A/N – Ack! Real Life, in the form of sick kids, a non-functioning bathroom, and general craziness at work, has prevented me from updating as often as I like. So, please accept my apologies for the delay. And thanks so much for the reviews! I love every last one of them.

Chapter 3

She was bound and couldn't move her arms or legs, though it mattered little as she was gripped by a paralyzing fear. She knew something terrible was about to happen, but she had no idea what. With a blinding flash of light, her body seized as every nerve ending erupted in white hot flame.

She tried to scream, but no sound came.

Inexplicably, she found herself running through the jungle, trying to escape the light, because with the light came pain. A large vine caught her foot, and she went flying, landing by a pool of standing water. As she began to push herself back up, something in the still pond caught her attention. She leaned over to get a better look and gasped at what she saw. Staring back at her were red eyes set in a visage that appeared to be grossly distorted by the water. It was only when she brought her hand up to touch her cheek that she realized the image was a reflection of her own face.

This time when she screamed, the sound echoed under the canopy of the dark jungle.

"Carter!" Jack yelled for the third time, giving her shoulder a good shake. Finally, she quieted and rolled over, her eyes locking on his in the dim moonlight.

"Jack," she cried, as she brought her hand up to her face. "What's happening to me?"

He noted the use of his first name but tried to ignore the intimacy such an action implied. It didn't help that she had pressed the full length of her body to his in the bed they were currently sharing. He resisted the urge to stroke her cheek. "Nothing, Carter. It was just a dream," he said softly, but she was already shaking her head.

"No." She sat up in the bed suddenly, and Jack didn't know whether he felt bereft or relieved. "No, it was more than a dream. It was so...real."

He sat up as well and could see now that she was shaking slightly. He raised his hand to put it on her back but dropped it before it reached its intended destination. He cleared his throat. "You want to talk about it?"

She looked down at her hands. "No, sir. I...I can't really remember anything." She glanced at him and gave him a sheepish smile. "You're right. It was just a dream. Sorry for waking you, sir." With that, she lay back down, careful to keep a respectful distance from him, and he did the same.

It was a long time before either of them fell asleep.

oOoOoOo

The following day, they were shown around the settlement by a striking young woman appointed by Sukumar to be their guide. The location was unbelievably beautiful. The fortress was positioned on a bluff between the jungle and the beach, with a spring fed river flowing from the jungle, through the structure, and over the cliff to a pool on the beach below. Smaller stone and thatched roof buildings surrounded the fortress, extending down the beach as far as the eye could see in either direction.

Everyone they met seemed young and healthy, and when Teal'c commented on the apparent prosperity of the people, their guide explained that the freshwater streams from the jungle, together with the bounty of the ocean and nearby flora, provided everything they needed to survive.

They wound up their tour in the courtyard of the fortress in which they were staying, and Daniel took particular interest in a large stone carving of someone named Sequene. According to their guide, Sequene was a tribal chief who had led the first settlers to the island thousands of years ago with the promise of everlasting life. Although Daniel asked several more questions about Sequene and the history of the Beiminian people, their guide was either unable or unwilling to share additional information. Instead, she politely directed them to Sukumar who, she promised, would address any unanswered questions.

At the end of the tour, the group was shown to a large room, where they were told Sukumar and the rest the ruling council would join them for lunch. As they were waiting, Jack clapped his hands together and addressed his team. "All righty then. Any clue who these people are or where they come from?"

"Something about the name Sequene sounds familiar, but I just can't place it," Daniel replied, crossing his arms and holding his chin. "Some things about this village are reminiscent of the Mediterranean but, culturally, it doesn't really fit..."

"Whatever their history, they certainly seem extremely prosperous," volunteered Sam.

"Not to mention extremely young," added Jack. "Is it just me or is everyone here under thirty?" There were nods all around. "Great," he groused. "I think that officially makes me the oldest person on the island."

Teal'c clasped his hands behind his back. "On the contrary, O'Neill, I believe my years outnumber yours considerably."

