Secrets

by Shroedinger

Rating: PG-13 (Just to be safe. There might be violence or adult situations later, but nothing graphic)

Spoilers: Movie, First Commandment, Divide and Conquer, Seth, Secrets,

The Tok'ra Parts I and II, Seth, The Devil You Know, Jolinar's Memories

Category: Angst, S/J UST/Romance

Pairing: Sam/Jack

Time Frame: 4th Season, post Divide and Conquer

Summary: Sam reveals a secret to her team, while a Goa'uld threatens to overthrow the System Lords.


Authors Note: This is my first fanfic! So feel free to tell me what you like and don't like. I was inspired by an idea in the fanic "It's About Life" by Assilem, and asked her if I could draw from her idea. But read this chapter first before you go read hers, or it will spoil any surprises! Thanks also to my younger sister fallingfromelysium for betaing this for me (even though getting her to do it was like pulling teeth). I've got to warn you that this is barely the beginning. It's going to be a long story, and I hope you will like it! Please review. I have about eleven thousand words typed up so far, but nothing is set in stone until i've posted it (and maybe not even then). Enjoy!

"From the images transmitted by the MALP, these people appear to be descendants from a sub-Saharan tribe of Africa, most likely from what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo as evident from--"

"Ah, Daniel," Jack interrupted, before the archeologist could get too wrapped up in anthropological minutia. "Forgive my bluntness, but can you summarize for us why we should care?" From across the briefing room table Sam hid a smile from her CO. Jack O'Neill had no more patience for Daniel's details than for her 'technobabble.'

"Jack," Daniel continued, with a hint of impatience in his voice. "This is a unique opportunity to see the isolated evolution of an African tribal people transplanted thousands of years ago. Most of sub-Saharan culture has been overrun by European Colonization or civil war."

"While I realize you find all of this...fascinating," Jack paused for dramatic effect, "why must we go? From what I've seen this is a mission for one of the more scientifically minded teams. I haven't seen evidence of any important minerals, let alone something we can fight the Goa'uld with."

Sam could practically see Daniel restrain himself from rolling his eyes at Jack's priorities, as she and Teal'c watched on with amusement (although Teal'c would never show it). "These are the first people of sub-Saharan

Africa we've encountered, out of the hundreds of societies we've visited in the past three years. Why haven't we encountered any before now? What made the Goa'uld--"

Daniel was again interrupted, this time by a bashful Lieutenant Simmons, who received a glare of frustration. "I'm sorry to interrupt sir," he addressed General Hammond. "But I have a phone call from off base for Major Carter. I'm told it's an emergency."

At this, Daniel forgave him as all eyes turned to Sam with concern. An emergency? What kind of emergency would require contacting her on base? And for that matter, who off base even knew how to contact her at work?

"Thank you Lieutenant, she can take it in my office." At this, General Hammond nodded to Major Carter. She stood quickly and entered his office, closing the door behind her. Her teammates watched in contemplative silence as she left, a tense and distracted look on her face, although she met no one's eyes.

Moments after her departure, the Colonel broke the silence. "An emergency? Off base?" He looked to Daniel. "Do you have any idea what this could be about?"

Daniel opened his mouth to say respond, but the General beat him to it. "I'm sure the Major will inform you if she chooses to, Colonel." As Jack met the General's eye he saw that he was clearly not supposed to pursue

this—which only piqued his curiosity. But before he or the General could say anything further, Sam returned looking somewhat paler than usual.

"General, could I speak to you in your office for a moment?"

"Of course." As they left to speak behind a closed door, Sam's three remaining team members exchanged glances, and even Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Keeping his voice low, Daniel asked Jack, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Staring at the door with such intensity Daniel wondered if he was trying to see through it, Jack answered "No. What do you think she couldn't discuss in front of us?"

"Maybe something with her brother or his family? She isn't seeing anyone is she?" Daniel mused, and watched Jack try to hide his reaction to the latter question. Surprise and something that looked vaguely like distress, quickly schooled back into an expression of contemplation.

"I don't believe so..." but there was doubt in his answering voice he couldn't hide even from himself. Wouldn't she have said something if she was? Or maybe she wasn't comfortable telling him. Things hadn't been the same between them since the za'tarc fiasco just a couple of weeks before. And he didn't think they ever would be. Luckily Carter and the General reentered then, before he could travel too far down what was turning out to be a dead end road.

