An extra long part today, because I'm not sure if I'll have time to post one tomorrow - enjoy.
You dreamt you were Jack's sister, Phoenixfeather? Funny, I frequently dream I'm his... LOL... nope, not going there.
Flatkatsi
Life In the Shadows – Part Twelve
Sam gathered the tokens she had and joined Reena, a little reluctantly, but she responded to Reena's urging to hurry up before the best had gone.
"Won't be long Jack," she called, with a last look to them before leaving.
They made their way down to the 'shop' of sorts. Teal'c and Daniel were apparently earning quite well as Teal'c was quite capable of doing the work of two men.
"Your family is strong. Once Jack is on his feet, you will be considered a wealthy woman, until someone steals Teal'c and Daniel."
Sam told herself they would be long gone before that happened. Daniel had complained quite vocally about the women and the 'feeling up' he had to endure on occasion. Teal'c had said nothing, however.
Jack was on the mend now, but Daniel and Teal'c had both refused Sam's offer to work in the mine, and they'd all strongly protested, including Reena, when she expressed a desire to explore the mine on her own to seek a way out. Reena was greatly respected by the workers and the guards alike and that afforded Sam some measure of safety, but the looks she was given by the men, she admitted to herself, made her uncomfortable.
"But you must be careful …"
Sam realised with a start that Reena was speaking to her.
"Sorry?" she apologised, struggling to pay attention to what the woman was saying.
"The unbonded women are vying for attention from Daniel and Teal'c. They have yet to catch sight of your Jack and then you had better watch out," teased Reena, but her voice carried a warning.
"Oh, they've not a hope in hell," muttered Sam.
"Sorry?" Reena didn't quite catch Sam's words.
"I said Jack will soon be well," Sam replied, realising she'd uttered the words out loud.
She decided to get Reena to escort her around the mine more, using the opportunity to recon and build up a better picture, claiming curiosity, and Reena agreed once they had made their trade at the shop.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Serene smiled at Jack. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thanks, I'll … I think I'll just sleep for a while." Jack felt uncomfortable in her presence somehow, but was not sure why. He turned a little, trying to settle, but the stiffness of his limbs and the pull on his ribs made him wince. He closed his eyes, resolutely trying to block out her presence.
A firm pressure on his blanket-covered thigh startled him and he opened his eyes to find Serena leaning in really closely. "Um, watchya doing?" he asked, swallowing nervously as he tried to sit up a little.
"Do you need something to relax you?" she asked and ran her tongue over her lips seductively.
Jack took a gulp of air. "No … nope, I'm ok." He stuttered, thoroughly embarrassed.
She almost purred. "Really? You don't look very comfortable," she said. leaning closer still.
Jack let his head fall back with a thump, closing his eyes. The ground he was praying for to open up and swallow him was just so not going to do that. He'd thought of Serena as a child, but clearly she certainly didn't think she was. He opened his eyes and the word vamp came to mind. He squirmed slightly, trying to move further away, but the firm pressure on his thigh returned. He reached for her hand to remove it, only to have his grasped tightly.
"Do you not like me?" Serena asked, dismay clear in her large eyes.
Jack took a breath … women he could deal with, Carter … he could deal with … well just maybe, on a good day that was … but this was a bit more than he could handle. For someone he thought of as little more than a child to put something so blatantly on offer alarmed and sickened him.
"Serena, look I'm … umm…."
She didn't allow him to finish speaking as she quickly pressed her mouth to his, running her hand over his groin. The special ops trained Colonel … panicked and for a few seconds he wasn't able to do or think anything.
A loud cough from the doorway roused Jack and he gave the girl a determined push away, wincing as the effort pulled on his ribs. Serena fell back, sitting on her bottom abruptly with an angry exclamation.
Jack took a gulp of air and looked to see Daniel standing at the doorway with a shocked expression written all over his face.
"Crap!" Jack closed his eyes, partly against the pain flaring up in his chest, partly because the expression Daniel wore mirrored his own shock at Serena's behaviour.
Serena gave Daniel a sly look and gathered herself up. "I will see you tomorrow, Jack," she said softly and swept past the man in the doorway, who was still standing there, confounded.
Jack didn't even bother to respond to her goodbye, he opened his eyes, trying to shift himself to a more comfortable position, but failing.
He muttered a faint "Crap." again as the pain flared up with more severity.
