Chapter Two

05 August 2008 — Planet Designation: P20-993 — 11:25 hours

 

Vala woke up with a start when Daniel screamed out in pain.  She jumped up to go over to him when she saw that the cavern was filled with SGC engineers.  They had shored up the roof with a series of metallic pillars.  The entrance to the cave was open and people were filing in and out with tools or buckets of dirt.  She looked over at her friend.  Most of the dirt was off him and they were working on removing the boulder pressing down on the archeologist.  Vala rushed to his side when she heard him whimper.

 

“Daniel, darling— sweetie, it’s going to be okay.  Be strong, darling, it’s alright, we’re going to get you home soon,” she could hardly speak.  Rubbing his head gently, she continued to whisper to him encouragingly.

 

Dr. Lam kept a close eye on his vitals.  She knew that Daniel was in a great deal of pain, but she could not give him any more medicine.  She needed him to be somewhat alert to keep track of how he was doing as the boulder was removed.

 

When the engineers were ready to lift the rock off of him, Dr. Lam instructed Teal’c to quickly and carefully pull him straight out from under it.

 

“Daniel,” the C.M.O. spoke quietly to him, “this is going to hurt— a lot, but I need you out from under this thing and into surgery.  I have a makeshift operating tent set up outside to get you stabilized enough to travel back home,” she paused to see if everyone was in place, “Are you ready, Daniel?”

 

A curt nod was all she received.  Standing up and pulling Vala aside, Dr. Lam motioned for the workers to lift the rock.  With the sound of straining ropes and a generator grinding away, the boulder moved slowly up.  As soon as Teal’c could see Daniel’s boots, he took a hold of his tech vest and gently slid the archeologist out from under his entrapment.

 

The scream of pain would ring in everyone’s ears for days.  Luckily for him, Daniel passed out as soon as he was pulled free.  Even the great leader of the free Jaffa nation looked close to tears, as he helped to ready his friend for transport.  There was a backboard swiftly strapped to Daniel as well as a neck brace.  Upon making sure he was still breathing, the medics lifted him up and rushed him to the surgical tent, with Dr. Lam close behind.

 

Grabbing her teammates backpacks, Colonel Carter guided Vala out of the cave behind stretcher when the mud-covered woman started to hyperventilate.  One of the field nurses gave her a shot of Valium and told her she should rest.  Seeing a large purple bruise on the side of her head, the nurse handed Vala, an ice pack.

 

A rumbling and dirt began to fall from the cave’s roof.  Alarmed, one of the engineers ordered everyone to drop what they were doing and get out, the place was no longer safe.  In the scramble to leave, a lot of the equipment was left behind and the box containing the healing device was kicked into a corner.  With a sudden tremor and a sound like agonizing death, the cave finally collapsed.  Luckily, all of the personal made it out in time.

 

Taking stock of what had been removed from the cave, Sam turned back just as the entrance disappeared, a look of horror on her face.

 

“Shit, Cam, the box with the healing device is still inside.”

 

“So?”

 

“So… it’s the only one we have!”

 

“Well, like my momma always said; No sense in cryin’ over spilled milk.  Let’s just hope we won’t need it again— soon.”

 

***

 

05 August 2008 — Planet Designation: P20-993 — 14:35 hours

 

Even with the valium, Vala was in a towering temper for the loss of the healing device.  She could have used it to help Dr. Lam with Daniel.  She was full of nervous energy, and couldn’t sit still longer than two minutes.  Cam had tried to get her to go home with the engineering team, but she refused to leave her teammates.

 

As the hours went by both of the colonels sat flicking cards at a tin coffee can in agitated boredom.  Vala had finally fallen asleep after awhile.  The two soldiers were surprised when a jeep pulled up to their camp.  This was not the first time that ATV’s and Jeeps had been brought through the Stargate to another planet— but typically, it only happened on worlds that were already explored.  Such change of protocol went to show how important Dr. Daniel Jackson was to everyone.  They had lost him so many times in the past that, whenever he was in trouble, all the stops were pulled.

 

Another shock came when General O’Neill walked into view after getting out of the jeep.  Mitchell and Carter snapped to attention, but Vala, who awoke when she heard the motor, barely acknowledged his presence.

