| Like Steve McQueen. |
| by Mo Phillips. |
| Please make sure you have read the disclaimer before reading any further. |
| Part Three: |
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| Part Three "It's impossible to be certain and I'm really just guessing here but it looks awfully like the shock from the device did some major damage." Robin Giggs was sitting next to Janet Fraiser on one side of the briefing room table. The three male members of SG1 sat opposite while General Hammond occupied his usual position at the head of the table. Both doctors wore blue scrubs under their white coats and looked as exhausted as each other. They had spent the last twenty four hours in intensive care with a team of the best medical personnel in the Air Force. "Major Carter flat lined seven times, sir." Janet pushed a fall of chestnut hair out of her eyes, "The last time�" "We actually called time of death," Giggs said softly. |
| "Jesus," Jack breathed. "But?" Daniel demanded. "She came back." Janet was shaking her head, a combination of disbelief and relief alternately draining the color from her cheeks then flushing them scarlet. "How?" asked Hammond. "We can only speculate that it's the goa'uld device in her womb, sir." Giggs supplied, "We think it's designed to protect the child at all costs. In this case that meant saving the mother too." Giggs shrugged. "It's a pretty incredible piece of technology." "But how's Carter?" Jack asked. "She's stable for now, colonel." Janet said softly. O'Neill studied her for a moment then nodded, accepting her reassurance. Giggs was still talking about the device, "The cervix cover has migrated into the womb and, along with the device, appears to have integrated with the fetus. The child's heart and lungs were all but destroyed when Anise's scanner exploded. The newly formed device appears to have taken on the function of those organs." "So, what? Now it's some kind of robot baby?" Jack demanded heatedly. "I don't know, colonel. It may be that the device will be able to repair the damaged organs and will return to its original function. We just don't know." Giggs spread her hands. Janet was slowly rubbing her temples with the fingers of both hands. "You look exhausted, doctor. Go home," Hammond ordered softly. "If it's all the same to you, sir, I'll just take a nap in the on call room." "It's not all the same to me. I'll have an airman waiting topside to drive you home. You're no use to this base or your patient if you're exhausted." "Sir�" Janet started to argue. "Besides, I happen to know that you have a daughter arriving back from a school trip this evening." "Sir." Janet acquiesced. "Does Cassie know what's going on?" Daniel frowned. "No. Actually, would you come home with me Daniel? I could use a little moral support when I tell her." "You gonna tell her it's mine?" asked Jack. "I'd prefer to tell her the truth." Sgsgsgsg Cassandra Fraiser arrived home, toting a massive back pack as well as a roll along suitcase, just as her mother, still in scrubs, climbed out of a humvee with Daniel on her heels. The teenager took one look at her mother's ashen, exhausted face and Daniel's distracted discomfited expression and started to panic. "What is it?" she demanded, dropping her luggage on the porch, "What happened?" Her eyes searched beyond them as the humvee pulled away, "Where's Sam?" "Cass, baby. Come inside." Janet Fraiser fumbled with her key finally handing it off to Daniel when she failed to insert it into the lock. "Mom? What happened? Where's Sam?" "Cassie. Come in the house." Janet stumbled through to the living room, sinking down onto the sofa as if her legs simply refused to hold her up any longer. "Mom?" Cassandra sat down beside her, glancing between Janet's shattered visage and Daniel as he removed his glasses and rubbed at them furiously. "Oh god. It's Sam, isn't it? She� she's�" "Oh, Cass. No. No." Janet wrapped her arms around her daughter, "Sam's alive. She's pretty sick but she's still with us." "What happened?" Cassie asked, still scared. "Mom? What happened?" "Sam was� hurt, Cass. Sometime ago. We just found out about it recently and, well, things have gotten a little more complicated." Daniel supplied when it became apparent that Janet was struggling. Cassandra studied Daniel as he sat down in front of them on the coffee table. "Sam's hurt?" "Yeah." Daniel nodded, "But she's okay. For now." "Mom? Would you please explain?" "Sam was attacked, Cass," Janet choked out. "Yeah? So? That's happened before. You fixed her up and she was as good as new." Janet squeezed her daughter a little tighter. "This is a little different." Daniel sighed. "Okay. I need for you both to stop thinking of me as a little kid who needs to be protected and just tell me what happened so I know what I need to do to help Sam." For a long moment Daniel and Janet regarded each other neither wanting to be the one who said the words. Finally Janet swallowed, "Sam was raped, Cass. And now she's pregnant." Cassandra absorbed this slowly, nodding. "Did this happen on or off world?" "Off. It was Apophis." Daniel grimaced. "When is Sam coming home?" "Actually, Cass, Sam's pretty sick right now. There was an accident and she almost died," Daniel said. "What about the baby?" "He almost died too. Apophis left some kind of device inside Sam and it seems to have saved them both." There was a moment's silence. "Then I guess that's the first time any of us have been grateful for goa'uld technology." Cassandra stood up, "When can I go see Sam?" "Tomorrow," said Janet. "Okay." "I need a drink." Janet rose from the couch, smoothing her creased scrub pants with her palms, "Coffee, Daniel?" "Yeah, sure," Daniel watched Cass carefully as her mother left the room. "You okay?" Cass shrugged then nodded, "Did you guys get him yet?" "No. Not yet." "But you will?" "Yes." "Then I'll be okay." Sgsgsgsg "Hey, Sam-I-am." Cassandra Fraiser stood at the side of the intensive care bed. Sam Carter lay prone under the sheets. She was ventilated and hooked up to more machines than Cassandra had ever seen before. Janet started to explain what they all did and why Sam was attached to them but realized that Cass was scared more by the explanations that their existence. Once she was assured that her daughter was holding up, Janet left the room. Karen Ottweiler, Sam's primary care nurse, was standing off to the side. Trying to give the visitor some privacy but kept present by her duty. She started when Cassandra picked up Sam's limp left hand but stilled when she noticed Cass taking care with the IV line. "Sam-I -am." Cass sang quietly, "Hey, Sam. I know you hate it when anyone calls you that." Cass swept her thumb over the back of Sam's hand, holding it now, carefully, in both of her own, "Sam, I'm sorry I haven't been before. I was on that trip to Aspen. Skiing, remember? I didn't know you were sick 'til I got back last night. You were right, I did love it. I have some great photos� which I will show you just as soon as you wake up." Sgsgsgsg "Mom." Cass found her mother in her office. "Hey, sweetie, come on in." Janet smiled warmly lifting both arms in welcome. Cassandra accepted the hug briefly before throwing herself onto the red vinyl couch and sighing heavily. Janet waited for a moment then rose and came around to sit next to her, "You okay?" Cass shrugged. "Y'know, Daniel said something to me the other day and it just may be the smartest thing anyone has ever said to me�" Janet waited until curiosity drove Cass into raising a questioning eyebrow. "He said that it's okay to be upset." Cassandra fought for another moment before turning into her mother's embrace, "I'm so scared, Mom." "Of what, sweetie?" Janet rubbed her back comfortingly. "That Sam won't wake up. She looks so sick." Janet nodded, "I know it looks bad, Cassie, but Sam's a fighter. All those machines are just helping her 'til she gets her strength back. You'll see." "Are you sure?" Janet nodded, "Yes. You'll see, this time next week she will be so driving me crazy to get out of this place." "Are you really sure?" Janet nodded and smiled brightly, "Yes. Listen� Sam's not going to be able to live alone for a while. Would it be okay if she came to stay with us?" Cass grinned, "Are you kidding?!" Janet shrugged, "I was kinda hoping you'd be okay with it. See, it's the only way General Hammond will let Sam off the base. There's only one small problem." Cass frowned, "What?" "The house will be under surveillance. In fact we'll probably have to have at least one SF in the house. Might cramp your style, kiddo." Cass considered for a moment, "If it's the only way Sam gets to come home then I guess I'll survive." "I promise I'll try to keep the security out