Joy Ride

Notes: I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Teachers should never be held accountable for the things they do at the end of the year. And now that spring break is over and we are headed back into the classroom for that final huge push to the end of the year, well…things are bound to happen. Despite the setting and the fact that I’ve played here before, this is a stand alone piece that does not take place in any other universe I’ve created. But I loved the image in my head that sparked this, and there was no place/no time else I could set it.

Gratitude and props to Eva for the beta, and to both her and Susan for their encouragement, enthusiasm, and everything else. Also, a major shout out to LT Garrix and pilotseyes for their help with details and research. You are all very muchly appreciated. As always, all mistakes remain mine.

Warnings: Nope. None for sex or violence or dark adult themes. Maybe just a teeny-tiny one for some bad words.

Rating: PG-13

Setting: TF

Spoilers: None that I can see.

Disclaimers: Definitely not mine. They belong to Henson and others who are bigger, better, and brighter than me. There is no copyright infringement intended and definitely no money being made.

---

It’s easier not to be wise

and measure these things with your brains

I sank into Eden with you

alone in the church by and by

I’ll read to you here, save your eyes

You’ll need them; your boat is at sea

Your anchor is up, you’ve been swept away

And the greatest of teachers won’t hesitate

to leave you there, by yourself, chained to your fate

I Alone

- Live

She had no idea know how long it took for her to realize that the pounding she heard wasn’t inside her head, but it had stopped as soon as her eyes snapped open.

The silence was suddenly deafening in the almost dark of her room. With a muffled groan she rolled over to her side, hand searching for the clock/radio.

The lovely red glow in the dark told her it was 0430. She resisted the urge to throw it against the nearest wall and rolled to her back, groaning, arm coming up to rest across her eyes, hand palm up.

The pounding started again.

In one smooth, fluid motion, she jackknifed to a sitting position, swung long legs over and off the bed, leveraged herself to her feet, and was moving out of the bedroom and down the hall.

She ripped the front door open mid-knock, and leveled a two barreled glare at the woman standing there.

Bouncing slightly, Vala pushed her way past Sam. “It took you long enough. I’ve been out here knocking forever.

Slamming the door shut, Sam spun and snagged the arm closest to her, pulling her early morning visitor up short.

Vala turned and tilted her head, arms out, palms up. “What?”

“Good morning to you, too.” Sam dropped the arm and her hands came up to massage her temples. “It’s four thirty in the morning. What are you doing here?”

“We’re busting her out.” With a negligent flick of her wrist she turned and headed toward the kitchen, hair bouncing, tossing a command back as she marched down the hall. “Hurry up and get dressed.”

Rubbing the heels of her hands against her eyes, she ran the possible list of hers in her head even as it began to ache. Deciding it was too early to try figuring anything out, she gave up and took off after Vala.

She was already rummaging for the coffee in the cabinet.

Sam reached up and snagged two cups as Vala popped the cover and began to measure. “It’s four-thirty in the morning on the first day of our vacation.”

Maybe if she said four-thirty often enough, Vala would finally get it.

Sam yawned hugely, stretched, and promptly gave up waiting.

Her deceptively calm voice enunciated each word clearly in the stillness of the kitchen. “What her are we talking about?”

Vala’s head swiveled and she locked Sam in her sights with a stare that said she thought she was slow and repeated the word loudly. “Her.”

She shoved the pot under the faucet and began filling it with water.

“Oh.” Suddenly it clicked in Sam’s sleep soaked brain. “Her.”

With a disgusted snort, Vala shoved the pot onto the burner and stabbed the on switch.

Sam leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. “And how exactly are WE doing that?”

Snorting again, more happily this time, Vala bounced and dangled a set of keys in front of her. “Cameron’s a heavy sleeper.”

Sam pushed off the counter, shaking her head, hands up and out. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

Vala’s eyes rolled. “Come on Samantha.” Tossing her long hair, she flashed that smile/smirk/come hither look she had all rolled into one. “When was the last time we had some fun?”

Sam flipped her hand, cocked her thumb and forefinger at Vala. “About the time you started boffing Mitchell.”

Vala rolled her eyes again, and blew out a long exhale. “Be that as it may, our friend is in trouble.”

“Our friend is in trouble?” Sam’s eyebrows threatened to climb off her forehead. “Our friend would probably kill you just for that…” Her hand flailed in the direction of Vala’s head. “…shiny little thing you wear in your hair.”

Vala smiled in serious self-satisfaction. “Fetching, isn’t it?”

Sam dropped her chin and looked up at Vala through her lashes. “So not the point.”

“Fine.” Vala put her hand on her hip, elbow cocked at an annoyed angle. “So she’s not our friend. Not yet.”

She threw up her free hand, forefinger extended. “But you want to talk to her.” She put up a second finger. “And Holt won’t let you. So what is the problem?”

Cool, calculating eyes narrowed as Sam mentally ran mission objectives and parameters against possible collateral damage.

A slow smile spread across her lips. “Road trip?”

Vala jerked her head in the direction of Sam’s bedroom and winked. “Get dressed. Coffee’s almost ready.”

*************************

Sam swiveled her head front to back, side to side, and listened to her neck crack. She shifted in her seat and tried to ignore the low, dull thud that was echoing in her skull.

A few quick hours of sleep and a shower in a Murfreesboro motel had done nothing to mitigate the thirty three hours spent in the car getting here. She was tired and stiff and way too wound up.

Checking her mirrors, she nudged the accelerator, picked her spot and merged onto 408 East, wondering again just when she’d taken leave of her senses enough to agree that this was a good idea.

“We’re almost there.” She rolled her shoulders, slid her eyes to the woman in the passenger seat. “Are you sure you can this?”

Vala snorted. “Please. We’re in, we get the package; we’re out.” She waved a dismissive hand. “That I could do in my sleep.”

“Once we’re there let me do the talking.”

“Yes, mom.” Vala stretched like a bored cat, reached out a long arm and stabbed at random buttons, running through the Orlando radio stations once again. “May I make a suggestion?”

Sam squinted against the sun climbing in the early morning sky and foraged for her sunglasses. “What?”

“On the way back, we take a different route.”

“Why?”

“The Oklahoma plains and the Kansas corn fields?” Vala lifted an irritated shoulder. “One word. Boring.”

She reached up and flipped down the visor. “There’s got to be a more to see. And do. This is our vacation time.”

Tilting her head, Sam pinned her with a wide eyed glare. “You’re the one who came up with this bright idea.” She snorted, the corner of her mouth pulling to the left. “What’s the matter? Not having fun yet?”

“I’m just saying that on the way back…” Leaning over, she looked up at Sam through the tops of her eyes. “…we use that nifty little GPS device of yours to find an alternate route. See some sights, do some things.”

She started stabbing at buttons again. “Doesn’t seem like a whole lot to ask for a road trip.”

