Startling awake, Sam froze when hands landed on her forearm. Trying to push herself upright, she froze realizing her hands were tied again as they jerked back to each other, not down to the floor like she had intended. Her eyes went directly to the hands on her arm, Jack. His hands were tied together too. When did that happen? That last thing she remembered was Jack shoving both her and Rick into the wall before he stood in front of her. She remembered reaching out to grab at his pant leg but that's when everything went black.
"You're awake." Jack's voice was soft, she could feel his eyes trained on her. Shutting her own, she took in a shaky breath, holding it briefly before expelling it. Taking in what little comfort she could as she realized her side was pressed up against Jack's as they sat side by side on the floor in the living room. Both were settled against the far wall, giving them the advantage of being able to see all areas of the room. The kitchen, the front door, the hall to the bedroom and bathroom.
"How long was I out?" Her tongue was thick as she found her voice and blinked against the harsh already dimmed lights.
"Couple hours." Surprised blue eyes shot up to meet brown. "Yeah. Been at least two, maybe three. Haven't really been able to keep track of time. Plus, the batteries died in my clock months ago." A sheepish grin broke out on his face as he nodded towards the wall clock above the fireplace.
"Where-where are they?" Realizing the room was empty, given the two of them. Carl and Rick were nowhere to be seen.
"Big Bowie is taking a nap and Buffalo Bill stepped out to smoke." The smell of cigarettes filled her nostrils as it came in with the breeze through the shattered window to their right.
"I-I thought you called the cops?"
"Yep, so did I." She could hear the hesitation in his voice and frowned. "I never gave them an address. Told them we'd meet them halfway." Disappointment with himself laced his voice. "We didn't quite make it."
"They'll find us." They had to.
"How's the leg?" He was changing the subject.
"Nothing I can't manage." Avoiding his gaze, she eyed the injury and the small drops of blood dripping from the material of her leggings. Creating a small puddle of blood under her. Knowing full well he wasn't missing any of those details or the fact that if she moved her leg just right, the blood soaked into her leggings was leaving small smears of blood across the floor.
"That's not what I asked."
Peering over at him, she gave him a tight smile. "I'm fine." Trying to reassure him she was okay, although it still hurt like hell. Everything did. Her head was still throbbing. The nausea was coming back. Her wrists were bleeding again from the irritation of the new rope being wrapped tightly around the tears in her skin already there. Her knee was throbbing from the rock she hit it on hours ago. Who was she kidding? Her entire body was a flaming pain stick.
"Carter." She felt a nudge to her shoulder, but she chose to ignore it. She needed to concentrate on keeping herself upright and awake. "Sam." His voice was soft and tender, drawing her in.
"Hmm?" Again, her eyes felt droopy. After just losing consciousness for a few hours, she could hardly fathom her body trying to shut down on her so soon.
"Get some more rest." Immediately her brows knit together in a frown, and she shook her head. "Sleep is supposed to help concussions and I'll bet you a million bucks you have at least two."
"Jack-"
"Carter, we have nowhere to go. Buffalo Bill is going to be coming back in here any second. Who knows when Bowie is going to come out of hibernation back there? By the way, I'm burning that mattress once all this is over." Unable to stop the chuckle rising in the back of her throat she buried her face in his shoulder. "What'd I say about giggling?" That only seemed to trigger her more. A few more laughs escaped before she was able to reel it back in, biting the bottom of her lip out of habit. Cringing as her teeth scraped the cut in the corner of her lip.
Feeling his shoulder rise and fall with the heavy breath he took in, she looked up at him. "We're going to get out of here. And when we do, we're starting our vacation over again. On a remote planet. Beaches for miles. No aliens. No hillbillies. And beer. Lots of beer."
Resting her temple against his shoulder, she took in a shaky breath of her own. "That sounds nice."
"It will be." When the tears had pooled in her lower eyelids, she wasn't sure, but it surprised her when one trickled down her cheek as she felt him press his nose into her hair.
Heavy footsteps threw her back into reality as she sat up abruptly. The room spun two or three times, before she found Carl smirking at them from across the room. "Well look who decided to wake up again." Slowly, he sauntered towards the two of them.
