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**** The air was still, nothing moving except for a shrub that rustled when a small squirrel like creature jump out from its hiding place and pounced on a rotting piece of fruit. Expertly peeling the hard dark green skin the creature eagerly bit into the soft orange flesh. Lost in the simple act of eating it didn’t notice a point on the huge stone ring light up, only dropping the fruit it had been enjoying when the second point glowed. Curious, the creature didn’t run away but instead took shelter, even when the rest of the points glowed and the water like vortex erupted. It watched as a mechanical creature slowly made its way out of the upturned water and lurched from side to side as it negotiated its way down the worn steps and investigated the plants even picking up some of the ground. Once it had finished its exploration it slowly made it’s way back towards the stone ring and after much whirling it finally came to a rest. The creature inclined its head, sat up on its hind legs and blinked as if unsure what to do next. Finally making a decision it dashed over towards the creature stopping by one of the large rubber tyres to sniff the unfamiliar scent. Suddenly it froze as the water rippled and four figures emerged and ran off into the safety of the undergrowth. “These seem to be made out of the same element as the Stargate.” Daniel told Teal’c and delved into his hold all to pull out a battered notebook. “I think the writings tell the history of the people who once inhabited this place.” He said flicking through the well-worn pages “They speak of a traveller coming through the gate and taking some of their people.” Teal’c raised an eyebrow “The Goa’uld?” Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed at the bridge of his nose “Yeah” he said replacing his glasses “I think so, but…” Suddenly the ground underneath them began to rumble. “Did you feel that?” Daniel asked Teal’c. Before the Jaffa had a chance to answer Daniel’s radio crackled “Daniel, Teal’c did you guys feel that?” Jack asked. By the sounds of it he was running “Yeah Jack” Daniel told him “Daniel, dial the gate where getting out of here” Jack told him. Daniel didn’t need to be told twice as he sprinted off towards the gate. He’d just about reached the DHD when a second stronger tremor hit causing him to lose his balance. “Daniel Jackson are you ok?” Teal’c asked hauling him onto his feet “Yes” he told him feeling a little shaky “These tremors are getting stronger”. Wasting no time Daniel hit the symbols for earth and it seemed like an eternity before the Stargate activated and he entered in their transmitter code. Daniel spotted Jack and Sam first running towards them just as a third tremor struck the group causing everyone to lose their balance. “Get out of here” Jack shouted. Teal’c was the first to disappear into the shimmering blue event horizon, but Daniel hesitated for second unsure if he should wait for them. Feeling the ground begin to shake once more and noting that Sam and Jack only had a few more feet to run Daniel followed Teal’c through that gate. Scrabbling back onto their feet Jack and Sam headed towards the activate gate. They were only a short distance away when another much larger tremor hit and Jack watched in horror as one of the massive stone pillars began to sway. Feeling the ground begin to settle Jack helped Sam back on her feet and gingerly began to walk towards the gate. “Come on let’s go before they fall down” Jack told Sam indicating to the unstable columns of stone “Right behind you… Sir!” Sam cried out as she watched in horror as the pillar listed from one side and then the other. Unconsciously she moved closer to Jack as small pieces of the pillar broke away until the pillar made one final movement, losing its battle with gravity. Jack grabbed hold of Sam’s jacket and threw her into the undergrowth. The sound of the pillars falling was deafening and Sam held her hands up to her ears in a vain effort to protect them.
