Sunnydale Army Base, 1550 hours.
Tara followed Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel up the ramp and took their seats on the transport plane that was set to take them to Petersons Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. It was the Colonel who helped Tara make sure that her harness was properly fastened before he nodded at the blonde witch and headed back to his seat next to Teal'c. Tara turned her head and watched as the ramp was raised until they were shut in the plane. She then turned and looked at a silent Daniel who was looking straight ahead at the hull of the plane.
'He hasn't said a single thing' thought Tara to herself, 'he told me about how he had his wife taken from him, and.. and I can feel the worry coming from him… I can see how nervous, how upset…. It's a mixture of emotions. But most of all he's worried for his wife. I think he's afraid that they'll be too late to save her.'
Tara remembered how Daniel rushed into the car after the Colonel had told him what was going on, that Amounet travelled to Abydos and kidnapped some of the Abydonians. They had the address that they were taken to, and they were going to get all of them home.
"Including Sha're" said the Colonel once Daniel rushed into the car from which the older man looked at him through the rear view mirror, "we'll get her home, Danny."
Tara had seen Daniel nod his head back in the car, and now as the plane started to taxi, she looked over at the man again and put her hand over his. She saw Daniel turn and look at Tara who have him a small smile and gently tightened her grip on his hand. Tara didn't want to say anything to the man, she had been told that anything could happen when teams go through the Stargate.. so she didn't want to give the man false hope. All she wanted to do was silently tell him that she'll be there for him no matter what happens.
It would be hours later that Tara would know firsthand the risks carried in going through the Stargate. It was already nine at night when SG-1, SG-3 and SG-12 were set to go through the Stargate. Tara was looking at the assembled teams from the briefing room window as the Stargate activated. While the teams, led by SG-1, walked through the event horizon of the Stargate with their weapons at the ready, the blonde witch could feel a slight tug in her chest. It felt as if something would go terribly wrong while the young woman brought her hand to her chest and closed her eyes as she whispered a spell. A protection spell that would ensure that the teams came back safe.
'The question is' thought Tara to herself as she hung her head, 'will the spell work off world when the caster is on Earth.'
Once the Stargate deactivated, Tara stood unmoving from the window as she heard footsteps coming up the metal stairs behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at General Hammond as he walked towards her and, finally, stood next to her as they looked down at the alien ring together.
"This is the worry I feel every day, Miss Maclay" said the General as Tara looked at him in surprise, "yes, I know exactly what you're thinking; I have been there before, standing helplessly waiting for those I have send to fight a secret war against an alien race to safely return home. An alien race that would see us enslaved, or eliminated, from the galaxy."
"Does it ever get easier, General?" asked Tara as she looked at the Stargate imagining that it was Willow and Buffy who had just walked through the Stargate. She wished that she could do something to help the teams, but she hadn't been trained to go through the Stargate; and seeing the people earlier heading into the unknown made her wonder if she should start the full course of training required to go through the Stargate, "I mean seeing people go off through the Stargate?"
"It's something I know we need to do, Miss Maclay" said General Hammond, "but no, it never gets easier when I lose people out there. I guess the day it gets easier, that's the day I really have to resign."
Tara glanced at the bald man and just knew that he meant every word of what he had told her. She could see that this man before her cared deeply about everyone, be they military personnel or civilian, under his command.
"It could take some time for them to come back, Miss Maclay" said the General as he stood next to Tara, "and you had a long day, maybe it would be better if you…"
"I'd like to wait here, General" said Tara as she smiled at the bald man next to her, "I mean if you don't mind, that is."
It was nearly thirty minutes later that the klaxons activated and Walter shouted from the control room that it was an unscheduled off-world activation. Tara and the General looked at each other before running down to the control room where, as they were running down the stairs, the both of them could see Colonel O'Neill's face with the sounds of weapons fire behind him.
"Colonel" said the General as he stepped forward while Tara stood at the foot of the stairs, trying to keep out of everyone's way, "what's the situation?"
"We found the Abydonians, sir" shouted the Colonel as he ducked behind the MALP.
"Colonel?"
"General" shouted the Colonel as his face came on-screen once more, "we're taking fire from Horus and Serpent guards, but no sign of Sha're yet. We've got refugees coming in hot."
"Sergeant" said the General as he tapped on Walter's shoulder as he put his hand on the palm reader and opened the iris. The General then looked at the screen and told the Colonel to send the refugees through.
"Medical teams to the Gateroom" said Walter as people started to come through the Stargate, "Medical teams to the Gateroom."
"Miss Maclay" said the General as he turned to face Tara, "I know this is a lot to ask but could you help the security teams help get the people to the infirmary."
