Part 16

I'm holding my angel and awaiting our passage to the other side.

I'm tired and want to rest. I'm starting to feel numb. The guard is yelling out about how we will pay for our deeds.

I'm not listening anymore. I've tuned him out, only hearing Sam's breathing. I'm happy she's unconscious. To face death again, so soon, would have thrown her over the edge.

"My new lord will take all of the knowledge of the Tauri from both of you. He has arrived and will be boarding the ship momentarily. You will suffer ten fold for killing our god. I should kill you so that he does not have to suffer your presense."

I am sick of his banter. I roll my eyes and let him have it.

"Blah Blah Blah! Alright already, just get it over with! Skippy is dead. I killed him with no remorse and no regrets. You sound like a broken record, for cryin' out loud! You think you're so tough? Kill me, then!"

I'm goading him, trying to buy some time so that we aren't sent to Anubis' ship. He would revive us and I don't want her to go through that again. I'd kill us myself before I'd let that happen.

The other guard has regained consciousness and is infuriated. I lace my fingers through Sam's and feel the warmth there.

Soon, sweetie, soon this will be over and we will finally be together.

He comes straight at me. He is not a happy camper and yanks the staff weapon from the other's hand and points it at my chest. He moves it over to cover Sam as well.

He smiles. He wants me to cower, to beg for our lives, to plead with him to spare us.

Little does he know, he is about to join his god in hell.

"Beg for her life and I may make her my new slave. Your days of causing havoc to our gods are done. Beg for her life and I will spare her."

I smile at him.

"Bite me".

He lifts the staff weapon to my face and I close my eyes. My hand is still intertwined with Sam's and I move her closer to me. It will be quick and painless.

The staff weapon will make sure of it.

I wait and hear the weapon charge and feel her squeeze my hand. No Sam, please sleep baby, don't wake, it will be over soon.

I hear the weapons go off and feel nothing but a heavy weight on my chest.

I let out a groan. This is very uncomfortable and I'm finding it hard to breathe.

What did the moron do, miss us?

Oh, god, he shot Sam first!

I open my eyes, only to see the guard's face right in front of me. He's on top of me and Sam. I hear whimpering and know it's her. She's awake.

I struggle to move, but I can't get this gorilla off of us. I try to let go of her hand but she won't let me.

I'm about to panic when the weight is lifted away from of us.

I look up to see two more Jaffa and I pull Sam closer to me, to shield her from these guys.

She turns her head, gasps and buries her face into my shoulder. My arms go around her and I cover her as much as I can. The wound is still bleeding and I can see the goose bumps on her skin.

I'm about to ask if they are the cavalry when a deep voice booms through the room.

"O'Neill!"

Yup, the cavalry was here. The guards call out to Teal'c and put down their weapons.

I have never been so happy to see someone in my life. Well no, scratch that, seeing Sam still alive had topped this. I look down at her. She is unconscious again.

Teal'c is in front of me and falls to his knees.

He is as shocked as I had been to realize that Sam is still alive. He reaches out and touches her, making sure she is real and that she won't disappear, that she isn't an illusion.

"O'Neill," he whispers.

I look up at him and smile.

"She's alive, Teal'c! I couldn't believe it myself. I've been given my second chance and you've shown up just in time. We might just stand a chance now."

"Indeed".

He looks us over and sees Sam's wound.

The fury he feels is reflected on his face. His hand tightens on his staff weapon. He turns around to see Ba'al's body, then looks towards me.

"Is he the cause of this injury to MajorCarter?"

I nod and feel shame, knowing that I have failed my Jaffa friend, by not keeping her safe.

"Yeah, it was bad, but I think I got to her in time. I didn't know she was alive, Teal'c. I would have gotten here sooner if I did. As soon as I heard her call out my name, I lost it and blew the doors. I had to make sure I wasn't losing my mind."

He understood.

"If he was not already dead, I would slice him into pieces myself, O'Neill. I would tear him limb from limb for harming her again."

"It's over, T. He's dead. We got our revenge, he died at my hands and I have her back. That's all that matters now."

He nods and tells the guards to make sure the corridor is clear.

"We do not have much time, O'Neill. I was coming here to tell you I that I could not locate MajorCarter's body. It pained me to to think that she would not be returning with us to Earth, even though it would be in death. I did not know how to approach you about this matter, but when it was reported that Ba'al's chamber had been compromised, I came knowing you were seeking your rightful vengeance. I moved swiftly, attempting to arrive before you killed him, so that we could interrogate him to determine the location of MajorCarter's body."

