Vala took a deep breath before opening the door to her and Daniel's home. The place was dark, she looked at the soft glow of the digital clock on the oven. 6:00, a little bit later than she planned. Daniel must not be home, she thought to herself when she noticed how quiet and dark it was. She couldn't help but feel herself relax, she was not quite ready for Daniel just yet. She spent a good half hour deciding whether if he was home or at base so she could arrive at the opposite location. It looked like she made the right choice. He was probably working on some project at base, keeping himself busy so he could keep his mind busy with work instead of busy with worry for her . Typical Daniel…She sighed glad to be alone...then again….he knew she would always come home, and here was where home was for the both of them….he could very well be here, asleep or in the bathrom. Damn. Vala set her bag down on the couch and turned a light on.
The house was spotless. Daniel had cleaned it and everything. She walked around. Dishes, laundry, and groceries were done. Vala smiled softly. She walked to the stairs and there was a single red rose on the step with a note. She picked it up, smelling the rose. She took the note and read it "Look out below" she frowned. What did that mean, and then she looked up when she heard a soft noise at the top of the stairs. A blue balloon floated down the steps. At the end was another note. She reached for the balloon and smiled. She took the note and unrolled it reading "100 reasons why I love you" Vala felt tears sting her eyes as she read the list. By the time she got the 100th reason tears were falling down her cheeks. She could not believe he took the time and found 100 reasons why he loved her. She pressed the note to her chest and walked up the stairs.
She smiled when their eyes met instantly. There was no anger in his eyes only love. He sat on the edge of the bed, a wrapped box beside him. Vala missed him so much, she took a moment to take in his features. His freshly shaved face, tight black shirt, his smile and the love in his eyes, that was all for her. She could smell his cologne from the doorway and it soothed her. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms tight around him. Daniel pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her gently at first, savoring her, taking her in slowly. He missed her so much, he missed her lips on his.
"Vala." He said softly when they broke the kiss for air. "I am so sorry about what I said about children. I feel terribl-"
Vala pressed a finger to his lips and smiled. "Its ok, sweetheart. I forgive you."
Daniel kissed her again before speaking. " I want a baby and I want one with you. I have plently of time to prepare for fatherhood. I want this." He placed a hand on Vala's stomach.
"You do?" Vala's voice broke. Her eyes wide and full of happiness.
"Yes I do. A baby would make our lives even more perfect. A little me and you." He smiled.
"A little Vala" Vala bounced in his arms.
" How will I ever survive." Daniel chuckled.
"You don't stand a chance." She gave him a sly smile and another kiss.
"Wait, how did you know I was coming home today?" Vala asked suddenly.
"A little birdie told me."
"That little birdie is going to get her wings clipped next time I see her." Vala said.
Daniel laughed. "She was just helping."
"I know." Vala nodded.
Daniel lay back, making Vala squeal with delight as he flipped them over and pinned her under him. He lifted her shirt and kissed her on the mouth. He left a trail of kisses on her mouth to her stomach. He smiled and kissed her lower stomach softly.
"Are you positive you want this, Daniel?" Vala asked. Needing to hear him say it right then and out loud.
"There is nothing I want more than to see you pregnant with my baby, watch our child grow inside of you, be born and grow up with you as it's mother. I am positive."
"Oh Daniel, I love you." She pulled him up and kissed her. She stopped suddenly. "What's in the box?"
Daniel laughed. "Why don't you go ahead and open it?"
Vala clapped in delight and sat up. She picked up the box and open it quickly. Daniel had a goofy grin on his face as he watched Vala excitedly tear through the wrapping like a child on Christmas morning.
The first thing in the box was a white baby blanket. Vala lifted it out and observed it. The cloth was soft and thick and it had a duck embroidered on one of the corners.
"Daniel…this is beautiful." she smiled at him. She held the white blanket in her arms.
" I didn't keep much from my childhood or my parents. But I kept that." He said gently.
"This was yours?" Vala asked.
"Yes." He answered, reaching over and running a hand over the soft fabric. "And I want it to belong the baby."
" As soon he or she is born, they can be wrapped in this- of course after the nurses clean all the goo and gross stuff."
"I would like that a lot." Daniel smiled.
Vala kept the blanket on her lap and looked inside the box. She pulled out a scrap book. "Daniel and Vala Jackson" it said on the cover. She opened the first pages each page had one or two pictures. Pictures of them offworld, at Landry's cabin, at base, their first home, their wedding. All neatly decorated and labeled with a title and date.
"Darling! This is like the book in that movie!" Vala said excited. "This memory book and the balloon floating to me! Just like in 'Up'! This is so romantic!" she kept flipping through the pages.
Daniel smiled, glad that she got the references. She loved that movie. He remembered her watching it a few times in a row. She even owned the soundtrack and listened to it when she read out on the balcony.
"Sam helped me a lot with it. I want us to put all our memories in here, from before now and in the future. So we have something to look at when were 80."
"I don't know what to say! This is…." she closed it and ran her hands over their names on the cover.
"Say you like it."
" I love it." Vala said sincerely."I'll cherish it forever. I cannot wait to put more memories in this."
" Good, Im glad you do." He opened the book and flipped the pages and stopped at an empty page. It was labeled, but it didn't have a picture and it wasn't dated.
"Babymoon?" Vala read.
Daniel tilted the box towards him and took out two slips of paper, handing them to Vala.
"2 tickets to Hawaii!" she screamed excitedly and threw herself on Daniel.
"Yep. It called a babymoon. Like a honeymoon is to celebrate a marriage, a babymoon is to celebrate a baby."
"How exciting! I love these gifts, Daniel." She hugged him "Thank you thank you thank you. I love you."
" I love you too, Vala." He kissed her. They kissed for a few minutes longer before Vala broke the kiss.
"I have to go tell Sam!" Vala jumped and hopped of the bed. She leaned on Daniel and gave him a kiss. "Ill be right back!" she danced out of the room to go tell her best friend the events of her evening.
"Hurry back!" Daniel called out to her and lay back down with the biggest smile on his face.
