Friends

It was going to be a party. We were celebrating the 2nd year of the SGC. General Hammond practically ordered us to invite our families. I'd avoided the whole thing like a plague until we were posted a letter giving us a time and date. Typically it was addressed to both of us, so he opened it. He wanted to go. I'd been off world so often recently that I hadn't spent much time at home. I'd been camping out on the base because of the stream of missions we'd been sent on and it always happened that when we had time off he'd been off somewhere else. I'd been lucky. It had given me time to recover a little bit. I hadn't felt so relaxed for ages. Other than fighting to save the world and all that.

This gave us some time together. He was being amazingly relaxed after all of the work he'd been doing. It gave him someone else to take his anger out on. I was almost happy to let him come. Almost happy. I wasn't completely happy about him meeting my friends. They were something that was mine and I didn't want anything to brake us up. Especially a nasty comment from my fiancée. Any way, Jonas had made up his mind now and wouldn't be swayed. We turned up late but Jonas was in a good mood and quickly started introducing himself to everyone. Sitting back, beside our Doctor, Janet, I watched him interact with my friends. I don't know whether or not someone pointed Jack in that direction or whether it was a chance encounter but there, protecting their beloved beer, Jack and Jonas met. I was almost surprised to see them start laughing and joking together, but smiled as Janet rested her hand on my shoulder.

"See, nothing to be worried about." Was her only comment. I turned to her in surprise.

"How did you know I was worried."

"Honey, you're so tense I'm surprised no one else has noticed. You don't want him to be here. I know that." I wasn't sure how to respond so I muttered some non-answer. "I can see how you fell for him. He's charismatic. But you should have got rid of him by now. You know he's not worth it." I looked at her with surprise in my eyes. I hadn't told her. I hadn't told anyone. "You didn't think I wouldn't notice. I'm your doctor, Sam. I see every mark he makes on you."

"Who else knows?" I whispered finally. I didn't know whether I was upset or happy that someone else knew. My first response was to be annoyed, upset, worried. But something inside of me relaxed knowing that this woman, my friend, had my back.

"I think Daniel has his suspicions and he's been watching you two like a hawk since you walked in. He's worried about you." I glanced over to where Daniel had been sitting and, sure enough, he was glaring at Jonas with hate in his eyes. I stood up to go and talk to him and was pounced upon by the Colonel.

"Hey Sam! You're late."

"I know sir, sorry."

"The general said family, Carter. Where's your obligatory significant other'?"

"You've already met him sir, Jonas Hanson."

"Ah, our dear friend Jonas. Really Captain, I didn't think he was your type." There was an expression behind the Colonel's eyes that I didn't recognize. It made me wonder for a moment.

"Do you know him, sir?"

"We've just met. Lovely guy." The look in his eyes did not match up with his words and I wondered for a moment if I was missing something. My line of thought was interrupted when Jonas came over, obviously bored.

"Hey Sam. What you doin'?"

"Just talking. You've met Colonel O'Neill, my CO. This is Janet Fraiser, the Base's CMO." I stood up introducing my friend cautiously.

"Bet you get some really interesting jobs in the Deep Space Telemetry unit, Doctor. Look out – the colonel's got a paper cut." Jonas joked, mock seriously holding up the colonel's hand. Jack laughed along with his joke. I frowned; it wasn't really a surprise that the Colonel and Jonas got along. It just made me wonder why it was so difficult to see that they were really alike.

"Come on Sam, it was only a joke." Jake broke into my reverie "cheer up a bit."

"Sorry Jack. I was just thinking."

"So, it's Sam and Jack is it?"

"Give it a break Jonas." I snapped. Jack frowned down at me, but left it and went to talk to Daniel, leaving Jonas to scowl and march off.

"Damn, I'm gonna pay for that. I wish we didn't have time off. If I could just stay here and mess with all the equipment I'd be happy. I'd just never go home."

"You could come over mine tonight if you like. Hang out for a while. Girls only."

"Thanks Janet, but I can't."

"That's OK. Look, if you need to, you have my number, right?" She smiled at me quietly and I felt like crying. Unbeknown to me Daniel was still sitting in his seat watching everything, but now he had a purpose. He was going to risk it all. He knew he was right now. Janet and my faces had told him everything. Calling over to Jack he took him aside and told him his suspicions.

It was ten minutes later when all hell broke loose. Jack was holding Jonas against a wall by his neck and a circle of people were massing around them. The general, having disappeared around the corner to talk to some one, came rushing in and started shouting orders on deaf ears.

