Red-Letter Day
By acer-sigma
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 or any of the characters that originated from the show. I just own the idea for this story, and seeing as how there is a writers strike at the moment, if the networks really want this idea, I'm sure we can come to an agreement.
Spoilers: Possibly some for early Season 9 and maybe Momento Mori. As well, this story takes place sometime after the end of Season 10, and the end of the Ori threat.
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Barreling in, Daniel had to catch himself as he stopped abruptly at the sight before him. He couldn't believe his eyes as he took in the sight of the rumpled bed, strewn clothes, and the sight of Vala peering at him over the side of the bed from the floor.
"What the hell," he exclaimed.
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Silence met Daniel's exclamation as the two stared at each other for several seconds.
Damn the man, Vala thought to herself, as Daniel stood before her, he just couldn't leave things well enough alone. And he had the nerve to call her nosey, she concluded to herself, as her hazy mind raced through possible scenarios to get rid of him quickly before he could ask any questions and stumble upon her secret. Well, she said to herself, nothing like making him uncomfortable. She let out a sigh as she mentally prepared herself.
Daniel watched as Vala let out a sigh as she continued to stare up at him from her position on the floor at the side of her bed. She made no move to get up, and her silence, as she gazed up at him with a slightly dazed predatory/calculating glint, made him a bit uneasy.
Shifting slightly, Daniel suppressed the brief urge to turn around and run, as he returned Vala's stare with one of his own. As he looked at Vala, the brief urge to flee was replaced once more with a mixture of unease and concern. He narrowed his eyes and frowned as he got a really good look at Vala.
She was still peering up at him from the side of her bed not moving, Daniel blinked as he suddenly noticed the flushed cheeks, mused hair, and the slightly glassy/red-eyed stare of the woman that was in front of him.
"Vala," he called in concern as he moved further into the room, but stopped short as Vala brushed a stray strand of hair out her face and shot him a grin.
"Darling," she began slowly and flirtatiously, "I didn't… know you had a… key to my room! Come for a little…how does Cameron put it…late night nookie? Well, I'm afraid now… really isn't the time! How about… tomorrow night," she concluded with a smile.
Leave it to Vala, Daniel thought to himself, to attribute a sexual motive to his looking in on the condition of a coworker who had missed work and had reported in sick that morning.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he retorted with a huff, "I'm here for no such thing!" Despite the way she looked, she couldn't be that ill, Daniel thought to himself as he continued to look her over, especially if she's still able to come up with a sexual innuendo. He shook that thought off, as he realized just who he was talking about. Besides, something about her seemed off to him.
"I came to check up on you," he explained as he stood awkwardly in her room, "it's almost noon, and you missed the briefing this morning." He sighed as she frowned, "You know the one you were suppose to help me with," he added.
"Oh," Vala replied simply. "Didn't….I…didn't I call in sick," she asked as she closed her eyes in concentration.
"Yes, Walter gave me the message," Daniel answered as he fought the urge to roll his eyes, "which is why I'm here." It was than that he realized that not only had Vala still not bothered to move from her position, but her speech was also a bit slow and she seemed as if she had to concentrate to string together her sentences.
He watched silently as Vala absent mindedly brought a hand to massage her forehead. His initial concern for her sky-rocketed as she let out a brief sigh of relief from her ministrations, before he was even aware of it he was kneeling by her side, a concerned hand on her shoulder.
"Vala, are you feeling alright," he asked concern evident in his voice.
Vala opened her eyes and blinked in confusion as if just realizing Daniel was with her. She gave him a smile and nodded her head, but quickly brought her hand back to her head to stop the sudden wave of dizziness the movement made.
"Of course I'm alright Darling," she reassured him, "why do you ask," she added innocently.
Daniel couldn't help but roll his eyes over the question, "the fact that you called in sick, you never get sick," he said simply. "Or how about the fact that you're still sitting on the floor next to your bed and haven't bothered to move since I got here," he added with a gesture to their position.
"Darling…are you trying to tell me that you would prefer me in bed," she asked as she shifted closer to him.
Daniel colored slightly at the remark but didn't bother to move away, "would you stop trying to deflect everything with sex," Daniel exclaimed in frustration. "Just answer the damn question," he growled.
"I'm fine Darling, it's just been a particularly tiring day," Vala said reassuringly as she leaned in towards Daniel and flashed him a dopey smile. "See, perfectly fine," she added, patting him on the chest.
"No you're not, and it hasn't been a tiring day," Daniel replied as he caught Vala's hand, "you've been in here all morning Vala," he said as looked at her glassy/red-rimmed eyes, "maybe we should go see Carolyn," he added as he moved to stand with Vala.
"Don't wanna," Vala said simply as she pulled her hand away, as she used it to support her head as she leaned onto the bed.
