Sam settled back in the central chair of The Phoenix and stared ahead at the distorted light created by the hyperdrive. It had taken longer than she had hoped before the orders had come through to make their way to P5R832, not that the two hours would make that much difference as it was a long journey even at maximum speed. One night of that journey had already passed but time couldn't pass quickly enough for Sam.

Ostensibly, she and The Phoenix were acting as a glorified taxi for SG1. Landry had been very specific; Sam was to temporarily command The Phoenix and provide transportation; Mitchell had command of the search and rescue for General O'Neill in the event they had to go planet-side. Her jaw clenched. It was protocol. She was Jack's wife. She shouldn't be in charge of the SAR. She knew that. Heck, it had been hard enough to remain objective back when Jack had been no more than her CO and she hadn't known he loved her as much as she loved him.

She shifted in the chair. She appreciated why she wasn't in charge of the SAR but it still irked her. She knew Cam would do everything he could; that SG1 would search for Jack as she would herself but it irked. Hopefully, she reminded herself, there would be no need for a protracted SAR. With any luck The Phoenix would pick up his locator beacon and beam Jack on board without any need to return to the planet.

At least they knew he was alive. Landry had contacted them to confirm the blood on Jack's cap had been some unspecified animal. It substantiated their belief that the Avalonians had lied to them. Jack wasn't dead. He wasn't. Maybe if she kept telling herself that she would make it through the next twenty-four hours without cracking up.

Sam glanced around the bridge. They were operating with essential personnel only. Captain Ashley was on navigation; Major Brown on weapons and systems. Both were good officers, but both had no idea that General O'Neill was anything more to Sam than her old CO and the Head of Homeworld Security. It was hard keeping up the pretence. She let out a tired sigh. Maybe that was the whole point of why she wasn't leading the SAR.

'Hey.' Daniel's quiet greeting had her turning to glance at him as he halted beside her.

'Hey.' Sam replied. He looked tired. She had suggested SG1 try to get some rest a few hours before. Apart from anything it was more difficult to pretend around people who knew the truth of the situation between her and Jack.

'How are we doing?' Daniel crossed his arms and stared out.

'On course and schedule.' Sam replied crisply. 'You couldn't sleep?'

Daniel shook his head. 'I keep going over things in my head.' He looked at her hopefully. 'You want to take a break?'

She was about to refuse but she saw the hope shining out of his blue eyes and sighed. 'Sure.' She pushed herself out of the chair. 'Brown, you have the bridge.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

They made their way to the mess and picked up dessert and coffee. They settled at a table near a window; the hyperdrive streaks brightening the space.

Sam looked over at Daniel. He was pushing the cake he had chosen from one side of the plate to the other. She smiled sympathetically. 'You can't blame yourself, Daniel. You'd been there for weeks without any hint of trouble. There was no reason to assume the worst.'

Daniel shrugged. 'Maybe.' He sighed and gave up on eating, reaching instead for his coffee. 'I was thinking maybe since we defeated the Ori we've gotten too relaxed off-world.'

Sam scooped up some jello and swallowed it. 'You really think so?'

'I know Mitchell thinks so.' Daniel acknowledged ruefully. 'He keeps reminding us we wrote the protocols we're not following.'

Sam hid her smile. Cam had complained to her in private enough times for her to believe that.

'I wasn't even concerned, Sam.' Daniel confessed. 'I was just caught up in the talks. I should have realised there was a problem.'

'The last time I checked, Daniel, you weren't psychic.' Sam reached across the table and caught hold of his hand. 'Let it go. You know Jack's probably gone to ground and is staying safe somewhere just waiting for us to rescue him.'

'You're right.' Daniel squeezed her hand. 'How are you holding up?'

Sam withdrew her hand and focused on her jello. 'I'm fine.'

'Sam.'

'Daniel.'

'You even sound like him sometimes these days.' Daniel noted dryly.

She shot him a look.