Jack spluttered as the dust around him started to settle and the ringing in his ears subsided. Looking down his saw Sam clinging on to him, her clothes and hair filled with the grey dust and his first thought was whether or not she was hurt. Easing her away from him he stood up helping Sam to do the same. “AHHHH!!!” she cried and fell back down on the ground. Dropping to his knees Jack placed his hands on her shoulder “Easy now” he told her “My ankle Sir,” Sam told him through gritted teeth, “I think it’s broke.” “OK, I’m gonna have to take off your boot.” He told her and Sam nodded as Jack went to work untying the laces. “Ow” Sam grimaced as Jack eased the boot off “OW” followed by her thick white sock “OWWWWW” she finally cried once she saw her swollen and multicoloured ankle looked “Nice” Jack told her as he survey her foot. “So any idea what just happened?” he asked her Sam watched as Jack moved his hand expertly over her distended ankle. “er, I think it was nothing more than a simple earthquake... Is it broken?” She asked him her voice a little shaky Jack raised his eyes to meet hers and smiled “No” he said, “Looks like you’ve only twisted it. Once we get back to the SGC I’ll get Frasier to have a look at it. Lets get you on your feet.” Sam nodded and held out her hand for him to help her up. Jack held Sam under her arm and gently eased on to her feet. Sam’s face twisted in pain as the blood made it’s way back down to her injured ankle causing it to throb painfully “OK?” Jack asked concern written all over his face “I can carry you” “I’ll be fine Sir.” she told him. There was no way in hell she was going to let him carry her. Wrapping an arm around her waist Sam allowed Jack to take her weight and together they hobbled their way towards the gate. The path was uneven and even though the journey to the gate was not that far it was slow going. Suddenly Jack stopped “Ah Crap” Sam, looked up. What greeted her was nothing but a large pile of rubble where the gate should have been. “Maybe it got buried.” She said hopefully “Lets hope your right.” Jack eased his arm from around Sam’s waist and helped her to sit on a nearby tree stump, “OK you sit here while I go check it out” Sam watched as Jack walked over to the spot where the gate used to stand. She suppressed the surge of panic from rising as she watched him manoeuvre the large slaps of rock. Jumping slightly when her radio cracked Sam pressed the button “Sir” she said “Carter, just how important are these chevron... thingies?” Chevrons, why did he want to know about the chevrons? “They are an integral part of the gate sir.” She told him “They align each of the coordinates and...” “So their important?” Jack interrupted Sam watched, as a distant Jack turned round to face her and start his journey back to her. “Without them the gate won’t work…” she said into her radio as Jack neared her position. “Why?” she asked when Jack was standing next to her. Jack held up a heavy piece of broken stone and Sam recognised it instantly. “Cos, I think one fell off...” Daniel tapped is pen on the table top and tried to remain calm. “Dr Jackson” Hammond began “We have tried several times to access the gate on P-437, but it’s just not working” Daniel wasn’t ready to give up on his friends just yet even if the SGC were. “Well there must be something we can do?” he said “Should we not try to contact the Tok’ra?” Teal’c asked in his usual calm manner. Daniel wondered how the Jaffa could stay so calm when his friends are lost on a planet millions of light years away with no obvious way of getting home. “I’ve already spoken to them…” Hammond said sounding just as calm “Their closest ship is over 12 months away…” “A year!” Daniel examined “They must have one closer than that?” The Tok’ra always have a ship closer. “Dr Jackson as of this moment I am declaring Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter missing in action.” Hammond told him. “What?” Daniel could... no... would not believe that General Hammond was just giving up like this. Seeing the distressed look upon Daniel face Hammond’s voice softened. “Rest assured, we are not giving up on them.” Hammond told him “The Tok’ra have sent a ship we just have to wait…” Jack wrung out the soaked bandage and made his way back towards Sam. She had become very distant since they had discovered the Stargate had been destroyed in the quake. He couldn’t blame her for feeling a little depressed, but if he were certain of one thing they would be rescued. How and when he didn’t know, but he did know it would happen. Kneeling down in front of her he placed the cold cloth against her enlarged ankle. Sam flinched slightly. “This will help with the swelling… Should be ok in a few days” he told her standing up. “Thanks Sir” She replied he voice wavering slightly “Sir?” “Yeah” “Where not going home are we?” “Not through the gate any how… Right now Major we just try and survive till rescue arrives.” Rescue, how could he possible think they’ll get rescued and by whom. The Tok’ra or maybe the Asguard. That was doubtful. No the only way they were getting of this rock was through the Stargate. “Whenever that’ll be.” She snorted. “Major…” Jack warned and Sam looked up at him. Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes Jacks voice softened “We’ve been in survival situations before… Hey look on the bright side… At least it’s not cold...” Sam lowered her eyes to look back at the small stones that made up the shore of the lake. “Yes Sir” Jack looked around him trying to assess the best place to set up camp. “We’ll set up camp here.” he said seeing this was a good a place as any. Sam nodded and using the boulder she was sitting on as a lever she attempted to stand. That, she discovered, was a mistake. A couple of small stones shifted under her good leg and she wobbled and not wanting to fall flat on her face in front of the Colonel she lent of her injured ankle. Pain immediately shot up through her leg and she let out a yell. “Hey” Jack said coming to her aid. Placing an arm around her waist easing Sam back down onto the boulder. “OK...?” He asked. Sam simply nodded “I’ll be back soon, you just sit here.” Sam hated feeling useless and she hated being injured and feeling useless even more. “But Sir…” “That’s an order Major” Jack told her before heading off back to the Stargate to get their gear off the F.R.E.D they had brought with them. Sam sat; there wasn’t much else she could do except wait and her mind began to wonder as she mused about their current situation. Things could be worse she thought. The Colonel was right at least it wasn’t cold and her ankle would heal in a few days. The only problem Sam saw was the fact that it was just the two of them here for God knows how long with no one else around. “Get a grip Sam,” she muttered, “It’s not like you’re going to jump each other” “Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness” Sam jumped; she hadn’t even heard the Colonel approach “Yes Sir” she stuttered Jack eyed her curiously as he dumped the bags on the ground. Putting Sam’s odd behaviour down to shock he lowered himself to the ground. “Let’s see what we’ve got” Jack delved into one of the hold alls and taking out various items either throwing them over his shoulder or placing them next to him. Jack looked up when he heard the stones crunching and smiled when he saw Sam crawling towards him on all fours. Even now, especial now when her hair was all tussled with dirty streaks across her face Sam looked amazing and the usual surge of desire for her erupted. “Yeah see that’s one of my many fantasies right there” Jack told her truthfully. Sam smiled a slow seductive smile that set his heart pumping sending blood places that he didn’t want it to go. “Is a sexually harassment case one of your many fantasies as well Sir.” He knew she was only joking, but it was Sam’s way of letting him know that things hadn’t changed. They maybe trapped on a planet alone, with no chance of getting home, but the rules still applied. Jack coughed slightly “We have supplies to last us about a month, but we can stretch that if we need to.” He told her “Waters not a problem.” “There’s the tents as well,” she said coming to rest in front of him. “Right...” Jack said standing up, “Might as well make ourselves comfortable.” Sam picked up a couple of packets of MRI’s and looked around for the stove. Finding it only a few inches away she leant over and picked it up. Might as well get dinner on. Half an hour later Sam had a hot pot of coffee and two bowls of food ready. “It’s ready Sir” she called over to him “What have we got?” Jack asked, the first pangs of hunger had taken hold a few minutes ago and he was starving. Sam spooned up some of the brown goo with chunky bits and let it drop unceremoniously back into her bowl. “I think it’s lamb stew, but…” she shrugged Jack tasted it and grimaced. If he weren’t so hungry he would have thrown it away. “They should fire the guy who makes these” Sam laughed for the first time since they had been stranded. “Cheer up sir... It’s rice pudding for afters” “Oh yum” Daniel rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. He had been working on the translation of the images taken from P-437 for 5 hours straight and the muscles in his back were telling him it was time to stop. With impeccable timing Teal’c knock on his door and Daniel signalled for him to come in. “Have you made any progress Daniel Jackson?” he asked “Well so far I have managed to work out that the people who were on P-437 just simply died off.” Daniel picked up the relevant image to show Teal’c “They didn’t want to be enslaved be the Goa'uld so they simply stopped... er.. reproducing.” Teal’c raised an eyebrow “An effective method” he said Daniel shrugged “Yeah. Different, but not one we can use...” The alarm sounded indicating wormhole activity and for a brief moment Daniel thought that Jack and Sam had found a way back. “It will be SG-7 returning” Teal’c told him knowing that his friend was having the same thoughts. “Yeah I know” Daniel told him sadly “They will return Daniel Jackson” “I know” he told him “I just wonder if they are ok and what they are doing right now” The nights on P-437 were a little warm Jack noted, as he poked the flames of the modest fire with a stick. Watching the flame take hold of the wood he allowed it to burn for a few moments before blowing it out. He was bored. “Sir?” “Yeah” he replied not taking his eye of the glowing stick as he began to write his name in the night sky. “I was just wondering if we can’t use