AN:I realised after I had put up the chapter with Sam and Vala that something was wrong. At one point I was ready to take this whole thing down and start again from scratch. Thanks to Acer and Hazmot I realised this was not quite necessary. Both of you are stars.

This is what was missing.

Let me know what you think.

***

Cam found them sleeping deeply in Daniels office chair the next morning; Daniel with his feet propped up on the desk and Vala curled up in his lap, both of Daniels arms where protectively holding her to him and Vala had her hands clenched around two handfuls of Daniels shirt.

Cam nodded to himself; at least one problem had been sorted out.

Everyone on the team had a different connection to Vala.

The relationship between her and Daniel was obvious to everyone from the get go, it was why Cam her called Vala his girlfriend when she was first at the SGC; he had seen the bond they shared and knew what it meant.

Vala and Sam had the whole sisterhood thing going on. On nights where they where both off duty you were bound to find them in Vala's quarters with a bottle of wine and a movie. The guys of SG1 where never allowed in during these nights but the amount of giggling coming from the room suggested that it was probably better that way.

Cam didn't know what went on between Teal'c and Vala on the nights when she would go to his quarters but he knew the Jaffa warrior had a great respect and affection for Vala. He let Vala get away with things that almost no other person could do and live to tell the tale. Cam was sure it was more than just the fact that the two of them where not from Earth but what ever it was Cam knew that when Vala had run out last night Teal'c was the best person to go and get her. He trusted Teal'c to bring her back safely.

To Cam himself Vala was the sister he never had growing up, wither it was older or younger depended on the way the wind was blowing. She irritated him to no end, teased him about his lack of love life, stuck up for him when base gossip was chewing him out, always had his back in a fight (she usually started them), and always knew exactly when to bring him a slice of cherry pie to cheer him up. The two of them had forged there own bond, one that rivalled the on that Teal'c, Sam and Daniel had developed before they had joined the team.

To think about what Vala had said the night before made his blood boil, he was still fighting the urge to ask Landry to dial the gate so as he could go and find the men that had treated her like this and teach them a lesson about how to treat a woman properly. Cam half suspected that the General would have to resist temptation himself to say no.

Cam knew that prostitution wasn't the same out there as it was on Earth. The stigma that existed around the subject here on Earth didn't exist on many planets out there in the galaxy. Out there it was simply a job that some woman did. He still couldn't help the small revolt his stomach made when he thought about Vala doing it though. After everything else she had been through she deserved better than that, she deserved to have a home and a family that cared for her.

When he came out of his thoughts he noticed that Vala was awake and looking at him.

"Cameron?" Her voice was husky from sleep and Cam had to smile at her, she was the only person that called him Cameron, the only person who was allowed to. "What time is it?"

"Still early Princess" He kept his voice to a whisper so as not to wake Daniel.

He watched as she gently unfolded herself from Daniels arms, making sure not to wake him, and then placed the blanket that had fallen off them during the night back over his legs. She stood for a moment as if unsure what to do next and Cam realised she wasn't sure how to act around him. Cam decided he was going to have to play big brother today and took the lead, simply opening his arms out to her. Neither of them said a word as she crossed the room to him and he enveloped her in a hug. If he held her tighter than he usually would or if she buried her head a little further into his chest than normal then no one would blame them, both of them needed the reassurance that the other was there and was ok. Cam rested his head on top of hers and they both just stood there for a moment.

"You're my sister, nothing changes that." He felt her tighten her grip around his waist ever so slightly. "Doesn't matter if you're a Time Lord or a Human, doesn't matter what you've done in the past or what you'll do in the future. None of it will ever matter, understand?"

"But what I did…" The words where muffled and spoken into his chest.

"You said it yourself; you did what you had to do. I might not agree with it but I can at least try and understand. My grandma always used to have a prayer: 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference between them.' I'm guessing this is one of those times I can't change things. None of it matters, not to me, not to Jackson, not to Teal'c or Sam or anyone else. Understand?"

When he felt her nod he let her go.

"Now wake up your boy toy woman, we've got food to be getting." He flashed a wicked grin at her and left the room. Teasing Vala about her age was never going to get old.

Vala walked over and crawled back onto Daniels lap. She watched him for a few minuets before prodding his nose to get him to wake. He didn't open his eyes, simply screwing his face up. Vala tried again and this time he opened his blue eyes and squinted at her.

"Time for breakfast darling."

He ignored her and, warping her back up in his arms, stated "Just 5 more minuets."

Vala smiled to herself and shut her eyes. When his 5 minuets where up she gave him 5 more.

***

When Vala and Daniel arrived in the mess hall 15 minuets later they found Teal'c and Cam sitting at a table in the corner instead of their usual one. When they went over to join them Teal'c got up from his place opposite Cam and moved to sit beside him ushering Vala into the corner with Daniel beside her. Vala smiled, she knew what they where doing. With the wall on two sides of her and the guys surrounding her there was no way for any other SGC personnel to come over to her; it seemed her boys where in protection mode this morning. Her smile dimmed slightly as she noticed that not all of her team where there.

She couldn't blame Sam for not wanting to see her. Vala knew that this whole issue would affect her differently. The guys could get angry and protective with out having to face any personal realities but for Sam it would cut much closer to the bone. Vala was pretty sure her friend had never suffered like that but the inevitable 'what if it happened to me' thoughts would no doubt be running through her mind.

The team sat and ate in a not so comfortable silence, all of them deep in there own thoughts. Eventually it was Vala who broke it.

"I'm sorry for running out like that, old habits and all that…" Under the table Daniel squeezed her hand.

"All that matters is that you came back Princess." Cam told her. Teal'c bowed his head in agreement.

Vala's statement seemed to clear the air and for the next 45 minuets they sat and talked almost as if the night's events hadn't happened.

Almost.

Every once in a while they would glance to the empty chair where Sam should have been sitting. By the time they had finished eating and talking Vala had made up her mind to go and talk to Sam alone. So as the guys left to go about their daily business Vala gathered up a try of food and made her way to Sam's lab.