Author's Notes:- Thanks To Stonedtoad for betaing.


The Dead Zone 10 – Hope

Sha're sat cross-legged by the fire staring absently into the dancing flames. The others were fast asleep and she listened to both of them breathing deeply. Days had become meaningless as they moved from place to place using Martouf and Lantesh's knowledge. Despite the friends they had made so far they hadn't met anyone to help them home.

As usual when she was alone her mind drifted to her husband, allowing her thoughts to go back to him she smiled. It kept her going, the hope that one day she would wake up and just hear his voice saying good morning to her. It was what she strived for, what kept her moving that one day she would make it home to him and be able to start her life again.

Their last contact had given her some of his memories, she'd been trying to learn how to access them lately using meditation techniques Lantesh had taught her. Relaxing her body she tried to clear her mind and focus on his memories hoping to find something to get them home.

Suddenly a distinct presence invaded her senses.

It wasn't Lantesh she knew how his presence felt. This was something new and she couldn't tell whether it was good or bad. Sliding her hand along the ground she located her zat and activating it ready to fire she quietly slipped towards Charlie's tent.

x

Jacob Carter frowned seeing the campsite nearby, it looked like an Earth style group of tents.

"I thought SG1 were the only ones off world," Jacob mused thoughtfully.

"As did I," Selmak agreed, "It may be them."

"No," Jacob countered, "I'm pretty sure they're on Abydos."

"Who can it be?" Selmak wondered.

"Another Gould trying to infiltrate Earth?" Jacob considered.

"It's unlikely," Selmak told him.

Jacob shrugged, "Let's go check it out."

The fire was still blazing and there were three tents crowded near it though each had enough distance between them for privacy. However no one was in sight. Jacob moved slowly keeping to the shadows. Coming closer to the camp he stood beside a tree to get a better view.

"Do not move," a woman ordered pressing a zat to the base of his skull.

"I'm unarmed," Jacob said holding up his arms, "Don't shoot."

"Jacob?" a voice cried in amazement.

Jacob froze, he thought he'd heard…but he couldn't have.

"Selmak?" Jacob asked.

"I heard it too," Selmak told him amazement filling his voice, "That was Martouf."

"Jacob," the voice said again relief filling it, "It's okay let him go."

Jacob felt the zat being removed from his neck and he turned to see his friend standing there a grin covering his face,

"Martouf?" he stared at him for a few seconds before grabbing him into a huge hug laughing in amazement.

"I take it we just found a friend," a new voice interrupted.

"Jacob, I'd like you to meet Charlie Kawalsky," Martouf introduced the man coming up beside them, "Charlie, meet General Jacob Carter."

Charlie automatically snapped a salute before frowning in thought, "Carter?"

"Samantha's father," Martouf explained.

Charlie laughed, "Typical."

"How do you know Sam?" Jacob asked curiously.

"I was a member of the SGC," Charlie grinned, "In fact I was part of the team that originally went to Abydos."

"Who was going to shoot me?" Jacob asked, absently rubbing the back of his neck.

"I am sorry, I did not realise you were a friend," the young woman apologised coming into his line of sight.

Jacob gasped as he saw her, he recognised her from her picture though found she was more beautiful in person.

"You're Sha're," Jacob said in astonishment, "You're Daniel's wife."

Sha're's eyes lit up at the mention of Daniel, "You know him?"

Jacob grinned, "I know him."

"Kids, we're going home," Charlie cried picking Sha're up and swinging her round.

"I have a mission," Jacob told them, "After that I'll take you to a Tok'ra base."

"Why not Earth?" Sha're asked.

"Cause I don't have a GDO with me," Jacob shrugged, "This shouldn't take long."

Sha're, Martouf and Charlie exchanged glances.

"Want some help?" Charlie asked.

x

Jacob sat next to the fire with them.

"There is a Gould lab here," he explained, "I'm here to steal some plans for a new ship design and then blow the lab."

"Sounds fun," Charlie said, "In, out then off this rock."

