Lost and Lonely1
Lost and Lonely1
by JoLo
Summary: After Sam being lost on a planet for over a month, everyone agrees it is time they were truthful about their feelings.
Category: Action/Adventure, Future Story, Humor, Romance
Season: future Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: PG-13
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: 02/29/04
Lost and lonely
PART 1
He knew that time was running out and, frustratingly for Daniel, the gate didn't seem to be getting any closer. The soft gravel was slowing him down and exhaustion was beginning to set in. The hours of travelling in hostile conditions hadn't helped. He glanced behind him to check how far away the others were. It seemed to him that he had been out leading the way for a very long time, too long it seemed for them to trust his judgement. Something was bound to go wrong soon.
O'Neill was leading the trailing group, dragging along with him one of the Tok'ra operatives. Palmar had been caught in the trap that had been laid for them. A staff weapon blast had ripped open his right shoulder and he was loosing far too much blood. After Carter had patched him up as best as she could, O' Neill had hoisted Palmar onto his body as much as possible and was taking his full weight on his right shoulder.
"Keep going, we're gonna do this!" O' Neill screamed, not only at Palmar but at his team and the three other Tok'ra. "Daniel, dial up quick!"
He knew that Daniel didn't need the prompt but giving the order made him feel a little more in control of his command and his own fears.
---------------------------
It was Teal'c who had first alerted O' Neill to the presence of the Jaffa. They had been on the second day of the scientific mission when he spoke of his growing concern. Gentle movements in the undergrowth, followed by absolute silence and the unexplained lack of birds and animals, all added to the artificial and threatening mood. Carter had also sensed something.
"I can't put it into words Sir. It's just not right. There are no tracks, no signs of any presence here in the past. It's as if the area has been wiped clean on purpose. The whole situation is just too perfect, no flaws at all."
"Ah, so much like me! Flawless and perfect! Now I know why I feel so at home here!"
O'Neill had sensed unease in his team for a while but thought that humour, even his appalling attempts, might lighten the atmosphere a little. Daniel was not impressed and added his concerns to the discussion.
"I was expecting signs of civilisation but in all the places it should be there's nothing there. There should be scattered signs of a past race, remains of buildings. I was hoping to be able to collect and take back artefacts but there's absolutely nothing here."
Josef, the oldest and, O'Neill had presumed, the most experienced of the Tok'ra, put forward his opinion. "I agree with every observation. The planet has an unnatural atmosphere. We have been aware for some time of a growing tension. As Major Carter said it is `just not right.' "
"Make the most of it folks", O' Neill jokingly reassured all those around him. "It's not often we come to a planet that is this quiet. We could take the opportunity to enjoy ourselves. We could sunbathe; have bonding sessions, play charades. Let's make the most of ............"
He was interrupted by a violent blast from a staff weapon, hitting some of the recording equipment that Carter had insisted on bringing to the planet. A second blast had been a direct hit, resulting in Palmar's shoulder wound.
--------------------------------
After 7 hours on the run and now only a short distance from the gate, Daniel reached for his GDO, fumbling to hold it through a haze of exhaustion and uncertainty. He crouched next the DHD, praying the others would reach him before another onslaught. He could see Sam and Teal'c stumbling on, carrying all the remaining packs between them. The three healthy Tok'ra trailed behind, continually checking back to the tree line, from where the Jaffa soldiers were about to appear. Everybody was beginning to gather at the base of the DHD, sheltering together, while Daniel punched the address in. Screams of weapon fire hit the ground, causing the earth to rumble with disgust. Palmar groaned as O'Neill unceremoniously dumped him to the ground.
"Daniel, some time today would be useful!" Daniel struggled to speak and concentrate at the same time.
"I'm going......... as fast as I ......... can, can't go......... any faster. Like to but...... just not possi........."
He was interrupted by a blast which lifted him off his feet. He landed head and shoulders first behind O'Neill and lay lifeless.
"Aw, crap! This is deja vu all over again. Carter, take over dialling!"
"Yes Sir."
Within seconds the remainder of the address had been entered and the gate had burst into life. The watery welcome gave everybody a new supply of strength and courage.
The hidden Jaffa timed their appearance perfectly, rushing out from behind a clump of trees behind, their staff weapons raised. O' Neill had never worked out how so many Jaffa had managed to hunt them so silently but the waves of soldiers in the distance were a shocking reminder of the frantic hours they had experienced. With no time for rest, the group had run, hidden, stopped briefly twice, never panicked and always managed to keep ahead of the Jaffa. It seemed that luck was on their side, allowing them to regroup and work as a team, to protect Palmar and make their way to relative safety. O'Neill was secretly amazed that they hadn't been picked off one by one and put it down to the praying that he was privately doing and the famous SG1 luck that seemed to follow them everywhere they went. Teal'c dropped his pack and, bending down, hoisted Daniel's unconscious body over his shoulder in one forceful movement.
"Carter, leave the packs, that's an order! Get moving!"
----------------------
O'Neill arrived in the gate room first, now struggling with Palmar. Daniel's emergency code had alerted General Hammond to a possible need for medics. They took Palmar from an exhausted O'Neill and immediately transported him away.
"More medics needed, Daniel's hurt. Teal'c's bringing him through," yelled O' Neill.
Help started to arrive just as Teal'c pushed through with Daniel, limply hanging over his shoulder, his blood dripping down the back of Teal'c' uniform.
"We need to talk immediately Colonel," Hammond called down from the control room.
"Yes Sir, great to be back Sir, didn't bring any gifts back this time Sir. But hey ...... thanks for caring! We had a great time, took in the sights, had a few beers. Daniel got some rocks, Carter twiddled some dials. I think Teal'c had a little burst of excitement. Oh and by the way, the intel the Tok'ra gave us was very good, except that they forgot to tell that the PLANET WAS COVERED WITH JAFFA...... WAITING FOR US!!!!!"
Teal'c was carefully resting Daniel on a second trolley as Hammond arrived in the gate room.
"I know Colonel. The Tok'ra contacted us and kept us up to date. The presence of the Jaffa was as much a surprise............"
The gate room was suddenly peppered with fire from Jaffa blast weapons. A voice came out over the loudspeakers.
"General Hammond, Carter here. It's a trap... close gate now."
"General we can't," interrupted O' Neill."Carter and three Tok'ra are still there." "Permission to go back and assist."
"I would also like to offer my assistance," volunteered Teal'c.
"That's not an option............... close the gate!"
"General!"
"Colonel. We have no idea what you'll be walking in to. Major Carter is making a sensible call. The safety of our codes, the SGC and its workforce, has much more of a higher priority at the moment."
The gate room was now silent with O'Neill and Teal'c standing at the bottom of the ramp, staring at what had been Carter's only means of escape. Teal'c stepped close to O' Neill and spoke quietly.
"Major Carter is an experienced warrior who will be able to keep herself safe until we can mount a rescue operation."
"Yeah, right!"
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PART TWO
Carter knew there was only one decision to make.
"General Hammond, Carter here. It's a trap......... close gate now."
"Major, there is little time left. We have to aim for cover. There is a wooded area beyond the Stargate. We will be shielded by the open wormhole for a short while."
Carter turned to Josef, one of the three remaining Tok'ra operatives that she was now going to be sharing every moment with.
"OK, let's move."
They disappeared behind the gate, shielded temporarily from the advancing Jaffa. Within seconds the advantage was lost. The closing of the Stargate made them easy targets. Blasts from the staff weapons were hitting the ground around them, making minor craters. The panic of the moment was controlled by Carter's military training and although they seemed to know what to do, the three men were happy for her to lead the way.
"There's a cliff formation up ahead, run for it. I'll stay and draw their fire. One of you search for cover, the others give me cover as soon as you can."
Josef led the group, ordering Mantof over to the cliffs to find a way through. When they were in a position of relative safety, Josef called to Carter. At the sound of his voice she ran for her life, dodging the Jaffa's weapon fire as she ran. Eventually she arrived at the short, stubby undergrowth and met Josef, who had obvious determination etched across his face.
"Well done, Major. We need to keep moving, if at all possible and try and join forces with Mantof."
The three ran towards the rock formation, searching for the Tok'ra and a safe way out. The ground around them was being pounded with the sound of weapon fire as the Jaffa closed in on their prey. Sem'nar, a slight young man, was tiring and visibly slowing down. Panic was beginning to seep into his face. He stumbled heavily, landing on the rocky surface. Carter immediately doubled back.
"Major, we do not have the time to go back. We must head for cover and leave Sem'nar behind."
Carter screamed over the noise of gunfire, "We don't leave anyone behind, ever! Give me cover."
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"Sir, how long are we gonna sit here with our heads up our asses? We have to go back for Carter now! The longer she stays on that planet the less chance there is to find her or get her back. And what is the Tok'ra doing to help? As usual they butt in, mess up the action and then leave us in a hole with no suggestions of how to get out of it."
"Jack, I know you're worried about Major Carter but we are not sending any teams in until we know it's safe. The Tok'ra`s assessing the situation for us."
"Oh, come on General, you know that that's crap! Again we are depending on someone we don't trust. I am not having one of my team relying on the Tok'ra. She's one of ours, we get our own back. I'm not playing second..."
"That's enough Colonel.........we have no choice!"
The room went silent.
"Jack," Hammond continued. " I know how you must be feeling. Major Carter is special to us all. Hell, if I could, I'd be out there looking for her myself! Now, you will sit tight and you will rely on our allies to assist us in this rescue. SG1 will be rested until we get her back. So, find something to do. Do your paperwork. Take up pottery. Go fishing!!"
O' Neill made his way down to Daniel's office, mumbling as he walked. All of the SGC personnel knew that it was not a good idea to try and involve themselves in any conversations with the Colonel for the time being. It had been four days since they lost Carter and O'Neill was in no mood for pleasantries. With his head down he charged through the corridors until he reached the unsuspecting archaeologist.
"We gotta do something Daniel, Hammond's stuck on the same theme, `We can't do anything to upset the Tok'ra.'"
"You've got to understand Jack," explained Daniel. "Hammond is in a difficult situation. He's got Jacob trying to push the High Council into making a quicker decision. Jacob's personally going through hell, worrying about where Sam is. You've only got a member of your team missing. He's got a daughter, someone he cares a great deal about."
Jack suddenly went quiet, looking down at the floor, hands shoved deep into his trouser pockets.
"Jacob has every reason to be emotional, to pace up and down, have sleepless nights and be bad tempered. I don't know where you get off having the same............"
Suddenly the penny dropped!
"Oh, I see! Bad tempered, irrational decisions, nagging General Hammond to go on suicide missions. You've finally got there, haven't you?"
"Got where?"
"To the point where you are ready to admit you're missing her like hell."
"Ah cut the crap, Daniel! Like me, you know how irreplaceable Carter is. It would take forever to find someone to take her place, someone I could understand when they talk that techno babble."
"No Jack, you cut the crap! Be honest with me at least. If you've finally got to the moment in time where you're going to admit to me that you have feelings for Sam, then at least come out with it. Teal'c and I have watched you two for a long time. You think you can hide your feelings or even pretend you haven't got any. We've seen you. The quick glances when you think no one's looking. How you worry when she's in danger. And the flirting!! And don't think you're alone, she's as bad as you."
"Oh, come on Daniel. The only thing she has feelings for is her job."
"Yeah, but she's in love with you."
O'Neill stopped pacing Daniel's office and headed for the door. "I didn't come here for this. I need you to help me persuade Hammond to OK a mission. He might listen to you more than me."
"I've already tried Jack," Daniel answered sympathetically. "Every opportunity I've had, I've gone to him and given him a variety of reasons for us to drop everything. He's adamant. We wait for the Tok'ra. You'll have to do the same. But......... do me a favour Jack?"
"Anything."
"Next time you come to speak to me be prepared to tell me the truth about how you feel or don't bother coming at all."
