See Chapter One for full disclaimer and author's notes.

Chapter Thirteen

Feeling as though she was swimming through layers of wool and cotton, Sam slowly fought her way through the cloying fatigue to crack open her eyes. Down in the infirmary, so many hundreds of feet below the surface, she couldn't be sure if it was day or night or even how long she'd been sleeping. The lingering fuzziness suggested she either had a head injury or had been given some sort of pain killer, which had always had the effect of making her slightly loopy.

A soft groan escaped her as she attempted to shift to a slightly more comfortable position.

"Colonel Carter?" The soft baritone voice reached her ears and Sam was intensely relieved to hear it.

"Teal'c."

"Yes. Are you in pain, Colonel Carter?"

"Just… a bit sore."

"Shall I send for Doctor Brightman?"

"Nah. She'll just want to gimme drugs…" Sam rolled her head slightly to get a better look at her teammate. His normally impassive eyes were shadowed, and Sam thought for a moment he looked all of his 130 plus years.

"You doin' okay?" Sam asked quietly, surprised at the haunted look that crossed Teal'c's face. "Teal'c?"

"I am well, Colonel Carter."

"You sure?"

"Indeed."

" 'Kay. Where're the guys?"

"I believe O'Neill was going to attempt sleep before tending to his duties. He wanted me to tell you he would be here as soon as he was able. Daniel Jackson should return momentarily, he was procuring lunch for us."

The words were no more out of his mouth, than Daniel opened the door to Sam's room slightly, poking a disheveled head through the opening.

"Teal'c, I got meat loaf and…" Daniel began, whispering under his breath before catching Sam's eye and stopping cold.

"Hey, Daniel."

For a moment, Daniel simply stood half in, half out of the doorway looking at her. Two days ago, after seeing her struck down by a Jaffa staff weapon, he would have sworn he would never see her alive and whole again. Now here she was, wounded but very much alive and for that Daniel would be eternally grateful.

"Hey, Sam," Daniel said quietly, easing himself the rest of the way into the room to stand at her bedside. Reaching down, he lifted Sam's hand to cradle it gently between his own. "How ya feelin'?"

"Tired. Sore. Otherwise, I'm fine."

"Sam, you'd say that if your arm was broken and you'd just walked ten miles in the rain uphill to get to the 'gate and back home." Daniel said, his old, familiar joke bringing a smile to Sam's face.

"Yeah. What about you? You okay?"

"Yeah, Sam. I'm fine. Fine," Daniel replied, but just as with Teal'c, Sam could sense an undercurrent of sadness in her friend.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. We're all fine. Just a bit worried about you, is all."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about me. Got my guys… pull my six outta trouble," She said lightly, but the sincerity in her voice ran deep and they all knew it.

"Yeah, well… Jack kinda helped with that one this time."

"Jack…? I don't remember… he was…?"

"Yeah, led the mission himself. Way I heard it, Reynolds pretty much told him there was no one better to lead the team than Jack, and so there he was. Out in the field like he hadn't spent a day behind that desk."

Sam smiled, "Sorry I missed it. Tell me 'bout it later?"

"Will do, will do. You need anything?"

Sam shook her head slightly. "Jus' so tired," She slurred, her eyes already beginning to droop.

Daniel reached up, laying his hand gently on Sam's hair. "Go on back to sleep."

" 'Kay," Came the drowsy response as Sam allowed her eyes to drift closed.

Daniel leaned down, placing a brotherly kiss on Sam's forehead, lingering for a moment before speaking softly. "Thank you, Sam."

Sam's eyes opened a tiny fraction, "For wha'?"

"Surviving." Daniel whispered, his voice cracking faintly.

Sam's mouth creased into a small smile. "Got lots 'o good reasons to," she replied as sleep claimed her once again.

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Jack awakened from his nap feeling better than he had in several days, the pall of Sam's capture finally falling away, removing the boulder he had been carrying on his shoulders. Now he had to deal with the military decisions resulting from the discovery of Ba'al's fortress. Colonel Reynolds had drawn up a solid battle plan for attacking the structure and destroying the weapon inside, but Jack was still uneasy with the casualty projections and was looking for any way to improve his team's odds.

