CHAPTER NINE: RETURN TO WORK

The base hadn't changed, Janet realised. Of course, in the seven years she'd been working there, there hadn't been all that many changes either, but still. She expected some things to have changed in her absence.

One thing that had changed however, was the greetings that she'd receive in the hallways. Usually airmen and the SF's would nod politely when she passed by in the hallways, but now she found herself being stopped and welcomed back. Airmen would grin at her and genuinely wish to know how she was coping. The Marines had even chipped in to buy her the biggest bouquet of flowers she'd ever received.

The Briefing Room was the same as ever, and yet Janet couldn't keep herself from looking around, just to memorise every nook and cranny. She'd spent hours in the briefing room, both for meetings, and often to stare out the observation window at the Stargate. It was a familiar room that she felt comfortable in, and as she sunk into one of the comfortable leather chairs, she couldn't help but finally accept that she truly was back on earth.

Doctor Elizabeth Weir took a seat at the head of the table, and Jack and Teal'c sat to Weir's right, while Sam, Janet and Daniel sat to Weir's left. It felt strange being seated in the middle of SG-1. She usually sat to Sam's right, closer to General Hammond, or at the end of the table, but never directly in the centre of the group. She had to admit to rather liking being part of the inner circle of the flagship team.

"Doctor Fraiser, perhaps you could begin for us by telling us exactly what happened to you on P3X-666," Doctor Weir suggested.

Janet nodded and took a breath.

"Daniel and I were helping to stabilise Airman Wells," Janet began, Daniel quickly translating as her English failed her. "Daniel was filming Well's last words to his wife when I was shot with a staff blast."

Sam fidgeted slightly, not liking the stark reminder of what had happened that fateful day on P3X-666. Hearing Janet's own account of it was not something that she wanted to sit through.

"The next thing I remember is waking up to bright lights. I was in a sarcophagus, but Anubis wouldn't allow it to heal me completely. I woke up strapped naked to a table," Janet said, her voice and English became less certain as she related her story.

Daniel tried to keep his tone professional as he translated, but he couldn't help but feel terrible for Janet. He noticed that both Sam and Weir flinched at his last translation, and Jack's eyes narrowed as though the Colonel would have cheerfully killed the bastard who'd hurt their beloved CMO.

Janet continued her story, Daniel chipping in every few words to ensure that the others knew what was happening. SG-1's expressions were dark, until Janet came to explain her escape from Anubis's clutches, and how she'd modified the sarcophagus with the power source from the zat'n'ketls to fully integrate the Knowledge within her. She explained how the voices had told her that Anubis wouldn't be killed if his ship was destroyed. She explained that the Knowledge had told her how to return Anubis to human form, rather than being stuck between human and Ascended. She explained about the Opelia, and the attack on the ship. She outlined her escape and her dash to the Ring Transporter, and arriving in the outpost in Antarctica, and finally about healing Jack.

SG-1 could only sit and listen in shocked silence. What threw them most of all was that this fantastic tale wasn't coming from a seasoned member of an SG team. It was coming from someone who'd been offworld no more than two dozen times. Someone who had dedicated their life to doing no harm. To hear their CMO explaining about how she'd gunned down Jaffas and escaped from torment wounded something deep inside all of them. Doctor Fraiser was one of the most innocent people on base as far as they were concerned. When they thought of her as a person, they considered her a healer before being a soldier, and that distinction made it difficult for them to swallow the information bared to them.

"Well," Doctor Weird began, exhaling slowly as she tried to fully understand just what it was that the brunette woman had gone through, "I think it's safe to say that you've had a trying ordeal."

Janet nodded, noting the other woman's attempt to diffuse a tense moment. She had to admit that Doctor Weir would fit in well with the SGC, even if she couldn't imagine not being under General Hammond's command. It just seemed implausible.

"What happens now?" Janet asked.

"Now, I explain to the President that your back," Weir replied. "And we try and explain to the public how it is that someone that we buried has miraculously returned."

Janet frowned, her eyebrows furrowing. She hadn't really given all that much thought about what things had been like on this side of the galaxy. To hear that the SGC had considered her to be dead was something of a shock.

"And Cassandra?" Janet inquired softly. "When can I see her?"

Sam paled considerably. She hadn't even given a single thought to Cassandra's reaction to Janet's return. The orphaned girl they'd found on Hanka considered Janet a second mother, and if anyone had the right to know that Janet had been returned to them, it was Cassie.

"I'm sure we can arrange for her to visit the base soon," Doctor Weird assured her.

"Soon?" Janet repeated. "With all due respect Doctor Weir…that's not good enough. I want to see my daughter."

Whatever response Elizabeth had been expecting, she hadn't been expecting that. She glanced around the table to see SG-1 hiding smirks, though Teal'c was the only one to successfully hide his.

"We'll get her here Doc," Jack promised. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed watching the Doc argue with someone. That she was arguing with Weir was just an added bonus really. And it wasn't that he didn't like their new CO, but he just really preferred Hammond over Weir. But watching Doc Fraiser put her down was definitely his favourite event of the day.

"Thank you sir," Janet said gratefully.

"Well, I figure I probably owe you a few favours, huh?" Jack replied. "I can't imagine myself allowing that Knowledge crap to stay in my head indefinitely."

"I figure it could come in handy one day," Janet replied.

"That's putting it mildly I think," Daniel said.

"Very mildly," Sam agreed.

Doctor Weir leant forward and looked intently at Janet. "Is there anything that you can tell us that would be useful?"

Janet leant back in her chair and glanced at the blonde doctor.

"I know where the lost city of Atlantis is," she replied calmly. "Think that's useful?"