Five Things for Which Vala Is Thankful

Chocolate

Chocolate has to be the single greatest accomplishment of the Tau'ri. She's travelled from one end of this galaxy (and a few others) to the other but never has she come across anything to top it. She would say it's almost better than sex. Almost. And considering how reluctant Daniel is...Well, it's a good substitute...for now.

eBay

Vala has always enjoyed an auction. One could find some very...valuable treasures at an auction. All it takes is knowledge and willpower. A decent amount of currency doesn't hurt, either. She'd missed auctions when she first came to Earth. In fact, she'd tried to convince Teal'c to take her to one but he'd refused. The she discovered eBay and, with the help of Daniel's credit card, she's been able to procure many wonderful treasures. It's not quite the same as being in a room full of fellow bidders, feeling the energy of the hunt, but it does have its advantages. There is no need to keep up a poker face, nor is there a chance of someone pulling a weapon on her. Yes, eBay definitely has its advantages.

Victoria's Secret

Contrary to popular belief, Vala does not dress in sexy clothing to get attention. Nor is it a scheme to get what she wants. Those are merely advantageous side-effects of the attire. No, she has a different reason entirely for dressing the way she does. She likes feeling sexy, it's that simple. The first time Samantha took her to Victoria's Secret, Vala had been in awe of the vast array of lingerie. She'd been shocked that something like this existed, given the prudish attitudes of the residents of this planet, but she wasn't complaining. Every time she gets off base, she makes sure to take a trip to the mall. She is building up a nice collection. Maybe someday someone will see her in it, but for now she is happy to keep it to herself.

Friends

Vala has never really had friends before. As a child, her family moved a lot so she never got to know anyone well enough. And no one wanted their child to keep company with the daughter of a known thief. When she was host to Qetesh, she'd had slaves and worshippers, but no friends. Gods did not need them. She'd had many associates in her time as a pirate but no one she would call a friend. They'd been useful but once they no longer served a purpose, she'd dropped them. No hard feelings on either side. It was the name of the game. But now she has people in her life she would die for, who would die for her. It's a strange concept but one she's growing accustomed to. One she is beginning to like.

Home

Home, like friendship, has always been a foreign concept to her. She learnt early in life that staying in one place too long could get you into trouble. Once the con was complete, it was time to move on. She learnt that from her father and had always abided by it. But now she has a place to belong, a place where she is wanted. And for the first time in her life, she doesn't want to leave. She is home.

The End