A/N: okay this is turning out to be longer than I anticipated. I was thinking of doing just the 3 chapters but I decided to put this chapter in just to explore Jack's side of things a bit.

Again pleeeeeeese send me feedback. I love to hear from you guys out there.

She didn't know how she ended up outside in the numbing cold. Or maybe she did. She needed to feel numb and maybe then the graphic images flashing through her mind would cease to disturb her. Maybe then the guttural groans and moans would stop echoing in her ears.

As she sat on the cold hard ground she watched the day fade away. The sky morphed from the stagnant blue to something disordered; something a lot more chaotic and harsh. The blue turned grey. Dark looming clouds gathered above her.

A cold chill seemed to grab her and enfold her in its icy embrace.

When the first drops of rain splattered onto her bare arms she was oblivious; too wrapped up in her cold lover...

………………..

"Jack!" Daniel called before tumbling into his office.

Jack looked up from his ever multiplying pile of paperwork. The urgency in Daniel's voice seemed not to faze Jack. His face remained impassive verging on bored.

Jack had learnt a long time ago that when Dr Jackson seemed urgent it was usually about a rock thousands of years old. He felt that if the rock had waited for the past millennia to be discovered it could wait a little longer.

So when he looked up to face his friend he did so with the intention of calming him down before he gave himself a coronary.

"Jack, Sam hasn't been answering my calls," Daniel provided as he came to stand in front of Jack's desk. His face indicated that he expected that statement to explain his flustered entrance.

Jack was non-plused, "So?" he asked still outwardly bored. Still playing the slightly slow Jack O'Neill people expected him to play.

Jack less than concerned attitude seemed to exasperate Daniel further, "God, Jack are you blind or something? Sam hasn't exactly been herself lately. This Netu thing really messed her up," he paused and slowed down suddenly out of steam. "I'm just worried about her. Teal'c found her beating the crap out of a punch bag today and now she's disappeared."

He plopped into the chair in front of Jack defeated. "I'm worried she might do something stupid" he finished. That seemed to catch Jack's attention.

He must be blind. He had no idea it had got that bad. Talk about burying your head in the sand. He so badly wanted her to be fine. Shit.

"Carter wouldn't do anything stupid" he argued. His brain smacked him the instant he finished. He knew what was coming.

Daniel exploded. He leapt from the chair, face a mask of anger. "Jack, you're such an ass. What do you think that she doesn't feel anything? That she's made of stone?"

"Look, Carter's always fine. She will be fine." He felt a need to defend himself even knowing that he was wrong.

"She needs you," Daniel changed tactics.

"No, she doesn't. I can't be there and she understands. Maybe more than I do." He replied quietly seeming to slump further into the chair, suddenly looking so tired.

"She needs you, Jack. What are you afraid of? And don't give me that crap about regulations. If you feel anything for her you'll be there for her." With that Daniel turned to leave. "Go find her Jack," was his last statement.

He'd said his bit.

TBC…