Jack took a long look around the room, not wanting to make eye contact with Daniel.
"Meet you for coffee later?" suggested Daniel.
"Yeah, whatever."
------------------------------
PART THREE
They had stumbled on the cave system by accident. Trying to keep Sem'nar on the move was a struggle. His inexperience was obvious and although the others were willing to go at his pace, there was genuine concern about the way that he was holding the group back. Sem'nar sensed their panic.
"Leave me here with a weapon. I can hold them off for you and give you time to escape."
"No we all stay together," Josef panted back his reply. "Wait here with Major Carter. Mantof and I will determine how much time we have left before the Jaffa arrives."
In the time they rested, while waiting for Josef and Mantof's return, Sem'nar again tried to persuade Carter to move forward without him.
"Please Major Carter, I don't want to be a burden," Sem'nar pleaded. "From here," he said, propping himself up against a wall of rock, "I can watch for them coming and then ............."
His body weight was all that was needed to dislodge the hidden entrance to a vast, dark opening. Thinking quickly, Sam whispered, "Quick, in here."
The noise of the rock fall had alerted Josef and Mantof, who were already on their way back to the hiding place. They dived into the void with Carter and Sem'nar. Immediately, they began stacking the rocks up to form an instant barrier, a defence against the approaching search teams. Sam quickly wiped out any tell tale footprints and stepped through the shrinking entrance. They stood in silence for what seemed like forever. Muffled noises approached the path and stopped. Sam sensed that everybody was holding their breath. She stayed near to Sem'nar, to give him the moral support he needed. The noises moved away, trudging off into the distance. Instantly, they turned and looked down into the chasm they were now entombed in.
"Shall we explore?" whispered Mantof, light heartedly.
"We will need to make a decision soon," Josef suggested. "I do not think it will be long before they return to retrace their steps. We need to be as far away from here as possible."
"I'll stay here and protect the wall," offered Sem'nar. "Anyone who comes through will need to be disposed of."
"No," Sam and Josef answered together.
"You will not be left behind," Josef explained.
His warm glance at Sam was enough for her to know that he had adopted her views on not abandoning fellow soldiers. She responded with a gentle nod. They walked for a long while, most of the journey taking them down through tunnels that had not been travelled through for a very long time. Small outcrops made their journey a challenge, the damp surfaces making footholds slippery and uncertain. They soon adjusted to the semi-darkness, warning each other about half seen dangers, not pausing for longer than a few seconds to rest and regroup. Carter knew that they would soon have to stop soon and gather their thoughts. Sem'nar, meanwhile, had got over the exchange of fire at the gate and was growing in confidence. Obviously at home in the confines of the cave, he soon took turns leading the way, his natural ferreting ability helping with any decisions about changes in direction.
"Do you need to rest at all Major?" asked Josef.
"Not necessarily but thank you," Sam answered confidently. "Any chance of you calling me Sam? I got a feeling that we will be dropping a lot of the formalities for quite a while, don't you?"
"I agree, it does seem..............."
"Sam, over here. I've found an opening!" Josef and Sam smirked at each other.
"Looks like Sem'nar has already got the hang of being informal, so Sam it is!" Josef grinned.
They followed the sound of Sem'nar's voice, with Mantof looking back regularly for any sign of Jaffa. Sem'nar was digging feverishly at a loose pile of stones.
"Quick, I feel fresh air through here," he called.
They feverously pulled the rocks away, working like an undisciplined gang. Very soon, daylight shone through onto their faces and the cool inviting air filled the tunnel. They knew that this could be the breakthrough they needed, literally. Without this escape route, they could be entombed in an unwelcome prison with only one escape, back into the arms of the Jaffa search parties.
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The Stargate stood waiting for its visitors. In fact, most of the people in the complex were waiting for Jacob's arrival. It had been a long and frustrating month for the base. O' Neill and Teal'c had been on leave for two weeks. Teal'c had visited friends on Tulac and had recently returned from spending his last days with Ray'ac and Bra'tac. O'Neill had sulked around the base for a while until Hammond ordered him off the mountain. He eventually decided to travel to his cabin. He spent most of his days sitting around the river, staring at nothing in particular and having the occasional mumble about the state of his life, his job and his future. He also talked a lot to Carter, both shouting and whispering his jumbled thoughts.........
"Next time we don't take all those dohickeys with us. How many times have I told you they are not worth bothering with?"
"Ya know what? I keep thinking we coulda done that day better. If you'd have dialled us in Daniel woulda been at the back with Teal'c."
"Dammit Carter, you're a pain in the ass, you know that?"
"Bet you're boring those Tok'ra with all of your scientific mumbo jumbo. No............ I bet you're charming them."
"Just stay safe............... yeh that's right........................... stay safe."
He was also finding it difficult to sleep and he broke his golden rule and took a phone with him, thereby annoying everyone on the base, especially General Hammond with his constant, "I'm just checking in" phone calls.
"Jack, if you phone me one more time today I will come there myself and feed you to the fish!"
"Sorry General. You won't hear a peep from............... but you have got my number right? Just in............"
The phone had gone dead.
"He's so touchy, must be the stress getting to him."
---------------------
The wormhole engaged and the gate room was full of expectant soldiers. The lone figure of Jacob Carter appeared in front of them, looking haggard. He slowly made his way down the ramp, taking in all of the anxious eyes following his progress. He nodded various acknowledgements, until his eyes rested on Jack O'Neill's. He could see the frustration and anger in Jack's eyes but there was something else much deeper filtering through, something O'Neill thought he had managed to hide. Or perhaps he didn't know he was showing it.
"Jacob."
"Jack."
"How ya doing?"
"Fine. You?"
"Peachy. Couldn't be better!"
"Any news, Jacob?" Hammond interrupted.
"No George, I delayed coming here, hoping I could bring some up to date intel but..............." His voice trailed off as Sel'mac chose to speak.
"Greetings General Hammond. I share Jacob's frustration with the situation."
"Like hell you do!" blasted O'Neill.
"Jack, the Tok'ra has assured us that they are trying their best to contact the group," said Hammond.
"Ow, for crying out loud General. They've let us down before and they'll do it again. We won't know half of the facts, they'll change plans without consulting us, have wacko ideas and when we complain about the procedures and being left out of the loop they'll call us `spoilt children.'"
"Jack, Jacob and Selmac have assured me that we will be treated with respect. They too had a lot to lose in this joint operation. You know we all agreed that this was a real chance for the two races to get closer and trust each other."
"Could you write that down for them General? It's just that at opportune moments their memory goes and let's face it, most of the time the Tok'ra talk out of the asses!!"
"That's enough, Colonel," Jacob butted back into the argument. "I trust the Tok'ra and I expect you to trust me. I presume you do?"
"Yeh,Yeh." O'Neill grumbled something else that wasn't supposed to be for anybody's ears and stormed out into the corridor.
"How long's he been like this?" Jacob asked.
"The whole month," Daniel replied grimly.
"He has given us many injuries to our backside," Teal'c informed Jacob."He has not been the best of company since Major Carter failed to return."
"As Teal'c explained so eloquently, Jack has been a pain in the butt since we lost Sam," Daniel added. "It didn't help when she was officially reported as missing in action."
There was a brief moment of silence until Hammond suggested that he and Jacob went somewhere private to talk.
----------------------
"Jack."
"Jacob."
"Calmed down a bit?"
"A bit."
"Enough?"
"Never enough."
"Pissed off?"
"You bet ya."
"This doesn't help you know."
"What?"
"Being a miserable bastard."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Have patience."
"Don't have any more."
"Set an example?"
"No chance."
"Take a break?"
"Tried that."
"Resign?"
"Tempted."
"And where's the disciplined soldier gone?"
Silence
"You've handled worse that this, Jack."
Silence
"What are you not telling me?"
Silence
"She'll be OK, Jack."
Silence
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
Silence
"Why do you keep all this bottled up? It's not good for you and it's not helping. When she gets back are you going to tell her how you feel?"
"What?"
"How you feel about her?"
"What?" yelled O'Neill. "Have you been talking to Daniel?"
"About what?" teased Jacob.
"I'm outta here!"
Jacob let Jack storm out of the room. Daniel appeared from around the office door.
"Well?"
"You're right, he's in love. I don't know if I should panic or celebrate," joked Jacob. "But you're right...... until he admits it, he's gonna be hell to live with!"
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PART FOUR
The group has settled into a safe survival routine. They had used up all of their emergency rations and had got into foraging for food in shifts. They had travelled full circle and were now entrenched not too far from the Stargate. Taking turns they had been observing the comings and goings of the handful of Jaffa who were guarding their only escape route. They were now relaxed, as relaxed as the situation would allow. Sem'nar had got over his initial panic, which could have been a potential weakness in the team and had now taken on the role of chief expert on survival. Sam could imagine that in his childhood he was an explorer, always getting lost and terrifying his parents. He had grown attached to Sam in a brother-sister way and always looked to her for praise and reassurance.
Mantof had become very quiet, absorbed in his own private thoughts, mentioning his family often.
Josef had allowed himself to become very fond of Sam, staying close to her whenever possible, sleeping and eating next to her and watching her when he thought she couldn't see him. His obvious respect for her was overshadowed by the romantic attachment that he was slowly forming. He couldn't really decide when it was he first realised he had feelings for her. He was usually the consummate soldier, true only to the Tok'ra cause. Nothing had ever distracted him from the passionate hatred for the Goa'uld and the commitment to contributing to their final downfall. But, this woman had made feelings surface. Feelings he would have thought of as weaknesses. He was in trouble and the surprising thing was he was enjoying feeling this way. He only hoped that the nervous excitement he was experiencing would not deter him from his mission and would not be obvious to Sam. He tried to keep his distance from her, placing others between him and her, making himself busy, sleeping as far apart from her as possible.
Sam was completely unaware of any of this. From the beginning of their incarceration on the planet she had treated him as a soldier, an equal, one that she knew she was relying on more and more. As they all settled into a routine Sam began to wonder whether she was going to cope being on the planet with three Tok'ra. The Tok'ra had always been a group thought; she had never really experienced character in their race, no individuals, no clowns, no weaknesses and no sad characters - just the Tok'ra.
Of course there had been Martouf......
Now she was watching three men unfold and blossom in front of her. Josef, the serious one, the experienced warrior, too harsh at times, always ready to put Sem'nar in his place, to squash his natural exuberance. She felt Josef watching over her, doing the manly bit, treating her sometimes as a weaker player, one who needs protection. That annoyed her but also flattered her.
Although she always wanted equality at the base and with SG1, there were times when she missed being a woman. Compliments were few and far between and if they came, they were given awkwardly. Daniel was like a brother; Teal'c just showed a healthy respect for her. Although, there had been times recently, like when they lost the Colonel to Ba'al, Teal'c had been there for her, showing a bond that had never surfaced before.
Then there was the Colonel. She had skimmed through so many moments with him, they seemed to blur together. He was her commanding officer and was good at it. He was a soldier and was very good at that. He was a friend, one who she couldn't live without. He, at times, threw her off guard with an unexpected smile or quiet remark that made her realise that she was important to him. She had eventually got used to his humour. That had been one of her biggest challenges. As a compact `take it or leave' guy, he was right for her. They worked well together; they were beginning to relax in each other's company and knew each other's quirky ways.....
"Sam, where are you?" Sem'nar interrupted her thoughts.
"Excuse me?"
"You have a very satisfied smile on your face. I presume it is about something pleasant, perhaps something you are missing greatly? Perhaps it is a thought that will help you and us go on."
"It's not quite like that, I was just thinking."
"About someone? Your father perhaps?"
Sam decided that she didn't want to cope with any more probing questions.
"That's right. I'm sure he's somewhere stamping his feet, complaining that not enough's being done to get his little girl home."
