The Games People Play Chapter 27--Knowing Who Your Friends Are
Title: Knowing Who Your Friends Are
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU "Daniel, please," she cut him off again, reaching out to close her fingers around his wrist in silent entreaty. "I've never asked you--well--okay, I ask you for things all the time. But this is different..."
Rating: G
Length: Around 2000 words
Category: Angst
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala
A/N: Part 26 of The Games People Play. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Takes place a couple of weeks before Christmas. Written for fic101.
Knowing Who Your Friends Are
Daniel carefully slid the faded leather volume off of the shelf and turned it over in his hands. He pursed his lips, blowing a gentle stream of air to loosen the thick coat of dust. His head involuntarily jerked back, and he sneezed as a white cloud billowed around him. Sniffling, he opened the cover as the dust settled and ran gentle fingertips over the cracked interior, then peered at the faint inscription on the thin yellow title page. It was handwritten, in a neat, precise script, and the ink had gone brown with age. Squinting, he thought he could make out the beginning…
"There you are!" Vala bounced up beside him, laden with an armload of paperbacks.
"Here I am," he agreed.
"Honestly, Daniel. You have an entire library at your fingertips and you find the darkest, dustiest, most moldy little corner and hole yourself up with--what are you reading, anyway?" she asked, ducking her head and turning to peer at the cover. "Daniel. That book has no title. You don't even know what it is, do you?"
"Yeah…yeah…" he murmured absently.
Vala gave a huff and shook her head. "All right. I'm going to look over there. Try not to get lost, darling."
"Mmm…" he responded automatically.
Vala wandered back up the aisle and turned the corner, running a finger lightly over the spines of some heavy looking old history books as she walked. Most of what was in this row appeared to be about the American Civil War, and she paused, pushing out her bottom lip thoughtfully. She and Sam had watched part of a very interesting movie a set in this time period, and she wondered if she might find out more about the lead character, a charming scoundrel by the name of Rhett Butler.
A young librarian appeared at the other end of the aisle and threaded her way through pulling a squeaky cart behind her. The two women exchanged nods and Vala went back to perusing the shelves while the librarian began to put returned materials back in their proper places. Vala reached upward, straining for a book over her head, and one of the paperbacks she was holding slid off the stack, narrowly missing her toe.
"Oooh!" she exclaimed softly.
The other woman glanced at her curiously.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"Would you like a basket for those?" the librarian smiled.
"Oh, yes, thank you," she nodded. "I'm Vala."
"Corrine. Nice to meet you," the other woman replied amiably. She gestured for Vala to follow, then led the way back to the entrance, where there were two stacks of plastic baskets. They were similar to the ones that Vala had seen in grocery and convenience stores, but blue and purple where those were usually either red or green.
"I suppose I got a bit carried away," Vala smiled as she dropped her books into one of the empty baskets and picked it up.
"It happens more than you might think," Corrine grinned.
"Actually, it doesn't surprise me. There's so much here, it's a wonder people don't spend entire days browsing. I have no idea how long it would take me to actually find something if I was looking for it," Vala said.
"Well, that's what the catalog system's for," replied Corrine.
"Oh," Vala glanced questioningly over her shoulder. "Those…computer terminals we passed over there?"
"Mmm-hmm. I can show you if you'd like," the librarian offered.
"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your work," Vala said uncertainly.
"This is part of my job," Corrine shrugged.
Vala nodded a thank you and the two women walked companionably over to the row of search terminals, about halfway between the circulation department and the wide, carpeted area where clusters of tables and chairs were arranged for patrons to sit and read. Corrine pulled over a tall wooden stool and slid onto it while Vala stood beside her. She leaned casually on the counter, nodding every so often as Corrine showed her how to access the digital card catalogue and explained the different types of search keywords that he system used, then explained the call numbers that were used to arrange the books.
"Now, while we're here, was there anything you'd like to search for?" she asked.
Vala frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then gave the librarian a speculative look. "I don't suppose that you would have anything here about Air Force regulations…?"
Corrine raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Air Force regulations?"
"Mmm-hmm," nodded Vala. "Research."
"Oh, are you writing a book or something?" Corrine smiled.
"Well, I might--someday," Vala replied.
"What's it about?" the librarian wanted to know.
"Oh--um. Well, there's this Air Force officer named Samatha. She's the protagonist. She's very smart, and beautiful but also sort of inhibited. Completely committed to her career. A war breaks out and she spends a long time on the front lines with…these three men, all of whom love her in their own ways. Daniel sort of sees her as a kindred spirit--a fellow geek, I guess. Murray respects her as a soldier, but also sees her as sort of a younger sister. Then there's Jack."
"He's in love with her?" Corrine asked eagerly.
Vala nodded. "He's the CO."
