Chapter Forty Three

"Knock, knock," Cam's southern drawl sounded from her already opened door. "Your chariot has arrived, doll."

Vala looked up to find Cam pushing a wheel chair into her room and frowned at him. "What's that for?"

"It's a wheel chair," he responded incredulously. "Come on, I know you've seen one of these before. It's to help you get around."

"Oh, I know what it is," Vala admitted as she grabbed a hold of the crutches next to her bed and lifted herself off of the mattress with a grunt. Sam had been using the goa'uld healing device on her, but her leg was broken in several places and she was still skeptic of her abilities, fearful she would cause the bones to grow back the wrong way. Vala was willing to take the risk if it meant getting that cast off of her leg and getting people to stop babying her like Cam was currently doing. "I simply asked what you brought it for as I clearly already have a viable means of getting around."

"Viable and slow," Mitchell muttered. "Come on, hop on! I'll get you to Landry in a jiffy and I'll even make it fun." He rolled the wheelchair into the corner of her room as she began to stubbornly make her way across the room on her crutches. "You're almost as bad as Teal'c when it comes to this stuff."

"Well, not to worry," Vala grunted as she made her way down the hall, the click of the crutches echoing in her path, "as soon as Sam fixes my leg up, I'll be back to active duty."

"I thought Sam said she couldn't fix your leg?"

She gave him a bright and mischievous grin at this. "Nothing a little liquid courage can't fix."

"Who are you talking about getting drunk?" Sheppard asked as he held the elevator for them.

"Perhaps you if you play your cards right," Vala retorted with a wink before blocking Mitchell's path with her crutch. "You can catch the next lift up, darling."

Mitchell looked back and forth between the two of them before lifting his hands in surrender and visibly backing off. He crossed his arms over his chest, smiling with amusement as the elevator doors slid closed.

"Glad to see you mobile again," Sheppard smiled at his elevator companion. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged perkily. "Much better. And if I can convince Samantha to fix my leg, I'll be better enough to complete our date."

He crossed his arms over his chest as he examined the woman before him that only a few days ago had nearly lost her life. "I was under the impression that you didn't want it to be a date."

She tilted her head to the side, a broad smile across her face. "Perhaps I've changed my mind."

He held the door open long enough for her to get out before following. "I dunno, Vala. I've kinda gotten the impression from other people that there might be something going on with you and someone else."

"If that someone happens to be an archeologist shaped man that I just happen to be close friends with and also work with, I might stress, I'm afraid you were misled." She stopped, turning to face him as she leaned on her crutches. "There's nothing going on between Daniel and I. Maybe at one time there could have been…but…" she bit her lip, unsure of how far to go with this before an idea came to her mind. "I'm sure you can understand what it's like when you come to a point where you can't wait for something that you might want to happen to actually happen. Where you realize it's time to move on."

Sheppard merely nodded, thinking it a bit eerie that someone with so few interactions with him and his team could see through him that easily. "I might know what you're talking about. That obvious?" he asked with a bit of incredulity.

Her smile widened. "Only to someone who knows exactly what it's like. But that's sort of my point. What I went through…it sort of opened my eyes. Life really is too short, you know?"

He nodded again, still shocked that the usually lighthearted and dodgy Vala was being so open with him. "I agree, but I'm still not sure I know where you're going with this."

She placed a hand on his arm. "Well, perhaps we can help each other. Move on. I like you and I think you like me. And I know we'd have incredible sex, so why not?"

"Well," he held out his hands in a somewhat supplicating gesture. "I've never refused to help a lady in need before…and I definitely can't argue about the sex," he added with a smirk. "So yea. I think maybe we can help each other. If you're sure this is what you want."

"It is," she assured him before leaning in to brush her lips lightly against his cheek. "Care to escort me to General Landry?"

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind them caused them both to see Daniel standing a few feet away with a wheel chair in front of him. "Yea," he began awkwardly, not at all wanting to address what he had just seen or the sudden pit he felt in his chest after seeing it. "General Landry is getting pretty impatient. He said that he's ordering you to use a wheel chair."

Vala gave a mock salute, handing her crutches over to John before allowing him to help her into the wheelchair. "We'll finish our little chat later then, darling?"

Sheppard gave her a sideways grin as he nodded. "I'll come find you before I head back to Atlantis. How's that sound?"

"Perfect," she said as she matched his grin. "Alright, Daniel, on with business. I've got a General to convince to let me back on active duty, after all. If his temporary restrictions due to my mental status are still in place, that is."

"I'm actually not sure," he admitted with a frown as he pushed her down the hallway and through the Control Room. "So…Colonel Sheppard, huh?"

"Oh, don't sound so disapproving, darling. Someone on this prude planet of yours was bound to realize just how unbearably attractive and charming I am." She paused, fiddling with the stray thread coming from the arms of the wheelchair. "Besides, it only makes sense that it would be someone from the Stargate program. I'm hardly ever allowed off base, and even if I were, it just wouldn't work. I'd have to constantly act like someone I'm not, like I belong here." Her face flushed when she realized how much she had just rambled on about. "Though I do supposed if Amotis groveled enough I might look back his attempts on my life and take the little weasel back," she quipped.

