16 - The Calming Room

~*Mark*~

~Two Days Before the Capture~

My phone rings, and I can identify who is calling. I grin as I pick up the phone.

"Pete!" I say cheerfully.

"Hi Mark."

"How are the wedding plans?"

"Everything is just about done. Sam has taken time off from work to-"

"My sister took time off?" I ask, surprised, but exaggerating the point for hopefully comic value.

Pete laughs.

It worked!

"Yeah. Before and after, but… She's still…distant."

"You said two of her exes died. She's not stone, Pete." I frown slightly. Jealousy doesn't suit him. I hadn't realized how clingy he was until after I set him up with Sam.

"I didn't mean it like that."

I hope not.

"Still no word from your dad?"

"No. He's taking a very long 'vacation.'" I cannot help but laugh at the obvious cover. As if he'd be vacationing while his little girl was getting married, as if he wouldn't have insisted on meeting Pete first, then proclaiming he didn't like him.

"I was hoping to meet him before the wedding. Do you think he'd like me?"

"As I said before, he's very…particular about who Sam dates."

"Right."

"He's relaxed a lot lately, but you are still dating Sam."

"Okay."

"Just be polite, and call him by his rank. General Carter. If you 'Jacob' him, you'll be on his shit list for eternity."

"Good to know."

After that, we just talk. I tell him about Betty and the kids. He tells me about Sam and the wedding, but mostly about his new buddies since he transferred cities. Overall, it's a short conversation before I have to go.

~Day of Capture~

~Year 1, Month 1, Day 3~

~*Sam*~

I watch Pete check outside after they left, then turn to a frowning me.

"I asked to talk to you alone. They will respect that."

"I don't think you know them as much as you think." He walks to me. "I saw your reaction when that…thing-"

"He's a symbiote," I reply angrily. Lantash is not a thing.

"Symbiote."

"Lantash."

"When he threatened me. You were surprised."

I glance down. That honestly did surprise me. It even scared me. That's not the Lantash I know. It's not the Lantash Jolinar knew. But it is Lantash, and I have no idea what he's been through. "Yes. He's obviously been through a lot."

"He's obviously become a killer."

"Do you not realize what he's already done for us? He knows how to survive here. We don't," I snap. "Pete, you are under their protection for my sake. Do not give them a reason to withdrawal that protection."

"So I do their dance or die?"

"Yeah, which makes me wonder, why do they think you would hurt me?"

"How would I know? Jealousy? How do you know Lantash?"

"It's complicated."

"Having a man between your legs isn't complicated," he replies angrily.

He has serious issues about that.

"What we did or didn't do is not your business."

"I would never hide anything like that from you."

I sigh. He has a point there. He's been upfront about his past, more than I have been.

"I…have memories of being with them, from someone else."

"That doesn't make sense."

"As I said, it's complicated." I look to him. "Her name was Jolinar. She was Lantash's and Martouf's wife. When her host died… I became the new host. She died soon after, before I knew anything about her. That left me with her emotions and memories."

"Does he know this?"

"There are two of them, and," I reply softly. "And they…care for me."

"How much?"

I sigh. "They loved me."

"So I'm basically trapped here with two, no, four ex-boyfriends."

"I was never with Martouf or Lantash, but…yeah, I guess that's a close enough comparison."

"Who get to decide if I live or die."

"They are good people. Just stop angering them."

"I'm not-"

"You just called Lantash a thing. What did you say in front of them?"

"I didn't know what they were. The last time I saw glowy eyes-"

"I get that, and I'll explain it to them."

Pete sighs, then takes my hand. "I'm worried about you."

I pull my hand away.

"Sam?"

"Why do they have an issue with you?"

"I told you, I don't know," he snaps.

"Lantash wouldn't have made that threat over petty jealousy. He's changed, yes, but he's better than…" Better than Pete.

"I…don't…know."

"And why are you so angry?"

Pete doesn't reply.

"We are in a hostile environment, facing potential torture for entertainment, and all you seem to care about are the guys that make you jealous."

"That's easier to focus on," he admits.

"Alright. I can understand that." I pause. "I'm going to be talking to them alone as well."

He doesn't reply, but he is clearly angry about it.

"You have to be able to trust me. If you can't, then what are we doing?"

"I don't trust them."

"Meaning what?"

He doesn't reply.

"The only thing that could mean is that you think they can charm their way back, which means you don't trust me, or you think they would force the issue."

"I don't think you know them as well as you think you do. Maybe you used to, but one…two have lived here for…how long? Wasn't Malek thought to be dead over a year ago?"

"Yes."

"How long has Lantash been missing?"

"Over four years.

"I may be under their protection, but I don't trust them." He sighs. "I hope you are right about them." He walks away, then looks back to me. "Uh. Let me talk to them. About what I don't know. I can apologize on the same time."

"If you prefer."

"I'll call them back." He goes out, calls them, then comes back in.

Lantash arrives first, passing him to sit by me.

"Lantash…I want to talk to you, but…"

"You are exhausted. Our talk can wait."

"Lantash…I missed you too."

"Malek told me." He smiles.

~+~+~.

I don't know how long I slept. Lantash is still there.

