Author's notes: strong language; italics denote's voice from telephone

"Jake Carter's little Sam?"

"Yes, sir. That's right, although I'm not a little girl anymore," Sam smiled.

"No you are not. I hear you're a Major in the Airforce. Well done. That must make your old man proud. He was always proud of you and your brother, even if he didn't say it. Us father's have a hard time saying such things. And it doesn't get any easier as you kids grow older. But enough about that stuff, what's Jake gotten himself into these days? I kind of lost track of him a couple of years ago. It's like he just disappeared off the planet. He is alright isn't he?"

"He's fine, sir," she barely managed to say.

She had to sit there in amazement as she listened to Garrett over the phone. The man could talk! He was at least ten to twelve years older than her father but the man could have been her age or younger with the amount of energy she heard in his voice. However as much as she loved to hear a story about her father in a rather embarrassing situation, she had to stop him.

"Sir, I...I don't want to sound rude..."

"What do you need to know?"

Sam was stunned into silence. Wow, he was perceptive too!

"Come on Sam, I knew your father well and I have a feeling you are a lot like him, which means you don't have time for bullshit either. Now whatever it is, it must be very important. So I'll ask you again, what do you need to know?"

While Sam was learning what she could from Will Garrett, Selmak was experiencing the strangest sensation. More accurately her host was. Whatever it was, it was quite a jolt to Jacob's body.

She quickly accessed her host's memories of the most recent events. What she discovered was surprising.

Soldiers from the U.S. Government attacked Jacob. To her dismay, the attack didn't even surprise him, almost as if he had been expecting something like it to happen. But what infuriated her was the fact that he didn't call upon her for assistance.

'I didn't wake you because I had everything under control,' Jacob told her as he was coughing up ice cold water.

'Control? You call falling into a body of freezing water being in control? Better hurry up and get out.'

'What the hell do you think I'm trying to do!'

Selmak gave Jacob the equivalent of an eye roll and since he didn't ask for her help she wasn't going to offer it to him. It was so typical of him not to ask for her help. Always thinking he could do everything by himself.

The man was stubborn! One of his characteristics Selmak never had any influence over. The only solution was to wait until he was in over his head, which didn't happen too often but often enough that Selmak could tease him about it. Then she would give him one of her 'smart ass' remarks, as Jacob calls them, while coming to his aid.

Only this time Selmak was disappointed. After struggling for a few minutes Jacob managed to pull himself, and one other, out of the icy water. Her host seemed to be making an extra effort to not involve her and it was irritating her. Even after Jacob collapsed onto solid ground Selmak felt his body temperature had dropped slightly, but still, Jacob didn't ask for her help.

'What is that noise?' she asked after a few moments.

'My teeth clattering...I'm fucking freezing!'

That was her queue!

'You know, I could...'

'That's ok, I'm fine.'

Now that wasn't at all like Jacob. True he was stubborn and had his pride. However, when injured he never hesitated to accept her help, no matter what his mood was.

Still, after a long moment of absorbing Jacob's negative vibes through their emotional bond, Selmak couldn't help it when her next comment sounded sarcastic.

'At least you weren't in the water too long...no damage was done.'

'Is that an insult or a compliment for me saving your ass?'

'Really, Jacob there's no need for that tone.'

'Well, who do you think they were after? It certainly wasn't me!' he snapped, challenging her.

However, Selmak didn't want to get into an argument at the moment. She didn't have the energy and for once Jacob was right. At least she understood a little more about why he didn't wake her. He merely thought he was protecting her, she had to give him credit for that.

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome,' Jacob said checking for a pulse on the soldier he had dragged out of the icy water. 'He's alive. But we better get the hell out of here. There still may be others.'

'Agreed'.

As Jacob slowly climbed to his feet Selmak took notice of the three unconscious soldiers. She was about to compliment him on a job well done when she heard a snide remark from him.

'Jacob!'

'Sorry...what can I say...it was easier taking care of them without you telling me what to do!'

If he had merely said the words it wouldn't have been so insulting but he was laughing too! Selmak glared at him in her usual way quickly letting him know she was not amused. And in an instant, she felt his amusement transform into remorse. She accepted his apology without hesitation.

It felt good too. It had been days since their last coherent conversation. She genuinely missed their talks and even their bickering. Such things only served to strengthen their bond. She could sense that Jacob missed them as well even though his mind had been preoccupied with other matters lately.

Even as they walked Selmak sensed the turmoil building up inside Jacob again. And he had become very quiet...too quiet. Now that the confrontation with the soldiers was over, his mind was no longer preoccupied with protecting her or with his own self-preservation. Again, she was surprised.

Normally Jacob's mind was very disciplined at keeping his emotions and thoughts in check. It was a quality that proved invaluable during their blending. And it was only while he slept that he ever let his guard down. But events of the past few days have opened a crack in that armor of his and buried memories had begun to surface.

'You never told me you were tortured before,' Selmak mentioned feeling Jacob's emotions briefly intensify.

'I guess we both didn't want to share those experiences with each other,' he countered.

'I am sorry Jacob. I learned not to share my few torture experiences with a new host long ago. Such memories sometimes interfered with our abilities to function when working 'undercover', as you like to call it.'

'Understandably.'

'Why do you not share it now?'

There was no reply from her host.

'It wasn't your fault. They were going to kill your friend no matter what you did. And they would have killed you too.'

'Back off! Go back to sleep or something!'

Selmak knew she touched upon a sensitive subject. She was experienced enough not to press Jacob any further. He wasn't ready to tell her. And she sensed this wasn't the only thing bothering him.

'Jacob, I do not know everything that happened to you and your friend. I have only seen a few glimpses during your nightmares. But I do know what happened to us and it is something you will have to come to terms with.'

She felt him tense up but wasn't sure if it had to do with her mentioning his nightmares or their shared experience on Netu.

'Talk with your daughter,' Selmak suggested gently.

'I can't.'

'You can't or you won't?'

There was no reply from Jacob. Just images flashing in his mind.

'I know she's not your wife...'

'Hey...back off!' he snapped angrily.

'...but Sam can help you,' she continued undaunted by his harshness. 'She wants to help. Allow her to.'

'I can't. There are some things my daughter doesn't need to know about.'

'Jacob, she not a little girl anymore. And she knows much more than you realize.'

'I just can't,' Jacob said with less conviction.

His emotions were now becoming too overwhelming. It was time for her to back off and leave him to his own thoughts. His scuffle had weakened him and their conversation wasn't doing her any good. Selmak had to withdraw. But she did it knowing Jacob would do what was right, even if it were something he didn't want to do.

Kelso arrived just as the members of the unit were coming around. When he knelt beside Major Starks he could hear the man's teeth rattling. He was also shivering badly. But when Kelso offered his assistance the Major shoved him away saying he was fine.

"Sir, what are we going to do?" Kelso asked.

"Get the fuck out of here. This place will be crawling with Airforce personnel looking for us," Starks said getting to his feet.

"What happened, sir?" Kelso asked as he and Anderson were helping Ford to his feet.

"Either we seriously under estimated him or we weren't given all the pertinent information on him. For one thing, he was a hell of a lot stronger than I was expecting. I mean I hit the guy with a tranquilizer strong enough to put down an elephant...it didn't even phase him!"

"Why wouldn't Colonel Maybourne give as all the info?"

"Need to know basis. I guess he thought we didn't need to know. I guarantee that won't be the case next time...if there is a next time."