Life in the Shadows
By Jackie O'Neill Nut - oneillnut@yahoo.co.uk


RATING: PG-13

WARNINGS: Violence, angst, Kleenex warning ??

CATEGORY: hurt and comfort, drama

PAIRING: Sam and Jack

SPOILERS: very very tiny, reference to Beneath the Surface, Need

TIME FRAME: Not specific

SUMMARY: Enforced into slave labour SG-1 Jack loses his shirt !!!!

ARCHIVE: shout if you fancy it

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1, its characters and all related entities are 
property of Stargate SG-1 Productions (II) Inc., MGM Worldwide Television 
Productions Inc., Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp and Showtime 
Networks Inc / The SciFi Channel. No copyright infringement is intended.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Huge thanks to Neet for the assistance she gave and for 
the title, but please note that she had no part in the ship that sailed 
!!!! (huge bucket passed to Neet) oh yes, and if you don't like it - you 
can feel free to 'whip' Neet - she just might enjoy it !!!! 
 
Thanks and hugs also to Tricia and to Steph (whose hilarious comments 
have me laughing my socks off and one day I will leave them in for others 
to read too) for their help
 
All final mistakes are my own.

 
                         *******************
 
"It's not quite Goa'uld," said Daniel frowning.
 
"Not quite? How on earth is it not quite," growled an exasperated 
Colonel.
 
"Well, the writing is, but the style isn't," explained Daniel.
 
"And the writing says?"
 
"Well ..."
 
"Crap!"
 
"No, Jack ..."
 
"Daniel, back towards me, slowly."
 
"Uh?" was the response from a puzzled archaeologist, his eyes and his 
head still on the tablet he was reading.
 
"Daniel, I think we have visitors and they don't look too friendly."
 
Daniel finally looked up; he backed slowly towards Jack as several men 
came from the trees.
 
Jack's hand tightened on his gun as he eyed the men coming towards them.
 
Daniel fixed a smile on his face to greet the visitors.
 
The men spread out as they advanced and made a semi-circle around them. 
Jack eyed the man nearest to him; the bulging muscles on the man made 
Teal'c look small by comparison.
 
"Hello, we mean no harm, we are explorers," began Daniel, only to be cut 
short by the man closest to him raising the staff he carried in a 
threatening manner.
 
"Err, do you understand me?" asked Daniel as he raised his hands quickly 
to show he meant no harm.
 
Jack moved his gun and adjusted his grip quickly, only to be halted by 
the confines of three of the men, very large men, who moved very close.
 
"Don't suppose you guys speak English?" enquired Jack of them with a 
smile as he stilled his movements.
 
A movement in the trees drew their attention and Teal'c and Sam were 
brought forward by several more men.
 
"Sweet, the gang's all here," said Jack sarcastically.
 
The man nearest to him threw his weight into a blow with the staff he 
carried. Jack doubled over and gasped for breath, the blow catching him 
low and hard in the stomach. The man relieved Jack of his P90 and sidearm 
signalling for another to do the same to Daniel.
 
Daniel raised his hands again, alarmed for Jack's safety. "Hey, we don't 
mean any harm, we come in peace."
 
"You are on our land.  You are now our property," said one of the men, 
leering at Sam.
 
"Property?" gasped out Jack as he straightened. "Hey, we can just go back 
we ..." another blow, just as hard shut him up.
 
Sam and Teal'c were pushed towards them. They had been relieved of their 
weapons and packs. One of the men was admiring Teal'c's staff weapon.
 
"Look, we are peaceful ..." began Daniel to be cut short by the man 
nearest to Jack striking him with another blow.
 
Jack dropped to his knees this time with a groan. "Hey, that wasn't me," 
he complained, gasping.
 
He was hauled to his feet, and pushed closer to Daniel. "Move!" growled 
the man.
 
Jack and Daniel were both pushed to join Sam and Teal'c; the men circled 
them as they walked following the leader.
 
"You ok, Carter?  T?" whispered Jack as they drew level.
 
"Fine, Sir."
 
"It was not prudent to resist, O'Neill," said the Jaffa looking as 
troubled as Jack had ever seen him look.
 
One of the men slammed his staff across Teal'c's back, causing him to 
stumble slightly, before he regained his footing.
 
Jack quickly made the 'no talking' sign and turned his attention to the 
trail they were following. He knew they didn't stand a chance of escape 
at the moment, they could only bide their time, in the hopes of a chance 
arising later.
 
                         *******************
 
They were marched briskly for a couple of hours before they arrived at a 
small collection of huts, which surrounded a large stockade.
 
They were shepherded to stand at the gate whilst it was opened.
 
Jack turned and made as if to object, but never got the chance when his 
head was thrown back by the force of the vicious blow of a staff. 
 
Teal'c caught hold of him before he hit the ground, supporting him firmly 
until the gate was swung open and they were pushed in.
 
Teal'c lowered his CO to the ground and knelt supporting his head on his 
thigh, while Sam checked out the injury to his head. She mopped the blood 
from his face with a handkerchief cursing the fact that all of their 
supplies had been confiscated.
 
Jack groaned and flinched as he came around. His eyes held hers for a 
moment before he attempted to sit up.
 
"Take it easy, Sir," said Sam, relieved to see him conscious so quickly.
 
"I'm ok, good job I've got a thick skull," he groaned as he managed to 
get upright with a little help from Teal'c. The bruising on his stomach 
was already making itself felt too, and it took a moment or two before he 
gathered himself enough to look around.
 
Jack saw Daniel a little way away standing near two young girls who were 
huddled together, clearly terrified. Daniel had tried talking to them, 
but they just stared at him wide eyed and held each other tighter still.
 
Giving up with a shrug he moved back to the others.
 
"Ah, awake then," he commented seeing Jack upright.
 
"Ya think!" snorted Jack.
 
"They either don't understand me or they're just too frightened," he 
said, sitting down next to Jack.
 
"*Very* frightened," Sam replied, looking at the two girls.
 
"So, Major, when are we going to get an unfriendly native warning device 
on those Malps?" asked Jack.
 
Sam smiled and gave a small shrug with her shoulders, "Who knows, Sir."
 
"They said we're their property," mused Daniel.
 
Jack snorted. "That is *so* not a good career move," he said frowning, 
which caused the wound on his forehead to trickle fresh blood.
 
As Sam made to press the handkerchief to his head, he took it from her 
grasp impatiently and applied it himself.
 
"Not a very talkative bunch were they?" he commented, resting his elbows 
on his knees.
 
"At least they're not Goa'uld," supplied Sam with a tiny smile.
 
Daniel pushed his glasses up and frowned. "Well, they're not, but they 
could be working subjugated by ..."
 
"Ah ah, don't say it," warned Jack, putting up a warning hand. "I really 
don't want to know yet."
 
Teal'c had been prowling around the pen looking through the bars. He 
stopped briefly near the girls, but they cowered terrified at his 
presence, so he quickly moved away.
 
He came to stand besides his team, then squatted down at an impatient 
request from Jack.
 
"We do not appear to be heavily guarded, O'Neill."
 
Jack looked around the pen, "Don't think they need to," he said 
squinting, "not much we can get up to sitting here in full sight and 
unarmed," he added wryly.
 
Teal'c acknowledged his words with an incline of his head.
 
"So ..." began Daniel.
 
"So, we rest and wait for our chance," said Jack as he reclined back to 
the floor.
 
The others followed his lead. Teal'c moved a little away from them and 
began to kel-no-reem.
 
It was almost dark when more guards approached the pen, along with 
several new prisoners.
 
The people were bundled in quickly, along with a couple of jugs of water.
 
Teal'c, without hesitation, secured one of the jugs and they shared the 
water gratefully.
 
Daniel motioned to the girls, who still hadn't moved.
 
Jack understood his unspoken question. "Let Carter take it," he said 
softly.
 
Sam took the remaining water and approached the girls. They wouldn't take 
it from her, but as soon as she put it down and backed away they fell on 
it quickly.
 
The new prisoners settled down, they made very little noise and Daniel 
slowly approached them.
 
They eyed him suspiciously, taking in his strange clothing with obvious 
curiosity.
 
"Hello," he said smiling at them. "Can you understand me?" Daniel noted 
they all looked young and strong.
 
One man nodded.
 
Encouraged, Daniel moved closer. "Can you tell me what's going on? Why 
did they take us?"
 
The man who had nodded at Daniel looked at the others frowning, before he 
turned back to Daniel with a shrug.
 
"We are to be workers," he said, the frown deepening.
 
"Workers? For who?" persisted Daniel.
 
"Them" was the simple response. The man looked as though Daniel was the 
simple one.
 
Jack had been listening and moved closer, rather unhappy with the slow 
progress Daniel was making. 
 
"Who's them?" he asked with a growl.
 
"Our village gives us up to keep the village safe."
 
"Safe from whom?" demanded Jack.
 
The man's eyes darted nervously to the bars. "From them, the Mauran."
 
"When they need more workers they come to the village and take," he 
squirmed as he spoke, obviously uncomfortable.
 
Daniel looked at Jack, his face showing his distress, but Jack was intent 
on getting more information.
 
"Take for what reason?" demanded Jack.
 
"To work in the mines."
 
Jack gave Daniel an incredulous look and cried out, "Mines! For cryin' 
out loud!"
 
Daniel shuddered remembering the last mine they'd been held in.
 
Jack muttered something else Daniel couldn't catch and turned away 
walking back to Sam and Teal'c.
 
Sam regarded her CO's face closely. She too remembered all too clearly 
their last trip into mines as prisoners and it wasn't something that she 
wanted to repeat.
 
Daniel gave up questioning any further and came and sat down.
 
"I, err, well we ..."
 
Jack raised a hand to silence him. "Yeah, I know, we gotta get out of 
here, quick."
 
"Maybe when they move us?" asked Sam.
 
"Yeah, we'll have to take a chance then," agreed Jack, "get what rest you 
can kids," he urged as he curled himself up.
 
                         *******************
 
The dawn light came and with it came the guards.
 
They were carrying chains and shackles and proceeded to cuff each man, 
thankfully with their arms to the front; the women they left alone.
 
Jack caught Sam's eyes with a grin. "They obviously don't know you, 
Major," he remarked with a smirk.
 
Outside the pen, several guards were mounting up on horseback, and as 
they were ushered out, the riders surrounded them. The two girls were 
pushed to the front behind the lead horse.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack watched in dismay as the horses effectively boxed them in and 
started a brisk walking pace.
 
'Maybe they'll get sloppy,' he thought, but without much conviction, the 
Mauran certainly knew how to handle prisoners.
 
The two girls had to trot to keep up with the fast pace set by the 
horses, and were soon tiring. As the girl in front of Jack began to 
stumble, one of the guards hit out with a whip, it caught the girl across 
the back and with a scream she fell.
 
Jack wasn't quick enough to prevent the first blow, but as the guard 
raised the lash once more Jack covered the girl with his own body. The 
lash caught him across the shoulders with a stinging blow. Without proper 
thought, he grabbed the leather and pulled at it, catching the guard by 
surprise. The horse reared up, sending people scattering as the rider 
fell.
 
Teal'c hit out at the flank of the horse nearest to him causing it to 
rear as well; the other prisoners threw themselves down in horror, not 
moving as chaos reigned.
 
The guards were shouting and cursing and worried for the other girl, Sam 
moved to cover her.
 
Daniel was caught by a blow to the head that felled him instantly.
 
Jack and Teal'c managed to get a few punches in before they were 
overpowered by the remaining guards. They were hauled to their feet to 
stand before the head guard.
 
The guard stared at Teal'c for a moment, raking his eyes over him 
curiously, before turning slightly to regard Jack.
 
"You are their leader?" he asked staring at Jack with utter contempt.
 
Jack acknowledged his words with a nod. He was angry with himself for 
being overpowered so easily, forgetting that it wasn't even a planned 
escape for the moment.
 
"When we reach the mine, the others will witness the punishment you will 
receive. If you or your people try anything else you will be put to 
death."
 
Abruptly the man turned away and they were pushed into line again.
 
Daniel was propped up with the help of Sam, looking quite dazed.
 
"Up," shouted one of the guards and threatened the air with a crack of 
the whip.
 
Teal'c helped Sam to get a rather unsteady Daniel to his feet.
 
"Ok?" she asked, concerned.
 
"Yeah, I'll live," he mumbled, putting a hand up with difficulty, to feel 
the back of his neck, as he looked around.
 
They were pushed onwards, given no respite until well after the middle of 
the day.  A brief rest was called and they were given water, but again no 
food.
 
The two girls stayed close together, but seemed also to stay close to SG-
1. The other prisoners stayed well away; obviously afraid of how the 
guards might react.
 
The girl, whom Jack had saved from another lashing, shyly approached him 
and put a hand out to his shoulder. She gave him a smile to show her 
gratitude, but wouldn't speak, despite the attempts to converse with her, 
before she quietly retired to sit once more with her companion.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel watched as the girl approached Jack. He couldn't blame his friend 
for protecting them, even if it did put the Mauran on their guard. His 
head ached fiercely, he privately wondered how Jack was coping with his 
injuries, but knew better than to press the point with the man; any 
discomfort would be vehemently denied by him.
 
He watched Jack struggling to stem the flow of blood from his forehead 
with the now sodden handkerchief Sam had given him. He knew he had to be 
hurting, but he wouldn't show any weakness to the now more attentive 
guards, who watched his every move.
 
                         *******************
 
The day wore on, SG-1 taking turns in practically carrying the girls, but 
at least the guards didn't intervene.
 
The mountains were looming up fast, and seemed to be signifying that they 
were running out of time to put an escape into effect. There didn't seem 
any doubt to Jack that the mountains were their destination.
 
The final approach to the mine was in the dusk light, through a long 
narrow passage which was heavily guarded at both ends. The walls were 
high; so that the darkening sky could barely be seen at the top.
 
Jack took in the details automatically, the passage filled him with 
dismay; it was certainly going to be difficult, if not impossible, to 
find an escape this way. He could only hope fervently that there was a 
back door.
 
                         *******************
 
The entrance to the mine was huge; the guards rode in mounted, before 
halting them and then dismounting to move away with their mounts as new 
guards encircled them.
 
The head guard from their escort moved to report in to another man. While 
they were talking, SG-1 took the opportunity to look around; the horses 
seemed to be stabled in the mine as well, the caverns around seeming to 
be large and endless.
 
The new guards pushed them along through the tunnel, the passageway 
gradually narrowing, but still large and well lit by lanterns hung high 
on the walls, casting very few shadows.
 
Large metal gates were opened as they approached and they were herded 
through. The gates were slammed behind them with an ominous bang.
 
Only then did the guards begin to remove their shackles. Jack was singled 
out by the guards and pulled out of line, still shackled; he was hauled 
to stand before another guard, seemingly the man in charge.
 
 "I am Kane. I am the head of the mine," he paused staring hard at the 
man before him.
 
Jack stared back, his face void of any expression.
 
Kane studied Jack closely, he'd noticed the way this group of strangers 
carried themselves, showing curiosity and not the usual fear the new ones 
did. He'd been head of the mine for many years, having gained the 
position through hard work and ruthlessness and he recognised the same 
traits in the man that stood before him.
 
He'd had a full report of what had transpired on the journey to the mine 
and he knew that he had to make an example and quickly.
 
"Masa," he called, not taking his eyes from Jack, "Take the others 
through, this one stays."
 
Masa followed the order, but the other strangers of the group seemed 
reluctant to move until the man gave an almost imperceptible nod in their 
direction and only then they moved without protest.
 
                         *******************
 
They were led away with the rest of the prisoners down one of the 
tunnels. The guard, Masa, eventually halted them and called out. "Emall!" 
he bellowed. 
 
A small, but well muscled, man appeared from another tunnel and gave a 
quick bow with his head to the guard.
 
"Settle them in," ordered the guard abruptly before turning back the way 
he had come.
 
Emall stood looking at the new prisoners. His small eyes glinted in the 
light from the lanterns, which were spaced further apart the deeper they 
seemed to go into the mine.
 
The man leered at the sight of Sam, his mouth twisting up in the fashion 
of an evil grin, until he caught sight of Teal'c; the glare from the 
Jaffa seemed to chase whatever he was thinking away.
 
"Come!" he said abruptly and turned without waiting to see if they would 
follow.
 
He led them on, several tunnels led off at frequent intervals, the light 
getting scarcer, the shadows flickering on the walls, casting even more 
despondency on the new prisoners.
 
Their eyes adjusted gradually and they noticed what seemed to be small 
doorways on each side of the tunnel, some had coverings over, but many 
not.
 
"Most are at work at the face, unless they are very sick or have other 
duties." He spoke as he walked. "No work, no food," he turned suddenly, 
stopping without warning, almost causing Sam to walk into him. He fixed 
her with a grim smile. "Unless you find someone willing to feed you."
 
Sam flushed up, bristling at his innuendo. She was very worried about the 
Colonel and certainly didn't want this maggot of a man giving her any 
trouble.
 
The man leered at her. "You are together?" the movement of his head 
signified Teal'c and Daniel.
 
Daniel seemingly missed the implication and answered without hesitation 
with an affirmative.
 
Emall's face changed. "You are not bonded with one?"
 
Daniel looked at Sam, giving her a puzzled frown.
 
Teal'c stepped close to Sam, flexing his massive arms across his chest.
 
Emall shrugged his shoulders and took a step away from Teal'c and turned 
to carry on walking, casting just the odd glance behind him.
 
"Here, these are your quarters," he spoke as if relieved to see the back 
of them.
 
"One lantern," he said as he unhooked a lantern from the corridor. He 
growled at the remained prisoners to stay outside and showed SG-1 in. He 
squatted near the doorway and fumbled around with an unlit lantern on the 
floor. Once lit, he passed it to Daniel. "Fuel you will have to earn, 
food you will have to earn, the harder you work, the better fed you are. 
Fires are permitted; you collect your own tamanz."
 
"Tamanz?" queried Daniel.
 
"Tamanz is what you burn, it burns well, and the mountain is full of it."
 
"What about the girls with us?" asked Sam.
 
"They are too young for mine work; they will work for the guards for now. 
Don't be concerned for them, look to yourselves." His eyes roved Sam once 
more, until Teal'c and Daniel moved towards him.
 
He backed away to the doorway. "You should rest; you will need all your 
strength for the morning."
 
"There was another with us, what's happened to him?" asked Daniel.
 
Emall frowned. "I do not know, but if the guards have kept him for now, 
you will no doubt see him later, perhaps even alive." The man laughed out 
loud as he left.
 
"That ... well, that doesn't sound good somehow," said Daniel. 
 
Sam's scalp prickled with fear for the Colonel, and she shivered.
 
Teal'c noticed her discomfort and pressed a comforting hand to her 
shoulder. "O'Neill will endeavour to join us alive," he said with 
confidence.
 
Sam nodded to him, not convinced, but there was nothing she could do for 
now.
 
                         *******************
 
They inspected their quarters. It was a reasonably large area, and in the 
centre a circle of stones, blackened by previous fires, lay. They found 
bowls and a small selection of utensils on a shelf hewn out of the rock 
at the back of the room. There was a large cooking pot and a water 
barrel, empty for the moment though and two large buckets.
 
Sam shivered again, there were some blankets and a few items of what 
seemed to be clothing, amongst other things.
 
"Wonder what happened to the last occupants," she said to no one in 
particular.
 
"They died in a fall," said a voice at the doorway.
 
Sam turned around to see who had spoken, to find Daniel and Teal'c 
already taking in her presence.
 
The woman, perhaps in her early forties, smiled kindly at Sam. "They all 
died," she said sadly.
 
"Oh, that's ..." Sam's voice died away, unsure of just what to say.
 
"I am Reena. I thought I might be of help to you while you get settled."
 
Daniel made the introductions and invited Reena to step in. 
 
"You need a fire, you will get very chilled without one," she said 
rubbing her arms to demonstrate.
 
"Err, Emall said we can get some tamanz from somewhere I think," said 
Daniel.
 
"I will show you, and you need water and some food for now."
 
"We haven't ... Emall said we had to earn our food?" said Sam.
 
"Look upon it as a loan, to get you started. The good families always try 
to help each other."
 
Reena told Daniel and Teal'c to get the buckets and she showed them where 
to collect the fuel and the water, also the place to go for their 
ablutions.
 
Teal'c stacked the fuel high and heaved the heavy bucket easily.
 
Once they reach the river, Reena walked them upstream a little way. The 
pool from which the river seemed to flow was for drinking water, lower 
down was designated for bathing and the washing of clothes. 
 
Daniel felt the iciness of the water as he filled the bucket. He sighed 
at the thought of the trips it would take to fill the barrel, but at 
least the water looked clean and clear.
 
As they walked she filled them in on how things were, how life was to be 
for them. 
 
Each family looked after themselves. Men were actively encouraged to have 
partners and children. They were paid on the quantity of what they 
produced and the wage was paid in the form of tokens, which could be 
exchanged in the mine stores. Providing there was no trouble the guards 
didn't really intervene in the daily life. Security was strict, sometimes 
the guards had what they called 'fun' with a worker, but any retaliation 
was swift and brutal. 
 
"You keep your heads down and work, they will mostly leave you alone. You 
don't work, then you will eventually starve, some are willing to help 
others on occasion, but not to make up for laziness," she informed them.
 
There were very few people about and those that were seemed to be mostly 
women.
 
