Chapter 28. New Order
"O'Neill, I am detecting a fourth lifesign in your immediate vicinity." Thor's voice came through the weird, triangular communication device, and Daniel's heart nearly stopped. His breath caught in his lungs and he shared an anxious glance with Jack, then Teal'c. He peered at the forest around him, half expecting her to pop out of the treeline with a grin and a jaunty wave.
"Sam!" He yelled, already moving away from his two stunned teammates. His feet carried him deeper into the forest, his desperation driving him faster and faster until he was almost running, stumbling over roots and mossy undergrowth as he called out her name.
"Sam!" Fear and apprehension clawed at his chest, making it difficult to breathe, and his heart pounded so loudly in his ears that he almost missed Teal'c's cry of "Over here!"
Daniel sprinted towards the Jaffa's voice, his legs pumping as fast as they would carry him. He rounded a clump of trees and slowed as he spotted a familiar shock of blonde hair laying on the ground. Jack and Teal'c were already there, crouched by her side, and Daniel paused as he came up behind the Colonel, relief washing over him when he saw she was sitting up, alive and alert.
"You okay?" Jack asked, dropping the replicator weapon at his side. Sam nodded slowly; her eyes appearing slightly glazed. "Glad to see you sir."
Sam raised her gaze to meet Daniel's; he could see the wariness in her face, the tightness around her eyes, and he moved to kneel by her side, laying a supporting hand on her shoulder.
Jack brought the triangular device to his lips. "Alright, beam us up, Scotty." There was a pregnant pause where nothing happened, and Jack waved the Asgardian device around before speaking into it again. "That means you, Thor."
Daniel heard the familiar dull resonation of Asgard beaming technology, and a second later, they were aboard the Daniel Jackson.
Thor spun his chair around to face them, his large black eyes blinking slowly. "It is good to see you are alive and unharmed, Major Carter."
Sam nodded minutely, trying on a thin smile. "Thanks for the rescue." The little grey alien bowed his head. Daniel felt Sam shift beneath his hand, gathering her feet under her in attempt to stand. He slid his arm around her shoulders, his other hand grasping her wrist to steady her as he helped her to her feet. Teal'c's outstretched hands hovered nearby, ready to catch her if Daniel couldn't. She was wobbly; her eyes closing briefly as she reached up to touch her head.
"Sam?" He questioned softly, curving his spine in attempt to peek at her face. She offered him a weak smile. "I'm okay, just a little dizzy."
Daniel straightened to look over the top of Sam's head, his eyes flicking from Jack's concerned expression to Thor. "Is there somewhere she can lie down?" He asked the grey humanoid. Thor raised one thin limb. "Down this hall, the third entrance on the left. You should find everything you require."
Daniel nodded his thanks, his arm tightening around Sam to pull her closer to his body, letting her lean against him as they made their way from the bridge and down the hall. Daniel didn't see the way Jack started after them, and Teal'c intervened by laying a heavy hand on the Colonel's shoulder, the two sharing a knowing look.
Daniel led Sam down the hall, concern marring his brow. Her steps were unsteady and faltering, and her face drawn and pale. She buckled, her knees refusing to hold her, and it was only Daniel's firm grip around her middle that kept her upright. "It's alright, Sam, I got you." Daniel murmured as he adjusted his hold, bending to scoop up her legs and swing her into his arms. She didn't protest; her head falling against his chest with a soft thud as her eyes fluttered closed, dark lashes in stark contrast to her pale cheeks. Daniel's mouth twisted with worry, and he hurried down the hall to the room Thor had indicated.
The room was the same gunmetal grey as the rest of the ship, but a wide mattress lay across a platform at the back of the room, and Daniel gently deposited Sam upon it. He perched beside her, tenderly smoothing her hair out of her face. She seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open, her brow pinching together. "Sam?" He called gently, and her eyes focussed on his face. "Sam, are you hurt? Can you tell me what happened?"
Her lips parted, and her tongue darted out to wet them before she spoke. "Fifth." She croaked, her voice hoarse, and she cleared her throat before trying again. "He was angry that we left him behind, that I... betrayed him. He wanted to-to punish me." She fell silent, her eyes sliding closed for a moment as she reached up to rub her temple.
"Hang on, let me find you some water."
