Disclaimer Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

The manacle tugged at his wrist and Teal'c looked down, not surprised to see Major Carter examining it. The cuff around her wrist was made of a shiny metal and was perhaps a quarter inch thick and two inches wide. It was exactly like the cuff on his wrist, just a bit smaller.

She turned her wrist over, examining the catch. He believed that it was some sort of magnetic lock since he could not see any latching mechanism. As he watched, she pulled on the cuff, trying to slid it over her hand. He could see that the skin of her wrist was abraded and swollen. It had obviously been damaged when he'd fallen. His wrist bore similar marks, but he knew that his primta would heal it. Major Carter did not have the same assistance.

"It will not fit," he said, observing her tugging harder on the cuff.

She looked up at him. "It would if I dislocated my thumb," she said. He raised his eyebrows. "They actually teach you that in survival school. If you dislocate your thumb you can sometimes free your hand. Of course, you also pretty much lose all use of said hand," she shrugged.

"That will not be necessary," he said.

She looked up at him. "If I can get this cuff off, you'll be free. You can overpower him and we can go home."

"I do not believe that plan will be successful."

"Teal'c-"

"The front of the ship is protected by a small shield. Likely there to prevent such plans from being carried out. Our chance for escape lies after we have arrived but before we are sold. It would be best if we were both as well as possible." He looked at her. "Losing the use of one hand is a difficult obstacle to overcome."

A look crossed her face and her eyes fell, darting away from his. He was aware of the guilt that she carried and the blame that she placed upon herself. Yet he did not have time to care about such trivial matters. If they were to escape they would need not only their wits, but luck as well. And they could not afford to be so lost in the past that it compromised their focus on the present.

"You should sleep," he said, focusing on her wan face, barely disguised by a layer of dirt and grime.

She shook her head, her protest cut short by a yawn. "I can take first watch," she offered.

Teal'c shook his head. "We have no need of watches. If Boch wished us dead, we would be."

"Teal'c-"

"I shall kelnoreem and you must sleep," he ordered. Surprisingly, she heeded his words. She maneuvered as much as she could, settling closer and letting her head resting on his arm. He watched until he felt her body relax before he closed his eyes, allowing his body to slip into a light state of meditation.

Kelnoreem would be preferable, however he did not wish to remove so much of his attention from his - their - present state. He had no illusions about their fate. Especially if Apophis was the instigator of the bounty. He would be tortured, likely to death, several times. His torment would be held publicly in order to be as much of an example as possible. After many days, perhaps weeks, he would be permitted to finally die, his head perhaps adorning a pike outside the palace - a rotting warning to any who would think to rebel.

Major Carter's fate would be even darker. If she was lucky, she would merely join Apophis' harem. A fate - while unpleasant - would not be unsurvivable. Teal'c knew that there were many in the harem who rarely, if ever, served time in Apophis' bed chamber.

No, Teal'c thought, remembering his friend's fair coloring and light eyes. She would not go unnoticed. And, even beyond that, she carried the memories of Jolinar within her. Memories buried so deep that the major barely comprehended them. But they would not be buried deep enough put them out of reach of a symbiote.

Apophis would have her blended. He would have a symbiote and he would force it into her and she would spend the rest of her life a prisoner in her own body, forced to commit atrocities and cruelties.

Teal'c could not think of a worse fate.

He opened his eye and glanced down at his slumbering friend. He could kill her. Even handicapped as he was, he could still kill her. Apophis did possess a sarcophagus, or did the last Teal'c knew. It was possible that it could revive her, however, even the magic of the sarcophagus had its limits. And long dead flesh - even a few hours old, did not reanimate well.

If he killed her now, she would likely be beyond the sarcophagus' ability to heal.
He carefully raised his hand, moving slowly to lessen the clank of the chain. He possessed no weapon, save the chain that bound them together. He could strangle her with it. However, that method of execution would wake her and she would suffer.

He did not wish that.

If he had both hands, he could easily snap her neck. And perhaps he could with only one hand. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. If he was going to do this, he must do it correctly. He softly caressed her neck, his fingers finding the steady thrum of her heart beat. A small pinch would accomplish the deed. Pressure, if applied correctly to the neck, could suspend the flow of blood, thus suffocating her brain.

If he was careful, she likely would not even awaken. She would simply cross over - perish in her sleep.

Could he do it? Could he kill her, grant her the boon she had denied him - the right to die?

Perhaps it was as fate intended, for her to be denied that which she denied him? Or perhaps he was wrong. She would not want to die. She would want to remain alive, to hold out hope for a rescue that was unlikely to ever come.

O'Neill did not even know that they had been captured, much less by whom. Therefore, he would be unsure of where to start looking. And they no longer possessed the intelligence network of the Tok'ra and Asgard.

Word would eventually spread, Teal'c knew. Apophis would loudly brag when he tortured Teal'c to death, and O'Neill would then be able to discern Major Carter's location, but such intelligence could be delayed by weeks or even months. By then it was doubtful that, even if Major Carter still lived as a host, they would be able to rescue her.
Yet, Teal'c knew that she would hold out hope. To her very dying breath, she would hold out hope of a rescue. That was a quirk of the Tau'ri. They would snatch life from death and cherish even the smallest piece.

I just couldn't be alone.

He remembered her words, saw the pain and anguish in her eyes. Pain that he knew somehow had little to do with memories of her mother' death.

She hadn't meant to hurt him, he could see that now. She hadn't meant to deny him his death or consign him to a fate he loathed. She had merely been doing what humans did best, cheating death in favor of life.

He removed his hand, abandoning his intention to deliver mercy. He closed his eyes and again began to meditate. Whatever fate awaited them, they would face it together.

/\/\/\/\/\

Solek stood, his eyes impatiently scanning the heavens. They were late and he did not like to be kept waiting. He had many duties that demanded his time and every moment spent on this abandoned rock was another moment that his schedule fell behind.

In an effort to ease his frustration, he began to pace, striding purposefully back and forth, never getting too far from the chaapai. His robes flapped annoyingly about his legs, complicated by the thigh high grass through which he walked, doing little to alleviate the frustration that burned in his belly.

The air was hot and heavy and held the promise of coming storms in the large billowing clouds just visible on the horizon. Insects and avians fluttered about and he allowed himself to be distracted for a moment, studying the colorful array of flying creatures. This planet had rich natural resources. Perhaps he would consider creating a dwelling here, a quiet, private place.

His musings were interrupted by the sharp crack of a ship entering the atmosphere. Quickly, Solek returned to the chaapai, seeking both to return to the agreed meeting place and to have access to the safety that escape through the chaapai could bring.

The teltac swept down from the sky, landing with a flourish just yards from the chaapai.
Solek prepared himself, his hand drifting down to the pistol he wore on his belt in addition to the ribbon device adorning his hand. It was true that this bounty hunter promised to simply deliver his goods in exchange for his pay, but one could never be too careful. Unless of course, one wished to die before his time.

The door to the teltac opened and Solek stood ready, carefully scrutinizing the bounty hunter as he stepped out of his ship. "You're not Apophis," he said, raising his voice to yell across the fifteen yards between them.

"Apophis has better things to do than cater to the whims of others," Solek said. "I am authorized to act as his agent."

"You're aware of our bargain?"

"Roshna for humans," Solek said, rolling his eyes in distaste. "A bargain that shall be void if they are irreparably damaged."

"The Jaffa was damaged before I captured him, but they're alive," the bounty hunter said.

"Bring them out," Solek said. "I will not confirm a bargain before I can inspect what I am purchasing."

The bounty hunter retreated inside his ship and returned in just a couple of minutes, leading the two humans. Solek could see that they were Tau'ri and were both shackled to each other with thick chains.

Solek could see that they had not been captured easily. The female's face was dirty and her clothing was stained. An oddity caught his eye and Solek squinted, quixotically realizing that the Jaffa was missing a hand and wore a dark patch over one eye. This must have been the 'damage' that the bounty hunter had spoken of.

Seeking a closer look, Solek walked forward, moving within just a couple of yards of the captives. The female looked up and Solek saw an odd expression cross her face as she stared at him.

Angered at her impudence, he raised his left hand and fired off a blast of power, striking the ground at her feet. She cowered, taking a protective step back as dirt and small rocks flew into her face.. "I did not give you permission to look at me!" he said loudly. "You will learn your place, or you shall suffer the wrath of the gods!" He raised his hand, prepared to deliver another disciplining blow.

"They're not yours yet," the bounty hunter said, stepping forward, his hands on what Solek guessed was a weapon at his waist. "You can do what you want with them…after I get my payment."

Solek touched a control on his ribbon weapon, deactivating a cloaking device that hid the man's payment. He turned, visually confirming the four boxes that shimmered into existence. "Take it and go," Solek said. He stepped forward and held out his right hand, taking the chain from the bounty hunter. "Our business is now complete."

The man nodded. "I'd keep an eye on them if I were you. They're up to something," he warned.

Solek smiled. "I am well versed in disciplining humans. And they are no longer your concern."

The bounty hunter shrugged and set himself to retrieving his roshna, efficiently loading the substance into his ship. Within minutes, he was gone, his ship nothing more than a white streak in the cerulean sky.

"You know, kiddo. If you'd have minded me this well when you were growing up, I'd probably have more hair now," Jacob said, abandoning his Goa'uld persona.

Teal'c smiled and Sam finally looked up, her grin about as big as he'd ever seen it. "How the hell did you manage this one?" she asked, stepping forward and allowing him to wrap her in a hug.

"It's a long story." He looked at Teal'c, his eye pointedly lingering on the man's injuries.
"And I think you have an even longer one to tell me. Namely why you aren't on Earth anymore and how'd you end up tangling with a piece of garbage like that?"

She sighed. "Like you said, it's a very long story."

"One best discussed in safer surroundings," Teal'c said pointedly.

Sam nodded. "Let's go home."

/\/\/\/\/\

"We're leaving as soon as you're packed," Jack ordered, hearing the gate snap shut behind him.

"Jack-"

"Daniel, we have a day's flight in front of us. You can catch some sleep then," he interrupted, glancing back to see Daniel catching up with him.

