A/N: Phew! I've finally got chapter 8 ready. Sorry for the delay... it took me forever to write this one! But at least it's longer than previous chapters! Anyhow, this is the last full chapter. However, there is a short (very short!) epilogue which I will post as soon as it's edited.

Special thanks to Maggie for helping me through the frustrating time I had writing this chapter, and to Lilly for that valuable piece of advice that made me realize what it was that was giving me so much trouble. Hugs to both of you!

Thanks again for all the reviews! Please R&R this chap as well!

Chapter 8:

When Colonel O'Neill whispered those words into her ear, Sam felt something give way inside of her, like something actually shifted deep down in the very centre of her being. There was a split second's delay, but then it happened, and all the emotions she'd been trying to hide away for more than a week came flooding to the surface in one great rush. Everything came pouring out of her -- fear, anger, shame, despair -- all mixed together in an overpowering, overwhelming surge of emotion.

Overcome, Sam practically collapsed into Jack's arms, but he was true to his word both literally and figuratively and held on to her tightly as sob after sob shook her entire body. Her own arms finally went around him and she held on to him for dear life, not wanting to let go, not able to let go. And as she cried and cried into his shoulder, Sam was aware of Jack's face buried in her neck as he rocked her gently back and forth. He was her anchor, holding her there, keeping her from slipping away into the dark chasm of despair that had threatened to swallow her up for days now.

And as she released all her pent-up feelings through her tears, Sam felt a great weight begin to lift off her shoulders. A weight she hadn't even fully realized was there. But now that she was aware of the burden, it felt so good to release it. It felt so good not to hide her feelings and fears any longer.

But most of all, it felt so good to know that she wasn't alone.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jack had no idea how much time passed as he held Sam in his arms, letting her cry her heart out into his shoulder. But, honestly, he really didn't care. He would have stood there forever if necessary, if that was what she needed. Because the only thing that mattered to him in that moment was being there for Carter, helping her through this mess. And until he'd fulfilled that objective, he wasn't going anywhere.

So he stayed right where he was, holding her and trying to comfort her as best he could until finally her tears began to subside and she became still in his arms once more. As her breathing began to even out and her tense muscles began to relax, Jack rubbed one hand in calming circles on her back while the other stroked her hair. It felt so good to hold her and, truthfully, it was helping him as much as it was helping her.

After a few minutes of standing quietly in his embrace, Jack felt her sigh against him and then she began to pull back. He didn't want to let her go, but he did, just enough for her to look up at him.

The sight of her pale and tear-stained face made Jack's heart give another painful clench. Gently, he used his thumbs to wipe away some of the damp trails on her cheeks, watching as Sam closed her eyes with another sigh. Looking at her carefully, Jack saw just how deeply exhausted she was. She had been so run down to begin with and now her emotional release had left her completely drained.

"Hey," Jack said softly, getting her to open her eyes as he moved his hands to rest on her shoulders. "Come on." Turning her gently, he steered her over to the couch and she sank down onto it without protest. He took a seat beside her and she immediately leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, sir," she said quietly, her eyes closing. "For being here."

Jack turned his head slightly so he could look at her face. It took a moment for him to reply but when he did, his words were utterly and completely sincere. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

She didn't say anything more or even open her eyes, but the hint of a smile that appeared briefly on her face told Jack that she'd heard him.

"Tired?" he asked her after a moment, even though the answer was obvious.

She nodded, eyes flickering open part way.

Grabbing a cushion from the corner of the couch, Jack placed it in his lap. She seemed to understand his intention right away and without further encouragement slid down to lie on her side, facing away from him with her head resting on the pillow. Jack draped one arm over her waist and she took hold of that hand in her own. With his free hand, he began smoothing the hair back from her face and was relieved to feel her relax completely beneath his touch, finally letting the tension leave her muscles.

Jack continued to stroke Sam's hair while she lay there quietly, neither of them saying anything. He knew that they still had things to talk about, that there was still a lot she needed to get out in the open, but Jack had a feeling she would get to that on her own. He could sense that she was deep in thought and decided to wait until she was ready to begin. And after a few minutes, she did.

"I guess I really haven't been fooling anyone lately," she said softly.

Jack thought of all the people at the SGC who had been so concerned for her lately and knew that she was probably right. "No one that knows you."

She sighed, sounding a bit frustrated. "I just really wanted to believe it... I really wanted to believe that I was going to be okay."

"You will be," Jack assured her. He was going to make sure of that.

Another second or two passed in silence before she spoke again. "I feel like I've lost control of everything in my life, and I hate that." Her frustration was creeping into her voice now. "Marvin Garrett might be dead, but it's as if he's still the one in control -- keeping me from living my life, keeping me from feeling normal. And that makes me so angry. Angry at him and angry at myself."

Jack could feel that she had tensed up again, and realized that he had as well. Anger. Well, he could sure as hell relate to that. After all, he'd been feeling a lot of anger himself lately. But he didn't want her to feel that way. Not at all. He was trying to think of the right words to say to her, when she spoke again, quietly.

"I should be stronger."

Jack was momentarily taken aback. She was doubting her strength? "Carter, you're about as strong as anyone could be." Didn't she know that?

"I don't feel like it."

"You are," he said firmly. "Think of all the crap you've survived in the past few years, all the asses you've kicked -- Goa'uld, human... non-Goa'uld... non-human..."

She still looked doubtful. "Then how come I can't even deal with this?"

"You can," Jack said. "Just give yourself a chance."

She was quiet for a minute, and Jack left her to her thoughts, letting her take her time with everything. After a stretch of silence, she shifted onto her back so she could look up at him, still keeping hold of his hand.

"You know what the worst part is?" she asked him.

