This is kind of a Daniels character-study/headcanon-fill that leads up to and includes the film. I hope I give her justice whilst writing her character.
It starts off Jacob/Daniels but moves into Walter/Daniels territory – not to worry! :)
I used certain scenes from the film and several deleted scenes – I hope that that's okay! Also, the ending is NOT canon-compliant at all because that ending was bullshit and I'm not accepting it. (DAMN YOU RIDLEY SCOTT)
Anywho, on with the fic!
She was eight when her mother walked out on her and her father.
That evening had begun with yet another fight between her father and mother – or, rather, her mother shouting whilst her father desperately tried to calm her down. She never could remember what started it, but she did remember her mother screaming that she "couldn't do it anymore", that she wasn't made to settle down – and she definitely remembered her father crying.
Daniels had always been close to her father, for as long as she could remember; he was a kind and caring man, and he always put her first before himself. It was the small things, really, like giving her more food than himself, and teaching her about his love of the slowly-dying nature on Earth. He liked to garden and grow things, especially plants and the like, and he even let her help out whenever she wanted – everything she knew about plants and food growth came from spending hours in his greenhouse with him.
Her mother was…a slightly different story. She couldn't recall a time where she'd ever felt especially close to her mother, though she certainly loved her as all children love their mothers.
The argument had ended with her mother screaming and storming away, packing a bag full of basic necessities before leaving and slamming the door behind her. Even then, Daniels knew that her mother wouldn't be coming back.
Her dad was trying to hide his tears when she approached him, even as she wrapped too-thin arms around him and told him it was okay to cry. He didn't want her to see him lose control of his emotions, of course, and he had composed himself before escorting her back to bed – it was late, after all, and she needed sleep for school the next morning.
Daniels could never be sure when her intense dislike of her mother started, to be honest, though it was certainly after this event; perhaps it had been upon overhearing that her mother had been "cheating" (on what, she didn't know at the time – later she would look back bitterly and feel angry), or even when it became clear that her father wasn't sure how to do everything by himself. He still loved her mother, she knew, though she couldn't for the life of her understand why – she hadn't loved him back.
She was ten when she firmly decided that she hated her mother – the mother who she hadn't seen in two years; her mother hadn't appeared to love her, after all, and so Daniels didn't see why she should waste her time loving her anyhow. If her mother had loved her, then she wouldn't have walked out on her daughter without a goodbye; a real loving mother would have wanted to see her every day and look after her, would have wanted to stay for her sake. So, no, Daniels decided, she did not love her mother.
After all, how could you love someone who was incapable of loving you back?
She met Jacob just days after finishing college whilst attempting to learn rock-climbing at a local boulder gym; he was a junior instructor there, working part-time for some extra cash, and he laughed good-naturedly when she struggled to get the hang of it at first. He was cute with nice eyes, and she'd found herself go more than a little red-faced when he'd taken her hand to show her where to go next.
Rock-climbing was okay – it was him she kept going back for.
He approached her after her sixth afternoon at the boulder gym just as she was leaving, looking somewhat sheepish as he asked her if she'd like to maybe get a drink at a nearby bar. They'd had fun, laughing and joking easily with each other the entire night – and, admittedly to her surprise, he'd been rather a gentleman by offering to call her a cab home. It was only when she got home that she realized he'd slipped her a piece of paper with his name and number on it.
Her friends would have advised waiting so as to not appear too eager – well, to hell with that, she decided. She called him the next day and asked if he'd like to hang out again sometime soon.
It was difficult to pinpoint when exactly they officially started going out, it just happened naturally; she fell in love with Jacob's smile, with his warm eyes, with his sense of humour. He was genuinely kind-hearted, eager to satisfy and please everyone he came across; he had a keen interest in nature and wildlife, in the simple things, and it was a love that she shared.
It was only a year later that he asked her to marry him – there was only ever the one answer for her because she knew that he was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
For the first few months of their marriage, they travelled and saw what was left of the world; they took pictures together, smiling and laughing, and they spent as much time outdoors as possible. It was a bittersweet trip in some ways, however, for it was increasingly obvious that Earth was a dying planet.
After their trip, they settled in New York, bleak though it now was; Daniels immediately took a job researching agricultural engineering, learning as much as she could about terraforming, while Jacob found work volunteering for several organisations, some of which paid better than others. Still, they managed to afford their small apartment and that was all they needed, really – neither of them were really ones for pomp or extravagance.
