Chapter Six

26 September 2008 — Earth: SGC — 14:40 hours

 

Shortly after Daniel woke up, all the members SG-1 came to visit him.  It was awkward to say the least.  No one was sure what to say and they all took great pains not to look where his legs should have been.  He wasn’t very talkative either.

 

After a short time, everyone except Vala left.  She sat on his bed and held his hand, trying to comfort him.  He wouldn’t look her in the eye.  Now that his legs were gone, he was not taking it as well as he thought he would.

 

“Vala…” Daniel murmured softly, “I’m getting kinda tired now.”

 

She shifted her position next to him and put her hand gently on his cheek.

 

“It’s okay, dearest. Go to sleep.  I’ll keep an eye on you.”

 

He gave her a small smile and then closed his eyes.  Vala watched over him, stroking his hair, as he fell asleep.  She caressed his cheek when her tears began to escape.  How was she going to reassure him of how she felt?  Would he think her commitment was pity and not love?

 

Sam told her to be honest with her feelings towards him.  That was something she had a very hard time doing.  Always hiding behind a tough girl persona, and never letting anyone in to see the real Vala Mal Doran.  But this was different.  He was different.  He put up with her and never let her down when she needed him.  Vala wasn’t use to that.

 

As she watched him sleep, she could tell he was dreaming.  It looked like he was starting to have a nightmare.  She took his hand in hers again and gently rubbed her thumb on the back of it.

 

“Shhh, love.  Everything will be all right.  I’m here for you, Daniel.  I’ll never leave you.”

 

Her words began to choke up on her.  She had told a lot of men the same thing and never meant them.  The weight of that statement overwhelmed her.  She would never leave him.  She just couldn’t see living without Daniel in her life.  Even broken and battered as he was now, deep down she knew he was the one she never thought existed.  The one that captured her heart.

 

A few hours later, Daniel woke up in pain.  Vala pushed the morphine drip button to help it ease.  Once it hit his system, he seemed to relax a bit.  He looked up at her and smiled.

 

“Have you been here the whole time?”

 

She grinned at him, “Well… I did have one bathroom break, but yes, I have been.”

 

He gazed at her face realizing just how much she meant to him.  She had taken him by surprise that first meeting on board the Prometheus… literally.  And when she showed up at the SGC, he made sure his emotional walls were up.  But something about her made his heart skip a few beats every time she was near.  And now he didn’t think he could maintain his emotional isolation much longer.

 

There was a comfortable silence as both of them considered their feelings.  Vala kept a tight hold of his hand and he felt the warmth and love coming off her in waves.

 

“Vala, you don’t have to stay here.  I’m not exactly going anywhere.  Don’t you have something else to do?  Like shopping with my credit cards or… something?” he asked with a grin.

 

“No, Daniel.  No shopping today.  I would rather stay right here with you.”

 

He nodded his head and squeezed her hand.  “Thanks.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For being here… with me.  It really means a lot that you would just… hang out in here and be bored.”

 

Vala leaned down and lightly kissed him.  As soon as their lips touched, it was like an electric shock coursing through them.  Daniel kept her from moving away and kissed her again.  Her lips parted and he eagerly delved inside.  Their kiss was filled with need and reassurance.  His hand tangled in her long hair as he kept her close.  He never wanted it to stop.  Vala put her hand on his chest and began to rub.  The sensations were overwhelming.  He tried to pull her closer when his ribs rebelled.

 

“Oh, for crying out loud!  Get a room!!”

 

O’Neill’s familiar, sarcastic voice came from the door.  Vala jumped back and tried to fix her hair.  Daniel just closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

 

“Jack.  This IS a room.”

 

“Daniel.  I know that.  I see you’re in good hands here.”

 

“Why, yes… yes, I am,” Daniel smiled up at Vala, holding her hand close to his heart and not letting her go too far away from him.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“Under the circumstance, all right, I guess,” Daniel answered.  “Did the Nox ever get back with you?”

