Feelings
TITLE: Feelings
AUTHOR: Tiffany Flowers (tiffanyflowers2@hotmail.com)
RATING: PG-13 (suggested violence)
ARCHIVE: S&JRA and Heliopolis and Tiff and Alex´s SG-1 FanFic Archive. All others please ask first.
DISCLAIMER:

All SG-1 characters belong to MGM, Double Secret Prod., and Gekko Film Corporation. I will return them in one piece, happy, but in one piece. Promise. No money was made from this story. This work of Science Fiction was made for entertainment purposes only. Enjoy!
CATEGORY: S/J Romance, Angst.
SUMMARY: A kidnapping brings Jack and Sam closer together.
SPOILERS:

{BE WARNED, THERE'S A LOT}
Stargate-The Movie, COTG, Emancipation, Enigma, Fire And Water, Singularity, Solitudes, TBFTGOG, In The Line Of Duty, Secrets, Tok'Ra Pt.1, and Tok'Ra Pt.2.
{WARNED YA!!!!}
AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This was the VERY first SG-1 fic that I ever wrote, but didn't post. I hope you all like it. Forgive me for any time-line discrepancies. Hasn't been beta'd.
WARNINGS: None
FEEDBACK: Desired and wanted. Flames will be doused.
DATE COMPLETED: 17 FEB 00
Copyright 1998-2000 TIFFANY FLOWERS

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STARGATE SG-1

"FEELINGS"
There was a bright light in the room that held the circular device in the middle of the room. Four figures stepped from the center of the circle, three men and a woman. Suddenly, a door on the right side of the ring opened, and a man in his mid 50's stepped inside the room and looked at the figures that had emerged moments before.
"Did you find anything, Colonel?" the man asked. The nametag identified the older man as Hammond. The man that he was talking to was identified as O'Neill.
"No, Sir, General," O'Neill said smartly. "No signs of the snake heads. At least that we know of."  As the group took off their gear, the female of the group put her hand to her head. O’Neill turned around and saw what she was doing.
"Carter, you all right?"  He asked. She looked at him.
"Yes, Sir. I’m fine thanks."  Captain Samantha Carter knew that she wasn’t, but she didn’t want anyone to know that she was sick. As Jack O’Neill was leaving the room, he turned to look at the other two travelers.
"General Hammond wants to begin the debriefing at 1300 hours. Get the rest of your gear stowed and go to the Infirmary for your post mission exams, I'll be there shortly." While Jack was talking about the post mission exams, he looked straight at Captain Carter. That was all they needed, a repeat of Jolinar of Malk-Shur. He had felt bad when the Tok’ra had blended with Sam.
Jack, Hammond and the rest of SG-1 thought that Jolinar was a Goa'uld, but later found out that she was a part of a resistance known as the Tok'ra. Jack, on the other hand, would never trust a Goa'uld, even if it was Skaara that he saw. Jack had had nightmares about Skaara and how his eyes had glowed when Klor'el had taken over the kid's body. For that, Jack never forgave himself.
As O'Neill and Teal'c were walking to the locker room, he had to ask Teal'c a puzzling question.
"Teal'c," he began. "Did you notice something wrong with Carter?" Jack said, finally sounding worried.
"In what regards, O'Neill?" the stoic Jaffa asked. Jack looked at the tall, dark Jaffa and didn't know how to answer, so he shrugged his broad shoulders.
"I've noticed that Sam is keeping to herself a lot lately, Teal'c. I just want to know if she's gonna be okay. That's all," Jack said, wishing he could find a way to show Carter his feelings for her. He had pent them up since day one. He wanted to release them and be free to love again.
"I have noticed this as well, O'Neill," Teal'c said, snapping Jack out of his thoughts. "Perhaps it has to do with Jolinar of Malk-Shur," he said finally. Jack snapped his head around quickly, taken aback by this response.
"Why do you say that, Teal'c?" Jack inquired. Teal'c just looked at O'Neill and said nothing, but Jack knew what the Jaffa was talking about. When Jack and Teal'c entered the locker room, they both noticed that Doctor Daniel Jackson, the other member of SG-1, had already showered and changed. He was putting his shower items away in his cubbyhole. Daniel was fairly tall, blonde hair that fell over his eyes, and blue eyes that were framed by his glasses. He was also the team's Egyptologist and Linguist. He noticed that Jack was kind of distracted and upset about something. Probably Carter again.
"Jack," Daniel said softly. "Are you okay? You look like some one just gave you bad news or something." Daniel had a caring tone in his voice. Jack had been his best friend since they met on the first mission to Abydos.
"I'm okay, Daniel," Jack lied. "I'm just worried about Carter that's all." Jack knew that he wouldn't be okay until he could talk to Carter. Daniel, on the other hand, was suspicious of Jack's actions.
"You don't think that Sam's been blended with a Tok'ra or taken over by a Goa'uld, do you?" Daniel asked suddenly. Jack shook his head. He didn't know about Daniel sometimes.
"I don't know, Daniel," Jack replied. "I hope not. I wouldn't be able to go through that again," he said, remembering all the trouble that Jolinar had caused, not to mention the fact that Carter had almost died after an Ash'rak came to kill Jolinar. Teal'c had explained that an Ash'rak was the highest rank that a Goa'uld could receive from a System Lord. Jolinar was one of many leaders of a resistance known as the Tok'ra. After the Ash'rak did what he was sent to do, Jolinar began to die. Taking Sam with her. In the end, Jolinar gave its life so that Sam could live. Jack didn't want to believe that Jolinar did this.

***********************************************           

Samantha, who was still in the Gate Room, was talking to Lieutenant Simmons about the device that SG-1 had brought back. She was about ready to leave the room, when a sudden dizzy spell hit her again. Suddenly, Sam fell to the floor, unconscious. Simmons looked at General Hammond. General Hammond looked up into the Control Room and ordered a medical team to the Gate Room. Fraiser and the rest of the medical team showed up in record time, placed Carter on a stretcher and took her to the infirmary.
Jack, who was still in the locker room, was lacing up his boots when he heard the announcement for the med team to the Embarkation Room. Knowing that Sam was still there, Jack ran out of the room and headed to the infirmary. Not knowing what had gotten into Jack, Daniel and Teal'c followed their quick-footed friend. By the time that Teal'c and Daniel arrived, Jack was by Sam's side, holding her hand. O'Neill looked up at the C.M.O.
"Doc?" Jack said, hoping that she wasn't going to go into some long-winded explanation about Carter's condition. "Is she okay? What's wrong with her?"
"Colonel O'Neill," Janet said simply. "I'm not sure why Sam passed out, but I can't find out with you in my way. Please. I need you to wait outside until I can get her stable," Janet said, pushing Jack out the door. O'Neill hated it when that woman was right. Jack waited outside with Teal'c and Daniel, pacing the floor with each minute that passed.
"Jack," Daniel said, placing a hand on Jack's right shoulder, causing the anxious man to stop pacing. "You're gonna put a hole in the floor. If that's possible," Daniel joked. Jack tried to smile, but couldn't. Jack glanced at his watched, which read, 1258 hours. They had to go debrief.
"Daniel," Jack said. "Carter's strong, she'll be okay. Let's go get this debrief done," Jack stated, walking away from the infirmary to the elevator. Daniel and Teal'c followed him silently.

