Janet had missed Sam more than usual while she was on P3X-218, a fact she attributed in the most part to Cassie's growing independence. The girl was fast becoming a young woman, with friends and interests all of her own, and sometimes Janet worried that she was becoming redundant in her life. Sam had laughed when she voiced her concerns, reminding her that even at 38 she still depended on the love and advice she got from her father (and now also Selmak, of course). "You never stop needing your parents," Sam had said, adding with a smirk, "Cassie'll still be at home when she's 40, you'll be begging to be redundant then."
So when Sam stepped back through the event horizon after four days with the colonel, Teal'c and Daniel, surveying ruins, taking water and soil samples and -- if O'Neill were to be believed -- "fiddling pointlessly with doohickeys," Janet felt a stronger than usual sense of relief. Sometimes Sam's missions were so perilous that she couldn't think about them. Just contemplating a life without Sam made her feel nauseous, and she was usually able, during working hours, to employ her well-honed skills as a medic to distance herself. Nights alone were a different matter, however, and when Sam was on extended missions, she had to ensure that she did a very careful make-up in the mornings to disguise her sleep-deprived face.
During the post-mission exam, it was a pleasant change to have nothing more serious to deal with than a sprained ankle (the result of Daniel's over-enthusiasm scaling the side of a temple built in the Mayan style and therefore irresistible to the wide-eyed archeologist) and a gash requiring two sutures (the result of Sam's impulsive, but effective, attempt to stop Daniel falling even further, typically putting her own safety last). She cleaned and stitched Sam's hand first, ever mindful of the risk of infection, but in fact the scientist had done well to keep the wound relatively clean, using a field medical kit on the planet.
The post-mission briefing was just that -- brief. There had been nothing significant in terms of technology, as the planet was probably about 40 years behind Earth in that regard. Sam had sent her samples to the lab for analysis, but expected nothing of any significance to be reported. So when Janet swung by her lab at 7.30pm, uncharacteristically she put up no resistance to the idea of a quiet evening off base, enjoying Janet's home cooking and tender ministrations. "I'll be with you in five," she told her favourite medic, "just need to grab my coat and helmet." In the locker room, she unhooked her jacket, and was just reaching up to take her helmet from the top of the locker when she was blindsided by sudden dizziness. She clutched at the hook on the wall, and carefully lowered herself to the bench. Putting her head between her knees, she inhaled and exhaled slowly and carefully. After what seemed an age, but was probably only a couple of minutes, her vision cleared and she started to feel human again. Probably something she ate, she thought. Those eggs on the planet had seemed harmless, but in future she would definitely stick to the MREs; they may be tasteless, but at least you knew how you'd feel in the morning.
Janet had waited for her in the car park, expecting Sam to follow her on her bike as she often did. Even when on the same shifts the lovers tended to take their own transport, as neither of them could guarantee they wouldn't be called in unexpectedly to deal with an emergency. So Janet was surprised to see Sam coming towards her without her helmet. "You drive," said Sam, "I'm a little tired. If they need me in later, they can send a car -- even better, they can get Siler out, it's usually only a gate malfunction anyway." Janet looked at her closely, noting the dark shadows under her eyes and pinched features. By all accounts, the mission had been stress-free (in relative terms), so she was surprised by Sam's admission. She said nothing, however, knowing Sam didn't like to be fussed. If there was anything to say, she'd tell her in her own time. Janet made a mental note to give her a full physical in the next few days. Sam had been plagued by some pretty powerful nightmares recently, not surprising considering all she had to deal with in her job; maybe they were catching up with her.
Sam was unusually quiet during the evening; even Cassie's enthusiastic description of her latest science project failed to elicit the usual Carter spark. After supper, Janet insisted on clearing the kitchen alone, so that Sam could put Cassie to bed, a task she loved. Sam was like a second mother to the girl, and loved the quiet "girl time"_the two enjoyed in the evenings she was not offworld. Cassie was now 13, but loved to snuggle with Sam and tell her all about her day.
By the time Janet came out of the kitchen, Sam was back on the sofa, 'reading' a scientific journal, but judging by the way her eyelids were drooping, it was not holding her attention.