"So can you," Daniel said. "And I wasn't protesting leaving, I WAS going to say that we better make sure we grab the med kit and leave a note just in case they make it back while we're gone."

Jack sighed, biting his lip to keep from saying that there'd be no need to leave a note. The chances of Carter and Teal'c making it back on their own was about as good as Earth calling them up with an engraved invitation to come back home to a ticker tape parade. If Daniel wanted to be positive, let him be positive. One of them needed to be.
They'd spent all day searching the planet, walking mile after mile, digging through ruin after ruin, desperately seeking some sign of their friends.

And they'd found nothing. Well, nearly nothing. They had found the temple and definitely found signs of their friends. The newly blown up wall being one clear indication that they'd been there. And he knew that they'd gotten out. And that they hadn't blown themselves up in the process, the lack of icky smears on the walls being a clear indication of their survival.

Then where the hell were they?

Jack thought of Thor's gift and wondered if he should use it. Thor would WANT to help, but could he? If a Goa'uld had them, Thor wouldn't stick his nose in, the council wouldn't allow it.

The Tok'ra would. If he knew how to contact them.

Ever since they'd split from Earth, they'd kept a low profile, avoiding their allies, especially the Tok'ra. And now, knowing that Earth had it in for them, Jack was glad that they'd made a clean break.

But, if it gave him a chance to get his people back, he could definitely risk it. Hell, at the very least he'd think that Jacob…Jack stopped dead at the thought of Sam's father. Jacob. He'd have to tell Jacob what had happened, tell him that he'd lost his daughter.

"Jack?" Jack looked up to see Daniel in front of him and looking back. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Jack said, not in the mood to broach the topic.

Daniel stared at him for a few seconds, then he turned and resumed his trek back to the cabin. Jack followed, unable to deny the nausea that threatened at the thought of telling Jacob what had happened.

"Jack…."

"I'm fine, Daniel," Jack growled.

"Good, did you leave the door open?"

Jack frowned, directing his attention to their cabin, just visible in the distance. The front door was open, and Jack remembered very clearly closing it when they'd left this morning. "I didn't," he said.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Daniel said slowly. "They made it back," he said. He hurried forward, stopping only when Jack lunged out, grabbing his arm to hold him back. "Jack?"

"It might not be them."

Daniel sighed. "We were out of sight of the gate for hours. We could easily have missed each other."

"And we were out of sight of this gate all day. There can be anyone in there," Jack said. "We're going to check it out, but we're not going to just walk in."

Daniel nodded, accepting his proclamation. Now alert, they made their way towards the cabin, both moving slowly and cautiously.

Jack studied the cabin, hoping to get some clue as to what was going on. He didn't see any movement around the cabin, so it was possible that, while someone had been in their home, no one was now.

They moved closer and Jack signaled to Daniel to move to the other side of the cabin. He drew his gun and crept towards the cabin. He strained his ears, seeking to hear any voices that could give him a clue.

His eyes caught sight of a flash of movement and he froze, his gaze shooting over to Daniel. Jack held up his fist, signaling for Daniel to freeze even as he crouched down, seeking to present as small a target as possible. Daniel did the same and Jack turned his attention back to the cabin. Someone was in there. Jack could hear the scraping of chairs and the creak of the floorboards. It was possible that they were just facing a simple scavenger, someone like them, searching for supplies and valuables.

"We should take the ship," he heard a woman's raised voice, just audible from inside. "Something had to have happened or they'd be here." Recognizing the voice, Jack smiled, standing upright and motioning for Daniel to join him.

"It is merely possible that O'Neill and Daniel Jackson are exploring the third planet on our list."

Jack stepped across the threshold of the cabin and walked in. "And it's just as possible that we were out looking for you two," he said, lowering the pistol although he didn't holster it.

Much to his relief, his hopes were confirmed. Carter and Teal'c sat at the table, both looking healthy if a bit roughed up. Surprisingly, he also saw Jacob. The man glanced up, obviously occupied treating some injury of Carter's. Jacob held his daughter's arm in his hands and was wrapping it with what Jack knew to be the last of their bandages. Jack saw a length of chain lying on the table, along with two opened cuffs. He glanced at Teal'c, barely catching sight of a patch of abraded skin at the man's wrist. Whatever had delayed the pair, someone else had been involved.

"Colonel."

"O'Neill."

"See, told ya," Jacob said. "These two were about ten minutes from running off to look for you," he reported. "And if it hadn't been for the chains, we'd already be gone."

"Sam. Teal'c." Daniel pushed past Jack to greet them. "You're okay."

"Daniel, we're fine," Sam said.

"Relatively speaking," Jacob corrected.

"What happened?" Jack asked, finally relaxing. He holstered his pistol and sat down, watching with amusement while Daniel busied himself, raiding the larder to set some food down on the table since it was obvious that, in their haste to free themselves, they hadn't gotten around to eating yet.

"Earth's wanted list isn't the only one we're on," Sam said, nodding her thanks to Daniel when he put a loaf of bread in front of her. She awkwardly tore off a chunk with one hand and crammed it into her mouth.

"Apophis has also placed a monetary reward upon our capture," Teal'c said, also helping himself to the food.

"All four of you actually," Jacob said, finishing his work on Sam's arm and claiming his own seat around the table. He too helped himself to the food, sampling not just the bread but some dried meat too. The five of them made short work of the simple meal as Jack gave into the hunger that replaced the sick, queasy feeling that had plagued him for the past day and a half.

"That was why I was kinda glad to see the SGC shut down, once I got over the fact that no one bothered to tell me," Jacob growled pointedly.

"We tried," Jack said. "But we didn't exactly have a lot of time."

"I told you, Dad. We had to cut all ties," Sam said.

Jacob nodded, obviously not fond of the circumstances, but letting it slide for now. "They ran across a bounty hunter named Aris Boch," he explained. "He was going to sell them to Apophis, fortunately Solek got the message instead and intercepted them," Jacob said, gesturing towards himself.

Jack looked at Jacob, making a bit of a show of examining the man's robes. "Solek's got a rather eclectic fashion sense."

Jacob shrugged. "Ya gotta do what ya gotta do."

"Jacob Carter secured our release and returned with us here," Teal'c explained.

"Way to go Solek," Daniel said, finally taking a seat.

"How does that temple we found all blown up fit into this?" Jack asked, seeking to put a couple more puzzle pieces into place.

"We thought we'd found something important, but it was a trap. We had to use the last of the C4 to get out of it, and the bounty hunter was waiting for us just outside," Sam explained.

"This Boch has a bit of a reputation for setting traps," Jacob said. "It's how he makes his living. Usually he just catches small time crooks or little annoyances. I honestly don't think he meant to catch them, they just kinda fell into his lap."

Jack picked up the pair of manacles lying on the table. "Did a little shopping while you were at it?" Carter refused to answer but made a face while Teal'c raised his eyebrow.

"Right," Jack said, accepting the dismissal. He clapped and then rubbed his hands together. "I think we can forget about the whole search thing," he said to Daniel. "And you two look like you could use a good night's sleep. How about we all call it a night and we can hear all about it in the morning," he suggested.

"Aah, Jack," Daniel said. "I'm sorry, Jacob, but we're not exactly set up for guests." Jacob raised his eyebrows.

"He means that we only have four beds," Jack said. "Jacob, you can take mine. I can go crash on the teltac tonight."

"You have a teltac?" Jacob asked.

"Kinda picked it up along the way. We can tell you all about it in the morning." Jack got to his feet, effectively putting an end to the conversation. It took them just minutes to clean up the remnants of their meal and for them to head their separate ways.

Jack quietly slipped outside, pausing a moment to simply enjoy the relief at having his friends back together before walking the short distance to their hidden teltac. He went inside and efficiently made his 'bed' as he acknowledged that it was a euphemistic term at best for a sleeping bag spread out over an air mattress.

Stripping down to his shorts, he laid down, relief and exhaustion allowing him to fall asleep within minutes.

He slept for several hours, his body clock awakening him soon after planetary dawn. He rolled off the mattress and got to his feet, groaning softly as he worked out the normal kinks. He pulled on his pants and shirt. His shaving gear was still in the cabin so he walked barefoot across the small clearing and slipped into the cabin to retrieve it. Jacob was still asleep in his bed, the man snoring softly.

Jack grabbed his kit and went back outside, his destination the stream a short distance from the cabin. Movement caught his eye and he caught sight of Carter sitting on a rock. She had obviously just come from the stream. Her hair was damp and there were dark spots on her shirt "Hey," he called out.

"Morning," she said. She had a habit of waking up earlier than the rest of them and taking the first turn at the stream. If the three of them woke up before she got back, they'd wait, giving her privacy. Then, while she cooked whatever they'd have for breakfast, the three of them would take their turn. It was a pattern they'd reverse in the evening, the three men taking turns cooking.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he sat beside her. His eyes flitted over the bruises and scrapes on her arms. Bruises and scrapes that had been concealed the evening before.

"Not bad," she said. "Although I'd love a long hot bath." Her wrapped left wrist was cradled in her lap and she rubbed it gently, obviously trying to ease the discomfort of the injury.

Jack nodded, sympathizing. If the bruises he could see were any indication to the others she probably had, then yeah, a soak in a hot bath would go a long ways in loosening up stiff muscles. "I was thinking, we might take a day off."

"A day off?"

"Teal'c and I can go do a little hunting, you and Daniel can chill. Maybe Jacob even knows of some planets we can check out," he suggested.

"So you didn't find anything?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say that." He looked at her. "We ran into Thor."

"Really?"

He nodded and quickly filled her in, telling her about his and Daniel's discoveries, and the fact that they hadn't been able to keep any of it. "So, it was pretty much a bust," he finished.

"But you got the communication stone from Thor," she said. "That's something."

He shrugged. "Better than nothing, but…."

"Not quite what we needed," she finished.

"Yeah."

She shifted and grimaced, her breath hissing between her teeth as she cradled her wrist. Jack reached into his shaving kit and pulled out a small packet of pills. He handed them to her. "Here."

She shook her head. "It's okay."

"Carter, take the pills," he said, holding the small foil packet in front of her.

"We may need them later," she demurred.

