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Janet Fraiser jumped in her chair as she heard her name called from somewhere behind her. She had come to the research lab around noon to try and get caught up on her work, and had become enmeshed in the lab's peace and quiet. Trying to calm her racing heart, she whirled around in her chair to stare at the intruder, banging her knee sharply on the edge of the desk in the process. She muttered the appropriate curses under her breath and rubbed surreptitiously at her knee as she glared up at her visitor. "Didn't your parents ever teach you to knock?" she grumbled. Janet watched as Samantha Carter pushed herself out of the doorway and walked over to the desk. Shoving aside a mountain of paper, Sam swung her lithe body up to sit on the desk top. The doctor continued to glare as she looked up into Sam's amazingly blue eyes. She noted that Sam was trying valiantly--and failing miserably--to contain the amusement dancing across her face. Janet felt the last of her annoyance fade as she continued to eye her friend. "I'm sorry," Sam offered. "I really thought knocking would startle you a lot more than just saying your name." Janet finally allowed her face to relax into a smile, and she leaned back in her chair, folding her hands together and settling them in her lap. Dryly she observed, "Apparently you were wrong." She watched a blush creep along Sam's cheekbones and she laughed aloud as Sam looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "It's fine, Sam; I'll live." Janet moved forward and tapped Sam on the knee to attract her attention. "So what can I do for you, Captain Carter?" Sam set her hands squarely on the desk and raised her eyebrows. Janet could clearly read the lines of worry scrolling across Sam's face. "Actually I don't need anything from you, except your company." Janet felt the breath catch in her throat as the blue eyes bored into her with their intensity. "I came down here because I was worried about you." That caught Janet off-guard. She leaned back in her chair again, using distance and sarcasm to squelch the warmth that Sam's concern raised in her. "Gee, and here I thought that as the doctor, I was supposed to be the one who worried about you." Janet watched as the comment drove any last vestige of amusement from the other woman's face. "Cassie called me from the Peterson's cabin. She was worried because you weren't home yet and you were supposed to call her. I managed to convince her that it was a medical emergency and that you'll call her tomorrow. But then I got concerned because no one knew where you were and you never signed out." Janet started to ready another retort, until her gaze landed on the clock on the wall. Almost to herself, she murmured, "That can't be right!" Sam jumped off the desk, sending post-it-notes flying, and came to stand behind the doctor. Janet felt the strong fingers begin to knead her shoulders and she gave a profound sigh of pleasure. She closed her eyes and felt Sam's breath warm against her ear as Sam whispered, "Yes, the clock is right; it's one a.m." There was silence for several moments as Janet felt the tension start to fade from her body. Her head began to droop and she jerked herself abruptly out from under Sam's touch, turning in the chair to face her friend. She saw the quick flash of hurt flit across the blonde's features, and she took one of Sam's hands in her own, by way of apology. "I really appreciate the concern, Sam, and believe me, I would love a massage. But I'd rather not fall asleep down here and so I think I'd better just grab something to eat and head home." She thought the conversation would end there, but Sam seemed to be three steps ahead of her. "So come back to my quarters. my bed is big enough for both of us and it's a lot closer than your house. Besides, that way I won't be worried about you falling asleep behind the wheel." Despite the sudden fatigue--or perhaps because of it--Janet erupted into giggles. "I thought you wanted my company! I don't think I'm very good company when I'm asleep." She paused as another giggle escaped. "Or are you just trying to seduce me?" Sam's blue eyes twinkled merrily and her tone dripped with amusement. "Do you want me to try and seduce you? I have to warn you, I'm a little out of practice." Janet giggled again. There was a brief pause and then Janet felt the concern radiating again from her friend. "Janet, I'm serious. I really want to do this for you. Your shoulders feel like bridge cables. Don't you ever take your own advice about not working too hard?" Janet couldn't resist the incorrigible, "Don't you know that doctors always make the worst patients?" Her eyes widened as Sam tugged at her hand, pulling her to her feet. "Come on." Janet stood, and promptly lost her balance. A strong arm slipped around her waist to steady her. Janet felt torn. Part of her wanted nothing more in the world to fall asleep under Sam's touch, to let someone else take care of her for a change. The other part of her felt uncomfortable stepping out of the role of caretaker. While she warred with herself, the other woman guided her out of the lab and shut the door. Janet looked up at the corridor walls and asked, "I'm not going to win, am I?" Not surprisingly, Sam didn't bother to answer. *** Forty-five minutes later, Janet sat on the end of Sam's bed. She had taken a hot shower while Sam ran to get her some food. Clothed comfortably in shorts and a tee-shirt, Janet had wolfed down the sandwich and apple while Sam took her turn changing clothes. Sam sat down at the head of the bed, arranging two pillows behind her own back. Janet licked her lips nervously and looked away. She craved the relaxing feel of Sam's fingers, but was suddenly scared of letting her guard down. She took a moment to wonder why, then pushed the thought away for future examination. Sam seemed to sense her ambivalence as she stretched forward to touch Janet's shoulder. Janet met her gaze, and once again her breath caught at the intensity shining in the blue eyes. "It's okay, Janet; it's just me." Sam leaned back again and Janet slid back across the bed covers, until she was sitting between Sam's knees. She felt a pillow placed behind her and slid back further, braced by Sam's muscled thighs. Janet closed her eyes as Sam's well-sculpted fingers pressed into the tight muscles of her shoulders. She concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths, trying to blow the tension out of her body. Sam's thumbs made hard circles against her shoulders, working out the knots. As Janet began to relax, she felt Sam's hand move up to work on her neck, and then reach up to the base of her skull. She sighed deeply and allowed her head to fall forward, imagining that a smile creased Sam's face at her reaction. Janet drifted on the edge of sleep, her body relaxed--her self- imposed control loosening in the comfortable presence of her friend. Enjoying the moment, Janet remained limp, playing possum, and Sam tugged at her shoulders, pulling Janet back until Janet found herself lying against her friend. She felt the blonde shifting beneath her into a more comfortable position, and then Sam's arms wrapped around Janet like a security blanket. Janet fought to stay awake, to hold on to the intimacy she rarely allowed herself. She listened as Sam's breathing changed to the slow, even breaths of sleep. Janet turned sideways and snuggled against her sleeping friend, dreamily noticing how Sam's arms tightened around her. At last, lulled by the warmth of the body beneath her, Janet fell into a peaceful sleep. the end |
