Near Yet Far: Never Look Back
AUTHOR: Jo. R.
EMAIL: Cksgirl_MIA@hotmail.com
/ Joey@Ram32.freeserve.co.uk
CATEGORY: Angst, S/J Romance, Friendships, Adventure,
Dramatic Interlude.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Angst, Sam and Jack, Mature themes.
RATING: PG-15 for Mature topics.
SEASON / SEQUEL: S4-S5. Sequel to Near Yet Far and NYF: Home
Is..
SPOILERS: For previous stories.
SUMMARY: Third in the timeline. A short
interlude/sequel to NYF and NYF:Home Is. Although some issues have been dealt
with, there are some others that are yet to rise to the surface.
ARCHIVE: Yes to all of these archives: Heliopolis,
SJA, Shipperworld, Tanja and Jo's fic world (http://www.angelfire.com/tv/ficworld/default.htm)
and Jo's SG-1 fic index. Anywhere else, please ask first.
STATUS: Complete.
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the
property of Showtime / Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko
Productions and the cast and crew who bring them alive. No copyright
infringement is intended. No money is being made. The original characters, situations,
and story are the property of me.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Feedback of all types welcome at either
stated address. I suggest you read at least Near Yet Far: Home Is.. before
reading this. I needed something to counteract the sap in 'NYF: Home is..' and this
is what I came up with. This is the sequel to both Near Yet Far and NYF: Home
is.
DEDICATION: Lynn, LM and Lena for their support. Peps –
BGR rules ;)
~*~
" I know
love is a fragile thing
And I'm trying
hard to make it last
But it ain't easy
holding on to a dream
When he's holding
on to the past."
~ 'The Fool', LeeAnn
Womack
~*~
It started out as
one of those pointless arguments, the kind where you forget what you started
arguing about and can't remember who said the first word but by the time you realise
that, it's too late. The damage has been done and nothing you can say or do can
put things right.
That's what Colonel
Jack O'Neill found as he drove aimlessly around the block, keeping his eyes
peeled for any sign of his missing lover.
" Way to go,
O'Neill," he berated himself as he gave up, pulling into the drive. "
Open mouth, insert foot."
He hadn't meant it.
He still didn't know what had possessed him to say it. It just.. came out. His
cheek still stung from her reaction to his comment, the skin angry and red. He
could clearly remember the look that appeared in her eyes at his words; and
that memory hurt more than the physical pain she'd inflicted.
Jack had swore to himself
that he would never hurt her, not if he was fortunate enough to get her back.
And yet.. He had. He'd cut her deeper than even he realised.
Sighing heavily in
defeat, regret lining his features, he entered his house and closed the door
behind him, heading straight for the cupboard where he kept a carefully hidden
bottle of whiskey, knowing the only sleep he'd get that night would come
through drinking himself into oblivion.
~*~
Curled up on the bed
in her quarters, Major Samantha Carter pulled her knees even closer to her
chest as she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't sleep and she wouldn't cry.
She just hurt.
He had hurt her. The
person she'd thought would never hurt her. Not in any physical way. She was
sure he would never do that, but on one side, the way he'd hurt her was worse.
It was a lot worse and would last a lot longer in memory than it would for a
physical wound to heal.
They had started
talking about Velenthia; the subject brought up by a comment Jack had made over
how she didn't have to wear the locket the King had given her all the time. He
admitted it was an unwelcome reminder of her time away and she'd argued that it
was a personal reminder of the people she'd met there.. The argument had
quickly escalated and Jack had eventually blurted out what the locket really
reminded him of..
" Forgive me
for being blunt but what guy really wants a constant reminder that his
girlfriend was a hooker?"
He had immediately
appeared remorseful but it was too late. She acted on instinct, slapped him and
fled.
Sam hadn't wanted to
go anywhere he could find her so she left for the base, knowing he wouldn't
think to look for her there. He would go to her old house, the one she was
reluctant to sell despite having moved in with him, and when he didn't find her
there, he would call Doctor Janet Fraiser, then Doctor Daniel Jackson and
finally, he would call Evelyn and Nicholi Kavise. Then, she suspected, he would
give up and wait for her to make her whereabouts known, which she would, on
base, where they had to be the Colonel and the Major, rather than Sam and Jack.
The words stung and
whirled around in her head, joining a thousand questions that formed from
insecurities she had hoped were banished away for good. Is that what he really
thought? Is that how he saw her? Did he look at her when she was lying asleep
beside him at night and conjure up images of what she'd had to do? Deep down,
did he feel the same way about her as some others did? Was he disgusted,
appalled, shocked? Did he resent her for it? Was he going to turn around one
day and tell her he couldn't get past it and that they'd be better off apart?
