Bet you thought this would never post! It's been a real busy time for both me and sbz so this one took longer than usual. I want to send a huge thanks to sbz for her continued beta work and all around support. I'd also like to thank you guys for those wonderful reviews you wrote for the last chapter. I enjoyed reading them bunches!

I had lots of fun writing this chapter. In many ways Jennifer Hailey gets to act as another original character. She was only in two episodes in the show so there's not a lot to base the character on. I loved her personality, though... like Carter mixed with a defiant spunk. I plan to explore her back-story as I imagine it could have been in further chapters. For now, I just want to get into her shoes a bit. I find they're fun to wear. :0)

Anyway, enough chit chat... you've had to wait long enough. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Warning! Wearing a dress made of meat is not fashion forward.


Once the Twilight

Chapter Seven

Jennifer Hailey jerked awake. She shot up to a sitting position, heart pounding, and took in her unfamiliar surroundings. Where was she? Her eyes drifted from the pile of colorful linens mixed with soft animal furs under and around her to the canopy of drapery hanging from the walls. Soft light poured from several small lanterns that hung from the ceiling of the room-sized tent . Rugs covered much of the ground, overlapping each other like a dropped deck of cards. A small pit ringed with rocks and a screen, under which a fire crackled, occupied the center of the room. Directly above, a hole had been cut in the roof to allow the smoke to escape. Rain pelted the exterior of the tent, but she was dry and warm under the shelter despite the random drops that fell through the hole and sizzled in the fire.

Where am I?

She reached for the gun that should have been attached to her vest. No gun. No vest. In slight panic, she scanned the floor nearby. Nothing.

"Great," she muttered.

No Teal'c, either.

She reached up to rub her temples and closed her eyes, her mind playing back recent events. They'd ejected from the exploding Tel'tak. She remembered the horrifying feeling of plummeting to the ground inside that tin can of an ejection pod. She'd been pushed back against Teal'c's bulk, and he'd wrapped his arms around her shoulders to keep her from being jostled as the Death Gliders fired at them. She remembered the fear of knowing there was nothing they could do to defend themselves. But what had happened after that?

She shook her head and opened her eyes. Maybe they'd crashed and been discovered by the Jaffa on the planet. Maybe this was a holding cell they'd put her in until they could move her to a more secure location. She'd never met a Jaffa besides Teal'c before, but this place didn't fit her image of an encampment full of Teal'cs. It was too… earthy; like some weird blending of The Arabian Nights and Dances With Wolves.

A loud burst of thunder crashed nearby and she jumped. The accompanying lightning flash illuminated the silhouette of a tall figure standing just in front of the tent door. A guard.

"So, not just a guest, I guess." She hated it when she was right.

Her muscles complained when she stood, but not bad enough to convince her to stay put. She needed to get out of this tent and find Teal'c. Unpleasant thoughts spun through her head; was he hurt? Dead? Maybe he'd gotten away. If he had, what did her captors have in store for her?

She narrowed her eyes. "Whatever it is, they'll get more than they're expecting."

The ground under the rugs was hard-packed. Clumps of weeds and rocks peeked out where they didn't cover, typical of the high deserts on Earth. She moved behind her "bed" and crouched down to dig into the dirt. It didn't take her long before she found what she was looking for. Clutching the sharp rock, she stood and kicked the dislodged dirt back into the small hole she'd created. The rock went into her pocket.

A sound outside the door drew her attention, and she rushed back to the bedding on the floor.

She'd just settled back down amidst the blankets and furs when the flap was pulled aside and a woman entered. She wore a short skirt made of dark animal skins and a pair of warm looking furry boots. Another skin covered her shoulders and head, this one white with a mixture of black stripes and spots. She took the hood down and her long black hair fell forward to cast her face in shadows. Her posture didn't seem threatening and when she pushed back her hair with a finger, she smiled. A pleasing aroma drifted from inside a bowl she held and Jennifer's stomach growled.

