Thursday 12 1200 Hours
Shower & Locker Rooms
SGC
Sam smiled into the spray of the shower; the radio blared from the corner of the locker room, leaving her and the water to be the rooms only occupants.
Reaching out blindly, she grasped her shampoo bottle and poured a generous dollop onto her head, singing with the music as she scrubbed the days dirt from her hair.
"Could you whisper in my ear, the things you wanna feel, Ill give you anything to feel it all coming.
Do you wake up on your own, and wonder where you are?
You live with all your faults.
I wanna wake up where you are, I wont say anything at aaaaaaaallll!
So why dont you slide? Yeah, were gonna let it slide."
She grinned as she heard the slam of a locker and some colourful words as someone found out that the showers were still in use.
"Come on Major! We havent got all day!" Makepeaces voice echoed through the locker room. "There are dying men out here!"
Sam rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Men. They always took their sweet time in here and now it was her turn. Shed made the sprint to get there first and now she was going to take as long as she wanted.
"What was that Makepeace?" She called, "I cant hear you from here!"
She smiled to herself as she imagined the many constipated faces the Marine was probably making back there. He let out a few muttered swear words that she couldnt make out and left, leaving here to be at peace with her shower.
She started to sing again, intent on annoying the hell out of them.
"Dont you love the life you killed,
The priest is on the phone, your father hit the wall, and your ma disowned you.
Dont suppose youll ever know, what it means to be a *man*
Something I cant change, Ill live around it.
I wanna wake up where you are; I wont say anything at all,
So why dont you slide."
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Thursday 12 1200 Hours
Outside the Locker Room
SGC
The men from SG-3, SG-1 and SG-7 frowned at an airman who walked past singing in a girlie voice "So why dont you slide."
Jack shook his head and leaned back against the wall glancing at the other men who were trying to contain their laughter. He thought absently that they all must have been looking rather odd themselves, standing outside the Locker Room waiting for a particular female to finish up.
"Shes your Major, go in and get her." Makepeace complained, kicking the wall with his muddy boot, allowing the wet dirt to splatter over Jacks fatigues.
Twenty pairs of eyes looked up at him hopefully, but he shook his head no and they all frowned.
"No way, Im her C.O. Get Doc. Fraiser to go in there, Im not willing to risk my life for a shower."
There were chuckles from the ranks. "Its never stopped you before" Someone muttered.
Jack gave the Marine a dark look, "Whats that supposed to mean?"
Eyeballs rolled and men snorted. Makepeace spoke up, "Come on ONeill, everyone heard about the time Carter jumped you in the Lockers!"
"*Tried* to jump me, and anyway, she was infected!"
Jack looked to Daniel imploringly, seeking the Anthropologists help.
No luck, the young man kept him mouth shut and stared at the floor with great interest.
A series of If you say sos echoed around the group, and Jack felt pressured to defend himself. "Besides, you heard what Doc. Fraiser said! She was only looking for someone with power, for her offspring." He smirked at Makepeace; "She couldve gone after youif you had any power of course"
Instead of the expected frown, Makepeace laughed. "Ah come on ONeill! If that were the case she wouldve gone after the General!"
There was a lot of laughter and nodding. Jack cringed.
Makepeace wasnt finished yet. "If I were you ONeill, I would have jumped her the first day, but she was too busy looking at you with googly eyes to notice the real man around here." He looked up to his team for support and they all murmured and slapped his back in a show of manly-manness.
Daniel huffed and said something under his breath, causing Jack to laugh out loud. Makepeace frowned, wondering what had been said. Jack rose and prepared to leave. "ONeill where are you going?" He asked.
Jack waved his hand dismissively. He was quite happy to go and wait in his quarters away from Makepeace and his nagging men. Besides, if he knew Sam as well as he thought he did, itd be at least another hour before shed be done.
One of the Marines stood up to block his path as Makepeace tried again to get him to help. "ONeill please, just go in there and drag her out. Nothing you havent seen before!"
Jack glared at them and said; "Despite what you all think, I am not sleeping with my insubordinate, and you can wait until the Major has finished."
This was answered with a barrage of No! and aw come ons. He looked Makepeace in the eye and told him to go in and remove her himself if he was so impatient.
The Marine stood up and walked towards the door, accepting the challenge. "Fine! But dont get mad at me for seeing your girl butt-naked!"
"For crying out loud! Shes not my girl!" He was rewarded with disbelieving looks from everyone, even Daniel. He sat down and sighed. "Why do I bother?"
