Nesert

3.2

Once aboard her tel'tak, she collapsed into the pilot's chair and tried to shove aside all of the processing that her brain was attempting. She couldn't think about any of it right now, the horror of what she'd done to Adaar. It was too much for the moment and she needed to check in with Ba'al still.

After beaming back to her house and changing, she jumped in her car and drove over to Ba'al's, glad that he was there and she wouldn't have to wait around with the clones for him to return.

"How was your day?" she asked as she came toward him with a light kiss.

"Frustrating, but we're working out the transition. Yours?"

Nes had to smile at the complete normality of their interactions sometimes. "Fine. I was away from Earth for so long, I couldn't exactly sort things out from a hospital bed once back." She added an edge to the last few words, reminding Ba'al of what he'd done to her.

"Have you had dinner?" He waited for her to shake her head. "Good. You can join me."

They ordered in and Nes kept finding herself staring at her companion, wondering about the original Adaar still trapped behind Ba'al's mind. She never should have done what she did. She didn't want to know his name and what Ba'al had done to him. It had been easier when she could pretend Adaar wasn't there at all, that he wasn't having to witness her interactions with his body, but not his mind.

Unfortunately, Ba'al took her behavior as reflective of desire and he didn't hesitate to capitalize on it, but Nes could barely bring herself to respond, so filled with shame over her actions.

"What's wrong?"

Nes could hear the suspicion in his voice and ran through various excuses trying to find one that would help her escape for the night.

"I'm sorry. I'm just distracted this evening trying to figure out how and when to go back to Stargate Command. The last few days complicated things rather significantly."

"You do not need to go back. We're monitoring their communications." He brushed his lips against hers. "It's time for you to take your place by my side."

"Once we go public, there will be no undoing it. No one at the SGC will trust me anymore."

"It will not matter."

Nes pushed him away. "Well, then, you know what needs to happen next. I really should be going this evening."

"I'm afraid I haven't been able to focus on any of that with recent events."

She patted his cheek with a smile. "Well, once things have calmed down then."

"And will you be expecting the elaborate marriage traditions this country seems to be so fond of?"

Nes laughed lightly. "Some of them will be necessary for show, darling. You are a public figure now."

"Of course."

"Consider it a chance to establish your public identity." She glanced at her watch. "I really should get home."

"You are incredibly frustrating, my dear." Ba'al gave her a charming smile.

"And also worth the wait and effort." She kissed him and stood. "Goodnight."

Nes drove home, but she needed a touchpoint on reality and herself. She beamed up to her ship and directed it over Colorado Springs, checking that Sam was at her house alone and there were no signs of monitoring.

Nes surprised her like she always did, appearing in the kitchen while Sam was grabbing some food.

"Nes! Where have you been?" Sam put a hand to her chest trying to steady her heart, but her eyes showing that she could see the change in the other woman. "Ba'al."