***********************************************
"I think that this planet would like to join the fight against the Goa'ulds, General," Daniel explained. General Hammond, who sat listening to Daniel's big speech, kept glancing over at O'Neill for a response or look.
"What do you think, Colonel?" Hammond asked. "Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond asked again, trying to get the colonel's attention.
"I'm sorry, Sir," Jack apologized. "What?" Jack seemed even more distracted than before.
"I asked you what you thought about Doctor Jackson's report," Hammond repeated. "I'm assuming that you agree with him?" he asked. Jack looked at Daniel and then back to Hammond.
"Yes, Sir. I think Daniel's right on this one," Jack said, giving Daniel credit for this idea for once. Daniel looked at Jack with a shocked look.
"Thanks, Jack," Daniel said, finding his voice. "I think," Daniel finished his summary and sat back down. General Hammond knew that this debriefing was over.
"Alright, Doctor Jackson, you have a go to help the people on P3X 573. You and the rest of SG-1 will move out in 24 hours. Depending on the status of Captain Carter." Hammond then looked at O'Neill. "Do you understand, Colonel?" Jack looked at Hammond with a blank look.
"Yes, Sir," Jack replied. "P3X 573. Moves in 24. Anything else, Sir?" Jack asked impatiently. Hammond sensed his eagerness to leave and check on Carter.
"No, nothing else, Colonel. Dismissed," Hammond said, releasing them at last. "Colonel O'Neill, a moment." Daniel and Teal'c got up and left, while Jack hung back.
"Jack," Hammond began. "I know how much Captain Carter means to you and SG-1, but she'll be fine. I know Sam." Hammond placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and watched as the younger man nodded.
"I know, Sir," Jack replied. "But I think that there's something else she's hiding." Hammond looked at him with a questioning look.
"I don't need to tell you, Colonel, but I think that you need time away from all this," Hammond said. Jack stared at him, not believing what he was hearing.
"You're giving me leave, General?" Jack asked. Hammond didn't know what to say. George Hammond had known O'Neill long enough to know about his past. The death of his son, Charlie, was coming up close. He figured that Jack would want some time off.
"Jack," Hammond started. "I know that with the anniversary of Charlie's death approaching, you just need to step away from the SGC for a while. Take a week or so," Hammond finished. O'Neill didn't want to hear this.
"General," Jack began. "With all due respect, I have gotten over my son. I'm more worried about Captain Carter right now. I think this has to do with her loss, not mine." The general gave him a quizzical look.

"Her loss?" the general asked, unsure what Jack meant. Jack just stared at the general.
"With Jolinar, Sir," Jack answered. "Permission to be dismissed?" Jack asked, sounding like the perfect soldier. Hammond nodded.
"Permission granted, Colonel," Hammond said. "I'm sorry for bringing up Charlie, Jack," Hammond apologized, looking sad at the same time. Hammond couldn't imagine his life without his grandchildren.
Jack turned and walked out of the room, exiting through to the Control Room. One of Carter's favorite rooms, next to her lab. O'Neill left the Control Room and went to the infirmary, hoping that Carter was all right.
Entering the infirmary, Jack walked over to the bed that Sam was occupying, sitting down and taking her hand in his. He saw IV's and different types of tubes and cords leading to different machines and apparatuses that measured her heart rate, blood pressure, and many other medical things that he didn't understand. He hated science and long winded explanations. That's why he had hated Daniel at first. Even Carter, the first time that they had met. Jack rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand.

"Hey, Carter," Jack said. "How are ya?" he asked this, not expecting to get an answer.
"I've been better, Colonel," Sam replied. "How about you?" Jack just looked at her with a grin.
"I'm glad that you're doing better, Carter. Doc Fraiser says that you'll be out of here at 1500." Carter looked at O'Neill with her electrifying blue eyes. Carter, who was lying down, was 5'8 1/2" tall with short, fluffy blonde hair and a great personality. She was brought into the SGC from the Pentagon about three and a half years ago. When she had first arrived in the meeting room, she heard O'Neill and Hammond talking about her. She had to laugh when she had heard O'Neill ask the general where "he" was transferring from. That's when she made her entrance by saying, "SHE is transferring from the Pentagon." They had hit it off since that day.

***********************************************

THE NEXT DAY
Sam was in the locker room changing, when she started feeling light headed again, like she had the day before. She finally got a handle on it when O'Neill walked into the room and saw her sitting there. He noticed that she was slightly down. He didn't know what to say to her in a time like this, but he didn't have to say anything.
"Jack," Sam said, breaking the silence. "Did you hate Jolinar?" Jack looked surprised by her question.
"Why do you say that, Carter?" Jack asked, feigning innocence. He looked at her as she continued.
"Colonel, I keep having this memory that you were talking to Jolinar and you told her that you didn't trust her, but by the time Jolinar died, you felt that she was telling you the truth. Am I right, Sir?" Sam said, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.
Jack was surprised that she remembered all the things that Jolinar saw and did in her life. But with all the things that Jolinar had done against Apophis, Heru'ur, and the other System Lords, Jack was glad to put his trust into Jolinar.
"Yeah," Jack admitted. "That's right, Carter. Jolinar is okay in my book now. But that doesn't change how I feel about the Goa'ulds. So don't think that it does," Jack replied, his tone getting louder as he got angrier just thinking about the greasy-assed Goa'ulds. Sam saw this and remembered her first visit to Abydos, to bring Daniel back to Earth. She also remembered how happy he was to see a young boy named Skaara, hug him and have lots of laughs with him and the other people of Abydos. But after Apophis kidnapped Skaara and Sha're -Daniel's wife- both Daniel and O'Neill were upset at this loss. After being taken captive on the planet, Chulak, and there they met a Jaffa named, Teal'c. When O'Neill was looking around the prison, he found Skaara and met up with the rest of the team. This was about the time where Apophis and his new queen, Sha're, who was under the Goa'uld influence, came to find hosts for their "children". Unfortunately, Skaara was chosen as one of them. The rest of the prisoners were to be killed. With the help of Teal'c, O'Neill and all the other survivors made their escape to the Chappa'ai.
After a small firefight with a Goa'uld death glider, O'Neill saw Skaara and made his way over to him, but Skaara had already been taken over by the Goa'uld inside of him. This had hurt O'Neill, because he thought of Skaara like a son. O'Neill was one of the original soldiers that had saved Abydos from another alien/human "God" known as Ra. Ever since then, O'Neill befriended Skaara into his heart.
"Colonel?" Sam asked for the fourth or fifth time. "Sir, are you all right? You looked  like you were a million miles away."

"I'm fine, Carter. I was just thinking," O'Neill replied. "I think that it's time we move out, before Hammond or Daniel send out a search party for us," Jack said jokingly.
"Yes, Sir," Sam agreed. "I think that would be a good idea," she said, grinning. It was a joke like that, that made Sam laugh so easily. That's probably why she got along with him so well.

***********************************************
In the Gate Room, Daniel being ever so impatient was pacing the floor wondering where Sam and Jack were. He thought that they were taking forever getting ready to go to P3X 573. Daniel looked at Teal'c.
"Where are they, Teal'c," Daniel asked. "They should be here already. We have to leave in five minutes," he concluded impatiently, continuing to pace the floor.
"Do not worry, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said. "They will arrive in time." Teal'c sounded so confident to Daniel. Teal'c looked at Daniel, then the door with an eyebrow raised and a look on his face that couldn't be understood.
Then the door to the Gate Room opened, and O'Neill and Carter quickly walked over to Daniel and Teal'c. O'Neill had a look on his face that told Daniel that all was a go. Carter was just as she always was before going through the "Puke Chute", as it had come to be known. She still remembered what she felt like the first time she went through it, but then again, she had had a big lunch before the jump. She always got nervous when she went through the Stargate. Jack noticed that Carter's face got pale real fast. He just grinned at her, stifling a laugh.