 

“At ease, campers.  Jeez, how many times do I have to tell ya that?” Jack snarked at his Colonels.

 

“Sorry, sir,” Carter said sheepishly, “force of habit.”

 

Giving her an annoyed nod, he said to Mitchell, “Any word yet?”

 

“No, sir.  It’s been about three hours.  A nurse came out and was asking around for blood donors.  Carter, Vala and I weren’t a match.  Not sure who they got.”

 

Jack started towards the tent without a backward glance.  Mitchell and Sam looked at each other for a second, then fell into step behind him.  When he reached the tent flap, he was stopped by a medic.

 

“Sorry, sir.  Dr. Lam says no one enters without her permission.”

 

“Could you see if she needs any more blood for Daniel?  We have the same type,” Jack informed the airman.

 

Nodding, the young soldier stepped inside and disappeared.

 

“I forgot you and Daniel were the same blood type, sir,” Carter said.

 

Jack shrugged, “Yeah, it comes in handy when your best friend is a walking catastrophe waiting to happen.”

 

The other officers silently nodded, waiting for the airman to return.  When he emerged, an exhausted looking Dr. Lam followed him.  The trio of friends surrounded her but didn’t dare ask any questions by the look on her face.

 

After an agonizing silence, Dr. Lam let out a long sigh and said, “He’s not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination.  In fact, he is barely stable—”

 

The mummers and gasps began and Carolyn held up her hand to quiet them. “In the morning we will be able to move him back to the SGC, right now I’ve put him into a medical coma so I can hopefully keep him alive for the trip.”  She sat heavily on a nearby crate and rested her head on her hands.

 

“Uhm…” a husky voice came from behind Sam.  Vala was wringing the warm ice pack in her hands and asked, “will he live?”

 

“I’m not positive, Vala.  I won’t lie to you.  Maybe if we could have gotten here sooner.  He’s lost a tremendous amount of blood—”

 

“Will he walk again?” Vala interrupted the doctor.

 

Carolyn Lam was quiet.  She didn’t even look at Vala.  In the dead silence, everything that had happened finally caught up with the former space pirate.  Cam moved quickly to catch her as she went to her knees.  Dr. Lam went to check her.  Vala tried to bat the doctor away irritably.

 

“Vala, you have concussion.  You really should go back to the SGC and get x-rayed.”

 

“Not without Daniel.  I won’t go anywhere without him!” she told the group heatedly.

 

And that was the end of that.

 

***

 

06 August 2008 — Planet Designation: P20-993 — 06:00 hours

 

The noise of hurried business stirred Vala Mal Duran awake.  When she opened her eyes to the bright morning sun, she noticed the flurry of activity.  Everywhere she looked soldiers were rushing around and packing up.  She panicked.  Vaulting off the crates she was laying on, she ran over to Colonel Mitchell.

 

“What’s happened?!” she nearly screamed in his face, “Where’s Daniel?”

 

Taking hold of her by the shoulders and shaking her slightly, Mitchell tried to calm her down.

 

“Vala! Chill!  We’re getting ready to move him back to the SGC.  That’s all.”

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, she quieted some.  Taking a moment to steady her breathing, she leaned on Cam, “Oh, thank the heavens.  He’s still alive then?”

 

Mitchell tensed, “Well…”

 

Vala looked up startled.

 

“He… he’s alive, but just barely,” upon seeing the fear on her face, he pulled her into a comforting hug.  “Ah, princess, he’ll pull through.  Most stubborn man I’ve ever met.”

 

“But it’s my fault he’s hurt,” she sobbed into his shoulder, finally reaching her breaking point. “I didn’t know the beam would break when I kicked it.  He saved my life by pushing me out of the way.”

 

Cam could hardly understand her by the end, but he got the gist.  “Princess, Jackson is always sticking his neck out for others.  And I’m sure he won’t blame you for a cave-in.  The place was dicey to begin with and he knew it.  That’s why he told us only two in at a time… just in case.”  Leaning back a little he wiped the tears off her face, smiling warmly at her, “What he will need most is for you to be strong for him.  Help him through this.  Okay?”

