The 7th Shavron locked and the Naqada lunged forward trying to escape it's prison from the stargate. Colonel Jack O'Neill stood proudly with his team at the bottom of the grate that led to their fate. There wasn't a day that didn't go by, that each and every one of them thanked God for this pleasure they where about to experience. Jack marvelled at the site before him, a surge of emotions that remained hidden under his thick flesh, reminded him just how lucky he was.
"SG-1, you are right to go." Genral Hammond intercomed from the room above them. Jack snapped out of his thoughts and led his team up the grate. He turned to Major Samantha Carter, and threw her a smile.
"After you Major." He insisted, extending his arm as a indication for her to go first. He wasn't at all surprised when she shot him a questioning look and reluctantly stepped through. Her body dissolved into the pit of the stargate, leaving the 3 men standing on the gate, preparing their bodies for the ride.
Jack caught the look that Daniel Jackson sent him. The young archeolgist's face held amusement at Jack's unusal chivarly. But Jack brushed it off before he could say anything. "I wanted her to clear the cobwebs for me." He protested defending himself from Daniel's probing eyes.
Daniel looked at him thoroughly then winked at him. "I thought as much" He stepped through leaving Jack to curse and pull a unemotional Teal'c behind him. Teal'c didn't object to Jack's insistancy to pull him through, but shot him a confused look, before they dissolved.
Jack landed with a splash as he was depostied from the gate. He took a couple of moments to get his mind and body back togther and re-adjust from the hellish roller coaster. He shook his muddled head and scanned the surrounding area.
For once he was greeted by water instead of the usual lush forest land, or a god forsaken desert. But as he looked on further he realised it was yet another desert. Except instead of the ever rolling carpet of sand, it was replaced by the lapping of the sea at his feet. There was nothing ahead nor behind him, as the water stretched out for miles on end. The only thing relatively visable was the stargate they stood on. But even that was boping around like a cork in a sink.
"Jack, I can't find Sam." Daniel's voice broke his next chain of thought. He stared at the man to see if he was kidding him. As usual the young man's face was a face of fear. Jack's blood pressure surged and his he felt fear creep into his brain. Jack turned ever so swiftly, causing a spray of sea water over Daniel's legs. Daniel didn't even notice.
"Carter?" Jack called out, scanning the water, his imaginatation picturing possiable seneriuos. Maybe she was hiding, maybe she tripped, maybe she was really there but they just couldn't see her. He searched for her familair laughing blue eyes and blob of blond hair. His eyes failed him, as his sensees where overloaded with the smell of salt that tickled his nose. Jack peered into the dark green abyss of water, hoping she'd spring up with a 'boo', thinking of the things he would say to her as he leacutured her. Thinking of the puppy eyes she would give him and reassuring him that she'd never do it again.
"Sam? This isn't funny." He called out to her, his vioce lost in the wind. His tone was full of worry and concern for his lost team mate, a tinge of anger that she was missing. He searched on but found no such familar face.
"O'Neill, i do believe that is Major Carter's hat." Teal'c indicated to the army styled baseball hat floating absently on the water. A cold hand of fear gripped jack's already racing heart, as his mind screamed out for her, telling him that the hat had just been blown off. Telling him that it was the same hat she had won off him in a pocker game.
Without a moments hesitation, Jack threw off his bag and jacket. Daniel looked at him, surprised as Jack's insticts kicked in and took over. It drove him to jump into the unsafe waters and to plunge towards the disgarded hat. Within seconds it drove Jack to gulp as much air as his lungs could hold, and push him under the water. In a panicked searched for their lost team mate. Their friend. Their sister in some cases, and in others their beloved.
Daniel waited paciently for Jack to resurface with their Sam. Waiting for him to once again bring her out of the clutches of death and bring her back to them. Bringing with her, all the understanding and caring in the world. Bubbles raced themselves to the surface and formed a whirl pool of disguarded oxygen. Daniel told his instincts it was O.K. That Sam would reapear to give them all a smile of childlike curiousity, that Jack would find her. Knowing that Jack wouldn't give up until he found her and held her in his arms before them.
