Falling in love with my best friend
A camera crew? Really? Just what we need, people coming in here filming everything about the SGC. Daniel was doing his interview with them, the director, Emmit Bregman was asking him all about being ascended. Then it was my turn, I was sitting in my office with them and they just got done getting me miked up.
"Alright, ready Dr. Smith?" Bregman asked me.
"Not really but I dont have another choice."
"Okay then lets begin. Dr. Smith you are the second doctor in charge here correct?"
"That's right, when I started here Dr. Fraiser was training me to be her whenever she wasnt here."
"Now you are also a member of the front line team SG-1." He said
"That's right."
"That must be a lot of responsibility, how do you manage?" He asked
"Well it does get complicated, especially when my team is in trouble off world and I'm here, all I can think about is wanting to be there with them."
"Now your team is lead by Colonel O'Neill correct?" He asked
"Yes."
"How do you feel about Colonel O'Neill?"
"Uh…he's an amazing man. After everything he's done, he's still modest. Quite self-effacing, actually. He even likes people to think he's not as smart as he really is. Bottom line, he's an incredibly strong leader who has given more of himself for this program than any man has given for…well…anything I can imagine." I said
"Do you spend a lot of time together outside of work?"
"Uh, we don't get much time outside of work. When we do, um, our personal interests are a little different." I told him
"Huh. Did you ever hear the expression "opposites attract"?" Ew
"We have very professional relationship, he's my commanding officer, in fact without him agreeing to it and seeing that I had great potential I wouldn't even be on SG-1."
"Professional. Really? After everything you've been through? You must have dare I say well, it's not too much to say, faced death together?" He asked and I was slightly irritated
"Yeah. Not unlike countless military personnel throughout the years. Look, I-I won't deny that there's a bond between us, he's like a brother to me, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c are also like family to me. Colonel O'Neill is first and foremost my superior officer."
"So doctor let me ask you this, if the world was to ever find out about this place how do you think they would react?" He asked
"I honestly don't know, I mean I would really hope that even though we kept this secret from them for so long that they would appriciate that there have been countless enemies out there we saved them from. Is it wrong for us to keep this a secret? Maybe, but in the long run everything we're doing, the lives that go on the line everyday, are so that everyone on this planet, even other planets, stay safe." I said.
"But do you think there would be a lot of angry civilians out there?"
"Most likely, I cant speak for the 6 billion people on this planet, nor do I want to because everyone has their own opinions. Some could be angry, some could be thankful, and some could be impartial." I said.
After I was done I met up with Daniel on his way to Sam's office, when we arrive she's messing with the device one of our teams ran into off world.
"Hey." Daniel said
"Hey. One second."
"You, uh, you wanted me to translate something?" I asked and Sam looked at me confused.
"I'm messing with you Sam, Daniel's better at this stuff then I am. He's the teacher and I'm the student." I said, she smiled and Daniel shook his head smiling, I looked at him, I knew where his mind went.
"Yeah, I'm just trying to get the interface connection more stable. SG-13 really kicked the crap out of this thing. Its system log seems to be isolated on a separate crystal from memory control." She said, me and Daniel leaned on the desk across from her.
"You know, Bregman actually had the nerve to suggest that all that archive video footage I gave him was boring?" Me and Sam look at Daniel, trying unsuccessfully to make our faces sympathetic, "Ah. Okay, here's what really bugs me. The only reason he's here is because this President is on his way out and he knows it, right? He just doesn't want to look bad if and when the Stargate program ever goes public. None of this is about truth, it's all about political posturing."
"Man, he really grilled me on that." Sam said
"On what? Whether the Stargate program should go public?" Daniel asked her
"Yeah."
"What did you say?" I asked
"I babbled incoherently." She said
"I mean, could you imagine if it ever did?" I asked
"I try not to think about it." She said and data written in the Goa'uld language pours down the screen. Sam adjusts the screen so that the pattern stabilizes. "There."
"It's mostly just technical stuff." Daniel said
"Anything jump out at you?" Sam asked
"Well, here's where it encountered SG-13…uh-oh."
