Well, we're back now, 'and' now it's really summer, so I'll be updating. :) I should update Left Behind later today, and here's chapter 4 of this one. I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what ya think. Thanks for the reviews they help so much! hugs

Chapter 4

Daniel took a slightly uneven breath as the pain returned with consciousness. He knew he was still on his back--in would have woken him up if he'd turned over in his sleep, because of the wound--but it took a few moments for him to gain full sensation in the rest of his body. That was when he realized that something was covering his right hand. Frowning, he turned his head to look, and saw both of Vala's hands wrapped around his.

"Hey! What the--" He tried to pull his hand free, but for some reason her grip was too tight, even though she was bent over the edge of the bed, head on her arms and fast asleep. "Vala!"

She stirred. "Hmmm?" But she wasn't awake yet.

"Vala, wake up!" he yelped in exasperation. He was still tired, injured, and hurting; he didn't have the time or the patience for this.

This time she jerked awake, but her hands stayed in place around his. "Huh? What?" Vala quickly looked around curiously. Her face creased for a moment, as if in pain--which didn't make any sense--and then she focused on him. "Daniel?"

He glared a bit and tugged on his hand again. "Would you let go?"

She sat up slowly and shook her head, yawning. Instead of letting go her grip tightened.

"Ow." He pulled harder, and suddenly her eyes flew open eyes and she was fully awake.

"Daniel, don't--!"

His hand came free from hers--

And Daniel immediately shouted in surprise and doubled over in pain.

"Daniel!"

The pain had almost tripled in an instant, and he was left gasping hard. One of Vala's hands came down on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry; I should have warned you--"

He shifted away from her touch and glanced up at her. "What…are you doing…in here?"

Vala frowned. "I was trying to help."

"Help what? Thanks, but…I would feel better…if you left me alone." Why couldn't she understand that her being around only made any situation more stressful? If somehow she really was concerned, and not just hitting on him, then why wouldn't she stay away when he asked?

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand again, but again he jerked it back. "What are you doing!"

"Daniel, you don't understand," she huffed. "I don't know what it is--it probably has something to do with the effects of the bracelets--but if I remain in physical contact with you for a few minutes, it starts to help with the pain."

Daniel rolled his own eyes. "And just how…would you know that?"

"Because you weren't sleeping very well, but after a few minutes of holing onto you, you settled down."

Now he was just confused--on top of being in pain. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Uh huh." But she was hiding something, and for once her thieving background wasn't helping her hide it. Daniel stared at her for a moment, and finally she crossed her arms and gave in.

"And…well…it I know because it does it by letting me take some of it," she admitted uncomfortably.

Daniel frowned. Now that he thought about it, he had slept better that night than he had the night before, but he couldn't pin down why. If what she was saying was true though--and it very well could be; those crazy bracelets were insanely unpredictable--then that meant she must have been--

"Daniel? What's wrong?"

He realized that his face was suddenly sporting a horrified expression, and he straightened it.

"Are you serious?" he asked, commenting on her previous statement and ignoring the question.

"Why would I lie?"

Daniel closed his eyes and breathed through a few heavy waves of pain before opening them again. Vala was looking at him with concern. "Well, are you going to let me help or not?"

She was acting like she really did care. Maybe she did, and right now it seemed like that really was true, but either way he wasn't going to let her do it anymore. Maybe she didn't really care, but he did, if only because she was another human being. He wouldn't let her hurt herself for him for any reason. "I don't need your help," he quipped.

She actually looked hurt at that. Did she really care that much?

"But Daniel…"

"I don't want you doing that anymore," he repeated.

"But--"

"Vala!" He really did not have the energy to argue.

Thankfully, though, he didn't need to. Looking defeated and angry, Vala stood and stomped out of the room.

Daniel closed his eyes, pulled the bedspread over his head and curled up as much as he could without hurting his wound too much.

