A/N: I've always loved this moment in the show. I feel like this is really when Jack realizes his feelings for Sam. Sure there's plenty of other times but this one, I think, really launches the Sam/Jack ship. Also, thank you all so much for the reviews and follows! This vignette is based on Season 3, episode 1, Into the Fire, Part 2.

Disclaimer: not mine, etc.

XOXOXO

Jack gasped for air, shaking all over, panicking. Tight. Coffin. Snake. Cold. So cold. Images flashed against his mind: a hand which was not his own torturing someone with a hand device, a Jaffa torturing someone with a pain stick... Apophis. More Jaffa. People dying. Explosions. Energy weapons. Kneeling. Darkness. Screaming. Screaming. Screaming.
Wait.

The screaming was outside of his head. Jack opened his eyes, drawing in warm air in slower steadying breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. He glanced over and saw that bitch torturing Carter. The hand device. Not today, snake. Jack ached all over but adrenaline flooded his system as he pulled himself out of the stasis pod.

"We had hopes for you," drawled the snake in disappointment. She was entirely focused on Carter. Jack leapt on her, seizing her around the middle and they wrestled for a moment. As a Gould, she was far stronger than a woman her size should be.

"And we-" Jack panted- "Would just like you- to Go! A-WAY!" He finally gained the leverage he needed and tossed her over the railing. He would savor the sound of her scream for a long time to come. But for now he dropped to his knees, shaking with exhaustion and relief. He seized Carter from where she had fallen to the floor and gathered her into his arms.

She was safe. He had made it. He had saved her. She wasn't a Gould and neither was he. They were safe. For a moment he just relished the feel of holding her, keeping her all in one solid piece- and, truth be told- himself, in one piece. With the Gould afterimages still flashing through his mind, he needed her. He needed Carter to find himself again, to find Jack.

"What happened?" Carter asked after a moment. Jack couldn't tell which of them was trembling harder right in that moment. He clung to her desperately as a lifeline back to Earth.

"Hathor's gone," Jack assured her, squeezing her, wanting to cry.

"What about you?" Carter asked, one of her hands rubbing smalls circles on his back.

"Cold- a little chilly," he added, trying to blame his continued trembling on the cryo stasis rather than the overwhelming fear that he would be too late to save her- "but…I'm me. I'm me." Relief finally steadied him, his trembling slowly as he reassured himself that he was still Jack, not a snake.

"Colonel Makepeace came through with half a dozen SG teams to rescue us. But Trofsky's got us cut off from the Stargate. He's using an energy barrier. It originates from somewhere in this facility. The plan is to blow it before General Hammond sends reinforcements," Sam explained, still desperately hugging him in return. He wasn't the only one in need of reassurance.

"And how do we plan to do that?" Jack asked, finally thinking about pulling away from her. Perhaps he shouldn't be clinging quite so desperately to his second in command.

"What you seek is hidden within the mockup of your Stargate facility," the Tok'ra said from the far wall. She looked awful. Jack felt a sudden surge of appreciation and relief- he had thought she was dead.

"What about you?" asked Carter as she and Jack separated at last, both watching the Tok'ra.

"My symbiote may yet heal me," she replied. "You must hurry. Go."

Jack took Carter's hand and pulled her to her feet, using the railing to help support himself.

"Thank you," Carter said, squeezing Jack's hand briefly. Whether the 'thank you' was for him or the Tok'ra, he wasn't sure. The Tok'ra nodded and closed her eyes again. Jack sincerely hoped she made it out. She had saved his life by putting him into stasis after all. Jack finally realized he was still holding Carter's hand and returned her squeeze before reluctantly letting go.

"All right, let's go," Jack said quietly, leading the way out of the cryo room.

XOX

Jack had never been so pleased to see an MRI machine. He loved this machine. He loved the solid gray walls of the SGC. He loved the hideous, utilitarian, semi-depressing lighting scheme. The fake SGC hadn't had fluorescent bulbs. Jack sighed as a nurse guided him back to a treatment room to await his results. Frasier was none too happy with his latest mission report and had insisted on a full work up.

Jack was so happy to be back and not a Gould, that he didn't even care. He smiled tiredly as another nurse came and took his blood. He smiled even more tiredly as a huge yawn escaped him and he slumped back against his pillows. The tiny dictator was keeping him over night, of course, but he was so relieved to be back in the real SGC, that he didn't even care. Hell he'd had a strong urge to just start hugging and kissing everyone. Well, maybe not quite everyone. He chuckled to himself at the thought of planting a big one on the general.

He heard a light shuffle and opened his bleary eyes. His major stood in his doorway a little hesitantly. Jack couldn't help it; he beamed at her. Relief flooded her face; she had clearly been worried about disturbing him. Something warmed in his chest even as he took in the sight of her freshly washed hair, the wrap on her wrist, the bandage on her temple, and what promised to be a few colorful bruises on her face. Jack frowned as she approached and took the stool beside his bed.

"How're those shiners?" he asked, gesturing at her face. She winced, gently touching them with her delicate fingers. God, Jack loved those fingers. Those fingers had done wonders in science, combat, engineering. He lived in awe of those slender, pale fingers. He longed to reach for her, but knew the security cameras were watching; not to mention the nurses could come back at any time.

"Janet says they'll take a few weeks," explained Sam quietly, though no one else was in the private treatment room, she still kept her voice soft. "And I'm not even sure when this happened-" she held up her wrapped wrist in confusion. "It may have been... well, no, I can't even think when it would have happened. Janet was doing my physical and she went to test my arms and..."

Jack turned his hand over on bed between them. God, his limbs felt like lead. Carter smiled tiredly and gently placed her wounded hand in his upturned palm. He gently ran his thumb across her palm and he smiled. "Go home, major," he whispered roughly. "Get some rest."

"Is that an order?" she asked softly, giving him a teasing smirk. She looked like she was about to fall over.

"Well, maybe just go to bed," he replied, running his thumb across her palm again. She reached out with her good hand and squeezed his much larger hand in hers. She briefly closed her eyes and when she opened them again, he could swear that she blinked away tears.

"I'm really glad you're okay, sir," Sam whispered with a final gentle squeeze. Jack wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms but knew he couldn't. He shouldn't have even offered his hand. This was getting too close, too dangerous.

"Yeah," replied Jack, "me too. I-I mean you. Well- you know."

She smiled. She did know. She always knew.

"Goodnight, sir," Sam said softly. She slowly withdrew her hands and left.

When Jack finally drifted off to sleep, he dreamed not of frozen places and darkness, but of sunshine.