Sam batted her hand away from the radio. “Cam’s gonna be furious.”

“Let me handle Cam.” Sitting up, the smile/smirk/come hither look was back on her face in full force. “Come on,” she murmured. “You know we’ll have time and we might as well have some fun. After all, when we get back…”

“When we get back, we’re going to be doing some serious debriefing.”

“Yes, but we’ll have her and everything will be fine.”

Sam sighed once and gave up. “What did you have in mind?”

Vala snagged the GPS. A slow smile spread across her lips as her flexible fingers tapped on the touch screen.

*************************

Sam pulled at her uniform jacket, settling it more comfortably as she fingered the ID in her hand.

She slanted her eyes toward Vala. “Ready?”

Vala slid her sunglasses on, shimmying on her heels as she smoothed her hands over the black, light wool pencil skirt she was wearing, shrugged herself more comfortably into the suit blazer, opened one more button on the white, sheer, striped blouse.

She ran delicate fingers through her mid-length reddish-brown bob; picked at her bangs, checked her reflection in the window. “Always.”

Snorting, Sam reached across and jabbed a forefinger at the bell.

The distant sound of chimes reached their ears, followed by the sound of footsteps coming closer. She sucked in a deep breath and tapped her ID against her thigh once before the door opened.

Tall and lean, the young man with the dark hair locked her in his line of sight with his even darker eyes.

She flipped her ID up and pasted her best official smile on her face. “Good morning. I’m Lt. Colonel Joan Quinn, United States Air Force. And this…” Sam waved vaguely at Vala, “…is Agent Malcolm, NID. We’re here to interview Officer Sun.”

“Colonel.” The young man in the black suit nodded at Sam, flicked his eyes to Vala. “Agent.” He shifted his gaze back to Sam. “I’m sorry. We haven’t been told to expect you.”

“General Jackson was supposed to clear our arrival with your people.”

“I’m sorry.” He shrugged an unapologetic shoulder. “You’ll have to take that up with him. Without prior authorization we can’t accommodate your request.”

Vala’s voice cut between them. “Typical.”

The agent tilted his head, running his eyes over her. “Maybe something came up. Perhaps you can come back later.”

Shifting slightly on her feet, Sam leaned in. “It’s already been a really long trip and it’s hotter than we’re used to.”

A flat-line smile pulled at her lips. “Could we possibly come in and just get something to drink?”

He flicked his eyes between them, assessing possible breaches of protocol, and then stepped back out of the doorway. “Sure. Come on in.”

Sam offered him another plastic smile as she pushed past him into the foyer, Vala following, the door swinging shut behind her. Moving past them, he led the way down the hallway.

Less than half a dozen steps in, just past the first doorway, Vala pulled up short. “Excuse me.”

He stopped and turned.

“Would you mind if I used the bathroom?”

With a nod and a wave of his hand he gestured to the open door.

“Thank you.”

He turned and started down the hall. When he disappeared into the kitchen, Sam turned her head and nodded toward the stairs. Three steps back and Vala was climbing them two at a time on silent feet.

At the top of the stairs she pulled up short and listened. There wasn’t a sound to be heard. Sliding her sunglasses off, she looked down the hall.

All of the doors except the one at the far end were open wide.

She eased past each one, quickly scanning for the any sign of occupancy.

Reaching the end of the hallway, she gently put her hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and with a flick of her wrist opened it and slipped into the room.

Storm-grey eyes that didn’t seem surprised to see a fun-house mirror image of herself snapped to the intruder even as the woman reading on the bed came up and off the mattress, hand slapping at her thigh, looking for something that wasn’t there.

Vala closed the door quietly behind her, hands coming up, palms out.

Narrowed eyes locked her in their line of sight. “Who the frell are you?”

Vala worked the button and zipper on the skirt, shimmied it over her hips and down to pool at her feet. Stepping out of it, a quick flick of her ankle sent it flying in Aeryn’s direction.

“We don’t have much time,” she said conversationally, pulling the wig off and shaking her hair out as she tossed it at Aeryn. “Get out of those clothes.” She began unbuttoning her blouse as she headed toward the dresser. “I’ll explain on the way.”

*************************

Stomach tied in knots, Sam slid into the hallway one step ahead of the young agent, sharp eyes raking the hallway. She pulled up short, keeping him behind her as her eyes ran up and down the woman standing at the front door.

Then the tightness in her chest eased just enough to make breathing a little less painful as the band around her chest loosened a notch. “Are you ready?”

A stray ray of sunlight gleamed on reddish-brown hair as the woman tilted her head and slid her gaze back to them without turning around. Nodding curtly, a long, lean arm came up and a quick flick of her wrist opened the door.

Without a backward glance, she was out of the mansion, the staccato click of her heels pounding the sidewalk.

Sam flashed a small, polite smile at the man standing next to her. “Thank you.”

She felt the weight of his eyes on her back as half a dozen long strides marched her down the hall and out the door.

Rounding the front of the car she hissed a sigh of relief, and with a quick little wave dismissed the agent still standing in the doorway.

She opened the driver’s side door and slipped into the seat, flicking her gaze to the still, silent woman sitting next to her.

Without turning her head to look, the woman nodded once. Sam silently slid the key into the ignition, started the car, and shifted into gear.

Fifteen seconds later they were through the gate and accelerating. Thirty-five seconds after that Sam tapped the brake and cornered smoothly.

The Mustang glided to a stop a quarter of the way down the block right in front of the dark-haired woman waiting at the curb.

She pulled her seat forward and popped the door as the woman hurried around the back of the car. Grunting slightly, Vala squeezed behind her and dropped into the rear seat.

Sliding back, Sam jerked the door shut. Her eyes raked the area for any sign of activity. She nudged the accelerator again, and the Mustang slipped away from the curb.

Pulling the sunglasses and wig off, Aeryn snapped her head to the left, long black hair spilling over her shoulders, steel-grey eyes targeting Sam. “Where the frell are we going?”

“I-75 North.”

Aeryn slid down in her seat, crossed long, lean arms over her chest, and stared out the window.

Sam flicked her gaze to the rearview mirror, slid her eyes from the silent woman in the back seat to the silent woman locked down in the front one beside her.

She thought it was going to be a long ride.

Resting her elbow against the warm leather of the door ledge and the cool glass of the window, she propped her left cheek on her lightly curled fist and exhaled softly, letting the tension bleed out as she pushed lightly on the accelerator.

The Mustang’s engine purred as it glided smoothly toward the 409 West merge.

*************************

Pushing through the door, Sam glanced at her watch and then up again at the eager young desk clerk.

His practiced, welcoming smile was firmly plastered in place as he watched them make their way across the lobby. “Can I help you?”

A tired smile curved her lips as she dropped her bag and handed him her credit card. “Reservation for Quinn.”

