LIBERTINES AND LIBERATION
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Stargate characters, ideas or themes. As a matter of fact, Stargate can have my ideas if they want them (wouldn't that be great). All standard applicable disclaimers apply to this piece. I have tried to source any materials quoted in furtherance of this story.
Spoilers: Probably some for Season 10 and beyond
Summary: Vala and Daniel centered storyline adventure (hopefully); relationship (okay yes); angst (yup); comfort; etc.
Rating: R to NC-17 in some parts.
Author's Note: This is my first Stargate fiction. I have no betas – not even a beta fish – not even sure what a beta is in fact.
This story will have multiple chapters.
I took inspiration from Milena D's Misappropriation of Lives and a short story called Believe by Random. I really wish those two authors would write more on those two story lines.
I hope for a few comments.
Cameron's Birthday
Jack was pushing the peanut shells onto the cement floor and off the picnic table that he was sitting at. He was in town, ostensibly to review recent Stargate protocol changes and discuss the latest round of impending IOC meetings, but really he was hear to see Sam, that was the reason for all his trips to Colorado Springs. Tonight he sat in a cowboy barbeque joint with SG-1, minus Daniel, but plus Hank Landry's daughter, Carolyn Lam. Daniel was supposed to be joining the festivities from off world, but so far was a no show.
Jack was on his second beer enjoying observing the three newest members of SG-1's tight knit little group. Cam and Carolyn seemed to be flirting, and he wondered if there was some interest there, but he thought it was probably just high spirits due to Cam's birthday.
Jack had met Vala Mal Doran briefly on the mission to the Ori Supergate where Daniel, in full prior face, had shanghaied the Odyssey to deliver Merlin's weapon to the Ori galaxy. He'd liked Vala's spark from the start. Jack could see that Vala had already won over Samantha Carter, and he could attest that wasn't easy to do. Teal'c had an obvious affection for her. Jack knew T wouldn't have affection for anyone he didn't respect. And, gaining T's respect was another item on Jack's "not easy to do" list.
Jack had gotten plenty of reports on Vala, both formal and informal. Hell he'd even read her psych evaluation, not that he put much store in those things. No he liked sizing people up on his own. And he hadn't had a good opportunity to do that until tonight. He was more than a little curious as to why Daniel had thrown his professional weight around, and that was what it had amounted to in the beginning, in order to secure a position for Vala at the SGC that would keep her on Earth. Jack had seen Daniel go to bat for people before, but he'd never seen Daniel turn his professional life upside down before, except maybe on Abydos, and though Jack knew Daniel came to love Sha're, he also knew that Daniel was over the moon to confirm his theories on the pyramids and study the Abydonian culture.
Considering Daniel's campaign to have Vala made a part of SG-1, and what Hank had told him about Daniel's behavior when Athena had kidnapped Vala, Jack was more than a little curious to see the two of them together outside the SGC. So he was disappointed that Daniel was a no show; if Jack thought about it, Daniel had managed to avoid putting Jack and Vala in the same room. He wasn't sure how he had managed to foil the plan tonight, because Jack's visit had been a surprise to Sam so Daniel didn't know Jack would be here tonight.
Jack suspected he was not the only one at the table disappointed that Daniel hadn't shown. Vala frequently watched the door; but Jack gave her big marks for concealing any disappointment. To the outward observer, she was an energetic force of party fever. She'd gotten Cam and Carolyn up dancing on the pretext that they demonstrate a proper country two step for her; Jack could see that Cam and Carolyn were thrilled to comply. Jack had to laugh as Vala returned to the table and downed her fourth boilermaker announcing, "This stuff has no affect on me." Then Vala grabbed Teal'c, "Muscles, we need to learn how to do this dance."
"Indeed." Teal'c said allowing Vala to lead him to the dance floor.
As he watched them head to the dance floor, Jack secretly grabbed Sam's hand, and whispered, "So Vala huh? Sam patted his hand.
