Daniel and Vala stood face to face, as close as two people could stand without touching. They both wore incredulous smiles. Daniel raised his hands intending to use them both to brush back her ebony hair from her temples when he realized that he still had the bag Alec had given him in his right hand. Vala saw the bag and Daniel saw the tender, loving look leave her eyes as she squealed and grabbed the bag out of his hand. Using both hands she opened the bag and looked inside. With a maniacal grin she walked to the table and emptied the bag.

"No Mountain Dew?" Vala shrugged when Daniel shook his head no. Immediately the disappointed look on her face was gone, replaced by a grin. She sat and motioned Daniel to sit in the other chair. Vala was chewing on the Moon Pie sitting across from an entranced Daniel when she realized that he'd never answered her question. Actually neither of them had said anything. They'd simply drifted towards each other as if it was the most natural thing to happen.

Their heads turned towards the door as they both heard noises coming from outside. In their dazed state they'd left the door open. It sounded like someone was singing. Vala said "Alec!" with a smile.

"Vala? Dr. Jackson? It's me. Me, Alec I mean." As he spoke the boy stuck his head into the room. Spying them sitting together at the table the boy grinned and walked in.

"Alec, darling. Did you bring me something to drink? And thanks for the snacks. I appreciate that you had Daniel give them to me, but I knew you'd given them to him."

"Dr. Carolyn says you should drink more water. You need to stay hydrated."

"Hydrated? What kind of boy even knows that word, let alone how to use it properly? You need to get more unserious, darling."

Daniel smiled at her word and said. "It's a little frightening how much he reminds me of Dr. Lam."

"That's what I tell him all the time."

Alec gave them both the indulgent smile you give to silly children. "That's fine. Sometimes it's a good idea to have an adult around as an example to the young ones."

"Definitely channeling Dr. Lam."

"My dearest boy, not that it isn't fantastic to see you, but why …"

"Why am I here? Dr. Carolyn sent me. She wanted Dr. Jackson to know that she'd be here working with the Council for two days then she'll be going back through the Gate to Earth. She took it upon herself to inform General Landry that Dr. Jackson wouldn't be returning to SGC until then." Daniel looked puzzled when he heard Alec say Earth. He wasn't sure what he was doing in the next five minutes let alone two days from now.

Vala had glanced at Daniel under her lashes trying to act as if she wasn't looking for his reaction. When Alec continued she quickly looked back at the boy.

"She also wanted to tell you that the rest of your test results are back and she's quite confident about what she told you yesterday." Daniel looked frightened at the mention of tests. Taking pity on the man Alec decided to ask Vala if he should explain the message.

"What tests?" Daniel turned towards Vala and took her hands between his. When Alec arrived she'd just finished the Moon Pie and had been in the process of licking the filling off her hand. Daniel didn't even notice. Only later did he wonder why his hands were so sticky.

Alec looked at Vala for her permission, which she gave with a nod and a smile. "Vala's past her first trimester, which is the most dangerous time for a miscarriage. Without more medical details Dr. Carolyn could only guess at what physical problems Vala's mother and aunt might have suffered from. But Dr. Carolyn discovered nothing obvious in her examinations and was fairly sure that either the symbiote or the Naquadah in Vala's bloodstream had repaired any possible abnormality or weakness that would cause similar problems. She was only waiting for the results of a few more tests." Turning to Vala he added. "No, you still have to eat what she says. It's important that you don't tire yourself and you need to continue to rest every day. And though you could probably go through the Gate with no problems she wants to be cautious. So you will remain on Hak'tyl for now."

Vala started to pout but Daniel's smile at Alec's news wiped it from her face. Alec noticed that her face reflected the same goofy grin that was on Daniel's face.

With a grin Alec added. "She said to tell you that you can feel free to engage in sexual relations." Seeing the confused look on her face and the blush on Daniel's he clarified "That means you can sleep with him. If you want to."

Vala's grin at a bemused Daniel lit up the room.

"Though she did suggest that you don't go too fast at first."

Daniel got even redder and appeared about to protest.

Ignoring Daniel Alec explained to Vala. "She's worried about Dr. Jackson. She's afraid that he might be a slow learner and that you should take it easy on him. According to Dr. Carolyn the libido of a pregnant woman can be a frightening force of nature." He smiled as Daniel turned even redder and looked down at his and Vala's hands. For one moment she was afraid that he would let go, but he didn't, he tightened his grip and looked up at her. With a smile he insisted. "I think I can keep up with her, as long as she's gentle."

