Sam woke from a bad dream into a worse reality. The now almost-constant pain seared like fire through her stomach and she had to breathe deeply to prevent what little she had eaten in the last few days coming back up. Once the bitter agony subsided a little, she was aware of someone pulling at her sleeve. Bleary eyed, she twisted (a bad idea) to look at the girl in the bed next to her chair. "Hey. You okay?"

Ella smiled bravely, "I am okaa. How are you Sam?"

Sam smiled back, "I'm okay too. Though I really shouldn't have taught you that word. It's slang."

"Slang?"

"Umm, It's a word we say when we are too…lazy to use another more descriptive phrase." She frowned. "Are you sure you're alright? Do you need something?"

"No, I'm well enough for now. I just wanted to talk to you." Sam glanced at the windows, it was dark.

"It couldn't wait till morning? You should rest."

"It won't take long. But there isn't much time left and I didn't want to wait alone."

"Hey! Don't talk like that." Sam admonished softly. "You're going to beat this thing remember. You just have to keep fighting like you promised you would."

"So I did. But I'm afraid you must forgive me Sam for I have not fought for over two days now."

"Why!"

"Teal'c could tell you. We spoke of it. I meant him to tell you in fact. But I couldn't sleep just now and I suddenly thought that maybe you'd rather hear it from me."

So Sam listened. And she heard with surprise and pity and a kind of anxious wonder about this 'angel' and her visit to Ella. It was possible she had been dreaming the whole thing, or worse, hallucinating. But maybe one of the Ancients was here. Hadn't Orio mentioned an 'dread angel'. And the villagers had thought they might be angels or demons when they came through the gate.

"Do you not believe me Sam?" Ella questioned, with only a little hurt in her voice. Sam sighed.

"To be honest, I don't know what to think. It's strange….but I've seen stranger things happen."

"Have you? I wish you'd tell me. I think I'll be leaving soon, but since I can't sleep while I wait, I wouldn't mind a story or two. You come from a different world, won't you tell me of it?"

Sam persuaded, pleaded, coaxed and commanded her in turn to have more hope, to ignore any 'angels' and fight to live. But Ella wouldn't listen. So finally, to please her young friend and to distract herself from the pain, she told her stories. Little things first, family holidays when she was a kid, the air force academy, the occasional incident at the pentagon. Then some of their adventures through the 'gate. Nothing of the Goa'uld, but the funny stuff. Meeting that weird culture from PX5 974 who thought Daniel's handshake was a proposition. They hadn't realised what was going on till halfway through the wedding ceremony. Daniel was almost married to a very large hairy native, whose gender they were never quite certain of. Then falling into that colourful 'mud' on PD6 837 which washed off easily except for their hair which was dyed a vivid blue for over a week, Teal'c had gotten lucky on that one. All the small, amusing little anecdotes that she could never talk about except with Janet over a coffee at lunch.

And later on, inspired perhaps by the strange things she had heard, or maybe just feeling the need to talk, Ella told her on stories. She spoke of her parents, who died only a few years ago by the same illness. How happy they had been here with their friends and close kin. How she, Fene, and Becali had grown up together.

Sam heard how Fene once fell in the river whilst trying to cross over on a log, and being so small she couldn't swim like the others and they'd thought her drowned. But almost half a mile down the stream she'd reappeared, clutching the back of a Aimlish, a kind of furry turtle. How angry their fathers had been and relieved the girls were. The next day Fene insisted on returning to the river to prove she could cross. They'd been caught by Ella's furious mother who had forbidden them from going near the river again,

They had of course, three days later when she'd sent them all out of the house for some reason. When they returned, triumphant, they found Ella's mother gone, and her father mourning. A few days later her father followed her mother to Haven, and Ella came to her Uncle's home.

They spoke of happier times, the people Ella knew, the mischief she and her cousins had wrought upon the villagers. They talked so long that the sun stretched tired arms of light into the sky and dawn loomed gray on the horizon. They sat for a while, exhausted till turning suddenly bright eyes to her friend, Ella spoke.

"It's time Sam."

"What?" Sam roused herself, blinking away sleep. "What is it?"

"It's time, I need to go outside."

"Outside? Why? Time for what?"

"You know."

"Ella-"

"Sam please, don't fight me now. I haven't the strength for it. Just…ask your friend Teal'c if he will help."

Sam stared, shocked, unsure. "Ella you aren't going to-"

"Sam, please?" Almost zombie like, she stood, stumbling on unsteady legs into the other 'room'. Teal'c lay at the far end. Staggering over, she tapped his arm clumsily, "Teal'c!" she whispered.

The Jaffa rose almost instantly, "Major Carter. Are you unwell?"

