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The Middle

She knew in her heart that her friends would do everything in their power to free her, but what if they were in the same predicament? She wondered how long General Hammond would wait to send a team through to find them.

Why hadn't he already? Someone from her team had to have contacted him. If so, what had they told him and why would he allow SG1 to stay on an obviously unfriendly world? Could it be that The Powers That Be had decided she wasn't worth the price of rescue?

Refusing to dwell on the negative, Sam forced herself to concentrate on the fact that she would be rescued and then get the hell off this planet, once and for all.

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The Situation

Walking slowly out of the building, Sam followed Annara to a small garden on the side of town and sat beside her on the wooden bench.

"You and Jack seemed to have had a disagreement."

Sam swallowed nervously."Yes."

"Would it have something to do with the dance?"

The older woman studied Sam's face carefully.

"No. I mean, not really. I'm just not used to this."

"This?" Annara asked curiously. "To what do you refer?"

Trying to explain without actually lying, Sam said quietly, "well, um, we - the Colonel and I, well, we don't always see eye to eye on things. Usually he's more agreeable, but I sometimes…"

"Oh yes, it is the constant ebb and flow of life that brings lovers together while at the same time pulls them apart. We must follow our hearts but sometimes allow the mind to lead. Jack is a very strong man, in control yet yielding to a higher power. It must be difficult for him to choose between you and your job."

At Sam's understanding nod, Annara continued.

"I know Friador has often struggled under the weight of responsibility for his people and then for our family and myself. There are times when he needs me to attend to him physically in order to release the strain of providing for our village."

"Huh? Oh!"

Mortified by her split second misunderstanding, Sam blushed furiously. The sudden vision of Jack O'Neill moving in her and over her, his head thrown back in ecstasy as he cried out her name, flashed through her head, coiling desire low in her stomach. Great. Guess who was going to be taking the starring role in her dreams for the next three weeks? Again.

Geesh. It certainly put a whole new spin on the concept of 'taking one for the team', that was for sure!

"Do you not attend regularly to Jack's needs?"

Not in the way either of them would prefer, Sam ruefully admitted in her head.

"Uh, Annara, I, I'm not, I mean, I really don't think…"

Sam staggered to find some semblance of control of the conversation.

"Sam, why the hesitation? Surely you know how important it is for men to feel dominant, even if in actuality they are not. He must know by now that you have chosen him for a specific purpose. Does he not want to give you a family and the life you deserve?"

Blinking back the tears that suddenly sprang into her eyes, Sam swallowed the lump in her throat and with a shake of her head answered, "it's not like that."

She saw the confusion on the other woman's face and then explained. "I don't think I can."

"Can?"

"Have a family. Children. I…look, there was an…accident a few years ago and the doctors, uh, healers, said that it might not be possible."

Sam's voice dropped to a low whisper before giving out altogether.

"Oh, I see." Annara replied softly. "I am very sorry."

"So am I."

The older woman sat quietly a moment but then smiled serenely. "Perhaps I can help you."

"How?" Sam asked; puzzled by the confident expression the healer wore.

With a gentle laugh, Annara stood to her feet and extended a hand to Sam. "Come, we will return to the festivities. I shall appeal to the other healers and then we shall see if something can be done for you."

Sam accepted the hand and then tilted her head in query, "uh, Annara, what exactly are you planning? You should know that the Colonel really doesn't like it when people meddle in his business..."

"It is not his business, it is yours. You chose whether to marry him, you now choose the opportunity to conceive. Whether you actually do so or not is your decision. I have nothing to do with that."

Well that was certainly an interesting viewpoint! Not that it was likely to matter much either way for the moment. And probably not for the forseeable future the ways were going. Sheesh! She really didn't have a life. It was official. Well maybe this would be this step towards getting one. A girl was entitled to hope wasn't she?

The native woman chuckled at the stunned appearance of her new friend.

"Are things so different on your world? You have mentioned that men hold most of the positions of authority. Do the men have control over that task as well?"

"What? No! I just—I find it hard to believe that you are so willing to help me. This is definitely not what I was expecting when we came here."

"Ah, but is not that what life is all about? Being unable to expect the unexpected? It is what make things interesting, is it not?"

Annara smiled warmly at Sam and walked into the meeting hall. Sam stared after her. Maybe she was on to something there. Even if it did make the scientest within her a little twitchy at the thought of not being able to analyse every projected outcome before making a decision. Huh. Perhaps that was her problem…

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