Sam was the first one through the gate. With her gun raised, she began checking for trouble before Daniel and Teal'c had a chance to finish the trip through the gate. Jack had given them another meet and greet mission since he was still getting use to letting them go out without him.

"Alright Daniel, which way to that small village we saw on the UVA footage?" Sam knew the answer but she still felt obligated to ask. Jack had always asked so she figured it just felt right to do the same thing.

"Northwest about three clicks." Sam took the lead and Teal'c took the rear position. Daniel would alternate trying to engage each of them in conversation. He found it had become harder to break Sam's concentration since she had become a Lt. Colonel and accepted command of SG-1.

They had been traveling for twenty minutes when Sam signaled for them to stop. She looked at Teal'c, and using only his eyes he let her know he had also heard movement in the trees. They all crouched low. Sam and Teal'c were looking for cover while keeping their eyes peeled for visitors. Daniel was trying to look in every direction at once.

Two men dressed in what appeared to be forest green and dark brown uniforms stepped out from behind a large tree that resembled a long-leaf pine. Sam and Teal'c both turned their weapons towards the men. Daniel slowly stood after wordlessly getting Sam's permission, and began his howdy speech.

"I'm Daniel and this is Sam and Teal'c. We came through the stargate. We want to be friends." As Daniel spoke men on horses came out of the trees and surrounded SG-1. Sam became more anxious as she realized that they didn't have a clear path back to the stargate. All the men on horseback were armed with what appeared to be some type of projectile weapon. An older man sitting on a horse behind them was the first to speak.

"Do you mean the stone ring of death?"

"Uhm, that could be one way to describe it. We prefer to call it a stargate, because we use it to visit other planets."

"You will drop your weapons now." Sam knew it had just become her turn to join the conversation.

"Sorry, but no. We carry our weapons to..." Sam didn't have a chance to finish what she was saying because a heavily booted foot struck her in the back of the head. Sam stumbled forward from the unexpected impact. She landed on all fours right in front of the horse carrying the man who had been speaking to them.

The horse was surprised by her fall and reared up. Teal'c jumped forward and grabbed Sam's arm. He pulled her back towards him just as the horse landed where Sam had been kneeling moments before. Sam fell into Teal'c embrace.

"Thanks, Teal'c." Sam touched the back of her head to check for an injury. "I'm alright." The man on the horse made eye contact with Teal'c.

"Keep your woman quiet if you want her to live." Sam rolled her eyes. She hated landing on these male dominated planets! Daniel moved in front of Sam and Teal'c.

"On our planet women are not restricted from speaking."

"That doesn't matter! Today you are here, and you have to abide by our laws. If he can not control his woman then we will."

"Just let us go back to the stargate and we won't bother you again." Daniel began moving in the direction of the gate but a horse quickly blocked his progress.

"No. Our stories tell us about the evil that comes from the gate. We know enough to kill anyone who comes out of the stone ring of death. You will come with us to be questioned before we decide how you will die." It was obvious to SG-1 that they couldn't take all twelve men down without getting hurt. Sam laid her P-90 on the ground and unclipped her vest. Teal'c and Daniel followed her example. The two men not on horseback picked up their gear and left through the trees.

Another man got off his horse and handed Teal'c a rope.

"Tie her hands. Make it tight. If she escapes, you will all be killed." Teal'c looked at Sam. She raised her wrists and nodded her consent. Teal'c tied her hands but left her enough room so her circulation wouldn't be affected. The free end of the rope was tied to the saddle of a horse.

The man who had handed the rope to Teal'c proceeded to tie up Daniel and Teal'c. SG-1 was forced to run to keep up with the pace set by the riders. At one point, Daniel tripped and ended up being dragged for several feet before he managed to regain his footing. Sam turned around several times to check on her team. When Daniel fell, she barely managed to hold her tongue. Her mind was racing, looking for opportunities to get her team out of this. The sooner they got away from these chauvinistic pigs the better.

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Chapter 2:

When they reached town, an exhausted SG-1 was lead into what appeared to be the town hall. They were tied to a podium in the middle of a large room filled with chairs. Four men were left to guard them.

"This is great. Any ideas?" Sam felt more confident speaking since most of the men had left and she was directing her comments to Daniel and Teal'c.

"Let's wait and see what they do."

"I do not currently see another option at this point however I believe we need a plan in case they decide we are a threat." Teal'c was working on loosening the rope around his wrists as he spoke.

"I agree. It'll be easy for this to go further down hill very quickly. There are doors on either side of the stage plus the one behind us where we entered. The first thing we do, if we have to make a run for it, is get some horses."

"Agreed." Teal'c hadn't made much progress on the rope while Sam was talking.

"Sam, I think it would be best if you let Teal'c and I handle everything until we get back through the gate."

"As much as I hate it, I agree with you Daniel. Just do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Gab my arm or cover my mouth if you think it looks like I'm about to explode." Sam grinned at Daniel to let him know she was kidding. It would take every ounce of her strength, but she would hold her tongue and play the meek and mild woman until they were safe back on Earth.

The room began to fill with people. Each man who entered had a woman trailing several steps behind him. The women hung their heads and never attempted to make eye contact with any one in the room. Sam's heart fell. She couldn't imagine living on this world. She wasn't sure if she could survive having her spirit so broken.

The man who had spoken to them in the woods stood on the stage and looked down upon them. As all three members of SG-1 made eye contact with the man one of the guards moved up behind them and struck Sam on the back of the head with the butt of his weapon.

"Keep your head down woman or pay the price." Sam stumbled forward but she stayed on her feet this time. As her vision cleared, she stepped back towards Teal'c who stood behind her to steady her and give her a place to lean. She kept her head down and fought several successive waves of nausea. Damn, but she hated head injuries. Why couldn't these idiots be happy with hitting her on the shoulder or something!

"Tell us why you have come to our home!" Daniel took a step forward.

"We came in peace looking for allies and friends with whom we can trade."

"Trade?"

"Yes, we exchange goods with many worlds. It helps us obtain materials not found on our world and lets us share things like medicine and tools. We also exchange knowledge and help our friends in times of need."

"The stories of our ancestors describe evil beings who would kill and kidnap when they came through the ring. Our law says anyone coming through the ring is to be executed. Is there anything you can tell us to convince us to spare you?"

"There are evil beings who travel using the gate. They are called Goa'uld. We have been at war with them for eight years. Many of our allies have been fighting them for much longer. We can help you protect yourselves from the Goa'uld."

"How?"

"We have a cover for our stargate, which prevents people from traveling to our world uninvited. We can teach you how to make such a cover. We can also teach you how to recognize a Goa'uld so if one comes through the gate you will know it is time to defend yourself."

"How are we to know you are not a Goa'uld? How can we know you speak the truth?"

"We can take you through the gate and show you our world. You can meet some of our friends." Sam glared at Daniel as he spoke. She wasn't happy with the suggestion of giving these idiots passage to Earth.

"And what would stop you from holding us against our will?"

"We wouldn't do that."

"And we are suppose to trust your word?"

"Yes, it is all I have to offer."

"You have not shown yourselves to be trust worthy. "

"Then let us return home. We won't bother you again."

"Do I look stupid?" Sam would have loved to answer that one. "If we let you return home you will tell your people about the beauty of our world, and they will return and destroy us and everything we love. Take them to a cell."

The guards untied the ropes from the podium and pulled the three members of SG-1 from the room. They were shown to a typical old west type cell. Sam didn't think it would be too hard to get out.

