"Marked Path" by Nutty1

"Marked Path" By *Nutty1* ®

Title: Marked Path

Author: *Nutty1*

Rating: R (Rape. Mild Angst)

Status: Complete

Warnings: Rape. Angst. Bit of language.

Spoilers: Out Of Mind (Season 2) Into The Fire/Jolinar's Memories/The Devil You Know/Forever In A Day (Season 3)

Category: Drama.

Brief Summary: A routine mission goes horribly wrong.

Disclaimer: I own nothing........... I'm just using stuff for entertainment. No money was made.

MORAL DISCLAIMER: I'm talking fairly graphic description of rape here folks. Not kids stuff. I absolutely DO NOT want to bring up painful memories for anyone or anything like that. This was not written to offend anyone.

Authors Notes: Constructive criticism wanted, as always. <G> No ~flames~ though. Thanks a bunch folks!

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Jack!"

"What?!"

"Are you ready?"

"Are you?"

"No!"

"Neither am I. Dannie. Are you ready for school?"

"Not yet daddy."

"Quick sweetie. Mommy and daddy are very late for work. Got your lunch?"

"Yes."

"Good girl. Got your shoes?"

"I can't find them."

"Oh. Uh, look. Is that them?"

"Yep! Thanks daddy."

"Do you have any idea how late we are?" Sam called from their room.

"I'm guessing, VERY?!" Jack shouted back as Danielle ran to put her school shoes on.

"Yep" Sam replied as she jogged into the lounge room with her jacket and boots.

"It was your idea that we should stay in bed. You said we had plenty of time."

"Oh yeah. It's all my fault!?"

"You bet."

"Thanks."

"Anytime. After all, we're supposed to do things like that. We're married."

"So?! That doesn't mean every time we're late, you get to blame it on me."

"Sure it does."

"But we're late so often!"

"I know. Ready yet?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yah. Let's go then. Danielle? You ready now?"

"Yep."

"Quick honey. Daddy and I are very late."

"Why?"

"We, uh... we slept in."

"But don't you have an alarm clock?"

"Yeah. We didn't hear it this morning."

"I did."

"You got ears on you. Come on. We gotta get you to school" Jack said as they vacated their house and drove Danielle to school. After letting her go, and saying goodbye a million times, they were finally on their way to the SGC.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

At the SGC, Jack and Sam O'Neill, were greeted by the guards and anyone else they passed on their way to the Control Room. Their new mission, to destination, P5C 881, was in a few minutes, and they only just made it on time. Nearly six years before, their hearts could both no longer go on lonely. The announced to each other that they were crazily in love with one another. After many happy weeks together, they were married, and Sam also revealed that she was two months pregnant to the rest of SG1 and General Hammond. They were both also ecstatic when notified that Hammond had agreed for them both to remain at the SGC and SG1. Many more months, and the baby was born. Danielle Jennet O'Neill. Daniel was thrilled, and blushed to know that they had named their baby girl in honour of their friend. Janet Fraiser was also very flattered to hear that a variation of her name was also included. Now, nearly six years later, and their little girl was already at school, learning. She had accompanied them to the SGC as a baby and been spoilt by all the officers. Now she attended school, and had a multitude of friends, and was enjoying learning new things. The young girl inherited her mothers sapphire blue eyes and golden blonde hair. She was fairly tall for her age. Most of the other kids were a bit shorter than her. Long legs, and gentle hands like her Dad. There was a bit of both of them in her.

"Sorry we're late General. Traffic" Jack apologised as they walked into the Control Room and saw The General, Daniel and Teal'c waiting for them.

"We had to drop off Danielle at school too" Sam added.

"How is Dannie?" Daniel asked with a smile.

"Good. She's real good" Sam answered.

"That's good. Now, sorry to spoil conversation, but back to the topic of your mission. P5C 881 is fairly dense, as seen by the pictures the MALP brought back. I want you to be fairly alert. It looks as though it *could* be hazardous. I want you back in at least twenty-four hours. Max is forty eight, but no more" Hammond explained.

"Is Harriet gonna look after Dannie?" Jack asked Sam softly, in full protective mode.

"Yeah. Called her last night. She said she would" Sam replied quietly. Jack sighed. "She's going to be fine Jack. Stop worrying."

"I'm not. I know Harriet will look after her."

"You big worrier."

"Am not. You're worried too."

"I know. She's going to be fine. We'll see her soon. She knows we're busy. She understands."

"I know."

"Ready to ship out SG1?" Hammond asked.

"Yes sir" Jack replied. They all headed down to the Gate Room and got ready to ship out. The Stargate was activated, and they all walked through. Before walking through, Jack turned back. For the first time in his life at the SGC, he felt as though, leaving Earth this time, he might never come back. He felt as though he needed to take one last look, because he might never see it all again. He looked around one last time and then walked through the Gate.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Jack? What took so long?" Sam asked as he stepped through on the other side.

"I don't know what it was, but I felt as though I needed to take one last look at everything, like I might never see it again" he replied.

"Jack. That's awful. Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Probably just something stupid. I'll be right."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He touched her shoulder reassuringly and then continued down the steps to the ground Daniel was standing on. "Find anything Danny?"

"Not yet. I think we should follow this marked path. It looks well tred" he responded.

"Ok. Follow the marked path then."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"And we followed the marked path, because?" Jack questioned, nearly an hour later, as they continued walking and found nothing.

"Well. I guess 'well-tred' means nothing here then" Daniel commented.

"I believe I heard something" Teal'c said as he pointed in the general direction of which he thought the sound was generated. They veered off the path and followed the sounds, and found they grew louder. Voices. Not very pleasant sounding ones either.

"Ok. I think we should head back now. Those voices are sounding way too much like Goa'ulds for my liking" Jack said.

"Yeah. I sense Goa'uld" Sam confirmed.

"Right. That's it. We're outta here" Jack affirmed. They all agreed without argument and turned around to head back. Unfortunately, they were faced with a wall of Serpent Guards.

"Oh boy" Jack sighed.

"Weapons on the ground" they commanded. SG1 obeyed, and placed their weapons on the ground. The Serpent Guards took them and gestured in direction they wanted the team to go in, as though they were directing traffic.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Skaara. Sorry to say that I *wasn't* looking forward to seeing you again" Jack said as Klorel sauntered into the little sell-like room they were almost stored in.

"O'Neill. How it pleases me to meet with you once again. My father will be pleased to know of your capture" he said as his eyes glowed evilly.

"I bet."

"How many others have you brought?"

"None. Just us" Sam answered.

"How can I believe you?"

"Search the place if you don't. We don't care" Jack told him. He gained only a whack across the face with Klorel's ribbon device clad hand. "Thank you" Jack added as he recovered.

"If you speak the truth, and there are no others, then we shall bury the Stargate so that you cannot escape us this time." A familiar voice to SG1 spoke. And as they realised whom it belonged to, she appeared. Hathor.

"Oh great. I thought I killed you?!" Jack exclaimed, disheartening tone.

"You are incorrect our beloved. How it pleases us to see you once again" she smiled and stroked a hand across his face. He retorted away from her. She snarled and hit him for a second time.

"Hey! Watch it red!" Sam exclaimed.

"What is this? How dare you be so insolent?!" Hathor shouted.

"Don't you touch him again!" Sam yelled equally as loud and determined. Hathor strolled over to her.

"Why do you speak woman?" she asked.

"Because I feel like it. And because I don't want you to touch him again" Sam responded obstinately.