"Some women are lucky enough to have a partner to provide and strong 
sons," explained Reena. "I have three sons, but no partner; he was also 
killed in a fall. My sons look out for me well, I also help take care of 
the sick and injured, people tend to pay in food or goods, as we have 
nothing else to trade."
 
Once back at their quarters Reena showed them the best way to light the 
tamanz and Teal'c and Daniel went to collect more fuel and water, making 
a few trips to get a stock in.
 
Reena left Sam to scrub out the pot and returned a short while later. 
Reena showed Sam the small lump of meat and a few vegetables and what 
looked to be small beans.
 
"This will put a meal in your stomachs for now, until your family begin 
to earn."
 
Sam followed Reena's patient instructions on how to prepare everything, 
and soon a pot of what she supposed was stew, was on the fire to cook.
 
Sam was almost tempted to taste it raw, she was so hungry. They sat 
around the fire, the warmth and extra light from it giving some measure 
of comfort. 
 
Daniel kept asking questions of Reena, but Sam had grown quiet, staring 
into the flames.
 
"Are you alright, Major Carter?" enquired Teal'c.
 
Sam gave a little start as she realised someone was speaking to her.
 
"Uh, oh, sorry, Teal'c, I was miles away," she apologised.
 
"You are thinking of O'Neill?"
 
Sam nodded her gaze steady on the fire. "I hope he's ok."
 
Reena heard the exchange. "O'Neill? There is another of your family?"
 
"Jack, our ... le... friend, he's being held by the guards," explained 
Daniel.
 
"What did he do?" she asked, her face showing her concern.
 
Daniel began to explain their capture, but Reena held her hand up to stop 
him.
 
"He struck a guard?" she questioned.
 
Sam nodded; the woman's colour seemed to drain before her eyes.
 
"Then we will be summoned to witness his punishment, the guards will deal 
with him harshly."
 
Sam's mouth dried, she could feel the bile rising in her throat and she 
swallowed convulsively as she cast a glance at Daniel.
 
Her team mate seemed to be fairing no better, his face was pale and his 
eyes behind his glasses were large and mirrored her fears.
 
"When work is finished they will summon us. I must go now and prepare a 
meal for my sons. When you hear the bells ring, that shows the work has 
finished, the next bell will probably be to summon us to the hall." Reena 
rose as she spoke. "I will come for you, to guide you."
 
                         *******************
 
"God, I feel so helpless," said Sam, her voice catching in her throat as 
she spoke.
 
"There is nothing we can do for now," said Teal'c.
 
"They all seem ... well, so excepting of everything here," said Sam, 
trying to put voice to something that was troubling her.
 
"A lot of the younger ones were actually born here, they don't know 
anything else," said Daniel, "and the older ones probably can't remember 
much of life before this."
 
"The people they brought in were quite young also," said Teal'c.
 
"Method in their madness," said Daniel.
 
Sam and Teal'c both gave him a puzzled look.
 
"The people form attachments, they encourage partners and children, keeps 
the stock of workers up and they are less likely to want to try and 
escape or cause trouble," he explained.
 
"Yeah, you have to work to feed your family, or see them starve," said 
Sam with a heavy sigh.
 
"Wonder what it is they're mining," said Daniel.
 
Sam realised, in her concern for the Colonel, she hadn't even given it a 
thought.
 
"We," she corrected Daniel.
 
Daniel threw her a puzzled look.
 
"It's what *we* are mining now, Daniel." Sam pinned a false smile on her 
face and sighed, "And God help us."
 
The time crawled by, they tried to get some sleep, but it didn't come 
easy, the smell from the pot eventually began to permeate the air and 
made them salivate with hunger.
 
"Makes you think how much we take micro-waves and ovens for granted," 
said Sam as she stirred the pot. "Oh, for a take-out," she moaned.
 
Eventually, they deemed the food was cooked through and Sam dished it up, 
saving some for later in the hope that the Colonel could eat it when he 
joined them.
 
Not a word was exchanged as they ate. Reena had given them some flat 
cakes and they mopped out their bowls with them.
 
Daniel scraped the very last remnants from his bowl and sighed. "I hate 
to think what that meat actually was, but that was damn good."
 
"I agree, Daniel Jackson. That was most nourishing, Major Carter, thank 
you."
 
Sam half smiled at the compliment. "Well that was thanks to Reena; 
goodness knows what we'll be surviving on tomorrow." As the thought 
occurred, she added, "We must replace what she's given us, it doesn't 
come cheap I think."
 
"Yes, hard labour," agreed Daniel.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack watched his team disappear down the tunnels.
 
Kane made him stand there for what seemed an age while he spoke in hushed 
tones to another guard. Eventually, the guard Kane had called Masa, 
returned, but alone.
 
He couldn't hear what was being said, wasn't sure he wanted to really, 
given that he was sure he was the point of their discussion. He took the 
opportunity to look around, still hopeful for an eventual escape.
 
Kane's voice called his attention back to the little group.
 
"Forget it, forget what you know, this is the rest of your life, if you 
live that is," snarled the man. He nodded his head and the guards took 
the signal and moved close to Jack.
 
Masa yanked the chain and strode off down one of the tunnels adjacent, 
thankfully Jack's long legs kept up with the guards, he had the feeling 
they would just drag him if he fell.
 
Without a word between them, they eventually hauled him into a room. The 
walls had rings fastened in the stone, high up, but the room was 
otherwise empty.
 
Masa slammed Jack against the wall. He unfastened one of the shackles and 
passed it through the ring above his head before fastening it back on his 
wrist. Jack's height gave him a slight advantage and he wasn't 
overstretched, the slack giving him a little movement on his arms.
 
"Don't suppose there's any chance of some water?" asked Jack cheerfully.
 
The guard punched him viciously in his already bruised stomach, making 
him heave and gasp for breath.
 
Masa and the guard left, leaving him hung high and dry, trying to suck in 
some air.
 
The room was quite dim in comparison to the tunnels. His throat was dry. 
The hunger had left his belly for now, the blow had seen to that, the 
pain replacing it. He was worried how his team were fairing. Worrying 
about them kept his mind from dwelling on what the guards had planned for 
him - he knew it wasn't going to be good.
 
Eventually, he began to doze, only waking properly when he heard the 
guards returning, their laughter and loud voices announcing their 
presence before they entered.
 
Kane was with them and marched straight over.
 
Jack didn't flinch from the man's direct gaze. He stood waiting; giving 
what he hoped was a calm front to the man.
 
"Do you have a name?" barked the man.
 
"O'Neill," Jack responded, not seeing any reason to withhold it, nor to 
give anything more.
 
"Well, O'Neill, I do not know where you are from, nor do I care; but you 
are now bound by our laws. This is now your life."
 
The sudden backhand Jack received took him by surprise, his head was 
whipped back painfully connecting with the stone. His head swam; blood 
flowed from the split on his lip caused by the blow.
 
Kane laughed harshly. He turned to the guards. "I want him alive and 
conscious for later, but other than that I do not care."
 
Jack caught the gleam in the eyes of the nearest guard and almost groaned 
out loud as he realised the guards were going to get to 'play'. The first 
blow caught him very low in the guts, but before the pain fully 
registered another fist was already connecting with him ...
 
                         *******************
 
PART TWO
 
The noise of people moving and speaking in hushed tones penetrated their 
quarters. They'd heard the bells sounding out for work to finish and now 
they assumed everyone was making their way back to their quarters after 
their labours.
 
They'd kept inside the room, worried about straying too far in case 
someone came with news of Jack, but they weren't hopeful.
 
The noises eventually died off as people were obviously ensconced in 
their quarters. They'd tried to sleep, but the worry kept them awake, 
Daniel jumped when the sound of the bells rang out once more.
 
They went to the doorway and watched as people began to move through the 
tunnels, all in the same direction.
 
Reena appeared within a few minutes. "You must come," she said.
 
"What's happening?" enquired Daniel.
 
"We are summoned to the main hall, I think you are about to see your 
friend."
 
Somehow the words didn't give them any relief and Sam felt her mouth go 
dry. She took a breath and cast a look to Daniel; the expression he wore 
offered her no comfort whatsoever.
 
Reena led them through the tunnels and before long they were entering the 
area that Reena had referred to as the hall.
 
The people already standing around parted as they saw SG-1 and allowed 
them to move forwards unhindered, the whispered words and looks from the 
people gave no doubt that they were the centre of attention for the 
moment.
 
Finally, SG-1, minus their leader, stood in front of the large raised 
platform, empty at the moment save for a single post erected at the edge. 
The murmuring from the crowd ceased as Kane entered the hall. He strode 
onto the platform, his manner both confident and aggressive at the same 
time.
 
He stood tall, his dark eyes roving the people, until he found SG-1. He 
eyed them with contempt and not just a little amusement.
 
The hall waited in complete silence, his gaze wandered around the hall 
again and then came to rest back on SG-1 as he spoke, causing Sam's 
stomach to lurch in trepidation.
 
"You are summoned to witness the punishment. O'Neill struck a guard and 
attempted to escape."
 
A murmur rose up in the crowd, but Kane held up a hand to silence them. 
He gave a signal to a guard at the side entrance from where he'd come in. 
The murmuring rose again as more guards entered, this time dragging 
something between them.
 
Sam's heart constricted tightly when she realised that the *something* 
they were dragging was the Colonel.
 
Sam heard the sharp breath Daniel sucked in and felt his hand tighten on 
her arm, she didn't look at him though, her gaze was pinned to the 
Colonel.
 
Kane stood to face Jack and pulled his head upright by his hair. He was 
held between the guards and looked to be barely conscious, his face was 
bloody and beaten, his body limp, his eyes barely open.
 
"You will receive 50 lashes," said Kane, his face twisted in obvious 
delight at the state of the man before him. "Prepare him," he growled to 
the guards before striding to stand next to the post.
 
The shackles were quickly removed and his jacket dragged off his 
shoulders. They hauled his unresisting body, to the post and lashed his 
wrists high, pulling him upright to face against the post. His t-shirt 
was pulled upwards and ripped open from hem to neck, exposing his back.
 
Sam stood helpless; she balled her hands into fists, her fingernails 
biting into her flesh as her stomach turned as she watched.
 
Another guard joined the platform, he carried a furled whip and once 
given the 'nod' from Kane, he took his position and unfurled it. The 
cruel leather was cracked to find the distance and the man adjusted his 
position accordingly.
 
The air was electric, not a sound was heard until Kane gave the signal 
for the punishment to begin.
 
The first crack of the whip hit high across Jack's shoulders drawing 
blood instantly, causing him to flinch and gasp.
 
Daniel jumped and his grip on Sam's arm tightened painfully, but her eyes 
never left the platform. She swallowed the rush of bile that threatened 
to rise, her throat constricted tightly as she struggled to keep the rush 
of emotion buried.
 
The next lash cut through his flesh again; this time he didn't make a 
sound, only the tensing of his muscles showed he felt it.
 
The guard struck out again and again. A moan came to Sam's ears, from 
herself? She tried to swallow, but couldn't, her tongue felt thick in her 
mouth, her throat dry. As the punishment progressed silent tears began to 
track down her cheeks. 
 
Jack didn't make a sound until the nineteenth lash, a moan of pain was 
gasped out and his body slumped completely. Kane stopped the guard from 
taking another stroke and strode to the post. He yanked at Jack's hair to 
pull his head up. "Wake him!" he ordered stepping away.
 
Two guards moved in to comply with a bucket of cold water.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack felt the icy water drench him, bringing his senses screamingly 
alert. He tried to lick at the moisture as it ran down his face to ease 
some of the dryness from his mouth. The movement pulled at his lips, 
already swollen and bloody where he'd bitten down from the first lash.
 
The first stroke caught him by surprise again and he couldn't stop the 
cry of pain as it erupted from his throat.
 
He was better prepared for the next, but a groan still came out.
 
His nerves were screaming agony to his brain, his back felt like all the 
fires of hell were there, searing his flesh. The urge to scream was 
strong, but when he did speak, 
his voice was a hoarse imitation.
 
"O'Neill, J, Colonel. USAF 66-789-7876-324. The lashes broke his words 
up, but he heaved for breath and carried on, chanting the words over and 
over.
 
He wouldn't allow another thought to enter his head; he blanked 
everything except for the mantra he was chanting.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam felt the wetness rolling to her chin, before it dripped to her 
clothes, the silent tears slid helplessly down, with each crack of the 
whip her tears bled even more.
 
With every stroke of the lash she felt Daniel flinching besides her. The 
whipping seemed to go on forever; each stroke sent a shaft of agony 
through her to join the broiling sea of sickness in her stomach.
 
At last the guard signalled the last lash and Kane ordered the prisoner 
to be cut down.
 
Once freed from the post, Jack fell down boneless; the blood ran freely 
down his back in scarlet ribbons, glistening darkly in the light from the 
lanterns.
 
Kane stood staring for a moment and then turned to face the crowd, his 
gaze lit onto Sam.
 
"You may claim him if you so wish," he said, his eyes showing his 
victory, his satisfaction.
 
The moment that Kane left the platform the people began to leave, still 
talking in hushed tones. Teal'c bound quickly up onto the platform to 
kneel down besides the prone figure. Sam and Daniel were only a beat 
behind him, the fear rose in her throat as she watched Teal'c reach out 
and check for a pulse.
 
"He is alive," said the Jaffa, his eyes held nothing but sympathy as he 
directed his gaze to Sam.
 
The quick surge of relief at Teal'c's words was soon replaced by the 
horror she felt as she gazed down onto the bloody mess of his back.
 
Reena hadn't climbed up, she'd moved to the platform to be closer. 
"Quickly, take him to your quarters. You remember the way?"
 
"I do," said Teal'c and began to lift Jack gently, cradling him as though 
he were a child against him.
 
Reena nodded and turned to leave, "I will see you there I will fetch what 
I can to help."
 
Daniel was staring numbly at the battered body Teal'c held, until the 
Jaffa roused him.
 
"Fetch O'Neill's jacket, he will have need of it later."
 
Seemingly glad of something to focus on, he did as Teal'c bid without a 
word and followed Teal'c and Sam off the platform.
 
Sam bit down on her lower lip as the movement caused Jack to moan with 
pain. 
 
"I am sorry, O'Neill, we shall not be long," said Teal'c as he hurried 
out. 
 
Sam tried to swallow the lump in her throat at the gentleness with which 
the Jaffa had spoken, but fresh tears still came to her eyes.
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c moved as fast as he dared with his burden. Already, he felt his 
arms were slick with his commander's blood and realised the added pain he 
was causing the man as he carried him was great, but there was no 
alternative.
 
He knew Major Carter and Daniel Jackson were right behind him. His heart 
felt for his friends. He had witnessed, even carried out, some major 
atrocities in his time as first prime to Apothis, but to watch a friend 
suffering so was never easy. His heart was heavy beyond the burden he 
carried, in particular for Major Carter.
 
Reaching their quarters, he gently laid O'Neill down onto the blanket Sam 
spread on the floor near the fire. 
 
Quickly, he removed the remnants of the black t-shirt. The indentations 
on the Colonel's ribs, the gashes and the severe bruising already 
forming, showed that to put him onto his stomach was not a good idea. He 
rolled the unconscious man onto his side, moving his limbs into the 
recovery position he had been taught by the Tauri. He then stood to let 
the major to do what she could, allowing her to focus on something beyond 
the incredible hurt she must be feeling.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam's training began to kick in as she watched Teal'c manoeuvre the 
Colonel carefully into the recovery position, her mind already taking 
note of the damage inflicted on the chest and stomach. As she knelt to 
begin to assess the damage, Reena appeared bearing a sack and a cauldron 
of water.
 
"This has been boiled," she said handing the cauldron to Teal'c. She 
undid the sack and began to lay various pots and some cloth onto the 
floor. "Here," she passed the cloth to Daniel. "This has been boiled too, 
cut some into strips and cloths."
 
She knelt besides Sam, drawing a sharp breath when she saw the Colonel's 
back.
 
"We can clean the cuts with the water; the balm I have brought will help 
to stop the bleeding and may keep infection away."
 
Sam nodded gratefully, the thought of just what she could use for medical 
supplies had been the most prominent of her fears, realising how much 
trouble the Colonel was in.
 
Sam and Reena began to wet the cloths to clean the bleeding gashes. At 
the first touch on his back Jack hissed and tensed, trying to draw away.
 
Sam felt the tears prickling and she gulped a breath, 'You will do this, 
Major, you can do it ... you've got to.' Steeling herself, she put a hand 
onto his shoulder, careful to avoid any cuts, and began to wipe at the 
blood.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel finished tearing the cloth and sat down to face Jack. He reached 
over and wet some of the cloth and began to gently wipe at his friend's 
bloody face.
 
His hand shook slightly as he worked; bruising was already beginning to 
form amidst the cuts. One eye was swollen badly, the lips split and 
bloody.
 
"It looks like they worked him over real well before they ..." he broke 
off and looked helplessly at Sam.
 
He saw the agony in her face, her eyes betraying the depth of her 
feelings. Wordlessly he moved his gaze back to the face of his friend and 
carried on working.
 
Reena handed him a pot. "Use this on the cuts, it will help guard against 
infection. It sets in quickly in here."
 
Daniel grimaced as he worked to apply the balm; Jack was flinching and 
moaning softly. He saw the flicker of brown. 'Oh God, Jack, stay out a 
little longer, you've picked a lousy time to wake.' 
 
"Sam, he's awake," he warned the woman. "Jack," he urged, moving his face 
close to his friend's. "Try and stay still, we've trying to stop the 
bleeding, just hold on."
 
Daniel could see the effort the man was making just to try and focus. He 
watched as Jack clenched his teeth, grinding them together, the tight 
lines of pain around his mouth increasing. Jack's eyes slammed shut and 
he jerked his head back, writhing in an effort to get away from the pain.
 
Sam and Reena both ceased their activity, but Sam kept her hand on his 
shoulder and waited.
 
It was a couple of minutes before Jack opened his eyes, taking gasping 
breaths as he gained some kind of control.
 
Daniel felt the touch on his shoulder and turned to find Teal'c holding a 
cup of water. He nodded his thanks to Teal'c and gently supported Jack's 
head in an effort to encourage him to drink. He saw Jack wince as the cup 
touched his swollen lips, most of the water seemed to dribble out, but 
some made it down.
 
Daniel had barely laid Jack's head down, when he saw his friend give up 
the struggle and pass out. Daniel alarmed, checked for a pulse and when 
he found the beat, he nodded in relief to the women.
 
Sam and Reena resumed their gruesome task.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam chewed on her lower lip as she worked down the Colonel's back. Some 
of the cuts were very deep and bled copiously.
 
"The balm will help to stop the bleeding, apply it thickly," said Reena 
and passed her the pot.
 
Sam began to apply the balm, the blood still flowing freely making it a 
gory task. She realised she had no alternative but to trust the woman and 
hope that the balm wouldn't cause any harm.
 
Eventually, when Sam had finished applying the balm, Reena instructed her 
to cover his back with the cloths, to press the cloth into the balm.
 
"You will need to apply the balm frequently, do not let the cloth dry on 
his back," advised Reena as she finished the lower part of his back.
 
When the Colonel's back was fully covered they rolled him gently onto it. 
 
Sam was grateful that the Colonel was fully out of it; she knew the 
movement alone would be causing more pain.
 
Sam checked his stomach gingerly feeling for any obvious signs of 
internal bleeding. She manipulated his belly finding nothing to cause 
further alarm, before moving onto his chest. 
 
"I don't think there's any internal bleeding, but ... without the proper 
equipment only time will tell for sure. There's a hell of a lot of 
bruising ... and a couple of broken ribs as far as I can tell."
 
The damage on his back put paid to the hopes of binding the ribs for 
support, and Sam concentrated on dressing the two long gashes across his 
chest. One was particularly deep, the whiteness of bone showing in the 
midst of the blood. Shuddering slightly, she carried on working until at 
last the balm and cloths covered it.
 
                         *******************
 
Reena had busied herself with more pots and had instructed Teal'c to boil 
more water. She handed one of the pots to Daniel. "This will help with 
the pain, it will help him to sleep, but only use it when necessary, too 
much and he will not waken again, too often and he will crave it badly."
 
Daniel eyed the pot with wariness and Reena showed him the correct 
measure. "This is safe, no more than twice in one day though. This ..." 
she passed him another pot, "is something to add to hot water for you all 
to drink. It will do no harm, it is pleasant and comforting."
 
"Mm like tea?" said Daniel checking the contents.
 
"Tea? We call it kofa."
 
Daniel gave the woman a small smile at that. "Kofa, hey we have a drink 
at home we call coffee, what I wouldn't give for a cup of that right 
now."
 
"Try this then, it might surprise you, it is very pleasant."
 
Daniel was glad of something to do and followed the instructions Reena 
gave him to make the brew. He sat staring down into the pot while he 
waited for the water to heat.
 
"Err, Daniel ..." Sam's voice broke into his thoughts.
 
Daniel looked up to find Sam looking at him with a slight flush on her 
face. 
 
"Err, do you think you and Teal'c could ... the Colonel's pants are 
covered in blood, they're soaking wet ... he'll be more comfortable if 
..." she stuttered slightly.
 
Daniel could have kicked himself to not think of it before, and 
immediately rose to help Teal'c, giving Sam a smile.
 
While Daniel and Teal'c were making the Colonel more comfortable, Sam 
moved to the fire. 
 
Reena observed the woman's embarrassment, "You are not bonded with him?" 
she asked clearly puzzled by Sam's behaviour.
 
