Sam reached out and gripped Daniel's right hand, squeezing it tight. "It's all right" Sam looked over his shoulder at the dark and bit her lip. She knew she was being a baby. She was the air force captain, the tough military girl. But all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole. Her head was swimming with fear, her arm was sore and she felt like a little girl. They didn't even know who was in here, let alone how many. Where was a good hole when you needed it? Daniel was slowly moving backwards, she stepped back with him, still clutching his hand. "Oh god..oh god..." "God has nothing to do with this" she looked at Daniel's face, it was solid except for the fear in his eyes. "I-..." Daniel suddenly saw something leap at him, he was knocked to the ground. Sam started forward but was grabbed from behind, someone grabbed her arms and pinned them to her side. "Daniel! Daniel!!" she squirmed but they held tight. She could see Daniel being held down, one of the guards had a zatgun to his head, the other pinning him against the stone floor.
He turned his head and looked up at Sam. "Run!" she tried to but the guard started to drag her towards the door. Someone opened it and she was dragged out. Before the door closed she could still here Daniel calling after her and then the unmistakable sound of a zatgun being discharged, then nothing "Daniel!".
Day 4.
Sam was once again dragged back to the cell. Back to where hopefully Daniel would be. She didn't try to walk but let the guards do the work, make them feel some discomfort. The guards stopped dragging and she heard the door creak open, she was tossed in and hit the floor hard on her side. She finally pulled herself up and felt around the floor. The door swung shut, causing the small breeze to wash over her back, she couldn't help but shiver. "d...daniel?" she pulled herself along the ground until she met with the wall. "Daniel...are you in here?" Her voice was shaky and she moved her way along the wall until her hands hit a soft material. She fingered the sleeve then moved her hands up. They moved up his arm then to his face.
Her finders danced across his cheek to his forehead, her fingers met the blood that was still running down his face. She pushed back his hair and framed his face "Daniel...Daniel wake up". She let her hands drop and she gently lifted his hands, checking his wrist for a pulse. There was a very weak one. "Hey, come on...wake up" Daniel groaned slightly at the persistent voice and Sam poked him in the cheek again "Come on there, you can't sleep forever". Sam felt her energy drain and she curled up beside Daniel, who seemed slowly to become more aware. "Oh Daniel..." she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, the room was just so dark, it made her feel small. As she felt herself slip into the darkness that surrounded her she could hear a soft moan of pain from Daniel.
Day 5.
Sam had been asleep for a day now. Daniel had woken soon after she'd past out and was starting to worry. She was tossing in her sleep, Daniel tried to calm her with words but that hadn't worked. He had ended up pulling her on top of him, nursing her in his arms, slowly stroking her hair and whispering that everything was going to be all right. She started to calm down and slipped into a healing sleep. Daniel could see a faint frown on her face but she looked unharmed except for the odd bruises and cuts. He'd woken up soon after they'd taken Sam, every four hours the guards had come back in with their zatguns and had shot him one more time. Once, when he was still conscious, he'd asked why. They'd laughed and kicked him. His was sure a rib was cracked, he'd heard the crack himself.
Sam looked on the edge of the chasm called 'dangerous exhaustion'. Underneath her eyes was blue colouring, and her face was pale from what he could see. The guards had left him alone since Sam had gotten back. He didn't know why but he wasn't arguing. It was nice not to lapse into unconsciousness every once in a while. He just hoped Sam'd be okay. He didn't know what he'd do if she wasn't... Daniel was pulled out of his thoughts by a soft moan. "Sam!". She groaned again but this time she let out a sigh soon after "Daniel?" she rolled her head towards him and reached up, tracing his face "Daniel?" Daniel smiled and nodded "The one and only". "Back in the cell?" "Yep, where else" "Damn..." Daniel glanced around the dark cell then back to the figure leaning against him. "What happened?" Sam finally opened her eyes, even in the small amount of light that filtered in from the high window, Daniel could still see Sam's eyes.
"My god..." Sam looked up at him "What?" Daniel put a hand on her cheek and turned her head to the side then back again. "Can you see?" Sam frowned "What are you talking about? It's pitch black!" Daniel looked around, the window was sending in a small amount of light, but enough. "No Sam, it's not" Sam's head snapped up and she stared at where she thought his face was. "What does that mean Daniel?" Daniel stared at her eyes "Daniel!" Sam's head whipped around, searching for Daniel, "Daniel! Where are you?!". Daniel broke away from his mind and looked over to the frantic Sam. "I'm here..." Sam whipped her head towards his voice "I'm blind?" Daniel bit his lip and gently pulled her to lean on his shoulder "Don't worry, it's probably just to scare you, it'll go away" Sam didn't seem so sure "I promise". That was enough for her, she smiled and laid her head back on his shoulder. "I got your word on that?" Daniel pushed a small strand away from her forehead "Yep". Sam slipped back off to sleep. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, he didn't want to have to lie anymore.
