I apologise profusely for the wait, I have had exam after exam (mocks actually). My brain has been stretched and there has been no time for writing. When I finally got round to it I had to read through the whole thing and sort my thoughts out. I know were I want this to go. Thanks for reviewing.

Chapter 7

The small waves slapped against the side of the boat. They had discovered that it was necessary to make a journey over water to reach the village. He felt queasy, so quickly he tried to take his mind off it. Instead he thought about the mission and about how the hell they would construct a plan. God, why did things like this always happen to them? At least it wasn't his fault this time.

"Hey, Danny boy," Jack came striding up to him, he was never affected by boats. "How's it coming along? You haven't really said much this whole journey. Thinkin' about the mission?" He had brightened up considerably on the trip, since Sam was kidnapped. This last statement plunged him into deep thought of where she had gone, and why she was gone. He was silent for sometime.

"Yeah, I guess." He looked up, nausea broke over his body "I've gotta get off this boat." Quickly he ran down to lower deck to escape his sea sickness. Jack had to laugh. Typical Daniel. It was the first time he'd even smiled for three days. Sam's disappearance had upset him, but slowly he began to recover. Following Daniel, to get updated on the plan, he was stopped by Ahdeth.

"Colonel O'Neill, do you have any ideas in mind? If we find Sam with the creature you may find only four of you will not be substantial."

"Yeah, I was counting on you, Ahdeth. Would you mind if I called on you and your men? If we need you." Jack laughed at himself inwardly for using a phrase like 'you and your men' it sounded so...old fashioned, but...when in Rome.

"Of course not, I should be glad to help in stopping this." Ahdeth thought about the last time he had called on the Magi to help.

***************

Alex pushed up his sleeve to reveal a bracelet, a scorpion fashioned of gold in the shape of a scorpion. The segmented legs clasped his wrist, the tail arching, poised in a defensive stance.

"In putting on the bracelet you have started a chain reaction that could bring about the next apocalypse." The words tumbled from Ahdeth like a waterfall. Alex looked shocked by the menacing words and he had realised the child had meant no harm.

"You lighten up, you big trouble, you...get in the car." O'Connell quipped, pointing his finger at each in turn as if they were naughty children. Ahdeth regarded Jonathan and Alex, so maybe some of them were naughty children.

***************

Ahdeth remembered the incident vividly. Every encounter with the O'Connells was imprinted on his mind. It was retold to his people and their children. He had overheard mothers scolding their children with warnings that Rick O'Connell would come and get them. He was sure his American friend would smile at that one.

"Yeah, I'm hoping this won't be so big." Jack had been right there with him, thinking along the same tracks. That brought a brief smile to the Magi warrior, he was coming to respect and appreciate this man.

Jack looked down, momentarily lost for words - not an easy thing for him. The silence was uncomfortable, broken when Jack coughed uneasily and reached over, not sure if her should pat Ahdeth's arm, decided against it and trailed below deck.

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Sam curled around the slight swell of her abdomen, in a few days her pregnancy had progressed to that of a few months. Morning sickness came and went, worse some days than others. Fortunately there had been no irrational cravings. Women came in and out like the tide, all bearing children naturally or forced. All women who gave birth were left alone until the child was born. Sometimes they screamed, others cried, some silently accepted the hand fate had dealt them. Sam didn't believe in fate.

Eve confided in Sam and vice versa. Eve was convinced her time would arrive on swift wings. She now spent most of the day resting, her once calm disposition laced with a previously absent tension. Conversations came in starts and stops, most overshadowed by the melancholy that radiated from every woman.

Sekhmet took good care of her captives. The rooms were clean, warm at night and cool during the day. Meals were regular and helpings were unlimited. Sam mused that if they weren't held captive this would be luxury. Some people paid good money for this treatment.

However, sadness gripped her heart and held it close. Reality was a shadow, adjoined to her soul. She would bear a child but not in the way she had once dreamed about but now yearned for.

There would be no father, no decorating a nursery, no treasured family albums with 'baby's first...', no groundings, report cards, school trips. It may be the lifestyle that was within the grasp of movie families, but it was what Sam wanted more than anything. Not for her child to grow up knowing only evil.

She sighed and bit back tears, concentrating on anything but the physical world.

Thanks you for reading. Please review.

There may be delays between chapters. I have exams coming up (real ones this time) and when exams come up my time goes *POOF*.

: )

Coffee Bean