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Open Arms
Chapter 7
Daniel was standing at the end of the ramp. His pack was on the floor at his feet, and he was staring at the ‘gate as if by will alone he could determine where they should be going.
"Well, this is a first," Sam said, walking into the 'gate room with Teal'c. "Usually we’re waiting for you," she teased.
He tried to smile, failed miserably. "I can’t lose her, Sam. I have to find her."
Sam put her arms around the man and hugged him. "We will, Daniel. We’ll find her, we’ll bring her home."
SG-6 entered the room, geared up and ready to go. "SG-6 reporting for duty, ma’am" Major Parker said, saluting the colonel. He and his men had volunteered for this mission. Every other team on the base had as well. But Casey had worked most often with 6, and he had been able to persuade General O’Neill to let his team be the one to help bring her home. For the men of 6, this was personal. Casey was considered as much a part of SG-6 as she was of SG-1.
Sam nodded, then glanced over her shoulder at the faces that peered at them from the control room. "Dial it up," she called out.
"SG-1, SG-6, you have a go. Bring her home people. Godspeed," Jack said from the control room. He watched as the two teams disappeared through the event horizon. "Bring her home before we lose Daniel, too," he whispered.
Jacob was waiting for them. "I have news. We’ve scanned the debris from Framone’s ship. There is absolutely no DNA there. He and his people managed to escape. Now the question is whether he has Casey and Methos, or whether Osiris does."
Daniel moaned. This just kept getting worse. Please, Oma, he begged silently, you’ve helped us so far, help us now. Suddenly a 'gate address flashed in his head. Without taking time to question, or explain, he ran to the DHD and began dialing.
"Daniel, what are you doing?" Sam demanded. She glanced at Teal'c, who raised an eyebrow. Was Daniel cracking up on them? "Daniel, what are you doing?" she asked again, softly this time, touching his arm
"Oma," he whispered. As soon as the event horizon was open, he was through it.
With a sigh, Sam motioned that the others should follow. "Dad, you go ahead after Osiris. I’ll let you know what we find…wherever it is we’re going."
Jacob nodded, watched until his daughter had disappeared and the 'gate closed, then ringed up alone to the waiting ship. He alerted SGC to the…unexpected…change in plans.
A A A A A A
She was sitting near the river, watching as the water tumbled over the rocks. After two days, her memory wasn’t much better. She had determined that her name was Casey, and that where she was, wasn’t where she was supposed to be. She also felt fear, somehow knew that her life was in danger.
Ehestu Yano settled his tall frame beside her. His heart pounded against his ribs when she smiled at him. He took a long blade of grass, trailed it across her cheek. She pushed it away, smiled again. He would have this woman, he told himself again.
The quiet of the afternoon was broken by the sound of alarmed cries. Both Ehestu and Casey were on their feet, running towards the camp. In the distance, they could see strangers approaching. Strangers who looked like no others that The People had ever seen before. Itu Godado gave the order, and The People began to run. There were caves nearby which were easily defended, where they could hide.
Casey was running with them, when she heard her name called out.
Daniel felt his heart stop in his chest when he saw her emerge from the wooded area near the river. He began to run towards the encampment of teepees. He heard the alarm raised, heard the screams, and watched as the people of the village began to flee. His heart broke when he saw her look at them, confusion and fear on her face, and then she began to run with the others. "Casey!"
She stopped, turned to look at the man who knew her name. She began to tremble. Was this man a danger to her? Was he the one who wanted to hurt her?
"Casey, babe, it’s me," Daniel said, moving slowly towards her, knowing from the look in her eyes that she didn’t recognize him. Something had happened to her. "It’s me, My Star," he said softly. He was nearly within arms reach of her now.
‘My Star’. The words echoed in her mind. She knew those words…knew that voice. Knew those blue eyes.
Before she could respond, Ehestu Yano grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder and took off running again.
"Stop!" Daniel shouted. He gave chase to the man who had his Wife. Sam, Teal'c and the others were right behind him.