"What happens?" Corrine wanted to know.
"Well, see, that's where I'm stuck," explained Vala with a frustrated sigh. "I know that eventually Jack gets pulled off the front lines, and I think that should allow Sam to be with him, but I have to make sure."
"Well, let's see what we can find out," Corrine grinned.
***
Daniel shuffled out of the stacks, wandering toward the tables where he and Vala had been sitting earlier. His attention was still on the old book in his hand, but he slowly looked up, glancing from side to side in search of her. When he didn't see her, he peered at his watch and shrugged. He meandered off again, certain that she would find him when she wanted him.
Eventually, he remembered an old Chinese folktale that he'd wanted to reference at work but hadn't been able to find in his collection. He knew it must be there, and he'd planned on finding it Monday afternoon, but he decided that since he was here, he might as well take a look. Still reading, he drifted into the Social Sciences section when he heard a familiar squeal.
Frowning, he trudged a few rows up and peered around a corner to find Vala standing with a blonde librarian, both of them grinning and pointing at something in the book that Vala was holding. He cleared his throat, and she jerked her head up.
"Oh, Daniel, there you are!" she exclaimed, slipping the book into the basket that she was carrying.
"Here I am," he replied.
She turned to look at her companion. "Corrine, this is my boyfriend, Daniel."
The other woman smiled in return, offering her hand. "Corrine LeClerc. Nice to meet you."
"Daniel Jackson," he replied as he stepped up to them. He clasped her hand, then asked, "Are you, um, new here? I know most of the library staff."
"My daughter and I just moved to Colorado Springs last month," Corrine nodded. "This is my second week."
"Well, I hope you enjoy it," he smiled.
"Thanks," she said, then glanced ruefully at her watch. "I hate to say it, Vala, but I'd better get back to work. Think you've got enough?"
Vala nodded and smiled, but Daniel caught the slight hesitation as she said, "I…think so, Corrine, thanks."
"No problem," she said, sidling past them. At the end of the aisle, she turned and looked back. "Oh! Y'know, there's a writer's group that meets here on Thursday nights if you're interested."
"I'll definitely think about it!" Vala smiled again--too eagerly.
Daniel waited until the librarian had disappeared back in the direction of the circulation desk and then tilted his head meaningfully and gave Vala a long look. "Writer's group?"
"Um. Long story…?" she offered, pressing her hand to the back of her neck.
"Yeah," he folded his arms. "I've got time."
He knew before she opened her mouth that he was about to hear one of her famous stories that were so full of tidbits of half-truth and bloated with embellishments that it could make a novel in its own right. His eyes slid closed, and he inhaled deeply, trying to decide whether or not he really wanted to try to figure out the truth this time.
When she didn't say anything, he opened his eyes to find her biting her lip. Her expression was both repentant and determined, and his eyebrows rose. Maybe she wasn't going to lie to him after all.
"I asked her to help me research Air Force regs," she confessed.
"What?" his mouth popped open.
"Told her I was writing a book about an Air Force Colonel in love with her CO," she explained.
Daniel didn't know whether to laugh or yell at her. He ran a hand over his face. "Vala--"
"Look," she interrupted. "From what we were reading, it seems as though the frat regs may not apply to Sam and Jack because he isn't her direct superior anymore. The fact that he's still a part of her chain of command may not mean they can't date. I'm not sure, of course--all this legal mumbo jumbo isn't my thing--but maybe if you--"
"I don't--"
"Daniel, please," she cut him off again, reaching out to close her fingers around his wrist in silent entreaty. "I've never asked you--well--okay, I ask you for things all the time. But this is different. It's just that, being with you these past few months, I've been happy--and I know you have too. Sam and Jack deserve to be happy as well."
"Yes, they do," he said with a smile.
"Look, you've known them longer than I have. If either one of us should be willing to help, shouldn't it--what did you say?" she blinked.
"I said Sam and Jack deserve the chance to be happy too. You're right. That's why I talked to Jack right after we got home from the ski trip," he said.
"Oh."
"He was going to talk to a JAG," Daniel explained.
"Well, you could've said something!" she exclaimed.
"I thought Sam might wanna tell you herself," he said.
"Well, I guess I can forgive you, then," Vala smiled.
"So are you ready to go?" he asked, shaking his head fondly.
"It's up to you. I told you we'd do whatever you wanted," she reminded him.
"Vala, I could stay in a library for a week," he chuckled.
"What is that about how long it would take you to read everything?" she asked teasingly.
"No," he laughed. "Although I did read every book on Egyptian history and mythology that my local library had in a month when I was twelve."
"A month!" she stared at him.
Daniel shrugged. "I didn't have friends to distract me then. Books were my friends."
The hand on his wrist slipped up to his cheek and Vala smiled softly. "Well, darling, I'm glad you know who your friends are now."
