Sam was dragged into the room and dropped in front of the large wooden table. Nyson stood before the five Jaffa sitting around the table. "The Council has lost its way. In their absence of leadership, I have taken it upon myself to track down the queens and all the remaining Tok'ra. As evidence of my ability to fulfil my pledge to you I have captured a Tok'ra. She will be able to help us eliminate the rest of the Tok'ra, making sure the only adult symbiotes are the queens and breeding males under our control."

The Jaffa exchanged looks. "We still do not see the need to eliminate the Tok'ra. Time will eliminate them without our help."

"Not fast enough." Nyson went over to Sam and lifted her head by her hair. "She is the key."

Serin gasped and stood. He walked around the table and got closer. "You are a fool."

Nyso scowled. "How dare you!" He let go of Sam's hair and she flopped forward, landing hard.

"Do you not know who she is? Are you trying to get us all killed?"

Nyson stopped and glanced down at Sam. "What do you mean?"

"She is General Carter of the SGC. The Tauri will be looking for her and they will make us pay for what you have done." The rest of the Jaffa quickly cleared the room, not wanting to be implicated with Nyson. "If she dies, they will track you down and kill you."

"T?"

"He said General Carter was brought to a meeting this morning."

"Where is she now?"

"He will take us to Nyson's headquarters."

Jack stretched his hand out. "Then let's go."

They didn't meet any resistance as they approached Nyson's headquarters. They cleared all four rooms with no sign of Nyson or his supporters. Sam had been left for dead in the corner of the last room. Daniel slid to his knees beside her and felt for a pulse. Jack tensed as Daniel moved his hand and bent forward, putting his face close to hers.

"Daniel?"

"She's alive."

Jack dropped his pack and pulled out a green bag that was all too familiar to Daniel and Teal'c. He quickly assembled the stretcher. "Let's get her back to the SGC."

"General O'Neill?"

Jack straightened his back and grabbed the edges of the flimsy plastic chair as he looked up at Dr. Lam. "How is she?"

"She's out of surgery and we stopped most of the internal bleeding."

"Most?"

"Her spleen has a small tear but I'm going to give it some time to heal on its own, but if the bleeding increases, I may have to remove it. She also has two cranial fractures, a facial fracture of her zygomatic bone, four cracked ribs, and numerous abrasions."

"But she's going to make it?"

"I can't make you any promises, but we're doing everything we can. Give us another twenty or thirty minutes and then you can see her."

"Thanks." Jack slumped back against the wall as Daniel, Teal'c and Cameron watched him. Thirty minutes later they were allowed into her room and they set up shifts, to watch over Sam and Jack, who refused to leave until she woke up. It was three days later before he got to see her baby blue eyes, and knew she was really going to be alright.

"Do you want another pillow under your feet?"

"I'm fine Jack, stop worrying."

"As if." He went to the kitchen and brought back a diet coke. "All you're going to do is rest."

"I don't plan on arguing with you. I'm still pretty sore." She grimaced as she reached over for the remote. Jack stood up and handed it to her.

"Ribs?"

"Yep." She found a nature show and dozed off, thanks to the pain meds. Jack switched the channel to baseball but kept the sound low. Sam woke up a couple hours later, ready to finish her soda. She wasn't hungry but Jack insisted that she eat a little dinner. After a movie, that Sam had a hard time paying attention to, Jack suggested it was time for bed. She got settled on her side of the bed and forced herself to stay awake until he was done in the bathroom. He turned off the bathroom light and leaned over Sam and lightly kissed her on the forehead.

"If you need anything I'll be across the hall."

"What? You're not staying in here?"

He shook his head, "I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh, right, ok."

He moved to the door and turned off the bedroom light. "I'll keep the doors open, so just yell if you need anything."

"Will do." She held back her tears until the lights went off.

Two days later Teal'c and Daniel showed up with a bucket of chicken and extra sides. Jack wouldn't let Sam get up, so he made her a plate and brought it to her on the sofa. Daniel took one of the two seats across from the sofa and Teal'c took the other. When Jack entered with his plate he looked momentarily confused.

"You can sit with me, Jack."

"I can get a chair." He put his plate on the table.

"Jack don't be silly. There's plenty of room." He looked at the open space on the sofa and shook his head. Sam sighed. "Fine, Teal'c would you do me the honor of sharing the sofa with me?"

"It would be my honor, Samantha." Teal'c moved and gently sat beside Sam, giving Jack his chair. After the food was mostly eaten and the conversation continued Sam's eyes grew heavy. Her head lolled onto Teal'c's shoulder and she fell asleep as Daniel and Jack cleaned up.

"Would you mind staying while I run out to the store?"

"Not at all." Daniel looked over at Teal'c with his arm around Sam. "I think the rest will do Teal'c some good too. He hasn't fully recovered yet, but he keeps working out with the new recruits."

