They'd all been sitting at their table watching the duo, when they saw Daniel take off as if Vala had suddenly turned into Sokar leaving her just standing there. Before any of them could blink Vala was after him like a shot. Without a word Jack rose from his seat and went to go see what exactly was happening. He was on the ice before anyone could say a word to him. Following the path Vala had taken in chase of Daniel, Jack had followed her as closely as he could without her noticing him. He muttered a few silent curses as he caught up with where she'd disappeared and was about to say something when he saw Daniel. At first glimpse all he saw was the pair of them sitting together side by side but that was before he understood what exactly what it was he saw. This was the look of a man who was shocked yet weary. Vala seemed to be trying to comfort Daniel without even knowing what was bothering him. Jack was baffled. Daniel had seemed to be loosening up before his very eyes just moments earlier and now that he had removed his hands from his face, he almost looked as if he'd cry at the drop of a hat. He was speaking so softly Jack couldn't hear what he was saying but what or who he saw had obviously shaken him up. Jack turned his head towards the ice, to try to see what would spook his friend this badly. Fortunately it didn't take long before he saw the answer to his question. There she was taking her skates off, an almost duplicate of his friend's late wife. If not for a few features he would've sworn that it was her. Jack cursed softly, beginning to think taking Daniel skating hadn't been such a good idea after all.

He froze when all of a sudden Daniel looked up. Jack was afraid that somehow that he'd been spotted but then realized Daniel was practically staring into space and Jack didn't have the heart to break into their conversation. He knew Daniel all too well, if he even remotely knew that they were being watched, he'd close off and shut down even more especially now that Vala had moved her hand to rest on his. But for now, the shock of what he'd seen or what he'd thought he saw was now fading quickly. The more they talked the more Daniel seemed to be himself again. By this point Daniel was speaking in his normal tone of voice while looking Vala dead in the eyes, which could almost completely be heard by the others. That is until a new song hit the speakers so that Jack could only hear his friend in short bursts. "...her but the past is the past and it can't be changed. There was a time...never get over my wife. I mean...being hurt that way again...I've ...in a long time...to the place where I actually feel...I could get close to somebody again." Whatever he was expecting Daniel say next surprised him more than he'd thought possible. Daniel raised his voice more and with a gentle little smile quirking his lips. "But not in a million years, a million, million years, would I ever possibly consider that person being you. I mean, we are so completely opposite and wrong for each other, it's not even funny!"

Jack's jaw almost literally hit the ice. How could he say something like that and look so innocent while doing it? Jack was still sputtering slightly when Daniel surprised him again. Daniel lay a single finger on Vala's lips as his voice grew softer and gentler as he tried explaining himself to her. Jack stood frozen there wishing all of a sudden for super-hearing. Even Teal'c wouldn't have been able to read Daniel's lips in the dim lighting of this hallway. He didn't have much time to speculate before Daniel shifted his hand slightly and kissed her. At that point Jack could tell that he wasn't needed now, hell he wondered if he'd been needed in the first place and left the two to their own devices. On the way back Jack ordered them all refills on their drinks knowing that they must be curious as to what the hell just happened with Daniel. Once he got back to their table he stayed mysteriously silent with nothing but a good-natured smirk on his face. He had all but ignored the looks of curiosity on his former team-mates faces until their drinks had arrived. and even then he still didn't say anything until about the second or third sip of coffee. Even then he tried to play innocent. "So kids, what's up?" All at once he was so bombarded with questions he couldn't pick out any one persons single question. Jack just grinned, knowing they'd been left in suspense long enough and told them point blank what he'd just seen...

A/N:

This is the last full part of Beautiful Disaster that I had ready to post. You all may have a bit of a wait for Part 8, seeing as the rest of the fic is a bit jumbled up. All I ask is that you all not lose patience with me in waiting for the later parts.