WOW! Thanks once again for all those reviews. I'm really pleased with the response I'm getting and can't quite believe it still.

In answer to lilangel922us's question and just so you know...I can give you a rough estimate as to how many more chapters there will be...which is about another 9 or 10 maybe. That includes the Epilogue as well, which is already written. I'm currently writing chapter 32 at the moment and the story is drawing to a close. With a big fluffy ending of course! BUT, for now it's angst time and for which I make no apology!

Junior

By Lingren.

Previously:

Jack curled up from the agony burning through his body. It was like he was on fire. His arms tightly wrapped around his stomach, he didn't know how long he would last but Ba'al had told him it would be a slow process. He wanted nothing more than to die there and then, but he was afraid. Not for himself, but for his son. What was going to happen to Junior now?

Chapter 26

Jack woke to a bright white light which surrounded him and he closed his eyes again, wanting to deny the hard facts of the truth.

He recognised the inside of a sarcophagus instantly, and recalled every minute that he had suffered the most agonising pain he'd ever had in his entire career before death had finally claimed him.

The sound of metal grating against metal caused him to open them again and the slit of light that appeared above him warned him that the healing device was opening, having finished the process of reviving him. He supposed he should be thankful, but he wasn't sure how much of this he could take before it altered his mind completely.

He'd been in this position before, and didn't particularly cherish the thought of going through it again, but, if it meant staying alive for Junior then he would do so, hoping that Sam and the others at the SGC would rescue them before too long and waaay before the point of no return.

Jaffa hands reached in and grabbed him, dragging him from the golden box and out of the room. He didn't know where they were taking him, but he hoped it was back to the cell where Junior would be waiting.

The door hissed and slid open, and he was shoved into the room roughly, the door sliding shut after him. Jack's eyes were fixed on the small sleeping form on the bench in the corner and made his way over to it. The boy stirred at the intrusion and turned to see his father walking towards him.

"Daddy!"

Junior jumped up and threw himself into Jack's arms. It was as if the boy hadn't seen him for days not hours, but then he had no idea of the passage of time. Apart from taking their outer clothes, the Jaffa had removed his watch and everything else not serving to save his modesty. Unfortunately that also included his P90 which he badly wanted right now so that he could kill the snake once and for all, and then escape.

Jon's arms held him so tight, he felt as if he were being strangled, but he held him against him just as tightly. The joy of seeing him alive and well after going through hell brought tears to his eyes, but he maintained his dignity and didn't allow them to fall. Not yet. When they were safe again, then he would weep for joy.

"Miss me?" Jack asked with a grin, ruffling the boy's hair in affection.

Jon was too choked up to answer. He nodded and buried his tear stained face in his father's neck, clinging to him.

"I was scared Daddy."

The confession came from trembling lips and Jack hugged him closer, trying to reassure the boy with physical means as opposed to verbal mutterings. How could he tell the boy that he was scared too. Scared of what was going to happen to his son if Ba'al were to kill him and refuse to revive him again. Scared that Ba'al might kill the boy instead and that he would be left bereft in the aftermath. What could he say when he had no control over whatever that lunatic would do to them from now on?

Jack sat on the hard slab that constituted a bed and leaned his back against the solid wall. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but he'd spent his days in worse places. Compared to the filthy stinking prison in Iraq, this place was a palace. Jon Junior was curled up in his lap, still holding on and refusing to let go. Jack sat there for a long time, soothing the child by rubbing his back in a circular gentle motion until he felt the boy relax.

He was so wrapped up in the boy that he failed to notice they were being watched.

"How very touching O'Neill. It is such a pity that he has to die too."

Jack's head jerked up in alarm. Ba'al had been obviously standing there taking a good look at him and Jon Junior and how they took comfort from one another. Jack knew that it was entirely his fault that Junior would suffer, but he couldn't refuse the boy the affection he needed. He was just a little child for cryin' out loud.

The Goa'uld laughed. A sound that Jack was growing to hate every time he heard it; and he'd heard it too many times already.

Ba'al smiled and walked away, and Jack feared what the evil bastard would do next. He only hoped that whatever his plans were, that somehow, he would have the courage and strength to withstand whatever he was to endure.