It was through her engineering work that she heard about Weyland-Yutani's plans for several new missions, including a colonization one. The company would be looking for crew to lead this particular mission, to pioneer the way on a new planet now that the Earth was dying.
Jacob had thought it was the perfect opportunity for them, of course, philanthropist that he was.
"Think about it, Danny, we can start a new life there… Somewhere better than this."
Daniels hesitated. "I…I don't know, Jake. I mean…Weyland-Yutani? And what if this new planet they're planning to send people to isn't better?"
"Danny…" He sighed, shaking his head. "It's gotta be better than this. There is no life here, it's just bleak and grey; the wildlife is all but gone, and it won't be long until all the nature is too. I mean, think about when we want to start a family – we can't start a family here."
They had argued about it quietly for a week and a half before Daniels finally came around – though she hated to admit it, he did make a rather apt point regarding the possibility of starting a family, and she knew that he wanted to do this badly. She loved him, and she'd do anything for him – even if that meant leaving her home planet and going on a mission into the depths of space, it seemed.
"We'll have to say goodbye to everyone," She reminded him, even as he pressed kisses against her face. "My dad won't be happy – he was hoping we'd give him some grandkids to spoil… You're sure about this?"
"Yeah," Jacob agreed, grinning at her; with his unshaved scruff on his face and wide eyes, he looked like an overjoyed puppy. "I've started making plans for our new home already. You wanna hear?"
She couldn't help but smile coyly as his hands drifted over her thighs. "Hmm… I could use some convincing."
His breath ghosted over her face as he chuckled, fingers playing with the waistband of the shorts she had worn to bed. "It's gonna be a cabin, hopefully near a lake. We'll build it out of real wood and everything, like real pioneers." One hand slowly ran up her side and to cup a breast through her vest top. "We can be near nature and, eventually, start a family."
"You're already planning out kids then," Daniels murmured, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh, yeah. We'll have a whole herd," Jacob declared, leaning in to nip at her earlobe. "You'd be the best mother ever, you know that?"
Memories of her own mother flickered through her mind, and she couldn't help but frown to herself. "I don't think so."
He stilled for a moment, seeming to realize just where her thoughts had gone. "You will be a great mother. I know you will. You'll teach them all about plants and biology, and they'll love you just like I love you."
She was being silly, she decided – Jacob knew her better than anyone, except for her father, and when he put it like that…
"Okay," Daniels said, voice no louder than a whisper as she smiled. "A herd…we're going to be busy."
"Definitely," He agreed, and his hands resumed touching her as he lowered his mouth over her throat. "I'm gonna draw up the designs in the morning, and then you can see it for yourself. Now, though," He said huskily, his fingers playing with the bottom of her top. "I think we need to practice if we're gonna have a herd of kids."
He was a selfless lover, always, focusing on her needs before his own and making sure she enjoyed herself – but tonight he was even more so, murmuring words of adoration and love into her skin as he embraced her tightly. Any preconceived worries or hesitations were driven quite cleanly from her mind.
"There's coffee."
Daniels murmured as familiar lips pressed small soft kisses to her cheek, back arching ever so slightly to press nearer to him. "Wha' time is it?"
She heard Jacob chuckle as he pulled away, clearly amused by her grogginess. "It's snowing," He announced, clambering over her body to get back to his side of the bed.
"Mm, my leg… You woke me up to tell me it's snowing?" She groaned before sitting up; he had left her mug of coffee on the table beside her, and she reached for it. She was very particular about coffee, and she preferred to make it herself – even Jacob couldn't master her way of making it – but she was so tired that it would do.
He merely grinned to himself, reaching for his datapad and bringing up the plans for a cabin – their cabin. "I moved the chimney from the southwest corner to the northwest corner," He informed her, and she took a sip of her coffee before putting the mug down and looking over her shoulder at him. "I think it's better." When Jacob turned his head, he saw her staring at him with a bemused expression, eyebrows raised; his grin only got wider at her look. "It's gonna be our home."
She smiled then, and when she spoke her voice was soft. "I love you." As she clambered out from beneath the covers, she tried (and failed) to hide her yawn and padded over to the window whilst her husband returned to his datapad. "You are the most indecisive man I have ever met."
"Oh yeah?"
"Mmm-hmm."
True to his word, it was snowing outside; she could see pedestrians in the street attempting to slog their way through the streets, not talking or looking up at the people they passed. It was a gloom that was mirrored by the surrounding structures – a permanent gloom all over Earth now.
"Chimneys are important," Jacob muttered, interrupting her thoughts.
