Along The Way Home

Title: Along The Way Home

Author: Suz W.

Feedback: Ya sure ya betcha!!

Spoilers: After New Ground and The Crystal Skull

Rating: PG, S/J Friendship, Romance, Action/Adventure, And Mild Language

Summary: As SG-1 travels back towards Cheyenne Mountain from another base, they experience their own share of adventure on the road.

Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended.

Copyright: The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Copyrighted on January 23, 2004, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.

Author’s Notes: This story follows “Whispers Of Doubt”. I hope you enjoy it, and as always on any of my stories, I encourage and welcome your feedback!

Dedication: This story is dedicated to Jenny S. Thank you for your continued support of my writing, and for your friendship. And may I offer you again congratulations on the birth of your niece. I hope her life is blessed with good health and prosperity throughout.

Sam looked out the window from the passenger’s seat of the rental car and smiled. It was just after 0900 hours and the warm glow of the morning sunlight bathed their surroundings in hues of orange and yellow. The fields of wheat and pastures of bright green grass swayed lazily in the morning air, while purple and white wildflowers danced in occasional patches of color along the side of the road as the car continued on towards its destination. And wooded areas of trees dotted the landscape in varying shades of green.

Sam, Jack, Daniel and Teal’c were on their way back toward Cheyenne Mountain and the SGC after spending a day and a night at Whiteman Air Force base, located 60 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri. Nestled securely among the wooded, rolling hills of the state, Whiteman AFB is the home of the 509^th Bomb Wing, which operates and maintains the Air Force’s premium weapon system, the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

General Hammond had acquired permission from the President to allow his team access to a top-secret weapons system that the base had been working on as a possible upgrade to the system already used on the B-2 bomber. Hoping to apply that same technology in their fight against the Goa’uld, SG-1 had been flown out to observe the latest advancements in their research.

And now they were on their way back home. Sam looked over at Jack, who was driving, his sunglasses reflecting the light as they shielded his eyes from the sun. She couldn’t help it as a little smile found its way to her lips as she looked at him. He was incredibly handsome. All she wanted to do was to reach out and take his hand in hers, but with Daniel and Teal’c in the back seat, she didn’t dare.

Jack caught Sam looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head towards her briefly, he gave her a curious look. “What? Do I have something leftover from breakfast on my face?” Jack’s voice was playful, letting Sam know that he really didn’t mind the look she was giving him.

Sam’s smile grew in intensity. “Nope. Just glad we’re doing this, Sir. It was a good idea.”

“Yes, it was, wasn’t it!” Jack had a proud, satisfied look on his face as he answered.

Daniel cleared his throat from the back. “Uhm, actually, it was my idea, Jack. I believe the whole reason for us driving back instead of flying is so that I can make a stop at the Archeology convention that’s in Kansas City. Otherwise, what would have been the point in me coming on this trip if it weren’t for that?”

Jack gripped the steering wheel with a little more pressure. “Oh, I don’t know, Daniel,” he said, his voice suddenly layered with irritation. “Maybe just to be really annoying!”

Daniel sighed. “Jack…”

“And for your information, Daniel, I wanted to drive home instead of fly so that Teal’c could experience more of the world than just what he can see from an airplane.” Jack looked in the rearview mirror at Daniel, the sunglasses concealing the warning expression in his eyes.

“Whatever Jack,” Daniel grumbled.

Teal’c, listening to the debate, suddenly spoke up. “I believe that the purpose of this trip is due to both reasons; Daniel Jackson’s interest in the gathering, and yours O’Neill, for the tripping on the road.”

Jack sighed to himself. “That’s road tripping, Teal’c. And yes, you’re right. It’s for both reasons. So don’t worry, Daniel, you won’t miss your convention.”

Sam couldn’t help but smile as she shook her head back and forth slightly. These three men, her friends and teammates, had added an element to her life that she hadn’t known she was lacking: the little arguments between Jack and Daniel; the astute observations from Teal’c about things that were easily overlooked by the rest. Each one of these factors gave her a sense of family that she didn’t want to ever do without.

Trying to break the tension in the car, Sam spoke up in a cheery voice. “Well, I think it’s a good thing to be doing. We could all use a little time off, and with a 16-hour drive ahead of us, I’d say that is going to provide us with just that. Right, Sir?”

Jack looked over and smiled, amazed at the amount of patience she always seemed to display. “Yep! Oh, and Sam, since we’re officially on a little vacation, you can drop the Sir. Let’s just enjoy each other as friends.”

Sam gave Jack a warm smile. “Sounds good…Jack.” She said his name with an affection she hoped that Teal’c and Daniel hadn’t heard. The idea of being able to call him Jack in public, even for a short time, gave her a secret thrill.

Drawing his eyes away from Sam’s and back to the road, Jack found it very hard to resist reaching out for her hand. He loved hearing her call him by his first name, and he couldn’t think of a better excuse than this road trip to allow such an occurrence in front of Teal’c and Daniel.

The rest of the trip into Kansas City went by with casual remarks and comments about the area around them, and about life in general. Teal’c even seemed to have relaxed from his usual matter-of-fact nature. For now, they were just four close friends, traveling down the road to see what adventures life would offer them up next.

Jack pulled up in front of Bartel Hall, the convention center in Kansas City. It was 1000 hours in the morning. The sun shown down brightly, illuminating a blue sky that was dotted with white, puffy clouds that traveled slowly across the sky. The summer air was hot, but a slight breeze blew just enough to offer those strolling around the city some relief from the humidity. The convention center was a bustle of activity, with people strolling in and out, venders selling various things to eat and drink, and those looking for a break from their day relaxed by a large fountain that sat in the middle of a square, located across the street from Bartel Hall.