Late that night SG-1 was brought back to the large hall where they had previously been interviewed. Sam knew they had missed their scheduled check-in by at least an hour. She hoped the cavalry would ride to the rescue soon.

"Our elders have considered your words. They have decided, against my advice, to allow you to leave. Your stuff will not be returned to you. We will not be so merciful if you return through the stone ring again." Daniel saw the look Sam gave him. Leaving all the stuff behind wasn't an option. They had to have their GDOs if they were going to be able to safely return.

"We are very happy that you are allowing us to go home. We do however need one piece of our equipment."

"Did you not understand what I said? You may leave but we are keeping your possessions!"

"As I told you earlier, we have a cover over our gate to prevent unwelcome visitors from coming to our world. We need one piece of our equipment to signal our home and tell them to open the cover. If the cover isn't opened we will die when we go through the gate."

"That is not my problem. My decision stands." Sam took a step past Teal'c and reached out, touching Daniels arm. Daniel knew she had reached her limit. Daniel shook his head slightly.

There was an audible gasp in the room. All three team members instantly knew something was wrong. Daniel looked back to the stage as three guards moved forward.

"WHO'S WOMAN IS SHE?"

"What?" Daniel looked truly confused.

"In the field he picked her up and held her!" The man on stage was pointing at Teal'c. "Now she purposefully touches you! To which of you does she belong?" His anger was palpable.

"She does not belong to either of us. Our women are free." A low murmur filled the room.

"Then she doesn't belong to either of you, yet she touches you both."

"Yes, this is acceptable on our world." Daniel felt Teal'c move closer to Sam. All three members of SG-1 knew things were getting out of hand.

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Chapter 3:

"AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE YOU ARE ON OUR WORLD!" The man on stage was breathing rapidly and trying to regain control of his temper. "Bring the reader."

Several women left the room and returned later with a young girl. The girl looked terrified.

"Read her. Tell us to whom she belong." The girl never looked at any one in the room. She simply nodded her head yes and moved towards Sam.

The girl studied Sam for a moment before reaching out to touch her face. Sam seemed transfixed by the girl. Neither of them moved for several moments. Daniel and Teal'c were both about to push the girl away when she let go and took a step back. Sam looked confused but unharmed.

"Well?" The man standing on the stage was looking at the girl. She turned towards him but she never lifted her face.

"He heart belongs to her leader, but she has given her body to another.  Neither of them is with her today." The girl bowed and moved out the door.

"Take her to the circle." The man looked at Sam with disgust.

"What are you going to do?" Daniel and Teal'c moved to block the guards from Sam as Daniel screamed to the man looking down at them. One of the guards grabbed the free end of Sam's rope off the ground. Six other guards moved towards Daniel and Teal'c.

"She will be stoned to death for betraying her betrothed." Teal'c began shoving his body into the guards. He took down two before three others pinned him. Daniel ran towards the guard closest to him but was surprise as he was tackled from behind. He and Teal'c were both having trouble fighting because their hands were tied and they were weaponless.

A shot rang out in the hall. All of the guards and SG-1 stopped moving. The man on stage pointed his weapon at Sam.

"If you all prefer to die here and now it would be my pleasure." Daniel and Teal'c looked at Sam and she used her eyes to tell them to back off.

They were all dragged outside. Sam was tied to a pole in the center of a garden in front of the main building. Daniel and Teal'c were tied to pillars on the porch of the building. From this spot, they had an unobstructed view of Sam. The women knelt in a large circle surrounding the garden. They began to hum and rock back and forth. If Sam's life wasn't on the line Daniel would have been intrigued. These were the first sounds he had heard any woman make, except for the reader, since they had arrived.

Teal'c watched the men pass around buckets of rocks. The rocks were piled high in the buckets and there were plenty of buckets to go around. Stoning was obviously a common occurrence for these people. The men had formed a circle between Sam and the ring of humming women. The man from the stage was the first to step into the garden.

"Our women are treasures which must be guarded and protected from evil. For those who are not well protected or who choose to give themselves to evil we are entrusted to free them from the evil. Let us not shy away from our sacred duty to protect the righteous." He turned and looked at Sam. Sam had given up faking a meek posture and looked him in the eye. She saw his face contort as she faced him. "May your Lord have mercy on your corrupted soul and may those who watch you suffer realize the price of disobedience."

"I die free!" Sam locked eyes with Teal'c and nodded. She had heard him use the phrase in many deadly situations and felt it was fitting in this case. He recognized her words as paying him an honor and bowed his head.

Her words had further incited the men around her. She watched them each pick up several stones from the buckets. Sam held herself rigid as she looked at each man. She wanted every one of them to know she was strong. She made up her mind to keep her head up, at least until she passed out.

Without any other warning, the first stone was thrown by an elderly man to Sam's right. It was a weak throw but it was followed by larger rocks thrown with greater velocity. It didn't take Sam long to realize this was going to be a quick but painful death.

Teal'c and Daniel were struggling against the ropes as the stones began to fly. Teal'c kept his eyes focused on Sam. As ridiculous as it sounded, he hoped as long as he could see her she would survive. Daniel couldn't watch so he began looking at the tree-covered hills around the town. He knew Sam was going to survive without help, soon.

Teal'c was the first to see one of the men fall dead. He had been preparing to throw a large stone when his head exploded and his body fell back. Daniel heard the echo of the shot and knew help was hidden among the trees. As another man fell, the women began to run back to the building. Most of the men were following.

"I knew others would follow and kill us!" The man from the stage grabbed Daniel and tried to use him as a shield.

"Let us go and we will not return." Daniel was making himself a dead weight. The man was having a hard time holding him up.

"You are wrong Daniel Jackson. Someone must atone for the injuries sustained by Colonel Carter." Teal'c was looking at the man holding Daniel. An old man crawled out to the porch.

"Avarin, their weapons can kill without them showing their faces. The elders have decided to let them go and ask for their forgiveness."

"What?"

"You heard me. Let them go."

"You fools! They will kill us!"

"They might kill you but we do not think they will kill all of us." The man holding Daniel turned and kicked at the old man. Two of the younger guards cut the ropes holding Teal'c and Daniel to the pillars. Teal'c elbowed Avarin in the face. Avarin released Daniel so he could grab his broken nose.

Teal'c and Daniel ran to Sam. She was unconscious. Only the ropes tying her to the pole kept her upright. Her hair was matted with blood. There were large wounds on her head and face. Many of the cuts were very deep. Teal'c picked her up and began running towards the trees. Daniel had to work hard but he kept up.

Teal'c laid Sam down in front of Jack. Jacks eyes widened with horror at the site of her. You couldn't tell by looking at her that she was a blond. She was covered in blood and there were welts and bruises on her exposed arms. Daniel looked at the men of SG-3 and then at Jack.

"Thank God you got here when you did, Jack."

"It seems to me that we're a bit late, Daniel." Jack felt for Sam's pulse. It was weak and faint. Her breathing was shallow and slow. It was obvious that they were losing her. As Jack reached into his pack for a med kit Teal'c held his wrist.

"There is no time, O'Neill. We must get her back to the SGC as fast as possible." Jack rarely saw fear in Teal'c's eyes, but when he looked up it was there. The realization that Teal'c was also scared made Jack's stomach tighter.

"You're right. Ok, head back to the gate. Radio SG-6 and tell them we are on our way. They have to keep the gate secure."

