Title: Fravashi

Characters: Teal'c & Sam Carter

Spoilers: Post-ITLOD

Summary: Teal'c offers some advice to Sam in the aftermath of her possession by Jolinar.

A/N: I've long wondered why Teal'c wasn't with the others at the end of In the Line of Duty, and then I noticed what looked like a candle on Sam's bedside table…

Fravashi: meaning soul or essence of a person; guardian spirit.

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG:1, no copyright infringement is intended.

Teal'c paused in the doorway, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the infirmary before making his way over to the bed where his teammate Captain Samantha Carter lay on her side with her back towards him. The muted noises from the machines surrounding her were the only sounds to have come from her in the aftermath of her possession by the Tok'ra Jolinar, and he knew that the others were becoming increasingly worried about her near-catatonic state.

While Teal'c had never before known a person to survive the death of the goa'uld that possessed them, he had witnessed the condition of fellow Jaffa who had had their symbiotes removed, a punishment he'd often delivered himself to the defeated leaders of the armies of Apophis's enemies. He remembered well the look on their faces, their eyes becoming blank as if they'd lost their soul and all that remained was flesh and bone. It was a look he was unsettled to find in his friend's face as she struggled to come to terms with what had happened to her.

Stopping next to her bed he hoped for a sign of acknowledgement that did not come despite Teal'c's awareness that she was not sleeping.

"Captain Carter, " he began, " your friends are concerned for you."

When she still did not respond he continued softly, "This is difficult. Your mind is filled with confusion and your body feels as though it is missing something…essential."

He stopped briefly, uncertain about making such an intimate confession before forging on for the sake of his friend, " I experience something similar when my symbiote is removed, every time that occurs it feels as though I have lost a part of my heart. From a young age all Jaffa are taught to perform Kel'no'reem, a form of meditation used to recover from such an ordeal, and I have found candles to be helpful in achieving this state."

Setting the small yellow candle he had brought with him on the table next to the bed, Teal'c leaned over to place his last words closer to her ear, "Whenever you are ready, it would be my honor to teach you this technique. I believe it may help you come back to yourself, and to your friends. Rest well, Captain Carter."

Straightening, he briefly touched her shoulder before turning and making his way out of the infirmary and back to his quarters. Teal'c was uncertain how useful his offer would be to Captain Carter; despite his time with the Tau'ri much of their ways still remained a mystery to him and the process of healing perhaps most of all. Among the Jaffa an injured warrior was expected to recover and return to the fight or perish in the service of their god, little thought was given to their emotional or mental health. The Tau'ri, he had learned, did not abandon their people so easily and he knew the other members of SG-1 would not let their teammate go without a fight. Pushing away the faces of the fallen warriors that still haunted his thoughts, Teal'c pledged to himself that he too would not rest until he no longer saw that look of profound grief on Captain Carter's face, he owed that much to his teammate, his friend, his sister in arms.