Ghost Hunter
Spacegypsy1
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Chapter Ten:
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General Landry sat in the observation booth, staring down into the dimly lit room. Jack, arms crossed on the shelf in front of him, watched the monitors hover at normal on the video feed. Sam was beside him, head down on her arms, sleeping. Cam leaned against the wall, eyes closed.
They all stirred when the incoming wormhole announcement came through.
Sam's head popped up. "Teal'c's back."
"I'll go." Cam pivoted quickly and left the room.
The other three turned their attention to the two figures surrounded by blinking lights. Daniel's head rested on Vala's chest, her fingers in his hair.
As the others watched, Daniel raised his head and Vala grinned at him, her hand sliding from his hair to his face.
"What a bizarre world we live in." Landry rolled his chair back and stood, stretching.
"A bit of an understatement?' Jack rubbed his tired eyes, standing and following Landry towards the door. He stopped when he realized Sam wasn't behind him. "Carter, shame on you. You're gonna watch this?"
"Oh! No, sorry." She jumped up, taking one last look at the two below.
"Colonel?" Landry looked back to see Jack waving a hand forward and Carter moving past, coming to walk beside him. "Mind explaining to me why or how Dr. Jackson – reportedly – could see Ms. Mal Doran?"
"Oh, god!" Jack groaned and moved far ahead of the two.
"Well. I have a theory, Sir. When the alien inside Vala realized it was trapped it tried to break loose, thereby, generating an electric signal strong enough to free its consciousness from Vala's body. But Vala's naquadah had an electron field too strong to break loose from, so all the alien ended up doing was causing these spontaneous power surges that momentarily brought the both of them back into normal phase - but - for extremely short intervals, the order of milliseconds."
"Blah, blah, blah. Carter! English. We speak English on this base!" Jack grumbled slowing his march down the hallway.
Ignoring the interruption with a roll of her eyes, Sam continued. "Then, Daniel being close enough to Vala during these surges, it could be that his physiological EM fields realign under the influence of the alien-generated EM field, you know, the way the iron shavings on a sheet of paper realign in a certain shape when you put a magnet under the paper, allowing him to see her. Obviously, the alignment brought them into a kind of 'shared' phase."
Landry nodded as if he totally understood her. When both he and Carter caught up with Jack, Landry's quick glance at Jack got him the 'not a word, you didn't understand not one word' look from the general.
"Of course," Sam continued unaware of the two generals' exchange, "in the long term that could have been bad, since it could lead to heart problems, cell-degeneration, and more for him."
"What!?" The men sang out in perfect harmony.
"Oh, don't worry, I had Carolyn run a few discreet tests while he was 'napping,' he's fine. And Carolyn said Vala's fine. They're both fine." Nodding as if to convince herself, Sam frowned. "I wonder what they're talking about," she half mumbled.
Jack leaned to whisper, "Don't worry, I put it on record."
"Jack!" Sam instantly went quiet, eyes wide and looked around for General Landry. Luckily the man was disappearing in another direction.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Darling. You are the saddest I have ever seen you. Your eyes speak such truth you cannot deny." As his head returned to her chest, her hand returned to his hair. "You saved me, Daniel. Why so sorrowful?"
"A waste of time." He mumbled against her breast.
"What? What did you say?" Vala sat up so suddenly Daniel was knocked aside.
He stood, pinched the bridge of his nose, and drew a deep breath. "I've wasted so much time."
"Sitting here with me? You consider that a waste of your time? You are the most despicable man I have ever met! As long as I wasn't real...to you...you felt safe in...in...ooohhhh! You used me for your pleasure! Not to mention your abominable pain! Suffering and..."
Taking her by the shoulders, he lifted her half out of the bed, his mouth stopping her insufferable chatter. So enthralled by his kiss, she literally flopped back on the bed like a rag doll when he let her go. "No. Your despicable man wasted so much time ignoring the obvious." Closing his eyes with a short lived smart assed grin, and a less than happy waggle to his brow, Daniel turned his back.
"Daniel, no one knew I was really real. I understand..."
With a half smile, he looked back over his shoulder. "Not that. Although I do feel guilty. It's the time I wasted not facing how I felt about you long ago."
"Oh." She couldn't think of another thing to say.
When she remained quiet, he backed up and sat on the bed and looked askew at her. "I meant what I said before."
"Before what?" She batted her eyelashes, grinning her silly grin.
"Be serious."
"I'm too happy to be serious."
"Happy? After all you've been through?" He sighed, dropping his head.
"Yes."
Reaching a hand behind him, Daniel grasped hers. "That's why I love you." He shook his head slowly still facing away from her, head still down. He laughed. "If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, the meal was cooked a long time ago."
"What, darling?"
"Nothing. I love you beyond reason. I just want you to know that, and to thank you for loving me."
"Can we go home now?"
"Nope. You have to stay here tonight as ordered. Let's not rock the boat."
"Can we rock the bed?" She scooted up on her knees and knelt behind him laying her head on his back.
"No way, not here. Besides, I can guarantee you Jack has the video recorder on."
"Let's entertain him, shall we."
Turning, he took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, pulling away reluctantly. "No we shalln't."
"I'm so bored."
"So am I."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Daniel had been rousted from his sleep in the chair and threatened with a stint in the isolation area heavily sedated if he didn't leave and get some rest. Once he was gone, Carolyn had ordered Vala be moved into the main medical unit. No sense in telling Daniel and having him try to camp out on an empty bed. She didn't need Tweedledee and Tweedledum running amuck in her infirmary.
