Firstly, thank you for all the reviews, chaps! Really chuffed that you're all sticking with it. Can I apologise if anyone got a PM from LeprechaunicDolphin instead of me? Only my daughter was logged in to Fanfic, and I think I may have answered with her name! If it's even possible to do that! Anyway, onward!

Chapter Three. In Disgrace.

Daniel was in disgrace, and boy did he feel that he'd earned it! As soon as those awful words had come out of his mouth he'd regretted it. All he could see when he shut his eyes was the look on Vala's face before she'd turned and run away from him. Inwardly he was beating himself up for his own short-tempered, wilful, hateful stupidity. And they'd been getting on so well lately. Ever since she'd overcome her sleep problems, they'd both felt a real enjoyment working with each other. He actually looked forward to seeing her at the briefing every morning, and having her sit in his office with him, tinkering and fiddling and helping him file bits and pieces away.

You're the selfish and stupid one, he told himself. You're the bullying spiteful one who always wants everyone to play your games. They're only here because they all want to help you and your ridiculous digging about in the mud!

Mitchell had picked his rucksack up, immediately after Vala had run off – without another word he'd turned away and headed up the path back to the town, not caring if the archaeologist was following him or not. Wisely, Daniel had stayed slightly behind his team leader and not tried to interact with him at all. Once they'd entered their small abode it was obvious that Vala had arrived before them and that Sam knew at least part of the story – pausing halfway down the stairs she'd taken one look at Daniel, called him a selfish person who's mother had not been married to his father (in as many words) and returned to the upper floor. Vala hadn't come down at all.

Mitchell had grunted something at him before following Carter upstairs – he'd only been gone a few minutes before he came back down and went outside again. Teal'c came back in his absence, carrying several books - he looked quizzically at his friend, then also went upstairs. When he came down his face was very grave and he looked sadly at Daniel. The archaeologist felt his face redden.

"I'm so sorry, Teal'c," he told him, with his hands out to his sides.

"I can see that you truly are, DanielJackson," the Jaffa acknowledged. "However, ValaMalDoran does not know this and is too upset to see you at the moment. And ColonelCarter is using words that I have not heard her use before and am unsure of the correct meaning."

"I don't think that you want to know," said Daniel hastily. He sat down heavily and sighed. Teal'c raised his eyebrow but wisely didn't comment. At that moment Mitchell came back in, holding a small vial with some kind of ointment inside. He glared at Jackson and went straight upstairs.

"ValaMalDoran has sprained her wrist," explained Teal'c. "She fell on the path coming back into town. ColonelCarter is bathing and dressing it for her. I believe that ColonelMitchell went out to procure some kind of soothing ointment."

"Like I needed to feel any worse," muttered Daniel under his breath.

"Shut up Jackson," snapped Cameron, coming into the room behind him. The archaeologist very wisely shut up.

Sam gave Vala some painkilling tablets before they went to sleep that night, consequently she slept a lot better than expected. She didn't wake at all until just before sunrise – their room was filled with a soft grey light and she could hear the gentle and continual pattering of ever-present raindrops on the roof. She lay quietly, with her sore arm across her chest, feeling comfortable but still rather sad.

People are like doughnuts, she thought to herself, you think that everything's alright on the outside, but when you look in the middle they're all soft and gooey.

She smiled a little. Samantha murmured and stirred in her sleep.

Last night, the girls had both stayed upstairs. It had taken a while to try and clean all the mud off of herself and her fatigues – Landry would have had a fit if he'd seen her. Even then, they'd had to hang it in front of the small fireplace, in the hope that it would dry out before morning and they could brush more of the damp dirt off of it. Her hair had been matted with mud too from where she'd fallen down on the path – trying to wash the mass of long, black wavy tresses with a fairly small jug and even smaller bowl had almost brought Sam to the edge of sanity. Consequently there was a large soggy patch on the floor now too. This really is the wettest planet that I've ever been to, thought the alien.

Cameron had come upstairs with the ointment for her wrist, then not long after both he and Teal'c had come back with a lovely little meal that one of the townspeople had prepared for them – soup and meat and some nice little fruit pies. Daniel had stayed downstairs. She didn't know if he'd had anything to eat or not. She'd been afraid that he'd come upstairs afterwards but wisely he hadn't.

Vala sighed. She'd begun to think that he liked her, he'd certainly seemed to be growing fond of her. And they'd been getting on so well too, working peacefully together in his office and pottering about with the cataloguing of all his bits and pieces. She rubbed her eyes with her good hand. He must not like me at all, she thought sadly. And I do love him so.

There! She'd admitted it to herself at last. She'd loved him since she first time that she clapped eyes on him aboard the Prometheus. She'd thought first of all it was just lust and passion that made her heart leap in that odd way when she looked at him, then she thought that it was just because he was such a good friend who'd saved her from the Ori and come looking for her after she'd lost her memory. But eventually she realised it was something much deeper than that – she felt strange when they were together. Strange, but completely at ease – she didn't know how to explain it, even to herself. She'd thought that her heart had broken when Cam had dragged her back through the Stargate, and they'd left Daniel with Adria. And when he came back as the Prior she'd spent hours just sitting on his knee with her head tucked under his chin. All she wanted was to be next to him always. I'd throw myself in front of a staff weapon for him, she thought. He was so dear to her, it made her heart swell in her chest, as if it was going to explode right out of it. She'd never felt like this before, about anyone. It frightened her, how strongly she felt. And now, she'd have to carry on hiding it.

Perhaps I'll have to leave the SGC Vala thought, sadly. Perhaps he'll never forgive me and we can never be friends again.

The pillow was getting damp from some unscheduled tears that had slipped down her cheeks. She turned over in bed, careful of her sore arm. Perhaps they'd have me in Atlantis. Rodney McKay popped into her mind. She giggled unexpectedly. It would be worth going just to torment him. Perhaps she'd ask for a transfer there.

She yawned, and wriggled, and before she knew it had dropped back to sleep again. When she awoke, the sun had risen properly, and Samantha was dressed and the smell of breakfast was wafting up from downstairs.

There we are then. Hope that you all continue to enjoy this story! Lots of fun still to come! :-)