Alone, in the
sparse, military-feel quarters, Sam found she couldn't answer any of those
questions. She lay down, still curled up tightly and started blindly at the
wall, a hand instinctively rising to the locket that had caused the argument as
her fingers wound themselves up in the chain.
There was nothing
wrong with having memories.. but what happened when something so dearly loved
caused happy memories in one person and unpleasant memories in the other?
One single tear ran
down her cheek. It was all she would allow to escape. She didn't understand how
a gift given to her on a planet that tried to keep them apart was succeeding in
doing what that whole planet of people had failed to do.
~*~
After sleepless
nights for two members of the team, SG-1 gathered in the briefing room when
General Hammond called for them. The condition of Sam and Jack escaped no one's
attention but the General wisely decided to overlook the matter and get
straight down to business.
" SG-6 were
scheduled to return to the SGC at 0700 hours. They are two hours overdue and
since SG-1 is the only complete unit on base who aren't on downtime. I'm
sending you to retrieve them," General Hammond began. " We sent the
MALP through this morning and found no sign of SG-6 or of any visible threats.
Since you've all been to the planet before, you'll know what to expect, where
to go, that sort of thing.."
" Which planet
is it, General?" Daniel cut in curiously, noticing the lack of a report on
the desk and the way General Hammond darted a look that could be construed as
nervous in the direction of Sam and Jack.
" I was just
getting to that, Doctor Jackson. The planet in question is Belethia. SG-6 were
there because Captain Gardam started that it was a trade planet and that there
might be something of importance there if we looked."
Breathing in slowly,
Sam lowered her gaze to the table as she fought back the memories of her time
on Belethia. Nothing much had happened to her there but it was the place the
King of Velenthia's advisors had found her the first time around. She wondered
whether it would be possible for then to find her again, neither over-joyed nor
completely opposed to the idea.
" Of
course," the General was saying as Sam tuned back into the conversation
going on around her. " Given your past.. history.. with the planet, Major
Carter, it would be understandable if you decided not to accompany the rest of
SG-1 on this mission."
He looked at her
expectantly and she felt the gazes of her tam mates and the two guards standing
at the end of the room burn into her. She looked up and her eyes locked with
Jack's, allowing her to read the message he was trying to convey, the one that
told her to leave the past well alone and stay away. Narrowing her eyes, Sam
made a decision based solely on her feelings; if he wouldn't let the past stay
there, why should she? " I'll be fine going, General," she answered
with a small smile that was more confident than she herself felt. "
Belethia is a harmless planet unless someone claims ownership of you and tries
to make a sale. Even then, it's considered illegal so if we stay to the main
market area and keep away from any back street dealings, we'll be okay."
" Good."
General Hammond appeared pleased with her answer. Daniel threw her a
questioning glance, Jack frowned and Teal'c remained noncommittal. " You
leave at 1000 hours. If you haven't checked in with the SGC by 1200 hours, SG-2
will be sent after you. Good luck, SG-1, and bring our people home.
Dismissed."
Sam stood and left
immediately after respectfully returning the General's salute. Daniel and
Teal'c followed at a slower pace, both of them bemused, whilst Jack lingered
behind.
"
Colonel?" General Hammond paused in the doorway to his office. " Is
there something I can do for you?"
" Take Carter
off this mission," Jack responded instantly. At the General's raised
eyebrow, he elaborated. " I don’t think it's a good idea for her to go
back to Belethia. It'll dredge up too many memories for her and if anyone from
Velenthia's there and sees she's alive.. She might get taken from us
again."
" I'm well
aware of the possibilities, Colonel, but it's your job and the job of Doctor
Jackson and Teal'c to ensure that doesn't happen. If you have doubts as to
Major Carter's ability as an officer, I'd be more than happy to discuss
them.."
" No."
Jack shook his head and sighed heavily. " I have no doubts about her capabilities
as an officer.."
" Then I
suggest you learn how to keep your personal differences off my base,"
General Hammond warned. His expression softened at the sign that escaped Jack's
lips. " Is there trouble at home, Son?"
Jack looked up and met his CO's eyes for a long moment before
forcing a smile. " Nothing a lot of grovelling and apologising on my part
won't fix. At least I hope I can fix it."
Entering the office away from the prying eyes of the guards, mindful
of the rumours and speculation already circulating the base, General Hammond
motioned for Jack to do the same thing. " Something you want to talk
about? Off-the-record, of course." He sat down in his chair and watched as
Jack did the same.
