Author's Note: Well, friends, this is my new fanfiction. I'd love reviews and constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate. Tragic as it is for me... :)

~Introduction: Love and Hate~

The night air was cold as winter was settling down on the village of this little planet. In one of the small, peaceful homes a woman was standing in a room with a closed door, as she searched about the room for anything valuable she could find and threw it into a suitcase. The family was totally unaware of the women as they slept on peacefully. They had generously offered to let her stay a few nights with them, for they would never let a stranger stay the night in the cold. They had no idea it would come back to bite them.

The woman slipped on a black leather jacket, the only thing she was taking that actually belonged to her. She zipped up the black duffel bag and slowly opened the door of the guest room she'd been in. Her raven-black hair was tied up in a messy ponytail to keep it out of her eyes, as she silently slipped through the house. She walked down a hallway, and was extra careful as she passed an open door. Her blue eyes could see two little girls lying peacefully in the room. Unaware of the woman who was walking away with some of the families most valued treasures.

The woman hated herself for what she'd once more become. Stealing heirlooms from a sweet little family who had been kind enough to save her from the cold evening? She'd be running off with their small ship as well.

She made her way outside and easily slipped into the little ship. She was taking off, and when the family woke the next morning, their possessions would be significantly lessened then what they'd had the night before.

As she lifted into the sky, inside the ship she'd stolen, she looked down at the little village, and fought back the tears that threatened to overcome her. How she'd once more become this monster was beyond her. She'd changed for the better, but it had been a cure of the symptom, not of the disease.

She lied to herself under her breath, "Still, after three years, oh, I hate you Daniel Jackson." She said, in a soft, hissing breath. Though the truth was carried to her mind. 'Oh, I love you, Daniel Jackson.' She thought painfully, her breath catching in her throat.

Chapter One, Three Years,

The goal of the mission was to make a peaceful first contact with the people of P3X-592, that could further open up an alliance that could be helpful on both sides. It was just an everyday thing, there wasn't really any worry of danger, but that wasn't ever really a safe thing to say on any of SG-1's missions.

"Colonel Mitchell, I think I see something down there. It's probably the village." A pretty, young woman, with straight red hair pulled back into a ponytail, and her bangs falling in over her forehead said, pointing at what all the rest of them had just missed.

"Good going, Doc." Cameron Mitchell said, with an appreciative nod. "Let's get going, then." He said, leading the way.

The red-head just smiled, nodded, and fell into step beside Sam. "Hmm, nice weather!" She commented cheerfully, as they walked.

"You've been on the team three years, Alice, you hardly need to comment about the weather to make conversation." Sam looked a little amused.

"Actually, more like two and a half years." Daniel corrected Sam.

Alice just grinned and tossed a water bottle to Daniel, "Whatever. Stay hydrated, Mr. Accurate."

Though this girl, Alice, seemed to take it all in her stride, and with great cheerfulness didn't seem to care about Daniel's correction, and it didn't phase her. Sam understood the deeper meaning to Daniel's words, and her cheerful look turned to one of sad understanding. Three years since Vala left SG1, two and a half since Doctor Alice Griffith had joined the team.

Although Alice hadn't immediately been aware of the meaning behind Daniel's words, she soon became so when she saw the look on Sam's face, and her own look became more solemn as well. She didn't say anything about it, but as she quickened her step to fall into pace with Teal'c, she gave Daniel a friendly pat on the shoulder.

As they approached the village, everything seemed to appear very normal. Just an ordinary little town. They all looked around, not really sure where to go or who to speak to first, so they just sort of wandered aimlessly, which attracted the attention of some of the villagers.

Doctor Griffith spotted a child sitting on the ground in front of her little home, tears covered the girls face as she was hugged her knees to her chest. She couldn't have been more then five years old, and Alice had a very large soft spot for children. Though it probably wasn't the best idea to approach a villagers child without permission, Alice could not help but do so, for the tears of the child were horribly sad to watch.

