Wine & Roses

Author: Geonn

Rating: NC17

Pairings: Sam/Janet, established relationship

Category: Romance, Action/Adventure

Disclaimer: Not mine. None of it. I even borrowed the letters that make up the words.

Series: The Ampersand Series: Life & Death, Search & Rescue, Forgive & Forget, Hide & Seek, Light & Dark, Now & Then, True & False, Cookies & Cream, Love & War, Flesh & Blood, Hours & Minutes

Summary: Janet accompanies SG-1 on a mission to a world celebrating a Mardi Gras-like festival.

Chapter One

The Stargate stood proud amid the ruins of a long-destroyed temple. No zealots had been involved in the destruction; all people of Deauna worshipped the same god. The passage of time and the ravages of a massive wildfire were the only culprits responsible for the collapsed walls and strewn rock that littered the grass around the DHD. Occasionally, travelers would stop and admire the large ring and wonder at it's purpose. No temple before or since had contained such an ornament and the purpose of it was lost to the past. One of these travelers, a gaunt man by the name of Jeremiah, was kneeling in the grass where an altar had once stood. He gripped his turban in both hands, his eyes downcast as if afraid to insult the ring by looking directly at it.

He spoke quietly, praying to himself as much as his god. "I am uncertain how to continue, your grace. I could not bring my troubles to any place of worship where I may be seen." He glanced over his shoulder. "Speculation would run rampant, my father. I simply... cannot allow my family to feel the shame. I..."

The ground below him began to tremble. Jeremiah rose, his jaw dropping. The gods were speaking to him in this destroyed temple! He backed up, watching as the inner ring of the Stargate began to spin. His heart threatened to shatter his chest, his palms sweating. Carefully, he replaced the turban on his head and watched the seventh lock on the ring slide into place.

Water rushed towards him from the ring, white and blue fingers grabbing for him to either accept him to heaven or condemn him to hell. He screamed in terror, falling to the ground. "My lord! You mean to drown me!" He opened his eyes, prepared to meet the fate his supreme ruler had designated for him... only to discover the water had settled into a vertical pool. Pulling himself up to his knees once more, he approached the pool. The smooth surface rippled slightly as he approached and a wheeled chariot appeared. The long crane of it's neck rose, examining the ground. It stopped when it locked onto Jeremiah. He gasped, holding his chest and crawling towards the heavenly creature. "Hello!" he spoke. "I am your humble servant Jeremiah!"

"Hello, Jeremiah," came a friendly-sounding voice. "My name is Daniel Jackson..."

---

Jack O'Neill hid a yawn behind his hand as he settled into his chair. "So... we made a first contact this morning, huh?"

"It would seem so," Daniel said. "The people of the world refer to it as Deauna... the people themselves are called the Gerayn."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Not the Deaunans?"

"You can't expect every race to be named after their planet... I mean, we call ourselves human and not Earthling."

Sam smiled and said, "Boys? Back to the planet?"

"Right," Daniel nodded. "Okay... it appears that their world is in the midst of something called the Life Festivus. Now, as far as I can tell, it is some sort of celebration of birth, conception and death that takes place during the course of an entire month. A denizen of the world, a man named Jeremiah, invited us to attend the pentultimate night of Festivus as a welcoming."

Jack snapped his fingers. "Festivus, Festivus... where have I heard that before?"

Sam said, "Ben and Jerry's."

Janet said, "Seinfeld."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yes, both of you are correct. However, I doubt the Gerayn named the most important festival of their society after an Earth sitcom. Oh, and... they've never heard of Seinfeld *or* Ben and Jerry's."

Hammond looked up from his report, apparently having missed the entire argument. "The MALP indicates some unusual particulates in the air. Are they harmful?"

Daniel explained, "That's why I asked Dr. Fraiser to sit in with us. With your permission, General, I think it would be best if she joined us when we visit Deauna."

Janet piped up, "I agree, Sir. Though I don't believe the conditions to be hazardous, my presence could serve as preventative medicine."

Hammond nodded. "With a doctor present to determine infection off-world, we wouldn't have to enact a quarantine upon your return... there would be no unnecessary decontamination of the Gate Room... Dr. Fraiser, assuming you find appropriate care to Cassandra during this mission, I am granting Dr. Jackson's request for you to accompany SG-1 on this mission."

Janet smiled, glancing at Sam. "Actually, Sir, I've been letting Cassie stay home alone since her sixteenth birthday."

Jack nodded, resting his chin on his hand. "Having a babysitter is, like, *so* uncool."

Sam chuckled, looking down at her hands. Hammond allowed himself a smile, then said, "If there's nothing else...? You're all dismissed. Meet up in the Gate room at approximately 1200 hours for departure."

He moved to his office door, then turned and said, "SG-1? Try not to have *too* much fun."

---

Sam entered the locker room, noticing the arrow had already been turned from 'men' to 'women' as she entered. She closed the door and turned in time to see a half-naked Janet Fraiser. The brunette was wearing only the standard black t-shirt, her green pants pooled around her knees as if she had only managed to get them half-up. Her back was to the door, allowing Sam to spy on her lover for a moment. Janet pulled gently, easing the material up her shapely thighs and over light blue panties. Sam sighed and said, "Is that underwear regulation, Doctor?"

"No, it's not, Major," Janet said, not turning around as she fastened her belt. "What are you going do, come over here and force me to remove them?"

Sam raised an eyebrow. "I'm tempted, babe."

Janet laughed, then turned. She smoothed the black t-shirt over her stomach, tucking it into her uniform pants. "So? How do I look?"

"That," Sam assured her, "is a question you never have to ask." She opened her locker, withdrawing the jacket and vest. She wore the green pants and black t-shirt as part of her everyday life. Janet, on the other hand, was used to high heels instead of combat boots; skirts instead of fatigue pants. This was a rare look for the petite woman... and Sam was loving it. As she slipped into her vest, she glanced at her lover. "You excited about your first mission as a member of SG-1?"

Janet's eyes sparkled as she said, "You bet! Of course... I have been through the Stargate before, you know. Lots of times."

"Yes... but there was usually some dire situation on the other side. This time we get to par-tay!" As Sam bent over to pick something up off the floor of her locker, Janet approached from behind and pressed their hips together. Sam looked back, returning the coy doctor's smile. "You keep that up, we'll never make it to the Gate in time." She straightened and allowed Janet to snuggle against her back. "When we get home... you wanna go to the Wishing Well and see if their wings are still up to par?"

"Yes!" Janet said, emphatically. "Oh, my God, we haven't been there since we got married! I'll bet you Drew gives us free wings and beer!"

Sam grinned. "Good... then it's my treat," she winked.

Janet sighed and shook her head. "My first mission as a team member and you have me counting the minutes until we come home."

Sam wrapped her arm around the smaller woman's waist and led her from the locker room.

---

Apostle Pollux adjusted his robes as he approached the ruins of the ancient temple, craning his head to watch the peasant known as Jeremiah approach. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he moved through the overtall grass and tried not to step on the jagged rocks that had once made up this holy place's walls. "Jeremiah," he warned, "if this is another of your flights of fancies..."

"It is not, Apostle! I swear! Look, look!" He pointed at the large mechanical beast that stood in the center of the dilapidated sanctuary. It had been silent since the blue pool had vanished, but it was nonetheless evidence that this wasn't just another of the man's fantasies. "He spoke to me through this device! He claimed to be called Daniel and he told me to await his arrival at this specific time."

Pollux sighed, looking up at the sky. "It nears the time of Festivus," he commented.

"I am aware, Your Eminence. I believe this Daniel brings with him fellow travelers to partake of our festivities!"

Pollux began to respond, but the ground suddenly began to tremble.

Jeremiah's eyes lit up. "It is time! It is time, Apostle Pollux!"

They stepped away from the monument, watching the inner ring spin. Pollux held one hand up, extending his middle and index finger to the heavens. A ruby ring reflected the light as the Stargate came to life, it's watery surface exploding outward. Jeremiah placed a hand on Pollux's arm, keeping his holy leader from falling backwards. Pollux began whispering the prayers his people had passed down for ages as the whirlpool shimmered and began depositing angels in human form.

Pollux dropped to his knees, eyes widening. The angels wore green clothing, not the white shown in several paintings discovered after the Great Fires. The newcomer who appeared to be oldest removed his head covering and looked at the two men before him with large, circular eyes. Pollux shivered as he saw his reflection in the angel's eyes. The holy man lowered his head, suddenly aware that he was looking directly at a messenger from heaven.

The angel sighed. "Oh, fer crying out loud... Daniel, do something about this."

The one called Daniel stepped forward, adjusting the clear orbs over his eyes. "Um... stand up, please." He gripped Pollux's arms and attempted to pull him to his feet. "We're... we're not gods, just... stand up. You can look at us. It's okay."

Pollux hesitantly raised his gaze. "But you... you came through the... the ring! You must be sent by our god!"

The tall one with black eyes and gray hair sighed. "Okay, here's the deal. We're not gods, angels or any kind of heavenly deities you may associate with the Stargate. We're just regular people who like to... travel by wormhole. I'm Jack O'Neill, this is Major Samantha Carter, Doctor Janet Fraiser, Doctor Daniel Jackson and Teal'c."

Jeremiah nodded happily. "Yes, yes, yes, Daniel! Daniel is the voice I spoke with through the creature!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Daniel said you guys were kinda having a party that we were invited to. We may not be gods... but if there's one thing we're qualified to do, it's party."