"Stubborn to the core."

"Yep, much like other people I know." Jack cut his eyes as Daniel as he grabbed his keys.

He was gone over an hour, and as predicted Teal'c had fallen asleep while Jack was gone. Daniel put down his book and help Jack quietly bring in the bags and put away the groceries. They went out on the deck when they finished so they could talk and not disturb the nappers.

"Has Sam heard anything from the Pentagon yet?"

Jack scowled. "No, but she's expecting some type of reprimand. I just hope they don't take the SGC from her."

"They wouldn't dare, would they?"

Jack shrugged. "She almost got herself killed on an unapproved mission that could have resulted in a war with the Jaffa. There will be repercussions."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"I've called the people I can. Hopefully that will be enough but if there is anything you can do, I'll let you know."

"I'm headed back to Tarla tomorrow. I've left Vala and the kids for too long already. Teal'c is staying here for a bit longer though. Dr. Lam isn't satisfied that he's ready to leave yet."

"Give Vala and the little ones our best and don't worry about us."

Jack went back to training new recruits three days after Sam came home. She insisted she was fine alone, but Teal'c stopped by every day. Sam was disappointed to discover he enjoyed Judge Judy and the People Court. Jack came home after 1900 carrying take out each night. He was so worn out he would eat, shower, and go to bed, always in the guest room.

Sam was back at work two weeks after getting out of the infirmary. She's was interviewed by the IOA and three Generals from the Pentagon on her first day back. She was told it could take a week or longer to make a decision about her status as base commander and other potential repercussions. A backlog of paperwork greeted her and kept her trapped in her office after she finished her morning interview. Lieutenant Simmons brought her some lunch and Dr. Lam checked on her twice. If felt good to have people to talk to again. She got home before Jack and she was so tired she made a bowl of soup and went to bed before he got home.

They were both up early the next morning. Sam was moving slower than usual and Jack was in a hurry, so they didn't get to share breakfast, not even a cup of coffee. Sam took a cereal bar with her and got coffee from the commissary when she got to work. She was greeted by the five stacks of files she had organized yesterday but had not finished. She thought it might take her the rest of the week to see the wood on her desk again. An hour later she was grateful for the unscheduled off world activation that gave her an excuse to get up and escape the files. Luckily it was just a message from the Yarnians, a moderately developed society they had met three years ago. Sam decided to walk the halls and visit a few of the scientist while she was up. An hour later she was back at her desk, working on the files that needed immediate attention.

Dr. Lam interrupted her around lunchtime, a subtle reminder that she needed to take a break and eat. Teal'c joined them but when they were done Sam returned to her office and the immediate stack. She was two thirds of the way through it when her shift ended. She was sore and tired, so she left when Colonel Ryan showed up for her shift, even though she really wanted to finish at least one stack today. She got a salad on her way home and wasn't surprised to see no lights on in the house. She got a drink and sat down on the sofa to eat her dinner. When she was done, she took a quick shower and sat in bed reading until she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She woke briefly when she heard Jack come home. The days bled together and by the end of the first week back at work Sam was looking forward to a weekend home with Jack, only to find out he had scheduled a retreat with the new recruits and wouldn't be home all weekend. Sam decided to visit Cassie since Jack wasn't home.

She felt a bit more refreshed when she got home Sunday night. Time with Cassie had a way of making her feel younger. Jack was sitting out on the deck when she got home. She looked at him through the kitchen window for several minutes before working up the courage to join him. The hard wooden chair was uncomfortable but it was worth it to finally have a chance to spend some time with him. She reached out and put her hand on his.

"How did things go with the newbies?"

Jack shrugged. "They did ok. There are few who need to spend a bit more time camping though. I'm going to schedule a couple more bivouacs to get them more comfortable."

"So much for saying you'd never see the inside of a tent again."

"Yeah, it's not the first time I've been wrong." Jack moved his hand to his lap, sliding it out from underneath Sam's hand. "How was Cassie?"

"She's doing well. She's settled in her new apartment and enjoying her job. I think she made a good decision joining J&R."

"Good, that's good." He stood up. "Two nights in a tent have left me pretty tired. I'm going to hit the rack."

"Ok, I'll see you in the morning."

"Yep, just lock up when you come in, ok?"

"Will do."

She held back the tears until he was inside, and she stayed outside until she had her emotions back under control. She wasn't sure whether her healing ribs or the burning in her chest hurt more. Once the tears stopped, she went inside and went to bed, alone.

Jack slept in on Monday morning, so Sam didn't see him before she went to work, and he got home late and went to bed as soon as he got out of the shower. Tuesday went much the same way. Sam felt alone and feared she'd lost him. When she woke Wednesday morning to a quiet house that felt lonely even though he was across the hall Sam decided she couldn't stomach it any more.