A/N: And here is chapter 4! I don't know about you, but I am loving Danu right now – she is a total badass! I can see why Sam likes her so much!

Sam's previous injuries (The Tree of Freedom) are mentioned – if that is something that might trigger you, do watch yourselves.

Thank you for the favs and follows and thank you to the ever faithful dpdp for reviewing! I will respond to it! I'm just a tad behind schedule with life at the moment! I like to reply to my reviews before I post, that way I can offer a glimpse into what is coming next!

As always, mistakes are mine.

Enjoy!

Recap: "Sure." said Sam sweetly. "I actually had the foresight to bring a pack of cards with me this time. Do you want me to get a clean set out from your packs?"

Jack grinned at his 2iC, a memory of a conversation from their last visit replaying in his head. "We'll manage."

Sam raised her hands in mock surrender. "If you're sure." At that, she began to walk away from the boys, Danu following her. They sat down behind the rock that had Danu's cloak on it, obscuring the crater from their field of vision: far enough away to give them privacy but close enough to aid them should they need it.

Chapter 4

Once Jack was sure Danu and Sam were out of sight. He went over to his pack and pulled out a fresh set of BDUs, ready for when he got out of the pool. Teal'c and Daniel followed suit and the three of them walked to the edge and stripped off, ready to clean their clothes. They worked in silence, scrubbing and washing their clothes as best as they could with what they had. As soon as they were as clean as they could be, the three got into the water, almost moaning in content as the cool liquid engulfed them, washing away the heat and the grime of their walk.

The three moved away from the edge, noting that the crater had a natural concave floor, making the pool deeper the further they got in. Once Jack was happy that they were a modest as they could be, he called for Sam.

Teal'c and Daniel shared a look of amusement as Sam's head popped around the side of the rock, almost as if checking it was safe for her to approach them.

"Sir?"

"Our clothes, would you mind?" The two watched as Jack's hands unconsciously moved beneath the water to cover him.

"Not at all." said Sam, her eyes fixed on the floor beneath her feet, an amused smirk gracing her features.

Jack watched as Sam scooped up their wet clothes and spread them out across the rock to dry under the suns, the heat of the rock helping immensely. As soon as she had positioned the clothes to dry as quickly as they could, Sam waved at them before disappearing behind the rock once more, affording them the privacy they wanted.

Seeing Sam had disappeared, Jack's hand came back up to rest on the surface of the water. He turned to see Daniel and Teal'c fixing him with a thoughful look. "What?"

Daniel looked at Teal'c, almost as if looking for permission or support for what he was about to say. Instead, the Jaffa surprised him by taking the lead.

"It has been eight months since we have been on Saorsa."

Jack regarded the men in front of him with a suspicious stare. "Yeah?"

"I think what Teal'c is trying to say is that this might be difficult for you, you know, considering what happened here last time." Daniel spoke slowly and deliberately, almost as if he was afraid to upset Jack.

"Okay…"

"How are you feeling about it?"

Jack shrugged. "We have a mission. That's it." He ran a hand over his face, enjoying the water on his face. "It's not going to be like last time."

"Yeah, sure." Daniel dismissed his answer. "What I mean is, how do you feel being back here after what happened with Sam?"

Ah, the Jackson inquisition. "Daniel, now's not the time-"

"I know you're worried about her." said Daniel lowly. "We are, too." Teal'c bowed his head in agreement.

Jack sighed with annoyance. "What are you getting at, Daniel?"

Daniel sighed. Honestly, it was like talking to a brick wall at times. "This trip to Saorsa might be hard for Sam. What we're saying is if you need to do what you need to do to make sure she's okay, then we have your backs."

"Indeed. Both of you suffered the last time we ventured to this place. It may be the opportunity you are looking for to find closure or the opening you both desire."

Jack scoffed. "First off, this is not the time or place. Secondly, we weren't the only ones that suffered. Thirdly, I already told the both of you, it's complicated and fourthly, how am I meant to help her when she won't open up to me?"

Teal'c and Daniel shared a confused look.

"I'm not an idiot. I know her well enough to know she's not okay. She hasn't been since we left this place the last time. I try to talk to her but she won't budge. AH!" Jack held up a finger to silence Daniel as he opened his mouth to speak. "I know she needs to be the one to come to me and I know I need to be here waiting – and I am, but as I said to you, it's complicated."

Daniel shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jack, we're saying it doesn't need to be."

"O'Neill, I have told you on several occasions that I would die before betraying you and Samantha."

Jack blinked as he registered Teal'c's use of Sam's name rather than her rank. "I know that, but not only do I not want to put you in that position, I don't want to put Carter in that position. It's not fair."

"No, it's not." Daniel conceded. "Just think about it, okay? It shouldn't just be in a life-death situation that you two share your feelings."

"Daniel!" huffed Jack, irritation lacing his words. "Just, stop, okay? Wash up so Carter can get in and we can get moving." At that, Jack pushed off to put distance between him and his teammates.