---

Sam put a comforting hand on Janet's shoulder as they made their way down the dirt road. The women were bringing up the rear of the little entourage, a fact that seemed to make Teal'c uneasy. Every few steps, he would cast a backwards glance to make sure they were still following. The brunette turned, smiling at her lover from beneath the rim of a baseball cap. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," Sam repeated, cradling her P90 against her side. "So? How does it feel to be on a mission where people aren't sick and dying?"

"It feels..." Janet said, looking around. "It feels marvelous. I can see why you would be addicted to it. Anything could lay ahead. A million possibilities at your fingertips. Now I know why you're always so amorous after an uneventful mission."

Sam wrapped one arm around Janet's waist. "That's just because I'm so happy to see you. I hate being separated from you for any length of time."

Pollux spoke up, turning to face the group. Sam took a step away from Janet, deciding she was better safe than sorry in working with religious types. "We are approaching Alsair. Tonight, we shall partake of food and aquavitae."

Jack frowned. "Aqua-what?"

Daniel clarified. "Aquavitae... Wine. Beer. Hooch. Liquor."

"Intoxicant," Teal'c offered.

Sam supplied, "Joy juice."

Janet just smiled and watched the team snicker amongst themselves. Sam's eyes sparkled as she watched the colonel nod, a smile creeping across his features.

"Ah. Yes, I have heard good things about all of them."

Pollux had a confused smile on his face, but motioned down the road. "Come. We shall enter Alsair before sunset. The preparations have already began." He turned, continuing on his way.

Janet moved to the side of the road, peering past the tall men in her way. She could see the town Pollux spoke of coming up at the bottom of the incline they were now on. It had high, stone walls outfitted with golden statues of what appeared to be angels. Their lovingly created arms stretched towards heaven, the surface of their skin shining beautifully in the setting sun. Within, she could just barely see the red thatched roofs of several hundred homes that appeared to be arranged in concentric circles around a large, open area in the center of town.

It took another ten minutes of walking before they reached the large walls. As they stopped before the massive walls, Pollux turned and smiled at them. "I apologize for any inconvenience, but it would do our people great pleasure if you would remove your odd-looking sandals." He removed his own shoes as he said this, leaving him barefoot.

Everyone looked to Daniel, who shrugged. "Many cultures believe that guests should remove shoes inside a house."

They all knelt on the dirt road to comply, pulling off their boots and socks. As Janet placed her boots and socks to the side, she tapped Sam on the shoulder. When the blonde turned, the doctor asked, "I'm wearing pantyhose. Should I..."

Sam chuckled. "Unless you want to cause a scene, I think they'll be okay."

They placed their boots next to the door, then straightened as Pollux began knocking. He called out, "Tis I, Apostle Pollux! I bring guests for the Festivus!"

Jack muttered, "Serenity now..."

Daniel glared at the older man. "How long do we have to put up with Seinfeld jokes?"

"Forever, Danny boy. It's the beauty of syndication."

The doors slowly parted just enough to allow them entrance. Jack followed Pollux into the town, reaching up and removing his glasses as he entered. "Whoa..."

As the rest of the team joined him, they soon matched his sentiment. The small streets, far too thin for cars or any kind of automobile to travel, were paved with cobblestones. Small, identical houses lined either side of the street. On the wooden door of each domicile, a flag of either red or blue hung at eye level. Between each house was an ornate carving of angels, cherubs, spirits, saints, etc. Each one seemed to serve as a water fountain. The street they now stood on wound it's way through the town, eventually disappearing around a curve. Arteries spread off in all directions every few yards.

Sam blinked. "Wow... how do you not get lost in this place?"

Pollux smiled. "It is easy to lose one's way. But it is never a difficult thing to be found."

Jack walked to one of the houses, comparing it with the one across the street. "How do you know which house is yours?"

Pollux frowned, turning. "Pardon?"

"Where you live. How do you know which house belongs to you? I mean... there're no numbers, no way to tell one from another. How do you tell your house from all the others?"

"I do not have a house of my own. No one on Deauna does."

Jack squinted. "No one on Deauna has a house?"

"No."

Jack motioned towards all the houses in sight. "Then what are all of these?"

Pollux frowned. "Houses. But... you do not understand, Friend Jack. No one person possesses a house as his own. We share all. Imagine if you were walking one day and you become fatigued. You simply find a house bearing a blue flag, turn it to red and go inside. When you are finished, you leave the house and turn the flag back to blue."

The colonel turned one of the flags. He checked the next house and, sure enough, each one had a red side and a blue side. "Okay... so where do you keep your stuff? Your clothes, your... your stuff!"

"Stuff?"

Daniel stepped in. "Apostle Pollux, forgive our ignorance, but this is a very unusual way of life from our point of view. What Jack means is that we have belongings. Like... like these are *my* glasses. I bought them, paid for them and now I wear them."

Pollux looked among the strangers. "But... what if you meet a fellow who is in need of glasses? Do you not offer him the ones you wear?"

Daniel ran a hand through his hair. "No. No, I don't. Maybe... maybe in a perfect world, I would. But some people on our planet feel defined by possessions."

Pollux nodded, his brow furrowed. "I see. Your home sounds like a very selfish place." He adjusted his robes. "I shall inform the public of your beliefs. They will not be offended by your habits. Unfortunately, I will have to ask that you follow our rules concerning housing. You may use any cottage you wish as long as the blue is displayed. Ensure the red is displayed once you are inside and you will not be disturbed."

Jack nodded. "We'll keep that in mind."

Pollux laughed, clapping his hands together. "Excellent! Wonderful! Come, Life Festivus is about to begin!" He turned and continued down the pebbled street with SG-1 close behind.

Chapter Two

Sam admired the delicate petals in the flower box of each house they passed, inhaling the perfectly unique fragrance each had. The cobblestones were smooth against her bare feet, and she wondered for a moment if this was the reason the people of this world seldom wore shoes. They took a gentle curve in the road and suddenly found themselves in a sort of marketplace. The road was wider here, allowing for vendors to set up booths on either side. Sam separated from the group, moving to one table and admiring a necklace made of what appeared to be turquoise. As she was touching the material, the old woman behind the counter picked it up and quickly slipped it over the blonde's head.

"Oh, no... no," Sam laughed, trying to remove the necklace. "I don't have any money!"

The woman smiled, showing several gaps in her teeth. "Munee?"

Pollux, having heard the commotion, paused his tour and approached the vendor table. "Is there a problem with the necklace, Major Carter?"

"No, it's... it's beautiful. It's just that I don't have anything to pay her with."

Pollux laughed. "Another odd custom. While you will not be expected to share with us, you should expect us to share with you. The necklace is yours, Major Carter."

Sam's eyes widened and she turned back to the vendor. "Oh! Um... thank you. Thank you very much."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Everything's comped, eh?"

"I wouldn't take advantage of the hospitality, Jack," Daniel warned.

Apparently confident that a crisis had been averted, Pollux returned to the head of the group. "Come. There is much to see and do before the Life Festivus begins."

As they followed the tall, thin man, Janet stepped up to Sam and fingered the blue-green stones. "Very nice, Sam," the doctor commented.

Sam smiled, then walked over to the table. She picked up a similar necklace and motioned at the vendor with it. The gap-toothed woman nodded ethusiastically, her smile still pulling at her cheeks. Sam nodded her thanks and returned to Janet. She slipped the necklace around her lover's neck and said, "I thought the stones were beautiful before..." she commented.

Janet looked in the direction of their team. "We better get going, Sam... don't want to be lost in Alsair."

Sam held her wife's hand as they started after their friends. "Ah, I'm sure we could find something to do by ourselves."

At the end of the marketplace was another set of large wooden doors. These now stood open and revealed a huge open space. After the alleyways and tightly clustered market stalls of Alsair, this open area invited the team in like an old friend. They stepped in, immediately spreading apart. Sam and Janet, however, remained close.

This was, Sam assumed, where the actual Life Festivus took place. The walls of the circular enclosure were formed by the houses of the town, entirely closing them in. Though the road they had traveled through town had branched off into many dozens of arteries, this place seemed to be served by only three passages. Two unlit torches stood on either side of each opening, which seemed like dark holes in the perfectly smooth barricade the houses formed. Rows and rows of wooden benches were placed around a deep pit. The cobblestones gave way to sand halfway to the pit, which Sam figured was for some kind of bonfire later. The outer rim of the open area was dotted with knee-high wooden stands.

Apostle Pollux snapped his fingers and a male and female vendor quickly approached. "My friends wish to be clothed in traditional garb for the evening's festivities. Please see that they receive your finest garments." The tailors nodded, the man taking Jack, Daniel and Teal'c while the woman gestured for Sam and Janet to follow her.

Jack cleared his throat. "Daniel?"

The young man shrugged, adjusting his glasses. "When in Rome..."

Sam rolled her eyes as the native girl led her away. "Great. More natives dresses."

---

"No way! There is absolutely, positively no way I am going out in public like this!"

Daniel blushed a deep crimson, rubbing the back of his neck. "We, ah... don't exactly have a choice, Jack."

The colonel pulled down his short dress, trying to cover himself. "This... THIS is a glorified jock strap, Jackson! I'm not going out in public like this!"

"It covers everything just fine, Jack. Now, come on. We don't want to be late for the Festivus."

Jack glared at the younger man. "This is... this is bad. When Carter and the Doc see this..."

"They'll agree that turnabout is fair play. C'mon, Jack, after all the missions and all the outfits Sam has had to wear for the sake of archaeology..."

"Fine, whatever. Let's just... go, all right?"

As they exited the house, they left the flag turned to red so their clothing and equipment would go untouched. Daniel placed a small GPS-like tracker in the flower bed, just in case they got turned around in the city's maze of streets. Once that was done, they headed back to the arena. The sun had gone down while they were changing, casting a light blue glow on everything in town. A torch was now lit beside each door, guiding them as they walked through the narrow streets. As they walked, Jack was relieved to see that all the other men seemed to be in the same sort of dress that he was. As they stepped into the Festivus staging area, they saw that it had undergone a massive change.

