Thanks for all your reviews and support. Still a few chapters to go. Thanks for reading.

...and now on with the story.

Tangled Web 14 Limbo

It had been almost a week since Jack and the rest of SG1 had learned Sam's secret and she had filed charges. There was still no sign of the man. The police had not located him and he had not attempted to contact Sam again as far as they knew. The police had set up surveillance at her house but it had also failed to turn up anything.

She grew stronger each day as she continued to recover at Jack's house surrounded by her team. And with strength and health came restlessness. She had started to make daily pleas to leave the house, to go out…anywhere. This morning would be no different.

"Sir, please! Just for a little while. Teal'c can go with me!"

"Carter, didn't we have this conversation yesterday morning?" He slid scrambled eggs onto the plate and set them on the table in front of her. "Eat." Then he retrieved his own plate and coffee and returned to the table to join her.

"It's not fair. I'm going stir crazy you know!"

"I know." His face showed the sympathy he felt. He really did understand her impatience but that didn't override his instinct to protect her.

She held his eyes locked with hers for a long moment seeing exactly what he was feeling reflected in the darkened windows of his soul. Her voice softened as she spoke to him again. "Jack. I really can't stay here forever."

He stared back at her, his fork frozen in mid-air between them. He returned it slowly to his plate then raised his eyes to meet hers again as a small smile crept across his lips. "I know. Too bad, huh?"

She tilted her head to one side and then pulled her eyes away from his, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. She didn't answer when she looked up at him again; she just turned her head minutely towards him and raised her eyebrows in a questioning posture.

Jack stared into her brilliant blue eyes and knew he'd have to give in sooner or later. That look always worked on him and she knew it. But he wouldn't put her in danger not if he could prevent it. "Look, Sam, why don't we cook out tonight? You can enjoy the outdoors without being…out in public. Then we'll pack up and go somewhere this weekend. Out of town, someplace warm maybe, so we can all relax a little. How's that?"

"Actually, I'd love to see Mark and his family."

"Um, not a good idea. Pete knows him and he might be expecting you to go there. I was thinking Arkansas."

"Arkansas?" She almost yelped her disbelief at his suggestion and then she saw the smile in his eyes. "Very funny, Sir."

"Let me see if I can get someone to cover the base for the weekend and we'll figure out something, ok?"

"Ok."

"Morning guys."

"Daniel! There's breakfast on the stove."

"Thanks, Jack, coffee first." Daniel filled the largest mug he could find with the steaming liquid and then stood looking out the window, his back to his friends. "So, what are we figuring out?"

"Sam's going stir crazy, so I thought maybe we could take a little weekend trip."

"Oh, sounds like fun. Where we going?"

Jack and Sam exchanged a smile at Daniel's automatic inclusion of himself in that 'we'. "Arkansas. And how do you know you're invited?" Jack winked at Sam as she looked up at him surprised, letting her know he was just teasing Daniel.

"What? Oh! Sorry, I just assumed…. wait! Arkansas? What the hell is in Arkansas?"

"It's not so much what's in Arkansas as what isn't in Arkansas." Daniel squinted his eyes as he stared at Jack for a moment trying to figure out exactly what he meant. Then his face relaxed as understanding dawned on his still sleepy brain. "Oh! Yes! I see, well maybe I'll just stay here."

Sam snickered softly and Jack turned a brilliant smile on her. "Don't worry Danny boy, it was just an idea. You three figure out where. I gotta get going. Where's Teal'c?"

"Oh, he's sleeping, he was up all night. I'll be here until he wakes up."

"Ok." Without thinking Jack rose from his seat and leaned in to kiss Sam quickly on the lips. She looked at him in surprise as he pulled away. "Behave yourself. I'll call you later." She smiled tensely and shook her head. Incredulously, Jack leaned in to kiss her again before he turned and walked quickly out of the kitchen.

