Epilogue. A Different Beginning.

Three days later found Daniel standing in the gate room, event horizon shimmering ahead, waiting for Vala to join him. They were going to go through to Dakara and meet up with the George Hammond, before heading back to Semjata and the orphanage for a couple of weeks. The archaeologist, having remembered at last that he was supposed to be on vacation, had decided that he was actually going to have one. And if heading off with Vala to look after her children was the only way that he could, then that was what he was going to do.

Mitchell had plenty of big ideas for all sorts of adventures and investigations after that – the two new SGC 'consultants' would be assigned with SG-1 whenever possible, although no longer on front line missions into possibly dangerous situations. Well, that was the theory anyway. On paper. If possible.

"Wishful thinking, with you people," Mitchell had grumbled. "Never knew such a bunch of guys who could attract trouble like a magnet!" The Colonel had already gone through the open wormhole to Dakara.

Daniel looked at his watch again and frowned, but as he looked back up Vala came bouncing into the gate room, grinning widely.

There was a long beat.

"Can you not make up your mind?" Daniel said eventually.

Vala practically skipped up the ramp, grinning. She snapped her hair straighteners, which for some reason she held in one hand, at him like a crocodile.

"I fancied a change." Shrugging, she rammed the irons into the top of her rucksack. The orange giraffe's head could be seen sticking out of the top, she patted him before pulling the drawstring around the top of the bag.

Daniel just shook his head. "Are you going to stay like that now?"

Vala hoisted her pack up onto her shoulders. "For a while at least." She tossed her wavy, extremely glossy, chocolate brown hair back over her shoulders and bit her lip. "I might go back to being blonde again one day, who knows? But I thought – back at the SGC, you know, back with you – well, you never actually said if you liked it or not."

"I liked it." Daniel couldn't help his chuckle. "I'd just got used to it. But I like this too." He pulled gently at a long strand of her smooth tresses. "Well, at least it's a reasonable colour. I half expect you to dye it pink sooner or later!"

"Mmm," Vala remarked interestedly, as they both headed towards the event horizon. "I've seen your Tau'ri girls with their pink and blue hair." She ruffled her hands through her own locks, pleased with how they had taken up the darker color. "I quite like it when they just dip the ends of their hair one colour. I might do that. Or perhaps stripes." She paused, clearly enamoured at the thought. "Yes – I like the sound of that. Stripes. What do you think, darling? Pink stripes?"

The archaeologist paused just in front of the wormhole, and pulled her in tight for a kiss which was just this side of decent.

Vala staggered slightly when he let go of her. Her smile was decidedly lopsided.

Daniel just shook his head, resigned. "Vala," he told her, taking her hand in a firm grip, "if it's your hair, on top of your head, then I'll love it!"

Then he flicked the end of her nose, making her blink, before tugging her gently through the event horizon towards all of the new adventures that they would have together. The wormhole shone for a few moments longer, then fizzled out behind them.

THE END.

Little nod to Dahlia's hair colour in there :-)

You made it! This has been a long one to get posted, and I hope that all of you who stayed the course enjoyed my tale. Must admit I felt a little teary doing the final edit.

Fear not - I have a sort-of sequel to this already written in draft form. I don't expect Daniel and Vala will be on vacation for too long. And I have a couple of one-shots to post soon too.

Thank you again, all readers and reviewers. SG-1 forever!