of your hair, babe." "Its okay, Mom, might be kinda cool actually." Janet slow blinked, "I don't think I want to know why it could be kinda cool." They grinned at each other. Then Janet turned serious, "Also, we'll have to keep a gun in the house. I'll show you where once Major Castleman delivers it but I don't want you touching it. No matter what happens." "You know I won't. Hey, Mom?" "Yeah, sweetie?" Janet returned to her office chair and began hunting for a file in her in tray. "Are you okay?" Janet froze, "Why do you ask?" she asked carefully. "Well� Sam's your best friend. It can't be easy for you dealing with this even if you are a doctor." Janet's eyes filled, "Thanks. I really appreciate that you thought of that, Cassie." Sgsgsgsg Sam been released from the ICU after a week. Now, another week on, she was attending a meeting in the briefing room along with her doctor, SG1 and the man who was going to be responsible for her protection outside the SGC. "So," Major Castleman recapped, "There will be a total of five cameras covering one hundred percent of the perimeter around the house. There are also three cameras inside, trained on the most likely entry or egress points for any intruder." He used the red laser pointer to mark out the camera positions on a blue print of the Fraiser house being projected onto the large screen in the briefing room. "If the perimeter is so tightly covered, major. Why is it necessary for the cameras inside the house?" Sam demanded. She was ensconced in a wheel chair, wrapped almost to the point of being swaddled in a blue waffle blanket. She was wearing blue BDUs but her feet were only socked, not booted, and an IV line still snaked into her left wrist. This meeting had been convened in response to her increasingly frequent and strident demands to be allowed home. Doctor Mackenzie, the SGC's resident psychiatrist, had surprised everyone when he agreed with Sam that the best place for her to recuperate was at home although he did add his voice to persuading her that she was not well enough to take care of herself. When she had protested her independence, O'Neill had threatened to take her to his cabin in Minnesota. This resulted in her readily accepting Janet's offer of hospitality. "The cameras are there because I say so," Colonel O'Neill said firmly. "Only way you're getting out of here, Carter, is if security is tighter than� something really tight." Sam glared at him for a long minute. She was still frail to the point of infirmity but the ugly bruising on her temple had faded to light ochre. "And, it's not just cameras, ma'am. The house is also protected by a network of motion sensors," Castleman added. "Personnel?" Hammond asked. Castleman nodded and continued, "Sergeant Ziplinski is putting together four rotations of two working eight hour shifts. They'll be stationed outside the house. We'll try to be as discreet as possible, ma'am." He nodded to Janet, "Try not to disturb the neighbors too much." "I appreciate that, Tim." Janet smiled at him then turned her attention to Hammond, "When I'm not home a member of my staff, who is aware of the situation, will be assigned to Major Carter's care --" Sam muttered something heatedly that only Janet, seated next to her, heard. "Actually you do, major. And if you keep this up you won't be going anywhere," Janet snapped. Sam looked like she was going to argue but a look at Janet's stiff countenance dissuaded her, "Sorry. I'm just a little stir crazy," she apologized sheepishly. Janet smiled, "Its okay. But I'd rather not have two moody teenagers in the house if I possibly can avoid it, Sam." Sam blushed and dipped her head. The men waited for this exchange to end before Hammond shook his head, "Okay. Major Carter, you're obviously still on medical leave but as soon as Doctor Fraiser thinks you're fit enough we'd appreciate it if you would come back to work. Obviously you won't be able to go off world but there is a whole heck of a lot we could use your help with." Janet closed her eyes and silently counted to ten before saying mildly, "I've had to ban Lieutenant Simmons and Sergeants Siler and Davis from the infirmary, sir." "The place is falling apart without you, Sam." Daniel smiled, "In fact, before you go, if you could�" "Daniel!" Janet gasped. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding." He threw his hands up defensively. Sam was smiling even though she was drooping noticeably. Sgsgsgsg Two weeks later. "This isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be." Sam was supine on Janet Fraiser's couch, her right arm held firmly under Robin Giggs' as the doctor checked her blood pressure. Giggs was sitting on the coffee table. "How so?" "Well� the SF's are keeping out of the way. I only see them if I happen to be up when they change shifts. The cameras aren't so bad either. Although I hate having them in the house. How am I doing?" "Fine. A little elevated but nothing to worry about." Giggs shoved the sphygmomanometer back in her bag and pulled out a hand held sonogram. Carter's eyes gleamed and she reached for it, "Ooh! A new toy!" "It's mine, Carter! Hands off!" Giggs laughed, holding the book sized device out of Sam's reach. "If you lay still like a good girl I might let you play with it before I leave." Sam pouted and laid back. "Although, I should thank you. I've had a request in for one of these for almost two years. General Hammond's favorite astrophysicist gets herself -- oh hell. Sam. I'm so sorry. That was probably the dumbest thing I've ever said." Giggs closed her eyes and hung her head. "It's okay. There had to some silver lining, I guess." Sam tried a smile but didn't quite pull it off, "You get a new toy. I get� Janet Fraiser's home cooking." Giggs looked at Sam from under her bangs. "Which is, actually, pretty good." Giggs narrowed her eyes, "That whole eating for two is a myth, you know." She sighed, "However, you're still way too thin, major." Giggs sobered and narrowed her eyes, "Are you still having trouble keeping food down?" Sam shook her head quickly, "No. I'm just never that hungry. Maybe if I could get out of the house�?" "You are incorrigible." Giggs smiled as she warmed up the transducer for the sonogram by rubbing it in her palm, "Let me see some skin." Sam pulled her tee shirt up and tucked her pants and underwear down to her bikini line quickly then lay with her arms folded above her head. "Okay, let's take a look at junior today. Sorry - I always forget how cold the gel is." Sam mumbled an okay and did not tell Giggs that it was not the gel that had made her flinch. The doctor manipulated the bulbous sensor for a few moments before holding it in one place with one hand while keying the sonogram's keyboard with the other. "You've been practicing," Sam remarked. "On my cat. She's having quads." Sam arched an eyebrow, "Does the Air Force know you're branching out as a veterinarian?" Giggs stuck her tongue out then turned the device so Sam could see the screen. "There you go. One nineteen week old fetus looking to be in the pink." Sam stared at the screen for a long minute, "Are you sure he's okay?" Giggs nodded, "I won't pretend to you that I have any clue how the goa'uld stuff is working but I can tell you that it is. Your baby is developing exactly as he should." "Except for the whole artificial heart and lungs thing." Sam pushed the sonogram back into the obstetrician's hands, her interest in the device forgotten. "Apart from that." Giggs swabbed the gel from Sam's skin and rearranged the major's clothing as it appeared that she had forgotten all about both. "Sam? You okay?" "Yeah� I. Do you know when Janet's coming home?" Sam's eyes were distant. "Actually I'm supposed to meet with her at the hospital in an hour. Is there something you need? I'm sure General Hammond would spare you an airman." "No. It's okay." "Well. I guess I'll see you in three days." "Sure." Sam had closed her eyes and was already turning her face into the back of the couch as Giggs rose. Sgsgsgsg "Nurse Ottweiler?" Giggs found her in the kitchen sitting at the counter and sipping orange juice. "Ma'am?" "Everything's fine with the patient. If you could try to get her to eat something, though, it would be better." Ottweiler shook her head, "I'll try, but all she does is poke whatever I get her around the plate for a while. She'll only really eat if one of SG1 or Doctor Fraiser or Cassandra eats with her." Giggs nodded, "Are SG1� available?" "No ma'am. I believe they� left town yesterday and are not due back for five days." "And Cass is at school?" Karen nodded. Giggs sighed, "Well� fluids at least." "Yes ma'am." Sgsgsgsg "Hey. Rob tells me she's worried you're not eating enough." Janet Fraiser