"So am I," Daniel agreed.
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU "Daniel, please," she cut him off again, reaching out to close her fingers around his wrist in silent entreaty. "I've never asked you--well--okay, I ask you for things all the time. But this is different..."
Rating: G
Length: Around 2000 words
Category: Angst
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala
A/N: Part 26 of The Games People Play. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Takes place a couple of weeks before Christmas. Written for fic101.
Knowing Who Your Friends Are
Daniel carefully slid the faded leather volume off of the shelf and turned it over in his hands. He pursed his lips, blowing a gentle stream of air to loosen the thick coat of dust. His head involuntarily jerked back, and he sneezed as a white cloud billowed around him. Sniffling, he opened the cover as the dust settled and ran gentle fingertips over the cracked interior, then peered at the faint inscription on the thin yellow title page. It was handwritten, in a neat, precise script, and the ink had gone brown with age. Squinting, he thought he could make out the beginning…
"There you are!" Vala bounced up beside him, laden with an armload of paperbacks.
"Here I am," he agreed.
"Honestly, Daniel. You have an entire library at your fingertips and you find the darkest, dustiest, most moldy little corner and hole yourself up with--what are you reading, anyway?" she asked, ducking her head and turning to peer at the cover. "Daniel. That book has no title. You don't even know what it is, do you?"
"Yeah…yeah…" he murmured absently.
Vala gave a huff and shook her head. "All right. I'm going to look over there. Try not to get lost, darling."
"Mmm…" he responded automatically.
Vala wandered back up the aisle and turned the corner, running a finger lightly over the spines of some heavy looking old history books as she walked. Most of what was in this row appeared to be about the American Civil War, and she paused, pushing out her bottom lip thoughtfully. She and Sam had watched part of a very interesting movie a set in this time period, and she wondered if she might find out more about the lead character, a charming scoundrel by the name of Rhett Butler.
A young librarian appeared at the other end of the aisle and threaded her way through pulling a squeaky cart behind her. The two women exchanged nods and Vala went back to perusing the shelves while the librarian began to put returned materials back in their proper places. Vala reached upward, straining for a book over her head, and one of the paperbacks she was holding slid off the stack, narrowly missing her toe.
"Oooh!" she exclaimed softly.
The other woman glanced at her curiously.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"Would you like a basket for those?" the librarian smiled.
"Oh, yes, thank you," she nodded. "I'm Vala."
"Corrine. Nice to meet you," the other woman replied amiably. She gestured for Vala to follow, then led the way back to the entrance, where there were two stacks of plastic baskets. They were similar to the ones that Vala had seen in grocery and convenience stores, but blue and purple where those were usually either red or green.
"I suppose I got a bit carried away," Vala smiled as she dropped her books into one of the empty baskets and picked it up.
"It happens more than you might think," Corrine grinned.
"Actually, it doesn't surprise me. There's so much here, it's a wonder people don't spend entire days browsing. I have no idea how long it would take me to actually find something if I was looking for it," Vala said.
"Well, that's what the catalog system's for," replied Corrine.
"Oh," Vala glanced questioningly over her shoulder. "Those…computer terminals we passed over there?"
"Mmm-hmm. I can show you if you'd like," the librarian offered.
"Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your work," Vala said uncertainly.
"This is part of my job," Corrine shrugged.
Vala nodded a thank you and the two women walked companionably over to the row of search terminals, about halfway between the circulation department and the wide, carpeted area where clusters of tables and chairs were arranged for patrons to sit and read. Corrine pulled over a tall wooden stool and slid onto it while Vala stood beside her. She leaned casually on the counter, nodding every so often as Corrine showed her how to access the digital card catalogue and explained the different types of search keywords that he system used, then explained the call numbers that were used to arrange the books.
"Now, while we're here, was there anything you'd like to search for?" she asked.
Vala frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then gave the librarian a speculative look. "I don't suppose that you would have anything here about Air Force regulations…?"
Corrine raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Air Force regulations?"
"Mmm-hmm," nodded Vala. "Research."
"Oh, are you writing a book or something?" Corrine smiled.
"Well, I might--someday," Vala replied.
"What's it about?" the librarian wanted to know.
"Oh--um. Well, there's this Air Force officer named Samatha. She's the protagonist. She's very smart, and beautiful but also sort of inhibited. Completely committed to her career. A war breaks out and she spends a long time on the front lines with…these three men, all of whom love her in their own ways. Daniel sort of sees her as a kindred spirit--a fellow geek, I guess. Murray respects her as a soldier, but also sees her as sort of a younger sister. Then there's Jack."
"He's in love with her?" Corrine asked eagerly.
Vala nodded. "He's the CO."
"What happens?" Corrine wanted to know.