***********************************************
On the other side of the 'gate, Carter, O'Neill, and Teal'c surveyed the area for any threat from the Goa'ulds or any other enemy. When they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, they decided to look around for civilization. The planet was a lot like Earth, with all the same climates, vegetation, and weather conditions. There was nothing to tell them that danger was lurking behind the trees. Carter had broken away from the rest of the group and was looking on her own, when she felt that something wasn't right. She went deeper into the trees, but didn't get very far, when she heard O'Neill call her back to the group.
"Did you find anything, Captain?" Jack asked, hoping to find some kind of life on what seemed to be a deserted planet. He noticed earlier that Carter had gone off looking by herself, which wasn't wise on an unknown planet.
"Nothing over here, Colonel," Sam reported. "I didn't find any signs of a town or anything," She finished simply. But she knew that she had felt some kind of presence behind the trees, but she didn't want O'Neill to know that. She had hoped that the people that were hiding would come out on their own.
"Daniel," Jack said, turning to Daniel. "Did you find anything useful?" Jack asked impatiently, wanting to get back through the 'gate and go home. He had a feeling that there were no Goa'ulds here, nor have there ever been Goa'ulds here. He just wanted to get the hell out of there and damned fast. He noticed that Sam was eyeing the trees again. He walked slowly to Carter and just stood next to her, trying to see what she saw, but to no avail.
"Nothing over here, Jack," Daniel finally answered O'Neill. "Just trees, mountains, and flowers. ACHOOO!!!! Lots and lots of flowers," Daniel remarked as he blew his nose. Daniel hated his allergies, especially when he traveled. Doctors on Earth told him that he had what was known as hodophobia. He didn't totally understand what that was, but he knew it was something like traveling allergies. He even had them on Abydos. But with the help of anti-Histamines, he was able to ignore them. Daniel decided that he wanted to look around also, so he decided to wander in the same direction that Sam had gone in. He didn't get far, when he felt a hand on his left shoulder. He turned and looked Sam in the face. Sam looked blank.
"Daniel," Sam said, barely above a whisper. "Don't go in there. I have a bad feeling that this is some kind of an ambush," Sam told him in a warning tone.
She and Daniel were just staring at the trees, but he knew that there were people there. Teal'c positioned his Staff Weapon at the ready and opened the firing end. Daniel took out his sidearm and cocked it.
O'Neill, who was standing by the Stargate waiting for trouble, noticed that Teal'c had activated his weapon and Daniel had his 9mm Beretta out and ready to fire as well. But Carter just stood there staring at the trees like she was hypnotized or something. He decided that he would go over and find out what the heck was going on. He stood beside Teal'c and tried to find something out from them.
"Teal'c, what's the problem?" he asked commandingly, hoping for some resemblance of an answer from him or the others. But nobody said anything.
"O'Neill, there are people hiding behind the trees," Teal'c finally replied. "Many from the looks of it. But I cannot be certain." Teal'c had an eyebrow raised as always when he didn't like a certain situation.
"Carter, did you see them when you were over here?" O'Neill asked with authority. He looked at Carter when he said this, knowing full well that she probably had. But he got no reply from her.
"CARTER!" he yelled hoarsely. Sam turned and he saw that she had been crying for some reason, but she didn't say anything. She just looked at him and then ran to the Stargate. Jack felt bad now, so he went and tried to talk to Carter. Jack followed her to the 'gate.
"Carter, I'm sorry. What did I say?" Jack asked with more feeling of concern. He felt bad every time that Sam was upset or hurt. He remembered how he was feeling when Jolinar was dying and so was Carter. He had walked into the infirmary, with Teal'c behind him, and O'Neill had tears in his eyes.
"It's not you, Colonel," Sam said. "I think it's the people here. They're a faction of the Tok'ra. I have a feeling that Jolinar knew these people. I've been remembering a lot of what Jolinar left in my mind and I don't know what to do about it. And I'm pretty sure my father's here, too," Sam told Jack. Carter was starting to cry all over again. She hated the things that had happened to her, but she knew that Jolinar was a Tok'ra that could be trusted. It had taken awhile for Sam to change Jack's opinion about the Tok'ra.
"Do you think you could talk to these people, Carter?" Jack asked with some curiosity. He looked towards Daniel and Teal'c for some sign of movement from the trees. When he noticed that there was no sign of Daniel, Jack went to the edge of the trees and saw him talking to some of the people that were hiding.
"Jack, these people want to talk to Sam," Daniel replied simply. He also saw that Sam had been crying. But Daniel didn't ask her what was wrong, knowing that he'd probably hear it from Sam or Jack later.
Sam walked toward the people with some unease. She knew that they wouldn't hurt her, but she still wasn't sure if she knew for certain that they were the ones that fought beside Jolinar along with the resistance. She had a feeling that she was about to find out. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c were all at her side when she walked up to them and said something that was obviously in the Goa'uld language. After Sam had said this, she looked at Jack with wide eyes and surprise that she had said it.
"Tel nak kree, Tok'ra," Sam had said in greeting. She looked at the person who was apparently the leader of the small group and just stared at him. Sam didn't know what to do next. So she spoke to them in English, hoping that they could understand her.
"You are a host to Jolinar of Malk-Shur?" the leader asked apprehensively, not knowing if this woman with light hair could be trusted. Her companions looked even more threatening, with the exception of the one wearing glass circles. He noticed that one of them was a Jaffa -Apophis sect- so the leader kept a careful eye on him. Sam looked at the man with surprise and shock, but happened to find the words that she was looking for. She didn't know how these Tok'ra would take the news of Jolinar's death, if they didn't know already. She looked sadly at him before she decided to say something.
"I was a host to Jolinar, yes," Sam said. "My name is Samantha Carter and these are my friends, Daniel Jackson, Jack O'Neill and Teal'c. I have bad news about Jolinar, unless you already know," Sam said, her voice traced with sorrow. She looked away for a moment before she continued.
"Jolinar's dead, isn't she?" the man asked eagerly. Sam could only look at him and nod with sincere sadness. She looked at the man and he looked back and noticed that she was deeply sorry for the loss.
"She wanted me to let you know that she believed in what she stood for, whether she's here or not. She trusted me to deliver this message to you and the rest of the Tok'ra," Sam finally finished.
"My name is Talk'sha of the Tok'ra. We welcome you and your friends to a feast in Jolinar's honor. But what of the Jaffa, Teal'c?" he asked.
"Teal'c is on the same side as the Tok'ra. In fact, he gave up everything he cared about to fight against Apophis. Even his family," Sam defended. "Jolinar trusted him, now won't you? I give you my word, Teal'c's not your enemy." Sam asked with permission in her voice.
Talk'sha looked at Teal'c and nodded his agreement and approval of his help and friendship to the Tauri and Tok'ra. Talk'sha turned and walked into the forest and allowed Sam and her friends to walk beside him. He knew that if Jolinar had trusted this Jaffa, so could he and the Tok'ra resistance.

