--O'Neill Household – 2:00 a.m.--
In the quiet bedroom, with shadows moving across the walls from the swaying windblown trees outside the window, Jack awoke; coming completely aware and just as suddenly, wondered why. Without moving, he assessed the room, noticing nothing unusual, even as he then felt Sam's hand shift to find his under the cover and squeeze hard. So whatever it was, it had awakened her as well and with that, he knew that something was wrong.
A life of danger instilled in him the wisdom of going with your gut and right now his gut was giving him the riot act – they were under attack – even if he didn't have the specifics to back it up. Squeezing Sam's hand he placed a fist in hers and then waited for her acknowledgement. Once given, he was gone, leaving the bed like he had simply melted away -- covers not moving only collapsing slightly over the form that was now simply not there.
Taking his Zat that he kept under his pillow, he moved with no sound through the swaying shadows to the open hall doorway where he paused in study; his gray head down, eyes closed as he listened – all his senses heightened. And then he heard it; a twittering, clacking sound from outside his open bedroom door – coming from the direction of the hallway outside of Jon's nursery. Slowly, he raised his hand and instructed Sam on what he heard, giving her the signal that it was clear for her to move. In a matter of seconds, she was on the opposite site of the door with her Beretta in hand. Her determined blue eyes met his own dark gaze and no fear was visible, only fierceness, ready to do battle for her family. Nodding, Jack indicated for her to stay in place. He then, reached out with his mind to check on Jon and he found him. He felt his peacefulness and sensed that he was deep asleep and so far, he was unaware.
He relayed to Sam through sign language that Jon was safe at the moment and she nodded, showing some small relief. With a steady motion, he sank low and stepped out into the hall, his Zat swinging as his eyes moved to spot the intruders. Sam in perfect synchronization moved with him, and took the opposite angle with her own weapon. Jack's keen eyes checked every dark corner and saw nothing. Suddenly, he sensed movement directly in front of him and instinctively pushed himself to the side even as a white hot blast barely missed him, the heat of it burning his face in passing and blinding him momentarily. Squinting, trying to recover he still couldn't spot the attacker and just as quickly realized why -- they must be invisible. His own Zat fired responsively in the direction of the attack. He heard Sam's Beretta behind him firing unerringly and heard the bullets making contact with the unseen enemy.
"They're Re'tu's" he yelled as he pushed himself off the wall, trying to remember what he knew regarding this particular creature. Backing up, he grabbed Sam about the waist and swung her back into their bedroom as two blasts hit the doorway behind them. Sam dropped her spent clip and shoved another in, as she guarded the door.
With no wasted motion, Jack ran to their closet – and entered the hidden arsenal behind it. Finding the T.E.R. weapons needed, he emerged and tossed one to Sam as he took the other. They each took an opposite side of the door and once again, Jack swung out into the hall only this time with the use of the Tok-ra made weapon, he immediately spotted the terrifying images of the huge insect-like creatures. His heart leaped in his throat as he caught a glimpse of one before it vanished through the door of Jon's nursery; yet his training took over and he forced himself to focus on the current danger as he was instantaneously attacked by the two in the hall, their phaser's blasting and destroying the wall by his head. He heard Sam's weapon firing as she found her mark with her first shot and the furthest Re'tu exploded all over the hall. Jack rolled and came up to kill the one nearest him.
Coming to his feet, he wasn't quick enough to forge ahead of Sam, who moved swiftly her gun swinging. "Five! Always Five." Jack whispered harshly and saw her nod her acknowledgement as to the possible number of intruders. Two down, there were three to go, and then he wondered if there were more than one squad? Possible.
He saw Sam at the door to the nursery and suddenly in his mind he felt his son. He was awake and aware. Jack felt his son's curiosity at what he was seeing. With a pounding heart he felt the sweat trickle down his brow as he considered the danger Jon was in and immediately pushed his fear down to concentrate on the task at hand. Sam watched him and waited for his signal as he situated himself opposite her. He indicated what he wanted her to do and with a nod, she squatted and rolled through the door as he too, jumped through the opposite way, his weapon moving to find and display the Re'tu's.
