I know that is impossible to satisfy all of you … which is why I am not going to try. Some may think that the ending comes too soon, too easy, but I think it fits. Let me know what you think.

To say that SG-1 was stunned would be the underestimation of the century. After the screening had ended they all continued to stare.

It was Teal'c who regained his voice first.

"The more I know about her, the more I admire Vala Mal Doran."

"You are right Teal'c. I cannot imagine what kinds of punishment she must have had to endure for freeing Sha're," Sam added in a faint voice.

Mitchell agreed, "She saved Sha're's life," Thinking for a second he turned to Daniel,

"You screwed up royally Jackson."

Daniel couldn't react. He had been such a fool. Vala had saved Sha're from Ba'al and she had made sure that she arrived on Abydos; giving him the chance to say goodbye to his wife. Because of her he had been able to spend precious last moments with Sha're. He closed his eyes in agony as he remembered the way he had treated her. How ungrateful and cruel he had been. Mitchell was right. He had screwed up royally.
"How can I ever face her again? After what I said, after what I nearly did to her?" Daniel whispered more to himself than to the others.

Sam reached out and touched Daniel's shoulder. Although she hated to see the pain in his eyes, a part of her couldn't help blaming him for Vala's flight. If he had shown more understanding, more compassion towards her this might not have happened. Swallowing her bitter feelings she tried to reassure Daniel.
"We will get her back Daniel. She just needs some time; as do we."

Daniel nodded, not entirely convinced.

During the next few months Vala made a life for herself at the Alpha side. She quickly became friends with Colonel Mathews from Sg-12 who was also permanently stationed there. Colonel Mathews was responsible for the security at the Alpha side and she valued Vala's inside into all their blind spots.

She had not heard from her friends at the SGC during her first weeks, but after that Sam had contacted her and they had met for coffee and girl talk at the Alpha side. In the beginning the meetings had been very awkward, but neither Sam nor Vala wanted to sacrifice their friendship over the Vala's past, so he two women kept meeting at least once a week. Over time, Vala had opened up and disclosed more of her past; Sam had listened and even proposed that she would come to the therapist Vala had been seeing since she was stationed at the Alpha site. Crying Vala had fallen into Sam's embrace; their friendship had become indestructible ever since. Gradually Vala had told her about the more disturbing and painful events in her past. They had also talked about Justin's death and Vala had shared one of her most painful memories with her when she told Sam how Qetesh had given her the choice between killing Justin or to witness how he would be tortured, raped and killed before he would have been revived to start the ordeal anew. It had been Vala's final trial before she became Qetesh's new host. Justin's murder had been Vala's final breaking point. She hadn't cared what happened after that. A few weeks later Vala also told Sam about her daughter. Qetesh had wanted to groom the child as a potential new host once she would have tired of Vala's body; thankfully she had never gotten her chance; the torture Vala had had to endure from Ba'al had terminated her daughter's life. In retrospect Vala had been more than grateful for this small favor.

Although it was still hard for Vala to open up and to tell someone of her past, she felt better after she had shared her experiences with Sam. While she always expected that telling someone would make the happenings more real, she found out that it made them more bearable. The two women emerged from the whole affair stronger and more connected than ever before.

Mitchell and Teal'c had also contacted her, both had assured her of their unchanged affections and trust towards her, and although Vala was tempted to go back to rejoin her team she couldn't. Her relationship with the two men had gradually become better. She had not been able to look into their eyes for a long time after they had witnessed her memories. The first time she had actually seen Teal'c again, the huge warrior had gathered her into his arms; without saying a word he had let her rest in his embrace. Later he had bowed to her bringing tears into her eyes.

Mitchell had come bearing gifts. He had brought a couple of his mother's pies and although Vala loved them and him for trying to cheer her up, she didn't enjoy them as much as she should have. Without letting on that she didn't really enjoy food anymore she had thanked him immensely and had pretended to relish every single spoonful of the sweet and delicious sherry pie they had shared while they had talked about what had happened.

Mitchell had been the one who had suffered most. Since she hadn't been able to direct her flow of memories as efficient as Qetesh, he had born witness to more torture and rapes, as well as murders she had committed while under Qetesh's influence. The knowledge of Ba'al's torture and the price she had had to pay for Sha're's freedom had shocked him to the core; even more so than the sex scene between Vala and Sha're he had observed*. Together they had talked about it as well as they had visited some therapy sessions together. Vala was relieved when Mitchell told her that he was able to sleep through the night again.

Between her therapy sessions, her friends visits, updating the Alpha sites security, and her meditation and sparing sessions Vala was almost too busy to miss Daniel.