“Certainly.” His eyes slid past Sam’s shoulder and his smile widened to include the two women standing behind her.

He began typing the name into the computer. “Just give me a minute.”

Sam rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, running her eyes around the lobby as Vala bounced between her and Aeryn. She stopped mid-bounce as Aeryn’s head swiveled and steel eyes pinned her in place.

She’d been right. It had been a long ride. Nine hours and almost six hundred forty miles in the Mustang had done nothing to improve anyone’s mood.

Shifting slightly, Sam snorted softly as Vala popped her gum. Aeryn’s hand shot out, fingers tapping furiously against her upturned palm.

Smacking her lips, Vala rolled her eyes, pulled the offending wad out of her mouth, and pushed it into Aeryn’s waiting hand.

Ignoring them, the clerk hit print and glanced up at Sam. “How many keys would you like?”

Sam shrugged her bag higher up on her shoulder. “Two will be fine.”

Vala bounced behind her again.

Sam stole a sidelong glance at Aeryn, could feel the irritation radiating in waves from her. Sam’s eyes drifted closed and she exhaled softly through her teeth.

“Your room is on the second floor…” The clerk slid a floor plan around and pointed. “Here.” Looking up, he flashed his perfect plastic smile. “Our staff is at your service and we are pleased to assist you in making the most of your stay.”

He pointed to another spot on the floor plan. “A lot of our guests enjoy our gas-lit courtyard. You might also.”

He slid two key cards across the desk toward Sam. “There’s a complimentary Continental Breakfast available in the morning, and if there’s anything we can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

Sam snagged the cards as Vala’s hand shot out. “Thank you very much.”

Turning, her hands came up and none-too-gently shoved each of her charges, herding them toward the stairs.

*************************

Swiping the key card, Sam stepped into the room and flipped the light switch just inside the door. Less than half a dozen long steps the short hallway opened up.

She tossed her bag onto the bed and toed off her shoes as Aeryn and Vala pushed past her.

Throwing her own bag on the bed, Aeryn tore the wig off, shucked her jacket, and sent both flying after the bag.

She kicked her heels off and into the corner, and stood in the middle of the room, hands on hips, stormy, steel-grey eyes pinning Sam and Vala in their glare.

“All right.” Her voice was deceptively low and calm. “I think I’ve been very patient. And I also think that’s about to end.”

She took a step forward, backing the two women in front of her up a step.

“It’s not you, it’s me.” Aeryn waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t do twinning well. It has generally been a very BAD experience for me.”

She jabbed a forefinger in their direction. “You show up in my bedroom, unannounced, talking about Holt and Stargates and wormholes and how much your people would like to talk to me…”

Sam took a step forward, reclaiming lost territory. “You didn’t have to come.”

“No. I didn’t.” Aeryn took a step to match Sam’s, took a stance. “I may be here now, but there is nothing keeping me here.”

She snorted softly; shifted slightly on her feet, crossed long, lean arms over her chest. “Certainly not the two of you.”

The glare throttled down as her eyes narrowed and she slid even white teeth over her lower lip. “So give me one good reason why I shouldn’t leave right now.”

Sam ticked off a finger. “You don’t like Holt…”

Vala threw her hands up, palms out, a toothy grin splitting her lips. “You can drive.”

Sam head snapped around and she shot a wide-eyed, double-barreled glare at her.

Aeryn cocked her head and arched a perfect eyebrow. “I can drive?”

“Maybe. Later.” The words ran out of Sam’s mouth without thinking as she flicked her gaze back to Aeryn, and tried to get the conversation back on track. “You’re tired of being caged like some lab specimen.”

A tiny shiver worked its way through Aeryn. “Holt…”

Sam cut her off. “Holt doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does.” She moved one tentative step closer to Aeryn. “And he does not speak for the entire U.S. government when it comes to first contact.”

“He doesn’t speak for you?”

“Not at all.” Sam lowered her voice as her hand floated up, palm out. “Our people just want to talk to you…”

Long black hair swished with the violent shake of her head. “They should be talking to John.” Aeryn jabbed a forefinger at Sam. “He’s the wormhole expert, not me.”

“We don’t need a wormhole expert, we’ve already got one.” Vala’s smirk was back as she jerked her head in Sam’s direction. “And we’ve got wormholes, too.”

Narrowed eyes locked Sam in her line of sight. “Then why me?”

Sam lifted a careless shoulder. “Because you understand.” Her voice floated soft and low between them. “We’ve been to other worlds. We know a little bit about what’s out there. And what’s at stake. We think sharing that information is in both our best interests.”

Aeryn flicked her eyes between the two women. “I’m hungry.”

“I know a great place for Cajun.” Sam tilted her head, a small smile pulling at her lips.” Sooner we change, sooner we eat.”

*************************

Vala moved in close behind Aeryn, rested her chin on her shoulder, taking in the black and white checkerboard floor, the red and white checked table cloths. “So this is the world’s most famous Cajun restaurant.”

With a sharp shrug, Aeryn shook Vala off her shoulder. “So the sign outside says.”

Running her eyes around the room, Sam spotted the hostess working her way through the maze of tables, slowly making her way toward them.

Her head snapped back to her companions and she hissed through clenched teeth. “Will you two behave?”

The hostess slid up to them, practiced smile painted in place. “How y’all doin’ tonight?”

Vala bounced and smiled brightly. “We’re fine thanks.”

“Y’all not from around here.” She grabbed some menus. “Let me guess. Up north?”

“You’re right.” Aeryn’s head swiveled slowly, and hooded eyes rested on the girl as a quarter-smile twitched at her lips. “Very far up…north.”

“Well, welcome to Nawlns.” Nodding toward the dining room, she spun on her heel. “Follow me.”

*************************

The muted hum of early evening dinner conversation flowed around her as she ran her eyes down the menu.

“How y’all doing?” Their waitress materialized at the table. “My name is Christi and I’ll be ya waitress tonight. Can I get y’all somethin’ to drink?”

“I’ll have coffee, please.” Sam felt the cell phone in her pocket begin to vibrate. “With cream.”

Aeryn looked up from her menu. “Coffee.”

Vala raised a hand. “Me, too.”

“House specials right there on the menu.” Christi slid her eyes to the new arrivals at the front door. “Take ya time. I’ll be back with ya coffee.”

Sam pulled the cell out, flipped it open. “Daniel. Daniel. Daniel. Cam.” She flicked her eyes to Vala. “Daniel. Cam. Cam. Daniel. Daniel. Daniel.”

Vala pulled her cell out. “Cam. Cam. Cam. Daniel. Cam. Daniel. Daniel. Cam. Cam. Cam.”

They flipped their cells closed in tandem.

Sam leaned forward, elbows on the table, and rested her chin in the vee of her palms. “Tell me you remembered to leave him a note.”