Daniels just smiled as she looked over her shoulder at him, unable to help herself. "Yeah."
He gazed at her for a second, clearly thinking to himself before speaking. "…Think it's better the other way?"
She gave a small laugh, turning back to gaze out of the window again; she could have interrupted him, could have offered an opinion – he would have welcomed it, in fact – but this was his dream, and she didn't want to break it.
He was in love with his cabin…and she was in love with him.
Going into cryosleep had been a rather relaxed process; Walter had made sure that all of the crew were comfortable as he settled them into their pods, his voice soothing and gentle before they fell into sleep. She'd gone into her pod at the same time Jacob had gone into his, winking and kissing him goodbye.
Waking up wasn't quite the same.
Daniels found herself jerked awake and being thrown about inside her sleep-pod; awareness dawned on her just as a fresh jolt sent her flying upwards to slam into the curved glass of the pod. When she dropped back down, she realized that her nose was bleeding and she briefly wondered if she'd suffered a concussion of some kind. Outside of her pod, red lights were blaring and she could hear people's voices as they started to wake up – the other crew, no doubt.
Fingers were suddenly tapping on the glass, and her eyes swivelled to see who was doing it; her mind briefly recognized this person as being Oram. "Daniels, Daniels…look at me, look at me!" His voice was surprisingly calm, still no-nonsense. "I need you to get up, okay? We're coming out early."
Coming out early?
Something was not right.
The lid of the pod opened and she found herself looking at Tennessee; he looked rather like a large bear, even in his white sleepsuit. He and Oram carefully helped her out of her pod, gently coaxing her as she gave a soft sleepy moan.
"Easy, darlin'," She heard Tennessee say gently, barely audible over the sirens. "Come on, stand for me-"
"CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!"
And just like that, she was fully awake; Daniels yanked off the head of her sleepsuit, immediately looking over to the pod beside her own – Jacob's. Two fellow crew members were attempting to open the pod and wake him, but she could see that he was still deep in hypersleep.
"Jake…Jake!"
Oram was suddenly pushing her back, Tennessee pulling her away from the pod. "Daniels, let them work!"
"Jake!"
"Let them work, okay? Just let them work!"
Ankor was attempting to open it, to no avail; smoke was starting to swirl inside the pod – and she knew what that meant.
"GET IT OPEN!" She yelled desperately. "GET IT OPEN NOW!"
With that, she pulled away from Tennessee and Oram, and flung herself on top of the sleep pod; his inert form was lying inside, barely stirring even as smoke swirled a smoky red.
"Jake…Jake…"
Inside the pod, an explosion – vapor turned into fire, and it spread quickly, as though catching onto a pile of lint. Everything caught flame: tubing, wires, bedding…and Jacob.
"NO!"
Daniels screamed and clawed and kicked, even as Tennessee struggled to haul her away from the pod; Oram quickly came to help him, looking horrified as he looked over his shoulder. The pod still would not open, even with Ankor and Cole still attempting to unseal it.
Her screams turned into sobs, and she stopped clawing in favour of collapsing against Tennessee's side; she could feel his arms around her, trying to offer some comfort but failing.
Jake…Jake…
All of his belongings – clothes, photographs, knick knacks – were still in their quarters. Perhaps it was too early to sort through his things but she didn't think she could bear to look at them lying around anymore.
He had kept photographs from their dates, from their wedding, from their travels; the beaming couple in the photograph made her chest clench painfully, and she had to force herself not to cry at the sight. He'd kept drawings of his dream cabin, photographs to inspire him, watches passed on from relatives. She sniffled and steeled herself for the task ahead – she had to do this.
His clothes still smelt like him; she couldn't bear to get rid of those, not yet. She could wear his clothes around the ship until she went back into hypersleep – he wouldn't have minded. He had always liked seeing her in his clothes. She set them all on the bed with his other things, lingering over a standard issue t-shirt he had been given with the Covenant logo before moving back to the smaller things.
She found a nail – such a small, non-descript thing, but it had meant something to Jacob. The first nail in a home, perhaps, to build their new cabin. She had never been one for wearing jewellery – her mother had done so, and she had no desires to be at all like her mother – but this was different; she found a piece of string and carefully looped it around the nail before knotting it. She knotted the two ends of the string together before lifting it over her head; it hang around her neck loosely, long enough to be hidden underneath her clothes from the rest of the crew.