Daniel stood staring at the hallway where Jack had disappeared until he heard the front door open and close. He squinted his eyes and stared down into his coffee cup for a few seconds before turning his puzzled gaze on Sam.

"So…Jack seems a bit…casual. Did I, uh…miss something?"

Sam looked up at him with a hint of surprise still lingering on her face. "Miss something? What do you mean?"

Daniel turned to pour himself another cup of coffee, sipping it before answering. When he finally spoke, it was in that rapid-fire manner he used when he couldn't quite explain something.

"Sam…he kissed you. Twice as a matter of fact! He…he just leaned over and kissed you like he does it every day! And…and, and, and with me standing right here! I've known you and Jack for a long time… I'd say that's quite a change. What's going on?"

"Calm down, Daniel. There's nothing going on. I don't think he even realized he did it."

Daniel continued to squint at her through disbelieving eyes, "Yeah…that's what I'm talking about!"

Sam started to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because, Daniel, you're making something out of nothing. You've kissed me plenty of times, what's the difference?"

"Now…see. You know what the difference is…one: I'm not military; two: I'm not your CO and three: I'm not…!" He stopped short of saying the words. Surely she knew how Jack felt about her, but if not, it wasn't his place to tell her.

"Not what?"

"Come on, Sam, you know what! Isn't kissing against the regulations?"

"Technically, yes, but I don't think anyone would court martial us for that kiss. It was just a friendly peck. He's just worried, Daniel." She couldn't help but smile at the mixture of emotions on Daniel's face. She wouldn't be surprised if Jack had kissed her just to get a rise out of him. Well, it worked, she thought.

He held her locked in his gaze for a long moment, his eyes moving frantically back and forth, searching hers for the answers. "Ok." He finally responded, "If you say so."

"I do."

"Ok. Back to denial then." He smiled and sat down with his breakfast while Sam glared at him across the table and considered if she was allowing Jack to get too close, too comfortable.

"I think I'll go out on the deck for awhile."

"Um, ok." Daniel mumbled between bites. "Just don't wander off, ok?"

She nodded her agreement reluctantly and headed for the patio door. Daniel watched her from the kitchen window as she walked onto the deck. She stood perfectly still for a moment and then he saw her shake her head, as if answering a silent question in her own mind. Then she sat down on the deck, drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. She stayed there for a very long time.

Around 11:30 the phone rang and Daniel answered it quickly. "Hey, Daniel. Everything ok?"

"Fine, Jack."

"Where's Carter?"

"She's, uh, sitting out on the deck. Been there since breakfast, actually."

"Is she ok? Did something happen?"

"Well, if it did, it's my fault."

"What did you do, Daniel?"

"Um, well, you just surprised me this morning and we were talking about it…"

"This morning?" Jack sounded totally confused and Daniel doubted that he was pretending.

"Uh, yeah. I was surprised that you, um…" Daniel suddenly remembered that Jack was calling from the SGC and he should choose his words carefully, just in case someone was listening. "…showed your concern. Sorry, Jack."

"Is she all right, Daniel?"

"I think so. She's just thinking, I guess."

"Daniel, you're supposed to be taking care of her! Don't you think she has enough to worry about without you adding to it? I can't believe you!"

"I know, I'm sorry!"

"Don't tell me, Daniel, tell her…and make sure she's ok. I'll call again before I leave the base."

"Ok, Jack." Daniel heard the dial tone in his ear and was a bit shocked that Jack hadn't blasted him for upsetting Sam. He must really be worried about her. Jack was right; she did have enough to worry about and plenty of time to do just that at the moment. 'Sometimes I'm a jerk!' he said to himself as he stood and moved towards the door to join Sam outside.

A few hours later, approximately 1600 hours –

"Daniel."

"Hey, Jack. What's up?"

"Just checking in. You guys ok? Anything going on?"

"Nope, everything's ok. Teal'c's watching Star Wars, Sam's reading and I'm working on a translation."

