Hold On by Sherrill C Martin

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Story Notes: This is my answer to the "Jack's in trouble and Sam's going to help" challenge. I hope it doesn't frustrate anyone with the way I ended the story. Suffice it to say that we all know how the story eventually ends. Sit back and enjoy.

The plots, characters and symbols of Stargate SG-1 are the exclusive property of MGM/UA Productions, Showtime Entertainment and Gekko. This story is merely the musings of the author and is not intended as an infringement on the copy written materials expressed above. The following fiction is a figment of the author's imagination and is meant only for entertainment purposes and is not to be copied, or published in any form without the express written consent of the author.

The song: Hold On, by Sarah McLachlan is used without permission from Nettwerk, but if Sarah reads this story (like that's going to happen) and wants the song removed, the author will do so.

Comments are welcomed: bosco4@gte.net

Sam and Jack Challenge: Sam comforting an injured Jack

Archive: Sam and Jack Relationship & Helipolis, all others please ask.

Rated: PG-A (PG, for possible mild language, and A, for angst.)

Hold On By: Sherrill C. Martin

~Hold on. Hold on to yourself, for this is gonna hurt like hell.
Hold on. Hold on to yourself. You know that only time can tell.~

Sam sat on the floor of the cave holding her commanding officer's bloody head in her lap and found herself thinking about the song she'd heard just that morning on her way in to work. She had wondered what had happened in the songwriter's life that would lead to her having written such a song and now Sam was living it.

Moaning in pain, Jack tried to shift his body into a more comfortable position and Sam had to forcibly hold him down. She ground her teeth as she tried to keep Jack from disturbing the crude, wooden arrow that protruded from his chest. Blood seeped from around the arrow with each beat of Jack's heart and Sam was frightened that it had nicked an artery. Holding him down as best she could, Sam couldn't help but wonder how they had gotten into this situation.

Rehashing the morning's events brought her no closer to knowing why the seeming calm people of R23P754 had greeted SG-1 with offers of food and entertainment, then, when the sun had reached it's zenith, those same people had turned on them. Sam had gone over their arrival and subsequent attack a hundred times and was no closer to a viable solution than she had been when the first arrow landed in their midst.

Teal'c had taken the first arrow. He had ripped the wooden stick out of his shoulder and tossed it to the ground. Having turned to face his attackers he hadn't seen Jack and Sam flanking him with their weapons drawn. The villagers who, only moments earlier had been laughing and singing, were now quite dangerous.

Rocks and wooden spears had been brought out of hiding and tossed at their guests before Jack had ordered a hasty retreat. He had turned to grab an astonished Daniel and pushed him toward the rest of the team when Jack received the arrow to his chest. None of the others had seen that the colonel had been injured until Sam happened to look back over her shoulder and saw him stumble and fall.

"Teal'c!" She called to the Jaffa, all business despite her fear for Jack. "Colonel O'Neill's down. Grab him and let's put some distance between us and this village." Teal'c had quickly slung the colonel over his shoulder, inadvertently pushing the arrow deeper into the man's chest. Daniel was left to guard the rear flank with Teal'c staff weapon.

After several minutes Daniel realized that the villagers were no longer in pursuit and called out for Sam to stop so that they could assess the colonel's wounds. As soon as Teal'c laid the colonel gently on the ground it was apparent that Jack's wound was serious.

"We've got to find shelter," Daniel said quietly as Sam did a quick check of a laceration on Jack's forehead. "It'll be dark soon and I, for one, don't want to be out here in the open if our 'friends' decide to attack again."

Sam had quickly MacGyvered a stretcher using two sturdy saplings along with her jacket and Daniel's. With Teal'c and Daniel as the stretcher bearers, Sam took the lead and found a cave partially hidden by underbrush. She checked the cave out before allowing Daniel and Teal'c to bring Jack in. As soon as he was settled, Sam sent the other two out to secure the area and erase any evidence that they had come this way.

With a shaking hand she had checked Jack's wounds and dressed them as well as she could. Opting to leave the arrow alone, for now, Sam instinctively knew that the pressure of the wood could be the only thing keeping Jack from bleeding to death.

Now she sat holding Jack's head in her lap and reliving the nightmare they had unknowingly stumbled upon.

The air grew cooler as the sun began to set. Teal'c and Daniel had not returned, but Sam had made sure they knew that no overturned stone was to be left as a guide for another round of attacks, so she hadn't expected them back quickly.

Jack moaned again and Sam gently brushed a strand of hair off his forehead and left her fingers to linger there, the song once more playing in her mind. This time she sang the words quietly to him.

~What is it in me that refuses to believe this isn't easier than the real thing.
My love, you know that you're my best friend.
You know that I'd do anything for you
And my love, let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true.~

As she sang, Sam noticed that Jack's erratic heartbeat had slowed and he seemed to have calmed as if listening to her singing. She stroked his hair as she continued.