"No, he's my commanding officer, we're not ..." Sam faltered, pink 
blotches appeared on her cheeks.
 
Daniel listened with amusement as Sam tried to explain their relationship 
as he helped Teal'c.
 
"I thought ... I am sorry, none of you are bonded?"
 
"No, no ... we're a team, they captured us, we only came to this world to 
visit, to explore, we don't belong here."
 
Reena sat besides Sam, her face alight with curiosity. "I know our ways 
are strange to you, your clothes ... but this is your life now, no matter 
of your past. It would be better if you do not admit you are not bonded 
and the men take care of you ... or ... well, let's just say you are."
 
Sam's face burned a brighter shade of red.
 
"I can take care of myself," she said bristling with indignation.
 
"Others have thought that way, it is better to just avoid trouble is it 
not?" said Reena quietly and with conviction.
 
Daniel certainly didn't bother to intercede; he felt that Reena had 
handled it quite nicely.
 
The fire was pleasantly warm and just a light blanket covered Jack, who 
was now in just his shorts. They settled him on to his best side and used 
some of the remaining blankets rolled against his lower back to help to 
stop him turning from his side.
 
They sat together quietly sipping the brew, which was as Reena had 
promised, very pleasant. 
 
"It grows late, you must all rest, I will send Reda to you, my youngest 
in the morning and he will show you and Teal'c where you need to go." 
Reena directed this at Daniel as she rose from the fire. "You will hear 
the bells when it is time to rise, this gives you plenty of time to get 
ready and to eat, Reda will bring something so you can finish your food 
tonight. I will return sometime after the work bell sounds to see how he 
fairs."
 
Sam spoke her thanks and she rose with the women and walked to the door 
with her.
 
"Thanks for what you did, really ... I ... we couldn't ..."
 
Reena stilled her with a hand on her arm. "No need, when you find your 
feet, I am sure you will be of great help to others also. Remember, do 
not let the balm dry out, keep applying it, I will bring more tomorrow."
 
They reheated the food and ate in silence. The Colonel didn't stir at all 
and Sam couldn't help but keep checking his pulse and feeling to see if 
he was getting hot. She kept a careful eye on the balm.
 
They sat talking quietly, trying to sort out some plan of action, escape 
was obviously not an option for now. Eventually, they turned the lantern 
down to its lowest and Teal'c stoked the fire to keep it going for the 
night.
 
Sam settled down close to the Colonel. She rose once during the night and 
found the balm beginning to dry. Carefully, she peeled the cloth from his 
wounds and applied more balm, he stirred slightly under her touch, but 
didn't flinch or resist. Satisfied the balm was thoroughly applied once 
more she replaced the cloths and lay down to sleep. She tried to keep her 
thoughts away from how badly he was hurt and what not only he had 
suffered, but would be suffering when he awoke ... the dread of infection 
or damage they couldn't see made her feel sick ... gradually, her 
exhausted body dulled her mind and allowed her to sleep.
 
It seemed no time at all before the bells were ringing, startling her 
from a heavy sleep. 
 
Teal'c had already boiled some water and was soon handing Sam and Daniel 
a cup of the kofa. She sipped half a cup before she gave into the urge to 
check the Colonel again. She found that once more the balm needed 
applying and Daniel assisted her. She heard Daniel gasp his horror, as 
once more the gashes were revealed in all their goriness.
 
"Christ, Sam .... Thank God he's out of it for the moment ... it's ..."
 
"Yeah, I know," she whispered.
 
They finished their task and only moments later a tall youth, well built 
for his years though, appeared at the doorway. He gave them a shy smile 
and held out the bundle he carried.
 
"You must be Reda?" asked Daniel, approaching the young man.
 
He nodded with a shy smile, "Yes, mother sent this," he thrust the bundle 
to Daniel.
 
Daniel took the bundle and bid him to enter.
 
"I will get back to break fast but will return to show you where you will 
work. Eat now, for it will be a long day. Mother will come by later to 
see how he fairs." 
 
Daniel opened the bundle as the youth left and brightened visibly at the 
promised food that Reena had sent.
 
They settled down to eat, Sam barely touched her food though and Daniel 
commented on it.
 
The broth was good, she realised, but she had no appetite at the moment.
 
"Are you sure about leaving you alone?" asked Daniel, still reluctant to 
follow the plan they'd discussed the previous night.
 
"I'll be fine and I won't be alone, the Colonel's here and Reena will be 
by later."
 
Daniel bit back whatever remark he was going to make, it didn't take a 
genius to figure out the thinking though.
 
"You both have to take care, work hard and bring plenty of tokens for me 
to spend," she said joking with them, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
 
"I will do my best, Major Carter," said Teal'c solemnly.
 
They'd agreed that the best thing for the time being was to make sure 
they could get enough to eat to survive and the only way to do that was 
for them to work. They couldn't leave the Colonel alone, and Teal'c and 
Daniel had both insisted she should stay with him. They needed time to 
find a way out and for the Colonel to heal, but to do that they had to 
keep their strengths up and avoid trouble.
 
Reda appeared shortly and Sam soon found herself alone with the Colonel 
and her thoughts.
 
She busied herself tidying around and constantly checking the Colonel. He 
began to stir again and she quickly knelt besides him.
 
"Take it easy, Sir," she murmured as she saw a flash of brown appear. She 
laid a gentle hand on his arm to still him.
 
She saw the effort he was making to focus on her voice and face.
 
"Hey," she smiled down at him when his eyes opened fully. "Sir," she 
began when he made as if to try and turn, "don't try and move, your back 
is pretty badly cut up." 
 
She watched him struggling with comprehension at her words; the pain he 
was in was obvious to her watchful gaze, despite his attempts to cover 
it.
 
Jack tried to speak, but only a croaked groan came out.
 
Sam grabbed the cup of water she had ready and helped him to sip.
 
"Th ..s," was gasped out after he managed a couple of sips. His eyes 
regarded hers for a moment before they slammed shut again, the pain 
obviously too much for him.
 
His breathing sped up and was harsh, gasping, his teeth grinding as he 
struggled unsuccessfully to contain a cry of pain.
 
It seemed an age before he managed to open his eyes again. Sam found her 
heart was pounding madly in distress for him. His dark orbs fastened onto 
hers as if holding a lifeline. Her heart clenched in pain for him, she 
could only watch helplessly as he fought for control.
 
Eventually, his breathing slowed. "Dan... T ...?" he asked.
 
"Gone to earn our daily bread," said Sam trying to be cheerful, but the 
instant she said it she knew she'd made a mistake, she saw the 
unmistakable flash of guilt in his eyes.
 
More pain tore his eyes from hers and she watched in distress as he 
writhed gasping. His face shone with perspiration, a groan of agony was 
wrenched from him. Sam scrambled to her feet and with shaking hands she 
found the powder Reena had left and quickly mixed what she thought was 
enough into the cup of water.
 
Sam pushed the cup against his swollen lips, urging him to drink and 
reluctantly he started to swallow some. It took several minutes of 
patiently tipping the cup, a few drops at a time, in between the spasms 
of pain that tore through him, but eventually the drug did its job and he 
began to drift. Several more minutes and he was out for the count. 
 
Sam felt for his pulse and found it to be steady enough, all things 
considered and only then did she allow herself to collapse on the floor, 
resting her head on her arms, her knees drawn up to her chest.
 
Reena entered quietly, she called out to Sam twice before the woman heard 
her.
 
'Shit, way to go Sam, anyone could have crept up on you,' she cursed 
herself. She forced a smile on her lips for Reena's benefit.
 
"I am sorry to take so long, how is he?" she asked kneeling besides Sam.
 
"He woke a little while ago; I gave him some of that stuff you left."
 
"The dyla, it is good if you are careful with it. The injuries are very 
painful and will be for quite sometime."
 
Reena began to talk about the things she would need to trade for and soon 
Sam found herself immersed in the conversation, despite her worries. She 
missed the conversation of a friend, she was missing Janet, but Reena was 
very pleasant and good company.
 
Reena spotted the Colonel's blood soaked pants. "I will wash those for 
you, is there anything else?"
 
Sam hesitated. "Honestly, I can do that, just show me ..."
 
"It is better we do not leave Jack alone and I think it is best for you 
not to go out alone either, you will draw too much attention from the men 
or the guards."
 
"I could do with a wash and a change myself but ..."
 
"I can lend you some clothing and you can wash here whilst I wash your 
clothes. I will sort some clothes out for Daniel and Teal'c too."
 
Sam accepted her help gratefully and changed into the clothes Reena 
returned with after settling for a wash down with warm water and some of 
the soap Reena gave her. She would have like to wash her hair as well, 
but decided to wait.
 
Reena was soon back with the wet clothing and helped to string a line in 
the room near the fire to dry them.
 
"I don't know how I can repay your kindness ..." began Sam, feeling a 
little awkward.
 
"Don't you worry, the good people always try to help each other, or many 
of us would not survive long. You will no doubt repay my kindness in some 
way to others, that's how it works."
 
Sam smoothed the long skirt down self-consciously.
 
"You should wear women's clothing, it suits you. You are very pretty, 
Sam."
 
Sam blushed. "I only wear those things when we are working," she said and 
then as she thought about it, she realised that the jeans she loved would 
be classed as men's clothing too.
 
Reena laughed at her discomfort. "Your Jack will think you very beautiful 
when he sees you like this."
 
Sam faltered and darted a nervous look to check the Colonel was still 
indeed out of it.
 
"Err; Reena J ... the Colonel isn't mine ..."
 
"And why do you keep calling him the Colonel?" interrupted the woman.
 
Sam sighed wondering how best to explain it, never really understanding 
why herself, well, perhaps ... yeah ok, she knew why .... "Colonel is his 
rank; it's a sign of respect that I refer to him as his rank, or sir. He 
calls me Carter or major."
 
"Ah, when you are working as your team?" said Reena thinking of what Sam 
had said earlier.
 
"Yes, as a team."
 
"But surely, here .... It cannot be considered ... improper ...?" she 
struggled with the last word, smiling as Sam nodded her agreement.
 
"I do not understand ... ah, well, ... It is time for me to get some food 
sorted out. I be back later, I will have food for you to prepare to give 
the men when they return from work."
 
Sam once more pressed her thanks on the woman, relieved she didn't delve 
any further into the where's and why fore's of it.
 
Feeling exhausted and with nothing else to do she lay down close to the 
Colonel and began to drift into sleep.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack felt the pounding of his skull as his body drifted into 
consciousness. The spikes of pain ran through his head setting the nerves 
screaming around his body, seeming to collect more pain along the way and 
feeding it back up to his head.
 
He opened his eyes slowly, trying to keep his breathing steady, trying to 
minimise the agony it caused, the burn in his chest running a close 
second to the fire on his back.
 
As his eyes began to focus they fastened on the figure that lay close to 
him. The unfamiliar clothing alarmed him at first until the familiar 
blond head came into focus.
 
The pain spiked again, the sweat began to pour off his body, rolling down 
his face, his breathing sped up despite his best efforts as his body 
craved the oxygen the pain seemed to eat up.
 
                         *******************
 
PART THREE
 
Sam wasn't sure what had disturbed her.  She rolled onto her back, her 
gaze automatically resting on the Colonel.
 
"Shit!" she realised he was awake and in severe pain.  She scrambled to 
her knees and leaned close.
 
"Hi," Jack managed to croak out, his eyes once more pinned to hers.
 
Sam brushed her hand against the side of his face; she wet a cloth and 
gently pressed the coolness against his heated flesh, lending him some 
comfort.
 
"Take it easy, sir, its ok, I'm here," she realised how inane her words 
must sound.
 
His eyes screwed up tightly as he gasped out. "S...ok," he croaked, the 
movement pulled on his split lips, causing them to begin to bleed a 
little once more.
 
"Don't try and talk, here ..." Sam lifted the cup to his lips once more 
and began to patiently dribble more in.
 
Once he'd taken enough, Sam continued to bathe his face and neck gently, 
trying her best to sooth him and gradually he slept.
 
It seemed an age before Reena returned again, and she'd had to give the 
Colonel more of the dyla in an effort to settle him again.
 
She expressed her worry to Reena but she was soon reassured.
 
"It is to be expected, he can't take a full dose in one go, so he is 
bound to wake frequently, as long as you don't give him more than I 
showed you in one day, do not be concerned, give him little and 
frequently."
 
Reena showed Sam a variation of the stew she'd prepared the day before 
and soon had a pot on the fire cooking for when the men returned from 
work before she left Sam again, promising to see her later.
 
All too soon it seemed, the Colonel was waking again. This time he 
refused the water, though his pain was evident. Sam wrung the cloth out 
again and bathed him.
 
"You should drink this, it will help," she urged.
 
"Dan .. T .. still work?" he asked quietly, his voice still hoarse. 
 
She could see the effort it cost him to talk. "Yes, we won't see them 
until later," she replied, knowing full well he wouldn't take the dyla 
until he was ready.
 
"Had ... had a look ... around?" he asked, trembling with the effort of 
talking, his speech was slow and slurred and Sam had to listen carefully.
 
"Not yet, Sir, Reena has been showing us the ropes. She's helped us out 
with food too." Sam left unsaid that she couldn't and wouldn't leave him 
alone.
 
The Colonel's face showed puzzlement. "Ree ..?" he asked.
 
"One of the workers, she's been a great help, she gave me the stuff for 
your cuts and ... and other things." Sam didn't want to go on about the 
dyla. She began to talk about what they did know, which wasn't much 
granted. She could see he was struggling to follow her, and soon he lost 
the battle and slept again. 
 
Sam soon found herself sleeping again and it was with dismay she found a 
hand on her shoulder shaking her awake. She rolled with a start and saw 
Daniel kneeling over her. 
 
"Jeez, sorry, I ..." she got up quickly feeling incredibly guilty that 
she'd slept again while they had been working, and working hard from the 
looks of them.
 
"Sorry ... was it tough?" she asked sheepishly.
 
Daniel smothered a yawn. "Yeah, hard work, but it went ok I think. We got 
some tokens though." He held his hand out to show what they'd earned. 
"Want the housekeeping?" he asked with a grin.
 
Sam slapped him lightly on the shoulder, and then regretted it as Daniel 
made a face.
 
"I could do with a hot bath," he moaned, stretching his stiff body.
 
"Reena has lent us some clothes, perhaps you could go wash."
 
"Um, yeah, I err, noticed your clothes. We were going to wash on the way 
back, but we wanted to check on you and Jack first. How's he been?"
 
"He's been awake a little, not much, but in a lot of pain."
 
A small cough at the doorway alerted them to someone standing there. A 
young girl, perhaps in her late teens stood at the doorway.
 
"I am Serena, Reena sent me to say she is sorry she could not return as 
someone was injured and had need of her. She said I should sit with the 
injured man Jack, if you wish to go out with your ... family for 
provisions?" she hesitated over the 'family'.
 
Sam was reluctant to leave the Colonel with a stranger, but common sense 
dictated they needed supplies and she was better acquainted with what 
they would need than the two men.
 
Sam gave the girl strict instructions to not touch the Colonel unless he 
was fully awake and reluctantly gathered the men a change of clothes and 
joined Teal'c and Daniel.
 
Teal'c led the way to the river and Sam joined the other women to wash 
away from the men. She was regarded with a little curiosity, but nothing 
unfriendly. Much refreshed she waited for Teal'c and Daniel to finish 
their ablutions. Sam heard the chatter of the women who were casting 
glances down the river to where the men were washing.  Her team mates 
were attracting all the attention and some of the comments made her go 
quite pink.
 
                         *******************
 
Serena sat quietly beside Jack. Wringing the cloth out she bathed his 
face and neck, straying down between the cloth strips on his body too, 
curiously. She sat humming softly to herself as she worked. She'd 
witnessed the punishment along with the others and wondered how he was 
still alive. There were scars on his body, obviously old scars; it showed 
he was certainly a warrior before he came to the mine. She'd heard first 
hand from one of the new girls how the man had shielded her and then 
looked out for them on the rest of the journey, practically carrying the 
girls the rest of the way.
 
Serena's admiration for the hero knew no bounds. For someone to risk 
their life for a stranger was something new ... the good people helped 
each other, but not at the risk of their own lives ... she'd dreamed of 
finding a man who could live up to her romantic expectations, despite 
their hard life, she still had dreams ... and this man looked likely to 
be able to fulfil them. He was certainly much older than she would have 
normally thought proper to bond with, but his beauty and strength still 
shined out from his battered body and she paid it no heed. She'd heard 
Reena say the woman wasn't really bonded but ... well she would find out.
 
The flicker of brown alerted her and she stopped humming. The man's eyes 
held puzzlement and he regarded her curiously. She gazed down into the 
darkest, most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen, her young heart fluttered 
wildly, her body reminding her quite strongly that she was a woman as a 
frisson of excitement rose in her breast.
 
"Cass ..." he croaked out. 
 
She smiled at him ... her brightest smile. "I am Serena, rest, you are 
safe."
 
His frown deepened for a moment, and then he seemed to focus on her more 
clearly. She saw him flick his gaze around, obviously looking for his 
family.
 
"Your family are safe, getting provisions, rest."
 
Serena returned to her humming, pressing the cloth gently once more to 
cool his face. She realised he was in pain, but he held still, eventually 
his breathing evened out.
 
"They will not be long," she spoke softly, noticing his eyes followed her 
every move as she put some dyla into the cup of water. Deftly she mixed 
it and knelt back besides him. She cupped his head to assist him to 
drink.
 
He balked at first, but Serena met his eyes. "It is safe, you are in 
need, you must rest, I would not harm you, I promise."
 
He regarded her face for a moment before giving a slight nod and she 
tipped the cup to his lips. Serena patiently trickled the dyla into him 
only satisfied when he'd managed a good portion.
 
She sat humming softly again, brushing her fingers through his soft gray 
hair, watching with satisfaction as he relaxed and once more slept.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel was the first to arrive back at their quarters. He stopped dead in 
the doorway as he saw the young girl with the light from the fire casting 
a glow over her face, giving her an ethereal quality, her long hair 
shining. He watched for a few seconds, enthralled by the sight, and the 
soft melody of her humming. He felt the brief surge of desire flood 
through him, chastising himself as quickly as the thought occurred, the 
girl was ... well, a girl!
 
Sam prodded him in the back making him jump with a guilty flush. "Come 
on, Daniel, what's the hold up?" demanded Sam.
 
Daniel moved further in and watched Sam stopped short as she saw the 
girl's hand threading its way through the Colonel's hair. The way Serena 
was caressing it shrieked of an intimacy that he knew Sam would never 
demonstrate.
 
Serena seemed to only just notice them and smiled sweetly.
 
"He woke briefly, but I gave him some dyla and he rests again."
 
Sam's face must have shown concern for Serena frowned as the woman 
approached her. "I was very careful how much I gave; you can give him the 
rest later."
 
Daniel realised Sam was hovering, her 'mother hen' mode as Jack would 
call it.
 
"Erm, thanks," said Daniel, coming to her rescue, he still felt 
disconcerted by the image of her as he had entered, his senses were still 
heightened by the flare of desire he'd felt and the guilt was flooding 
through him too.
 
Serena gave him a charming smile, her hand still threading softly through 
Jack's hair.
 
Teal'c quietly placed the supplies he carried to the back of the room and 
picked up the buckets, one for water, one for fuel.
 
Serena noticed the supplies and gave Teal'c a shy smile. "You have earned 
well today," she commented.
 
"We will do better as we become more accustomed to the labour," 
acknowledged Teal'c.
 
"You are very lucky to be provided for so well, Sam," said Serena, "Which 
of these is your mate?"
 
Daniel could almost feel Sam's gall rising at the remark and he moved 
closer to Serena. He'd also noticed that Serena hadn't stopped stroking 
Jack's head too, and knew that that had to be annoying Sam as well. 
Despite what she protested, he knew how she felt about Jack.
 
"We're like family, we're not bonded," said Daniel hoping to disarm the 
situation.
 
"Oh," Serena looked a bit puzzled, and then she brightened visibly. "So 
... he is not bonded?" she indicated Jack with her head.
 
Daniel watched Sam open her mouth and then close it again. Daniel 
shrugged "Well ..." he hesitated, not wanting Sam to 'rip him a new one' 
as Jack would have put it. He hesitated because he knew he was damned if 
he said yes or no in the eyes of Sam.
 
"Good," replied Serena, seeming satisfied she'd had her answer. "I must 
go now and see to my chores. I will come visit tomorrow."
 
Daniel could feel Sam bristling again, but she didn't answer as she knelt 
to begin to check the dressings on Jack.
 
"Thank you, Serena, that will be ... um nice ..." he finished lamely. 
'Oops I'm a dead man' he thought cringing as the girl left. "Err, Teal'c, 
I'll come help you with the water." He rushed out before Teal'c could 
respond and Sam could throw anything at him.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam tended to the Colonel's back; the raw flesh seemed to be keeping 
clean, with no sign of inflammation around the open wounds. She shuddered 
slightly as she applied the balm, her blue eyes troubled as she worked. 
She was trying to figure out why she felt so ... antagonistic towards the 
young girl. It was only as she was finishing up it hit her ... she was 
jealous! She was jealous that the girl could sit there and touch him so 
intimately without embarrassment, without anyone passing judgement on her 
actions, something Sam longed to do herself ... so longed to do ....
 
