Chapter Seventeen: Back down to Earth

Jon watched Charlie enter class late. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink last night and her whole body was coiled like a spring. Something was very wrong, the only person who could effect her like this was Nate. What had happened since they'd spoken last night? Could he be dead?

No, Jon shook his head. Haruka would have told him if something like that would have happened, but what could it be? Where the hell was Nate?

He tried to catch Charlie's eye as she sat down but she refused to look at him, or anyone else. Instead she stared down at the desk top as though it was the most important thing in her life. He turned to Cassie, but she just shrugged, she had no answers either.

"Cadet O'Neill!"

Jon jumped and looked sheepish at his instructor.

"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry. You were talking about..." He stopped unable to come up with a valid answer. "I'll pay attention." He turned around in his desk and tried very hard to focus for the rest of class but found it almost impossible.

As soon as the class was dismissed, he jumped to his feet, grabbing his books to make sure that Charlie didn't escape. He managed to catch up with her just as she reached the hallway. He grabbed her arm and pulled her off to the side.

"You know something more, don't you? Has something happened to Nate?"

Charlie looked down the hall and then back at Jon and Cassie. "Yes, but it's something very strange. He's a prisoner and I have no way to help him. I keep seeing things but I-" She dropped her head. "I just don't want to talk about it."

Cassie wrapped her arm around Charlie's shoulders. Jon could tell how freaked out Charlie was by all of this, whatever that was, because she didn't pull away from Cassie for a few minutes.

When Charlie stepped back Jon reached out placing a hand on her shoulder. "We have two hours before the next class why don't we all get something to eat and talk about it."

Charlie's whole body was ready to flee as her eyes darted looking for an escape route. "No Jon, it's not that simple. There are some things you just can't talk about and this is one of them. You have your secrets and... well, I have mine and now so does Nate. If he wants you to know about them, he'll tell you." She shook off his hand. "Now I have to get back to Haruka and Jack and see if they know anything else." Charlie tried to walk away, but Cassie stepped into her path.

"Charlie, you're not alone we are here for you, please don't push us away. We're coming with you to see General Shark and Jack. No matter what happens, we'll help you through this."

Charlie closed her eyes and Jon could almost hear her counting to ten before she spoke through clenched teeth. "It will all work out, Cassie, Nate's fine or at least he's alive." Her voice was harsh as she continued. "Don't ask me how I know, I just do. No let me go!"

Cassie didn't back down. "I hate to tell you this but you have to prepare yourself. Things don't-"

Charlie stepped right into Cassie's personal space and held up her finger. "Stop it! I don't need to prepare myself for anything. Let me go please. I-" Charlie's voice broke, and then she glared, regaining her icy composure. "I know... I know death, and it's not here today. Nate will come back to me, he has too."

Jon wondered if Cassie had pushed Charlie too far. He'd never seen Charlie this emotional. Jon knew it had cost Charlie a lot to let her walls down enough to care about Nate and he hoped Nate would be all right or Charlie would never allow herself to get close to anyone again.

"I'm sorry," Cassie nodded, fighting a blush. "Tell me what you need me to do."

Charlie just stalked away, the whole body conveying the need to break something before she'd break someone all the while. Preferably bricks, but then she stopped. "Cassie, Jon, thank you for caring. Come with me, I'm sure Haruka and Jack will have an update."

The chopper landed and Sam jumped off keeping her head down to avoid the whirling blades. Behind her, she heard Cam and the squad of Marines hit the ground and fan out. She didn't look back as she raised her own weapon surveying the area.

Coming around the corner of the silo she spotted Nate slumped against the wall. Keying up her radio she called, "I have located Nate, Cam."

"I'm taking all but two marines and heading into the silo to secure it."

"Can you send a stretcher my way and I'll take Nate back to the SGC for medical attention. He doesn't look very good."

"Sounds good Sam. I'll see you back at the base."

"Will do, Carter out."

Carefully, Sam approached Nate. When she was about half a metre away, she called out his name, not wanting to startle him. A Glock lay in his slack grip, but she had no idea if he was awake or able to use the weapon.

"Nate? Can you hear me? It's Sam, I've come to take you home."

Slowly, Nate lifted his head but his eyes didn't really focus on Sam. "Charlie, is she here too? I can hear her in my head, she wants me to come home. Mom's in there too, but not are clearly as Charlie. Why is that?"

