The Arena-26
Time seemed to drag on for Cam Mitchell, but there seemed very little he could do to change that. While Teal'c grew increasingly stronger, his own recuperation seemed almost at a standstill. Lam had explained to him that his injuries had been more severe and therefore it would take longer for him to heal.
Mitchell raised the head of his bed and watched as Teal'c finished dressing. Three days had passed since he'd undergone the surgery to repair the internal injuries he'd sustained at the hands of the Viridians. Samantha Carter had returned the day before with the Water Sham samples and Carolyn Lam had been scarce while working on the antidote.
"Hey, Big Fella, would you do something for me?"
"What is it you wish of me, Colonel Mitchell?" Teal'c asked.
"Smuggle me in a cheeseburger…the biggest greasiest one you can find," Mitchell answered.
"If he does you'll wind up with an ulcer as big as the one you're giving me."
"Sorry, General, I didn't know you were there," Mitchell said, shifting slightly in an effort to get comfortable.
"You're just lucky it's me and not Carolyn, she'd make damn sure you were put in quarantine until she released you," Landry warned. "Now I know you're impatient to get out of here, but until Carolyn signs off on your discharge you will stay put and acquiesce to her wishes. I can make it an order if that's what it takes…do I need to do that?"
"No, Sir," Mitchell told him.
"I will see you later, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said, tilting his head slightly in his direction.
"Without the cheeseburger," Landry warned.
"Sorry, Colonel Mitchell."
"Traitor," Mitchell said, but there was a slight smile on his face as the bigger man left. He knew Teal'c was restricted to the base until Lam found an antidote, but at least he would not be staring at the same four walls.
"Besides being hungry…how are you feeling?"
"Not much of anything…she's still got me on the good stuff I guess…just tired of being sleepy all the time," Mitchell answered.
"She wouldn't give it to you if she didn't think you needed it. I know you want to be in the thick of things, but right now you're expected to stay right where you are," Landry warned, and then smiled before telling Mitchell the reason for his visit. "I did talk to her about giving you something to keep you occupied."
"What did she say?"
"Well, as long as you don't overdo things she says you can do some research and maybe check over some files that have been sitting on your desk for the last month…"
"Ouch," Mitchell spat, but was relieved at the idea of having something to occupy his mind.
"Good, if this works out I may have to initiate a day in the infirmary in order to keep the paperwork from piling up," Landry teased. "You rest easy and I'll send you some work later this evening."
"Thank you, Sir," Mitchell said and waited for the man to leave before trying to sit up. The move pulled at the wounds in his body, but he ignored the warning signs until he was sitting up straight in the bed. He reached for the side rail and pressed the button that would lower it before sliding his legs over the edge. He sat with his eyes closed until he thought the room had righted itself and finally opened his eyes, only to find himself staring into the face of his worst nightmare.
"Going somewhere?"
"Hello, Vala…"
"Don't hello Vala me, Cam…what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I need to go…"
"Where? The floor?" Mal Doran asked, with no hint of humor in her voice. "I can guarantee that's exactly where you'll wind up if you try to get out of bed."
"Damn it, Vala, I just need to move…"
"Not on your own you don't!"
"Jesus, what is this? Am I wearing a bell or something?"
"Not yet, but it can be arranged!" Lam told him.
"You wouldn't!" Mitchell spat, but one look at Carolyn Lam told him she could and would if he kept it up. He sat back and sighed in defeat before looking at the two women.
"Colonel, I know how hard it is for you to be stuck in here while your team, well part of your team goes off world, but until we have the answers we need you and Teal'c need to stay put," Lam told him.
"When can I get out of here?" Mitchell asked.
"Well you could leave today if you're that anxious, but I'd like to open a betting pool first," Lam said seriously, arms folded across her chest as she watched her recalcitrant patient.
"Betting pool for what?" the colonel asked.
"How long before you fall on your butt or face and wind up back in here for an extended stay," the physician answered honestly.
"Carolyn, you can put me down for ten in say one hour," Landry told her.
"That long? I was looking at 15 minutes…just enough time to change the sheets and set it all up for him again…"
"You're a riot, Doc," Mitchell said, relaxing against the pillows with a weary sigh.
"Does this mean you're staying?" Lam asked.
"I guess so," Mitchell grumbled.
"I'll leave you with grumpy…"
"Thanks, Dad, you're all heart," the physician said, tucking the blankets around her patient and waiting for him to look at her.
"Did you find anything?" Mitchell asked without opening his eyes.
"Nothing yet, but we have been able to map out some of the plants enzymes. Once we know what we're dealing with it won't take long to come up with an antidote."
"I hope so, Doc…do you know what happened to Rianna?"
"Is she the one behind your disappearance?"
"The main one…yes," Mitchell told her.
"I'm not sure what happened with her, but Colonel Carter should be able to tell you what's happening…"
"Did I hear someone mention my name?" Carter asked upon entering the room.