"Samantha, I don't like him."

"I got that."

"I respect your choices, but…"

I sit up.

Lantash helps me to lean against the wall.

"But what?"

"He's possessive of you."

"I think that's an exaggeration."

"I don't…" He pauses. "…but I acknowledge that I could be wrong. I am jealous, admittedly, and his responses might be due to stress."

"Thank you. He didn't know anything about the Tok'ra. I told him very little about you. He has more questions. He prefers to talk to you about it."

"I don't mind as long as he stops insulting me."

"Thank you."

"I know you and Malek were together."

That is awkward.

"I wanted you to know that since they have arrived, we have become one again…and unless you object, we would like to continue to…show our physical affections towards each other."

"Are you asking permission to have sex?" I ask while laughing.

"Yes."

"Go ahead."

"There is a great deal I must tell you."

I nod.

~*Pete*~

Sam is crying when I return, and she pulls away when I try to comfort her.

"Sam?"

"Not now," she replies.

I see Lantash leave.

"They feel you should be warned. Martouf can be…dangerous."

"Not Lantash."

She sighs. "He's not always mentally stable. He has flashes of violence. If you see him acting unusual in any manner, don't go anywhere near him, and that's all we're going to say about it."

"But Lantash-"

"We are not talking about it," she says firmly. "You don't need to know anything else."

I nod.

~Year 1, Month 1, Day 5~

~*Martouf*~

I hear heavy footsteps.

"The Jaffa," Lantash warns Samantha and Pete. "There's nothing we can do against them."

"I know." Samantha is nervous. "How bad will it be?"

"From what Malek said of your previous injuries, they were…for them, quite gentle with you."

She winces.

When they come in, Malek moves towards them. "Time again?" He asks calmly as if he is assuming they had come for him.

Lantash gestures a negative at Samantha when she is about to protest. We don't want him to suffer, but Samantha is still injured.

The lead Jaffa, but not the first prime, looks over Malek, as if seriously considering it.

"Not this time," he answers before moving past him. "I have some friends who want to have fun with the woman."

Lantash moves in front of him, and the Jaffa glares at us.

"She has a head injury. This could kill her. We both know Zar doesn't want her dead yet, and while he has a sarcophagus, you do not-"

Argh! I feel us fall slowly as a pain spikes through my back. Pain stick.

"No!" Samantha protests. "I'll go!"

Fire. Agony. Lantash is muttering soft words of comfort, shielding me as best as he can.

After several minutes, they stopped. I think it was only minutes. I smell burnt flesh and cloth. The pain is slow to fade, pulsing through my body.

"Let's…haggle, shall we?"

Lantash jerks fearfully as he is touched again, then retreats to heal me. We both fully expect to be abused and violated right here in front of everyone, and despite everything else, that still fills me with shame.

"No. No. No. Come back."

I sit up, still catching my breath as Lantash takes over.

"We won't take her if you can stand."

Lantash moves to get up.

Pain!

We are back on the floor as the Jaffa laugh. Lantash closes his eyes, pushing himself to his feet, but his hand slips and we fall again.

My back throbs in sharp pains. Our vision is blurred.

Malek moves to help us, but I hear him cry out before dropping.

"On his own."

It would be easier if I was the one in control.

Lantash takes his time, very slowly, gets to one knee.

The Jaffa jabs us again. Lantash sits back down, and we brace against the pain.

You can do it, I encourage with love.

He slowly gets to his feet.

"Now the fun part."

I'm grabbed firmly. Lantash squirms as the stick is pressed into my neck. I feel the prongs dig in before-

Ahhhh!

The next thing I know, I'm on my hands and knees. A pulsing ache fills my head and neck.

Lantash?

He's unconscious.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

I feel a heaviness in my chest.

"As promised, we won't take her today." I hear. "Today is your day then."

They are taking Malek.

No!

The air thins.

No-no-no-no.

"Martouf?" Samantha's voice.

I'm afraid to move. I might hurt her. I might kill her.

"Martouf."

I have to get away.

Someone moves towards her, and I grab a knife.

No. It's just Pete.

"Martouf… Think about your wives. How much does Lantash remember them?"

Jolinar. Rosha. I feel calmer, staring at the floor.

I have no memories of them.

I search Lantash's memories, but I only find sorrow. My loves are dead. An Ashrak killed Jolinar. He may have killed Rosha.

"He does not remember them."

"You were married for ninety-nine years."

"That's a long time." I feel my hands shake as I slowly remove my knives.

"Yeah. You loved them. You lit up when you talked about them."

Is the Ashrak here?

He must be stopped. I grip my last knife.

No. That's Pete.

"I must…calm…" I drop the knife and leave. I rush to the calming room. Hurry!

I'm almost there.

Someone grabs me.

"You are mine, Bitch," he says.

"No!" You are not touching me! I grab his throat. "You will not harm me!"

I hear screaming all around us.

The man drops to the floor.

Calming room.

I begin writing.

"Rosha. Jolinar. Rosha. Jolinar. Samantha. Malek. Amb."

My loves.

"Rosha. Jolinar."

Keep me calm.

"Malek. Amb. Samantha."

Keep me safe.