Sam came closer. "I don't know Nate, but I'm here to take you home. So you don't need that gun any longer I'm going to take it now. Then I'm to make sure you're all right before you go back to the SGC."

Nate smiled. "Will Charlie be there?"

"I don't think so Nate, but you'll see here soon. Jack and your mom should be though. Now I'm taking the gun, there is no need to panic."

"No need to panic, gotcha Sam."

Shrugged off her pack, Sam dropped it to the ground. Tucking the gun inside, she pulled out her medical kit and began to evaluate Nate. By the time the two marines arrived with the stretcher, Sam was satisfied that Nate wasn't going to expire on the chopper ride back to the SGC.

She followed the marines back to the chopper where she gave Jack an update by satallite phone.

Charlie stormed into Haruka's office without waiting to be announced or knocking. The secretary tried to stop her, but Haruka waved the Lieutenant back.

"It's all right Cadet Kawalsky is distraught. I'll talk to her, please go back to work." She arched her brow at the other two Cadets who'd come through the door after Charlie.

"We tried to stop her, but she was determined to see you. She thinks you have an update on Nate." Jon explained, hoping the three of them wouldn't get fridge/shopping duty out of this.

"Jon, it's all right this time." Haruka to Charlie. "I expect you to follow protocol in the future, Cadet Kawalsky. I don't play favorites."

Charlie looked embarrassed beyond anger. "Sorry ma'am, I just didn't think. I could hear Nate in the background for most of the day but then suddenly, he was gone and I was worried. Do you have any more information about what's happened to him?"

"Yes, I was about to send someone to find you, I need to leave so I can meet him. He's being flown to a hospital for observation. If he is all right, he should be at the academy hospital by this evening. I know you want to be with him but I can't get you the clearance for you to see him right now, but I do know that he's all right. Sam's with him and she'll take good care of him."

Drawing a deep breath Charlie nodded. "Please let me know when I can see him, I don't think I'll be able to relax until I'm with him."

Haruka hugged Charlie. "I feel the same way, now, you'll have to excuse me; Jack's waiting for me in his car."

Hugging Charlie one last time, Haruka left the room at the fastest pace her heels would allow.

The chopper set down outside the front gate of the Cheyenne Mountain and Sam helped Nate out, supporting him as he headed inside. The toll of the last few days had drained him more than he realized, and now that the adrenaline had dissipated, he had nothing left. He was glad Sam was there to help.

Once inside, he was met by his mother, who slung her arm over his shoulders and helped him to the infirmary. Nate wasn't happy to see the inside of the SGC's infirmary so soon again, but he knew that it was a necessary evil. Not only they had to figure out what the drug he'd been given had done to him, but if there were any side effects that could impede his ability to function as an Air Force officer.

Jack, his mother and Sam all stepped back as Dr. Lam surged forward and began to take his vitals. She smiled, but Nate could tell she wasn't happy.

"Sorry to be back so soon oba-sama (auntie), but I just can't seem to stay out of trouble."

His words made her laugh and Dr. Lam relaxed slightly. "Nice to see you, cadet, but you need to be more careful. Keep that up and you'll be challenging Dr. Jackson's number of visits before long and you're not even assigned here."

Jack snickered. "No one could ever come close to Danny's hospitalization record. I've seen encyclopaedias that are shorter." He looked at Nate. "I don't want you to even try. One death defying person in my life is enough. I'm going to go speak with Hank. Let me know when you know more." He looked at Sam. "Have you located the last test subject yet?"

"No sir, I'm afraid Dr. Smithers has sent him to the new location and the man has yet to tell us where it is. From Nate's information he's Lieutenant Miller, a marine who was presumed dead after a horrific car crash. We assume that Smithers faked the crash to be able to keep Miller for longer. From what Cam and his team discovered in the computers, they planned to do the same thing with Nate until you started poking around. They realized that Nate was better connected and protected than they'd thought. They somehow missed the connect with Haruka and her husband. Once the prisoners have been brought back here, the interrogations will begin in earnest. We'll find Miller, sir, it's only a matter of time."

Jack turned to Haruka. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but let me know if he starts spinning chess pieces. That didn't go so well the last time."

Then he left and Nate wondered the story behind that comment. He could feel himself slowly drifting off to sleep; he tried to fight it, but eventually exhaustion won out and he lost consciousness.

This story is now completed 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.