Janet took the journal from her lover, and gently pushed her to one side so that she could insinuate herself next to her on the sofa, and lower Sam's head onto her lap. Sometimes when Sam was tired, she would let Janet hold her in this way, rubbing her back and smoothing away all the tensions of the day. "You need some downtime," said Janet. "I'm due some leave next week, and Cassie breaks up from school tomorrow. I was planning to stay here and paint the lounge, but I_think it'll do us all good to get away and relax completely. What do you think of a few days at the cabin? We can leave tomorrow evening if you can get away." O'Neill had long ago offered the women the use of his cabin whenever they wanted, and they had taken him up on it three times so far. Cassie loved the freedom that it offered, and she could also take the dog (named, not very imaginatively, "Dog") along. Sam was nearly asleep. "Uh huh," she answered, then reached up for a kiss. She smoothed her hand along Janet's cheek. "Love you," she muttered drowsily.
Spotting the signs that her lover was about to fall asleep, Janet gently roused her and guided her to the bedroom. Efficiently she helped her undress, slid a nightshirt over her head, and pulled her towards the bed. Sam was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Janet loved to watch Sam sleep. On a good night, all her cares seemed to ebb away, and she became almost child-like. Watching the beautiful woman, she sometimes found it hard to remember that she was a soldier, a brilliant scientist, a woman who had risked her life and endured unimaginable horrors countless times to save the planet. Asleep she belonged entirely to Janet -- and Cassie. Some nights, however -- and this turned out to be one of those -- her sleep became restless and disturbed, and Janet would hold her and whisper reassurances before she would fall off to sleep again. _Sam rarely remembered this in the morning, and Janet never mentioned it; she was just grateful to have been there to offer comfort.
The next morning, a Friday, the two women went into the base together. Their relationship was an open secret at the SGC. O'Neill had long ago made it clear that Sam Carter had given enough to her country -- and her world -- to be allowed to be with whomever she wanted. "Carter's a professional, General," he told Hammond. "There's no way this is going to interfere with her job, any more than Teal'c's or Daniel's relationships have." General Hammond even spoke with the President off the record, pointing out none-too-subtly that Lt Col Carter (as she had become after her recent promotion) was vital to global security, and if she wanted a relationship with a big green alien, she was surely entitled. Furthermore, Sam's devotion to Cassie was proven early on when she risked her life to stay with her in the abandoned nuclear facility, so it was only natural that she and Janet would be together a great deal anyway. Their romantic relationship was just the icing on the cake, and all who knew them applauded it.
Sam went straight to Daniel's lab to check on his findings from P3X-218. She was surprised to find it empty, no sign of Daniel -- and more disturbingly still, no smell of coffee from his machine. "Colonel Carter," said Teal'c, entering the lab. "You are looking for Daniel Jackson?" Sam agreed that she was. Teal'c explained that Daniel had left late in the evening and had not noticed the black ice in the car park. Of course with his sprained ankle he had not been able to stop himself skidding, and had been admitted to the infirmary with a stress fracture. "Oh my God," gasped Sam, "is he okay?" "Daniel Jackson has been confined to quarters for five days," said Teal'c, "he is most disgruntled. His injury, however, will heal completely." Sam smiled to herself; Teal'c's formality could not quite hide the concern he had for his colleague. "General Hammond has given SG-1 two weeks' downtime, and has instructed me to escort you from the base if you do not leave willingly." This time there was a distinct twinkle in the Jaffa's eye.
Sam insisted on checking on Daniel, who was less perturbed about his painful ankle than he was about Janet's refusal to let him have coffee. He just could not understand how anybody could be expected to face the day without caffeine. She then ran through the gate diagnostic system with Siler and Sgt Harriman and finally, after many threats from Teal'c, left the base just before 11am. Much to her disgust, O'Neill forced her to accept a lift back in his truck, saying that there was "no way in hell" his 2IC was taking that "death trap two-wheeled monstrosity" on the highway in this "Godawful weather". Once she was settled in his truck, Sam had to admit to herself that the warm leather seats were a better choice on a cold February morning than her 1940s Indian motorcyle, however much she loved it. And, frankly, though she would not have told this to anybody, she felt cold and tired and just wanted to relax at home in the warm with a good book.
