Tag #7 (of 7)
Epilogue - Paths That Cross
Rating: PG I suppose
Disclaimer: Not Mine. MGM gets to play for real, I get to play in my head.
Author's Note: The seventh in a series of tags that incorporates the presence of a small furry giraffe like creature...(seen in a deleted scene from Quest 1) into the D/V relationship. The deleted scene got me wondering where it came from and things escalated from there.
A little epilogue (after unending) for my season 10 giraffe fics - open ended so that if the mood strikes me I could throw in a Danny-related tag for Ark of Truth and/or Continuum ;) – should anyone be interested of course…

Thanks to everyone who helped out with this one! :) especially LC, and Milena!

Hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think! reviews are love after all.

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Epilogue - Paths that Cross Post-Unending

Daniel was standing in his room, arms folded, squaring off with a small stuffed giraffe. Eyes narrowing he stared at Danny, sitting on the shelf. He had been meaning to give it back to Vala for weeks – but there it sat. Still. He couldn't exactly put his finger on what was holding him back. Daniel had even taken it along on their last mission but the opportunity to return it to her hadn't presented itself, not that he was sure exactly what the right opportunity would be. He defended his continued possession of the small giraffe, reminding himself that their time on the Odyssey had been fairly eventful and not overly long, at least from their perspective. He was sure Teal'c would beg to differ on that point though.

Ever since they had returned to the SGC from their time-bending trip on the Odyssey, Teal'c had been giving Daniel and Vala odd looks every once in awhile – a glance out of the corner of his eye or a flicker of a smile that was never there before when they bickered or when they sat next to each other at briefings. It felt almost as though they were the punch line of a joke that they hadn't been let in on. Most of the time the looks were unintentional and fleeting but Daniel shied away from them all the same, not acknowledging them outright, unsure that he was willing to consider what they might mean. Vala on the other hand seemed to take them as an invitation to pepper Teal'c with questions, hoping to dig up some dirt on what had happened during their extended time on the ship. She hadn't gotten anywhere yet with the resolute Jaffa but that didn't mean she wouldn't keep trying. She was Vala after all.

Vala. His thoughts were always returning to Vala these days. He knew he needed to give Danny back to her – she needed the comfort and support it offered right now as the reality of Adria's ascension set in. He was certain she'd been burying her true emotions about her daughter all along. He had tried to confront her in the corridor while Adria underwent surgery but they had been interrupted. Despite all her talk of incubators and shipping crates Daniel believed he knew hiding when he saw it – he was well acquainted with that defence mechanism; hiding his fears behind a near hopeless quest to save his wife, hiding the guilt and sorrow of her death behind books, dust and sarcasm. Daniel knew hiding. It occurred to him that his and Vala's experiences on SG-1 were far more similar than he might have first imagined. Both joined SG-1 while working to save someone they loved – or wanted to love. His wife, her Ori-given daughter. Both their battles had ended in having the ones they were searching for, trying to rescue, being torn away right in front of their eyes before they could be saved. He shook his head – she might not want others to see it but her change in demeanour, the pain that was set in her eyes, showed that she was affected by it all, and he could at least offer her Danny if no other comfort.

Daniel called out for Vala to come into the bedroom. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say but he figured he should at least try. Vala paused when she arrived at the door before entering slowly. She saw Danny in his habitual place on the bookshelf and immediately went over and wrapped the small creature in her arms. Daniel felt the guilt clawing at his gut seeing how much she had missed the animal, knowing he could have returned it to her weeks ago. Vala moved to sit on the end of the bed, petting the giraffe absently while observing Daniel with an expectant look in her eyes. As their gaze locked he could see her strength wavering – she was fighting to hold onto it, but it seemed to be yet another losing battle.

He broke the heavy silence in the room, clearing his throat and then beginning, "Vala, about Adria, you know there's nothing you could have - " at his words Vala's gaze dropped to her lap. "It wasn't your fault you –" her fingers clutched tighter around the toy in her hands, her hair masking her features from view. But her hunched shoulders said it all – she had already heard these lines from the rest of SG-1. They hadn't helped then and they wouldn't help any more coming from Daniel. Daniel clamped his mouth shut, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly Vala's own voice echoed in his head, something she had said months ago came floating back into the forefront of his mind.

