A/N: Things are starting to get worrisome for our favorite couple.

Chapter 14

Sam paced the floor of Jack's cabin as anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. Thor's hologram had disappeared a few minutes ago after telling them to expect a response from the Nox within a day, but had given them no other indication of hope. She didn't like putting all her eggs in one basket, but it was their only option at the moment. By jumping immediately to the nuclear option of offering the Kisqua the baby, Shen had blown all of their contingency plans to pieces. Then lit them on fire. They needed to come up with a new backup plan. Fast.

"Carter, sit down," Jack grumbled, "you're making me anxious just watching you."

"Sorry, sir," Sam flopped down on the couch. "You know I'm not good at waiting."

"Now you know how I feel," his lips quirked at her disgruntled expression. "Every time I have to stand by and watch you work a miracle with some doohickey."

Sam huffed out a breath.

"I've always had faith in you," he said in a more serious tone. "Have a little faith in Thor. He hasn't let us down yet."

"You're right," she crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, attempting to reign in her anxiety. "I just hate not having a solid backup plan."

"The backup plan is to get you as far away from Cholti and the others as possible by any means necessary," Jack said as his cell phone rang. "It's Hammond," he told Sam, then answered it with a curt, "O'Neill."

"Are you with, Sam?" Hammond asked, using her first name and not her rank.

"I am," Jack answered after a brief pause. The man was essentially a part of Sam's family, being her godfather and all, but Jack was still hesitant.

"Do it," Jack heard Hammond order a split second before the bright light of a transport beam blinded him. When it faded away, Jack was standing in a metal room, presumably on the Prometheus, given the stark gray interior.

"General," President Henry Hayes greeted a nonplussed Jack. "I'm sorry for the rude transport," he said semi-apologetically. "We're on a tight schedule. Colonel Carter is still in Minnesota. George is with her," Hayes explained. "We didn't want to bring her on board given the current situation."

Jack said nothing, merely arched an eyebrow and waited for the President to continue.

"How is she?" Hayes asked, his concern seeming genuine.

"Carter's tough, sir," Jack told him simply.

"Look, Jack," Hayes let out a heavy sigh, "I had no clue my new Vice President was an even bigger moron than Kinsey."

Jack bit back a snort. Considering what Kinsey had pulled over the years, that was a pretty bad insult.

"We don't negotiate with terrorists and these power-mongering aliens George has been telling me about are no exception," Hayes told him. "I wanted to tell you that personally."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said stiffly, knowing the position Hayes was in couldn't be easy.

"That being said," Hayes frowned, "We have quite a mess on our hands and Shen Xiaoyi's political maneuvering hasn't helped. She's put us in a precarious position. I'm beaming her up to join us," Hayes said carefully, "to see if there's a diplomatic way out of this mess that won't result in a war being fought on two fronts."

Jack did snort this time, earning a raised eyebrow at his insubordinate behavior. While he was well-known as a sarcastic ass, Jack was typically able to reign it in around Hayes. Not so much today. When Hayes continued to look at him, Jack merely shrugged. He was too pissed to play nice.

Hayes sighed and shook his head. He couldn't really blame Jack for the attitude. His country was one step away from hanging him out to dry. Not that Hayes approved. He didn't. But this was going to get a whole lot worse before it got better.

Stepping to a control panel, Hayes pressed a button and a bright flash filled the room, leaving Shen Xiaoyi standing before them in her bathrobe. "Not so nice, is it?" Hayes said with a satisfied smirk, "Being jerked around without permission."

Shen glared daggers at him, before taking in the rest of her surroundings with a haughty perusal. "Subtle, Henry," she arched a regal eyebrow, her eyes settling on Jack, "very subtle."

"You know how I love to make a point," Hayes replied smoothly.

"Yes, well," she bristled, "your little demonstration here proves nothing. I did what I had to do and I didn't need your or anyone else's permission.

Jack assumed a mask of indifference and said nothing, knowing a baited line when he heard one.

"You offered up a child like some commodity that can be bought and sold." Hayes' voice dripped with venom.

"That thing is nothing more than an alien science experiment," Shen crossed her arms over her chest. "I would think Colonel Carter should be glad to be rid of it."

Jack was seething inside. It took everything he had to keep his anger and disgust from showing on his face. But this wasn't a short game; Carter's and the baby's lives were at stake. He knew showing any signs of emotion would only give Shen more fodder. His best course of action was to act indifferent. It was a lesson Hammond had imparted to him when Jack had become base commander. Never play their game . Make them play yours.

"Once Colonel Carter decided to keep the abomination, its fate was sealed," Shen tried to needle the two men further. "I suppose your country could force her to terminate," she shrugged, "problem solved then. His Excellency Jintao would do it. For the sake of the world."

