Sorry Guest! I know that's not typical Janet. And another guest, well you are right. We all should see both sides. Maybe you are just way ahead of me (Between 5 and 6 thousand words are a lot of words to write). For you and all other you who are out there reading this: Thanks for being out there too! And special thanks to you Kittykay20 and don't worry I do intend to give it a proper end (hopefully).

Enjoy!

M.

PS: I'm also taking writers liberties with biology (in case you didn't notice it xD )

Chapter XXIV

March 25th, 2004

SGC

"Can we talk?" Sam asked Janet the moment they closed the door behind her.

"Sure."

"My lab," the Major affirmed, the Doctor frowned. "No one will interrupt us there," Sam explained once they were in the elevator.

"Okay, we are here. What's going on, Sam?" Janet asked nervously. If someone knew her, that was the woman she had in front of her.

"Why did you do it, Janet?" Sam crossed her arms and looked at her sternly. "I know you, and you wouldn't do that to anyone! You could've killed her, and you knew it. So please, explain to me why on God's Earth did you drug her? Why you risked her life without knowing anything about her medical situation?" The tone of Sam's voice was something Janet had heard a few times, one that had always managed to send a current of fear down her body. "What if she had allergies? Or I don't know, she convulsed or had a heart attack or something? Hmm? What would you have done then?"

"Can you calm down?" Janet asked, "you know? From all of the people in this base, you are the one who knows me the best! I know how to behave, and you are aware that I wouldn't just do it on a whim!" Janet defended herself quietly.

"Then why! Why dared you?" Sam questioned, trying to level her feelings on the matter.

"Because I need to know!" Janet exclaimed.

"That's not enough!" The major growled.

"No?"

"No! Of course not!" Sam shouted.

"Why are you so defensive? You've known them for a week!" Janet stopped, trying to understand why her best friend was in such an altered state of mind. "You know me, Sam. And I know you, or I least I think I do; so tell me, if you would never act this way for anyone else. Why these people?"

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out; Janet was right. Usually, she would trust her friend's actions and defend her because generally, her friend would have given a little more thought to her actions. But, this; Sam frowned, the one Janet could have murdered was her mother, the one she had found a week earlier and was starting to know.

"I know you, you are right. I probably wouldn't attack you for your actions being anyone else. However, you wouldn't do this to anyone else. But here you go and do it? Excuse me, if I just don't get it!"

"First, let me clarify things to you, Sam. I didn't do it without knowledge; I tested the sedative on her before, or at least in her blood."

"What?"

"I took her blood, remember?" Sam nodded once. "The amount of blood we agreed to was more than enough to the tests we do. So, I also checked allergies and such. And I tested the sedative against her blood. That's how I knew how much I needed to give her."

"What?"

"You'll see, I thought I knew it wouldn't kill her. Her cells multiplied slowly, but they didn't react poorly to it. You are right, Sam. I don't go around sedating people. I'm a Doctor for crying out loud! I swore to protect people's lives, not to endanger them! Of course, I knew what I gave to her; she should have fallen asleep. The worse thing it could have happened is for her to sleep longer than I intended. And maybe, some temporary memory loss."

"I still can't believe it," Sam muttered

"You know what? I still can't believe I did it." Janet left out, leaning on one of the many racks in Sam's lab.

"What?" Sam whispered.

"Yeah, I doubted the whole time, and she wouldn't give me a window of opportunity to do it either. Then you distracted her for enough time, and before I knew it, I was swapping tea mugs, and she was drinking the one I spiked, sort to speak. I thought she noticed the flavor of it when she took a sip, but she was so distracted by you. Which is weird, I've known you for ages now, and I haven't seen you form a connection so quickly with anyone before, including yourself. I'm sorry, but I don't get it. I don't get the connection you both share."

"You could have asked," Sam pointed with an eyebrow raised.

"And then what? Wait? Hope for one of you to miraculously come clean on what the hell is going on?" She snorted.

"Is that why you did it?"