" I said something I shouldn't have," Jack murmured,
wondering in some distant part of his mind why he didn't feel uncomfortable
telling the General this. Maybe, he reasoned to himself, it was because of
General Hammond's affection for both himself and Sam. " I made an..
unkind.. comment about what she did on Velenthia.. It hurt her. She hasn't
spoken to me since."
" I assume you're referring to the.. lifestyle.. she had to
adopt in order to survive? Her profession as a courtesan?" General Hammond
pressed gently, studying Jack's reaction, knowing from the flash of guilt in
the younger man's eyes that he was right. " Colonel.. Jack. I know it must
be hard for you to acknowledge what Major Carter had to do, especially given
the new developments in your relationship with her but try and put yourself in
her position." He held his hand up to stop Jack from protesting. "
Just think about it for a minute. You're trapped on a planet light years from
home. Being a courtesan, or the male equivalent, is the only method of living
that will guarantee your survival until a time when you can either escape or
are rescued. Would you embrace that lifestyle and keep hope alive that someday
you'll make it home or would you choose to die without ever getting to go home
and tell the people you care about that you love them?"
" I'd make the same choice Sam did, obviously," Jack
started to say, stopping when General Hammond nodded and held his hand up
again.
" Now, imagine you make it home. How do you think people will
react to you? Even if they're the most understanding people in the world and
would willingly die for you, how would you expect them to react?" The
General smiled encouragingly as Jack shifted in his chair. " Major Carter
has been through a lot, possibly more than we all realise. She may have passed
the psyche evaluations and may have found strength in her friends support.. but
she is still trying to deal with the aftermath of all she's been through. She
will probably be dealing with it for the next few months if not the next few
years. This isn't easy for her. She might try to appear in control of
everything all the time but underneath the tough exterior is a very sensitive
woman."
Closing his eyes, Jack nodded and rubbed his forehead. " I
know," he sighed deeply. " I've tried to be supportive of her but..
every time I see that damn locket, I'm reminded of everything she's been
through.. and how I failed her. I look at the necklace and remember how I let
her go and couldn't find her in time to stop all of that from happening to
her."
" So it's guilt rather than disgust," General Hammond
smiled sympathetically. " Have you told her that? When you said whatever
it is you said, did you explain it was caused by guilt and not by
repulsion?"
" I didn't have time," Jack replied, frustration evident
in his face. " She slapped me and left and I didn't see her again until we
were here."
Biting back a chuckle, General Hammond nodded. " I wondered
where that bruise came from. She has quite an arm on her."
" Oh, yeah." Jack agreed wholeheartedly, rubbing his
cheek where the evidence of the truth in that statement was. " I should go
find her," he mumbled, getting to his feet. " Clear this up before we
go."
" That's a good idea." Making no move to stand, General
Hammond watched Jack leave the office, shaking his head. SG-1 had been through
so much recently, he hoped they would make it over this latest hurdle and
through their mission unscathed.
~*~
Despite his best intentions, Jack didn't get the chance to clear
the air between Sam and himself. She had already been and gone from the locker
by the time he reached there as only Teal'c and Daniel remained, the two having
a quiet conversation to try and discern the problem between the command team of
their unit.
" Did you see the bags under Sam's eyes? She looked like she
got as much sleep as Jack did. Something's happened between them.." Daniel
was saying as Jack entered the room. " An argument, maybe.."
" O'Neill." Teal'c cut Daniel off mid-sentence, alerting
the archaeologist to the presence of one of the two people he was talking
about.
Daniel turned to study Jack's expression, relieved to find no sign
of Jack having over-heard the tail end of their conversation. " Jack! Hi.
Um.. What's up?"
Throwing him a strange look, Jack crossed the room and opened his
locker, ignoring the question and replacing it with one of his own. " You
guys seen Sam? Or know where she's gone?"
" Major Carter was here several moments ago," Teal'c
informed him." I believe she mentioned she was departing for Doctor
Fraiser's Office."
" Yeah," Daniel added, clarifying Teal'c's statement.
" Sam said she needed to talk to Janet before we left." He studied
Jack more closely, refusing to look away even when the subject of his scrutiny
looked up and caught him in the act. " Is something wrong, Jack? Did you
guys have a fight or something?"
" Or something," Jack murmured, adjusting his jacket.
" I screwed up in typical Jack O'Neill fashion. Lets just leave it at
that.."
" Oh." Frowning to himself, Daniel finished getting
ready and sat on the bench, watching his friend curiously. " Is there
something we can do to help? Maybe it'd help to talk about it.."
Jack shook his head and closed his locker. " Thanks for the
offer but I've already figured it out." He paused before leaving. "
You can do me one thing, though. Keep an eye on Sam when we get to Belethia.