Sam as usual, found her target straightaway – as she came out of her roll, sweeping the room and spotting one large creature poised over Jon's bed, already reaching for him with its insect-like claws. Seeing Sam, it swiveled towards her and fired even as it continued to collect Jon from his crib actually gripping his bedclothes and pulling him up towards him.
Jack had multiple things happening at once, suddenly feeling Jon's fear -- hearing Sam grunt as she flung herself to one side to dodge the Re'tu's blast and his own scrambling roll as multiple photon blasts unexpectedly burned around him from the direction of the window and narrowly missed his moving body, each blast a mere fraction of a second behind him. As he came up out of his roll, he simultaneously sent Jon a swift message of comfort even as he saw Sam sprawled on her stomach, sighting and firing to take out with her usual pin-point accuracy the Re'tu hovering over Jon; her shot hitting him dead-center; his huge body disintegrating into pieces with fluids spewing everywhere. The lifeless claw now amputated dropped with Jon down back into the crib.
Even while seeing all of this, Jack himself swung his weapon to sight on the second creature and noticed for the first time that the window was gone – in its place a huge smoking hole evidently meant to be used as their escape route. He fired as he dodged a blast and with one shot hit the creature squarely and watched through his weapon as pieces of Re'tu were discharged, splatting everything in a ten foot radius. Swinging his weapon around in a complete 360 and not spotting any more he moved to the window to scan the immediate exterior of the house and saw that it was clear.
"Check on Jon" Jack said unnecessarily as Sam was already moving to his bed.
"One more…." Jack muttered as he moved back into the hallway.
"He's okay. Jack." Sam's voice sounded shaky as she called out after him.
"Stay with him. I'm gonna find the last one." He was gone, disappearing into the dark hallway.
With delayed reaction setting in, Sam felt her hands shaking as she carried Jon from the smoke-filled nursery back to their bedroom shutting the door behind her. Settling on the bed with Jon beside her, she braced her back to the headboard and held her weapon at the ready. Jon stirred and began crying. Something he rarely did. So rare, that Sam just knew that he was hurt and frantically with one arm she pulled him to her.
"Jon… sweetheart, what's wrong? She queried as she held him close, all the while, keeping the T.E.R. weapon honed on the door in readiness.
"Hurt." Jon said softly as he continued to cry. His crying unnerved her to the point that she was desperate to make sure that he was uninjured so she took a chance and laid the weapon down praying that any Re'tu's left were long gone from their area.
"Jon, are you hurt?" She whispered, really to herself as her shaking hands and worried eyes moved slowly over his small body. He whimpered and reached for her; his deep brown eyes furrowed in his small face. Sam, finishing her exam realized she was soaked in sweat and her breathing was labored as if she'd just finished running a marathon and heaved a sigh of relief – Jon was not injured -- only frightened.
Yet, he continued his sobbing. Sam held him close, talking softly trying to quell his fears; he pulled back his dark eyes welling tears as he looked up at her, "hurt. Mommy".
Bewildered, Sam crooned, "No Jon, you're fine. Mommy is here and you're …." When he cried louder, over her words, "hurt Mommy Not hurt Jon." only then did she feel the pain that had begun throbbing in her abdomen. A deep pain that made her wonder how she could have been unaware of it as she gasped and gripped her middle, dropping the weapon to the floor.
"Hurt Mommy – not Jon." He repeated, "Oh Damn" Sam muttered and forced herself to focus and reached again for the dropped T.E.R. when suddenly the room shrank and then grew, revolved and shimmered as she felt herself sway drunkenly before closing her eyes to fight the sudden nausea. Forgetting about the weapon she moved her hands over her own body and gaspingly found the injury to her midsection. She hadn't even felt the hit, but the blood was seeping sluggishly down her hip from the blackened wound. Sam closed her eyes and fought the gorge that rose in her throat. She couldn't afford to pass out – there was at least one more Re'tu at large and she had to protect Jon.
