A Night of Revelations:

Author's Note: Special thanks to Nefertiti of GW forums for betaing the D.V chapters. Chapter 3 and 4 are DV focused. Chapter 5 Will be Sam Jack (just can't stay away from those two can I?) mixed with D.V.

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Cameron lifted the beer to his lips and took another swig, all the while watching Daniel. Vala had excused herself to the lady's room so they were just waiting for her before heading out. He debated whether or not to say anything, but the hell with it.

"That was pretty cold man. What's your problem?" Cameron asked, putting his beer back on the table.

Daniel was taken aback, "What are you talking about?"

"You Jackson. I mean you're always on everyone else on how they should treat people, but you treat her like dirt. You get ticked with me for not saying thank you at every turn and yet someone gives her a compliment and you have to smack it down," Cameron really didn't get it.

"Think you've had too many of those," Daniel indicated the beer with a wry look on his face.

"No. No don't try getting out of this. I've only had a couple. Seriously, you need to take a long hard look at how you talk and react to her. She's here trying to help, and doing a damn good job if you ask me," Cam figured he'd leave it at that. Even to his own ears, he was beginning to sound more like Daniel's superior officer than his friend. "I'm just sayin is all."

Cameron took another drink, polished off the beer, and began to slide out of the booth. Vala was approaching and he intended to follow through with his orders and see the lady back safely. As he watched the men almost following her he wondered if it was gonna be such an easy task. Now standing he looked down and saw Daniel was watching as well. Could it be? Ya, probably. Guy needed to figure it out himself though. Mitchell just hoped he did before he blew it.

"Hey beautiful, your chariot awaits," Cameron beamed at her holding his arm out for her to take. The hurt that had flickered briefly over her features when Daniel had made his off the cuff remark had not escaped him.

With flourish, and toss of her head towards Daniel, she took Cameron's arm and they were off. Not quite the end to the evening she had planned. But at least she had some time away from that dreary base.

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Daniel waited till they reached the door before getting up from his seat and making his own way slowly out of Driscoll's.

It'd been nice to see that Sam and Jack had finally gotten their acts together. After all these years. But she could've told him. Or Jack could've. Why the big secret? Well the secret made sense. Although they were legal now, they'd still have to be discreet given their positions. Jack wouldn't want Sam to have to deal with any perceptions of favoritism. Yet, they could've told him. He coulda kept a secret. Didn't matter. It was nice. Wonder if Teal'c knew?

Daniel got in his car and started it up. He watched as Cameron pulled out of the parking lot, Vala in the passenger seat looking as though she were staring out the window.

What the hell had Cameron been getting at? He was nice to Vala, heck, he was nice to everyone. So he got a little impatient with her every now and then. She'd put him through a lot. Surely that entitled him. Okay, she'd been through a lot too. He could give her that. But why the hell did she have to be so flamboyant? And infuriating? And opinionated? And vibrant? And sexy? What? Wait. Too much romance in the air tonight. Time to just go home. Daniel put the car and gear and headed out.

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The ride back to the base was pretty quiet.

"So, must've had you going there? Sam's little revelation," Vala decided to break the silence.

"Oh man, I tell you. I almost sh..uh..dirtied my drawers," Mitchell laughed. "There's a career killer. Callin a Major General a moron. Twice. At least I'm pretty sure he heard the first one."

"I wouldn't worry about it Cam, I think he was just havin you on," Vala looked at him slyly.

"Ya, hope so," Mitchell feigned a gulp. "I've heard he's got a pretty good, if rather wacky sense of humor. They're probably killin themselves laughing right now. I'll have to think of a way to get Sam back."

The latter was said with good humor though.

"Well he is pretty hot. I can see now why she's kept him all to herself," Vala drawled.

The atmosphere became quiet again. After a few moments it was Cam who broke the silence.

"He likes you, you know," Mitchell stated quietly, not even sure why he was bringing it up.

"O'Neill? Doubt that. Had eyes only for Sam looked like to me."

"Daniel, bone head," Cameron started laughing as he checked his rear mirrors.

"Oh. Him," she hesitated briefly. "I know."