Vala slouched in her seat and threw up her hands. “Of course I did.”

“Do we know what we’re getting?” Aeryn’s voice split the standoff.

Sam dropped her eyes to the menu. “I’ve had the red beans and rice. And the seafood gumbo. And the fried shrimp. They’re all good.”

“Fine.” Aeryn slapped her menu closed, patience at an end. “We’ll order all three and share.” Steel eyes flicked between her table companions and silently dared either one to say a word.

Vala folded her menu, laid it on the table, folded her hands, palms down over it. “Ok.”

*************************

Aeryn leaned over the wrought iron balcony railing, resting on her forearms, and rolled the plastic cup in her hands. Eyes closed, she listened to the sounds of the music Sam had called jazz mixed floating on the warm late evening air.

“Are you all right?” Sam stepped out onto the balcony, towel drying her hair.

“Yes.” Her eyes drifted open and she slid her gaze to Sam. “Just listening to the music.”

Draping the towel over her shoulders, Sam leaned against the railing, a small smile playing along her lips. “Bourbon Street. Block over. The best known party street in New Orleans.”

Aeryn tilted her head and looked up from the corners of her eyes. “Party street?”

“Most of the day and all night. Weekends and Mardi Gras it’s hard to get through the crowds.” Sam snorted softly at a memory. “And you definitely don’t get a hotel room on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter if you want to sleep at night. Too noisy.”

“French Quarter?”

“The French Quarter is bordered by the Mississippi River, Canal Street, North Rampart, and Esplanade Avenue.” Reaching out, Sam gestured vaguely to the north. “The upriver border is Canal Street. After the Louisiana Purchase, Americans arrived en masse, and there were serious skirmishes between them and the Creoles in the Vieux Carré, the French Quarter. Canal Street became the neutral zone.”

“You’ve been here before.”

“Mardi Gras.” Sam shrugged a careless shoulder. Laissez les bon temps rouler.] Let the good times roll.” Tilting her head, she slid a half-smile at Aeryn. “The unofficial New Orleans motto.”

Aeryn tossed back the last of the cup. “I thought that was Vala’s motto.”

Sam snorted harshly. “Maybe.”

Rolling the empty cup in her hands, Aeryn looked out over the dancing lights of the city. “Cam and Daniel. Who are they?”

“Members of our team. You’ll meet them when we get back to SGC.” Sam tilted her head and wide, clear-blue eyes rested on Aeryn. “Why did you come with us? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

A lone boat horn sounded in the fog coming off the river.

Aeryn stared into the distance. “Ask me tomorrow.”

*************************

The sky was on fire, shimmering smoky red as the sun climbed on the horizon.

Behind her in the back seat, Vala had curled up into a tight ball, one long arm folded underneath her head, the other pulled up, loosely coiled fist just beneath her chin. Beside her in the passenger’s seat, eyes closed, Aeryn pulled a chunk off her baguette and shoved it in her mouth.

Tilting her cup, Sam took a careful sip of still-too-hot coffee. The light in front of her flared green and she flexed her right foot. The engine revved in the early morning stillness and she slipped her cup into the holder as the Mustang slid left and merged onto I-10.

*************************

(Continued)

Vala draped herself over the back of Sam’s seat. “Are we there yet?”

A small spasm rippled along Sam’s jaw line as a mile marker flew by. “Does it look like we’re there yet?”

Aeryn snorted and stretched. Her hand came up, slender fingers gathering the long, loose, ebony hair flowing in the breeze from the open window.

Vala flopped back into the rear seat. “I don’t know about you, but I need to use the little girl’s room.”

Sam clenched her teeth so hard her jaw hurt, slid her eyes to Aeryn. Aeryn’s lips pulled to the left as her head tilted slightly and she twitched a tight shoulder.

Exhaling softly, Sam checked her mirrors and slid the car to the right. “Pit stop it is.”

*************************

The pump handle went off with a loud click. Sam startled, caught Vala and Aeryn out of the corner of her eye, arms full, making their way between the islands as she pulled it out and shoved it back into its holder.

She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, put her hands on her hips and arched her back.

Her body felt every minute of the ride. Seven hours gone and Houston behind them, San Antonio and at least another seven hours and a lot of road in front of them if they wanted to make Fort Stockton.

Without a word Aeryn shifted her burden, freed her hand, popped her door open and dropped into her seat.

Sam screwed the cap in, slapped the cover closed, and opened the driver’s side door as Vala rounded the back of the Mustang. “Did you get everything?”

“Yeah.” Pushing past Sam, she leaned in and dropped her bags in the back seat, climbing in after them.

Sam pushed the door closed behind her and crossed the asphalt to the cashier. Her eyes scanned the rolling, dark-smoke thunder clouds that towered on the angry grey horizon.

The old man’s eyes followed hers. “Storm comin’ in.”

He reached for the cash she held out.

She startled again, felt the electricity dancing in the air as lightening flashed a jagged path to earth, slashing the sky. She counted in her head, waiting for the rumble of distant thunder.

It was close.

Her lips twitched. “Yeah.”

Spinning on her heel, she headed back to the car.

Sliding behind the wheel, she switched on the ignition. The engine roared; then throttled back to a smooth idle.

She belted herself in and settled in more comfortably. Shifting into gear, she tapped the gas and pulled out, fleeing the coming storm.

*************************

Vala’s head rolled and she shifted stiffly where she sprawled in the corner of the back seat, her long, lean legs threaded through the space between the front two seats.

Heavy eyes fluttered open as sleep pulled at her, trying to drag her back.

She arched her spine and stretched, wrapping her arms around her head and flexed her feet against Aeryn.

She yawned hugely and her tongue peeked out to wet her lips. “Are we there yet?”

Sam rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck against fifteen hours on the road as Aeryn touch-tapped the GPS screen.

She wanted nothing more than a shower and bed.

Aeryn reached up and hit the overhead light, tilted her head to read the display. “Exit 257…make a left onto 285…another left onto the I-10 service road and we’re there.” She looked up proudly. “Hampton Inn, Fort Stockton, Tex-ass.”

“Tex-us, not ass.” Sam slipped her foot off the accelerator and the Mustang slid onto the exit ramp. A small smile quirked her lips as she slid her gaze to Aeryn. “Hear the difference?”

Aeryn smiled with her whole face, like a child, lit up from the inside. “Tex-us.”

“Now that that’s settled, we need to get some food.” Vala pulled her legs back and leaned forward, slapped the overhead light off. “Drive through. I have to go to the bathroom.”

Sam flicked her gaze into the rearview mirror. “Taco Bell?”

She yawned again, nodding, and flopped back in her seat.

*************************

Shifting on the only bed in the room, Sam stretched, reached back, punched her pillow down, wriggled, and was just squirming into comfortable when she felt Vala slide in beside her.