Daniel moved to sit next to her on the bed. She looked away, not wanting him to see her upset, her hair still hiding her from him. "Vala, look at me" She wiped her eyes and raised her head to look at him. He could see the pain she was still feeling over Adria, the pain she had refused to acknowledge in the corridor of the Odyssey, written all over her face.

"You know, someone once said to me, 'There's nothing to be gained by second guessing yourself. You can't remake the past, so look ahead, or risk being left behind.'" He paused for a moment and added "Life is too short." He wasn't sure why he added it but it felt familiar somehow.

As Daniel spoke he could see the flash of recognition in her eyes, and she considered what he said for several long moments – and then she smiled at him through watery eyes, "I agree." The tail end of their exchange left her with an odd sense of déjà vu.

Neither expected it to happen but in the moment it just felt…right. He reached out to brush her hair out of her face and found himself leaning in closer, catching her lips with his. Somehow it felt more familiar than it should have as well. For every ounce of sorrow and pain Daniel felt in Vala's kiss he tried his best to return the same amount of comfort and support. One hand moved into her long hair while the other cupped the back of her neck holding her close as his lips pressed against hers, moving away only once to kiss away the lone tear that had fallen on her cheek. Vala's hands moved upwards as well, one resting on his shoulder while the other moved to cup his face. She drank in everything he had to give. When they leaned back to catch their breath Daniel caught Vala's gaze with his. The emotion Vala saw in Daniel's eyes sent shivers up her spine followed immediately by doubts creeping into her heart. Out of instinct and experience Vala's mind immediately questioned something that felt this good.

"You better not be messing with me," She whispered, her voice quivering as she ventured to stroke a thumb over his lips, touching his face, trying to make it real to her. She had been thrown off balance by his actions, questioning his intentions, but as she caught Daniel's gaze again he didn't even have to speak. His eyes told her everything she needed to know. Vala had stopped playing around a long time ago and as she rested her palm against his cheek, the emotions flitting across Daniel's face told her that he wasn't playing with her now.

Vala initiated the second kiss, but it wasn't forceful or demanding. It was sweet and, while passionate, it was not filled with lust but with promise. Her lips moved over his slowly, caressing, tugging a little but she didn't demand entry. He granted it anyway and they explored each other's mouths slowly, languidly, passion simmering slowly, close to the surface, ready to explode.

At the sound of Sam and Cameron calling out from the entryway, Vala and Daniel broke off the kiss. Dinner. They had both forgotten the rest of the team would be arriving soon. Their foreheads rested together for a moment before Vala looked towards the bedroom door and then rose from the bed. As she put her hand on the doorknob Vala turned back with a soft smile, then walked out of the room to meet the others without another word, Danny still clutched in her hand.

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Dinner was a success – with most of the cooking having been done by one Colonel Cameron Mitchell whose 'lending a hand' quickly turned into a promotion to head chef. And no one was disappointed; the guy really could make a mean pasta sauce. Vala absently wondered what other unexpected domestic skills the colonel had up his sleeve. After dinner the team collapsed in the living room, full to bursting and as the night wore on they dropped off one by one into an exhausted post-repast slumber. Everyone except Teal'c, that is, who remained ever vigilant, watching over his friends as they slept while enjoying Star Wars on Daniel's satellite.

No one stirred until Sam was jolted from her sleep by a sudden outburst of snoring from Cameron whose head had found its way onto her shoulder. She gave him a shove, jostling him awake. The two colonels exchanged a silent look, and after catching Teal'c's eye, the three of them quietly stood to leave, seeing that Vala and Daniel were both sleeping peacefully, curled up together on the couch.

Sam and Cameron left first, but Teal'c paused on the way out, looking back at the couple. Vala was curled up with her head against Daniel's chest, her legs having moved across his lap in her sleep, still holding onto the stuffed giraffe tightly. Daniel's head had fallen forward, his face buried in her hair, one arm falling from the back of the couch to support her back while the other wrapped around in front of her, holding her to his chest. Teal'c observed the ease with which they fit together; falling asleep in each other's arms so naturally, cradling the small toy like the baby they would never know they lost. They couldn't see what lay ahead of each of them, what remained to be discovered in their lives together, but in an odd sort of way Teal'c knew he could. The twists and turns of the journey might be different but the ultimate destination would be the same – and he hoped they would reach it with fewer potholes this time around. He knew that when it came to Daniel and Vala, no matter what their unique paths might be, they would always inevitably cross; all roads led to each other. Teal'c closed the door quietly behind him, allowing a slight smile to grace his normally stoic features.