 

Jack pulled over a chair and sat down.  He ran his hand through his short salt and peppered hair, letting out a sigh.

 

“Yeah… about that…”

 

Daniel asked Vala to help him sit up a little so he could see better.  She handed him his glasses and then sat down on a stool next to his bed.

 

“Well?  What’d they say?”

 

Jack cleared his throat and shuffled his feet a little.  “Lya made contact with that race they were talking about, but they seem to have some pretty steep rules about who can visit them.  To tell you the truth, Daniel, I don’t like it one bit, but it’s your decision.”

 

“Who are they?” Daniel asked him curiously.

 

“They’re called the… Tooth De Danny or something weird like that.”

 

Daniel could not stop his snort of laughter, “I think you mean, Tuatha Dé Danann, Jack.”

 

“Yeah, them.”

 

Daniel inched up even further, immediately interested in what Jack was saying.  “They’re Celtic; a part of the mythology of both Ireland and Scotland.  You know, my ancestors… and yours.  What else did the Nox say?” asked Daniel increasingly excited with the news.

 

Jack raised his scarred eyebrow at him, then said, “Not much.  We don’t have a gate address and… you are the only one that can go.  Well… you and Nafrayu, but not any of us.  Along with that, their rules are that you can’t tell us anything about them.”

 

Daniel’s eyes actually were coming alive as he began to mentally retrieve information about the Tuatha.  Vala smiled at him, he looked more like himself than he had in weeks.

 

Jack just eyed him suspiciously.  “You know about these guys?”

 

“Yeah… some.  I’ll have to get my reference books from my office, but sure, I know about them.  They live in a land called Tir Na n’Óg – the Land of Youth.  But… but their homeland was supposed to be on the western side of Ireland, not another planet.”

 

O’Neill scooted closer to his friend, head down as if preparing for battle.  “Um… Daniel… I’ve got a real hinky feeling about these tooth guys.  I know you want to believe they can help, but I wish you’d really think about it…”

 

Daniel’s forehead scrunched up, wondering where he was going with this.  Then it dawned on him.  “You don’t want me to go because you can’t come with… right?”

 

There was a definite edge in his voice and steel in his gaze.

 

“I know how you are, Daniel.  I just don’t want to see you jumping into somethi—”

 

“LOOK! Jack…” Daniel interrupted him, “in case you haven’t noticed…” he flipped his blanket off to reveal his stumps, “I can’t jump anymore!”

 

“Daniel,” Jack shook his head as he stood and pulled the blanket back over him, “I’m sorry.  That was a stupid thing to say.  You know I’m not any good at this.  It’s just… well… I just want you to really consider that you’re gonna be alone there… before you decide.”

 

Daniel turned his head and saw Vala still looking at where his legs use to be, tears beginning to streaming down her face.  The doubt overwhelmed him.  How could she want him now?  He was literally half a man.  A man that just had his whole life as a member of SG-1 cut away at mid thigh.  Emotions already stretched thin, he snapped.

 

“Jack… just leave,” he said in a low, threatening voice.

 

“Daniel…”

 

“GET OUT! BOTH OF YOU!  Just leave me alone!”

 

Jack walked over and put his arm around Vala, who was standing dumbfounded.

 

“Come on, Vala. Best to let him cool down a bit.”

 

He steered her out of the room, pausing at the door.  “No one is giving up on you, Daniel.  And no one is feeling sorry for you either.  Just remember one thing… you are alive.”

 

When they left, Daniel broke down.  Rage and grief flowed through him and he just didn’t know how to let it out.  Thinking about the look on Vala’s face when she saw his lack of legs, the emotions he has always been able to control, came to a boil and he finally blew up.  Throwing his glasses across the room, he howled out his anger as he continued to throw anything and everything within reach.  When there wasn’t anything else he could throw, he started pulling his I.V. lines out and pushing the machines over.  Their alarms began to blare and Dr. Lam rushed in.

 

“Dr. Jackson!” she yelled as the nurses tried to stop him from hurting himself more.