"Why is it you are so protective? You are married?" Hathor questioned.

"Yeah. And I don't want you to touch him again. Got it carrot-head?!"

"Sam" Jack said softly.

"Silence! Take *them* to a separate room" she said, gesturing at Daniel and Teal'c. Before they had a chance to say or do anything, they were pushed out of the small room and taken away by the guards. Klorel left with them. Obviously had something planned for them. Jack and Sam presumed the same or worse treatment was in store for them too.

"What now?" Jack asked.

"Silence! You disappoint us our beloved."

"Darn" Jack responded sarcastically. Hathor ignored it and turned to Sam.

"Now. You obviously have affection for our beloved?"

"And a whole lot more than that. I love him. And he's mine, so you just keep you filthy hands off him!" Sam exclaimed protectively.

"Sam. It's ok" Jack reassured her.

"No Jack. No, it's not. I don't want this bitch to get anywhere near you. Let me say what I feel" Sam told him. He sighed and left her to it.

"Why is it you have such strong hatred on us? We have done nothing to *you*" Hathor said.

"No. Maybe not me, but you have to the man I love. So you just better take my advice, and stay away."

"Ha, ha. We shall do nothing of the sort. We shall do as we please. And you have no authority to stop us. Your friends, as we speak, are being tortured. And you shall receive the same treatment. We believe you have seen these devices before?" Hathor lifted her hand. In it she showed them a memory device they had used on them many years before when they were supposedly "cryogenically frozen". They both sighed. Remembering when Apophis used it on them with the blood of Sokar when they went to "hell" to rescue Jacob many years ago also. Hathor said something in Goa'uld and some guards entered the room and tied Jack and Sam's hands behind their backs and pushed them onto the ground. They tied up their ankles also. Each guard pushed one of the small circle devices into the side of their foreheads and turned them to the highest setting. They both instantly saw flashes of images of things that happened in their lives at various times. They both closed their eyes to try and stop the images. Some were disturbing to both of them. Before either of them knew it, several guards were holding them and their mouths were trying to be forced open. Sam was completely unprepared and opened her mouth to gasp. They took that to their own advantage and held her jaw open while pouring 'the blood of Sokar' down her throat. Forcing her mouth closed again, she unwillingly swallowed the liquid. More images spread through her mind. So vivid. Jack, however, was slightly prepared and wouldn't relent to their force. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth tightly in an attempt to prevent the drink being poured down his throat. Suddenly a vision flashed through his mind. He tried to control the pain it beget. Unsuccessful, he gasped. Before he had a chance to think, the liquid was rushed down his throat and his mouth held closed. Again, he unwillingly swallowed the drink. He felt drowsy and light headed. Sam had already fallen victim to the drug and was having a fake memory rolled through her mind. She was absorbed within it. Jack slowly watched the room spin and blur before his eyes. He lost control of his mind, and it was stolen by a vision. So realistic. Danielle. Hathor was going to use her against them both.

**********

Danielle walked out to him, in a new party dress she had just gotten. She smiled and spun around for him.

"It's pretty. You look beautiful" he told her.

"Thanks daddy. What are you doing?" She asked.

"Writing a long report."

"What about?"

"I told you before Dannie. I can't tell you about work."

"Why not? I won't tell."

"I know. I just can't. It's boring anyway."

"Please tell me daddy. I promise not to tell."

"Danielle."

"Oooh!"

"No. I'm sorry. Anyway, who's party are you going to?"

"Marcy's" she said, in a pouty voice.

"Dannie. Don't sulk. We talked about stuff like this."

"I know. So just tell me."

"What? Tell you what?"

"The name of the Harsesis child."

"What?"

"The child. It's name. What's its name?" Jack was shocked.

"What? I don't know its name."

"Sure you do dad. Tell me. I won't tell. Promise."

"Dannie. How do you...? No. This isn't right."

"Sure it is daddy. Uncle Daniel told you all about it. He told you its name. Sha're told him. And he told you. What is it? Tell me daddy. Tell me." The words repeated over and over. Flashing back to seconds before and playing the same sentence over and again.

"No. You can't know that. This isn't happening. This is wrong."

"No daddy. It's right. Tell me the name. The name. Tell me" Danielle's voice repeated those words again and again. But it didn't sound right. It didn't sound like something she would say. And the way she asked. Almost a demand. No. It wasn't right. She walked to him and placed her hands on his.

"It's me daddy. You can tell me. It's only me. Only me. Me" The words again reiterating. Jack shook his head fervently.

"No! No, this is not happening. It's not right!" He exclaimed. Finally, the image of Danielle changed to Hathor and he woke from the dream. She knelt before him and her hands were placed on his. Another guard was interrogating Sam. Jack looked to her.

"Sam! Don't listen to it Sam. It's not real! Remember it isn't real. Sam!" he shouted. Hathor instructed a guard to quickly silence him. With a swift, powerful hit across the face and back into the wall, Jack was unconscious. Hathor turned her attention to Sam.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Hey Dannie. What are you doing?" Sam asked her daughter.

"I'm bored mommy" she replied glumly.

"Where's daddy?"

"He's writing a report. Mommy, why can't he tell me stuff about work?" She sat down next to Sam.

"Cos it's secret stuff, and he'd be in big trouble if he did."

"But I wouldn't tell anybody."

"We know that sweetie. It's just the rules."

"Well, they're bad rules."

"Yeah. What do you want to do?"

"Play a game."

"Ok. What game?"

"A guessing game."

"Uh, ok then. Who's going first?"

"Me."

"Ok."

"Umm, how bout, the Iris?"

"What Iris?"

"The Iris. On the Stargate."

"What? How do you know about the Stargate?"

"That doesn't matter. What about the Iris? How can it be penetrated?"

"What?! How do you know about all that? Jack!"

"No. It's not daddy. He didn't do anything. Just tell me. Tell me. What is the code to penetrate the Iris on Earth's Stargate?"

"Jack! Can you come here please!"

"No mommy! It's not daddy. Tell me. Tell me. The Iris. How can we penetrate it?"

"No. This isn't happening. This isn't right. It isn't real. No. You don't know all that. I didn't tell you anything. Jack!" Sam called anxiously again.

"Stop it Mommy. Daddy didn't tell me anything. I just know. But I don't know the code to open the Iris. What is it? Code to open the Iris. Open the Iris." The words played over and over for Sam. Nagging at her. The scene flashing through her mind again and again. How could she know that? She couldn't. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

"Jack! Jack, come out here!"

"Hey. What's up?" he asked as he walked over to her. Sam stood up and walked him away from their daughter.

"Dannie knows things."

"Like what?"

"Like, about the Gate. And the Iris. She keeps asking me to tell her the Iris code. What's going on?"

"I, uh. I don't know. Dannie. Who told you about the Stargate?"

"No one."

"Then how come you know about it sweetie?" Sam asked calmly.

"I just do. Tell me the Iris code. I want to know. I won't tell anyone. I promise. Promise." The words kept repeating. Scenes flashing back and forward to before and after it began.

"No. This isn't real. You don't know all that. No! It's not real" Sam convinced herself. Suddenly the images drained and she was back in the small room. Hathor stood before her.

"Tell us!" her voice commanded angrily. The young voice of her daughter, no longer in place. Instead, Hathor's, and the location she was previously in returned.

"NO!" she screamed. Hathor slapped her angrily and snarled her disapproval then left with the guards. Sam shuffled over to Jack.