***********************************************
When the group finally reached the campsite where the Tok'ra had lived for so long, SG-1 was given food and drink. The people of the Tok'ra treated them like honored guests. Sam was given the most treatment and care. She was guessing that was due to Jolinar. The group talked and laughed like they had known each other for years. Finally, when things started to wind down and everyone had asked Sam all the questions that she could answer, Sam decided to that she would take a quick walk. She told Teal'c what direction that she was going in and where to find her if O'Neill came looking for her. While she was walking, she found a flat rock that slightly resembled a table, so she sat on it and looked up into the night sky. She didn't see any star constellations that she recognized from the normal night sky, but then again she wasn't on Earth. She shivered slightly.
She thought about the time that she and Colonel O'Neill were thrown through the Stargate on Earth, but at the time they didn't know that they were on Earth. She remembered how she tried to dial home on the DHD and it wouldn't work. She even remembered how she had set Jack's broken leg when he broke it and they talked about how many broken bones that he had broken, including skull fractures, and how he had had an accident when he was doing an unassigned mission on the borders of Iran and Iraq. He told her that his chute didn't open on time and he broke some bones. She had asked him about a rescue, but he said that there was no rescue. He told her about how he thought of his then wife, Sara, and how she got him through it. Sam had tried several times to dial home, but to no avail. Finally, Jack had told her to climb out and try her luck on the planet, so she climbed out only to find out that they were on an ice planet. So she had thought.
Sam had gone back into the cave and tried to tell him that it was no use to go find help, but she couldn't tell him that in his condition. When she got back to his side, after falling off the ice ledge, she tried to wake him up, but he had called her Sara. She told him that he could sleep, knowing that help was too far away. After what seemed like hours, Sam woke to the sound of Daniel's voice and saw that Daniel, Teal'c and General Hammond were in the ice cave saving them both. Sam had asked General Hammond if he had come through the Stargate and he told her not exactly. When she had gotten better, General Hammond had told her all of what had happened while the SGC had been searching for them. Jack had stayed in the infirmary at McMurdo, Antarctica for what seemed like days, but he had recovered nicely. Sam had visited him a few times while he was bedridden. He hated being cooped up.
Suddenly, Sam heard a twig snap and she had her pistol out and pointed in the direction of the sound, but was glad when she saw that it was O'Neill.
"Whoa, Carter!" Jack exclaimed. "It's just me. Don't shoot. I just wanted to see if you were all right. Teal'c told me that you were out this way," he finished with his joking charm that Sam loved so much.
"I'm fine, Colonel. I was just thinking about things," Sam paused. "Like the time we were stuck in Antarctica, thinking that it was a different planet. I was just thinking about that. Nothing important," she finished simply. She had a sudden chill and shivered. O'Neill walked over to her and put his SG-1 jacket around her shoulders trying to keep her warm. He looked at her knowing that something else was on her mind.
"Carter," Jack began. "I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. Well... just about anything. Daniel says that you're not talking to him either. What's wrong?" Jack knew when something was wrong with his captain. He wasn't sure if she'd tell him though. He thought she might want to talk to someone like Janet. After all, they were friends.
"I was thinking about my father, Sir. He told me before we left Washington D.C., that he had cancer. The last things that we said to each other were in anger. I told him that the work that I was doing with the Stargate Program, without mentioning the Stargate that is, was important to me and I didn't want to go to NASA and be an astronaut. Do you think that was fair of me to say that to him?" Sam asked, sounding sad about the choice she had made all those years ago. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, proving to Jack that she had been crying.
"That's not my call, Captain." O'Neill didn't know what the story was between Sam and her father. He just knew that Jacob Carter was a good man, no doubt about it. He even remembered the first time that he had met Jacob. He was talking to him and decided to step outside. The way that he excused himself made Sam smile. He had looked from Hammond, to Carter, to Jacob and then the waiter and said, "General, Captain, General....Waiter" and walked away and went outside. Over a few hours, Jack had met a news reporter and they talked about the SG Program and when the reporter was about to reveal the truth, a black unlicensed vehicle had hit and killed the reporter. The car was never found.
"Colonel," Sam asked. She was looking at him with a worried look. "Are you thinking about that reporter again, Sir? If so, General Hammond said it was an accident." Sam knew all about the incident and didn't want to think about it anymore.
"I know it was, Sam. I just feel guilty that's all. He was going to expose the program and he died in my hands. What was I supposed to do? Tell the whole world about it?" Jack's tone was getting louder as he got madder. Jack just looked at her the same way that he had when General Hammond had given them their awards medals.
"Colonel, I think that we should get back to the others. Don't you?" Sam asked. She looked at O'Neill with wonder. He just looked at her with a blank look. She sensed that he wanted to ask her something.
"Colonel, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked with concern and worry in her voice. He just stared at her, not speaking to her for a moment. She was beginning to worry.
"Sam, do you ever wonder what we'd be like in that alternate reality that Daniel fussed over? About you and I....engaged to each other?" Jack was serious about the questions he asked Sam. Carter just looked at O'Neill with shock.
"Not really, Sir," Sam answered. "I think that we are good friends and I think that Daniel feels the same way. I admit, I was a little disappointed when you called me Sara when we were in Antarctica, but I think that we're doing just fine as friends," she replied simply.
"I'm sorry about that, Sam," Jack apologized. "Calling you Sara, that is. I felt that she was close. I didn't think that you'd be upset about that. I hope that you're not mad at me," Jack said with a grin on his face, but he and Sam knew that he meant what he said. Usually.
"I'm not mad at you, Col...." Sam started, but was cut off by Jack's fingers on her lips. She felt every nerve jump and get electrified, just by his touch.
"You don't have to call me "Colonel" all the time, Sam," Jack said, grinning. "You can call me Jack, you know. It won't kill ya," he said with a laugh. He smiled at Sam, who was still shivering. Sam smiled back and laughed.
"Thanks, Jack. It's just habit, that's all. I'll try to remember that, okay?" she replied. Suddenly, Sam shook hard as a breeze blew and she felt a chill run up her spine. Jack scooted closer to her a wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm. Sam turned her head, only to see his dark, chocolate, brown eyes staring into her bright blue eyes with an emotion she hadn't seen in him before.
All of a sudden, Jack lowered his face to hers and their lips met. Sam, not knowing what to think or say, just went along with it, kissing him back. Jack knew that this broke all regulations that he knew of, being her commanding officer and all, but he couldn't help it. He remembered the time that SG-1 went on a mission and returned without Daniel. They felt that he was dead. Sam had undergone hypnosis and had gotten frightened. She was crying and shaking violently. Jack had hugged her and told her that they were going back to the planet to get Daniel back. After a few minutes, Jack leaned back with a big grin on his face.
"You warm now, Captain?" he asked slyly. Sam could only grin at him and lean into him, knowing that they'd hear it later. If they told anyone, that is. Then they heard footsteps approaching their location. Getting themselves pretty much back to normal, they turned to see that Daniel and Teal'c were walking toward them rather slowly. Cautiously almost.
"Jack, Sam," Daniel said, announcing his arrival. "The Tok'ra council are willing to help us against the Goa'uld. I think that you and Sam should talk to the head of the group, Gar'shaw and Selmak. They want to talk to both of you," Daniel said matter-of-factly.
"Thanks, Daniel," Jack said. "We'll be right there. If there's nothing else...." Jack finished. Daniel just looked at Jack, then Sam, noticing that Sam was blushing. But Daniel didn't say anything. Jack looked at Teal'c, who had one eyebrow raised again. Jack frowned at the dark-skinned Jaffa.
"Teal'c, I hate it when you do that!" Jack exclaimed. Teal'c only looked at them and said nothing. Sam knew better than to underestimate the Jaffa. She glanced at Daniel and raised her own eyebrows.
"Daniel, Teal'c, what did you see?" Sam asked inquisitively, knowing full well that they probably saw her and Jack kissing each other.
"Nothing, Sam. Well...at least I didn't see anything. Teal'c, did you see anything?" Daniel asked, keeping the secret.
"Nothing," Teal'c responded flatly. "Except for the fact that O'Neill and Carter were displaying...." Teal'c didn't get to finish, but O'Neill did.
"That's okay, Teal'c, we know that you and Daniel saw me and Carter doing what we were doing," Jack replied simply. "Just don't say anything to Hammond or anyone else for that matter. Understood?" Jack asked in his commanding voice.
"We understand, Jack," Daniel said. "Right, Teal'c?" Daniel looked at Teal'c for his response.
"Yes, Daniel Jackson, I understand," Teal'c replied. Daniel knew that this was going to get interesting, should both generals hear about this. Jack and Sam got up and walked back to the campsite where the others were. Suddenly, two people emerged from a tent-like hut. One was female and the other was male. They approached SG-1 with familiarity. Sam saw the older man and a huge smile broke on her face.
In the voices of the Goa'uld, the female spoke to Carter, after shaking hands with each member of SG-1 and saying their hellos.
"Captain Carter," Gar'shaw began. "We are glad to see you well. Welcome to our home, come, and join us inside. You remember Selmak?" Sam bowed her head in greeting and looked at her father, smiling.
"How are you, Dad?" Sam asked with a big smile on her face. She was happy to see her dad again. The last time that she had seen him was when he had become the newest host for Se'mak. Then him, Gar'shaw and Martouf had to go to the new planet where the Tok'ra had escaped to and go to a different planet. Before they had left, however, Daniel gave Gar'shaw a Sagein Institute box that held the radioactive trace of Iridium.
"I'm fine, Sam. How are you?" Jacob asked. "Jack's not being too hard on you is he? You look great." Jacob said. Seeing that his little girl was all right was good enough news for him. "They tell me that you are helping us find new locations to hide from the Goa'ulds. Am I right?" Jacob asked.
"Well, dad. We're gonna try," Sam said in response. "I'm just glad that you're alright yourself." Sam tried to hold a neutral tone. "By the way, Mark says that he misses you. I talked to him the other night. The kids are doing well and so is he. But we all miss you," Sam said sadly, knowing that she couldn't tell her brother where their father was.
"Glad to hear it, kid," he said smiling at her. He hugged her again. "Join us in the council room and we'll talk further." They all went into the hut and sat for hours talking about the plans to the Goa'ulds any way that they could.

