They were coming. The relentless marching growing louder and louder, driving her insane. Her hand tightened on the zat, still facing the door.

"Daniel..." she whispered, her voice shaking uncontrollably like the rest of her body.

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it" was the short, nervous reply.

She was falling apart; time was nothing as their capture went on and on. She remembered. She remembered waking up after the capture.

*******

She couldn't remember what day it was, what year it was even. It was quiet, so quiet. Everything was still. She could feel the floor beneath her, smooth and cold, her eyes clamped shut against the potential horrors surrounding her. If she kept her eyes shut she could pretend nothing happened. They never went through the Stargate, she was at home about to get ready for another hard days work. Concentrate and it will all disappear. But it was too late; it was all flooding back now. The Serpent Guards surrounding them as they looked for the missing Stargate, their brutal treatment as they were led towards a building and pain, so much pain. She gritted her teeth in protest.

"Please no..." she thought desperately "Let it be a dream, a bad dream."

And slowly she opened her eyes, it wasn't a dream, it was hopelessly real. She sat up, taking in the cold metallic glare of her surroundings. She was aching all over, a pulsating pain in her head. On the floor around her she could see Daniel stirring and Jack gingerly rising to his feet, a look of confusion and seriousness on his face. Teal'c, she saw was standing by the door, hands behind his back glancing down the dark corridor.

"Can anyone please explain why I feel like I've been run over by a truck or two?" asked Jack, wincing as he pulled Sam to her feet.

"Sorry Sir but your guess is as good as mine" she replied.

"Teal'c, how long have we been here" Jack asked

"I am not sure O'Neill, for I was also unconscious until shortly before you," he stated simply.

"So no one has a clue, great! How about you Daniel?" Jack enquired, already knowing the answer

"Uh, sorry Jack." Daniel answered, followed by a short, tense silence

"I believe we were all subjected to kel'sha'krae." Teal'c explained suddenly, turning around.

"Uh huh... explain?!" Jack shot back sarcastically, patience obviously waning.

"The Goa'uld are able to subject prisoners to a large amount of pain while they are in a deep sleep state in order to subtract information and leave no visible sign of torture."

"What?!" Jack exclaimed

"That can't be good" Daniel said quietly

"Sir, they could've asked us anything. We could've seriously jeopardised Earth and the SGC" Sam explained, shocked.

"Anubis would've been unable to penetrate our minds initially, but given time we will divulge information unwillingly." Teal'c continued

"At least that gives us some time," Sam observed

The conversation tapered off and they sat in silence. SG-1 had gotten out of plenty of sticky situations but this one felt different. Sam couldn't put her finger on why.

She stood up and walked over to the door guarding their exit and looked for an escape.

"I could see no immediate way out when I searched Major Carter, it seems we must wait for an opportunity to present itself." Teal'c said

"I don't really think that's really an option Teal'c" Daniel said suddenly, entering the conversation "I don't think it's an option sitting and waiting for Anubis to torture us! There could be anything out there. We are a liability, a danger to Earth. Soon they could ask us anything and we'll answer. We can't wait for that to happen. Jack..." he finished somewhat lamely, looking at Jack for a sign. A sign showing that the undefeatable team leader had some miraculous idea which would lead them all to safety. Willing. Wishing. Hoping.

Jack looked at his feet, "I agree Daniel, but how?" he asked simply.

"I... I don't know" Daniel stuttered, before sitting down.

"Well, that could be a problem," replied Jack, who followed suite and sat down across from Daniel

"We are all strong, I am sure that Anubis will not break our minds easily, we have time" Teal'c repeated firmly, "But we must rest and keep our strength"

"You heard Teal'c" Jack said rubbing his hands together with fake excitement "Nap time! We need our beauty sleep!"

*******

It was later, much later before they heard the familiar, foreboding, clanging sound of the Serpent Guards marching towards them.

"Up time troops, here we go" were the final words heard from Jack as the guards arrived at their cell to lead them away.

*******

The agony, the blinding destinationless agony lasted forever as they asked her over and over for information about Earth, its defences and its Stargate. She screamed, it burned, could feel it tearing. White-hot needles all over her body, it hurt so much, it was beyond endurance. She could not see, could not wake up, was blinded by pain. Then it stopped. She was dreaming, her memories and thoughts were swimming through her mind. Childhood memories were flooding back. She was locked in the back of her mind, while her mind was read like a book. Her subconscious was stirring,

"No," she thought desperately, "Stop..."

Her eyes opened, she could see!! A split second passed as she drank in the sight facing her before a sudden burst of pain surged through her body and nothingness surrounded her.