March 2009

"You know what I wonder?" Vala asked in a whisper, not trying to gauge any attention their way, as they sat, as per usual, for morning breakfast of French toast, coffee and waffles.

"What's that?" Daniel asked softly, not looking up from his morning paper. Vala moved her plate to the side, leaving only the crust and syrup, licking her lips she looked around once more, and then spoke.

"I think Muscles knows about us," she said, with a shrug.

"Why do you think that?" Daniel asked, folding the paper, searching her grey eyes.

"Well, he looks at me, with this weird look, like he knows!" she explained picking up his coffee mug and taking a sip. Daniel always had the best coffee she'd ever tasted. Daniel shook his head, and let her take his coffee, he had to admit, it always tasted better on her lips anyway.

Since their blow out, or should he say, his blow out, the two had become involved. Exactly 3 weeks. Daniel was unsure of how to define their relationship, he just knew he was in one for the first time since Sha're. And was more than okay with it. With Vala, it felt strangely right, but

"I'm sure its nothing, don't be paranoid," he said reaching over taking his mug from her hands. "We stick to what we talked about, it'll be fine."

"Darling, I don't know why you can't just scream to the rooftops about us," Vala sighed, leaning back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest.

"Vala," Daniel said, his voice even softer. "I don't want to ruin what we have by publicizing everything. We're okay."

Vala smiled and looked at Daniel, with a sigh she looked around. She understood where he was coming from, and she understood his feelings. They hadn't outwardly said I love you, but she knew he did, in some way. The fluttering of butterflies in her stomach she felt every time she felt his skin on hers, or the warmth of his hand burning through the fabric of her shirt.

"When the time is right, we'll let them know, for now, this needs to be about us…" he said softly, reaching across the table, taking a hold of her hand. His thumb rubbed over the top, and Vala lowered her head in a smile. Holding for a mere moment, Dnaiel squeezed her hand, and let go, "I should get to work. You helping Sam today?"

"I think so yes," Vala replied feeling the loss of his hand on hers. "Or did you need help today darling?

"No, no, help Sam. I'm just cataloguing today, she's getting ready for her mission on the Hammond right?"

"I think she's budgeting," Vala explained as she took the last bite of her breakfast.

"You know, I hear a position in accounting and payroll is opening up, you should think of taking it," Daniel suggested as Vala looked at him. "Think about it. I need to get to work myself. Have a good day, I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course darling," Vala smiled waving, as she leaned back in her chair. She was looking for something real to do at the base, something concrete, something not off world, like Daniel. Granted they'd go off world here and there, but that was the end of it, there was nothing really, she could do, but help everyone else on base. She helped Daniel catalogue and translate, she sat with Teal'c and talked, she and Cam wrote reports, and filed a lot. With Sam, it depended on the day, sometimes they'd work in her lab, others, she'd be able to be the secretary of sorts, or they'd go over missions.

Meandering to the office above the gateroom, Vala thought about what she wanted in life. She wasn't sure yet, wasn't sure what she wanted to do with Daniel, she just knew he needed to be in her life.

"Vala?" Sam asked, stopping the raven haired woman from walking into the wall. "Watch out there."

"Thanks," Vala smiled as Sam held onto her shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, just lost in thought today," Vala explained before smiling. "Now let's chat money!"

Sam chuckled and shut the door, looking at her friend. She'd noticed the difference in both her and Daniel the past few weeks, and figured that they had finally come to terms with their relationship. She couldn't help but smile, as Vala was so out of it, in love.

She remembered when she and Jack just decided to be together, it wasn't a conversation, it wasn't really anything special, except for them. Holding hands, that was a big step for the two, let alone a kiss, and sex, and the choice to say screw what everyone thought, they deserved to be happy.

"You and Daniel huh?" she asked once the doors were shut, and smiling brightly at her friend.

"What? How did you know?" Vala asked staring at the new brunette colonel.

"I recgonise the happiness," Sam smiled, as she slid into her chair. "The smiles, the spacing out, you were thinking about him right?" Vala just laughed slightly, and slid into the chair opposite her friend.

"Its new, its…" she stopped as Sam smiled brightly. "…special, I just, we just…"

"You sound in love," Sam smiled happily. "I'm happy for both of you, really happy. Daniel deserves someone like you, and you deserve someone like him."

The rest of the day was spent working on the budget, but mostly talking, and a brief bout of painting nails, in which Vala filled in Sam of all the details of their new relationship, how they got where they were, and the future.

Vala loved being able to talk to someone, other than Daniel. About her love life, and Sam's brand new marriage, that as she said, was the greatest thing she'd ever experienced.

"Any luck on the baby front?" Vala asked finally at the end of the day. Sam sighed and shook her head.

"Jack isn't sure he wants a newborn, but he's willing to give it a go," Sam smiled. "I get it, I really do. I mean, a newborn, that's a lot of work, and then there is the whole Charlie thing, and I get it, I really do."

"What do you want though?" Vala asked leaning forward on her hands.

"I've always just wanted a little boy," Sam smiled happily. "To call my own, to hold, and cherish. I've always wanted a baby."

"You're going to be a terrific mum," Vala reassured her friend. "And Jack will love the baby, when you two have him. I promise." Sam smiled and touched her friends hand in thanks.

That night, as they lay in bed, Vala stroked Daniel's hair, as his head lay comfortably on her breast. "Daniel?"

"Vala?"

"What is this? What we have?" she asked softly, as she felt Daniel move onto his side, and plop himself up, so that he was above her, his blue eyes staring into her grey ones.

"This is us," Daniel replied softly. "This is the way we ended up, this is our relationship, this is us."

"Us, we're an us now?" she asked with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling.

"Yes, we're an us," Daniel said feeling her excitement as he leaned down and touched her lips with his own. Yup, officially an us.