Daniel brought the wheelchair to a stop just outside the door to the briefing room, walking around to kneel down in front of her. "You do belong here, Vala. Never doubt that."

She shrugged slightly. "They wouldn't even let you look for me, Daniel. To the people who make the decisions as to how much of a normal life I can attempt here on Earth, I'll always be an alien. And when the time comes for me to leave the Stargate program, I'm not even sure they'll let me leave."

He balked at the idea of her leaving the Stargate program, the thought of her leaving of her own accord never truly occurring to him. He recovered quickly. "They let Teal'c. And the only reason your off base allowances are so limited is because of the Trust, it has nothing to do with you. Once they're taken care of, I'm sure things will change."

"Sure. I'm sure you're right," she replied, her eyes filled with doubt. "Well, we should probably get to General Landry before his glare burns a hole in the back of your head." She gestured with her chin to the leader of Stargate Command, who was staring at them with impatience.

He patted her knee before lifting himself to his feet and guiding her fully into the room, sliding her wheelchair into the empty place beside the General before greeting the leader of the base with a nod, somewhat apologetic.

Landry simply waved the archeologist off, knowing full well that he would be hovering outside of the door. The man had made no qualms about letting him know just how much he disagreed with this plan, but Landry felt that he knew what he was doing. He turned back to the woman at his side, who was fiddling nervously with her hands.

"I'm guessing by the look on your face that you aren't going to clear me for active duty," she voiced quietly.

A deep frown settled into his features. "Vala, your leg is broken. You won't be cleared for active duty until it is fully healed."

Her face lit up. "But after it's healed then I will? No more Dr. Hutchison?"

He hesitated. "I still think it's best that you see Dr. Hutchison, but I think maybe that should be your choice. You've been through a great ordeal, and maybe talking about it will do you some good. Help you to heal."

Vala pressed her lips into a small smile, touched as usual when the General went all fatherly on her, concerned for her well being. "Thank you, General. I will truly take that into consideration."

"Your ordeal is one of the reasons I've asked you here." He folded his hands before him and leaned forward slightly. "I know you've heard by now that the IOA pulled the plug on our search and rescue missions. I want you to know that their decisions in no way reflect the way this command thinks of its people or you in particular. In fact, we plan on taking immediate action against the Kasinans for what they've done to you. Those responsible will be brought to justice," he assured her.

She shook her head jerkily. "Are you saying…that you plan on going to war with them? Because of me?"

"No, I'm saying that we plan to hunt down those responsible and bring them back here to stand trial. That simple."

"It's far from simple, General. With all due respect, sir, have you people not learned anything about the people of Kasina? If they feel threatened in any way, they will fight back and they will fight hard. It will be war."

"We're prepared for that possibility, Miss Mal Doran," he stressed, his eyebrows raised with threat. "We don't take very lightly to our people being captured and tortured, nearly killed. They were warned, and now they will see that the Tau'ri mean business."

Her brows furrowed as she stared at the table. "No."

"I beg your pardon?"

She looked up into his eyes with determination. "No. You will not cause any harm to my people."

He laughed darkly. "Your people? Vala! They've nearly killed you three times now! Do you think they honestly care what happens to you?"

She shook her head sadly. "No. I know they don't. Especially Gregar." She licked her lips as her gaze shifted downward once more. "He knew the whole time that I wasn't Qetesh. He told me." Her grey eyes flashed back up to meet the General's. "But that doesn't change the fact that he is one of my people. One of my people that suffered greatly at Qetesh's hand. Can't you see? They've already suffered enough because of me. Please don't let anymore of their blood be on my hands, General. Please. Give them the one thing Qetesh never did. Mercy."

"Spoken with true spirit and wisdom, just like your mother," a soft voice called from the doorway.

Vala's eyes widened as she looked up to see the council woman from Kasina, flanked by Gregar and Amotis, enter the briefing room. She immediately jumped to her feet, putting as much distance between herself and Gregar as possible. The wheelchair toppled over, and she almost tripped on it, stumbling backwards until Mitchell finally caught and steadied her.

"Easy there, princess. I've got ya." He lowered his head to level his gaze with hers, trying to convey the deeper meaning of those words.

She shook her head fervently. "Please, Cam, don't send me back! Please!"

Daniel's gentle hand touched her arm, causing her to turn her attention to him before launching herself into his arms. "It's okay, we're not going to let them hurt you," he murmured into her hair.

"If you have not called us here to return the demon, then why have you asked us here?" Gregar's venomous voice cut through the silence.

Daniel tightened his embrace as Vala visibly cowered, clearly terrified of this man and what he had done to her. It was taking all of his resolve to not launch himself at the man. A glance to Mitchell's balled up fists told him that he was not alone in this sentiment.

The council woman crossed the room, stopping a few feet away from Vala, who was shivering in Daniel's arms as she surveyed the room and tried to figure out how to make her escape with one leg not working correctly. A puzzled frown came across her face as the woman held out her hands pleadingly.

"My name is Lyntia," she said. "Do you remember me?"

Vala gave a shaky nod. "You're a member of the council in Kasina. You ordered my trial."

