Nesert worried initially that her refusal to assist the Tok'ra would put an end to her Princeton plans, but both General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill weren't too pleased with the claims on the former host. Whether it was because they cared for her or her knowledge wasn't apparent to Nes, but since both options led down the path she wished to go, she didn't spare much time or thought in sorting out their intentions.
A few nights before she was scheduled to leave, she was pleased to find Ronnie at her door when she answered a knock.
"I hear you're shipping out," he said as he came into the room, shutting the door behind him, and Nes just caught the raised eyebrows of the young man left out in the corridor. She looked forward to a day in the near future when a constant airman wasn't outside her door and trailing her every step.
"I am. How was your time off?" She'd been doing some of her required reading and went to the table to tidy up the various books and papers scattered over the small surface.
"Good. Fun. You're not expecting Colonel O'Neill again, are you?"
Nes smiled to herself, remembering Jack's comment about playing hostage. "No, I don't think so, but I wasn't expecting him the last time you stopped by either."
"Oh well." He spun her around. "I guess I'll just have to take my chances." No hesitation or games this time, he leaned down and kissed her with the same intensity he'd used back on the planet and Nes offered just as little resistance as Ronnie had that day.
She'd been so isolated from everyone around her, her only physical contact being the occasional pat on the back or arm and the strained hug from her brother. Those simply couldn't make up for even a small portion of the abuse and torture she'd suffered in the last five years.
Ronnie slowly walked her backwards towards her bed and they fell gently, wrinkling the blankets she'd meticulously straightened that morning. Ronnie tugged at the bottom of her tucked in shirt, allowing his hand to slide under the fabric and up her side as he moved his lips down her neck.
You will be begging to please me in all manner of ways and I, being a gracious god, will grant your requests.
Nes froze in terror. This was exactly how Apophis had tormented her.
And you will enjoy every moment.
Panic took over and she had to fight to figure out what was real. Had Apophis brainwashed her like he had Teal'c? Or maybe he'd taken a new host. The man kissing her pulled back to look at her and for a moment his eyes flashed at her. Reflexes kicked in and she grabbed the hand on her ribcage and snapped the forearm.
He yelled in pain and she shoved him off the bed, his arm bent where it should be straight. Fists pounded at the door as the guard hollered at those inside, struggling to get inside. He finally came into the room and found Nes sitting on the bed, knees to her chest, and his fellow soldier lying on the ground cradling his mangled arm.
The airman, his instincts telling him the threat was the terrified looking woman instead of the injured man, trained his weapon on Nes and called for backup and a medical team. Nes kept silent, still trying to claw her way out of the flashback. She could see it was Ronnie next to the bed, but her memory said that it had been Apophis kissing her for at least a few moments.
Jack must have heard the call for backup and been close enough to get there quickly because he came running into the room just as a group of airmen did.
"What's going on?"
Nes looked up at him briefly, but didn't speak, unsure if his question was directed at her or the more reliable sources in the room.
Ronnie gritted his teeth, but spit out enough of an explanation. "She broke my arm."
Jack leaned down to catch Nes' eyes again. "What happened, Nes?" His voice was gentle, but she could still hear the accusatory undercurrent he was trying to hide.
Her breathing was ragged and she knew her eyes were still wide with fear. "I thought he was Apophis."
Ronnie's head jerked towards her. "What?"
The medical team came in and went straight to Airman Harris to look at his arm. Nes could tell both from experience and the looks on everyone's faces that it was a bad break, but Sekhmet's calm crept in as the former host witnessed Ronnie's pain. She'd wanted to kill him so many times, wanted to enjoy his screams and hear him beg for mercy and death. Now, his jaw tight, she dug around trying to find even a tiny bit of the guilt she knew should be there for hurting him. His eyes turned to her again and his reaction told her that she hadn't landed on the right expression, a quick assessment of her face revealing Sekhmet's smirk, taking more pleasure in his pain than his kiss.
Ronnie was assisted in standing, but assured the medical staff that he was capable of walking to the infirmary on his own. He glanced at Nes once more and she wondered how on earth she was going to explain all of this.
Jack told the airmen to move out into the corridor, but Nes noted that he kept the door wide open, all of the trust she'd been accumulating now lost.
"What happened, Nes?"
She tightened her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees, suddenly embarrassed by the entire situation. "Ronnie...he and I...and then he...and it was just what Apophis used to do...I panicked."
"Did Harris hurt you?"
Ronnie would have every reason to want to hurt her and there was a small voice that whispered to her that the best way out of this was to blame the airman, but she couldn't destroy him like that.
"No." She took a deep breath, knowing she'd have to leave behind any desire for privacy. "You remember back on the ha'tak, when Apophis threatened to brainwash me? He kissed my neck and his hands…"
Jack's face hardened as he nodded. "I remember."
