Behind The Shadows (part 1)

Title: Behind The Shadows (part 1)

Author: Suz W.

Feedback: Your thoughts would be great!

Spoilers: After Proving Ground and 48 Hours (episode tag)

Rating: PG-13, S/J Romance, Friendship, Angst, Mild Language, and Mild Violence.

Summary: Sam and Jack discover the shadows that have been haunting them.

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 October 18, 2004, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.

Author’s Notes: This story follows “Between Memories and Dreams”. So who is this mysterious man that has been lurking in my stories recently? Read on to find out!! As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts!!

Dedication: I just want to thank once again all of my dedicated fans that are reading my series as I write it…from everyone who signs the guestbook on my site to the ones who send me feedback. Your support means so much to me, and though I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: you are my motivation to keep going. So thank you for your kind words of encouragement and support. Knowing you’re out there reading them means the world to me!

The light from the setting sun cast dancing shadows all around Sam’s backyard. As she reclined her head back, allowing the cool breeze to brush over her face, she closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the sounds of the birds singing softly from the trees around her. Among their singing, she could make out the subtle sounds of a distant woodpecker pecking his way into a tree, or rather the side of some poor soul’s house. The air was filled with the slightest hint of lavender, mixed in with the crisp smell of pine. The rays of light from the setting sun were warmer than they had been in previous weeks, giving the indication that Spring was on it’s way.

It was the end of March, yet the usually still cold weather had decided to give way to a warmer day, giving everyone a bit of spring fever. As she opened her eyes again and looked back down, she surveyed the table in front of her, filled with the faces of her closest friends: Janet, Cassie, General Hammond, Teal’c, Daniel, and of course, the one who captured her heart the most, Jack. As her gaze landed on Jack, who was sitting beside her, he looked over and gave her a smile that made her warm all over. Returning the affection, she slipped her hand under the table and took his hand, giving it a loving squeeze. As she went to remove her hand, she felt his fingers tighten around hers. Without protest, she allowed her fingers to gently dangle between his, loving the intimate contact that such a simple gesture held. They had just finished dinner out on her deck, and so the reclined positions didn’t raise much suspicion among her other guests.

Daniel, who was sitting next to Janet, suddenly stretched his arms above his head and lightly groaned. “Oh, great meal, Sam. I’m stuffed!”

Jack smirked. “Gee, Daniel, I wonder why that would be!”

Teal’c promptly spoke up. “Perhaps it is from the immense amount of food that Daniel Jackson consumed. I have only seen such eating on festive occasions.”

Jack looked down at the array of plates, scrapped clean, that lay in front of Teal’c. “Yeah, buddy, but you’re not one to be talking.”

Daniel looked over at Jack. “Wow! I think that’s one of the few times you’ve actually defended me, Jack. Thanks.”

Jack looked over at Daniel, trying to suppress his annoyance at the look of triumph on Daniel’s face. “Daniel, I hate to burst your bubble, but I wasn’t pointing out anything that everyone at this table, not to mention the entire base, already knew. Now you on the other hand really displayed just how much of a pig you can be as far as eating goes.”

Cassie’s burst of giggles had everyone smiling except Daniel. Leaning back in his chair, Daniel directed his attention to Sam. “Anyway, it was really good, Sam. Not to be blunt, but I didn’t think you could cook like that.”

Sam smiled as she squeezed Jack’s hand under the table. “Well, I’ve had a few lessons. The teacher was quite…inspiring.”

Jack smiled to himself at her comment, still amazed at how many times they found themselves in the kitchen together, preparing meals, along with other things. Jack couldn’t help remembering their first cooking lesson. It seemed so long ago, yet it didn’t. They had only been friends then. But as he had sat across the table from her in her house, he remembered loving the feel of that moment and hoping that one day he’d be able to be more than just a friend to her. That he’d be able to cook with her on a regular basis, spend time with her as more than just her commanding officer, go to bed with her, and wake up with her in his arms. And as fate would have it, he had looked out of the window at that very moment, spotted a shooting star, and made a wish. If anything were to have made him a believer in dreams come true, it was that moment.

Janet eyed Sam and Jack from across the table and gave Sam a sly smile. “Gee, Sam, you’ll have to pass on his number. He sounds wonderful.”

Sam gave Janet a look that let her know Sam would be scolding her later for her jest. Trying to change subjects, Sam gently dropped Jack’s hand and stood up, her plate in hand. “So, anyone for dessert? I’ve got apple pie and ice cream.”

Jack smiled. “Oh, I can go for a piece of that!”

Sam looked down at him and smiled back. “Well, good. Then maybe you could give me a hand in serving it?”

As Jack’s expression started to drop and was about to protest, he could tell by the look of genuine sweetness on Sam’s face that he didn’t have a chance in Hell of turning her down. ‘Besides’, he reasoned with himself, ‘I’ll get to spend a little private time with her.’

Standing up, he picked up his plate and took the ones she had gathered in her hands. “Lead the way.”

Daniel smirked as he watched Jack balance the plates. “Are you gonna be okay with those, Jack? Maybe you could use a little help…”

As Daniel started to get up, Jack managed to quickly hold up a finger. “Aaah! I’m perfectly capable of carrying a few dishes to the kitchen, thank you very much. Just stay there and try not to bore the rest these poor folk while we’re gone.”

Daniel just shrugged and took his seat again next to Janet, this time a little closer. “No problem, Jack. Have fun.”

As Jack walked off, following Sam, he suddenly found himself praying that he didn’t trip and drop the plates to Daniel’s satisfaction. He would rather attempt to juggle them then give Daniel a reason to hold onto the stupid smirk that seemed plastered on his face.

Following Sam into the house, he used his foot to shut the sliding glass door, doing his best not to try out that juggling act. As he came into the kitchen, he caught Sam smiling at him. “What!” Jack was trying to use an annoyed tone, but it only came off as playful.

Sam just continued to watch him. “Oh nothing. I just can’t help but notice how cute you are carrying those plates.” Giving him her sexiest smile, she moved around the island in the kitchen to retrieve some of the plates from him.

As Sam approached, Jack countered back. “Yeah, well I’m going to go from cute to funny-looking if I drop all these plates on top of me.”

Sam just laughed as she took most of the load from him. “Oh, come on, Colonel. You mean to tell me a few plates are more of a match than fighting something in battle?”

Jack followed behind her and took her by the waist as she put the plates in the sink. Spinning her around to face him, he answered her. “Well, Major, I certainly don’t want to turn into an embarrassment and have you lose interest.”