Lyntia narrowed her eyes. "You confessed, my dear. But I ask if you remember that I was friends with your mother."

She eyed the woman skeptically. "No."

She laughed sweetly. "Well, I must admit that I was a little less grey and far rounder at that time. But yes, Adria was a dear friend of mine."

"Adria?" Mitchell repeated before being waved off by Daniel.

Vala straightened a bit, though still clinging to Daniel for physical support. "Why are you here?"

Amotis joined Lyntia and they both knelt before Vala. "We come here to beg your forgiveness and offer you a place back in our home."

"What?" an outraged Gregar stormed past both of them, fast approaching Vala.

Her grip visibly tightened and Daniel had already lifted her off of her feet, pulling her away from the man. Cam intercepted the Kasinan, clamping his hand around his neck as he forced him into the wall opposite of Vala. "You're on our territory now, bub, and you will not even think of laying a hand on her again. I see the thought flicker through your eyes and you're in for a world of hurt. You got me?"

"Colonel Mitchell," the General half heartedly called the CO of SG1 down. "Release the prisoner."

"Prisoner?" Gregar asked with disbelief. "You invite us here and take us captive?"

"Yea," Mitchell responded as he straightened the man's shirt. "Funny how the roles reverse, ain't it?"

"Not us, Gregar," Lyntia corrected as she rose to her feet. "Only you. We know of the pay off you received from the Lucian Alliance to lure Vala and SG1 back to the planet. You were aware all along of her true identity."

"The Kasinans will have their justice," he promised darkly. "Once they see that she lives still, that she has risen from the dead once more, they will not stop until her head rests upon the walls of the Hall of Justice."

Lyntia shook her head sadly. "The people of Kasina know the truth. They know now that the demon was defeated long ago, just as our Tau'ri friends tried to tell us. And they know that we have brought you here so that you may be punished for your crimes against the Tau'ri, against the people of Kasina, and against Vala. It is your head that will be resting on the walls of their hall of justice, Gregar."

"No," Vala croaked, swallowing hard and chiding herself for the fear this man was able to flood through her veins. She eased herself away from Daniel, forcing herself to stand on her own two feet regardless of the pain spiking through her leg at the weight. "Let him go."

Amotis shook his head. "Vala, you know our laws. If broken, the punishment is death. If you return him to us, we will carry out his sentence."

She turned to General Landry. "Then send him somewhere else. Let him pick a gate address and go there."

"Vala," Cam turned to her slowly. "This man wants you dead. Not Qetesh—you. We can't risk running into him somewhere else when we go on another mission."

"Then I quit." She shrugged, turning back to the general. "He wasn't always like this. There was a time when I thought of him as more of a father than I ever did Jacek. What he is now isn't his fault. Qetesh ruined him. Killed everything he loved." She turned sorrowful eyes back to the man who had just days ago been willing to slowly beat the life out of her. "I know how hard it is to come back from that."

General Landry looked to both Mitchell and Dr. Jackson for any objections, but both of the men had set their jaws, refusing to argue with Vala. It seemed that at the very least, she deserved for this to be her call. "Very well," he sighed. This was not how he was expecting this meeting to go. "Colonel Mitchell, escort our guest to the Control Room while he thinks of a place to go."

Gregar shrugged off Cameron's touch, choosing to throw one last threatening glare to Vala before allowing himself to be removed from the room.

Vala squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to feel the pain and guilt of another ruined life because of her. She felt Daniel's gentle hand on her elbow and gave him a nod to let him know she was okay. "Lyntia, Amotis, I appreciate what you've done for me. I know what you risked in saving me. As for your offer to return home…"

Daniel actually felt himself holding his breath for her answer, her having placed the thought in his head that she might want to leave someday.

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request," she answered as she mustered up a small smile. "I am truly sorry for everything that Qetesh did…but I just don't think I could ever feel at home there again."

Lyntia approached tentatively, then took Vala's hand into her own. "I understand, child. I only hope you will afford those of us who have missed you so greatly the opportunity to come see you from time to time."

All she could do was nod and throw a weak smile to Amotis. "Of course. General Landry will let you know how to be in touch." She turned back to the general. "I assume we are still planning on assisting them with this little Lucian Alliance problem?"

Landry nodded, gesturing for the Kasinans to follow him into his office.

Vala was still rooted to the same spot, trying to school the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her at any moment.

"We should probably get you back to your room. Let you get some rest," Daniel suggested.

Vala turned to the wheelchair, then cocked her head as she took in toppled over chair. "Did I do that?"

Daniel pressed his lips together with a sigh as he bent over to straighten it. "Well, you were in a hurry to get away from them."

"Yes," her face flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

"It's understandable," he soothed as he wheeled the chair over to her. "Where to?"

Her lips pulled into a smile. "I kind of like you being at my beck and call, Daniel. A girl could get used to this."

He couldn't help but return her smile. "Which reminds me, why don't we go see Sam and ask her again about that leg?"

She faked a pout as she allowed him to help her into the wheel chair. "But what happened to the servitude? The nursing me back to health?"

He nodded. "To Sam," he reaffirmed as he began to push her in the direction of the elevators.