We're not losing her again."
" We will ensure Major Carter returns with us, O'Neill,"
Teal'c vowed solemnly, bowing his head. Jack nodded in return and left the
locker room. " O'Neill is deeply troubled at the thought of returning to
Belethia."
Daniel sighed and nodded. " He's probably wary because that's
where Sam was passed from Astrone to the advisors of Velenthia. There's a
chance someone's going to recognise her, news might have spread that they think
she's a witch.. It *could* be dangerous."
" Then we must make sure Major Carter is protected at all
times," Teal'c stated decisively, striding determinedly out of the locker
room. Daniel looked after him for a few seconds, scurrying after his friend
when he realised he had been left alone.
~*~
Searching the
infirmary proved unsuccessful for Jack, too. He found the infirmary to be quite
busy with two patients and a handful of nurses fussing over them but there was
no Sam. Walking through to Janet's office, he was dismayed to find no one
there, not even the petite doctor.
Fighting the urge to
punch something, Jack glanced at the clock and saw it was almost time to meet
his team in the gateroom. Hurrying through the hallways of the SGC, Jack made
it to the Gateroom to find all of his team assembled there, including Sam, who
stood in conversation with no other than Doctor Janet Fraiser.
" Carter!"
He approached her with relief in his eyes, giving a small nod in Janet's
direction to acknowledge her being there. " Sam," he continued in a
lower tone when she refused to look at him. " I need to talk to you."
"
Colonel," Sam gazed at him impartially. " Is there a problem,
Sir?"
" Drop the
ranks, Sam," Jack murmured softly. " This isn't a military matter and
you know it."
" If it isn't a
military matter, it has no place being discussed on base," Sam answered
calmly.
Shaking his head,
barely managing to contain his frustration, Jack reached out for her, stopping
when she flinched. It wasn't her reaction that stopped him. It was the lack of
something that stopped him. The lack of something sparkling around her neck
over the collar of her clothes, the lack of something he had grown accustomed
to seeing. " You took your locket off."
Sam tensed as Janet
forced a weak, reassuring smile and moved away to stand at a safe distance,
giving the two some privacy. " I didn't think it was appropriate to wear
it on duty, Sir. Nor did I think it would be appropriate or professional to
wear something that made my Commanding Officer think of me as a hooker."
" Aw, come on!
I didn't mean that! You know I don't see you that way. We've talked about this,
you know I.." The rest of his sentence was lost as the last chevron locked
and the Stargate activated.
" SG-1, you
have a go." General Hammond's voice came over the speakers. SG-1 looked to
the window of the control room, Sam and Jack returning the General's salute as
Teal'c and Daniel started up the ramp. Sam followed before Jack could stop her,
leaving him with no choice but to start after her, telling himself they'd talk
about it as soon as they got back.
~*~
Belethia was just as
they remembered it – hot and unrelenting. In complete silence, the team made
their way from the Stargate to the edge of the forest where Daniel had first
spotted the village. Sam squinted in the near-blinding light and peered through
her binoculars at what had caught her attention, a gasp torn from her throat
when she saw the five objects up close.
Imitating her, Jack
looked through his binoculars and swallowed quickly. " Jesus," was
all he said as he handed them over to an impatient Daniel.
" That's
SG-6!" Daniel exclaimed, breaking the silence that had descended over
them. He looked through the binoculars again and swallowed convulsively. "
They don't look too good."
The other members of
his team couldn't argue. SG-6 had been lined up and tied to posts in the centre
of the usually deserted market. Even from a distance, SG-1 could see their
colleagues had been there for a while, all five members of SG-6 appearing
dehydrated and weak.
" Lets go,
Campers," Jack straightened and started marching on towards the path.
" Keep your eyes and ears open for any signs of trouble." Silently,
his team heeded his orders and fell into step behind him, all of them on their
guard, their weapons ready to use if they needed them.
SG-6 looked worse
when they were standing in front of them than they had from a distance. Not
only were they all bound to the posts by their hands and legs, they were all
wearing gags. Bruises mottled the skin that was visible, skin that was red and
blistered from continuous exposure to the intense sunlight.
" Alright, let's
get these guys untied," Jack spoke up, glancing around uneasily. Although
there was no one around, he couldn’t fight the feeling that they were being
watched.
As they got closer
to SG-6, Captain Andrea Gardam opened her eyes. On seeing Sam standing in front
of her, her eyes widened and she tried to shake her head, wincing when the
movement caused her skin to brush the material of her clothes, aggravating the
burns she'd received.