Carolyn left orders to be woken up immediately if there was the slightest change in Vala. If all went well she'd release her in the morning. The doctor stretched her aching back and wandered off to sleep in her office.
She couldn't have slept more than forty minutes when the charge nurse came in. "Dr. Lam! Wake up! Dr. Lam!"
"What is it!? Vala?" She was on her feet in a second.
"Yes. She's gone."
Biting at her lip to keep the knowing grin off her face, Carolyn quipped noncommittally. "Gone? As in 'not in the infirmary'?"
"Yes. I just went to check on her. It wasn't even thirty minutes before that she was there, sound asleep."
"Not likely. Did you call security?" Carolyn slipped into her lab coat.
"I did. Then I came to get you."
Picking up the phone on her desk, Carolyn dialed. "Security? Yes, it's Dr. Lam. No. Did you check her quarters? Um hmm. Not there. Alright, let me check on something. No...no, don't wake General Landry. Let me handle this. I'll get back to you soon." She hung the phone up and looked at her nurse. "Leslie, I have a theory. Keep an eye out for her, but don't worry. I think I know where she is."
Once more picking up the phone, Carolyn dialed up her own search party.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Lucid dreaming. He was totally aware he was dreaming. Sound. The rustle of sheets and her breath. Touch. Soft curves, satin skin, warm lips on his neck. Smell. Fresh washed hair with her favorite shampoo, jasmine.
"Daniel?"
"Hmmm?"
"Make love to me."
"I will sweetheart, as soon as I wake up and you're out of danger."
"I am out of danger. Carolyn said so. And she's releasing me tomorrow."
"Good. Tomorrow. Make love tomorrow." Daniel turned over, away from her, burrowing deeper into his covers.
"Darling? I want you to make love to me when you know that I'm real. You still love me, don't you."
He yawned. "Uh humm, do. You?"
Vala smiled and snuggled into his back snaking her arm across his waist. "I've always loved you. Do you think that if I got pregnant while I was out of phase that the baby would be out of phase when it was born?"
His eyes popped open and he literally leapt from the bed. "Holy Buckets! How'd you...you're supposed to be... what are you doing here?" Rubbing his eyes furiously Daniel tried to figure out where he was. It was pitch black but he was almost positive this was his room. "Am I dreaming?"
"No."
"How'd you...never mind." He turned on the bedside lamp and grinned when he saw her sitting in his bed still in her infirmary gown. "Come on," he reached for her, "I better get you back before they come storming my door...baby?" He snatched his hand away. "Did you say baby?"
"Well, of course I wouldn't know, but I was curious. I was dreaming about a baby. And I woke up and started thinking about it." Vala planted her feet on the bed and rested her chin on her knees.
He sat down on the side of the bed before he fell down. "Damn. No. Well. Er. No, that's impossible."
"Thank the stars! I was really worried. I want babies, though. Daniel, let's make babies. I feel marvelous. And..." She waved a hand around, "...and, what's the word? Wanting?"
"We can't. Not now." With a sigh he dropped his head and covered his face with his hands.
"You don't want me anymore?" Her voice was low and sad.
Moving his hands from his face he looked back at her. "Of course I do. It's complicated." He reached and grabbed her ankle, rubbing her warm living flesh with his thumb, his gaze dropping to her feet.
"Us? We're complicated?"
"No. I need to take you back to the infirmary. I should call Carolyn; let her know you're okay." When he gazed up at her she looked heartbroken. He turned, moved onto the bed and lifted her chin from her knees. "By complicated, I mean we can't...make love here. And, Vala." His hand roamed up her leg, across her arm and he took her by the neck, thumb caressing her cheek, pulled her closer, and kissed her deeply. "I meant every word I said. Never doubt that."
Vala threw her arms around his neck and met his lips in a fierce love and life affirming kiss. Daniel fell backwards and she came with him. His arm wrapped around her waist and her momentum sent them careening off the foot of the bed.
Daniel's back hit the floor without breaking the seal of their mouths.
Carolyn was banging on the door, calling out their names.
Cam had a key card ready to swipe but Teal'c's firm grip on his arm stopped him. "I do not think that would be wise, ColonelMitchell."
"Right." Cam looked back at Teal'c. "Where's Carter?"
"She left with O'Neill."
"Damn." Cam pounded the door with his fist. "Jackson!?"
"Yeah?" came the muted reply.
Teal'c moved forward. "Is ValaMalDoran in there?"
"Yes."
"Is she all right?" Carolyn asked with concern.
"Yep."
The doctor looked at her companions before continuing. "Can I take her back to the infirmary?"
"No!" This coming from Vala herself.
Carolyn's eyes grew round. "After you're done... I mean when you're finished...I mean...later?"
"Before breakfast?" Cam added, grinning lopsidedly at the befuddled doctor.
"Or sooner if her heart beat changes, I mean if her pulse is...if she...damn! Daniel, bring her back if she starts breathing funny. Oh, crap. I give up!" Bright red with embarrassment, Carolyn walked off.
Cam was right behind her laughing.
"Good night, DanielJackson. Good night, ValaMalDoran."
"Good night, Teal'c."
"Nite, Muscles."
Teal'c walked off, hands behind his back, and a wide grin on his face.
~END - A/N: Thanks to Denny for signing up to beta! Much appreciated!!! A special thanks as always for childofspacegypsy1 first read for all my stories and for all she does for me, inspires me, keeps me sane, and keeps me on track! And a big hugging thank you to Myosotis13, techogenius. And thanks, D, for the early-on kick in the six for five.