Times Like These

Chapter 2 -

"Daniel, can you please *stop* going on about that temple!!" Colonel Jack O'Neill had been ear-bashed about ancient races for the last half-hour, he couldn't take much more. If he wasn't careful, Dr Jackson was going to have a salt-and-pepper shaker emptied over his head.... "Sir, we'd better hurry up, the briefing starts in twenty minutes," Sam tapped her watch. "Yeah, after my oatmeal Carter." He spooned more of the gluggy mix into his mouth. Sam shuddered. How could he *eat* that? Just the thought made her feel sick. Speaking of sick....*I wonder how Andrea's doing? I'll go in and say hi after the briefing,* she decided.

***

"P3Y 729 was once inhabited by a colony of the Ancients. They, however, are no longer on the planet, and the M.A.L.P did not detect any other signs of any other inhabitants. SG12's recent mission did however reveal a large amount of naquada, which has been mined by previous races, which is of a very quality. SG1, your mission is to ready the naquada for transportation to Earth." General Hammond cast his steady gaze across the room, catching four pairs of eyes as he did so. "Are we clear?" Four heads nodded in unison, and two muttered, "Yes, sir." The general walked out of the briefing room as his prized flagship team stood. Colonel O'Neill made a show of stretching his back, and winced. "I gotta go see a doctor," he muttered. Daniel looked up from his copy of SG12's report. "Relax Jack, this mission is going to be a piece of cake," he grinned. "You can see old Doc Fraisier as much as you want when we get back. Who knows," he said smirking, "She might be able to give you a few shots for that pain..." The colonel blanched visibly. "No! I mean, er, I think I'm feeling better, yeah much better." Carter laughed as she left, and turned down the corridor for the infirmary.

***

"Hey!" Janet Fraisier beamed at her friend. "Hi Janet," Sam smiled back. "I was just coming in to say hi to Andrea." The doctor looked puzzled. "The girl I was talking to yesterday." Janet's face cleared. "Oh, Lieutenant Graham! She's through there, better, still a little peaky though." Sam pulled back the bed curtain, to reveal a rather pale young woman. Her worn face broke into a smile as she saw who her visitor was. "Thank god! I thought you were another one of those annoying nurses!" Carter smiled. "How are you feeling Andrea?" Lieutenant Graham smiled wearily. "I had a pretty rough night, up at four am throwing up my dinner. I'm still not keeping anything down." Sam grimaced. "Whew. Not too good huh? What's Janet giving you?" "Antacids to help with my stomach, and an IV. Not exactly my favourites, but they help." She smiled. "I never asked before, what team are you assigned to?" Carter took a seat on one of the hard plastic chairs. "SG1. You?" Andrea raised her eyebrows. "SG1? I hear a lotta good stuff about you guys. Me, I'm in SG14." Sam stretched her shoulders. "Hey, I'm always getting shining reports back about '14." She yawned, and immediately looked embarrassed. "Sorry. Hammond's had us run off our feet. We're leaving on another mission in a few hours." She sighed. "Sometimes this place really gets to me." The lieutenant nodded. "I know what you mean. I've had it the same; no peace, no time away from the team. It's like we're joined at the hip." " Exactly! I mean those three are great, and I don't know what I'd do without them, we're like family, but sometimes I feel.....I feel almost suffocated by them." Andrea nodded again. "I can't have any life outside work, no matter how hard I try." She grinned lopsidedly at Sam. "You don't know how good it is to get this off my chest." Sam smiled back. "It's great to have someone who understands what I'm feeling." The two sat still for a moment, blonde and brunette, blue eyes meeting deep green, a common understanding between them.

All of a sudden the lieutenant paled, and lurched foreward in her bed. "Bucket!" she choked out, her jaws clenched tightly. Sam quickly reached for the blue bucket sitting beside her chair, and placed it next to Andrea. Sam patted her back as Andrea threw up her last meal, her body shuddering with illness and exhaustion. After a short while, the lieutenant slumped back against the pillows, face waxy and glazed with sweat. Sam leaned over her, waiting for her eyes to open. "Andrea?" She said softly, then louder. " *Andrea?* " Turning and rising, Carter shouted out, "Nurse! *Janet!*"

On the infirmary bed, Lt. Andrea Graham lay as pale and still as death.



***

A/N - More coming soon, I promise. What do you think? Please tell me, I'd love to hear what you think I should do with this. No flames I beg!!!