Chapter 60

The secret tunnel system in Sekhmet's fortress let to an underground passage. Selmak raced them through the eerily lit tunnel while the ground shook and tremble all around them. Daniel ducked a falling chunk of rock and almost lost his footing, fortunately, Rya'c caught his arm and helped him as he stumbled and he was able to right himself without falling on his face. The scholar cringed as the walls around them groaned under the onslaught of the Ascended Beings' attack on Marcreat. Despite all of Marcreat's machinations, Daniel felt sorrow over the terrible price that his friend would pay for his misguided pursuit of Sekhmet. He truly believed that although Oma's intentions had been kind her decision to help Marcreat ascend had not been the gift she had intended, but an inescapable torture. Set for eternity to watch the monster that destroyed all he loved live and continue on and unable to stop her. Oma's blessing was in hindsight a horrible curse.

Daniel glanced back to look Sam being carried along in Breeshan's arms. Would she suffer as well from her time as Sekhmet's host? Her eyes were squeezed shut and a look of pain was etched on her face, but pain meant she was alive. The question was what kind of life was waiting for her?

The tunnel led to cave system just beyond the fortress, the battered group followed Selmak through what felt like an endless number of twist and turns, but soon the passage was rising toward the surface. They exited the tunnel and rushed out into the blazing sunlight of Sekhmet's desolate home planet. Daniel raised his hand against the vicious glare and the wall of heat that hit him felt like a solid barrier.

Selmak turned to him and yelled, "Where is the tel'tak?"

Daniel found the fortress and using that to get his bearings, he pointed east toward the collection of boulders that Teal'c had hidden the ship behind, "That way, just behind…"

The deafening crack of rock shook the ground under their feet. Daniel's gaze shot toward the fortress, the entire complex was wreathed in blue and black bolts of lightning that shot in and around each other. He could hear the guttural screams of the Jaffa that had not yet escaped the fortress in between the sizzle of the powerful strikes of energy that surrounded them. He only hoped that they would be able to escape through the gateway on the far side of the structure.

A screech of metal reverberated through the air and Daniel could not stop himself from stepping back a pace as the stress of the powerful energy strikes began to tear into the metal fortress tearing it apart as the blue of the Ascended Beings worked to overcome the black of Sekhmet's Ascended form. Daniel knew it was Sekhmet, to ensure the evil being's complete destruction Marcreat would have had to absorb her completely, melding them together. The Ancients would not be able to separate them and by giving Sekhmet complete control, Marcreat left them no choice, but to destroy them both or risk Sekhmet's full transformation into an Ascended Being.

The rocky landscape trembled around them. Selmak grabbed Daniel's arm and pulled him down the path toward the tel'tak. "Come, Daniel."

….

The race across the desert was an exercise in torture for Jack. Teal'c and Rya'c kept him on his feet as he struggled across the shuddering landscape toward their ship. Ragged fissures opened up in the ground around them and the screech of tearing metal from the collapsing fortress chased them across the desert tripping up the most dexterous of their group. Jack was never so happy to see a gou'ald spacecraft as he was when their tel'tak came into sight.

They stumbled through the doorway of the ship and Jack groaned as the two Jaffa settled him against a wall. He slid down to the floor just as Breeshan entered carrying Sam. Selmak and Daniel brought up the rear. Selmak ran to the ship's controls as Breeshan lowered Sam to the ship's floor next to him. Jack reached out and weakly pulled Sam into his arms. She was unconscious again and extremely pale, but laying against his shoulder he could feel that her breathing was deep and steady.

The roar of the Tel'tak's engines filled the cabin and with a sigh of relief, he felt the ship lift off from the ground and begin a steep ascent toward space.

Breeshan knelt in front of them and his fingers lightly brushed Sam's hair away from her bruised face. Jack stiffened at the tender gesture, but regretted it immediately when his body protested the action. Breeshan looked at him, his violet eyes penetrating in their scrutiny of him.

