Chapter Seventeen – Number Nineteen: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places

"Vala, will you please get out."

"But Daniel…"

He stood up, his look unpleasant. "At what point in time are you going to realize that I am not here to entertain you?"

"Don't you miss me?"

"How can I when you're always underfoot. Unlike you, Vala, I have a real work to do. Please, just go." He sat again, removed his glassed and glared at her.

She blinked, unsure, startled by the meanness in his voice. With a nervous attempt at a smile, Vala took a few steps backwards. She opened her mouth to speak, closed it not knowing what to say and left.

He was exhausted and frustrated and he'd taken it out on her. Rubbing his eyes, Daniel thought about going after her. He'd probably hurt her feelings. Studying the pile of artifacts and journals littering his desk he replaced his glasses and went back to work. As soon as he finished the translation he'd go and find her.

……

Unfortunately her door was not easily slammed, but she gave it her best effort. What a waste of time he'd turned out to be! Vala started snatching clothes out of her drawers and closet and stuffing them into a duffle bag. When she ran across the pink and black nightie and the pink furry handcuffs in the bottom of the last drawer she threw them in the trash can. Ha! Serves him right! He'd miss out on that one!

She shimmied into a pair of black jeans, tucked in her black tank top, topped it off with a light jacket and slipped on a pair of sandals. Looking at the duffle bag she frowned and dumped the contents out onto the bed. She riffled through the clothes and pulled out a pair of blue jeans, a few sweaters, some underwear, a T-shirt and a tank top and rammed them into her oversized leather purse. She gathered her bag of hair clips and hair ties and stuck them in a side pocket. Done. Tossing the heavy purse over her shoulder she stomped out and down the corridor. Stopping suddenly she turned on her heels, swiped her card, opened her door and retrieved the nightgown and handcuffs from the waste can, pitched them in her bag, snatched up her little shinny tiara and marched out once again.

……

"What do you mean she's not here? She can't just walk out of the complex."

"Why not?"

"General Landry, Sir, we're talking about Vala."

"Ms Mal Doran is under no restrictions at this base, Dr. Jackson. She's a full member of SG-1, just like you and Teal'c - who also is not restricted to this base incase you have forgotten he chooses to live here?"

"No, of course I haven't forgotten. But Vala? She's been cleared to live off base? When did that happen?"

"Months ago. She, like Teal'c chooses to stay on base. Now, I have …."

"When did she leave?"

Landry sighed. "About three or four hours ago."

Daniel checked his watch. It was just past midnight. "Where'd she go?"

"I didn't ask."

"You don't know where she is!?"

"She logged an address and we have the tracking device, same thing we have on you. She has a cell phone, just like you. She has time off, just like you. Some people actually leave Dr. Jackson, like me. I'm going home. I am not permanently affixed to the walls. You're dismissed. Good night."

"What address?"

"Good night Dr. Jackson."

He called her cell phone and the voicemail picked up, "Hi, it's me, leave a message." It was in Goa'uld.

"Vala, it's me, call me." He responded in Goa'uld. He searched the base. Both Sam and Mitchell had left, no surprise there. Teal'c would be asleep or meditating so he didn't bother him. Taking the elevator the top, Daniel stopped at the guard's desk.

"Good morning Dr. Jackson." The woman said brightly. Daniel checked his watch again. It was after two.

"Did Colonel Mitchell sign out?"

She looked at the roster. "Yes, sir."

"Colonel Carter?"

Again she checked. "Yes, sir."

"Vala Mal Doran?"

It took her a minute to find it. "Yes, sir."

"Say where she was going?"

The airman shrugged her shoulders, "I just came on duty, sir."

Where the hell could she have gone? He wondered as he walked to his car. Sam's? To late to call. Yeah, probably Sam's.

He'd just buckled his seat belt when his phone rang. Sam's cell number appeared on the screen. He took a deep, relieved breath. "Hi." He answered.

"Daniel? I knew you'd be awake." Sam sounded worried.

"Sam? You home?"

"Ah, no. I'm out of town."

"Oh. Is Vala with you?"

"No. That's why I called. She called me. What happened? I haven't heard her rant like that since the day of her psych evaluation."

"Where are you?"

"Staying with a friend." "Thanks a lot." Daniel heard Jack mumble in the background.

"Oh. Do you know where she went?" Daniel said at the same time as Sam's, "What happened?"

"Nothing." He denied the obvious. He'd hurt her feelings.

"Daniel… hold on a minute." Sam cupped her hand over the phone. "Look I need to go. You don't know where she is?"

"No." He sounded despondent.

"Give me the god damned phone!" Jack's voice could be heard before he spoke to Daniel. "Daniel, I'm truly sorry you're having girl troubles. But Carter has to hang up now. Vala's a big girl, she can take care of herself. Go home. Go to sleep. Everything will look better in the morning….especially for me. Good night." The phone went dead.

Daniel chunked the phone into the passenger seat, dropped his head and sat back against the seat. Go home? Get some sleep? Not likely. He drove around until four in the morning and found himself sitting outside his apartment building.

His hands gripped the steering wheel. You hurt the one you love the most. Wasn't that the way it went? In the last few years she'd come to be a good friend. A close friend. Maybe even closer than the rest. He missed her. Maybe he even loved her.

Time heals everything. He was whole again, and he was about to let the most important thing in his life get away. Or maybe he had already screwed it up so much she wouldn't forgive him.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, he grabbed his phone, got out and locked the car. Sullen and brooding, hands in pockets and head down he made it to his door and unlocked it. The apartment was dark and gloomy. Tossing his car keys on the table he took off his jacket, pulled off his belt, dumped his change on the counter, wandered down the hall towards the thin line of light that seeped out under his bedroom door. He'd left his T-shirt on the living room floor, kicked shoes off, socks came off one by one leaving a trail behind him down the hall. He opened the door with one hand and undid his pants with the other. He needed sleep.

She'd cuffed herself to his bed, wearing some delightfully sexy pink and black negligee. Her hair was loose and curled. And she was sound asleep, her head on his pillow. My god! How he loved her.

Quietly he slid into the bed beside her, reached and gently unclipped the cuff from her wrist, pulled her hand down to rest on her stomach.

Vala stretched and blinked, her eyes opening slowly, "Where have you been?"

"Looking for you." He slipped an arm around her, bringing her to his side.

"Looking for love in all the wrong places?" Her hand came to rest soft and loving on his chest.

"Yes."

"Well, you're here now, you might as well stay." She said sleepily, kissing his neck.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I was in a lousy mood. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Hmmm, well next time you won't be so lucky. I picked your lock, really Daniel you need to get better security. I was going to cut up all your clothes and your couch and all your books. But then I decided this would be better."

"Much better…Vala?"

"Yes, Daniel."

"I'm falling in love with you."

"Yes, I know. But you are doing it awfully slowly. Could you speed it up a bit?"

Laughing he kissed her sweetly.

"Go to sleep darling, you're exhausted."

His eyes were already drifting shut.

"I love you, Daniel, everything will look better in the morning."

….especially for me, Daniel thought as sleep claimed him.