#hggghhhhh i love them so MUCHHHH

[nymphthroughthestargate]

Finding Brian

part two of [REDACTED]'s intro

a fic by mushroom with help and many squeals of happiness from stick

she was just so bored.

Stargate Command had given her a room to herself. those military-types had called it "quarters", it was basically an apocalypse-bunker themed hotel room. she found a pen in the desk and doodled all over her legs, but that had only given her ten minutes respite from the monotony.

she was so used to having someone with her at all times, she had taken to talking at the person she was sure was behind the security camera.

they let her go to the mess hall instead of simply bringing food to her. she loaded her tray with the most sugary processed foods she could get her hands on. the officer behind the counter gave her a funny look.

"when you spend three years as a goa'uld, you would also be willing to stab someone for a single Oreo." she scoffed, then turned to her guard to reassure him that she was joking.

mostly.

Colonel O'Neill walked over to her with his tray and sat down across from her. "you should try the pie."

"that good, huh?" she glared at him. she really wanted to stuff her face with the food that was taunting her on her plate, but she couldn't exactly put down her mask with him right there. the colonel seemed to know that, and kept sitting there.

"Oh, you know. sometimes." O'Neill dug into his pie and motioned for her to eat hers. maintaining eye contact, she grabbed a cookie and slid it carefully under her mask, managing to not even show the tip of her chin.

"I don't know what you were expecting to get out of sitting here, but I already told you I'm not saying anything." she said with her mouth full.

"just wanted a conversation about pie," he shrugged, taking another bite.

she leaned back in the very uncomfortable chair, still maintaining eye contact. "you know, trying to weasel out information I've said multiple times I'm not comfortable giving you is just a wonderful way to get me to never trust you."

"who said anything about weasels?" he asked, and she was unable to tell if his confusion was a ploy or if he was just that dense. she raised an eyebrow at him.

"alright, fine." he said, putting his fork down. "my kid is comfortable around you, and that's all the background check my team and I need. but the more paranoid parts of the military are understandably cautious. the last time those snake-heads got onto the base, it got pretty bad."

she glanced to the side. "I'm not a goa'uld anymore."

"you're not, Doc Fraiser confirmed it." O'Neill nodded. "but can you understand why we might be a little... skittish?"

"the last time I trusted someone with my name, they used it against me. can you understand why I would be skittish?"

her glare once again dug into his skull, but he seemed annoyingly unbothered.

"can you throw us a bone and give us the name of the goa'uld that was in you?" O'Neill asked.

"don't you mean olive branch?" she asked.

"throw anything you want, we just need something to go off of."

she paused a moment, knowing the power her silence held. "promise not to call me that?"

"cross my heart," he said, actually miming crossing his heart.

"Bastet." she answered.

"Gesundheit." O'Neill joked.

she rolled her eyes and leaned back in the chair. "that's the name of the goa'uld. Bastet, goddess of kitty cats and women's rights. at least, that's what they told me."

"Daniel's gonna have a field day with that," he mumbled. he slapped his legs and stood up to leave. "well, guess I'll leave you to your very nutritious lunch."

she blinked at him. "that's it?"

"what'd you except?"

"an interrogation, I suppose."

"I got what I asked, and you need to see that you can trust me." he walked away with his tray in his hands. "you really should try the pie."

she watched him walk away, and slowly moved her mask to take a bite.

it was pretty decent, for cafeteria pie.

~ • ~ • ~

Nymph followed her around a lot. when she wasn't being carried, it was more obvious that the child would float everywhere. she found that odd, but everything about the little girl was odd.

"you talk different than mama and daddy," Nymph stated.

"I have a different accent than your mama and daddy, wee one." she answered.

"what's an accent?" Nymph asked, staring sweetly at her while hovering at head-height.

"it's the way people say stuff in other places."

"Oh. what place are you from? granpa said you came through the stargate. I came through the stargate too!! so did uncle Teal'c!"

"really?" she smiled under her mask, strangely aware of how comfortable it was to talk to Nymph. "I wasn't originally from another planet, I'm from here! do you know what an island is?"

the little girl shook her head, bright eyes wide with curiosity.

"it's a tiny piece of land in the middle of water. I'm from what's called the British Isles. it's far across the water, and takes almost a day to get there from here in a big plane!"

why did she say that.

why was she telling this kid in casual conversation something she usually wouldn't admit under duress of torture.

why was this kid so comforting to be around and easy to talk to.

she briskly walked away before she could spill her name, leaving Nymph alone and confused.

~ • ~ • ~

a week had passed. she had earned the right to wander by herself as long as she didn't snoop around sensitive areas, and she was exercising that right when she overheard a mission briefing. as she was eavesdropping, she saw the old General pointing on a star map to a very familiar planet.

