Shade: Part Six
Shade: Part Six
by Gene Este
Title: Shade: Part Six
Author: Gene Este
Email: t_girl21@mail.com
Category: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Romance, Series
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Spoilers: None
Season: 4
This story is a sequel to: Part 6 of ?
Rating: PG-13
Content Warnings: angst
Summary: The Story continues...
Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
Author's Notes: Thanks, Of course and as always, to my best friend Sherri - Long live the Adventures Of Cow and Chicken! (Don't ask!). Also, thanks to those who have kept with the story and who have continued to give me feedback (you know who you are, guys, I love you all!). Hmm, Let see... Thanks to all the authors at Helio (and Fanfic.net!) who always seem to shell out excellent stories to satisfy my Stargate cravings... to my brother who can't seem to sit through an episode of our favorite show without finding something to crack me up about... and to those microwavable pizzas that make my life sooo much easier. So, until next time: Let the game begin!
Jack's sleep was fitful; and from what he felt from the other side of the bed, so was Daniel. After several hours of tossing and turning and small amounts of sleep, Jack finally got up and dressed. It was around 5:30 in the morning, so he tiptoed downstairs to keep form waking anyone else. He shouldn't have bothered, for Sally, Mark and Jacob were already awake, and looked like they had been for a while.
"Starting the party without us?" at that they all turned, surprised.
Jacob smiled. "Course not, Jack. We're just passing the time until the kids wake up. Have a seat."
Jack complied, and sat himself down on the sofa. Sally rose from her seat and headed to the kitchen. "I'll get you some coffee." Jack glanced at the Christmas tree, where many presents lay underneath. Jack raised his eyebrows. "Santa Claus really likes you guys."
Mark shrugged. "Christmas is the only time we get to spoil our kids. We like to go all out." Mark pointed to a large, long wrapped box that was off to the side. "That's Sam's present for the kids. It's a telescope. Ever since Nicholas and Annie found out that Sam works with telescopes they've wanted one. I tried to talk her out of buying it, because it was so expensive. But she just laughed and said that she was their Aunt, and she wanted to do it. Besides, she said, this way she could be the cool one." He cleared his throat and looked at the floor. "She sent it beforehand, so we'd have it just in case for some reason she couldn't make it in time. She always did have a talent for irony." He sighed, and took another sip of his coffee.
Sally came back and handed Jack his coffee. Sensing the change in mood, she glanced from Jack to Mark and then to Jacob. "What?"
Jacob forced a smile. "Nothing. I hope the kids wake up soon, I want to open presents." Sally chuckled, and sat back down in the loveseat. "Well, I suppose we could cheat a little and just open the ones we brought for each other...Of course, should the kids ask it was all your idea." She said, grinning at Mark. Feigning annoyance, Mark shook his head. "Sure, blame it on the man. Always blame it on the man."
Sally shrugged. "Woman's prerogative."
Mark shook his head, and bent down and fetched a small present from under the tree. He handed it to Sally. "Merry Christmas." She raised an eyebrow and went about unwrapping it, revealing a black velvet box. Opening it, her eyes widened. "Oh my, Mark. You shouldn't have done this. It must have cost a fortune." In the box were two small round diamond earrings, set in silver. "They're beautiful."
Mark smiled. "Yeah, well, I had to do tons of overtime at work, and we'll probably be in debt for the rest of our lives, but I'm glad you like them."
Sally whacked his shoulder. "Oh shut up." With that she went to the bathroom to try them on and see how they looked. Mark bent down again and took away a medium-sized box and handed it to Jacob. Jacob opened it, and laughed. "A portable coffee machine?"
Mark grinned. "Well, you love coffee so much, and I figured with all your traveling it would come in handy."
Jacob nodded, still grinning. "Yes, it would. Thanks."
Sally was back by now, handing a present to Jack. Seeing the look of surprise on his face, she shook her head. "It's not much, but I think you'll like it. Thank Jacob, he gave us the idea."
Jack opened it and found a fishing video game, complete with line and reel. He laughed. "Jacob?"
Jacob shrugged. "Sam told me how you're always trying to get away to go fishing, now you won't have to. Uh, Murray said you never catch anything anyway."
Jack sent him a look that could have killed, but thanked him anyway. Sally tried to hide a grin. "Daniel's present will have to wait until he wakes up. I think that's all we have for now." Silence ensued once again, but this time, with the ice broken, it was a comfortable silence. Jack sat back and sipped more of his coffee. It was just a matter of time before Daniel and the kids would wake up.
