Title: Flesh & Blood

Author: Geonn

Email: neil_j_miser@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Pairings: Sam and Janet, established relationship

Category: Drama, Action/adventure

Disclaimer: Not mine. None of it. I even borrowed the letters that make up the words.

Spoilers: Torment of Tantalus

Series: Number 10 in the Ampersand Series

What Came Before: Life & Death, Search & Rescue, Forgive & Forget, Hide & Seek, Light & Dark, Now & Then, True & False, Cookies & Cream, Love & War

Summary: While Sam and Janet are away from the base, the rest of SG-1 visits a planet controlled by an artificial life form.


Chapter One

Sam nervously stared at the blue eyes reflected in the window, desperately searching for something to say. The past fifteen minutes had passed in silence between the two, both being stubborn about this. She traced the tracks of various raindrops as they rolled, intersected, and eventually disappeared into the rubber at the bottom of the window. Rain was falling steadily, but they hadn't seen much lightning with this winter storm. Finally, the blonde sighed and turned to face her lover. Janet was staring straight ahead, hands locked tight on the steering wheel. "Say something."

"I will not. Not until you take it back."

"Janet, I'm sorry... but it's true!"

The brunette shook her head. "You... are so stubborn sometimes, Sam. I swear, you could beat a mule if there were some kind of... I don't know... stubborn contest."

Sam grinned. "Kinda had to search for that one, didn't ya?"

Janet started to smile, then caught herself. "No! I'm not laughing at you until you admit you were wrong."

"I don't see what you're getting so upset about. It was just an innocent comment."

They rolled to a stop at a red light and Janet turned to face her new wife. "Take it back."

"I will not!"

Janet huffed, turning back to look out the windshield. Finally, she looked left, then right, then slapped the wheel. "What is *wrong* with these lights?! There's no one coming either way for miles! I swear... I'm about to just run the damn thing."

The light turned green and she released an exasperated sigh, hitting the gas and speeding away from the intersection. Sam looked out at the rain-swept highway, taking a moment to follow the tracks of the sweeping windshield wipers. She closed her eyes, swallowed her pride and turned sideways in her seat, tucking her leg underneath her body. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it."

Janet took a deep breath, then said, "Shouldn't have said what?"

Sam shook her head, smiling. "All right... Rick Springfield wasn't just a pretty boy."

Janet nodded, prodding, "And...?"

"And all of his songs are different and the reason I can't tell is because I don't listen closely enough. Is that better?"

After a moment, a smile began to play across Janet's features. "Serves you right," she said quietly. "Making fun of my biggest teenage crush... I should have kicked you out of the car."

Sam leaned closer to the brunette, resting her head on her fiance's shoulder. "I would've gotten all wet in this rain... maybe gotten pneumonia."

Janet reached over, taking Sam's hand. "Aww, poor baby. I would've taken care of you. And besides, I kind of like you wet," she winked.

Sam raised her head. "Ooh, Dr. Fraiser! Getting a little naughty, are we?" She leaned her head closer, nuzzling the brunette's cheek. "Mmm... Country road, not a soul for miles... you ever had sex in a car in the middle of nowhere?"

"Yes," Janet whispered. When Sam raised her head in shock, Janet laughed, "I *did* grow up out here, you know. I wasn't a nun before I met you."

Sam giggled and said, "C'mon... we can put off this thing until tomorrow. Whaddaya say we make love... listen to the rain?" She nipped Janet's earlobe. "Come on, Janet... we just survived our first fight as a married couple. What do you say we enjoy a little make-up sex?"

The brunette, showing remarkable restraint, put one hand on Sam's shoulder and pushed the amorous blonde back into her own seat. "Sam... my parents are expecting us tonight. If we don't show, they'll send a search party out to find us. Which means they'd find us naked in the car, writhing in passion. I know I don't want my poor mother and father stumbling on that scene."

Sam rolled her eyes, then said, "Can we at least snuggle in bed tonight?"

"Tonight is a whole different matter, missy. I convinced Daddy to let us sleep in the apartment above the garage. We'll be out of ear shot all night long."

Sam's eyes lit up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's boogie!"

Janet smiled at her lover's enthusiasm, then breathed out slowly. "Ooh... look." She pointed out the window at the gently burning light about a mile up the road. "There it is," she said. The house was barely visible through the pouring rain. "The Fraiser homestead."

Sam straightened in her seat, adjusting her hair and pulling down the shade to check her make-up. "God, I'm so nervous... what if they don't like me?"

Janet put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Impossible," she promised. "Now, stop fidgeting and we'll get through this one step at a time."

Sam sighed and nodded, taking Janet's hand in her own. They drove the rest of the distance to the house in silence, both dreading and welcoming the coming experience. They parked in the long gravel driveway, looking through the rain at the two-story farmhouse. To their left, a dark barn stood against the slate grey clouds in the sky. Sam swallowed sharply. "I'm not sure about this, Janet..."

"Come on, Sam. It's one night. Then we'll eat breakfast and head out in the morning."

As Sam looked up at house, lightning flashed and cast an eerie yellow glow on everything. Sam jumped, although there had been no thunder, and tightened her grip on Janet's hand. "Every horror movie starts like this..." she whispered.

"This is my family, Sam. They're not horrible Ed Wood-type monsters. Now, come on." She opened the door, stepping into the pounding rain and hoping Sam would follow.

Reluctantly, the blonde opened her door and climbed out. She hunched her back against the rain, pulling her jacket tighter against her torso. Bracing herself against the cold, she turned towards the house... and froze. A hulk of a man stood between her and the front porch, gripping the wooden handle of a shovel with both hands. He had moved in quickly and silently from the direction of the barn, unseen in the downpour. Rain cascaded down his heavy brow, his black hair matted to his forehead. His overalls were caked with dark stains that stretched all the way from his boots to his chest. His lips curled away from his teeth in a macabre grin.

Sam screamed and backed up, slipping in the mud. She landed with a splash, splaying mud all over herself and the passenger side of Janet's car.

The man recoiled, dropping his shovel and taking a step backwards himself. Janet, alerted by the scream, ran down from the porch and approached the hulking brute. He turned, seeing her and began moving in her direction.

Sam gasped, "No! Janet, don't!"

But it was too late. His muscular arms wrapped around the small woman and lifted her into the air. He squeezed her, probably trying to force the air from her lungs. Janet released a loud squeal, obviously in pain and praying for something to save her from the monster.

Sam pulled herself to her feet, wishing she had a zat to take this creature down with. She was about to engage him in hand-to-hand combat when she realized Janet wasn't squealing in horror... she was laughing. Sam froze, unsure how to take this new development. The man was laughing loudly as well, placing a kiss on Janet's forehead before setting her down. "Janet!" he declared, beaming down at her with pride. "How the hell are ya?! And who is your exciteable friend?"

The porch light came on and two people came outside, alerted by the ruckus. Janet had her arms wrapped around the man's waist, holding him tightly. Her head was resting on his mighty chest. "James Fraiser, I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Samantha Carter. Samantha Carter, this is my big brother James." In a stage whisper, she said, "Emphasis on the 'big' part!"

James guffawed again, kissing Janet on top of the head. He froze, then said, "Wife?! This... this is the lady who stole our Janet away?" He disentangeled himself from Janet's arms and moved towards Sam. "You steal my baby sister's heart?"

Sam looked up at the man. Now that she knew his identity, he didn't look so inhumanly large, but she still thought that the appropriate response would be a well-placed shriek. Rain continued to beat down on them as she meekly responded, "Yessir..."

James let out a mighty laugh, then embraced her. "I knew you hadda be a beauty to steal her heart! My sis don't just fall for just anyone." He turned, still embracing Sam. Janet had disappeared, as had the people who had come out of the house. "Ma and Pop already took her inside." He looked up at the sky, then said, "I guess that'd be a good idea for us, too."

Sam nodded, heading for the warmth and safety of the home. James followed, picking up the shovel as he moved. Once inside the house, he turned and noticed that Sam's entire backside was covered with mud. "Aw, geez... I guess that's my fault. C'mon upstairs; I'll show you where the laundry room and bathroom is. Jan, you got any clothes for your woman to wear while these get cleaned?"

Janet reappeared in the hallway, smiling at the blonde mess. "Sure. It's okay, James, I'll show her where everything is."

He smiled at his sister and vanished around the corner. Once he was gone, Sam allowed her eyes to pop open as wide as possible. "Oh, my God, Janet! That... THING came from the same gene pool as you?!"

"I know," Janet chuckled, heading up the stairs. "He got all the height genes, I suppose. C'mon, let's get you out of those muddy clothes."

---

"Whoa," Daniel whispered, blue eyes blinking quickly behind the frames of his glasses. "Does Bill Gates know about this place?"

"Know about it?" Jack smiled. "He probably built the thing."

Teal'c cocked his head but said nothing.

Major Mark Burdett, Sam's temporary replacement, stood next to the gate and examined the world they had most recently discovered. Designated 3XP-274, original scans by the MALP had indicated that the structure containing the Stargate was large and mechanical in nature; everything appeared to be powered by a singular source that produced no pollution into the atmosphere. All energy created by the source went directly towards controlling the technology present. SG-1's mission was to determine whether or not this power source could be recreated or reverse-engineered on Earth.

Jack shook his head. "Carter's gonna hate herself for missing this..."

The Stargate had apparently been built into this corridor, flush against the wall. The DHD was mounted on the opposite wall, meaning whoever dialed would have to activate the address then get the hell out of the way before the 'kawoosh' obliterated them. The walls, ceiling and floor were all comprised of the same metallic material, the boots of the visitors causing a hollow echo to reverberate through the metallic chamber. A row of television screens stretched out at eye level in both directions, disappearing around the corner.

Jack approached one of the screens, tapping it with the butt of his gun. "What're these things?"

"Computer monitors, most likely," Daniel offered.

"Well, where're the keyboards? The things that let you control what you see?"

"This is an alien culture, Jack. They may have their computer systems set up differently than Earth. It could take a while to figure out how the users interface with the programs."

As if on cue, all of the screens came to life with the flickering image of an elderly bald man. His skin was pale and drawn, his features tired. Jack stepped away from the screen, startled by the sudden appearance of the man.

The elderly man smiled. "Hello." His voice was as youthful as Daniel's, belying the old man that was presented to them. "I am the sole resident and protector of this world. Please, state your business."

Daniel took the initiative. "I, ah... I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson, this is Jack O'Neill, Teal'c and Major Mark Burdett. We're explorers from a world called Earth. We mean no harm; we just wanted to visit your world and see what we could learn from your culture."

"I am afraid no culture remains here. What more is there for you to learn?"

"Mainly, we want to determine what kind of power source this place - namely, you - run on. We'd like to see if we can recreate it back on Earth."

"Why?"

"We seem to have trouble finding pollutant-free energy sources. But first things first... Do you have a name?"

"Name? Request extrapolation on this."

"Ah... what do you call yourself? What did your creators call you?"

"Ah. I comprehend," the man said. "I am the Sentient Active Matrix."

Jack raised his eyes. "Sentient Active Matrix? S.A.M.?"

Daniel smiled slightly. "S.A.M. sounds good. Now, ah... where can we find this energy source that's keeping you functioning?"

"You may follow me," S.A.M. offered. All but one screen went black. "This way." One by one, the image of the old man's face moved from screen to screen. The team started to follow him, but Jack ordered Burdett and Teal'c to remain with the Stargate.

As Jack and Daniel followed the flashing screens, the archaeologist said, "So... a computer named S.A.M.?"

"The irony," Jack smirked, "is so rich I could cut it with a knife."

---

Sam stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only ankle-length socks, a pair of pink panties and a white dress shirt that reached almost to her knees. She buttoned the top button of the shirt, then headed to the stairs to continue her meeting with Janet's family. Before she got to the stairwell, however, she spotted a door standing slightly ajar. Biting her lip, not wanting to be nosy, she poked her head into the dark room and looked around. Directly across from the door was a bench window, looking out over the front yard. Hanging over the window was a sign that read: JANET.

'Janet's childhood bedroom,' she told herself. 'This should be interesting.'

Sam examined the contents on top of the dresser; fingernail polish, rings, trinkets, a pen and some spare change that had gone unnoticed all these years. The walls were adorned with posters, several of Rick Springfield at the height of his fame. Framed next to the bed was a picture of a teenage Janet standing outside of an auditorium wearing her prom dress. She was smiling proudly, showing off her shining braces, her arm linked around that of some nameless jock. Sam smiled, tracing the outline of Janet's shoulder in the picture, then moved on. An alarm clock was on the writing desk, next to a thin book labeled "DIARY" with a small gold lock on the cover. She grinned, tapping the white kitten taped to the front of the book before turning her back on it.

She moved to the bed, sitting down on the soft quilt and feeling the material. The bed was queen-sized, far too big for Janet to sleep in alone even now. A phalanx of stuffed animals lined the pillows, guarding them until their owner returned to this bed. Sam picked one of the toys up, a pink teddy bear with one arm duct-taped to it's side. She touched the shoddy repair work, wondering what had provoked the emergency surgery.

Cradling the bear to her chest, she examined the rest of the room. Across from the bed was a large vanity mirror showing a reflection of the bed. Sam smiled at her reflection, then laid down on the bed with her legs hanging over the side. She closed her eyes, wishing she could spend hours examining this room.

"He-ey," Janet whispered.

Sam sat up, looking towards the door. Janet had come looking for her and was successful. Without raising off the mattress, Sam smiled. "Hey, honey."

Janet grinned, stepping into the bedroom and shutting the door behind herself. Looking at the bear Sam was holding, Janet chuckled. "I see you found Truman."

Sam sat up, scooting closer to Janet. "Truman?"

Janet nodded, sitting next to Sam on the bed. "Momma got him for my fifth birthday. We were inseparable after that. I carried this guy everywhere." She lightly touched the taped arm. "One day, James and I got into a fight and he pulled Truman away from me... ripped his arm right off. I ran into the house, crying my eyes out, of course. James felt so bad, he went inside and pulled out some old duct-tape Daddy had in the garage. He fixed 'im and gave him back to me."