"You know?" Cameron glanced over, surprised.

"Yes, I know. He just doesn't know it yet. Or he does and he's fighting it," she answered. "Can't blame him really. I did steal his ship right out from under him. That's how we met you know."

"Ya, I know. Read the report. That was a pretty good ploy," he complimented.

"Thanks," Vala beamed at him. "Well anyways, there's that, and the whole bracelet, keeping him from his precious Atlantis thing. He's still getting over that. But he will. On some level he still blames himself, and me for the mess we're in now. I figure if I just give him time. In the meantime, I'll just be myself."

"Well, see now, that could be part of the problem," Mitchell cringed.

"What? I should change who I am-" Vala began indignantly, but Cameron cut off. She'd misunderstood. His fault.

"No. That's not what I'm sayin. I'm just sayin that, well, the whole trying to make him jealous thing could backfire," Mitchell tried to explain.

"I'm not trying to do anything of the sort!" she exclaimed. How does he know, she wondered to herself.

"Oh come on Vala, it's pretty obvious. I mean, ok, you have this natural, let's say, ability, for lack of a better word. But when you know Daniel's around, it gets turned up 20 degrees hotter and you know it. Go on, tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wrong," she said flippantly. Looking at him though, she flipped her brow and gave a little nod of her head. Had her dead to rights. She'd been bored with the boys at the bar. But when she'd seen Daniel walk in with Cameron she had turned on her charms full blast.

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Cameron woke to banging on his door. He opened his eyes and made out the time on the clock. 03:00. He'd dropped Vala back at the base hours ago. Who could be banging on his door at this hour? Slowly he climbed out of bed and went to find out. Switching on the hall light he opened the door.

"Good, you're awake," Daniel said as he strode past Mitchell.

Cam gave his head a shake and his eyes opened wider.

"Am now," he grumpily quipped toward Daniel's retreating back.

He closed the door, hung his head down and set off to follow Daniel into his kitchen. Let me guess, he thought to himself, it's gonna be about Vala. Well he had started this.

On the way back from the base he'd actually wondered to himself if he shouldn't be putting a stop to this rather than encouraging it. There were the guidelines after all. He had planned to reread the directive on Monday. Seemed to him though it applied more to officer's and enlisted personnel. Sure, there had been references to civilian employees, but they way he remembered it, had to do with fraternization with officer's superiors, etc. Didn't say anything about Aliens, and well, sure Vala was human, but also Alien. And weren't they breaking regs. technically with their frequent Friday night get togethers , if that were the case?

Oh this was far too complex for 03:00 on a Saturday morning.

"Daniel, do you know what time it is?" Mitchell asked warily, opening the refrigerator door. Pulling out a soda he flipped the top and took a drink.

"Got another one of those?" Daniel asked.

Mitchell retrieved another soda and tossed it toward Daniel, "Knock yourself out. Now you wanna tell me what this is all about? Quickly, so I can get back to sleep."

"It's so easy for you to judge isn't it?" Daniel sounded angry. "I mean, you come waltzing in to a prize position. Do you have any idea what I had to give up? What that woman has put me through!"

Daniel began to pace the small kitchen. Okay, so maybe he wasn't his congenial self to Vala. Maybe he was a little edgy with her. But she wasn't exactly princess charming with him now was she. And we have Mr. gung ho here making judgment calls. Well Daniel had had enough. Time to set him straight.

Cameron watched Daniel impassively. Looked like he was about to explode. Ok. This could be good. Let him get it all out. If he wanted Cam for target practice, so be it. He just hoped Daniel would be quick, Cameron really wanted to get back to sleep. Mitchell pulled out one of his kitchen chairs and sat, propping his elbow on the table and resting his head on his hand. With his other, he took another drink of soda.

" So tell me," he offered in a bored tone. He was intentionally trying to egg Daniel on.

"Okay, I will," Daniel almost yelled. "For starters, she stole the Prometheus with me still on board. It was hell getting it back. She almost got us all killed. Then there was the bracelet stunt. I missed out on going to Atlantis, Cameron. Sort of my prize position. Do you know how long I waited for that opportunity? Ok, I admit, since coming back after the invasion attempt she's been a big help. Huge. But she goes out of her way to be…..distracting!"