He waited. He watched. He hoped.
Jack resurfaced, gasping and gulping in the sweet air. He Ignored the pitiful fallen brown eyes of Daniel, and the questioning curious eyes of Teal'c. He wouldn't let her down, he would find her. He chanted to himself. Bringing in hope to comfort him as he dove under again.
He dove as far as his lungs would let him and searched for her. Ignoring the salt burning at his eyes. She was here. He could feel her, he could even hear her as she cried out for him to help her. The water engulfed his body, trying to break him, trying to stop him from finding her, trying to claim Sam as it's own. Trying to steal the love and joy she brought to all of their lives.
Jack fought on. Breaking his own limits, determined to reclaim Sam. He rulucantly returned to the surface and thrashed about in agony and fustration. //Where are you, Sam?// He asked her silently. He dove under, faster and deeper than the last time.
//"Colonel? Where are you?"// Jack stopped swimming the voice chilling him to the bone. A weak plea from Sam was all he could regesture. He felt her fear and pain branch out into his nerves and entangle themselves in his viens. Following some unseen hand it guided him towards the darker patch of ocean. The surface now a distant dream, the water becoming one with him. Briefly he paused letting the water take him, but broke the spell that contained him.
//"Jack?"// Sam vioce asked him, sending shivers down his spine. Out of nowhere a flash of yellow, flitterd past his eyelids. His first reaction was to grap at it and he reached out, curiuosity plaging his mind like a diseas. He felt the water tremble around him, seeming to shiver from his clumsy swim, through it's body.
Then like the sea itself parted and a ray of light was turned on, he saw her. The glow caputring her angelic like features. Jack hurtled as best he could towards her, grapsing her limp body. She gave no indication of realisation as he tugged her to the surface, his legs working and swimming for the both of them. The water licked at her body, trying to enclose around her and pull her back. Like a fish losing it's prey and hungrily wanting more.
Jack sprouted to the surface. Like glass, it shatterd around them as he broke the crystal surface, pulling them out of the water's firm grip. He gasped, no longer feeling the pressure of the water closing in on him. No longer being suffocated by it's pillow like suffocation. He moved slowly in a sleep indulged dream, moving in drugged movements.
"Jack! Sam!" Daniel's relived vioce broke the silence as he and teal'c raced towards them. HIs eyes filled with emotion, but was overidden by fear once again as he pulled Sam onto the step. Her head lulled to the side under his arm, lips blue from the kiss of the water's death, eyes rolling dully like marbels in her sockets.
Daniel was frozen. His brain regecting the site his eyes fed it. Seeing her trapped in the rag doll like body, her soul seeking realease from it's capture. Only Jack could move. Without thinking his body moved in controlled movements. Arms unzipping her jaket, fingers grazing her cold flesh for a pulse. Brain funtioning as the mind collasped into a relm of fear, anguish and destroyed dreams.
Jack's fingers laced themselves together and acting as a pump on her heart. Delicate not to crush her, but fierce enough for her body to move to his rythm. Jack prepared for CPR as he counted each jag he inflicted in her cheast. The air around them moved in a frezied effort to capture their bodies as they locked into a silent circel. Each one anitcpating the next move.
Pinching her nose, Jack breathed air into her lifeless body. The air dissolving into the water filled lungs. Warm air carressing the insides of her body, pulling her one step closer to them. Jack contiued his actions, willing her body to accpet his gift of air. Of life. Of love.
"Come on, Carter!" Jack engouraged her, his brain working overtime to deliver the life saving tools that he possesed with his bare hands. He breathed into her again, watching her eyes slide back into her head. His heart cried out for them to move and look down towards them. Crying out for her body to wake from it's slumber and waken her up to them. "Breathe" he instructed her brain, as if it had forgotten and needed to be reminded.
