samandjack.net

Story Notes: AUTHOR'S NOTES: Believe it or not, this entire fic was written around one line. 32 pages later.... A chocolate-covered SG-1 member of your choice for guessing which line inspired this fic.

And of course hugely big thanks go to Sue for betaing (even though she made me rewrite a chunk of it *sighs melodramatically*), for her medical advice (even though she laughed at my first attempts *sniff*), and for the title (even though... no, wait, no 'even though's. That was a stroke of genius *g*). Thanks also to Vicki for some technical advice, although apparently it's making her power-hungry. :)


Sam drew a deep breath as she stepped through the wormhole onto P7S 459. The air was crisp and cool, a little chillier than she preferred but exactly the right temperature for hiking; the scent of pine was invigorating, and the slight breeze would be welcome after a few hours of walking through the forest.

She automatically brought her weapon to bear and scanned the area around the Stargate as the rest of her team joined her, seeing exactly what the MALP had shown them: a small clearing around the 'gate, and trees all around. At times, Sam thought, she had to agree with Colonel O'Neill - a little variety would be nice.

A glance to her left showed her the man in question; he was also scrutinizing the treeline for possible threats. Perhaps feeling her gaze on him, he turned his head to look at her. "All clear, sir," she answered his unspoken question, and he nodded.

"All right. Carter, you and Jonas head towards the energy signature that the UAV picked up while Teal'c and I check out the ruins. I want you to check in every hour, and we'll rendezvous back here in twenty-four hours."

"Yes sir," she answered automatically, her mind already focussed on the faint but rhythmic energy readings that had first piqued her interest a few days earlier. Despite having spent hours studying its properties, she still couldn't tell if it was a natural phenomenon or not. Although the UAV telemetry had shown no recent signs of civilization, they'd learned the hard way that not everything important showed up in their pre-mission scans.

The tone of the colonel's voice drew her attention back to the present. "Jonas," he warned, "you stick close to Carter and do exactly what she says. Got it?" Though he had accepted Jonas as part of SG-1, Sam knew that her CO was still a little wary where their newest team member was concerned.

Jonas looked a little taken aback by the warning. "Of course I will, Colonel."

O'Neill still looked a bit unsure. "I'll keep an eye on him, sir," she assured him, motioning to Jonas with her head to start moving. "See you in twenty-four hours," she tossed over her shoulder as she headed out at a pace that she would be able to maintain for the next few hours.

The two of them marched in silence for a few minutes but, Jonas being Jonas, began speaking soon enough. "He still doesn't trust me."

She glanced over at him. "It's not that he doesn't trust you, it's just that he's still not sure of your capabilities. He knows how smart you are, but you haven't been in many battle situations yet and he can't predict how you'll respond. Anyway, Colonel O'Neill is never very comfortable with splitting the team up on missions."

"And he doesn't trust me to watch your back."

He actually sounded despondent over his perceived notion that the colonel didn't believe in his abilities. Sam wanted to reassure him that there was no way that Colonel O'Neill would have sent him with her if he didn't trust Jonas to defend her if necessary, but that statement cut a little too close to a matter that she barely allowed herself to think about; she certainly didn't want to have to explain it to another person. "Jonas... if the colonel didn't trust you, you certainly wouldn't be a part of SG-1. Just give him some time."

"I guess you know him better than I do."

The conversation drifted onto other matters then, and Sam was amused by how fascinated Jonas was by everything. In a way, he kind of reminded her of Daniel when they'd first met, and the archaeologist's wide-eyed wonder at every civilization they'd encountered. The thought was sobering, yet somehow comforting.

Asking Jonas his opinion of the uses of the small amount of naquadriah that still remained, the pair walked on.

**

Jack and Teal'c had spent the past several hours in near-silence; the Jaffa had never been one to make small talk, and Jack wasn't really in the mood himself. He hated the fact that he wasn't able to keep guard over his entire team, even though it was necessary and it was something they'd done often. It was the first time, however, that he hadn't been able to keep a sharp eye on Jonas. It wasn't that he didn't trust the guy, exactly, but on the few missions they'd gone on his reactions had been a little slower than Jack was comfortable with. He was thankful that Carter could take care of herself.

Teal'c's voice interrupted his silent musing. "Is it not past the time for Major Carter's check-in?"

Jack glanced automatically at his watch; Teal'c was right, it had been nearly two hours since they'd last heard from the others. Carter was always prompt. Frowning, he reached for his radio. "Carter, come in."

Nothing. He waited a few seconds before trying Jonas. "Jonas, do you read?"

Still not receiving an answer, he waited for Teal'c to try, on the off chance that his radio was malfunctioning. But Teal'c couldn't raise them either.

Now Jack was worried. Making a command decision, Jack turned around and started back in the direction from which they'd just come, his pace a little faster than before. "Let's go, Teal'c." It would still take them several hours to reach the Stargate, and from there they would have to retrace the steps of the other two. Jack wanted to pretend that it was nothing more than a radio malfunction, but the odds of more than one radio ceasing to work were extremely low. That disquieting thought spurred him on.

**

The clearing around the Stargate offered no clues as Jack and Teal'c burst through the treeline. As far Jack could tell, no one had been there since they'd arrived on the planet that morning. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

They spent only a few minutes searching the clearing before, finding nothing, they struck out in the direction the missing half of SG-1 had taken several hours before. Jack cast a quick glance at the Stargate, debating whether or not to call Hammond and update him on the situation, but decided to leave it until he had some more information. Wouldn't want to look stupid if it simply turned out to be a radio malfunction after all.

**

Jonas paused for a moment, leaning against a tree until the dizziness passed. He gingerly lifted the scrap of material he was using as a bandage on his left forearm, wincing as he tore away partially dried blood and started his still-oozing wound bleeding anew. Tearing another strip from the bottom of his t-shirt, he used it to tie the blood-soaked bandage back into place. He'd worry about stitches and infections later; right now, he had to get back to the Stargate. How was he going to explain this? O'Neill would never even talk to him after this, assuming he just didn't kill him straight out.

Pushing away from the tree, Jonas swayed for a few seconds before he was able to move without falling. He trudged forward, eyes focussed on the ground in front of him with such intensity that he didn't hear the voices until he'd almost stumbled upon them. Ducking behind some bushes, he tried to ignore the blackness creeping in along the edges of his vision and concentrate on what was being said. It took a few seconds, but he was finally able to identify the voices. He stood carefully. "Colonel!"

There was a moment of silence, and then O'Neill's voice rang out clearly. "Jonas! Where are you?"

Jonas moved in the direction of the disembodied voice. "Over here." He deliberately made as much noise as possible as he walked, and it wasn't long before Teal'c and O'Neill found him.

The Earth man gave him half a glance before scanning the area, his gaze coming back to rest on Jonas. "Where's Carter?"

Jonas winced, hoping he didn't look as scared as he felt. "I'm... not sure."

**

Jack held himself still, although he wanted nothing more than to throttle the man in front of him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped.