Looking over Jack’s shoulder to make sure none of her guests were watching, she took his face in her hands and placed her lips on his, igniting an instant warmth between them. Pulling back, her eyes smiling, she curved her lips in reflection of her heart. “You will never have to worry about me losing interest. I will love you forever.”

Looking into her eyes at that moment, Jack wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet, take her into the bedroom, and make love to her. But the sound of nearby laughter out on the deck brought him back to reality. Groaning, he quickly embraced her, allowing himself a few precious seconds with her in his arms before releasing her. “Why did Daniel have to come with me from the base? He’s perfectly capable of driving himself! Now I’ll have to take him home.”

Sam smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to the counter that held the apple pie. “Well, look at it this way. It’ll give me some extra time to slip into something more “comfortable”.

Jack’s lips slowly turned into a smile. “So the “comfort” level depends on how long I’m gone?” Thinking for a moment, he continued. “Maybe Teal’c needs a ride home too.”

Sam playfully hit him with the towel she had thrown over her shoulder. “How about for now you behave and get some clean plates down from the cabinet. I’ll bring the pie and ice cream out to the deck. Everyone can get their own that way.”

Jack looked over his shoulder at her. “Are you sure that’s wise? You know, Teal’c has a pretty healthy appetite, as evident by the fact that there is no food left from dinner.”

Sam smiled at him from over her shoulder. “Well, if I don’t get a piece of dessert, it’s not a big deal. You’re all the dessert I’m going to need.”

Jack knew that the subject had to change, and fast, or there would be no hope for him. “Now who needs to behave?! Come on, Carter. Let’s serve this pie so we can kick everyone out of here.”

Sam just shook her head and quietly laughed. “Okay, but maybe we could try it with a little more tact? The whole ‘here’s your pie and get out’ just doesn’t seem like it would go over very well.”

As Jack and Sam approached the sliding glass doors, their arms loaded with everything they needed for dessert, their eyes both fixed on the same thing. Janet and Daniel were involved in what appeared to be a very intimate conversation, their heads drawn close together as they spoke. Jack nodded his head to Sam, pointing out the fact that Daniel’s hand was now laying comfortably on top of Janet’s.

Looking at each other, Sam and Jack smiled, enjoying the newly shared knowledge they now had. Sam recognized the physical tension between them, and knew that she and Jack were witnessing two people on the edge of a new beginning.

As Jack motioned her forward, he slid open the sliding glass door and smiled to himself as he watched Daniel and Janet quickly separate, trying to act as if nothing had been going on. Moving out onto the deck, he spoke up, trying to sound as if he hadn’t noticed anything unusual. “So, kids, you ready for some more home cookin’?” Setting the plates and silverware down, he looked around the table, finally realizing that Daniel and Janet were alone. “Daniel, I thought I told you not to bore everyone into wanting to leave.”

Daniel just rolled his eyes as Sam and Janet shared a private smile. “Yes, Jack, I know. But to your what I’m sure will be utter disappointment, Teal’c and General Hammond went with Cassie to stretch their legs around the backyard. Their right over there.” Pointing across the yard, he looked over at Janet and just shook his head. Janet could only lightly laugh.

Looking over at the group, Jack responded. “Oh…okay. Well, let’s have some of that pie.” Moving his head in the direction of the small group assembled, he called out. “Come and get it!”

Cassie waved from where they were standing, letting him know they were on the way. Once the group was reassembled at the table, Sam cut into the pie and began serving out slices while Jack scooped out the ice cream. As Jack went about his task, waiting patiently for each slice of pie, he stole some looks Sam’s way and suddenly became aware of how perfect the moment was. Here he was, the love of his life by his side, serving pie and ice cream to their closest friends, on a beautiful pre-spring evening. The only sad part about it was that he wasn’t able to show his affection for Sam to anyone, not even the people in front of him that were considered more family than friends.

Sighing quietly, he went back to scooping out the ice cream, settling for the fact that one day, he would declare his love for Samantha Carter to them, and if possible, to the entire world.

Ten minutes later, they were all reclined in their chairs, stuffed from a very filling but wonderful meal. Jack, letting out a happy sigh, broke the peaceful silence. “Ah, yes, now this is the meaning of full as a tick.”

Teal’c, arching one eyebrow, spoke up. “What is a tick?”

Jack, realizing what he had said, quickly answered him. “A tick is a bug, Teal’c, usually found on animals. We say ‘full as a tick’ when we’re stuffed from eating because we feel like one. Ticks attach to animals and get really round and fat from sucking the blood…”

Cassie let out a whine. “Eeeww..Jack! That’s disgusting! Did you have to say that now…after we ate??” Everyone but Teal’c let out a laugh at the face Cassie was making at the thought of Jack’s comment. Teal’c was obviously still trying to reason why the people of Earth would want to compare their eating habits to that of an insect that sucked blood.

Sam smiled at the moment, wishing it could last forever. They were at peace in this moment: no Goa’uld, no fighting, no worries about the defense of Earth. But as the light around them began to fade, being replaced by the night sky, she knew that it would end and reality would take hold once again. But with Jack in her life, her lonely nights were over, and she was definitely looking forward to another night of passion with him.

As if Jack could read her mind, Sam caught him looking over at her, his eyes full of anticipation. Sam smiled at him before getting up and collecting the plates. This time it was Janet who offered her a hand, and the two women made their way into the house, leaving Cassie to entertain the men with her latest gossip from school.

For the first few minutes, Sam and Janet didn’t say anything. As they continued to load the dishwasher with dishes, Sam looked over at Janet and decided she couldn’t contain her questions any longer. “Alright, Janet, come on. Spill it! What’s up with you and Daniel?”

Janet glanced over at Sam, a look of surprise in her eyes and a blush on her cheeks. “Sam,” she said, her voice trying to sound innocent, “I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sam just shook her head. “Oh no you don’t,” she said with a smile, “I told you about Jack and I. You can’t just stand there and pretend that nothing is going on. We saw that moment shared between you and Daniel earlier. I’d say there was definitely something there.” Pausing momentarily for thought, she went on. “Besides that, look at the time we spent stranded on that deserted island and then in Hawaii. The two of you seemed to be spending a lot of time together.”

Janet smiled. “Okay. So maybe I’ve got some feelings for him. But nothing has happened, at least not yet anyway.” Eyeing the disbelieving look in Sam’s face, she continued. “I’m telling you the truth. Nothing has happened. I’m mean, we’ve shared some really nice moments, but I don’t even know if he feels anything for me.”

Sam smiled. “Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about that. Daniel may have his nose in books most of the time, but he’s not blind. And I’ve definitely seen the way he looks at you.”