had been sitting on the coffee table waiting for Sam to stir. The major turned onto her back, "What? What time is it?" "A little after two." Janet held Sam's wrist and studied her watch. "Are you done for the day?" "Yep. Are you avoiding talking about why you're not eating?" "Pretty much," Sam admitted, sitting up and trying to disentangle herself from the comforter. "Did Rob say I could go out?" "She said she thought it would be okay so long as you take it easy. I'm thinking the back yard will be far enough for a start." Sam nodded pushing her hands through her hair and sighed, "I so need a hair cut." "It suits you longer," Janet said. Then she jumped up and headed for the kitchen, "Wanna eat on the deck?" she called over her shoulder. Sgsgsgsg Sam had fallen asleep on the lounger about ten minutes after eating half of the Spanish omelet Janet had whipped up. Karen Ottweiler had eaten with them and she and the doctor had conversed in lowered tones for a while before she left, two hours before the end of her shift, at Janet's bidding. It was starting to cool outside, as the sun lowered, when Sam opened her eyes. She was alone on the deck with nothing but the sound of distant traffic and a radio in a neighbor's garden. "Janet!" Sam panicked. The comforter from the couch had been draped over her and now tangled around her long legs as she struggled, disorientated, to free herself. "Hey! Hey� it's okay." Janet was there. Her arms around Sam as the taller woman sobbed and shuddered. "You were gone. I woke up and you were gone." Sam's distress was muffled in Janet's blouse. She had her face pressed into the doctor's stomach. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I just went in to get a sweater and I got distracted by my mail." Janet soothed, stroking Sam's quaking shoulders and petting her hair, "I thought you'd sleep for a while yet." "God," Sam pushed herself out of Janet's embrace and flung herself back on the lounger, one arm over her face, "I am so pathetic. I'm a goddamn major in the United States Air Force and I wake up crying like a baby because� " "Because what?" Janet sat on the edge of the adjacent lounger. "Because I'm pathetic," Sam grimaced and shrugged. "You know, you really ought to cut yourself some slack, major." Janet put an emphasis on the rank. "Janet," Sam sat up and swung her legs, blanket and all, over the edge of the chair, mirroring Janet's pose, "How am I ever going to be fit for duty if I can't stand to be alone? What if I fall asleep in the lab and wake up and panic like I just did because there's no-one with me? I'm�" "You're�?" Janet prompted gently. "I'm thinking I should resign my commission. I'm no good to the Air Force like this." Janet blinked slowly, "How long have you been thinking about this?" Sam shrugged and pushed at her hair again. "Well�" Janet made a noncommittal move with her head, "I guess that'd be the easy way out." Sam narrowed her eyes, "Are you trying to Mackenzie me, doctor?" "I'm trying to make you see sense. Anyway, what makes you think the Air Force is going to let you go?" Janet demanded. "It's still a free country. Last time I checked." Janet snorted, "Yeah, right." She took a deep breath, "Sam� if you quit. If they let you quit� you'll be out on your own. NID will catch on sooner or later that there's more than a straightforward pregnancy going on here. You think they'll give a flying -- you think they'll care that you come out of this intact?" Sam clutched at her head and groaned, "God, I wish I could think straight just for five minutes." Janet grinned and stood up, cupping Sam's cheek with one hand and tilting her head up so she could see her eyes. "It's called hormones. But if any guy says that to you, you have my permission to kick him in the --" "Hormones?" Sam suggested with a twinkle. Janet laughed, "Come on, inside. It's getting cold out here." "Jan?" "Yeah?" Janet asked over her shoulder as Sam followed her. "Thanks." "What for?" "Y'know." "Sure." Sgsgsgsg It was Sunday afternoon. SG1 had descended on the Fraiser household bearing a cooler of beers and soft drinks and several bags of barbeque fixings. Janet was not sure she remembered inviting them but seeing Sam's face light up when her crew barged in on a late breakfast had stilled any qualms she had. Sam was now stretched out on a blanket on the lawn, on her back, with Cassie sitting cross legged at her side. They were engaged in a heated discussion. Passing, to hand out sodas, Janet had heard quarks and muons mooted and had retreated quickly to supervise O'Neill and a bottle of lighter fuel. SG1 had returned, mostly intact, from a mission the previous day. Well, Daniel had his arm in a sling due to a sprained wrist but he had done that tripping over his own feet coming down the ramp. "I don't know what we're going to do with you, Daniel Jackson." Janet rubbed his hair affectionately and squeezed him to her side in a brief hug as she passed the lounger on the way to the barbeque grill with a platter of steaks. "Hey! I stubbed my toe." Jack pouted, "Do I get a hug too?" Janet handed him the plate instead. Returning to the deck, she stopped, standing between Daniel's prone figure and Teal'c, who, she realized, had sidled closer to O'Neill with a fire blanket behind his back, and swept her gaze about the people making her backyard look so damn untidy. She grinned. "Penny for them?" Daniel sat up and tugged on her sleeve. "I just came over all mushy." Janet smiled and sat down in his lap at his bidding. Daniel followed her gaze. Teal'c had retreated, without O'Neill ever noticing him hovering protectively, when the grill had ignited safely. The jaffa replaced the still packaged fire blanket on the retaining wall where Janet had placed it earlier. Jack was humming tunelessly, his tongue clenched between his teeth as he poked at the coals, as if poking them would make them glow more quickly. Sam was now sitting up, also cross legged, and she and Cass were poring over a text book together. "Yeah," Daniel agreed, "All this idyllic family scene needs is�" Dog, Cassandra's dog bounded into the yard and shook himself vigorously, spraying the neighbor's pool water everywhere. "� A dog." Janet sighed. She loosely draped her arms around Daniel's neck as Cass leapt up and ran after the errant animal with her towel. Janet jumped up and gave chase, "Cass! Not that towel! Get his towel from the laundry room!" Daniel looked at his suddenly empty lap and shrugged. "Hey, Carter, how do you want your steak?" O'Neill asked slapping sides of beef onto the smoking grill. "Actually, I'm not that hungry, sir." Sam stood up from the blanket and moved to claim the second lounger. "Yeah," said O'Neill agreeably. "So, how do you want your steak?" "Maybe I'll just have a little salad." Sam persisted. "Yeah." O'Neill nodded, "But how do you want your steak?" Sam sighed, "I'm not allowed it rare." "Okay." O'Neill nodded, "Danny? The usual?" "Sure, Jack," Daniel responded absently. He turned to shade his eyes and study Sam as she tried to make herself comfortable on the wooden lounger. She was wearing khaki cargo pants that looked to be several sizes too big and a pale pink shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her feet were bare. "Hey Sam," Daniel smiled. Sam tilted her head towards him and mirrored his expression, "Hey Daniel. How's the new guy working out?" "He's not the new guy. He's the temporary stand in until you come back guy." Sam smiled, "I hope the colonel isn't being too rough on him." "It's a her actually. Jennifer Hailey." Sam grinned and clapped her hands in delight, "Oh boy!" "That's the least of it." Daniel said dryly, "Half the time I don't think Jack knows whether to kiss her or kill her." "Daniel?" "It's just an expression. I mean every one knows the colonel is in love with you," Daniel teased. "Damn straight." Sam grinned. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, watching Jack as he concentrated on the steaks. Janet came back and sat down between Daniel's legs, leaning back and using him as a human lounger cushion. "Where's Cass?" Sam asked after a few minutes. "She volunteered to prepare the salad." Janet smiled evilly. "She rubbed the dog down with your good towels didn't she?" Daniel nodded. "Yup." Daniel sighed a heartfelt sigh, "Will you be my mom, Janet?" he baby talked. Janet twisted to kiss him warmly on the cheek, "I already thought I was?" Daniel grinned and engulfed the tiny woman in a one armed, bone breaking hug that ended with them laughing together before Daniel rearranged her, reclining back, in his arms. Sam had her eyes closed and a fixed smile on her face. Daniel noticed and nudged Janet bringing the major to her attention. Janet just shrugged and shook her head. Teal'c reappeared bearing a fold out table in one hand and a lawn umbrella in the other. "Oh Teal'c!" Shocked at her self for neglecting her duties as hostess, Janet shot to her feet and tried to take the table from him. Teal'c came over all stubborn and refused to let her help him set the picnic up until Daniel rose and went to join then. "How are you doin', Carter?" Jack, barbeque tools in hand, came to sit on the edge of the vacated lounger. "I'm okay, sir." "We miss you, you know." Sam's eyes flooded at the unexpected sentiment. "Aw hey. I didn't mean to upset you." Jack abandoned the oversized fork and the metal tongs and reached over to squeeze her arm, "I just didn't want you thinking we'd forgotten about you. Out of sight, out of mind and all." "Thanks, sir. I appreciate that. I hear Hailey's making your life hell." Jack rolled his eyes, "She's driving me nuts! She's like you only - itty bitty," He measured an inch between his thumb and forefinger, "And, oy, can she talk!" "I'm glad you like her, sir." "Carter," Jack sighed. "There are two things I want you to understand. Number One: Hailey is only a stand in for you. The way I see it she's hanging out with SG1 so some of our�je ne sais quoi can rub off on her and therefore rub off on the team she really gets assigned to. Two: you're having my kid. You think you could finally drop the sir?" Sam swallowed the snuffles that threatened to overwhelm her, "I can try� Jonathon." "Wise asses," Jack muttered under his breath as he returned to the gently smoking grill, "What'd I ever do to get stuck with all the wise asses?" He winked at Sam as he tossed the steaks. Sgsgsgsg The afternoon wore on in a pleasant manner. Steaks, coleslaw and salad had been enjoyed before Sam insisted that she would do the dishes while Jack damped down the grill. Janet had protested for show before grinning and making herself comfortable with a novel and a bottle of ice water on one of the loungers. Daniel had drifted off soon after finishing his second beer and was snoring softly on the other lounger. Teal'c took care of the trash before joining Cassandra on the blanket on the lawn. She was trying to help him understand the concept of heroic vampires. Upon her earlier recommendation, Teal'c had expanded his television viewing to include her current favorite show and now required an explanation. Jack disappeared after clearing out the ashes but he had left his jacket and his truck keys in the house. He had probably gone to shoot the breeze with Castleman's people. Sam came out of the house rubbing lotion into her hands. She looked down at Daniel's recumbent form for a moment before leaning down to straighten the rug someone had tossed over him. His mouth was open and his glasses were askew. He had about another hour before he woke up and rejoined the living. Sam smiled at him fondly and wondered if he knew how big a part of her life he was. "Hey." Janet's voice, soft and a little hoarse, "You want this seat?" Sam turned and shook her head before sitting down on the long portion of the doctor's recliner. After a minute she moved so that she was sitting between Janet's legs as she had done earlier with Daniel. Sam hesitated before leaning back, "Is this okay? I won't be too heavy?" Janet said nothing. She just put her arm around Sam's shoulders and guided her back to rest against her. She held her novel up so she could still read it. Sam sat stiffly for a moment before Janet's apparent lack of discomfort made her relax, "You're sure I'm not too heavy?" Sam whispered. Janet shook her head and turned a page. Sgsgsgsg When Jack returned, bearing four two pint tubs of ice cream, three people were fast asleep on the deck. Teal'c appeared at his elbow and the two of them studied the sleepers. Then Jack shrugged and made his way into the kitchen to secure the ice cream from melting while Teal'c stooped to remove Daniel's spectacles. He tucked them in the breast pocket of the archaeologist's shirt then moved quickly into the house. He returned a moment later with the comforter from the couch which he laid over the sleeping women. "Looks pretty cozy," Jack commented, his voice tight and quiet. Teal'c favored him with a measured glance that made Jack squirm a little. "Yeah, okay. Let it go. Where's Cass?" "She went to select appropriate music for the infant." Jack choked on his beer, "What?" "I recalled watching a section on the Discovery Channel, O'Neill, which asserted that the unborn child can hear and enjoy music." Jack stared at his friend for a long moment then he grinned, "Ya big sap!" Sgsgsgsg The second lounger was empty; the blanket that had been covering Daniel was tidily folded on the seat. Sam blinked slowly, realizing that she was awake. She had turned onto her side in her sleep and someone had covered them with a blue quilt. She inhaled sharply as she realized that her cheek was pillowed on Janet's breast and that her hand, Sam's hand, was cupping the firm globe, her thumb stroking over the nipple. Janet was breathing softly and slowly and Sam relaxed, thinking that the doctor was asleep. If she just moved carefully� "Hey, Sam," Janet's voice was a warm, soft, breeze. Sam froze then cleared her throat. She was transfixed. "Relax, Sam. It's okay." "Jan�" Sam squeaked. "Mm hm?" "Are we on camera?" Janet sat up quickly, "Shit!" The two women were on their feet on opposite sides of the lounger, both scarlet, although for different reasons. Sam for where she had been clutching her friend and Janet for the idea that the indiscretion was on tape. "Shit!" Janet swore again. "Janet, I'm sorry." Sam was on the verge of tears. "Go in the house," Janet ordered, "I'll take care of this." Janet would not look up until Sam nodded and complied. Sgsgsgsg Sam was curled up, pressed into the corner of the couch. Daniel and Teal'c were sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the TV trying to beat Cassandra and Jack's high score on the play station, somewhat hindered by Daniel's sling. Janet came in the front door with Dog on the leash. "There you are!" Jack jumped up from his seat in the bleachers - the coffee table. "Now we can have ice cream!" "Sorry guys. I didn't realize you were waiting for me. Dog needed to be walked." Sam was trying to make eye contact with Janet but the doctor steadfastly ignored her gaze as she moved through to the kitchen to hang up the leash. By the time she had washed up and helped Jack dish out ice cream Sam had disappeared. "I think maybe she felt queasy," Daniel answered Janet's unasked question, pointing with his chin to the stairs. "Cass? Would you look after our guests, hon?" Cassandra nodded distractedly, trying to eat ice cream whilst simultaneously restarting the game. Janet climbed the stairs slowly. Sam was not in the guest room or the bathroom. Passing, Janet checked Cassandra's room to find it vacant too. That left only her bedroom and en-suite. She found Sam sitting on the floor of her bathroom with her back against the tub and her knees drawn up to her chest. "Sam�" "I'm so sorry, Janet." Sam looked devastated. Her face was wet with tears and her eyes were red. Evidently she had been crying since Janet had gone in the kitchen. "You were asleep, Sam. There's nothing to apologize for." Sam went on as if Janet had not spoken, "You're my best friend, Janet. I wouldn't do anything to risk that. I swear." "Sam." Janet sat down beside her and loosened one of her hands from the death grip she had on her knees. Janet threaded her fingers through Sam's them held the grasp in her lap, "I love you, Sam. There's nothing you could do to change that. What happened," Janet grinned impishly, "happened. You were asleep." Sam groaned and hung her head back so it rested on the edge of the tub. "God� I'm so embarrassed." "Did I ever tell you about the time Colonel O'Neill came into the infirmary with the 'flu?" Piqued, Sam shook her head and risked a sideways glance. Janet grinned, "In his delirium he mistook me for � well � some one I wasn't. It took three very large needles in his ass to persuade him to let go of my," Janet looked down at her cleavage, "assets." "He was delirious." "And you were asleep. Why is it you'll cut every one some slack but yourself?" Janet frowned. Sam shrugged, "I don't know. I guess because I always have to be the best." "Have to please daddy, huh?" Janet nodded sagely. "Probably. So� you're not angry with me?" Sam met Janet's eyes for the first time and was relieved to see only warmth and humor there. "No. But next time you wanna cop a feel I'd like to be wined and dined first." Janet climbed to her feet and pulled Sam up after her. She frowned as she realized just how white faced Sam