Author's Note: Written for the Writer in a Drawer competition on LiveJournal. WARNING: Mention of rape and emergency contraception.

Don't own it!

Gwen held Carys' hand tightly as Owen finished the exam. To his credit, he was professional throughout, only deviating from procedure to offer the girl a dish of liquorice allsorts, trying to make her more comfortable.

As if she could ever be comfortable after this. Virtually being raped by an alien. Her body is safe, but what about her mind?

Owen pulled off his latex gloves. "One more question, Carys,. Are you on birth control?"

Carys turned to Gwen with wide eyes. "Eddie used condoms…I've never…"

"It's all right," Gwen soothed.

Turning to his computer, Owen asked, "When was your last period?"

"Two weeks ago, and I'm always on time," Carys replied. "You mean I could be pregnant?"

Owen studied his monitor. "No, too early. But your hormones are all over the place, so I can't tell whether you've ovulated and could get pregnant. Just to be safe, I'll give you some pills…"

"No!" Carys' voice was shrill. "I won't do that!"

Owen turned back and said levelly, "Carys. If you ovulated, the egg's been exposed to alien gas that nearly killed you. It's not normal and if it's fertilized it could just finish the job the gas started!" His voice softened. "The pills would stop that. No fertilization, no pregnancy."

"Don't you understand?" Carys' grip on Gwen's hand tightened reflexively as the young woman struggled with her emotions. "I work in a fertility clinic! Every day I see couples working so hard to have babies. And you say I have to throw one away!" she finished with a sob. She dropped Gwen's hand. "I need to think," she said. "Please, give me some time?"

Gwen and Owen exchanged a look, then started up the stairs. Carys called out, "Gwen?" When Gwen stopped to look back, Carys said softly, "Thank you for helping me."

Gwen sighed heavily, trudging up the stairs and to her desk. She stared at Carys' school portrait, the smiling image of innocence. She felt a presence behind her, but didn't turn around. "She shouldn't have thanked me. I've ruined her."

"You saved her," Jack said firmly.

"If I hadn't screwed up in the first place, she wouldn't have needed saving," she said, her voice bitter.

Warm hands closed over her shoulders. "We learn more from mistakes than anything else," Jack said. He turned her to face him. "If you hadn't cracked that pod, those soldiers probably would have when they moved it. Remember, we were just going to take readings and leave. Had things gone to plan, it could have been a lot worse."

"How? All those men dead! And Carys…"

Jack brought one hand to the side of her face, looking intently in her eyes. "Beating yourself up won't bring them back. We'll take Carys home. I'll tell her dad what happened, and they'll decide what they'll do next."

"And then what?"

Jack smiled slightly. "And then, Gwen Cooper? Tomorrow is another day, with no mistakes in it yet. That's the best we'll ever get."