I'm about to speak when Carter starts to thrash in my arms.

"No, get away from me! Jack, help me! No, no, don't touch me, oh god, please stop! Jack!"

Teal'c looks alarmed.

I hold her and whisper that she is safe, that I am here and no one is going to harm her.

She opens her eyes and smiles. She whispers to me. "Safe."

I push the hair from her forehead and give her a gentle kiss, replying softly. "Yes."

"We must go now, O'Neill, we have little time."

She turns to look over her shoulder and sees Teal'c. She reaches her hand out to him. Tears are threatening to fall. She's so fragile right now. She had thought she was alone and to find her family alive is overwhelming.

"Teal'c, it's so good to see you. I thought...I thought you were dead. I'm so happy you're okay."

He smiles, takes her hand and bows down.

"It is good to see you alive Samantha Carter. My heart was heavy with loss, thinking I had lost my sister. I am pleased to see that you live and we will once again fight side by side. We must now return to the SGC, so that Doctor Fraiser can tend to your injuries."

She squeezes his hand.

"Is Daniel alive too?" She mumbles as she turns back to use me as her pillow.

"Indeed he is."

She is almost asleep when she suddenly sits upright, letting out a groan.

"The villagers, they're down in the cells. We've got to get to them…"

"Please do not concern yourself, Major Carter. Daniel Jackson has already located them and has transported them down to the stargate. O'Neill, it is time for us to leave also."

She nods, whispers okay and slips back into unconsciousness.

"I will carry her, O'Neill."

"No, I've got her. You just make sure our path is clear and we have enough time to get off this ship and down to the gate. Anubis is here and we're running out of time."

He stands up and I try to follow, but the pain in my side is coming back. I let out a gasp and Teal'c turns around.

"Are you injured, O'Neill?"

I'm not going to have him worry about me. Our main objective is to get Sam off this ship, through the gate and into the hands of doc. My injuries can wait.

"No, just sore. Here, take Sam for a second and then give her back to me. I'll carry her, okay?"

Teal'c bows and takes Sam from me. As soon as she is in Teal'c arms, she starts to fight, hitting him with her fists and screaming. I get up too fast and the room starts to spin. I grab for the wall and stop myself from falling on my face. Sam has gotten loose from Teal'c and I grab for her. She swings out wildly and strikes me on the nose. I hold onto her arms before she does anymore damage to either of us.

"Sam! Stop it, now. Do you hear me, Major?"

Her eyes fly open and she sees me.

"Oh my god, I thought you were him and I...and I...I'm sorry, please don't be angry with me."

She starts to fall forward and I curse myself for hurting her. I pick her up, ignoring my pain and start to walk towards the door.

Teal'c shouts out orders and the others create a wall in front of us and one behind us. We will be escorted safely to the stargate.

I turn back, just once more, to see if the bastard is truly dead.

His carcass is staring sightlessly up at the ceiling, with blood trickling from his mouth. The urge to go over and kick him is overwhelming, but looking down at Sam, I know I won't do it.

He doesn't matter anymore.

We are alive.

He is dead.

He can no longer harm us.

"O'Neill, we have less then 6 minutes to get to the rings before the first charges detonate. Hopefully Daniel Jackson has started sending the others through."

"Yeah, lets hope spacemonkey has followed an order for once."

We stop and Teal'c goes to see what the delay is. We have no time to waste. I am about to call out to him, when blasts from staff weapons can be heard.

I fall to the floor, covering Sam.

It is over, almost before it begins. Our enemies are brought down.

Teal'c returns to help me up and says that it is clear to the rings, but that we should run.

"Run? Okay, stick by me. I might have to take you up on that offer, even though I don't think she'd be happy with it."

He nods and we start to run.

I am tiring quickly. But I have to do this, I have to get her to safety. 'Almost there' is my mantra.

We get to the rings and she wakes again.

She hears me panting and asks me to stop carrying her.

"Jack, put me down. I'm okay, we're almost there. Come on, Jack, please, just don't leave me, okay? Oh, and I remember everything we said, so you can't blame my injuries and say I was hallucinating. We still have to talk."

I chuckle and help her to her feet and she tries to stand on her own. Her legs are weak, so I put my arm around her waist.

The rings encircle us and we are on our way home.