Bridge Between Worlds

by Shatterpath

Email: shatterpath@shatterstorm.net

Rating: R, maybe NC-17

Pairings: Sam Carter/Dana Scully

Category: First time encounter/romance

Date: 12/20/2000

Series: Nope. Sorry. Well, okay… maybe.

Disclaimer: All pertinent crap from the X-Files and Stargate SG-1 belong to omnipresent beings far more powerful than I. Blame Elyssa for me borrowing ‘em, it’s all her fault.

Notes: This tale is my response to the following challenge.

How about some more Sam/Scully stories?  On the Sam&Jacklist there is currently a challenge going that (IIRC) asks people to write Scully and Mulder meet SG1 stories.  I don't think anyone would mind if I extended that challenge to you all as well.  I want to...um...enlarge it a bit though. <g>  Personally I am looking for any and all Sam/Scully stories, I don't care how they meet or why as long as they get down and dirty.  But, being that I know most of you are way more into the m/m stuff I'm gonna say Mulder/m is good too.  Pair him with the SG1 team member of your choice.  Go wild, go crazy.  The possibilities are endless. ;-)  In short, lets explore *all* the slash possibilities of the x-files meets SG-1.  Sound good?  I thought you'd like it. –Elyssa

One of these days I’m going to have to meet this Elyssa. For some odd reason her ideas keep kickstarting my brain. I’ve wanted to do a Dana/Sam crossover for as long as I’ve been watching SG-1. Nothing in her above stated story challenge seems to be epiphany inspiring, but it succeeded in rattling the following tale loose.

Warnings/Spoilers: No spoilers, but you’ll need a passing familiarity with the old-school X-Files to get some of the jokes. It’s been years since I’ve enjoyed Scully this much…

Summary: Combine alcohol, frustration and a pair of repressed scientists and the evening gets really interesting.


Damn that man! Damn him back to whatever intellectual cesspool he had climbed out of. She was sick to death of chasing every juvenile UFO rumor on God’s green earth! Frayed and tired and ready to lash out with every lethal weapon her red-headed temper was capable of, Dana Scully slammed open the bar door and stomped in. And that was when the evening went from bad to worse.

“Great. Of all the places I had to pick, I get the one full of uniforms,” she groused to herself and glowered back at the few soldiers within earshot. Had she been less hot under the collar, she would have been impressed with herself that they looked away first. Then some great, sculpted chest belonging to a boy with far to much beer and testosterone in his system was suddenly in her face. Had the lad been sober, he would have wisely feared the fae-goddess fire in her green eyes and crept away while he could. His overbearing friendliness evaporated, as the 5’3 terror took him down like a school of verbal piranha.

The Firehouse slowly sank into a stunned silence as the petite stranger proceeded to reduce Lieutenant Michaels into a green, first-week recruit. It was humiliating and perversely hysterical to watch the little spitfire send the Marine off with his proverbial tail between his legs. And it was obvious by the way she stood there bristling, that she had barely warmed up. Everyone was impressed but no one was ballsy enough to get anywhere near her. Flashing emerald eyes swept the thin crowd before settling on the bartender. Cranky old Doc Hoover actually flinched, but smiled gamely when she stalked over like a penned wildcat pacing her fence. That old veteran never flinched…

“What can I get you?”

Then just like someone slamming the freezer door shut, the emotions arching off her like lightning were just… gone.

“A double whisky straight up,” she requested in the kind of flat tone every ex-academic has nightmares about. Good lord, who and what was this mercurial creature? Blazingly angry one second and glacier calm faster than even Sam Carter could calculate. Curious blue eyes studied the small woman as she settled onto a stool and studied her drink as though it were the most interesting thing in the universe. Who was she? Dressed in a tailored burgundy pantsuit with an expensive felt trenchcoat tossed negligently across her lap, she was hardly the type to be haunting Doc Hoover’s place. But as Sam intensified her stare, she realized that the redhead wore the elegant business clothing like a uniform. Corporate? Naw, the body language was all wrong. In fact, the way she held herself was not entirely different from the more experienced of the soldiers surrounding her. Then Sam spotted the carefully concealed bulk of a heavy pistol nestled into the small of the woman’s back. She had to be a cop, but certainly not a local one. This firecracker was from much higher on the law enforcement food chain. Burning with habitual curiosity, Sam continued to study the intriguing woman.

