Authors Notes

- I was slightly dismayed to find a not so nice review in my inbox last time I checked which made me slightly frustrated. Because of this I feel I must confirm – I am not a character basher and I hope those who do read don't think so. I know things are hard for Sam and Jack right now but it is a process. I am writing angst so it is not going to be all rainbows and bunnies. I have promised to give you a happy ending and although one detail has changed from that ending I offer no less joy in the last few chapters. I feel I must also tell you I do not plan to pile angst upon angst - Sam will NOT loose the baby and although problems need to be addressed in their relationship things will spark between Sam and Jack, just give me time. Anyway, I ask you? How is Jack meant to rescue Sam if I don't stick her in a situation in the first place?

- On a brighter note I would like to thank

Skewrels

Caroline O'Neill

Sokkora Lewis (who e-mails me if her computer won't let her post!)

TrinityStargazer3

All of whom have been with me through this fic, your support has really kept me motivated – Thank you. There are alos of course many others who have reviewed through this fic but If I list them all then you wouldn't ever get onto that chapter!

- Have you noticed how many J's I have to type each chapter? My J and shift buttons are becoming increasingly harder to type with! I must be wearing them out! (Sorry, just a little bit more random-ness there!)

Chapter 11: Driven

'Have you seen Major Carter?' Jack picked through the huddles of Tok'ra asking each if they had seen Sam, he could not find Jacob and was almost on the brink of marching down to the council room to get his query heard when a voice stood out from the No's and Sorry's he had been receiving

'I saw her about ten minutes ago; she was heading towards Dr Jackson's quarters,' A young female Tok'ra lay her large hazel eyes in Jack's direction, her voice was barely audible but to Jack any mention of Sam was picked up like a lone dot on a radar, his mind strayed for just a second, admiring the good looks of this woman and wondering why she had decided to share her petit appearance - blend herself with a Tok'ra symbiote.

Thoughts back on track he thanked her and headed in the direction she gestured towards Daniel's room – if it was any worse than his Daniel probably would be better off sleeping in the counsel chamber – his worry for Sam driving him to his destination with little time lost.

As it turned out Daniel was not the only occupant of the poorly decorated crystalline chamber, Jacob was deep in conversation, or more accurately interrogation with Daniel when Jack entered

'Jack!' Daniel stood, clearly glad to break away from Jacob's line of questioning -unfortunately his relief was short lived

'One of the Tok'ra guys told me that Sam had been heading here about ten minutes ago?' His eyes pressed into Daniel for answers, despite the look only being aimed at Daniel it was not he who was next to speak

'Sa'brea told me the same thing; she said that this was where I could find Sam. Unfortunately though neither Daniel nor anyone else I have encountered has seen Sam for quite a length of time, it seems I was the last to see her before-' Jacob reached for Jack's attention and knew he had got it as Jack threw a harsh interruption into a so far calm conversation

'Before what? She disappeared? Where could they have managed to get her down here? The halls are flooded with you guys… and who the hell could have taken her?' The last question was rhetorical; he already knew the answer but did not want to consider that possibility, Daniel obviously did not catch Jack's drift

'Nirrti,' Once again the name that made his blood run cold slipped from the lips of one of his team, one of only three people in a world of billions that he truly cared about, Teal'c and Daniel as friends and Sam as so much more, was it merely coincidence that Sam was taken first? Was she the only one that would be taken? Was Nirrti trying to get to him or did she already have her prize? It seemed part of him had hoped that if they hadn't thought it, if her name hadn't slithered into the conversation it wouldn't be her, it would be a misunderstanding, Sam would be back in his arms within a few beats of a longing heart.

'That woman just doesn't know when to quit,' the emotions behind this statement were unclear but Daniel knew these words signified either a rapidly deteriorating mood or a rising temper – neither of which he wished to be present for

'I'll get Teal'c, we can do a sweep of the base, see if Sam is simply hiding somewhere…or something,'

He paused a moment waiting for Jack's reaction, after a general hand gesture he figured it was safe to leave.

'Sam shouted at me and stormed out, it looks like I was the last to see her,' Jacob's brow creased, a deep sigh not lessening the tension in the room, with such a stressed silence it was not long before accusation turned on Jack 'This is your fault! If you hadn't got to her, if you hadn't gotten her pregnant this wouldn't be happening! What is she going to do if Nirrti has her? She is probably under some delusion that you will come rushing in to save her! Why did you do this?' Jack did not take lightly to being shouted at

'Do what? Fall in love with her? How could I not? She has the most beautiful heart of anyone I have ever known! How could you talk about it as if I took advantage of her? I didn't set up some scheme to get her pregnant it just happened; you can't say that with two kids you didn't get caught in the moment and forget about…what you are supposed to do before hand?' The last part came out rather awkwardly but did not damage the point he had made, by the silence he gained from Jacob in response the man was obviously no saint. Jacob ran through so many thoughts he could have gained a head rush, there had been suspicions but it seemed Jack really did love Sam, he was unsure how he felt about that, could it cause problems in the long run? Would it last? Jack had obviously sensed his train of thought

