Title: The Daniel/Vala Thing

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Characters all belong to MGM etc and not to me!

Summary: A little oneshot set immediately after Momento Mori. Cameron wants to put Daniel's mind at ease about recent events.

A/N- my first fic for many years so please be gentle. Unbeta'ed- didn't seem worth bothering someone for such a quickie! So all mistakes and misuse of commas are my own.

Daniel let out a heavy sigh as he headed towards his office. He was exhausted but relieved that it was finally all over. They'd found her. She was safe. She was home.

It had been a long few weeks, longer than most in his life. The guilt that she'd been taken while out with him had been weighing heavier with each day, alongside the desperation and the just not knowing. They'd got lucky this time. If Vala had wanted to make herself disappear she could have easily done so and Daniel would have never seen her again. He shuddered.

Reaching his office he was just opening his door when he heard a shout.

"Hey Jackson, you gotta minute?"

Daniel bit down on his annoyance and turned to see Mitchell jogging up to him.

"Sure," he lied.

In reality all he wanted to do was file his report and then sleep for days. He hadn't got much sleep lately and it was finally catching up with him. Daniel invited his friend into his office and collapsed into his desk chair.

"How's the princess?" Cam asked leaning his hip against Daniel's desk.

"She's doing ok," at least he hoped she was. He wouldn't be surprised if she had some nightmares surface over the next few nights- he'd be there though if any did. "Great rescue by the way."

"Actually," Cameron pulled a face. "That's kinda the reason I'm here…"

"Oh?" Daniel didn't like it when the Colonel fidgeted. It meant he was uncomfortable and without knowing it he did an uncanny impression of Jack. Usually that meant they were about to say something he wouldn't like.

"I uh, I just wanted you to know…nothing happened."

Daniel blinked.

"When?"

"You know…at the motel." Mitchell prompted.

Daniel still looked confused to which Cameron rolled his eyes, letting out a frustrated growl.

"Me. Her. Handcuffs. Big bed….nothing happened."

"Oh."

Daniel couldn't decide if he was more disturbed by the memory those words evoked or by the fact the other man thought it *would* disturb him. Had thought it would disturb him so much that he had actually felt the need to come and seek him out. Hmm.

"Look, I know you and Vala have this whole…." Cam took a moment to find the right word, very conscious of the death glare the archaeologist was throwing his way, "…thing." He finished lamely.

"'Thing'?" Daniel challenged.

"Yeah 'thing'," he agreed. "And I just wanted to make sure you knew that nothing happened to get in the way of that…'thing'."

"Mitchell," Daniel took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose hard, fighting off the approaching headache. "Me and Vala don't have a 'thing' and it really doesn't bother me why you were pantless and handcuffed to the only bed in the place."

"Rrrrrright," he didn't sound convinced. "If you say so Jackson, but I saw the look you gave me."

"And what look would that be exactly?"

"When you all burst into the motel room. You all gave me weird looks because, well admittedly, you probably didn't expect to walk in on that. But while Teal'c and Sam's looked amused…you certainly didn't. Hell it was even worse than the look you're giving me right now."

"I didn't-"

"Ah!" The Colonel pushed himself up from where he was propped. "My Grandmaw warned me never to interfere with this sorta thing. I'm not here to be an agony aunt and whatever does go on between you and her just….just keep it between you and her. I never wanna hear the details you hear? Never."

Daniel still looked confused and wasn't sure how to respond. If he protested and pointed out there were no details to share it'd probably start Mitchell off again and he was far too tired for that.

"Ok." He hoped by those simple words he hadn't admitted to him harbouring any hope that there may be details to share one day. Maybe even one day soon.

"Good, 'cause that would probably scar me for life." Cameron, thankfully, didn't make anything of his admission. In fact he stood up and clapped his hands together, "Right, I should probably head off and…" he gestured in the air with his hands, "leave you to your…your 'thing.'"

Daniel let out a defeated sigh and watched the other man leave his office. With a rueful grin he leaned back in his chair and thought over the conversation. Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow he'd talk to Vala and finally see where this 'thing' between them could go.

The End