Teal'c watched silently. One eyebrow raised as he watched Jack try to ressustitae her. He tilted his head and saw not the cold heaterd solider, but a warm loving man reaching out to the woman he loved. Holding his hand out to guid her way back to them. His breath like a light amoungst the thick fog that surronded her. Guiding her. Willing her. Teaching her.
His gaze shifted back to Daniel. The young man stood frozen as if he where reliving a momory of such a disaster. The man held his own breath, as if his brain punishing him for having the gift the breath and not the sleeping angel beneath him. Teal'c noticed he shared the same worrid look as O'Neill. But he did not possess the fire of hope that burned beyond the soliders eyes.
"Sam, don't make me make this an order." Jack gasped at her, hoping to break the spell, hoping she'd give him the mega watt smile she saved just for him. He breathed into her again, beggin her body to take his life so that she may feed on it. The silence pounded around his body, his every nerve and sense listening out for the tell tale sighs of life. Listening for the slightest indication that she had recived his life. "Please Sam." He begged her. "Breath for me."
"Please." He begged her, inches from her lips. He Invested all his breath into her, watching it slowly rattle through her silent ribs like a breeze. But suddenly the hallow breeze changed course. It raced to the much needed lungs and burst a hole in the water filled balloons. Water ran in all directions, sending and uproar through her throat and out of her mouth. Her eyes snapped forward and a body raking sob filled the air. She gasped and tried to awaken the sleeping functions, drawling in as much air as she could. Her sleepy brain reluctantly complaining, acknolowledging it's duty to perform.
Jack cried out in joy, pulling her to the side so the life threatning water could fall from her mouth. He never thought he would love the sound of her gagging and coughing to the side. The sound of gasping music to his deaf ears. Finally after taking raggerd breaths she turned and grapsed him blindly. Needing to fell he was there, needing to register that *she* was alive.
"Oh God. Sam." Jack sobbed gripping her to him, trying to pull her close enough so that he could register that she was alive. "You scared me." He whisperd into her forehead, listing to the raggerd breaths at his neck. Daniel was already dialing like he never had before. "Don't you ever do that again" Jack scolded her, feeling her give him a tighter squeeze. Reassuring him that she wasn't going any where, that she would stay with him.
He looked down into her blue eyes. He found not relief, but fear. Something he rarely ever saw in her eyes. She was a stubourn solider like himself, and did not let her emotions show them how she really felt. If eyes where the window to a person's soul, than Sam had a curtain pulled over them most of the time. It hurt him that she closed him out, not realisising he did the same to everyone else. Too afraid to let anyone close, afraid that becasue of him, they would suffer the same fate as his dead son. But Sam had ripped open the curtains and demanded to be let in. From the first mission they had together he knew Sam would be the one to teach him how to love again. And she had. Without his consent she had made him fall in love with her, worship her, protected her. He was powerless against the love he felt for her. Only the military badges they wore, keept them apart.
She now watched though, as one large hand rested aginst her heart and then proceded to rest apon his. Vowing an unspoken promise and showing her how he felt in such motions that it overwhelmed her. But as the smile from her face faded, he closed one hand around her fingers and kissed it gently. Showing his love for her and telling her 'always' before her eyes closed and slumped into his body. He could feel her fighting to stay with him, feeling some unseen demon of death that she fought to regain consiuosness and join him. Jacks heart lunged, wishing he could fight for her, wishing that she didn't have the long journey ahead of her.
Jack picked her up in his arms, hearing her stubourn voice telling him she was fine. Smiling at the face she would pull in protest. Her head nestled in the crook of his shoulder and her arms drapped lazily around his neck. //'Hold on for me, Sam'// he whisperd to her. The three stepped into the Stargate. Forgetting the forbiden water that had tried to claim a life of one of their dearest friends. Now the fight was no longer against the water, now it was against time.
Daniel felt the next hour move in a daze. Arriving onto the grate, having Jack run to Janet in hope she would save their friend. Feeling hope, fear, anger and fustration tear at their hearts as the waited and watched for any news on their friend. Teal'c kept a steady eye on Jack waiting for the man to crumple or break under the fustration. But Daniel knew he wouldn't do such a thing. Sam needed his strength, so Jack kept together and strong for her. Only for her.