She had not heard from him and although Sam and the others tried to reassure her that he wasn't angry at her, Vala wasn't ready to face him yet.

The others had told her that Daniel, too, was seeing a therapist and that Daniel's office floor was overflowing with crumbled letters Daniel was writing to her. According to the rest of SG-1, Daniel was trying to figure out what to say to her. How to approach her. Apparently he felt more than guilty and ashamed of his actions, but wasn't ready to face her yet.

Vala understood how Daniel felt. She had tried to picture herself in his shoes and the picture hadn't been pretty. Vala couldn't imagine what it must have meant to him to see Sha're again. To gain glimpses of the life she had led while being under Goa'uld rule. Of course she had not shown them every single encounter between herself and Sha're. Vala had chosen the memories for very specific reasons. They were enough to show them that she had not tried to harm or kill Sha're without showing them the whole extend of their interactions.

At the moment Vala was sitting in the mess hall, she halfheartedly poked at her apple-pie. Although she loved the Tauri food, during the last few month, it had become nothing more than means to an end. Giving up she pushed the apple-pie away and left the mess hall. She signed out of the compound and walked the few miles to the lake that was near the compound. Sitting on the ground she crossed her legs under her and tried to meditate. After a few minutes she had to smile to herself; Teal'c would be proud of her. Since she had arrived here she meditated every day. Vala was proud to say that she also noted some progress, while it was impossible to ignore the memories that had resurfaced after Qetesh's visit; she was able to view them more objectively. It had taken her a while to realize that although she had not been possesses by Qetesh since the beginning, Qetesh was still responsible for everything that had happened to her. All the people who had died, all the trials she had had to endure Vala had to thank Qetesh for.

Focusing on the horizon again Vala tried to relax again. Her hair, which had grown to her waist in the last months, was loose and a few strands were gently moved across her face by the light breeze. Sighing she tucked the tickling streak behind her ear.

Regaining her focus again she meditated for a few minutes before her concentration broke again.

"Okay, well. Obviously today is not a good day," Talking to herself had become an irritating hobby since she had arrived here, "Vala, Vala you need to work on this. Talking to yourself of all people."

"Some people say that talking to oneself is the first sign of insanity," The soft voice drifted to her and made her shiver. She had not expected him to come here. Not so soon anyway; maybe never.

Without turning around she barely whispered a response.

"Since I am already crazy, I am out of danger, don't you think Daniel?"

Daniel had been watching her for a while now. He had known through Sam that Vala came here every day to meditate, a fact that amused Teal'c to no end. He had watched her as she tried to focus on the horizon, marveling at her beauty. Her long hair tumbled in waves around her bare shoulders. The black tank top hugged her curves and accentuated her femininity.
He took it as a good sign that she had not tried to run away; she was also not screaming at him which was even better.

For the last few months he had been brooding in his office writing letter after letter just to crumble them to pieces again. Not a single one was able to convey his feelings for her. His desperation of having hurt her the way he did. After the letters he tried video messages; deleting one after the other. His therapist had told him repeatedly that he just needed to do it! But Daniel couldn't face Vala out of fear that she might not forgive him. It wasn't until Sam had threatened him with bodily harm that he had finally decided to take the direct approach. Now that he was standing beside her in this peaceful scenery he had no idea what to say. All his carefully planned words and oaths had left his brain.

Sighing, he sat down next to her staring at the horizon.

"This is a nice spot," Mentally banging his head against a tree, he couldn't believe that he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Unsure of his intentions Vala agreed.

"Yes, it is," Her voice was soft and careful. She had no idea what to expect from Daniel. Why was he here?

Without taking his eyes from the horizon Daniel reached out and touched Vala's hand, intertwining their fingers. He relaxed a bit after she locked her fingers with his. The breath he had been holding escaped almost as a sigh. She looked down at their intricate fingers and smiled. His thumb was stroking her hand and she closed her eyes at the sensation.

"To say that I am sorry will never be enough. During the last few months I tried to give us some time to process everything that had happened. I wrote you dozens of letters and I destroyed every single one of them. I recorded video messages and deleted them as well. Everything I came up with seemed inadequate. It still does. The way I behaved….it is inexcusable. I should have trusted you, Vala. You, the woman I came to love and who saved my life countless of times and not some crazy Goa'uld who showed me half-truths and fractions of a past that was never mine to witness."
When she opened her eyes to say something Daniel shook his head.

