Well, despite the conspicuous lack of reviews, more people put this on Story Alert...So I will assume it's being read! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 3:The General, The Captain, and The Doctor

They put me in a small room with a desk in the middle, to await a meeting with the head hauncho of the base. Guards stood outside, and I wondered if they believed that I would try to escape. It wasn't as if I could get far.

I was resting my head in my hands when they came in. The sound of the door opening made me look up. O'Neill walked in, closely followed by Daniel and another man. He was bald and a little chubby, but despite his appearance, he commanded respect.

"Miss Darrow," he said, taking the seat opposite me. "I'm General Hammond, head of this facility."

"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking his hand.

"Would you like to tell me everything that happened since that orb fell into your apartment?" he asked.

I glanced at Daniel, who nodded encouragingly. I looked back at Hammond and took a breath.

I told him everything. About the orb falling through the skylight, the shock and being thrown across the room, the mysterious healing feet and arms, the vision, and what the man in the bookstore had said to me. After I finished, Hammond sat staring at me, his brow furrowed.

"You're absolutely sure that's what happened?" he said.

"Yeah," I confirmed.

"And this man in the bookstore," said Hammond. "Do you know him?" I shook my head. "Did you see what he looked like?"

"He was wearing a mask," I said.

Hammond nodded. "I'd like our doctor to take a look at you," he said.

"I feel fine," I said, which was completely true. I felt fine, considering what had happened to me over the past couple days.

"I'm sure you do," said Hammond kindly. "But this healing, and the fact that you were thrown across the room worries me. I'd like Dr. Fraiser to see you."

He smiled and got up. He signaled to O'Neill and Daniel, and they left the room. I watched as O'Neill said something to the guards outside my door. They nodded and saluted, and O'Neill left. After a moment, the guards opened the door.

"You're to come with us to the infirmary," he said. I sighed and stood up, following him out the door. As we walked down the hall, me in between them, I looked from one to other.

"So…" I said. "You guy's work here long?"

Neither answered.

"Because," I continued. "Considering my store's been blown-up, I'm going to need a new job. I was thinking, maybe I could be a guard-girl? Or is it just for guys? I mean, how's the dental plan?"

"Dental's fine," said a voice behind us. "It's the possibility of getting shot at that tends to chase people away."

The guards stopped and turned me around.

"Captain Carter?" asked the first one.

"Sure," I said. "You talk to her."

"I'll take her to the infirmary," said Carter, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Are you sure-?"

"Yeah," said Carter. "Go on your break early. I wanted to talk to her anyway."

"I'm standing right here," I said.

"All right then," said the guard. He and his friend left without a word to me.

"Thanks for the compelling conversation!" I shouted after them.

Carter smiled and started leading me to the elevator. Once we were in, she looked at me.

"Why did you lie to us?" she asked bluntly.

"What?" I asked, blinking a little stupidly. "I don't know, I just-did."

"It wasn't like we would have done anything to you," she said. "We wanted to help, actually."

"Oh, I bet," I said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

"What have you got against the Air Force?" demanded Carter.

"Nothing!"

"Doesn't sound like it."

"Well, listen better."

We stood in silence, waiting for the elevator to reach the right level. I looked at the numbers, steamed. Finally, I couldn't bear it.

"My parents were in the Air Force," I said finally, glaring at the buttons. Carter didn't say anything, just looked at me. So I continued. "At least, my Dad was. My mom was a scientist. They died when I was three."

"I'm sorry," said Carter softly.

"They were working here, actually," I said, looking around. "In Cheyenne Mountain. Not many people worked here back then, and one night they and a few others were the only ones. The base locked down. No one knows why. I've asked. No one went in or out, no one communicated with the people inside, for five hours. When the base did reopen…all the people had disappeared. A few days later, a friend of my parents was found dead on the outskirts of town. Then, the military rolled in, the investigation was scrapped, the incident forgotten, the family members told nothing, and everything was swept cleanly away under the rug. I went to live with my Grandmother," I laughed bitterly. "You know, 'till the day she died, she tried to find out what happened. But no one ever told her anything. I've tried myself, and been told to keep my nose out of it." I looked at Carter. "That's why I lied to you."

She didn't say anything for a moment.

"Look-" she started.

The elevator doors opened.

"Where's the infirmary?" I asked.

"Through here," said Carter, pointing. "Look, Miss Darrow-"

"Please call me Bridget," I said. "Miss Darrow makes me feel like I'm in grade school again."

