Chapter Text
It had been a long few weeks at the SGC and Janet found herself daydreaming, once again, about a long hot bath and a cold glass of wine. Hell, she wouldn't turn down something a little stronger than wine if it was offered to her. Three weeks ago, all four members of SG 11 had managed to contract a very severe rash after returning from P3X-1429. Which wouldn't have been so bad in the grand scheme of things, if the rash hadn't turned out to be highly contagious, as well as resistant to every antihistamine Janet had thrown at it.
Luckily for most of the rest of the SGC personnel, quick action on Janet's part had stopped the rash from spreading beyond a couple of members of her staff and poor Sgt. Siler, who had the misfortune of being in the gate room when SG-11 had returned. The good natured Siler had patted Colonel Sauls on the arm as a greeting and had watched in horror as small angry red spots had started to form on his hand less than a minute after the contact. Sauls was already shouting for a quarantine for himself and his team when he came through the gate. But Siler had been wearing heavy hearing protection and a welding mask and didn't hear Sauls. By the time Siler pulled the PPE off, it was too late.
At first it seemed that the rash would just have to run its course, and the affected members of staff had shown improvement after about 10 days after exposure. Janet couldn't be sure if the treatments she had tried were finally working, or if the rash simply had an expiration date. Either way, she was elated. Until Siler started hallucinating, followed quickly by the rest of the afflicted staff.
Another 7 days of horror had come and gone, and with Major Carter's help, Janet had finally managed to isolate the protein that had caused the rash, and synthesize a counter agent.
The entire base had been on lockdown for a little over 20 days when Janet declared the last patient completely free of the rash. General Hammond had ordered everyone that had been quarantined on the base to go home and not come back for at least 7 days.
"That means you too Doctor Frasier. If you even think about coming back in before those 7 days are over, I will personally escort you off of the base!" Janet had convinced him to let her stay an extra 24 hours after the last patient had been discharged. She had told him she needed to get all of her observations properly documented while they were still fresh on her mind. She also wanted to run a few more tests on the strange protein. She was afraid that the samples would degrade too quickly, and then all of her and Sam's work would have been for nothing.
24 more hours had come and gone, and while she still had a few more things she wanted to finish up before leaving the mountain for the week, the General had told her in no uncertain terms that she was to 'get the hell out of my base.' It had been said with a terse smile, and Janet knew she had pushed her luck with him as far as she could. So now she was driving home in rush hour traffic and marveling at the fact the rest of the world had seemingly gone on existing normally while she had been stuck underground in some kind of perpetual fluorescent purgatory.
The hot water of a well deserved bath had been heaven on her aching body. She also couldn't think of a time when she had been more grateful for jacuzzi jets. The tub was older and the jets didn't pack as much of a punch as they used to, but to Janet it felt like the most luxurious spa known to man. She stayed in the tub long after her fingers started turning pruney, and she had topped off the hot water several times before she finally started to feel like something slightly more human.
Cassie had been staying with Janet's sister for the duration of the lockdown. Janet had called on her way home and offered to pick her up, but her sister had insisted on keeping the teenager for a couple more days. Apparently she was having a great time catching up with her cousins, and had practically begged Janet to let her stay a little while longer. So Janet had the added luxury of having the house all to herself. She indulged by not even bothering to put on a towel after she dried herself off from her bath. Padding into her bedroom completely naked, she felt a little silly that this was her idea of daring. Parenthood had definitely tamped down most of Janet's few remaining wilder inclinations. Not that she had ever actually been anything approaching wild. She had had her moments, but she was no Samantha Carter, that was for sure.
Her thoughts were suddenly entirely focused on her friend, and she felt a swell of admiration and love for the blonde astrophysicist. Sam might be an adrenaline junkie, but she was also somehow as reliable as the rising and setting of the sun. Sam had once again proven herself to be invaluable in a crisis. Not only to the SGC as a whole, but to Janet in particular. Sam had worked every bit as hard and as long as Janet had. Going for days straight with little sleep or food. The two women had found themselves working tirelessly side by side. Completing each other's thoughts and providing a much needed shoulder to lean on in the wee hours of the night, when everything seemed the most dire.
