Note: Hope this chapter clears up some questions for this AU, so people understand Vala appeared much earlier in this 'Verse, which means some things that center around Vala like "Memento Mori" happened much earlier then the normal Universe, so no Atlantis wasn't delayed. However major universe stuff like the Ori haven't gotten that far. They only know about them from Daniel and Vala's trip which helped encourage Daniel to go too Atlantis too see if there was answer's there. No Aria yet, but it will happen later. So far the Ori haven't been much of a threat yet, just rumours that they'll appear are heard and will appear soon. Anyway all and all some things are in a different order since Vala appeared much earlier, sorry if it's confusing but just remember this is an AU.

If there's still questions after this chapter let me know!

Rodney didn't know exactly where Vala was going as she drove his car. One would think that for McKay, he'd be worried and out of his comfort zone, but he wasn't. Rodney never cared much about driving. With him in the passenger seat it left his hands free to use his laptop or phone. He was content too finally having peace and quiet too finish his work. Besides, Vala said she was taking them to some place too eat, and Rodney was starving.

Vala paid close attention to the street signs. She was happy for the freedom of choosing where to go after so long stuck in the concrete underground bunker, but with her limited experience in the outside world, there was only one place Vala knew how too get too well.

"So..." Vala started trying to fill the silence. Rodney said nothing, lost in his work. Vala tried again a little louder. "So, how are you Dr. McKay?"

"Hmm?" Rodney looked over to Vala for a second, then back at his laptop. "Oh uh, fine."

Vala frowned. "Fine? You seemed grumpy this week."

"You'd be grumpy too if you had to deal with those morons." Rodney replied as he finished his report. "Besides, you're the one who's been moping around the halls all day."

"Oh, people noticed?" Vala smiled, satisfied her unhappiness had been conveyed.

Rodney rolled his eyes. "How could anyone not with you sighing in everyone's ear and pouting 24/7?"

"Yes, well there hasn't been much to do now that SG-1's been put on standby." Vala reasoned.

Rodney looked up. "Still no replacement huh?"

Vala shook her head. "A couple people tried, but believe it or not I wasn't that desperate to allow Felger become a 'action hero', as he called it.

Rodney shook his head. "It would'a kept him out of the lab though."

"You think he's really going to be fired?" Vala asked. She thought the guy was funny in his own clueless way. It'd be a shame too get rid of the few entertaining ones.

"I'd hope so, but I doubt it."

"Why?" Vala asked curious.

"Because General Landry is also in charge. They both have too agree on certain things. It's kinda weird and complicated but it works somehow..."

"Ah, so Landry won't want Felger fired?"

"Well.." Rodney started. "I'm sure he'd probably think he's not that great. Felger has been up for being fired once before.. However, since a lot of people are gone to the expedition, the General probably doesn't want to fire people unnecessarily out of personal feelings." Rodney explained as his hands moved around animatedly.

Vala nodded then pulled up the car in the parking lot. Rodney looked up at the small restaurant as Vala began to get out of the car. A big yellow banner, with red letters read "Sol's Dinner"

Rodney got out and followed Vala as she pushed open the doors and walked in confidently, like she owned the place. She smiled over at the cook.

"Sal!" Vala smiled.

"Val! You're back!" The cook grinned and wandered over, whipping the grease off his hands on his hand towel, then pulled Vala into a big hug.

Rodney looked around the restaurant as the two had their moment. Their was a bar in the middle, and the walls where all stripped in light green's, blue's and white.

Sal smiled at Vala. "It's been too long! How are you doing?"

Vala nodded. "Yes, it has." She hugged him back. "Okay, you."

"Been great." Sal replied.

She then pulled away and Sal noticed her friend. "Sal this is my friend Rodney." She introduced.

"Hello. I'm Sal." He reached out a hand and Rodney took it awkwardly and nodded his hello.

Sal smiled. "Well any friend of Vala's is a friend of mine. I'm glad she found people she could be companions with. She's a good girl."

Rodney gave a weak smile to the stranger in return. "Uh, yeah."

"So you here to visit or too eat?" Sal winked.

"Two double burgers." Vala asked.

"You brought money this time?" Sam teased with an eyebrow raised.

Vala grinned and wrapped and arm over Rodney's neck. "That's what I brought him for."

Sal grinned and moved back to the kitchen.

Vala lead McKay too a booth beside a window.

"Double burgers?" Rodney asked. Not sure why she ordered for him.

"It's his speciality." Vala smiled. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Rodney frowned but decided he probably would so didn't question it. He knew burgers of all things probably didn't but he still had to ask "It doesn't have citrus right?"

"Don't worry. It's fine." Vala patted his hand with a smile, then looked out the window out at the busy streets.

Rodney followed her gaze then looked back at her. "So how do you know Sal?" Rodney asked. "I thought you weren't allowed out of the base until now?"

"I wasn't." Vala answered. "It's.. A long story.. To simplify well.. The Trust and Athena kidnapped me to access Qetesh's memory's to find the Clava Thessara Infinitas. It backfired and I lost all my memories. I ended up here and worked for Sal for a while until the Trust found me again and I went on the run. Sometime later I regained my memories."

Rodney nodded but looked around nervously. They shouldn't be stalking about the Trust and Goa'uld in public, but the place was vacant at this hour of the day, and Sal was currently humming too himself at the opposite end of the restaurant, so he doubted he could hear much of what was said anyway.

Vala looked over him and decided to keep talking hoping he'd settle down and get comfortable. "You don't know me well do you?" She asked. She knew he had no reason too. They had only meet three weeks ago, but she had a feeling she knew a lot more about him then he knew about her.