Burning with humiliation and regret at laying into the young man so brutally, Dana Scully stared into her drink and kept her hard-earned veneer of icy calm wrapped about her like armor. Yet still she could feel the acid taste of frustration and bitterness burn the back of her throat like the whisky she had tossed down. There were days where she truly and thoroughly despised her job. Those damn UFO loonies in the old power plant needed to be locked up in a safe place somewhere. For their own sake if not everyone else’s. A portal to other planets buried under Cheyenne Mountain indeed. Obviously they had been watching too much Sci-fi channel. The whole idea was too far-fetched for even Mulder to bandwagon for and the military did not have a decent enough sense of humor to have made up the manure they had buried her in. There was nothing under that mountain more exciting than NORAD. Finally she had merely walked out, but not until she had given all three of them a piece of her mind. The little weasels would probably never venture into daylight ever again. A wicked grin spread across the woman’s full mouth as several more SGC personnel walked in.

Some animal part of Sam’s brain jerked her body into motion in response to the ingrained need to save a fellow soldier in danger. When yet another pushy Marine jostled Dana, the emotions she had tamped down flared to life again. Oh, somebody was gonna get it… but a firm grip on her arm snapped her attention around before she could get a full head of steam. Scully found herself staring idiotically into the most gorgeous pair of crystal blue eyes she had ever seen. The androgynous but pretty young thing only inches away was one of the more striking people Dana had met in a long time. Handsome? Beautiful? She was hard-pressed to describe the vision to her mind’s eye. Then it registered to her Navy-brat brain that the sunshine hair was too long for a man in uniform, but short enough to confuse the hell out of her. Then the moment of shocked confusion was gone with the blond woman’s smile.

“Don’t mind them,” she soothed warmly. “They’re just in a hurry for a beer. I’m Sam Carter.”

Dana was perversely grateful to the strange woman for distracting her from the bout of temper that even now was draining out of her. There was something open and friendly about Sam Carter that made Scully smile and grasp the offered hand. She had the kind of warm, innocent appeal that made people pat stray cats and bond with complete strangers.

“Dana Scully. You have nice timing, I was gearing up to lay into that ox.”

“I know.”

The smile deepened as Sam stood from her perch on the stool beside Dana and addressed the man who had jostled the small woman. She was tall and lanky and dressed in a loose casual shirt and faded blue jeans. It was a good look on her.

“Hey Thomson, watch where you put those elbows.”

“Hey Carter, you don’t normally haunt this dive.”

“Just trying to protect the fairer sex from the likes of you.”

Only then did the big man notice the glowering redhead whose personal space he had invaded. Something that would have been a sheepish grimace in a less military face flashed across his features. “Oh, sorry.”

With years of practicing self-control in the most trying of circumstances, Dana refrained from rolling her eyes. But at least Carter’s pointed comment had gotten him to move away a little. So Dana turned back to her unexpected knight in shining armor and gave her a speculative look.

“So are you in the habit of coming to the gallant rescue of strange women?”

It was a provocative comment and Dana had no clue in hell where it had come from. Perhaps the fuzzy edge the whisky was painting her perceptions with? Surprise was quickly replaced with amusement and Sam took a seat again before responding. “I don’t think you needed rescuing, just an efficient distraction. The way you were glaring at him reminded me of a friend of mine when she gets riled up.”

“Ah, I see. Well, you succeeded.”

Long moments passed in a vaguely uncomfortable silence between them. Studying her empty glass, Dana suddenly wondered what the hell she was doing in this place. Then the bartender drifted over in response to that weird sixth sense his kind developed and poured a few more ounces of the golden whiskey into her glass. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sam wince slightly as the alcohol once again vanished. Gasping this time from the burn, Dana shoved the glass away and nearly sent it crashing to the floor.

“Damn, that’s some nasty stuff,” she coughed.

“Rough day huh?”

“Yeah. Yet another strange town full of freaks and lunatics. No offense meant.”

A short huff of humor was Sam’s only reply. After another long beat she spoke again. “So what do you do?”

It sounded like a bad pickup line and they both knew it. Blue eyes and green met and irreverent humor welled up into uncharacteristic laughter. Then and only then, did the last of Scully’s rotten day drain out of her soul.

“Um, I’m a forensic pathologist. How about you?” The look of startled awe on Sam’s face dredged up yet another grin from Dana. “Oh, come on. Never met a girl who studies dead people for science before?”