 

“GET OUT!!” Daniel screamed as he tried to push them away.  “LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!”

 

“No, Daniel, I won’t!”

 

“Why didn’t you just let me die?  Why didn’t all of you just leave me in that fucking cave to rot?  Death would’ve been better than this.”

 

Finally, Dr. Lam slapped him none too gently which got his attention.  Eyes wide in shock, Daniel stopped fighting them.  He flopped back down on his pillow, and covered his face letting out a sob.  The physician placed a gentle hand on his head.

 

“Easy, Daniel.  Everything will be alright…”

 

“No… no… it won’t.  It never will be again,” he whimpered.

 

The doctor had her nurses reattach all the tubes and give him a sedative to help him calm down.

 

“Daniel, we are going to do everything we know how for you.”

 

“You can’t do anything more, Carolyn.  And Jack apparently doesn’t want me to have the Nox’s or the Tuatha’s help either.  He just wants to cut his losses and send me away so I don’t make any more trouble for him or the SGC.”

 

Dr. Lam sat back and stared at the archeologist.  “I haven’t known you for long, but this reaction doesn’t seem like you, Dr. Jackson.  I thought you were a survivor.  I thought you were smarter than this.  General O’Neill is just concerned about the stipulations the Tuatha have.  It’s a race we’ve never encountered and we don’t know anything about them.  We don’t even know where they are.  And all we have is the Nox for any reassurances.”

 

Daniel dried his eyes, took a breath to settle down.  Crossing his good arm over his chest in his usual self-hug, he looked at the woman beside him, embarrassed, and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s not me you should apologize to, Daniel.  You’ve upset the one person that hasn’t left your side since the cave-in.”

 

Devastation raced across his face as he realized that he did just scream at Vala.  Now he felt even worse.  Dr. Lam stood up to leave when he reached out and stopped her.

 

“Carolyn, could you ask Vala to come back?  Please?”

 

Patting his arm, she nodded her head with a small smile.  “Sure.  No more temper-tantrums.  And leave your I.V.’s alone.”

 

After the doctor had left the room, a nurse walked over to Daniel and showed him his broken glasses.  Rolling his eyes at her, he muttered, “I have another pair in my office.  I’ll have Vala get them for me.  Thanks.”

 

She nodded and left without a word, tossing the useless glasses in the trash.

 

***

 

26 September 2008 — 17:45 hours

 

Sam, Teal’c, Mitchell, and Jack were standing in Carter’s lab again, which had become the unofficial meeting place for SG-1.  Normally it would have been Daniel’s office, but none of them felt right being in there without him.

 

“I don’t get it.  The guy is just asking for trouble and we won’t be there to bail-out his ass.”

 

“Perhaps, O’Neill,” Teal’c said softly, “you should consider the fact that DanielJackson is a formidable warrior.”

 

“He’s right, sir,” Carter chimed in.  “You can’t keep treating him like the inexperienced geek you first met.  With or without legs, Daniel can take care of himself.”

 

“And he’s better trained, thanks to you and Teal’c.  Better even than most of the jarheads on the base,” added Cam.

 

“Yeah… I know.”  Jack closed his eyes.  “I’m just concerned about him.  He looks so… helpless right now.  When I close my eyes all see is… when he was…” he couldn’t finish his thought.

 

“When he was dying,” Carter completed his sentence.  “I don’t want him to have to live without his legs, but it is his choice.  We have to trust him.  And I know Nafrayu won’t let anything happen to him while they are with the Tuatha.  You know how the Nox are.”

 

“True,” Jack relented, “I guess we should get Daniel’s books down to him and start a study session.”

 

They all nodded their agreement and headed one level up to the archeology floor.  Not sure what books they would need to find out about the Tuatha Dé Danann, Jack piled each of them with whatever looked like it could help.  Daniel’s bookshelves looked considerably more empty when they left.

 

***

 

26 September 2008 — 17:55 hours

 

Vala stood just outside the door to Daniel’s room.  Still upset by his outburst, she was reluctant to enter.  She knew it wasn’t aimed at her, but it hurt just the same.  Taking a deep breath, she plucked up her formidable courage and walked in the room.

