Thanks again for all your reviews, and I know most of you wanted me to get Jack to say he loves Sam, but sorry couldn't do it! It goes against all my beliefs on chemistry and subtlety, but……….I'm sure I could be persuaded, given the right encouragement, ie lots of reviews, LOL. What can I say I'm so weak.
Ooh and picture this: RDA in MacGyver wearing only a towel in this episode, I had to sit down before I fainted. LOL (I haven't seen it since I was a teenager.)
Sorry it's taken me so long to update, but the server went down, and again and then it decided it didn't want to play at all, ah don't you just love technology!
Spoilers as usual from season 2 onwards
Rating: PG
Stargate: Well it certainly isn't mine, but we can all dream can't we.
End of Chapter 11Sam, seeing Daniel right there in front of her, thought she would burst with happiness. Her smile went all the way up to hers eyes, and said. "You're back, I can't believe it?" her eyes questioned, hoping that she wasn't dreaming.
Daniel continuing to smile said simply "I could say the same about you Sam." Seeing the confused expression on her face, he told her not worry and that he would explain later.
Jack just sat there grinning like a Cheshire cat, with her head still in his lap. She was back, and that's all he cared about. Now that he held her and she was awake, he was never gonna let her go.
Chapter 12 - ChemistryLooking at Daniel, she just couldn't believe it, she lay there for a few brief moments smiling contently, Daniel was back. Then, the more she thought about it, the more confused she became as her smile turned into a frown. With her thoughts turning to the past, how on earth could he be standing here in front of her, she had watched him die; slowly. She remembered her efforts to try to heal him, but it hadn't worked, and she had felt guilty for months after. Six months ago she'd mourned the loss of her friend. He had been so much more to her than just a work colleague; he was like her brother, and it had taken her a long time to get used to the fact that he wasn't coming back. Now, after all this time, he was stood here as plain as day, talking to her as if he'd just been on vacation, she really didn't understand. Her thoughts were all over the place, did Daniel being here with them now mean that her and Jack were dead?
Seeing her troubled expression Daniel stated, "Hey Sam, it's me, I promise."
Hearing his voice, this definitely was no dream, she knew what she wanted to say, but saying it out loud would mean that it was true. She had to know though. Looking at Daniel with a mixture of sadness and uncertainty in her eyes she asked, "Are we dead?"
Jack and Daniel looked mortified, both feeling as if they had been slapped in the face, trying to belay the fear that was in her eyes.
"Nooo. Oh *no* Sam, you're not dead, believe me. Neither is Jack." Their hearts going out to her, as they finally understood some of the sadness in her eyes, now filling slowly with tears.
Quietly she asked, "You're sure?"
Daniel knelt beside her wiping the slow trickle of tears falling down her cheek, before saying with a slight smile, "Trust me Sam, I'm sure."
She felt his touch and heard him so clearly, if only she didn't feel so disorientated. She didn't have a clue about what had happened or how he was able to be here wiping the tears. Trying hard to remember, she could only recall fragments of memories; lots of shouting and pain, and a man; she remembered a man. Raising her hand to her forehead as if to will the memories to return, she noticed the Colonel was looking at her worriedly.
"Carter?"
It was no use, she thought, she just couldn't remember; and it frightened her. Why couldn't she remember, it was if a part of her life had just disappeared, and obviously judging by the way the Colonel still held her, an important one.
Jacks face grew more worried, she still hadn't answered him. His mind in turmoil….not again, please.
"Carter" He said a little louder, and squeezing her hand slightly.
Sam just blinked, noting his frown getting deeper, and a sense of urgency in his voice.
"Sorry Sir?" Sam answered, "I'm tired, and I don't really understand what's happening." She really wasn't feeling great; it was if she had run a marathon. She had so many questions to ask though, specifically about where she was and what she was doing here. And then there was Daniel; her friend, was he still alive? She really didn't know for sure, she couldn't think straight anymore.
Both Jack and Daniel glanced down at Sam whose eyes were starting to close. Daniel speaking first. "Sam, I know you're tired, but you need to stay awake for just a little while longer, just until we can get you home ok?"
