Fic - Erasing Uncertainty
Title: Erasing Uncertainty
Summary: He has to learn to erase that line.
Rating: PG-13 (just to be safe)
Spoilers/Warnings: None that I can think of.
A/N: Again, cutting it EXTREMELY close (I should know better than to pick my birthday as post day!), but I've gotten it done! And let me say listening to the right music really gets the brabbits hoppin' when you want schmoopy hurt/comfort fic (and this is VERY schmoopy).
“Daniel?”
He looked up from the book in his lap at the tentative call of his name, eyebrows raised in his usual way.
She was staring at him with sad, tired eyes. “Do you think I could take a bath?”
Closing his book, Daniel straightened in his chair. He frowned at her question, not sure how to respond. His eyes roamed up her body, taking in the pained way she sat huddled against the side of the couch. It was hard to miss the bright pink cast encasing her wrist, or the discomfort that seemed permanently etched onto her bruised face.
Carolyn had told him bathing would be okay when she was giving him instructions for Vala’s care. But, with the wrist and the additional broken ribs, there would be no way for Vala to do it herself. He would have to “assist”, as the good doctor had put it with a suspicious smirk. Daniel wasn’t too sure how he felt about it. Sure, he and Vala had been broaching more intimate territory in recent weeks. But broaching wasn’t doing. They hadn’t crossed that line, Daniel still being a bit too standoffish with her constant unnecessary innuendo.
It was when he found her eyes again that he felt his uncertainty clearing. His thoughts briefly flashed over the instant when, amidst the usual hell they’d found themselves mixed up in offworld, she had looked to him. Beaten and wounded, she still found it in her strength to reach out to him for support with complete and utter confidence in her eyes.
“Yeah, I think we can do that.” He finally answered, setting his book aside. He tried to brush off the warmth in his chest at the way the sadness faded from her gaze at his answer, attributing it to his mind still being caught up on ‘in the moment’ memories.
----
He was blushing. He could feel the heat rising up on his face and knew it had nothing to do with the steam rising up from the filling tub. He licked his lips, trying his hardest to tear his attention away from her bare breasts. Daniel was certain Vala would never let him live this down and he was suddenly regretting acquiescing to her question.
She let out a small sigh and Daniel glanced up fast, wondering instantly what her reaction would be to his blatant gazing. His quickly built up defense died on his tongue when he saw her face. Eyes closed with a pained expression. Despite the temperature of the water, she was trembling.
Daniel felt a pain in his chest. He’d been so worried about his own embarrassment that he wasn’t paying any real attention to the fragile woman sitting before him.
He gently wrapped his hand around her fingers poking out from the ends of her cast, resting on a small towel on the edge of the tub. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at him. It surprised him to see a scared, self-conscious look in her usually confident grey gaze.
“You want me to wash your hair?” Daniel asked softly, smiling. He brought his other hand to brush through her dark tresses.
Vala’s eyes widened. “You would do that?” She whispered. Daniel nodded. Vala worried her bottom lip, nodding slightly in return.
“Okay.” Daniel’s smile widened. He shifted up onto his knees so he could grab the detachable showerhead.
Letting it hang for a moment, he gently eased Vala back in the tub. “Sorry…sorry.” He winced in response to her whimpers of pain.
“Alright, just close your eyes and try to relax.” Vala nodded and Daniel set to work washing her hair. He found his hands had a gentleness he’d never really noticed before as his fingers worked the water into the dark locks. He also noted Vala’s face, the way she appeared to relax some under his touch.
He alternated between watching his hands work and her face as he started to rub the shampoo in. Her face grew calmer with each passing moment that he massaged the soap in. By the time he was rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she was clearly lost in a doze.
“Hey…” Daniel rubbed the back of his finger lightly against her cheek. Vala slowly opened her eyes, blinking at him sleepily. “Just need to wash the rest of you now.”
Uncertainty flitted across her face. “Oh…okay.”
Daniel helped her shift back up, hating how the discomfort immediately returned to her features. He also realized she seemed tenser than before.
He brushed back wet hair behind her shoulder. “Are you okay with me doing this, Vala?” She looked at him nervously. “I won’t do anything you are uncomfortable with.”
She gazed at him for a several long seconds before nodding. “Yeah…I’m okay.”
Daniel could still here the questioning in her voice. “Vala, are you sure?”
“I need to get clean, don’t I?” She made an attempt at one of her endearing smiles, but it didn’t reach its usual potential. Daniel raised his eyebrows in a disbelieving manner.
Vala pulled in a deep breath, though clearly it caused her a lot of pain. “Just do it, Daniel.” She said on the exhale. He brought his finger back up to her cheek.
“I’ll be gentle.” Daniel said softly. “I promise.” He added as he reached for the washcloth hanging over the tub faucet.
“I know.” It was nearly inaudible, but Daniel caught Vala’s trusting reply. A small smile pulled at his lips.
----
“Okay, sit here for a couple minutes while I find you something to wear to sleep.” Daniel eased Vala down onto the edge of his bed, taking a moment to brush her damp hair back from her eyes. She stared at him with half-lidded eyes, the bath having sapped what little energy she had.
