"Have you told Jackson yet?"

Colonel Cameron Mitchell, still in his infirmary scrubs stood in the doorway of Vala Mal Doran's room at the SGC. She didn't look up him but kept on packing.

"I'm going to need another suitcase." she muttered under her breath as she sorted through mountains of clothes, accessories and assorted knick knacks scattered on her bed and various other pieces of furniture.

"You haven't, have you?" His voice got a little louder with the last question, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him as tears were forming in her eyes, so she kept on sorting and packing..

"Vala, he's coming back from Washington tomorrow."

He was greeted with more silence, but she stopped the motion of packing and grew very still.

"When did you plan on telling him? When you're on the ramp in the gate room going off into the sunset? I mean he's been gone for two days and yet you told the general and me your plans days before that. Hell, I think the whole SGC knows except for him."

Vala let out a deep sigh and sat down on the bed. Tears started to trickle down her face and she slowly brushed them away.

"I tried a few times Cameron, but I just couldn't find the words. Funny isn't it, me lost for words..anyway all he does lately is yammer on about that stupid ark and what the IOC are going to do with it ..who can get a word in edgewise. He won't give me the time of day."

Cam wasn't buying her story. He hobbled into the room and came up closer to her.

"Vala aren't you the one that has been avoiding him."

A puzzled look came over her face.

"What? Why would you say that? You've been in the infirmary since we came back..how would you know?"

Cam shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sam told me."

"Sam?"

"Yes she told me you have gone out of your way to avoid being in the same room as Jackson..she asked me if I knew why."

Cam looked at her intently., but he was only met with silence.

"Vala?"

"What?"She snapped back at him.

"Are you going to answer the question?"

"What question?" Her voice was starting to break up.

Cam groaned and wearily sat down on a chair, moving a mound of clothes out of the way. He was still feeling sore from his recent battle with the Replicators. Dr. Lam was not going to be happy that he snuck out of the infirmary, but he need to know what the hell was going on. He hated being out of the loop.

"Vala, you know what question." Why are you avoiding Jackson?"

She looked over at him and more tears started to roll down her face.

Cam sighed at her reaction, got up and handed her a tissue. While she mopped her eyes, he sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into a hug. He felt a jabbing pain in his shoulder, made a groaning sound and released her.

Vala looked at him with concern.

"Are you sure you should be up and around? You look tired. Maybe you should go back to the infirmary. You left without permission didn't you?"

"I'm fine. Don't change the subject." Cam said as he rubbed on his sore shoulder and continued with his interrogation.

"Vala, are you afraid to talk to Jackson?" She just sat and stared into space.

Then it finally dawned on him.

"Are you afraid he's not going to care that you are leaving? That's it isn't it? you're scared that he isn't going to give a damn that your leaving."

Vala quickly got off the bed and headed for the open door, but before she could get there Cam got up and grabbed her by the shoulders. He turned her around and made her face him.

Vala, you told General Landry that you realized you loved Tomin and that you were leaving to be with him. That right isn't it?"

"Yes" She said it so quietly that he could hardly hear her.

"So why are you so worried what Jackson thinks?"

"I don't know." she whispered.

"Vala please don't tell me that you are in love with him?" Cam waited for a response but she didn't reply. She dropped her head on his shoulder and started to sob. "Vala, what about Tomin, what about this great cause you are going to join him to do? I hope to god that this is not just part of some big scam you've dreamt up?"

Vala pulled away from him and pulled herself together.

"I do love Tomin..that is the truth Cameron..I swear it is. I want to join him and help him lead his people. I didn't at first but as soon as I told him that I wouldn't go with him I realized that I was lying to myself. I realized that I really did love him and that this is what I have to do..to help him show these people what the Ori did to them and how they can heal and get on with their lives. I guess I'm scared to tell Daniel because he will think the same thing as you did .. that this is just some con..."

Before she could finish her sentence a new voice came from her doorway.

"I believe you Vala."

Vala gasped as she saw Daniel standing in her doorway.