A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! And to all my 'silent readers' as well!

Special thanks to all the fine people over at As the Stargate Turns for being supportive and fun and all those other wonderful things that you are. You guys are the best! ; )

Chapter 2:

Having completed her examination of her patient and best friend, Dr. Janet Fraiser disposed of her gloves and picked up Sam's chart.

"Well, everything seems to be healing nicely," she informed Sam as she jotted down a few notes. "But you look a bit tired." She glanced up. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Sam replied, sitting on one of the infirmary beds as she laced up her boots. "I feel quite energized, actually. And glad to be back at work," she added earnestly. "I was going stir crazy at home."

Janet stopped writing and looked at her friend apologetically. "Sorry I wasn't able to come by more often to keep you company." She really did feel bad about that. She'd wanted to stop by more often, but work had kept getting in the way.

Sam shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I know you were busy." She finished tying her last lace and sat up. "So... are you going to clear me for going off-world soon?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, if you continue to heal at this rate and regain more of your strength... in the next few days probably."

"Great!" With a smile, Sam hopped down from the infirmary bed. "Are we done here?"

Janet couldn't help but smile, knowing how eager Sam was to return to her lab after so many days away. "Yes, we're done. You're free to go."

"Thanks, Janet."

As Sam turned to leave, Janet found herself suddenly needing to stop her. There was something she needed to ask her. "Sam?" Her friend stopped and looked back. "Other than physically, how are you doing?"

Janet thought she saw a shadow pass over Sam's eyes at her question. She thought she hesitated briefly before answering. But it could have been all in her imagination. It could have been, but she wasn't convinced that it was.

"I'm fine, Janet," Sam replied. "You don't need to worry."

She didn't? Again, Janet wasn't convinced. But she decided not to press the issue. "All right. But if you need to talk..." She trailed off, leaving the invitation hanging.

Sam flashed her a grateful smile. "I appreciate that, but I'm fine. Really." She turned again to go. "See you," she said over her shoulder, and then left the infirmary.

Janet stood watching her go, unable to stop herself from sighing slightly. She wasn't even sure that she herself was fine, having almost lost her best friend to a psychopathic killer, so how in the world could Sam possibly be fine?

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

General George Hammond was approximately halfway through reading a rather routine mission report when a light knock on his open office door interrupted him. But it wasn't an unwelcome interruption. In fact, when George looked up and saw who was standing in his doorway, a big smile automatically spread across his face.

"Major Carter, come on in," he greeted, gesturing to the empty chair on the other side of his desk. He was still grinning when she crossed the office and took the offered seat. "It's good to have you back with us, Major." And it really was.

She smiled back at him. "Thank you, sir."

"How are you doing?" George couldn't keep a note of paternal affection from sounding in his voice.

"Much better, sir. And eager to get back to work."

George smiled again. Of course she was. "I'm glad to hear it, Major." He picked up a file that was sitting on the corner of his desk. "I just received Dr. Fraiser's medical report. She thinks it's quite possible that she'll be able to clear you for active duty before the end of the week."

"That sounds great." She was practically beaming now.

"Of course, I'll have to wait for Dr. MacKenzie's report as well before any decision can be made."

George didn't fail to notice the effect his words had on Major Carter. Her smile faded quickly from her face and the excited light in her eyes flickered and went out.

"Dr. MacKenzie, sir?" Her voice sounded hollow.

"That's right, Major," George confirmed. "He's expecting you today at 1400 hours."

Major Carter seemed to struggle to find her voice for a brief moment. "Is that really necessary, sir?" she finally managed to ask.

"Absolutely," George replied. "This isn't optional, Major. I need an all-clear from Dr. MacKenzie before I can put you back on active duty."

She swallowed, reining in her emotions, and then nodded. "Yes, sir. 1400 hours." She paused. "Is there anything else, sir?"

George let his voice soften again. "No, Major, that's all for now. You're dismissed."

She stood and turned for the door.

"Major Carter?"

She paused in the doorway and turned back.

"Again, it's good to have you back," he told her sincerely.

She smiled, although more weakly than before. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

George nodded at her and she turned again and exited his office. Alone once more, George looked down at the medical report on his desk and sighed. He knew Major Carter wasn't exactly enthused about the obligatory appointment with Dr. MacKenzie, but that wasn't exactly unexpected. Her reaction was quite a common one whenever he ordered an officer to have a session with the base psychiatrist.

