Author's Notes: The Royal Gorge Bridge is a totally cool place and a sight you really should see if you’re ever near Colorado Springs or Canyon City in Colorado.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
"In coming traveler. Off-world activation." In the control room of the SGC, Master Sergeant Harriman pushed the button that spun the titanium-trinium iris closed, creating a virtually impenetrable shield that protected the SGC from attack. Davis looked up from her monitor, amusement twinkling in her brown eyes. "Open it up. Receiving SG-1’s signal." Harriman nodded as he pushed the button, picking up the phone and dialing the general’s office without looking. "Sir SG-1’s returning...yes sir." He returned the receiver to its cradle as the control room was flooded with a soft blue light, the roaring whoosh of the wormhole audible even through the bullet proof glass.
The metal stairs clanged slightly as the general came down from his office. General George Hammond had a great fondness for everyone at the SGC but SG-1 held a special place in his heart. It took a special kind of commander to ride rough shod over 12 teams of soldiers, explorers and scientists. Not to mention all the strange and unusual thing they encountered.
First there was that disease that turned everyone into some kind of caveman. Then there were those aliens who walked through the walls, the aliens who made everyone disappear not to mention the Goa’uld and the Tok’ra. Yep, this job was no where near boring.
Looking down Harriman saw SG-1 casually saunter through the watery event horizon. His hand hovering over the iris control relaxed as there were no frantic calls for the iris to close or for medical assistance.
"Looks like they’re in one piece." the general remarked.
"Yes sir."
"Wormhole deactivated." The general left the control room, walking down the flight of stairs and through the door to the embarkation room.
"Welcome back SG-1. How was P3Y983?"
"Sandy sir." O’Neill reported, removing his hat, sending a shower of sand to the floor.
"No signs of habitation or technology sir." interjected Major Samantha Carter.
"Yeah, Danny was bored." Jack pointed to the young anthropologist shaking sand from his hair.
"Very well. We’ll debrief Monday. Dismissed SG-1." With that the general left the room.
"Man I need a shower. I got sand in places I don’t even want to think about." They handed their rifles and sidearms to the weapons officer and left the embarkation room.
"Carter, you want the showers first?" She shook her head. "I need to put these samples away. You guys can go first."
"Sweet." At the next junction they separated, the men going to the locker room and Sam headed to her lab.
"I hate desert planets."
"I don’t know... kinda reminds me of Abydos." Daniel shook his head again, sending more sand through the air.
"There are practical reasons for shaving one’s head DanielJackson."
Sam chuckled as the voices of her team mates faded. She unlocked her lab and walked into the darkened room, her hand reaching for the light switch without looking. In the past 3 years this room had become her sanctuary. This was where she could come to think, to plan and sometimes to hide. As a military brat she spent most of her childhood literally not knowing where she would be living next week. Such a transient lifestyle meant she habitually traveled light. When she transferred to Colorado from the Pentagon she had been able to pack all her belongings in 6 hours.
In the last 3 years however she found herself starting to collect things. Over in the corner was that horrid headdress from Simarka. She’d never admit it but the matching dress was hanging in her closet at home. Drawings from Cassie and Merrin decorated the walls in places. Hidden away in a drawer was Narim’s device holding a recording of his feelings for her. Locked away in the same drawer was her medal for destroying Klorel’s ship and saving Earth. There was a part of her that just couldn’t hang that on the wall, too many people died to feel really proud about it. Also locked away in that drawer was her engagement ring from Jonus Hansen. She didn’t know why she kept it really. Originally she’d thought him permanently out of her life but then he transferred to the SGC. Things were tense for a while but he seemed willing to behave himself. Then came SG-9’s mission to P3X513.
To make a long sad story short, Hansen flipped out believing himself to be a god. They never knew for sure how many natives he massacred but they did know he cold-bloodedly murdered one of his own team, tried to kill the remaining two members not to mention all of SG-1. The natives tossed him through the gate supposedly to Earth and a closed iris. For almost two years they thought he was dead. Unfortunately they found a very alive Jonus Hansen living the life of a castaway on P4A269. SG-1 brought him back to Earth. But not before he attacked Sam, assaulted Daniel, shot Teal’c and tried to shoot Colonel O’Neill. It had taken a bullet from Sam’s gun to stop him. Hansen was now locked up in the maximum security wing of the Air Force Academy Psych Ward. She should of felt relieved but she didn’t.