Just then, the sliding glass door opened. Cassie, Jack, Daniel, and General Hammond made their way inside, laughing at something Cassie had just said. Sam gently nudged Janet in the shoulder, her voice low. “We’ll be finishing this conversation later.”

Watching the group coming towards them, Sam looked at Jack. “Where’s Teal’c?”

Jack furrowed his brow as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “Ah, he wanted to meditate on the night sky…or something like that. He said he’d be in in a minute.”

Cassie laughed. “No, Jack, not meditate. He just wants to enjoy the peace of the coming evening.”

Jack smiled slightly and then reached out and lightly tickled her side for a moment. “Oh! Showing me up are you?!”

Cassie squealed with laughter as she escaped his reach and hid behind Sam, who happily put an arm around her.

Smiling, Janet put the dishtowel in her hands on the counter. “Well, young lady, we need to be getting home.”

The smile on Cassie’s face plummeted into a frown. “Mom! It’s a Friday night. We don’t have to go home so soon. I don’t have school tomorrow!”

Janet just shook her head. “Maybe not, but you do have that field trip for your History class, and I’m helping to chaperone all you wild teenagers. I’m going to need my sleep in order to handle that on my day off.”

Cassie just rolled her eyes. “Mom, please! We’re not that bad!”

Daniel adjusted his glasses and spoke up, directing his question at Janet. “So, where are you going on the field trip?”

Janet looked over at him and smiled. “We’re going to go spelunking and explore some of the silver mines around the local area.”

Daniel’s attention perked up a notch. “I’ve heard those are great. I haven’t had much of a chance to explore any of them since I now spend all my time at the base or off-world.”

Janet hesitated before going on. “Well, we can always use another chaperone if you’re interested. Of course, you don’t have to go, but I’m sure the teacher would love an extra hand.”

Daniel’s eyes lit up. “Sure. What time?”

Cassie answered for her mother, excitement in her tone. “Daniel, that’ll be so great! We’re meeting at the school at 8 AM sharp. Hey, maybe Mom and I can just pick you up in the morning. Can we Mom?”

Janet, not wanting to say no, nodded. “I don’t see why not.” Glancing over at Sam, who was now grinning ear to ear, Janet knew she’d better get out of there before Sam had a chance to start another round of questions. “But, we’d better get going if we’re going to get you up on time tomorrow.” Moving over to Sam, she embraced her best friend in a tight squeeze before releasing her. “Thanks, Sam, for a great evening. This was the perfect way to celebrate getting Teal’c out of the wormhole.”

General Hammond smiled. “It certainly was. Thanks for a great dinner, Samantha.”

Sam nodded. “You’re welcome, Sir. I’m glad you were able to come.”

“I am too.” Picking his coat off the back of the couch, he put it on, digging out his keys at the same time. “Well, I’d stay longer, but I know my grandchildren will be waiting up for me to tuck them into bed.”

Jack smiled. “Well, we can’t have you breaking curfew. Give them a hug for me.”

General Hammond nodded. “I will, Jack. Have a nice weekend everyone. I’ll see you at the briefing on Monday morning.” Looking at Janet and Cassie, he continued. “Ladies, would you like an escort out?”

Smiling, Janet responded. “Thank you, Sir. We’d love one.” Waving their goodbyes, the rest of the group watched them leave. A few minutes later, Teal’c opened the sliding glass door, rejoining the group.

Jack placed a hand on Teal’c’s shoulder as he joined them. “Did you enjoy the night sky?”

Teal’c bowed his head with a small smile. “Indeed I did, O’Neill. Earth’s moon is simple but beautiful. I find much contentment in observing it.”

Sam suddenly spoke up. “Teal’c! I just realized that you came with General Hammond. They left already.” Pausing for a moment, she continued. “Do you need me to give you a ride back to the base?”

Jack smiled. “No worries, Sam. I’ve got that part covered.”

Teal’c looked at Sam. “I thank you for your offer, Major Carter, but Colonel O’Neill offered me a ride back to the base earlier since he is already assisting Daniel Jackson in his transportation. General Hammond was aware of this new arrangement.”

Sam eyed Jack for a moment. “Oh, he did? Well, that makes sense I guess.” Jack simply gave her a look of innocence, trying to pretend that he hadn’t remembered their earlier conversation when offering up the ride.

Daniel looked at his watch. “Yeah, well, on that note, maybe we could get that ride? Since I’m now meeting Janet and Cassie in the morning, I probably should be heading home.”

Jack smirked at him. “Yeah, you can’t miss that beauty sleep.”

While Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack, Teal’c spoke up. “To where are you accompanying them, Daniel Jackson?”

Daniel looked over at Teal’c. “There’s a field trip for Cassie’s school, and I offered to go along and help. We’re going spelunking.” At Teal’c confused expression, Daniel hurried on. “Cave exploring. There are old silver mines all over this area…”

Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. “Okay, Daniel. Why don’t you tell Teal’c about it in the truck? The taxi’s leaving.”

Daniel put on his coat and gave Sam a quick hug. “Thanks, Sam. It was a great evening.”

Sam smiled at him. “You’re welcome. We’ll have to do it again soon.”

Jack piped in. “Yah, only this time it hopefully won’t be celebrating pulling anyone out of a wormhole.”

Teal’c nodded. “Indeed. My thanks to you, Major Carter.”

Sam walked them to the front door and held it open for them. Catching Jack’s eyes, she smiled, her eyes communicating what was to come. Once they were on their way down her front steps, she quietly closed the door and sighed happily, content that the evening had gone so well.

Walking back to the kitchen, she picked up the dishrag and was about to wipe off the counters when a knock came at her front door. Smiling, she hurried back to it and opened it, finding Jack on the other side. “That was quick. Did you forget something?”

Jack had a hint of mischief behind his eyes as he smiled at her and slid back into the house. Turning back around, he waited for her to close the door before answering. “I sure did.” Stepping forward, he collected her in his arms, sweeping her into a kiss that caused her to immediately drop the dishrag that she was still holding in one hand. As his kiss deepened, sending surges of heat through her body, she wrapped her arms around him, curling her fingertips into his back. Their tongues found each other, adding more fuel to the fire. Turning her in a half circle, he pushed her gently up against the wall and moved his lips across her cheek and down over her neck, devouring it.

Gasping for air, Sam felt like the room was spinning. Finding her voice, she managed a few words. “Jack, aren’t Daniel and Teal’c…still outside?”

Jack moved his lips back up to hers for one more passionate moment before pulling back, his own body shuttering from the desire he was fighting. “Damn! Why do you have to be so irresistible? Now I’ve got to drive to the base and back in misery.”