Reaching she took one of Jon's baby blankets and as quickly as she could, she wrapped it around her to bind the wound tightly – almost fainting from the pain. Collecting Jon who continued to cry without respite she tried to comfort him as she settled back on the bed, the T.E.R. in one hand balanced on her knees sweeping the room and Jon clutched at her other side. In her mind, she willed for Jack to stay safe and to return soon.
Jack had searched the house and found it empty. Knowing that there was at least one more, he found their entrance – the back door wide open with a gaping hole where the lock used to be. Slipping out, he knelt and moved his weapon in a systematic arc, and felt totally exposed, as the invisible enemy, if still there, had the advantage of shooting before he could react. Nothing. No sign of the enemy in the surrounding area.
The dark windy night masked any possible sounds that might alert him but that worked both ways. Reaching the footpath that led to the Stargate, he thought he heard something and knelt to listen. Moving his weapon in a complete arc he was caught unaware as a brilliant flash lit up over his head and he threw one arm up to save his sight.
A small ship hovered for a brief moment over him and then in a tenth of a second, it vanished into the night sky. "Dammit" Jack muttered as he realized the last Re'tu must have escaped. Spending another fifteen minutes searching the grounds, he felt satisfied that all threats were dealt with --at least on the ground-- and he made his way back inside.
"SAM!" Jack called as he came down the hall, and with relief heard her respond, "In here." And he followed the sound of her voice to their bedroom, finding her as she had positioned herself, ready to defend her child at all costs.
Jogging to her where she sat on the bed against the headboard, he engulfed her in a relieved hug, his own delayed reaction over what 'might have happened' coming upon him. Sam gripped him tightly in return, "Jack, is it contained?" She asked quietly.
Before he could reply, Jon's small voice spoke up as he wailed, "Mommy hurt." Jack blanched as he suddenly took in Sam's paleness, her face beaded with sweat. He pulled back to examine her. "My abdomen..." She swallowed harshly and smiled apologetically, "Stupid of me." Jack pulled up her t-shirt and immediately took in the now sodden bloody binding.
"GOD Sam!" "Why didn't you say something?" His hands were already untying the blanket to see the extent of the injury.
"I didn't even know. Jon had to tell me." She whispered shakily.
Jack pulled back the blanket and winced at seeing the welling wound. It appeared that she had taken a direct hit from a Re'tu blaster. Gently he raised and turned her over and the exit wound was even larger.
Sam gasped as he laid her back down. "I guess it's no more bikinis for me." She tried to smile.
Jack for once didn't have a joke in him, his lean face furrowed in his worry. "Hold tight. I'll be right back… got to stop that bleeding. I'm going to get the kit." Clumsily he stood and turned to jog quickly into the bathroom to fetch their first-aid kit. Sam shivered and then everything seemed far away and the light dimmed and tunneled so that the last thing she saw was Jon's blonde hair as he crawled onto her chest and laid his head down.
"Mommy hurt." Jon murmured as he listened to her heartbeat. He stifled his crying and moved across her to find the dark red bandage, "hurt… stop hurt -- stop hurt." He said as he snuggled against the wound, his head pressed against her, still feeling her heartbeat. Stop hurt. Stop hurt." His little voice continued to repeat.
Jack found the kit and bandages in their well-stocked medical cabinet. Quickly he scrubbed his hands clean and dried them before grabbing the kit and returning to Sam. He had already decided that after giving her a morphine injection and stopping the bleeding he would contact SGC to get medical help. He then realized that Jon was with him and felt him calling out for him, saying 'stop hurt' over and over. Jack felt his son's pain and was stricken by it. Quickly he hurried back and the sight that met him brought him up short in the doorway.
"For Crying Out Loud." Jack said reflexively as he shook himself from his shock and continued into the room.
Sam lay stilly on the bed, with Jon curled in a little ball directly on top of her wound. Quickly he moved to her and checked her pulse and finding it, to his relief. He could still hear Jon in his head as he kept repeating his mantra of concern for his mother. Gently he prepared the shot of painkiller and just as he swathed her arm and prepared to inject her, Jon cried out in his head, "No. Daddy."