"Don't get so involved that you forget to pay attention."

"Um, no. I won't, besides we're all in the same room, Jack. Really, everything's fine."

"Ok, let me talk to Carter."

"Ok, hold on." Jack heard him speaking to Sam and papers rustling as he moved across the room to give her the phone. There was a momentary silence while he waited for her to answer.

"Hey, Sir!" Jack smiled at the brightness in her voice; it had been a while since he'd heard any form of enthusiasm coming from her. Now that it was back, he realized how much he'd missed it.

"Hey, Carter. Feeling better?"

"Much better, Sir."

"That's good! I thought I'd see if there was anything special you wanted for dinner tonight."

"Steak sounds good. Oh! And cake."

"Cake?"

"Yes, Sir."

Jack smiled broadly into the phone. "Cake it is, then. I'll be leaving here in about an hour and I'll stop for the groceries on the way, so should be there in…say two…two and a half hours."

"Sounds good, Sir."

"Get some rest, Carter, and have Daniel start up the grill."

"Yes, Sir. See you then." She placed the phone back in its' cradle and smiled. She was looking forward to the cookout. It was a normal thing for them to do as a team and she so needed normal. She looked up to see Daniel staring at her with a confused look on his face. "Daniel?"

"Hum? Oh, nothing. Nothing." He hadn't missed the brightness that had suddenly returned to Sam's voice as she spoke to Jack. He also hadn't missed the 'Sirs' sprinkled liberally throughout their short conversation and knew it was for his benefit.

"Um, Sam…" She looked back at him, her book again lying open on her lap. "I just want you to be happy, you know? Whatever that takes is ok with me, I'd never…say anything."

"I know, Daniel." She smiled but he noticed that underlying sadness was again present in her eyes and he felt responsible. 'Someday I really have to learn to keep my mouth shut.' He refocused his attention on Sam as she continued speaking. "I'd settle for normal right now. And speaking of normal, the General said for you to start the grill before he gets here."

'The General? Not 'Jack'.' "Yeah, sure."

Sam closed her book and walked towards the kitchen. "I think I'll start some veggies for the grill."

"Need some help?"

"Nope, I'm fine." Sam busied herself with the meal preparations. She wasn't much of a cook but salad and sliced vegetables were no problem. Once she was sure she had enough vegetables to satisfy Teal's sizable appetite, she cleaned and pierced four potatoes and placed them in the microwave oven. Then she placed everything back in the fridge, wiped down the counters and returned to the living room where Daniel and Teal'c sat in basically the same positions she'd left them in an hour ago.

"Hey, guys I think I'll lie down for a bit. Don't forget to start the grill in about half an hour, ok?"

"Yeah, ok, Sam. We'll take care of it." She smiled, half amazed that Daniel had even heard her. He was obviously engrossed in his translation. She smiled and headed for the bedroom.

She lay back and stretched out on Jack's bed surprised at her own tiredness. Staring at the ceiling, she wondered where Pete was, what he was planning. He must have known about the warrant because he hadn't gone back to work, probably one of his friends had warned him. So where was he?

Her mind traveled back to the many conversations she'd had with Jack over the past few days. Most of them, in the middle of the night, with her snuggled safely up against him while Daniel slept and Teal'c stood watch. They had discussed some of the possibilities, some of the things Pete could be planning. Jack's instinct was to protect her, but he knew her well and he felt things for her that Pete had never felt, among them respect. He knew that she needed to feel independent again and he hadn't held back, at least, not until she started to shiver in his arms as she considered all the ways he could hurt them. She shivered again now as the thoughts came back to her and she forcefully pushed them away. Jack would be here soon and hopefully, they were all going out of town for the weekend. Maybe she could rest then for a couple of days knowing that Pete wouldn't find them. Suddenly she heard Daniel and Teal'c laughing and talking in the living room and as she concentrated on their comforting voices, her eyes closed and she relaxed into sleep.

TBC