"I appreciate that, T, but I'm afraid it's not the years, but the mileage..."

Daniel interrupted. "It is strange. Now that you mention it, I didn't see anyone who was old - or sick, for that matter."

"It's possible the elderly and ill are kept out of public view," Sam theorized.

Jack turned toward Sam. "Maybe. But I still say something's not right here. I get the feeling these people are hiding something...Any chance they're Gou'ald?"

Sam shook her head. "I haven't sensed a symbiote, sir."

"Nor have I," Teal'c added.

At that point, Sukumar, Giyana, and several others walked into the room, cutting their conversation short. It quickly became clear that the individuals who made up the ruling council of the Beiminians were all from the same extended family.

As they sat down to lunch, Sukumar turned to Daniel. "So, what do you think of our village?"

Daniel shot a look at Jack, who seemed content to allow him to take the lead. He cleared his throat. "It is very beautiful. And your people seem extremely...healthy."

Sukumar beamed at him. "Yes, we are fortunate to live free of illness here."

"And yet, you have doctors," Jack commented from further down the table.

Sukumar's eyes narrowed a bit. "We may not suffer from disease, but we do experience injuries from time to time, as I'm sure you can appreciate."

"Of course," Jack replied. "There's always the occasional bar brawl..."

The Beiminian leader smirked. "Ah, but we are free from crime, as well."

"How does a village of your size avoid crime?" Sam asked.

"We have a strong deterrent against it." Sukumar smiled at her, but his eyes were steel. "Any person found in violation of our laws is put to death."

"Effective," mumbled Jack.

"Enough about us for now," said Sukumar to Daniel, dismissing Jack again. "Tell us what brings you to Beimini."

Daniel gave the council his spiel about being peaceful explorers in search of galactic allies with whom to trade. But when he broached the subject of the naquada they had detected, no one appeared to have any idea what the mineral was or where it might be located.

There was, however, great interest in the fact that the team came from Earth. Apparently, some of their ancient writings included reference to the planet and indicated that the Beiminians originated from there. In addition, certain texts promised that those who hailed from that planet could bring great things to their people. Daniel asked if he could see some of these texts, and Sukumar agreed to have them delivered to his room later that evening.

Throughout their conversation, several servants moved among the group, providing food and drink and clearing away the empty vessels. Like the other Beiminians, they were all young and attractive. However, they avoided eye contact, kept their heads down, and refused to speak, even when the members of SG-1 tried to thank or otherwise acknowledge them.

Near the end of the meal, Daniel asked about the savages they'd encountered when they'd first arrived. The discussion had, up until that point, been lively, but the mood of the party turned somber the moment the question was asked.

Sukumar sighed and sat back in his chair. "They have been here as long as anyone can remember. They are extremely violent, as you have seen. Until recently, they kept to their caves and would come out only at night and were therefore easily avoided. Now, however, they have now begun straying further and further into the jungle, sometimes even in the daylight. Still, they are afraid of the light and will not venture past the jungle's edge." He paused and shook his head. "We have lost several of our people in recent months."

"But why go into jungle at all then?" asked Daniel.

"It is the site of our sacred ritual, honoring our god Jocahu, who ensures the health and well being of our people." He looked around the group and smiled. "In fact, the timing of your visit is fortunate. Tomorrow night is the second rising, which signifies the beginning of the ritual. There will be a great celebration. We would be honored for you to join us."

Sukumar smiled again, and Jack was instantly reminded of another smile, one full of pointed teeth accompanied by blood red eyes.

oOoOoOo

Later that evening, the team gathered in Teal'c and Daniel's room to debrief. While Daniel pored over the documents that Sukumar had delivered, the other three recapped the days' events.

"They certainly seem friendly enough," said Sam.

Jack shook his head. "I don't trust Sukumar as far as I can throw him. He's hiding something. Did you notice how the servants wouldn't even look at us?"

"I, too, sensed that he was not being completely truthful," Teal'c added. "I believe he lied about the naquada."