The pit in the center was now ablaze with a heavy bonfire. Several of the Gerayn were standing around the border of the flames, occasionally sprinkling something into it. The fire would spark when they fed it, then settle a bit. The knee-high stages around the perimeter were now manned by musicians, all holding alien instruments. Jack looked away quickly, noticing that most of the musicians were male and all of them had forgone underwear. The height of the stands gave him a look he could have lived without. Grimacing, he looked around the growing crowd. "Where are the ladies?"

When he didn't get an answer, he looked at Daniel. The archaeologist was staring straight ahead, his jaw hanging practically against his chest. Teal'c, usually an impartial observer, had also taken note. Jack followed their gaze, finding himself mesemerized as well.

Samantha Carter - he couldn't think of her as Sam when he saw her like this - was walking towards them, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. The normally military-length hair had been accented by extentions that lightly draped over her shoulders, framing her beautiful face with gently curled strands. Her upper arms and chest appeared to have been painted with a translucent silver paint, causing her shoulders and breasts to shimmer in the flickering light of the bonfire. The like-turquoise beads of her new necklace hung in the valley between her breasts. A leather belt hung low on her waist, holding up the ruffled material of a short skirt that ended mid-thigh and rose on either side to reveal most of her thighs.

She stopped just short of the men, gauging each of their reactions. "Hello, Sir. Daniel. Teal'c." She chuckled. "Colonel O'Neill, you're sticking out of your loincloth."

He doubled over immediately, both hands going to his crotch before he realized she was joking. He blushed, straightening slightly. "Major Carter, you... you, ah... Damn, what can I say?"

"Absolutely gorgeous would work," came Janet's voice from behind them.

The men turned, shocked once more. A strap of cloth stretched from Janet's right shoulder down to her left hip, hugging close to her body as it proceeded behind her and coming back up to rest on her left shoulder. This served to (barely) cover both breasts and her rear end. The rest of her crotch was hidden behind a gauzy, sky-blue colored mini-skirt. A wide necklace adorned with red feathers hung from her neck, slightly obscuring the view of her ample cleavage. Jack could just barely make out the lines of her panties below the dress.

He quickly spun around, apparently afraid of thinking impure thoughts about a married woman. Unfortunately, this caused him to be face-to-face with Sam once more. He gapsed, then closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. "God, I can't look at either of you!"

Sam laughed. "I think we should take that as a compliment, sweetheart."

Trying to be as casual as possible with two half-naked, completely beautiful women standing next to him, Daniel said, "What kept you, Dr. Fraiser?"

"I ran some quick field tests on the food and drink that will be served at the party tonight," she explained, trying not to smile at the faint blush on the archaeologist's cheeks. "Everything checked out fine."

Any further conversation was hindered by the resonant chimes of a bell. The team moved towards the bonfire, taking seats on the wooden benches. A large podium had been set up in front of the fire, and now Pollux took his place behind it. Scattered applause met his appearance and he gratefully calmed the crowd.

"Friends, friends, I come before you on this wonderfully joyous night of Life Festivus with truly happy news. Tonight, we are joined by strangers who come to us by way of the gods!"

The audience exploded into surprised murmurs, people scanning their neighbors to see if they could spot anyone they didn't recognize.

Pollux clapped once and the crowd quieted. "For the sake of their privacy, I have asked that they acquire our dress and customs for the evening. They are not accustomed to sharing everything as we do, so do not be alarmed if someone acts oddly. Please, if you know who these strangers are, respect their anonymity and do not call attention to them." He smiled. "They are truly honored guests and we wish them to feel welcome to share this magnificent time with us."

The crowd applauded again.

"Now," Pollux said, clapping his hands together. "The merriment shall begin! Eat until your stomach bursts! Drink until you are drowning! Happiness is yours!"

The musicians lining the arena began to play soft, haunting music. The audience rose and began to mill about, waiters appearing with trays of food and drink. Jack and Daniel moved in one direction, followed by an ever-inquisitive Teal'c. Sam and Janet were about to separate themselves from the crowd when two men blocked their exit.

The taller one smiled down at Janet, extending a golden cup. "Milady... it would do me well if you would accept this token of my infatuation."

She gingerly took the cup from him, smiling. "Thank you, kind sir," she said, deciding to keep up the ruse of being native. "But I am obliged to inform you that I have already been taken." She curled her arm around Sam's waist. "My betrothed has hired this lovely damsel to ensure that I am faithful during the evening's festivities."

The second man eyed Sam. "Then perhaps your companion can be persuaded to leave you to your own devices for one evening." He extended a glass to the blonde beauty. "I could ensure that she would be preoccupied until the light of dawn."

Sam chuckled, then said, "Sorry, fellas. This little lady is going home with me tonight."

The two suitors reluctantly left, wishing the women a happy celebration. As soon as the men had disappeared in the mob of partiers, Janet tightened her grip on Sam's arm. "Let's get out of here!"

Sam patted her lover's arm. "Easy, Janet. We'll have a few drinks, listen to a few songs, then we'll adjourn to a... private party." She pressed a kiss to the outer curve of the doctor's ear and whispered, "You look so damn hot in this outfit, sweetheart."

Janet smiled, admiring the blonde's attire. "You don't look half bad yourself, Major Carter. Is it just me, or can I see your nipples through this thing? How sheer is it?"

Sam giggled. "Sheer."

They pulled apart, weaving their way through the crowd. Sam passed each man, tensing as she awaited the leering gazes and lascivious comments that never came. They looked at her, apparently noting her beauty, but said nothing. The lusty gleam never appeared in their eyes. Sam raised an eyebrow and said, "I think Colonel O'Neill could learn something from these gentlemen."

Finally, the two women reached an open area where servants were loading drinks and food onto trays. One, a beautiful, black-haired girl with tanned skin, turned and smiled at the women. "Greetings and joyous Festivus. May I interest you in a drink? Or perhaps food?"

The small glasses the woman offered looked more appealing than those they had received from the men, so Sam and Janet both agreed. They placed the golden goblets on the tray and chose two shot-sized glasses. The woman bowed slightly before moving into the swarm of partiers. Sam sipped the drink, letting it roll across her tongue before swallowing. The aftertaste soon covered her palate, filling her senses. "Whoa," she gasped, reaching out to Janet for support. The brunette caught her, holding her upright.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Oh... oh, no. This is *wonderful* Janet!"

The doctor looked into her own glass. "What does it taste like?"

Sam took another big drink, then pulled Janet's lips to her own and shared the mouthful with her. Janet gasped, shocked at the sudden kiss, but soon found herself marveling at the taste of the drink. When they separated, Sam whispered, "Does that answer your question?"

Janet finally opened her eyes, looking up at her lover. "Where... where is the closest bed?"

Sam laughed, then took her lover's hand. They picked up two fresh glasses of the heavenly drink before moving towards one of the dark alleyways. They were almost to the entrance of the alley when Sam released Janet's hand and dashed into the shadows. Before she fully disappeared, she threw a coy smile over her shoulder at the brunette.

Incensed by her rising libido as much as her concern for Sam running through the shadowy alley, she ran after the lithe blonde. The cobblestones felt slightly painful against her bare feet, but it wasn't enough to get her to stop. As she weaved through the dark streets of Alsair, she could just barely keep Sam's fleeing form in her sight. Eventually, Sam slowed and Janet caught up with her. They collided outside of a dark house and Janet spun Sam in a sloppy dance, pressing her lover against the plain wall of the house and planting a hungry kiss on her lips. Sam smiled, taking the wine glass from her lover and placing it alongside hers on a windowsill.

They could still hear the music from the instrumentalists playing on the air, but away from the ruckus of Festivus, it sounded like it was a private concert just for them. Sam lovingly attended to Janet's pliant, parted lips, pressing her tongue into the warm confines of Janet's mouth. Janet pulled the blonde against her, their bodies separated only by the sheerest of material. When they finally broke for air, the brunette looked up... and gasped. "Oh, my God... Sam, look!" She pulled one hand away from Sam's shoulder, pointing into the night sky.

Sam followed the extended finger, seeing the blue, red and purple lights dancing with the stars and moon. It was like the Aurora Borealis on Earth seen through 3-D glasses. Every shape, every fold, every turn of the mystical lights seemed accented in the clear air. As they watched, something seemed to explode amid the splendor, sending flakes of yellow, orange, green and deep red through the air. Janet gasped, her eyes sparkling in the darkness. "Sam... Oh, have you *ever* seen anything so beautiful?"

Sam lowered her eyes, placing a finger on Janet's chin and tilting the smaller woman's head down. Once their eyes met, Sam whispered, "Yes, I have."

Janet felt tears brimming in her eyes at that proclamation, her heart soaring into her chest. They lovingly pressed their lips together, just savoring each other. As they kissed, Janet slipped on hand under the hem of Sam's skirt, tracing one finger against her lover's slit. Sam gasped into the brunette's mouth, pressing herself harder against the doctor's body.

Her finger sufficiently moistened, Janet removed her hand and brought it between them. She broke the kiss, opening her eyes to examine the wetness on her finger. Sam gazed into Janet's eyes, using her tongue to tease the tip of the damp finger. Janet brought her head forward, starting at the first knuckle and working her way up. Their tongues met halfway and they closed their mouths over Janet's extended finger. The essence of Sam lingered between their two mouths.

Finally, Sam pulled away, her face covered with a light sheen of sweat. "You know what we have to do, right?"

