Title: In the Dead of Night Author: Zoe Hands Email: zoehands@hotmail.com Status: Complete Category: Action/adventure, suspense, mystery. Spoilers: None Season/Sequel info: set in the present Rating: PG-13 Content Warnings: Hurt, occasional swearing, angst
Archive: N/A Summary: SG-1 become the hunted.
Author's notes: My spelling and punctuation can sometimes suck, although I think this one's clear.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and I received no monetary reward. No copyright infringement is intended.
Carter slowly began to come round, she opened her eyes, the seriousness of her situation hadn't returned to her thoughts yet, and she tried to sit up but had no power to do so, the ruffle of the dirt beneath her as she attempted move was more than enough to bring 3 of the creatures over to her. Before the beasts entered Sam's eyeline she began to nestle back into pain, she lifted her hand to her stomach and lightly touched inside the blood soaked jacket, not quite believing that what she was feeling with her hand was actually emanating from a wound she had sustained she placed her hand in front of her face and began to examine the heavy amounts of dark red blood that slid down her fingers and slowly crawled down her arm. Through the gap in her fingers, one of the creatures came into focus and all that had preceded this moment flew upon her. Sam's eyes flashed wide with terror, as she shuffled back but could still, even in her deep desire to get away, not muster the energy required to stand. The more effort Sam put into sliding back the more light headed she become, the pain, that was still intense took a back seat to the thumping heart in her chest. Each beat of her heart was like another thud of despair wading in on her, compounding the fear she already felt. "What do you want from me?" she called to the shadowed creature making it's way over to her, but the creature just kept coming unrelented and unmoved in it's silent advance. As it got within three feet of where Sam lay it shot forward with a deafening roar, that could be only liked to the deepest war cry of ancient warriors. As it landed it stuck it's claw through Sam's right leg, pining her to the floor. This time Sam managed to scream, the chilling cry echoed throughout the whole cave system and outside to where Jack and Daniel stood waiting for help.
Jack's eyes broadened as the sudden realisation that the cries could only belong to the likes of Sam, his mind shot back to the time on the Goa'uld ship heading to hell when she had cried out in agony as she recalled Jolinar's pain, but this pain was all too real, this belonged to her and her alone. Daniel shot up, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking"
"I'm already ahead of that, come on!" answered Jack heading straight into the cavern
"But we can't see" shouted Daniel as he sped up to Jack. Jack stopped dead and went back out into the opening preceding the cave's entrance and removed his jacket and with his knife he cut it into two pieces and wrapped each end around a thick branch. He handed one to Daniel, and removed the lighter from his side pocket and lit it, it took a few seconds to ignite each one, but then the fire burned intensely, consuming the olive green cloth that was it's life force.
"Better" said Jack, as he once more headed for the cave, Daniel in tow.
Teal'c was nearing the site where they had first heard Sam's gunfire, he immediately noted the blood that was strewn across the dirt, it was congealed and clotted with the bits of twig and mud that it laid upon. Teal'c recognised the blood as being quite some hours old and surmised it was most likely that of the creature or Major Carter, but he could not avoid the possibility that something too had happened to O'Neill or Daniel Jackson in his absence. Teal'c again attempted to raise either of them on the radio with no success. He continued to follow the trail that Jack and Daniel had walked only hours before, but he felt he was being watched, Teal'c was cautious as he stepped through the intertwined vines and fallen branches that were scattered across the path. His initial suspicions that he was being watched were confirmed when he heard a sudden rustle of underbrush behind him. Teal'c swiftly turned and aimed his Staff weapon towards the origin of noise, Teal'c's mouth fell open and his eyes drew back as a immense black body of movement accelerated upon him. He shot his weapon several times at the bulk of blackness as it plunged forward in a deliberate motion to envelop him in it's extensive frame. The creature fell at Teal'c's feet and roared in agony. Teal'c was clearly alarmed at the crimson void that was the source of this sound, the creature's mouth was monotone except for sharp black teeth that appeared as opaque icicles against the red backdrop of the creature's throat. The creature rocked unsteadily back and forth in pain, Teal'c slowly stepped backwards away from it. The creature turned it's head to squarely face Teal'c and it's roar of agony descended to a deep constant growl, the sort that could only serve as a prelude to attack. Without hesitation Teal'c fired his weapon again at the head of the beast, the growling ceased as the smoke from the blast cleared. Teal'c approached the creature to make certain it was slain. He prodded the carcass with the but of his Staff weapon. The creature was surely dead. Teal'c turned to continue following the trail, but before he had completed a step his attention was drawn to the clouds overheard that slowly began turning from a dark misty grey to a deep fire red; like waves of blood sweeping across the sky they were tipped with black swirls, that served to highlight the beginning and end of each surge of the scarlet seas. The sun was enveloped in the expanse of black and red and the planet was once more plunged into darkness.