Confused by the
reaction, Sam reached around and untied the gag, taking her canteen from her
pack and helping Gardam drink when all the other woman could do was cough and
choke. " Captain? What happened here?" Sam asked as she started to
unfasten the knots at the back of the post to release Gardam's hands, her team
mates doing the same for the other four members of SG-6.
" We walked
into a trap," Gardam coughed, her throat still dry. " It was that guy
from Velenthia," she continued, her voice taking on an edge of urgency as
she twisted to look at Sam. " You've got to get out of here, Major. He
recognised me and set up another trap so that he could.."
" Now, now,
now. It's no fun if you spoil the surprise." The voice made Sam jump; it
was that close to her ear. No one had heard Lord Jalen and his guards approach,
too busy concentrating on their task of getting their colleagues out of there.
Lord Jalen roughly grabbed Sam and pulled her against him, holding a knife
against her throat as Jack and Teal'c advanced on him. " I wouldn't come
any closer, unless you want the witch to die." Jalen grinned as Jack and
Teal'c reluctantly stopped walking and glared at him as Jalen's guards moving
over to them. " Now, drop your weapons." He held the blade of the
knife closer to Sam's neck, making her bite her lip against a cry of pain when
the sharp edge dug into her throat, a bead of blood standing out like a beacon
in the night against the paleness of her skin. The members of SG-1 lay down
their weapons as soon as they saw it, tensing as Jalen pulled Sam closer
towards him. " Tie them up with the others," Jalen ordered his
guards. " Let this be a lesson to the people of Belethia, a warning not to
help and associate themselves with convicted criminals of Velenthia."
As his guards seized
the three male members of SG-1, Jalen started pulling Sam in the direction of
the row of houses.
" Hey!"
Jack called out, stopping him in his tracks, struggling in the tight grip of
the guard holding him, getting hit in the nose for his troubles.
" I wouldn’t
fight them, Colonel," Jalen told him sweetly. " They wouldn't think
twice about killing you."
" Where are you
taking Sam?" Daniel wanted to know, glaring at the guard who tied him to
his post.
Grinning
suggestively at Sam, Jalen traced a pattern with the tip of the knife's blade
up her neck and along her jaw. " Samantha and I have some.. unfinished
business." He chuckled heartily at the expression of horror on her face
and pulled her back against him. " Do not worry yourselves, Samantha will
soon join you here. She may be dead, but she will still join you."
Holding the knife at
her throat, Lord Jalen marched Sam away from her friends, with her team mates
in no position to help her. Captain Gardam watched them go and lowered her head
in defeat, closing her eyes. She'd tried to warn them.. but the warning had
come too late.
~*~
" Psst.."
Almost an hour after being tied up, Jack started at sound of someone whispering
at his side. Unable to speak or ask who it was because of the gag, he twisted
his head painfully, hoping to see Sam or another SG-team, feeling a little
disappointment when his eyes came to rest on Machupa, the trader who had given
them the information on where to find Sam in the first place. "
Colonel." Machupa stepped out of his shadowy hiding place, darting his
gaze around nervously. " Have the guards departed?"
A nod was the only
answer Jack could give.
Smiling in relief,
Machupa quickly made his way to the bound Colonel and deftly undid the binds
keeping him in place. He moved onto untying Daniel as Jack undid his own gag and
started work on Teal'c. Soon, all three members of SG-1 were free, helping to
untie the team they were sent to rescue.
"
Machupa," Daniel turned to the short man as the last team member stepped
away from his post on unsteady legs. He was stopped from saying more by
Machupa, who hushed him with a glare.
" We must be
quiet," Machupa murmured, stealthily creeping across the empty ground of
the village centre, motioning to the others to follow him. He led them into his
house, shutting the door securely behind him before lighting some candles.
Fidgeting nervously with his hands, Machupa nodded to a sink in the corner of
the room. " There is plenty of water if your friends need to quench their
thirst."
" Thank
you," Jack nodded his thanks as Teal'c moved to get some water for the
severely dehydrated members of SG-6. " Machupa.. Why did you help
us?"
" What happened
here?" Daniel asked at the same time.
" It is
inhumane, Lord Jalen has no right to take such control of our planet,"
Machupa answered simply, darting a nervous look at the door. " Lord Jalen
arrived here two sun cycles ago, demanding we give him the address of your
planet. He had traced your knowledge of Velenthia to someone here. Your friends
arrived after he did and he recognised Captain Gardam. He tied them to the
pillars in the market place, demanding that they give the symbols of your
planet to him but they refused. Lord Jalen declared that they would be an
example to the rest of us, that they would prove that lack of co-operation led
to death. He thought your planet would send more of your people through to help
your friends and set a trap, hoping to gain information. I assume he wanted
information on where the woman you came here searching for was. Now he has
her," Machupa concluded sadly.