Vala smiled and Alec laughed loudly. With a smile he turned to leave.

"I'll see you in two days Dr. Jackson. Dr. Carolyn and I are leaving her in your hands. Please remember that she's to spend many hours in bed."

The boy had such a serious look on his face that Daniel looked unsure. When she laughed he turned to Vala and said "He's got her sense of humor. Very frightening."

Alec answered Vala's unspoken question. "Yes, I'll bring you food if you miss too many village meals." Adding, with a warning look. "But not just snacks. The baby needs proper nourishment. As, I suspect, will Dr. Jackson." With a grin and a quick wave Alec left the cabin.

Random snippets of their conversations over the next two days.

"Daniel, you never told me why you were so angry when I showed up on Earth. Why you treated me like a criminal. Don't say it. I know I was a criminal." Vala sat across from Daniel eating one of Alec's healthy snacks. He'd been leaving boxes of food on their doorstep. She stared at Daniel with a questioning look and fruit juice dripping down her chin. Leaned towards her Daniel wiped the juice off her chin with a cloth. He stood up and leaned across the table to kiss the remaining juice from her lips. She almost lost her train of thought after he kissed her. Vala wasn't sure if he'd done that on purpose to avoid her question and decided to continue as if he'd done nothing. Though if he could hear her heart beat he'd know the effect he'd had on her.

"When I heard that the Council had agreed that I should see you I tried to imagine what you'd say when you met with me. I hoped you'd also explain what changed your mind. Why did you come after me?"

With a very serious look on his face Daniel sat down and looked intently into Vala's eyes.

"A number of my friends gave me advice about how I should explain myself to you. Jack insisted the best thing to do was bring lots of gifts, beg for forgiveness, grovel on my hands and knees, if necessary, tell you how beautiful you are and give you more gifts."

"I think I like your friend Jack. Carolyn has mentioned him." Vala didn't tell him just how much Carolyn had told her about his friend Jack.

"Carolyn and Sam didn't agree with him."

"What! No presents, no flattery, no begging? What were they thinking?"

"They thought that you deserved nothing less than the truth. That you were intelligent enough to see through attempts at bribery and deception, no matter how pure my motives were."

"You could still start with telling me how beautiful I am. That's the truth so it couldn't hurt. Right?"

"I was angry because you left me."

"Left you? Left you when?"

"You didn't stay with me on the Prometheus. So I knew that you'd been toying with me. That we, you and me, meant nothing to you. You broke my heart. And I didn't want to go through that again. I couldn't let you near me; I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to resist you, that I was still crazy in love with you."

"You unlocked my cell. I figured that you didn't love me enough to ask me to stay but you still wanted me to have a chance to escape. Even when I knew you didn't love me I thought you didn't hate me. So when Teal'c tried to convince me to tell you about the baby I agreed. I never expected you to be so angry."

"I knew I loved you, and during our time on that ship I was convinced I'd found my soul mate, my beloved. Then you were gone and I believed it was because you didn't care."

"My Daniel, I fear we are too alike. I thought I'd found my "one". The person I'd been meant to find, my own beloved. And then you sent me away and I was sure that I'd only fooled myself into believing you'd loved me."

"After I wasn't able to save Sha're I felt that I didn't deserve to be happy. You've told me how you felt guilty for things done by Qetesh when you were her host and for things you'd done after she was gone. It's pretty sad, we'd finally found happiness but were unable to believe it'd been real."

Vala and Daniel both stood up. Daniel took her arm and led her to the rocking chair. He'd told Vala that people on Earth found the simple physical motion of rocking relaxing. That traditionally mothers would hold their babies while they rocked, sometimes to calm a fussy baby or simply to hold them close as they fell asleep. Daniel sat in the chair and pulled Vala onto his lap. She relaxed her body with her head against his shoulder.

"Daniel, we are both quite pathetic. Perhaps someday we'll realize that we deserve each other and truly believe it. For now we'll just have to believe that the other one deserves love and that it's our responsibility to provide that love. Until then we'll have to settle for being in love, being happy, and being parents."

Daniel smiled in agreement and stood up with Vala in his arms and walked to their bed.

"You do realize that I'm still a criminal, a liar, a thief, a pirate, a …."

Daniel interrupted her; "You were and are a survivor Vala. Whatever you did ..."

"I don't regret any of it, I won't apologize, I don't feel guilty, I ..."

Daniel interrupted her again. "I wouldn't expect you to, Vala."

