No Escape
No Escape
by Callea
Summary: Sam is captured and must face death. There could be a way out, but Sam may not take it.
Category: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Season: Season 6
Pairing: Daniel/Sam
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
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: 06/17/03
"Which shall I choose? Slow and painful, so I can watch the suffering on your face?" Osiris taunted. " Or quick and easy, so I don't waste my exceedingly precious time on someone as worthless as you?"
In the corner stood a man, hidden by the shadows. He was obviously out of place in the Egyptian-style chamber. Nevertheless, he remained unnoticed as he watched the scene.
Don't you DARE hurt her, he nearly said aloud as the Goa'uld turned toward Sam Carter and removed a large dagger from the sheath beneath her robe. She brought the blade to Sam's face and ran it lightly along the length of her captive's chin.
He had seen her in pain before, and each time he had been there, watching, wanting to rescue her but feeling helpless to do so. This time is different, he thought. I have to help her this time. No one else can do this for her. The man took a step forward as though to attack the woman with the dagger.
But he relaxed and stepped back as quickly as he had come forth. No, she can take care of herself. He reassured himself. There's too much too risk. This situation really isn't that bad. Nothing has happened. Nothing is going to happen. She'll be fine. She can take care of herself, he repeated in his head, trying to convince himself that this woman who was obviously about to be tortured did not need his help.
Despite his effort, thoughts all the times he had helplessly watched her suffer began to creep into his mind. Memories of her crying over a young girl came to the surface. At that moment, all he had wanted to do was pull her close and tell her everything would be okay, that he would make it that way. But he didn't, partly because knew, at least he had thought, that she didn't love him the way he did her, but mostly because he knew he shouldn't have been having those feelings. So he had kept his distance, stayed away, remained useless to her.
He remembered when he had coldly asked her, "You've never really known what love is, have you?" He had seen the hurt in her eyes. He couldn't remember all that he had done under the influence of the sarcophagus, but he remembered that hurt in her eyes. When he had apologized to her, she assured him that it wasn't his fault, but he somehow still felt it was.
And the one time he knew he had the power to save her, he had merely stood by as though he was helpless again, trapped by the rules. He watched as Nirrti experimented on her. He desperately wanted to save her, but he had chosen instead to follow the rules. He realized now that if Sam had died, he would have regretted that decision for the rest of what promised to be his very long life. Even now that he knew the outcome, there were times he regretted his decision.
"You know, I've always been a fan of suffering." Osiris smiled evilly as she pushed the blade farther into Sam's skin, leaving a small gash beneath her ear. Sam flinched and drew in a gasp of air as the pain hit her. The man in the corner gritted his teeth and clamped his eyes shut at the sight, trying to restrain himself from taking action. He squeezed his hands into tight fists as he thought of how easily he could save her, but how helpless he was to do it. He battled inside himself, half of him wanting to sweep in an save the woman he loved like some valiant knight, the other half wanting to run away and stick strictly to the rules.
Osiris laughed and tossed her head back. The sound brought Daniel Jackson out of his thoughts. He eyes snapped open and focused once again on the two women in front of him. Sam's tormentor babbled on, but Daniel heard none of it. The sudden realization that in those moments when he had closed his eyes, Sam could have died sent chills through him.
He watched Osiris raise the ribbon device, and he began moving forward to rip it from her hands. The moment before he acted, he felt a presence, reminding him, or more accurately, warning him not to act. Oma... He signed as he gritted his teeth, resigning himself not to interfere. I have to go... before I do something stupid, he convinced himself. He hoped this would not prove to be the decision that caused him to lose Sam forever. Tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "Please forgive me, Sam."
As he was leaving he heard a short scream escape Sam's lips. If had he still possessed bones, the scream would have pierced straight to the center of them. This was the closest to physical pain he had felt since his ascension. To end the pain, he knew he either had to leave now and never think of Sam again or he had to save her. The former was almost asking the impossible.
To his relief, he heard the ribbon device deactivate. He quickly checked that Sam was still alive. She was, but she could barely move.
"Sam," he whispered. She didn't respond. "Sam," he said more forcefully.
She opened her eyes and saw him kneeling before her. Her mouth moved as though to shape the word, "Daniel."
The Goa'uld paid no attention to her captive as she rambled on as though she received pleasure from the sound of her own voice.
"Sam, you don't have to say anything. Just listen to me. I'm going to get you out of here," he assured her. He looked away as though he were guilty of something. No longer able to meet her eyes, he said, "I'm so sorry I let you get into this. I'm sorry I didn't help you sooner." He looked back into her eyes and said almost to himself, "If I can't help you, what's the point in having the power to help anyone?"
The Jaffa guards holding Sam pushed her down to kneel before Osiris. At that, Daniel looked back at Sam and stated matter-of-factly, "But that doesn't matter now, because I'm getting you out of here."
It seemed that Sam had now regained her grip on her thoughts. "No," whispered Sam with tears in her eyes.
"Sam...," he begged.
"Please don't," she cried.
"How can you say that, Sam? Look at this. She could kill you."
"I'm going to be okay," Sam cried, obviously still in pain. "I can't let you do this."
"This isn't about me!" he nearly shouted, feeling completely helpless once again. "I've failed you so many times. I won't fail you again."