"Yes, sir." The men of SG-3 arranged themselves into protective ring around SG-1 and Jack. Teal'c picked Sam up and they started to jog back to the gate. The pace was faster than usual but slow enough that Daniel didn't have any trouble keeping up and Jack's knees only slightly protested. As they neared the gate Jack noticed Teal'c slow and look down at Sam.

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Chapter 4:

"Teal'c?"

"I am afraid we have not been fast enough." Teal'c's eyes met Jacks. The sorrow and loss was writing across his face, although you had to know him well to realize it. Jack flicked his radio.

"SG-6, dial us out. I repeat, dial us out. Tell the SGC to have the doc waiting when we arrive. Our patient is critical." The gate was within sight and Jack could see the men following his orders. Teal'c never slowed again. He ran straight through the event horizon and descended the ramp barely stopping before running into the medical personnel waiting at the bottom.

Teal'c placed Sam on a gurney. The doc felt for a pulse and immediately ordered the medics to begin CPR. Jack arrived in time to see Sam being pushed out the door. There was a nurse straddling her body doing chest compressions. Jack's heart fell into his stomach.

SG-1 and Jack waited out in the hall leading to the infirmary. Jack heard the whine of the paddles being charged followed by the zap as they were used. That damn sound repeated itself more than once before it stopped. He couldn't hear the beeping of a heart monitor but he told himself that it probably just wasn't loud enough to be heard this far off. She had to live. He needed her. They all needed her.

It was over an hour before the doctor came out to talk with them.

"How is she, doc?"

"She's been sent to surgery, General O'Neill."

"For what?"

"There are a couple areas of bleeding inside her head. It was causing the pressure to rise inside her skull. The pressure was squeezing her brain and causing it to shut down. The neurosurgeon is going to put in a shunt to remove the excess fluid. Once we get the pressure down we will be able to analyze the true extent of her injuries."

"How will you stop the bleeding in her brain?" Daniel was pale white and barely holding himself upright as he spoke.

"If it doesn't stop on it's own, the neurosurgeon may have to do more surgery later."

"How long until we can see her?" Jack stood ram rod straight. Daniel recognized soldier mode when he saw it.

"The surgery will take at least another hour, more if the bleeding requires intervention. After surgery, it will take us a few hours to get her settled and cleaned up. I suggest you all get some rest and something to eat. Come back in about four or five hours. I should know more then."

Daniel and Jack sat down in the plastic chairs along the hall. Daniel leaned forward and placed his head in his hands, which were propped up on his knees. Jack let his head fall back against the wall and closed his eyes. Teal'c remained ramrod straight watching over his two worried friends. He was afraid that Colonel Carter wasn't going to be lucky enough to survive this time. He wasn't sure what would happen to Daniel Jackson and O'Neill if she didn't make it.

Sam stayed on life support for three days with no change in her condition. The doctors said there were still indications of brain activity, although they admitted there was a significant chance of some degree of brain damage. They all agreed that she needed more time to heal before she would wake. They encouraged her team to talk to her often. Jack had every SG off world team leaving messages for the Tokra. He knew her father would want to be here for her.

It was eight days after bringing her back when Sam opened her eyes. Daniel was sitting with her when he saw her eyelashes flutter. Although her eyes opened slightly, she didn't seem to really be looking at anything.

"Hey, Sam. It's me, Daniel. Can you hear me? Sam?" There was no response and she closed her eyes again. The doctors told SG-1 that is was a good sign. They went back to waiting and watching. For an impatient man, Jack was remarkably capable of sitting and staring at her for hours without fidgeting.

The next time her eyes opened Teal'c was sitting with Sam. He reached out and touched her hand. She did not look in his direction. He spoke to her for several minutes but her eyes remained unfocused. He didn't think she was really in that room with him. The sight of her vacant face with the open eyes sent chills down his spine. Teal'c had seen more horrors than most can imagine, but the sight of his hollow friend was worse than all the horrors cataloged in his mind.

Teal'c was glad to leave when Jack came by to relieve him. Jack was exhausted. He was running the SGC and spending all of his spare time with Sam. He had been living off 3-4 hours of sleep, or less, each night for two weeks. As Jack sat down beside Sam, he couldn't help but acknowledge that he was too old to keep it up for long. Jack jerked awake when he realized he had been disturbed by a moan. He looked around the infirmary but he didn't see any patient who could have made the sound. He briefly wondered if his own snoring had disturbed him. When he turned back to Sam, he saw her eyes were open and she was looking at him.

"Hey, Carter. How ya' feeling?"

"Car.....ter?"

"Yeah. That's your name." His chest tightened. They had told him to expect some brain damage but he hadn't been ready for this.

"Car......ter."

"Right. I'm General O'Neill."

"Neill."

"Not quite but it's a good try." Jack hit the nurse call button. When the nurse saw Jack was talking with Sam, she went to get the doctor.

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Chapter 5:

"Colonel Carter, it's good to see you awake this afternoon." Sam just stared at the doctor. Jack and the doctor could both tell the words hadn't registered in Carter's mind.

"Ok, Colonel, tell me what you remember." The doctor smiled at Sam trying to be reassuring.

"Neill." The doctor looked at Jack. They shared a worry.

"I'll schedule an MRI, sir."

"Right." Jack picked up Sam's hand as the doctor walked away. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"You'll be alright, Sam. I promise."

"Sam."

"Yeah, that's your name." Jack smiled at her but sorrow filled his eyes. His super smart astrophysicist didn't know her own name or his. Was she even the same person deep inside?

Daniel and Teal'c both showed up while Sam was in the MRI. They had heard she was awake and interacting. They didn't know how much she had been hurt.

"Jack, she's awake?"

"Yeah."

"Where is she?" Jack looked up at Daniel and then let his gaze wander over to Teal'c.

"They took her to the MRI."

"Why?"

"She not exactly herself, Daniel. I'm sorry guys, but she doesn't even remember her own name." Daniel sat down on one of the plastic chairs still sitting in the hall outside the infirmary. Teal'c bowed his head before looking back at his friends.

"She will return to us. She will just need our help." Jack and Daniel both nodded slightly, just barely registering Teal'c's words.

Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel waited in the briefing room for the doctor. She wanted Sam to rest and she knew the best way to accomplish this was to occupy SG-1's time. She asked them to meet her at 1500 in the briefing room.

"The MRI shows damage similar to a stroke, sir. It isn't surprising that her memory and skills have been damaged. The other functions of her brain may or may not have been affected. She also has some trouble controlling the right side of her body."

"Are you telling us that she might be fine in there but unable to communicate in any way?" Of course Daniel would be the most horrified by the prospect of not being able to talk or write.

"That is possible."

"How can we find out?" Jack needed to know how to get her back.

"We need to let her explore her abilities."

"I don't like the idea of letting her rummage around exploring through the SGC. There are a lot of ways she could get hurt."

"The only way she is going to regain her abilities is to stretch herself. She needs to be where she is most comfortable. Based on her files I thought that would be her lab, not her house. If you disagree, sir, I will go with your recommendation."

"I don't disagree that she spent more time here than at home but I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone in the SGC."

"That seems reasonable, sir. I don't even think she should be alone at home for a while. Do you have a recommendation about who should be assigned to watch her?" Daniel didn't need to wait for Jack's answer.

"We will." Jack looked at Daniel. He knew there wouldn't be any arguing with him.

