where the nerves bunched together so close to the surface.  She worked him relentlessly, taking great pleasure in the noises he was making.  She glanced up and saw that he was fisting the blankets ruthlessly, a look of utter joy on his face.  Daniel gave himself over to fucking Vala’s mouth with enthusiasm, only her hands on his hips restrained his eagerness.

 

Daniel’s hard cock felt incredible as it drove smoothly over her tongue… again and again.  His coarse hair teased her nose and the smell of him filled her senses, reducing her world to this one indescribable moment.

 

It was no time at all before he had to have her beneath him.  With the speed of a well trained warrior, Daniel swept up and flipped her on her back.  He was between Vala’s legs and quickly sliding inside her.  His plan was to take her to the edge and then ease back to prolong the intensity, but he just could not hold back.  Daniel began pumping as if the world was about to end and he had to make every thrust count.  The train was out of control as he drove in and out, almost savagely.  Vala didn’t mind.  In fact, she was having her brain blown in the most wonderful way.

 

The climax consumed them both at once, and they shouted their completion, clinging to one another for dear life.  Breathing hard, Daniel looked into Vala’s sex darkened eyes.  He saw the love and the future within them.  Leaning in, he kissed her passionately.  He never wanted this feeling to end.  Slowly he eased out of her but didn’t let her up quite yet.

 

“I love you, Vala Mal Doran.  And I never want to be without you.”

 

His words were filled with such enormity that she could feel the weight of them.  Taking his bearded face in her hands and smiled.

 

“You never will be again, Daniel Jackson,” she said and kissed him deeply.

 

***

 

01 May 2009 — Earth: SGC — 07:30 hours

 

Daniel sat on a bed in the infirmary with a thermometer in his mouth and a cat by his side.  He was giving Dr. Lam an evil eye.  It wasn’t enough that she had poked and prodded just about everywhere in his body, she now wanted to do a bunch of other tests as well.  And she didn’t approve of animals being in the medical wing.  Daniel just smiled and told her that the cat was part of the package now, and to get used to it.

 

“You can stop looking at me like that, Dr. Jackson.  I’m under orders.  General Landry wants to make sure you are indeed you and that you are all clear of any and all ailments.”

 

“Whatever,” he grumped at her around the thermometer.

 

“I noticed that your appendix scare is gone,” she mentioned in a voice laced with concern.

 

Daniel just shrugged, “Part of the healing I suppose.  Funny that they didn’t fix my eyes, but— I kinda like my glasses.  Bet they knew that.”

 

She nodded and marked the information on her chart.  Daniel looked at the bundle of papers she was holding ruefully.  His chart was by far one of the largest in the SGC.

 

His uniform felt itchy and uncomfortable.  It didn’t help that Sam— he wasn’t entirely sure if it was by accident— forgot to bring him any underwear.  He thought forlornly about the soft breeches and shirt he wore only yesterday.  He was startled when he felt the hands on his neck.  One of the nurses was trying to take the torque off.

 

“No!” he said firmly and pushed her hand away.

 

“I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t have any metal on when you go through the MRI,” she explained nicely.

 

Daniel shook his head, “No, I can never take this off.  MRI or no, this will NOT leave its place around my neck.”

 

The nurse turned to Dr. Lam with a surprised look.  The doctor nodded her head and turned to Daniel.

 

“Daniel,” she started in that infuriating voice she sometimes used on her more stubborn patient.  “We have to do an MRI… the General’s order.  You have to take it off.”

 

He looked her square in the eye, “No, Carolyn, I will not and you can’t make me.  I wish I could tell you why, but I can’t.  You’re just going to have to trust me with this.  It can never come off me, ever!  Please make a note in my file of this too.  It could mean my life.”

 

The young doctor stared at him for a moment, then acquiesced, “I’ll inform all of my staff and General Landry too.  You are not military, so I don’t think he can compel you.  I’d like for Colonel Carter to take a look at it however.  See if she could tell us what kind of metal it is and whether or not we can put it through the MRI if we needed too.”