The thoughts of running her hands over his body ... it was something she 
only permitted herself when alone, on a night ... in her own bed, never 
when they were off world together, never when he was so dangerously 
close. She shook herself and covered him once more with the blanket. She 
said a silent prayer for him, sending thanks for Reena, for the balm and 
the dyla.
 
Teal'c and Daniel made a couple of trips replenishing the fuel and water. 
Sam had calmed down by the time they sat at the fire. She felt a little 
ashamed of her actions and began to dish up the food.
 
She heaped the food onto Teal'c and Daniel's plates, giving herself a 
small portion.
 
She handed Daniel his plate and met his direct stare, his eyes flicking 
to the meagre portion on her plate. He opened his mouth and Sam knew he 
was going to protest, but Sam forestalled him.
 
"You and Teal'c need the energy; I've just been here all day."
 
Daniel still seemed unhappy though. "When the Colonel's better I'll be 
pinching yours, don't worry, now eat!" she ordered.
 
Daniel shrugged and ate without further preamble. She watched as both men 
attacked their food ravenously and vowed to try and get more to bulk it 
up for them tomorrow. They'd not long finished eating when Daniel 
collapsed onto his 'bed'; a blanket on the ground, snoring softly within 
a few minutes and Teal'c immersed himself in meditation.
 
Sam realised she needed to get something prepared for morning and after 
clearing up she examined their meagre supplies. Reena made a timely 
appearance just as Sam was realising she didn't have a clue what to do 
with the bag of stuff Reena had told her to get.
 
Reena, laughingly, explained how to make the thick broth that everyone 
had for the first meal of the day and soon the broth was under way, ready 
then to be just re-heated in the morning.
 
They settled by the fire with a cup of kofa. "How is he?" asked Reena, 
with a nod of her head towards Jack.
 
"The wounds seem to be staying clean, he's certainly not fevered."
 
"That is good. He is strong thankfully, he will heal, but it will take a 
while, and the pain will not be good."
 
"Serena gave him more dyla earlier; he's not yet woken again."
 
"Ah, Serena," commented Reena with a smile, "you have competition there, 
Sam."
 
Sam pretended not to know what Reena was driving at.
 
"Serena has set herself for your man. She was overjoyed earlier to find 
he is not bonded."
 
Sam's felt her face flush. "He's not my man!" she said with as much 
firmness she could muster.
 
"Sam, please, I have seen how you look at him, I watched you as they beat 
him, I understand how you feel."
 
"Reena, we are a team, he is my commanding officer and a friend!" hissed 
Sam.
 
Reena shrugged. "No matter, but you have competition."
 
Sam sucked a breath. "She's far too young, she's a child!"
 
"She is a young woman, usually bonded well before that age, but Serena 
has ... well always refused any would be suitors and her father allows 
her to ..."
 
"He's over twice her age!" interrupted Sam with a snort.
 
Reena raised a placating hand along with a brow that would have done 
Teal'c proud.
 
"He is a strong, capable warrior, as indicated by him reaching his age. 
He's already proved his worth. The youngsters who came in with you have 
already been singing his praises and filled Serena's head."
 
Sam opened her mouth to speak, but Reena placed a hand on her shoulder.
 
"I can see what she sees, Sam, and so do you, for all you protest. A 
strong man who is willing to fight and to put others first attracts much 
attention here, it is not the way we are used to, he is a hero in Serena 
and other's eyes. That he is handsome too is only the bonus.  You must 
have noticed the looks Daniel and Teal'c also draw?"
 
It was on the tip of Sam's tongue to ask why Serena hadn't jumped on 
Daniel or Teal'c when she realised she knew exactly why!
 
"I would have had designs on him myself if I had not seen that he is 
spoken for in your eyes," said Reena with a smile.
 
'Over my dead body!' was Sam's silent response. She gave herself a mental 
shake. They wouldn't be hanging around for too long, as soon as the 
Colonel was well enough they would find a way out. 
 
Reena helped Sam to apply the balm once more. Sam felt clumsy all of a 
sudden compared to Reena's gentle touch and as if to press the point home 
the Colonel began to stir. He moaned and flinched, his back arching in 
protest as Sam's fingers spread the balm.
 
"Sir, hold still." Sam's voice came out sharper than she intended, trying 
to hide the distress she was feeling at the pain she was causing him.
 
Reena gave Sam a quick look and moved around to face Jack.
 
"Ssh," she crooned softly, "try and remain still, let the balm begin to 
work," her voice soothed gently.
 
The Colonel opened his eyes at the strange voice, slowly coming to focus 
on Reena.
 
Reena gently lifted his head and pressed some water to his lips. Sam 
watched feeling helpless; loathe to continue her application of the balm 
for the moment.
 
"Carter?" gasped out Jack, his eyes searching around.
 
"I'm here, Sir, we need to redress your injuries, I'm sorry." Her voice 
was just a whisper.
 
"S'ok," he murmured, seeming to relax at the sound of her voice.
 
                         *******************
 
The pain and the panic he'd felt when he first awoke began to calm. At 
first he'd thought he was back at the whipping post before his awareness 
kicked in.
 
He regarded the woman sitting in front of him with curiosity, he realised 
it wasn't the young girl from .... well before ....
 
The woman informed him she was Reena.
 
Jack closed his eyes for a moment, trying to place what Sam had told him. 
As Sam resumed applying the balm, his eyes screwed tight with pain, his 
body tensing.
 
"I'm sorry Sir."  Sam's voice came from behind again.
 
"S'ok." He breathed out.
 
He felt the touch of cool cloth to his face and felt one of his hands 
being cradled. He flinched at the touch, realising it was the stranger, 
but then the pain came more fiercely and he grasped the hand holding it 
tightly.
 
It was a couple of minutes before he was able to speak.
 
"Dan ... T...?" he asked, wondering just when his voice had ever sounded 
so distant and weak before.
 
"They are sleeping," Reena told him.
 
"Oh ..." his brain took that much in, "night?" he asked, his eyes still 
closed.
 
"It is evening; their labours have worn them out."
 
Jack digested that, he felt badly that his friends were toiling to keep 
them alive. He realised it would be some time before he could be of use, 
and that cut him deeply, that and the fact that there would be no chance 
of escape for a while ... unless ...
 
Reena's voice cut into his thoughts again. "If you can stay awake for a 
little while it would be better for you."
 
The burning on his back began to ease, replaced by a slight tingling 
sensation; he guessed the balm was beginning to work. He wished the 
burning in his chest would ease too.
 
He heard Sam wiping her hands and was aware of her coming around to his 
front.
 
He opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile. Her response warmed his 
heart, making him forget everything else for a moment, but his training 
was already kicking in, plus he was curious.
 
"How long?" he asked.
 
"Two days," said Sam, not questioning what he meant, she knew. So often 
they didn't really need words at all.
 
"We haven't yet had a chance to ..." Sam broke off and cast a quick 
glance to Reena. Jack understood she didn't want to say anything else in 
front of the woman. As helpful as the women might be, she just might 
report any notion of escape.
 
"Everyone's ok," continued Sam, somewhat lamely, but she gave him another 
smile.
 
"Not got the decorators in yet, then?" he gave her a grin as his eyes 
took in what he could see of their quarters.
 
Sam smiled again, her eyes flashing with amusement.
 
Reena favoured Jack with a puzzled look and put a hand quickly to his 
forehead.
 
"There is no fever," she said as though she expected it.
 
That tickled Jack's sense of humour, and he gave a choked laugh, 
unfortunately, it turned into a coughing fit. Sam held him best she could 
to support him gently. The shards of pain shot through his chest as he 
coughed. "Crap," he gasped as the coughing subsided, leaving him 
breathless and in even more pain.
 
Sam helped him to settle down, giving him a few sips of water.
 
She brushed his forehead gently, her voice soothing his senses. "Ok?" she 
asked.
 
The touch of her hand felt magic, and the pain became a not too distant 
memory. "Fine," he mumbled, trying to savour the moment.
 
He heard Reena snort, "Humph!"
 
He opened his eyes and gave Reena a pained look. "Not another Doc!" he 
moaned.
 
Reena looked from Jack to Sam.
 
Sam grinned, "He means a healer," she laughed.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam was so glad to see the Colonel responding, his humour showing he was 
in more control, despite the pain. She realised that was what she had 
badly missed the last couple of days.
 
As Jack grinned again, she saw how Reena returned the smile, her eyes 
lighting up as she regarded the man before her.
 
"Men!" said Reena with a laugh.
 
"Oh, yeah, we're the same all over," he agreed.
 
Sam felt the prickle of jealousy, and it was only slightly assuaged when 
the Colonel turned his attention to her with another smile. Sam returned 
the smile wholeheartedly. She wondered yet again how on earth ... how in 
the universe ... that this man ... this one man ... could make her feel 
... so ... so like jello inside, make her heart race and her senses sing 
with just a look. 'God, you are pathetic, major,' she chastised herself.
 
She offered him more water, her attention firmly on the Colonel as he 
sipped. She heard Reena's voice as the other woman rose.
 
"I will leave you to rest; I will see you tomorrow, unless you have need 
of me."
 
Sam thanked Reena warmly, the jealousy taking a back seat once more.
 
She returned her attention to the Colonel.
 
"Do you think you could eat something?" she asked.
 
"Ugh, no thanks," his eyes were drooping again, "uh ..."
 
"Sir?" she asked puzzled.
 
"Uh, um, need to pee," he said somewhat pink about the ears.
 
"Ah, oh, ok." Sam looked around for the jar Teal'c had located and set 
aside for just such a purpose.
 
Jack rolled slightly, bringing a leg up. "Uh, um, Carter, where's my 
pants?" 
 
"Safe and clean for now, Sir, they were a bit bloody, Reena washed them, 
along with my stuff." Sam found the jar and returned to him holding the 
jar out. "Erm, can you manage?" she asked flushing herself.
 
"If you help me up first," he complained.
 
"That's not a good idea, Sir," she frowned holding the jar closer to him. 
 
"Trust me, Carter, the only way I can pee lying down is when I have no 
control whatsoever, or Doc sticks a couple of feet of tubing in."
 
"Couple of feet?" grinned Sam, the idea tickling her sense of mischief.
 
"That's what it feels like," said Jack with a grimace, "now help me up, 
my bladder feels like a basketball."
 
Teal'c rose from the shadows. "I will assist you, O'Neill."
 
"Hey, T, buddy, thanks."
 
"It is good to see you awake," said Teal'c as he moved closer.
 
Sam gave in to being out numbered. She really didn't want the Colonel to 
be moving around yet, but then again, she didn't fancy cleaning up any 
accidents either and that dyla was a strong sedative.
 
Between them they got Jack to a standing position. She saw the way he bit 
down on his lips to stop any sound coming from him, fresh blood trickled 
once more from the re-opened wounds on his lips; only the odd grunt came 
from him.
 
She felt his hand gripping her shoulder painfully. She tried not to 
flinch, and purposely she kept her eyes averted from his almost naked 
body, 'too close, much too close.'
 
A little devil inside sparked the mischief again. "Want me to hold it, 
Sir?" she managed to ask with a straight face.
 
She heard the slight gasp from Jack and he turned his head to her, mouth 
agape.
 
"The jar, Sir, shall I hold the jar?" she was bursting to grin, but held 
it in.
 
Jack looked her in the eyes; colour suffused his face and neck. "Make 
yourself useful over there, Major," he blustered at last. "T can do the 
heavy lifting," he quipped, seeming to recover.
 
"I will only hold the jar, O'Neill, unless you require further assistance 
with the heavy lifting," responded the Jaffa dead pan.
 
Sam hurriedly cut short a snort of laughter as she moved away. She 
watched Jack fix the Jaffa with a glare that would have withered many a 
lesser man, but Teal'c didn't even blink.
 
"Is it pick on Colonel day today?" spluttered Jack. "Just hold the god-
damned jar, Teal'c, before I bust."
 
Sam coughed to hide her choked laugh and busied herself at the far side 
of their room. The sound of passing water seemed to last forever, but at 
last she heard the sigh of relief from the Colonel.
 
"Ok, Carter, its safe," called out the Colonel.
 
Sam carefully took the smirk off her face and went to assist Teal'c to 
lie him down again.
 
She could see the pain he was in and it quickly sobered her. He groaned, 
his fresh agony obvious and she quickly retrieved the cup with the dyla 
in it and gave him a few sips.
 
Teal'c left to dispose of the contents of the jar, returning quickly. He 
sat down close to Sam, both watching silently as Jack's breathing evened 
out and he slept.
 
"There was the presence of blood in O'Neill's water," he informed her 
quietly.
 
Sam bit her lip anxiously. "A lot?" she questioned.
 
Teal'c shook his head.
 
"Let's hope it's nothing that won't sort itself out, his kidneys are 
bound to be bruised, with the blows he's taken. We can only keep a close 
watch."
 
                         *******************
 
All too soon it became morning and Teal'c and Daniel were once more off 
to work. The pattern repeated itself for the next few days. Jack was 
beginning to heal, and doing quite well despite the pain he was in. He 
was awake for longer, needing only the occasional dose of the dyla.
 
Whenever Jack was awake Sam urged him to drink, not just to flush his 
kidneys, but to hydrate him. As yet though, she hadn't managed to get him 
to eat anything.
 
"Careful, Major, my capacity isn't endless," he grinned as she passed him 
yet another cup of water.
 
Sam returned the grin. "Well, unless you want my help there, Sir, you 
will have to wait for the boys to come back."
 
Jack choked a little on the water. "Jeez, don't keep doing that," he 
complained when he caught his breath. He watched her eyes dancing with 
mischief.
 
"Doing what, Sir?" she contrived to look innocent.
 
Jack didn't bother to respond to that. He felt more awake today, a little 
better and the pain was easing up more each day.
 
"Wanna help me up for a while?" he asked again, as he had every day.
 
"No, Sir, definitely not." Was the short reply, the same as it was every 
day.
 
"Come on, Carter," he cajoled, "I need to move around a bit."
 
"Sir, you need to rest, not aggravate the injuries, it's too soon for 
walkabout."
 
He pulled a face at her, but she ignored him.
 
"You've been taking lessons from Doc," he accused her.
 
"How about some food?" she sighed.
 
He grimaced again and she seemed to change tact.
 
"How about you eat a little something and tonight when Teal'c and Daniel 
get back they can help walk you?"
 
Jack gave her a frown. "I am not a dog, Major."
 
"No, Sir," she grinned at him, "sorry, Sir, bad expression." She didn't 
look a bit sorry.
 
"The broth, Sir?" she reminded him.
 
He debated whether he could get away with the eating part and hummed and 
aard for a moment before agreeing.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam quickly warmed the broth before the Colonel could changed his mind, 
glad that he'd at least agreed to try something, he needed to get 
something inside to help to begin to replace the heavy blood loss he'd 
suffered.
 
The second the broth was warm enough she wasn't going to give him chance 
to refuse and sat at the ready in front of him holding the spoon out with 
some broth on it.
 
"Open wide .... Sir." The 'sir' came a beat later.
 
Jack gave her an indignant look. "No airplane?" he asked raising a brow 
at her.
 
Sam giggled and shook her head, wishing she'd thought of it first, 
though. She would have paid a month's salary to have seen his face if she 
had dared to do that.
 
To both their surprise he reluctantly managed quite a bit of the broth 
and settled down again a little sleepily.
 
The morning passed quietly, Jack just dozing on and off, the sounds of 
Sam moving around were familiar and comforting.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack watched Sam working, the firelight glancing off her hair and her 
face as she concentrated on her tasks. Jack was quite content to lie and 
watch her work, savouring the opportunity to watch without fear of being 
accused of inappropriate behaviour. Occasionally, Sam would stop and give 
him a look and a smile before returning to her task, and to Jack that was 
better than any happy juice Doc could have provided.
 
                         *******************
 
Serena made an appearance and made a beeline straight for Jack.
 
"You look so much better today," she commented sitting besides him.
 
Jack looked at her steadily, obviously his brain sifting through some 
information. "Erm, Serena, right?" he asked.
 
Sam had given the girl a quick smile as she entered, her daily visits 
were almost a ritual and thankfully the Colonel had been asleep when she 
came, up until now that was. She carried on working but listened intently 
to the conversation.
 
Sam almost threw the pot she was cleaning down. 'Diplomats, heads of 
states, four-star generals and you screw up *their* names' she thundered 
to herself.
 
"Yes, you remember me," said Serena with a cloying giggle. "I have come 
each day to see you but you have not been awake. You are awake today," 
she added with another giggle.
 
"Erm, I guess," mumbled Jack.
 
Serena put a hand out to touch his face and Jack drew his head back in 
surprise. She let her hand drop as she saw his reaction. "Can I get you 
anything?"
 
"No, thanks, Carter's taking real good care of me."
 
Sam felt ridiculous as she swelled under the light praise and moved 
closer to them.
 
"Carter?" was the puzzled response.
 
"Err, Sam," he mumbled.
 
"Then why do you call her Carter?"
 
Sam sat besides them, not wanting to miss the Colonel's explanation.
 
"It's her name too."
 
"I see - her family name?"
 
"Yes," said Jack with a sigh.
 
"That is rude!" exclaimed the girl.
 
Sam flicked an amused glance to her CO, but his face gave nothing away.
 
"We are soldiers where we come from and Car ... Sam, is under my 
command."
 
Serena still looked puzzled. "Do you call Teal'c and Daniel by their 
family name also?"
 
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes impatiently. "Uh, Car ... *Sam*, do you 
wanna ...."
 
Sam took pity on him and began yet another explanation.
 
"Teal'c and Daniel are not military, they have no rank, even though they 
are under the Colonel's command."
 
                         *******************
 
"I thought your name was Jack O'Neill?" said Serena.
 
Jack closed his eyes, the whole thing was annoying him, partly because he 
knew they really didn't need to be putting themselves through this and 
that there was no way in hell he would try and explain the real reason 
behind it.
 
He half listened as Sam began the whole explanation of protocol, etc.
 
Serena nodded her understanding. "I see, to me you are Jack and Sam, you 
may call each other how you see fit, but when you begin to mix with the 
others they will also think it is strange."
 
"Reena said that too," said Sam sounding thoroughly fed up by it all.
 
"Ok," said Jack opening his eyes. "From now on, Carter, it's just Sam and 
I'm Jack. I cannot put up with any more explanations every time we open 
our mouths."
 
Sam gave a laugh. "And that is the first time you've gone through it here 
*Jack*."
 
Jack watched as she laughed, his name on her lips gave him a feeling of 
warmth, dangerous warmth ... he realised ... the barrier that had stood 
for so long was lifting and God help him - he liked it.
 
                         *******************
 
Serena watched the interaction between them, the comfortable way they had 
with each other. She'd watched how Sam had cared for him, her patience 
with him, but up until now, despite what Reena had warned her of, she 
hadn't thought of Sam as a rival for his affections. 
 
Serena inserted herself back into the conversation and laughed prettily, 
leaning in closer to Jack, completely ignoring how reserved he was with 
her.
 
Reena arrived at that point and asked Sam to go 'shopping'.
 
Serena pounced on the opportunity to stay with Jack alone. "I will remain 
until you return in case Jack should need anything."
 
"Um, I'm ok, you can go with them," said Jack.
 
"I will keep you company," declared Serena and she swished her long hair 
over one shoulder with determination in her expression.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam gathered the tokens she had and joined Reena, a little reluctant, but 
responded to Reena's urging to hurry up before the best had gone.
 
"Won't be long *Jack*," she called with a last look to them before 
leaving.
 
They made their way down to the 'shop' of sorts. Teal'c and Daniel were 
apparently earning quite well. Teal'c was quite capable of doing the work 
of two men.
 
"Your family is strong. Once Jack is on his feet, you will be considered 
a wealthy woman, until someone steals Teal'c and Daniel."
 
Sam told herself they would be long gone before that happened. Daniel had 
complained quite vocally about the women and the 'feeling up' he had to 
endure on occasion. Teal'c had said nothing, however.
 
Jack was on the mend now, but Daniel and Teal'c had both refused her 
offer to work in the mine, and they'd all strongly protested, including 
Reena, when she expressed a desire to explore the mine on her own to seek 
a way out. Reena was greatly respected by the workers and the guards 
alike and it afforded her some measure of safety, but the looks she was 
given by the men, she admitted to herself, made her uncomfortable.
 
"But you must be careful ..." 
 
Sam realised with a start that Reena was speaking to her.
 
"Sorry?" apologised Sam, struggling to pay attention to what the woman 
was saying.
 
"The unbonded women are vying for attention from Daniel and Teal'c. They 
have yet to catch sight of your Jack and then you had better watch out," 
teased Reena, but her voice carried a warning.
 
"Oh, they've not a hope in hell," muttered Sam.
 
"Sorry?" Reena didn't quite catch Sam's words.
 
"I said Jack will soon be well," said Sam realising she'd uttered the 
first words out loud.
 
Sam decided to get Reena to escort her around the mine more, using the 
opportunity to recon and build up a better picture, claiming curiosity 
and Reena agreed once they had made their trade at the shop.
 
                         *******************
 
"Can I get you anything?" asked Serena.
 
"No thanks, I'll ... I think I'll just sleep for a while." Jack felt 
uncomfortable in her presence somehow, but was not sure why. He turned a 
little trying to settle, but the stiffness of his limbs and the pull on 
his ribs made him wince. He closed his eyes resolutely trying to block 
out her presence.
 
A firm pressure on his blanket-covered thigh startled him.
 