Fuming, Vala stalked out and down the corridor. She'd given herself a headache the size of a hu'tack doing what she'd done last night for him, and how did he thank her? He practically threw her out of the room.

She tracked down Earth's version of a mild painkiller--Tylenol, if she remembered correctly--in the infirmary, took a couple of the pills, then tracked back to the commissary to get some breakfast. Teal'c was there, so she dropped down into the seat opposite him at the otherwise empty table.

"Morning, Muscles," she sighed.

The jaffa raised an eyebrow at her. "Is there a problem, Vala MalDoran?"

Vala dug into her cereal, scooped a spoonful into her mouth, and spoke around it. "Yes. Daniel."

"I am aware of what has happened to Daniel Jackson."

She swallowed. "No, not that."

"That to what are you referring?"

As simply and quickly as she could, she explained what had happened back on the planet to give her the idea and then what had happened the night before and that morning just a few minutes before. Teal'c listened silently, and when she was finished, nodded.

"I see…indeed Daniel Jackson can be an extremely….stubborn individual."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

"The jaffa word for similar behavior fits even more accurately, however I would not use it. It is not as…polite."

Vala snorted. That was certain. She knew the word he was talking about. It was basically a word combining the human meaning of 'stubborn' and 'pain in the mik'ta', which Daniel certainly was when he was acting like he was. She hadn't known him nearly as long as some of his friends, but she had gathered that much by now.

"Do you think you could talk any sense into him?" she asked on a chance.

Teal'c shook his head slowly. "I could attempt, but I am not certain that I would succeed; in fact I am quite certain he would not listen to me."

She had only taken a few bites, but now she didn't think she could eat anymore. Vala sighed and stood. "Thanks anyway." Then she left; she didn't need to stay this far away from Daniel for too much longer, anyway.

The rest of the day, Vala stayed out of Daniel's room. She still couldn't go too far for too long, but shutting herself in her own room worked just as well. If he wasn't going to let her help, why should she go in there at all? Besides…there was that growing feeling in her chest that ached whenever she saw Daniel in pain, and she didn't like it. It was unfamiliar; she'd never had such feelings for anyone before, except her mother, and the fiancé she'd had before she had been taken as host…And that love had ended in her mother's death and later in being taken away forever from the man she'd loved.

Wait…love?

No, this had nothing to do with that. It just seemed the same.

It couldn't be love, because Vala had sworn she would never love again.

It hurt too much.

Vala didn't see anyone else at all until that night, when there was a knock on her door. The one outside it identified himself as Teal'c, so she let him in. Despite herself, the first words out of her mouth were "How is Daniel?"

The jaffa gave an almost invisible knowing smile, but then grew serious again.

"His condition still progresses, I am afraid."

"You mean it's worse?"

He nodded once. "Indeed," he said quietly. For a moment she caught a glimpse on his face of the true depth of his worry for his friend, but the expression was wiped away when he spoke again. "However, I have just received word that tomorrow someone is coming who may be able to persuade him more easily than you or I could."

Vala felt her hopes rise a bit. "Someone who might be able to convince him to let me help?"

Now Teal'c did smile and nodded again. "I believe so."

She thanked him for letting her know, then looked at the clock and saw that it was getting late. Before she'd been too busy worrying about Daniel to notice; now she realized that she was exhausted. It was probably a combination of what she'd been doing the night before and the day filled with nothing but trying and failing to read or watch television and mostly pacing her room inwardly ranting at Daniel.

Tiredly she changed her clothes and climbed into bed, asleep almost before her head hit the pillow, but only able to do so because of the glimmer of hope Teal'c had brought.

Daniel got no sleep that night. Alone and hurting, there was just no way it was going to happen. Mitchell had been around, and then Teal'c had stopped by and offered to trade out with him and stay until Daniel could fall asleep. Mitchell had said he could do that too, but Daniel had declined them both. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep this time, and the last thing he needed was one or both of them hanging around wondering and worrying about how much pain he was in that he couldn't even sleep…It was enough, and he didn't want them stressing over it any more than they already were.