"Yeah," Jack said, "and where are all the older people? Sukumar and his buddies seem a little young to be the ruling council."

Daniel looked up suddenly from his scrolls. "I think I've figured out why everyone here seems so young."

Jack gestured toward him encouragingly. "Do tell."

"I think these people may have found the Fountain of Youth."

His proclamation was met with stunned silence. "The Fountain of Youth?" Jack finally asked, incredulous. "I thought that was in Florida."

"Actually, that's a common misconception. Most people believe that Ponce de Leon went searching for the Fountain and found Florida instead. But there's an older myth that tells of an Arawak chieftain named Sequene who led a group of people from their home in the western Caribbean to a magical island by the name of – get this – Bimini, which was reportedly the location of the Fountain of Youth." Daniel was talking so fast, he had to pause to take a breath. "After they left their home, they were never heard from again. Many thought they had actually succeeded in their quest." He was now grinning from ear to ear. "I didn't make the connection until I saw the names written in these documents."

"Wait a minute!" Jack exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're telling me that these people are the descendants of some guy named Sequin and that this is their magic island and that they actually found the Fountain of Youth?"

"Is it not common to encounter the descendants of Earth on other planets?" Teal'c asked Jack.

"Okaaaay," he reluctantly conceded the point. "How'd they get here then? I don't recall anyone stumbling across a Stargate in the Caribbean."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe they were brought here by spaceship. Didn't Sukumar say they had a god?"

Daniel nodded enthusiastically. "Jocahu. And I think he's a Gou'ald."

"I am unfamiliar with that name, DanielJackson," Teal'c inserted.

"What makes you think that, Daniel?" asked Sam at the same time.

Daniel tapped the manuscript he was holding. "This document – the language is a derivation of Gou'ald."

Jack huffed. "Well, it looks like we'll found out soon enough. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we're invited to his party tomorrow."

oOoOoOo

Jack lay awake in the bed next to Sam. The moon on this planet had a much closer orbit than Earth's, and it was apparently waxing because the light streaming in from the open window was keeping him awake. Of course, there was also the fact that he couldn't shake the notion that something about this place was seriously wrong.

Just as he began replaying the day's events for the umpteenth time, Sam began to stir in her sleep. Within seconds, she was thrashing and moaning, apparently in the throes of another nightmare. This time, he opted for the direct approach and grabbed her firmly by the shoulder to wake her up.

She immediately sat up in bed with a gasp, her eyes wild.

"Carter?" he asked quietly, sitting up alongside her. With a sob, she threw herself into his arms. Cautiously, he embraced her and began patting her back. After four years in the field together, he'd never seen her behave this way. "Hey. What is it?"

She sniffed but didn't release her hold on him. "They're in so much pain," she whispered into his chest.

He pulled back from her a little to look at her face. "Who?"

"I…I'm not sure. But they're here. I think…I think maybe those creatures have them. I keep seeing those horrible…things in my dream."

Once again, he had to stop himself from cupping her face. He placed his hands on her upper arms instead. "It's just a dream, Carter, probably brought on by all the weirdness you're picking up on here."

She looked doubtful but nodded anyway and lay back down on her side, facing away from him. He stretched out beside her and watched her try to relax, but she remained stiff as a board. He knew that she wouldn't easily fall back to sleep.

Jack observed her for a moment longer, finally placing his hand tentatively on her shoulder. He meant for it to be a simple gesture of comfort, but before he could fully appreciate what was happening, she had grabbed it with her own and used it as leverage to roll over into his embrace.

He was stunned by the unexpected contact. He had only held her like this once before, when they were other people, deprived of the memory of their reporting relationship. But that was months ago, and he'd shoved that experience into the same room with all of the other inappropriate glances, gestures, and feelings they'd shared.

Silently, he began to count the number of ways their positioning violated military decorum, but as she snuggled into his chest and her breathing evened out, he quickly realized that he really didn't care. He pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair.

Within minutes he, too, was fast asleep.

TBC…