Title: Shadow Play
Author: Cindy Ryan
Category: Xover SGA SG1, AU
Timeline: AU after AHBL pt.2
Notes: Many thanks to Kari for the beta

"Because you may be working to save both brothers at once."

Carson nodded and excused himself to go get the staff member in question.

Sam ran a weary hand over the back of his neck before turning to Sheppard.

"Colonel, when you start doing the spell… they're not going to let Dean go easy."

"Kinda figured that… don't worry, we've got your brother's back."

Sam walked over to Dean's bed and his breath caught as he took in the new scars.

"Colonel, we have to do this now," Sam stated quietly as Sheppard joined him. "Dean can't take much more."

Sheppard followed Sam's gaze and nodded. "Give me twenty minutes to pull everybody together."

Sam nodded, moving to where John had placed the guns and salt. He picked up a couple of the salt containers. "I'll start things in here."

*********

Half an hour later, people were in appropriate spots and things were set up as they were supposed to be.

John stood next to Dean's bed with Daniel on the opposite side. Elizabeth, Rodney and Teyla were against the opposite wall near the door.
Teyla had been brought up to speed and was feeling stronger. Stronger, but not quite one-hundred percent.
Teyla sat in a chair near the door, one of the riles laying across her lap.

Sheppard exchanged a glance with Elizabeth as she approached him.

"Are we ready?" Weir asked, still not quite believing they were about to do this.

"As we'll ever be," John replied, as he activated his radio earpiece. "Ronon, you guys set down there?"

In the stasis chamber, Ronon stood approximately twenty feet from Sam, his gun raised.

"Yeah," Dex replied.

"Colonel," Sam called into his own ear piece that Weir had given him only minutes before.

"Go ahead, Sam," Sheppard replied as he turned back to face Jackson who had John Winchester's journal on the bed before him. Propped on either side of the bed, just inside the salt barrier, were two shotguns.
There was another salt barrier around the perimeter of the infirmary.

"We're only going to get one shot at this… and each step of the spell has to be followed exactly…"

"Don't worry, Sam," Sheppard stated as he met Daniel's gaze. "You've trusted us this far."

"Your brother's in good hands," Elizabeth added, hoping they weren't promising false hope.

"Okay," Sam acknowledged as he looked at the Satedan. "See you on the other side."

"Funny," Sheppard muttered as he looked to Jackson. "Go."

Daniel nodded and began to read.

**********

Slowly and carefully, Sam and Cameron moved the remaining crystals into a container they had brought.
There wasn't much left of the casing the crystals had been in but they took that also. After another sweep to determine there was nothing else in the cave wall, Sam and Cameron gathered their things and returned to the rappel ropes.

"Wonder what Daniel's doing on Atlantis?" Sam asked as they began their ascent.

"Probably just research… trying to figure out from that end why an Ancient device ended up here," Cameron replied with a grin.

"Probably," Sam agreed, though she had a feeling life on Atlantis wasn't calm for very long.

"Let's go home," Mitchell stated once they reached the top. "I don't know about you but I could use a week off."

Sam grinned. "Week? Try a month."

"Think Landry will agree?"

"Doubt it."

"Can't hurt to try."

"No, definitely can't."