He opened his eyes to find Serena leaning in real close. "Um, watchya 
doing?" he asked swallowing nervously as he tried to sit up a little.
 
"Do you need something to relax you?" she asked and ran her tongue over 
her lips seductively.
 
Jack took a gulp of air. "Aagh, err, no ... nope, I'm ok." He stuttered, 
thoroughly embarrassed. 
 
"Really? You don't look very comfortable," she almost purred and leaned 
closer still.
 
Jack let his head fall back with a thump closing his eyes. The ground he 
was praying for to open up and swallow him was just *so* not going to do 
that. He'd thought of Serena as a child, but clearly she certainly didn't 
think she was.
 
He opened his eyes and the word *vamp* came to mind. He squirmed 
slightly, trying to move further away. The firm pressure on his thigh 
returned. He reached for her hand to remove it, only for her to grasp his 
hand tightly with her other.
 
"Do you not like me?" she asked, dismay clear in her large eyes.
 
Jack took a breath ... women he could deal with, *Carter* ... he could 
deal with ... well just *maybe*, on a good day that was ... but this was 
a bit more than he could handle, for someone he thought of as little more 
than a child to put something so blatantly on offer alarmed and sickened 
him. 
 
"Serena, look I'm ... umm...."
 
She didn't allow him to finish speaking as she quickly pressed her mouth 
to his, running her hand over his groin. The special ops trained Colonel 
... panicked and for a few seconds he wasn't able to do anything or think 
anything.
 
A loud cough from the doorway roused him and he gave the girl a 
determined push away from himself, wincing as the effort pulled on his 
ribs. 
 
Serena fell back, sitting on her bottom abruptly with an angry 
exclamation.
 
Jack took a gulp of air and looked to see Daniel stood at the doorway 
with a shocked expression written all over his face.
 
"Crap!" Jack closed his eyes, partly against the pain flaring up in his 
chest, partly because the expression Daniel wore mirrored his own shock 
at Serena's behaviour.
 
Serena gave Daniel a sly look and gathered herself up. "I will see you 
tomorrow, Jack," she said softly and swept past Daniel in the doorway, 
who was still standing there confounded.
 
Jack didn't even bother to respond to her goodbye, he opened his eyes, 
trying to shift himself to a more comfortable position, but failing.
 
He muttered a faint "Crap!" again as the pain flared up with more 
severity.
 
"Good!" spat the archaeologist.
 
Jack fixed a glare on Daniel. "Cuse me?" he enquired.
 
"For Christ Sakes, Jack, she's little more than a child," reprimanded 
Daniel coming over to Jack.
 
"Jail-bait! Christ, I know, but I didn't touch her," said Jack feeling 
put out that Daniel would believe anything to the contrary.
 
"It didn't look like that from over there, Jack, you were all over her!" 
accused Daniel.
 
"Christ, she was all over me you mean!" spat Jack.
 
"Jack, you are well over twice her age ... you're ..."
 
"Yeah, old enough to be her grandfather ... Daniel, just what do you take 
me for? I swear, she pounced."
 
"Pounced?" echoed Daniel as he squatted down besides Jack.
 
"Pounced, I didn't stand a chance."
 
Daniel paused to stare at Jack, pushing his glasses up his nose with a 
bloody finger. "Special ops Colonel couldn't handle a ..." he began.
 
"What's the blood?" demanded Jack seeing his friend's hand.
 
Daniel clasped his hand back over his other forearm. "Err, its just a 
cut, but Teal'c said I should get it cleaned and covered ... don't change 
the subject, Jack ... she's a  ..."
 
"Daniel, for cryin' out loud, I did nothing, absolutely nothing to 
encourage her I swear ... I was trying to sleep and ... well, she 
pounced."
 
"Pounced," repeated Daniel.
 
"Daniel, if you keep repeating that I swear I'm gonna ..."
 
"Ok, ok," Daniel raised his hands in surrender and then grimaced at the 
blood.
 
"Christ, Daniel, grab the stuff so I can take care of that," ordered 
Jack.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel bit his lip and collected some water and cloths as well as the 
balm. He sat besides Jack.
 
Jack rolled carefully to his side and began to clean the cut.
 
"It should be stitched," commented Jack when he cleaned it. 
 
Daniel shook his head. "It'll be ok, just use that stuff, it's good."
 
"Yeah, I know," said Jack with a grimace.
 
"What about Serena, Jack?" asked Daniel as Jack finished up with the 
bandage.
 
"Uh?"
 
"Serena," said Daniel slightly exasperated.
 
He'd realised Jack was telling the truth once he'd got over the shock. He 
thought back over what he'd actually seen ... and that was *her* kissing 
and groping at Jack. He realised though, and not without just a little 
shame, that he could well understand anything else, because he'd also 
been startled by the girl's physical attributes.
 
He pulled his thoughts back into the present.
 
"Serena - what are you going to do about her?" he sighed impatiently. 
"It's obvious she's got a crush on you," said Daniel with a wince as Jack 
tightened the knot of the bandage none too gently.
 
"More like desperate for a husband," said a voice from the doorway.
 
                         *******************
 
PART FOUR

Both men jumped at the sound of Sam's voice. 
 
She came into the room with her small sack of goods.
 
"What?" said Jack, 'doh, quick recovery there Jack,' he chided, wondering 
just how much Sam had overheard.
 
"Well, could be ... Serena ... *pounced*." Daniel recited the word with 
obvious glee.
 
Jack winced. The man was enjoying this way too much. He threw the 
archaeologist a withering glare, but Daniel just ignored him.
 
"Good job I had to come back, Sam, otherwise his honour would have been 
severely compromised, I think." Daniel stood up and then looked back down 
at Jack with an innocent look on his face. "Oops," he mouthed with an 
exaggerated wince. He turned to Sam and announced his intention to get 
back to work before anyone could say anything else.
 
Jack watched as Sam's expression turned from puzzled to seriously pissed.
 
"Daniel," growled Jack.
 
"Later, Jack, I've got to go earn our daily bread," said Daniel 
sarcastically as he left.
 
Jack winced at that. It was eating him up being laid up and the fact that 
Daniel and Teal'c were labouring all day to keep them going made it even 
worse.
 
He heard Sam banging about at the back of the room. Good job there were 
no doors for her to bang ... wait, if they'd had a front door this 
wouldn't be happening ... he'd have got Serena off him before ... ack, if 
'ifs and ands' were pots and pans ... he heard his grandmother's 
favourite expression. He shook himself back to the present, again wincing 
as a pot made contact heavily with something, no doubt Sam wishing it was 
his head.
 
He felt himself curl a little inside. Silent treatment always freaked him 
out. He'd always hated that from Sara, much preferring that any row was 
over and done with and he was forgiven ... and get on with the make up 
sex - 'Aagh don't go there, Jack' he screamed at himself. Make up sex 
with Sam - sooo not a good idea to even think about. She was much more 
likely to give him a right hook!
 
Damn, even the thought of a right hook didn't stop his body's reaction to 
his initial thoughts of make up sex with Sam. Panicking for the second 
time that day, he rolled and the sudden pressure on his ribs made him 
gasp.
 
'Oh, yeah pain, that sorts that problem out - way to go, Jack,' he 
congratulated himself. He lay still for a moment to get his breathing 
sorted out. It was several seconds before he realised that a pair of 
dusty boots were level with his head. He followed the body trail upwards; 
his eyes taking in the long legs as he tilted his head back to follow on 
Sam's upper body, quickly past the breasts, to rest on her face.
 
"You, ok?" she asked quietly, her eyes were soft with concern and he 
could find no trace of anger there.
 
"Um, yeah, um," and the words constricted in his throat as he feasted on 
the bright blue orbs while time stood still.
 
He wasn't sure how long they'd remained like that, or who broke the 
contact first, but he became aware of Sam squatting down besides him, her 
eyes fastened to the floor.
 
"What's this Daniel's on about?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft.
 
"Oh," Jack was stumped for words again. How on earth did his major do 
that to him? "Um, Serena, she ... she's ... err" his voice dried again.
 
Sam gave him an amused look. She certainly seemed to be enjoying his 
discomfort.
 
Jack bit down, hell he'd faced down Goa'uld and countless enemies over 
the years, what the hell was so bad about ... gulp ... facing ... Sam 
Carter?
 
"Oh, hell, look, Carter, just don't go leaving Serena here alone, ok?" he 
managed to growl out quickly before he changed his mind.
 
"It's Sam remember? Alone?" she queried raising one brow.
 
"Alone, here, with me, ok, *Sam*," he growled again, feeling completely 
off balance by her attitude now.
 
"Fair enough, *Jack. * I promise I will not leave you along with Serena." 
She spoke gravely. "Is there anyone else you need protection from while 
we are discussing it?"
 
Jack saw the wicked glint in her eyes and groaned. His 2IC was getting 
*way* too good at this piss taking with him. Any words he might have had 
to say died at the sudden 'shit-eating' grin she flashed him. He schooled 
his face and shook his head. The mischief she rarely demonstrated 
delighted him for the most part, but he couldn't let her in on that ... 
wouldn't!
 
Sam gave him a look of disappointment that he wasn't rising to her 
baiting, and Jack was sorely tempted, but good sense won out and he let 
the moment go.
 
"If you're ok then, I'll get these things away and get some food on."
 
Jack tried to relax, watching her work, the scene of domesticity began to 
soothe him and the crackling warmth from the fire all eventually lulled 
him to sleep.
 
Before he knew it a gentle hand was shaking him awake.
 
"Hey."
 
Jack blearily regarded the figure kneeling besides him.
 
"Sorry, must have dozed off again."
 
"Want to try some of this?" Sam held out a bowl. 
 
The aroma tickled his nose and for the first time since being injured he 
felt the pangs of hunger and his stomach rumbled loudly, begging for the 
food.
 
"Stomach says to eat," he grinned trying to sit up carefully.
 
Finally settled, Sam handed him the bowl and he attacked it with gusto, 
but only managed half before admitting defeat.
 
"Daniel and Teal'c have gone back out, they're having a scout around, 
shouldn't be much longer though."
 
"Scouting? Is it that late?" he said troubled how long and how deeply 
he'd slept yet again.
 
Sam nodded, "You've been out for the count. They've washed and eaten and 
I've told them what little I've found out today too."
 
"Care to fill me in?" Jack asked, a little put out at not being involved 
more.
 
Sam explained what she knew. Regular hunting parties left the mine for 
food and trade and, of course, when they needed more workers, but asides 
from that no prisoners ever left, not even for burial, even that was done 
in the mine. People from outside the mine picked up the ore, regular 
shipments left.
 
"What's the ore?"
 
Sam looked a little shamefaced. "Well, I don't actually know," she 
admitted.
 
"No doohickies, eh?" he grinned.
 
"No, Sir," said Sam reverting back to military mode while she made her 
report, "but no one seems to know what it is used for and the guards 
aren't very ... well it's best not to ask them anything. The tamanz that 
we burn is dug out with the ore, and that burns well, much like coal back 
on earth."
 
"Well, not to worry," said Jack, "the main thing is for us to get out of 
here."
 
"Do you think General Hammond has sent a search party?" asked Sam, 
suddenly.
 
"Well if he does and they tracked us from the gate, I doubt they'd have 
much luck from the compound because of the ground, and then.... Well, 
even I wouldn't authorise anything from a place like this looking at the 
security and manpower they had on the approach to the mine and they 
wouldn't know for sure we were alive. Hammond wouldn't swing for it, too 
much risk."
 
Sam sighed deeply, he knew she'd realised much the same herself, but he 
couldn't help but be honest.
 
"Hey, maybe Daniel and Teal'c will find something, but if not something 
will come up, I'm sure of it. There is no way we are ending our days 
here, Sam."
 
Sam looked into his eyes; the blue seemed more intense than ever to him.
 
"I promise, Sam, I'll get you home," he vowed with all his heart.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel and Teal'c however, returned with nothing new. The few guards 
they'd come across were suspicious of them wandering around in the 
evening off the main area. More than once they'd been stopped by a guard 
and questioned.
 
"We pleaded we were lost, but we couldn't keep doing that. The last guard 
more or less escorted us here," explained Daniel.
 
"I can move around more freely during the day, its less suspicious, most 
of the guards are up with the workers then too," said Sam.
 
"Negative, not on your own," said Jack quickly.
 
"I can't keep dragging Reena around without raising some suspicion from 
her."
 
"We can wander around together, or I can go on my own," said Jack 
suddenly.
 
Teal'c gave a nod, "They would indeed not expect you to be working yet."
 
"Sir, you are in no fit state to wander anywhere!" declared Sam firmly.
 
"Ah ah," said Jack waving a finger at Sam, "the journey of a lot of miles 
begins with the first stumble. Help me up, T," he ordered the Jaffa.
 
Daniel gave a snort at the mis-quote, as Teal'c began to help Jack up.
 
"Sir ..." Sam was determined to stick to her guns, but Jack was just as 
determined to move about.
 
"Ack, I ate, I was a good boy - now I get walkies, remember?" He gave a 
gasp as Teal'c got him to his feet and stood leaning heavily on Teal'c 
for a few minutes.
 
Sam looked at Daniel. They both knew it was really too soon for him to be 
pushing himself, but they also knew that there was no way on this planet 
they could stop Jack O'Neill when he set his mind to something.
 
Teal'c had reached the same conclusion much sooner than his companions 
and knew the only course was to assist his leader.
 
The cost of the effort Jack was making was not lost on the Jaffa; he felt 
the trembling from his limbs and the tensing of his body as he made an 
attempt to breathe through the pain.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack concentrated on standing. He was grateful for the silent support 
that Teal'c offered him. The pain was coursing through his body in waves 
making the room spin sickeningly. He knew it would pass in a moment and 
he tried to even out his breathing, keep his breaths shallow and steady 
for the benefit of his ribs.
 
Sam watched him standing, her fears clearly written on her face, it was 
mirrored on Daniel's face too. 
 
Jack regarded his feet ... bare feet! 'Aagh, no boots, huh - crap! No 
pants either Jack, doh, how observant of you.' He was way past being 
modest with his team, well except for Carter that was, but he didn't like 
the idea that Reena, or even worse, Serena could just walk in.
 
"Uh, um where's my pants?" he complained.
 
Daniel snickered softly as he unhooked them from the line. 
 
"Boots would be a good idea, too," said Jack hopefully.
 
Daniel moved close to Jack, knowing the man would need some assistance. 
He held out the pants by the waist.
 
Jack reached out to grab at them and then swayed alarmingly. "Crap!" came 
out before he could stop it.
 
"Jack, I think ..." 
 
"Daniel, just give me my God damn pants," gasped Jack.
 
"O'Neill, you should save your energy. We will assist you," said Teal'c 
softly.
 
Jack closed his eyes for a moment, still supported by Teal'c. His other 
arm was cradling his ribs protectively.
 
"Ok," he acquiesced, the agreement a whisper and he allowed Daniel and 
Teal'c to help him to dress.
 
"You want to bother with the boots tonight?" asked Sam, holding them out.
 
Jack weakly shook his head, the food he'd eaten earlier was threatening 
to make a come back and boots didn't seem to figure much at the moment, 
even the pants had lost their significance.
 
He took a couple more minutes to steady himself. "Ok, Teal'c, once around 
the block."
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c supported the sweating body gently. He felt the fine tremors 
coursing through him and knew it was only sheer will keeping the man 
upright.
 
"I think just the room shall be sufficient for now, O'Neill," he said 
lightly.
 
Jack gave a weak grin, "As you wish my friend, as you wish," doing a fair 
imitation of the Jaffa.
 
Teal'c raised one brow before proceeding.
 
He saw Daniel Jackson and Major Carter standing watching anxiously. He 
gave them both a fixed stare as he made the slow circuit of the room 
supporting his leader.
 
"Perhaps, Daniel Jackson, you could replenish the water while I am 
otherwise engaged?"
 
Daniel gaped a little and then seemed to catch on. "Uh, yes, hey, Sam, 
come on - you can help, we'll get some more tamanz too."
 
Sam seemed to wake up from her Colonel watching mode and joined the 
thinking brigade. 
 
They realised that Teal'c wanted the coast clear of an audience; the 
stubborn Colonel was far more likely to listen to the Jaffa's quiet 
reasoning than any protest they might make.
 
Teal'c walked a slow, but steady pace. He watched in concern as the lines 
of pain increased on O'Neill's sweat drenched face. The sweat was rolling 
down his body, and he was visibly trembling now. To continue the walk 
seemed foolhardy at this point, but Teal'c understood what drove the man, 
the warrior. He understood his leader much better than anyone might have 
given him credit for.
 
Teal'c carried on for a few more minutes. "Is this not enough for the 
first time, O'Neill?" he enquired.
 
"A little more," panted Jack.
 
"We should rest."
 
"Don't go all 'we' on me, T," said Jack, faltering in his steps.
 
"I have laboured all day and I, too, am tired," stated Teal'c.
 
Jack stopped and lifted his head to look the Jaffa in the eyes, raising 
an eyebrow quizzically.
 
"You are admitting that *you* are tired!" he uttered incredulously.
 
"Indeed. To admit a truth is not a weakness, O'Neill."
 
Jack gave a slight grin. He knew exactly what the Jaffa was up to. "Ok, 
T, I admit it, too. I'm tired, you're tired, shall *we* have a rest?"
 
Teal'c merely nodded and assisted Jack to lie down.
 
Teal'c could feel the utter relief in his leader as Jack sank onto the 
makeshift bed. It took several minutes before the man's breathing calmed 
and gradually he drifted into a restless sleep.
 
Sam and Daniel were not long in returning with the supplies. They found 
Jack asleep, and Teal'c in a state of kel-no-reem.
 
Sam quietly moved close to check Jack. The lines of pain were still 
clearly etched on his face, his sleep restless.
 
"It cost much," said Teal'c quietly, making Sam and Daniel jump.
 
"Yeah, and tomorrow he'll do it again," said Daniel with a groan.
 
"Would he be O'Neill if he did not!" stated Teal'c and without waiting 
for a response he closed his eyes again to drift back into the 
meditation.
 
                         *******************
 
The next day passed quietly enough, but not quickly enough for Sam. The 
effort from Jack's first walk had greatly increased the pain he was in 
and it showed in his attitude. Finally, Sam snapped, she'd had enough.
 
"For cryin' out loud, Jack!" she screamed out, throwing the pot she'd 
been carrying to the floor, almost stamping her foot at the same time ... 
almost.
 
Jack's mouth dropped open, stunned for a second before his face split 
into a wide grin.
 
Sam's frustration died the instant the grin lit his eyes and her next 
words died in her throat as she stood transfixed.
 
"Knew I'd get you one day," he whispered, keeping his eyes fixed on hers.
 
"I don't think you've never *not* had me," she whispered, the stance she 
took clearly showing that she didn't know whether to stand or flee.
 
"C'mere," he urged.
 
Sam needed no second bidding and knelt close. Jack folded his arms around 
her in a loving hug, ignoring the protest his ribs made, but Sam must 
have felt him flinch and made to draw back, only to find his arms 
tightening around her even more.
 
"Just for a moment, Sam, just for a moment," he whispered, his breath 
tickling against her ear and she melted into his embrace.
 
They held each other not moving or speaking for a few minutes, each 
drawing comfort and strength from the embrace.
 
As if by silent agreement, they drew apart. Jack touched the side of her 
face, his thumb brushing her lips, briefly, but with such tenderness it 
brought a tear to Sam's eyes.
 
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
 
"Sorry? For what?"
 
"For being such a bastard with you, for ..."
 
"Ssh." Sam pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't you dare be sorry for 
just now, that hug," she urged before removing her fingers from his lips.
 
Jack smiled, not a grin, just a gentle smile, but his eyes were sad. It 
made her heart lurch, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted 
by Daniel and Teal'c returning. 
 
Her face was flushed and she quietly stood to greet them.
 
If either of them noticed the atmosphere, nothing was commented on.
 
                         *******************
 
The evening meal passed quietly, and once more Teal'c helped Jack up and 
Sam and Daniel made themselves scarce.
 
Jack was becoming stronger each day and he'd finally persuaded Sam to 
bind his ribs, despite the still considerable damage on his back, but he 
needed the support for his bones to begin to knit. Neither Sam nor Jack 
commented on or repeated the hug, it seemed an unspoken mutual agreement 
that they moved on, but the atmosphere, for the most part was 
comfortable.
 
By the end of several more days, Jack was moving about, albeit slowly, 
but unsupported. Daniel and Teal'c continued to labour without protest 
and refused to let Sam join them, stating that they were eating well 
enough. Sam had even managed to pass a little back to Reena to pass on to 
anyone less fortunate as repayment for the kindness they'd been shown.
 
It still rankled Jack that Daniel and Teal'c had to work to keep him and 
it made his determination to find a way out all the more pressing.
 
Serena continued to visit, but Sam never left her with Jack, despite 
Serena's best attempts to get him alone, completely oblivious to Jack's 
cold attitude towards her.
 
When Jack felt he was able to venture out of the quarters he went with 
Sam. Serena pouted and then sulked that he spent no time with her.
 
Sam was greatly reassured by his attitude, he clearly made no attempt to 
encourage the girl, just the opposite in fact, and Sam marvelled at how 
thick the girl's skin was, or perhaps just how desperately she was 
besotted by him. On occasion he was very cutting and rude with Serena, 
but nothing seemed to put her off and he grew exasperated with her, 
sometimes ... just sometimes ... mind you, Sam felt some sympathy for the 
girl.
 
