Title: The Journey

Summary: Daniel and Vala are on a race against time to save a dying Cameron.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate.

Chapter 9: There Are No Secrets

She nodded and the two of them went down to the infirmary to see how Neona was doing with Cameron.

Daniel went to the infirmary while Vala waited outside. Neona was leaning over Cameron, inspecting him. Dr. Lam was with her discussing all of Cam's symptoms with her.

Daniel stepped closer. Cam was still in quarantine so he had to wear a hazmat suit to see his friend.

"How is he doing?"

Carolyn spun around to face Daniel and gave him a small smile. "He has not being doing too well lately, but Neona has been checking him thoroughly so hopefully she will be able to help him."

Daniel nodded and left the room to update Vala. When he saw her, she was crying silently, small tears falling down her face.

He went over to her to give her a hug. "Hey now," he said as he pulled her into his embrace. "Don't cry, we did all that we could."

She pulled away from him and looked down at her feet. "I know, but I thought we were going to get a cure. Now we have to rely on a stranger to see if she can help Mitchell."

Daniel knew Vala and he knew by her actions and lack of eye contact towards him that something else was wrong as well.

"Vala? Are you okay? If there is something else wrong? You can tell me."

She looked back up at him, a defiant look in her gray eyes. "There is nothing else wrong Daniel, I just want Mitchell to get better."

She was lying and he knew it. However, pushing her right now seemed like a bad idea so he let it go.

After a long and draining debriefing with General Landry, Daniel was ordered to rest in his quarters for a few days so he could recuperate.

He practically flung himself on the soft bed, enjoying the comfort of it. After sleeping on the sandy ground for several days, something as simple as an actual bed was amazingly comforting.

A few hours later he was resting when a knock sounded at his door. "Come in," he yelled as he put on his glasses and found a tee shirt to slip on.

Daniel looked up and saw Sam enter the room. "Daniel!"

He smiled and jumped up to embrace his friend. "Sam! You're back from your honeymoon!"

She hugged him tightly before letting go and holding him at arms' length. Her easy smile switched to a frown. "Yes, little did I know that while I was gone my one friend was lying here dying and two of my other friends almost died trying to save him."

"I'm sorry, no one wanted to ruin your honeymoon to tell you."

Sam sighed. "It's okay, Jack refused to even turn on our phones until we got back. Anyway, as much as I wanted to see you and how you were doing, I have a bone to pick with you."

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at her in confusion. "Oh boy, what's up?"

She frowned at him again before moving to sit in one of the chairs in Daniel's quarters. He quickly followed suit before she began. "I talked to Vala..." Sam trailed off and look pointedly at Daniel.

He should have known that was coming. "And?"

"She told me what happened, you know, between you two when you were supposed to die."

Daniel cursed to himself. "That's between me and Vala."

Sam gave him a rather harsh look. "Vala is one of my best friends Daniel, she tells me everything. You really hurt her you know."

He sighed. He knew as much by they way she had been acting, but he wasn't sure he was ready to apologize. Not that he wasn't sorry, but he knew that when he did that his feelings would be out in the open, feelings that he wasn't sure he was ready to tell her.

"I know, but I just wanted to focus on saving Cameron."

"You ever going to tell her the truth?"

He shook his head. "I don't even know what the truth is anymore."

Sam threw her hands up in the air. "Oh come on Daniel! I know you and I know that even if you were going to die that you wouldn't just sleep with a woman unless you had feelings for her!"

Daniel flinched. Sam knew him all too well. "Damn, I know you're right, but what about Vala? I can't be sure that she cares for me in the same way, or that I could trust her if she did."

"For someone so smart, you sure are dumb sometimes Daniel. She has loved you for years now. She wants to be with you so badly, but she holds back for your sake, so you don't feel rushed or pressured into anything. As for trust, you know that she has been a trustworthy friend for years now, you can trust her, she loves you."

He slumped back into his chair. He loved Vala, he wanted a real relationship with her, and if anybody knew how Vala felt for him, it was Sam. "I really messed up, didn't I?"

