Chapter Fifteen: Once upon a dream
Nate was lying on his narrow cot when the plate of lukewarm mush was slid through the small gate in his door. Rolling off the bed, he scooped up his plate and ate the gritty porridge with his fingers because there was no utensil provided, not even plastic, after all it would be a potential weapon. Finished, he shoved the plate back through the swinging door.
Bending down he called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" He tried this before and never got an answer, but he continued to try. After all it didn't hurt, someday there might be an answer, but today he was once again greeted with silence.
Defeat wrapped itself around him as he lay back down on the cot, the dampness of the room clung to him and he wondered if he'd ever feel warm again. Curling up into a ball, Nate tried to conserve as much body heat as possible as he fell into a doze, once more hoping they'd let him sleep the whole night through today or what he thought was night. He really had no idea how long he'd been here or what time it was.
His eyes drifted closed and then, he was somewhere else and no longer cold. He could feel the sun's rays on his face and hear the pounding of the surf. When he moved, his bare feet sank into the soft wet coral sand. Then there was someone beside him and he knew immediately who it was. At first she wasn't solid, but once he concentrated harder she was there, fully formed. Reaching out, she entwined her fingers with his. Her hands told a story of Charlie's life, her scars, and calluses. Each one had made her who she was.
Looking around, she spoke, "How am I here, Nate?"
Slowly, he opened his eyes, afraid that Charlie would disappear, but she was still standing next to him staring out at the surf as it rolled onto the shore. With his free hand he reached up to touch her cheek, fearing she'd vanish. "Where did you come from and how did I get here?"
"I don't know. A few hours ago I was with you in that maze, I saw it all and then when you called my name I woke up. I went to see your mom and she had the same dream. I went back to sleep to see if I could make contact with you and here I am or here we are. Do you know where you are or who has you?"
Nate shook his head. "No, they grabbed me from the training course and drugged me. When I woke up I was in my cell and the only other place I've been in the maze, but it's never the same. I don't understand how they do it, but it changes. I'm not sure if there's a way, but you have to find me."
"I'll do what I can. Think about me, I'm here with you." She reached up and touched his cheek. "Come home to me, Nate. I need you in my life…"
Nate sat up on his cot shivering, but his cheek was still warm from Charlie's touch. He had to get out of here and he'd find a way come hell or high water. He just had to bide his time, his plan would begin the next time his food came and he'd be ready.
Sam had been home from the alternate reality for a few days but she still felt out of sorts. After all the fighting to get home because she didn't belong in that other reality, it pained her that she couldn't seem to fit back into her life here with Jack and Jasmine either. It almost felt like this wasn't her life either.
She couldn't stop thinking about the world she'd left, had her other self been too afraid to speak up? Had she ever tried to change things for the better? Were the two of them that different? But she also wanted to move on and get back to her life. That other world was not her her life, she had one here and she wanted to fit back into it once more.
Most of all, she wanted her baby to sleep more that two hours at a time.
After much screaming and gnashing of teeth, Sam had managed to get Jasmine to sleep and done some cleaning around the house, before sitting down to finish her report of her out of world experience. She still wasn't sure what to say about what had taken place.
*Thud, thud blup.*
Sam got to her feet, trying to identify the source of the strange sound before it woke Jasmine. She quickly moved through the house, knowing precious time was ticking away and soon she'd have a screaming fifteen pound monster on her hands.
To her shock it was the washing machine. The thing was foaming over with soap suds running in rivers across the floor. Slipping and sliding over the tiles, Sam hit the pause button on the washer only to have the mess continue to grow.
Grabbing the newly dried towels from the the washer, Sam tried to get ahead of the mess.
"Sam?" She heard the front door close and Jack's voice shout from the direction of the kitchen. In her haste to clean up the mess before Jack found her, she slipped falling over, almost disappearing in the bubbles and she knew she was busted. Sitting up in the still growing mess trying hard not to cry.
The door opened a few minutes later and Jack stuck his head in the room only to stop and stare. She could tell from the way he was biting his lip he was trying hard not to laugh.
It was a while before he gained enough control to ask, "What happened here?"
"I don't know! It took me forever just to figure out how the stupid machine. You would think that after getting the Stargate to work, a front-loading washing machine would be a snap."
This time Jack did laugh. "You think…?" But he immediately grabbed some more towels and helped Sam clean up the mess. "Sorry I had to replace it while you were gone. It took me a while too, I even had to call their helpline. I have piloted 302s. It wasn't easy to admit I was a washing machine moron."
A while later and seven more dirty towels, Sam sat back against the drier. Well that was interesting. Did I put in too much soap or something?" She nodded to the jug that now sat on the floor where it has fallen during the chaos.
Jack snatched the bottle from her hands. "Where did you get this? It's the wrong kind. You need that new He stuff."