was. "God, Sam? Why'd you let this upset you so much?" "I was scared you'd think I was coming onto you." "Why would I�?" Light dawned, "Sam? Are you trying to tell me you're gay?" Sam shook her head but something in her expression made Janet push it, "Bi?" Sam hung her head. "Oh, sweetheart, there's nothing to be ashamed of." Janet looped her arms around her taller friend's neck and tugged her down until Sam's face was buried in her shoulder. She patted her back as Sam shuddered and began to sob again. "I promise you, Jan, when I sat down it was just about feeling safe. I promise." Janet stroked her back, "I know. I know that." She frowned as she realized just how excruciatingly thin her friend had become, "Sam?" "Yeah?" "Have you been throwing up and not telling me? Or the nurses?" Sam stiffened, transmitting her guilt as clearly as if she had admitted it out loud. "God damn it, Sam Carter!" Janet pushed her upright, gripping her arms tightly, "Are you trying to kill yourself? Or is it that you still want rid of this baby?" Sam shook her head, "No� I� I just didn't want to worry you. That's all." Janet was furious and her anger seemed to fill the small room. Sam sagged away and sank down onto the lid of the toilet, her head hanging down. Realizing the truth in her friend's admission, Janet fought to restrain her temper. After a minute she sighed and petted Sam's head. "Okay. Did you lose lunch?" Sam nodded miserably, "When I came in to take care of the dishes." Janet nodded, "Okay. I want you in bed. I'll send Cass up with some ice cream. Eat it slowly and a little bit at a time." "Ice cream?" "One hundred percent calories, Major Carter, even if you puke it up after ten minutes you'll have gained something from it. Then you're going to sleep until dinner while I get hold of Robin. We need to try something else to help you keep food down." Sam nodded tiredly. "Oh - and Sam?" The major lifted her head, "No more secrets huh?" Sgsgsgsg |
| "Sam okay?" Daniel found Janet in the kitchen after she had sent Cass upstairs with a small bowl of strawberry shortcake ice cream and instructions to make sure Sam ate it slowly. Janet braced her hands on the edge of the sink before turning to him, shaking her head, "No. Daniel. She didn't tell me she's still vomiting everything up. She's so thin� I'm scared for her, Daniel." "Come here." Daniel held out his free hand and Janet let herself be pulled into a hug. "Sam will be okay. You know why?" Janet shook her head. "Because you're taking care of her and because too many people love her for her not to be okay. The baby's fine, right?" "Yes but Daniel� I don't think you understand. It's the nature of pregnancy that the mother's body will give everything to nurture the fetus. The baby is fine but Sam isn't." "Do you want to take her back to the infirmary?" "I doubt she'll go." "You could make it an order." "I could but I'm not going to." "What can I do to help?" "I need to go see Doctor Giggs. Will you stay here 'til I come back???" "Sure. Do you need a ride?" Daniel frowned at her, "I mean� maybe you shouldn't be driving." "I didn't have a drink, Daniel." "That's not what I meant. I meant with you being so upset." Janet sighed and squeezed him, "Sorry. No. I'll be fine." "Should we try to get her to eat while you're gone?" "No. Unless she asks for something. I'm hoping she'll sleep for a couple of hours." Sgsgsgsg Sam was still sleeping when Janet came home with a new prescription. Jack and Teal'c had left a little earlier taking Cass with them to drop her at a friend's house. Daniel had cleaned up and was watching TV. "I forgot Cass needed a ride to Lisa's." Janet laid her head back against the couch. "It's okay. Jack took care of it. What did Robin say?" Janet waved the little white pharmacy bag, "If these don't work over the next couple of days I have to check her into the infirmary." Daniel winced, "I'll keep my fingers crossed. Can I get you anything?" He rose from the arm chair and lifted his empty juice glass. "Yeah, coffee." "Industrial strength or light diesel?" "Industrial." Janet followed him into the kitchen and leaned back against the counter while he fiddled expertly, albeit one handed, with her coffee maker. Daniel became aware that he was the subject of scrutiny and flushed, "What? Do I have a booger or something?" "You're a good friend, Daniel Jackson," Janet said softly, laying a hand on his arm. Daniel shrugged, "I have good role models." He smiled slyly, "Mom." Janet smiled, "Do you miss your parents?" "All the time. I'm not sure I'd be me without the pain of their absence." Daniel shrugged again. Janet narrowed her eyes, "Have you any idea how smart you are?" "If you're trying to get into my pants, Doctor Fraiser, you should know that I don't respond well to flattery. A little abuse now�" "That's way more than I needed to know." Janet punched his good arm playfully, "What about Sam?" "Huh?" Daniel did double blink, "What about Sam?" "Did you ever look at her and wonder if� you know� there might be something�?" Daniel shook his head, reaching two mugs down from the wall cupboard, "When I met Sam the only woman on my mind was my wife. Same as when I met you." Janet nodded. She was chewing on her lower lip. "Also, Jack and Sam� well you know. Jack would've killed me in a heart beat if I had made a move on his girl." "What about after P3R118?" Janet asked. "After they got it out of their systems?" Janet nodded. Daniel shook his head, "Sam's like my sister." "Why didn't it work? Sam and Jack, I mean?" Daniel cut his eyes at Janet, "I don't think it was meant to work. I think if they hadn't been Air Force the first time they met they would've had this mad passionate affair and realized that straight away. But - because they couldn't do that the whole thing built up into this huge forbidden thing." Daniel stopped talking and pursed his lips thoughtfully, "Also, I think Sam let the whole Jack thing build 'cause it gave her a neat excuse for not dating." "Why would she need an excuse for not dating?" Daniel froze and turned to Janet with a panicky expression on his face, "Uh� I kinda shouldn't have said that." "Why?" Janet fixed him with a steely gaze. "Oh shit� Janet� I need to invoke doctor patient confidentiality here." "It's all right, Daniel. I know." The wind went out of the archaeologist's sails with a gust of relief. "How do you know?" Janet asked. "Good old P3R118." Janet frowned. "It must have taken them longer to get the mind stamp to stick on Jack or something," Daniel explained, "Probably something to do with black ops training. Any how, Sam and I were in the power plant for four or five days before Jack showed up." "Kegan," Janet breathed. Daniel nodded, "Yeah, as soon as Jack appeared, though, Sam dropped her. After that Sam only had eyes for him." "What made you think the Kegan thing wasn't part of the mind stamp though? After you got back?" "Sam took me into her confidence. She was pretty worried that I'd blab. Seemed to think because I'm a civilian I wouldn't realize how much aggravation that that little peccadillo could cause her. I was pretty mad at first, until I realized how scared she really was. Janet, I've never seen Sam scared of anything like she was scared of that coming out." "You're a good friend, Daniel. I'm glad Sam's had you to talk to." "What do you mean talk to? She hasn't let me bring it up since." Daniel sighed and rubbed his temples, "Do you want to know what's really ironic?" Janet nodded, intrigued. "Jack knows. And I suspect Teal'c has an idea." Janet was floored, "What? How do you know?" "Jack's only about a tenth as stupid as he makes out - right?" Daniel waited until Janet nodded agreement which she did without hesitation. "So, about five, six months ago, he's drunk. I mean blitzed and he just comes out with it. Turns out he'd figured out why Kegan was so pissed with Therra." "What did you say?" "Nothing. He told me not to say a word to him because as long as he doesn't know he doesn't have to break the rules by not doing anything about it." "What about Teal'c?" "Teal'c knows and sees everything." Daniel said it like he believed it. Sgsgsgsg "Mom� Mom." Janet's room was lit only by the fall of light from the hallway. "Cass?" Janet finally rolled over in response to her daughter's light shaking of her shoulder, "What is it?" "It's Sam. I think she's having a nightmare." Janet nodded and threw back the covers, lifting her legs over the side of the bed. She was wearing a white tee shirt over a pair of blue scrub pants with a hole in the knee. "Okay. I'm coming." Janet levered herself to her feet, "What are you doing up?" "I had to use the bathroom. Sam's door was open." The two Fraiser women stood in the doorway