A/N – Well, I waited longer than I intended to post, mostly because I struggled with this chapter a bit. And then to top it all off, FF dot net has been having some serious issues, as you all probably guessed. I do think I've finally got the chapter where I want it, but I'll be curious to hear what you think, so please review!
A big thanks as always to my beta MidKnight Rider who has assisted me throughout this story, and especially on this chapter, despite technical difficulties. Thanks also to Heaven In A Wild Flower and Aenigmatic, who apparently share equal yet opposite sides of my brain when it comes to the topic of which direction the S/J ship should be sailing. ;)
Finally, for any who are interested, I will be posting an M-rated one shot to pick up where this T-rated version leaves off, but I'm still working on it, so stay tuned.
Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Jack pulled back from the kiss once more, duty still warring with desire. They had had many close calls during their service together, but as the years progressed, their emotions seemed to inch closer and closer to the surface, to the point now they were occasionally breaking through.
Like the zatarc disaster, Jack thought, where they'd essentially had no choice but to confess their love for one another. Oh, they had been careful not to use those words and had hastily agreed to live under the delusion that it never happened, but they both knew it was impossible to unring that bell.
And then there had been their recent time together on the ice planet, when they'd had their identities taken from them. They had never discussed it. Not once. As far as he knew, neither of them had told a living soul just how close Jonah and Thera had become.
The truth was they'd crossed every single line out there, and then some.
Jack knew, the moment they'd remembered who they were and she'd looked up at him with her big, blue eyes and called him "sir," he had to lock that experience in the room and throw away the key. But it didn't stop the memories from drifting across his mind from time to time, memories of the feeling of her soft body pressed to his, the sweet smell of her skin, the erotic sounds she made as they moved together.
Apparently, she hadn't forgotten either.
"Jack, please." She practically moaned the last word, and he felt what was left of his self control dissolve completely.
With an almost feral growl, he pushed her against the wall, his mouth coming down hard on hers, her hands grasping at the short silver hair on the back of his head. As an intractable passion began to consume him, his last coherent thought was that if they survived this, he was never locking away his feelings for her again.
oOoOoOo
"We have been planning to destroy the Fountain for some time now," Sequene paused and shook his head, "but my people are afraid." Daniel and Teal'c had been talking at length with Sequene about his plans for overthrowing Sukumar and stopping the sacrifices.
Daniel was stunned. "Afraid? Sukumar led us to believe that your people are prone to violence, that several of his men had been attacked."
"Lies, mostly. To ensure that the villagers do not become sympathetic and to foster fear among those who oppose the council. Over time, I have been able to convince a handful of my followers to fight, but for most, the pain and fear they experienced in the Fountain has made them timid. They still shy away from the light. It is for this reason that we must wait until nightfall tomorrow before we attack, as it is near dawn now."
"Fear can be a greater enemy than those you oppose. Do you believe these people are prepared to do battle?" Teal'c asked plainly.
Sequene looked at the Jaffa for a long time before answering. "I believe they are ready, and I believe they will fight despite their fear, particularly if they know they are not alone." He shifted his gaze back and forth between the two. "There is one more thing you should know. Sukumar has energy weapons that he procured from Jocahu and Nirrti, weapons that can vaporize a person in three shots..." Daniel nodded, all too familiar with that description.
"The Tau'ri have weapons, as well," Teal'c responded, "and can provide others to assist."
After further discussion, it was decided that Daniel and Teal'c would continue to the Stargate to apprise General Hammond of the situation and request back up as originally planned. After, they would rejoin Sequene and his followers at the cave before heading out to take the Fountain.
As they walked out into the warm night air, Daniel brought his radio to his chin and called for Jack and Sam so that he could update them on the plan. When he released the button, though, all he heard was static. He and Teal'c both tried again, with the same result.
"Perhaps something is interfering with the signal," offered Teal'c.
Daniel furrowed his brow. "Or they're in trouble."
"It is possible," Teal'c acknowledged. "However, if they are indeed in trouble, would it not be wise to secure additional assistance from the SGC?"
Daniel sighed. "Probably. But let's try to go quickly, okay?"
Teal'c inclined his head and continued moving faster through the foliage with the grace and agility of a jungle cat, while Daniel trailed behind, tripping over vines and second guessing both his request for speed and their decision to leave their friends to an uncertain fate.
oOoOoOo
Sunlight filtered down through the small holes scattered over the top of their cell. As a ray of light hit her eyelids, Sam stirred and felt the arm that had been draped around her tighten ever so slightly. She turned to bury her face in the chest of the man with whom she had spent the previous night sharing both body and soul. His scent made her feel warm and protected, and for a moment she was at peace. But all too quickly, the reality of their situation forced its way to the front of her consciousness, and she sat up with a gasp.
"Hey," Jack whispered in her ear. "It's okay." He sat up as well and gave her a crooked smile, but he could see the worry etched on her features. Though they had found plenty of distractions the previous night, Jack was at a bit of a loss now. He decided to try the only thing that came to mind. "Wanna talk about it?"
She stared at him blankly for a few seconds before the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly. "Now I know we're in trouble." He raised his eyebrows at her, and her smile broadened. "Jack O'Neill wants to talk."
"Well," he said, as he reached down to pull on his boots, "I figure you have to be a little pissed that we spent two nights in what essentially amounted to the honeymoon suite without so much as touching each other, only to come to this paradise," at that he gestured around the rough stone cell, "to, well, you know..."
She snorted and reached for her own boots. "You know that's not what's bothering me."
He whipped his head around in her direction. "So you're upset about missing the Simpson's marathon, too?"
"Jack..." she said in an exasperated tone.
He sighed. Damn, he should never have let things go so far last night. He should have known she would have second thoughts, despite all that had happened between them. He hesitated for moment and then looked directly at her, his demeanor serious now. "You're worried about the future."