Daniel stepped over to his closest, rifling through his button down shirts to find one that would be the most comfortable. He didn’t want to put Vala through anymore agony by trying to force a t-shirt over her head.
Finding one he figured was suitable, he turned back to the bed. Daniel paused for a moment to stare at Vala. Her eyes were closed once again, her head drooping just a hint. She’d spent most of the rest of the bath with the same look, when her face wasn’t pained from his gentle washing. Daniel didn’t have words for how she’d been so completely trusting of him, for the way her blush had matched his as his hands roamed over the more personal areas of her body. He had felt the line blurring in those moments.
Bringing himself back to the present, Daniel made his way back over to his charge. He helped unwrap the towel from around her slender, shivering frame and carefully eased her arms into the shirt he’d chosen. Even with his gentleness, Vala was tense with pain.
Daniel wasn’t sure what exactly came over him as he leaned in, brushing aside the edge of the shirt so he could press feather-light kisses against the bruised skin just below her right breast. He felt her hand come to rest in his hair and he pulled back, making sure to leave one last kiss as he went.
He knew he’d made the right choice when he found her staring down at him, that unabashed trust back on her face now streaked with tears. Daniel pushed himself up, taking her face in his hands so he could place a kiss to her forehead.
“Come on,” He pulled back, still holding to her as he stared into her watery grey eyes. “Let’s get you to bed.”
Daniel quickly busied himself with getting her settled and locking up his place. By the time he was climbing into the bed himself, Vala was back to dozing with some aid from the pain killers he’d given her.
He placed himself next to her, watching as she breathed in and out with mild discomfort. He hated seeing her in pain, even if it was mild in comparison to having watched her get her injuries. Daniel suddenly realized that he wanted to take all of her pain away, wanted to protect her and keep her from having to sleep in any discomfort while at his side again. He wanted to continue to see her gaze at him with trust and…love.
He needed to stop standing off.
Vala made a small sound of pain as she shifted slightly. Daniel leaned down, pressing his lips softly against hers. He felt her kiss back to the best of her ability with the medication coursing through her.
“Go to sleep.” He whispered as he pulled back.
“You’ll be here?” She murmured back, her words slurred.
Daniel smiled. “Absolutely.”
When Vala smiled and let herself drift off into her drug-induced sleep, Daniel turned off the light and settled down next to her. He wrapped her in his arms, careful not to jar her injured body.
He fell asleep placing lazy kisses into her still damp hair, erasing that line he’d spent too much time worrying about.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated.
~Pip
Summary: He has to learn to erase that line.
Rating: PG-13 (just to be safe)
Spoilers/Warnings: None that I can think of.
A/N: Again, cutting it EXTREMELY close (I should know better than to pick my birthday as post day!), but I've gotten it done! And let me say listening to the right music really gets the brabbits hoppin' when you want schmoopy hurt/comfort fic (and this is VERY schmoopy).
“Daniel?”
He looked up from the book in his lap at the tentative call of his name, eyebrows raised in his usual way.
She was staring at him with sad, tired eyes. “Do you think I could take a bath?”
Closing his book, Daniel straightened in his chair. He frowned at her question, not sure how to respond. His eyes roamed up her body, taking in the pained way she sat huddled against the side of the couch. It was hard to miss the bright pink cast encasing her wrist, or the discomfort that seemed permanently etched onto her bruised face.
Carolyn had told him bathing would be okay when she was giving him instructions for Vala’s care. But, with the wrist and the additional broken ribs, there would be no way for Vala to do it herself. He would have to “assist”, as the good doctor had put it with a suspicious smirk. Daniel wasn’t too sure how he felt about it. Sure, he and Vala had been broaching more intimate territory in recent weeks. But broaching wasn’t doing. They hadn’t crossed that line, Daniel still being a bit too standoffish with her constant unnecessary innuendo.
It was when he found her eyes again that he felt his uncertainty clearing. His thoughts briefly flashed over the instant when, amidst the usual hell they’d found themselves mixed up in offworld, she had looked to him. Beaten and wounded, she still found it in her strength to reach out to him for support with complete and utter confidence in her eyes.
“Yeah, I think we can do that.” He finally answered, setting his book aside. He tried to brush off the warmth in his chest at the way the sadness faded from her gaze at his answer, attributing it to his mind still being caught up on ‘in the moment’ memories.
----
He was blushing. He could feel the heat rising up on his face and knew it had nothing to do with the steam rising up from the filling tub. He licked his lips, trying his hardest to tear his attention away from her bare breasts. Daniel was certain Vala would never let him live this down and he was suddenly regretting acquiescing to her question.
She let out a small sigh and Daniel glanced up fast, wondering instantly what her reaction would be to his blatant gazing. His quickly built up defense died on his tongue when he saw her face. Eyes closed with a pained expression. Despite the temperature of the water, she was trembling.
Daniel felt a pain in his chest. He’d been so worried about his own embarrassment that he wasn’t paying any real attention to the fragile woman sitting before him.