"I agree, O'Neill." That was the last straw for Jack. He knew he was out numbered.

"Alright. You have your volunteers, doc."

"Yes, sir."

Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c arranged their schedules so they could help Sam get settled back into her life. Several days later the doctor let her take short trips out of the infirmary. Her first visit to her lab proved the doc's assumption that her brain functions, other than communication, seemed to be intact. She headed straight over to her bench and picked up her tools. She took the cover off a naquada reactor before Jack could stop her. He was still a little nervous about her blowing up the whole base.

When he placed his hand over hers she looked up into his eyes. She held his gaze for several minutes. She freed her hand and reached up to touch his cheek. She gently traced a line down his cheekbone to his lips. Her eyes began to follow her fingers. His heart raced as her soft touch caressed him.

This was too close. Jack's brain began to scream 'stop'.  Jack stepped back. Their contact was broken.  He could see the hurt and confusion in her face.

"No?" She looked at him with a tear in one eye.

"I don't know what you mean." He could see she was searching her brain for a word, a way to get him to understand.

"Us."

"Oh. We're friends." This didn't fix the confused look on her face. "Friends, it means we like each other but not too much." Sam looked down at the floor and shuffled her feet. She felt like she had been reprimanded.

"Go." Sam moved towards the door.

"Where?" All Jack could do was follow. Sam's right side was still partially paralyzed which resulted in a limp when she walked. She also had a hard time doing little things like turning a doorknob with her right hand. Jack watched her as she walked away. He was drawn to protect her. It felt different than when they were fighting side by side. This pull felt stronger.

Jack followed Sam to her quarters. When she got to the door she tried to open it with her right hand but failed. Jack stepped forward to help and she slapped his hand. She opened the door with her left hand and stepped inside. She closed the door in Jack's face.

"Sam?"

"No. Go." Jack got the point. He knew it was time to let Teal'c or Daniel take over. He had screwed things up. Sam lay down on the uncomfortable cot in the corner. She could no longer fight the tears. She had been sure that her feelings for Neill were real, but his reaction had told her she was wrong. Obviously, her heart was alone in its desires. She didn't have any memories of a relationship with him, just like she had forgotten any word two syllables or longer. Suddenly she realized that she might not have forgotten anything about him. Maybe it was never there. That thought saddened her more than thinking she had forgotten.

When Daniel entered, he found Sam asleep on her cot. It was obvious she had cried herself to sleep. Later, over dinner, Jack briefly told Daniel why she was upset. Daniel had known by Jack's face that even if he had asked for details he wouldn't have gotten them. Daniel decided to put a guard on her room and leave her alone until morning.

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Chapter 6:

Teal'c and Daniel found Sam sitting in the commissary eating breakfast the next morning. She had some fruit, a blueberry muffin, and a cup of orange juice in front of her. The doctor didn't want her drinking caffeine or eating anything that would increase her blood pressure for a while. There was apparently an increased risk of strokes while she was healing, so she wasn't suppose to do anything to raise her blood pressure.

Teal'c sat across from Sam and Daniel sat beside her.

"Morning, Sam."

"Hi." Sam smiled a lopsided grin at Daniel. The right side of her lips still didn't go up quite as high as the left. It was actually a very endearing look.

"It is a pleasure to be able to share a meal with you again, Colonel Carter." Sam nodded and continued to grin. There was a slight blush to her cheeks. As Sam tried to pick up her fork she bumped into Daniel.

"Sor.....ry."

"It's alright, Sam. Do you need some help?"

"No." Sam shook her head and slowly picked up her right arm. She easily placed her right hand on the table and inched her way to the fork. She knew if she concentrated, she could get her right side to work fine. She only screwed up when she tried to go fast or was thinking about something else.

When she had bumped into Daniel, she had been trying to think of his name. She knew she felt close to both of these men, not as close as she felt to Neill, but still close. She just couldn't recall why she felt so close to them. Knowing they were friends, she didn't want to ask them their names. Not only did she not know how to verbalize it, she was also afraid they would be upset. She figured she had already lost one friend, Neill, and she didn't want to risk doing the same to these two men.

Daniel and Teal'c kept trying to bring Sam into the conversation. The doctor had told them it was important to make her keep pushing herself.

"I brought you the puzzle from today's paper." Sam looked at the newspaper Daniel placed beside her. "You use to do the crossword puzzle every morning. Sometimes you challenged Jack, but he very rarely ever managed to complete the whole thing without help."

Sam kept looking at the paper. She didn't recognize any of the symbols on the paper. She didn't know what to do with the damn thing. Daniel saw the look of desperation cross over her face.

"It's ok if you can't do it right now. I'll help you with it for a while until you're ready to try on your own again."

"No." Sam's eyes had tears in them again. She hated looking weak and she didn't want help. To make everything worse Neill was approaching the table. He was the last person she wanted to see her weakness. She had already made a big enough of a fool of herself in front of him.

As Jack approached the table Sam stood. Sam's right hand swung out wildly and knocked over her glass of orange juice. The newspaper was soaked and Daniel's pants got wet. Sam backed away from the table and turned away from her team. She left the commissary with her head hung low and tears in her eyes.

"Not a good morning I take it." Jack looked at Daniel.

"No. I guess offering to help her with the crossword was a bit much."

"I can't even do that cursed thing. It's no wonder it scared her." Daniel shook his head.

"I don't know where to start with her."

"Perhaps we need to let her tell us."

"Wise words Teal'c but how are we supposed to know what she wants."

"Colonel Carter has always told us whats she wants and needs but like most of us she rarely does it with words. We need to look into her heart to read her mind." Daniel and Jack felt as if they had been sent to the principal's office. They knew Teal'c was right. No one knew Sam better. If anyone was going to be able to help her, it was her team, her closest friends. They just had to try harder.

All three men went to her lab and then to her quarters. There was no sign of her. They each got a handheld radio and spread out to look for her. Jack was the first to see her. She was in the gym giving a poor private the work out of his life. The poor guy had no idea what he had done wrong in life to deserve the beating he was getting from this level three advanced hand-to-hand combat trained Colonel.

"Teal'c, Daniel, I found her in the gym. Give us a little time. I'll let you know when we're ready to leave. Go get some work done until I call you." Jack let go of the radio.

"Alright, Jack."

"As you request, O'Neill."

Jack stepped into the gym and signaled the private to let him step in. The relieved private made a beeline for the locker room. Relief really was spelled across his face. There were no words exchanged as Jack stepped onto the mat with Sam. She didn't give him any time to prepare for her attack. She threw a right punch, followed by a left hook, and ended with a kick aimed towards a kidney. Jack deflected the weak punch, felt the hook, and rolled away from the kick. Jack touched his cheek and stood back up. He knew there would be a mark.

The sparing match was heated. It only took Jack two minutes to realize he couldn't go too easy on Sam and get out of this with the ability to walk upright. Sam had found a somewhat altered rhythm, due to her struggle against her right side that didn't always do what she wanted. Jack was surprised to find that he was breathing hard and sweating like a pig within fifteen minutes. Sam was on the offensive and he was working hard to keep her from hurting him or herself.

Jack could see Sam was pushing herself beyond the point of exhaustion, heck he was getting tired and he got to the party late. Jack finally decided it was time to end things, on his terms, before somebody got hurt. Sam realized his intention moments before he threw himself full force at her. She rolled with him, using the momentum and his own weight to throw him over her head. He landed hard. She was up and on him before he had a chance to catch his breath. She planted her foot on his knee to ensure he wouldn't resist.

