"The Colonel is a very handsome man, why does Dr. DeBarr have his picture?" one of them asked.
"Maybe they are like 'romantically involved,'" another one supplied.
Yup, crazy. Cam and I are nowhere near 'romantically involved' - just the thought turns my stomach - as well it should! I'm not blind, and I am into the male species - don't get me wrong, I love the men - but Cam... well... he's not just like my brother. I decided that my lurking had to come to an end. I turned around and looked back at the two nurses, then proceeded to flip my metal chart closed rather loudly, taking in a small pleasure seeing them jump at least three feet.
"Oh, Nurse Mays and Kille, I did not mean to startle you," I said, innocent and sweet. I'm an actress when I am not saving lives.
"It's okay ma'am. We were just noticing you have new pictures. Your time at the SGC seemed to be interesting," Nurse Kille replied, soothing her lab coat.
"It was interesting. I met the new leader of the newly formed SG-1 - a Colonel Mitchell, perhaps you saw him in the halls?" I replied lightly. "Any way I got a message saying that he finally convinced Dr. Jackson, Colonel Carter and semi-convinced Teal'c to reform. Calls them 'the band.'" I smiled at them, and added almost to myself, "I did not really think he was going to use my phrases."
"Oh, so you and, um, Colonel Mitchell talk?" Nurse Mays ask. I saw a spark of interest in her eyes, and a spark of betting pool flair in Kille's eyes.
"Oh, occasionally. Nothing really to mention, we just share some common... things," I said, avoiding their gazes. "I saw Airman Nickels come in. Looks like he and his entourage need some assistance."
They nodded and then looked at one another, scampering off to help the Airman. I looked at the photo and smiled. Oh we share quiet a few common things in fact.
- - -
I was finishing up some paperwork when Pendergast informed me that I had a call from the SGC. I picked up the receiver. "Dr. DeBarr."
"DeBarr, it's Dr. Lam. I may need your help," Carolyn said.
"Okay, what kind of help?"
"How much do you know about symbiote?"
"Well I guess as much as anyone around there. Dr. Frasier and I did a few extractions, dissections... we placed a quite a few Jaffa on tretonin if their symbiote could not be saved. Why?"
"Well, honestly, I have only read about the whole process. I have a wounded Sodan warrior in my infirmary and I need to operate, but I am afraid to do anything wrong," she answered.
I glanced around; it was not like Lam to question her abilities. "What's the matter, Carolyn?"
"Cam's life is in the balance. I have to save this man since he was shot by Cam, maybe he can give us some information how to rescue him," Lam said quietly.
"Understood. I'll see where the nearest planet is, put my 2IC in command, and come over right away," I said, already getting up.
"Thanks," she breathed. We hung up and I gave Cam's picture another glance. I was not romantically involved with one Cam Mitchell, but the lady I had just talked to, was on the verge of involvement.
- - -
I made a small hop to get to the SGC, almost the equivalent of changing planes, just had to change planets, Stargate addresses. Ok it's a stretch, but to me, it's normal. I walked down the ramp and saw Landry and his daughter, Dr. Lam, talking quietly.
"Welcome back, Doctor," Landry said brightly. "See? I told you would be back."
"Yes, sir. I was hoping for better circumstances," I said as we made our way down the hall. "What's this about Colonel Mitchell I hear?"
"SG-1 and SG-11 were following a lead that Teal'c had regarding a race of Jaffa called the 'Sodan.' Teal'c was convinced that they would help us fight against the Ori; apparently they themselves never accepted the Gou'ald as gods. They have been free for millennia now," Landry said, pausing as the elevator opened. "There was a squeamish, shots were fired, and Mitchell wounded one of the warriors - your patient - and in the process was kidnapped. Doctor, Mitchell is being considered a POW.�
I looked at him and nodded. He - and everyone else - wanted to get Mitchell home. Alive. As the elevator moved up to Level 21, I pushed back any feelings I had and transitioned fully into what he had termed 'Doctor Mode 3000.'