She nodded. "Yes, but it's not too late to fix it."

Sam exited after their conversation and Daniel was left alone to deal with his feelings. He wanted some way to apologize to Vala so that she couldn't possibly be mad at him anymore, so she would forgive him and they could start something real. He laid back down on his bed to think and right before he fell asleep, an idea popped into his head.

The next day, Daniel went off base even though he was supposed to be resting. He had a few important errands to run that could not wait any longer.

He returned late in the day and checked in on Cam. He meet up with Neona outside of the infirmary.

"How is he?"

She smiled at him. "I've figured out what is wrong with him. He has caught the Cerulen flu. His symptoms are the exact same as we used to see in children on my home planet. Years ago, this flu was deadly, but now children get the vaccine early on in life to avoid contracting it. The planet that you all visited before he got the disease also had a problem with Cerulen flu, I'm sure that is how he contracted it."

"Can you help him?"

Neona nodded. "Yes, I have some medicine and supplements that should help him to get over this. However, it will be a long recovery."

Daniel was pleased to here that Cameron would be okay. "I don't know how to thank you..."

She waved her hand dismissively in the air. "No need, it's the least I can do considering what you went through because of my mother."

"Isn't she going to be angry that she won't be getting her gem?"

Neona sighed. "Honestly, she is so far gone that she will probably forget about it soon, her madness worsens by the day."

Daniel apologized to Neona before going to see Vala to update her on Cam's condition.

He knocked on the door to Vala's quarters, nervously shifting the bag in his hand. Vala answered the door and upon seeing Daniel, frowned a little.

"Daniel? Can I help you?" She opened the door wider for him to enter and quickly shut it behind them once he did.

"I just talked to Neona, she has a cure for Cam."

Vala's face visibly brightened. "Really? He is going to be okay?"

Daniel nodded and told her what Neona had said to him.

Vala poked at the bag Daniel was carrying. "What's this?"

He pulled the bag out of her reach. "You'll see. First, we have to talk."

Her defense was up in an instant. "Nothing to talk about..."

Daniel sighed and then sat down on her bed, pulling her down with him. "Yes, there is. I got a not so nice visit from Sam yesterday."

Vala didn't meet his gaze. "Yeah, I figured you might get an earful from her."

"I most certainly did, and I deserved it."

She sniffled but looked up at him with confusion clouding her eyes. "What?"

He continued. "I deserved to get yelled at for what I did to you and I'm sorry. I...I'm...sorry this is difficult for me." He took a deep breath before finishing his statement. "I lied to you in the temple. I just couldn't tell you at the time, but I think I'm ready now."

Vala scrunched up her face. "Tell me what?"

Daniel sighed loudly. "Tell you that it meant something..."

A wry smile graced her lips. "What meant something?" She put on her best innocent look.

He swore to himself. She knew very well what he was talking about! But no, she was going to make him say it. "What happened between us in the temple, when we, uh, had sex."

"What did it mean to you?"

She certainly wasn't making this easy on him, but he supposed that he deserved it. "It meant everything to me. It meant that I love you, that I want to be with you. You and me, together, in a real relationship."

Vala's breath caught. Before she could say anything, Daniel brought out two boxes from the bag he had with him. He handed her the smaller box first. "This is for you, open it."

She smiled at him before lifting the top off of the small white box, inside was a delicate and intricate white gold diamond bracelet. She took it out and inspected it before turning to Daniel in confusion. "What is this for?"

Daniel smiled and helped her clasp the bracelet around her wrist. "I believe that I promised you that I would buy you a pretty bracelet if you behaved in the temple." He handed Vala the second, larger box next. "You behaved, so I got you this bracelet and also this as well." he gestured for her to open the second box.

Vala pried open the lid to look at the contents inside of the package. Her smile lit up the room. "Darling, you know that I love you, but if you think that I am going to forgive you for what you said to me just because you bought me pretty things you are..."

Daniel cut her off with a kiss. Her words muffled, Vala happily kissed him back, the box containing a beautiful one of a kind gem, forgotten in an instant.

The End! Let me know if you enjoyed the story!

-J