Daniel and Jack both looked at her with worrying looks, they didn't have a clue if Sam's tiredness was her way of dealing with the trauma that had been inflicted upon her body over the last few days, or that it was a sign of problems to come. Either way, they were not prepared to take any chances, especially not a second time.
Daniel moved closer to Jack, and whispered "I'll see how far Jacob's got, and be back as soon as I can, just don't let her fall asleep." Then quick as a flash he was gone again.
Jack was determined that this was not going to happen a second time, trying to think of something to keep her awake he said, "Sam, now is not the time to be falling asleep, believe me. Look, why don't we try sitting you up you might feel a bit better, and your Dad, Teal'c and Jonas will be back shortly, and I don't think they'd be impressed finding you asleep."
Noting her eyes opening wider, he was pleased to see some kind of alertness in her pale features. Looking directly into Jack's eyes, she smiled like only Carter could.
"My Dad's here? Where is he?" Sam enquired suddenly becoming less sleepy, moving her eyes around the room and wondering why he wasn't here with her.
Jack smiled, if anything spurned her on, it was knowing that her Dad was nearby. "It's ok Sam, he's gone to get the ship, then it won't be long till we're back home safe and sound in the infirmary. Ol' Doc Frasier's sure gonna have a field day with you!" Jack told her, sounding more confident than he felt.
"Sir, why won't you tell me what's happened?" Carter implored, secretly thinking that it must be bad if he wasn't telling her, now she was even more concerned.
"Sam, let's get you sat up first and we'll talk later, ok?" Jack advised placing his hands on her back to help her sit up. With stubbornness being a family trait, she told him that she didn't need any help, and that it was something she had to do to try and regain some kind of control. Considering how easy sitting up was, she was having more than her fair share of difficulties as she berated her body for not complying. Every move she made, her body protested, which caused her to become increasingly frustrated.
Jack seeing that she was struggling hooked his hands under her armpits and went to shimmy her back, but Carter was being even more stubborn than normal and was determined to do it for herself. Mumbling to Jack, she said, "I can do it myself, just give me a minute."
Raising his hands in a defensive stance as if to say, "OK, if that's the way you want it." Well, at least she seemed a bit more alert than before. And feistiness in Carter was always a good sign, and he planned to keep her like this at least until they were back at the SGC.
All he kept hearing was Carter huffing and puffing, getting more and more frustrated with herself and her body for failing to cooperate. She knew Jack would just sit there and wait until she had given up, but she was determined now, it was more a battle of wills than anything. She gripped her hands first on Jack's thighs to push herself upright, and was pleasantly surprised by how muscled they were, and enjoyed the sensation, feeling his thighs gave her. Totally distracted by this, she paused half way between lying down and sitting up.
Wondering why Carter had stopped midstream he asked, "You ok?"
Feeling embarrassed that she had been so caught up with feeling his legs; she cleared her throat and said, "Sorry Sir, I'm fine. Nearly there."
Finally she was sitting up fully, and felt thoroughly pleased with herself, "Yeah me!" she cried in her head. Now all she needed to do was scoot her butt back into Jack. So sliding her hands back across his thighs a little further, she managed to slowly shimmy back a little more. Then repeated the process again, each time her hands moving closer and closer to Jack's inside thigh, she couldn't believe how long this was taking her. With her mind completely focused on completing this simple task, she put to one side the sensations feeling Jack's body gave her.
"Um Carter" Jack murmured getting slightly more nervous the closer her hands got.
Carter not realising how close she was to breaking regulations, said, "I'm nearly there."
And literally just before she placed her hands on parts Jack only dreamed about her touching, he shouted in a very uncomfortable voice. "Carter! Before you move your hands back further, you might wanna look at where they are." He informed her, trying to be as discreet as possible.
"What do you mean?" She asked slightly out of breath, then slowly turning around, the realisation hit her as she noticed where her hands were positioned, "Oh."
Trying hard not to laugh at the discomfort on her CO's face, she sheepishly said "Sorry! Um, Sir, can you help me the rest of the way back."