Janet felt a sudden need to make sure her friend was alright. She needed to see that Sam was okay. That she was actually getting some rest and relaxation. Despite being bone tired from the whole ordeal, there was still a low level of residual adrenaline buzzing in the back of Janet's mind. It was just enough to make it impossible for her to think about anything other than making sure Sam was home safe and sound. Janet knew she could just call Sam, but damned if she could actually convince her suddenly worried brain of that fact. She resigned herself to the short drive to Sam's place. She would pop in, make sure Sam was okay, and then she knew she would actually be able to finally rest.
But just in case Sam wanted to talk or hang out for a while, Janet grabbed a couple bottles of wine from the cabinet and popped them into a bag. She pulled on a comfy pair of faded jeans and a soft, thin, cranberry colored sweater. She fussed with her hair in the bathroom mirror for a while and debated even putting on makeup before mentally chastising herself. She and Sam had just spent days on end practically on top of each other. She personally hadn't even had time to have regular showers, let alone worry about what her makeup looked like. She knew her friend wouldn't even mind if she showed up in her pajamas with rollers in her hair. Leaving the bathroom she slipped on some sneakers and a jacket, grabbed her keys and the wine, and headed confidently for her best friend's house.
Realizing belatedly that she should probably give Sam some kind of heads up, she had called on the drive over. Sam didn't pick up and Janet didn't bother to leave a voicemail, since she was only about 15 minutes away. She tried not to let herself start to worry when Sam didn't pick up though. It was very unlike Sam, who usually picked up before the second ring. Janet tried to calm herself down by rationalizing that Sam might just be in the shower, or asleep. Definitely nothing to worry about. Definitely just her already overtaxed nerves getting the better of her.
Janet pulled up to Sam's house a few minutes later. Sam's car was in the driveway, but the Indian was nowhere to be seen. But there were lights on in the house, so Janet hopped out of her car and made her way up to the front door. She could hear noise coming from inside the house, a TV or a radio on somewhere within. She knocked on the door and unconsciously bounced from foot to foot while she waited. After a couple of minutes of no response she knocked again. Still nothing. Janet debated whether or not she should just go back home. She did have a key to Sam's house but she had used it maybe on two other occasions. Finally she admitted to herself that she wouldn't be able to get any rest unless she actually saw that Sam was okay, and she plucked up her courage and slipped the key into the lock.
The tumbler turned with a soft ~thunk~ and Janet eased into Sam's house. Closing the door and locking it back, she glanced around, trying to locate her friend, or at least some indication of where she might be. The background music had gotten louder, the radio she determined, but she still wasn't sure where it was coming from. She called out softly, "Sam?" Her voice cracked a bit and she shook her head, trying to figure out why she was suddenly so nervous. This was Sam's house. Janet had been here so many times that she could, and had, navigated it in the dark. Maybe it was the fact that she had come uninvited, but she suddenly felt like an interloper.
Pushing down a rising sense of dread she made her way into the kitchen. She called out once more, a little louder this time, but still got no response. There was leftover takeout and a couple of beer bottles on the counter. Janet momentarily panicked as an image of interrupting a date flashed into her mind. But she hadn't seen another car in the driveway or on the street. She sat the bag with the wine down and started down the hallway to the back of the house.
She searched the bedrooms but still found no trace of Sam. That left the basement and the garage, and Janet was betting that Sam was most likely in the garage. Probably blasting the radio too loud while working on her precious bike. An image of Sam in old BDU pants and a black tank top popped into Janet's head. She had seen Sam in that exact outfit too many times to count. She would have smears of grease all over herself, including her face and possibly even in her hair. Janet once again felt a swell of affection for her friend. She quickly went back to the kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles of wine and two glasses from the cabinet. The wine was one of Sam's favorites, and Janet knew that Sam had probably been working on the Indian for most of the day, and would definitely be ready for a break and some wine.
The sun was just slipping below the horizon as Janet slipped out the back patio door, and the backyard was mostly covered in darkening shadows. Janet found that her suspicions were confirmed, as the music that was muffled in the house was suddenly much clearer. She saw that the side door to the garage was propped open with a tall shop fan. It was set to low, and was happily humming away softly. The radio wasn't as loud as she had expected, but apparently still loud enough for Sam not to have heard her calling out from inside the house.
