Chapter III

It was 1730 hours by the time O'Neill and Carter arrived at the Stargate. They were incredibly tired but Jack did not show it his years of military training having made him almost immune to the effects of fatigue, the Doctor tried not to show it but her basic training hadn't prepared her for a seven hour trek through snow.  Jack took out the canteen and took a swig before offering it to his companion. She declined with a wave of her hand and went to the DHD to dial home. "It'll be dark soon," she announced as she looked up to the sky. "We won't be able to come back here tonight."

O'Neill nodded in agreement. "At least they're not camped outside." The wormhole engaged and seconds later they were back on Earth.

General Hammond was there to meet them and when he saw two of the team were missing her started to worry. He looked at the faces of Jack and Sam and noted how they didn't seem particularly upset. He reasoned that Teal'c and Daniel couldn't be in too dire a situation or O'Neill would have been barking orders as soon as he arrived back. "Debriefing in 15 minutes," he told them calmly. They nodded wordlessly and left to change out of their wet clothes, Carter took the canteen that Jack was holding and took a long and refreshing drink. Two minutes later she threw it to the floor.

They both decided that getting checked out by Janet could wait, however, the good Doctor upon hearing of their return, had other ideas. She guessed that if they weren't in the briefing room and they weren't with her then at least one of them would be in the showers. She was a little mad at them, after all it was compulsory that they come and see her after a mission – and especially now. An Airman had overheard the two members of SG-1 talking about the injured Daniel, and he had then told Janet a few minutes later when she had asked him if he had seen the Colonel or the Doctor.

She couldn't believe that Daniel was injured and they hadn't even informed her! She remained calm though and told herself there was probably a very good reason for their lapse in judgement.

*

Sam had told O'Neill that she would give him five minutes to shower before she came in whether he was finished or not, but the prospect of seeing the Colonel in the shower was enough to make her barge in before the five minutes were up. She called into the room and told him his time was almost up. Sam was considering going to Janet but she dismissed the idea almost immediately, she felt…strange but she couldn't put her finger on what it was and so she decided Janet could wait. Checking her watch, she noticed that five minutes had passed and pushed open the door.

Sam was surprised to discover she was a little disappointed the Colonel was already dried and dressed in new clothes. "It's all yours," he said before leaving the changing room.  The clock was ticking and Sam wished that her own five minutes would never end. She savoured the feel of the warm water flowing over her skin after the bitter coldness of P4X 698, washing and soothing away the aches and tiredness she had felt from the long walk back to the Stargate. She heard the door to the changing room open and guessed it was Janet coming to find her, she hoped the Doctor wasn't too angry – but she had to understand that a shower was much more important than an inconsequential check-up. Sam was shocked to hear O'Neill's voice. He sounded a little mad but she detected a hint of mischief in his voice.

"You shouted me before my five minutes were up," he chided.

She chuckled to herself. "By my watch it was, Sir," the Doctor called out in response.

When he spoke next his voice sounded closer than it had earlier. "Well I didn't have time to finish my shower."

"Yeah, sorry about that," she didn't sound sorry at all. Sam heard his steps come closer and she turned off the shower and stepped out. She quickly wrapped a towel around her and looked for O'Neill. "Colonel?"

She heard his slow and steady breathing. "I didn't interrupt your shower did I?" he teased. He was still in the changing room.

"No," she answered. "I was just about to come out anyway." Sam paused momentarily, "Shouldn't we be in the briefing right about now?"

Sam heard his footsteps coming closer. "Those things aren't important. You and Daniel are the only ones that listen anyway." Sam swore she could hear the Colonel's grin widening. "Danny isn't here at the moment and do you really want to listen to Hammond going on and on about that stupid ice planet?" he asked in a bored tone.

"Not really" she answered. Sam tried to convince herself she was imagining things, but she was so sure she could feel his breath on her neck. She took a few steps forward, thus shortening the distance between them. For once they were completely ignoring the regulations – they couldn't help it. They could both feel the tension between them; neither of them spoke or moved. She could see him through the steam that was caused by the hot water that had short minutes earlier been flowing.

She stepped through the steam and shivered involuntarily when the coolness of the changing room surrounded her, she rubbed her arms. "All of a sudden I feel like I'm back on P4X 698" she said to break the silence, but her voice came out husky and nervous.