"Jack? Jack, are you ok?" she asked concernedly as she noticed him unconscious. No reply. She bumped her shoulder against his. "Jack!" she exclaimed. He moved slightly. She sighed. She bumped him a few more times until he finally regained consciousness. He tried to raise his hand to inspect his sore, throbbing head but remembered his bound hands.

"You ok?" Sam asked again.

"Ugh, head hurts. But I'm in one piece. What about you?" Jack responded, rubbing his head to his raised knees and wincing as he found the sore spot.

"Ok. Did they use Dannie against you?"

"Yah. You?"

"Yeah. What info did Hathor try to get out of you?"

"Name of the Harsesis kid. You?"

"Wow. The code to open the Iris. You say anything?"

"Squat. Don't even remember the name of the kid. How about you?"

"Same. God, it's so real. Is your memory thing still turned on?"

"I dunno. They knocked me out. I tried calling you, but you must have been in the vision. What about yours?"

"Still on. You seen any other images?"

"Not..."

"Jack?"

"Oh God. Yes! Yes."

"Seeing something?"

"Yeah! Oh hell."

"Jack? Are you ok?"

"No! No, oh God no!" Suddenly the horrifying image faded, and he sighed.

"You ok now?"

"Yah. God this thing is, unpredictable. Can you get off?"

"Don't know. It looked easy enough. You want me to try with my teeth?"

"Go for it. Can't be that bad." Sam swivelled so she was facing him and clasped as much of her teeth around the small circle as she could. She pulled on the disk as hard, but as gentle as she could. It *looked* easy enough to do, but wasn't as easy as it looked, especially with your teeth. She pulled on it, until she was almost yanking at the small ring shaped device. Jack's faced remained retorted, but he said nothing. And didn't complain. Sam eventually gave up, and sighed.

"I can't get it out. There must be some special way to get it out or something."

"Doesn't matter."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Hours and hours later, and still no sign of Hathor or anyone else for that matter. Jack and Sam waited and waited, even for Hathor to return, but they had no such luck. No one came back. Not one person. Not even the guards came in to check if they were still there or anything. So, they waited in companionable silence. Both fiddling with the rope around their hands. Trying to gain some lenience. Nothing. Tied tightly. Thick rope. No way of getting out of it. Jack remembered the knife they didn't find in a pocket in his pants.

"Sam. There's a knife in my pocket. Can you find it?"

"I'll try." Sam said as she turned her back to him and moved her hands with his directions.

"Left. Up a bit. There" he said. She pulled the Velcro on the pocket, up. Slipping her hand in, she found the handle of the knife. As careful as she could be, without being able to see what she was doing, she *slowly* pulled the knife out of the pocket. Her hand slipped, and she reached to grab it again, but instead, pushed it into Jack's leg. Voicing the pain, Sam realised what she had done.

"Shit. Jack?" she cursed.

"I'm, here. Can you get it out now, please?!" he replied. Sam tried to get it out, but found she was very unsuccessful, and ended up pushing it in even further. Suddenly the door flew open and Hathor proceeded in with a guard. Sam turned her head to face her. She remained calm, and said nothing.

"What is going on?" Hathor asked angrily, obviously hearing the painful howl.

"Nothing" Sam said.

"It does not appear like nothing to us. Why is it, our beloved, your face is expressing pain?"

"Because, maybe, I'm in pain!?"

"Why is this so?"

"Oh. No, reason" Jack replied casually, with sarcasm lacing his tone.

"There must be an explanation. We are not sightless" Hathor explained.

"That's great" Sam said. Hathor spoke something Goa'uld to the guard, and he walked to Jack. Sam moved in his way. He pushed past her and found the knife in Jack's leg. As he touched it with his finger, as though it might be alive, he heard a wince and presumed that it was the cause of the pain. They both wondered if all Goa'ulds could really be that stupid. Clearly.

"What is it?" Hathor questioned the guard.

"A knife" Sam answered for him.

"How is it, you were in possession of such weaponry?" Hathor asked, almost incredulously.

"You didn't find it. Guess you didn't search us too great then, huh?" Sam stated proudly.

"Could you just get the damn knife outta me please!?" Jack exclaimed. The guard looked for Hathor's approval. She didn't seem to be too keen on granting it. She shook her head and said something else to the guard in Goa'uld. He nodded and then moved Sam to the corner of the room and placed her in the chair there. He tied her tightly to it, and then he and Hathor left.

"Great. Thanks Hathor. Leave us here, and don't even bother to take out the knife in my leg. That's fine. I don't mind. It doesn't hurt at all" Jack said sarcastically.

"I'm so sorry Jack" Sam apologised, almost in tears.

"What for?"

"For, your leg. It was my stupid fault. If I hadn't..."

"Sam, stop it. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't see what you were doing. Don't blame yourself. Ok?" Jack told her, mildly stern, but softly.

"Yeah" she whispered.

"I didn't hear you."

"Ok."

"Good. Promise me you'll stop feeling bad too."

"How did you know I still felt bad?"

"Because I know you. And I can't see from here that you do. Promise?"

"Yeah. I promise."

"Good. If I can make it over to you, do you think you could have a go at getting this knife out my leg?"

"But... Yeah. Ok." Jack dragged himself over to Sam. She rocked the wooden chair until it fell to the side and she tried to get the knife out again. Finally, she succeeded.

"Ah!"

"Sorry. Sorry. It's out" Sam confirmed, as she felt around the injury. Blood flowed freely from the open wound. Plenty of it too. She could do nothing to stop it while she was tied up. Or even help it. The door again, flew open. Instead, this time, Daniel and Teal'c were pushed inside, and the door was closed again.

"What happened?" Daniel asked as he knelt on the ground. Untying the rope around Sam's hands and feet, and untying her from the chair, she stood up and then quickly fell to Jack's side. Daniel repeated his question.

"What happened?"

"Knife. In leg. Blood. Pain. You get the picture" Jack answered.

"Oh."

"Daniel, help me?" Sam said, as she tried to make a bandage from the sleeve of her jacket.

"Oh. Sorry" he answered, and helped her as Teal'c untied Jack's wrists and ankles.

"Don't you think it's weird that they put us all in the same room, when you were tied up? I mean, didn't they figure that we'd untie you? Or don't they care?" Daniel almost sounded as though he were talking to himself.

"*I* don't really care Daniel. You're here, so could you just help?!" Jack exclaimed as Sam and Daniel wrapped their makeshift bandage tightly around his leg where the knife had been.

"Done. You ok?" Sam asked.

"I'll be fine. Or not" Jack replied as he moved and felt the instant pain from the wound.

"What did they ask you guys?" Daniel asked.

"Iris code and the name of the Harsesis child" Sam answered.

"Wow" Daniel responded.

"How did you know we were interrogated? And how come you don't have these memory device things on your heads?" Sam asked as she pointed to the disk shape embedded in her forehead.

"They just took us away. Used a ribbon device on me. And..."

"Also on myself" Teal'c finished for Daniel.

"Oh. So what do we do now?" Sam asked. She noticed Jack hadn't said anything for a little while. He sat, silently, leaning against the wall and looked, to Sam, fairly anemic.

"Don't know. Jack? Any suggestions?" Daniel queried him. He didn't even hear. "Jack?" he repeated.

"What? Sorry" Jack raised his eyebrows and questioned as he woke from his thoughts.

"Any suggestions as to what to do?" Daniel said again.

"No" he answered quietly and returned to his distant gaze. He would normally have had at lease an idea or two.

