Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews! I will respond to you all personally the moment I get a chance. I have been busy, busy, busy! :)

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The Virus

Chapter 21

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Once they had dropped an unconscious Dana to the Doctor's on base they headed straight back to Daniel and Teal'c. The return drive was mostly silent. She kept thinking of all the children she had just seen, of Lucy standing before them with that defiant stare. They must have been attacked previously for the girl to be so concerned about the group's safety. She knew if anyone was going to get through to Lucy it would be Daniel.

When they reached their destination they discovered Daniel and Teal'c were gone from the positions they had last seen them in. She remained just behind Jack watching his six… and though the situation was serious she couldn't help but think it wasn't nearly as fun doing this when he was wearing a suit… that nice ass of his was hidden from view. BDU's were much better! She smirked at her inner thoughts.

"Daniel, Teal'c… come in." Jack stopped a safe distance from the grocery store entrance and she stepped up beside him, turning to face the way they had come, just in case they had been followed. She didn't think Lucy and her motley group of children were the only survivors in the area. There was no way Lucy or even Simon were large enough or strong enough to drag bodies and build up fires hot enough to burn them. She wasn't even sure they would have known to do such a thing.

"We're inside, Jack."

"How's it going?"

"Alright, Lucy says you can both come in now."

Jack turned to smile at her before heading to the entrance. They both kept their weapons at the ready just in case. She wished they didn't have to wear the damn suits though. They not only hindered movement but she was beginning to feel claustrophobic. They had been on them for over four hours now.

"Hi Lucy," she greeted the girl with a reassuring smile. "Dana is in the hands of our best Doctor's now." She didn't add that they were the only Doctor's.

"Hi Sam," Lucy didn't smile, but she wasn't looking defensive anymore. She was seated on the floor in front of the group. Daniel was sitting facing her, cross legged on the floor. Teal'c was standing a good distance away, surveying the room.

"Lucy would like to come and take a look at our set up." Daniel turned to Jack. "I said it would be okay."

"She will have to remain on Level 1." Jack told Daniel, but he faced Lucy as he spoke. "You will have to be looked at by our Doctor's to ensure you don't have the Virus and that you aren't carrying it."

"I understand." Lucy nodded. She then turned and spoke quietly to Simon who looked pale and worried. Sam assumed Lucy was leaving him 'in charge' of the children. While Lucy was distracted Jack sidled closer and spoke to her privately.

"We could zat her and the boy. Take them all back with us." He raised an eyebrow at her. She had been wondering the same thing to be honest. She was disappointed the girl didn't trust them yet and if Lucy's group really was in danger the way she seemed to think they were… in the long run wasn't it better to just take them all now?

"You can't do that." She and Jack turned to Daniel who had been listening in. Another downside to the suits, no conversations were really private.

"Why not?" Jack demanded.

"Because Lucy would never trust us. Imagine what she would do when she realized we had betrayed her. She's clearly terrified and from what I know there is a group of adults out there hunting them down. You know that fear and distrust can cause major issues. She might compromise the relative safety of the base, especially if she escapes."

"Fine, fine." Jack waved an arm at Daniel once he had finished his little speech. Sam sighed but had to agree with Daniel. Both options were dangerous for the children and gaining Lucy's trust was probably the safer of the two.

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When they returned to the base Sam gratefully shed her suit and showered in the decontamination room. When she was fully dressed and feeling more human than she had all day she put on one of the white masks she had been directed to wear and headed down the corridor to the room Dana was in.

The room was small and if she remembered rightly it had once been a supply closet. Dana looked smaller even than before - in the hospital bed. She was almost as white as the sheets beneath her. She was pleased to see someone had brought in a pink mink blanket and placed it over the girl, it brightened the room slightly and made it not quite so scary. A nurse stood next to the machine by the bed, writing down the readings on her clipboard.

"How's she doing?" The nurse turned to face Sam with a smile.

"She's going to have a rather large scar… but she will be just fine, she should wake up soon."

"That's great." Sam approached the girl's bed. Now that she was clean Sam could see she had honey blonde hair and a rather pretty little face. Her hair curled around her face making her look angelic, but then children always seemed to look that way when they slept.

"How's she doing?" She looked up to find Jack in the doorway.

"Sounds like she's going to be just fine." She smiled down at the girl. "Where is Lucy?"

"Daniel's going to show her down here when she's finished being examined by the Doctor's." He stepped up beside her nudged her arm gently. "You okay?"

"I'm good, just thought I'd see how our little patient was doing. The nurse says she make it." Just as she finished speaking a crackle came from Jack's radio, followed by Daniel's voice.

"I'm on my way with Lucy now, the other teams need help unloading so Teal'c and I will have to leave her with you."

"Thanks Daniel," Jack switched off his radio and turned to her. "Looks like we get the job of questioning our feisty teenage visitor. I kind of wish we had Cassie with us."

"She would understand Lucy a lot more than we do." Sam agreed and looked towards the door. They were definitely going to have fun with this one.