Now instead of Jonus haunting an occasional depressed moment, he haunted her waking hours. Her mailbox at home was full of his letters. She’d stopped reading them after the first one. While a castaway Jonus created for himself his own little fantasy world. In Hansenland, as Colonel O’Neill liked to call it, he and Sam were married and she spent two years searching the galaxy for her lost love.
Now that he was back on Earth, he wouldn’t leave her alone. She’d changed her phone number, returned the letters, even returned the ring. He’d simply found out her new number, kept sending more letters and sent her back the ring. Now he was sending her letters here at work. He’d filled her voice mail full of messages until she’d informed the general and gotten the number blocked. She knew most of the letters were now being intercepted. The interference made the SGC a haven but it couldn’t last. She couldn’t let it. Dammit she was a grown woman, an Air Force Major. She’d been to various uncharted corners of the galaxy, thwarted alien attacks and hell even killed a "god" or two along the way. She couldn’t spend her life hiding from one delusional megalomaniac.
"Sam." She jumped and turned to face the voice.
"Daniel."
"Whoa...little jumpy today?"
"Sorry." She began to fidget with her pack, clumsily pulling out the samples she was supposed to be putting away.
"What’s got you so wound up?"
"Nothing." Daniel walked closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Sam, you’re wound tighter than a top. What’s up?" Sam sighed and pointed toward a small pile of envelopes.
"Just letting my fan club bug me." Daniel walked over a picked up the stack of about 10 letters.
"He’s still harassing you?"
"And then some." She raked her fingers through her hair.
"Can’t you just...I don’t know...tell him to bug off?"
"Daniel I’ve tried. He refuses to believe it." She said tiredly.
"Sam, trust me I know from experience...he can’t get out of there."
"I know Daniel."
"Hey Danny boy...we got a date with a doctor. You’re not going to stand her up are you?" Jack O’Neill walked into Sam’s lab, his hair still damp from the shower.
"Oh, right. I just stopped to tell Sam the shower’s all hers."
"Thanks Daniel...I’ll see you later...Colonel." She walked from the room, the samples forgotten. Jack walked over to Daniel.
"Hansen still buggin her?"
"Yeah." Daniel held up the stack of letters. "Keeps killin trees."
"Damn, I thought these were supposed to be intercepted at the gate. Who the hell keeps sending them through?" Daniel shrugged.
"It’s a big base Jack."
"I’m halfway tempted to go by that hospital and knock him into reality."
"Doing that will just play into his delusion. He already believes we’re keeping Sam from him. We’re either keeping her prisoner or have brainwashed her. Seeing you would just confirm his theories."
"Yeah Danny, guess you’re right." Jack admitted grudgingly. "Still wish we’d never found him."
"Me too." Daniel agreed sincerely as the two men left the lab and headed to the infirmary.
"So any headaches? Dizziness? Vertigo?" Janet asked, shining her penlight in Sam’s eyes.
"No I think they’re finally going away." Said Sam referring to the headaches she had been suffering since being injured by Hansen. The madman whacked her on the head with a club giving her a severe concussion and almost fracturing her skull. As it is she now had a nice scar fortunately hidden by her hair, where it had taken 10 stitches to close up the gash on her head.
"Cassie and I are having a night in, pizza, ice cream...I rented Dirty Dancing. Want to join us?"
"I don’t know Janet...I have tons of stuff to do."
"Anything that can’t wait until Monday?" Janet coaxed.
"Well..." Sam began, then remembered her resolution. "Actually nothing that can’t wait."
"Great, I’m off duty at 1800. Want to come over about 1845?"
"Sounds great."
"Come." General Hammond looked up from his desk to see Jack O’Neill walk into his office. "Colonel?"
"General...we’ve got a little problem." Jack walked forward and dropped the pile of unopened letters on Hammond’s desk. The older man took a look at the return address.
"I thought these were supposed to be stopped at the gate?"
"Well somebody screwed up. General isn’t there something we can do? Can’t Mackenzie keep him from writing or something?"
