Disclaimer: I don't Highlander (or Stargate when I get to it)
Rating: Warning this chapter is K+
Beta Reader: Michelle from the Official Highlander Message Board. Typo's are all mine.
Reviewers: Thank you to Nedy Rahn, FerretKid, FanLass and lalachoa. Please keep them coming, I love the feedback.
Author's Note: Hi everyone. Finally got around to posting this chapter after a hectic week of specialist appointments being cancelled and a daughter with the flu for the second time, and a dog that was desexed. Yes it was a one of those weeks. So I hope you've all had a better one and enjoy this chapter. Update (2014): I went through each chapter to fix any mistakes, if I've missed any please let me know.
AAD
Chapter 35: Having a blast
Colorado Springs, USA
Stargate Command:
Samantha Carter stormed into the commissary and stopped at the table that both the Colonel and Teal'c were occupying, a parcel in her hands.
Jack looked up. "Whatcha got there, Carter?"
"A gift from Zoe and her friend." She put the parcel down and removed the statue from it.
Teal'c arched an eyebrow at the unusual female statue with four arms. Jack just looked at it, then the Captain, waiting for an explanation.
Sam sighed frustrated. "It's a fertility statue from India."
"Aha," Jack exclaimed and then stated. "You asked Daniel, didn't you?"
"Well, yes, but..." Sam flushed. "It's a fertility statue."
"Maybe they thought it was cute," he offered.
"It is not, O'Neill," Teal'c stated bluntly.
Jack rolled his eyes at the Jaffa and addressed his 2IC. "Did you get a card or note?"
Sam huffed, pulled a folded piece of paper from the parcel, and read it to them. "Dear Sam, we thought you'd like this. One piece of advice though, do not put it in the bedroom. Daniel's parents were given one and nine months later, he was born. I kid you not. Love Zoe and Ben."
Holding back a smirk, Jack saw Daniel stroll in. "Hey Daniel, Sam got a gift from Chaos and Mayhem."
He hurried over to them. "Yes, Sam showed me," he said forcing himself not to smile. "It's a rather interesting statue... 11th century by the markings, but to be sure I'd have to carbon date it. It's not your off-the-shelf item though."
Sam carefully put it back into its box along with the note. "So it's valuable?"
Daniel nodded casually. "Zoe has some connections in the antique business, so I'd say yes. Either that or they bought it on the black market, which would make it even more valuable."
Jack laughed, that sounded more like it, the sneaky beggars. "And what she said about your mum getting one and then you were born?"
"Oh that's true; my adopted mum told me. She gave the statue to my parents," the archaeologist said, smiling to himself at the memory.
"Wonderful!" Sam exclaimed. "Zoe has a rather weird sense of humour."
Jack snorted loudly. "You're just realising this now, Carter? They sent me a beer holster and two cartons of beer."
"But sir, a fertility statue?"
"Just don't put it in the bedroom, Sam," Daniel advised and went to get coffee.
Sam groaned and gathered up the parcel and its wrappings. "I'm going to talk to Janet, at least she understands." She stormed off.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
Jack sat back. "Yeah T, women are all the same, no matter what the planet."
"Indeed," the Jaffa agreed.
AAD
Arga, Uttar Pradesh, India
Gabby returned to consciousness slowly. Her head was pounding but at least that meant it was still attached to her body. It all came back to her, what had happened. She'd gone to dinner with Zoe and Ben at the hotel restaurant where they were staying. They'd been enjoying themselves, she remembered, laughing and joking with each other. After the main course, Zoe had excused herself and gone to the ladies room, leaving Ben to entertain her with one of his outrageous stories. Five minutes later, it all went to hell. A car had crashed through the front window and exploded, the force of it ripping through the restaurant. She remembered Ben being thrown towards her then landing on the floor with him holding her down.
She'd felt the life slip from his body as he took his last breath, dying in her arms. Hazily, as if from far away, she remembered hearing Zoe's voice reassuring her that everything would be all right. Then, she'd blacked out.
Opening her eyes, she groaned and closed them again. "Zoe..."
"I'm here Gabby," Zoe whispered, taking her hand. "You're in hospital and you're alright. Ben protected you."
"He died, Zoe." She opened her eyes and they were full of tears. "I felt him die."
"Shush, it's okay Gab," the elder Immortal said gently. She hugged her as best she could, keeping her voice down. "Ben is fine, I promise. You've been unconscious all night. I got Ben out of the morgue not long after he was brought in. I know the doctor who runs it."
"So he's okay?" Still wrapped in the comfort of Zoe's arms, Gabby sobbed with relief.
"He's fine sweetie," Nyssa assured her forgoing her persona. Both sensed the approaching Immortal. Feeling Gabby tense, Nyssa reassured her. "It's okay, it's a friend."
The door opened to admit a smiling Indian doctor who carefully closed the door behind him. "Hello young one, it is good to see you awake."
Nyssa introduced them. "Gabby, this is Amar Rajan; Amar – Gabby Thompson."
"A pleasure," Amar said happily. He looked to the elder Immortal. "It seems there was a mix up and Ben Adam's body was cremated. His brother is at this moment having a rather vocal word with the head of the hospital."
Nyssa rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Adam is a little vocal."
Gabby looked confused. "I don't understand."
"Ben had an estranged twin brother – Adam Dawson, who he only recently found out about. Adam was coming here to meet with Ben."
The younger Immortal caught on. "Oh... that's sad he didn't get to meet his brother."
"Very."
Amar chuckled again. "Well young Gabby, I'm sure you will get to meet Adam. Once he's finished yelling, he will come here."
"I'm positive he'll be as wonderful as Ben," Gabby said sincerely. She looked to Nyssa. "Can I get out of here, Zoe? Hospitals really give me the creeps."