They had each gave there story in the debriefing, Jack's vioce remaining so clam it scared them. Even the General didn't ask him to many questions, instead gave Jack permison to go to her bed side. Daniel knew that Hammond was a smart man. Hammond knew something was going on between the two. He felt their energy radiate to every one as they passed talking to one another. Felt the air crack with tension as they mercifully flirted with one another. He knew the 2 wouldn't act on it, they where both military through and through. Only during the other's weakness, would one show their love. Bringing each other back to fight by the others side. If one was hurt, the other would move heaven and earth to save them.Everyone who knew them, knew that they where not a lovey dovey couple. They where a team, they where one. If you seprate one, it wouldn't be long until the other died from the speration. So they blindly clung to one another and hid behind the wall they had risen to onlookers. Normally Hammond would frown upon such a thing. But the SG-1 was like his family. Time and time again, the team had made him proud and he would show them off to other Generals like a proud father. He had no objections to them being toether. He trusted them, that they where sensiable, they would follow the rules or at least bend some. But not enough to interfear their work. That's who they where. His team. His family. His kids.
Jack walked through the infirmary closed doors and regarded Sam from a distance. The room buzzed with doctors and nurses and mechines. But only one sound reached his ears. The shallow breathing of her heart patterd silently in his ears. The world came to an earth shattering holt. The heart monitor beeping away, keeping tabs on every move she made. He watched her like a hawk. Her body engulfed by the white blanket that was drapped across her. The tubes that proded from her nose and arms. Sprouting from her like throns on a rose. He slowly aproached her, acknowleding Doctor Janet Frasier, who watched him with curiuosity.
Janet watched intently, hearing the man's heart break at the site of his team mate. She saw the hpelesslyness and fustration in his hazel eyes as they drunk in Sam's pressence. Sam seemed to relax in his pressence, her body acknowleding the comforting fingers that intertwined hers. Janet knew Sam was strong, but if not for this solid man before her, she may not have even made it to the base. Janet treid to turn away, feeling emabarssed from snopping. But the site of the two interacting with each other made her heart cry out to them. "How is she doc?" came a husky voice from across the room.
Janet watched the man thoughtfully, not wanting to douse his spirts. "She's slipped into a coma." She said quietly, seeing her words form stab wounds to his heart. She tried to say somthing to make him belive she was getting better." But she's fighting it, God knows she wont give up without a fight."The thought seemed to warm him and he pushed back a lock of golden hair.
"That's my girl." He mumbled pressing a kiss to her fingers. He heard Janet turn away and leave the room to her office, leaving it open adjar so he could call out to her. He watched Sam's heart rise and fall, feeling lulled by the action. He gently strocked her hand and tried to burry the emtions that threatend to release. "Please hold on." He asked her, looking into her face wanting the red glow she wore, to arrive back on her cheeks.
Sam looked around the room. The infrimary had gone quiet, only the sounds of a heart monitor throbbed in the back round. She looked around confused. //'What's going on?'// She asked herself. Only silence met her answer and sat up from her bed. Her arms feeling light and tingling. She spotted a man sitting by her bedside. It was the Colonel. He was alseep, craddling her hand in his own. Tears dampend the sheet by her side . //'He's crying? He's never cried.'// She thought.
//'That's becasue he's never loved anyone like you before.'// A vioce said. Sam snapped her head around to see a young man dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt. He smiled at her, indicating to the sleeping Jack. Nurses darted in and out, scared to wake the sleeping man, no one daring to ask him to leave.
Sam looked at him surprised. //'Excuse me? Who are you?'// she asked feeling like she was being inspected a little too closely by this young man. He pointed a hand to the ceiling. Sam knew what he meant, but didn't belive him. //'Your kidding me? An angel?'// she took in his jaggard apperance. Shoulder length brown hair, pulled back in a pony tail and an unshaven chin that gave his firm jaw a shadow effect. He smiled, his teeth crokard.