"What-what, uh oh?" I asked
"Well, after it engaged shields and weapons, it activated a long-range communicator." Daniel said and I looked at him worried.
Later we got geared up and were heading to the gate room to back up SG-13.
"It's all because I wanted an aerial survey." Daniel said
"It took me too long to figure out the probe sent a transmission." Sam told Jack
"None of that matters now." Jack said and we continued walking
I felt Daniel grab my hand and I looked at him, "Stay by me?" He asked and I saw the worry in his eyes.
"Of course." I said and I got my gun ready and we made our way through the gate.
Al'kesh and death gliders fire missiles down to the ground as SG personnel exchange fire with enemy Jaffa, I was with Daniel and Janet as we made our way to Wells. We arrived and he was laying facedown on the ground.
"Over here! Man down over here!" Bosworth yells and we hurry to him, "Right here. There's a lot of blood coming from underneath him. I'll cover you up on this ridge." Bosworth moves up to the ridge and we drop our packs, me and Janet grab out our supplies and get to work.
"I'm Doctor Janet Fraiser. Can you hear me?" Janet asked
"Yeah. It hurts so bad. I can't move-I can't feel my legs. I think it went right through me."
"What's your name?" Daniel asked him
"I'm Senior Airman Wells. Simon Wells. Am I going to die?"
"Not if I have anything to do with it." Janet said and looked at me, "Okay, we need to roll him over and stop the bleeding. Okay?" I nodded, "Simon, you hanging in there?" She asked him, Wells gives a grunt of assent, "Okay, easy. All right, on three. One. Two. Three." Janet holds his neck while Daniel and I turn Wells over. Wells screams in agony. Daniel puts something soft under Wells's head to make him comfortable as Janet starts to check the wound and I get an IV bag ready.
"I'm Daniel Jackson."
"I know. I know, SG-1." Wells said
"Okay, you're gonna be fine." Daniel said
"That sonavabitch! He came out of nowhere! He shot me in the back."
"Just talk about something else right now, Simon. Uh, what's going on at home right now?" Daniel asked, I love this man for how much he kept people calm in situations like this
"Uh, my…wife…is pregnant."
"Yeah, that your-that your first?" Daniel asked and Wells nods, "Congratulations."
Wells winces and lets out an anguished cry as Janet is probing his wound, "That's good, at least you felt that."
"Colonel O'Neill, our position is being compromised! We're not going to be able to hold the Gate for long!"
"It doesn't matter. We're not gonna be able to hold—is posit— for—long!"
"Colonel, I'm gonna need more time to stabilize this patient. He can't be moved yet!" Janet said
"Go without me! Leave me!" Wells said
"Nobody is going anywhere." I said.
"I can't believe I'm not gonna see my son."
"Okay. Just stay focused. Stay focused. You-you-you know it's a boy you're gonna have, right?" Daniel asked Wells nods briefly.
"Tell me the truth. I'm not gonna make it, right?"
I hand Daniel the I.V. bag of saline which he holds upright and I move my hands to Wells's wound while Janet grabbed more supplies
"You're gonna be fine." Daniel said
"Doctor Jackson? Please-please-please, just let me just tell my wife—Let me tell my wife that—" Wells is becoming more agitated. Daniel and I exchange concerned looks and nod in agreement.
"Okay, okay." Daniel said and hands me back the iv bag, which I steadies over my shoulder. Wells tries to stifle his agonized cries.
"Got it." I tell him, "Breathe, Simon."
Daniel grabs his camera and turns it on and points it at Wells, he is crying and in obvious anguish.
"Okay, you can tell her yourself." Daniel said
"I'm so sorry about this. Ah! I love you so much…God, I-I just-I just wanted…" Wells starts screaming in agony and squirming on the ground, "Oh God! God! Shut it off! Shut it off! I don't want her to see me die! Please! God!"
"Simon. Simon! Look at me! You are not going to die, okay?" Janet said to him, "I did not come all the way out here for nothing. Now, I've stemmed the bleeding. We're going to get you on a stretcher. We're going to get you home with your family in no time, okay? Now you hang in there, Airman!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Wells said and a staff blast flares and strikes Janet. She falls backwards, "Oh God, what was that? Is she hit?" Wells asked and I run over to her.
