TITLE: Never Again
AUTHOR: PapayaK
CATEGORY: Whump, Hurt/comfort, a hint at romance
SPOILERS: None that I can think of
SEASON: Jonas
WARNINGS: Major Character Death
SUMMARY: SG-1 facing impossible odds
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry, I keep killing people, I gotta get over that - don't worry, they always get better.
Disclaimer: I get nothing but pleasure from this
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Never Again - Chapter 4
oO0Oo
"I don't know." I sighed, knowing that I owed him no less than the full truth. "It may have been too long. We have no way of knowing just how much time passed between the time the Colonel was hit and when he actually…"
"So there's a good chance…"
I smile grimly and nod, "He's strong… and stubborn. There's a chance."
oO0Oo
I check my watch. It has been twenty-five minutes since the sarcophagus closed, twelve since the Jaffa began their attack.
"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Jonas asks.
I nod. "I believe with a few well placed staff blasts we can bring down some of the ceiling to help block the door. But I don't know what that might do to the sarcophagus, and if we try it, Teal'c has the best chance of success." I glance over at his still form. "I don't want to wake him till the last second. I'd also like to get out a message to the Tok'ra, or even better, the Asgard, but I haven't figured out a way to do that from here, yet."
Jonas frowned in thought. "Dr. Jackson's writings and diagrams of the mother ships were extensive. I believe some of the crystals could be accessed through these walls, given the proximity to the peltak."
"Get on it."
He nods and turns away. I hope I showed the same confidence in him that Jack always showed for me. Just then the vibration of the sarcophagus changed, as if it revved up a notch. I turn and place the palm of my hand against its warmth as if I could somehow be in contact with the man inside.
"MajorCarter – "
I jump, unaware that Teal'c had awakened.
He moves to sit next to me as we observe Jonas's inspection of the walls and listen to the ever louder noises from the hall.
"I have never agreed with the Tau'ri policies regarding relationships between male and female."
I look at him in surprise but he continues to calmly watch Jonas.
"In the distant past, many Jaffa fought side by side with their mates were made stronger by the act."
This dark silent man was present when Jack and I were tested by the za'tarc detector, but I never thought he would speak of it.
"Do not allow yourself to be weakened by your emotions. Rather, draw strength from them as I have seen O'Neill do on several occasions."
"The Colonel draws strength from what emotions, exactly?" I manage to stutter.
"His feelings for you."
"Oh."
Teal'c looks sideways at me and smiles, "It is a good match."
"Is…" I latch onto his use of the present tense.
We both turn as a crack forms in the door. Teal'c stands, his staff in hand, "I will attempt to bring down a portion of the ceiling as you suggested."
"Got it!" Jonas's excited yell draws me to the portion of wall he has removed exposing the crystals underneath. "Can't do the Asgard, but it looks like there's a Tok'ra ship within range."
I lean in and activate the makeshift communicator, sending our basic info and a request for assistance to whoever might hear. Miraculously, our message is heard and answered. I learn from the Tok'ra pilot that the name of that miracle is 'Dad.' He informs me that they were instructed to alter their course to pass by this area of space, just in case they could be of assistance. They will be near enough to execute a rescue for the next three hours, assuming we can get ourselves off the ship. But will they be rescuing three of us, or four? And how do we get off this ship?
Suddenly the blast caused by the ceiling caving in throws us to the ground. Teal'c has been successful in doubling the thickness of our barricade, effectively sealing us in as well. I look up at the spot from which the debris fell and I'm hit by an idea. If the ceiling is vulnerable, what about the floor? "Jonas, where is the nearest ring room?!"
He excitedly confirms my suspicion, "Well, it's directly below us!"
He and Teal'c are already reacting to my suggestion, preparing to blow a hole in the floor. I radio the Teltak to inform them of our plan, just as a second huge explosion rocks the room. The Jaffa have finally applied a stronger explosive than their staff weapons and fists. Our barricade has been breached.
