Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.

The Waiting Game

Jack entered the commissary, spotting his target immediately. Grabbing a tray of food, he joined Vala where she was sat alone, nursing her own meal. They nodded a greeting but neither said a word as they concentrated on their food. After a few minutes, Jack finally broke the silence.

"I hear you're leaving the SGC." he drawled casually.

"Yup." she answered him in the same tone.

"Why?"

"I need to move on."

Cryptic. He could work with cryptic. "Why?" he tried again.

"It's time." she shrugged.

Jack studied her for a few moments. Vala had always been an enigma and that's exactly what he liked most about her. Well, that and watching her confuse and confound a certain archaeologist with her masks. But Jack had long ago learnt to read her. Today she was wearing her 'I'm-a-lone-wolf-and-don't-need-anybody-else' mask. He knew that one all too well, having worn it himself for too many years. She also wore her 'If-you-try-to-talk-me-out-of-this-you-will-pay' mask so Jack decided to take a different tack.

"Okay." He shrugged and continued eating.

"That's it?" Vala asked suspiciously. "No speeches about duty and family?"

"I'm not really the speech-giving type."

It was Vala's turn to study him. Her intense gaze bore into his but he refused to flinch. He just met her scrutiny head-on, not saying another word.

"Thank you." she said after a few moments.

Jack simply shrugged again and they went back to eating. A short time later, Jack broke the silence once more. "They will be back, you know." It was said as a statement, a fact.

"I know." she answered, just as matter-of-fact.

"Then why?" he asked, letting his curiosity seep out through his words for the first time.

"Because I'm tired of always waiting for them to come back."

Jack nodded in understanding and they both fell back to their food, neither saying another word. Nothing more need be said. If Vala needed to leave, then he'd let her go. She'd come back. SG-1 always came back.

The End