Sam smiled. "Your mother didn't offer to mend his arm better?"

"Of course she did," Janet chuckled. "But I wouldn't let her. James had done this for me. I loved him so much for doing that, the big brute."

Sam reached out, stroking a loose hair from Janet's face. "God, I love learning new things about you. How much don't I know?"

"Enough to keep you entertained for a couple more decades," Janet laughed, leaning forward and kissing Sam softly. Sam cupped Janet's face, holding the brunette in the kiss for a few seconds longer.

When they finally pulled apart, Sam sighed, "Do we have to have the 'meet the parents' thing tonight? There's something... appealing... about making love in your childhood bed."

Janet raised an eyebrow, but was saved from a response by the door opening. James stuck his head in and looked around, finally locating the woman sitting on the bed. "Always the last place ya look," he chuckled. "Mom and Dad wanna meet Sam." He winked, "They want to make sure you didn't make her up."

Janet took Sam's hand and said, "Ready?"

"Lead the way," Sam chuckled.

"Uh, first..." Janet said, "Let me see if I can find some jeans for you. I'd hate for you to meet Momma and Daddy wearing panties."

---

Daniel scurried around the base of the huge contraption like a kid in a candy store. After closing. With a giant bag. He knelt next to a control panel, popping it open and peering inside. "This is... this is amazing! It could streamline our entire program and save millions in energy output every year! The threat of budget cuts would be next-to eliminated!" As he poked through the guts of the machine, something zapped him and he recoiled, shaking the injured arm.

"Danny? You okay?"

"Fine, Jack... just a little shock, is all." He shook his head. "This is... amazing. All of this technology, this incredible wealth of energy... and it's all useless."

"It's all what?" Jack stepped forward, scanning the walls for a reappearance of S.A.M. "Useless how?"

Daniel stood, brushing his hands off on his pants legs. "This technology. I don't think I could get it to interface with ours. It's far too advanced. It would be like trying to fuse a CD player with a... a... what were those things?"

"Eight-tracks?"

"Yeah, with an eight-track player."

Jack frowned. "You're old enough to remember eight-tracks."

"I was a little kid... you were fully grown." He smirked, adjusting his glasses.

Jack sighed, shaking his head. "So this mission was a bust?"

"Looks like," Daniel sighed. "Like the knowledge Ernest Pratt discovered at Heliopolis, this too must be filed away as useless."

"Sorry about that, Danny." He pulled his cap off, running a hand through his hair. "You wanna head back to the 'gate?"

"Sure. What's the use of hanging around here lusting after something we can never have."

"There's nothing wrong with lust, Dr. Jackson. Nothing at all." He smiled and turned, confronted with the digitally created face of S.A.M. "Whoa... ah, what's up, S.A.M.?"

"You are leaving? But we have not had the opportunity to share any technology."

Daniel stepped up, zipping his jacket up. "Yeah... we discovered that your technology isn't really compatible with ours. Unless... uh, you could think of a way to translate the mechanics to work with ours."

"Perhaps... May I scan the device in your pocket?"

"My pocket?" Daniel asked. He patted himself down, producing a Palm Pilot from the lowest pocket on his jacket. "Oh, man... this must be Cassandra's." He and Jack were taking turns watching the girl while Sam and Janet were away in Oklahoma. Since the girl had been so well-behaved during the recent debacle with the chameleonic aliens, they had decided to let her stay home alone with periodic check-ups by the guys. "I must've picked ip up by accident when I left for the base." He shrugged, then held it up to the screen. "Let's see what you can do," he offered.

The image of S.A.M. flickered slightly, then a low beam of blue light shot out and enveloped Daniel's hand. After a few moments, the image returned to a solid shape. "I am sorry. Your technology is far too..."

"Yes, we assumed as much. I'm afraid we won't be able to trade much technology."

"I am sorry, Dr. Jackson. Perhaps one day, you will return and we will be able to form a sort of... compromise."

"I'd like to try," Daniel said. "I look forward to that day, S.A.M."

---

Janet squeezed Sam's hand as they entered the living room. The blonde smiled shyly, unaware of exactly how nervous she was until she actually saw Janet's parents in the flesh. A tall, thin man sat in a rocking chair, smiling up at the major. He was wearing a starched white shirt (not unlike the one Sam wore) that was tucked into a pair of blue jeans. On the couch next to him was a petite woman, dressed in a formal flowered dress that draped her bare feet. Both looked up as their daughter entered, expectant smiles on their faces. They were Michael and Joan Fraiser, Janet's parents.

James was leaning against the wall, already beaming. His hands were clasped in front of him, watching as Sam was lead in by his baby sister.

Sam was finally forced to stand on her own before her new in-laws, under their scrutiny, better or worse.

Michael was the first to move, pulling himself out of his chair and approaching her. He smiled and extended a bony hand. "You're Samantha, huh?" Sam took his hand, noticing how strong his grip was. "You're the woman who's planning to break my Janet's heart? You're the one who's gonna make her cry like that man she married before?" His grip had strengthened. Sam gasped, trying to pull away but finding herself unable. "You gonna hurt her?"

"N-n-n-no, sir!" she choked out.

Janet pulled her father's hand free, then glared at the old man. "Daa-ddy! Sam's already nervous enough. No games, all right?"

The man's face immediately softened. "Ah, geez. I'm sorry, Sam." He grinned. "I like to ruffle a few feathers, see if Janet's chosen someone good enough."

Sam exhaled sharply. "Boy, Janet... your brother in the rain, your dad pretending to be psycho... don't tell me your mom is a vampire."

Joan laughed softly, rising off the couch. "Samantha," she practically sang, extended her short arms. Sam knelt to accept the hug, squeezing the tiny woman. When they pulled apart, Joan touched Sam's hair. "So pretty! Oh, Janet, I think you found a good one here!"

Sam blushed, straightening and taking Janet's hand. "I didn't do so bad myself, Mrs. Fraiser."

Michael's eyes shot up, his smile widening to bare his teeth. "Well! A flatterer! I think we better all sit down and get to know each other better."

They all took seats; Sam and Janet on the love seat (which Michael said was only appropriate), Michael and Joan on the couch and James leaning against the wall next to the window. Occasionally, he would look out across the lawn as if waiting for someone.

Joan leaned forward, resting her head on her steepled hands. "Soo... how did you two meet? At work, I suppose?"

"Uh, yes," Sam said. "We both work on Deep Space Radar Telemetry at Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado."

Michael cleared his throat. "You don't have to cover, Sam. Janet's already told us everything about your work, so don't worry about cover stories."

Janet slapped Sam's knee, waggling a finger at her father. "Daddy, I did no such thing! There is no cover story because we work on deep space radar telemetry. It may not *sound* exciting, but I love it. And Sam does, too."

"Yeah," Sam managed to say. "I admit, you had me there for a second, Mr. Fraiser."

He chuckled, winking and touching his nose. "I see. Military hush-hush X-Files kind of thing, am I right?"

Janet rolled her eyes. "Daddy, I assure you I don't work with anyone named Mulder or Scully."

Sam added, "Although there is a man named Doggett who just signed on..."

As the room erupted in laughter, Sam exhaled and squeezed Janet's hand. Janet returned the gesture, glad that Sam was finally beginning to feel comfortable.

---

"Hey, guys!" the teenager practically chirped as she entered Daniel's office. "What's up?"

Daniel pulled the Palm Pilot out, sliding it across his desk. "Missing something?"

"Oh. My. God!" Cassie said, picking the device up. "I thought I had lost this! It was driving me *crazy* all day! Where was it?"

Daniel shrugged. "Well, ah... for a while, it was on an alien world a billion light-years away." At her confused look, he explained, "I accidentally picked it up when I was getting ready to leave this morning. It actually ended up being useful; although, it served to prove that a perfect alien technology was incompatible with our own."

"Aw... I'm sorry, Daniel."

"Don't be," he smiled. "Is, uh, Dr. Roth going to drive you home or do you need me--"

She interrupted. "No, Amy said she'd drive me when she gets off duty. In fact," she checked her watch. "I better run."

"All right. But Jack and I'll be by around eight, 'kay?"

"And bring pizzas?"

"And bring pizzas," Daniel promised.

"And R-rated movies from Blockbuster?" she winked.

Daniel pointed at her. "Go home, young lady!"

Cassandra waved good-bye, heading back out of the office. As she walked, she turned the computer on and began searching. She frowned, reading the read-out from the first page. "Sentient Active Matrix online? Download complete? What the heck..." The screen went blank, then returned to normal. With a shrug, Cassandra continued on and accessed her address book.

---

Headlights cut a swath across the room, shining through the window. James straightened, then headed for the door. "They're here," he said, smiling broadly.

Janet stood, walking to the window. "Who is here?"

"A surprise," Michael said, winking at his daughter. "Just sit down. I know you'll love it."

Janet reluctantly sat, giving Sam an 'I-don't-know-what-this-is-either' look. James returned, wet once again from the still-falling rain. He smiled and said, "Samantha Carter, I'd like to introduce you to Melissa and Stephen Brooke."

Janet shot up off the couch, spinning to look at the door. A woman, about Sam's height, entered with her arm wrapped around a dead-ringer for Kevin Spacey. They both wore expensive suits, their hair cut and styled by someone making at least five figures. The woman's hair was flame-red, her make-up impeccably applied and her trenchcoat obviously made by a well-known designer. She unwrapped the silk scarf from her neck, draping it over her husband's arm. She smiled warmly. "Hello, Samantha. It's a pleasure to meet you." She shifted her gaze to Janet. "And, Janet, I'm glad to see you again."

Sam looked at Janet, wondering why her wife was so shocked to see this woman. "Um... forgive me, but I'm a little lost..."

"Ah... Melissa Brooke was originally Melissa Fraiser. This is Janet's older sister."

"Sister?" Sam asked.

"She hasn't mentioned me, eh?" Melissa grinned, "I'm not surprised. She hates me a little bit."

Sam blinked. Her trepidation, which had only started to disappear, suddenly returned in full force.


Chapter Two

Janet stood up, her jaw dropping. "Oh, my... uh, hello, Melissa."

Melissa smiled broadly, showing off teeth too perfect to not be capped. She brushed a non-existent hair out of her face. "Good evening, Janet, dear. Mummy. Daddy." She walked across the room, placing air kisses on the cheeks of both parents before standing and straightening her blouse. She hugged James, then turned back to Janet. "You certainly haven't changed, Jan."

"Neither have you, Melissa," Janet said, sarcasm dripping off her tongue. Sam glanced at the doctor, amazed how different she suddenly seemed; it was as if Melissa's arrival had sucked a little bit of the fire from her lover.

The new arrival peered over her sister's shoulder. "Ooh! And what do we have here? A newcomer to our little soiree we call a family?" She brushed past Janet, nearly knocking the petite woman down. She took Sam's hand, then twisted it. "Uh-oh!" She sang, "Some-body got mar-ried! James, you dog! You didn't even tell me you were going steady with anyone!"

An awkward silence fell over the room. Sam glanced at Janet as the brunette dropped her head and covered her face. Michael stood. "Uh, Melissa, honey..."

Melissa looked at her family with a blank smile. "Wha-at? Come on, somebody's not sharing something with Missy!" She wagged her finger. "Now what's going on?"

Janet stood. "Melissa... Sam isn't married to James."

"Well, who's Sam?"

"*I* am," Sam asserted.

Melissa turned, smiling at the blonde. Sam wondered if the smile ever left this phony woman's lips. "O-oh! Well, hello, Sam! I assume that's short for Samantha, right? Wonderful! Now, if you aren't married to James, then... oh, you must be a friend of Janney-Poo's, am I right?"

Janet stomped her foot. "Will you shut up for a second, Melissa?! God, if you would just shut up maybe you wouldn't have to ask so many damned questions!"

The room was deathly silent again. Stephen, Melissa's husband, cleared his throat. He had obviously realized what had happened. "Mel, just... it's..."

"Samantha is married to me, Melissa. I'm gay, all right?" she sighed, shaking her head. "She's married to me."

Melissa's jaw dropped. "Janney!"

"Her name is Janet," Sam whispered.

Melissa spun on a heel. "I don't believe I was speaking to you, Butch."

Stephen was already on his way back to the front door. Janet's mother and father were both on their feet and James was too shocked to say anything. Sam blinked slowly, clenching and unclenching her fists. Janet looked like someone had captured a tempest in a teapot and was desperately trying to keep it from blowing it's lid. Melissa was standing between Sam and Janet, blocked by the coffee table. Her vacuous smile still in place, she turned back to Janet. "When did this happen, Jan?"

Janet grit her teeth, then shook her head. "It doesn't concern you, Melissa. Can't you just... be glad that I'm happy."

"Happy? You're happy? How can you be happy? You're a dyke in the military."

Janet slapped her sister hard enough to dislodge the smile. "Shut up. Just... shut up, would you?" She stepped away, turning her back on her sister. James moved in, embracing the small woman and hugging her tightly.

Sam shifted from one foot to the other, then looked at Janet's father. "I think we should just go... put our luggage in the barn loft."

Melissa looked at her father, ignoring Sam completely. "Actually, the kids have kind of already claimed the loft. They just love it up there."

Janet pulled herself free and turned. "What?"

Melissa shrugged, apparently ignoring the incident a moment before. "Well, I'm sorry, Janet. I suppose I just assumed that you could stay in your old room." She shook her head. "If I had known you were going to bring your little trollop..."

Sam turned away from the woman, biting her knuckles and beginning to pace.

Michael finally spoke up. "Melissa, maybe you and Stephen should begin unpacking."

Melissa brightly nodded. "Great seeing you, Daddy. Can't wait until breakfast tomorrow." She stepped around the couch, leaving the house.

Sam dropped onto the couch. "Oh, my God..."

Janet moved to her wife's side. "I'm so sorry you had to be her target, honey."

James punched his hand. "No, I'm sorry. I invited her. I... I don't know, I thought maybe she'd be happy for you. I-I never thought that she'd be so..."

"I understand, James. It wasn't your fault," Janet said, hugging Sam.