 

Daniel agreed to that.

 

Having done everything she could, Dr. Lam released Daniel with the order to see Sam A-sap.  As he walked down the corridors, Aisling in tow, people that had worked at the SGC for some time nodded their hellos to him and some asked to pet the cat.  The newer personnel looked at him with awe.  He guessed that was only natural.  They had known he disappeared last October, without legs.  It still made him uncomfortable.  Reaching Sam’s office was a relief.  He knocked on the doorjamb.  She looked up with a broad grin.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hey,” he responded and walked in, “Ah… Dr. Lam wanted you to find out what this is made of,” he pulled the collar of his shirt away to let her see the torque, “and thanks for the underwear, by the way,” he snarked at her.

 

Grinning, she shrugged, “Oops.  Why don’t you take it off and we’ll…”

 

“I can’t,” he quietly interrupted her.

 

She raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“It’s— complicated,” Daniel answered her unasked question.

 

“Oh… okay.”

 

Aisling jumped onto her desk startling her.

 

“Sam, Aisling. Aisling, Sam”

 

Carter smiled and pet the cat’s head a moment, “Another thing from the Land of Youth?”

 

“She is my familiar.  She goes where I go.  Don’t think I could get very far without her,” he said with a wave to the cat.  “Not quite sure how to let Landry know about this.  I was kinda surprised she made it through security.  Guess they just didn’t notice.”

 

Smiling, Carter pointed to a stool beside her desk and walked around him, investigating the torque.

 

“Daniel, how did you get this on in the first place?  There doesn’t seem to be any latch or clasp and it’s not pliable.  The opening in the front is too small for it to just slip on…”

 

He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, Sam.  The woman that put it on me had no trouble in doing so.”

 

She grabbed an instrument Daniel didn’t recognize and passed it over the torque.  They waited for a moment.  It beeped and she went to her computer.  Her eyes grew wide.

 

“Um… Daniel, you got this from the Tuatha?”

 

He looked at her over the top of his glasses with a face that told her… you really need to ask?

 

She gave him a half-hearted smile and looked back at the computer, “Well…” she cleared her throat, “it’s pure naquadah.”

 

Now it was Daniel’s turn to look shocked.  “Naquadah?  Are… are you sure?” he asked as he stood behind his friend to see the computer.

 

She pointed to the screen as she nodded, “Yeah, I’m positive.  They gave it to you?”

 

He nodded unconsciously, “Ah… I really can’t tell you too much.  The Sidhe have very strict rules about gifts.”

 

Sam smirked at him, “You didn’t seem to have a hard time breaking the rules of the Ascended as I remember.”

 

“Yeah, well, you know what happened there.  The Sidhe punishment is far worse.”

 

“Worse than you showing up butt naked in a field on another planet with no memory of who you were?” she asked with a grin.

 

Daniel opened his mouth to retort, when Vala came running into the room— pissed.  Pausing a moment, she saw the reason for her anger.  She rushed over and began to pummel Daniel’s chest, letting out a long stream of barely understandable Goa’uld curses.  When her fury waned she wilted into Daniel’s arms, clinging tightly to him and let out a strangled sob.

 

“Hey, hey… hey…,” he soothed, “Vala… love… what’s wrong?”

 

“I went to the infirmary and you weren’t there.  So I figured you had gone to your office.  You weren’t there either.  I thought… I thought…”

 

“You thought last night was a dream and that I hadn’t really come home… right?” he finished for her.

 

“Or that perhaps they had taken you back…  And then I was angry thinking that you would want to go back…” Clutching him so firmly that he almost couldn’t breathe, she nested into his shoulder.  Stroking her hair, he rocked as he held her tightly in his arms, quietly shushing.  Sam made a hasty retreat, closing the door behind her.

 

“I’m here, Vala… I’m really here.  Feel my breath on your neck.  Feel my heart beating with yours, mo ghrá.  As much as I loved Tir Na n’Óg, I never want to be without you.”