"I am also close to me father. He is probably telling all who will listen that his son is a hero but privately cursing the fact that I was captured."
"But you haven't. I'll tell him," Sam continued with a twinkle in her eye, "that you helped to design a highly skilled escape route, through a treacherous cave system that could have led to certain death!"
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Mantof interrupted. He had been watching the guarded Stargate for hours for any moments of weakness.
"They have reduced the guards to only four. We now have a chance to overpower them, if we strike soon."
Mantof had been monitoring the situation even though he had been ordered to rest. He had presumed that the hidden cave had worked and that the Jaffa had not found their escape route. He had been hinting at the idea that, if carefully timed, they could escape and gate to another planet. There were many neutral planets in the systems that were barren, unpopulated or downright inhospitable. The Tok'ra used these planets as an emergency escape route which could eventually led to a safe retrieval site. After discussing the dangers and logistics of any such operation, they agreed that at the first chance they would gate to one such planet and from there keep on the move until they were certain that the Jaffa had not followed them.
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"General Hammond Sir, we think the Stargate on PX 392 has been activated," Sgt Davis announced, as he rushed into the General's office.
"When?"
"About 15 minutes ago."
"Organise a meeting in the briefing room in 5 minutes."
Hammond arrived to find the men of SG1 pacing the room.
"Sit down gentlemen Davis will be with us in......"
"Sorry to keep you Sirs. Last minute intel just arrived," puffed Davis, skidding into the meeting.
"What ya got?" O'Neill asked, rather impatiently.
"About twenty five minutes ago the Stargate on PX 392 was activated Sir. We have just finished checking with the Tok'ra and they have confirmed its use."
"So what else can they tell us?" asked Daniel.
"Well, from what we can gather, Major Carter and the Tok'ra operatives have gated to a new planet, one known to the Tok'ra as a top secret base. It's been kept secret from the Goa'uld especially for a situation like this."
"Like what?" O'Neill asked.
"If the Tok'ra's ever pinned down by the Goa'uld, they need an escape route that can be guaranteed safe. They transfer quickly from planet to planet very much like us when we bounce a signal off of a system of satellites. If they stay on a planet for a matter of seconds and move enough times, the chasing Jaffa will not be able to keep track. We think they've set this plan into action."
"How will we know if they have succeeded?" asked Teal'c.
"Apparently, they have four final destination addresses. Each operative can choose his own route to his choice of final destination. When the final gate is activated it will set off a signal that will register on the Tok'ra home world."
"So, let me guess," O'Neill groaned, "We wait some more!"
"I'm afraid so Sir. There are teams of Tok'ra gathering on all of the four planets."
"Well............?" hinted O'Neill.
"I'll contact the Tok'ra and suggest that SG teams are based at all four gates as well," agreed Hammond.
"There you go Sir," smiled O'Neill. "Waiting's over!"
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Things at Carter's end weren't going as smooth as everybody hoped for. Very soon after they gated to their first destination, they were followed through by two of the Jaffa guards. Even though the group had successfully dealt with the four guards at the gate, others had heard the exchange of fire and reacted immediately. Sadly the pursuers had to be disposed of, two young Jaffa with fresh faces that were also full of a healthy hatred for Carter and the Tok'ra. As they settled near the Stargate on the new planet, Mantof suggested that they waited nearby to see if any others followed.
The dry heat of the planet was an obvious reason for not using it as a permanent or even temporary base. No vegetation, dry dust topsoil, hardly any shelter and absolute silence greeted them as they tried to rest behind massive boulders that had been thrown down from a high up overhang. What had once been a natural formation was scared and ruined by past Gould mining, presumably for Naquada deposits. The team gathered their breath and thoughts, all resting in silence, trying to scan for any danger that might be present. Josef scanned the area.
"It seems to have been abandoned for many years. Do we go into the rocks for shelter or move onto the next address?"
"Perhaps we wait for a while, like Mantof suggested, to see if any more unwelcome visitors arrive," Sem'nar answered.
They sheltered for 30 minutes, which actually seemed like hours. The distant horizon was slowly becoming mesmerising. It hadn't registered with any of them on their arrival but now it seemed to be dominating the view. Carter couldn't take her eyes off of it. What had been a clear, distinct line had slowly turned into a blistering wave of heat. She could sense that the others were also concentrating on the anomaly and were becoming nervous about its approach.
"I feel we are in grave danger," whispered Sem'nar. "I am concerned about the disturbance in the distance. It seems to be getting closer. Have you also noticed that the temperature has risen?"
Without warning Carter instinctively ran for the gate. The three Tok'ra, sharing her concerns joined in the evacuation. Josef managed to run passed Carter and began to punch in the new address. They all waited nervously until the gate gave birth to another wormhole and safety. As they stumbled down the steps of the new world Josef wasted no time. As soon as the wormhole had closed, he punched in a new address. They went through this process four more times, not staying at each new planet for more than a few seconds.
Stepping through the seventh gate was a completely different experience. They were met by a warm luscious, palm treed stretch of beach.
"Looks like heaven," sighed Carter. "Can I have a vacation here, I have my bathing suit and I just fancy a nice cold beer!"
Josef saw for the first time a Carter he had never seen before, a relaxed, more feminine side to her. He gulped to himself, thankfully, as she started to strip off her combats. Tying them around her waist, she stood wearing a very short tank top. He was just beginning to collect himself when she took a long deep breath, filling her lungs with the sweat air that was around them. All three Tok'ra held their breath for a split second, with Carter completely unaware of the effect she was having on them. After an embarrassing few seconds for the three men Mantof brought the situation back under control.
"We really should gate to the next co-ordinates immediately. This planet has been placed on our list of emergency connections for a reason. If it were safer we would use it more often."
"I agree," Sem'nar butted in. "We must soon be ready........."
The conversation was interrupted by a whistling sound that pierced the air and then a dull thud, as Mantof's body hit the ground. Carter went into soldier mode, raising her weapon in the direction of the attack. Turning her back on Mantof, she quietly gave orders without hesitation. Sem'nar and Josef reacted. Josef being the strongest of the two remaining Tok'ra, hoisted a groaning Mantof over his shoulder. Carter put herself between Josef and the unseen enemy. She peppered bullets towards the undergrowth as the group ran for cover. The stretch of scrub and trees was to be their protection and home for the next few hours. There were no visible signs of their attackers and they did not think it a very sensible idea to move into open space, to try and reason with any of the planet's inhabitants. Carter used her emergency medic skills, to successfully remove the arrow that had been lodged into Mantof's shoulder. She was concerned about the damage and the bleeding. All three knew they couldn't waste too much time stuck on the planet. Luckily, everything had gone quiet.
----------------------------------
PART FIVE
Jacob found Jack sitting on his own, looking thoroughly miserable.
"Jack"
"Jacob"
"How you doing?"
"Great, really great!"
O'Neill, Daniel and Teal'c had met up with Jacob on the planet that the Tok'ra had decided was the most likely exit route. Josef had used the route before and it was considered to be the most hospitable of the four planets. Just as a matter of caution, Tok'ra groups had been stationed on the other three planets. It had been agreed that it would not take very long for the SG team to transfer to one of these if Josef had chosen an unexpected retrieval site. Jacob had been looking for Jack for a while and it was Teal'c who told him where he could find the Colonel.
"He has been sitting by the camp fire all evening. He did the same last night and will no doubt be there tomorrow if the waiting for Major Carter continues. He prefers to be by himself and is happy to not talk to anyone."
"He's taking this bad isn't he?" suggested Jacob.
"He misses her although he will not admit it," continued Teal'c. "With the situation that they both find themselves in, it is easier to pretend that there is no attraction. At times like this, of course, he finds it much harder to follow your military rules."
"I've never been able to talk to him or Sam about this," explained Jacob.
"I suppose I'm correct in thinking she feels as strongly as he does?" he continued.
"You are correct. Like O'Neill, Major Carter knows it is wrong to feel the way she does. On two separate occasions I have observed her sadness on losing O'Neill. The first time when she thought he was going to remain with Laira on her planet. The second, when O'Neill was captured by Ba'al."
"I thought she'd held it together well when Jack was taken."
"On one occasion," explained Teal'c, "I had to comfort her in the locker room. She cried, not coping with realisation that O'Neill may not be coming back."
"Why don't I get to hear about this?"
"Because like O'Neill, she wishes to keep her emotions to herself. She would never want anyone to know of her feelings and would not want anyone to believe that those feelings make her a weak soldier."
"They need help," Jacob whispered quietly.
"Indeed."
-------------------------------
"So, how are you really doing?"
"OK, really, really!"
"Don't you want to come and join the rest of us?"
"No,............ not feeling very sociable today."
"Or yesterday, or the day before that?"
"Your point?"
"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Jack."
"What?"
"This."
"This what?"
"OK, let's cut the crap. You're missing Sam. You can't cope with the fact that you are missing her more than you want to admit. I've been watching you recently. People have been staying out of your way. They're terrified to say the wrong things. The only option left for you is to come clean."
Silence
"I'm not leaving."
Silence
"I've got nothing to do."
Silence
Loosing his patience with Jack, Jacob turned and begun to walk away.
"I miss her," Jack mumbled. He went silent, gathered his thoughts again and said, "I miss her like hell."
Jacob turned around and stood still.
"I can't stop thinking about her." Jacob stood his ground.
"I ............I think..............."
Jacob waited.
"I think I'm............"
Jack took a deep breath.
"I think I'm in love with her," Jack whispered.
Jacob moved closer and put his hand gently on Jack's shoulder.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"Like driving hot pokers down my pants!"
"When did you realise how you felt?"
"I don't know. I just know my life stopped when she didn't come through that wormhole. I can't get her out of my mind. I dream about her when I'm asleep. I think about her when I'm awake. I talk to her. And the crazy thing is, I'm sure she answers me."
"You know this changes everything don't you?" suggested Jacob.
"How? How can things change? We're both still in the military. The rules still apply. I'm still her commanding officer. Why do you think I've kept all this to myself? No one can know any of this. If there is the slightest hint then I would be in trouble."
"OK," interrupted Jacob. "More facts for you to swallow. Firstly, you don't have to worry about anybody finding out because we all know already. You're the talk of the camp. There's a betting pool on what exact moment you'll tell her how you feel. George knows exactly what's going on. He's been monitoring the situation anyway but apparently Thor has spoken to him about the "physical and emotional links that he has registered between the two of you." It seems that George has been keeping a respectful distance."
"A BETTING POOL?"
"Yeh! Good idea huh?"
Teal'c had obviously overheard the conversation and decided to join in. "Major Carter feels exactly the same way, O'Neill. Twice I have had to comfort her when she thought she might be losing you. She too tries to hide her emotions, but not very successfully!
"I can't believe this!"
"What part?"
"All the parts! I can't believe Thor noticed! I can't believe he spoke to Hammond! I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE'S A BETTING POOL!" Jack stopped for a moment and quietened down. "I can't...... believe...... she has feelings for me. God damn it, I'm old, very old and grey. She can't see anything in me. She's beautiful and intelligent. She's a scientist for Christ sake! I couldn't even have a sensible conversation with her! And all this grey hair, have I mentioned the grey hair?"
"You seem to manage very teasing conversations with her on a regular basis," interrupted Teal'c.
"That's just me joking with her."
"It is not," continued Teal'c. "It is obvious to Daniel Jackson and myself that you are performing part of the human mating ritual."
Jacob coughed to supress a giggle. Teal'c continued. "You are in the part of the ritual that normal humans do not stay in for long. But because you cannot move onto the next stage, you rely heavily on the teasing stage."
Both Jacob and Jack stared at Teal'c.
Teal'c explained, "In any spare time that I have, I am reading the psychology books that are in the base library."
"Great," mumbled Jack. "Now I know who to come to for counselling in the future!" "So Jack," interrupted Jacob. "What next?"
