Turn Out The Light Chapter 2: One More Night, a stargate: sg-1 fanfic

Chapter 2 – One More Night

Turn out the Light

And let me love you

One more night

Hold me tight

Tell me everything

is gonna be alright

Under the bright fluorescent lights of the SGC, SG-1 sat around the briefing room table listening as General Landry informed them as to why they had been called in so unexpectedly. He explained that earlier that morning SG-3 had been doing routine exploration an uninhabited planet when they had stumbled across some Ancient ruins not too far from the gate. They had immediately radioed back to base, asking for Daniel to come to the planet to examine the structures, texts and artefacts they had discovered so far.

Vala leaned back in her chair, tuning in and out as General Landry laid out all the details. She internalised enough information to understand that SG-1 was to accompany Daniel and Samantha to P3X-whatever-it-was and watch while they investigated the ruins for information about the Ancients. Not the most thrilling assignment, but then again any Ancient finds were of the utmost interest to the SGC these days. With everyone on edge due to the continued Ori threat that loomed over them all, the Ancients remained their best hope when it came to some sort of defence against the seemingly unstoppable armies invading their space - so research on any available Ancient sites and technology took top priority.

As the discussion continued around her, Vala scanned the faces of her teammates across the table. Cameron sat with his back straight, hands folded on the polished tabletop, focused solely on General Landry. Always the consummate leader, Cameron listened carefully and asked for clarifications in order to ensure the safety of his team. Next to him Samantha ran a hand through her shaggy blond hair, multitasking as she listened to the briefing while simultaneously making notes on the equipment she wanted to bring along on their excursion. From the end of the table Teal'c looked on, his strong, silent form a constant on the team – consistent and dependable. He was very much the same as he had always been in that sense, but the striking grey streak in his hair now served as a continual reminder of what he had been through – what they had all been through and forgotten. Or at least were supposed to have forgotten.

Vala's train of thought wandered just a bit further off the track at the thought of the years they had all spent on the Odyssey. Instantly her mind jumped to the dreams that she had begun to experience on their journey home several weeks ago – that had continued to occur after their return to Earth. Each night Vala crawled in bed alone, only to find herself sharing a distant and unfamiliar life with Daniel, before waking up cold and lonely once more. It grew harder each day to convince herself that the images she experienced were solely the work of her imagination and nothing more. She had, of course, questioned Teal'c several times about the alternate timeline – her curiosity had always been a force to be reckoned with – but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to ask about Daniel. It was an almost unconscious move to leave out questions about Daniel – about she and Daniel – as she pestered Teal'c in the line in the commissary, as they worked out in the gym, or in the quiet stillness of his quarters as he attempted to ignore her and meditate among the flickering candles. The fear of what she might discover seemed to outweigh her normally uncompromising curiosity when it came to her future, or past, relationship with Daniel.

Trying to go about her daily routine as usual, as if nothing had changed, grew more and more difficult as well. The problem was that, theoretically, nothing had changed. Not for Daniel or Cameron or Samantha. Even Teal'c remained the same as always, refusing to show the strain those years must have had on him, stoically bearing the continued burden of the memories he carried. But the more Vala dreamed, the more the emotions that filled her heart at night began to slip into her actions during the day. Stolen glances, soft smiles and lingering hands reflected the passion and sensitivity of a woman who had been with her lover for years. The reaction she received, however, was one of a confused and sometimes annoyed archaeologist and teammate who didn't understand her actions or their meaning.

Dragging herself out of her roving thoughts and back to the meeting that continued around her, Vala turned in her chair slightly, allowing her gaze to fall on Daniel last of all. It was easy to see how eager he was to explore the possibilities the planet held. His eyes danced as he theorised about what they might find, impatiently demanding to leave as soon as possible. She couldn't prevent the smile that broke out on her face from reaching her eyes as she observed the obvious joy and excitement he was experiencing. Before Vala realised what she was doing her hand reached for his under the table, slipping her fingers into his and squeezing slightly. He paused mid sentence and turned to her with a slight frown, brows furrowed in confusion. He quickly pulled his hand from hers with a dismissive shake of his head and turned back to the briefing without a word. Vala slowly pulled her own hand back onto her lap, her bright smile quickly collapsing in on itself.

