Crossing the Divide

Part 2/2

This was easier than they expected, Daniel thought as he tried to get a

better grip on the man suspended between Teal'c and himself. He was grateful

for whatever reason had kept Dr. Fraiser from putting Jack in a

straightjacket; it may have been for the better safety-wise, but it would

just break his heart.

As if reading his thoughts, Janet remarked, "all the restraining jackets were

in use, so be careful."

The halls of the SGC were virtually deserted, no more than half a dozen staff

looked at them oddly as they made their way from the isolation room to the

elevator that would take them to the upper levels.

Teal'c swiped his card and the doors opened obediently. Janet punched the

button and the doors closed again, shutting them off from the havoc this

disease was wreaking on their friends and coworkers. Once she managed to

keep these two from permanently damaging themselves, she was going to beat

this disease and cure them all, she swore to herself.

A soft pallet, little more than a cot mattress, had been laid inside the

barren cell, its bars displaying the occupants to any passer by or those in

adjoining cell. Little more than a mockup of a prison, her heart cringed as

she heard the door clang shut behind her. She knew why these cells were no

longer in use - they were simply too easy for an intelligent being to breach.

This was hardly a concern at the current time, with those they planned to

put in there; she doubted O'Neill or Carter was capable of an intelligent

thought between them anymore.

They returned to Sam's isolation room, counting themselves fortunate when not

only was she still sedated, but her new roommate was as well. Dr. Fraiser

checked both occupants thoroughly before allowing Daniel and Teal'c to enter.

They did so warily.

"Is it such a good idea having them in there together?" Daniel asked, taking

in the appearance of the young female Lieutenant sleeping nearby.

"There's no choice, Dr. Jackson. We're out of isolation rooms, and have used

up any room that locks from the outside. I have nowhere else to put them."

"How many members of the SGC have been affected, Captain Carter?" Teal'c

asked pragmatically.

"It's getting worse all the time. There are less than twenty people in the

entire mountain unaffected at this point, and more are afflicted all the

time. The two of you and myself seem to be the only ones who have managed to

be exposed but not come down with the virus. After we've taken care of

Captain Carter and the Colonel, I'll need help in finding a common

denominator among all those who seem to be immune. There's got to be an

answer. But Carter first."

Unlike the manner in which they'd transported Jack, Teal'c simply scooped the

unconscious Captain into his arms as a woman would her infant child. Her

head lolled on his shoulder, the arm not pressed between her body and the

Jaffa's swinging powerlessly.

"I wish she could see you carrying her like that," Daniel said sarcastically.

"She'd just adore it."

"Captain Carter does seem to rely on her self sufficiency, Daniel Jackson. I

do not agree that she would find this position amusing."

"He was just kidding, Mr. Teal'c. Dr. Jackson, would you be so kind as to

re-lock the door before we go."

It was a statement, not a question. An order, definitely, so Daniel

completed the task before rushing to catch up to the others at the elevator.

So far, she thought, this was going too easily.

The elevator moved too slowly, the cramped confines reduced even further by

the manner in which Teal'c carried Sam. Daniel stood closest to the doors,

and was unprepared when they opened on Level 6 to a snarling, enraged man.

The spittle flew from the corners of his mouth as he shook his head, the

motion not concealing the pronounced brow ridges. It was a moment before

they recognized the young Lieutenant.

"Graham!" Daniel yelled as they exited the elevator, not prepared for when

the figure slipped quickly around him and attacked Teal'c while he was still

holding Sam. It was unexpected, and he was taken off guard, dropping her to

the floor as he fell.

The moment Graham moved toward the sprawled figure of Captain Carter, there

was a screech of insane rage. The sound grew in volume as he grew close, and

faded when he backed away from Teal'c's protective stance.

