A/N: Hey, just thought I'd drop a note to help clear up a few things. The first part of the story all the way up until SG-6 came back and Harriman called for a med team is what actually happened to the other members of SG-1. From the moment Harriman called for the med team until Garin steps forward and says "You're a clever woman" is all a delusion. After that, it's all reality again. Well, sorta. Anyway, on with the tale . . .
Chapter 4
The two SG teams hurried towards the gate room. The members of SG-1 were practically running in their urgency, while SG-5 calmly matched their pace. Realizing the significance of finding an SG-1 arm patch on another planet, General Hammond almost immediately authorized a search in the hopes of finding Major Carter. Lt. Col. Ken Morgan, of SG-6, had joined them.
"The ravine would be the most likely place to start, sir," the leader of SG-6 told Col. O'Neill. The man nodded as he adjusted his hat. Daniel cleaned his glasses, while Teal'c stared at the gate as the water-like puddle splashed out at them.
"SG teams 1 and 5, you have a go," Hammond announced. "Bring back some good news." The eight people in the room below moved up the ramp and through the open stargate.
---
"I still don't understand why you're doing this," blue-eyed Major Samantha Carter told the muse who still stood before her. He smiled smugly. He was good at that.
"For the same reason you travel the stars, Samantha Carter," he told her, waving his hand and causing a star chart to appear, "curiosity. It's what makes the universe go around, really. Curiosity, that is. I mean, could you imagine if people never asked any questions, never explored, never tried anything new? Why, our entire existence would likely come to a halt. I, personally, don't intend on letting that happen." Garin chuckled.
"This isn't my real body, is it?" Sam asked, looking down at herself.
"No, it is merely how you remember yourself," he answered matter-of-factly (for the most part, muses were always matter-of-fact). "Take a walk with me." He began to walk along and reluctantly Sam joined him. She found it strange that though they were moving, their surroundings remained unchanged.
"So, you're a muse," she began. "What exactly is that?"
"Well," said Garin, seemingly pleased to be talking of himself, "as I mentioned before, I'm a giver and seeker of inspiration—knowledge, if you will. We're thought to be among the most brilliant creatures in the universe. That is, amongst ourselves," here, he laughed, "most other beings are entirely unaware of our existence, unless we reveal ourselves to them, as I am now revealing myself to you."
"Is that what you really look like?" the astrophysicist asked, motioning at his being.
"No!" he exclaimed, coming to a halt. "I look like nothing, unless I deem it necessary. True, this is my favorite form, but muses are intangible, just like a thought or an idea is intangible. Is this what I look like?" he shook his head, laughing to himself.
"What exactly does that mean?" Sam honestly wanted to know.
"Dear me, how to explain so you can understand," Garin murmured to himself. "We just have no physical form—our molecules move too quickly for you to be aware of them. Much like you must be de-molecularized in order to travel through the Stargate, my molecules must be solidified to allow interaction with other beings."
"Really?" Sam tilted her head to the side as she pondered something. Then she swung her arm out, only mildly surprised when it passed through him. Garin sighed and rolled his eyes.
"We're in your head right now."
---
Six of the SGC personnel had climbed down into the ravine to search while the other two kept watch at the gate. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c were searching near where the arm patch had been found while the other three searched elsewhere.
"Col. Morgan said that they had searched here," Teal'c said, "perhaps we should search farther down the ravine." O'Neill nodded his agreement, but said nothing. His mind was on one thing: Carter. He had to find Carter.
---
"You said you had other experiments," Sam said as she sat upon a chair that had materialized in the void.
"All different kinds," Garin replied. "You're the only one I have in stasis, however. The others are merely toying with ideas for inventions of mine." He straightened his shoulders and grinned. "I came up with them myself. Pity, credit is never given where it is due. But then, I needn't perform any of the work, either, so I suppose it is fair enough."
"Wait a minute—you give your ideas to other beings?"
"Yes, of course," he was matter-of-fact again. "I'm a muse, that's what we do—give and seek inspiration. By giving we often gain more, unless, of course, it's a total nitwit we lend an idea to."