SG-1 stepped through the gate and the heat of midday stopping them in their tracks like a brick wall. They immediately moved towards the ruins, Daniel and Samantha eager to get started on their work, the rest of the group much more keen on simply finding some shade. Vala quickly caught up to Daniel, automatically matching his stride. Daniel chose a section of the ruins and began translating some of the text on the wall. Vala assisted, mutely, for the entire afternoon as he sifted and dug through the dusty ruins. He was so engrossed that he had barely noticed her presence let alone her uncharacteristic demeanour. She carefully handed him the tools he needed, offering him water to stave off the heat when he forgot to take a drink on his own. At one point in the long quiet afternoon, Vala sat back next to Daniel as he flipped through the pages of one of his own volumes. The sound of the pages turning was punctuated with aggravated sighs from the man who turned them as he looked for some sort of cross-reference. She couldn't manage to tear herself away as he worked, simply watching as he read, so intent in his quest for answers. Vala's shattered smile nearly returned as he rubbed a hand across his brow, crinkled in deep concentration, completely unaware of the long streak of dirt he left behind. Without a second thought Vala reached up with a thumb to gently wipe it away, lowering her hand to caress his cheek before pulling back. He looked up annoyed at the distraction and snapped, "Vala stop, please, not now" before returning to his book. Vala sat back in surprise, her hand frozen in midair, eyes wide in her own brand of confusion at both her own actions and his. She quickly stood and then moved away, spending the rest of the afternoon standing silently with Teal'c off to the side as Daniel tried translation after translation of the alien texts.

As the end of the day approached, shadows growing long and the oppressive heat of the day finally waning Daniel grew more and more frustrated with their lack of progress. Cameron, who had taken up watch around the perimeter of the ruins, entered the room removing his hat and using his sleeve to wipe the sweat that had accumulated on his face from the humidity. When he asked for their report, Daniel and Samantha had very little to offer. The texts remained a complete puzzle and Samantha had found very little in the way of technology, at least useful technology. Gamely Cameron quipped something about bringing along more s'mores if he had known they were going to take so long to get to the bottom of this one. If looks could kill, Cameron would have been dead as a doornail from the glare Daniel threw his way. Cameron quickly suggested that they pack up and set up camp before they lost the last of the daylight. The irritated archaeologist threw his tools into his pack, and moved to follow the others, trailing several yards behind. He took no notice of the raven-haired woman who had stayed behind to wait for him, instead walking swiftly ahead, lost in thought.

Daniel had remained frustrated and moody the rest of the evening and had left the circle of the campfire much earlier than the rest of the group. Cameron watched Daniel as he crawled into the tent they were to share and immediately offered to take first watch, not at all eager to follow the disgruntled man into the very small space.

Leaves rustled softly as a cool wind blew through the trees that surrounded their campsite. SG-1 had finally called it a day a few hours ago, and had retired to their respective tents. The refreshing breeze made its way through the open flap of the tent where Samantha and Vala rested, causing the battery powered lantern hanging from the tent post to swing slightly. The shadows on the ceiling of the tent danced and shivered until Vala reached up to steady the light and zip the flap shut. Looking over at Samantha, she realised her tent mate was already fast asleep so she flicked the lamp off and quietly snuggled deeper into her sleeping bag.

Rolling over, she could see the light still glowing from Daniel and Cameron's tent. Daniel would be going over the translations and texts from the day, trying to find the missing piece, the clue they had missed. She wished desperately that she were there with him. Not only to satisfy her own desires but to help him as well. She knew he would work better if he just relaxed. Wait, how did she know that with such certainty? Flashes of shoulder massages and late night discussions assaulted Vala's senses. She shook her head to clear the images from her mind. That Daniel, the man with whom she spent her nights, was so different from the Daniel mumbling to himself a few feet and two canvas walls away. All day she longed for the Daniel that haunted her dreams, eager for the small comfort she received in those moments with him, before the sudden, painful fall back to reality each morning. But at the same time she wished all night that her own Daniel would open his eyes, would smile back, would see her. She let out a sigh of dissatisfaction. She was torturing herself. That's what she was doing. Torturing herself. As if she hadn't been tortured enough in her life.

In the next tent Daniel eventually succumbed to his own frustration and exhaustion, extinguishing the glow of the lamp overhead, leaving them both in darkness.

As the night wore on Vala slipped restlessly in and out of sleep. Her dreams were fragmented, non linear; each image, each emotion triggering the next, unpredictable, disorganised and out of her control. Events and faces moved in and out of her mind's eye, painting a picture of a life that was confined yet somehow free; stranded in time.

Vala watched as the clock on the bedside table switched from 11:59 to 12:00. Rolling over, she shifted her body to lie over Daniel's, pushing her greying hair aside as she settled above him, moving her lips to his and pulling him from his slumber with a deep kiss. His hands moved automatically to her hips to hold her in place as her hands cradled his head,continuing the breathtaking kiss. She moved back slightly opening her eyes to catch his gaze with her own. She smiled softy and whispered "Happy Birthday" as she moved back in to lazily invade his mouth with her tongue once more.

The pale glow of the overhead lights replaced the darkness in the room and the languid kiss turning frantic as Vala found herself pushed up against the wall of their quarters, Daniel's mouth plundering hers as he held her head in place. She could feel wet tracks from the tears that were streaming down her cheeks and as she brought her hands to Daniel's face she could feel twin streaks of moisture there as well. They pulled at each other's clothing, Daniel removing her black blouse, Vala pulling at his black sweater, in a frenzied attempt to feel skin on skin, to reassure each other that they were both still there, that their time had not yet run out. The memorial service for their stalwart leader had reaffirmed the bitter realisation that while they were protected from the Ori ships that lay outside, they were not immune to the ravages and finality of time, of life and death, within their self-imposed prison. Daniel picked Vala up holding her to him and she wrapped her legs around his waist holding on tightly as he moved towards the bed. "I don't want to lose you," she murmured into his neck, her arms gripping his shoulders desperately. His arms tightened around her small form in return before releasing her to lie back on the bed, his eyes shining. "I love you."

