Hey all! I am so thrilled at the response I've had to this story so far, and cannot wait to continue! This chapter is shorter, but it starts into the exciting parts. Enjoy!
Dreams
Light.
Blinding light.
Shouting.
People running, screaming.
Dead.
All around, they were dead.
What was going on?
She looked up.
More screaming, this time coming from her own mouth. Natalie woke, startled, panting as though she'd been running, and sat up sharply. She looked around, disoriented. A dream. It had been a dream. She closed her eyes and took a few steadying breaths. There was a precise knock on the door and Natalie jumped.
"C-come in," she managed, smoothing a hand over her hair before the door opened. Dr. Jackson entered warily.
"Hey …. Are you okay? I thought I heard someone scream," he inquired, placing a previously unnoticed tray on the table. Natalie managed a smile.
"Just a dream, I'm fine," she said, her voice still edged with sleep. Dr. Jackson raised his eyebrows slightly but didn't press the issue. He gestured to the tray.
"I brought you something to eat," he explained, crossing his arms awkwardly. "I thought you might be hungry," he looked at the tray again and coughed slightly into his hand.
Natalie smiled gratefully, her stomach giving an unceremonious grumble. She stood and walked over to the table, picking up a cold French fry and sticking it in her mouth. She turned to Dr. Jackson.
"Thank you. For everything," she said. Dr. Jackson smiled, a bit more comfortably than before.
"It's no problem, really," he replied with a small shrug. He looked away for a moment, then turned back. "It's hard to lose family," he said cautiously, carefully judging her reaction. Natalie stopped eating, swallowing slowly.
"Yeah, I guess," she murmured, not looking at him. Dr. Jackson looked at his feet. Wrong thing to say.
"I'm sorry," he said simply. Natalie looked up at him, the smile returned.
"It's okay. I'm just …. Not sure how to deal with all of this," she said, gesturing to her surroundings. Dr. Jackson cleared his throat.
"Well, I also came to take you down to the infirmary, if you're ready. Dr. Fraiser wants to give you a simple checkup," he explained. Natalie nodded.
"Yeah, sure, I'm ready," she said, starting for the door. "Dying to get out of this room, actually," she added, eliciting a chuckle from Dr. Jackson.
They walked in silence for a few moments, then Natalie cleared her throat.
"So … I read in your file that your wife was turned into a ... a ... Goa'uld?" she said uncertainly, trying unsuccessfully to mask her curiosity. Dr. Jackson smiled warmly.
"Yeah …. She died. Two years ago, actually," he said, a touch of sadness in his voice. Natalie bit her lip.
"I'm sorry …. If you'd rather not talk about it …." she mumbled, looking at her feet. Dr. Jackson waved his hand dismissively.
"I don't mind. No, I really do like talking about her. She was an amazing woman …." he began, telling Natalie nearly his whole story in the short time it took them to reach the infirmary. Natalie smiled.
"Thank you, Dr. Jackson. It helps me to hear your story," she said gratefully. Dr. Jackson smiled at her and ushered her inside.
Dr. Janet Fraiser greeted them warmly. "Hello! I'm Dr. Fraiser. Right over here," she said, gesturing to a bed. Natalie sat on the edge and waited patiently for Dr. Fraiser to finish her inspection.
A few minutes later, and Dr. Fraiser clapped her hands together. "Okay, we're done! Oh, I would like to check you again probably tomorrow, just to be sure everything is still normal," she said with a smile. Natalie smiled back, noticing the doctor's cryptic words. Were they afraid she was going to become self-destructive?
"Thank you," she said, still smiling. She started out, Dr. Jackson following her, but Dr. Fraiser stopped them.
"Dr. Jackson, I'd like a few words with you, if you don't mind," she requested with another smile at Natalie. Dr. Jackson nodded and Natalie continued on her way. She wondered briefly what they would discuss, but just as quickly dismissed the thought.
Soon after leaving, though, she realized that she didn't know where she was going. She thought she remembered walking this way before …. She turned a corner and was met with a blinding light. She covered her eyes and fell to the floor, almost instantaneously losing consciousness.