He knew they meant well, really, he did, but they just didn't get it. Of course, there was nothing he wanted more than to pull the blonde into his arms and never let her go. Of course, he wanted to kiss her tears away and hold her until her nightmares left her. Of course, he wanted to laugh with her and enjoy her achievements and hobbies with her. But it just couldn't happen. It was different for him and Sam – they were air force and Teal'c and Daniel were technically civilians. The rules just didn't apply to them. Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath before disappearing under the surface of the water. Perhaps he would find the clarity and peace he needed beneath submerged in the water around him.

Teal'c and Daniel watched Jack as he moved away, literally and figuratively putting a barrier between them. The two had spent many an hour discussing their teammates; agreeing that there really was no-one better for the other and ranting about how unjust the air force regulations were. The Jaffa and architect had made a pact, that whatever happened between the two of them, be it off world or on terra firma, that they would keep it to themselves.

"That went as well as could be expected." muttered Daniel.

"O'Neill has his own way of dealing with his emotions."

"Yeah, but that's not helpful to Sam, is it?" he huffed.

"Correct. However, I believe O'Neill will come to his senses." Teal'c looked at the rock that Sam was tucked behind. "I also believe it is a matter of time until Samantha comes to hers."

"Yeah, hopefully it'll be soon. I'm not sure I can go through another war, like last time."

oOoOoOoOo

Sam sighed impatiently as she heard the boys moving and splashing through the water as they washed themselves.

She wrapped her arms around her legs and rest her head on her knees, grateful for the shade of the rock she was sat behind. She closed her eyes, resting but keeping her ears open in case she was needed. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long before the boys appeared, dressed in their new BDUs.

She stood up and smiled at them. "How's the water?"

"Carter, I'm as fresh as a daisy. It's great." commented Jack.

"That's good to know. I won't be long." Sam looked at Danu. "You coming in?"

Danu stood. "I am quite alright. However, I would not mind dipping my toes."

"Carter, want me to grab your clothes?"

Sam hesitated. "Um…"

"I can get them for her." smiled Danu, looking at Sam encouragingly.

"Uh, great, thank you Danu." Sam smiled at the boys before leaving them behind the rock. She crouched at her pack and pulled out what she needed, leaving her belongings in a neat pile. She ambled to the edge of the pool, she looked over her shoulder and was happy to see that her teammates were out of sight, respecting her need for privacy.

Sam turned to face the pool and let out a shaky breath. Her hands rest on the hem of her shirt, ready to pull it off, but she didn't.

Sensing the other woman's hesitation, Danu stood next to Sam. "Is everything alright?"

Sam sighed. "Yeah, I just…" Sam fidgeting with the hem of her shirt before looking over her shoulder again. "I just need a minute."

Danu frowned for a moment, following Sam's line of sight. "You are concerned your men will see you."

Sam registered Danu with a shocked look. "No! No, they wouldn't look, they're respectful of-"

Danu raised her hands. "I did not mean to cause offence. I know they are honourable. I was merely making an observation." Danu hesitated towards Sam, who was yet to remove her shirt. "They have not seen you since the last time you were here."

Sam remained silent as she looked away from Danu to the pool in front of her. During the first few months of her offworld missions as a part of the newly formed SG1 unit, she had been overly modest, refusing to show skin even in the hottest of terrains. Eventually, Sam had relaxed and while she maintained her modesty – and the boys had maintained an endearing level of respect for their female colleague – she was fine stripping down as much as she needed to be comfortable, laughing off the odd occasion when one of her teammates had walked in on her in various stages of undress and had retreated quickly muttering apologies.

But that was before.

She had always been modest and like most women, she had insecurities, but now, the thought of removing her clothes around her boys made her sick to her stomach. She knew they would never comment on the scars that decorated her back, but the fact that they would know that they were there and would have seen them made her feel nauseous.

She hated them. She hated how she got them. She hated the memories that came with them. She hated that she had them just because she was a woman and she hated that the boys were present when the scars were being made.

Sam willed her stomach to stop churning and she closed her eyes to stop the tears that threatened to fall. She jumped when she felt Danu's hand on her shoulder.

"I can help you, if you let me." said Danu softly, sensing Sam's anguish. "Nobody needs to see."

Sam opened her eyes to look at the goddess, her own inner feelings reflected on the deity's face. "How?"

Danu removed her hand from Sam's shoulder and held it out to her. "Trust me."

Sam took Danu's hand and together they walked into the water. Sam let out a sigh of content as the cool water hit her. She waded through the water, deeper and deeper, her clothes getting heavier as they took on the liquid around her.

Once they were neck deep, Danu squeezed Sam's hand. "Take a deep breath and come under the water with me."

Sam nodded and inhaled deeply before sinking below the water's surface. Holding her breath, she opened her eyes and watched as Danu waved her free hand around them. Sam watched as the goddess manipulated the water around them. Her vision grew clearer and it wasn't until she heard Danu's voice as clear as day that she realised what had happened.