"SG-1 is to check out P2X-634, just a normal reconnaissance mission." the general said.

what a weird stream of numbers for my planet, she thought to herself. but then she realised that they were going to her planet, and she had to join them by any means necessary. these people were the only way she could see her precious Jaffa again.

she walked up the couple of stairs into the room. "I know that planet."

heads turned in her direction. O'Neill crossed his arms.

"Oh, really?" he asked. "do tell."

"it'd probably be a wee bit safer to go to a goa'uld occupied planet with said goa'uld in tow, wouldn't it?" she smirked, her mask covering most of her cheeky expression.

Dr. Jackson pointed to the map. "this- this is your planet?"

"well, not anymore. but yes, that planet was under Bastet's control. and I have to go with you." she stood her ground, praying her desperation wouldn't show. she had to go with them, she might burst if she didn't. even just a brief moment to know he was alright, he was safe, it would be enough for her.

the general raised his eyebrow. "she'd be your responsibility, SG-1."

"I think we can handle her, sir." O'Neill smiled.

"I'm not bringing Nymph to a goa'uld occupied world." Carter said forcibly.

"she can stay with her General Gramps," the general offered with a smile. O'Neill and Carter nodded with smiles of their own, and it seemed to be settled. the general turned to her. "you will accompany SG-1 to P2X-634 at 1300 hours."

"lovely! whats that in civilian?" she asked cheerfully.

"Uh, 1 PM, about half an hour from now," Dr. Jackson leaned in and whispered.

"ah, thank you." she whispered back.

back in her room, she leaned against her door and sighed. she was going to see Brian again, and there was nothing that could come between them. Bastet was gone, she couldn't hurt him anymore. she would've cried if she didn't know she was being watched.

she made sure her back was to the camera as she reached into the dresser and pulled out the SG team uniform that was placed in there by whoever set up the room. with a glare to the camera, she slid the baggy clothing over the outfit she had come to the base in. she had only washed it when she took a shower, and generally despised the military grade clothing they supplied her with, but the unflattering trousers were the lesser evil compared to being recognized by the Jaffa.

"is there anything we should know before we walk in there?" O'Neill asked as they stood in front of the open wormhole.

"don't try to use my influence, they think I'm dead. as they should." she stated casually. the team turned to stare at her, but she kept her eyes on the gate and stepped through.

~ • ~ • ~

the breeze was the first thing she noticed. the way the wind rustled the branches of the highest trees, she could swear she heard the laughter she shared with him. the sound of SG-1 coming through the gate and the whoosh of it closing behind them jolted her out of her daydreams, and she ushered them along the path. as they crossed into the town, she tugged on her hood to make sure it covered her very recognizable eyes.

she saw her chance to break away from the group when Dr. Jackson stopped to translate something on the wall. making sure they didn't see her, she broke into a run to the palace. she spotted a Jaffa by the door, but not the one she wanted.

"excuse me," she asked sweetly. "do you know where the Jaffa Brian is?"

the Jaffa looked at her with a confused and apologetic expression. "didn't you hear? Brian was killed in battle three days ago."

her heart sank into her stomach and her vision blurred. it couldn't be - he couldn't be dead. she couldn't feel her legs, couldn't breathe.

"where- where is he buried?" she mustered the courage to ask. the least she could do was visit the grave of the only person who had cared since her parents had died so long ago.

the jaffa pointed to the west and told her of a field, and she ran to where he pointed.

there, right where he had said, was a single stone that read Brian, loyal Jaffa to the goddess Bastet, slain in battle and the date.

it wasn't nearly good enough for him.

she broke down sobbing at this pitiful excuse for a memorial as she remembered every precious moment she had spent with him.

~ • ~ • ~

the Jaffa stayed guarding the door, watched as that strange girl ran off. of course he knew who she had been talking about, Brian was his dearest friend. it hurt to see such a strong reaction to his lie, but he had made a promise to tell anyone looking for Brian that he had died in battle, for he was the one who helped him fake his death.

Brian had come to him the day after their goddess had been killed by Heru'ur's spies.

Al'ri, I need to disappear, he had said. Al'ri couldn't figure out why, as Brian was hailed as a hero for destroying the assassin with three shots of a zat'n'kitel, the same method the fiend had used to kill their beloved queen. but he still agreed, and they discussed possible ways they could make it work.

by pure chance, Heru'ur had attacked them four days later. Brian had taken a shot, and went into a deep state of kel'no'reem to appear dead. Al'ri made sure to keep his "body" safe, and when the smoke cleared Brian was nowhere to be seen. Al'ri hastily made a gravestone and placed it on disturbed soil to make the ruse more believable, and made Brian promise to come back in three days to grab the last of his things and say a proper goodbye.

as Al'ri reminisced, a cloaked figure walked up beside him. he aimed his staff weapon at the figure.