Day 6.
Sam felt her way around the cell for the hundredth time. "Trust me, there's no way to get out. I've already looked" Sam turned back to Daniel's voice "Unless you have a sledge hammer" Sam laughed and slowly came back to his side, Daniel moved over so she didn't fall to one side. "At least Iím trying" Daniel sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair "Please, don't waste you energy". Sam looked to the side, not seeing Daniel but hearing his pleading voice. "I gotta do something". Daniel sighed as Sam started to move again. Sam searched along the wall until she found his hand, she held it in her two. She gripped onto it tightly. "I could always get out of anything. Anything. As long as I could see what I had to get out of" Daniel squeezed her hand, and Sam crumbled. Tears started to flow down her closed eyes and she sniffed.
"I have to see, I can't live without seeing" Daniel reached out and pulled her sobbing form to him, engulfing her in his arms. They both started to slip down the wall until Sam and Daniel both sat again, but Sam still didn't cease her crying. "It's all right" Daniel rubbed her back until she quietened down "Shhh...". He figured she'd fallen asleep because she hadn't spoken for a while. He sighed and laid his head on top of hers. She sighed, he lifted his head in shock "Sorry, it's all right" he laid it back down "You only gave me a heart attack, nothing to bad". Sam chuckled and wrapped her arms around him. burying her head in his chest. "Of all the people I know, I'm pleased it's you I'm stuck in here with" Daniel laughed softly and squeezed her arm. "I'm honoured". "No really. The colonel would have killed himself by now, and Teal'c...well, I don't know about him". Daniel smiled, he could imagine how jack would be by now. "How about a family member?".
Sam shook her head ever so slightly, so she didn't knock Daniel's off. "Nah, drive me insane in the first five minutes". "Hang on there just one minute, I think you're being a bit mean" Sam laughed and gave a little shrug "I guess, it's hard to imagine any of them in this position to start with". Sam glanced up to where she knew Daniel's face was "How about you?". Daniel paused then shrugged "Jack'd be climbing up the walls, Teal'c would have been put down hours ago and you...I get to deal with that first hand". Sam frowned "No, I was talking about famil-" she stopped and looked down "I'm sorry, I forgot". "Oh, but I was talking about my family". Sam looked up and smiled "Really? You mean that?" Daniel nodded "Jack's like my dad, Teal'c is...Teal'c and you're..." he stopped and looked back down at Sam.
"...you're like my bestest friend". Sam felt a tear roll down and then a finger wiping it away. "That's the nicest thing that's ever been said about me!" Daniel laughed, "I can hardly believe that". Sam shook her head tiredly "No...really". Daniel was about to reply when her head sagged and her breath evened. 'Oh well...' he glanced around and then settled back. Once again he found it hard to stay awake but felt if that was all he could do, he'd do it.
Day ?.
They both had no idea how long they'd been asleep, the window didn't give Daniel much of a clue and no guards had come back since Sam had been returned. They both were pleased about that. Sam was once again pacing the cell, she claimed that she could see the odd shadowy figure aka Daniel. But it might have just been her imagination. Escape or even rescue seemed to just be getting less likely every day, they didn't even know when they'd been thrown in here, for all they knew it was a week, or just a day. That was pretty unlikely. They would have been dead if it'd been over a week. No water and no food. His stomach rumbled as another reminder of everything that had happened.
"Sounds like a stampede" Daniel looked up at Sam and smiled "Yeah, I guess you could say that". She sat down beside him and drew her legs to her chin "I'm not very hungry" Daniel frowned "You haven't eaten for days" Sam sighed and looked guilty "Um, no. I had a meal when the guards took me". Daniel frowned, his stomach rumbled again. Sam looked even more guilty. "I...just before they played with needles and I lost my, um...I wish I'd have been able to save you some" Daniel squeezed her arm "Don't beat yourself up over it" Sam nodded "But I should have-". The loud creaking of the door made them both look up, even though Sam couldn't see them.
