Love And Honor
by John O'Connor
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer:  Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the
property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom,
 MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko 
Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes
only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright
 infringement is intended. The original characters,
situations, and story are the property of the author.
Note:  Written just after Mideast tensions began
rising in October, 2000.  The sequel is "Love And
Duty."
Friday, 13 October 2000
SGC Medical Center, Cheyenne Mountain Complex,
Colorado
Janet Fraiser sat behind her desk, stifling a yawn.
She had stayed up with Cass watching the NLCS last
night 'til almost midnight. And the Cardinals had to
lose to top it off.
She got up and went into the main room for more
coffee. After pouring herself a cup, she turned and
saw Sam Carter standing in the corridor.
"Hey," Janet said. "What brings you here?"
"Janet, we need to talk," Sam said as she led her
friend and lover back to the privacy of the office.
Feeling a sense of dread, Janet tried to sound casual,
"This can't be good, huh?" She smiled up into Sam's
troubled blue eyes.
Sam shook her head, her short blond hair fluttering
around her. "Did you see the news last night?"
Now it was Janet's turn to shake her head, "No, after
the game I hustled Cassie to bed and then I was asleep
shortly after that. Why? What's the matter?"
"Well, you know about all the rioting in Jerusalem?"
Janet nodded, she was aware that the Palestinians and
the Israelis were at it again. "It's gotten worse. The
Palestinians captured some Israeli soldiers and they
were killed by a lynch mob outside a Palestinian
police station. The Israelis, in retaliation, lobbed
some rockets at Arafat's headquarters." Sam paused for
a moment, shaking her head slowly.
"Wait, isn't Arafat one of the big peacemakers over
there now?" Janet asked. "Why attack him? Why not
arrest the leaders of the lynching party?"
"I don't know why the Israelis decided to attack
Arafat's HQ. But that's not all that happened.
Yesterday, in Aden, a suicide bomber hit the USS Cole
while it was in port. The latest death toll I heard on
CNN was seventeen sailors have been killed. And
someone threw a bomb at the British embassy there
today. Janet, it's getting scary over there right
now."
Janet considered all this new information. How had she
missed this? She did get home later than usual after
SG-3 had 'gated back and started watching the game
with Cass, but she didn't hear anything on the radio
on the drive home or back here to work this morning.
Was she so tired that she just blanked out the news?
More importantly, why was Sam taking the time to tell
her this?
"Sam, why are you telling me this? And why do you look
so preoccupied?" Janet asked, her brown eyes burrowing
into Sam's blue ones.
"Janet, if the US becomes involved militarily over
there, I've been thinking about volunteering. I was
there before during the Gulf War and I am combat
certified." Sam stopped and looked off to the side.
"Why you? Sam, you've done your time in a war zone.
You've placed your life on the line countless times
since the Gulf. You don't need to prove anything to me
or anyone else," Janet felt despair welling up inside
of her.
"I took an oath when I graduated from the Academy,
Janet. It's the same oath you took when you became an
officer. I'm not out to prove myself, but if the
balloon goes up over there, I want to know that I'm
doing all that I can to protect you, Cassie, and the
rest of the people over here. Please understand,
Janet," Sam asked, her eyes moist.
"I guess I do. That's part of the reason I love you so
much. But that love is also why this scares me. I
don't want to chance losing you. I, uh...oh shit!" A
look of frustration passed over Janet's face before
she continued. "I've kept my mouth shut for all these
months we've been together but every time you go on an
away mission, I'm scared for you until I actually see
you back here." Janet now looked away as if ashamed of
disclosing so much to her woman. "I'm scared of losing
you."
Sam took Janet in her arms and said, "I love you too.
That's why I have to volunteer." Sam leaned down and
gently kissed Janet.
Stepping back, Sam added, "And anyway, Slick Willy
might find someway to sort all this out. Between he
and Albright, they'll exhaust all possibilities before
sending in troops."
"I hope so," Janet smiled. "I'd hate to think what gas
and heating oil prices could go to."
Sam laughed, reassured that this wonderful woman
understood. She sometimes wondered what she had done
to deserve her.
Taking Sam's hands in her own, Janet said, "Seriously,
Sam, if you do go, Cassie and I will find the biggest
goddamned yellow ribbon to tie around the tree in the
front yard. And when you return, I'll tie it around
you and I. Then we'll be together forever."
"We already are," Sam whispered with tears in her
eyes.
 (c) John O'Conner
     Comments May Be Mailed Here