She stretched out along Sam’s side, rested her head at the join of her neck and shoulder, aimed the remote and began surfing. “Did you call Jack yet?”

“Uhm-hmm.” Sam shifted carefully under Vala, reached out a relaxed arm out to flip off the bedside lamp. “What’s on the movie channel?”

The sound of the blow dryer stopped and the bathroom door opened.

Stepping out Aeryn pulled up short, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness as she tilted her head at the flickering images on the screen.

She set a neatly folded pile of clothes on the desk, turned and took two long steps to the bed, crawled across the mattress, flipped to sit, and pulled long, lean legs up to her chest.

Wrapping her arms around her knees, she rested her chin on her knees, staring straight ahead. “What are we watching?”

Vala stopped clicking. “Thelma and Louise.” Shifting slightly, she pointed at the screen. “Why don’t I know any men that look like that?”

Sam lifted an eyebrow. “Uhm…Cameron?”

“Cameron?” She snorted softly and waved a dismissive hand. “I love the man dearly, but he does not …” She pointed a slender finger. “…look like that.”

The mattress moved as Aeryn shifted, propping her elbow on her knee, her chin in her palm, an eyebrow arched in question. “Well, what the frell does he look like?”

“Huh.” Vala pushed up on her elbow, glanced down at Sam who shook her head a little and back up to Aeryn “Well, certainly not like that Brad guy.”

She fixed her eyes on the screen. “Woo-boy. Not like that at all.”

Sam rolled her eyes to Aeryn. “She’s a big X-Files fan.”

Aeryn ran her eyes from Sam to Vala to the screen. “Woo-boy.”

*************************

Rolling to her side, Aeryn reached over in the dark and poked Sam in the shoulder.

“Not now, Jack.” She slapped the hand away. “Sleeping.”

Pushing herself up on an elbow, Aeryn leaned over. “I want to go to the Grand Canyon.”

Sam threw back an elbow. “Tomorrow.”

Aeryn dropped back to the mattress, curled on her side, one arm folded back over her head, the other drawn up, hand under her chin.

A slow smile crawled across her lips as her eyes drifted closed. “And I want to drive.”

*************************

It was still a couple of hours until sunrise when Sam stumbled out of the office, trying not to spill her coffee. Under the glare of the parking lot lights, Aeryn and Vala were throwing their bags into the trunk of the Mustang.

Aeryn slammed it shut as Sam came up behind them. Turning, she reached out a long arm, hand open, fingers tapping a staccato beat against her palm.

Sam dropped the keys into her waiting hand.

“Shotgun.” Vala pushed past her, popped open the passenger’s side door, and crawled into her seat.

*************************

Sam ran her eyes over the framed newspaper clippings and snorted softly.

She turned wide, clear-blue eyes on Aeryn. “You wanted to come here, why?”

Aeryn cocked her head and arched an eyebrow. “I heard about it?”

Sam reached up and rubbed hard against her temples. “You heard about the International UFO Museum and Research Center?”

“I heard about Roswell.” Aeryn shrugged. “The Roswell Incident.” One hand came up, waving dismissively. “The Alien Capitol of the World.”

Vala reached out and pulled a brightly colored pamphlet from the middle rack of brightly colored pamphlets screaming for attention.

Her eyes narrowed as she read. “The annual Roswell UFO Festival.”

Pulling it open, she held it up for them to see bright green faces staring from the page. “We missed it this year.”

Rolling her eyes, Sam spun on her heel and began leading them to another room. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am to hear that.”

She pulled up short when she realized Aeryn and Vala were no longer behind her.

Spinning on her heel, sharp eyes raked the room and she found Aeryn, spine stiff, shoulders thrown back, eyes forward; standing at parade rest next to a gleaming silver saucer that sparkled in the low light.

Sam caught Vala’s eye and jerked her head. A dozen long, quick strides marched her across the room, brought her up next to Aeryn.

“It’s…shiny.” Aeryn’s eyebrows furrowed deeply as she pointed to the figure standing next to the saucer, big head, big, black eyes, elongated arms and hands. “This is really Earth’s idea of aliens?”

“Well, if it helps…” Sam bumped her gently with her shoulder. “I actually do know an alien who really looks like that.”

Aeryn’s head swiveled slowly and storm cloud eyes pinned Sam in place.

“Really.” Sam shrugged an apologetic shoulder. “His name is Thor.”

Vala leaned in and whispered loudly. “He really doesn’t wear any pants.”

“Neither does Cam.” Sam snorted and winked at Aeryn. “He loses his a lot.”

“Lucky for me.” Vala bounced; wide eyes and her smile-smirk lighting up her face. “Come on. I’m hungry and somewhere in this town lunch is calling my name.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and flounced out of the room.

*************************

She leaned against the Mutang, arms wrapped around her middle, watching rivers of molten lava swirl and flow across an indigo sky.

The red, orange, and yellow fingers of flame were the colors of the Sandia Mountains she had seen rising in the distance just northeast of the city.

They’d seemed to stretch as far as she could see, with billowing red-black, flat-bottom clouds roiling above the surface and disappearing into the blue-black of the night sky.

“Aeryn?”

Sam’s voice and the slam of the trunk brought her eyes down from the sky.

She pushed off the Mustang, reached for the bag Sam held out, and followed her across the parking lot.

*************************

Aeryn shook the small bottle in her hand, squinted at the tiny letters on the bottom as she held it up to the light. “What color is this?”

Vala flicked her eyes and a half-smirk at Aeryn. “Fuck Me Red.”

She dropped her eyes and carefully arranged her toes between the spacers.

Snorting, Aeryn narrowed her eyes at the bottle again. “That is not what it says.”

Vala dismissed the semantics with a negligent flick of her wrist. “Truth in advertising.”

“As I was saying.” Sam lifted her bottle, took a long pull off her beer. “Martin Blank is a professional assassin with some emotional problems.”

“What kind of problems?” Tossing the polish on the bed, Aeryn pulled her knees up to her chest, snagged a spacer, and began arranging her own toes.

Sam shifted slightly on her pillows, working herself into a more comfortable position. “His shrink doesn’t want him and he’s been dreaming of his old girlfriend that he stood up on Prom night ten years ago.”

Stretching a long, lean leg up and out, Vala flexed her foot, admired her handiwork, and dutifully recited. “He gets the invitation to his ten year reunion and he doesn’t want to go, but then he gets hired for a job in his home town.

Pulling the brush out of the bottle, Aeryn leaned over and began carefully painting. “His home town?”

Sam took another hit off her bottle. “Grosse Pointe”

“So he goes to the reunion.”

“Yeah.” Reaching over, Vala snagged her own bottle from the ice bucket and continued reciting. “But he’s followed by another assassin who wants to kill him, some federal agents who are after him, and another assassin who wants him to join an ‘Assassins Union.’