Jonas looked awful, but Jack was determined not to feel any compassion for him. "We were attacked by some sort of wild animals. I was knocked unconscious; by the time I awoke, there was no sign of Major Carter."

"What happened to your radio?"

Jonas shook his head, and Jack felt the slightest bit of sympathy when he actually *saw* his face pale at the movement. "The attack happened too fast; we couldn't call for help. When I woke up, my radio was gone."

Jack scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to decide what to do. Jonas needed medical attention - and the sooner the better, by the looks of his arm and the whiteness of his face - but it was approaching nightfall and they needed to find Carter. The MALP's data had indicated that it got pretty cold here at night, and she might not have her pack with her any longer. "Okay. Teal'c, you take Jonas back to the 'gate. Contact Hammond, let him know what's going on, and have him send another team out to help with the search. Make sure he has a med team standing by, just in case. Then I want you back here with me." They weren't that far from the 'gate; Jack estimated that with Jonas' injuries it would take them maybe forty-five minutes to an hour to get there. Teal'c would be able to rejoin him much quicker once on his own.

Teal'c nodded affirmatively and Jack spun around, ready to continue his search, when Jonas' voice made him hesitate. "Colonel... for what it's worth, I'm sorry." His voice was already noticeably weaker than when they'd found him, and Jack found himself softening slightly towards the other man. He was Carter's friend too, and obviously felt guilty about what had happened.

"I'm sure you did what you could," he said gruffly, his back still to him, and strode off to continue his search for Carter.

**

Teal'c moderated his pace, walking alongside Jonas when the trees permitted and behind him when they didn't so that he could reach out to steady the younger man when his steps faltered. He had to credit his new teammate; injured though he was, Jonas had insisted on walking on his own and was managing to move at a decent rate.

With the Stargate in sight, Jonas spoke for the first time since they had left O'Neill's company. "Do you think Sam is okay?"

"Major Carter is a formidable warrior. I have no doubt that she will triumph over these creatures."

"But you didn't see these things. They're dangerous."

"Nonetheless, I have faith in Major Carter's abilities. She has won many battles." Jonas may not have been human, but he was close to it and Teal'c had spent much time among the Tau'ri. He suspected that something else lay behind Jonas' worry. "You blame yourself," he observed, helping the Kelownan over a fallen branch.

Jonas looked a bit ashamed. "Well, yeah. I was no help. I got knocked out almost right away, leaving her to fight them off on her own, and now she's missing. It's at least partly my fault."

"There was nothing you could have done to prevent it, Jonas Quinn. Now you must relay to the search team all that you know so that we may be prepared to defend against these creatures in our search for Major Carter."

His companion merely nodded as they cleared the trees and moved to the DHD. Teal'c dialled in the coordinates and it was only a few minutes later that Jonas was safely on Earth and General Hammond was promising to send reinforcements in the form of SG-2. Signing off, Teal'c retraced his steps in order to find O'Neill and deliver the news that Major Griff and his team would be on P7S 459 within the hour.

**

Sam swore as she struggled to see the tiny components in the failing light. Her vision was already blurry with pain and with night approaching it was nearly impossible to see what she was doing. It was also getting quite cold, so even when she *could* see what she was doing, her fingers didn't want to cooperate. But Sam was nothing if not determined; if she could build naquadah reactors and particle beam accelerators, then she could damn well fix some stupid radio.

Snapping the casing back together, she pressed the button. Instead of the dead air of the last three tries, she heard static. "Yes!" she whispered in triumph. It was about time; the sun was all but gone, the meagre light from the single crescent moon barely visible through the trees. It was going to be very dark and very cold tonight.

Holding down the switch, Sam brought the radio to her mouth. "Colonel O'Neill, this is Carter. Do you read?"

For one desperately long moment there was complete silence, and then his voice rang out clearly, his relief almost tangible. "Carter! What's your situation?"

'Not good,' she wanted to say, but she'd never been a complainer and wasn't about to start now. "We were attacked by the local wildlife and separated. Have you found Jonas?"

"We came across him about an hour ago. He's got some cuts and bruises, but didn't look too bad. He's already back on Earth. What about you?"

That was the question, wasn't it? She looked down at her leg, the unnatural angle making her nauseous. That was one good thing about the cold, anyway; at least it was numbing the burning pain that had been consuming her ever since she'd been injured. "I'm pretty sure my leg's broken, sir." That wasn't entirely true - she knew for a fact that her left knee was wrecked - but there was no point in worrying him any more than necessary.

There was silence for a moment, and Sam began to worry that her radio had failed again. She was just about to try it when he asked another question. "Do you know where you are?"

"Negative, sir. I'm at the bottom of some kind of gully, but I don't recall seeing anything like it on the UAV's visual telemetry. It's possible that it was concealed by the tree cover."

Silence again. With the rush of adrenaline from fixing the radio fading and the heat of the sun gone, Sam suddenly found herself cold and exhausted. Shock, she realized. Definitely not a good sign.

When the colonel spoke to her next, his voice was noticeably more subdued. "Okay, Carter, this is what's going to happen. I've got SG-2 out here with me and Teal'c. We're going to send someone back to the SGC and have Hammond send through the UAV. Hopefully we'll be able to locate you from your radio signal or heat signature. Unfortunately, it might take a couple of hours to get everything set up. In the meantime, SG-2 and I are going to keep looking for you on foot." SG-2? That meant Major Griff; she knew he wouldn't give up until he found her. He was as stubborn as Colonel O'Neill when it came to ensuring the safety of SGC members.

"Carter!"

Sam jumped; she must have faded out for a minute, because it didn't sound like the first time he'd called her name. "Sorry sir. I'm here."

"I asked if you'll be able to hang on that long."

She felt the insane urge to laugh. "Doesn't look like I have much choice, Colonel."

He didn't bother to respond to that. "Do you have any idea of your position, Carter?"

"I think I'm south-southwest of the Stargate, sir, but I'm not sure. It's hard to tell now that the sun's set."

"Do you still have your weapon?"

Her P-90 had disappeared somewhere along the way, but: "I still have my beretta, Colonel. Only two shots left."

"How about those animals that attacked you? Do they still pose a threat?"

Sam instinctively glanced around the clearing. "I don't think so, sir. Once I stopped fighting them they left me alone, and I haven't seen any sign of them since then. I think that maybe they found us threatening and were defending themselves; as long as I'm immobile, I don't think they see me as a danger."

Again, there were a few moments of silence. "Carter, if you fire your weapon it could give us a general direction to start looking, but it will only leave you with one bullet if you need to defend yourself later. It's your choice."

She considered her options. While a gunshot could be heard from quite a distance, she knew as well as anyone that it would be hard to pinpoint the exact location; sounds had a tendency to echo in the forest. Plus, it would leave her with only half her current arsenal. On the other hand, she really didn't think that the creatures would be returning any time soon, and she was in very real danger of succumbing to shock. There really wasn't much of a choice.