"Legally...no. Colonel, we locked that man away without a trial. Now fortunately him being involved with a highly classified project allows us to do that. But unless he directly threatens Major Carter our hands are tied."
"Come on general, since when does the military let rights get in the way? That man is destroying her. It’s not enough he nearly killed her on that planet but now he’s killing her by inches. She literally jumps every time the phone rings for crying out loud! She rarely leaves the mountain anymore. The only times she seems to relax is when we’re off planet." Hammond sighed.
"I’ll talk to Mackenzie. Hansen’s privileges were supposed to be revoked weeks ago. Somehow he’s figuring a way around the restrictions."
"I don’t suppose there’s anywhere else we can send him...I don’t know...somewhere nice and far away?"
"We’ve thought of that. We simply have no facility for such highly classified people." Jack got up to leave the room.
"Maybe bringing him back was a mistake. I shoulda just left him marooned."
"Colonel, you made the right decision. Hansen’s too valuable to leave lying around the universe." Jack nodded and left the room. Hammond knew his reassurances fell on deaf ears.
‘I...had...the time of my life...’
"I must of seen this movie a few dozen times."
"My dad bought it for me on my birthday. I think I watched it every week for a year." Sam answered laying her head back on the sofa cushions and closing her eyes with a tired sigh. Janet watched her friend relax with concern in her eyes.
"You OK?"
"Just tired."
"Still getting letters from your secret admirer?" Sam nodded.
"There was a stack waiting for me at home. Janet how do I convince him to just leave me alone?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes. Janet reached out and enveloped her friend in a hug.
"I don’t know. We’ll figure something out." She promised. "Look why don’t you stay here tonight and get some rest?" Sam nodded, dashing the tears from her cheeks.
"Sam’s gonna stay?" Cassie asked excitedly.
"Yes honey, we’re going to have a little slumber party." Sam pulled the girl into her lap and gave her a watery smile.
"Ya think your mom will let us go to the arcade in Manitou Springs?"
"Really? Can we get popcorn too?" Janet gave in with an exaggerated sigh.
"OK, popcorn too." The three ladies grabbed their respective coats and went out.
It was a much more relaxed Sam Carter who signed in at the front gate Monday morning.
She swiped her card in the lock and carefully balancing the coffee and donut she’d gotten from the commissary as she entered her lab. Leaving the door ajar she clicked on the radio she technically shouldn’t have in the facility and hummed along with the song on the oldies station as she waited for her computer to boot up.
"Major."
"Oh general, come in. Is there something I can do for you?" General Hammond walked into Sam’s lab, taking in her neatly organized clutter.
"No Major. I was just going to tell you Hansen is going to be moved to Leavenworth today."
"Really sir? That’s...that’s great general. Thank you." General Hammond quietly walked over to the young woman and gently put his hand on her shoulder.
"He’ll be out of the state by nightfall." Sam closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath.
"Thank you sir." Hammond nodded and left the room. Sam sat at her computer, took a generous bite of her donut and began to work feeling better than she’d felt in weeks.
"So is the scuttlebutt true?" Janet asked as she sat down beside Sam who was finishing her sandwich in the commissary.
"Which scuttlebutt?"
"Somebody’s going away." Sam nodded.
"I don’t even want to think about who pulled which strings. All I know is that he’ll be 500 miles away by nightfall."
"That’s great."
"This calls for a celebration. You and Cassie want to come over tonight? Chinese and Scrabble."
"She’ll make you watch Ally McBeal." Janet warned.
"I can live with it. Daniel makes us watch Discovery channel."
"More wine?"
"Sure." Sam picked up the bottle and filled the glasses. Cassie was lying on the floor contentedly drawing.
"When’s your next mission?"
"We go to P83943 Thursday. Looks like a nice tree covered planet."
"That’ll make the colonel happy." Sam laughed.
"Yeah the only thing he complains about more than Daniel looking at rocks is trees." The doorbell rang. "That was fast." Sam got up to answer it. "Cassie, dinner’s here." she called as she opened the door. Wine splashed on her jeans as the forgotten glass shattered on the floor.
General Hammond handed Jack a folder. "These are the latest MALP images. UAV shows no signs of life. Should be a routine mission."
