Thanks to Lauriesf.


Until death reunites us - Chapter 7

When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the clouds, Jack woke up, startled at feeling Sam so close to him. Memories from the previous night came back to him and he deeply sighed. He looked at her and told himself he had never had a worse and better waking up at the same time. Must they really be in danger of death to show their true feelings ? Must he really lose her to hold her in his arms ? Must they really encounter death to be reunited ?

After a few minutes of gazing at her face marked by suffering, he dropped a kiss on her burning forehead and forced himself to stand up. He went round the cave and outside, seeing nothing had changed. Nobody was in sight, there was no sign of SG-1 or any civilisation. So he prepared breakfast which was made of a meager chicken soup. He heard Sam mumbling in her sleep about Dad and Cassandra and the Stargate and other names. His own was the last he heard.

She only woke up two hours later. As soon as she was awake, she cursed the fact of still being alive, with so much pain...She wouldn't wish such an awful thing on anybody, even the Goa'ulds. She was completely drained, she knew it. This day would be the last, she knew it for sure.

_Hi, Sir, she said sitting up slowly.

He looked up and smiled at her. He came to crouch next to her and handed her the pan :

_ Food !

She smiled at him and took the pan. She took a sip at it before asking :

_ What are the small chunks floating on the soup ?

Jack scratched his head before answering, with an uneasy smile :

_It's supposed to be chicken soup but we both know survival rations are not renowned for being tasty.

_Indeed, she laughed, before going on eating.

They remained silent while she was eating. Jack was looking at her with an intense, unsettling gaze. She set the pan on the ground and looked away from her CO. She let her eyes wander towards the mouth of the cave.

_Still nothing ? she asked, not wanting to know the answer.

He said no with his head. She sighed and her smile vanished.

_We have to face the facts, we both know I'm not gonna make it, she started, avoiding his clocolate brown gaze.

_Carter, stop ! he interrupted her abruptly.

_But we must face the facts and act accordingly.

_You're not going to die here, period, he groaned.

She sighed and gave him a stealthy glance.

_I have a protected file on my computer which contains letters, one for Cassandra, one for Lieutenant Halley...one for you and also other people. The password is...

He jumped up, startling her.

_I don't want to know that password, Colonel ! If you have something to say, you'll say it at the SGC ! Do you really think I'm going to watch you die ? No way, do you hear me ?! he thundered, throwing his jacket on the ground, seething with anger.

_...fishing rod, she said, ending her sentence quietly.

That left him speechless, dumbfounded. Then, a smile formed on his lips and he quickly turned his head so she couldn't see it. Really, that woman always knew how to catch him unawares. He put on a bold front and answered coldly :

_Well, you'll have to change it when we get back.

He turned his back to her and headed for the mouth of the cave.

_Jack ! she begged him.

He missed a heartbeat and paused. He turned slowly, looking at her with amazement.

She seemed to be on the verge of crying, profound sadness showing on her face. She opened her mouth to say something then changed her mind and lowered her gaze. He felt stupid for talking to her like that and came to kneel in front of her. He cupped her cheek with his hand and lifted her chin gently. A tear rolled from her blue eyes and reached his fingers.

_I'm scared, she whispered.

He tenderly traced her cheek with his hand and, without really thinking about it, he moved his lips nearer to hers, letting her choose if she wanted to push him back. Sam was drawn to the mouth she had wanted for so many years and she bridged the gap. Their hearts beating hard in their chests, their lips met in a hesitant and clumsy kiss. They savored the magic moment, eyes closed.

Jack's hands slid on her waist and drew her closer to him. This kiss, at first shy, became more and more intoxicating, all their feelings that had been repressed for too long suddenly resurfacing. Eight years of denial and worry were held into that kiss.

Rules were forgotten, the SGC and poison too there was only him and her left and the passion that was burning in them and the love that united them.

They regretfully parted after a moment, Jack set his forehead against hers and his tender gaze locked with hers. He sadly smiled, despair hitting him hard.

They remained like this, immobile, in each other's embrace, looking for a way to stop the swift passing of time, gathering a few moments of a happiness they'd been denied for the past eight years.

They did not utter a word, they'd known for years the feelings bonding them, saying them would only mean admitting impending death, rendering the threat of being separated even more real.

