The Explanation 8: A not-so-long walk back
PhDelicious

Disclaimer: Yeah, still the same poor powerless fool as last time.

Daniel

Daniel had moved himself and Teal'c across the room to give Jack and Sam some privacy. Suzannah had taken the hint and moved herself and her apprentices away as well.

"Teal'c, how did Jack seem to you?"

"O'Neill seemed very preoccupied and concerned for Colonel Carter."

"Did he do anything odd?"

"What would you define as odd behavior under these circumstances?"

"Did he do anything that he shouldn't have known how to do if he was the Jack of the Collective?"

"He did not; though I believe that the Collective O'Neill had significant training and experience as a warrior. Why do you ask?"

"Sam…lost it….after she diagnosed the problem they'd been having with the recovery pods without realizing what she was doing. I don't think it would have been as bad if we'd all acted as if what she'd done was completely normal. But we all just stared at her. I think it made her realize that we were telling the truth."

"Colonel Carter seems to have processed the implications of this rather quickly. Apparently she has retained her familiarity with your military's regulations."

"Yes, but how do we access the rest of their real memories?"

Suzannah interrupted their conversation.

"You need to expose to situations which reflect their reality and not the Collective's. It is time for you to return home."

"I concur. General Hammond will be most anxious to see O'Neill and Colonel Carter."

"So can we leave from here or is it better to return to Refuge?"

"It would take a little less time to return directly to the Stargate, but you are supposed to meet SG3 back at the city and Matthais needs to pick up some things before he leaves."

"You intend to send Matthais back with us then?"

"Yes. Samantha has demonstrated that your society has significant technical expertise which we lack. He will also be able to help you with Jonathan and Samantha."

"That is a most practical suggestion. I will consult O'Neill and Colonel Carter."

Jack

The first thing Jack began to notice as Sam calmed down was that his butt had gone completely numb from the added weight of holding her in his lap. The second thing he noticed was that she was no longer curled as close to him as possible. In fact, she was pushing against his chest in an attempt to get away.

"Sammie, baby, talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking."

"No you want to talk? I spent the past 15 years trying to get you to talk and now you want…"

Sam caught herself mid-rant. After taking a few deep breaths she began again.

"Not that it matters since none of it was real. Don't you get it Jack? They're right. None of what we experienced was real. We are not together here. We're not allowed to be together here. So forgive me, but I can't sit here and cry on your shoulder right now."

Sam rocked forwards onto her feet, pushed off Jack's shoulder and stood, backing away from him. She wasn't quite fast enough to stop Jack from grabbing one of her wrists. Holding on tight he rose in a fluid motion and tugged her close to him. With his free hand he caressed her cheek. His voice was hoarse from crying with her.

"Samantha, don't do this. We can work this out together. I love you."

"No, Jack, you don't. All you are feeling is echoes of a suggestion some machine planted in your brain."

Sam twisted away from Jack and crossed the room towards the others.

If this is the echo of a suggestion I'm not sure I want to feel the real thing. I'm going to enjoy proving her wrong this time. I fell for her the minute I laid eyes on her. Why would it be any different in this reality?

Mind made up, Jack squared his shoulders, steeled his nerves, and crossed the room after Sam.

Sam

Why can't he just leave me alone for a little while? He better not stand next to me. I can't be so close to him, not and maintain any sense of professionalism which seems to be required in this reality. Crap!

Sam shifted so that Daniel was between her and Jack. She missed the frown that crossed his face at her actions.

"O'Neill, Suzannah has recommended that we return to Refuge to join up with SG3 before proceeding to the Stargate an Earth."

"I have no objections to that. All right campers…Let's head home."

The Judeans packed up the few supplies that had been brought out to the Forum and the group left, crossing back through the great meeting room.

Wow! This must have once been a great civilization to require such a place. Their technology is fascinating. I guess I must have worked with similar equipment at some point. I wonder why they don't know more about it.

"Matthais?"

The young man stopped and allowed Martha and Jack to pass him so that Sam could walk alongside him as they began to take the slowly descending tunnel back to Refuge.

"Yes Samantha?"

"How come you didn't know how to fix the…Collective? …You seemed to be fairly comfortable operating it."

