Chapter Six

Since being a member of SG-1 meant he'd seen and done a whole host of bizarre things (including dying multiple times), Daniel couldn't classify it as the weirdest thing to ever happen to him. But certainly being chewed out by Vala's "witch of a woman" stepmother for supposed crimes against "her daughter" was an unexpected twist that he hadn't expected his life would take.

Adria was already irate when she stormed into his office. When she spotted the picture of Sha're still on display (never mind that one of Vala hung right next to it! And that there were a host of other photos and mementos from their life together scattered around the room!), she lost it completely and damn near took his head off.

Her rage made her almost incoherent, but Daniel managed to get the gist. Some conversation Vala and Adria had had about Sha're? "Should you even be telling me this?" he wondered aloud. "I mean, did she tell you in confidence or something?"

Adria sent him a scathing look. "That is the least of your concerns, Dr. Jackson."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I do of course want my wife to feel free to tell me anything. However, if she chooses not to and chooses to confide in someone else, I expect that person to honor her wishes and not go blabbing what she told them!" He returned Adria's glare. "I can assure you that neither Sam nor Mitchell would betray her trust. Which is why she trusts them."

Adria had the grace to look ashamed. "All right, that's fair. I will apologize to her." Her anger returned. "You will get no such thing."

Daniel shrugged. "I don't need one. Now are we done here, or do you have more to yell at me about?"

"How can you be so flippant about this?"

"Because this isn't a conversation I need or want to have with you. If Vala and I need to discuss something, we will. But it is absolutely, positively, one hundred percent not your business."

"She's my daughter! That makes it my business!"

"No. It doesn't. And frankly, Vala would tell you the same if she knew you were here butting in. Whatever she told you was meant to stay between you unless she herself chooses to tell me about it. You're out of line, and I'll thank you to leave my office and let me get back to work."

Adria huffed but left, muttering under her breath about husbands who were mik'tas as she did so.

Daniel sank onto a stool, staring at the two photos on his wall.

Was she right? Was he wrong to still honor Sha're's place in his life? He didn't think he was. Vala had certainly never indicated that she thought so. She'd always acted positively blasé about it.

But Daniel knew his wife—blasé for her was all too often a cover for things that really, deeply bothered her. He'd seen it too many times in too many other areas. So why hadn't he ever noticed it in this one?

Was it because he hadn't wanted to?

Daniel groaned, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was going to have to talk with his wife.

When Daniel arrived home that evening, he found Vala on the computer, shopping for shoes. "Hello, darling, how was your day?" Her voice was distracted, her focus on the clearance section of the website.

"Interesting, anyway."

"Mm, that's good."

He bent forward to kiss her. "Would you like to hear why?"

"Sure, tell me about whatever SG-6 brought back from PX-something."

"It has nothing to do with SG-6 or anything they discovered. Your stepmother came to visit me today."

"Oh?" Vala was still more focused on her shopping.

"Vala…she told me about your conversation."

"What conversation was this?"

"About first wives…about Sha're."

"Ah."

"Vala! She told me I'd hurt you. Why did you never tell me?"

That did bring her head up. "Because she's wrong. I never said that. I know how much you love Sha're, and I'm fine with it."

Daniel frowned. "Then why did she say you felt you'd never measured up to her?"

Vala laughed. "Because that's the truth, and I know it. Don't worry about it, Daniel. I know you love me, and I'm fine with loving you more."

"More than…what, exactly?"

"More than you love me. I love you more than anything. Whereas I know you love Sha're most, and your studies and work are probably second, and I'm a good solid third. I'm good with that, I promise." She went back to the computer screen.

" Third? You're not third!"

She looked up again. "Oh? I figured Jack was probably fourth. Should I swap him to third? I can be fourth; it's fine."

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. "That…isn't what I meant at all. Come here, please."

Confused, she stood and walked over to him. He took her chin in his hand. "I need you to listen to me here, okay? I know you've heard all the cliches about first loves. It's all sweet and innocent, and there's a certain wistfulness to it. You get that, right? Your fiancé?"

She shrugged. "Sure, I guess, but what…?"

"Shh, I'm getting there. Sha're was that for me. Yes, I loved her as much as I was capable of loving anyone or anything at the time. But I was practically still a kid then! All naive and starry-eyed. I am not that person anymore. I've grown up, and I've grown harder, and I've lost a hell of a lot of that innocence and naïveté. And I can assure you that with that, I am capable of loving you with more wisdom and passion and depth than I ever did Sha're."

"Daniel-"

"No, if Adria is going to come yell at me for it, we're going to get all this out."

That brought her up short. "She yelled at you?"

"Oh, yeah. Pretty much ripped me a new one."

"I'm sorry, Daniel. She had no right."

"I don't disagree. In fact, I told her that. But Vala-why haven't you ever told me how you felt?"

She stared at him. "Why would I?"

"Um, because if I'm hurting you, I want to know it!"

"I already told you that you're not . It's fine."

"Is it? I've kept those photos for the same reason I keep pictures of my parents-because I did and do love Sha're, because she was an important part of my life. But if it truly bothers you, if it makes you feel somehow like you matter less, I can put them away somewhere."

Her face softened, and she stretched up to kiss him quickly. "You're very sweet to offer, but it's not necessary. Adria's just…overcompensating. She's trying to atone for her past failures by 'protecting' me, even though that's no longer something I need from her. I'll speak to her."

"Her past failures? You wanna elaborate on that?"

Vala's expression closed off. "No. I don't."

"Come on, Vala. What's she trying so hard to make up for? Did she fail to protect you?" A thought came to him. "Did she have something to do with you being taken host?"

She looked away. "No. She tried to stop that. Unsuccessfully, of course, but she tried."

"Then what ?"

"Daniel, I told you I didn't want to discuss it."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm starting to think we need to."

Her gaze met his, and she looked more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her. "I'm sorry. Truly. But I can't . I'm not…I'm not ready. I just…I'll tell you soon, I promise, but please just give me some time."

Daniel sighed heavily and pulled her closer to him. "All right. But you're scaring me, sweetheart."

"It's fine, Daniel, really. And I'm fine. Or at least I'm getting there. I think…I think she's truly sorry and trying to make up for it. Not the right way, but I'll talk to her about that. Everything will work out."

"I hope so," Daniel muttered. But he kissed his wife and dropped the subject like she wanted. "You feel like spaghetti tonight? That's quick and easy."

"Sure." Vala returned to her shoe shopping.

And Daniel headed to the kitchen wishing he knew just what was going on in his wife's head and how he could help.

Several weeks later….

Vala and Adria had gone to a play at a local theater and returned home for dinner. They chatted with Vala's neighbor Mr. Porter for a few minutes before coming inside so Adria could start chopping vegetables for the salad while Vala cooked the chicken. It had been a perfectly pleasant day, and Vala was thinking how even the brief lull in conversation didn't feel so awkward anymore when Adria spoke, her voice hesitant. "Vala? Do you…do you think you could ever bring yourself to call me Mother again?"

Vala's entire body froze. Even her breath seemed to leave her lungs. Time stood still as she stood there, staring in wordless shock at her stepmother.

Adria wanted to address the elephant.