"I have no idea. I had no idea before but now I am even more confused. If you'll excuse me, I need to go and find my own campfire."
"Come Teal'c," Jacob spoke loud enough so that the departing Colonel could hear. "Let's see if it's not too late to put a bet on!"
Jack turned back. "Funny......... very funny!"
---------------------------------
Mantof was struggling, Carter could see that. She had used all of her medical skills and Josef and Sem'nar like wise. He had lost a lot of blood and was lapsing in and was in a great deal of pain.
"Josef, how many more gates do we need to go through before we're home?"
"One more Sam. If the system works they should be waiting for us. We need to go within the next day or so."
"Mantof hasn't got that long," Sem'nar interrupted. "If we can give you support fire Sam, then you may be able to dial the co-ordinates in. Then we can both protect Josef, who should be strong enough to carry Mantof through."
"We agree then." Sam checked. "An hour's rest and then we go?"
They agreed and set up a guard rota.
------------------------
The camp settled for the night, quiet stirrings and shadows were the only evidence that people were present. O'Neill made his way to the Stargate, spoke quietly to the guards, entered Earth's co-ordinates and went through the now active wormhole.
-------------------------
Sem'nar took the first watch. Sam sat near Mantof, being disturbed by his every movement. She kept checking his bandages until exhaustion set in. Relaxing a little, she looked up at the cloudless sky and thought again of home. She was missing Earth and work and although she knew her ordeal was nearly over she still yearned to be back at the base, surrounded by faces she knew and felt safe with. She knew she'd be cross examined by Teal'c and the Colonel. She also knew the Daniel would show genuine concern. She knew she could cope with this pressure as she knew that to be back with them would be enough. She lay there imagining the initial welcome she would get as she stepped through the gate. Teal'c would be the same solemn character she had come to feel safe with. He would tell her he was happy she had returned safely and that would be it. Without hesitation, Daniel would rush towards her and give her a long, warm hug. He would hold onto her for a long time and would be the only one to call her Sam. The Colonel would make some wise cracks that meant he was glad she was home. There would be the usual moment of embarrassment, when they would both hold back from getting any closer to each other. If she had her dream, she would probably find the courage to step closer, hold his hand and give him a gentle kiss on his cheek. They would then look lovingly into each other's eyes as an enormous hint that later they would find a private place. Then, away from everybody, they would show each other exactly how much they.........
"Sam"
"Yeh, sorry, what?"
"You are doing it again," interrupted Sem'nar. "And this time don't tell me it's your father you are thinking about!"
Sam's eyes answered Sem'nar's question, then embarrassment took over. Turning towards Mantof she allowed her eyes to close for a minute.
Josef had been watching and listening to Sam for what seemed like an eternity. With every day that passed he took in more of her. The colour of her hair, her eyes. He knew that their time together was almost over and had been fantasising about the possible chance of a future together. He knew of her friendship with Martouf. He had always been a soldier who had no time for emotional baggage. He had compared himself to Colonel O'Neill, seeing a lot of himself in the human's character. If he were Sam's commanding officer, he would find it very difficult not to mix work with pleasure. The thought of working with her, being next to her day after day would drive him crazy. The situation would not occur on the Tok'ra home world, as there were no barriers as far as partnerships went. He was certain that even if they had to hide a relationship, it would be worth it just to see her smile like this..................
The penny dropped.
--------------------------
PART SIX
By the time the soldiers on the retrieval planet were waking, Jack O'Neill was already back and dozing by the dying embers of his campfire. He quickly woke and walked around, encouraging all of his men to get moving and be alert. He was now more relaxed than he had been for a long time. He went to find Jacob.
"Jacob"
"Jack"
"How you doing?"
"Aren't I supposed to start the conversation with that?"
"Not this time......so?"
"OK......you?"
"Fine and dandy. I've been thinking......"
"A start."
"Yeah, right. When Sam and your guys come through the gate, what precautions are we going to take? Have we assessed the threat of a security breach at the gate? How do we cope with any hostiles that might chase them through? I think we need to sweep the area, make a threat assessment, decide on a plan in case we need to defend the gate and be ready to attack any Jaffa that comes through. I was thinking of two teams, one to secure our people and a separate team to defend the area, until they're home safe."
"My, you've been busy!"
"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I'm gonna take Daniel and Teal'c up to the area for a recon."
"Jack, while you were in your own little world, my men did their own recon. I can introduce you to the team and they can show you the site. Then you can all agree on the `threat assessment'."
"You're just jealous that you're not as young and sharp as me!"
"Go find Daniel and Teal'c before I give your life a threat assessment."
"Okily dokily!"
Up at the Stargate site, four young Tok'ra operatives were beginning to show O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel around the support area. O'Neill had brought SG4 and 5 along.
"Well, Palmon, you've done a great job."
"Thank you Colonel O'Neill. I can assure you we are just as worried about our operatives as you all are about Major Carter. We will show you the caves now."
The group walked down the hill, away from the gate. The land dipped down and around to the right and as it turned the corner, there was, strategically placed, a large outcrop of rocks and boulders, In amongst these, was a small cave system that didn't lead anywhere but was a perfect hiding place.
"My suggestion," explained Palmon, "is to observe the gate from the caves and from over on to the left. You can see there is a large gathering of trees."
"Clump."
"Excuse me?"
"Clump......... it's called a clump......you know......of trees."
"Very well Colonel, a clump."
"Cool! Carry on."
"If you will allow me to."
Jack smiled smugly at Palmon. He waved his hand to allow the conversation to continue. Daniel lowered his head and bit his tongue. Both SG 4 and 5 looked away, some coughing, some stifling laughs and a few suddenly becoming very interested in the ground.
Teal'c saved the moment. "Please continue, Palmon and tells us more about the plan."
"Thank you. One group could be hiding in the ...... clump of trees."
O'Neill smiled an exaggerated smile and nodded intelligently.
"They will be used solely as an attack formation, if our personnel were followed through the gate by hostiles. They will of course not be needed if there is no assault."
"Yep, following you so far. Could ya go a little slower though?"
Daniel's eyes went heaven ward.
"The second team will be the main team. They will be hidden in the cave entrance. Their job will be to secure Major Carter and our operatives. Are you following Colonel or am I still going too fast?"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow and gave O'Neill an `it serves you right' look.
"No, you explain it very well," interrupted Jacob, who had quietly joined the group. "May I apologise on behalf of all of the Tauri for the Colonel's sense of humour. It does take a little getting used to."
"You may." Palmon continued," When our group comes through the gate we will send one person out to lead the way. As they arrive at the hidden cave entrance they will be collected and held in silence. We will delay the next part of the escape to determine whether they have been followed. If they have not, they will be escorted to the main camp site for medical attention. Your Doctor Frasier is arriving very shortly. If they have been followed......"
"Let me guess," interrupted O'Neill. "Plan B! We let them have it!"
"Something along those lines, Colonel. Now, to place everybody into their teams." Selmac took over. "I will be the person leading the way. Both Major Carter and our operatives will recognise me."
"No way!" O'Neill began to argue.
"This is not open to negotiation, Colonel. I have discussed this with Jacob Carter and General Hammond and it has been agreed. I will lead the group towards the cave and then move on down to the camp to meet the medical teams. I will hold them back until it is safe to proceed. The team in the tree line will be a mixture of Tok'ra and SG4. SG5 will wait out of sight just beyond the cave entrance in case any aggressors go beyond the opening. Teal'c will be in charge of this group. Daniel you will wait in the cave entrance with three operatives, one for each of my men and Colonel O'Neill."
"Hey, wait a minute," interrupted O'Neill. "I am not going to wait in a cave to baby-sit Tok'ra while my men are risking their lives."
Jacob took over. "Jack, a word in private."
The two men walked towards the gate and turned their backs on the waiting soldiers. "Jack, I need someone to be there for Sam. When she arrives, we will have no idea what state she is in. She will need a friend but more importantly, a commanding officer who can help her keep herself together. I need you to hold on to her until we know it's safe outside."
"You can do that better than I can, Jacob."
"I don't want her to get all emotional with me. You give her an order and she'll obey without hesitation. Now I've made my decision and it stands."
O'Neill's head dropped.
"Go and get your men organised."
O'Neill turned and walked away in silence.
A silence that was punctured by the Star gate's mechanism clunking and sliding into life.
"Oh crap!" mumbled O'Neill.
"Go sort them out," screamed Jacob. "Now!"
----------------------
The plan had worked perfectly except for the fact that the planet's inhabitants had been patiently waiting for this moment. After running to the steps of the Stargate, Sam had come under attack from three separate places. Sem'nar gave her protective cover, managing to kill one of the natives. She edged towards the DHD, stumbling as she ran. Sem'nar emerged from the bushes to back her up on her journey. Josef stood guard over Mantof, firing towards the patch of tree cover that the natives were sheltering in. Sam was hardly aware of the gash on her forehead as she ran on. The address was punched in successfully and the worm hole burst into life. This had two effects.
Firstly, the natives were so frightened by the wormhole opening that they stood and stared in sheer horror. Seconds later, they hit the ground, bowing down on their knees and repeatedly began kissing the soil. This obviously made them easy targets. Mantof staggered towards the gate steps, supported by Josef's shoulder. Sem'nar followed close behind. Edging up the steps backward, with their weapons trained towards the undergrowth, they listened and carefully watched the now prostrate natives. Just as they thought they were about to step through to safety, more natives appeared from the protection of the trees. They had timed their attack to perfection and began to storm the steps.
Sam knew that 20 or 30 would follow them and her last thoughts were wild. Would she get home to see everyone? What would the conditions be like where they were going? Would there be any hostiles there? Would there be anyone there?
She turned as she stepped into the puddle, blood trickling down her cheek. As she appeared through the other side she imagined she saw her father waving them on. Automatically, the four of them followed.
-------------------------
PART SEVEN
Jacob did his bit. He waved then on and they followed. He ran around the corner, past Teal'c and down towards the medical staff who were waiting silently.
In the cave Jack, Daniel and three Tok'ra waited. Although only a few seconds had passed the wait for all of them had seemed endless. Hearing Jacob running by, they all stepped to the cave mouth. Carter was last. They watched the four coming closer; one was being helped by another and so was being slowed down. Sam and a Tok'ra were protecting the first two from any fire. O'Neill could see the groups of Tok'ra and SG personnel moving into place, drawing the attack away from the escaping group. Then suddenly, they were at the mouth of the cave. The waiting Tok'ra snatched all three of their comrades, placing their injured man on the floor, attending to him silently.
While they had been waiting for the right moment, Daniel had been watching Jack closely.
"What?"
"This is your chance Jack. If you dare to act purely on your instincts, you can tell her how you feel about her. If you act like a Colonel, you'll shut her out for ever and probably lose her."
These words whispered around O'Neill's head, repeating themselves over and over again. Act like a Colonel or tell her how I feel? Sam and the last Tok'ra were approaching, with some native looking type guys chasing them, aiming some nasty looking arrows in their direction. He could see SG4 and the Tok'ra firing at them. Two of the natives dropped to the ground. She was getting close.
He timed it perfectly. He reached out, grabbed her, twisting her away from the outside world, away from the chasing pack. If it worked the way Jacob had planned it, the natives wouldn't have seen her and the Tok'ra disappear before it was too late. He would just have to keep her quiet while SG5 and Teal'c joined in with the fight. He stood silent, with her in his arms, his back facing the opening of the cave, giving her as much protection as possible. He had clamped his right hand over her mouth and held her close with all the power of his left arm. She let out a small whimper. He shook his head, hopefully explaining, in that slight movement, that she must stay as quiet as possible. She caught on quick and joined the rest of the silence in the cave.
They looked at each other, for what seemed like forever. First her eyes showed fear, exhaustion and panic. His were a Colonel in charge of the situation, giving her strength and demanding discipline.
Then something happened.