"I need to know, Sam. If she is," Janet waved. "If you are like her and you are not telling me. And I," Janet sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "I screwed it up, right?"

"Yes, you did," Sam affirmed, then she let herself fall against the rack beside Janet with a sigh.

"Will you forgive me?" The Doctor turned around to find her friend's eyes.

"It's not my forgiveness the one you need, Janet," Sam added, the tip of her lips curving upwards. "But if you need it, I do. I don't understand your reasons or you at the moment. Hopefully, I will someday."

"What is that don't you understand?" The Doctor frowned, she had just explained everything. Sam looked at her bemused.

"Your nerve, Janet! I mean, for all we know this could go to your file. Did you stop to think they can ask for your resignation? Or worse, your license?"

"What?" The doctor's widened eyes told Sam she hadn't thought it through.

"Yes, Janet! Didn't you realize you put all you have worked for in the line for this?"

"No. no, no, no," she shook her head.

"Yes, you gave them a tool against you if they want it. Just think about it, if one of them decides to present a complaint about your actions, you are toast. And damn it, you are at the SGC, did you even remembered all the people trying to find a way to bring us down and place people they trust, over people we trust? And your position! Hell, your post is what keeps us going!"

"Shit! I," she huffed. "I wanted to know, to understand and I wanted to check if she was alright. I didn't want her going around the base with injuries that I could've treated. You know those kinds of injuries are my day to day job. I 've never," she trailed. "I swear, Sam, All I wanted was to know more and help her. I wasn't trying to kill or endanger her."

"And yet, you almost did." The scared look on Janet's eyes told Sam she had made her point, thankfully on time because they heard steps approaching Sam's lab, and soon they stopped there was a knock on her door.

"Hey, girls." Daniel looked at the grim faces both had and frowned. "What's going on?"

"Daniel! We were talking about recent events," Sam waved.

"Oh, yeah, about that! Now they are all accounted and accompanied; I think there's something you need to see, come," he said, starting to walk away.

"You are not going to tell me anything about my behavior?" Janet asked with a frown.

"Your behavior? Oh! You mean drugging the Doctor?" the doctor nodded once. "Nope, I can't. I would have done the same if I had the chance." He added sheepishly, scratching his ear. "I'm sorry. Oh, and Jack told me it was about time one of us did something to figure out them."

"I could've killed her," Janet pointed.

"Yeah, I don't think a sedative is going to kill her if she managed to kill a Goa'uld inside her. But, hey, I'm a lowly archeologist. I have no idea how that would work unless they explain." He shrugged, they walked the few meters separating Sam's lab from Daniel's, and he rummaged through some papers before he extended a piece of paper towards them. "This is the invite I was sent, remember? For that conference in Prague?"

"Yes," Sam frowned.

"Stop your train of thoughts right there," he said, searching something in his computer. "This is an image of the expedition journal Doctor Magnus had in her presentation. I found them too similar, so I've sent a fragment of both to a friend who specializes in cryptography, and he says both pieces are from the same person."

"So, she's lying? They somehow know about the gate, but the gate wasn't theirs?" Janet frowned.

"But that would mean Catherine was lying too," Sam pointed.

"Right. What are the chances of Catherine paying a favor by giving her word inside the SGC? I mean, the last person we would doubt is her." Janet commented.

"Have you shown this to Colonel O'Neill?" Sam asked, nervously.

"No, he's is incredibly giddy about all this situation, as I've said he believes we aren't doing anything, and we are putting everything too openly in their hands. If I show him these, he probably will snap, and I don't dare to think what will happen then."

"Please, don't, " Sam placed her hand over his and gave it a little squeeze. "Not yet. She's not lying."

"How are you so sure, Sam?" He asked, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"I know she's not lying. If you don't or can't trust her, then, believe me, Daniel. I know what I'm telling you." She pleaded. Daniel observed her for a while and then nodded.

"You know something else, don't you? You were always preoccupied when we were down there. What did they tell you that they hadn't told us?"