~
Sam spent half an hour in the bath before Allay came and called her out for dinner. She put on the white under clothes and dress, surprised at the softness of them. She felt more comfortable now than she had in quite a long time. Walked barefoot back to the kitchen, and sat down at a table set up there. The food had already been put on the table, and she found Shade, Ally, and little Anij waiting for her. Shade gave her another concerned look.
She smiled. "I'm fine. Let's eat." They were just about to dig in when out of nowhere Sam heard a heavy door swing open. Her head snapped up, and her eyes locked with Shade's. She saw in the corner of her eye Shade's hand tighten on Allay's, then let go. Somewhere in the back the baby began to cry. Her eyes still locked with Shade's, she felt the link between their minds start to fade, and she gasped and closed her eyes at a sudden sharp pain to her side. When she opened them, she was staring into the face of a very angry Jaffa.
~
The morning went quickly after the kids and Daniel had woken up. Daniel's present had been an electronic organizer. Jack had laughed, stating how fitting the present was for Daniel. They had spent the rest of the morning playing with the children and their new toys. After that, the day ran quickly for Jack, who spent most of the time in his own mind, out on the deck looking out to the mountains alone. He just didn't feel right. He really couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something wrong somewhere. He was half tempted to call the base to see if anything was happening, but he knew that if there were, he would be contacted. So he just sat there, and thought to himself. Daniel had occasionally come out to check on him, worried that something was wrong, but left when Jack assured him nothing was. Sally brought him lunch and dinner, but always left immediately and never asked questions. Night fell, and rather than going back inside, Jack lay back on a reclining patio chair and fell asleep.
~
The Jaffa had to drag Sam back to the cell. Before their failed escape attempt, she would at least have enough energy to walk back on her own. But now; now they had to carry her. She couldn't even walk on her own. If even she hadn't been beaten to the point of unconsciousness, she might not have been able to walk on her own because her leg anyway, but it was still humiliating and degrading. Once in her cell, she lay on the cold floor and closed her eyes.
~
Shade didn't return until minutes later from his time with the Jaffa. He had hoped he would be back before Sam was, but when he entered the cell, with more help from the Jaffa than he would have wanted, he saw that he hadn't. Sam had already fallen asleep, on her side and in a fetal position. He laid down beside her, sliding one arm under her and the other around her waist, pulling her to him. He closed his eyes and set his head on the floor. He knew what she needed, and sent his mind out to try to do something none of his people had tried in a very long time.
~
Jack turned over in his sleep. His dreams had been interrupted by something. It was changing everything around, and suddenly he found himself on a green field beside a waterfall. He looked around, seeing hills and trees. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Jack whirled around, but relaxed when he saw it was only Daniel.
He had a confused look on his face. "What's happening?"
Jack just shrugged. "I have no idea."
~
Shade heard Sam murmuring in her sleep. He tightened his arms around her, and completed the link.
~
Sam was back on Shade's world, and she sighed in relief. She had been having a nightmare about the Jaffa again.
She caught her breath when she heard voices behind her. She turned slowly, and felt tears come to hers eyes when she saw who was there. She moved toward them, but she was having trouble, because of her leg. It didn't matter, because the men had seen her.
~
Jack's chest hurt at the sight before him. It was Sam, but she was in horrible shape. He hair was longer, almost gray and ragged. She was still in her SGC uniform, but it was torn and had dark stains that he feared might be blood. She was limping heavily, her right leg obviously injured. It seemed as though her knee wouldn't bend, and it was so hard for her to walk she eventually gave up. Her beautiful face was terribly bruised and cut, one eye almost swollen shut. Her hands were bloody and also bruised. She was holding her side with one hand, the other left dangling at her right side. He walked towards her, Daniel at his side, and finally found his voice.
"Sam."
~
He opened his arms, and Sam moved into them. There he held her while she sobbed. She felt Daniel's hands on her back, and it made her cry even harder. After a several minutes, she calmed down enough to speak.
"I...I didn't want you to see me like this." Her saying the words aloud must have made the difference, because when she pulled back, she looked down and she was in the white dress Allay had given her. Her hands were clean and healed, and her leg was fine. She smiled. "That's better."
Daniel had moved where she could see him now, and she took his hand and held it tightly. He studied her face. "We're dreaming, aren't we?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"But we're really talking to you? You're really here?"
She smiled again. "Yes and Yes."