Sitting at his laptop, the battle plan displayed on the screen, Jack went over the numbers and scenarios time and again, but no matter how he worked it up, the result was still the same; five to fifteen percent casualties, mainly from the first wave through the 'gate who would undoubtedly meet the fiercest resistance from the Jaffa they expected to be covering it. Ba'al and his Jaffa weren't stupid, they had to know the SGC would be back and would take steps to prepare a staunch defense of the Stargate.

After two hours of staring at a computer screen he decided he needed a break. Jack closed the laptop and stood, rolling and stretching is aching back and shoulders. There had to be a way around those odds, but he reasoned that maybe he was just too tired to see it right now. Besides, another set of eyes might lend some inspiration and Jack had at his disposal one of the best tacticians he had ever known, Teal'c. And he knew just where he would find the big Jaffa.

Entering the infirmary, Jack immediately turned toward the ICU, but as he drew closer noticed the lights were off in the small ward and the bed empty. His heart began racing in his chest as he took in the sight of Sam's empty bed, fear causing sweat to break out on his brow.

"Hey Jack, we're over here."

O'Neill spun around hurriedly toward the voice that had called out to him. His terror must have shown somewhat on his face and Daniel stood from the chair he had been sitting in to walk toward the General.

"Hey, you okay?"

Jack ran his eyes over Daniel's shoulder, taking in Sam sitting propped up in a regular hospital bed, devoid of all the wires and tubes with the exception of one IV. Looking tired, but certainly better than she had that morning, Jack breathed a sigh of relief.

Pasting what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face, Jack replied, "Yeah, yeah. Fine. Just lookin' for our patient there."

"Doctor Brightman moved her out here just a little while ago. She's still pretty wiped out, but already making noise about wanting to go home."

Jack stepped around Daniel and made his way to Sam's bedside. "Hey, how ya feelin'?"

"Ridiculously tired. You'd think after all that sleep the last couple of days I wouldn't still be, but…"

"Been there, done that. I'm sure the Doc'll have you up and outta here just as soon as she can."

"Yeah, Sam. Take advantage of it while you can. You never know how long it might be before you get another chance just to laze around in bed for days on end," Daniel teased.

Sam smiled at the sentiment. "Well, you know me. Can't hardly sit still most of the time, but right now I'm not sure I could stand up if I wanted to."

Jack pulled up a chair and lowered himself into it, never taking his eyes of Sam's face. Even with her illness and exhaustion lining her features, he didn't think she had ever looked more beautiful. Jack didn't realize how long they had been sitting there in silence until Daniel cleared his throat.

"Ah, so I'm gonna go… catch up on…. stuff. I'll see you both later."

Sam and Jack watched him go, then turned to each other. "Subtle," they said in unison before breaking out into smiles.

"So, really. How're you feeling?"

Sam bit her lip. "Honestly? Like the wrong end of a train wreck."

Jack nodded. "I figured."

"What about you?"

Jack looked up, surprise written across his face. "Who, me? I'm fine, really."

"Uh huh."

"What?"

"When was the last time you got a full night's sleep?"

"Ah…. well, must've been…." Jack paused, realizing it must have been before Sam left on her last mission. Before his life had been turned upside down.

"That's what I thought. Why don't you go home tonight? Get some sleep in a real bed."

"Can't," Jack replied simply.

"Why not?" Sam asked softly. "You know you hate sleeping on base."

"I know."

"So…"

"It's just…" Jack began before breaking off, unsure that he really wanted to have this conversation here and now.

"Jack, hey…"

O'Neill felt as though his emotions must have been written in permanent marker on his forehead, as easily as Sam seemed to read him. Over the course of the preceeding days, he had been on an emotional roller coaster and now that it had pulled into the station and stopped he had no desire to get in line and ride it again. And talking about anything deeper than sleep right now would definitely pull all of those emotions back out of their hiding places; he had been doing more than enough of that lately.

Sensing his unease, and knowing Jack O'Neill as well as she did, Sam answered for him. "It's okay, I think I can guess. I'm fine, really. You don't need to babysit. Go home, Jack. Get some descent sleep. At least one of us should."

"Yeah, well, I'll think about it. I've got this plan of Reynolds' to go over and a bunch of other stuff to work on. Might be better if I just stay here anyway…"

"What plan?"

