Title: You Have Your Answer

Author: HeddaMac

Pairing: Daniel/Vala

Rating/Category: T to be safe

Spoilers: Stargate SG-1—Pegasus Project, Unending, Ark of Truth

Stargate Atlantis—First Contact, The Lost Tribe

Summary: Daniel remembers those fifty years on the Odyssey with the interference of an ascended being. But it may be too late for Vala.

Notes: First story ever. Please review with constructive criticism and suggestions.

Chapter 1

Daniel jerked awake as pain shot through his body. The grogginess from whatever Keller had given him for the trip through the 'gate was receding. He wondered petulantly if Jack or Mitchell had picked electric shock in the "Daniel Jackson near-death experience pool." He was relatively sure Sam and Vala wouldn't take a piece of that macabre action.

He glanced around and saw the all-too-familiar SGC infirmary. He wondered how long he had been out this time. The last thing Daniel remembered was McKay babbling about the data from Janus' lab that he was sending data back to Sam. Daniel closed his eyes and groaned. There was something, something he needed to remember. Some dream or vision.

He could hear the voice of Ganos Lal whispering in his head, "You have your answer Daniel Jackson. I suggest you act on it." Daniel wondered why he was thinking of this now. It was at least a year since he and Vala had heard those words, when they were searching Atlantis for information about the Ori. The Ori were gone; Ganos Lal was locked in eternal combat with Adria. Daniel struggled to pull his thoughts together.

Had he dreamed? He focused his mind on the faint memory of his dream. Vala skating through the hall of the Odyssey. Landry trimming plants. Sam playing a cello, and Mitch destroying his quarters. He was positive he had some sort of vision; he had remembered part of those fifty years trapped on the Odyssey. Daniel had no idea how he was able to remember that time that wasn't, but somehow for some reason he knew.

Vala. He choked on guilt as the words he hurled at Vala that night raced through his head. He knew he had acted out of frustration with the situation, and frustration with loving someone he thought was incapable of real emotion or commitment. He could almost feel that first kiss after he realized Vala was serious. The joy he felt while he held her after they had made love rushed through him. He felt those 50 unlived years as they played through his mind. His heart ached as he remembered the child they lost before he even had a chance to live. He remembered every single moment. Fifty years spent holding her, loving her, and being loved by her. He wanted those experiences in this lifetime. He craved that piece of her soul that held her demons, her hopes, and dreams. He wanted her. He needed her.

Would she believe him, accept what he felt, or had he lost his chance? He didn't know if it was a gift from some ancient who was taking pity on him for all he had lost saving the world or if it was some side effect of being zapped that had returned the memories of the fifty years, but he was going to take a chance. He was going to make a life with Vala if he could prove to her that he loved her and trusted her. He had his answer; she made him whole. It was time to act on it.

Daniel cringed as he contemplated the difficult path his friendship with Vala had taken of late. Before he left for Atlantis they had argued, no surprise there. She had come into his office right after Daniel finished arguing with Jack. Daniel was exhausted from convincing Jack why it was imperative to find Janus' lab. He was grouchy because Jack had threatened to send Vala and SG-3 to babysit. Daniel told her he was going to Atlantis and asked her to hand him some of the books from the shelves that he needed for the trip. The snag happened when she asked how long "they" would be gone. They had argued when he told her she wasn't going with him. When she snapped that he wouldn't be able to keep out of trouble. Daniel responded by snapping at her concerning his boredom related catastrophes. She whined; he told her to stop being a child. He kicked her out of his office, but Daniel had thought he would see her and apologize in the morning before he beamed aboard the Daedalus, but Vala didn't come to say good-bye. He had felt a little guilty as he settled into his quarters on the ship, but he figured she would get over it soon enough. He planned to record her a message with an apology, but he never sent that message since he was kidnapped, beaten, and electrocuted.

Daniel wondered where she was. Was she still that angry? At the very least he expected her to be perched like a vulture waiting to say, "I told you so." In fact he wondered where any of his team were. He couldn't remember the last time he woke up in the infirmary without a member of SG-1 sleeping in a chair beside him. He reflected again on how angry she was. If she forgave him on the Odyssey for his vicious attack, couldn't she forgive him for their relatively minor disagreement a few weeks ago? He pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. He was the biggest damn fool in the known galaxies.

One of the nurses must have heard him groaning and shifting around because Dr. Lam appeared by his bed. "Dr. Jackson, how do you feel? We kept you sedated after they brought you through the gate. You needed the rest."

Daniel asked, "How long?"

Dr. Lam turned from checking the machines monitoring him to say, "We've kept you under for a little over twenty-four hours. We need to start running some tests to see how badly your body was damaged and how we can best treat you. You were lucky that the electricity didn't pass through your heart, but I am sure Dr. Keller has already pointed that out to you. Her report indicates that you were in a great deal of pain when they beamed you and Dr. McKay aboard the Daedalus. She also wrote that you were suffering from muscle spasms."

Daniel shifted uncomfortably as he nodded in affirmation.

"General O'Neill has asked to be informed, when you woke up, so I will have someone alert him. He is meeting with General Landry now," she said as she started to pull the curtain around him.

Jack wasn't the one on Daniel's mind though, so he called after Lam, "Dr. Lam, can you get Vala for me?"

He watched Lam hesitate, "General O'Neill will be down soon."

"Dr. Lam?"