Jack was still looking at her as if she'd disappear. "But how?"
She frowned. "Does it matter?"
Jack sighed. "No, I guess not."
Daniel's hand gripped her own like Jack was looking at her. They were both so afraid that she would leave, and that they'd lose her again.
"Before this," Jack said, motioning to her dress, "Was that what you really look like? That's what the Goauld have done to you, isn't it?"
Sam looked at the ground and said nothing. "Sam?"
The tears were coming again. "Can't we just forget about that right now? Please?"
Daniel sent Jack a look. "Yeah, we can. Where are we?"
"On my cellmate's world. Isn't it beautiful?"
Daniel nodded. "We're with your Dad and Mark and Sally right now."
Sam wiped the flowing tears from her cheeks. "How are they? I mean, how are they doing with all this?"
His blue eyes were sad. "They're taking it pretty hard. The kids miss you."
She nodded, crying. "How are you guys?"
Jack just looked at her, didn't say a word. His face communicated his feelings. Daniel looked away. "Not so good." He forced a thin smile.
Sam closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and returned the smile. Then she turned her attention to Jack. "They're not going to come to get me, are they?"
It was Jack's turn to close his eyes. He spoke in whispers. "No, I don't think they are."
She nodded, and her face collapsed into a sob. Jack pulled her back into his arms, settled his cheek against her hair. "I'm sorry, Sammy. I'm so sorry."
"No, It's, uh...I understand. Too risky, I know."
Jack shook his head. "It's not right."
Sam replied, so quiet that Jack could barely hear her, her head buried in his shoulder. "No, it's not."
"Samantha." She heard Shade's deep voice somewhere behind her, and pulled away from Jack to turn around.
Shade had a sad look on his face. "It's time to go."
~
Jack looked from the stranger to Sam. She was very unhappy. "But we just got here!"
The man shook his head. "Time is different here, remember?"
She nodded, and then turned back to him and Daniel. "I have to go."
Jack's brows came together in confusion. "Why? Who's that man? What does he mean, time is different here?"
She shook her head. "I can't explain right now. But I need you to listen."
Jack nodded. She took his hand and held it; taking Daniel's in her other hand. "I want you to remember this. Don't write it off has just another weird dream when you wake up, ok?" At their nods, she continued. "And I want you to tell Dad, Mark, and Sally that I love them, and that I'm alright. Give the kids hugs for me." She was starting to cry again, and her voice was hoarse. "And look after Dad. Somehow he'll find a way to blame himself for this, and I don't want that. And I want you to promise me that you two won't blame yourselves either. There's nothing you can do. Promise me."
Jack squeezed her hand. "I promise."
Daniel nodded. "So do I."
She laughed through her tears. "And tell Janet to get a life. She spends way too much time at work and not enough time taking care of herself. Believe me, I know. Oh, and at my apartment there's a present for Cassie in my bedroom bureau, top drawer. They're my mother's gold earrings. Cassie always loved those. Give them to her for me and tell her I love her very much."
Jack nodded again. "I will."
"Samantha, we must go." She had pained look, but nodded anyway. She squeezed their hands one last time, and then let them go. She turned to Daniel and gave him a kiss on his cheek, and he enveloped her in a long hug, which she returned. Reluctantly he let her go, and she moved to Jack. She stood in front of him, unmoving, as if she was unsure of what to say. After a moment had passed she lifted her hands and placed them on both sides of his face. He moved in, his hands moving up at down from her shoulders to her elbows, and placed his forehead against hers.
"Sam..." He closed his eyes and continued to rub her arms with his hands.
"Don't. Don't do that. I'm not dead. Not yet. So don't say goodbye and don't act as if you're never going to see me again. You will. It's just a matter of time." She was angry with him for thinking it, and she was angry with herself because there was nothing that she could do to stop him.
He kept his eyes closed and shook his head against her forehead, but didn't make any other moves.
Her hands dropped slowly from his face and settled on his chest. She grasped the fabric of his shirt like it was some sort of magical hold that could keep them there.
"Just..." her voice caught in her throat, and she stepped back and stepped forward again knowing she needed to go but not wanting to. She fought to retain the little composure she had left, and when she finally spoke it was hoarse and quiet. "Just don't give up on me." With that, she brought up her right hand again and stroked his face. "Goodbye," she whispered, and then turned around quickly and moved to stand beside Shade. Jack's eyes moved with her the entire way, and found her own when she reached her destination and held them until the world disappeared.
~
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