I'm gonna warn you now that this is sad. Major character death. I wrote it after hearing Mitchell's quote about friends taking chances with their lives. I love that quote. Anywho, here it is. Read and review.

Love, Death, and Sorrow

Vala sat on the bed in the SG-C's V.I.P. room, tears rolling down her cheeks. She had just returned from a mission to a planet whose name she could not remember. Five of them had gone through the Stargate that day. Only four had returned.

"The hardest part about being part of this team is not risking your own life, it's watching your friends take chances with theirs."

Mitchell's words echoed not for the first time through Vala's mind. Another tear rolled down her cheek. He was right. Daniel was gone because of it. He had given his life to save hers. She remembered the events so clearly it was as if she was there.

Vala ran through the trees towards the Stargate. From the crashing sounds to her left, she knew that Daniel was right behind her. They were going to make it. Suddenly, she felt her leg catch on something. With a cry, she fell forward to the ground. Twisting around she saw that she had tripped over a vine stretched between two trees. A man appeared, energy weapon pointing straight at her. There was no chance to run, no chance to do anything but watch her own death draw near. Suddenly, she heard a voice cry her name. Vala watched in horror as Daniel plunged through the trees towards her. The man pulled the trigger just as Daniel threw himself forwards. The blast hit him in the chest and he fell limply to the forest floor. Vala screamed in rage, and pulled out her weapon with a rapidity that surprised both her and her attacker. The man was dead before he hit the ground. Then, she crawled to Daniel's side.

Another sob shook Vala as she remembered. She drew her knees up to her chest, rocking from side to side, wishing that Daniel was there to comfort her.

She had called his name. He had tried to answer, but choked instead. Vala gently lifted his head onto her lap, stroking his brown unruly hair.

"Hang on, Daniel," she had said. "Please hang on."

" . . . too . . . late . . . " he managed to reply.

"No, don't you dare say that. Everything's gonna be alright." In her heart, though, she knew that this wasn't true. She could see that the wound was fatal. The tears had begun to come then, rolling down her cheeks to fall on Daniel's bloody chest.

" . . . don't . . . cry . . . for me . . . I'll always . . . be . . . with you . . . " He raised his hand with an effort and stroked her cheek. "I . . . love . . . you . . . " His hand dropped to his side and his blue eyes closed in the eternal sleep of death.. Vala knelt there on the cold ground, cradling his body to her, and sobbing for the one man she had truly loved, the one man whom she would never see again.

Vala began to cry in earnest as she remembered Daniel's parting words to her. "I will always be with you. I love you."

"Oh, Daniel," she whispered. "I love you too." Sobs racked her body as she curled up on the bed. How much she wished that the archeologist was here. How much she wished that his strong arms would hold her. How much she wished that his lips would touch hers. But they stayed just that: wishes. Wishes that could never come true. Dreams that would never be fulfilled. A love that would remain, unquenched and unsatisfied, but there nonetheless.

The End

Told you it was sad. Please review.