A/N: In case you missed it, I had to repost chapter 47, because FanFic chewed up and ate some of it, just the beginning. So you might want to take another peek. The rest was intact after the first few paragraphs that I can tell.
"Ok kids, split up and fan out, she can't have gotten far." A look of determination was on Colonel O'Neill's face, mirrored by the looks Teal'c and Daniel's faces. With an unspoken agreement, the three headed off along the road, eyes sharp for any sign of Sam.
Chapter Following... Just Kidding... Chapter 48
Sam trotted along the road, keeping up a good pace despite the occasional ache or twinge from the fading bruises and other injuries she'd only just recovered from. She'd stopped as soon as she felt safe by an abandoned barn and opened the map. Fortunately, she hadn't been far from I-70, and Sam hoped to find traffic heading west, because all she had to do for a while was follow I-70 west.
It still boggled her mind exactly how far from home she was. It made Sam feel small and alone when she looked at the distance. If she had been human again, she could just show up at the nearest military base and get in touch with Colonel O'Neill or General Hammond. Heck, she could have just called from the nearest phone, and they would have sent someone to pick her up.
Of course, if she'd been human, she wouldn't be in this mess. Even if she'd had her dog tags, she might still have been able to go to the nearest base, someone would have questioned the tags, and Hammond would have been alerted when they contacted her superiors. But Arden had taken her tags, she obviously couldn't carry ID, and if she were wishing for things she might as well wish herself back at the SGC. If Sam had heels to click together, she might just have clicked them a few times. "There's no place like home." Sounded pretty good to her at any rate.
She'd had to leave the map, besides being too bulky and awkward for her to carry, she hadn't been able to fold it back up. Even if she had, it would have still looked odd for a cat to be walking around with a map clutched in it's teeth, and Sam was hoping to keep a low profile.
The scenery of fields changed very little as she walked, with a farm or home every now and then to break things up. Sam kept out of sight of the road. She hadn't run across any other animals, except for an occasional rabbit, for which Sam was supremely grateful. Being chased by a dog, or worse, was definitely not on Sam's list of priorities.
The day had started out warm, with only a few clouds, but somehow, Sam had known her luck wouldn't hold. It had become gradually more and more overcast, and finally it had started to rain. Little more then a light drizzle at first, the rain become steadily heavier, while lightning flashed overhead. Sam was quickly soaked through and miserable. There was no shelter in sight, and Sam plodded along, her ears flat and tail drooping.
Hours passed and it gradually grew darker. Sam hoped it was just becoming night, and not the storm worsening, although Sam didn't think she could possibly get any wetter. In the distance, Sam thought she could see lights. Hope quickened her steps, and soon she could make out a restaurant or diner of sorts.
As she neared the brightly lit diner, Sam saw there were only two cars parked outside. There was a large overhang on the front of the restaurant, which Sam moved under gratefully, shaking off vigorously. She shivered in the chill breeze, her wet fur doing little to keep her warm, and examined her surroundings.
The place was called "Deb's" very simply, and a neon sign in the window proclaimed it was "Open 24 hours". Another sign made Sam smile inwardly, with a thought of Colonel O'Neill. It said "Fresh Homemade Pie".
Sam was still checking out the place, when a big blue tractor-trailer rumbled into the parking lot. Sam noted the plates were from Missouri, as she ducked out of sight behind a trashcan sitting out front.
A short, red haired man got out of the cab, and headed towards the entrance. Sam shivered again, and made a choice. Waiting until the man had opened the door and was entering the diner, Sam darted towards the open doorway, ducking around the corner and hopefully out of sight under a table.
It was a lot warmer in here, but Sam was still shivering from the cold. There were no shouts and Sam relaxed slightly, just as feet appeared in front of her. Just her luck, an empty restaurant, and the man had to sit here!
"Evening Trixie, beautiful day isn't it?" Sam heard a male voice just above her, likely the man she'd followed in.
Laughter, then, "Beautiful if you're a duck. How's it going Big Red, haven't seen you around in a while!" The new voice was a woman. White shoes appeared in Sam's line of vision. Sam wondered why the woman, likely the waitress, was calling the man "Big" he certainly didn't look big.
"You know me, always on the road. But I had to come in for a piece of your pie while I was on my way back to St. Louis! Once I get back, I get the whole weekend off with my kid, gonna teach him to play ball" Big Red shifted in his seat, as the two bantered, and talked about the man's son, and Trixie's husband.
"So what'll it be Red? The usual?" Trixie got down to business, she seemed to know this particular customer rather well.
Red was busy placing his order, when suddenly the woman sneezed, then sneezed several times in quick succession.
"Excuse me!" She said. "I don't know what brought that on! Normally the only thing that does that is a cat!" Trixie sneezed again, before excusing herself to go place Red's order.
Sam flattened herself back against the booth. Drat, but she was still soaked and shivering and she really didn't want to go back outside. Sam hoped no one would go looking for a cat, at least until she'd been able to warm up a bit. There was still the matter of her getting out as well.
Lost in thought Sam was caught off guard when the man seated above her shifted suddenly, and a booted foot caught her in the side, where it was still tender. Sam couldn't stop the cry that escaped before she could clamp down on it. She froze and held as still as possible hoping the man hadn't noticed.
