Title: Atonement 8/14
Author: KellethMetheus
Spoilers: none it takes place after the show.
Category: Het, Hurt and Comfort
Summary: A routine mission brings up memories that Vala would rather forget.
Warnings: none
Beta: Thanks to Spacegypsy1 for doing an awesome job with this one
Challenge: StargateDrabbles Screen Cap challenge Daniel and Vala
Wrestling with Revelations
Cam leaned back, relaxing against the bars, glad to catch Vala's wink to tell him that she understood his message. Immediately a heavy silence fell between them. He kept hoping for a sign that someone had picked up their signal, but as time passed there was nothing and the odds grew more and more unlikely someone would show up to rescue them as they headed deeper into Lucien Alliance territory.
Vala sat across the cell not saying anything or moving, and that creeped him out more that anything else. Instead of her usual chattering on like a magpie, she quietly studied her hands.
Shifting, he hoped to relieve some of the ache in his leg. He didn't claim to know what went on between the cast of characters in this melodrama and he really didn't want to know. Especially between Jackson and the Princess; there were just someplace even his mind just didn't want to stray.
The slavery thing hadn't been a big shock to Cam, but he was as surprised as the next man when Seamus blurted out that Vala had got herself pregnant. Briefly, Cam did wonder about the baby. He'd witnessed how white she'd gone and her eyes darted to Jackson. Obviously, she'd never shared either bit of intel with the archaeologist.
Cam thought maybe he should try to cheer her up. He grinned to himself thinking he'd tell her a story about his grandmaw but before he could start Seamus entered the cell.
The instant the creep showed up, Vala's eyes dimmed as though she had lost all hope. The guy sauntered close to Vala and started prattling the usual bad guy banter about how they were all in deep trouble. Blah blah, blah, but then the creepy guy talked about drugging up Vala to make her more friendly. Nursing his wounded shoulder, Cam tried to keep his anger in check, but when Seamus hit Vala, he lost it. He knew it would have been smarter to consider a plan or wait for the cavalry, but he was just tired of sitting around waiting.
Without giving himself time to think about the pain, Cam launched himself at Seamus,hoping to wipe the smug smile off the jerk's face. It was up to him to make sure that Vala got out of this mess with herself intact. Of course, he planned on a big chuck of help from her as well. From what he'd learned over the years the Princess had enough baggage without this guy adding more.
Ramming his head into the other man's gut, Cam forced Seamus back into the bars so hard that they clattered. Seamus retaliated by smacking Cam in the head with his gun again and again until Cam let go . Dazed, Cam shook it off, ready for Seamus' next move.
Stepping back, Cam dodged a punch, saw an opportunity and exploiting the weakness, pounded the man's kidney over and over.
Getting a hold of the hand where Seamus still held the 9mm, Cam smashed the sleazeballs fingers into the bars, forcing him to drop the gun. Then he backed off drawing Seamus away from the weapon hoping to give Vala a chance to grab it, though from what little he'd seen, she looked a bit foggy.
Seamus went berserk. His large body packed power behind his fists and knocked Cam staggering backwards. Before he could recover Seamus hit him again. What Seamus lacked in skill he made up for in brute force.
Cam knew he was in trouble. He glanced over at Vala needing some help. He'd hoped that she would grab the weapon, but she got to her feet and leapt on to Seamus' back using the only weapon she had available, her nails.
Cam was reminded of the times Teal'c had made him watch professional wrestling. He had to admire Vala's spunk, she'd make a killing on the women's team.
Although the world was fading in and out, Cam slid across the floor going for the weapon. Vala was dumped off Seamus' back and onto the floor. Seeing his chance, Cam took aim.
~0o0o0~
Still a little stunned from Seamus' blow, Vala heard the gun clatter to the floor. She waited for Cam to draw Seamus away and knowing that this might be their only chance, she acted. Vala got to her feet, swaying slightly she leapt onto Seamus' back, clawing at his eyes.
She bit his hand hard as he tried to get a hold of her. Howling like a girl, the brute managed to belt her in the face while she laughed at him.
Grabbing her arm and a fist full of her hair, he flipped her over his shoulder. Vala landed hard on her back, momentarily stunned by the impact. It was then the ship was shaken by a weapons blast and the echo of 9mm fire bounced around the holding cell.