The next item Daniels came across was his datapad; when she lifted it, she realized that the last thing he had viewed was a video he had recorded for her. They'd been mountain-climbing, and he'd gone ahead of her – he'd recorded this for her, though, to hurry her up perhaps. The sight of his face nearly broke her, and it took all of her effort not to cry; instead, her bottom lip shook dangerously as she lifted her finger and pressed the play button.
Immediately, Jacob's grin greeted her. "Hey! Where are you? I miss you!" A small, sad smile pulled the corners of her mouth upwards as she watched. "Would you take a look at this?! I know, I know, I said I wouldn't go without you-" Behind him, his climbing partner slipped; video-Jacob briefly looked over his shoulder as Daniels gave a watery laugh. "You alright?... Look at that!" He shouted through the screen, turning back. "Now get your ass up here or I can't make any promises!... I love you!"
Despite it all, Daniels couldn't keep herself from laughing even after the video finished; this laughing soon became crying, and crying became sobbing.
A pinging bell-like sound rang through her quarters; not looking up from the blueprint on the table, she murmured an "Enter" but didn't look to see who had come to visit. The door opened behind her, and there was a brief moment of silence – and then footsteps. Careful, non-threatening and slow footsteps. Only one being on the ship had a gait like that.
Walter tilted his head politely at her as he stepped closer. "Good evening. Am I interrupting?"
So polite, she thought to herself. "No, come in." And them, as an afterthought: "It's good to see you."
He stepped in further, looking around the kitchenette area briefly and then back at her; she noticed that something was clutched in his hand. "I brought you something," He offered, holding up a small box and then placing it on the table in front of her.
Somewhat intrigued, Daniels reached for it and then opened it: three perfectly formed 4Cs – as people years ago called it, joints.
"The atmospheric conditions in the garden are ideal for cannabis growth," Walter informed her seriously.
She couldn't help herself from smiling, though it felt slightly forced; she wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten the idea that cannabis growth would help her overcome her grief, but it was the thought that counted. "You think of everything."
"It's just my programming."
Perhaps it was, but she found herself shaking her head. "No, it's not."
"…Wasn't my idea. Jake had this dream of us building a cabin on a new world…like pioneers…cabin on a lake. There's a lake in the terraforming zone on Origae-6… I mean a real cabin made of real wood. So, in the ship's stores there's enough to build a cabin…axes and saws and metal nails, which I don't have a clue what to do with. All of this, to start our new life – now I wonder why I bother."
His eyes seemed almost-sympathetic, voice gentle. "Because you promised to build a log cabin on a lake."
She couldn't stop her tears this time.
She had just finished wrapping his body in a shroud when Walter arrived, looking at her with something close to curiosity. "Would you like me to say something? I am programmed with multiple funerary services in a variety of denominations."
"No, thanks," Daniels mumbled, standing and moving into the disposal bay – away from where her husband would be shot into space.
Walter tilted his head now, as if confused. "If you don't need a funeral service, may I ask why you wanted me to accompany you?"
She looked over at him, grimacing as she attempted to smile but failed. "The crew is made up of couples; that was the whole…point." She swallowed. "I thought you might know something about being alone."
He seemed to digest this, appearing touched almost; as he processed this, two people clambered down the ladder towards them – Tennessee and Faris.
Immediately Faris put an arm around her, speaking softly. "Hey, darlin'."
"Thanks for coming."
"Of course."
Tennessee lifted up the bottle of whiskey he had brought with him, cups in his other hand. "This was his favourite. A man of taste…straight up: no ice, no water, no chaser-"
"No shit," Everyone but Walter said together fondly.
Tennessee poured both women and himself cups of whiskey before turning to the synthetic and raising another glass. "Walter?"
He gave a nod, taking the cup. "When in Rome."
They toasted to their captain – "and to all the good people gone too soon", Tennessee added – before drinking in unison. Daniels took a deep breath, looking around at her companions before nodding to herself; she looked at the monitor, at where the shrouded body of Jacob lay, one last time before pulling the lever below the screen. His body shot out into space, to float into the abyss, into a nothingness of space.
As she watched it go, it felt like all of her hopes and dreams went with it.
"…TENNESSEE, COME IN FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"
Walter moved quickly. "Daniels!"
But she didn't hear him, too intent on trying to make contact with the Covenant – too intent to notice the white thing tearing through the grass towards her.
"Daniels! Behind you!"