 

Sniffling, Vala lifted watery gray eyes to meet bright blue ones.  She nodded slightly and wiped her face with her sleeve, “I’ll try Cameron, but I don’t think he will let me.  Daniel doesn’t like having me around very much, in case you haven’t noticed.”

 

She turned to leave when Mitchell caught her hand.  He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Don’t be so sure about that, princess.  Locker room talk begs to differ with that assumption.”

 

Before she could interrogate him further, Cam turned and strode off to help with the evacuation.  Vala stood looking at him, completely dumbfounded.

 

Daniel has talked about me in the locker room?  With a slow growing smile, she turned to head off and find Dr. Lam to offer her assistance with Daniel’s move.

 

Mitchell saw her walk towards the med tent and noticed her usual Vala bounce was starting to come back.  He couldn’t help but grin.

 

Teal’c had heard what Mitchell told Vala.  He walked up behind his teammate and said, “Did you just break the unwritten code of honor by informing ValaMalDoran what is said amongst the men in the locker room?”

 

“Ah, Teal’c, my friend to see her even a little more lively, it was worth it.  Besides, Daniel really needs her now.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

***

 

06 August 2008 — Planet Designation: P20-993 — 11:50 hours

 

Just as the sun was reaching its zenith, two corpsmen placed the coffin-like capsule containing Daniel onto the back of the waiting jeep.  Dr. Lam and Vala got in with him to monitor his vitals during the trip back to the ‘gate.  General O’Neill insisted on driving and Cam called shotgun before Carter could.  She wasn’t too happy about that, however, when Teal’c came by on an ATV to give her a lift, she brightened slightly.  The team would go back together.  That’s what was important.

 

The drive back to the ‘gate was slow, with multiple stops along the way.  Halfway there, Daniel flat lined scaring everyone, but Dr. Lam pulled him back yet again.  She was growing concerned, though, and it showed on her tired face.

 

As they neared the ‘gate, Carter and Teal’c drove faster to get it open and request the med team Earthside to be ready for Daniel’s arrival.

 

“I don’t like the look of Dr. Lam’s face, it worries me,” Sam told Teal’c sadly.

 

“Have faith, Colonel Carter, I know that DanielJackson will pull through,” he spoke with utter assurance that Sam could not allow herself to feel.  “I believe that he has come to realize what his heart has wanted for many years, is now within his grasp,” Teal’c finished.

 

Sam looked at him with surprise, a slight smile played about her lips, “Teal’c?  Is there something you would like to share?”

 

He just gave her that infuriating Jaffa grin.

 

“Oh, come on Teal’c.  I need something happy to think about right now!  Spill!”

 

Just as he was about to say something, O’Neill’s voice crackle over their radios. “Fire it up, Kids!  Be there in five.”

 

Sam sighed and pointed a threatening finger at her teammate, “I’m not done with you yet, Mr. Silent Jaffa Warrior.”

 

Still grinning, he lifted an eyebrow and nodded his head to her.

 

***

 

06 August 2008 — Earth, SGC — 15:30 hours

 

The rush of activity in the ‘gate room was overwhelming.  Colonels Carter and Mitchell came through the ‘gate first to make sure everything was ready.  Cam then radioed O’Neill, telling him to come on through.

 

As soon as Jack and Teal’c stepped onto the ramp with Daniel’s stretcher between them, the medical staff was by their sides to help.  Dr. Lam and Vala were next, with Carolyn shouting out orders.

 

“Is O.R. 2 ready?  Andrews, check on Dr. Harris’s ETA!”

 

“He’s already here, Dr. Lam,” Andrews replied.  “I’ve got him up to speed and he’s waiting in the O.R.”

 

Dr. Lam smiled at the young man, “Remind me to bully General Landry into giving you a raise.” She then turned to the rest of her team and shouted, “Okay everyone, we have a man to save!  Let’s get on it!”

 

The medical crew rushed out of the ‘gate room with Daniel.  Sam caught hold of Vala and held her back.

 

“Let them do their job, Vala.  You need to get checked out and rest.”

 

“But—” Vala began to protest.