" Not for
long," Jack retorted resolutely. " Do you know where he took
her?"
Machupa paused
thoughtfully. " I believe he may have taken her to the house he purchased.
I can take you there, if you wish?"
" Thanks."
Jack nodded and looked around. " Okay, here's the plan. Daniel, you're
with me. Teal'c, you stay here and keep an eye out for Jalen's guards."
Captain Gardam stood
up. " I'm going with you, Sir." She threw Jack a look when he was
about to protest. " We'll stand more chance of rescuing Major Carter if
there are more of us."
" Very
well." Jack nodded, briefly wondering why Gardam was so eager to help,
seeing something akin to remorse in her eyes. 'She feels guilty for letting Sam
be taken,' he realised, knowing how she was feeling only too well. " Good
to have you aboard, Gardam."
Jack started for the
door, only to be stopped when Daniel spoke up. " Ah, Jack?" The
others turned to stare at him and Daniel shifted under their scrutiny. "
I'm all for getting Sam back.. but we've got no guns. How are we going to get
her away from Lord Jalen without something to.."
" I know where
your weapons were taken," Machupa interrupted, his eyes wide. " Lord
Jalen gave them to Pilup for safe keeping. Pilup is a friend, he will return
them to you if you wish."
" Oh,
thanks." Daniel stood up and joined Jack and Gardam at the door. "
Lets go."
Machupa smiled
nervously and opened the door, peeking out to make sure there was no one there
before stepping out completely. " You may come now." He waved for the
others to follow him, and quickly started leading them to a house just a few
feet away, continuously on the look out for any threats and dangers.
~*~
In a well-lit house
on the other side of the village, Sam sat upright in her chair, staring blankly
down at the food Lord Jalen had placed in front of her. He didn't expect her to
eat it as he sat opposite, devouring his own meal, but for what he had planned,
he would need his strength.
" You have not
told me how you escaped, witch," Jalen commented around a mouthful of
food. " You caused much alarm and surprise by disappearing."
" I don't have
to tell you anything," Sam retorted coldly, crossing her arms over her
chest.
" Samantha,
Samantha, Samantha," Lord Jalen chuckled and wiped his mouth. He stood and
moved over to her, towering over her where she sat. " I am merely
interested in knowing whether you are truly a witch. When I made the
accusations, I did not believe them. I am curious, however, was I right all
along?"
Frowning, Sam stared
up at him. " If you knew I wasn't guilty, why did you accuse me of being a
witch in the first place?"
Laughing, Lord Jalen
pulled her to her feet and held her in a bruising embrace she couldn't get out
of. " Revenge," he spat, all traces of humour vanishing. " You
humiliated me, Samantha. And the King was such a fool in not letting me see
you. Do you know how hard I tried? Do you know how many times he refused to let
me?"
" I had nothing
to do with that," Sam spoke through gritted teeth. " If you were
angry with the King, why take it out on me?"
" Because he
loved you," Lord Jalen answered. " Besides, nothing could have hurt
him more than losing both his son and the woman he loved as a daughter within
the space of several sun cycles."
" You murdered
prince Taylin." It was a horrified statement, not a question. Seeing no
signs of denial in his face, Sam renewed her efforts at getting away, only
stopping when he pushed her roughly to the floor and withdrew the knife from
his belt.
Shaking his head,
Lord Jalen leaned over her. " Prince Taylin got what he deserved. Just as
you shall have what you deserve."
" What are you
going to do?" Sam demanded, willing her voice not to shake as she
attempted to sit up, mindful of the vicious knife in Lord Jalen's hand. "
Are you going to kill me, too? Like you killed Prince Taylin? Does it make you
feel good?" She taunted, pushing herself to her feet, her eyes blazing as
she backed slowly towards the door. " Is that what makes you feel like a
man? Killing people who you think have done you wrong somehow?"
" My plans for
you do not solely involve your blood on my hands," Lord Jalen grinned
deviously, a manic sparkle shining from the depths of his eyes. He closed the
gap between them, keeping a firm grip on the knife, making sure she could see
it. When he was certain her eyes were on the blade and not on him, he pounced
and grabbed her arm, pulling her brusquely away from the door, pushing her down
on the bed. " You owe me, Samantha. You will prove to me tonight just why
you were Velenthia's favourite courtesan."
" I will
not," Sam seethed, pushing against him. " I left that part of my life
behind me on Velenthia and I refuse to go back to it."