 

He was staring off into space with an expression of defeat.  She hated seeing him looking so lost.  It reminded her of a small boy she had seen through her eyes, but could not help.  Vala could help Daniel though.  With that comforting thought, she went over to him.

 

“Hi.”

 

Daniel slowly focused his eyes on his visitor.  “Hey,” he answered.

 

“You looked a million miles away.”

 

“Yeah, I guess I was.”

 

He held out his hand to her and she willingly took it.  They studied each other for a moment, lost in their personal turmoil.

 

Daniel cleared his throat and squeezed her hand, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, Vala.”

 

She waved the past away and reached out, lightly running the back of her hand down the scar his cheek.

 

“I know, darling.  It wasn’t the first time.  I have that effect on people.”

 

They were silent for a short time, just taking comfort in each other.  Vala sat down on his bed, making herself at home.

 

“Where were you when I came in?” she asked.

 

He gave her a sad smile, “I was just thinking about when I was little.”

 

“Oh?” Vala said with curiosity in her voice.  “Will you tell me about it?”

 

Daniel was quiet for a few moments then sighed.  Nodding his head, he said, “Sure.  It was when I was…”

 

Vala sat attentively while continuing to hold his hand.  She knew that she was being given a rare glimpse of Daniel’s life.  Something that even Sam wouldn’t know.

 

“Oh… I don’t know, around six years old I think.  Some of my friends in Egypt were teaching me how to climb a palm tree.  I went up very high and then realized… I couldn’t get down.

 

“My best friend, Chike, tried to tell me how.  He kept saying, Moswen, just back down… go slow.  I tried, but I ended up slipping when I was half way down and fell.  All of the other kids took off, scared that they would get into trouble.  Chike stayed with me though.  One of the workers saw what happened and got my parents.

 

“Anyway, long story short, I broke my leg in two places and had a cast from my toes all the way up to my thigh.  One doctor thought that I would walk with a limp for the rest of my life, but… I proved him wrong.”  He was quiet for a moment, then gave a sad chuckle, “And now this.”

 

Vala smiled down at him, “It will work out, Daniel.  Just like it did back then.”

 

Making a face at her, he mumbled, “Yeah… maybe.”

 

Vala cocked her head to one side and asked, “What is Moswen?”

 

“Oh, that’s what all the Egyptian kids called me.  It means Light Skin,” Daniel told her.

 

“Hmmm… I like that name for you.” Vala smiled, “Maybe I’ll call you that.”

 

Daniel laughed, “Sure.  Just don’t tell anyone what it means, especially Jack.  It’ll drive him nuts.”

 

They both laughed.  Falling silent again, Daniel reached out and ran his fingers through her hair.  She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

 

“Daniel,” she said softly, “don’t be mad at Jack.  He’s just worried about you and he doesn’t like the idea of you going somewhere without backup.”

 

“I know, but the Nox wouldn’t send me anywhere they didn’t think was safe.”

 

“The truth is, I don’t like the idea of you going by yourself either, Daniel.  That little guy said he will be with you, but I would be more comfortable if one of us was too.”

 

“Well, if these Tuatha are anything like the ones of Irish folklore, I understand why they don’t want more than a couple of outsiders there.”

 

“Are they afraid of other races?”

 

Daniel shook his head, “No.  Not really.  They’re just very… guarded.”

 

“That’s an understatement,” Jack said as he strolled into the room.

 

Daniel and Vala turned to see O’Neill and hot on his heels the rest of the gang.  They all had arms full of books.  Sam grinned as she gently dropped Daniel’s laptop onto his bed.

 

Jackson gave them a confused look and asked, “What are you guys doing?”

 

Vala pulled one of the heavy books from the top of a stack that Mitchell had and frowned at its weight, “Looks like a study group, Moswen.”

 

Jack looked at them confused and asked, “What the hell is a Myosin?”