Suddenly the dam broke and she started to cry hating every tear rolling down her cheeks. "I bought it, there wasn't any left and so I went to the store. I had no idea there was so many kinds. I just closed my eyes and picked. I'm sorry! I can't seem to do anything right. Jasmine hates me and I-"
She was cut off when Jack pulled her into his arms. "Hey none of that. Jazzie doesn't hate you and for the rest I'm sure you'll be fine. It takes some getting used to life again once you've been gone and you have had some pretty difficult missions of late. First, you almost died and then you got yourself stuck in some other reality and had to get Mckay of all people to save you. That could be taxing on anyone. You're allowed a bit of neurosis."
He gently gripped her chin between his thumb and index, lifting her gaze to meet his. "It will all work out in the end. Life has a way of doing that. Now why don't you shower while I clean up the rest of this."
"Kay." Sam quickly left before she broke down any further.
As she walked by Jasmine's room, she could hear the little girl crying. Slowly she opened the door and crept inside. The baby was standing up in her crib with a death grip on the railing. When Jasmine saw Sam, she lifted her arms. "Maaa!"
To Sam's delight when she lifted the little girl up she snuggled down into her arms. Sam sat down in the rocking chair and helped Jasmine fall back to sleep.
As she looked up, Jack was leaning against the door frame. "Told you it would all work itself out. Now why don't you hand me the Princess and you can get the shower you were wanting. Besides, I have a plan and you're putting a kink in it."
Sam passed the baby to Jack and headed off wondering just what he was talking about, but it was all made clear when she stepped out of the shower a few minutes later. Her favorite black dress lay across the bed with a note. "Put this on and meet me in the car ASAP. We're going out. Vala's here to watch the Princess so don't worry. Then tomorrow we're going to the zoo. It's time for us all to reconnect."
Feeling excited, she grabbed the dress and quickly finished get ready. After the events of today, the world was suddenly full of possibilities.
Charlie bolted upright in bed, almost smacking into Haruka who had come into the room to wake her. Scooting back into the wall, she tried to slow her breathing. "I did it, Haruka. I made contact with him. I mean I drew him to me; we were standing on the beach outside your cabana. I touched his hand and he reached out to me. I felt his fingers on my cheek." Looking up at the older woman, she sighed. "What's going on? I mean I've never had anything like this happen to me. Am I insane?"
"No, they must have done something to him, he has the ATA gene. It's about as strong as Jack's, whoever has him is experimenting on him. It's time to call Jack and see what he knows."
Charlie's mind filled with questions but Haruka hurried her away, not giving her a chance to ask any of them. But Charlie promised herself that she would get those answers, she would just have to bide her time, patience was her one true virtue.
Part of Haruka knew calling Jack wouldn't help. If he knew anything, she would have been told a long time ago where her son was and what was happening to him, but she had to make sure.
Picking up the phone she dialed Jack's home number in DC. It rang five times before it was answered by an annoyed Jack. "What the hell do you want and who are you? It better be the end of the world or you're dead. I have a seven month old who's teething and you just woke her and me up."
Drawing a deep breath, she rushed through her story, hoping that it would be enough to placate Jack.
"How long has he been gone?"
"Three weeks, he was supposed to return two days ago. He was invited to attend some extra training and I let him go, but when I contacted the base where he was supposed to be at, they said I couldn't talk to my own son. Something is very wrong."
"I'll be there in a few hours. I'll beam over with Sam when she heads to the SGC. Will you be in your office at that time?"
"Both me and Charlie will. She's had more contact with Nate than I have. Jack, I can't lose my boy, not this way." Haruka hated the trembling in her voice.
"Get some sleep Haruka, you won't do your boy any good if you land yourself in the hospital. We can't do anything right now. I'll make sure they know I need a vehicle to come see you."
"See you then, Jack."
Haruka hung up the phone and left her study to find Charlie waiting outside in the hallway. "Jack will meet us at in my office in a few hours and let us know what he's found out. Both of us should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow might turn out to be a very long day. So why don't you head back to sleep, I'll let your instructor know you won't come to roll call. This is more important."
Charlie pushed herself to her feet. "I'll sleep if you do."
"I will, I'm under orders from Jack to get some sleep and I know when to follow orders." She sighed as she pulled the sticks she's shoved in her hair earlier. "I don't know if I've ever been so exhausted, but at least I know the reason now. I think that Nate's been trying to contact me for weeks. Something changed though, and he was able to make a connection tonight. Now that I know what's going on I should be able to sleep. See you in a few hours."
Then she was gone.
There are two more chapters up on my site and if you would like to check them out Google my penname and you will find me. I love to hear from you whether you liked it or loved it. :0P
Also I have published two original pieces of work on Kindle you can find a link to them on my website as well.
if I get enough review I will be pushed to add the chapter early, like Friday, instead of later next week. I have one so far this week but I think I could handle a few more.