Chapter twelve! Alright yes, I wrote it a while ago, but posting is exciting. I promised I'd post if there was proof of people reading, so here it is! Thanks to everybody who wrote reviews, esp. Emerald Green Queen. I hope everybody's been enjoying it, and I'm trying to keep my eye on the tenses, but do let me know my weak spots, constructive criticism always helps! So this should be another three or four chapters posted today. ENJOY!

xxxxx

REPOSTED, a paragraph was missing, sorry!

xxxxx

Sam thought it would be best if she drove Jack to the base- he seemed pretty frazzled, rightfully so, she added.

"Last night she told me that she was being followed, and thought somebody was watching her. At the time I thought she was just losing it. I should've paid more attention, how could I let this happen?"

"It's not your fault, nobody besides General Hammond, Janet and SG1 knew the truth about Haley. It can't be the NID. How could it be?"

"Last night she had another nightmare- when she was convinced she was being watched. She fell asleep in my arms, and you know what I thought? It's like when she was a little kid. And then I remembered, she was never a little kid. Those were all false memories. Here I am getting all mushy over stuff that never even happened!" Jack took a deep breath, and felt his eyes start to glass over. No, I am not going to get worked up over this, he told himself. Sam reached over and squeezed his hand. "Sometimes," Jack paused, closing his eyes, "I hate her for being so real, and then I hate myself for feeling that way. But in another way it's like I'm being given another chance, yet I missed all the good stuff, the real stuff. I'm so torn between letting the lies take me over. They did once. Obviously I had to be pretty naive to even be that brainwashed in the first place. Oh God Sam, I haven't felt this overwhelmed in years. I can't think straight, everything inside of me wants to block the world out and do my best brick wall impression."

"You can't do that, pushing the pain deeper doesn't make it go away," Sam lectured, not wanting to sound naggish, but mostly afraid that she would lose him if he attempted this.

"I'm not. I'm really trying not to this time. Do you know why?" she shook her head questioningly. "Because of you. You're keeping my head above the water." This time Jack squeezed Sam's hand and brought it up to his face, kissing her palm. If at all possible Sam both relaxed and tightened at the same time. Right before the phone interrupted them she had been trying to decide if pursuing a relationship with Jack was a good idea.

"Jack…" Sam took a deep breath, "we're going to find her and bring her home, together. I'm in this with you, no matter what. We'll figure something out, I promise you that."

"I don't want you doing this out of guilt, I'm perfectly capable of handling this situation on my own-"

"You're doing it! You're trying to close yourself off, and that is not going to happen. I've made up my mind and it has nothing to do with guilt. This is about me loving you and wanting to help you find your child." Sam stopped and realized what she had just said. Instantly she wished she had just kept her mouth shut and driven. Eyes glued to the road she tried to ignore Jack's gaze.

Love? He thought. Wow, he knew that he was crazy about her, and hoped that on some level she felt the same way, but he'd have never guessed that she loved him. Cool! Not another word was spoken as they made their way into the mountain. Sam parked the car and sat for a moment staring forward at the dashboard. Jack got out and walked around the car to Sam's side, where she was still seated. He opened the door and pulled her out, she came willingly, still avoiding his gaze.

"Look at me Sam," Jack held onto her shoulders after nudging her chin to face him. Her eyes were round and fearful. "I could not be happier about you and I. And I feel the same way about you too, but it just seems wrong to say them under such… depressing circumstances. You know everything you feel for me I feel back a thousand times more, and I would much rather tell you that during a happy moment-" before Jack could finish Sam squeezed into him and was holding back tears. "Oh Sam, I'm so sorry-"

"That's not it. You're right. I take it back," she gave a little smile, "but I just wish things weren't always so melodramatic for us. Just once I'd like to be upset over something stupid like ruining dinner, not losing people we care about."

"Things are going to change Sam. Once I get Haley back, I've had enough. Look how many times we've saved this damn planet and so many others. What have we gotten for it? Heartbreak, death, no lives! It's all going to change after this, I can promise you that."

xxxxx

Teal'c entered the commissary to find Jack sitting alone in the corner poking at his jello. It had been nearly a week without any trace of where Haley could be. General Hammond had been reluctant to report her missing to the authorities in case it truly was the NID involved. Instead, after much deliberation, Hammond and SG-1 had decided to go about their normal business, trying not to bring too much attention. Jack had called Haley's school and informed them that she was staying with a relative for an unknown period of time and was being tutored. There was no evidence of Haley being taken, or of her running away (which Jack feared was a possibility). It was as if she had just vanished into thin air. Jack had promised Sam that he wouldn't bottle everything up, but this made him very grumpy, and a great deal of the base smartly chose to keep their distance from him.

Teal'c took some food and joined his friend. "O'Neill, is this seat occupied?"

"Now it is," Jack replied. Teal'c gave him a questioning look. "It means sit down T."

"We are scheduled to go off world this afternoon."

"Yes, I was at the briefing too," Jack was losing his patience.

"Perhaps it would be best if we ate in silence." Teal'c realized that there was no way he could hold a conversation with O'Neill in this mood and enjoyed a quiet meal over talking anyways.

"Thank you."

xxxxx

"Sir, Major Carter requests you go to her lab before getting ready for the mission," an airman informed Jack as he was heading towards the locker room.