'This is too upsetting for him.' Jack thought and gently he tried to lift his son off his mother but could not, it was as if he weighed a massive amount so impossible it seemed to move him. Thunderstruck, Jack tried again and still he could not budge him. He reached out with his mind and heard him still repeating his mantra, "stop hurt'. Tentatively he spoke, 'Jon I need for you to move so that I can help her.' and Jon ignored his voice.
This had never happened to Jack before and he was amazed at how disturbed it made him feel. Jack knelt down by Jon and studied him. It was as if he was asleep or in a trance, his eyes closed, his breathing slow. Jack closed his eyes and accessed the ancient data in his own mind and found what he needed. Suddenly he knew that Jon was doing the same! He was 'healing' his Mother. 'HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE?' Jack thought wildly. Somehow Jon had the power. At his tiny age he was doing what it had once took a 'mature' Ancient years to master.
Once again, Jack summoned Jon to answer him and this time Jon did. 'Mommy safe.' Jon told him in his mind even as his small body stirred to life and he raised his blonde head to smile at his father. Out loud, he repeated, "Mommy safe. Daddy safe." -- his baby voice registering satisfaction.
Slowly Jack reached for him and this time he was able to pick him up as Jon willingly hugged his father. Jack rose off his knees and sat on the edge of the bed to examine Sam. Gently, he moved the bloodied, makeshift bandage to see an astonishing sight. Whole, smooth skin – not a sign of the horrible wound was left. Sam shuddered and suddenly her blue eyes were open blinking sleepily as she asked, "What happened just now?"
Jack didn't answer immediately as he carefully rolled her onto her side to study her back – finding it healed as well.
"Jack?" She questioned, taking in his shocked expression.
"You're healed Sam. Jon healed you. And then repeated it, trying to come to grips with the thought himself, "Jon healed you!"
"Are you sure? How could…?"
"I don't know… But If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes…. but I did and he did."
Jack stared at the tiny child in his arms; who snuggled his head against him.
Sam sat up and looked in amazement at her young son who looked contentedly back at her and then his whole face crinkled in a joyous smile that displayed all his baby teeth; his dimples so like his fathers, showing in both cheeks, as he chanted, "Mommy safe. Mommy safe." He then reached for her with both his arms straining to get to her.
Sam took him to her and gently kissed his cheek and caressed his blonde curls to then hold him close. "My God Jack… What are we going to do with him?" She asked shaken to her core.
"We're gonna love him and take care of him." Jack said simply.
Jon rooted around in Sam's lap trying to get comfortable, finally apparently finding the position where he wanted to sleep he mumbled sleepily, "stay here…okay?" and without waiting he yawned and burrowed his face even further into the softness that was his mother and slept.
Jack had to smile as he felt relief that the nighttime raid had not left his son scarred by fear. Rather he seemed totally unaffected by the whole event. "Well at least one of us is gonna get a good nights sleep." He said wryly as he watched Sam gently place him in the middle of their large bed and carefully cover his sleeping form with a blanket.
"Come on over here." He pulled her up gently by her elbow and quietly they moved to the sitting area on the other side of the room. "How do you feel?" He had to ask; the evidence of her blood soaked wound still laid around them. "Jack, I'm fine, really. It's as if it never happened." Sam answered reassuringly.
Both collapsed onto the small loveseat where they could still guard their son and took stock of their situation. Sam deep in thought finally spoke up, "Jack, he must have genetic memory… it's the only explanation."
Jack stirred uneasily at the thought as he questioned, "Like the Goa'ulds?"
"No! Uhh…well, Yes! Actually!" Sam answered hurriedly, her mind racing ahead of her speech as she stumbled over what she was thinking. "Kinda like the Goa'uld … possibly the combination of Naquadah in my blood combined with your genetics AND the ancient data you retained somehow gave him this ability. Jack… I'm not sure how… but God! He's got it!" her brilliant blue eyes were intense upon her husband as she dealt with the revelation.
