Infirmary

[Tracy Jane]

The cold water made Kate jump and fall back to the floor, landing ungracefully on her backside. She scrunched up her nose from the pain the blow dealt to her lower back before raising her head to see Jim.

Sh*t

[gatelover12]

'Kate's not dumb, why would she do something like this? I'm starting to understand Hermione's car crash entertainment.' "Jim, don't do anything rash now, she has a concussion." 'Well at least she can't talk down to me about Rowena now.' Richard contemplated going to help Kate up but the look on Jim's face scared the **** out of him.

[Ascended Times.2]

Jim had been standing near the General for a short while, but had dismissed himself and just begun to walk over to Kate.

However, she had moved out the curtained-over place with a look on her face that disturbed him greatly.
One she had once used on him.

Jim stood there in the middle of the room for a moment; he was tracing her eyes to what she was looking towards.
Steele had walked past with a look of anger on it and almost bumped into Jim.

He didn't notice, he was simply standing there, in the middle of the floor rooted to the spot, his entire figure like a statue, that of which only the eyes could move.

He stared, he had traced her eyes towards Larry.
He knew that look, he knew what she was thinking.
Jims' fingers twitched, just slightly.

However, she had reached him and they were exchanging words, but almost in an instant she almost feel on top of him...Kissing.
Jims entire face turned blood red in an instantly, his slight twitch turned into an eruption of movement, he took a single step and stopped.

He began to count.
'Five...Six...Seven...' Jim continued for almost twenty five seconds and Doctor Steele was yelling at them in the meanwhile.
She then had thrown water on them, cold he presumed.

However, Jim hadn't noticed this, he was walking very heavily paced towards them in a blind rage.
The anger seethed throughout his veins, his face was stark red and his entire figure looked like he was going to hit something.

'Now I see why the General ****ing hit his hand on the damned doorway!' Jim screamed in his mind, however he wasn't moving, he was once again rooted on the spot, his was glaring at Kate and then at Larry like he was never glared before.

His eyes felt like they were going to pop this angered him so much.
Richard told him not to do anything rash.

Jims scowl instantly turned into a look that could have scared anyone half to death, it was a cross between a laugh, a smile, and pure rage.
"Rash?" Jim said sternly.

Jims' face creased heavily and he said "RASH!?"
Jim forced himself not to twitch, not to hit Larry.
Oh, how he would love to do that...

He stared at Richard and was now addressing everyone who cared.

"A concussion!? That excuse," He accented excuse to make himself understood.
"...Will not hold. She kept saying it was nothing, she had perfectly good conversations with everyone in here...She...."

He turned his full attention to Kate.
"You...You..." Jim was so tempted to say something he would regret, so tempted, yet something stopped him.
Jim closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled heavily.

He exhaled and opened his eyes.
'No, it's not a horrible nightmare. Damn.'
He looked towards them.

"How long has this been going on? How long have you been cheating on me with a teammate? Was it sinse you met him?!" His last few words were accented with rage again, he couldn't help himself.

He was down right pissed off!

[Tracy Jane]

Kate sat on the floor, looking up at Jim. She hadn't thought about him for a second, she had been so concerned about Larry and then...

She drew her knees up and rested her elbows on them, leaning her head in her hands as she stared at the ground helplessly.

No tears came from her eyes. Instead she sat there pale and shocked, horrified by what she'd done, so incredibly out of character for her. This attraction to Larry, she had no idea when it started, why it started, it was her head... it had to be the concussion. But she couldn't face losing him.

Losing Larry? If she didn't lose Larry, then she'd lose Jim. It was one or the other. She didn't even need to think which one she'd choose. This burning desire for Larry was just.... it was the concussion, she was sure of it, and if not....well, the things she'd already been through with Jim.

But she couldn't cry. She couldn't find it within her to cry. Somehow tears didn't do the situation justice. She was a wreck, an absolute wreck. No wonder she was known as the base floozy.

Desperately she looked up to Jim, terrified of what she might find on his face.

[Ascended Times.2]

Jim looked at Larry, his face seething with anger.
The look of anger playing across his face like a well tuned piano.

He glared at him, he didn't say anything however, his anger was beginning to mix with other emotions, and his mind was beginning to tell him some sense.
Trying to work it out.

He paused for a moment, he had closed his eyes again, he was still standing in that same place, he had raised hi hands to his face, covering it wholly and was now rubbing his temple, trying to make his anger at minimal die down so he could think strait.

He opened them again after several moments, they were now focused on Kate, and she seemed to be looking up at him.
He had managed to get rid of parts of his anger, the strongest parts were still there.

Jim looked at her solemnly and said "How could you...How could you cheat on me for so long? Does what we've been through mean nothing to you? I thought...I thought were we somethin' Kate. I really did."

