Chapter 36

Jack stepped out of the shower, into a very humid bathroom. He wiped the condensation off the mirror, and thought he was in too good of mood for a guy who had come to DC for a funeral and whose best friend was in a coma. He sighed ….of course it was sort of his honeymoon too, he noted. He'd have to rectify that someday, she deserved better he thought as he dried off. At the very least they would have to make time for a trip to the cabin, he owed her that much…he owed her so much more. His stomach growled so he pulled on his jeans and came out of the bathroom hopeful for breakfast, "Sam, room service come yet-?"

He saw Sam sitting at the end of the bed, in her pink pajama pants and matching tank top her arms crossed anxiously in front of her, covering herself. Then he saw a man leaning against the wall next to the window with a gun ….to Anna's head.

Jack took his time to analyze the situation, carefully considering his options. He wished he had taken the time to grab a t-shirt before he came out… his gun would have been even better. But who thinks to arm them self when leaving the bathroom. Sam and Anna were still in their pajamas and all three were barefoot. He looked around to see if there was something he could offer Sam to cover herself, but only saw the tray with the untouched food.

"Sit down next to your dearly beloved and don't do anything stupid."

"Oh, I'm not the stupid one, Bob. Can I call you Bob?" He sat down calmly. His gun was in the safe, near in the bathroom. He cursed himself for being so careful around Anna that he couldn't protect her, but that was a no win argument.

"If you must, you can call me John," he answered smugly.

Jack considered what other resources he had available…Sam; certainly an edge he would take into any fight. He looked to Anna, she was obviously terrified and having difficulty breathing. He tried to estimate how much time they had before she went into shock.

"It's okay, princess. Relax. This will be over soon." He assured her.

"Just keep looking at me, baby." Sam told her calmly not losing eye contact with her.

"So Bob, what can we do for you?" Jack asked ignoring the name the man had given him. He needed time to formulate a plan and more information could be useful.

"I have what I came for, thanks. Just need to tie up two loose ends and I'll be on my way."

Jack pointed to himself and the man nodded.

"This is Doe, come in Smith." The man spoke into the radio. With the earpiece, they could only hear his side of the conversation. "Understood, Doe out."

"Well John Doe, I'm afraid I will have to give you a failing grade in the originality category. Does no one take pride in their work anymore?" Jack stood shaking his head, "John Doe, seriously?" Sam's eyes went wide and broke eye contact with Anna.

"Sit down." John Doe demanded.

"What you're not going to kill her. Don't think your boss would like that." Jack taunted.

"No, but I don't need her," He waved the gun in Sam's direction. "I doubt you want your princess to watch while her mother bleeds to death."

"Mommy!" Anna screamed and Jack sat down defeated, but certainly not done.

Sam was afraid she would lose Jack to flashbacks and grabbed his hand to keep him grounded. She also needed some help in that department. "No that's not going to happen, baby." Sam shook her head and tried to assure Anna.

Jack could feel Sam's pulse racing, but she quickly regained control. She was a professional, but this was her daughter…their daughter. Jack soon realized the advantage Sam gave them grabbing his hand. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back without losing eye contact with Anna.

"So your boss too afraid to do the dirty work. He's a smart man."

"Don't worry princess, Daddy's right. This will all be over soon." John Doe said as he squeezed Anna's shoulder. Jack shuddered at the idea of this man touching his daughter. "You stay right here with me and your Mommy won't be hurt." The man pulled her closer and took something from his pocket. Jack could hear the radio cackle now that he was listening for it. "Alright, that's our cue, little lady. Now I want you to pay close attention. Follow my instructions and you keep Mommy and Daddy alive, got it?"

When Anna didn't respond he squeezed her shoulder tighter and she turned into it. "Got it?!" She nodded. "Now, go out the door and down to the elevator, there will be someone waiting for you. Once you get to the elevator, the man there will radio me and I will leave Mommy and Daddy here safe. I promise. Scouts honor." Anna took a step toward Sam. "No sorry – no goodbye hugs, darling. Just go."

Anna kept her eye on Sam. Jack looked down, ashamed that he was unable to figure out how to save both of them. He could protect one of them, but not both. If he acted fast, he could take the man out when Anna was out of the room and still get her. One thing was certain. He was going to kill this man as painfully as possible.