"I... have a good idea," Janet panted.

"Find one of those damned blue flags." Taking Janet's hand, she moved down the street looking for a blue flag in the darkness. As she was pulled away, Janet managed to pick up both of their wineglasses with one hand.

---

Sam threw the door open, pushing Janet inside as she fumbled for a light switch. "Damn," she muttered. "Where are the lights?"

"Right here," Janet supplied. Sam turned as the brunette lit a tall candle, using it to kindle a host of others lining the table. Once the room was bathed with soft, flickering yellow light, Janet turned and smiled at her lover. The wineglasses were sitting on the table next to the candles. Sam approached and lifted one, drinking all of the sweet ambrosia in one motion. She closed her eyes, allowing the aftertaste to fully envelope her.

Janet followed suit, swishing the liquor around with her tongue before allowing herself to swallow. She stepped forward, wrapping one arm around the taller blonde and pressing wine-wet lips to her lover's throat. Sam rolled her head to one side, allowing the doctor to explore the warm taste of her flesh. Neither was aware of it, but both of their bodies swayed to the vaguely ethereal music touched their ears.

As one, they moved toward the bed, Janet bringing her lips up to taste her wife's lips. Both women had been adorned with native make-up which they had been told contained a highly potent aphrodisiac. As Janet ran her tongue over Sam's parted lips, she tasted some of the edible cosmetic and felt a warm tingle spreading through her stomach. She pushed her lover down onto the bed, straddling the taller woman and raising up slightly. Reaching behind her neck, she popped a single catch and her entire outfit collapsed. She was left in the sheer skirt and her light blue panties.

Sam gazed up at her lover, reaching up to caress one of the doctor's full breasts. In the darkness, her erect nipples cast long shadows over the brunette's chest. Her entire body glistened in the darkness, a result of the alien powder they had been dusted with. Janet took a deep breath, causing her breasts to rise and fall in a hypnotizing dance. She closed her eyes and whispered, "It would be so easy... to just... take you and screw your brains out."

Sam smiled. "Then do it."

"No," Janet shook her head. "Slow... nice, lovingly..." She lowered her head, pressing a kiss to each of Sam's eyes. "It's never going to be just sex with you, Sam." She kissed her nose. "I want to make love to you." She suckled the blonde's top lip, darting her tongue out across her lover's palate. "I want to make you beg for release," she moaned. She traced a moist trail across Sam's throat, feeling the major's pulse throb erratically.

And the door swung open. Janet turned, eyes wide and hands immediately going to cover her breasts. Sam sat up, using the doctor to block any sight of her own nudity.

A young boy and girl, neither older than seventeen, stood in the doorway. The boy stammered, averting his gaze. "A thousand apologies! The flag was blue, but I shall change it!" He and his lover ducked back out, moving to turn the flag as they did.

The room was once again silent and Sam laid back on the mattress. "My God... for about two seconds, I was 18 in my bedroom worried about my dad being down the hall."

She suddenly felt Janet's lips kissing the swell of her breast through her sheer top. She looked down, amazed. "Janet... after that, you're still in the mood?"

"Oh, yes," Janet whispered, keeping her lips a hairsbreadth from her lover's nipple. "I couldn't stop now if a train hit me."

Sam ran her fingers through Janet's brown hair, smiling down at the petite woman. "Make love to me, Janet."

"All night," the doctor promised. Her mouth thoroughly soaked the thin material enough that it was clinging uncomfortably to the blonde's skin. Janet sensed this and sat up, gently pulling the barely-there material up and away from Sam's flesh. Both of them paused, each examining the other. Finally, Janet placed a hand on Sam's sides and brought the taller woman into a sitting position. They leaned into each other, lips barely touching as the brunette slipped her hands down the smooth plane of the blonde's back. Her fingers slipped under the leather belt, touching the warm, naked flesh of Sam's rear end. Sam copied the motion of her lover, cupping the tan cheeks of the petite doctor's ass. Eyes open, mouths open but not touching, they both pulled the other closer.

Their lips came together in a glancing kiss, their tongues making only ghostly contact before they were apart again. Nipping at Sam's lower lip, Janet sighed, "I've never wanted you more... but I... I'm making this last as long as possible." She smiled. "What the hell is in that drink?"

"I don't know," Sam hummed against Janet's earlobe, "but I want a keg for home."

Janet laughed and gently lowered Sam back to the mattress. She rolled off of her lithe lover, reaching down and stripping away her moist panties, tossing them across the room. Before she could continue removing Sam's clothes, the blonde had propped herself up on one elbow, rolling and pinning Janet to the mattress. Janet looked up into her lover's hungry blue eyes, hidden by the drooping strands of blonde hair. Sam placed one hand on Janet's cheek, slowly stroking downward. She paused to explore the contours of the smaller woman's breasts before moving on. She lightly brushed her fingernails over the smooth, flat expanse of Janet's stomach, teasing the fine hairs she found there. For a moment, she dipped her thumb into Janet's navel, illiciting a giggle from the prone woman.

Finally, she rearranged herself so that she was sitting on Janet's thighs and concentrated on the strip of pubic hair at the crux of the doctor's legs. Janet bit her lip, looking down to watch her lover's progress. Sam looked up, raising herself and silently imploring Janet's legs apart. The brunette complied and Sam moved between the beautiful woman's thighs, letting her hands rest on the alabaster skin of her lover's trembling thighs. The blonde's eyes were hidden by her false hair, but Janet knew exactly what she was staring at. The thought made her blush, but she continued to watch. Finally, Sam reached down and tenderly ran her fingers through the finely trimmed hair. The mere touch of Sam's fingers made Janet tremble.

Finally, Sam lowered her lips and pressed a chaste kiss to her lover's stomach. Janet gripped handfuls of the sheets, nearly ripping them. "Please, Sam..."

The blonde complied, scooting down a bit so that her head was directly over her lover's sex. Instead of merely lowering her head, she turned on the bed so that she could straddle Janet's head as well. The brunette lifted the short skirt, happily discovering that the major had gone without underwear that night. As if cued by an unseen director, both of them touched tongue to lips at the same instant, causing an electric shock to pass through both of their bodies. They trembled, their bodies freezing at the same instant.

As if realizing at that moment exactly how ravenous they were, both of them began licking and sucking with fervor. Janet curled her tongue, rolling it around the hard nub of Sam's clit. Sam spread Janet's labia with two fingers, thrusting her tongue into her lover as far as possible. Janet sucked the blonde's clit into her mouth, sucking it like a nursing child. Her index finger skimmed over the slick entrance of Sam's opening, dipping in only accidentally. Sam thrust her hips against Janet's explorations as she moved a finger to join her tongue. Janet opened her mouth wide, panting against the sensitive flesh of Sam's center.

Sam moaned low in her throat at the vibrations Janet was causing deep in her soul. Finally, she pressed her tongue and fingers deeper, quietly murmuring, "I'm... cumming, Janet."

The hot waves of air that Sam's breath sent over her sex pushed Janet over the edge. The doctor panted harder, thrusting her hip up to meet Sam's mouth. They were wrapped together, both sweat-sheened bodies moving in a wonderful symphony as both women began to climax for the other. They hungrily and wantonly accepted the ambrosia that no alien drink could compare to, drinking it in as if dying of thirst. When the dual-deluge finally ended, Sam managed to extract herself from her lover's limbs and stretch out next to her. She felt as if she had just run a marathon; her heart was pounding against her ribs, any make-up the locals had painted on her was long gone, her body was covered with more sweat than she knew she was capable of producing... She brushed a hand across her forehead, clearing the hair away. "That... was amazing."

Janet rolled onto her side, lightly tracing circles on Sam's stomach. "That... wasn't all night long."

Sam raised her head up. "What? Oh, God, you're kidding me."

Janet stretched herself over the prostrate blonde, pressing a kiss to her gasping lips. "You need a little rest?"

"No," she decided, kissing the brunette and rolling her back across the bed. The night was young.

Chapter Three

Moonlight graced the empty cobblestone streets of Alsair as if it were searching for someone to shine on. The bonfire of Festivus had long since burned out, and many couples had separated to celebrate the joys of life in private. There was no such institution of marriage among the Gerayn; usually they simply chose a partner for a short period of time. Apostle Pollux had chosen to remain lone this night, wandering the alleys and sidestreets of his town as he scanned the ancient papyrus of his Holy Writ. The book lay open in one hand, the other resting thoughtfully on his chin as he walked.

A beautiful redhead passed him at one point, inviting him to join her in celebration. He apologetically refused and bid her adieu. A few steps later he had turned back to see her slip into a red-flagged house. Shock and anger passed through him, but both feelings faded as he realized she wasn't being refused. It was common practice for three, four and even five people to celebrate Festivus together. Often the population was unequal and it was required to share your partner. Pollux turned and continued on his solemn journey through the quiet streets when he heard pounding feet coming towards him. He looked up, seeing a young man and woman running down the cobblestone street. They were holding hands, both panting and sweating. The apostle held his hands up, closing his holy book. "Peace is with you, children! Calmness, calmness!"

They stopped, recognizing him. He, in turn, recognized the couple from their years in religious classes. The boy was named Fer, his mate for the evening, Anera. Pollux smiled and asked, "What is troubling you, my children?"

Fer glanced at the girl, then said, "We were searching for you, Your Eminence. We... we must report something that we have never seen before!"

"Why, Fer... I am certain that whatever it was, your eyes deceived you."

"They did not, Sir," Anera defended. "I saw it as well."

Pollux sighed, clasping his hands before him. "So be it. What is this dramatic event that you witnessed?"