He tried to play a look of anger across on his face again, but he ended up looking hurt, betrayed.
His entire posture had changed, he no longer looked like he was going to explode, but he felt like he was going to collapse.

The sudden burst of anger had taken a bit out of Jim, and it seemed to have transferred into the look that was on his face now.
Of betrayal.

[Tracy Jane]

Kate looked up at him, her face still drawn, blank, pale. She couldn't find words to say, so just watched in silence. She could see his hurt but was worried that anything she did or said now would make it worse.

She dropped her arms, stretching one of them towards Jim, her green eyes wide and confused, still devoid of tears. She watched him as she offered her hand, unable to utter anything.

She felt so rotten inside, consumed by guilt. She had never meant to hurt him, never meant for it to happen like this. She knew how jealous he was of Larry, since that first moment outside. She hadn't been carrying on with him, but how could she prove that? How could she ever make him trust her again?

[Ascended Times.2]

Jims look turned to that of a blank one.
From his perspective, it looked like she had broken down on the spot, like she didn't know what to do with herself.

Jim was tempted to shake his head, but refused too, he realised she hadn't actually said anything yet, so he decided he was going to try a different approach.

He knelt down on his knees, they both cracked silently, Jim cringed at that as he hadn't felt his knees crack in a while now, and looked her in the eyes.
He was silent for a moment, his brown eyes reflecting off her green.

He continued to stare for a almost a minute and finally said
"Kate, what do you want? I love you too much to stop you from being with Larry. All I want is for you to be happy...Even if that's with another man."

His expression turned to one of a heartfelt meaning; his arms were rested on his calves that had a large amount of pressure on them now, supporting his weight.

[Tracy Jane]

Kate looked at him in confusion. Of course she wanted to be with him, but she didn't want to hurt Larry. How could she explain to him that she kissed him out of.... worry? relief? confusion?

She bit her lip and closed her eyes in silent prayer before looking at him, tears in her eyes for the first time. Quickly, she stood up and lunged for the door, stumbling on the way out, forcing her to limp the rest of the way.

>>>to quarters

[Ascended Times.2]

Jim span around as Kate ran out of the room.
He stared blankly at the doorway; for once in his life he wasn't sure whether or not to pursue her.

He turned around to Richard for a moment, not being able to bear looking at Larry.
Not getting the reaction he had hoped for, he turned around to face the doorway again.

'Do I go or not?'

He stood there, frozen on the spot. Attempting to decide on what to do.
He looked at the ground for a moment, and finally gave in, he decided he would pursue her and headed out of the infirmary for her quarters.

[Gen Blue]

Callista stood by the door, open mouthed at the actions of SG-7. She shot a quick glance down the hall.
"Thank God he's not in here," she muttered, visualizing the scene as the General's blood pressure skyrocketed, "he'd have a stroke."

[DragonGate]

Steele had stood to the side with her empty coffee mug, stricken silent by the fury in Colonel Anderson's face. Then Major Howard and Colonel Anderson both walked out. Finally she looked at Sgt. Mykonos. "Try to look on the bright side, Sergeant. When all this is over, maybe we'll find out it was some alien influence and none of them are actually at fault." Steele sighed, that was really likely to happen, not.

She looked back to Captain Hutchinson. "Other than being caught up in the base soap opera, how are you? Your stomach still bothering you?"

[TheXym]

Steele had stood to the side with her empty coffee mug, stricken silent by the fury in Colonel Anderson's face. Then Major Howard and Colonel Anderson both walked out. Finally she looked at Sgt. Mykonos. "Try to look on the bright side, Sergeant. When all this is over, maybe we'll find out it was some alien influence and none of them are actually at fault." Steele sighed, that was really likely to happen, not.

She looked back to Captain Hutchinson. "Other than being caught up in the base soap opera, how are you? Your stomach still bothering you?"

Larry just slumped in his bed, almost oblivious to the large puddle of water that was the aftermath of the dousing. The splashing had the added effect of giving some actual clarity, not the whirlwind haze he'd been in - he'd woken from the worst nightmare of his life, one that honestly scared him to death, next thing he knew he was semi-consicous passionately kissing Kate. How the hell.... aw crap.... I.... what the.... was I doing? I guess I love her, but I do NOT want to hurt Jim that way... or her.

Looking up to Dr. Steele, he shrugged, horribly embarrassed, but figuring his only chance for salvation was the truth. ((to save a lot of me typing/cutting and pasting/space and the reader's time, assume he's told the doc everything that was in the dream sequences in earlier posts, and Rich and Calli can overhear it)) "What the heck just happened, doc? I just had a vivid nightmare... lots of flashbacks..... back to the time in the seals, when it all hit the fan, up through coming to the base.... then, it went back to the bomb killing the kids again, but this time it was Kate that went in... and.. oh god..." his voice almost broke "it was horrible... I actually thought I'd killed her.... I must have screamed out loud what I was dreaming, because next thing I knew I thought she was with me... I heard her voice, felt her touch... her kiss.... I thought it was a dream, but when I realized she was actually there I was so happy I hadn't killed her I... I... guess I lost control. God... you all must think I'm nuts. I'm so sorry Doc. Jim's gonna want to kill me... hell, he probably has the right." Shaking his head, feeling horrible shame for hurting Jim like that... not that he'd wanted to or intended it. He noticed Calli in the door, felt the angry stare, even colder than the ice water he was still laying in. "Cal... I'm... sorry." Resorting to his usual defense mechanism of humor, however feeble the attempt. "I guess this means I'm cut off from the good coffee."