//'Yeah, i know you expected, white robe, clean guy all that jazz.'// He said reading her mind.// 'man have you guys got the wrong idea of heaven.'// He finshed lighting a ciggrette. Sam just looked at him bewilderd, feeling the urge to run screaming from the man.
//'What do you want?'// she asked trying to man her vioce loud enough to wake Jack. The suposed angel laughed at her attmpted and flipping himself onto the bed. Letting the ciggertte smell follow him.
//'He can't hear you, hon. Your dead.'// He said simply and took another drag from his ciggrette. He held it out to her. She shook her head, trying to understand what he had just said. //'Go on try hitting him, it wont work.'// Sam looked at him to the angel. She relucatantly hit his arm. Her arm sailed right through him. She gasped, feeling afraid. She touched his shoulder, but her arm went through. She stared at her hand in fright.
//'But...i.....how...'// She stutterd. She looked at the angel for an explanation. He instead gave her a sympathetic smile and jumped off the bed. He held out his hand to her and she relucatntly took it. She jumped onto the floor.Sam gasped as she saw her pale body before her. Jack still asleep by her side.
//'Sorry, hon.'// the angel said throwing away his ciggrette. //'The name's Micky. Just call me Mic.'// he said extending his hand. She shot him a look and softly shook it. //' I know this is a little hard to take in, but i'm hear to show you the way.'// Sam looked at him doubtly and started longingly at her body.
'//I dont want to die.'// she said quietly watching Jack slowly stir and stretch his mustles. Mic smiled at her. Obvious that she was afraid and wanting to go back to the comfort of a certain man's arms. //'why?'// she asked him. Feeling batrayed that her life was taken away so easily.
He gave her a comforting squeeze. //'You my dear, are in for a lesson. If you pass, you go back, you fail and your with me.'// He saw the fear lick at her blue eyes, and felt sadded for a moment. He wished he'd been given the choice. To stay with the one he loved or to have immortality. He didn't see the point of this mission. It was obviuos they where in love. He'd didn't see the point of interupting it, so that Cupid could have his way, by testing the love. But Cupid, was ticked off that his mom had made the choice in killing Charlie. Aphrodite claimed that when he left Sara he would find a love better than before. So Cupid was set to prove his mother wrong.
They watched as Jack started stroking her arm. "Sam?" He asked her quietly not caring if he sounded crazy, but needing her to know he was there. " Keep fighting for me Sam. Your doing good. Just a little longer, now." He encouraged her.
Mic watched the tears form at Jack's eyes, but the man swiped them away in fustration. Mic turned his eyes to Sam. She was clearly shocked, her eyes filling with tears also and a longing to wipe his away. //"He loves you, you know."// Mic told Sam. She looked startled by this proposal and shrugged him off.
//"Where friends. That's all. He loves me, like he loves Daniel."// She looked away from his studing eyes and concentrated on Jack. He was now strokking her hair back telling her that he was going to kick her ass in the next pocker game, and how he was going to take her see how a real ice hockey team played. Insulting her team jockingly. A smile tugged at her lips.
//"Man, they said you where blind, but damn girl, your walking around with a bucket on your head."// Mic snapped making her jump. //"I thought this misson was going to be easy."// He mutterd, rembering to ask Cupid for a rise. //" Can you not see that this man is falling to pieces over you?"// He gestured to Jack who rubbed at his black eyes. He'd obviusly hadn't left her side since she was deliverd there 3 days ago. Sam felt guilty for being an annoyence and disturbing him from his work. //"No, don't go down that path."// Mic threatend her, seeing the guilt creep in her eyes.
Sam looked at him, her eyes full of hurt and anger to this rude man. //"What do you know?"// She asked him angrily. Mic was taken aback by the heat of the glare that she shot him. So that's why Cupid had been so suspiuos. She wouldn't admit it but, she sent out signals of jealsousy. Anyone who threatend her, when i came to Jack, would have hell to pay. But she wouldn't admit her love to even herself.
