"Are you folks ready?" she asked, her gaze flicking questioningly to Vala.
"Yes," she nodded. "He'll have the Monte Cristo sandwich; coffee, black, two sugars--oh, and pie for dessert. I think I'll have the grilled chicken. Is that new?"
"Yeah, Sal just added it a few days ago," the waitress replied. "Coming right up. You want the pie, too, Val?"
"Mmm, I think so," Vala nodded. "Thanks, Pat."
"Will do," she smiled, starting to turn away. "Good to see you, Val…"
"Uh…?" Daniel interrupted, raising a finger.
"Oh, did I forget something?" Vala asked, frowning.
"No…that's…exactly what I wanted," Daniel replied slowly.
"Of course it is," she nodded dismissively.
"Just friends, huh?" remarked the waitress.
The two women shared a wink, and Daniel let his arms fall to the table, dropping his forehead onto them in defeat. Vala smirked but carefully hid the expression when he finally looked up again. Setting his chin back in his hand, he studied her silently for a while, but shifted his eyes carefully away before the scrutiny became rude. Turning his attention to the napkin beside him, he picked it up and nervously began to shred bits off the side.
"You know, I--can sort of see why you wanted to come back here," he mused quietly.
"They're wonderful people," she agreed. "I don't--think I've ever really had friends who didn't… want something from me."
"Sure you have," Daniel smiled, but her eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?"
"Vala, I don't care who Adria is to you…or why you're here. I'm just glad you are," he said earnestly.
She smiled warmly, feeling her cheeks redden. "Thank you, Daniel," she murmured, ducking her head.
"I mean it," he nodded quietly. "Anyway, I'm happy you found this place--people who cared about you. I…"
She leaned closer silently, inviting him to continue with another smile. The flush returned to her cheeks, and she hoped that she wasn't really as red as she felt. He glanced down at the napkin, then back up at her, and wet his lips. "Well, I--really missed you. We--we were all worried."
Vala drew a breath to speak, but found her throat suddenly tight. Her vision blurred with tears again, and she dropped her eyes, giving her head a bewildered shake. "I don't know what's the matter with me lately…"
Daniel's had moved across the table, and she felt his familiar, strong fingers close reassuringly on hers. She looked up slowly and he shifted in his seat, leaning closer. Vala swallowed, trying to reign in the waves of heat and cold that pulsed along her nerves. She moved instinctively toward his mouth, but as she felt his breath, the door opened behind them.
"Hey, Val, how ya doin?" called Detective Ryan cheerfully.
The moment broken, both Daniel and Vala fell back against their chairs. She turned to greet her friend and he busied himself with the napkin again. The detective hurried over, and she adeptly assured him that everything had turned out well despite his unwitting part in the second kidnapping attempt. He recognized Daniel as having been with the "real" Lieutenant Colonel Carter when the team had arrived to bring her back to the SGC, so the introductions went smoothly, and Vala had little trouble convincing him that what, in her opinion, was a rather flimsy cover story was, in fact, the truth.
After a few minutes of chatting and a hug, the waitress arrived with their lunch, and Ryan went off to the counter to order his. Daniel was watching her with an appreciative smile, and Vala couldn't help but blush again. She tried to conceal it, turning her attention to the food in front of her, but he wasn't fooled.
"You did great," he told her.
"Hmm?" she looked up absently.
"With Ryan," he said with a look that said he was well aware that she had understood his meaning.
"Oh," she replied smoothly. "Yes, I did, didn't I?"
Daniel shook his head fondly and started to eat. Lunch passed surprisingly quickly and without any remarkable bickering. Since neither particularly wanted to go after dessert, they lingered over coffee at the counter. Vala chatted with Sal and a few of the regulars who hung around after the lunch rush had ended. Daniel said surprisingly little, despite her attempts to draw him out. Finally, as they prepared to go, she grinned and dismissed his reticence to Sal by saying he must be feeling shy again.
"That's okay, Val, you'll help him over that, won't ya?" Sal winked as he slid two more Styrofoam-lidded coffee cups across the counter to them.
"Oh, you just bet I will," Vala nodded, picking hers up. She took a long breath and sighed, picking up her purse as well and slinging it over her shoulder. Then she leaned over the counter to kiss his cheek again.
"You take care of her now," Sal instructed with a meaningful look at Daniel.
"Right," he sighed, offering the other man his hand before he turned to guide Vala outside.
Tears sprang up again as they walked out into the late afternoon sun, making her field of vision sparkle. Daniel's hand had drifted lightly to her back, and she drew comfort from the touch, letting him lead her back to the car. Once there, he took both coffees and set them on the roof, leaning quietly on his arms against it. Vala mimicked his position, resting her chin on her hands.
"Do you remember what you told me about Abydos being the first place you really felt as if you fit in?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," Daniel nodded.
She smiled a little and let the statement fall unspoken, taking a shaky breath. "Time to go home?" she asked.
"I have a better idea," replied Daniel as he picked up his coffee cup. "Let's go for a walk by the ocean."