“I’ve just never met anyone whose career is as weird as mine. I’m a theoretical astrophysicist.”

“An astrophysicist, hmmm? I think I’m out of my league with you.”

“Hardly. That’s a tough line of work you’re in.”

“It has its ups and downs. So what’s a nice scientist like yourself doing in a dive like this?”

“I crunch calculations for NORAD day in and day out. A beer was just what I needed after a long, brain-wearying week.”

It was an easy lie, the cover story that Sam rattled off without missing a beat. There was no way this complete stranger would ever know what really went on beneath the NORAD facility.

The alcohol was definitely getting to her, Dana decided. She certainly was not acting like herself. Especially when she reached out to curl a finger around the silver chain glittering at Sam’s collar. A strange expression ghosted across the pale woman’s face as the dog tags were slowly pulled out from beneath her shirt. Sam answered the unspoken question drawn in Dana’s cocked eyebrow as the tags dangled between them.

“Air Force. Major.”

“Aren’t you a little young for a Major?”

Self-consciously, Sam shrugged and her gaze ducked away from Scully’s piercing and altogether too astute stare. The blonde woman was modest, how cute. Oh yeah, the alcohol was definitely getting to her, Scully mused inwardly. When was the last time she had eaten? Far to tipsy and suddenly uncomfortable with her charming new companion, Dana struggled to her feet. “I need to find coffee and food. Thanks for your company.”

“Wait,” Sam asked softly and once again froze Dana with a gentle hand on her arm. “I’ll show you where there’s this great café around the corner.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“I know, but you’re visiting here. The least I can do is play tour guide. Especially after my tactless fellow soldiers made such a lousy first impression.”

And despite the paranoia and Mulder warning her to trust no one, Scully found herself letting her new friend help her into her coat before following her out of the bar. A quick word to Doc Hoover had Sam’s thick flannel shirt and black leather jacket back in her hands. The crowd had thickened considerably and the two women had to shoulder their way out. Once in the chill night air, Sam shrugged into her warm clothes and glared at the door.

“Now I remember why I don’t come to this place,” she grumbled and a chuckle bubbled up from Scully as she clumsily buttoned up her trench coat before looking around.

“It feels like snow.”

“Maybe. You get snow where you’re from?”

“Oh yeah. DC can be nasty.”

“Hey, I used to be stationed in DC. Small world huh?”

“Not if you work for the government.”

That earned a sharp look and Dana finally saw the seasoned soldier lurking behind Sam’s friendly demeanor. A sharp thrill of some sensation she refused to name bolted from brain to tailbone. There was something about that self-contained menace a true warrior could project that was absolutely riveting.

“I work for the FBI,” Dana heard herself explain quietly in response to that look. It focused inward, shading darker with curiosity and she could practically hear Sam’s quick brain chewing through the information.

“Not looking for me I hope,” was the deadpan response.

The joke caught Dana completely by surprise. She laughed and laughed while Sam grinned in delight and tried to prop her up. It felt wonderful and left happy tears in her eyes.

At the café, Dana left the fate of her stomach in the hands of her new friend while she yanked on her warm gloves and scarf. Had she given the woman any money for food? The alcohol in Dana’s brain laughed manically at her loss of control.

“Brr,” Sam sympathized as she approached with a paper sack and two Styrofoam cups, one of which was handed over. “Didn’t think to ask how you took your coffee, but they make a mean cup of the stuff here.”

“Great. Thanks.” Despite the searing heat of the liquid, Dana took a healthy drink and relished the fine, smoky flavor. “Mmm, this is good,” she purred deliciously and Sam’s laughter rang across the quiet street.

“Now you sound like Daniel. He’s a co-worker, a very good friend of mine, and a coffee snob. You’re a cute little redheaded doctor like Janet, have a poker face that would set Teal’c back on his heels and a wicked sense of humor that would have the Colonel begging to be your love slave. God, my team would adore you.”

Whoever these people were that Sam spoke of, it was obvious she was mad about them. For a moment Dana missed Mulder with a fierce ache that left her breathless before she remembered she was still annoyed with him. Sam was still cracking up and her merriment made Dana chuckle along. “You’re a riot Sam Carter. So, you going to share that bag of goodies, or leave me standing here in a drunken haze?”

“Oh yeah. Walk with me; it’ll help sober you up. You like turkey or roast beef? This place makes the best sandwiches.”