Daniel stood, surveying the mishmash of random objects piled around the room. It seemed Thor had attempted to predict the items a human might need. There was a grey chest that stored what looked like copies of their khaki military fatigues, as well as an assortment of clothes that looked to be at least two decades out of date. Another chest held handwoven blankets and pillows, and Daniel grabbed one of each. There was a desk and a cabinet stacked high with medical supplies, and beside it was two floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with canned food items, boxes of every kind of cereal Daniel had ever heard of, and a few more that he hadn't, and, more importantly, bottled water.
He grabbed a bottle and trotted back to Sam's side, propping the pillow under her head and tucking the blanket around her before helping her raise her head and sip at the water. She leant back into the pillow with a sigh when she was done, and Daniel replaced the cap and set the bottle on the floor by his feet. He went back to softly stroking his fingers through her hair, hoping that his touch would soothe some of her ache.
"He...probed my mind." She continued after a moment, "Made me see things. Things he tried to convince me were real. He...tortured me..." Sam swallowed hard, her eyes squeezing shut for a moment, and Daniel felt his throat tighten as anguish clamped around his heart. "He told me...it was because he loved me."
A pained breath escaped Daniel's clenched teeth. "Oh, Sam." He sighed, ducking his head to gently press his forehead to hers, both sets of eyes falling closed to absorb the other's presence. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, his eyes blinking open. Her head was cradled in his hands, the familiar mix of lavender and gunpowder filling his nose, and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face, her pink, plump lips less than an inch from his, drawing him closer, closer...
His bottom lip brushed against hers, and he jerked his head away, horrified at himself. Her eyes cracked open as he pulled his hands away from her face, a frown cinching her eyebrows. Daniel stood, his heart still pounding in his chest. "I, ah - there's some first aid stuff over there." He gestured over his shoulder, not quite able to bring himself to meet her questioning gaze. "I'll, uh, see if there's something for you."
He shuffled away, heat blazing across his cheeks. Daniel took his time sorting through the assortment of pills and ointments and medications, willing his pulse to return to a normal pace. God, what was wrong with him? Sam was with Pete now, and she probably would have punched his lights out if she'd been more lucid. Dammit, he thought he'd come to terms with their new friendship status, thought he had accepted that there could never be anything more. And yet the urge to kiss her had almost overpowered him.
Daniel picked up two small, white pill bottles, clutching them in his palm. He thought he could do this, thought he could see her happy with someone else and not fall apart. Thought he could go back to just being her friend, but god, it was impossible. If he couldn't control his desire for her, he could jeopardise everything – their friendship, her relationship, her career. Everything he touched could come crumbling down. And if he couldn't control his desire, then perhaps it was best he put as much distance between himself and Sam as possible. It would kill him, he knew, but he would rather that than taint her with his curse.
Mentally fortifying his walls, Daniel strode back over to Sam's bedside, ignoring her look of confusion. "Here, Sam. I found some aspirin and something to help you sleep." He set himself down on the edge of the bed and popped the lid on the two pill bottles, measuring out the appropriate dose and handing the tablets to her. She swallowed them without argument, proving to Daniel just how exhausted she really was. He took the bottle of water from her and placed it back on the floor, smiling softly as he watched her snuggle down under the blanket.
"Get some rest, Sam." He murmured quietly, tucking the blanket under her chin and carding his fingers through her hair one last time. He made to leave, but her hand shot out from under the blanket, wrapping around his wrist and giving him pause.
"Stay?" Her voice was tiny, almost lost in the bulk of the blanket that covered half her face, but her blue eyes peeked over the edge of the patchwork quilt, pleading with him. Daniel's heart was torn – every fibre of his being wanted to give in to her request, to go to her and envelope her in his arms, to hold her tight and feel her, warm and alive, against his skin and soothe away her pain.
But he couldn't.
Control. Daniel had always been a testament to constraint, the master of his own mind – cool, calm and collected. And yet, around Sam, he found himself crumbling, unravelling, pulled into a whirlwind of emotions so strong that they threatened to tear him apart, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shut the floodgates.
"I'm sorry, Sam, I... I have to go. I have to-to let Jack know you're okay." She turned away from him, her eyes dropping to the floor, and Daniel screwed his eyes shut as the pain in his heart threatened to overwhelm him. He hesitated, his control trickling away, and his feet moved him to her side of their own accord.
"I'll be back later to check on you." He amended softly. He bent over the bed, his fingers brushing through her hair as he studied her, burning her face into his memory. "Sleep, Sam. You're safe now. I promise you." He pressed his lips to her forehead, his eyes closed as he lingered there, breathing in her scent. Daniel straightened quickly and turned away, rushing from the room before she could break his control forever.