Walking down the stairs from the deck to the yard, Janet had just opened her mouth to call for her friend once more when a sharp cry came from the garage. She immediately recognized it as having come from Sam. Panic rose in Janet's chest and she felt herself slip into soldier mode. More likely than not, Sam had probably just banged her knuckles or dropped something on her foot. But Janet's years of training and the adrenaline of the last three weeks had her ready to tackle and subdue an intruder, should there be one. She set the glasses on the grass and flipped the bottle of wine upside down, effectively turning it into an impromptu club. She crouched low and sprinted to the open garage door. Steeling herself she peaked her head around the door jamb to look inside. It took her brain a few moments to process what she was seeing.
There was indeed another person in Sam's garage. Janet recognized the woman almost immediately. Dr. Alexandria, 'call me Alex' Thacker was sitting in a worn out old office chair on the opposite side of the garage.
And Major Samantha Carter was sitting on the good doctor's lap.
At least, that's what it seemed like from what Janet could see. Sam's Indian and a low rolling tool box were between Janet and the two women. So Janet could only see them from about the stomach up. But there was no other explanation that made sense of their current position.
The two women were facing each other, and Janet was looking at them in profile. Their foreheads were touching, and their mouths were slightly open. Sam was a little higher up than Alex and her mouth was gasping little breaths of air close to the other woman's nose. Sam's eyes were closed but Alex's were wide open. A look of determination mixed with raw lust plastered on her face as she watched Sam. Both women were panting softly, which didn't make much sense because at first glance the pair didn't seem to be moving much at all. But then Janet saw the muscles in Alex's right shoulder flexing and shifting rhythmically.
A thrusting motion, Janet realized, and felt her mouth go completely dry.
Suddenly Sam's eyes snapped open, and Janet nearly dropped the bottle of wine she was still holding. Her brain told her that somehow Sam had seen her, sensed her there, watching from the door. Watching when she should have been running far, far away. Watching something that definitely wasn't meant for her eyes, but that she couldn't seem to turn away from. But Sam was entirely focused on Alex. Sam's hand had come up to tangle in the other women's short brown hair and she used that leverage to pull their mouths together in a searing kiss. Janet watched as the two women traded open mouthed kisses for long moments.
Janet's heart was hammering in her ears and she felt heat creep outward from her belly as the kisses deepened even more. She should stop watching. She should turn away now and never look back. But she found that she couldn't. That she didn't want to. And then she felt something else, and she was so unprepared for it that it made her knees weak. A hot wave of jealousy threatened to overwhelm her. It was so strong and so insistent that she was helpless against it. Images came to her mind, unbidden. Images of Sam's mouth crushing against her own, images of her hand thrusting against Sam, her imagination filling in the parts she couldn't see from her current position. Images of Sam laid out before her, in her bed, naked and smiling up at her, inviting her to come have a taste. Janet felt like she might pass out.
Sam broke the kiss, desperate for air. Janet saw that Sam's hips were thrusting in time with Alex's arm. Sam's breathing hitched and she let out a sharp cry. Then words that would be forever burned in Janet's memory spilled out of Sam's mouth.
"Please Alex, I'm so close...please."
It was little more than a whisper, and Alex moaned in response as the muscles in her neck tensed and she seemed to redouble her efforts to bring Sam to climax. "Oh god Sam, please come for me," Alex all but growled into Sam's ear, "I need to see you come, I need to feel you come Sam." The desperation in her voice was almost as thick as it had been in Sam's request a few moments before. That was apparently all that Sam needed, and right in front of Janet's eyes, Samantha Carter came on another woman's fingers.
It was glorious. Sam pulled Alex's face tight to her chest, and her head fell back almost in slow motion. Alex was holding onto Sam as tightly as she could, her teeth gently digging into the blonde's chest. She felt as much as heard the moan that slowly bubbled up from deep within Sam. At the same time, already tight muscles started to tighten even more around her fingers. Alex focused every fiber of her being on keeping the same steady pace inside of Sam, and the same quick cadence of her thumb on Sam's clit. There was a long second of complete silence as Sam drew in a deep breath. Then she was coming. Loud and strong. Her voice not much more than an animalistic cry of release. Muscles clenching and throbbing around Alex's fingers. Sam's own fingers clawed into Alex's back and hair. Alex continued stroking Sam's center as she rode out her climax. Then slowed to a stop and Sam was collapsing in her arms. Boneless and spent.