But even if it weren't required, George still would have thought it a good idea. Sure, as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and as a part of the Stargate program, Major Carter had dealt with many rough situations in the past. But that didn't mean that this most recent, nightmarish experience wouldn't have had a significant effect on her.

No, George decided, it would probably be a very good thing for her to talk to a professional like Dr. MacKenzie. Just in case she needed some help facing any remaining demons. It was George's sincere hope that she was healing as well psychologically as she was physically, but there was a part of him that wondered if that was really the case.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Although Sam was still happy to be back at the SGC, her brief talk with General Hammond had taken some of the wind out of her sails. Well, more than some, actually. Now her relief and excitement at being back was overshadowed by a growing knot in the pit of her stomach that was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

She spent some time tinkering around in her lab and getting back up to speed on some of the projects she'd been involved in before her abduction, but even that couldn't make her forget about what General Hammond had said. About what she was going to have to do later that day.

Lunchtime, at least, provided Sam with a brief respite from her increasing anxiety. Colonel O'Neill arrived at her lab and insisted that she leave her doohickeys alone long enough to join him in the commissary for a bite to eat. And for once, she really didn't need all that much encouragement to do so. She'd actually been looking forward to meeting him for lunch and was even more pleased when Daniel and Teal'c showed up to join them.

Sam wasn't all that interested in her food, but instead drank in the feelings of companionship and contentment that came from spending casual time with her teammates. Honestly, she didn't know how she would have made it through the past week without them. Thoughts of them had sustained her during her darkest moments while being held captive, and even after she was free from her abductor, the times when they'd shown up at her house with pizzas and movies were the times when she felt she'd done the most recovering.

Just having them around, having them near, filled Sam with such an immense feeling of peace and security. And those were two things she'd been in desperate need of lately.

Unfortunately, their somewhat impromptu team lunch didn't last nearly as long as Sam would have liked. Before she had even managed to work her way through half of her meal, Daniel was dragging a rather reluctant Colonel O'Neill off to see General Hammond. Apparently, Daniel wanted the Colonel to help convince the General to allow SG-1 to return to a planet they'd visited a couple of weeks earlier. Something about studying the ruined city in more detail. Or, as Colonel O'Neill had put it, more of Daniel playing with rocks while he tried not to die of boredom.

Sam smiled at their familiar bantering as the two men left the commissary, but even as they disappeared from sight, she could feel the knot in her stomach making itself known to her again. And as her anxiety began to increase once more, all traces of her smile faded from her face.

The day just wasn't going as easily as she had expected. But if she could just get through the afternoon, then surely things would get better. She just needed to make it through a few more hours.

"Major Carter."

Sam blinked at the sound of Teal'c's voice, realizing that her mind had been drifting miles away from the commissary.

"Is the food not to your liking?" Teal'c inquired.

Sam glanced down at the macaroni and cheese she'd been pushing around on her plate for the past several minutes. "It never really is," she replied, only half joking. She cracked a slight, wry smile. "Except maybe for the Jell-O." When Teal'c's expression remained serious, Sam set down her fork and sighed, her smile disappearing once again. "I guess I'm just not hungry today, Teal'c."

"Something weighs upon your mind, does it not?"

"No," Sam replied automatically, but as she met the Jaffa's steady, knowing gaze, she corrected herself. "Well, yes, I guess so."

Teal'c waited.

"It's just... I have an appointment with Dr. MacKenzie this afternoon. And I guess I'm sort of dreading it."

"For what reason? Do you believe he will give you a negative report?"

"No, not exactly." Sam had to think for a moment. What was it that she was worried about? "I guess I just don't really want to go over everything again." That made sense, didn't it? "I don't want to keep dwelling on what happened. I just want to move on."

"Perhaps talking with Dr. MacKenzie will help you to do just that," Teal'c suggested.

"I doubt it," Sam said skeptically. "Except for the fact that I have to get it over with in order to be allowed to go off world again." She glanced at her watch and pushed back her chair. "I'd better get going so I'm not late."

"Do you wish me to accompany you to the hospital?" Teal'c offered as she got to her feet.

Sam smiled gratefully. "That's really not necessary, Teal'c. But thanks."

Teal'c bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment and Sam gave his arm a quick, affectionate squeeze before heading out of the commissary and on her way to get the dreaded appointment over with.

Remaining at the table, Teal'c was left by himself to ponder silent thoughts.

TBC…