Reaching for her weapon, she thumbed her radio with her other hand. "Colonel, I'll be firing my weapon in five seconds."

"Roger that, Carter."

Aiming up at a slight angle, Sam counted down and pulled the trigger.

**

Jack motioned Teal'c to be silent as he closed his eyes, straining to hear. The sharp, familiar 'crack!' that split the air seconds later was closer than he was expecting; he would estimate that she was within a kilometer of his present location. It didn't seem all that much area to cover, but with no path in the densely-packed forest, he knew all too well that it would still be next to impossible to find her in the near-total darkness of night. Still, he felt a bit of optimism as he adjusted his heading and continued on with Teal'c.

He was no medic, but even Jack knew that if Carter was out in the cold with a broken leg she could very well be in shock, maybe at risk for hypothermia if they didn't find her soon. She had sounded coherent enough on the radio, but during their short conversation he had heard her voice becoming weaker and weaker. The only thing he could do was keep her talking in the hopes that she would stay awake long enough to get her back to the SGC and Doctor Fraiser's care.

"Carter," he said, once more thumbing his radio as he and Teal'c searched for any signs of recent activity with only his flashlight for illumination, "we're headed in your direction. I don't think we're too far." He waited for a response, but there was nothing. He wasn't sure if it was because she'd passed out or simply had nothing to say. He'd try again. "Tell me about these creatures, Carter. What do they look like?"

There were several seconds of silence before she answered. "They were big," she finally responded, the sound of her voice relieving him to no end. "Almost as tall as a human, but much more solid. Kind of a cross between a gorilla and a bear. The first one attacked Jonas; he hit his head on a tree. Lost consciousness. Another one grabbed hold of my pack and started dragging it. I couldn't unclip it - had to wait until I could reach my knife to cut free. Turned out we were right at the edge of some sort of gully, and I fell. 'S how I broke my leg."

He was paying more attention to how his 2IC was relating the story than to what she was actually saying. She sounded alert and didn't appear to be suffering any memory loss, but her sentences were a bit choppier than what he was used to hearing from her and her voice was shaky. All in all, he thought she sounded okay, considering; but he knew that it could rapidly go downhill. "And you don't think they pose a threat?" he prodded, silently cursing as he tripped on an exposed tree root. Only Teal'c's swift helping hand kept him upright.

Again, a short pause before she answered. "No sir. They didn't pursue me, and left Jonas alone once he wasn't moving. Might have seen us as a threat, I don't know. Maybe we were invading their territory."

Despite himself, he smiled. That was Carter - never an opinion unless she was sure. "What else, Carter?"

"That's it, sir."

He racked his brain for something else. "Tell me about the energy readings you were on your way to investigate."

"Did that -- the mission briefing."

"You know me, Carter, I don't understand half of what comes out of your mouth. Explain it to me again."

"Cassandra was right, you know."

The apparent non-sequitor startled him; was she beginning to hallucinate? "Cassie was right about what?"

"You. You're smarter than you pretend to be."

It was Jack's turn to be mute; he wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to her statement. If anything, the fact that she would even say such a thing to him was evidence enough that she wasn't quite herself. Pushing away an odd sort of embarrassed pride at her words, he changed the subject back to the original topic. "So what do you think is causing those EM pulses?"

"Keep the patient awake and alert?"

He thought that he heard a trace of humour through the slightly staticky line. "Something like that," he admitted quietly.

There was a shared moment of silence, and Jack imagined that he could hear her smile. Then she began talking about the energy signature as he encouraged her with the occasional comment. He asked her question after question about whatever came to mind - how had he not known that she'd run track in high school, or that she'd once considered teaching at the Academy? - as her answers got slower and the pauses between them further apart. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice; by this time, she had to be freezing as well.

It was nearly an hour later that Teal'c called him over. "O'Neill!"

Jack bounded over, hopping over some low bushes in his haste to get there - and nearly fell down the side of some sort of ditch when the ground disappeared on the other side. "Whoa!" He windmilled his arms, managing to stay upright. "Where'd that come from?"

"I believe that is possible we have found the gully in which Major Carter currently lies."

Now *that* was some good news. He was about to let Carter know that they'd made some progress, but she beat him to it. "Colonel?"

"Go ahead."

"I thought I heard voices."

Could they really be that close? "Carter, listen up. Stay off the radio for a minute and let me know if you hear anything, okay?"

"Okay."

Jack released the toggle on his radio and gestured to Teal'c; a moment later, the Jaffa's voice rang out in the dark. "Major Carter!"

Carter was talking almost before his echo had died, sounding much more alert than she had in quite a while. "Colonel, I heard that! You must be close."

He could feel the grin of relief spreading across his face. "Teal'c and I are going to look for a way down. Hang on, Carter; we're almost there."

Taking a quick minute to update Major Griff and learn that the UAV would be launched within the next ten minutes - much earlier than predicted, for which Jack was grateful - he began following the path that Teal'c had forged downward. Once reaching the floor of the gully, he debated which direction to take: left or right?

"Can not Major Carter let us know of her location?"

Of course. "It's worth a shot," he agreed, once more bringing his hand to his radio. "Carter?"

"Sir?"

"How're those lungs working?"

There was a short pause. "I'll give it a try, sir."

Jack and Teal'c stood stock-still, barely breathing as they listened for a human voice amidst the usual night sounds of a forest. Though Jack heard nothing, Teal'c's head turned to the left. "That way."

//Thank you, Junior.// "Let's go."

They saw evidence of Carter's descent at the same moment that the UAV flew overhead. Jack used it to contact the SGC, as he caught sight of what looked like movement in a small clearing just ahead. "SGC this is Sierra-Golf-one-niner. Please respond."

He was at Carter's side by the time Hammond replied a scant second later, her face pale in the light from his flashlight and her leg twisted at a horrible angle. Nevertheless, she looked happy to see them. "Go ahead, Colonel."

"General, we've just found Major Carter. She's conscious, but we're going to need a medical evac team."

"They're already standing by, Jack. Now that we have your position they're on their way."

They both signed off and Jack knelt beside Sam, handing his flashlight to Teal'c to hold as he examined her for injuries. "Hey, Carter. You'd better have a good excuse for dragging us all the way out here in the middle of the night."

She gave the tiniest hint of a smile, and he was startled by how very white her face was; even her lips were colourless. "I figured I was due for another dramatic rescue."

He finished checking her over and took her pulse; a little slow but still strong, her skin cool and clammy. Jack shirked off his pack in order to dig out the thermal blanket and med-kit. "Not that I mind playing the hero every once in a while," he told her as he found the morphine and filled the syringe halfway; not enough to knock her out, but hopefully enough to take the edge off the pain, "but next time, do you think you could get lost somewhere a little nicer? It's kind of cold for a late-night stroll."