"You can breathe now."

Sam exhaled sharply, noting the lack of bubbles as she did so. She took a breath in and was amazed that she found she could without drowning. "How did you-"

"You are able to undress and bathe here. I can take your clothes to the surface for you. You will be safe while I do so."

Sam looked up and saw two feet of water above her before looking down to see the rest of her body distorted by the water. "You're manipulating the water to give me a helmet of air."

Danu smiled and nodded. "Yes, it took me a while to learn that, I am glad it is useful to you." Danu let Sam's hand go. "I will turn away while you undress." At that, she inclined her head slightly and turned away, her long auburn hair floating in the water around her.

Overwhelmed by the consideration afforded her, Sam began to remove her clothing. Once her clothes were off she turned to face Danu and she pushed them towards her. The astrophysicist watched with amazement as Danu manipulated the water's current to have the clothes float towards her. Without turning around, she grabbed them and began to walk towards the surface.

For a second, Sam held her breath, expecting the air pocket Danu had created for her to cave in, forcing her to go to the surface, but it didn't. She let the breath she was holding go and she busied herself with washing herself as best as she could.

Once she was done, Sam allowed herself a moment to relax, once again enjoying the peace and quiet she found herself in.

oOoOoOoOo

Jack sat in silence, making a point of ignoring Daniel staring at him. He heard a splash of water and stood as his name was called.

He was met by the sight of Danu walking out of the pool, dry as she went in, holding Sam's clothes in her arms. Jack frowned. "Where's Carter?" At that, he heard Teal'c and Daniel move to stand up behind him.

Danu tilted her head. "She is bathing."

Jack made a show of looking at the pool. "Where?"

"I cannot see Major Carter." agreed Teal'c, moving forwards.

Danu handed Teal'c Sam's sodden clothes. "She is under the water." She held her arm out as Jack moved forward, stopping him from getting closer. "She is safe."

"How hasn't she come up for breath yet?"

Danu raised an eyebrow. "I am able to call water from the mountains on a whim. Do you not think I am able to make it so that Samantha can breathe underneath it too?"

"Fair point." commented Daniel.

"Why does she need to be under the water?" asked Jack.

Danu hesitated. "That is something you would need to talk to Samantha about." she said with a finality that left no room for argument. "I am about to retrieve her. Please return to where you were." Danu gestured towards the rock that the men were behind before.

Teal'c finished putting Sam's clothes out to dry and bowed his head before moving to go behind the rock. Daniel nodded and followed suit, leaving Jack to stare down Danu.

The two remained silent, staring each other down before Jack relented and went back to where he was before. He settled on the ground away from Daniel and resumed his previous activity of ignoring the bespectacled man.

Once Danu was satisfied that they had done as she had asked. She waved a hand at Sam's drying clothes, removing the water from their fibers, before turning towards the water and ducking beneath its surface.

Danu walked along the floor of the crater intent on finding Sam. She stopped dead in her tracks when she found her. Her eyes immediately, were drawn to Sam's back and Danu blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. She remembered when she had first treated Sam's back, it had been a mess, but now it had healed, she could truly see how much pain and suffering Prionn had inflicted. It was true her medicine had incredible healing properties, but she was hurt to see that Sam would carry a permanent reminder of her previous excursion on Saorsa.

Taking a breath to calm herself, the goddess turned away and used her hand to manipulate the water around them, joining their air pocket so Sam would be able to hear her speak.

"Are you ready to return to the surface?"

"Oh, yes, thank you." sounded Sam's voice.

Danu waited as Sam made her way towards her. She grasped at Danu's hand and allowed the goddess to lead her to the surface.

They broke the surface and Sam was happy to see that the boys were still tucked away. Danu let go of Sam's hand. "I will leave you to get dressed. Your clothes are dry already. We can be ready to leave as soon as you are able."

"Sure." nodded Sam. "Thank you, Danu."

Danu smiled at Sam, a hand cupping her face. "Any time."

Sam watched Danu leave and once she was sure she had the privacy she needed, she exited the water and quickly dried and dressed herself. Feeling refreshed, she pulled her boots on, grabbed her now dry clothes off of the rock, stuffed them into her pack and rounded the rock to see the boys playing a card game as they waited for her.

"Ah, Carter, rubbish timing, I was beating Daniel."

"Thanks for the save, Sam." said Daniel gratefully, dusting himself off as he got up off of the floor.

"What were you playing?" asked Sam, handing Daniel his pack.

"Poker."

Jack snorted. "Daniel, your poker face leaves a lot to be desired."

Sam laughed.

Danu watched the exchange between the teammates. She sensed the camaraderie of the group before her, but she could sense the barriers that had been erected by two members of the group. They were ignoring a blatant issue and that saddened the goddess. While the team before her were not children of Saorsa, she still cared for them as if they were her own. Still, if that is what they wanted, she would play along too.

"We should make the settlement by the time the second sun settles if we leave imminently."

Jack slapped his cap back on his head. "Great, lead the way."