"Ok, Bridget," said Carter. She stopped me. "I'm really sorry about your parents, but that's no reason to lie to us!"

"The bottom-line, Captain Carter," I said. "Is that I don't trust you."

"Even after we saved your life?" asked Carter incredulously.

"Ok," I said. "So maybe that moves you down on the list of people not to trust. Congratulations, now, you and your 'Air Force' are just below telemarketers!"

"We're here to help," said Carter. "You have to believe that."

"And keeping me locked up in a cell is just your way of helping?" I said, my voice getting louder. "Holding me against my will?"

"I'll talk to General Hammond about getting you proper quarters," said Carter.

"You will?" I asked, taken aback.

Carter nodded. "As for being held against your will…you need help. You can't deny that."

I looked at her suspiciously.

"I guess so," I said finally.

"Infirmary's this way," said Carter, pointing down the hall. "And by the way, call me Sam."

"Ok…" I said. We walked towards the infirmary, where a small woman with brown hair was bandaging up some guy with a giant wrench.

"Ah," she said when she saw us. " Is this the magically healing girl?"

"I prefer Bridget," I said.

"Well, I'm Dr. Fraiser," said the woman. "And if you'll just give me a minute-"

She finished up bandaging wrench-guy's arm and picked up a clipboard. She turned to me.

"So," she said, reading what was on the clipboard. "Bridget Marie Darrow, 26, born April 1, 1973. Allergic to broccoli-" she looked up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," I said. "I used to get that from babysitter's too. That is, until I broke out in hives…"

Dr. Fraiser nodded, and muttered to herself, making checks on the list. Sam and I exchanged glances, until the petite doctor looked up again.

"Well," she said. "I'll just do a normal check-up, take some blood, and I'll do an MRI-"

"An MRI?" I asked. "Why?"

"Standard Procedure," chirped Dr. Fraiser. "Now, roll up your sleeve, I'm going to take some blood."

I watched a little queasily as she inserted the needle into my arm.

"I don't like blood," I muttered.

"No one does if it's outside your body," pointed out Sam.

"Sure," I said, rolling down my sleeve.

Dr. Fraiser took the blood and put it to be tested. She then did some weird thing where she checked the back of my neck and my throat, and I had to go through the MRI. Fortunately, those came out clear, and I was left with the little things.

"Ok, heartbeat," said Dr. Fraiser.

"It's there," I said.

"I'm sure it is," said the doctor. She felt for it with her stethoscope, and frowned.

"What?" I asked. "Don't tell me it's not there."

Dr. Fraiser didn't answer. Instead, she turned to Sam.

"Listen and tell me what you hear," she ordered, offering the ear things.

Sam listened, and her brow furrowed.

"That's…odd," she said finally.

"What?" I asked, agonized. "What is it?"

"Has your heartbeat always been so slow?" asked Dr. Fraiser.

"My heartbeat's faster than normal," I said. It was true. My heart beat pretty fast, even when I was resting.

"Well," said Dr. Fraiser. "Right now I'd estimate it at 15-20 beats per minute."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's impossible."

"Apparently not," said Sam. "I can hear it too."

I looked from one to the other, wondering if it was some kind of joke.

"Maybe it has something to do with her healing so quickly," said Sam.

"Hmmm…" Dr. Fraiser looked at me. "Let's see your arm."

"Ok," I rolled up my sleeve again, and showed her my arm.

"It's not bleeding," said Dr. Fraiser. "There's no sign I took any blood at all."

"Told you," said Sam.

"But how is this possible?" demanded Dr. Fraiser.

"Could it have something to so with the orb?" asked Sam.

"That's a definite possibility, but…" Dr. Fraiser's voice slowly faded away, as I felt myself drifting off. My eyes started to close, voices were echoing around me, and I was starting to fall over, slowly.

I opened my eyes. I was standing in another long corridor, but this wasn't at Cheyenne Mountain. It was exactly the same as the one in my vision, the day before. This time, though, the corridors were empty, save for two people standing a few feet away. I walked purposely towards them.

"Is everything ready?" I asked. My voice was different, older, and it spoke in a different language. Strangely enough, I understood as though it was plain English. One of the other people, a man, nodded.

"Yes," he said, in that same language. "The crew and their families are in hibernation, and the orb is ready."

"We were just waiting for you," said the other, a woman.

I gave them a curt nod. "Good."

We walked down the hall, and as we passed a window, I paused. Once again, I looked through, but this time, all I saw was desert.

And everything went black.