Baby Come Back Chapter Three: Breaking Up is Hard to Do
xxxxxx
With a deep groan Daniel's eyes fluttered open squinting against the bright lights of the infirmary. Moaning, he tried to lift a hand to his throbbing head, but one was attached to an IV and the other one was captured in a tight grip.
The pin light Dr. Lam shined in his eyes only increases the pain in his head. "What happened?" When the light moved away Daniel tried to bring Vala in focus with a few painful squints before he finally managed to get the three images of her into one. Her head was cocked and she stared blinking back huge tears as she attempted to smile at him.
Taking another painful eye strain towards the end of the bed he found the fuzzy figures of Teal'c, Sam and Mitchell. As much as he could make out they all three appeared to be scowling at him as he tried to pull his hand free of Vala's, who wouldn't let go.
"Why's everybody staring at me? What happened?" Again he endeavored to pull his hand free.
Dr. Lam, checking his monitor, asked softly, "you don't remember?"
"Noooo." He didn't have the strength to recapture his hand from Vala's death grip and he scowled at her again.
Mitchell grew closer with a hateful glare, jaw tight and arms crossed before releasing one hand from its locked position to produce Daniel's glasses.
Carolyn snatched the glasses from Mitchell with a fierce look. "He needs rest."
"Whatever you say, you're the …. Doctor." Mitchell bit out in disgust.
"What the hell's going on?" Daniel looked to Sam who stared at the foot of the bed, brooding. Then he managed a peek at Teal'c who, hands locked behind his back, forced an uncomfortable smile.
When he turned back to Vala she leaned over and planted a rather lustful kiss on his lips. Though shocked by her actions he enjoyed it none the less. That in itself was a surprise.
"I have to go, darling. We've got a recon mission back to the planet." Letting go of his hand she brushed his cheek and left.
Daniel looked at the other three. "What's going on?"
"I got paperwork to do." Mitchell, arms crossed once again, was looking at the floor.
"I've got to study the readings from the sensor." Sam still had her eyes down cast.
Teal'c remained silent.
"I thought you guys were going on recon." Eyes closed, Daniel fought to clear the fog in his brain.
Heads turning back and forth in confusion, the other three remained quiet for a full minute trying to figure out what he was talking about.
Finally Mitchell responded. "That's SG-3."
"Glad you're alright, Daniel." Sam patted his foot at the end of the bed but she didn't sound very sympathetic.
Daniel refrained from shaking his head to clear the cobwebs and opened his eyes to find Teal'c looming over him. "Teal'c what's going on?"
Teal'c looked at the doctor who shook her head and told her patient, "Daniel you need to rest; they can answer your questions later."
"I have work to do; somebody else can answer his questions!" Mitchell snapped out the words quickly.
Carolyn Lam came around the bed and confronted Mitchell with a heated glare. "Why don't you just go do your paperwork and leave my patient in peace? I know I'd be happy to see you go. You've been released – as in get the hell out of my infirmary!"
"Lady, I'd be more than happy to, seein' as this is my least favorite place on planet Earth!" Angrily, Mitchell left nodding to Jack who entered.
"How's the patient?"
"Jack? Thank God you're here; please tell me what the hell is going on." Daniel's hand grabbed his aching head.
The blurry figure of Sam at the foot of the bed suddenly turned and stormed out and Jack turned, following her out without another word.
Again, Daniel's eyes shut leaving him unaware that Carolyn injected something into the IV drip. With a deep sigh he started drifting off still confused but feeling much, much better.
"DoctorLam, does DanielJackson not remember he blew up the temple on PR3-389?"
"I don't think so."
"That ValaMalDoran was assigned to SG-3?"
"Probably not, hopefully it's just short term memory loss."
"That they are married?"
"What!? Who's married?"
"I should leave."
Daniel's last conscious thought was an echo of the doctor's words…who's married?
xxxxxx
Jack caught up with Sam halfway down the hallway. "Hey? Wait." His hand gently grasped her arm which she snatched free. "Carter, I know you're upset about Daniel, but he's going to be fine."
"Yes, hopefully he'll be fine, and yes, I'm upset as I would be about anyone being injured. Now please leave me alone…SIR!"
"What's with the seventh grader attitude? I don't get it."
The look she shot at him could have melted the ice in Antarctica. "Of course you don't, you're up there in your ivory tower – having forgotten what's it's like! Don't talk to me." She stormed off in a huff.
"Colonel!" Jack bellowed in his best command voice.
Doing a precision military turn and standing at attention she answered in her best subordinate voice. "Yes sir?"
"Carter, we need to talk about this…situation."
"With all due respect, a tad late to be discussing it now isn't it sir?" She started walking again, dismissing him out of hand.
"Hold up a minute." Jack tried to keep his voice from showing the irritation he felt.
