Chapter 10

Sam - alone in village

Sam had too much time to think. Daniel was off, almost a week now, with most of the village men. She was sure he would be thrilled to get to investigate the temple construction site and possibly help the impoverished villagers. What if he didn't come back? And if he did, how long would they remain here?

She had no idea what happened to Teal'c. He seemed to be courted by the Jaffa here.

And as for the Colonel - was he still imprisoned? Have they killed him?

She was angry at herself for even having that thought. He was alive and either he would find them or they would find him. Nothing else was acceptable.

The Colonel had given her a direct order and she failed him. She lost Teal'c. Daniel was off on a jaunt. And if she ever got them together she had no idea how to find the Stargate and get them home.

The Stargate was now probably heavily guarded, wherever it was. This planet was so far from Earth, it would take a ship, if the SGC could get a ship, forever to get here. That is if rescue was coming or even deemed worthwhile. And was it remotely possible to find them, separated in different parts of this world. With all these thought swirling in her mind she had to keep depression at bay.

What, or was it who, she misses the most, needed the most - it was the Colonel.

It was only two months or so since they were stranded on the Ice Planet, where their ranks along with their memories were stripped away. There was only Jonah the man. With everything else an artifice, he was real, what they felt for one another was real.

Sure, she had shut him down with a word, that dreaded word "Sir". It took weeks to resume missions, until they were trusted again. They both claimed their true memories had returned, flushing out the false ones. But at night she dreamed of him. The relationship, the intimate relationship of Jonah and Thera was too real to ignore. At night she waited for him to come to her as Jonah had.

Was the relationship as imaginary as the false identities?

Where was he?

What was he waiting for?

Was he waiting for her to open the door she had slammed shut?

In fact she was supposed to keep that door shut and locked and bolted. She was supposed to resume a professional relationship with the colonel and put these 'feelings' behind her.

And then they wound up stranded here.

She needed something to do. She would have washed her clothes but there was no water to spare and all the clothing she had was what was on her back. Sam took the moth-eaten blanket outside for a good shake and an airing.


He noticed the second she caught sight of him.

She saw a stranger, not a man of the village, a serious, wary expression on her face.

She watched him walk down the hillside, not believing what she saw. Her expression changed from wariness to utter disbelief. As he got closer the blanket dropped from her grasp and she held her hand to her mouth.

He didn't believe it was Carter. He wanted so bad to find her, wanted so bad to know she was alive and well and here in front of him. Could it be possible or was he deluding himself. Sam had the same thought 'How could it possibly be him?'

"Are you all right?" He was worried when she didn't move or say anything.

"It's you, Sir?" Her eyes were swimming with tears and she reached out to touch him.

"Yeah, it's me. Hey, hey, don't do that." He wiped the tears on her cheeks. She didn't realize she was crying.

"They told us, they told us you'd be killed. Oh god. Daniel didn't want to believe it."

"C'mere" He dropped the backpack and engulfed her in his arms. He needed to touch her, to hold her, to truly believe his eyes.

"You're alright?" Sam heard a slight gasp as she held on tight. She noticed his face was bruised and there were abrasions on his wrists.

He saw her reaction and said "I'm alright. It's all right, Carter."

He moved back but they kept a hold of one another as if they would evaporate like the mist if they let go.

Sam draped the blanket over a shrub and led O'Neill to the hut she had been sharing with Daniel.

"This is our...well it's where I sleep." Somehow she could tell O'Neill was not impressed.

"A pile of hay?"

"Actually it's reeds."

"Oh well if it's reeds."

"Are they softer than hay?" She asked.

"Actually no."

"How do you know?"

A smile crept up his lips, he was not going into adventures on his granddad's farm.

"Where's Daniel? Do you know?"

"Yes, he's fine. Long story, he's off, with half the village, to get water. I thought they'd all be back by now. Hope they didn't run into any trouble, any more trouble."

"Seems to follow us." Not wishing to get depressed he changed the subject and asked "Does Daniel sleep here too?"

"Yup." She said as she pointed to the other pile of reeds.

"If Daniel sneezes in here the whole place could come crashing down on your heads. Not enough room to swing a cat."