" I wasn't
asking permission," Jalen sneered. He growled from the pit of his throat when
she kicked and pushed him. After ten minutes of struggling, both of them were
growing tired, he more so that her. Lord Jalen had had enough, and decided to
get his revenge before she over-powered him.
Sam's eyes widened
in shock as she gasped, her struggling arms growing limp. She looked down in
surprise and saw the wound created by the knife he had plunged into her
stomach. Pressing her hand against the gaping hole, she was sickened by the
warm, sticky, red moist that coated her fingers. She fell back and closed her
eyes tightly, the last image she saw being Jalen raising the blood stained
knife again.
She prepared herself
to feel another painful blow as the blade sliced into her but it never came.
There was the sound
of gunfire, and she opened her eyes to find Captain Gardam standing in the door
way, her gun smoking slightly, as Jack and Daniel flanked her, both rooted to
the place they were standing as they stared on at the scene before them.
Lord Jalen fell to
the floor, his expression frozen as he stared blindly ahead of him. He inhaled
slowly, pain engulfing him from the waist up. The only comfort he could find as
he took his last breath was knowing that his revenge had been enacted.
" Major
Carter?" Gardam was the first person to move, Jack and Daniel still frozen
by the sight of one of their nightmares coming true before their eyes. The
Captain moved to Sam's side and shed her jacket, wrapping it around Sam's
injury. " Major?"
" Hurts,"
Sam gasped, struggling to catch her breath. Her eyes moved to Jack's face as
she gazed at him pleadingly, holding a shaking hand out towards him. "
Jack.."
Snapping into action
at the sound of her voice, Jack moved over to her side as Daniel checked Lord
Jalen was dead. " God, Sam." He took her hand, his stomach churning.
There was so much blood, too much blood. It soaked through the thick material
of her fatigues, staining them a darker colour. Staring into her pain-laden
eyes, Jack felt something inside him clench painfully. " I'm so
sorry.."
" No." Sam
shook her head and tightened her hold on his hand. " Not like that."
" What?"
Jack frowned, confused by her reaction, bringing her shaking hand up to rest at
his cheek. " I don't understand.."
" Won't.. die..
like.. that," Sam gasped as a light sweat broke out across her face,
covering her in its sheen.
Shaking his head,
Jack gave her hand a squeeze. " You're not going to die, Sam. We're going
to get you home and Doc's gonna work her magic on you. You're gonna be okay,
Sam. You have to be."
She didn't have
anything to say to that, and if she did, she didn't have time to say it. She
smiled at him, weakly, and then her eyes rolled back into her head and she
slumped fully into Captain Gardam's waiting arms.
" Colonel, we
have to get her back to Earth as soon as possible," Gardam announced,
shaking Jack out of his trance as she felt Sam's weak pulse beneath her
fingertips. " Colonel O'Neill! If we don't get her back soon, she is going
to die."
" Right."
Jack nodded and stood, reluctantly releasing Sam's hand. He turned, uncertain
as to what he was looking for, until he saw Machupa in the doorway. "
Machupa, is there any kind of transport you can get us? We need to get our..
our friend back to the Stargate and she can't walk.."
Machupa nodded, his eyes
grave as they fell on the fallen woman. " I can arrange a cart for you. It
will make your journey faster and smoother." He left before waiting for a
reply, going to make the appropriate arrangements.
Jack knelt down by
Sam's side once more, brushing the hair from her face as he leaned in to kiss
her forehead. He had to believe she was going to be okay. He couldn't allow
himself to think she was going to die with things so unsettled between them. He
had to believe he would have the chance to make amends for what he'd said.
He had to.
If he didn't, he
would have nothing to hold on to.
~*~
Sam and the members
of SG-6 who were in the worst condition went first to the Stargate. Jack sent
Daniel and Gardam with them, not wanting to leave Sam's side but knowing that
he, as the Commanding Officer of the mission, couldn't leave the planet without
every member of his team.
He, Teal'c and two
others from SG-6 trailed behind, hearing the Stargate activate when they were
only half way towards it.
" Doctor Fraiser
is capable of helping Major Carter," Teal'c told Jack quietly as they
continued climbing the hill. " If anyone can save her, it is Doctor
Fraiser."
" I know,
Teal'c," Jack couldn't bring himself to conjure even the smallest of
grateful smiles. " I know." They continued the rest of the journey in
silence; both lost in their own thoughts and hopes.
~*~
When they got back
to base, they found Sam had already been taken to the OR. With General
Hammond's permission, Jack joined Daniel and Teal'c outside in the hallway,
waiting for all and any news.