There was the sound of silence followed by Sams voice singing louder and Makepeace stormed out. "Women!" He cried, throwing his hands in the air. A couple of airwomen glared at him as they walked past and he kicked the wall angrily. "Damnit Daniel, why dont you try? Shell probably listen to you."
"Me?" Daniel squeaked, blushing at the thought of going in there.
"No, I was talking the Moose beside you."
Daniel looked beside him in confusion and then at Makepeace.
"Yes, you Daniel, silly man, youre like a brother to her. You go and get her out."
Daniel looked offended. "Why does everyone think that just cos Im the nice guy Im automatically the brother? She might want to jump me too you know."
The group went silent and stared at Daniel, then they burst out laughing. He stood up sulkily and crossed his arms. "Whats so damn funny?" He demanded.
"Come on Danny!" Makepeace said, slapping him on the back, "Be realistic!"
Daniel went red with rage and pushed Makepeace out of the way. "Fine. Im going in!"
Jack watched as his friend opened the door violently and stormed in. He turned to Makepeace. "You did that on purpose! You knew that if you wound him up hed go in there!"
Makepeace grinned proudly and started untying his boots, readying himself for a shower.
"Youre evil Makepeace, you really are."
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Thursday 12 1300 Hours
Shower & Locker Room
SGC
"Honey you can have me when you want me, if you simply ask me to be there.
And youre the only one that makes me come running, cause what youve got is far beyond compare.
And its just like love honey, when your love comes over me,
Oh baby! Ive dependency, always strung out for another, taste of your honey."
Daniel shuffled towards the steaming shower stalls. "Ah, Sam?" He called nervously.
Sam grinned and turned around. "Hey Daniel. What is it?"
The young mans face went deep red and he stared at the floor. "Ahthe guys want you to umhurry up?"
She smiled, and began rinsing soapsuds from her skin. "Sure Danny, tell the guys Im almost done."
Daniel nodded and fled the room, leaving Sam to chuckle as she started shaving her legs. It wouldnt hurt them to wait a little longer; after all she had to the exact same thing every other day.
"I cant be elusive with you honey, because its blatant that Im feeling you.
And its hard to leave abruptly, cause youre the only thing I wanna do.
And its just like Honey, when your love comes over me.
Oh baby Ive got dependency.
Always strung out for another taste of your honey."
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Thursday 12 1400 Hours
Outside the Locker Room
SGC
"Well?" Makepeace jumped up when Daniel came running out of the lockers. The poor man was beet red. "Is she gonna be in there all night?"
"She said shed be out in a minute." He mumbled, and sat down beside Jack.
"A minute! Christ! When women say theyll just be a minute, they end up staying for an hour!" He sighed and sagged against the wall, "Shes been in there for two hours already. What the hell is she doing in there?"
For some odd reason, they all shot a look at Jack and he raised his hands in innocence. "Hey! Dont look at me! I dont know what she does in the shower!" He threw off their looks and listened as the radio changed its tune to some bloody Aqua song. Everyone groaned simultaneously, knowing that the wait would be on for at least another hour.
An Airman started to sing badly. "99 bottles of Naquadah on the wall, 99 bottles of Naquadah" Three boots and a combat helmet flew at his head and he shut up, looking innocently at his mates. "What?" He said jokingly as a pair of sunglasses bounced off his skull. "It was a joke!" Another boot flew past his shoulder and they all went back to waiting.
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Thursday 12 1500 Hours
Shower & Locker Room
SGC
Sam pranced happily about the room, knowing that the men outside were probably shitting themselves by now. She wrung out her hair with a towel and ran her brush through it, her movements slow and languid.
She was just reaching forward to get a shirt from her locker when the side door flew open. She rolled her eyes.
"Jack, if you think taking the back route will get me outta here faster, youre mistaken." She turned around and saw no one. Footsteps thudded behind her and she stopped. They werent the sound of Jacks long strides
Sam tensed and whirled in the direction of the footsteps.
"Jack?" She called, turning the radio down and looking around.
The Locker room was still. Sam dismissed it as her imagination and turned back to her locker to get her clothes. The sound of a shower being turned on made her freeze.
"ONeill?" She called nervously, "Danny?"
The young woman moved towards the steaming shower stall, no one was in it. If this were a joke meant to scare her, she would kill them all.
More footsteps sounded to her right, she turned, "Makepeace?"
The steam billowed around her, limiting her sight. "Guys?"
Frightened only slightly, Sam turned and went back towards her locker, still clad in her towel. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind and pushed into the steaming hot shower. She screamed, trying to fight off her attacker to no avail. Whoever it was anticipated her moves, holding her firmly under the torrent of water that burned her skin.