"What a time for Jack to wake up," Daniel said, shaking his head as Teal'c

strong arms captured and restrained the hostile Lieutenant. Normally so

docile, it was odd seeing him rabidly out of control. Holding him as he spit

and swore, Teal'c watched while Daniel and Dr. Fraiser together lifted Sam

and moved quickly to the cell beside Jack's, laying her on a cushion similar

to his on the far side from where they connected. Jack took immediate notice

and quieted, watching cautiously.

"Dr. Fraiser, I'd recommend you sedate the Lieutenant before I'm required to

hurt him," Teal'c said calmly, not belying the effort it took to restrain the

struggling man. As she administered the shot, he observed, "It appears that

Colonel O'Neill is not the only infected male to desire the companionship of

Captain Carter."

"Let's hope he doesn't become as violent as Jack when he doesn't get her,"

Daniel stated succinctly as he slammed Sam's door shut.

"Now what?" he asked after Graham had been rendered unconscious.

"Now we wait, and observe," Janet said. "Mr. Teal'c, would you please take

him down stairs? Put him anywhere you can find that can be secured from the

outside, if there's one available. You'll probably have to double up with

another patient, though." Teal'c nodded and left obediently.

Janet and Daniel stood staring into the pair of cells with little emotion in

their eyes as their friends slept. For Janet, it had become second nature -

a medical practice required detachment, despite the fact that her mask

slipped from time to time.

"They must be in so much pain," she said sadly.

"I'd think so. But from the disease or from the injuries they've inflicted

on themselves? I still can't believe that these are the same two people I

knew yesterday."

"It seems unreal, I know. I never expected anything like this when I

accepted this posting. I'm definitely going to have to rethink the entire

medical process for returning teams if we solve this."

The slip wasn't wasted on Daniel. "You mean WHEN we solve this."

"Of course. Oh, look. . ."

They watched as Jack moved to the edge of his cell, moving as near to Sam as

he could given the iron bars. She was clearly out of reach, but, regardless

of this fact, he stretched an arm into her cell, reaching for her.

Surprisingly, he was totally silent, without being medicated, for the first

time since this mess began.

His hand remained extended for a minute or two while Janet and Daniel looked

on.

"Nothing's happening," Daniel remarked, disappointed.

"Well, he's stopped hurting himself and he's quiet. That's a step in the

right direction," Janet responded. "Let's hope she's the same when she

wakes."

Her instincts proved to be right on the mark. As if he'd reached her

somehow, Sam Carter awakened, turning her head so she was facing O'Neill

before she even opened her eyes. When the lids finally rose and the blue

eyes fell on Jack, there was a grunt from her, then an answering one from

him.

Carter dragged herself across the cell until O'Neill's hand was able to touch

her hair; her hand reached into his cell to complete a corresponding touch.

A touch, that quickly turned into a caress. Once in physical contact, it was

obvious what each patient had been needing all along. Their actions

fascinated Daniel.

"This is incredible. It's like every theoretical hypothesis I've ever seen

about Neanderthal man. A male was known to reproduce with any female willing

and available, but he had only one mate. One companion to whom he was

committed for the rest of his life."

"So what you're saying is that, if it had been just another female that had

wanted to mate with the Colonel, he wouldn't have reacted the way he did?"

"Well, we'll never know, but that's my theory. It wasn't just the sexual

presence they were missing - it was the presence of their lifemate." He

walked to face her, and her eyes followed him. For the moment, what he was

saying overtook her observation of her patients.

"Think they'll remember this once we cure them?"

"No offense to your medical abilities, Doctor, but the question is more, what

are we going to do if we can't cure them? Do we let them be together as they

are? Or lock them away separately forever?" He looked forlorn, and her

expression matched his own.

"I haven't really allowed myself to think about what happens if there's no

cure." She glanced over Daniel's shoulder to the two people behind the bars.

"Oh, damn!"

Inside, Jack had pressed his full body to the cell bars. On the other side,

Sam was bent in submission, her rear pressed against the bars as Jack tore at

her pants.