She winced slightly as he administered the painkiller. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

He tucked the thermal blanket around her as best he could before rising. "We'll be right back, okay? No passing out while I'm gone," he ordered, only half joking. She only nodded, not bothering to speak. Grabbing Teal'c's arm as he passed the other man, he pulled the Jaffa far enough away that Carter wouldn't be able to hear them. "She's stable, but I don't want to wait until the med team gets here; they'll be a few hours. I want you to look for a couple of strong branches that we can use for a travois."

Teal'c nodded. "I will return shortly." He didn't even take a flashlight as he disappeared into the surrounding trees, and Jack was once more thankful for Junior's presence. At least the snake was good for something.

He returned to Sam, crouching at her side to do a more thorough examination. "Do you hurt anywhere besides your leg?" he asked, once more taking her wrist to check her pulse.

"No."

"Did you lose consciousness at all?" Her broken leg was bad enough; if he also had to worry about a head injury, they could be in trouble.

"I don't think so."

He stopped taking her pulse and began running his hands over her body, checking for damage of which she might not have even been aware. "You don't think so?" he repeated.

"I faded out a few times," she admitted. "I don't think I actually passed out, but I can't be sure."

He sat back, satisfied that her only injury was her leg. Picking up her hand Jack began rubbing it between his own, hoping to infuse some warmth; it really was cold. They sat quietly now, the easy conversation of earlier somehow difficult for him to maintain now that he was actually sitting next to her.

Fortunately, Teal'c returned before the silence could become too awkward, carrying with him two sturdy branches each a little taller than the Jaffa. Using his and Teal'c's jackets they fashioned a crude but effective travois. The difficult part lay in transferring Carter off the ground with her broken leg.

Grabbing the flashlight Jack scanned the ground, finding a couple of thick sticks about the length of his forearm. Stripping off his belt and motioning for Teal'c to do the same, he once more knelt by Carter's side and dug through the Jaffa's pack until he found the second thermal blanket. "Carter," he started, then hesitated. There was nothing he could say that she didn't already know. "This is gonna hurt," he warned anyway.

She looked at him with wide, solemn eyes. "I know."

He watched her as she tried to prepare herself for the oncoming pain, screwing her eyes shut and clenching her fists at her sides; he could actually see her entire body tense. His hands hovered over her injured leg, his own knee aching even to look at the unnatural angle of hers. "Ready?" he murmured, glancing at Teal'c, who knelt on Carter's other side.

Sam opened her eyes long enough to glance at him. "No."

He spared her a half-smile that felt more like a grimace. "Too bad." Not giving either of them time to think he grasped her leg both above and below her damaged knee and lifted, trying to keep the limb in the same position in which it had rested as Teal'c wrapped it in the blanket and secured it with their belts.

The instant he began moving her leg, Carter let out a cry the likes of which he'd never heard from her before and hoped to god that he'd never hear again. It was filled with such raw pain that he found himself almost hoping that she *would* pass out, despite his efforts to the contrary of the past hour or so.

Teal'c finally finished and Jack lowered her leg back to the ground, watching as Carter breathed in pants in an effort to control the pain. "It's okay, Carter," he found himself trying to soothe her. "The worst is over." He hoped that was true.

She continued to breathe through her mouth for a few moments more before opening her eyes to look at him. "Promise?" she whispered, her face, unbelievably, even whiter than it was when they'd arrived. He wouldn't have thought it possible.

"Promise," he murmured back, praying that he wasn't lying. "But," he warned her, "now we're going to have to move you onto the travois."

She nodded, looking exhausted. "Let's do it," she decided. "I want to get home."

With Teal'c's help, Jack moved the frame to Carter's uninjured side. She rolled slightly onto her side while the men slid it as far beneath her body as they could and then shifted herself onto the travois, except for her broken leg. Jack moved back to her left side and gently grasped her hand. "This shouldn't hurt as much as last time," he told her, using his free hand to carefully shift her leg the short distance needed to situate her entirely on the frame. To her credit, Carter only made a small noise of pain this time, although he winced as she squeezed his hand tightly.

It wasn't easy going, the trees were close together and the underbrush thick, and Jack had been on his feet for the better part of a day. It was a little easier once they managed to get up the side of the shallow gully, but nonetheless Jack was more than willing to hand off his end of the travois to Captain Annis a little less than an hour later. He instead moved alongside Carter as much as the terrain would allow, letting his hand rest on her wrist under the pretense of monitoring her pulse.

It was another hour before they ran into the medical team, accompanied by Major Griff; but they did little more than lay their crude travois over their stretcher and cover Carter with another blanket. They assured Jack that he had done everything possible and that there was nothing more they could do until they got her back to the infirmary.

When the Stargate finally came into view, Jack wasn't sure who was more relieved: Sam or him.

**

Jack was grateful to see Janet Fraiser waiting in the gate room for their return; of all the doctors on the base, he trusted her the most. The fact that she was a friend of Carter's and would do everything possible to help her also might have had something to do with his relief.

He slowed and then stopped next to Hammond as the med team headed for the infirmary, Fraiser seemingly having everything under control. "General."

"Colonel," he responded, following his gaze to the doors through which Carter had just been taken. "What can you tell me?"

"Not much, sir. Have you talked to Jonas yet?" Truthfully, he'd completely forgotten about the other man up until now.

"Just for a few minutes. Doctor Fraiser insisted that he be given time to rest before being debriefed - he required stitches in his arm and he lost a fair amount of blood. She estimates that he'll be released later today."

Jack related what he knew of the situation, which only took a minute. Hammond nodded, before releasing him to the infirmary to be checked out himself. "We'll do a formal debrief tomorrow morning, Jack. Until then, you're dismissed."

"Thank you, General." With a quick glance at Teal'c, he headed for the infirmary.

**

One of Fraiser's nurses informed him that Carter had been taken into surgery; she had checked out okay except for mild hypothermia and her knee, which would likely require numerous operations and extensive rehabilitation. Jack knew better than almost anyone else on base what lay ahead of his second in command but wasn't overly concerned at the moment. He was just relieved that he hadn't missed anything critical during his field evaluation.

He suffered through his own post-mission physical and then, having nothing else to do, stopped by to check on Jonas. Poking his head around the partially drawn privacy curtain, he found the other man lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. "Hey."

Jonas' gaze flicked to Jack; to the colonel, he looked less pale than the last time he'd seen him, but even more guilty. "Colonel."

"How're you doing?"

"Better. My arm barely hurts - although that could have something to do with the drugs they gave me." He paused and Jack made no effort to fill the silence; he still felt awkward with this man and didn't know how to relate to him. But Jonas had something else to say. "How's Major Carter? I saw them bring her in, but no one will tell me what's going on."

Jack relented the tiniest bit; even if he had trouble deciding if he liked the man, Carter had warmed to him fairly quickly. "She's in surgery right now. She fell down a gully and has something called a tibial plateau fracture. Otherwise, Doctor Fraiser seems to think she'll be fine." He paused, then forced himself to say, "Look, Jonas, it wasn't your fault. There wasn't anything you could have done."

