Finally, Ian had to push Jaffer and Jack (the dog) both away or risk being drowned in slobber. He managed to make it back to his feet, and looked around. Where Jaffer was, Jack (the colonel, not the dog) was. Joshua was looking at the dogs with interest, though – and a little fear.

"What are they?"

He'd already done the whole 'what are they' thing with the little kids in the village, and didn't feel like going through it all over again with Joshua – and then probably Sabrina as well. So he ignored the question.

"Where's Jack, Jaffer?"

The lab barked, looking over his shoulder the way he and Jack (the dog) had come from.

"They talk?" Joshua asked, amazed.

"Shut up, Joshua."

Ian walked away, heading the same direction that Jaffer had looked, and the two labs fell into step beside him. Joshua hesitated, but only for a moment, and then followed.

It was full dark by then, and the footing was treacherous with those holes all over the place, but only a few minutes passed before Ian saw flashlights ahead. Jack and Jaffer obviously smelled (or heard) the others, too, because they ran on ahead, and Ian could hear the murmur of voices and a couple of barks.

"Ian!"

"Here!"

Ian held still, allowing them to come find him – they had flashlights, after all, and he didn't have shit.

A moment later the dogs were with him again – looking as pleased with themselves as if they'd just struck gold – and Jack and the others came walking up, shining their flashlights in his face, and blinding him.

"You okay?" Jack asked, his voice obviously concerned, although even Ian could hear the relief in it – even though he couldn't see Jack's face.

"Yeah."

"What the hell happened?" Now that he was sure Ian was okay, Jack could get mad. "What are you doing out here?"

Ian scowled, looking over his shoulder at his shadow.

"Apparently I was carried out of the cave by Joshua here, who-"

"Joshua! What are you doing here?" Braxton asked, interrupting. "Is Alan here as well? What-"

"Braxton…"

Jack was trying to figure out what was going on. They could have their little reunion later.

The villager fell silent, hushed by the annoyance in Jack's voice, and Jack turned back to Ian.

"What happened?"

Ian shrugged.

"The ceiling came down on me." That was all he remembered. "Joshua says he carried me out of some tunnel."

Jack looked at the stranger.

"Why didn't you tell us he was safe? Do you have any idea just how worried we were about him – not to mention all the rocks that we-"

"I-"

"Oh, wait until you hear this, Jack," Ian said, glad that he wasn't the only one who was annoyed at Joshua. "You won't believe who he thinks I am."

"Let me guess…" Jack said, scowling over at Braxton. "Jesus?"

"You heard?"

"That's all I've heard all day."

It was obvious that if he weren't so angry just then, Jack probably would have found the situation amusing. And then it got worse.

"Is this your tamed Jaffa?" Joshua asked, looking at Teal'c, but addressing Ian.

Ian looked over at him.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear?" Jack asked the cadet. "One of the signs that you're who you're supposed to be is that you've tamed the Jaffa…"

"Oh, Jesus…" Ian looked at Teal'c apologetically. "I'm sorry, Teal'c. I swear I didn't say-"

"An apology is unnecessary, Ian Brooks," Teal'c said. He knew Ian never would have said any such thing. Ian was arrogant and cocky, but he never put himself forward in such a manner, Teal'c knew. Especially if it meant making someone interested in him. Teal'c knew Ian better than the boy – or any of the others – probably realized, and knew that the last thing he wanted was the adulation or adoration of others. It went against everything he was. "It is good to see you safe."

"It's good to be safe." He looked at Jack and Daniel. "I was worried you guys might get trapped in that cave yourselves trying to find me – since Joshua didn't bother to tell anyone he'd pulled me out."

Jack scowled at the villager and Joshua instinctively knew that Jack wasn't one to cross.

"I needed his help…" he said, defensively, but he had stepped back a pace or two. Even in the dark it was impossible to miss how mad Jack was.

"For what? Do you know how much of that cave came down after we started moving rocks?" Jack asked, and his voice was furious. Unlike Ian, Jack's anger was controlled – which didn't make it any less, it just made it more dangerous. "We could have all been killed – just because you didn't bother to let us know he was alive."

"I am sorry," Joshua said, sounding a bit contrite – more out of fear of reprisal from this angry man than because he was sorry for what he'd done. Unlike when Ian had threatened him with bodily harm and had been caught in the bluff, Joshua had no doubt that this man was more than capable of truly injuring him for his transgressions. "I needed his help."

"We're out of here," Jack said, looking at Ian. While he hadn't appeared to have taken any serious injury, there was a cut on his head, and he was moving stiffly. "I want to get you looked at by-"

"You can't leave!" Joshua said. "He hasn't kept his end of the bargain."

"What bargain?" Jack asked, wondering what on earth was so damned important to this man that he'd risk angering everyone – including Braxton and the other villagers from the looks of their faces – just to have it done.

"He promised to get my wife pregnant."