Say Goodbye to Yesterday
Disclaimer: Belongs to whoever owns it; definitely not me
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Summary: 'His eyes now red with strained unshed tears, Daniel softened his voice, "She's dead Jack. Sam's dead."' After a tragic accident; the entire SGC is left reeling . . . including Sam . . .
Author's Note: This is set somewhere in season 7, pre-Pete.
Chapter Fourteen
The Cavalry
Security inside the building was surprisingly lax, which was a welcome relief, but of course nothing was ever quite that simple. The building was a labyrinth of corridors and laboratory after laboratory. Finding their way around and staying out of sight was going to be no easy feat.
"We don't really look the part do we?" Jack whispered to Teal'c, no trace of humour in his voice.
"Indeed," Teal'c returned as they both hid behind a corner as another white lab coat clad technician disappeared down the corridor.
Grim determination was etched into every plane of Jack's face as he planned the best course of action, his eyes zoning in on the two very geeky looking scientists approaching them. Having not been noticed yet, Jack hand signalled to Teal'c, whose thoughts on how they should proceed were unsurprisingly identical.
A few well placed punches later, both scientists were out cold lying sprawled on the hard floor in front of them. Dragging their unconscious bodies discreetly, Jack and Teal'c tied their hands and feet together and placed them out of view. Shrugging on the white coats, Jack looked down at his feet. The green of his trousers and his mud covered boots glared back at him. He raised his head back to Teal'c who had raised one inquisitive brow at him in return. "Oh well," was all Jack could say with a shrug before walking out coolly in front of the Jaffa and turning right into the main corridor. Teal'c followed vigilantly behind.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Pacing the small space of the alleyway in which Daniel was now stuck, the young archaeologist was struck with the sickening realisation that Amara had wittingly forced them into a trap. How the Frosyans had managed to construct such a web of deceit and hostile subterfuge wasn't something Daniel wanted to dwell on. The only logical conclusion of that train of thought was that something far more sinister than they had initially thought was at large here. The more pressing issue for Daniel, however, was how he would warn Jack and Teal'c. Whatever he decided, the fact of the matter was that Daniel was now horribly exposed. Amara had probably already sent out Frosyan guards to look for him and would be turning up any minute now.
He needed to get out of here, and so with all the stealth he could muster he walked out from his hiding place and made a beeline for the thick bushy growth that laced the outskirts of the relatively small city. One thing Daniel still couldn't figure out (amongst a growing list of many) was why they had kept Sam alive for so long. If there was one thing he was sure of was that Sam was indeed alive, in what state of mind was an altogether different matter, but she was alive nevertheless. Why did they need her? The question resounded in his brain mercilessly and still he found no answer.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Jack was getting frustrated. They were so close yet so damn lost and it was annoying the hell out of him. They'd had a few close calls as they'd been wandering the corridors of the building with what was quickly becoming a futile ambition. They'd manage to smile and nod at passing Frosyan scientists. Most of them being far too busy to notice them but some had sent them obviously suspicious glances as they'd conspicuously entered and left several labs. This was taking too long and Jack's patience was wearing thin. For all he knew, Sam may not have the luxury of time thanks to whatever dastardly plan the Frosyans had concocted for her. He was still none the wiser as to why they were in this current mess. The Frosyans had first seemed like reasonably trustworthy and honourable people, but now with the benefit of hindsight he could now see just how little they had ever really known about these people. If he had time to play the blame game, he'd have to acknowledge the fact that Sam had warned him about the Frosyans on their first visit to this world and he'd flat out refused to believe her. But as it was, he really didn't have the time to berate himself.
"Major Carter does not appear to be here," Teal'c spoke into the silence.
Jack was well aware what Teal'c was trying to tell him but he was not willing to give up on her again.
"She has to be," he whispered determinedly.
Teal'c said nothing more as they continued walking down the last stretch of this particular passage before Jack stopped, suddenly deathly still. He quickly hand signalled for them to hide behind a corner.
A familiar voice had wafted passed Jack's eardrums, and it made his blood boil.
"I shall return in a few moments with Lord Frosya. Please have all that you have completed ready for his viewing."