"I," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you, not yet. Things need to be calmer before I can talk to you. I want to, but I can't."

"Sam, you know you can tell me, us, everything."

"I have the utmost trust in you all," she smiled. "I just can't tell you."

"Are they pressuring you to do something?"

"No! Nothing of the sort, I need to figure it out in my head first, then I will talk. I promise," she grimaced. "I must go now before I say something I don't want to say."

"Sure, go," Daniel grinned. Janet watched the exchange with apprehension.

"What do you think she's hiding, Janet?" Daniel asked his friend as they watched Sam walk away hurriedly.

"I don't know for sure. There's something I might know, but I promised Sam I wouldn't divulge. Thus, I'm stuck too." She chewed her lips.

"What? Is that what's troubling you now?" Daniel frowned, Janet, shook her head no.

"Do you think my work is in danger after what I did?"

"Your work?"

"Yes, they could present a complaint, and I could lose my job and my license. What I did," the Doctor waved as it that explained it all.

"No Doctor would do, I get it," Daniel completed. "However you are military too, and you are sensing something isn't right. As I've told you, I understand your actions and Jack does too, and he probably will back you up with Hammond."

"But?"

"I think you are making this bigger than it will be. I mean, if Doctor Magnus wanted to present charges or get you out of here, wouldn't she make it while she was half awake and there was evidence of her status?"

"Yes, but there are cameras in there."

"And they will show … what?" Jack's voice joined them, "That the woman leaned against the wall and then, Doctor Zimmerman helped her to a chair and gave her something to eat. And then Tesla grabbed her and walked her to her room? If we want to, Janet; and I'm not saying is the right thing, Daniel. But if we need, we can say it was a consequence of the stress of the fight she had with her daughter, which ended up with her daughter in your infirmary. And there's a form where she rejects your care, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"We are taking this to extremes, Jack. I don't think they are going to present any charges against Janet."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she has no way to present them. She's dead." Daniel pointed.

"What! Did she die? Why wasn't I informed about it?"

"No," Daniel shook his head. "She is dead, Jack. When Doctor Magnus started to feel sick, Doctor Zimmerman mentioned something we didn't know before. We've been doing our research, but we could never pinpoint a place, yet he mentioned 'home'" Jack frowned

"Yes, he said Old City, so what?'

"Well, I've searched for places called like that and found this," he said, showing them a small obituary in a newspaper. "Granted, R.I.P Dr. Helen Magnus. Those we love don't go away; they walk beside us every day. Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts. A long life well-lived, you shall always be remembered. W. Isn't exactly pointing at her. But, I also found this," he gave them another piece of paper.

"Home of the Magnus family explodes, firefighters presume there are no survivors. Okay, but if she's dead? Then how come she's in our VIP room sleeping?"

"I guess questions just keep piling up."

"Wait, Tesla said she taught xenobiology to people I know, inadvertently he might have given us a lead." Janet added walking towards the phone in Daniel's office, "Doctor Young, Doctor Frasier."

Infirmary around the same time

"So? How it went?" Henry asked at Nikola when the vampire joined him in Ashley's infirmary room.

"It didn't."

"What?"

"The Doctor drugged Helen. Sedatives, she concluded by her symptoms. She's sleeping now, and I was sent here to help in case our girl wakes up."

"Please don't call her that," Henry muttered.

"Only when she's sleeping. She already gave me a mean punch once for calling her that, and I fancy my looks without having to heal myself due to her antics."

"Wait! Did you just said the Doctor Frasier sedated Magnus?"

"Yes, I didn't believe the little minx had it on her, but she did," Nikola added in thought. "Helen didn't notice the little Doc poisoned her food until it was almost too late. You have to give it to her; Doctor Frasier almost managed what many wished and never dared."

"Is the Doc alright?" Henry frowned in concern.

"Yes," Nikola snapped, rolling his eyes, "keep the pace; will you?"

