A/N: Okay, this one's a little bit graphic, not quite as bad as "The Widowing Field" was and it's unbeta'd, yet again.

Nate was scared. Whatever it was that Levi had used to knock him out had worn off a while ago. He appreciated what his "friend" had tried to do for him, to hide what they were going to see in the battle, but he knew he would end up involved in a firefight at some point in his military career.

He was scared, not for himself but for his friends, for the man who'd taken him and his brother in. He should have been scared for his own welfare. He was the least experienced man on the field. He'd never worked with these people before. Levi, however, was just as old as Selmak and knew how to fight their enemy.

The shots lit up the dark, and Nate could see his comrades falling from the blasts of glowing energy. It made him sick and he was glad he wasn't in control.

"When you are a soldier I will be your shield
I will go with you into the battlefield
And when the arrows start to fly
Take my hand and hold on tight
I will be your shield, 'cause I know how it feels
When you are a soldier"

He knew some of the Tok'ra, from his inside contacts, even got along with some of their hosts. He was the youngest they'd had in a while, at least of those they were willing to put into battle. When Kanan and his host fell, the bile shot up in his throat. Levi was too concentrated with keeping them alive to notice the uncomfortable feeling.

The young Tok'ra was taken down less than ten feet from Jack, a shot straight to the throat, nearly scorching his head right off his neck. Kanan had been a friend to him, his only other than Levi. It was sickening to see, the worst. Even the brutality of his family's murders, seemed less cutthroat. Ugh, he swallowed at his vulgar choice of words.

Levi pushed them forward, darting between the trees for cover. They took out Jaffa left and right as they went, barely stopping to take a breath. His Tok'ra heightened senses easily picking up the stomping boots coming at them from all directions.

At least three of them doubled back and are coming up on our six.

I know. When we hear their staffs charge, tuck and roll.

Nate nodded mentally, and as the electronic echo rang through the air, they dove to the right. Nate looked up in time to see the staff blasts catch the opposing Jaffa and stop all six of them in their tracks.

Levi allowed Nate a moment to catch his breath. It was something he could have done for the young man, but it was more of a shock processing function than really needing the deep breaths.

C'mon, Nate, we need to keep going. Jack's just right over there.

Nate sighed inwardly as Levi shot his body full of adrenaline and other stimulants. He'd have to help him come down from the excitement later, but for right now Nate welcomed the boost.

When you're tired from running
I will cheer you on
Look beside you and you'll see you're not alone
And when your strength is all but gone
I'll carry you until you're strong
And I will be your shield 'cause I know how it feels
When you are a soldier

They turned Jack's direction but couldn't spot him right away. Levi picked it up first. The smallest movement on the ground not far from their present position. It was his worst nightmare come true. He'd lost his family and now the one man who had opened his home to him was down, most likely never to get back up.

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

The sound reverberated in his head. He'd forgotten he wasn't in control and tried to run to the fallen Colonel. Levi knew he couldn't continue with Nate fighting for control, so he gave in and headed towards Jack. He didn't give up control of Nate's body, mostly to keep Nate from collapsing.

"Jack, hold on."

Jacob ran up next to him, falling to his knees. He ran his hands over Jack's vest, and pulled the small med kit out of one of the larger pockets. When staff blasts had become a common injury, larger gauze pads had been added to the standard med kits, and came in handy in their present situation. He held the gauze over the gaping wound, hoping to stem the flowing tide of blood.

"Jack, you have to stay with us."

The man attempted a weak smile and nod, and they could see he was struggling to stay conscious. Levi tried to smile back at him for Nate, but a staff blast came out of nowhere, hitting him in the shoulder.

Nate momentarily panicked, the pain was worse than anything he'd ever felt. He'd fallen out of a tree when he was ten, broke four ribs, his left arm and right ankle. That was nothing compared to the searing hot pain he felt now.

Levi sent soothing waves down Nate's body, relaxing him immediately.

Don't worry, Nate. You've just been hit in the shoulder, I can repair that easily.

Are you sure?

C'mon Nate, I need this body, too.

Okay, okay, I get it.

Nate opened his eyes, really in control for the first time since Levi had taken over for the mission. The snake was busy healing the shoulder wound and he got his first clear look at Jack.

The tears ran down his cheeks as he caught sight of the blood pooling under the man and the frothing evident of a punctured lung. Seeing as the chest was exposed at the moment, he could see the air escaping.

Oh, God, Jack!

The thoughts choked him up and he felt the bile rising in his throat. His breathing became labored, his vision swam.

Nate, hold yourself together.

He won't be going home.

If Selmak and I have anything to say about it, he most definitely will!

"I will be the one you can cry your songs to
My eyes will share your tears
And I'll be your friend if you win
Or if you're defeated
Whenever you need me I will be here"

He didn't know how much time had passed, but the staff blasts started to die down and silence all together. He thought maybe he'd started to lose it, or pass out, but he looked up from where Jacob was working on Jack and noticed Daniel walking towards them.

"Daniel?"

The other man caught the sight of his friend laying on the ground and ran over to them, grabbing Jack's hand in his.

"Daniel?" Nate repeated himself, hoping to get some info out of the guy.

"What? Oh, yeah."

"Daniel what happened?"

He looked at Nate, smiling. "It's over. We got them all. All the seven System Lords are in custody and we've got their Jaffa on the run."

"Dammit!"

Jacob's exclamation startled the two of them out of their conversation. He started pumping Jack's chest, administering CPR and Nate's eyes went wide.

"Daniel, help me get him to Yu's ship, there's a sarcophagus on board."

The two men picked Jack's body up as gently as they could manage and sped towards the Ha'tak, Teal'c and Lt. Hailey picking up on their heels.

"Colonel!" Hailey shouted when she caught sight of his limp body, dripping blood in the moonlight.

The other SG teams and Tok'ra had already secured the Goa'uld and their Jaffa on their own ships and they met no resistance as they made their way to Yu's personal quarters. Teal'c opened the sarcophagus and Jacob and Daniel laid him in, closing the lid over the pale face of their friend and son.

Nate took the opportunity to collapse against the wall, finally resting his exhausted body. Levi put him to sleep, choosing at that moment not to take over the body.

Will he be alright.

Of course, now rest.

Nate fell asleep almost instantly, the darkness taking over him and had it not been for Levi, the nightmares would have surely taken over.

"When you're lost in darkness I will hold the light
I will help you find your way through the night
I'll remind you of the truth
And keep the flame alive in you
And I will be your shield
'Cause I know how it feels
When you are a soldier"

A/N: okay the song's "Soldier" by Steven Curtis Chapman, again from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack.

sorry it's so short, but you get two tonight, i'm actually trying to spit these out for you guys, tell me what you think!