He reached out and rubbed her bare arms with his warm hands. "It's warmer in the shower," he stated unnecessarily.

She grinned in response. "I would still be in there if someone hadn't made me come out."

"You started it!" He sounded strange – O'Neill knew if he was in his right mind he wouldn't be talking like this to Carter, he figured that because he was then he wasn't in his right mind so he should probably go with the flow. "Don't let me stop you going back in."

She looked up into his warm eyes. "It wouldn't be fair if I continued my shower and you didn't." The surprise that Sam felt after she'd said that was reflected in The Colonel's face."  And it is getting cold out here." She wasn't completely positive but it suddenly seemed like Jack was a lot closer than he was earlier.

The door opened slowly and the annoyance that was on the Colonel's face was mirrored on Carter's. "What?" Jack yelled in the direction of the intruder.

They heard Janet's voice and the moment was broken. "Don't 'what' me, Colonel!" The doctor chided as she walked into the changing room. She spotted the pair and almost immediately her anger was replaced by shock. At first she thought she was hallucinating; a half naked Sam Carter standing shoulder to shoulder with Jack O' Neill – who wasn't exactly fully clothed himself. "Uh…you're due at the briefing" she managed to say as she regained her composure. "And right after I want to see you both." With that, she retreated as quickly as she had arrived and the door closed behind her with a resolute bang.

*

Whilst Sam and Jack were heating up, Daniel and Teal'c were getting colder. Despite the cool temperature Daniel couldn't stop drinking the water and when the contents of his own canteen was gone he started on Teal'c's. When he had woken, he saw that the Jaffa was still sleeping peacefully. The Zat had dropped on the floor whilst Daniel had slept and he reached down to retrieve it, trying to ignore the pain that rushed through his injured leg as he bent down. The archaeologist looked down at the weapon in his hands then at Teal'c. "Not so tough now are you?" he aimed the Zat at the oblivious Jaffa. Ever since the previous afternoon, Daniel had felt an indescribable anger upon seeing Teal'c and he couldn't explain why.  "Goodbye Teal'c," he muttered as he fired the Zat once and his friend was thrown back. His eyes shot open - Daniel aimed again.

*

Carter and O'Neill trailed after Janet as she led the way to the briefing room, they both felt like they were being led to the principal's office – and that brought out the rebel in Jack. "I need some water," Sam said quietly.

Are you alright?" the Colonel asked.

Carter nodded. "Just thirsty."

"Yeah I know what you mean" when they arrived at the briefing room General Hammond was waiting for them and he didn't look too happy. "Hey General," O'Neill waved jovially at his commanding officer and this only served to anger the General more.

"Dr Jackson is injured and stuck on a planet and you couldn't even have the decency to inform me…"

"Or me," Janet interjected.

"Well it's only a broken leg," Carter announced with a careless attitude. She saw the General's furious look and quickly checked herself. "Sir" she added as though it was that, that had angered him.

O'Neill shrugged. "We couldn't have got to him now anyway it's too dark."

General Hammond turned to face his 2IC. "That is for me to decided! Now you will tell me exactly what happened and start from the very beginning and then you will go with Dr Fraser and not leave this base until she sees fit," he told them in a dangerously low voice. "Do I make myself clear?"

Jack banged his fist on the table. "No, you don't. I told you we couldn't have done anything and that's all you need to know! We will set out first thing in the morning and not a moment before," he shouted.

The General it seemed had been rendered speechless. Jack's face was red with fury. "What do you have to say?" General Hammond looked at Carter; his tone dangerously quiet.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm with Colonel O'Neill on this one. You should trust us to do the right thing and you didn't need to know anything more than that Daniel is injured. We'll take care of it."

Hammond slowly rose from his seat and regarded his officers with tightly checked rage. "No, you won't," he tried his best to remain calm. "You will remain on base.  Something is going on here and I will find out what it is.  Dismissed!"

"Whatever you say," Carter replied. She turned to O'Neill. "I'm thirsty," she then looked at Janet as if to ask for permission to leave.

The Doctor nodded.  "We'll all go."

Janet led the way once again. "We don't have to listen to her," Jack whispered to his companion. "We should be back on that planet – P something X whatever, and I don't think we should leave Daniel with Teal'c for too long."

"We can sort him out when we get back on the planet." Sam replied in hushed tones. "But first I want to know what the old guy put in that water." she looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I want some more."

To be continued…