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Demon Faith
EMAIL: rosabeth@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Romance, Series, Angst
PAIRINGS: Sam/Daniel, Sam/Orlin
SPOILERS: Major for Ascension. Minor for: Fire and
Water, Hathor, Threshold
SEASON/SEQUEL: Last in the DYH series. Season 5
RATING: PG-13
CONTENT WARNINGS: Atomic Kitten! Argh! (lol)
Seriously: graphic injury, violence, evilness. You have been warned.
SUMMARY: There is a fire in your soul that nothing
can extinguish
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Stargate. I do not own
‘Eternal Flame’ C’est tout!
AUTHOR’S NOTES: I started this fic at the end of
2001 – wow! It’s become a running joke that this is my unfinished fic. However,
I am determined, and therefore, it is complete. Aren’t you all so proud?
Sam stared blankly at the wall. NID had ripped out
the ‘Stargate’, leaving her with battered, scraped walls, no power and sky-high
bills for her electricity and credit card. After two days of Mackenzie trying
to convince her Orlin had all been a dream, she had arrived home.
The house was quiet, deathly quiet. She had pulled
out every cupboard, every drawer; pulled down picture frames, moved furniture,
destroyed mirrors - made sure for the last time it was all gone. She stared at
the pile of cameras and bugs in her living room, surrounded by the results of
her searching. Then, she wandered away, and sat in the basement, staring. Where
the blue wormhole had gushed towards her, tempting her to it. Where he’d left
her, daring her to follow, perhaps forever…
The silence threatened to overwhelm her, suffocate
her with a cloud of…nothingness.
The phone started to ring. The sound barely
registered, a mild annoyance until it eventually died away. She heard her own
voice, cheerfully announcing her absence. The tone sounded.
“Hey Sam. Just checking to see if you’re okay. I’m
going to come over later, so I’ll see you then.”
The line went dead. Sam blinked a few times, then
resumed her stare.
~
Daniel pulled up in the drive, and stopped. The lights
flickered, with the occasional spark, the garden was ruined by muddy ruts and
footprints, and an alarm was wailing. He slammed the car door with a sigh, and
made his way up the drive.
“Sam? Are you there?”
No answer. Daniel stared at the door, still hanging
off its hinges. He ducked some loose cable, and made his way to the stairs.
“Sam? Are you alright? What happened?”
There was still no answer. He thought he heard
something below him. He moved cautiously down the basement steps, avoiding the sparking
wires on the floor. He could see her shadowy figure in the doorway, thrown into
light by the sparks. She had her back to him, staring off into space.
“Sam? SAM?”
There was still no response. Frowning, Daniel
placed a hand on her shoulder. She whirled round in shock. She tipped her head,
and then her eyes took on a glass-like appearance, and she stood slowly and
stiffly. Daniel removed his hand, as she turned to face him.
“You are here.” Her voice was distant, detached
somehow.
“Yeah, Sam. Where were you? Your machine picked
up…”
“He said you would come.”
The statement sounded hollow, as if emotion had
drained from her, and she turned away again. Daniel was confused now.
“Who, Sam? Who said I’d come?”
She ignored him, and walked over to the wall. She
reached up into the darkness, and pulled something down. It landed heavily on
the floor, and there was a spurt of water. It rolled into the light, and
Daniel’s eyes widened. //Major Carter in the Basement with the…lead piping//
Sam bent down and heaved the pipe into her arms.
She was surreal: illuminated in bluish sparks, reflected in gushing water -
staring with soulless eyes. She raised it, and walked slowly towards him. He
backed a little way, and met the wall. She came at him.
//My God, she’s really going to do it. Kill me
right here, right now. This is not my Sam, but how to stop her? What the hell
can I do?//
“Sam, please, you don’t have to do this…”
She stopped, staring at him.
“But you don’t understand, Doctor Jackson, I do.”
//Doctor Jackson?! Okay, rational Daniel,
completely rational…//
He acted quickly. Striking with the back of his
fist, he delivered a swift stroke to the side of her head. She fell like a
stone, and he caught her, narrowly missing the falling pipe. The water lapped
around them, threatening to cover them completely if he did not hurry.
Then, he noticed the wiring. //Oh, crap//
Heaving Sam awkwardly on his shoulder, he waded
towards the door. The wind whistled through the house, through the broken front
door. The basement door slammed, and he heard the latch click. //Oh hell, this
can’t be happening. I’m locked in a basement with my homicidal lover, flood
water and loose wires. Can this get any worse?//
The generator died. //Is that a good thing?// The
flickering stopped, and the fuse box was silent. However, the water was still
flowing and now he couldn’t see. Sam seemed to be getting heavier, and was
beginning to stir.
//Life’s a bitch// Daniel thought, bitterly.
He felt along the shelf, and grasped a solid
object. He pulled it towards his eyes, hoping they would adjust. //Ah-ha…this I
can use…//
~
Janet glared at Jack across the table, between
mouthfuls of spaghetti.
“This is all your fault, you know.”
“My fault?!”
Jack set down his fork, indignant.
“You gave her the damned hockey stick.”
“She wanted to learn…”
“You took her to the game.”
“She wanted to go…”
“You let her break a window!”
“Me? That was Teal’c’s fault!”
“Oh yeah, blame the Jaffa.”
The phone rang. Janet got up and answered.
“Hello?”
“Janet! I need…Sam’s out…flood…wires
everywhere…please help.”
The signal died. Janet replaced the receiver, her
hand shaking. Jack came up behind her, and put his hand on her waist.
“Who was that?”
“Daniel. God, Jack, they’re in trouble.”
~
Daniel swore, and threw the wretched phone into the
water. It fizzled, and sunk. He realised they’d have to move, and quickly. He
looked around for a perch. //Okay, a freezer…cupboard…shelf - anything!
Something to save us for a few…minutes// Daniel moved towards a large dull work
surface in the corner, and rolled Sam on top of it. //Maybe I can stop the
water…yes!//
Daniel searched for the source, mostly by ear, and
moved towards it. The water was now swirling around his waist, and soon it
would be over his head. He was almost swimming now, listening for the tell-tale
gush of water. He moved vaguely towards the sound, and then suddenly tripped.
He flew forwards into the water, writhing in the flood. He came up again,
spluttering, immediately noticing the loss of his glasses. He groped wildly for
them, but gave up, as the water rose again. He swam on, and almost collided
into the wall. The water fell on his head, and he reached up to the source. He
found the end of the pipe, and reached in front of him, finding the other end.
It was clear that he would need to find the pipe. However, the water had risen
again, over his finger, draining a little of the water away down the drainage
pipe. //Thank God for small blessings// The level would stay constant for a
while. He turned to check on Sam.
“Sam!”
The water had swamped over the counter top, and she
was disappearing under. He swum powerfully towards her, and seized her flailing
form in his arms, before throwing her over his shoulder. He needed higher
refuge.
“Daniel? What’s happening?” Sam spluttered,
disorientated and unnaturally afraid.
“Sam! How are you feeling?”
“Cold. And wet. Where are we?”
Daniel smiled tightly. She obviously didn’t
remember, and he wasn’t about to remind her.
“Surprisingly, this is your basement. It’s a
little…flooded. Where’s the highest surface?”
“Um…the counter top?”
“Not an option. How’s your ceiling?”
Sam blinked in surprise, but just accepted this
strange question.
“Well, it has some…bars…”
“Perfect!”
Before she could inquire, Daniel heaved her up in
his arms. Her head brushed the metal bars, and she reached up. Once she had a
secure grip, she swung herself up, and over the bars, resting on top of them. She
realised she had knocked Daniel into the water, as he came up coughing and
spluttering.
“Sam? Are you alright?”
“Yes, Daniel. I’m fine.”
“Right then. Do you have any spare piping?”
“I don’t think so.”
Daniel swore again, before looking at the water. It
was rising slowly, but steadily. //Damn. Ok, I need to find that pipe. It
is…somewhere on the floor//
He sighed. This was going to take a while.
~
“He called me about an hour ago. He
sounded…desperate.”
They sat in Janet’s living room - Teal’c, Jack and
Lou. The rest of SG4 would arrive soon, and Lou paced the floor nervously.
“So, what can we do? We don’t even know where they
are.”
“The phone company can’t trace his cell exactly. It
was somewhere in the suburbs of Springs.”
“Well, that narrows it down.”
They sat in thought for a few moments, before the
doorbell rang. Janet went through to the door, and opened it. She frowned for a
moment.
“Hello?”
“Ms Frasier? You are Janet Frasier, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Who are you?”
The man was slightly put out, but continued anyway.
“I’m from the electricity board, ma’am. Your
acquaintance, Samantha Carter, overloaded her generator. We’ve been trying the
house for hours, but there’s no answer. We thought we’d contact you.”
Janet froze. Her mind whirled in panic, and she
felt like she would collapse at any minute.
“Do not, under any circumstance, turn on the power.
We think she’s flooded out.”
The man’s eyes widened, as Janet called though.
“We’ve found them! Hurry!”
~
Daniel dived under again, reaching into the murky
water. His legs were numbing in the cold water, and his teeth chattered as he
searched.
“What are you looking for?”
“A pipe, Sam. To stop this water.”