Jack was very much in the limelight when they began to venture out, 
especially with the women, who eyed him up and down quite blatantly.
 
Sam had taken Jack around the mine areas she was familiar with and he was 
getting some idea of the layout of the place. The guards they couldn't 
avoid as they moved around gave him curious looks, but Jack kept his head 
down and they avoided any trouble.
 
It was almost another week before they got to check out the river more 
thoroughly, picking the time of day when few would be there. The women 
seemed to favour doing their washing later.
 
They'd checked upstream the day before and found nothing except that the 
source of the river seemed to be an underground spa. Today they were 
following the river downstream, past the point where the ablutions were 
carried out. Sam had not ventured so far before as Reena said it came to 
a dead end.
 
It seemed Reena was correct as they eventually stood watching the water 
disappear under the stonewall.
 
"Damn," cursed Jack. He sat down heavily, his body showing his 
disappointment. Sam moved the lantern she carried around, lighting up 
more of the walls, but seeing nothing.
 
"It might be just running underground again," she said, her 
disappointment ringing loud and clear as well.
 
Jack stared down at the torrent of disappearing water, it didn't seem to 
be moving any faster at this point and if it was dropping anywhere he 
thought it should have showed some signs.
 
As Sam moved away from the river with the lantern he continued to stare 
into the water, glaring hard as if to make a way out open up for them. 
He'd dismissed the idea of getting past the guards, the mine entrance was 
too well guarded, too much security with the locked gates and there was 
no way they could outrun them in a breakout.
 
As Jack stared down something puzzled him. Sam came back to him with the 
lantern and sighed heavily.
 
"Wanna get back?" she asked, the tone of her voice was heavily 
discouraged.
 
"Sam - go away," he said getting to his feet with difficulty.
 
"Charming! Go where?" she looked at him in surprise.
 
"Um, sorry - I mean take the lantern over there, and then come look."
 
A puzzled Sam did as she was asked and then joined him looking down into 
the water.
 
"What are *we* supposed to be looking at Jack?" she asked puzzled.
 
"Not sure, there's something ...." His voice trailed off and he began to 
pace.
 
Sam looked at him as though he'd lost his marbles, 'could be right too,' 
he thought catching her eyes with a grin.
 
"Come on, let's get back. We can come back again," he urged.
 
Sam collected the lantern and they hid it near the washing area, ready 
for next time they came back. It was awkward to carry it around and got 
them funny looks at times.
 
It seemed that they'd tarried a while. The washing area was full of 
women, and Jack became the centre of attention again, much to his 
embarrassment. It seemed word had spread that he wasn't bonded, despite 
Reena's insistence that he was spoken for and he was considered fair game 
for any unattached female.
 
Sam found his pace sped up considerably until they were well clear of the 
women, his face flushed, not just from the exertions, but from one 
particularly explicit invitation. Sam unsuccessfully tried to hide her 
amusement from him.
 
"Do you reckon they put something in the water here?" he asked, panting a 
little as they continued on their way.
 
"Was it any different on some of the bases you've been stationed on, 
especially when you got a new young female officer or airman in?" asked 
Sam quite seriously. She remembered the insinuations and offers she'd 
been subjected to in her career.
 
"Major, I'll have you know that I always prowled high up the ranks, never 
an airman," he quipped and then could have bitten his tongue out as he 
felt Sam stiffening at his side.
 
Sam turned to him, the anger clear on her face. "So all that shit about 
the regulations is one sided? Or is it just me it's directed at?" she 
glared at him, way past angry now.
 
"Sam ... that was a joke ... I ..."
 
"Really!" she spat, giving him a look that could freeze the balls off a 
brass monkey.
 
"Hey, Sam, jeez, it's just a joke," he pleaded, seriously alarmed by her 
anger.
 
"A joke! God, Jack, that's all it is, isn't it ... a joke to you ... me 
... you ... *us* ... a joke!" she turned to carry on walking.
 
Jack yanked her arm to bring her back around to face him, but she shook 
off his arm with a scream of "Don't touch me!" and continued to march.
 
"Sam, please, wait up," he called.
 
Sam however, wasn't listening, she was furious in fact. Maybe he'd had a 
good laugh at her expense, her feelings, maybe he was sleeping with some 
damn general somewhere .... The fury in her carried her quickly on down 
the tunnels.
 
Jack at first tried to hurry to catch her, but found he had to slow down, 
his breathing was harsh, the ache in his chest beginning to burn.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam strode on heedlessly. She was blinking furiously trying to stem the 
flow of tears that had started to fall as her steam was running out. She 
brushed furiously at her face, and turned the corner to run smack dab 
into someone.
 
The solid body she hit didn't budge, and she was grabbed roughly by the 
shoulders and shaken violently. Unheeding as to who held her, she kicked 
out and began to struggle.
 
"Let me go!" she growled, continuing to kick and struggle.
 
She felt the vicious backhand across her face and it stunned her for a 
moment. 
 
"Bitch!" snarled the guard who held her and he continued to shake her. 
His companions laughed loudly and made no attempt to calm their friend.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack rounded the corner; his heart sank when he recognised Masa as one of 
the group of guards surrounding Sam.
 
Jack saw Sam being slapped and shaken and he fought to contain the anger 
he felt rising.
 
Masa laughed loudly as the woman struggled and then he spotted Jack.
 
Sam struggled more. "Let go of me," she shouted.
 
Masa's attention was now on Jack. "Well, well, you are alive!" he spat 
contemptuously.
 
The guard who held Sam turned her around to hold her against his body, 
one massive arm around her throat. Sam saw Jack and ceased her struggle.
 
"We don't want any trouble," said Jack quietly. He was desperately trying 
to keep his tone neutral and any emotion from showing on his face. He 
kept his eyes downcast for Sam's sake.
 
Masa stepped closer to him. "No trouble, eh? I think your women here just 
assaulted one of my men."
 
"It was an accident," cried Sam, "I ..." her voice was choked off by the 
squeezing of the bulging arm across her throat 
 
Jack's eyes shot to Sam, he bit down hard to try and prevent himself 
showing his concern. "She didn't mean any harm," he said quietly, but his 
eyes betrayed his feelings.
 
Masa laughed at Jack's attempt to stay calm.  He took another couple of 
steps and with his fist pushed Jack backwards closer to the wall.
 
Jack stumbled back, and Masa took another step forward. Once more he 
connected with Jack's chest, this time catching one of the damaged ribs 
and Jack hissed with pain. He connected painfully with the wall and ended 
up with one arm cradling his ribs, the other reaching out along the hard 
surface to hold himself up.
 
"Maybe you didn't learn your lesson well enough," snarled Masa.
 
Sam squirmed in the guard's arms, but was unable to do anything to help.
 
"We've done nothing," gasped Jack.
 
"Maybe your woman could persuade us she is sorry," said Masa licking his 
lips, all the time his eyes never leaving Jack's face.
 
The guard holding Sam laughed, his face leering down on her, his free 
hand brushing over her breasts.
 
Masa saw the blaze of anger light Jack's eyes and hit out with a hard 
blow to the man's stomach.
 
Jack doubled over retching slightly and coughing. "I'm sorry, ..." he 
gasped, "just let her go ... she didn't ..." Masa hit him again before he 
had chance to recover his breath.
 
Masa yanked him upright and smashed him back against the wall again and 
again, laughing cruelly as Jack cried out in pain.
 
Sam began to struggle again. She kicked and bit. The guard found he held 
a wildcat and flung her down to the floor hard.
 
"Bitch!" he spat and let fly with a kick to her stomach.
 
Sam doubled over and cried out with pain, the next kick connecting with 
the side of her head, and thankfully she lost consciousness.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack saw Sam go down; he heard her cry out in pain and flames beyond the 
pain ignited in his head. He struggled against Masa, managing to land two 
good punches before Masa smashed Jack to the floor.
 
Even before he hit the deck, Jack's vision was graying and tunnelling, 
the roar in his ears nothing compared to the torturous pain that flooded 
his senses.
 
He lay unable to move, but felt every blow that hit him, until the 
spiralling agony drew him away to unconsciousness.
 
                         *******************
 
PART FIVE

Masa kicked at Jack one last time to ensure that the man was really 
unconscious and not faking it.
 
"Should we drag them to a cell?" asked the other guard.
 
Masa laughed and shook his head. "They can rot here," he shouted loudly 
for the benefit of the people that were standing in the shadows.
 
The people murmured between themselves but no one dared to do anything. 
Even when the guards had left they stayed in the shadows, except for one 
woman, and she quietly left the scene.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack tried to open his eyes against the blackness. The stone floor felt 
cool against his blazing head but offered no comfort. His body was a 
cauldron of agony; burning rods of pain grafted themselves around his 
body, grinding on each of his nerves, making every single one scream at 
his brain. His lungs had seemingly shrunk tenfold; the gasping breath he 
was sucking in seemed to do nothing for him, his head swimming with 
dizziness that increased when he finally opened his eyes. The gray 
shadows jumped and swayed in the narrow tunnel of his vision.
 
He lifted his head slightly; the excruciated pain grabbed his brain, 
making his body twitch uncontrollably. 'Sam, where was Sam?' it was the 
only thought he could fix on, it was the only thought that helped him to 
gather the strength to fight to stay conscious.
 
"Sam," he wasn't sure if he'd managed to say it out loud or if it was 
still in his head. The huge effort it took to turn his head to search out 
and seek for the familiar blond figure left him gasping. Barely four feet 
away, Sam lay. It seemed a great distance to him and she wasn't moving. 
He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not.
 
The absolute horror and distress he felt at the thought that she was dead 
was the only thing that could have moved him. He fought with every ounce, 
every fibre of his very being to drag himself over to Sam, every inch 
made him groan in agony, his nerves a network of pain. Trembling with 
fear and agony he put his hand onto her neck to feel for a pulse. 
 
At first his body wouldn't let the faint throbbing beneath his fingers 
transmit itself to his brain. Gasping for breath he concentrated on his 
fingers, and the relief as he felt the steady beat flood through him. It 
was the relief that got him into a sitting position with Sam's head 
across his lap as he nursed her in his arms, the relief that pushed the 
pain away for a few short minutes as his fingers brushed her bangs from 
her face as his ever tunnelling vision grayed out once more.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel and Teal'c had just returned from weighing a full load when the 
excited voice of a youth hailed them.
 
"Come quickly," he shouted to them.
 
"Us?" asked Daniel, puzzled.
 
The youth nodded, panting from his run. "Your family, they are hurt."
 
Daniel and Teal'c just dropped the tools where they stood and raced off 
behind the youth.
 
"What's happened?" asked Daniel as they ran.
 
"Don't know, was told to get you quick," panted the youth.
 
It took several minutes to reach their destination. Daniel and Teal'c 
pushed through the people who had gathered in the tunnel, the whispers 
not revealing anything to them.
 
Daniel felt a ball of fear revolving in his stomach as he pushed through. 
His first reaction when he saw Jack sitting there was one of relief, then 
he saw Sam cradled in his arms.
 
He squatted down in front of his friends and leaned close. "Jack ... oh, 
God, is she?" he got no response from Jack and blindly he felt for Sam's 
neck. The blow on his face caught him by surprise and stunned he fell 
back.
 
"Leave her alone," snarled Jack. His eyes were closed; he was almost 
unconscious as he sat there. "Leave ..." his breath died into a gasp for 
oxygen.
 
Daniel realised Jack wasn't aware of who he was, purely protecting Sam on 
instinct alone.
 
The people around them moved even further back. 
 
"Jack, it's me - Daniel," he said softly as he moved closer again, 
cautious and not touching.
 
Jack drew Sam tighter against his body, the sweat and blood rolling down 
his face, but he made no attempt to open his eyes.
 
"Jack, it's Daniel," he called louder this time. "Come on, Jack, Sam's 
hurt, she needs help. JACK!" he almost shouted
 
Daniel could see the conflict arising on his friend's face as he 
struggled for awareness.
 
"Dan ..l?" he whispered hoarsely.
 
"It's me, Jack. Let me help Sam.  Ok?"
 
Daniel put a gentle hand to Jack's shoulder, he felt the man flinch under 
his touch, but he allowed it to stay there.
 
Daniel took it as consent and put a shaky hand out to check Sam.
 
He heaved a sigh of relief when he found her pulse.
 
"We've got to get her back to our quarters.  Jack, let go, she'll be ok. 
Teal'c's here. He will carry her."
 
Jack seemed to be considering Daniel's words, but didn't reply, merely 
let his hold on her loosen.
 
Without a word, Teal'c reached down and scooped Sam into his arms and 
made his way to their quarters.
 
Daniel tried to help Jack up; the man cried out in agony and collapsed. 
Daniel barely caught his weight before he hit the floor.
 
"I need some help," he pleaded to the people.
 
A muttering sprang up, but no one moved. 
 
"Masa did this," said one man eventually.
 
Comprehension dawned on Daniel. "Did Masa tell you not to help them?"
 
The man shrugged and looked around to his companions.
 
"Then please, just help me get him back. Nothing else."
 
The man stepped forwards, looking slightly ashamed, and then as if making 
up his mind he stooped to help.
 
Between them they more or less carried Jack back to their quarters. As 
soon as Jack was laid down the man disappeared.
 
Before Daniel could do anything else Reena had arrived, breathless and 
pale from the shocking news she had heard.
 
She quickly knelt to check Sam. Teal'c had already begun to bathe the cut 
on Sam's head, but stopped to allow Reena to tend her.
 
Reena winced as she saw the bruising on the woman's stomach and chest. 
The injuries didn't look too bad, but with a head injury there was always 
a possibility of complications.
 
There was nothing obviously broken and she quickly moved over to Jack.
 
Daniel had started to clean Jack's face while Reena was busy with Sam. He 
had several new cuts, fresh bruising already darkening on the yellow 
marks still there from his previous injuries.
 
As Daniel cleared the blood, he noticed the blueness around Jack's mouth. 
His harsh gasping was already giving him concern.
 
Reena knelt on the other side of Jack and quickly unbuttoned his shirt. 
One of the deeper gashes had reopened and Reena quickly sealed the 
bleeding with some balm.
 
She saw the bandages Sam had put on for support and decided to leave 
them. She knew she couldn't do anything more for broken ribs than that.
 
"It is not good," said Reena quietly.
 
Jack's breathing sounded loud in the room, the gasping shuddering breaths 
he drew barely moved his chest.
 
Daniel paled even further. 
 
"I'm not sure how to help him," said Reena, the distress in her voice was 
clear.
 
She cleaned the cuts, applied the balm and then stood. 
 
"I will be back later. Just keep him still. Sam should awaken when she is 
ready."
 
Daniel could only nod absently.
 
"What happened back there?" he asked suddenly as Reena made to leave.
 
Reena shrugged. "Someone said Masa and Relon were ready to give trouble. 
Masa is a wicked man; he doesn't need a reason to hurt someone."
 
Daniel gave a groan. "I bet it didn't help that Jack probably gave him a 
mouthful. He just can't keep quiet you know, always got to rub them the 
wrong way."
 
He ignored the looks that both Reena and Teal'c cast his way. He began to 
pace slightly and then squatted besides Sam.
 
Reena excused herself with a last look to Teal'c.
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c put a gentle hand on Daniel's shoulder.
 
"Are you alright, Daniel Jackson?"
 
"Yes, no ... no, damn it! I'm angry!" he announced and got up to resume 
pacing.
 
Teal'c looked askance at Daniel. He was not used to seeing such behaviour 
from the man, but he understood he was upset.
 
"He just can't stop smart mouthing can he? Now he's half dead again and 
he's got Sam hurt too and we're stuck in this Godforsaken place till they 
heal."
 
Teal'c let him rant.
 
"I swear to, God, if we get him home I'll sew his mouth up!"
 
To Teal'c this seemed a bit extreme, even in the circumstances. He knew 
O'Neill had a 'mouth' on him, but it was usually used for a good reason, 
to direct the attention away from his team, and to antagonise the enemy 
either into making a mistake or revealing a weakness. He'd never known 
O'Neill to try and offend without an intention of some kind behind it, 
regardless of what people thought.
 
"We do not know what happened," Teal'c reminded Daniel, "and we have yet 
to ascertain an escape route."
 
Daniel sighed heavily. "Yeah I know, but at this rate ..." he didn't 
finish as Sam moved and groaned as she started to come around.
 
Daniel was back down beside her in a flash. "Sam?" he called.
 
Sam's eyes flickered open to regard him, rather unsteadily.
 
"Take it easy, Sam, you got a nasty head wound, don't try and move."
 
"Here," Daniel gave her a few sips of water from the cup Teal'c handed 
him.
 
She gave him a grateful smile.
 
"How do you feel?"
 
"Like ... oh, Christ ... what the ..." she moaned and tried to draw her 
legs up as she cradled her stomach.
 
"Lie still, you've been hit in the stomach, looks like a lot of bruising. 
Is there anywhere else that hurts?"
 
Sam flexed the other parts of her body as she considered them. "Nope, 
just head and here," her hand circled her chest and stomach.
 
"Daniel ... Shit, the Colonel ..." she gasped as she remembered, her eyes 
widening in horror.
 
"Take it easy, Sam, he's ... he's ok, he's here." Daniel kept his voice 
calm.
 
Sam turned her head obviously seeking the Colonel's whereabouts.
 
"Take it easy, Sam, he's ... he's ok," said Daniel as he swallowed the 
lump in his throat; he was doing his best to keep her calm as well as 
himself.
 
Sam twisted herself around a little more, still trying to see for 
herself. "Where? ... He's ok?" she murmured softly.
 
Daniel urged her to rest, feeling relieved when she settled back down. He 
watched her fighting the urge to sleep, but eventually losing the battle.
 
He felt it safe for her to sleep; she'd seemed lucid enough and otherwise 
ok.
 
Teal'c prepared some food and sat patiently to wait. Daniel had trouble 
settling and alternated between pacing and sitting.
 
It was much later when Jack began to stir and Daniel was quickly at his 
side.
 
The pain was clearly etched on the man's features. Daniel watched as the 
dark eyes opened fully, then slammed down in instinctive reaction to the 
pain.
 
"Dan...l" he uttered hoarsely.
 
"Take it easy, Jack, don't try and move," said Daniel.
 
"S ...am...?" he gasped out, his eyes still tightly closed.
 
"Sam's ok, bit bruised, took a blow to the head, but she's ok, Jack."
 
Daniel waited. He watched helplessly as Jack fought to stay conscious.
 
"Oh, Jack, why? Why did you have to find trouble?" blurted out Daniel 
before he could stop himself.
 
"Tried ..." gasped out Jack, his eyes flickering, trying to open.
 
"Jesus, Jack, you'd think you'd have learned something by now ..." 
Daniel's voice cracked a little.
 
"Tried ... Dan ..." Jack lost the battle and slid unconscious.
 
The harsh breathing from Jack seemed loud and frightening to Daniel's 
ears. He was hurting for his friend, but at the moment he was also 
royally pissed with the man.
 
"Just another few days, Jack, another few days ... and we could have been 
out of here," he whispered, his voice harsh, his emotions running very 
high. The thought that they would never leave this place alive frightened 
... no ... terrified him!
 
                         *******************
 
Sam awoke a little while later. Her head ached badly, adding to the 
misery of the pain in her abdomen.
 
She found both Daniel and Teal'c hovering anxiously. The stricken 
expression on their faces almost made her smile, well Daniel's face 
anyway ... for Teal'c bearing the expression of concern that he was would 
be considered stricken for a Jaffa certainly.
 
"How are you feeling?" asked Daniel, as he passed her more water.
 
Sam sipped the water gratefully; her throat and neck felt sore, not 
surprising considering the chokehold the guard had held her in.
 
"I'll certainly live," she sighed, "just sore."
 
She tried to draw her knees up, but the pain made her gasp. "Aagh, yeah, 
very sore!"
 
"Just try and stay still," urged Daniel.
 
"Hmm, good idea, maybe. How's the Colonel?"
 
Daniel hesitated and flicked a look to Teal'c, which Sam picked up on 
straight away.
 
"Daniel? You said he was ok!" she accused, struggling to sit up.
 
"Err, he's banged up pretty badly again, Sam. I think Masa broke more 
ribs, he's a bit breathless," said Daniel not looking her in the face.
 
"For God's sake, help me up!" she cried, holding out her hands.
 
"Sam, you should ..."
 
"Daniel, I need to check the Colonel. You said he's got more broken ribs 
and breathless. That's not good!" she chastised.
 
Daniel hesitated for a moment longer and then finally assisted Sam to her 
feet. Teal'c lent her a strong arm for support as well as she swayed a 
little with the dizziness that almost overtook her. Between them they 
helped her to kneel beside the Colonel.
 
The blood pounded in her ears as she knelt down. The horror she felt at 
seeing his battered body made her swallow harshly.
 
The laboured breaths he drew caused her heart to plummet and her stomach 
gave a sickening lurch.
 
"Give me a hand, Daniel," she whispered, pointing to the bandages still 
in place.
 
Once the bandages were removed she was able to see the fresh damage that 
had been done.
 
"Shit! Shit!" she swore as she realised just how badly he was hurt.
 
Daniel leaned closer to see more.
 
"Reena said the wounds were bad but ..."
 
"Damn it, flail ribs, see?" Sam pointed to how parts of the Colonel's 
ribs were moving in the opposite way to the way that they normally would. 
 
