No one spoke, the council sat, shocked by the out burst. Semla had
translated but it was Sam's demeanor that had shocked them the most. Nearly
every one of the council had seen Sam wandering around that morning,
curious eyes and bright smiles as she watched the children play. They knew
she was injured, it was obvious, but there was no clue, no sign that her
pain ran so deep.
The council talked quietly amongst themselves before Helta stood and walked to the end of the platform, "These who come to us from across the stars, they seem strange, yet they show great compassion, loyalty, and strength. There ways may be different but their hearts are the same, let us welcome them as our brothers!"
The crowd started making a whooping sound and jumping around.
"Gee, makes me feel all warm and tingly." Jack muttered.
"Jack," Daniel warned.
"Does this mean we are going home?"
"I'm not sure."
Erkin walked up behind Teal'c and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
Teal'c turned and raised his eyebrow when he saw the four foot board in Erkin's hands. Erkin smiled and handed Teal'c one end of the board while he kept hold of the other. He then pointed to Sam, who was a few feet in front of them facing away, made a sitting motion then patted the board. Teal'c looked from Sam to the board then back to Erkin, nodded in agreement and then went to get Sam.
"No, Janet." Sam argued. *I'm telling you both, I'll walk.*
"Sam, you haven't done yourself any favors putting full weight on that ankle, and I know the lidocane has worn off by now. I do not want you walking."
"She will not."
"Teal'c. . ."
"Major Carter, I believe we have an acceptable means of transportation."
Sam looked at the wood suspended between the two men. It was actually a good idea, everything hurt and she really wasn't looking forward to trying to walk back. "Alright."
The men lowered the board and Sam sat on it, wrapping her good arm around Teal'c's neck for support. Slowly they followed Semla, heading back to her hut.
"Doc, be ready to move out in 10."
"No sir."
"No sir?"
"We need to sit down and eat a hot meal and get at least four hours of sleep." Janet held up her hand cutting off Jack's comments. "This is not a suggestion, Colonel. We're all running on empty."
"But Carter. . ."
"Will be fine for a couple more hours. She won't be alright if one of you drop her because you're exhausted."
"But. . ."
"Semla has already secured us a hut with plenty of beds and I've sent Daniel to get the others. No arguments, Colonel."
"Fine, but the same goes for you."
"I agree. I have Teal'c sitting with Sam until we get up."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After some tricky maneuvring Teal'c and Erkin had Sam settled in bed.
"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything but why aren't we leaving?"
"DoctorFraiser has ordered rest and a hot meal before we begin our journey. It is a day's walk to the stargate and there was little rest on the journey here." Teal'c said as he removed Sam's sling so she could rest more comfortably.
"Oh, what about you?"
"I shall remain here." Teal'c sat cross legged on the floor next to the bed. "You too should rest."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Three hours later Janet crept into the hut to find Sam sound asleep with Teal'c meditating on the floor next to her. Quietly she moved closer trying not to disturb either of them.
"DoctorFraiser."
Janet jumped back, visibly startled. "Teal'c. Could you not do that?"
"My apologies."
Janet moved next to Sam's bed and noticed her eyes darting back and forth beneath her eye lids. "I know you're awake. . ."
As soon as the words left her mouth Sam was up and swinging. Janet barely missed being hit but Teal'c, who was in mid-motion of standing, took the punch square in the chest. Janet's eyes went wide as Sam made contact then howled in pain.
"Shit!" Janet ran to her med kit and grabbed a pre-loaded syringe of morphine and rushed back to Sam's side, quickly injecting her.
"No more. Please, no more." Sam murmured over and over as she clutched her arm tightly to her chest.
"Oh, Sam." Janet brushed the bangs back out of Sam's face. "You're safe, no one will hurt you here."
Sam's breathing soon evened out and Janet motioned for Teal'c to follow her outside.
"Teal'c, could you please find Semla and ask her if there is anyone who could watch over Sam for a while? I need to talk to Colonel O'Neill but I don't want to leave Sam alone," she paused, looking up at the large Jaffa. "I know you would. . ."
