I won't give up on this feeling

And nothing could keep me away…

Chapter 2: Within Strength, Without Love, Ever Surrounding Pain

She had tuned the world out and let herself go completely numb. She called up all the reserve strength she had and managed to heal enough in less than 24 hours so that she could walk. Everyone was amazed- especially her. Though, when the darkness claimed her she let her soul scream.

oOo

Forty-Eight hours after the attack, she was taken to see him. She hadn't said anything, but everyone knew that that was what she wanted, what she had needed. And so, Carson Beckett rolled her to the morgue in a wheelchair despite her protests; stopping briefly at a panel in the wall to turn at talk to her.

"Are you sure you want to see him lass?" He asked, his voice full of concern and worry as he gazed down at his patient.

"I'm sure Carson," She whispered quietly, speaking for the first time in two days.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone else here with ye?"

"No Carson," She whispered again, her voice dull, flat and defeated. "Just let me see him."

And so, Carson opened the panel and a plank of metal with a body laying on top of it came out. It was covered by a black plastic sheet that hugged the curves and contours of the body beneath it, and she knew that it was him- her Daniel.

The reality was setting in.

Slowly, Carson pulled back the covers and she saw his face for the first time in two days. It was not the first time that she had stared upon death, and she doubted that it would be the last, but as Vala stared at Daniel's lifeless face, a part of her died inside.

Trembling she stood up, crossed the few steps to his side and gently, with a feather-light touch, caressed his cold cheek; the tears silently pouring down her face.

oOo

"How's she doing?" Jack asked later that day, watching from within Atlantis as Vala sat on the north pier, watching and letting the waves of the on coming storm crash against the city, soaking her in the process.

"She's not doing well…" Cameron admitted, leaning against a pillar. "…hell, none of us are doing well."

"I just can't believe that he's gone." Sam whispered, leaning into her husband for support. "Daniel's really gone- it's as though-"

"-it is as though he is still here." Teal'c interrupted, knowing what Sam was going to say. "Because this has happened so many times in the past but now…"

"…now," Jack continued quietly, holding Sam close. "Now, unlike previous times we actually have a body to bury…." Jack blinked back the few tears that threatened to fall again, let Sam cry into his chest instead. "….this time he's really and truly gone…"

Daniel Jackson was gone. This time there would be no Oma Desala helping him to ascend, no alien who had just changed their memories- this time there was a body to bury.

This time it was final.

This time he was gone.

Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Archaeologist.

SG1 Member.

Annoyance.

Honest.

Noble.

Strong.

Friend.

Family.

Fiancée.

Was dead.

A/N- Hello beloved readers. Chapter 2, staying with that same new style that I'm trying out. Hope you're all enjoying it... :) And thank you to Acer-sigma for reveiwing chapter 1. I hope that you and many more will review chapter 2:) Look for chapter 3 to be updated soon...