"Well, see, that's where I'm stuck," explained Vala with a frustrated sigh. "I know that eventually Jack gets pulled off the front lines, and I think that should allow Sam to be with him, but I have to make sure."
"Well, let's see what we can find out," Corrine grinned.
***
Daniel shuffled out of the stacks, wandering toward the tables where he and Vala had been sitting earlier. His attention was still on the old book in his hand, but he slowly looked up, glancing from side to side in search of her. When he didn't see her, he peered at his watch and shrugged. He meandered off again, certain that she would find him when she wanted him.
Eventually, he remembered an old Chinese folktale that he'd wanted to reference at work but hadn't been able to find in his collection. He knew it must be there, and he'd planned on finding it Monday afternoon, but he decided that since he was here, he might as well take a look. Still reading, he drifted into the Social Sciences section when he heard a familiar squeal.
Frowning, he trudged a few rows up and peered around a corner to find Vala standing with a blonde librarian, both of them grinning and pointing at something in the book that Vala was holding. He cleared his throat, and she jerked her head up.
"Oh, Daniel, there you are!" she exclaimed, slipping the book into the basket that she was carrying.
"Here I am," he replied.
She turned to look at her companion. "Corrine, this is my boyfriend, Daniel."
The other woman smiled in return, offering her hand. "Corrine LeClerc. Nice to meet you."
"Daniel Jackson," he replied as he stepped up to them. He clasped her hand, then asked, "Are you, um, new here? I know most of the library staff."
"My daughter and I just moved to Colorado Springs last month," Corrine nodded. "This is my second week."
"Well, I hope you enjoy it," he smiled.
"Thanks," she said, then glanced ruefully at her watch. "I hate to say it, Vala, but I'd better get back to work. Think you've got enough?"
Vala nodded and smiled, but Daniel caught the slight hesitation as she said, "I…think so, Corrine, thanks."
"No problem," she said, sidling past them. At the end of the aisle, she turned and looked back. "Oh! Y'know, there's a writer's group that meets here on Thursday nights if you're interested."
"I'll definitely think about it!" Vala smiled again--too eagerly.
Daniel waited until the librarian had disappeared back in the direction of the circulation desk and then tilted his head meaningfully and gave Vala a long look. "Writer's group?"
"Um. Long story…?" she offered, pressing her hand to the back of her neck.
"Yeah," he folded his arms. "I've got time."
He knew before she opened her mouth that he was about to hear one of her famous stories that were so full of tidbits of half-truth and bloated with embellishments that it could make a novel in its own right. His eyes slid closed, and he inhaled deeply, trying to decide whether or not he really wanted to try to figure out the truth this time.
When she didn't say anything, he opened his eyes to find her biting her lip. Her expression was both repentant and determined, and his eyebrows rose. Maybe she wasn't going to lie to him after all.
"I asked her to help me research Air Force regs," she confessed.
"What?" his mouth popped open.
"Told her I was writing a book about an Air Force Colonel in love with her CO," she explained.
Daniel didn't know whether to laugh or yell at her. He ran a hand over his face. "Vala--"
"Look," she interrupted. "From what we were reading, it seems as though the frat regs may not apply to Sam and Jack because he isn't her direct superior anymore. The fact that he's still a part of her chain of command may not mean they can't date. I'm not sure, of course--all this legal mumbo jumbo isn't my thing--but maybe if you--"
"I don't--"
"Daniel, please," she cut him off again, reaching out to close her fingers around his wrist in silent entreaty. "I've never asked you--well--okay, I ask you for things all the time. But this is different. It's just that, being with you these past few months, I've been happy--and I know you have too. Sam and Jack deserve to be happy as well."
"Yes, they do," he said with a smile.
"Look, you've known them longer than I have. If either one of us should be willing to help, shouldn't it--what did you say?" she blinked.
"I said Sam and Jack deserve the chance to be happy too. You're right. That's why I talked to Jack right after we got home from the ski trip," he said.
"Oh."
"He was going to talk to a JAG," Daniel explained.
"Well, you could've said something!" she exclaimed.
"I thought Sam might wanna tell you herself," he said.
"Well, I guess I can forgive you, then," Vala smiled.
"So are you ready to go?" he asked, shaking his head fondly.
"It's up to you. I told you we'd do whatever you wanted," she reminded him.
"Vala, I could stay in a library for a week," he chuckled.
"What is that about how long it would take you to read everything?" she asked teasingly.
"No," he laughed. "Although I did read every book on Egyptian history and mythology that my local library had in a month when I was twelve."
"A month!" she stared at him.
Daniel shrugged. "I didn't have friends to distract me then. Books were my friends."
The hand on his wrist slipped up to his cheek and Vala smiled softly. "Well, darling, I'm glad you know who your friends are now."
"So am I," Daniel agreed.