She struggled again and hit her head hard against the tile wall, the blinding heat filled her senses as she sank to the floor, her attacker shrank back into the shadows, leaving her unconscious body to blister and burn in the boiling water.
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Thursday 12 1530 Hours
Outside the Locker Room
SGC
"Take one down and give it to Sam, 34 bottles of Naquadah on the wall" The men were up to their thirty-fourth verse of the song when a scream pierced the air from the Locker room. Jack jumped up and ran inside, followed closely by Makepeace.
"Sam?" He called. The locker room was empty; the only sound came from a steaming shower by the far wall. It was hot in there. "Major?" He said again, looking around the room.
"Maybe shes infected again and needs you help." Makepeace teased. He put a hand to his nose. "Damn, whats that stench, must be the Majors new deodorant" The Marine stopped speaking as he saw blood pooling from the far shower. "Jesus Christ."
The two men ran to the stall to find Carter lying face down underneath the steaming torrent, blood seeping slowly from burns on her back. "Holy shit, turn off the water!" Jack shut off the faucet quickly and helped Makepeace pick Sam up. Jack took her into the next stall and turned on the cold water, taking the heat from Sams burns as Makepeace called the Medical team.
The men waiting outside the locker room were shocked to see Carter being wheeled out on a gurney to the infirmary, head hanging loosely and oozing blood. The room was taped closed as evidence and they were told to wait elsewhere for their showers.
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Saturday 14 1035 Hours
Infirmary
SGC
Jack walked slowly into the infirmary; Sam lay on her stomach with a bandaid on her head. Her burns had been slathered with soothing cream and bandaged lightly to fend off infection. She smiled weakly when she saw him and gestured for the duty nurse to go.
"I hope you brought and ice block, cause Im burning up in here." She gestured jokingly to her bandaged limbs. The good side of her face rested on the pillow, while the burnt side, swathed in bandages lay facing him.
"Jack smiled and sat down next to her. "Even better," He whispered, checking that nobody was watching. "I brought you ice-cream!" He produced a small tub of the stuff from his coat with a flourish, smiling as Sams eyes lit up.
"Ah Jack! Youre my hero!" She tried to sit up but failed, flopping back to the bed with a grimace. "EhI guess Ill have to eat it later." She said, smiling thanks at him.
He opened the tub and produced a spoon from his sleeve. "Ill lend you a hand." He said with a grin, bringing a spoonful towards her lips. She giggled roughly at the airplane noises he made and opened her mouth slowly, accepting the proffered ice cream.
"That-a-girl!" Said Jack approvingly as she swallowed the confection.
"Youre enjoying this too much Jack. Why do I get the feeling Ill never live this down?"
Jack chuckled and fed her another spoonful. "So how are you feeling Sam?" He asked.
Her eyes wandered over to the ice cream and he laughed, giving her another bite.
"Better." She rasped, "Janet says I can go home in a couple of days."
Jack gave her some more ice cream.
"Thankyou. The only thing Janets been letting me eat are pills. Ive been starving for some real food." She grinned and tried to see if he had anything else in his coat. "Did you bring me some beer?" She asked hopefully.
"Tsk Tsk Sam," He said. "What makes you think Id bring alcohol on base when youre still recovering from second degree burns?" He winked and brought out some iced tea and a couple of straws. Sams eyes lit up as she took a long sip of it.
"Thankyou." She murmured, taking another sip. Jack pulled the drink away from her as Janet rounded the corner and shoved it back into his coat. Sam lay her head back on the pillow and pretended that nothing was going on.
Janet came over with a clipboard and a smile. She looked at the half full ice-cream container and shook her head. "Colonel, thats not very nice, eating ice-cream in front of an injured woman. Youre cruel."
Jack smiled innocently and winked at Sam.
"Gee Sam, Im sorry. I didnt know."
Janet rolled her eyes and handed Sam some pills and a glass of water. "Dont worry Sam, I have some magic pills to cheer you up. Here you go." She helped the Major swallow the pills and checked the monitor beside the bed, scribbling notes onto her clipboard.
"Dont keep her up too long." She said as she checked the bandages. "Hey, your backs getting better. It should be all healed up by Monday."
"Mustve been something she ate." Jack chanced a glance at Sam who stated giggling into her pillow. Janet watched them like a hawk, unsure of what was going on. "Do you mind if I rest with her?" Jack asked, trying to divert her attention. The doctor shook her head bemusedly and left the room muttering something about quickies and young people.