With her free hand wrapped protectively around the blonde's shoulders to keep her from falling over, Alex whispered low, breathy words into Sam's ear. Janet couldn't quite make out what was actually being said, but could guess at the nature of the words by watching Sam's lean frame shiver and then melt even more against the brunette's body. Janet meanwhile was feeling so tense and overwhelmed that she thought she might spontaneously combust. She felt as though her entire world had just shifted on its axis, leaving her scrambling to find a foothold on her sanity. Emotions and thoughts swirled through her mind. A base level of sheer confusion was threatening to topple her over into the grass, while guilt and shame clashed with jealousy and arousal. Then a strange, detached sense of calm started to creep in. Denial perhaps? Yes, this she could work with. Deny, deny, deny. Then run away as fast as humanly possible. She could do this. She could…
Janet stared in horror as Alex lifted her right hand up from Sam's lap, her slick fingers glistening in the harsh fluorescent light. Janet felt like time slowed to a crawl as Alex brought her hand to her face. She inhaled slowly, and an involuntary moan escaped her lips right before she sucked her index finger into her mouth. The movement had caused Sam to look up from where she was cushioned against Alex's shoulder, and blue eyes that had been sleepy and muted only moments before suddenly turned dark with renewed arousal. Alex seemed to sense the other woman's scrutiny and pulled her finger from her mouth with an exaggerated 'pop' that made Sam jump a tiny bit. Satisfied that she had Sam's attention, she quickly sucked her middle finger into her mouth, allowing the tantalizing flavor of the other woman to overwhelm her other senses. Sam was breathing hard again, mouth slightly open as she took in the erotic sight. After a moment that finger was also removed with the same flourish. Alex moved to repeat the process with her ring finger, but Sam was suddenly in motion. She sat up and grabbed Alex's wrist, stopping the digit just inches from her waiting mouth. A disappointed whimper escaped Alex's lips, but didn't last long, as Sam gently tugged her wrist closer to her own face. Slowly, so slowly, Sam opened her mouth and gently placed three of Alex's fingers against her tongue. Red lips closed around the digits, and blue eyes slid closed as Sam lost herself in a sensory overload of pleasure.
It was too much for Janet. Arousal stronger than anything she had experienced in many, many years threatened to overwhelm her. She felt her vision tunneling to a pinpoint. She was sure she was going to pass out. She had to move or she would pass out. Gripping the doorframe with her free hand, she willed her legs to move. She had to get so very, very far away from here. Emotions that had been long buried had just been violently blasted into the forefront of her mind, of her very existence. Feelings that would have her court-martialed so quickly it would make your head spin were suddenly erupting from their previously safe, not-so-bottled-up-now vault. Thick, double reinforced emotional walls were crumbling, and Janet was fighting back hot tears as she scooped up the wine glasses and started to take the deck stairs two at a time. And then, because apparently the universe actually did hate her guts, her toe caught on the last step.
She felt the wine glasses slip from her grasp as she involuntarily reached out to catch herself. She watched in abject horror as they crashed onto the deck, shattering on impact. And just when she thought she was about to land on top of a minefield of broken glass, she felt her other foot land firmly on the deck. Apparently having had just enough forward momentum to clear the last step where her other foot had not. Still precariously unbalanced, but no longer in danger of falling face first into the waiting shrapnel, she stumbled halfway to the back door before skidding to a halt.
Heart pounding, she found herself whipping back around in the direction of the garage. The radio had just gone silent. Shit. Shit. Shit.
A soft patter of footsteps on cement floor and then a loud, "Hello!"
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
It was Sam, soldier mode engaged, voice firm and unwavering, "Who's there!"
Janet closed her eyes and accepted her fate. "It's me," she managed weakly.
A pause and then, "Janet?"
"Yeh," she squeaked out.
A lanky blonde form appeared from the garage door. "Are you okay? What happened?" The concern so evident in her dear friend's voice was too much. Janet burst into tears.
"I broke your glasses," she sobbed, knowing she sounded absolutely deranged, but unable to stop herself, "I'm so sorry Sam." She suddenly felt lightheaded, and swayed heavily towards the side of the house. This was it, this was how she lost the best friend she ever had. This was how she lost Cassie, her career, everything. Sam would know, Janet felt sure that she wouldn't be able to hide what she had just witnessed from the other woman. And then it would all be over.
