Somewhere - 1998

Lying on his side, Jack had spent the last two hours watching her sleep. She looked so beautiful, her face relaxed and peaceful. With the tip of his finger, he traced the bridge of her nose and outlined her lips with such a light touch that she pursed them, reacting to the tickling sensation.

His finger continued down her chin, along her neck, and deviated to follow her collarbone. A smile played on his lips as her skin responded with goosebumps. Slowly, he leaned toward her, and his lips followed the path of his finger, reversing the course until they reached Sam's lips, which he kissed passionately.

"Jack," she moaned softly against his lips, snuggling closer to him.

"Mhmh?" he responded, rubbing his scruffy beard against her cheek as he covered her body with his own.

The warm wind blew through the white linen curtains, and he breathed in her scent, burying his face in her neck as she parted her thighs to welcome him. Jack couldn't hold back the moan of pleasure that escaped him as he sank into her. Sam's body seemed made for his, or maybe his body was made for hers—he wasn't quite sure.

Kissing her with passion, he took a deep breath, slowing his movements as his gaze locked with hers. "I love you so much," he murmured against her lips.

"I love you," she whispered as she climaxed, her nails digging into his back, the pain making him feel more alive than ever.

A very different kind of pain startled Jack awake, and he couldn't suppress the cough that worsened the sensation.

"Carter," he called softly, making the woman in question, who was lying on top of him, lift her head.

"As much as I might otherwise think this is nice," he whispered, his breath labored.

"Shh," Sam cut him off. "Try to sleep."

"Is that what we're doing?" he asked, frowning, still feeling the softness of her skin imprinted on his fingertips. He groaned, realizing where he was, far from the Maldives hotel room in his dream.

Sam rolled her eyes. "You're exhausted. You passed out," she snuggled gently against him. "I thought we had to combine body heat or we wouldn't make it through the night," she finally explained.

"That's fine," Jack sighed. "It's just very hard to sleep… with broken ribs when someone's lying on you."

"Sorry," Sam murmured, shifting to lie next to him. She nestled closer against his side, wrapping one arm around him and burying her face against him.

"That's better," Jack whispered, breathing a bit easier.

"We'll sleep for a few hours. Then I'll fix the DHD," she explained, not moving.

"Okay," he sighed. "Good night." He closed his eyes, trying to return to his dream, though his body was alert, feeling Sam pressed up against him.

"Hmm," Sam coughed lightly, feeling his erection pressing against her thigh. "Colonel?"

"It's my sidearm, I swear," he mumbled.

Sam stifled a giggle. She knew his body like the back of her hand and was fully aware it was a lie.

"No giggling," he reprimanded. "Please."

She lifted her head slowly, observing him. "If we don't make it…" she paused for a moment. "I won't have any regrets." She wanted him to know that despite the chaos of their relationship, she wouldn't change a thing. After a pause, she asked, "You?"

"I'd regret…" he began, "dying." He stopped before he could voice the rest of his thoughts, 'before seeing you wear that ring, bare my name, and maybe bear our children.'

Sam stayed silent, letting sleep take her as she rested against him. In the early morning, she quietly slipped from his embrace and went to work on the DHD.

Hours later, she threw her knife in frustration and yelled into the cavern. "God, why won't you work?!"

Jack woke at that moment, groaning as he turned toward the noise. "Carter," he murmured through their radios, too weak to speak loudly.

"Colonel?" Sam asked immediately, rushing over, twisting her ankle in her haste. "Sir?" she breathed as she reached him.

"I'm usually the first one up," he murmured.

Sam held back tears. "You're bleeding internally. I don't know how badly," she took a deep breath. "Your broken leg may already be frostbitten. I can't tell." She turned her head to hide the tear that slipped down her cheek. "I'm going to try warming it with the last of our cooking fuel, but that's about it."

Jack breathed slowly, trying to limit the pain. "What's the bad news?"

Sam gave a nervous laugh—of course, he would try to downplay the situation.

"Help me up," Jack suddenly asked.

"No," she immediately responded. "You need to heal. That's an order," she murmured.

"I give the orders around here," Jack replied, frowning. He felt weak and knew she was right.