************************************************

FOUR HOURS LATER
Sam woke with a start. Looking around, she found that Jack was lying next to her, but not that close, and Daniel and Teal'c were on the other side of her. Teal'c was sitting Indian style with his eyes closed, possibly in a state of Kel-no-reem. Sam got up as quietly as possible and walked outside. She noticed that the campfire was still burning, but not as bright. Seeing no one nearby, she decided to put some more wood on the coals. When she got the fire going good again, she sat down on the nearest rock and warmed her hands.
"It does get cold around here this late in the night," a voice said from behind her. Startled, Sam spun around and saw that Martouf was standing behind her, watching her.
"I guess so, huh?" Sam replied. She remembered the time that Martouf was telling her about Jolinar and how she and Martouf had been mates. Both Jolinar and Lan'tash, and Martouf and Rosha. But Sam didn't feel that. Sam had decided not to bring up Jolinar. She hoped that Martouf would have that same respect.
"Where are your friends, Captain Carter?" Martouf asked. He was nice and all, but Sam thought that he still saw Jolinar in her words and actions. She just looked at him.
"They're sleeping," Sam said. "Teal'c, on the other hand, is in his state of Kel-no-reem. I don't think he ever sleeps. What about you, why aren't you sleeping?" Sam asked, concern touching her voice. Martouf just stared into Sam's eyes.
"I could not sleep, Jolinar," Martouf replied. "I need to speak with you." Martouf was staring into the now blazing fire, away from Sam's gaze.
"I'm not Jolinar, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't call me that," Sam said angrily. She then saw the hurt look on Martouf's face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that. I just don't want to be remembered as just Jolinar. I can't explain it," she finished.
"I am sorry. I forget that you do not like to speak about it unless needed to. Forgive me," Martouf asked apologetically. He looked at Sam with a slight smile on his face. "When must you return to Tauri, Captain Carter?" he asked sadly.
"It's Sam, and we have to leave tomorrow," Sam replied simply. "I guess that I'll go back to my tent and get some sleep then. Goodnight, Martouf," Sam said, looking at the shadow of O'Neill on the walls of the tent, knowing that he was on his way out of the tent to see her.
"Goodnight, Captain.... I mean Samantha," Martouf replied, seeing Carter getting up and walking in the direction of the tent, also seeing O'Neill's shadow on the tent walls. Martouf couldn't help but feeling a little bit of resentment towards O'Neill, knowing that Sam liked Jack better than him. After all, Jolinar's last host before the Nasyian man, looked exactly like Samantha. She would learn to love him instead of O'Neill. He'd make sure of that, even if it took taking her away from the rest of SG-1. He thought out his plan with glowing eyes.

***********************************************
"Hey, Colonel," Sam whispered when entered the tent, trying not to wake the others. Jack looked at her questioningly. She only turned to look out of the tent to see if Martouf had left, which he had not. Turning around, Sam noticed that Jack had gotten even closer to her, which startled her, making her gasp with surprise.
"Follow me, Sam," Jack whispered. On the way out, Teal'c had opened his eyes to see them go out the back of the tent. He decided to do nothing. In that regard, Teal'c closed his eyes and went back to his meditative state.
Sam and Jack had walked into the forest and found the same rock formation and sat on it. Neither one said anything for a few minutes. Sam looked at Jack, knowing that he wanted to say something about what happened at the campfire.
"I knew you left the tent, Carter," Jack said. "What's wrong? Did you have another Jolinar flashback again?" he asked, concern obvious in his voice, causing his usually hard voice to soften. He knew that Sam had had a hard time after Jolinar died. Ever since then, Carter had been having flashbacks and memory images of Jolinar's past. Sometimes the memories and information helped the SG teams, but there was something that just didn't sit right with Jack and he didn't like it.
"I just keep having this feeling that something is going to happen, Colonel. And I'm afraid that I can't stop it this time. It has something to do with Martouf and Jolinar. I just...." Sam couldn't continue her sentence. Jack pulled her close to him, knowing that he felt the same, strange feeling.
"Sam the best thing for you to do is to tell Martouf that you don't have the same feelings for him that Jolinar had for him. I'm sure that he'd understand," Jack said simply.
"I'm sure that you're right, Colonel. I just don't know what to say to him," she replied. Jack stood up and knelt in front of Sam looking her in the eyes. He couldn't help a rush of excitement every time he looked into her blue eyes. They held a type of magic for him. A magic Sara never had, either that or him.
"Sam, I want you to know that NOTHING will stand in the way of how I feel about you. Do you understand me?" Jack asked in his military bravado voice. Sam smiled and nodded, but she still asked the question that had plagued her mind since he had first kissed her hours before.