Jack leaned in and whispered, "Did I mention I'm glad you've found yourself such an interesting girlfriend? Qetesh was a sex goddess right? Have you two TALKED?" Jack looked at Sam with mischief in his eyes.
"So you think I need some pointers?" Sam countered knowing he would cave.
"Uh, no – we're not going there – you're perfect, better than perfect." Jack squeezed her hand and grinned.
Sam laughed, "Wimp."
Jack just rubbed his hand over his face and took a drink of his beer.
As Teal'c and Vala returned to the table, Jack looked up and said slyly, "You know Vala if boilermakers don't affect you, maybe we should try you on something else."
"Jack!" Sam smacked him in warning.
"What you mean Jack?" Vala smiled, knowing she was a former host not to mention a well traveled, now ex, space pirate and nothing on Earth would intoxicate her.
"Well you've been hanging out with Daniel mostly so I figure he hasn't introduced you to some of our more potent drinks. I was thinking you might like to try something called Jack Daniels." Jack said with a grin.
"Jack Daniels? Sam, is he joking?" Vala grinned knowing that Sam would not lie to her.
"Actually Princess there is a very famous Tennessee Whiskey called Jack Daniels." Cam said laughing as he walked up with Carolyn.
"Did you and my Daniel create this drink? How odd. Well, I must try it!" Vala said in rapid succession.
Jack ordered a bottle of Jack Daniels for the table, which arrived along with shot glasses, high ball glasses filled with ice and a few cokes.
Sam looked at Jack with a bit of a frown, "you're on puke duty if your little plan works."
"Oh don't worry Sam, I never vomit!" Vala grinned.
Jack began to mix a Jack and Coke for Vala.
Vala shook her head and grabbed a shot glass, "Oh, I'll drink it straight."
Jack raised an eyebrow and said, "It's your funeral."
Jack held up the Jack and Coke and asked, "Any takers?"
Carolyn took the glass from Jack much to Cam's surprise. "In solidarity with my sister here," Carolyn said and toasted to Vala who bowed, "I knew I liked you Carolyn." Vala smiled, "and what about you Samantha?"
Sam gave Jack a smirk and took the other half of the Coke that Jack had used to mix Carolyn's drink, she handed it over to him, "In solidarity with my sisters." Sam laughed as Jack raised an eyebrow wondering what he had started, and mixed Sam's drink.
The bottle of Jack Daniels was almost empty now, and Jack, against his better judgment, but at the insistence of the women, mostly Vala, was considering ordering a second one.
Carolyn and Sam were pretty lively after two strong drinks each, but Jack wouldn't call them drunk though they were laughing, maybe even giggling between themselves. Vala appeared more relaxed and looser; she didn't seem drunk, though she didn't seem exactly sober either,
Cam pulled Carolyn up from the table. "Maybe we should go dance some of that off," Cam said casually, a far cry from his shy behavior earlier in the evening. Carolyn laughed, "Okay!"
Teal'c smiled amused by these Tau'ri's intoxication.
"I don't know Vala; you seem a little drunk to me." Jack teased her.
"Oh J . . .ack, this stuff barely affects me we should get another bottle." Vala smiled, taking another shot.
"Jack!" Sam warned concerned that maybe even Vala couldn't hold another entire bottle of Jack Daniels.
"Carter." Jack rolled his eyes, but he had already decided against ordering the second bottle, fearing Sam and Carolyn would drink more just to teach him a lesson.
Neither of them had noticed Vala get up and walk toward the jukebox. She was trying to feed the jukebox coins, when Jack noticed two cowboy types walk up and start feeding the jukebox for her. Vala nodded to them and began punching buttons. The cowboys stayed to watch Vala's selections.
Cam and Carolyn had just walked up and Cam said, "Umm, maybe we should go retrieve our little cowgirl?"
"Indeed." Teal'c said raising an eye.
Looking over to Sam, Carolyn said, "Sam and I will go." Sam and Carolyn left the table and went to join Vala and the cowboys. The men watched as the little group by the jukebox got livelier.
