The Storm

Rated: T

Warning: Some spoilers for Window of Opportunity

Summary: Daniel deals with his feelings about Vala and she convinces him to take her dancing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate or its characters.

Daniel was sitting at his desk staring at the artifact before him. Recently, SG-3 had brought it back from P2X225 and upon seeing it, Daniel insisted on trying to translated the obscure writings engraved in it.

Now, almost a whole day later, he had barely scratched the surface of what the artifact was saying. Daniel was too busy thinking about Vala. She was like a storm that came raging into his life, throwing everything he had ever known into utter chaos. She both frustrated and annoyed him to no end, but yet he could not stop thinking about her. He smiled when he thought of the way she sauntered down the hallways at the SGC, and how beautiful she looked when she smiled at him.

"Daniel." He heard his name being called. "Daniel!" He snapped out of his thoughts to look at the woman before him.

"Oh, hi Vala." He stated as he quickly looked back down at the artifact.

"Darling?" Vala questioned. "Can we go join the others for something to eat? It is lunch time and I'm starving." Vala sat on Daniel's desk and gazed at him waiting for his response.

Daniel knew that he really needed to get his work done, but since he was hungry as well he decided to go to lunch with Vala.

Minutes later the two arrived. Teal'c, Sam, and Cameron were seated together at one of the tables and Sam and Cameron were laughing at something the Jaffa had just said.

Daniel took a seat next to Sam. "Can we join you?"

"Of course." Sam smiled and scooted over to make more room for him.

"What were you laughing at?" Vala asked as she sat next to Daniel on the bench.

Cameron looked at Vala and said. "Teal'c was telling me about how Jack, Sam, Daniel, and himself got caught in a time loop several years ago and what mischief him and Jack got into during it."

Vala slide closer to Daniel. "You never told me about that darling."

"I did not experience it the way Jack and Teal'c did. I only remember it as one day, although Jack told me later that I was the one that gave him the idea about having fun and doing whatever he wanted during the time loop." Daniel looked at Vala as he stated this. He really wished she would not sit so close to him, he could feel her warmth through his clothing and it really wasn't helping matters.

"Daniel Jackson is correct. He did give Jack the idea. We knew that we would not be held responsible for any of our actions because no one would remember the next time the loop started again." Teal'c told Vala as the wheels in her head started turning.

"Hmm, that sounds very intriguing." Vala said with a smirk. "Daniel what would you do if you knew that you were in a seemingly endless time loop?"

Daniel was no longer paying attention to the conversation. He was thinking about how Vala smelled like sweet sunshine and how her voice played like a melody to his ears.

"Daniel?" Vala tried again to get his attention.

Daniel snapped out of his little daydream. "Wh...what?"

The other members of SG-1 laughed at Daniel, while Teal'c raised his eyebrow. "Daniel Jackson, Vala Mal Doran has asked you a question."

"Yes," Vala interrupted, "I asked what you would do if you knew you were in a time loop..." A sudden noise cut Vala off. The alarm went off and the crew all hurried to the gate room.

A few hours later Daniel was back in his office attempting once again to translate the artifact he had abandoned earlier, but for some reason he could not concentrate today. His mind traveled back to when he first met Vala on the Prometheus. He thought of how they fought and she had kissed him. At first, he was caught off guard, but then his usually intelligent mind backed off and lust took over and he kissed her back. It didn't take him long to come back to his senses though. "Damn," Daniel thought, "I really need to get her out of my head...and into my bed. Wait no, no way." He was arguing with himself at this point and didn't notice that Vala had come flouncing into the room.

"Take me dancing." Vala announced as she skipped over to him and sat on his lap.

"Get off of me." Daniel said gruffly as he went to push her off.

She ignored him. "Look, Daniel there is a new 'nightclub' I think they call it, in Colorado Springs. It is called The Storm. I want to go there! Please?"

"Umm...no." Daniel looked up at her and said as he gently pushed her off his lap.

"Please darling, I promise I'll be good." She bit her lip and gave him a slight frown.

He sighed. He could only imagine what trouble she could get into at a nightclub what with the alcohol, loud music, and the way she tended to dress herself. However, he could use a night away from the base so he finally relented.

"Oh fine, be ready at nine and we will go." He sighed again as the raven-haired women squealed and kissed him on the check.

"Oh Daniel, we will have so much fun!" Vala proclaimed as she ran out of the room to get ready.

"What am I thinking?" Daniel thought to himself. "She will most likely wear close to nothing and get unbelievably drunk and try to seduce me or something." Daniel took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, already regretting his decision.

-When they arrived at the nightclub Vala took Daniel's hand and practically pulled him on the dance floor. She was wearing a dark blue halter top and a short black skirt with black heels. Daniel thought she looked amazing, but he would never tell her that because he knew it would just encourage her. He needed some alcohol in his system before he could even contemplate letting Vala dance with him.

"Oh no you don't." Daniel said as he steered Vala away from the dance floor and towards the bar. "If you are going to force me to dance with you, which I already know you are, I need a drink first."

Vala pouted. "Fine darling, I'll have a martini." She slid into one of the bar stools and Daniel sat down next to her.

The bartender came over and Daniel got Vala's martini and a rum and Coke for himself. He knew that bringing Vala here would probably end up badly, but determined to enjoy himself he toasted with Vala when their drinks arrived.

"To good friends!" He proclaimed.

Vala smiled back at him. "To good times!"