They watched with dismay as the villagers disappeared into a number of caves on a small hillside.
"It’s going to be damn hard to get to them," Major Parker said. "They’ll see us coming. Those may be primitive bows, but those arrows can still kill."
"Then we wait until dark. We have our night vision goggles. That will get us up there. Hopefully getting there easily in the dark will persuade them to listen to us," Sam said. She looked at Daniel. "Could you understand anything they were saying?"
"It sounded a little bit like Native American. I don’t know how long it will take me to get a handle on it," he admitted.
"Well, you’ve communicated without words before, you can do it again," Sam smiled at him. "Okay. Let’s settle in. Don’t let them leave. Major, take a few of your men and go around to the other side of this hill, we don’t want them to get away from us."
With a nod, the major, Wilson and Morris made their way through the tall grass.
Sam settled down beside Daniel. "Looks like Oma gave you the right address."
"Wonder what planet we’ll find her naked and confused on," he asked softly. This was so unlike the Being that he had known. She had prevented him helping his friends; he had been forced to watch them suffer, until at last he could stand by no longer. He decided it was time to step in…he had been attempting to kill Anubis…when she had pulled him back. His actions, and hers, had cost the lives of the people of Abydos. Except that Oma had taken them, they were all Ascended now. He shook his head. He didn’t know why she was helping him now, but he was grateful that she was.
"Daniel, try calling out to her again," Sam suggested. "She seemed to respond to you. It’s obvious that something is wrong, but…"
He nodded, then stood up. "Casey? Babe, I know you can hear me. It’s me, babe, it’s Daniel. Come to me, My Star. Come to me, Angel!"
Sam looked up at him. "Angel?" She grinned. This was a pet name she hadn’t heard before.
Daniel's cheeks turned red. "Don’t ask. Just suffice it to say that she is."
Inside the cave, Casey pressed her fists to her temples. She knew that voice! She knew it from somewhere. But did it mean danger to her? "...My Star...Angel..." The words echoed in her head, they seemed to repeat over and over. She knew those names. She gasped. He called her ‘My Star’. "Daniel," she whispered, the name floating in her mind, the blue eyes and smile that accompanied it familiar, safe. "Daniel!" she cried out, rising to her feet.
Ehestu Yano grabbed her. "Tlo, Ca’see. Tlo. Gonuyagu!" He tried to pull her into his arms. ["No, Casey. No. You are mine!"]
"Let me go!" she said, struggling.
Itu Godado looked at her, realized that whatever she had forgotten was now coming back to her. He signaled that Ehestu should release her.
"No! She is mine! She will be my mate!" Ehestu hissed angrily, trying to pull her closer even as she continued to fight him.
The old man shook his head. "No, Strong Bear, she was never yours. These pale strangers come for her. She must return with them."
Casey jerked free. Her heart was pounding, her head filled with pain.
"Casey, I love you," Daniel’s voice echoed in the cave.
"Daniel," she whispered again. She made her way past the warriors who stood guard at the cave opening.
When he saw her emerge from the cave, Daniel was on his feet and climbing to meet her. As soon as she was close enough, he pulled her into his embrace, crushed her against him.
Her arms were around him, holding him tightly. She knew somehow that this man meant safety. "I’m Casey," she whispered. "You’re Daniel."
"That’s right babe, I’m Daniel."
"Not hurt me?" she asked, looking up into his blue eyes.
The trust in her eyes made him smile. "Never. I love you. You’re my Wife. My Star. My Angel."
With a nod, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her back to where Sam and the others waited.
"Hi, Casey," Sam said softly.
Casey studied the tall blonde woman for a second, then looked up at Daniel.
"Sam. She’s your best friend," Daniel said softly. He glanced at Sam. "Now I know what she went through when I lost my memory."
"With luck, hers will return just as quickly," Sam replied. She grabbed the radio on her shoulder. "Major, we have her. Let’s move out."
