I come back from non-posting to bring you fic... AAAHHH HHAHAA (coughs) Right. Hope my hiatus was worth it, and I present to with my new creation... Enjoy

Set in Season: 10 (second half)

Spoilers: None but the second half of S10/posted spoilers of upcoming eps. (which most I have not seen, so consider it more like an AU in parts or whole)

Summery: Sam is left dealing with the consequences of Daniel's latest theory. Grounded at the base and unable to rescue Daniel, are the pair able to find one another anyway?

Pair: Sam/Daniel (sniggles them)


I was pacing the General's office like a caged cat; I felt like a caged cat. I felt like my claws were ready to be bared the moment I got the wrong answer.

"You are going to wear a trench in the carpet if you keep that up," Cam said, with amusement. I stopped and looked at him. He wore a smile of slight success. I did not stop because of his words, rather how it flooded my mind with the words of a man who had said those exact words so many times to me while I was in the very same office.

I closed my eyes and turned away... and went back to pacing. I heard the door open and looked up. General Landry was looking back at me with a sad smile. No.

"No," I breathed, feeling my claws come out. "No." I felt the fury come leaping from the depths of my soul as I launched past Landry and gripped the door frame, facing the stoic faces that looked up at me in surprise from the briefing table. The same table I, we, he, sat at just 48 hours before.

"How dare you! You are willing to leave a good man – a man who has helped let your sorry asses even sit in those chairs – go? You will deny us the satisfaction of going in and rescuing one of our own?!" I was raging. I felt my fingers go white from gripping the frame; I would have loved to let go and show them this kind, intelligent and capable, down to earth, Colonel would and could have them all as lunch, and then have their bosses for dinner.

A firm hand gripped my shoulder. "Sam. Stand down."

I pulled from Cam's grip and glared at the men and women who dared to come into my base and tell me that I could not rescue my best friend. "You all sit in your ivory, Washington-law laden offices while we, we, go out day after day and rescue your sorry asses from total annihilation. We have always gone after our own. We do not leave anyone behind. Why deny that now?"

"Colonel."

"What? You don't like his latest theory? You think finding the weak spot of the Ori is endangering your plushy cushions?"

"Colonel," Landry said this time.

I hung my head, letting the two men pull me back into the office. Letting the tears that welled up in my eyes spill down my cheeks, I stood there, General Landry on my left and Colonel Cameron Mitchell on my right. I felt Teal'c move closer and imagined Vala was unsure what to do.

"SG-1, you are on stand down for three days. I order you, each of you, to sessions with Dr. Righnhard. He will help you," Landry said, squeezing my shoulder before letting go. I nodded slightly, not seeing, not hearing, and not feeling anything. Cam wrapped his arm loosely around my waist – I fought the urge to melt into his side which, if he had been another man, would be second nature – and guided me out of the office, off the level and then into my quarters.

"I'll have Dr. Lam come by and give you something," Cam said as I sat on my bed. "Sam?" he asked, pausing.

I barely nodded.

"He will be ok. We will get him back, no matter what they say. We are a team, and we don't leave anyone behind," Cam said, almost pounding the door for emphasis.

"Even so…"

He cut me off by kneeling before me. "Especially now. He got into this because of his theory, and we will get him out because we are stronger than any theory. We are proof he needs to come back." He placed a hand on my shoulder again and whispered, "You are the reason he needs to come back. You need each other. I don't understand why you stay away from the obvious."

I did not answer – could not answer – which was just as well since with that he swiftly got to his feet and breezed out the door. Getting Dr. Lam was his way of coping, showing he cared deeply. I stared at the door until Dr. Lam came, thanking him for his strength and voiced determination.

"If he only knew", I cried into my pillow as I felt myself fall into the black abyss I was sure Daniel was in also.