John Doe watched Anna walk to the door and slowly made his way to Jack and Sam. With his eye on Anna he didn't see Sam mouth to Anna ' Slow'. Anna nodded. "I love you too, Mama!" Sam bit her lip, saddened that she couldn't get her message across. Anna struggled to open the heavy hotel door and it closed hard behind her.

As John Doe kept his eye on Anna's exit, Jack looked at Sam and down at their hands. He tapped the side of her hand slowly to three and she squeezed his hand in understanding.

Sam could now see the man had a device in his left hand. She recognized it from the Trust raid inventory, her missing device. The one she searched for and finally gave up on. She tried to get a better look at it, but still didn't know what it was. Doe kept his gun trained on Sam as he stopped just out of reach of Jack.

"Don't worry. By the time she reaches the lobby, neither of you will remember this. All you will remember is that Anna was safely returned to where she belongs and a bittersweet goodbye." Jack looked up at the man, disdainfully. "Hey man, come on I'm doing you a favor. I am going to give you peace of mind." Jack closed his eyes. "Come on, keep your eyes on me now. You behave and you walk away unharmed with your beautiful wife. I could just as easily wipe the memory of her from your mind, too."

He held the device up to Jack's face and pressed the button on the top. A light shot out toward Jack's eyes nearly blinding him. The man stepped in closer.

Jack couldn't see anything. Sam squeezed his hand, but he didn't respond. She worried what the device was doing to him, he still wasn't responding. She gave his hand one more squeeze and he squeezed back. She kicked her leg out and knocked the gun from the man's hand while Jack kicked straight in front of him and knocked the man back up against the wall. Jack tried to focus, but all he saw were blurs. Luckily Sam was already scrambling for the gun.

"Jack, I've got him. Get Anna! I've got him. Go!" Sam yelled at him.

Jack stumbled for the door, running his hand along the wall still unable to focus. The elevator was down the corridor and around the corner, he remembered. He ran as fast as he could with one hand on the wall to guide him."

s-j-s-j-s-j-&-a

Anna could see the elevator. She had walked slow just like her mother had told her. As she approached she recognized the man who had arrived at her house that day. The last day before everything changed for her. He was the last person she saw her mother alive with. She stopped…terrified…unable to move. "Come on, it's okay. You're Mom and Dad will be safe if you cooperate, Anna." He told her.

She still couldn't move. She remembered the concerned look on her Mom's face when she looked out the window. The tight smile she gave as she firmly told her to go to the safe room. Anna remembered how still her Mom laid on the floor, and the tears on her Dad's face when he found her. This man killed her Mommy. It was all so vivid. She still could not move.

"Come on. I promise, they'll be safe. It's all in your hands, Anna. You can save your Mom this time. Your Dad, too."

She tried to lift her leg. She didn't want to be the reason they died. She could save them if she could just be brave enough to move her legs. She closed her eyes and lifted her leg…

"Anna Stop! Come back!" She heard her Dad yell. "Don't!" Jack yelled desperately, trying to buy a little more time as he ran to the elevator.

The man looked up at the sound of Jack's voice. Anna was out of his reach. If he left the elevator, he could not get back before it left. He knew being stuck on this floor with her father would be too dangerous. "Come on, Anna!" He waved her on, "You can save your Mommy," he encouraged firmly with one final attempt. He could hear Jack's footsteps approaching. Frustrated at the realization that his plan failed, he pushed the button on the elevator for the garage level and let the doors close. "Damn!" he exclaimed as he slammed up against the side of the elevator. He was out of sight, but saw movement as the doors finally slid to a close. "Take him out." He ordered into the radio.

"Anna!" Jack fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her. Her slightly fuzzy form was the best thing he could ever remember seeing. She stood there in shock, unresponsive. He was breathing heavy, trying to catch his breath from his panicked run. "Oh thank God, baby." He pulled back and took her face in his hands. "It's okay, I've got you. Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He tried to check her quickly, then lifted her and turned back towards the room. He was starting to catch his breath and his vision had almost cleared when he heard a shot from down the hall. He ran. 'No, no, no!' he was screaming in his head. Was fate that determined to take them away from him?

"Mommy," Anna whimpered into his shoulder. She was too quiet and Jack was now certain she was in shock.

He got to the room. "Get down!" Sam screamed.