Sam smiled and reached out, touching his cheek. “Well, drive carefully then. I’ll be waiting.”

Jack nodded. “And I’ll be back. I may stop by my house on the way over to grab some things for the weekend. Since we’ve been so busy for the last few weeks, I intend to make up for some lost time. You mind a roomy for the weekend?”

Sam laughed quietly and moved forward, placing a kiss on his lips. “Only if it’s you.” Taking his hand, she led him the short distance back to the front door and opened it. She could see Daniel and Teal’c waiting in the truck. “What excuse did you use to come back inside?”

Jack glanced over at his truck. “Just that I wanted to steal the last few pieces of apple pie from you. I figured that would be a believable excuse. You know me and pie.”

Sam smiled. “That I do. Here, let me get you those pieces. You can’t make it look like I turned you down.”

Jack watched her as she walked back to the kitchen, collected the two pieces left, covered them with saran wrap, and then placed the plate in his hands. Knowing she couldn’t kiss him at that moment, she looked into his eyes, connecting with his soul. “I love you. Drive safe.”

Jack gave her one of his half smiles. “I will. And I love you too.” Turning, he made his way back down the front steps and walked back to his truck. Opening the door, he climbed into the cab and handed the plate to Daniel.

Teal’c, sitting in the back, spoke up. “Did you have success in getting what you wanted from Major Carter, O’Neill?”

Jack turned the key in the ignition and looked out of his windshield at Sam as she stood in the open doorway, a hidden smile on his lips. “I sure did, Teal’c. There’s nothing like a good piece of pie.” He put the truck into gear, pulled out of her driveway, heading in the direction of the base. He wanted to get back to his “dessert” as soon as possible.

Sam opened her eyes. The light from her bedside lamp was still illuminated, giving a soft warming glow to the room. But instead of feeling it’s warmth, she only felt cold. She was in bed, her body half covered by the comforter. Trying to get her bearings, she looked down at the red satin negligee that she was wearing. Remembering that she had put it on for Jack, she looked over beside her only to find the other half of the bed notably empty. Sitting up, she looked over at the clock on her nightstand. 0015 hours.

Thinking back, she had been waiting up for Jack’s return. With the promise of a romantic evening ahead, she had finished cleaning up the kitchen, lit some candles, and dressed in the negligee she now wore. She had purchased it only a few days ago, and decided that tonight would be a great time to show it off. Wanting to seduce him as soon as he got back, she had climbed into bed and waited for the sound of his key in her front door.

To her dismay, she had obviously fallen asleep. But disappointment quickly turned into worry. Jack had left her house around 2100 hours. He should have been back to her hours ago. And from the kiss he left her with, she knew that he was coming back. So where was he?

He had mentioned going past his house to get a few things. Sam began shuffling through ideas of where he might be as she got up and put her clothes back on. But no matter what reasoning she came up with, it didn’t quench the worry that was in her heart. Picking up the phone, she called his house. When only the machine answered, she hung up without leaving a message.

‘He could have gotten stuck at the base,’ Sam told herself, trying to find the best explanation. But she knew the only way to find out that answer was to go there herself. Calling the base in the wee hours of the morning and asking for him would only stir rumors.

Moving through her house, she grabbed her keys and coat and headed out the door. Walking to her car, she found herself fighting the sensible reasoning that Jack would have called her if he were going to have to stay at the base. But he hadn’t called, and that had her extremely worried.

The night air was cool but not cold. The moon hung brightly overhead as a few sparse clouds floated across the black velvet sky. Reaching her car, she looked up temporarily, searching the sky for the comfort of Charlie’s star. But as hard as she looked, she couldn’t find it. Shivering, she started her car and put on her heater, hoping to warm the chill from her bones. But the cold she was feeling wouldn’t be dissipated with heat. Something was wrong; she knew it.

As she pulled away from her house, she decided to stop by his house anyway, just in case he was there and hadn’t heard the phone. From the way her heart was now thumping in her chest, she didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. She would allow herself to be mad at him later for making her panic if he had simply fallen asleep. But for now, all she wanted to do was to find him, hold him in her arms, and assure herself that everything was alright.

Ten minutes later, she pulled up in front of Jack’s house. Turning off her car, she got out and shut the door. His windows were all dark, giving the indication that the house was rather deserted or contained sleeping occupants. She was hoping for the latter. Climbing up to his front porch, she found his house key on her key ring and slid it easily into the lock on the front door. Unlocking it, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Instinct immediately took over. Something was definitely wrong.

The house itself looked normal. Nothing was out of place that would give the indication to her that there was anything amiss. But as she moved forward, the cold that had been running through her heart only increased. Deciding against turning on the lights, she quietly shut the door and moved into the living room. As she surveyed the room, the shadows created from the moonlight seemed to dance all around her, making her heart pump even harder.

She would kick herself later if she only found an empty house, but something inside kept telling her to keep her guard up. As she moved from the living room, up two steps and back into the hall, every creak of the floorboards captured the breath in her chest. It was too quiet. A branch suddenly brushed against the windowpane beside her. Whipping around to face it, she instinctively reached for her gun, but then realized she’d left the house without it.

Just then, a muffled sound and a small thump sounded from the direction of Jack’s bedroom. Turning her head in that direction, she took a detour into the kitchen and grabbed a knife out of the drawer. Allowing her military training to take over, she inched her way along the wall as she held the knife out in front of her, ready to use it if she had to.

Making it to just outside the bedroom door, she took a breath, trying to steady her nerves as she carefully looked around the doorway. Jack’s bedroom was dark like the rest of the house except for the occasion streak of moonlight that managed to find it’s way through the cracks in the drawn curtains. Across the room, one of the windows was open, causing the curtain to billow out, moving the shadows even more.

Taking a step into the bedroom, she didn’t see anything at first. As she continued forward, the steel in her knife captured the pale white light of the moon and caused it to glint wildly, reflecting all around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that one of the reflections from the knife had, for a split second, illuminated a metal object on the floor by the foot of the bed. Moving closer, she squinted her vision against the varying shades of dark in the room. But as she rounded the corner of the bed, her vision was able to finally see what her knife had reflected.

It was Jack’s watch, and it was still attached to his arm. The breath caught in her throat as she realized that he was lying in front of her at the foot of the bed. He was face down and he appeared unconscious. After looking all around her, her eyes piercing the darkness, she finally allowed herself to squat down and check for a pulse. Relieved to find one, she gently rolled him over onto his back. He was bleeding from one side of his head, most of which had already dried up. She put down the knife and cradled his head in her lap.