"But you do expect me to change, don't you!" Her voice had gotten louder and more agitated.

"I expect you to apply your unique skills to a different purpose. You'll be of immense help to our team."

"Our team? You want me to work with you? With your friends?"

"Of course, what else would you do? Sit around the house eating bonbons?"

"I'm not familiar with that word? What's a bonbon? And why would I need to sit on a house to eat them?"

"It's just an expression. It describes married women, usually wealthy, who have nothing to do all day so they sit around eating candy."

"The candy part sounds very good Daniel. Maybe I should be one of those women."

Laughing, Daniel brought his hands up to her face and turned it to the side so he could kiss her. "If that's what you want to do, that's okay with me. Bonbons it is!"

"If I work with you can I still eat the bonbons?"

Laughing again Daniel replied. "Yes, of course you can. Sam and Teal'c often spend hours doing nothing but eat when we go off-world."

Vala narrowed her eyes and gave Daniel a suspicious look. He kept his face expressionless until she turned back around and leaned against him. He'd moved his hands back down to her belly and realized he was smiling like an idiot as he kissed her neck.

Daniel sat up in the bed with his back against the head board. He'd pulled Vala tight against his chest wrapping his arms around her lacing his hands together across her abdomen over the baby bump.

"It's interesting."

Snuggling back against his chest Vala made a quiet noise that might have been taken as an encouraging 'what'.

"How birth control and unplanned pregnancies are treated in different societies. It can cause problems with couples from different cultures. In some societies birth control is considered the responsibility of the woman and therefore any pregnancy is her 'fault'. In others it's the man who's expected to control himself. So in some cases when each person expects the other to put on the brakes, so to speak, it can lead to …"

Vala suddenly sat up and turned her face towards him. "Daniel, is this your idea of romantic post-coital conversation? I fear you Tau'ri are quite strange."

Daniel pulled her back to his chest and kissed the top of her head. "We call it 'pillow talk' and you'd better get used to the fact that I'm strange. Vala, you do realize that I'm a scholar and a teacher? A boring scholar who spends a lot of time reading and studying. I'm not a man of action, not a soldier."

"Do you think that this baby was my fault, Daniel?"

Daniel looked at her as if she was speaking gibberish. "What baby are you talking about? You mean our baby? Why would our baby be anyone's fault?"

"Then why are you talking about birth control? Unless you wish one of us had thought to use it?"

"I wasn't even thinking about our baby." Patting her belly he said. "I admit the little one here made me start thinking about babies. But just in the abstract. Why would anyone be at fault when the outcome is going to be the most perfect alien/human hybrid ever seen?"

"Daniel, you are very strange. And, surprisingly, I actually believe you." Vala snuggled against him and closed her eyes. Then sitting up she pushed backwards with her elbows and jabbed Daniel in the ribs.

"What? Are you mad at me? I thought you believed me?"

"Oh, I do Daniel. I was just wondering why."

"Why what?" Daniel used his hands to cradle her elbows and protect his body.

"Why did I get pregnant?"

"Surely Alec was able to explain sexual reproduction to you. Or Dr. Lam." He kept a tight hold on her elbows as she squirmed.

"Very funny, Daniel."

"About you, us actually, getting pregnant. Fault's not the right word. I'm not sure what word to use. Responsibility seems wrong that somehow blame is involved. Maybe just caused? I'm just not …"

"Daniel? Why does the word matter?" Vala had relaxed back against him and Daniel had let go of her hands and wrapped his around her body.

"Words are important, they're very powerful. They can hurt people."

Vala could feel Daniel's body tense as his voice became agitated. She didn't know how to calm him and it scared her that she couldn't help him. It was obvious that he'd been hurt and maybe he'd hurt other people. Vala decided to simply continue the conversation ignoring his distress hoping that he'd talk to her about it at another time. Though she wasn't sure if that would ever happen. She knew there were things in her past that she'd never share with anyone. And she knew they were similar in their preference for hiding their pain. Maybe in a future that she hoped they'd have, things would be different. But for now she'd do nothing.

"Okay, my Daniel. We're talking about what caused it." She pulled his wandering hands off her body and held them tightly with hers. "And no, I do not need an anatomy lesson, thank you."

"It was me, Vala. I was married for a year and Sha're never got pregnant. I wasn't sure if it was because of me or her. I didn't care, I was happy. I think it made her sad but we never talked about it."

