Meant to Be (6/?) Sam/Janet femslash
"Get out of the damned way!" Sam yelled at a slow-moving car in front of her. Expertly she maneuvered round it and sped along the highway.
"We're nearly there, Carter," O'Neill said in a calm voice. "It'll be okay."
"I hope you're right," Sam was thin-lipped with tension.
= = =
"So Dr Richmond," David deliberately stressed Janet's by-now unfamiliar former surname. "Home in the middle of the day, huh?" He stood up and advanced menacingly on Janet who was frozen to the spot in shock. "Got an assignation with your lover?" He pushed her roughly onto the bed.
Janet tried not to cry out in pain as her shoulder jarred painfully. She would not give him the satisfaction.
David leaned forward, holding the knife to Janet's throat. With his other hand, and paying no heed to the sling that Janet wore, he grabbed at her shirt and in one action, tore it roughly right down to her waistband. He pressed the knife more firmly against her neck. "No bra I see," he leered. "You always were a slut," his words slurred slightly and Janet realized he was drunk.
"I'm injured," Janet kept her voice quiet and level, while she racked her brains frantically for a way to get out of this situation. "I can't get my bra on."
He snorted with disgust.
"You likely didn't notice the injury," Janet knew her words were risky, "after all, you're very used to seeing me covered in bruises."
At that, David reared back in fury, and slapped Janet so hard in the face that she could feel the blood running down her cheek. Janet took advantage of his fury, and leapt up from the bed, kneeing him hard in the groin. He bellowed in pain, but still managed to grab Janet by the throat and force her backward, so that she was sitting on the bed again, gasping for breath. "You're gonna regret that," he panted. "I'm gonna show you what you've been missing. I hear you've got a new girlfriend now. I'll bet she can't give you what I can," he grabbed his crotch crudely. He leaned forward and pulled Janet's ripped shirt to the side, exposing her breasts. "I knew I'd be seeing these again," he grinned lasciviously, licking his lips. He put one hand out to grasp a breast but before he reached his target, he felt a cold steel muzzle at his neck.
"Move one more inch, and I swear I'll take you out of the game," Sam's voice was cold, as she pressed her gun into his neck. "Drop it," she said, referring to his knife. "DROP IT!" she screamed.
David dropped the knife immediately. "You don't understand," he said, "she's my wife. We're just having a bit of fun, aren't we sweetheart?" he wheedled at Janet.
Sam seized his arm, ramming it hard up his back, making him cry out in pain. She turned him and shoved him hard against the wall. "Like it rough, do you?" she yelled. She grabbed his hair, and slammed his head against the plaster wall. "Do you?" she shouted. "Want me to show you what rough really is?" she punched him hard in the back, bruising his kidneys, causing him to crumple in agony.
"Carter," O'Neill said in a low voice. "Teal'c, take over," and Teal'c reached over and firmly restrained David in his strong arms.
"It's okay, Carter," O'Neill said, pulling her back gently. "We got him. He's not gonna do anything now."
David turned and looked at Janet, who remained seated on the edge of the bed, her face white as a sheet, naked to the waist, staring sightlessly at the wall. "Pathetic slut!" he spat as Teal'c pulled him to his feet.
At that, Sam whirled round. In a split second, she had broken his jaw with her left elbow, and felt the satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage as she slammed her right fist into his face, splitting her knuckle to the bone in the process.
O'Neill said nothing, just gently put his arms round her and restrained her as she tried to land another punch with her left hand.
David was almost unconscious with the pain, as Teal'c dragged him from the bedroom, showing little interest as David's head slammed against the doorway as they went.
"It's okay, Carter," O'Neill said again in a soft voice. "It's okay."
Sam slumped briefly, as the colonel held her up from behind. She straightened, and looked over at her lover on the bed. "Janet," she called, but there was no reply. "Sir?" she looked up at O'Neill, who nodded and released her.
Sam approached Janet carefully, not even feeling the pain in her own hand. She saw the livid bruising on her lover's cheek. "It's okay, Janet," she said softly, kneeling on the floor in front of her. She put a hand on her knee. "It's over. He's hurt you for the last time," she whispered, reaching up and cupping Janet's face in soft hands. "I'm here now, baby, you're safe now." She could feel Janet's skin cold and clammy to the touch. Janet had also started to shake.
Acting purely on instinct, Sam got to her feet, and stood between Janet's knees. She removed her own overshirt, and draped it gently round Janet's shoulders, protecting her modesty. She then pulled Janet into her arms, and was relieved when she felt her relax into her embrace, and wrap her uninjured arm round Sam's waist. "Get him out of here," Janet whispered, her voice barely audible.