Finding her voice, she quietly called out to him. “Jack! Jack! Can you hear me? It’s Sam. Come on, open your eyes.” As she placed her free hand on his forehead, he groaned softly and his eyes fluttered. “That’s it, come on. I’m here. I’m going to get you some help.” She didn’t know if this was just an accident or if there was more to it, but she wasn’t going to let her emotions at seeing him injured take over just yet. She had to be sure that it was safe.

Jack’s eyes continued to flutter and his lips moved. Mumbling some sounds, Sam bent down close in attempt to make out what he was saying. “Sam…out…get out…danger!”

At the comprehension of his urgent pleas, Sam carefully but quickly put his head back down and reached for the knife. Picking it up, she slowly got up and surveyed the area in front of her. When she didn’t see anything, she turned around the other way, her heart pounding in her ears. Taking a few steps back towards the bedroom door, intending to search the rest of the house again, she barely had time to register Jack mumble out her name in an urgent tone before she felt someone behind her.

Before she could react, something blunt struck her on the back, knocking the wind out of her and stunning her. An arm quick as lightning came around her and grabbed her by the waist while the other hand placed a death grip on her wrist that was holding the knife. Twisting it painfully, she was forced to drop the knife. It clattered to the floor and slid away out of reach. In the next second, she used all her strength to bring her free arm back and jam her elbow painfully into the abdomen of her attacker.

As he doubled over, she attempted to spin out of his grip and deliver a blow with her foot. But before she could, the man holding her used what was left of his strength to push her forward, causing her to slam into the wall in front of her. As she bounced off the wall in pain, she only ended up back in the clutches of her assailant. But this time, he managed to pin both her arms with one of his as he held her tightly against him. And then, in the blink of an eye, he brought his other hand up and covered her nose and mouth with a white cloth. She could smell the chloroform immediately and attempted to fight the affects of it as her head started to spin and she continued to struggle. But being left without the option of fresh air, she found herself quickly succumbing to the drug as the darkened room around her became even darker and the shadows faded from view as she crumpled to the floor next to Jack.

Jack attempted to open his eyes. His head was pounding and his body ached terribly. When the lids of his eyes finally opened, he waited for his vision to clear before trying to focus. Where was he? What had happened? The room he was in was highlighted in a dull gray light. He was lying on the floor. A coarse and scratchy wool blanket was the only thing underneath him, and it smelled of mildew and dust. Attempting to roll over from his side to his back, he found that his hands had been restrained behind him and his feet were tied at the ankles.

Memories suddenly flashed before him. There had been a man in his house. He had been packing some things for Sam’s house for the weekend when he was taken by surprise from behind. Putting up a fight, he had managed to get a few good punches in before his attacker hit him on the side of his head with some kind of blunt object. He remembered falling to his knees and feeling the fresh blood oozing out of his head. But then his memories seemed jumbled around. He recalled waking up briefly, only to find the man standing over him.

He had tried to get up, but the man had covered his face with a rag. Jack suddenly remembered smelling the chloroform, which would explain his currently tremendous headache. The second time he had regained consciousness, he could hear the man moving about his room, pacing it, as if he were waiting for something or someone. He pretended to be unconscious, hoping to figure something out. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he knew Sam was expecting him and was no doubt beginning to worry.

Then he remembered hearing his front door open. The man had immediately stopped pacing. Not a sound could be heard. The footfall in his hallway seemed to move towards his living room. Sam. He knew it was her. She was looking for him. But from how quiet she was being, he reasoned that she had sensed something wasn’t right. He had been determined not to let this maniac hurt her.

Jack then remembered getting up, attempting to run. But his assailant had been right there, and had quickly knocked him down. Then he remembered more chloroform, but this time, it had only been enough to stun him. He could still think.

Flashing forward in his mind, he remembered Sam suddenly at his side, holding his head in her lap. She had been calling out to him. He had tried to mumble a warning to her, which she apparently had comprehended, because she had put his head back down and had stood up. But after that, he could only remember hearing sounds of a struggle and then nothing at all.

Sam. Where was she? Jack sat up, using his forearms to push him up into a sitting position. Looking around, he now realized that he was in some sort of log cabin. It was a large one-room cabin from what he could tell. Sparse furniture lay scattered about the room, and heavy off-white curtains had been drawn over the few windows. Trying to quiet his rapidly beating heart and pounding head, he tuned his ears to any sounds around him. He could make out raindrops on the roof over his head, along with a quietly whistling wind outside the windows. It must have gotten colder because the cabin held a chill in the air.

Suddenly, he heard a low moan on his right side. Shifting his weight, he looked down to find Sam lying on her side next to him. She was trying to wake up. Using what strength he had at the moment, he did his best to break his bonds, but the rope was too strong. All he wanted to do was hold her and make sure she wasn’t injured, but he couldn’t even do that.

Sam could feel her head pounding heavily and attempted to roll over onto her back. Discovering that her hands were tied behind her, she opened her eyes to try and make out her surroundings in order to make sense of what had happened. Then she felt movement behind her. “Jack?” Her voice was weak and groggy, but at least it was still hers and not that of a Goa’uld.

His voice came as a cleansing wave over her senses. “I’m here, Sam. I’m right beside you. Can you sit up?”

Sam pushed up, her abdominal muscles contracting as her body protested against the movement. “Oh, my head.”

Jack grimaced. “Yeah, that would be the chloroform that son of a bitch used. Are you okay?”

Sam nodded. “I think I’ll live. Chloroform? What happened?” As Sam adjusted her position enough to finally see his face, Jack filled her in on what he could remember. Clarity suddenly jerked Sam into their reality, and she remembered going over to his house, looking for him. Then she remembered finding Jack and being attacked by a man in a black mask.

Sam looked over at him, concern in her eyes. “Are you okay? I was so worried when I found you on the floor at the foot of your bed.”

Jack nodded, his features indicating that he was trying to think of a way out of their current situation. “Hell of a way to spend the weekend! I swear to you that when I get my hands on that guy…”

Sam just shook her head slightly. “Who do you think it is? Kinsey or someone associated with him?”

Jack thought for a moment and then answered her. “No, I don’t think it is Kinsey this time. In fact, I’m beginning to believe that everything that has been happening to us might be coming from Simmons camp.”

Sam thought for a moment and then nodded. “That would make sense. He’s always held a grudge for the SGC and he seems to be trying to stop us at every turn.”