He floundered uselessly in the dark, wading in the
general direction of Sam’s voice. He tripped again, plunging under. He barely
had the energy to return to the surface, breathing heavily and shaking. Daniel
fell forwards again, and grasped at something, to try and drag himself up. But
it sunk with him, and he had to find the floor again. The water was now around
his chest, draining him of energy. He pulled the object to the surface, and
examined it.
“Longish, round, metallic…ah, pipe!”
“You found it? Well done, Daniel!”
He blinked stupidly, before calling up.
“Right, I’ll fix it now.”
Daniel waded out again, trying to make out some
objects in the dark that had now started to float in Sam’s basement. He found
the other pipes, and stared at them blearily. His fingers were dead, and he
could hardly feel his legs now. Soon, he would sink like a stone.
“Daniel? Have you got there yet?”
“Almost, Sam. Please, just…keep talking.”
Sam hated the weariness in his voice, the mental
and physical exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him. And she couldn’t
remember why there were here, stranded. But, somehow, she knew it was her
fault.
“Um…alright. I think…I think that…we should…go and
see…Cassie, soon.”
“Sounds…good. When d’ya…think?”
Sam closed her eyes and swallowed. They were
talking about the future, one that may never happen. If they couldn’t get out,
get free…in time. Time, so fragile, so delicate…//Oh hell, we’re going to die
here. In my damned basement!//
“Thursday. It’s her…birthday soon. I don’t
know…what to buy her.”
Daniel fumbled with the pipe, slotting it into the
top pipe with stiff fingers. The water flowed over his fingers, but eventually
he managed to secure it. He heaved it up again, slipping backwards in the
water. It wouldn’t quite fit into the other pipe. He continued to slide, but
could only concentrate on the pipe in front of him. With one last push, the
pipe secured, as he plunged under again.
He struggled feebly, but couldn’t find the energy,
or the will. He sunk, slowly…
“Daniel! Damnit, answer me!”
Sam was frightened. She knew he was tired, and this
could be it. She jumped down, landing with a numbing splash. She waded towards
the floating mass, and pulled him into her arms. His lips were blue //from
cold, or death?//, and his face pale. She blew softly, before checking his
pulse. //Nothing//
The word echoed through her numbing brain. She
moved quickly towards the floating counter top, and laid him across it. In the
cold, wet hell of her own home, she tried to save him.
“One, two, three…hell, it’s not working…why isn’t
it working…come on Daniel!”
She wanted it so much, to bring him back to her, to
give her life-breath to him. Again and again, as the water flowed around her…
Suddenly, he spluttered, and choked on water. She
turned him quickly to the side, and he coughed up the water from his lungs.
//This water is cold. It must be affecting my…optimistic streak///
“Sam?” he said, wearily.
She pulled him off the counter top, and held him
tightly to her.
“Don’t you *ever* do that again.”
“I’ll try.”
~
Jack drove faster than he’d ever done before, which
was saying something. He pulled into Sam’s drive, swearing at the mess it was
in. They leapt out, as Lou’s boys drew up behind. Janet rushed headlong in,
followed closely by Jack. Teal’c called back to Cassie.
“Do not move, Cassandra Frasier! This is not safe!”
They charged in, narrowly avoiding the loose
wiring. They split up, and Teal’c went down the basement stairs. Water was
leaking out of the corners of the doorframe, and the old door was creaking.
Teal’c raised an eyebrow.
“O’Neill! Down here!”
Sam looked up, and wrapped her arms tighter around
Daniel.
“Teal’c! Sir! HELP!”
Teal’c turned back to the door, and stepped
forward, as Jack ran down the stairs. Janet followed, as Teal’c knocked.
“Major Carter! We are going to rescue you.”
Sam sighed, before lifting Daniel’s face up. He
murmured softly, passing in and out of consciousness. She pulled him closer,
suddenly afraid. Were they too late? What if…what if…//I can’t even think about
it! And I never…told him//
“Ok…no! Don’t open the door! This place is flooded
out - you’ll need to stand back!”
Her voice shook, and the waiting exchanged looks.
Janet and Jack stood back, and Teal’c picked up a rod from the side of the
staircase. He stepped back a few paces, before reaching out and unhooking the
latch.
The water inundated them, charging with the vigour
of stallions, crashing over the steps. Jack pulled Janet to him, despite her
protests, as they were soaked in the spray. The water flowed back into the
basement, levelling out over the bottom steps.
The ‘rescuers’ waded in slowly, and stared. The
whole room was covered in water, and a pipe leaked steadily in the corner. Sam
was dragging herself upright, Daniel hanging limply in her arms. Teal’c slipped
through the water like a fish, laying Daniel across his shoulder. Jack
followed, leaving the petite doctor on the bottom step. He took Sam gently in
his arms, and carried her out.
It was then he realised it was gone. He had Sam, in
his arms, holding her - and he felt nothing. She was one of his best friends,
his comrade and *nothing else*. And that feeling elated him.
When they were in the relative safety of Sam’s
kitchen, Janet checked them both over.
“They’re both suffering from hypothermia. Lou, find
some towels; Jack, run a warm bath upstairs, not too hot. Captain Rogers - boil
the kettle.”
“Will he be okay, Janet?”
“Sam, you’re not as bad as him. How come?”
Sam turned her face guiltily downward.
“He lifted me onto the ceiling ladder. He was in
the water at least an hour, looking for the pipe. To stop the water.”
Sam almost cried with the guilt, the aching feeling
that she had caused it all.
“Okay, Sam, calm down. Do you have an en suite
shower?”
“Yes, down the hall.”
Janet nodded to herself, deep in thought.
“Right, shower down there. In your clothes, don’t
take them off. Warm water only. They’ll be towels outside.”
Sam nodded and shuffled down the corridor,
listening to Janet.
“Teal’c, call the SGC. Get an ambulance down here
a-sap.”
~
It was dark outside, so Jack pulled the light cord.
Nothing. Swearing softly, he called downstairs.
“Janet, the power’s off!”
His cursing was mirrored, and she sighed.
“Teal’c have you phoned the SGC?”
“I am, at this moment, in communication with
General Hammond.”
“Ask for a generator.”
“Of course, Doctor Frasier.”
“Sam, the…”
“Power is off, and I can’t use the shower.”
“Yeah, We’re going to take Daniel upstairs - can
you sit with him?”
//Me? Who *must’ve* caused this? The reason that
he’s lying there? The Death Touch to every man I meet…//
“Sure, “
she said, weakly.
“General Hammond will send the generator, an
ambulance and a…sponge team,” said Teal’c, confused.
Janet smiled tiredly, before motioning to Daniel,
who was stirring again.
“Teal’c can you carry him upstairs please. I want
to warm him up before the ambulance arrives.”
Sam walked through the shadowed halls, following
Teal’c’s solemn procession. This was her home, her comfort and rest - and now
her nightmare. Daniel could die in this darkened Hell; she could never feel
safe again within these walls.
They walked into the bathroom, and she looked up at
Jack. He was surrounded by moonlight, a mystical reflection in the water.
Teal’c lowered Daniel almost reverently into the
bathtub, and he floated like mist. Jack picked up her orange water cushion -
it’s bright colour mute in the shadowed half-light. They lifted Daniel
slightly, and placed the cushion under his head. His face was cast in the
orange light from the buffers, like firelight. Sam had too much experience of
seeing Daniel in firelight - burning in death, watching his ‘children’ die,
seeing Teal’c slip away in hatred. Fire was death - evil, unstoppable death.
//The extinguished flame can never return. Nor the
extinguished soul//
“I will
await the ambulance.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
They slipped away, their figures shadows, their
voices whispers - wanting to shout and scream and come into the light…
“Sam? What’s happening?”
She looked at him, frightened now, floating in the
orange, shadowed Hell. The embers glowed, and the flame was burning still.
“We’re trying to warm you up. We were pretty cold.”
Sam shivered again, and he reached out to her. His
fingers were a little warmer than hers, but she was charged by the pure energy
in his fingers, the electric touch of her lover’s skin. //The love that was
lost, the flame that went out, the time that is no more…//
“Get a blanket, Sam. You’re frozen.”
“I’m fine, really…”
“No, you’re not. Go, get a towel or something, at
least.”
She sighed, and pulled a fluffy towel from the cold
radiator. She pulled it around her shoulders, then took his hand again. It felt
like she was alive again, soaring through the sky, riding on wings to heaven.
He touched her, and the world was perfect.
CLOSE YOUR EYES
GIVE ME YOUR HAND, DARLING
DO YOU FEEL MY HEART BEATING?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
The wail of a siren broke the moment, a touch just
a touch, orange just a flame. They were soon in the house, moving upwards,
towards them in their furnace.
“Major Carter? Doctor Jackson? What happened here?”
“Long story, Sergeant. Just get us out of here.”
“At once, Major.”
She stood slowly, giving him access to Daniel. They
drew her away, foil blankets replacing fluffy towels, harsh white light
replacing orange glow. The ambulance carried them away, from Hell, from the
water that would’ve let the flame die.
Daniel was wrapped up like his precious mummies,
silver blankets covering him. Sam sat beside him, saying nothing, showing
nothing, feeling…nothing. //The fire may burn, but it never heals//
Wheelchairs to the infirmary, as if two legs were
not enough to carry her heavy heart. Janet, back again, scurrying, probing,
orders dripping from her lips like water.
“Okay, Sam, we’re moving you to a warmer room.
We’re going to wrap you up for a few hours, see how it goes. Okay?”