Aeryn’s hand stopped mid-stroke as she cocked her head, her eyebrows, and looked up at Vala from the corners of flat eyes. “An Assassins Union?”

“Yeah.” Vala knocked back her beer. “It’s actually pretty funny.”

Lips curling at the corners, Aeryn snorted explosively. “Who writes this stuff?”

A pale, bare shoulder shrugged elegantly. “Cam took me to his high school reunion.”

Leaning over Sam, Aeryn grabbed her beer. “Did he kill anyone?”

“No. But there was a bounty hunter there.” Vala reached out, hand open, fingers slapping against her palm in silent demand. “And he spent all of his time moping after a blonde cure for insomnia.”

Aeryn tossed her a bottle. “Let me guess…”

Sam knocked back the last of her beer, slid the bottle into the empty six-pack, pulled a fresh one out of the ice bucket and nodded at Vala. “She’s boffing Mitchell.”

“Boffing?” Aeryn lifted the bottle to her lips, took a long hit. “Never mind. It translates.” She slid a sidelong glance at Vala. “What is it with blondes?”

“I have no idea.” Wide eyes rolled as Vala’s hands came up and out. “But seriously…”

“Hello.” Sam waved her bottle at them. “I’m right here.”

Two pairs of identical eyes locked, identical waterfalls of long, black hair swished as two heads swiveled in unison, tilted, and mouthed a single word in stereo. “Sorry.”

*************************

Broad brush strokes of red-orange bled across a purple-black canvas as the first glimmer of bright yellow-white light crept over the border line where ground met sky.

Beside her, Sam stretched out in the reclined passenger’s seat, breathing softly. Behind her, Vala curled up in the back seat.

The mile marker flashed by as Aeryn sipped on her coffee, shifted slightly in her seat and pressed on the accelerator.

The engine revved and the Mustang shot down I-40 heading into Arizona.

*************************

Vala snagged the GPS and tapped the touch screen. “What am I looking for again?”

Sam stretched lazily and yawned. “Mather Campground.”

“Campground?” Vala’s head swiveled and wide, blue-grey eyes pinned Sam where she sat. “We have no gear.”

“We can rent what we need at the Marketplace in the Village; pick up some food, too.” Sam flipped the visor down against the late afternoon sun. “We go past it on our way into the park.”

Aeryn rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck. “Does anybody have to go to the bathroom?”

*************************

Somewhere beneath the perfect full moon that hung in the clear, cloudless sky a lone coyote howled in the distance.

Aeryn’s eyes drifted across the alien terrain bathed in the cold, silver light that spilled across the pitch black of the canyon and remembered another night, another planet, another rock face.

She ignored the small shiver that worked its way through her, looked up at a million stars that she couldn’t reach.

The slight scrunch of a small footstep let her know she wasn’t alone.

She shrugged deeper into her jacket against the cool night air, pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I really wish I could have hiked to the bottom.”

Dropping down next to her, Vala handed her a beer. “Maybe next time.”

“You know…” Rolling the bottle between her palms, Aeryn slid her gaze to Vala. “You are no where near as stupid or silly as you would have people think.”

Vala lifted a careful shoulder. “Haven’t you ever done something, played a role, a part, because you wanted something?” She tilted her head, rested her cheek on her knee. “Needed someone to trust you?”

“A…” Aeryn searched for the words she’d heard John use. “Dog and pony show?”

“No. Something different.” Sitting up, she breathed deeply, her gaze drifting off, unfocused, to the far side of the canyon. “More like getting someone to see past your mistakes; past their perception of you.”

She waved her bottle vaguely. “Let them come to you on their own terms, in their own time.”

Aeryn’s voice was low and flat in the silence. “See that you’re not a threat; that you don’t want to hurt them.”

Lifting her beer, Vala took a long pull off the bottle. “Let them see you differently, change their perceptions so they can see the real you.”

A small, sad smile tugged at Aeryn’s lips. “Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.”

Vala’s voice, so quiet in the dark Aeryn had to strain to hear it, floated out of the silence. “I have a child.”

“A child?”

“I didn’t want it.” She breathed deep, blew a lungful of air out explosively through her teeth. “I didn’t ask for it.”

A small shudder worked its way through her; she wrapped slightly shaking arms around herself. “They just gave it to me. Made me have it.”

Leaning forward, Aeryn rested her chin on her knees, slid a sidelong glance at Vala. “Where is it now?”

“She. It was a girl.” She knocked back the rest of her beer. “And I don’t know.”

Hugging her knees more tightly to her chest, Aeryn’s eyes drifted closed. It seemed so long ago, but she remembered.

Remembered dreams born with him on Talyn. Dreams that had died there.

And later on, more dreams. Dreams for her child. Dreams for the one still on Moya. Dreams for herself. She’d thought she could put it all together. That if she looked hard enough for the opening…

She was suddenly cold, sitting here listening to the silence; thought she might be drowning in the slow death of dreams.

She’d run her course as best she could; she’d run until there was nothing left, until she hit the end.

Vala’s voice was small and quiet. “There's nothing to be gained by second guessing yourself.” She leveraged herself to her feet. “You can't remake the past.” Her hand came out and brushed Aeryn’s hair. “So look ahead. Or risk being left behind.”

Her hand fell away as she turned, her voice floating in the stillness. “Don’t stay out here too long.”

*************************

The rock face was bathed in a red-orange glow as the first fingers of dawn slid across the red-brown rock face, chasing darker shadows down the canyon walls as an incandescent sun exploded over the horizon.

Coming up behind her, Sam nudged Aeryn’s shoulder. Holding out a hand, she waited for Aeryn to grip it. Leaning back slightly she pulled, and Aeryn leveraged herself to her feet, free hand reaching for the coffee cup Sam held out to her.

Vala flipped her hair and her voice split the morning quiet. “If Aeryn gets to see a big hole in the ground because she think it’s fun; then I should get to see Vegas and actually have some fun.”

“Vala.” Sam brought her hands up and rubbed hard at her temples. “The hair, the pout...they don't work on me. Remember?” She threw her hands up and out. “We’ve had this conversation.”

Aeryn sipped her coffee, flicked her eyes between the two women. “Just go there so she'll shut the frell up…” She cocked her head and rolled her eyes in Vala’s direction. “Or we could just kill her…”

Sam shifted slightly, eyes narrowed in deep thought. “Well, that is kind of extreme…besides, where would we put the body?”

“Very funny.” Vala’s hand came out, silently demanding the keys. “I’m driving.”

*************************

Sam flipped her cell closed, dropped it on the nightstand as Aeryn came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and drying her hair.

Swinging her feet around and off the bed, she leveraged herself to her feet and stretched. “Are you hungry, yet?”

“I’m starving.” Aeryn tossed the hair towel on the bed and ran her eyes around the room. “Where’s Vala?”

