Title: When All Else Fails

Chapter: Six

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

A/N: Bare with me guys, I know its kind of a dumb thing to do, but I'm writing this story without having seen Daniel's descending. So, I'm winging it.
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Daniel seemed to know what he wanted to talk about immediately, which didn't surprise him much. There were no chairs, of course, so the two sat down on the floor of the ship, face to face. Daniel was the first to break the silence.

"She'll be fine, Jack." He told him, "They wouldn't do anything bad to her, you have to know that."

"I do," he sighed. "I know that it's likely that they will just descend her, but that's what's bothering me the most. When you descended they didn't send you home, and you couldn't even remember anything. Hell, as far as I know they could have sent her to a planet that we've never been to, or one that we'll never even come across."

Daniel nodded, "That's true. But, we'll find her, Jack."

He turned and looked out the large window, they were currently in hyperspeed so not much could be made out, but the view was amazing. He found himself wondering about all the magnificent things Sam had seen during her time as an ascended being, or, if she would continue down that path (Oma willing), the wonderful things she would see in the future. He wondered about what Daniel had seen while he was ascended, what would that be like?

"You ok?" Daniel asked, taking him out of his thoughts. Jack looked at him, eyes blank. He wasn't sure how to answer that question, was he ok?

Daniel took his silence as an answer in itself; "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head and Daniel nodded, he understood that it was a hard subject for Jack, it had been for over a year. Ever since she ascended. He began to stand, to give Jack some time alone when he started to talk. "You know, I expected more from her, while she was ascended." It was a short statement, and Daniel didn't quite understand it so he sat back down, Jack continued. "I mean, after you ascended you appeared to us a couple of times, and I understood why you didn't come that frequently, you had more important things to do, you were saving the world in your own way then. But, with Sam, I thought I meant more to her, I thought she would come by and see me more often, just because she loved me." Daniel's head snapped at that, like he hadn't expected it. "It upset me, I never admitted it, but it made me think that maybe she didn't care as much as she said she did, maybe she had just been trying to make me feel better. You know, like some sort of parting gift, out of sympathy."

"That's not true, Jack." Daniel told him.

He sighed, "I know that, I was being selfish then, I didn't take the time to stop and think how seeing me would effect her. I didn't think about how seeing me would make her feel, if she was telling the truth when she told me she loved me. I mean, it was hard enough for me to see her, knowing my feelings. How must have it made her feel, she's the one who decided to leave, after all. I don't think she ever fully forgave herself for ascending, even though it was her only chance. I guess I understand now, but I wasn't really thinking about her before, like I said, selfish."

Daniel didn't say anything more; he just gave Jack a half nod, as if to say that he understood how he felt. He stood slowly and quietly, meanwhile Jack shut his eyes and rest his head against a wall of the cargo ship, maybe he could catch a few winks. Daniel took one last look at him before he went to join Teal'c, the rest of SG-1, and the other SG teams in the ships "control room".

Jack just continued to sit, with his back against the cool metal of the ship. He let his mind wander, began thinking of miniscule things, mostly about before Sam had ascended. Being in the Antarctic, the mission where they had been "touched", the arm bands, the day she had shown him the ring Pete gave her. If he had known then what he knew sitting in that ship he would have retired long before they had found themselves in that situation, when she had been forced to ascend. He swore that if she got back, when she got back, he would do whatever it took, he just hoped he would get that chance.

XXXX

"You broke the rules," the words cut through her like a knife and she found herself cringing, though she told herself over and over again by saving him she had done the right thing.

"Yes," she stated simply. "I had to."

Oma's voice was harsh, but Sam could also hear understanding in it. She understood why she had to do what she did. "I since that from the day you came it was not your first choice, it was much different than that of Daniel Jackson's ascension. He had desired to be with us, you desired to live, but that does not excuse your actions. They may have been warranted, as were those of Daniel's, but they cannot be excused. You must receive your punishment."

She nodded, but was unable to speak. A lump formed in her throat, this was harder than she thought it would be, leaving a place so beautiful was proving to be very difficult.

"You are to be banished," Oma told her. The familiar swirls of white engulfed her and she floated away.

That was the last thing she remembered.

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They dropped out of hyperspeed and the planet dubbed P3Q-331 came into view. Thianna, as known by its inhabitants, was a beautiful, earthlike planet mostly covered with dark, blue water. Jack stood in front of the only window (which covered an entire side of the cargo ship) and watched the small planet grow in size as they got nearer and nearer. Once close enough he could make out 2 large landmasses and various islands. The 'gate was located on the larger of the landmasses, a "country" called Shienna, home to the Shien.

He sighed to himself and sat back down in his usual spot, up against a wall in the backup control room, he picked it because it was out of everybody's way. In the four days they had been traveling only 2 people had ventured back there, Daniel and Teal'c. Seems that cargo ships had autopilot, a fact that he hadn't known until he inquired about it. They had both only dropped in to check on him, to try and talk, both with little results. He told them that he just needed some time to himself, he needed it to be quiet. Teal'c had offered to stay with him, without talking, but Jack had declined the offer again, he just wanted to be alone.