Sam stopped without turning around. "I don't think this is the place to discuss it, sir. Maybe we can schedule a meeting for later." Again she walked off.
"All right, Colonel. Let's have that meeting. Right now. Your office. And that, Colonel Carter, is an order."
Stopping, her back went rigid and she turned to him but her response was cut off by General Landry's announcement over the intercom. "SG-1 report to the briefing room immediately."
xxxxxx
Woolsey sat in the chair to the right of General Landry, Jack to the left. Mitchell sulked beside Woolsey, Teal'c next to Jack and Sam opted of a chair further down the table away from everyone.
Woolsey looked over to Cam Mitchell. "Once Dr. Jackson has recovered you can have him or Vala Mal Doran, take your pick."
"How 'bout Dr. Balinsky?"
"I beg your pardon? Colonel what are you saying?" General Landry eyed Mitchell with dismay.
"Cam, don't you think that's throwing the baby out with the bathwater?" Sam didn't bother to look up from the paper she was doodling on.
"What baby?" Teal'c asked perplexed.
Cam ignored Teal'c and slunk down in the chair, and tightened his ever present crossed arms. "Precisely!"
Landry spoke at the same time as Mitchell, "We're putting Vala back on SG-1 while Dr. Jackson is still on medical lea…"
"I'd prefer someone else," the colonel shot back without waiting for Landry to finish.
"That's not going to happen. How did you find out?"
"Find out what sir?"
"You're trying my patience, son."
"Vala Mal Doran," Woolsey accused.
"DanielJackson," Teal'c corrected.
"Dr. Jackson?" Woolsey looked around in surprise.
Sam kept doodling, "Yes, he…"
"With all due respect, sir, I don't like bein' kept in the dark about my…."
The General interrupted Mitchell, "It was a mutual decision between General O'Neill and myself…"
Sam glared up at Jack for an instant and went back to drawing daggers and mathematical equations on her paper.
"I believe Colonel Mitchell may be on to something here. Both of them should be disciplined." Woolsey began to write notes and Mitchell sat up suddenly.
"Disciplined? No one said anything about disciplined. I'm talkin' about…"
"I'm not comfortable with your attitude Woolsey…" Landry leaned threateningly towards the man.
Throwing her pen down Sam glared at Jack again. "This is totally out of hand…"
"I believe that ColonelCarter is right…"
"Will you all please shut up?!" Jack stood suddenly, "Daniel and Vala will be returning to SG-1 as soon as possible. That's MY final decision. Vala's proven she can handle it and Daniel…well Daniel is Daniel. We're not breaking up a perfectly good team! They're both going to be fine."
xxxxxx
Still geared up from her scrubbed mission, Vala came into the infirmary delighted to see Daniel sitting up.
"You're back already?" His smile was welcoming if a little lopsided from the black and blue swelling on the left side of his face.
"Apparently I got bumped off of SG-3 at the last minute." She kissed the side of his mouth and he marveled at the casual intimate gesture as though she thought it an everyday occurrence to be kissing him.
"You left SG-1? When did that happen?"
Vala pushed his hip to scoot him over and hopped up on the bed, swinging her legs off the side and head turned towards him. "When you opened your big mouth and told Jack."
"Told Jack what?"
"That we got married."
"Excuse me?"
"Married. You know that little sacred event two weeks ago?"
"Vala, please stop playing around. I'm confused enough as it is."
"Daniel, you really don't remember? We left your house the morning after… we…you know and got married darling, then things just started falling apart. I told you not to tell him, but no, you insisted. Then they took me off SG-1 and we've been apart ever since. It's killing me. I miss you."
She did it again, that casual kissing thing that sent shock waves right down to his toes. He took hold of what senses he had left. "Why would I marry you? Come up with a better story, Vala." He grinned at her antics; she was such a comedian sometimes.
"You really don't remember?" There was a glint of fear in her eyes and Daniel noted it in uncertainty.
"I'd remember something like that…that's just crazy. Stop with the foolish chatter and tell me what's going on. We wouldn't even consider marriage and you know it. We're not even… you know…whatever." His headache was back and he squeezed his head.
Vala jumped off the bed and looked at him. "Oh we positively 'whatevered'. Are you saying you want a divorce?" Her hands slammed on her hips, her lips pouted and she glared angrily.
"Divorce?! Come on Vala, you've got to be kidding me. IF we were married yes I'd want a divorce considering that you and I don't actually see eye to eye in the first place. Friends don't marry friends. Cut out the silliness, my head is… Hey, where are you going?"
She turned from the doorway, "Well Daniel, I'm going to research divorce customs on the internet as well as to see if divorced couples can be on the same team."
"You're nuts! Stop messing with me! Vala, come back here! What the hell has gotten into everyone?" He was talking to an empty room. "Can someone PLEASE tell me what's going on?"
xxx Chapter Four coming soon: Friends in Low Places
A/N: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - Neil Sedaka