"I'll get us in then we should split up," Jacob said.

"Charlie and Martouf go together to set charges," Sha're decided, "I shall accompany Jacob to find the plans."

Jacob opened his mouth to protest at her taking over but shut it quickly seeing the signal from Charlie.

"Sure," he finally said.


"So," Jacob said as he walked along the corridors of the base with Sha're beside him trying to get a conversation started.

"So what?" Sha're asked very softly.

"Are you looking forward to going home?" he asked.

"I have never been to Earth," Sha're reminded him icily, "How can I look forward to returning?"

Jacob stopped for a second, "I meant about seeing Daniel."

A flicker of something moved across Sha're's features before her expression became impassive again, "I am not raising my hopes."

Jacob frowned confused, she seemed so cool and distant as though she didn't dare get excited at the prospect of being happy.

"This shouldn't take long," Jacob promised her.

"Of course not," she replied before moving away so she didn't have to speak anymore.

After a few minutes of silence she turned back to him, "I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"If something should happen to me," she told him, "If I am killed then I do not want you to tell Dan'iel I was here."

Jacob stared at her confused, "You don't want him to know?"

"I will not put him through anymore pain for me," Sha're told him sharply, "You must promise. The others have already but I need you to also."

"I promise," he said softly, "But Sha're I'm going to get you back to Daniel."

"Thank you," she smiled at him genuinely.

x

"I've been thinking," Charlie said as they moved down through the corridors of the laboratory.

"About?" Martouf asked.

"The fact your connection with Lantesh isn't what it used to be," he told them.

"We're used to it now," Martouf shrugged, "There's nothing we can do anyway."

"Couldn't you get Lantesh to leave you for a bit?" Charlie asked, "Then rejoin and it might…" he left it hanging.

"That would be impossible," Martouf said, "Lantesh would need to move to another host and wouldn't be able to move again."

"Don't give up on that," Charlie told him, "With Teal'c at the SGC they were studying the Gould. They might be able to put Lantesh in a holding tank until you two can blend again."

Martouf looked thoughtful, "Dr Fraiser was always interested in that. It's an idea."

"Well once we get back you can talk to the doc about it," Charlie said.

"It is an interesting thought," Lantesh told him.

x

Jacob found the files he was looking for and started accessing all the information he wanted. Downloading the information he glanced over to where Sha're was going through some other files.

"Anything interesting?" he called to her.

"This is the laboratory of the Goa'uld Osiris?" Sha're said.

"Yeah," Jacob nodded.

"Do you know how my husband knows the host?" Sha're asked without looking at him.

Jacob shrugged, "I think Sam said they used to work together before the Stargate."

"Thank you," Sha're murmured, "That has been bothering me. Do you have everything you need?"

Jacob shook himself at how fast she changed the subject, "Yeah, got everything."

"Charlie and Martouf should have planted the explosive devices," she said, "Can we leave now?"

The longing that filled her voice made Jacob smile softly.

"Sure, let's get…" he stopped suddenly diving and grabbing her out of the way of a laser blast the came from the roof.

Sha're watched as the room became a trap, with them trapped in a corner.

"Hell," Jacob muttered.

x

Charlie ducked back behind the corner, "We've got Jaffa."

"Jacob didn't think there'd be that many," Martouf frowned, "Or any down here."

"Looks like he was wrong," Charlie shrugged, "Let's get this stuff planted and get out of here."

Martouf nodded in agreement, quietly they moved towards the power generator.

Charlie planted the small bombs Jacob had given them while Martouf kept an eye out for Jaffa. Once they'd planted them they started moving back along the corridors.

"Piece of cake," Charlie grinned as they entered the corridor.

Walking along Charlie was suddenly repelled by an energy barrier, Martouf turned and tried to go back running into another barrier.

"I think we're in trouble," Charlie said.


Jacob ripped off a piece of Sha're's jacket and pressed it to her shoulder where the laser had struck her.

