Title: Smoke from a Distant Fire

Author: Tracy

Rating: K+ (Nothing you wouldn't see on TV)

Pairing: Daniel/Vala with some mention of Sam/Jack

Category: Romance

Characters: Mostly Vala and Sam, a little Daniel and a mention of Jack

Season: After Unending

Summary: Vala and Sam have a late night talk

Archive: Yes, please

Spoilers: Nothing specific, but mention of Sha're's fate

Feedback to (Please?):

Author's notes: So, my first Daniel/Vala story! I am a die-hard, life-long Sam/Jack shipper, and always will be, but I really like Vala and Daniel together. As I said in another story, I think they are good for each other. He gives her stability and security and she gives him some light heartedness and fun in his otherwise serious life. Daniel may not know it, but he has a subversive sense of humor that, I think, responds to Vala's irreverence. I am really starting to become a shipper. Daniel and Jack are my two favorite characters, so I have no problem being both a Jack/Sam AND Daniel/Vala shipper.

After seeing Michael Shanks in Chicago recently, I got the idea for this story. He said that in the original script for Unending CC had written it so that after Daniel and Vala sleep together, he moons around after her, constantly asking (begging) her "So, are we in a relationship now or what?" He and Claudia Black thought that was too lame, so they came up with what ended up in the episode. The part where Daniel is so harsh (mean) to Vala stems from Daniel being afraid to enter into a relationship with her after being the butt of so many of her jokes. Many, including myself, though it was very out of character for Daniel to be so cruel, but MS said that when you are afraid of something and confronted with it like that you lash out, and that makes a lot more sense to me., although I really don't think Daniel would be that cruel.

I haven't really read any Daniel/Vala stories, so there may be a million out there just like mine. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy my first offering in this area. I'd love it if you let me know what you think.

TT

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and all its characters don't belong to me, they belong to MGM and TPTB at Bridge. No profit was or will be made from this story. It was a labor of love.

Sam pushed through the doors of the commissary in search of coffee. She was working late, once again, and desperately needed some caffeine. As usual, the commissary was virtually deserted. The janitor was used to seeing her this time of night and greeted her with a smile and a nod as he pushed the mop bucket across the floor. Sam returned the greeting. "Hey, Burt."

Then she spotted Vala sitting at one of the tables in the corner. She was wearing her fuschia terry cloth bathrobe, her hair in her usual pig tails. She had her chin on her hands, a forgotten bowl of what looked like Fruit Loops in front of her. She was clearly troubled by something.

Sam poured herself a cup of coffee and approached the table. "Hey, Vala." She leaned down into Vala's field of vision.

Vala looked up, clearly surprised. "Sam. Burning the midnight oil, are you?"

Sam smiled. "Yeah. Catching up on the data from the last mission. Can I join you?"

Vala gestured to the opposite chair. "Please do."

Sam pulled out the chair and sat, settling her mug in front of her and cupping it with both hands. "You know, that's what Jack usually eats," she commented, pointing to the cereal.

Vala grinned. "Well, you'll just have to keep my little secret. I wouldn't want your handsome General to find out I'm poaching on his territory."

Sam grinned. "He'll get over it. Hey, you, uh, looked kind of sad when I came in. Is everything okay?"

Vala stirred her soggy Fruit Loops, watching the brightly colored circles swirl around in the milk. "Well, yes and no." She made a dismissive gesture with her spoon. "Oh, don't mind me I'm just moping."

"Moping? About what?"

"Do you ever think to yourself that life is too hard?"

Sam took a drink. "Life? That doesn't sound like you." She gave Vala a doubtful look.

"Well, not ALL of it, maybe, just…relationships."

"Ah. It's Daniel we're talking about here?"

"Well, yes, and the third party in our relationship."

Sam was confused. "Third party? Who would that be?"

Vala let her spoon drop against the side of the bowl with a clank. She leaned in and said in a low, sober voice "'She Who Must Not Be Named.'"

"Excuse me?" Sam frowned.

"It can never be just Daniel and me, there's always a ghost around us, interfering in our lives, sleeping in our bed, and any discussion of said ghost is strictly off limits."

"You're talking about Sha're?"

Vala made a face. "Yes, the beautiful, martyred wife. At times I have this overwhelming urge to ask that famous question, 'Daniel, if Sha're and I were both drowning and you could only save one of us, which one would it be?' but I'm very afraid I know the answer all too well." She dropped her chin on her hand and looked glum.

Sam leaned across the table to put her hand on Vala's arm. "Vala, Daniel loves you. You make him very happy. He told me so just the other day."

Vala sat up. "He did? When? Where?"

At the cookout at Jack's house. I saw Daniel watching you when you were teasing Teal'c about something, calling him 'Muscles.' Daniel looked so happy and proud I just had to tease him a bit. I went up to him and told him he shouldn't be wearing his heart on his sleeve like that. He shrugged, smiled and said, "Can't help it. Sue me. I'm happy." I told him I thought you were good for him, and he said:"I do, too. I just love her so much."

Vala's eyes filled with tears. "He did? He said that?"

"Absolutely. Why? Doesn't he tell you he loves you?"

