SGC - 1997

The room, naturally austere, was decorated with various drawings on the walls. The bed was covered with a teddy bear-themed blanket, and stuffed animals were scattered across the mattress, adding a bit of warmth to the otherwise military setting. Sam hadn't spared any expense, hoping it would help the young refugee feel a little more at ease. In truth, she also hoped it would help her feel more comfortable.

The little girl still hadn't spoken to her, but Sam wasn't discouraged. They had spent the afternoon drawing and playing cards, and eventually, the girl had fallen asleep in Sam's arms as she gently stroked her hair.

Carter couldn't stop thinking about the painting the girl had shown her earlier. She had drawn herself as the sole survivor amidst the bodies. Sam had quickly drawn herself beside her, whispering that she would never be alone again. Still, Sam wondered how she would keep that promise. "How to care for an orphaned alien" wasn't exactly a chapter in the soldier's handbook.

Lost in thought, Sam was startled when Daniel entered the room. She tried to gently extricate herself from the girl's embrace, but the movement immediately woke her.

"Hey," Sam whispered softly. "How are you feeling?"

The little girl nodded, and Sam's heart swelled with affection. "Listen, I have to go somewhere for a little while, but you're not going to be alone. Daniel will stay with you the whole time," she said, gesturing toward the archaeologist. "You remember Daniel?"

Sam gently brushed the girl's hair as she cast a questioning glance toward Daniel. "You're very brave, remember?" Sam added with a reassuring smile. "I'll be back before you know it," she whispered.

But as she tried to get up from the bed, the girl grabbed her hand and held on tightly. "Please don't go."

It was the first time Sam had heard her voice, and she looked up at Daniel in surprise.

"You feel like telling me your name?" Sam asked gently.

"Cassandra."

"Hi, Cassandra," Sam smiled at her. In that moment, she knew this little girl had found a special place in her heart.

"I hurt," Cassie said, her voice trembling.

When Janet saw her friend walk in with the little girl in her arms, she immediately understood that she wasn't facing an Air Force Captain, but a mother worried about her child's health. She listened carefully to Sam's explanation and examined the girl without delay. However, nothing came up in the exam.

"Sounds good. No fluid in her lungs," Janet said, putting down her stethoscope.

Sam reacted immediately. "She described it more like a sharp, stabbing pain."

Janet smiled, gently caressed the girl's hair, and motioned for Sam to follow her out.

"I have no idea what to say or do," she confessed to her friend. "Her latest blood work shows a significant potassium deficiency. I have no idea what's causing it or how it dropped so quickly. One of the effects can be arrhythmia."

"You're sure she doesn't have the disease?" Sam asked, concerned.

Janet nodded. "Positive. These aren't symptoms of a bacterial infection." She paused and moved Sam a bit further away to ask a more personal question. "What's going on, Sam?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Sam replied, feigning ignorance.

"Sam, you're acting like a mother here, not a soldier," Janet pointed out, hoping her tone wasn't accusatory.

Sam froze for a moment and cleared her throat. "Not at all, I'm just doing my job," she responded defensively.

"Sam…" Janet glanced at the little girl and then back at her friend. "This is your friend talking, not the base doctor. What's going on? First, you stop talking to the colonel, and now you're getting attached to an orphan…"

Anger flared up in Sam, and she replied sharply, "O'Neill has nothing to do with this." She didn't want to think about that selfish man who replaced her in just a few weeks, or worse: who had likely cheated on his fiancée with her during their time in Ireland. Because clearly, to him, she was only fit to play the role of mistress, no matter the sweet words he had whispered.

"Okay, okay," Janet raised her hands in defense. "But at least tell me why you're ready to fight for this little girl when you've always told me you don't like kids."

Sam remained silent for a long time, lost in thought. Janet was about to give up when Sam finally answered, her voice low, as if to suppress what she was about to say. "I had an abortion when I was 17. A child I wouldn't have kept anyway, but…"

Janet opened her mouth but quickly closed it. A simple calculation made it clear that the little girl sitting on the exam table nearby was the exact age of the child Sam hadn't been able to keep. Without giving Janet time to respond, Sam walked back to Cassie and lifted her in her arms, ending the conversation.

"All right, let's go back to our room."

But before they could reach the door, Cassandra was struck by a sharp pain and immediately lost consciousness.

"What is it?!" Sam shouted in panic.

"Irregular heartbeat. She's in arrest," Janet announced before sounding the alarm. "Code blue in the lab!"

Sam felt immediately lost, as if her own heart had just stopped. "What do I do?!" she screamed.

But as the medical team sprang into action, Sam slowly backed away from the table, feeling utterly helpless. For the first time in years, she wasn't in control, and Sam hated not being in control.

She also realized that, as she feared seeing Cassandra intubated and waiting for the defibrillator, she couldn't stop thinking about Jack. Suddenly, despite the hatred she felt, she needed to see him, to find comfort in his presence. And that was something she wasn't happy about. She prided herself on being an independent woman and didn't want to become dependent on a man for reassurance. Especially not a man who belonged to someone else. That had to change.