"Janet!" I yelled
"Kate!" Daniel yelled but I didnt stop
"I got him!" Bosworth yells
"Janet?!" Daniel yells
"You're clear, Doctor Jackson! Sorry, but..."
"Fraiser's hit!" Daniel said into his radio
"Is she okay?" I hear Wells say
"Sierra Gulf Niner, Doctor Fraiser's been hit. Position….aah!" Daniel said and I put my hands on her wound, her eyes are open and she's not moving.
"Come on Janet." I said and I felt for a pulse, I couldn't find one, "No, no no no come on." I said and I put my hands on her chest and started CPR and checked again, nothing, I continued, "Come on Janet please." I kept going when another medic ran up and started helping, "Keep pressure on her wound." I said.
"Kate." Daniel said but I ignored him.
"Come on." I said, still nothing.
"Kate." He said again and I looked at him with tears in my eyes.
I looked at the other medic who shook his head, she was gone.
We got Wells and Janet on stretchers, a few more medics showed up to carry them and I got my gun ready, I was in the mood to kill some Jaffa, we made our way to the gate and I saw Jack laying on another stretcher not moving, I looked at Daniel and he nodded and we headed over there. He got hit with a staff blast as well, I ordered the medic's to get him through the gate, I can't take care of him here.
We arrived back at the SGC and I ran down the halls with the other medics to the infirmary, once I arrived I took off my vest and coat handing them to an airman.
"Alright I need two units of cells and a saline drip set up now." I said and got my hands washed and gloved then headed over to Jack, "Let's get his gear off." I said and they removed his vest and coat, I saw where the blast hit him, Oh thank goodness
After 2 hours of working on Jack I was able to stablize him, I stood in the room we had Janet in, just staring at her. I didnt know what to do, she was gone, my friend, my mentor, was gone. I was so focused on my thoughts I didnt even hear that someone came in until I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned and saw Daniel standing there, I wrapped myself in his arms and started crying.
Later I had to meet with Woolsey to get my side of everything that happened, and man I wasn't even in there for 2 minutes and already I wanted to shoot him.
"I know the stakes around here are always high. But there were serious casualties in this instance. Someone of great value to this program is dead." He said
"I know that! And don't you dare think anyone is taking it lightly." I said to him
"In fact, if there had been powerful weapons in those ruins, they would now be in the hands of the Goa'uld. The fact is that this mission was botched from the beginning to the end."
"We don't just leave people behind! You can't ask airmen, soldiers, human beings to risk their lives without backup, without knowing that we would be there for them." I said
"You yourself have been asked to go into combat where you knew there was no backup. That is always a possibility on any mission through the Stargate, is it not? And please, Doctor, none of us likes to admit it, but we all know that there are military situations in which the life of one human being has to be considered an acceptable loss." he said
"That wasn't the case here."
"No, in this case, it was just dumb luck that there weren't many more lives lost." He said, Was he serious?
"I would say it was skill, training, and fortitude." I said.
"I think we're done her Doctor."
"Well thank goodness for that." I said and got up leaving the room before he was put through a wall.
I was sitting in my office finishing up some paperwork when Hammond walked in, "Dr. Smith, How are you holding up?" He asked.
"I'm trying my best to hang in there sir. How are you holding up?"
"Same." He said and sat down, "I want you to know that Dr. Fraiser thought the world of you, you've really proven yourself here and out there." He said and paused, "Dr. Fraiser has made it clear to me that if anything were to happen to her that you would aassume control of the medical unit and infirmary." He said and I looked at him in shock.
"You mean she left this all to me?" I asked
"Yes, however if you dont want it I will bring someone else to take over."
"No umm...that's okay sir, I would be honored to do this for her, but what about SG-1?" I asked.
"We can bring in someone here that you can train, basically do to them what Janet did to you, or if you want we can just take you off the team." He said and I nodded my head.
"I think we should go with the first option sir." I said and he nodded.
"Very well, when the smoke clears I'll have personnel files brought to you."