"Carter, take the damn pills!" he ordered sharply. She gasped and looked over at him, a flash of fear crossing her face.

His fingers dug painfully into her hair, smiling softly at her weak gasp of pain. 'Shall I tell you how much my host hates you? How annoying he finds you? How much your prattle irritates him? Do you know he's fantasized about shutting you up?' She closed her eyes and he growled, releasing her to let her fall back onto the floor.

He got to his feet and paced, stomping over to the table and pouring himself a goblet of wine. Damned irritating female. She refused to give him pleasure.

Jack listened to the snake rail and he smiled, unable to deny the pride he felt as Sam refused to give into Ba'al. But his pride was tempered by fear and disgust.

He struggled to take control, fought to reclaim his body. Ba'al fought back, digging deeper into Jack's mind, forcing his way into the dark corners that Jack did his best to ignore. Corners that Jack was happy to forget and abandon.

Ba'al delved deep, pushing Jack aside as easily as one would bat at a fly. Ba'al laughed, reveling in Jack's pain. 'So much pain. So much darkness. So much wonderful knowledge,' Ba'al gloated, as he dug through Jack's painful memories.

He seized upon one very dark time and chuckled, setting the goblet down. 'So many ways to kill,' Ba'al said, again standing over Sam.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. 'Colonel, fight it,' she said. 'You know you can fight it. Fight him!'

Jack felt himself smile. 'There's nothing left to fight,' he said. 'He's dead.'

'What?'

'He's dead. Ba'al's dead,' Ba'al said, using Jack's own voice. He reached down and offered her a hand up, assisting her to her feet.

'I can still feel him,' she said, looking at him skeptically even as she wavered on her feet.

'And I can feel the leftovers of Jolinar in you. Guess I finally get to join the 'creepy feeling' fan club.' He smiled disarmingly and she relaxed a bit although she still held herself tense.

Jack struggled, fighting to regain control. He yelled and screamed, doing everything he could to warn her. She couldn't trust him. Come on, Sam. Don't trust him. Don't trust me. 'There's no way Daniel let you and Teal'c come alone. Where are they?'

She shook her head. 'I'm not sure.'

'Come on, Carter. You probably have their position calculated down to the last centimeter,' he said.

She frowned and stared at him, her eyes narrowing. 'Are you feeling okay?'

'I'm just fine,' Ba'al said. 'Although my host is having a bit of a bad day.' His hand struck out and wrapped itself around her throat and Ba'al laughed, amused at the terror that crossed her face.

Her hands came up and grasped his, her short fingernails digging into his skin. He could feel her gasping under his hand, her throat pulsing as she struggled to breathe. Her eyes were wide with pain and betrayal.

'Do you know how much my host revels in watching you struggle?' Ba'al said. 'He knows so many ways to kill. So many wonderful methods of eliminating those that he hates. This is a particularly favorite fantasy of his.'

Tears welled up in her eyes and Ba'al released her, throwing her several feet across the room. Jack yelled and cursed, disgust at what he'd become nearly overwhelming him. He heard Sam cough and didn't know if he felt relief or horror that she was still alive.

Ba'al stepped to stand over her and she looked up, struggling to move away from him. Fear mingled with hatred and Jack felt a pain worse than anything Ba'al had done when she cowered from him, feebly trying to get away. 'My host has years of wonderful experience to draw from. And you, my dear Samantha, have no idea how much he will enjoy killing you again and again and again.'

"Sam," Jack said, softening his voice as he banished the memories. "Take them, please. It's stupid to hoard them until they expire and aren't any good." He couldn't deny the past and he couldn't change it. The most he could hope for was to atone as much as he could.

She reached out and took the packet from him, folding it into her good hand. "Thanks," she said softly. "Dad didn't have his healing stone with him so…."

Jack nodded. "You know, I bet you could go with Jacob, maybe spend some time with the Tok'ra," he suggested.

"What?" She looked over at him.

Jack shrugged, keeping his voice light. "Think of it like a vacation. Log a little time on a friendly planet. They might even have some ideas on that shield we want to build. You could even take Daniel with you. I'll bet he'd jump at the chance for some sort of cultural exchange or something."

"What about you and Teal'c?"

Jack shrugged again. "I can't speak for the big guy but I've never been a big fan of tunnels. We'll stay here. Maybe keep up with our exploring."

She nodded slowly. "So that's it? Dump the dead weight as soon as you can?"

"What?"

"You know, if you didn't want me here, you could have just said so back on Earth. Hell, you could have just ignored that whole goodbye bit and just vanished." She shot to her feet. "I'd have found out eventually of course. Probably when the NID broke down my front door, but you'd have been long gone by then."

"Carter-"

"Don't 'Carter' me!" she interrupted. "Why did you even come and see me if you didn't want me here?"

"What makes you think I don't want you here?"

"You're pretty damn eager to get rid of me. It's probably too bad that Teal'c was with me yesterday or that bounty hunter coulda just sold me to Apophis and you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore!" she ranted.

"God! Stop!" Jack yelled, getting to his feet. "Where the hell do you get the idea that I want you dead?" he demanded, horrified by her words. "I'm not trying to get rid of you, for crying out loud. I'm trying to keep you safe. It was bad enough when we knew that we'd just pissed off a few people but god only knows how many other bounty hunters there are out there hunting us. At least with the Tok'ra you'll have someone to watch your back," he explained.

"What about you and Teal'c? Why won't you come?"

"Because I don't see them welcoming an ex-System Lord and a former First Prime with open arms," Jack said softly. "We'll stay here and work on beefing up security. The two of you can come back once it's safe."

All of a sudden he regretted giving into his impulsive idea. He never should have suggested it to her, rather talked to Jacob. Chances are if Jacob had asked her to come, she never would have questioned it. He could chalk this up to one more thing he screwed up.

She smiled grimly, her earlier anger fading. "With all due respect, Colonel, I know you picked up a lot of knowledge from Ba'al. Probably more than you'll ever admit to. But I really doubt you can build this shield without us. And who the hell is going to watch YOUR back while you do?"

"Carter-"

"Besides, how do we know that Apophis hasn't already infiltrated the Tok'ra?" she asked. "Theoretically, any one of them could turn us in."

"You two are up early." Jack turned around, not surprised to see Daniel and Teal'c joining them.

"No earlier than usual," Jack said.

"At a greater volume than usual," Teal'c said pointedly.

Sam glanced down, her face coloring slightly. "The Colonel and I were having a little discussion."

"Is that what they're calling it now?" Daniel asked.

"He thinks you and I should go with Dad and stay with the Tok'ra," she told Daniel.

"Why?"

"Because we'll be so much safer," she said sarcastically.

"We will?"

"It was my understanding that the Tok'ra live in a constant state of readiness and could be attacked by the System Lords at any time," Teal'c said.

"They do," Sam confirmed, shooting a victorious glance at Jack.

"That doesn't sound safer to me," Daniel said.

"It isn't."

"It's a damn sight safer than here!" Jack said, raising his voice to stop the bickering.

"This planet seems pretty safe to me."

"Me too," Sam agreed with Daniel.

"The gate was unattended for over thirteen hours yesterday," Jack said. "Anybody could have come through and we'd never know. Hell, there could be a whole platoon of Jaffa hiding in the woods and we'd have no idea until they started shooting."

"It is unlikely that a platoon of Jaffa would remain unnoticed for so long," Teal'c said. Jack glared at him. "However, a small patrol could possible accomplish such a feat of stealth.

"SEE!" Jack said, latching onto Teal'c's words.

"And you think throwing down with the Tok'ra is any safer?" Daniel asked.

"It's not," Sam said bitterly. "They're not going to do us any favors." She looked at Jack. "The only reason we found out that you were alive is because my DAD found out that you were alive. And if Korra and Martouf hadn't have recognized you, he never would have known. As it was, my dad went against the council to tell us, they wanted to keep it a secret so that there would be no fallout when they decided to assassinate you. I'd rather stay here and risk being found out than seek refuge in a pit of vipers."

"Me too," Daniel agreed.

"Dal shaka mel," Teal'c said. "I shall die free and with a sun upon my face than cowering in a tunnel like a rodent," he declared.

"We'll still take the day off," Sam said. "You and Teal'c can go hunting or fishing or whatever. Daniel and I will talk with my dad. Maybe he or Selmac know of some planets we can search. If not, we'll just go to number three on the list."

Jack looked at the three of them. He should be angry. He should be railing at their mutiny and Carter just taking over, but he couldn't. He was both heartened and discouraged by their words.

Their loyalty touched him to the core. It was a gift that he no longer deserved. But it terrified him as well. What if he was wrong? What if they were wrong? What if they were denying a chance at safety to put themselves in harm's way? What if their faith in him got them all killed?

Could he live with that? Would he even want to try?

"Sounds like a plan to me," Daniel said, looking at Jack. "Sam, if you're done at the stream, we're gonna go get cleaned up then I think your dad wants to try and cook something."

"He's not?" Sam asked, grimacing.

"Major Carter?"

"You thought my cooking was bad. Who do you think I learned it from?"

"Oh man," Daniel groaned. There was a very real reason that Carter cooked breakfast every morning. There was only so much she could do to toast.

"You," Jack ordered, pointing at her. "Back to the house. Keep him from ruining whatever food stores we have. We'll be there as soon as we can."

/\/\/\/\/\

He watched them at they stood there, the four of them chatting so casually in the clearing. He could kill them right now if he wished. It would not be difficult. They were only human after all. Human and Jaffa.

No, he would not kill them now. There would be little satisfaction in a quick and painless death.

They would suffer. Suffer long and suffer well. And then they would die. One by one by one.

/\/\/\/\/\

"You're sure these planets are abandoned?" Daniel asked, looking over the list of addresses lying on the table.

"Very," Jacob said. "The last time some of those planets were occupied was at least three hosts ago."

"And no one's protecting them or anything?" Sam asked.

Jacob shook his head. "Not as far as we know. The Tok'ra sometimes use them as meeting places. Neutral ground for an exchange." He leaned back on the bench he sat on, a glass of water in his hand.

"They could be good places to check out," Sam said, getting to her feet and taking her father's cup from him. She refilled it from the bucket on the edge of their sink and handed it back to him. "Presuming they haven't already been raided and salvaged."