"Oh we just love those." Hammond shot a tolerant look at his sarcastic colonel. The ringing of the phone on the general’s desk cut off any comment he might of made. Jack got up, ready to leave if the general motioned him away. Instead the general shot to his feet, his face flushing red with anger.
"WHAT!!! HOW THE HELL DID HE GET AWAY?!? I DON’T NEED EXCUSES I NEED ANSWERS NOW!!!" He slammed the phone down and Jack walked forward, a bad feeling creeping down his spine. Hammond looked at Jack, anger burning in his eyes and confirmed Jack’s suspicions. "Hansen escaped during the transfer. No one noticed until he was overdue at Leavenworth. The Colorado Highway Patrol just found the vehicle."
"How the hell..."
"He killed one guard, shot another."
"General, request permission..."
"Go, take whoever you need. I’ll try to call her house. Get her back here until we find him." Jack dropped the folder and took off at a run. He stopped only at the armory to get his gun and nearly ran Daniel and Teal’c over.
"Whoa, Jack what...?"
"Daniel, Teal’c, Hansen’s out. We gotta go get Carter."
"Shit."
"This does not bode well O’Neill."
"Ya think?" The three men ran towards the elevator.
"Sam, what’s wrong?" Janet walked into the entry way and stopped dead at the sight of Sam held at gunpoint. "Sam..." Janet repeated, fear for her daughter warring with her desire to help her friend. Jonus shifted his gaze from a stunned Sam to Janet.
"You! You helped those that imprisoned me. What are you doing here with my Sami?" Hansen roughly grabbed Sam by the arm and pulled her down the hallway, his shoes crunching on the broken glass.
"Mom?" Janet backed into the living room grabbing her daughter pushing the child behind her back. Jonus pointed the gun at Janet.
"You...you helped them keep me away from Sami." Seeing Cassie’s terrified eyes peeking around Janet snapped Sam out of her shock.
"No, no Jonus." She cried putting out her hand to push the gun down. "It wasn’t her fault. They...they used her daughter. They kidnapped Cassie. She had to help them. It wasn’t her fault."
"Really?" Jonus asked dubiously.
"Yes." Janet quickly agreed. "They threatened Cassie. I had to help them Captain." Please believe us.
"Sami vouches for you. That’s the only reason I do not kill you. But I will not let you stop us."
"Jonus she won’t." Sam promised desperately. "She’ll let us go...won’t you Janet?" God Janet, don’t get heroic.
"Right...I won’t stand in your way." Janet promised.
"Yes, you won’t." Jonus lunged toward Janet and hit her with the butt of his gun. She collapsed as Cassie began to scream.
"JONUS!" Sam pulled herself out of Jonus’ grasp and knelt beside her fallen friend. Sam shakily felt for a pulse then pulled a crying Cassie into her arms. "Honey, she’s OK. I promise. She’s OK." Jonus grabbed Sam cruelly by the hair, pulling her away from Janet and Cassie, the girl falling out of her arms.
"Saaam." Jonus pointed his pistol at the girl. Sam reached up and pulled the gun down as he fired, the bullet tore into the floor instead of the girl. Cassie scrambled to hide in the corner.
"NO, JONUS, NO. SHE’S INNOCENT. YOU CAN’T HURT HER! JONUS PLEASE DON’T, PLEASE." Sam begged, "Let’s just go. She can’t stop us, please Jonus let’s go. Please?" As he listened to Sam’s desperate pleading the look on Jonus’ face changed from one of maniacal madness to innocent gentleness.
"Of course Sami. We need to go. Where it all began. We can’t be late."
"Yes Jonus. Let’s just go, right now please, please." Sam was desperate to get him away from the helpless woman and girl. Jonus opened the closet and pulled out Sam’s jacket and held it out for her to put on. She put it on as he picked up the keys to her jeep.
"Mind if I drive?" he asked politely. Sam nodded her assent as her offered her his arm to escort her to her vehicle.
Jack screeched the humvee to a halt a few houses down from Sam’s. "Still no answer?" he asked Daniel who’d been trying to call Sam on the cell phone.
"No. Just keeps ringing."
"I understood Major Carter possessed an answering mechanism."