Alice knelt down in the dirt besides the little girl, her teammates watched her curiously as she did so.

"Come now, little one, why such tears?" Alice asked the child gently.

The girl sniffled. "Mama and papa have been robbed, miss." The little girl sobbed, "Mama and papa were so nice, miss, to let the lady stay at our home. They were so nice to her. She seemed so funny a lady. We trusted her, miss." The little girl wiped at her tears. "She was stayin' here last night miss, and we woke up this mornin' and our little ship and our family treasures were gone miss. My grandmama's jewelry, too."

Alice gently pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to the little girl. "I am so sorry dear," Doctor Griffith glanced over at the other's in her team, a look to ask if they could do anything to help. But what possibly could be done?

Alice sighed and gave the girl one last gentle pat on the head, before getting to her feet and turning to join the rest of SG1 again, until all of them heard the girl say quietly.

"Miss Vala wasn't quite so nice as she seemed at first." The girl had mostly been talking to herself, but her words had caused the whole team to freeze in place.

~*~*~*~

It was later that day, they had returned from their mission a couple hours earlier and Daniel was sitting alone in his office when Alice entered.

"Hey, you busy?" Alice asked, though she could see he was far too distracted to be really working, as he flipped aimlessly through the pages of his book.

"No...No, not really, come in." Daniel said, motioning to a chair in front of his desk, as he took of his glasses and cleaned them off, just because he needed to be doing something.

"I hope after two and a half years were friends, Daniel." Alice said slowly, she didn't want to cause any offense with what she was about to say, but she couldn't help but say it. Alice had a bad habit of always saying what she thought, even if she said it kindly, it wasn't always a welcome thing.

"Of course, Alice, but what's up?" He asked her as he put his glasses back on.

Alice hesitated, but continued a moment later. "I know you were all--I know you were terribly fond of this...This Vala." Alice said slowly, "and I never knew her, so who am I to judge any of it, really? But Daniel..." Alice didn't want to upset Daniel by her words, when she'd joined the team, the man had been torn apart by the sudden departure of his friend and he was still fragile about the subject. He had been pretty bent out of shape about the whole affair on the planet earlier that day. He'd hated missing his friend by only a few hours. He hated even more hearing the pain she'd left behind her.

"But?" Daniel prompted, impatiently.

"She seems cruel...To steal from that family? Daniel that little girl, everything that was most valuable to her family was stolen from her by a woman they had trusted. I don't want to upset you Daniel, you know that I would never want to do that, but...How can you live in regret of all of this when she was--is such a woman--" Before Alice could finish her sentence Daniel was on his feet. She braced herself for his anger, but she didn't really let it affect her. She had known Daniel long enough not to be too upset by any of his little outbursts. This was no different, but it did make her sad to see him so hurt about such a woman as Vala Mal Doran.

"Alice, listen carefully." Daniel tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke, but the built up hurt from the years of Vala being gone and having missed her by only a day was already causing him pain, and this only made it worse. "Vala had changed, okay? She was better. She had become a different person then who she had started. But what she is now...The reason she went back to that life...That was my fault, Alice. So if you want to blame someone, don't blame Vala, because she only left because I was unreasonably cruel to her. She trusted me, and I let her down. So all of this, I wouldn't dream of blaming her for. So if you want to call her a heartless person, make sure you're applying that name to me too."

Alice got to her feet slowly and silently, she gave Daniel a nod and a soft smile. She wouldn't say anything else that might make him angry, and she wouldn't dream of laying the blame on him. So she left the room with a composed nod.

Author's Note: Let me note, that this fanfiction is not about Alice Griffith, she's just in this chapter a lot to sort of introduce her. Draw your own conclusions about her character, feel free to accept her as a member of SG1 or hate her as being basically Vala's replacement. Both will do just fine for me :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I had fun. I know it was a little short and confusing, but all will be explained, no worries. Please review!