Ghosts
Ghosts
by Jessie Carter-ONeill
Summary: SG-1 finds an abused child. Who is she?
Category: Angst, Crossovers, Drama, Filk/Song, Holiday, Hurt/Comfort, POV, Romance, Series
Holiday: Christmas, Fourth of July, New Year
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: 13+
Warnings: adult themes, language, minor language, rape, violence
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 2004-12-30
"Ghosts" ------------------------------------------"My POV"
The man stepped carefully around a M.A.L.P. I guess he was trying not to make too much noise. He saw a small figure lying on the ground, almost hidden in the dark room.
"Who's there?" he asked. "Show yourself!" he said loudly.
I didn't move. I kept still, hoping if I did, they would just go away. But, no. Even then, my luck simply sucked.
"Who's there?" he asked again.
I struggled to sit up, the pain in my side making me gasp and almost pass out.
"Colonel it's a child!" said a female soldier, putting her weapon away. I was still trying to hide...to make myself small...hell, to do anything.
The man put his weapon away and the others stepped into the room.
The blonde lady started towards me. I tried to get away but I was too weak to blink out of there. "Don't...please," I said softly.
She smiled and held her hand out to me, palm out. "It's ok sweetheart," She took another step and I backed up against the wall, trembling with terror. She must've sensed it because her eyes widened, but she didn't come any closer. "We're not going to hurt you." She turned to the man she called "Colonel" as if to say "Now what?"
He motioned for everyone to sit. They were bigger than me...there were more of them than me. But, they didn't try to grab me. I tried again, unsuccessfully to blink.
"What's your name?" he asked. I just looked at him.
"I'm Jack. This is Sam," he said smiling and pointing to the lady. "Daniel," pointing to the man with glasses. "And Teal'c," pointing to the man with the strange symbol in the middle of his head.
Sam looked at me again. "What's your name sweetheart?" she said softly.
I took a painful breath. "Jessie...my name is Jessie," I stuttered slightly.
"Jessie...that's a pretty name," said Jack. "What about your last name? What's your last name honey?"
I looked away. "Jessie's the only one I got," I said softly.
"How did you get here?" asked Daniel.
I shook my head. "I...I...I can't...." I stuttered.
Teal'c said something in a strange language. "What? I...I don't understand."
"That's ok," said Jack. "Where are you from?"
"I don't know."
"How did you get here?" asked Sam.
"I can't tell you," I said, almost whispering.
"How come?" asked Jack.
I just shook my head. The tears were beginning to fall.
Sam reached toward me again. I jerked back against the wall, trembling with fear. "Please don't hit..."
"I'm not gonna hurt you," she said, looking at Jack in horror...the same look that was on his face. They could tell someone had hurt me, but they couldn't tell how.
Jack cleared his throat. "Jessie...it's kinda dark in here. You mind if I turn on the light?"
I flicked my hand out and the light switch went up, turning on the bright lights.
Teal'c stood and drew his weapon. "O'Neill!"
He turned towards Teal'c. "Put it away, T." he said. Turning to me he asked, "Did you do that?"
"Yes," I whispered, huddling against the shelving unit.
"Cool. How?" he whispered, with awe in his voice. He could see the fear in my eyes, so I guess he was afraid that talking too loud would freak me out. Little did he know...he'd be right.
"I don't know. I can do things sometimes." I said crying softly.
Sam looked at me and smiled. "It's ok sweetheart." I probed her mind and heard her thoughts. (She's so afraid. I wish she would just let me hold her, but she's so afraid.) I couldn't say anything. "It must be wonderful to be able to do that."
I shook my head. "No." I said sadly.
Daniel looked up and cleared his throat. "Jessie, you don't know how you did that, but you just know you can?"
"Yes."
Another soldier stuck his head in the door. "Colonel, is everything...?"
I freaked out and threw my hand up and froze him in mid-sentence. I didn't want too many people seeing me. "No!"
They turned to him. "Whoa. What did you do?" asked Daniel.
