Daughter of My Heart, Chapter Four

[Set during "In the Line of Duty."]

Cassandra had not been on Earth long, but she had been taught from the start that if anything went wrong, there were several people she could turn to.

First was Sam Carter, whom Cassie had learned to trust almost as soon as she'd stepped through the Stargate. Sam had already helped her a great deal in understanding what had happened to her village, and explaining that it was all right to be sad for a long time.

Sam had lost her mother, too.

The next person she could turn to was Dr. Janet Fraiser, who took care of her when Sam was off-world, and who often prepared delicious meals when Sam had to work late. Cassie liked the doctor, even if she still found it easier to talk to Sam.

Then came Dr. Daniel Jackson, who, it turns out, had lost both his parents as a child, just like her. He came over often, keeping her company while Sam worked late, and telling her more stories than she'd ever heard before. She liked Daniel too, though he always seemed a little sad when he came.

She wondered if it was because he still missed his parents, the way she missed hers.

And then there were Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c, the other members of the team who had found her alone on Hanka. She didn't know them as well, but Sam had always said she could trust her team, could trust SG-1.

And right now, she needed to trust one of them. But who would believe her?

Sam had seemed normal when she'd greeted Cassie off the school bus, but Cassie knew better.

The prickling had given her away. It was the same thing she'd felt stepping through the Stargate, and every time Teal'c had stood near.

Sam was a Goa'uld.

And she didn't know that Cassie knew yet.

Fumbling with the phone, Cassie dialed the carefully memorized number with trembling fingers. The SGC switchboard answered.

"How may I direct your call?," came the polite request.

"I don't know," she whispered, a sob threatening to escape. "There's something wrong with Sam."

"I beg your pardon?," came the concerned reply.

"Captain Samantha Carter. I need help," she pleaded, heart thudding so hard in her chest, she was sure it would give her away.

"Where is she now?," the voice asked. Cassandra gave her the address. "All right. I'll have someone there in a few minutes."

"Thank you," Cassie said, knowing it might already be too late.

She curled up on the floor beside the bed, trying to stay as quiet as she could. She didn't want Sam to find her, not before somebody else was there to help.

Following Cassandra's urgent call, Colonel O'Neill and his team were quickly dispatched to retrieve their fallen comrade and return her to the SGC. What they hadn't expected was to barge in on Sam casually making dinner.

"What the hell do you three think you're doing here?," she demanded, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"We had a tip that something was wrong," Jack replied evasively. His eyes roamed the main floor, searching for the girl. There had to be a reason she'd called the SGC. He needed to know.

"Obviously not," the Captain retorted, her voice sharp as flint.

"Where's Cassie?," Daniel asked.

"What's this really all about?," Sam demanded, eyes still locked on Jack.

Jack discretely signaled for the guys to look around, while he held her gaze. Something was definitely off, even given her sudden need to replace her front door. She'd been different since coming back through the 'gate.

Daniel disappeared down a hallway, but Sam didn't seem to notice. She was still waiting for his reply.

Jack blew out his cheeks, casually rocking back on his heels. "Someone called in to the SGC, made it sound like you were badly hurt. Said we'd be able to find you here."

"Well, everything's fine, Sir," she replied, her words clipped.

"Even still, Captain. Protocol dictates a sweep of the area."

Sam narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

It was a bluff, and his by-the-books Captain should have known it in an instant. Jack tensed, suddenly on his guard.

"Who are you?," he asked.

"Captain Samantha Carter," she replied, glaring at him.

"I don't think so," he retorted.

Teal'c stepped closer to her, following his own instinct, no doubt. Sam tensed as well, fingers twitching toward a kitchen knife laying out on the counter.

"I would not do that, if I were you," Teal'c cautioned, his own eyes narrowed.

Sam's eyes flashed, and Jack jumped back, surprised.

"Who are you to stop me, Shol'va?," she spat, her voice suddenly the dual tones of a Goa'uld.

Without another thought, Jack ripped the concealed Zat from beneath his jacket, taking aim and flooring her in one arching jolt.

"That will not stop her for long," Teal'c cautioned.

"Yeah," Jack grimaced, pushing aside his concern for the host. "Let's get her bound and back to the SGC," he ordered, riffling around for something to use as a tie. Teal'c tossed him a ball of twine he found in a drawer. "Will this hold?," he asked incredulously.

"Not for long," the Jaffa stated. "However, used in sufficient quantity, it may allow us to safely transport her back to base."

"Oi," Jack muttered, lashing her hands together behind her back. He used almost the entire spool, expertly looping and tucking to keep the bonds tight. The rest he looped up around her throat, so that if she struggled too hard, she'd choke herself before damaging any of them. "Daniel, have you found the girl?," he called over his shoulder, hoisting the rapidly recovering Goa'uld to her feet.

Daniel and Cassie came into sight, Cassie's face streaked with frightened tears.

"Is Sam going to be all right?," she asked in a quavering voice.

"We're going to do everything we can," Daniel reassured. Then, "Jack, she's a..."

"Goa'uld. I know, Daniel. Glowing eyes kinda gave it away," he retorted. "Stay with Cassandra," he ordered. "The doc is going to have her hands full with this one," he added, dragging the semi-conscious Goa'uld toward the door. Teal'c was close on their heels.

Daniel looked around at the hastily abandoned meal, then at the tear-streaked little girl by his side. He'd found her cowering under her bed, shrinking further into the shadows as he'd approached. It had taken a lot of coaxing to convince her that he wasn't a Goa'uld too.

She sniffled, looking to him for direction.

"How about pizza?," he asked, deciding that anything a Goa'uld would cook probably wouldn't be worth eating.

She silently nodded, before softly adding, "Can we sleep somewhere else tonight? I don't want the Goa'uld to find me again."

"Yeah, okay," Daniel agreed, helping her to gather the things she'd need.

Inwardly, he wished he could be with the others, on their way back to the mountain. Finding out what had happened. Helping Sam. He felt more than a little helpless watching the girl pack her few prized possessions in the carry-all he'd found.

Fitting the last of her books in the bag with her clothes and her doll, Cassie zipped it shut before slipping a small hand into his own.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Daniel smiled reassuringly. Maybe he was exactly where he belonged.