~Am I in Heaven here, or am I... At the crossroads I am standing.~

He appeared to be sleeping and Sam smiled through sudden tears that she refused to allow to fall.

~So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow and we will see another day
And we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile
Across your face.~

Sam was lulled into a false sense of security by Jack's seeming peacefulness. When Daniel and Teal'c finally came back, bearing their packs and firewood, Sam could actually smile at them. She even reassured them that Jack was no worse and that, with the morning light, they could leave this planet and mark it as one to be weary of in the future.

Building a small fire in the back of the cave so that it's light could not be seen from without, the team quickly ate cold M.R.E.'s and sipped water sparingly from their canteens.

"I'll take first watch, Teal'c," Sam informed the Jaffa, who merely nodded his head and immediately stretched out on the sandy floor of the cave and was soon asleep. Daniel soon joined him after making sure that Sam didn't need company.

Sitting beside Jack, her hand on his arm in order to maintain contact, Sam wasn't sure how long she'd been aware of a change in Jack's breathing. Shielding the beam from her flashlight in her hands she turned it on Jack's face and gasped audibly. Fever racked his body and he shook visibly from the chills that ran through him.

Covering him with her own thermal blanket, Sam bathed his face with the water from her canteen. Working over him for the next hour she had to finally call for Teal'c to keep watch because she couldn't keep Jack from pulling at the arrow and keep watch, too.

Exhausted by the time Jack's fever had broken, Sam slumped against the wall of the cave, her head on her drawn up knees. Oddly the song returned to her mind, though she attempted to shut it out. It was much to close to what was going on with Jack and she was sorry she'd ever thought about it. As if she had no control over her tired mind, Sam heard the song sighing through her as if on the wind.

~Oh God, if you're out there, won't you hear me.
I know we've never talked before
And, oh God the man I love is leaving
Won't you take him when he comes to your door.~

Sam felt an hysterical giggle bubble up and quickly swallowed it least she worry Teal'c any more than she must be doing now. Dragging a hand across her misty eyes, Sam buried her face in her hands and groaned softly.

~Am I in Heaven here, or am I in Hell... at the crossroads I am standing.~

She looked down at Jack lying at her feet and wondered if he would make it until the morning. They had planned to leave the cave at dawn and hopefully make it to the stargate before any of the villagers were up and about. It was a risky move, but one that had to be ventured if they were to get off the planet and get Jack the proper medical attention.

Jack was lying there so still that Sam moved quietly to check for a pulse. Her fear was slightly lifted when her fingers detected a pulse and a steady, but weak heartbeat. She looked over to the front of the cave and saw that Teal'c was watching her carefully.

"He's alive..." She left off the rest of the sentence, well aware that Teal'c knew what she was leaving out. She turned her eyes back to watch Jack as he slept.

~So, now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow and we will see another day,
And we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile
Across your face.~

~*~

They made it through the night without another attack by the villagers. Most importantly, however, Jack was still alive, though just barely. Putting their plan into action, Sam left Teal'c and Daniel to get the colonel to the stargate as she went ahead to make sure there would be no ambushes.

When Sam skirted the village, she was surprised to find that no one was moving about, yet. Waving Daniel and Teal'c toward the stargate, she stood in the gap between them and the village with her weapon drawn and ready to fire. To the team's utter dismay, not even the loud whoosh of the stargate employing awakened any villagers.

"Go!" Sam ordered when the Naquada settled over the stargate opening. She kept careful watch until her friends had safely disappeared, then she ran toward the gate herself. Feeling the familiar chill of the gate as she entered, Sam allowed herself to relax for the first time since yesterday morning.

By the time Sam reached the gateroom of the SGC, Dr. Frasier had Jack on a gurney and was examining the chest wound and the arrow protruding from it.

"Let's get this man to surgery!" She ordered as she gave Sam a quick glance to make sure her good friend was not injured. When Sam waved Dr. Frasier on, the woman left the gateroom on the run, her lab jacket flapping in the breeze behind her.

"Captain Carter, debriefing with SG-1 in ten," General Hammond said as soon as the gate had disengaged.

Sam nodded her head and left the gateroom to quickly check her weapons into the armory. She hoped to be able to check on Jack before the debriefing, but she hadn't counted on becoming one of Dr. Frasier's assistants.

As soon as she entered the infirmary Sam knew that Dr. Frasier was having problems with her patient. Racing into the operating room, Sam skidded to a stop at the sight of three nurses attempting to hold Jack down as Dr. Frasier worked at removing the arrow. Sam quickly scrubbed up and pulled sterile gloves on before she hurried over to add her help, holding Jack's left shoulder.

From her position beside Jack, Sam leaned to whisper in his ear, "Hold on. Hold on to yourself, for this is going to hurt like hell."

The End

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