Jack turned around in his seat and looked at Daniel. “Well, Daniel, here you go. Last chance to throw in the towel and come have some real fun with us.”

Daniel gave him a smile and adjusted his glasses as he gathered his satchel that contained the things he’d need for the convention. “Thanks Jack. But I think I’d rather explore the various archeological treasures of the world than explore various shops around the city.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders and turned back around. “Whatever. Personally, I’m looking forward to a nice fat piece of cheesecake and people watching. But you go have fun with your artifacts. We’ll be back to pick you up at 1600 hours.”

As Daniel got out of the car, Sam rolled down her window, letting a hot blast of air hit her face. “Have fun, Daniel. I’m sure you’re going to have a great time.”

Daniel gave her a smile. “Thanks Sam. You’re sure you don’t want to come?”

Jack quickly answered before Sam even had the chance to think. “Oh no! Sam is going to have some good old-fashioned fun with us; nothing to analyze or figure out. She is going to try a concept that I know she is still trying to learn how to do, and that’s to relax!”

Sam glanced over at Jack before turning back to Daniel. Laughing slightly, she smiled. “Have fun. You can tell me all about it on the way home.”

Jack moaned. “Ah, artifacts talk to fill the hours with!” Jack said sarcastically. “I’m really looking forward to the rest of the trip now!”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “You guys have fun too. I’ll see you here at 1600 hours.” And with that, he turned and walked towards the entrance. Within moments, he ran into someone he hadn’t seen in years and started in on a conversation as they disappeared behind the doors.

Teal’c, watching as Daniel entered the building, spoke up. “It appears that Daniel Jackson will be just fine on his own.”

Jack looked at the doors again before pulling away. “I believe you’re right, Teal’c. Well, next stop, the Plaza.”

Ten minutes later, Jack turned the car into the Country Club Plaza shopping district. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the week, the area was still a flurry of activity, with shoppers, tourists, and people looking for a break from the workday. As Jack watched for a parking spot, Sam looked out at the area they were in. It was as if they’d been transported to a totally different place. All around them, Spanish-styled buildings in tones of orange, yellow, and brown stucco towered above them. Black wrought iron fences and verandas added to the décor, as ivy snaked its way up the buildings, framing the red tiled roofs. Flowers of different colors and styles could be seen in various clay pots that had been placed upon tables that filled the numerous courtyards, amid stone and granite statues and flowing fountains.

As Jack pulled into a parking spot along the street, Sam opened her door, and was greeted by the sound of music floating gently in the breeze. Musicians could be seen at various street corners, entertaining those populating the district. And amid the European charm of their surroundings, American flair could be seen in the more than 180 shops and boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

Jack got out of the car and joined Sam and Teal’c on the sidewalk. “Nice place. It looks like someplace in Europe…”

Sam shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked around. “Spain, actually. I read that this plaza was modeled after Seville, Spain. It is suppose to resemble a Spanish marketplace. By the looks of it, I’d say they managed it very well.”

Teal’c watched the activity around him. “Though I have not been to this Spain that you speak of, if it looks like this, I would very much like to see it one day.”

Jack looked across the street and smiled. “Well, I see that I will be able to achieve at least one of my objectives today.” Pointing, Jack directed their attention to a large, rose-colored building.

Sam smiled. “The Cheesecake Factory. Are you hungry already?”

Jack gave her a playful look. “Oh, come on, Sam, you know me and cake. I can never get enough of that!”

As he smiled at her, Teal’c looked down the street. “Should we not walk around first and discover what is here? There is much that I would like to see…such as that.”

Sam and Jack looked down the street, across from The Cheesecake Factory, and found what Teal’c was referring to. An enormous fountain sat in the middle of a small park, it’s water spraying up high in the air, capturing the rays of sunlight as it fell back down to the base, glittering and sparkling like a thousand white diamonds.

As they walked closer to it, Sam found a bronzed plaque describing the fountain. As she began to read off it, Jack and Teal’c watched the people sitting lazily around the park. “Kansas City, known as ‘The City Of Fountains’, is ranked second in the world in the number of fountains found in one place. Only Rome, Italy has more. The earliest of fountains built in this city were originally built not for architecture, but to provide water for dogs and horses. This fountain, the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, displays four equestrian figures that are said to represent four rivers: the Mississippi, the Volga, the Seine, and the Rhine.” Looking up at the fountain, Sam found herself amazed at the height and prestige of the bronzed statues.

Jack looked at Sam. “See, I told Daniel he’d be missing out. This is right up his alley.”

Teal’c continued to look at the fountain. “This is indeed a sight to behold. And you say the purpose of these is to provide water to the animals?” Teal’c turned around and looked at them, his eyes halfway hidden under his hat. “This seems to be a very distinguished way of giving water. Are the animals of this planet considered sacred?”

Sam smiled at him. “Not in most places.”

“Hey!” Jack protested playfully. “I don’t know about you, but I had a dog growing up named Mr. Kibbles. He was sacred to me. If I could have done it, I might have considered…a fountain for him to drink out of.”

Sam lightly laughed. “Mr. Kibbles?”

Jack tried to pretend to be offended. “He liked to eat a lot, okay!”

“Just like you, O’Neill,” Teal’c said in his matter-of-fact way.

“Teal’c! That’s like the pot calling the kettle black!” Jack gave him a look of disbelief as Sam laughed out loud.

