This is the final chapter besides the epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me on this one. I tossed in a bit of S/J (if you squint really hard) just for fun. And, if you pay attention, you may just catch my tiny Farscape shoutout.

Chapter 5

Daniel's POV

I open my eyes and all I can see are bright lights. Where am I? I ask myself just before I hear the all too familiar sounds of shuffling feet and beeping machines. The infirmary. The last thing I remember is being on that planet and feeling the earth shake. Then there was sudden pain and...nothing. What happened after that? I pop my eyes open again and spy Sam and Teal'c standing at my bedside. Lifting my head I notice Mitchell at the foot while Dr. Lam is standing on my other side. But where is Vala?

"Vala?" I croak and see Mitchell cringe a little.

"Mornin', sunshine. How ya feelin'?"

"Like I was hit in the head with an Al'Kesh. Where's Vala?"

"She's okay." Sam says, grabbing my shoulder. "She said she didn't want to be here when you woke up. She was afraid her presence would upset you."

I sigh and lay my head back on the pillow in defeat. I've really screwed up. "Is she on base?"

"I do not believe so, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c says and I can hear a tinge of anger in his voice. Oh, boy.

"So, I hear congratulations are in order." Mitchell put in. Does he sound angry, too? Crap.

"Yeah, I'm going to be a father. Now, if I could only convince the mother of my child to marry me, I'd me all set."

"Whoa, pull back." Mitchell says with wide eyes. "You proposed to the Princess?"

"Of course I did. She's carrying my child and he deserves to have both parents in his life."

"Wait, you didn't actually phrase it like that, did you?"

"Why, what's wrong with wanting that?"

"Nothin' man, nothing at all. It's very noble but did you also happen to mention how you feel about her?"

I sit back with a gusty sigh. I hadn't actually said I love her but I would have thought the marriage proposal spoke for itself. She should know by now that I take relationships seriously. "No, I didn't. But Vala knows how I feel."

"Are you certain of that, Daniel Jackson?"

Closing my eyes, I think back to our fight. She had seemed really offended by my proposal. Does she know how I feel? Isn't it obvious? Maybe not. I have a lot of work to do.

()()()()

Daniel's POV

"C'mon, Dr. Lam." I say in frustration. "You have to let me out of here. I have very important things to take care of."

"I am well aware of that, Dr. Jackson, but I simply don't think you're healthy enough yet."

I groan in anger and bang my head against the pillow. Oh yeah, give yourself another concussion so she can hold you longer. Genius. I've been stuck in the infirmary for three days and I am growing tired of it. I need to talk to Vala and she refuses to come to the SGC. I think I've finally deduced just where she is, though. Considering Sam is the only one who actually knows where she is, it stands to reason Vala is at her house. I just have to get out of here so I can see her. Damn, where's Jack when I need him? Just as I have the thought, I see a familiar figure standing in the doorway.

"Daniel?" Infirmary again?

"Jack?" What took you so long?

"Daniel." Hello, work.

"Jack!" Get me out of here!

Jack nods once and turns to Lam. "So, Doc, how about springing Daniel. I'll look after him."

"As I just told him, he's not healthy enough yet."

"Aw, c'mon, Doc. He'll be find. Besides, it looks as if he's ready to make a break for it. Wouldn't it be safer if I were linguist-sitting him?"

Lam actually stopped to think about it for a minute. "Fine, I'll let him go. But you have to promise to bring him back if he shows any signs of distress. And I mean any signs, General. If anything happens to him, I'll be holding you accountable."

"Yes, ma'am." Jack says and I can actually see him twitch nervously. "Okay, let's go, Danny boy."

I stand quickly but have to catch the bed as dizziness washes over me. Dr. Lam and Jack both move toward me but I wave them off. "I'm fine." I tell them. Or, I will be once I get to Sam's.

