Title: Just Another Day in Paradise
Title: Just Another Day in Paradise
Author: dvshipper
Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)
Spoilers/Warnings: One faint reference to Sam/Jack
Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.
A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle for being an awesome beta on this! This chapter is an epilogue of sorts. Stay tuned for a bit of a surprise!
Chapter 5: Highway to Comfort
"Dismissed," General Landry told SG-1 before he got up from his briefing room chair. "Colonel Mitchell, a word in my office."
"Yes, sir," Mitchell followed the general into the office that adjoined the briefing room. The debriefing that had followed their return back through the gate had been long and awkward. What had only been a twenty-four hour mission had proved to be difficult to explain. Mitchell had watched Daniel blush at Vala's version of the story and felt for Sam as she tried to get hers out. He thought he was a teenager again when he was reporting his story, as if he was telling his dad about some wild weekend. Hot cheeks and stammering always ensued.
"I just wanted to let you know that if your team need some down time, I understand. You have a week of leave starting tomorrow," Landry told Mitchell who stood there in the grey room looking a little in awe. "Go spend some time having fun, Colonel. You all need it."
"Yes, sir," Mitchell got the words out of his mouth with a little effort. "Thank you, sir."
Mitchell met the rest of his team in the hall outside General Landry's office. He explained that they had a week away from the base and that Landry wanted them to have fun. As the group walked toward the commissary and discussed the possibilities of time off, Mitchell swore he heard Landry's voice faint in the distance say, "What are you doing this week, Jack?"
Daniel was sitting quietly in his office finishing some paperwork when he heard the light footsteps that were distinctly Vala's. They had yet to talk about what happened off-world, but he knew they needed to. Daniel swiveled around his office chair to see Vala standing in the doorway, all smile, sparkle, and pigtails. "Hey, I'm glad you dropped by," he said, motioning her to sit on the stool next to his desk.
Vala sat in the appointed stool and just smiled with a curious look in her eyes. She didn't want to mess anything up or say something stupid so she looked at him, hoping he'd start the conversation. When he didn't, she figured she had nothing to lose. "We need to talk," she told him, coincidentally he said the exact same thing in unison with her.
"Oh, let me go first," Daniel started. "I just need to say this. I'm happy about what happened between us on that planet and I don't regret anything I said or did. Now what were you going to say?"
"What you just said," Vala told him with a surprised look. With some things it was like they shared the same brain, but those things seemed few and far between. She was glad, however, that they for once agreed on their relationship. Vala giggled and jumped into Daniel's lap.
Daniel was shocked for a half a second then relaxed, feeling comfortable with her closeness. It had been a little difficult to realize that they had actually slept together; that he had let his guard down. Sure, they had both been touchy-feely and apparently high on love when they came through the gate, but once the high wore off things got a little more serious. Daniel started to think about how their relationship could work and wondered if all she had wanted was sex. Then he caught himself overanalyzing it. He told himself that it was a good thing they had started together and not to ruin it by thinking too much.
Vala had her arms around Daniel's neck and her waist was in his hands. She leaned in for a kiss and the moment their lips touched, a voice came from the door. "Don't you two ever stop?" Mitchell said loudly as he strolled into Daniel's office with Sam and Teal'c at his side.
"Apparently not," Sam commented with a grin as she looked at the couple who were hurriedly trying to disentangle from each other.
"Indeed," Teal'c said with eyebrow in full swing, though it sounded more like 'way to go Daniel' than 'I agree with you ColonelCarter.'
"So, what's the plan?" Daniel asked quickly, trying to change the subject as Vala sat back on her stool. Not that he was embarrassed to be showing affection for her, but it felt a little awkward getting caught when you thought no one was watching.
"We're heading up to General O'Neill's cabin. He's getting on a plane right now to meet us there," Sam told them, apparently in a very good mood judging by the size of her smile.
"Yep, pack your bags kids, cause we're moving out at oh-six hundred tomorrow," Mitchell said before he walked back out the door. To Daniel he seemed almost giddy about going to Jack's cabin with Jack.
"Sounds wonderful! Sam, come help me pack!" Vala exclaimed, pulling Sam by the hand out the door of Daniel's office, disappearing down the hall. Daniel was left with only Teal'c standing silently in front of his desk.