Just then, a group of people passed by them, led by a girl who had started to tell them the specifics of the fountain in front of them. Sam nodded her head at them. “You’re in luck, Teal’c. That must be a tour group walking around to all the fountains in this area. I bet they wouldn’t even notice if you slipped in the back to join them.”

Teal’c raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Are you sure that I will be allowed to accompany them, Major Carter?”

Jack, suddenly seeing a golden opportunity to get Sam to himself, spoke up. “Sure thing, T. Just be stealthy. Go on, have fun!”

“But what about you and Major Carter?”

“Personally,” Jack said, “I have a date to go window shopping. Sam? What about you? Window shopping or fountain touring?”

Sam smiled at Jack. She knew what he was doing, and she found herself feeling a little guilty for wanting to be alone with Jack. “I haven’t been shopping in what seems like forever. I think I’ll join you.”

Jack gave her a quick wink before turning back to Teal’c. “T? You going to be okay on your own?”

“Indeed.”

“Okay,” Jack said, humming inside suddenly. “We’ll meet you here at 1400 hours. That should give you enough time to explore the fountains. Then we’ll go have some lunch!”

Sam couldn’t help being a little sarcastic. “Do you think you can wait that long, Jack?”

Jack gave her a smile. “I think I’ll manage just fine. Thanks for the concern.”

As the tour group started to move off, Teal’c bowed his head in their direction and then turned and followed the group, casually joining the back as they rounded the corner and went out of sight.

Hesitating for only another moment to give a final look in the direction where Teal’c had just gone, Jack turned to Sam and took her in his arms. “You know, I wasn’t totally truthful just now.”

Sam smiled up at him as his thumb caressed the side of her cheek. “Oh?” Her voice sounded almost as distinct as a cat’s purr.

“Yep,” Jack said, his voice getting softer. “I’ll be fine waiting for lunch. But I’m going to go insane if I don’t get to kiss you in the next few seconds.” Without waiting for a response, Jack’s mouth captured hers in a strong, but subtle kiss. Her lips were like soft velvet as he lingered there for a moment, reveling in the sensations she brought to his body.

His kiss was so soft, yet so passionate, that Sam felt like her knees were going to give out at any moment. With the sun warming her back, and the spray from the water drifting over them to cool their skin, nothing else existed in that moment except him. Even the traffic, the people, and the hustle of life had faded from her ears as feelings of pure happiness washed over her.

Wanting to stay this way for the rest of the day, but knowing they couldn’t, not to mention the fact that they were in a public place, he gentle released her lips. Jack felt her head come to rest comfortably on his chest as their arms held each other in a tight embrace. Jack kissed the top of her head and sighed contently. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since we left the SGC yesterday morning.”

Sam brought her head back and looked at him with a smile. “Well, I’m glad you did.” She got lost in his eyes for a moment before reaching up and placing a quick kiss on his lips. Releasing him, she took his hand in hers. “So, you think Teal’c will be okay?”

Jack looked in the direction that Teal’c had gone. “I think that he’ll be just fine. If he can handle a group of Jaffa warriors, I think he can handle a bunch of tourists, most of whom appeared to have gray hair and canes.”

Sam smiled up at him. “But you have gray hair.”

Jack caught her sarcastic tone. “Ah…yes, but that’s strictly for sex appeal.”

Sam brought her hand up and ran it over the back of his head. “Well, it definitely does the trick.”

Jack smiled at her and brought her hand that he held to his lips, placing a light kiss upon it. “Shall we go see what this place has to offer?”

“Lead the way.” Sam loved the feel of his hand in hers as they started back down the street that was lined with shops. She was going to have to remember to show an interest in other bases and their technology. This was turning out to be a great research trip.

An hour later, Jack and Sam had managed to wind there way through a variety of shops. Not buying anything, they simply enjoyed the ability to be able to spend time together like a normal couple, shopping and sharing opinions about items they took an interest in. And through it all, their hands were always linked together, except on the occasion when one of them went to pick something up.

With a little under an hour before they had to meet Teal’c again, Sam and Jack were strolling down one of the other streets when Jack spotted something that made him smile. “Well, I do believe I’ve just found the perfect way to spend the last few precious moments that we have alone together.”

Sam smiled at him as she gave him a questioning look. “Oh yeah? And what would that be?”

Jack tugged on her hand as he took off at a faster pace. “Come on, Carter! You’ll see!”

Sam could always tell he had something up his sleeve when he called her by her last name. Smiling, she let him led her to where he wanted to go. She didn’t think she could enjoy this day anymore.

She was soon to be proven wrong. Five minutes later, after Jack had paid for what was to be their next memory, he handed her a single red carnation and waved a hand out in front of him. “You’re chariot, milady!”

Sam found herself grinning from ear to ear as he held his hand out to help her up into the carriage. He had paid for a carriage ride to take them through the plaza. The bright, overstuffed, red velvet seats sparkled in the early afternoon sunlight. The carriage itself had been stained a dark mahogany and was being pulled by two beautifully groomed white horses. After they had settled down into one of the seats together, Jack put his arm around her and pulled her close. Sam could have sworn by this point she had to be dreaming. No military protocols, no orders, no alarms or critical projects to be done. It was just the two of them, playing a normal couple in a normal world. No Goa’uld to fight, no wormholes to jump through, no worlds to explore. She truly did love the military and the Stargate program; but in this simple moment, it was all too easy to forget.

“So,” Jack said after a few minutes of just enjoying the peace of the day. “Do you like the transportation I got for us?”

Sam looked up at him and smiled. “It couldn’t be more perfect.”