Michael lowered himself into his recliner. "Jan, I'm really sorry. I know you had your heart set on the loft, but--"

"Once Mel gets an idea in her head," Janet finished, "It dies there. It's okay, Daddy, Sam and I can stay in my old room."

Michael shook his head, looking at Sam. "We probably should have warned you."

James chuckled mirthlessly, rubbing the back of his neck. "How could ya, Dad? I wanted it to be a surprise, so I didn't tell ya she was coming."

Sam stood up. "Would everyone please just... hold it. I don't mind sleeping in Janet's room. I've never even seen the loft, so I don't know what I'm missing. Michael, Joan... you shouldn't have felt obligated to tell me about the black sheep of your family. We all have one. And James..." she smiled. "Sweet James. You just wanted everything to be perfect. Thank you for trying to make this the best experience for me, no matter what the outcome." She sat, taking Janet's hand. "And Janet, honey... your sister is... well, she's your sister. You can't change who she is. But I love you for defending me. Now. Can we all just get on with this get-together?"

A smile spread over Joan's face. Finally, she said, "I like this one."

---

Sam stripped out of her jeans and shirt, trading the panties for a pair of pink boxer shorts. She was nude except for the shorts, but was covered by an untied terrycloth robe. She sat on the edge of Janet's bed, combing her short hair. It had started to grow out over the past couple of months and she decided to let it grow out again. Janet was perched on the opposite side of the bed, reading a James Patterson novel.

Sam placed the brush on the desk and slipped under the blankets, rolling over to face her lover. "Hi, hon."

"Hey," Janet smiled, not taking her eyes off the page.

Sam rested her head on the brunette's shoulder, skimming the page Janet was currently on. Reading aloud, she whispered, "Escape; she suddenly thought of Casanova again. Kate tried to run a few steps. She fell again. She did the hands-and-knees waltz. She lurched to her feet..."

Janet chuckled. "I'm past that."

"Don't care," Sam said, reading again.

Janet shushed her, chuckling quietly.

Sam sighed, drawing circles on Janet's stomach with the tips of her fingers. "What's the name of this book?" Janet closed the book, showing the blonde the book's cover. "Kiss The Girls." Sam rolled her eyes and said, "Hope your sister doesn't see what you're reading."

Janet laughed loudly, placing the bookmark on her page and dropping the book to the floor. She curled onto her side, facing Sam. She stroked the blonde's face and said, "How the hell did I get so lucky?"

"Well," Sam said, throwing her leg over Janet's hip and sliding a bit closer. "Maybe because I'm just too damn pretty to resist."

Janet thought, then said, "No, it couldn't possible be that..."

Sam lightly swatted Janet's ass, leaning forward to kiss Janet's nose. "Okay... how 'bout you were just so irresistable in that crisp powder blue blouse... that knee-length blue skirt... your sexy lab coat..." She exhaled sharply, blowing into Janet's face. "Did you, uh... pack any of that stuff, by chance?"

Janet chuckled. "No... I thought we would spend most of our honeymoon *out* of clothes."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Ooh..."

As Sam leaned in for a kiss, Janet sighed, "Of course, that's before Mel and her brood decided to show up and we got stuck in this damn room... my parents are down the hall on the other side of paper-thin walls."

Sam leaned in, taking Janet's lower lip between her own and sucking it gently. When she finally released it, she whispered, "Then I guess... we'll just have to be quiet this time."

Janet's eyes sparkled in the weak light of the desk lamp. "What if I just have to scream something out?"

"We'll have to find something to cover your mouth with. Now... what could we use to cover your mouth during sex?"

Janet chuckled. "Do I get a vote?"

"Honey," Sam promised. "Yours is the only vote that counts."

---

Cassandra lay on her stomach, Palm Pilot open in front of her. She accessed her email and began typing carefully, using the hunt-and-peck method her mother was so fond of.

"Mom and Sam, Hope you're having fun in Oklahoma! Homework isn't a problem since Jack said I don't have to go to school until you get back. (kidding Mom!) Daniel says they visited a really cool "restaurant today" and wished Sam could have been there to see it. They said it was so cool, but I'll wait until you get home for them to tell you all about it. I better go. It's almost 11 and I know what you said about being in bed on time even on Friday blah, blah, blah :-D Cass."

As she hit send, she noticed that the bottom of the message was suddenly filled with numerous ones and zeros, plus several weird symbols she'd never seen before. The original message to her parents had remained intact, so she shrugged it off and turned off the computer.

---

Sam climbed out of bed, making sure the door was locked before turning to face her lover. Janet had kicked the blankets away, giggling quietly like a teenager defying her parents. Sam inched closer to the bed, tiptoeing as she tried to keep a straight-face. "Gee, Janet, thanks for inviting me up to your room." She sat on the edge of the bed, resting her hand just below the brunette's bare knee. "Are you sure your parents won't catch us?"

Janet chuckled, reaching out to stroke Sam's cheek. "Mom and Daddy are both asleep. They won't hear a thing."

"Good," Sam said, finally breaking into a smile. "Cause I got Chemistry at, like, eight o'clock tomorrow."

Janet laughed, covering her mouth to muffle the noise. "You're so bad!"

Sam leaned forward, stretching her body over Janet's. She let her fingers play across the thin cotton material of Janet's camisole top. "Tell me," she whispered, her lips barely a centimeter from Janet's. "How can I... get you to kiss me?"

Janet swallowed, her eyes downcast as if trying to see Sam's mouth. She extended her tongue, licking her suddenly parched lips. As she swept the tip across her lower lip, it came in contact with Sam's. She gasped at the contact, straightening up slightly. Sam reached up, stroking a loose strand of hair as she finally closed the distance and took possession of Janet's eager lips. After several seconds of searching and exploring, Sam broke free and began to kiss her lover's cheeks.

As the blonde covered her face with gentle kisses, Janet gasped, "How do you still do this to me? After all this time..."

Sam looked Janet in the eyes, searing ice blue meeting sparkling onyx. "The same way you do it to me," she promised.

Janet moved her hand to cup the back of Sam's neck, pulling the major in for a mind-blowing kiss. Sam smiled, allowing the smaller woman to roll so that she was on top. The doctor straddled the blonde's left thigh, holding her lover's face so that their lips never moved apart. Janet groaned as she swiped the interior of Sam's mouth with her tongue, gathering the essential taste that was Samantha Carter. She felt the blonde reciprocate, and managed to move in sync with her ministrations.

Finally, they broke the kiss, both gasping for air. Janet wrapped her arms around Sam's neck, moving so that her head rested on Sam's shoulder. Meanwhile, Sam began kissing the crux of Janet's neck, caressing the tender flesh as her hands began to roll up the material of her lover's thin top. Glancing down between their intertwined bodies, Sam saw a pair of erect nubs pressing against the camisole on Janet's breasts, already strained with the effort of keeping the busty doctor contained.

Sam pushed Janet up, separating them just long enough to pull the top off, baring the brunette's breasts to the cold air of her childhood bedroom. Sam's lips locked onto one straining nipple, her tongue swirling across the cinnamon-colored halo surrounding the bud. Janet's hands moved up to course through Sam's so-recently combed hair, holding her tightly in place as she showed reverence to her lover's body.

Janet's purple panties didn't stand a chance against the soaking they received. Sam could feel the heat and the wetness seeping from her lover and bent her knee slightly, pressing her thigh against the brunette's core. Janet moaned loudly, then released Sam's head with one hand and covered her mouth. The sensation ebbed slightly and she bent down, and whispered, "God, Sam, we have to stop."

"Impossible," the blonde panted against the fragrant skin of Janet's breast. "Impossible..."

Janet smiled, straightening again and stretching herself out. Sam looked up in awe, admiring her lover's slender form bathed in the moonlight. The gentle blue glow accentuated the curves and valleys of the brunette's body, glistening against the sheen that had accumulated on her upper chest and arms. Finally, Janet looked down with slitted eyes and saw that Sam was motionless.

"I thought... stopping was impossible."

"You're gorgeous," Sam proclaimed. "Gorgeous."

Janet grinned and tightened her grip on Sam's shoulders. "Oh?" She began to grind her crotch against Sam, spreading the wetness and causing the sheen on Sam's thigh to grow. Sam began kissing her way down to the hollow above Janet's breasts.

Sam moved her hand to Janet's stomach, touching the quivering skin before traveling lower. Janet gasped as Sam's fingers found their way under the waistband of her panties, moaned as she felt the blonde's fingers moving through the short, moist hairs below. Sam bit her lip, resting her head on the brunette's heaving bosoms. Her index finger finally came in contact with wet skin that was porcelein-smooth, sensitive to the touch, and dripping with Janet's essence. Janet released Sam's neck, letting herself fall back.

The brunette's body was relaxed at a 45-degree angle to Sam's, the women joined at the hip. Janet raised her head, locking gazes with her beautiful wife. Her lips were quivering, parted ever-so-slightly. Sam winked... and slipped her index finger just past the entrance to Janet's sex. Janet's jaw dropped, her eyes closing involuntarily as she began to pant.

Sam saw what was coming, had caused it to often not to recognize the signs. Janet was going to climax and she was going to do it loudly. In desperation, Sam clutched the duct-tape mended bear and placed it on her lover's shaking stomach. Janet caught the hint, picking the bear up and pressing it against her mouth the moment she began to moan.

Sam added her middle finger, venturing deeper even as the heel of her hand pressed gently against the brunette's engorged clitoris. Janet gasped into the bear, holding it as tight as possible without tearing any seams. Her body was thrashing now, and Sam was breathing heavily. Her own crotch was dripping with anticipation. As Sam added a third finger to the mix, slipping all three in to the first knuckle, Janet began panting "ohgodohgodohgod" into the innocent bear's stomach.

Finally, Janet felt her vaginal muscles contract, the flesh of her stomach following suit. She lurched forward, finding a stuffed animal between her face and that of the woman she loved. She tossed the bear aside, finding Sam's open lips in an eager kiss as she came. Sam's fingers moved the rest of the way in as Janet orgasmed, causing a second wave to arrive as the first was just beginning to crest.

With her free hand, Sam reached up and stroked Janet's face, finding it wet with tears. She opened her eyes, not wanting to break the kiss, and saw tears streaming down Janet's face as rapidly as her juices were coating Sam's hand. As the climax subsided, Sam rolled onto one side so Janet was laying on the crumpled bedsheets at her side. Reaching down, she pulled the comforter up over their exhausted bodies.

"Janet?"

"Yes?" the brunette whispered, wiping away tears.

"Why... why the tears, baby?"

Janet looked into Sam's eyes. "Because... I just... God, I love you, Sam... and no one can know. We've got to keep the best thing in our life a secret."

"I know," Sam whispered, kissing the tip of Janet's nose. "And you know. That's enough for me. Screw the rest of the world."

Janet kissed Sam gently, then whispered, "I'm sorry, Sam, but I can't... you know..." She gestured to the wet spot on the blonde's boxers.

Sam smiled. "All the time in the world to repay the favor, babe." She pressed her lips to Janet's forehead, laying her head on the pillow. "Rest, love."

They fell asleep with their limbs entwined, both spent from the night's exertions.

---

Sam woke around three, her stomach growling loudly. She realized she hadn't eaten since lunch the day before and carefully managed to slip away from her sleeping lover. Janet mumbled in her sleep, curling up slightly against the suddenly empty bed. Sam removed her still sodden boxers, grabbing the robe Janet had worn from the bathroom after her shower. She slipped it on, tying it securely before inhaling the material. Even though Sam had been wearing the terrycloth earlier, it had retained the scent of the brunette. The blonde smiled and thought, 'Pure Janet.'

Kissing Janet's cheek, she unlocked the door and stepped into the dark hallway. She took a moment to acclimate herself to the odd environment; she had spent the night in other people's homes before and had, in fact, started her relationship with Janet as a visitor and occasional sleepover guest. But she still hadn't gotten over the feeling of not belonging in a house that she didn't live in. She scanned the doors down the hallway, then headed to the stairs.

A light was burning in the kitchen and she considered going back upstairs to wait until whoever this was went to bed. Her stomach, however, had other ideas and prompted her forward. The kitchen opened onto the entryway, but had sliding doors that could be closed for privacy. One was standing open, allowing the bright light to pour out. Sam cautiously poked her head in, looking around. She immediately regretted it.

Melissa was sitting at the table, wearing a silk robe that was obviously made for her, eating a bowl of Cheerios. She looked up, spotting Sam just as the blonde was about to duck back into the hall. 'Busted,' she thought, stepping into the kitchen. Melissa chewed her mouthful of cereal carefully, looking up at Sam. Finally, she swallowed and said, "Well."

Sam nervously toyed with the tie of her robe. "I, uh... was just looking for something to eat. Kinda hungry."

"You're in luck. This is a kitchen."

Sam moved past the woman, going to the counter and finding a box of cereal. She loathed eating the same thing as Melissa, afraid it might mean they were having a meal together. Once again, her stomach overrided her fear and she poured herself a bowl. Melissa tipped her spoon slightly, taking the final amount of milk into her mouth without bothering to slurp it up. She was too much of a 'lady' to slurp. She stood, brushing by Sam as she carried her bowl to the sink. Sam moved to the table, lowering herself into a seat to the left of where Melissa had been sitting.

The other woman washed out her bowl, then returned to the table and reclaimed her seat. She propped her chin on her hand, looking at Sam as she ate her cereal. Finally, she said, "So. You and my baby sister, huh?"

"Yeah," Sam said, keeping her voice low. "We're in love."

Melissa scoffed. "Love? That's rich."

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Sam wondered.

Melissa reclined against the back of the chair. "Well, you're both women--"

"Very observant," Sam muttered.

The woman continued, either ignoring or not hearing Sam's jibe. "You're both in the military, Janet is taking care of the girl, Cathy..."

"Cassie. Her name is Cassandra and we're both taking care of her."

Melissa pressed her lips together in a thin smile, toying with the place mat in front of her. "What a liberated time we live in."

"Some of us live in it," Sam snapped.

Melissa locked eyes with the blonde. "You're a little spitfire, aren't ya? I haven't heard you do anything but whimper or snap at someone since I got here. Frankly, I think you're just using Janet."

