Chapter 1
"Hey, Carter, we're about ready to ship out," Jack announced as he entered Sam's office.
"I'll be right there, Sir, I'm just checking my email," she replied, not bothering to look up from the computer monitor.
<>Jack shrugged. "Okay, but make it quick. You know how pissed Teal'c gets when he has to be kept waiting..." he joked.Sam rolled her eyes and grinned as Jack left the room. She logged into her web-based email account, which she used mostly for friends and family members, apart from the government email account given to her when she joined the SGC.
She scanned the contents of her Inbox and shook her head. It was mostly spam...making money by accepting credit cards, getting rid of debt now, things like that. She rapidly clicked "Delete" until she happened upon the last email.
Her brow creased as she tried to figure out if it was spam or some legitimate email. It certainly didn't look like spam, with the "Hi!" subject, and the author’s name looked quite familiar. She clicked on the heading to open the mail....
From: Meredith Greene <merig@yahoo.com>
To: Sam Carter <astrogal@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon Aug 18 1997 7:43 AM MDT
Subject: Hi!
Hey Sammie!
FINALLY got the chance to email you after all this time. It was great seeing you at the reunion a while back, reminiscing about old times...the trouble we got into, the boys we knew (well, the ones that I knew, anyway...unfortunately it looks like they weren't too impressed by that scientific mind of yours, so they were looking for someone who could have a bit more fun, lol), all those classes we slogged through, especially in our senior year... I only wish we could have spent more time together.
So how's life been for ya? I know you mentioned at the reunion that you were working for the Pentagon??? Wow, I'm impressed...guess that astrophyzaks stuff you were into really went a long way! Of course, having a dad in the military must not hurt either. ;-) As I told you, I'm the CEO of TechTon, Inc., a company that manufactures jewel cases for CD-ROMs. Yeah, I know, not as exciting as working for the Pentagon, but I've always wanted a top-level position somewhere.
Oh, I failed to mention to you at the reunion that I'm engaged! Three years ago I met this wonderful man named Jonathan at a company party. He turned out to be the manager of the beautiful restaurant where we held the party, isn't that funny? He's a very smart, funny, and cute guy. I wanted to tell you in person at the reunion, but I guess we were just having so much fun reminiscing that I didn't get a chance! We haven't set a definite date yet, but we're thinking some time in 1998...maybe late summer or early fall.
Anyway, what I REALLY wanted to email you about: how would you like to get together one day this week? It would be great since we’ve both managed to settle down in Colorado Springs. I know you're probably busy and all, but it would be great to meet up with you again! We have so much to catch up on, and I'd love for you to meet Jon! Please email me back when you get a chance and let me know! We could go out to dinner, or a club, or whatever strikes your fancy (no boring air and space museums, though, please!!). Get back to me soon okay, hon?
Take care!
xx Meri xx
Sam sighed deeply as she finished reading the email. Meredith had been a good friend of hers in high school. Although she was quite an overachiever and seemed to enjoy putting Sam down (albeit in as light-hearted a way as she could make it), she was usually good company and knew how to have fun.
She didn't know what to do. On one hand, she really did want to get together with Meredith again, and reminisce about good times. Besides, she needed a good break once in a while. On the other hand, she'd probably spend the whole evening bragging about herself which would make Sam feel like dirt, especially since most of her friends seemed to be settled down already, or at least involved in a serious relationship. Sam didn’t need this saddled on her right now, especially since they had just gone through quite an ordeal involving a Goa’uld system lord, and now they were embarking on a new mission …
"Sam?"
She heard Daniel's voice faintly in the hallway.
"Sam, are you coming? We're heading out now."
She turned and saw him standing outside the door, waiting patiently for her.
<>A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she nodded. "Yeah ... uh, just give me a second; I want to send this one email.""Okay," Daniel nodded, remaining in the doorway.
Sam typed rapidly on the keyboard...
From: Sam Carter <astrogal@hotmail.com>
To: Meredith Greene <merig@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon Aug 18 1997 7:56 AM MDT
Subject: Re: Hi!
Meri,
Nice to hear from you. Sounds like you're doing well for yourself. I can't talk much right now since I'm just heading out the door, but I'd like to get together with you and your fiancé. I'll get back to you on which evening would be good for me. My schedule is a little crazy, but I'll let you know when I can.