Once the colonel had dropped her off, Sam wrapped herself in the warm comforter and awaited Janet and Cassie's return. Janet was only working until 1500hrs, when she would collect Cassie. Sam knew she should eat lunch, but was overcome by lethargy and a nagging feeling of nausea that she attributed to the eggs on the planet. She knew she was going to have to talk to Janet about it if it didn't abate. She was startled at 1540hrs when she heard the key turn in the lock and Cassie came bounding in. She could have sworn she had only sat down half an hour ago. Cassie was full of beans, excited to be on vacation, and thrilled to be going to the cabin. Sam winced inwardly; the last thing she wanted was a three-hour drive, on country roads in the dark and rain. But she saw how excited the girl was, so faked enthusiasm, and allowed herself to be dragged upstairs to pack a bag. Janet, meanwhile, set to packing the car with basic foodstuffs and other essentials. By the time all three were ready, it was 1700hrs and already dark.
"You're with me squirt," said Janet affectionately to Cassie. "We're in the front, I want Sam to stretch out on the back seat, she needs to catch up on her sleep." Sam started to protest, but her words fell on deaf ears. If she were honest, she was glad; she had a killer headache and liked the idea of a few hours' dozing. By the time they reached the cabin, she'd be rested and ready to join in.
Nobody expected the weather to close in as fast as it did, and the trip to the cabin took nearly five hours. By the time they arrived, it was hailing in earnest, and they all got soaked through just getting to the door. Fortunately, the cabin had a real log furnace, which Sam stoked up in no time, so soon it was snug and cozy. After warm showers all round (and a good rub-down for Dog), Janet dished out huge mugs of cocoa and they sat round the furnace together. Noticing Sam starting to nod off again, Janet gathered up all the mugs and declared it was time for bed.
Just after 0200hrs, Janet was woken suddenly by the sound of retching. She rushed into the bathroom, where Sam was being spectacularly sick. She placed her hand on Sam's quaking back, noticing that the nightshirt was damp with sweat. Sam heaved again, painfully and violently, her breath catching as she struggled to inhale. "Gently," Janet instructed. "Take slow deep breaths, sweetie, you're going to be okay. I'm here with you, I'll look after you." Sam was gasping and shivering. Woken by the commotion, Cassie came running in. "Mom, what's happening?", asked the teen. "Sam's not feeling too well, honey," explained Janet. "Fetch me that robe will you, I_don't want her to get chilled." Sam gripped the toilet bowl again, bringing up bile and dry heaving uncontrollably, fighting to catch her breath. She then rocked back on her heels, trying to steady her breathing. Janet supported the taller woman, and wrapped the warm towelling robe round her, passing a damp washcloth over her face. "Better," muttered Sam after a few minutes. "Better out than in," she said weakly, trying to muster a smile. The smile faltered as she bent forward again, vomiting helplessly.
After what seemed like an age, Sam's breathing returned to near-normal and her stomach stopped clenching, so Janet and Cassie were able to lead her back to bed. Janet found one of the colonel's old brush cotton shirts in the closet, and having peeled off Sam's sweat-soaked nightshirt, managed to get that round her before she fell back to the pillows. She got out her medical kit, and was not surprised that Sam's temperature was up a few degrees, as was her blood pressure. Her heart was racing. Janet gave her a mild sedative, and hoped that if she could sleep, she would get over this fever. Already Janet was questioning the wisdom of coming to the cabin in February. Once or twice the cabin had been snowed in, and she did not want to have to tend a sick patient with no access to medical support. And the hail had already turned to snow.
