I meant it all

Vala sat on the edge of Daniels bed, nervously twisting a strand of hair around her finger. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing there but she knew they had to talk. Years before she wouldn't have cared. It would have usually been her sneaking out in the middle of the night. She never knew until this morning the true amount of hurt they must have felt waking up to an empty bed. Sighing, she flopped back and wrapped her arms around herself.

It was all real, it had to be. The way he looked at her, kissed her, touched her, there's no way he could have faked that.

She had seen it given to her so many times but before last night had never genuinely returned it. Her father had taught her to be a good actress, one of the only good things she remembers about him.

Insecurity and fear began to flow through her.

What if that's all Daniel was doing? Being a good actor?

No. Daniel wasn't a one night stand sort of guy. Then again she wasn't known for her serious morning after talks, which was exactly what she was sitting here waiting to do. With fear growing inside her every second that past, she scrambled off the bed and to the door.

She was about to start running again, this time not from people but from feelings.

Yanking the door open she came face to face with none other than Doctor Daniel Jackson.

"Vala?"

"Yes darling."

"How'd you get into-" The smirk she gave him cut him off mid sentence.

"You know what, I don't even want to know who you got in." He laughed and gave her a warm smile as he gestured for her to move back into his quarters. She took her place back up on his bed, hair spinning around her fingers and eyes plastered on her feet.

She could hear him moving around the room for a couple of minutes before coming to sit behind her.

"Hey." His voice was filled with affection and she felt his hand resting on her hip. Shrugging it off she turned and faced him, making sure to put some space between them. The confused look on his face made her want to kiss him.

"Vala?"

"Why?" Daniel stared at her like she had grown horns.

"Why what?"

"Why leave?"

"Leave where?" Daniel said in aggravation. Vala just shook her head. For someone so god damn smart, he was so clueless when it came to women.

"It used to be me." Vala bowed her head when she was realisation in Daniels eyes. "I'd sneak out before they awoke. I learnt early on that the look I would receive was one I could do without. From a young age I had to learn to be emotionless to survive, but every time it happened, every time I looked into their eyes and saw the confusing, hurt and angry at the fact I'd used them, manipulated them for my pleasure I could feel my heart hurting and it did, it really hurt me seeing the same thing over and over but I couldn't stop, so I would just leave as if I'd never been there. Sometimes it would be straight away, sometimes I would just lay there wondering what it would be like if I just stayed only to leave hours later." Vala gave a dry chuckle. "Funny thing was I left to stop myself feeling the pain yet that morning all I would do was thinking about them, I knew that their reaction would be the same regardless of whether I was there or not. I just didn't want to have to see what I was doing to them." Vala barely whispered the last part.

"Vala, look at me." Nothing "Please."

When she made no attempt to move Daniel moved so he was sitting opposite her. She had her eyes closed and continued to hang her head. Sighing, he decided it was his turn for a story.

"I was crushed when my wife was taken. My world collapsed around me, the only thing that kept me going was knowing that somewhere out there she was still alive and that gave me hope that I could save her. It was like I lost her all over again when she died. I often look back and it surprises me that I'm here today. When she died I went to such a dark place. I was so happy with her and I wanted nothing else. I slowly managed to move on, vowing never to love a woman the way I loved her. But when I woke up this morning and saw you lying beside me, you look so peaceful and it reminded me of..." Vala looked up when Daniel faltered.

"Your wife?" She whispered. Daniel stared straight into her eyes.

"Yes, but mainly it made me remember how quickly everything can change, how everything you hold close can just be taken so fast." She nodded and Daniel pulled her into him.

"I loved Sha're and still do, always will but Vala the way I feel when I'm with you, it's like I'm getting a whole new view on life, I'm getting a second chance at life a second chance to love again." Daniel sighed as Vala finally relaxed into his embrace.

"I left because I got scared. Scared of what I was doing and how badly I could get hurt if I finally opened up my heart again."

He felt her stiffen.

"You know I would never, I know everyone thinks I'm..., I can be... normal." She finished with a small sigh.

"I know, and I didn't mean you, it's just with everything we do every day, anything can happen. Vala I don't want you to ever think that I would ever use you, in any way."Vala could now feel his breath on her ear. "Or that I didn't mean what I said last night because I meant every word." With that Vala pushed Daniel back and straddled his hips.

"But Daniel darling, you know there is a good way to be used." Daniel could only laugh as a cheeky smile graced her face.

"Really?" He faked shock.

"Why yes of course! Care for a demonstration?" She frowned when she received no reply.

"Darling, that's the part where you say yes, or better yet you say, No I'll do the demonstrating." She finished off in her best Daniel voice and winked at him.

Daniel squeezed her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"I love you." Taken back for a moment Vala smiled and held her lips close to his.

"I love you too my Daniel." She purred as he closed the gap between them.

XxPrincess-LeaselxX