"Carter probably has some gadget thing that will help with the mission or blahhhh," Jack mumbled as he strode away from the airman. Jack knocked on the door of the lab, but there was no reply. Jack let himself in and figured Carter was probably just down the hall or something. He settled down on a stool and tried his hardest not to touch any of the knick knacks on her table. If he broke anything he'd definitely be dead meat. Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and his eyes were covered. The stool was spun around and a pair of lips was attacking Jack. "Captain Grayson?" The assailant slapped his shoulder and backed away.

"You better be joking," she said as a satisfied grin came across his face.

"Me, joke? Never."

"Okay funny boy, we have to go get ready for our mission." Jack pulled her into his lap and held onto her tightly.

"Was there something you actually needed Carter?" she wiggled out of his grasp and stood up.

"Just," she kissed his cheek, "to cheer you up before we head out." Jack sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks. I definitely needed that."

"Sam, can you use that supercharge battery thing for my camcor-" Daniel stopped when he saw Sam and Jack in a pretty tender looking hug. Sam walked over to Daniel trying to look as casual as possible.

"Sure Daniel, give that to me." So this is the game we're playing, Daniel thought, let's all pretend nothing is going on.

"I'll uh, meet you in the gate room. If you don't mind carrying it," Daniel fumbled with the camcorder as he handed it to Sam. "Thanks again," he called as he left the lab. Sam stifled a laugh, but couldn't stop the idea that it could have been anybody else entering her lab unannounced.

"I know what you're thinking. Daniel's the only one who never knocks," Jack assured her, opening the door again. "I'll see you in a few minutes." Jack kissed Sam on the forehead. "Thank you."

xxxxx

"Carter, you and Daniel head east, see if you can find anything, Teal'c and I will go west. If you don't find what you're looking for in two hours contact me."

"Yes Sir," Carter nodded and the team went their separate ways. As Carter and Daniel searched for the temple that was supposed to contain something significant Daniel had been researching he nudged her arm. "What is it?"

Daniel gave Sam a knowing look and waited for Sam to say something, anything. She never responded so he finally spoke up. "What's going on between you and Jack?"

Sam fought a small smile tugging at her lips. "Colonel O'Neill? What do you mean?"

"Don't play coy with me, and don't give me that military bullshit. Come on Sam, you can tell me anything, don't you trust me?" Oh he was good with the guilt.

She sighed before carefully deciding what to let Daniel know. "The col- Jack and I have been spending a lot of time together lately…"

"I knew it!" Daniel smiled and gave Sam a little push. "Wait a minute, that's why he's been so grouchy lately!"

"HEY!"

"Let me finish- it's your doing. You're not letting him bottle everything up like he usually does. How did you do it?"

"I don't know…"

"Well you have been known to be persistent when you want to," Daniel chuckled.

"I guess I have my ways," Sam smiled thinking back on the past week and her relentless efforts to make Jack smile. "Daniel,"

"Yes?"

"Where do you think she is?"

"Oh wow. I honestly haven't got a clue. If she left on her own she would've taken a backpack, clothes, money, I don't know. If somebody took her wouldn't they contact Jack by now for ransom or something…? That is… if they want a ransom. But if it was a complete sicko there would have to be some sort of evidence. A fight maybe? Somebody seeing Haley leave with them? I don't know! I mean her friends saw her walking into a classroom to wait for a teacher and that was the last they saw of her. The teacher said Haley wasn't there when he got there. It drives me crazy that that's it!" Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I'm so worried about her."

"Me too," Sam whispered. "I just wish we knew where to look for her… Do you think we'll ever find her?"

"I try not to think about that," Daniel sighed, feeling a twinge of pain in his stomach.

"Daniel I found something," Jack's voice came through the radio.

xxxxx

"This isn't Goauld. I believe it's Asguard." Daniel ran his fingers across the markings on the lone wall standing in the open field. "This could take me some time to translate."

"Can you just take pictures of it and bring it home?" Jack asked.

"Actually yes. There doesn't appear to be anything else here to look at."

"Okay you take your pictures, do your thing, and then we get to go home in time to eat a real meal," Jack smiled at Sam hoping that she shared his same thoughts.

"Chinese?" she mouthed behind Daniel and Teal'c. Jack grinned and nodded. This mission wasn't so bad after all. It took his mind off of all the other crap going on, he could get used to getting back to work.

xxxxx

"Fight you for the last spare rib," Jack poked Sam in her ribs.

"What'd you have in mind?" Sam giggled as he pushed her onto her back. They had been sitting in front of the TV watching The Simpsons and eating their take-out on the coffee table. Jack stared down at her and she looked up nervously. "What are you thinking?" He leaned over her, trying to decide how she would react to this.

"Well if you can… protect your ribs I'll give you the last one," Jack carefully worded, confusing Sam. Haha, she's the one confused for once, he thought. Jack began to tickle Sam and she couldn't hold in her laughter. Out of reflex Sam's leg kicked out and, very ironically she reflected, accidentally kicked him in the rib. He let out a loud "oof," and fell to the floor. Sam took the rib and enjoyed every last bite.

"Here, take some more fried rice," Sam piled food onto Jack's plate. He reached his arm out for her to pull him off the ground. Instead he pulled her down.

"Sam, stay tonight?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she smiled kissing his chest where she had previously kicked him.