"Yeah. Teal’c check out the back." Jack said offering the Jaffa a pistol. "Daniel, you hang back." Three fourths of SG-1 cautiously approached the house. Jack drew and cocked his pistol as he climbed the porch steps. The front door was ajar. Jack silently opened the screen and slipped inside. He heard a crunch and looked down at pieces of glass scattered in a sticky pool of what smelled like wine. This wasn’t good. Jack looked around the corner into the living room. "Shit." he muttered as he walked into the room and knelt by Janet. The doctor was still unconscious. He felt for a pulse.
"Jack?"
"Dammit Daniel, I thought I told you to stay back." Daniel walked into the room and joined Jack.
"How is she?"
"Just unconscious I think."
"Uncle Jack." Jack turned his head toward the small voice.
"Damn." he muttered. Jack stood up, shoving his pistol into the small of his back. He squatted in front of the girl hiding in the corner. "Cassie?"
"Mommy’s dead."
"Oh no Cass. She’s not dead. She’s OK. She’s just asleep."
"No he...hurt her. He hurt Sam." Jack reached out and pulled the trembling girl into his arms wiping the tears from her cheeks and hugged her tight.
"She’s OK Cassie." He promised. Janet let out a small moan and began to stir. "See she’s waking up." Jack brought the girl over to her mother just as Janet opened her eyes with a groan.
"OOH."
"Easy Doc." Daniel said as he helped her sit up. She focused her eyes on the girl’s tear stained face and held out wobbly arms.
"Cassie." The girl launched herself into her mother’s arms and held her tight. "Ssh Cassie, I’m OK." Janet reassured her.
"O’Neill, no one is around the house." Jack nodded and turned his attention back to Janet.
"What happened?"
"Jonus. He came to the door...took Sam."
"He hurt her." Cassie said.
"Cass, how did he hurt her?" Daniel asked gently.
"He pulled her hair, he made her cry."
"We’ll find her." Jack promised. "Any idea where he took her?" Jack asked Janet. She shook her head.
"He said he’d take her to where it all began." Cassie said, trying to concentrate on repeating the words right. Daniel got an intense look on his face.
"Daniel?"
"The bridge."
"What?"
"The Royal Gorge Bridge...It has to be." Jack shook his head.
"Has to be what Danny?"
"Sam told me once. That’s where he proposed to her. On the Royal Gorge Bridge." Jack got up.
"Daniel, call Hammond, get us some help coming. You stay here with Doc and Cassie. Teal’c and I will go after Sam." Daniel picked up the phone.
"He must of cut the lines. It’s dead."
"In my bag." Janet said. "My cell phone."
"Go Jack. We’ll be fine." Daniel reassured his friend.
"Get them to the mountain. They’ll be safe there." Jack tossed over his shoulder as he and Teal’c left the house.
Jonus put Sam’s jeep in park and turned off the ignition.
"We’re here my love."
"Yes we are."
"Aren’t you excited? I remember how much you loved this place."
"Of course Jonus. It’s my favorite. Or was. Why have you brought me here?"
"It’s a surprise." Just what I need, more surprises.
"Great."
"Let’s go for a walk." he suggested. Sam got out of the vehicle. Damn, it was deserted. Once they got on the highway she guessed his destination. She’d hoped someone would be around, but the park was empty, the full moon the only illumination. She had a bad feeling she was going to die here. At least Cassie and Janet are safe. A deserted park isn’t totally bad. There are no innocent civilians to get in his way. She heard the rear door open.
"Some thing never change. You still keep your survival kit in your car." Jonus’ words sparked a memory in Sam. She tried not to let the hope show as she casually joined Jonus at the back of the vehicle.
"Old habits die hard." she forced herself to say.
"What else do you have stashed in here?"
"I think I have a couple of MREs. Are you hungry? We could have a picnic, just like we used to."
"A picnic. Yeah that sounds great." Sam dug in the box and pulled out a couple of the meal packets. She held them out to Jonus. Just a she felt his hands close over them, she opened her hand, clumsily dropping them on the ground.
"Oh I’m so sorry. I’m such a clutz."
"That’s OK dear." he replied kindly as he bent down to pick them up. Sam swiftly grabbed the knife she kept in the box and deftly slid it into the inner pocket of her coat. She then quickly grabbed two bottles of water.
"No wine...I guess water will have to do."
"Being with you...water will taste like wine."
