How Many Ways Can I Say I Love You – Series

Spacegypsy1

Number Nine: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

SG-1 had left the building. Daniel laughed at the thought. It was after nine in the evening and he was alone at SGC, at least as far as his team was concerned. Vala had taken off to Washington with Sam for a little girl trip, while Mitchell had gone home to visit family and Teal'c had opted to visit Ishta.

Here he was. Quiet time to himself. Time to go through boxes of artifacts he'd put away because he hadn't had the time to deal with them. Carefully unwrapping the items he sneezed repeatedly at the dust clouds and laid the relics out on his desk. Uncomfortably, he suddenly realized that the old familiar excitement just wasn't there. It wasn't that he was bored with them, or didn't want to study them; it just wasn't quite the same without her there. No babbling interrupting him. No nuisance of spilled drinks or crushed eye glasses. No lithe body laying across his papers and pouting. Of all the bizarre things; he missed Vala Mal Doran!

Sitting in his chair he totally ignored the glut of ancient remnants before him, confused by his train of thought. He scanned the deserted room, and realized it was too quiet. He tried to turn on a radio he hadn't used for years. All he got was static and he turned it off. He wandered aimlessly around his office searching books, trying to clear his mind. He spotted a framed picture Vala had recently given him. He laughed again. She'd gotten the security video of him strapped to the anti-prior chair and done a snapshot of her sitting on his lap. He was looking sternly-all prior faced and she was looking sad and forlorn. He placed it back on the shelf and moved on.

He found an empty Jell-O glass where she'd obviously stuck it back between some books. He pulled it out, inspected it and put it on his desk to return to the commissary. There was a shinny, jeweled dragonfly hair clip resting on top of his coffee pot. From the shelf over the coffee pot he lifted another framed picture. The one he'd taken of her when she'd received her SG-1 patch. She looked so proud. So beautiful.

Taking the picture he placed it on his desk. He sat, studied the picture a moment and then tried to focus on the artifacts before him. Returning his gaze to the picture, he picked up the phone and dialed Jack's Washington apartment.

"O'Neill."

"Hey, Jack."

"Daniel."

"So. How are you?"

"Peachy. Two gals, one guy, ya know how it is."

"Yeah. Nice."

"NICE?! What planet are you on?"

"Earth."

"Ah, that explains it."

"So."

"So? Did you need something? Or just calling to bore me to death? Because that's okay too, seeing as I have Paris and that other one, what's her name? Oh yeah, Paris and Nicole here with me."

"Which ones Paris?"

"They keep switching up on me. I can't keep 'em straight." A long silence followed Jack's last comment. "Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"How 'bout I let you talk to Vala?"

"Sure. That'd be fine."

"Hey, Vala, phone."

"Me?" Vala looked up from the pile of shopping items she and Sam had just purchased. The ones Jack tried desperately to ignore. The ones they were pulling out one by one from the large, pink Victoria's Secret shopping bags.

Jack held the receiver out towards her and she took it with a confused look.

Jack looked over at Sam and mouthed 'Daniel'. Sam smiled and mouthed silently, 'who else?'

"Hello?" She got no answer. "Hellooooo?

"Hey." His one simple word, said so warmly, sent her heart into flutters. Made her knees weak. Lodged a lump in her throat.

"Hi." She responded softly.

"I just wanted to say hi, hope you're having fun."

"Yes. I'm having a lovely time. Tomorrow Sam and I will get to meet with the President. Isn't that exciting? And I bought the most wicked thing at Victoria's Secret!"

"That's great." Daniel said quietly.

Vala chewed her lip as silence prevailed. She turned to see Jack and Sam walk out onto the balcony.

"So." Daniel finally stated.

"Yes. So. Well. Daniel, I ah… well…are you working?" Silly question, of course he's working.

"No. Not really. I…ah, actually, I miss you." I can't believe I said that.

I love you. "I miss you too. Jack's no fun to pester, he just takes it all in stride.

And I don't. "Yeah. Good old Jack."

"Yes, Good old Jack. You should see these two around each other." Not like us.

"I've seen it. Are they still keeping their distance?" Like me? Stupid, stupid me?

"Well, not when they think I'm not looking. Why do they pretend they really don't care around other people?" Like me? Stupid, stupid me?

Because they are afraid that if they show their feelings to the world it will become too real. "I don't know." He sighed.

She sighed. "Oh."

"Maybe I'll call tomorrow. Think I'll go to bed."

"Staying on base or sleeping in your own bed?" Bed. Daniel in bed. Will he sleep in something? Will he be naked? Oh my god! Stop it!

I swear to god, I wish you were in my bed. "Yeah. Staying here."

"Good night, Daniel." I love you.

"Good night, Vala. I think I'm falling in love with you." He hung the phone up.

Vala stared aghast at the phone receiver. What did he say? She was dialing his cell number from memory. "Jack! Jack!" She cried out in panic!

Jack came flying into the room, Sam right behind him. "What the hell is wrong!?"

"I need a jet, or a helicopter…. No I need a beam. I need to beam to the base. Right now."

"What the hell happened?" Both Jack and Sam stood, hearts racing, waiting to find out what catastrophe had struck SGC.

Daniel's cell phone was ringing but he wasn't picking up the call. His voice mail came on and she screamed into the recorder. "I LOVE YOU TOO! I'm beaming over… Scotty … Ah, I mean Jack is going to arrange it. Stay right where you are. Do not leave that base. I'm coming directly your … JACK! Get on the phone and get that damned beamable ship here, now! And I'm coming directly to your room. Don't you…." The recorder stopped. Vala turned to Sam who had a hand over her mouth and laughter in her eyes. "He said it! He actually said it! I have to go. Now."

Daniel suddenly realized what he'd said. Out loud. Into the phone. To Vala. His head swooned and he slapped each side of his face with his palms. Holy buckets of jumping jackrabbits! What was he thinking? Maybe she didn't hear him. His cell phone was ringing. It was Jack's apartment number. He ignored it. What the hell was he supposed to do now? The envelope popped up on the screen and the little message beep sounded, but he couldn't force himself to hear it. His cell phone was ringing again. Uh oh, she'd heard him loud and clear. Another message beep. Maybe he'd go off world until she forgot. Like for a hundred years or more. She was going to eat him alive… oh bad thought. Crap! He jumped up from the desk and paced the room. And paced. And paced.

On his final pace an airman appeared in his doorway. "Dr. Jackson, MS Mal Doran asked me to give you a message… and I quote, 'When you see the white light in your quarters….darling….it's the woman who loves you too' unquote. Good night, sir." The airman left with a silly smile on her face.

It took a half a second for his heart to start beating again before he made a mad dash for his quarters. He reached his door in record time, couldn't find his card and had to run back to his office, snatch the card out of his jacket and run back. He tried to swipe the card, but he dropped it. He tried again, fumbled again, and dropped it again. Three times was the charm and he yanked the door open. There she was, just coalescing into solid matter, grinning wide, brows raised and wearing the most wicked thing from Victoria's Secret!