She whirled around just as the creature burst out of the grass towards her; just before it could hit her, however, another body lurched in-between it and Daniels – Walter. It advanced on them, tail whipping through the air, and then sprang forwards to attack; Walter raised his left arm in self-defence to protect both himself and Daniels. Powerful, ragged teeth ripped through his uniform and synthetic skin, clamping down over his wrist and biting cleanly through. White fluid sprayed from the wound, and it suddenly released Walters arm; before he could react, the creature had whipped around and smacked the synthetic so that he went flying across the field.
His hand was completely gone, but that didn't matter to him – not if it meant Daniels was safe.
"If memory serves, this…David, was a prototype: Peter Weyland's first creation, presumed lost with the crew of the Prometheus. I am but a copy – many others exactly as I am."
No they're not, Daniels thought to herself, though she didn't voice it; he's…Walter. He's our Walter. There's none like him.
Instead, she said, "What's it like meeting a distant relative?"
Walter seemed to consider this. "It's like meeting a distant you."
Silence followed; she looked down at the small fire she had made and back at him. "I never thanked you…for saving my life."
He said nothing, instead pulling out a small lighter from one of his pockets – to help her with the fire, she realized. "I'm here to serve."
They were silent again as she used the lighter to increase the size of her fire, blowing it to get it going before settling back and sighing.
"There's so much here that doesn't make sense," Daniels said finally, casting a look at the synthetic.
He stood slowly, watching her face. "I'll talk to him," He informed her. "Brother to brother."
"…she put me back together. I never knew such kindness – certainly not from Mr Weyland, or from any human."
Daniels was kind – kinder than most humans, Walter would say. She always treated him like he was a human member of the crew, and not a robot.
"I loved her, of course…" David paused. "Much as you love Daniels."
Walter hesitated before responding. "You know that's not possible."
"Really? Then why did you sacrifice your hand for her life? What is that if not love?"
Again, he had to hesitate before answering. "Duty." It was the truth – he was incapable of lying.
But David merely smiled knowingly as he stood, almost pityingly. "I know better."
"Shaw didn't die in the crash."
"…No."
"What did you do to her?!"
David tilted his head, appearing to study her before answering. "Exactly what I'm going to do to you."
Fear made her rush forwards in an attempt to run past him – but he was too quick; his hand gripped her coat, pulling her back before he lifted her up and slammed her against the wall. Her entire body throbbed as she fell to the floor, but he wasn't finished; he lifted her up easily again, pushing her against the wall.
Thinking quickly, Daniels reached for the nail around her neck – and slammed it into the underside of his chin.
David titled his head as white fluid dripped from the wound, eyes fixed on her - and then a nasty smirk appeared on his face. "That's the spirit!"
Effortlessly, the synthetic whirled her around and slammed her down onto the table that once held his drawings; he was already settling on top of her before she could fight back, his body a solid weight pinning her down as she struggled.
"Shh…" His hand came to cup her cheek, and she felt ill – Jacob had liked to do that all the time, just a little thing. David smiled again. "I can see why Walter thought so much of you."
Daniels didn't miss his use of the past tense, and her heart caught in her chest; she struggled again, to no avail, and gave a strangled cry. He…oh God… Her vision started to blur at the thought.
"Alas, he's left this vale of tears," David continued, shaking his head as he continued to stroke her hair; she gave another weak cry for help as he leaned down, and she knew what he wanted to do. She tried to lift her hand, to push him away, but he was ahead of her; he gripped her hand tightly in his own, forcing it away from his face as he lowered himself over her.
He kissed her. It was savage, brutal, awkward. Vomit rose in her throat.
As he pulled back, his expression was thoughtful. "Is that how it's done?"
Suddenly he was being pulled off of her, flying through the air and slamming against the wall that she herself had been slammed against. As he struggled to get up, Daniels could have cried when she realized that it was Walter who had saved her – again.
"Get out," He ordered her hurriedly, helping her off the table.
She wasted no time in heading for the exit, turning back and expecting Walter to be with her – but he wasn't. David had recovered and launched himself at the other synthetic, only to be thrown through the curtains at the other end of the room.
Walter looked at Daniels again, this time urgently. "Go, NOW!"
He'll be fine, she told herself as she fled, desperate to find the other remaining crew members; he'll take care of David and meet us outside.
Even so, a part of her felt dread at leaving Walter behind with the rogue android.
Tennessee volunteered to be put into hypersleep first – as captain now, Daniels was technically supposed to be the last one to enter the pods anyway, but there were only three crew members still alive so that protocol seemed rather wasted really.
For a moment before getting into her sleep pod, she and Walter merely stared at each other, and she realized that there was something she wanted to say to him – but she didn't know what. He had done so much that to thank him again seemed meaningless, really…and so she decided not to say anything. The look they shared spoke volumes anyway.