Suddenly, Sam moaned with pain, her breathing becoming erratic. Jack made her lie down. He bent over her, worried. The seizure seemed more severe than the others, Sam's whole body was trembling and her breathing was uneven, sweat running down her forehead and her muscles tensing. She whispered hoarsely :

_Fishing rod, Jack…

He turned a scared look to her. She was smiling with a candid and wonderful smile, one of those smiles that always made his heart beat faster, that gave him purpose and strength to come home safe and sound from a mission. When he closed his eyes, it was always that smile he could see. When he was on the verge of giving way, it was that smile that made him stand up and be triumphant. It was the smile that brightened up his whole life.

_Sam, stay with me, Sam ! he begged his voice breaking with fear.

She looked at him one last time with tenderness and slowly closed her eyes, her body relaxing suddenly. Trembling, he moved his fingers to her neck. Fear showed on his face when he pressed them on her carotid. He swallowed hard, feeling nothing.

_No, no, no ! Sam, you promised ! he screamed in despair.

A tear slowly fell down his cheek before reaching her peaceful face. He stayed a long moment, kneeling next to her, his head down.

Why ? Why people he cared for always ended up like this ? Each time he had accepted to give his love to someone, they'd paid for it dearly. Suffering and death tracked him down, like a curse, like punishment from fate towards him and the ones he loved.

Sara, Sam...Charlie.

That was the last straw, he jumped to his feet and struck the rugged wall of the cave with his fist. Blood fell from his cuts.

He had already lost men, several times. That was what it meant to be an AF officer, flirting with death all the time, seeing friends die, talking to their family, going to the funeral...he knew it all of it by heart !

But, not her, no, not her. He couldn't do it, it was beyond him.

He kicked the backpack outside the cave. He held his head in his hands and fell on his knees. Light crackling reached his ears, like the irritating noise of a bug. He tried to ignore it, in vain, the noise annoying him too much so he lifted his head and looked for the source of the incessant noise, intending to make it stop.

He glared at his talkie-walkie a few feet from him. He swallowed hard reaching for it. Someone was calling him. Jack hesitated, wanting to kick at the radio, wanting it to feel what he felt.

He lifted the device and heard Daniel distinctly :

_Jack ? Sam ? Do you hear me ? Please, answer, Jack, are you there ?

He pressed the button. He felt the urge to scream, to yell at them that since they had not been able to reach them an hour earlier they could head back the other way, but he only found the strength to answer :

_Daniel, I'm there.

He was surprised by the trembling in his voice and added :

_I'm next to a cave and a wood.

_Thanks goodness ! We've been looking for you for days, searching each planet around ! Are you ok ? Daniel asked, relieved.

Jack took some time to answer.

_Sam is dead.

He only heard silence in the radio.

_Where are you, Jack ? Daniel asked, in a careful tone.

_I don't know, Daniel ! he groaned.

Jack lifted his gun towards the sky and fired three shots, scattering the animals around.

_Better this way ? he roared.

_Thanks, Jack, we're coming hold on.

Once the radio communication was severed, he threw his talkie-walkie on the ground, seething with rage.

_Hold on ?! This is over, Daniel ! You're too late ! he swore.

He sat on a rock and waited, trembling with anger or sadness, he couldn't tell. He soon heard the noises and shouts of men running in the forest. Daniel, Teal'c and Cameron were in front, followed by a dozen other men from the SGC. They rushed towards Jack, clearly relieved to find him alive on that hostile planet.

_O'Neill, glad to see you, Teal'c solemnly nodded at him.

_Me too... Jack whispered.

While they were getting reunited, the others were making the area secure. Doctor Laam who was with them checked on Jack briefly and cleared him. She asked him to recount what had happened and then moved towards Sam to certify her death.

She laid two fingers on her carotid anf frowned. She looked with puzzlement at her assistant. She motioned to the stetoscope which he handed her swiftly and watched her.

She pushed away the blankets and set the stetoscope on her heart. Her eyes widened and she felt around for her talkie-walkie. She finally reached it.

_I want a medical team now, I repeat, I need a medical team here right now ! she shouted taking a medical ventilator from her bag.

Hearing the doctor's request, Teal'c, Daniel and Cameron rushed to the mouth of the cave. Jack did not move, not understanding.

_I want 10 ccs of pyridoxine, she barked at the nurse who immediately complied.

SG-1 were on tenterhooks, waiting for her to speak. She started opening her mouth when Jack pushed them aside, looking at her harshly.

The doctor smiled a broad smile.

_She's alive, she declared, her eyes locking with his.

To be continued


We soon arrive at the end! ;)