Jack sighed running his hand over his tired face. He studied his 'healthy' wife who could have easily been dead for the past half hour and shuddering at the thought, he pulled her close, her head finding the hollow in his neck, "Thank Gold he does have it or…." and didn't finish the sentence as he gripped the back of her blonde head and held her to him.
Sam nodded and pulled back to study his face before gently kissing him. Knowing her husband and how hard it was for him to deal with extreme emotions she cleared her throat and changing the subject, asked, "What happened outside? Did you get anymore of them?"
Straightening up, Jack released his tight hold on her, and replied tersely, "No. It got away. They had a vessel – it went right over my head." He then told her all that transpired outside.
"That means we're no longer safe here. Either more Re'tu will show up or if not them, someone else." Sam's logic was as usual impeccable and on target.
Jack sighed as he ran a hand through his tousled hair, "We'll have to leave here as soon as we can."
Sam nodded in agreement even as she reached for him and in silence they wrapped their arms about the other and found the comfort that each could always give the other.
Eventually Jack pulled away, realizing that there was a lot to get done in a short amount of time, "Why don't you try and rest, I'll take watch."
Sam shook her head immediately, "No. No way can I sleep now. It's almost dawn anyway."
"All right then, if your staying up, I'm gonna try and contact Thor." Standing, he stood for a moment staring at the small form on the bed before silently leaving the room.
Sam sat stilly as she listened to his footsteps retreat down the hall and suddenly she felt the need to fight back unstoppable tears. Silently she wept and hated her supposed weakness as her pent up emotions rolled down her face in the form of moisture. In a matter of minutes her small outburst was spent and she admitted to herself that once done, she actually did feel better for crying.
Drying her eyes she reflected and prayed and wished. Trying to find some clarity in their circumstances and realized that she was wishing for a miracle. That somehow their turbulent, dangerous life would radically turnaround into one of safety and normalcy.
Even as she wished for it, she knew in her heart that their life would never be ordinary or commonplace, it was not in the cards and if she were given the choice between 'ordinary' and the family she had – she'd take the family she had any time. With that small epiphany she felt radically better and after making sure Jon was still asleep, she gathered her clothes and quickly dressed to then wait for Jack --not wanting to leave Jon alone after the night's events.
When Jack returned all signs of her meltdown was gone. Sam had dressed in her usual jeans with a red Henley type t-shirt ready for the day ahead. Jack handed her the cup of hot coffee he had prepared and then sat down beside her to drink his own.
"Thor has reinforcements on the way -- should be here sometime later today. Until we can move, he has a new device that will help keep us safe -- at least temporarily."
He paused to sip his coffee and smiled slightly to himself as she responded in exactly the manner he had predicted to himself.
"NEW Technology?! What is it exactly … did you get details?" Sam's blue eyes lit up as she sat forward and waited in anticipation for his explanation.
Jack's dark eyes gazed into his coffee cup as he dipped a finger in to then inspect it before shrugging to take another sip as he seemingly ignored her question.
"JACK!" Sam exclaimed in mild annoyance as she watched his antics with impatience.
Finally looking up, his dark eyes full of mischief; he finally retorted, "I'm sorry, didn't I tell you? Freyr is on the horn right now waiting to explain it to you. Ya better get a move on!"
The pillow landed with a thud right in the middle of his face – splashing his hot coffee into his lap sending him yelping to a stand… SAM!"
"Oops…uhh… sorry." Sam said, her tone strangely missing any contrition then as she made it to the door, she added, "Serves you right though!" and deftly she dodged the coffee-stained pillow that was thrown back at her.
"I think I liked it better when you were under orders and called me 'Sir"! He called after her jogging form as he sponged at his trousers and then smiled softly to himself.
Two nights later at the O'Neill's
The inky night sky hung over the lake, a velvet covering filled with glittering diamonds which reflected in the smooth dark surface of the water. The night noises were a comforting backdrop to Jack and Sam's conversation as they relaxed sprawled side by side on matching chaise lounges on the darkened patio and looked out on the beautiful view but not really seeing it. This was the first time they'd had a chance to relax in two days of extremely hectic activity. The Asgards' new device was now in place, making their home and everything within a square mile virtually sealed within an invisible force field that allowed nothing through that wasn't programmed to come through.
