Chapter 20

They had searched all of the 12 locations and found only a deserted room that looked extremely similar to the one Sam had been in on the video, but it had been deserted making them wonder if Sam had been transported elsewhere. With no other leads they re-grouped at the Sanctuary feeling very glum.

"Damn it" Jack yelled punching the wall and walking out. Daniel went to go and talk to him but Helen stopped him.

"Let me" She ordered leaving the room.

"Do you think Sam is ok?" Ashley asked sounded a little scared and very unsure.

"Samantha Carter is a brave warrior I am sure she will prevail, I recall one event where Samantha armed with only a small pocket knife defeated a tribal war lord and won a young girls freedom as well as her own." Teal'c recalled. Daniel grinned remembering that occasion. As they began recalled more stories to reassure themselves as much as the others. Sam was a survivor they all were.

Jack had stormed quite away not knowing where he was going, but Helen had the home ground advantage.

"It's hard" Helen said coming to stand next to him. "You love her, you want her to be free yet you worry what she is turning in to." Helen noted from personal experience. Jack nodded.

"I'm so lucky to have her, but now I feel like I've lost her" Jack told her rubbing his eyes. Neither of them noticed the purple glow from behind as Sam thought of Jack and arrived back.

"Samantha is strong I'm sure she'll come back to us when she is able and then we can kick her bottom" Helen told him.

"And I'd deserve it too" Sam said from behind them. "I'm so so sorry." She said before being engulfed in 2 frantic hugs.

"Are you ok, we saw the video Sam" Jack asked looking her over noticing she was holding herself slightly funny.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry," Sam apologized again. Jack hugged her again.

"Its okay your back now" he said nuzzling her.

"I let it take over, the power, the control, I ignored you, I'm so sorry" She repeated crying.

"Its okay Sam I forgive you" he said she pushed him away.

"No, how can you forgive me?" She asked still crying.

"Because I love you Sam, and I can tell you're sorry, just please don't do that to me again" he begged, Sam nodded turning to her mum. Jack holding her hand noticing it was shaking.

"Mum I'm so sorry" Sam said Helen nodded still angry.

"Yes well we will discuss it later first I need to get you checked out those injuries looked nasty, combined with your body coping with its new abnormality and its injuries from Egypt." Helen said. Sam nodded Jack helping her to the infirmary following Helen pleased to see she wasn't just transporting.

Reaching the infirmary Helen spoke to Jack "please collect the others I'm sure they too would like to know that Samantha is home safe." Helen asked him. Jack nodded kissing Sam's hand and leaving.

"I'm really sorry" Sam repeated, "I learnt my lesson, my powers are a gift that I value my friends and family to much to abuse them again"

"Good" Helen said "I just want you to remember that abusing your powers is easy, as long as you live you will be constantly battling temptation" Helen warned her. Sam nodded

"I know, I'm willing to fight it, I won't let you down again, I promise" Sam swore. Helen nodded and smiled.

"Very well, now tell me, where were you injured and how?" Helen asked sitting Sam on the bed.

"Err" Sam thought "I was knocked out on the back of my head, that's how they captured me, then they electrocuted me till I passed out, I have minor contact burns lastly a burn on my shoulder before I escaped," Sam told her running through the mental checklist. Helen nodded,

"Ok let me have a look" Helen asked, Sam nodded lifting her top off exposing the contact burns. "Nasty I will need to dress them" Helen commented, doing some baseline observations, like blood pressure and pulse.

"Temperature is low" she commented getting a blanket and wrapping round Sam's shoulders.

"I fell asleep outside last night" Sam commented. When Helen raised her eyebrow Sam ignored her, last night was too personal to share. She had been asleep on her mum's grave when a strange sense of peace came across her. Her mum had appeared asking her forgiveness and blessing her new relationship. After when she had woke up Sam had felt a lot better.

"Ok, I need to do and ECG lie back for me" Helen requested attaching the leads. She looked at the tracing she was receiving twiddling a few of the leads again before deciding the reading she was getting was accurate.

"Sam it looks like the electric shock you received shocked you heart into an irregular rhythm. I'm going to need to shock it back" Helen told her. Sam nodded as the door opened and everyone walked in, not for the first time Sam was glad she had her tank top on.

"Hey Sam, how are you doing?" Daniel asked,

"I'm ok" Sam told them. Helen glared at her,

"I will need to anesthetize you," Helen told her, Sam nodded her consent.

"Wait I thought you said you were ok?" Jack interrupted,

"I am" Sam protested "My heart is just a little out of synch I just feel a little wobbly Sir"

"Ashley I will need you help, Henry please show everyone out, its needs to be done quickly" Helen ordered, Sam lay back on the bed as Ashley prepared the anesthetic side having been helping her mum with it since being a young child. Helen meanwhile ensured the defib was set. Sam drifted off and within 15 minutes was awake, feeling a little sore but generally ok and Helen was happier with her normal sinus rhythm. While she was under Helen had patched up some of the wounds.

"I swear Samantha you get in more trouble than Ashley and Henry combined". Helen commented as the others came back in

"You should hear about some of the stunts she pulls off-world" Jack said.

"Like fighting warlords" Henry said. Helen was shocked glaring at her daughter.

"You told them" Sam said, Daniel nodded looking really guilty.

"Well they were worried" he defended.

"Sorry you were fighting who, Samantha" Helen scolded,

"Well if you hadn't let me get kidnapped in the first place. Do you know they brought me for a gun" Sam informed them. Helen looked to them getting more and more confused.

"You see Doc this is how it went" Jack began sitting next to Sam on the bed. Sam groaned covering her ears would this story never end.

Eventually Helen saw that Sam was tiring and ordered everybody out, telling them to get some sleep. They did promising to come back and visit in the morning. Sam found her eyes closing automatically. Helen sat by the side of her bed not needing as much sleep as the others. She trusted her team enough to take care of the Sanctuary in her absence and right now she needed to be with Sam making sure her heart kept beating regularly.