Hey Hey Hey! Happy 4th of July! (even if it's a little late!) :0) Hope you had a great and safe holiday folks!

Here's a little holiday gift for ya, my longest chapter to date, I think. Hehe. Hope you enjoy...
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Daniel, does it just stop mid sentence... symbol... whatever? asked Jack.

Uh...I'm not sure, answered Daniel as he sprinted up the remaining distance of the sand dune, tripping once on the loose sand, but eventually reaching the top. Jack! There's a village! he yelled back down enthusiastically.

As quickly and as carefully as Jack could he hurried his way up the sand. As he reached the top and stood by Daniel and Teal'c he was able to see the dwellings down bellow.

The village looked different than anything any of them had ever seen before. The buildings which could only be assumed to be homes, seemed to be at a lost at weather to be ancient or modern in design. The structures were somewhat American Indian in style, having a southwestern feeling to them, especially with all the sand in the surrounding area. Some where built higher than others, with ladders on the outside to reach doors and windows up high. All the buildings visible seemed to have been constructed in the same square shape, but they were made of some kind of smooth and glistening material- a metal. This material seemed to be everywhere within the village, not just on the buildings, the team could see it in tools and bowls that were scattered around the ground as well.

There were only a handful of people around outside, some were mending their homes, others working, a group of small children playing, and then some just walking down their streets. All where dressed in smilier fashion; beautiful long-sleeved shirts or dresses and pants in lightly colored tones, all well suited for the harsh heat of their desert surroundings. None of them had yet to notice the alien travelers that were standing above looking at them.

Let's go, ordered Jack as he started walking down the small hill.

As the team members made their way down, one of the male villagers dressed entirely in white, saw them approaching. He very quickly, yet very calmly, ushered the children that had been playing inside one of the dwellings. As he did this, more of the villagers started to take notice of the people coming towards them, they seemed shocked at the sudden appearance of the strangers, almost as if they had never seen anyone come into their village before. Nonetheless, the villagers seemed non- threatening, had they been a violent people they would have already done something about their invaders.

Daniel, see what you can do, yeah? Jack whispered over to Daniel.

Daniel took a few steps forward deciding to try and communicate with the man who had led the children indoors, since he too was slowly approaching the team. Daniel walked up to him slowly and cautiously.

he said as he raised his hand in a friendly gesture, but it caused the man to startle backwards a bit. No! No, it's okay, we won't hurt you. Umm... my name is Daniel Jackson. We're explorers from far away, he said as he motioned with his hand in the general direction of the stargate. Umm... can you understand me?

The man remained silent, then quietly he said, I am called Marlow.Marlow. Hi, Marlow. These are my friends, Jack, Teal'c and Sam, Daniel said and pointed to the rest of SG-1. We need help, Marlow. Our friend Sam is extremely ill. We come to you and your people in hopes that you can help us by doing something to help Sam, or in helping us get back home.

Marlow just stared at them, not exactly knowing what to do.

Please, Marlow, help us, Daniel asked again.

How do I know that you will not hurt my people, you are caring weapons? Marlow said.

We will not harm you, we only seek your assistance, Teal'c spoke up.

We found this, Daniel said, showing Marlow the tablet, that's why we came, it says that you will help us get back home, right?

Marlow looked at it and then looked at Sam. There was a long pause of silence.

Jack saw the other villagers just looking at them. Come on!' he thought.

Marlow took the tablet from Daniel, You came through the great ring?This tablet is old, no one here has used the great ring in many generations, I am not sure that we can activate it for you, Marlow sighed, handing Daniel the tablet, which Daniel took back sadly. Seeing this, and the grim faces on the rest of the team he added, but we can try to find some way to help you, and of course you are welcome to stay here. Come, lets get your friend indoors.

Jack let out a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Thank you.

SG-1 followed the man down a path that lead to a house. Along the way, Marlow reassured the people that had gathered that the newcomers would not harm them, they just needed help. The villagers quickly believed him as soon as they got sight of the motionless woman in the older mans arms. Marlow directed his guest into a medium sized, one level structure that he announced as being his own and informed them that all four of them were more than welcomed to stay as long as was necessary. he told Jack, There is an extra bed in this room where your friend can rest.