"Why don't you just let us go before the cops get here? Or even better yet, you leave, we'll stay, and we won't tell the cops anything." Jack spoke up next to her.
"Hate to disappoint you fine folk, but the cops aren't comin." Sam could practically smell the sweat on Carl as he crouched in front of them. "It's just us." A smile broke out among his crooked teeth. Sam froze as his left hand reached out to wipe away a streak of blood that must have come from her lip when she accidentally bit it just seconds ago. She could only frown out of disgust as he licked the blood off his finger. "Maybe I should let Rick know you're awake, sweet cheeks. He's been getting quite a temper being awfully impatient."
"Why don't you just kill us already?" Sam spat out ignoring his comments.
A sick laugh came from Carl. "What's the fun of the kill without some foreplay?" And before either she or Jack realized what was happening, Carl had grabbed the rope between her ankles and yanked her towards him. The entire time he'd been just out of reach just in front of them.
Her back and shoulders hit the floor, the back of her head skimming the wall before that also hit the floor. "Let her go!" Jack was shuffling around next to her trying to get up onto his knees and shoot forward at Carl. Between the rope around their wrists and ankles though, it was making that goal harder to do. At least not as quickly as he could have done without being restrained.
One of Carl's cold hands grabbed at the waist band of her leggings, tugging at them. His eyes grew wide with excitement as her skin below peeked out along with her underwear. His other hand immediately started for the other hip to grab more of the stretchy material. Swiftly she brought her feet up and kicked him in the chest.
"Oh fuck off Carl!" Rick's voice started all of them. None of them had realized he was in the room. Carl's hands were immediately gone as Rick jerked him back further than what her kick had pushed him to. Leaning to the side, Sam started pushing herself back up but before she got anywhere a hand was coming across her face knocking her back down. "You're quite the spitfire you know that sweetheart?" Rick glared down at her. His hand now fisted at his side, her cheek throbbing. "If you keep this up, we might just have to skip straight to the fire pit. And don't get me wrong, I like a good hard challenge. But no bitch is worth this much of a hassle."
"Come on Rick, let's just fuck her and get it over with. He can watch. And then we'll kill him, let her watch. And then get rid of both of 'em." Carl shouted as he climbed back up to his feet.
"You know that's not a bad idea." Rick smirked at the two of them. Sam could feel her stomach climbing up her throat. "But she's mine and don't you forget that. You had the last bitch. Now why don't you use that leftover rope and get the bedroom set up? Huh?"
"Yeah, sure. Of course." And then Carl was gone, heading straight to the bedroom after grabbing the rope off the counter.
"Now, why don't we all sit down and have a late lunch? I'm gettin a little hungry." Making himself welcome in the kitchen, Rick started going through cupboards and the fridge, similarly to Carl a few hours prior. Except he wasn't to the point of shoving his face in the actual fridge and eating with his hands. Instead, he pulled out a packet of sliced turkey, cheese, mayo, and lettuce. Setting it all on the countertop.
"You know, Carl means well. He really does. He's just a little…" Opening a few cupboards, he finally found the one with bread in it. "Unstable."
"Ya don't say." Jack rolled his eyes as Rick dropped the bread on the counter next to the other food.
"But somebody's gotta look out for the little bastard. Plus, he's a fun guy." And there he went, going about his own business making four sandwiches.
With Jack's help, Sam found herself back upright again. Grabbing his arm, she pulled his hands into her lap. His eyes met hers just enough to see that she had shot her own eyes towards Rick and the short hall. Fingers crossed she understood what he meant without saying it out loud. Keep watch. And then her nimble fingers were going to work on the rope around his wrists. It was tight, tighter than she had expected. She needed to find a loose spot. Bringing his hands up to her face, she used her teeth to find a sensitive spot in the rope that she could start wiggling loose.
Finally, she felt the material give just a little. Pulling her head back, she went back to using her fingers. But just as she managed to grab the looser strand, Jack was pulling his hands away from her. "Time for some grub!" Rick smiled brightly at them both as he came out of the kitchen, pulling the knife from his hip.
Sam eyed the sharp object closely as he sliced it through the rope at her ankles. "Ladies first." He smirked before pulling her up to her feet. His fingers were digging into the skin under her bicep as he pulled her towards Jack's small table. "Carl! Come eat!" And then he was shoving her down into one of the chairs. Both hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her.