 

Vala grinned at him and snarked, “A myosin is a muscle protein, but I said MOSWEN, and I’m not tellin’ what that means.  It’s between him and me.”

 

Daniel smiled at her and the bewildered expression on the rest of the team’s faces.

 

O’Neill rolled his eyes at them, “Great!  They’re going by pet names now.  How nauseating!”

 

***

 

14 October 2008 — 23:15 hours

 

A week and a half later, Daniel was back in his quarters on the base and thankfully off all of the machines.  He kept busy with research, which significantly improved his mood.

 

After two weeks of studying the Tuatha, they really didn’t know much more about them and nothing about their planet.  All of the stories just indicated that they were in Ireland; however, that didn’t make sense.  And how were the Nox communicating with them if they were still in Ireland?

 

Late in evening, after hours of study, everyone felt brain dead.  Jack slammed his book closed making everyone jump.

 

“I can’t focus anymore. It’s time to call it quits for tonight.  It was easier when I thought the Irish were just drunken old geezers.”

 

The two women agreed and Daniel didn’t argue due to the fact he fell asleep an hour before.  Jack rounded all of them up to leave and said good night to Vala.  After the door had closed, she turned to see Daniel staring at her.  With a smile and the dark haired woman sauntered over to his side.

 

“Hey, beautiful,” he whispered with a smile.

 

“How are you feeling, Moswen?”

 

He grinned at her and reached out for her hand.  “You don’t have to stay here you know.  Your quarters are just across the hall.”

 

“Yes, but I want to.  I like staying here with you,” she told him in her most sultry voice.

 

He closed his eyes, a smirk on his face.  The next thing he knew, he felt her warm, moist lips on his.  Slowly he opened them and let her tongue slide inside.  Daniel reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, keeping her close and deepening the kiss.  His blood coursed, heated through his veins.  Soon, his mind seemed to switch off completely.  She broke the kiss and rested her forehead on his.

 

“Vala,” he said in a gravelly voice, “I think… that I’m… in lo—”

 

“Me too, darling.”

 

She kissed his eyes, nose, chin, with such feathery kisses, he groaned and pulled her closer.  Vala ran her hand down his chest and up inside his hospital shirt.  She moved her kisses down his jaw line and began to suck on his neck.  Daniel moaned his pleasure as he pulled her blouse free from her pants.  Sliding his hand up her smooth, warm skin, he felt a shiver course down her spine.

 

Daniel chuckled softly, “Are you cold?”

 

“Yes… a little.”

 

He smiled at her and pulled back his covers, indicating for her to climb in next to him.  She watched as he scooted as far as he could to one side of the bed.  Vala’s heart did a flip in her chest.  Kicking off her shoes, she climbed in and snuggled in close as he pulled the blankets over her.  She pillowed her head on his shoulder and rested her hand on his chest.

 

Daniel nuzzled his face in her hair and inhaled deeply.  He felt whole; holding her close, like nothing was amiss in his life.  She made him tingle all over… even in his missing legs.

 

“Will you read me the rest of the story?” she asked quietly.

 

The low rumble coming from his chest told her he was laughing.

 

“Sure.  You have to get the journal out of my bag over there.”

 

Vala excitedly retrieved the book and cuddled back beside him.  He awkwardly leafed through the pages, cursing his broken arm.  He could not remember where she had stopped.

 

“Hmmm… where’d we leave it?”

 

“Right here,” she pointed as she helped him hold the book open, “where the mystery woman was unbuttoning your shirt and deeply kissing you.  Now continue… or I’m leaving.”

 

“Okay, okay.  Sheesh,” Daniel mumbled.  He shifted his arm to hold her closer and began to read.

 

I was mesmerized by her touch and couldn’t think straight to save my life.  But then I figured, hey, carpe occasio.

 

Vala looked up at him, “What’s carpe occasio?”

 

“Loosely translated, it means seize the opportunity, in Latin.  Shall I continue?” he asked, then felt a nod.

 

As she unbuttoned my shirt, her hands ran down my chest so softly, it gave me goosebumps.  I had to have her closer.