"He's gone, baby," Sam whispered. "Teal'c's got him in the kitchen. The police are on their way. He'll be gone from the apartment real soon, Jan. He won't be back in here, I swear to you. The colonel's standing by the bedroom door, he'll keep us all safe."
"He's not going to get in here again," O'Neill confirmed. "If he tries, Teal'c will rip his head off. You're safe now doc. Let Carter look after you," he turned away, not wanting to intrude on the intimate scene in front of him.
Sam held Janet to her chest, and rubbed her back softly, dropping gentle kisses on the top of her head. Janet, finally realizing she was safe, started to weep with relief. "It's okay, honey," Sam whispered. "It's okay. I swear to you. It's over. He won't be back. It's just you and me now, baby. Everything's gonna be good from now on."
"I'm gonna wait outside," O'Neill said in a quiet voice, and exited the bedroom, standing by the door as promised.
Janet finally calmed, so Sam moved to sit next to her on the bed. She took Janet's hand, and looked deep into her eyes. "I love you Janet," she said, and kissed her softly on the lips. "So much. I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
Janet took a deep breath. "M'okay," she said, startled to find her own voice so weak. "Really, Sam, I'm okay. Thanks to you. I just want him gone," she gulped.
"He'll be gone real soon," Sam reassured her, and smiled slightly as she heard the sirens of the police cars. "Sounds to me like his escorts are just arriving."
"He was going to... he was going," Janet's face crumpled again.
Sam pulled her to her. "I know baby, he's an evil man. He didn't touch you, did he?"
Janet shook her head. "Not in that way," she said. "But he was going to. If you hadn't got here when you did..."
"Shh," Sam kissed her again. "Try not to think about that."
"I'm gonna have to talk to the police, huh?" Janet tried to pull herself together.
Sam cupped her cheek. "Only when you're ready," she said. "I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for."
"I should tell them what happened," Janet said.
At that moment, they heard a soft tap on the door. O'Neill stuck his head round. "The cops want to speak with you doc, are you up to it?" he asked. "I've told them you're not up to a long interview yet, but they say it's just a few questions. You can do the rest tomorrow. How about it?"
"Has he gone?" Janet asked.
"Yes," O'Neill said. "He's in the back of a squad car on his way to the precinct. You don't have anything to worry about."
"Okay," Janet's voice shook. "Just give me a few minutes."
"I'll stay with you," Sam said.
Janet shook her head. "No," she replied. "They'll want to see me alone. Anyway, I can do this. Help me get this on properly, huh?" she pulled at the shirt Sam had draped round her shoulders.
Very gently, Sam removed what was left of Janet's tattered shirt, and helped her into her own overshirt properly, taking particular care not to jar her shoulder as she guided her bad arm into the sleeve. She did up the buttons and smiled. "You look great," she said to Janet. "Here," she grabbed a fleece blanket from the closet, and draped it round Janet's shoulders. "I don't want you getting cold."
Janet smiled up at her. "You're so good to me," she whispered.
"You ready for this?" Sam asked her.
"Yeah," Janet said.
"I'll just be in the kitchen. Call me if you need me," Sam said.
"Thanks," Janet whispered.
"Be gentle with her," Sam instructed the female police detective.
The detective smiled kindly. "It's okay," she told her. "I've dealt with a lot of cases of assault. We'll make this as easy as we can on her."
= = =
O'Neill pointed to a chair. "Sit," he said to Sam, pushing her gently into the seat.
"Thank you Sir," Sam said. "For everything." She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "I'll resign if you need me to Sir," she said. "I know the rules."
"Resign?" O'Neill was perplexed. "For hitting that weasel? I think you'll find that was in self-defense. Teal'c and I are both witnesses. Isn't that right, T?" he asked.
"Indeed," Teal'c intoned. "Captain Carter had no choice," Sam could have sworn she saw a small smile cross his face.
"No, Sir," Sam said. "Not that. I know that was wrong. But I'd do it again," she said fiercely. "Not that. Me and Janet."
"What about it?" O'Neill asked.
Sam shook her head impatiently. "Our relationship," she said. "We didn't want anybody to find out. Don't ask, don't tell, all that. I'm not leaving her," she said, with sudden vehemence. "I'd rather leave the SGC. The military. I don't care where I work, as long as I'm with her."
"Carter!" O'Neill's voice was sharp. "Just what in the hell are you talking about?"
Sam looked at him. Could he really be that dumb? "I'm with Janet," she said clearly. "We're together. I'm in love with Janet."