"You know, kiddo, none of this has to happen. You guys could come and stay with the Tok'ra," Jacob offered, taking the cup from her. "I'm sure Garshaw would love to give you refuge."

"Would she?" Sam asked pointedly.

"What Sam means is that, umm, we're not sure if your alliance with Earth could allow you to harbor fugitives," Daniel said.

"That's not quite what she meant," Jacob said, staring at his daughter.

"Quite frankly, Dad, I think the only thing that would motivate Garshaw to give us sanctuary would be the prospect of two future hosts," she said.

Jacob closed his eyes and sighed. "Sam-"

"So," Daniel interrupted. "When would be a good time to check out one of these planets?" he asked, seeking to forestall the impending argument.

Jacob stared at his daughter for a few seconds then shook his head slightly, almost as if he was internally dismissing the argument. "We can go whenever you'd like." He looked over to Daniel. "The planets are abandoned and I don't know of any meetings the Tok'ra have scheduled."

"We should check with the Colonel. See what he wants to do," Sam said.

"Fair enough," Jacob shrugged. He got to his feet, setting down his cup of water. "Since I don't think we're going anywhere today, I might go back to the Tok'ra. I need to check in and let them know about Solek's run in with the bounty hunter." He looked at Sam.
"Mind if I come back in the morning and go with you to these planets?" he asked. "If you happen to run into a Tok'ra, we could help smooth things over if it gets too hairy."

"That would be great, Dad, thanks," Sam smiled. It was fairly obvious to Daniel that she was struggling to keep her feelings about the Tok'ra from interfering - too much - with her relationship with her father.

Jacob nodded, seeming to accept the boundaries. "I'll be back in the morning."

Daniel waved as he walked out the door then turned his attention back to Sam. Not surprisingly, she ignored him, getting up from her seat on the bench and carrying their dirty cups over to their sink.

The sink wasn't hooked up to any real plumbing per se, the drain was little more than a pipe that ran out a small hole in the wall and emptied out about fifty feet from their cabin. As such, it meant that they really couldn't use the sink for any real food disposal but it was a quick and easy way to get any clean water out of the building without simply tossing it off the porch.

"You know, if these planets are half as good as Jacob says, we could scavenge enough to keep us going for quite a while," Daniel said, bringing his cup over to the sink.

"If these planets are half as good as he says they are, how come they haven't been scavenged all ready?" she shot back.

"Maybe people were too afraid of pissing off the Tok'ra," he suggested. She glared and took the cup from him, rinsing it out and wiping it off with a rag before setting it aside to dry. "You know," he started carefully. "Jack and Teal'c won't be back for a few more hours." She glanced over at him. "I kinda had a long day yesterday and I know that you and Teal'c did and, you know," he shrugged. "We could, maybe, take a nap."

"And when they come back and find us asleep. We'll never hear the end of it," she said.

"They went hunting," he said, making quote marks. "Do you honestly think they're awake right now?" he retorted.

She smiled softly. "Am I really that grumpy?"

Daniel shrugged. "I am kinda glad you're not armed at the moment," he said.

Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I am tired," she confessed.

"We have at least three or four hours before they come back. Plenty of time to veg out for a little bit."

"That sounds good," she agreed. The pair of them made their way towards their bedrooms, stopping when the front door flew open. Daniel turned back, frowning when he saw Jacob in the doorway.

"That was fast," Daniel said, glancing at his watch.

"Dad? What's going on? I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow."

"Neither did I. Until I realized that the Stargate won't work."

/\/\/\/\/\

Teal'c slid his knife into the creature's flesh and pulled it down, careful to not penetrate the carcass too deeply. He slit the creature open, allowing a portion of its insides to spill out, dangling like a twisted piece of rope.

"With whom are you truly incensed?" he asked O'Neill, sparing the man a glance.

He squatted a short distance away, using his knife to clean the hide of the creature they had just killed. They had no name for the species as of yet. The quadruped herbivores were plentiful here and were a constant and reliable source of meat that tasted more like venison than chicken. "Major Carter for not seeking refuge with the Tok'ra or you for denying yourself the same refuge?"

"Drop it, T," O'Neill said, scraping the membranes off the hide.

"I concur with her feelings about the Tok'ra," Teal'c continued, nonplused by his friend's mood. "Many of them are loyal and earnest fighters. However, as with any rebel group, there are those amongst them that are easily corrupted. While the Tok'ra as a whole may fight for freedom, there are doubtless others with less altruistic intentions."

"I know."

Teal'c reached into the creature's chest cavity and carefully scooped out the internal organs, taking care not to contaminate the meat with the contents of the creature's intestine. He and O'Neill had killed several of the creatures in the year they had lived on the planet and had a system to their harvesting of the meat. They had already drained the creature's blood, hanging it by its hind legs from a high tree branch and slitting its neck. The blood ran down a small embankment and collected at the bottom, drawing many of the planet's insects from the main carcass.

Once he removed the organs, he and O'Neill would bury them and then carry the carcass and hide back to the cabin. They hoped that this practice would limit the attraction to the planet's main predator, a large canine similar to Earth's wolf. They did not need to hunt often. Even if the four of them had meat on a daily basis, a single quadruped would be sufficient for their needs for several weeks. It was also wasteful to obtain more meat than they could consume before it became inedible.

"We should get back," O'Neill said, finishing with the hide. He got to his feet, pulling a few large leaves from a nearby bush to wipe off his knife. "I'd like to get cleaned up before it gets dark."

Teal'c nodded, sharing his friend's desire to cleanse himself of the residue of a hunt. His hands were smeared with blood and fluids and his clothing was dirty, the result of tracking the animal for several miles through the bush.

O'Neill stepped towards him. "I'll go get rid of that," he offered, gesturing towards the pile of entrails. "Seeing as how you need to carry that back."

Teal'c nodded, accepting the man's gesture. O'Neill scooped up the offal, grimacing at the smell. "I miss supermarkets," he muttered, carefully carrying the entrails a short distance away while Teal'c cut down the carcass and laid it on the hide. He would wrap the carcass in the hide, thus providing himself a more comfortable means to carry the carcass back to their homestead.

"Teal'c!"

He heard O'Neill's voice and stood up, the man's tone telling him that this was no simple summons. Teal'c made his way towards O'Neill, finding the man just yards away. "O'Neill?"

"Did we come this way?" he asked.

"I do not believe so."

O'Neill nodded. "Nobody picked up any new shoes at the market did they?"

"No."

"So we're all still wearing the stuff we brought from Earth."

"Footwear wise, yes."

"Then we got trouble." He gestured with his hand and pointed out a shape in a bare patch of dirt.

Teal'c squatted down and examined the foot print more closely. "This was not made by any of us," he proclaimed. "That is an alien shoe, handmade and with a soft sole." He looked up at O'Neill. "This footprint is fresh, one, maybe two days old."

"To hell with the meat," O'Neill said. "Let's get back to the cabin."

Teal'c got to his feet, falling into step behind O'Neill as the man hurried forward, unerringly making his way towards their cabin. Unburdened by their kill, they would be able to cover the distance in a fraction of the time it had taken them to track and kill the creature. Teal'c could only hope that it would be fast enough.

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam stood in front of the DHD and pressed her fingers down on the glyphs, frowning when there was no expected thunking sound and the glyphs didn't light up.

"It was working fine yesterday," Daniel said.

"Yeah, it was," Sam agreed, slowly walking around the DHD. She looked up at her father. "Dad, does Selmac know anything about DHD's messing up?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not that she can recall. They're actually pretty sturdy."

"They'd have to be to stay outside all the time." She ignored them and squatted down beside the DHD, her fingers seeking out the tiny seam of the access door. She pulled it open and set it aside, squinting to see into the dark interior.

"Maybe we need to do the 'control/alt/delete' thing," Daniel suggested.

"It's not a computer," Jacob said. "In fact the crystalline structure of the DHD is more stable than anything Earth has."

"As long as pieces don't go missing," Sam said, looking up at the pair.

"What?"

"The control crystal is gone," she said.

"Where'd it go?" Daniel asked. He looked around.

"It wouldn't just be lying on the ground," Sam said. "They don't just fall out. They have to be taken out."

"Taken?"

"Taken."

"I thought you said this planet was unoccupied?" Jacob asked.

"It is," Sam confirmed.

"Then Jack-"

"Wouldn't have taken it," Sam interrupted. "Besides, removing the control crystal doesn't keep a gate from forming inbound, it just keeps you from dialing out. That's why Earth's gate works without a DHD attached. You only pull the crystal if you want to keep someone from leaving a planet."

"Sam?"

Sam looked over at her friend, the Colonel's words playing through her brain.

The gate was unattended for over thirteen hours yesterday. Anybody could have come through and we'd never know.

"We need to get back to the cabin," she said. "We're sitting ducks out here in the open."

"Jack and Teal'c?"

"They didn't take their radios. We'll go back to the cabin and secure it and wait for them," she said.

"What if they don't make it back?" Jacob asked.

"They'll make it back," Sam said. "Let's go."

The three of them retraced their steps back to the cabin, their mood a far cry from the concerned curiosity of just a few minutes before. Sam resisted the urge to run, knowing that, if someone was hunting them, speed would only increase their chances of falling into a trap.

The knee high grass that she usually found so appealing now felt claustrophobic as it waved gently in the breeze. Anyone or anything could be hiding in it, lurking, waiting to strike. The shadow of the nearby trees felt chillingly spooky instead of peaceful and serene. She never realized just how many hiding places and ambush sites lurked between the gate and the cabin until now. Every bush could hide a threat, every tree a menace.

She now regretted leaving her weapons behind at the cabin and realized just how vulnerable they were, walking across the large meadow, totally unarmed.

"I think I know where they're at I could go-

"No," she interrupted Daniel. "No one goes off alone."

"There's your teltac," Jacob suggested. "We could take it up, scan for life signs."

Sam shook her head. "I doubt it'd work. There's just enough animal life here that the sensors are pretty useless."

"We should still check it out," Jacob said. "Make sure it hasn't been tampered with."