So they wandered through the local park and ate the thick sandwiches with their gloved hands. Still plenty woozy from the whiskey, but with her stomach satisfied, Dana sank down onto one of the children’s swings. Sam straddled the one next to her and they stared up into the clear sky.

“So, can you see my fortune in the stars?” Dana mused thoughtfully as she stared up into the twinkling lightshow. The slightly slurred comment made Sam grin at her new friend.

“Not astrologist, astrophysicist.

“Jus’ yankin’ your chain Sam.”

One small hand did indeed grab the chain of the swing Sam sat in to give it several hard yanks. It knocked both of them off balance and Sam scrambled to catch her tipsy friend before she fell to the cold sand. “Whoa, easy tiger. What kind of tour guide would I be if I let you brain yourself senseless?”

Arms wrapped around the tall woman’ neck, dangling in her embrace, Dana stared into the night-darkened eyes and went perfectly still. A strange energy slunk through her body like some illegal drug and suddenly she knew what it was with absolute clarity. Without thinking, Dana tightened her grip around Sam’s neck and was relieved that she was met halfway. After a moment’s hesitation only a hair’s breadth apart, they met in the little warm place they had created between them. It was decadent and unexpected, the feel of kissing this woman.

Their surroundings faded away as they got to know one another better. Sam was astonished at how good a kisser the fire-haired minx was and that she was kissing her at all. But it felt too good to let someone pay her such wonderful attention and Sam could not bring herself to stop. Warm fuzzies played happily with the arousal growing between them. Relishing the tall woman’s responsiveness, Dana tangled her gloved fingers into the thick gold hair and clung on for dear life.

When they separated it was only far enough to stare in mutual absorption at the other.

“Umm… we probably shouldn’t be doing this,” Sam whispered in a voice that sounded strangled and smoky even to her own ears. Hearing the tone and disregarding the actual words, Dana nuzzled the proud face and purred back.

“Probably not.” Those full lips caressed their way over a sharp cheekbone to explore the sensitive ear. When Sam moaned in earnest, Dana whispered softly in a more provocative tone than she would have given herself credit for. “Screw it soldier, take me home and show me what you’re made of.”

And Samantha Carter found herself doing just that.

After a quick side trip to Dana’s rental car they wandered through the chilly streets with Dana clinging to Sam’s arm. They did not speak, too unnerved and too aware of the chemistry between them. Not until Sam was unlocking her front door did she finally notice the insistent objections of her banal left brain. But it was too late, the moment the door banged shut behind them, Dana reached up to tug Sam’s head down and pick up where they left off.

“Ever done this before?” Startled by the low question murmured against her lips and the busy hands trying to strip her, Sam hummed a wordless negative. Dana grinned and managed to finally get at the bare skin of Sam’s midriff. She swallowed the gasp of reaction to the touch and relished the tight muscles and silky skin. “Me either, but when you looked at me with those sexy blue eyes, I knew I needed you. Thanks for indulging me, I won’t let you regret it.”

And with that odd statement, Sam gave into the fire burning deep inside. So she quickly removed the heavy felt trench coat before crouching to sweep the small woman into her arms. The squeak of surprise made her laugh as she headed for the bedroom.

“Oh my, I had no idea you were such an Amazon,” Dana purred as she continued to nuzzle her companion.

“Never thought I’d be strong enough to carry a lover to bed. I kinda like it.”

“Mmm… me too.”

With much chuckling and sassy commentary they finally managed to get naked and climb into the bed to kiss and cuddle. While Dana liked that this feline woman was playful and affectionate, there were more important things to attend to. Determined to coax as many responses out of this unexpected encounter as humanly possible, she began to work her way down Sam’s lanky body. There were no details for her eyes with only the faint light from the window, but touch and taste and scent more than compensated. Sam’s skin was warm satin everywhere she touched, muscles flat and firm beneath the soft curves. Like a starving woman at a feast, Dana consumed this new experience and left her lover no time to think. Some rational part of her knew she was acting wildly out of character but for once she disregarded it completely. The different tastes and textures of Sam’s body drove her on until at last the larger woman grabbed her by the hair and tugged her up to be held close.

“Enough,” Sam gasped raggedly. “You’re going to kill me… Let me catch my breath… Good god woman…”

Pressed anxiously into Sam’s long body, Dana waited with forced patience for the favors to be returned.

Sam did not disappoint.

