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Chapter Two, Rejected and Dejected

Daniel had been keeping his distance from Vala. It wasn't hard. All she ever really wanted to do was hang around 'The Doctor'. What does she see in him, anyway? Daniel thought. Then he felt a little bit ridiculous, because as soon as he thought this, he started mumbling 'Beep Beep Beep' to himself. But I'm not jealous. I'm just worried. I'm a good friend, whose just concerned.

Despite the fact that for a while The Doctor couldn't get over Daniel being an Archeologist he was actually good company. The only problem was that whenever Daniel tried to have a scientific conversation with The Doctor, Vala was there. And he wasn't really enjoying her presence lately. But it was not because he was jealous, that thought was just unacceptable. He shook his head and looked back down at his book.

~*~*~*~

The Doctor was beginning to get more comfortable at the SGC, eventually he wasn't forced to have an escort anymore, although he usually did because Vala would follow him around. Donna didn't like Vala much, so she usually went off by herself. The Doctor didn't really like the idea of her wondering around by herself, but whenever he tried to talk to her somehow Vala was always there.

"Has anyone ever told you your very handsome?" She asked him one day.

"Once or twice, actually." He said, with a slight grin.

"Then they were correct." She told him.

He smirked, "Thanks."

"So what's the deal with your police box?" She asked, cheerfully.

"Oh, it's my space ship. You know, I don't like it when people take it away from me."

"None of us like the I.O.A. much either, but they just do what they want." She said, with a small smile. Then she glanced away as a memory overcame her…

Vala was sitting on Daniel's lap, swinging her legs as he got more and more agitated. He wanted to know who didn't believe him. "That… little weasel man who somehow represents your government?"

"Woolsey?" He had guessed.

"I-I… can't be certain, but I think he might not like you." She had informed him.

"He wants to have me killed, doesn't he?

"Well, I'm not sure how serious he is. He seems quite the prankster to me." She told him with a smile.

She looked back up at the Doctor. She felt a tug at her heart, but chose to ignore it. Shaking it off, like she always did.

The Doctor noticed the sudden change in her attitude. But he decided that it was probably best if he didn't mention it.

Daniel approached them reluctantly. "Vala, we have a briefing in five minutes."

For the first time in the past week, Vala didn't try to annoy Daniel with her attention to the Doctor,--Not that she had any idea it was working—"Thank you, darling. I'll be there soon."

Daniel nodded and turned to walk away, leaving them again.

"Well, I suppose it's time for me to leave." She shrugged. "You know, a job and all that. Or…well… maybe you don't. Actually, I didn't until quite recently." She informed him.

He just smiled. "Right. Think it's okay if I sit in?" He asked her.

"They'll probably object at first, but I'll bring you along and see if they let you in." She told him. "How much longer do you think you'll be here?"

"Well, probably until Donna comes and tells me she's bored. How can you be bored in a place like this?" He asked.

Vala held in a laugh, "Happens all the time. More than you would even know." She said leading the way to the briefing room. She entered the room and noticed Daniel, with an empty chair to his side, like it usually was. She thought she could almost see his face fall when he noticed who was with her, but figured she was just seeing things. The Doctor ended up not being allowed to sit in. He was told that he was unauthorized. Vala pulled out the empty chair beside Daniel and sunk into it.

~*~*~*~

Donna sat in the comissionary, leaning back in her chair and eating some pudding. When Colonel Cameron Mitchell came and sat down across from her, "You're Donna Noble right? So what's the deal with your police box boyfriend?"

Donna nearly spat out her pudding. "Don't ever call the Doctor my boyfriend again, please."

"Okay, so why are you sitting in here alone? I saw Vala hitting on him earlier."

"Yeah, well, I don't mean to be rude, but she really was rather annoying. And The Doctor is an impossible flirt, he loves the attention." Donna replied. "But if you tell him I told you that he'll deny it."

"Vala won't. She thinks she's the most beautiful, gorgeous women in the universe and she'll tell you that too. She's in love with Jackson, but if you tell her I said that she'll deny it."

"So if she's in love with him, why does she flirt with The Doctor right in front of—Oh. I get it."

"He doesn't have a clue. I'm not sure about The Doctor though." He informed her.

"I don't want The Doctor to seem like a bad person. It's not as if he tries to lead people on, but I can guarantee he doesn't have any serious feelings for her. You don't have to worry. So is this Doctor Jackson in love with her, too?"

