SLEEPING BEAUTY.
by LetitiaRichards
Previously:
Jack couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed at them and wondered if he had a concussion because he was so certain that the buildings in front of him had changed. He took a slow 360 degree turn and knew he was right.
Someone, somewhere was playing games with him and he wasn't amused.
Chapter 5
"Whoa!" he cried in surprise.
Jack leapt backwards a couple of feet as he finished turning. The sudden appearance of the creature in front of him had startled him. He quickly drew his weapon up ready to open fire should the creature advance on him.
By now Jack was sure he was seeing things. If he didn't know any better the 'thing' in front of him bore a striking resemblance to a dragon.
Beads of sweat popped out over his brow and he blinked rapidly, hoping that he would wake up from this weird nightmare soon. He was hoping that he would find himself in the infirmary under Doc Fraiser's concerned gaze; and that she would be telling him that he'd been running a temperature, and had been having fevered dreams that would explain everything that had happened to them.
He even pinched himself to see if it were real.
The Dragon roared and spit out a blast of hot breath towards him. It certainly felt real alright. The heat wave hit him full on.
Jack leapt further away, still pointing his P-90 at the image.
Just to prove it was real, the Dragon turned towards a wooden building just to the side of Jack and released a jet of flames towards it. The hut burst into flames and Jack had to back off from the burning heat.
Once more the dragon roared and advanced on him.
Left with no choice, he opened fire, but the creature seemed impervious to his bullets. It reared up onto its hind legs and roared loudly.
Jack was backed up as far as he could go. He found himself trapped between two buildings with nowhere to go. He knew he had no chance of winning this fight. It was a one way ticket and he was the only holder. The Dragon dropped his forelegs to the ground, making the area shudder with the impact.
Jack swallowed convulsively as the huge claw was lifted and swiped at him. He found himself in the grip of the talons and lifted high above the ground. With a yelp he was tossed against the building – for the second time in goodness knows how many hours – and the darkness descended, leaving him unconscious and unaware of his fate.
The Master roared with delight at the horror on Jack's face as he came face to face with what was essentially a mythical creature. If Jack didn't catch a clue from that about what was going on by now, he would be very disappointed in the man.
He switched the controls again and the Dragon disappeared, replaced by some other creation. He looked forward to seeing just what Jack O'Neill made of this new scenario.
Jack roused and swatted at something tickling his face. He batted it away once more, only to recoil as whatever it was that was annoying the hell out of him pierced his skin, scratching along the back of his hand.
He came to abruptly, only to come to a sudden stop. His body was hurting even more if that was at all possible. He lay dazed and sore, nausea rose up in his throat from yet another hart hit to his head. 'Hell, he thought, how many more times is this gonna happen?' He suddenly recalled the fight with the Dragon. He thought he had died, but no, he was still here. Everywhere hurt, so he had to be alive still. You just didn't hurt when you were dead, and boy, did he hurt!
He waited until his stomach settled and rose slowly until he was sitting up. Dragging his backpack from his tender shoulders, he popped some more pain killers with another sip of water. Feeling marginally better he looked around him for the first time since he woke and discovered just what it was that had woken him. A bramble?
Huge swathes of brambles covered the area around him and he knew he would have a job freeing himself from the tangle of branches.
He took hold of his knife and chopped away at the thorny limbs, wondering once again what the hell was going on.
He stopped to rest and turned to take a good look around him. He'd cleared a swathe towards the nearest building. A familiar looking building.
The tower loomed over him, and he knew it was the same one that held the sleeping form of Major Carter.
He made it to the doorway and this time there was nothing to stop him entering. He took the steps two at a time, hoping to find her as she was when they'd originally entered that room.
Half way up he had to stop and rest. His limbs were shaking, his back was aching, and his head was thumping. In his haste to reach his Major, he had ignored the way his body was hurting and now it was making it's presence known.
That's when the clue bus hit him.
He realised that he was living in a fairy story. Sleeping Beauty to be exact. He remembered reading that one to Charlie, and Carter had said that this castle reminded her of the one in the story.
As soon as he thought it, he dismissed the idea as preposterous. He couldn't be...could he? It was stupid. He didn't believe in fairy stories.
He knew there was only one way to find out, so he climbed onwards and upwards.
On reaching the room, Sam was still where he had left her. Asleep on the bed, dressed in the blue silk gown, her golden hair delicately framing her pale face.
His breath caught in his throat as he gazed longingly at her. In the story the prince had to kiss the sleeping beauty to awaken her. Could it be that simple? Would she wake if he dared to kiss her?
Jack took the few steps towards the bed, and closed his eyes. He'd wanted nothing more over the last few years than to kiss her, but what the hell would she have to say if she woke up and found their lips locked together? Would she say he was taking advantage of her and hit him? Perhaps she would respond with enthusiasm? Nah! She'd probably clock him one, then feel guilty as hell for hitting a senior officer.
He still had feelings for her, but did she still carry the torch for him? He didn't know.
He dithered. The macho, bad-ass Colonel in charge of SG-1; the man who made snap decisions in the field and came out of battles with his team still intact, dithered over whether or not to kiss the woman of his dreams.
Taking a deep breath, he leaned over the still form, kneeling one knee on the bed, and lowered his mouth to hers. Gently and tenderly he kissed the sleeping woman. His hand moving to gently caress her face as he did so.
The response was immediate.
Sam Carter groaned with pleasure, deepening the kiss, but keeping her eyes closed. Bringing up her hands to tenderly cup the face above her, she sighed in ecstasy. The lips were warm and tender that caressed hers and she savoured the feel; tucking the moment away in her memory to keep for always.
Jack deepened the kiss. He couldn't help it; it seemed so natural and so right, and she was encouraging him. His arms wove round her shoulders, bring her upright until they were chest to breast crushing against each other with abandon.
Jack reluctantly withdrew, needing to breath again.
The spell was broken and the resultant surprised yelp from Sam Carter when she opened her eyes startled him into reality, and they both leapt away from each others embrace like startled deer caught in the headlights.
"Sir?" she cried.
Jack gulped. How the hell was he going to explain this?
TBC