Jack looked stunned. “Wow! That’s it? No scientific thinking on the choice I made? Simplicity. I’m going to have to remember that. I didn’t honestly think it was possible to get your brain to stop thinking about things in such a complex manner.”

Sam pulled back and slugged him playfully in the arm. “Jack O’Neill! I have been acting like every other human being here today. When have you heard me talk about anything scientific today?”

Jack tried to pretend to look suddenly worried, but failed as his lips began to curve upwards. “God, you’re right! Maybe I’m draining your brainpower by you being near me. That can’t be good for Earth. Should I tell the driver to pull over?”

Sam grasped his shirt lightly in her hands as she inched her face closer to his, a smile upon her face. “Don’t you dare, O’Neill! I’ve got exactly 30 more minutes with you before we have to go meet Teal’c, and I intend to take every intoxicating moment of it.” With that, Sam’s lips found his, caressing them lightly as the carriage gently bumped over the road.

They broke apart after a few breathless moments as Jack cupped her cheek with his hand. She was so beautiful. Her blue eyes were a sea of emotion as they danced in the light of the day, and her blonde hair shined brightly in the sunlight. As a small gust of wind blew a strand of hair into her eyes, Jack reached up and lightly brushed it away. His heart was so full. It felt like it would explode at any moment. He knew there wasn’t just one thing about her that made him feel so free, so happy. It was everything she was about, everything he’d ever searched for in a companion. His heart had been broken so badly with Charlie’s death, and then his divorce had just seemed seal his heart in pieces, with no hope of recovery. But here she was, his one hope. He could feel his heart mending, and was beginning to wonder how deep his feelings for her actually ran.

Sam loved these moments between them, the moments that seemed to make the world disappear as they looked into each other’s eyes. They lasted forever in her mind, making her heart beat wildly in a way that it never had. She had never had much luck with men, and for the most part, had spent her life with her nose stuck in books and research labs. Jack was beginning to open her heart to a whole new world, one undiscovered, inside herself. She found herself constantly amazed at the multitude of feelings that he brought to her soul. His handsome face floated through her thoughts day and night, and she found herself daring to hope that what she was feeling for him could be returned. She knew that he had been through a great heartache at the loss of his son. All she could do was hope that with enough time, moments like these would help to heal the broken pieces. Love. She knew that she had fallen in love with him. There was no more analyzing to be done in that matter. The question now upon her heart was when to tell him.

For the rest of the carriage ride around the plaza, they simply held each other close, enjoying the day, the life around them, and each other. After it was over, they walked hand in hand back to the fountain they had started at to meet Teal’c. As they approached the meeting place, they squeezed each other’s hand before letting it go. Spotting Teal’c ahead, Jack waved.

“Teal’c! How were the fountains? Did you learn enough about them in order to fill up the time in the car on the way home? Because I really would prefer to hear about your adventures on the tour than Daniel’s day at the convention.” Jack’s voice was layered in his usual sarcasm.

“Jack!” Sam said, lightly scolding him. “I’m sure they will both have interesting stories.”

Jack kicked at the ground like a little kid who had just gotten into trouble. “I suppose you’re right. But I still say Teal’c’s stories will be more interesting.”

Teal’c bowed his head in Jack’s direction, a small smile on his lips. “I did indeed learn much, O’Neill.” Teal’c looked from Sam to Jack, a smile still upon his lips. “Much more than I was expecting.” He had learned much about the fountains, and had enjoyed his tour. But upon completion of it, he’d had some extra time on his hands and had decided to walk around the Plaza. Without expecting to, he just happened to be coming out of a shop when a carriage passed by on the street. And riding quite comfortably inside of it were his two friends, now standing before him as if they had just had a casual day. He had always suspected that they had feelings for each other, but also knew that their military regulations didn’t permit it. He was happy to see that they had managed to find a way to spend some quiet moments together. And he had no intention of letting on that he knew. But he made a silent vow to do everything he could to protect their happiness from anything that might try and separate them. He knew the look of love, and it was standing in front of him now, rather they were aware of it or not.

Jack cleared his throat, slightly confused by the smile on Teal’c face. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving! How about we grab a bite to each at The Cheesecake Factory before heading off to pick up Daniel? I still have to meet one of my objective and have that piece of cake!”

Sam smiled. “Sounds great!”

“We must not keep you from obtaining your objective, O’Neill. I too am famished,” Teal’c said, agreeing with the consensus.

“Well, let’s get going then. I think I’ve tortured my stomach enough.” Jack led the way as they crossed the street towards the restaurant.

At 1600 hours exactly, Daniel opened the car door and climbed in. “Hey guys! How was your day?”

Jack looked over his shoulder. “It was good, Daniel. Teal’c managed to take in the history of the fountains around the plaza, and Sam and I did a lot of great window-shopping.”

“That’s great, Jack. Did you enjoy it too, Sam?”

Sam smiled to herself without turning around. She’d had an amazing time. “I did, Daniel, thanks. Oh, and we brought you dinner from The Cheesecake Factory. There’s also a piece of cheesecake in that sack….”

“Which I suggest you eat first,” Jack said, interrupting Sam. “Or else, it may not make it much longer. Sam had to keep my hand out of the sack multiple times already. And, now that Teal’c has had a taste of the ultimate cheesecake, you have him to contend with too. Right, Teal’c?”

Teal’c looked over at Daniel with a serious expression on his face. “Indeed.”

“Jeez,” Daniel said, moving an arm protectively around the sack in his lap. “Didn’t you guys eat there?”