"I guess that proves it's all still in there?"

"So?"

"So, that means we just have to find a way to help you access it."

"How?"

"I don't know but I promise to be nice if you'll get your foot off my knee." Sam moved her foot. "Thanks, that's much better." Sam nodded. Jack sat up using his elbows for support. Sam was still straddling his waist. "I can't believe you used my knee against me."

Their eyes locked. Sam had familiar feelings of desire overwhelm her. She jumped up off his lap as if she had been burned. She didn't want to do anything to push him away again. She believed if she could only get to her memories she would like what she found out about Neill.

"Are you ok?" Jack reached out and lightly touched her arm as she was moving away.

"Fine."

"How about helping an old defeated warrior off the cold hard floor?"

"Sure." Sam gave Jack a half smile and reached out her right hand.

"It seems like your right side works fine when you let it."

"Yeah." Jack was standing very close and he hadn't let go of her arm.

"How about we get showered?"

"Yes." Jack motioned towards the door. Sam took the hint and led the way. She didn't even realize it was test. She walked straight to the locker room and opened her locker. She got out all of her shower stuff and went to a shower stall. Jack watched without interfering. It was clear to him that if they let her do what came naturally she would do what felt right. Her routine, her need for repetition had always driven Jack crazy. He realized it was that very quality that might be the key to her recovery.

Jack showered quickly after Sam left and called Teal'c and Daniel. He told them about the match and her trip to get showered. He told them it was time to force her to do things for herself. He knew they should have realized holding her hand was the same as holding her back. If they pushed her out of the proverbial nest, she would fly. They just had to be sure they didn't push her away in the process.

Chapter 7:

McKinsey had told them her older memories were the mostly likely to return first. He recommended helping her remember her childhood and then progress forward. He also warned them that many of her memories would result in powerful emotional responses. Jack shook his head at the idea of Sam being overly emotional until the doc reminded him that her stoicism was a trained response, training she currently didn't remember.

Sam was spending another night in her quarters watching television. She seemed to need the time alone each night to process her day. Tomorrow she was scheduled to begin working with a speech-language therapist, the wife of Lieutenant Lingle from SG-15. He was very excited that Jack was working to get his wife enough clearance to work on the base. He didn't tell Jack but hiding the truth about his job had been hurting his marriage. He hoped once his wife knew he really was leaving the base on Air Force missions and protecting the whole planet she would regain her trust in him. It had taken three weeks to get the therapist cleared but tomorrow, Sam would get more help on her long road to recovery. A road Jack no longer felt like knew how to navigate.

Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel got together in Teal'c's quarters after dinner to discuss the next step in helping Sam rediscover her memories. Daniel said they should take her to visit Mark. No one else on Earth knew more about her childhood. Mark was the most qualified person to help her get started remembering her life. Jack agreed that Mark was the best Earth bound choice but the risk was too high. Sam had too many classified memories in her head to let Mark start probing around in there. He also knew they would have a hard time explaining her condition, since stoning didn't happen in Colorado too often.

"What about Colonel Carter's home?" Jack looked at Teal'c's stoic face.

"Carter bought that house after she started at the SGC. That isn't going to help her with her childhood memories." Jack shook his head and looked down as he spoke.

"Not the house, Jack, but what about the stuff in it?"

"What do you mean, Danny?"

"Sam must have mementos from her childhood. I know she has some picture albums."

"She showed you her picture albums?" Jack felt the knot of jealously in his belly but he pushed it down.

"Yeah, after Jolinar. We took the time to get to know each other a little better. We both felt like orphans, even though her family was still alive. It was what she needed at the time although Jacob coming back into her life did more for her then I was able to do." Jack nodded even though he wasn't able to rid his stomach of the knot. He had spent some time with Sam after the Jolinar incident, but he had been struggling with his feelings and he hadn't been able to be open to her like she wanted and needed. Daniel had obviously given her what she had needed when he couldn't.

"Then it's settled. Her home, tomorrow afternoon." Jack stood and quickly left the room before his hidden emotions bubbled to the surface.

The first day of speech therapy yielded noticeable results. If Sam slowed down and concentrated, she was able to manage some two-syllable words with only a small gap in the middle. The therapist had started with names so she was able to finally say Daniel. At first he didn't react, but then he looked up with a big silly grin on his face.

"You've been practicing that, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Great job. It's good to hear it again. I hadn't realized until this moment that you hadn't been using my name. I guess I've been preoccupied."

"With me."

"Yeah, but that's what friends are for, right?"

"Right." Sam smiled back before taking another bite of her meatloaf. Three bites of the slightly too dry meat convinced her to eat more salad and fruit.

Jack ended up tied to his desk running the SGC while Teal'c and Daniel took Sam to her home. The sight of her house didn't result in any reaction from Sam. Daniel put his hand up to stop Teal'c from following her inside. Daniel wanted Sam to have the chance to find her way around and let her routine kick in.

Sam walked down the entrance hall to the coat rack on the wall. She took off her jacket and hung it up. Daniel smiled at Teal'c. He knew this must be part of Sam's routine. Sam went to the kitchen next. She walked over to the answering machine. There was a number four flashing. She pressed the play button.

"Hey, Sweetie. My case is running longer then I expected, and I won't be able to come down. I'm sorry our weekend plans have been ruined again. Call me when you get this and we'll reschedule." Beep.

"I guess you wouldn't have been free this weekend, even if I would have been able to make it, since you haven't called back yet. Please don't tell me that you aren't speaking to me because I got tied up at work. Call me. I'll make it worth it. I promise." Beep.

"Sam, I'm really worried. I haven't heard from you in three weeks. If you aren't speaking to me then write or something. Just let me know you aren't dying in the middle of God only knows where. If I don't hear from you soon I'm just going to show up." Beep.

"Hey, Sam. It's Mark. The kids are wondering why their Aunt hasn't called in so long. I told them we would call and check on you but I didn't figure you were there. Don't pull a Dad on them. Give them a call soon, ok." Beep.

Sam turned around to look at Daniel and Teal'c who were now standing in the doorway to her kitchen.

"Mark?"

"Mark is your brother."

As she thought about the words 'brother' and 'dad' she remembered the concept of family. She hadn't considered the possibility of having a family until this moment. She had just assumed these three men were it. This revelation only resulted in more questions she didn't know how to ask. Damn her mouth! Why was it so far behind her head!

"Kid?"

"I'm sorry Sam. I don't understand." Sam began pointing at herself.

"Fam...leee?" Daniel and Teal'c didn't know how to answer this question. Were they about to ruin her illusions of having the typical earth bound life? Were they going to dash dreams her mixed up mind might be making her think were realities?

"Your family consists of your brother, his wife and kids, and your dad." Daniel stepped forward and took a hold of her hand. He was trying to prepare himself for her reaction.

"And us. Don't forget us. We're your family too, Sam. We've been together for eight years and we will be here as long as you will let us." Sam felt a tear in her eye as Daniel looked at her.

"Indeed. We are a close family, Samantha. We will do whatever we must for one another. There is no biological bond that could be stronger then the one we have built by choice." Daniel looked at Teal'c with a shocked appreciation of his words.

"I didn't know you had it in ya' big guy."

"Don't let my exterior fool you, Daniel Jackson. I have been studying your Earth poetry and I found it to be an effective way to express oneself."