 

Soon my jacket dropped to the floor and she was lifting the tee-shirt over my head but didn’t pull it all the way off.  My arms were trapped above my head as she kissed down my chest.  The next thing I felt was her mouth gently nibbling on my nipple.

 

Vala began to rub Daniel’s chest as she listened, paying close attention to his nipples.  He moaned as her soft fingers toyed with the sensitive area.

 

“Vala…,” he whispered, “you keep that up, and I won’t be able to read.”

 

“Oh… sorry,” she purred.  “Go ahead.”

 

I was truly enjoying what was happening even though I thought I was dreaming for sure.

 

“Are you going to tell me who it is yet?”

 

“No.  Not yet.  Now shush,” he smiled at her whine, then continued.

 

The teasing was driving me mad.  I couldn’t help but whimper at the wonderful sensations.  She let her hand roam down to my belt and began to undo it.

 

I shifted in my seat, trying to adjust um… my shaft, as it throbbed in need.  Then this beautiful woman slid her hand into my pants and wrapped her long, gentle fingers around my…

 

As Daniel was reading it, Vala was following his words with her hand.  She slipped a hand inside his sweatpants and began to slowly rub his hardening member.  She smiled when he stopped reading to groan.  Encouraged when he didn’t try to stop her, she stroked harder, making him moan in pleasure, as the book dropped to the floor.

 

“Vala… oh, god!”

 

She was enjoying making him forget everything that had happened to him the last several weeks.

 

In a low, sexy voice, she whispered, “Let me make you feel good.”

 

He nodded his head and moaned again.  Typically he would make her stop, but this time, he just closed his eyes and fell into the moment.  And she was good.  She smelled good.  She felt good.  And goddamn, she knew exactly how to make him lose his mind.  Vala snuggled closer as she rubbed progressively harder.  He was close to exploding in pleasure.

 

“Daniel,” Vala whispered as she continued to pull on his dick, “who’s the woman in your story?”

 

Just as completion sent him flying over the edge, he pulled her closer.  “Vala!” he cried out, panting for breath.  “Oh, god, Vala… it’s you, you’re the woman in my story.”

 

She looked up into his eyes, searching for the truth.  He ran his hand through her hair pulling her down to devour her lips.  He wanted her to know just how she made him feel.  The way she consumed his nightly dreams and distracted his work during the day.  He tried to put all of his love for her into that kiss.  Vala pulled away, breathless.  She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled.

 

“Wow!  You haven’t kissed me like that since the Prometheus.”

 

He smirked at her. “The story is a dream I’ve been having for some time now.”

 

“You dream of me?  Daniel… why haven’t you ever told me?”

 

Daniel shrugged he shoulders and muttered, “I… I really don’t know.  Afraid, I guess.”

 

Vala got up to get a moist towel.  She returned and began to clean him up from her ministrations.

 

“Afraid of what, Moswen?”

 

Daniel stayed quiet for some time, just watching her as she wiped the warm towel over his stomach.  When she finished, he took her hand in his.

 

“That you’re just playin’ around.  Afraid you’ll break my heart.  I don’t think I could handle another broken heart,” he whispered, tracing Vala’s jaw line with his finger.  “Will you?  Break my heart?”

 

“I’ll never do that, my Daniel.  I would die before I’d hurt you.”

 

His gaze dropped when she said that.  With a voice so soft, she almost couldn’t hear him, “I’m afraid of that happening, too.”

 

“I’m sorry, Daniel.  I didn’t mean…”

 

“I know, Vala.  And I understand that the job we have… or rather, you have, is dangerous.”

 

Seeing the tear slide down the side of his face, Vala leaned in and kissed him softly.

 

“I’m not going out with SG-1 any longer, Daniel.  I’m staying right here with you… with whatever you decide to do.  I… Love… You!”

 

Vala looked at him with nothing but honest to god love on her face.

 

“You better not be messin’ with me.”  Daniel beamed up at her, “I love you, too.”