"So this," the blonde said, "what you're doing to me, is just one of the ways you gather inspiration?"
"Yes. You're unharmed, in fact, you won't remember a thing. Though, you may be unusually skittish for awhile." He shrugged.
"Alright," Sam stood and the chair disappeared. "You mentioned that there had been two other scenarios that were different than this last one . . ."
"Ah, yes," Garin grinned cheekily. "Would you like to see one?" The woman hesitated.
"Yes, please," she finally replied. The scenario, as Garin called it, appeared before them.
---
"O'Neill! Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c called from several feet away. "I believe I have found something!" The two ran towards their teammate.
---
"How did you make me do that?" Sam asked uncomfortably, turning away from the scene in embarrassment.
"I didn't make you do anything," Garin replied. "I simply molded the situation to which you responded. If you truly know this Jack O'Neill as well as you think you do, this scenario could very well happen in real life."
"Not a chance," the air force major began.
"Yes, of course, there's all sorts of rules and regulations prohibiting such behavior," the muse interrupted. "That's what you said both times when you figured out it was all a delusion."
"How long have I been here, exactly?" she suddenly inquired.
"Approximately three and a half of your months," Garin answered. "Why do you ask?"
"Three and a half months?!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, you played along for quite some time when you believed you were injured," he told her. She opened her mouth to say something, but he held up a silencing hand. "More of your kind have found the chamber," he spoke suddenly.
"They have?"
"Oh, yes, it would seem that your love hasn't let you down after all." Sam blushed, and then became angry.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on them!" she threatened, silently thinking how futile her threat truly was.
"I've no interest in doing so," Garin said.
"Y-you don't?" the woman stammered in surprise.
"Absolutely not," he responded, as though offended. "I'll be sorting through all I've gathered from you for days, and quite frankly, I've tired of this method of collecting for the time. You're white knight shall rescue you and you shan't remember a thing."
"Nothing?" she asked.
"Nothing at all," the muse grinned, then waved her off. "Shoo, now, he's trying to wake you."
---
As soon as they had clear the doorway, Jack rushed into the small room, Teal'c and Daniel right behind him. Against the far wall was some sort of stasis pod in which Sam lay.
"Daniel, how do I open this?" the colonel demanded, searching for a switch or something.
"I-I don't know," the sandy-haired archaeologist responded. The three teammates looked for anything that might help. Suddenly, the pod opened, releasing a cool mist as it did so.
"Carter?" Jack said softly, tentatively reaching out and feeling her pulse. It was strong and steady. "Sam? Can you hear me?" he spoke a little louder, cupping her face in his rough but gentle hands.
"O'Neill," Teal'c said, but he saw it too: movement beneath the eyelids. The petite, blond-haired major took a deep breath and then her eyes fluttered open.
"Jack," she said as she looked up into his gentle brown eyes.
"Sam," a relieved smile began to creep across his face. Sam sat up and looked at her surroundings.
"Daniel? Teal'c? Sir?" she asked. "Where am I? Weren't we just . . ."
"You were kidnapped," Daniel replied. "You must've been in this . . . pod ever since."
"How long was I missing?" the blue-eyed major demanded.
"Uh . . . we'll tell you that later," Jack said. "Right now, we'd better get you back so Doc Frasier can have a look at you." He handed his gun to Teal'c before helping his second-in-command to her feet. The four teammates exited the small chamber.
"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed, squinting as the sunlight suddenly hit her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Daniel asked.
"I'll be alright," she answered. They moved along the floor of the ravine. Jack still had his arm wrapped around her waist, though she could have walked just fine on her own. She smiled to herself, and then suddenly shook her head.
"What?" Jack wanted to know.
"I don't know," Sam said, looking around as though trying to spot something. "It just seems like somebody's been messing with my head . . ."
"Perhaps, with time, you will remember," Teal'c suggested as they continued along.
"Perhaps not," Garin said. He was grinning smugly to himself.
---
End.
A/N: That's it for this story. Let me know what you thought! Review! Review! Review!