The boy took a deep breath. "Two women. They were... with each other in a house with a blue flag presented. They were unclothed, Apostle! They were... celebrating Festivus, but there were no males present."

"He tells no lie," Anera nodded. "I saw it as well."

Pollux furrowed his brow. "You are certainly mistaken. Why would anyone celebrate Festivus with a blue flag forward? Any resident of Alsair knows to turn the flag."

"Precisely!" Fer said. "We believe the women are with the group of strangers you mentioned at the Festivus." Pollux froze, eyes widening. "The strangers...," he whispered.

Anera said, "You told us that their beliefs were different than ours. Is this the difference you spoke of?"

He didn't answer her, just looked down at the ancient holy book in his hands. "Children, go. Celebrate Festivus and awaken in the morning. Do not make mention of this to anyone. It is my burden now."

Fer and Anera nodded, scurrying off to follow their religious leader's advice. Pollux watched them go, then looked into the sky. A cloud passed below the moon, then proceeded through the darkness. Quietly, he began speaking. "Has the time come, Father?" He closed his eyes and began walking, this time with a purpose. If he was to finish his journey by sunrise, he would have to leave Alsair immediately.

---

Janet lay spread-eagle on the bed, her glassy eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her legs hung over the foot of the bed, her feet nearly touching the floor. She had a pillow pressed against her side, held in place by one arm. Her dark hair spiked away from her head, dripping with sweat from the night's exertions.

Sam was sitting on the floor, her head and right arm resting on the mattress. The sheets and blankets from the bed were tangled and wrapped around her, covering her nudity. Her blonde hair, most of the extentions hanging loose in her face and on the mattress, was in disarray. She ran her hands through it to try to force it back into place, but didn't get very far. A dried sheen of perspiration clung to both women, their bodies thoroughly exhausted from the night's activities. Gathering all of her strength, Sam pulled herself onto the bed and curled against her lover's body. She placed one hand on the doctor's stomach and whispered, "Good morning."

"No," Janet mewled. "I haven't even gone to sleep yet."

Sam smiled. "Sorry, hon. We told Colonel O'Neill we'd meet him at the festival area at eleven."

"How much time d'we got?"

The blonde laughed. "I have no idea."

Janet laughed, turning to cuddle against her lover. "My God... you were fantastic last night."

"You weren't so bad yourself, missy," Sam said, slipping her hands down to the doctor's buttocks, remembering her explorations there a few hours ago. "We may have to remember some of the new stuff we did last night for back home," she whispered, slipping her index finger between the brunette's cheeks.

Janet clenched around the exploring finger. "Indeed, we will." She kissed Sam, then asked. "Do we really have to meet Colonel O'Neill in those ridiculous costumes we wore last night?"

Sam nodded. "Afraid so. The house we left our uniforms in is way across town."

The doctor sat up, pulling the sheets around herself. "How 'bout I put on both of our outfits, go get the uniforms and bring them back here."

Sam brushed her hair aside. "Sounds like a plan. I'll shower while you're gone." As Janet started getting dressed, Sam warned, "And honey? Don't get lost. I'd hate to have to come looking for you when you've got all my clothes." She winked and disappeared into the bathroom.

---

Apostle Pollux had neglected to don his sandals after leaving Alsair, and he soon regretted his decision. On the other side of the deep forest that contained his town was a blazing white-sand desert. He adjusted his robes around himself as his bare feet sunk into the blistering sands. Loose, wind-driven particles blew into his face, clogging his nose and mouth as he pushed forward. Finally, he caught sight of the dark maw of his brother's cavern ahead. The apostle quickened his pace, eager to put this journey behind him. When he finally reached the threshold of the cave, he paused and allowed himself to savor the cool air coming from within.

He called out, "Castor! 'Tis your brother, come for a talk!"

There were sounds from within, and another robed man exited the darkness. He peered at the figure outlined in the doorway, squinting slightly. "Move from the doorway," the newcomer ordered. "I cannae see your face."

Pollux stepped inside so his brother could see his face. "'Tis I, brother. Apostle Pollux."

Castor frowned, his face lined with the marks of age. His eyes, partially blinded by cataracts, were slitted when he said, "I thought that's what you said. But there is no way my brother could have made the journey here if he was to have celebrated Festivus last eve."

"I wish to speak to you of Festivus, brother," Pollux explained. "I have come to see the annuls."

Castor's spine straightened. "Whyever for?"

A light shone in the apostle's eyes as he said, "I believe the prophecy has come to pass."

The elder brother stared with milky eyes, then sighed. "I shall bring the annuls to you... but the prophecies..."

"Yes, yes, I concede you are correct brother," Pollux said as they ventured into the dark coolness of the cave. "It has been two thousand generations since the prophecy was passed down. It was written that this would take time to come. I believe it has!"

"What evidence have you?"

Pollux smiled. He knew this question would be posed. "My brother, they came through the Eye of God."

Castor froze, spinning around. "You lie."

The apostle's smile faded slightly. "I do no such thing. A servant of our ways, a man named Jeremiah invited a group of angelic beings to partake in Festivus. Two were the women written about in prophecy. I am sure of this."

Castor shook his head, the long white strands of his hair swaying with the motion. "This is truly a momentous day... if it is indeed true."

"It is true, I assure you."

Castor paused, then started down the passageway. "Then let us begin."

---

Sam and Janet were actually early for the rendezvous. After dressing in their uniforms once more, they began to slowly realize most of the previous night had been a result of the alien liquor they had gotten drunk on at the party. Sam smiled, wondering how Jack, Daniel and Teal'c had handled the intoxication. The women were sitting on the musician stands, talking quietly, when Daniel wandered in.

His glasses where missing, as was his toga from the night before. He was wearing his uniform pants and jacket, but his black t-shirt and vest were nowhere to be found. He scanned the empty wooden benches, then spotted the ladies and started toward them.

Janet chuckled. "Hey, Dr. Jackson. How're things?"

He clutched his head. "Bad. Very, uh... bad. Do you have any--"

She tossed him a bottle of aspirin she had had the foresight to pack with her gear. He eagerly popped the top off and downed three pills, not bothering with water as he passed the bottle back to Janet. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and waiting for the medicine to take effect. "You ladies aren't... suffering from this hangover?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess it just affects women differently." That thought gave her pause; what effects *would* the drink have on her and Janet in the long run?

The next team member to arrive was Teal'c. The Jaffa still wore his tunic from the night before, walking proudly and moving directly to his team. Daniel watched him approach, then asked, "What, you're not affected by this?"

"I am not," he said simply. "My symbiote protects me from feeling ill side effects of alcohol consumption."

"Perfect," Daniel groaned. "Finally, something the snakes are good for."

Janet laughed. "Get the boy a little hungover and he starts talking like O'Neill."

"Speaking of O'Neill," Sam said, pointing across the area. The CO of SG-1 was moving slowly down the street, his uniform pants unfortunately missing. He was wearing his black shirt and his jacket was tied around his waist. He stopped in front of his team, his bloodshot eyes hidden behind his goggles. He took a deep breath, then weakly said, "Captain. Doctor. Doctor. Teal'c."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Um... Sir? I'm a Major."

Jack's brow furrowed, then he looked at Daniel. "God, how drunk was I?"

"Pretty wasted," Daniel said. "You forgot your pants."

Jack leaned against the musicians stand. "I did not forget my pants. I remembered my pants. I would have *worn* my pants if someone had not *stolen* my pants."

Daniel shook his head, trying not to laugh.

The colonel ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, folks... we've done the party thing. Now we get to do the work. Carter, Daniel, I want you guys to check out the technological capabilities of these people. I want you to see if you can determine where they stand." He winced. Thinking was apparently quite a chore in his current situation. "Okay, and Teal'c and I'll scout the town. Talk to the people and whatnot. Doc, I want you to find anything that could serve as a hospital on this world and see what kind of medicine they could offer."

The team nodded, moving to complete their assigned tasks. Janet caught Sam's arm, placing a chaste kiss on the blonde's lips. "How will I find you tonight?"

"Meet me here, around sunset. Okay?"

Janet nodded, smiling. "See you then." They reluctantly split apart and moved to follow their orders.

---

Pollux moved behind his brother as they navigated the underground passages. The surface was growing more and more distant as they continued into the darkness.

Castor spoke quietly to himself as he walked. Finally, he spoke to his brother. "You do comprehend the magnitude of what you claim?"

"Of course I do, brother," Pollux sighed. "I was not assigned my position simply because I am your brother."

Castor nodded. "This could mean the end for the Gerayn. If the women are allowed to complete their task..."

Pollux shook his head. "I understand the dangers. Believe me. I simply wish to know if the women are definitely the Chosen."

Castor sighed. "What evidence have you that they are indeed who you believe them to be?"

"They traveled through the Eye of God, arriving with three protectors as the books devined. One is golden haired, the other dark. And last night, a local boy and girl stumbled upon them making love."

Castor remained silent as they reached a large wooden door. Pollux paused a few steps back; no apostle had ever been allowed into this inner sanctum of the council. Since Castor was the final surviving member of the Gerayn law-giving establishment, there were little rules he followed when dealing with his brother. He slipped a key into the lock, pushing the heavy wooden door open and stepping inside.

As he moved to a bookshelf, he began speaking the history that Pollux already knew by heart. "When God deemed to create this world, it was nothing more than a ball hurtling through space. Day and night knew no limits; mindless powers co-habitating. In order to form the people of the Gerayn, he chose to use the magnificent power of light and dark to fashion them. He created day when the sun was at the height of it's orbit. She wandered the lonely, empty plane of the world until, that night, God used his power to create Dark. He fashioned this creature to be the same as the Light... but left her original coloring."