Jack laid a still unconscience Sam on the bed that was in the center of the room. The inside of the room was dark and murky. The walls were made of the same kind of strange metal that Jack had noticed earlier on the outside of the structures, it seemed to be the prime building material for these people. Aside from the darkness, the most evident thing about the room was that it was cool, compared to the blistering heat that they had endured during their walk.

Once Sam was settled on the bed, Marlow left, saying that he would return with something for them to drink. Jack was left alone in the room, so he sat on the edge of the bed next to Sam, just looking down at her. She's not getting better', he finally admitted to himself. Just then Daniel walked back in and sat next to Jack without saying a word, Jack bit his lip and tuned his face away from Daniel.

After a while Jack finally broke the silence, Where'd Teal'c go?He went off with Marlow. Take a look at the area, I guess, he answered

Jack nodded, then reached down and held Sam's small, soft, weak hand with both of his own, he no longer cared if Daniel noticed, which he was most certain he would. Jack just felt like he need the physical contact with her, he almost got used to it by carrying her all this way, besides, it gave him something to do.

Suddenly, Jack felt Sam's limp hand strengthen, he asked a bit surprised, but her hand just clenched itself into a fist. Daniel noticed that her other hand was doing the same. Her whole body was growing extremely tense, both men just stared at each other. Sam's entire body was constricting, then out of no where her back arched up off the bed.

Her muscles are contracting! Daniel said. Before Jack could respond, Sam fell back onto the bed and let out a blood curdling scream that echoed through the room. Hearing her pain just broke Jack's heart, all he could do was pull Sam tight and close to his chest. Her scream lessened in intensity somewhat, but she still continued to scream in pain into Jack's chest and clutch onto his shirt for dear life.

Jack tried to comfort her as best he could by softly whispering words of comfort in her ear, trying to get her to relax. He rubbed her back in small circles, after a while he could start to feel her body slowly begin to relax.

Then she began to cry.

For the first time through all of this, she cried.

Everything is going to be fine, Sam. I promise you, Jack said, his voice catching in his throat.

Daniel could only stare at his two best friends, tears in his own eyes threatening to fall.

Everything is going to be all right. Im going to get you home, I'll keep you safe. Shhhhh, just relax. It'll be okay... It'll be okay. Jack continued whispering to Sam as he exchanged glances with Daniel.

Just then Marlow came running back to the room, Teal'c in tow.

What's going on in here? he demanded. After hearing Sam's screams and rushing in to find Jack holding her tightly to himself, he imagined the worse.

Teal'c walked over to Daniel who tried to explain what had just happened.

It's all right, Marlow... Umm.. actually it's not. Marlow, Sam is just in a lot of pain due to whatever it is that is making her sick and we don't know how to help ease that pain. Please, Marlow, is there anything that you can do to help her?

Marlow was still a bit skeptical, he was beginning to think that maybe he had made a mistake in letting the strangers enter his home. He wanted to tell the one named Jack to move away from the woman, quickly. For all he knew, the reason for the woman's condition could have very well been the three men before him. Then he looked at their worried faces. They where not the worried faces of men who had committed a crime or where afraid to be caught in one. They were faces of three men who cared deeply for the well being of the suffering woman before them. Then he knew that they were telling the truth, he had to help.

Oblivious to anything but Jack holding her, Sam continued to cry. So Jack continued to rock her back and forth until her tears stopped and she slipped back into a deep sleep, letting Daniel to do the talking. Once Marlow noticed that Sam was asleep he told Jack to lay her back down to rest on the bed. He did.

Marlow then approached him and Jack began to tell him a broken down version of events of what had transpired since their arrival on the planet. Once he was finished, Marlow told SG-1 that he would be bringing a woman who might be able to help Sam. She was supposed to be some type of healer in their community who often had great success with those whom she treated with her ointments. He said he could not guarantee anything, but that he would bring the woman to try. With that SG-1 was left alone in the room.
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TBC...

(ain't I just evil with this, lol, don't worry, you will find out what is wrong with Sam soon enough, i promise.)

Again, as always, thank you for all the wonderful reviews, you are all so kind. It's cool to see new people reading and reviewing this little ditty. THANK YOU:0) More in a few days, and please remember to review!