"Good!" spat the archaeologist.
Jack fixed a glare on Daniel. "Excuse me?"
"For Christ's sake, Jack, she's little more than a child." Daniel moved over to Jack as he spoke.
"Jail-bait. Hell, I know, but I didn't touch her," said Jack, feeling put out that Daniel would believe anything to the contrary.
His friend frowned. "It didn't look like that from over there. You were all over her."
"Damn it, she was all over me you mean!"
"You're well over twice her age … you're …"
"Yeah, old enough to be her grandfather … Daniel, just what do you take me for? I swear, she pounced."
"Pounced?" echoed Daniel as he squatted down besides his friend.
"Pounced. I didn't stand a chance."
Daniel paused to stare at Jack, pushing his glasses up his nose with a bloody finger. "Special ops Colonel couldn't handle a …" he began.
Jack squinted at the other man's hand, frowning. "What's the blood?"
Daniel clasped his hand back over his other forearm. "Err, it's just a cut, but Teal'c said I should get it cleaned and covered. Don't change the subject … she's a ..."
"Look, for cryin' out loud, I did nothing, absolutely nothing to encourage her I swear … I was trying to sleep and … well, she pounced."
"Pounced," repeated Daniel.
"Daniel, if you keep repeating that I swear I'm gonna …"
"Okay, okay," Daniel raised his hands in surrender and then grimaced at the blood on them.
"Christ, grab the stuff so I can take care of that," Jack ordered.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Daniel bit his lip and collected some water and cloths as well as the balm before dropping down to sit beside Jack. The Colonel rolled carefully to his side and began to clean the cut.
"It should be stitched," he commented as he cleaned it.
Daniel shook his head. "It'll be ok, just use that stuff. It's good."
"Yeah, I know," said Jack with a grimace.
"What about Serena?" asked Daniel as Jack finished up with the bandage.
"Uh?"
"Serena," Daniel repeated, slightly exasperated.
He'd realised Jack was telling the truth once he'd got over the shock. He thought back over what he'd actually seen … and that was her kissing and groping at Jack. He realised though, and not without just a little shame, that he could well understand anything else, because he'd also been startled by the girl's physical attributes.
He pulled his thoughts back into the present.
"Serena - what are you going to do about her?" he sighed impatiently. "It's obvious she's got a crush on you," he continued, with a wince as Jack tightened the knot of the bandage none too gently.
"More like desperate for a husband," said a voice from the doorway.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Both men jumped at the sound of Sam's voice as she came into the room with her small sack of goods.
"What?" said Jack. 'Doh, quick recovery there,' he chided, wondering just how much Sam had overheard.
"Well, could be … Serena … pounced." Daniel recited the word with obvious glee.
Jack winced. The man was enjoying this way too much. He threw the archaeologist a withering glare, but Daniel just ignored him.
"Good job I had to come back, Sam, otherwise his honour would have been severely compromised, I think." Daniel stood up and then looked back down at Jack with an innocent look on his face. "Oops," he mouthed with an exaggerated wince. He turned to Sam and announced his intention to get back to work before anyone could say anything else.
Jack watched as Sam's expression turned from puzzled to seriously pissed.
"Daniel," growled Jack.
"Later, Jack, I've got to go earn our daily bread," said Daniel sarcastically as he left.
Jack winced at that. It was eating him up being laid up and the fact that Daniel and Teal'c were labouring all day to keep them going made it even worse.
He heard Sam banging about at the back of the room. Good job there were no doors for her to slam … wait, if they'd had a front door this wouldn't be happening. He'd have got Serena off him before … ack, if 'ifs and ands' were pots and pans … he heard his grandmother's favourite expression. He shook himself back to the present, again wincing as a pot made contact heavily with something, no doubt Sam wishing it was his head.
He felt himself curl a little inside. Silent treatment always freaked him out. He'd always hated that from Sara, much preferring that any argument was over and done with and he was forgiven … and could get on with the make up sex – 'Aagh, don't go there, Jack,' he screamed at himself. Make up sex with Sam – sooo not a good idea to even think about. She was much more likely to give him a right hook.
Damn, even the thought of a right hook didn't stop his body's reaction to his initial thoughts of make up sex with Sam. Panicking for the second time that day, he rolled and the sudden pressure on his ribs made him gasp.