He gently wrapped his hand around her fingers poking out from the ends of her cast, resting on a small towel on the edge of the tub. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at him. It surprised him to see a scared, self-conscious look in her usually confident grey gaze.
“You want me to wash your hair?” Daniel asked softly, smiling. He brought his other hand to brush through her dark tresses.
Vala’s eyes widened. “You would do that?” She whispered. Daniel nodded. Vala worried her bottom lip, nodding slightly in return.
“Okay.” Daniel’s smile widened. He shifted up onto his knees so he could grab the detachable showerhead.
Letting it hang for a moment, he gently eased Vala back in the tub. “Sorry…sorry.” He winced in response to her whimpers of pain.
“Alright, just close your eyes and try to relax.” Vala nodded and Daniel set to work washing her hair. He found his hands had a gentleness he’d never really noticed before as his fingers worked the water into the dark locks. He also noted Vala’s face, the way she appeared to relax some under his touch.
He alternated between watching his hands work and her face as he started to rub the shampoo in. Her face grew calmer with each passing moment that he massaged the soap in. By the time he was rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she was clearly lost in a doze.
“Hey…” Daniel rubbed the back of his finger lightly against her cheek. Vala slowly opened her eyes, blinking at him sleepily. “Just need to wash the rest of you now.”
Uncertainty flitted across her face. “Oh…okay.”
Daniel helped her shift back up, hating how the discomfort immediately returned to her features. He also realized she seemed tenser than before.
He brushed back wet hair behind her shoulder. “Are you okay with me doing this, Vala?” She looked at him nervously. “I won’t do anything you are uncomfortable with.”
She gazed at him for a several long seconds before nodding. “Yeah…I’m okay.”
Daniel could still here the questioning in her voice. “Vala, are you sure?”
“I need to get clean, don’t I?” She made an attempt at one of her endearing smiles, but it didn’t reach its usual potential. Daniel raised his eyebrows in a disbelieving manner.
Vala pulled in a deep breath, though clearly it caused her a lot of pain. “Just do it, Daniel.” She said on the exhale. He brought his finger back up to her cheek.
“I’ll be gentle.” Daniel said softly. “I promise.” He added as he reached for the washcloth hanging over the tub faucet.
“I know.” It was nearly inaudible, but Daniel caught Vala’s trusting reply. A small smile pulled at his lips.
----
“Okay, sit here for a couple minutes while I find you something to wear to sleep.” Daniel eased Vala down onto the edge of his bed, taking a moment to brush her damp hair back from her eyes. She stared at him with half-lidded eyes, the bath having sapped what little energy she had.
Daniel stepped over to his closest, rifling through his button down shirts to find one that would be the most comfortable. He didn’t want to put Vala through anymore agony by trying to force a t-shirt over her head.
Finding one he figured was suitable, he turned back to the bed. Daniel paused for a moment to stare at Vala. Her eyes were closed once again, her head drooping just a hint. She’d spent most of the rest of the bath with the same look, when her face wasn’t pained from his gentle washing. Daniel didn’t have words for how she’d been so completely trusting of him, for the way her blush had matched his as his hands roamed over the more personal areas of her body. He had felt the line blurring in those moments.
Bringing himself back to the present, Daniel made his way back over to his charge. He helped unwrap the towel from around her slender, shivering frame and carefully eased her arms into the shirt he’d chosen. Even with his gentleness, Vala was tense with pain.
Daniel wasn’t sure what exactly came over him as he leaned in, brushing aside the edge of the shirt so he could press feather-light kisses against the bruised skin just below her right breast. He felt her hand come to rest in his hair and he pulled back, making sure to leave one last kiss as he went.
He knew he’d made the right choice when he found her staring down at him, that unabashed trust back on her face now streaked with tears. Daniel pushed himself up, taking her face in his hands so he could place a kiss to her forehead.
“Come on,” He pulled back, still holding to her as he stared into her watery grey eyes. “Let’s get you to bed.”
Daniel quickly busied himself with getting her settled and locking up his place. By the time he was climbing into the bed himself, Vala was back to dozing with some aid from the pain killers he’d given her.
He placed himself next to her, watching as she breathed in and out with mild discomfort. He hated seeing her in pain, even if it was mild in comparison to having watched her get her injuries. Daniel suddenly realized that he wanted to take all of her pain away, wanted to protect her and keep her from having to sleep in any discomfort while at his side again. He wanted to continue to see her gaze at him with trust and…love.
He needed to stop standing off.
Vala made a small sound of pain as she shifted slightly. Daniel leaned down, pressing his lips softly against hers. He felt her kiss back to the best of her ability with the medication coursing through her.
“Go to sleep.” He whispered as he pulled back.
“You’ll be here?” She murmured back, her words slurred.
Daniel smiled. “Absolutely.”
When Vala smiled and let herself drift off into her drug-induced sleep, Daniel turned off the light and settled down next to her. He wrapped her in his arms, careful not to jar her injured body.
He fell asleep placing lazy kisses into her still damp hair, erasing that line he’d spent too much time worrying about.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated.
~Pip