The woman bowed and held the bowl out to her. "Do not be afraid," she said in a quiet voice. "The food is good. You must regain your strength after your ordeal."

Jennifer took the bowl and sniffed at the stew. Her mouth watered. "What do you know of my ordeal?"

"I know you fell from the sky," the woman said. Her hands clasped in front of her and she smiled sympathetically. "Our scouts found you and your friend before nightfall and brought you back here."

"My friend?" Jennifer placed the bowl on the ground and stood. "Where is he?"

She must have stood too quickly because the room suddenly took a dip.

The woman stepped forward quickly to grab her arm and guide her back to her bed. "Do not be too quick to stand."

Jennifer didn't tell her she'd stood just fine on her own just minutes before. Her teeth ground in annoyance at finding herself so weak.

"Your body will be very sore for days, I imagine," the woman said. "The vessel we found you in was quite damaged."

"Where is my friend?" Jennifer repeated as the room began to right itself. The woman seemed nice enough, but she was in no mood to chat.

Regret spread on the woman's face. "Oh, I am sorry, miss, but your friend was seriously injured. We are not sure he will live through the night."

Anger flooded through her and she fought the urge to lash out at the woman. "Then what are we waiting for? Take me to him. Maybe I can help." She stood again. This time the room stayed firmly planted.

The woman put a calming hand on her shoulder. It only resulted in annoying her further. "You must eat first," the woman said. "You may not go to your friend just yet."

Jennifer raised her chin in defiance. "Then I'm a prisoner."

The woman's eyes widened. "No." She shook her head. "You are a guest."

"Then why can't I leave? Where's my gun?"

"Our leader wishes to speak with you shortly," the woman said with a reassuring smile. "He will answer all of your questions."

"Who?"

"He is your friend," she said. "He prevented our men from killing your Jaffa companion when they saw the symbol on his forehead."

Jennifer's eyes narrowed. Friend? She didn't have any friends here unless you counted the members of her team.

"Take me to him, then." She stepped toward the doorway, but the woman held out her hands and shook her head.

"Stay, please," she said. "He will come to you." A smile lit her face. "Eat. Rest. He will be here soon."

"How am I supposed to rest when you tell me my friend is sick and won't let me see him?" She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice, but she let herself be led back to her bed and sat down again.

The woman didn't seem surprised. "Our leader is with your friend now. He wanted to make sure all was done to make you both comfortable." She backed toward the doorway. "It will not be long now."

"Yeah, thanks," Jennifer said and lay back against the pillows.

The woman nodded and slipped through the doorway.

"For nothing!" She didn't call it loudly enough that it could be heard outside over the rain. It showed quite a bit of restraint, she thought.

Shaking her head and crossing her arms, she considered escape. She supposed she could crawl out under the edge at the back, but she didn't really feel like it at the moment. It was possible these people were on the up and up… no matter how backwards they appeared to be.

With a sigh, she picked up the soup again and took a bite. It was still warm with chunks of vegetables she'd never seen before. It actually tasted pretty good. It was certainly better than the ration bars in her pack.

Her pack.

She spied a small square of green peeking up at the foot of her makeshift bed. She put the bowl on the ground and rolled forward onto her knees. She stretched to grab the thick fabric and pulled hard. Her pack, lighter than it should have been, didn't give nearly the resistance she'd expected. It practically flew up on top of the bed and spilled out beneath her. She rolled back to a sitting position and dug through the items. Nothing she could have used as a weapon had been left inside. She didn't even have her flashlight.

Great.

In frustration, she backhanded the bowl of soup and sent it bouncing across the floor. Stew splattered against the dirt. Before the dish stopped clattering, she'd grabbed a ration bar from her bag and ripped it open. She was munching on it and trying to calm herself when the flap of a door moved aside again.

The man who entered was tall, lean and angular. And he wore almost nothing. She frowned. Wasn't it cold outside? Rain beaded on his bare arms and chest. His long hair stuck to the sides of his face and lay drenched on his shoulders. The pants he wore were made from the same kind of animal the woman had worn.