"I believe that it would be most wise for you to not bring any work related material to O'Neill's cabin," Teal'c told stoically.
"You're right. Jack would probably kill me with Vala as his accomplice," Daniel replied with a sigh, looking at the papers strewn about his desk. It was nice to have time off, but he really did enjoy his work. However, Daniel valued his life and his sanity so he decided to not even bring a history book, lest Jack or Vala find it in his bag.
"What do you think Daniel would want to see me in?" Vala asked Sam in a serious tone looking at the pile of clothes that covered her bed. Vala had long ago discovered the joys of online shopping.
"Hieroglyphs probably," Sam quipped, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I'm being serious, Sam. These are important decisions being decided here and I need your help." Vala sighed, frustrated. "You've known him for ten years, what does he find attractive?"
"Well, he always stares at you more when you wear your hair down. You'll also probably want to steer clear of green and black, because he's around those colors every day on the base," Sam told her holding up a light pink t-shirt with distressed looking printing across the chest. "This would be perfect."
Vala watched as she threw the top in the duffel bag that was lying on the floor. She liked having Sam around to do stuff like this with. To just have fun picking out clothes was something Vala had never gotten to do much in her life. Everything either had to be practical or stolen, which left little time for consideration. Sure, her leathers she made certain were always sexy and attention grabbing but that was as much out of necessity as anything else. Being attractive had always been an advantage she needed to keep, but here she was safe. Vala only had to think about how one man thought she looked, instead of any and every man she may come across.
Sam helped Vala pick out a couple pairs of jeans, a skirt, a whole pile of tops and as many different types of lingerie in as many colors as would fit in the bag. A girl must always be prepared for anything was Vala's motto and Victoria's Secret helped her live up to that adage. With the way things were going with Daniel, she honestly didn't know what was going to happen up at the cabin.
The next morning, Daniel looked up from the stack of civilian clothes he haphazardly threw in a suitcase when he heard a knock at his door. Figuring it must be one of his teammates coming to see if he was ready, he opened the door without checking who was on the other side. "Come in," he said as he went into the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush and razor from above the sink.
"Hey, Jackson, you ready to go yet?" Mitchell asked looking at the still open bag and watched Daniel throw the toiletries in. Why was it that archaeologist and historian types always seemed to either be scatterbrained or continually late? Mitchell himself had his bag packed before he went to sleep the night before.
"Yeah, I'm almost ready," Daniel zipped up the bag containing most everything he'd need over the next few days and grabbed the magazine that was on the nightstand. After picking up his jacket that was at the foot of the bed, he flipped the lights off and followed Mitchell into the hall.
"Good, because we don't want to be late," Mitchell told Daniel with a bit of excitement coming through his voice.
"Late for what?" Daniel questioned, confused.
"General O'Neill just called to say that he was planning on barbecuing and told us that if you weren't ready to go yet, to drag you into the car," Mitchell said as they go into the elevator that would take them to the surface.
"But we won't get there until the middle of the night," Daniel had a confused expression as pressed one of the many numbered buttons on the wall of the elevator.
"Jackson, it's never too late for barbecue," Mitchell said in his best southern drawl.
Daniel and Mitchell met Teal'c and the girls at one of the black SUV's that was always parked at the base. Mitchell threw the keys at Teal'c, who grabbed them without hesitation. "I would be happy to drive, ColonelMitchell," Teal'c said in his deep voice.
The team loaded their bags into the back of the truck and got situated into their seats. The engine roared to life making Teal'c smile one of his rare smiles. Daniel watched Vala, who was seated between him and Sam, dig through the tote bag she called a purse. Her face lit up as she pulled out a CD case. Flipping to the middle, she pulled out one of the silver discs. There was red, feminine handwriting on it that spelled out two words: ROAD TRIP.
Vala handed the CD to Mitchell, who promptly popped it in the stereo and turned the volume knob up. "Life is a Highway" blared from the speakers as they passed the security gate. The team road trip had officially started and Vala hoped it would never end. She was more than happy to spend the rest of her life on Earth, sharing her journey with these people. More importantly, Vala wanted to continue her life with Daniel.