Returning to Duty

Season 2 – follow-up to "In the Line of Duty" and featuring the Nox.

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Jack walked into General Hammond's office with a grim look on his face and a file in his hands.

"Have a seat, Colonel", the General offered.

"Sir, I know what you're going to say. Just hear me out."

Hammond held up a hand to silence him. "She's not ready yet, Jack. You know that."

"It's been three weeks, General. We can't keep observing her forever. We need to get back in the field."

"What happened to Captain Carter – it's a miracle she's still in one piece. If we send her back to work too soon, we could risk harming her further."

"She's fine, sir. The Tok'ra healed her on its way out."

Hammond looked at him incredulously. "Jack… Captain Carter is not fine. She's barely spoken two words since it happened."

"I disagree," Jack argued. "She just needs to get back out there. Give us an easy planet, a simple recon, sir. If it doesn't work out, we'll have a better idea of where she's at."

Hammond shook his head. "You know I can't allow that. She's confined to base for another two weeks at least. We need to see some significant signs of improvement before we can talk about letting her back in the field."

"General-"

"The answer is no, Jack."

"Sir, you know I don't ask for much…" At General Hammond's raised eyebrows, Jack decided to rephrase. "I mean… I don't like to ask for much… But I have an idea. A planet that is guaranteed safe. Something to get Carter's feet wet and see where she's at. And then if she needs more counseling or downtime or whatever, she can have it."

Hammond sighed deeply as he considered the man in front of him. "What did you have in mind?"

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Jack was the first one to exit the wormhole, taking a moment to secure his sunglasses in his pocket as the rest of his team emerged behind him. The mystic forest in front of them was quiet, save for the occasional chirp of a bird and the rustling of leaves overhead.

Daniel pushed his glasses back and looked around. "Jack, shouldn't Lya be here by now?"

Jack adjusted his hat. "Just give her a minute."

Suddenly the air rippled in front of them as Lya appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

Lya stepped forward and grasped Jack's hands in hers. "You have come," she smiled gently. "Welcome."

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us," Daniel stepped forward. "We're grateful for your assistance with the translation of the texts from P4X 939."

Teal'c stepped forward as well. "It is an honour to be among the Nox once more."

Lya returned his nod. "The honour is ours. Welcome, friend."

Lya looked around until her eyes landed on the remaining member of SG1. "Captain Carter, we are glad to see you also," she greeted. Sam didn't move forward but nodded. "Thank you, Lya."

Jack stepped between Sam and Lya to return Lya's attention to him. "Carter was hoping to take some water and soil samples while we're here – if that's okay with you?"

"Of course, please take any natural samples that you find useful," Lya leaned around Jack to address Sam. "While we are still unable to share our technology with you, we are happy to share what the planet itself provides."

"That's very kind of you," Jack said, relief evident on his face. "Daniel, Carter, why don't you both take off and get started. Teal'c, set up a perimeter. I'll talk with Lya about a good location for our campsite."

Lya remained silent until Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c were out of earshot, gazing openly into Jack's eyes. "Your team is unwell," she observed.

Jack seemed to consider his words, before finally saying, "Yeah… this is our first mission in awhile."

"What has happened?"

"Carter got… snaked…" he motioned to the back of his own neck to illustrate. At Lya's obvious confusion, he decided to rephrase. "She was taken over by a Goa'uld. Well, a Tok'ra actually. She's okay now. The snake's dead, but…"

"But she is not yet herself," Lya finished for him.

Jack nodded.

"This is most upsetting news. I am sorry to hear that this tragedy has befallen you."

"Oh well, you know. She'll be okay. But I figured for our first mission back, it would be good to be among friends."

"Daniel doesn't really need help with the translation?" she asked.

"Well… not really."

Lya smiled. "Then perhaps we can help Captain Carter instead."

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"Come," she motioned for him to follow her.

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Sam capped the sample tube, setting it in the container with the others. Her body was sore from kneeling for so long, so she took a moment to sit back and take in the forest surrounding her. Sunlight filtered through the trees to land on the moss-covered ground. A stream gurgled nearby. She could hear Nafrayu playing with his friends in the distance.

The peace and calm of the moment overtook her, and she closed her eyes, exhaling deeply, forcing herself to relax.

A twig snapped beside her, and she immediately tensed, reaching for her weapon, eyes wide open.

"Do not fear, Captain Carter. It is I."

"Lya," Sam breathed out heavily. "You startled me," she admitted, ashamed of herself for letting her guard down on a mission.

"I am sorry," Lya settled herself on the ground beside Sam. "You have picked a lovely spot to gather your samples. I often come here to meditate."

Sam laughed softly. "This entire planet is lovely. You could probably meditate anywhere."

"This is true. The Nox are very fortunate to have such a temperate climate."