Jon was at the moment sleeping peacefully and was checked on by Jack, who now made a habit to mentally look in on him every few minutes even as Sam and the Asgards reassured him it was now unnecessary, yet it had become an unbreakable habit even as it was an exhausting one for Jack as his brain refused to stop the process even during the night.
Their discussion had been ongoing, in their attempt to reach a 'middle ground' between their diverse viewpoints of the situation.
"No one." Sam said quietly but emphatically.
"Not sure I agree." Jack responded reasonably.
"No one." She responded even curter.
Maybe … Daniel." Jack cajoled.
No. Not even Daniel. Sam said quietly.
What about … Teal'c? Jack questioned.
No. Not even Teal'c. No one." She emphasized succinctly.
"They are the Godparents." Jack argued.
"Still…. It's just too dangerous." She argued back.
"I'm pretty sure that Teal'c can take care of himself." Jack reasoned.
"Jack… no one…" Her tone brooked no backing down.
"Okay okay… No one will be told." Jack said in resignation.
"It's the safest…. The safest…."Sam repeated softly, yet sadly … Jack reached for her hand and gripped it.
"This is really . . ." Jack's voice trailed as he refused to finish his train of thought.
"What?" Sam asked curiously.
"I refuse to say it out loud. But you know what I'm thinking…" Jack responded quietly.
Sam understood and sighed, Jack felt as she did the enormity of their responsibility and the sometimes-crushing weight of their burden, which ALMOST seemed unbearable until it was buoyed up again by their bottomless love for their son.
"Yes. I know." Sam said, and then added softly, "Love you."
"Love you more." Jack immediately returned.
"Don't." Sam shot right back.
"Do." Jack volleyed and then added warningly, "Give up…I win this every time with Daniel."
"I'm more stubborn…" Sam replied in total confidence.
"No arguing that… Ouch…" Jack yelped.
"Sissy." Sam taunted.
"Come here… I'll show you, sissy." Jack pulled her into his own chaise.
"Yummmm… I like sissy." Sam whispered as Jack kissed her neck.
Soft murmuring was all that could be heard as the couple did what couples in love are known to do.
Two weeks later – SGC
Daniel worriedly waited while the rest of the seats filled in the briefing room. Finally at the last second before being officially deemed 'late', General Landry breezed through the door, "as you were" he automatically said to the room at large to take care of any residual military protocol. Daniel glanced at Caroline who never glanced his way, her concentration focused on the report in front of her. His own copy of the report had been read and re-read until he felt he could recite it verbatim.
Teal'c sat quietly his hands clasped in front of him; his gaze turned inward, oblivious to the room. The SG-3 team assembled shifted uncomfortably in their chairs as General Landry took his own time in opening his report, studying it before finally sighing and raising his eyes to the room at large. "Colonel Reynolds – report." He said tersely.
Reynolds nodded nervously and began, "No sign sir. The house has been burned to the ground…everything incinerated. It's a total loss, yet we haven't found any bone fragments or any other remains to indicate that there were people in the house at the time of its destruction."
Daniel leaned forward his furrowed brow over his anxious eyes a testament to his mood, "Excuse me… there must have been some indication as to how the fire was set? Of what happened to them?"
Reynolds frowned, "When I say no sign – I mean it. We've been there five days and haven't found a clue as to what happened to the O'Neill's. The only thing we do know is… that they are NOT on that moon anymore. Teal'c went with us – he said the same thing… only in shorter sentences and fewer words."
"He is correct, DanielJackson. The O'Neill's have vanished and no one knows where they are." Teal'c's' deep voice spoke quietly but was easily heard by all.
Confused and worried Daniel spoke the thought that had been on his mind since he had heard they were missing, "If they are alive --- why haven't they contacted us?"
The question seemed to float through the large room and one answer occurred to everyone there, yet no one spoke it, 'Because they're not'.