When Daniel got back to his office, he picked up his photograph of Sha'are and looked at it for awhile. He looked at it every day of course, several times at least, but there were times when he really looked at it, at Sha'are. This was one of those times.

He could still feel the texture of her hair, how the curve of her face fit exactly into the palm of his hand, he could hear her voice and her laugh, and he could feel her in his arms, her head on his shoulder, all those nights they spent staring up at the Abydonian sky.

These were the times when looking at her photograph could break his heart. He brushed his fingers over her face, pressing them there a moment before he set the framed picture back onto his wall. It was then that he saw Vala standing in his doorway.

"I've come to apologize." She said in answer to his questioning look.

"For?"

"Oh – everything. I suppose."

"Does that mean you're going to return my 'Escape from Mars' video?" He asked. She sounded serious, but he couldn't imagine why she would be. She hadn't done anything she needed to apologize for – lately anyway.

She walked into the office. She was wearing standard Air Force issue pants and t-shirt. Daniel often found himself missing her usual bondage outfit – but not for the reasons Jack would accuse him of. Well, not entirely.

"I didn't know you'd been married." She said.

Not really where Daniel wanted to go.

"It doesn't exactly come up in everyday conversation."

"Still I think someone could've mentioned it to me." Vala sounded insulted but

Daniel could tell it was her fake annoyed tone of voice.

"I wanted you to believe I was saving myself for you." Daniel said. "And saving and saving and saving."

Vala smiled sweetly at him and said in a loud whisper,

"Don't keep yourself on the shelf too long darling, you're liable to spoil."

"I'm willing to take that chance." He answered her. "So – what is it you're apologizing for?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Just – when you told me about Sha'are, I could see how deeply you loved her. I'd been told that love like that existed in the universe, I'd just never seen such a profound example of it before."

Daniel didn't want to answer that. He couldn't answer it.

"Especially from you." Vala continued.

"What's the matter with me?" Daniel had to ask.

"Please Daniel. You know how you are."

"How am I?"

Vala rolled her eyes dramatically. "Let's not go there." She walked beside his table, picking up objects that Daniel immediately removed from her hand. When she reached the corner of the table and was out of his reach, she turned.

"I suppose being lucky enough to have a love like that fall into your lap twice in a lifetime is bit much to expect, isn't it?"

"Considering I had to travel to a distant planet to have it happen the first time…" Daniel began with a trace of humor in his voice, then turned serious, "I'd say 'lucky' is nowhere near a strong enough word."

"Still…" Vala said, heading back toward the door. "One can hope, can't one?" She stopped at the door, smiling, posing, waiting for an answer Daniel didn't have to give her.

"You know what I'm really sorry for?" She asked when he didn't say anything. "I'm sorry I didn't get there first." She smiled again, her sincere smile this time. "I hope I have the chance to experience love like that at least once in my life." Then she winked and walked down the hallway.

"I hope you do too." Daniel said when she was gone.

the end