AN: Okay, I had to get the Christmas story out of my system, it was literally bugging me. Back to Haldore we go!

Chapter 7

Rollins was bent low and level with the brush as he snaked through the dark. Jones was on his heels when Rollins' fist went up, the signal to stop and he flattened his hand and they sunk to the ground.

"Listen..." he nodded in the direction just ahead of them.

The militia of Haldore wasn't very stealthy. Their medical advancements did little to compensate for their lack of military training. The gentle crackle as they stepped lightly over dead twigs and slight ruffling of the leaves around them was quiet to normal ears, but to those trained for the sounds it was almost like singing your position.

Rollins adjusted the site on his gun and scanned the ground ahead of them. There he saw them, motioning between each other and looking over the ground with a sweeping action. He signaled to Jones that there were two, heads down and close together. They would split and flank them.

In a matter of minutes it was over and the unconscious bodies of Phin'tak's mean slumped to the ground.

"Zip 'em up and shut 'em up." he had secretly always wanted to say that. Jones rolled his eyes but did as instructed by the major and pulled duct tape from his pack. Once they were secure, Jones and Rollins moved out to help Miller.

Miller snaked through the trees and crouched by a wide trunk. He raised his site and checked then motioned to Adams to move up. Adams sped forward, crouched low as he made his way about ten meters up before checking the path ahead and calling Miller forth. They moved like this another twenty meters or so before they drew up listening intently for movement.

The muffled crack of a branch was enough to give them direction and they split to flank the men to their right. Miller wasted little time closing the distance between him and the taller man. He slid an arm around the man's neck and pulled him down to the ground. Adams followed suit and pulled his victim down will little effort. Everything was okay until the third man showed up.

Somehow he had gone undetected by Miller and made short work of sneaking up and driving a knife into Miller's ribs. Miller clenched his jaw shut, the sharp pain in his side urging him to cry out.

"Drop the knife!" Adams shouted, P90 raised and fingers poised over the trigger. The man wrapped a hand around Miller's neck and pulled him back into himself. The knife drove a little deeper and Miller grunted his eyes shut tightly.

"Release him..." the voice came from behind them. Rollins stood over the two men, his gun pressed into the assailant's skull. The man released his grip and Miller slumped to his knees coughing violently as he pulled the knife from his ribs. Jones secured the men as Rollins knelt next to his CO.

"Are you okay sir?"

"No...I just pulled a knife from my ribs; of course I'm not okay...help me up." Miller choked back the metallic taste in his mouth. He wouldn't tell them the extent of his injuries; they had a mission to complete.

"Let's get back to Harris, we've got about another hour before it's light enough to launch the plan." he motioned his men on and clamped a bandage between his arm and ribs following them in silence.

...

"Wonder what's going on out there." Daniel said quietly sitting next to Teal'c.

Nekah had since fallen asleep curled up on the floor next to them. Jack appeared to be asleep across the room, Sam still resting against his shoulder. She was awake now but she stayed silent and didn't move.

"I do not know Daniel. I hope they are successful..."

"Jack come in..." the radio broke the silence and Daniel clicked his on

"This is Daniel, what's going on?"

"We've got a plan but it will be another hour before we are able to act on it." Miller seemed a little winded and there was a hint of pain in his voice.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine...took a hit but I'm good. Just wanted to give an update. Maintain radio silence." Miller clicked off and Daniel knew it was best to just leave it at that. He glanced over at Jack who had apparently been awakened by the radio.

"So...we're still waiting?" he seemed a little annoyed.

Sam pushed herself up wincing as her back reminded her that she was still injured.

"I need to stretch my legs." she explained as Jack hopped to his feet and extended his hands to help her up.

"You good?" the concern in his eyes made her smile.

"Yeah, just need to be on my feet." she took his hands and pulled against him.

She stood a moment squeezing his hands as she waited for her back to stop screaming. Finally she dared to take a step and then another. Jack stepped out of her way but kept a protective grip on her arm.

"You appear to be doing well Major Carter." Teal'c nodded to Sam.

"It still hurts Teal'c, but without Nekah's medicine, I doubt I would be on my feet right now."

"It truly is a great medicine Sam. If we could replicate it on Earth think of the advances we could make, especially in military hospitals..." Sam held her hand up shaking her head to stop Daniel. Right this moment she really didn't care, she just wanted to step outside and kill the nauseas feeling that washed over her.

Daniel nodded and turned back to drawing in the dirt on the floor as Jack followed her outside. Once out she turned away from him and began heaving violently. Jack placed a hand on her shoulder rubbing lightly and held her arm firmly with the other. He waited as she found the strength to get herself under control.

"The pain?"

"Yes...that and I haven't eaten since before...well..." she sighed heavily running a hand over her face and daring to take a deep breath.

She hugged Jack's coat tighter around herself, it was about two sizes too big for her but she loved the way it fit. He had stepped away and was leaning against the outside of the house his eyes on the sky. Sam stepped next to him and leaned her shoulder against the wall and let her forehead rest on his.

"Thank you sir." her words were soft and she knew he would be smiling.

"Don't thank me yet Carter, we're not quite home." he went to shove his hands in his pocket but was stopped as she slid his hand between her own.

Neither dared to move, just standing quietly in each other's presence. Their fingers twisting together once more, both knowing this was all they could really have but wanting so much more. They could only show and give each other comfort and only then to an extent.

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AN: This was a short chapter and things are going to get moving in again in Chapter 8. Ugh… I'm turning into a sap...