"At least there doesn't seem to be any sign of a punctured lung ..." 
'yet' is what Sam kept silent. "Ok, we need to get more padding under the 
bandages and immobilise this arm."
 
"His arm?" queried Daniel.
 
"To prevent any further damage. It wouldn't take much at all for a rib to 
puncture his lung." Sam's voice wavered. She forced herself to go over 
what she could re-call of everything she knew about this type of injury, 
desperately hoping she didn't miss anything vital.
 
"God, Sam, I practically dragged him back. I heaved him up back there. No 
wonder he passed out."
 
"You couldn't have known, there doesn't seem to be any signs of internal 
bleeding at the moment."
 
"No thanks to me," said Daniel, his face looking as miserable as his 
voice sounded.
 
Sam concentrated on applying herself to the bandaging. Once Jack's arm 
was secured in the correct position she allowed herself a moment to try 
and calm down.
 
"I swear when we get back, I'm going to gag him," muttered Daniel.
 
"What?" asked Sam, dragging her attention back to Daniel.
 
Daniel repeated himself, and added "it's bad enough he's hurt, but he got 
you hurt too this time."
 
Sam stared at Daniel wide-eyed as she realised what Daniel was saying.
 
"Daniel ..." she began.
 
"He shouldn't smart mouth them, Sam, he ..."
 
"Daniel!" she interrupted more forcibly. "It's ... it wasn't his fault." 
A guilty flush rose on her face.
 
"You're bound to cover for him," said Daniel.
 
"What?" Sam's head was pounding really badly and she was having the 
greatest difficulty in holding back tears.
 
"You're always defending him!"
 
"Daniel, will you please just shut up and listen!" she snapped.
 
Daniel did a good impression of a goldfish and if her head didn't hurt so 
much and the situation wasn't so awful, she would have laughed at him.
 
"He didn't 'smart mouth' the guards as you put it," sighed Sam. The 
memory was still vivid. "I stormed off ahead of him and ran smack into 
them. The Colonel did his best to avoid any trouble, Daniel, honestly he 
did, but they were intent on ..." Her voice died down to a whisper as she 
spoke, closing her eyes as she recalled what had happened. The tears 
crept unbidden from beneath her lashes and slid down her face "He ... he 
really didn't do anything ... he almost pleaded with them and you know 
him, that's hard, but because of me ... because of me he did it. It was 
my fault he got hurt. It was my fault they laid into him." 
 
Daniel laid a hand on her shoulder and then pulled her into a hug. 
 
Sam couldn't help it. She wept. She knew the Colonel wasn't going to 
leave here. Without medical intervention and quickly, he probably 
wouldn't last more than a few days ... and it was all her fault!
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel held Sam tightly. He felt the tears welling up in his own eyes. He 
felt burdened with guilt over blaming Jack, yet again, without good 
reason. Sam's behaviour worried him. He knew how she felt about the 
Colonel, but so far she'd held everything together.
 
"God, what a mess," he moaned. The anger drained out of him like a river 
flowing to the ocean and it left him feeling wretched and tired ... very 
tired.
 
Sam's sobbing gradually dissipated and he rubbed her back comfortingly.
 
"Hey, it's ok, we're going to be just a bit delayed that's all. Another 
couple of weeks and ..."
 
He felt Sam stiffen in his arms and she pulled back suddenly, her face 
etched in such misery that his stomach lurched.
 
"Daniel ... I ..." she drew a ragged breath. "I don't think that ... Jack 
won't last that long."
 
"What?" He couldn't quite grasp - no that was wrong - he didn't want to 
grasp what she was trying to tell him.
 
"Jack needs urgent medical attention or I don't think ..." Sam broke down 
completely again and a stunned Daniel could only hold her tightly, her 
words echoing around in his head.
 
'How could Jack not make it? Sam was wrong, plenty of rest, he'd be ok, 
broken ribs .... No, he'd be ok ...'
 
                         *******************
 
Jack lay in the pleasant realm of darkness, comforting, no pain, just 
floating endlessly on a pleasant tide.
 
He felt the tug of his consciousness ... something - he wasn't sure of 
what ... it was calling to him ... but he fought to carry on drifting.
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c offered to work alone the next day. Daniel was torn in two. He 
knew they needed to keep going. He was worried about leaving Sam, but 
deep down he was very afraid that Jack would die.
 
Teal'c seemed to sense his indecision and became insistent that he would 
work alone they still had to eat, regardless ...
 
Daniel sat down close to Sam holding out the drink he'd made. She'd been 
extremely quiet, refusing to budge except to occasionally lie down to 
rest at his insistence, and then she'd lain down close to Jack.
 
The gasping breaths that Jack drew sounded loud and ominous in the room; 
the air had more chill than any fire could warm.
 
He sat quietly; his attention was fixed on Jack, in particular his chest. 
He watched the faltering rise of his chest with each strained breath. He 
was so intent on that, that he jumped violently when a croaked gasp 
called out.
 
He saw Jack's eyes staring at him intently, dark eyes, dull with pain.
 
"Jack ... God, I'm sorry, I was miles away," he apologised trying to fix 
a smile on his face, forcing himself to focus.
 
"Hey." Jack's voice was faint. "S... am?"
 
"She's ok, stay still, she's sleeping." Daniel motioned the prone figure, 
less than three feet away.
 
Daniel put his hand under Jack's head and helped him to take a sip of 
water; the man only managed a couple of drops, panting badly.
 
"Sam ... ok?"
 
"Yes, she's ok, Jack." Daniel felt the overwhelming guilt of how he'd 
spoken to his friend earlier.
 
"Jack ... I'm sorry I ..."
 
Jack shook his head slightly. "S...ok."
 
Daniel stared down at the man. The dull eyes gazed back steadily, the 
expression in them frightened him - as much as, if not more than, Sam's 
words had.
 
                         *******************
 
The tremendous pain he felt as he became aware of being conscious was 
partly overshadowed by the suffocating pressure he was feeling in his 
chest. He truly understood the meaning of the expression 'a fish out of 
water' at that moment. He tried to slow the gulping he felt he was doing 
and fixed his gaze onto the figure sitting close by.
 
Gradually, his vision cleared. An elusive thought was prickling around in 
his head, but he concentrated on Daniel to speak to him.
 
Crap! Was that his voice? He even sounded like a floundering fish now ... 
did fish ever make a noise?
 
Trying to stem the crazy thoughts swimming in his head, he fixed his 
attention on Daniel ... Jeez ... what the hell was the man apologising 
for now?
 
The water felt good, but he couldn't swallow *and* breathe and the air 
seemed more important just now. He realised after a few minutes that his 
left arm was immobilised across his chest. It felt heavy, no wonder he 
couldn't breathe - damn, had he dislocated his shoulder? He couldn't 
remember ...
 
Weakly he felt across the bandages and Daniel grasped his wrist.
 
"No, leave it, Jack. Your arm is ok. Sam did that. You've got to keep 
yourself still."
 
"Wha ..." he sucked more air in, "What ..."
 
Daniel stared down at him for a moment as if weighing up what to say.
 
"Err, Sam said ... it's your ribs ... something flail? I think ...." 
Daniel's voice died.
 
Jack thought for a moment, digesting what Daniel had said. He knew what 
that meant ... he'd seen ribs that badly broken twice in his time in the 
military ... 
 
"K," he whispered, his eyes closing as he drifted away on the tide of 
pain once more.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel saw that Jack was actually taking in his words and knew that the 
man understood. Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, wishing he'd not 
said anything, but it was too late to take his words back. When he opened 
his eyes again, he saw Jack losing the battle to stay conscious.
 
He sat for a long time, his hand still on Jack's wrist, unmoving.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam woke from her troubled sleep; it had been filled with nightmares and 
regrets. She saw Daniel sitting unmoving, holding onto the Colonel and 
her heart lurched painfully, the fear rising in her throat like bitter 
bile.
 
"Daniel," she whispered, her hands going up to her mouth, her eyes wide 
with horror.
 
At her voice Daniel's head whipped round to face her. His eyes widened 
questioningly for a moment, then he realised what she'd thought.
 
"No ... he's ok ..." he frowned at her "erm, he woke for a little while."
 
Sam groaned. She didn't bother to get up; she just scooted the few feet 
between them to sit beside him.
 
"Breathing's no better," she whispered as she listened intently while she 
felt for Jack's pulse. "He needs oxygen."
 
Daniel sighed, "If we could get him back ..."
 
"He wouldn't make it to the gate, even if we had a way out." Sam could 
feel the tears threatening again. She dragged deep breaths in, she had to 
be strong ... had to hold it together ... for now.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam sat beside Jack while Daniel fetched more fuel and water. She was so 
deep in thought she almost missed the flicker of brown ... almost.
 
"Hey," she smiled down at him as the flicker steadied to a slit of brown.
 
"Hey," was the choked response back.
 
Sam kept her smile steady as she gazed into his eyes.
 
"You ... ok?" he panted.
 
Sam widened her smile. "I'm fine ... a bit bruised," she added as she saw 
him frown. "Don't try and talk, you're not getting enough oxygen as it 
is."
 
"Sam ..."
 
She frowned at him as he spoke again. 
 
"The ... water ..."
 
Sam looked around for the cup, but as she stretched to get it, Jack 
frowned and his hand stilled her. He shook his head slightly.
 
Puzzled Sam sat still waiting.
 
"River ... light ..." he frowned and panted more, his eyes closing for a 
moment.
 
"Sir, don't ..."
 
Impatiently, he squeezed the hand he'd grasped. "Way ... out ..." he 
wheezed, "water ..."
 
Sam listened intently, feeling each breath he drew, the urge to echo his 
struggle for breath almost taking over her own rhythm.
 
"Light? The river, do you mean the lantern?"
 
Jack shook his head, "Day...light... in wat... water ..." 
 
"Daylight? You mean when you were looking in the river, that's what you 
saw?"
 
Jack squeezed her hand to confirm she'd understood correctly. 
 
Sam kept herself calm, trying not to get her hopes up. It could be just 
his mind confused with the lack of oxygen. His general pallor, the 
unhealthy blue tinge to his lips and the darkening of his nail beds, all 
showed the signs of hypoxia. He was slowly suffocating and there wasn't a 
damn thing she could do about it!
 
Jack passed out again, the battle to speak obviously too much for him.
 
When Daniel returned she told him what Jack had said, carefully keeping 
her tone neutral.
 
"You stay here, I'll check it out," said Daniel.
 
"Be careful. Don't go in the river, not alone, promise me?" she urged.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam sat waiting impatiently; the only sound was Jack's gasping breath. 
Every now and again she heard him falter and her heart constricted 
tightly, as she held her own breath, waiting for him to draw another.

Teal'c returned before Daniel did and they sat waiting together.
 
Daniel returned looking rather forlorn. "I couldn't see anything 
different."
 
"Did you keep the lantern away from the water?" asked Sam.
 
"Of course I did, I just couldn't see what he could have spotted."
 
"Perhaps it is dark outside," said Teal'c calmly.
 
Sam and Daniel looked at each other dumbstruck, the thought had obviously 
not occurred to either of them.
 
"Ok, we don't know the time for sure that we checked it yesterday, so how 
about after the work bell tomorrow we give it another go and then 
throughout the day we can check ... it'll give us some idea of the 
timing," said Sam.
 
                         *******************
 
The night passed slowly; none of them felt like talking. Jack woke 
briefly and Sam tried to explain what they had planned. He seemed to be 
in a lot of pain, his dark eyes regarded her briefly, before he succumbed 
once more to unconsciousness.
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c went off to work, leaving Daniel to check out the river.
 
He was soon back, his face and eyes shining with hope.
 
"I could see what Jack meant; there is daylight in the water, well some 
kind of light anyway."
 
"Don't get too excited. The river flows on and out, but it could be too 
far to swim or a waterfall or ..."
 
"Or a way out and we won't know until we try," said Daniel firmly, 
refusing to have his hopes dashed.
 
"Ok," said Sam, "we need to check again in a couple of hours, see if it's 
still light, and then we need some rope."
 
"Rope?"
 
"Yes, rope. One of us has got to swim under there and I'll feel better 
knowing there is some way to drag whoever back if necessary, the flow is 
quite strong."
 
"There are ropes up at the work face, I can get some and fill Teal'c in 
at the same time. I'll work for a couple of hours or so then come back."
 
"If you can get another lantern that would be of use, but be careful," 
she warned.
 
Daniel, glad to be doing something positive, trotted off happily.
 
Sam sat beside Jack. He didn't look any worse, but then again - how much 
worse could he get other than dead?
 
Reena entered, her face showing her concern. "How is he?"
 
Sam sighed, and then shook her head slowly, "No worse, but no better." 
Her voice cracked a little and Reena drew her into an unexpected hug. Sam 
let the tears flow, much to her dismay, but felt slightly better for it.
 
"I persuaded Serena to stay away, but she is not happy."
 
Sam gave her a small smile. Somehow it just didn't seem to matter now.
 
"But if you need anyone to help or just to sit with you or Jack, please 
just say so."
 
"Thank you," said Sam simply.
 
                         *******************
 
Reena knew she could offer no real comfort to the woman, to watch a loved 
one die slowly was something she had gone through herself, and she knew 
there was nothing anyone could do to make it hurt less.
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel burst into the quarters, his face alive, but he stopped short when 
he saw Reena, thankfully arranging his face to show nothing, before the 
women noticed. 
 
"I just came back to see Jack," he blurted to the woman.
 
Reena rose. "I will leave you to talk, don't forget - if you need 
anything ..."
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel heaved a sigh of relief when Reena left. "It's still light and 
I've managed to get some rope and another lantern. I've hidden them with 
the lantern you left, but we will need some more rope. I'll go back to 
Teal'c and work some more, then we can both bring more rope and get it 
checked out again. I had to wrap the rope around me to keep it hidden, 
but with Teal'c we'll get more."
 
Daniel had felt full of excitement, the time they'd spent in the mines 
was telling on him badly, especially since he'd not had Jack to buoy him 
along, in fact, he realised just how much of Jack's humour and strength 
they all had drawn on in the past. He had come down to earth with a bump 
as he entered their quarters and heard the gasping breath of his friend.
 
Sam must have noticed how quiet he'd suddenly gone, because she was 
looking at him with concern. "You ok?" she asked softly.
 
Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat. He saw Sam's red swollen eyes 
and her pale face and it hurt even more to see how badly she felt. He 
coughed a little, "Yeah, I'll get back to work, I .... No change?" he 
asked gesturing towards Jack.
 
Sam shook her head sadly.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam had plenty of time, unfortunately, to sit alone with her thoughts, 
yet unlike her thoughts from just a few short weeks ago, her thoughts 
dwelt on regret. Things she hadn't done ... words she'd never said ....
 
                         *******************
 
They ate a hastily prepared meal and tried to settle down. Each of them 
settled down with their own thoughts; the mood sombre. They sat and 
discussed their plans to go down to the river before the wake up bell, 
and if there was light, someone was going swimming.
 
They were sitting close to Jack, trying to involve him in their 
discussion when he was awake. He attempted to say very little, but nodded 
now and again and especially when Teal'c stated his intention to be the 
one to swim.
 
"Ok," said Sam, raising her hands giving in to the pressure. "You and 
Daniel go in the morning."
 
Jack shook his head vehemently, "No ... three of you ..."
 
Sam gave him a glare. "I won't leave you here alone, and if I get Reena 
so early she'll want to know what's going on."
 
"If trouble ... Daniel c... can't ... pull alo... alone."
 
"I will be fine, O'Neill," assured Teal'c.
 
Jack shook his head and grasped Sam's hand firmly. "You go ... I'll be 
... here ... when you ... get back."
 
Sam locked eyes with his for a moment, the distress in them clear for all 
to see, before she acknowledged the sense of what he was saying.
 
Her hand still clasped in his, she turned to Teal'c and Daniel. "Ok, we 
check it out first thing."
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c woke them when he thought it time, a couple of hours before the 
first bell of the day, they hoped.
 
Jack was awake and bid them a whispered, "Be careful."
 
The gloomy tunnels seemed even more chilled at this hour; they crept 
along keeping a watchful eye out for any guards.
 
The cold air from the river made Sam shiver more as they picked up the 
lanterns and ropes from their hiding place.
 
Sure enough, there was light in the water and they prepared the ropes. 
They secured two ropes the best they could, the idea was for one to 
remain on Teal'c, the other hopefully for him to secure as a sort of 
safety line, secured on the other side as well.
 
Sam shivered again, she was a strong swimmer, but the water looked 
anything but inviting and who knew just what Teal'c would have to face 
... perhaps running out of air ... a waterfall?
 
She fixed a smile on her face as Teal'c began to enter the water, the 
light from the lanterns casting an eerie gloom over its surface.
 
"Good luck," called Daniel.
 
"If you get in trouble, tug. We'll get you out," said Sam with more 
confidence than she felt.
 
"I have no doubt that I will return, Major Carter."
 
Teal'c waded into the icy water, taking deep breaths to oxygenate his 
body before diving.
 
                         *******************
 
The water was icy cold, but Teal'c knew his symbiote would afford him 
some protection and also give him the ability to stay under longer than 
his team mates. He struck out strongly, the current helping him along, 
the light becoming brighter as he swam. He kept as close to the surface 
as he could, feeling as he swam to check for air pockets, but he 
encountered none.
 
He burst to the surface and found fresh air and bright sunlight streaming 
down on him from the entrance to the small cavern.
 
Drawing gulps of the air, he swam to the side. There was only one bank 
and although a little steep, he managed it easily.
 
He quickly tied off the ropes, shivering slightly as he moved around, 
blinking rapidly in the strong sunlight. He emerged from the cave to find 
a gentle path leading down into the valley below, and hopefully a way to 
the gate.
 
He left one of the ropes fastened and tied the other back around his 
waist. He gave it a couple of pulls, before striking out strongly against 
the current to dive once more below the cold waters.
 
                         *******************
 
It seemed a long time before they felt the pull of the rope from Teal'c 
to warn them of his return. Sam gave a sigh of relief to know he was 
still alive and on his way back. Together they took the strain on the 
rope he'd pulled and began to assist him to move through the water.
 
It seemed to be taking forever, the strain of hauling Teal'c against the 
current beginning to take its toll, when at last Teal'c burst to the 
surface.
 
They helped him out of the water; he was breathing heavily and sat for a 
moment to recover his breath. Daniel threw the blanket they'd brought 
with them over his shoulders.
 
"You were beginning to worry us," said Sam.
 
"It is passable; the return was obviously much more difficult." Teal'c 
told them of the exit and the little of the path he had scouted. 
 
"So we can get out. There is a way back," said Daniel, his eyes flashing 
with relief in the light.
 
"There is for us. For O'Neill, it is a different matter," said Teal'c 
quietly.
 
"Daniel, Teal'c, I need to talk to you," said Sam quietly. She took a 
deep breath and squatted down, tracing her fingers around in the dirt of 
the floor.
 
"About Jack?" asked Daniel. 
 
"Well, yes. I won't be going with you two."
 
"What? Sam, you can't ..."
 
"Daniel, we know the Colonel can't make it ... I can't ... I won't leave 
him here alone."
 
"You said Jack's dying ... you can't seriously expect me to abandon you 
both?"
 
"You won't be abandoning me. I'll be here until ... until ..." her voice 
cracked, "I'll get out later."
 
"No, there is no way I will leave you here. Do you think for one moment 
Jack will agree to that either?"
 
"Nor will I leave without you," said Teal'c.
 
"Please, guys, don't make this more difficult ... please," she said 
beseeching them with her eyes.
 
"We will leave together, when the time is more appropriate," said Teal'c, 
his face betraying nothing.
 
"Jack will ..." began Daniel.
 
"Don't you dare tell him, Daniel, don't you dare!" threatened Sam, her 
voice filled with a hoarse anger.
 
"Ok, I won't yet, but ..."
 
"But nothing, Daniel, either the two of you go tomorrow or you damn well 
say nothing until ..." Sam's voice broke completely and she quickly 
turned away. She picked up one of the lanterns and marched off quickly, 
giving them no chance to say anything further.
 
Teal'c dressed quickly and joined Daniel as they hurried to get back. 
They weren't unduly alarmed at Sam going ahead, due to it still being 
early, but they didn't want to take any chances.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam more or less packed them off to work once they'd eaten and rested, 
the bell for rising sounding not long after their return to their 
quarters. She was very quiet, refusing to be drawn into any discussion.
 
Daniel gave up after a while, but only for the time being. He had every 
intention of resuming the discussion later.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack woke slowly. Sam could see the trouble he was having focusing on 
her. She gently soothed his forehead and gave him a few sips of water.
 
"K?" he asked.
 
"Yes, everyone's fine," she said knowing what he wanted to hear. "Teal'c 
managed to swim out and back ok."
 
"Good."
 
Sam waited, knowing he would ask, and that she would say the lies she had 
prepared.
 
"When ... you ... go?"
 
"Soon, in a day or two, Teal'c said there was a huge storm building. So 
we'll check again and then hopefully ..." Sam busied herself smoothing 
the blanket over him, keeping her eyes down, not daring to look into his 
face.
 
"Sam?" he panted.
 
"Want to try and eat something?" she asked brightly.
 
Jack didn't respond to that, he grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at 
him. His dark eyes bore into hers questioningly.
 
Sam forced herself to stare back, with a slight smile. "Ok, I know my 
cooking isn't up to much but ..."
 