 

She began to settle down but would not letting him go.  Leaning back to look her in the eyes, Daniel wiped away a stray tear with his thumb.  He kissed her eyes and then the tip of her nose.

 

“I won’t leave again, Vala.  At least not by choice,” he whispered and took her mouth in a soft kiss.

 

She kissed him forcefully, wanting to claim him as her own.  To make it perfectly clear to the Sidhe, that Vala Mal Doran, former host, former space pirate and now SG-1 member, will not let him go without a fight.

 

When she was sure, at least in her own head, that they got the message, she pulled away slightly.  Brushing her hair back off her face, Daniel smiled.

 

“I can’t speak about what happened in Tir Na n’Óg , but I can say that it was you who called me back.  It was your face that I saw and knew I had to come home.”

 

With a bright smile, she looked deeply into his crystalline blue eyes, running her hand across his bearded cheek, “I kinda miss the scar.”

 

Daniel laughed.

 

Vala then turned to the cat sitting on Carter’s desk, “And you!” she said in a sharp tone, “you make sure the Tuatha know that they can’t have him back… got it?!”

 

Aisling meowed and swished her tail.  Vala took that as understanding and gave a curt nod to her.

 

***

 

01 May 2009 — Earth: SGC — 13:20 hours

 

After a quick phone call Daniel found out that Jack was incommunicado for the next week and told his secretary that he would call back and there was no message.  Then Daniel accompanied Vala to Landry’s office.  The older man looked up and waved them in.

 

“It’s great to see you, Dr. Jackson.”

 

“Thank you, sir, it’s good to be back,” he replied politely.  Both he and Vala sat down opposite of Landry.

 

Just then, Aisling jumped onto Daniel’s lap.  The General blinked in amazement.  Without missing a beat, he asked, “New recruit?”

 

Daniel thought about what to say as he stroked the purring cat, “She came back with me.  She is my familiar.  I’m not sure exactly what purpose she has yet, but I know that she’ll follow me everywhere.  I guess she is the link to Tir Na n’Óg— so they can keep track of me.”

 

“I see...,” Hank said in a voice that held many more questions about this new discovery.  “Is there something else I can do for you?”

 

Daniel looked down for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts, “Yes, sir.  When I get the all-clear from medical, I was wondering if I will be back on SG-1.”

 

“I don’t see why not if that is where you want to be,” the General answered.

 

Clearing his throat, Daniel glanced at Vala, “And Vala, too?”

 

Again, the General nodded, “Is this going somewhere that I really don’t want know about, Dr. Jackson?”

 

Daniel cleared his throat again, “Ah… yeah— I think so,” he paused.  Vala reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.  “Well, sir… Vala and I are kinda in a relationship now.  And I mean, just now.  As in today,” he sounded lame even to himself.  Some linguist.

 

The General raised his eyebrows with an amused look on his face, “Oh?”

 

“Yeah, and we wanted to make sure it’s going to be okay to be on the same team,” Vala finished.

 

Landry picked up some folders and tapped them on his desk.  With a smile, he looked at the couple,  “Well, considering I was under the impression that you two already were in a relationship, I don’t see any reason to change things now.  Neither of you are in the military, so the regs don’t apply to you.”

 

The older man had to laugh at the twin looks of surprise on their faces.

 

“You… you thought we already were, um… together?” Daniel asked.

 

“Well, Vala is usually within arm’s reach of you and with the bickering and sniping that goes on with you two, it just sort of screamed relationship to me.  Glad to see that you both finally figured it out, though.  It’s been a long time in coming.” he said with a knowing smile.  “I’m not sure about the cat being on the team, however.  If she follows you everywhere, I will not be held responsible for her well-being.  And neither will my officers.”

 

The archeologist nodded and pet his new appendage warmly under her chin.

 

“Was there anything else you needed?”