There was a short silence and the sound of footsteps before he spoke again, "Oh and do not attempt to escape, the guards will not take kindly to such an offensive action." Finishing his warning, Toron emerged from the room and firmly shut the door behind him.
Jack and Teal'c consciously faded back into the shadows, their backs pressed against the walls as they watched the hated man disappear.
The Colonel didn't know what to feel. A mixture of hatred for the Frosyans and sweet relief clouded his senses. She was here. In that room, right there, was the woman he had thought he had lost forever. She meant more to him than anything before and it scared him witless. He didn't know how to feel and found himself relying on Teal'c to shake him out of his stupor.
All he needed was for Teal'c to say, "There will be guards at the entrance," and he was again entirely focussed. He had to be; there was no margin for error.
Jack nodded, "We knock 'em out with the zat guns, grab Sam and then get the hell out."
Teal'c nodded his consent; there really wasn't any other way to proceed. Zat guns armed, both men stood either side of the door of the laboratory that held Sam captive. Holding out his hand, Jack counted down with his fingers whilst at the same time mouthing, "Three, two, one . . ."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sam's heart was thudding painfully in her chest. She willed herself to calm down but the panic clawing at her stomach threatened to throttle her too. The uncertainty of what was going to happen when they figured out she'd done nothing and had been trying to fool them all this time was making her feel sick.
She watched as Toron closed the door behind him and the two Frosyan guards once again took up their position either side of the door. Turning back to the bench in front of her, she took in a deep breath . . .
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
. . . With a loud bang, Teal'c broke the door open. The guard on his near side turned with alarm behind him but Jack was ready for him and with one shot of the zat, the guard was writhing on the floor. Teal'c barrelled through and quite easily took out the remaining startled guard. As Jack stumbled his way into the room after Teal'c, one thought consumed him, 'That was too easy;' but that thought vanished from his mind as quickly as it had entered when he finally looked up . . .
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
. . . Sam wasn't exactly sure what was happening. One minute the door was closed and both guards were upright, next minute, the door was wide open and both guards were lying unconscious on the floor and they're standing there.
Her eyes widened, her heart thudding a different rhythm altogether as she drank them in. She was hallucinating, this couldn't be real. Her mind was playing tricks on her . . . 'why not?' she thought, she'd already lost her memory before, why couldn't this be a hallucination? But then he spoke . . .
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
She stood staring at them. Her blue eyes wide in shock and disbelief, her lower lip trembling almost imperceptibly; and Jack just stood there. Utter euphoric relief swam through his veins as he looked at her. She was alive. She was alive. She was right here in front of him and the only word he could find on his tongues was "Sam." And before he had even known what he was doing, he had marched forward and enveloped her in a crushing hug as if to ascertain that she was indeed alive and not a figment of his imagination that had been conjured up with the aid of his exhausted and battered heart.
Sam clutched him with equal fervour, her body almost disappearing against him as he held her impossibly tight, almost afraid to ever let go again. "Jack," she half laughed into his chest. She pulled away slightly but Jack's hands had found their way up to her hair and his hands were now cradling her face. He stared at her intently, his forehead resting against her own, "You're alive," he muttered redundantly, before laughing so heartily that undisguised tears, that would never be allowed to fall, glistened in his eyes. He shook his head in disbelief.
Sam smiled up at him, "You came back."
"Sorry we took so long."
Sam shook her head, "It doesn't matter, you came back."
"You should not have."
Teal'c armed his zat gun a little too late as both Jack and Sam turned around to find themselves surrounded by far too many Frosyan guards to take on. Toron stood in the centre behind a man neither Jack nor Teal'c recognised, but with whom Sam was unfortunately acquainted.
"You should not have come back," Lord Frosya repeated with a cold fury that chilled even Jack. The Colonel was reminded of the words that had momentarily fleeted in and out of his head just moments before – the rescue mission really had been far too easy to be true.
A/N 2: Sorry for the long wait, it's sod's law that I've got back into the flow of writing this fic when there's only two weeks left before I start uni! Anyway, I have started work on the next chapter and it should be up soon and as always I would love to know what you thought, so please review!
SmilinStar xxx