Lya waited as Sam filled a couple more tubes with moss and small blue pikane flowers. "I hear you have not been so fortunate yourself lately, that you have had an encounter with your enemy."

Sam could feel her face flushing and turned away. "Yeah, something like that…"

"I told Colonel O'Neill that I would like to invite you to spend the night in our healing lodge, and he agreed. But now I see that it is something else you need."

"You don't have to worry about me, Lya. I'm fine. Really," Sam forced a smile.

"I see," Lya said simply, not moving.

"I mean, everyone keeps looking at me like I'm about to break, but I'm not. I'm fine," she insisted.

Lya nodded and reached over to pick up a stone, turning it over in her hands.

Sam turned back to her sample tubes to see if she was missing anything. "It's like I'm some… tool that they're scared to lose, an asset, like I'm no better than a machine to them."

Lya looked up from her stone. "But you are so much more than that, Sam."

Emotion closed Sam's throat, and she blinked her eyes quickly. "I know my team cares about me, but I feel like we're always so professional with each other… Friends of course, but we still work together, and if I show too much emotion, then I'm not being military enough for them…" she shook her head trying to find the words. "Ever since the Tok'ra took over me, I just feel so scared all the time. It's like I can't breathe right or think straight anymore. And I don't know what to do with those feelings."

Lya nodded. "Sometimes you need someone you can be vulnerable with, to be human with." Lya reached over to take Sam's hand gently in her own.

Sam looked down as Lya pressed the stone she'd been holding into the palm of Sam's hand. Warmth spread from her hand to the rest of her body. Sam felt something let go inside – an easing. She exhaled deeply. "What was that?"

"Our people do not carry our burdens alone. We have a means of dividing the strain among us so that no one is left to bear such a heavy weight by themselves."

Sam could feel her eyes growing heavy as the stress she'd been carrying lifted from her body. She couldn't stop herself from sinking into the soft earth of the forest.

"Rest, my friend," Lya patted Sam's shoulder gently. "I will share this with you. All will be well again."

If she said anything more, Sam did not hear it as sleep overtook her.

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When she woke up, Sam was still on the ground. The sun was starting to set. She sat up and gathered her gear, then headed off to find her teammates.

What had Lya done to her? She felt disoriented and cloudy from the deep sleep, but she could feel something changed inside of her. A calmness and clarity that hadn't been there since before Jolinar, perhaps even longer before that.

She could see the campfire burning up ahead and walked towards it. Her teammates slowly came into view as she came closer.

"Hey Carter!" Jack called over to her. "Come on over. Teal'c brought marshmallows." He held up a twig with a half-burnt gooey mass on it to demonstrate.

"Nice," Sam smiled, surprising herself at the genuineness of it.

She settled in beside Jack, and he handed her a fresh stick and marshmallow. She carefully held it over the flames while taking in her teammates. Her friends.

"Thanks, you guys."

"For what, Captain Carter?" Teal'c inquired while turning his own marshmallow carefully.

"For… this. For bringing me here."

"Did it help?" Jack asked.

"I don't understand how, but… yeah, it did."

Daniel reached over and squeezed her hand. "You know we're always here for you, right?"

"Yeah," she returned the squeeze. "I think sometimes I just need to learn to let you guys in."

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The next morning as they packed up to leave, Sam went in search of Lya and found her not far away, sitting beside a small brook.

"I wanted to thank you, Lya, and to give this back to you," she held out the stone.

Lya did not move to take it but smiled instead. "I wish for you to keep it, Captain Carter. As a reminder of your time here."

"Lya… what was that yesterday? How did you do that?"

"There is a science behind it that I cannot explain to you, my friend. But the basic premise is very simple and one you will understand."

Sam nodded, willing to take whatever explanation she could get.

"I tried to explain yesterday to Colonel O'Neill, and he had an expression that you will no doubt know. A problem shared is a problem halved…"

Sam smiled. "So, you shared my burden with me?"

"It is… a bit more complicated than that. But yes."

Sam's smile faded. "But… I don't want you to have to carry what I was feeling. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"That is where it gets more complicated," Lya stood up. "When you spoke of your feelings to me, you lessened what you carried substantially. What little was left, I lifted from you."

"I still wish you didn't have to carry any of it," Sam admitted.

"It is no burden to me when I see the peace that it has brought to you, my friend. Come. It is time for you to return to your planet."

Sam and Lya enjoyed the rest of the walk in silence. As they reached the gate, Colonel O'Neill walked over to join them.

"Ready to head out, Captain?"

"Yes sir," she said and picked up her gear.

"All right, folks. Dial it up."

Jack looked back at Lya and threw her a sloppy salute and a smile as he approached the wormhole. Mission accomplished.

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The End

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