Daniel and Jack advanced further into the extensive tunnel calling Sam's name periodically as they went. Sam was on the verge of loosing consciousness when she heard the faint calling in the distance. "Colonel?" she muttered, knowing this was probably her last chance for rescue, she mustered what energy she had into a shout for help, she even channelled her pain into giving this one wail enough energy to carry it to her would be saviours, "COL..." her yell was cut short mid-flown as the creature whipped her across the head with it's second claw, Sam was immediately knocked out and her blood from a now resounding head wound splattered across the slate walls.
Jack stopped, "Did you hear that?"
"No, what?" replied Daniel
"I'm sure I heard something" said Jack, shifting his head sideways on to where he thought the sound came from, in doing so he was allowing his ear to pick up any noise with increased efficiency but he wasn't to hear the sound again. Despite his uncertainty at actually hearing something, Jack felt a pull within him, he was sure they were close and he began to pick up the pace as the headed down an increasingly narrow passage.
Teal'c began to run, looking for some sort of cover as the skies above him were enough to make anyone nervous. He found himself falling over branches and strewn rocks that scattered the trail, but each time he picked himself up and carried on. The sky began drawing in, overwhelmed by what was happening before him, he paused a moment, he knew indulging his curiosity was unwise, but the whole vastness of the blackened turmoil above his head blended with the sonorous explosions coming from deep in its under belly made him reproach the steadfast warrior inside him a moment longer *I have truly never seen anything like this.* The cloud slowly fell to the ground and became a dense fog that wrapped itself around Teal'c like a smothering blanket. Teal'c had no choice but to breathe in the vapour that consumed him in it's extensiveness, he began to cough and splutter, it was not pure air, it was bitty, thick with molecules of dust, Teal'c felt as if he was suffocating, he lurched forward and continued his run for cover, he buried his head in his jacket as he ran, but it was no good, he couldn't hide from the smog that filled his lungs, he began to feel light headed and slowly stopped his run and feel to his knees, coughing harder and harder, trying to free his lungs from the fog's grip. As he continued to cough he clawed his way across the ground, his attempt's to breathe became less and less, when finally he felt a solid wall where once only trees had been. He had found the cave. Filled with new optimism, Teal'c found the strength for one last surge forward, he fell face down in the cave's entrance, the air there was dark but clear of the dirt that had so effectively reduced him to a helpless body outside. The entrance of the cavern was like a barrier, the gritty air circled outside as if waiting to get in, but kept at bay by the vacuum that was this cave. Teal'c slowly rose to his feet and guided by the wall followed the stony path deeper into the cove; deeper into the nothingness.
The makeshift torches Daniel and Jack were carrying began to lessen in intensity, as the once green cloth fell away from the branch in blackened drabs, sprinkling the air with orange cinders as they went.
"Uh oh" said Daniel as his torch burned out
"Where's a 7-11 when ya need one huh?" said Jack, "Okay Daniel take off your jacket." Daniel removed his jacket and handed it to Jack, in exchange Jack passed Daniel his dying torch. As before, Jack reached for his knife and cut Daniel's jacket in two and he proceeded to make a couple more torches.
As Teal'c continued further into the cave, the smell of burning fabric entered his nostrils, "O' Neill!" he yelled,
"Teal'c?" said Daniel to Jack,
"Must be" replied Jack, "Teal'c we're down here!" he shouted. Teal'c quickened his pace, his grasp of the guiding wall lessened as he began to benefit from Daniel and Jack's torches. "Hey buddy, where's the fan fair?" asked Jack
"I was unable to locate the Stargate"
"What d'ya get lost?" asked Jack
"No, I went to the location where the Stargate should have been" said Teal'c resolute
"Well are you sure?" asked Daniel
"I am positive Daniel Jackson, what is more, the skies outside have turned black and red"
"What?" said Jack, giving emphasis to the word by throwing his head forward at an angle
"As I said O'Neill, the skies have turned a mixture of black and red, I had to run for cover as the air became extremely hard to breathe"
"Well that can't be good" added Daniel
"Ya think!" replied Jack, "Well okay, we find Carter, that's our first objective, we'll worry about getting home later" finished Jack as he handed Teal'c the third torch he had constructed, leaving Daniel with the dying one.
