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"I hope you slept okay. I intend to provide you with a larger bed when I sort this out." Laura raised her voice so Sam was able to hear her over the rummaging. She was half-way through preparing another delivery to a planet called Xuria. This time it was mostly medical supplies and textbooks in the native language. The planet was fairly advanced, but lacked necessary equipment for better care. She didn't stopped there every time she passed by, only when they requested her help. They did requested it now.

The general and Teal'c planned to use the planet's gate to dial Earth and report in. They intended to accompany the provisions and hopefully speak to Daniel and get the sit rep on the SGC administration.

"The bed is fine. That wasn't the problem." Sam said, taking another sip of her apple juice.

"I know." Laura said, frowning, shooting a long glance in Sam's direction. The woman seemed in good spirits, even after the eventful yesterday.

"So is this it?" O'Neill's voice sounded through the transmitter. He and Teal'c were working on arranging the supplies while Laura was beaming them in place.

"No. There's one more batch coming in now. Stay clear of the platform." Laura finished the operation and then looked over her instruments to make sure all was in order. Then she turned to the woman in the wheelchair. "I gave you a strong sleeping pill last night, which I really hate doing, because it messes up with brain chemistry and you don't need any more of that. But yesterday was special case."

"Yeah." Sam finished the juice and put the lid back on. She was getting better at functioning without her sight when it came to mundane tasks such as this.

"Things like this are to be expected, Sam. You've been through a considerable trauma."

"So everyone keeps telling me. I just feel so out of place. I cannot work, I cannot even go for a walk or do anything without someone nearby."

"It's temporary, Sam. I know it sometimes doesn't feel like it, but you're getting better."

The transmitter sparkled a little and then they could hear Teal'c talking. "We are waiting, ready to go, Laura."

Laura looked at the console in front of her and moved a few stones to different positions. "I am ready to beam you down now."

"Proceed."

Laura waited for a confirmation that they are safely on the surface of the planet before going back to the conversation with Sam. "Let's do something to take your mind off this. All you've been doing is exercising and listening to the recording of mission reports. What would you say to a long bath? Or maybe you could help me organizing the general's birthday party? Or do you want to help me organize the party while you're taking a bath?"

"It's his birthday? When?"

"Couples of days."

"I'm not sure how I can help." Sam said, skeptically.

"For starters I would welcome any ideas on how to do this."

"For one, have enough beer."

"That's given. And I know what he likes to eat. I just mean apart from that. Any ideas for a good present?"

"A present?"

"Yeah. I understand it is customary to give a person a gift on their birthday."

"It is. I just don't know what he'd like."

"No worries." Laura waived it over when she noticed this topic to be a source of angst for Sam. She mentally kicked herself for even asking Sam when she knew Sam was still struggling immensely with the mere fact of her amnesia. "Hey, what you're doing?" Laura said when she noticed Sam moving.

"I want to get some exercise in before the guys return."

"And you don't want help why?"

"I want to try exercising on my own, you know, leaning against the chair."

"Sam, I don't think you're there yet. Why push so hard? It's dangerous."

"I'm going crazy just sitting around, Laura."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Laura's voice came out a little harsher than she meant it to.

"Laura, please, let it go. Just this once."

"But-" Laura stopped herself even before Sam interrupted her with her plea.

"Please."

Sam took off her dark blue jacket, folded it slowly and then tucked it under the wheelchair.

"Okay." Laura said finally, figuring she would still be able to watch over Sam. "Let's see how the workout will go then. Maybe you can start exercising without supervision, just not when you're alone in a room. Meanwhile I'll take a look at the ship system update."

Sam began by standing up and figuring out her balance, then she slowly shifted her weight to one side. Swing her other leg up to the side, she balanced herself for a few seconds, using the chair as support and then went back to the start position again. Afterwards she switched the legs and repeated the steps.

Laura watched the first few times, evaluating Sam's condition, ready to help if necessary. But Sam was doing fine. Lately she was capable of walking small distances on her own, provided there was someone directing her. Who knows if her unsteadiness was due to her inability to see or if it stemmed from muscle weakness, but there was definite improvement.

The ship's system was upgraded already, but it still required more Laura's attention before it was fully integrated. She postponed most of the work until Sam was feeling better, so now she was only running diagnostics of the new power course to make sure it functioned properly.