"Oh, he pretends not to. But you can tell. Once we were on a mission, and the people there had known her before… Well, before she joined our team."

"Why… What was wrong with her… before?" Donna asked, her curiosity piqued.

"She was probably one of the best thieves in this universe. But don't tell her I said that, she's too cocky as it is. Anyway, they knew her before and something went downhill. I'm pretty sure she stole something of theirs. Anyway, They were set on putting her up on trial and somehow, don't ask me how, Jackson got her out of it. I'm sure we could have helped or done something, but no. He was set on doing it himself."

"Sounds like quite a hero." She commented, "So don't misunderstand me, I'm sure he has his faults too, but if he does all this for her why does she still go around flirting with people?"

"Well," Mitchell said, leaning back and getting comfortable. "He thinks it would ruin their relationship because they're co-workers and she hasn't really got up the nerve to tell him how she feels about him, so she goes on letting him believe she doesn't have any serious feelings for anyone."

"That's really sad." Donna said, shaking her head. Vala seemed a little less annoying now.

"Don't pity her. She hates it."

"Well, she could just tell him."

"That would be a first. The rest of our team knows where they're headed, even if it takes them until ten minutes before they die. Which would happen…" He added.

"Lots of life or death situations? Yeah. Me too."

"Yes. Normal day-to-day basis. What about you?"

"The Doctor…Has a spirit of adventure. He tries to act all solemn but every time something dangerous happens he gets all excited."

"Hmmm." Mitchell gave a half smile. "Sound's about right. That's what the life of an adventurer brings."

~*~*~*~

Vala was shifting her weight from foot to foot as she tried to decide if she wanted blueberry or cherry pie. Someone came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder, "Vala." She turned and looked at him. Trying to concentrate but her mind was clearly elsewhere. She shut one eye and grabbed a pie. Seeing it was cheery she smiled, satisfied.

"Yes, Daniel?" She asked, her concentration no longer so divided.

"I've just been wondering… Well. I haven't seen you much since The Doctor got here."

Her mouth full of cherry pie she started singing, "Beep beep beep beep." With a wink.

"Vala, please, I'm serious." He said, in a very solemn voice.

She looked suddenly concerned, and a little bit startled. She wasn't really expecting a serious conversation, but she wasn't sure she was going to like it.

"What?" She asked, her voice defensive, even though she didn't know what he was going to say. She could see a disapproving look on his face.

"I'm trying to talk to you, and you're just acting like this is all a big joke."

"Well, I'm serious now, Daniel, but to you everything I say is just a joke. It's not me whose the problem here."

"Are you kidding?" He asked, clearly disbelieving she had tried to put the blame on him. "I just wanted to know why you spend all your time with people you don't even know, who are going to leave soon. No. I want to know why you feel the need to flirt with every guy you come in contact with." He folded his arms, waiting for a response.

His words stung slightly, but she pushed the hurt feeling back and immediately went into the defensive mode. "Excuse me?" She felt like she was choking on her delicious pie, which suddenly tasted rather unappetizing and bland. "I hardly…I don't…What do you care Daniel? Now it's my turn, why do you feel the need to criticize everything I do? Nothing's good enough for Daniel. There's no pleasing you! You tell me to leave you alone constantly. When I'm trying to spend time with someone who won't be leaving soon, and then when I go and leave you alone and spend time with new people, you lash out on me. Funny too. Just when I thought we were maybe friends. Do you always have to insult me?"

"That's not even the point, Vala! The point is that no matter what you seem to want to mess with other people. Other people have emotions, Vala. They have feelings. You can't just go around messing with everyone like that!"

"I mess with people? Me? Well I'm sorry Daniel, that I'm just such a horrible person, that I apparently don't care about anyone else. That's pretty bad. Because, you know, you're right, people do have feelings Daniel, even the horrible, flirtatious, disgraceful, embarrassing women have feelings."

"Then why do you never—" He was cut off by the loud alarm above their heads, indicating that there was activity in the gate room. The 'Unauthorized Off world Activity' alerted them they needed to go.

Their eyes locked. In unison, they broke their stare and hurried off to the control room.

The shock they received was even enough to drive their argument from their minds. The one person that could make their situation worse did: Adria.