Jack stilled his hand on her forehead. "What?"

"I don't feel safe anymore."

"You don't?" Jack felt terrible. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel safe, to make her feel secure, and if he couldn't even do that for her...

But the way that she looked at him then stopped all of his thoughts.

"I do right now," she said, and as she gave Jack's hand a grateful squeeze, he felt a warm welling deep within his chest. "But not when I'm alone in the middle of the night." She paused, her gaze drifting away from Jack's. "It's like Garrett took away my whole sense of security."

Jack had to force down a sudden surge of rage, rage at that psychopathic bastard who had done this to Carter, who had made her feel this way. But for her sake, Jack pushed those feelings as far away as possible, focusing only on trying to help her. "Then you'll take it back," he stated simply.

She looked unconvinced.

"You will, Carter," he told her. "You'll get there."

"And until then?"

Jack shrugged. "Security system... dog..."

She smiled.

He tried again. "Great Dane? Alaskan Malamute?"

"I don't think so," she replied, but Jack was sure she was close to laughing.

"Lhasa Apso?"

This time she did laugh. Just a bit, but it was enough to bring a grin to Jack's face, enough to lighten his heart.

"Sir, I'm not getting a dog."

"Oh." He gave her his best crestfallen look and she smiled again. And Jack couldn't help but smile back, glad that he'd been able to lighten her mood, even if only for a moment or two.

As her smile began to fade away, she became thoughtful again, staring off into space as she idly ran her thumb back and forth over the knuckles of Jack's hand. He watched the movement for a while, drinking in the fact that she was there with him safe and sound, before turning his attention back to her face. Seeing a far-off, melancholy look in her eyes, Jack wanted to comfort her further. So he touched her cheek lightly with the back of one finger, drawing her gaze back to his face.

"You're gonna get through this, Sam," he said quietly, fully confident in his assertion.

Her eyes looked up at his, asking him for reassurance. "How do you know?"

"Because you're Samantha Carter," Jack replied simply. "And because you've got me, Teal'c, Daniel, and Janet to make sure you do."

She squeezed his hand, her eyes never leaving his. "You guys are the best."

He gave her a quick grin. "We aim to please."

She smiled briefly before turning serious again. "I'm very lucky," she whispered.

This time, Jack squeezed her hand. "So are we."

She held his gaze for a moment longer before her exhaustion won out and her eyes slowly closed. Jack became completely still, not wanting to disturb her, knowing that she needed to rest. And as he sat there, watching her drift off to sleep, Jack felt more at peace than he had in a long time.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

When Jack awoke later, it took him a second to remember where he was and why. He must have drifted off himself after Sam had fallen asleep. All daylight had faded since then and with no lights on in the house, the room was now dark save for a small amount of light filtering in from a streetlamp. As he lifted his head from the back of the couch and carefully stretched his stiff neck, Jack realized what had woken him -- Sam was stirring.

She was only moving very slightly, but it was enough to put Jack on alert. Leaning closer to her in the darkness, he saw her furrowed brow and knew that she was having a nightmare. Concerned and not wanting her to suffer any longer, Jack placed one hand on her forehead and used the other to rub her arm gently up and down.

"Carter," he said quietly, but she remained firmly in the realm of her troubling dream. "Come on, Sam, wake up," he tried again.

At first there was no response, but as he slid his hand from her forehead into her hair, she awoke with a start, clutching his arm in a sudden and painful grip.

"Carter, it's all right," he assured her, slightly startled by her response. He could see that her eyes were open wide and her hold on his arm remained as tight as ever. "It's just me."

She released his arm almost as quickly as she had grabbed it, letting out a breath at the same time. "Sorry, sir." She drew fresh air into her lungs. "It was so dark and I thought..."

Jack moved his thumb in reassuring circles against her arm. "It's okay."

She relaxed slightly, but Jack could feel that she was still tense, that she hadn't let go completely.

"Sam?"

She started to sit up. "I'm okay now, sir," she said quickly. "If you want to go home..." She turned away from him.

Jack put a hand on her arm and stopped her from moving any further. He didn't want her pulling away again, physically or otherwise.

In response, she turned back slowly and their eyes met in the shadowy darkness.

"I'm staying," he said in a low voice. "As long as you want."

She hesitated for a moment, but then seemed to accept the sincerity of his words and sank down gratefully again, settling herself into the pillow. Once she was comfortable, she turned her head to look up at him through the darkness. "Sorry about your arm," she said apologetically.

Remembering the force of her grasp, Jack couldn't help but grin. "That's quite the grip you've got there, Carter." He was glad when she smiled at that, but he was unable to forget why she had grabbed his arm like that and the memory caused his own grin to soon fade away. "You were having a nightmare?" It came out more as a statement than a question.

After a brief hesitation, she nodded.

"Garrett?"

"I guess so," she said quietly. "Everything was indistinct, but it felt like he was there. And then when I woke up... "

"You thought I was him," Jack finished for her.

"Just for a moment," she said. "But yes."

Jack went back to stroking her hair, doing his best to make her feel comfortable and cared for. "You're safe now."

"I know," she said gratefully.

"What don't you try getting some more rest?"

She nodded and settled onto her side, snuggling down deeper into the pillow. "Are you comfortable?" she asked after a moment.

"I'm fine," Jack assured her, not wanting her to worry about him. Besides, he was fine now. More than fine. "Just rest."

"Thank you," she murmured drowsily. "For everything."

Jack was thankful himself, so thankful and relieved that she had survived, that she was safe. And she was going to be okay, he knew. In time she was going to be okay. Finding his own comfort in that thought, Jack found her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Go back to sleep," he whispered.

And in the safety of his arms, she did.

Epilogue coming soon…