"Sir." She said in a most irritated tone.

"Did you ever get your cat back?"

"No, good thing I suppose all things considered." she said thinking of the poor creature left with no food or water. "Anyway it was a gift."

O'Neill looked around the tiny shelter and there was nothing but the two paltry piles of reeds, not even a cup or a bowl.

They walked around the village, most shelters were daub and wattle but there were a few mud brick homes. And even they looked pitiful.

"For the elite?" he asked.

"The village leader and his relatives and his servants."

They circled the muddy excuse for a retention pond, the empty goat and sheep pens and the withering fields of grain.

He told her of his last days in the prison, leaving out anything painful and she filled him in on village life.

On their return to the village center they joined in the communal meal of fresh flat bread, lentil stew and fresh cheese. There was barely enough to give each a meager portion. Although they were fed they looked upon with skepticism.


It was full dark and both of them were tired so they retired to the small hut. Sam made a valiant attempt to fluff up the pitiful pile of reeds.

"Oh wait." Jack said and exited the hut, found his backpack and her blanket, brought them into the hut and unfurled his sleeping bag on her pile of reeds.

"This is great." Sam said.

It was too dark to see so they decided to investigate the rest of the items in the backpack in the morning.

Then he took the sad excuse for a blanket and tried, in vain, to get comfortable on the other bed. When enough things poked him in every spot imaginable he got up.

"Move over, that okay? We can share?" He asked. They had in the prison cell and she hadn't objected. If he hadn't been so tired he would have realized what a bad idea this was. But he was exhausted and hurt all over and needed a little comfort and more importantly sleep.

Still his mind wouldn't let sleep come. He had tried so hard to put the Ice Planet mess behind him. He was sure Carter had too. How do you try to forget the memories of a false persona? Even the question sounded nuts to him. Still that person, Jonah, was him, wasn't it, his thoughts, his feelings, his emotions. And now in this tiny hut lying so close to her he felt this hum running through him. Looking over at Carter his heart felt at ease - at least for tonight and he slept.


Jack was awakened by Sam's tossing and turning. He gently touched her arm.

"Sorry." Sam said.

"Nightmare?"

"No."

"I'll move if I make you uncomfortable." Jack said as he started to get up.

Sam stilled him with a touch. "No, no, that's not it. I can't stop thinking."

"About?"

"It's Daniel."

O'Neill was confused.

"You're finally here and now he's gone…"

"You said he'd be back."

"I know it's just... I'm worried... "

"C'mere." He's a tactile person and it came so naturally to him to hug her, a big mistake but it felt so good. It was alright for both of them to feel a little emotional - stranded in enemy territory. But at least not alone, not alone any more. There was comfort in that.

"The village chief is an irascible idiot. And that kind of makes me nervous. The chief was used to everyone jumping to but he was smart enough to know he needed Daniel to sweet talk the priests at the temple to get what they wanted. Well, too, it was Daniel's idea. He said that's why the pharaoh sent him to this village, sort of his emissary." Sam explained as she pulled herself together.

"Daniel knows what he's doing, he's had lots of practice getting his own way. He's probably having a field day at a temple that's not a falling down ruin." Jack said.

Considering the circumstances he should never have touched her nevermind hugged her. So he let her go and moved a bit away. Sam needing the assurance kept subtle contact, a hand against a forearm or a foot against a calf. It kept her grounded.


Jack woke, the dream still vivid, his heart thumping in his chest.

The crystal skull sparkled on the pedestal in the mammoth cave.

He had Carter over his shoulder running on a narrow path, running for the Stargate. He put her down against the DHD so he could mash the code of symbols. He was afraid he wouldn't have the strength to lift her again. As he slapped the center and groped for the GDO, Teal'c came running up behind them.

"I cannot find Daniel Jackson."

The Stargate sprang to life and he and Teal'c lifted the unconscious Carter, an arm over each of their shoulders. As their feet touched the ramp of the SGC he felt strength fail him. His field of vision tunneled, he grasped the rail and only Teal'c's grip kept him from falling on his face. All he could think was 'home, I've got them home' then 'Daniel'. They were his responsibility, he was supposed to keep them safe.

Carter's fears had bled over into his dreams.