Jack changed the damp cloth from Sam's forehead, again. Nothing seem to be helping her fever, let alone her pain.

In the last few hours she would shake and tremble almost uncontrollably, and her body would repeatedly grow extremely tense. Her hands would stiffen and the veins along her arms would bulge and appear a deep shade of purple. What was worst of all, and what scared Jack the most, was that the bleeding from her nose and mouth was becoming more constant, making her weaker. She would also slip in and out of conscienceness more often than before, each time breaking Jack's heart just a little more. She was becoming disoriented, confused... and the pain...

"Sam?" She had begun to stir on the bed. "Hey, Sam."

Jack had begun to think that at times Sam's pain would grow less intense and would allow her to focus her thoughts and sight better. This time she focused on Jack's face. Her eyes where so hollow and gray that Jack had to will himself not to look away. Suddenly she slowly and painfully raised her arm to reach for him.

"Oh, Sam." Jack said with more emotion that he thought he was capable of. He got up and sat on the bed next to her and cradled her in his arms once more. Her tears began to silently fall down her cheeks.

"Sir?...Where are we?" It wasn't the first time that she had asked him that question since they had arrived at Marlow's home. But it didn't bother him one bit to answer her every time; every time in the same manner as before:

"It's okay. We're on a planet; P3X-742, they're taking good care of us. Don't worry. We're going home soon, go back to sleep."

"Mmm..." was all she managed to say. Jack continued to hold her trying to get her to go back to sleep while trying to hold in his own tears. This wasn't easy for him, his emotions were rattled within him and they were overflowing.

As gentle as Jack was being Sam would not relax, in fact she was clinging to his shirt tighter now. "Sam? You okay?" he asked. She stayed silent, but reached for him more desperately almost as if she were drowning. "Sam?" He tried to lower her to lay her flat on the bed, but she wouldn't let go of him.

"Help." She said in a whisper.

Jack couldn't figure out if she was having a fever dream or if the pain was rising again. "What is it, Sam. Where do you hurt?" he said as gently as he could.

"Hard... to breath... pain... help me, Jack, please..."

Jack was becoming frightened. She had never asked him for help in such a desperate way before. The last time she had asked him for help he hadn't done anything but abandon her, leaving her alone in a cell scared half to death. But she wasn't herself then, how could he be sure she was completely herself now? But it still pained him to think about his abandoning her plea for help even to this day, so damned if he was going to dismiss it this time around.

"...Jack... please... help... don't leave me... help..."

"I'm here, I'm here. I'm not leaving you, I'm never leaving you," he said.

"Hurts so bad."

"I know, I know. It's almost over. I promise you, just hang in there a little longer, okay?"

She buried her face deeper into his chest crying, trying to control herself. Jack couldn't think of any thing more to say. What could he say? What could he possibly say that would make this better? So he just held her, stroking her hair and rubbing her back absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts when he felt his shirt become cool and wet. And Sam went limp in his arms.

Oh, God, No!

"Sam?" He pulled her away from him and saw that his beige t-shirt was covered in her blood. "Sam?" he said again quietly.

She didn't respond.

He laid her back down on the bed. Scared to death. He tentatively did-- nothing.

"Oh, God, please no! Come on, Sam, don't give up on me now!" He began CPR on her again, silently praying for her to breath.

Come on, Sam, just breath. Breath. Just breath, please. Sam. Please. God, don't take her, please!

It seemed like he had been pounding on her chest forever and nothing was happening. He was crying. He put his ear to her chest one last time- broken.

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