"Hey. Are you all right?" Sam asked him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. He was again, slightly startled out of almost a trance.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you ok?" Sam repeated, even more concerned than before.

"Yeah. Fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know."

"Because you're not convincing me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Jack."

"What?"

"Please talk to me."

"I am."

"Tell me. Please." Before he got a chance to speak again, Hathor proceeded into the room.

"You are all to come with us" she told them. They all remained sitting on the ground. "NOW!" she yelled. She nodded to the guards accompanying her and they all made SG1 stand forcefully. They all walked, and Jack limped along behind Hathor with guards surrounding them. Sam walked with Jack, and put his arm around her shoulders to help him. He was appreciative and accepted. Wrapping her other arm around his waist, Sam smiled at him for consenting her assistance. Finally they reached their designated room and where all, literally, pushed inside. Even with Sam's support, Jack stumbled in and fell. Sam knelt by his side.

"You ok?" she asked concernedly.

"Amazingly enough... I'll be fine."

"Jack, I..."

"And so we meet again" Klorel interrupted.

"So we do" Daniel countered. "Why is that?"

"It is now my chance to interrogate yourself and the sholva."

"Fun, fun, fun. As always" Daniel quipped.

"Silence. What is wrong with O'Neill?" Klorel asked, seeing Jack's pastel face an ad hoc bandages around his leg. Jack didn't have the strength, nor the stamina left to answer Klorel, himself.

"Nothing. He's fine" Sam answered for him with a lie.

"Lies!" Klorel exclaimed, whacking Sam across the face.

"Sam!" Jack exclaimed.

"I'm ok. That make you feel better?" Sam asked Klorel.

"Not predominantly. I should wish to do more, but that is not the raison d'être for your being here. Jaffa! Kree!" he answered her and then progressed back over to Daniel and Teal'c. He continued to speak to the guards in Goa'uld and obviously told them to take the memory devices off Jack and Sam, and put one each on Daniel and Teal'c. They did so. Pulling each memory device disk off Jack and Sam, they took them over to Daniel and Teal'c and pushed them into their foreheads. Sam and Jack could see it was already getting to both of them.

"Don't believe it Daniel! Teal'c! Don't believe it. It's not true. It's fake. Don't tell him anything! It's fake!" Sam yelled to them.

"Silence!" Klorel commanded angrily. Two guards came and tied them up again and gagged them. Jack passed out. The knife wound, although reasonably small, was weakening him. Sam was trying to get out of her gag. She looked to him for assistance and then saw that he was unconscious.

"Jack!" she tried to yell through the gag, but it came out "J-ab-acpk!" It didn't matter anyway. He couldn't hear her. She sighed. Suddenly she realised why he was so quiet. Obviously when they left and he though he had to look at everything, and he worried so much about Dannie, was because of that thought he told her he had. That he might never come back. He might never see it all again. Obviously, this whole situation made him think he was right. He wasn't ever going back. And with his leg and everything. Now Sam understood. They were going to make it back. She was sure of it. But how? She hadn't figured that part out yet. She knew that they couldn't stay on that planet forever. They had gotten out of situations equally as bad as, even worse than this one, before, and gotten out alive. They could do it again. It would just take a little more work this time, that's all. Suddenly, Sam felt herself wondering if Jack was right. Maybe they wouldn't be getting out of this situation so easily. Before she knew it, it must have been night, and she fell asleep.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"General. SG1 are exactly twenty three hours late for their check in."

"Prepare a MALP. We'll send it through and see if they respond."

"Yes sir."

~20 minutes later~

"General, the MALP Probe is set and ready to go on the ramp and the Stargate has been activated."

"Send the Probe."

"Yes sir. MALP team, ready to deploy. The MALP will reach its destination of P5C 881 in, three, two, one. Destination reached. We're receiving video pictures sir."

"Let's see them then."

"Yes sir. The pictures show the same thing that they did last time we sent the MALP through twenty six hours ago."

"And?"

"And, there is no sign of damage to the closest vicinity to the Stargate, and no sign of any life nearby. And no sign of SG1." Hammond picked up the microphone to send through an audio message. "Sending audio message."

"SG1, this is General Hammond. If you can hear this message, then I am ordering you to return to Earth through the Stargate immediately. If you do not return within another twelve hours, I will send a rescue team through to retrieve you."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"My lord! My lord! This has just transmitted a message." A guard ran into the room at 21:57 and handed Klorel a radio. Sam smiled. Daniel and even Teal'c joined her when they also realised what it was.

"How is it that you make this device work?" he asked.

"Press that" Daniel nodded toward the button Klorel's finger rested on.

"If you are lying..."

"I'm not" Daniel said truthfully. Klorel was hesitant, but then pressed the button, and nearly dropped the radio as General Hammond's message came through its speaker.

"What is this?! How is it that your people can still send messages to you when you are here?!" he asked angrily. Daniel smiled, along with Sam and Teal'c even managed a small grin. "What technology is this?!" Klorel demanded.

"We call it a radio Skaara. It sends messages. General Hammond must have opened the Stargate and send a MALP through and then sent that message. A rescue team will be coming through for us soon" Daniel explained.

"Ah yes. But you can only be rescued, if you are alive" Klorel smiled evilly and his eyes glowed. Sam looked to Jack again. Still unconscious. How long would he stay like that, she wondered. She had watched him for some of the night before, and nothing transpired. Thankfully, they were all untied now, so she could at least touch him and check his temperature and pulse. She was still worried. They couldn't escape. There were about two or three guards outside of every door. Three doors. Two guards on the inside of them as well. Even if they were to get past the guards on the inside, they would have to kill them all, and then they would have to get past the ones on the outside as well. It was impossible. There was no way out. The were completely stuck. Klorel left, and told the guards on the inside of the room that there was no need to remain, and to stay outside with all the others. So now, they were all alone on the inside.

"Jack. Jack wake up. It's Sam. Come on Jack" Sam fanned his face with her hand and tried to rouse him. She stopped fanning and placed her hand on his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes. "Jack" Sam breathed. He smiled bravely.

"Hey" he whispered.

"How do you feel?"

"Ok."

"We're going to be out of here soon. You're going to be ok" Sam consoled and stroked her fingers through his hair as she held him in her arms.

"Sam..."

"Shhh. Sleep now" she told him softly. He rested his head on her, and obeyed her orders without realising.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Daniel woke up early in the afternoon to the sound of staff weapon fire, and then, what sounded like voices of an SG unit.

"Teal'c. Can you hear that too?" he asked the Jaffa.

"I can" he replied.

"Good. Sam. Sam!" Daniel called over to her. She was asleep leaning against the wall with Jack in her arms. "Sam!" Daniel repeated.

"Hmm?" she asked suddenly as her eyes opened. "Oh."

"Yeah. You hear that too?"

"Yeah. Is it?"

"Yep. SG teams."

"Here for us?"

"Yeah."

"Oh thank God. Jack. Jack. Come on baby. Jack. Jack wake up" Sam said as she shook her sleeping husband.

"Mmm?" he asked sleepily.

"You hear that?"

"Yeah."

"SG teams. For us. We're getting out of here. Come on."

"Sam. I don't know if I can walk."

"Sure you can. Come on" Sam said as she helped him stand. He fell to the side and his shoulder hit the wall.

"No Sam. I can't" he told her. She looked at Daniel and Teal'c with a worried expression.