Jack gave Daniel an evil grin in the rearview mirror and he drove. “Of course we did. But what makes you think that we got out fill?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Jack. Maybe by the fact that this one piece of cheesecake probably has enough fat grams in it to fill your entire week’s supply.”

Jack could already begin to feel himself becoming irritated. “Daniel! Why don’t you just eat and enjoy it without reminding us about the obvious?”

Daniel smiled. He sometimes loved being able to get under Jack’s skin. It was only fair for all the times Jack managed to irritate him. “You’ve got it!”

Jack pulled the car onto the I-70 and headed west. They had a long drive ahead of them, but just the few precious hours alone with Sam had made it all worth it. He even felt like he could manage listening to Daniel’s stories for the rest of the trip. Looking over at Sam as he drove into the sun that was just starting its slow decent into the July summer sky, Jack smiled at her as she caught his gaze. As she returned his smile, he knew they were both reminiscing about the day that had just come to pass.

Hours passed them by as they continued to drive back towards Colorado. They had been in Kansas now for the past five hours, and everything looked just like the last few hundred miles had. Golden fields of wheat, corn, soy, and grain stretched on as far as the eye could see. The land was as flat as a pancake, and the only real curving to the ground was in the wind that blew constantly across the state, making the fields sway to and fro in endless patterns. Occasional farmhouses dotted the land, and animals grazed in the fields, munching on bundles of hay.

It was 2100 hours, and the sun was just disappearing behind the horizon. Instead of the clear sky that was in Kansas City, this sky held dark, angry clouds on the horizon, obscuring most of the sun as it set. Except for the few pink and orange rays that had managed to shine through the clouds, the sky ahead was black. Great thunderheads stretched up towards the heavens, heavy with rain, and bringing the promise of a storm.

Fifteen minutes later, the headlights from the car spilled out ahead of them, lighting their way through the darkness. The wind had begun to pick up speed, for though they couldn’t visibly see the wind moving the trees and grass, Jack found it hard to keep the car in a straight path. The first few streaks of lightning flashed across the sky in white, blinding bolts of light. Moments later, thunder rolled overhead, loud enough to be heard clearly in the car.

The conversation had stopped as the storm began to pick up in intensity. Each of them focused on the road ahead and the storm above. As another bolt of lightning came crashing down to Earth straight in front of them, Jack gripped the steering wheel with more force. Knowing Sam wasn’t fond of lightning storms, he quickly glanced over in her direction out of concern. She was seated very stiffly, her seatbelt pulled tightly across her. She had lost some of the color in her cheeks and was gripping the edge of the seat firmly.

As soon as Jack looked over at her, Sam could feel his eyes on her for a brief moment. She turned her head slowly in his direction, tearing her eyes away from the chaos that was going on outside of the car. She waited for a moment until he glanced back at her. He smiled at her through a serious face. Despite her tension, Sam was touched that he had remembered that she wasn’t particularly fond of storms. She knew that he was trying to reassure her that it would be okay. Giving him a quick smile, they both turned back to the road ahead of them.

Daniel suddenly spoke in a nervous voice as yet another bolt of lightning claimed the sky. “Sam. Maybe you should turn on the radio and find out if there have been any weather warnings issued for this area…wherever we are.”

Without a word, Sam clicked on the radio and search through various music stations before landing on a station that was giving reports about the volatile weather around them.

The radio crackled in and out of range as they listened intently. “…Again, a tornado warning has been issued for the following counties: Sali…” The radio lost it’s signal, it’s crackling sound seemed to pinch every nerve in their bodies as they waited for the signal to find strength again. “…Cities and towns in the path of this storm inclu….and WaKeeney. If you are in the path of this storm, seek shelter immediately. Move to a basement or an interior room of your house. Stay away from windows. This storm has been known to produce pea-sized hail, wind gusts of over 70 mph, torrential rain, and dangerous lightning……in your car, seek shelter in a ditch or low-lying area…do not attempt to outrun a tornado….”

“Oh, well that’s just great! We’re in the middle of nowhere and now all we know is that a tornado may or may not be in this area!” Daniel personally hated storms. He’d never been through a tornado though, and he would prefer to keep it that way. “Jack? Are you just going to keep driving?”

Jack didn’t attempt to use any patience in his response. “Damn it, Daniel! What do you want me to do? As you said, we’re in the middle of nowhere! How do I know what county we’re in, let alone what city we’re near. I don’t see any signs, and if this stupid radio station would hold a signal, maybe we could learn something else. Sam. See if you can find an AM radio station. Maybe it’ll have more luck out here in the wheat fields of Kansas.”

As Sam searched for another radio station, Daniel had another thought. “I’m surprised it isn’t raining.”

Sam looked up at the black sky, still being lit up with lightning strikes. “Actually Daniel, that’s a good thing. Tornados are usually located on the edge of the updraft of a storm. Therefore, a burst of heavy rain or hail can sometimes signal a tornado’s arrival, if conditions are right.”

Teal’c spoke up for the first time since the storm had exploded overhead. “What is a tornado?”

Jack followed Teal’c question with one of his own. “What the hell is an updraft?”

Sam turned down the endless static on the radio and sat back up in her seat. Answering their questions might actually have a calming effect on her. Taking a breath to ease her nerves, she responded. “A tornado is a weather anomaly that forms from a thunderstorm, if the conditions are right. It is a violently rotating column of air that comes in contact with the ground, moving along it at speeds anywhere from 20 to 70 mph, picking up anything in it’s path, destroying it. They form from the air rising into a thunderstorm, or the updraft. The edge of the updraft will be the most likely place that will spawn a tornado, simply due to the cooler air that is descending from the thunderhead, meeting the warmer rising air from the ground. The rain or hail falling from the clouds causes the sudden downdrafts of air, which is why tornados are usually supported by sudden downpours of rain or hail.”