"Jack did you see that?" asked Daniel
"What?"
"I'm sure I saw two blots of red up ahead"
"The creatures here have red eyes" interjected Teal'c
"Okay head's up" said Jack as he pointed his weapon directly in front of them, "I don't see anything"
"It was there. I'm sure"
"Hello?" shouted Jack down the now narrow cavity, he received no reply, "Alright, I don't like this, we're gunna take this real slow" continued Jack as he carefully edged forward, his side hugging the wall.
As the three had been stationary sometime, the smoke from the torches began to accumulate and encircle them, it crawled over their bodies, caressing the combat uniforms, wrapping itself into the folds and creases, stroking the exposed skin on their arms, throat and face. Jack coughed, "Shit, I can hardly see now" he said as he waved his arms in an attempt to clear some of the stagnant air that clung to particles of smoke. As he swung his arm one final time he hit something, "Holy..." he said stepping back quickly, unsteady in his retreat on the loose rock beneath his feet.. Once more the damask flecks came into view. Teal'c pushed a stumbling O'Neill to one side and pushed his Staff weapon through the dissipating smoke. Hitting the chest of the creatures he fired, spraying all three of them in the creature's ice cold blood.
"Whoa!" said Jack, as he straightened up, "Way to go Teal'c." Daniel stretched his face up and down as he wiped the blood spats from beside his mouth and nose.
"Yeah, way to go Teal'c" said Daniel now removing his glasses and wiping them on his shirt.
Once again, the three continued their trek through what was increasingly looking like the creature's nest. Suddenly Jack spotted a foot just coming into view of the torch's light, he run ahead. It was Carter. Teal'c and Daniel were quickly at his side. Jack carefully rolled her still body over, "She's in a bad way" said Jack. His opinion only strengthened by the blood soaked walls and pool of blood beneath his 2IC. "Here" said Jack handing his torch to Daniel, Jack carefully picked Sam up and placed her over his shoulder. "Right, that's us, we're outta here" he said heading back the way they came. Their steady retreat hastened as the growl of one or more of the creatures could be heard coming up behind them. As they ran, Teal'c randomly fired shots back into the darkness on the off chance he would hit one of the pursuing creatures. They reached the opening of the cave, Jack was the first to leave the entrance and he as Teal'c before him, began immediately to feel his lungs close in and the grit line his wind pipe, he rushed back in the cave, "Jesus!" he exclaimed
"Well what now?" asked Daniel
"We stand and fight" said Jack as he slowly lowered Sam onto the floor. He afforded himself a brief moment with her and brushed away a strand of flaxen hair, he looked down at her admiringly, he knew she was bad and needed medical treatment urgently.
The once pursuing shuffle seemed to be overtaken in a now advancing heavy march.
"It sounds like hundreds of them" said Daniel, his heart jackhammering in his chest, he quickly reached for his side arm, for the good it would do.
Jack stood and faced off to the reverberant procession of bustling footsteps, fear beginning to creep up his back. The eerie feeling that the rest of the universe no longer existed except for this cave descended on all three of them. The blackness ahead of them began to be pierced by the all too familiar crimson eyes of the creatures, not one pair, not two pair but a sea of red.
"This must be what it's like to look death in the eye" said Daniel quickly, although not to himself. Teal'c raised an acknowledging eyebrow.
"Well for what's it's worth it's been a pleasure serving with you" said Jack, for once being deadly serious. Both Teal'c and Daniel looked at him and managed a small smile. "Been one hell of a ride" he said lifting his weapon. In the same breath all three of them began discharging all they had on the advancing onslaught. For every creature that fell two more were there in it's place, Jack's final clip ran empty, he began to reach for his side arm, but stopped, instead choosing to glance down at Sam, she laid there so peacefully, blissfully unaware of the fighting around her. While looking at her, Jack joined in the peace as the noise around him fell into the distance. He closed his eyes and waited for the journey's end.