I looked down at the floor and shivered. "I'm sorry! I froze him. I...I didn't mean too!" I said rapidly, tears sliding down my face.
"What are you?" asked Daniel.
"A freak," I said in a voice thick with tears. I didn't care anymore.
Jack jerked his head around. "Shut up Daniel. She's just a kid," He turned back to me and smiled. "Honey, you are not a freak...but, can you unfreeze him?" he asked.
I nodded, flicked out my finger, and he unfroze.
"Cool," said Jack again.
"...alright?" continued the soldier.
"Yeah," said Jack. "Dismissed." The soldier turned and left.
"What else can you do?" asked Daniel.
I didn't want to say anything else. I just looked at the floor and toyed with a string that was coming loose on my old shirt.
He repeated his question.
"For cryin' out loud, Daniel, don't interrogate her," said Sam. Jack smiled at her as she turned to me. "How old are you, sweetheart?" she asked quietly.
"Ten," I said. Their eyes widened. Hell, I was small. I knew it.
I noticed that her hand was bandaged. "What happened to your hand?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"I cut it," she said looking at me with...hell I don't know. A look I'd never seen on an adult. But, she knew what I was trying to do. I could definitely see that much.
"I can heal it," I said.
That got me a strange look from all of them.
Jack stared, wide-eyed. "You can heal her hand?" he asked, something I wasn't able to name in his voice.
"Yes."
"How?"
"I don't know. I just can," I looked at Sam. "Please let me show you." (Just don't touch me) She saw the fear and uncertainty, in my eyes and held out her hand, smiling.
Her eyes widened again...as did Jack's and they both gasped. I knew right then that they both heard my thought. But, apparently, the other two hadn't heard my thought. I didn't know why. "Ok sweetheart," she said softly.
I reached for her with my right hand, keeping my left tucked in. It still hurt a lot. I knew a couple of my fingers were broken, but I thought my arm was too. I didn't want them to see. I put my hand above hers and smiled shyly at her. Closing my eyes, I concentrated. I heard someone gasp. They saw the glow and I knew Sam felt the warmth of my touch even though I wasn't exactly touching her. I finished healing her and I collapsed back against the wall, breathing heavily.
Sam took off the bandage. "It's gone," she said in surprise, staring at me in shock. She held her hand up for them all to see. Jack took her hand in his and felt around where the wound should have been, his touch lingering. He smiled at her and she smiled back. I felt like I was going to pass out. I hit myself in the forehead with my hand. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
Sam reached for me again. "Are you ok?"
I shrank against the wall again. "Don't touch me," I said through gritted teeth.
Jack shook his head, a worried look in his eyes. "How long have you been here?"
"I don't know."
He realized something. "You're the one that every one has been hearing...aren't you?" he said softly.
"Yes," I whispered.
"But, sir, that's impossible," said Sam. "Whenever they would look in here, there was no one here."
"Did you hide behind something?"
"No."
"Did you hide in something?"
"No. I left."
"You left?"
"Yes." I said, getting weaker.
There was that shocked look again. "Can you show us how you left?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It hurts," I said softly, trying to fight the tears.
"What hurts, sweetheart?" asked Jack quietly. I probed his thoughts. (Tell me what happened to you...that way I can make it better. Let me help you. Please baby.)
"Everything," I whispered.
He didn't understand. Nothing seemed to work right. That last night was the worst.
"Why don't you tell me where it hurts so we can make it better?" said Jack.
"No."
"Why?" asked Jack.
"No. Please don't," I whispered as he reached for me again. I saw pain fill his eyes while he dropped his hand in his lap as I huddled in against myself.
"Can you at least tell us how you left?" asked Daniel getting aggravated. I shied away and tried to curl up.
"Daniel! Shut up!" yelled Jack. He was getting pissed off at his friend and I didn't know why.
"No. He'll..." I stopped.
"Who'll what sweetheart?" asked Jack.
I just sat there and shook my head. Jack made a move toward me. "I'll show you... please don't hurt me," I whispered.