- - -
Four hours into it, Lam and I had to decide we could not save the symbiote, no matter what. Teal'c stood by and performed some ritual as we concentrated on saving the Jaffa's life, getting his body used to tretonin. It took another hour to get the drip in and his body used to the loss of the symbiote, and I sat beside him for another hour, monitoring the drip and slowly upping the dose when I detected a small relapse.
"Dr. DeBarr?" a soft voice asked behind me as I was leaving the recovery room.
I turned and smiled at Sam. "He'll be ok, just will have to get used to the tretonin. How are you doing?"
She smiled weakly. "I may not have worked with Mitchell as long as the others, especially Daniel, but I have known him for a while, so it's hard. But I keep reminding myself that this happens a lot, and we don't leave one of our own behind. Will he be okay?" she asked, indicating the now sleeping and drugged Sodan warrior.
"I believe so. Him cooperating is another story. His body tells me that he has seen his share of battles, and he is not bothered by fighting," I replied. Sam furrowed her brow. "Just the cuts, small fractures on his body and bones. It looks like men who have fought in battles. It's one of the first x-rays we have to study in medicine at the Air Force."
"Makes sense. Flight medicine right?" she asked as she followed me into the supply closet.
I grabbed a few more bottles of tretonin and nodded. "Was attached to a squadron for a while. I love flying, but I also loved the internal workings of the body - now not just human ones. Being a flight surgeon was a great way to combine those two. It was hard, but I never thought it would get me here," I said, spreading my arms.
"I never thought a dream to go to the stars would end up here either," Sam smiled. "It's been an adventure." She fell silent for a moment. "Let me know if he wakes up?"
I nodded and watched her leave. Lam came from her office and looked at me. "You are still military, and I am not, but you are, however, also not the CMO."
"Off to bed with me?" I guessed. She nodded and smiled, taking the vials from me and giving me a small shove toward the door. I wound up in my old borrowed VIP room from before and slept.
- - -
The Sodan warrior was causing trouble. I heard a bedpan hit the wall and heard Lam curse loudly. Sailors take note; none military doctors, when sufficiently pissed, can string some interesting combinations that might make you blush. I dared to go against the streaming nurses and poke my head into the ICU.
"A horse would appreciate that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I met Teal'c eyes. I prayed he was not as well versed as we all feared he was with Tau'ri slang. "How about you take 10 and some food?"
"I can't leave a patient," Lam said flinging her arm to indicate the Sodan who actually had a hint of fear in his eyes.
"Leave. Teal'c, please," I said, getting the only other able person to help me out. "I can look after our patient." She closed her eyes and nodded slightly. "Cam will be okay. Trust me, you are not the only one vested in him."
She looked at me with a question in her eyes but did not say anything further. I looked over the chart, my back to the warrior who was recovering. I flipped it over and checked the past few hours' stats.
"You know this is not easy on us either," I said over my shoulder, hearing him restrain against his bonds. "I am sorry that Cam wounded you, but be grateful that we took you in after you and your warriors captured him. If we were really your enemies, you would not be so lucky. Cam means a lot to al of us."
"You know nothing of bonds!" he spat.
Turning to him and bringing the sedative to his IV drip I looked at him. "More than you know."
The next three hours were quiet as I went over some paperwork and wondered how Cam was doing.
- - -
When he came into the infirmary I am not sure who was more relieved, Cam to be back where he would be treated like a human, Carolyn to see that Cam was back, or me. But to any effect, he was rushed - to the infirmary, by SG-1, by Landry and by now most of the nursing staff. People have gone crazy around here too; Daniel is facing stiff competition for the mothering effect. Cam seems to have struck a nerve as well.
"Well, the torture - all kinds - is done," Cam said brightly leaning against the wall. I smiled as I took a few more tubes of tetrone out of the cabinet. "We're going out to party; ya wanna come, or do you have a Gate to catch?"
"Funny, very funny," I said, surpressing a full smile. "I have a few hours, but I told Carolyn she had the night off. Said something about finally going to dinner with a certain someone."
"Love, you have no idea what you are talking about," Cam said, crossing his arms again and shaking his head. "You are like little chickies, clucking about the newest relationship."
I looked at him. "And yet there was no denial in that statement."
"Does there have to be?"