"This is Teal'c. Laura, do you hear me?"

Laura sneaked a little peak at Sam who was still exercising. Sam was doing alright, so she turned her attention to the Jaffa. "Yes, Teal'c. Go ahead."

"Can you beam us up?"

"Right now?" Laura walked around the console she was working on, humming quietly.

"Yes."

"Will do." Upon the pressing of a button and a sliding of a round crystal, Teal'c appeared, holding the seemingly unconscious general.

"Hello, Colonel." Teal'c said to Sam before turning to Laura.

"General, are you okay?" Laura hurried to the men, exchanging a slight nod with Teal'c as a hello. O'Neill didn't react to her presence when she crouched next to him.

From across the room Sam's worried voice sounded. "What's with him? What happened Teal'c?"

"The villagers were very friendly and they insisted on supplying us with their homemade brew before we made our way to the gate."

"He's drunk?" Laura's eyebrows shot up to her forehead as she took O'Neill's pulse. It was fairly normal. "Must have been hell of a briefing." She murmured to herself.

"I conducted the briefing myself. They were mainly interested in the materials we were sending them. We did not even get the chance to speak to Daniel Jackson."

"They deciphered everything okay?" Laura said, examining O'Neill. His body was slumped against Teal'c, breathing ragged and hard. His short grey hair was damp with sweat, so she measured his temperature and found out it was, indeed, slightly raised.

"They were no complaints, so I assume so."

"Anything else happened on Xuria?" Laura took an extra monitoring bracelet and strapped it on O'Neill's wrist. That way she would be aware of his state, but not have to bother him to take his vitals and so on.

"No. I radioed back as soon as the wormhole disengaged."

"Okay. Well, he needs to rest. Will you get him to the sleeping quarters?"

"Of course." Teal'c assured Laura, picking up the limp male body lying at his feet.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked, her voice shaking.

Laura switched off the main console and walked over to Sam, who was by now sitting in the wheelchair, hyperventilating after the workout. "He'll be fine. Don't worry." Laura noticed how concerned Sam was, but it didn't surprise her. Sam and the general definitely had a weird kind of relationship with one another. Laura hadn't asked about it, noting the standoffish behavior of O'Neill anytime she came close to the topic. Of course any exchange between her and the general was awkward lately, ever since she told him he was her father. But Sam was awkward when talking about the general while she comfortably talked to Laura about almost everything else.

"No alcohol poisoning?" Sam inquired again.

"No, just excess on multiple levels - he drank too much while he was too exhausted."

Sam felt a blanket being wrapped around her and then the brakes of her wheelchair being moved.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Laura asked, wheeling Sam out of the door.

"No." Sam said, shaking her head.

"Then let's get you into bed."

During the journey Sam couldn't stop herself from yawning, the physical exertion left her breathless and dead-tired. Laura had recognized this and was determined to get Sam to the quarters as soon as possible. There, Teal'c finally managed to tuck O'Neill in despite the fact the general had woken up and insisted he was fine and there was no reason for him to lie down.

"Teal'c, I don't want Carter see me like that. Let's go to the kitchen or somewhere." O'Neill pushed his blanket away and tried to get out of the bed.

"There's no chance of that, sir, since I cannot see. So don't worry." Sam was wheeled in the room without either O'Neill or Teal'c noticing. She didn't sound dejected or angry, just tired as hell.

"I don't think it's advisable for you to get up." Teal'c said, holding O'Neill down on the bed.

"You're here, Carter?" O'Neill's eyes widened as he looked in Sam's direction, ignoring his Jaffa friend. Laura just hit the brakes on the wheelchair, parking Sam next to her bed.

"Yeah, I'm here." Sam confirmed, getting rid of the blanket covering her. Slowly, with Laura's help, she began to move onto the bed.

O'Neill still flamboyantly gestured to Teal'c to let him go, but the Jaffa didn't waiver. At some point, O'Neill even managed to take off his boots and jacket by himself and consented to drink half a bottle of water. "You would have loved the Xurian celebration, Sam." He said, sighing loudly afterwards. "They had this plant they talked to…" His head fell down on the pillow before he could finish the sentence.

"Is he alright?" Sam asked after a moment of silence passed.

"It appears O'Neill is sleeping." Teal'c surmised.