Mr. Mal Doran

spacegypsy1

Timeline: around end of series.

Following an injury Daniel has some memory issues. A Daniel/Vala romance.

~0i0~

Huddled around Daniel who lay in the fetal position on the ground, with Vala kneeling over him, the rest of SG-1 kept a lookout. Thanks to Vala and her crafty, yet quiet, hair pin they'd escaped the torturous prison and silently crept away.

"Guys, this is bad." Mitchell's voice was so low the others had to lean their heads close. "These people, and I use the term loosely, while dumb as a post have ears like Jackalopes. They hear everything. Here's the plan. Jackson's not gonna make it if we don't get him to the Stargate and soon. Thankfully they don't even know what it is, and by the look of the surrounding area, they never go there. Teal'c, buddy, your arm and maybe your shoulder is busted. Both Carter and me probably have a busted rib or two. Vala's the only one left standing tall. The big guy, me and Carter are gonna head out, making a ton of noise once those cretins get closer. We'll do some radio chatter, for let's say, the first two hours on the run. They can hear but they're slow and lazy. They'll head in our direction for sure. Then we'll go dead silent, find a hiding place and lay low. That gives Vala a good head start to get Jackson to the Gate and send someone to snatch us outta this hell hole. You up for that, Princess?"

Vala hadn't been listening, only staring in horror at Daniel.

Mitchell squatted down and whispered his plan. She nodded once and stood. Now she mouthed emphatically.

With a signal the group got Daniel to his feet, urging him to be silent. His groans ran through all of them. He was in bad shape having taken most of the torture because he was determined to make their captors understand they were peaceful explorers. Repeatedly, they dragged him off and brought him back later beaten and god knows what.

Taking Daniel's least bruised arm Vala pulled it over her shoulder and put a firm hand on his wrist, placing her shoulder under his armpit and her other arm around his waist. She grabbed his belt, fisting it tightly, nodded to the others with determination and moved off with as much stealth as she could muster.

~0i0~

The sun beat down, and Vala blinked the sting of sweat from her eyes. Knowing now it wasn't much more than half a click to the Stargate, she huffed and puffed under the weight of Daniel who shuffled along, moaning, coughing up blood and intermittently going to his knees as weakness over came him.

She'd pulled him up every time, wondering where she was finding the strength to keep going. He appeared dazed, pale, and with his face so swollen, she couldn't tell if he could even see. Turning away from the site of him, Vala gritted her teeth and trudged on.

Suddenly he spoke. "Hey, beautiful?"

It took a few seconds to recover from his raspy trembling voice and the fact that he called her beautiful. "Shh. Be quiet."

"I think I'm nuts about you."

"That's nice. Tell me that again when you're not delirious. There's the Stargate up ahead. Keep moving."

"Oh, gods. I can't. I can't walk anymore. It hurts."

"Yes you can, darling. You'll be fine."

Pulling back, he let out a gurgling groan and began to cough. "I need to sit down."

"Shh. Can't. We have a good lead, and the only way those things will catch up is if they hear us and we sit and wait for them. The Stargate's right over there. Come on, darling. We're going to make it." She urged him forward.

"Who are you?" Wiping a trickle of blood from the side of his mouth, Daniel looked askew at Vala.

"Since you're all muddle brained I'm tempted to tell you I'm your wife, but..." Daniel's knees buckled and Vala hauled him back upwards.

"Yes, yes, that's it, my wife, what's your name?" He reeled, nearly passing out.

"No." She voiced loudly, then whispered, "No, no. I'm Vala. Vala Mal Doran, your co-worker. Now, look, here we are."

Daniel squinted and then moaned at the pain it caused his battered face. "What the hell is that blurry thing?"

"The Stargate. The Chaapa'ai, Holy Ring, tunnel to death and destruction, savior of the lost and wounded. Gateway home to save your life." She held him tight so he wouldn't drop like a stone to the ground and somehow still managed to dial the Gate.

"Okie dokie. Wow, married. When did I fall in love with you? Do I love you?" He muttered in confusion.

"NO." She punched the code in with unwarranted force, saying as loud as she felt safe, "We need medical, fast!" And upset for reasons she didn't care to acknowledge Vala carefully but determinedly lifted Daniel and pulled him up toward the wormhole.

"Then, why'd you marry me?" He asked standing at the event horizon as blood oozed from his mouth and his slitted and swollen purple eyes tried to focus on her face.

"Because, I love you." She dragged him through.

~To Be Continued~