"Well, considering where we are standing, I would preface any, and everything you say," I walked past him and set the bottles on the table. "However, out of the silo, you can do what ever you want."
"So you are missing the best shindig in town so you can cover Carolyn's shift?"
"It's not her shift I'm covering. I don't want to be in the way; I have things I can do," I said, waving a nurse over.
As I was going to give instructions to deliver the bottles to the next off world team that would be contacting the Jaffa, Cam stepped in front of me. "Excused me, but can you run the infirmary for one night, alone?"
The nurse, a new one, blinked. "Um, Doctor Brightman is on call. Would you like me to page him?"
"Yes, tell him he is now taking over for the night. Drs. Lam and DeBarr are coming with me," Cam said, taking my arm.
I looked at Cam who had the silly grin on his face. No way was I getting out of this. "Please tell Dr Brightman that he is in charge," I confirmed, before shrugging out of my lab coat. "I guess I won't be needing this."
"You have something... to wear?"
"Umm, I think I have a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in my over-night bag."
"Awesome. Top-side in 10."
I watched Cam trot off to the elevators. Well, for being a POW he is bouncing back quite nicely.
- - -
O'Malley's had a special on beef so it seemed, but none of us minded. Teal'c sat quietly watching the riveting game of pool Cam and Sam were cleaning up on, while Daniel and Carolyn were quietly talking about some new experiment.
I thumped the table loud enough to get their attention. "Hey! No work-talk. House rule! Didn't Cam tell you about that?"
"What house rule?" Daniel asked, looking questionably at Carolyn. He slid to the left letting Sam sit next to him as Cam squeezed next to me.
"Are you making rules again, Bay?" Cam asked, tipping a beer back.
"No I am not being bossy," I said, giving him a small glare. "I was just telling them that no talking about work at the table."
"Ah the 'no shop talk rule.' That's a good one, proceed."
"Thanks. It was the house rule growing up, no talking about work stuff during the meal. Usually it would be about how school went, what the neighbor kids were doing... that kind of stuff. It was 'eat in peace' as mom said."
"Ya except that one time when we had both sides together for Thanksgiving..." Cam started. He stopped and took another swig. He cut his eyes away from the questioning glances of Sam, Daniel and Carolyn. I glanced at Teal'c; I swear he was smiling.
"When were you to together?" Carolyn asked as calmly as she could. I saw sudden heat rise in her eyes. Oh yes, I could be shipped back to the Prometheus in a pine box if we were not careful.
"It was... a long time ago," Cam said carefully.
"Yup." Cam glared at me. I shrugged at him. "What? I simply was going to tell the rules, and you wanted to tell a story. You want me to go through the whole thing? Common, don't leave me hanging fly boy."
"Oh I think you are secretly enjoying this. Same way when you found out that you could practice giving shots on people."
"Oh common! That was one summer! We were 15, for goodness sake! Besides, it was you who almost severed off your leg. 'Oh let's jump into a bail of hay.' I told you to look if the pitch fork was there!" I rolled my eyes and sipped my water. "Never listen."
"Ok so I did not look, and yes it was good that I didn't land near the pitch fork...." He paused and looked across the table. "Um, Bay we did it again."
"No, it's 'Opps I Did It Again,'" I said surveying the faces.
"'Hit Me Babe One More Time,'" Cam answered, also looking at the astonished looks. I swear Daniel's eyes were playing tennis, looking back and forth between us.
"What does Britney Spears have to do with this?"
"I was going to ask the same thing," Carolyn said, braking her silent gapping. "Care to explain? One of you?"
Cam and I shared a look. "You have to live with them," I supplied.
"Are you being a coward?"
I punched him in the arm, not caring that it could leave a mark. "Fine, I see you are going to play that card."
"What card?"
"Indeed," Teal'c muttered. Hmm if Teal'c was drawn into the conversation, it was beyond backing out. Well it was beyond backing out as soon as Cam opened his mouth.
"The little brother card." There I said it. Cam was now doing the fish move, trying to come up with a come back. I turned to the crowd. "Cam and I are brother and sister. Twins in fact."
"Oh." Carolyn uttered it, Sam and Daniel nodded in agreement, and Teal'c was smiling again.
Shock and awe baby!