the gate to get home…” “They’ll get to us” he told her. “Yes Sir” came her automatic response “but how?” Giving up playing with the stick, Jack turned to Sam. “I don’t know, maybe the ever reliable Tok’ra will come and get us. It might even be dear old Dad” Sam shrugged her shoulders “Yeah, if he’s not on some convert op” “Not too happy about that?” he asked her. This was a side of Sam he defiantly wasn’t used to seeing. “Don’t get me wrong Sir... I’m more than happy that the Tok’ra saved him, it’s just... He was a pain in the ass when he was just my Dad, now that’s he’s a Tok’ra he’s an even bigger pain in the ass he just visits less often...” “It’s hard to be a Dad when your job is saving the galaxy... He can’t always be there.” Jack remembered back when his job was only defending his country and how tough it was leaving Charlie and Sara; unable to tell them where he was going or when he would be back. It had been tough on all of them. “I’d just be happy if he was here at all” he heard her say. “I know” he told her, fully understanding what she meant. “It’s just,” Sam said throwing her hands in the air “Oh I don’t know… I guess I’m just tired” “Why don’t you turn in,” he told her “I’ll take first watch,” “OK” Sam said before she hobbled off towards the tent. Jack stood up and walked towards the shore of the lake, barely moving, and the surface looked like glass. Jack dug his hands deeper into his pockets and smiled slightly. Yeah, he thought, there were defiantly worse places to be stranded. The thin line had hardly moved for half an hour but that didn’t bother Jack as he leaned against the warm smooth surface of the boulder. He had discovered the lake held a huge array of fish that allowed him to indulge in his favourite hobby. He’d even persuaded Sam to join him once or twice. Lowering his hat over his eyes Jack smiled, this was as close to perfect as he thought he would ever get. “Catch anything yet?” At the sound of Sam’s voice Jack lifted his hat and smiled “Nope” he told her “They’re down there though” “Here” Sam said handing him a beaker “Thanks” Jack took a long drink, obviously more thirst then he first thought. It was only when he had taken a sizable drink that realised something wasn’t right. “What was that?” Carter shifted from one foot to the other, her injured ankle had healed some months ago. “I found some fruit trees not too far from here. The fruit looks like oranges... I just pressed a couple. What do you think?” she asked. Jack took another experimental drink “Tastes like... oranges... Lets just hope it doesn’t kill us” “You” What? “What?” he asked her with raised eyebrows “I used you as a guinea pig” Sam told him smiling sheepishly “Really, well it...” Suddenly Jack started coughing and bent over at the waist. Sam rushed over to him as his face started to turn red. “Sir?” she cried “Oh God” she had poisoned him. Jack looked sideways and waited till Sam was in the right position. Quickly he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her over his shoulder. Sam let out a startled cry and once she realised what he intended to do with her she started to beat his back with her fist. “NO!” she cried as he dumped her in the lake. The water was ice cold and her breath was taken away. “Last time you’ll use me as guinea pig” he laughed as Sam flapped around until she found her footing. “Ahhhh” she shouted, “This water is freezing” “Serves you right” Jack told her extending a hand to help her out. Shooting him a dagger look Sam took hold of his hand. With all of her might Sam pulled sending Jack flying forward. With a huge splash he landed in the lake next to her. Sam scrabbled up the bank knowing she had to get out fast before Jack got his bearings. Once on the shore Sam allowed herself to enjoy the sight of Jack splashing around and laughed. “You are so gonna pay for that” he shouted “Yeah... you and whose army” she shouted back before turning on her heel and headed back towards the camp. Jack fished around for his hat and noticed that the float on his fishing line was bobbing. “Hey, I caught one” he said to the retreating Sam. “I’ve been thinking” Sam was sitting by the edge of the lake her legs playing with the water. Several hours had passed since Jack had thrown her in the lake. “Whenever do you not think?” Jack teased her. He was lying against a large boulder; his hat pulled over his eyes. “We’ve been here over 6 months now” “Yeah” Jack yawned. Had it really been 6 months already “They would have declared us MIA by now” she told him a trace of sadness in her voice. “Yep” “Do you think they have stopped trying to reach us?” she asked him Jack lifted his cap to look at her. If he was being honest with himself he had been having the exact same thoughts recently, but he wasn’t about to let Sam know that. “Your point?” Sam lifted her legs out of the water and spun herself round to face him “when do we stop?” Jack’s brow creased “Stop what?” “Waiting” she simply told him. Jack’s heart lurched at the look of sadness that was evident on Sam’s face. Standing up Jack walked over to her “Come her” he said taking her in his arms “We don’t” he told her “Do you understand me Sam?” After a few minutes Jack noticed that Sam’s shoulders were shaking and he soothed her hair as she wept in his arms.