“How long does a tornado last?” Even Teal’c’s voice sounded a little on edge, as Jack continued to drive through the storm.

“That depends on the size and type of tornado. Their size and strength is based on how much destruction they leave behind. It is ranked on what we call the Fujita scale. Basically, we don’t know how big they will be until after they have come and gone. They can be relatively small, only traveling a few miles, and lasting on the ground only a few minutes. Or, they have been documented to be over a mile wide, staying on the ground for over an hour. But those are rare.” Sam looked over at Jack. His eyes were sealed to the road as his hands gripped the wheel.

“What are the chances that we’ll actually run into one?” Jack was trying to stay rational. The weather service always issued watches and warnings to keep people alert, but most storms usually pass without incident. He was hoping for the same case here.

Sam looked back out into the darkness ahead of her and got a sudden chill. “Well, higher than normal, considering we’re in ‘tornado alley’.”

“Tornado alley?” Jack didn’t like the sound of that.

“It’s an expression used for this area. From the Rocky Mountains going east, across the Plain states, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and parts of Texas and Iowa. The reason it envelopes these states is because they are in an ‘alley’ between the high, cold mountain air coming off the Rockies, and the lower, warm air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. The two masses of air meet here, and then, if conditions are right, we get…this.” Sam gestured with her hand to the storm overhead.

Daniel fingered his seatbelt nervously. “It would help if this was going on during the day. At least we’d be able to see any oncoming threat.”

Jack rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. “You think, Daniel! And though I appreciate you pointing out the obvious, how about doing something useful like watching for road signs so we know exactly where we are!”

Just as Jack finished his sentence, Teal’c pointed out a sign up ahead. “What does that say?”

As the car drew closer, Sam was the first to be able to make it out. “WaKeeney, 4 miles.” She got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Not trying to unnerve anyone, but didn’t the announcer mention WaKeeney as being in the path of the storm?”

“I believe you are correct, Major Carter.”

Everyone grew silent as they realized they were in exactly the wrong place. No one was on the road ahead of them, and behind them, only distance headlights could be seen. After another few minutes, rain began to suddenly fall in heavy amounts against the windshield. Jack flipped on the wipers and decreased his speed slightly in order to see the road ahead of him. In the distance, Jack could barely make out the faint twinkling of a few lights. WaKeeney. If they could only make it there…

As if the storm could read his thoughts, hail suddenly began to pelt the car relentlessly. “Damn!” Jack could feel his palms beginning to sweat as Sam’s words about the edge of an updraft floated through his head. The wind had picked up tremendously. For all he knew, Jack could be driving straight into the tornado itself. He couldn’t see anything.

“Jack, pull over! Just stop the car!” Daniel’s voice rose up a notch in fear, and so he could be heard over the hail that was reigning down from the sky. “We can get in a ditch if we need to!”

“Jack…” Sam’s voice penetrated his ears in a desperate sound.

“I know, I know. I’m trying to find a place to pull over. I just can’t see a damn thing!” Easing his foot off the gas pedal, he began searching the side of the road.

Suddenly, no more than 20 feet in front of them, the headlights captured a car crashing down on the road, falling from out of the black sky. Jack jerked the steering wheel hard to the left, trying to go around the pile of metal. Their car narrowly missed the debris in front of them, skidding around it. But the force of the motion made the tires lose their grip on the pavement, and the oil from the newly wet road sent the car into a spin. Jack tried to regain control amid the vocal screams coming from Sam and Daniel.

But it was too late. The car did one final complete spin before going off the road and slamming into a ditch on the passenger’s side. As the engine died and all that was left was the noise of the hail and rain, Jack shook his head slightly to get his bearings. The car was half tilted on its side in a low-lying ditch. “Everyone okay?”

All their mumbled voices met his ears, telling him they were at least alive. Looking over at Sam, he saw her gripping her shoulder, obviously in pain. It had been her side of the car that had come in contact with the ditch first, and he knew she had to be hurting. Reaching over, he put his hand on her arm. “Sam! You okay? What hurts?”

She let out a groan. “Mainly my shoulder. It must have slammed into the side of the car upon impact. And, I think I cut my forehead on some glass, but overall, I’m okay. What about you?” She looked over suddenly, forgetting her pain.

“I’ll live. No permanent damage. Daniel, Teal’c? You guys alright?” Jack had gone into soldier mode, and his instincts told him they needed to get out of the car, and fast.

“We are fine, O’Neill.” Teal’c seemed to be handling the situation amazingly well.

“Well, we need to get out of this car. A tornado could be right on our tails.” Suddenly, the rain and hail subsided as quickly as it had started. Jack listened as his heart raced. Looking over at Sam, he didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he spoke. “Sam? Does this mean we’ve lucked out? You seem to be our weather expert.”

It seemed like an eternity before she finally spoke, shaking her head in a way Jack didn’t want to see. Her voice almost carried a certain air of eeriness to it. “No, not it the least. This is actually worse. I told you that the heavy rain and hail signals the arrival of a tornado. What I didn’t tell you was that it usually physically arrives when there is, what some people call a ‘dead calm’ outside. Where nothing moves, not a leaf, not a tree, nothing. And then it just drops out of the sky.” She hesitated for only a second as Jack processed what he was just told. “We need to get out of here, now!”