 

Sam kept hold of her arm, “No buts, Vala.  You’ve been through a lot.  You need to rest.  Come on.”

 

She steered the reluctant woman to the infirmary and stayed with her.

 

***

 

06 August 2008 — Earth, SGC — 17:30 hours

 

It had been only two hours when Vala woke up.  She looked around and saw Sam asleep in a chair next to her.  As soon as she stirred, the Colonel was up and by her side.

 

“How are you feeling?” Sam asked quietly.

 

“Better.  Daniel?”

 

Sam looked down and sighed heavily, “I haven’t heard. He’s still in surgery.”

 

“That means he’s alive… Right?”

 

Sam thought about that, “Yeah, you have a point.”

 

Vala started to get out of bed when the other woman stopped her, “No, Vala.  You have a concussion.  You need to stay here for awhile.”

 

Shaking her head, Vala tried to push Carter off her, “I need to go to him, Samantha.”

 

“We must wait. Dr. Lam is doing her best.  She even called in a specialist.  I’m sure that Daniel is in good hands,” Sam’s voice sounded positive.

 

“But… but this could be— literally, the straw that broke the elephant’s back!” Vala said.

 

“That’s camel,  Vala.  And we don’t—”

 

“Even if his back isn’t beyond repair, he won’t be able to walk without some sort of aid most likely.”

 

Sam had to agree with that.  Taking Vala’s hand she said, “At least he could keep working here at the SGC.”

 

The women heard someone and turned to see Jack approaching.  Vala nearly jumped out of the bed to get to him.

 

“How is he?  Can I see him?  What’s going on?” she jumbled her questions together so fast that O’Neill could barely understand her.

 

“Hold on there, Vala,” Jack said kindly, “why don’t you sit down, okay?”

 

She was going to protest when Sam gently pulled her back over to the bed, “Come on, Vala.  Sit down.”

 

After she had got back on the bed with Sam next to her holding her hand again, Jack sat in the chair that Carter had been sleeping in.  He ran his fingers through his almost entirely white hair and let out a long, tired sigh.

 

“Daniel is in post-op now,” he began, “he’ll live.  His back wasn’t broken, but the spinal cord was pretty smashed.”  He let out another long sigh, “His… ahem— his legs, however, were a mess.  They did their best to pin them back together, but this specialist guy, ah… Dr. Harris is pretty sure he won’t be able to walk again.”

 

Vala slumped against Sam and said, “It’s all my fault…  If I hadn’t kicked that beam…”

 

Sam held her tight and stroked her hair, “Vala… it was an accident.”

 

“Why?  Why Daniel?” she asked.

 

Jack couldn’t help but smirk at that, “It’s always Daniel, Vala.  It’s as if the cosmos has placed a big kick me sign on his back.  With how that boy tries to see the best in everything and all the good he has done for the universe, ya’d think his karma would be better.”

 

“It should have been me!  Why did he save me?!”

 

“Because that’s what Daniel does.  No matter who it is, he will always put his own life on the line to make sure another life is saved,” Jack said in a quiet voice.  “Everyone on SG-1, hell the planet, at one time or another has been rescued by Daniel Jackson’s undying selflessness.”

 

Vala wasn’t used to showing anyone what she was feeling, but it was getting hard to hold back her emotions.  She looked at O’Neill and asked, “Can I go see him, please?”

 

“In a little while.  Dr. Lam told me she’d come and get you.”

 

Vala nodded, and took a corner of the sheet and began to wipe at her eyes.  She didn’t want to be seen with a tear streaked face.

 

Jack and Sam were called away to the briefing room, leaving Vala alone with her thoughts and worries.  An hour later, Dr. Lam came in to see her.

 

Vala sat up quickly, “Can I see him now?” she said with hope.

 

Dr. Lam gave her a tired smile, “Yes, you can, Vala.  But first let me prepare you for what you’ll see.”

 

Vala closed her eyes and braced herself for what was to come.

 

“I assume that General O’Neill told you about his back and legs.”

 

The raven-haired woman nodded.