Sam smiled at the exchange that felt so familiar that it was comforting. She let go of Daniel's hand and walked down to the living room. It looked cozy but not really lived in. There were framed pictures on the mantle. She went over and picked up one of her and her team. Neill was standing to her right and Daniel was on her left. Teal'c was behind her. She was laughing.

The next picture was of two adults and two children. She looked at the kids. The face was too familiar to not recognize. She had spent the first two days after she woke looking at herself in the mirror. Since this was a picture of her as a child, the other kid must be Mark. She had brief flashes of the boy yelling at her and pushing her down.

She stared at the adult male, her dad. Her mind flashed up pictures of him in a blue uniform, like the ones she had seen on base. She remembered him in a bed wearing a gown. There were flashes of him in a brown uniform standing in the briefing room on base. The last memory was of a kiss given to her as he told her goodbye. She remembered her disappointment that he had to leave again. It seemed most of her memories of him involved his leaving.

She looked at the woman, her mother. There was no denying the relationship based on looks. Her mind provided her images of birthday parties and shopping trips. She pressed her mind but couldn't come up with any recent memories. As she stared, she recalled seeing herself in the mirror wearing a black dress with white polka dots. She was crying. Her father was comforting her. She was outside. There were flowers and lots of people.

"No!" At the sound of her voice Daniel and Teal'c rushed into the living room. Daniel was the first to reach Sam. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards himself. He looked down at the picture in her hands.

"Dead?"

"Your mother?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, she died when you were a kid."

"Car?"

"In a car accident." Sam fell into his arms and began to sob. Her shoulders shook as she mentally relived the pain of losing a mother she barely remembered. Daniel led Sam over to the sofa and sat with her until her regained control.

"Sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry for Sam. You have a lot of memories in there" Daniel pointed to her head "that will be a surprise. Let us be here to help you with them." Sam looked into his eyes and appreciated the warmth radiating from them to her. She knew, even without her memories, that these men could be trusted. They were just as much a family to her as the people in the picture she still held.

"This a good sign Colonel Carter. Your memories reappeared when you saw the picture."

"Yeah." She smiled up at T. "More."

"Do you want to look at more pictures?" Sam shook her head yes, so Daniel went over to her bookshelf.

"I have to be honest Sam, you weren't too great at keeping up with photo albums. I think this is where you kept most of what you had." Sam took the book from Daniel.

"What about Dr. Fraiser's possessions?" Teal'c looked at Daniel.

"Cassie has most of the photo albums but I'll ask her to bring them when she comes home next week."

"Cass?"

"Cassie is a girl you helped rescue several years ago. She's at college now, but she has a week of break coming up. She's going to come and stay with Jack." Daniel looked away from Sam as he spoke. He didn't want to have to explain about Janet so soon after Sam had remembered her mother.

"Jack?"

"Yeah, Neill." Sam nodded.

Sam spent hours looking at old pictures. She remembered learning to ride a bike so she could follow her brother around the neighborhood. She remembered running into a mailbox once when she was trying to keep up with him and some of his friends who didn't want a pesky girl hanging around. When she got up without crying the boys accepted her and, to her brother deep disappointment, the boys let her hang around with them.

She recalled moving often and the difficulty of fitting in when you are so different and new. She found books on her shelf she knew she had read as a child, including Anne of Green Gables, Elf Quest, Lord of the Rings, Tom Sawyer, and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Although she couldn't read any of the titles she smiled as she picked up each book and felt them in her hands. She remembered how easy it was to get lost in a good book. Now she couldn't even recognize the letters. As she held the books, she decided her first goal would be to read again. She needed a way to lose herself.

Sam smelled something burning in the kitchen. When she ran in, she found Teal'c watching Daniel pull a casserole from the oven. The top of the casserole was black and there was smoke around his head. The smoke detector began to blare. For a moment, Sam was startled but Teal'c moved towards her and placed his hand on her forearm.

"It is alright, Samantha. That machine makes that noise in the presence of smoke. I assure you it happens often when Daniel Jackson cooks."

"It's not like you or Sam could do much better!" Daniel glared at Teal'c before turning back to the ruined casserole. "I guess we should plan to go out tonight. Just give me a few minutes to clean up."

Chapter 8:

After an Italian dinner, without the wine since Sam was still healing, the three friends went back to the mountain. Jack had left an order at the gate to be notified when they returned. He met them when the elevator doors opened.

"Welcome back! Any progress?" Jack looked from Sam to Daniel, because he didn't expect Sam to answer.

"Yes. Mark and Dad. I ride bike. I fell. I read books." Sam smiled. That was the most she had said since she had awoken with out a memory. She knew that was progress. His face lit up!

"Excellent! That much progress deserves a treat! Should it be Jello or ice cream?" Sam's face showed her indecision. "Well, now I know you have more work to do. That would have been an easy question before you got your brains banged up. Let me reintroduce you to Jello and ice cream so you can decide which is better." Jack held out his arm and she looped her arm around his elbow. They walked off together, with Daniel and Teal'c following, towards the commissary.

Sam slept well that night unaware that her friends were planning their next step in 'plan memory retrieval'. Jack had arranged for Sam and Daniel to spend the weekend at the Air Force Academy. Sam had been there for years while she was a cadet and had returned over the years to teach a few lectures. Jack hoped this would be a big push forward in her recovery.

Sam continued to progress well with her speech therapy. In the afternoons, Teal'c and Sam would workout or she would spend time in her room staring at the two books the therapist had loaned her. The books had obnoxiously cute pictures of children playing in them. It really pissed Sam off that they didn't make any sense to her. Usually after an hour with the books, she had to go for a run. She could always find some poor airman ready to be winded by following her around the winding trails of the mountain.

Friday night Jack finally had time to get out of the SGC. He wasn't caught up yet, but he knew if he kept at it over the weekend he would conquer the paper monster his desk had become by Monday morning. Jack took the whole team out to dinner, steaks of course.

"This is great Jack. Where did you find this place?"

"A friend told me about. He knew I had been looking since the O'Malley's incident."

"A friend? Do you mean General Hammond?"

"Yeah." Jack snickered as he remembered General Hammond pointing out what good food this place served and that no one on SG-1 had yet been thrown out.

"This is excellent grilled bovine, O'Neill." Teal'c nodded his head in appreciation of the tasty meat.

"Neill?" Sam looked at Jack with her head tilled, examining his features carefully.

"It's alright if you call me Neill...for now at least."

"Jack?" Sam's face was a mixture of confusion and discomfort.

"Yeah, that's ok too." Jack raised his eyebrows. He chastised himself for his internal reaction to how great it sounded to hear her say his name.

"No." It felt wrong. Neill felt better, but she didn't know why. She just knew he wasn't Jack, not to her.

"No?"

"Neill." Jack nodded his head. He understood, even if she didn't.

"Like I said, it's alright if you call me Neill, for now."

Daniel and Sam arrived at the Academy early Saturday morning. Sam had to wake Daniel up three times before she finally got enough coffee in him to keep him up. She was excited about going to her old school.

General Kerrigan greeted them in his office. He told them their passes would allow them access to all of the classroom areas. He had arranged for Sam to be escorted to her old room by two of the female cadets. General Kerrigan stood and held Sam's hand for several minutes before a cadet entered to give them a tour. He told her to let him know if there was anything he could do. The lack of recognition in her eyes hurt him.