They both looked a little longer and deeper and saw through the protocol. His eyes softened and then frowned. Seeing this change, she responded and relaxed in her eyes and body. He held her close to the contours of his chest. She frowned back. Gently, she reached up and held the hand that was over her mouth. Gently pulling it down and away from her face, she began to mouth something but changed her mind. They still held hands, tightly. He then noticed the blood trickling down her cheek. Slowly, he let get of her hand and began to reach down into the left hand pocket of his combat trousers. Inside, he kept his mini emergency medical kit, ready for such a moment. Realising what he was doing, she also reached down and used both hands to twist open the button of his pocket and gently reached inside for the kit. Ordinarily, this would have been a simple manoeuvre but the closeness of their bodies made it an impossible task. Their heads touched, the contact, the warmth of their bodies, exciting both of them. Pulling back, she looked up and saw him staring at her, his expression changing to one she had never seen before. Without taking their eyes off of each other, she carefully opened the pack of sterile supplies. He mimed a wipe and she passed him the packet. He released his grip of her, causing her to drop down as her knees buckled with exhaustion. Instinctively he reacted, pinning her back up against the cave wall, his right hip pushing into hers to hold her still. Again, they were close, closer than they'd ever been before. He held her head back with his left hand, pushing her hair back out of the open wound. His right hand used the wipe to gently clean the dried blood off of her cheek. He then concentrated on the actual wound until the hole in her forehead was visible and as clean as it could be. Although in pain, she did not flinch. She was happy to watch her Colonel repair her head.
Her Colonel. What was she thinking? The moment was definitely delicious, just like an erotic dream being played out. Exhausted, desperately needing a bath, here she was being held up against a rough wall by a body that she had worshipped forever. Unbelievably, she was being turned on by this and what's more, she had a feeling that `her Colonel' was feeling the same way. Delusional she told herself. She realised she had been playing these thoughts out in her eyes and probably with her body. Again they made eye contact. The moment was electric. He broke the atmosphere by opening a box of sticky strips. Again she had the urge to work with him. She reached into the tiny box and took out one of the strips that would hold her wound together. Again their heads were touching. Lifting his face up to hers, he placed the strip across the wound, pulling the damaged edges together. They repeated this two more times until he was happy with his work. The medical moment over, he put his left arm protectively around her and pushed her hair back away from the wound. He kept his fingers there for a moment longer than he should have and then moved them down to capture her cheek. He knew this was the moment, where he would pull away and go back into Colonel mode or......He took a very private deep breathe, hoping she couldn't sense the nervousness that he was trying to hold back.
Gently turning her head to one side, he moved slowly towards her ear and whispered, "Don't ever...... put me through this...... again."
He heard her choke back another whimper and felt the tension in her body. It was now or never, although he was absolutely certain that at that moment that there was only one thing he wanted to do.
He decided to stay there. He smelt her cheek, her ear, eventually loosing himself in her hair. She slowly turned to face him and tenderly slid her fingers up the legs of his trousers until she reached his waistband and under that his warm skin. She was holding on tight to him, an obvious signal that she was not going to let him go. He took her face in both hands, edging slowly and hesitantly towards her lips. The warmth of their bodies and the tension of the moment were making them both lose control of their inbred disciplines. The silence and the moment were priceless.
With their mouths almost touching, she whispered, "I don't want to spend another day away from you."
"That can be arranged."
They felt for each other's lips, gently touching and then pulling away again just as gently. Each time they waited for a moment, only to try again. Every contact was a millisecond longer and more confident. He kissed her around her mouth, then along her top lip, followed by gentle touches on her nose. She followed every movement, trying to catch up with his mouth. He stopped and slowly pulled back, unsure of the next move, whether it would be welcomed. Realising his hesitation, she took control. She took her hands from around his back, reached up and wrapped them delicately around behind his neck. Then, very slowly and seductively, she pulled him in towards her mouth. The contact, this time, was electrifying. She immediately allowed him entry into her mouth. The kissing was fierce, passionate and desperate. Neither wanted to stop. It was punctuated with......
"I ......missed you."
"Good......me too!"
"You too what?"
"I missed you."
"Oh......good."
"I've been...a pain in the......ass......all the time you've......"
"Me too......not been able to ......think straight."
"My fault?"
"Completely."
"Good."
The moment was broken by Daniel. "Ah......Jack. It's......pretty quiet outside. Hi, Sam. You OK?"
"Daniel!" Sam turned to see Daniel and the contents of the cave for the first time. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were here."
"I noticed!"
Almost as if Jack was no longer there, Sam and Daniel moved towards each other, soon becoming wrapped up in each other's hugs.
"God, I'm glad to see you back in one piece."
"Thanks, how've you been coping without me?"
"Well, we coped......just."
Jack had also begun to take in the rest of the cave for the first time, noticing the Tok'ra for the first time.
"Hi, Jack O'Neill, Earth. How ya doin'?"
Josef, who had been taking in all that had been going on, smiled politely at Jack. "I am Josef; this is Sem'nar and Mantof who is need of medical assistance." "Right," agreed Jack, going back into Colonel mode. "We need to get him looked at as soon as possible. I'll go check outside. Stay here and keep quiet."
Sam crossed to him.
"Be careful," she whispered." I don't want to lose you after all this wait."
"Ditto," Jack replied, gently holding her hand.
----------------------------
Outside the situation was under control. Sadly all of the 22 natives, who had come through the Stargate, had lost their lives. They had fought with a ferocity that had surprised the collective forces of Tok'ra and Tauri and had seemed unwilling to surrender although it was very obvious that they were outnumbered. SG 4 and 5 and the Tok'ra were beginning to gather around Jacob. Their only concern now was the cave and its contents.
"Jacob, how are you doing out here?"
It seemed to O'Neill a stupid question as he could see the bloody remains of battle scattered down the hillside. The humbling atmosphere, that comes after anybody witnesses the loss of life in battle, filled the air. Faces were looking down at the ground, possessions littered everywhere. An unhappy silence was shared by all.
"We won, but at a cost," Jacob replied. "Daniel needs to examine the bodies to find out what kind of people they were and we need a threat assessment concerning their home planet. How's Sam?"
"She's fine. A slight head wound which I've seen to. She's exhausted and does not smell too good but besides that she's fine."
"And my men?"
"A guy called Marlof is injured."
"Mantof."
"Yeah...... Mantof. He needs some attention but the other two are OK."
A smiling Daniel and Sam emerged from the cave entrance. Immediately, Sam and her father moved towards each other. Jacob wrapped his arms around Sam.
"Hi sweetheart, you gave us quite a scare."
"Sorry Dad," smiled Sam, unwrapping herself from his embrace. "Did you miss me?"
"You bet! Jack tells me you've hurt your head."
Jacob took a concerned glance at Sam's wound. "Not bad, a very professional job Colonel."
"Thank you, General. I've done all of the courses and even passed a few of them."
"And did you look after my little girl in there while we were fighting the bad guys?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good," Jacob continued, turning to Sam. "Now little missy, we need to get you and my three men back to the base camp to clean you up and celebrate."
As they began to make their way down the hill, Jacob turned to Daniel who winked at him and gave him a thumb up sign.
------------------------
PART EIGHT
Slowly and methodically, the site was cleared. Medics took Josef, Sem'nar and Mantof back to the medical tent. Soldiers carefully moved the native's bodies, carrying them away for further examination. Doctor Fraser had recently arrived and had prepared herself for work. She would be assessing the three men's injuries before she could give Jacob permission to take them back to their home world. The Stargate was again in use, this time the comings and goings was more friendly traffic. Soldiers transporting body bags, a change of guards. The Stargate would have to be guarded until the whole site was cleared the next morning. It was decided to get rid of any signs that could show that the planet had been used by either Tok'ra or Tauri. It was considered to be a safe exit planet but still needed to be kept as a secret location for as long as possible. Sweep up teams would be clearing up but not until after the evening party.
Sam walked back down the hill with Jacob talking none stop to him. She glanced around numerous times to see where Jack was. He was close behind her, with Teal'c and Daniel, taking care not to forget the two Tok'ra who had spent so long with Sam. He decided that he should try and be as friendly as possible.
"So, Josef."
"Yes Colonel."
"I suppose you've got some stories to tell?"
"Perhaps."
"How many planets did you have to gate to in the end?"
"Including this one......eight."
"Cool! Were they all deserted?"
"Except for the first and last."
"And you've no idea what happened to the Jaffa?"
"A few followed us through the first gate but we disposed of them immediately. The first planet we arrived had a very threatening climate and so we decided to leave it as soon as possible. Whether any more Jaffa arrived there after we left, we do not know. If they did they would have probably perished in the very high temperature wave that was travelling towards us at the time."
"And you looked after Carter well. I need to thank you for that."
"There is no need. Sam was exceptional in her approach to every situation. She took control most of the time. She nurtured Sem'nar from a young, nervous boy until eventually he was making assured and mature decisions. She refused to leave Mantof behind when he was injured, even though Mantof and myself argued with her. She was more than capable as a warrior and was fearless in attack and retreat. Her intelligence helped us through many difficult situations and we were happy for her to make most of the strategic decisions."
"So, you liked her then?" joked Jack.
"I liked ......we all liked her very much and became close during our time together."
Josef's head turned away to look at something in the distance. Jack followed with his eyes but couldn't find anything of interest. It was obvious that Josef didn't want the conversation to go on and was desperate to hide any personal thoughts from Jack.
"I think Josef is finding the conversation difficult," interrupted Sem'nar. "Greetings, Colonel O'Neill. I am Sem'nar."
"Hi, Sem'nar, call me Jack."
"As I said earlier Jack, I feel Josef is finding the conversation very difficult."
"I got that. How come?"
Sem'nar instinctively hung back from Josef and Jack, reading the change of mood, stayed with him.
"While we were on our mission we all became close to Sam but in different ways. Mantof trusted her and her decisions totally. He knew it was her quick thinking that kept him alive. She gave me a confidence that I didn't even know I had. She listened to my ideas, trusted my word and was caring when she knew I was missing home. Josef......Josef fell in love with her, almost immediately. He was not expecting her to be the person she was. She constantly kept him surprised and he slowly mellowed with every moment they spent together. He is a man of few words so never communicated this with her. But as we know him we could see that he was not hiding his feelings very well. When we ran into the cave we had no idea that you would be a threat to Josef and his feelings for Sam. All we knew of you was that you were Sam's commanding officer, a well known warrior for the Tauri and an important person in the fight against the Goa'uld. I watched Josef closely when you and Sam were kissing in the cave. To witness a person's heart breaking is a very sad moment. He didn't realise I had seem him but I have never seen a man so deflated. My heart was aching for him so I cannot begin to imagine how he was feeling inside."
"Did Sam ever make him feel that she had any feelings for him?"
"No, she never gave him any indication that she had feelings for him and in fact I know she didn't. On two separate occasions, she was resting and we watched her having some private thoughts. She was obviously remembering someone special from home. I asked her if it was her father she was missing and thinking about. She said it was but I knew she was not telling the truth. Now I realise that it was you she was probably remembering. She drifted into her own private thoughts on several occasions and I think you were to blame for them all."
"Yeh, I had quite a few moments like that myself!"
"Perhaps the time apart has been good for both of you."
"Yeh."
----------------------------
"So Sam, glad to be home?"
Jacob had his arm around his daughter's waist, as they entered the outskirts of the base camp.
"Are you joking," Sam turned to her father. "Every moment I was away all I could think about was being back home with you......"
"And Jack?"
"Excuse me?"
"Come on sweetheart. I realise, hell we all realise, how you feel about each other. While you've been missing, Jack's been a pain in the neck. He's not be able to sit still, give commands or take commands. He's had his own campfire that he's sat at on his own. He's hardly slept or eaten. If he's not a man in love then I'm Apophis! Of course, now you've had your moment in the cave together......"
