Here you go folks – next chapter. Thanks for the reviews and comments. More soon!

The footsteps stopped and then resumed, following the bloody trail right to where they were seated. Sam was cradling Jack in her arms as if she could protect him from whatever was yet to come. She could still hear his faint breathing which seemed to hitch every few seconds. The feet stopped right in front of her and she simply stared at them for a moment, almost as if uncertain as to what she was seeing.

All that was going through her mind at that moment was that now would be an excellent time for the Jaffa to reveal himself as Tokra, secretly placed in Baal's service as a spy. If this were simply a fiction story that's what would happen, she laughed ironically to herself. When she finally raised her eyes and looked at Baal's soldier, that brief fantasy died instantly. The look of anger and hatred was plain to see.

"Gonach! Ai'emain."

Too weary to even attempt to understand what the Jaffa was saying, Sam simply dropped her head and gently rested it on Jack's, closing her eyes. She carefully rocked him as his life blood drained slowly but steadily from his body.

"Ai'emain!"

"I don't know what you are saying and really, I don't care", she murmured. "Just leave us alone, please."

"Get up! Get up now or I will shoot you where you sit."

Sam looked at the Jaffa and was ready to defy him when suddenly she had a thought ….the sarcophagus! There was still hope, all she had to do was convince the Jaffa.

"Okay, I'm getting up. Hold your horses." She carefully laid Jack on the ground and stood up stiffly.

"Where is my God? Where is Lord Baal?"

"He's gone,"

"Gone where. What do you mean?"

"He's gone, kaput, dearly departed, pfftt in a puff of smoke, never to be seen again." Jack would be so proud, she thought as she answered the guard with pure O'Neill sarcasm.

"You lie! He is a God. He will return."

"Well, I don't know quite where one goes after three zat blasts but I must admit I'd be really impressed to see him come back. Don't you understand? He is, ah was not a God. We killed him. He was simply a parasite in a human body. You are free now. You no longer have to serve an evil snake. You are FREE!"

"You are a blasphemer and you will die a horrible death, again and again, when my Lord returns. I have no wish to be free. I wish only to serve my God with honor until I die."

"Okay, fine. Let's wait until your Lord returns and he can kill us horribly. In the meantime, take my friend to the sarcophagus. Baal won't want him already dead. He'll want him alive so he can have the joy of killing him. Please, you can keep me here, do whatever, just take him to the sarcophagus."

"No. If my Lord chooses to raise him up again he will. In the meantime it is only fitting he die in agony. It is a small price to pay for your arrogance, Tauri."

As he finished speaking he moved to the consol and pushed a button, speaking in Goa'uld for a moment. Sam sank down to the floor, again gathering Jack in her arms. He still lived but she knew it couldn't be for much longer.

"I'm so sorry Jack. I tried". She softly stroked his hair and continued to murmur her love for him."

The door to the bridge opened and two more Jaffa entered. The one waiting spoke to them in Goa'uld and motioned to the two figures crumpled on the floor. One walked over and grabbed Sam, pulling her to her feet, forcing her to drop Jack's head on the floor too suddenly.

"Stop, please – he's already hurt."

The Jaffa ignored her and pushed her towards the door. The second one reached down and, grabbing Jack's arms, lifted him off the floor and slung him over his shoulder. He then followed Sam and her Guard out the door and down the long hallway. After a few minutes they arrived at a plain door. The guard holding her reached up, punched in a few buttons and the door slid open. He then pushed her so hard into the room that she lost her balance and fell to the floor. A moment later the guard carrying Jack walked in and simply dropped him with a loud thud. At that, they both turned and left, the door closing behind them.

Sam pulled herself over to Jack and immediately lifted him so his upper body was sitting in her lap. She was shocked, although relieved, that he still lived. By this time his clothes, and hers, were covered in his blood. She couldn't believe that there was any left in his body.

She knew this was it. There was no hope, no one who would rescue them. Daniel and Teal'c were who knows where. The natives were gone and there was no way they would have the skills or resources for a rescue. Eventually the Jaffa would realize that Baal wasn't coming back. She hoped they would simply kill them and not opt for torture in retaliation.