"Of… of course" said Tara as she looked at the Colonel who was looking away and firing his weapon off into the distance. Tara rushed down the stairs leading to the Gateroom where she was faced with a large group of confused and panicked survivors. She could see that the security detail were doing everything they could to calm everyone down, but she knew they needed a little help. Closing her eyes and concentration on the rampant emotions in the Gateroom, the young woman exuded calm that slowly affected everyone as they continued to come through the gate. Eventually, the security teams and the medical personnel led the calmed refugees towards the infirmary while Tara followed behind them while carrying one child who had been crying, and another two who were holding onto her dress as they followed the blonde.
The only ones that were missing were the SG teams, and Tara was wondering what happened to them as she entered the infirmary where Dr. Frasier was getting everything ready for the injured. Tara placed the children on a bed, before telling them that they were safe and that she had to check on the others. After they nodded their heads, the blonde with smiled and ruffled their hair before rushing to Dr. Fraiser who was working on an injured man.
"Doctor" said Tara as she patient the doctor was working on was screaming from the pain cause by a staff weapon blast to the leg, "how can I help?"
"We have a lot of injured" said the doctor as she looked at Tara before she started work on her patient, "I need you to get to storage room one on this level, take one of the S.F's with you. Go to the second locker on the right and take out the metal case. When you open it, I need you to put on the device that's being kept inside the case… it's a Goa'uld healing device; the same one that Major Carter used to heal Willow. Put it on, and.. you said you can heal right? I mean using… you know."
"And you don't want the Abydonians to know" said Tara as she realized what the doctor was telling her. That if the Abydonians had seen Tara healing people using magic, then they may get frightened or they may start to believe Tara was some kind of healer, or goddess. The blonde knew that she didn't want to be seen as the latter, which would most likely be the case. Instead, she would pretend to use the device, while in reality using her magic to heal the wounded as much as possible. However, she had already used a lot of her power to calm the people down… she was still keeping them calm; a fact that she told the doctor before she asked a S.F to accompany her to storage room one.
"Just do what you can" said the doctor before Tara rushed out of the room with a S.F.
It was a few minutes later that Tara returned with the device around the palm of her hand and ran to Dr. Fraiser immediately. She asked Tara to use her abilities on her patient whi was still bleeding from his wound.
"Can you fix the whole wound?" asked the Doctor.
"It takes a lot to heal" said Tara as she looked at the doctor, "and I'm using a lot of my power to calm everyone down, the Gateroom was in a panic so…. I'm sorry. But even at full power, I don't think I can hold out using my magic for a long time."
'Alright" said the doctor, "I need you to just stop the bleeding, and then start healing as many wounded as you can. Even a little bit would help, Tara."
The doctor watched Tara nod her head before she put the device over the wound. Tara closed her eyes and concentrated, using short bursts of magic to slowly repair the broken blood vessels so as to stop the bleeding. It wasn't too before Dr. Fraiser told the blonde witch to head to the next patient while she finished up with the one she was working on at that moment. It took about ten more minutes before the klaxons started to blare again before Walter's voice came through the speaker calling for medical aid to the Gateroom.
"Move, move, move" shouted Dr. Fraiser as she took a few empty beds, as well as some nurses with her while telling Tara to do everything she could. Tara could see that it was frantic as the doctor hurried out of the infirmary, and it was then that the familiar tug in her chest started. It was then that Tara realized something had gone horribly wrong. Shaking her head, Tara helped Dr. Warner and the others heal the injured as much as she could until the doctor himself ordered Tara to take a seat and rest since she started bleeding from her nose.
"I.. I must have over-exerted myself" said Tara as two nurses helped her to take a seat while a third got her some Kleenex and a glass of water. Thanking the young woman for the liquid, Tara wiped the blood before taking down the water before she hung her head and closed her eyes willing for her heart to stop racing. She then looked up and watched the doctors and nurses as they hurried from one patient to another; it was then that Dr. Fraiser rushed back in with three beds that had injured SG team members lying on them. The blonde witch got up when she noticed the look that was etched on the doctor's face just as Major Carter rushed into the infirmary and called for Tara.
"Tara" said Dr. Fraiser, "these men are going to be alright, I need you to follow Major Carter."
"Dr. Fraiser" said Dr. Warner as he attended to one of the newcomers, "she's exhausted from healing."
"I.. I can try" said Tara as she nodded at Dr. Fraiser before she followed Major Carter to the next room, "Sam? What.. what happened?"
"I.. I don't know if you can do anything" said the Major as she looked back at Tara, "but something happened."
The Major opened a door a few meters away from the infirmary as the blonde witch followed her into the room. Tara looked at Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and the Major who were looking at a table in the middle of the room. A table where a bald man was holding the hand of a woman in elaborate clothes; Tara switched her view from the man to the woman, and it was then that she realized that the person lying on the table had no aura.