Oh please. Sam forced a smile onto her face. "You say the sweetest things." I’m gonna be sick. Hansen took Sam’s hand in his and began to draw her forward.
"Come my dear. You chariot awaits." Jonus approached the locked gate to the bridge and shot off the padlock holding it closed. That’s one less bullet he can use against me. They walked past the closed concession stand, the full moon casting eerie shadows. Jonus led Sam onto the long suspension bridge. The thick cables were gilded silver in the moonlight. In the silence of night the thick wooden planks creaked as the ever present breeze caused the bridge to sway slightly. Sam could hear the river roaring a hundred stories below. She racked her brain trying to anticipate Jonus’ next move. Was he going to propose again? Would he kill her if she refused?
"Here we are my dear." Jonus stopped almost in the middle of the span.
"Jonus...what?"
"It’s very simple my dear. I truly ascended to god hood once the people of 513 threw me through that gate and freed me from my mortal coil. I don’t have access to a stargate but this will do."
"Do for what?" This isn’t good. Jonus tightly grabbed Sam’s arms and backed her into the side of the bridge.
"Don’t you understand? For you to truly become my goddess you must also shed your mortal coil. This spectacular bridge will be your stargate. Then you shall truly become my Goddess." Sam realized he planned to throw her off the bridge to certain death upon the rocks or in the river 1000 feet below. I don’t think so buster. She swiftly brought up her right knee, smashing it into his groin. His hands released her as he fell to the planking with an anguished cry. Sam tore herself away and desperately ran towards her car. If I can just get to the car...spare key...
Her flight was halted with a sharp report and a searing pain in her side that sent her crashing to the wooden boards. She fell hard, the air leaving her lungs in a large whoosh. She lay there for a second desperately trying to force air into her lungs. The oxygen she was starting to take in was forced back out by a sharp kick from Hansen’s boot in her injured side. She didn’t even have enough breath to even cry out, instead her eyes welled up with tears of pain.
Hansen rolled her onto her back and climbed on top of her, leaning over to cruelly grasp her hair and push the muzzle of his gun under her chin. "I wanted you to start your godhood unblemished, but I guess it is not to be." As his fingers tightened on the trigger she forced her fingers to obey. She yanked the knife from her pocket and rammed it into his chest with all her failing strength. In the moonlight she saw his mad eyes widen in surprise. She frantically rolled him off her and grasped the side of the bridge with bloody hands. She pulled herself painfully to her feet and tried to continue her flight to her car. She didn’t see the two shadowy figures emerge from the darkness until one of them reached out and grabbed her. She screamed in terror and began to fight. How had he gotten ahead of her? No the son of a bitch isn’t gonna to kill me without a fight. She began to swing her arms as a voice penetrated her nightmare.
"Carter...Carter...Sam, it’s Jack and Teal’c...Carter" Jack grabbed her by her shoulders and gave her a quick shake. "MAJOR!"
That voice..."Colonel?" she asked in a shaky voice.
"It’s me...it’s me...it’s OK...where is he?"
"Huh?"
"Sam, where’s Hansen?" Jack asked gently. Sam closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.
"Middle of bridge...got a gun...stabbed him." She said breathlessly.
"OK. Teal’c, stay with her." Jack headed across the bridge snapping on his flashlight. The beam illuminated the shiny black surface of a 9mm pistol lying on boards stained black with absorbed blood. As he picked it up he saw a faint blood trail heading towards the other side of the bridge. He started to follow it.
"O’NEILL!" Teal’c’s deep voice halted his pursuit. Jack could tell by the tone something was terribly wrong. He jogged back to Teal’c. Captured in the beam of his flashlight was a heartstopping sight. Teal’c was on his knees, cradling a kneeling, barely conscious Sam. Jack knelt by the duo.
"Carter?"
"He...sorta...got me first." she gasped. Jack looked down and was horrified by the sight. The lower part of her shirt and her jeans were soaked with dark blood.
"Oh Carter." Jack groaned. Teal’c took off his T-shirt and pushed it against the wound as a makeshift pressure bandage. His actions caused her to gasp in pain.
"Damn. Hang on Carter." She nodded weakly as Jack began to wrack his brains for a way to get her out of here. The radio in his back pocket squawked.