"Yes, well, Hu and I very rarely see eye-to-eye on things," Hayes told her woodenly. "But I do agree we need to find a path forward. The Kisqua threat is real and we need viable options to avoid an interstellar war."

"That preferably doesn't include Colonel Carter handing over the key to the Ancient repository," Jack finally spoke, keeping his tone ambivalent.

"I will never order her to do that," Hayes said firmly.

"You would be so selfish as to put one life ahead of the billions of others on this planet?" Shen said with disdain. "You would sacrifice all of us to save one unborn, alien experiment?"

Hayes paused and looked at Jack. One life for billions. That was the score. He and Sam had given the world everything and it still came asking for more. When would it end? But Jack knew the answer. It wouldn't. He also knew the man in front of him would never ask him to sacrifice his own child, but he wouldn't have to if the world made that demand.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Shen scoffed before either man could speak. "Your hands are tied." She looked haughtily at the President. "If you won't order her to do it, then the IOA will go to the other world leaders. There is only one way this ends, gentlemen, and you know it. Colonel Carter is expected to appear at the SGC tomorrow at 1400 hours. You will deliver her as demanded. Now send me back."

Hayes crossed to the control panel and jabbed a button, initiating the transport. With a bright flash, Shen was gone.

"Colonel Carter making an appearance tomorrow would buy us some time," Hayes let out a defeated sigh.

"You can't be serious?" Jack looked at his commander-in-chief with disbelief. "You know what will happen if Carter is there," Jack bit out, feeling his panic rise. Hell, even Woolsey knew better than to have her in the same location.

"Which is why, for now, I'm ordering you to keep Colonel Carter away from everyone," Hayes took a deep breath, his face taking on a firm expression. "That is your sole mission until we find a path out of this mess. Once we have a viable plan, we will move forward. And I promise you, Jack, I will do everything in my power to protect Colonel Carter and her child."

Jack pursed his lips, realizing he was at a crossroads. He knew Hayes would do everything in his power to protect Sam and the baby; however, as President, he was bound by his oath of office. He had a responsibility to the people of the United States that couldn't be ignored. Jack would neither expect nor want him to forego that oath; it was too important. However, Jack's path forward had suddenly become crystal clear. There was only one action that would allow him to be able to live with himself. Only one choice to make.

"I will protect Colonel Carter and our child, sir," Jack finally spoke, his voice deathly calm, "but we both know Shen was right and there is only one way this can end." He reached up to remove first one insignia star then the next from his collar before handing them to Hayes. "And I cannot allow it to happen."

"I know," Hayes nodded, his face grim. Striding to the control panel, his finger hovered over the button. "Good luck, Jack," he said before activating the transport and sending him back down to Minnesota and to Sam.

"Sir!" Sam gaped as the transport beam light faded and General Hammond appeared where Jack had been standing.

"Are you all right?" George asked his goddaughter, gripping one of her arms lightly.

Sam nodded then shook her head. "Where's General O'Neill? Sir, what's going on?"

George took a deep breath and motioned for her to sit. "We don't have a lot of time," he told her, taking the seat adjacent to where she sat on the couch. "General O'Neill is meeting with the President aboard the Prometheus as we speak."

Sam watched her godfather's face. He looked more exhausted than she'd ever seen him, his eyes dark with fatigue, but there was something else. Weary, she realized. He looked utterly bone-weary.

"Hayes tried to stop them," Hammond sighed, "the IOA. Shen, specifically, but it was too late. China's President has already reached out to several other world leaders. They are demanding President Hayes hand over not just the baby, but you as well," he told her briskly. "They are threatening to seek an alliance with the Kisqua against the United States and its allies. France has already refused to back us, Henry assumes the EU is next."

"Oh, my god," Sam breathed out, unsure what else to say. This was all happening so fast.

"Colonel. Sam," George reached out and gripped one of her hands, "the President is running out of options."

"Sir, if sacrificing myself would save the planet I would do it, you know I would," she surged to her feet, pulling her hand from his.

"I know, Sam," George agreed. Her dedication and self-sacrifice were not in question in his mind.

"But, sir," Sam stepped back away from him, "we cannot allow the Kisqua the means to access the Ancient repository."

"And I'm not asking you to," George told her, standing up and holding out a small, circular device that was about the size of a half-dollar and attached to a thin lanyard. "This is a transport disruptor," he explained. "R out of Groom Lake has been developing it. This is the only prototype in existence, but it should prevent anyone, save for Thor himself, from finding and beaming you or anyone else within a three-foot radius against your will."

Sam took the device and looked at it closely. Dr. Lee had theorized something like this was possible, but she wasn't aware of a prototype being created. Given her role in the development of alien technology, she would have known of its existence if it was from Area 51.