Mic sighed. //"It's flash back time"// He said not to cheerfully. He hated these, when ever he took people through this, they spent half an hour on every detail. Sam looked at him confused and then gave him a look to show she wasn't going anywhere. He egnored her protest and took her by the arm.
A binding white flash laced around them and blinded Sam from seeing anything. The light disapeard and was replaced by the dull lights of the locker room. Sam watched as herself aprroached Jack in her tank top. Sam remeber this slightly. It was when they had been effected by the hormone disease. She cringed as she grasped Jack and kissed him ruffly. Mic smiled and looked at Sam, she egnored him and kept watching.
"Don't you want me?" Sam asked, the need to have him inside of her to great. She pulled him into a hungry kiss, his lips responding to the same need. He pushed her away reluctantly.
"No...No..i mean not like this." Mic waved his hands. The two figures froze in mid breath. Mic turned to Sam. Giving her a 'i told you so' look. Sam looked away in discust at her body interwined with his.
//"Clue number 1."// Mic pointed out walking her towards the couple sprawled against the chair. //"Not like this? Then when?" //Mic pointed out. Sam felt blush rise to her cheeks, pushing the thoughts of need and happiness away. He couldn't possiable be right....could he? She shoved the thoughts aside, telling herself they where military, that he was her CO.
//"Now stop!"// He said interputing her thoughts. //"Let's forget for one day that you guys are military. Look at it from a non-He's my CO point of view. Look at it from Sam. Sam the woman, not Sam the solider."// He metions to the still frozen couple. //"Now look how he reacted later."
//Sam felt the same rush of fear as the white light enveloped her. They stood watching Daniel shuffle through some papers. Jack approached and Daniel looked at his friend. Sam felt her stomach tighten at the mention of her name. She took a step forward so she could hear better.
"Well is she ok? I should go see her." Daniel said throwing down his things. Sam noticed Jack's mustle tense and his jaw locked hard. Sam recongised that look. He pulled it every time things where going his way and he was about to erupt.
"Why?" He asked stubbournly.
"What do you mean why? She my friend, i care about her." Daniel defended.
"You care about her? What does that mean?" His voice dark and threatning. Sam didn't like the way things where going at all. Jack's hazel eyes where a dark shade of anger, his stare harsh, making Daniel quiver. Sam jumped as he spat out her name.
"I'm talking about Samantha. She's not yours to care about. Stay away from her." Sam did a double take and Mic freezed them. He gave her a smug look as she tried to take it in. She tried to egnore the bubbly feeling in her stomach that screamed 'he loves you'.
Sam took a deep breath, ever the scientist and said, //"That dosn't prove anything. He was under the hormones."// Mic only smiled accepting her excuse. Which it surely was. //"Oh yeah."// Sam started feeling defensive.// "If he loved me than why did he call out for Sara when he was dying?"
//Mic frowned. He forgot about that one. But not wanting to go home and explain to Aprhodity that he forgot, he shrugged. //"Maybe he wanted to say goodbye to his old love, and say hello to his new."// It was a weak explanation and even he didn't by it. Than it hit him. //"Then why did he keep asking for you while he was in a fever in the hospital?"// He crossed his arms, finding this woman to be the first to question him. He was finding it rather anoying.
Sam shrugged. //"If Daniel had of been there he would of called out his name. I was the last one with him that's why.//" Mic smiled and shrugged. This was getting him nowhere and fast. He was sent to coax her back and admit her love to him. Not have her get worked up and to angry to come back. He grinned and snapped his fingers. The light swirled again and they stood infront of the alternate Sam and Jack.
Sam turned around not wanting to see this again. She'd seen enough the last time.// "Can we go now?" //She asked embarssed. Mic noticed this and pulled her closer to the kissing couple.