" Mind if I
join you?" The three men looked up to find Captain Gardam standing there,
looking a little shy. Jack nodded to her and she took the spare seat, casting
him a small smile. " Have you heard anything yet?"
" Not yet,
Captain Gardam," Teal'c answered before his team mates could. "
Doctor Fraiser has not yet departed the Operating Room."
" Oh."
Gardam smiled what she hoped was an encouraging smile. " I'm sure she'll
be okay. Doctor Fraiser is a great doctor.. and Major Carter's strong.."
" Thank
you." Jack looked at her, his eyes troubled. " For killing that
bastard before he could.."
Gardam nodded and
forced a smile. " Major Carter will pull through," she told him
softly. " I can't believe that she'd let him win."
The doors to the OR
swung open and Janet, dressed in medical scrubs, approached them, her
expression tired. She pulled the mask from over her face and stopped as the
concerned team mates met her halfway. " She lost a lot of blood,"
Janet started. " But luckily the knife missed any major arteries. I've
done all I can and hopefully stopped the bleeding. I don't think there'll be a
scar but we'll have to wait and see."
" She's going
to be okay?" Jack demanded, fighting the urge to grab Janet and shake her.
" Is she going to be okay?"
Smiling, Janet
nodded. " Sam's going to be fine. It was close but you got her back in
time for us to help her. She'll probably be out of it for a couple of hours,
and then I'll be confining her to the infirmary for a week so I can make sure
there's no signs of any infection then you, Colonel, will be able to take her
home."
" Can I see
her?" Jack looked anxious as the doors to the OR opened and Sam was
wheeled past on a gurney. She still looked pale. Deathly pale. "
Doc..?"
" She's being
taken to a private room," Janet assured him hurriedly. " I know she
doesn't look well but I promise, we got to her in time. You can go and sit with
her if you like, when you're not needed elsewhere."
Nodding, Jack didn't
stop to say thank you. He was able to convey that in a small smile as he left
the small group behind, following the gurney down the corridor.
Sighing, Janet
slumped against the wall, closing her eyes. Gardam and Teal'c, both sensing the
Doctor's exhaustion, discreetly walked away, both heading to see General
Hammond. Gardam had a debriefing to attend and Teal'c decided he would update
the General as to Sam's condition. Daniel remained behind, reaching out to
tentatively touch Janet's shoulder.
" Janet? You
okay?"
Opening one eye,
Janet smiled and nodded. " Just tired," she replied, stifling a yawn
with her hand. " That was close, you know. Had that knife struck her just
one inch higher.."
" Don't think
about it," Daniel told her softly, squeezing her shoulder before letting
his hand drop back to his side. " Trust me, it's better not to think about
it."
Pushing herself up
against the wall, Janet started heading towards her office, with Daniel at her
side. She allowed herself a brief moment to consider what would have happened
if.. She shuddered and cut the thought short, knowing that he was right. It was
better to think of what was, not what might have been.
~*~
No matter
whereabouts in the world you were, the plastic chairs in hospital and infirmary
rooms were anything but comfortable. Jack moved for what was the thirteenth
time in as many minutes, trying to find a position he could stay in for an
extended period of time.
Failing to find one,
he leaned forward and took Sam's limp hand in his. " I'm sorry," he
told her unconscious form deciding to practise his apology. " When I said
what I said.. I didn't mean it. The locket.. I know how much it means to you
and I don't want you to stop wearing it. It.. It just reminds me of my own
failures, Sam. How I failed to protect you when I vowed I would. How I let you
down, not the other way round." He brought her hand up to his lips and
tenderly placed a kiss in her palm. " I'm sorry I let that bastard take
you. I'm sorry I didn't find you in time. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I let Jalen
take you again today."
He stroked a strand
of hair from her face, leaning in to kiss her cheek softly. " You've got
to wake up, Sam. If only so I can grovel in person." He caressed her cheek
and leaned back again. " Take as long as you need, Sam. I'm not going
anywhere."
" Not
now.."
He slumped down in
the chair, holding onto her hand tightly as he closed his eyes, willing the
hours to pass quickly so he could put things right.
".. Not
ever."
~*~
" I'll be
there for you, these five words I swear to you
When you breathe,
I wanna be the air for you
I'll be there for
you
I'd live and I'd
die for you
I'd steal the sun
from the sky for you
Words can't say
what love can do
I'll be there for
you."
~ 'I'll be There for
You', Bon Jovi
~*~
Finally! The end of the Near Yet Far saga,
betcha you're relieved ;)
Thanks for sticking with it and reading it,
'tis very much appreciated.
Feedback
is always welcome and responded to.
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