"Duh! I know she's sleeping; that doesn't tell me if she's okay or not."

"Well, her heart rate was slower than regularly, but still normal. Don't give me that look! She asked me to take her to her room. I carried her there and took particular attention to her heart rate. I believe it was at a rate that I would expect for her under the effects of sedatives which, let me be honest with you, it's been a hell of a long time since I saw her using them. In conclusion, she is okay and will be better after she had slept through it."

"And the talk?"

"We were postponed until tomorrow at eight."

"Cool." Henry grinned.

"Not cool, but effective," Nikola conceded.

"Well, at least we all be there tomorrow," he added dismissively. They fell silent watching over Ashley's breathing until Nikola started to pace.

"I need to do something." Nikola huffed.

"Chill out, Vlad. We are stuck here."

"Yes, I'm aware of that fact. It doesn't give me less need to do something; I'll even shower if that would make any difference."

"Oh! please do." Henry smiled, and Nikola squinted at him. "Hey, it's about time you do so. But since we are stuck in here, I got you this."

"A notebook!" Nikola exclaimed with a caustic tone. "There's not much I can do on it, alas… Better than doing nothing. Better than a bath!"

"What's better than a bath?"

"What kind of question is that Samantha? Anything is better than sitting in a tub. The thought of staying there while your body grease floats around you amongst the dirt and germs and soapy foam."

"Okay," Sam trailed amusedly.

"Argh, please don't tell me you are like Helen and love seating on the tub with wine and music and a book while the boiling water slowly becomes lukewarm," Nikola added with disgust.

"And how exactly you know that?"

"I've traveled a lot with the woman, give her a week in the desert, and she will crave the bath enough to announce to everyone willing to listen what soapy thing she will pour, and dragging her out of there takes a lot of convincing." Sam grimaced, "Oh no, you are," he grimaced.

"Yeah, if you put it like that, I love baths," Sam grinned sheepishly.

"Oh well, not everyone can be perfect," Nikola sighed.

"How's she?"

"No changes so far which are far from being unexpected," Nikola answered.

"Yeah, but if you start turning that thing on, I can give you the scanners, and we can know for sure how much she has healed already," Henry said, showing him the scanners.

"Why didn't you said that before!"

"Because you haven't given me time!"

"What are you two talking about?"

"Wait and watch, dear. Just wait and watch how my geniality can now tell us how Ashley is without compromising anything." Nikola grinned. Sam just raised an eyebrow.

"You know, watching that expression coming from you or the Doc is scary," Henry muttered. "I have no idea how nature was capable of creating two of you. I guess it is how Magnus said and there are just so many combinations of genes possible, and we are going to repeat at some point." The tech guy shrugged while Nikola connected what looked like a metal detector and moved it over Ashley's body grinning more and more widely as he traced the young Magnus body.

"She told you that?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Yup, it makes sense, I guess. It's not like there's no age gap. You are what? Twenty-five? I guess mostly for the rank you are. And Magnus is; well, her. And there's been enough age difference between your probable birth year and hers, which could result on the nature having repeated the same pattern used to create the Doc. Right?"

"I guess so, I'm not that much into biology," Sam added with a shrug.

"Neither am I." Henry grinned.

"Aha! Well, she's healing correctly. Given the status of her injuries, she should be up for forty-five minutes or an hour. Fully recovered."

"What?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Well, we all heal quicker when we sleep. We call it a "death sleep" when we get to this point. But here, check it for yourself." Nikola pointed to the screen of the laptop in which what looked like an x-ray appeared. "That's her current state if you click here," he pointed to the places where the cast was and augmented the image. "See, the regeneration is almost complete. By eight tomorrow, she won't have any trace of having a broken bone before."

"How's that possible?"

"Remember the," he looked out, "SV?"

"The source of the serum.? Yes." Sam nodded, remembering they had discussed the sanguine vampiris blood before.