Jack clenched his jaw. “Hell, he blackmailed Hammond straight to his face. Maybourne warned me about him. He believes that Simmons was the one who shot me when we were searching for that Goa’uld that had escaped after we rescued you. Looking back on it now, it all makes perfect sense.” Jack slammed his head back into the wall behind him in frustration. “I stood right there in his office and questioned him about your whereabouts, and all he did was give me that cocky smile and try and lay blame on Maybourne. If I’d known then what I know now…”

Sam calmly interrupted. “Jack, I know you’re upset about that. So am I. But Simmons is behind bars. I was there when General Hammond had him arrested. Simmons might have been behind the other occurrences, but do you think what is happening now is really coming from him?”

Jack just shook his head. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t put it past him. I’m sure he’s got a few men out there watching out for his interests.” Jack paused in thought. “I suppose that bastard is also the one who’s been tormenting us with those pictures.”

Sam looked at him. “I don’t think so, Jack. Think about it. If Simmons had seen those pictures, he wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to use them against us and ruin our careers. After all, it seems to be his personal agenda to do just that.”

Jack clenched his jaw again. “Well, then who the hell is it?!” In answer to his question, the door to the cabin suddenly opened and a man walked inside, still dressed in black, but this time without a mask. His face wasn’t familiar to either of them.

The man’s voice sounded deep and hollow against the walls of the cabin as he spoke. “Perhaps I can answer your question, Colonel O’Neill. I would be the one responsible for your current situation. You can call be Roberts.”

Jack glared at the man with the black beady eyes in contempt. “Well, Roberts, I can truly say it is nice to meet you. Now, how about you let me out of these restraints so I can kick your ass for all that you’ve done to us!”

Roberts just laughed. “Sorry, Colonel, but I don’t think you’re going to get that satisfaction.”

Jack just stared back at him. “Oh, don’t be too sure.”

Sam interjected. “What do you want from us?”

Roberts turned his eyes on her in a slow, precise manner. “Actually, Major Carter, what I want is going to come from you.”

Jack moved his body closer to Sam in a protective instinct. “Like hell it will!”

Roberts just shook his head. “I don’t think that’s up to you.”

Sam was getting irritated with the mystery. “So what exactly is it that you want from me?” She gave him a defiant look, letting him know that she wasn’t going to let him intimidate her.

Robert gave her a wry smile. “Straight to the point, huh? Well, let’s just say that you’re going to help my career. You see, I’m apart of the NID.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, well that explains it. I should have guessed. So where are the rest of your goons?”

Roberts just stared at Jack. “There are no others, and there won’t be.” Roberts began pacing the room, his hands behind his back, his head tilted up as he spoke. “About two months ago, one of our undercover agents managed to bring back a device from an off-world mission that one of your SG teams went on.”

Jack sat up straighter. “Excuse me? Undercover agent? You mean to tell me we’ve got NID crawling inside of the SGC?! When are you bastards ever going to leave us alone!”

The man began pacing again. “Oh please, Colonel. You know that the NID will always be watching you. But as for other undercover agents at the SGC, there aren’t anymore to my knowledge, at least not right now. The last two were just recently killed in an off-world battle.”

Jack spoke up with sarcasm. “Well, forgive me if I don’t extend my condolences to you.”

Sam was curious to know what the agent had managed to procure without their knowledge. “What was the device?”

“From what I can tell, it is a controller for some kind of portal. I managed to activate it once for a split second before it deactivated again. That’s where you come in, Major. You are going to figure out how the hand device precisely works.” Roberts stopped pacing and moved closer to them, his focus on Sam. “And once you do, I will finally be able to achieve some of the much deserved respect at the NID for my scientific skills that is way past due to me. Frankly, I’m tired of living in your shadow!”

Jack let out a single laugh. “You’re a real nut job, you know that! You’re so pathetic that you can’t figure out a device that you stole, so you have to resort to doing this.”

Without warning, Roberts took one of his fists and connected it with Jack’s jaw, sending his head back up against the wall. “The next time you insult me, O’Neill, I’ll take your punishment out on her.” His voice rang in dangerous tones and gave Sam the chills.

Jack just sat back up and stared up at Roberts, trying to ignore the throbbing on the right side of his face. Sam looked with concern at Jack before turning her eyes back on the man in front of them. As she did this, Roberts suddenly reached down and grabbed her by the forearms, roughly dragging her to her feet, which were still tied.

Jack tried to throw his body at the man when he saw him reach for Sam, but he hadn’t been quick enough. As he pushed himself back up, he looked at the man holding her. He knew he had to keep his emotions in check, but it was killing him to do so. His eyes met Sam’s before moving his vision back on Roberts. “Leave her alone.” Jack’s voice was thin, lined with anger and the need for revenge.

Roberts simply smiled and half drug Sam to a nearby chair and tossed her down in it. “Now, you are going to get to work on that device. I am tired of wasting time.”

Sam just stared back hard at him. “Go to Hell! I won’t ever help you.”

The man gave her a slow, evil smile. “Wow, does that sound familiar. In fact, I think I heard almost the same thing from you about five years ago. Well, not those exact words, but definitely the same meaning.”

Sam just shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

Roberts suddenly surge forward and placed his hands on each arm of the chair Sam had been place in, his face inches from hers. “I really didn’t expect you to remember me. After all, I was new in the scientific field, and therefore not worth much to anyone, especially you.” Pushing back, he began pacing again like a tiger anxiously awaiting a chance at its prey.

Sam looked confused, her eyes moving over to Jack’s temporarily. “I don’t understand? Were you a student of mine?”

Roberts just laughed. “No, I wasn’t a student, but a student certainly got more respect than I did. I wanted nothing more than to work with you, to learn from you. I tried my best to impress you. I may not have had the most extensive resume you were use to, but you should have at least given me a chance.” He moved back over to her and reached down, running his finger over her cheek again as he had done the night she had been dreaming. “A chance at that and so much more.”

Sam got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach at his touch. She didn’t flinch a muscle. As his finger ran down her cheek and throat, she got the strong impression that she had felt his touch before. She thought she had been dreaming that sensation the other night, but now she wasn’t so sure. Suddenly, she jerked her head back and looked up at him. “It was you, wasn’t it? You were in my house the other night. You have been the one delivering the pictures!”

Roberts stood back up straight and smiled down at her. “You remember my touch! Well, apparently I managed to leave some kind of impression on you.”

Jack, his eyes like daggers on the man’s back, spoke up with force. “Oh, there’s going to be an impression alright, except it will be of my fist on your face if you touch her one more time!”

Roberts continued on as if Jack hadn’t said anything, his eyes still on Sam’s face. “Now, you’re going to help me figure out how the device works.” His voice was dangerously low.