"What? How did you know about.........our moment in the cave together?"
"Ah......yeh......well......you see Daniel, Teal'c and I arranged it. I ordered Jack to be in there and look after you when you arrived back. He wanted to be with his teams with a weapon in his hand. But I knew that if you two didn't have your moment as soon as you got back the chance would be gone forever."
"Dad!"
"Don't Dad me. You're both as stubborn as each other, both letting the job get in the way of a chance of being together."
"For a good reason! I know you've been out of the military for a while but don't tell me you've forgotten about a tiny rule called fraternisation?"
"Oh, sweetheart, you and Jack and many others save the planet, heck the universe, on a weekly basis. Do you honestly think the President is going to split up a team that works so well? I can't imagine any of our allies would allow him too either. How would Thor cope without you both?"
Sam was silent.
Jacob continued. "Sam......"
She looked up.
"Sam......take the moment......take a chance."
She looked at him and gently smiled."What would I do without you?"
"Well, you certainly wouldn't be getting your moment in a cave together!"
Sam took her father's hand."Was he really as bad as you say?"
"Worse!" Sam smiled again and turned back to walk with the rest of SG1. Jacob squeezed her hand and whispered," Keep me informed."
"Not a chance!"
---------------------------------
PART NINE
As they reached the camp site, a member of SG4 appeared and informed Sam she had to report to Doctor Frasier on her arrival. Sam gave her father a long, lingering hug and disappeared towards the medical tent.
"So what does a girl have to do to get medical treatment around here?"
Janet turned away from a table of equipment and grinned wildly. "Sam!"
The two friends held each other for a while; the joy of being together was all too obvious. This was a third hug, this time from a friend who as a female, shared Sam's distress at not having a long soak in a perfumed bath more than how she survived a month of hiding and fighting.
"Sit yourself over here sweetheart and I'll get all of my sharp instruments out just for you!"
Janet had already gone into doctor mode, obviously concerned about Sam's overall condition.
"You've lost weight girl! We need to rectify that with a couple of nights in. Cassie is already lining up the romantic videos, popcorn, the best ice-cream and beers. I've got candles in the bathroom and the best bubble bath you can buy. You've got an appointment for a complete make over and then we are going to gossip non-stop for the whole weekend."
"Oh, Heaven. Bring it on!"
"So how are you except for a hole in your head, which by the way has been patched up really well?"
"The hole was patched up by Colonel O'Neill about 15 minutes ago. I had an argument with some steps while we were trying to escape. Besides that, I am filthy and exhausted. Nothing that week at home won't repair."
Sam removed her top so that Janet could take a closer look at her injuries. She sat shivering in her cropped tank top so much that Janet found a blanket and wrapped her in it. They were interrupted by soldiers bringing Mantof, Josef and Semnar into the tent. Sam smiled at all three men sensing that they needed to see a friendly face. Mantof was sat down on a table and Janet's team of nurses leapt into action. A few began cutting off his outer garments and gently cleaning him up. Other nurses examined Sem'nar and Josef, who seemed happy to wait. It was only now that all three men began to realise how bruised and bloodied they were. Before, they hadn't had the time to keep a count of all their injuries. Sem'nar winced as a nurse began to take his shirt off and Josef sat as still as possible while other nurses helped to lift his shirt over his head. It was only then that Sam could take in, as a woman, how physically fit the three men, who had lived with her for a month, were. Both Janet and Sam could sense the sexual tension in the tent amongst the female nurses. They all seemed very happy to be attending to the three Tok'ra. Sem'nar was enjoying the moment, relaxing a little more with each smile that came his way. His shock of blond curls only charged the atmosphere more.
The problem with being a woman who has to compete with males, alien or human, in a male world was Sam had to switch off any womanly thoughts that she may have. She had spent evenings cuddled up next to these three and had shared many intimate moments with them but was never once aware of how physically well toned and attractive they were. All three men were under 30 and would knock any woman off their feet with one smile or a bulge of their muscles.
Two nurses were now sponging Sem'nar down; carefully touching the bruises and scratches he had along one side of his chest and across the back of one of his shoulder blades. Janet was called across by one of the women to examine his ribcage for any breakages.
"Excuse me for a moment Sam," Janet spoke out loud, for everyone to hear her tongue in cheek comment. "I have a patient to attend to!"
"Oh, you take all the time you need Doctor! I'll still be here when you've finished with Sem'nar!" Sam joked.
Sem'nar had indeed broken a rib but disappointed the nurses when he explained that his symbiote would be able to heal him and therefore there would be no need for them to strap his chest up. He seemed to be more concerned about Sam and her condition.
"I'm fine Sem'nar, nothing that a bath and a goodnight's sleep won't cure!"
"Puppy love?" inquired Janet quietly, as she returned.
"No, we were mates out there. He started off as a nervous boy which is the way the other two treated him. But I believed in him and he flourished. We talked more about missing our fathers than anything else. Josef, on the other hand, was a problem. I have a feeling he will find it hard leaving me."
"Really?" Janet suddenly became interested.
"Yeh. I didn't let on at any stage that I knew but I think he had feelings for me. I'm almost certain that I didn't do or say anything to encourage him but I would catch him, when he didn't think I was watching him, looking at me. At times he would find reasons to touch me and then delay taking his hand away."
"Well, I think most of my ladies would like to delay taking their hands away at the moment. He is gorgeous, hell they all are!"
The scene was comical. Three grown men and six female nurses finding as many reasons as possible to touch and be touched in as short a space of time as they could get. The frustration of the three men, not having any female attention for a month, coupled with the nurses, who were only ever expected to examine human males as patients, made for some heavy moments. The only time the three men focussed their thoughts elsewhere was when Sam lowered the blanket she had been using to warm herself up. Janet was using the opportunity to give Sam a complete physical so she could assess the damage that her friend had received during her time away. During this magic piece of theatre, Janet and Sam managed to huddle together, hiding their smiles.
"Anyway," continued Sam. "After what happened in the cave I think he knows I feel nothing for him."
"Why what happ......" Janet started.
They were interrupted by Colonel O'Neill. "Knock, knock, ready or not here I......"
A millisecond of silence hit the tent. After a quick assessment of the sudden change in mood, Janet realised that both the Colonel and Josef were spending longer looking at Sam in her state of undress than they should have done. Josef, she could understand after what Sam had just told her, but the Colonel?
"......come," finished Jack.
Janet knew she had to relieve the tension. "Colonel, any injuries?" she improvised.
"No Doc," mumbled O'Neill. "Just checking on our heroes." He slipped back into the Colonel O'Neill mode. "I just wanted to make sure everybody's kicking. I would offer to help but it seems like your ladies already have everything under control. Major, any injuries I need to know about?"
"No Colonel, none to report."
There hadn't been a lot of eye contact in that small piece of conversation and Janet and Josef had both noticed it.
"OK, I'll go and get the party organised. Later!"
He left. The tent was quiet, interrupted quickly by the nurses talking to Mantof and Sem'nar. Josef turned away in silence.
"Oh my, that was a priceless moment. Josef looked as if there was something to be jealous of. As if he knew you were something he couldn't have."
It began to dawn on her. "As if...... as if you...... belonged to somebody else."
Sam looked down.
"Sam......tell me." Sam slowly looked up with her eyes twinkling.
"Don't give me that face, that's not enough. If whatever happened in that cave wasn't between you and Josef, then......oh my!"
The penny dropped.
It suddenly all blurted out of Sam, in short out of breath whispers. How she was petrified running away from the gate. How she felt rough hands around her shoulders, which pulled and turned her into a dark place. How, until she was pinned up against the wall of the cave, she hadn't realised who had hold of her. Until she looked into his eyes, until they stopped and really looked at each other. The surge of electricity she felt when she took his hand off of her mouth and she realised for the first time how close their lips were. How she realised they were closer than they'd ever been before. How she realised they were in a position she had dreamt about for a very long time. How they just looked and talked and smiled with their eyes. How sexy the moment was when she reached into his trouser pocket to find the medical supplies. Sliding her hand down the side of his leg, with only material dividing them, seemed so right. How she felt when she could feel his warm and rushed breath on her neck. How she then looked up and watched him treat her wound, knowing he was taking every living part of his self-discipline not to kiss her there and then. Watching him smooth her hair back in place and again put his arm around her back to support her close to him. How she knew the time was coming when he would chose to take the moment a step further or go back into Colonel mode. Remembering the exact smile of permission she gave him and how her heart jumped when he moved closer. The kisses had been a blur of heavenly sweetness, one after the other. Exploring, nipping, barely touching but not wanting to pull away. Desperate to reach inside and explore further. Remembering how he pulled back and frowned at her, not sure whether she wanted him to continue. How she made the biggest decision of her life but also the simplest, wrapping her arms around his neck and taking control. How right the next few moments felt, total abandonment, total lust and love. How they explored each other's mouths, turning their heads to get new angles on each other's lips. How if Daniel hadn't stopped them......
Janet was flushed from listening and stood there speechless. "Sam, honey! That was the most erotic thing I've ever experienced."
"I've not told anyone so please......"pleaded Sam.
"No worries," whispered Janet. But what happens next?"
"I have no idea."
The spell was broken again, this time by Teal'c who had arrived for his very late reunion with Sam. He totally shocked her by being the fourth person to hug her. This one was the most unexpected. It wasn't just a short touching of bodies. It was instead the warmest and most sincere moment she had had with anyone since arriving back.
"Major Carter......" Teal'c began to say.
"It's Sam," Sam interrupted. "I only want you to call me Sam from now on Teal'c. If you're going to hug me like that it can't be Major Carter anymore!"
"Very well. I am so very pleased to have you back safe ......Sam. I, like the rest of the SGC, have missed you greatly."
"Thank you Teal'c. It was the thought of being with you all again that kept me going."
"Perhaps now Colonel O'Neill can continue with his life. I feel that, as a friend, I have to say that you both need to have serious discussion about any future you could have together and it needs to be soon."
"Thank you Teal'c, Sam smiled. " Full of wisdom and common sense, as usual."
"I was originally sent to tell you that the festivities in honour of you all," here he turned to the three Tok'ra who, with the nurses, had been listening since he arrived, "are ready."
"Thank you Teal'c. "
Sam, not really sure why she did it, gave the big man another hug, which he responded to by holding onto her for what seemed like forever. He whispered gently into her ear," In future, I will never leave your side in battle."
Sam broke the hold and placed her hand on his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered back.
Everyone watched in silence as Teal'c began to leave the tent. His departure was interrupted by Daniel who poked his head round the tent flap.
"Come on you guys, you're missing the beer!"
Sam turned to Janet.
"You wouldn't happen to have a shower rigged up?"
"Yep and a change of clothes."
"You're a goddess!!"
"I know. I'll go make excuses for you."
--------------------------
The party was a quiet gathering. Two moments of madness happened. Firstly, when the three Tok'ra emerged clean and slightly refreshed, they were met with cheers, pats on the back and handshakes, none of which meant much to them. But the honour guard of female nurses seemed to make the welcome more bearable. Jack made a point of approaching them all. He thanked them for looking after `Major Carter' and congratulated them on their fighting and survival skills. Sem'nar's eyes lit up as soon as he spoke to Jack, obviously in awe of `The Colonel'.
"Colonel O'Neill, have you ever had a Tok'ra attached to Earth, working with your SG teams? If not, I would like to offer myself as the first of my race to work along side the Tauri."
"Well Sem'nar, we could talk to General Hammond, see what he thinks. I am sure that my people would see that as nothing but a positive move. Major Carter has nothing but good things to say about you, so that's a good start!"