"We eatin?" Carl happily trotted out of the bedroom. Almost with giddy.
"Just after you get our friend over there to the table to join us." His fingers flexed into her muscles, as if trying to massage the area only causing her to tense up. This was anything but a massage.
Carl made quick work of Jack's rope around his ankles with his own pocketknife he pulled from his jeans. Although, as soon as Carl had him up, he punched Jack in the side of the ribs. Sam swore she heard a crack from across the room. "Now don't be doin anything funny." Carl teased as he drug him towards the table, tossing him into one of the empty chairs. Jack was coughing uncomfortably as he tried to sit up in the chair, his hand cradling his ribs.
"Alright everybody, eat up. I want everyone to have some energy before we get the fun really goin." Rick squeezed her shoulders one last time before he walked over to the counters, leaning back against them before he took a large bite out of his own sandwich.
Carl plopped down between herself and Jack as he too started in on his sandwich. Sam couldn't help but feel the urge to throw up just looking at the sandwich in front of her and Jack was still trying to recoup from the punch. Was this supposed to be some sort of sick last meal for them?
-x-x-x-
Everything felt like lead. His head, his arms, his legs. Every inch of his body. The side of his face was pressed against a flat surface, but he could tell he was sitting upright. Unable to lift his head, he blinked heavily trying to get his eyelids that weighed 57 pounds to open. Everything was blurry at first, so he continued blinking and rolling his eyes urging them to focus.
Something white started spotting before him. The fridge. Realizing he was still in the kitchen, he groaned. Drugged. Rick put something in the sandwiches or the water. Unsure of which, he had taken at least two decent bites of the sandwich and drank the whole glass of water offered. Carter had also taken a bite or two of her own sandwich, and all of her water. Fuck. The water.
Laughter filled the room making Jack frown. Carter. He was still at the table, but she wasn't. The laughter was coming from Carl and the tv playing across the room. But where were Carter and Rick? Pushing through the grogginess and weight on his neck, Jack managed to pull his head up. Although his upper chest still rested against the edge of the table, he could feel himself coming out of this drugged haze. He even managed to shuffle his foot forward a little. No rope. That was a positive.
Bringing his tied wrists up, he pushed back from the table. The room spun viciously. He could just make out Carl's figure from behind as he sat hunched forward on the couch, drinking a beer. Whatever he was watching on the tv had his full attention as he continued laughing keeping his eyes on the screen.
Testing his weight on his feet, Jack placed his hands on the tabletop and started pushing himself up. He felt his knees jerk briefly. Catching his weight, he gave himself a few seconds to gather his wits. Eying the kitchen, he looked directly at the drawer that had the knives in it. But that would be too loud, everything would clatter when he pulled the drawer open. Looks like this was a hands-on project.
Standing fully upright, Jack silently crossed the room to Carl. Eying the hall, he realized the bedroom door was shut and the bathroom door was halfway shut. Not a chance in hell. Anger bubbled inside of him. Carter and Rick weren't in the living room, nor was Carter on the floor where they had been previously. The bathroom light was off. They had to be in the bedroom.
Without a second thought, Jack threw his hands over Carl's face. His hands grabbed the other man's cheeks. His thumbs going up Carl's face near his ears, pointer and middle fingers spanning across his lower jaw, while his last two digits on each hand went under his jawline tightly. This was it. No turning back. Not giving Carl a time in the world, Jack twisted his hands sharply, a sickening crack echoed in the room.
A muffled voice caught his attention, and he pulled his hands back from Carl's head letting the man drop to the sofa before he rolled to the floor. Rick. Rushing around the couch, Jack shoved Carl over onto his back. Pushing his fingers into his front pocket where he had saw him stash the pocketknife earlier. Feeling the cool metal under his fingertips, he pulled it out. Releasing the knife, he shoved the small hilt in his mouth gripping it tightly with his teeth.
Using that as leverage, he started sawing the rope away at his wrists. Pulling his wrists apart at the same time, he grunted when the material snapped. Pulling the knife out from between his teeth, he tried running to the bedroom door. Bouncing off the wall as he turned too late, his vision still not one hundred percent.
"Sssstop, n-o! P-please!" Carter.