The rest of the night passed fairly uneventfully, and Janet was very relieved in the morning to find that Sam's fever had fallen a little. Janet hoped that a day of complete rest would reduce her temperature further. Sam stirred, and looked blearily at Janet and Cassie. "Hey," said the doctor. "How are you feeling?" "I'll be fine," Sam said, unconvincingly, "Just tired. I'm so sorry about last night, honey, I_think I_may have eaten something that disagreed with me. I'm okay now, I'll be up in a minute and we can go for a walk around the lake. The fresh air will do me good." "You're going nowhere today," said Janet. "I_want you to stay here, keep warm and drink plenty of fluids. And if you think you can eat something, let me know and I'll fix you something plain." Sam paled at the mention of food, and shook her head. "Water, then", said Janet. Cassie disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a full jug and a glass. Janet carefully helped Sam sit up, and handed her a half-full glass. Sam unsuccessfully tried to hide the shaking in her hands, so Janet held the glass to her lover's lips. "Just sip it slowly; it doesn't all have to go at once." Sam managed a few sips, then her eyelids started to droop. Janet helped her lie down, and covered her with blankets. "Rest now, sweetheart, that's the best thing for you."
When Sam had drifted off, Janet joined Cassie who had retreated to the kitchen. "Is she going to be alright?", asked Cassie worriedly. "I've never seen her like that." "I_hope so, honey. Sam's had a tough few months, I think it may just all be catching up with her. And she did get soaked through last night, that didn't help any. We'll just keep an eye, and try and make sure she sleeps as much as possible, that's what she needs most."
Janet was worried, though. Sam hadn't been sleeping well for some months, though she tried to hide it from her lover. Now, when she needed it most of all, would she be able to get proper rest, or would the nightmares return? Sam was too stoical for her own good sometimes, where lesser mortals would have cried out for help long before, she "coped". She needed to release some of the pressure. Her fever had still not gone, and Janet was afraid her small stock of medical supplies might not suffice if she got worse.
Janet and Cassie showered and breakfasted, and then took it in turns to sit with Sam throughout the day. Most of the time, she slept peacefully, waking periodically, sometimes distressed if she didn't remember where she was. Both Frasiers were adept at soothing her back to sleep, persuading her to drink small amounts of water when they could. Janet left Cassie with her when she made her way to the kitchen in the evening to cook supper. She was just draining the rice when her cellphone rang. "Hey doc," drawled O'Neill. "Just wanted to check it's cold enough for you there." Janet was not able to indulge in the usual banter, and the colonel straight away picked up on the tension in her voice. He immediately became serious, and asked what was wrong. She explained that everything was probably fine, but that Sam had been ill in the night and had still not managed to shake the fever. The poor state of the roads since the snowfall in the night dissuaded Janet from taking her home. "Just tell me what you need," snapped the colonel, back in full military mode. "My truck can cope with most conditions, I_can be there before morning." Janet tried to persuade him it was probably unnecessary, but it was with a sense of relief that she gave him a long list of medicines; sedatives, antibiotics and even IV fluids and nutrition -- just in case she couldn't get Sam to keep anything down. Once she'd hung up she felt better, and even a little silly. Sam's temperature had fallen, she was getting better. Wasn't she?
Janet and Cassie ate their supper in silence, the door to the bedroom ajar so they could hear if Sam awoke. "You sit with her now," said Cassie. "I'll take care of the dishes."
When Janet entered the bedroom, she was disturbed to see that Sam's eyes were half-open, and she was staring glassily at the ceiling. "Sam, honey, how are you feeling?", she asked, smoothing sweat-soaked hair from her forehead. She was burning up again, sweat beading on her forehead and neck. Janet took a flannel from the nightstand and, using the cold water from the jug, started to bathe her face and neck to try and bring the fever down. Sam was shivering, and grasped Janet's hand. "Cold," she whispered. "I'm so cold." "I_know, honey, I_know, but we've got to get your fever down. Cassie," she called calmly, "could you step in here please". Cassie, sensing something bad, ran in from the kitchen. "Try and keep her cool, I_need to get my bag."
