Author's Note: I hope things have now become clear. Was this story too confusing? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Beta: Thanks to purpleshrub as always.

Together Vala and I stumble blindly through the almost black halls. She's supporting me as we go, because my strength is failing. I have no reserves left but I keep pushing myself. If we stop, we'll die.

The construction of the corridor bothers me, but I can't spare the concentration to figure out why. All my energy is going into putting one foot in front of the other and ignoring the ghostly figures that stalk me, grabbing at my clothes. They hover at the edge my vision. Every so often one will catch me off guard and I have to stifle a scream.

I need to rest my limbs are beginning to feel like lead. I want to stop but I need to focus on getting Vala and myself out of here. It's my job to get us home; I'm in command, I can't let her down. When the time comes I need to be ready to fight. I can't expect Vala to do this alone, not any more.

Coming out into a large chamber, I motion for Vala to lower me to the floor. Looking around I finally realize where we are. I wonder why I didn't notice the design before. We're in a Lantian outpost. I haven't actually been in a base like this but I've pored over the schematics McKay dumped on my desk one day.

"Samantha, what is this place? It looks like Atlantis but it's not the same." I can hear the confusion in Vala's voice. She's obviously recognized the style of the décor.

"Vala, we need to go back the way we came. Help me up, we don't have much time."

Together we rise, but I stumble and she props me against the wall. I close my eyes, breathing heavily fighting the wave of dizziness that passes over me.

Vala shakes me lightly. "Samantha, do you need something?"

"No, but the Stargate is back that way." I motion over Vala's left shoulder. "I've seen a design like this before when I was in Pegasus, only this one is less advanced. The Lantians must have built it before they returned to the other galaxy."

Vala stands up a little straighter. "Tell me where to go and I'll get us there. This is Netan's secret base and he never allowed me to come here before, I'm hopelessly lost. Are you ready to move again? Would you like some water?"

"A little bit please." I force myself to swallow a few sips before we move on.

After making sure the coast is clear, we step out into the hallway heading in the opposite direction. I feel confident in my choices until we reach a crossroad. I try to remember that day and think back to drawings I studied. Briefly closing my eyes, I try to ignore my pain, my nausea. It's been two years. So much has happened and the ghosts are still there distracting me.

I focus on the day Rodney waltzed into my office on Atlantis and dropped his charts all over my desk. Then he began babbling about the facility one of the teams had found and how he wanted to go and study it. I remembered quickly looking over the schematics before politely telling Rodney off. There was a time and place for these things and that moment wasn't one of them.

Then out of nowhere I see Janet amongst the dead and I remember she's gone. Janet was killed off world and Cassie still isn't talking to me. I lost them both and I don't know how to-

"Sam? Are you all right?"

Opening my eyes I look at Vala and force a smile. "Yeah, I'm just remembering a few things I'd forgotten. Now where are we?"

Vala looks at our three options. "Which one do we take?"

I look at my three choices, but I'm not sure. I close my eyes, fighting to remember. Finally, I make a decision and point to the tunnel on the left. "That way, down that corridor, about fifty meters that should take us to the gateroom."

Now that I have made my choice, I'm no longer certain. My vision swims as horrible doubt clings to me. "I think, it's been such a long time since I studied the schematics."

A sharp slap stings my cheek and the world comes back into focus. Tears run down Vala's cheeks and I know she's in worse shape than she's allowed me to see. "Sam, I need you to help me. You know the way and I don't. Time is running out for us in too many ways."

I scrub my hands across my face trying to focus. I look down the corridor, then draw a sharp breath and point. "That way."

Although I'm sure Vala wants to she doesn't ask me if I'm sure. "All right, we go that way. Follow the yellow brick road."

Stifling a laugh, I begin moving forward with Vala's help, hoping that I'm right.

Looking down at the vortex from the control room window I ask Walter, "Who is it?"

I shift my leg a little hoping to ease the pain in my ankle, because of my clumsiness I'm stuck here on base while Sam and Vala are lost out there. I'm not supposed to be up and about, but I can't just lie in the infirmary, or sit in my office and not be involved.

The man doesn't look at me. "Dr. Jackson, we've received Colonel Mitchell's IDC."

Reaching out, I touch Jack's shoulder. He tenses at my touch but doesn't look at me as the wormhole settles into a calm pool. "Have hope, Jack. Sam and Vala are strong."

He nods, and I hope I'm right as Teal'c and Mitchell burst out of the event horizon and with out stopping they head down the ramp, heading for the control room.

The two soldiers crest the stairs out of breath from the speed they took the stairs."We got a lead, but if it pans out Sam and the Princess are in deep trouble. I finally got an answer from the Tok'ra, I called in those favors, General O'Neill. It worked like a charm." Mitchell faces Landry. "I want SG-3 to come with me."

Landry doesn't hesitate. "Done."

Cam turns back to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Jackson, I know you're worried but we'll get the Princess and Sam back safely, you'll see."

As I move back to stand beside Jack I hear him mutter, "Bring them home Mitchell, please."

I have two more chapters of this story posted on my personal website. To find it just Google my penname. You can also follow me on facebook (you want my page not my profile (I created that and have no idea how to get rid of it, I never use it) to get updates other than here. (When I post a new story I post it there two-three weeks before I post here.) There used to be a link on my profile but it seems to have disappeared. This site won't let you post outside links in the story that's why the address isn't here.

Thank you for reading and I hope you come back again. :0)

Also I have now published my second work of original fiction on kindle. It's a novella called Red Colony: Odyssey. If you search for my real name, Kelli Bullock on amazon you'll find it and my first novella.