The cold was returning, to her body, and her heart.
Ice gripped her soul, veins flooding with frosted fear.
“Daniel?”
“He’ll be there, Sam, don’t worry.”
She was also mummified in the silver cloth, and the
gurney carried her into the other room. There were heaters all around, and
another gurney was already stationed in the secure warmth.
The medics drifted away, and she called to him.
“Daniel?”
“Sam.”
The voice was tired and drowsy, yet her name
sounded like a shining pearl when spoken from those lips.
SAY MY NAME
SUN SHINES THROUGH THE RAIN
“How are you doing?”
“Feeling better. You?”
“Warmer, for sure.” //But my heart is bleeding, and
I can’t stop it//
OF A LIFE SO LONELY
COME AND EASE THE PAIN
“Samantha and Daniel - are you feeling well?”
“Yes, Teal’c, thank you.”
“Ditto, Teal’c.”
“What is ditto?”
Sam closed her eyes, and smiled.
“Never mind, Teal’c. I’m fine as well.”
“That is indeed good. I am here to set up some
candles. Perhaps they will aid your recovery.”
//Surely the heat from a candle flame is not
sufficiently…//
“Thank you, Teal’c, I’m sure it will help.”
Sam sighed to herself. Daniel was much better at
these symbolism things. //Flames, fire - symbolism, so pure yet obscure to the
scientist’s mind//
Sam twisted her head, to see the candles. They were
beautiful, dancing lights and melted beads. And fire - pure flame burning
brighter than the diminished soul.
Sam settled down to sleep, the ice melted by the
candles.
~
Daniel woke up slowly, slightly disorientated. He
moved his arms, and discovered they were free. Carefully, he sat up, and looked
around. The room was dimmed, and apparently empty. He stood gingerly, almost
afraid he would snap, and wandered towards the other bed.
She lay there; golden hair spread on the pillow,
fairytale princess of the SGC. He touched her face, smiling to himself.
I BELIEVE
IT’S MEANT TO BE, DARLING
I WATCH YOU WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING
YOU BELONG WITH ME
She had been his, the one he loved with fervour,
the sun on a darkened heart. Now, it was all gone, the sun had set and they
would never see another dawn.
Or, was there hope still? Was this just a spark, or
a flame to consume them with its passion? Did he see ardour in those azure
eyes, or just an empty heart?
Azure eyes that were staring straight at him - she
was awake.
“Daniel? Where am I?”
He looked around to check, then nodded to himself.
“Infirmary. I haven’t seen Janet yet, but I’m sure
she’s around.”
“Actually, she isn’t.”
Daniel turned, Sam grasping his shoulder to sit.
They stared at Colonel Simmons, aghast.
“Why the hell are you here?”
He shook his head mockingly, as Sam tried to stand.
She slipped on the cold floor, and Daniel held her, strength returning in
anger.
“Now, Major, that’s no way to talk to your
superior.”
“Haven’t you done enough?”
Daniel’s voice was strong, as the jigsaw slid into
place. There was only one answer…
“Not nearly enough, Doctor Jackson. For the task is
not yet…complete…”
Sam didn’t really understand what was going on, but
Daniel knew. And that was enough. She looked down at the white dress she wore,
and frowned. Where had this come from?
“You did…that to her, didn’t you? You and the
psychiatrist…”
Sam looked up, realising they were talking about
her. Did Daniel know the answers, the reason for her unknown guilt?
“Indeed, Doctor. She is a tool, the way to bring
the SGC to its knees. You were the test.”
“Daniel? Sam said, warily, “What is he saying?”
Daniel didn’t look down at her, but kept staring at
Simmons, who was smiling sadistically.
“Tell her, Doctor Jackson. Or, are you afraid? Of the
consequences?”
Daniel swallowed. Sam meant everything to him -
this could be the end for both of them, if he simply told her the truth. //When
did it all get so complicated?//
He turned to her, and placed his hands on her
shoulders, suddenly afraid of her.
“Sam,” he said quietly, “when I arrived at your
place, you were in a trance. You…attacked me, with the pipe. I had to…knock you
out.”
She stared at him in horror, her mind reeling. She
attacked Daniel? With the pipe? Was this her life, or some low-budget horror
flick? The memory flooded back, the compulsion to kill, to taste his
blood…//What the hell?! Am I a vampire now?//
“Bravo, Doctor. Mackenzie implanted a notion in
your mind - a blood lust, if you will. You wished to destroy him, rip out his
beating heart and…devour.”
Sam felt nauseous, her mind dutifully supplying
images in glorious Technicolor. She backed away from Daniel, meeting the wall.
The distance calmed her, but she couldn’t escape the pain.
“Sam? Please, don’t…”
“NO! Don’t come too close, I might…hurt you…”
He ignored her, and stepped closer, concentrating.
Sam started to sweat, panicking. She would lose control, kill the one who
mattered most…
She saw Colonel Simmons heading for the door, away
from the unstable woman. He locked the door, and then turned. A hefty Jaffa
threw him against the door, and Jack O’Neill’s voice growled at him.
“Where are they, Simmons?”
“I have no idea what…”
“Colonel Simmons, I demand to know where my people
are.”
“If this…monster puts me down…”
Teal’c grudgingly lowered him, but held on to his
collar. General Hammond came into view, with Janet beside him.
“Take us to them.”
“With pleasure.”
Teal’c released the man, and he walked up the
staircase. At the top, there was a massive observation window. They moved
towards it, and Janet gasped.
Sam stood against the wall, as Daniel slowly walked
towards her, clearly afraid.
“Sam, it’s okay, you don’t have to do this…”
“No, I can’t…it’s going to take over…”
Simmons reached for the microphone:
“Remember the blood!”
Daniel stopped still, as Sam changed before him.
Her eyes clouded over, and she straightened.
“You will not escape me.”
She rushed at him, knocking over a tray of
instruments, and he was thrown against the opposite wall. She pinned him with
her hand, and licked her lips. She leaned close to him, and whispered.
“Play along with it. I think it’s worn off.”
Daniel was confused, but gave her the barest of
nods. Suddenly, he was thrown over her shoulder and onto the floor. Wincing, he
tried to sit up, but she pinned him again, still wild and out of control…
“This is faking it?”
“Call it realism.”
Sam reached out behind her, and pulled a scalpel
across the floor. He was afraid now, wondering if she wasn’t a little schizophrenic.
She ripped the flimsy white shirt, and placed her hand on his chest. She
gripped the knife tightly, and smiled menacingly. She placed it on his chest
and drew the blade down. Daniel cried out.
“I don’t think you should see anymore, do you?”
Simmons closed the blast doors, and turned to face
the audience. Jack looked strangely pale, Teal’c was murderous and the
General’s face was pale and drawn. Janet had walked out.
“So, you see, Sir, you have no one to retrieve.”
~
The moment the screen came down Sam threw aside the
scalpel, and seized the ripped material. She folded a piece and pressed it
against the wound, tightly.
“God, Daniel, I’m so, so sorry…”
“S’ok Sam. I’ll…live…”
She looked up, fear and anxiety flooding her face.
It had only been a flesh wound, but that did not really concern her. As soon as
she held the knife, she had wanted to draw blood. When she drew it back, she
wanted to plunge it into his chest. Sam knew that if she had not controlled
herself, she would’ve eaten his heart in a moment. It sickened her.
She moved away, placing his hand over the cloth.
Being a medical room, there was a supply of dressings and treatments. She
applied antiseptic to the wound, and wrapped it tightly in a bandage. She found
another shirt for Daniel, wondering the entire time about when they would come
and how they could escape She found no answers.
“We need to get out quickly, Sam. Do they have a
vent in here?”
Her eyes widened in realisation, and she
scrutinised the walls. She hurried to the vent cover, and pulled off the grill.
“Yeah, it looks big enough. Come on - let’s get out
of here!”
Daniel climbed in first, before reaching down to
Sam. When they were both inside, Sam replaced the grill.
Moving through the narrow passage was slow and
painful. The stuffy tunnel seemed to suffocate them, and Sam felt like the
walls were closing in. She hated enclosed spaces, but had got used to them over
her career.
They seemed to reach a natural conclusion to the
tunnel, a metal porthole that looked like it opened from the other side. Sam
swore softly, before turning back to Daniel.
“I think we’re stuck.”
He was about to reply, when an alarm sounded. All
the section barriers fell, one not three metres behind them. Suddenly,
something fell out of the wall and burst into flame. They pressed against the
porthole, and Sam hammered on it desperately. The fire danced towards them, and
it was becoming difficult to breathe.
Jack was walking along the corridor, an arm around
Janet’s shoulder. Suddenly, he could hear a knocking, and violent coughing. He
looked up, at a porthole in the wall, where a trail of smoke emerged.
“Holy Hannah!”
Teal’c followed his gaze, and released the
mechanism. Sam and Daniel fell out and onto the floor, as the flame filled the
entire tunnel. Without a moment’s hesitation, Teal’c dragged Daniel to his feet
and away from Sam.
“Stand back, Major Carter. I do not wish to hurt
you.”
Daniel hacking cough was interrupted with hasty
speech.
“No…no…she’s ok…it’s gone…stop…”
Daniel fell to his knees, bent over with the
wracking in his chest. Sam fell down also, a hand to her chest.
“Can’t…breathe…” she spluttered.
Daniel collapsed sideways, and Sam fell still.