"The one where we go back and blow Ba'al's little temple straight to hell and hopefully take that weapon with it."

"Oh. That plan."

"Yeah."

"You're worried."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"The strategy is solid, it's the casualty projections that I don't like. Actually, I was hoping to run into Teal'c down here, get him to take a look. Maybe he can help me improve those numbers." Jack stole a glance at Sam's face and could practically see the wheels beginning to spin in her head.

"Don't get any ideas, there, Colonel. You're outta this one until the Doc says otherwise."

"But if you just get me my…"

"Damn it, Sam, I mean it!" Jack retorted, more sharply than he had intended, and immediately regretted it. He sighed, dropping his eyes to stare at his hands. "Sorry. That was a bit over the top, wasn't it?"

"S'okay. Really."

"No, no it's not. And I will need your help on this one, just not yet, okay? Not yet. I mean, Christ… just last night…"

"I know. I'm sorry," Sam said softly, reaching out to grasp Jack's hand. "Sorry I put you through all of that."

"Just glad it's over."

"Yeah. Join the club."

Jack looked up in time to see a shadow of distress flit across Sam's face. Squeezing her hand to get her attention, Jack mustered his courage. "I'm here. If you need….whatever. You know that, right?"

"I know."

"Okay, just so we've got that straight."

Feeling her strength beginning to wane, Sam slid further down into the bed, leaning her head back into the pillows. Her seemingly incesant need for sleep was beginning to wear on her, but she grudgingly accepted there was little she could do about it.

"Tired?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. Most of the time. Stay until I fall asleep?"

"Sure."

Jack knew he had dodged Sam's concern and acknowledged that he wouldn't be able to forever. But he also knew that what she had been through was nothing to take lightly. Sam was likely to bury herself in her lab just as soon as she was out of the infirmary and Jack knew if she was going to get past the horror of what had been done to her and move on she was going to have to face what had happened; and he was going to need to be there for her. No matter how much that may terrify him.

For now he was content to simply sit and hold her hand while she slept.

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Jack wandered the halls of the SGC. He had reluctantly left Sam's side a few minutes ago and was now in search of Teal'c. When he hadn't turned up in the infirmary and was also absent from the commissary, Jack headed for the Jaffa's base quarters.

Knocking lightly on the cold metal door, Jack waited for an invitation.

"Come."

Twisting the handle and pushing open the door, Jack paused for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the low candle light inside the room. It had always amazed him how Teal'c could manage to light so many candles inside his tiny quarters and avoid burning himself in the process.

"Hey, Teal'c. You busy?"

"I am not, O'Neill. My meditation has been difficult….and unsatisfying."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you're tryin' too hard, or something."

"Perhaps. How is Colonel Carter?"

"She's sleeping…again. This one really took it out of her. She seems so, I dunno. Weak. And that's not something you can usually say about Sam."

"Indeed. Colonel Carter is a formitable warrior. But even the strongest at times may reach the limits of their endurance."

"Yeah. And unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to give enough time to get that back. We need her intel from inside that damned place, but I don't want to push her into reliving all of….that," Jack said, waving his arm absently over his head.

"Samantha has been through an ordeal that might break a lesser person. Do not underestimate her ability to overcome this. But she will not be able to do it alone."

"Yeah. I know that too. I'm not sure I'm cut out for all of that."

"Emotion is something a warrior strives to control. However, I believe in this case, it will be emotion that brings you both through these times and will make you stronger for it. But you must be willing to face it, just as Samantha must."

Jack nodded, dropping his eyes to study his boots.

"Fear not, O'Neill. You also will not be alone. Your friends will be there with you."

"Thanks, T. Really."

"Was there another purpose for your visit, O'Neill? Or did you come to simply….shoot the breeze?"

" 'Shoot the breeze'? Exactly where do you get this stuff, huh?" Jack asked, a grin splitting his face.

"Television. There is a wealth of Earth culture to be learned from watching 'Gilligan's Island'."

Jack was incredulous. "What? 'Gilligan's Island'? Oh no, no, no. See you've got it all wrong, T. You gotta borrow my Simpson's videos. Now that's real Earth culture. Anyway, um, actually there was another reason I stopped by. I was hoping you'd be willing to take a look at the strike plan Colonel Reynolds put together. There's got to be a way to decrease our casualty projections, but I just can't see it. I was hoping a fresh set of eyes…?"