Pollux picked up the story as Castor began thumbing through a large volume. "Dark wore hair that was the color of night. Light wore hair as golden as the sun. They attempted to copulate for eons until the God became frustrated with what he created. He formed a circle of light and bid his creations to go through it. They begged him for a second chance... pleaded to live. He deemed that they would live apart from the Gerayn and, at the time of the Annihilation, they would return and end the Spark of every living Gerayn so our Provider can begin again."

"That time," Castor sighed. "Has apparently come. It has happened once before."

Pollux's eyes widened. "You speak lies!"

Castor shook his gray head. "You were but a lad. Two strangers arrived in camp with black and golden hair. We could not be certain as to their purpose, but I doubted it was good. The Council met and deemed they should be destroyed. That night, we lit torches outside of their home and killed them as the slept. Alas, the fire lost control and the women managed to escape. We gave chase for most of the evening... but they eluded us. By the time we returned, the fire had devastated the town of Orsaing. The flames did not extinguish for eighty days."

"The Great Fire," Pollux whispered, not believing his ears.

"You must succeed where we failed," Castor said. "The Council is gone... I have few days of life remaining. If the women are not destroyed, the end of the world shall be the result."

"But what shall I do?"

Castor slipped a small box from his robe, then tore a page from the book he had been researching. "Separate the women from their protectors. Drug one with this potion. It will produce an uncontrollable urge for bloodshed. The drugged one shall destroy the other."

"What of the one who is not destroyed?"

"She is of little consequence. Light cannot exist without Dark, nor Dark without Light. You must hurry. Annihilation cannot come once one of the women is dead, but once it has started it cannot be ended. You must hurry."

Pollux took the box and the page containing the chant that would activate the poison, then turned. He ran through the catacombs, praying he was not already too late.

Chapter Four

Daniel sat on the counter, thumbing through an old journal he had found. After making several attempts to read it, he set it aside and shook his head. "So far, I've learned that the handwriting of the Gerayn resembles a popular language on Earth."

"Oh, yeah?" Sam said, continuing to explore the lab. "What is it?"

"Chicken scratch. What have you found?"

She ran a hand through her hair. "Not a damn thing of interest. Just hook-ups for, I assume, scientific equipment. But all the apparatus is nowhere to be found." She pulled open a cabinet, then shut it upon finding it empty. "Whatever experiments they did here... they stopped a long time ago."

Daniel sighed. "Yeah, why experiment when you can have sex all the time?"

Sam smirked. "I don't mind experimenting once in a while... and I'm rather satisfied, thank you very much."

A crimson blush spread over Daniel's cheeks. "Oh. I, ah... Yeah."

She chuckled, realizing she had flustered the man. "Okay, what do you say we head back to the center of town and look around for Apostle Pollux? Maybe he'll have some information on their scientific advances."

Daniel agreed and they headed towards the lab door. They were halfway down the hall when the front doors to the building swung open and three natives entered. All three wore dark clothing, their heads shaved completely bald. The two SG-1 members froze, watching the newcomers advance. Sam glanced at Daniel, then stepped forward. "Um... we were just looking through your lab. We were wondering if there was another place where experiments may be conducted? If we could, we'd love a chance to examine some of your technology."

One of the men, the biggest, glanced at his partners. Slowly, he stepped forward. "You are the strangers Apostle Pollux spoke of last eve?"

Sam weighed her options. "Yes, we are. I'm Major Samantha Carter, this is Dr. Daniel Jackson."

The men barely acknowledged the man's presence. "Where is the other like you? The dark-haired female?"

A sense of unease was settling over the hallway. Sam rested her hand on the butt of her assault rifle, squinting at the men. "Why do you want to know where Janet is?"

The big man stepped forward, pulling a long pole from his belt. He gripped it tightly, slapping it against his open palm as he advanced. "Where is the other female?" he insisted.

Sam brought her weapon up. "Go to hell."

The next few instants were a blur. The first man lunged forward, swinging at Sam with the pole. She narrowly managed to avoid the arc of his swing, dropping to her knees and falling back. Daniel tried to follow suit, but one of the other musclemen grabbed him and slammed him violently into the wall. The archaeologist's body jerked with the impact, his knees giving out. The first man used his weapon to knock the gun from Sam's grip, sending it skittering across the floor. She moved to retrieve it, but he was too fast for her. He brought one boot up, connecting with the soft skin below her chin.

She flew backwards, her vision swimming as she landed flat on her back. Using her temporary position to her advantage, she slid across the tile floor to grab her gun. She managed to get her fingers around the grip when the first brute was on top of her. He pressed her against the ground, striking her repeatedly. When he finally stopped, her gripped the lapels of her jacket and lifted her up. "Where is the female?"

Sam spit in his face, the appearance of blood in her spittal shocking her a bit. He grimaced and looked over his shoulder, motioning to one of his cronies. The second man pulled a baton from his belt, hoisting Daniel to his knees. Without warning, he jabbed one end of the pole against the base of Daniel's skull. The young man screamed, his body jerking and convulsing as if every muscle in his body was contracting and relaxing at once. When the baton was pulled back, Daniel's body went limp. Tears streaked from his eyes, and blood poured from his nose. His entire body was limp, but his attacker was holding him up by the collar of his jacket.

The first man looked to Sam again. "Where is the other female?"

She kicked at her captor. "Go to hell."

He grimaced, eyes cold. He adjusted his grip, wrapping both beefy hands around her throat and squeezing. Her eyes widened as air flow was immediately restricted. He squeezed tighter. She was about to pass out when he suddenly released her. She coughed, eagerly gulping air into her lungs as she rolled to one side. The sudden loss of weight on top of her was confusing, but she welcomed it. She curled into a ball, reaching up and touching the sore skin of her neck. He had probably bruised her jugular...

It was finally the sounds of a fight that forced her to look up again. As if sent from above, Jack O'Neill and Teal'c had miraculously appeared. Teal'c was fighting the man who had been holding Sam down as the third man was brutally pounding his back. The man holding Daniel had apparently tried to use the baton-like weapon on the colonel, but Jack had stolen it from him. Jack wrestled the bald man down, then pressed the baton against his skull. The native jerked and spasmed as Daniel had earlier, but this time is was considerably more violent. When he finally stopped, there was no doubt that the man was dead. Jack pulled himself up, wielding the baton as he moved to assist the Jaffa. Teal'c gripped the forearm of one of his opponents, flinging him against the wall like he was a rag doll. He reached around behind himself, finding his other attacker and dropping him to the ground. Jack pounced on the prone man, pressing the pole against him. The macabre ballet followed, and then he too was still.

The silence in the hallway was deafening as Sam pulled herself into a sitting position. "Thank you," she coughed. "I was..."

"You had 'em right where you wanted 'em," Jack said.

"We know. What did these muscleheads want?"

Sam winced. "Janet... they wanted Janet."

"Where is she?" Jack asked.

Sam shook her head. "I don't know, Sir. But I'm scared. She's out there alone."

Jack nodded, then stood. "We're gonna find her, Sam. Now, Teal'c... head to the front gates of this place. I'm getting sick of walking on my naked feet."

---

The clinic was located about seven 'streets' away from the Festivus staging area. Janet walked up the three steps, pulling open the light doors and stepping inside. The floors, walls and ceilings were the same sterile shade of white, a counter running across the opposite wall. No one was present, apparently all of the city's denizens sleeping off last night's Festivus. She moved down the hallway, her heavy boots making hollow thumping sounds as she moved. She looked down and caught a glimpse of herself in her uniform, smiling at her reflection. Her uniform was a size or two large, plus her boots weren't exactly the right size for her feet. She felt like a little girl in... A sudden thought struck her. She made a mental note to kick Jack O'Neill's ass if he had given her the same uniform they gave to Cadet Hailey.

She turned into a large storage room, clicking on the lights as she entered. Rows and rows of empty shelves lined the walls. Frowning, she walked to the far end of the room and ran her fingers over the edge of a shelf. She shrugged, then turned to leave... only to freeze with a gasp.

The door was blocked by a large bald man. "Oh! I, uh... was just looking for a doctor." She smiled warmly. "I'm Dr. Janet Fraiser. I'm with... with the strangers."

The bald man smiled. "The strangers? You're just the person I was looking for then."

Closed in by three walls, her only escape blocked by a muscular stranger... a sense of unease suddenly shrouded Janet like a mist. She took a step back, knowing she would never be able to escape this man. "I... would rather wait until the rest of my team got here to..."

The man smiled and continued forward.

---

Apostle Pollux looked up, his face tight with tension. Diatan entered the room, a small female form draped over one shoulder. Pollux watched the young bald man deposit his prey on the couch. Once he had straightened, Pollux said, "You may go. Peace be with you, my servant."

Diatan bowed ever-so-slightly and left the room immediately.

Pollux walked across the thick carpet, kneeling next to the unconscious brunette. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, her hand going to rest on her forehead. Pollux gripped her wrist gently. "Madame Fraiser, forgive me. Your friends are in danger."

"Danger?" the doctor muttered. "Wha..."

"It is imperitive that I find them... and crucial that I find your friend Samantha Carter."

Her eyes opened at this, although they were still glassy. "Wha... Sam? Sam's in trouble?"

Pollux smiled warmly. "Yes. People within the city wish to kill you. They are wary of strangers. I must find Samantha before they do."

Janet winced. "She... she's looking for technology..."

Pollux grinned. "Take your time, Madame Fraiser. Take your time..."

---

The staccato footfalls of SG-1 echoed through the streets of Alsair like gun reports, the team moving in a semi-straight single-file line through the congested alleyways. Teal'c brushed past a merchant, accidentally shoving the poor man to his knees. Sam saw the man collapse and used a windowsill to bound over him. The man screeched, covering his head in fright as the group moved by. Jack led the advance through the town, his P90 gripped tightly in both hands.