"Well I know that Carter," O'Neill said. "I just don't get why you think I'd want you to resign."
Sam stared at him. "I don't want to make things difficult for you, Sir," she said. "I know what the regulations are."
"Did anybody ask?" O'Neill asked.
"No," Sam shook her head.
"Did you tell anybody in authority?" he pursued.
"No," Sam said again.
"Well that should keep the pen-pushing dweebs happy then," he finally smiled. "Carter, listen to me."
Sam looked up at him.
"How long have you been at the SGC?" he asked.
"Ten months," Sam replied.
"And how long have you been with the doc?" he asked.
"Six months. As of next week, Sir," Sam replied, unable to hide a smile at the thought.
"In the past six months, Carter, you have, almost single-handedly, liberated all the women on one planet. You have received two commendations. You have discovered a way to dial the 'gate manually, without a DHD. Hell, you saved us all by using lightning to power the 'gate to get us all back to the SGC when it looked like we were all doomed. You have consistently put the safety and wellbeing of your team ahead of your own needs. Your record is exemplary. And if," he smiled, "if being with the doc has affected the way you do your work, then I say bring it on!"
"You don't mind, Sir?" Sam's voice was querulous.
"Of course I don't mind!" he almost exploded. "All I want is my team to be happy. A happy team is a good team."
"What about General Hammond?" Sam asked. "I don't want to get you into trouble, Sir."
"I'll talk to him later," O'Neill said. "He'll have to be briefed about all this," he waved his hands around expressively. "But I'll be very surprised if he doesn't say what I just did. It's okay, Carter," he said, as Sam put her head in her hands, the emotion of the moment overwhelming her. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The worst is over now," he said quietly. "Now," he said, in a more bracing tone, "lemme see your hand."
Sam looked at him, confused. O'Neill reached out and tenderly took her right hand. For the first time, Sam saw the livid bruising and blood covering her knuckles. "I didn't realize," she said, almost in a whisper.
"Pass me that towel, Teal'c," O'Neill instructed the large alien, who did as he was asked. Very gently, O'Neill cleaned the worst of the blood off Sam's hand. He then took a clean handkerchief from his own pocket, and tore it into strips. Carefully, he bound up Sam's hand, which had suddenly started to throb. "You should get that checked out," he said, "when we get to the mountain. You and the doc need to be looked at," he said. "Make sure you're both okay."
Sam nodded. "Thank you, Sir," she said again.
= = =
Several hours later, Sam led Janet to the large bed in her apartment. Very carefully, she helped her undress. She then helped her to put on one of her own brush cotton shirts, grinning ruefully as she did up the buttons. "It's kinda big on you baby, but you look real cute," Sam said. "Here," she held out a sleeping pill that Warner had given her to give to Janet. "Take this."
"Okay," Janet was suddenly drained. She took the tablet, swallowing it down with water from the glass that Sam proffered. "Come with me?" she begged.
"You try and stop me," Sam said, shucking off her own clothes and dragging on shorts and a t-shirt. She lay down next to Janet, and took her hand. "Are you okay Jan?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," Janet said. "I am. Truly Sam, I'm fine. What about you sweetie?" she asked, turning over Sam's bandaged hand in her own. "You were lucky you didn't break a bone," she said.
"I did," Sam said. "I broke a nose. It just wasn't my own."
Janet smiled. "And you broke his jaw in three places," she said. "My hero." Her expression darkened.
"What is it Jan?" Sam asked. "What are you thinking?"
"About my apartment. I never want to go back there," Janet admitted. "I don't think I can ever sleep there again."
Sam caressed Janet's soft cheek. "I know, baby," she said. "Of course you don't want to go back there. You don't have to. Stay here. Move in with me," she smiled at the thought of Janet being with her all the time.
"Really?" Janet asked.
"Really and truly," Sam said. "I can't think of anything better. Actually," a slow grin grew across her face, "I can. Let's sell both apartments, get a house together. With a yard. And then," she smiled widely, "we can get a dog! You do like dogs, right?"
"I love dogs," Janet said. "Big dogs. The bigger the better. Let's get a lurcher. They're so good-natured."
"We'll find a realtor on Saturday," Sam kissed Janet.
"Hold me?" Janet asked.
Sam gathered Janet carefully in her arms, and wrapped the quilt round them both. "It's all over now, honey," she whispered.
Janet burrowed into Sam's front, at last feeling safe. She knew that she would sleep well, secure in Sam's strong arms. "Love you," she said sleepily, as the sleeping tablet began to take hold.