"I would be happy to assist you."

"Great, good, okay. Let's go up to my office and see what we can come up with."

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Three hours later, they had finalized the assault plan. Jack still wasn't one hundred percent happy with the final result, but once Teal'c had reviewed outline and had pronounced it sound, he didn't have any choice but to go with it.

"Okay, if this is the best we can do…."

"I do not see any other alternatives, O'Neill. In order to mount an effective strike on the temple we must send three SG Teams and a UCAV through the 'gate. The UCAV will be able to launch its missiles before it is shot down, but it should give us time to get the teams through and into position.

"We can increase their chances of surviving the attack by utilizing our improved armor, but it will not eliminate the threat entirely. It is a risk, going into battle, but we must take it." Teal'c concluded.

"I know, I know. But I don't have to like it. Alright, we'll ask for volunteers, assemble the teams and start training in a couple of days. I want to be sure we've prepared for every possible scenario out there and I want to be ready to roll on this in fourteen days, max. That way if we screw this up, we've still got time to try again."

"You have a good team here, O'Neill. They will not fail."

"I hope you're right, Teal'c. If this thing is half as powerful as they made it sound, we won't stand a chance against it if they try to use it on us." Jack sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Well, let me send a message out to all the team leaders and get this thing going."

"I would like to be your first volunteer, O'Neill."

"Kinda figured you would. They're going to need you on this one."

Teal'c inclined his head in response.

"Do you intend on returning to the infirmary tonight, O'Neill?"

"Yeah, just as soon as I finish up here. At least until Sam and the Doc kick me out."

"Has Colonel Carter indicated she did not desire your presence?"

"No, more like wants me to get some sleep in a real bed and not my rack or one of the infirmary chairs."

"I see. Do you believe you would sleep any better in your home?"

"Not really, no. It's just….too far away, ya know?"

"I do." Teal'c rose from his chair. "I shall see you in the infirmary then, O'Neill."

"Yeah, tell Sam I'll be down there shortly. Just let me get this out and close up shop here."

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Sam jerked awake sometime in the early hours of the morning, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to her awareness. As with many of the night terrors she sometimes suffered from, the dream was vivid, leaving her with her heart pounding in her ears and her breaths coming in short pants. This time what she could remember was running, seemingly in slow motion, through the endless corridors of the temple on -035. Chased by faceless figures shouting at her to stop.

Easing herself back down onto the pillows, Sam squeezed her eyes closed, willing the nightmare to fade. Telling herself it was only a dream. A soft voice from the bed to her right drew her attention.

"Hey."

"Jack?"

"Yeah."

"Thought you were going to go home and get some sleep."

Sam could just make him out in the bed next to her as he casually shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, well, I did try. Gave up 'bout an hour ago. Came back here." Jack pushed the blanket off his legs and sat up.

"Ya know, people are going to talk if you keep sleeping in your uniform, General."

Jack smiled, looking down at his wrinkled shirt and trousers. "Yeah, well." Jack's expression faded as he gazed at Sam. "Wanna talk about it?"

"What?"

Jack cocked his head slightly, an indication that she wasn't fooling him for a moment. A few minutes earlier, awakened by Sam's restless thrashing in the bed next to him, Jack had watched helplessly as she struggled with her dreams. He had been about to get up and wake her when her eyes had come open.

"Not tonight, okay?" Sam pleaded quietly. The dream was still too close, too real. She wasn't ready yet to deal with it.

"Okay." Jack slid down off the bed, pulled up the chair between them and sat down.

Sam rolled slowly onto her side to face him. "I just…can't. Not yet…"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. Believe me. I know…." Jack trailed off.

Sam extended a hand and Jack automatically reached out to take it. "Stay with me tonight?" She whispered, the terror of the dream still haunting her. She hated how needy she sounded, but couldn't help herself.

"No place else I'd wanna be," Jack replied easily. "Go on back to sleep Sam."

Nodding, Sam allowed her eyes to slide closed, her breathing evening out as she slowly relaxed. Jack remained sitting in the cold, hard chair, holding Sam's hand, guardian against the dreams and protector against an uncertain future.

TBC…