Besides those two, the only other person he'd seen that day was Doctor Lam, who had stopped by once or twice to change the bandages on the wound. It was starting to heal, and from what Lam could tell apparently it was going nicely, but he didn't care. He had the other to worry about. However, that she had no advice on. The prior had said it would be days, but only days. That was all he had to hold on to.

The next morning, a rumpled Jack O'Neill stepped into the elevator on his way into the SGC. He knew he probably looked like a wreck, wearing only blue jeans and a t-shirt and tennis shoes, with his hair mussed in all directions, but that was what he got for flying a red-eye out here the minute he'd heard from Carter what was going on. She'd heard from Mitchell, and wanted to go, but couldn't get away from Area 51. In his position, it had been easier to take a day or two off, and here he was.

On the way down, Jack did his best to straighten his hair with his hands. At least he'd shaved. No one was waiting when the elevator stopped and opened, because only Hank and SG-1 minus Daniel knew he was coming, and when he'd called Landry to let him know, not even he had known exactly when he would arrive. Thus, he was forced to track down one of them. It happened to be Mitchell, who was just coming out of the commissary.

"General! You're here. That was fast."

He shrugged. "Ah yes, the perks of leadership. Where's Daniel?" Normally he didn't get right to the point that quickly, but it was different when a friend was in trouble.

Mitchell blinked. "Oh, he's uh, in his room. He might still be sleeping, or at least I hope so. If he got to sleep, that is. He wouldn't let either me or Teal'c stay with him last night until he did, so I don't know."

Jack sighed, and had the colonel show him where the room Daniel was using was. Outside the door, Jack knocked once.

"Who is it?" a strained voice asked from inside.

Jack winced to himself, and noticed that Mitchell was pulling away to go. Jack nodded that he should, and waiting until he was around the corner. Then he answered.

"Honey, I'm home!"

He thought he heard a snort from inside, before the reply came, an amused "Come in, Jack."

The general went in and closed the door behind him. Immediately he almost wished he hadn't.

Daniel looked pale and exhausted, and he still hadn't shaved either. He was trying to push himself up into a sitting position, but his heavy, hitching breaths that were heaving his chest weren't helping. Jack hurried over, took hold of his arm, gently pulled him up a bit more and settled him back against the pillows he'd already set behind him against the headboard of the bed.

"Take it easy, buddy, there ya go…"

Daniel winced and sighed, his eyes slipping shut as he leaned back. "Thanks."

"Welcome."

He opened his eyes part of the way to peer up at him again. "What are…you doing here?" he questioned.

"Well, Carter heard from Mitchell, and I heard from carter, and I was the only one who get away, so…" He shrugged, arms open. "Surprise."

Daniel tried to laugh, but it came out weak and ended in a moan with his eyes closing again. Jack grimaced and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. It hurt to see one of his best friends in pain.

"Gosh, Daniel…."

"I'm okay, Jack."

"No, you're not. But you will be, as far I've heard, and I'm staying in Colorado until you are."

His eyes opened again. "You don't have to do that," he protested tiredly.

"And how are you going to stop me?" Jack answered defiantly.

Daniel shook his head and closed his eyes yet again. "Whatever…"

Jack sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to check in on you first, so I should go say hi to Teal'c and Hank now, but I'll be back, ok?" Daniel only nodded, so Jack gave his shoulder a squeeze and left again.

He planned to go to Hank's office first, then search out Teal'c, but outside the door he was ambushed by the very same jaffa and a dark haired woman he had never seen before. From what he had heard from Daniel and others over the past few weeks, however, this could be none other than Vala MalDoran.

Teal'c nodded. "It is good to see you, O'Neill."

"Yeah, Teal'c, you too…what's up?"

Vala spoke up quickly. "We need your help."