"Please let me finish," Vala nodded. While Daniel was still focusing on the horizon her entire being was focused on Daniel. How she had missed his lovely face. How she had missed him. Until now she had tried to convince herself that she did not need him. Neither him nor his love, but seeing him now …she knew that she would not be able to find her peace without him.

"I cannot tell you how much what I have seen means to me. It was because of you that I was able to say goodbye to Sha're on Abydos. Without you I would never have seen her again. Thank you. I appreciate all you did for her; more than I could ever tell you. But more than that, I am amazed at you Vala. Your strength, your childlike curiosity about anything life has to offer, your enthusiasm, your whole nature. I have no idea how you managed to stay sane through all you had to endure," Taking a deep breath he plunged ahead.

"I never took your advances towards me seriously. I knew that they were just a defense mechanism and in a way I was right. But I never expected that you might actually love me. I cannot imagine what it might have cost you to open up to someone again. Not after everything Qetesh had done to you. And I want you to know how honored I am. I am honored that it was me you chose. You opened up to me, Vala, and this means more to me than you will ever now." Daniel finally turned towards her and cupped her face with his other hand, smiling as she leaned into his touch. He saw the vulnerability in her beautiful eyes and his heart ached.

"I wanted to tell you before this all started. I should have told you months ago. I love you, Vala. I have loved you for a long time now. You have fought your way through all my defenses. Since you came into my life, there has been laughter and joy. You drive me up the walls and you make me want to strangle you," At that Vala laughed through the tears that had started running down her face.

"You are the only one who manages to pry me away from work. You won't let me forget about life….and for that I will be eternally grateful!" Brushing her tears away with his thumb Daniel slowly leaned closer. His lips brushed hers softly. Slowly he applied more pressure and Vala responded to his sensual kiss. After a while his mouth moved over her face, collecting her tears.

"I know that this will not be easy. And that a simple apology is not enough, but I am willing to try and work for this relationship, Vala. I will work very hard so that I deserve you! Therapy sessions, more space, tell me what you need and it is done. I am not willing to lose you, Vala. I don't care how long it will take until you forgive me, I will be here waiting for you. Please come back to me."

Opening her eyes again Vala focused on the blue depths she had missed during the last few weeks.

"Daniel, I …" Vala stopped she had no idea what she wanted to tell him.

Despite the seriousness of the situation Daniel laughed.

"If I had known that all it would take to shut you up was a declaration of love, I would have done it years ago."

Smiling Vala closed the distance between them and kissed his lips again. The innocent touch soon grew more passionate as she leaned towards Daniel who lost his balance and landed on the grass with Vala on top of him.

"I love you," Vala's declaration stopped his laughter and he just stared at her for a few seconds. Grinning, he cupped her face between his hands and pulled her in for another kiss. One that Vala was glad to return. After a few minutes Daniel flipped them around so that he was on top. His grin was contagious and Vala couldn't help but return it. Gazing down into her lovely eyes Daniel felt his heart ache. He couldn't believe that she returned his love. After all he had done in the last few weeks he was sure that she would never trust him enough again.

Lost in his own thoughts for a while he didn't respond to the slight worry in her eyes and Vala grew anxious.

"Daniel?"

His eyes refocused on hers again and he kissed her gently on the lips.

"Marry me," Vala's eyes widened. Her Daniel wanted to marry her. Her, Vala, the ex-Goa'uld and sex slave; the woman who had stolen not only his ship, but also her way into his life. Gazing into his eyes she realized that he was serious. There was no more doubt or hostility in his eyes. The only thing she saw was love.

Daniel groaned inwardly. He hadn't wanted his proposal to sound so spontaneous, so born in the moment. He had thought about this for a while, he even had bought a ring; he had wanted to take her out to dinner, give her the date she deserved. He had wanted to worship and court her before he asked the question. But it wasn't supposed to happen like this; on the grass of a planet a million light years away from home. He had bought the ring a few weeks ago and he hadn't stopped caring it around since. It was a symbol not only for his love and commitment to Vala, but also of hope. Hope that she might forgive him and give him the thousands chance that he didn't deserve.

He retreated to give her more space and sat back up, lending her a hand. After that he took the black boy from his pocket and snapped it open. Part of him had hoped that the shiny white gold band with the three carat blue princess cut diamond might sway her in case his words would fall on deaf ears.

Without looking at the ring Vala reached out to press her lips against his.

"Oh Daniel. My Daniel. Of course I will marry you."

Soon the ring lay forgotten in his black box as the young lovers lay in the grass, kissing each other and mumbling nonsense between them.

THE END

I hope you liked it… And THANK YOU for all the lovely and thought provoking reviews….

*This will be the focus of my new story….