"When you wake up," Walter said soothingly as she laid down in the pod. "We'll be at Origae-6."
She bit her lip. "What do you think it's gonna be like?"
The synthetic paused, considering her question. "Simulation tests ran showed that it is a suitable planet to sustain human life on… For now, we must assume that the simulation tests proved correct." He paused again. "As one might say… If we are kind, then it will be a kind world."
"I hope you're right," Daniels sighed, forcing herself to relax in her pod.
Walter smiled as he tapped instructions into the pod in order to shut the lid. "Sleep well."
She closed her eyes, preparing herself for sleep – and then something occurred to her. He had turned away, and quickly rapped on the glass with her knuckles to get his attention. "Walter?" He turned back to look at her inquisitively, and she gnawed on her lip again. "When we get there, will you help me build my cabin? The cabin on the lake?"
Walter blinked – but then he smiled, giving a small nod. "Of course, Daniels. I would be honoured."
A feeling of warm contentment rushed through her at this, though that could have been the drugs sending her to sleep too, and she exhaled in relief. "Okay… I'll see you when we get there, Walter."
He did not leave her pod until she was fully-asleep, instead choosing to watch her through the glass intently.
Origae-6 was everything they had hoped and planned it to be, though it was difficult to really appreciate it knowing that Jacob would have – should have – been there appreciating it with her. Tennessee seemed equally torn on the matter, and Daniels knew that he was thinking about Faris – all of the crew had gone on the mission with the expectation of living long happy lives with their spouses, of enjoying it together…no one had expected any of this to happen.
They spent the first few weeks settling the colony in, building what needed to be built; once the last structures were built, the entire colony celebrated by throwing a large party. She and Tennessee were enjoying two beers when Walter approached her with a decommission pack.
Daniels had to force the lump in her throat down before speaking; Tennessee coughed and excused himself, leaving them alone. "You still have to help me with my cabin," She told him, smiling weakly at him. "You're not getting off that easy."
Walter nodded, lowering the decommission pack. "That is true – I did promise."
For now, that was a good enough excuse.
They found an area a short distance away, and there was even a large lake – it was perfect. Even with Jacob's well-detailed blueprints, however, she had no idea what the fuck she was doing; she didn't know how he had been planning to build this thing, she didn't know how to get it done, and she just knew that she'd screw it up by attempting it alone.
But she wasn't alone – she had Walter.
As a synthetic, his measurements were guaranteed to be exact; he studied the blueprints her husband had left behind, memorising and filing them away for future reference, and helped her get to work. He had superior strength to her, managing to lift heavy planks of wood effortlessly whilst she watched with wide eyes, and he had a medkit at the ready in case she hurt herself building. He always clarified things with her before doing them, of course, asking for her permission, and it was this thoughtfulness that made Daniels' heart feel warm in her chest for the first time in a long while.
They finished the cabin in less than a month – and something felt wrong.
It was only that first night, as she lay in bed attempting to sleep, that she realized what was wrong – and it was the fact that Jacob wasn't there with her. The cabin had been designed for two, for a couple, for a family…not for a lone widower. She looked at photos again, drinking a beer that Tennessee had smuggled for her, and slowly losing her mind.
She allowed herself to cry before falling asleep, curled up and wrapped in Jacob's favourite jacket – and she wished that she'd asked Walter to stay with her, if only for some company.
Walter approached her the following morning with the decommission pack again. "I have helped you to build your cabin, and the colony is completely settled. My duties are finished."
Daniels' eyes swivelled to lock with Tennessee's; the two friends shared a look, and it was clear that they were thinking along the same lines.
"No," Daniels said firmly, turning back to the synthetic. "Put it away – I'm not doing it."
Walter frowned. "But you are the captain. It is your duty-"
"Fuck duty," She interrupted, folding her arms. "I'm not decommissioning you, Walter. You're a friend, and you deserve to be a part of this colony just as much as anyone else."
He still looked confused, even as he turned to Tennessee; the larger man simply shrugged and grinned. "You heard the lady – captain's orders."
The decommission pack was never brought up again.
The first nightmare came less than a month later, filling her mind with images of alien life-forms with sharp teeth, her husband's body burning in front of her and an android gone bad. She woke up sweating and in tears, alone and cold in a bed that had been meant for two but now served only one.
She didn't want to be alone, alone was unsafe. It was for this reason that Daniels threw on one of Jacob's old coats and set out for the colony area.