“Hey come on” he told her “We’ll be fine, I promise” Oh who was she kidding he was no longer her CO, 6 months stranded on this planet had seen to that. Besides this felt right. Closing her eyes Sam leaned in closer to his body. Daniel sat at the large table in the briefing room and let the words that General Hammond had told him sink in. “3 days....” he said smiling broadly “They can get to them in 3 days... I thought it would take them another 6 months to reach them” “Apparently they have found away to get there sooner.” Hammond told him Even Teal’c managed a smile, well sort of. “Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter will be please to return home” Daniel scratched his head and lent back in his chair “I can’t even imagine how horrible it must be for them... Just the two of them on that planet alone” Teal’c studied his friend from across the table and raised his eyebrow “It must be hell” he told him Daniel’s brow creased. Was Teal’c being sarcastic? Hammond cleared he throat “The ship will be passing past PY-998 later today.” “Erm... Permission to...” Daniel asked without hesitation. Hammond had anticipated that Daniel and Teal’c would want to gate to the planet to meet up with the Tok’ra ship. No doubt they want to meet up with their missing friends as soon as they could. “Granted...” he told them as the two disappeared out of the room. Jack felt the pressure of Sam’s lips easing and he considered protesting, but instead he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “Well that was erm... Nice” he told her. In fact it was more than nice it had been a damn good kiss. “Just nice?” she asked “Well we have done this before... several times in fact” he told her Sam’s head snapped up to look at him “What do you mean several times?” It was Jack’s turn to look embarrassed and he shuffle from one foot to the other “Well there was that time...” he told her “Yeah” Sam said remembering the time they had become one of the ‘Touched’ and she had jumped him in the locker room. That had been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, even though it wasn’t her fault technically; she still had jumped her CO in the locker room. “And then there was that time...” Jack said reminding her of the time the other Carter from an alternative reality had paid them a visit and he had kissed her. “Technically that wasn’t me. That was another me.” She told him “Oh yeah...” he said, “and then there was that one time” “What time?” she asked. She couldn’t remember any other time. Whoops Jack thought. “Do you remember that whole looping thing me and Teal’c did a couple of years back?” “Yeah” she said starting to feel slightly alarmed. He could have done anything in the time he and Teal’c spent looping. Anything “You kissed me?” “Oh Yeah” he said grinning at the memory of kissing her in the gate room in front of Hammond. “So that’s why you were smiling” she said thinking back to the time he had spent the briefing starring at her with a stupid grin on his face “Yeah...” he said still thinking of the kiss. “You Pig” she said and playful slapped him on the arm “You took advantage of the situation” “Hell Yeah” he said backing away from her. He didn’t like the look on her face one bit. “What else was I gonna do?” he said as a way of an explanation “What else did you?” she demanded taking a few steps towards him. “Ah well” he told her and headed back towards their camp. Sam stood and watched his retreating back. They - no Jack - could have done anything and she wouldn’t know. No wonder the kiss they had shared had been so good. He knew all the right buttons to push. She wondered if he had any idea how close she came to pushing him down on the floor and letting him make love to her. How much she had wanted him to and now she knew why. Had they taken it that one step further? “Jack” she shouted, “What did you do?”
Daniel and Teal’c stood and waited to be ringed up to the Tok’ra ship. Daniel was finding it hard to contain his excitement at getting his friends back home. He had missed them more than he was willing to admit.
He didn’t have much time to dwell on the thought as he heard the rings activate and a flash of white light enveloped both
of them.
Jack crouched down further into the undergrowth and watched what he could only describe as a big hairy pig make its way down the path. The Pig stopped and sniffed the air a couple of times before trotting closer to the hidden Jack. Getting his aim right Jack gently squeezed the trigger and the pig was killed instantly. Getting out of his hiding place Jack knelt down next to it. “Sorry old fella, but your lunch” he said tying the pig’s feet together and hauling it onto his back. Sam threw another log onto the fire and jumped slightly when she heard a shot. She hoped she would be able to get used to hearing gun fire without thinking there was a Jaffa running around trying to kill them and she wondered with a hint of sadness just how much time they would have left here.
Sam never thought she would find life outside of the military to her liking. She needed the discipline and the certainty that the air force offered her or at least she thought she did. The few months that she had spent here with Jack had been fantastic and she had recently had thoughts about not getting rescued. She wasn’t smiling.
“Yeah” he told him a trace of sadness in his voice The End
Thanks for the Support
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