"I suspect that's not unusual for you. The not talking about things, not the actual talking. You seem to enjoy the actual talking part. Not that I …" Realizing that she was, in fact, talking too much, she stopped mid-sentence.

"Then she was taken. Then, Amonet and Apophis had a child. I helped deliver the baby."

"Your wife was Amonet? The mother of the Harcesis?"

Daniel whispered "Yes. That's how I knew I was the one who couldn't have children."

"My Daniel, I think you made a small mistake about that." Vala moved his right hand over her belly. "You do realize that if your wife did have a problem Amonet would have taken care of it, once she decided to have a baby using her host's body. Just as Qetesh kept me from getting pregnant."

"So neither one of us should have been able to reproduce."

"Reproduce? What are we, domesticated animals? If words are so powerful Daniel doesn't that …"

"You're right. That's a horrible word to use about us. I'm so sorry, my darling Vala."

"Well, unlike you Dr. Jackson, words mean little to me. Actions are powerful but words have never hurt me."

"I believe you. Or that you believe words don't hurt you."

"Carolyn thinks that whatever Qetesh did to me in terms of birth control didn't continue once my symbiote was gone. And that she took care of any physical problems I may have inherited from my mother. The same way that Amonet did for your wife."

"So we were both convinced that we couldn't" Vala hit him just in case he was going to say 'reproduce' again. "Have children, so we did nothing to prevent it." Kissing the top of her head Daniel added. "Which makes me very happy."

Vala relaxed back into her Beloved's arms. "If you want to talk about pregnancy in other societies, we can. I'll even tell you about my planet, later."

"In some agrarian societies a couple doesn't wed until the woman is pregnant proving that she isn't barren. Farm hands are too expensive to hire so if there are no children to work the farm it wouldn't survive. This can lead to a variety …"

Later never came that night, he'd have to wait to hear about the cultural ways of Vala's people. Once Daniel began to talk Vala felt herself falling asleep. Vala felt warm and secure and loved and very tired.

"I spend hours doing research and sometimes I don't notice that life is going by. I forget to make time for my friends. And I'm afraid that's not going to change."

"You know darling that's very insulting."

"What are you talking about?"

"You compare your being a, I think the word is, nerd and unable to change with my not changing my highly successful life of adventure and crime. I think not!"

"Who taught you that word? Has Jack been here?" Daniel stared at Vala with a serious look. Vala might have been fooled into thinking he was angry if Caro hadn't explained what she said all of SGC called the "Jack and Daniel Show".

Turning her head and tilting it upwards to kiss him she whispered. "Of course not, my love. You have no need to be jealous of this Jack person. Though both Caro and Sam say he is the most attractive man at SGC and have described all of his assets in minute detail. But Sam has implied that Caro is beginning to feel that Mitchell person has entered the competition."

"There's a competition?"

Daniel woke up and realized that Vala was not in their bed. He sat up and was trying to decide what to do when she came into their cabin. She was wearing a pair of sweat pants that Caro had sent to her in preparation for her need for looser clothing and one of his black tee-shirts. As she approached the bed, obviously trying to be quiet, he spoke.

"Are you okay? Where were you? I got scared when you weren't here?"

Vala laughed. "Surely you are joking? I feel like I always have to pee. From what I've been told, it's only going to get worse."

"You should have woken me. I could have gone with you."

"Daniel, why would you go with me? I'm a pregnant woman going to pee in a village guarded by armed Amazon women. Why the hell would I need an escort?"

"Okay. But …"

Vala looked at him as if he was crazy, not sure if she should be angry with him for implying she needed his help or anyone's help. But she melted when he finished with

the words "I missed you."

Alec, Daniel and Vala walked into the village square. Alec had brought Daniel his pack which was now slung onto his back. The only people there were Dr. Lam and SG-4 packing supplies and equipment in preparation for their return to SGC. Dr. Lam smiled when she heard Alec's voice.

"Dr. Carolyn. Dr. Carolyn. Here we are!" Alec ran to the woman and stopped right in front of her. They both smiled and after a second she put her arms around him in a quick hug. The boy seemed to glow with happiness at her gesture of affection.

"Well, Dr. Jackson. Vala. It's good to see you both. Are you ready to go home?"

Her question was directed to Daniel. He nodded and took Vala's hand. Whispering he said. "I'll be back in a few days. As soon as the mission's finished." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and stepped towards the path to the Stargate.