"Sam, don't," he whispered.
 
She knew he sensed something, but there was no way, no way in hell she 
was going to cave in on this one.
 
                         *******************
 
PART SIX
 
Reena came by later. She and Sam were sitting quietly talking, when the 
appearance of Masa at the doorway caused them to jump up in surprise and 
not just a little fear.
 
He strode in boldly, his eyes roving over Sam in such a way that it sent 
shivers down her spine.
 
He smiled and stood next to the Colonel, looking down in contempt at the 
unconscious man.
 
"Still alive then?" he spat.
 
Neither Reena nor Sam answered, but Reena took Sam's arm when she made as 
if to step towards him.
 
Masa gave Jack a non-too gentle nudge with his foot, his look 
contemptuous. "It seems he's surprisingly hard to kill off. Doesn't look 
too good though."
 
"Please, leave him alone," begged Sam.
 
"Don't worry, he's not worth the trouble, doesn't look like he's going to 
live much longer."
 
Masa strode towards Sam. He grasped Sam cruelly by the face and licked at 
his lips. "But I promise you, when he dies, you are mine."
 
He laughed at the expression of horror she was unable to keep from 
showing, her heart thumping madly, fear uncurling itself in the pit of 
her stomach.
 
He pushed her away roughly and spat at the floor. "I hope I won't have to 
wait too long. I am not a patient man."
 
 Both women heaved a sigh of relief when he left and Sam quickly knelt to 
check the Colonel. He didn't seem to have been hurt further, still out 
for the count.
 
Reena's concerned look nearly undid her intentions to keep calm.
 
"What are you going to do?"
 
"Do? What can I do?" asked Sam, biting her lower lips troubled.
 
"Masa means what he says, when Jack ..."
 
'When ... when ... it was when ... no hope from any quarter.'  Sam 
shrugged her shoulders, turning her attention back to the Colonel. 
"There's nothing I can do, Reena, absolutely nothing."
 
Reena hovered around, not leaving like she normally did and it was 
beginning to grate on Sam's nerves a little. If she had known the woman's 
intentions she would have thrown her out immediately ...
 
                         *******************
 
Daniel and Teal'c had barely got into their quarters when Reena launched 
herself at them, quickly telling them of Masa's threat without pulling 
any punches.
 
Daniel saw Sam rising and glaring at them all, her face showing her 
displeasure at Reena's presumption that they should know about it.
 
"And, of course, Sam, you *were* going to tell us this?" demanded Daniel 
throwing himself down.
 
Reena saw the disappointment on Sam's face in her actions and felt it 
prudent to leave.
 
Sam's face said it all and Daniel felt the anger rising in him. "For 
God's sake, you can't defend yourself against him, none of us can, we 
..."
 
Sam shook her head defiantly. "I am not leaving Jack alone to die, 
Daniel, not - you got that!"
 
"Then I will stay. You and Teal'c get out," he shouted.
 
"No, I won't leave him," she almost screamed, and she stormed to the far 
side of their quarters, signalling the end of the discussion. 
 
Daniel made to rise, but Teal'c forestalled him.
 
"Major Carter, we need more supplies will you accompany me?"
 
Sam shrugged, but moved to pick up one of the buckets and stood waiting 
for Teal'c to join her. 
 
Teal'c just nodded to Daniel and left with Sam.
 
Daniel returned the nod wearily, 'God, this place ...'
 
He knew Sam wasn't going to listen to him; no way ... there was only one 
person who could ...
 
"Jack, come on, hey, it's me, Daniel, please ..." he begged his friend to 
wake up. He bathed the man's face and neck with cool water to try and 
bring him around a little.
 
It took a while and Daniel felt awful pushing Jack to awaken, but he 
steeled himself for Sam's sake ... for all their sakes!
 
He saw Jack's eyes flicker; the moan of pain from the man almost took 
away any resolve he had left.
 
"Jack, hey, I've got talk to you. Can you hear me?"
 
Jack's eyes flickered over to him, a bare acknowledgement that he 
understood.
 
Daniel helped the breathless man take a sip or two of water, hating 
himself for what he was about to do.
 
"Jack, I ... I ... what I've got to say ... well, it isn't easy, you've 
got to, oh, God." Daniel looked down to the floor. Jack's hand strayed to 
his arm, pulling weakly on the cloth.
 
"Dan ...l, out with ... it," ordered Jack.
 
"I don't know what Sam told you, Jack, but there is a way out ... but Sam 
won't go, she won't leave."
 
Daniel saw that Jack understood what he was saying; he hated every second 
of this, to even think of abandoning Jack ... especially when he knew the 
man would not abandon any of them, under any circumstance.
 
"Sam won't leave because of you," said Daniel taking a deep breath, "and 
Masa came earlier. Sam wasn't going to saying anything, but thank God, 
Reena was here. Masa is going to claim Sam when ..." Daniel couldn't say 
'when you die,' his voice broke, his gaze slipping from the older man's 
face.
 
Jack's grasp tightened on his arm again, forcing Daniel to look back to 
his face.
 
"You all ... gotta ... go," said Jack, the words almost a whisper, the 
effort telling on him. "I'm not ... it won't ..." Jack ran out of breath 
and began to pant badly.
 
"How the hell do I make Sam go Jack?" asked Daniel, his eyes pleading 
with the man to understand. "I'll be here for you, but Sam has got to get 
out quick."
 
Jack shook his head, "You all ... go."
 
"No way, Jack, I won't ..." Daniel paused, realising he was doing exactly 
what Sam was doing.
 
Jack squeezed his arm again, "K ... then we ... all go."
 
Daniel's eyes widened. "Jack, it'll kill you ... it's underwater, there 
is no way on earth you'll make it to the gate."
 
"Doesn't ... mat ... ter, all go."
 
Daniel felt his eyes prickling; he couldn't tear his gaze away from his 
friend. He understood what Jack was thinking. He knew the man didn't care 
how or when he died, just so long as his team were safe ... but if 
anything that knowledge made it harder for them.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam returned a little while later when her anger had dissipated. She'd 
stormed off through the tunnels, quite a way, Teal'c quietly accompanying 
her. It didn't annoy her further as such; it even offered a little 
comfort. She was angry that Reena had taken the situation out of her 
hands, hurt that they could even think of her leaving Jack alone to face 
death. There was so much regret. Maybe they could have just a little time 
together to put some of it right, to say the things she had so badly 
wanted to say for so long.
 
As soon as she entered their quarters, she knew, just knew, that Daniel 
had told Jack. Daniel was sitting beside the Colonel, just looking down 
at him. Her heart began pounding madly, the bile rising in her throat to 
choke her.
 
She heard the whispered words "Tell her" from Jack.
 
Daniel coughed a little, clearing his throat to speak. She came further 
in, aware of Teal'c entering quietly behind her.
 
"Tell me what, Daniel?" she said softly, moving closer still to kneel 
beside them.
 
 "We're all getting out," blurted Daniel, clearly uncomfortable.
 
"Order," added Jack.
 
Sam looked from one to the other. "In a few days," she said firmly.
 
"No," said Jack, the force behind his voice cost him greatly and he began 
to cough painfully.
 
They could do nothing but try and support him gently until, after what 
seemed an age, his panting returned to what was considered normal for 
him. They winced as he shook with pain as each spasm racked his already 
weakened body.
 
Daniel looked at Jack first, then to Sam. "We go in the morning," he said 
as firmly as he could and he felt Jack's hand squeeze his arm in 
confirmation.
 
Sam panicked slightly, the morning was too soon, she could lose him 
before they made it out of the water ... probably would ... when was she 
going to be able to make peace with him? Just when was she going to be 
able to say what she needed to?
 
Jack must have picked up on her qualms. His hand left Daniel's arm and 
sought out her hand. Trying to stem her tears, she grasped it.
 
"S'ok," he whispered.
 
Daniel moved out of the way to join Teal'c, and Sam scooted closer.
 
"Jack ... there's so much I want to say ..."
 
"Don't ... I ... S'ok," he whispered, his grip tightened on her hand, his 
eyes burned into hers, the message in them clear, the love he had held 
for her for so long was unleashed, and it was that that broke Sam's 
heart. She laid her head on his shoulder and wept ...
 
                         *******************
 
The hand on her shoulder startled her from her sleep.
 
"It is time, Major Carter," said Teal'c quiet voice.
 
She gasped and pulled her head up from Jack's shoulder, 'How could I have 
slept the night??? No, no too soon' her mind screamed. She felt Jack's 
hand tighten on hers, and she looked down full of remorse.
 
He gave her a smile, "It'll be ... ok."
 
Sam knew it would never be ok ... never again, for the rest of her life, 
regardless of how long that might be ... and right now she didn't care.
 
She debated protesting once more, but as she opened her mouth, the look 
that Jack gave her silenced her. She closed her eyes and lowered her head 
before taking a breath and looking back up again to regard his handsome 
face.
 
"That's my ... girl," he panted, a smile on his face, his presence as 
always comforting her.
 
                         *******************
 
They made hasty preparations and finally were ready to depart. Teal'c 
picked the Colonel up gently. The Jaffa felt the man flinch with pain, 
biting down to contain it as best he could. 
 
"I am sorry, my friend, this will cause much pain," apologised Teal'c.
 
Jack shook his head. "Just get ... them b...ack, T," he whispered.
 
"I will do my utmost to get us all back, O'Neill," promised Teal'c.
 
They made their way quietly to the river and retrieved the ropes and 
lanterns from their hiding place once more.
 
"How do we do this?" asked Daniel.
 
"You should both go first, I will take O'Neill through," said Teal'c.
 
Sam looked as though she would object, but Teal'c laid a hand on her arm. 
"I will need assistance to get him on the bank at the other side."
 
Sam studied his face for a heartbeat, and then nodded once in agreement.
 
"See you on the other side then," said Daniel. Reluctantly he began to 
wade into the river, purposely concentrating on the coldness of the water 
and his breathing, not on thoughts of Jack.
 
He grasped the rope and breathed deeply before diving under. Sam gave a 
last look to Jack and then Teal'c before following.
 
Teal'c watched them go and then picked Jack up again. "The water is cold, 
O'Neill," he warned.
 
"No shit, T," whispered Jack as the water crept up his body, the cold 
seeping through his bones, causing him to shiver lightly.
 
Teal'c let him have a moment, keeping his head above the water. "I will 
go through as quickly as I can, O'Neill, try and hold on."
 
Jack gave him a quick nod, he knew he had little chance of holding his 
breath for long enough, but the thought didn't panic him as he thought it 
would ... maybe it was time to just let go ...
 
                         *******************
 
Sam and Daniel made it up the bank and sat waiting. It seemed a long time 
before Teal'c broke the surface of the water and he struck out for the 
bank.
 
The second Sam saw the Colonel's lifeless eyes staring unseeingly back at 
her she screamed, "Get him out!"
 
Teal'c almost threw the Colonel up the bank to Sam and Daniel.
 
Sam felt the Colonel's neck to check for a pulse, finding a faint beat 
before turning him rapidly onto his side. She quickly pounded on the back 
of his lungs to try and expel the water that had accumulated. The second 
pounding brought forth the expulsion she was seeking and she gave a sob 
of relief as he drew a gasping breath.
 
"Thank, God," breathed Daniel, his relief as his friend drew breath 
apparent.
 
Once Sam was confident he was breathing as steady as she felt he could 
under circumstances, she turned him gently, laying his head across her 
lap as she regarded him tenderly, thankful he wasn't conscious and in 
pain for the moment.
 
Teal'c touched Daniel on the arm. "We must make haste, we have far to 
go."
 
Sam heard the voice speaking and looked up at her friends in somewhat of 
a daze.
 
"We just need a minute here, Teal'c," she whispered.
 
"We should not linger, Major Carter, and O'Neill would be the first to 
order that."
 
Sam looked down at Jack in her arms. She nodded without looking back up 
and Teal'c gently drew the Colonel up and away from her before lifting 
him effortlessly into his arms.
 
They made their way down into the valley. The sun was warm, the bright 
light from it causing them to blink rapidly after their imprisonment in 
the dark for so long.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam anxiously kept turning to Teal'c to check that the Colonel was still 
breathing. She was praying that he could hold on just long enough for 
them to get him back through the gate, amazed that he'd made it so far.
 
Daniel took point, he was also silently praying for Jack, but he knew 
they had a long way to go.
 
                         *******************
 
They kept a steady pace, not stopping despite their tiredness, mentally 
and physically pushed to their limits.
 
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks at the sounds that carried through the 
trees. They all ground to a halt behind him listening intently.
 
Squinting up through the trees they found something that filled them with 
dread, a Goa'uld ship.
 
"Damn it - why now!" cried Sam in despair.
 
"I believe they may be picking up the ore shipments," said Teal'c.
 
"The ore? Damn, why didn't we think of that earlier," said Daniel.
 
"Would it have made any difference?" asked Teal'c.
 
Daniel shook his head. "It's lousy timing though," he muttered.
 
Jack chose that moment to begin to come round.
 
He struggled slightly in Teal'c's arms and began to cough.
 
Teal'c quickly laid him the man down and Sam knelt, drawing him into her 
arms, holding him against her, trying to support him as he gasped for 
breath.
 
His eyes flickered open, the pain in them making her heart bleed for him, 
the gasping breaths he drew becoming choked, the blood made a slow track 
from the corner of his mouth ...
 
                         *******************
 
Teal'c flicked his gaze down onto his friends before turning away from 
the sheer poignancy that the scene portrayed. He touched Daniel on the 
arm lightly, to draw him away, his vision straying outwards and upwards.
 
That the end was finally here for his friend, O'Neill, flashed briefly 
into his mind ... before his attention was caught by the Goa'uld ship. 
 
                         *******************
 
Drawing the dazed archaeologist with him, Teal'c moved purposely in the 
direction of the Goa'uld ship. Daniel gave a whispered protest, but the 
Jaffa silenced him.
 
"O'Neill has one last hope, and it might be within our power to provide 
that, Daniel Jackson."
 
Daniel opened and closed his mouth, words for once failing him as he 
realised just what the Jaffa had in mind.
 
Daniel kept close to Teal'c, following every direction the Jaffa offered.
 
They quickly realised that the guards were few, obviously not expecting 
any trouble and soon they overpowered the men who were waiting for the 
ore to be transported up to the ship.
 
The moment they were aboard, Daniel and Teal'c struck out at the two 
Jaffa in the cargo hold, surprise lending them an easy victory.
 
Armed with the one zat and a staff weapon, they moved cautiously through 
the ship seeking their goal.
 
At one point Daniel thought it was just too easy; seconds later the Jaffa 
that ambushed them disproved that. Daniel struck out blindly, making 
sickening contact with the throat of the Jaffa that tried to hold him, 
before he took out two more with his zat. He caught sight of Teal'c 
fighting like a man possessed, his strength seeming to far outweigh that 
of his opponents and once more victory was theirs. The dead Jaffa gave 
Daniel a moment's concern, but the vision of his dying friend steeled him 
onwards.
 
Teal'c led the way, his hurried explanation was to seal most of the 
chambers on the ship to prevent any further confrontation.
 
Daniel stood guard at the doorway of the Teltac, while Teal'c performed 
the necessary adjustments in the ship's security.
 
"Are you sure there is a sarcophagus here, Teal'c?"
 
"No self respecting Goa'uld would travel far without one, Daniel Jackson, 
it would appear that the Goa'uld is at the mine with most of his guards, 
otherwise we could not have succeeded thus far. I have sealed most of the 
corridors, but we must proceed with caution."
 
Daniel found himself gathering strength in the hope that their actions 
would succeed in saving Jack.
 
As they moved quickly through the ship Daniel's heart was thumping madly 
in the dread that they wouldn't find what they needed, he knew that time 
was running out fast, for all of them now.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam rocked Jack gently in her arms, her thumb sweeping the trickle of 
blood from his lips. She was vaguely and gratefully aware of her friends 
retreating from them.
 
How long she sat just touching his face, the tears silently tracking down 
her cheeks, falling on to his face as she wept, she didn't know. His 
breathing faltered and in vain she waited for the next breath to be 
drawn. The silence seemed to signify the end of her life ... the end of 
him ... and she gently pressed her lips to his.
 
                         *******************
 
The sight of the sarcophagus had never before wrought such emotion from 
Daniel, the relief he felt was beyond words for him. To him Teal'c's face 
seemed to register an emotion he had never seen from the Jaffa before 
either.
 
                         *******************
 
The bright light that surrounded them only just registered in her 
distraught mind that they were being captured by a ring device and she 
found herself suddenly looking up when a pair of strong arms tried to 
separate Jack from her. In a daze she fought to hold on to him, desperate 
to retain him for as long as she could, but it was not to be and she 
found herself drawn up into another's arms, held firmly as she struggled 
away from the grip of a determined, but gentle hold.
 
Words failed her momentarily as she found it was Daniel who was holding 
on to her. Her mind registered that it was Teal'c who had taken Jack from 
her and was now striding purposefully away from her bearing the Colonel's 
weight over his shoulder.
 
She felt herself being lightly shaken to awareness by Daniel, his 
insistent "Sam!" drawing her attention for a brief moment.
 
Ignoring his "Please," she took off after the disappearing Jaffa, 
desperate to keep sight of his precious burden.
 
                         *******************
 
Sam ran as fast as she could, but as she entered the room the sarcophagus 
was already closing and she could only stand and stare at Teal'c.
 
Teal'c stepped towards her and pulled her into a fierce hug and she wept 
unashamedly against him.
 
Time almost stood still in the room as the sobs racked her body.
 
She became aware of Teal'c turning her around and stepping away as she 
lifted her head to see the sarcophagus opening.
 
Barely able to trust her own eyes, she watched enthralled as a familiar 
form appeared slowly from the white interior. 
 
"Whoa, what a trip!" The flippancy of the comment communicating more 
efficiently than anything else that he was back. 
 
Unable to support herself, Sam collapsed to her knees, unable to 
comprehend that he was there, safe and well. It was too much for her 
already over-taxed emotions to cope with.
 
                         *******************
 
Jack watched in surprise as Sam's face slid from his view. He became 
aware of the shuddering sobs emanating from his second and without 
further thought, he vaulted from the confines of the device and, landing 
on knees that were sure to protest later, he crawled the remaining 
distance with an urgency that stunned him. His only thought was to reach 
her. Tenderly drawing her into his arms, he wrapped her in the cocoon of 
his warmth as his larger frame absorbed the shuddering sobs that tore 
from her shockingly fragile form.
 
His hands smoothed across her back in a futile attempt to calm. As one of 
his hands made contact with the nape of her neck, memories flooded back 
and assailed his senses. She had been reduced to this because of him... 
because she had faced the terrifying almost reality of being without him, 
of losing him. And as he was more than aware, the prospect of living 
without the other was simply more than any one soul could endure. 
 
The sudden awareness of the depth of her anguish translated to him 
through each harsh judder of her body, tearing a desperate "Oh, God," 
from deep within him as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and 
his arms tightened compulsively, in an attempt to infuse her with his 
strength, showing her that he knew, he understood and he needed her with 
the same soul-searing intensity.
 
                         *******************
 
With the Colonel restored to health the four companions made short work 
of the Jaffa that had managed to escape their confines. They all knew 
that they had to make sure that no warning could be given to the Jaffa 
remaining on the planet below. The fighting was hard, fast and vicious, 
desperation giving it added urgency. Teal'c dispatched the last of their 
opposition with a well-aimed staff blast, allowing them to ring back to 
the surface.
 
It was by sheer luck that they avoided being caught by two guards, sent 
from the mine to search for their missing comrades. This time it was Jack 
who took them out, a zat blast leaving one unconscious, the other, 
shocked into immobility had his life ended by a karate chop to the neck.
 
Jack stood, looking down at the unconscious guard. He remembered his 
treatment at the hands of this guard and others and was barely able to 
refrain from flinging himself on him and pounding until the breath left 
the man's body. With an abrupt movement he turned away and looked towards 
his companions.
 
Daniel cast a last forlorn look towards the mountains. "I wish there was 
something we could do to help these people."
 
"Maybe one day, Daniel, when Earth is no longer under threat from the 
Goa'uld, one day ..." The Colonel turned away with a shake of his head, 
he knew they owed a debt of gratitude, a huge debt, he realised, to some 
of the people they had to leave behind maybe ... maybe one day ... 
 
                         *******************
 
Finally, they stood together, the stargate open ready for them to return 
home.
 
Daniel turned at the top of the steps to face Sam and Jack with an 
expectant grin on his face. 
 
Jack gave the archaeologist a pointed jerk of his head towards the 
wormhole, but Daniel seemed determined to wait, until he was propelled 
backwards through the open vortex by the scruff of the neck, by one very 
astute Jaffa.
 
Jack turned to Sam, his face unreadable. "What now, Major?" he asked, not 
willing to put anything into words she wouldn't want.
 
Sam tilted her head to look at him and shrugged.
 
"Not good enough. What now, Sam?" Jack watched as she looked away, 
knowing that endless permutations were flying through her brain at a 
frightening speed.
 
Suddenly she looked him right in the eyes.
 
"I don't know, Jack, but I want to find out."
 
Sam took his hand, smiling at him, her eyes flashing with sudden 
amusement and she chuckled. She laced her fingers through his and, 
suddenly, yanked him towards her, planting a lingering kiss on his 
stunned mouth, before repaying a long owed favour and shoving his ass 
through the gate.

THE END
 
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it.