They searched all night. Dogs and people were swarming around the snow by the lodge until they were absolutely certain that the three missing people weren't in that area, then they started moving down the slide area, working carefully, and making sure that the dogs had a chance to smell everything. The searchers used the lodge as a command post, and as a place to warm up, although Shadow's presence made it necessary to warm the other dogs up in the other dining room. It didn't matter. There was plenty of firewood, and plenty of lights being toted around by the searchers – military and civilian alike.

Shawn watched everything from his position on the couch next to Daniel. The other boys had long since left, and true to his word Shawn hadn't said a word unless he was spoken to, for fear that Daniel or Shelby would send him away as well. The boy simply huddled against Daniel; one hand wrapped around the archeologist's arm, the other clutching Jack's dog tags. Shelby had covered him and Daniel with a blanket to keep them from getting any chill, but the room was warm enough it wasn't much of a danger.

"We're certain that they're not in this area," one of the search team leaders told the family members as they all looked at a map that was spread on the coffee table in front of the sofa Daniel and Shawn were sitting on. "The slide extended a snow pack far beyond the normal area, though, and we're concentrating our search there, now. Since it's dark, we're stuck at a slower pace than I like, but it's necessary." She tried to give them a reassuring smile, but it came out more as a grimace. "We'll find them, I promise you."

Daniel put his arm around Shawn, and the two resumed their wait, both of them wanting to help, but neither allowed to. Shawn dozed off a time or two as the night progressed, but never for more than a half hour or so, and any time there was a commotion at the door, he was instantly awake and alert, hoping. Always the message was the same. No luck, yet, but we'll find them.

~*~

At the entrance to the road, Carter was feeling equally helpless. She was in the command tent with Hammond and Fraiser, and she sat and watched as Chad Kindell coordinated search teams all through the night, sending out fresh men and women as they arrived, and replacing the ones that needed a chance to warm up.

Kindell couldn't help but wonder about the help he was getting from the Military. It was true they normally sent out help when it was needed for a rescue, but never in such numbers. He was certain that if he told Hammond he needed a dozen helicopters or a hundred more men, he'd have them as soon as Hammond could get on the phone. He wondered who it was that was missing, and why they were so important. But he didn't ask. Carter was looking more and more drawn as the night passed, and he was certain that the men they were looking for were close friends of hers.

He took to patting her shoulder reassuringly every time he walked by the chair she was sitting on. She looked like she could use the support, even with Hammond and the doctor staying near by.

When the boys had been brought in from the lodge, she'd hugged them all, and reassured them, then realized that Shawn wasn't with them and asked about that. They'd told her he'd refused to come, and Sam understood completely, although she was surprised that Daniel had allowed him to stay. She wasn't there, though, so she had to assume there was a reason. The boys had been checked by Fraiser, and then had been loaded in the van for a drive to a nearby hotel where they'd be put up for the night. When morning came they'd all be taken home.

"This is my fault..." Sam told Janet softly, sometime around 4 AM.

"You didn't cause the avalanche, Sam," Fraiser said.

"I made him go. He didn't want to."

"You didn't make him-"

"Yes, I did. He wasn't going to come. He didn't want to be cold, or risk a skiing accident, but I bullied him into going and spending the weekend with the guys. It's all my fault."

Janet hadn't known that, but she rubbed Carter's shoulder, comfortingly.

"He's probably managed to find them a warm place to hole up until morning, Sam. You watch and see, once it gets light out we'll find them all sitting around a warm fire or something, waiting for someone to come find them."

Carter didn't buy that, but neither did Janet, so she wasn't going to take it personally. Sam rested her head in her hands and wished for the millionth time that she was with Jack now that he needed her the most.

~*~

Despite his best efforts, Teal'c couldn't keep O'Neill conscious the entire night. He'd spoken to him at great lengths, reminding him over and over of his duty towards Shawn, and towards the members of the SGC. He'd even went way out on the personal limb and had mentioned the relationship Jack had with Carter, reminding O'Neill just how desperately Sam needed him safe and sound.

When it became apparent that Jack had lost the battle to stay awake, Teal'c had reached his hand out and gently checked his friend in the dark. There was a pulse, and he was breathing. Although both were erratic. The Jaffa then checked Andrew once more, making sure the boy was equally stable – which he was – and then Teal'c closed his eyes. If he was going to go find help for them, he was going to need a little rest. Healing was done by the simbiote, but it was using Teal'c's energies to do it.

He fell into a light sleep, his ears alert for a changing in the breathing patterns of either of the people sleeping next to him, or for sounds of searching coming from around them. If something happened, he'd be awake immediately.