Reply to a review: There are not a lot of 'fights' in this story - if there had been I would have called it 'Action/Adventure' rather than drama. There is romance, and there is ' the good guys winning', but if you don't want to read further to find that out because the end maybe be 'cheezy' that's up to you. Not all romance is sweetness and light, in stories or in real life. If you want to read those type of stories, Jackie's aren't for you. Jackie is (as I am) a 'Jack whumper', the difference between us being that she combines her 'hurt/comfort' with romance whereas I don't. As there is no category 'hurt/comfort' available to class these stories in - drama is the next best thing.
Jackie wants me to put 'Tissue Warning' on the next parts.
Flatkatsi
Life In the Shadows – Part Twenty-two
A hand on Sam's shoulder startled her from her sleep.
"It is time, Major Carter," said Teal'c's quiet voice.
She gasped and pulled her head up from Jack's shoulder. 'How could I have slept the night? No, no too soo,' her mind screamed. She felt Jack's hand tighten on hers, and looked down, full of remorse.
He gave her a smile. "It'll be … okay."
Sam knew it would never be okay … never again, for the rest of her life, regardless of how long that might be … and right now she didn't care.
She debated protesting once more, but as she opened her mouth, the look that Jack gave her silenced her. She closed her eyes and lowered her head before taking a breath and looking back up again to regard his handsome face.
"That's my … girl," he panted, smiling, his presence as always comforting her.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
They made hasty preparations and finally were ready to depart. Teal'c picked the Colonel up as gently as he could. The Jaffa felt O'Neill flinch with pain, biting down to contain it as best he could.
He apologised. "I am sorry, my friend, this will cause much pain."
The other man shook his head. "Just get … them b...ack, T," he whispered.
"I will do my utmost to get us all back, O'Neill," promised Teal'c.
They made their way quietly to the river and retrieved the ropes and lanterns from their hiding place.
"How do we do this?" asked Daniel.
"You should both go first. I shall bring O'Neill through," said Teal'c.
Sam looked as though she would object, but Teal'c laid a hand on her arm. "I will need assistance to get him on the bank at the other side."
Sam studied his face for a heartbeat, and then nodded once in agreement.
"See you on the other side then," said Daniel. His reluctance was obvious as he began to wade into the river, giving one last lingering look at the Colonel before shivering and fixing his eyes on the water, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in deep lungfuls of air.
He grasped the rope and breathed deeply one last time before diving under. Major Carter gave a last look to their commander and then Teal'c, before following.
Teal'c watched them go and then picked the Colonel up again. "The water is cold, O'Neill," he warned.
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"No shit, T," whispered Jack as the water crept up his body, the cold seeping through his bones, causing him to shiver lightly.
Teal'c let him have a moment, keeping his head above the water. "I will go through as quickly as I can, O'Neill, try and hold on."
Jack gave him a quick nod. He knew he had little chance of holding his breath for long enough, but the thought didn't panic him as he thought it would … maybe it was time to just let go …
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sam and Daniel made it up the bank and sat waiting. It seemed a long time before Teal'c broke the surface of the water and struck out to join them.
The second Sam saw the Colonel's lifeless eyes staring unseeingly back at her she screamed, "Get him out!"
Teal'c almost threw the Colonel up the bank to Sam and Daniel.
Sam felt the Colonel's neck to check for a pulse, finding a faint beat before turning him rapidly onto his side. She quickly pounded on the back of his lungs to try and expel the water that had accumulated. The second pounding brought forth the expulsion she was seeking and she gave a sob of relief as he drew a gasping breath.
"Thank God," breathed Daniel in relief, as his friend drew breath.
Once Sam was confident Jack was breathing as steady as she felt he could under circumstances, she turned him gently, laying his head across her lap. She regarded him tenderly, thankful he wasn't conscious and in pain for the moment.
Teal'c touched Daniel on the arm. "We must make haste, we have far to go."
Sam heard the voice speaking and looked up at her friends in somewhat of a daze.
"We just need a minute here, Teal'c," she whispered.
"We should not linger, Major Carter, and O'Neill would be the first to order that."
Sam looked down at Jack in her arms. She nodded without looking back up and Teal'c gently drew the Colonel up and away from her before lifting him effortlessly into his arms.
They made their way down into the valley. The sun was warm, the bright light from it causing them to blink rapidly after their imprisonment in the dark for so long.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sam anxiously kept turning to Teal'c to check the Colonel was still breathing. She was praying he could hold on just long enough for them to get him back through the gate, amazed he'd made it so far.
Daniel took point. He was also silently praying for Jack, but he knew they had a long way to go.
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They kept a steady pace, not stopping despite their tiredness, mentally and physically pushed to their limits. After some time, Daniel stopped dead in his tracks at the sounds that carried through the trees. They all ground to a halt behind him listening intently. Squinting up through the trees they found something that filled them with dread - a Goa'uld ship.
"Damn it - why now!" cried Sam in despair.
"I believe they may be picking up the ore shipments," said Teal'c.
Daniel frowned. "The ore? Damn, why didn't we think of that earlier."
"Would it have made any difference?" asked Teal'c.
Daniel shook his head. "It's lousy timing though," he muttered.
Jack chose that moment to begin to come round. He struggled slightly in Teal'c's arms and began to cough. Teal'c quickly laid him the man down and Sam knelt, drawing him into her arms, holding him against her, trying to support him as he gasped for breath.
His eyes flickered open, the pain in them making her heart bleed for him. The gasping breaths he drew becoming choked, the blood made a slow track from the corner of his mouth …
xoxoxoxoxoxo