Authors Note: Oh no. I'm not sure what happened here. I had a bunch of one-shots/short stories in mind… but I see a big fic coming up. I have got some exciting plans for this story!
..
Sam awoke with a whimper. Her dreams were getting worse. They were wreaking havoc on her already fragile emotional state. She hugged the girl sleeping beside her closer, causing a sigh to escape the girl's mouth.
"Did you dream of him again?" Cassie whispered so as not to wake the other people sleeping in their tent.
"Who?" Sam decided playing dumb was the best choice. It was too early in the morning for such serious conversations, if it was morning at all. It was hard to tell as it was still dark outside it could be anywhere from midnight to 0700 hours on this planet.
"Only the man you have been searching high and low for… it's been two weeks since we arrived and it's all you have done Sam." Sam shifted next to the girl releasing her grip slightly and turning to lay on her back. She had her eyes open but she could barely make anything out in the dark of the tent. Cassie snuggled closer her head resting on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Cassie, I know it's not easy on you. I just feel like… I have to keep looking." Cassie was quiet for a moment and at first Sam thought she may have fallen back asleep but eventually she broke the silence with another sigh.
"It's okay, I know you would never admit to loving him-" Sam let out a scoff at this. "-but I know you care for him deeply." Cassie was far too perceptive sometimes.
"I do." Sam answered. Deep down she knew Cassie was right. She had been in love with Colonel Jack O'Neill for a very long time. It was something she had never spoken aloud though, she was unsure she even possessed that kind of courage. Thanks to a certain Za'Tarc machine they had both been forced to admit feelings for each other long ago. Eventually Cassie's breathing evened out and she fell back asleep but Sam lay awake her mind wandering back to the last time she spoke to Jack.
..
"Sir, you need to get to Cheyenne Mountain NOW. General Hammond is about to place us in lockdown. If you don't get here…" She knew she sounded panicked but she couldn't seem to control herself anymore. The military side of her had flown out the window the moment she realised that Colonel O'Neill was not in Cheyenne Mountain as she had assumed. He was in Minnesota at his cabin.
"Carter!" The way he barked her name over the phone line made her pause and suck in a deep breath. "There is no way I'll make it to Cheyenne Mountain before the lockdown. I haven't even been tested, I don't know if I'm infected."
"But Sir, the doctor will test-" he cut her off again with another sharp 'Carter' and again she was struck silent. He continued in a quieter voice.
"Sam, get yourself and Cassie the hell off this planet. I promise I'll do everything in my power to evacuate as well." She wasn't sure if he was just telling her that so she would leave – or if he really would find a way to get off Earth.
No-one could have predicted that Earth would end in such a fashion. There had been many times over the years at the SGC where she wondered whether the Go'uld would take over, or perhaps even replicators… but a human-designed virus? Never had it crossed her mind.
..
She must have fallen asleep again as she woke to a thin stream of light coming through a gap in their tents zip. There were almost one hundred refugees on this planet, Palla the villagers called it. Their original plan had been to head to the Alpha site but it was compromised at the last minute when someone on the staff contracted the virus. Instead; all of those who had made it to Cheyenne Mountain were sent to various planets that had in the past agreed to take on people from Earth in a global emergency.
"Sam, coffee?" Cassie poked her head in the tent and Sam took a quick look around and realized the other two people sharing their tent had already gotten up. She pulled herself up and shuffled to the tent entrance on her knees taking the steaming mug gratefully between both her hands.
"How are you feeling this morning Cass?" She sat back so that Cassie could enter too.
"I'm okay." Cassie answered quietly. There wasn't much privacy when all of the refugees were living in tents jammed into one small field. They had taken to speaking in quiet tones at all times. Everyone seemed to still be rather shell-shocked and there were many still grieving for their loved ones on earth – there wasn't a lot of reason to talk yet anyway.
"Any news?" Sam took a sip of her coffee and smiled. There was nothing like the first coffee of the day. Her smile turned into a frown when memories of Jack waking her when they were off-world with coffee and a 'good morning Captain' or in later years a 'good morning Major' and if she was lucky he might even slip in a 'good morning Sam' every now and again.
"Are you even listening to me?" Cassie poked her in the shoulder with a slight smile on her face.
"Sorry, I must have zoned out." She gave Cassie a sheepish smile.
"General Hammond wants to speak to you when you are ready."
"I'll go now. Maybe he will agree to let me travel through the gate today." Cassie shook her head sadly.
"Sam…" She started speaking then stopped, pressed her lips together and turned away. "Just… don't get your hopes up… okay?" She turned back her eyes glittering with unshed tears.
"Oh Cassie." Sam shoved their sleeping bags that they had zipped together out of her way and put her mug down first before pulling the woman into a tight hug. "We will both be okay." She rested her chin on Cassie's head, keeping her in her arms.
"If you do go…" She felt Cassie's tears wet against her chest. "Please come back." Sam knew this was the real reason for Cassie's tears. In her short life she had lost both her parents and her adopted mother… losing Sam too would be just too much.
"Cassie, I'll do whatever I can to ensure my safety. I will always come back for you." She pulled the girl away and looked her in the eyes. "Okay?"
"Okay," Cassie swiped at her tears and took a deep breath. "Okay," she repeated – thankfully this time her voice a little stronger.
TBC.