Sam was still trying to process what was happening when she saw Janet start to topple. Before she even realized what she was doing she had bounded the short distance to the deck and up the stairs. She caught the smaller woman just as she was about to collapse, pulling her close to keep her balance, and hopefully keep them both upright. Her mind was reeling with worry. Something was very wrong. Had Janet cut herself on the broken glass? Had she simply worked herself to exhaustion? Or was there something more nefarious happening? Working with the 'gate had taught her not to rule out any possibility, no matter how bizarre or far-fetched.
The transition from the harsh light of the garage to the darkness of the back yard had left Sam slightly blinded, so she pulled Janet closer and half carried her the rest of the way to the back door and flung it open. Light from the kitchen spilled onto the two women. Sam held Janet at arm's length and quickly scanned her for any obvious signs of damage. Seeing no blood, Sam fixed her eyes onto Janet's. "Are you hurt?" She gently inquired, "Please tell me what's wrong."
Janet could only stare at her best friend with a look of embarrassment mixed with fear. Then guilt, as she saw confusion sweep across Sam's face.
"Janet?"
It was said so gently and with such bone deep concern that Janet nearly burst into tears again. She drew in a ragged breath and steadied herself. She needed to pull herself together, at least long enough to make up an excuse and get the hell out of Sam's house.
"I'm fine," she finally managed, "I'm so sorry Sam, I just..." she trailed off as she gestured a shaky hand at the broken glasses. Sam's eyes followed her outstretched hand, and Janet felt a tiny scrap of sanity return. She felt slightly more in control of her faculties without the intense gaze of the taller woman piercing into her very soul. Sam had always been able to read Janet like a book, just with one glance. It came in very handy when there was some alien beast or another trying to bore its way into some member of the SGC, and the difference between life and death was narrowed down to mere seconds. But now, Janet wished that her friend wasn't so damned intuitive, just for a brief window. Just long enough for her to escape. But she didn't have that luxury, so she had to think fast.
"I just," her voice cracked, and she tried again, "it's just been so stressful these last few weeks. I just really needed a night to decompress." The words were coming out quicker and quicker now, and she focused all of her concentration on just getting through her hastily constructed excuse. "And I was hoping that you might want to hang out and talk. Or not talk, ya know, god knows we've been doing enough of that lately..." oh no, rambling. Get it back on track Frasier, "I mean we could also just drink. I don't know about you, but I could definitely use several drinks," giving a half hearted laugh, she risked a glance up at her friend.
Bad idea. Sam's gaze was intense, searching. She was assessing her friend for any sign that she might be hiding something, that there might be some underlying message that Janet was trying to secretly convey. Sam in full threat assessment mode was truly something to behold. Janet quickly dropped her eyes back to her shoes.
"And if I'm being honest," Janet's voice was softer and less confident than moments before, "I...I was worried about you." She felt Sam's hands twitch where they still had a firm grasp on her shoulders. "I mean, you worked just as hard and as long as I did, and I know how completely drained I feel. I just wanted to check on you. Make sure you were okay." There. She had done it. And she had even told Sam the truth. Well, the truth of why she was on Sam's deck with a bottle of wine in hand, if not why she was suddenly unable to control her emotions. But exhaustion from the last few weeks was a very believable reason for that as well. She held her breath, unable to look up at Sam as the silence dragged out ahead of them.
"Janet," finally, Sam spoke. Her voice was soft, with a tiny undercurrent of mirth. Out of her peripheral vision, Janet saw a blonde head slowly shake back and forth, "you. Were worried about me." Mirth mingled with disbelief. A soft chuckle and then, "Janet Frasier, what did I do to deserve a friend as amazing as you?"
Surprised brown eyes snapped up to meet soft blue. Sam had a heart-meltingly genuine smile on her face, and Janet was sure for the umpteenth time that night that she was going to burst into tears. But Sam had other plans and pulled her into a tight embrace. She buried her face in Janet's hair and spoke again, "I'm better than okay, now that you're here."
"Oh," was all that Janet could manage. Sam's body against hers was warm and soft, her breath tickling the nape of Janet's neck. She suddenly wanted, needed to feel more of Sam, so she reached a hand up to brush through impossibly soft blonde hair. Sam responded with a soft sigh and hugged Janet even closer. Janet felt the swell of Sam's breasts press against her and it took every ounce of her waning willpower not to moan against the taller woman's neck. A pleasant dizziness was threatening to pull Janet to the ground when Sam finally pulled away. She shifted her hands back to Janet's shoulders and again held her at arm's length. One last assessing gaze swept over Janet's body, and she felt a strong shiver of arousal run through her.