Soon, the alarms were ringing loudly, echoing through the corridors. They
wasted no time. Teal’c slung Daniel over his shoulder, while Jack took Sam.
They hurried towards the nearest exit, the lighting dimmed and the sirens
wailing.
The exit was guarded, and Zats were held up. They stopped,
angry and uncertain. It was General Hammond who spoke.
“Colonel Simmons, stand down.”
“I can’t do that, sir. I have strict orders to
detain Major Carter and Doctor Jackson.”
“And I’m over-riding those orders, *Colonel*.”
Simmons sighed, as if exasperated. He pulled a
folded sheet of paper from his pocket, and handed it to the general.
“I think you’ll find it’s all in order.”
Hammond took it uncertainly, and opened it out. He
read for a few minutes, before looking straight up at Simmons.
“Why did you do this?”
Simmons shrugged nonchalantly, before taking back
the paper. Thee guards moved closer, suddenly menacing in the flashing corridor
lights.
“It’s your choice, General. Hand them over freely,
or go down with them.”
The situation was hopeless, and Jack knew it. As
much as he wanted to fight this, it would only end up worse for all of them.
Maybe they could appeal against this - if only they could get back…
“Sir, we don’t have a choice here.”
“I concur, General Hammond.”
“General, you’re not seriously considering…”
Janet was horrified - her rationale as a doctor put
life above everything else, even her own.
“Janet, listen,” Jack whispered, urgently, “We
can’t help them here, dead or dying in some NID cell. We need to get out of here.
Then, we can help them.”
Janet said no more. Jack turned back to Simmons,
who was smiling.
“You’ve reached an agreement, I trust?”
“Yes, Colonel, we have. We have agreed, for the
present, to leave them in your custody.”
“I’m glad you saw sense, General. Lay them on the
floor, and then take the corridor on your right. You will be escorted from the
building.”
Stepping forward, Teal’c carefully laid Daniel on
the floor, frowning at the blood seeping through his shirt. Jack came forward
next, placing Sam on the floor as if he were afraid she might break. He stood
up stiffly, and his eyes met Simmons. The man physically shivered, and
involuntarily took a step back.
“This way, sir.”
Several officers blocked their view and practically
pushed them all the way to the door. It felt like a prison, as if all humanity
was starved out of the place and when they came into the sunlight, the NID
officers might melt.
Jack hoped he had done the right thing. Not that
there had been much of choice, but he felt he had betrayed them somehow.
//Never leave a man behind. Or woman, for that matter. How could I fail them?//
There was no answer.
~
Daniel was aware of dragging. As in himself across
a concrete floor. He moaned to himself, and the dragging stopped.
There were a few terse words that Daniel barely
caught, before metal contacted with his head and the world went black.
~
Jack paced outside General Hammond’s office,
swearing softly to himself.
“Your pacing will not aid them.”
“I makes me feel better,” he replied gruffly.
Janet sat at the table, absently stirring her cold
coffee. The spoon fell, and the brown liquid spilt over the reports. The
psychiatry reports.
No one moved. Janet just stared at the blotched
paper before picking up the reports and tipping the liquid on to the floor.
Jack resumed his pacing, just as the door opened.
There was silence, apart from the dripping liquid echoing on the carpet.
“General?”
“National security, Colonel. The threat must
be…eliminated.”
“Damnit sir, they caused all this…”
“Give me the evidence, Jack! Just one shred of
proof!”
There was complete silence. There was no answer.
“What about Daniel, sir?” Janet said, quietly.
“He got too close.”
Jack closed his eyes, and raised his hands in the
air.
“Then, what are we fighting for? Freedom of
oppression, an end to slavery, saving lives - yet, we can’t save our people
from NID. We can’t even save Earth from itself, let alone the Big Bad out there,”
he gestured to the Stargate, “There’s no point anymore - Earth isn’t worth
saving.”
Jack walked out, not waiting for a response or
dismissal. Teal’c just stood, the muscle in his left cheek twitching. Janet
picked up the coffee cup and the folders, and walked away. The Jaffa still
waited, and the General turned to him.
“Teal’c?”
“You could not have stopped it. It is…out of our
hands.”
He turned and left, pausing a moment, before
continuing. George sat down heavily. //If only it was just ‘one of those
days’…//
~
Sam came to in darkness. She shivered in the cold,
sitting up slowly. Her hand went out to steady her, and she grimaced. The floor
was sticky, and it sickened her. She felt around for a few minutes, before
finding another form in the inky blackness.
“Daniel? Wake up! Daniel!”
There was no response. She reached down, and felt
Daniel’s glasses. Moving her fingers slowly, she found a slight depression in
the side of his head, a patch of sticky liquid that gave under her fingers.
Alarmed, Sam reached for a pulse. The sluggish rhythm comforted her, but she
was afraid now. They were alone in a darkened room, and all she could think
about was Daniel’s blood. She could smell it - and it excited her. //God, I’m a
monster!//
She backed away, and sat on the floor, isolated.
She might kill; she felt ready to take life. It was like a compulsion in her
heart that her rational mind was rapidly losing control of.
There were voices approaching, and footsteps. Sam
lay down on the floor, and closed her eyes again. The door opened slowly, and
light shone on her face.
“No, still no sign. When will it begin?”
“After her first kill. Maybe he’s too docile. You
hit him kinda hard.”
Sam was angry now. They had hurt Daniel,
defenceless Daniel, still drugged…her rage rose to a peak, and she stood slowly
in the darkness, the light falling on her hair.
“Oh hell, Mike, you’ve made her angry…”
Sam turned, and the two men were frightened. This didn’t
strike Sam as odd, even though they were clutching Zat guns. She walked slowly
towards them, as they were frozen on the spot. She threw one behind her, whilst
the other was swiftly knocked out. The one called Mike, whom she had thrown,
tripped over Daniel, knocking his head on the floor. Sam carefully lifted
Daniel over her shoulder, and moved out of the room. The alarm was already
wailing, but she knew she had to hide if not escape. A simple storage cupboard
loomed, and she stepped inside. She couldn’t see a camera, but stayed in the
shadow anyway.
She found a row of shelving, hidden from the door.
She moved towards it stealthily, the instinct of the hunter roaring in her
veins. Her mind barely controlled the blood instinct to attack, pounce on the
enemy and…
Sam swallowed, and laid Daniel under the shelf. She
paced restlessly, letting the adrenalin rush ebb away, calming her wildly
racing pulse. She eventually sat, and adopted a rough position of rest.
//I must protect him; he needs me. I would kill for
Daniel - but should I, when I’m so close to the edge?//
He moaned softly, and Sam turned. Creeping over to
him, she leaned over, as his eyes blearily focused.
“Sam?” he slurred, heavily concussed. The watering
eyes, so frightened and the vulnerable pose struck her so powerfully that the
haze lifted, and she wondered how she could even consider his death.
“Yes, I’m here. How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy,” he murmured, softly. He struggled to get
up, but she gently kept him back.
“Easy. You’ve…hurt your head. Just lie still.”
“Where…?”
“Don’t worry about that now. Just keep your eyes
open.”
He nodded, then winced. His mind was child-like,
docile and so trusting. Trusting her to take care of it, never thinking she
could crush him like a stone…
She tried to move away and he clutched her arm
weakly.
“No, stay…”
//He doesn’t have a clue. Don’t trust strangers,
Daniel - and I’m a stranger now…//
She smiled at him, and he smiled back. She could only
just see him in the red flashing light, and she was certain she only appeared
as a ghost on his vision.
She took his hand frowning at the chill. She laid
her hand gently across his forehead, which was cold and clammy. He was
obviously in shock.
Sam, controlling her reactions, carefully ripped
part of her shirt and pressed it to his head. The blood soaked through within
seconds, and she searched the room for material. She moved away, realising
Daniel had fallen silent. Sam picked up the military shirt she’d found, and
walked towards him. His eyes were closed, and she shook his shoulders
desperately.
“Daniel, wake up!”
“Just thinking, Sam,” he said, his voice clearer
now.
“Okay, but keep your eyes open.”
He forced his eyes open, with great effort. Sam
smiled at him again, and he laughed quietly.
“What’s funny, Daniel?”
“I remember the light planet.”
Sam blushed, and he smiled to himself.
“The sunset was so beautiful, and we were…so
happy.”
He sighed to himself, regaining some sense of
reality as the minutes wore on. Sam could hardly believe she was talking to a
man who had just been knocked out, practically comatose and suffering severe
concussion. //But then he doesn’t know he’s talking to a woman who’s desperate
to taste his blood…//
~
Jack re-stacked the folders for the fifth time. He
glanced at the soaking coffee cups, smiled faintly at the organised bookcase -
alphabetically catalogued by culture, as Daniel insisted - and stared
mournfully at the empty chair opposite him.
He couldn’t stay in Sam’s lab, the emptiness
gnawing at him, but had set out her Naquadah samples, and, with a technician’s
guidance, prepared her next experiment.
“It’s quiet here, isn’t it?”
“It’s never quiet here.”
Janet walked in, and laid her hands firmly on his
shoulders. He leaned back, his head resting under her chin.
“I can’t accept it…they’re coming back…”
“Jack, we just heard from NID.”
Jack closed his eyes, wanting it to all go away.
Her next words made him bolt out of his chair.
“They’ve lost them. They want us to go in.”