Minutes later the door opened and Jack tensed; Junior fidgeted in his arms, but to Jack's immense relieve it was just a lowly servant with a tray of bread, water, and some sort of weak looking oatmeal or whatever it was.

A guard made sure that Jack didn't try anything, by pointing his staff weapon at them. He retreated backwards from the cell and watched them closely as the door slid back into place. He didn't relax his steady grip on the staff until the cell was secure once more.

Jack encouraged Junior to slide from his lap so he could make his way over to the tray which had been left on the floor a few feet away. Bringing it back to the bench he gave Junior the bread to eat and most of the thin gruel. Jack ate only enough to keep his hunger at bay, while he made sure the child ate his fill. The water he shared out evenly.

After their meagre meal, Jack lay down with Junior curled up against him, neither spoke but was comforted by the close proximity of the other. Eventually they drifted off to sleep, making the most of the quiet solitude around them, knowing all too soon the Jaffa would come for him once more.

OoOoOoOoO

"Sam!"

Sam Carter came to an abrupt halt at the sound of her name. She turned in time to see Daniel hurrying up to her.

"Hey!" she greeted him with a wan smile, obviously not her usual self.

"Sam? What's wrong? You...er...you look..."

"You can say it Daniel. I know!" she sighed, running a distracted hand through her blonde hair. "I didn't sleep too well. I couldn't stop thinking about Jack and Jon, and wondering where they are, and if they were okay…" She made a hopeless gesture and sighed again. She was tired and upset and angry and goodness knows what else. Her whole being seemed to be in turmoil, and she couldn't help thinking that she was missing something important.

"Yeah. That's understandable Sam, I mean, this is Jack we're talking about here and if you guys are gonna get married then you're bound to be upset and anxious in a big way. But you know, Teal'c and I are here for you; and I'm sure Melissa and John would be there for you too if you needed them. I'm sure they're just as distraught."

"I know Daniel," she said, her voice wavering with emotion. She leant forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you guys. All I could tell Melissa and John was that Jack and Jon had been kidnapped, and that we're looking for them. You know I can't tell them anything, and certainly not that Jack was most likely being killed and revived again like he was last time."

Sam dropped her head for a moment before she sucked in a huge breath, fortifying herself.

"They didn't ask questions though. They seemed to understand that I couldn't tell them anything more." She chuckled back a sob, smiling through the threatening tears. "Jack must have them trained pretty much not to ask any awkward questions. The old, 'Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.' It's a cliché as Jack would say, but he would have meant it too."

Daniel pulled her into a hug and held her for a moment while she gathered herself together again. She was such a strong woman and Jack would be so proud of her. He and Teal'c would do all in their power to find Jack and his son wherever they were, and vowed to bring them home again, no matter what the cost.

A few minutes later she pulled from his embrace and straightened her BDUs again.

"Thanks," she sniffed, giving him a watery smile again. "I have to get going. General Landry wants to know if we've had any luck contacting the Tok'ra yet."

"Okay. See you for coffee break? Lunch?"

She chuckled again, and Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she would cope better now.

"I'll give you a call Daniel. See you later!"

"Okay Sam," he called after her, but she was already gone. He turned and made his way to Teal'c's room, hoping the rebel Jaffa would be there.

OoOoOoOoO

Jack had been pulled from the room again and was now lying on a cold metal table in front of Ba'al who was about to attach a memory recall device to his temple. Two burly Jaffa were holding his head tightly between them, stopping him from moving it away.

"Owww!" Jack exclaimed when the device entered his flesh. His head was freed now, but he lay there, tethered by ankles wrists and chest, and he was glowering at the Goa'uld in disgust.

Ba'al attached the wires and touched the device with his controller, then started asking him questions.

"Tell me about your son O'Neill."

After a moment the small device jerked Jack back in time to his son. The image of a small boy, arms wide welcoming him home after months away. He couldn't stop the images from coming; he didn't want this; to live this again. The image was distorted by the shockingly loud sound of a single bullet, and Jack cried out in an agonised response.

"Charlie!"

TBC