Even with all of the quiet he was surrounded by he found it hard to sleep and had only obtained around five hours out of the four days they had been traveling. His eyelids felt heavy, every muscle in his body ached, and his head hadn't quit pounding at full force since they took off. Effects of too much time in the sarcophagus and too much unsupervised time with Ba'al, he figured. He was looking forward to the day he could just stay in and sleep, hoping that day would be soon, but at the same time knowing he wouldn't allow himself to sleep (at least not fully) until they knew for certain about Sam. It was going to be a rough time for him, he already knew it.

He was the last to get off of the cargo ship after it landed, it still seemed a bit surreal, he expected at any moment to wake up and be back in Ba'al's torture room. What had happened to him anyway?, He thought, Daniel had yet to tell him. He figured he'd set it aside for another time.

They apologized to the Shien for dropping in unexpected and begged them to use their Stargate, they allowed them to without any hesitance. Within an hour of their landing they were back home, though to Jack it still didn't feel real. He knew that was normal, when he had made it back home the last time he was suspicious of his surroundings, he was edgy for the first couple of days, not trusting anybody. But, now that was impossible, now he had bigger fish to fry. Now he had to find Sam.

"Welcome home, General O'Neill," was his first greeting from whomever they got to watch over the base while he was away. He nodded politely at the man, mumbled something about taking a much-needed shower and slumped out of the 'gate room. He wasn't really in the mood for a joyous homecoming, at least until that homecoming was for a certain blonde-haired 2IC of his. Then a party would be welcomed, with lots and lots of cake.

After standing under scorching hot water for nearly half an hour, then freezing cold water for a full 5 minutes he left the shower and dressed. Though he wasn't really fond of it he knew his next stop would be to the infirmary, it was a necessity; he (as well as the doctors) needed to know if there was anything wrong with him. Especially since he had returned from days of torture.

Daniel was in the infirmary when he walked in, getting his blood drawn. Dr. Brightman let a nurse take over for her and started with Jack, giving him his shots, checking for Goa'uld, any other diseases, etc. It took nearly two hours for them to finish completely, and even then there were tests that they were waiting to get back. He immediately went to his office, the General who was temporarily taking his place was sitting at his desk, watching the door, waiting for him.

"I've been waiting for a while, General O'Neill." He told him when he sat down in front of his desk, "How are you feeling?"

"Not too peachy," Jack sighed. "We need to discuss Colonel Carter."

"I know," the older man replied, "Doctor Jackson and Teal'c explained it to me upon your arrival."

"Good, then you'll understand why we need to start immediately, and why I want to head the first search team." Jack looked at the man with authority, though by the stars on his uniform he could see that this man, General Knowle, was a Major General.

"I do understand and search teams are already being formed, but General O'Neill, you need to rest. Maybe after you have slept you can go out with a team--"

"I'm fine," Jack said defiantly, cutting off the General. "With all due respect sir, even if you order me to I won't sleep until we find her."

The man sighed and folded his arms over his chest, "I see that." He thought it over and then said, "If your test results come back clean you can head a team, but only when your tests come back and only if you receive a clean bill of health. Otherwise you stay here until you're better, understood?"

"Yes, sir." Jack barked, standing. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome, General." Then the professional atmosphere dissipated, "You be careful, Jack. The sooner we find her the better, but I'm sure we'd all rather find her later and safe than sooner and not, agreed?"

Jack nodded and left the room, headed for the commissary. He ate greedily, gluttonously, until he had eaten everything on his plate, then went back for more. He eyed the blue Jell-O and almost grabbed some, to take to Sam, but then remembered she wouldn't be waiting for him at a table. He wasn't sure why he had even had the impulse, he hadn't had the need for many months. So, instead he grabbed some red Jell-O along with his second plate, then sat back down.

As soon as he did so Daniel entered the room, got some coffee, and sat down at the table with Jack. The two sat in silence for a while, Daniel drinking his caffeine and Jack, again, eating way to fast. When he pushed his plate aside and reached for his Jell-O he spoke to Daniel, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"How did she do it?" He asked, taking his first bite of Jell-O. "I mean, what did she do? What happened to Ba'al?"

Daniel tilted his head to one side, thinking of how to explain what had happened. "Well, she kind of just ... whipped them all out."

"The Jaffa?"

Daniel nodded.

"They're dead?"

Another nod.

"And Ba'al ... he's dead, too?"

"We believe so, yes." Daniel smiled momentarily, "You should have seen her, Jack. She was so pissed off, whoever said hell hath no fury like a woman scorned must have known her."

"Whatever you say," Jack replied, a confused expression on his face. "When we start to search," he said, taking the seriousness of the conversation up, "I want you, Teal'c, Richards, and Reese on my team."

Daniel nodded, "Of course. Just tell me when."

Jack looked down at the red Jell-O, haphazardly poking his spoon into the gelatin, suddenly his appetite was gone. "As soon as possible," he sighed. "As soon as possible."

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A/N: Good God, this has taken forever. I've had a really long, rough week. So, this might not be so great as a result. And, yes, I put off Sam's return, yet again. Makes for more drama and suspense, I think. Anyway, let me know what'cha think.