Vala grinned and sniffled. "Well, yes, yes he does, but you know, he sort of has to when we're…" She shrugged and actually looked a bit embarrassed.

Sam put her cup down. "Vala. You don't think Daniel really loves you?"

"Oh, no. It's not that."

"What, then?"

"It's just all the subjects we have to dance around." She began to tick things off on her fingers. "There's Sha're, there's the Harsesis, there's his many Ascensions, there's Oma De Sala, there's his childhood and losing his parents, there's Sarah Gardner. Look at you and Jack. You're his everything. You don't have any topics you can't discuss with him, do you?"

Sam snorted. "Oh please." She began ticking things off on her fingers as well. "Charlie. Sarah and his first marriage. Laira, His imprisonment in Iraq, his being held by Ba'al, shall I go on?"

Vala huffed out a laugh. "So, you, too?"

"Sure, but the good stuff far outweighs anything like that, doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does. It's just very lowering to know that the love of one's life doesn't feel that way about you. I'll always come in a close second to Sha're."

"Vala. I know it hurts, but you can't blame Daniel for still holding on to his memories of Sha're. She was his first wife and she was taken from him before they could really build their lives together, and before he could get her back, she was killed. I think he still feels that he has unfinished business with her, and rightly so, and to this day it's still a painful subject for him. That doesn't mean he doesn't love you with all he has, or that you 'come in second' in any way."

Vala sniffled and blew her nose into a paper napkin. She nodded. "I know. I really do. I'm just feeling rather sorry for myself right now." She gathered up her bowl and gave Sam a watery smile. "I'm probably just tired. A good night's sleep will put things in perspective, right?"

Sam nodded. "Absolutely. In the morning things will look so much better. You'll see."

"Thanks for listening to me, Sam."

"Anytime." Sam rose to take her leave.

"Listen. Don't tell Daniel any of this, okay? I wouldn't want to upset him."

"I understand. This is just between you and me."

At that moment Walter Harriman came through the door, the cord from his ear piece trailing behind him. Did the man never leave this place?

"Colonel Carter. General O'Neill just called. He was wondering if you were still here."

Sam looked at her watch and grimaced. "Oh crap. I was supposed to be home two hours ago. Walter, tell him…"

"I told him you'd left the mountain about five minutes ago and were on your way, ma'am."

Sam huffed out a relieved sigh. "Thank you Walter. You're the best."

Harriman gave her a small smile and turned to leave. "Yes, ma'am." Then he was gone.

Sam turned to Vala and shrugged. "Well, gotta go."

Vala nodded and with a little finger wave, headed for the bins to deposit her bowl and spoon. She saw Sam head out and followed after, heading for her quarters.

As she approached her room, she realized she sort of missed the two guards who had been on duty outside the door before she became a trusted member of SG-1. Gordon and Sanchez. She could make the two young men blush such an interesting shade of red when she teased them.

Smiling, she entered her room and jumped, startled to find someone there. She put a hand to her heart. "Daniel! You scared the daylights out of me. What are you doing here?"

"Sorry," he said softly. He was very still, his hands in his pockets. "I came to see you. Hey, uhm, am I really the love of your life?"

"What? You heard?" Vala's heart jumped into her throat.

He shrugged. "Didn't mean to. I came in to find you and saw you and Sam talking. You two were so involved you didn't see me. I started to come over, and then I heard my name. I just sort of listened from there on."

"Oh. Well, I…Daniel, I really didn't mean to…Are you mad?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Your…? Oh. Well, of course you're the love of my life. Who else would it be?"

"I don't know. You've been involved with a lot of people."

"Not ones I love to distraction like I do you. Why do you think I hung around so long? I was waiting, and hoping you'd finally learn to trust me, to like me, you know." She clasped her hands in front of her, suddenly uncomfortable.

Daniel walked toward her with a smile on his face, and took her in his arms. He kissed her sweetly on the lips. "I love you, you know?"

Vala put a hand on his chest. "Good to know."

"And for the record, you're my everything, too."

Vala beamed. "Really?"

"Absolutely, but it took a long time for me to lower my guard with you. Worth it, though."

"Yes, so why did it take so long?"

Daniel made a little face. "Well, if you hadn't made me the butt of so many of your jokes, maybe I would have come around a little sooner, but I figured you were just messing with me to get more ammunition to embarrass me with."

Vala touched his cheek. "Oh Daniel. That was just my way of, you know, showing my interest in you."

"Hmmm, not very convincing."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." She pecked him on the lips, then she grinned an evil grin. "If you let me I could be a LOT more convincing." She suggested, stroking his ear.

A reluctant smile appeared on his face. "I just might take you up on that. As for the other thing…"

Vala shook her head vehemently. "No, Daniel, that was really not meant for your ears. I was just tired and venting and…"

Daniel put his fingers over her lips and shook his head. "No. It's something we need to discuss. We should have talked about it a long time ago."

"Now?"

Daniel untied her robe and pushed it off her shoulders. "Oh, I think it can wait until tomorrow. For now, let's see how convincing you can be." Still holding on to the lapels of her robe, he pulled her toward him, stifling Vala's giggles with his mouth.

Fin