I neither own Stargate SG-1 nor the character depicted here. They are owned by Universal. Though rumor has it they can be rented out on the weekends.
"Do you mind?" Vala asked as she sat down with her tray.
"Would you leave if I said that I did?" Daniel asked.
"Nope," Vala replied. She picked at her chicken. "Is this place always open?"
"The cafeteria? Yeah. Like the rest of the base, it's one a twenty-four hour time schedule."
Vala stuffed a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth and nodded. "Well, that's good to know."
"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full, and why? You're leaving tomorrow."
"Oh, I'm sure I'll be back." She leaned over and pinched Daniel's cheek. "I can't stay away from my Daniel for too long, now can I?"
Daniel raised his arm and shook it. "Not until you take these things off you can't. Care to explain why it had to wait until tomorrow?"
"Because if I took them off tonight, you might try to do something silly like having my room changed or making me leave early." She picked at her chicken again. "I have no idea what you call this bird, but I'm fairly certain I don't like it." She suddenly put her fork down and stared at Daniel across the table. "So, why are you up at this hour?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but the thought of insane ascended beings sending armies to destroy all of us is enough to keep me up at night. I thought some Jell-o might help me sleep," he said as he gestured towards his blue gelatin. "And you?"
"Oh. The same, more or less."
Daniel pointed his spoon at her. "You're lying."
"I am not! I would never lie to you! Well alright, I would never lie to you in a way that would get you hurt."
"Yes you are. Whenever you lie you right eye twitches just a little bit. Very subtle tell, but it's definitely there."
"Why Daniel, darling. Does this mean you've been gazing into my eyes when I talk?"
"Now you're trying to change the subject. What's keeping you up? No, let me guess." He put his spoon down next to the glass of Jell-o and rested his chin on his hands. "Intense pain followed by an overwhelming sense of darkness, emptiness, and loneliness. Then, when you return, an immense feeling of relief and openness and a sort of connectedness with the entire universe?"
Vala blinked. "When the guard said you had died a lot of times I thought it was a metaphor for you being accident prone."
"Nope. Count's at… six I think. No, five. That time on Apophis' ship I was only fatally wounded."
"Only fatally wounded? What an interesting life you lead, Dr. Jackson."
Daniel shrugged and picked up his spoon.
"Does it get any easier?" Vala suddenly asked.
"No," Daniel responded, staring at his Jell-o. "No it doesn't."
Vala was silent for a while, then grinned at Daniel. "Well then," she said, leaning over and punching him in the shoulder. "As the leading expert on dying, have any pointers for the next time?"
"Yeah," Daniel said as he dug into his Jell-o. "Don't die alone."
