A/N: Real sorry this took so long. Haven't exactly been in a writing mood recently, but it came back to me. So... hope you like.
"Hey Daniel, you still here?" Jack leaned over him. "Danny? Still with me?"
"When am I not?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, restrained from saying, 'A lot,' and asked again. "You still want to get out of here?"
"Get out?"
"Ya, you know, leave?"
"We must not!" It was Teal'c who had spoken.
He jumped to his feet. Daniel added his thought, "How could we leave here? It is not permitted." Sam was not far behind to agree with them. His three team mates advanced on him, slowly closing the distance between them. The emotions on their faces were shared, deep, fierce, anger. Daniel was pushing up his sleeves, Sam raised her clenched fists. He looked at her, he never thought he would ever be on the receiving end of a punch from one of his friends, especially his 2IC.
Jack gave an awkward laugh, "I guess I have my answer."
They kept coming. Jack had to step back to keep from being bowled over by Teal'c, he was fast approaching the corner, escape routes cut off.
"Ok guys, I gotcha. You can back off now. Really! You can stop." His back hit the wall. Daniel stepped forward, his pupils enlarged to become quadratic.
"We can not leave!"
"I got that, but *why* not? I mean, if we can't leave, fine. But I need to know why."
For a second, they all looked taken aback. It seemed to Jack that either they didn't have a clue, or it was so obvious to them, they must have thought he was an idiot.
Daniel, retaining his articulate self, recovered quickly, "Why, does not matter, the point is we must not."
"Am I the only one who's noticed how odd you guys are acting?"
They did not look convinced but they did back up enough so that Jack had more breathing room. They must have decided he was not a risk to their objective or whatever they were doing.
Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh.
Jack visibly tensed, "He has great timing doesn't he?" He tried to remain nonchalant, as his mind was whirring rapidly, this was the moment he had been waiting for.
A grating sound as the door slid open. Swush stepped into the room and everyone turned to face him expectantly. Jack, however, didn't skip a beat. He had bolted around Teal'c and was out the door before anyone could make a move.
Adrenaline kicked in, as he sped around a bend. He was dashing through the corridors, not sure where he was headed. His head was so boggled it took him nearly a minute before he realized he was not being pursued. Slowing to a walk he took a right turn and found himself in what appeared to be a giant octagonal congregation hall.
It was much brighter here, and the light was hurting his eyes that had been stuck in a tomb for a day. Thankfully, he was in good shape and his breathing was light and regular. In front of him, stood three giant stone seats. In the backs were carved symbols of what might have been animals, if not that none of them seemed to have bodies, just heads and appendages.
"Alright," he spoke out loud, "if we have been to this planet before, why don't I remember that?" He wondered what on earth he was going to do. Thus far he had followed the plan, get out of the cell, run, and improvise. Right so on with the improvisation.
A slight sound caused him to turn. A shadow was playing across the floor. Jack had no time to hide before Daniel stepped around the corner. It was almost a relief.
"Hey Danny, so what do you think that symbolizes?" He pointed to the bodiless carvings. No answer, not that he had really expected one. Daniel stepped closer, and it was clear he intended to take Jack under his control. A few more steps. "Daniel, it's me, Jack. You remember, we're best friends. No matter how much I complain about your annoying habits, you're like family. Next to Teal'c you're one of the few people who I would want watching my back. I don't how we are going to get out of this mess, but I'll find a way. I'm sure it would be much easier with your help.
Daniel was not affected at all by this and he had started to reach for Jack, so he could steer him back to the cell. Jack wriggled out of his grasp, causing Daniel to grab him a bit more firmly around the shoulders this time. Jack gave him a knee to the stomach and twisted, but Daniel was much too strong. Much stronger than he ever had been.
Daniel flung off balance by the kick, swung toward the ground with Jack in front. As they hit Jack felt something pop, and Daniel's elbow came directly into the ribcage. However Daniel recovered quickly and pulled himself and Jack to their feet.
Swooshing noises were coming from outside, Swush and Swish came jaunting into the room, one was brandishing the baseball bat. One blow to the head and Jack was out.
He came to gradually, and before he opened his eyes, knew he was back in the cell. The stench of it had become quite familiar. Tentatively, he reached up and felt a massive bump growing on the left side of his head. Jack sat up and saw that Sam was watching him closely. He didn't know how long he had been out and checked his watch. He looked away, stopped, and looked again. No, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, there were only about twenty minutes before the five hour deadline was up. Sam was still looking at him. She didn't seem to be angry with him. It was like she wasn't aware of what had happened a several hours ago. "Hey."
"One subject does not appear to be affected." A voice growled out. He was talking about the recent incident with Jack.
"Yes, Colonel O'Neill was not infected for a reason." Swish loomed over Swush. "As I have told you, we can not lose him. He is the asset that is most required. You must not allow him to interfere with the others. Go now, the time is near."
"But... I don't understand why we need him. Can we not live without the important information he carries?"
"Could a butterfly live its life without flying? But then would it still be a butterfly?"
Swush did not understand.
"You ask too many questions, you would do well to trust me. Now, go!"
Swush followed the order and left the room.
"Sir, time is near. This is the end."
Her statement caught Jack off guard.
Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh.
"He is coming so that we may pay penance for our crime with our lives."
"There was no crime, I don't even think we've been here before."
Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh.
Sam was convinced that she was going to die today. Jack saw the resolution in her eyes. He would find a way out of this somehow. They would together.
They were all on their feet ready to do the bidding of Swush. Jack was next to Sam. She was getting closer to him.
Swoosh-swoosh. He had come around the corner.
Sam took one more step, so close to Jack she could see the beads of sweat on his forehead.
Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh. He appeared outside the cell, "Samantha Carter will follow me." There was a hint of pleasure in his voice, as if he was about to have the time of his life.
Taking a risk, Sam did the only thing she would have to regret if she didn't do it before she died. She plunged forward and brought her lips to Jack's. He stood stock still. Not knowing what to do, he kissed her back. The kiss was electric, all of the emotions they had had to keep hidden for so long were pulled to the surface. It didn't last long enough for the couple, Swush had entered and pulled her away from Jack. He tried to lunge forward and bring her back to him but, he was held by Teal'c and Daniel on each arm.
He called to her, "Sam! Sam!" She dissappeared from view. "SAM...!" Jack collapsed in his friends arms, he didn't care about anything more at that moment than getting Sam back, and keeping her safe. He had promised to protect her. He was going to.