TITLE: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

AUTHOR: Fawe (email fawe@mastershouse. freeserve.co.uk)

CATEGORY: Sam/Jack, teeny bit of angst. Blink and you miss it.

RATING: PG

ARCHIVE: SJA please

SUMMARY: Sam is attracted by a light amidst a lot of darkness

DISCLAIMER: This story is copyright to me. The characters, and all stargate-related trademarks, are not mine. No profit has been made from this story, proving that I am not a Ferengi. I suppose that's a good thing.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank-you very much to people who sent feedback about recent fics. If you send me feedback about this, I have a parallel in mind for it. Tell me what you think

DEDICATION: To the light at the end of my tunnel. 9:45 am on Thursday the 21st of June, 2001. And that's a nice, big shining light in my case

"The light at the end of the tunnel is the light of the oncoming train."

**

Major Samantha Carter raised her eyes to look at the figure who stood in the doorway of her lab. The figure was familiar, but she could put no name to it. It beckoned to her, and she was unable to prevent herself from standing and walking over to where it stood, waiting silently for her. It reached out and placed a pale hand upon her chest. Then it reached into her chest and took hold of her beating heart, stilling it. Sam fell to the ground. Its job finished for the time being, the Grim Reaper nodded to itself, and faded from sight.

**

She was surrounded by darkness. Looking into the darkness, she was able to make out vague shapes. Pale wreaths of mist, each shaped approximately like a person. They drifted about rather than walking, moving silently, not seeming to notice each other. Sam felt herself move forwards, towards a distant speck of light that none of the other shades, for that was what they were, what she felt herself to be, seemed to notice.

The light seemed to grow no brighter as she drew towards it. It seemed no closer. It was still distant, still unattainable. She grew disheartened as she moved towards it, as she drew closer yet without seeming to do so.

After what felt like forever, she reached the source of the light. She had had to hurry to get there, it seemed to flee her approach, sa if in some way the light itself feared her, or was repelled by her.

The light was a shade like many of the others in that place. The shade of a man, one she knew well.

She felt fear well up inside her. Her light, the light at the end of her proverbial tunnel, was the one man she couldn't have. And this man seemed to be afraid of her. Her light, the thing to which she was drawn through the darkness, did not see her the same way. It, he, saw her as something to be avoided, something to be fled. That hurt her more than she was able truly to admit to herself.

She looked at his face. He smiled at her, shyly. He was uncertain. She reached out her spectre-like hand, and touched his face, as he did the same to her.

**

The darkness was gone. Above her, bright lights shone. A concerned face, the face of a friend, looked down on her. She turned her head to the side, and saw him lying near her. He looked at her, she looked at him. Both smiled.

**Fin**

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Fawe