"What are you saying, Sir?" she asked. He looked at her with a compassion that she had never seen him give to anyone. Except her, that is.
"I'm tellin' you that I love ya, Sam," Jack said flat out. Sam looked at him with a combination of shock and surprise. She grinned at him, and then smiled widely. She knew it all along.
"I knew it! I can't believe that you never told me," she said with the knowledge that she knew all along that he liked her. He gave her one of his smart-assed grins that said all that he needed to say. She loved those grins. She called them his trademark.
"You never asked," Jack said. "So I assumed that I had to tell ya. I mean it though, Sam. I love you." Sam just stared at him, wondering about him and Sara. And as if he was reading her mind he answered her thoughts.
"It's over between me and Sara anyway. I just wouldn't let myself believe that until the day that I met you. And then when Jolinar tried to take you away from me. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Jack asked. All Sam could do was stare at him with tears in her blue eyes.
"Aww, c'mon, Carter. Don't cry. I hate it when you cry," Jack said sympathetically, knowing that the last time that she had cried was when Cassandra had the Naquadah bomb inside her chest and Sam wasn't going to let Cassandra die alone. Sam had told him about when she was in the elevator, coming back up, and then decided to go back down. But on the way up, Carter had cried for Cassie, knowing that the Naquadah was being reabsorbed into her system.
"I'm not crying, sir. I'm just happy to know that you cared about me all that time and never said anything. I thought that you and Sara were trying to work things out," Sam said finally, wiping away the fallen tears.
"Nope. Sara and I have decided to call it quits. I think it had a lot to do with Charlie's death. Like I told Daniel, `I never forgave myself, but sometimes I could forget. But Sara, she could forgive, but never forget.' I think that still applies. Even now," Jack said, trying to hold back tears of his own.
Sam hugged Jack tightly and told him how sorry she was for his son's death, but that was the past and he had to let go. Jack agreed with her and they sat for hours talking about what they had as far as regrets. By the time they were done talking, the suns were on the rise. Sam looked at her watch.
"Colonel, it's 0630. I think that we should get geared up and get ready to go back home. Don't you?" Sam reminded him reluctantly. She didn't want go home so soon, but General Hammond was expecting them back at 0800.
"You got it, Sam...I mean, Captain," Jack said, reminding her that it was time to put the relationship on hold for now. Jack didn't want it to end this soon either.
"I'm gonna go to the stream and get my face and hands washed, I shouldn't be long, Colonel," Sam said. But before she left, she put her arms around Jack's neck and kissed him, trying to get one last moment before going through the 'gate.
"Don't get lost, Carter," Jack said after they parted. He turned and walked down the path to the campsite, while Sam went to the stream not too far off the path. Sam turned to look back, but Jack had already disappeared into the trees. Sam knelt down and scooped the cool water up to her face and started to rub the water on it, when she heard footsteps approaching. She turned her face toward the sound, but she had gotten water into her eyes so she couldn't see who it was. The last thing that she remembered was yelling for Jack and Teal'c, then her world went black.

***********************************************
Jack was half way back to the camp, within Teal'c's eyesight, when he heard Sam call out for him and the Jaffa. Teal'c stood up right away and ramrod straight. Jack looked at Teal'c with terror in his eyes. Daniel, who was just walking up to them watched as Teal'c and Jack took off toward the stream where Sam had been. Daniel, not knowing what was happening, ran off behind Teal'c and O'Neill.
"Jack, what the hell is going on?" Daniel asked with growing concern. Daniel didn't like what the answer might be. He didn't know if he even wanted to know.
When Jack and Teal'c finally stopped at the stream, and when Daniel had caught up, they looked around for any signs of Sam or what happened to her. Teal'c looked around in the vicinity of the last place that O'Neill had seen her. Daniel was looking around the opposite area, while O'Neill had stopped right at the stream. Looking down at the shoe prints in the mud, Jack noticed that there were two sets of footprints. The first were that of Carter, the unmistakable print of her combat boots, but the others, were unfamiliar to him.
"O'Neill," Teal'c said. "I have found no sign of Captain Carter. I do not know where her location is at this time." Teal'c had an eyebrow raised, but O'Neill didn't say anything.
"Nothing here either, Jack," Daniel reported. "I know that Sam wouldn't just let  herself be taken. We know that from the last time she was 'kidnapped'. Remember the Shavadi?" Daniel asked, bringing Jack back to that time. Jack only nodded and stared at Daniel with glazed eyes and a blank stare. Knowing that Sam had been kidnapped again, tore at his heart. He looked once more at the unfamiliar footprints, and had a sinking feeling. Like the one he had had when he and Sam had talked about Martouf. He shook it off when he noticed that one of the footprints had a piece of leather string laying beside it. Jack picked it up and looked hard at it, but he knew that trying to identify its owner was going to be the hard part. He handed the string to Teal'c and looked at him.
"It should be easy to find this particular piece of leathering, O'Neill. It has been ripped off the item that it belongs to," Teal'c said, starting back to the campsite. Daniel and O'Neill followed, but then Daniel and Jack paused.
"Perhaps we should talk to Sam's dad and Gar'shaw. They might know something that we don't, Jack," Daniel said evidently. Daniel looked at Jack with sadness, knowing that Jack didn't want to go through this again. Daniel also sensed something deeper happening to his best friend and his second-in-command.
"Then let's go, Daniel," Jack said. They started off again to the campsite. Jack hung back for a few minutes to see if he could find anything else that would tell him who took Sam, but he didn't see anything. At least until he started walking away again. That's when he noticed the suns glinting off of something shiny. He walked back and noticed that Sam's dog tags were lying on the ground where she must have been. He picked them up and saw that the ball chain had been broken on purpose. \\Did Sam break it?// he asked himself inwardly. Then he stood up, put the tags in his pocket and walked away to catch up with Teal'c and Daniel. He was, at this point, very pissed off at who did this to Sam.