Turning over she saw a large red stain blossoming over Seamus' chest. He took a few stumbling steps toward her and fell to the floor in a heap.
Neither of Vala or Cam moved for a moment as they caught their breath. It was only when the ship was struck a second time that they scrambled to their feet.
Cam grabbed the gun and Vala began to search the dead man's pockets for the keys to the cell. Her fingers shaking slightly,Vala opened the door and didn't look back.
Outside the cell Cam called out, "You head for Jackson and the kids. I'll go to the control room to see if I can negotiate a ceasefire. Watch out, princess, there's still a few bad guys on this tub."
Nodding once Vala managed a weak smile. "I'll be careful, if you will. See you in a few."
She watched Cam disappear, then headed off in the opposite direction.
~0o0o0~
Adria sat surrounded by her children and felt at peace. The food wasn't great but at least they had been fed and the portions were more than they would have gotten on Helena. She flinched as pain shot through her, it was getting worse again. Reaching into her pocket, she found that the bark she had brought with her to control the pain was gone.
She had known her death was close for while now , after all she had seen her mother go through the same thing not long before Vala was born. Her life was ending, but she wasn't sad or fearful; she was grateful knowing that her children would be safe. She had no doubt that Vala and her men folk would find a way to get the children to safety.
Adria had been hard on Vala and often cruel, but her reasons had nothing to do with Vala. It was Jasek's first wife and Vala's mother. The couple lived happily in the village on Helena and had a son, Phin, but wander lust struck Jasek.
When Phin was five years old, Ginna became pregnant with Vala. With Jasek gone it fell on Adria to take up the slack, being the old maid in the village.
It wasn't long before Adria began to think of Phin as her son. She was the one who played with him, fed him, he had even called her mother by mistake a few times.
As the days passed, Adria felt jealousy and yearning took over her mind and heart, then came the questions. What if Ginna was gone, would Jasek love her, his son already did.
Finally the night Vala was born, Adria saw her chance. She and Ginna were alone in the small cottage with a blizzard howling outside when Ginna went into labor. After Vala's birth, Ginna began to bleed. Adria had known what to do, but she stepped back and let Ginna die. There was no one but Vala to witness the crime.
Adria had done this hoping Jasek would choose her to take Ginna's place. Ginna's last words were about the child, she asked that Adria name her Vala, which meant joy in the old tongue.
Later that night, Adria began to feel remorse as she held the squalling infant. But by dawn she realized that there was no going back, Vala's mother was dead and the children needed her. She buried the guilt deep - moving forward holding hope she would soon have what she always wanted, Jasek Mal Doran as her loving husband.
No one suspected her part in Ginna's death. When Jasek returned, he asked Adria to be his wife. But she had not counted on Jasek's grief, he visited his wife's grave, married Adria and left. Over the years his visits became rarer and rarer, until she only saw Jasek once a year. She raised his children and defended him to others, but he never shared a bed with her.
Eventually, her only joy, Phin, left her too. He grew up and married, forming his own household. Leaving Adria alone in the house with Vala.
The little waif haunted her. Every time Adria looked at the child she saw Ginna. A bitter reminder of what she had done, the price she had paid, and how worthless it was.
As Vala grew so did Adria's anger, not at the child where she directed it, but at herself. No longer being able to bare the weight of her guilt, she threw Vala out of her home when she reached the age of maturity. Within months Vala was gone, latching onto the first man to speak pretty words to her.
A few years later Vala returned to the village to see her brother and his wife. Her presence reminded Adria of things she'd long tried to forget.
Then Vala's youth and beauty caught the eye of Qetesh, who had come to demand tribute for the first time in many years. Word got around quickly and by nightfall the next day, Vala was sold to the Goa'uld for forty pieces of coin, Adria had been the broker.
No, Adria knew that she deserved the pain and she would welcome death when it came. She had Vala's forgiveness, even if the girl didn't know the whole truth of it. That confession was for her deathbed, if there was time.
Another blast rocked the ship, causing her more pain, drawing a sharp break she stopped from crying out. Looking up she caught Vala's man watching her and she could tell from the look in his eyes he had some questions, but she was sure the ones he wanted weren't hers to tell. Vala deserved the chance to tell him her story, Adria owed her girl that much.
TBC
We're half way now. More on Saturday and if you like it let me know. :0)