"SG1. Commander of SG5. We're here with SG8. We have got to get out of here, stat! They're coming! We can't hold them off long. Let's go!" The commander of SG5 told them. Teal'c and Sam helped Jack and they left as quickly as they could.

"Teal'c!" Sam yelled as a Staff weapon blast hit his leg and he fell. "Daniel!" she shouted to him further ahead of her. He turned around and ran to her. She knelt by Teal'c while Jack tried to walk on his own. Since he had lost a significant amount of blood, walking was hard. The bandage helped a little, but it wasn't enough. He hobbled along for a little of the way, with his hand on the walls for support. Eventually the attacking Goa'uld spotted him and grabbed him. Sam and Daniel told two members of SG8 to help Teal'c. They couldn't exactly carry the Jaffa. They helped him up, and he managed to limp along with their support. He was a Jaffa. They were made strong. Even though he was in pain, and was weaker, he still managed to get up and walk. Most people would be down for a bit longer than he was. But hey! He was Teal'c! Teal'c isn't most people. Sam and Daniel ran on ahead, suspecting that Jack had made it a little way on his own and was then noticed by someone from an SG unit and helped to the Gate. They couldn't have been more wrong. He was noticed all right, but not by someone from the SGC. They didn't know that though. So, they ran to the Stargate, while the battle continued with SG5, SG8 and the Goa'uld. Finally reaching the activated Gate, they ran up to the dais. Sam turned around.

"Did you see Colonel O'Neill go through the Gate before us?" she asked the officer standing by at the DHD. He shook his head.

"No. Sorry" he replied.

"Sam. He's probably back at the SGC. We gotta go" Daniel told her. She realised he was *probably* right, but couldn't help feeling she should wait.

"Sam."

"Ok. I'm coming."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Good to see you SG1. Where's Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond called over the PA.

"They should be coming" Daniel told him. He nodded.

"What?! Jack isn't here yet?!" Sam asked worriedly.

"Not yet Major. I'm sure he'll be coming."

"He was in front of us! I thought he'd be here! I have to go back!" Sam exclaimed, tears forming under her eyes.

"Not yet Major. Not all of SG5 and SG8 are back."

"Sam. He'll probably be coming with them" Daniel consoled, seeing her worried features.

"Close the Iris!" Two officers yelled as they stumbled through the Gate with Teal'c and the rest of SG5 and SG8.

"Is that everyone?" The General questioned.

"Yes sir." The Iris slid closed and the Stargate disengaged.

"NO!! No, it's not! Where's Jack?!" Sam asked angrily through her tears.

"I did not see him on our way Major" Teal'c answered as he was taken past her on his way to the Infirmary.

"NO! I have to go back!" Sam yelled anxiously.

"Sam. It's dangerous back there" Daniel said. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him angrily.

"I don't care Daniel!! Jack is still on that planet, and I will not leave him there!!!" Sam screamed as she shook him. He pried her hands off his shoulders and walked her down the ramp slowly.

"Sam. I understand, but..."

"NO! You don't understand! I'm not leaving him there! General, I have to go back! Please!" she yelled fearfully.

"Not yet Major. I'm sorry."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"General, please! I have to go back!"

"Major, I'm sorry, but I can't authorise it. It's too dangerous on that planet. You nearly didn't make it out of there alive."

"I know. But I won't leave Jack there! I won't!" Sam exclaimed, tears again welling in her eyes as she dropped her head to the table and cried into her arms. "Oh God" she cried.

"Take her to her quarters" Hammond told Daniel quietly.

"NO! No, I don't want to go! Please! General!"

"I'm sorry Major."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"So. Now that you've got me, what are you gonna do with me?" Jack asked Klorel.

"As an ancient Goa'uld saying is said, that is for us to know, and for you to discover" he replied, evil smile in tow.

"Yeah. We kinda have that saying too. It's great and all, but it doesn't tell me anything. So? What are you gonna do to me?"

"Something you are definitely not about to take pleasure in."

"Oh. Great."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Daniel. We have to go back. I can't stay here like this, knowing that he is on that planet. Please. Talk to the General for me. Please Daniel" Sam begged helplessly.

"Sam. Have you even been to see if Danielle is ok? Call Harriet" Daniel told her.

"I will. Please, promise me, you'll talk to the General."

"All right. I'll talk to him. But I can't promise anything" he said as he left.

"I know. Thank you Daniel." Sam picked up her cell phone and called her house number. It rang a number of times.

"Hello." Harriet answered it.

"Harriet. Hi. It's Sam. How's Dannie?" Sam said.

"She's good. Wondering where you are though. Is everything ok? You were gone a while this time" Harriet responded, sensing Sam's worry.

"Yeah. I know. Can I talk to her?"

"Sure. Dannie. Mommy's on the phone for you" the babysitter called to her.

"Mommy! Hi! You were gone a long time. I was worried" Danielle said into the phone.

"Yeah. Sorry sweetie" Sam apologised to her daughter quietly.

"It's ok."

"Have you been having a good time with Harriet?"

"Yeah. Where's Daddy?" Dannie questioned instantly.

"Oh... he, uh..." Sam sniffed, choking back tears.

"Mommy. You're crying. What's the matter? Where's Daddy?" Danielle asked worriedly.

"He's busy honey. He might be not coming home for a little while longer. Sorry" Sam told her softly.

"Mommy. Can I talk to him?" Dannie queried, sensing her mothers fear.

"No sweetie. Sorry. I have to go. Say bye to Harriet for me" Sam sniffed, and tears escaped her eyes as she hung up the phone.

"Mommy!" Dannie exclaimed as she heard her mom's tears and the phone hang up.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Sam. Did you call Harriet?" Daniel asked her as she walked over to him. She nodded weakly. "Well?"

"She's fine" Sam told him softly.

"Sam? What did Dannie say?" Daniel questioned, resting a hand on Sam's shoulder. She sniffed.

"She asked where Jack is. I couldn't tell her. She doesn't understand. Oh God. I don't understand Daniel!" Sam cried as she nearly collapsed. Daniel hugged her. She accepted. "I can't leave him there Daniel. I can't lie to Danielle. But I can't tell her. It's not fair! I need Jack!" Sam cried into Daniel's arms.

"I know. Sam. I talked to the General. He said we could send a MALP through in ten minutes" Daniel told her. She looked up from his shoulder. "Come on" he smiled. She smiled and walked with him to the Control Room.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Where the hell are we going?"

"Another world, on which your friends will not find you" Klorel answered as they stepped through the Gate and to another planet. Once there, they walked the distance to a Goa'uld complex.

"All this trouble for me? You shouldn't have. Really" Jack quipped. Klorel pushed him into a small storage-like room and closed the door. He fell to the floor uncomfortably. With his ankles and wrists retied, it was hard for him to get comfortable.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Ready to deploy. MALP Probe will reach its destination of P5C 881 in, four, three, two, one. Receiving visual images." Hammond, Daniel and Sam watched a computer screen and looked at the planet that they were previously rescued from. When they had looked at it before, it looked similar, but the MALP picked up no sign of life nearby. Daniel and Sam looked to the General for confirmation that they could go there and see if they could find Jack.

"I'll give you an hour" he said. Sam smiled.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Fifteen minutes later, Sam and Daniel were standing on the ramp, ready to leave.

"Like I said, one hour" Hammond repeated for them.

"Yes sir" Sam replied. She and Daniel walked up the ramp and through the activated Stargate. On the other side, they were very cautious of an unsuspected ambush. They headed up the same marked path and to the Goa'uld complex. Upon reaching it, they scanned all the rooms, carefully eyeing all areas of their vision. They were surprised to find no guards around the place, in fact no one at all, anywhere.