"Your not my Jack are you?" The alternate Sam said sadly. For the first time Sam noticed that tears sprung to his eyes. He shook his head. Sam saw herself on the other side waiting paciently and looking at the floor. The pang of jealousy hit her again. Jack went through, a look of sadness in his eyes. Sam waited for Mic to freeze it, but he didn't. She watched the alternate Sam turn the mirror off and turn to Kowlaski.
"He loves the other Sam dosn't he?" Kowaski asked.
The alternate Sam smiled and nodded. "He tired to pretend it was her though." She said sadly looking at the mirror. " But he knew it wasn't her." There was silence and she sighed. "I hope she apreaciates what she's got." Kowlaski hugged her and Mic freezed it.
Sam stood trapped in time. Emotions pulled her to pieces. She'd been so sure that Jack had kissed her because it *wasn't* her. She'd hated the other Sam for experinceing something she never would. Doubt picked at her brain, while excitment of the truth ran though her. She studdied the other Sam, she was nothing like herself. Even the way Jack acted around her wasn't the same. He didn't laugh at her jokes or tease her playfully like he did with her. The thought of that made her smile.Maybe, just Maybe he felt the same way. But she couldn't know. "Can we go back, please?" She asked.
Mic smiled, maybe the girl wasn't so blind. There was hope after all. He snapped his fingers and they stood infront of the bed again. Daniel was sitting by Jacks side softly talking to him. Sam sat on the foot of the bed, listening intently.
"It's ok, Jack." Daniel soothed, the distrout man. Daniel had never seen jack like this. Even when explaing the death of Charlie, his eyes stayed hallow. But now, emotions flooded out and Jack was quiet. To busy listning for the sound of any movement she made. "Jack, you should get some sleep. You've been by her side for a week now. She's not going anywhere." Daniel soothed.
"No!" Jack said firmly. "I'm not leaving her ever again." He said egnoring Daniel's pleading eyes. A small tear appreard and he threw it away angrily. "I did this to her and i'm going to fix it."
"What are you talking about?" Daniel asked confused.
"I should have gone first. I should of been the one to drown. Not her!" He cried standing up, kicking the chair back. " I was so stupid. It's all my fault." He blamed himself. Sam bit her lip and watched as the man before her, tourched himself for her death. "Why her?" Jack as Daniel. " Why does everyone i love have to die on me?"
The words hit her like a frying pan across the head. She reached out for him, but stop short remembering she couldn't. Jack contiuned to throw questions at Daniel that he didn't have answers for. "She is so perfect. So bueatiful. I didn't want to get close to her you know. I wanted to hate her, i wanted to think of her as some dumb blonde." His vioce cracked and he rubbed his eyes. " I didn't want to love her. I didn't want her to break my heart like Charlie did. " Daniel patted the chair beside him and Jack slowly sunk into the chair. " But i do. " He said so softly that Sam held her breath. "I do love her and now she's gone."
"Jack it's not your fault. She's still here. Look at her. She's fighting it, trying to come back." Daneil handed Sam's hand to Jack. "How can you blame yourself because you love her."
"You don't understand" Jack interupted. "Everyone i love i hurt. I have a curse. Their doomed to die." He sniffed looking down at her. "That's why i wanted to hate her, so i didn't have to watch her die." He ran a hand down her cheak and Sam felt a warmth flood through her body. She felt sleepy and dizzy.
"Sara didn't die." Daniel pointed out, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. Sam felt the warmth disapate and she hung her head, foolishly. Feeling ashamed.
"I didn't love Sara." Jack said bitterly. Sam's head snapped up. Hope burned in her eyes, even Daniel looked at him. Jack saw this. "I thought i did. I thought it was love at the time." He turned to Sam. "But i never felt the way i felt for Sam." He sighed. " When i first met her i felt so guilty towards Sara. Feeling like i'd destroyed her life, when i didn't even love her the way i did Sam. So i pushed Sam away. Not wanting to hurt her." He rubbed his temples, unsure why he told Daniel all of this. "Sara knew too. She admitted she found someone else too. She said we where too young and hadn't had the chance to discover what love was." He smiled. " I felt relived that she was able to get on with her life, but i couldn't. I didn't want to. The only person i wanted was Sam and i couldn't, wouldn't have her."