~
“I *hate* to be a pessimist, but why call us?”
Jack was walking in continuous circles, but no one
had the heart to make him sit down.
“NID believe that Major Carter is highly dangerous
- she already took down two of their best guards. They’re scared.”
“Indeed. And they believe we can…recapture them.”
Jack stopped pacing, and stared straight at
Hammond.
“That’s it, isn’t it? They expect us to lock them
back in their cage…”
“Colonel…”
“No sir, I’m sorry, but they’re asking us to
condemn them to NID’s torture! You can’t possibly think…”
“We have Presidential orders, Jack.”
His jaw dropped, and his eyes hardened into a steel
glint.
“Far be it for me to question our esteemed leader,”
he said, through clenched teeth.
The room was silent again, as Jack stared at the
General, bitter resentment evident in his eyes.
“We leave in an hour.”
~
Sam woke with a start. She had fallen asleep -
fallen asleep guarding Daniel. She rose angrily, wondering now what had roused
her. The alarms seemed to have stopped, and a message was repeating on the loud
speaker. She moved closer to the door, and the words became clearer.
“Major Carter and Doctor Jackson, this is your last
chance to surrender freely. There is…sir, what are…you can’t…”
A new voice took over, and Sam leaned closer to the
door.
“Look, Carter, Daniel - we’ve come to get you out.
Can’t do that if you don’t show yourself. Just reveal yourself, like an Asgard
to Cimmeria…we’ll come and get you.”
Sam frowned, and moved back towards Daniel. She sat
back on her haunches, and puzzled. //An Asgard to Cimmeria? They never go
there, and with all the illusions and such…//
Sam’s eyes widened, and she smiled to herself.
“Oh yes,” she whispered, “I can do Asgard.”
~
Jack wandered the corridors, Zat in hand. Had he
been too cryptic? He frowned to himself, absently reaching for his radio.
“Yes, O’Neill?”
He started, but realised his unconscious mistake.
“Any sign?”
“No, sir, but we’re still looking.”
“Very good. O’Neill out.”
The escorting NID guard watched him carefully,
though Jack wasn’t quite sure why. //Probably trained to sniff out a good guy
at 50 paces…when did I become a good guy?// Puzzling that thought, Jack
stopped. In the middle of the corridor, there stood a…hammer. Walking towards
the hammer, Jack bent down and picked it up. He turned it around and read the
label.
“Reading you loud and clear, Major…” he murmured.
“Sir, is this important?”
Jack turned, and shook his head sadly.
“No, lieutenant, just one of your lazy cleaning
staff.”
The lieutenant pursed his lips, but said nothing
further. Jack threw the hammer between his hands for a while, as they walked,
before turning back to the lieutenant.
“Surely your duty shift finished a while ago. Why
don’t you leave?”
“Are you sure, Sir?”
“Yes, of course. Consider it a reward.”
The man smiled and saluted, before moving down the
corridor.
//Where did they get that guy from?// Jack shrugged,
and moved confidently through the halls. He had seen the plans for this place,
and knew where the Storage Rooms were.
//Now, to work out this riddle…//
Jack examined the hammer again, and sat on the
floor.
7 to dial, 8 to reach
23 languages to teach
Yet, something that binds
But we cannot find
Guided by one
We’re the ultimate sum
“Damn you, Carter,” he whispered to himself,
“What’s with the stupid riddle? Can’t you stick to math…?”
Jack started to add up the numbers mentioned,
before frowning in bewilderment.
// Room 38 is off-limits, and Room 39, if you count
the one, is a cell block. If you count the laboratories, we could be here
forever…//
He puzzled for a while, before standing up
grinning.
“Of course, the ultimate sum!”
He clicked the radio twice, standard signal for the
team, and got a response of three. Smiling, he headed for the Storage rooms.
~
“I really don’t think he’ll get it.”
Sam leaned back against the wall, supporting Daniel
against her. He’d regained some sense of reality, but was still a little
vacant.
“Daniel, you wrote it!”
“Yeah, that was my point.”
Sam smiled lazily, wondering how she could be
enjoying this. They were freezing up in an NID storage locker, and she was
enjoying Daniel’s touch…//Sam, don’t go there. This really isn’t the time…//
Daniel shivered, before whispering quietly.
“The door just opened.”
Sam’s smile faded, and she slid to the ground,
bringing Daniel with her. The sliver of light got wider, and a shadow stood in
the door. Sam was shaking, holding Daniel tightly in her arms, so afraid and
yet so angry…
“Are you sure this is correct, O’Neill?”
Sam turned slowly towards the door, to see the
obvious outlines of Teal’c and Janet join the shadow in the door.
“Jack,” Daniel whispered hoarsely, but Sam silenced
him quickly.
“We don’t know who’s with them,” she whispered,
frantically.
Teal’c stepped forward slowly, holding his hand up.
“I hear something, O’Neill.”
“It could be rats. This place if full of rats…”
Sam motioned for Daniel to wait, before creeping
between the shelving. She plucked a shape from the shelf, and rolled it gently
across the floor. The metal grated across the stone floor, and Sam realised it
was a grenade rolling towards her CO. She chuckled softly, as Teal’c’s eyes
widened.
“O’Neill, a grenade approaches!”
Sam watched the pantomime in amusement, as they
ducked behind shelves, Jack covering the protesting doctor.
The grenade slowly came to a stop in front of them.
Teal’c hesitatingly opened his eyes.
“The pin is intact, O’Neill.”
Jack looked up, frowning, before shaking his head.
“That wasn’t funny, Carter.”
She smiled in the darkness, as she felt Daniel
touch her shoulder. He hung loosely, breathing heavily.
“I told you to stay! Just rest now.”
She lifted him carefully to his feet, resting him
against her, as limp as a rag doll.
“Sir, I need help!”
Jack helped Janet stand, before moving towards the
sound.
“Carter! What happened?”
“Blow to the head, sir - he was out for some time.”
“I’m…I’m fine, Jack.”
“Like hell you are! Teal’c!”
The Jaffa replaced the grenade, and hurried over,
followed by Janet.
“Daniel! What have you done?”
“Nothing, I’m fine.”
Sam lowered him gently into her arms, cradling his
fragile form.
“Tell them, Sam, I’m fine!”
“How long was he out?”
“I…I don’t know…before we escaped, then he woke
up…a while ago. I don’t know.”
Sam berated herself, but Jack held up her wrist.
“No watch, Janet. She couldn’t know.”
“Sam…so tired…”
Sam looked down at Daniel, and held him against
her.
“Don’t sleep yet, Daniel, not quite yet.”
Janet examined the wound, removing the blood-soaked
shirt. She swallowed nervously, pulling out her medical supplies.
“Does it hurt, Daniel?”
“No, but my eyes are all fuzzy.”
“Okay, Daniel, just lie still.”
Daniel lay back in Sam’s arms. Through all the
confusion, she was there. Protecting, caring…loving? Could he dare to think
that? Could he risk that single thought, the one thing that could crumble his
heart to dust? The flame was gone. Forever.
//Yet the phoenix rises from the ashes, renewed,
reborn…regained//
The door was suddenly thrown open, and NID guards
poured into the room. They took up offensive positions, and Jack just sighed.
“Took your time, didn’t you?”
For one wild moment, Sam thought he had defected.
That this was a trap for her, a complex web. Then, the rationale kicked in, and
Jack’s sarcasm was a clear as crystal.
“I see you apprehended the…prisoners, Colonel. You
can hand them over now.”
“I don’t work for you, Simmons. You don’t even
outrank me.”
“Colonel, need I remind you…”
“Of the Presidential warrant? Well, you show me the
President and I’ll tell him where to shove his warrant.”
There were a few snickers from the NID officers,
but Simmons’ face was as black as thunder.
“That’s insubordination, Colonel.”
“There’s a lot more where that came from.”
Sam emerged from the shadows, eyes burning with
anger. A few officers backed away, but she stood still, staring soullessly into
Simmons’ eyes. He flinched, but held his ground.
“You will return with me, Major Carter. I trust
Doctor Jackson is awake.”
Sam pulled herself up to full height - a terrifying
figure for her small stature.
“You could’ve killed him, Simmons,” she seethed,
“And now I will repay the favour.”
Jack watched in amused horror, as Sam stalked
closer to Simmons. An NID officer stepped between them.
“Now, look Ma’am…”
Sam threw him across the room, and faced Simmons again.
She glanced around at the other NID officers.
“This is not your concern. Leave us!”
“They won’t leave, Major. You’ll have to kill me in
cold blood, with all these witnesses.”
Sam smiled, and laughed mirthlessly.
“In cold blood, Simmons? With you holding the gun?”
She laughed madly, and even Jack was afraid of her.
Sam’s anger consumed her - she was a wild beast,
desperate for the kill, gaining her revenge. Nothing would stop her, nothing could
stop her. The voice of reason was silenced, her muscles tensed for the kill…
“That is enough, Samantha.”
Teal’c placed a hand on her shoulder, and a deep
calm spread through her. The anger faded away, to be replaced by self-loathing.
//What am I becoming?//
“You’re a lucky man, Simmons. Very lucky. She could
kill you where you stand.”
Jack hesitated for a moment, almost relishing the
naked fear in Simmons’ eyes.
“What…are you trying to say?”
In the darkness, Daniel shivered. Janet carefully
helped him to his feet, surprised by the weakness in his grip.