Awhile and many drinks later Daniel was feeling a bit tipsy. He knew Vala was feeling the effects of the alcohol as well and when she pulled him to the dance floor he went with her. Vala laughed as she began to dance with Daniel, her hips swaying to the music. Daniel moved with her and when his hands skirted up and down her sides and landed on her gyrating hips he knew that the alcohol was taking a toll on his body.

The dance floor became increasingly more crowded and as the sea of people got larger, it pushed Daniel and Vala closer together until she was actually grinding against him. Daniel knew that he needed to get out of the club before he lost control. Already the pounding music mixed in with the alcohol he had consumed had made him want to do things that he knew that he should not, and the way that Vala's body was moving against his was all too much for him to take.

"We have to leave."

"Why darling?" Vala pouted as Daniel attempted to lead her towards the door.

"Because, it is way too crowded in here, it's getting late, and I'm really tired."

Daniel continued to pull Vala towards the door. She huffed. "But, I was having so much fun!"

"I'm sorry but we really need to go now." Daniel finally got Vala out the door into his car.

Daniel turned down the street and Vala looked out the window. "Umm, Daniel? This isn't the way to the base."

"Yes, I know. We are going back to my place." Daniel glanced over at her.

Vala's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, but not for the reason you are thinking." We are both feeling the effects of the alcohol right now and I do not think we should go back to the base like this, plus my place is pretty close to here and the less driving I do right now the better."

"Can I at least sleep in your bed?" Vala asked Daniel, her fingers went to stroke his thigh.

Daniel pushed her wandering fingers away. "No, you can have the guest bedroom."

"You are no fun!" Vala crossed her arms and pouted some more.

Daniel knew that taking Vala to his place was probably a bad idea, but the last thing he needed right now was to get pulled over half drunk.

When they arrived at Daniel's apartment, Vala took a good look around. "Well Darling, your place is a bit...messy." She picked up a stray book and leafed through it.

Daniel sighed. "I know, but since I am rarely ever here I don't bother cleaning it much.

Vala, still tipsy from her drinks, took a step towards Daniel and promptly slipped on a National Geographic that was lying on the floor. Daniel saw her slip and grabbed her to keep her from falling. Daniel ended up pulling Vala too roughly towards him and she practically slammed up against his body.

Daniel felt his heart beating fast against his chest as he looked down at Vala. She looked so beautiful and his logical mind ceased to exist for that moment.

"You want to know what I would do if I were stuck in a time loop and knew that I would face no consequences?" He brought his face closer to hers.

Vala looked up at him and nodded slightly.

"I would do this." With those words Daniel closed the gap between them and brought his lips down over hers.

He kissed her softly at first, a gentle teasing of lips sliding over lips. Then, when Vala began to reciprocate his kiss, he deepened it. His tongue explored her mouth eagerly and she made a small moan as he bit and sucked on her lower lip.

Suddenly he came back to the reality of what was happening between them. He wrenched away from her, breathing heavily. "We can't do this."

"Why not?" Vala asked Daniel as she struggled to catch her breath.

Daniel took a step away from her. "If we continue this, I know what it will lead to and you know that I don't do casual sex."

Vala looked Daniel. He saw something in her eyes, a look he couldn't quite place. "So you assume that is what I want?"

Daniel began to pace around the room. "Oh I don't have to assume. I know that is how you are. You flirt and play games but never want anything serious. You are all about fun with no strings attached and I will not be just another guy who succumbs to your charms and then gets left in the dust afterwards."

Vala looked as if Daniel had slapped her. She turned around and started towards the door.

"Well since you already know what I will do, since I am so transparent, I will just leave!" Vala's voice was heavy with unshed tears.

Daniel immediately felt terrible for what he had said to her. "Vala, wait."

"No, you made it quite clear how you feel about me."

Daniel grabbed Vala's arm and stopped her from leaving.

"Look, I'm sorry I was so harsh. I just really do not want to get hurt again." Daniel ran his hand through his short hair.

Vala looked at Daniel with her piercing gray eyes. "I would never hurt you Daniel."

Daniel stopped fidgeting and looked back at Vala, confused. "You wouldn't?"

Vala slapped Daniel's arm playfully. "Of course not silly. I am hopelessly in love with you."

Daniel swore that Vala just said that she loved him. His head was trying to make sense of that when Vala turned away again.

"I'm guessing you don't feel the same." Vala said in a small voice.

Daniel pulled Vala towards him once more. "Now you are the one being silly, I have loved you for a long time, but I have just been afraid of being hurt again."

Daniel pulled Vala into a warm embrace and she held onto him like he was something to be cherished. She finally looked up at him. A few tears had escaped down her cheeks. Daniel gently wiped them away.

"Why are you crying?"

Vala smiled up at Daniel. "I can't help it, I'm just so happy that you actually love me."

"I do." Daniel smiled and brought his lips to Vala's and started kissing her again. However, this kiss was different from before. Passion exploded between them as their tongues battled each other for dominance. Vala raked her nails down Daniel's back and then up his shirt and over his muscled abdomen. She pulled his top off and he struggled to maintain his composure.

Daniel's hands started an exploration of their own as they found their way under shirt to cup her breasts through her bra. After some further exploration, Daniel broke their kiss and smiled lazily at the beautiful women before him. He took her hand and gently pulled her through his apartment.

They arrived at his bedroom and when the entered he led her over to his bed. Their kissing began again as they fell to the bed together.