Cheers,
Sam
"Carter!!!"
Sam and Daniel both jerked their heads in surprise upon hearing Jack's impatient call down in the gate room.
"Oh boy, we'd better ..." Daniel started nervously.
<>Sam nodded and quickly shut the computer down. "Sorry about that," she added, shooting a quick apologetic glance at Daniel as they exited the room."It was just a stupid email..." she continued.
Daniel looked at her expectantly as they made their way down the hall.
"An email from one of my old high school friends," she clarified. "...wanting to get together again..."
Daniel nodded.
“… Nothing really important,” she continued sheepishly.
<>As they continued toward the gate room, Daniel noticed the rather pensive look on Sam’s face. “Is everything okay?” he asked curiously.The heels of Sam’s boots clicked loudly in a staccato-like fashion as she walked briskly down the hall. Daniel had to walk nearly twice as fast as he usually did in order to keep up with her.
“Oh, sure, fine,” she replied nonchalantly.
<>Daniel’s brow knitted in confusion. “Reeeeeally …” he answered, his tone informing her that she wasn’t pulling it off.At long last, they reached the gate room, and Sam practically launched herself in Daniel’s face and grabbed hold of his arms…
“I’m FINE, Daniel!! Everything’s fine!! Is that what you wanted to hear??” she raised her voice.
Daniel’s eyes became as wide as saucers. Completely dumbfounded, he nodded his head slightly.
“Good!” Sam continued, her face now a bright shade of crimson. “Because I’m FINE.”
Panting, she looked past Daniel and saw Jack and Teal’c standing before the event horizon. They were both staring at the once-rabid Captain; Jack with two raised eyebrows, Teal’c with one.
“Is there a problem?” Jack finally asked after an awkward silence.
<>Sam’s face turned an even brighter crimson, if such a thing were possible. She shut her eyes tightly. “No, Sir,” she sighed.“Sam’s fine,” Daniel added, still quite dumbfounded.
“Are you sure, Carter?” Jack asked, raising his eyebrows.
<>Sam nodded, still with her eyes shut as she was deeply embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Sir. I acted in a totally unprofessional way, letting my emotions get in the way of my job. It won’t happen again.”“I’m sure,” she nodded.
“All righty, then … P5X-978 it is,” he declared. With that, he and Teal’c disappeared through the event horizon.
As Sam walked up the ramp with Daniel, she noticed the look he was giving her. It was a look that could be described as a mixture of leftover surprise and hurt. That look was killing her. Admittedly, Daniel was her best friend, in more ways than one, and she would never do anything to hurt him.
<>Before they stepped through the gate, she turned to him and touched his arm. “Daniel, I’m sorry for going ballistic on you like that.”Daniel averted his eyes and nodded.
“I really hurt your feelings, I guess … right?” she said tentatively, looking at him with an intensely apologetic expression.
Daniel looked her in the eyes for a moment, and then shrugged slightly.
<>Sam’s crimson glow returned, and she felt as if her cheeks were on fire. “God! I am such an idiot,” she exclaimed, nervously raking her hand through her hair.“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Daniel answered softly as he fixed his boonie hat onto his head. “I’ve had worse.”
<>Sam shook her head sadly. “Daniel, you didn’t deserve this. I’m really sorry. Can you forgive me?” she asked, her eyes pleading sadly. <>She reached out and gave him a small hug. They shared a little smile, and finally disappeared through the gate.
“Incoming wormhole,” Sergeant Walter Harriman announced into his microphone as the stargate began dialing out.
<>General Hammond raced down the stairs and quickly made his way to Harriman's side. “What’s going on?” he asked.“Receiving transmitter code … it’s SG-1, Sir.”
<>Hammond furrowed his brow in confusion. “What? They couldn’t have been gone for more than three hours!”The General began to get worried. SG-1 was going to P5X-978 for a standard recon mission, the type of mission that lasted at least eight or twelve hours. Whenever something like this happened, it usually meant that they managed to get in trouble. Just over a month ago, Jack, Sam and Teal’c had been implanted with false memories that led them to believe that Daniel was dead. They had been gone for just over four hours during that mission to the planet Oannes.