"Nooo problem Carter" he advised, secretly wondering what would have happened if he hadn't stopped things there. He then wrapped his arms around her waist, trying desperately to control his breathing, having her this close to him was having more of an impact than he ever thought was possible. Finally, she had reached as far back as she could go, and leant slightly on Jack for support, his arms casually wrapped around her waist.
Secretly they were both more than content to remain like this. Jack could feel Carters lungs expanding and contracting against his chest as she tried to get her breath back from that exhaustive effort. They remained in each other's arms for a few moments trying desperately not to act upon feelings that were steadily rising to the surface.
Sam's mind was working overtime, she was shattered. It had taken a lot of effort to sit herself up, and now with Jack's arms wrapped around her waist, she was feeling things, she knew she shouldn't. "It's so unfair" she thought aloud, not realising it.
Jack shifting himself slightly, contentedly looked down into her eyes, and could easily have drowned in the sea of blue that looked back up at him. "What's unfair Sam?"
But before she had the chance to answer, the building shook; slightly at first, but then grew more intense as the moments passed, shaking them both out of their reverie.
Jack speaking first in a surprised voice shouted "What the hell!"
They both looked at each other with such intensity, the structure was being hit by some kind of concentrated energy bursts; a whine could be heard with each blast as it got closer and closer to where they were; parts of the room started caving in around them, pieces of crystal fell from above and littered the ground near there position, dust particles from overhead fell silently into their hair. Their firsts thoughts were how to get the hell out of the building as quickly as possible. Neither of them however were in any condition to move far, what with Jack's dodgy ankle and Carter's near death experience, they hoped it was nothing more than a seismic disturbance, but knowing their luck, they knew it was a far more sinister. The intensity of the sounds from outside echoed in the cavern, a sound that definitely resembled an energy weapon.
"Crap!" Shouted O'Neill, as he attempted to stand up, pushing Carter slightly forward in his efforts, making sure not to cause further injury to his swollen ankle. From the sounds of things, there wasn't much time, whatever was happening outside would eventually cause the collapse of the building and take him and Carter with it.
Finally he got up, and stood for the first time in hours, his ankle protesting at the pressure that was being placed upon it. Jack screamed in pain as he put some more weight on it. A burning sensation ripped through his legs as if a thousand fire ants were chomping at his bones.
Carter desperately trying to push herself up off the ground grunted through the effort of rising to her feet. Her eyes darting towards her CO as he shouted in pain. "You OK?" she asked breathlessly trying to grab hold of his outstretched arm, so that he could pull her the rest of the way up.
"Peachy!" he replied sarcastically through gritted teeth. "Cmon Carter, put a bit of effort in there." He teased trying to ease the worry he'd heard in her voice.
Carter, struggling to get on her feet, shot him a dirty look. "Effort! What do ya think I'm doing…Sir?" Then with a last grunt, grabbed his hands, and eased herself to a standing position. Unfortunately with the strain of standing for the first time in god knows how long, she was greeted with an almighty head rush. Suddenly she felt very sick and clammy. Jack seeing that she was about to pass out, held her steadily for a few moments until the dizziness had subsided, but not before the nausea completely took over causing her to vomit.
Jack absently rubbing her back to ease her suffering gently said "Better out than in Carter."
Taking a deep breath to get rid of any last remnants of nausea, she muttered a word of thanks. Looking directly at her, he asked seriously "You good to go?"
Carter now starting to feel the strain said, "Do I have a choice?"
With a dead pan expression on his face, as the building shook violently once more, he said to her, "Yeah, we can either die…or not."
With a slight shakiness in her voice, she replied, "I'll take door number 2."
Grinning, Jack said, "Good to have ya back Carter."
End of Chapter 12
Yeah I know I said I was coming to the end, but I had a flash of inspiration, so thought I'd carry on. What will happen to our intrepid travellers? You'll have to wait and see. Will they be stuck in a Tokra base forever? Will Jacob rescue them? Is Daniel really dead, all this and more will be revealed in Chapter 13.