Jonas' face twisted. "How do you know? You weren't there."

"Carter told me what happened; she said that you were both taken by surprise."

His eyes dropped to the sheet covering him. "Maybe I shouldn't be on SG-1 after all. First Doctor Jackson, and now Major Carter.... Maybe I'm just not cut out for fieldwork. I thought I could handle it but I don't seem to be doing so well looking out for others."

Jack contemplated the man in front of him, choosing his words carefully. "I'll admit that your reaction time leaves something to be desired, but Daniel was the same when we first met. Worse, actually; the man had a tendency to walk right up to gun-toting aliens and introduce himself as though it were some kind of cultural exchange." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. "What happened to Daniel was not your fault. He chose to risk his life, and even after, when we might have saved his life, he chose to move on. And the fact that you held yourself together long enough to find me and Teal'c on the planet today may well have saved Carter's life. A few more hours by herself and she would have gone into shock."

"If I thought that it were your fault, I'd be the first one holding you responsible; make no mistake about that. But it wasn't. SG-1 is a field unit and there are bound to be injuries. You can't stop them all. We've been getting hurt since long before we had any idea who you were, and we'll continue getting hurt until this war is over." His piece said, he turned to leave.

Jonas' voice held him back. "Colonel O'Neill? Thank you."

Slightly uncomfortable, Jack merely nodded.

**

Sam fought her way to consciousness. The foggy, muzzy feeling in her head and the dryness of her throat told her that she'd been put on painkillers - the good kind, too, which worried her a bit - and the mild burning in her left leg told her why. Hard as it was to concentrate, she could recall what had happened to her on P7S 459 as well as the rough journey home, and Janet's concern about her knee. She vaguely remembered the doctor telling her that she needed surgery immediately, and then there was nothing.

She forced her eyes open, blinking rapidly as her pupils adjusted to the sudden onslaught of the overhead lights. At least she knew that it was daytime; but which day?

A nearby nurse apparently noticed her movements and disappeared somewhere off to the side, only to be replaced a minute later by Janet. "Sam! How are you feeling?" She bustled from one side of her bed to the other, checking monitors and making notations on her clipboard.

"Thirsty," Sam croaked, her throat slightly sore in addition to being dry.

Janet sat her up and handed her a glass of water with a straw. "Sip, and not too much to start with," she ordered, although by this time Sam knew the routine as well as any of the nurses. She took the water gratefully and took a small sip, her throat already feeling slightly better. "What do you remember?"

"Everything, I think. Jonas and I were attacked by some wild animals; he was knocked out, I was dragged a bit before I managed to get free. I fell down a gully and broke my leg. It was a few hours before I was able to fix the radio and contact Colonel O'Neill, and several hours more before they got me back here. You operated on my knee." She fell silent, tired out even by that short recount.

"How does it feel?"

"Hot. A bit sore. Mostly numb."

Janet nodded slowly, finally coming to a complete stop at Sam's side. Sam had rarely seen her so serious and a small tremor of unease wormed its way into her still-foggy mind. "Sam... you fractured your tibia and tore your anterior cruciate ligament.

Sam knew her friend too well to be fooled into thinking that this was the worst of the news. "What else, Janet?"

"You're going to require at least one more operation on your knee and months of physiotherapy...."

"What *else*, Janet?" Sam was seriously afraid now; the doctor never beat around the bush like this.

The doctor façade slipped slightly and the friend emerged. "It's bad, Sam. Even with the best surgeons and intense physical therapy, in my medical opinion it's unlikely that you'll be able to resume active duty."

The major gaped at her, unable for a moment to comprehend what she was hearing; though Janet's lips kept moving, all Sam could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears. Unable to resume active duty? That meant no SG-1, no SGC.

No Air Force.

"Wait a minute." She didn't care that she'd interrupted Janet mid-sentence. "How can you know? I mean, it's only been a couple of hours. You said yourself that my knee will need another operation and months of therapy! How do you know that a year from now I won't be fine?" She sounded slightly panicky even to her own ears.

Janet took her hand. "I've been a doctor for a long time, Sam, and I've seen a lot of injuries. Even when your knee heals, there will be a significant amount of scar tissue in the surrounding muscle and there's nothing that we can do about that." Even through her confusion, Sam could hear her friend's voice shaking. "You're never going to be one hundred per cent, Sam. In my medical opinion, I don't think you'll ever be able to pass the physical requirements."

Sam gripped Janet's hand tightly for a moment before pulling away entirely. "Are you going to tell this to General Hammond?"

"I have to give him an update on your health," she admitted, "but I don't have to tell him my long-term prognosis just yet if that's what you prefer." She touched Sam's arm but the major moved away. "It's not a certainty, Sam; we can't rule out medical advancements, or even help from the Tok'ra. But it's a likelihood, and I want you to prepare yourself for that."

Sam simply nodded, still not meeting Janet's eyes. "I'd like to be alone for a while."

The doctor hesitated, but agreed. "I'll be on duty for the next eight hours, Sam. Just let me know when you're ready to talk."

Sam nodded distractedly, barely noticing as Janet squeezed her shoulder briefly before moving away; her mind was too busy trying to wrap itself around the fact that her life as she knew it was effectively over. But the drugs in her system were powerful, and it wasn't long before her injured body succumbed to the welcomed nothingness of the tranquilizers.

**

~several weeks later~

He hadn't deliberately gone looking for her, but Jack couldn't deny that his subconscious had probably known exactly where she'd be.

The first time he'd found her there, less than a year after they'd started working together, it had been a simple coincidence. Needing some fresh air, he had gone for a walk; unbeknownst to him, Carter had felt the same urge for blue skies and green trees after spending more than a week underground, mostly in her lab. With only her laptop and a thermos of coffee she'd been sitting cross-legged in the middle of the sun-filled clearing as she reviewed her notes; frankly, she had startled him more than he had her since she'd been able to hear him coming. He always remembered that day with a certain fondness; Carter'd been considerably more relaxed than usual and their conversation had been easygoing. In the time that followed they'd met there occasionally, although always accidentally-on-purpose.

This time around it was night, the air crisp and cool. She was standing in the center of the clearing, propped up on her crutches, staring up at the stars with an unreadable expression on her face. He wasn't aware of having made any type of noise, but she started speaking to him, her eyes never leaving the breathtaking view above them.

"Do you ever wish you didn't know?" she asked, her voice hushed.

"Know what?" Confused, he stepped closer.

"Everything that's out there," she murmured, a sweep of her arm encompassing the bright points of light and everything beyond. "Other humans living on distant worlds, proof of alien life... do you ever wish that you didn't know?" She paused but he remained silent, sensing that she wasn't finished. "Sometimes I do," she confessed quietly, finally bringing her eyes to his. "I miss looking up at the stars and wondering what, or who, might be out there. Not that I regret what we've been doing for the past five years," she hastened to add. "It's more than I ever could have imagined. And I know that there's still so much more to be discovered and learned. But there's nothing like that feeling when you look up, wondering, not knowing...."