Archive: N/A Summary: SG-1 become the hunted.
Author's notes: My spelling and punctuation can sometimes suck, although I think this one's clear.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and I received no monetary reward. No copyright infringement is intended.
Carter slowly began to come round, she opened her eyes, the seriousness of her situation hadn't returned to her thoughts yet, and she tried to sit up but had no power to do so, the ruffle of the dirt beneath her as she attempted move was more than enough to bring 3 of the creatures over to her. Before the beasts entered Sam's eyeline she began to nestle back into pain, she lifted her hand to her stomach and lightly touched inside the blood soaked jacket, not quite believing that what she was feeling with her hand was actually emanating from a wound she had sustained she placed her hand in front of her face and began to examine the heavy amounts of dark red blood that slid down her fingers and slowly crawled down her arm. Through the gap in her fingers, one of the creatures came into focus and all that had preceded this moment flew upon her. Sam's eyes flashed wide with terror, as she shuffled back but could still, even in her deep desire to get away, not muster the energy required to stand. The more effort Sam put into sliding back the more light headed she become, the pain, that was still intense took a back seat to the thumping heart in her chest. Each beat of her heart was like another thud of despair wading in on her, compounding the fear she already felt. "What do you want from me?" she called to the shadowed creature making it's way over to her, but the creature just kept coming unrelented and unmoved in it's silent advance. As it got within three feet of where Sam lay it shot forward with a deafening roar, that could be only liked to the deepest war cry of ancient warriors. As it landed it stuck it's claw through Sam's right leg, pining her to the floor. This time Sam managed to scream, the chilling cry echoed throughout the whole cave system and outside to where Jack and Daniel stood waiting for help.
Jack's eyes broadened as the sudden realisation that the cries could only belong to the likes of Sam, his mind shot back to the time on the Goa'uld ship heading to hell when she had cried out in agony as she recalled Jolinar's pain, but this pain was all too real, this belonged to her and her alone. Daniel shot up, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking"
"I'm already ahead of that, come on!" answered Jack heading straight into the cavern
"But we can't see" shouted Daniel as he sped up to Jack. Jack stopped dead and went back out into the opening preceding the cave's entrance and removed his jacket and with his knife he cut it into two pieces and wrapped each end around a thick branch. He handed one to Daniel, and removed the lighter from his side pocket and lit it, it took a few seconds to ignite each one, but then the fire burned intensely, consuming the olive green cloth that was it's life force.
"Better" said Jack, as he once more headed for the cave, Daniel in tow.
Teal'c was nearing the site where they had first heard Sam's gunfire, he immediately noted the blood that was strewn across the dirt, it was congealed and clotted with the bits of twig and mud that it laid upon. Teal'c recognised the blood as being quite some hours old and surmised it was most likely that of the creature or Major Carter, but he could not avoid the possibility that something too had happened to O'Neill or Daniel Jackson in his absence. Teal'c again attempted to raise either of them on the radio with no success. He continued to follow the trail that Jack and Daniel had walked only hours before, but he felt he was being watched, Teal'c was cautious as he stepped through the intertwined vines and fallen branches that were scattered across the path. His initial suspicions that he was being watched were confirmed when he heard a sudden rustle of underbrush behind him. Teal'c swiftly turned and aimed his Staff weapon towards the origin of noise, Teal'c's mouth fell open and his eyes drew back as a immense black body of movement accelerated upon him. He shot his weapon several times at the bulk of blackness as it plunged forward in a deliberate motion to envelop him in it's extensive frame. The creature fell at Teal'c's feet and roared in agony. Teal'c was clearly alarmed at the crimson void that was the source of this sound, the creature's mouth was monotone except for sharp black teeth that appeared as opaque icicles against the red backdrop of the creature's throat. The creature rocked unsteadily back and forth in pain, Teal'c slowly stepped backwards away from it. The creature turned it's head to squarely face Teal'c and it's roar of agony descended to a deep constant growl, the sort that could only serve as a prelude to attack. Without hesitation Teal'c fired his weapon again at the head of the beast, the growling ceased as the smoke from the blast cleared. Teal'c approached the creature to make certain it was slain. He prodded the carcass with the but of his Staff weapon. The creature was surely dead. Teal'c turned to continue following the trail, but before he had completed a step his attention was drawn to the clouds overheard that slowly began turning from a dark misty grey to a deep fire red; like waves of blood sweeping across the sky they were tipped with black swirls, that served to highlight the beginning and end of each surge of the scarlet seas. The sun was enveloped in the expanse of black and red and the planet was once more plunged into darkness.