"It's locked. Voice activation only. Priority one is the cabin and our weapons," she declared. She searched her brain, trying to think of anything odd that she'd noticed in the past day or so. Any odd noises or creepy feelings, anything that would have alerted her to an intruder.

She came up with nothing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary or odd; nothing seemed off color or different. Everything seemed normal. "I must be getting rusty," she muttered as the cabin came into view.

She crouched down in the grass and studied the cabin, searching for some sign of movement. Seeing nothing, she sighed. "Okay. We're going to go in the front door, room by room search. We'll start with the bedrooms and secure the weapons. Then we'll lock and bar the doors and windows and secure the perimeter," she briefed.

"Is it safe to all go in at once?" Jacob asked.

"Is it safe to be out here on your own?" she shot back. Jacob merely shrugged, keeping his protests to himself. Sam met Daniel and Jacob's gaze, motioning for them to move out. They crept through the grass, keeping low as they approached the cabin. She crept onto the small stoop, ducking low to peer around the threshold.

Seeing no one, she gestured for Daniel and Jacob to follow her as she made her way back to their bedrooms. The Colonel's was the closest and she ducked in, grabbing his phase pistol off the table beside the bed.

Taking the lead, they checked out Daniel's room next, retrieving his weapon and then Teal'c's spare staff weapon. It took them just a few minutes to finish sweeping the cabin. They secured the doors and windows, sealing themselves in the now too small building.

"This is gonna get real cozy, real fast," Jacob said.

Sam glared at him. "Daniel, inventory the food. Dad, the Colonel and Teal'c should be coming from the north. Keep an eye open for them."

"What are you going to do?" he asked, moving to look out the north facing window.

She grinned. "See what weapons I can scrounge."

She made her way back to the Colonel's room. She knew that he had a few weapons in addition to his phase pistol. He'd have his knife with him and the projectile weapon he used for hunting. Teal'c would have his bow, but they'd scrounged a few other things in the past year that could help in their defense, among them some shock grenades and another bow.

She needed to grab her sidearm too. Even though it was low on ammunition, it could still come in handy. The Colonel's bedroom was just like theirs. Perhaps twelve by twelve feet square. Each of the rooms opened out into a shared hall with two rooms on each side. Each had two windows and a shared wall. Separate rooms probably wasn't the most efficient way to live, it meant that they had to heat five rooms in the winter, but they all agreed that they needed their private space. They each needed somewhere to go and be alone. And Sam had agreed with the Colonel that if they had to share the same space 24/7, well chances are that not all of them would have survived the last winter.

The privacy of their rooms was something that they each respected and it had been months since Sam had even looked into the Colonel's. His room was sparsely furnished like hers, consisting of a bed that was close to twin sized, a trunk for clothes, an open closet and a small table holding a basin and pitcher. His spare pair of boots stood in the corner along with the fishing spear he'd made a few months ago.

Sam's eye caught sight of a box under his bed. She knelt down and pulled it out, the box sliding easily over the plank flooring. It had to be where he kept his small weapons stash. She opened the lid and stared, scarcely believing her eyes. "What the hell is going on?" she muttered, pulling out the control crystal and holding it carefully in her hands.

Was the Colonel playing some kind of sick joke? Was he trying to make some stupid point about her and Daniel not leaving?

'You're a snake head.'

No, Ba'al was dead. He didn't control the Colonel any more than Jolinar controlled her.

'I know you picked up a lot of knowledge from Ba'al, probably more than you'll ever admit to.'

Sam shook her head. Pulling the control crystal was DHD 101. Everyone knew about it, even Daniel. Maybe he just got confused and thought that pulling the crystal would disable the gate totally? Maybe he-

"You always were too damned curious." Sam spun, getting to her feet, the crystal still in her hands. "That's why I went grey so early. I spent too many years chasing you down."

Sam stared, the tone of her father's voice sending shivers down her spine. "Dad, what's going on? I thought you were keeping an eye out for the Colonel and Teal'c." Jacob stepped towards her and Sam caught a glimpse of a knife in his hand. "Dad?"

"You were supposed to be last," he said. "We owed you that much. But I'm afraid someone else will have that honor now."

Sam stared as he advanced towards her, her brain refusing to accept what she'd just heard. This had to be some joke, some game they were playing. Daniel was probably right outside the door and was going to step in and start laughing and-

He got within feet of her and she reacted, tossing the crystal at him. She had to distract him, he was between her and the door and, now that the windows were barred, it was the only way out of the room.

He batted the crystal aside and lunged at her, his hand grabbing her injured wrist. She cried out as the flash of pain disoriented her, making her stumble. Fire tore through her belly and she stared, seeing nothing but hatred and satisfaction glittering in his eyes.
He released her and she staggered, her hands going down to her abdomen. Sticky warmth poured over her fingertips and her knees buckled, sending her to the floor.

He knelt over her, pulling her head back to force her to look at him. The knife hovered over her throat, dripping with her own blood. "I wish I had the time to watch you die," he said.

/\/\/\/\/\

Daniel surveyed the pantry, making a mental note of their supplies. They had a decent amount, but nothing near enough to withstand any sort of siege, especially with five mouths to feed. He guessed they could get by a week, maybe a little more.

"Water's gonna be our big issue," he said, eyeing the half full bucket.

They never kept too much water in the cabin, fearing that if it sat around for too long it would become tainted. They each had a pitcher in their rooms, water that they would use for sponge baths and a couple of buckets in the kitchen for cooking and cleaning.

Water storage was one thing on their 'to do' list, something that had become an issue last winter when they'd nearly been cut off from their water supply by a sudden and heavy snow storm. Fortunately, it hadn't stayed too cold too long and they'd had enough snow to tide them over. But Jack had wanted to build some sort of cistern.

"I wonder what Sam will say about us going down to the stream and getting some water," he asked Jacob. Getting no reply, Daniel turned around, surprised not to see the man at his post by the window. "Jacob?"

He heard Sam cry out and his heart lurched. Snagging his pistol off the table he hurried back towards the bedrooms. They must be under attack. Maybe that was why Jacob had left his post. But why hadn't he said anything?

Jack's bedroom was the only one with an open door and Daniel hurried forward, stopping in horror at what he saw. Sam was lying crumpled on the floor, a spreading stain of blood painting her shirt a garish red. Jacob knelt over her, the fingers of one hand cruelly twisted into her hair while his other hand clutched a knife that he held at her throat.

"I wish I had time to watch you die," he said, moving the knife closer to her skin.

"JACOB!"

The man turned, his eyes narrowing in speculation. Daniel saw his fingers tighten on the knife as he moved it closer to Sam's throat. Reacting on instinct, Daniel fired, the force of the shot driving Jacob away from Sam. He fell backwards, the knife clattering to the floor. No longer held up by Jacob's hand, Sam fell, moaning softly.

Jacob struggled towards her, his fingers fumbling for the knife. He snarled as his hand curled around it. Daniel fired again and this time Jacob collapsed, the knife falling from his limp fingers.

Daniel stared for a few seconds, his hand shaking and his heart pounding. Sam moaned and Daniel dropped the pistol, hurrying over to her. "Sam? Oh god, Sam."

He gently turned her to her back, staring in horror at the ugly crimson stain spreading across her middle. "Daniel," she gasped, her hands weakly moving towards her middle.

"Ssh, ssh," he said, moving her hands aside so that he could see the wound. Blood welled up and poured from the wound. Daniel fumbled for Jack's bed, yanking the sheet off the mattress and balling it up. He pressed it against the wound, wincing as she gasped in pain. "Sorry, sorry," he said, unable to keep the panic from his voice.

Daniel heard the crashing sound of wood splintering. "JACK!" he yelled. "JACK! GET THE HELL BACK HERE!"

Footsteps pounded down the hall and Daniel looked up just as Jack and Teal'c dashed into the room, both stopping as they crossed the threshold. "Daniel?"

"I can't…Jack, I…I can't…" He looked up, his throat clogging with tears. "Help."

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack sat beside the bed, his gaze riveted on the woman lying in it. She was peaceful right now, asleep or unconscious, he didn't know. And right now he didn't care which it was, just that she didn't appear to be in any pain.

He heard footsteps and glanced over to see Teal'c walking quietly into the room. "What is Major Carter's condition?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The same," Jack said. "Daniel?"

"He is still distraught, but less so than before," Teal'c said. "He offered no theory as to why Jacob Carter would wish to attack Major Carter."

"Yeah," Jack said softly.

"Perhaps Major Carter can shed some light upon recent events when she awakens," Teal'c suggested.

"If we're lucky, she won't wake up," Jack said.

"I agree," Teal'c said, his words surprising Jack. "Among Jaffa, such injuries often are fatal to the primta. Once a Jaffa's pouch is damaged severely enough that he cannot accept a new symbiote his death is simply a matter of time. Often a strong warrior would take many days to journey to Kheb"

Jack nodded, reading between the lines. She was dying. And it would be a slow and painful death as infection slowly ate her body alive. Jacob's knife had penetrated her intestines, irreparably contaminating the wound. Even if they were on Earth, surrounded by Frasier's miracle meds and the latest technology, surviving an injury like this would be touch and go.

Here, in the middle of nowhere, with no antibiotics and torn up bed sheets as bandages? The only miracle they could ask for was that she'd die quickly, preferably without ever regaining consciousness.

"What did you do with Jacob?" Jack asked.

"The body is in the teltac, sealed in one of the escape pods," Teal'c said. "I was unsure how you wished to dispose of it, or if you wished to inform the Tok'ra of his passing."

Jack sighed, not in the mood for another decision. What to do with Jacob? What to do with Carter? How to get the blood stains out of the floor boards?

"O'Neill?"

"I don't know," Jack said. "I don't…" He leaned back in the chair and pushed his fingers through his hair. "We screwed up didn't we?"

"Of what do you speak?"

"We never should have left Earth. Never should have gone rogue, abandoned everything," Jack listed.

"At the time that we made the decision, it was a sound one."

"And since?" Jack asked. "We came out here to help Earth. What have we done to HELP anyone? We're not keeping an eye on threats, we're not running interference for the SGC. Hell, it's all we can do to keep ourselves sheltered and fed. We're not helping anyone. We can't even keep…" He took a breath. "We can't even keep ourselves safe."