She trailed off, her gaze returning to the night sky, and he watched her with some concern; that had been a decidedly un-Sam-like statement. This was a woman who was pure scientist, who had an insatiable urge to know how everything worked; hearing that she sometimes wanted to forget it all clashed with everything he knew about her.

"What's up with you?" he asked without answering her question. "You've been kind of out of it since you injured your knee - distracted, jumpy, withdrawn... is something wrong?" She had every right to act that way, of course, but Carter usually dealt with injury much better.

"Maybe," she answered softly. "Janet doesn't think that my knee is going to fully heal. There's a good chance that I won't be able to remain in the military."

He wasn't sure what to say to that. "What about the healing device? Can you use that?"

"I tried. It didn't do much. Dad tried again when he was here last week but he couldn't do anything either. He said that it's too much for a healing device; I would need a sarcophagus in order to fully repair the damage."

"But it's only been a couple of months. Good as Doc Fraiser is, even she can't see that far into the future." He hoped he didn't sound as desperate to provide hope to her as he did to himself.

She let out an almost-laugh. "That's pretty much what I said, but as Janet so eloquently reminded me, she's been a doctor for a long time and she knows what she's talking about. Besides, the specialist agreed."

"Does Hammond know?"

Carter shook her head. "Just you and Janet. I didn't want to say anything until it has to become official, but after this latest surgery," she tapped her thigh just above her cast, "the surgeon agrees with her." She looked up at him, her eyes wide and serious, a shadow of their usual brightness. "I'm never going to regain full mobility in my leg."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, knowing it was horribly inadequate but understanding that there was nothing that he could say that would make a difference.

They stood in silence for a while until Sam brushed her fingers over his arm in an almost-caress, barely felt through the fabric of his jacket. "I'm going back inside."

He nodded in acknowledgement and then, because she looked so lost and because he was going to miss her being on his team more than he could admit, he wrapped one arm around her in a half-hug. She stiffened slightly but before he could move away she was clutching at him, a crutch falling to the ground with a soft 'thud' as she wound an arm around his waist and buried her face against his neck, her entire body shaking.

Jack tentatively brought up his other hand, cradling the back of her head. "It's going to be okay," he whispered, not sure that he had the right to make such a promise.

She pulled away after several minutes with a small sniff; her breathing was still a bit erratic and her eyes were glassy, but it didn't look as though she'd actually shed any tears. He bent down to pick up her crutch and she took it with a small nod, unable to meet his gaze. He suspected that she was embarrassed by not being in complete control. "Carter?" She glanced up and he fought the urge to touch her again, knowing that she wouldn't welcome it just now. "You *are* going to be okay," he affirmed.

She held his gaze for a moment longer but didn't reply, and they made they way back to the SGC in silence.

**

Sam sat at her desk, staring at the medical discharge forms that lay there before her. Six months and two surgeries after being injured on P7S 459 she'd finally come to the conclusion that Janet and the specialist had been right; there was no way she'd ever be fit for active duty. Or maybe she hadn't so much reached that conclusion as she'd finally stopped holding on to the faint hope that they were completely and utterly wrong. It was time to admit that, whether she wanted it or not, her life had changed totally.

Reaching for her pen, Sam signed her name where required and left her lab to deliver the forms to Colonel O'Neill.

**

Sam took one last look around her former lab, making sure that she had retrieved all of her personal belongings. Jonas, Teal'c, and the colonel had helped her clean out and sort most of the equipment for whoever was taking over her job, but she had sent them to the commissary ahead of her, telling them that she would meet up with them in a few minutes. They were going to have one last meal together before she left the base for the last time.

An airman cleared his throat behind her, catching her attention. "Sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but General Hammond wants you to come see him before you leave."

She nodded, confused by the request, she and Hammond had already said their goodbyes that morning. "Thank you, Airman. I'll be right there." Without another look, she shut off the lights and left the lab behind her.

Sam knocked on the general's office door, entering when he gave his permission and fighting the urge to come to attention in front of his desk. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

Hammond nodded. "Have a seat, Sam."

She did as asked, after two months still unaccustomed to hearing her first name from his lips. It would be awhile, she knew, before she completely adjusted to being a civilian, if she ever did. The military had been her life for as long as she could remember. "Is there something I can do for you, General?"

He put down his pen and leaned forward, steepling his hands together as he met her gaze. "Actually, Sam, there is. As you know, we have been trying for a number of years now to get a lab built at the Alpha site in order to carry out some of the experiments deemed too risky to do on Earth. Yesterday, approval for funding was granted. I just found out an hour ago."

Sam sat up straighter, feeling the smile as it spread across her face. "Sir, that's fantastic! Why the sudden change?"

"Certain recent changes in national politics have apparently forced the president to reconsider his priorities. He now feels that the benefits of having an off-world science post are worth the cost." Hammond shrugged, and she could see the smile he was trying to hide. "Personally, I think he just got sick of receiving a new proposal from us every other week."

She tried to maintain her smile in the face of the general's obvious pleasure, but it was difficult. Of course she was happy that something for which they'd campaigned for so long was finally to become a reality, but Sam couldn't help the small tinge of bitterness she felt at the timing. The opportunity to be part of building an off-world science base was one that she'd long hoped to experience, but now that she was no longer a part of the Air Force she wouldn't be a part of its operation. "So what does this have to do with me, Sir?"

Hammond's smile widened. "Sam, I'd like you to be the head of the science department. You would be responsible for requisitioning the equipment you feel would be appropriate for the new base, and once it's built you would be in charge of any and all experiments that take place there and the scientists who perform them. You would, of course, receive quite a substantial raise in pay, but there is a downside: you would be required to spend nearly all of your time at the Alpha site. For all intents and purposes, you would be living off-world."

Sam sat back, stunned. Head of the science department of an off-world base? Short of receiving a promotion, this was something for which she'd strived for years. "I..." she started, then faltered, unsure what to say. "Thank you, General. But I need some time to think about this."

"Of course," he agreed as he stood, and she followed suit, reaching instinctively for her crutches. "The paperwork on this won't be done for weeks, and it'll be a few months before we're able to start construction. Take your time and let me know by the end of next month. In the meantime, I'd appreciate your help with some of the logistical requirements that we'll need to work out before the final approval goes through."

Still slightly dazed, Sam automatically reached out to return Hammond's handshake before turning to leave, her mind already spinning as she considered his offer.

**

Jack paused outside Sam's front door for a moment, wondering at the irony of the situation. He'd always figured that when he was forced to retire -- assuming he lived that long, of course -- that it would be because of his knees. Now, Carter had been forced to leave the Air Force because of her knee.

But there were fundamental differences. He knew he was approaching the end of his military career and a part of him almost welcomed the thought of getting out of the field. He'd served for nearly three decades now, and had sacrificed a lot - his marriage and a large chunk of his soul, just for starters - in the name of his country. He was ready to retire, and if not for the continued threat of the Goa'uld he'd have already resigned.