Daniel and Jack advanced further into the extensive tunnel calling Sam's name periodically as they went. Sam was on the verge of loosing consciousness when she heard the faint calling in the distance. "Colonel?" she muttered, knowing this was probably her last chance for rescue, she mustered what energy she had into a shout for help, she even channelled her pain into giving this one wail enough energy to carry it to her would be saviours, "COL..." her yell was cut short mid-flown as the creature whipped her across the head with it's second claw, Sam was immediately knocked out and her blood from a now resounding head wound splattered across the slate walls.
Jack stopped, "Did you hear that?"
"No, what?" replied Daniel
"I'm sure I heard something" said Jack, shifting his head sideways on to where he thought the sound came from, in doing so he was allowing his ear to pick up any noise with increased efficiency but he wasn't to hear the sound again. Despite his uncertainty at actually hearing something, Jack felt a pull within him, he was sure they were close and he began to pick up the pace as the headed down an increasingly narrow passage.
Teal'c began to run, looking for some sort of cover as the skies above him were enough to make anyone nervous. He found himself falling over branches and strewn rocks that scattered the trail, but each time he picked himself up and carried on. The sky began drawing in, overwhelmed by what was happening before him, he paused a moment, he knew indulging his curiosity was unwise, but the whole vastness of the blackened turmoil above his head blended with the sonorous explosions coming from deep in its under belly made him reproach the steadfast warrior inside him a moment longer *I have truly never seen anything like this.* The cloud slowly fell to the ground and became a dense fog that wrapped itself around Teal'c like a smothering blanket. Teal'c had no choice but to breathe in the vapour that consumed him in it's extensiveness, he began to cough and splutter, it was not pure air, it was bitty, thick with molecules of dust, Teal'c felt as if he was suffocating, he lurched forward and continued his run for cover, he buried his head in his jacket as he ran, but it was no good, he couldn't hide from the smog that filled his lungs, he began to feel light headed and slowly stopped his run and feel to his knees, coughing harder and harder, trying to free his lungs from the fog's grip. As he continued to cough he clawed his way across the ground, his attempt's to breathe became less and less, when finally he felt a solid wall where once only trees had been. He had found the cave. Filled with new optimism, Teal'c found the strength for one last surge forward, he fell face down in the cave's entrance, the air there was dark but clear of the dirt that had so effectively reduced him to a helpless body outside. The entrance of the cavern was like a barrier, the gritty air circled outside as if waiting to get in, but kept at bay by the vacuum that was this cave. Teal'c slowly rose to his feet and guided by the wall followed the stony path deeper into the cove; deeper into the nothingness.
The makeshift torches Daniel and Jack were carrying began to lessen in intensity, as the once green cloth fell away from the branch in blackened drabs, sprinkling the air with orange cinders as they went.
"Uh oh" said Daniel as his torch burned out
"Where's a 7-11 when ya need one huh?" said Jack, "Okay Daniel take off your jacket." Daniel removed his jacket and handed it to Jack, in exchange Jack passed Daniel his dying torch. As before, Jack reached for his knife and cut Daniel's jacket in two and he proceeded to make a couple more torches.
As Teal'c continued further into the cave, the smell of burning fabric entered his nostrils, "O' Neill!" he yelled,
"Teal'c?" said Daniel to Jack,
"Must be" replied Jack, "Teal'c we're down here!" he shouted. Teal'c quickened his pace, his grasp of the guiding wall lessened as he began to benefit from Daniel and Jack's torches. "Hey buddy, where's the fan fair?" asked Jack
"I was unable to locate the Stargate"
"What d'ya get lost?" asked Jack
"No, I went to the location where the Stargate should have been" said Teal'c resolute
"Well are you sure?" asked Daniel
"I am positive Daniel Jackson, what is more, the skies outside have turned black and red"
"What?" said Jack, giving emphasis to the word by throwing his head forward at an angle
"As I said O'Neill, the skies have turned a mixture of black and red, I had to run for cover as the air became extremely hard to breathe"
"Well that can't be good" added Daniel
"Ya think!" replied Jack, "Well okay, we find Carter, that's our first objective, we'll worry about getting home later" finished Jack as he handed Teal'c the third torch he had constructed, leaving Daniel with the dying one.
