***SG1***SG1***
"You ready for this?" Doctor Rogers asked softly as she signed into the checkpoint inside of Cheyenne Mountain.
Sam threw her a tight nod as she stared at the elevator. "Have to find out sometime," she replied, her voice low. Behind her she heard the sounds of the security personnel contacting the SGC to inform them of their arrival.
"Ma'am's," the airman on guard duty said after a moment, gesturing to the open elevator.
"Sergeant," Sam answered, snapping off a salute in reply to the one she was given. Stepping inside, she jabbed at the button for the lowest level.
Nervously Sam caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She couldn't tell if the butterflies in her stomach were nerves of anticipation or dread.
"It'll be okay, Sam," Tiffany encouraged her. "I don't expect you to stay long if you don't want to. Just walking back in here is a big step."
Nodding, Sam looked back at the numbers growing on the indicator above her. When they stopped, a breath escaped her. "One down," she murmured stepping out. Moving down the hall to the other lift she swiped her identification card. Seeing a green light appear on the indicator, she turned to look around and looked at the hallways that resembled the lower floors. "Hasn't changed," she murmured.
"Ma'am's," an SF said, greeting the pair as he approached. "General Hammond is waiting for you in his office."
"Thank you, Franklin," Carter replied. "I know the way," she told him as he made a motion to escort them.
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, falling back.
Watching her, Tiffany waited until they were alone in the second elevator before speaking. "Stop it," she said softly. When Sam's eyes darted to her, she continued. "Stop basing what's going to happen for the rest of your life on this visit." The flush creeping up Sam's face told her she had guessed correctly. Touching her arm to regain her attention she added, "It's one visit, that's all."
A snort met the words. "A visit that will likely be the basis if I decide to return here or not."
Rogers conceded the point. "If you let it be, yes. But is doesn't have to be. You define the meaning to this Sam, no one else." Silence met her words as the elevator opened.
***SG1***SG1***
A knock on the door brought General Hammond's head up. Seeing the two women there, a smile broke out on his face as he came around the desk. "Major, Doctor," he said excitedly, returning Sam's salute briefly before putting out his hand to shake her hand. "It's good to see you, Sam," he said, bringing his other hand up to embrace her hand between his as the man who had known this woman her entire life overtook the soldier. "How are you?" he asked softly,
"Better," Sam assured him, his warmth and concern forcing her anxiety to melt away for a moment. "It's good to see you too, Sir."
Squeezing her hand one more time, he let it drop. Stepping back and gesturing for both women to sit, he moved back to his own chair. "How long will you be with us?"
"A few hours," Tiffany answered, glancing at Sam. "As I explained earlier, this is just a brief visit, to let Major Carter experience the environment again."
Nodding, Hammond heard the unspoken meaning to the words - to see if being here was going to be possible for her. "Well," he said with a tight smile, "you have full access. Anywhere you like."
"Thank you, Sir," Sam breathed. Swallowing, she added, "Are Daniel and Teal'c back yet?" Daniel had called her two days earlier to let her know that they were heading out with SG-11 for a brief run.
"Anytime now," Hammond said, his eyes darting to the clock and calculating how overdue they were. Schooling his features, he added, "I'm sure they'll be glad to see you."
Nodding, Sam looked at Tiffany.
"Shall we?" Rogers asked her, tipping her head slightly toward the door. Seeing reluctant acquiescence, she turned her gaze. "General, if we may?"
"Certainly," Hammond nodded, gaining his feet. "Major, if you need anything please do not hesitate to contact me. Doctor, I'd like to speak with you if possible before you leave."
"I'll come find you," Tiffany assured him.
***SG1***SG1***
"Holy crap," Jack breathed, looking through the window in the door leading to the classroom. It wasn't the quantity of officers waiting for him, it was the fact that they all appeared to be so young.
"May I help you find something, Sir?"
Glancing back at the man behind him, Jack schooled his features. "No, I'm good, Captain." Realizing the officer was waiting to go into the same room he needed to enter, Jack opened the door. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the room.
***SG1***SG1***
"Sam!" Janet gushed, moving quickly across the infirmary to envelope her friend in a hug. Feeling Sam tense, she dropped her arms. "Oh, I shouldn't have done that," she blurted out stepping back, distress evident. "I shouldn't have assumed you'd be okay with..."
"It's okay," Sam interrupted, squeezing her arm. "I've missed you too. Have a few sore spots and you managed to find one of them," she added on dryly. Seeing Janet about to shift into her doctor mode, Sam quickly explained. "I'm fine. Sore from working out. Nothing to worry about."
The claxons going off forestalled any further conversation.
Seeing Sam and Janet tense, Tiffany asked, "What's happening?"
"Unscheduled gate activation," Janet snapped, turning to see her staff preparing the infirmary for potential casualties. The announcement of 'Medical team to the gate room' blaring through the speakers had her gesturing for her team to move it. "Let's hope they're not hurt too bad," she said to Sam giving her a tight smile.
"Janet?"
Blowing out a breath, Janet realized her mistake. Closing her eyes briefly, she shook her head chiding herself. "SG-11 is the only team on a mission right now and they're overdue," she explained reluctantly.
"Aren't Daniel and Teal'c..." Tiffany started to ask only to be cut off.