Daniel sipped his coffee and met her glare head on. Sam squirmed in her chair and tried to avoid his gaze. 'I'd rather be here than waiting at home.' She admitted. 'That would be worse.'

'It can't be easy for you though.' He looked at her sympathetically. 'Pretending.'

She grimaced and shook her head sending the blond braid she wore swinging. 'No. It isn't.' She sighed heavily, gazing into the remnants of the blue jello.

'Why not just tell everyone?' Daniel wondered.

'It's not that easy, Daniel.' Sam countered. 'Jack's worried until he retires if everyone knows then it will affect how everyone will act around me.' She put her spoon down and pushed the glass away. 'And it's not as though we're allowed to be husband and wife when we're on base together or on a mission together.'

'Protocol.' Daniel sighed. 'You know when I travelled to the alternate universe the first time and found out the other you and Jack were engaged, I couldn't believe it. Not just because of,' he waved his hand expressively, 'but because they'd acted no different to you and Jack; completely professional. It was only when he walked off to, uh…'

'Die?' She supplied dryly.

Daniel nodded. 'It was only then that they allowed themselves a hug goodbye.'

'It's not easy sometimes, like now.' Sam said slowly. 'But when we're working together, it's normal so,' she shrugged, 'it's just harder when he's in trouble.'

Daniel reached across and caught her hand. 'We're going to find him.'

They smiled at each other.

The sound of someone else entering the mess had them both turning. Neither of them was surprised to see Teal'c at the doorway.

The Jaffa made his way over to their table and sat down beside Sam. He placed his own hand over Daniel's and Sam's.

'It is a most difficult time, Samantha Carter.' Teal'c said softly. 'But I am confident we will find O'Neill; he is most resourceful.'

Sam slipped her free arm around his muscular arm and hugged him. 'Thanks, Teal'c.' She looked back at Daniel. 'Both of you.'

'What are family for?' Daniel said gently.

'Indeed.' Teal'c intoned.

They all smiled, and if their smiles were a little forced they ignored it.

Sam straightened and swiped at her eyes surreptitiously. 'Tell me about Avalonia.'

'They're fascinating.' Daniel immediately replied. 'They're obviously part of the communities Merlin seeded in the universe but, for some reason, they were able to discover and incorporate the Ancient technology into their development.'

'Which means?' prompted Sam, reaching for her drink as Teal'c snagged Daniel's abandoned cake and began to eat it.

'Which means that sociologically they still have a kingdom, still have some arcane laws but technologically they use Ancient weaponry and technology. They don't understand some of it, all of it,' Daniel gestured with his mug, 'but they use it.'

'Why do you think the King asked to meet with Jack?' Sam asked.

'They're all about protocol.' Daniel murmured. 'We were told when we first started the treaty negotiations that the King would not be present at all and that we would only deal with Yogal.' He stopped and took a drink. 'I think when we reached the two week mark maybe we passed some kind of protocol time limit; maybe the King was curious.'

'You didn't run into him at all in the palace?' Sam questioned curious.

'No.' Daniel shook his head.

'We were not permitted to enter the King's quarters.' Teal'c said.

Daniel nodded in agreement. 'There was this archway and we weren't permitted to go beyond it.'

'Vala didn't attempt to sneak in?' Sam questioned surprised.

Teal'c inclined her head. 'Daniel Jackson threatened to have her removed from SG1 should she try such an action.'

Sam nodded; that explained why Vala hadn't tried it. She frowned. 'Daniel, you said that Jack had to have been transported somewhere else on the planet?'

'Bally told us Jack had been with the King at his country estate.' Daniel tapped his mug. 'I think that much of his story was true.'

'It would explain why O'Neill was unable to radio for assistance.' Teal'c confirmed.

'Do you have video-tape of the palace?' Sam asked, the kernel of an idea forming in her mind.

'On my laptop.' Daniel said.

Sam pushed her chair back. 'Can you get it and meet me in engineering?'