'She has no life' thought Tara to herself as she walked towards the woman.
Tara saw the man look up at her as she placed her hand on the woman's forehead.
"Tara" said the Major as the blonde witch looked back over her shoulder, "can you…?"
"I'm sorry" said Tara as the Major looked down on the floor as Tara looked back at the woman, "is she Daniel's wife? Sha're?"
"Yea" said Colonel O'Neill softly.
"You are a healer?" asked the bald man.
"Tara, this is Kasuf" said Major Carter, "Sha're's father."
"I am sorry for your loss" said Tara as she saw his sadness reflect in his aura, his sadness and the deep love he held for his daughter, "but there is nothing I can do. I.. I practise the mystics on this world but even I cannot bring back someone who has already passed onto the next world."
Tara saw a look of anguish on the face of Kasuf before he looked back at Sha're as he leaned forward and caressed her cheek.
"Is Daniel, alright?" asked Tara as she looked at the Major.
"Sha're used a ribbon device on Daniel Jackson" said Teal'c as Tara noticed his primary aura giving off a great sadness, "it was I who shot Sha're with my weapon to save the life of Daniel Jackson."
"He's being taken to the secondary infirmary" said Major Carter.
"I see" said Tara as she walked to Kasuf and crouched down while taking his free hand into hers. The man then looked up at the blonde before she nodded her head, and looked at the lifeless body of Sha're, "if you so wish, I can try; I don't think I have enough power, but I can try to call her spirit to say one last goodbye."
"Tara Maclay" said Teal'c as everyone looked up at her surprised, "but…."
"I can't bring her back to life" said Tara gently as she looked at Kasuf, and then at the remaining members of SG-1, and then back at Kasuf, "but you can have one last goodbye with your daughter. But it has to be now, if we wait too long then it may be impossible."
"Will she have the demon within her?" asked Kasuf as he looked at Tara who furrowed her eyebrows at the man. It was Teal'c who told Tara that Kasuf was referring to the Goa'uld, Amounet.
"No" said Tara, "she will be as she was before the Goa'uld took her body."
"Tara" said Major Carter, "I thought you didn't want to use magic?"
"Not for personal gain and no, I… I don't like it. I called my mother's spirit when I was younger for one last goodbye after she died, and that was that one and last time I used that spell because she scolded me for calling her spirit. That was something I did for myself" said Tara gently as she looked at the Major, and then at the others, "I need some salt, enough for a circle. I also need some candles, and… and if Daniel's still unconscious, then I need a recorder."
"If she has any messages for him" said the Colonel as Tara nodded.
"Yes" said Tara as the others went to get the salt and candles. Teal'c was the only one who stayed in one corner of the room, silently guarding Kasuf and Tara. It was Kasuf who looked up from Sha're's body and looked at the Jaffa before telling him that he held no grudge against the man.. the only being he blamed was the Goa'uld that had taken his daughter away, and his own weakness that made him unable to protect his daughter.
Tara stayed with the body as Kasuf went up to Teal'c and talked to him. It was a few minutes later that the Colonel walked into the room with three medium sized packets of salt, along with General Hammond who had heard what was going on from the Colonel when he met him on the way back to the room. They were soon followed by the Major who came back with some colourful candles, telling the people who were looking back at her that she got these trick candle for Cassie's upcoming birthday; as well as a digital recorder.
"Will they work?" asked the Major as Tara smiled.
"Yes" she replied, "she can be only her for a few minutes; maximum of three minutes.. maybe. I know I can't hold the spell for too long."
"It will be enough" said Kasuf as the Colonel closed the door to the room. Tara then explained that she'll be pouring the salt in a circle, and it would act like a barrier; that it would keep the spirit inside the circle.
"Sam" said Tara, "I know that you're going to find it hard to believe why I need to have this precaution in place, but think of it like this. I'm calling Sha're's spirit… and there's no way to tell if something else will be coming along for the ride. I'm opening a doorway into the afterlife and… and without this barrier, we'll have a lot of problems."
The Major nodded her head before Tara turned to Kasuf and told him that while Sha're may look real, the truth was that it was only her spirit… and that if anyone tried to break the barrier, then not only would Sha're be able to move out of the barrier; so would any other malevolent force.
"And we have the snakes to deal with" said the Colonel, "no need any angry casper haunting the place, Tara."
Tara smiled at the Colonel before she asked the General if he was alright with all of this.
"This is your show, Miss Maclay" said the General, "will this mountain be in any danger?"
"As long as the circle remains?" said Tara, "then no, we'll all be safe."