As Jack started to take off his seatbelt, he looked at her in shock. “You’re just now mentioning this!!” Without warning, high-pitched sirens went off in the distance. The town of WaKeeney was close, and the tornado sirens were blasting out a warning to its citizens to take cover. Not waiting a second more, Jack used his adrenaline to throw open his door, with Teal’c following suit. Practically having to fall out of the car because of the angle it was at, Jack anchored himself well enough to reach into the car, holding out a hand for Sam to grab onto. As Teal’c helped Daniel out, Jack used his pent up energy to hoist her out of the car and into his arms, being as careful as he could not to injure her shoulder further.

And then they heard its approach. Above the screaming sirens, a tremendous wind came up out of nowhere. And something that sounded like a train rolling towards them could suddenly be heard in the distance. Jack knew they were in its direct path.

Panicking, Daniel slid down into the ditch and gestured at them frantically. “Come on! You have to get down to the lowest place…there’s no time to run for the town!”

Teal’c looked from Daniel to Sam and Jack, who still half held each other, frozen by the sound. Shouting above the wind, Teal’c voice reached their ears. “This does not seem wise, O’Neill!!”

Despite his frozen state, Jack’s trained eyes had been piercing the darkness for any sign of shelter. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the oncoming tornado behind them, and their salvation not 300 feet in front of them. “There!” Jack shouted with urgency, pulling Sam up on the road. “It looks like an airplane hanger! We’ve got to run for it. We can make it. But we’ve got to go now!”

Daniel scrambled up out of the ditch with Teal’c help, and they took off running in the direction that Sam and Jack had just gone. They could feel the wind pulling at their backs; it’s suction increasing with every second. The tornado was following them, closing in on their position at an alarming rate. It was becoming hard to run again the force of the weather. They ran with all the strength they had, never looking back, but not needing to. The train was getting louder.

Jack reached the hanger first, closely followed by Sam. Counting quickly together to three, they both kicked open the door. The suction from the tornado pulled it back, slamming it against the side of the building. Jack yanked on it hard as everyone ran inside. Teal’c turned back around and assisted Jack in getting the door closed. Bolting it as best they could, they looked around them quickly, trying to catch their breath. The metal building had begun to shake violently as the roof creaked and groaned, ready to be ripped off at any moment. From what they could see, the hanger was empty of any planes, but tools hung everywhere, lining the walls.

There were two large workbenches across from each other on two of the walls. They appeared to have been welded to the concrete. Under each was enough space to fit at least two of them. “Daniel! Teal’c! Get under there! Sam! You’re with me!” Jack felt like he was yelling at the top of his lungs as the noise level continued to increase. Tools had begun to rattle violently against the walls as with some fell off. The tornado was almost on top of them.

Grabbing Sam’s hand, he ducked under the workbench closest to them. Bracing himself against the metal workbench as he sat down on the ground, he pulled Sam to him. With her back up against his stomach, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and waiting.

Sam held onto Jack’s arms with her hands. She was trying not to shake too much; after all, they fought against some of the scariest things in the universe. But this was something they couldn’t control or stop. They simply had to wait and hope that the trajectory of the tornado would change. What was helping her the most, though, was feeling Jack’s arms tightly around her, wrapping her in a cocoon of protection. If she was going to have to go through this, she didn’t want to be with anyone else but him.

Suddenly, something heavy slammed against the outside of the hanger door. An explosion rocked the walls of the hanger, sending tools flying off the walls. The roaring got louder and louder as the tornado continued it’s approach. The few windows in the hanger walls were instantaneously blown out, sending glass flying everywhere. Jack curled over Sam protectively, pushing her to the ground as he brought his arms up over her head, using his hands to cover his own head. In the next moment, the sound of ripping metal was heard overhead as the winds from the passing tornado tore off the roof of the building, sending part of it down into the hanger, while the rest was taken up into the vortex of the tornado. The part of the roof that had fallen into the building slammed against the wall where Teal’c and Daniel had gone to take cover.

Driving wind and rain swirled inside the hanger, sending debris flying all around them. Jack continued to hold onto Sam for dear life, terrified that she might be sucked away from him. He could feel her breaths coming in rapid spasms, challenging his own terrified breathing. A piece of flying debris suddenly flew towards them, hitting Jack in the back, causing pain to shoot through his side. He swore under his breath as he grimaced in pain, using one of his hands to rub the spot where he’d been hit.

Sam turned her head up towards him, her eyes squinting against the wind and rain. “Are you okay?!” She wasn’t sure if Jack had even heard her; it was so dark in there that all she could make out of him was his profile as lightning streaked across the sky once more.

Jack nodded yes in response. As more debris fell into the area where they were taking shelter, Jack quickly covered Sam again as another piece of metal narrowly missed them, slamming into the outside of the workbench instead. The chaos continued for what seemed like an eternity, but in actuality, only last a few minutes.

Slowly, the wind and rain began to die down as the tornado dissipated right outside of the hanger. Debris could still be heard falling from the sky where the tornado had been only moments ago. And then, all was quiet, except for the occasional clap of thunder overhead as the rain continued to fall, gently this time, on the scattered arrangement of items that had been picked up and dumped by the tornado. For the next few minutes, no one moved. Frozen from terror, reality that the storm had come and gone finally began to set in as Jack slowly straighten up, still trying to calm his heart and his breathing. He couldn’t see anything under the workbench. Reaching down, he gently pulled Sam up and enfolded her in his arms. There they held each other for a few precious moments, trying to calm the shaking in their bodies.