Ten minutes later, the three of them gathered around Daniel's computer as he played the video. He paused the tape. 'Here.' He pointed at the monitor. 'This is the archway.'

'This is where you all are.' Vala declared loudly as she walked in, still in her black satin pyjamas.

Mitchell trailed behind her in a flight suit. He gave a sympathetic look as Vala squeezed in between an exasperated Daniel and a bemused Sam, and hugged the other woman, resting her dark head on Sam's shoulder.

'I've been searching for you.' Vala said.

'Sam had an idea.' Daniel explained.

Sam traced the archway. 'This reminds me of the archway Maybourne used to transport himself and Jack to a neighbouring moon.' Jack had been missing for weeks that time before she had worked it out.

'I remember that report. You think they're on a moon?' Mitchell asked confused.

'Not necessarily.' Sam qualified. 'But the markings are very similar. Daniel, can you zoom in on the right hand column.'

Daniel followed her instructions. 'That's a key.'

'Yes. It should have some kind of information on it that might help us pinpoint Jack's location.' Sam peered at it. 'I can't make it out.'

'I'll blow it up.' Daniel expanded the zoom. 'That looks like…'

'An island.' Vala said. She raised her head and leaned forward for a better look. 'I've seen this before.'

'It's all over the city.' Mitchell agreed.

'It is?' Daniel asked surprised.

Vala patted his hand. 'If you had ever ventured out from that stuffy old room, you would have seen it too.' She turned to Sam. 'The locals call it the Isle of the Seven.'

'Seven what?' Daniel asked.

'There is a legend that the Isle is haunted by the spirits of Seven Fairies, the protectors of Arthur.' Vala said eagerly. 'Most of the locals really buy into it. They believe that Arthur will return one day.'

'We have a similar myth on Earth that Arthur will return to save England at its time of greatest need.' Daniel muttered. 'What else did you learn in the tavern?'

'Who said it was a tavern?' Vala said defensively.

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

Mitchell waved a hand at him. 'The locals believe that Arthur will return and save the planet from some disaster. They'll recognise Arthur when he…'

'Pulls a sword from the stone?' Sam interjected dryly.

'Actually, no,' Vala shook her head, sending the dark strands flying haphazardly. 'They believe Arthur will be identified when he steps into the throne room on the Isle and it lights up like a Sun.' She beamed proudly.

Sam and Daniel looked at each other.

'That must be it.' Sam said.

Mitchell looked from Daniel to Sam and back again. 'What must be it?'

'It has to be.' Daniel agreed.

'What?' demanded Vala loudly, waving her hands in front of their faces.

'Jack must have entered the throne room.' Daniel explained impatiently. 'He has the Ancient gene so…'

'The throne room lit up.' Sam continued excitedly.

'And the King realised he was hosting a potential Arthur so…' Daniel stopped and shook his head in confusion. 'Why tell us he was dead?'

'Perhaps they intend to keep O'Neill hostage to rescue them when their disaster is at hand.' Teal'c suggested.

'I don't think so, Muscles.' Vala pulled a face. 'If I was Vizar, I would be rather worried that…oh.' Her apologetic eyes landed on Sam.

'You would be worried that Jack was there to usurp your throne.' Sam sighed and rubbed her nose. 'You would have ordered his death.'

'Maybe Muscles is right.' Vala said comfortingly, throwing her arms around Sam and hugging her tightly.

'Even if the King ordered his death,' Mitchell said strongly, 'I don't think he succeeded.'

'Because there would be a body.' Sam murmured, letting her relief wash over her. 'They wouldn't have tried to pretend that ridiculous story with the cap.'

'So maybe they tried to kill him but he got away.' Daniel theorised. 'Or they're pretending he's dead and keeping him locked away somewhere.'

Sam sighed. 'We'll know soon enough.' But not soon enough for her. She stared at the archway in the monitor. If Jack had evaded death and was on the run, the King would be hunting him.

Hold on, Jack, Sam thought mentally, we're on our way; just hold on.