Suddenly one of the Jaffa kicked Sam in the back. Daniel could tell that she was making an extreme effort not to let her pain show, but he also knew that that metal boot in the back must have hurt. He saw the tears in her eyes, but he wasn't sure if they were from the physical pain or from something else.
"Look at what she's doing to you. I have to stop this!"
"No!" Sam shouted as two of the Jaffa then grabbed Sam's hands and lifted her off the floor, dragging her into the center of the room. They began to fasten metal shackles that hung from the ceiling to her wrists.
Sam looked into Daniel's eyes. She was forceful and distinct and she pleaded with him, "I love you. Don't do this just for me. Everything will be fine. I promise you."
"You can't make that promise, Sam. I wish you could, but..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of ways in which Sam would be all right without his help.
He saw Sam's eyes moved toward Osiris as though she had just realized the woman was speaking. "Who is it that you're so deeply in love with that he finds his way into your little hallucination and allows you to escape this horrible reality that I have created for you?" the captor was saying. Sam said nothing in response.
"Oh well, it doesn't matter. You'll soon be dead anyway," Osiris smiled. With a flourish of her robe, she turned quickly and exited the room.
As soon as the doors had closed, Sam spoke up, "Daniel, I've spent the time since you've left hoping that you would come back to me... If you do this, what's going to happen to you?"
To Daniel, Sam seemed to have become calm, almost comfortable under the circumstances. Her only emotions he could detect were sadness, hurt, and fear for his life, not her own. He wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, but that would mean lying to her. He couldn't do that, even if he felt it was for her own good, "I... Maybe I'll be human again... I honestly don't know."
"Or maybe you'll be executed. Daniel, I'm not going take the chance that you may never come back. While you've been gone, at least I've had hope." A tear ran down her cheek as she spoke. "There's some small possibility that you may decide you're through with ascension. Then you'll come back to me. I won't let you take that away."
"Sam, forgive me for stating the obvious, but if you're dead, I can't come back. There's nothing you can do to stop me, Sam. I'm sorry. I'm getting you out." He stated matter-of-factly.
She looked directly into his eyes and spoke softly, yet forcefully, "Daniel, just give me more time. Something will happen. Just give them some time and I'm sure the Colonel, Teal'c, and Jonas will come up with something."
He paused to think then sighed heavily and said in a defeated tone, "Okay. You're right. I'll give it some more time."
Having explained to Sam his reason for departing, Daniel materialized next to Anubis as Osiris entered the chamber and bowed before him. "My Lord, I have begun interrogation of the prisoner. I believe that it will not be much longer before I have obtained all of the secrets of the Tau'ri."
"Forget the interrogation. It is useless. They are weak and defenseless against us." Anubis boomed.
"My Lord, perhaps..."
"Silence! I have made my decision. Now kill her."
"Yes, Lord Anubis," Osiris bowed again as she exited the chamber.
Instantaneously, Daniel was right by Sam's side. His voiced was hurried and panicked as he spoke, "Sam, listen to me. I know you wanted me to wait, but there's no more time. We have to get you out of here and we have to do it NOW."
"Daniel, slow down. What's happening?" she questioned as she noted that even after ascension, he really hadn't changed as much as she thought he would.
He took a long, deep breath, then moved until he was only inches from Sam's face. "We can't wait Sam. She's on her way to kill you, and she won't be playing around this time. You only have a few minutes, then she IS going to kill you. I'm not going to let that happen, Sam."
"Okay."
"Thank you," he said. Relief washed over him. She was finally willing to let him help her. Suddenly the realization of the situation sank in: helping the woman he loved might mean the end of his life. At the very least it would mean severe punishment. That doesn't matter. Don't even think about that, he thought as he prepared to rescue Sam.
"I'm going to ascend," Sam stated.
He had already considered the possibility. "You can't," he told her.
"What do you mean I can't?" she asked indignantly.
"I don't mean you can't, like you're not capable. But," he paused, contemplating his words, "you wouldn't be doing it for yourself. I know it's not something you want. You're not like me. I chose this path, but yours is on earth. You can't ascend by trying to escape death. You also can't ascend by trying to save me. You have to want it, and I know that in your heart you don't."
Sam opened her mouth to interrupt, but Daniel quickly raised his hand and brought his fingers to her lips. "Please let me help you. Just accept that this is something that you can't handle and let me save your life. I know that I hurt you when I left, so let me make up for it now."
Sam closed her eyes and tears began to roll down her cheeks. "How is loosing you going to make up for you leaving?" she asked bitterly through her tears.
"Sam," he whispered as he stepped closer and looked into her eyes. Daniel hated to see her cry, and he wanted nothing more than to take away her pain, but he couldn't. Some day it would all fade away, and she would forget the pain of loosing him. All that really mattered was that she would still be alive.
A second before the door opened, his voice became more alarmed, "Sam, she's back."
Osiris strode through the doors to Sam's cell with one intention. "And now," she gloated, "you will die."
"I hope you'll forgive me," Daniel said as Sam's captors all fell to the ground, unconscious and her hands were freed from their bindings.
Sam nodded slowly and the instant after he incapacitated Sam's captors, Daniel found himself floating in a space void of all light and sound.
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