Vala sat alone in General Landry's garden, the green leaves and brightly coloured flowers surrounding her standing out starkly against her raven hair, black dressing gown and pale face. Daniel entered quietly, moving to sit on the floor beside her, handing her a cup of tea. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close,he kissed the top of her head. Vala looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "She would have been ten years old today Daniel." She buried her face into his shoulder and Daniel remained silent. There was nothing to say. The cup of tea remained forgotten on grey floor, slowly growing cold.

Vala moved up behind Daniel, replacing the now cold coffee on the console with a fresh, steaming cup. Daniel took no notice, continuing to examine the glowing schematics and text that filled the air in the otherwise empty room. Vala moved back to sit by the door, her usual spot, waiting for him to finish what he was working on. If nothing else, she had learned some amount of patience over the last few years. The minutes ticked past in silence until Daniel reached for his coffee mug. His eyes widened when he found it to be warm. Looking back towards the door he found her exactly where she had been the day before, and the day before that. She smiled and stood. "You're welcome." She moved back towards the console. "I'm late for dinner again,aren't I?" He asked with a wince. "You are." she answered, her face remaining neutral as she ran a finger down his cheek to rest on his chin. Then with her thumb and forefinger on his chin she pulled him closer pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He pulled back and grinned. The blue light of the alien text played across his face as the display continued bringing up data, but Daniel was no longer focused on the knowledge base. "I guess I'll have to make that up to you,won't I?" He said moving in closer. She watched the blue glow play across his face a little longer before allowing a small smirk to grace her features. "You most certainly will,darling," she answered as the blue light flickered and went off at the touch of Daniel's hand, leaving them in darkness.

The coloured lights flickered on and off as Sam continued to fiddle with the power source behind the tree. Vala was in front of the tree holding up one ornament after another searching for the perfect place for each one. However, each time she moved towards the step ladder that rested at the foot of the tree, Daniel's hand came from behind her taking whatever ornament her fingers gently clasped and moving to step up onto the ladder to await further instruction. After the fourth or fifth time he did this,Vala let out a disgruntled huff and put her hands on her hips glaring at him as he stepped back down off the small metal ladder. "You know Daniel,I'm not an invalid, I could have done that myself." He looked at her with a warm smile "I know that Vala, I just don't see any reason to take any chances." She couldn't help but smile in return as he moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. They both looked at the tree for a long moment. "That little Bambi creature is far too close to that snowman,Daniel" Vala said breaking the silence and pointing out the offending ornament. "It's a reindeer Vala. A reindeer. You should really get the terminology right if you want to teach it to this little one" He chuckled, placing his hands gently on her stomach.

Daniel's hand rested on her stomach as they lay stretched out in their quarters. The only sound was their soft breathing, almost in unison, as Vala rested between Daniel's legs, her back to his chest. He was reading a book Sam had given him about parenting, and he was completely engrossed. The book was in one hand while his other hand absently rubbed Vala's growing stomach in slow circles. She looked up at him and when he felt her movement he looked down quickly to ensure she was alright. Seeing her relaxed expression,he placed a soft kiss to her forehead and went back to his reading. Warm and content,Vala allowed her head to fall back and her eyes to slowly close, a smile plastered to her face.

Vala's eyes shot open, she lay on her back in bed, the starlight the only light in the room. There was no movement or sound to explain her sudden awakening, but she knew somehow that something wasn't right. As soon as the thought crossed her mind,Vala felt an excruciating pain in her abdomen. She rolled over towards Daniel's side of the bed, a muffled sob escaping her lips. "Daniel….help…the baby…"

Vala woke with her knees pulled to her chest, her face and pillow soaked from the tears streaming down her face. How could dreams be so real? Create such real emotion, such devastating pain? As she replayed the images again in her mind's eye, tears threatened to form once more. The baby. Her baby? Hers and Daniel's? Vala was still working to wake up and she skittered about in the fuzz and confusion of the space between sleep and awake, trying to discern dreams from reality. But that was the problem, wasn't it. Dreams and reality. She wasn't sure which was which anymore.

Slipping out of her sleeping bag Vala moved silently to open the flap of the tent, careful not to disturb Samantha. She couldn't live with this alone any longer. She stepped out into the cool night, the brisk early morning air washing over her skin, soothing her flushed cheeks. Vala saw Teal'c sitting next to the campfire, vigilant, watching over them all while they slept, and she began to walk towards him. She couldn't hide any longer. She had to know the truth.