A/N – Lyrics quoted in this chapter are from "Who wants to live forever" by Queen
Chapter 7: To Live Forever
Both Sam and Jack were grimly silent as Jack dialed in the next address. Jack kept shooting Sam wary looks out of the corner of his eye. A nervous sensation twisted around in his gut. Without Janet and her doctor's qualifications, what was he going to do if Sam suddenly keeled over? And Daniel, who knew more than anyone what to expect on this trip…what would they do without him?
And beyond that, they were now down from five guns to two. Or one and a half. Sam didn't look up to firing anything bigger than a zat at the moment.
"Come on," Jack turned to hold out one hand to Sam, encouraging her to follow him through the open gate. Sam gave him a tired look and nodded, dragging her feet slightly as she walked over to him.
Had Jack not been there to catch her, Sam probably would have tumbled down the stone steps leading up to the gate on the other side. They'd come out amidst what appeared to be the ruins of some old temple, though Jack didn't get much of a chance to admire it as he helped Sam to sit down at the base of the steps.
"Come on, Carter!" he said, panic showing for the first time in his voice. Sam was sitting there with her face in her hands, trembling slightly. "We've only got two more gates to go…"
Sam looked up at him, eyes half lidded, skin pale. "I know, sir…I just need…"
"What? What do you need? Sam…? SAM!"
She'd pitched forward suddenly, her whole body seeming to tense up, arms drawn tight to her chest and eyes squeezed shut. Jack realized in a panicked sort of way that she was going into another one of her seizures, and that he didn't know what more he could do other than cushion her head as her whole body began to convulse violently.
Finally the convulsions subsided and Sam went limp again. Hands shaking, Jack moved them both so they were in the shelter of one of the half collapsed walls. He still had his pack with him, and pulled a small blanket out of it, then pulled Sam into his lap, wrapping the blanket around her and holding her unconscious form close to him as he leaned back against the wall.
Running his hand gently up and down her arm, Jack was struck with the sudden realization of how helpless both of them were. If Sam was awake and talking to him he knew that there would be no sarcastic remark or crude joke he could make, because the situation was that bleak. They were alone, God-knew-where in the galaxy, with one backpack and a series of gate addresses that might end up not actually getting them anywhere.
Where was Thor and the whole Asgard fleet when you needed them, anyway? They could have probably done a world of good right about now.
Who wants to live forever?
Who dares to love forever?
Damn it, Queen! Jack thought bitterly as the lyrics floated unbidden across his mind.I want my Sam to live forever.
He felt her hand tighten suddenly on his jacket and Jack looked down to see her blue eyes, though their color seemed duller now, staring up at him, confused and frightened. He realized with a sudden shock that he'd spent so much time thinking about what he, what Jack O'Neill with two goddamn L's, was feeling that he'd forgotten how terrifying this would be to Sam.
"Jack…" her voice came out in a terrified squeak and she buried her face in his shoulder. "What…what happened?"
"You had another seizure when we came through the gate," Jack said, hugging her tighter when she let out a frightened little whimper. "I'm right here, Sam, it's ok."
"Janet and Daniel…" Sam whispered, looking up at Jack with wide eyes. "They're gone…Jack…don't leave me too…"
"I'm not going to leave you, Sammy, not ever." Jack reassured her, pressing his cheek to the top of her head for a moment. "You have to be strong. You can do this…we've only got two more to go."
Sam was already trying to get to her feet, grabbing onto the wall for support, gritting her teeth as her legs seemed ready to collapse beneath her. Jack stood, putting an arm around her, helping her back over to the DHD. She stumbled, nearly falling, but Jack caught her.
Who dares to love forever?
When love must die…
"It won't. I won't let it." Jack heard himself saying aloud. Sam gave him a questioning look and he shook his head, reaching out to dial the next address.