“Janet,” he whispered, “Stop her…please…”
“Don’t worry, Daniel,” she replied softly, “I’m
sure Jack has a plan.”
“Now, I’m a fair guy, Simmons. I don’t want to see
Sam tear out that black heart of yours. But I will if I have to.”
“Are…are you threat…threatening me?”
“Why, Frank, would I do that?”
Jack smiled, and Simmons backed away again.
“Just let us go, Simmons. It’s as simple as that.”
“But the warrant…”
“A genuine mistake, I’m sure.”
The NID officers shifted uncomfortably, but Simmons
seemed to have regained some composure.
“Fine, take Major Carter - but Doctor Jackson
stays.”
With a cry of pure rage, Sam sprung towards Simmons
and slashed at his face. He went down, clutching at his eye. Her breath came in
short gasps, her heartbeat thundering through her body - death was near…
“Sam, no! Please…don’t…not for me…”
She heard him, but she tried to cut it out. She
wanted to crush this man, extinguish his pitiful life…
His hand touched her shoulder, his weight dragging
her down. She sank slowly, catching his crumpled body in her arms. She held him
like a child, protected in her embrace - reminding her what she could lose from
this, what she had struggled to save all for him. //To come this far, through
everything we’ve seen together, only to lose my humanity because of *him*//
She looked with disgust at Simmons, who was still
cowering on the floor. Teal’c stood protectively over them, as Sam held Daniel.
“Please Sam…”
“I understand, Daniel.”
“You always do,” he murmured.
“Major Carter, that is a…”
Sam’s fist was the only reply. In the ensuing
silence, an NID officer came forward.
“You probably don’t remember me, ma’am, but I used to
work with you. I can show you where to go - but you can’t know me.”
Sam kept her face away from him.
“If I haven’t seen you, I don’t know you. Lead the
way.”
Jack helped Sam lift Daniel - she seemed reluctant
to let go. They supported him between them, and the shadowy officer opened the
door. The harsh light flooded in, and the NID officers carefully crept into the
corridor. They lined the walls, checking everything for the ‘enemy’. The whole
atmosphere was surreal. Jack looked at the young men and women serving under
NID, and he saw something unique in every one: a sense of morality. It
challenged every idea he had about NID, the scum that worked within these
walls. He saw good, honest soldiers here, risking everything for complete
strangers. It gave him hope.
They reached a doorway marked ‘Colonel Simmons’,
and the anonymous officer opened it cautiously. The room was dark, and
everything was in shadow. A feeling of unease spread through Jack - he hated
trusting the unknown, but it had to be done.
“Please, wait here. We’re going to find some
crates.”
The silence contingent of soldiers left the room,
leaving the SGC members in the darkness. Sam drew Daniel closer to her, hating
to see him like this. She knew this was her fault - the basement, the ‘attack’
and sitting helplessly in the store room. She could’ve done more - she
*should’ve* done more. He stirred again, with only a vague sense of reality, a
half-conscious state. He buried his face into her shirt, and she held him
there.
Jack watched from a distance, contemplating.
//Crates?!// He watched them together, knowing that he could’ve destroyed them.
It ate away at him constantly, a gnawing on his soul.
The door opened again, and a few soldiers dragged
three large crates into the room. Jack viewed them sceptically, but an officer
stepped forward.
“It’s the only way, sir.”
Sam pulled Daniel up with her, scared at his
inertia. The officer pulled the crate closer, and she climbed in. Jack lowered
Daniel down to her, and she held him to her. The box was cramped and stuffy,
with barely room enough to breathe.
“Are you kids okay?”
“Yes, sir, but we need to get back quickly”
“How long?” Jack snapped tersely at the nearest
officer.
“We can get
you out in a few hours.”
Jack nodded and carefully placed the lid on the
box. The darkness was suffocating, but Sam held her nerve. Daniel stirred
restlessly and she pulled him closer.
//But how close is too close?//
~
General Hammond replaced the receiver, his patience
wearing thin. NID were spinning the same web of lies: his team wasn’t
available, there was no way to contact them and they just couldn’t spare the
time. It sickened him, how two organisations working for a common good could
deceive each other in the name of America.
The phone rang, and the General picked it up
sullenly.
“Is this important?”
There was a pause, and the airman cleared his
throat nervously.
“Well, sir, we just received a delivery from NID.
But…”
“There’s nothing due from NID.”
“Yes, sir.” The airman sounded relieved, and George
smiled to himself.
“I’ll be right down.”
He moved towards the door, when two reports caught
his eye: ‘Major Carter MIA’ and ‘Doctor Jackson MIA’. He shuddered, and walked
away, closing the door firmly behind him.
~
Jack pulled Janet closer to him, a little
uncomfortable. Janet smiled, trying to stop her teeth from chattering. The wind
whistled in through cracks in the boxes, and Janet swore the wooden walls were
closing in on her. She shut her eyes, pushing those ancient fears away.
Memories haunted her, and she pulled her jacket around her tightly, trying to
chase the shadows away.
She could still remember it clearly - the cupboard
underneath the stairs. The darkness suffocating her, the desperate rattle of the
key and shouting in the hall. Her sister, in a moment of foolery, had locked
her in the cupboard. Janet had huddled there for hours before discovery, when
the door refused to open. The memories of the tiny cupboard haunted her, and
she couldn’t even look into the SGC access ports without a shudder.
Now, encased in a crate, she was reminded of her
childhood fears and her rational mind could only just control the urge to
scream. Jack held her, but it was as if he wasn’t there. Her breathing
quickened, and her heart beat wildly in her chest. She was going to suffocate
in this darkened hell, and it wouldn’t stop…
Voices surrounded her - she could hear people
talking, and it anchored her. The unmistakeable drawl of General Hammond almost
brought composure.
Jack, hearing the voice too, hammered on the roof
of the crate.
“Get us the hell out of here!”
The startled airman whirled round, and stared at
the crate. The General glared at the NID courier.
“Is that Colonel O’Neill?”
The man stuttered, as another airman broke open the
crate. Light flooded into the box, and Janet calmed herself quickly. Jack
pulled her up with him, and helped her step out of the box. She felt dizzy and
light-headed, but her immediate thoughts were of Daniel.
“Open the other crates quickly! Doctor Jackson
needs medical attention!”
General Hammond watched in bemused silence, as the
other crates were forced open and Sam rose steadily, Daniel’s limp form
supported against her torso. Jack came over and they lifted him out, as a
stretcher appeared, as if from nowhere.
“Call down to the infirmary - I want them to stand
by for concussion, possible pneumonia and prepare the OR.”
Sam and Jack helped Daniel onto the stretcher, the
full extent of his injuries becoming clear in the light. His clothes were dusty
and darkened with blood, and his face was pale white. Sam hugged herself,
refusing to let anyone touch her. She walked in silence, stopping just before
the infirmary.
“I can’t go in there,” Sam said simply, backing
slowly away from the door. Teal’c took her shoulders in his giant hands, and
infused her with his calm.
“It is understood, Major Carter. Come with me.”
Slowly, he led her away, holding on to her as if
afraid she might fall at any moment. He guided her into his meditation room and
gently helped her sit on the floor. Carefully, he removed his hands, and she
felt all her energy leave her. All she wanted to do was curl up and die.
“I can’t…do this,” she sobbed quietly, rocking
herself back and forth.
“Samantha,” Teal’c said, his solid voice
penetrating her mind, “You must regain control. You must fight the violence
within you. You must do these things, so you can be with him.”
Sam stopped, slowly uncurling her body, raising her
head with a fiery light in her eyes.
“I could hurt him, Teal’c. I almost killed him,
Daniel, because I lost control. I can’t put him in that danger - but I’m not
strong enough to fight it. I can’t defeat this. Not on my own.”
Teal’c’s anger boiled inside him. He would make Simmons
pay for what he had done. He couldn’t stand to see his friend destroyed like
this, reduced to tears because she was afraid of what she might do.
“I am not asking you to defeat it. I am asking you
to calm yourself, Samantha, regain control over what you can. You have already
denied the beast battle, and proved yourself worthy. Otherwise, Daniel would be
dead. We can help you, we will destroy this - but for now, you must learn to
control it.”
Sam nodded shakily, looking up at Teal’c with
tear-stained cheeks and wide eyes.
“Teach me how.”
~
Jack paced outside the infirmary, humming
tunelessly to himself. He slammed his hand against the wall in frustration. A
hand was placed on his shoulder, infusing its calm into him. He turned,
unsurprised that Teal’c’s face greeted him.
“You must rest, O’Neill. You cannot help them at
this time.”
“How’s Carter?” Jack said, avoiding Teal’c’s
comments.
“She is taking a shower, then Doctor Frasier will
visit her. She does not wish to enter the infirmary. She is…afraid.”
“Of what?” Jack said, puzzled and confused.
“Of herself. She abhors the violence within her,
but does not yet have the faith or courage to control it. It will take time and
patience. However, I believe we can help her.”
Jack stood up straight, almost delighted at the
prospect of finally doing something to help.
“What can I do?”
~
Janet carefully opened the door, almost afraid of
what she would see. Sam’s clothes were folded neatly on the bed, and there was
the sound of running water from the bathroom. It stopped, and after a few
moments, Sam emerged, dressed in BDUs and roughly towelling her hair. She
looked up at Janet and smiled weakly, before laying the towel down and
approaching Janet slowly.