"But it is most likely my presence that has upset MajorCarter. I understand and I will endeavor to find Semla." Teal'c bowed his head then moved off into the village.
Janet went back into the hut and looked at Sam, finding her face was still twisted in pain. Reaching down to check her pulse, Janet jumped when Sam's hand wrapped around her own. Looking from her trapped hand up to Sam's face she was surprised to see her eyes open and brimming with tears.
"S'ry."
"Sorry? Sam, you don't have anything to be sorry for."
"Hit you." Sam's eyes slid closed as she fought against the drugs. "There was always s'mone there. . .standing over me when I woke up. . .d'nt realize it was you."
"You didn't hit me, you got Teal'c and before you go feeling guilty about that you did more damage to yourself than to him."
"Um, that's why it f'lt like I hit a br'k w'l." Sam's speech turned into a series of mumbles and Janet had to laugh when she made out the phrase 'abs of steel' before Sam succumbed to a drug induced sleep.
"Janet?"
Janet turned to find she was no longer alone. She smiled as she recognized the man standing in the door way. "Erkin."
The man smiled and nodded, he then pointed to his chest then his eyes then to Sam. He paused then pointed to Janet and then at the door.
"Right. You watch Sam, I'll go. Thank you." Janet walked outside to find everyone sitting around a fire. "I thought I told you four hours."
"Check your watch, Doc." Jack smiled. "Got a solid four and a half which is more than you."
"I got more sleep than I did during my residency, Colonel, I'll be fine. Besides I'm not going to be carting around a drugged up Major."
"I thought Sam refused anything stronger then Tylenol."
"She did. But then she woke up confused and punched Teal'c."
"She did?"
"Indeed."
"Not with the broken. . ."
"Oh yea." Janet sat and accepted an MRE from Jack. "gave her the morphine, once she's good and out I'm going to check her arm, make sure she didn't do any more damage. I'll need your help, Colonel."
Jack nodded as he dug into his meal. They ate in silence, taking their time, none of them looking forward to the long walk back. Once everyone was finished and things were cleaned up and put away Jack and Janet headed into Semla's hut to check on Sam. They were shocked to find Erkin laid out unconscious on the floor with no sign of Sam.
"Sam's gone!" Jack called out to the others as he ran out of the hut.
The council talked quietly amongst themselves before Helta stood and walked to the end of the platform, "These who come to us from across the stars, they seem strange, yet they show great compassion, loyalty, and strength. There ways may be different but their hearts are the same, let us welcome them as our brothers!"
The crowd started making a whooping sound and jumping around.
"Gee, makes me feel all warm and tingly." Jack muttered.
"Jack," Daniel warned.
"Does this mean we are going home?"
"I'm not sure."
Erkin walked up behind Teal'c and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
Teal'c turned and raised his eyebrow when he saw the four foot board in Erkin's hands. Erkin smiled and handed Teal'c one end of the board while he kept hold of the other. He then pointed to Sam, who was a few feet in front of them facing away, made a sitting motion then patted the board. Teal'c looked from Sam to the board then back to Erkin, nodded in agreement and then went to get Sam.
"No, Janet." Sam argued. *I'm telling you both, I'll walk.*
"Sam, you haven't done yourself any favors putting full weight on that ankle, and I know the lidocane has worn off by now. I do not want you walking."
"She will not."
"Teal'c. . ."
"Major Carter, I believe we have an acceptable means of transportation."
Sam looked at the wood suspended between the two men. It was actually a good idea, everything hurt and she really wasn't looking forward to trying to walk back. "Alright."
The men lowered the board and Sam sat on it, wrapping her good arm around Teal'c's neck for support. Slowly they followed Semla, heading back to her hut.
"Doc, be ready to move out in 10."
"No sir."
"No sir?"
"We need to sit down and eat a hot meal and get at least four hours of sleep." Janet held up her hand cutting off Jack's comments. "This is not a suggestion, Colonel. We're all running on empty."
"But Carter. . ."
"Will be fine for a couple more hours. She won't be alright if one of you drop her because you're exhausted."
"But. . ."
"Semla has already secured us a hut with plenty of beds and I've sent Daniel to get the others. No arguments, Colonel."