'Oh, yeah pain. That sorts that problem out – way to go,' he congratulated himself. He lay still for a moment to get his breathing under control. It was several seconds before he realised that a pair of dusty boots were level with his head. He followed the body trail upwards; his eyes taking in the long legs as he tilted his head back to take in Sam's upper body, quickly past the breasts, to rest his eyes on her face.
"You okay?" she asked quietly, her eyes soft with concern. He could find no trace of anger there.
"Um, yeah, um," and the words constricted in his throat as he feasted on the bright blue eyes while time stood still.
He wasn't sure how long they'd remained like that, or who broke the contact first, but he became aware of Sam squatting down besides him, her gaze fastened on the floor.
"What was Daniel on about?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft.
"Oh." Jack was stumped for words again. How on earth did his major do that to him? "Um, Serena, she … she's … err" His voice dried again.
Sam gave him an amused look. She certainly seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.
Jack bit down, hell he'd faced down Goa'uld and countless enemies over the years, what the hell was so bad about … gulp … facing … Sam Carter?
"Oh, hell, look, Carter, just don't go leaving Serena here alone, okay." he managed to growl out quickly before he changed his mind.
"It's Sam remember? Alone?" she queried, raising one brow.
"Alone, here, with me, okay, Sam," he growled again, feeling completely thrown off balance by her attitude.
"Fair enough, Jack. I promise I will not leave you along with Serena." She spoke gravely. "Is there anyone else you need protection from while we are discussing it?"
Jack saw the wicked glint in her eyes and groaned. His 2IC was getting way too good at this. Any words he might have had to say died at the sudden 'shit-eating' grin she flashed him. He schooled his face and shook his head. The mischief she rarely demonstrated delighted him for the most part, but he couldn't let her in on that … wouldn't!
Sam looked disappointed that he wasn't rising to her baiting, and Jack was sorely tempted, but good sense won out and he let the moment go.
"If you're okay then, I'll get these things away and start cooking some food."
Jack tried to relax, watching her work. The scene of domesticity began to soothe him and the crackling warmth from the fire eventually lulled him to sleep.
Before he knew it a gentle hand was shaking him awake.
"Hey."
Jack blearily regarded the figure kneeling next to him.
"Sorry, must have dozed off again."
Sam held out a bowl. "Want to try some of this?"
The aroma tickled his nose and for the first time since being injured he felt the pangs of hunger. His stomach rumbled loudly, begging for the food.
"Stomach says to eat," he grinned, carefully trying to sit.
When he was finally settled with Sam's help, she handed him the bowl and he attacked it with gusto, but only managed half before admitting defeat.
"Daniel and Teal'c have gone back out. They're having a scout around, but they shouldn't be much longer."
"Scouting? They've been here? Is it that late?" Jack said, troubled how long and how deeply he'd slept yet again.
Sam nodded. "You've been out for the count. They've washed and eaten and I told them what little I've found out today too."
"Care to fill me in?" Jack asked, a little put out at not being involved more.
Sam explained what she knew. Regular hunting parties left the mine for food and trade and, of course, when they needed more workers, but asides from that no prisoners ever left, not even for burial - even that was done in the mine. People from outside the mine picked up the ore and regular shipments left.
"What's the ore?"
Sam looked a little shamefaced. "Well, I don't actually know," she admitted.
"No doohickies, eh?" Jack grinned.
"No, sir," said Sam, reverting back to military mode while she made her report, "but no one seems to know what it is used for and the guards aren't very … well it's best not to ask them anything. The tamanz that we burn is dug out with the ore, and that burns well, much like coal back on earth."
"Well, not to worry," said Jack, "The main thing is for us to get out of here."
"Do you think General Hammond has sent a search party?"
"Well if he does and they tracked us from the gate, I doubt they'd have much luck following us from the compound because of the ground, and then…. Well, even I wouldn't authorise any attempt at rescue from a place like, this looking at the security and manpower they had on the approach to the mine, especially as they wouldn't know for sure we were here or even still alive. Hammond wouldn't swing for it - too much risk."
Sam sighed deeply and Jack knew she'd realised much the same herself, but he couldn't help but be honest.
"Hey, maybe Daniel and Teal'c will find something, but if not something will come up, I'm sure of it. There is no way we are ending our days here.."
Sam looked into his eyes; the blue seemed more intense than ever to him.
"I promise, Sam, I'll get you home," he vowed, with all his heart.
xoxoxoxoxoxo