TITLE: Ties That Bind
AUTHOR: Siyang
RATING: G
CATEGORY: Missing Scene/epilogue, Angst, PoV
SUMMARY: Epilogue to Last Stand. How did Sam feel at yet another death?
SPOILERS: Summit, Last Stand
PAIRINGS: Sam/Martouf (and Lantesh)
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment and not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks are intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
FEEDBACK: The key to every writer's heart…and stories…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just something that popped into my mind. I have to admit, I'm not great at writing. So, just a warning: if your digested food suddenly wants out, it's not my fault! Blame it all on the muse!

~*~*~*~

"He loves you, Major."

A quiet admission, made in the midst of chaos and despair.

It had been something left unsaid between them, silent words that begged to be spoken, but couldn't because of the circumstances. Because Sam, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't trust her own feelings, afraid that they were influenced by the remnants of Jolinar. Afraid that she was the voyeur for fragile memories, a pure love that she dared not intrude upon.

She had been well aware of the growing 'fondness' – as he had termed it – that Martouf had for her. The feelings he reserved for her only. Upon meeting him, Sam had always suspected the true depth of his feelings for her; feelings fueled by the past that he shared with her former symbiote, the memories bestowed upon Sam. There were subtle hints of these feelings, which unless you specifically searched for, you wouldn't notice. The fleeting glances, the shy smiles, and the light that shone in his eyes whenever he was with her.

So now, in the safety of her house, a deep sense of regret had overcome her; regret over what could have been, and what could never be. Feelings could become one's worst enemy.

"He loves you, Major."

Love? Had she ever known love? Not love between parents and children, or friends, but the kind of love that she saw in sappy romance movies; the unbreakable bond between two people. Some had come close, but none had made her feel that extra devotion towards them. She thought she had finally felt that with Jonas, but that thought was quickly out the window when his forceful attitude had become too much for her. And Narim? She didn't know. He was obsessed with her being an 'angel', and she was attracted to his technology. Not a great foundation for a relationship.

The only person who had truly come close was Martouf, and Lantesh. And she had destroyed that chance by denying those feelings, and subsequently by killing him. Although logically, she knew that she had no choice; that he asked her to. And she had cursed that particular request for days after, until she had finally convinced herself that cursing a dead man was not going to do much. But it made her feel better. Like it wasn't all her fault.

*CREAK*

The bed sagged under the pressure. Angry hands tugged at shoes until they finally came off, throwing them with the force of an enraged man.

She leant back into the bed, her hands clenched on the covers as if they were her only lifeline. She was caught up in a sea of emotions, the waves tossing her ruthlessly, suffocating her. Sobs shook her body, finally reducing to sniffling. Sam curled up on her side, seeking warmth that she knew she could not find.

The words still echoed in her mind, taunting her with the knowledge that yet another had died because of her. After Martouf's death, the memories had invaded her dreams for days, until the lack of sleep had forced her to ask Janet for sleeping pills. This would be no different.



"He just wanted you to know."


She knew.

~ End ~