Walter had been resting inside a makeshift tent, reading a heavy manual to pass to time; he raised his head when she entered, and immediately realized that Daniels was not okay.
"Daniels."
Her eyes filled with tears, and she moved forwards to wrap her arms around him. "I don't wanna be alone, Walter, it's too…" Her breath hitched. "Could you stay in the cabin? Just for tonight? Not in the same room," She amended quickly. "Just…there, so I know it's safe."
He had agreed immediately – it was his duty to look after the crew and colonists, after all.
When she woke up the next morning, hair sticking up in odd directions and purple rings around her eyes, she found Walter in the kitchen area scrambling eggs. He didn't eat himself, she knew, but he excelled in the kitchen and the garden especially. It was the best breakfast she'd had in a long time.
That evening, after a long day of dealing with colonist complaints and queries, she retreated to her cabin once more; as she went to go inside, however, she found herself turning around and hesitantly asking if maybe Walter would stay the night again, in the kitchen if he wanted or even in the living area. He tilted his head but agreed again, seeing no errors with this.
She had another nightmare that night about a dark creature ramming against glass, teeth bared, and she woke screaming; Walter had been there, checking her pulse and offering well-chosen words of comfort as he put his arm around her shoulders. To her surprise, his touch was surprisingly gentle and warm, and it was easy to calm down under his touch. It wasn't long until he had soothed her back into sleep; she woke up feeling groggy and tired after a short few hours.
But she felt safe, and that was the important thing.
It took two and a half years for Daniels to realize that she had started to develop feelings for Walter.
A part of her felt guilty for it; she had been married, she had loved Jacob and she still loved him even if he was no longer there. She hadn't ever thought she'd have feelings for another man.
But then there was Walter – he was her friend, her confidante, someone she trusted with her life even if most of the colony didn't.
Part of her debated ignoring these feelings; he was a synthetic, after all, and so perhaps it would be silly to assume that he'd feel the same way…but then a wild, once-active part of her argued that she'd never know if she didn't go for it. Jacob would want her to be happy, even if it meant finding someone else to love – he would not want her to be alone.
They had been in the greenhouse when she decided to tell him, blurting it out quickly and trying to explain herself adequately. He had waited politely for her to finish talking before looking away, appearing almost hesitant.
"What is it?"
Walter carefully pruned a nearby plant, considering everything she had said. "I think that...you are still grieving your husband," He said finally. "It is normal to still feel trauma and grief after losing a spouse, and it's also normal that you feel lonely – but latching onto someone else to fill an empty space will not benefit you, Daniels."
"Walter, I'm not…That's not what I meant."
"Secondly," He continued, and his eyes were soft as he looked at her once more. "I am a synthetic – I am not capable of feeling. Feeling is a human capability, and I am not human."
"Are you telling me that you haven't felt anything for me?" Daniels questioned, trying not to feel too hurt. "I've seen you sometimes, Walter, and I thought…fuck it."
He pressed his lips together in a thin line. "I am bound to you by duty," He stated, somewhat uncomfortably. "You might even assume that I have imprinted somewhat on you. But I cannot feel love like a human can, Danny – and that is not fair on you. Finally, entering a relationship with someone like myself who is synthetic would cross a line in society; you have respect as the captain of the Covenant, and I have even managed to find a place for myself in the colony, but it's a boundary that perhaps should not be crossed."
"I couldn't give a fuck," She told him with a shrug, frowning at him. "I want to be with you, Walter."
Walter paused again, and when he spoke his voice was quiet. "Truthfully, Daniels, I would like to be with you too – and that is what has concerned me. I have considered the possibility that I'm become more and more like the rogue David-8 model we encountered on our journey, that I will become dangerous if this is a sign of my systems malfunctioning."
"Walter…"
"I don't want to be a danger to the colony," He said slowly. "I do not want to be a danger to you."
Her heart gave a leap in her chest, and before she could stop herself she had taken his face in her hands; she turned his head to look at her, so that he would know she was speaking the truth. "You are not anything like him," She whispered firmly. "He was evil and deluded – but you, Walter, you're good and kind. I don't believe you'd hurt anyone, not for one minute."
For a painful moment, she thought that he would pull away and leave her – but then two arms circled her waist carefully, his face thoughtful. "Okay, Daniels," Walter muttered, eyes fixed on her. "I will run diagnostic tests on myself to be safe, but should you still wish to be with me then I would be happy to comply."
Her cabin became their cabin – it always had been really, but now it was slightly more official.