Janet returned with her medical kit, and had just taken up Sam's hand to take her pulse when her cellphone rang again. "I'll get that," Cassie said, and went off to the kitchen to answer it. She returned in a moment with a worried look on her face. "It's the infirmary," she said. "They're worried about Sam's post-mission blood tests." Janet snatched the phone and went into the other room. After a few minutes, she called Cassie over. "It's not good news. The blood test was fine when she got back. However, one of the cultures has since shown the presence of an infection, which is continuing to multiply. That's probably what's causing her fever, and unless we can counteract it, it's only going to get worse. The colonel is trying to get here, and he's bringing broad-spectrum antibiotics with him, we've just got to hope he can get through the snow, it's really thick out there now." A moan from Sam brought them both back into the bedroom.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" asked Janet, her hand on her lover's brow. "Be sick," said Sam, and promptly turned and vomited what little water she had consumed into the basin that Janet miraculously managed to get under her chin just in time. She retched again, and grasped her stomach in pain. "Hurts," she managed weakly, through chattering teeth. "Dizzy." She gagged again convulsively; Janet held her forehead and stroked her back. After several more heaves, she fell back on the pillows. Her skin was glistening, and she looked paler than Janet had ever seen. Janet unbuttoned her shirt and very gently removed Sam's fisted hand. She tenderly palpated her stomach. There was no wound, yet it felt like a localized infection, hard and hot under her hand. "No," begged Sam, trying to push her hand away.
Janet was desperate. Without the proper diagnostic equipment, she couldn't establish exactly what the problem was. And Sam was becoming dangerously dehydrated, she realized. She hadn't kept down even fluids for over 18 hours, and her fever was getting worse, not better. "Cassie," she instructed, remembering suddenly. "Can you make it to the car?__I'm sure there's an IV in the trunk." Cassie returned shortly, covered in snow, clutching two bags of saline. Janet hooked Sam up to one of the bags, taking care to avoid her injured hand. Could that possibly be the source of infection? Very gently, she removed the dressing, and was horrified to see the wound had become an angry red, and was hot and puffy. Something from off-world could have got into her bloodstream and caused the fever. She ran to her cellphone, and punched in the number of the infirmary. There was nothing, the phone was dead. She realized the snow must have taken out the local mast that powered the cellphone. They were alone.
Over the next few hours, Sam became increasingly delirious and distressed. In her fevered state she couldn't distinguish what was and wasn't real, and Janet became concerned that she would stroke out. Cassie was amazing, showing remarkable maturity for a girl who had only just reached her teenage years. She took turns bathing Sam's face and neck, and reassured her frantic mother that she was doing all she could. "Sam's strong," she reminded her, "she'll pull through this." The pain showed only too clearly on Sam's face, so Janet gave her more sedative and a small dose of morphine, together with an analgesic to help reduce the fever. She didn't dare give her any more until she knew exactly what she was dealing with. If only the damned phone worked, maybe the SGC had some answers by now? She cleaned and debreded Sam's hand, grateful for her unconscious state while she stripped away dead skin and drained the infection.
By this time, Janet had been up for 24hrs straight. Unlike Cassie, who was sleeping now in the next room, she hadn't even been able to snatch a few hours, not wanting to leave Sam's side for a moment. So once the sedative began to take hold, she slid next to her lover on the bed, holding her close, murmuring gentle reassurances to her. Whimpering, Sam reached over and grasped Janet's hand, pulling it between her breasts. The grip was fierce, as if Sam feared something terrible would happen if she didn't have Janet close. After a while, Sam seemed more settled, though her fever had not abated. Close to exhaustion, Janet dozed off, still wrapped tightly round her lover. When O'Neill let himself in at 5am, he found them still nestled together.
Janet woke instantly at his gentle touch, immediately feeling Sam's forehead to check her fever. She was still far too warm, and became distressed when Janet tried to disentangle her hand. Opening her eyes, Sam couldn't understand why the colonel was apparently sitting on the bed. Was this another delusion? Was she late for her watch? She couldn't remember which planet they were exploring. She tried to sit up, but her weak limbs wouldn't support her, and she fell back against the pillows, breathing harshly. "Hell of a way to get out of the chores, Carter" said O'Neill, relying on humour to mask his very real concern. He had seen her sick before; hell, he had held her while she threw up on Netu after ingesting the blood of Sokar, and even tended to her after the food-poisoning incident on P4R-896. But he had never seen her like this, and frankly he was scared. He rubbed her arm reassuringly. "Brought every drug known to man from the SGC, Carter," he told her. "The doc'll have you fixed up in no time."