"What the?" Came the startled question from above, and Sam's heart sank, as she cast about frantically for an escape route. All hope of escape was dashed as she felt a hand grip her securely and lift her up, depositing her on the booth seat. Startled, Sam looked up and her wide eyes locked with warm, twinkling blue ones.
"Well now, what have we here? Seems Trixie wasn't imagining things. Followed me in by the looks of you, half drowned too I bet!" The man was watching her intently.
Sam wanted to run, but she knew she wouldn't get far, since she couldn't get out the door. Suddenly, coming inside didn't seem like such a good idea anymore, but she'd been so cold. Sam shivered again involuntarily. The man caught the movement and his expression changed suddenly to one of concern.
"Soaked through, and here I sit nice and dry. We better fix that." Before Sam had time to consider the man had taken off his over shirt and dropped it over Sam.
"And not a moment too soon, here comes Trixie." The last came out as a whisper, while he flipped the corner of the jacket over her head and dropped a hand down to hold her still.
"Der yah go Red, just da way yah like ib! Aaachoo!" Again, the waitress was interrupted by sneezes, not to mention it sounded like her sinuses were already blocked up. Sam would find the one person in the world with worse allergies then Daniel. She squirmed slightly and felt the hand tighten a bit, but not constrictively.
"You know what Trixie, I think that rain is lessening up finally. I'm hoping to make Cleveland by tomorrow before I stop for some sleep. Could I get this in a box?" Red made his voice sound hopeful and pleading.
"Achoo! Sure Red, anyfink, achoo! I'll get dat for yah achoo!" The sneezes were heard further away as the woman left to take care of getting the box.
Sam squirmed under the shirt again and was rewarded when Red pulled the corner back so she could let her head out. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the warmth of the jacket; just that being under it brought back recent bad memories.
"Shhhh." The man made a hushing motion at her. "Trixie don't much care for cats as you can see, so it will be back outside with ya as soon as she gets back. You're lucky I happen to like you furry little critters. I'll slip ya out unnoticed, you just stay put."
Sam visibly wilted, but the man wasn't paying attention since he was busy getting a few bills out of his wallet. She snuggled under the jacket, welcoming its warmth while it lasted, before she got dumped back into the rain.
She was only slightly prepared for the jacket going back over her head, and managed to muffle her surprised mewl.
"Thanks so much hon. I'll be going, hope you feel better soon!" Sam felt the man rise, and was ready when he slipped his arm around her, tucking her up securely. In next to no time, the chill and damp hit her, seemingly even worse now after the warmth inside the diner. She reluctantly felt herself getting dumped out of the jacket and back into the area under the overhang out front.
"End of the road for ya little bit. Too bad ya can't come along, you wouldn't like the road very much I imagine. You better go, you've got to have a home somewhere I bet, or you wouldn't have let me pick you up so easy." With those last words, the man turned and headed off, carrying his meal.
Sam watched the man. He was heading the right way, and he seemed nice. For the second time, she made a choice.
Big Red had just opened up the trucks door, and was about to climb in, when a blonde streak flew past him, ending up on the passenger seat. Red blinked as round blue eyes blinked back at him.
"Well, now, little freeloader aren't ya? I don't know if you can come with me though. Someone is probably missing ya right now. Better get you back on your way." Red had climbed up into the cab and now reached towards her, but Sam backed off, surprising herself by the low growl emitting from her chest. People were missing her right now, and he could do a lot to get her closer to them, at least 500 miles closer, maybe more! She was going to ride with him, and he better get used to the idea!
Big Red leaned back stared, and a thoughtful look on his face. Suddenly he shook his head and pulled the door shut behind him.
"I must be nuts, taking a cat along with me, but if ya wanna go, I guess you can go." He dropped his jacket over next to her, and settled into his seat, turning the ignition and letting the truck engine start to warm up. "Guess we'll be getting to know each other then."
He pulled open the box containing his dinner. Sam had just settled onto the warm shirt, and perked up at the smell of the food. It had been a long time since she'd had that meal so long ago at the Robert's. Red must have noticed, for he dropped a napkin in front of her, quickly followed by a few chunks of his burger.
"There ya go small fry. Look, Trixie put in some apple pie too, it's still warm! If I weren't already married!" Red laughed, than after a pause, a bit of the pie filling was dropped in front of Sam too. "There ya go, looks like you need some meat on your bones. Maybe you are far from home too? Get a bit lost maybe?"
Silence fell, as the two applied themselves to their meal. Sam's long tiring day caught up with her, as the cabin of the truck warmed and her stomach filled, soon she could barely keep her eyes open. Sam gave in to the inevitable, and slept.
Big Red watched his new passenger as the little cat drifted off. Looks like he'd have company, although for how long he didn't know. Ah well, no rest for the wicked. Big Red put his rig into gear, and pulled out of Deb's parking lot, heading back to the interstate, and closer to home.
A/N: Hope you liked this nice big chapter, it was a bit longer than usual, and a good bit longer then it started out to be. Sam will be traveling with Big Red on the next chapter, at least until he gets to St Louis. So I thought it would be fun if he named her something, since she can't really introduce herself. I thought I'd let you all, my readers, decide what Big Red will call Sam. Just let me know in a review what you think he should call her, if I like one I'll pick it.