<< Previous | Story Intro | Return to Stories | Next >>

Daniel had no idea how long they had been sitting in the cramped cell. He was almost asleep when five Jaffa came in. Three stood guard, while the other two gave food and water to each prisoner.

"Well, at least they’re not going to starve us to death," Jack said. He took a bite of the bread. "Not bad. For Goa’uld food," he added.

The men settled back down for the night…Daniel wondering again about his children. He looked at his watch. Nicholas was probably getting a bottle right now; it was almost 3 a.m. Emily would be sound asleep in her bed. He wondered if she had kicked the blankets off as she did most nights. He thought about Casey, wondered if she was resting. Her words echoed in his mind…

‘I’ll never stop looking for you. No matter how long it takes. I’ll find you, my heart.’ 

Hopefully, it wouldn’t take very long. He closed his eyes, dreamed of green eyes, a loving smile, blonde hair that covered him as she made love to him, soft arms that held him tightly.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey had given up trying to sleep. She lay curled on the bed in their quarters on the Phoenix, his pillow in her arms. She thought about calling out to him, just to ‘hear’ his voice, but she didn’t want to wake him if he was asleep.

She was about to get up and go to the mess hall for a cup of coffee when there was a knock on the door. She pulled herself to her feet, opened the door. There was no one there. Stepping into the corridor, she looked quickly in both directions, but saw no one. She frowned. It wasn’t like the crew to play practical jokes during a mission, especially a rescue mission. She didn’t think Texas would knock on her door and run. She shook her head, and went back into the room. Before she could get comfortable, there was another knock. She raced to the door, pulled it open, again finding only an empty corridor. "Great," she muttered out loud. "First I can’t ‘see’ what’s wrong, now I’m losing my freakin’ mind."

A soft breeze blew against her cheek. There was something about it…she searched her mind. Found nothing. She stood for a moment longer, her fingers on her cheek where the breeze had touched her, then went back into the room. This time she stood beside the door for several minutes before she finally lowered herself back onto the bed.

Sleep had refused to come before the incident, now her eyes closed, and she slipped into peaceful slumber.

"She senses us," said the First, almost proudly. "I had wondered about that. Twice she has turned to look at us, sensing us. She felt my touch upon her cheek."

"She will sleep now?" the Second asked watching the young woman.

"Yes. I had not wanted to interfere, but her mind must be clear to do what she must do to rescue The Chosen," the First replied.

"I do not believe that we can be held in contention for interference. The renegade Ancients have already done so, by setting up this abduction scheme, and blocking the natural abilities of His Chosen to see the danger," the Third said angrily. "I have already filed a report and complaint on this," he added.

The First sighed. "For all the good it will do." She looked at her companions. Then with a smile, walked to where Casey lay dreaming. She gently touched the top of Casey’s head. Without another word to her companions, she led them out.

Casey woke three hours later. What was it that she had been dreaming about? It had seemed so silly. She and Sam were dressed in leather clothes, wearing long, wool capes. They had been…somewhere…and she knew that Daniel, and Jack were nearby. She just had to remain calm, and appear to be as deadly as…as whoever it was she was…dealing with?… yes, that seemed right. She shook her head. Amazing what the mind would do, what the subconscious would fill in when one was asleep.

She took a shower, hurried to the mess hall for a desperately needed cup of coffee, thought about Daniel. She glanced at her watch. Chances were he was still sleeping. She closed her eyes, searched for him. She had just discovered this ability, didn’t know if he could ‘sense’ her as well. Yes, there, she felt him. She sent her love to him. She would never know that sitting in a prison cell on a Goa’uld transport ship, her Husband smiled as his dreams filled with her.

Sam was already sitting at ‘their’ table. "You must have slept," she said, with a sad smile.

Casey nodded. "For a couple of hours. You?"

"I dozed off and on," Sam replied.

Major Parker hurried into the room, looked around, spotted them, and waved at them. They were on their feet and to the door in a flash.

"What’s up?" Casey asked.

"Thor just sent word that he has the ship on his sensors. He’s not close enough to beam them out yet, but he’s getting there," the major said, a smile on his face.

Sam and Casey hugged one another. "How far are we from Thor?" Sam demanded to know.

"About an hour. The captain has already started pushing the engines. We should get to him about the same time he’s ready to beam the general, Doctor Jackson and Tony aboard."

