A Certain Kind of Sunday

Spacegypsy1

A week long courtship – D/V

Chapter One: Monday –Cheyenne Mountain

Monday's child is fair of face

Ever since Bill Lee had invited Vala to share his office, setting up a computer, a file drawer, an in-and-out basket and a container of brightly colored pens, it had been easy to track her down. No way in hell was he going to admit to anyone that he missed having her pester him all day. She still showed up late evenings, two steaming coffees in hand, and curled up in a chair to watch him work. At least he still had that.

Hands deep in his pockets and still musing on his propensity to fill up his head with 'why', he wandered towards Dr. Lee's office. Why did he wish she'd just come park herself in his office to work? Why was he so glad to see her when she did stop by? Why was he missing her?

He stepped in the doorway with his usual, "Hey."

She smiled up with her usual, "Hello."

Then as usual, Bill asked the same everyday question. "Hey, Daniel, you need something?" And he returned to whatever he was doing without further comment.

As was their habit over the last few weeks the couple stared at each other in silence doing the battle of who's going to give in first. It was Daniel today. "How 'bout lunch?"

Before Vala could respond, Bill answered. "No thanks, Vala brought me some donuts earlier."

Noting the half eaten treat on Vala's desk, along with two empty Jello cups, Daniel nodded.

Her head was tilted towards him, and she smiled apologetically before turning back to the computer. "How was your meeting? You know, Daniel, you look very dashing in your suit and tie." One finger remained on her mouse and she tapped it nervously, bit her lip, and stared at the screen.

"Can't figure out which color shoes to buy?" He remained just inside the doorway.

Flicking her eyes accusingly at him, Vala grabbed the edge of the screen and yanked it, turning it towards him. The schematics of Bill's latest bizarre project filled the screen. Lifting her chin, she glared.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I better go change. See you later."

Turning back to the project she clicked the maximize button to bring the eBay Shoe Store back up. Vala laughed lightly as she clicked on the red pair, moved it to her basket, and saved it for later.

xxxxxx

"Hello."

"Hey."

Carefully placing both cups of coffee so as not to leave rings on his papers, Vala took her chair beside Daniel's desk. Pulling her legs up she wrapped her arms around her knees and placed her chin in the cleft. "I'm stumped."

"Mmm." He continued to read.

"I have no idea how to tell Bill that…well, that I don't understand the difference between a magnetic field and an electric field from looking at his data. They're very similar and he didn't seem to comprehend my need for color coding. What do you think?"

Her sight locked on his profile, she waited but he continued to read, his eyes squinting and mouth puckered in consternation. She sighed, picked up her coffee, took a sip and placed it every so carefully back in the same spot. She wondered what had him so intrigued but dare not ask - not wanting an hour long dissertation.

Still not a word. Not even a look in her direction. She may as well have been a part of the chair upholstery. Lifting his cup, she held it out. "Daniel?"

The smell of fresh coffee finally permeated his brain. Without looking, his hand grasped the cup. "Thanks." He interjected between sips.

"You're welcome. I was thinking that if blue was magnetic and gray was electric, then I could figure out how to get blue to cross gray and make a connection. You know, blend. It seems that blue, although being quite the magnet, is reluctant to cross over to gray. And gray seems to be losing some of its electricity, sort of fizzling out, one might say. You see, gray had moved out of the immediate vicinity of blue, though blue still managed to wander in from time to time. And gray, well you know how those bolts tend to spike out on their own, and so, gray appears to drift towards blue every evening, while blue remains unaffected."

"Oh. Ahm, ask Sam." Cup still in hand, Daniel continued his studies.

"Yes, well, that's been done - as Jack would say – to death. You're the only one who can help." She picked up her cup and ambled out.

When the quiet settled, he suddenly looked up to the empty room. "What?" Magnet and electricity? Blue and Gray? "Vala?"

He looked at his watch; it was barely ten, and she was already gone. Why the hell didn't he pay more attention to what she was saying? Grabbing his coffee he dashed out after her.

xxxxxx

The lights were out in Dr. Lee's lab, and Daniel stood in the empty, quiet hall pondering his next move. Sam's lab, the commissary or the gym? He turned towards the elevators – it was Monday, and there was always left over chocolate cake on Monday – he could use a bite himself since he hadn't eaten lunch or dinner.

"Hey, Jackson, you still here?"

"Hey, Mitchell. Yep. You?"

"Listen, I need to run some things by you, can you come by my office?"

"Sure, let me grab a bite, I'm starving."

"Yeah, okay, let's just talk up there."

Forty-five minutes later, no Vala, his stomach full and head aching from trying to keep up with Mitchell's rambling, Daniel headed for his quarters. Alone in the elevator it suddenly came to him what Vala was rambling about earlier. Blue and Gray. Very clever, his girl.