Sam was a dead weight in his arms before he'd even stepped out of the gate. Sweat had broken out on her forehead and while she was still breathing, each breath came out heavy and labored. As Jack maneuvered her away from the gate and towards the DHD she would occasionally let out a soft murmur, though nothing coherent.
Jack was sweating himself by the time he propped her up against the DHD. He wouldn't be able to carry both her and the pack, so he quickly transferred a few necessary items from the pack to his vest pockets and tossed the pack aside. It was soon joined by Sam's vest, which Jack realized probably wasn't helping her breathing at all.
For a moment he crouched there, staring at Sam, wondering if he should try to do something to help her or just press on through the final gate. He didn't have much by the way of medical supplies, Daniel had taken some and Janet's kit had been left back when they'd been attacked a couple planets ago.
But he did have some fabric, and his canteen –though it was getting low- so Jack cradled Sam against him and gently pressed the moistened scrap to her forehead. It must have done something to make her feel better because Sam let out a contented little sigh a moment later, bringing a hand up to rest on his arm.
"Jack…" she whispered. "How much…."
"One more gate to go," he said, though he wasn't sure that's what she was asking. "One more gate and we're there. Not that I know where there is exactly…"
Sam nodded, settling against him and sighing again.
Jack took a swig from the canteen, swallowing the remaining drops of stale, warm water. They'd need to refill. Still holding Sam he glanced around and spotted, far off to the left, what appeared to be some tall reeds and cattails.
"Sam?" he whispered, gently shaking her. She opened her eyes, but he wasn't sure if she was actually awake or not. "I have to go refill the canteen, ok? So I'm going to carry you." She nodded and closed her eyes again.
Jack hooked the canteen onto his belt and scooped Sam up. She felt insanely light, too light for a woman her size, though it did make things a little easier on Jack's knees.
The reeds he'd seen were in fact on the edge of a wide, shallow and perfectly clear river. Jack set Sam down on the shore, leaning her gently against a large boulder. He knelt by the water, splashing some of the deliciously cold water on his face, then ripping another piece of fabric from the hem of his t-shirt and getting it wet, bringing it over to Sam to try and cool her off a little more.
"I think you're running a fever," Jack murmured, though he knew she probably couldn't hear him. "Too bad Doc isn't here…she'd know just what to do…"
He refilled the canteens, then, feeling a little weak, moved to sit next to Sam. Jack pulled out a power bar and nibbled on a corner of it, thinking maybe a bit more rest couldn't hurt. Once through the final gate he had no idea what he'd have to do to reach this tree, and if it involved carrying Sam over a long distance he'd need all his strength.
Sam regained consciousness for a little while, and Jack managed to get her to eat something, though for a few minutes she was looking rather green and he wasn't sure that the food was going to stay down.
"Are you going to be ok?" Jack asked, offering her another piece of a power bar. When Sam just looked at him sleepily he answered his own question. "You're going to be ok."
He didn't want to waste too much time, so when Jack was sure that he was rested enough, he stood up again, picking up Sam. She had lost consciousness again and her head lolled onto his shoulder, but at least without the weight of the pack it wasn't as hard on Jack. He set her down again only briefly to dial the DHD.
He stared up at the gate as he repositioned Sam in his arms. He had no idea what was going to be waiting for them on the other side, if it would be another barren, abandoned planet or a fully equipped Ancient hospital. Whatever it was, Jack prayed that it was something that could help Sam.
"Here goes nothing…" Jack murmured, and slowly walked towards the gate.
They passed through the wormhole. The first thing that sped across Jack's mind on the other side was that there was nothing beneath his feet. Spreading before him was a deep blackness with thousands of points of white light. It was cold, unbearably cold, a deep, soul penetrating freezing and had he time to think Jack would have realized the very blood in his veins was so cold it seemed to boil.
There was also no air. Jack realized this in the one, terrified second before he ceased to think anymore.
A/N - Bwahaha. It's not over yet, kiddies. :P Sorry this one was so short, but I swear I'll make it up in the next chapter.