"Well, allow me to give you a sneak peek of what needs to be out at some point." Sam nodded, they were standing close, and that allowed Nikola to lower her voice tone so no one on the outside could overhear them. "When the Cabal took Ashley, they treated her with it. We found out the whole procedure they've done in her, a whole gruesome experiment she is. Well, that change she underwent is allowing her to heal herself at this rate. But, as we might have told you before, just like Helen or ... " he looked at her, "and I, the cells won't stop by just fixing the issue as they would normally. They will repair it until all the structure is back to what it was before. So, when she wakes up, the only injuries Ashley will have will be those she had before she mutated."

"So, if she got anything broken before the change, the bone would be repaired as a normal human's bone would, but it wouldn't be regenerated?"

"Exactly. Contrary to" Nikola trailed, "let's say a daughter of Helen and me."

"As that would happen," Henry snorted. Nikola pretended he didn't listen to him.

"A combination of Helen's and my DNA would result in a variance different from the mix of Helen and John."

"Dude! Mental images!" Henry frowned in disgust.

"Keep your perverted mind out of the gutter, and everything will be fine, wolf-boy," Nikola rolled his eyes. "We theorized Helen's skills were retroactive since the few scars she had have disappeared out of her body. I didn't have scars or injuries, but the theory remains since the ones I acquired after are never long-lasting. Therefore, a combination of those skills should result in a child capable of healing. Those capabilities would mean that the child would return to the previous unblemished status of her bones or skin or muscles."

"Hum, interesting."

"Yeah, shame you will never get to mix your DNA with the Doc," Henry added thankfully.

"What about growing up?" Sam asked.

"Theoretically? The child would grow until reaching the age of twenty-two. Age in which the Akhkharu's body reached full development

"Speaking of which, she should be up soon. It's been half an hour since I left her in the room."

"I'm going to check on her," Sam added and waved them as she walked out wondering how was possible that so many years and so many aliens with higher-tech hadn't figured she was different than the rest of SG-1. She nodded at the guard outside of her mother's room.

"Anything to report?"

"No, ma'am. The woman and the male are both inside the room. No one entered or left since Doctor Frasier, and you left the room."

Sam nodded again and knocked at the door and waited. As it was difficult to hear any movement from inside, she tried again. This time, after a few seconds, the door opened an inch.

"Yes?" it was Will.

"Is she awake yet?" Sam asked.

"No, but she should be up any moment now. Come on in, Major." Will grinned opening the door a bit wider to allow her to enter. Sam entered slowly, and her eyes wandered towards the bed as Will closed the door behind her. "You want to know how is she."

"Yes."

"Well, considering the facts she will be waking up soon, but she won't be fully recovered of Ashley's blows until tomorrow morning or later. But when she wakes up, she won't be feeling the secondary effects of the sedatives, and her repairing should be pretty advanced."

"Is it true? Could've she died?" She asked in a whisper embracing herself.

"Yes," it was Helen's voice, almost an octave lower. She sat on the bed and rubbed her face. "I hate sedatives. I must be looking horrible," she added before disappearing behind the bathroom door for a second. When she came out, she had a ponytail, and her makeup fixed. Her clothes still looked a bit crumpled, which made Will raise an eyebrow. "Oh well, this will work for now. I'll change later; you are here for a talk, am I correct?" She asked, looking at Sam.

"I can ask the guards to escort you somewhere; Will," Sam offered.

"You want me out of here? Don't worry; I won't be mad if you do."

"Not really, it doesn't bother me."

Helen looked around the room and sat on the bed, her legs curled in front of her. Then she patted her side and Sam walked towards her. Will took the hint and took a seat on the couch available on the other end and grabbed a book allowing them as much privacy as the same room could provide.

"Have you ever been under the effects of sedatives? I won't be surprised due to your career choice."

"Yeah, I've been." Sam sighed.

"Then you know the side effects."

"They never lasted long," The major trailed.

"Of course, common sedatives won't. Taking all into consideration what your friend gave to me was mild. Even if she claimed it was the same concentration she used for Teal'c, I need at least double of that to be out for more than a couple hours."