I finally have the courage to tell you I love you Jack and it's only when you are unconscious and dying. Why did I wait? Why was I so frightened, so worried about regulations or about what others would think. Why did I try for a normal life when you are my life. Fighting aliens, traveling to other worlds, saving galaxies, that's our normal. That's the life for you and me Jack. Someone should have given me a manual all those years ago when I met you to make sure I told you before it was too late.

She laughed softly to herself. She could see it now, Manual for Sam Carter on how to tell Jack O'Neill that you love him - in three chapters:

1)Tell him sooner. 2) Don't tell him while he's unconscious. 3) Kiss him when he can remember it.

Oh Jack, if I only could do it all over again, things would be different.

"Do … what … over?"

"Jack, oh my God. Jack I'm here." She held him closely, kissing him softly.

"Feels good but … what .. do .. over?", he gasped

"I would tell you that I loved you. I wouldn't wait until we were prisoners and you were bleeding all over the place. I'd tell you I loved you and then I'd kiss you and then .. well, you know!"

"Like the … sound of ..that… especially 'you know'."

Only Jack O'Neill could make her want to laugh as he lay dying in her arms.

"Why Jack? Why now? Just when we finally seem to have a chance, why this? What does it mean?

"Don't …know. Sam, tribuo mihi manus."

"What? What are you saying? I can't understand you. You are speaking Ancient again Jack."

"Rumex …ah ..sorry. Give me …..hand." It was getting harder and harder for him to speak. Blood was now starting to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

Sam gave Jack her hand and he grasped it weakly. He then guided it to the wound in his stomach and pressed it down.

In her years of service in the Air Force Sam had seen many horrible sights – she was no stranger to the sight of blood. However this time she recoiled, trying to pull her hand away. Somehow this was more than she could take, actually feeling his warm blood seeping away, carrying his life with it.

"Please Sam… keep hand …there. Tell me again …. love me."

Closing her eyes Sam kept her hand still, his lying on top.

"I love you Jack, I love you more than life itself."

"Love you … too Sam. Will … always love … you."

The two soldiers, officers, friends and soul mates sat there quietly, not needing to say any more.

Sam knew that this was it, that Jack was going to die. She also knew that a part of her was dying as well. Jack was wrong. They weren't soul mates – they were one soul. Together each was wounded, damaged by life and by all they had experienced and suffered, but together they were whole, they were complete.

As Sam sat there holding the man she cherished she began to feel strange. Afraid that Jack had slipped away from her she opened her eyes. She sagged in relief when she saw he still breathed. But something was different. She then realized what it was. Her hand was getting warmer. It was not simply the warmth she had felt from Jack's blood. It was almost as if an electric current was flowing from Jack's hand through hers to his stomach.

The heat almost became painful it was so intense. She didn't know what was happening and began to feel frightened, again trying to pull her hand away. As soon as he felt the movement Jack's eyes opened.

"Non fatigo … don't worry. It's … okay. It'll be … alright Sam."

"What's happening? What is it?"

"Amor …love. Your love."

"What do you mean?"

"Love … heals."

The heat was now almost unbearable and Sam's heart was pounding so fiercely she was afraid it would leap from her chest. But she began notice that Jack was breathing easier. Soon she could see some color returning to his face. After a few more moments she felt him take a deep breath and let it out slowly. As she watched she saw his eyes begin to close – this time not in death – but into a deep sleep.

The heat began to fade and Jack's hand went limp as he slept. She carefully lifted her hand, with his still holding hers. She looked down and was not surprised to see that there no longer appeared to be a wound. She lifted his shirt to make sure and saw his clear, unmarked skin.

"Thank God", she collapsed over Jack's sleeping body and began to sob. The feelings were so intense she could no longer hold anything in. She simply let go, not only the emotions of the day, of all that had happened, but of accumulated years of repressed feelings, of confusion, of hopelessness.

Eventually she felt as if she had no more tears left. In exhaustion, but also with a growing sense of wonder and hope, she lay down beside Jack and, holding him tightly, fell asleep.

"What did we just see Teal'c?" asked Daniel as the scene in front of him slowly faded.

"I believe we just witnessed a miracle, Daniel Jackson. I believe we have seen two people heal each other".

"Yes, I think you are right Teal'c. I think we saw a miracle."

"Indeed!"

A special thanks to LadyGalaxyJ for Sam's Manual on telling Jack she loves him!