"I never formally completed my technical apprenticeship. I was only a year in when Peter, our last technician died. He'd sent me home for the evening. When I returned the next morning the crystal drawer was open and he was collapsed on top of it. The whole unit was fried. That's why we had to bring you to the Forum."

"Aren't there any others that you could have continued your studies with?"

"Arrangements had been made for move to Velora and complete my instruction there, but Miriam had a dream. She said I would be needed here soon. So everything was postponed. That was a few weeks before you arrived."

"Miriam?"

"She is our Seer. She was chosen at a young age because of her gifts. Visions are no longer common among our people, though it is not particularly surprising that she has such skill."

"Why not?"

"Miriam is a direct descendant of Isaac, our greatest seer ever."

Daniel

Daniel smiled as he heard Matthias launch into a retelling of Judean history.

At least it'll give Sam something to concentrate on other than Jack. I wonder if she realizes how easily she's accepted the fact that this is not Earth and that these people are not quite human. More proof that some part of her remembers.

Daniel turned to Martha who was walking just behind him and began asking his own more in depth questions about her people's history. He was tyring to decide if the similarities to Biblical stories were mere coincidence.

oOo

As it usually does the walk back to Refuge seemingly much shorter than the walk to the Forum. Daniel was surprised at how quickly the group made it back to the waterfall. They rested there briefly before setting out again with Jack and Gabriel out in front, followed by Daniel and Martha, Sam and Matthais, and Teal'c and Suzannah bringing up the rear.

The walk back to Refuge seemed just as short and almost before he realized it Daniel was watching Jack and Sam marvel at the city.

Well, it is good to know they can still be impressed by something.

"So what do you guys think?"

"Daniel it's amazing. The amount of work it must have taken…just to clear this much rock…the engineering and architectural planning…"

"I think she's impressed and rightfully so."

Jack's response cut across Sam's rambling as they crossed the bridge back to the Council's chambers. SG3 was sitting almost exactly where Daniel and Teal'c had seen them last.

"General O'Neill, Colonel Carter, it is good to see you looking well. Everyone's been worried about you/"

Colonel Reynolds snapped a quick salute, somewhat irreverently even for the SGC's relaxed protocols. When neither Jack nor Sam responded Daniel filled the gap.

"Any news from the SGC?"

"General Hammond is anxious to have these two back at work, but he says to take as much time as you need to get them back in one piece."

"Well he'll be getting them back on Earth shortly at least."

Daniel looked to Jack to make it official.

"Pack it up. We're heading back. Matthais, you have fifteen minutes to pickup anything you need before we leave."

Matthais walked quickly away.

"He will meet us at the stairs," Gabriel chimed in.

Jack nodded and SG3 shouldered their packs.

"Jonathan, Samantha, have a safe journey. Matthais should be able to answer any questions you might have."

oOo

The group was quiet as Gabriel led them back up to the surface and outside. Daniel was surprised to see the sun hanging just above the horizon.

Is it rising or setting? Has it really been less than a day since we arrived? Being underground is certainly disorienting.

Gabriel had just begun the ascent out of the ravine when Jack stopped dead in his tracks. He scanned the hillside in front of him and then turned to look up and down the canyon. Then he focused on Sam.

"I could barely feel your pulse. You weren't responding to me. I carried you…"

Jack trailed off as his thoughts turned inwards, trying to separate reality from dreams.

"It wasn't a dream…was it?"

Jack

Jack was shocked. This was the exact setting of his most frequent nightmare. Right down to the shape of the tree line above them.

Holy Hannah! It WAS real. Were all the others? Memories, not dreams. Shit! Man I had a crappy life. I guess this is just mere proof that I was right; my relationship with Samantha was just a fantasy.

A wave of understanding rolled over Jack pulling him to the ground.

I was right but that doesn't make Sam right too. If all my nightmares about loosing her are actually memories than what I feel for her isn't a remnant of a suggestion. That reality was the reflection of my true feelings….but that doesn't mean it worked the same way for her. How do I find out?

"Are you well O'Neill?"

Teal'c's voice shattered his reverie.

A/N: So I don't like to beg, but absolutely noone reviewed my last chapter. Good thing for the hit counter or I might have been very worried that everyone had suddenly stopped reading. So please leave me some love, or whatever. I'll see you after the season premier.