Daniel looked at him confused. "Was it regulations?" He asked.
Jack laughed despite himself. " NO. Hell no. Have you know me to ever play by the book?" He asked Daniel. Daniel smiled, laughing quietly. " I was scared. Scared she wouldn't have me. Scared that i had nothing to offer her, and she would leave me for some young mustle bound Matorf."
Mic grinned as Sam fell of the back of the bed. She jumped back up, her face full of shock and happiness. She pratically jumped up and down on her body, beging it to let her back in. Mic folded his arm. Man was this the easiest mission or what. He decided to let Jack finsh though.
"Why didn't you just tell her? Take a chance?" Daniel asked feeling his friends own fustration.
Jack just stared at him than at Sam. "Lot of good that would of done. I tried to tell her when she woke up on the planet, but she fell into the coma. Look what i've done. If i hadn't of said anything, she would be walking around here with that damn smile she wears."
"You mean the one she only gives you?" He looked at Jack and noticed the man blush. Jack blushed, he couldn't belive it. "Yeah, i know you've seen it. Everyone has. It's like a neon sigh Jack." He leaned over and whisperd to Jack. "It's a good thing she can't hear me, cause she would of kicked my butt for that."
"I'll kick you butt anyway." Came a small voice from the bed. Both men turned to see Sam blink and slowly move her hand towards Jack. She smiled and reached up to wipe the tears from Jack's eyes. "Someone's gotta keep you lot in line."
Daniel smiled and kissed her forhead. "Trust me, you do." And he left, leaving Jack alone with her. As soon as Daniel was gone Jack wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug. Sam smiled as he gripped her so tightly, so afraid she wasn't there.
"Jack?" She said after a while. Jack didn't seem to hear her and she tapped his arm. "Lack of oxygen is becoming a problem." SHe gasped out as he quickly let her go.
"Sorry" He mumbled and hugged her more gently. "I'm so, so sorry." He cried into her shoulder. She strocked the back of his neck as he let it out. She smiled at Mic as he slowly dissolved and waved. SHe turned back to Jack, seeing his eyes full of love. "Sam... i..." He started.
She placed a hand over his lips and shushed him. "I know. Me too." She said and gently kissed him. She was lost in the fire and intencity that the kiss held. The kiss unlocking doors of emoitons and fears. Silencing any doubt they ever had. The sound of someone clearing there throat behind them sounding and they sprany apart.
"Gerneral Hammond." Jack whisperd as the man came closer to them. The man was grinning. He held up his hands to the two looking away as if it had never happend. "We are.... Major Carter is awake." He said awakwardly.
Gernral Hammond laughed. " I don't think Sam's going to appreate being called 'Major Carter' when you two are kissing." Both of them blushed. "I'm glad your doing better. You gave Jack, here, quite a large patch of grey hairs." He smiled and gave her a fatherly hug. "As long as you two can control yourselves during missions, i don't see it as a problem."
Sam grinned, appreiatly his blessing in more ways than she could describe. He smiled and left them to be alone. Before he left he called out, " Keep it tonned down a bit, Doctor Fraiser will be down soon and i don't think she recomends Jack's kissing as your medication." With that he left.
Both of them smiled. And Sam shuffled over so Jack could sit down next to her. She settled back against him and smiled into his hazel eyes. "I promise i wont hurt you." She said seriuosly and held his hand against her heart. "I wont leave you. Ever." She said gently.
Tear's fell again, but not of sorrow, but happiness. He wrapped his arm's around her and they cuddled. Janet had come in just as the two had fallen asleep in each others arms and smiled. She wonderd where she could find herself a man like O'Neill. She left them in silence and shut the door.
THE END. =)
Story Notes: please tell me what you think, even if you hated it. Excuse the spelling, and enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]