"Her faith in you never wavered, Colonel O'Neill, she remained resolute in her belief in the man she believed you to be." He glared at him. "I, myself, am not convinced."

Jack's hold on Sam tightened as he returned the Tok'ra's glare angered at first by the Tok'ra's words then he sighed, "Neither am I. Her faith in me has always been stronger than my faith in myself." His lips quirked slightly, "it would be nice to see through her eyes because hell if I know what she sees in me. I look in the mirror and all I can see is the evils of my past, the things I have done, the darkness of my soul. I was not the best of men."

Breeshan's gaze shifted to Sam his scowl gone, his features uncreased and young, "In the darkest of souls I believe that Samantha looks for the light, the good, and the hope she sees within us what we ourselves cannot or perhaps refused to see." He looked back at Jack, "It is a gift that she gives you, her trust and her faith in you. You cannot change the past. No man can. It is impossible to change who you were, Colonel O'Neill, but you can determine who you will become. You can ensure her trust and faith are not wasted."

Breeshan stood and his glare returned, "Be aware, Jack O'Neill, the love that Samantha holds for you, others want it and there are those who will not think twice to steal it from you." With one last glance at Sam, the Tok'ra turned on his heel and strode away from them.

Jack glared at the young Tok'ra, "Over my dead old body." He muttered then sighed and rested his head gently on top of Sam's he closed his eyes and joined her in sleep.

…..

"He did what!?"

Sam jerked to awareness at the Colonel's furious question. She heard a voice that sounded like her father say something in return, but her mind was still hazy and his answer was only indistinct sounds and mumblings.

The Colonel response was terse, but Sam missed it. She ignored those around her and began doing a mental and physical inventory of herself. Her last memory was of being carried out of Sekhmet's fortress by Breeshan and a blinding light that had proved too much for her. And pain. Lots of pain. Did she hurt now? A quick assessment of her body told her that although everything ached; the bone searing pain seemed to be gone.

"That son of a bitch!"

Oh wait, there is was! Sam cringed as Jack's angry words reverberated through her skull. The shout jarred her and caused a pain that felt like a thousand needles were suddenly trying to embed themselves into her brain. Other voices began speaking, but they kept to low tones and the pain began to recede enough to allow Sam to open her eyes and see what had set off her CO.

Slowly and carefully, she opened first one eye then the second. Her vision blurred for a few moments, but she could see several tall male figures moving nearby. She blinked a couple of times and her eyesight cleared enough for her to see that she was in the cargo hold of a Tel'tak. The lighting was low, but as everything came into focus, she saw what was most important. Despite looking more than a little battered, Jack and her team had made it. They looked like hell, especially the Colonel, but they were all in one piece. She looked at the others in the room; Rya'c, Breeshan and her father all stood nearby with the male members of SG- 1. They were speaking quietly, but she even with her sleep-laden brain she could see they were all agitated.

Teal'c and Rya'c stood arms crossed with angry scowls on their faces, while Breeshan sat nearby on a couple of crates. The Tok'ra's face was calm, but held an intense look of concentration as he spoke in low tones to her father. Jacob was nodding in a curt manner to whatever he was saying. Sam's gaze fell on Daniel, who was leaning against the wall of the cargo hold, his blue gaze staring into space with a worried expression. Jack stood next to him, his body rigid with fury, his dark eyes narrowed at Jacob and Breeshan.

It was obvious that there was problem, but Sam still smiled slightly then regretted it when the movement pulled at the split in her lip. Right now, she did not care that there was a problem. If the men around her were taking time to argue then the situation was not dire and she decided to just enjoy the fact that they were all alive and for the moment safe.

She watched them quietly argue amongst themselves until her brain de-fuzzed itself and she began to pick-up on the conversation.

"It's not safe, Jack. We will take her with us." Her father's voice was the first to penetrate her mind. She frowned at his words.

Jack glared at Jacob and even more so at Breeshan.

"She could stay among the Rebel Jaffa, we will guard her with our lives." Rya'c said with conviction. "Major Carter is highly respected among our people. We would be honored to give her a home."

