Chapter 6 – The Blowup

The next day at lunch, Vala was in the commissary sitting with the scientists. When she got up to leave, Daniel followed her out the door and asked her if she would come to his office with the excuse of needing her input on something. He wasn't usually that vague, but he couldn't come up with anything plausible. Vala was skeptical but followed him anyway.

Daniel closed the door behind them and dived right in, he didn't want to sound indecisive.

"Vala, we really need to talk about things. Would you please go out to dinner with me tonight, somewhere nice if you want, so we can clear the air?"

"Thank you, but no," she says. "I'm going to the movies tonight with Walter's wife and kids. Something about animals who can talk and fight. Weird, right?"

Daniel looks at her with a frown. "Whose wife and kids?"

"Walter. Harriman. The gate tech."

"Oh," Daniel said, recognition showing in his face. "He has a family?"

"Yes, Daniel. He has a family. Which you would know if you took the time to actually talk TO people instead of AT them."

"I talk to people," he defended himself.

"No, you don't. You talk in the vicinity of people about things that interest you and they are polite enough to listen. You only have conversations with people who share your interests, or can give you information about the latest artifact, tablet, or pencil rubbing you are fascinated with. If they can't talk about what YOU are interested in, you don't talk to them, or just ignore them."

She could see he was getting frustrated at her attack. "That's crazy," Daniel said dismissively, "I don't talk to people because I'm BUSY! My work takes a lot of time and concentration to get even a small amount of results. You know how much research, and cross referencing has to be done for every single word and then you hope you get close to correct. Then trying to figure out the cultural references, which means MORE reading and researching. I don't have TIME to make personal connections with people that can't help me out". He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm down. "You know what my work involves, why are you holding that against me now?" How did he lose control of this conversation so fast?

"Because I finally realized that you were never going to SEE me. I've spent all this time looking for a way to insert myself into your life, hoping you would see ME. But I realized I'm not a person you want to know, I'm just another tool for you to use in your work. If I can't provide the answers you need, I'm useless. I've discovered that I AM useful to other people. I've been doing a lot of good work for the other scientists and archeologists. You haven't even missed me working with you, in your office, or out in the field."

"Vala, none of that is true, I," Daniel started, but Vala cut him off.

"Daniel, we want different things from each other, and I need to find a place where I'm wanted, not just needed. I'm going to ask for a transfer to SG 7. They've been without a cultural advisor for a while and they like having me on team."

"Oh really?" Daniel retorted. "THEY like having you on the team?"

"Yes! They do! They don't accuse me of being in the way or tell me I talk too much. They find me useful, as well as being cute and adorable, of course. My cultural knowledge of the worlds they visit has been very valuable."

"And I'm sure it doesn't hurt having an SG7 team member as roommate, does it?"

"What are you saying? That the only reason SG7 wants me on the team is because I'm friends with Brandon?"

"I thought WE were friends, Vala. I'm saying maybe there is another reason you're leaving me….and SG1", he tacked on when he realized what he just said. "Maybe you and Brandon are more than just friends. You know that's frowned upon with team members."

"We are just FRIENDS, Daniel," Vala yelled back. "But what would it matter if we were more? It's not like you care!" Vala turned around and stormed out of the office and down the hall.

Daniel started to go after her but did not want to make a scene in the hallway.

That went south very quickly, he though. He shouldn't have lost control like that and yelled at her. And he didn't mean to accuse her of anything either.

He flopped down in his chair and ran through the whole cringeworthy conversation again. Why does she make him so angry, he thought? He wasn't angry, he was jealous. And scared. Scared of losing her, and that is exactly what just happened. See, Teal'c, he thought. This. This is why he didn't want to let her in.

Teal'c recent words of wisdom came back to him. "Because you were able to hurt her. If her feelings for you were not genuine, she would have been upset with you for ignoring her, but not hurt to the point of retreat."

He'd hurt her, again. And she was retreating. Again. Damn.