A Hidden Threat

Chapter 22

They finally reached Amiri's room. Neither Carter nor O'Neill was prepared for what they saw. There laid this frail shell of a body. Her eyes were sunken in with dark circles under her eyes. Her body was pale white. Carter was shocked. O'Neill placed his hand on her shoulder and she immediately reached for it and held it for a moment.

"Can you help me up?" she asked.

He looked at her, locked the wheels of the chair and helped her up. There was a chair beside Amiri's bed and he helped her to it. She closely sat down and grabbed Amari's hand. It was cold and damp. It was as if death had already passed by her, and was slowly taking her away. Carter didn't know what to say. O'Neill came and stood beside her. If not for machines recording her slow heart beat, she already looked as if she'd passed on.

"Jack" Carter whispered his name.

He lifted his eyebrows for a second as she called out to him by his first name, but all he did was lean down to her and whispered in her ear,

"talk to her Carter.. I'm right here"...he stood back up not letting go of her shoulder. She looked up at him and nodded, not knowing what she was going to say...

" Hi Amiri, it's me Sam....you have to fight..., Amiri please...I know you are scared but you are not alone. You can start a new life here, You can live with me...I promise it will be ok, Please Amiri" by this time Sam was crying it more than saying it.

O'Neill could tell it was draining her. He was becoming concerned that it was becoming to much for her. Carter placed her head on the side of the bed and began to sob. Much like she did, when she had to leave Cassie down in the bunker. O'Neill didn't know what to do. It scared him to see her that way.

"Please Amiri,,,, fight...please" Carter cried barely able to get the words out. O'Neill's heart ached for her. He knew how much she cared for this girl, and a part of him hated himself for how he treated her. By this time he could hear Carter whimpering by her bed side.

"Please...please...please" is all she kept saying. He looked at Carter and knew he had to get her out of there. She was already weak and this wasn't making it any better.

"Carter" he said, as he pulled her back into a sitting position, But when he did he suddenly felt the surge of energy.

"What the",,, was all he could say. Carter slowly sat up. She wiped her face and looked at him. Realizing what had just happened.

"You felt that Sir, didn't you?" She said, back to the Sirs. They looked at each other. Slowly realizing what she meant.

"You mean that was...the...it...that....I mean....you know" He said trying to find the right words.

"Since the first day I met Amiri it was something I couldn't explain. Now you've experienced it." She said regaining her strength.

"Ah yeah, you can call that an experience" He said sarcastically as always.

"O.k. so why am I now feeling it" He asked.

"I don't know Sir" she said. " I didn't know why with Amiri either" she said with worry in her voice.

"O.k. I think we've had enough here. Time to get you back to your room" he said as he began to place her back in the chair.

"Sir, please just a little longer?" Carter pleaded.

"Carter you need to rest and this is not resting, it's emotionally draining you.." He said with concern.

Carter knew how he cared for her. She knew that "wild horses", wouldn't keep him away. She looked into his eyes, and knew that he was right. She nodded and said nothing. The tears rolling down her eyes said it all. As Carter looked at Amiri she suddenly realized that whatever was living inside her, was a part of Amiri, she realized then that she had to protect it, love it and cherish it as only Amiri would. As Carter began to feel love towards this being within her, a light slowly started to glow by her abdomen. O'Neill stepped back....

"Carter.." was all he was able to get out, as he began to reach for his gun.

"Sir...no it's ok...it's o.k. she won't hurt me.." Carter stated as she placed her hand on her abdomen. She looked down and started to weep.

"I had to love it" she said.

"Carter...what the hell are you talking about". O'Neill said, showing his so called patient side. "Sir, I can hear her talking... I can't explain it...But she knew I would keep it safe, out of duty....but she had to know that I would love her as well..only then would she protect me." Carter said through her sobbing tears.

She looked at O'Neill and the light dimmed and disappears, and then in the background you suddenly heard a long beep. Amiri had flat-lined. Carter immediately turned.

"No...No....please" Carter pleaded, as the nurses ran to Amiri's side. Dr. Frasier came running into the room. She turned to the machine and knew there was nothing more that could be done.

"Sam...Sam..." Frasier had Carter by the shoulders. " No please, she can't be...please" Carter begged.

"Sam..she's gone Sam...she's gone" Frasier kept saying. Carter turned and grabbed O'Neill and held on for dear life. He knew that she had grown to love Amiri. He just held her, till she calmed down but before he let her go, again the electric surge. He felt it permeate through his entire body. He didn't say anything. Now wasn't the time. He slowly helped Carter back into the wheel chair, and began to push her back into her room. Before they left, O'Neill looked back at Frasier. She smiled at him, and nodded and then turned to Amiri. As she slowly pulled the sheet over her head. O'Neill looked on, and continued to push Carter. What would become of Carter, Why did he start to now feel the surges? Would Carter's fate end like Amiri's? To weak to fight to weak to live? All O'Neill knew was that right now right then she needed him, needed him to just be there and of course, as he promised he "ALWAYS" would.