Daniel and Sam followed the cadet through a series of classrooms. The cadet talked about the history of the different buildings and what classes were now taught in each room. He was obviously more used to giving tours to civilians, not alums. The morning tour did not spark any memories.

They had lunch in the cafeteria with the cadets. The noise was hard for Sam to handle. Everything was quieter at the SGC and she didn't have any memories of really noisy situations. As a young male cadet, sitting at a table to her right, stood Sam remembered John. John told her that he needed help in physics or he wouldn't graduate. She had agreed to tutor him only to find out he was playing stupid so he could get to know her. His plan almost backfired when she realized he had been playing her. She ended up forgiving him. They dated throughout her sophomore year. He graduated and got his wings. He died in a training accident during her junior year.

Daniel saw the tears in her eyes but he didn't know their cause. He reached out and touched the back of her hand. She looked up into his eyes and slowly smiled.

"Sam?"

"John was here."

"John?"

"Close friend. He died."

"I'm sorry." Sam shook her head.

"Memoring is good."

Daniel watched Sam as she picked at her meal. He just hoped he was ready for any emotional baggage this place opened for Sam. She hadn't ever really talked to him about her time at the academy. He didn't know what kinds of things might be hidden in her mind.

After lunch, they went out to the training grounds. They watched cadets climbing walls, crawling under barbed wire, firing at targets, and practicing their hand-to-hand combat skills. Daniel was impressed with the skills he saw displayed but still glad he didn't sign up to do this in college. He couldn't understand why Jack kept complaining about how much the new recruits at the SGC had to learn. These kids were obviously in better shape then he had been when he went through the gate the first time. While Daniel was lost in his thoughts about the cadets Sam had wandered off to the nearby survival course. Daniel wasn't alerted to her absence until he heard her scream and turned around to discover she wasn't within site.

Daniel ran through the bushes. Two senior cadets and an instructor were mere steps behind him.

"Sam! Sam, where are you?" Daniel found Sam sitting at the base of a large red maple tree. "Sam, what happened?"

"I was here. My first year. They touched me. They would not stop." Sam was shaking and crying. Daniel reached out and held her. He rocked her back and forth. The two senior cadets left but the instructor continued to stand at attention over Sam and Daniel. The instructor was an older man with very little hair but a nice build.

"Colonel Carter, I was teaching here when this happened to you. It was horrible for you but you stood your ground. Your attackers were expelled from the academy and the service. There were many changes made to our policies and practices because you were brave enough to come forward. All of the women who have attended the academy since have been safer thanks to you. You survived and were stronger. Do not let a past, which you conquered, destroy you." The instructor walked off to rejoin the cadets. Daniel was shocked into silence. He didn't know Sam had ever been attacked. Why had she remained in the military after such a horrid incident! Daniel was ready to take Sam back to the SGC. Jack's idea to bring Sam to the academy seemed to one of his worst as far as Daniel was concerned!

"My room." Sam sobs had faded while the instructor spoke. Daniel didn't realize that General Kerrigan had ensured that the instructors knew why Sam was visiting. All of the academy faculty members were ready to guide Sam though her academic past.

"Sam, we can go back to the SGC."

"No. My room." Sam pushed herself up off the ground and put a hand out for Daniel. They walked up to the dorm with his arm around her waist. He needed to feel her near him. In his mind, he told himself he was doing it for her benefit but in reality, he needed her strength. He couldn't shake the image of her being brutalized by hordes of men in uniform. He needed to protect her and keep her safe.

Chapter 9:

To Daniel Sam's old room looked like a typical dorm room, except the current occupants kept it amazingly neat. He figured it must be a military thing; both Sam and Jack kept their houses in a constant state of perfection. Sam did not see the same room Daniel was scanning. In Sam's mind she saw a picture of her mother on the desk. There was a picture of the whole family on the dresser. She saw her diary sitting on the desk. She had kept a diary! Sam walked forward and traced her fingers over the dresser. She sat on the bed and looked out the window.

"I climbed out." Sam was smiling as she stared out the window.

"You climbed out the window?"

"Yeah, for John. There was a party for the leavers."

"The leavers? Do you mean the graduates?"

"Yes! I wanted to go but I was too young."

"So you snuck out?"

"Yes."

"Were you caught?"

"No. It was fun. We made out."

"Oh, ok." Daniel blushed. He didn't want to think about Sam making out. She was like his sister and sisters didn't make out!

Sam was all smiles by dinner. She had shown Daniel where she went to her first formal dance. She told him about the beautiful corsage and learning to walk in heels. She had been a hopeless tomboy when she arrived at the academy, but luckily for the first time she had made friends with other women who were also learning how to be tough and feminine. They learned together how to be a new breed!

Sam and Daniel were given guest quarters for the night. Daniel heard her restless sleep from next door but he held back and didn't invade upon her. He knew her dreams were full of strange images that she couldn't yet put into an order. He was sure some of those images were horrific based on what they had faced together over the last eight years. Knowing she had to face the nightmares alone didn't make it easier for him to lie there listening to her toss and turn. His heart ached. This wasn't fair. She didn't deserve this! Hell, none of them deserved the ugliness they seemed to find each day! No one should have to fight what they did.

Daniel found Sam looking refreshed and smart in her dress blues for breakfast the next morning. After they had eaten, Daniel escorted Sam to the academy chapel for an interdenominational service. They sat near the back. Daniel was worried they might need to leave quickly if Sam got upset.

After the opening prayer, Daniel felt Sam's fingernails dig into his arm.

"Sam?"

"John laid here."

"Is this where they had his funeral?" Sam nodded her head yes. Her eyes were wide and her face was pale. Daniel knew she was reliving the sight of his coffin.

"We can leave."

"No." The look on her face had softened. Some color was returning. Everyone stood to begin the first hymn. Daniel grabbed a hymnbook and hastily turned to the page the kid in front of him had open. Daniel was shocked to hear Sam's beautiful voice. She was usually quiet when they would sing happy birthday. She had always been nervous about her voice, something about only getting speaking parts in every school play. He smiled; maybe she had forgotten to be shy about her voice.

When they sat back down Daniel held her hand. "Better now?"

"Yes. Ben was joined here."

"Do you mean married?"

"Yes." She smiled in appreciation of being given the word she had been roaming her mind to find.

"Ben?"

"A friend. He marry Laura. She had a baby."

"Ah, young love. Did it work out?"

"I hope so." Sam and Daniel noticed several of the cadets turning to look in their direction. They unanimously but silently decided to postpone any more conversations until after church. Sam remembered coming here to pray for her father's safety, for her mother's soul on each anniversary of her death, for her brother's spirit as he fought with the things her father represented, and for her own spirit as she changed from a child to soldier.

By the end of the service, Sam felt like she had found a completely new side of herself. She had remembered building a small bomb without permission in the physics lab, her last night in the dorms passing out advice to the other female cadets, and her own graduation. Neither her father nor her brother had been able to attend her graduation, but her father's friends, the Hammonds, had attended. Mrs. Hammond and her mother had been close before her mother's death. Occasionally Mrs. Hammond would mention trying to be a surrogate mother but Sam always pushed her away, as she did again during graduation. Sam hadn't been ready to be that open with anyone again. They left the chapel and went to Daniel's car. They stopped at a McDonald's for lunch. Sam smiled as she watched the children playing on the little playground inside the restaurant.

"I want to see Mrs. Ham....mond."

"Mrs. Hammond?"