"You must be freezing," Sam said softly, thankfully misunderstanding Janet's quaking form. "C'mon, let's get you inside. You must be beyond exhausted, the way you're swaying all over the place." Sam took Janet's arm and started to guide her to the door but suddenly stopped, "oh...oh, um...," she glanced back at the still open garage door, and Janet's gaze followed suit.
The third woman stood just outside the door, light from the garage showing her form in sharp contrast. She had the stance of someone who was trying to appear completely nonchalant, but was in fact very, very chalant. Janet could practically feel the tension rolling off of her in waves. Apparently so could Sam.
"It's okay," Sam's tone was a soft reassurance. Something akin to what one would use with a frightened stray dog. So when Alex tilted her head slightly to the side at the sound of Sam's voice, it was all Janet could do not to burst out laughing.
"Really, it's okay," this time slightly more forceful but just as kind. Alex's shoulders relaxed and Janet could hear her relieved sigh. Taking a step away from the garage, she spoke, "You're sure she's not hurt?" Sam answered with a sharp nod in the affirmative.
"She's uninjured, but I think she's suffering from some pretty extreme exhaustion," Sam's gaze flicked momentarily to Janet, then back to the tall brunette on her lawn, "and she's shivering pretty bad so I'm a little worried about shock."
Janet took a moment to appreciate that both of these beautiful women were clearly very worried about her wellbeing. A brief image of the two of them tenderly examining her for scrapes and bruises suddenly popped into Janet's mind. Two sets of delicate, expert hands trailing along her exposed skin. Two sets of perfect lips pressed against her...Janet closed her eyes tightly, trying to chase away the erotic tableau that her mind had decided to conjure up. Maybe she was in shock. Yes, that had to be it. It couldn't possibly be the years of repressed feelings and emotions bubbling to the surface.
Hell. Maybe it was both.
Janet felt her equilibrium shift again, completely unsure of what was actually causing it, and somewhere slightly past actually caring. Her head swam, but as started to sway she felt strong arms wrap around her once more.
"And on that note," Sam's voice was close to her ear, "let's get you inside before you actually collapse."
The sudden shift from the dark porch to the bright kitchen was jarring, and Janet closed her eyes tightly against the offending brightness. She allowed Sam to lead her through the kitchen and into the living room. She felt herself being lowered onto the couch, and a firm but gentle hand pushed against her chest, encouraging her to lie down while another hand gently cradled the back of her head to cushion its descent. Once she was settled against a throw pillow both hands pulled away, but only for a brief moment. They quickly swept her feet and legs up to join the rest of her body on the couch. Eyes still tightly closed, Janet tried to will herself to relax into the cushions. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, but she could feel her breathing start to even out.
She heard movement in the kitchen and then the faucet turning on briefly. More movement and then a cold washcloth was pressed gently to her forehead. It felt heavenly. Janet shakily reached up to pull it down over her eyes. She knew if she opened them right now, she would be met with twin gazes of concern, and she also knew that those intense gazes would effectively erase her ability to continue to calm her jangled nerves.
"A little better?" It was Sam, needing reassurance that she was doing the right thing.
"Mmm," it was all Janet could manage at the moment, but she tried to make it sound as positive as possible.
"Good," came the soft reply.
"Um," this was Alex, "I'll uh, I'll go clean up the glass and lock up the garage." Footsteps started but suddenly stopped.
"Hey," Janet felt air rush past her face as Sam's arm snapped up to grab Alex's wrist. A few moments of silence and Sam spoke again, " thank you." It was barely a whisper.
"Of course," Alex's reply was just as quiet. Then she was moving again, through the kitchen and out the back door. It closed with a soft click and Sam let out a long sigh. Janet could practically see the blonde running a hand roughly through her hair. A habit she had that showed up when she was particularly stressed. The two women sat in silence for a long moment, and Janet could finally feel her heartbeat slowing back to a more normal cadence.
"Can I get you anything?"
"Mmm-mm."
"Well let me know if that changes, okay."