It was different for Carter. She was still young and, despite all they'd seen, still optimistic. She'd had a bright future ahead of her in the Air Force; Jack knew she would have gone far. *She'd* expected to go far. Being forced to take a medical discharge so early in her career was a difficult blow, and though she appeared to be taking it rather well, considering, he knew that she had a tendency to hide her true feelings from him.

Lifting his hand, he knocked on her door.

**

Sam sat sideways on her couch, her injured leg propped up on the cushions in front of her; the bulky dressing was gone, exchanged for a brace, and if all went well she would need her crutches for only another month or so. General Hammond's offer continued to spin in her mind, not allowing her to concentrate on the novel she'd been trying to read for the past hour. Her first instinct had been to accept the proposal, but the longer she thought about it the more unsure she became. Yes, she'd be in charge of her own team and be able to devote her full attention to learning how alien devices worked; part of her had always wanted that opportunity. But would she be able to stand watching others come and go through the 'gate, knowing that she would never go through herself as part of a field unit? She'd been hoping for her own command in the next few years....

A knock at the front door dragged her out of her increasingly depressed thoughts. "It's open!" she yelled, unable to summon the effort required to get to the door.

Colonel O'Neill came in a few seconds later, eyeing her questioningly. "What if I'd been a burglar?" he greeted her.

She raised an eyebrow. "They tend not to knock first," she replied, surprised to see him. She'd been expecting Janet. "Have a seat," she said, waving him towards the chair.

He sat down, staring at his hands as they fidgeted, playing with the hem of his shirt. Knowing that he had something specific in mind - he never showed up just to visit - she sat patiently through his small talk and long silences before he raised his head to look her in the eye.

"Did Hammond tell you about the off-world science base?" he asked, finally getting to the reason why he'd shown up unexpectedly.

"Yes," Sam replied shortly. She wasn't sure why, exactly, but it was a sensitive subject with her; she didn't want to discuss it until she'd decided what she was going to do.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Are you going to accept the position?"

She looked away. "I don't know."

"Why not? I would have thought you'd jump at the chance to be in charge of your own team of eggheads."

Sam flinched at the reference to being in charge of her own team. The colonel hadn't meant anything by it, she knew, but it reminded her painfully of her desire to lead her own SG team one day. "Yeah, well, I guess you don't know me as well as you thought you did," she said angrily, not knowing why this conversation was upsetting her so much.

"If you don't do this, then what?" he asked, sounding exasperated.

"I've had some offers. Private firms, government jobs, a few universities. I could do research."

"You'd be happy doing that? Working on Earth-based technology when you know that you could be playing with alien stuff that's way beyond anything we have here?"

"They're good opportunities," she lied, knowing that he was right. If she took a civilian job she would have to ignore and hide all the information she'd learned while working as part of the Stargate Program and work at the pace of developing Earth technology.

"You'd be bored within a month," he said confidently. "Take Hammond's offer."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Why wouldn't you? You used to spend all your downtime playing with your doohickeys, Carter. Now you'd be getting paid to do it."

"Why the hell does it matter to you so much anyway?" she muttered.

"Because I love you, dammit!"

His completely unexpected words hung heavy in the air between them, their import heightened by the silence that followed. Sam was the first to look away, levering herself to her feet with surprising swiftness and turning towards the kitchen. "I think you should leave," she said quietly.

He shook his head. "If that's what you want." He headed toward the door, his movements angry. His next words were low, and she didn't know if she was supposed to have heard them. "I can't do this anymore."

Sam froze, her mind automatically searching for his meaning. Couldn't do what? Suddenly terrified of what may have just happened she spun awkwardly on her crutches, but the sound of her front door slamming shut told her it was too late. "Can't do *what* anymore?" she whispered to her empty house.

**

It took her long time to make her way up to his roof, and Sam was sure that he must have heard her -- that last curse in particular had been fairly loud -- but he made no effort to help her up or offer to come down instead. Even when she finally poked her head over the edge he still didn't bother to look over, letting her get over on her own, brace or no brace. If their friendship was to be mended, it was up to her to make the first steps -- literally and figuratively.

He was still fiddling with his telescope when she finally collapsed beside him, exhausted by her trip so far. She couldn't wait to get rid of the damn crutches. He continued to ignore her, but at least he wasn't telling her to leave. That was something. Wasn't it?

They sat silently for a very long time, neither saying a word, until with a soft sigh Sam started talking. "I wanted to join the military ever since I was fifteen. Mark still thinks it has something to do with making Dad proud of me, or getting his attention, but that's not it; it was something I wanted to do for *me*. I worked damn hard to get where I did, and I had to put up with a lot, sacrifice a lot, but it was always worth it. There's no place I would rather be."

"When... things... were admitted a few years ago, it scared me. You were my CO, and even if we never acted inappropriately I knew that even the slightest hint of something unprofessional could ruin my career. So I did everything I could to ignore it, to pretend that it didn't exist. And even though I know that the regs don't apply anymore, it's hard to break out of that mindset."

Silence reigned again for a while, broken only by the sounds of the colonel fiddling with his telescope. When he finally spoke, his voice was nearly expressionless. "I can understand that. But Sam, despite what most people believe I'm not a masochist. I can only hear 'no' from you so many times before I just leave it alone."

"I know," she said. "I do. It's just, I have to get used to not putting the military first and foremost and... I can't promise I'll try, but I'll *try* to try," she found herself quoting unexpectedly. To her surprise, the colonel looked up with a faint smile.

"The Simpsons," he identified immediately. "Didn't know you watched that, Carter."

"I may have seen an episode or two on occasion." Their gazes caught and held for a few seconds, and Sam felt ridiculously pleased that they had this small thing in common. It wasn't much, but it wasn't related to the military so it felt like a step in the right direction. "I just need time, sir. Jack," she amended, testing the unfamiliar name, knowing that if their situation was going to change at all she had to make an effort starting tonight. And judging by the small smile he gave her, it was a good start.

"You got it, Sam," he assured her quietly. Eventually he broke their gaze, turning back to adjust his telescope with one hand while reaching into a cooler with the other. "Want a beer?"

"Sure." Accepting the chilled bottle, Sam settled herself in the chair with a contented sigh.

**

~Epilogue~

Sam stood at the base of the Stargate, her hands loosely clasped together in front as she waited for the 'gate to finish its dialing sequence. Jaffa and humans alike had their weapons trained on the event horizon as it 'kawooshed' into existence; in spite of the fact that visitors were expected, the security was still required.

Moments after the wormhole collapsed back into itself, three familiar figures stepped through to the Alpha Site and all weapons were lowered as Jack O'Neill tossed off a jaunty wave and called out a greeting. "Hey kids, how's it goin'?"

Sam tried to cover her grin and squash the delicious tingle low in her stomach as he turned his smile in her direction. "Colonel," she greeted him formally, taking a step forward. "Teal'c, Jonas. It's good to see you guys."