"Yes, she was at my grad...grad..."

"Graduation?"

"Yes. She wanted to be like a mom, but I would not let her. I want to see her." Daniel had stopped chewing. Why couldn't Sam ask for things he could give? Why did all the memories have to be so harsh!

"She's dead Sam. I honestly don't know when. She died from cancer before I met you or General Hammond. I'm sure Jack could tell us more or we could visit General Hammond."

"No, I not know him well."

"That might have been true when you were at the academy but it isn't true now. General Hammond was in charge of the SGC until Jack took over this year. Jack let General Hammond know what happened. He's planning to visit as soon as we let him know you're feeling up to it."

"I'll think on it." Sam took another bite of her Big Mac. The fries were too salty, but the coke was refreshing. As she chewed, she tried to process that she had lost another person. It seemed like so many people had disappeared from her life. As her memories emerged, she felt like each person she remembered disappeared as quickly as her Coke. Perhaps she had been right during her graduation to decide it wasn't worth it to get close to people. People just disappear.

Sam looked up at Daniel. Why was this man sticking by her? She didn't feel attracted to him. She knew he was cute, she had seen how the nurses, cadets, and even the girl working the cash register had reacted to him. She knew by definition he was handsome but she wasn't physically drawn to him. He never touched her like a lover. Now that she had memories of being romanced, she knew what she shared with this man wasn't romantic. He was good to her but she knew they were just friends.

The drive back to the SGC was quiet. Sam was going back through the emerging memories, deciding what felt real and categorizing each memory. Even with her mind in pieces, she was still a scientist at heart.

"We'll be back soon. How are you feeling?"

"Good, this helped."

"I'm glad. Jack thought it would be good for you."

"Jack?"

"Yeah, he came up with the idea of letting you go back to the academy. He even talked to general Kerrigan so we would get special treatment, not that he had to do anything for that to happen. You go to the academy often to give guest lectures. General Kerrigan adores you. He is one of a dozen Generals who requests your transfer each year."

"Why?"

"Because you're brilliant, fun to work with, professional, and one-in-a-million."

"No pressure, huh?" Daniel laughed and Sam gave him a big smile. It felt good to see her having some fun. The SGC gate appeared and he saw the smile on her face disappear.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

"Not a thing." Daniel pulled the car over and turned off the engine. He refused to let this weekend end on a low note.

"Tell me anyway." She looked into his eyes as he turned to face her. He was sincere. He really wanted to know why she didn't want to return.

"I feel like I belong at...school and now it is time to...go back to...a place that...does not feel like...a place I know."

"You have spent more of your adult life in this mountain then anywhere else in the universe. I'm pretty sure, based on what I know about your childhood, this mountain is more your home then any house, school, or barrack where you ever lived. As your memories continue to return you will begin to feel like this home."

"But not yet. Now it feels like I'm going back to the hos....hos..."

"Hospital."

"Right. It's so gray and cold."

"You're right. Give me a minute." Daniel pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

"General O'Neill, please." Daniel looked over at Sam and smiled.

"Hey, Jack, it's Daniel. No, everything is fine. She's sitting right beside me." Daniel rolled his eyes for Sam's benefit, eliciting a slight giggle.

"It went fine. In fact, I think it was probably your best idea ever. True that's not saying much but..." Sam burst into laughter as Daniel pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Jack, Jack, Jack, I'm taking Sam back to her house for the night. We'll be back in the morning so she can have her usual therapy session." Sam's eyes lit up at the prospect of going to a real house.

"She'll be fine. I took care of her at the academy and I can take care of her tonight." Daniel saw the look on Sam's face as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not that she needs to be taken care of you understand." Sam appreciated his attempt to extract his foot from his mouth but as far as she was concerned, all three men were going to have to learn that she was a grown woman. She might have a few gaps in her head but she was still a grown woman.

"I promise Jack. You and Teal'c are welcome to come over for dinner, especially if you bring dinner with you. Alright, we'll see you then." Daniel hung up the phone and turned back towards the steering wheel.

"Sorry about the take care of you stuff. It has gotten to be a habit that all three of us will have to break as you get better."

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Chapter 10:

Her first objective after getting into her house was to take a long hot bath. Daniel found the history channel and began commenting on the theories, even though he was alone in the room. By the time Jack and Teal'c showed up with pizza, salad in a bag, and a variety of sodas, Daniel had fallen asleep on the sofa. Sam emerged from her bedroom with wet hair.

"Good evening, my lady. We come bearing delectable goodies." Jack did a mini-bow as he spoke.

"Is that pizza?"

"Indeed."

"I think I like mushrooms." Jack smiled at Sam while trying to grimace.

"I can't believe you want to ruin a perfectly good pizza with a fungus!"

"You do not have enough appreciation for vegetables, O'Neill." Teal'c looked at Sam and gave her a slight nod while one corner of his lips twitched. She was pretty sure that was his way of saying he was on her side.

"We were talking about a fungus, not vegetables. I appreciate vegetables just fine. At least I didn't say you were ruining perfectly good pizza by bringing salad." Sam began laughing at the two men and the ridiculous conversation. The sound of her laugh woke Daniel. Daniel awoke with such a start that he fell off the sofa. The site of Daniel sticking his head up above the edge of the sofa set Sam off again. All three men soon joined her mirth. The sound of her laugh lifted all of their spirits more then they had thought was possible.

After the pizza, a chick flick through which Neill complained constantly, and a shoot 'em up that caused Daniel to ask too many questions, the four friends found spaces to sleep. Sam took the bed in her room, Teal'c took the living room sofa, Daniel took the spare bed, and Neill blew up an air mattress he placed in the hall near the door to Sam's room. No one questioned his strange sleeping arrangement.

Sam and Teal'c spent every other day relaxing at her house, except for the morning trips to the base for Sam's therapy. After a month and a half, it was obvious Sam's therapy was paying off. Her speech had dramatically improved, she had everyone's name correct again, and she could use multi-syllabic words again. She was reading James Patterson novels, the short chapters resulted in a better feeling of accomplishment and the stories were interesting. She kept a small dictionary in her pocket, a gift from Daniel, that she would use to help her understand or say words she didn't recognize. Her right hand was much improved. The guys, and her physical therapist, noticed she didn't have any trouble with her hand when she was concentrating on her work, like retrofitting a naquada generator to attach to a MALP, instead of thinking about her hand.

Jack and Daniel used Sam's downtime time to prepare the next phase of 'plan memory retrieval'. When Sam returned to the base full-time she was much more relaxed. On her first day back full-time, Teal'c took her to a conference room in NORAD command. Neither Sam nor Teal'c had ever spent much time on the upper floors of the mountain so they both earned many stares from the passing airmen. When she entered the conference room, Jack and Daniel were waiting with three other men, all in uniform.

Sam felt Teal'c hang back to stay in the hall. The five men in the room all stood as she walked towards the table. They exchanged salutes as Jack walked over to stand beside her. Daniel was watching her closely.

"Morning, Sam."

"Daniel." Daniel held her hand for a moment, gave it a squeeze, and then slipped out the door behind her. He knew he didn't have a place in this meeting.

"Colonel Carter, I would like to introduce Colonel Marks, Colonel Bryans, and General Williams." Sam nodded as Jack moved his hand to indicate each man.

"It's nice to meet you." Sam smiled a polite tight smile.

"Actually, Sam, we've all known you for a long time." Colonel Marks shifted his