"I agree that we have not accomplished many notable feats in the past year," Teal'c said. "Yet we have survived and have acquitted ourselves with honor."

"I'll put that on her tombstone," Jack said bitterly.

"You are fatigued," Teal'c said, laying his hand on O'Neill's shoulder. "Permit me to maintain the vigil," he requested.

Jack sat there for a few seconds, ignoring Teal'c's request. He should stay. It was the least he could do. It was his idea to leave Earth, his idea to tell her. His fault that she'd given up everything to follow him. His fault that she'd spent the last year 'making do'. His fault that she was laying there. His fault that she was dying.

"O'Neill? It would be best if Daniel Jackson was not left alone too long."

Jack took a breath. "Yeah." He got up from his chair and turned to look at Teal'c. "Let me know if something changes."

"Of that you can be certain," Teal'c promised.

Casting one last glance at Sam, Jack left the room and made his way out to the living room. Daniel sat at the table. His hands were no longer blood stained but he hadn't changed his clothes. His shirt and pants were smeared with rust colored stains. A cup of water sat untouched between his hands and he was staring off into the distance, not seeming to even notice Jack's entry into the room.

Jack helped himself to a cup of water and sat beside him. "How is she?" Daniel asked, still looking out the broken in front door.

"The same," Jack said. "The bleeding's under control but…" Jack didn't say that he HOPED the bleeding was under control. Surgery would be about the only way to know for sure and surgery was just a bit out of their league at the moment. He didn't voice the fatalistic thought that, if she was lucky, she was still bleeding inside. At least it'd be quicker that way.

"She's not going to make it, is she?"

Jack paused, contemplating lying to Daniel. "No," he finally said. Lying wasn't going to change anything.

Daniel nodded. "How long?"

Jack shrugged. "Hours, days. On the upside, I think she lost enough blood that she shouldn't regain consciousness."

Daniel nodded again. "I didn't even notice when he left."

"Jacob?"

"I was taking inventory. Jacob was supposed to be keeping an eye out for you. I turned around and he was gone and then Sam screamed and…" He looked at Jack. "He…he was going to slit her throat. If I'd have just paid attention, it never would have happened."

Jack shook his head. "Whatever the hell happened to Jacob, I don't think you could have stopped him."

"We'll never know, will we?" Jack couldn't answer him, largely because he agreed.

They'd never know how things would have played out had he and Teal'c not gone hunting, or if they'd have done any one of a dozen things differently. "What if, what if we dialed Earth?" Daniel suggested.

"Why would we do that? We can't go back."

"We can radio them. Get them to open the iris and send Sam back. Janet can treat her."

Jack shook his head. "Even if they listened to us and opened the iris, the chances of Carter surviving-"

"Are better than her chances of staying here," Daniel interrupted.

"Daniel-"

"Jack, we have to do SOMETHING!" he said, shooting to his feet. "We can't just sit here and wait for her to die."

"What the hell do you suggest we do?" Jack got to his feet as well. "There's not a single planet we've been to that has the medical technology that can help her. About the only thing I can think of would be to call the Tok'ra and stick a snake in her head. And I won't do that to her. I promised that I would never let that happen to her again."

"Not a single planet," Daniel said. He looked at Jack. "Not a single planet we've been to."

He pushed past Jack and dug through the pantry, pawing through the bottles and jars.
"Daniel?" Jack stood behind him, afraid that his friend had lost it. He reached out and laid his hand on his shoulder. "Daniel-"

"I told you to put this thing away," Daniel said, triumphantly retrieving the communication stone from Thor. "You didn't. Teal'c and I didn't think it needed to just be lying around so Sam stuck it in here. We can call Thor for help."

"Daniel-"

"Jack, just do it!" Daniel yelled. "Good god, what is it going to hurt? Maybe he can help her? Maybe he knows someone that can help her. We've got to try."

Jack stared at the stone in Daniel's hand for a few seconds, then took it from him. He closed his eyes and squeezed it, relieved when the opaque stone began to glow, hopefully signaling that it was active. "We're gonna try," Jack said. "We're gonna try."

/\/\/\/\/\

Teal'c wrung the cloth out, the tepid water dribbling down into the bowl. He bathed Major Carter's face and arms, gently wiping the sweat off her skin. Her flesh was hot to the touch, a physical symptom of the fever that burned through her body.

Her lips were dry and cracked and he picked up a clean cloth, dipping it into a glass of water. He carefully dribbled the water between her lips, relieved to see her tongue move to lick the drops.

She moaned softly and he set the cloth aside, laying his hand aside her head. It was a gesture that he learned soothed her when she was restless.

He heard the floorboards creak and he looked up, not surprised to see O'Neill walk into the room. "How is she?"

"The same," Teal'c reported.

O'Neill nodded. "Look, we need food. Why don't you take Daniel out, see what you can scrounge up."'

Teal'c frowned. True, they could use some food, yet their larder was far from empty. And the stream was a far closer food source. He looked at O'Neill, catching sight of a small item in the man's hand. He recognized it. The item was from their medical supplies, an item that he remembered being trained to use, and warned not to abuse.

"O'Neill." He pointedly looked at the man's hand.

"You need to get Daniel out of here," he said.

"He will not forgive this," Teal'c warned.

"Forgive what?" O'Neill said.

Teal'c reached out, taking the man's hand and unfolding his fingers, revealing the morphine pen from their medical kit. O'Neill looked him in the eyes, unapologetic and resigned. "I'm not gonna let her suffer," he said softly.

"When we were on Aris Boch's ship, I contemplated just such an action," Teal'c confessed. "I was aware of the fate that awaited Major Carter and I wished to spare her the degradation of Apophis' harem or the horror of becoming a host." He looked down at the unconscious woman on the bed. "I chose not to because I knew that as long as there was hope, she would not wish such a fate."

"Are you seeing any hope here?" O'Neill asked. "Because I'm not. What I'm seeing is a friend of mine suffering while she waits for help that isn't going to come," O'Neill said.

"You do not believe that Thor will respond to your call?"

"It's been THREE DAYS, Teal'c. The Asgard can make hatak ships vanish into thin air but they can't respond in three days?"

Teal'c closed his eyes, his own desperation mirrored in O'Neill's voice. He did not like to be helpless, and helpless is what they all were. For all their knowledge and skill, abilities and luck, none of them could do anything to assist their friend.

They lacked the medicines to ease her pain, the skill to heal her wound and the ability to do much beyond watching and waiting.

"Perhaps you would wish to take Daniel Jackson hunting," he suggested, well aware of what his words meant.

O'Neill looked at him and smiled slightly. "Thanks but, I need to do this. I owe her that much."

Teal'c nodded solemnly. "Daniel Jackson will not understand," he warned.

"I know," O'Neill said. "Am I a coward for hoping he never asks?"

"You are a friend," Teal'c said, laying his hand on O'Neill's shoulder. "And a true friend can give no greater gift." Teal'c squeezed slightly, then removed his hand. "We shall be gone for several hours."

"Thank you," O'Neill said softly.

Teal'c nodded. He turned back to the bed and knelt down, picking up Sam's slack hand. He clasped it in his own and brought it up to his mouth, closing his eyes. Silently saying a prayer for her soul's swift journey to Kheb, he gently kissed her fingers before returning her hand to the bed. He got to his feet and silently left the room, pausing only for a moment to brush the unwarriorlike tears from his face before he sought out Daniel Jackson.

When the young man discovered his duplicity Teal'c knew that he would be angry but that anger was a burden he was willing to accept. It was a burden that was far smaller than the one O'Neill was about to take on.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack sat down in the chair, sitting still as he listened to Daniel and Teal'c out in the living room. They talked a bit, their words not really audible then Jack heard them leave, the newly replaced door shutting behind them.

He waited, not just to be sure that they were gone, but to put this off as long as he could. He looked down at Sam, indulging himself in studying her features. Her hair was tangled and dull, the bits around her face damp from Teal'c's bathing.

She wasn't as pale as he expected, not even three days of fever being enough to remove the tan from her skin, however her cheeks were hollow and her lips were cracked and chapped.

He picked up her hand and held it in his own, his fingers finding the weak pulse in her wrist. "You know, I never did tell you how glad I was to see you, did I?" he said. "All that time Ba'al had me, I kept hoping that someone knew, that someone would come. I'd pretty much given up hope when you showed up. Did I ever tell you how damned stupid that was?" he asked. "Invading a Goa'uld palace practically all by yourself."

Jack closed his eyes, still haunted by the memories of the horrible things Ba'al had said while he'd tortured her. Horrible things that he'd pulled from Jack's own mind to torment her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry he hurt you. I'm sorry he used ME to hurt you. I know you said you understood, and maybe you do, but I never really did apologize did I?"

Jack opened his eyes and took a steadying breath. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I dragged you along. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe. I'm sorry I can't find a better way."

He turned the morphine injector over in his hand, studying the small object. It was tiny, about the size of a ball point pen.

He laid her hand down on the bed and removed the protective cap from the injector. He stared at the needle, turning it so that it glinted in the weak sunlight spilling in the open windows. It was such a tiny thing, compact and efficient. And if you were in pain, there was nothing prettier.

"That appears to be a most inefficient and primitive device."

"When you're in pain you don't give a damn as long as it works," he replied absently. It took him several seconds to realize that he'd actually heard a voice.

He turned around, dropping the injector and nearly falling out of the chair as he saw Thor standing just a few feet away. "You came!"

"I promised that I would. I must apologize for the delay however I am pleased to inform you that, based upon our analysis of the humanoid Replicator, our battle with the Replicators had reached a turning point."

"Great," Jack replied, struggling to muster up some enthusiasm.

Thor stepped forward, moving closer to the bed. "This human is ill?"

"She's not just a human, she's part of my team, and yeah, she's very ill. In fact, she's dying. Can you help her?"

"I do not know," Thor replied. "My medical unit is configured for Asgard physiology only."