"That is why I am here, young one," Amar announced. "I have been helping out since the bombing, so I will be discharging you."
"I brought you some clothes," Nyssa informed her. "I also moved us out of the hotel. I didn't think you'd want to stay there anymore."
"Thanks."
"Well, I'll just pop outside and get the paperwork done," Amar said and left.
Nyssa helped Gabby out of bed. The young Immortal was still a little shaky. After what she'd been though, it was understandable. She put the overnight bag on the bed and stood back, being ready to help if Gabby required it.
The younger Immortal managed to get herself dressed but when she turned back she had tears in her eyes once more.
"How do you handle all this, Zoe?"
Drawing her into her arms, Nyssa hugged her. "It's not easy, Gab, but you do," she said gently and rubbed her back. "You'll feel better once you see, Adam."
Pulling back, Gabby wiped her eyes. "I'm just going to have to remember to call him Adam instead of Ben," she said lightly.
Nyssa smiled. "Well a few slip-ups won't hurt – after all, they are twins."
There was a knock on the door. It opened to admit Amar who had the release forms.
"For you to sign, young one, then you're free to go," he announced.
She nodded and quickly signed where he indicated. "So how do you know Zoe, Amar?"
"We met a long time ago when India was a very different place and we were different people," he told her with a smile. "We have been friends ever since."
"Are you younger or older then, Zoe?"
He chuckled softly. "I am younger. There is not many older then Zoe here."
Gabby was surprised. "Really?"
"Really," he repeated, and then gave Zoe a hug. "Look after yourself, Lotus flower."
"I will, Amar," she kissed his cheek. "Watch your head."
"And yours – it's too pretty to lose – and look after young Gabby."
"I will," she promised.
The door opened again and Adam Dawson – yet another in an ever-growing list of Methos identities – walked in.
Gabby stared. His hair was streaked and he wore contacts to make his eyes a green colour. "Ben..." She felt faint.
"Adam," he corrected.
She blushed. "Sorry."
"Quite all right," he said with an English accent. "You have to be Gabriele."
She nodded, her cheeks still flushed.
Nyssa hugged him, noticing there was a nurse watching. "I'm so sorry about Ben, Adam. I know he was looking forward to meeting you."
"I'll just have to get to know him through you and Gabriele," he told her.
"We'll tell you all about him," she promised.
"Come then, I'll escort you back to your hotel and you can tell me all about my brother."
"We'll be happy to," Nyssa insisted. She turned to Arma. "Thank you for all your help, Dr Rajan."
"It was my pleasure, Dr Pierson," Arma said with a warm smile.
Gabby grabbed the overnight bag. "Goodbye, Dr Rajan."
"Goodbye, Gabby."
Methos ushered them both out of the room and the hospital. They kept up the small talk until they reached their suite in the newly booked hotel.
Gabby dropped her overnight bag and threw her arms around Methos. "I'm so glad you're okay."
He chuckled. "Thanks Gab."
She grinned, stepping back. "I love the English accent, very sexy."
"Thanks."
Nyssa chuckled. "It is very you, Adam."
He rolled his eyes and sprawled in a comfortable chair. "It's a good thing Arma was still working at the hospital. I really hate the morgue."
"So do I," she declared and perched on the arm of his chair.
Gabby sat across from them. "No offence guys, but I've had enough of India. Can we go to Hawaii now?"
Methos tugged Nyssa onto his lap. "We still have that house at Maui," he pointed out. "We could go there and just take in the sights until Heather and her grandmother return to Honolulu."
"Sounds like a wonderful idea," she said and nuzzled his chin with her lips. "We do have our own private beach."
He turned his head and captured her lips in a kiss. "And an amazing security system that keeps everyone out."
"It does."
Gabby cleared her throat. "Umm guys, I'm still here?"
Nyssa chuckled. "So what do you say, Gab, want a trip to Maui?"
The younger Immortal grinned. "Oh yes."
They both laughed. "Then Maui, here we come," Methos told her.
AAD
Colorado Springs, USA
Stargate Command
Colonel O'Neill knocked on the door to the General's office and went in on his insistence, seeing Dr Frasier was there too. "General, Doctor."
"Come in, Colonel, take a sit," the General insisted.
"Yes sir," he said and shut the door before sitting down.
"Colonel, this morning I received a postcard from Dr Pierson," the General revealed.
"What did she say, sir," Jack inquired casually.
He handed it to the Colonel, quoting. "Dear George, We had a blast in India. Love N & M."
Jack had a quiet chuckle. "Sounds like they got caught in the hotel bombing."
Janet arched an eyebrow. "It's a possibility though there were no reports of bodies going missing."
The Colonel handed the postcard back to the General. "Well at least we know they were in India."
"And China it seems," the General reported.
"I received this in the mail this morning," Janet put the case that was at her feet on the desk and opened it for the Colonel to see. "They're herbs used in medicine," she explained.
"So they went to China after India," Jack pointed out. "I know Daniel mentioned Zoe knows a lot about Chinese medicine. She studied it in China."
"That's what I thought once I saw the postcard, Colonel," Janet stated and showed it to him.
He took it and looked at it. "And we still don't know where they are."
"No we don't," the General declared.
Janet smiled though. "At least we're getting to know a little more about them, well Zoe anyway."
Jack looked at the postcard again. The front showed a Chinese building, the back had stamps and writing. "Sneaky buggers."
The postcard read:
Dear Janet, I thought you'd like this. I've used herbs for healing for many years. Love Zoe
AAD
To be continued in Chapter 36: Aloha
Once again if you'd like to see the postcards and gifts, then the link is in my profile. Please review, I love the feedback.