"Shit! We can't let them . . ."

"No kidding!" Janet exclaimed. "Call Teal'c. We're going to have to

separate them again, and we'll need his strength to do it."

Daniel ran to a wall intercom, fingering a button. "Teal'c to level 6." He

knew their teammate would realize where exactly he was needed since nothing

else was happening on this level. He then turned to the doctor. "Do you

think they can . . .?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, I think they can, but I never dreamed they would, right through the

bars." O'Neill had manage to bare Carter from the waist down, and he was now

yanking at his own fatigues. "It's taking too long. We need to distract

them."

"That may be easier said than done. Any ideas?"

Janet thought a few moments while Daniel banged on the bars and called out to

his friends, hoping to keep them from accomplishing the task utmost in their

minds and actions.

Finally, Janet exclaimed. "I've got it!" She dug into the pockets of her lab

coat, coming up with a pair of chocolate bars. "Let's try food!" She handed

one to Daniel, and they each ripped the wrapper from the confection.

"Sam! Sam, look! Do you want food?" Daniel echoed similar words to Jack,

trying to keep his eyes from straying to either of his friends' undressed

states. They didn't seem to hear them, but at about the same time, both of

their noses began to twitch. Food was in the area, and they were hungry.

Carter and O'Neill rushed for the bars, causing Daniel and Janet to jump back

as the candy was ripped from their hands. Chocolate was freed of it's

wrapper and shoved into gaping mouths with little etiquette or consideration.

They were swallowing the last when Teal'c finally arrived.

"What is happening, Dr. Fraiser?" Jackson was amazed that, even though the

man had been running, he didn't seem out of breath in the least.

"This isn't working. Being in close proximity has calmed them, but the bars

allow too much access."

"So I see," Teal'c said, drawing their attention back to Sam and Jack, who

had resumed their positions near the bars.

There was no time for gentleness. "We need to get them sedated and out of

there before he enters her! Mr. Teal'c, can you restrain him?"

I believe I can, Doctor. We must hurry."

Daniel took the key, serving a purpose as door holder while Teal'c and Janet

prepared to enter Jack's cell. "Ready?"

"Ready," Janet responded, and Teal'c echoed the word. He yanked the door

open and the two rushed in. Teal'c wrapped muscular arms around the Colonel

and dragged him from Carter, every part of his body continuing to strain

towards his mate as he growled and fought.

Janet waited until O'Neill was held still, then drove the hypodermic home

into the Colonel's bared gluteus. Knowing it was just a matter of time

before sleep claimed the Colonel, Teal'c released his friend, who crawled

back to Sam's side. He slid from consciousness slowly, but there was no

ignoring the gentleness as she caressed his hair and body as he fell asleep.

She didn't seem too hostile, making it easy for Teal'c and the doctor to

administer her sedative as well. They all sighed once they were both

sedated.

"We're going to have to move them back. I'm afraid this experiment was a

failure."

"Damn. Think they'll go back to the way they were?" The ever-considerate

Daniel was restoring Jack's modesty as he spoke.

"Perhaps not, now that they've seen each other," Teal'c suggested, an eyebrow

raised.

"Maybe. I have another idea, though. Smell was always very important to

Neanderthal man, and maybe this disease mimics that. Teal'c, after we get

them back downstairs, go to Jack and Sam's quarters or the locker room and

get something with their scent on it. Dirty laundry, pillows, whatever you

can find. We'll put something of Sam's in with Jack and Jack's in with Sam."

"You think that having each other's scent nearby will calm them."

"I'm hopeful, yes."

"A very wise hypothesis, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said as he hoisted Jack

O'Neill's body over his shoulder.

"I'll leave that up to you, guys," Janet said. "I absolutely must get back

to finding a cure for this." She and Daniel lifted Sam after first

refastening her pants. The experiment had failed, but with luck, the

officers wouldn't have to remain in this state permanently.

The End.