"Yes," Janet answered tensely, her eyes darting briefly to the doctor. Reaching out, she gripped Sam's arm. "I'll let you know."
Watching as Janet darted out the door with several others, Sam fought off the nausea forming in her stomach. "Come on," she ordered, forcing her feet to move.
***SG1***SG1***
"Still no communication, Sir," Walter informed the General.
Looking up, Hammond confirmed that it was SG-11's iris code flashing on the screen over his head. Pressing the intercom, he said, "Look alive down there," before nodding to Walter. "Open it." Hearing the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly stopping, he glanced back and noted the addition of Rogers and Carter in the room.
Getting her first look at the shimmering blue wormhole, Tiffany drew in a sharp breath. She had no idea it would look like that. Watching it, she physically started when a person appeared suddenly from it. Shortly afterward, five more persons emerged from the puddle, pulling slickers from their heads and shaking off water.
"Stand down," echoed throughout both rooms. "Welcome back SG-11. Colonel, report."
"Weather, Sir," Colonel Edwards stated knowing the General would understand he was explaining the reason for their delay. "Place is exactly like we thought. Readings indicated major lodes of naquadah are present and Doctor Jackson says it appears there hasn't been anyone there for hundreds of years. Hell of an electrical storm came up though and we had to wait until the lightening stopped before we could get near the gate. It was messing with the radios too."
Nodding, George let a breath escape. "Roger. Report to the Infirmary. Full debrief at fifteen hundred," he said, letting go of the button. Clamping a hand on Walter's shoulder in shared relief, he turned to find Doctor Rogers speaking softly to a white-faced Major.
***SG1***SG1***
Gripping the glass of water that had been pressed into her hand, Sam lifted it slowly and drank. She let the feel of the cool water slip slowly down her parched throat.
"Better?" Janet said softly, looking up from a kneeling position beside the chair. Seeing that some color had returned to Sam's skin, she slipped her fingers over her wrist, counting the steady beats. Noting that they were significantly slower than they had been when she had been called to the control room, she let the tension in her body relax.
"Yeah," Carter said, sliding the water on the desk in front of her.
Glancing back at Doctor Rogers, Fraiser understood the silent message that it was time for another form of intervention. Gaining her feet, she squeezed Sam's hand. "I'm going to go check on Teal'c and Daniel, get them cleared so they can say hi."
"Thanks Janet," Sam said lowly, giving her a small sad smile. Waiting until the doctor had left the small office next to the control room, Sam scrubbed her unsteady hands over her face. "Gawd," she breathed, dropping them.
"Where did you go?" Tiffany asked, her tone low.
"The planet," Sam breathed. "Then down there," she added, her chin gesturing toward the direction of the gate room. "Flashes, feelings." Glancing toward the doctor, she whispered, "Terror."
Rogers nodded slowly. "Flashes of what?"
"Clinging to the Colonel, guns being pointed at us, yelling. Men surrounding us, blocking our way. Knowing that I would rather die than for it to happen again," she whispered. Shaking her head, she wiped a tear away. "Knowing he would die trying to protect me."
"What do you want to do?" Tiffany said softly.
Drawing in a deep breath, Sam let it out slowly.
***SG1***SG1***
Bounding up the stairs to the control room, Daniel and Teal'c glanced into the attached office. "Walter," Jackson called. "Do you know where Major Carter went?"
Tipping his head toward the large window, Harriman replied, "Down there."
Moving to the window, Teal'c and Daniel exchanged a glance as they gazed down at the woman standing in the gate room. With a slight tip of the head and a nod, they headed down.
Silently greeting the psychologist, they stopped by her side just inside the entry. "How she doing?" Daniel asked quietly.
"Holding her own," Rogers replied, reading Sam's unmoving body.
Stepping forward, Teal'c moved into Sam's line of vision and waited silently.
"Hi Teal'c," Sam acknowledged him, her tone holding a tinge of sorrow.
"MajorCarter," the Jaffa returned.
Sam moved a few steps closer the gate. "You shot us here," she said matter of factly, her gaze dropping to the floor where she and the Colonel had fallen.
"I did."
"You did it to protect us," she stated to let him know she understood.
"I did." Taking a step back closer to her, Teal'c added, "I would not have let anything further happen to you or O'Neill." When she did not respond, he intoned softly, "May I assist you in some manner now, MajorCarter?"
Sam slowly shook her head before she looked at him. "No, but thank you Teal'c. I found what I needed already," she said lowly, turning her gaze back the item that had been so much of her life for so long.
***SG1***SG1***
"And your assessment, Doctor?" General Hammond asked, peering at Rogers expectantly.
"Based on what I saw today, at a minimum, I think she's going to ask for reassignment," Tiffany answered honestly. Seeing the slight wince from the General, she raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"
"What I'm about to say goes no further," the General stated, locking eyes with her to stress his point. Seeing a slight nod in agreement, he continued. "The Pentagon wants at least one of them here."
"Sir," Tiffany started in alarm.
Holding up a hand to halt her, George nodded. "I understand. I'm not asking you to try to convince either of them to agree to it. I'm telling you their expectation."
"And if that doesn't happen?"
A hand rising and dropping to the desk answered her.
***SG1***SG1***
AN: TPTB just keep pulling the strings don't they?! sigh Managed to find a few minutes to get this to you. Thanks for the patience.