Daniel walked behind SG-4 and Dr. Lam. Alec and Vala looked at each other and then followed him. The Earth had been dialed and the wormhole engaged. Only Daniel and Carolyn were left to go through. Carolyn waved at Alec saying. "Colonel Cam and I will be back for you when Daniel returns."

Daniel looked at Vala and started to wave. Before he finished he walked to her and gave her a passionate kiss. He walked backwards into the Gate.

One week later.

Vala was sitting in her rocking chair reading one of the books Carolyn had gotten for her. It was one of Daniel's books and the more boring the words they more she was reminded of her Daniel. There was a quick knock on her door jamb. The door was ajar and Alec stepped into the room without waiting for a response.

"They're on their way. Teal'c is here and he says SG-1 is coming through the Gate. And Daniel has a surprise for you!"

Vala dropped the book on the floor in her rush to get up. "Oh God, Alec. I hope it's food. Real food! I'm tired of grains and vegetables. I need something that calls for ketchup! And something made of chocolate! Anything made of chocolate!"

"Don't you want to see Daniel?" Alec looked shocked.

"Of course dear boy. But even true love can't compete with the cravings of a mother-to-be. Carolyn explained to all to me. It seems it's my job to force Daniel to go to great lengths to satisfy these desires. It's part of the Earth pregnancy rituals. They sound like a lot of fun to me. I'm excited. There's also something about cigars but I wasn't really listening. That part comes after the baby arrives."

The two linked arms and headed to the village. Teal'c was talking to Ishta standing by the path. Mitchell and Sam were just entering the village, both of them with full packs and carrying a large box between them. They moved towards Teal'c and dropped the box on the ground. Daniel came next carrying another large box in his arms. He was followed by three airmen each carrying another large box.

Alec looked down the path anxiously hoping to see Dr. Lam. When she didn't arrive he quickly hid his disappointment with a welcoming grin. Mitchell had seen his face before he smiled. He was just about to say something when Daniel spoke.

"Alec, would you please show these kind people to our cabin? Thanks."

Alec smiled again and motioned them to follow. Vala looked shocked at all the boxes but before she could protest Mitchell spoke to Alec.

"Alec, I'm sorry but Dr. Carolyn couldn't make it. She's …"

The boy interrupted him before he could finish. "That's okay Colonel Cam. She's very busy. I'm sure I'll see her when she has some free time." He turned back towards the path to Vala's.

"Wait. You didn't let me finish. She sent me to get you and bring you back to SGC. She's preparing for what she called an intriguing surgery and she wants you to 'scrub in'. I'm not exactly sure what that means but I think she wants your help." Mitchell smiled as Alec beamed with joy. Mitchell was almost as excited as the boy when he told him his other news. Carolyn had agreed to let him be the one to tell Alec, instead of the Council.

"You need to pack your stuff and bring it with you."

"My stuff? All my stuff? Why?"

"The Council agreed to let you move to Earth to study medicine. With Dr. Carolyn."

Alec looked at Ishta for confirmation. At her nod the boy ran towards Mitchell who swung him up into the air and into a hug.

Vala saw Daniel smile at the boy. He then turned to her. "Well let's go. We have a lot of unpacking to do. No time to waste lollygagging."

Mitchell and Sam spoke together. "Lollygagging? Are you kidding?"

Teal'c said. "Perhaps Daniel Jackson has been given one of those word a day calendars and is attempting to improve his vocabulary."

Sam and Mitchell looked at Teal'c as if trying to decide if he was trying to make a joke.

Vala put her hands on her hips and shouted. "Daniel! What is going on? I hope those boxes contain presents for me." She had a scowl on her face but it didn't hide the laughter in her eyes. In a second she ran towards Daniel in the same way Alec had to Mitchell. She was also swept up in an embrace, but hers included a deep, passionate kiss.

Without removing his arms he said. "I decided that I didn't like being away from you. And since Carolyn won't let you leave I'm going to stay. I have lots of work, a huge backlog in fact, that needs to be done. I brought what I need plus I'll have you as a reference resource." He gave Vala another kiss and pulled her towards their cabin motioning the airmen to follow him.

Jack stood outside of the Infirmary with Sam and Teal'c. The door opened and Mitchell stuck his head out. "It's getting close, guys. Carolyn says it should happen any minute now."

Sam said to her friends. "I'm glad Carolyn decided to allow Vala to have the baby here. I'm sure it would have been safe on Hak'tyl but I feel better having her here. I know Daniel does, too."

As if in a movie the sound of a baby crying heralded the appearance of Daniel's head through the door announcing "It's a girl!" before disappearing.