A man, a priest judging by his robes, exited a building up ahead. Jack called out, "You! You there!"

The priest tried to run, but Jack managed to wrap a fist around the billowing robe and pull the man back out. "Where is Apostle Pollux?"

"I-In the rectory!" the man gasped, pointing.

"What does it look like?" the colonel barked.

The man described it as a steepled building and Jack released him. He cowered against the wall as Daniel, Teal'c and Sam continued past.

It didn't take long for them to find the steepled facade of the rectory. Jack took the steps in a single bound, kicking the door in and rushing into the serene front room. A man studying a large book looked up, shocked. "May I help you?" he asked, eyeing Jack's weapon.

Sam brushed past Daniel and Teal'c, her handgun leveled at the man's head. "Where is Pollux?"

The man stared down the barrel of the gun, sweat appearing on his domed forehead. "The... the apostle is not in..."

Jack tested the ornate doors at the back of the room, then said, "The Apostle's office, I assume?" He frowned, kicking the sturdy frame. "Teal'c?"

The Jaffa stepped forward, eyeing the door. With an able-bodied kick, the door splintered inward. Jack and Sam swarmed in, both sweeping the corners for signs of the religious leader. The balding man from the front room followed them in. "The Apostle is not here! He has already left with the woman!"

Sam turned. "Woman? What woman?" She gripped the man's robes and pulled him forward. "TELL ME!"

The man trembled. "The... the dark-haired woman! He took... he took her to the catacombs!"

"Why?"

"I... assume to be sacrificed," he sobbed. "Please, do not kill me!"

Sam dropped him, her knees weak. She tried to keep the tremble from her voice as she asked, "Where are the catacombs? Show me." She was surprised to hear that she sounded vaguely convincing, despite how she felt.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you answer her."

---

Pollux entered the large cavern, Janet draped across his arms like a doll. The pit was at the very center of the winding catacombs that cut through the bedrock below Alsair. It was a highly-guarded secret that this place even existed; the facilities used strictly for religious practices. The outer rim of the cavern was marked by a thin shelf just wide enough for a person to walk on. Thin bridges led across the gap between the shelf and the staging area. Pollux glanced down as he crossed one of the bridges, eyeing the vague glimmer of water below. He had never measured the depth of this fissure, but knew that a fall would be deadly. He stepped onto the sturdy center ground and approached the waist-high platform at the center. Janet murmured as he laid her on the hard surface, carefully unzipping her jacket. Once the coat had been opened, he untucked her shirt and slid it up, exposing her unclad breasts. She murmured, "Sam?"

Pollux grimaced. "You must sleep, Janet Fraiser."

Her eyes opened slightly. "What're you doin'?"

He shushed her and moved away from the pedestal, pulling the box he had obtained from his brother and opened it. In the center was an unmarked vial with a thin needle sticking from the top. This would be used to drug the doctor into obeying his commands. On either side of the vial, two glass jars were placed in protective sleeves. He slid each one into his palm and knelt, laying the box on the stone floor before returning to Janet's side. Uncorking one bottle, he smudged his fingers with the red fluid the container held.

Moving gracefully, he mounted the platform and straddled Janet's hips. Carefully, fingers trembling, he began to trace the symbols he had learned by heart over half a century ago. Janet stirred slightly, but remained unconscious. His voice low and droning, he began to chant words last spoken before the Great Fire. "Tenj'hat Firc'tenant in'vaga hui... fre'terreuio bereotre..." His voice wavered slightly. There had been no doubt. They were friends, these strangers through the Eye of God. He had been so enthralled with them he hadn't even noticed the women resembled those in legend.

He continued to mark Janet Fraiser's skin, continued chanting low and monotonously. He had a mission, a mission assigned to each Apostle before him. It was up to him to save his people by killing the strangers.

---

Jack followed the balding monk through the dark passageway, gun buried in the nervous man's back. Lit torches marked approximately every fiftieth step, casting an eerie glow on every surface. Sam was directly behind her CO, ready to brush him out of the way and rush the bastard holding Janet. They had let her go off alone on an alien world. What had they been thinking?

The team rounded a bend in the underground path and the vague echoes of chanting reaching their ears. Sam tensed, steadying her weapon. Jack leaned forward, whispering to the bald man. "What the hell is that?"

"The Apostle," the man reported. "He is preparing her body for the ceremony."

Sam stepped forward. "Sir..."

"Hold up, Carter."

Her entire body tensed as she hissed, "Hold up?" She grit her teeth, then shook her head. "No, Sir." She brushed past him and his hostage, barreling down the corridor full-speed.

Jack hissed after her, "Carter! Damnit..."

She reached the end of the passage and exploded onto the thin shelf that surrounded a deep fissure. She fought to keep her balance on the thin strip of rock, then saw the footbridge. It was reminiscent of the pit where Daniel had found the crystal skull. She found the small footbridge and started across, her gaze locked on the tall figure in the center of the room. Janet was laying on top of a platform, her clothing stripped off and lovingly folded at the foot of the pedestal. From what she could see, the doctor's body was painted with a red dye.

Pollux had his back to her, pulling something from a small box and approaching the platform. As he turned, Sam saw light glint of the sharp syringe he held. She tensed, bringing her handgun up. "Drop it, Pollux!"

The Apostle turned, shocked. "The Light!"

She furrowed her brow, quickly driving her confusion to the back of her mind. "Drop the syringe or I drop you!"

Pollux shook his head, a solemn smile on his face. "My dear..." he backed up, now within arm's length of Janet. "This is holy work I am doing. You shall see..." He turned quickly, plunging the syringe into Janet's carotid.

Sam bellowed, tears of rage burning in her eyes. She quickly squeezed off three rounds as she surged forward. Pollux jerked as each bullet found it's mark; one in each shoulder and the third in his right hip. He collapsed against the platform, turning his body so he could face the blonde as she approached. His hand was still wrapped around the needle. Before Sam could stop him, he weakly lowered his thumb on the plunger and sent whatever liquid what inside into Janet's veins.

The brunette gasped in her sleep, her eyelids fluttering as the drug took over. Sam dropped to her knees, gasping for breath and chanting, "Nononononononono..."

She turned to face Pollux, who was smiling weakly. His face was splattered with blood from the wounds she had inflicted. "God's work... I am a martyr for the cause of... of goodness."

Sam screamed incoherently, raising her gun and emptying her clip into the dying priest. He fell back, his eyes gazing sightlessly at the ceiling when her gun finally began clicking in her hands. Somehow, she found the strength to approach the pedestal and stroke her lover's face, gently removing the Apostle's syringe. She held Janet, crying quietly.

Jack O'Neill led the team into the cavern, quietly observing the major as she said good-bye to her lover. Jack had no snide comment about the doctor's state of undress, nor any misgivings about the fact that his 2IC had just murdered a high-ranking religious figure on this planet. Daniel removed his glasses, closing his eyes and turning away from the sight. Teal'c stood as stoic as ever, his entire body rigid... but even he couldn't hide the tear that slipped down one dark cheek.

Chapter Five

The team exited the catacombs to discover a steady rain was descending on the village of Altair. Apparently, Pollux's bald followers had spread the word quickly. Gerayn lined the streets, solemn and silent as they watched the strangers emerge from the darkness. Janet's body was cradled in Sam's arms, posthumously redressed in her uniform. Jack stopped, eyeing the locals. Half of them looked grief-stricken. The other looked as if they were ready to kill for the indiscretion. Jeremiah made his way through the grim crowd, glancing at the body in Sam's arms. He locked eyes with Colonel O'Neill.

"You will be gone from this place, stranger." He spoke firmly, his eyes wet with tears.

Jack nodded slightly. "We're going."

"We expect you and your kind to never return to this land."

Jack offered a nearly-imperceptible nod and brushed past the gaunt man, followed by his team. As Sam passed he placed a hand on her shoulder. "We are truly sorry for your loss."

She tried to respond, but felt her tears welling up. Teal'c placed a hand between her shoulder blades and she continued forward. Accusing gazes followed them all the way to the city gates, the raindrops pelting their heads and shoulders. Sam looked down, welcoming the rain for it helped wash away the red paint that stained the doctor's flesh. The blonde inhaled, her breath wavering as she followed her team. Quietly, Teal'c offering to help carry the load, but Sam declined.

Finally, they reached the temple ruins and Daniel began dialing home. As the Stargate roared to life, Sam finally allowed herself to sob. She dropped to her knees, cradling Janet to her chest as she wailed into the dying light of the day. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c stood, waiting for her to compose herself before returning home. She rested her forehead on Janet's, trying to ignore the cool feel of her lover's flesh. She felt a hand on her shoulder and sniffed, pushing herself up. "I'll be fine," she lied.

Daniel entered the GDO and turned, stepping into the event horizon. Teal'c and Jack followed, leaving Sam for last. She inhaled, closing her eyes and stepping into the wormhole.

---

"Little darlin'... it's been a long, cold, lonely winter... Little darlin'... it feels like years since it's been here..."

Sam hugged herself as she sat in the recliner, watching the steady rise and fall of Janet's breasts under the sheet. The machines were pumping blood through her veins, forcing air in and out of her lungs and keeping her alive. They had salvaged the syringe that Pollux had used to inject her and opened it. They discovered that his final action in life had been unsuccessful; the amount of drug pumped into her had not been fatal. The dosage had been potentially lethal, but there was a glimmer of hope that she could be revived if the correct antidote could be found.