Again the women hugged. Something started poking at the back of Casey’s brain. Something about leather pants and bustiers and boots and woolen cloaks, all in black. She tried to ignore it. Instead, she focused on Daniel. ‘Daniel?’

There was no response.

‘Daniel, My Love, wake up,’ she said gently.

‘What?’ He was still more asleep than awake. ‘Casey?’

‘Love, Thor has almost caught up to the ship you’re on. We’re an hour behind him. We’re coming, my love.’

‘That’s great news, Angel. Love you.’

‘Love you, too. Go back to sleep now. I’ll see you soon.’ She hugged herself, her eyes shining brightly as she thought about being in his arms once again.

‘Have you slept?’

‘A couple of hours,’ she admitted.

‘Go get some sleep, Angel.’ His voice was full of love, concern, warmth.

‘I will.’ She felt him waking more fully. Probably talking to Jack and Tony, she thought.

A  A  A  A  A  A

‘Daniel, my love, wake up.’ Her voice was soft, he could feel her love wrap around him even as he moved slowly to wakefulness.

‘What?’ Had he really heard her, or was he still dreaming? ‘Casey?’

‘Love, Thor has almost caught up to the ship you’re on. We’re an hour behind him. We’re coming, my love.’  

He could feel her excitement. It flared in his own veins as the thought of holding her close, holding his children, filled his mind. ‘That’s great news, Angel. Love you.’ He was still concerned about what had happened on PX9 869. Still needed to make sure that she knew that he loved her, belonged only to her, heart, mind, body and soul.

‘Love you, too. Go back to sleep now. I’ll see you soon.’

He almost laughed. No way would he be able to sleep now, knowing that he was so close to being with her again. He wondered again if she was resting. ‘Have you slept?’

‘A couple of hours.’

‘Go get some sleep, Angel.’ He didn’t tell her that he wanted her rested when he saw her, so that he could make love to her until she couldn’t move, that he was going to hold her until the fear of losing her finally subsided.

‘I will.’ He felt her ‘moving away’.

"Jack? Hey, Jack, wake up. Casey said Thor is on his way. She and Sam are an hour behind him," he whispered excitedly.

"That’s great, Space Monkey. Now let me sleep ‘til they get here," Jack mumbled.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Thor’s ship came to a shuddering halt. He looked at the readouts that the computer provided. He worked to bring the suddenly dead engines back online. Finally he called to his assistant, and sent him down to repair whatever was wrong. He worked on the trajectory of the Goa’uld ship. Using the information that Duncan MacLeod had just provided, from the Chosen himself, there was only one place they could be going. He contacted the captain of the Phoenix, and transmitted the coordinates of the planet.

An hour later, Casey and Sam were on board Thor’s ship. The small alien was still unable to bring the engines online, and as soon as the Phoenix was close enough, it suffered the same fate.

"Is this like some sort of trap in space?" Casey asked.

"If it were, we would have had warning of it," Thor replied.

"So we’re dead in the water until we figure this out," she complained.

"Actually, Mrs. Jackson, we are ‘dead’ in space," the alien corrected.

She tried to smile. "In the meantime, that ship is getting closer to the slave market. Guess I’d better tell Daniel I won’t be seeing him anytime soon, after all." She tried not to cry as she reached out for him. ‘Daniel?’

‘What’s wrong, Angel?’

She took a deep breath, willed herself not to cry. ‘We’ve run into some trouble. The Phoenix and Thor’s ship are sort of dead. We got to…wherever the hell we are, and the engines just…died. Until we can figure out what’s going on, we’re not going anywhere.’

‘I understand.’ She could feel the disappointment, the anger, the fear.

‘Sam is working with Thor on the problem right now. She’ll figure it out,’ she said, trying to convince herself as much as her Husband.

‘Yeah, she’ll get it figured out.’

‘I’m so sorry, Daniel,’ she said, unable to fight the tears any longer.

‘Babe, it’s not your fault. Just bad luck.’

‘Seems we’ve had our share of that lately. Mom got a message through, just to let me know that the kids are fine, although Emily is demanding to know where we are.’

‘She is her mother’s daughter.’ She could hear the smile, see him grinning at her. He told her often enough that Emily was just like her.