"You okay?" he asked.

She nodded her jaw set in pain, "I will be."

"Guys," Charlie's voice came over the communicator, "We've got a problem."

"You're not alone," Jacob replied, "What's wrong your end?"

"Some sort of energy barrier has locked out this corridor," Charlie told him, "We can't go either way. You?"

"Laser blasts anytime we enter the centre of the room," Jacob explained, "It's like a defence mechanism programmed only for night."

"Anyway to get us out?" Charlie demanded.

"I'm working on it," Jacob replied, "Just don't go anywhere."

Sha're smiled as she heard the snort from Charlie before she turned to where Jacob was looking at the computer readouts.

"Anything?" she asked softly.

"This can't be right," Jacob mused trying to find a way to turn off both traps.

"What is it?" Sha're asked.

"The way to deactivate this," Jacob explained, "It's an oral command."

"Then you can do it?"

"It's in Spanish," Jacob told her.

Sha're frowned as she thought, "What does that mean?"

"As far as both me and Selmak know, there's no civilisation on any Gould planet that uses even a variation of that language," Jacob explained a frown marring his face.

"You said that this laboratory belongs to Osiris," Sha're said, "The host is from Earth, am I correct?"

"Good point," Jacob grimaced.

"Can you speak Spanish?" Sha're asked.

"Nope," he frowned before flicking on the communicator, "Charlie?"

"Still waiting," Charlie replied tersely.

"You wouldn't happen to know Spanish?"

"Afraid not," Charlie said, "Why?"

"Then we're pretty much screwed," Jacob grimaced, "It's the only way to get us out."

"Neither of you know the language?" Martouf asked.

"No," Jacob and Charlie said in unison from their respective prisons.

"Wait," Sha're cried, "Someone does know it."

"Who?" Jacob stared at her in confusion, "By my count there's only four of us."

"Dan'iel," Sha're explained to a completely confused Jacob.

"Ah Sha're," Charlie said, "Hon, you've never been able to access that willingly."

"What?" Jacob asked.

"I have been doing the techniques Lantesh taught me," Sha're replied, "If I can find a way to gain this language I can free us."

"I'm going to ask just once more and I better get an answer," Jacob growled, "What are you talking about?"

"You have heard how I died?" Sha're asked.

Jacob nodded.

"Whilst Ammonet had Dan'iel within the grip of the ribbon device," Sha're explained, "I was left with his memories and some of his skills."

"She's just never been able to use them at will," Martouf added.

"There is no harm in trying," Sha're snapped at them.

"She's right," Charlie told them, "Okay Hon, need us to do anything?"

"Just remain quiet," Sha're replied before closing her eyes and trying to find the knowledge.

After a few seconds Sha're sighed in frustration, "I cannot do it."

"Jacob, Charlie," Martouf said, "Do either of you know any Spanish words?"

"La cuenta por favor," Charlie said.

"Dos cervesas," Jacob tried.

"Gracias," Charlie added.

"Okay," Sha're said after a few seconds, taking Jacob's place at the computer she spoke the command to deactivate both rooms' defences.

"Let's go," Jacob took her arm, "We'll meet you at the Stargate," he called to the others.

x

Charlie grabbed Sha're in a hug when they met at the Stargate, "You did it."

She smiled brightly at him, "Finally."

"And just think," Martouf said joining them, "Soon you'll be back with him."

A few tears appeared in her eyes but she blinked them away as Jacob joined them. With a smile he started to dial the Stargate, "Is everyone ready?"

"Completely," Charlie laughed, "Once you blow that place."

Jacob tossed Charlie the detonator, "Want to do it?"

Grinning Charlie pushed the button, "Ah the sweet sound of explosives."

Sha're and Martouf rolled their eyes smiling as the Stargate opened.

"You guys ready to go home?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," Martouf replied.

"Oh yeah," Charlie added.

They turned to Sha're, "Lead the way Jacob."

Jacob watched as they linked hands and together followed him through the event horizon.