"Sierra gulf one this is chopper one. Ready to offer assistance." Way to go Daniel. Jack pulled the forgotten radio out.
"Chopper one, what’s your 20?"
"25 miles east of Fort Carson."
"Chopper one I need you at the Royal Gorge bridge ASAP for medial EVAC."
"10-4 sierra gulf one. ETA 10 minutes."
"10-4 chopper one. Teal’c let’s get her to the parking lot." Teal’c nodded and picked Sam up. She moaned slightly. Jack shot a regretful look behind him. First light, he vowed, as soon as he knew Sam was going to be OK he was coming back and hunt that bastard down.
"Doc?" Doctor Warner exited the OR, pulling his surgical cap off his head as he walked.
"She’s alive. Critical but alive. The bullet nicked an artery and she needed 5 pints of blood, but barring any complications she’ll be right as rain in a few weeks."
"Can we see her?" Dr. Warner took one look at the motley group in front of him. The near-sighted anthropologist who was nursing his 5th cup of coffee, the big shirtless alien standing so stiffly against the wall and the wise cracking colonel with haunted eyes.
"She won’t be awake for hours..." He held up his hand to ward off the protest he knew was coming "...but Dr. Jackson, you may go sit with her now. I imagine she’ll need a friendly face." He shot Jack and Teal’c a look that stopped their protest. "You two may join him AFTER you have showered and changed clothes. I won’t have you upsetting her when she sees you covered in blood." Jack and Teal’c looked at themselves, finally realizing their clothes were liberally stained with Sam’s blood. Daniel shot them a look.
"I’ll keep her company." His companions nodded and headed toward the locker room. Jack turned back to the doctor.
"Thank You." Dr. Warner nodded and watched the men turn the corner. Then he went to his office, picked up the phone and briefed a very concerned general.
Sam slowly surfaced from oblivion. The faint beeps and clicks told her she was safe. She was in the infirmary. Was Daniel hurt again? She slowly forced her eyes open and met the gentle gaze of Daniel.
"Daniel." she tried to say, but the word came out a thin whisper.
"Sam, you’re at the SGC. You’re safe." She still wasn’t sure what happened but that was enough for now. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep.
Three days later when Colonel Jack O’Neill walked in and sat beside her bed she was dozing in a morphine haze. If it wasn’t for the IV he would just think she was playing possum. But he’d seen her chart, he knew what was hidden under the covers, how many stitches it’d taken to put her back together. That bastard Hansen had a lot to answer for. Sam, sensing the presence of another person, opened her eyes.
"Hey?"
"Hey."
"How ya feeling?"
"Hurts like hell, but I hear I’ll live." She gave him a wan smile. "Think bikinis are out for a while though."
"That’s a depressing thought." Jack joked, wanting to put off telling her his news.
"You didn’t find him did you?" Jack ran his hand through his short hair.
"No." he admitted. "We followed the blood trail for 10 miles. Then it just stopped. Right in the middle of the prairie. As much blood as he lost he should be...hell he ought to be dead."
"But no body?" She pressed.
"No. No body." Sam nodded and closed her eyes.
"Then he’s still out there."
Marvin pulled his truck to the side of the road and rolled down the passenger window.
"Hey buddy? Need a ride?" The man limped over to the truck and gratefully climbed in.
"Thanks."
"Where you headed?"
"Thought I’d give Denver a try." Marvin looked at his passenger , taking in his ill fitting clothes and military hair cut. Another homeless vet he decided.
"Nice town. You OK? I noticed your limp."
"Fine, just had a bit of an accident."
"That’s a bummer." The hitchhiker looked out the window at the road sign. Colorado Springs...why did that sound familiar?
"Name’s Marvin."
"I’m Sam."
"Nice to meet you Sam. You belong to that car a few miles back?"
"No."
The next day the Colorado Highway Patrol investigated the abandoned car. In the trunk they were horrified to find the body of a man, his throat cut, sloppily dressed in ill fitting military issue clothing. After the MP’s at Fort Carson confirmed the man was not one of theirs it was assumed the clothes came from a thrift store or military surplus. The police report noted the two types of blood on the torn clothes and the letters J.H. written into the lining. The case was filed away with other unsolved carjackings