"But you said it could've killed you." Sam squinted.

"I didn't lie if that's what you are thinking. The 'could've killed me' doesn't have to do with the sedatives per se, but with the way and the moment she chose to administer it. You'll see, if she by any chance had chosen to inject it, I would be able to point the side effects and either allow it to take place or fight for it until it was gone. It wouldn't have taken more than ten minutes. Or half an hour, if I was starving."

"I'm not sure I'm following."

"The fundamental issue, Samantha, is that I was eating things in a particular order to make absorption of nutrients easier and thus, helping my healing skills to get the correct combination of materials faster. And she placed it, my guess was in the tea, and thus got processed as part of the things I was consuming for healing. Therefore, parts of it are used to repair and fix. Even if it wasn't what I needed."

"What does that mean?" Helen frowned.

"It means she healed herself wrong, Sam." Will provided from the other side of the room. "She needs to heal herself again, completely."

"But then why you said half an hour to forty-five minutes?"

"That's the time I need to get rid of the remains of the drugs. The process of healing will take longer and will be slower," Helen explained, "It's confusing, I know."

"Tesla said Ashley's wounds would be good as none existent by tomorrow morning."

"Yes, mine will take a little longer."

"Why?"

"Did he happen to mention the death sleep?"

"Yes."

"Well, Ashley has entered it. She lost consciousness, and she will wake up when her body finishes with recovery and starts the regeneration process. And she will be in control of herself during that time and hopefully longer. However, I didn't enter one, my sleep was an effect of the remains of the sedatives, and not due to repair. Therefore, the whole time I was asleep was used to get rid of the remains but not to heal."

"And what would have happened if you didn't notice you were drugged?"

"Well, I would have fallen asleep due to the drug and probably wouldn't wake up," Helen shrugged.

"But that means you could die every time you went under sedatives, right?"

"No. Sedatives used to knock me out will knock me if I allow it. However, I was using part of this for repairing. And once rebuilding starts, unless forcefully stopped, it doesn't finish until everything gets back to point zero. Part of the material would have ended in weak areas," Sam looked at Helen with a confused expression.

"Let me make it simple," Will intervened from his spot, Sam nodded. "What she is trying to say is that once the healing starts if a full-body procedure, it doesn't only affect the injured part. Therefore, her heart would've stopped." Sam gasped, "as a result of using it as a source for healing her heart would be sedated internally and would've stopped pumping blood to her brain and body," Will added in a low voice. "She would've died, and no gastric lavage could've saved her."

"Because it was already absorbed?" Sam asked, and both Helen and Will nodded. "and if it started? Then how you stopped it from happening?"

"I told you about how we can control what happens due to our time with the Goa'uld." Sam nodded, "the same way, I could recall what was left unprocessed. And allow it to take effect."

"That's why it was important she figured on time before the process finished and the whole absorption of the drug occurred."

"I see." Sam clenched her jaw.

"What's wrong?" Helen asked. She looked at Will, who nodded again and tried to focus on reading.

"I don't understand why Janet did it? If I were you, I would want her far away from here, and probably ask for her license to be taken."

"Why would I do such a thing?" Magnus asked frowning.

"She almost killed you," Sam affirmed raising an eyebrow.

"Almost being the operative word," Helen grinned. "I can't blame her for doing something I would've done in her place, Samantha. I know it doesn't look right from where you are standing, yet I understand her actions."

"You do?" The major asked, surprised.

"Yes, she wants to know, and moreover she is trying to protect you. Her military training is pointing to distrust, and right now, I am the enemy. And I guess she's feeling a little left out and a lot of concern by the way you talk and trust us."

"I'm not asking them to trust you but me, they should have at least a little confidence in me."

"Alas trust comes from both ways, shouldn't you trust that your friend was doing it for the right reasons?" Helen questioned placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I guess."

"If it makes you feel better, she was doing it for the correct reasons; I know that much."

