Remembering Me Chapter 1: Life is short, a stargate: sg-1 fanfic

Author's Note: Italics are flashbacks. Thanks for reading! Please review!

Disclaimer: We don't own Stargate. (We, being WillowEchoRiver and me.)

Vala searched for a comfortable chair as she waited for Daniel to bring their coffee's over. She had convinced him to drive her to the cute coffee shop: Caribou Coffee. She had only been there twice, but was hoping to go again. They had returned from their 'adventure' or not-so-adventure on to Odyssey over three months ago and they had been getting back to life. Teal'c hadn't said a word since their return and Vala had all but given up hope that he ever would tell them what had happened on that ship. Still, she wondered...

"Here you go." Daniel said setting her coffee cup down in front of her and sitting in the chair opposite her.

"Thanks!" She said, cheerfully, taking a sip out of the coffee cup. After she did, she looked at the simple plastic cup, and read some words at the bottom of the cup, "Life is short," She read out loud, curiously. "Life is short, so stay awake for it.' How very interesting." She said, but suddenly she stopped and looked distant. "Life is short..." She broke off.

Suddenly, she was sitting on the Odyssey, in what seemed to be Daniel's quarters. He was pacing back in forth in front of her, "I guess no matter what you do, at the end of the day life is too short." He was saying.

And she had somehow taken this as encouragement. She had done what Vala does and had flirted and made Daniel intensely uncomfortable. He took it as a game to her, but it wasn't. She did love him. But she had never known how to say so, how could she? She'd never been able to love before, she had never felt this way. She had said 'I love you' so many times, but every time had been a lie. And the one time she was in love, she couldn't say it. Why?

And suddenly he was angry, his words were harsh and cut through her as he spoke them. She turned her back on him so he would not see her tears. Let him think what he wanted about her character, she would not let him see her tears if she could help it.

After what had seemed an eternity of torture, his rant had ended and he had realized how deeply his words had cut into her. He realized he had hurt her. He realized she loved him.

And it seemed he realized he loved her too.

He kissed her.

The flashback ended there, she knew all of this hadn't taken place, how could it have? But she remembered every word so clearly. As if she was receiving memories from another her. But she had felt all the feelings so clearly. She didn't understand what was going on, but the main thing that registered with her was those words, 'life is too short' and she realized that despite the hurt, good things had come from those words.

Though the face before her seemed to be oblivious to what had just taken place, somewhere deep inside her she felt a deeper connection then she ever had before. The blue eyes seemed to encompasses her and she was caught up in the moment-- well, her moment and she did the only thing that seemed to match her feeling. She kissed him.

Daniel freaked, which wasn't really very surprising. He pushed her away from him and stared at her like she'd gone completely insane. "What is wrong with you?!" He asked, still freaking out.

She pulled back suddenly drawn back into reality. Her heart ached as she realized he didn't love her.

Daniel just shook his head, frustration and anger written all over his face. He grabbed his jacket and got to his feet. "We're leaving." He muttered.

"What? Why? I didn't even finish my coffee!" She said, grabbing her jacket and quickly following him out, quite upset and flustered.

"What? Are you kidding?" Vala asked, hands on hips.

As Vala walked to the car door and opened it up, Daniel said, "No." His voice was low and he sounded angry.

"What? I can't walk to the base!" She objected, not understanding why he was telling her not to get into the car.

"I know, but you have to sit in the back. I don't trust you."

"If you wanted me to let you anywhere near me you shouldn't have kissed me." Was all he said in response as he climbed into the drivers seat.

"Fine, but I get to sing then." She said, indignantly. Trying to cover up the fact that she was a bit upset over what had passed.

After they had been driving for a full minute in silence Vala burst out, "Mr. Sun, Sun, MR GOLDEN SUN!!! PLEASE SHINE DOWN ON ME!!!! --"

"STOP! Or I'll get a restraining order!" Daniel told her, with a very annoyed look on his face.

Vala sat in silence. She'd been ready to argue, but she knew it would only make him more frustrated. "I'm sorry. I didn't think." Vala said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah, well, thinking doesn't seem to be your strong point." Daniel muttered.

That hurt. Vala wasn't quite sure why, though. Many times he had made comebacks such as the one he had just said, but this one cut her somewhere deep inside and seemed to be ripped her heart apart.

Daniel was not aware of the effect his words had had on Vala. If he had he might have felt bad about it. But right now he was too busy being annoyed at what had happened when he had agreed to take her to get coffee. He was very angry, mostly because she hadn't done something like this for such a long time. He was sure to her it was just a joke, but she'd sort of laid off the flirtatiousness lately, and for it to return it was very frustrating. He didn't know why it bothered him so much, but the idea of being the butt of her jokes wasn't appealing at all.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I truly am." She didn't like him being mad at her. The feeling was stronger than ever before. Normally she would just shrug it off...

He looked at her in the rear view mirror, and was surprised to see a slightly sad expression on her face. A little bit of the annoyance disappeared, but only a little. "Why did you do it?" He asked, a little bit more gently.

She wasn't exactly sure what had compelled her to do it, but the odd 'memory' hardly seemed like something she wanted to mention. He might think it was one of her deluded dreams, and it wasn't so there was no point in telling him.

This, of course, caused him to be annoyed again because she hadn't answered him. Which made him figure she didn't have a good reason. He gave an annoyed sigh and dropped the conversation.

When the arrived back on base, Vala silently grabbed her still full cup of coffee and jumped out of the car heading to her room. The weird feeling that she had been hurt by someone more important to her than even a best friend remained.

When the arrived back on base, Vala silently grabbed her still full

cup of coffee and jumped out of the car heading to her room. The weird feeling that she had been hurt by someone more important to her than even a best friend remained. She hated the feeling, and tried to think of other things. But she couldn't. In her memory she had loved him...She had been able to acknowledge that feeling. That she was in love with him. She had never even let the thought occur to her, because it was far too frightening to her to fall in love. But what was this 'memory' and why were those feelings so clear? She couldn't understand any of it. But even with all of that, the feeling that was sticking the most was her hurt. She had been stupid to kiss him, but his rejection of her hurt. But why hadn't she expected it?

The thoughts were too much for her. She felt more than just a general attraction to him, even though he was her best friend.

But where had it come from? What was that memory? Was it her hopes rising to the surface suddenly? She couldn't say. It was all so very wrong. She could not love him, could she? But if she didn't love him, then why did his words cause her so much pain? Why did his rejection hurt?

She laid down on her bed, hoping to get a little bit of sleep. Sure that she would forget all of this when she awoke, and would laugh at herself for fancying herself in love with Daniel Jackson.

But her last coherent thought before she slipped into oblivion was how he was lovely to her even when he was angry. She asked herself 'why' and then she was asleep.