The second moment of madness was when Sam stepped out of the medic's tent. The standing ovation and the whooping and wooing went on for ever, which totally surprised Sam. Her eyes moved around the crowd of people and took in every smile. Soldiers, who thought she was simply great, a smaller group of friends who were deliriously happy to see her and a special group of people, whose lives could now continue because she was back. Jacob beamed with pride, as did Daniel and Teal'c, but for different reasons. Jack stood quietly and took it all in, only beginning to realise what affect this woman had on people's lives and how, if he allowed it to happen, she could change his life forever. He settled himself on the ground surrounded by SG4 and 5. Here he felt safe from any need to show Sam any affection. Surrounded by soldiers, fraternising wasn't an option. As it was, within fifteen minutes she sidled over and moved through the group, sitting down immediately in front of him. She looked him in the eye and asked, "Room for one more?"
"Ah, yeh!" Confused and slightly embarrassed, Jack was caught off guard. She turned her back and shimmied up against him so that his legs ended up wrapped around her. She rested her hand on his thigh and asked," Glad it's all over?"
"Yeh!"
She turned to watch his reaction to her being this close in full view of everyone. He looked at her. He could smell the freshness that the shower had given her. He knew this was a test, she was watching him closely. The problem was that the rest of the camp was slyly observing the moment too. She sat there glowing and oozing confidence.
He began to realise that he was really only looking at her for the first time. All the years he had worked with her, he had never really taken time to get to know, to appreciate the private her. Now, suddenly, he had this overwhelming desire to get deep down inside her. He ached for her mentally, to understand what made her tick, her likes and dislikes, her private girly habits. What she liked watching on TV, what she did to amuse herself, her favourite reading books, what she had in her bathroom cabinet. More importantly, he wanted to get to know her physically, to be able to touch every part of her body, to know every curve and dip of hers, to wrap her warmth in his arms and never let go. These thoughts flew in and out of his mind so fast he began to shake with excitement. He was so much on a high in that brief moment of thought, he knew he never wanted to be apart from her. She was his drug.
"Come here," he whispered into her ear.
She turned slowly and looked at him, as his eyes invited her closer.
"Yes Sir!" she whispered seductively.
A moment of silent elation stirred through the camp as all SGC personnel watched the two of them talking secretly to each other, lost in their own private moments. Sam was listening carefully to Jack who had his mouth in amongst her blond hair. His arms were wrapped around her, holding both of her hands in one of his. They stayed like that for a long time. The magic was interrupted by Sam, who thought she should go and say her last goodbyes to the three men who had shared her life for a month. Sam had thought about this moment long and hard. She had different goodbyes to say to each of them. Sem'nar's would be easy; there was a relaxed bond there. Mantof just needed a friendly soldier to soldier goodbye. She knew it would probably be easier to say her goodbyes to Josef in a busy atmosphere, surrounded by others. Jack watched, jealous of the attention they were giving her. She spent a long time talking, whispering and touching; conversations that were punctuated with group laughter. He felt uncomfortable sitting, watching this private moment so he quickly slunk off to his tent for the night, not knowing whether he should wait and claim her back or leave her there.
------------------------
"Hi, sweetheart." Jacob found his daughter wandering around the site. She was chatting to all that stopped her but Jacob could see she had something on her mind. "You got a problem I can help you with?"
"No, it's OK. I think I'll turn in for the night."
"If you're looking for Jack, he's gone to his tent."
"Oh......"
"I expect he didn't want to get in the way of your goodbyes."
"Oh......"
"Come on."
Jacob gently reached out his hand and, understanding his intentions, Sam nervously placed her hand into his grip. They wandered across the now settled camp site until they reached the furthest tent away from the main camp fire.
"I told you he'd been on his own!"
Sam held back.
"Sweetheart, this is so right. Heck, I'm your father. I should be warning you away from a loose cannon like Jack. But it is so obvious that you were put on this planet for each other. Don't waste any more time."
He let go of her hand and stepped back. As he walked away Sam gently called him. He turned and looked back. She mouthed silently "Thank you."
His reply was just as silent, "I love you."
He turned again and left her there alone, petrified about the next step.
"Well, Samantha Carter, this is what you have been waiting for, for so long. Oh crap......Oh Christ, I'm beginning to sound like him already!"
She took a long deep breath and opened the tent flap and gently stepped in.
------------------------------
PART TEN
As soon as she stepped through, she disturbed him from his sleep. For a second, he forgot where he was and then focussed on Sam and smiled.
"I......em", she started, her voice shaking. "I......"
In an instance Jack took control. He reached for the edge of his sleeping bag and threw it open, offering her the warm, empty space next to him. Without thinking too hard about it, she walked the short distance between them and knelt down. No words were spoken, none were needed. At no time did they lose eye contact, they were fixed on each other. He took in every detail of her face, her eyes, her hair. He reached out and slid his hand down her cheek, the same cheek he had stroked when they were in the cave. Hooking his hand behind her neck, he eased her gently towards him. Then he hesitated.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked gently.
"Yeh." She replied. "You?"
"Try and stop me!"
Their mouths touched as their bodies made contact. This time there was no gentle exploration. Lack of breath was the only thing that stopped them. Wrapping her legs around him, she breathed in his scent, nuzzling her nose under his ear. He groaned with the unexpected pleasure this brought him. Slowly they drifted into a world, a new world of found feelings and desires.
After they laid in silence, Sam playing with the hairs on his chest, Jack circling her belly button with a finger. He broke the silence.
"Um, I need to know something."
"Yeh?"
"Why me? You have other guys, younger guys, queuing up out there to be with you. You're young, beautiful, brainy and then there's me. I'm old."
"Not that old."
"Thank you......I'm dopey."
"Not that dopey."
"Gee thanks. I'm grumpy."
"Can't argue with that one," she giggled.
"And I'm so old. Did I mention old?"
"Yes you did."
"So, the question is still `Why me'?"
Sam propped herself up onto her side and smiled at him. "I had the hots for you from the moment I walked into our first meeting. I had heard so much about you. Women that knew I was going to be under your command were jealous, we'd heard a lot about your looks and your sarcasm! I was also terrified but I got used to you and even got to like you and be protective of you. I knew I couldn't get excited about you because of the regs, so I relaxed into a friendly relationship and slowly became one of the guys. Every time a woman came along and you had a relationship with her I watched from afar. Every time it knocked me back a little. I had persuaded myself that I didn't have any feelings for you but I realised that I was just pushing them back further, ignoring the fact that they were there. This moment is all of my fantasies come true. I won't have to lie in bed and imagine anymore. And as for the old part......" she teasingly ran a finger down to his groin......." Grey is my favourite colour."
Her explorations down below were beginning to reap rewards.
"More?" Jack asked.
"More!" demanded Sam.
"I thought you were a brat!"
"Excuse me?"
"That first meeting, when you opened your mouth for the first time. I decided there and then. But unfortunately within five minutes the contents of my trousers were telling me something different."
She said nothing so he took a deep breath and continued. "I still can't understand half of what you say most of the time but I've started reading things just so I can impress you."
"My, I am impressed!"
"Just don't ask me any difficult questions `cos I'm still working my way through junior science books."
"That's not true and you know it. Why are you afraid to admit that you understand these theories?"
"'Cos I'm a soldier, a fighter...... and the guys would crucify me if they knew I'd been studying."
"So you did all of this just to impress me?"
"Spose so. Yeh!"
There was silence as Jack stroked his fingers down Sam's spine and found her backside. He gently played big circles around both cheeks, causing her to get excited.
"You know there's one important thing we haven't done yet." Sam was curious.
"Tell me."
"Call me Jack."
There was more silence. Sam had imagined this moment for a long time. In the privacy of her home, in the locker room, watching him lying injured in front of her, even in her half sleep. She had practiced saying his name, a name that, because of their situation, she could never use in public or even in his presence. And now he was asking her too. She took a silent, deep breath and whispered `Jack'.
"Again." he demanded.
She repeated his name over and over again and every time she gently kissed him. She kissed his cheek, sensing his short excited breathes. Then she slid across and gently nuzzled into his nose. Then each eye, until eventually he pulled her towards his lips. In amongst the contact she kept whispering his name. The moment became even more special when he whispered back.
"Sam."
Taking her into his arms, he rolled over onto his back.
"Sam."
This continued with them exploring each other's names, names they had always held back from using. Each time they used them, they became more confident, feeling that the right to use the names was theirs alone. Like children telling secrets that nobody else knew, they went into their own private world. The only extra added treat was the fact that they both wanted each other again.
"More?" Sam gently whispered.
"More!" Jack groaned.
Eventually sleep took over. He lay on his back with Sam resting by the side of him, wrapped in his arms.
Sam had being awake for a while, enjoying the sensation of lying in Jack's arms, moulding herself into the contours of his body. Feeling his chest lifting up and down, she gently stroked his belly. Feeling movement from him, she moved in closer, to share his body heat. He reached down and whispered into her hair.
"More......Sam......please!"
"For an old grey haired man you certainly have some stamina!"
"It's the milk and cookies I have every night at bedtime."
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The planet's very bright dawn broke through. The camp began to slowly stir, with many soldiers worse for wear. The on duty team, who had been given the short straw and had to remain guarding the gate and base camp, wandered amongst the tents, trying to encourage life back into the sleeping teams.
"Jack"
"Mmm."
"It's morning. They're breaking camp."
"Let them."
"Shouldn't we help?"
"I didn't get much sleep!"
Sam giggled.
---------------------------
"Morning campers!" Jack was walking around the campsite, looking willing even if he was exhausted. He got various `Sir's' before he was stopped by an out of breath Captain.
"Slow down, Captain. Don't tell me the Goa'uld have arrived?"
"No Sir, much worse. General Hammond has just arrived through the Stargate. He's asking for you and he doesn't look very happy."
"Oh crap! Tell him I'm on my way."
"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir."
Jack knew that this moment was coming and he had not been looking forward to it one little bit. He made his way up the hill towards the Stargate. The place was alive with activity. Teams of men and women, both Tok'ra and Tauri, were feverously working to clear the site. Many smiled good morning to him and he immediately wondered how much gossip had already spread through the small knit community as they probably all knew or guessed that Sam had spent the night in his tent. He saw the General walking towards him, not looking very friendly. Jack knew this was not going to a pleasurable experience but he was a Colonel, he was a decorated hero! He could face anything! He took a deep breath and......
"Good morning General Ha......"
"I don't need your good mornings Jack. We need to go somewhere private and talk undisturbed."
"Yes Sir......um," Jack looked around at the choices available. "Over by the cave OK with you?"
Hammond nodded his head over in the direction of the cave and quickly made his way there with Jack following, hands in his pockets, afraid of the next conversation. Although everybody had jobs to do they seemed to be able to continue work and at the same time corkscrew their heads around so they could keep track of the private conversation between O'Neill and Hammond.
"Sir, before you start, I need to apologise to you. I dealt with the situation in a cowardly way."
"Jack......"
"I know what you're going to say. That......"
"Jack......"
"No Sir, don't try to stop me. I need to try and......"
"Colonel, will you shut up for just one minute......please!" "Yes Sir, sorry Sir. You see......"
"Jack! Please!"
O'Neill's head went down. He knew he was in deep trouble. The only thing he must make sure was that Sam was not dragged down with him.
"OK." Hammond broke the silence. "I'll start the conversation and I will tell you when you can join in and make a comment. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir. Very clear Sir."
"Good. Now, I came back yesterday from leave to find your letter of resignation on my desk. Can you explain some points to me?"
Silence.
"You can talk now."
"Yes Sir."
"Can you explain to me why you have resigned?"
Silence.
"You may speak."
"Thank you Sir."
Jack spoke slowly as if he hadn't worked it out himself. "I don't know if you noticed that when Major Carter was missing I was a nervous wreck?"
"Can't say I noticed."
"Well, I was. I couldn't think straight, couldn't follow orders and couldn't give them either."
"No, didn't notice that."
"I didn't eat; I upset people on a daily basis."
"Didn't spot that."