Throwing himself into the door, the doorframe shattered as it flew open and bounced harshly against the wall. Red. That was all he saw before him. Carter lay on the mattress, her running shoes and leggings gone. The short sleeve of her shirt torn around the side of the neckline. Her tied hands were up, pushing against Rick's chest as he leered over her. His belt undone, zipper down. Large fat hands gripped one of Carter's knees, her left knee of course, to immobilize her even more. Using her wound against her. His other hand pulling at the cotton underwear still in place.
"Of-ge-off." Jack could hear the slur in her words as she tried fighting Rick. She was still drugged.
"What the hell!" Rick's hands immediately went for the shotgun next to the bed. Charging across the room, Jack tackled Rick to the floor. Raining fists down on the larger man's face, Jack was relentless. Using the small pocketknife, he stabbed him in the side. Just as he pulled back to punch him again, he didn't see the fist coming for him this time. His body jolted backwards as he was knocked off of Rick.
Pushing himself upright to get back up, Jack saw Carter curled up in the middle of the mattress in his peripheral vision. What he hadn't realized, Rick had the shotgun in his hands, pointing it directly at him.
"God damn! You two. I gotta hand it to you both! You just don't give up do ya?" And then he was bringing the butt of the shotgun down on his head. Falling backwards, Jack ignored the blinding pain and put his hands under him again to rise. "You two are just killin all the damn fun! If it's not the hussy over here causing problems, it's you old man! And I think I've had enough." Rick cocked the shotgun in his hands. A sick smirk on his face as he aimed it towards him.
"N-!" Jack couldn't get a word out before the shotgun went off, a ringing sounded in his ears as his vision blurred. His head slammed back into the carpet. Flames shot through his shoulder down his arm, across his chest. Rick had shot him. Point blank shot him. Right in the shoulder.
"Goodnight." Rick stood over him, his silhouette going fuzzy the longer he stood there. This wasn't good.
-x-x-x-
Voices were muffled and then there was a shot. Her ears rang from the close proximity of the gun. Her entire body was engulfed by the pain and whatever drug the men had given her. The soft mattress under her was anything but, as pain shot through her from head to toe. A deep voice was speaking to her, a hand wiping across her forehead, pushing her hair out of her face. Cringing away from the touch, Sam brought her tied hands up to her face to cover herself from any more potential touches. She could hear the voice chuckling before it was replaced with a dragging noise in the room.
An outraged cry broke through her drug-induced haze from the other room. And before she knew what was happening, two large hands were grabbing her arms and yanking her upright. Her entire body slid upright across the mattress and sheets before she found nothing below her. Her knees hit the carpeted floor, but she was still moving. Now only by a single hand under her bicep and one that had curled into the back of her hair yanking her head up. Her legs were practically dragging behind her, her left unable to keep her upright, and her right unable to keep up with Rick.
"You see that! Your damn friend decided to kill my buddy!" He angled her head in the direction of a body on the floor. But her eyes wouldn't focus enough to be able to tell who it was, even though she was more than aware that it was Carl. Why else would Rick be this furious? "Guess it's time to turn up the heat for you two." And then he shoved her to the floor. A swift kick was brought into her ribs. She felt a crack and was immediately wheezing trying to catch her breath.
Ricks heavy footsteps made her head vibrate against the floor as he walked out the front door, slamming it behind him. Curling in on herself, she concentrated on catching her breath. She was sure none of her ribs were broken, but there was no way at least one if not two weren't cracked at this point. The kick only enhanced her pain to a thirteen from the raging ten it was already maxing out at. Her throat was seizing up on her as she started to slow her sharp breaths down. She had to calm herself and get her breathing back under control.
Jack. Where was Jack? Was he still alive? Rick had to have shot him if it wasn't Carl. Oh god. Rick shot him. Whimpering, she turned her head up to look around the room and found Jack a few feet away laying on his back in the kitchen. Dragging. That had been the dragging noise in the bedroom. Rick dragging Jack out.
"J-Jack." Choking out his name, she reached a hand out before her as she started pulling herself in his direction. Her sock covered feet not doing a lot to help push her along as they slid against the wood below her. "Jack." She tried again. He had to be alive.
