Fic, Unexpected Developments, 5/5, Sam/Martouf/Lantash, PG-13

[hathor_girl]

 I find the room they took Martouf and Lantash to, and when I arrive, they are in the middle of examining him, and ask me to wait. It is several hours later, when Martouf/Lantash finally appear, followed by Silvrik. Martouf/Lantash have been given a Tok'ra uniform again, and somehow that makes me very happy. He looks exactly like he did before he was shot.

"Martouf. Lantash. Are you all right?" I ask, still feeling somewhat nervous.

Martouf nods. "Yes, we are."

"Major Carter." Silvrik greets me. "We have examined Martouf and Lantash thoroughly, and I can assure you that they are no longer zatarcs. No part of the programming remains. They have some small amount of memory loss, from the period beginning when they were made zatarcs, until they were shot. Their memories are otherwise intact."

"That's wonderful!" I feel extremely relieved, and smile at Martouf. "Um, would you want to get something to eat, perhaps? I mean, you haven't eaten for almost 7 months!" I grin, feeling stupid for my ridiculous comment.

He smiles. "Yes, that would be most welcome. Both Lantash and I are feeling very hungry." He suddenly remembers something. "Just a moment." He goes back into the room and comes back out a few moment later, and hands me my jacket. "Thank you for letting me borrow this, Samantha."

"You're welcome. Um, let's go find something to eat? I'm afraid we don't have anything better than sandwiches - or MREs - but at least it's food, right? You've had MREs before, when we went to Netu, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have had that...experience." He gives me a wry smile. "I think I would prefer a sandwich."

I laugh. "Yeah, I agree with you."

---

We have eaten, and Martouf and Lantash sure were hungry - and thirsty - which I suppose is hardly surprising. They had only gotten a little water since they were awakened.

Now we sit beside each other on a large crate in a storage room, and I enjoy his nearness, the fact that they are alive, immensely. No one else is currently in this part of the ship, so we can talk undisturbed. Though I am very unsure how - and if - I should tell him of my feelings for him. Before I can find a way to do so, Martouf looks up, and take my hand, squeezing it.

"Samantha, Lantash and I would like to thank you for saving us. Yes, we would not normally appreciate being placed in a sarcophagus, but we recognize that you did it in order to save us, and we would likely have died had you not done so."

"Well, maybe Lantash could have healed you - at least if they used a healing device too." I begin.

Martouf shakes his head. "No, because he would not have been allowed to try. Lantash now remembers something he heard, while we were out of the stasis for a short time... Ren'al and Thoran had decided not to let me be healed, because they felt more research in the zatarc programming was needed. More research they felt was best done on my brain, in an autopsy."

"What! They were not even going to try to heal you?" I exclaim, angrily, standing up.

"No. Samantha, I am... deeply troubled by this, but I do believe they meant well. That they felt this was the best way of getting important information to the Tok'ra. They must not have been able to easily gain a majority on the Council - and I am not surprised, because it is against our laws - because otherwise they would not have waited this long, and left me in stasis." He frowns. "It is almost seven months since we were shot as zatarcs. It is difficult to believe that so long has passed."

"Yes, but it's the truth." I sit down again beside him.

Martouf nods. "I realize that."

"You aren't angry at Ren'al and Thoran?"

He sighs. "Yes, but nothing will change from me confronting them. I have nothing to gain from making them my enemies, and they will not harm me now, since no trace of the programming remains." He bows his head, and soon after Lantash looks up.

"I will not forgive them as easily as Martouf, though truth be told, he has not forgiven them. I will make sure there are others who know, and I will never forget. I will never trust them completely again, not when they would think to do such a thing!" He looks very angry, then his expression becomes softer. "Samantha, it is as Martouf says. We are not angry you placed us in a sarcophagus. Quite on the contrary, we are grateful, because if we had died, we would not have the opportunity to tell you something which we very much want to tell you."

"Um, what is that?" I ask.

Lantash takes my hand again, just like Martouf did earlier, and he entwines his fingers with mine, as he observes my reaction. Despite the different environment, I am for a moment taken back to that day in the desert when we talked about Jolinar, shortly after meeting.

"Samantha, we love you. As much as we loved Jolinar. We do know that you are uncertain if your emotions are your own, or if they are from Jolinar, but we are willing to wait however long it takes for you to decide if you can be ours."

"You love me?" I repeat, not daring to believe my own ears.

"Yes." Lantash looks nervous?

I realize he is worried I will tell him I don't love him and Martouf! I smile at him, deciding it is time to reassure him. "Lantash...I love you too. You and Martouf. Yes, some of my feelings are from Jolinar, and I guess I can't ever know how many, but it doesn't matter. I am sure I have come to feel for you too, and in any case, I can't tell the difference between my emotions and Jolinar's, and I have accepted her memories and feelings as part of me."

Lantash smiles widely. "You have no idea how happy that makes me...and Martouf... to hear!" He puts an arm around me, and I lean into his embrace, enjoying the feeling of him so close by.

I look at him, and lean in to kiss him. Our lips meet, and we share our first kiss. It is wonderful, soft and gentle at first, and so full of love. Then Lantash pushes his tongue against my lips, and I open my mouth, letting him deepen the kiss.

We kiss until we are out of breath, and when we pull back, panting slightly, I find I have embraced him as well. I smile at him, and untangle my arm so I can slide a hand over his cheek, caressing it. "Sweet Lantash and Martouf...I was so terribly afraid that I would never see you again! When I shot you...it was the worst I have ever had to do. It felt like I would never be whole again, like the best part of me was gone..."

"We are here, Samantha. With you...and we do not intend to leave you again. Ever." Lantash says.

"Nor I, you. I realize there's a lot of things we have to figure out, if we want to be together, but right now I feel confident it's possible. I'm also aware that I may be in some trouble, maybe even end up in a court martial for doing this - depending on whether or not the Tok'ra complain."

Lantash shakes his head. "There will be no complaint from the Tok'ra. I am certain of it. The Council will not complain, Selmak will see to it. If Ren'al and Thoran thinks to do so, I will tell them what I overheard. That is something which could give them a lot of problems, so I am sure they will not pursue any sort of formal complaint to your people." He gives me a brief kiss. "And regardless, you will always be welcome here."

We both turn, hearing someone by the door. I see my dad standing there. "If you are finished, then I came to tell you that we are almost at the planet of the new Tok'ra base."

Surprisingly, he doesn't look angry - he gives Lantash a stern look, but he is not angry at me for what I did, apparently! "Um, thanks."

"We will join you in a few moments. Thank you, Jacob."

"Ok - and Lantash...and Martouf? When the base is constructed and we're all settled...I want a word with you!"

"Yes, Jacob." Lantash smiles. "As you wish."

My dad leaves, and I again look at Lantash and Martouf. We smile at each other, and kiss again. Soon we will go to help the Tok'ra get settled on the base - and quarters will again be constructed for Martouf and Lantash, something which makes me feel very happy. I kiss them again, and we stand, embracing each other, for several moments.

It was not very long ago - earlier today, actually - when I thought I would never see Martouf and Lantash again, when just thinking about the Tok'ra brought sadness because of that...and now I have them back! Not only that, but we have admitted our feelings for each other, and can start planning a possible future together.

Life is good.