Eight and A Half –Left Behind

Spacegypsy1

Continued from Number Eight - Left Behind.

Daniel walked into General Landry's office and stared open mouthed, totally astonished at Vala, before rattling his head around to clear his head. Repercussions were not on his mind when he'd made the fatal mistake of kissing her back instead of shoving her off. That would have satisfied the general. Vala obviously could get away with just about anything. He on the other hand, could not.

"Have a seat, Dr. Jackson." Landry was frowning.

Taking a seat, Daniel watched the general uneasy, and then managed to get his face to relax.

"I'm considering taking Vala off the team." The general's statement was so profoundly surreal that Daniel didn't react. Vala did.

She jumped up from her chair, "NO! You can't. Please general. I was just so glad to see him I got carried away. Please. You can't take me off the team. It's my life."

Daniel placed a hand on Vala's arm, pulled her to her seat, kept his hand on her and spoke with venom to the general. "She goes. I go." He forced himself to calm down, "It was as much my fault as hers. I'm not in the military and neither is Vala. We've always had a strong connection. We've become close. We may have been out of line, and I'm not saying it won't happen again, but it won't happen again in the Gateroom. Or any other inappropriate time or place. But let me make this very clear… it's not a threat. I am not trying to strong arm you. We can come to a compromise. Because, General, I will leave the program if you insist on taking Vala off the team."

Both Landry and Vala were looking at him in shock.

The general rose from his chair with a scowl. "I understand, Dr. Jackson. Let me make something perfectly clear. I run this program. I make the decisions. But I will take your statement under consideration. I will see you both at the team debriefing in an hour. After that we can discuss a…compromise if I decide on it. Dismissed."

Daniel took Vala by the hand and led her out.

"Daniel! You can't leave because of me. I would never allow that."

He continued holding her hand and leading her along. "Please, Vala, for once be quiet. We can talk about that later."

"Later! Have you lost your mind?"

"No. Just my heart."

"This is your life. Here with SG-1. What do you mean… just your heart?"

"And what kind of life would it be Vala, if you weren't there? If we are going to be together, then we should be together." He reached Sam's office and hand in hand they entered. Teal'c stood like a sentinel beside the doorway. Sam was at her desk and Mitchell leaned against a counter. They were waiting to hear what happened.

"He's thinking about taking Vala off the team." It still sounded unreal. Daniel sat on a stool and pulled Vala between his legs, her back against him. "I told him if he did I would leave."

"You what!?" Mitchell stood straight up and took a few steps toward Daniel.

"Where will you go DanielJackson?" Teal'c asked as if it were an ordinary thing for Daniel to leave.

"What!? He's not goin' anywhere." Mitchell was amazed at Teal'c's comment.

Sam folded her arms on her desk and smiled sadly at Daniel. "Digs? University?"

"This is by far the craziest conversation I have ever heard. I'm goin' to talk to Landry." No one stopped Mitchell from leaving.

"I have no idea where we would go. But I'm not sorry it happened. I do love her. As crazy as it is." Daniel squeezed Vala's waist.

"Look, Muscles, Sam, you have got to talk him out of this. He can't leave SGC because I kissed him! That's ludicrous…. You do?"

"DanielJackson will do what DanielJackson wants to do. He will leave or he will stay. It is not our decision."

"Right." Sam agreed.

"Right." Daniel confirmed. "And, yes, Vala, I do."

"But, Daniel, where will you go?"

"Not where will I go, where will we go. That is if you meant what you said."

"Of course I meant it, silly. I love you. I've always loved you. And I will go wherever you go. I can work. Well… I can waitress and I'm good with ship technology and … well I'll think of something." She wrapped her arms around his neck standing between his thighs and kissed him.

Sam cleared her throat. "Guy's, we have a briefing to attend."

When Daniel finally came up for air he had that dreamy, dazzled look. "Yeah, right, sorry."

……

After the briefing General Landry asked Colonel Mitchell, Dr. Jackson and Vala to stay. Teal'c and Sam stood up, and Mitchell put out a hand in a stop motion. "Wait, guys. General, I think the team needs to be here for this. Sir. If you don't mind."

Landry nodded with a frown and Teal'c and Sam sat again. "I still think it would be best to separate you two, but before you storm off, hear me out. I might be willing to compromise on this one. Against my better judgment, because of Colonel Mitchell's adamant, and long winded I might add, defense of you both"

Sam and Teal'c both looked from Daniel and Vala to Mitchell with satisfaction.

General Landry continued, "He gave a hell of an argument, he's quite a determined young man. As your commanding officer, he feels secure you two…ah… well, what you do on your own time is none of my concern, or the Air Forces. What you do on MY time is. Personally, I think some kind of disciplinary action is in order. But I am willing to compromise. It's best for base moral. For the military personnel."

"General Landry, sir, and all that due respect that is thrown around, sir, this was all totally my fault and any disciplinary action should be directed at me…Sir! After all I am alien to your culture and sometimes I tend to get a little out of hand…. as Daniel has told me many times… Sir. And I'm not convinced that you're not aware of all the married and otherwise fraternized couples that are…"

Daniel squeezed her arm to shut her up. Vala glared at him a moment and continued. "There are many married and otherwise affianced couples and lots of those fraternization thingies going all around the base, why just last week one of your … ouch!" She turned to Daniel with a devilish scowl and snatched her hand from his.

On the outside, General Landry looked quite calm and in control, on the inside he was about to spontaneously combust. Vala Mal Doran could turn any conversation into a debacle. "I am well aware of the couples who are and who are not married. One of which, may I point out, are you and Dr. Jackson. My concern is team moral. And Colonel Mitchell has assured me that SG-1, with you two … shall we say, coupled, is not and will never be a problem."

"I concur, GeneralLandry, Vala Mal Doran and DanielJackson work well together whether they are bickering or … not." Teal'c, suddenly, without a clue as to how to continued, turned to ColonelCarter.

"Ah, yes Sir! They are always very professional and forthright on missions, Sir…really." Sam turned away from the General's scrutiny and look at Colonel Mitchell.

Cam unfolded his arms and held up his hands, "As I told you, Sir, they are always on their best behavior. On missions. Sir. Really. They are."

Landry could not keep from closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Here's the compromise. Vala, you are restricted to base for three weeks."

SG-1 in unison nodded in consent. Except for Vala who sat with her head tilted oddly and her mouth open.

"Dr. Jackson, you are restricted to off base, off missions for one week."

SG-1 swapped apprehensive glances around the table. After a long and excruciating silence, Mitchell agreed, "Yes Sir. That's acceptable." Cam had his eyes locked with Daniel daring him to speak. Daniel nodded in acceptance and said nothing. Vala on the other hand came right out of her chair. "Three weeks!"

Daniel snatched at her arm so hard that she came down as fast as she went up. The only problem was, she landed in his lap. "Well, there you go, general. Three weeks is just fine with me!" Her shoulders came up to her ears. Hands cupped at her chest. Her eyes danced with mischief and her grin was a thousand watts of teeth.

The General actually slapped his forehead with a hand and stood without another word, leaving the room.

Those, around the base, close enough to hear, would have thought that SG-1 had just won the lottery.

A/N: Betas rule! Rock! Thanks Mari and Sam you are my anchors.