"It is good to see you as well, Samantha Carter." Teal'c bowed his head in her direction with a small smile.

"Sam!" Jonas bounded down the steps to stand in front of her. After nearly two years on SG-1 he was still as exuberant as ever, although the innocence that once radiated from him had dulled somewhat. "How are you doing?" He pulled her into a quick hug. "We smuggled chocolate," he whispered conspiratorially.

"Thanks. I owe you," she whispered back, patting his back and resuming her normal tone of voice. "I'm good. How'd the negotiations go?"

"Ah, you know," Jack drawled as he ambled down the steps. "Lots of talking, lunch, lots of talking, supper, lots of talking, sleep. Same old, same old."

"We got what we wanted," Jonas told her. "A substantial amount of weapons-grade naquadah in exchange for the design plans for the iris so that they can increase their security."

As a group they started walking towards the newly built labs, so that Sam could update them on what her team had been working on lately. SG-1 was theoretically there to collect all reports completed at the Alpha Site in the past month and see what supplies and requisitions were needed, but in reality it was a chance for the team - minus Major Thomas, her replacement - to take a much-deserved break. That, and the opportunity for Sam and Jack to spend a little time together, thanks to an understanding General Hammond.

Sam took them on a brief tour, summarizing their current projects and pointing out what had been finished before leading them to her office, where she had left her final reports. She handed the thick file over to Jack before they decided to take a supper break.

Their meal in the modest cafeteria was loud and boisterous, with SG-1 telling stories of some of the missions they'd completed lately and various Alpha Site personnel wandering over to hear about what was happening on Earth. Jack produced an entire collection of videotapes containing the Stanley Cup playoffs, earning almost every SGC officer's dying devotion. With all the excitement, it was nearly two hours before Sam and Jack managed to slip away unnoticed.

They wandered over to a semi-private spot that they'd discovered several months earlier, partially shielded by trees but still within sight and shouting distance of the compound. Once there, Sam leaned back against a large rock and rubbed at her knee.

"You've been limping a lot today," Jack observed quietly, watching her as she tried to ease the ache.

She should have known that he would notice. "It's going to rain," she joked, before telling him the real reason. "I've spent about fourteen hours on my feet today," she admitted. "We've been pretty busy in the labs, plus there was a surprise emergency evacuation drill early this morning. I barely had a chance to sit down until you guys got here."

Jack shed his jacket and set it on top of the rock before moving to stand in front of her, his hands resting lightly on her hips. "Then have a seat," he murmured, helping to boost her up onto the rock and off her feet. He let his hands trail down the outsides of her thighs to her knees, making her shiver, before beginning a gentle massage of her sore joint.

They talked quietly about whatever came to mind until Sam gradually became aware of the fact that Jack was no longer simply touching her knee, but tracing small circles along her upper leg. She gave a small moan as he touched a particularly sensitive spot on her inner thigh and whatever she was saying sputtered to a halt as he raised his hands to cup her face. "I missed you," he told her, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"I missed you too," she managed to say before he covered her lips with a gentle kiss. Wrapping one arm around his neck she ran her fingers through his hair, holding him close, as her other arm wound around his waist to run up and down his back. Jack stepped closer, insinuating himself between her legs, slipping one hand beneath her shirt to stroke bare skin. She gasped involuntarily at the touch and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth, their kiss taking on a slightly darker edge.

Sam was finally forced to break the kiss, tilting her head back as she gasped for breath. "When are you due back?" she asked, only mildly embarrassed at the squeaking sound she made as he licked the hollow of her throat.

"Day after tomorrow." He placed a kiss on her neck, making his way up. "1430." Another kiss. "Earth time." Another. "Why?" And another.

She forced herself to focus. "Just wondering. Jack?" He cut off what she'd been about to say by once again covering her lips with his after having quite possibly kissed every single millimeter of her neck from her shirt collar to her mouth.

Not that she minded.

Sam let herself be distracted for a few more thoroughly pleasurable minutes before turning her head away. "Jack?"

"Mmm?" He sounded as if he was only half paying attention.

"Maybe we should take this back to my quarters?"

She could tell that *that* caught his interest; because they only saw each other for a few hours once or twice a month, they'd been taking their relationship slowly. The only time he'd been in her quarters had been the day SG-1 had helped her move everything to the Alpha Site. Lifting his head slowly to look her in the eye, he raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

She nodded, feeling herself blush. "Yeah."

He smiled, that slow, rare smile that never failed to make her stomach flutter. "Sounds like a good idea to me," he said in a tone of voice that she'd never quite heard from him before, low and seductive. Still wearing that damnably handsome grin, he once again placed a hand on either of her hips in order to help her off the rock. This time, however, he stood close enough to ensure that every inch of her body pressed against his as she slid to her feet. Sam took a moment to rest her head against his chest, breathing in deeply as his tongue flicked lightly against her ear. "Lead the way," he whispered, his breath against the wetness caused by his tongue making her shiver, before he stepped back to allow her movement. Wrapping her arm around his waist, his arm draped over her shoulders, they left for the sleeping quarters.

**

Jack was lying with his head on Sam's stomach, one hand lightly tracing up and down her leg as her fingers played with his hair, her fingernails scratching lightly against his scalp a surprisingly pleasant feeling. He was close to falling asleep when Sam spoke.

"Jack?"

"Mmmm?" he mumbled, too lazy to bother speaking.

"Marry me."

He froze for a second before levering himself onto his side, propped up on his arm so that he could study her face. She looked completely serious. "I was that good, huh?" he teased, trying to buy some time as his brain tried to comprehend what she was asking.

She grinned and blushed, which he thought made her look even more beautiful than usual, before smacking his arm. "Very funny. I'm being serious, Jack."

"I know you are." He contemplated her face for a few seconds, his hand reaching over to trail over her cheek and lips. "Yes."

Her eyes widened. "Yes?"

Jack felt himself grin. "Yes." He leaned down to kiss her, letting his hand move down to caress her body. It was a few minutes later that he lifted his head, both of them breathing heavily. "Since you did the proposing, do I get a ring?"

She laughed. "Well, I tried, but there just don't appear to be any jewellery stores on P3X-984."

"I suppose that's a good enough excuse," he conceded, listening to her soft yelp as he rolled onto his back, pulling her to lie on top of him. He took a moment just to look at her, their grins fading as the giddiness of the moment lessened a bit. "I love you, you know," he told her, loving the way she blushed and ducked her head at his words the same way she did whenever he complimented her.

"I know. I love you too." She looked up at him again, this time with a decidedly wicked glint in her eyes. "So how long until you have to return to Earth?" she asked innocently, her hand making its way to a place that was anything but innocent.

"A couple of hours," he told her. "Why?" His hand traced up her spine to that spot by her neck he'd discovered a few hours earlier.

She moaned softly. "No reason." And then her lips found his and they said very little else until morning.

**




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