Sam dropped her spoon, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. She opened her mouth twice to say something, shutting it before she said the wrong thing. She finally pushed the bowl away, having lost her appetite. "Can I ask you something?"

In that sickly-sweet fake voice, Melissa said, "Well, of course."

"Janet is the most wonderfully sweet, funny, intelligent person I know. And she can't stand to be around you. Just how big of a bitch *are* you?"

Melissa blinked, shaking her head. She simply looked down at the table.

"I mean, she doesn't just hate someone for no reason. Why doesn't she feel comfortable around you?" Sam persisted.

The other woman shook her head, smiling. "Look, Janet and I have issues. That's all you need to know." She stood, making sure the belt of her robe was tied. She reached up, closing the small gap the two halves of silk made, probably paranoid that Sam would sneak a peek of cleavage and ravish her right there. She walked past Sam, disappearing out the front door without another word.

Sam sat at the table for another fifteen minutes before heading back upstairs. As she slipped back under the blankets, she placed a kiss on Janet's closed eyelids before cradling the brunette against her chest. She held Janet in the darkness. Even with the comfort of her love, sleep managed to evade her for several hours.


Chapter Three

Sam shot up, her hair sticking every which way on her head. The rooster crowed again, barking a hearty wake-up call to everyone within earshot - a range Sam guessed to be somewhere in the vicinity of 200 miles. She rubbed her face, fighting the urge to lay down and smother herself with a pillow just to get some more sleep. Janet stretched next to her, groaning as she sat up. Her hair was a bit mussed, but nothing compared to Sam's. Janet lovingly kissed Sam's lips, then chuckled, "You've never slept on a farm, have you?"

"The rooster thing... I thought that was just made up."

Janet laughed. "Unfortunately, no. I swear sometimes back in Colorado, I swear I can still hear the damn thing every morning."

Sam sighed, climbing out of bed. Janet followed suit, quickly stripping out of her panties, still moist from the night before. She held the underwear away from her body, maneuvering it like hazardous waste, her nose wrinkled. "Ew... why'd you let me sleep in these?"

Sam chuckled, but didn't answer.

Janet dropped her underwear in the hamper, making a mental note to do a load of laundry later. She checked her watch, noting that it was only six o'clock. She tossed Sam a towel and said, "Why don't you take first shower?"

Sam moved in close, pressing her body against Janet's bare back. "Maybe we could both take the first shower."

Janet smiled, turning and wrapping her arms around Sam's waist. "My parents may be open-minded about the wedding and the two of us sharing a room, but I think they would draw the line at sex in the shower."

Sam sighed, pressing her lips to Janet's. "Oh, well. But we *will* get together for a little tryst in the barn?"

"I promised, didn't I?" Janet teased. "We just have to get Melissa's family out for a little bit and I'll show you the benefits of country life."

Sam sighed, pressing her forehead to Janet's. "Then how 'bout a little tryst right here? An encore performance of last night?"

Janet nodded with a smile, slapping Sam's rear end. "Later. First, you shower."

"That bad?" Sam asked, sniffing herself.

"Not really," Janet said. "But I positively reek, thanks to you."

Sam stroked the brunette's cheek. "I didn't hear you complaining last night."

"You won't hear me complaining tonight either. Nudge, Nudge, wink, wink." Janet leered, wiggling her eyebrows.

Sam mock-bowed, then said, "Your wish is my command." She kissed Janet and headed for the door. She had her hand on the knob when Janet cleared her throat. Sam turned, frowning. "What is it?"

"Forgetting something?" Janet asked, mischievous twinkle in her eye. Her hands were on her hips, one eyebrow cocked.

Sam frowned, looking at herself. She was as nude as the day she was born... she had almost streaked the halls of Janet's parents house. She blushed crimson, moving to the closet and grabbing a robe. "God, Janet... Thank you."

Janet sighed. "I hate watching you cover that body up... but it'll make my parents more comfortable."

Sam tightened the belt and said. "Now... I will shower."

"More power to ya," Janet chuckled.

---

Janet sat in the ergonomic chair, tucking her feet up underneath her. As the computer warmed up, she sipped her coffee from the blue ceramic cup she had always used as a teen. This was, however, the first time she had used it for coffee. She heard her parents coming down the stairs, talking quietly. When they passed the door of the den, Michael peered in and saw his youngest child perched at the computer desk.

"Hey, Little Girl," he smiled. "Whatcha up to?"

She smiled. "Morning, Daddy. Just seeing if Cassie emailed me anything."

Michael's grin widened. "You and Sam really love that girl, don't you?"

"More than anything, Daddy."

He chuckled. "I'll see you at breakfast, okay?"

"Got it." Michael disappeared from the door as she typed in her address and password. After a few seconds, she saw that she had two new messages. The first was from Jack O'Neill, telling her about a new 'book' he had read. Book was code for a new world, just in case anyone with any sort of hacking ability found their way into someone's email. She smiled at the Colonel's banter; making a note to write him a reply later.

The other note was from Cassandra. Janet happily clicked on it, sitting up straight to read her daughter's words. As the email opened, the screen momentarily went black. It was fixed an instant later, but Janet decided to run a Scandisk later anyway. It was her parent's computer, after all. She read Cassie's message, then noticed something written across the bottom. "Sentient Active Matrix" followed by a string of letters and numbers.

She furrowed her brow, then hit reply. The odd words and numbers disappeared, so she decided that it wasn't too important. She began writing a reply to her daughter before going to breakfast.

---

The S.A.M. was activated at a remote location. It had traveled quite a distance from it's initial arrival point. In a matter of milliseconds, it managed to calculate it's starting point and it's destination point and worked out the equation to discover the curve of the planet between those two points. It instantly discovered the approximate size of the world it had been transported to. It was a large place, it determined.

It was in an incredibly archaic construction and was amazed that it was powerful enough to function, let alone hold the bulk of the S.A.M. consciousness. It spread itself as far as possible, finding conduits through wires and outlets that led throughout the entire structure. It was a home of some sort; a domicile for the inhabitants of this planet. It examined the household, detecting five heat signatures inside. There was another domicile in close relation to this one; this structure was smaller than the first, but also held five heat signatures. According to scans, three were significantly smaller than the other two. A family unit, S.A.M. surmised. In all, a total of ten humanoids.

It felt the power of each individual person, felt the connection to the multitude of mechanical devices within the building.

It stretched out, moving it's proverbial limbs to each section of power and learning how to manipulate and control each device.

It was home.

---

Sergeant Dan Siler settled into his work station, balancing a cup of coffee on the top of his monitor as he booted it up. He thumbed through maintenance checks of the night before, noticing nothing much amiss. An unauthorized file had been detected but further investigation revealed it to be an email from Dr. Fraiser's adopted daughter. The email had been sent to a base email account, probably either Colonel O'Neill or Dr. Jackson, the lanky man assumed.

The computer was now active. He opened his account and frowned as a pop-up appeared. "Not enough memory?" he read from the screen. "What the hell?" He typed in his override command, receiving the same message: Memory Depleted. He signed out, running a Scandisk over the entire thing. Ferreted away in an unused account, he found several billion megabytes of undecypherable materials. He tried opening the files, only to discover they were unreadable as well.

He leaned back, staring at his screen in disbelief. The name of the intrusive file was "SentActiMat." Finally, he picked up the phone on the corner of his desk and said, "Sir? We may have a problem with the base computers."

---

By the time Sam got out of the shower and dressed, most of the family had finished their breakfast. Michael and James were gone, headed to the store for supplies; regardless of the 21st century devices within the house, the Fraisers still worked the fields for the majority of their food, and they still needed to buy the same staples most families required.. Sam settled into one of the high-backed wooden chairs, smiling across the table at her lover as she picked two pieces of bacon off of the plate in the center of the table.

Joan was smiling at the blonde, fingers laced together and resting below her chin. Her eyes twinkled much like Janet's; the resemblance was uncanny. As Sam poured a glass of milk, the front door opened and Melissa's husband entered. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, buttoned all the way to the neck, and a pair of slacks with the crease running down the middle of each leg. He looked like City Mouse coming to visit his cousin for the weekend. He eyed each member of the family as he cautiously sat down, accepting the plate Joan offered.

As he scooped a helping of scrambled eggs onto his plate, he glanced at Sam and smiled weakly. The door opened again, this time depositing Melissa and three small children. Two of them - the boys - had to be twins, while the girl wasn't much older than them. Sam guessed their ages to be no more than seven. Melissa didn't even look at Sam as she ushered the mystically silent children into the room.

Joan rose, practically bursting at the seams at the sight of her grandchildren. Melissa knelt, straightening one of the twin's shirts and Joan pinched his rounded cheeks. The boy stood like an automaton as they fussed over him, finally looking to his mother for permission to go eat. Melissa nodded almost imperceptibly and the boy headed for the counter, followed by his brother and sister.

Joan sighed, rising out of her crouch and smoothing her apron. "Ah, they grow up so fast, Melissa!"

Melissa grinned. "Well, maybe now that Janet's married, she'll give you more to... oh, right." She shrugged with the 'slip.' "I guess she *won't* be giving you grandchildren any time soon. My mistake."

Janet closed her eyes, piercing a piece of sausage with her fork and bringing it to her lips to prevent an outburst.

Melissa simply kept the plastered smile as she took her seat, eyeing the food laid out before taking anything. She passed over the eggs (probably too high cholesterol) and the sausage (fatty meats? Never!) and eventually settled on a banana and a glass of milk. Joan took her own seat and smiled, "The eggs are cholesterol-free, dear."

"I know that's what they say, Mom," Melissa said. "But that's hardly the truth." She sipped her milk, carefully cutting the banana with her fork. "Do you happen to have any Cream of Wheat?"

"Oh," Joan said, her brow furrowing slightly. "I, ah... don't think we do." Joan rose to check the cupboards, but Melissa stopped her.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Mom. Stephen will go buy some."

Her husband looked up from his plate, then gazed longingly at his half-eaten eggs. Wiping his mouth, he meekly said, "Be right back." He stood, moving to the door.

Before he could get outside, Melissa said, "Oh! And Samantha here could go with you."

A silence fell over the breakfast nook. Sam and Janet locked eyes, neither knowing what to do or say. Sam nodded at Janet, silently agreeing to go along with her brother-in-law to avoid any unpleasantness at breakfast. Seeing her lover's confirmation, Janet said, "Uh... is that... okay, Stephen?"

He glanced at Sam, then at his wife. Finally, he nodded. "Sure. I, uh... sure."

Sam placed her napkin on the table and said, "I guess I'll be right back, too."

Melissa flashed her capped teeth. "I'm sure you'll have a simply marvelous time. And, Stephen? Get the right kind of Cream of Wheat this time? I'd hate to send you back."

He stifled a sigh and said, "Yes, dear."

Sam followed silently, pulling her jacket from the open closet door. Stephen moved to the door, turning the knob... and walking into the still-shut door. He frowned, wiggling the knob. "Um... Mrs. Fraiser? The door seems to be locked. There's no... no lock on it..."

Joan came out of the dining room, wiping her hands on a towel. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, dear." She walked to a small alarm system control panel and typed in a three digit code. The system beeped and the 'thunking' of a disengaging lock came from within the door. "Automated security," Joan sighed. "I tried to tell Michael we didn't need it out in the middle of nowhere... I guess he's seen one too many movies." She smiled and bid them good-bye, returning to the kitchen.

Sam stepped onto the porch, zipping up her Air Force jacket as she hit the crisp November air. "So, ah..." Stephen said, looking over his shoulder. He saw the insignia on Sam's jacket and said, "Air Force?"

"Yeah," Sam said. "Major."

"Uh... yeah, it is major."

She chuckled. "No. *I* am a Major. Major Samantha Carter."

"Oh!" he said, shaking his head. "I thought.... uh, is that good? Is it high?"

"Just above captain, a rung or two below Colonel."

He whistled, moving towards his car. "Nice. So you planning to go all the way?" he asked. "General Carter? Admiral Carter?"

She grinned, waiting for him to unlock the passenger door. "My dad is Admiral Carter." She realized she was correcting him; something he probably got more than enough of from his lovely wife. She quickly added, "But, who knows? Maybe one day...." It took him a moment to clean off the passenger seat, so she took the opportunity to examine the car. "This is great," she said. "What make is it?"

"Oh, it's a Honda Insight... Hybrid. Electric-slash-Gasoline."

"Very nice," she said. "Mileage?"

"Sixty to the gallon."

She whistled, sliding into the seat and admiring the interior.

Stephen turned on the ignition, waiting for the interior to warm up before he started driving. He rubbed his hands together and shook his head. "I'm sorry you got shanghaied into doing this," he said in a low voice, perhaps afraid his wife would hear him. "It's just... Melissa sometimes gets these ideas in her head and..."

"Ideas?"

"Yeah," he said, glancing through the defrosting window. "She thinks if I convince you I'm a friend, I can tell you to dump Janet."

"Dump Janet?"

"It wasn't my idea," he said. "I think... it doesn't matter what I think."

"Actually it does," Sam said. "What do you think of me and Janet?"

"I knew her when she was married to Alan. What that bastard did to her... I saw her laugh and smile during those years and I knew it was fake. But - and I know I haven't seen much - but what I've seen of you two... I couldn't be happier for Janet. She's got a wonderful laugh when it's truly a happy laugh."

Sam smiled. "She does, doesn't she?"

"I'm sure you're used to it by now." He looked up at her. "My honest opinion? I don't think there are two people on this planet who are more right for each other than you and my sister-in-law."

Sam looked at this quiet man, then grinned. "I think I like you."

He laughed. "That's good. Now, let's go get Her Majesty's oatmeal."

"What kind does she like?"

"Who cares," Stephen scoffed. "I just get the first one I see."

It was Sam's turn to laugh. "Now I *know* I like you."

---

Jack led the rest of SG-1 into the briefing room, all three men wearing casual attire. General Hammond sat at the head of the briefing table, hands steepled before him. Sergeant Siler was sitting next to the bald Texan, a confused look on his angular face. Jack settled into his seat, propping one leg up on the table. "So, General... what's the big emergency?"

