Title: Sweet Addiction
Pairing: Daniel/Vala
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to Stargate. AT ALL. I just play around with the characters.
Author's Note: Third time's a charm I guess. That, and it practically seals my Daniel/Vala addiction. Man, the SG-1 plot bunnies are having a fiesta in my head for this one, so I hope you all like it; they sure do.
Summary: He never knew how much he needed her until she was gone. (Beach Head Spoilers)

Beep, beep, beep... The familiar noises of his digital clock awoke Dr. Daniel Jackson from the edge of slumber, just as it had for the past nine years. Over and over again, day in and day out, he woke up to that sound, followed the same morning routine, and went to the same place of employment; it was a cycle of monotony and order that he had followed without thought and purely on instinct, for a good portion of his life.

The only problem was his body just would not comply with stability.

It started when he couldn't find his glasses. Lazily drifting his hand over his nightstand, he felt around upon the tabletop for some figment of the wire framed spectacles and finding nothing. He did, however, find a picture frame containing a photo of himself, Sam, Teal'c, and Jack, and promptly knocked it on the floor, the glass cracking apart while the frame splitting open with a clang. And as if this wasn't enough, the buzzer continued to harass him until it was finally acknowledged with a smarting slap upon the off button.

After forgetting to even make the bed, he stumbled his way into the shower and promptly tripped over a loose towel on the floor. And as if anything couldn't get any worse from that moment on, he promptly stepped into the shower too soon twice: first freezing himself to death, then scalding his skin to a blistering red.

Getting dressed afterwards was no piece of cake either. In the dim morning light, the green military fatigues looked blue and the blues looked emerald, fooling him twice into miss matching his wardrobe. Five pairs of different colored socks went on and off his feet, until he managed to find a matching pair. It wasn't until he was half out the door that he realized one thing he had forgotten: one was long, the other short.

That, and he'd completely forgotten his car keys... and promptly locked himself out of his own apartment.

One trip to Mrs. Baker's residence later, he was back in business, and quickly snatched his keys from off his dresser before finally heading down to his car, sighing with relief. Well, at least he knew he'd get to work on time...

...if only his car would start.

Cursing under his breath, he furiously turned the keys, listening to the engine putter, sputter, stop, putter, stutter, stop, until finally it roared to life.

Breakfast. He needed breakfast. That's all it would take: breakfast. Daniel would surely feel better if he had that... and something to read, right? Immediately upon signing in and taking the elevator down to the SGC underground, he went directly to his office and grabbed one of his favorite tomes from off one of his bookcases and started striding to the mess as fast as he could. Just a little farther, a little farther...

When he finally got there, Daniel swiped a plate from off the salad bar, grabbed a fork, plopped down next the nearest table, and opened his book, trying to focus as best he could while shoveling his food into his mouth with fury. Briefly wondering why his fork wasn't working, he tried to calm his irritated nerves. He just needed to get through this day, and then he'd be ok. He knew he'd be ok, if only--

The spine of his book twisted in his hand as a finger poked it forward, and the archeologist just groaned, annoyed.

"Bad day?" asked the reply, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to discover the voice behind the inquiry. Cameron Mitchell.

"Yeah," he replied, drawing out the syllables flatly. "Now do you mind? I'm trying to eat my waffles."

"Uh, Jackson? You're trying to eat sausages with a knife."

It took him a moment to realize what Cam just said. "Huh?" Blue eyes drifted to his plate and to the utensil in his hand. "Damn it, I thought this was a fork."

"With cylindrical flapjacks?" Cameron laughed lightly, and poked the tome again. "And this is sort of another funny statement, but I didn't really think you were into the Logistics of Modern Wormhole Physics by Doctor Josephine Carmine. I would think that was more up Sam's alley."

Another look, and he wrinkled his brow in frustration. "Damn it, I thought this was--"

Cameron grinned and pulled up a chair, straddling it backwards before taking and closing Jackson's book. "It's obviously not what you thought it was. Now, would you like to tell me what's going on, or would you rather have me ask Doctor Lam to give you a psychiatric analysis?"

Daniel groaned, and sank to the tabletop, his head in his hands. "I don't know, Mitchell. I just don't know."

"You sure it's not that--"

He spoke too quickly. "NO, it's not...uh, I mean, it couldn't... Seriously, do you think I'd..."

Laughter. "Tongue-tied, huh?"

Sighing, he just nodded. "I miss her."

"You know it's only been a day since it happened, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you're already unglued and worried about her?"

"Yeah."

Cameron stared. "You really do got it bad."

"Uh huh."

"You know we're going to find her. Someday."

Daniel raised his head, his eyes softening. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't mean I don't worry about her."

"We'll find her. You just got to believe in two things."

Doubt crossed his features. "Yeah? And what are those?"

"Hope and faith," replied Cameron, and slapped Daniel's shoulder. "It's what got me through Antarctica. Hey, don't worry, Vala's probably making the Ori worship her instead of the other way around. She's a tough woman, and if there's anyone who can survive in Ori space, it's her."

Daniel though about this for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah, she is good at that sort of a thing, isn't she? Surviving, I mean."

"Yeah. And you know what? You'll be right here, waiting for her, when she comes back. Or, when we find her." The colonel smirked. "She sure as hell isn't going to let you go. She'd miss her Daniel too much."

"Yeah," he sighed. "If it was me, I'd miss my Vala too. Thanks, Cam."

"Hey, don't mention it. Anytime. You'd do the same for me if I needed it."