"Can you at least try?" Jack asked, not caring that it looked like he was begging. If he thought begging would help, he'd drop right down on his knees and kiss Thor's wrinkled little-

"We can try," Thor said. The world flashed white and Jack found himself on board an Asgard ship. Sam was there too, lying on the deck. The bedding hadn't been transported with her and there was nothing to disguise the bulky and stained bandage that covered the wound in her belly.

"Please place her upon the table," Thor instructed as a door slid open, revealing a chamber just like the one they had used to examine the robot. Jack lifted Sam up in his arms and carried her over to the table, gently lying her down on the metal surface.

Three Asgard technicians appeared and Jack stepped back, watching as they examined his friend using small handheld scanners. "It will take time to determine the extent of the damage and if it is within our power to repair," Thor warned.

Jack nodded. "Just try," he said. "All I ask is that you try."

/\/\/\/\/\

Daniel hurried back into the cabin, not caring that Teal'c trailed in his wake. He couldn't ignore the feeling of urgency that had tugged at him since they'd left the cabin earlier in the day. That same feeling had distracted him during the short hunting expedition and was one big reason that they'd only caught a couple of rabbits and gathered a few roots and berries.

"Daniel Jackson."

Daniel ignored him, dropping his burden onto the table and hurrying back to Sam's room. He stood in the threshold, staring as Jack stood over Sam's bed. She was lying on the mattress, still and quiet, with no signs of the fever and distress that had plagued her for the past several days.

A bit of color caught his eyes and he bent over, picking up the morphine injector. "You son of a bitch!" he exploded, launching himself across the room at Jack. Jack was caught off guard and the two of them crashed into the wall. They fell to the floor and Daniel scrambled to get on top. He held the injector in front of Jack's face.

"WHY?" he demanded. "Why did you have to kill her?" He raised his fist, prepared to punch Jack.

"CEASE!" Teal'c roared. Daniel looked over at him. "Major Carter lives," the Jaffa said calmly.

Daniel frowned, looking from Sam to Jack and the injector in his hands. "Thor came," Jack said. "Right after you left."

"She's alive?" Daniel scrambled to get off Jack, the injector falling to the floor. He hurried back to the bed.

"She is," Teal'c said.

Daniel took her hand in his; for the first time in days, there was no fever burning her skin, she slept peacefully. "Why isn't she awake?" Daniel asked. He resisted the urge to pull down the blanket and make sure that the horrible wound was gone.

Jack moved closer, his hand massaging his neck. "Thor fixed the wound, but he wasn't so sure about the blood loss." He looked around the room. "Since none of us are the right blood type and he didn't want to risk faking something so…. It's just gonna take some time."

"But she's gonna be okay, right?" Daniel asked.

Jack nodded, looking over at Teal'c. He smiled. The first real smile Daniel had seen in days. "Yeah, she's gonna be all right."

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam slowly opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She frowned as the familiar rafters of her bedroom came into focus. Idly, she stared as the shadows of the tree branches danced across the ceiling in the soft breeze.

They were the wrong angle, she thought as she laid there. One of her windows faced the east so she always had the early morning sun. And the shadows were always longer and softer, more delicate than they were now.

It had to be late morning. What was she still doing in bed in the middle of the day? Had she stayed up too late last night? She tried to remember and couldn't. Her memories seemed as intangible and elusive as the shadows that danced across the rafters.

She took a deep breath and wondered why her mind felt so muddled and fuzzy. She'd almost say that she was hung over but they didn't have any alcohol in their stores.

"Sam. You're awake."

She turned her head, frowning when she caught sight of Daniel sitting beside her bed. "Daniel? What's going on?" She tried to sit up, fumbling when she encountered unexpected weakness in her muscles.

"You've just been a little sick," he said, bending over to help her sit up.

She started to shrug off his assistance then stopped when the world turned grey at the edges. Instead she clutched at his arm, closing her eyes as she fought off the wave of dizziness that assailed her. "I don't remember getting sick," she muttered, grateful when she felt the steadying presence of a pillow at her back.

"Really?" Daniel pressed a cup into her hands and she opened her eyes, glad to see that the world was again on an even keel. "Drink this," he said. "It should help. You're pretty dehydrated."

Sam took a cautious sip, drinking a bit faster when she realized that he was right, she was thirsty. Once she finished, he took the cup from her and handed her a small chunk of bread. "Your stomach's probably not up to anything else right now," he apologized, pouring some more water from a small carafe.

"Probably not," she agreed, her free hand settling on her stomach. She couldn't fight the feeling that something was wrong. She felt a nagging pain deep in her gut but dismissed it as the result of drinking too much too fast. She deliberately tore off small pieces of the bread, eating it slowly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked.

She shook her head and looked down at her left wrist, the fading bruises and half healed scrapes triggering her memory. "The bounty hunter," she said. "Where's Teal'c?"

"He's fine," Daniel quickly reassured her. "He's fine. He and Jack are out hunting right now."

"We were on the bounty hunter's ship," she said. "He was taking us to Apophis." She looked over at him. "I don't remember anything else."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Are you still hungry? I think there might be some fruit left."

She slowly shook her head. "I'm really tired."

"Why don't you take a nap then," he suggested. "When Jack and Teal'c come back, I'll tell them to come in here."

Lacking the energy to push him, Sam simply nodded, taking a sip of the water before she handed him the cup. She settled down and closed her eyes, falling asleep within minutes.

/\/\/\/\/\

"So she doesn't remember anything?" Jack asked, belatedly lowering his voice in response to Daniel's frantically raised hand.

"She said the last thing she remembers is her and Teal'c on the bounty hunter's ship," Daniel reported.

"Does the human mind not often respond to trauma by ignoring the traumatic experience?" Teal'c said.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"When we encountered the creature Nem, none of us remembered the true events of that day until much later," Teal'c remembered.

"That's because Nem screwed with our brain," Jack said. "But yeah, he has a point. Traumatic amnesia."

"You think that's what's wrong with her?"

"I would say having your father try to gut you like a fish would qualify as traumatic."

Daniel glared, not seeming to appreciate that Jack had lowered his voice to a whisper.
"What are we going to do about it?" he asked.

"What can we do?"

"We need to tell her," he insisted.

Jack shook his head. "No we don't."

"O'Neill. Are you suggesting that we keep the true circumstances of her injury from her?" Teal'c asked.

"Not forever," Jack said. "How about we hold off on things for a few days? Maybe until, I dunno, she can get out of bed without passing out."

"She needs to know," Daniel insisted.

"If we give her a day or so, her memory might come back on its own."

"And it might not."

"Daniel, believe it or not, if Frasier was here, she'd say to wait. She'll remember when her mind is ready for her to remember. What difference does it make anyway if she finds out today or tomorrow or next week? What happened, happened, and nothing's gonna change that."

"I concur with O'Neill," Teal'c said. "General Carter's remains are preserved in the stasis pod O'Neill received from Thor. His condition will not change."

"But Sam's will," Daniel said. "What am I supposed to say when she asks me what
happened? Lie to her?"

"No," Jack said. "You just tell her that she got hurt after she and Teal'c got away from the bounty hunter. No details. We'll give her a couple of days to remember."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then I'll tell her," Jack said. "But I'll do it when I think it's right." Jack looked at the two of them, doing his best to ensure that they would follow along with his plans. "T, why don't you go sit with her for a bit. Daniel and I will see what we can do for dinner."

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam rolled over, listening to the sound of Teal'c puttering in the living room. She heard him put away the dishes from lunch, then walk out the door.

Carefully getting out of bed, she made her way over to the south window and looked out. He strode across the small clearing, his shaving kit in hand. It was obvious that he was going down to the stream to bathe and probably grab a little kelnoreem time.

"Finally," she whispered, slowly making her way to the chest that stood at the foot of the bed. She opened it and pulled out a change of clothes along with her own shower kit. This was the first time in two days that the guys had left her alone and she planned to take full advantage of the situation.

Of course, this was also the first time since she'd woken up that she actually felt decent, so she couldn't quite blame them for their attentiveness. She still couldn't remember getting sick, which is what had to have happened. Other than her wrist, she hadn't found any injuries to explain losing the better part of a week. And being sick would explain the discomfort she sometimes felt in her belly along with a lingering weakness and a nagging headache.

Being sick was nothing new, unfortunately. Living in a world of no refrigeration and untreated water, all of them had experienced an issue or two. Fortunately, up to this point it had never been worse than a little gastrointestinal distress.

She made her way out of the room and down the short hall, her goal not the stream where Teal'c was, but the teltac parked a short distance away. Their teltac had primitive sanitary facilities, among them a rather wimpy but warm shower.

They didn't use the shower very often, it was actually quite a pain to restock the ship's stores of water and none of them were too fond of wasting the ship's power supply on showering when they might need it later for something more important. But right now, after about a week in bed, she needed something better than a quick dip in the stream and was pretty sure that no one would complain too much.

She stepped outside and paused on the small stoop, taking a few deep breaths of fresh air before setting across the clearing towards their teltac. The ship was parked maybe a hundred yards away from the cabin, slightly disguised by a small grove of trees.

She kept her pace slow and cautious, very aware of the weakness that plagued her and also very aware that she'd never hear the end of it if she did something stupid like passing out.

She knew that, if she'd just asked, Teal'c or one of the others would have happily escorted her to and from the teltac but she felt the need to do something on her own. They'd all been great at taking care of her the past few days. And she presumed the days preceding as well. But they all had too much to do to waste their time babying her. Anyway, it seemed kinda odd to ask her male friends to help her take a shower.

It took her a couple of minutes to reach the teltac and she paused outside the door, shaking her head. "Enterprise," she said, sighing at the Colonel's choice of a password. The door opened and she walked inside, making a mental list of what she needed to do to fire up the water heaters.

She set her stuff down next to the bathroom and made her way to the back of the ship. She walked into the cargo hold and stopped short at the sight of a large box sitting against the wall. "Where did you come from?" she asked herself, walking towards it. They hadn't scavenged anything this fancy and the guys certainly hadn't said anything about it.

She studied it, her eyes picking out signs of some very advanced technology. The pod was a silvery color with a matte finish. She could see something that looked like a window and she walked towards it, hoping to get a clue as to what was in it..