Pulling her body along, she was frantic as her hands landed on his arm closest to her. She couldn't tell if his chest was rising and falling, or not. Blood was pooling under his left shoulder. Staining the pullover, a brownish color as the red blood mixed with the dark green. "Jack, wake up." Pressing her fingers against his throat, she held her breath as she waited what felt like an entire minute for his heartbeat to thump back. It was faint. But it was there.
"Come on. I need you to wake up." Shaking his shoulder, she knew there was no way she was going to get him out of here by herself. Everything was still fuzzy for her; she couldn't even get on her hands and knees to crawl to him properly let alone stand up and pull him out of the cabin while Rick was gone.
"C-Carter?" A cough came out with her name.
Relief filled her. "Here, I'm here." Dropping her head down onto his arm, she closed her eyes. Pushing the nausea away as the room spun again.
"'Kay?"
Scoffing she shook her head. Of course, he wants to know if I'm okay. "Could be-could be better. But I'm fine." Lifting her head, she found his eyes half lidded. Trying. "We, we have to go. Have to leave."
"Yup, right-right behind ya." And then his eyes were closing again.
"Jack-Jack no. Stay awake." Shaking his arm, she found the cool boards of the wood soothing to her forehead as she felt herself sinking.
"Well ain't this cute, saying our last goodbyes are we?" Rick. Groaning to herself, Sam didn't move. She didn't have the energy to fight him as tears filled her vision.
They weren't getting out of this. Not now. They were stuck. Both of them injured, both of them drugged. She the worst. It had to of been in their food or water, which Jack had partaken in each way before she caved on either. A few tears crawled down the bridge of her nose before dropping straight down onto the floor where her forehead was still pressed against. She couldn't fight him anymore.
"Let's go for a ride." Hands pulled her up. She felt her feet rise off the ground and his shoulder digging into her waist and stomach as he draped her in place. With weighed down fists, she tried hitting his back and ramming her good knee into his stomach and chest. But all of her moves were sluggish and limp. More tears started coursing down her face as realization set in. Her odds of helping herself or even Jack for that matter were getting more bleak as this morning and afternoon passed.
Warm metal met the back of her legs and arms, her head crashing back to thud against it as Rick tossed her down shortly after picking her up. Turning her head to the side, she found herself in the back of the truck she had seen Rick and Carl pull the woman out of earlier this morning. Panic set in as she tried to focus on the sun above her. And so did the black dots in her vision. Along with the ringing in her ears.
The truck bounced a little as Rick threw Jack in beside her before he put the tailgate back up in place. Reaching over with both restrained hands, hardly able to see, Sam felt Jack's arm beneath her fingertips. Sliding her hand down his arm until she found his wrist, she placed her pointer and middle fingertips against the inside of his wrist. Looking for the heartbeat there. But finding it was another story. Between Rick getting in the truck behind the driver's seat and making it bounce again to the roar of the engine as it shook the entire bed of the truck, and the way it bounced down the gravel, she was having more than a hard time finding it.
Trees and bushes scraped against the side of the truck; a few leaves fell on her as they drove through a tight squeeze. Her breath caught in her throat. A few bumps rocked the entire truck as she and Jack were tossed around in the back. And suddenly they were both jolted to a halt.
"Hope you don't mind some heat." Rick peered over her from the side of the truck, tapping his hands against the edge. He pulled a few things out of the front seat and disappeared for a short minute. A minute not long enough as the tailgate dropped again, and she was being pulled out by the ankle.
Finding a burst of energy, and control, she swung her foot at him. Only to have him catch her ankle and pull her harshly. A cry escaped her lips before she could mute it. Rick's pace was fast and jerky as he pulled her along with him, her feet tripping over themselves. Keeping her head down to concentrate on one foot after the other, she didn't have the ability to keep track of where he was leading her towards. Until she found herself being pushed forward and tumbling down into a pit. With a mouthful of dirt and burnt ash, she pushed herself upright. Sucking in a sharp breath, Sam struggled to crawl backwards, away from the skull facing her. He had shoved her into the burn pit.
