Fic, Returns, PG-13, 14/14

[hathor_girl]

14.

Sam POV

I talked to Dad this morning, and he reassured me my team would not explode upon seeing me. I could tell from his expression that they must have taken it pretty badly at first, though, so I am still worried.

Jolinar is trying to comfort me - and Martouf and Lantash are also accompanying me, which is nice.

We all have something to tell, though. We have all made the decision to share our time between Earth and the Tok'ra, and we have gotten the Council's permission to do so, if the SGC will permit it.

Even the Council can see it would be a good thing to have regular Tok'ra cooperation with Earth, to help the alliance, and make them...ah, I mean us...or? Never mind, to make the humans of Earth less fearful and more friendly to the Tok'ra. To build respect on both sides, and such.

I agree completely.

I take a deep breath and step through the Stargate.

To Earth.

---

General Hammond and my team are waiting for me when I step through. Martouf step through just after me, and I feel his reassuring hand on my back.

I look at my friends pretty tense expression and put on a smile, hoping that will break the charged atmosphere.

"Hi, guys!"

Beside me, Martouf is doing that cute little half-bow the Tok'ra do when they do a polite, respectful greeting. I guess I should have done that to?

"Major Carter, Martouf." Teal'c greets us. "We are all relieved to see you well."

"Hi, Sam...hi, Martouf." Daniel says, smiling at us both/all.

"It's good to see you again, Major Carter." Hammond says. "Welcome back."

I smile at them, then look with concern at O'Neill. He finally relaxes, and give me a smile. "Yeah, welcome back, Carter. We were worried there for a while." He sighs, then apparently makes a decision. "You too, Marty - we hadn't expected to see you again."

Martouf doesn't like being called Marty, but he clearly recognizes how much it's costing O'Neill to say this, so he bows his head in greeting. "Thank you. I think Lantash and I were both pretty surprised to survive also."

It is time, and we all know it. I bow my head and give Jolinar control, and I can feel how the air in the room is getting more tense. None of them have any good memories of my symbiote, but we will have to make this work. I want to be able to go to visit my friends on Earth and perhaps even work with them and go on missions with them now and then - and I won't have Jolinar not to be able to take control because people can't get over what happened years ago.

"Hello, I am Jolinar of Malkshur, as you well know. I greet you, General Hammond." She turns to my team mates. "Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Jackson, Teal'c. It is an honour to meet you..." She takes a deep breath. "I am deeply sorry for how our first meeting happened. If I could change it, I would, but I cannot. I would like to hope we can...if not become friends, then at least come to tolerate each other?"

Daniel looks mostly scared, I think, and realise this must remind him of what happened to his wife. O'Neill has gotten an angry, determined expression on his face, while Teal'c seems to approve of Jolinar's greeting.

"Hello, Jolinar. I am very pleased to be able to make your acquaintance under better circumstances. Your battle against the System Lords is impressive and legendary, and it is an honour to meet you." He bows his head in respect.

The others seem surprised, and it does not become less when Jolinar returns to respectful bow.

"Teal'c...what you have done is equally impressive. It is no small feat to go against everything you have learned, everything you have been told. I would be honoured to fight in battle with you."

"Yeah...perhaps there'll be some more missions together now and then..." Daniel says.

"We hope very much there will. General Hammond, Samantha and I, as well as Martouf and Lantash, are - with the blessing of the Council - offering to join the SGC part-time. While we will be taking missions for the Tok'ra, and stay there half the time, we hope to go on missions with you the other half of the time. It is the hope of the Council that this will improve the relations with Earth." Jolinar says, attentively studying my friends and Hammond.

Teal'c looks pleased, as was to be expected. Hammond looks surprised, then pleased as well.

"It sounds like a very good idea. We need to get to know each other better, and this will do that. Will you be staying now?"

"We wanted to hear your opinion on this first. We will take maybe a week off, for personal reasons, then we will be coming here." Martouf tells him.

"Personal reasons, huh?" O'Neill says, looking less than happy. He is probably suspecting. "With Carter?"

Martouf bows his head, giving Lantash control.

"Yes, of course! She, like Jolinar, is our mate. We will be spending a week together, getting to know each other better. Such is always the case when one has gotten a new host. Of course, in this case we already know Samantha, but not yet as well as we would like." He looks at O'Neill, daring him to challenge.

"Yeah, I bet you wanna get to 'know her' better!" O'Neill looks angry.

Daniel suddenly steps in between the two men. "Guys...shouldn't we celebrate that Sam is back with us? And that Jolinar, Martouf, and Lantash are alive, much to everyones surprise?"

"Yes, that would seem to be more than enough cause for a celebration." Teal'c agrees.

After a while, everyone else nods, agreeing. We go to the mess hall to have cake. When we get back here we will get some ID made for Martouf and Lantash, so we can stay in my house. Then we will have a proper party.

Cake turns out to make everyone in a better mood, and at the end, even O'Neill and Martouf/Lantash seems to be getting along reasonably well, and my team seems to be beginning to come to terms with Jolinar as well.

I have hopes this will actually end up working out well!