 

Daniel looked startled for a moment, then clarity hit him, “Um… yes, I know that you’ll want to know what happened in the Otherworld, but I can’t tell you.  They have strict rules protecting their secrecy.  And, believe me, they’ll find out if I’ve spoke about them,” he indicated Aisling again.

 

“I understand.  However, we still need you to file a report to sort out your six-month leave.  Just include what you are able.  Also, Dr. Lam mentioned some kind of necklace…”

 

“Yes, I’ve already told her about this… the torque,” he pulled his collar away to show the silver ornament, “That it can never come off of me, no matter what.  There is a stiff… ah, the penalty is harsh if it does.  I’ve had Sam check it out and it’s made of naquadah.  She was pretty sure that it could go into an MRI if need be.”

 

The gentleman thought for a moment.  “Well, I don’t really like that it could harm you if it came off, but as far as I’m concerned, we will treat it as if it were dog-tags.  But out in the field, I’m afraid…”

 

“I’ll make sure it stays on, General,” Vala interrupted, “believe me, I don’t want to lose him again!”

 

Aisling meowed loudly as if to reaffirm Vala’s statement.

 

Nodding his head and with a wry smile, Landry stood.  “Very well.  And since you are both here, I think I’ll call your teammates and we’ll have a quick meeting.”

 

They all went into the briefing room and waited for the rest to join them.  When all were present, the General looked at each member of his flag-ship team.

 

“This is an image that I really wish to keep for some time: the five of you whole, healthy and together.  I’m not going to tax Dr. Jackson with a lot of questions that I know he can’t answer, so I’m forgoing a regular debrief and getting right to the good stuff.  I’m giving SG-1 two weeks stand-down.  Go.  Go and be with family, friends, and loved ones.  When you get back, we’ll have work to do.  Teal’c, I’m told by a little bird that your work in politics has been rather tedious.  Am I correct?”

 

Teal’c looked at Carter and she grinned at him, “You told me not to tell Cam.  You didn’t say anything about the General.”

 

He inclined his head… it was true.  There was no denying it.

 

Cam however, gave him a hurt look, “Ouch, Teal’c… you wound me.”

 

“I am willing to rejoin SG-1, sir.  As Bra’tac once said, it is the soldiers that get things done, as the politicians sit on their collective ass.”

 

Everyone laughed.

 

“Too true, son.  Too true!” Landry concurred.  “I also assume you all have been introduced to Dr. Jackson’s furry shadow?”

 

Cam’s eyebrows rose in question.  Teal’c, who had noticed the cat when they were up on mountain to greet Daniel, inclined his head slightly.

 

The General waved a hand at Daniel, indicating for him to continue with the story.

 

“Um… yeah…” Daniel reached under the table and produced Aisling, placing her on the table.  “This is Aisling.  She is my familiar, ah… companion, and I think— I believe… that she will be with me where ever I go.  If this becomes a problem, I will… I don’t know.  I guess, I’ll ask her to stay here.”

 

The cat blinked at him and shook her head with an air of certainty that that would not be happening.

 

Cam laughed.  “Outstanding!” he clapped his hands together, “We have a mascot!  Welcome to the team, Aisling,” he said and held out his hand.  Smiling her feline smile, she walked across the table and rubbed her back against his offered hand.

 

Rolling his eyes at this now six-member team, General Landry dismissed them.

 

They left to go about their business and to close up anything they were doing before they went home.  Sam had suggested to meet later that day, but the dark haired woman put a stop to that idea with a withering look.  They agreed to get together at O’Malley’s in one week.  It would be good to have a team night since it had been so long that the whole band got together.

 

Two weeks.

 

Vala had practically bounced all the way to Daniel’s office.  “Vala, you look rather pleased,” he said with a chuckle.

 

“I get two whole weeks away from the mountain and with my Daniel!  I can’t think of anything better in the whole world! she exclaimed.

 

Daniel gave her a dimpled smile, excitement sparkling in his eyes.