***********************************************
When Sam awoke, her first instinct was to scream, which she couldn't do. She looked around, trying to her bearings, not knowing where she was. All she could see were the crystals that the Tok'ra use for their tunnels that she had first seen when SG-1 had first met the Tok'ra. Suddenly, out of the shadows, emerged a figure that she identified almost immediately. Then she saw the one thing that made her blood freeze. Glowing eyes.
In his Tok'ra voice, Martouf spoke to her. He knew that she would listen to his symbiot, Lan'tash.
"You should not have called to your friends, Samantha," he said threatingly. He knew that part of Jolinar was still inside of Sam. But Sam couldn't say anything, due to the fact that she was gagged with a piece of cloth. She only looked at him with fury and anger. Martouf walked closer to her, removing the cloth from her mouth. That's when Sam spoke out in anger.
"My friends will find me. I want to talk to Martouf. NOW!" she shouted and yelled. It was obvious to Martouf's symbiot that Sam wasn’t joking around and was very angry.
Martouf bowed his head, and then lifted his head again. He smiled at Sam, knowing that she wouldn't be able to resist his smile, but also knew that she'd be angry with him too.
"You must forgive Lan'tash. He misses Jolinar immensely," Martouf explained, not knowing if he'd be forgiven or if he'd be hated for a long time. He looked away ashamed for Lan'tash's actions. He was sure that the rest of SG-1 would be looking for her soon. It was now or never. He had to tell her now or lose her to the man that she called, 'Colonel'.
"Samantha, I must tell you what is on my mind. May I?" Martouf asked apologetically. He just had to tell her what she needed to hear. Sam looked at him, still angry for what he had done. She remembered the last time that she had been abducted. She remembered how Abu had taken her and planned to trade her for another woman, named Nya. There was a man they called Turgahn, who hated Sam for what she does on her world. After several attempts to flee, O’Neill, Teal’c, and Daniel finally rescued Sam. Unfortunately, Nya had been found and taken back to Turgahn, to be stoned to death. But when Abu came back to the campsite that SG-1 had made, he told Sam and the others what had happened. Then the team and Mughal had gone back to Turghan's village and tried to free Nya, but Turghan wouldn't fight Mughal, so instead, he fought Carter and she had won, setting Nya and herself free from Turghan’s iron tight grasp. And O'Neill didn't think she could do it.
"Samantha?" Martouf asked. He must have called to her several times and when she didn't respond, he placed a hand on her right shoulder. Carter jumped and stared at Martouf with eyes that still held her anger and hurt feelings.
"I'm sorry, what?" she replied, knowing that she had been going back over what had happened on SG-1's first off-world mission.
"I asked if I could ask you a question. Do you mind?" Martouf repeated to her. Sam only stared at him, blankly.
"Sure. I guess," she said with uncertainly. She only hoped now that Jack and the others were on their way to find her.
"I want to know if you still have the same feelings that Jolinar had. The ones that you told me about when we first met. Do you still have them?" he asked questioningly.
"I don't know, Martouf," Sam said. "I don't call on them at will. They just come when they do." Sam's voice was filled with anger. Suddenly, Martouf backhanded Carter's right cheek.
"I get the feeling that you are lying to me, Samantha," Martouf answered angrily. Sam just looked at him with tears in her eyes, but she bit them back.
"I'm telling you the truth, Martouf. Jolinar might have loved you, but I don't and never will," Sam said, getting angry all over again. She silently called out for Jack, hoping that he heard her every thoughts. Martouf sat in front of Sam asking question after question about Jolinar, knowing that Sam disliked talking about it. Sam just wished that Jack would come through the wall or something and rescue her again, but she knew that good, thought-out plans take time. Time, she feared, she didn't have.

***********************************************
Jack had talk to Jacob and Gar'shaw. When he had told them that Sam had been taken, Jacob and Selmak had gotten upset. Jacob wanted to know who had taken her, but Jack had no ideas as of yet. Gar'shaw told O'Neill and the others that Martouf had not been seen since last night and was now missing. That's when Teal'c walked in and told O'Neill that Gar'shaw's assumption was correct. Martouf's mat had not been slept on or in the night before. Jacob also mentioned that some of the crystals used for the tunnels were also missing. This put O'Neill into a heated frenzy. He walked out of Gar'shaw's tent very angry and highly hot tempered.
"TEAL'C! DANIEL! MOVE OUT! NOW!" Jack roared. "I want to find Carter, and I want to do it NOW!" Jack yelled, showing that he was in his 'colonel' role once again. Jack stormed off, stopping by his and Carter's tent to pick up his field gear. The search was under-way, and Jack wasn't going to give up or trade anything for Sam's return. He wanted his Captain back alive. He needed her back again, to hold her close to him.

***********************************************
When they got to the stream, O'Neill looked at Teal'c, knowing that the Jaffa had good tracking skills. Jack remembered when Abu took Sam, and how Teal'c had tracked them down, just by looking at the horses’ hooves that Abu had used. Jack just hoped that Teal'c could do it again. Teal'c looked around at the footprints in the mud and found which way that Martouf had taken Carter in. He glanced at O'Neill and lifted an eyebrow and spoke flatly.
"O'Neill, I believe that he took Captain Carter in this direction. As far as I can tell, he took her to higher ground," Teal'c said matter-of-factly.
Jack took out his binoculars and looked up to the point that Teal'c had pointed to and noticed that there was a cave up in the side of the mountainous hill. He then got this look on his face that said that that was where they were going.
"Teal'c, you're with me," Jack said, receiving a slight nod from the Jaffa. "General, you, Daniel and Gar'shaw go that way to the lower cave," Jack said, looking at the general. Then replied to the general.
"Unless you have a better plan, Sir," Jack said, giving command to the general. Jacob just smiled at the colonel and patted him on the shoulder.
"As long as you save my kid, Colonel," Jacob stated. Jacob knew that O'Neill was good to his word. He knew that Jack O'Neill would save his little girl. He also had noticed that Jack and Sam had been getting closer since the last time that he had seen them together.
"Yes, Sir," Jack said. "Let's move out!" Jack said, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. He didn't need Teal'c, Daniel, Gar'shaw or Jacob to see that he was in love with the general's daughter. That's all he needed, a court martial. He needed to stay focused on the task at hand.

***********************************************
"Martouf, for the last time, I don't love you like Jolinar did. I'm sorry. I just don't. I hope that you understand," Sam pleaded. "I need you to understand that. I'm in love with Colonel O'Neill, Martouf. It's time for you to move on and try to find someone else," Sam said, hoping that Martouf really understood. She was now screaming in her mind for Jack.
"I understand, Samantha. I just need you to understand that Jolinar's last female host, Rosha, looked like you, and she and I were deeply in love." Martouf explained simply.
"So, you think that just because I look like Rosha, I have to love you like she did, is that it?" Sam asked angrily.
"I suppose so. I just need her in my life again, do you understand that, Samantha?" Martouf asked. Suddenly, from within the depths of the cave, they heard a twig or something snap. Martouf stood up, ready to defend himself, when into the light stepped O'Neill and Teal'c. Sam saw that Jack and Teal'c both had their weapons ready to fire at a moments notice. Jack looked at Sam and saw a trail of blood running from the corner of her mouth, down her slender neck. This made Jack mad.
"Carter, you alright?" Jack asked with concern and joy, that he had found her, in his voice. He noticed that she was smiling at him and had tears in her eyes.
"Yes, Sir. I'm fine. Just a couple of bruises, scratches and bumps, but other than that, I'll be okay," Sam replied happily.
"Okay, somebody want to tell me what the hell's going on here?" Jack asked authoritvely. He was a man of action and few words. That's why he had hated Daniel and Carter at first, because of science and long explanations.
"Colonel," Sam said. "I think that Martouf had better explain this to you." She looked at Martouf with a slight grin, but not big enough of a smile to forgive him with.
"I would most likely agree with you, Sam." a voice said from the other side of the cave. When they walked into the light of the cave, Sam saw Gar'shaw, Daniel and her father, all standing with angry looks on their faces, except for Daniel, demanding an explanation of some kind.
After about twenty minutes of listening to Martouf 'spill it', O'Neill just looked at Martouf and asked him a simple question, one that Sam had tried to ask Martouf herself.
"Why didn't you just tell Carter at the campsite? Why take her and put us through this...again?" Jack asked with an angry tone, but he didn't let his voice rise.
Martouf just looked at O'Neill and replied to him with an apologetic look on his face, knowing that what he did was wrong. And that he'd get a talking to from Jacob later.
"I am sorry," Martouf started. "I was, how do you say it? Jealous. I know what I did was wrong. I took something from you, O’Neill, which did not belong to me. I hope that you can forgive me for mine and Lan'tash's actions." Martouf said, meaning every word that he said. Then he looked at Sam.
"I must apologize to you, too, Samantha," Martouf said. "I now understand that you have no true feelings for me or Lan'tash. And that I must respect these feelings. I do hope that you can forgive me as well. I have done a terrible thing to you and your friends. I am ashamed." Martouf said, hanging his head in shame.
"Well, I guess that it's going to be hard to forgive you, but I'm willing to forgive and forget if Colonel O'Neill is." Sam said, looking at Jack with a smile on her face, and Jack looked at her, knowing that Martouf didn't mean any harm by what he did.
"Sure," Jack said sarcastically. "I just want you to know, you do this again, I will personally take matters into my own hands. Understand me?" Jack said plain and simple. Martouf nodded his understandment, and then looked at Jacob and Gar'shaw, then down at his feet, like a little child getting a punishment.
"Forgive me, Jacob. I did not mean any harm to come to Samantha. I just felt that I, and Lan'tash, had some unfinished things to solve with Samantha. And this was the only way that I thought of that could help us. I hope that you will not think of me as a bad person." He said.
In a normal voice, Jacob replied, knowing that he was the liaison for the Tok'ra and Earth.
"As long as Sam's not upset, I guess that I could forgive you. Just don't let it happen again, got me?" Jacob said in his fatherly tone of voice, smiling at the same time.
After returning to the campsite, SG-1 prepared to move out toward the Stargate. When SG-1 reached the 'gate, Sam said her good-byes to her father, knowing that she might not get to see him for some time. She and her father had shed parting tears and told each other that they loved them more than the other one. But then, the hard realization came to them, Carter had to go home without him again. Jacob though, had decided to walk them to the 'door' and see them off.
"Jack," Jacob said. "You take care of my kid, you hear?" Jacob said in his commanding tone. Jack looked at the general and smiled his mischievous smile.