"Jack did you see that?" asked Daniel
"What?"
"I'm sure I saw two blots of red up ahead"
"The creatures here have red eyes" interjected Teal'c
"Okay head's up" said Jack as he pointed his weapon directly in front of them, "I don't see anything"
"It was there. I'm sure"
"Hello?" shouted Jack down the now narrow cavity, he received no reply, "Alright, I don't like this, we're gunna take this real slow" continued Jack as he carefully edged forward, his side hugging the wall.
As the three had been stationary sometime, the smoke from the torches began to accumulate and encircle them, it crawled over their bodies, caressing the combat uniforms, wrapping itself into the folds and creases, stroking the exposed skin on their arms, throat and face. Jack coughed, "Shit, I can hardly see now" he said as he waved his arms in an attempt to clear some of the stagnant air that clung to particles of smoke. As he swung his arm one final time he hit something, "Holy..." he said stepping back quickly, unsteady in his retreat on the loose rock beneath his feet.. Once more the damask flecks came into view. Teal'c pushed a stumbling O'Neill to one side and pushed his Staff weapon through the dissipating smoke. Hitting the chest of the creatures he fired, spraying all three of them in the creature's ice cold blood.
"Whoa!" said Jack, as he straightened up, "Way to go Teal'c." Daniel stretched his face up and down as he wiped the blood spats from beside his mouth and nose.
"Yeah, way to go Teal'c" said Daniel now removing his glasses and wiping them on his shirt.
Once again, the three continued their trek through what was increasingly looking like the creature's nest. Suddenly Jack spotted a foot just coming into view of the torch's light, he run ahead. It was Carter. Teal'c and Daniel were quickly at his side. Jack carefully rolled her still body over, "She's in a bad way" said Jack. His opinion only strengthened by the blood soaked walls and pool of blood beneath his 2IC. "Here" said Jack handing his torch to Daniel, Jack carefully picked Sam up and placed her over his shoulder. "Right, that's us, we're outta here" he said heading back the way they came. Their steady retreat hastened as the growl of one or more of the creatures could be heard coming up behind them. As they ran, Teal'c randomly fired shots back into the darkness on the off chance he would hit one of the pursuing creatures. They reached the opening of the cave, Jack was the first to leave the entrance and he as Teal'c before him, began immediately to feel his lungs close in and the grit line his wind pipe, he rushed back in the cave, "Jesus!" he exclaimed
"Well what now?" asked Daniel
"We stand and fight" said Jack as he slowly lowered Sam onto the floor. He afforded himself a brief moment with her and brushed away a strand of flaxen hair, he looked down at her admiringly, he knew she was bad and needed medical treatment urgently.
The once pursuing shuffle seemed to be overtaken in a now advancing heavy march.
"It sounds like hundreds of them" said Daniel, his heart jackhammering in his chest, he quickly reached for his side arm, for the good it would do.
Jack stood and faced off to the reverberant procession of bustling footsteps, fear beginning to creep up his back. The eerie feeling that the rest of the universe no longer existed except for this cave descended on all three of them. The blackness ahead of them began to be pierced by the all too familiar crimson eyes of the creatures, not one pair, not two pair but a sea of red.
"This must be what it's like to look death in the eye" said Daniel quickly, although not to himself. Teal'c raised an acknowledging eyebrow.
"Well for what's it's worth it's been a pleasure serving with you" said Jack, for once being deadly serious. Both Teal'c and Daniel looked at him and managed a small smile. "Been one hell of a ride" he said lifting his weapon. In the same breath all three of them began discharging all they had on the advancing onslaught. For every creature that fell two more were there in it's place, Jack's final clip ran empty, he began to reach for his side arm, but stopped, instead choosing to glance down at Sam, she laid there so peacefully, blissfully unaware of the fighting around her. While looking at her, Jack joined in the peace as the noise around him fell into the distance. He closed his eyes and waited for the journey's end.