Thankfully, due to Teal'c's addition of the ceiling, they only have a small hole to fire through rather than blowing the door wide open.
Teal'c aims several well placed blasts at the floor behind us before joining Jonas and me in defending our position. Not one of us even thinks of leaving the sarcophagus before it has completed its work.
The room is filled with light and noise as bullets and staff blasts fly. We seem to be evenly matched with neither side able to make progress against the other. But then suddenly the Jaffa are being defeated. Their numbers have not increased; they continue to fire into the room at the same rate. But the tide of battle has definitely turned. We're winning.
"Into the hole, kids! Move!"
Teal'c obeys immediately, followed a moment later by a very surprised Jonas. I pause to grin stupidly up at my CO who is standing in his shredded clothes, straddling the open sarcophagus and firing his P-90 towards the Jaffa in the most beautiful impersonation of Rambo I have ever laid eyes on. He must have awoken, then observed and digested the situation and our solution to it almost instantaneously.
"Carter!" he shouts, his voice sounds impatient but he's grinning back at me, "Go!"
As I jump I hear something that sounds suspiciously like 'yee-ha" and he lands beside me just as Teal'c activates the rings.
When the rings release us onboard the Tok'ra Alkesh his legs give out. He would have fallen but Teal'c and I are there to support him. For several beats no one is able to speak. The Tok'ra are staring, not sure what to think.
Jonas is grinning likely to split his face as he backs to the wall and sits down in relief. I suppose my grin matches his as I look up at the Colonel. Teal'c is doing his own version of the stupid grin as he sets his brother straight on his feet and takes a step back. I'm about to do the same when Jack pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight. I hug him back, aware as I do so that I am also holding him up. He buries his face into the crook of my neck in that way I love, before he mumbles into my hair; "Help me sit down, will ya, Carter?"
Giggling softly, I lower him carefully to the ground, Teal'c assisting from behind.
"Do you require any further assistance?" The Tok'ra finally decide they can speak.
Still smiling I move to thank them for their timely rescue. Then look over my shoulder to where my CO is sitting on the floor, "Sir?"
"Nope – don't really need too much of your 'help'," He shrugs at me. They came to the rescue, but they also were part of the problem in the first place, "Just give us a ride to the nearest gate, eh?"
The Tok'ra smiles back, oblivious to the sarcasm, "A pleasure."
Jack looks over at Teal'c, "Since my Second in Command is a little too happy right now, would you mind reporting on the events of the last… say…" he checks his watch, "three hours?"
Teal'c inclines his head. "O'Neill, I too am glad to see you well. At approximately 03:30 earth time, MajorCarter was wounded in battle, as you attempted a rescue of myself and JonasQuinn."
Jack's smile dims. He speaks quietly, eyeing my bandages, "I remember that."
"At 03:42 you were mortally wounded by multiple staff blasts to your leg, chest and abdomen as you attempted to defeat, single-handedly, a force of Jaffa ten times the size of your own team."
"That's not something you hear every day."
"Indeed. At that point the Jaffa sealed the room. I am uncertain as to the exact time of your death but I was able to awaken MajorCarter who proceeded to confirm your status, and take command."
"Way to go, Carter!"
"She acted on my suggestion that we attempt to use the sarcophagus to revive you. She used excellent military strategy to successfully reach the sarcophagus chamber with minimum injuries. She proceeded to hold the room and affect a rescue with assistance from JonasQuinn and myself. To which rescue you were a witness."
"Aw, shucks." I say sarcastically, trying to distract everyone from my beet red cheeks. "It was only due to my - your well-trained team that we were successful."
I move to touch him lightly on the shoulder, "How do you feel, sir?"
"Oh, like crap, but that's a sight better than the alternative." He grins at each of us in turn, and then looks down at himself. "I think I'm gonna need a new uniform." He lays back and closes his eyes. "Let's not do this again, kay, kids?"
"Never again, sir," I respond, my throat suddenly tight, "Never again."
That's it. Thanks for reading and please review if you have the time. - PapayaK