"It appears that someone or something has infiltrated the base computers."

Daniel perked up. "Infiltrated? How?"

"We're not sure," Siler answered. "But they're leaving their mark on everything they manage to corrupt. Every file that has been breached was branded with the signature 'SentActiMat'. Now, we're..."

"Sentient Active Matrix," Teal'c interrupted. "Was that not the designation of the program we discovered on 3XP-274?"

Daniel perked up. "Teal'c's right. It must have made it back here through the Stargate."

"Or through Cassie's little... palm deal." Jack made a square with his fingers, indicating the Palm Pilot.

"We did receive an email message from Cassandra last night."

Daniel nodded slowly. "The S.A.M. scanned the palm pilot to determine that our technologies were incompatible. It's possible that it left behind a zipped version of itself in the hardware."

"How does that become a problem here, at the base?" Hammond asked.

"Cassie's palm pilot is the infected animal in a way, Sir," Siler explained. "It's like a dog with rabies. When it comes in contact with another dog - or in this case, computer program - it infects the second system with the rabies. And so on, and so forth. So anybody we contact via email or telephone or... any technology... is bound to become infected with the S.A.M."

"Email, telephone... Stargate?" Jack questioned.

Hammond looked uneasy with that. "Are you saying that if we dial ANYwhere, we can risk infecting them with a computer virus."

"Well, not exactly, Sir. Not every planet is as technologically advanced as we are. And then there are some where the Stargate is far from any civilization. Also, we wouldn't have to worry about infecting 3XP-274, since that's where the original S.A.M. program is located."

Hammond nodded. "And perhaps that's where the answers lie. Jack, I want you to suit up and be ready to go ASAP. Take Burdett and Dr. Jackson with you. Teal'c, Sergeant Siler will drive you to the Fraiser house. I want you to find Cassandra and inform her of the situation... tell her it's imperitive that she contact no one electronically. Make certain she knows how dire this situation could become."

Teal'c stood, bowing slightly.

Hammond sighed. "Let's just hope she hasn't already sent someone else an email..."

---

Stephen pulled up in front of the Fraiser house close to an hour later. They had run into Michael and James at the store and they headed back together. As Michael's truck pulled into the driveway behind them, Sam moved to the bed of the truck and began unloading the bags of groceries. The front door banged open and Melissa came outside, her features twisted in a mask of anger. "Michael! Come on, we're going to town."

"I just got back from town, dear."

Sam turned to face him. The man who had, five minutes ago, been funny, smart and intelligent had reverted to the meek, mild-mannered husband. Melissa stormed past him and he immediately fell into step behind her. "Why are we going to town?"

Melissa turned, glaring at Sam. "The second you two left, I got the third degree from Mom about Sam and Janet. I've had enough preaching for the day." She looked at him. "So are you coming or not?"

"Of course, dear," Stephen said. He glanced at Sam, then followed his wife to the barn to gather her coat.

Michael handed James the keys to the truck, instructing him to park it in the garage. As James slowly drove around the house, Michael wrapped his free arm around Sam's shoulders. "Tough weekend, huh, kid?"

She smiled. "Just a little. But it's a wonderful place. You and your wife... and James, of course. You're all so incredible." She kissed him on the cheek.

He grinned, blushing slightly. "Aw, we're just a simple country family. C'mon. You can help me put away the groceries and then we'll let you and Janet explore the farm."

"Sounds like a plan," she said.

---

Janet and Joan sat at the dining room table, both quietly looking down at their bowls. Michael stepped into the room and smiled. "Wow... where's the party, you guys?"

They looked up, expressions instantly brightened. "Daddy," Janet said, standing and wrapping her arms around his neck. "We had an awful fight with Melissa."

"We heard," Sam said, resting her hand on Janet's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Janet sighed, extracting herself from her father and wrapping herself in Sam's offered embrace. "I'm glad you're back."

Sam grinned, then said, "I'm going to help your dad put away the groceries, and then he said we could explore the farm."

Janet's eyes sparkled. She turned to her father and said, "You mind if we ride?"

"Not at all," Michael smiled. "In fact, I kind of assumed that's what you'd ask."

"Ride? Ride what?" Sam asked, looking between the two.

Michael explained, "There's a horse ranch about a mile or two from here. James, Janet and Melissa used to go riding all the time."

Janet was practically buzzing with excitement. "Do they still have Thunder?"

"Thunder is alive and kicking," Michael grinned. Then, realizing what he had just said, he added, "Not kicking as in 'kicking'... he's healthy."

Janet laughed. "Okay, Daddy. While you and Sam are in the kitchen, I'll go change." She kissed Sam on the cheek, then said, "I'll be right down."

---

Teal'c stood before the elevators, staring at the closed doors. "I do not understand."

Daniel knocked on the metal, then stepped back. "You know, if S.A.M. has taken over base operations, it may also have manipulated the elevator systems. I mean, it's gotten into our computers and messed with passwords. Why not go the extra mile and make sure we can't stop it from spreading?"

"Sergeant Siler and I will use the access ladder to reach the surface," Teal'c decided.

"Good idea," Daniel said.

---

Sam knocked lightly on Janet's bedroom door. "You ready, babe?"

"Just a second!" came from within. "Don't come in yet!"

Sam stepped back, smiling at what Janet could be wearing. "C'mon, Janet. Nothing I haven't seen before," she grinned. She could hear her lover laugh within. "So... are we riding different horses or are we going to double-up?" She paused, getting a mental picture; her body pressed tightly against Janet, hands gripping the brunette's shoulders for dear life as they galloped through the countryside. She wondered if it felt the same as riding her bike; the warm, throbbing object between her legs... She exhaled, shaking her head and asked, "You almost done in there?"

The door opened and Janet appeared, shyly stepping into the hallway. "Well?" she asked.

Sam was at a loss. Janet was wearing tight, faded blue jeans with a pair of rips over the knees. The normally-sensible shoes that she wore on- and off-duty had been replaced by gleaming black leather boots. Her white t-shirt plunged low, revealing both a generous amount of cleavage and the doctor's bare arms. She had slipped a sleeveless denim vest over the shirt, only adding to the white shirt. The look was completed with a weather-beaten brown cowboy hat, obviously fitted for Janet's head. The doctor's brown locks had been tucked carefully under the hat, only a few strands hanging free to frame the doctor's face.

Janet held her hands out, palms-up. "Well?" she repeated.

Sam blinked, realizing she hadn't answered. "Wow. I... it's just... Wow, Janet."

Janet grinned. "You like, huh?"

The blonde only nodded, looking down at her own outfit. She wore a loose flannel shirt and a pair of blue jeans that looked brand new. Her shoes were comfortable sneakers. "I'm a little out of uniform, though."

Janet wrapped an arm around Sam's waist, pulling the taller woman closer. "Don't worry, hon. I'll take good care of ya." Their lips met in a smoldering kiss, both holding their tongues back to prevent it from going too far. Finally, they separated and Janet said, "You ready to go?"

"I could never resist a woman in a Stetson," Sam smiled. "Lead the way, Marshall Dillon."

"I guess that makes you Miss Kitty?"

Sam only smiled, following Janet downstairs.


Chapter Four

The barn was fragrant with the scent of hay, horses and... well, another smell that was to be expected in an area housing a dozen horses. Sam held Janet's hand as they entered the large building, looking for the owners. Two stalls near the door were open and Sam peered in. She was instantly presented with a horse's rear. The tail swished slowly as the beast ate his feed out of a trough lining the back of the stall. Janet felt Sam stop and turned. "Honey? What is it?"

"Nothing, just..." She paused, then pointed at the horse's ass and asked, "Why are these people holding Colonel O'Neill?"

Janet stifled a laugh, shaking her head. "Bad joke, Sam. Bad, bad joke."

"Made you laugh," Sam pointed out.

Janet wrapped her arm tightly around Sam's waist, pulling the blonde close. "C'mon. Let's find Brian and Vicky and get a horse." She leaned in and nibbled the skin just below the blonde's ear. "I can't wait to get you onto Thunder."

"So we are sharing a horse?"

"Now, sweetheart, it wouldn't be a honeymoon if we rode different horses." She kissed Sam's cheek before pulling away a little. No need to make a scene in the middle of the barn...

A tall blonde man stepped out of a stall, closing the door behind him. His white t-shirt bulged with muscles, a light shading of a beard covering the lower half of his face. The old clothes and rugged exterior of the man reminded Sam of Jonas the last time she had seen him; pretending to be a god to some frightened natives on an alien world. She shoved that thought aside and concentrated on Janet's friend. He casually looked up, noticing the two women approach. He started to look down, then did a double-take. His face exploded in a wide smile and he said, "JANET Fraiser?! Oh, my God!" He ran over, grabbing the petite woman and inadvertantly snatching her hand from Sam's. He spun her around, hugging her tightly. "Oh, Janet, it's been forever!" He finally put her on the ground, forcing Sam to hold her up as she got her land legs back. Brian turned and bellowed, "Vicky! Get in 'ere! Janet's back!"

Sam grinned. "So, is it an Oklahoma tradition to be lifted into the air by everyone you meet, or is that just you?"

Janet laughed. "I guess I've been away longer than I thought."

Brian shook his head. "You are still as beautiful as always, Janet." He suddenly became serious, changing the subject by asking, "And, uh... you ever hear from Alan?"

Janet smiled politely. She and Alan had divorced before he had left the state. She had stayed for a while at Tinker, but then had been transferred away. "I heard from him not long ago. He's doing fine, getting counselling."

"I swear," Brian shook his head. "When I heard what he had been doing to you..."

"It's okay, Brian, I promise." Janet said. "My love life is... very happy right now."

"Got yourself a new suitor, eh? Who's the lucky fella?"

Janet wrapped her arm around Sam's shoulder. "You're looking at her. Brian Best, meet Major Samantha Carter. My wife." She winced, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

"Get the hell out of here," Brian said. His grin returned. "My God, Janet... divorced, finding love with another woman and getting what you wanted despite what the rules say? You could be a romance novel, little lady."

Janet, grateful her old friend was okay with this, decided to joke back. "Oh, you read a lot of romance novels, do ya?"

He stiffened. "Ah, no... it's just sometimes Vicky, she leaves them laying around and... I just kinda thumb through... Where is she?" He turned and yelled, "VICKY, get out here!"

Janet chuckled as a small redhead approached from the opposite end of the barn. She had on yellow work gloves and the front of her apron was covered with stains that were probably older than anyone present. "What're you bellowing about, Brian?" She slipped a pair of headphones off, tossing them to the ground as she untied her ponytail and shook her hair free. She looked up and saw who was standing with her husband. She froze. "Janet! Janet, you're here!" She ran the rest of the distance and embraced her old friend, lifting her off the ground.

Sam rolled her eyes and chuckled, "The tradition continues."

Vicky lowered Janet and eyed the blonde. "And this lovely creature?"

Janet snaked an arm around Sam's shoulder. "This is my wife. Samantha Carter, Vicky Best. Vicky Best, Samantha Carter."

Sam shook her hand, then said, "Uh, both of you can call me Sam."

"Fair enough," Brian said. "You can call me Mr. Best or 'Sir.'"

Vicky whacked him in the stomach and said, "Ignore Mr. Joke-a-Minute here..." Smiling at Janet, she said, "I suppose you want Thunder?"

"If I could have her," Janet said hopefully.

"Sorry to say, but Thunder's seen better days. Of course, she did have a colt a few years back. You wanna give Lightning a try? She's just the same as her mom."

Janet squealed with delight, tightening her grip on Sam's shoulder. "Thanks, Vick. Sam, you are going to love this... have you ever ridden a horse?"

"No... but I've ridden everything else."

Janet raised an eyebrow. "I'll let that double-entrendre go by. You... are going to love this!" They walked hand-in-hand behind Brian and Vicky to a stall marked Lightning.

---

Cassandra answered the door with a frown, sighing. "Yes, can I hel... Teal'c! Hi!"

"Greetings, Cassandra," he intoned. He wore a Boston Red Sox baseball cap to cover his tattoo, but was otherwise dressed normally in his green fatigue pants and black t-shirt. "There is a situation which you must be aware of."

"Great, more problems," she muttered.

"What is troubling you?"

"My stereo! Mom and Sam just bought me a new one and I can't get the stupid thing to stay on one station. It keeps slipping from one to another without me touching a thing."

"Is that the reason for your anger?"

"You bet it is! Stupid stereo."

"Perhaps it is not the machine..." He stepped inside, carefully examining the area for mechanical or electrical devices. "There is reason to believe that an alien intelligence has infiltrated your home computers."

Cassie frowned, looking over Teal'c's massive soldier. A man she recognized from the base was sitting in a jeep in the driveway, wiping his glasses patiently. "Really? How?"

"It is not important at this point," he intoned. "Have you contacted anyone other than Colonel O'Neill?"

"Yeah, I wrote Mom and Sam an email..."

Teal'c nodded. "Come. We shall inform O'Neill and Dr. Jackson of this immediately."

---

Janet smiled at Sam's reaction to the caramel-colored horse. She swallowed and said, "This thing is going to let us climb up on it's back?"

"Sure," Janet chuckled. "What's wrong, Sam? I rode Thunder back when I was in high school... She was the gentlest thing you've ever seen. I'm sure her child will be just as docile. Right?"

Sam nodded, tentatively touching the horse's mane. She jumped when it responded to her touch, stepping back.

"I thought you were excited about this."

"I was!" Sam promised. "I am! It's just... a little intimidating right now..."

Janet smiled, then rested a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Want me to help you get onto him?"

Sam nodded slightly, taking hold of the saddle and bracing her foot in the stirrup. Janet cupped her hands over the cheeks of Sam's ass, squeezing gently. Sam glanced over her shoulder, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth. "How is that helping me get on?"

"It's not... it's helping me get off."

Sam gasped, her eyes widening as her jaw dropped. "Be glad your mom isn't around to hear you talk like that... potty mouth!"

