A/Note: For those opposed to Sam-whump or Jack-angst, (how did you get this far?) there is only far more to come. On the plus side, Jack gets rescued next chapter! (don't skip to the end to find out why only Jack gets rescued.) Sorry... Rambling again, I know: Enjoy!

~ 10 ~

They had travelled up the right hand side of the river for more than two hours. Correction: Sam limped and Jack had hobbled. They decided to backtrack and try the other stream, the only problem with that was they would need to cross the wider, merged river to get to the left side. That was achievable; all they had to do was go back towards the cabin and cross the overhanging log that had apparently saved their lives. Then walk all the way back up to the fork and go up the left river. Not a problem.

Yeah. Right.

They had been correct in their assumption that they could walk back to the campsite in one day, even if they had to backtrack and go up the other river. Assuming they were able to walk at a normal pace.

It was nearing sunset when Jack heard the sound of rushing water.

"Oh, thank God!" He opened up his good arm and jogged slowly up to the waterfall. He turned back to Sam, who was lagging behind; understandably, of course. "I can't believe how far the river took us."

"I can," Sam wiped her sleeved wrist across her brow. The trip had been difficult for her; Jack had kept a wary eye on her. Her energy was low and she struggled to keep a good pace.

"You alright, Carter?" Jack came back to her and brought a hand to Sam forehead, finding it remarkably warm, almost hot. She stood still but kept her weight on her left foot.

"I'll be okay, Sir," She assured him wearily. Jack wasn't convinced. He dropped his hand to her cheek, pressing the back of his fingers to her flushed face.

"You're pretty warm Carter. Feel's a bit like a fever."

"We've been walking all day, Sir."

That wasn't an answer. Jack gave her a stern look.

"Don't lie to me."

Sam held his gaze and he could see the gears turning in her head. Without responding, she walked over to a large rock and sat down.

"When you were asleep yesterday, I had a chance to check my injuries..." Sam began to pull off her left boot. She let out a pained growl as she forced it over her ankle. Jack dropped the pack next to her feet. She continued, "...I found a cut on the back of my leg. I think it was from one of the rocks in the river or something..." She began to roll up the leg of her pants to reveal a bandage. Jack hadn't noticed it earlier. "...It was minor. I just cleaned it and bandaged it, but I haven't looked at it since then." She carefully unwrapped the cloth from her leg.

As she revealed the layers close to her skin, Jack noticed the red and yellow blotches on the bandage appear in consistent intervals. Sam hissed as she pulled the last layer from her skin. She rolled her hips to the right so she could see the calf. The gash on the back of her leg was close to three inches long, surrounded by smaller scratches and grazes. The cut didn't look that deep, and Jack understood why she had dismissed it, but there was no arguing the enflamed flesh around it, or the tell-tale discolouration that indicated an infection.

"I'm pretty sure that's infected," Jack sighed. Great, just what they needed. On the plus side, they would be home by tomorrow. Sam slumped a little and closed her eyes.

"Brilliant..." Her sarcasm lifted Jack's spirit.

"We're going to have to clean it and redress," Jack clamped a hand on her knee and sat down on the ground by her feet, dragging the pack towards him.

"That's going to hurt," Sam pointed out. Absolutely. She hadn't given the wound a chance to dry out.

"Oooohh yeah!" Jack pulled out gauze and the alcohol. Sorry Sam. At least they have a first aid kit to work with. Jack stopped short of applying the gauze and looked up at Sam, who was grimacing in anticipation.

"You're not gonna kick me, are you?"

Sam just glared at him.

"Just do it..." She frowned. Jack gave her a pert and expectant look. "...Sir." She added. He loved to pick on her. He really did. He did not love the cry of agony that escaped her and echoed for miles when he ran the gauze down her calf. He hated the fact that he caused it.

Although the surprising expanse of her vocabulary amused Jack to no end. He didn't realise she knew half the wounds that rolled angrily off her tongue. You learn something new every day.

"We'll stop here tonight and head out tomorrow. Hopefully, Teal'c and Daniel will be waiting for us. Actually, it'd be even better if they sent for a rescue team." Jack pulled a fresh bandage from the first aid kit and began to gently bind her leg. Sam huffed and gritted her teeth. Jack tied off the bandage and sat with her calf in his hands.

