Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Stargate SG-1.
Warning: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH
The Soul's End
Sitting on the bed in Daniel's quarters, Vala hugs his jacket to her chest. She sniffs it, surrounding herself with the essence that is her Daniel as the events of the day play out in her head...
They were in the middle of a battle zone, shots being fired from all directions. Vala could barely see anything but she made certain to keep Daniel in her sights. It wasn't a conscious choice, just something she's always done. She knew he did the same with her and that knowledge brought her comfort in the chaos. Even as part of her was aware of his presence, she was able to keep her focus on the battle, picking off the enemy when she could and hoping to survive another day. There was a slight lull and her eyes once more found their way to Daniel only to discover him looking directly at her. He nodded once before hoisting his gun determinedly and shooting at an approaching solder. He never saw it coming but she did.
"Daniel!" she shouted as another soldier took up position on his blind side and shot. He didn't even have a chance to swing around before the blast hit him and he crumpled to the ground. Not caring about the weapons-fire, Vala took off toward his bleeding body, shooting his assailant with crazed fury. She knelt behind the boulder he'd been using as cover and pulled his head into her lap. "Daniel..."
"I'm so sorry." he coughed out.
"Don't apologise." she told him angrily, placing her hand over his gaping wound. "You're going to be fine. You are not going to die on me. I won't have it."
"I don't th-think you're going to-to have much choice." He tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace to her.
"Shh, don't talk. We're going to get you back to the SGC, Carolyn will fix you up and you'll be fine."
"Vala, I-I have to tell you-"
"No! Don't you dare say it, not yet. Wait til we get home."
"Vala..."
"Please, Daniel..." she trailed off as a tear started running down her cheek. Bullets and staff blasts raged over their heads but they never looked away from each other.
"You need to know this before I..." Daniel's hand came up to cup her cheek and brush away the tear. "Vala, I love you. I'm just s-sorry..."
"No, there's nothing to be sorry for. We're going to get out of this and we're going to finish out date. We have to."
"Vala, please. I want to h-hear you say...say it j-just once..."
"I can't." She cried in earnest now.
"Please."
Vala brushed at his hair with her free hand and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, he was still staring at her, still waiting. She nodded sharply, trying to compose herself. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded strange to her own ears. "Daniel, I love you. I have always loved you."
"Th-thank you." He smiled then dropped his hand as his body went into a coughing fit.
"Daniel!" she cried out when he stilled in her arms. "No, Daniel! Please!" But it was no use, her Daniel was gone...
They'd finally won the battle and were able to 'gate home but that was little consolation to Vala. In fact, she wasn't even sure if this was home any more. Home meant Daniel and he was gone. How could she go on living here, how could she go on living at all? She didn't want to do it without him, didn't think she could. Tears started falling once more so she gathered up the jacket, crawled up to the top of the bed, and cried herself to sleep.
The End