He dropped to the floor, cradling Anna's body and head. He saw Sam crawling toward him with the gun in her hand. "Sniper," she warned. He looked up and saw a small hole in the window, and looked at the dead man close to them lying on the floor. They crawled to the bathroom, to get out of the line of sight of the window. Sam took Anna, and held her tightly to her. He took the gun from Sam's hand, and grabbed his phone from the counter to call the SGC for a link to Prometheus. While they waited he retrieved the syringes Janet had given them from Sam's bag, opened them one at a time and injected Anna.

"It's okay, baby. You're safe now. It's okay." Sam repeated over and over.

Jack grabbed a shirt from the pile of laundry next to them and put it on, then pulled down his jacket from the hanger above and wrapped it securely around Sam and Anna. They were beamed aboard within moments. Jack looked over both Sam and Anna quickly now that they were safely aboard Prometheus. Sam had blood spattered on her and he hoped none of it was hers.

"Sir?" an airman held his hand out for Jack. But he ignored it.

Sam had her eyes closed, holding Anna tightly and still telling her she was okay.

"Sam, are you hurt?" She didn't answer. The realization that the men had come after Anna hit her hard. Someone out there now in this time wanted her daughter. "Colonel, is any of this blood yours?" He asked in a commanding voice, desperately needing to know if she was hurt. She looked up at him with a look of uncertainty, still holding tight to Anna.

As she realized they were out of harm's way, she pulled back slightly from Anna and put her hands on Anna's face, wiping the tears and matted hair from her face. "Anna, are you alright?" But she was sedated now. Sam just pulled her back close and continued rocking her, "It's alright, baby. You're alright."

Anna rested quietly in her arms.

Jack kissed Anna's head and whispered, "It's okay, princess. You're safe." He stood and took Sam's arm to help her up, all the while trying to make sure his jacket kept her covered.

Jack ordered teams to the hotel to investigate and to search for the other men. He wanted to go with them, but couldn't leave Sam and Anna yet. He guided them to the infirmary; only allowing himself the contact of his hand on the small of her back as he did so. He wanted to wrap both of his arms around them and hold them, protect them, but did not want to increase Sam's anxiety. She was walking through the X-303 in her pajamas, covered in blood, with her daughter in shock in her arms and he didn't know how she would react.

He told the doctor on board what he gave Anna. The doctor looked over both Sam and Anna as best as he could without removing Anna from Sam's arms. No one dared to suggest it, not even Jack. The doctor made sure they were well enough to beam into the SGC and suggested giving Sam a sedative. Jack knew she would be furious if she wasn't cognizant enough to care for Anna, at least until they could get her to the safety of the SGC.

Jack closed the curtain. Someone brought them clean BDU's. He removed his Blackhawk's Hockey t-shirt and put on the black military issue t-shirt. Sam did not say a word to anyone except Anna. She just kept rocking her and telling her she was safe, and that her Mommy had her.

When Jack finished tying his shoes he walked to them, "Sam, you need to change." She ignored him. "Sam, come on, I'll give her right back. I promise. You don't want to go to the SGC in your pajamas, do you?" He reached for Anna and took her from Sam's arms with the blanket the nurse had wrapped around Anna. Sam's head jerked up, a look of rage on her face, but calmed down as she realized it was only Jack.

Jack turned Anna around in his arms and held her securely to him. Calm washed over him as he felt Anna's warmth and the beating of her heart against his chest. He pointed to the clothes on the bed. "Change so we can go. You'll need to clean your face and arms, too." He didn't want that man's blood on his baby. There was probably already enough on her.

Sam went into the bathroom and went to the sink to wash off as much of the blood as she could. She struggled with the pants but ignored the t-shirt, just pulling the jacket on over her tank top. She didn't waste any time and after she tied her shoes she came out and immediately reached for Anna. Jack reluctantly returned her. He took advantage of the privacy to hold them for a moment and reassure himself that he had gotten them out safe; both of them.

He kissed Sam's head and felt the anger well up in him. He wasn't anxious, his blood pressure would not even register an increase. Sam wouldn't notice a change in his pulse or feel it in his heartbeat, even with her head resting against his chest. He was trained to do this. Trained to hunt them down. A part of him hoped the teams who beamed down didn't find the men behind this. He wanted them for himself. He needed to be the one to pull the trigger. He kissed both Sam and Anna calmly once more then released them so they could beam down to the SGC.