As the group began to move away from the caves, Casey suddenly stopped, pulling her hand from his. She looked at him, then pointed up to the people who now stood gathered on the hillside, watching them. "Help them."
Daniel looked at Casey, then at Sam. "Let’s at least talk to them."
Sam stood for a minute, her glance moving to Teal'c and Major Parker. Neither man seemed to have any objections. "Okay, we’ll set up camp near the river."
Casey tugged at Daniel’s hand. "Come," she said.
He glanced again at Sam, then turned to follow his wife. She led him back up to where the villagers still hid, having returned to the cave when it was apparent that the pale man was coming back.
"Itu Godado," she said, when they were close enough. "Daniel." She patted his chest with her hand. "Daniel. Tlo gonuyagu." ["Daniel. No danger."]
The old man looked at Daniel, took in the possessive way he held the young woman’s hand. He nodded. "Tlo gonuyagu."
Daniel listened carefully. This was a Native American language, he knew. But it had hints of something else in it. Nearly identical to the group they had met on P2R 144. "You are Itu Godado, Old Father," he said slowly.
Eti looked surprised, then nodded his head. "You are called Daniel."
He nodded. "Yes. Osihu." He put his arm around Casey’s shoulders, pulled her close to his side. Her arm wrapped around his waist, her head rested against his shoulder.
The old man noticed again the rings on Casey’s finger, the rings that she refused to let anyone touch. Around this man’s finger was a similar ring. He reached out and touched it, then pointed to Casey’s hand.
"Wedding rings," Daniel explained. "Casey is my wife. Uh…odolu-u."
A nod.
The radio on Daniel’s shoulder crackled. "Daniel, we have company. Jaffa. Small group, but they’re heading right for us," Sam’s voice said.
The people in the cave cowered when the voice came from the little black box on the strange man’s shoulder. Daniel looked at Itu and frowned. "Itu Godado, there is …gonuyagu. You and your people must stay here. Hoyonu." He took Casey by the shoulders, looked into her frightened eyes. "I want you to stay here, okay?
Panic flickered over her face. "Leave me?"
He moaned, and hugged her tightly. "Never babe. Never leave you. I just want you to stay here where it’s safe. I’ll be right back, I promise. Okay?"
"Okay."
He kissed her forehead. Suddenly gunfire rang out below. He grabbed his P90 and ran to the cave opening. He had a clean shot on two Jaffa, and took both. The sound of the weapon echoed in the small cave. The people dropped to the dirt in terror, their hands covering their ears. The children were all crying by now.
Casey stood where Daniel had left her, the ringing in her ears making the pain in her head worse. Sounds, images, smells, all began to flash through her bruised mind. With a soft cry, she collapsed.
Daniel was by her side in two strides. He picked her up, cradled her against his chest. "Casey?"
She opened her eyes, winced in pain. "Hurts," she whispered.
"I know babe, I know." He dug through his pack, located the first aid kit. He found the morphine, and quickly injected her. If the pain was anything like he'd experienced when his memory returned, then this was the only thing he had available that would help.
Her eyes fluttered, then closed. Her breathing became slow and steady. She was asleep.
He kissed her forehead, then reached for the radio. "Sam, what’s the situation?"
The radio crackled to life. "Looks like we got them all. Teal'c says it’s just a small scouting party. With luck, we won’t see more of them for a day or two."
"I suggest we get these people out of here. We can take them somewhere else."
"Concur. Let’s move everybody to the 'gate. We should be able to get an address to a safe planet in a matter of hours, then just take them through. No need to take them to SGC first," Sam said.
"I agree. I’m bringing them out now," Daniel said. He pulled his pack over his back, and lifted his unconscious wife into his arms. She felt so light. She’s lost weight, he thought. Not that she had any extra weight to spare. He looked over at Itu Godado and nodded. The old man nodded solemnly in return. Shifting Casey in his arms, making sure her head was against his shoulder, he led the villagers out of the cave.
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