"Look Vala," Daniel began in exasperation, before stopping suddenly. He frowned and wrinkled his nose as he suddenly took note of the slightly odd smell that was in the room. His frown deepened as he tried to place the slightly familiar smell. Leaning in closer towards Vala's face, he took a cautious sniff, before suddenly pulling back and staring at Vala with a mixed look of disbelief and disappointment adorning his features.
The look quickly turned accusatory, "Ha…have you been drinking," he asked in a low monotone voice.
Vala completely missed the underlying tension behind Daniel's question. Instead she graced him with a smile and replied, "Of course I haven't BEEN drinking Darling!"
Daniel shot her an incredulous look, "Vala, don't…." he began as Vala shrugged her shoulders and interrupted him.
"I haven't BEEN drinking," she reiterated as she bit her bottom lip, before she reached under her bed. Rummaging around a bit, a grin suddenly blossomed on her face as she sat back up with the bottle that had dropped and rolled under her bed, in hand. "I AM drinking," she added flippantly as she pulled the cork and brought the bottle to her lips.
Before the bottle could reach her lips, "Give me that," Daniel exclaimed as he reached out and wrenched the bottle from her grasps.
"I can't believe you," he said, as he stood up, his voice devoid of all emotion. "It's not even noon! How did you even get…," he looked at the bottle and frowned, "what is this anyways," he asked as he squinted to read the faded alien label.
Vala attempted to grab the bottle back, but failed as Daniel moved it out of her reach. Letting out a huff, she frowned in concentration as she stared at the bottle. "Well, it's…., it's from….it's….," she started as she tried to remember what the name of the bottle was.
Her frown deepened as she failed to remember what was in the bottle. "Well….it's….it's uhmm…it's green," she declared finally at the only thing she knew about the drink.
Giving her a look of disbelief, Daniel lifted the bottle towards the light to try to get a better look at the label. It was definitely green Daniel thought to himself, as he let out a sigh and returned his gaze to Vala.
"Never mind," he said as he ran his free hand through his hair. "Just, where did you get it?"
"Really now Daniel isn't a girl allowed to have her secrets," she answered coyly.
"Vala," Daniel growled. "How much of this have you drank," he asked as he examined the half emptied bottle.
"Oh not much," Vala stated with a shrug, "I was just starting that bottle when…."
"Just starting," Daniel interrupted in disbelief as he looked once more at the half empty bottle, before sputtering, "what…what do…you mean this bottle?"
"Oops, I meant just that bottle Darling," Vala said, wincing at the look Daniel shot at her, as dread began to build.
"Vala," Daniel said warningly as he swept his gaze around the room. Once again he took note of the slight disarray of the room before his eyes settled on the open closet. His eyes widen slightly at the sight of various bottles lying near the door. He was rather dismayed to notice that several appeared to be empty.
"Have you been drinking all that," Daniel asked as he swung back to stare at Vala in disbelief and disappointment.
Her silence was his only answer.
"I don't believe this," he exclaimed, "this is a military base! Do you realize the trouble you could get in for drinking while on duty?"
"I'm not military," Vala defended herself, her eyes downcast, "I'm not even from this planet," she murmured quietly.
Daniel failed to hear her last comment as he latched onto the first part of her statement.
"That doesn't matter! You are a member of this facility, you have responsibilities," he exclaimed with a rising voice, "how could you screw up like this?"
"Daniel," Vala called his name tentatively as she winced at the anger in his voice.
"Damn it Vala, don't give me the act," Daniel said shooting her a look, as he heard the plaintive tone in her voice. "Just tell me what possessed you to do something like this?"
Biting her lip, Vala thought about telling Daniel the real reason behind her actions. But the anger in his tone and the expression he wore made her hesitate. Lifting her head to meet his gaze, she was slightly surprised to find behind the stern expression, a measure of concern behind his eyes.
Drawing a measure of courage from that ounce of concern, she decided to tell Daniel the truth, and hope he could understand and forgive her for what she was about to tell him.
Taking a deep breath, she braced herself. "I'm…well…," she began weakly, before gathering up more of her courage, "it's well…," she faltered slightly as she racked her brain for the right words, "it's kind of…well, I suppose you could call it an anniversary…I guess….You see…."
Daniel suddenly froze, as he blocked out the rest of Vala's explanation. He didn't know why, but suddenly a cold stone had settled into the pit of his stomach as the word anniversary filtered through his mind. Shaking off the uncomfortable feeling, he narrowed his eyes as he steeled his resolve before addressing Vala.
"That's what this is all about," he asked in a calm emotionless voice. "You know you're not the only one who's been separated from loved ones, it doesn't give you an excuse to get drunk!"
"Daniel," Vala asked confused.
"Sleep it off," Daniel said simply as he stood and placed the bottle on her desk before moving towards the door. He paused as he opened the door, before looking over his shoulder, "I'll talk to General Landry about having you discharged from the SGC," he added before closing the door firmly behind him as he left.
Vala simply stared in shock at the door that Daniel had walked through. She could only think that she had just made a terrible mistake.