Sam sank to the floor and sat cross-legged facing the couch, content to watch over her friend while she recovered. After several more long minutes Janet was finally starting to feel a bit more in control of her emotions. She lifted the washcloth gently back to her forehead and turned to face Sam. She slowly opened her eyes. Sam was leaning forward, resting her head on her hands, concern written all over her face. Janet tried not to notice how very close their faces were. She locked eyes with Sam, willing herself not to let her gaze flick down to Sam's perfect lips. God she was so close, and it would be so easy to lean a little closer and capture those lips with her own. Suddenly the image of those lips closing around Alex's glistening fingers popped into Janet's mind and she drew in a sharp gasp.
"Hey," Sam gently spoke, "hey it's okay, you're safe, just focus on breathing okay."
Janet closed her eyes and nodded her head.
"Just take your time, I'm not going anywhere," a feather light touch ran from Janet's wrist to her elbow and back again. Thankfully, and to her great surprise, the caress actually started to soothe her nerves instead of overexcite them. Sam continued to whisper soothing nonsense in Janet's ear, and after a few minutes, she felt like she could risk opening her eyes again.
"There you are," Sam whispered sweetly as their eyes met, "thought I had lost you there for a second." She tried to keep her tone playful, but Janet could still hear an undercurrent of concern. It was heartbreaking and Janet suddenly wanted nothing more than to hold her friend in her arms and chase every last lingering doubt from her brilliant mind.
"Never, Sam," Janet breathed before she fully realized what she was doing, "you'll always have me." Oh god, was that too much? Janet cringed at the way her words had come out in a breathy whisper. She risked a look up at Sam through thick lashes. There was a curious look on the blonde's face. As if she was working through a complex mathematical equation, but was missing some key variables. She studied Janet long and hard, searching her eyes as if they held the missing pieces to what was puzzling her. Her gaze was so piercing that Janet felt as if her very soul was being laid bare before her friend. She felt her cheeks flush crimson and she hoped against hope that Sam couldn't see the truth of her words in her eyes. She desperately wanted to break away from Sam's penetrating stare, but found herself helpless against the other woman's questioning blue eyes.
Then something in Sam's gaze shifted, as if she had suddenly worked out a missing piece of the equation. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and her eyes dropped to Janet's lips. It was only for a fraction of a second, so fast that if Janet had blinked she would have completely missed it. But in that tiny sliver of time, Janet's heart did a backflip and started pounding in her ears. When Sam looked back up into Janet's eyes, she seemed every bit as surprised by her actions as Janet was. And judging by the blush creeping up her neck, Sam's heart rate was equally as affected as Janet's.
"Janet I," whatever Sam had been about to say was cut short by the sound of the back door opening. Sam pulled away from Janet like she had been scalded, and Janet decided she would have to decipher exactly what that meant later. Because right now Alex was washing her hands in the kitchen sink and Sam was scrambling to her feet as if someone had lit a fire under her butt. The sink turned off as Sam gently cleared her throat and shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her clothes and schooled her expression. Oh yeah, Janet just knew her brain was going to have a field day playing the last few seconds over and over again, analyzing and speculating on the meaning of every movement and expression of the tall blonde.
"Perimeter is secure," Alex smiled as she came around the corner into the living room. Janet was relieved as a genuine smile creased the corners of Sam's lips. She definitely hadn't wanted to lie there and watch Sam try to explain the tension that had been so very obvious on her face only moments ago.
"Thank you," another genuine response from Sam as she crossed the room to grab Alex's hand in her own, "you didn't have to do that, but it's very appreciated."
"Well in that case, you are very welcome," came the slightly teasing reply as Alex gently squeezed Sam's hand. She turned her attention to Janet, "you're looking much more...stable, than when I left. How are you doing? Sam's kind of a lousy medic," at this she glanced teasingly at Sam, then back at Janet before she continued, "but she's a hell of a good caretaker."
"Better, much better. I..." suddenly Janet was very embarrassed by how much trouble she had caused in the few short minutes she had been at Sam's house, "I really don't know what happened, I'm sure I'll be fine soon and then I can get out of your hair." She made a move to sit up but both of the other women were at her side so fast it made her flinch. Sam's hand was on her chest and Alex's was on her leg. Both touches were gentle but firm.
"Oh hell no," Alex exclaimed at the same time Sam said, "you're not driving anywhere tonight."
Janet managed to squeak a bit.
"Yeah that's what I thought," there was just a tinge of mirth in Sam's voice, "and I want to keep you under observation."
Janet's eyes went wide as she looked up at Sam. A lazy smile spread across Sam's face as she spoke again.
"Which means you'll be sleeping with me, doctor."