"Thank you sir." I said and he left.
I made my way to my room, I needed to change and get ready for Janet's memorial. I walked into my room and saw Daniel sitting on my bed.
"Hey." I said and he looked up at me.
"Hi." He said and I walked over to him and he put his hands on my waist moving me to sit on his leg, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, or at least im trying to be." I said and sighed, "Janet left me the medical unit and control of the infirmary." I said
"Wow..that's umm..."
"I know." I said.
"Listen Kate I know these past few days have been really hard on us, and I just keep thinking about what happened on that planet. I mean what if you got hit instead of Janet, I have no idea what I would even do." He said and I put my arms around his neck.
"I know, but it didnt, I'm still right here."
"I know that, but god Kate I don't ever want to lose you, and when you ran over to Janet I thought the Jaffa was going to shoot you too." He said
"I'm sorry about that, I just reacted."
"Don't scare me like that again, but Kate this whole thing got me thinking, Life's to short, I can't think about what would happen if I lost you." He said and I saw him reach into his pocket, "I do know that I love you more then I can even begin to say, but Kate you have made me so happy, I fell in love with my best friend, my soulmate. Kate.." He said and moved his hand up to grab my left one and opened his hand revealing a ring, "...will you marry me?" He asked and I looked at him with tears in my eyes.
"Yes, yes Daniel of course." I said and he put the ring on my finger and I kissed him then looked at the ring, "Daniel this is beautiful." I said and he grabbed my hand and looked at it too.
"It was my mother's," He said and I looked at him shocked, "Nick gave it to me a while back, I've been holding onto it waiting for the right moment." He said.
"Daniel.."
"Don't, she would want you to have it." He said and I kissed him again.
The United States and SGC flags are set up on the ramp with a podium, wreath and red flag. A bugler stands on the ramp and plays Taps. The room is filled with SGC personnel, military in full dress uniforms, Daniel and Teal'c in all black suits, I'm in a black dress standing next to Daniel, and everyone else is in their dress blues. Everyone is very somber. The documentary crew is also dressed for the occasion, filming the memorial. Once the bugler is finished, Sam approaches the podium.
"Janet Fraiser was an extraordinary person. She was kind and funny and talented. Above all, she was courageous. Try as I might, I could not find the words to honor her, to do justice to her life. Thankfully, I got some help." Sam looks at Teal'c, who nods in acknowledgment. "While words alone may not be enough, there are some names that might do. We often talk about those that give their lives in the service of their country. And while Janet Fraiser did just that, that's not what her life was about." Her voice trembles for a moment, then she rallies, "The following are the names of the men and women who did not die in service, but who are in fact alive today because of Janet: Major Samantha Carter. Doctor Daniel Jackson. Doctor Kate Smith. Colonel Jack O'Neill. Teal'c. Sergeant Connie Smith. Major Ian Hules. Senior Airman Simon Wells."
A couple weeks later me and Daniel head to Simon Well's house to congratulate him and his wife on their baby. I knock on the door and Wells answers. Daniel, smiling and holding a small teddy bear, with which he waves one paw at Wells and I smile at him.
"Hey! Come in, come in." Wells says and we walk in.
Daniel and I follow Wells into the home. Wells walks with difficulty using a cane. His wife is sitting on the living room sofa, surrounded by pillows, a small infant cradled in her lap.
"Daniel, Kate, this is my wife Marci." Wells said
"Hi." She said
"Hi." Me and Daniel whispered
"I'd love to give you a hug, but…" She gestures helplessly at the sleeping child. Daniel crouches down next to the sofa studying the baby. He sets the teddy bear down on the sofa.
"Please, don't get up." Daniel said and I sat on the coffee table behind him
"This is my daughter." Wells said
"Oh, she is beautiful." Daniel said and I looked at him.
"Thanks." Marci said
"Guess that ultrasound was wrong, huh?" I asked
"Yeah." Marci said and chuckled
"What's her name?" Daniel asked.
"Janet." Wells said and I smiled with tears in my eyes
"That's nice." Daniel said after a pause and put his hand on my leg and looked at me.
"It's perfect." I said.