“How is he?” she said, quietly.
“Still in surgery. The head wound was quite nasty -
they’re investigating a possible blood clot.”
Sam closed her eyes, absorbing this information,
trying to ignore the tears threatening to escape her eyes. Janet moved to
comfort her, but Sam shifted away.
“Please, don’t. I can’t risk you touching me. I
don’t know…what I might do.”
Janet nodded, and sat down in the nearest chair.
“Sam, I know you’re afraid, but I must examine you.
We have to know the consequences of this…condition.”
Sam took a deep breath before nodding.
“Ok, I understand. Do I…should I go to the
infirmary?”
“That would be best, Sam.”
Sam nodded again, shaking, so scared of herself,
uncertain.
“All right, but I want Teal’c to be there. And I can’t
be near blood - and especially not near Daniel.”
Janet nodded, and called through to the infirmary,
still watching Sam. Sam held her arms around herself, shivering though it
wasn’t cold and obviously consumed with nervous energy. There was a slow knock
at the door, as Janet patiently waited for someone to answer the phone in the
infirmary. Sam reluctantly went to open it, stepping back as soon as it was
completely open. Jack sauntered in, followed by Teal’c, who immediately went
over to Janet.
“Your presence is required in the infirmary, Doctor
Frasier. SG5 have returned from off-world, and are presenting symptoms of
influenza.”
Janet sighed deeply, before moving towards the
door. She looked back at Sam, who was now nervously twisting paper between her
fingers.
“Are you alright here, Sam? I’ll be back as soon as
I can.”
Sam nodded, as Jack gently closed the door.
“Sit down, Sam. We need to talk.”
Sam sat down, puzzled at his even tone and even
more surprised to hear him call her ‘Sam’.
“Samantha, we wish you to tell us what has
transpired since you left the SGC four days ago.”
“I’ll try, Teal’c, but some of my memories
are…distant.”
He nodded slowly, as she carefully concentrated her
mind. She remembered sitting in her house, in the basement and hearing the
answering machine. It had been Daniel. She had ignored it, and he had come
over. She had seen him and…a huge blank in her memory. She remembered waking up
in the basement, and everything that happened after that. She tried to remember
what Daniel had said, about a conspiracy...
"I can't remember anything useful, but I know
that Daniel knew. He told me...I know he did...I just need to remember..."
Sam held her head in her hands, massaging her
throbbing temples. It made no sense, none of it did but she was sure that
Daniel held the answers. He had told her, when Simmons taunted him, saying that
he was afraid. Sam hated him - she wanted to kill him, crush him. And, if it
weren't for Daniel, she would have done. He had saved her humanity yet again,
saved her from the growing darkness in her heart that had been dragging her
into the ground.
He had
loved her, but no more. All because of her frailties, her inability to love him
the way he deserved. Together, she thought they could be strong, but they were
just feathers in the wind, caught in the hurricane of life, blown along by the
danger and uncertainty. It was impossible to hold on when their lives were
spinning out of control, and they had no knowledge of tomorrow.
Sam dragged herself back to reality, looking up at
Jack and Teal'c. They were patiently waiting for the answers - and she couldn't
give them.
"I don't know, I can't remember. Daniel worked
it out, he was talking to Simmons - he said there was a conspiracy, that I
would destroy the SGC. Daniel was the test, I was meant to...to...eat his
heart."
Sam swallowed down her revulsion, shuddering at
thought of what she could've done. And it was all his fault, that
psychiatrist...
"I remember!" Sam leapt to her feet, eyes
shining, "Mackenzie, it was Mackenzie! Simmons said it was
Mackenzie!"
Jack's face clouded over, darkening eyes revealing
a storm of emotions. Teal'c looked puzzled
"I do not understand, Major Carter. How was
Mackenzie able to achieve this?"
"I was put into a counselling session by NID.
They said they wanted to catalogue the effects of Orlin's ascension, on me, to
see if it had changed me..."
Sam trailed off, letting her memories resurface,
surround her in their presence. She was afraid and unsure; the memories were
violent, menacing - and she could feel the compulsion to kill throbbing in her
veins. She concentrated, trying to force it down, but the rage filled her and
she cried out. Immediately, Teal'c stood beside her, hands on her shoulders,
chanting something that Jack thought sounded distinctly Goa'uld. Quietly, he
observed them.
After several minutes, Sam appeared to be calm
again, and she gently removed Teal'c's hands.
"Thank you, " she said, in a whisper,
strangely appropriate for this impromptu ritual.
Janet had quietly slipped in the door, also
watching the 'ritual'. Jack had unconsciously drawn Janet close to him, needing
some physical comfort when everything seemed to be breaking down around him.
"How's Daniel?" Sam said, pushing the
last of the anger to the back of her mind.
"He's out of theatre now." Janet said,
simply, her voice steady and even. However, far from reassuring Sam, this
immediately worried her. Looking Janet straight in the eye, she knew something
was wrong.
"Tell me everything, Janet, I have to
know."
Janet bit her lip, and moved carefully away from
Jack, detaching herself from him as she would have to detach herself from
Daniel with her words.
"Yet again, Daniel appears to have defied medical
science. With a head injury that severe, he should never have woken up, let
alone been able to speak to us. I have never encountered anything like
it."
Sam almost smiled in spite of herself, but quickly
realised Janet hadn't really told them anything.
"And now? Has he woken up yet?"
Janet hesitated again, but knew she had a duty to
tell them everything.
"He was unconscious for a very long time, but
the fact that he did wake up and was lucid is a good, if
slightly...interesting, sign. However, because of...everything, there is
a...significant chance of brain damage."
Even with her attempted detachment, Janet's voice
was shaking. Sam closed her eyes, and allowed herself to drown silently in
emotion. This could be it, breaking point; this could be the point where they
lost him. Oh, he would still be there, but only a shadowed version of him that
gave blank stares and couldn't quite remember who he was.
Sam berated herself, chastising herself, forcing
herself to remember that not all brain damage turned out that way, that she had
only seen the worst side of it.
"What about the Tok'ra?" she suddenly
blurted out, her mind searching for answers as if this was just another science
problem that must have a solution.
"We're contacting them of course, but I think
they could only have one solution."
Jack scowled, as he always seemed to do when the
Tok'ra were mentioned. It seemed he liked the 'cure' even less than the
alternative. He stood up, and looked at Janet, as if challenging her to say he
was lost, that it was all hopeless. Just so he could deny it, and shut off the
pain, lose himself in argument, pretend it wasn't real.
Teal'c stood still, observing, keeping his
turbulent emotions locked away. He watched Sam struggle with her demons,
watched Jack flare up in anger yet crumble inside and watched Janet tax her
mind for solutions. He did not know if he dared suggest a solution, because he
did not know if she was ready, if she could handle what he would be asking of
her. Yet he knew that without this, there would be no hope for Daniel.
"Do not despair, O'Neill. We can save him.”
Jack looked up at him, questioningly. Teal’c
glanced across at Sam, who met his gaze and lowered her head.
“What do I have to do?” she said, softly.
“Heal, Samantha, then you can help him.”
“He needs my help NOW, damnit!”
Sam thumped the wall with both of her fists, crying
out with savage rage. The images assaulted her mind – Simmons’ smirk, the knife
on Daniel’s skin, fire in a tunnel, a suffocating crate, bone-chilling waters,
silver mummies, burning candles...
She whirled around and fell to her knees, reaching
for the candle that stood, waiting to burn, to be lit. Wordlessly, Teal’c
placed the matches in her hand and she struck one steadily, lighting the
candle.
Sam stared into the flame, marking out the auras in
her mind, focusing on the pure darkness at its heart. That’s where she was – in
the centre of a flame, the black, gut-wrenching evil in the midst of flickering
light. All she had to do was reach out...
Standing quickly, she faced Janet, her eyes shining
and her smile brilliant.
“I can save him, I can save us both!”
~
She had never liked the silence of the infirmary –
it was always far too loud. The irritating beeps of monitors, the rustle of
fabric, it all grated on her. Until she realised that animals’ senses were
heightened for battle...was this a battle? With Daniel? For Daniel?
Sam sat carefully on the edge of his bed and gently
caressed back his hair. Closing her eyes, she settled her fingers on his face
and...waited.
The roar of light and the glare of sound threatened
to drown her, but she held her connection to Daniel, kept them both strong. The
infirmary grew muted, shaded, and she lost hold of Daniel...
She sat up in a meadow by a flowing stream. Daniel
was nowhere to be seen. She stood up quickly and looked around. Nothing, no
one. She stamped her foot in frustration and turned again, cursing under her
breath.
“Hello?”
Sam turned towards the voice and gasped. A small
boy, maybe six or seven years old, stood before her, watching her curiously.
His dirty blond hair fell into his deep blue eyes, and she knew then, she saw
*him*.
“Daniel? Hi, I’m Sam.”
She knelt in front of him so she could meet his eyes
and he smiled around his thumb. She reached out a hand and he took it,
clutching at her as they walked back towards the river. She wanted to ask so
many questions, to discover her Daniel at this age, but she was aware of the
clock ticking over, of her duty to her adult friend.
Teal’c thought she was the closest, that she was
the only one who could thread his mind together, bring him back. She hoped he
was right, damnit, because she needed Daniel, needed him all, forever.