Jennifer sat up and wrapped her arms around her upturned legs. "And you must be the leader," she said.

The man's chocolate eyes settled on her, filled with curiosity. He gave a short nod. "I am."

"Good, 'cause I have a beef to air. I've been told I'm not a prisoner and I'm not buying it."

The man frowned. "I must apologize," he said. "I merely wanted to make sure you were well fed and rested before the evening passed." His eyes fell on the upturned bowl. "Did you not find the meal satisfying?"

"It was yummy." She pushed herself up to her feet and stuck her hands into her pockets. Her left one palmed the rock. "Where's my friend?"

"He rests within the tent beside this one," he answered. "I must apologize. Our intentions have been misinterpreted." He bowed apologetically. "We are not accustomed to Earth women."

Jennifer stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He took a step back and put up his hands defensively. "I apologize. I did not intend to offend. I merely meant to say that I should have known you would not be satisfied to be served." He bowed slightly. "Let us start again and try to forget our unfortunate misstep." He held out his hand to her. "My name is Kailan."

Her eyes narrowed and she ignored the hand. She'd heard that name before. "Aren't you supposed to be a prisoner or dead or something?"

He tilted his head inquisitively, but didn't voice any questions. "I was able to escape a few days ago and sought shelter with my people here."

"Yeah, well, it's not the service I mind so much," she said, taking his hand and shaking it. She nodded toward the door. "It's the bodyguard."

Kailan followed her eyes to the closed flap and then looked back at her, eyebrows upturned. "You must understand that though my intentions toward you are peaceful, I could not be sure you would reciprocate given our last encounter with your people."

Jennifer shook her head. "I don't know much about your last encounter and I don't much care if you think I'm a threat." She knew she should reign her attitude in a bit, but her skin itched with claustrophobia and the feeling that she was more in the dark now than she'd been during their long ride from Earth. Her shoulders squared and she looked him straight in the eye. "I may just become one, though, if you don't take me to my friend."

This earned her a smile.

She fought the urge to throw the rock at him.

"Teal'c has not yet awakened."

"Then how do you know his name?"

"It is not the first time we have met." He crossed his arms and smiled again. "But, as I said, it was not the best of situations last time." He motioned to the tent flap. "I will take you to him as you ask."

She stepped forward cautiously. Something told her she shouldn't trust this man too easily. Her fingers grasped the rock more tightly within her pocket.

She made it three steps and was directly in front of Kailan when he reached out and grabbed hold of her arm.

His grip was gentle, but firm. She stiffened and tried to jerk away.

He tightened his fingers and met her eyes, his head shaking slightly. "I do not wish to make you distrust me more," he said, "but I do not want to be attacked while I guide you." He tugged her arm until her hand came out of her pocket. His long fingers turned her palm up, took the rock, and tossed it aside.

She threw him mental daggers, and this time his smile held a hint of regret.

He said nothing, though,, and gestured for her to leave the tent. She did, and once he, too, had stepped outside, he waved her behind him to lead the way through the rain to the next tent. It sat about a hundred yards away between two tall trees. Once they reached the tent, Kailan held back the flap so she could enter. She gave him one last glare before she stepped inside and wiped the water from her face.

It was dark. The only light shone dimly from a couple lit candles atop a small tray next to the "bed." Jennifer's eyes fell to the still form that lay amidst the furs and blankets. His dark skin was chalky pale and his breathing was labored. She could tell even from this distance that he wasn't in good shape. Worry filled her, and she stepped closer and dropped to her knees beside him.

Now that she could see up close, she couldn't stop the small gasp of surprise that rose up. Blisters and cuts darkened the right half of Teal'c's face. His eyelashes were singed and his eyebrow missing on that side, as if he'd been in a fire. There was some kind of gel covering the mess. The people here had obviously tried to treat him. She let her gaze fall to the rest of his body. His shirt had been removed and his right side was covered in bandages, his arm tied up against his torso with the thin white material.