"It's not me, It's Ella. She says she needs to go outside." Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"Did you enquire as to why?"

"Yes but she won't tell me. She just says it's 'time' whatever that means. Teal'c she thinks she's going to die."

"I am aware." Her friend hesitated,

"Teal'c?"

"Milliya is also convinced Ella is near death."

"I don't care what she thinks! I'm not going to give up on her." a pause, "Teal'c!"

"What do you suggest Major Carter?" someone shuffled in the next bed, they needed to get out of there. and talk to her?" Teal'c nodded in agreement and the teammates made their way out of the room.

Upon entering the dimly lit room, Teal'c perceived Ella was the only one awake save he and Major Carter. She leant against the wall in an attempt to sit up, her hair untidily gathered behind her head. She was so pale that one might have thought her to be dead if it was not for the life in her gaze. Indeed, she seemed more wakeful now than she in all the time Teal'c had known her.

As they approached she turned to look at them, a slight smile transforming her tired features.

"Sam, Teal'c, so you are real. I thought for moment you were all a dream and I passed on a long time ago." Perplexed, Teal'c stood next to her bedside, "I am as real as you are Ella."

She laughed, a clear childish sound. "Then you are a dream. It does not matter." her gaze flickered to Major Carter, "Do you forgive me Sam?" his teammate started,

"For what?"

"For not fighting. For not trying harder to hang on to the life you love so. But it is my time now, though I would not leave without your forgiveness if it could be prevented."

"Oh honey…" Major Carter leant forward to embrace the child, who responded eagerly. "There's nothing to forgive. But what do you mean it's your time? Is the pain getting worse?"

"No. The pain is gone now. If you help me outside you'll see what I mean." His friend glancing from Ella to him uncertainly, Teal'c stared at the child. Her green eyes shone with a silver lustre, perhaps the reflection of the moon through the windows, perhaps not. Though weary, she was fully awake, and seemingly not in pain. If she was telling the truth, remaining indoors would not save Ella. If the child was mistaken, granting her request would do no harm.

"I will assist you." he decided, stretching a hand to her. Ella seized it eagerly, pulling herself up with sudden strength. He placed an arm under her shoulders and bore most of her weight as they made their way outside.

"Hey!" Major Carter was suddenly next to them, wrapping a blanket round the girl. "It's cold out you know?" Ella smiled at her, before nodding again at him.

They were soon in the back 'garden'. Ella led them to the stream before she half collapsed, half lowered herself to the floor. Major Carter sat next to her, also exhausted by their trip. Teal'c joined them, unsure how events would now proceed. Ella trailed a hand through the softly running water. "Almost." She murmured, Teal'c was not sure she even knew they were present.

"Ella?" Major Carter prompted anxiously, "what's happening?" The girl jumped as though startled out of a dream. Yet she still smiled to her friend.

"I have a few minutes, it's close now. I feel.…." her voice faded, she stared down into the water. They waited.

"Ella?" Major Carter prompted again worriedly. Ella suddenly threw herself at his teammate, initiating what Colonel O'Neill referred to as a bear hug, though Teal'c had witnessed no large mammal other than humans performing the gesture.

"Thank you!" she cried out, joy and love and eagerness a rich mixture in her voice. "You made my final days here much easier. Without you it would have hurt much more." Ella released Major Carter and engaged him in the same uncomfortable ritual. "And you Teal'c, who held a foolish girl's quasnia though it sounded like a pretty dream." She freed him, and he felt suddenly bereft. "Bless both of you, may your lives be sweet and…" here she paused, looking softly Major Carter, "and may they not end till you have done all you wish."

Ella stood suddenly, facing them, her back to the stream. The stars seemed to shine, not through her, but certainly into her. Her lank hair was suddenly rich and flowing, her thin frame, full of strength. Her eyes gleamed like stars in a eager gaze. "My blessing!" she cried out again, brushing a hand against his friend's cheek, smiling radiantly to him…

And then she fell backwards towards the water,

They reached out for her,

And her body seemed to explode and scattered into silver comets, flying across the surface of the water. Till something like a magnetic force pulled them together into a glowing sparkling sphere. And with no warning or sound, it flew away, straight through the wall and into the forest beyond.

He looked at Major Carter, she stared back stunned.

And then she collapsed onto the grass.

Next chapter as promised! And speedily too! Please review? Otherwise I don't even know if people like what I'm writing! For all I know you might hate it! (In which case tell me and I'll quit whilst I'm behind!)If you can see a way I could improve, or have a good idea the storyline (which changes on an hourly basis) let me know! Here's an author begging :P Thanks to all my wonderful readers who took the time to read this lump of junk!