A boat now floated at the edge of the river and she
lifted the small boy into it before following, taking an oar, untying the
mooring.
“Where are we going?”
She looked back at the child, smiling at the cute
furrow in his brow, at how Daniel had never truly outgrown that look.
“I don’t know yet, Daniel. It’s...an adventure!”
She pulled them into the current, and the boat
sliced through the water quickly, carrying them at great speeds towards...
...a grey sofa in a dingy apartment. Sam bolted out
of the seat, and looked around wildly. Where was Daniel? Afraid for the child,
she darted into the next room to find a teenager intently reading a textbook
and cranking up the volume on the radio.
“Daniel?”
He looked up and his eyes narrowed, curiosity
warring with anger behind those bespeckled eyes.
“It’s Danny, man, c’mon! And how did you get in
here? Jerry swore he’d lock the door and keep his chicks out.”
Sam almost grinned, almost laughed, but she knew
time still drained, so hurried her words.
“Well, I’m not one of Jerry’s ‘chicks’. I was
looking for you.”
“Look, if you’re a hooker, Jerry’s wrong, okay? I
don’t need to play, I don’t need drugs – just let me get my degree!”
“Actually, I’m here because of Doctor Daniel Jackson.
I’m here because he’s dying and you’re all I have to get him back. You’ll get
your degree – just show me to the door and...walk with me a while.”
It was a shot in the dark, a desperate ploy, but
the young man’s eyes widened and he shut the book, standing up to face her.
“Lady, you’d better not be messing with me here.”
“I’m Daniel’s best friend – I wouldn’t do that to
you.”
He nodded slowly and walked towards his door,
holding it open. She walked through and he followed her out...
...into an office crammed with books. For a moment,
Sam thought she was in the SGC. She trailed her fingers over a Mayan statue,
wondering why it wasn’t on its shelf.
“Hey, don’t touch that!”
It was out of her hand in seconds, and Daniel
clutched it to his chest tightly, protectively. Sam stifled her laughter,
remembering when Jack had balanced it on his head and Daniel had frantically
tried to reach it before it met its end on Air Force-issue floors.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my office?”
Sam tried to speak, but Daniel kept going, caught
in his argument.
“Because I just lost all my funding and I have the
last lecture of my career tomorrow, and so far, it’s not even written. Because,
you know, if you’re going to go out, you should really do it in style. Though
style has never really been my thing, maybe I should just call the whole thing
off.”
He turned to her then and she let her jaw drop
open, before she checked herself and snapped her mouth shut. //He’s talking
about the last lecture, and then Catherine...//
“No, you have to go! It’s...really important that
you be there!”
He nodded uneasily, then squinted at her.
“Who are you again?”
“I’m Major Samantha Carter, I work...”
“For the military.”
His bitter tone made her physically recoil, but he met
her eyes, stared her down.
“Look, Major, I’m not in the mood for ‘questions’
today. You want to know my research? Come to my lecture, okay? I don’t need
this.”
“No, but you need me.”
The passion in his eyes briefly abated, but Sam was
already hooked. Damn, she wished she’d known this man. The true scholar, the
brilliant mind...before Sha’re, before tragedy. She had befriended the grieving
husband and had never known the giving, free man. And some selfish part of her
wanted to hold on to this memory of him, this shadow from the past.
“Let’s get a drink. A meal. I need to talk with
you.”
His eyes flickered warily from side to side, but
then he nodded, turning off the lights and holding the door open for her. She
moved out, automatically gravitating towards him, brushing by him as they did
every day. He looked into her eyes, awe evident on his face.
“Major...?”
She was too close, and he was vibrating under her
fingers as she laid her hand on his shoulder.
“I’m here to help.”
They walked out onto the street and she forced
herself to calm down. This was *Daniel* - her best friend, her lover, her One.
But, really, was this shadow truly him? She watched the man carefully, but try
as she might, she couldn’t see her Daniel, not at all. And that scared her.
A brick landed on the path in front of her. She
stared at it for a moment, before it was joined by another and another until a
whole pile formed before her eyes. Taking Daniel’s arm, she pulled him back,
but the earth moved, and they were thrown to the ground.
She felt fissures beneath her fingers, and the sky
was split again and again, lightening striking the building, bringing ruin and
destruction. She glanced across at Daniel, and gasped. His body faded in and
out, and she realised.
“His mind...this is his mind...”
The breakdown of all around her told her that this
was it, she had wasted time. Daniel was falling apart, and she, *she*, could
cost him his life with her foolish curiosity.
Grasping onto Shadow Daniel, she pulled her close
to her, forcing him to look at her.
“You’re Daniel Jackson, you’re stronger than this.
You need to hold on.”
The fleeting image nodded desperately, and she
looked up, as the sky fell...
...and brought her to a desert. A big desert.
She sat up, fighting the feeling that Daniel should
be in her arms. Was he still here? Had she been too late? She cursed herself
again – Daniel didn’t have time for her to play games; he was dying in here and
she was his cure.
A distant drumming pushed at her ears and she
listened carefully. She pulled herself forward on the sand, as if gravity was
just too strong to let her stand. Tired and hurting, she wondered if Daniel
realised his imagination could be so painful.
Light flared on the horizon and the chatter of
voices coursed over the sand like a flooding stream – a gathering. Pushing
herself upward with all of her strength, she moved drunkenly towards the fire.
She tried to make out a pale figure in the crowd, but her vision was
blackening, her head pounding.
What was wrong with her? She wasn’t sick; Daniel
was the one in trouble here. She thought back to the street – the cracking
world, a fractured mind. Maybe part of him was leaching into her...Sam shook
off the feeling. She needed to help, not hinder.
She grasped one of the people, and gasped when a
familiar voice inquired, “Are you lost?”
“Skaara...”
“Dan-yer! DAN-YER!”
Her eyes focused on a thin pale figure who held her
upright, soothing her with gentle tones.
“Shush, it’s alright, I’ve got you...”
“Daniel,” Sam breathed, desperation forcing out
words she only half-understood, “I need to speak to you...you must help me...I
have to save you...”
“Have you some through the Stargate? Is it open? Is
Ra --?”
A flash of inspiration struck her, and she grasped
his arm tightly, making eye contact as best she could.
“How long...since you...left Earth?”
“Dan-yer, what is she talking about?”
“A year, I think, maybe less. Why? What’s
happened?”
She sank lower, fighting gravity, and he lowered
her carefully to a sit, still watching her. Sam took a few deep breaths, and
then continued.
“You must go...back to the pyramid. It’s important,
you have to.”
“No. I won’t go back.”
The defiance shocked her, and he released her
quickly. She hadn’t expected resistance, not now, not when she was so close...
“Daniel, they need you.”
Her whisper was barely audible, but he turned and
faced her, staring her down.
“These people need me too.”
Then, she met his pure blue eyes, and forced
herself to lie.
“I’m not saying they don’t. But you can still
protect them, and save Earth too!”
She hated herself in that moment, as he accepted
her half-truth and smiled at her openly, wondrously, before helping her stand
up again.
“Then, let’s go.”
~
The world was colour and she was hope.
Sam, I’m here.
She reached out, grasping thin threads and holding
on, as they twisted in knots across her fingers.
Don’t let go.
The threads wove together, spinning into weave and
forming a perfect tapestry, each unravelled thread neatly reformed into the
pattern.
I’m not sure.
The threads started to spin apart, but she held on,
reigned them in.
BUT I AM.
Then, all was silence and night.
~
Two sharp gasps, a monitor going wild.
A hand in hers.
Samantha Carter opened her eyes and stared into the
brilliant blue soul of Dr Daniel Jackson. Who blinked.
“Um…did I miss something?”
DO YOU FEEL THE SAME
OR AM I ONLY DREAMING?
It was instinctual to hold his face like that, eyes
flooding, and to kiss as if the world was ending. But it wasn’t. No, they were
still there. Still whole.
“Kids? Less of the…y’know…”
Sam broke the kiss with a sigh, and turned to face
Jack. She noticed everything about him – his awkward posture, heart beating a
little too fast, the concern fading from his eyes to be replaced with mirth.
And then Daniel squeezed her hand, and she felt her
senses retreat, her heart slow, the hunt ending with finality. Sam looked at
Daniel and saw only her friend, her lover, her One. Not blood, not prey – those
feelings were fleeing like her visions from Daniel’s mind, all of it blurring
to shadow.
In a way, she was glad – those were Daniel’s
memories, and she had no wish to intrude. But her selfish heart still wanted
them, those touches of the man she loved that lay buried. She wanted all of
him, and this had been her key.
Then she saw his face, and realised it didn’t
matter. Love was all about discovery. And she would discover him.
“Are you well, Major Carter? Perhaps this has been
too taxing.”
“Sam? Are you okay?”
Sam shook her head, brought herself back and
laughed. Three concerned faces peered into hers, then jumped back at her
laughter – quite the comedy act. She smiled angelically, and was met with
sceptical eyebrows and frowns.
“Why don’t we order take-out?”
The frowns changed to smiles, and the food debate
began – Teal’c for Chinese and Jack for Pizza, with Daniel and Sam just
watching. It was the way it should be, Sam thought, them all there, together. They
were as close as friends could be, they depended on each other, and now she had
Daniel’s hand in hers, and she had never known a world more perfect.
She just hoped it would last.
IS THIS BURNING AN ETERNAL FLAME?
*finis*