"So how drunk do you think Carter and Carolyn are?" Jack asked, wondering what Hank would think if he knew Jack had instigated his little girl's public drunkenness.
"Well they're definitely happy." Cam said with a bit of a whistle.
Vala was wearing tight blue jeans, with a leather belt accentuating her lithe but curvy figure, a tight white t shirt and cowboy boots. Jack watched as the crowd cheered when the cowboys lifted Vala up onto the bar, and kept cheering as Sam and Carolyn were lifted onto the bar as seated bookends to Vala.
"Oh, this can't be good." Jack laughed, thinking Sam wasn't going to live this down for awhile.
Then k.d. Lang's "Big, Big Love" started playing and Vala nodded to her SGC sisters, who had started swaying back and forth, apparently her back up singers were remaining seated. Vala nodded to her new fans, bowed to the birthday boy Cameron, and started belting out the song along with k.d. Vala seemed to know how to hold a crowd, there was no embarrassment, she kept perfect pitch and tune with k.d., "Can't you feel my love a growing . . . It's not the type to be concealing; It's the type to be revealing . . . It's not my imagination, I got a big, big love for you." Jack and Cam laughed as they saw Sam and Carolyn swaying to the beat. As the instrumental bridge began, Vala began a two step along the bar expertly avoiding drinks and peanut bowls. The crowd was cheering and going wild.
Jack knitted his brow wondering if he'd have to step in to rescue Vala, not to mention Sam and Carolyn, from these screaming cowboys. He'd started the whole Jack Daniels drinking and Daniel would have his ass if Vala got manhandled on his watch. Daniel had started out a nerd, but somewhere along the line the guy had toughened and learned some moves.
As the second part of the song started, Jack chuckled and relaxed. Daniel was standing at the bar, looking up at Vala, motioning with his arms for her to come over to him. When Vala saw him, she swayed her hips as she walked over and started singing directly to him as Daniel continued to motion for Vala to get down. Jack was amused to see that there was a combination of irritation and lust on his Daniel's face.
"Come on Cam; let's go see if we can help get the Dixie Chicks down." Jack said with a grin.
"Daniel" Jack greeted raising his eyebrows, "where you been buddy?" and then to Sam as he pulled her off the bar, "this is a new talent Carter."
"Just remember you're the one that ordered the bottle of Jack Daniels for Vala." Sam ratted him out to Daniel.
"Jack!" Daniel scowled.
"Well Daniel, if you wanted Princess sober and well behaved, you shouldn't have shown up two and half hours late." Cam smirked as he held his hand out to assist Carolyn down from the bar and walked her back to the table. Vala's song had ended and she was close enough to hear Cam's comment. "Cameron I am not drunk," Vala slurred a little, "that stuff barely affects me."
"Yeah, yeah. Get down Vala." Daniel said annoyance clear in his voice. The cowboys close enough to hear Daniel booed. Jack thought Daniel was starting to look pissed. Not like Daniel to lose his cool Jack thought.
Daniel was really irritated now that he knew Jack was not only here but had managed to get Vala drunk – he'd never seen Vala even a little drunk – and he'd seen her drink quite a bit.
Daniel didn't offer Vala a smile or a hand; still Jack had expected Vala to go straight to Daniel. He was amused to see her raise an eyebrow at Daniel and say "you are not the boss of me Daniel Jackson."
The crowd at the bar was yelling to Vala to sing. Another k.d. Lang song came on the jukebox, Full Moon of Love. Vala looked straight at Daniel and raised her eyebrow. Daniel was still scowling at her and now had his arms folded over his chest. k.d.'s voice came out of the jukebox singing the cute little song about a coyote baying at the moon for love. Vala sang the song complete with silly faces to mimic the coyote's howling. Jack and Sam were standing with Daniel trying not to laugh.
"What did you do to Vala there Danny boy, she was so compliant before you got here?" Jack grinned at Daniel's frown. "Well I got mine down. Good luck with that buddy." Jack said looking toward Vala and patting Daniel's arm as he walked Sam back to the table.