of the guest room. It was illuminated by a low wattage bedside lamp. Sam was on her back, limbs splayed, eyes open and staring glassily at the ceiling. She was breathing in shallow gasps. "Okay, Cass. Would you fetch a damp wash cloth, please?" Cass nodded and left as Janet approached the bed carefully. This was the third time they had found Sam like this - eyes open yet still trapped in the nightmare. The first time had been later in the dream when Sam had started screaming. The second time, three nights ago, Janet had discovered her in this early stage but had been unable to rouse her. The nightmare had progressed and all Janet and Cassie had been able to do for their friend was hold her when she finally surfaced, sobbing. "Mom." Cassandra laid her hand on her mother's shoulder and passed her the requested damp cloth. "You don't have to stay, baby." "I know." Cass sat down at her mother's back and embraced her loosely. Janet folded the pale blue wash cloth into a pad and smoothed it across Sam's forehead. Perspiration shone on the blonde's flushed face and matted her hair to her scalp. She moaned and twisted under the covers, her hands fisting the sheets. Wordless murmurs escaped Sam's lips as she struggled against her dream assailant. "Sam, baby. It's okay� you're okay. You're safe here." Janet soothed, toweling the heat from her friend's face and neck. Sam was wearing a spaghetti strapped cotton camisole that allowed Janet to bathe her upper chest and shoulders as well. Sam was lost in the nightmare, unresponsive to the world outside of the horror movie projecting on the back of her eyelids. Cassandra made a small, sympathetic sound and reached out to lay her hand on Sam's knee, "Sam? Please wake up, Sam." Tears clogged her throat. "Jack� Jack�" The name of her CO rasped from Sam's cracked lips. "He's safe, Sam. Jack's safe," Janet assured her quietly, trying to keep her voice as steady and calm as she could. "Shall I call Jack, Mom? Maybe if he was here she would wake up," Cass suggested. Janet thought for a moment then nodded. Cassandra leapt up and ran from the room. "Sam� sweetie. Come on� come back to us." Janet refolded the cloth and continued her ministrations. She could hear Cass on the 'phone in her room. As the teenager affirmed with the colonel that he was on his way, Sam suddenly shuddered convulsively. Janet caught her shoulders as the taller woman bolted upright, her chest heaving as she choked. She started screaming. Janet did not realize that her own face was wet with tears as she pulled Sam into a tight hug and held on as violent shivers racked the lean frame. Cass was there, too, both Fraiser women hanging onto Sam as if they were afraid she would come apart. Cass knelt behind Sam and held her tight, her cheek pressed against her shivering back. Janet alternated petting Sam's cheek with reassuring her daughter with the same touch. Cassandra met her mother's eyes and saw her own fear reflected there, And then it was over. All the terror finally leached out of Sam as she came awake, surrounded by love. Her scared gasps gave way to heart rending sobs smothered in the warmth of Janet's shoulder. "Sshh," Janet stroked the blonde head, "Its okay, sweetie. You're okay." "Janet�" Sam's voice was raw, her throat roughened, "Oh, God�" "It's okay, sweetie. You're back." "Oh, God�" Sam spasmed as a dark ember of the nightmare seared pain along her nerve endings. Janet tightened her arms around her friend's spare frame. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." "Don't be sorry, Sam." Cass whispered, rubbing her hands up and down Sam's upper arms, trying to warm the goose bumps out of her flesh. Sam Carter was beyond comfort, beyond reason. Sobs racked her body, seizing her muscles and grinding her bones - nerves stretched passed their tolerances. The nightmare had passed but the emotions, the terror and humiliation, still wrapped her in their razor wire. Sgsgsgsg Cassandra hurried downstairs when Jack O'Neill pounded on the front door. He paused long enough to squeeze her shoulder before taking the stairs three at a time. He hesitated in the doorway of the guest room long enough for Cass to catch up, bumping into his back. Sam Carter was at least six inches taller than Janet Fraiser but right now, cradled in her best friend's arms, she looked like a child. She was hiccoughing with every inhalation and had Janet's shirt clutched in both hands, her soaked, swollen face pressed into the doctor's neck. Janet was rocking her gently, murmuring nonsense in her ear. "Doc?" Jack touched her back, "How we doin'?" Janet looked up, "We're okay� we're okay." She pressed her lips to Sam's temple, "We're okay." "What can I do?" Jack asked quietly. "Can you run the shower? Maybe strip the bed?" Janet asked. Jack nodded and left the room. "Mom?" Cass hovered in the doorway. Janet freed a hand and held it out to her. Cass squeezed her fingers, "Is Sam okay now?" "A little while yet, hon." "Shall I make some tea?" "That would be really great." Sgsgsgsg Between them, Jack and Janet helped Sam to the bathroom. She was barely aware of her surroundings but trusted the soft voices and kind hands that guided her. Jack left Janet to strip her and help her into the tub while he went to change the bed. He returned a few minutes later and spoke through the crack in the bathroom door. "Doc, the mattress is soaked. Do you have a spare?" "No. It's okay - I'll put her in my room. Could you get some fresh nightclothes?" "Sure." Janet turned off the water and, wrapping a towel around Sam, helped her out of the tub and directed her to sit on the lid of the toilet. Sam was silent and still, exhaustion dragging at her. Janet didn't try to engage her in conversation. She simply used a hand towel to rub her hair. "Here ya go." Jack's hand snaked through the narrow opening and waited until Janet took the proffered cotton boxers and tee shirt. "Need anything else?" "Would you see if Cassie is okay?" "Sure." Jack's tread sounded, retreating then descending the stairs. "Cass." Sam struggled to keep her eyes open, "God� did I scare her?" "She's okay." Janet rubbed Sam's toweled back briskly. "I'm sorry Janet." Sam's head was practically lolling on her narrow shoulders as she struggled valiantly to stay awake. "Sam," Janet grasped her chin firmly and tipped her head up, "Sweetheart�" Janet's eyes filled and she did the only thing she could. She slid her arms around Sam's shoulders and hugged her tight. Sgsgsgsg "� so I'm standing there with about twenty pounds of elephant snot�" Jack was telling Cassandra a story. He was aware that she was not really listening but he felt the need to try to distract her and, if he was truthful, himself. "Hey." Janet, a light blue robe tied loosely over her sleep wear, came into the kitchen and hitched herself up onto the stool next to Cass at the breakfast bar. Jack was leaning on his elbows and nursing a mug of nearly cold tea. "Sam asleep?" Cass asked, reaching to pour another cup. Janet nodded, "Thanks for your help. Cass. Thanks for coming over, colonel." "Cassandra tells me this is an ongoing thing." Jack swallowed some more tea. Janet nodded, "We can't wake her out of the nightmare. Part of the dream involves you. I think�" "Yeah," Jack nodded. "I figured." "What?" Cass frowned. Jack and Janet exchanged a long look. "I was there, Cass, when� Sam was attacked." Jack swallowed, "I couldn't get to her and she thought Apophis had had me killed." "Oh." There was a long, awkward silence. Sgsgsgsg Sam woke, blinking as the dawn sun blazed through a gap in the curtain and scalded her still raw eyes. There was something wrong with that fact but Sam's head hurt too much for her to give it more than a cursory thought. She was lying face down with her right arm dangling over the edge of the bed. Her feet were cold. The guest room at Janet's house did not get the sun until the afternoon. Sam frowned and lifted her head and realized that she was in Janet's bed. She groaned and pushed her hair out of her face, pressing her fingertips to her throbbing temple then pushed her face back into the pillow hoping to shut out the piercing sunlight. "Do you need anything?" Janet's voice was rough with sleep but her palm on Sam's back was smooth. "Did I wake you?" "No." Janet's hand kept up the steady, methodical stroke up and down the plane of her back. "My head hurts." Sam drew her knees up and tucked her hands under her chin. The mattress dipped a little as Janet raised herself up to reach over and rest the back of her fingers against Sam's cheek. Then she sat up and a moment later a half tumbler of water appeared in Sam's field of vision. Sam raised herself on one elbow and swallowed the fluid