As he exited the elevator he wondered where in the world that thought had come from. Rounding the corner, he spotted her, dressed in gym clothes and repeatedly swiping the card for her door.

When he came up behind her, she took a quick look over her shoulder before returning to her swiping.

"What's wrong?" He moved and leaned against the wall beside her. Her face was still glowing with the sheen of sweat. Radiant, smooth and lovely.

"I don't know, it won't open." Continuing to swipe the card, she tried to ignore him.

He couldn't help but watch her bite at her lip with concentration. Sometimes, she could be so cute. After five more attempts, the cuteness wore off. Daniel sighed in frustration. "Let me try."

"Oh, well, Daniel, you have some type of special powers?"

"I'm very magnetic."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Methodically, she ran the key card through the slot.

"Vala, give me the card."

"It's not me, Daniel, it's the card. It doesn't matter who has it. It doesn't work!"

"Then why do you keep swiping it? I'll find Siler and get it fixed." His jaw clenched in annoyance.

Dropping her gym bag on the floor, she huffed, "At this hour? He's not like you, he actually goes home."

"Why are you being so snippy?"

"Because I'm tired and my door won't open!" She jabbed the card into his chest.

He swiped the card. Then swiped it again and again.

"For heaven sakes, Daniel, it doesn't work; why don't you just stop?"

"Look, I'll go find a technician; you can wait in my room." Crossing the hall, he pulled his card out. "You can sleep in there; I'll get someone to open your door and I'll sleep in your room."

As weary as she was, the thought of sleeping on his pillow brightened her mood. She wasn't about to remind him he could get a guard with a pass card to open the door instead of some repairman to fix it. Leaning against the wall she watched him run the card down the slot. Nothing happened.

He tried again. And again.

She was grinning.

"Something's wrong."

"No, really? We'll have to find one of the guards."

With a nod he headed out beside her down the corridor. Just around the first corner, they spotted an SF who followed them back and repeatedly tried to open the door.

"Sorry, sir, it won't open. I'll go find a technician."

Vala slid down the wall on one side of the door, and Daniel did the same on the other side. They turned towards one another; Vala smiled tiredly and Daniel shrugged.

"Hey, I'm sorry I ignored you earlier. So, what were you saying? Something about blue and gray." He yawned.

Turning her head away, she leaned back and closed her eyes. "Nothing, just Bill's project, but I figured it out."

"Oh. Right. But we can talk about it if you want to. I mean, I'd be glad to help."

"No. No. It's alright. Really. I told you I figured it out. You know, after talking about it…like people say…when you talk about a problem, you usually figure it out. So I did. Figure it out."

He was watching her as she pulled at the threads of her pants. "So. Did you get some of the chocolate cake tonight?"

Rolling her head in his direction she found that he was staring straight ahead. "No, I went to the gym instead. You?"

"Nope. I ate late, and Mitchell gave me a headache." He turned towards her with a grin, but she was still picking at threads.

"Vala?"

"Hmm?"

"You want to have dinner with me sometime this week?" He watched her intently, feeling a bit nervous.

Her eyes lifted from her clothing inspection and settled on him. "Yes. That would be nice, Daniel."

"Okay. Let's see, we have a mission tomorrow, so how about Wednesday night?"

"Mmm, Wednesday is good."

She went back to picking at threads, and he went back to staring ahead.

The only sound in the corridor was their breathing.

Odd, she didn't make a big deal out of a date.

Well, he certainly isn't asking me on a date.

Maybe she thinks I meant two co-workers going out to dinner.

I'm sure he meant two co-workers going out to dinner. But it could be a date.

It's a date Vala, I'm asking you on a date, and you're just sitting there plucking away at your clothes.

What if he meant on a date? What if he's actually asking me out? Like in the movies? Was it a date or a co-worker thingie? Damn it, Daniel, be more specific!

"We'll go someplace nice. You can dress up. I'll wear the suit. You know, for our date." See that wasn't so hard.

She was grinning wide and toothy. "Date?"

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"You'll pick me up at my door?"

"If you want."

"Yes, Daniel, I'd love it! What time?" She was scooting in his direction, eyes bright and grin expanding.

" 'Bout sevenish?" Smiling in return he'd just made a move in her direction when he heard the footsteps. "Ah, our rescuers." Daniel hopped up, offered his hand and pulled Vala up in front of him. Their bodies swayed towards each other. His hand landed on her cheek, thumb rubbing her soft skin.

She leaned into the warmth, but he pulled away just as the SF arrived with the technician.

Taking up positions on either side of the door, the two watched the tech work on the card reader. The SF stood quietly, eyes straight ahead on the tech. Daniel and Vala intermittently stole glances across the door, neither finding the other looking in their direction.