"With all due respect, sir," Sam cocked her head and eyed him warily, "this isn't from Groom Lake."

George let out a deep sigh. He should have known better than to lie. "It's from a mutual friend," he said stiffly.

"Sir." Sam huffed.

"The President can't prevent this from happening," George told her, refusing to disclose more, "however he can buy you time. But whatever you're going to do, you better do it fast. The IOA is expecting you to present yourself at the negotiations tomorrow at 1400 hours. When you fail to show up, that," he nodded toward the device, "is only going to buy you a day, maybe two at the most."

Sam said nothing as what her godfather was telling her sank in. He couldn't protect them, but he was giving them their best shot at finding a way to save themselves.

"Thank you, sir," Sam nodded, her brow furrowing as another thought came to her. "If we don't show up, what are the Kisqua going to do?"

"You let us worry about that," George gave her a terse smile. "Your mission is to protect my future great-niece or nephew. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she returned his tight smile with one of her own. "Uncle George," she called to him as he stepped away from her, presumably to beam back onto Prometheus. "Thank you."

"Carter!" Jack called once he was back inside his cabin in Minnesota. "Thank god," he let out a shaky breath as soon as he saw her. Crossing the room, he pulled her against his chest, wrapping her tightly in his arms.

"Sir–Jack," Sam responded immediately, her arms going around his waist, her hands splaying across his back. She couldn't help the small tremor that ran through her.

Taking a steadying breath, he pulled back and asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she nodded. "General Hammond was here."

Jack dropped his arms from around her and took a step away, putting a respectable distance between them before running his hands over his face. "Hayes said he was. I think they're playing Shen."

"They are," Sam replied, handing him the transport beam disruptor George had given her and relaying the conversation to Jack.

"And we're sure this really is a disruptor and not some sort of tracking device?" Jack asked her hesitantly.

"This is General Hammond we are talking about," Sam replied. She refused to believe he was setting them up. Jack pursed his lips before nodding. He put the device over her head and around her neck so it hung just above her dog tags. "So what now?" She asked, tucking the new piece of jewelry inside her tank top.

"Thor is still our best bet," Jack said, "but Hammond is right, we don't have a lot of time. We need to move onto Plan B."

"Which is?" Sam asked, knowing it was more like plan Z at this point.

"We get off-world."

"That's not going to be easy," Sam admitted, knowing the IOA would assume she and Jack would head away from the Stargate and not toward it. But even then, the SGC was heavily guarded, not to mention dialing the gate took security codes that might no longer be valid given their little disappearing act.

"When you aren't there tomorrow, Shen's going to pitch a fit," Jack growled at the mere thought. "She thinks she's already won by maneuvering Hayes into a corner." Jack watched Sam sink back onto the couch cushions and rub her temples. He had been fighting a tension headache for the last few hours due to a lack of sleep and, given the hormones coursing through her body, assumed she was, too.

"We need sleep," Jack said, glancing at the bedrooms, wishing they had more time. "I've been up over forty-eight hours and I'm sure you have too."

"But we need to move," Sam let out a sigh and stood up, knowing they couldn't afford to take time to rest.

Jack nodded and gave her an apologetic look. "Once we put a few hours between here and there, we can find a roadside motel and get some rest."

"Shen will expect us to head east, maybe try to get lost in a populated city since our scanning technology is limited," Sam agreed. "But Thor should be able to find us anywhere. We could head to a less populated area."

"That's the plan then," he crossed to the kitchen and started pulling his stash of MREs and pre-packaged meals from the cupboards and shoving them into an overnight bag.

"Sir, you need to take at least ten minutes for a shower and a change of clothes," Sam lightly touched his arm, drawing his attention. "It'll take me that long to pack up and brew some coffee, then we'll hit the road. Please."

Jack held her gaze for a few seconds. He was running on fumes and they both knew it. The last thing they needed was for him to lose his edge before they were safe. He assumed Hayes and Hammond wouldn't disclose their location, but that didn't mean the IOA wouldn't already be searching for them. Staying was too big of a risk now that Shen had accelerated the game. Closing his eyes, Jack shoved his fatigue aside and nodded. "Ten minutes," he agreed, leaving her to finish packing.

Stepping into the bathroom, he pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through the contacts finding one number he never thought he'd ever use. Hammond had insisted he keep it just in case, an order Jack was all too thankful for at the moment. Pressing the send button, he held the phone to his ear.

"What the hell do you want?" A sleep-filled voice growled through the ear piece.

"Carter's in trouble and we don't have much time," Jack said in a low voice. "I need you to shut up, listen, and do exactly as I say."