"You got your's down huh?" Daniel heard Sam tell Jack as they walked out of ear shot.
Vala looked like a seductive, petulant child as she finished her song and walked slowly back down the bar towards Daniel with a look of open challenge on her face. Jack could see that she was clearly affected by Daniel and the Jack Daniels. But, Daniel had spread his arms out bracing himself on the bar, telling her without saying anything that he wouldn't bark at her when she arrived.
As she reached Daniel, Vala gracefully fell into sitting Indian style on the bar between Daniel's arms. But she was still refusing to get down. Jack chuckled as he saw Daniel talking to Vala in what seemed to be an apologetic manner probably about being so late.
"Vala, if I didn't know that alcohol barely affects you, I'd say you were drunk." Daniel said to her after he had her sitting on the bar with his arms on either side of her.
"Well, your Jack suggested I try the drink that you two blended, Jack Daniels. I must say Daniel, it is good. But I don't think it affected me, I haven't even completed the bottle. Usually I can drink two bottles before I feel anything." Vala smiled. She put her arm on Daniel's shoulder and leaned into his ear, "where have you been?"
Daniel removed her arm and said, "Like you'll remember anything I tell you right now."
Vala laughed and brought her face close to Daniel's. Daniel backed up momentarily as the pungent smell of Jack Daniels hit him in the face, "Oh man, I'm going to kill Jack."
"I'll remember," Vala winked at him ignoring his threat to Jack.
"Oh, I'm going to have a talk with Jack." Daniel gritted his teeth in annoyance.
It wasn't long before Vala had unfolded her legs and dangled them over the edge of the bar. Daniel hadn't changed positions and seemed to be offering to help Vala down. Jack noticed the easy way Vala seemed to control the level of Daniel's irritation keeping him teetering between complete irritation and amusement. Jack doubted Daniel even realized the play.
"My Daniel, have I told you that you are a beautiful, beautiful man?" Vala whispered so close to his ear that he could feel her breath raise the hairs on the back of his neck.
"Men are handsome not beautiful Vala" Daniel chuckled.
Vala looked at him seriously, "No Daniel I don't believe that. You're so beautiful it hurts sometimes, it really, really does. I wish you could be happier. I wish I could help you Daniel." Vala sighed.
Daniel was surprised and gave Vala a serious look, but he was met with a big grin as Vala hopped down from the bar between his arms. Daniel dropped his arms and moved to one side so that Vala could pass. The move, the subtle rejection, was not lost on Vala, who moved gracefully passed Daniel before spinning to bow to her cowboy audience. The crowd at the bar gave her one more cheer as she turned again without looking at Daniel, she knew he would be irritated at her flirty gesture, and started walking, really a slow swagger, towards the table.
Daniel let out a big sigh, before catching up with Vala and leading her to the table.
Jack was amused by the wacky dynamic he'd just witnessed. Daniel had the hot chick pursuing him. But the hot chick had Daniel jumping through hoops too. He wondered if either of them knew the extent of the hoops they were jumping for the other. Considering that Vala had given up her former life to stay on Earth and that Daniel was clearly not falling all over her, Jack suspected that Daniel had set up the bigger hoops for Vala to jump through.
Daniel nodded to Teal'c and picked up the bottle of Jack Daniels from the table to examine it.
"Exactly how much of this did Vala drink before her little dinner show?" Daniel asked looking annoyed at Jack.
"I had two shots in my Jack and cokes," Carolyn offered.
"Hmm, more like a shot and a half for your Carolyn. Light pours." Jack confessed.
"I guess I had about what Carolyn had then," Sam offered.
"No Carter I gave you full shots," Jack grinned, "and Cam and I each had a couple of shots. There you satisfied mother?" Jack sniped at Daniel.
"You drank almost this entire bottle?" Daniel said looking at Vala like she was, well an alien, alarm growing in his voice. She should be comatose with alcohol poisoning.