Something, or rather someone tumbling in behind her, pulled her focus away from the skulls and bones in front of her. Turning sharply, she found Jack's limp form coming straight for her. Crawling over to him, she felt the mixture of the mud, dirt, and ashes sticking to her bare legs as she cleared the distance. Reaching for him, she put her hands on his face, jostling it side to side to try and rouse him. "Jack, Jack wake up. Come on." She could see his eyes rolling under his flickering eyelids.
"You know, it's a damn shame we didn't get our fun. But like I said, no bitch is worth the trouble you two cause." Hearing a splashing noise, Sam looked up to see Rick throwing gasoline in the pit with them. Her heart clenched tight as she moved herself to sit behind Jack. Pushing him up in front of her, she put her arms over his head, and under his armpits. Holding her restrained hands against his chest tightly. "Burn in hell." She heard the score of a match and looked up in time to see him flick the lit sliver of wood towards them.
Curling into Jack's back as she pulled him back against her, her entire body felt the heat as the pile of branches, old torn clothes of other victims, and still deteriorating bodies lit up. "No. No." Digging her right heel into the dirt and burnt mixture below her she scooted herself back and into the rise of the pits edge. "Jack please! Wake up!" Sweat beads were forming on her forehead as the flames covered everything the gasoline had touched and was now slowly spreading through the surrounding area. Coming in their direction.
Jack's body was dead weight in her arms as she continued scooting up the edge of the pit, crying out as she slid down a few times before digging her right heel back in to stop their descent. She would find herself using her left leg out of habit and biting back a scream as it shot sharp shooting pains straight up to past her wound to her hip. "Jack! Wake up!" Her voice was getting tight as the smoke started attacking her lungs. Her eyes watered from a combination of the smoke and fear. Flames were licking at the soles of Jack's boots. "Jack!" Screaming his name this time, a cry choked out of her vocal cords as something in the flames popped towards them.
"Huh? Wha-Carter?" His entire body sprang in her arms yanking her forward. Unfortunately sliding them down a few paces, the unstable edges giving beneath them.
"No!" Crying out, she pulled back. Finding them coming to a stuttering halt as his own hands and feet dug into the loose dirt.
"What-ah-god my shoulder. What the hell happened? What's? Are we-?" His right hand reached up for hers tied together at his chest, squeezing tightly.
"Less talking, more climbing." She ground out scooting back and pulling him with her. His own foot trying to find the same rhythm in the dirt to push back.
"Carter, Carter stop. Ah god!" His shoulder. She hadn't even thought about the pressure and pain she was inflicting and putting on his gunshot wound in his shoulder as she pulled on him. "Arms-arms up. Let me go."
"Si-Jack!" Confused by his demand, she stared at him like he was crazy.
"Trust me. Come on, arms up." Hesitantly she pulled her arms up and over him, pulling them back to herself. "Alright, better. Turn around. I'm right behind you." His hand on her bare knee had her encouraged to turn and start scuffling up only to find herself sliding back down into him. Everything was still a little rocky and shaky, and after pulling him halfway up the edge still fighting through the drugs, she was finding herself physically spent.
Sweat covered her body as the heat increased, the flames licking at their heels. Breathing was getting harder and harder to do. Jumping as a forearm wrapped around her middle, Sam glanced over to find Jack wrapping his bad arm around her, tucking her body close to his. He didn't say a word as he used his good arm to gain leverage in the dirt. Digging his fingers in to find a good purchase before his feet followed pushing him upright.
Using her own hands to do the same to her own extent, she relied more on her right foot to push her forward as they got closer to the top. The grass under her fingertips startled her. Her head shot up and she found herself face to face with the even earth. Jack tight at her side as she started pulling herself up. As soon as her elbows were on solid ground, she started pushing with her feet to get the rest of her body up and over. She should have been surprised, jumped even, when Jack's weak hand landed on the back of her bare upper thigh. But she didn't. Instead, she found herself gasping for the little difference in fresh air as he pushed her up and over the edge.
Landing on her side, she could only watch as he pulled himself up and over the edge as well. Crawling straight for her. Meeting him on his way over and her way up, she pushed herself into him as he threw his good arm around her, cradling his bad arm against his chest. He was sitting back on his haunches before her as she sat on her hip, legs strewn beside her as she buried her face in his chest, clutching his sleeve with her hands. A sob caught in her throat as he shuffled them away from the flaming pit.
