Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate,

Author's Note: I apologize for the delay. I was working on some other projects, thanks for the patience :)

Chapter Five, Forgive and Forget,

A month had passed, and Vala landed the little cargo ship in the small yard of the little home on P3X592. She'd spent the last month trying to fix things she'd done in the past three years. She had not been able to earn forgiveness from all she'd harmed, but then, she hadn't expected too. She had to try to make right what she'd torn apart, if she ever wanted to be happy with herself again.

She grabbed the black duffel bag that had been lying on the floor of the cargo ship, untouched, for the past month and a half. She felt the sunlight burning down on her and a nervousness as she stepped towards the house. She felt she should have come at night...Just left the bag inside their house with a note of apology. But it was too late to turn back. She just hoped they wouldn't be home, she didn't want to deal with any awkward explanations. She'd written her apology on a little note, she would never get the words out if she tried to explain verbally.

She slowly opened the door, which had been left unlocked, though even if it hadn't she would have been able to get inside.

She was beginning to wonder why she had chosen to do this, though she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't. At least this was the last stop, and then she'd at least try to fix all that she'd done in the years she'd been angry at the SGC, the years she'd been angry at Daniel. She was going to be so relieved when this was all over.

As she slowly crept into the house, through the entryway, and into the kitchen, she quietly set the duffel bag onto the counter top. She then pulled the small envelope out of her pocket and left it on top of the bag, but as she was slowly turning to exit the house she heard a quiet gasp from behind her. She spun around quickly to see one of the family's little girls standing there, shock written all over her face.

Vala was frozen for a moment, before she stepped towards the girl, who backed away slowly. "Don't worry, little Katrina, I won't hurt you." She said softly, she knew the girl's name from the evening she had spent with the family.

The girl stood frozen, her eyes wide, sad, confused and scared.

Vala picked the note and the duffel bag from off the counter again and set it down gently on the floor next to the little girl, before kneeling down in front of her. She slowly unzipped the bag and showed the girl it's contents. "This is everything I took from you before, look for yourself..." She said, gently. Then she handed the note to the small child, "Can you give this to your mommy, Katrina? It's to say I'm sorry..."

"--You can give it to me yourself." Vala heard a voice from behind her and jumped to her feet in surprise.

"Oh...goodness..." Vala said slowly, taking a step back. "I was just leaving...I only meant to return what I took from you and apologize, though I'm not expecting forgiveness. I don't deserve it...So, I'll just leave you all now--"

"No, don't leave yet." The woman, Zayra, said, but Vala couldn't read the look on her face. She assumed she was angry.

"Katrina, hand me the note, please." Zayra said, extending a hand to her daughter.

The little girl obliged, handing over the letter and scurrying out of the room.

Zayra tore open the envelope slowly and pulled out the note, looking it over carefully. Her expression softened visibly.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" She offered generously.

Vala was surprised by the sudden change, "No...No, thank you, though...I appreciate it...I don't deserve...I really need to go anyway."

"How are you getting to--Wherever you need to go?" Zayra asked,

"There's a gate on your planet that can take me where I need to go..." Vala said, "Really, I need to go," She said, turning around.

"Thank you, for bringing it back." Zayra called to her, "Please, if you want to stay for dinner--"

"I really have to go, thank for your forgiveness--"

"Vala," She called, holding up the note Vala had given them. "You mentioned friends and a man who hurt you? That's not worth throwing your life away..."

Vala stopped at the door and looked back at Zayra, "I shouldn't have done what I did....But...You don't know Daniel...He's...He's worth dying to save."

The woman gave her a pitying look. "I know it feels that way--"

"He was the person who taught me everything I was doing...Hurting the people I was hurting...People like you...He taught me that it was wrong, he showed me a life I didn't know was possible...I'm only sad it's over."

Normally, Vala would not have been saying all this to a woman she barely new, she would hardly have said it to anyone at all. But she had been so torn apart by everything that had occurred, that her walls of defense seemed to have fallen.

The woman gave another pitying smile, "If he's worth all that, I would only suggest not letting him go so easily. Now before you go," she took a small bag out of a drawer and took some cookies off a tray on the counter and put them in the bag, handing them to Vala.

"You are too kind, thank you, after what I've done--"

"We can forget about that now, thank you for bringing it back." Zayra said, with a smile, "Goodbye, then."

"Thank you, really. Goodbye."

The last month had been a painfully long one, it had seemed to drag on, and yet, Daniel couldn't help but wonder when he realized how much time had really passed. It was always amazing how something could feel so long ago, and like it was only yesterday at the same time. Either time was odd, or the human mind was. Maybe even both.

The month had seemed long because of the pain at letting Vala go again, it hurt so bad that time seemed to slow to a stop till he was left with a clock that seemed to stop ticking and heart that wouldn't stop mourning. But then time sped up, and he felt as if it had almost left him behind. How could everything contradict itself in so many ways?

Suddenly, the alarm went off and a voice over the intercom said, "Unscheduled offworld activation!"

Daniel got to his feet, and made his way down the halls to the observation room, that looked down into the gateroom. It was probably just SG-13 returning early from their mission.

"Who is it?" Daniel asked the General as he stepped into the room.

The General glanced at him and motioned to the gateroom. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Author's Note: Well, friends, there is one more chapter left after this I'm really sorry for the delay! Please review friends! Also! I have a very important task for you, my friends! PLEASE review and tell me whether you would prefer a fluffy ending in the next chapter, or a less fluffy ending but a sequel? Please let me know!