Interlude: Dream Sequence
Light. Dark. Light again. Pain…fear…the Riven were coming to take her again, to drag her from the room, to bring the hurt, the shame…Sam tried to fight them off but they were so much stronger than her, especially because she was so injured.
Back in the cell she was able to look herself over, determine that she had a few broken bones at least. She didn't understand the Riven, their obsession with pain and fear. But to see the look on Kharon's face when he ran his sharp claw-like nails across her skin causing lines of blood to appear…Sam could feel her stomach churning. And that wasn't even the worst of it.
Someone touched her. She screamed and fought them off. Stay alive…stay alive…your friends will come and rescue you.
The Riven were coming back again, two of them, one looming over her with a needle. She screamed and fought, but more held her back.
When Sam next opened her eyes, she was laying in the infirmary of the SGC. Janet was leaning over her.
"Sam?"
"Janet…" Sam's throat hurt. Probably from all the screaming and the fact the Riven gave her barely enough water to stay alive. "Am I safe?"
"You're safe." Janet assured her. But Sam knew it wasn't real, and all too soon she was looking not at Janet's face but the grotesque visage of one of her captors.
The wall was hard against Sam's back as Kharon shoved her against it. She could smell the acrid scent of his skin as he pressed himself against her, studying her face with his yellow eyes.
"You're such a perfect creature." He whispered. "So beautiful. Why is it that those too young to appreciate their beauty are always graced with it? You know why I am feared, Samantha Carter? I am feared because I am hideous, because I am frightening. Many hate me."
"They hate you because you're a sick bastard!" Sam growled out. She could feel blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth.
"No." As Kharon spoke he ran one fingernail down Sam's cheek, tracing a perfect line of blood. "Oh, I hate you for your beauty…and yet it just makes me desire you more." He tilted his head, licking the blood away with his black, snake-like tongue.
Sam's mind faded, not letting her see what happened next. She awoke later in her cell, screaming and shuddering violently as the bright lights shone above her.
"C'mon, Carter, you have to be strong." Jack said. Sam looked up and knew he wasn't real, but she reached for him with one hand, and was surprised at how real his skin felt. He looked down at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Sam, I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault, Jack."
Sam rolled onto her side, looking down at the white floor of her cell she vomited a liquid red onto the clean tiles. Pain lanced through her and she wondered when this would end. When someone would rescue her or when her body would finally give in.