Janet was already rifling through the huge rucksack the colonel had brought. Like him, it was covered in snow and mud. He smiled ruefully, and explained he'd had to abandon the truck three miles back and make the rest of the way on foot.
A cry from Sam brought Janet running back into the room. She was in the throes of a nightmare, tossing helplessly and sobbing. "Sam, honey, it's okay, it's me, Janet. You need to come back to us now," soothed Janet. Sam's breathing was harsh and gasping, and not for the first time Janet wished she had access to some O2. She tried to dry her lover off with a soft bath towel that was over the back of the chair. Twisting under Janet's hand, Sam whimpered incomprehensibly. "Not real,"_she muttered. "Rather die than live in your sick fantasy." "She thinks she's with Fifth," realized Janet, "She's trying to stand up to him." Sam continued to fight against her touch, becoming increasingly distressed. Janet realized that she would have to put her out, proper rest was the only way she could fight the infection.
Reluctantly, she took a large dose of sedative and injected it into Sam's IV, praying that her altered physiology caused by Jolinar's 'visit' would be able to cope. Slowly, the blonde woman slowed her struggle, and finally gave herself up to the blackness. Her breathing evened out, though it was still laboured and each breath clearly painful.
With Sam unconscious, Janet was able to look again at the tender site on her stomach. She was concerned to find that it was not only still red and hot, but that bruising was also developing around it. Her hand, too, was still angry and telltale streaks suggested that blood poisoning had set in.
O'Neill had gone pale at the sight of his 2IC in such distress. "What can I_do, doc?" he enquired anxiously. "How can I_help her?" "We've got to get her proper medical treatment," said Janet. "She can't take much more of this. I can give her erythromycin, but we really need to find out what sort of infection she's fighting. We've somehow got to get her to a hospital, and I_need to talk to Warner at the infirmary, he'll have the results from the culture by now." "I think my cell had reception near where I left the truck," said the colonel. "I noticed that some of the lines near the cabin have been taken out by the snow. I'll head back in that direction, see if I can get a line and scare up some answers from the SGC. Hammond should be able to organize a chopper, there's a clearing less than half a mile from here where it could land. I_should be back in three hours tops."
Cassie helped the colonel back into his wet weather gear, and gave him both of their cellphones, to maximize his chances of picking up an available network. She also persuaded him to take Dog with him. "He'll keep you company," she said, "and he knows his way back to the cabin if the snow gets worse."
After the colonel had left, Cassie returned to the bedroom, where Janet was changing Sam's IV for the last full bag. Sam was still unconscious, but it was not an easy sleep, and Cassie could see the pain etched on her features. She seemed to be struggling to breathe. "I'm going to sit her up some," said Janet, "It'll help her breathing, and the nausea seems to be worse when she's prone. Find all the pillows you can, will you Cass, and we'll prop her up as best we can." Cassie returned in minutes, her arms full. Janet carefully raised her lover from the bed, taking care not to dislodge the IV, or to cause Sam any more pain than was absolutely necessary. Once Cassie had arranged the pillows behind, both she and Janet carefully pulled Sam up the bed, and lay her down on the pillows.
The next four hours were awful for Janet. She could only sit by helplessly as the woman she loved more than life itself suffered terribly, mumbling in pain and often struggling for breath. Janet's attempts to soothe her were fruitless as the infection took a deadly hold. She risked another small dose of morphine, which seemed to help a little. Finally, when she had almost given up hope, O'Neill burst through the door with an over-excited Dog. He looked dreadful, soaked to the skin and shivering. He also seemed to be holding his left hand. Janet rushed over. "It's nothing doc, just a scratch. The news is good and bad. I_managed to get a hold of the SGC, and they think they've managed to find an antidote for the poison which has got into Carter's bloodstream. They're going to fly it ASAP to County General, Warner's coming along too so he can supervise and bring you up to speed." "And the bad news?" asked Janet, fearfully. "They can't scramble a chopper in this weather; it's almost white-out, they'll never get here in one piece. But they've already got a team trying to clear the road. If we can get Carter to my truck, there's a chance we can get back the way I came. I_know it's not ideal, but I can't think what else we can do."
