Sam hissed a breath through her teeth as Jack swiped the antiseptic pad over the welts on her legs.
Sorry, he said, glancing into her face.
It's ok, she told him, but her eyes were on her father. Jacob Carter was pacing back and forth across the bridge. The looks he kept throwing at Jack were dark enough to kill. At least Jack couldn't see it since his back was to her father.
I can see him through your eyes, Jack reminded her with a sigh. He'll be okay, just give him some time.
She'd never forget the look on her dad's face as they transported aboard the Tok'ra ship.
"Oh my god, Sam," he'd come rushing over as Jack held her in his arms. Unable to find her shoes after everything that happened in the palace, Sam had tried to make it back barefoot. She only made it about a half mile before Jack picked her up, claiming she was making his own feet hurt.
While he carried her, he'd told her about losing their connection, and how he'd found it again. She had no memory of being in their sacred room with him, but she remembered when he'd come slamming back into her head. Apparently, he could now feel exactly what she experienced, assuming it was out of the ordinary for her or if she purposely projected it to him.
Daniel, always wanting to understand the why and how, had made them stop for a break. He sent Jack behind a tree and winked at Sam. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of of it.
"Get your lips off my wife, Daniel," Jack had growled almost immediately.
"Fascinating!" Daniel exclaimed as Jack rejoined them. Daniel wanted to try something else, but Jack had merely picked Sam back up and resumed walking.
Once they had finally made it back onto the ship, Jack put her down. Jacob waited until he assured himself she was, for the most part, okay, before he'd released his temper on Jack.
"What the hell did you do to my daughter?!" Jacob had gotten right in Jack's face. "I should transport you back to the planet and leave you there!"
To Jack's credit, he remained calm as Jacob dressed him down. "We ran into a little bit of a problem," Jack tried to explain. But Jacob wasn't ready to listen and Selmac wasn't inclined to stop her host.
"A little bit of a problem?" Jacob's voice had dropped to barely a whisper. Sam cringed, knowing he was almost past the point of reason, she stepped forward to intervene.
"Dad, it isn't Jack's fault; he's the one that saved me," she told him. Jacob wasn't ready to listen as he pointed his finger at her.
"You stay out of this; this is between between me and your so-called husband!" He lit into her.
"Back off, Jacob," Jack ordered. "Sam doesn't need your temper right now."
All of the emotions and feelings of oppression, being treated as if her voice didn't matter, being attacked, being told what to do, came rushing to the surface. Jack's eyes had widened at the fury rolling out of her. This was definitely a side of herself he'd never seen. She felt him trying to soothe her through their connection as he started to speak.
Back off! She warned. His mouth snapped shut.
"How dare you tell me to stay out of it!" She took a step toward Jacob; the fire snapping in her eyes forcing him to step back. "For the last six days, I've been treated as chattel by men; I've been sold, bought, stolen, and attacked. I will not stand here while you talk about me as if I'm not here! For god sakes dad, don't you think I've dealt with the misogynistic attitude enough."
Before anyone could respond she'd turned on her heel and marched to the far side of the bridge, dismissing everyone. As the last of her adrenaline vanished, she'd slid her back down the wall and sat on the floor. Which is where she was right now.
Another swipe of the antiseptic pad broke into the memory as she let out a small yelp.
"Sorry," Jack said aloud this time.
"Are you feeling it, too?" She asked.
"All of it," he looked into her eyes.
"Good. At least that's something," her dad grumbled.
"Dad," Sam glared at her father. She understood why he was frustrated, but blaming Jack was wrong.
It's okay, Jack told her. I would be freaking out too if my daughter showed up bloody and bruised. That was one hell of a speech you gave. Glad I wasn't on the receiving end.
Before she could respond, the transport rings activated as Daniel and Teal'c returned from the village.
"Bettany and Teegan send their regards," Daniel told them.
"They indicated you may keep your bonding cuffs," Teal'c added. "As a symbol of their gratitude and your love."
Jacob said something under his breath, but Sam continued to ignore him. She knew he was sorry he'd snapped at her, could see it in his eyes. But she didn't have the resolve to deal with him head on yet.