"Sam, what happened with Rianna?" Mitchell asked.
"Rianna's people exiled her and told her she was not welcome in their compound. She left after Vala kicked her Viridian backside and Chandra has assured me she won't be returning."
"Damn," Mitchell cursed softly.
"Cam, she's gone and none of her people will help her. During our last trip Chandra told me Rianna took their space craft and disappeared. She won't show her face there anymore unless she wants to face her own challengers in the arena. Chandra and several others have decided they should make the changes we suggested and have already been 'interviewing' candidates who have shown and interest in their lifestyle," Carter told him.
"I doubt she'll return to Viridian, but somehow I doubt we've seen the last of her," Mitchell said.
"Maybe not, but she won't have her people backing her up, Cam," Carter said. "She's probably looking for some corner of the galaxy to hide out and lick her wounds."
"No…I don't think so, but I'm not about to live my life worrying about whether she's around every corner. I've never done that before and I'm not about to start now," the injured man said and smiled when he spotted a new figure enter his room. "Hi, Vala."
"Carolyn, I'd like to show you a couple of things Daniel and I discovered," Carter said when newcomer sat on the edge of the bed. Lam took a quick look at the monitors before following the other woman outside.
"I must say you look better than you did yesterday," Mal Doran said, smiling when Mitchell reached up and touched his fingers against the deep bruises on her cheek.
"Does it still hurt?"
"Only when I smile," Vala said.
"Why don't you join me?" Mitchell offered and moved toward the left side of the bed.
"I don't want to hurt you," Mal Doran told him.
"I'm not asking you to wrestle, Vala, just lie down beside me," the SG1 officer said and smiled when she did as he asked and then positioned herself so that his head wrested on her shoulder. Cam drank in the scent of her, relishing in the idea that this beautiful woman cared for him. He kissed her cheek and elicited a small cry from her and lifted his head. "Is there anywhere that doesn't hurt?"
"My left big toe," Mal Doran said, and pressed her lips against his, enjoying the feeling that coursed through her body. She knew she could not allow it to go any further and reluctantly pulled away, smiling when she heard him moan softly. "Sorry, but I don't think you have the strength to finish this if we went too far."
"Try me," Mitchell told her, but he knew she was right. He shifted, careful not to disturb the IV line that remained in place, but refused to let her move away from him. "Stay…"
"Someone will see us…"
"Let them…I'm just going to rest a while," Mitchell said.
Vala watched his face closely and knew the instant he was asleep and gently ran her fingers through his hair. She worried about the substance in his veins and prayed Lam would come up with an antidote that would take away his and Teal'c's dependence on the Water Sham enzyme. She knew they could always harvest more, but neither Mitchell nor Teal'c wanted to have any sort of dependence, especially one that existed in only one place so far.
Vala unconsciously pulled him closer, sighing contentedly at the feel of his body next to hers. She silently cursed Rianna for every mark she'd allowed to be put on Mitchell's body and vowed that someday she would find the Viridian and this time they would finish their fight. No one had a right to do this to anyone else, yet there were others that thought like the Viridians and both male and females suffered from the abuse.
Mal Doran closed her eyes, content to hold this man who'd come to mean so much to her. She listened to his soft breathing and was glad the extra tubes had been removed from his body. She kissed the top of his head and relaxed, fighting to keep her body from tensing up while she held him.
SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1
Jenna Stockton was never so glad to be back on duty and hurried toward the room where she'd last seen Cameron Mitchell. She'd spent her time off trying to figure out what it was that drew her to the SG1 officer, but had been unable to pin down a specific reason. She was just drawn to him, captivated by his eyes and the urge to take care of him. She could hardly wait to take his blood pressure and other vitals and show him just how well she did her job.
Jenna smoothed down her top and checked her hair before pushing aside the curtain that shielded the patient from prying eyes. What she saw sent rage stabbing through her mind, and she was barely able to hold back the fierce anger at seeing the woman holding her Cam.
"Jenna, let him sleep…I took a set of vitals earlier and Dr. Lam said to leave him alone."
"But he's not alone…she shouldn't be on the bed with him. What if she hurts him?"
"Jenna, she's just lying beside him…if anything he's sleeping better than he has since he was brought in here," Donna Rideout said with a slight smile. "Actually they look…cute curled up together like that."
"How can you say that? She's probably hurting him and I…I…" Jenna stopped when she saw the look on the other woman's face and knew she was in danger of revealing too much about her feelings. "Oh, Hell, Donna, I'm just a stickler for rules. I'm sure she'll be careful."
"Why don't you go check to see if the latest test results are back," Rideout suggested, frowning when she saw the other nurse stare at the bed before leaving the sleeping couple alone. 'What the hell is her problem,' she thought before checking the monitors and closing the curtain once more.
TBC