o0o
Prologue
She was walking down a long corridor. Concrete walls, pipes overhead, painted lines on the floor.
The SGC.
But she didn't recognise this part of the base. There was a single door at the end.
It was locked.
She turned the key and opened it. Recognition arrived in a rush, as memory provided the necessary clues.
"Because I care about her. A lot more than I'm supposed to."
Her breath caught.
He was sat on the floor. Knees bent, elbows resting on them, fingers tangled together. The way she always dreamt of him. He looked up as she entered, rising to his feet as she walked towards him. Their gazes locked but she didn't stop. Stepping right up to him, she invaded his personal space in a way she could only dream of doing without his consent.
He didn't object.
Her arms raised of their own volition to curl around his neck, pulling his head down. Still there was no protest. Hands cupped her face, their touch gentle yet firm as lips met.
They kissed.
Her eyes opened as the kiss reached it's end, her arms falling away. She stared into brown eyes so familiar to her and he smiled. A sad little expression she'd never seen before. Fingers ran in a soft caress down her cheek.
He stepped back.
At some point, she wasn't sure when or how, they had turned around. He now stood between her and the door. The sad smile crossed his face once more, then he turned away.
She stood and watched.
He strode across the room and out of the door, pulling it shut behind him. Leaving her stood with her back to the wall, incapable of movement. The quiet 'snick' of a key clicking into place, broke through her sudden paralysis.
She dived across the room, hand moving automatically to the door handle. It didn't open. Through the tiny pane of glass in the metal of the door, she saw him walking away. Panic filled her. He'd locked her in! He was leaving her behind! She banged frantically on the door, trying to get his attention.
"Colonel! Colonel!"
'Don't leave me here!'
He turned around, meeting her frantic gaze with a calm expression. 'Why?' Her eyes asked in mute confusion.
He gazed at her steadily through the glass.
"You're the one who wanted to leave it in the room, Sam."
o0o
TBC…