"Well I'll be damned. I underestimated you again it seems." Rick. Freezing in Jack's arms, she peered up from Jack's chest to find him pointing the shotgun at the both of them. Silent errant tears streaked her cheeks, sweat trails trickled from both her and Jack's hairlines through the dirt and soot that stained their faces. "You both really got me thinking I should keep you around a little longer. Resilient little bast-"
The scream was tearing its way up and out of her throat before she even registered it had come from her when the release of a shot going off hit her ears. Pressing her face back into Jack's chest, she found herself being pushed down into the grass and his own heavy body landing on her shortly after. One of his legs slipped between hers as he tried wrapping himself around her. He tucked his own face into the top of her head as he held her close.
Her heart was in her throat, her hands searching when the silence met her ears. "Ja-are you-Jack-" Bringing her hands up to his head she pushed his face up as she brought her own up. Brown eyes met blue. Live brown eyes. "Oh thank god." She let out a shaky breath as her face crumbled. "I thought-I thought-"
"Yeah, me too." His good hand came up to wipe at another tear that escaped but more continued to follow consistently. Without conscious thought, she turned her face into the palm of his hand. His touch sending a spark all the way down to her toes. Finding her face being turned back to him, his forehead pressed against her as he nuzzled her nose with his own. "I see Daniel and Teal'c finally made it." Her lips quirked into a brief smile before falling back into place. "No more running. Alright?" His brown depths opened with a haze to look down into her blue gaze.
Nodding in agreement with a tight smile in place, a broken "'Kay" came out as she tried to stop the straggling tears. A soft whimper escaped from her throat as his lips pressed against her temple. A kiss she wished had landed on her lips as the full dam broke, the irregular tears turning into a full-on food flowing down past the corners of her eyes into her hairline. She felt his body weight lift off of hers as he sat up, pulling her up with him and into his arms. His bad arm lightly draped across her back while his good hand buried in the back of her head. Keeping her tight against him.
"Jack! Sam!" Daniel's voice broke through her crying. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of everyone. Crying in front of Jack was enough in itself, let alone Daniel, Teal'c, and everyone that came along with the sirens now registering in her ears. Oh god. To top it off she didn't have any pants on. All she donned was her sports bra and torn shirt from running this morning and her socks and underwear. She could only imagine what she looked like dressed as such, along with all the dirt, blood, and soot that covered her in their own layers.
"Guys." She felt Jack nod in their direction. Yet she couldn't find the courage to look up at them. "See the calvary is here."
"Yeah, we got to the hospital, and they said you never showed up to meet them, they had finally found your place with some research…and now here we all are." Sam could hear the concern lacing his voice. "I'd ask if you're okay, but I see neither of you are. The ambulance is just over there, we should probably get you two up and taken care of." She didn't have to look up to feel or hear that Daniel was crouching next to them. "Sam?" His hand was light on her back, although it still made her jump. "I'm going to take the rope off your wrists, okay?" Daniel's voice was calm, reassuring. Soothing even.
Without a second thought, she let go of Jack and moved her hands over so Daniel could access the rope tying her wrists together. Not having a knife, Sam could feel Daniel's fingers moving across the rope and her raw skin as he untied the material out of the knot it was in. As soon as the material fell from her wrists, she found herself latching onto one of Daniel's hands with one hand and the other going back to bury itself in Jack's pullover.
"Thank you." Lifting her head slightly, she rested it against Jack's chest as she looked over at Daniel, the words scratchy in her throat. Pure worry and concern littered his features as he squeezed her hand.
"Teal'c." She felt Jack nod again and before she could look up at the big man or see him coming, she was being lifted into the air. Her entire body went tense, a cry of pain came out from all the jostled injuries. Not even sure anymore which one was causing the most pain.
"I am sorry Samantha Carter." Teal'c spoke softly, regretfully as he held her in his arms. Placing her arms around his neck, she smiled at him softly.
"S'okay." Laying her head against his shoulder, she could hear Jack mumbling out curses behind her as Daniel was left to help him get to the ambulance. "Happy to see you." The edges of her vision were blurring.
"As am I, you. I am grateful to find both you and O'Neill alive." Teal'cs voice started fading off in the distance as she found herself losing to the darkness.
END CHAPTER 4