Disclaimer: If I did own the series, I would not be here right now. Trust me on that one.
A/N: Simple command, soldier. Review.
Till the end of the time
Chapter 15
Samantha was lying in the bed in her quarters. Although the lights were out, and the base was taking its nightly rest, she couldn't sleep. Everything was silent outside, but her head was pounding with unanswered questions and images that seemed to pop out when she least expected them, disturbing her thoughts and bringing along the feeling of unrest and hidden fear.
Some images were pleasant; most of them involved Dr. Jackson, some big guy with the strangest thing on his forehead and the man from before, one with graying hair. Sometimes, Dr. Fraiser was with them too. But the images were just that, short flashes of her memories, which didn't come back easily. Most of the images that she could recall out of the depths of her mind were images of shooting, people getting shot or dying, people already dead and lying on the ground in heaps. She knew that feelings of danger, fear and sorrow were close to her, closer than any other. Every fragment of her memories brought different emotion, but all had the same origin... all were feelings she didn't want to feel.
Samantha sighed and pushed herself of the bed. There, sitting on the edge and burying her head in her hands she tried to clear her mind, and start remembering again, by the umpth time this night, and be ready to start yet again if this trial brought no memories.
It was frustrating. Very frustrating. Looking around you and not recognizing people and places, and yet by the look in the eyes of the strangers knowing they know you, but being unable to say you know them. Only perhaps that you might knew them. Once. But not anymore.
Soft knock woke her up from her slumber. Forcing herself to straighten her limbs from rather uncomfortable position on the floor (how she got there, she couldn't tell) and getting up with the support from metal bedside, she limped over to the door. Her foot was aching, and she could say with a lot of certainty that it was one nasty cramp.
"Yes?" she murmured opening the door, and not really looking at the person standing behind them, but more at her own feet and unsuccessful attempts to wriggle her fingers.
"Good morning, Major. I have come to take you to General Hammond. He required your presence, Major Carter."
The voice was calm, but unusual. Masculine and deep. Yet, very strange.
She looked up, and backed off in disbelief. Huge black man was standing in front of her, dressed in military uniform. His face was completely expressionless, but eyes had the tiniest gleam of curiosity in them.
Samantha was not taken off her guard because of his size, but because of the strange-looking tattoo on his forehead. Yet somehow, this man and everything on him, including the mark on his face, didn't seem out of the place in here. On the contrary, he seemed very comfortable with his surroundings and his surroundings with him.
But, he was definitely amused with the way Samantha reacted. She could tell that, even if his face stayed calm. But she noticed how his eyebrow twitched a bit, and then settled back into the stillness.
She took another long look at him. Yes, this was the man she saw in the images that, like photographs, stood still and unclear in her mind. Only parts of the whole.
He seemed unsurprised when she asked him who he is. He simply bowed his head a bit and answered, "I am Teal'c." But when his eyes returned on her, she realized he was scanning her, quickly, as if looking for an injury of some kind. Samantha became painfully aware of her outfit, crumpled and half-unbuttoned shirt, revealing part of her top and baggy pants that slid almost to her hips and lingered there by some miracle, it seemed.
Closing the door, she whispered, loud enough only for him to hear, "Give me five minutes."
Samantha missed the bemused look in Teal'c eyes, as he noticed her discomfort when she realized the state of her clothing. Something like a small grin slowly crept onto his lips, but when he turned to face the corridor and wait for her, his face was, once again, expressionless.
Few minutes later, Samantha reappeared, now dressed in the blue working uniform, but her cheeks were still slightly colored.
As she walked beside the silent man, trying to catch up with his longer stride, she asked, "I know you, don't I?"
He slowed down a bit, and cast another curious glance on her, "You do, indeed."
"You called me Major Carter. I am a Major in the Army?" she asked in a slight disbelief. Dr. Jackson told her she was a scientist, but no one ever mentioned Army, although this was a military facility for sure. Soldiers were to be seen everywhere.
"You are Major in the Air Force."
'This guy is not talkative, that's for sure,' she thought, but then her thoughts strayed once again on his unusual appearance.
"Who are you?"
After earning another curious glance, she corrected herself.
"I know your name, but you look... strange." Samantha only hoped that this man is not offended easily.
"I am a Jaffa," another short answer came.
"Jaffa..." she whispered, trying to place the familiar word in her memories. It didn't work. She tried again, this time with his name. One trial, nothing. On the second, after concentrating so hard that she almost bumped in a tall guy coming from around the corner, and being saved from it only by a swift, but gentle pull from Teal'c, another 'image' resurfaced.
'Image' was a memory. Short, but painful. Very intensive. Samantha felt physical pain, as if her whole body was on fire. She stumbled.
A strong arm found its way around her waist and another gripped her just above the left elbow.
Deep voice came, but silenced by the turmoil of her pain.
"Are you well, Major Carter?" This time, concern was clear in Teal'c voice.
She tried to steady herself enough to stand, but her legs refused to obey the commands. Reluctantly, she gave in to the feeling of weakness and fell deeper into his arms, leaning her head onto his shoulder. His hold was still strong, but gentle nevertheless. Her forehead had a thin layer of cold sweat on, but she still felt on fire. World seemed to swirl right before her eyes, and distant object were slowly falling into the darkness. Everything seemed to diffuse into soft clouds of gray... and sharp edges started to dance, melting into the sea of unrecognizable shapes. She clutched at his arm, and whispered, "Martouf..."
Teal'c felt her body violently shaking against his, as if in some kind of a fit. They were starting to attract a lot of attention of the personnel passing by, Jaffa holding a female Major who shook like a leaf on water. He picked her up, and hurried along the corridor, but in that moment her quiet words reached him and he stopped dead, unsure of what to do, since she was looking at him, or at least trying to focus her straying glance on him. It was clear she was expecting an answer. Her shaking seemed to subside a little, but she still seemed in a lot of pain, and her words were interrupted by soft moans.
"I can not, Major. You first must go to the infirmary."
She tried to wriggle out of his arms, but was too weak to do anything against his firm hold. Fire seemed to burn even hotter on her, and the pain was almost unbearable. Shriek escaped her lips and not too little heads turned around. Teal'c hurried as fast as he could, and was almost running. Infirmary seemed miles away.
In her final efforts, she raised her head a little and away from his chests and croaked, "Please, Teal'c, do as I ask. Please..."
Her last words turned into the another yelp of pain, and she slumped back into his arms, too weak to move or even speak. But her eyes were open, and were darting from and to, unfocused, with tears wailing in the corners. The moment Teal'c ran into the infirmary, she started to cry silently, unable to swallow the hurt anymore, and damping even more the fabric of his shirt.
A/N: Alright, it is official. I am crazy. But I like torturing Sam, what can I say? I am jealous. He he he... I guess I will leave you like this to guess what Sam wanted from Teal'c and just what memory did she remember? And why did she mention Martouf? Or where is Colonel? God, I am cruel... :)