"Jack! Jack!" Sam called as she scanned through all the rooms of the complex and found nothing and no one.

"Anything?" Daniel asked as they met up at a room.

"Nothing. You?"

"Same. This is weird. We were here not that long ago, and this place was swarming with Goa'uld. Now, and it's completely empty. What happened?"

"Well they didn't all just vanish of the face of this planet for no reason. My guess is, they knew we'd come back for one of our own. They left, so we wouldn't be able to find them, or so we presumed that Jack was dead."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. Guess we should go back and tell the General."

"I just want to do one more sweep of the place."

"Sam. There's no one here."

"Just once more Daniel. Won't take long. Go back to the Gate if you want."

"No. I'll stay." After another thorough look through the edifice, Sam and Daniel went back to Earth and told Hammond exactly what they saw. Nothing. No sign of the Goa'uld, and no sign of Jack.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Go home Major. We'll see what tomorrow brings" Hammond told her.

"But..."

"Sam. The General's right. We can't do anymore today. And besides, look at the time" Daniel told her. Sam looked at her watch, and found that time had gone a lot faster than it seemed to, considering the circumstances.

"Oh. I guess. I haven't seen Dannie yet" Sam admitted.

"Yeah. Come on. I'll drive you."

"No, it's ok. Thanks Daniel. I'll be right" Sam told him. He smiled. He knew she was just putting on a very brave face. He knew, deep down, she was worried sick. He could understand why, and knew why she was covering it up. He knew that she was probably so exhausted that she couldn't stay up that much longer anyway. He smiled again, and she left.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Sam. Hi. Dannie was worried. Everything ok?" Harriet asked as Sam walked into their house and dropped her keys on the coffee table wearily. She shook her head solemnly.

"No. Everything isn't ok" she answered truthfully. Harriet smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry. Dannie's getting ready for bed. If you need me for anything, you know where I am."

"Yeah. Thanks Harriet. I really appreciate it. Has she been good?"

"An angel. As always. She's a good kid Sam. You're very lucky."

"Yeah. I know."

"Bye."

"But what about..."

"It's ok. We can fix that all up later. I don't mind."

"Oh thanks Harriet. You're a saint."

"It's ok. Bye."

"Bye. Thanks again."

"Yeah."

"Dannie."

"Mommy?" The little girl questioned happily as she ran out into the lounge room in her pyjamas. She hugged her mom tightly and smiled.

"Hey sweetie" Sam smiled.

"I missed you mommy" Dannie told her as they sat down on the sofa.

"I know sweetie. I'm sorry."

"That's ok. I know you were busy. Harriet's nice."

"I know. She likes you."

"I like her too. Where's daddy?" Danielle asked. Sam turned her head away from her daughter and wiped tears from her eyes as she cried uncontrollably. She turned back to her, tears still welling under her eyes. She smiled bravely for her daughter. She noticed her mother's sadness.

"Mommy? You're crying again. What's the matter?" Dannie asked, unknowing of the answer.

"Nothing sweetie" Sam lied. She didn't know what to tell her daughter.

"Yes there is. Why are you crying mommy? Where's daddy?"

"I told you honey, he's busy."

"But where is he? Why didn't he come home with you?" Sam smiled stanchly again. This little girl, her daughter, so young, and so worried about her dad, when he was somewhere, millions of miles away from the Earth, and being held prisoner by an ancient Egyptian goddess and the son an evil ruler of another planet. What was Sam supposed to tell her? The truth would be both unbelievably hard for the young girl to understand, and to believe. A lie, she didn't even know what to say if she lied. Sam wanted the whole situation to belong to someone else. Unfortunately, this time, it didn't. It was a situation she only imagined possible in a TV show, and not in a real life. Let alone, hers. She wanted to tell her daughter, that everything was ok, and her dad was fine. But, she didn't even believe that herself. How could she tell Dannie that, if she didn't even believe it? Sam lifted her daughter onto her lap. Dannie raised a gentle hand and softly wiped the tears from her mother's cheeks. She had never seen her mom so sad. Sam closed her eyes at the soft touch of the child's fingers on her face. Dannie smiled at her. She opened her eyes and saw her smiling at her. She smiled back. How could this little girl be her own? She was so lucky to have a little girl, who was so understanding. So young, and yet so understanding. She was growing up to be just like her. There were so many little qualities that Sam could find in her that reflected herself and Jack. She smiled, just at the thought.

"Dannie, daddy's in trouble. I don't know where he is. And I don't know if he'll be coming home anytime soon. I'm so sorry sweetie" Sam told Dannie, and watched as her face of concern for her mother, turned to concern for her dad. Tears welled under her eyes too, as she realised exactly what Sam was saying to her. It was Sam's turn to wipe tears away. She wiped her daughter's tears from her cheeks as they trickled down the soft skin of her young face. She fell froward into her mom's warm embrace and they cried together. Sam rubbed Danielle's back, for her comfort, and partly for her own. She was just as worried for her husband.

"Daddy's not coming back home, is he mommy?" Dannie asked softly through her tears.

"I don't know that for sure yet honey. I really don't know."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Hey Janet." Sam said.

"Sam. Hi there Dannie. Wow, you're getting bigger and bigger every time I see you. How are you?" Dr. Fraiser asked the little girl as she walked into the Infirmary with her hand clasped tightly around her mom's.

"I'm ok. Where's Cassie?"

"She's not here sweetie. Sorry."

"That's ok."

"Hey Dannie!"

"Hi uncle Daniel. Hi Teal'c."

"Hello Danielle."

"Hey Sam."

"Hi Daniel. Teal'c."

"Say Dannie. How about you come with Teal'c and me down to the mess hall and have some fun?" Daniel asked, kneeling to her height. She looked up for Sam's approval.

"Sure. You go have some fun with uncle Daniel and Teal'c."

"Thanks mommy" she said as she ran on ahead with Teal'c. Sam touched Daniel's arm.

"Thanks Daniel" she said. He smiled and then continued on after the little girl. Sam sighed.

"Sam. How you holding up?"

"Ok I guess. Any news?"

"I'm sorry."

"How are we going to find him Janet? They could have gone anywhere! There's millions of possible locations that we know about. And probably millions more that we don't."

"Sam. Don't give up. They'll find him."

"I just don't see how anymore Janet. He could be anywhere. How do we even know if he's alive?" Sam stifled back tears. Three weeks of searching, and nothing had been found. SG teams had been working, almost around the clock, and still turned up with nothing. No sign, or even an indication of where they could have gone. It seemed hopeless. And people were starting to wear out, and get injured. It was looking like turning into an MIA. Sam didn't want that to happen.

"Don't even think that Sam. He's alive. You have to believe he is."

"But how? He's still injured. And God knows what Hathor and Skaara have done to him by now. Oh God Janet! Why me? Why Jack?" Sam cried. She sat on one of the Infirmary beds, in fear of falling. Janet sat next to her in an effort to comfort her minimally. Not only was it hard for Sam, herself, to deal with this situation, but she had to watch Danielle deal too. She seemed to be coping fairly well. Better than Sam even. But she thought that that was just a little girl, trying to be brave. Not wanting, anymore than Sam, to accept the loss of her dad. Janet rested a friendly hand on Sam's shoulder. She rested her head on Janet's shoulder.

