Of all the things that creep had taken from her, her ability to sleep was the worst. Jack had finally gotten her to sleep through the night – twice – and the son of a bitch took it away. Now she mumbled incoherently in her sleep, restless, anxious.

He hated it.

Sam snapped awake suddenly. Luckily, she was facing him, and she locked eyes with him almost immediately.

"You're okay," he soothed, reaching out to touch her face.

"Thanks," she mumbled. Rolling onto her back, she stared blankly at the ceiling. It would be hours before she slept again.

~/~

~/~

~/~

Sam and Jack were already wide awake when someone knocked on the door. "Wait," Jack yelled curtly, not that he thought Sileem would dare barge in on them after the beating he'd taken. He climbed out of bed and opened the door a crack, still barefoot and shirtless. "Morning," he said, and let Teal'c into the room.

"Samantha Carter," he greeted. "It is very good to see you well."

"Teal'c's here to watch you while I deal with Sileem. Just in case."

"Thanks, Teal'c." She didn't move to greet him, still keeping her lap covered by the sheet.

Concern crossed his face. "Can you not walk, Samantha Carter?"

"I'm okay, Teal'c," she said with a weak smile. "They just… don't give a girl much to wear around here."

He raised an eyebrow as if noticing her outfit for the first time, then pulled off his jacket and handed it to her. She gratefully accepted and zipped it up, now completely covered from her shoulders to her knees.

"Now, why the hell didn't I think of that?" Colonel O'Neill slapped his own forehead dramatically.

"I have my suspicions, O'Neill," the man intoned, and even Sam had to smile.

"Hey, I didn't see you asking for it, either," the colonel defended, and the smile grew a little. Satisfied, he quickly yanked his clothes on. "I'll be back, and then we're getting out of here."

~/~

~/~

~/~

Jack ushered Sam out of the alleys and onto a broad plaza, heading toward the transporter platform. "We just have to clear that field thingy before they can get us out of here. Just a few more blocks."

Sam nodded, grateful that Jack had gotten her clothes back so she wouldn't be beaming up to Prometheus in lingerie.

"Colonel O'Neill," Colonel Pendergast's voice sounded through the radio.

"Good news only, please," the colonel answered.

"Sorry, Jack, I can't do that. A group of five men have been following you since you left the compound."

They kept walking, but Teal'c pulled up a little closer behind them.

"How far behind us?"

"They should intercept you just about at the edge of the field. We'll get you out as soon as you're clear."

"Sir." Carter's tone caught Jack's attention, and he glanced at her. Her jaw was set. "That man deserves the worst possible fate. I left peacefully, by diplomatic means, but I will not run if he chases."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Don't you dare beam me out of here."

He stopped short, well aware of the men on his tail. "You have a better idea?"

"Yeah, sir. Give me a gun."

Well, that was a bad idea. But Jack keyed his radio anyway. "Colonel, we're gonna need a little assistance down here. We're not running."

"Acknowledged."

Jack stole Teal'c's zat gun and handed it to her, but she shot him a disdainful look. "I don't want that one, sir," she said petulantly. "I want that one." She pointed at his side arm.

This idea seemed worse and worse, but Jack was willing to let her work through this how she needed to. He traded her weapons, and Teal'c readied his staff.

"Colonel O'Neill," a familiar, slimy voice spoke up from behind them. They turned to see Sileem and four thugs standing behind them. The thugs held their weapons at ready. "I'm afraid there's a problem. I can't let you walk away with one of my girls."

A flash of light out of the corner of his eye put a smile across Jack's face. "And I'm afraid you can't stop me."

Daniel, Jacob, and four more men stepped up behind them, weapons at the ready.

"Now, fellas, I'd really like you to put your weapons down."

Clearly outgunned, the four looked at each other and gently placed their weapons on the ground.

"That enough, Carter?" Jack asked. "We won."

She was staring at Sileem with an odd, questioning look on her face. Without a word, she began a slow, predatory approach.

As soon as she was out of his reach, Jack regretted not grabbing her, but it was too late.

"Sam," Daniel spoke up, "killing him won't solve anything."

"But it might make me feel better." Oddly, that wasn't from Sam, but from Jacob. Daniel shot him a dirty look.

"Oh, I don't intend to kill him, Daniel," she answered softly, never breaking eye contact with Sileem. "But he was given an order that he didn't follow."

He sneered at her.

"I know you have it," she accused, stepping into his personal space. "I'll make you a deal. A draw." She stuck Jack's sidearm in the back waistband of her pants. "See? Now we're on a completely even playing field."

"Sam, before this goes too far…" Daniel started.

"Shut up, Daniel," she said absently.

"Your men would shoot me."

She shook her head. "Oh, no. This is between you and me. What are you, nervous? Now that we're on an even field?"

Angrily, his hand twitched and moved for his weapon. To Jack's surprise, Sam didn't even reach for the weapon. Instead, she sucker punched the man while his hands were behind his back. When he bent over with a gasp, she grabbed him by the shoulders and rammed a knee squarely between his legs.

Every man in the vicinity, even Teal'c, fidgeted uncomfortably. Sileem collapsed to the ground in a heap, his weapon rolling a few feet away.

Now Sam pulled out the gun.

"Sam!" Daniel yelled. "Don't!"

She looked at Sileem thoughtfully for a moment, then put two bullets in the weapon he'd used on her so many times. "I would kill you," she whispered to the man, "but I'm just too good a person, no matter how hard you tried to change that."

With a smart about face, she returned to her CO. "Ready, sir."

"Uh, actually, Sam, there's something you should know first," Daniel spoke up.

"Before I can go home?"

"While you can still see his face."

She looked at him quizzically for a moment, then turned back to the man on the ground as Daniel spoke.

"See, we weren't really sure about the local laws, since we hightailed it off the other planet when they took you, but it turns these five planets are a protectorate run by… a UN, of sorts."

"Get to point, Daniel." Sam's frustration was clear.

"While Jack was dealing with you, we were dealing with them. Human trafficking is illegal here, just like at home. And so, while we've got Sileem and four of his thugs occupied, they're raiding the bordello. It's all over for him. We'll stay until they get here to collect these guys."

Sileem and his thugs looked shell-shocked.

Sam started to laugh. "You lucky bastard," she told him.

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

"I took it easy on you." She gestured toward his crotch, which he still held painfully. "I almost cut them off."

Chuckling, Jack put a hand on her back and had the two of them beamed back to the ship.