"But in the end it doesn't even matter." Sam said. She looked at Vala and took a deep breath. "I'm here. I have no idea what I am going to do."
"Sam…" Her friend soothed, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand.
"So…" Sam started, "Tell me about you and Daniel."
"Daniel. Well Daniel's… Daniel." Vala smiled at her. "I did want to ask you something. About an Earth saying."
"Shoot."
"Why does Daniel say that I am the owner of his candy store?"
The coffee that Sam had been sipping on went flying across the table. "Candy store?" She started to laugh.
"What?"
"It means…" Sam started still giggling… "Maybe you should just ask Daniel."
"I have! He just laughs too. I want in on the joke."
"Well… it means… you have something that Daniel thinks of as candy…" Sam's voice trailed off and just looked at Vala.
"And?"
"And… well… you can tell him no, he can't have any candy."
"And?"
Sam took a deep breath, "Think about it Vala."
Vala's eyes grew wide, "You mean he calls…"
"Yes." Sam said cutting her off.
"And that because it's me, I'm the owner…"
"Yes." Sam cut her off again giggling.
"I like that!" Vala said, joining Sam's laughing.
After lunch, Vala talked Sam into doing some therapeutic shopping. They were in a little boutique that specialized in evening wear.
"Vala, what are we doing here?" Sam asked.
"I'm going to buy a dress." Vala said merrily. "Maybe you should buy one too."
"I don't have anyplace to wear something like this to." Sam said, holding up a beautiful blue dress. It had little straps, and something that resembled little clear stones sewn throughout it.
"Oh, you should buy that one. It matches your eyes!" Vala squealed.
"And who would see me in this?"
"Jack."
"Vala," Sam started. "Jack…"
"Oh Sam. I am so sorry. I didn't mean…"
"It's okay Vala, really." She shot a smile at her friend, then looked at the dress in her hands again. "I think I will buy this."
After they had several bags between them, Vala suggested dinner. Sam happily accepted. The last thing she wanted to do was be alone tonight. Sam regretted the fact that she hadn't really befriended Vala before now. But why she had called her instead of Daniel was still a mystery.
No it wasn't. Part of the reason why she didn't want to be alone, was because she ran into Jack. Daniel chose a side, and it wasn't hers. She didn't fault Daniel. Jack needed someone. Who else could he talk to, when he couldn't talk to her?
But Sam needed a friend too, and she couldn't let Daniel put himself in that situation.
Sam looked over at Vala. She had a goofy grin on her face, and was talking about something.
"Hey." Sam said interrupting her. "Has Daniel introduced you to Chinese food yet?"
-o-o-o-
"So we are meeting George again?" Daniel asked after Jack let him into his apartment.
"At eight, like clockwork." Jack said handing Daniel a beer.
"I'm not drinking tonight." Daniel said. "You two rob me blind when I drink."
"Is that the beer Daniel, or the fact that you can't play?"
"Funny."
"Yeah, hey guess who I ran into today?"
"Who?"
"Carter."
"Sam, really? I thought she wasn't due for a briefing for another couple of months."
"So did I."
They stood there looking at each other.
"Anything else?" Daniel asked.
"Nope." Jack answered.
They continued to stand there and look at each other.
"So how did your conversation go?"
"It was… fine."
"Fine?"
"Fine."
"Why did you bring it up if you don't want to talk about it?" Daniel pressed.
"We are talking about it."
Daniel let out a long sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "I have to go to an ATM so you can take all my money."
-o-o-o-
When Daniel walked into his hotel room that evening, he was greeted by giggling. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed a movie playing on the television, and Vala and Sam sitting on the couch, acting like there were back in high school.
Vala looked over her shoulder. "Daniel!" She yelled, jumped off of the couch and ran to him. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Sam cleared her throat.
"Hi Sam." Daniel said, as he greeted her in a hug. "I thought you weren't supposed to be back for a while."
"Well… things change."
"What happened?"
Sam sighed hard. "It's been a long day. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"
"Sure." He gave her a kiss on her cheek.
"It's getting late." Sam said. She stood up and stretched to emphasize her point. "I am going to go to my room. I'll see you two for breakfast, and you can explain… this." She said motioning to the two of them.
After Sam had left, Vala hugged Daniel tight, and left her head on his shoulder as she spoke. "I have an idea."
"You do?" he said, nuzzling her hair.
"I think we should get Sam and Jack back together."
"Vala…" Daniel's voice trailed off.
She spoke softly. "You have told me that he misses her. And, I know that she misses him."
"I think that we should let them work things out themselves."
"Daniel." She looked him in the eyes, "I'm not suggesting that we set them up together on a blind date, but we should help them along."
"Just grease the wheels."
"Yes! Exactly!"
He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. "Let's go to bed. We'll talk about it in the morning."
"Daniel, that is your way of telling me to drop it."
"Oh Vala, you know me too well."
"I don't want to drop it. I think it's a fabulous idea. You told me more than once how they had to put everything aside."
"Yes, they did."
"Well, what do they have to put aside now except for their hurt?"
Daniel pulled away from their embrace, and started towards the bedroom. "I'm going to bed now, Vala."
"Daniel, I am the owner of your candy store, and you need to keep me happy." She retorted following him.
TBC
Thanks for all your reviews and subscriptions! You guys ROCK!!