Nothing majorly changed; Walter still did not get into bed with her, though on occasion he would sit on the side of the mattress until she fell asleep – he was always close by if he was needed. He still made her breakfast and told awful jokes that made her wrinkle her nose fondly, and very little changed.
But they held hands in the privacy of the cabin now, where no one could stare and judge; they shared warm hugs that made Daniels feel safe, and awkward kisses placed on the top of her head became more natural and fluid as they grew into their newfound relationship. They were happy and content together, and that was all that really mattered.
It took a few weeks before she noted aloud that they hadn't kissed properly yet; Walter had merely cocked his head. "Is that something you would like, Danny?"
Daniels couldn't help but grin, even as something started to tug at her conscience. "Yeah, I would… But only if you want to," She clarified seriously. "I don't want you to feel like you have no choice, Walter – you don't have to do it just to 'serve' me or something. I won't be offended or upset if you don't want to kiss me."
He considered this for a moment before giving a nod. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"I think I would like to kiss you," He stated, rather matter-of-fact. "I have no previous experience to rely on for data, however, so I may not be adequate."
Daniels couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head at him. "There's no right or wrong way – you learn quickly."
Walter was still as she pressed her mouth to his, not responding; for a fleeting second, she panicked that perhaps he didn't want to kiss, that this wasn't what he wanted – but then he closed his eyes and started to reciprocate, albeit unsurely as he attempted to memorise the technique. She sighed contently into it, cupping his face to deepen the kiss.
It wasn't exactly a perfect first kiss – far from it – but afterwards she smiled brightly, happier than she ever thought she'd be.
"Are you sure this is what you really want?"
Daniels didn't even lift her head, shrugging to herself. "Yeah, I like this stuff, I guess," She said, gesturing to the pot of carbonara he was preparing for her. "Why?"
Walter frowned, clearly uncertain. "No, I mean us."
"…Oh."
"You are human, and I am not," He continued. "And while I do admittedly feel things that perhaps someone like me shouldn't feel, I have considered the possibility that you would be better off with someone who can reciprocate in the way you need."
Forgetting about the cooking, Daniels stood and moved towards him. "Walter, listen to me – I want this," She stated sincerely, voice harm and firm as she took his face into her hands. "I want this, and I want us. But if this isn't what you want, then I won't force you – you don't have to be with me if you don't want to."
Before she could say anything else, his mouth had covered hers eagerly; taken aback but pleased by this sudden bold move, she closed her eyes and melted into the kiss, moving her lips against his eagerly. She hadn't known that he'd wanted her this much, though she was relieved too.
When they separated, her slightly breathless, Walter gazed at her with a look that made her knees weak. "I do want this," He admitted truthfully. "It is not just a matter of serving you or your emotional needs, but also because I do want to be with you."
He couldn't lie – his programming prevented lying – but after that kiss she was convinced anyway.
Walter's kisses were different to any kiss Daniels had had before, unique to her.
Jacob's kisses had been intense, every single one of them, like he was trying to drink from her – and she had loved it, she had loved trying to match that energy. He had never been forceful exactly, but he had certainly been somewhat dominant (a dominance that she playfully tried to match). He'd been masculine, head-to-toe, and yet so gentle with her when he needed to be. She missed him still, more than she cared to admit.
And then there had been David; thinking about David's forced kiss on her made her want to throw up whenever she thought about it, made her feel dirty and used. Jacob had been dominant – but David had forced himself on her, taking without permission and relishing in her discomfort. Kissing was supposed to be a mutual act, an expression of mutual love, but David had done it to assert power, to take but not give.
When Walter kissed her, he kissed her only to give – he did not take, not unless she gave him permission. He cared only for her well-being and her feelings, taking satisfaction from seeing her happy and content. While there was no animosity or forcefulness behind it, his kisses still made her sigh and exhale in pleasure – because she knew he would never hurt her, that he would only ever be gentle and caring.
As time passed, his kisses developed; he learned what she liked when kissing, learned what parts of her body she liked having kissed, and adapted accordingly. Daniels would wake some mornings to him pressing kisses to her bare shoulders or back, gentle caresses that left her wanting more – and he gave it, always, because his pleasure came from seeing her pleasured because of him.
Walter was not Jacob, and he was definitely not David (even if they shared the same facial features) – he was her Walter, and she would not have him any other way.
Whoop whoop!
This began as a Daniels-centric piece but slowly became "Walter/Daniels" – I hope you're all okay with that!
Please leave comments/feedback – they give me life!