"Shes right." Jack told Sam when Janet left. "Your back does look better." He looked at her red hands and scrunched up his nose. "Well, let it be a lesson to you then. Never dance in the shower. Its a good thing you screamed when you did, otherwise you would have been turkey in there."
Sam smiled, trying to hide a flinch. She hadnt told them about the attack. She thought they wouldnt believe her, especially after the way shed made them wait for their showers. Besides, shed never really gotten a good look at him; it was a no-win case. Instead shed told them that she was dancing about and had slipped over, bashing her head against the hot water tap and knocking herself out. The guys had believed her and now Makepeace did a little dance every time he visited just to tease her. She didnt mind though, her little lie was better than the truth.
"Alight Colonel, enough trading moves with the party-girl!" Makepeace shouted from across the room. "Lets RocknRoll!"
Jack smiled and nodded at the other man, saying that hed be there in a second. They were going on a quick mission to the Land of the Touched to check if everything was still under control.
"Ill see you when I get back." He said with a smile, he leaned closer and whispered conspirationally. "Ill even bring a six-pack!"
Sam chuckled, "Ill hold you to that Colonel." She warned as he got up and left with Makepeace and the Marines.
"You practice those dance steps okay Major?" Teased Makepeace as he followed Jack out the door.
"Yes Sir."
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Sunday 15 1155 Hours
Infirmary
SGC
"Sam?"
Major Carter blinked awake at the sound of her name. It was barely a whisper, and she couldnt see because her eyes were taking a long time to adjust to the harsh fluorescent lights.
The voice whispered her name again as her vision righted. She looked around the infirmary to seenobody.
She sat up painfully against the pillows and looked for whoever was calling her. Janet was at a de-briefing with SG-4 and all the nurses had gone to the Mess Hall for their lunch breaks. So nice to know they care she thought wearily.
"Sam"
Carters head snapped up. There was the voice again. Who the hell was calling her? She slid carefully off the bed and took a tentative step forward but lost her balance and fell flat on her face. She lay in a slightly painful heap for a moment as she regained her energy.
Someone walked into the infirmary wearing *those* boots. They made exactly the same noise as she had heard in the shower. Terror seized her soul and she rolled under the bed to hide, holding her breath as the person rustled her bed, searching for her under the sheets.
She gulped as the boots came to stand but inches from her face.
Whoever it was paused. Sam closed her eyes and prayed that he would go away.
"Sam. Im coming to get you." It was a male voice, deep and gravelly, yet far too soft to recognise. She clenched her teeth as her back and limbs protested and willed the man to leave.
The man moved to the cupboards, searching for her there. "Sam. Theres no escape. Im going to kill you. Where are you Sam?"
Seconds ticked by as Sam waited in fear for her would-be attacker to go away. She prayed to every god available that he wouldnt get the idea to look under the beds.
Eventually the man left. She waited for a few minutes before rolling out and gasped as she ran into another pair of boots.
Captain Luke Jamison looked down at her in bemusment.
"Major Carter, what are you doing?" He asked, lifting her back onto her bed. "Colonel ONeill told me you might try to escape," He said jokingly.
She gasped in pain as she lay down again and looked at the young man. "Did you see anybody leave the room?" She asked casually. Jamison shook his head and drew the sheets over her body.
"No, sorry Major. I didnt see anybody. Try to stay in bed." He grinned and dropped a file on Janets desk before leaving.
Sam smiled as he waved and bit her lip. Who the hell had just come in here? And why the hell was he after her? What had she done to piss off this loon so much that he wanted to kill her? Its worrying, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
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Sunday 16 0942 Hours
Infirmary
SGC
Sam woke up to a sharp stabbing pain in her back. She moaned and realised that whatever it was involved firea glowing match perhaps.
The smell of tobacco smoke and burning sheets assaulted her senses as she cried out for help.
"JANET!" She screamed, hoping the Doctor was nearby.
She tried to move, but her body had been restrained. She struggled, trying desperately to get away from the burning pain. Sam used her teeth to loosen the restraints and freed her hands. She arched her back, relieved that whatever had been hurting her was now gone, but it still hurt like bloody hell.
She freed her legs and turned around with difficulty. A smouldering cigarette lay on the linoleum nest to her bed, slowly sputtering out of life.
She remembered what the mystery man had said to her the day before and sobbed, someone really was trying to kill her. She stumbled from her bed and out of the infirmary. She had to find someone before he attacked again.
The hallways were empty, not even a guard in sight. This was weirdand also very, very worrying.
She walked clumsily along the hallway, her vision jumped from drowsiness and pain. Great, she thought, Ive been drugged too.
"Sam." That voice again.