Daniel looked at Carolyn Lam, "you let her drink that much?"
"Vala's metabolism seems to handle alcohol differently, and I'm off duty." Carolyn said sheepishly.
"JACK! I should have known you'd be the one to get Vala drunk." Daniel groused.
"Have you been trying to get me drunk my Daniel?" Vala grinned at him.
Daniel reddened and said with irritation, "No! I've been trying to make sure you behave yourself so we don't have a repeat of Jacek. And you being falling down drunk -- probably not a great idea."
Jack noticed a slight change in Vala's color when Daniel mentioned her father Jacek. But Vala continued to smile at Daniel, though the smile no longer reached her eyes, "Oh, I'm not drunk darling." Her words had none of the affection of their earlier banter; she was just stating facts now. Vala reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels and poured a shot, which she downed.
Daniel gave her an annoyed double take.
"Daniel maybe you should have a drink buddy." Jack told him in a tone that said he'd crossed a line and might want to calm down.
Daniel took the bottle away from Vala. She had already poured another shot; Daniel grabbed that too.
"Hey! Daniel give me back my Jack." Vala tried to look stern but laughed at her pun.
Cam had taken Carolyn's hand to lead her back to the dance floor for a line dance, Cam was starting to get pissed at Jackson, "Jackson, have a drink, you need it."
Vala had taken the bottle back from Daniel, who still held onto her shot. "I told you Daniel, this stuff barely affects me."
Daniel grabbed the bottle, "you've definitely had enough Jack. I don't relish watching you puke your guts out all night."
Vala smirked, "are you referring to my Jack," grabbing the bottle, "or your Jack" raising an eyebrow in the direction of Jack O'Neal.
"Both." Daniel grumbled.
"Oh, I think you're wrong on both counts." Vala smirked raising the bottle to her lips. "I like both Jacks quite well."
Sam laughed at Vala's comment. She knew Vala was messing with Daniel, but she had not liked Daniel's hurtful comment about Jacek
"Daniel, have a drink." Jack instructed.
Daniel downed the shot of Jack Daniels' he had in his hand.
"Oh better be careful Daniel," Vala said with a bit of a smirk, "I've heard about your weak constitution for alcohol.
"Sad but true." Jack confirmed.
"Alright my Daniel let's go dance and work off some of my Jack!" Vala offered him an olive branch.
"No!" Daniel refused.
"No, you can't dance or no you won't dance." Vala asked arching an eyebrow with a pout.
"Just No!" Daniel said gruffly.
Ignoring the obvious implication, Vala grinned and said, "Well Daniel my advice to you is to learn how to dance so that the next time a beautiful woman," Vala bowed slightly to him, "asks you to dance you'll have a better answer. Come on Muscles, dance with me: Sam, Jack to the dance floor." Vala led Teal'c and Sam to the dance floor, though Jack hung back with Daniel.
"Daniel I had no idea you were a 'just say no' kind of guy." Jack smirked, "you know she's been a perfect lady the whole night, no worries really. I've been enjoying getting to know your Vala there."
"Don't start Jack." Daniel warned.
"What?" Jack smirked, "I was just saying I liked your girl Daniel."
"She's not my girl; she's a friend, a co-worker." Daniel said with exasperation as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Well your girl in the sense that she wouldn't have been asked to this little party if you hadn't backed her." Jack looked amused, but decided not to push Daniel any further.
Teal'c came back to the table as Jack got up to take his place with Sam and Vala. The site of Jack O' Neal trying to line dance was strange, but truth was, Jack felt bad for Vala – he'd heard about Jacek from Sam and thought Daniel's crack was cruel.
Teal'c sat quietly watching Daniel. Their other friends were still on the dance floor.
"Daniel Jackson did you not go to great trouble so that Vala Mal Doran could attempt to change her ways and earn a place working among the Tau'ri?" Teal'c asked.
"Of course I did Teal'c you know that." Daniel said a bit out of sorts.