Sam gave him a small smile. "Not doctor's orders." She turned to grab the pot from the stove. "I want you to drink as much of this as you can," she said, bringing it to his mouth. "Once that fuel runs out, we won't be able to thaw anything else."

She watched Jack and sighed. "We should've gotten you out of here by now. I'm sorry."

Jack suddenly stopped his usual banter. "You will," he paused, seeing her worried expression. "You will," he repeated, thinking of the little girl waiting for her mother's return.

Sam shed another tear. "I've been working on the control panel for 12 hours," she explained. "It just… I don't know why it won't work." Her voice cracked. "It should work," she sighed. "I'm missing something."

"Sam?" Jack whispered.

"Yes, sir?"

"It's time to go to plan B," he said softly.

"What would plan B be?" she asked, uncertain.

"You…" Jack breathed deeply, knowing he was done for. "You take the rest of the supplies and climb out of here. Head toward the light."

Sam frowned. "If I can't get that Stargate to work… We will both go."

"Right," Jack sighed. "I'll race you." He took another slow breath. "All right, Captain. Make it work."

Nodding, Sam sniffled. "Yes, sir."

She threw herself back into the work, hoping to get Jack home. After an hour, she stepped back. "The energy converters are intact," she thought out loud. "Oh God. Reset." She slapped her forehead. "Reset! Why didn't I think?" She turned to Jack. "Colonel! I'm going to interrupt the power and reset it all."

But when nothing happened except an earthquake, Sam slumped against the DHD. With a sigh, she returned to Jack, who seemed on the verge of collapse.

"I guess it didn't work," he whispered, clearly in pain.

"I'm sorry," Sam whispered back.

Jack shook his head. "Not your fault."

Sam's voice broke as she analyzed the situation once more. "I don't understand why it won't work."

"Captain…" Jack breathed. "Plan B."

Sam froze. "No, sir."

"Sam…" he tried again. "I'm dying." He paused. "Follow my order." Another pause, this time a soft whisper. "Please."

"Jack…" she murmured.

"Please," he repeated, louder this time.

Nodding, Sam wiped her tears. "Yes, sir." She placed the radio in Jack's fingers, taking a deep breath.

As she stood to leave, Jack held onto her fingers for a moment. Sam looked at him as he spoke slowly, each word deliberate. "Left inside pocket. It's yours."

Frowning, she gently searched his jacket and pulled out a key, tucking it into her backpack without asking questions. She stood up and began to climb the ice wall. After several minutes, she paused to check in. "Colonel, I can't see the surface yet. It just keeps going up."

Jack grabbed his radio. "Sam…"

"Yes, sir."

"It was an honor…" he breathed slowly, "serving with you."

Sam froze. This wasn't the farewell they were supposed to have. "Yes, sir," was all she could manage before continuing. Determined, she clawed her way toward the surface, letting her tears fall. She had to find a way to save him—it couldn't end like this.

As she neared the top, she paused to speak into the radio. "Colonel. I'm almost there. I'm going to try to bring back help, sir. Hold that thought." She threw her backpack out of the cavity and climbed out after it. But when she stood, all she saw was snow and emptiness.

Without wasting time, she grabbed her backpack and hurried back to Jack. "Colonel?" she called into the radio. "It's an ice planet." She sighed. "That's all there is, as far as the eye can see." She paused. "No chance."

Hearing no response, she hurried to Jack's side, tripping and falling next to him. "Colonel?" she called again, crawling to him to nestle against him.

"Sam…" he murmured softly, as if in a final breath.

Burying her face in his neck, Sam kissed his jawline. "I'm here, Jack," she whispered, sobbing.

"I lo…" he began.

"Don't you dare," she stopped him. "It's all right," she replied instead. "You can sleep now." She snuggled closer to him and took a deep breath. "It was an honor serving with you too, Colonel," she added, closing her eyes. She was ready to let herself die by his side. By her calculations, if she didn't cover herself with the survival blanket and fell asleep now, it should only take a few hours. Maybe she would even have the chance to die in her sleep. But as she drifted into unconsciousness, clutching her backpack, she heard a radio transmission that didn't seem to be a figment of her imagination.

"McMurdo, this is Rescue Team Charlie. We've found them. Over."