Janet chuckled and pushed upward, helping Sam get high enough to throw her other leg over the horse's back. Lightning made a bit of a fuss, but didn't move. Janet then pulled herself up, settling into place in front of Sam. The blonde scooted forward, pressing tightly against Janet's back. As the brunette led the horse from the stall, Sam very slowly worked her hand under the hem of the doctor's white shirt. She tickled the soft flesh of Janet's stomach, pressing her lips to the base of Janet's neck. "I love you," she whispered.

Lightning stepped into sunlight, nickering softly. Janet tucked her head against her chest, then said, "I hope you still feel that way after this."

"After wha--"

Her question was cut off Janet kicked her heels against the horse's side, letting loose a loud, "Ya!" Lightning bolted, charging across the open plain at a steady pace. Sam called out, her entire body contracting around Janet's. Janet pressed back against her lover, hoping this wasn't pushing it too far. 'And even if it is,' Janet decided, 'it'll serve her right for all of those midnight rides on her motorcycle.'

Lightning neighed loudly, shaking her head from side to side as she took a sharp corner, threatening to knock both women off. Janet, being an expert rider, managed to hold both herself and Sam upright as the horse began galloping along the bank of a small stream. Sam's head was tucked against Janet's shoulder, her eyes slitted against the onslaught of wind. Her hands had inadvertantly slid upward, now cupping the brunette's breasts as they rode. Janet grinned, calling over her shoulder, "Those aren't handles, you know!"

Sam laughed, realizing where she was grabbing, then gently squeezed.

Janet shook her head, prepared to get back at the playful blonde. She spurred Lightning to go faster. The horse complied, apparently eager for the opportunity to stretch it's legs for once.

"Jan... Janet... stop. I'm serious."

Janet immediately sobered, pulling back on the reins. "Ha," she hissed. "Hea..." Lightning came to a stop near the river, her hooves making quiet impacts in the soft mud. She lowered her head, taking a drink of the cold stream water. Janet pulled herself off of Lightning's back, helping Sam get down as well. She held the blonde gently, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her side just above her belt. "Sam? You okay?"

Sam moved with uncanny speed, sweeping Janet's feet out from under her and knocking the petite doctor to the ground. Janet could only manage a weak gasp before Sam wrestled her to the ground, pinning her against the soft earth with her own body. The move caused Janet's cowboy hat to drop to the ground and her hair to come loose. When Janet opened her mouth to protest, Sam covered it with her own, thrusting her tongue violently over her lover's. When she finally let the doctor breathe, Sam said, "If you *ever* do something like that again..."

"You'll kiss me like that? I can't wait."

Sam grinned and kissed Janet's lips, savoring the taste and texture this time. She could feel Janet's tongue begging entrance, but she wouldn't allow it in just yet. She kept her lips closed tight over Janet's, her hands roaming the smaller woman's body. Janet squirmed against the dirt, moaning quietly as her lover teased her. After what seemed like ages, Sam opened her mouth and allowed the intruder to invade. Janet cupped the back of Sam's neck, pulling the blonde into the kiss. She could feel her lover's fingers moving along the warm skin just above her belt buckle and mentally begged them to go lower.

As if intuiting Janet's wants, Sam decided to make her lover beg. She pulled her hands free and slowly slid them up the outside of Janet's white shirt. When she reached the swell of the doctor's chest, she clutched at the pliant flesh, squeezing gently as she explored the already memorized terrain.

The doctor wrapped one leg around Sam's waist, pulling the blonde in and bringing their hot centers within inches of each other. Sam, wanting this to last as long as possible, pushed herself up to look down at her lover and wife. She had one hand pressed into the soft dirt on either side of Janet's head, both of them panting from the past few minutes. Sam blinked taking the time to appreciate the woman laying prone below her.

Janet looked up with luminous chocolate-brown eyes, several loose strands of ruddy hair caught in her eyelashes. Her cheeks were flushed, the redness spreading from her face to her neck and upper chest. Sam carefully brushed the captured hair and smoothed it against the beautiful woman's head. The brunette's lips were parted slightly, and she ran the tip of her pink tongue over them to return the moisture Sam's lips had nipped. Sam continued her exploration, noting the doctor's hair had been allowed to grow a bit longer than normal. The tips of the brown locks, which had recently been accentuated by streaks of blonde, rested delicately on her shoulders, alighting like beams of the morning sun.

Sam paused in her examination, taking the time to fully appreciate the breasts of her beloved; the rise and fall beneath the cotton shirt, the nipples straining against said material, begging for release. Sam gently placed her palm on the swell of Janet's bosom, enjoying the size and texture of them beneath her exploring hand. Keeping in contact with the brunette's body, Sam reached to one side and carefully brushed aside the denim of her vest. She repeated the motion on the opposite side, leaving the vest halfway down Janet's upper arms before brushing the backs of her fingers up to her love's shoulders. She was straddling Janet's hips, her buttocks resting on the crotch of the doctor's jeans. She could feel the heat rising up, imagined she could smell the arousal pouring out of her core from this teasing.

Looking up, she saw that the object of her affection was still laying flat against the ground, but her eyes were aimed downward. Both women smiled as they locked eyes. Using the upmost care, Sam pinched the hem of Janet's cotton shirt between her index finger and thumb, lifting the cotton just high enough to bunch it over Janet's breasts. The doctor's bare breasts were a shade lighter than the rest of her body, but that simply made her aureole all the more pronounced. Wetting her lips, the major bent down and took one erect nipple into her mouth, sucking it softly before swiping the tip of her tongue over the nub. Janet gasped, her hands immediately travelling to rest on Sam's shoulders.

Sam repeated the maneuver on her soulmate's other nipple, then lifted her head to expose the wetted flesh to the air. Janet closed her eyes as the wind blew across her moist skin. Sam grinned, pressing her lips against Janet's cheek, just next to her ear, and whispered, "What do you want, Janet?"

"You know," the doctor managed to murmur.

"Tell me," Sam persisted.

Janet grabbed Sam's head, lifting it until they were face-to-face. Janet paused, taking the time to look into the other woman's beautiful blue eyes, then said, "I want you." Their lips came together in a frenzied kiss, their tongues meeting in a hungry feast as Sam's fingers returned to trace circles over Janet's nipples.

As the kiss deepened, Janet decided her hands could be of better use elsewhere and moved them from Sam's shoulders, gliding down the soft shirt Sam was wearing until she reached the rough denim of her lover's jeans. Sam was cupping both breasts now, the nipples resting against the heel of each hand. Janet deftly undid the button of the blonde's pants, sliding in and around the waistband of her panties.

Sam gasped into Janet's mouth as probing fingers came in contact with the sensitive skin between her legs. She pulled her lips from Janet's, inhaling the brunette's unique scent as she tried to get air to her brain. "Wha... what are you doing?"

Janet pulled Sam down with her free hand, kissing instead of answering her. Sam didn't seem to mind, spreading her legs and resting her knees on either side of Janet's hips. The doctor felt the extra room, her fingers coming in contact with the blonde's clitoris just as her netherlips began to part. She dipped a finger into the succulent warmth, keeping her thumb on the hard nub. Sam moaned and Janet silenced her by softly biting the blonde's lower lip.

There was no way either could stop to undress... this would have to be done in extremely tight quarters. Sam opened her eyes, moving her hands to run over the painted-on material of Janet's jeans. Without breaking their liplock, Sam muttered, "Honey, you're going to have to be on top to get these things off."

"Consider it done," Janet whispered, running her tongue over the top row of Sam's teeth. They rolled together, mutually deciding which direction to roll. Unfortunately, they chose the direction of the stream. They stopped rolling with Sam on the bottom, laying in mud. Janet started to laugh, but didn't have time before both women began to slide in the loose earth. Janet's eyes widened and she raised up. "Oh, no!" she yelped, realizing what was coming. The mudslide deposited both women in the waist-deep water, coughing for air. They came apart, struggling to stand.

When they finally planted their feet on the muddy floor of the stream, they turned and looked at each other. Neither could contain their laughter. Sam's plaid shirt was sagging with excess water, while her pants were around her knees after Janet's explorations. Mud stuck to her blonde hair, causing it to hang together in clumps over her face.

On the other hand, Janet's white shirt had remained above her breasts. Her brown hair was caked with mud just a shade lighter and bits of grass stuck to her cheeks.

When the fit of giggles finally ended, Sam asked, "Well... ah... you ready to head back?"

Janet shook her head, letting her lover know that the cold chill of the stream hadn't done a thing to put out her fire. She approached slowly, swaying her hips as she undid the button of her jeans. When she was within arm's length, she simply said, "Nope." She closed the distance quickly, pressing her body against the blonde. Sam caught the smaller woman, their lips meeting once more. Sam peeled the skintight denim away from Janet's bare ass, cupping the twin globes before continuing to strip the jeans away. When they were to Janet's knees, Sam straightened and kissed the tip of her lover's nose.

"You look like Swamp Thing," Sam stated.

Janet giggled. "You're no better."

"Want to make love on the shore?"

"More than anything," Janet smiled. They kissed before making their way back to the bank, stripping away all of their soaked clothes, and laying down together in the tall grass well away from the water's edge.

A few yards away, Lightning grazed happily among a grove of apple trees, carefully finding and picking out apples that had fallen from their branches.


Chapter Five

Something soft was nuzzling against Sam's forehead, warm breath blowing through her hair. She slowly opened her eyes, seeing the snout of Lightning a few inches from her face. She reached up, patting the side of the horse's face before gently pushing it aside to look into the clear blue sky. Janet was sprawled on top of the blonde, her lips mere centimeters from Sam's nipple. They had collapsed after their romp in the grass, both exhausted. Sam brushed Janet's hair, whispering, "Hey, Sleepyhead. Time for us to get going."

Janet murmured in her sleep, bringing her hand up to cup the fullness of her lover's breast.

Sam chuckled, then pinched Janet's earlobe. "Honey... we have to get up."

The doctor's eyes slowly opened, focusing on the pasture around them. "Mm. How long have we been asleep?"

"Dunno," Sam said, not wanting to take the first step of standing up. Instead, she wrapped an arm around Janet's shoulder. "It looks like it's early afternoon, though."

"You wanna head back?" Janet asked.

"In a minute," Sam sighed, resting her head on the soft grass. Lightning had wandered away, finding something else to become engrossed in. "It's just so... nice here. No cell phones, no pagers... no way for anyone to find you. It's..."

"Peaceful?" Janet supplied.

"Exactly. How the hell did you decide to leave this for the Air Force?"

Tracing the circumference of the blonde's pink-colored nipple, Janet smiled and replied, "Intuition... I never would have met you without leaving this idyllic home."

Sam kissed the top of Janet's head. "God, I'm glad I found you."

"And I you," Janet said, scooting higher so their lips could meet once more. Sam tried to deepen the kiss, but Janet stopped her and asked, "Weren't we going to head back?"

"Screw back," Sam whispered. "Let's stay right here for the rest of our vacation. Hell, our lives..."

Janet kissed Sam's lips. "I promise to bring you back here one day. It will be our place."

Sam looked around, noting the line of trees around the perimeter of the clearing. It was as if someone had shoved them aside to make this opening, anticipating that the two lovers would stumble upon it one day. The stream cut neatly through the center of the open area. As Janet pushed herself to her feet, Sam looked at the doctor's nude body and said, "I'll never get tired of looking at you."

Janet looked down and winked. "Get up here, blondie." She pulled Sam to her feet, crushing her lips in another kiss before they got back into their dried but muddy clothes.

---

James sat in the garage, his knee balanced on the steering wheel of his father's truck. The windows were rolled down, letting in the cool breeze that wafted through the open garage door. He lit another cigarette, his one vice, and inhaled the thick aroma before letting twin stream slowly drift from his nostrils. His parents were aware of his addiction, forbidding him from smoking in the house. He had agreed to stay to the garage and barn with it, careful never to leave any smoldering butts laying around. He tapped his foot in rhythm to the music pouring from the radio of the truck, humming along with one of his favorite bands.

*"Ja-a-ane, doesn't think a man could ever be faithful Ja-a-ane, isn't giving me a chance to be shameful..."*

As he started to sing along to the next verse, the CD suddenly skipped to a different song.

*"We got these chains, hanging 'round our necks People wanna strangle us with 'em before we take our first breath..."*

James frowned, hitting the reverse track button on the player. The machine seemed to ignore his commands, continuing to flip from song to song without provocation. Finally, he shut off the truck and ejected the CD, shutting off the uncooperative player before it screwed up some more. He examined the back of the disc for scratches, placing it back in it's case.

As he was getting out of the truck, the garage door roared to life behind him, slowly driving towards the ground. James frowned, tossing his cigarette to the ground as he moved toward the dropping metal door. "Hey! Hey, is someone messin' with the remote?" By the time he reached the door, it was too low for him to duck under. Frustrated, he moved to the back of the garage to use the remote on the workbench. He pressed the button repeatedly, getting no response from the mechanism. He sighed, looking at the small windows lining the top of the garage; all were much too small for him to even consider fitting through.

He climbed into the back of the truck, stretching enough so that he could see the mechanism of the garage door opener. Everything seemed fine as he tentatively touched the mechanisms. He moved carefully, remembering the episode of "The X-Files" he had seen where a man was hung by his garage door opener while trying to repair it. The very thought made him shiver.

From his vantage point, he could see everything in the garage; the tools that lined the east wall, the stack of tires in the back corner... the cigarette smoldering near the greasy rags. His eyes widened, the world shrinking to include nothing beyond the red tip of the cigarette. He pulled away from the garage door opener, trying to jump down to smother the flame before it caused more problems. Unfortunately, as he tried to step over the side of the truck bed, his shoe was caught. He tumbled to the ground, his skull impacting the hard dirt near the tires.

James tried to focus on the task at hand, but his head was pounding. He could barely concentrate. Finally the darkness overwhelmed him and he passed out as the cigarette ignited the nearest rag.

---

Teal'c, thinking it would be safer to take the girl with him rather than leave her alone, held open the access tunnel for Cassandra to climb in. She peered down into the darkness, wrinkling her nose. "Actually, I just did this not long ago. How 'bout we try the front door?"

"The elevators are not trustworthy at this time."

