Also, I forgot at the beginning of this story, but I wanted to say a special thanks to those who reviewed my last story "Cut to the Chase". A lot of you asked for a sequel, but I'm afraid I wasn't planning on one. I may include a tiny sequel in another story, just not in this one. Anyway, thanks again!
And special HUGE thanks goes to Sarah-elf princess for her wonderful ideas and support for this story! Thank you so much!
ooooooooooooooooooooo
Sam walked silently beside the Colonel. Maybe she could talk to him. He didn't know about the plane crash. It had been taken off her record to cover up the fact that they'd been in enemy territory. But that didn't really mean it was completely classified, did it? The Colonel wouldn't mind. He'd had plenty of those kinds of missions himself. Or would he mind? Would it make her appear weak? She didn't think of herself as weak. She'd survived. Would he see it that way though? Would he be disappointed when he knew the whole story? The parts she anguished over? Regretted? Wished had turned out differently but refused to forget? Allowed herself to dream about because she needed to? Needed to renew the pain, needed to remember. They deserved to be remembered.
"Carter? You've been awfully quiet," his voice broke through her thoughts.
Here was her chance. All she had to do was open her mouth and tell him and...
"O'Neill! You must come at once!" Teal'c's voice raised from ahead.
"For crying out loud. What's the problem now?"
They ran ahead till they were over the hill and spotted Daniel and Teal'c and the rest of their group facing a small group of Telars with bows and arrows drawn.
"Okay folks, what seems to be the problem here?" Jack came to stand beside his friends.
"Well, Jack, it would seem the Telars don't want us around here."
"Have you tried talking to them?"
"Yes, but they haven't talked back."
"Okay then. Well, it seems like a small enough bunch. A dozen, fifteen."
Gripping his P-90 a little closer, he walked up to the Telars.
"All right folks. You see this P-90 here?" He shot it four times into the sky drawing shocked expressions from the Telars. "It's a lot more powerful than your sticks, so I suggest you get moving before I have to prove my point."
They carefully backed up.
"Okay, Carter, Teal'c, you take that side. Daniel, you're with me. Keep your weapons trained on them until the Kerans are past. Then we'll follow behind for a bit to ensure no more followers."
"Yes sir."
Teal'c and Sam moved to the left. Keeping their weapons aimed, they slowly backed up. After twenty-five minutes, Jack finally decided they could resume as normal.
Taking a moment to replenish their water, Jack and Sam knelt beside a river refilling their canteens.
Glancing at her CO, Sam took a deep breath then returned her gaze to the bank.
"Sir, do you think about your days in black ops a lot?"
He looked at her in surprise.
"Well, yeah I guess. I mean, those are memories that are pretty hard to shake."
"Yeah."
"Why do you ask?"
Losing courage, Sam stood up recapping her canteen.
"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering."
She quickly turned and headed away.
Finally, when she didn't think they could walk any farther, Sam decided it was time to rest.
Breathing heavily, they sat down on the damp earth.
"Amy?" she asked worriedly of her friend. Amy just stared at her.
"Amy, please, do you know your name? Do you know where you are?"
She slowly shook her head back and forth.
"That's okay. Don't worry. We'll be okay. We just have to think this through. We can do that, can't we?" she spoke to unlistening ears.
"We were flying at the very south of Iraq. That must be where we are now. We just had engine trouble, so it's not like someone shot us down. Of course, with an explosion like that, someone is sure to be around soon. All we need to do is keep moving. We'll head east for a few days, and then we'll be in Kuwait and out of enemy territory. No problem. Easy." She nodded her head as if willing herself to believe.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."
Sam felt the hairs on her arms and back of her neck rise. Amy was now rocking herself back and forth in rhythm to the song she was singing softly.
"She's in shock."
Rummaging in the pack she'd managed to drag away from the crash, she pulled out a blanket and pulled it over the lieutenant's shoulders. Grabbing the first aid kit, she patched their cuts as best she could.
"At least we don't have any broken bones. That's good, isn't it?"
Her voice sounded unconvincing even to her own ears, but she had to keep talking, at least for her own sanity.
"Hey, Carter!"
Sam turned back around as she saw O'Neill jogging to catch up with her.
"Sir?"
"Look, I didn't mean to rush you off there. I mean, if you want to talk more, I..."
He looked uncomfortable. Of course he wouldn't want to talk about those days.
"Oh, no sir, that's okay. Forget I asked. I was just, I, um... I'm going to go catch up with Teal'c and Daniel. See if they need anything before we head out."
Jack let her go. He would try to talk to her again later.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
They stopped at dusk.
"Hey Carter. What you working on?" Jack walked over to where Sam was sitting against a tree typing furiously at her laptop. Sitting beside her, he looked at the screen covered in complex equations.
