The news hit Sam like a ton of bricks when it came in to the Command center. She'd had a gut feeling that one of the missing would be Jack – when had he ever managed to stay out of trouble when it was looking for someone? But Andrew and Teal'c were both missing, too, and that just made it that much worse. She closed her eyes when the Search team that had made it to the lodge called in the names, and had felt Hammond and Janet both reach out and support her when she swayed slightly.

"I'm okay," she'd whispered, opening her eyes and forcing herself to stand up straight. She ignored the concerned look Chad shot her direction, and asked him if he had any information about the others.

"They're all safe in the lodge, although Brenda's sending out the boys with some of her people, in case there's another fall. They should be here in half an hour or so, since they're coming straight and not doing any searching."

"We'll see that they get home safely," Hammond assured him, waving over one of his men and telling him to have a van available in an hour. That would give Fraiser a chance to have her medics check the boys out before they were taken home.

Sam walked over and sat down in a corner, out of the way but close enough that she could still hear everything that was going on. Fraiser came over and stood next to her, kneeling down beside her.

"Don't give up on them."

"I've been doing some research, Janet." Sam said, gesturing to her laptop. "The critical time for people buried in an avalanche is half an hour. Jack and the others have been missing for at least two."

"They might not be buried."

Sam gave her a look that said she clearly thought they were.

"Don't do this, Sam. It's too early to give up hope."

~*~

There was nothing worse than being cold. Jack had decided that a long time ago, and he still believed it. Days like this were simply a reminder of why. He and Teal'c had taken either side of Andrew and were cuddled up as close to him as they dared, trying to keep him warm, but Jack didn't know how much good it was doing. Andrew hadn't woken up yet, and while Jack was glad the boy wasn't feeling any pain, he was also concerned. He wasn't a doctor, but he was worried that prolonged unconsciousness was a sure sign of a worse injury. O'Neill had asked Teal'c to check Andrew's head once more for an injury, thinking maybe he'd missed something, but the Jaffa hadn't found anything, either.

The boy was breathing – shallow, but steady breaths – and his heart was beating. Since those were the most important things, they continued to check them as the darkness grew deeper and deeper, until the only thing visible in the cave were the glow in the dark hands on Jack's wristwatch.

"Are you awake, O'Neill?"

Teal'c was genuinely concerned about Jack. The Jaffa could hear O'Neill's breathing, and it was ragged and short and accentuated by an occasional gasp of pain. He was certain that O'Neill was badly injured, and in the dark all Teal'c could do was try and keep the Colonel awake and aware.

"Yeah..."

"You must remain conscious, O'Neill." Teal'c told him, reaching over Andrew and touching his friend's stomach. He'd been aiming for Jack's shoulder, but in the dark it was impossible to tell where he was touching.

"I know..."

Jack did know.

"If there has been no one to find us by daylight, I will go and bring help."

"You up to that?" It hurt to talk, but it was something to keep his mind off the pain. In the darkness there was very little to keep his mind off just how badly he hurt.

"I am not now, but I will be by morning."

"Junior."

"Indeed."

Jack rolled over onto his side, facing the Jaffa and pressing closer to Andrew, even though he couldn't see either of them. He grunted in pain, and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, but he ignored all that. There were more important things to worry about. He wanted to rest, but knew if he did, there was a chance he wasn't going to be able to force himself to wake up again. He didn't mind – he was so tired of hurting already that he was envious of Andrew's unconsciousness - but he had to make sure that Teal'c... did something. He just couldn't remember what it was.

"Listen... Just in... in case I don't get through this..."

"You will get through this, O'Neill." Teal'c told him, certainly. "You must."

"Yeah... but if I don't..." Jack hesitated. He wanted to tell Teal'c to take care of Sam. To tell him to make sure that she knew he loved her, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. It was too final. He couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her again.

"Make sure you get Andrew out of here..."

"You will get through this, O'Neill." Teal'c repeated. "You must. Who will keep Shawn Adams from being used by the Asgard if you do not?"

It was a calculated move. Teal'c was well aware how little O'Neill trusted the Asgard's intentions when it came to Shawn, and he knew that Jack thought – and rightfully so – that he was all that was keeping Thor and the others from turning Shawn into some kind of a living science project. How many times had he and O'Neill discussed that very thing?

"Hammond..."

"The Asgard will not listen to General Hammond as they will listen to you."

"Sam..."

"You know better, O'Neill. You control the Asgard more than any of the others. Without you standing between them and the boy, they will be able to do whatever they wish."

Teal'c had a bit more faith in the Asgard than that, but it was all he could think of to keep O'Neill talking about something other than not making it. He was certain from the tone of voice that the Colonel was close to giving in to his injuries, and that just wasn't acceptable. Teal'c would say anything he needed to in order to keep that from happening.

Jack felt like crying. All he wanted to do was sleep, and he couldn't. Responsibility. It was always responsibility. He wasn't trying to save the world this time. Giving in to his pain and drifting off wasn't going to be the end of the world. It wouldn't even affect all that many people. There was nothing to keep him from letting go. Sam would live on, and so would the rest of his friends. They would mourn, and then go on saving the world without him.

Shawn, though. That was another matter entirely, and Jack knew it. Shawn was Jack's responsibility. Teal'c could pull Andrew through this snow thing, and get him home safely even if Jack gave up, but the Jaffa couldn't keep the Asgard from using Shawn. Neither could Sam, or Hammond, or Daniel. Jack didn't know why exactly the Asgard listened to him, but they did – most of the time – and that was all that was keeping them from doing whatever it was they wanted to do with Shawn. He had to stay awake, if for no other reason than the fact that he had to keep Shawn's future open. It sounded so simple, but it was something only he could do.

"O'Neill?"

Teal'c was concerned by the silence, and wondered if he'd failed. He rolled over onto his side as well, his hand going to Jack's shoulder this time.

"Yeah..." There was resignation in his voice, and pain. But Teal'c thought he also heard determination as well. Which was what he'd been hoping to hear. Jack was more stubborn than anyone Teal'c had ever met – human or otherwise – and once he'd set his mind to doing something (in this case simply surviving the night) Teal'c was certain he'd do it. Now it was up to Teal'c to keep him talking and keep him awake.