Turning back to the Doc. "Doc, I've had nightmares before, on and off for the last 8 years ever since those kids got killed, and I'll probably always be scarred from it, but I've NEVER had one that vivid... and NEVER before had anyone else transposed into it like that. What's going on? My stomach feels a little better, but my mind hurts far worse."

[Colonel Sharp]

The Gate Technition walked down the hallway, turned the corner and saw General Blue 'Hobbleing' along ().

"Um, sir, your presense is requested in the gateroom. Its Colonel Sharp, and, um, he has the Pizza you ordered.."

[DragonGate]

Steele sat down on another bed next to his. "What happened is pretty much that. After I broke you and Major Howard out of your passionate haze, Kate realized Colonel Anderson had seen everything and took off. Colonel Anderson followed her."

"I'm not a psychiatrist, but I'm guessing your feelings for Major Howard caused you to transplant her into the nightmare. And she's such an emotional person, she had to try to comfort you when you cried out. And you know what happened from there. I'd say you should talk to the base psychiatrist, Dr. Lancaster, but she has her own issues right now," glancing quickly at Lt. Dobson, "Dr. Aaronson would be good for you to talk to, he handles people who need some professional talk, but don't want to or can't see the psychiatrist."

[TheXym]

Larry nodded. "It makes sense, I guess, though I'm no shrink, I'm a demolition man, not a medicine man. He smiled wanly. Doc, despite my apparent recklessness and impulsiveness, I do care about those around me... I mean, there are so few of us left, we've got to stick together. Is Kate.. going to be all right? And Jim? I feel terrible, I never wanted to do that to him. Talking to Dr. Aaronson seems like it would help... though I'd better wait until I'm feeling better." He shifted again, the cold from the water that still saturated his bed was starting to become uncomfortable. "I probably deserve to lay in this.... but.. nevermind, I deserve it." He looked at the doc again. "Any news from the lab on that crimson sludge?"

[gatelover12]

Richard got up and fumbled through a supply closet for a few minutes before finding a towel, and walking over to Larry. "Here, the last thing we need is you staying getting hypothermia." He handed off the towel before continuing. "Sir, do you think I should go after them? I doubt Jim is thinking rationally right now, and at the very least Clayton's going to wonder why Kate just burst back into her quarters."

[TheXym]

"Thanks Rich." He look at his friend, sincere gratitude in his eyes and on his face. "Maybe you should.... But, what the hell is happening with me? I have no desire to hurt Jim... or Kate... How the heck did that just happen?" His expression turned to one of embarassment. "Not exactly how I figured my first kiss in eight years would turn out. Ah crap, you can talk to me later, get down there and make sure they don't do anything rash. If Jim's gonna hurt anyone over this, it better be me. Hell, he can break out one of those goa'uld pain sticks on me if he wants. I probably deserve it. Get going, I'm not going anywhere, I'll talk to you soon.... I know you're not a shrink but you heard what was in my head before that all happened, maybe it makes a little more sense to you than it does to me."

Larry got up and started using the towel to wipe the cold water off himself and then try to dry the bed, since the orderlies seemed to be studiously ignoring him.

[DragonGate]

Steele pointed to another bed. "You can move if you want, the water was only intended to cool you two down, not force you to lay in it." She opened the folder of test results while commenting, "I don't know about a pain stick, Captain, but both majors that were here can use a ribbon device." She translated the medicalese in the report. "No toxins or the like, just a bit of a reaction with all the caffeine in you. Really need to send someone to drop that to the mess hall staff."

[gatelover12]

"Yes sir, and for the record, I doubt my reaction to something like that would be any different." The younger man smiled before runing off down the hall.

<<to quarters.>>

[Gen Blue]

The Gate Technition walked down the hallway, turned the corner and saw General Blue 'Hobbleing' along ().

"Um, sir, your presense is requested in the gateroom. Its Colonel Sharp, and, um, he has the Pizza you ordered.."

Blue huffed out a sigh, "Come with me. I'll need a back up to get released." He steered the Tech toward the Infirmary door.

"Doctor Steele. I really need to get back to work. Colonel Sharp is calling from off-world." Blue held up his left hand, "Scouts' honor, I'll just talk to him then go to my quarters."