"They'll find him Sam. They'll find him" she told her confidently.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Not only, had very little food been provided, but torture induced. The situation, seemingly, hopeless. The SGC had very little probability of finding him. And he had no means to even attempt an escape. Jack now knew why he had felt as though he would never see it all again. Because he wouldn't. He thought he was doomed to die on this sandy, baron planet that they now resided on. He knew that SG units would be searching, but they had a one in a million chance of coming to this world and actually finding him before he died. Or before the torturous memory device cut into his exhausted mind and made him tell them something he shouldn't and didn't want to tell them. Sooner or later, he knew that one of the two scenarios would occur. He also knew that Sam would be worried sick, and probably blaming herself for the whole situation. Although he knew it wasn't her fault, he knew her way of thinking would bring her to the conclusion that it was. He longed just to see her. Anything. To see her. To hear her soothing voice. Telling him that he could make it, and he would be ok. He needed that voice. But it wasn't there for him. And his mind didn't have the strength, nor the ability left to create even a hallucination for his comfort. All hope was lost. Or so it seemed. And Hathor and Klorel seemed relentless, as well as being able to last forever without sleep. Sleep, was something he was even deprived of. They didn't even have the common decency to give him that much. Again, the 'hopeless situation' title seemed to flash in his mind again.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"SG9, did you find anything?" Hammond asked as they all traipsed wearily back through the Stargate. They all shook their heads solemnly. Hammond walked slowly back to his office and slumped into his chair. What more could he do, but search? He, himself would go through the Gate and help searching if he thought it would help, but something told him that it wouldn't.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Sam was in both denial, and disbelief. How could this be happening to her? She almost wished that they were searching the last world, and they came back and told her, either yes or no. She almost didn't want to sit around, in hope that the next team to come through would be the one returning with Jack. She wanted to know, either way. If there was no more worlds left to search, and that they hadn't found him. He was gone. Or that, they had just searched the last world, and found him. He was ok. She couldn't be left like this. And she couldn't even tell her daughter either way. She couldn't say to her, "Dannie, I'm sorry, but daddy isn't coming home". Or "Dannie, they found daddy. He's ok". She could do neither of those. She could only say to her daughter, that she didn't know. They were still searching for him. It was the worst predicament she could ever think to wish on someone.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"I don't know!!!"

"Tell us!"

"God dammit! I told you that I don't know! Why won't you just believe me! I don't damn well know! You captured the wrong guy here. You should have got Daniel, or Teal'c. They know way more than me. Let me go. Please. I don't know anything!"

"Tell us, and we shall release you" Hathor smiled.

"I don't know!!! Oh God, I don't know."

"Tell us!"

"I can't tell you anything. I don't know! Please. I don't. Please! Oh God, why me!? WHY ME!?" Jack cried. The memory device again began to flash memories through his mind. Hathor commanded two guards to take him to her room. He struggled minimally with the rope around his hands behind his back and with the guards, but found he had no strength left to fight them off. He was now weaker than even before. The bandages providing almost no relief or assistance to the injury. Although mild, and not life-threatening, it would soon turn that way. Having no medical attention would soon prove fatal. Even a simple knife wound. The knife had cut in deeply, severing a artery in the process. Hathor decided it was personal pleasure time. Jack cringed at the though. She pulled the memory device off his forehead and pushed him onto her bed. Jack now believed he would die on that planet. In a room with Hathor. Not even on Earth. Not with his wife and daughter. Nothing. She ripped at his clothes, as though an animal. He winced as she thumped his leg unintentionally. She scratched her nails across his face, like a cat. She laughed as she saw the blood of the scratch marks appearing across his face. She seemed to enjoy her roughness on him, because of his weakened state. Having his hands tied behind his back, made it impossible for him to stop her. He would normally have hit her into next Tuesday, but had no means to now. She pulled off her minimal attire and straddled herself over him. He looked away, not willing to watch her joy and pleasure in hurting him. And he knew she would. She would love hurting him. She enjoyed it. She kissed him roughly, and he turned away from her but she held his head tightly so that he wouldn't struggle with her. When she finally took her mouth off his, he breathed heavily. Gasping for breath, he was again taken by surprise when she pressed her lips against his again forcefully. She held her fingers tightly around his face and her long nails dug deeply into his cheeks, eventually drawing more blood. Again, she realised the kiss and he gasped. He dared not even bother speaking yet, knowing it would get him nowhere fast. She gave up his chance by gagging him. He silently screamed for her to stop. She lowered herself onto him, pressing herself hard against him. She grabbed him and held him tight, forcing him inside her, as he breathed rasped breaths at her force. She almost laughed as she watched him, and the pain she knew she was inflicting on him. He opened his mouth as wide as he could with the gag, and screamed an invisible cry of agony. She smiled broadly, as though she should be proud of hurting him. She found her release and screamed with pleasure. She pushed and pushed, harder and harder until his came too. Barely conscious, he lay still while she still pushed. Her fingernails now digging into his shoulders, cutting into his skin and blood trickling from several of the puncture marks. Once satisfied he was hurt and scarred for life, she left him there. Alone. And with the memories of what *she* did to him for her own private enjoyment.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Good luck SG4" Hammond called to the team. As he had called to them all over the past weeks of searching. He felt as thought this would be the last time he would call it though. This was to be the last world they would search. Although they hadn't searched *all* the worlds they knew of, they just could not waste anymore time and resources on a search, that seemed, now, futile.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Lay down cover fire! Captain, come in with me!"

"Yes sir!" The two officers entered the small building and found, what appeared to be a storage closet. They decided it would be a good place to hide, considering the army of Serpent Guards approaching their direction. Quickly closing the door, once inside, they saw a body, at the back of the fairly lengthy storage room.

"Sir, it's Colonel O'Neill."

"Oh God. We gotta get him outta here, fast. Colonel?"

"He's unconscious sir."

"Right. Same way that we came in. Out. Quick as." They lifted Jack gently.

"Yes sir." They ran out of to the rest of their team once outside the complex.

"Dial the Gate! NOW!"

"Let's go!"

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Sir. SG4 code received."

"Open the Iris." Hammond watched the Gate, and saw the four figures stumble through. The Gate disengaged behind them. He saw the injured body in one officer's arms, and instantly called for Dr. Fraiser and a med team. "Is he alive?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank God."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Janet, what's going on?!" Sam asked as the doctor rushed around the Infirmary, grabbing things, and then began to leave. She turned around and half-smiled.

"I'll let you know when I'm done" she said, and then left, leaving Sam utterly perplexed. She stood there, completely shocked, and then left to the mess hall to see her daughter.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

Almost an hour later, and Janet Fraiser came running into the wreck room where Sam, Daniel, Teal'c and Danielle were playing.

"Do you have any idea how hard you are to find?" Janet smiled.

"Hey Janet" Sam said in response.

"Sam. You might wanna see this."

"What?"

"Come with me."

"Why?"

"Oh, just come!"

"Ok. Ok. Dannie too?"

"Maybe not yet."

"Ok." Sam got up and walked with the Doctor. They walked down an unusual corridor, one that Sam had only walked few times. "Where are we going Janet?" she asked.

"Here" Janet replied as they stopped in front of a room. She gestured at the door.

"What?"

"Go in" Janet smiled. Sam looked at her questioningly. She smiled again and nodded for her to go in. Sam smiled uncertainly, and opened the door. Quickly, she closed it behind her. She walked to the bed in the room.

"Jack!" she cried. He smiled bravely.