"Oh, well, I've been working on my theory that if you aim a narrow-band beam of coritron particles at a rate of..."
"Okay okay!" He stood up quickly. "As long as you're having fun."
"Yes sir."
"Um, so I'm going to go check on Danny," he decided, getting up and moving away. She must be okay if she could work on stuff like that.
After a few more moments she gave up trying to concentrate. She joined a group of Kerans sitting around a fire and allowed her mind to wander while they chatted amongst themselves.
ooooooooooooooooooooooo
"All right, campers. Time for bed," the Colonel decided an hour later.
"I'll take first watch."
"I'll take second, sir."
"No, I want you on last, Carter. You need a full night's sleep."
"But sir..."
"That's an order, Major. Teal'c, you'll have second. Danny, third."
Sam didn't bother arguing further. She just went to the tent and began to get ready before the guys came in.
Taking off her vest, jacket, and outer shirt, she glanced down to see her dog tags lying against her tank top. Sitting down Indian style on her sleeping bag, she fingered them reverently in her open palm.
"Why should you matter so much to me?" she asked the silent fragments.
Because they define who you are, she answered herself. They symbolize everything you've been through, what you worked for, what they worked for.
Clutching them in her fist, she laid down and fell asleep.
MREs. MREs and grubs. Sam looked in repulsion at the food in front of her. Would she ever be able to appreciate food again? She didn't think so.
Looking over at Amy, she was pleased to see her eating, albeit only a little, and albeit very slowly. Well, if Amy could do it, so could she. Of course, Amy probably didn't taste much of what was going in her mouth anyway.
Sam sat leaning against a tree. Speaking quietly to herself, she tried to think their situation through.
"We have enough MREs to last three days. After that we'll just have to rely on what we can find. We have an M-60 with some ammunition. Not much, but it's better than nothing. I'm okay physically. Just a couple cuts and bruises. Nothing serious. Amy has a bad cut on her forehead, but it's not bleeding anymore. We'll just have to keep the bandage clean. Considering Amy's state, I would imagine we'll be going pretty slow. I don't know how long it will take. At least I can see the sky. I'll know which way to go. I know..."
"Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky..."
Sam rubbed her forehead wearily. Did she have to sing that all the time? Trying to drown out the sound, Sam continued her one-way discussion.
"Once we cross into Kuwait, we'll still have to be careful. We can't relax until we've found a base. But that shouldn't be a problem. There should be one near the border."
They'd been traveling for a day and a half now. It felt like so much longer. She just wanted to go home. Her dad would be so worried. Would they think she was dead? Would they bother looking?
Her thoughts continued, but gradually, her eyelids began to feel heavy as the adrenaline wore off, and, against her will, she fell asleep.
A couple hours later, she began to wake up. Her thoughts were scattered as she tried to remember where she was.
Then it hit her. Her head snapped up as her eyes scanned the area. Something wasn't right.
"Amy!"
She was gone.
"O'Neill, I have come to relieve you of your watch."
"Oh, hey buddy."
Jack stood up and stretch, trying to take the kinks out of his back.
"See you in the morning."
"Indeed."
Walking over to their tent, Jack quietly went inside, careful not to wake his teammates. Muttering drew his attention. He frowned at Carter. It was not like her to have nightmares.
"Amy, I have to find Amy."
"I have to find her. I have to find Amy," she repeated frantically to herself.
Where could she possibly be? Why would she have wandered off?
Silently but deftly she searched. When she neared a river she stopped. There she was. Sitting by the river's edge. Relief washed through her. Sam started to step out towards her, but for some reason her instincts kicked in and she froze.
Dread raced through her. Her breathing quickened. Her heartbeat raced.
And she watched through panicked eyes as three Iraqi soldiers emerged from the other side.
Training took over as she raised her gun.
Jack knelt beside her, still unsure what to do. Her movements were getting more frantic now. Then she started getting out of her sleeping bag.
"Have to find her. Have to find her."
"Carter?" he grabbed her shoulder as she sat up in her sleep. "Carter, come on, wake up. It's only a dream.
"I have to find her. I need to..."
"Carter!" He gave her a rougher shake this time as she stood up. "Snap out of it!"
All of a sudden, she started struggling against him, trying to remove his hands while backing away.
"I didn't want to! I didn't!"
"Sam! Come on. You need to wake up!"
"No!" she screamed.
Instantly, her movements stilled. She raised a tearstained face to her CO and shuddered.
His grip on her arms loosened as he pulled her close.
She held on tightly.
ooooooooooooooooooo
Sorry that was so long! But I hope you enjoyed anyway. Quite a twist coming next chapter, so stay tuned. Ooh, and please review. Lots of love!