Sam stared back at him. “And just what makes you think that I’m going to do that?”

Roberts gave her a slow, evil smile. Turning around, he promptly walked over to Jack, stood behind him and pulled out a gun, placing it at the back of his head. Looking up into Sam’s eyes, Roberts continued. “Because if you don’t help me, I won’t hesitate to kill him.”

Sam’s breath caught in her throat. She felt frozen in a time warp, unable to move, scream, or shout. As a team traveling off-world, the two of them had been faced with many life or death situations. The terror that ran through her heart was always the same whenever Jack was in trouble, but for some reason, she always felt hope that they’d find a way out. But this time, she wasn’t off-world, and Daniel and Teal’c weren’t with them. Sam didn’t know what to do.

Jack’s voice suddenly penetrated her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. “Go ahead and shoot, you bastard! Carter knows that I’d rather be dead than be some pawn in your sick little game.” His eyes were on Sam’s face, pleading with her to hold it together. He didn’t care about what happened to him, but what was causing him the most pain was having to watch the turmoil run through her beautiful face at their current situation.

Sam tore her eyes from Jack’s face and looked squarely at Roberts, doing her best to keep her voice calm. “You’re not going to shoot him.”

Roberts just laughed. “Oh, no? I wouldn’t suggest pushing me. Why else do you think I brought him along? It certainly wasn’t for his brains or charming personality. And don’t play dumb with me, Major Carter. You’ve figured out that I’m the one who took those pictures. So don’t sit there and pretend like you wouldn’t do anything to protect the man you are so obviously in love with.”

Jack wanted to just toss himself backwards and head butt the man where it would hurt the worst. But with the cold steel of the gun pressing into his skull, he didn’t dare make a false move. Even if he didn’t survive this, he wasn’t going to let anything that happened to him sit on Sam’s conscious for the rest of her life. Trying to appear unscathed by Roberts, Jack spoke up. “So let me get this straight, Roberts. You took all those pictures and went to all the effort to mysteriously deliver them, just to get her to help you with some silly device? I don’t buy it!”

Roberts took a side step and came within visual range of Jack. “Of course not. But plans change, and the more pictures I took, the clearer my decision became.”

Sam then found her voice. “You mean to screw over whoever hired you to take those pictures in the first place. It was Colonel Simmons, wasn’t it?”

Roberts eye twitched slightly at the mention of his bosses’ name. Jack, who was watching him like a hawk, caught the movement, confirming their suspicions. Shaking his head slightly, he spoke up again. “So Simmons did hire you! That rat bastard! It makes sense since you were with the NID. I suppose he was looking for anything that would incriminate us and destroy the SGC. Am I right?”

Roberts gave Jack a half-cocked smile. “Well, apparently there are some higher brain cells up there after all. Yes, Simmons was the one who assigned me to watch you, starting in Hawaii. But then I saw opportunity knocking and decided on my own path. Colonel Simmons never cared about my career.”

Jack let out a low whistle. “Man, you must have pissed him off. If you weren’t currently threatening us, I’d almost thank you for that.”

Roberts’ lips thinned. “Well, Simmons isn’t the issue here. Your life is.” Turning around, he faced Sam again. “So, Major Carter, what is it going to be? Does he live or die?”

Jack, seeing a window of opportunity, suddenly used all his power to push himself off the floor and lunge himself at the man in front of him. As he came in contact with his back, the two men went tumbling forward, the gun shooting out of Roberts’ hands and sliding a short distance on the hard, cold floor. As Roberts attempted to get up, Jack whipped around on his back and kicked out with his feet. As he did this, he noticed a loosening in the ropes around his ankles. Figuring the struggle must have somehow cut them, he quickly made contact with Roberts’ back, sending him flying into the wall in front of them.

With his hands still restrained behind his back, he rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet, which were now free of their bonds. Suddenly, Sam’s voice rang out. “Jack, watch out!!”

Jack didn’t even have enough time to turn around before he found the wind knocked out of him as Roberts’ foot returned the favor and had Jack flying to the opposite side of the room. He slammed into a small dining table and rolled off it onto the floor. And before Jack had even stopped moving or even had the chance to catch his breath, he felt the sharp pain of his attacker’s foot making contact with the right side of his ribs.

As Jack rolled over in pain, groaning and coughing, Roberts’ grabbed him by his shirt front and gathered the material in one fist while holding the other fist above his head, ready to next make contact with his face. As he prepared for the blow, Sam’s voice rang out again.

“Stop it! I’ll do what you want!! Just leave him alone!” Her voice was full of emotion, laced with fear, anger, and sadness. Jack couldn’t see her, but he could hear her shaky breaths and knew that she had been attempting to do anything she could to free herself in order to help him.

Roberts smiled down at Jack and then hauled him to his feet, dragging him across the room to where the gun was lying. Picking it up, Jack once again found the gun against him, this time at his back. Jack looked over at Sam, trying to reassure her that he was okay despite the immense pain he was in. Her eyes were misty and she was paler than he’d ever seen her.

Sam found her voice as she continued to look at Jack, taking in his face. “I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt him anymore. I promise I’ll do my best to get the device to work.”

Roberts gave her a hateful look. “Oh, I know you will.”

Before Jack knew it, the gun that was at his back suddenly made contact with the back of his head, sending the world spinning as he collapsed on the floor in front of Sam. As the world faded out, he felt her suddenly drop next to him as she called out to him. Not knowing what was going to happen to him once he reached the unconscious level, he used the last bit of strength he had to fight the coming dark long enough to roll on his side and look into her eyes. Moving his lips, he mouthed the words that came straight from his heart. “I love you.”

As Jack’s eyes closed, Sam felt hot tears burning her cheeks as she whipped around on the floor and stared up at Roberts. “Why did you do that?! I told you that I would help you!”

Roberts squatted down and grabbed her chin, holding it firmly with his long fingers. “Yes, and as long as you cooperate and not attempt a stunt like he did, then I won’t have to kill him.” Standing back up, he moved over to a nearby drawer and opened it, pulling out a rectangular device that looked to be no bigger than the palm of his hand. Turning back around to her, he continued on. “Now, let’s get to work.”

Jack’s eyes fluttered and slowly opened. He was still in the cabin and his body was still in a considerable amount of pain. The grey light had faded from the windows, creating dark shadows all around him. He was facing one of the walls, his body obviously having been tossed there by Roberts.

At the thought of him, Jack was about to roll over when he heard suddenly heard Sam a short distance from him. Her voice held frustration and he knew that had to do with the man that was holding them hostage.