A home? Sam did not need a home. Earth was her home. That is where she needed to go.

Daniel shook his head at them. "The SGC is frequently in contact with both the Tok'ra and the Rebel Jaffa, sooner or later her presence with either of you would be found out and it would seriously jeopardize the relationships with both allies."

"Perhaps the Asgard would be willing to assist us. They also have a high regard for Major Carter." Teal'c suggested.

Jack let out a resigned sigh, "Maybe. If we could get a hold of them," the Colonel's hand fisted at his side, "Damn Kinsey's hide for this!"

Sam listened intently to them and the pieces of what they were discusses began to come together. The mention of Senator Kinsey's name gave her the final clue.

Traitor.

She had known that the possibility was there. That she could be labeled a traitor to her country…her planet. If she went home, she would be executed for treason. After all, she had been through to save her planet some bureaucratic ass had convinced the President that she was a traitor. She was not a traitor, damn it!

"Who else can we ask?" She heard Jack say.

Sam glared at the collection of men, "Why don't you ask me?" Her voice came out a dry growl, six pairs of eyes jerked toward her as Sam slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. "Or am I not to be consulted about my own future?" She gave them an angry look then glanced at her father, "Water, please." Her throat felt like it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper. Jacob handed her a canteen. Sam took a long pull of the cool liquid letting it sooth her parched throat. She glanced up to see that Jack had stepped in front of her and squatted down to look her directly in the eyes. He searched them intently looking to see if she was truly all right. She gave him a small smile and reached up a trembling hand to touch his unshaven cheek. She frowned at the effort it took to do that simple act, apparently, her body was not as recovered as she had believed.

Jack returned her smile, "Hey Carter." He placed his hand over hers entwining his fingers in hers.

He looked exhausted. She frowned in worry. She ran her eyes over his chest and lightly touched it with her free hand. "Is everything…okay?" He chuckled and she looked back at his face.

"I'm good. Jacob ran one his Tok'ra doohickies over me and everything is in working order." He grasped both her hands in his and brought them to his chest directly over his heart. She could feel it beating steady and strong beneath her fingers. His dark eyes caught hers, "Thank you," he whispered tenderly.

Sam flattened her hands against his chest her gaze on his intense, "Always."

Always she would do everything in her power to save him, always she would fight heaven and hell to be by his side, and always she would give her life a thousand times over to protect him. She would love him…Always.

Her father cleared his throat pulling her attention from her former CO. She looked up and said, "Hey, Dad."

He sat down on the cot next to her and pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly, "Hey, Kiddo." Sam stayed there soaking up the comforting feel of her father's love. After a few minutes, he loosened his hold, but did not let go of her. "We have a big problem, Sam."

"So I gathered from the conversation you guys were having. I know Senator Kinsey has a lot of clout, but…" Sam began.

Jack shook his head at her. "He's the new Vice President."

She looked at him in disbelief, "You must be joking."

"No. The bastard rode Hayes' coattails into the White House. They won the election and will be sworn in next month." Jack tensed angrily as he told her.

Sam pulled from her father's hold, folded her hands in her lap and quietly let Jack's words sink in. She stared down at her hands clasped tightly, her knuckles white as the full meaning of Kinsey's new position meant for her. "I can't go home." She whispered more to herself than to the men nearby. She gritted her teeth against a wave of sorrow that rushed through her making her tightly clasped hands tremble. Strong callused hands enveloped and tightened around her shaking ones. She looked up into Jack's dark gaze.

"We will figure this out, Carter." He said.