"Ronnie was...kissing me-" she took another deep breath, "-and he kissed my neck and his hand...and I could hear Apophis in my ear. I thought Ronnie's eyes flashed. I just...reacted. I snapped his arm and pushed him off me." She looked up, her eyes still too large. "I didn't mean to hurt him, Jack."
Jack sighed and rubbed his temple. "I believe you." He sat down on the chair behind him. "It doesn't look good, though, Nes."
"I can heal him with the goa'uld healing device," she said hopefully.
"You sure?"
Nes chewed on the inside of her lip a moment. "Yeah. Sekhmet always liked to break bones and heal them...so she could break them again." No need to share that it was usually her breaking bones as the goa'uld had preferred knives.
"Let's go then." He got up and motioned for her to join him. He directed the airmen to follow them and they all moved toward the elevator.
Dr. Frasier was examining Ronnie's arm when they entered the infirmary, her face taut with concern.
"Doc," Jack called to get her attention and she turned to see them standing in the doorway. "Nes says she's pretty sure she can heal his arm with the goa'uld device."
Ronnie glared at Nes, his face still contorted with pain. "No."
Dr. Frasier turned back to Airman Harris. "Airman, it's a bad break. The healing device could be significantly better than any measures we take with surgeries and casting."
He glanced from the doctor to Nes again. "Fine." He pointed at her with his good hand. "But if you make it worse…" He didn't need to finish the sentence. Nes understood perfectly and gave him a sharp nod.
Dr. Frasier sent Jack to retrieve the device and then grabbed a quick x-ray of Ronnie's arm while Nes stood off to the side, trying to keep a grasp on reality as Nesert and not as Sekhmet, who struggled to keep her eyes off the pained expression of the man lying on the hospital bed.
Healing Ronnie's arm was easy, Nes having had far too much experience with these exact types of wounds. It took a bit longer since her ability to control goa'uld technology was somewhat diminished by Sekhmet's absence, but Ronnie's face began to relax as bone and nerve and muscle all began to return to their former states.
A follow-up x-ray showed an arm that looked completely undamaged and Dr. Frasier was thrilled with the quick recovery. She wanted to monitor him for a just a few hours and have the physical therapist work with him the following day, but otherwise he should be cleared to return to his duties.
"What did he do to you?" Ronnie asked it quietly as she stood a little ways off from his bed.
"Who?" Nes knew who, but it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have.
"Apophis." Ronnie swung his legs over the edge of the bed to face her.
Nes wrapped her arms around herself. "He made sure I knew my place."
"Did he hit you?"
Nes just chuckled in response.
"Did he…?" Ronnie reached a hand out to her, but she flinched back, unable to tolerate his sympathy anymore.
"I don't need your pity, Airman."
"But you do need my help."
"Like hell I do." She flashed her eyes at him in disgust, but he merely crossed his arms and glared back at her.
Nes headed for the door, but was stopped by the still remaining guards. She could feel the heat rising to her head, wanting to do whatever was necessary to break out of her current cell.
Jack came in just then, followed by General Hammond, and Ronnie stood to salute. "At ease. Who's going to tell me what the hell is going on here?"
Ronnie stepped forward. "Sir, it was just a misunderstanding and completely my fault."
Nes glared at the airman. She didn't need or want his help, but when she began to speak, Jack shushed her and General Hammond directed his attention back to Ronnie.
"What happened, son?"
"Sir, I thought Miss Saeda was interested in more than she was."
Jack stepped forward. "And I'm guessing Nes just didn't know her own strength, General."
"I don't think she meant to hurt me like she did."
General Hammond looked over the young man. "And if you're punished for inappropriate behavior? Is that still your story?"
"Yes, sir. It's not like I'm going off to Princeton or anything."
Nes came charging forward, but Jack grabbed her arm and spun her around toward the door, walking her straight out into the hall. "Nes, just leave it."
"I don't need his help. I don't want his help."
"Too bad. I'll make sure he isn't punished, but you need to let him do this."
"Why?"
"Because there are those who are always looking for a reason to lock you up in Area 51 as a danger. Don't let them use this."
"No. I can't let anyone else help me."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because then I'll owe him." She closed her eyes tightly. "I already have too many debts I'll never be able to pay."
"Oh for cryin' out loud, that's not how this works. You're part of the team here, Nes. This is what we do for one another." He put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Now, you're gonna let Airman Harris tell that story. General Hammond knows what really happened, but you're going to let this be. Are we clear?"
Nes gave the colonel a brisk nod, seething on the inside, and stormed off down the corridor, hearing the stomping of the boots of her guards chasing after her.