 

Dr. Lam continued, “You were able to heal some of his head injuries, Vala.  You undoubtedly saved Daniel’s life.  His legs… his legs were severely crushed.  We tried to pin them back together, but the damage is just too great.  The possibility of his walking again is not realistic.”

 

Vala couldn’t help the gasp.  Carolyn patted her arm.  After a minute, the doctor gave her a tired smile and asked, “Want to go and see him now?”

 

She was off the bed and striding towards the door before Dr. Lam could blink.  Just before they reached Daniel’s room, Vala stopped and ducked into a bathroom.  “I’m not going to see Daniel looking like this,” she said to the doctor.

 

With a quick fix of the hair and washing her face, she left the bathroom looking very much like the confident con artist she once was.  Putting on a smile, she nodded to Carolyn and the two women entered the ISO room.

 

Vala almost lost her composure when she saw him.  Daniel was strapped to a striker frame and face down.  His face was sticking through a hole in the bed that enabled him to see and breathe.  The former pirate tried her best to remain in control of her emotions but was finding it hard to do.

 

She noticed that half of his face was bandaged and the other half was all shades of black and blue.  The one eye that wasn’t under white gauze was closed and she could hear his labored breathing.  There were so many machines humming and beeping around him, it made her want to cover her ears.  The tears were starting again.  She couldn’t help it, seeing him like this.  Vala slowly walked over and sat on the small stool next to him.  There was a mirror placed on the floor beneath Daniel’s face so he could see around him.

 

Sniffling a little, Vala cleared her throat.  “Daniel,” she said softly.

 

It took a few moments, but he began to stir.  With one eye covered and the other so swollen, he barely got it to open.  Trying to focus his vision, he groaned quietly.

 

“Daniel?” Vala said again.

 

Looking into the mirror, he saw her sitting next to him.  He tried to give her a smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

 

“Hey…” his voice was hoarse and gravelly.

 

Dr. Lam brought a cup of water with a straw, handing it to Vala.  Placing the straw in Daniel’s mouth, he drank greedily.  Vala pulled it away saying, “Not so fast, sweetheart, you’ll make yourself sick.”

 

He tried to nod but couldn’t.  She placed the straw back in his mouth and he sipped the water this time.  When he had enough, he pushed the straw out with his tongue.

 

“Thanks!” he murmured, “you seem to be doing this a lot for me lately.”

 

Vala nodded.  She wanted so badly just to throw her arms around him, but with all the wires, tubes and straps, there was no way she could.  The only part of him that she could reach was his hand.  Clasping it tightly, she began to rub her thumb across the back of it.

 

Daniel stared at her for a while.  He could sense her unease.  “How are you?  Are you hurt?”

 

Vala lost it and started to cry, “Oh, Daniel…”

 

“Don’t— don’t cry, Vala.  I’m alive.  If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be.  Dr. Lam told me that you used the healing device so I could be stable enough to be pulled out from under that rock.”

 

Vala wiped her face with her free hand and smiled at him, “It’s not that, darling.  I broke every one of my fingernails digging out of that cave.  Worrying about you is giving me a terrible headache!  With you laid-up, I won’t have anyone to rescue me when I get myself into trouble.  And I lost my favorite curling iron in the cave-in!  I’m seriously contemplating therapy.”

 

Daniel laughed softly though it hurt him to do so.  “That’s my Vala,” he said.

 

She was startled by his calling her his Vala.  A warm feeling grew in the pit of her stomach and again wished she could hug him.  But the thought that his predicament was her fault slammed into her mind again.

 

She whispered, “If it weren’t for me, Daniel, you wouldn’t be in this condition.”

 

“That’s not true, Vala.  The cave was unstable.  If anyone is at fault— it would be me.”

 

She shook her head and said in a slightly pissed voice, “Oh, Daniel, you are so full of shit.  Why do you always blame yourself for things?”

 

“Just used to it, I suppose,” he answered as his eye drifted closed.

 

“You sleep now, baby.  I’ll stay here with you.”

 

“Mmkay,” he muttered as he fell asleep.

 

Vala repositioned herself on the stool and laid her head against the frame of the bed.  Holding onto his hand just to make sure he was really there and alive, she quietly kept watch.