"I'm tired," she admitted, her eyes shutting.

Jack nodded in acknowledgement and then did something very much outside the ordinary. He leant forwards and pressed a comforting kiss to her bare knee. Sam's eyes snapped open.

"All better," Jack couldn't help the small smile that her reaction created. After his little faint this morning, he found his mind wandering beyond the regulations. He ran a hand just under her knee when she flinched and snapped her own hand to stop his movement. Uh oh.

"I should warn you, Sir; I'm ticklish on my knees," She confessed with smile. Jack grinned widely.

"Really?"

"Yes, and if you're not careful, I may kick you," Sam was prepared to ignore the fact he had kissed her knee and was practically caressing her leg. The leg that had a fine layer of regrowth on it, Jack had noticed. Did Sam always do her legs before a mission? He'd never really thought about it.

"Well, at the risk of further injury, we should get the tarp set up and get a good night sleep," He nodded and reluctantly released her leg. She carefully pulled her pant leg down and picked up her boot as Jack stood.

"You right with that?" He pointed to her boot, knowing it was going to be difficult to put it back on.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks Sir." She said quickly. Of course. She was always fine. At least, that's what she told anyone who asked. The woman did a good impersonation of Dana Scully when she wanted to.

"Alright then. I'll get a lean-to happening up there." He pointed to a clear space beyond the bank, situated between two trees. Sam nodded and bit back a grunt as she pulled her boot back on. Thinking about it, why was she even bothering to put it back on? She was only going to take it off again.

Pulling the leather boot back off, Sam stood and began half hopping to her General. He was having trouble with the tarp, given his mobility in one arm was screwed. At the rate he was going, they would be stuck in the dark without a shelter. He took one look at her bootless foot and handed her the end of the rope to tie around a tree. With their combined efforts, Jack and Sam had secured the camouflage patterned tarp to the ground and laid their single sleeping bags underneath. The sleeping arrangements were obvious, but since this morning, Jack was worried something more than his mind would wander with Carter snuggled by his side all night. They were tired and chose to not bother with a fire. They had run out of food from the MRI after lunch, but as Jack kept reminding himself, they would be home tomorrow.

He pushed his thoughts aside and crawled – quite awkwardly – into the sleeping bag, followed closely by Carter. They arranged themselves the same as the previous night, Jack lying flat on his back and Sam curled into his right side with her head on his good shoulder.

"Night Carter," Jack mumbled as his exhaustion finally hit him. Sam did not reply, but simply treated him to a quiet snore as he fell asleep.

~ SJ ~

Jack stirred in the middle of the night. His nose was frozen and he found Carter's was too as she nuzzled his warm neck in her sleep. But this was not what woke Jack.

Crack!

Jack craned his neck to look in the direction of the sound of a twig snapping. It was pretty dark out there, but just enough moonlight to make out the area outside the tarp. It was still as death outside. Jack's heart skipped a beat when he caught movement only forty feet away. Something had crept past the trees.

Jack slowly lifted his hand to his chest and pulled Carter's sleeping figure closer into his body, until her face sat in the crook of his neck. Jack continued to stare into the darkness as he tilted Sam's head till her ear was near his lips.

"Carter," he breathed. Sam woke with a start. She went to speak but Jack quickly slid his hand over her mouth. Instincts must have kicked in and she lifted her head to see what Jack was looking at.

Snap!

Jack felt her body tense beside his. Both officers lay frozen, ears straining to source the noises. Jack perked his ears and swore he could hear steady footsteps. At their feet, they hear the sound of two rocks grind together. They snapped their heads down the tent. They dared not move. Something was outside.

Sam jumped when something fell on the tarp. It sounded like a soft, probably small, branch. Sudden movement in the tree above them caused Jack and Sam to stare at the top of the tarp, still as stone statues. Jack thought he heard something behind their heads. He tipped his head back and froze.

A large black mass sat only half a dozen feet from the end of the tent. It was perfectly still and it certainly wasn't there before. Jack used both arms to hold Sam close to his body. The silhouette of the mass was at least five feet tall and wide; whatever it was, it was big. Jack's heart raced and his breathing shuddered. He knew the exact moment Sam looked up because her grip on his waist tightened.

Before either he or Sam could react, it moved towards them and reached for Sam.

~ SJ ~

*shivers* Feedback welcome.