"Uh huh," Mitchell commented in the same bored tone. "So let me see if I got this straight. You two met on the Prometheus, she knocked your socks off -"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daniel jumped on the defensive.

"Well, you two did--- didn't you?" Mitchell asked.

"There were extenuating circumstances," Daniel's face had turned red.

"Sure, like you were, what? Drunk?" Cam asked.

"No."

"Ok, then, drugged maybe?" Mitchell tried again.

"Not exactly," Daniel answered, his tone more sheepish.

"Right. So you two…did what you two did when you were in your right mind. Hmmm, could it be that an incredibly attractive, sly, resourceful, intelligent woman knocked you for a loop, and now you're scared to death." Not once did Mitchell change his tone from one of boredom.

"Just a minute," Daniel began.

"No Daniel. You barge in here, so you're gonna listen. I don't know what it is between you two and maybe it's none of my business. Given though that you're both on my team, granted that's the way I want it, I'm gonna make it my business. You hurt her tonight. Maybe you didn't mean to, maybe you were just making a joke at General O'Neill because you have that kind of rapport with him. I don't know. I don't, neither does Vala. But you kinda got two birds with that one buddy boy. And it was mean."

"Oh come on," Daniel was a little reticent, "She knew I was only kidding. I didn't hurt her feelings. Come on, she gives as good as she gets. Did I?"

"Yes, Daniel, you did. She covered it well, but just for a second it was there. You were too busy snickering at your own joke to notice. Me, I was busy crappin myself, so I had time to notice."

Daniel began to pace again, but rather than in anger it was in deep thought. After a moment he stopped and looked at Cameron.

"Come on Cam, I didn't-"

"Yes, Daniel, you did."

"But-"

"But what? But she covers her feeling well. Sure. She's flamboyant and sometimes a little obnoxious. Sure. Guess that must come from not growing up on a nice sheltered world. Maybe it's from getting taken by a Goa'uld as a host, hated by your own people, needing to find creative ways to stay alive in a cold universe. You're right. Why cut her some slack? Just because she messed with your plans to go to Atlantis. "

'All I'm saying is," Daniel began again.

"No, I'm not done. Let's forget that she sought you out, and chose you to attach herself to. Out of all the men in the Universe. What, you don't think she was resourceful enough to find someone else to translate that tablet of her's. Or get a ship to come to earth with. Hell Daniel, she stole the Prometheus. Maybe she wanted to see you again." Mitchell leaned forward making his point clear.

"Oh ya which is why she flirts with.."

"What? Jealous? I'll get to that."

"I am not jealous,"

"Right," Mitchell drawled sarcastically, "Not much. But let's get back to what drives you nuts. Let's see, where was I? Oh ya, the woman is raped, don't know how else to put that, by the Ori. Gives birth to a Ori hell child. Imagine how that must be for her. Knowing what your own kid is. And yet, she probably loves the kid anyways. Just how supportive have we all been on that one Mr. sensitivity. Instead of siding with her kid, she's helping us! Doing the right thing. Oh, and didn't she save you from her kid?"

"Hey, I've been supportive, and I seem to recall being the one to get her off that ship" Daniel protested finally.

"Uh huh. I'll give you that, have you asked yourself why? Let's get back to the jealousy thing."

"Am not!"

"Not playing," Mitchell retorted. "Look, Jackson, it's late. I'm tired. I'm not a counselor. I'm just tellin you the way I see it. Take it or leave it. As long as this little foreplay thing you got going doesn't interfere with the job, I don't much care. But I do care when one member of my team hurts another, for no good reason. Now, do what you will with it. Its stuff you already know anyways. I'm going back to bed."

Cameron walked to his door and opened it waiting for Daniel. When Daniel finally made it he stopped and looked sheepishly at the other man.

"I'm sorry," he quietly said.

"Don't tell me man," Cameron finally smiled at him. "Look, it's been a long night full of surprises and revelations. Sleep on it. I'll see ya Monday."

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TBC

Usual disclaimers. Not mine. MGMs etc.