Jennifer knew the Colonel had paired them together so he could act as her as protection. He hadn't trusted her enough to go with Galek or Dr. Jackson. Part of her had been grateful for that. She didn't have a lot of experience off world, and none of it combat. This Jaffa had pretty much seen it all. Now it looked like she'd be on her own. She must have said something out loud and the voice that answered made her jump slightly.

"I will be fine, Lieutenant Hailey," Teal'c said, his eyes still closed. If she hadn't seen his lips move, she'd have thought she'd imagined it for how still he was.

"They told me you were dying."

A slight smile. "My symbiote has already healed much of the damage and continues to do so."

She couldn't imagine that any creature that lived inside him could fix this kind of damage, but she caught herself nodding anyway. "What's the plan, then?"

This time he opened his eyes and turned his head so he could see her. Blood beaded atop the gel they'd put on his open wounds. "We are among friends here," he said.

She shook her head. "Are you sure? These are Galek's people, right? I thought they were dangerous… what they did to Major Carter—"

"These people are not to blame for what happened to Major Carter, aside from Kailan. I do not believe he is a danger to us now. The men who were responsible work now within the mine or are dead. They will not harm us."

Jennifer sighed and sat back on her haunches. "What about the rest of the team? What if they're hurt or worse—"

"They are strong," he said. "When I am well enough, we will meet them in the mine. Until then, we remain here." He closed his eyes and settled back comfortably. "This may not be easy for you, however."

"Why not?"

"Since we will be here awhile it would be best for you to adhere to the customs of these people."

Jennifer leaned back and gestured with her hands. "Uh uh. No way am I bowing down and kissing that guy's ass."

Teal'c's eyes opened again. "Speaking respectfully and doing as he asks will suffice."

She crossed her arms. "You want me to be weak."

"Respectful," he corrected.

"A mouse."

"An ally." He frowned. "We may need these people to help us with more than food and shelter. It would be best not to ignite any bridges."

"I understand," she said, jabbing a finger at the unharmed side of his chest. "Just don't expect me to put on any skimpy skirts."

"I am sure Kailan will understand." He closed his eyes again. "Now, I must kelno'reem. My strength wanes."

Worry flooded her again. From what she'd heard and seen, he was not the type to admit weakness. She nodded and mumbled a "feel better" before she stood and moved to the door.

Kailan waited for her just outside. The rain seemed to have stopped. "I trust you are satisfied," he said.

Jennifer nodded. "He doesn't look so good."

"No," he said. "He does not."

"He says we may be here for awhile."

He seemed happy to hear that the Jaffa was awake. "And you are welcome to stay. We are happy to provide shelter and food." He gave her a knowing look. "If you are not opposed to our stew, that is."

She successfully fought the urge to smile. "It'll be fine. Thank you."

He nodded, satisfied, and looked at her dirty BDUs. They were torn across the right shoulder and down her leg. "And we will find you something else to wear."

She pursed her lips and bit her tongue. "Great."

He seemed to miss the sarcasm in her voice. He smiled and turned back toward her tent. She had almost caught up with him when he stopped and turned. "I apologize, but I must ask you to stay several steps behind."

She fought the short response that popped into her head. Teal'c had asked her to behave. She nodded stiffly and fell back a step.

This seemed to satisfy Kailan. He turned back to lead her to her tent and called over his shoulder. "The last time Teal'c graced my presence, his team had a different female member. Her name was Sam."

"Still does. She's here on the planet. Somewhere."

Kailan stopped suddenly and turned, a grin erupting on his face. "So she survived!" He looked up to the dark sky. "I knew she would."

Jennifer watched him with curiosity. It surprised her that he would have such a reaction.

Seeing the question in her eyes, he turned back toward her tent and continued to lead the way. "I sense we have much to discuss."

She nodded. "Yes," she said. "Much."


Hope you liked it. Chapter 8 will post within a week... I promise! Don't forget to review. :0)