AN Ok, next chapter's up. Um...the last pieces of the story aren't fixed in concrete yet but I think there's about 5 chapters left (including this one – but not including an epilogue – If I do one) So, It's getting close to being done. Anyway, here's the next installment. Enjoy.

Daniel woke early. They were still in gray semi-darkness. What light the sun was giving barely made it through the trees and he squinted more than usual as he sat and pulled his glasses case from his vest pocket. Sam and Jack lay beside him and now that Sam wasn't pressed against his back as she had been during the night, the wind permeated his jacket, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

Standing, Daniel stretched and began walking downhill into the trees to find Teal'c on his watch and keep him company until Jack and the others awoke. Teal'c sat on an uncomfortable looking rock, which was half submersed in the soft, mossy ground; his back to a tree, staff across his lap.

'It's just me Teal'c.' Daniel warned, once he was within talking distance. He had seen Teal'cs reactions at their best and did not think it wise to startle the man by creeping up on him. Teal'c turned his head sharply, then relaxed. Standing from the rock and giving it a look of deep dislike, which Daniel couldn't help but find amusing. 'Comfy watch?' he asked, smiling innocently at his friend.

Teal'c turned back to surveying the surrounding trees.

'Not particularly.'

Daniel moved to sit on the rock and the two chatted easily for a while, Teal'c never taking his eyes off the surrounding woodland. Once Daniel could not bear to sit on the wretched lump any longer he stood and suggested they return to the camp now that it was almost completely light.

As they reached the edge of the trees. They could see Jack laying still asleep on the ground and Sam rummaging through packs, retrieving bent and squashed energy bars for breakfast. Daniel stopped suddenly in his tracks, by the last tree, staring thoughtfully across the clearing to where a couple of packs had been left separately from the ones Sam was sat next to.

Teal'c turned back to him.

'Is there a problem Daniel Jackson?' Sam looked up from what she was doing, her face mirroring Daniel's worried expression.

'Daniel?' He turned to her.

'Sam, Where's Roan?' She jerked her head around to the spot he had been gazing at, then around the clearing, her face becoming more anxious.

'I don't know. I thought he was with you. I woke when you left about an hour ago.'

Daniel remembered seeing the sleeping form on the ground when he had left to find Teal'c. He pointed to the two bags leaning against the tree.

'Sam did you put those there?' She glanced away towards the bags and felt at once surprised and defeated when she realised what how easily they had been hoodwinked. She shook her head. Teal'c broke the pressing silence.

'If Roan attempts to make it to the Stargate alone he will almost certainly be killed by Hyden's forces.' Sam could not bring herself to acknowledge the truth in this. She stared bleakly at the bags, placed so neatly, side be side at the base of the large tree where Roan had curled up to sleep the previous evening.

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For the second time in as many weeks, Jack woke to find Teal'cs face within inches of his own. He jerked backwards.

'Teal'c! I've told you about doing that!' He ran a hand over his face and rearranged his baseball cap on his head.

'Sir, Roan's gone.' The colonel's head swung round to face his second in command who was almost-standing behind Teal'c. Staying upright for any length of time was still painful and she tended to walk around semi-stooped to relieve the pressure on her abdomen, if the pain got bad.

'He's what?'Jack asked with obvious disinterest. Sam's eyeroll was barely hidden. Normally his just-woken-up-in-the-morning cluelessness would be endearing but she knew full well he'd heard what she said and she didn't care how much Jack disliked Roan, they were at least partially responsible for his safety.

'Gone, sir.' Jack looked around from where he sat on the ground. He even looked behind him, where a large boulder blocked his view for 2 yards on either side. This time it was Daniel who rolled his eyes.

Finally Jack stood up, dusted off his pants and moved between Sam and Teal'c to his pack. Pulling out a ration bar he stuffed the wrapper in his jacket pocket and took an excessively large bite out of one end. After one or two moments of silent chewing, he got tired of ignoring the three other members of his team stood with mixed expressions of irritation, exasperation and feigned patience.

Daniel had taken up his usual 'Jack's being an ass' pose. Hands casually on hips, head tilted to one side with a very fake cheery smile on his face. The other two held similar expressions of irritation and though Sam was leaning heavily on Daniel's shoulder, she looked no less menacing. He sighed.

'Well, what do you expect me to do? We've looked after him plenty. If he wants to put himself at risk then that's his dilemma.' More staring. ' He's not our problem! We have to get safely back to the gate - Carter needs medical attention – we are NOT going to go running around the hills looking for a fugitive!'

'Jack—'

'No Daniel he's right.'