She shook her head and smiled, though she appeared upset again. "No." She stared down at her hands resting in her lap and said quietly, "I'm worried we won't have a future."
"Ah," was his only reply. Though he shared her concern, he couldn't deny that on some level he was profoundly relieved. He knew how to deal with the physical threats to their relationship; what he couldn't handle were the emotional ones.
They spent the rest of the day plotting and planning, talking and even occasionally laughing. As the light began to fade, though, Jack noticed Sam becoming increasingly apprehensive, so he kept their conversation focused on the SGC, the team, and the two of them - anything other than their current predicament and the looming appointment with the Fountain. He had just convinced her to accompany him to his cabin in Minnesota, when a noise from above caused him to stop speaking mid-sentence and look up at the ceiling.
Sam stared at him wide-eyed. "What is it?"
"They're coming," he said.
oOoOoOo
Hammond didn't hesitate to assign SG-3, SG-5, and SG-12 to back up Daniel and Teal'c, though he made it clear that their primary purpose was to secure the Fountain and recover Jack and Sam, not incite a full blown revolution. However, Teal'c was quick to note that he hadn't said anything that would prevent them from assisting a revolution that was already underway.
When they arrived though, the creatures were in disarray, and Sequene reported that their resolve was weakening as the time to take action approached. Worse, he informed them that one of his scouts had reported that Jack and Sam had been captured and were to be sacrificed to the Fountain at nightfall.
"But it's already dusk," Daniel said, alarmed.
"We must go now, either with or without the help of these creatures, though it would be better to have them with us," added Teal'c.
Daniel hesitated for a only a second before he stepped up on the dais next to Sequene's chair and cleared his throat. "Excuse me!" he yelled. "I need your attention, please!" The creatures ignored him, his words having no effect.
"Perhaps I might try, DanielJackson," Teal'c said to the archeologist in a low voice.
Daniel stepped down and made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Be my guest," he replied, doubtful that anything they did could move these creatures to action. Yet the moment Teal'c stepped up on the dais, Daniel knew why he had been First Prime to Apophis, why Jack had insisted on making him a member of SG-1, and why he would one day be a great leader of his people.
"Listen to me, inhabitants of Beimini!" The Jaffa's deep voice boomed throughout the cave, and every head turned to look at him. "To live in the shadows, to allow others to suffer, simply because you are too frightened to confront your oppressors, is to not live at all. You have suffered a terrible injustice, but you have the power to stop it. Now is the time to do so. Together we will right this wrong and ensure that no one ever suffers again!"
A yell of sorts went up from the creatures at Teal'c's words, and they quickly lined up behind him.
"So much for not inciting a revolution," Daniel whispered to Major Castleman, who grunted in reply.
But as the Jaffa moved out of the cave with Daniel and the other SG teams at his side, every one of the creatures followed.
oOoOoOo
Two men pushed Jack and Sam into the interior of the dark pyramid, while another two aimed zats at their heads to keep them compliant. The first thing Sam noticed as she entered the temple was a string of priests at the control panel, twisting knobs and turning dials. The Fountain immediately began to glow an ethereal blue and emit an irregular humming noise.
The next thing she noticed was Sukumar, dressed only in a robe, looking at her with a cool expression. He waited until the men brought her within his reach, then he grasped her by the chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "If I am unable to have you one way, I will simply have you another," he spat. He released her roughly and turned to the men holding her. "Strip her and place her in the Fountain."
"No! Wait! Take me!" Jack yelled, but the men had already begun cutting off Sam's uniform. "You son of a bitch!" Jack attempted to lunge at Sukumar but was jerked back violently by his henchman.
The Beiminian leader faced Jack with a smirk. "Don't worry; you will have your opportunity to make a contribution to the Fountain." He looked him up and down with an expression of disdain. "Such as it may be."
Sam could feel her panic level rising as the men unceremoniously stripped her of her clothing completely. It took all of her military training to maintain control as horrific visions of the Fountain threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, but she concentrated on projecting an outward appearance of calm while waiting for an opportunity to strike. The moment Sukumar turned to confront Jack, she made her move, elbowing one of her captors in the sternum while hitting the other in the nose with the back of her fist.
Before she had time to do anything further, though, she heard the unmistakeable sound of a zat blast. An involuntary whimper escaped as she turned to see Jack writhing on the floor of the temple in obvious pain.
Sukumar looked at her calmly, the zat he was now holding still trained on Jack. "I assume you know what a second shot will do?"
Sam lowered her head in defeat, and the men grabbed her elbows and pulled her roughly toward the cold water of the spring. She glanced once over her shoulder at Jack, who was still on the ground, conscious but unable to move or speak. He held her gaze, however, his eyes first demanding, then pleading with her to fight.
But Sukumar did not lower the zat until she was restrained inside the cylindrical chamber. The moment the door to the chamber closed, panic began to grip her once again, and she struggled against her restraints. She watched as Sukumar disrobed and stepped calmly into the chamber next to her, then gave the signal to the priests to begin the process.
"No!" she cried out, even though she knew no one could hear her. The freezing water began climbing up her legs, and she pulled against her restraints as hard as she could. The water moved quickly over her waist, and she began hyperventilating. Before it reached her face, she spared one last look at Jack, who was screaming her name now, the panic on his face mirroring her own. She closed her eyes for a moment and gave a passing thought to all that could have been between them. Then she let out a sob before her head was completely submerged.
She knew what was coming next and braced herself for the light and the pain. Her heart was pounding wildly, and too soon the urge to breathe became unbearable. Involuntarily she gasped for air, but the only thing that filled her lungs was the ice cold water of the Fountain.
TBC...