Sam’s fingers were cramped from working with the tiny crystals that powered the device. She looked over at Roberts, who was standing nearby, looking dangerous. “Look,” she said, her voice trying to remain firm, “I’ve almost got it stabilized. You saw that the portal opened for a few seconds. If I can just get the configuration of the crystals right, I’m sure I’ll be able to stabilize it again.”

Roberts’ hand tightened on the gun as he glanced over at Jack, who still appeared to him to be unconscious. “Well, you’d better be able to. I’m tired of waiting and my patience is growing thin.”

Jack listened carefully to their voices and movements in the room as he carefully worked at the ropes around his wrists. They were looser than before, and he assumed that like the bonds that had been around his feet, they had come loose during the struggle. Luckily for him, Roberts had failed to replace the rope around his feet. And with the room only being lit by a small lamp across the room, he hoped the shadows would conceal his hands enough for him to get the rope off.

The minutes seemed to crawl by, but Jack was making progress. Unfortunately, so was Sam, and without warning, a bright light suddenly appeared all around him. Roberts’ voice came across the room in excited waves. “You did it! Finally, I will be able to prove to all those idiots at the NID that I’m more than just one of the people who cleans up their messes. Finally, I’ll have the respect I deserve. Can you imagine? A portal in time!”

Sam looked over at him in disgust. “I wouldn’t be too excited. I’ve only managed to just get it open. We have no idea of what it will do or where it will take you, if anywhere.”

Roberts grabbed the device from her hands and pointed the gun at her. “Don’t make me use this on you. I will not tolerate you or anyone else making this amazing discovery out to be nothing.” Taking a breath, he gave her a slow smile. “Besides, we’re going to experience first hand together just where this will take us.” Putting the device in his pocket, he grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her to him, the gun pointed at her temple as he held onto her.

Sam attempted to struggle, but when his grip only tightened and the gun was placed more firmly into her skull, she stopped moving. “You said that you would let us go after this.”

Roberts laughed. “Yes, well, you should know by now that the bad guy always lies. Besides,” he said as he moved his face from behind her to rest on her hair, “I have other uses for you besides your brains.”

As his lips made contact with the side of her neck, Sam thought she was going to be sick. She wanted to strike out, take the man down from where he stood. But Jack was still in Roberts target range, and she couldn’t take a chance with his life, especially from someone as unstable as the man now holding her.

Suddenly, she found herself facing the slowly swirling portal that had appeared in front of them after she had activated the hand device. It’s white light shimmered and danced in the dark, and as Roberts edged them towards it, her heart began to race. “No! Let me go!”

Jack’s voice suddenly rang out. “Let her go, Roberts! Do it, NOW!”

Roberts whipped them both around to face Jack, who was now standing, free from his bonds and looking wonderful to Sam. Despite their current situation, she couldn’t keep a small smile from forming on her lips as her eyes met his. And her smile was returned in the same intensity from him.

But all too quickly, she suddenly found herself moving backwards too fast. Roberts still had a tight grip on her, and now she found herself entering the portal as the white light began to consume her. Yelling, she reached out. “Jack!”

Jack felt ice-cold fear run its course through his veins as he helplessly watched Roberts pull them backwards in a desperate move to escape. When Sam reached her arm out, Jack propelled his body forward, reaching out and calling out her name in return. “Sam! Hold on!” Stretching his arms longer than he thought he could stretch them, he managed to grab the hand she was holding out to him and gripped it for dear life. But the portal had already begun using an unseen force to pull them in, and before Jack knew it, he was being pulled into the swirling light, his hand never leaving Sam’s.

The world around them was spinning white, making their senses dizzy. But before they knew it, they suddenly found themselves being shot out of the portal, their bodies making contact with the ground as they rolled a few feet away. And then all was dark. The white light from the portal disappeared and nothing but their ragged breath could be heard for a moment.

Jack rolled over onto his back and covered his face for a moment, groaning. His hands smelled like grass, and he suddenly realized that he was no longer lying on a cabin floor. Sitting up, he cleared his voice as he called out. “Sam? Are you okay?”

Sam sat up a few feet from him and grabbed onto her head, trying to steady the spinning that hadn’t stopped. “Yeah, I think so.” Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she continued. “Are you?”

Jack got up and moved over to where she sat, reaching down and gently pulling her up into his arms. “I am now.” Holding onto her, he looked around them. “Where do you suppose we are?”

Sam held onto him. “I don’t know. I’m just so happy that you’re alive. I was beginning to fear the worst…”

Jack gently kissed the top of her head. “Shhh. I’m okay, you’re okay. No thanks to that insane maniac!” Jack suddenly realized that he hadn’t given Roberts’ whereabouts any consideration. Instinctively tightening his grip on her, he continued, his voice hollow. “Where is he anyway?”

As if in answer to his question, a shrill scream pierced the night around them. Coming from a direction not far from their right, Sam and Jack whipped around to face the night. Their hearts were racing as their eyes searched the darkness. There was a misty fog swirling all around them in the wooded area where they had been dumped. The trees were large, old and tall, giving a feel of inferiority to anyone standing next to them. A movement could be heard in the distance in front of them as the leaves crunched under the weight of whatever was before them.

Jack grabbed onto Sam’s hand and inched forward in the dark. After a few steps, the moonlight suddenly broke free from the clouds overhead, shedding an eerie white light all around them through the shrouded mist. And in the dull glow, blood red eyes suddenly flashed in the night. Fangs dripping in fresh blood contrasted against the pale white of skin from a face that neither of them recognized.

Jack suddenly grabbed onto Sam and spun her with him out of the way as the creature lunged at them. Doing their best to stay on their feet, they ran through the forest. They could sense the creature behind them, closing in fast. Sam’s heart was racing as she ran, jumping over fallen logs and trying not to trip over twigs that were cracking under her feet as she looked behind her. Jack was running beside her, breathing as hard as she was.

Without warning, razor sharp nails suddenly scrapped across her neck. Sam screamed out in fear and pain. Distracted for a moment, she tripped over a stick that she didn’t see. Jack reached out with one arm in an attempt to steady her as he used his other arm to reach back and strike at the creature that had attacked Sam. When he made contact with the creature’s chest, it went flying back, letting out a scream that could only have come from a something consumed by evil.

And then they were falling, rolling down a small hill after their footing had slipped and they went tumbling backwards. As their bodies impacted the ground over and over again, they finally came to a stop at the base of the hill, unconscious and bleeding as the mist silently settled on top of them and the shadows once again closed in.

To be continued.

Next Story---> "Behind The Shadows (part 2)"

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