"halt! who goes there?" the Jaffa demanded. a soft chuckle came from underneath the hood, and the figure shifted the fabric to reveal the face of a friend.

"just passing through as promised," Brian smiled warmly. "has anyone called for me?"

Al'ri nodded, and lowered his weapon. "a strange young woman completely covering her face, and dressed like the Tau'ri are described. I told her you were killed, and when she asked where you were buried I told her. the poor thing, she took it hard."

Brian wondered who it could have been, and asked, "did this young woman have any defining features showing?"

Al'ri nodded. "a strand of white hair fell in front of her face, and she had the fairest complexion I've ever seen."

Brian's heart leapt out of his chest, and he broke into a run towards the field of his own grave.

~ • ~ • ~

he slowed to a halt at the edge of the field. he could make out the shape of his beloved, see her shoulders shake in sobs that broke his heart. he inched closer until he could hear what she was saying.

"Oh, Brian. I'm sorry." she cried. "I couldn't protect you in the end, no matter how I tried. I swear I can feel you with me. if you were here, you'd probably say-"

he snuck up behind her, and said "you're the last person I'd expect to see crying over my grave, Ducky."

she chuckled, wiping her cheek. "yeah, that. I must be going mad, I could still hear your voi-"

she gasped, and turned around to see that warm smile she had craved so deeply. with a squeal of excitement, she leapt into his arms and he twirled her around, the wind blowing her white hair free from her hood.

"it's you! it's you, it's you, it's you!" she repeated over and over, her tears turning from those of grief to those of utter joy.

"it's me, Ducky. it's me." he whispered into her hair, holding her close out of fear she'd disappear again.

"Bastet is gone," she whispered excitedly.

"we're free to be together." he responded, the two of them shifting to look at each other's faces.

in a fit of impulse, she pulled down her mask and kissed him.

"I love you, sweet Jaffa," she whispered as she pulled away.

"I love you too, my goddess." he responded in kind.

"he said you were killed."

"I believe the idiom is I took a page out of your book," he chuckled. "the only way I wouldn't be chased down as a deserter would be the belief I was dead. Al'ri is a dear friend who thought he was protecting me, and I had told him the lie of your death rather than the truth of our relationship."

"don't ever make me believe you're dead ever again, my heart can't take it!" she ordered, tears still streaming down her smiling face as she shook her finger at him.

"as you wish," he whispered as he brushed her hair from her forehead to make way for a kiss.

"I'm here with my fellow Tau'ri, they're honestly probably looking for me right now." she held his hand on her cheek. "but if we go back with them, we can stop running. the Tau'ri are protected, and there's cozy apartments and sugary coffee and Oreos and Poptarts, you'll love it there."

"as long as I'm with you, I'd holiday in Netu," he joked, making her roll her eyes.

"that's a bit excessive," she laughed. he gently adjusted her hood and mask, and they swung their interlocked hands as they walked out of the clearing.

~ • ~ • ~

the two of them broke through the underbrush into the clearing by the gate, startling SG-1 who had been waiting oh-so-impatiently for any sign of her.

"who is this?" O'Neill asked, eyebrow raised and hand motioning to Brian.

"this is," she glanced at Brian, and he nodded. "this is my boyfriend."

"I am called Brian," he said as he reached out a hand for the colonel to shake.

"Jack. O'Neill. glad someone is willing to tell us their name!" he joked. Carter rolled her eyes at him and shook Brian's hand as well.

"I'm Sam Carter, this is Daniel and Teal'c." she smiled, pointing to the other two team members in turn. Daniel waved awkwardly and Teal'c bowed his head.

"lovely to meet you, those who took such good care of my beloved." Brian returned the major's smile. "I was so worried about her these past days."

he had called her his beloved. she blushed and turned her head.

"isn't anyone going to dial that gate?" she said in a rush. "we don't want anyone to catch us here, seeing as four of us are wanted by the system lords and the other two are supposed to be dead."

"dead?" Daniel asked, tilting his head in confusion and shock.

she put a hand on Brian's broad shoulder, having to stand on her toes to reach that high, and brushed away a phony tear of pride. "yup. baby's first faked death!"

O'Neill puffed his cheeks in an awkward sigh, then told Daniel to dial the gate.

the couple followed SG-1 through the event horizon, knowing they'd be safe - and most importantly, together - on Earth.

part one