Thin Lines
Chapter 1

AU of 'In The Line Of Duty'.


The agony of the hara'kesh washed through Jolinar and she endured, her focus narrowing to her host, to the chance she might be able to save Samantha from sharing Jolinar's fate.

A sound cut through her concentration. Gunshot.

A fraction of a second later, the hara'kesh was silenced.

.s.g.1.

Steven was, like his fellow SFs here at the SCG, one of the best of the best. His position had been furthest from the door when the goa'uld – the ashrak – showed up, and he'd had just a tiny fraction of a second more time to react.

He'd ducked.

It hadn't been fast enough or far enough to fully evade the effects of the device, but when Steven hit the floor, he was not quite unconscious. Through the haze of pain, he saw the goa'uld rip apart the bars to the cell and turn the device on Captain Carter and Jolinar.

Pain.

Don't let it stop you.

Use it.

He didn't have the strength for his MP5, but his fingers closed over his sidearm. Both his hands were needed but he lifted it, flicked off the safety, pulled the trigger.

Pain.

.s.g.1.

Jack and Teal'c heard the gunshot ring out as they burst onto level 16 and ran towards the one occupied cell. It's door was open and they both stopped as they took in the scene.

The two SF's were down, one had his sidearm out. The ashrak was down, killed by a bullet to the head. Sam was kneeling on the floor of the cell, her head in her hands, almost whimpering in abject agony.

There was blood and bits of brain and skull splattered over the cell.

.s.g.1.

Sam had welcomed the sharp but tiny pain from Janet's needle and fallen gratefully into oblivion to escape the torment lingering from the ashrak's assault. She woke in the infirmary, still with a monster headache but able to think clearly. **Jolinar? **

"Carter."

"Sam?"

She supposed she'd moved or something, and given away that she was awake. Prying her eyelids open a little, she caught a blurry glimpse of the infirmary. "Sir," she mumbled, the effort triggering a coughing fit. Someone slipped a hand under her head, lifting her just enough to sip water from a cup and when she finally got her eyes open again, she found herself looking into Janet's worried gaze. "Hey," she managed softly before focusing on the two males hovering at Janet's shoulder. "Daniel!"

As Janet stepped back to put down the water, Daniel eased forward and grasped Sam's hand. Jack's expression was inscrutable. "You did it Sam…You won."

"Jolinar..."

"It's gone," Daniel said softly, chafing her chilled fingers with his own. "You're free again."

"No."

"Carter..."

Janet returned, gently brushing stray blond wisps from Sam's forehead. "Sam, we were able to pick up separate signals. The parasite faded right out… it flatlined half an hour ago."

Sam shut her eyes. **Jolinar,** she whispered into the silence **I'm sorry.**

There was no answer.