The weekend was uneventful for SG-1 as they caught up on their personal lives and sent messages to the Tok'ra and Jaffa in an attempt to learn more about where M'erryne's home world could be located and what condition it could be in. Each of the teammates tried to be optimistic about their chances, but as the days passed the strain of not hearing back from their allies began to show. Only an audio message back from Jacob Carter promising more news in a week kept them from losing hope completely.
Jack and Teal'c coped with the wait the best way they knew how, besides going off world to kick alien tail that is, and the three trips to Janet's corner of the base proved there had been quite a bit of frustration for the two warriors to work out. Patiently waiting for anything had never been Jack's strongest feature.
Sam had been slightly better off; she'd managed to spend the weekend recalibrating nearly every energy weapon on base and had worked up over twenty-five pages of notes on a smaller, more efficient Naquedah generator to supply off world SG teams with in cases of peaceful contact and extended excavation missions. Miraculously, she'd only managed to chase half her support staff out from the lab in the process.
Daniel had handled the waiting game the best of the team, mostly because he'd given up waiting. Dr. Fraiser had kept their guest confined to the infirmary for another day after General Hammond had spoken to her before discharging her to base housing on Sunday. Daniel had spent Saturday talking to M'erryne about Earth's history and the culture they had now. He'd listened for hours as she had shared her knowledge with him and looked through her sketchbook with awe as she had show him detailed drawing after drawing of her home world, her family and her friends. He had carefully avoided bring up her captors that day, allowing her to heal a bit by reconnecting to the happiest parts of her life. Already, he could see a change in her though, how she remained relatively relaxed when she was with him or Janet but would startle or tense up when others arrived, spoke without her realizing they were there, or even came to check on her condition during Janet's absence. Sunday was a change of scene for both of them. When Daniel had arrived that morning after breakfast, Janet had informed him she was going to discharge M'erryne to base housing. Coincidentally, or not, her room was just across from Daniel's. The General had decided that placing her near someone she knew and felt comfortable with would benefit them all, especially since none of them had any idea just how long her stay on Earth was going to be. Janet also informed him that, if M'erryne wished, the General had also granted her permission to go above ground, escorted of course, to see Earth or at least the small area of land that was still part of base property. Town was still off limits for a while. M'erryne had jumped at the opportunity to see the outdoors. It was late spring, and last Daniel had checked a sunny day out, so he decided to make going outside their first stop of the morning.
Janet had been a very busy bee during the last few days of M'erryne's stay in the infirmary. She had taken up a clothing drive and between the item and monetary donations, had managed to assemble a basic wardrobe for M'erryne. There had been a substantial outpouring from base personnel and the remaining monies had been placed in a lockbox in M'erryne's room so she could get anything else she wanted without worrying about payment. When Daniel found M'erryne sitting along the side of her neatly made bed Sunday morning finishing her breakfast with Janet, she was dressed in a simple moss green jumper and cream colored, short-sleeved top. Her curly, auburn hair was half pulled back with a clip that held the top sections away from her face but left the bottom layers free about her shoulders. She was finishing her breakfast and chatting with Janet who was seated in the chair that had remained at the bedside the entire week, the tray table between them holding the empty dishes that told him the two women had shared a meal together.
"Hi," Daniel called as he entered the room, giving both women early notice someone had entered. "Good morning," he added as he rounded the half drawn privacy curtain and stood at the food of the bed.
He smiled as he acknowledged the two, not missing the fleeting expression of panic that had crossed M'erryne's face just for a second before she had recovered from the surprise of his arrival. Choosing not to call attention to her response, he instead began to discuss the plans for the morning.
"I was wondering," he began, "Since you've been cooped up in this room for the last week, if you'd like to come with me outside the base to see a little bit of what Earth looks like?"
"I would like that very much. I've found myself missing the sun on my face these last few days." M'erryne glanced at Janet as she spoke, checking to see if it was okay for her to go. When the doctor smiled and nodded slightly, she turned to face Daniel and stood, looking at him expectantly.
"Follow me then." Daniel smiled encouragingly as they left the room and entered the corridor. He kept up a running dialogue, pre-approved, non-sensitive information only naturally, as they made their way through the halls and past the checkpoints to the surface.
M'erryne had a natural inclination to see humor in the small things of life, Daniel noticed, and it served her well as she encountered one new thing after another during their short trip up. Daniel had found himself grinning broadly as well when they'd first entered the elevator by the infirmary to begin their ascent. The device had surprised M'erryne so much when it began moving that, once the initial shock had dissipated, she'd dissolved into a fit of giggles that Cassie would have even had a hard time matching.
The military personnel at the first checkpoint had thrown her for a moment though. They had paused for a mini tour on their way up; he'd shown her the cafeteria, his lab and Jack and Sam's offices between checkpoints and when they'd rounded the corner to the desk where the two guards were stationed they had been mid-sentence in conversation, her face towards him. She'd visibly jumped when the younger of the army men had spoken to address them and check their identification. Her hand had shot out to grab his arm, an action Daniel was almost positive she didn't even notice she had made until he'd reached down to give her hand a gentle squeeze to reassure her while he struck up a lighthearted conversation with the guards. She'd recovered her composure very quickly once they'd passed through and boarded the next elevator to the surface. She didn't speak to him about her reaction and he decided, again, not to bring up the incident unless she did. Startling easily was to be expected with anyone who had gone through an attack, even more so when she was in completely unfamiliar territory. Calling attention to it would only make her feel more self-conscious and ashamed; the two emotions that were the farthest from what she should be feeling at this point. All in all, the thirty-minute trip from the infirmary to the surface had been uneventful, albeit long one.