“In the casino.” Sam dropped her eyes to her watch. “Our reservations aren’t for another half hour, so when you’re ready we can go meet her.”

Nodding, Aeryn disappeared into the closet.

*************************

Calm, cool eyes raked the room as Aeryn followed the maitre d’ through the maze of tables, listening to the muted murmuring of the early evening dinner crowd that hummed like a bassline for the thoughts echoing in her head.

Purple walls, purple napkins, green tables; clients, providers, deals being done; she thought this place looked like every other pleasure planet she’d ever seen.

Their host stopped and turned, flashed a perfect smile as he pulled out a chair for her at the empty table in front of the purple-blue haze that filled the floor to ceiling bank of windows, painting the horizon.

She slid into her seat; laid her hands flat, palms down on the table, ran her eyes over the lights coming up in the city fifty stories below.

She remembered another ledge.

Sam opened her menu and stared at Vala over the top of it. “How much money did you win?”

A predatory smile crept across Vala’s lips. “Enough to buy dinner.”

Aeryn shifted her eyes and opened her own menu.

“Good evening, ladies.” A tall, leggy blonde materialized at the table. “I’m Ashlee and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?”

“Cosmopolitan, please.” Sam leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, and smiled up at their waitress. “Three.”

“Our specials are on the board.” Ashlee raised a long arm and pointed. “And I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

Aeryn leaned forward, propped her elbows on the table, rested her chin in the vee of her hands, and let her eyes wander over the cityscape, watching the light beat back the dark.

She remembered another cityscape on Valldon.

Ashlee’s voice cut through that haze and brought her back to the low, dull hum of conversation that was flowing around her.

Sliding her eyes back to the table, Aeryn wrapped long, slender fingers around the stem of her cocktail glass.

Vala’s delicate forefinger tapped against the menu that was flat on the table in front of her. “I’ll have the Ménage à Trois.”

Sam looked up through her lashes at her.

“What?” Vala snapped her menu closed. “Filet mignon, shrimp, lobster.” Her eyes widened. “Seriously.”

Ashlee flashed even white teeth. “And how would you like your filet done?”

Vala’s full lips returned the smile. “Medium.”

Sam flipped her menu closed, slid Vala’s on top of it. “I’ll have the sea bass, please.”

Ashlee tilted her smile toward Aeryn. “And for you?”

She slid her menu to Sam, folded her hands on the table. “I’ll have the rack of lamb.”

“I’ll put your order right in, ladies.” Ashlee reached for the menus. “If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

Throwing back one last smile, she began winding her way back to the bar.

*************************

Sam tilted her head and rolled her eyes to Vala. “Are you sure you won enough for dinner?”

“Yes. And I’m going back to the table right after this.” Stealing a sidelong glance at Aeryn, Vala leaned in, arms folded on the table. “They have this very nice double deck with double-down rules that let you double your bet on 8, 9, 10 and 11.” Her eyebrow twitched as she reached for her Cosmo and leaned back. “Very liberal house rules.”

Sam lifted her glass. “Are you sure you want to go back to the tables?”

She shrugged an elegant shoulder. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, they do have the Chippendale revue here right now.” A small smile pulled at Sam’s lips. “Did you win enough for tickets?”

She tilted her head, eyebrows furrowed, nose wrinkled as she did the mental mathematics. “Ooooohhhhh.”

Aeryn slid her gaze from the deepening purple-black of the late evening sky just outside the window to Vala. “It must be exhausting being you.”

Sudden shadows slashed across identical eyes like the thunderstorm they’d run from so long ago, only days ago on that stretch of I-10 outside New Orleans.

Her voice tight, eyes locked on Aeryn, she stilled completely. “You have no idea.”

Aeryn tossed back her glass and drained it. “We could always just go upstairs and drink.”

Sam flexed restless fingers, drummed them against the fine linen tablecloth as she ran the mental check list and responses for tomorrow.

Thirteen hours in the car back to the mountain.

She raised the glass to her lips and sipped.

She’d worry about it then.

*************************

The corridor was mercifully empty, their footsteps softly echoing off smooth grey walls. Nodding to the two SFs doing a double-take they almost run into rounding a corner, they pull up short on at the next junction.

“Col. Carter. Welcome home.” Head cocked, Landry’s eyes locked Sam in place. “I’m sure I don’t need to ask where you’ve been since I’m sure you’ll tell me during debriefing.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you sir.” Sam shifted her bag higher up on her shoulder. “I’d like you to meet Aeryn Sun.”

Aeryn wasn’t listening to the low hum of words or looking at the man welcoming her. Spine straight, shoulders taut, her entire body focused on the man standing next to him and the face softened in that silly-stupid look of love she remembered.

She’s boffing Mitchell.

There in the low light of the dull grey corridor she saw it. Felt it; a living, breathing, physical thing that stretched out between them.

It was crystal, as John would say, if he had been talking to her.

Of course she is.

“Aeryn…” Sam nodded toward her superior officer. “General Landry.”

“Officer Sun.” Landry tilted his head and smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you ladies get settled, get something to eat…”

“With your permission, sir.” Sam took a half step forward. “I’d like to show Aeryn the gate.”

“Fine. We’ll debrief at…” He glanced at his watch. “2100.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you sir.”

“We appreciate your being here, Ms. Sun.” Landry’s eyes rested on Aeryn and a small smile curved his lips. “Don’t worry. When we’re finished here, we’ll get you on a MAC flight back to Orlando.”

Nodding to the group, he spun on his heel, headed back down the corridor.

“And this…” A small, careful smile played across Sam’s lips as her hand came up, palm up. “Is Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell.”

Cool, clear eyes the color of the Florida sky she’d left behind locked on her as the corners of his mouth twitched up in a welcoming smile.

A real smile.

She tried to remember how long had it been since John…since anyone had smiled at her like that.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Sun.”

She slid her hand into his; long, strong fingers curled around her smaller ones and squeezed lightly.

She tried to remember how long had it been since he’d touched her; since anyone had touched her without pity, disinterest, distrust. Without anger or the need to make her pay for her sins of omission and commission, real or imagined; without needing her to break.

Mitchell flicked his eyes to Vala and dropped his hand, his fingers brushing hers as he stepped toward Vala and away from her. “You ladies have fun?”

She’s boffing Mitchell.

Hands on his hips, head cocked, eyebrows raised, forehead furrowed as he looked up from the corners of his eyes at her, Aeryn felt his surge of want course through him as he shifted even closer to her.

Of course she is.

A small, sad smile painted Aeryn’s lips. “Nice car.”

He threw a quick smile sideways at her. “Thanks.”

She’s more than boffing Mitchell.

She shifted her bag more comfortably on her shoulder as she moved past him; Sam falling into step as they made their way down the corridor.

