Chapter Six

"Hey Jackson!"

Daniel pulled his eyes away from the reference book in front of him and turned to see Cam jogging down the hall in his direction. "Aren't you on Vala duty?"

"Nah, it's Teal'c's shift," Mitchell responded. "But I think you need to talk to your girl."

"My girl?" he asked with eyebrows raised.

Cam seemed to ignore Daniel's argument. Everyone knew that he took full responsibility for Vala, and Cam was really starting to wonder why that was. "Look, she had her first meeting with the doc and I have a feeling it didn't go very well."

"Oh," Daniel closed the book and crossed his hands in front of him. "And why do you think that?"

"Well, because I saw Dr. Hutchinson after and asked him how it went. He said not well," Mitchell replied. "I think you should talk to her."

"What makes you think she'll listen to me?" he drummed his fingers against the book in his hand, trying really hard not to take his frustrations out on Mitchell. He knew that the news that Vala wasn't taking her psych evaluation seriously was the source of his anger. After all this time, he expected more of her than the usual games she was used to playing. It seemed like every time he marveled at how far she had come, she proved that he had overestimated her.

"Look," his twang thickening with his own frustrations, "we're already short one team member and Landry has grounded us until this whole thing with Vala is sorted out. So the sooner we get her to cut the crap, the sooner we get back on the road, catch my drift?"

Daniel hung his head with a sigh. "I'll see what I can do."

Cam clapped him on the back. "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Teamwork!"

"Don't hold your breath!" Daniel called after Mitchell, who was already bounding down the corridor.