A BIG thank to Icklepiglet, for the 'beta' and for having been so patient with me !!

Thanks for the reviews.

Chapter 7 : If I should fall behind

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

Oblivious to what was happening inside, Jack was trying to find a rapid solution. He had a really bad feeling and didn't want to wait anymore.

He walked back to the van.

"O'Neill ?" Teal'c said knowing the look on Jack's face.
"Colonel ?" Janet asked at the same time.
"Teal'c, I think we've got to act now."
Teal'c nodded silently and Janet gasped.
"Jack ?" Daniel asked.
"It's the best thing to do Daniel."



Teal'c put his hat on and got out of the van.
"You two stay here" Jack ordered giving a gun to Teal'c.
"But..." Daniel and Janet started to protest.
"Daniel, your on crutches just in case you hadn't noticed. Doc, Cassie will need you, don't take that risk and stay here okay ?"
Janet nodded but Daniel sighed cursing himself for having been so stupid.

"I'll need you here Daniel, don't blame yourself." Jack added understanding the feelings of his friend.


**********


Jack was talking to Jerry to give him instruction when lots of noises were heard.
They all looked towards the bank.
The hostages were running out from the building.

Jack raised his eyebrows "For cryin' out loud" he muttered under his breath.


Immediately, the hostages were rescued by the cops and doctors who had volunteered to stay.

Jack caught sight of Cassie, who was helping a pregnant woman to walk away from the bank. He tried to find Sam but failed. He frowned and went to Cassie who ran to him and hugged him.


"That's okay, Cassie, it's over now." Jack whispered.
She looked at him "I'm so sorry Jack" she said.
"What do you mean ?"
"It's Sam."

Jack thought the world around him had stopped, his heart was hurting, beating too fast.
He couldn't say a word so just stared at the young girl.

"She stayed there" Cassie began but was interrupted by Janet.
"Cassie !" the petite doctor cried in relief.
"Mum !" Cassie smiled through her tears, whilst hugging her mother.
"Are you okay ?" Janet asked worriedly.
"I guess I'm fine." her daughter replied looking back at Jack.
"Cassie, I'm so glad to see you." Daniel said joining them. "Where's Sam ?" he added and Janet realised then that her friend wasn't there.

They all looked at Jack and then at Cassie.
"They wanted a hostage to stay with them." Cassie started, unsure of the reaction she was going to get.

Just then Jerry appeared, preventing Cassie from continuing.

"O'Neill" he said. "Don't you think we'd be better to evacuate all of them just in case they decided to use their C4 ?"
Jack nodded. "You're right. Take care of that. I want everyone out of here in five minutes.

"Your staying here ?" Jerry asked surprised.

Jack turned his eyes to the bank.

"She's still in there" he replied, walking away.
"Who was he talking about ?" Jerry asked to the others.
"Our friend." Daniel replied.
"The woman he loves" Janet said with tears in her eyes.
"Oh." Jerry said while the others were looking at Janet surprised at what she had said.


**********

Jack was trying to reach the men in the bank, but was only getting a ringing sound in reply.
He throw the phone on the ground.
"Jack" he heard Daniel's voice behind him.
Jack looked at him.
"She's gonna be okay."
Jack looked at his friends who had joined him.


Jack shook his head and bit his lips. "Why did they have to choose her ?"
"They didn't".
Everyone looked at Cassie in astonishment.
"What ?"
Cassie looked at her mother and then at Jack.

"They needed a hostage and Sam told them to pick her."

"why on Earth did she do that ?!" Daniel snapped.
"Because it's Sam." Jack replied quietly to Cassie's surprise, thinking that he would be more angry at her decision.
"She wouldn't have taken the risk to jeopardise another life." he added.
Cassie nodded and smiled at Jack.
She remembered, then, everything she had to say to him.


**********

Janet, Daniel and Cassie had to leave the area under Jack's orders.
They were walking to their van when the young girl retraced her steps to O'Neill.

"Jack" she said.
He looked at her waiting for her to talk.
"Sam asked me to tell you that she would come fishing with you in Texas."
"In Texas ?" Janet repeated as she had followed Cassie.
"You mean Minnesota, don't you ?" Jack asked.

Cassie shook her head in response.
"Nope, she said Texas."
"That could be interesting" Jack said more for himself than for others. "Cassandra, do you remember anything that could help us ?" Jack added.
"Well..." she began, telling them how Sam and herself stayed awake thanks to the naquada in their blood, how the men acted and what their names were. She told them everything she could remember.

Jack nodded and turned to face Daniel.
"Daniel, I want you to find me those guys. They must come from Texas, certainly belonged to the marine's. Try to find out if they've already been arrested in the past...how they acted...and so on."

Daniel nodded, happy to be finally useful.

"Okay, now guys, leave the area, there's nothing secured here."
They nodded knowing that nothing could change his mind.

"Oh, and Jack" Cassie added "she told me to tell you that she did what she had to do."
"I know Cassie. I know" Jack replied back, looking at the building.

Cassie wanted to tell him what it really meant but Jack was already lost in his thoughts.
Janet looked at her daughter and, followed by Daniel, they joined the van where they could start their research.

***********

The team were now ready to leave the bank. Sam was trying to look outside but the blinks

were closed and nothing was visible. She knew deep inside however, that her friends would never give up on her.
She observed the men who seemed to ignore the outside world. They hadn't answered the phone or even checked the area round the front of the bank.

They finally started to move.
"Get up." One said to her while the others were walking to the back-room.
"Where are we going ?" Sam asked.
No one replied and she was forced to follow them into the cold, white corridors.


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

To be continued

Thanks for reading

Feedbacks always appreciated