'Force of habit' She couldn't see them but they made enough noise. She gripped Daniel's arm "What's going on Daniel?" Daniel quickly pulled himself to his feet and pulled Sam up after him. "Come!" Daniel pulled Sam behind him and gripped both of her hands in his. "Go away!" the guards stepped forwards and grabbed Daniel roughly and yanked him away from Sam. Daniel swung his fists at one and connected with a sickening crunch. The guard fell back, another rushed forward and reached for him, Daniel ducked and threw his other fist. This guard stumbled back in shock. The other razed his zatgun, and then Daniel met the floor.
Day ?.
The guards had left after one had shot Daniel. They seemed to have lost interest in her unconscious friend. She thanks what ever god there was for that. Daniel was still out of it, they'd only shot him once. He now lay on Sam's lap, she couldn't see him but she could feel a pulse in his neck and had been able to drag him back over to the corner. She stroked his hair as he'd done to her many times. It gave her comfort to be able to comfort her friend, he'd done so much for her. "Wake up now, come on. I'm lonely" she checked his pulse again. Yep, still there. "Sam?" Sam smiled to herself when she heard his voice "Yeah, Iím here" No more big bad Gou'ald. "What happened?" "They came, they went" Daniel pulled open his eyes "Are you okay?". Sam nodded "Yeah, even peachy". Daniel chuckled but started to cough instead. Sam gripped his thinning waist as he finished his coughing fit. He really needed to eat soon, Sam just wanted a drink.
Daniel pulled himself up a bit more, and peered up at Sam. "Can you see any better?". Sam shook her head, looking forward. "Shadows, I can see the shadow of my hand if I hold it up close". Daniel smiled "Great". Sam rested a hand on his cheek and noticed the abnormal warmth. "I know" Sam sighed deeply. When would this nightmare end. They'd been through enough. What kind of sick joke was god playing on them. "A very sick one" Daniel frowned "Beg your pardon?" Sam laughed and looked down at his blurry shadow "Nothing". She felt a cold shiver run through her and wished she still had her jacket. "You all right?" "Yeah, bit cold, that's all" Daniel moved from beside her and pulled her to him. If she could see she would have said to look after himself, he was sicker.
But she was cold and thirsty and he was there, like always. She smiled and pulled his arms tighter around her waist. She leant back and rested her head on his shoulder. 'Man, this is the living!'. "You should get some rest" even as he said it he felt more shivers run through him. "It's so cold!". Sam now wished both of them hadn't lost their jackets. "Let me go" Daniel frowned "Why?" Sam sighed and shivered again "If you're as half as cold as I am, you'll lie down" She felt Daniel move from behind her and she felt the wall connect with her thin t-shirt. "Come on" Sam let Daniel guide her back to him, she lay by his side, his arms wrapped around her. She felt guilty leaving him on the floor while she sprawled on his chest but knew he'd never swap.
"Thanks" she blinked a few more times "Talk" she blinked again "What?" Daniel wrapped his arms tighter as the shivers went through both of them again. "Talk, so we stay awake" she nodded "Um, what about?" Daniel shrugged the best he could "How about...work" "Do we have to? I mean, that's what got us here in the first place". Daniel nodded "Okay, what did they ask you?" "When?" Sam didn't like this "When they took you before" Sam sighed, she'd talk about anything, as long as it took away the cold. "Same as you, codes to get through the magic barrier. Nothing else" "What did you say?". Sam started to laugh "You really think Iíd give them the codes?!" daniel shook his head, horrified that she'd think he'd think that. "No! I was wondering what smart arsed comments you shot back at them" "Nothing much. What did you say when they asked?" daniel grinned, Sam could see the faint line of his mouth curve upwards. "They asked for the number, I gave them my home phone number. I just hope that when we get home there's not a heap of abusive messages".
"Clever" Daniel looked down at Sam and had to smile, despite himself. It was amazing she still had a sense of humour after all they'd been through so far. Sam looked up, as though his thoughts had reached her, she smiled, her eyes were shining slightly. She looked like she was going to say something but instead she reached up and traced his jaw line. Daniel's breath caught as her fingers ran across his lips. "Sam..." she placed them firmly on his lips and pulled herself higher in his chest. Her eyes were searching his face, he knew they didn't see much but they were still breath taking. She slowly bent down and pressed her lips to his. Daniel felt like he was going to faint. Flood-gates seemed to open up and he felt himself responding. "Sam".