Jack saluted the old general and replied with a slight laugh in his voice.
"Yes, Sir, General. I will do just that. You have no worries. Sam's safe with me." He replied, putting his left arm around Sam's shoulders and pulling her close to him.
Jack had released Sam, so that she could hug her father one last time. This time the tears flowed heavier than before. She hated showing weakness to her father.
"I'm going to miss you, Dad. I hope that you'll be okay here." Sam said, and then held out a small video camera. "I want you to use this, send me some video letters, of how you and Selmak are, once in a while. I love you, Daddy." Sam hugged her father even tighter, not wanting to leave. Jacob hugged Sam back tight too, knowing that his little girl was going to be fine. He felt happy to hear her call him 'Daddy' again. It had been too long since she had called him that.
"I love you, too, Samantha," Jacob replied, holding back his emotions. "Take care of yourself, huh? I'll send those videos when I can." Jacob said sadly.
"Yes, Sir!" Sam replied, getting herself back into the role of the military captain that she was. She wiped away her tears, not wanting Jack or Daniel to see her like this.
When everyone had said their good-byes to General Carter, Daniel had dialed home and the 'gate opened with the kerwhoosh of the event horizon. This was a sign that the group had to go. SG-1 walked up the steps to the Stargate. When Jack and Sam got up to the event horizon, they both turned and looked at Jacob and waved. Sam smiled, looked at Jack and kissed him right then and there in front of her father. Sam knew that things were going to be all right. Jack and Sam once again looked at Jacob, who this time, had a big smile on his face. Jacob knew that Jack had come to his senses about Sam. He knew that she'd be okay, too.

***********************************************
In the Gate Room, General Hammond watched as SG-1 returned, but noticed that both Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter had still not arrived. He looked on worriedly, hoping that nothing had happened to them. Then suddenly, he saw their outlines in the watery entrance. They stumbled through the Stargate, O'Neill's arm around Carter's shoulders.
"Colonel O'Neill," General Hammond began. "You're over an hour and a half late. Care to explain?" Hammond had a confused look on his face, knowing and seeing that Captain Carter was uninjured, with the exception of a couple of bruises, some small cuts and scrapes, and the trail of blood from her mouth that had run down her neck.
"Not at this time, General." O'Neill replied. He looked at the general with a grin, and then looked at Daniel and Teal'c. They didn't say anything at all. Jack winked his thanks to the Jaffa and the scientist.
"Fine. Debriefing will be 1730. Get cleaned up and rested, SG-1. I want a full report from all of you. Dismissed." Hammond barked, giving them their orders. Then, after giving one last glance at Jack and Sam, he walked away to go to his office and fill out any papers that he might have to fill out.
After everyone had left the Gate Room, including Daniel and Teal'c, Jack looked up into the Control Room to see if anyone was watching them. When seeing that everyone in the Control Room was too busy to pay them much mind, he turned to Sam and looked deeply into her blue eyes with a renewed love and attraction to her.
"Things are going to be a bit different around here, Carter. I hope you know that,." Jack said. Sam looked at him and smiled her smile she always gave to him.
"Yeah?" she replied. She looked into Jack's chocolate, brown eyes, seeing that Jack had a mischievous twinkle to them. She knew that she was going to love him for a long time.
Jack looked at how Carter was thinking about something. He wondered what she was thinking. He grinned, leaned down and kissed her with such passion that he didn't want to let her go.
"What was that for, Jack?" Sam asked when they separated. She had a stunned look on her face, but she had liked the way that he had kissed her.
"I love you, Samantha. I mean it," Jack said with no emotion on his face. He just looked at her with a caring love that he hadn't had with Sara. He hoped that Sam would be willing to try something of the 'relationship' kind, or some form thereof.
Sam smiled at Jack and replied with a hushed whisper from her heart.
"I love you, too, Jack. But I think that we should go get cleaned up and rested before the debriefing." Sam said.
"I think that the resting can wait. Let's get out of here for a few hours." Jack said mischievously.
"Where are we going? Or do I dare ask?" Sam asked suspiciously. She knew that Jack was up to something, but didn't know what exactly. But she had a good feeling about it.
"My place," Jack said sheepishly. "Or is that not where you want to go?" Jack asked, grinning from ear to ear. He knew that Sam had liked his house. In fact, the last time that she had been there, was when he had held a wake for Daniel. When they thought that Daniel had died. That was the one and only time that Jack could think of that Sam had seen his place. He hoped that she'd come and see it more often now.
"I'd be honored, Colonel," Sam said jokingly. "Lead the way?" She definitely knew that things were going to be just fine now. She only hoped that she could be the lover that he wanted, like Sara had been. Sam knew that she could never take Sara's place, but she loved the thought of being loved by Jack O'Neill.
Sam hugged Jack and then they walked out of the Gate Room and went to the locker room to clean up and change. After they showered and changed into clean civvies, they walked out of the locker room grabbing Daniel and Teal'c on the way, signed out, and headed to the Colorado Springs Mall. Being that Teal'c had never seen a mall before. They left a message for General Hammond that they'd all be back in time for the debriefing. After about an hour and a half of walking around the mall, Daniel said that he and Teal'c were going back to the base. Jack and Sam decided to go to his house for a late lunch on the back porch before returning to base.
When they finished lunch, Jack and Sam lounged out on the grass of Jack's backyard, watching birds flying overhead, and listening to the songs of other birds that were perched in the trees a few meters away. Sam looked over at Jack and saw that he had fallen asleep. She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his left shoulder, which was rewarded by his left arm being rested across her back and left shoulder. Sam grinned and kissed his neck, and then she whispered in his left ear.
"I think we'll be all right, Jack. I love you." Sam then shut her eyes and fell asleep. She dreamt a good dream about how things between her and Jack would be just the way she had imagined them since the day they had met. She was taken back to the memory of Antarctica and how she had felt about him, even then. She knew that Sara would like her taking care of Jack. Then Sam dreamt no more. Sam's dreams had come true after all. Jack knew that he had Jacob's grant of loving her, but he wasn't sure about Hammond or any of the other military officials. He'd talk to Hammond and see if there was a way around this little situation. Time would only tell.

THE END

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