Cassie sighed and lowered her foot to the top rung of the ladder. "If I gotta, I gotta."

---

After returning Lightning to the Bests, Sam and Janet headed back to the house. As they neared, Sam noticed a black cloud rising from the trees. She pointed it out to Janet and said, "What's that? Something burning?"

"Ah, yeah. Sometimes people burn their garbage. They're not supposed to, but it saves time."

As they pulled into the drive, it quickly became evident that it was not a compost heap burning. Michael was running across the lawn, dragging the garden hose behind him. Sam jumped out of the truck before it had fully stopped, approaching her new father-in-law. "Mr. Fraiser? What's happening?"

He glanced at her, not slowing. "Garage caught on fire... we think James might be in there."

"My God," Sam said, keeping up with the man. "What can I do to help?"

He nodded towards the house. "There's an extinguisher in the laundry room... I didn't have time to grab it."

Sam broke away from him, bounding up the front steps and exploding into the house. She slapped the light in the laundry room, quickly finding the red canister and removing it from the wall. She dashed back to the lawn, where Janet was attempting to help her father hose down the flames.

Sam pulled the ring on the fire extinguisher, aiming it at the door to the garage. She sprayed the doorway, striving to smother the flames. It would be impossible to save the entire building, but if she managed to clear the door, she could run in and grab James before the fire got too hot. She approached, dropping the canister and kicking in the fire-damaged door with her boot. The heat rolled into her face, almost pushing her back. She covered her lower face with her shirt, scanning the garage for signs of her brother-in-law. "JAMES! James, are you there?"

She spotted him, laying next to the truck. He was splayed face-down across the concrete, the flames growing closer and closer. She knelt, trying and failing to lift the large man. She exhaled, dropping him back down and slapping his back. "James, buddy, you gotta wake up!" She placed her feet solidly on the ground, hooking her hands under his armpits. Taking a deep breath of smoky air, she heaved him up. James groaned, putting his hands on her shoulders. He weakly muttered something, his eyes slowly opening.

"James," she said. "James, I'm gonna help you walk out of here, okay? But you've gotta take some of the weight."

He nodded, wrapping one arm around her neck. She hooked a hand on his waist, coughing as the smoke filled her lungs. The door seemed miles away, an unachieveable goal. The smoke was blinding. James tightened his hold around her neck and coughed, "Can..."

"Can?" she asked. "Can what?"

He shook his head. "Cans... Gas cans..."

Sam's eyes widened. She quickened her pace, realizing what the hurry was. They reached the door, stepping into blessfully cleaner air. Janet was coming around the side of the building, just realizing where Sam had disappeared to. She clutched at her brother, helping Sam carry him as she sniped, "Sam, you shouldn't have done that! That was very dangerous." They laid James on the grass, rolling him onto his back. Janet carefully checked him, pausing the examine the burns on his hands. "James, honey, are you okay?"

He rolled his head to the side, still coughing. Sam looked up at the garage, still engulfed in flames. "Janet, James said there were gas cans in the garage..."

Approaching from behind them, Michael replied, "No, we moved those to the barn last month." He knelt next to his son, watching the garage burn. "James? James, can ya hear me, son?"

Sam stood, heading to the house to call 911. She had just picked up the receiver, pressing it to her ear and listening for the dial tone. Instead of the familiar droning hum, she heard a series of clicks and whirs that reminded her of a fax signal. She hung up, running for Janet's cell phone upstairs. She grabbed the brunette's purse, digging through it until she found the small cell. She had popped it open when it began to ring. She sighed, answering it. "Hello? Who is this?

"Carter, where the hell have you been?" Colonel O'Neill barked.

"Sorry, Sir. Bit of a crisis. What's going on?"

"Under no circumstances use the telephone to contact anyone. Don't send any email... in fact, stay away from the Internet altogether."

"Sir, I know you've always been sort of a... a Luddite..."

"It's not about that, Carter. We think something is trying to infiltrate Earth's technology."

"What?!"

"It's complicated. We, ah... had a little trip and seem to have brought something back in Cassandra's Palm... Palm Thing. It was sent to you via email. It's probably already taking control of the house's electronics."

"Sir, what are you talking about?"

"It's already happened at Dr. Fraiser's house. It was trying to figure out the TV and radio when Teal'c picked up Cassie. The elevators and lights here at the SGC have all gone wacky and we're not using any technology. Any," he hinted, suspecting the line may be unsecured.

"You mean, ah... the main computer... is off-line?"

"Not entirely. Daniel is practically 'on another planet' trying to set this whole mess right again. Negotiating and whatnot."

"Right. So... we should just sit around and wait to see if he's successful?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

"Sir, we can't just sit around and not use anything electronic. Be reasonable."

"C'mon, Carter, it's Oklahoma. How much electricity can an outhouse use?"

"You'd be surprised, Sir. You see..."

---

Daniel approached the screen, waiting for S.A.M. to activate. Finally, he cleared his throat. "Excuse me? Uh... Sentient Active Matrix?"

The screen came to life, presenting the same gentle face as before. "Ah. Hello and welcome, Dr. Daniel Jackson. How may I be of assistance to you this day?"

"We seem to have had a little problem. When you scanned my electronic device, you accidentally downloaded part of your system into it. It's spreading now and it's trying to infiltrate everything on my world."

"Oh, dear," S.A.M. said, sounding as sympathetic as an AI could manage. "I was afraid of this."

"You... knew this might happen?"

"I did not believe it would be an issue; your devices are far inferior to mine. You see, when I was conceived, my Creators decided that I should branch out as far as possible. They constructed an ever-expanding fortress to house my intelligence. I managed the temperature, climate and insignificant areas of this place. Soon, I was the most powerful device on the world. They incorporated the Stargate, as you call it, into my fortress to allow me to spread to other worlds. I managed to calculate millions of Stargate addresses and began dialing."

"You've dialed millions of addresses?"

"Indeed I have. Unfortunately, I lack the resources to explore them efficiently. Several hundred of my Creators traveled through open wormholes without wondering how they would return home. I hold no hope for their return; they have been gone far too long to believe they are still alive. So I was left with a handful of workers to maintain me. Then, the inevitable happened. The races of this world began fighting for control of me. They eventually exterminated themselves after decades of warfare. But before their extinction, an opposing force managed to slip a virus into my programming. They created a small sub-program that would cause me to copy myself to any mechanical device that I was connected to for any amount of time. That way, they could simply recreate me without worrying about stealing me."

"So, when you scanned my Palm Pilot, it inadvertantly caused a download of everything within your circuits."

"I am afraid so, yes. The program will continue to spread across your world until it has taken over enough memory to survive."

Daniel nodded. "The ultimate computer virus. Okay, we deal with computer viruses all the time. Any tips on how to stop this one?"

"Stop? I... am uncertain. You must understand; you are asking me how to perform an act of homicide against what is essentially my child. It may take some time."

"Oh, no, I completely understand. Take as long as--"

"I am ready," S.A.M. interrupted.


Chapter Six

Sam led everyone into the barn, informing them of what she could. "Okay, there's a computer virus at the base that inadvertantly got transferred to your home computer."

James coughed, leaning against his father. "And that caused the garage door to go crazy? What kinda virus does that?"

Michael patted his son on the stomach. "You know what Janet does, James. It's probably some kind of genius virus."

A door atop the tall staircase opened and Melissa burst out, followed by Stephen. "What's going on? Is the garage on fire? We should call 911!"

"Nobody's calling anybody," Sam ordered. "Melissa, this is very important. Did you use any electronics while you were staying here? Any at all?"

"Um," she nervously glanced at her husband. "My hair dryer. And I listened to a CD player last night. Relaxation tapes, to help me stop smoking. And, ah... that's it."

"That's everything?" Sam pressed.

"I... used..." she cleared her throat. "A... relaxation wand."

"A what?"

"It's a..." She brushed aside a strand of hair. "A battery-operated wand... that helps me to relax when Stephen is not feeling up to... relaxing me."

Sam's face flushed as she realized what the other woman was talking about. "Ah... I see. So you've corresponded with no one?"

"I have my pocket organizer," Stephen offered. "But I haven't checked it yet."

"Good, don't. Leave it off."

"What's going on?" Melissa asked.

Joan answered, "A computer virus, dear. We're just staying in the barn until some of Samantha and Janet's friends can come and clear everything up."

"Virus?" Melissa scoffed. "Please, Mother. You do have Norton's on your computer, don't you?"

"Norton's won't get this virus," Sam insisted. "It's very complex."

Melissa sighed. "So I'm just supposed to live like a Quaker, is that it?"

"Yes," Sam said. She had reached her limit with this bitch. "No electronics whatsoever. And if you use any and I catch you, I swear to God, I will shove your 'relaxation wand' down your throat. Now, we have to be holed up together, but that doesn't mean we have to talk to each other. You *will* sit down, you *will* be quiet, and if you have a problem with that, I will *knock* you on your ass so fast you won't see it coming. Am I clear?"

Melissa blinked. Instead of responding, she turned and walked to the staircase. She climbed halfway up, then sat down, covering her face with her hands. Stephen put a hand on Sam's shoulder and mouthed 'Wow!' before going to comfort his wife. Sam exhaled, proud of herself.

"Sam... you might want to see this," Janet said.

Sam turned, seeing the brunette peering out a window next to the door. "What is it?"

"Melissa and Stephen's car is electric, right?"

Janet moved aside to allow Sam room to see outside. The blue electric car was slowly rolling towards the barn, it's headlights ablaze. "What's it doing?"

"You talked to Colonel O'Neill about destroying this thing, right?"

"Right," Sam nodded.

"Over the telephone? An electronic device?"

Sam nodded. "I get it. Yes, on your cell phone. It's probably already infected by whatever this thing is...and so is the SGC where this whole mess started. I didn't realize what was happening and just assumed the connection was safe..."

---

Daniel came through the event horizon running, a small handheld device clutched in his right hand. He was in the briefing room by the time the Gate disengaged. Trying to catch his breath, he held up the small computer. "I downloaded a deletion program from the original S.A.M.'s program. It was small, hidden and hard to find, but it did exist."

"It destroys the computer program entirely? Why would something that devastating even be created?"

"The Sentient Active Matrix was the most sought-after technology on that world towards the end and, to be honest, I can see why. Every nation that didn't have access to the S.A.M. wanted to steal the programs. So the original creators made a bug that would eliminate the entire program from an enemy state's memory banks. It would prevent the S.A.M. from being reproduced in part or in whole anywhere other than it's original homeland."

"Which means that it would destroy the intelligence here?"

Daniel nodded. "Exactly. It doesn't matter how far it's spread; once this bug takes effect, the system will be a thing of the past."

"How can you be sure?" Hammond asked.

"While on the planet, I tested it on Cassandra's Palm Pilot," Daniel explained, pulling the girl's computer from his pocket. "I ran a check on it. The Sentient Active Matrix is no longer in this device."

"Well done, Dr. Jackson. How long until the entire SGC is clean?"

"Under an hour. But... we have a small problem. Sam and Dr. Fraiser are in Oklahoma and the computer of the house they're staying in has been infected. We can't be sure how far the infection has reached."

"We need to get them the cure. How?"

"No problem, there. I can just send them an email. When they open it, the attachment containing the bug will be released into their hard drive. That will summarily wipe out any and all traces of the S.A.M. created by that computer."

"So what's the problem?" Hammond asked.

"They have to access their email account in order for the cure to be activated."

---

Sam spun around, momentarily confused by the piercing ring. Her confusion was short-lived as she remembered putting Janet's cell phone in her pocket rather than back in the purse. She answered it, cautiously hoping that it was the SGC and not someone else to be infected. "Hello?"

"Carter! You gotta answer your email."

"Sir?" She frowned, looking over the faces in the barn. "Sir, my email is of little consequence right now..."

"Negative, Carter. Answering your email will solve everything going wrong. Daniel found a way to...well, just open the email and your problem should clear up."

Sam sighed, peering out the window. The blue car, possessed by an entity interested in only it's own self-preservation, slowly prowled past. "That won't be as easy as you think, Sir."

"Just do it, Carter. Everything will be fine. Trust me."

She sighed. "Okay, Sir... I'll try." She hung up, tossing the phone to Janet.

"What is it?" the doctor asked, noticing her lover's expression. "What's going on?"

"Colonel O'Neill thinks they found a way to stop all of this. But I have to check my email to do it. Now, the only computer is in the house, right? There isn't one in the barn loft?"

Michael sadly shook his head. "Sorry, no..."

Sam nodded. "I'll go to the house, I'll figure something out."

"Sam, that thing has control of everything in that house. The computer included. It won't let you in!"

"It has to," Sam said. "It's the only way." She kissed Janet tenderly, then brushed the brunette's hair out of her face. "Keep your family safe, hon."

She turned, pulling the door open a crack. The electric car was nowhere to be seen as she slipped outside and started towards the house.

As Sam left, Janet turned and sighed heavily. Her eyes locked on Melissa, sitting halfway up the stairs and hugging herself. Janet sighed and walked over. "Are you okay?"

Melissa nodded slowly. "S-Stephen went to see if the children were all right. I told him... I told him I'd be fine." She glanced at the door. "Did... Sam go outside?"

"She's trying to stop this thing from taking over the rest of the world's technology. Taking a stupid risk if you ask me."

"Stupid risk," Melissa whispered.

Janet sighed. "Can I ask you something, Mel? Why do you hate me?"

Melissa turned, her eyes wide. She looked as if she'd been slapped. "Hate... Janet, why do you... you think that?"

Janet laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, please! You're Little Miss Bitch since I got here. You've shunned me ever since I joined the Air Force. Is that why you hate me? My job?"

Melissa closed her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was softer than it had been in ages. "I don't hate you, Janet. I've never hated you."

"Then why?" Janet prodded. Her eyes were brimming with tears that she was determined not to shed. "Why do you act so hateful to me?"

Melissa covered her face. "I hate... that you... are you."

Janet frowned, staying quiet to let her sister continue.