"Alright" said the General, "but this stays out of the official report."
"Agreed" said Tara and the others while Kasuf looked down at his daughter.
Everyone then watched as Tara walked to one corner of the room and made a circle on the floor using the salt while at the same time she started to say a spell. Tara then stepped back after the circle was made and asked the Major to hand her the four candles. She then placed the unlit candles around the circle while saying a silent spell. Once the candles were down on the floor, Tara stepped back and reminded the others that no matter what, they were not to break the barrier.
After everyone nodded their heads, Tara looked at the circle and took a deep breath. She knew that she had nearly exhausted her magiks as she raised both her hands and started to cast a spell. She started to speak in latin as the people in the room felt the temperature in the room drop, however at the same time, the candles burst into flames as the others covered their eyes. The Major looked in amazement as the flames from the candles jumped to the circle of salt, making it glow a bright white.
"Tara?" asked the Colonel as he noticed the blonde starting to pant as she told him that she was fine, and that they needed to get the recorder ready.
"Carter" said the Colonel as the Major activated the digital recorder just as an ethereal female voice appeared in the room.
"Hello" said the voice, Sha're's voice.
"Sha're" said Kasuf as he stepped forward, "my daughter."
"Father" said the voice again as it focused on the circle in the corner that continued to glow white as a figure started to take shape, "Father, I am sorry… I was not strong enough."
"No, my daughter" said Kasuf as he continued to move forward but he was stopped by the Colonel who gently pulled him back, despite how much it pained him to do so. Everyone in the room, especially Major Carter, looked in amazement as the figure started to take form as a head, body, and then feet came into view. Tara soon saw a woman in front of her with dark hair, a smile and brown coloured robes as she looked around her surroundings.
"Sha're" said Tara as she started to pant, "you know why you are here."
"Yes" said the woman, "you called me, did you not?"
"Yes" replied Tara, "for one last goodbye."
"Thank you" said the Abydonian woman as Tara nodded her head while the General rushed to the witch and gently supported her so that she didn't fall onto the floor.
'Thank you" said Tara as she looked back at a nodding General. She knew that she was almost out of breath while keeping the spell active, and that she had a maximum of a few minutes before she used up all her power and the spirit of Sha're left this plane of existence forever.
"Teal'c" said Sha're as Tara turned and looked at the stunned Jaffa, "do not blame yourself for what happened. You saved my love from the demon that had taken over my body. I forgive you, as will Danyel. He knows that you did what must be done."
"I am sorry" said Teal'c as he looked at the woman, before looking down at the floor.
"You are fighting to free your people" said Sha're as Teal'c looked up at the spirit, "just as Danyel and his friends did to free all Abydonians from evil. Your cause is just."
"Sha're" said Kasuf as tears gathered in the man's eyes.
"Father" said Sha're looking at the man, "do not blame yourself for what happened to me. There was nothing anyone could have done, I am just happy that you have been my father.. and that I have been your daughter. Do not despair, Father…. Your son, my brother is still out there.. and I believe that he will return to you. Please tell him that I love him very much."
"I… I shall" said Kasuf as he nodded his head and collapsed onto his knees while the Colonel put his arm around the shoulder of the man in comfort.
"I thank all of you" said Sha're as she looked at the people in the room, "and please…"
"We're taping this" said Major Carter as she looked at the spirit in front of her, "you can leave a message directly for Daniel."
"Thank you" said Sha're, "my Danyel. Meeting you all those years ago was fate. I know it was. Meeting you brought a happiness that I never knew could exist, and we have spent such great times together. I thank you for everything; I thank you for taking me as your wife.. I thank you for protecting me, I thank you for freeing me and my people from a great evil. Thank you, my love. I just ask that you protect my son, he is on Kheb.. and he needs you most of all. You are the love of my life, Danyel… I only wish you happiness as you live on. Farewell."
"It is time for me to go" continued Sha're as she looked at Kasuf, "father. I will always be by your side… I will be in your heart."
"Yes" said Kasuf as his voice broke, "you… are… with me. My daughter."
"Sorry" said Tara as she looked at Sha're.
"Thank you" said the spirit as she smiled at Tara, "thank you for enabling me to say one last goodbye."
It was then that everyone looked on amazed as Sha're vanished in a brilliant flash of white light, leaving only charred candles around the area where the ring of salt used to be.
"The doors have been closed" said Tara as she dropped on her knees while Major Carter rushed to her, "the salt represented the doorway, with the salt gone. That means the doorway has been shut, and gone. And now…. Now I wanna rest. Ple… please don't tell Willow about this… ple.. ple.. please."
It was then that Tara's body went limp and her head fell onto the General's shoulder while Teal'c called for medical assistance.
TBC.