"How can you tell? The only thing she's been doing is attacking you since she first met you and that's not encouraging," Sam frowned.

"I don't see any other possibility. I've read Doctor Frasier's file, and everything shows she is someone willing to push her limits and to make everything in within her reach to save people, she wouldn't try and kill me just because she's not very fond of me."

"I know that."

"Then, you should take a breath and let it go. Everything has at least two sides, and at this moment you are one, and your friend is another. The best advice I can give you is to try and see from where she's standing." Helen told her, and Sam chewed her lower lip. "Don't let it come between your friendship."

"Why?"

"Friendships are important, Samantha. They remind us that there are people out there who love us and care for us no matter how poorly you act. Take Nikola and me; we've known each other for over a century if I would let his desires to run the world or his attempts at killing me in the way, I would've lost thousands of moments I cherish. Granted, he has also forgiven me for my many attempts on killing him." Will cleared his throat. "What is it, William?"

"Are you sure that's your best example of friendship, dear?" He added amusedly.

"No, but is the one which fits the most. Although in your case, Doctor Frasier was always trying to save you, and you are always protecting her when she's out there, while Nikola and I were actively trying to kill each other." She finished amused, but then Magnus observed Sam, and noticed she wasn't convinced.

"Trust me; her actions have nothing to do with the disgust she had with me for helping Teal'c, which was nothing more than a bruised ego," Helen grinned. "For this one consider it using the same base she would: I'm nothing more than a pretentious stranger with extremely high ideas of who I am. Someone who won't readily disclose information and to aggravate it just fought with her daughter landing her child unconscious and half-broken in the infirmary. Also, I seem to be bewitching you with tech and who knows what else, and probably pressuring you into keeping some silence about things you've learned."

"Yes, I can see that, but Janet drugged, and almost killed you!"

"Why does it bother you? You've known me for days," Helen crooked her head.

"That's what she said," Sam muttered.

"Then? What's the answer? I'm pretty sure it will shed some light on why you are reacting in this manner." Helen's eyes were warm and motherly, and Sam looked at them and sighed. "You don't need to answer that one out loud."

"She almost killed you, and I'm just getting to know you," Sam muttered anyway.

"I'm difficult to kill; you can trust me on that one." Helen grinned.

"Yes, but she almost managed."

"Don't add sentiments to it, dear. Think of me as a stranger," she said, placing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"But you aren't! You are my mother! The one I'm just getting to know!" Sam pouted.

"Yes, but Doctor Frasier doesn't know that. Do you think she would do it if she knew?"

"No, of course, no."

"Then? Taking the fact that I'm your mother, can you understand her reasoning?"

"I guess so," Sam added.

"That's all you need." Sam looked up, and Magnus could see a bit of disappointment in her eyes before she lowered them again. She smiled and raised her daughter's face with a hand. "Listen to me; I'm not telling you I don't feel incredibly grateful and flattered by cause of your reactions, darling. That would be an outright lie. Knowing that you care for my well-being shows me that you care, and it gives me hope that someday you will love me, as I do."

"I feel a bit childish." Sam added, "but will you hug me, please?" Helen opened her arms, and Sam flew to her.

"You can be childish whenever you want," she whispered to her, "even if saying this makes me feel egotistical it's the truth sharing moments with you makes me feel rapturous."

"Rapturous?" Sam snorted.

"Excuse me for having the luxury of being raised at a time when such words were still common coin, and the air was considered under necessary to live," Helen grinned, "shall I say I feel overjoyed? Or blissful will do?"

"Very happy could've worked. You think I should tell Janet you are my bio-mom?"

"I believe you must tell her, yes. Nevertheless, I also believe you should do it when you are ready to do it and not before that. And certainly not as a result of this."

"Thank you," she trailed, looking at Helen's eyes before adding, "mom." Helen bit her lower lip, trying to contain the tears of happiness after hearing her last word and nodded once. Both stomachs found that moment as the right one to growl making them blush. "So, dinner?"