A sick feeling settled in her stomach as she got closer and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her pace slowed and a sense of dread almost overwhelmed her.
She got close enough to peer in the transparent surface and she stared, her brain refusing to acknowledge what she was seeing. "No," she whispered, her hand reaching out to touch the surface of the pod.

Her knees gave away and she crumpled to the floor burying her head in her hands as memories washed over her.

/\/\/\/\/\

Jack whistled through his teeth, a large string of fish dangling from his fingertips. They'd had good luck today, catching a half dozen fish in just a couple of hours. Now he figured he'd treat himself to a bit of a siesta then turn his attention to dinner.

He seriously humored the thought of a bonfire or barbeque, maybe roasting the fish over an open flame and trying his hand at grilling some of the vegetables Daniel had found.
"Sam seems to be feeling better," Daniel said.

Jack gritted his teeth, well aware of the topic that was about to be broached. The very same topic Daniel had been harping on for the past two days. "Yeah," he said.

"In fact it wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't get bored with staying in bed pretty soon."

"Daniel…."

"Jack, she's gonna figure it out," he said. "Do you have any idea how hard it is not to lie to her?"

"I know," Jack said. The need not to lie was why Teal'c had been spending most of the last day watching over her, the Jaffa's normal silent nature making it easier for him to avoid the conversation that none of them wanted to have.

"You need to tell her," Daniel said.

"I will," Jack promised.

"When?"

"Tonight," he said. "Maybe after dinner." As annoying as Daniel was, he was right, they couldn't keep avoiding the truth. Sam was getting stronger faster than Jack thought she would and without the normal distractions of the infirmary, there wasn't much else for her to do but think. And when she thought about something, she pretty much devoted her whole mind to it.

He could see it in her eyes the last time he'd talked to her, that slightly distracted gaze that told him that her attention was definitely directed elsewhere. That's what he'd do. He'd tell her tonight. Take her aside and break the news.

"Oh my god," Daniel groaned. He stopped and Jack looked over at him, then followed his gaze. Sam was walking across the clearing, her gait slow and deliberate. In an instant Jack knew that he'd waited too long.

Both he and Daniel picked up the pace, almost jogging over to meet up with their friend. "Sam?" Daniel asked.

She ignored him for a second, then stopped walking and looked at him. "Daniel. Can you do me a favor please. Last I knew the Tok'ra were on Revanna, can you contact them. They need to know in case they have someone out looking for him." Her tone was flat and soft, almost hesitant. Daniel looked over at him and Jack nodded.

"Sure," he said. "I can go right now."

She nodded and resumed her walk, totally ignoring Jack. "Sam?" Jack reached out and grabbed her arm. She stopped and glared at him, an emotion he could only describe as hate glittering in her eyes. He dropped his hand and she kept walking, slowly making her way past the cabin.

"Jack?" Daniel asked.

He handed his fish off to Daniel. "I'll go contact Revanna. You go find Teal'c and then keep an eye on her."

Daniel shook his head. "I don't think she wants me anywhere near her right now."

"Give her her space but…just don't leave her alone," Jack instructed.

"Okay," Daniel agreed. He reached out and took the fish from Jack before turning around and returning to the cabin. Jack stood and watched until he saw Daniel emerge from the building and follow Sam before he turned and made his way towards the gate. "Well, you screwed that up," he chastised himself.

As he walked, he wondered just how much better his friends' lives would have been had they simply left him with Ba'al.

/\/\/\/\/\

Teal'c walked across the clearing and into the small grove of trees. It was dark and still, the deep shade blocking most of the sunlight, even more so now that it was near dusk. He could hear the beginnings of the night music. This planet had several insects similar to those of Earth, including crickets and cicadas, both of which filled the air with a soothing cacophony. He continued down the barely perceptible path, not really needing it to find his destination.

In the past year he had explored the area around their new home and was very familiar with it, including Major Carter's preferred place to bathe. It was a location that they all knew and respected, just as she avoided the segment of the creek she dubbed the 'boys club'.

Which was why he knew he would find her here as soon as Daniel Jackson had returned to the cabin and informed them that he'd been told, in no uncertain terms, that he needed to 'leave her alone'.

Teal'c heard the sound of the stream and he slowed, not wishing to startle her. It was unlikely that she was bathing in the stream, yet he did not wish to violate her privacy. She was seated in her preferred position, on a large rock that stood at the edge of the stream. The branches of the surrounding trees were such that the rock was often in the sunlight and Teal'c knew that she often used it to sunbathe after swimming and as a place to keep her clothes and toiletries.

She was curled up upon herself, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her gaze was directed towards the other bank, but Teal'c knew that she was seeing little.

He walked up behind her, making no effort to minimalize his footsteps. He unfolded the blanket he was carrying and laid it across her shoulders, draping it so that it would not fall off.

He silently sat beside her, indulging himself in a moment of his own introspection. He knew that, of all of them, he perhaps had the least regrets about their choice. Their living situation, while far from what his friends was used to, was not arduous to him. In fact, perhaps the only thing he could wish for was if he could bring Drey'auc and Ry'ac to live with them. Even though their marriage was no longer blessed - he had never addressed the issue of Drey'auc setting the marriage aside - he still found himself longing for companionship beyond that of friendship. He also missed his son.

He knew that Daniel Jackson missed the opportunities that the SGC had given him to study other cultures. And that he regretted that his search for Shau'ri had progressed very little in the past year.

O'Neill's regrets were of a far more personal nature. Teal'c knew that while he enjoyed the freedom from observation and censure, he also felt overwhelmed by the need to care for and keep them all safe.

Major Carter's regrets were perhaps the hardest for Teal'c to understand. In many ways, she seemed content. Yet, at times, he would see a longing in her eyes that had little to do with missing the conveniences of Earth.

If he were to discuss the issue with Master Bra'tac, his mentor would say that her kelma - her soul - was marked.

"The Tok'ra have responded," he said, the fading light telling him that they had been sitting there for some time. "Garshaw and the council send their condolences." She continued to ignore him although he saw her fingers dig into the blanket, pulling it close. "One of their scientists wishes to examine General Carter and Selmac to see if she can determine the cause of his…breakdown."

"No," she said softly.

"You do not wish to understand the cause of the issue?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Major Carter?"

"It doesn't matter why. It's over and it happened and nothing can change it."

He looked at her, the tone of her voice giving him pause. She sounded resigned and far calmer than he would have expected. "O'Neill's decision was motivated solely by his concern for your well being," he said, thinking that perhaps her anger with the man was the root of her melancholy. While the outcome may not have been all that he had hoped for, Teal'c knew that the man's motives were pure.

"He should have told me."

"Her feared for you," Teal'c said. "It is most fortunate that you do not remember the time after you were injured. You suffered greatly, Major Carter and we all witnessed your suffering. It was indeed a miracle that Thor restored you to health. And I speak to you sincerely when I say that none of us wished to do you further harm." She didn't answer but closed her eyes and Teal'c knew that she had heard, even if she was not yet ready to accept his words.

He got to his feet and held out his hand. "Will you come inside?" She ignored him. "Samantha, please." She looked up, caught off guard by his words.

She reached out and he took her hand, helping her to her feet. He led her back to the cabin, pausing a short distance away. "Teal'c?"

"I am very grateful that you are alive. And I wish that you could have been spared the pain of Jacob Carter's actions." Half afraid that she would resist, he pulled her close, indulging himself in the feel of her, warm and alive in his arms.

/\/\/\/\/\

Sam let herself sink against Teal'c, soaking up the comforting warmth of his presence. She didn't know how long they stood there, and that fact alone prompted her to push away from him. "They're waiting, aren't they?"

"They are," Teal'c confirmed. "Their concern for your well being mirrors mine. And it is just as sincere."

The sun had set and they were surrounded by darkness. The windows of the cabin glowed with a welcoming golden light, guiding her. She nodded and stepped out of his arms, slowly making her way into the cabin. The Colonel and Daniel looked up as she entered, both men getting to their feet.

"Carter."

"Sam." Daniel took a step towards her. "Sam, I just-"

"You did what you had to do," she interrupted, not in the mood to hear the apology that she knew was coming. If he apologized then she would have to forgive him and she just wasn't ready to do that. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

An awkward silence settled over the room, broken only by the soft creak of the floorboards as Teal'c joined them. "I'm tired," she said, latching onto the first excuse that she could to escape.

"We saved you some dinner," the Colonel said, gesturing towards a plate setting on the cabinet, covered by a dish towel.

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry." She took a breath. "There is one thing. Eventually, we're going to need to use the ship and…one of these days we might be able go home and I want to take him with me. Can we find somewhere to keep him safe?" she asked,
cursing her own weakness. She couldn't even say his name.

"The caves?" Daniel suggested.

"They're a couple of miles away," the Colonel said. "But they're stable and protected."

Sam nodded. "Those could work."

"I'll go scout them in the morning."

"Thank you." She walked past them, retreating into her own room. She closed the door and sat down on the bed, the blanket still around her shoulders.

Finally alone, she took a shaky breath to calm her bubbling emotions. They were trying. She couldn't blame them for trying. It wasn't their fault that they were in this situation, it was hers.

'Do you know how I breached your iris and invaded your world? Hathor took the information from you and I took it from her. Do not blame me, blame yourself.'

She should leave. Leave them before she caused them more harm. Leave before someone else died because of her, of her weakness.

Fingers knocked gently against her door and it slowly opened. The Colonel stepped in, the covered plate in his hand. "It's a long time until breakfast," he said by way of explanation, setting the plate and a cup of water down on the dresser. He stopped and looked at her. "I'm sorry," he said. "They wanted to tell you sooner but I wouldn't let them. It was a bad call."

"You did what you thought was right," she said, accepting his apology.

He stared at her for a minute, then nodded. "Let us know if you need something," he invited. "Seriously. I normally leave the cheesy stuff to Daniel but-"

"Thank you," she said, interrupting him. "That means a lot."

He nodded again and sighed. "Goodnight." He left the room, closing the door behind him.

Sam curled up on the bed, pulling the blanket around her. She couldn't leave, she decided. To leave would be to run away. And she wasn't going to run away from this. She made this mess, so she was going to fix it. She just needed to figure out how.

~Fin~

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