Janet looked over at her lover in confusion. Could she risk taking her three miles in this weather, or would Sam have a better chance if they sat it out. At that moment, Sam's eyes fluttered open. Janet rushed to her side, stroking her cheek tenderly, and wiping away the tears of pain. Sam tried to smile, and felt weakly for Janet's hand. "Thought... stomach 'flu. Guess I_was wrong," the tall woman whispered painfully. Janet was relieved that at least Sam knew where she was, and that she was sick and not being tortured. "You'll be fine, sweetie," she said, "we just need to work out what's best right now." "Truck," muttered Sam, who had clearly taken in more than she had realized. "Worth a try." Her eyes closed again, but she did not release Janet's hand, holding it close.
"That's the decision then, doc, it's what Carter wants" said O'Neill. "Cassie and I'll sort a stretcher, you collect all the drugs and everything you need for Carter. We leave in 15." His military training had kicked in again, and he was going to make damned sure Carter made it back to the truck in one piece. Within ten minutes, he and Cassie had fashioned a remarkably sturdy stretcher from the oars and sail from the small boat he kept. They covered it with a quilt and a couple of pillows they took from behind Sam. Janet had meanwhile filled a small rucksack with essentials, which Cassie took from her. "I can carry that, Mom, you and Jack will have your hands full with Sam.
Once they had all dressed in their weatherproof clothing, O'Neill gently scooped Sam up, and laid her on the stretcher, tenderly brushing the hair from her eyes. She looked up and nodded her thanks, to weak to speak properly. "Back at ya, Carter," he said. "Quick trip in the snow, and we'll have you better in no time. You'll be back here fishing within the week."
Janet carefully secured blankets and a tarpaulin round her lover. The colonel expertly attached an umbrella, to keep the snowfall from Sam's face. "All set? Let's move out," said O'Neill. "Cassie, keep close, I_need you in my eyeline." The next 90 minutes seemed to last for ever; trying to get Sam to the truck as fast as possible, while avoiding exacerbating her condition proved a difficult line to tread. Once or twice Janet stumbled and narrowly avoided dropping her lover in the snow. Janet was exhausted, having only had at most two hours of sleep in the last 36 hours. Her relief when, incredibly, she saw Teal'c striding towards them, was immeasurable. Teal'c, it emerged, had set out for the cabin that morning, as he had not heard from O'Neill since his departure and was concerned for his sick colleague. "The road is almost clear, Doctor Frasier," he said. "It should be possible to navigate along it if we are careful."
He took up the stretcher from Janet, who clutched at Cassie in her relief. Slowly, the group made their way to the truck, which was still visible under a heavy covering of snow. Next to it was Teal'c's smaller vehicle, too small to accommodate them all.
Teal'c carefully transferred Sam to the back of O'Neill's truck, and Janet climbed in next to her, pulling her head on her lap. Her fever was no worse, and she opened her eyes slowly, adjusting to her new surroundings. Grasping Janet's hand, she whispered, "Knew you could do it, hon." She grimaced, her hand going to her inflamed stomach. "Hurts bad, doesn't it?" asked Janet. Sam nodded, her lips pursed, breathing in a carefully controlled manner. Meanwhile, O'Neill had got the truck started, and was slowly negotiating his way along the rough track. If only he could get to the main road, he thought, they'd be home and dry. He was reassured by Teal'c's powerful presence, however, knowing that if there was any clearing to be done, Teal'c would be first out of the truck.
They were lucky; within an hour, the colonel was nosing his way out onto the highway. By this time, Sam had again lapsed into unconsciousness, and Janet was again becoming concerned for her breathing. She put her head against her chest, and could hear a distinct rattle. Each inhalation sounded painful. Janet was eager to hook her up to an oxygen supply. Carefully, with the help of Cassie, she raised her up and gently leaned her forward, easing her passages somewhat. Sam awoke again briefly, confused, aware only of a strong feeling of nausea, and loving hands supporting her.
