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Chapter 2

Roundabout

Manages to stray willfully from their tour group—clotted together in the tight hallways, listening as Dr. Weir stops at every corner and dissects everything they know about said corner.

Nothing at all interesting to her.

Part of her wishes they would have left her back under that mountain. Part of her wishes they would have partnered her with Teal'c for this mission—but he probably requested she tag along with the rest of the team.

She ducks into a room, one of the labs that, if Dr. Weir's monologue was correct, apparently belongs to a Dr. McKay. It's just as dark as Daniel's lab and she wonders if these scientists prefer to live in the dark for a reason.

Floating between an aisle of trinkets and goodies, she resists the urge to snatch any up, mainly because she isn't that impressed by what she sees, but also because a beam of light distracts her. Through a large window, she's rewarded with a beautiful view of Atlantis. The sun hangs high in the sky, and the weather is so clear she can see the waves break against the city, even from here.

"Uh, excuse me?" Someone clears their voice from behind her. "What are you doing here?"

She turns away from the sunlight, something she's missed these months under solid rock, and grins innocently at him, hoping that he won't rat her out right away. This is the first conversation she's had unsolicited and unaccompanied by a team member in some time. "I just tarried from the tour group."

"Tour group?" Mumbles the words, a bit disgusted, more confused and stuttering. Do all the male doctors stutter? "Who are you?"

"A tour group member?" Her voice a little shrill as she shrugs at him, scrunching her nose, still hoping to pass off as innocent.

"Listen." He points at her, but his hand is jittering, not strong and straight, and perhaps he's been through some trauma recently. "You tell me who you are right now or—"

"Vala!"

The conversation is halted, rather deceased, as Daniel plods into the room, his face not one of confusion, but irritation. His eyebrows course, and his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "I told you not to stray."

"Yes, well, as captivating as you all might find the history of specific corners, my brain requires a little more stimulation, Daniel." At the end of her sentence she glances back to whom she assumes is Dr. McKay, and beams again, only furthering the man's confusion.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Dr. McKay and I were just having a conversation."

"Uh huh." Daniel instantly sees through her charade. "Did you take anything?"

"No."

"Did you take anything?" He repeats, his eyes narrowing further.

"No, Darling, mostly because all the gems on that table are fake."

"Except they're not," Dr. McKay scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest in a big huff. "They came directly from a mining planet in exchange for—"

"Well, then you were swindled, Darling." Tilting her head to the side she offers him a rueful smile.

The doctor, again, looks confused, but his eyes widen, and his mouth grows agape as he realizes that he was swindled. Expects him to become irked the way Daniel does, but instead he grins, and opens his mouth to respond.

Only, Daniel grabs her by the forearm, and begins to drag her from the room. "Come on, Vala. They're waiting for us."

Allows herself to be tugged along, as petulant as it seems, perhaps all her wheedling has earned it. At the lab entrance she manages to throw a wave back to Dr. McKay, and just before the doors snap closed, he returns the gesture.