Jack began to stroke the back of Sam’s hair and placed a kiss on top of her head. “So, are you really okay?” His voice came in a shuddered whisper. He could feel her trying to force herself to calm down.

“Yes, I’m fine. Besides my shoulder aching a little, I okay. Thanks to you. Is your back okay? I was so worried when I felt you shuddered at its impact. It didn’t stab you, did it?” Sam could feel the panic starting to rise again, but as quickly as it started, it stopped when Jack reached out a hand and gently brushed her cheek.

“I’m fine. I’ll probably have a pretty nasty bruise, but nothing to concern yourself with. Do you think you can crawl out of here? We need to check on Daniel and Teal’c.” Jack could see her nodding yes. Slowly, he crawled out first, pushing debris out of the way. Turning around, he found Sam’s hand and helped her out. Just as he was about to stand up, his free hand landed on what felt like a flashlight. “Well, of all the luck! Now, if this will only work…” He fingered for the switch and turned it on, lighting up the darkness in a bright yellow beam of light. The destruction was immense, at least in the hanger. Half the roof laid haphazardly again the other workbench. A variety of unknown items lay all about, amid the broken glass and tools that had been thrown about at the start. And the door to the hanger was badly dented in as if something massive had hit it.

Making their way across the floor, the sound of their shoes could be heard as they crunched on the broken glass and torn metal objects that were underfoot. The part of the metal roof that had fallen into the hanger began to move and eventually fell over. As Jack shined the flashlight in that direction, they saw Teal’c, and then Daniel, climbing out from behind it.

“You guys okay?” Jack shined the light from one to the other, not seeing any extremely bad injuries.

“We are fine, O’Neill.” Teal’c voice echoed around what was left of the building.

“Yeah,” Daniel said, “we really lucked out in a way when that part of the roof slammed against our little cubby hole. It blocked out anything else from getting in. So, physically we’re fine. Of course mentally, well, that remains to be seen. Who knows how many nightmares I’m going to have from that.”

“I know what you mean. That was some tornado.” Sam reached up and touched her head, suddenly feeling a fresh stream of blood starting to ooze out from where the glass from the car had cut her.

Jack shined the flashlight at her for the first time. “God! You’re bleeding!” Since Jack was wearing two shirts, he took the outer one off and balled up a corner of it. Pressing it lightly against Sam’s head, he looked her over as best he could. The right side of her head seemed to be covered in blood, now mostly dried. He hadn’t realized it was that bad of a cut. But then, there hadn’t been much time to realize anything.

Sam took over holding the shirt against her head and smiled at him. “Thanks, Jack.” Seeing his worried expression, she continued. “I’m really okay, I promise. It’s just a bad cut.”

As the rain slowly let up to a gentle mist, they heard the first sound of sirens in the distance. Making their way out of the hanger by the door they had come through, which amazingly was still on it’s hinges, Jack ran the flashlight in front of them and found the source of the explosion from earlier. As small plane had been picked up and slammed against the door of the hanger, causing it to explode. It was now in broken pieces in a piled heap of twisted metal. They could see the emergency services lights flashing across the road in the town of WaKeeney. Heading out, they started walking towards the town to see what they could do, and to find a way of contacting the base for another means of transportation in order toget home.

Through the rest of the night, Jack, Sam, Teal’c and Daniel did what they could to assist in the search and rescue of townspeople who had been trapped by the tornado. Part of the town had been almost completely destroyed, with houses and businesses torn apart, and trees and power lines down all over. Jack had managed to contact the general through the fire department that was there assisting in the clean-up. General Hammond used his connections in the military to send an army helicopter for them, and it was due to arrive around 0700 hours. The rendezvous point was the airport that they had taken shelter at. Walking back across the highway, they looked around. Though the sun had yet to rise over the horizon, the growing light allowed them to see their surroundings for the first time.

Suddenly, Daniel spoke up. “Hey! Look at that! It’s our car…I think.” They all peered in the direction Daniel was pointing and spotted the car they had been driving, now crushed, fitted snuggly in one of the trees that had managed to remain standing.

Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “I guess that is why the voice on the radio said that one should get out of their car and into a ditch.”

Daniel gave a low whistle. “I can’t believe that could have been us. What a wreck!”

Jack could resist showing a little sarcasm to lighten the moment. “Yeah, but man, that would make a cool fort!” Jack smiled as everyone looked at him in amazement.

As Daniel and Teal’c made their way over for a closer look, their backs to them as they walked away, Jack and Sam looked towards the horizon and watched as the first red rays of the sun made their way over the horizon, painting the disaster in colors of orange, pink, and purple. Ironically, it was going to be a beautiful day.

Sam leaned her head on Jack’s shoulder as she watched the prism of colors change the sky as the sun made its ascent. With Jack’s arm around her back, his hand resting lightly on her waist, Sam sighed. “Some road trip.”

Jack smiled. “Yeah, I’d say we gave Teal’c a great first impression of the ups and downs of one. We’ll have to do it again, except this time, we’ll have to be sure and steer clear of ‘Tornado Alley’”.

Sam quietly laughed. “We won’t forget it anytime soon. But I have to say my favorite part about it was the Plaza. It was wonderful.”

Jack looked to make sure that Teal’c and Daniel were still preoccupied before turning Sam into his arms. “It was wonderful, but I’m probably a bit biased.” With both of them smiling at the other, Jack bent down and gave Sam a quick but sensual kiss. Letting go of each other before anyone would see, they remained close as the sound of helicopter blades could be heard in the distance. It had been an adventure, and one that none of them would soon forget.

Next Story--> "Hidden Realities"

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