She looked back slowly but kept moving. She had to get away from him. Where was everyone?
Fear coursed through her veins as the mans footsteps drew up behind her. She cried out as a burning cigarette was pressed into her shoulder blade. Her vision blacked out for a moment and came back. She couldnt walk any further and collapsed to the floor in a foetal position.
"Stop it!" She screamed as her unseen attacker pinned her down. She couldnt see his face, but she felt the spark of fire being pressed to her skin once more. "Go away you bastard!" She said weakly as she fainted from the pain.
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Saturday 16 0950 hours
Corridor outside Infirmary
SGC
Major Carter rose heavily from the haze of drugs and groaned. The attacker had left, but she still needed help. Where was everyone anyway?
She drew herself up on her elbows and started dragging herself down the hallway towards the Debriefing Room with the hope someone would be there to aide her.
Sam crawled slowly into the room, hearing with relief the Generals voice over the intercom. Everyone was in the Stargate RoomAward Ceremony. Thats where they were, shed forgotten about that. Sam raised her abused body painfully to the window dividing the rooms and called for help. An unexpected bout of clapping drowned out her voice as another soldier received an award.
She looked around the room for something elsethe Klaxons Emergency Alarm button winked at her from its position on the wall.
With the last of her strength Sam stumbled to the wall and pushed the button, finally succumbing to the darkness that beckoned her.
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Saturday 16 0950 hours
Stargate Room
SGC
Jack smiled and clapped with the rest of the room as SG-8 stood proudly, watching their teammate Martin Kent receive his promotion to First Lieutenant.
The Klaxons went off, startling everybody from their applause. Jack was one of the first to react, racing up the stairs to the Debriefing room where two airmen stood open-mouthed and staring.
He shouldered his way past them and into the room. Sam lay motionless on the floor, gown torn and burns evident all along the expanse of her back. He switched off the sirens and ordered someone to get Janet.
"Sam?" He asked, patting her cheek.
Her face twisted in horror when he said her name and he moved back, wondering what was wrong.
"Out of the way!" Ordered Janet as she pushed through, dropping to her knees beside the fallen Major. She checked her pulse and told the nurses to put her on a stretcher. They carried her back to the infirmary in silence, staring in horror at the smears blood and discarded cigarette butts trailing from the infirmary to the debriefing room.
"What the heel happened to her?" Jack asked as she was lowered onto an observation table. Janet took off the torn gown and peeled off the old bandages, now partially soaked in body fluids.
Scores of little cigarette burns lay in bright red contrast to her already blistered skin. Jack looked to Janet for an answer but she shook her head and moved him away as her nurses started attending to the wounds.
Jack dumbly left and stood outside, he glanced his eyes over the blood stains, wondering how and why shed crawled the ten metres from there to the debriefing room.
Sam started shouting from inside the infirmary.
"No! I dont want to! Hes gonna come back!"
Jack peeked around the corner and saw Sam trying to beat the nurses off of her. Janet was grasping her friends hand and soothing her with a gentle voice.
"Who Sam? Who did this to you?"
Tears ran down her cheeks as she spoke to Janet in a shaky voice. "The manI dont know who he was. I didnt see his face, but hehe said that he was coming to get me."
The Doctor brushed the tears from Sams cheeks and offered her a sedative. The injured woman shook her head, "No Jan, hell come back and kill me. I have to get away."
Janet hushed her gently, "Nobody is coming," She said. "Is he the same man who attacked you in the showers?"
Sam nodded weakly as Janet injected her with painkillers. "Shh," She soothed, "Thats it. Its all right. Rest. Nobody is coming. Ill be right here. I promise."
Janet kept holding Sams hand as the nurses applied fresh bandages, murmuring reassurances as the weary woman drifted off to sleep.
~*~
Jack tightened his jaw. So she hadnt slipped, shed been attackedand she hadnt told them anything! Now it had happened again during the Award Ceremony. Who was after her? Why?
Jack didnt have any answers, but he did know that he wasnt going to leave her side until they had caught the motherfucking bastard.
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THE END FOR NOW.
Tune in next (insert time) for the sequel to this story!
-Nikki
Edited by Chestnutmoose chestnutmoose@talkcity.com
Story Notes: Email: scc@surfct.com.au
Edited by chestnutmoose (chestnutmoose@talkcity.com)
Archive: Yes
Keywords: Sam/Jack UST
Sequel/Spoilers: Part one of the Fire series
Edited by chestnutmoose (chestnutmoose@talkcity.com)
Archive: Yes
Keywords: Sam/Jack UST
Sequel/Spoilers: Part one of the Fire series
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]