Well, the General re-entered. Carter left the office and walked quickly out of the room. The General cleared his throat to gather their attention, and spoke. "This mission is postponed until further notice. Major Carter is going to be taking at least three days of personal leave. If it turns out she needs more than that, we'll discuss temporary assignments for the three of you. Dismissed."

"Excuse me Sir," the Colonel asked hesitantly. "Should we contact Jacob?"

"Not in this case, son," the General answered with what sounded suspiciously like a hint of regret.

With that the three practically bolted after Carter (well, Teal'c was a bit more reserved). The Colonel caught up with her first, as she was leaving the locker room dressed in civvies and muttering to herself. She saw him coming, and looked as if she was dreading this inevitable confrontation. Walking toward the elevator, and swiping her ID, she sighed and turned to him.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'd rather not get into this right now," she told him before he even had the chance to ask a question. At this point Daniel joined them, and asked, "Sam, what's going on? Is there anything we can do?"

She smiled at his concern, but shook her head as she entered the elevator. They followed. "Don't worry guys, I'm sure everything will be fine. There would be a lot of explaining to do, and I'd rather not get into it."

Daniel was less than satisfied with the answer, as was Jack who had yet to get a word in. Daniel opened his mouth to ask another question, but this time Jack was faster. "Is there anything you can share with us, anything we can do?"

Sam sighed, staring into space as she considered what to say. She owed them her honesty, and should probably have told them all before now. But she hadn't, and now was certainly not the time. She was too preoccupied more than a little stressed, and couldn't find the energy to explain everything. "Not right now, but I promise at some point I will tell you everything. I just can't deal with this right now."

Daniel nodded, saying, "As long as you know that we're here for you if you need anything." Sam smiled, and squeezed his shoulder as she thanked him. The three rode to the surface in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Jack watched Carter carefully, gathering what information he could. She looked impatient to get to the surface, and was biting her lower lip in an unconscious habit he knew signaled anxiety. He had the uneasy feeling that there was something going on with her the General was privy to, but that rest of the team was in the dark about. Something big. It just didn't sit right.

They passed through the final checkpoint, signing out, as Daniel and Jack walked her to her car. Carter of course protested. "You guys can go back to work. Don't worry, I can take care of this."

So as they watched her drive away by herself, Jack left Daniel standing alone and walked to his car. Daniel quickly turned on his heel and followed.

"Jack? What are you doing?" The Colonel had reached the car and was unlocking it and getting in.

"I'm following her. Something isn't adding up here, and I want to know what."

Daniel didn't think this was a good idea, and voiced his opinion (while getting in the passenger seat of course) "This is really none of our business. You know that right?"

"It is our business Daniel," Jack said as they exited the parking lot, and headed to the first checkpoint. "She is our friend and something is obviously going on with her. It is our business to make sure she doesn't need help and is just being too stubborn to ask for it."

"If you say so Jack," Daniel admitted reluctantly. "She is still not going to be happy when she sees us behind her.

Carter didn't notice them behind her because she was far too wrapped up in her own thoughts. The school hadn't given her much information, and she had a thousand questions of her own. What exactly had happened?

Was she going to be okay? How bad were her injuries? She had put on a brave face for the guys so they would leave her to handle this herself, but the truth was she was incredibly worried. Now left alone with her thoughts she imagined the worst, and pressed the gas pedal a little harder. She needed answers.

"Where is she going?" Daniel said out loud, voicing Jack's thoughts as well. They were nowhere near the part of town where she lived, and seemed to be heading into downtown Colorado Springs. Their unease only increased as they watched her, four cars ahead of them, turn into the Emergency Room parking lot at the Memorial Hospital. They followed, but had a difficult time finding a parking spot so weren't able to catch up to her before she entered the hospital. Once parked they jogged after her, trying not to lose sight of her.

Inside the busy ER waiting room, they saw her speaking to someone at the desk, but couldn't make out the words over the distance. The receptionist nodded and responded, before calling over a nurse. The nurse led her over to a curtained off examination area. They had just about caught up with her at this point, but hesitated at barging in on whoever was being treated behind that curtain. What they heard next stopped them both in their tracks. It sounded like a little girl, tearfully exclaiming, "Mommy!"

But that wasn't the surprise. It was the sound of Sam responding, "I'm here sweetheart."