"You," Melissa said, "have always been the better of us. I took a job as a secretary starting out because it was a woman's job. Women were traditional secretaries, so I followed the tradition. I wore my skirts and high heels and blended in. But you... you joined the Air Force. People... your own husband, in fact, tried to hold you back because you were a woman. Women weren't military, women had no place in the military. But you didn't let them get to you. I listened to reports of you from Mom and Dad... heard how wonderful you were as a doctor - a doctor! - and then I found out you were assigned as Chief Medical Officer at some Air Force Base. God, I was so jealous. You told all of the naysayers to shut the hell up and you *thrived,* Janet.

"And you found love. Love with a woman. The ultimate taboo, the one that could lead to dishonorable discharge if it was discovered. You knew that loving this woman could mean death to your career and you... you fell in love anyway. Janet, you *married* her. I... I married my high school sweetheart. Again, the safe alternative to living on the edge. Don't get me wrong; I love Stephen with all my heart... but just once I want to experience what you live. Throw caution to the wind and follow your heart wherever it leads." She sighed, brushing away a tear. She chuckled, then said, "God, I've been holding that in for a while."

Janet closed the distance between them in an instant, embracing the older woman. "Don't hold it in anymore, Sis. I love you."

Melissa smiled, hugging the brunette. "You know, this is the longest conversation we've had in almost eight years?"

Janet smiled. "Let's not make it quite so long next time."

From the door, Michael turned and said, "Sam is in trouble!"

Janet and Melissa stood, moving to the door. Sam was on her hands and knees in the mud, the car revving it's engine a few feet away. Janet gasped, "No!"

The car began to move forward, intent on killing the blonde.

---

Sam turned, pulling the door open a crack. The electric car was nowhere to be seen as she slipped outside and started towards the house. She was halfway across the lawn when the humming of the quiet engine filled her ears. She turned, backing up slowly as the car approached. The headlights flashed on and off, temporarily blinding her as they strobed. When she brought her hand up to cover her eyes, the car lurched forward. Sam heard the barely perceptible rev of the engine and dived to her right, towards the house.

The car's tires kicked up dirt as it struggled to follow her, the end fishtailing across the lawn. Sam scrambled to her feet, making a dash for the door. She prayed for her gun, but had neglected to pack it. 'Why would I need a gun to visit Janet's family?' she remembered saying. Finally, she decided to end it. She turned and charged the car. It continued forward, engine revving. Sam dove at the car, landing with a loud thud on the hood. She felt the metal crunch below her as she grabbed hold of the windshield wipers to keep herself on board. The car ran a series of figure eights, attempting to toss her aside.

She held tight, but felt the right wiper beginning to give. Mustering all of her strength, she pulled herself up and pressed herself against the windshield. As she tried to steady herself, the car suddenly braked, sending her flying backwards. She landed in a heap a few feet in front of the car.

As she tried to stand to evade the inevitable charge, pain shot from her knee to her thigh. She collapsed, holding her leg. She didn't know if it was a simple cramp or if something had broken during her fall. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees, trying to crawl away, but she knew she'd be no match for a car. The pain in her leg was excruciating, but the fact that she was able to get to her knees was a good sign that it wasn't broken.

Suddenly, something exploded from inside the garage. Sam turned in time to see Melissa making a mad dash for her car. The woman yelled unintelligably as she ran, waving her hands over her head.

"Melissa, no!" Sam shouted.

The redhead jumped at the rear of the car, flattening against the back window. The car was oddly designed; lacking an actual truck, it sloped down from the roof to the back bumper. Melissa held tight, her body pressed to the window and her shoes attempting to find traction on the slippery bumper. The car stopped it's forward advance, as if confused by this turn of events. Melissa flattened herself against the back of the car as it began to reverse. She blew her hair out of her face and shouted, "Go! I'll handle this until you get back!"

Sam painfully pulled herself to her feet, watching in confusion and awe as her sister-in-law held tightly to the psychotic car. She quickly pushed aside her questions and started back towards the house. They had one chance to stop this thing... and it was in her email account. She hit the door with her shoulder, surprised to find it locked. She remembered the automated security system that had almost prevented Stephen from leaving that morning and stepped back, hitting the door with her shoulder. It held firm. Ignoring the pain, she slammed into the door again, keeping on with her assault until the wood splintered.

As she stepped inside, she noticed the interior of the house was much colder than the outside... it had to be near freezing inside. Her breath issued forth in puffy white clouds, goosebumps immediately rising on her exposed flesh.Assuming the intelligence had managed to gain control of the central air system, she ignored the chill and continued on her mission. The lights strobed as she made her way down the hall, eventually finding the den. TVs and radios were blaring in every room, the walls pounding with the cacophony. Sam resisted the urge to mutter 'They're he-eere!' as she sat at the computer and flipped the on switch.

The computer booted up slowly, but whatever had taken over allowed her to get into Windows and click on the Internet. 'So far, so good...' she told herself.

She ate her words as the entire house was rocked by a massive tremor.

---

Janet watched in horror as her sister dashed from the garage, trying to 'distract' the rampaging car. Sam looked up, confused, but quickly got to her feet and made it to the house. Once the blonde was safely inside, Janet turned and searched the garage for some kind of weapon. She found it in the form of a pitchfork leaning against the back wall. She ran to it, grabbing the wooden handle and racing for the door. Michael, Joan and James just watched the events unfolding in silent terror.

Melissa was holding on for dear life as the car spun out of control, trying to throw her aside. Janet knelt in the path of the car, aiming the prongs of the pitchfork at the oncoming tires. She had just enough time to jump out of the way as the front driver's side tire rolled over the sharp prongs and exploded in an ear-shattering 'pop!' A few milliseconds later, the back tire also exploded as it passed over the fork as well. Melissa slipped from her position on the trunk, rolling over the side and slamming into the ground. Slipping into doctor-mode, Janet moved to her sister's side and helped her stand. "Come on, we're getting back to the garage." Melissa didn't argue.

The car veered out of the control, suddenly skidding on two flat tires. Janet turned in time to see the car embed itself in the kitchen wall of the house, shattering the glass in every window on that side of the structure.

Janet ushered Melissa into the barn, pulling the door shut behind her. "C'mon, Sam... let's get this over with."

---

Sam ignored the other two new messages and concentrated on the latest one: "VIRUS CURE." She clicked on it, immediately opening the attachment. She would stay until she was positive the download was complete; any error, any minor glitch in the process could lead to their death. She would stay, she decided. See it through.

As the file was opening, the temperature in the house shot up almost a hundred degrees. Sam turned, as if her enemy were visible. Sweat immediately began to bead on her upper lip as she waited for the download to be complete. The radio, TV and security alarms were still blaring in a deafening dissonant orchestra. She covered her ears, wincing as she turned back to the screen. Download 54% complete. She cursed the computer system, praying for relief from this heat.

---

Janet checked her watch. "Something's wrong. Sam's been in there too long."

Melissa put a hand on her sister's arm. "Give her one more minute..."

The brunette looked up at the house, reluctantly taking her sister's advice.

---

Sam felt like she was burning alive. She couldn't imagine ever being this hot again... Her shirt clung to her like a second skin, the sweat streaming down her body like there was an open faucet hanging over her. The computer was beginning to feel the strains of the heat as well; the monitor was practically steaming.

"Dumb bastard," Sam muttered. "Destroy the computer, you destroy yourself..."

The mechanism either didn't hear her or didn't care as the temperature continued to climb.

Frustrated, Sam rose and picked up her chair, heaving it at the window. It shattered, the chair plummeting to the ground below. A soft breeze blew in through the window, feeling like absolute heaven in the sweltering room. She breathed a sigh of relief as she turned back to the monitor.

Download 89% complete.

---

Daniel looked up. "The Matrix is being activated off-base..."

"It's about time," Jack muttered. "Is it Sam?"

"It would have to be," Daniel shrugged. "It's taking her awhile to download... but she's getting it."

"Why's it taking so long?" Jack asked.

Siler shrugged. "The file, once we managed to decompress it, was remarkably large... we're talking about an alien intelligence here, Sir. Most home computers would be hard-pressed to contain that much information, let alone download it."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Now you tell us."

---

Sam peeled away her shirt, kneeling in front of the computer in her bra as she watched the percentage slowly climb. "C'mon... come ON!"

90. 91... 92....

---

Janet watched the chair fly from the window, shattering as it impacted the ground. She shook her head and threw open the barn door. "That's it... I'm going in."

---

Sam blinked, holding her head as her temples began throbbing painfully. The heat was getting to her... she couldn't deny that. But she was so close. 94. 95. She managed to stand, moving towards the door, deciding it was close enough to done. She needed fresh air... oxygen... She gasped, collapsing in the doorway to the den.

---

Janet burst into the house, the heat slamming into her like a brick wall. She paused, composing herself, and headed for the den. As she approached, she saw Sam collapse in the doorway, her skin red and dripping with sweat. Janet knelt next to her wife, helping her into a sitting position. "Sam? Sam, can you hear me, baby?" The heat was unbearable; Sam's image was shimmering in the scorching air of the house. She brushed the blonde's soaked hair out of her face and helped her stand. Sam opened her eyes slightly, helping Janet as the two moved from the house.

The blissfully temperate air wrapped around Sam like a blanket. She released an audible sigh as she felt the first cool breeze blow across her semi-nude torso and face. Janet laid Sam on the grass, motioning for Melissa to come help. The redhead came running, carrying a blanket to cover Sam's nakedness. Janet shook her head. "No, no blankets... Just... don't look at her."

Melissa nodded, kneeling next to her new sister-in-law. By the time she looked up, Janet had already disappeared back into the house.

---

Janet knelt in front of the computer, immediately wondering how Sam had dealt with the heat as long as she had. The screen - and the computer - both appeared inactive. A small grey box had appeared, simply reading: Virus Eliminated.

The doctor frowned, standing and going down the hall to the thermostat. She gaped at the read-out, seeing that the house temperature was at 154 when it had stopped. When she touched the button to turn the temperature back down, her fingers were burnt by the plastic. She pulled back, wincing. Finding no other alternative, she ripped off a piece of her blouse and used it as a make-shift glove to turn the thermostat back down.

The degrees quickly began to plummet. As Janet headed back to the door, she heard sirens closing in. 'Better late than never,' Janet decided.

Epilogue,

The pillows behind Sam propped her into a sitting position, forcing her to face the veritable forest of flower bouqets, all bearing proclamations of either "Get Well Soon!" or "Congratulations!" Sam decided that she was among a rare few; someone who was in the hospital a mere four days after her wedding. Janet sat at her side, their fingers loosely intertwined. The lovely doctor was reading the magazine which lay open in her lap, awaiting the latest reports on Sam's condition.

The blonde tensed her fingers, getting her wife's attention. When the brunette looked up, Sam said, "You know, I don't *have* to be here. I feel fine."

"You suffered heat stroke, Sam. You're getting the tests done and you're getting them here."

"The doctors said all I needed was bedrest. Why can't I do that at home?"

Janet sighed. "Because when you get home, it's harder than hell to get you into bed. And when I finally *do* tuck your pretty little body in, you definitely don't want to rest."

Sam grinned. "It's my one addiction... and I ain't quiting any time soon."

Janet chuckled and said, "Just stay here one more day, all right, honey? I promise to make it worth your while when you get out."

Sam sighed. "Ah, how could I pass that up? I'll stay, but only because you asked so nicely."

As the doctor chuckled, Sam leaned forward and pressed her lips against the doctor's upper lip. She gently ran her tongue over the captured flesh, causing the doctor to repeat the motion. The brunette raised her hand, cupping Sam's face. When they finally broke apart, Janet bemoaned, "Even in a *public* bed, you get frisky."

"Bed plus me plus you equals frisky, sweetheart. Deal with it."

As she leaned forward to kiss the laughing woman again, the door opened and deposited the rest of the Fraiser clan into the bedroom. Michael was the first one in, an embarrassed smile spreading over his face. He cleared his throat and said, "We could come back later if we're gonna interrupt your medical examination, Dr. Fraiser."

Janet blushed deep crimson, straightening her hair as she gently pushed Sam away. "No, it's okay, Daddy," she smiled. "Come on in."

He held up a box wrapped in red paper. "We come bearing gifts!"

Sam smiled and said, "Forget kissing... gimme presents!"

Michael laughed and handed her the gift, followed by Joan. Sam looked up, expecting James... but seeing Melissa. "Oh. Um... hi, Melissa. I didn't..."

"Expect me here? I know... I've been a real bitch to you and I wanted to take the opportunity to say that I was sorry. You make my sister happy." She shrugged. "Can you forgive me?"

A smile slowly spread over Sam's lips. "Depends. How nice is your present?"

---

Daniel sighed, reclining in his chair. "Well, General, it appears all traces of the S.A.M. program have been eradicated."

"You sound disappointed, Dr. Jackson," the General noted.

"I guess I am. I mean, this was a golden opportunity. This technology was... was light years ahead of us. It would have been amazing to see what we might have learned from it."

Jack O'Neill sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Would it have been worth it, Daniel? I mean, think about it. This thing practically took over the entire world. It's mere existence caused the death of every living, breathing organism on the planet. Would it have been worth it?"

"I have to agree with him on this one," Hammond said. "In fact, I'd like to suggest we remove 3XP-274 from our dialing computers to prevent anything like this from happening again."

Daniel sighed, "It's probably for the best... but what a waste."

Jack clapped the younger man on the shoulder as he left the room.

---

Frank Simmons sat behind his desk, eager to tear into the ham and cheese sandwich he had just swiped from the commissary. As he popped the lid on his orange drink, his secretary entered and handed him a large manila envelope. Sighing, he grabbed it and glared at the young woman. "What is this?"

"It just arrived, Sir," she said. "It's from your contact in Cheyenne Mountain."

Simmons' eyes widened. "Any idea what it is?"

"Some kind of computer program. There weren't many details included, Sir."

"Thank you," he said, tearing open the package. "You can go."

As the girl turned and left the office, Simmons spilled three CD-ROM disks onto his desk blotter. A small note contained in the package read, simply, "Sentient Active Matrix: Upload With Caution."

He slipped the disk into his computer and opened the file.

End


Hours & Minutes

Geonn

Stargate SG1

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