obediently, lying back down again as Janet took the empty glass from her. "Think you can sleep for a while longer?" Janet asked softly. Sam nodded then reached behind her back blindly. Finding Janet's right hand she drew it around so she could hold it between her own, under her chin. Janet didn't move for a moment, even as Sam's breathing steadied and slowed, then she levered herself over a little so that she could lie down without extricating her fingers. Sgsgsgsg "You were right, George. Because of Sam's unique physiology nobody has any clue whether the baby will be Harsesis or not." Jacob Carter, despite the recuperative powers bestowed on him by his symbiote, looked tired and drawn. "I've called in every favor owed to Selmak and knocked together more than a few heads but there's nothing out there." Hammond nodded. The two generals were seated in his office with the door closed. Two whisky tumblers stood half drained on the desk and a sandwich platter lay scoured between them. "What about Anise? Jacob grimaced and his head dipped for a second before Selmak responded. "The Tok'ra required that her talents be turned to other projects at this time, General Hammond. Given the results of her last visit we did not think she would be welcome in this facility any time soon." "Selmak� we'd deal with the devil on this one, if we had to." Hammond sighed tiredly. As ranking officer in the mountain Hammond wasn't often allowed the luxury of demonstrating how exhausting his job could sometimes be. Jacob Carter, his equal in rank even if he was now an off world liaison and one of the Tok'ra's most senior and respected members, was one of the few who were allowed to see him with his walls down. The 'gate room had resembled Piccadilly Circus over the last two days with three SG teams returning, unexpectedly, in different states of health. SG8 had required emergency extraction from P2Y 989 due to an allergic reaction to the bites of night crawling insects. SG12's civilian specialist had cracked her head open walking into a low ceiling, whilst SG14 had somehow, some unspecified, mysterious way, pissed off the locals after six weeks of peaceful, productive interaction. They had evacuated in their nightclothes which had been less than dignified but, Hammond suspected he was going to find out, prudent. Colonel James was not about to let his people expose themselves to Jack O'Neill's sense of humor without very good reason. "I assume you were discreet in your enquiries?" Hammond frowned. "Actually," Jacob took another sip of the Johnnie Walker Black, "No. Remember that the goa'uld consider the creation of a Harsesis to be a violation of their most basic law. Apophis is in for world of hurt from the System Lords if Sam's baby turns out to be a Harsesis. The Council figured that it was better if as many of them knew about the possibility as possible. "But why? Surely all that means is that all every snakehead in the galaxy will be watching and waiting for the birth." "Exactly," Jacob grinned. "Of course, if they're all watching there's less chance Apophis will be able to pull off obtaining the child." George rubbed his eyes. He really was tired. "Yup, right about now, Earth is the single most protected planet in the galaxy. Every System Lord out there has ships patrolling the perimeter - all as determined as each other that none of them will get the Harsesis." "Somehow," George shifted uncomfortably, "that doesn't make me feel all that much better." He took another sip from the crystal tumbler he was nursing, "What about the blind woman?" "I found out who she is but that's about all. Her name is Genau. She, and the guys she had with her, the ones who looked like monks, actually do belong to a religious order. They're kinda like the old Knights of St. John - they roam the galaxy offering medical care to people who otherwise wouldn't get any. They call themselves Du'ta." "But they were working for a goa'uld." "Turns out Apophis was holding about a hundred of her people hostage to make sure she cooperated." "Did they survive?" Jacob nodded, "Yeah, Apophis kept his word and released them all." Hammond frowned, "Uh, Jacob? How come she's blind? She used goa'uld technology; doesn't that make her a goa'uld? Shouldn't she be able to restore her own sight?" Jacob held up a finger, "She's not a goa'uld although she does have a symbiote. The Tok'ra aren't the only Joined who revile the System Lords, George. As for why she's blind - I have no idea. Maybe something religious?" Sgsgsgsg When Sam next awoke the sun had moved. The room was warm and glowed softly. She had turned onto her right side in her sleep and when she opened her eyes she found herself the subject of Janet Fraiser's warm regard. "Good morning," the doctor said quietly, making no move to extract her hand from where Sam still clutched it to her breastbone or her knee from where it was trapped between Sam's legs. "How do you feel this morning?" "Okay." Sam blinked sleepily, "My head feels better." "Well. Good." Janet smiled fondly, "If I can get my hand back I'll go see about some breakfast." Sam shook her head, smiling and closing her eyes and feigning sleep. "Sam, honey, as much as I would love to spend the day lying in bed� I have to get Cass up and go to work." Sam pouted, "I don't wanna�." "And you don't have too." Janet sighed, sitting up as Sam released her. She hesitated then turned so she was sitting cross legged at Sam's side. "What?" Sam asked after a moment knowing that if Janet was reluctant to say whatever it was she had on her mind she was not going to like it much. "We talked about you seeing a counselor before." "I said I'd think about it." Sam cut in. "Yes." Janet nodded, "I think you should think about it some more. You need to see some one, Sam. These dreams aren't going away. As your doctor and your friend I think you need to talk to someone." "Can't I talk to you?" Sam's eyes had darkened to midnight. "Of course you can." Janet leaned down and pressed her face to Sam's upper arm, "Of course you can." She straightened, "But I'm not best qualified to help you with this, Sam." Sam rolled onto her back with her forearm over her eyes. Her mouth was drawn into a stubborn line, "I don't think I can." "I know you can. There's someone I know," Sam looked at Janet dubiously, "Someone I trust. She has the clearance and the experience to help." Sam bit her lower lip. "You can't go on like this, Sam." Janet lifted the major's larger hand into her lap and studied the long, nimble fingers for a moment, "I'd like to ask her to come see you today." Sam caught her breath and stared at Janet for a long moment. Then she nodded abruptly and rolled away, curling up and pulling the blankets up to her ears. Sgsgsgsg "Did I not, specifically, specifically! Tell you not to touch anything!" O'Neill was pounding his forehead slowly and methodically against the temple wall. It was a very nice temple. Minoan, if he recalled Daniel's excited earlier monologue correctly. Airy, well lit and nicely decorated. "I didn't think it was anything!" Jennifer Hailey retorted hotly. The paint was well preserved on the wall murals and the floor looked as if it had been swept recently so housekeeping were doing their job. "Anything means everything!" Jack threw up his hands, "Daniel!" "Yes, Jack," The archaeologist responded indulgently. "Get the damn door open!" "Yes, Jack." Daniel nodded, his fingers lightly tracing the carvings on the inside of the door that had swung closed behind them, trapping them. Housekeeping� "Before the guards arrive?" "Doing my best, Jack." Sgsgsgsg Two hours later. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to get us stuck in here." Hailey's temper had cooled and now she was grumbling to herself because she felt stupid. Touching the cartouche on the stone collar of the bull statue just inside the door had been impulsive and broke every one of Jack O'Neill's "look but don't touch" rules. Daniel Jackson spared her a sympathetic glance from where he was sitting cross legged on the floor at her side, "Don't let Jack bother you, Jen. If I had ten bucks for every time I'd touched something I shouldn't have I'd be sitting on Waikiki beach right about now." Jennifer laughed shortly. "And if isn't me touching stuff I'm not supposed to touch its Sam. Any way� it gives him something to do; stomping around pretending to be pissed off at us." "He misses Major Carter doesn't he?" "We all do." Daniel watched the thoughts playing across Hailey's expressive face. She'd make a lousy poker player, he thought, "You do know that they're just friends, right?" Hailey glanced down at him in astonishment, "She's having his --" "No, no, no, no, no." Daniel jumped to his feet, shaking his head, "No. No. Look�" he glanced around and found them alone in the atrium. "You need to know the truth. Being out here with us puts you at risk too. You have a right to know." Daniel tugged the tiny woman over to sit beside him on a convenient stone bench; "Jack isn't the father�" he began. Sgsgsgsg "Samantha Carter!" Janet Fraiser had arrived home after her shift to find her garage door open and her friend half way up a step ladder wielding a ratchet gun. Carter was all blue and yellow. A pair of faded jeans hung from her hips held up by the broad belt of a battered leather tool belt. She was wearing a man's oversize, pale lemon shirt and white tennis shoes on bare feet. Janet moved quickly to grab hold of the aluminum steps as Sam started and twisted in surprise. "You're home!" "I live here! What the hell are you doing?" "Fixing the door opener. I'm nearly done." "You shouldn't be climbing ladders, Sam. Where's Jake?" Sam grinned at her from under her arm, "I think he's on the deck. I didn't puke all day." "Well," Janet nodded and smiled, "That's good. You still shouldn't be up a ladder." "Oh relax, Jan. I'm only about two feet off the ground," Sam mumbled absently as she dropped the gun into its holster then pounded something with a hammer. Janet winced then frowned, "Whose jeans are these?" The soft, faded, denim gaped revealing the soft swell of Sam's alabaster belly. "They're too big." "Uh, Jack's, I think." Sam responded, glancing down, "Or Daniel's. Is there green paint on the ass?" Janet checked and nodded. "Then they're Jack's. Mine won't close any more," she answered matter- of -factly. Janet grinned, "Then maybe it's time we went shopping!" Sam groaned, "I'm not wearing maternity clothes, Jan. All those ruffles and bows! I'm not doing it!" She assaulted something attached to the garage ceiling with the hammer, "The guys have enough old stuff I can borrow. Teal'c has given me free rein of his wardrobe for when I get bigger and, if I need to, I'm sure General Hammond would lend me�" Janet was laughing. "What?" Sam finished her overhead ministrations and descended the ladder. "You cannot spend the duration of this pregnancy in the guy's cast offs." "They're not cast offs" Sam scowled, "Jack wants these jeans back. They're his favorite star gazing pants." "Then you're honored. But you still --" "Jan�" Sam was suddenly serious, undoing the tool belt and dumping it on the counter at the back of the garage. "I can't�" "Can't what?" Janet followed closely as Sam hurried through to the utility room. "I can't pretend� I can't behave like I'm happy to be�" She made an expansive gesture around her middle. "If I just have stuff I've borrowed from the guys then once this is all over and I give it back then there'll be nothing to remind me." Sam leaned her hip against the silent dryer and had wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't think. I'm sorry." Janet placed a slim hand on her friend's arm. Sam nodded, her chin turned into her shoulder, her lower lip trapped between her teeth. "Gunny was here." Sam changed the subject, "We talked about gardening." "Gardening?" Janet asked cautiously. Gunny Liefursd�ttir was the Rape Counselor she had asked to visit. "She grows dwarf orchids." "Do you like her?" "She has a Harley." Sam's eyes lit up. "That'll be a yes then." Janet grinned and tugged Sam into the kitchen. Sgsgsgsg The guards had arrived, except, they hadn't been guards but cleaners. SG1 had managed to get them selves locked in a museum in the middle of what turned out to be some kind of theme park. The Stargate was the exciting ancient work of art that formed the center piece of the park. The party from earth had arrived in the off season and it took Daniel a while to convince the janitors that they were not another team of housekeepers. Finally, the aliens (Jack insisted on calling them that despite the fact that, technically, it was himself and his team who were the aliens) had been persuaded to call security. Sgsgsgsg "Oh, no, sir. Not a whole heck of a lot," O'Neill reported via the malp radio link. "They do have a really cool roller coaster though." Hammond smiled as Lieutenant Hailey's comment drifted over the airwaves. "Then maybe you should wrap it up early, Colonel. SG9 can take over opening diplomatic relations." "I agree, sir. But Teal'c really, really wants to go on the carousel, sir." Hammond shook his head, smiling as Teal'c's bass denial could be heard in the background. "Maybe some other time, Jack. Come on home." "See you in ten, sir. SG one niner, out." Sgsgsgsg "She's asleep." Cassandra made it to the front door, alerted by the incoming headlights, before Daniel had chance to knock. "Okay. How are you?" Daniel entered the house, taking in the warm, low level lighting and the smell of something mouth watering in the oven, "You remember Jennifer Hailey?" Cassandra nodded to the small figure behind Daniel, sparing her only a half second of attention, "Hi. I'm fine. I got my green belt today." Sam and Jack had been giving Cass self defense classes since a few weeks after her arrival on Earth. Lately, Sam had been chafing at being reduced to spectator status but Teal'c was standing in for her. The Jaffa had taught Cass some really sneaky moves that had let her throw O'Neill more times than his pride would have stood had it been any one but the kid whose safety meant more to him than his own. "Good for you. Can I take you out for pizza on Saturday to celebrate?" "That'd be cool. Can I bring Lisa?" "Lisa?" Hailey murmured, filing the name away for future reference. Daniel blushed. Lisa, a school friend of Cassandra's, had a major crush on him and he had no idea how to handle it. "I'm kidding, Daniel." Cass grinned, "Besides, she's into girls this week. She thinks Sam is to die for." "Huh?" Daniel followed Cass into the kitchen where Janet was just fetching a pot pie out of the oven, Hailey on his heels. "Y'know? She's being a lesbian this week." "Just this week?" Daniel squeaked. Janet spared him a sympathetic glance but didn't try to rescue him. "Yeah." Cass eyed Daniel speculatively. He was wearing light brown cargo pants and a green Barbour shirt with the top two buttons open. He had had a hair cut in the last few days and was fresh from the shower, "I think you might be Deana's type though." "Cass, honey," Janet removed a veggie mix from the microwave, "If you're going to match make for Daniel could you make it with some one over the age of majority, please?" Daniel was scarlet, shoving his hands deep in his pockets and scuffing the toe of his boots against the counter support. "Okay. I'll see if Sam's up." Cass vanished. "She's only teasing you, Daniel." Janet grinned, her cheeks dimpling as she pulled plates out of the warmer, "I hope you like chicken, Jennifer." "Oh." Daniel sighed, "I was kind of hoping she'd set me up with her phys Ed teacher." "Mr. Hart?" Janet twinkled, "Why Daniel Jackson. You are a dark horse." Daniel rolled his eyes, "Ms. Buchanan, actually. Teal'c says she has thighs that could crack walnuts." "He did not!" "Well no, actually he didn't," Daniel admitted blithely. "That smells fantastic." "Thanks. We were going to eat in front of the TV - is that okay?" Both Daniel and Jennifer nodded as Cassandra came loping back, "Sam's still sleeping, Mom. I didn't think you'd want me to wake her." "That's fine, Cass." Janet covered the fifth plate and the four of them made their way through to the couch. Cass took charge of the remote and found the new episode of "Angel" that she had badgered her mother into eating off their laps to watch. Sgsgsgsg "You cannot be serious." Jack O'Neill was doing his best John McEnroe impression. He'd responded to a page to attend the briefing room only to be met there by Colonel Samuel's smirking visage. "Colonel O'Neill. Let me tell you what a very real pleasure it is for me to be here. I hear congratulations are in order." Hammond was standing at the head of the table, glowering. "I'm sorry, Jack. I had no prior warning of this." "I'm here on behalf of the Trust and Decency Commission, Jack. There are some very real concerns that you and your," Samuels paused and smirked some more, "Second in command have broken some very serious regulations." "Horse shit, Samuels. You're here because your daddy," Jack put the last word in inverted commas, "sees an opportunity to screw with the SGC." "On the contrary, Jack. It's just you he wants to screw. Major Carter will be an added bonus." "Gentlemen," Hammond snapped. O'Neill straightened his posture and broke off glaring at Samuels. "Let's see what we can do to resolve this issue. Shall we?" Sgsgsgsg Go to part four Again with the link at the top of the page � sorry! |