'See? I'm—what?'

'You're right sir. When do we move out?' Jack and Daniel were both staring at Sam, gob smacked. Colonel O'Neill was first to recover.

'Fifteen minutes. And you-' he pointed a warning finger at Sam as she moved to begin packing up their meager camp. 'Sit down. You should be resting for god's sake not walking around and certainly not lifting stuff.'

'Sir, I-'

'Sit!'

She mumbled a 'yessir' and dropped unceremoniously onto her pack.

Jack and Teal'c began replacing wrappers and jackets in packs and removing, where possible, evidence of their having stopped here.

'Excuse me!?' Jack didn't even look round.

'Yes Daniel?'

'Does anyone else have a problem with the fact that we are leaving a helpless man to starve to death or get shot by armed soldiers?'

'Daniel...' Jack closed his eyes. He didn't need a fight about this. 'This is the way it's gonna be Daniel. If we bump into him, we'll do everything we can to help him but I'm not going to go out of the way to look for him.' I will not put the team at risk again for the same guy that was pointing a gun at you 12 hours ago. 'Can you do this while I check Carter's stitches?' He held the pack in his hand, in which he was replacing flashlight and firelighters, out to Daniel. Daniel gazed at him for another moment. He was not happy with the decision but it was obvious that it was not up for discussion. He stepped forward and took the pack and flashlight from Jack, not meeting his eyes.

Sam lowered herself awkwardly to the ground as the colonel approached. He looked exhausted and harassed. The transition to this from the nonchalance he had displayed upon waking was a little startling. He crouched down beside her, placing his warm fingers against the stitched incision: pressing gently and stretching the skin. Sam couldn't hide a wince. Her abdominal muscles remained extremely tender. Anything but the slightest movement caused sharp pain but it was certainly bearable and she was growing accustomed to moving in a way that minimised it.

'It's definitely stopped draining. We could remove the tube if it bothers you but I wouldn't entirely trust myself not to hash it up.' He looked down at her. She shook her head.

'It's fine. Leave it in. It's only another two or three days back.' Jack nodded and helped her stand.

'Thanks Carter, for ...backing me up.'

'Your welcome sir, but with respect, I wasn't taking sides. You were right. The safety of the team has to come first, even if it doesn't sit quite right. I understand Daniel's point but Roan isn't our responsibility and we did help him as much as we could afford to.'

Jack nodded, not meeting her eyes.

'Right. We've had enough trouble this trip.' It was a throw-away comment but his tone worried her.

They set off, moving at a reasonably slow pace, as Sam was walking, rather than using the stretcher. She made use of surrounding trees to support herself and in areas where the forest grew thinner she was supported by Teal'c with a strong arm around her waist. By the afternoon, she was exhausted and the three men rotated in carrying the stretcher. Conversation was noticeably thin on the ground.

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As dusk was falling the chief officer strode past several guards on his way from the great ring to the governor's temporary accommodation, set back beside the road. Stopping outside the doorway, he cleared his throat.

'Governor?' After a pause Hyden appeared at the mouth of the tent. 'Sir, I'm here to report.'

'Of course. Let's walk.' The governor gestured towards the path leading back to the stargate.

'Yes governor.' The chief officer looked back longingly at the warm interior of the tent as the governor passed him. 'Guards on the ring are being changed every four hours as you ordered sir. The marshals patrolling the edge of the clearing haven't reported anything. All seems quiet sir.' Hyden slowed when they reached the clearing where glowing lamps illuminated the stargate and made the darkness of the surrounding trees impenetrable. Four men guarded the gate itself, with marshals dotting the boundary between clearing and forest every few yards.

'Ok. Thank you chief.' The officer nodded and made to leave but hesitated a moment.

'Governor – it's been two weeks. They must be close. I could send factions of my men into the forest to fish them out. We could take them by surprise--

'No. We won't send anyone into the forest.'

'We could bring them back alive sir, if you-'

'No!' Hyden stared hard into the trees. 'We wait for them here.' He paused. 'I won't divide the soldiers. These fugitives are extremely well trained. It would be a mistake to underestimate them.' He turned back to the chief. 'Thank you for your report officer.'

'Yes Governor.' The man bowed his head and started back along the track to the camp at the road.

Hyden continued for a moment to stare into the darkness held at bay by the lamps on all sides. He seemed to expect to see something but after several long seconds he turned his back to the trees and followed the officer back to the camp.

AN Sorry it's late guys. begs forgiveness Afraid this is kind of a stop-gap chapter BUT, the next chapter is gonna be shippy! Anyway please let me know what you think.

prometheus246