A look of pure pain crossed his face. (If I find the person who hurt you, I swear to God I'll kill him.) "No one's gonna hurt you Jessie. Not me. Not Sam. Not Teal'c or Daniel. Believe me. You're safe here. You're safe with us."
I didn't even know where "here" was. But, I didn't say it out loud. Maybe if they thought I belong, they'll let me stay. Yeah, right.
Someone's stomach rumbled. Jack looked at me as a thought crossed his mind. "Are you hungry?"
"No," I said, the rumbling of my own stomach betraying me.
"Sir, I think she is."
"Do you like burgers?"
I shrugged my shoulders. Pain caused me to gasp as I felt the twinge in my left arm.
That got me a funny look. I wasn't trying to be funny. Jack and Sam exchanged a look and, for the first time, really looked at me. I knew I was skinny...too skinny. I hadn't eaten in a couple of days. But, that was normal anyway...wasn't it?
I withstood their scrutiny for a few minutes. When I started to squirm, Sam spoke softly to me, "When was the last time you had something to eat sweetheart?"
I looked down and refused to look back up. "I don't know."
"Where are your parents?" asked Jack.
"I'm an orphan," I whispered.
"What?"
"I'm an orphan!" I said louder, my voice full of pain.
Sam and Jack exchanged another look. When they looked back at me, I saw love and pain in both sets of eyes. I looked away first. Nope...not used to seeing that in people looking at me. Pity, yes...love, no.
Jack stood slowly and motioned for the others to do the same. "We're gonna go get some burgers, fries, and soda. Don't go anywhere ok?" he said softly.
"Don't go," I whispered before I could stop the words.
Don't be stupid. Just let them go. No, don't let them leave. You're tired of being alone...and you know Sam and Jack from somewhere...but where?
"What?" he turned back to me.
"I'm scared," I begged, my voice trembling again, tears of pain and loneliness sliding down my face.
"Ok sweetheart. I won't go anywhere. Carter you stay here with me," he said softly and turned to Daniel.
Before he said anything, Daniel said, "I'll go." He turned to Teal'c. "Come on. You can help me carry everything."
Daniel and Teal'c left the room in silence. We just sat there, not saying anything. I could tell they had more questions. I was so afraid. I felt something...some connection to these two people. I didn't know what it was. But, I wanted to tell them everything. But, I kept my mouth shut and didn't say anything.
Jack broke the silence. "So...where do you live?"
I tried to reply but the pain in my side increased tenfold. I grabbed at my ribs and cried out softly in pain.
"What's wrong Jessie?" asked Jack worriedly.
"Nothin'," I said, breathing heavily. That's when the thought crossed my mind. They didn't leave to get food. They left to get some more people. They were going to try to take me.
"Shit! I gotta get outta here," I stood slowly trying to push the pain away. Instead, it got worse. Instead of crying out, it made me gasp, which in turn made me cough. That's when the pain really got bad.
They were both alarmed. They jumped to their feet and started towards me. I stood up against the wall again, still coughing. I held my hand out to keep them from coming closer, the shield working this time. Yay me. "Stay back!" I gasped each breath hurting.
They both saw the light blue glimmer in the air.
"Wow, a force shield," said Sam in awe.
Shit.
This wasn't good. I'd just used up the last of my strength. The shield didn't hold for more than a few seconds before it collapsed. When it did, so did I.
I fell against the floor. I pushed myself into a sitting position with my good arm. I tasted blood in my mouth. I hadn't bitten my tongue so I knew that wasn't where the blood was coming from. I wiped the blood on my shirt. They definitely saw that. Both had worry in their eyes.
"Don't touch me, please," I begged, tears beginning to fall.
"Baby let us help you," said Jack in a voice thick with emotion, and reached for me anyway.
"I'm fine. Just leave me alone," I begged, tears streaming down my face.
"No, you're not," stated Jack. "Let me help you."
Jack reached for me as I slid completely to the floor. I finally gave in to the pain. "Please...don't," I begged quietly and then I started to pass out.
I think they only heard `please', because I heard them both reach for me and then I let myself pass out. Chapter One
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