"We…" Sam sighed the word. Her team was with her once more and she knew her father would remain by her side as well. Then the bright light that flickered a moment faded. They could not stay with her. If SG-1 remained with her, they would be branded as traitors as well. She could not live with that on her conscience. She shook her head at Jack. "The price is too high. Earth needs you guys." She looked at her dad. "All of you." Jack's expression hardened at her words and she felt her father stiffen next to her. Sam straighten her spine and glared at both men. "You will not abandon Earth." She said, steel in her voice. "I did not go through hell and back to let men like Kinsey run ramrod over the SGC." She pinned Jack with a hard glare. "And you know he will, Jack. Kinsey will do everything in his power to shut down the program or if not that then make life hell for those fight against him. General Hammond will need all the support he can get. He will need all of you." She looked around at the men surrounding her. Her gaze fell on Teal'c. The Jaffa warrior was stiff with anger. "I know what you are thinking, Teal'c and under no circumstances are you to leave the SGC." He glared at her and Sam could not stop herself from smiling at his protective nature.

"I will do as I deem best, Major Carter." He declared, stiffly.

"I count on it Teal'c." Sam responded. "Because what is best for the Rebel Jaffa and Earth is for you to stay." His expression hardened further at her words. "And you know it is." She cemented the truth with her words.

"You will come with us, Major Carter." Rya'c stated, his young shoulders straight trying to affect the power that came so naturally to his father. "The Rebel Jaffa will see to your safety and well-being."

Sam's brows raised at the young Jaffa's imperious tone. She pinned him with a glare. "No. I will not." She softened her expression. "However, I do thank you for wishing to protect me."

Rya'c strode toward her full of the conviction that youth seemed to breed. Sam rose to her feet, pleased to find that although a bit weak her legs would hold her. Jack stood with her ready to aid with a steadying hand if needed. The young warrior stopped in front of her and she could see the same worry and concern in his eyes that had been there on Sekhmet's planet. "Major Carter." Rya'c's voice was quiet, all trace of arrogance gone.

Sam placed her hand on the young Jaffa's muscled forearm. "Rya'c, when I needed you most, you were there. Without your help, I would never have been able to defeat Sekhmet. You are among the bravest warriors I have known, but I do not belong among the Rebel Jaffa." She squeezed his arm. "I give you my word, I will stay in touch with your people and that should I need help in the future, I will call."

Rya'c gave her a resigned nod. "As you wish, Major Carter," he stepped back from her and Sam felt the wind leave her as she sank slowly back down on the cot.

Her father took the hand closest to him in his own and Sam turned to face him. "Will you consider the Tok'ra?"

Sam could feel Jack watching her. She could feel his intense stare. She knew that he did not care for the Tok'ra, did not fully trust them. Sam glanced toward Breeshan then back at Jack. Jack's gaze had followed her and he was now glaring at the Tok'ra his jaw clenched with hostility. Looking back toward Breeshan, she saw him smile somewhat smugly at Jack. It was the tiniest of gestures there and gone when he turned his violet gaze on her.

Breeshan gave her a slight bow, "We would welcome you among us, Samantha."

Sam frowned at the handsome Tok'ra then looked back at her father. "I don't think I should go to the Tok'ra either."

Daniel sat next her on the empty side of the cot. She looked at him. Compassion radiated from her friend. He settled his hand on her shoulder. "The SGC has made a number of allies over the years, we will find someone."

Sam shook her head, "No. We cannot endanger any of Earth's alliances by letting them hide me and that is exactly what will have to happen. I will not spend my life on the run from our own people."

"No one at the SGC would betray you, Sam." Jack injected confidently.

She looked at Jack. "Asking them to make that choice is unconscionable, Jack and I refuse to do so."

Jacob squeezed her hand, "There are many planets and civilizations known to the Tok'ra that Earth does not know of."

She smiled wistfully at him, "All right, let us say we find one of these world and I am safely hidden away, what then? What about the rest of you?"

She looked back at Jack, "What of you guys? Do you really think Kinsey will be satisfied with no proof of my death? He will know you have hidden me away and he will do everything in his power to brand you guys traitors as well. He will use this to destroy the SGC or even worse take it over. He will put his own people in charge." Her gaze lingered over the men of her team. "Earth needs all of you where you are. I refuse to let Kinsey use me to bring down the SGC." Sam pulled her hand from her father's grasp and leveled a stern stare on her former CO. "I am going home, we will return to Earth."

….