“Open the iris,” Hammond instructed the Sergeant.
<>About twenty seconds after the iris was opened, Sam tumbled through the event horizon. “We need a medical team in here!” she yelled.“Captain Carter, what happened?” Hammond asked as he rushed into the gate room.
Before Sam could answer, Daniel and Teal’c appeared, supporting Jack between them. Jack’s BDU’s were covered with dirt, and his right pant leg was ripped open at the knee, exposing a gaping wound.
“Oh, Daniel, I’m going to kill you,” he moaned, almost incoherently.
“Teal’c? Doctor Jackson? What happened to Colonel O’Neill?” the General asked, hoping to get an answer from someone.
“We were approximately 50 meters from the Stargate,” Teal’c began. “Daniel Jackson located a cave with intricate markings – “
“Sure, they were!” Jack cut in, his speech slurred a bit. “They were doodles, for cryin’ out loud!”
“They weren’t ‘doodles’, Jack, they were series of writings very similar to the old Celtic script Ogham,” Daniel answered calmly.
“Og-what?” Jack returned, sounding groggier than ever. Daniel rolled his eyes.
“Teal’c and I followed Daniel into the cave, while Colonel O’Neill waited outside to secure the perimeter,” Sam broke in. “I … uh … “
She looked nervously down at her feet, then back up at General Hammond, who raised his eyebrows as a sign for her to continue.
“… I guess he didn’t realize the rather steep drop on the north side of the cave, Sir,”
<>Hammond furrowed his brow and looked accusingly at Jack. “What??” he exclaimed incredulously.“General, please don’t yell at me. You’ll make my ears bleed,” Jack answered in a drugged tone.
“Colonel O’Neill, do you mean to tell me that there was a steep drop in front of you, and you failed to notice it??” the General continued in disbelief.
“Um …” Sam began as she and Daniel glanced at each other.
Hammond raised his eyebrows expectantly.
“I dunno how it happened, Sir,” Jack replied. “All I remember happening was … I was really thirsty, so I had a drink of that stuff Carter had in that little red thermos she left behind. Then things started turning mellow, and … down I went,” he finished, waving his hands in the air.
“Ah … Jack, that red thermos was mine,” Daniel answered slowly.
<>Jack turned toward Daniel and stared at him, his eyelids heavy. “What?” he uttered.“It was … um … Nyquil,” Daniel finished, turning his head away in embarrassment.
“What??” Hammond exclaimed again.
“See, what did I say? I’m gonna kill him,” Jack slurred.
“Sorry, Sir, but my allergies have been really bad lately, and, um … wow, I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” Daniel trailed off, wincing a bit.
<>Hammond sighed. Not only did he have great respect for Daniel, but he was going out of his way to treat him well, especially after all he had been through a couple of weeks earlier during Hathor’s visit. “No, Son. It’s not your fault. Colonel O’Neill should have realized he was drinking cough syrup, and should have known to stop as soon as he realized it.” He turned and looked hard at Jack.“Hey! What’re you getting mad at me for, George? If he didn’t insist that we look at those doodles in that cave, I wouldn’t be – Ow!!” Jack suddenly exclaimed as the pain shot from his knee.
<>Doctor Fraiser rushed into the room with a nurse and a gurney. “Sit tight, Colonel, we’ll have you out of here in no time,” she said soothingly as she and the nurse gathered Jack up and stuck him on the gurney. She winced as she checked out the wound. “Ooh, how did this happen?”“Long story,” Jack slurred.
“Um … why does he seem drugged?” she asked, furrowing her brow as she addressed Sam, Daniel and Teal’c.
“I think a whole thermos full of Nyquil might have something to do with it?” Daniel asked slowly, blushing as he held up his now empty red thermos.
<>Janet raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh. How did he get a hold of your thermos?”Daniel shrugged.
“Well, let’s get him into the infirmary,” she said, directing her attention back to Jack. “The wound doesn’t appear to be bleeding anymore, but he’ll definitely need stitches. I’m going to x-ray his knee as well, just to be on the safe side.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Hammond nodded.
Janet nodded back as she and the nurse pushed Jack out of the gate room and down toward the infirmary.