"Colonel O'Neill. Would you please put Major Hanson down." Was his final resort, but by this time Jack's arms were tired anyway. Jonas grabbed me by the arm and we left, heading quickly for the car. Back in the meeting hall Janet turned on Jack.

"Do you realize what you've done? You've made things worse. Beating him up isn't going to stop him. Sam has a plan. She has a way to get him. Or she had. You've ruined everything." Janet paused, her face red. "You idiot!" She exclaimed as she headed home to be prepared for Sam's call if it came.

The next day Janet came into work early, not having received a call last night, but hoping that Sam would be able to make her own way to work. She was off duty and shouldn't be in work at all, but she had a feeling Sam would need her after last night. But she was disappointed. Sam didn't come in at all that day. One of the lab tech. called in to see if she wanted something to do and she accepted, giving her worry over into dutiful work.

I parked up in the Base's car park carefully. It had been agony getting there. My arm was killing me and I'm not sure I'm seeing straight. Probably a concussion. I was wearing enough clothes for a deep winter, which probably looked a little strange mid-summer in Colorado, but I didn't want to be stopped at the gates. I just wanted to see Janet. See Janet and tell her everything. Get her to tell me that everything would be fine.

She was sleeping in her office when I found her. Lying on a pile of books on her desk. It can't have been comfortable. It made me wonder how she got here from last night.

The next morning Janet sat up from the desk she'd fallen asleep at last night. Trying to work out what she was doing falling to sleep at work when she was meant to be on leave, she looked around her. She gasped at what she saw.

Sam was stood in the doorway. Or maybe it was better to say that she leaned in the doorway. Seeing her there Janet breathed a sigh of relief, she was OK. She was here. She was safe. She was collapsing. Yelling for a nurse Janet supported Sam and helped her over to a bed. This was bad. Sam had a concussion, her head was bleeding, her arm looked swollen and her breathing was labored. And that was just what she could see. Janet looked Sam in the eyes.

"Sam, are you OK?" That was the question. The one I didn't want. No I wasn't OK. I felt stupid and I hurt. I was dying inside because I wasn't sure I could go back into that house. I was crying before I knew it, silent tears welling in my eyes. I was safe here. It was a few minutes before Janet pushed me back and took my shoulders, adjusting her grip as I winced. "Sam I need to check you out, OK? Can I do that?" I nodded quietly, not trusting my voice just yet. It only took a few minutes, but before she was finished Janet knew what she was going to say.

"Sam, you need to stop this now. You have everything you need to get Jonas now. Do it now. Before it's too late." I nodded again. I knew. I knew he'd gone too far. "Do you wanna come stay with me while we sort this out?"

"No. Thanks, but I know where I can go. My dad, he called before the party last night. That's why we were late. He's ill Janet. I'm gonna go spend some time with him while he's off work, maybe I can sort things out there. Sort out my life. Do you think you can get me the time off?"

"Easily, but Sam, what do you want me to tell everyone? Can I tell the General, or the colonel? The rest of SG1?"

"Tell whoever you think should know. It's all over now. It's finished. Do you have the copy of the book I sent you?"

"Yeah."

"When I get to my dad's I'll disconnect the emergency back-up system. Liam will only receive the e-mail if there's something wrong."

"Do you want me to take it to the police? Then they're the ones who get to sort out Jonas." I paused. This was it. All of my plans were about to go into motion. Is it the right time? Am I ready? Do I want to do this?

"If that's best, yeah." Janet looked at me. Trying to see through the pain to the emotions inside. I watched her careful examination. Wondering what she'd find.

"Wait a minute. You said Sam, what day is it?" I puzzled over the strange question.

"Sunday. Day after the base party. Why?"

"Oh, God, Sam. It's Monday. Have you been unconscious that long? You were lucky not to bleed to death... You were so lucky." With that Janet's control was lost and we sat together crying for what was past.

It was an hour later when I left the base and headed to see my father. Who'd have known I'd never get there?

My foundation was rocked my tried and true way to deal was to vanish

My departures were old I stood in the room shaking in my boots

At that particular time love had challenged me to stay

At that particular moment I knew not run away again

That particular month I was ready to investigate with you

At that particular time

I've always wanted for you what you've wanted for yourself

And yet I wanted to save us high water or hell

And I kept on ignoring the ambivalence you felt

And in the meantime I lost myself

In the meantime I lost myself

I'm sorry I lost myself.i am

Alanis Morissette – Particular Time