*************************

“Oh, that reminds me.” Vala stepped in very close, seemed to mold herself to him without touching. “You need an oil change.”

He leaned in, dipped his head, scenting her, hooded eyes caressing her as his fingertips ghosted along the back of her hand. “Why?” His voice was low, thick, and heavy. “I just changed the oil.”

She trailed a delicate finger along his chest, down his arm as she started sliding around him. “That was over five thousand miles ago.”

He snagged her smaller hand in his larger one, tugged her gently back to him, leaned his head in close to hers, breathed softly into her ear. “You know you owe me.”

Her smile exploded across her lips and lit up her face as she nuzzled his nose with hers briefly “I know.”

Trailing her hand out of his, she made her way down the corridor. Catching up, she slid her arm through Aeryn’s and rested her cheek on her shoulder.

Leaning in, Aeryn whispered into her hair. “Nice ass.”

She felt Vala’s giggle work its way through her as they rounded the corner.

*************************

“Where’s Sam?” Aeryn ran her hands along the cool, smooth, grey walls of the corridor as she walked.

Tugging on her sleeve, Vala pulled her left at the junction. “She’ll meet us at the gate.”

*************************

Three steps past the Marines and inside the blast doors, Aeryn pulled up short and stared. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Sam’s voice came from behind her. “Aeryn, I’d like you to meet…”

Tearing her eyes away from the gate, Aeryn spun on her heel. “MacGyver?”

Sam snorted.

“Noooooooo.” The tall man standing next to Sam held out his hand. “Jack.”

“Ah.” Rolling her eyes at Sam, Aeryn slid her hand into his. “Jack.”

“We’ve been waiting for you.” Sliding his cap on his head, Jack tossed a half-assed grin at her. “Ready to go?”

He tossed a look to the control room. Lights flashed and shadows danced on the dull grey walls as the gate began to spin.

Walter’s voice boomed through the gate room. “Chevron one locked.”

Aeryn leaned over and breathed in Vala’s ear. “Let me guess.”

Vala tilted her head at Sam and Jack, standing shoulder to shoulder, winked at Aeryn and whispered with a very self-satisfied smile. “She’s boffing Jack.”

*************************

The silence battered his brain, the light stabbed at his eyes, and a mix of blind, cold terror and white-hot rage twisted in his gut, spilled up and out to camp in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

She was gone and he had no idea when, where, why, or how.

Six days going on seven since she’d gone missing.

Since he hadn’t been here and she’d disappeared.

No note. No call. Nothing.

He didn’t know what was worse; the man sitting in front of him, and his belief that his own government had abducted her. Or the possibility…

He cut that thought off ruthlessly, refused to think it.

He hadn’t slept. Sleep meant dreams and dreams meant visions of her sitting alone in a cell or strapped to a table and violated in ways his imagination was only too happy to provide.

Her body bagged and tagged, or simply tossed into a field, a lake, the ocean.

He’d come back and come right here, wanting to see her. Only to find…

“You knew where I was.” Leaning forward, John rested crossed arms on his seatback and locked Holt in an ice-blue glare. “You should have told me.”

“And what would you have done?” Reaching out, Holt’s forefinger tapped the file in front of him as careful eyes examined John. “Unless you have some information you haven’t shared…”

His eyes snapped to a spot just behind John’s left shoulder. “Officer Sun.”

John’s head snapped, eyes locking on the woman standing just behind and to the side of him. He barely registered Holt’s dull monotone coming from behind him.

“I didn’t realize you had returned.” Holt’s voice, low and calm, hung in the sudden silence. “When did you get back?”

“I didn’t realize you were here.” Her voice was as flat as her eyes as she walked past John toward the refrigerator.

John’s eyes tracked her across the kitchen.

She pulled open the door, pulled out a beer. “So I didn’t think to check in with you.”

John’s drawl floated in the silence. “You’ve been gone a while.”

“I’m sorry.” The dark pools of her eyes slid between Holt and John as she padded across the kitchen on silent feet. “You noticed?”

Holt’s hand came up off the table. “Do you know this woman?” He opened the folder, slid a picture toward her.

Aeryn dropped her eyes, slid it back to Holt. “No. Should I?”

Picking it up, he held it in front of her. “Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, United States Air Force.”

A long, lean arm reached out to take the picture from him. “She’s very pretty. Blonde.” She held it out to John. “Is she a friend of yours?”

Holt’s voice cut between them. “She’s been identified as the last, the only, unauthorized visitor here just before you went missing.”

Shifting her weight slightly, she locked Holt in her line of sight. “And was I supposed to have seen this Col. Carter? Met her?”

“No.” He put out his hand for the picture “The agent in charge…”

“Then why are you asking me about her?” She handed it back to him. “If she was here, I didn’t see her.”

She shook her hair back as she spun on her heel and threw back her dismissal. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Now that that’s taken care of…” Leveraging himself out of his chair, John stood and pointed to the hallway. “Thanks for coming. Drive safely. Good night.”

*************************

Pulling the last of her clothes from the bag on her bed, she tossed it into the closet, grabbed the pile and headed for the hamper. She flipped open the top and began dropping clothes in, one piece at a time.

The rolled up shirt made her stop, put the remaining pile on the dresser.

Careful hands gently unrolled the shirt, picked up the piece of stone it had wrapped. Long delicate fingers traced the swirling shades of white and cream.

Coconino sandstone.

She smiled softly, could hear Sam’s voice in her head explaining what it was when she’d found it.

Her smile died, and without thinking she quickly rewrapped the stone in her shirt as she heard footsteps coming down the hall.

*************************

John watched Holt’s tail lights disappear from view, then turned and hit the stairs, ignoring the dark, taking them two at a time. A dozen long, angry strides marched him down the hallway to her room.

Without bothering to knock, he pushed through the door. “Aeryn, where the hell…”

She was waiting for him, stepped up and took a stance. “Look. I’ve been a good little visitor, done everything asked of me.”

She jabbed an angry forefinger at him. “I’ve done everything everyone has wanted me to do.”

It hit her like a pulse blast to the chest, electric pain shooting up her spine, exploding behind her eyes.

Her depth perception was off again. It hurt more than she thought it should, this raw, seeping wound that would not heal with time.

Her hand and her voice dropped. “Everything everyone has asked me to do.”

She was suddenly very tired. Tired of the indifference; tired of the inertia.

Her fingers curled into a loose fist at her side. “Once upon a time, someone invited me here, wanted to show me this place.”

Tired of being the mendicant; the supplicant.

“I wanted to see it.” Her shoulders suddenly sagged, curling forward as she wrapped long arms around her middle. “Someone wanted to show it to me.”

Spinning on her heel, she flared to rigidity; spine stiff, shoulders tight. Long, quick steps marched her across the room, lobbing dull, dead, words as she walked to the dresser. “Close the door on your way out, please.”