A/N: Ok, so it has been a bit longer than usual since my last update. Ok, a LOT longer, lol. Normally I have several chapters in progress but my little trip ate them all up, and I've been so busy since coming back with the remodeling, and getting ready for my babies to come, and work. I swear they are honestly trying to kill me at work or something. I hope things get better, because I'm missing writing out the story as I see it in my head. I think we finally have more chapters behind than ahead, but there's still a few things I have planned, don't worry!

So thanks for patiently (or impatiently) waiting for updates! And a measly short little update it is too! Sorry!

Oooo.. almost forgot, added some more pictures of Sam (The incredible fluffy kitten) and Dragon (who my friend is now calling "Dragon O'Neill") to the page lol. They are coming home next week. Anyway… here's the guys again… and I'm soo mean.

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.

Chapter… I lost count.

Jack pulled the silver rental SUV into the parking lot of the little diner, after waiting for the large tractor-trailer with a big blue cab to pull out and leave room. Parking, Jack sat inside the truck watching the rain in the ever-deepening evening gloom while he waited for Daniel and Teal'c to meet him.

He didn't have long to wait before the second nearly identical rental pulled up outside the little diner, which Jack noted absently was called "Deb's". Jogging to get out of the rain, Jack waved the other two inside.

As soon as they entered, a waitress with a red nose and red eyes greeted them, the woman sneezed and apologetically waved the three over to nearby booth. Having been around Daniel and his incurable allergies so often, Jack recognized an allergy sufferer when he saw one. He sat as Daniel and Teal'c did the same. The waitress gave them all menus and left them alone after going over the daily specials.

Jack sighed as he opened his menu. He was exhausted, and judging by Daniel's posture, so were the others. Even Teal'c seemed to slump a bit in his seat, his head bowed in a pose of concentration as the large man studied his menu. They had been so close to finding Carter, to have missed her by little more than and hour or so.

At first, the Colonel inside of him had been angry that Carter hadn't stayed put. She should have stayed there and waited for rescue. But then he realized she didn't have a clue that they even knew where she was. Or at least where she had been, so her training no doubt was kicking in and she was first surviving, trying to avoid capture, while trying to contact them and get home. They hadn't missed the man carrying the cage, and after what they'd seen of her experiences with Arden, he didn't blame her for thinking she was in hostile territory, and reacting as such.

Still, they'd spent the rest of the afternoon trekking over the countryside, looking for any sign of her. Daniel had theorized that Sam would be trying to get home. Since she'd taken the map, he thought she'd likely find a major road to travel, and the nearest major road was I-70 west, if she followed that, it would pretty much take her all the way back to Colorado. Jack and Teal'c had agreed, and following that assumption, they'd chosen the most likely path she might have taken. Unfortunately, rain had quickly washed away any slight sign that Carter might have made passing through.

Jack had to finally admit defeat and call an end to the search; even then they'd still driven around up and down possible paths that Carter might have taken. But there were just too many different routes and too much ground to cover. After several hours, the Colonel had called Teal'c and Daniel to come in and get something to eat, before heading back to their hotel. A local farmer had recommended the diner, when Jack had asked about nearby places to get a good hot meal.

Jack hoped the weather would clear by tomorrow, and they could spend the day looking, but he had less and less hope of finding his missing Major. He didn't think the General would let them stay out much longer either; they'd be needed back at the SGC sooner or later.

The waitress returned and took their orders, although none of them really seemed to have an appetite, they all knew they needed to eat. Daniel had struck up a conversation with the waitress about allergies; the woman seemed to have the worst sinuses ever.

Before long, their meals had arrived and the three consumed them in silence, not really noticing the taste. Daniel was the first to break the silence.

"We'll, uh, we'll find Sam won't we? She's ok. She must be trying to get back home." Daniel spoke hesitantly, as if not quite believing his own words and needing reassurance.

Teal'c spoke before Jack could. "I believe Major Carter will endeavor to return will all speed. I have great faith in her abilities."

"Carter's tough. She'll be all right. We better go get some rest. I want to get an early start in the morning." Jack tried not to let his own doubts and worries creep into his voice, but he suspected his friends knew him all too well as they readily agreed and got up from the booth seats, searching for money to leave on the table and gathering the boxed slices of pie Jack had ordered for all of them to take on an whim.

The three stepped back outside into the steady rain, and Jack fervently hoped that Carter wasn't out in this mess, and was instead holed up somewhere safe and warm.

A/N: Poor guys... sooooo close, and yet so far away. Lol. Meanie aren't I? Will try and get the next update sooner, I only have two paragraphs done though. And I still need to do some kitten proofing around here, especially since my friend says they like to get around behind the computer and pull things out with their teeth.