"Fine, but the same goes for you."
"I agree. I have Teal'c sitting with Sam until we get up."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After some tricky maneuvring Teal'c and Erkin had Sam settled in bed.
"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything but why aren't we leaving?"
"DoctorFraiser has ordered rest and a hot meal before we begin our journey. It is a day's walk to the stargate and there was little rest on the journey here." Teal'c said as he removed Sam's sling so she could rest more comfortably.
"Oh, what about you?"
"I shall remain here." Teal'c sat cross legged on the floor next to the bed. "You too should rest."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Three hours later Janet crept into the hut to find Sam sound asleep with Teal'c meditating on the floor next to her. Quietly she moved closer trying not to disturb either of them.
"DoctorFraiser."
Janet jumped back, visibly startled. "Teal'c. Could you not do that?"
"My apologies."
Janet moved next to Sam's bed and noticed her eyes darting back and forth beneath her eye lids. "I know you're awake. . ."
As soon as the words left her mouth Sam was up and swinging. Janet barely missed being hit but Teal'c, who was in mid-motion of standing, took the punch square in the chest. Janet's eyes went wide as Sam made contact then howled in pain.
"Shit!" Janet ran to her med kit and grabbed a pre-loaded syringe of morphine and rushed back to Sam's side, quickly injecting her.
"No more. Please, no more." Sam murmured over and over as she clutched her arm tightly to her chest.
"Oh, Sam." Janet brushed the bangs back out of Sam's face. "You're safe, no one will hurt you here."
Sam's breathing soon evened out and Janet motioned for Teal'c to follow her outside.
"Teal'c, could you please find Semla and ask her if there is anyone who could watch over Sam for a while? I need to talk to Colonel O'Neill but I don't want to leave Sam alone," she paused, looking up at the large Jaffa. "I know you would. . ."
"But it is most likely my presence that has upset MajorCarter. I understand and I will endeavor to find Semla." Teal'c bowed his head then moved off into the village.
Janet went back into the hut and looked at Sam, finding her face was still twisted in pain. Reaching down to check her pulse, Janet jumped when Sam's hand wrapped around her own. Looking from her trapped hand up to Sam's face she was surprised to see her eyes open and brimming with tears.
"S'ry."
"Sorry? Sam, you don't have anything to be sorry for."
"Hit you." Sam's eyes slid closed as she fought against the drugs. "There was always s'mone there. . .standing over me when I woke up. . .d'nt realize it was you."
"You didn't hit me, you got Teal'c and before you go feeling guilty about that you did more damage to yourself than to him."
"Um, that's why it f'lt like I hit a br'k w'l." Sam's speech turned into a series of mumbles and Janet had to laugh when she made out the phrase 'abs of steel' before Sam succumbed to a drug induced sleep.
"Janet?"
Janet turned to find she was no longer alone. She smiled as she recognized the man standing in the door way. "Erkin."
The man smiled and nodded, he then pointed to his chest then his eyes then to Sam. He paused then pointed to Janet and then at the door.
"Right. You watch Sam, I'll go. Thank you." Janet walked outside to find everyone sitting around a fire. "I thought I told you four hours."
"Check your watch, Doc." Jack smiled. "Got a solid four and a half which is more than you."
"I got more sleep than I did during my residency, Colonel, I'll be fine. Besides I'm not going to be carting around a drugged up Major."
"I thought Sam refused anything stronger then Tylenol."
"She did. But then she woke up confused and punched Teal'c."
"She did?"
"Indeed."
"Not with the broken. . ."
"Oh yea." Janet sat and accepted an MRE from Jack. "gave her the morphine, once she's good and out I'm going to check her arm, make sure she didn't do any more damage. I'll need your help, Colonel."
Jack nodded as he dug into his meal. They ate in silence, taking their time, none of them looking forward to the long walk back. Once everyone was finished and things were cleaned up and put away Jack and Janet headed into Semla's hut to check on Sam. They were shocked to find Erkin laid out unconscious on the floor with no sign of Sam.
"Sam's gone!" Jack called out to the others as he ran out of the hut.