Sam pulled back and framed his face with her hands, brushing back his hair "Wow" he smiled and wrapped his arms around her again. It may not have been a place that would be in their memories for the wonderful interior decorating but that moment was in their minds forever. No matter what. Sam lay her head back down on his chest and played with his t-shirt. Daniel let his head roll to the side and closed his eyes. Peacefulness finally rested over him. And it took him.
Day ?.
The next day, which they hoped would be the last, brought the arrival of the guards. Four came in and six came out. Daniel and Sam were taken to the hall that they'd been questioned in. "I don't like this" Sam turned to Daniel "What's to like". Sam's sight was still bad but it was slowly returning. The guards, there were three of them. One held the cell door open and the others were dragging a body between them. The dragged it into her cell and let it drop to the floor. It lay there, not moving, even when the guard closest kicked at it. The guards left and locked the heavy door behind them. 'Please be them, please be one of them...' Sam crawled forward and finally came to the body.
It stirred slightly and she heard a soft moan. "Daniel?". She slowly pulled the still form over until she looked into the pale face of her best friend. "Oh Daniel..." he was alive, she could hear his harsh breath. But he didn't look like it. His face was pale and blood ran from a gash above his eyes, on his forehead. Most of the blood was dried but fresh blood was slowly starting to seep into the dried. She pulled herself up and grabbed his hands, dragging him over to the back wall, where the guard couldn't spy on them. Daniel was starting to stir now, and she pulled his body up to lean on hers, his head on her thighs. "Daniel, come on. It's all right to wake up now" he groaned again and slowly his eyes opened. "Sam?" Blue eyes stared back at her and she smiled and stroked his blood caked hair ''The one and only". Daniel's face grimaced as he attempted to sit up, Sam quickly held him down "Give yourself some time to rest". Daniel sat up anyway "No, we have to get out of here...and by the way, where is here?". Sam sighed and shrugged "If only I knew" Daniel sat beside her and picked up her hand in his.
"Jack and Teal'c?" "Got away" Daniel sighed, there still was hope. Sam looked to him "I was worried you'd been killed when they escaped" Daniel looked at the door, which was no doubt heavily guarded on the other side. "I got grabbed at the last minute. Almost got out though" "Jack and Teal'c will some back, I know they will" the last bit was a statement. They were coming back. No questions asked. "I know". Sam curled up on her side, and Daniel pulled her head onto her lap "When was the last time you slept?" Sam paused, counting "I don't know". Daniel played with her hair, needing the contact as much as she did.
"Get some rest. We might be here a while" Sam nodded but then looked back up at him, concern filled her eyes "What did they do to you?" Daniel rubbed his face but winced as his fingers touched the gash. "Just wanted the codes" "Codes?" "Yeah, the ones to get through the iris. Of course they don't know it's an iris, they thought it was some magic shield" daniel laughed, but then realised the truth "Why would they want to go to earth?". Sam felt her eyes closing and sighed "They're Gou'ald Daniel, nobody knows". Daniel looked back down to Sam who'd finally slipped of to a restless sleep. he wanted to sleep, but also wanted to sit guard, there wasn't much he could do if someone came but it made him feel better, just to be doing something, even if it was being a human pillow. He finally felt his eyes closing and he also joined Sam in the land of dreams.
Day 2.
Daniel woke up first. Someone was in their cell chin up to look at him. She smiled and he could see her eyes were getting better, but it'd still take a little while longer. "You all right?" Sam smiled and pulled him into a hug "Better than ever" Daniel smiled and rubbed her back. "You know something?" Sam pulled back and let her hands run over his face, Daniel closed his eyes briefly and kissed her fingers as they ran over his lips. "What?"It was almost a whisper and Daniel opened his eyes, framing Sam's face ìI love you". Daniel had never a more beautiful sound. Sam laughed and kissed him, tears started to run down her dirty cheeks. "Well I'll be damned".
They pulled back and Daniel planted a kiss on her forehead "Your a charm". Daniel was about to turn when Sam reached out and snagged him shirt "I love you too" Daniel turned back, a smile slowly appeared on his face. Sam laughed "Would you expect anything less?!" Daniel kissed her one last time "A lot of nurses are gonna be heart broken" Daniel frowned "What do you mean?". Sam shook her head "Nothing, absolutely nothing". "We better go, the gate'll close on us if we don't hurry" Sam nodded and snatched up the blurry figure of his hand. "Let's roll!". This mission hadn't been so bad after all!