"You feel she has failed in her efforts?" Teal'c continued.
"No, I'm very proud of the changes she has made. I've told her that." Daniel responded a bit frustrated.
"Then I do not think it is productive to compare Vala Mal Doran to her father Jacek." Teal'c announced. "I believe Vala Mal Doran was distressed by your words tonight Daniel Jackson."
Before Daniel could respond to Teal'c, Cam and Jack came up to the table and sat down. Just as well, Daniel thought, Teal'c was right; he shouldn't have said what he did to Vala even if she had been dancing on the bar.
"Daniel." Jack said, not going to bite everyone' head off?
"Jack." Daniel said, over it, I'm an ass, but feeding Vala alcohol – not good Jack.
Sam and Carolyn walked up to the table. "Where's Vala?" Daniel said with a little panic in his voice.
"Maybe you and Princess could use a time out huh Jackson." Cam said not wanting another bicker session tonight. He usually thought Vala was to blame for egging Daniel on, but tonight everyone had been having fun until Jackson showed.
"Daniel?" Jack said, quite the mother hen when it comes to your co-worker.
Daniel grimaced, getting up, he'd been a bit of ass tonight and he knew it, "it's not that; it's just Athena's man kidnapped her outside the restrooms at a restaurant. He left the table walking towards the restrooms.
"Gotta get over that Jackson," Cam yelled.
"So they like this all the time Mitchell?" Jack asked amused.
"Oh, we have our good and bad days; but I think they're showing off for company tonight sir." Cam rolled his eyes.
"Give him a break, he feels responsible for her, and he's just worried." Sam said.
Daniel found Vala outside the ladies room talking to the two jukebox cowboys. He saw her smiling but shaking her head firmly no; his annoyance surged back. Vala stepped passed the men and went to Daniel's side, "Here's my Daniel," she smiled brightly, "bye boys." She took Daniel's arm and they went back through the bar.
Daniel shook her arm off, "I didn't mean to mess up your little deal back there." Daniel said coldly.
"That was nothing; they stopped me as I came out of the bathroom. Sam, Carolyn and I spoke with them earlier; I didn't want to be rude." Vala explained looking puzzled at Daniel.
"There's no reason to explain." Daniel said with a chill in his voice. Daniel wasn't really sure what he was saying to Vala. A linguist should know that shouldn't he. He'd been worried about her; he'd been irritated about Jack; he hadn't liked the drinking, though of course Vala would drink if Jack offered; he'd been oddly turned on by Vala up on the bar and that had bothered him too; and he had been really irritated about the constant male attention Vala attracted, and irritated at himself for caring about any of it. All this turmoil was making his head hurt.
"Daniel are you implying that . . ." Vala began.
"They were by the ladies room Vala."
"You were by the ladies room Daniel." Vala said simply.
"I wanted to make sure you were safe." Daniel said sputtering a bit.
"Well Daniel, it may come as a complete shock to you to know that I took care of myself all by my lonesome for quite some time, and I never needed to sell favors of the body to do it."
"Oh, Oh you did a great job there let's see host, thief, mother to Ori demon spawn . . ." Daniel seethed.
Vala held up a hand to stop Daniel's words. "Daniel, I'm going to chalk tonight up to you having a bad day. I know you are not a cruel man."
Vala's words had stopped Daniel cold. "Vala, I didn't mean . . ." he began, but Vala held her hand back up. Without looking at him, she said, "We're fine Daniel. I'm fine," and then she walked away.
Before Daniel had reached the table, Vala had Teal'c up line dancing. Vala remained dancing away from the table for quite awhile either with Teal'c or with Sam and Carolyn. Daniel noticed several men watching Vala; she was beautiful of course men would notice her. And when the three women were on the dance floor alone, some of the men approached and asked Vala to dance, but she refused them all.
When she returned to the table, she had a big smile on her face; she sat by Daniel, chatted and acted as if everything was fine. But, somehow, Daniel didn't feel fine about what had happened tonight.