He ran for the gate, his legs burning with effort, pulling her as fast as he could with her. Lord Yu's ship was a labyrinth with corridors leading everywhere but an exit. Luckily his slave guide helped him navigate his way through. He glanced behind him, seeing the few jaffa Ba'al could spare chasing them, he heard a staff weapon open and discharge, his heart skipped a beat, time paused for him until he saw the blast sail past them.
He urged her on faster until they reached the DHD, then it dawned on him, he had no GDO, nothing. His mind went blank, he cursed as he dialled the alpha site, noticing that the jaffa chasing them had got closer than he'd expected in his moment of hesitation. As the wormhole engaged he threw Ba'als slave through the glowing puddle in front of him, allowing himself one last look back. Just then he heard the familiar noise of a staff, it fired and he was not quick enough to throw himself through the gate before it hit. The force propelled him through the wormhole. The last thing he remembered was hitting something hard as he emerged on the other side, then the world went black.
"Unauthorised activation!" the familiar shout seem to echo in the control room, the tension since the message had been sent to Lord Yu was palpable. As the wormhole was engaged a storm of SG personnel swept into the control room, General Hammond, Teal'c and Carter were by far the fastest to respond, gaining easy access to the front of the mass. "We're receiving audio sir, it's the alpha site."
"This is General Hammond, any news?" his voice was steady but his tone was urgent. The pause was suffocating, the tension electric. Sam looked drawn and pale, her body language nervous as they waited. After what seemed like an eternity the voice boomed through the speakers.
"We have him general." A loud cheer went up from all SG personnel congregated around the microphone. Sam visibly heaved a sigh of relief, beaming at Teal'c and Jonas.
"Send him through Colonel." Walter immediately opened the iris, Sam, Teal'c and Jonas rushed to the gate room.
Jack didn't look too bad considering he had been captured and tortured, apart from the bound wound on the back of his leg. Sam knew differently, his features were pale and drawn and a haunting look resided in his eyes. She walked as fast as would be deemed appropriate to him.
"Nice to have you back sir." Her tone was genuine but there was concern in her eyes, as he stood at the end of the ramp Hammond ordered him to the infirmary, suggesting that Carter could maybe see that he got there.
She followed close to him as he walked out of the gate room towards the elevator. As they exited the gate room he stopped and leant up against the wall, his effort gone in putting on a front of being fine. Without a word she wrapped her arm around him to support him, receiving no objections she guided him to the infirmary.
He seemed to have been asleep for hours. She had tried to make herself look busy and moderately unconcerned, going to and fro between his bedside and her lab. Finding herself unable to do any work she resigned to sitting by his bedside. She wished Janet was back, Hammond had sent her out with SG 3 to look at a possible new anaethetic, if she was around she would have fixed him by now. As the thought crossed her mind she knew the doctors here were as good as any on the planet, but the fact remained they weren't her. As she sat by his bedside she remembered Daniel telling her about when she was overtaken by the entity and that Jack sat with her all night just talking to her, maybe it helped.
She gently took his hand, making sure no-one could see them. "Hi sir. Guess this is going to be like our scientific conversations huh?" what should she say? What if she was to say what she was thinking and he heard? Would that be a bad thing? She decided rambling was better than nothing. "I could tell you about the new toy I got from P4X 469, but I'd like you to wake up so that's not an option is it?" laughing at her own stupid joke she resigned that this maybe wasn't the way to go.
"It is Sam, just talk to him…..he needs to hear you are here." She could have sworn it was Daniels voice. She glanced around, peaking around the sides of the curtains. Maybe she was just going crazy, but maybe she should give up quite yet…. Her mood dropped further as she looked at him, what if he gave up? He looked so ill and gaunt. What could she say, if this was the final battle for him, she should speak to him from the heart finally. It was now or never.
"Hey, erm, I'm really not very good at this but you can't give up." Her tone was soft, her mind was racing and her heart was pounding. "I need you here. I'm sorry we could get you back sooner. I know it's my fault you took that damn symbiote and if this is it, you know I won't forgive myself." Her hands wrung the edge of the blanket, her eyes watching him for any sign of life. She saw nothing and she despaired. "Jack, please, you have to wake up." She could feel tears brimming and it took all her willpower to stop them from falling. "You can get through this and you will. I'm not leaving until you wake up." She half laughed at herself, as he would have done, at her stubbornness. "I know, stubborn to a fault huh!... I know you think you need to sleep but your safe now, your home and you have to wake up. We aren't done here, we have so many things to talk about." She cast her eyes back up to his face sadly; no longer able to control the tears welling up and spilling out, streaking down her face. She lowered her head to the bed, resting on the palm of his hand. "I think I love you Jack, don't you dare die on me here." She closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment of sleep, hoping he would be awake by the time she was.
Hours later she awoke to voices behind the curtain, immediately on the defensive she leapt out of her seat, trying her best to wipe the tear stains off of her face. She looked back at the colonel, his face had slightly more colour but still no sign of movement. As the others rounded the curtain to see him she moved away, missing the contact, worried he would slip away and she wouldn't be there, she did at least owe him that.
As she spoke to the others she noticed a slight twitch of his hand, relief washed over her as she left the conversation mid-sentence.
"Some of us are trying to sleep here!" his tone was jovial as he looked with relief over his friends.
"Is there anything you need sir?" there she was, he knew she was here before he even opened his eyes. He looked at her and was surprised to see such open feelings in her eyes.
Say something idiot or this is going to get uncomfortable, "Water." A rubbish excuse but Teal'c got the hint as always and used it as an excuse to clear the room to talk.
He looked up, seeing Daniel he smiled, "back again?"
"Yep, look Jack, I have to go but I just wanted you to know you're going to be fine. I wasn't sure at first, but you definitely are."
"Danny, was it a dream?"
"I can't think what you mean." His coy expression revealed the answer Jack was looking for. He hadn't been dreaming, it was her, and she did say what he heard and felt. He closed his eyes briefly, breathing a sign of relief and semi-contentment. When he looked up, Daniel was gone.
As she walked back in she set the water down, not breaking eye contact, as if she was afraid he would vanish if she did.
Tentatively she took his hand, not looking at him scared he would pull away, when he gripped her hand back she raised her eyes back to his.
"I'm really…..really glad your back ok sir."
"Me too Carter." He smiled sweetly at her. "Now get some sleep, and let us old timers get some too" he paused, his mind re-thinking what he had just said, "sleeping that is." His embarrassed lop-sided grin initiated the smile he'd dreamt about so many times when in the sarcophagus, his cell, and even when being tortured, the image of it and her had kept him going. The realisation dawned on him as he looked down, still finding her hand clasped in his, neither wanting to let go.
"Night sir." With a last gentle squeeze she released his hand, giving him a gentle smile, just so he knew she'd be back and that she really was relieved he was home. Then she turned and left.
He bought his still warm hand to meet the other on his sore abdomen, sighing he looked at the ceiling. "It's SO coming out of the room!" he smiled as he spoke to no-one in particular. Lay back and closed his eyes.
Sam, pushed herself from her position leaning against the wall, smiling. She had stayed to make sure he was ok, she needed reassurance just one last time before she went to bed. As she heard him speak to no-one in particular she knew all she needed to. Things were going to be just fine. With that thought she shuffled to her quarters and let sleep drift over her in the knowledge that maybe the future might hold something worth waiting for.
Authors note: Written for A, you know who you are, who got me to write this at a ridiculous hour! Then Beta'd it for me, and yes the grammer fairies were on holiday Based on Abyss I decided to change it slightly, add and few bits. Hope you like!