Twenty minutes later, the truck was speeding through the hospital grounds to the emergency entrance. Thanks to Teal'c alerting them on the cellphone, a medical team was waiting at the door with, Janet saw with great relief, Dr Warner. Sam was quickly placed on a gurney and given an oxygen mask, and rushed through the corridors to an isolation room. There she was transferred to the bed, and a nasal cannula fitted.
Warner took Janet to one side. "We've isolated the infection, and developed an antidote. It worked in the lab trials, but we've not tested it on a living subject." Janet stiffened at the inference Sam was a "subject", she was so much more than that. But she knew she was being silly, Warner was an excellent clinician, even if he lacked a good bedside manner.
As she glanced over at Sam, the blonde convulsed, her back arching in agony. She clutched her stomach, and heaved over the side of the bed. There was nothing left in her stomach, so she brought up bile and, more worryingly, thick clots of blood. Janet rushed to her side, and held her as she retched and twisted in pain. When she eventually fell back on the bed, she whispered something Janet could not hear. "What was that sweetie?", she asked. "Do it," sobbed Sam, almost inaudibly. "s'killing me." Janet nodded to Warner, who started preparing the IV. Janet clutched at Sam's hand, stroking her face, and kissing her fingers.
Warner expertly inserted the IV, warning Janet that the solution had not been tested with any painkillers and advising that nothing further be given to the blonde woman unless it became absolutely necessary, as there was no knowing what effect this could have. Janet nodded, tearfully, and explained this to Sam, who turned away into her pillow, to save Janet from having to witness her pain.
"How long?" asked Janet. "Within a few hours," replied Warner. "If there's no change by then, we'll have to try something else."
For the first three hours, there seemed to be no change in the patient. Sam's fever remained dangerously high at 104¡C, and she drifted in and out of consciousness. However, in the fourth hour, she seemed more settled, and her breathing became less laboured. Janet lifted up her shirt, and, though she couldn't be sure, felt sure that Sam's stomach was less inflamed. The bruising had definitely subsided.
By now, it was early evening, and Janet felt she could safely leave Sam for a short time while she tended to Cassie. The teen had been an absolute rock, but was exhausted, and O'Neill had taken her into a side room to rest. Cassie had promptly collapsed in tears, worried she'd lose her second Mom. The colonel stayed with her, rubbing her back and trying to get her to sleep. Cassie fought her exhaustion, refusing to sleep until Sam had shown some improvement. So she looked up hopefully when Janet entered the room. "I_think it's working, Cass, she's looking better. She's sleeping now, why don't you do the same? I'll be straight back if anything changes, I promise."
Janet hurried back to Sam's side, and was mightily relieved to see that she was sleeping serenely. Her fever had fallen to 102¡C, and her breathing was definitely easing. Janet took her hand, and absentmindedly stroked the slender fingers. She was dozing in her chair when Warner came in an hour later, a broad smile on his face. "We're winning, I_think she's going to be okay, the infection is definitely reducing."
Sam continued to improve and, after six days was strong enough to be transferred to the SGC infirmary by air ambulance. She still felt weak and disoriented, but she never thought she'd be so happy to see the grey walls of the private room that had been prepared for her. Her temperature was still slightly elevated, and she could only manage the tiniest amounts of oatmeal, but she was definitely on the mend. Her inflamed stomach was almost entirely healed, just remaining tender to the touch.
Three months later, all the members of SG-1, together with Janet, Cassie and Dog, sat round an open fire at the back of the cabin. Cassie was curled up in Sam's lap, still reluctant to let her out of her sight. "Betcha never thought we'd be doing this, did ya Carter?" winked the colonel. He was proudly roasting his first ever catch over the coals. "Who'd a thunk with all the worlds we go to that we'd find all we need right here." "Yep," agreed Sam happily, taking Janet's hand and raising it to her lips. "I've certainly got everything I_want in this place." Dog barked his agreement.