"Well I know what the reports say." Rodney replied. "You where once inhabited by a Goa'uld named Qetesh." Rodney's hands started to get animated as he continued. "You where captured by the Tok'ra with the help of SG-1, and you agreed to give them information and help in exchange for asylum."

Vala nodded, a tad bit surprised he knew anything at all. "Yes, people weren't exactly happy with me... Everyone still saw me as her."

"But then you double crossed Stargate Command and tried to take the prototype X-301 but when it started heading too the Goa'uld SG-1 managed to stop it."

"Yes.. Daniel convinced General Hammond to go easy on me." Vala looked back to the road sad to be thinking of Daniel again. "He said I learned my lesson on trying to escape." Vala's eyes drifted closed in memory recalling it all perfectly. How it was then that she was stuck in the bunker until she proved worthy to join SG-1 with her knowledge of various treasures.

"I don't know how you did it." Rodney replied.

Vala opened her eyes surprised. "Did what?" She asked.

"Stayed in the X-301 for so long and didn't snap." Rodney replied. When Vala gave him a confused look he added. "I have claustrophobia.. I can only stay in one of those things for 30 minutes tops before I go into full blown panic attack."

Vala tilted her head thoughtfully at the honest admission. "Is that why you're not on a team?" Vala asked. "Afraid something might freak you out?" She raised an eyebrow. A trait she felt everyone had picked up absent-mindedly from Teal'c.

Sal brought over the food on the table happily and whistled his way back to the Kitchen to clean up.

Rodney picked at his plate and frowned annoyed, feeling that his ego was being attacked by 'fear'. "No. My work is best used here. I'm a person of intelligence, not physicality."

Vala ate some of her burger then thought it over. "Wouldn't it be best to use your brains on the feild? That is where the complicated stuff happens."

Rodney looked up at Vala. "Like what?" He asked as he dug in to his meal after affirming to himself there was no citrus in it by evaluating all the burgers layers.

"Well you know. The usual.. Finding all sorts of new technology, hacking into Goa'uld machines, stealing info and unlocking doors. Hot wiring ships, fixing things in dangerous life and death situations, and figuring out Ancient puzzles to get to the treasure." Vala reasoned, then took another bite.

"Hmm." Rodney looked thoughtful as he ate. He did enjoy reading SG-1's reports and more often then not did find himself wanting to check out the devices Carter would mention she had run across. It would be interesting to find something first and figure out what it did before anyone else for a change. The danger was a turn off though..

Vala noticed Rodney's eye light up and the way once could see the wheels of thought turning in his head. She grinned.

Rodney noticed her grinning. He pointed at her. "What?"

"Oh nothing.. You're just cute when you're deep in thought." Vala smiled as Rodney flushed.

"You know.." Rodney looked down at his plate as he pushed what remained of his burger around. "I wanted to go on the expedition too Atlantis."

Vala looked at him surprised. "You did?"

Rodney nodded. "Yeah.. I did most of the research on Ancient Tech since Sam was always busy with Goa'uld tech... I would have been made head of Science if Sam had refused the position."

Vala raised an eyebrow. "How come you didn't go as a regular science member after she was chosen?"

Rodney looked sad and stopped messing with his food. "She didn't want me in her department." He admitted quietly.

"What?" Vala asked. She had always thought they both had at least a grudging respect for each others abilities.

Rodney looked up at Vala with guilt. "Sam and I have had a.. A bad history of not getting along well.. She thought I.. I would be too much too handle.. and a threat to the expedition..."

Vala looked disbelieving. Sam was one of the most patient people she had known.

"She.. She was also still mad about.. About what happened with Teal'c.."

Realization filtered over Vala's eyes. She had heard about that but wasn't in the base at the time. She had went with Daniel to Russia too negotiate for temporary use of the Stargate and the use of their DHD.

Rodney continued. Heavy guilt evident in his blue eyes. "She thought I would never learn from that mistake..."

Vala felt sympathy as she stared into his sad eyes. She knew what it was like for people to not feel like she was worth a second chance after everything her symbiote had made her do. She placed her hand over his and rubbed her thumb across it. "You have. I can tell."

Rodney looked up at her startled. "You.. You can?" He asked.

"I know what it's like.. I've screwed up a lot with the SGC and with Qetesh's former slaves.. I know exactly how you feel."

Rodney stared up with hope at Vala who tried to convey a sympathetic, sad smile.

"How can I make up for it?" He asked quietly.

Vala smiled. "I have an idea.."

"What is it?" Rodney asked wanting to get rid of the burden and guilt he had been caring for too long.

"You can join SG-1." Vala stated.

Rodney shook his head. "How will that help?"

"You'll be doing good in the Galaxy. You'll learn what it's like to care for others.." Vala reasoned.

"I.. I don't know." Rodney stated. "I'd be working with the one who I almost.." Rodney looked ill at the thought that he could have killed Teal'c with his time estimate.

"We all know what it's like.. Teal'c especially. He understands more then any of us... He works and works, never stopping to right the wrongs he did for so long in his past."

Rodney's eyes stared at Vala in understanding at the mention of the Ex First Primes old life.

Vala tilted her head. "Where all in the same boat Rodney. Just normal people trying to make up for mistakes. You'd belong with us."

Rodney's eyes looked longingly at Vala's. Rodney was never much of a people person.. Always too smart for the people his age, growing up. He wasn't even very good with his own family.. Too belong.. What would that feel like? Just this once?.. "Okay..."

Rodney suddenly smiled and chuckled.

Vala tilted her head. She smiled as she enjoyed the sounds of Rodney's laughs. The man didn't laugh often, but Vala noticed whenever she was around he did. It made her feel special.

"I just thought of something..."

"What?" Vala asked curious.

"Sam thought I was bad.. Just wait until she gets too know Kavanagh!"