Jack had rested up, and headed out of the tent in search of food.
"I don't think he wants to change back." Vala said as they packed up.
He came back ten minutes later, in human form. "
Jack?" Daniel asked.
"Hmm?" He said.
"Are you okay?" Daniel asked.
Jack nodded.
He was shocked at the amount of pain he had to endure every time he changed, but he needed to change back.
SG-1 had a lot of gear they had to recover from their last mission on this planet and they were going to need all the help they could get.
"What does Cai'ena mean?" He asked.
Daniel narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Cai'ena? I'm not sure."
They returned to the SGC, and Sam was taken to the infirmary.
Lam had insisted that Jack go as well, but he decided against it.
He walked, in human form, to the locker rooms, brushing his tousled hair back.
Sam was back, and hopefully things would settle down for a while.
He stepped in the locker room, and headed toward the showers.
Daniel poured over his books, the one Ancient word bothering him.
It was significant, especially if Morgan had spoken it directly to Jack.
He knew Jack was a direct tie to the Ancients that had lived on Earth, which had been clear when he had proven to unconsciously defend his ancestors.
Daniel opened his book on Latin, turning pages until a word leapt out at him. He grabbed his pencil and notebook, adding a word to the list of Ancient words Jack had previously spoken.
Calaenad (l) - the sole survivor. He ran to find Jack.
Jack turned his head when he heard the doorknob.
Daniel came in, an air of excitement following him.
"Jack, I know why you haven't died." He said.
Jack looked over tiredly. "And why is that?" He said.
Daniel handed Jack his notebook.
"That word 'Cai'ena', the Latin form is Calaenad. Jack, you're not a descendant of the Ancients. You're the last of them. 'Cai'ena' means 'the sole survivor'." Daniel said.
Jack sat, absorbing the information.
He shook his head tiredly. "I'm sorry if I'm not actin excited. I've got a lot on my mind." Jack said.
Daniel nodded. "Look, go see Sam. Then you should probably try to get some sleep." He said.
Jack nodded.
Sam was awake, sitting up and looking at a magazine Vala had brought her.
She smiled when she saw him.
"Hi." She said. He smiled back.
"How are ya?" He asked. She nodded.
"I'm okay; Carolyn wants to make sure I'm really okay before she lets me go."
She said. He nodded, sitting on the bed by her.
She hugged him, feeling the anxiety he was carrying.
"I thought you were gone for good." He said, hugging her back.
"Well, lucky for you I'm not. You're stuck with me, Mr. O'Neill." She said, smiling.
He nodded. "I can work with that." He said, kissing her softly.
"I have something I need to tell you. I'm probably just confirming a suspicion, but… I'm pregnant, Jack."
She said. He grinned. "I thought so. Good." He said, leaning in to kiss her.
"I love you." She said between kisses. "I know."
He said. He broke the kiss, yawning.
"I'm gonna go try to get some sleep." He said.
She nodded. "Good. Go." She said.
He smiled, nodding his head.
She pulled him down toward her, kissing him again.
"Don't get lost." She whispered against his lips.
"I won't." He said, breaking the kiss, and he walked away.
Vala came in the infirmary with two cups of coffee.
Sam smiled. "Thought you'd need a quick pick-me-up."
She said, handing Sam one of the cups. "Thanks."
She said. "So, how is he holding up?"
Vala asked after a moment.
"You know, I have never seen him that shaken. He's like a ghost now, just there. His eyes are empty; he's cold, shut-off. It scares me." She said.
Vala nodded. "Look, we all know that you're okay. I'll fake an injury, get Dr. Lam's attention, and then you can go be with your giant silver hairball, okay?" She asked, smiling brilliantly.
"Vala, the last time you did that you really did get hurt." Sam replied.
"Please, I want to help." Vala said.
"You have been nothing but kind to me since I've been here. Even taking me on those girl's days, shopping malls, hair salons, all of that. I really, really want to help, any way I can."
She said. Sam nodded. "Okay."
She said, sipping her coffee.
"Now, I'll go see if I can buy you some time." Vala said, flashing a brilliant smile.
He could hear the animal before he saw it.
The hooves beating against the ground as the bull elk led its herd.
He heard the heart beating in rhythm with its steps and the breathing turn to panting as it slowed its pace.
He left the base in need of fresh air, the chance to run, to follow predatory instinct. He knew she would find him, that much was clear.
He moved quickly, snapping into action as he heard the elk approach. He leapt, tackling the large animal with a bite to its neck.
He tore the skin from the body, tearing muscle and flesh away from bone.
The rest of the herd scattered, none willing to be the next in line for a gruesome death. He ate quickly, getting as much as he could before he had to return.
He finished, heading down to the stream and drinking, washing his muzzle in the cool water.
He raised his head, the wind gracing him with a familiar fragrance, and moved behind the tree.
Sam stepped down toward the river, glancing back and forth.
"Jack, I know you're down here." He stepped up behind her silently, breathing shallowly, waiting for her to react.
She turned, startled with how close he was.
He heard her heart pound from the shock.
"You scared me. Don't do it again."
He cocked his head, his tongue lolling to the side. He looked like a massively overgrown puppy with his goofy coyote-like grin.
She smiled back. "Come on, we have to get back to the base." He laid down, tail wagging in the air.
"No, we can't play, let's go." She said.
He barked quietly at her, nudging her hand.
"Jack, come on." She said. He froze on the spot, his ears swiveling backwards, his hackles raised on end.
"Jack?" She asked. He turned, crouching.
Sam saw it in the distance; a mountain lion crouched and ready to attack. He growled, showing white fangs.
Sam watched the muscles under his short fur tense before he took off. "Jack, wait!" She said.
The cat yowled, hissing as it took a swipe at him. He backed up, growling louder than before.
The cat swiped again and he snapped at its paw. This was not going to end well. The cat leapt, latching onto Jack and knocking him to the ground.
"NO!" Sam screamed, running toward them.
Jack barked, shoving the cat away, and was rewarded with a paw full of razor sharp claws to the side of his head.
He yelped, biting the cat's neck and waiting until the cat retracted its claws.
Fat chance, it dug its claws into his shoulder, pulling its paw slowly down the front of his chest.
He growled, eyes squinting shut, and he rolled over, his back to Sam. She heard the bones in the cat's neck crack, and knew he had killed it.
He walked slowly back toward her, blood soaking the silver fur on his face and chest.
"Come on, we have to hurry. You're losing a lot of blood."
By the time they got to the car the wounds on his chest had stopped bleeding, and he had cleaned the dried blood off.
He had changed into human form, and was now lying in the back seat of her car in a restless slumber, dressed in nothing but some shorts Sam had brought.
The left side of his face was still covered in blood, and Sam could only imagine that he was more than uncomfortable with the pain it must be causing him.
She pulled into the parking lot of the base, shutting the car off, and got out, opening the door to the backseat.
"Jack. Jack, we're at the base." She said.
He opened his eyes, sitting up and grabbing the towel he had used as a pillow, and got out of the car, allowing Sam to help him.
He held the towel against his face, letting it soak up the remainder of blood dripping down his face.