"Hey" he croaked. His voice dry and hoarse. Sam instantly embraced him tightly, crushing the breath from him.

"Oh Jack. I can't believe they found you. We were so worried. I didn't know if I'd ever get to see you again" Sam said happily. She sat down on the chair next to the bed. "What happened? Where were you? How did they find you? God, so many questions."

"I don't know where I was. And I don't know how they found me."

"I don't care anyway. You're back and ok, that's all I care about now" Sam smiled. He might be reasonably well physically, but his mind was injured, and scarred deeply. She kissed him tenderly. God, how they'd both longed to do that for what seemed like forever. It seemed, to them, that they had been apart for so long. Six weeks is a long time, but it seemed like much more to them. They slowly parted and Sam smiled again. She had missed him so much.

"Where's Dannie?" Jack asked.

"Oh. She's in the mess hall with Daniel and Teal'c. She's been so worried. I'll go get her."

"Thanks."

"Be right back. Don't you go anywhere."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Dannie" Sam called as she ran back into the mess hall. Danielle looked up from her task and smiled at her mother.

"What's the matter mommy?" she asked.

"I think you need to come with me" Sam told her, as she helped her stand.

"Why?"

"Just, come on." Sam couldn't help smiling. Daniel looked at her conspicuously. He knew something had happened, but he couldn't pick what it was. He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. She smiled as Danielle ran on ahead to the door.

"Is it?" Daniel asked. Sam smiled broadly as she walked backwards to the door.

"Yeah."

"Thank God."

"Yeah. Come on Dannie."

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"Daddy!" Danielle yelled happily as she ran over to him and jumped on the bed. She hugged him tightly.

"Hey Dannie. How's my little girl?"

"Ok. Mommy and me missed you daddy. Why were you gone so long?" Danielle asked her dad as she sat on the side of the bed between the pillows and the bedside-table and looked at him. He smiled as Sam sat down on the same chair she had sat on before.

"I was... well, let's just say I was busy" Jack told her.

"But that's what mommy said."

"Well... mommy was right."

"Oh. What are they for?" Dannie pointed to the white bandages around Jack's leg and asked.

"Oh, I hurt my leg, that's all. Nothing bad. I'm ok."

"But, people in TV shows only have those when they're hurt bad. Doesn't that mean you're hurt bad?" Danielle said. She sounded so cute.

"Well, yeah. But Aunt Janet's looking after me. So, I'm gonna be ok."

"Are you?"

"Yes. Don't have to worry little miss doctor."

"I'm just worried about you daddy."

"I know. But you don't have to be. That's mommy's job. And she already does it so well on her own. You don't have to help her. Ok?" Jack directed a smile to Sam.

"Ok daddy."

"Good girl."

"Dannie sweetie, how about I take you back to the mess hall with Uncle Daniel and Teal'c, so me and daddy can talk some? What do you say?"

"But..."

"It's ok honey. You can come and see me again later. Ok?"

"Ok."

"That's a good girl. Come on, I'll take you."

"Bye daddy" Dannie said, kissing Jack's cheek. He smiled and she got off the bed. She stood next to it for a minute, just looking at him, as though if she looked away and then looked back he might be gone. He smiled reassuringly for her. She smiled back.

"Cm'ere" Jack told her with open arms. She smiled happily and hugged him again.

"Come on Dannie. You can come back and see daddy again later" Sam told Danielle as she pried her off Jack. He smiled at her again, and she reluctantly went with her mother back to the mess hall.

~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~

"She just loves me" Jack smiled as Sam walked back into his room.

"I know. She's cute" Sam admitted as she sat down again.

"She worries. Just like you."

"I know. She asks so many questions. Just like you."

"I do not."

"You do so. But I think it's cute anyway."

"Well, that's ok then."

"Good. So, what do you say we start doing some of that talking?" Sam smiled deviously.

"Sam. Are you implying what I think you are?"

"Might be."

"Don't you think it's a bit risky? Being here, and all?"

"No. No one knows you're here."

"What about Danielle?"

"Told Daniel we might be a while."

"You did, did you?"

"Yes. I did."

"Oh."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Good." Sam kissed his neck seductively and smiled. "Jack. What's the matter? Something's wrong. I can tell" Sam told him sitting back in the chair again after feeling no response from him.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired."

"No. I'm sorry, but that's not the whole truth. Don't lie to me Jack O'Neill. What's wrong?" He didn't answer. "*She* did something to you, didn't she? Hathor. She did something to you. What did that bitch do?!" Sam asked angrily, figuring that part out for herself. She could see he was uncomfortable. She sensed it. And even questioning her. Not something he would normally have done. Again, he didn't answer her. "She used you, didn't she? She hurt you. Ooh, I swear, if I ever see her again!" Sam exclaimed. "Why didn't you say something? You knew I'd understand."

"I know. It's... well... just, not easy to talk about. Sorry."

"God, you don't have to be sorry Jack. I should have guessed that she would. Bitch. I'm sorry. She did do what I think she did, didn't she?" Sam asked.

"What do you think she did?"

"That she hurt you. Is that... oh God. She did more than what I think. She didn't... well... did she?"

"What?" Jack asked quietly, clearly not engrossed with the topic of conversation.

"Oh God. She did. She... she... she raped you. Oh, Jack. I'm so sorry" Sam said, tears of pure sympathy falling from her eyes. Jack said nothing. Talking about it brought back the horrifying memories of her torture. Replaying through his mind. He closed his eyes and shuddered at the painful images. Sam sniffed and stifled back the river of tears of empathy welling in her eyes. "Oh God Jack. I'm so sorry."

"You didn't know."

"I know, but..."

"But, nothing. It isn't your fault." Sam nodded.

"I know."

"Good."

"I understand that it'll be hard for you. I won't push you. It doesn't matter about that kind of thing anyway. All I want is you. I missed you so much. So did Dannie. We were all, so worried. You don't know how lucky you are that they found you."

"I knew you'd be worried. And I think I have a fair idea of how lucky I am."

"No." Sam sat back in her chair. "No I don't think you do. They were gonna give up. That was the last world we were going to search. The General said he couldn't use up anymore time and resources. They were going to stop looking if they didn't find you there. They were going to stop. Give up. I never would have seen you again. I didn't think they'd find you. I *thought* I was never going to see you again. God only knows what else Hathor would have done to you. I don't even know what I would have done. Dannie asked about you all the time. I couldn't tell her anything. God I missed you." Sam hugged him.

"I know how hard it was for you Sam. You at least had Daniel, Janet, Teal'c and Dannie with you. They could tell you it was gonna be all right. They'd find me. I didn't have anyone. No one. I didn't have you or Daniel or anyone to tell me that they'd find me, and I'd be able to see you and Dannie again. All I had was permanent interrogation and Hathor and Skaara breathing down my throat. Literally. I missed you so much. I didn't think I'd ever get off that planet, little own live to see you again. It was hell all over again. And I felt like death warmed up."

"I know, it must have been hell for you. I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Everything."

"Why? It isn't your fault."

"I know. I, well, I guess I kind of feel responsible."

"Why? You didn't do anything."

"You ask too many questions."

"Apparently."

"I love you. You know that?"

"Yah. I love you too. Always."

-----Fini-----

*Nutty1* J Feedback! Love it!

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"Next time I want to help someone, feel free to give a swift kick" Jack ~ 'Demons'

"Let's not jump to any conclusions," Giles.

"I didn't jump. I took a tiny step, and there conclusions were," Buffy ~ 'Phases'

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