'Jacob, I promise you I love Sam more than anyone in the world, this baby may be unintentional but I love it the same way. From the moment I saw Sam she was my world and I can swear on my life that that will never change. I don't think either of us should be alone anymore,' the last comment struck Jacob hard, for a long time Sam had been left all alone, Mark although sharing a protective brotherly bond with her had always ultimately been concerned with different things. Since their mother had died Jacob had buried himself in his work, hiding from reality and leaving his life behind almost like it was a nightmare, an inconvenience that he returned to every night, it wasn't real to him, it couldn't be, his wife couldn't be dead, his children couldn't be grieving, life just couldn't carry on with her gone. With a pang of guilt he remembered one night a few months after Sam's mother had died, he had come home late, Mark had already gone to bed, everything was dark and quiet apart from one little whimper, he remembered so clearly how he had gone to investigate and seen Sam lying in bed, face in pillow to muffle the sobs that wracked her body, Jacob had opened his mouth to speak out but thought against it, he did not know how to deal with his grieving little girl so had decided not even to lend a hand of comfort, he had passed the room, readied himself for bed, finding every distraction from the muffled sobs that haunted him from the room down the hall…he hung his head disgusted that he could have gained even a wink of sleep that night. He wasn't going to let his little girl down anymore.

'How does Sam feel about this?' he asked, eyes boring into Jack's, he could see his brain working, one lie and Jack's eyes would tell

'At first she ran away, she didn't want us to be together because of a long list of might's and maybes. When she found out she was pregnant she said she wanted an abortion but Frasier talked to her and she realized that she only saw an abortion as a scapegoat. As for how she feels about me, I could not guarantee anything to you, I am not going to talk myself up to anyone, I don't know if she loves me…I think at the moment she isn't sure what to feel…too much in a short space of time…that is all I need to give her – time. I will wait; her love is worth waiting a lifetime for.' Jacob was taken aback with how romantic Jack could be, when looking on with common sense in mind, one could think his romantic personality was enough to sweep any woman off of her feet, on the more emotional side maybe "I love you" just wasn't enough for him; maybe he wasn't as simplistic as he liked people to think, for the moment Jacob's mind rested on the latter, Jack could be annoying to be sure but he was in no way a womanizer.

Jacobs stare softened against Jack's defiant gaze, he had persuaded him, unless Sam said otherwise he and Selmak held faith in Jack O'Neill's honesty.

'What are your intentions when we get her back?' This time Jacob's question was light mannered and light spirited, he looked at Jack, a determined glint in his eye – things were going to work out, Jack gave a friendly smile which was promptly returned

'When we get her back… I-' Jack's sentence was cut short by the arrival of Teal'c and Daniel

'Major Carter is not anywhere O'Neill, I do believe that Nirrti has her hostage,' Teal'c's hand held his staff weapon close, ever since their arrival on the planet he had not relinquished his weapon for any reason other than Kelnoreem and even then he had it close, the suspected presence or Nirrti had kept him alert and now she had a close friend of his as her captive no Tok'ra or Ta'ri would prevent him from his "Jaffa Revenge Thing" as O'Neill had so often phrased it, Nirrti would not survive an encounter with the so-called Sho'fah.

'We searched the whole base with the assistance of a couple of Tok'ra but she is nowhere, there are devices monitoring the gate and it hasn't been activated so we can assume Sam is somewhere on the planet,' Daniel's exhaustion was apparent only by his slightly wary form, his determination had never been stronger

'It's a big planet,' Jack remarked, his state-the-obvious attitude only a mask to cover the fear that laced his thoughts – what if they didn't get there in time?

'Are you okay Jack?' Daniel placed his hand on Jack's shoulder hoping it would offer some kind of comfort, Jack knew his silence in response to this question was an unwise move only a moment before Jacob went to speak

'He is probably just worried for Sam and the baby,'

'I am sorry Jacob; did you just make reference to a baby?' Teal'c showed more expression than anyone had thought the Jaffa was capable of and all color drained from Jack's face, he threw Jacob a look, willing him to be silent but Jacob either remained oblivious to his motions or did not pay any notice to them, the truth slipped out before Jack could stop it

'Yes, didn't Jack tell you? Sam's pregnant.'

That really wasn't a very good chapter! Please forgive me for this lapse! Jacob and Jack talking was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be…I'm starting to think I should have skipped the whole thing or had a group of dancing bananas come in just as they were about to start talking…probably would have been much easier to write and a lot more entertaining! Lol

Next Chapter: Daniel is pissed off but what threatens to become a fight somehow dulls into Jack's desperation.