X X X X

When Dana woke she was immediately reminded why she did not indulge very often. But the dull ache in her skull was quickly forgotten when her nerves registered the warm body half-sprawled across her limp frame. Of their own volition, her fingers twined into the short gold hair and she felt her knight in shining armor stir lazily. Not a dream then. Dana found that she was enormously pleased with the thought. Then Sam’s body language changed and they both knew that the morning after had just arrived.

“Good morning,” Dana said softly and felt Sam nuzzle into the valley between her breasts for a moment before raising her head. Those stunning eyes were alert and vulnerable beneath the tousled mop of pale hair. Abruptly she grinned, unable to maintain her seriousness and Dana felt her worry drain away.

“Good morning indeed,” Sam whispered and ducked down to steal a quick kiss. Purring gently, Dana deepened the embrace and felt her libido answer this woman’s siren song again. Sam shifted until they were even closer and their nipples rubbed together. Soon they were twined around one another and oblivious of the world around them.

Then the doorbell rang.

Abruptly, Sam jerked her head back, her arousal evaporating away. “Oh shit, I forgot!”

It was obvious to Dana that the focus of the morning had just changed. But they were both professional enough to adapt.

“It’s my team,” Sam stammered as she scrambled from the bed and into her discarded jeans and t-shirt. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Well, she hoped they were both professional enough to adapt. With a sigh, Dana willed her body to calm down and began looking around for her clothes.

The men were beginning to wonder what the hell was keeping Sam when she yanked open the door. Disheveled and half-asleep, she stared at them like they were figments of her imagination.

“Long night, Carter?”

Jack’s sarcasm seemed to finally bring her back to herself and a startled flush colored her cheeks.

“I, uh, forgot about our outing. Can you guys do this one without me?” They would require an explanation and Sam knew it. So she settled for an edited version of the truth. “I had to bail out some drunk stranger from Hoover’s place last night. I didn’t trust any of the jarheads with her.”

“Her?”

“Yes Daniel, her. Some FBI agent from DC who had a bad day and too much whisky. Call me a big softy.” Then she saw Teal’c’s eyes flicker over her head to something behind her and an eyebrow rose. Whirling, she saw a startled-looking Dana standing in the hall watching them. “He-ey, you’re up. How’d you sleep?”

“Fine, considering I overindulged and made a fool of myself last night. Thanks for coming to my rescue.” The half-truth was delivered so convincingly that even Sam believed it. Obviously, the men bought it hook, line and sinker as Dana came over to stand near the door. “You must be the team I dimly remember her mentioning last night. I’m Dana Scully, pleased to meet you.”

This calm professional was so shockingly different from the wildcat from the night before that Sam could only stand there like a complete idiot. Jack smiled winningly and shook Dana’s offered hand. “Jack O’Neill. This is Daniel Jackson and Teal’c. FBI huh?”

Flashing the man a charismatic smile, Dana shrugged and made light of her horrible day yesterday. “My partner sent me here to investigate a rumor that turned out to be a bust. Hazards of the job. Sorry to screw up your day, but I’m grateful that Sam here saw fit to help me out last night.”

The men were thoroughly charmed and made light of her apology.

“No problem. We’ll catch you later Carter,” Jack said breezily and the trio headed back for his car.

“Yes sir,” Sam managed weakly and watched them leave. She gave the smugly grinning Dana a long look as she closed the door. “You are dangerous Agent Scully.”

“Major, you have no idea. Got any coffee? I’ll make you breakfast if you’ve got the stuff.” Still baffled by the exchange between her new companion and her team, Sam gestured at the kitchen and followed Dana there. “They seemed nice,” Dana ventured offhandedly as she prepared coffee. Sam made an affirming sound in her throat but seemed lost to her thoughts. That coaxed Dana to go to her and give the tall woman a distracting kiss. Not until Sam began to respond in earnest did Dana let her up for air. “I’m sorry if I left you in an awkward position.”

“That’s okay, you gave a great performance. I was the one who was acting like an idiot. The stage lost a good one when you took up forensics.”

“Flattery again Sam? You’ll spoil me.”

“You’ll get over it, c’mere.”

Abruptly, Sam grabbed Dana to swallow the small woman’s startled laugh. Right there in the small kitchen they kissed and danced to faint music only they could hear. Soon it would be time to go their separate ways and return to their familiar lives. Until then they had each other.

THE END?