"All I could think of and talk about was Carter."
"Well, you hid it well."
"I did?"
"No, you didn't you idiot!! Everybody on base, including me, was pig sick of you. You moped around the base, people would take off sick days, and others would clear the food hall when you arrived. I even held secret meetings so you didn't have to be there!"
"Oh, right! You were having a little joke just now. Good, very dry."
"So?"
"So. what Sir?"
"Why have you resigned?"
O'Neill paused, as if he knew this was going to be difficult. "I've spent my whole military life pushing any feelings I have had to one side. I managed to persuade myself that I couldn't feel anything, especially after I lost Charlie and then Sara. These last few weeks I've been feeling bad. You know, kinda ill, dizzy, had panic attacks, just like other normal people! I ignored it all for a while, convincing myself I was just over doing it. I even thought about going to see Dr. Frasier or Mackenzie. Anyway, eventually I worked it out. Well, I didn't work it out, cos if I was being really honest I would have to admit that I knew what the problem was all along. And the way you're talking it sounds like the whole base had discovered this before me."
"So?"
"Don't rush me Sir......please. This is taking a lot of courage. Normally, I would expect a counsellor's couch and soothing music!"
"Well then, you'll have to imagine."
O'Neill shoved his hands deep into his trouser pockets, lifted his head up and while looking at the sky, he took a deep lung filled breath which he then released slowly. "Eventually I worked it, out or admitted to myself, that it was because of Carter......Sam. She was missing. It then only took me a mental kick in the pants to make me admit to myself that I was in love with her."
Again, he breathed in and out, slowly and exaggeratedly. "Keep going Son, you're doing very well. Let me get this straight for you. You eventually worked out something that the rest of us had known for a long time."
"Excuse me?"
"Jack, we've all been aware of how you both feel about each other for a long for a long time. I've quietly watched you both flirting and teasing when you thought it was safe. I've kept the President informed and although he is grateful for the loyalty you both show to the Military, he, like me, cannot believe how restrained you've both been and how dedicated to the cause you are."
Hammond smiled broadly as he saw the disbelief in Jack's eyes. Patting him on the shoulder he asked," So when did this great revelation come to you?"
"After what happened to Sam," Jack went on, a little less tense this time. "I kinda realised I needed to put my life in order and that trying to ignore my feelings for her was no longer an option. I suppose the decision was taken out of my hands when I was given the responsibility of being the first person there for her when she came through the gate. When I grabbed her and stood there with her, I remembered just how beautiful she was and that I didn't want to ever lose her again."
"And how did she react?"
"She responded......enough said."
"And last night?"
"Well......we...um......we made love. Well actually, we didn't make love, we just had sex. I think we'll probably save the making love part for when we're back home in our own beds. But because I had resigned I knew we had the freedom to do this...it......you know."
"Freedom?"
"The freedom away from the military. Knowing I could love her and not get court-martialled because of how I felt about her. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want her to be found out either but her career is the most important one not mine. I'm old and grey......although that seems to be her favourite colour."
Jack finished his explanation with a smile.
There was silence for a second between the two men.
"Actually Jack, ......you don't have that freedom you talk about."
"Come again?"
"The President wouldn't accept your resignation."
"Excuse me?" "He has decided that he needs you at the SGC for a little longer."
"SIR," Jack shouted quietly through gritted teeth. "I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE HER UP."
"No, we don't expect you to. We guess that your relationship will move along quite quickly now. So what we thought was SG1 could do with some extended leave after this. Sam's got a father that is desperate to pamper her. You could take some time off with her. Take her to your cabin but this time don't take your phone! Then you may need to go and see Jacob. Try and impress someone who may be your future father-in-law. And I'm sure Daniel and Teal'c can find things to do. And if you come back from your extended leave say, oh I don't know, engaged perhaps then the regulations won't have been broken. Just stretched a little...... sort of."
Jack was thinking out loud, "Freedom from the base rules, freedom from responsibilities and ranks."
Hammond could see his eyes light up so he continued his conversation. "Then it probably wouldn't be long before you wanted to retire with your full pension intact. Sam might want to give up travelling off world because of......oh I don't know, say a health issue."
"My, you two have been busy!"
---------------------------
PART ELEVEN
"Morning! Hi! Good morning!" Sam greeted any SG personnel that she came across.
In her half sleep she had sensed Jack leaving but the temptation to roll over and go back to sleep had been powerful. Of course it may have had something to do with the fact that she didn't manage to get much sleep during the night. She had woken from a dream filled sleep, where she and Jack had wild, rampant sex. They only problem was she knew it wasn't a dream but a dream come true. There was another problem though. If the dream was real then they were both in trouble. Question - should she react in a cold uncaring way the next time she saw him or throw caution to the wind and accept that a new, more exciting part of her life was just beginning and just go with the flow. As she walked up the hill, she was aware that not many people were really concentrating on their work but more in the conversation that was going on between Jack and...... General Hammond! What was he doing here on the planet? She hovered and then saw Teal'c, Daniel and her father having what seemed to be a meeting near the Stargate. She headed towards them. As she approached she could see Jacob talking into a radio.
"Yes George, we'll be right over. Yeh, she's just arrived. We'll bring her with us."
He turned to Sam. "Morning sweetheart. You have to turn around with us and come back down to General Hammond and Jack. We've been summoned."
"What's it about?" Sam asked.
"We have no idea," replied Teal'c. "General Hammond journeyed through the gate very recently and has been with O'Neill ever since."
As they approached, General Hammond turned and smiled at the group. O'Neill had his head down and his hands firmly shoved into his pockets. Kicking at the dirt, he didn't seem to be very comfortable about the fact that the space was being invaded by the others. Sam tried to smile at him but he obviously did not want the contact. She was worried. If the General had found out about last night then both of their military careers would be over. And in the many moments during last night, she hadn't thought of that once.
"O'Neill appears to be very agitated,"observed Teal'c.
"Yeh! You noticed that too," agreed Daniel.
Jacob could see the worry in his daughter's eyes so he held her hand tightly. "Don't worry Sam, we'll get through this together."
"Good morning Jacob, SG1. I am sorry about the surprise visit but I had something I had to deal with urgently, here this morning."
Without looking at Jack, he prodded him with his elbow and said, "Over to you Colonel."
"Right," answered Jack. "Um Carter, could I have a private word with you?"
"Yes Sir," Sam answered, still sensing a difficult mood.
"Over here, let's walk."
The two twisted off and moved down the hill towards the now empty base camp. A few personnel were clearing away the tracks and collecting the debris left behind from a night of partying. Jack stopped and took one of Sam's hands in his.
"Before I start, I want you to listen to everything I have to say - don't yell at me. OK?"
"O......K!" Sam answered carefully.
"The night before you came back I was down, downer that I'd ever been before."
"Is there such a word?"
"There is now!"
"Downer......right!"
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Yep!"
"15 love to you! Anyway I got talking to Dad. He put me straight in minutes. He made me see that I was missing you and that without you my life had stopped. I hadn't planned anything. I didn't know what I was going to do when you eventually stepped through the worm hole."
"But you admitted your feelings to him?"
"Yep."
"15 all."
"Right! Thanks!"
"So?"
"So, I act on instinct. Sometimes when I shouldn't. Sometimes it gets me into trouble."
"Only sometimes?"
"30-15! This time it has. I decided when the camp was asleep to gate back to the SGC. I went and sat in the food hall and ate blue jello. I went to my office and tried to do some paperwork. It didn't work. I was doing it to stop myself doing the next thing I had to do. I found myself in your office and I sat at your desk. You know, there's loads of paperwork piling up there! Anyway, I just sat there looking around and it suddenly made me realise how much I was missing you."
Sam reached up with her hand and stroked his face.
"30 all?" he asked.
"OK, I feel generous today. 30 all," she whispered. "So?"
"So, I sat there and wrote my resignation."
"YOU DID WHAT!?"
"You promised you wouldn't yell."
"You're gonna need new balls soon!"
"Cute!"
"I'm not being cute. And let's get this straight. You let this little fact slip by me during our night of sex?"
"Wild, passionate se......"
"Don't interrupt!"
"Sorry, interrupting is out?"
"You betcha. During last night you didn't think it was important enough to tell me that you had resigned from the best job in the military, one that you do so damn well?"
"No......I mean yes......well kinda......Oh crap, I think you've just gone to 40-30." Sam walked off and Jack followed.
-------------------------
"Is that Sam shouting at Jack?" Daniel asked.
"Indeed it is," answered Teal'c. "They appear to be having a disagreement of some kind."
"George?" Jacob looked at General Hammond. "Would I be correct in my assumption that you know exactly what they are disagreeing about?"
"Yes."
"And you set this little discussion up?"
"Yes."
"And you're going to keep quiet about what it's all about?"
"Yes."
"And you're enjoying every minute of watching Jack squirm?"
"Oh yes."
"Ok, so we wait and just watch the entertainment?"
"Definitely!"
---------------------
"Sam. Wait up, please!"
Jack stood his ground, sensing that Sam would be coming back his way. She turned around and charged.
"What gave you the right to make this decision all by yourself?"
"I had no rights, just raw emotions. Here I was, an experienced soldier, used to hiding emotions, used to blanking out anything that would make me feel vulnerable. And then to confuse me, just when I didn't need it, I realised I was......I am crazy about you. All the time you were away I couldn't stop thinking about you. I touched your belongings, I sat in your chair and I played games on your computer. I talked to you non-stop and at times I could almost hear you answering."
"That doesn't give you the right to throw your career away!"
"I know. But I no longer felt like a soldier. I felt like a love sick puppy. It got so embarrassing that I would be sitting around the camp fire, surrounded by all these macho men and they would catch me smirking to myself. And when they asked me what I was thinking about I would make up a lie."
Sam went quiet.
Jack realised that she was no longer shouting at him.
"Sam?..............Sam speak to me, even if it's to abuse me!"
"Game, set and match."
"Excuse me?"
"Game, set an......"
"I heard, I just don't understand."
"You've won!"
"How?"
"When I was on one of the planets with just the three Tok'ra, I sat at a campfire one night and had wild thoughts about you. I must have sat there smirking to myself while I was remembering all our times together. I had begun to realise that I might not be going home and I knew that I had to keep my memories alive so I could find some hope and optimism."
Jack stepped closer.
"Josef asked me what I was thinking about that was making me so happy and I lied. I didn't want him to know it was you. I didn't want to share my very private thoughts."
Jack stepped closer and reached forward, pushing Sam's blond hair behind her right ear.
"Marry me?"
A long moment of silence came between them. Sam stood still, mesmerised by the moment. "Marry me and save me.........please?"
More silence. Jack seemed resigned to the fact that the moment had been a mistake and he dropped his head down gently. Almost instantly, he felt Sam lifting his chin back up, giving them immediate eye contact.
"Yes."
"Excuse me?"
"Yes......I'll marry you," she grinned.
"Are you sure?"
"Surer than I've ever been before."
"Surer? Is there such a word?"
"There is now!"
Jack closed the remaining gap, took her face in his hands and kissed her gently on her lips. "One demand though," Sam insisted.
"O......K?"
"We go and see the President together, with General Hammond, and work out a deal for you so you can stay at the SGC for as long as you want?"
"OK."
"So what now?"
"Now we go back up the hill and face the music. There's one General who's enjoying watching me squirm. There's another General that I need to start calling......Dad and mean it. And there's a group of confused friends."
Sam reached out her fingers towards Jack.
"Hand in hand?"
"You betcha, hand in hand!" Jack whispered into her ear. "And when we've squared it up here, I am going to take you home and we're not gonna leave my bed for a very long time."
"And then we go to mine and do it all over again!" smiled Sam.
They strolled slowly up the hill, Jack aware that all eyes were on them, and Sam certain that Jack was intending to milk the situation as much as possible.
THE END
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