Thanks again for the R & R guys. Keep 'em coming!
Feb04: Thanks! Hey, we're neighbours! S-i-A.
Janissima: Thanks! Hope you don't strangle me for this. lol. There's better to come.
SLEEPING BEAUTY.
by LetitiaRichards
Previously:
The man never reappeared and Daniel slumped onto the floor, sliding down the wall. He glanced up at Teal'c who looked just as miserable as he felt.
"Well," Daniel sighed with regret, "that went well!"
"Indeed!"
Chapter 8
Jack groaned as he surfaced from the inky mire of nothingness. His head hurt, his back was killing him and so was his chest for some reason. He couldn't for the life of him recall what had happened.
Sam, seeing her CO coming round, scooted closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder, so that he wouldn't try to get up just yet. There was no trace of the earlier desperation to have him at all costs, left in her system and she hoped it would be the same for him. There wasn't a moment that passed, while he'd been unconscious, that hadn't seen her redden with embarrassment as she recalled their last scenes with all the accompanying feelings in glorious Technicolor to make it worse.
"Lie still sir. The headache should pass off in a few moments."
"Carter? That you?" he asked raising a shaky hand to his head and massaging his knotted brow.
"Yes sir. I was getting worried. You've been out for a couple of hours."
"Hours?"
"Well, give or take a few minutes, yes sir."
"You okay?"
"Yes sir. A little sore, but nothing's broken."
"You say the headache will go?"
"Yes sir."
"I doubt it!"
"Maybe you have a concussion."
"Ya think?"
"Okay! What about the ribs?"
He winced, as he tried to adjust his body against the hard floor.
"They hurt too!" He paused trying to think round the headache before her words sank in. "Hey! How did you know to ask that? What aren't you telling me Carter?"
"Ah...yeah...about that...sir." She blushed, though she doubted he would see it in the darkness thank goodness. "I...er...I kinda landed on you sir! Sorry!"
"You what?"
"I...we fell from up there sir," she said pointing upwards before she remembered he probably wouldn't see the gesture. "I landed on top of you. I heard a crack. I'm really sorry Sir."
"Not your fault Carter. You okay?"
"Ah...Colonel?"
"What?"
"You asked me that already!"
"Oh...right! And?" he sighed. Maybe he hit his head harder than he thought.
"I'm fine sir."
"Thank you! How far?"
"What?" Sam frowned, not having a clue as to what he was referring to. "How far what?"
"The drop. How far did we fall Carter? Are you sure you're okay?"
Sam ignored the slight on her mental acumen and told him what she estimated the distance as.
"Oh. I'm guessing at about 15 feet sir."
"Oiy!" he muttered, feeling every inch of bruised muscle and backbone and now a cracked rib, or two maybe. Doc Fraiser was gonna have a field day with him when they got back. Knowing his luck he'd be tied to the infirmary for god knows how long.
"Where are we?" he asked looking round now his head had eased up on the hammering a little.
"I don't know sir. I can't find a way out; there's no window, nothing sir."
"We found the way in, there must be a way out."
Sam snickered. Oh yeah, not quite the entrance she would have made given a choice.
"I need to take a look at your ribs sir."
"Why? So you can hurt me again? I'm fine," he muttered defensively, holding his arm across them for protection from her probing fingers.
"Sir, You really..."
"Carter! You can't see anything in this darkness anyway. I'm gonna stay right here on this hard floor. I don't intend to move unless it's to get our asses outta here. Understood?" he practically yelled.
"Perfectly...sir!" she said rather acerbically, adding his title as an afterthought. No sense in antagonising him any further, it was going to be bad enough as it was if he'd picked up on her tone of voice.
She felt the uncomfortable prickle of tears smarting behind her eyes and turned away from him. What the hell was wrong with her, for crying out loud? He hadn't been particularly nasty or rude or ignorant, just his usual frustrating self; but after their earlier experience of unresolved passion, she felt as if her emotions were on a see-saw and out of control.
"Carter, what's up?"
The tenderness in his voice broke the dam and she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She tried to turn away from him, but his hand rubbed soothing circles over her back so gently that she moved without thinking.
"C'mere!" he commanded gently, pulling on her arm.
She dropped to lay on the floor beside him, burying her head against his shoulder as the sobs took her. He did his best to wrap her in his arms, trying not to make matters worse for either of them.
The high state of raging emotions that they had undergone was now a trough of depression and he had been feeling agitated with her at first, until he realised he wasn't the only one suffering. He hoped he hadn't caused this outburst from her, because he would find it hard to forgive himself if he had caused her any pain. He didn't want to, but neither could he help the way he had been feeling.
Whoever it was, that was holding them captive, seemed to be controlling their emotions as well.
They lay there for a long while, wrapped in each others arms until the tall hidden door slid open, causing them to blink in the bright light beyond it.
Jack tried to get up, but found it almost impossible. Sam did sit up though, ready to protect Jack at all costs.
"Oh goody; you're awake," the man who entered and was backlit against the doorframe said gleefully.
"Who the hell are you?" Jack barked with as much anger as he could muster from his position on the floor which didn't come out sounding all that stern or threatening.
Sam's hand found his in the shadows and clung to it. She wouldn't leave him, and wouldn't allow him to be taken away either.
"Now, if I told you, that would be telling, wouldn't it?" the stranger replied in a sing-song voice like a child.
"What?" Jack gasped. He couldn't believe this. What kind of idiot was this guy?
"You broke my machine!" he said bitterly, pointing an accusing finger at Sam. "You didn't play fair!" he pouted, frowning down at her fiercely.
"What the...?" The hairs on the back of Jack's neck were starting to prickle. They were being manipulated by a nutcase? Heaven help them.
"Is he for real?" Sam whispered in an aside to her CO.
"I think I prefered the other scenario," Jack sighed softly closing his eyes for a moment against thoughts of actually killing an overgrown child in order to escape. He mentally shrugged, well, if that's what it took...then...
"You love him don't you!" the man stated finally, seeing Sam colour up with the directness of his words.
Sam blushed, and floundered for an answer. Yes she did, but she wasn't about to admit that to anyone. She couldn't even admit that to Jack. Not now they were back to thinking properly once more. Well, almost.
"Go on, admit it Samantha!" he crowed with delight at her prevarication.
"What?" Sam gasped at the use of her given name.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Balazah, and you're my prisoners. I wanted to watch you but you broke the machine. That was very bad. Very naughty of you Samantha."
Jack had had enough of this nonsense; it was getting them nowhere. He struggled to sit up with Sam's help, biting back a groan. He wouldn't let the SOB know he was hurting.
"Okay. We're sorry. But why us? Where's the rest of my team?"
"You were so close! This close!" he sighed holding up his finger and thumb with a minute gap between them to illustrate his point. "You should have done Colonel O'Neill. I wanted it to happen," he snapped, stamping his foot in frustration like a two year old.
Jack hauled himself to his feet and stood beside Sam protectively. He didn't like where this was going.
Despite his own aches and pains he reacted without thinking when Balazah fired a weapon at Carter, He pushed her to one side. Taking the blast for himself.
The man raged in temper and looked round quickly when he heard someone call his name. He turned and fled from the room, slamming the door shut behind him and again they found themselves in almost the same situation as when they had arrived. Sam crawled to Jack's side and sat vigil over his unconscious form.
TBC