Now, the private room in the infirmary had been transformed into a virtual living memorial to the petite brunette, filled with calla lillies, roses, posies and various other flowers. Sam had set up a boom box and was playing Janet's favorite song: "Here Comes the Sun" around the clock thanks to the repeat button on the CD player. She rubbed her face, trying to stay awake. It had been almost fifty hours since their return from PC4-392 and she had slept maybe half an hour. She was determined to be awake when Janet came out of this.

She forced herself to say when... never if. Dr. Warner had been working virtually non-stop to formulate a vaccine from the drug that remained in Pollux's syringe. If he could determine the chemical composition, he deduced, he could find a way to counteract it. It would happen... it would just take time.

The door opened a crack and Dr. Roth's tawny head peeked in. "Major?"

She looked up, blinking slightly. "Yes?"

Amy entered, glancing at Janet's inert body. "I... Cassandra is here."

Sam stood. "Oh... um, I'll see her out in the infirmary."

Amy stopped the blonde. "No," she whispered. "See her in here. I know you don't want her to see Janet like this, but she has to see *you* hurting."

"Why? Why does she have to--"

"So she'll know it's okay. Sam, I've watched her since she found out Janet was in this condition. She's not crying, she's not... admitting it. Because everyone she sees has put on a happy face. The best thing... the *best* thing for Cassie right now is to see someone cry."

Sam nodded and returned to the recliner. "Okay. Send her in."

Cassie arrived a few minutes later, cautiously looking at her mother's sleeping body. Sam smiled, holding her hand out. "Hey, sweety. C'mere."

The girl walked carefully across the room, as if she were afraid of disturbing Janet's sleep. She sat on Sam's lap, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder. "Is Mom going to be all right?"

Sam smiled. "She's going..." She sniffed, then raised her head. "I don't want to lie to you... we don't know, honey," she whispered. "We're trying... we're really trying... to bring her back safe and sound. But it's... she's in a dangerous place right now."

Cassie held tightly to the blonde, weakly protesting, "I'm too big to sit on your lap."

"Tough," Sam smiled, holding the girl. Cassie didn't protest. Sam closed her eyes, feeling her tears slip free. "We're both very brave," she said, repeating the mantra that had gotten the girl through her first year on Earth. As they watched Janet sleep, both women soon began sobbing openly.

"Here comes the sun, do-do-do-do Here comes the sun, and I say... It's all right..."

---

Dr. Warner looked up as Sam entered the lab, his eyes nervously darting to Colonel O'Neill. The older man nodded his ascent, so Warner allowed her to stay. He held up the syringe, presenting the orange liquid within. "We've done some tests using Dr. Fraiser's blood sample. This appeared to destroy most of the amphetamine in her system. We're not sure how much will be necessary to completely eradicate the drug in her body."

He patted the doctor's arm, glancing at General Hammond before slipping the sharp point into Janet's flesh. The doctor's small body tensed as he injected her. Sam jumped, eyes widening. "What's going on?"

"It's a perfectly natural reaction," he assured her. "She's just reacting to the antidote's presence in her system. You must understand, there was a large amount of the drug in her bloodstream. It will take time to completely destroy it."

Sam nodded, watching as Janet's body relaxed. She sighed, closing her eyes. "Come back to me, Janet," she whispered. "Come back to me."

---

Two days had passed since Warner's experimental injection. Janet had developed a fever during the first night, which the doctor promised Sam was a good sign. She had her doubts, but took his word for it. Occasionally, Sam would give her lover a sponge bath to remove the sweat the fever had formed on the small frame. It pained the blonde to see Janet so helpless, so lifeless, but she refused to leave the bedside. SG-1 had been assigned to survey a new world, but Hammond reluctantly sent them off with a temporary team member.

Sam was pacing the room at five to midnight when it hit her. She had been replaying the final moments in Pollux's cave over and over in her mind, trying to picture every nuance when she realized what was odd. The wooden box at the base of the platform had been open when they arrived. She remembered two depressions in the velvet lining; one for the syringe, another for the bottle of coloring he had painted on her body. She recalled seeing the box when she was dressing Janet. The box held one more bottle... it's contents unknown.

As she burst from the room, she bowled over an intern bringing dinner and threw a hasty apology over her shoulder as she slid into the hallway. She had to get Hammond to allow a return trip to PC4-392... she had to return to Deauna.

---

The rain was falling harder than before, the ground surrounding the Stargate now no more than a swamp. Sam's boots sunk into the murky water as she exited the wormhole, running towards Alsair. By the time she reached the dirt road, her hair was plastered against her forehead, her skin soaked through the uniform.

She made excellent time to the town, finding that a group of locals were already gathered at the gates for her. Jeremiah was at the forefront, wearing robes identical to Pollux's. Sam assumed he was the new Apostle. He held up a hand. "You are not welcome in this town. Leave us."

Sam stopped, glaring at the man. "I know how to save my lover! I just want to get something and I'll be on my way!"

"You threaten to destroy us and now ask for our assistance?"

"Destroy you?" she called, straining to be heard over the pounding rain. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Jeremiah pointed to the skies. "The rain is attempting to wash away the sin you exposed us to! The last time Dark and Light threatened our land, God sent forth fire to cleanse us. This time he has chosen water. I cannot allow you into our city gates."

Sam grabbed him, throwing him to the ground and shooting him with a zat. His frail body jerked, then lay still. She swung the zat around. "Let through your gates! NOW!"

The people swarmed around the blonde. She zatted another man, knocking him to the ground. The crowd froze, shocked at her violence. "They'll be okay," she promised. "But a second shot kills! I'll kill each and every damn one of you to save my lover!"

The crowd slowly began to disperse, allowing her to enter the town. One man grabbed her jacket and protested, "Your boots! You cannot wear them within the city walls!"

Sam pulled her arm away and entered the city, muddy boots and all.

---

Hammond suppressed a sigh of relief as Sam trotted back down the ramp. She was holding a small glass vial in one hand, smiling for the first time in days. He nodded to her as she brushed past him, running to the infirmary.

---

"Little darlin'... I see the ice is slowly melting, Little darlin'... it feels like years since it's been clear..."

Cassandra laughed, a deep, full sound after the solemn mood that had fallen over her. "And remember how mad Mom was?

Sam sighed. "It had the reheating instructions on the side! How was I supposed to know that you were supposed to take it out of the container?"

"It was aluminum foil, Sam!" Cassie giggled. "Any idiot knows you're supposed to take it out! Oh, Mom was *so* mad, I thought she was going to explode just like the microwave!" She burst into a fit of giggles, falling back onto the empty bed that, until recently, had contained Janet's comatose form.

Sam grinned. "I'll overlook that idiot comment..."

They were both happy to be laughing again. Warner was currently injecting Janet with the serum Sam had retrieved from Alsair and they were awaiting his word of how it was going. The two had started reminiscing about Janet and hadn't stopped laughing. Cassie climbed off the bed and hugged Sam, chuckling softly. It wasn't until the girl rested her head on her shoulder that Sam realized she was crying. "I hope she's okay..."

Sam stroked the girl's hair. "I know, baby. We just... have to hope."

The door opened and Warner stepped inside. "Sam... I have some news about Janet's condition."

The blonde immediately tensed, standing and hugging Cassie tightly. "What is it?" she asked, determined to keep her voice firm.

"I think," Warner sighed, "News like this is best received from a loved one."

Sam's heart skipped as he opened the door and Janet wheeled herself into the room. She looked frail and thin in the wide hospital gown, but her eyes were sparkling with life and a smile was painted on her face. "He-ey. Anyone miss me?"

Sam was across the room in an instant, embracing the woman in her wheelchair. "Oh, God... oh, Janet, my God, Janet... Oh, I missed you!"

Warner simply smiled, winking at Cassie and making a graceful exit. Sam wheeled her lover over to the bed, helping the brunette climb under the blankets. Cassandra's face was lit like a Christmas tree and she suddenly jumped. "Oh! Jack and the guys collected presents for you, Mom!"

"Presents?" Janet asked, eyebrows raised. "Bring 'em on!"

"I have to go get 'em," Cass said, moving towards the door. "I'll be right back."

When she was gone, the two women settled into a comfortable silence. It was then that Janet noticed her song playing softly. She smiled and hummed along with the quiet voice of George Harrison, her eyelids drifting shut. "God, I love this song," she whispered. Sam stroked her lover's hair out of her face, smiling softly. "I know. I played it the entire time you were here."

The doctor chuckled, still weak from her ordeal. "Great. You must be sick of it by now."

"It's grown on me." Sam had wedged herself onto the bed, pressed tightly against Janet's side. Janet had one arm wrapped around the blonde's hip, holding her so that she didn't fall off the bed.

Janet pressed a kiss to Sam's temple, then said, "You know, if I caught a patient doing this, I'd have some stern words for them..."

"Ah, but you're not the doctor here. It's the perfect crime."

Janet laughed quietly, laying her head against the pillow. "God... what you must've gone through."

"Shhh," Sam murmured against Janet's throat. "You're here now. That's all that matters."

Janet put one hand on Sam's cheek, turning the blonde's head until they were face-to-face. She gently kissed the blonde's lips, then said, "I couldn't die, Sam... not when you owe me free buffalo wings at the Well."

Sam laughed. "Ah, so *that's* why I dragged you from the brink of death."

"Exactly," Janet chuckled. "And as soon as I get outta here, you're making good on that offer."

Sam rested her head on Janet's shoulder. "You can count on it, Janet."

The brunette stroked her lover's golden hair as the CD player hissed. "Here Comes the Sun" had ended and, for the first time in days, the stereo progressed onto the next track.

"Something in the way she moves," came the soft lyrics, "attracts me like no other lover..."

End