()()()()

Jack's POV

I glance over to Daniel sitting in my passenger seat. He's wearing a look of deep concentration. By now I'm used to seeing it but never in regard to a woman. I don't know Vala very well but she must be something to merit the same level of thought Daniel usually reserves for ancient artefacts.

"So...a baby?" I ask casually.

"Yup." he answers just as casually, not even bothering to look at me.

"Gonna marry her?"

"Hopefully."

I nod my head in thought, turning my focus back to the road. Yup, Vala must be something very special.

As I pull up in front of Sam's house, I take one more look at my best friend. "Ready?"

"Yep."

Before we are even out of the car, though, I see the front door open and Sam stalking down the walk.

"What are you two doing here?" she asks in annoyance.

"Sam, I know Vala's here." Daniel says pleadingly. "Please, I need to talk to her."

I can see Sam thinking over the pros and cons of this but finally she relents. "She's on the patio out back. Be careful with her, she's going through a lot right now. In other words, you hurt her, I'll hurt you."

I can only grin as I take in the fierce look of protectiveness coming from Sam and I see Daniel swallow hard. He nods in agreement and makes his way to the back of the house without another word. Sam and I watch for a few seconds before she turns back to me.

"You may as well come in for coffee." she says grudgingly. "Knowing those two, this could take a while."

"Gee, Carter. You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome."

I can see her fighting not to smile as she turns to walk into the house and I follow behind with a smirk on my face.

()()()()

Vala's POV

I can feel his presence the moment he steps through the gate but I wait until he is right beside me before I speak. "So, you found me."

"We need to talk." he says without preamble, not even bothering to explain just how he found me. No matter, I knew I couldn't hide forever.

"Yes, we do." Now or never, I think as I motion for him to take a seat beside me and I wait for him to begin. No way am I making this easy for him.

"Listen, honey, I know I didn't handle all of this very well when you told me about the baby. I was just so surprised."

"You accused me of not knowing who the father is." I say angrily, ignoring the endearment that he'd used. I cannot allow that to colour my feelings right now. "Do you realise how much that hurt me? You don't trust me, even after all this time, all we've been through."

"Oh, honey, that's not it at all." He quickly leaves his chair and kneels before me. "I just...When you asked me if I was asking if it was mine, I snapped. The thought of you with another man...Well, I couldn't deal with that."

I can feel the tears behind my eyes as he takes my hand in his but resolutely push them back. I'm not quite ready to trust him yet. "What about the proposal? You made it sound as if we're some kind of burden you have no other choice but to take on. I told you already, I will not be pushed into a marriage of convenience. And I will not allow my child to grow up like that, either."

"It won't be a marriage of convenience, at least not for me. I love you, Vala."

"You-You love me?" This time I can't keep the tears from spilling over.

"Yes. I'd thought it was obvious but I guess I was wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. Tell me, Vala. How do you feel about me?"

"Oh, Daniel." I say through my tears and touch his cheek gently. "I love you, too. So much."

A huge grin spreads across his face as he stands, pulling me up with him and into a fierce hug. "Sweetheart, you don't know just how happy I am to hear that."

I bury my face into the crook of his neck as my tears continue to fall. I almost can't believe this is happening. Daniel loves me and I'm going to have his child. "Is this real?" I ask in a whisper.

"It's real, honey." Daniel says as he pulls back slightly, placing a gentle kiss to my hair. "I love you, you love me. We're going to have a baby. And I couldn't be happier." He leans down and places his lips on mine. It is a gentle kiss but I can feel the passion and love behind it and it makes me want to burst in joy. When we pull apart, he grins at me.

"Let's go." he says.

"Where?" I ask but follow him toward the front of the house.

"I'm taking you home, where you belong."

I can't help the smile that lights my face at his words. Home, it sounds so beautiful. Pulling him to a stop, I place my hands on his face. "I'm already home, darling. Wherever you are, that is home for me." I pull him in for another kiss and I do feel as if I've finally come home.

R&R means read and run. Please review!