"I'm sorry we couldn't see them again," Sam said sadly. "We owe them so much."
"They understand," Daniel told her. "The entire village is so busy finding all of the liberated women; helping them to make a fresh start. It's going to take them years to undo the damage Zabar inflicted."
"Teegan also sent a message. He said his wife has decided to become a leader in the new society. He'd said you would understand the significance," Teal'c told them.
"I do," she shared a smile with Jack.
"How close are we to home?" Jack changed the subject.
"We should be back at the SGC in 24 hours. The planet we gated to is just under a day away," Teal'c bowed his head.
"Why don't you all get some rest," Jacob said as he sat in the pilot's seat with a quick glance at his daughter.
Sam carefully stretched out on the floor as her body protested the movement. Now that she wasn't fighting for her life or trying to get back to the ship, her muscles were getting stiff and sore. At Jack's urging, she lay her head on his thigh as he sat with his back to the wall.
Not going to rest? She glanced up at him.
I am, he replied leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. She couldn't help the soft sigh as his hand began rubbing small circles on her back, easing the stiffness in her body and allowing her to slip into sleep.
—POV—
Jacob waited until he was sure his daughter and Jack were asleep before turning to look at them. Sam sported a quickly darkening black eye with what could only be described as welts running across her thighs. He didn't want to imagine what damage the jacket she wore was hiding.
He admitted to hisself that he'd completely lost it when Jack had gated back to the ship with Sam in his arms. He knew his daughter, and it would take an act of god before she'd ever allow herself to be carried. Unless she was too hurt to argue.
It wasn't until after he'd lost his temper that he'd allowed Selmac to point out that Sam was barefoot. While that likely explained why Jack carried her, what concerned him more was why she'd lost her shoes and apparently her dress. He knew Jack would never do anything to physically hurt her, so someone else must have. At that particular thought he clenched his eyes shut as his anger gave way to terror.
Don't jump to conclusions, Selmac ordered him.
The sound of someone moving startled him. He watched as Daniel pulled a small, thin blanket out of his pack and quietly moved to cover Sam's bare legs. As Daniel turned, he met Jacob's eyes and came to the front of the bridge.
"Jacob," he nodded. "How are you holding up?"
Jacob let out a harsh breath. "I'm not," he said truthfully. "I know I shouldn't put you in a position of betraying their trust, but I have to know. Is my daughter okay?" He let the specific unasked question fill the air between them.
"Jack got to her in time," Daniel answered and Jacob started breathing again. "I should probably keep my mouth shut, but we all know that's not what I do," Daniel said with a forced half smile before he turned serious. "You need to cut Jack some slack."
Jacob's back stiffened at the younger man's words.
"You didn't see him down there," Daniel drew in a shaky breath. "When he couldn't find Sam, Jack was distraught. I've been through several tough situations with him, life threatening ones, and I've never seen him like that." Daniel paused. "Then when he reestablished his mental connection with her, I saw a side of Jack I never want to see again. He was the personification of fury. He almost beat Zabar to death with his bare hands."
Jacob swallowed audibly at what Daniel was describing. "You said he got to her in time?"
"He did," Daniel nodded, "but not until after—it was close. If Jack had been one second later," Daniel trailed off.
"Is she hiding more damage under the jacket?" Jacob's voice was hoarse.
"That's not my place to say," Daniel shook his head. "But what I will say is this. Sam has absolutely been through hell, but so has Jack. In some ways he may have had it worse. Can you imagine watching the woman you love be attached in your mind and not knowing if you'd get to her in time?"
Jacob turned away from Daniel as his emotions threatened to break the surface.
"Jacob," Daniel put a hand on his shoulder. "I've watched Jack and Sam fall in love over the past six years. I've never seen two people more right for each other."
Jacob nodded, but didn't look at Daniel. It was hard to admit when someone much younger than you was wiser.
He's right you know, Selmac said. The way they look at each other is the stuff of legends.
Jacob snorted at her description. I think we've been watching too many old Earth movies.
Maybe, she mentally shrugged, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
No, Jacob admitted. It didn't.