‘Yes, she is. Mom asked me what to tell her, I told her to tell Emmie that we’re doing our job, that we’re working and it’s taking longer than we planned.’ She closed her eyes, pretended they were sitting at the counter in the kitchen, talking about their babies, planning, hoping, dreaming.

‘That’s good, babe. She’s too little to understand that her Daddy screwed up and got himself into big trouble.’

She smiled. ‘On how many levels?’

‘Too many. Case, are we…are we okay?’ She heard the worry, the fear, the doubt.

'Yes, Daniel, we’re okay. We’d be better if you weren’t on your way to the slave market, but we’re okay.’ This was one time she would most certainly remind him of, whenever he decided that he wanted to go off world without her! When he was back in her arms, she wasn’t letting go, the universe be damned!

‘You’re sure?’

‘I’m sure. I love you, Daniel. I know that you love me. There is no way you can be held responsible for something that happens…or starts, while you’re asleep. I think we all know now that you guys were drugged. I’m not happy about the thought of some woman touching you, or you touching her, but I’ll deal with it.’ She had spent several restless hours thinking about what had happened, what he had done. She could still hear, feel, the anguish in his voice when he had cried out. He would suffer, probably more than she, for what had occurred. She could not hold him guilty for something that he hadn't done…at least, not willingly. She wouldn’t hold him guilty. And she was going to make sure that he didn’t, either.

‘Love you, Angel.’

‘Love you, Sweetheart.’ She nodded when Sam motioned for her. ‘I’m going to try and help Sam. Let me know the minute you land, see if you can figure out where you are.’

‘I will, babe. Be careful.’

‘You, too. I really do love you, Daniel.’

‘I know, babe. I love you more than you’ll ever know.’

A  A  A  A  A  A

‘Daniel?’ She was crying. Or damned close to it. Something was wrong.

‘What’s wrong, Angel?’ He tried to stay calm. Had something happened on Gamma? Oh, god, were his kids okay? Was she going to tell him that she couldn’t forgive him after all? His heart was hammering against his ribs.

‘We’ve run into some trouble. The Phoenix and Thor’s ship are sort of dead. We got to…wherever the hell we are, and the engines just…died. Until we can figure out what’s going on, we’re not going anywhere.’

Oh, hell. It wasn’t as bad as he had imagined. But it was bad enough. Damn it! He had been so close to having her back in his arms! One freaking hour! ‘I understand.’

‘Sam is working with Thor on the problem right now. She’ll figure it out.’ He could tell she was trying to stay positive. For him, or for herself?

‘Yeah, she’ll get it figured out.’ If anybody could do this, Sam could. He had absolute faith in his best friend’s abilities.

‘I’m so sorry, Daniel.’ She was definitely crying now. And apologizing for something that she had no control over.

‘Babe, it’s not your fault. Just bad luck.’ He could only hope that this bad luck wouldn’t plague them for long. The thought of being a slave in a pleasure house wasn’t the most pleasant fate he’d entertained. There had been worse, of course. But this was certainly right at the top of the ‘things-I-never-want-to-have-happen-to-me’ list.

‘Seems we’ve had our share of that lately. Mom got a message through, just to let me know that the kids are fine, although Emily is demanding to know where we are.’

He couldn’t help but grin. He closed his eyes and could see Emily standing with her little hands on her hips, demanding to know where her Mommy and Daddy were. Just as he’d seen Casey stand, demanding an explanation for something she didn’t understand, and usually didn’t like or approve of. ‘She is her mother’s daughter.’

‘Yes, she is. Mom asked me what to tell her, I told her to tell Emmie that we’re doing our job, that we’re working and it’s taking longer than we planned.’

Leave it to Casey to come up with the perfect answer. ‘That’s good, babe. She’s too little to understand that her Daddy screwed up and got himself into big trouble.’

‘On how many levels?’

Yeah, how many levels? He had refused to listen to her when her gift told her that something was wrong, refused to listen when she told him how afraid she was, and then he went out and got himself into a situation where he hurt her the worst, by bedding another woman. He had screwed up big time. And he didn’t know how much damage he had done, not yet. ‘Too many. Case, are we…are we okay?’

"Yes, Daniel, we’re okay. We’d be better if you weren’t on your way to the slave market, but we’re okay.’

He let her words sooth his worried heart. ‘You’re sure?’

‘I’m sure. I love you, Daniel. I know that you love me. There is no way you can be held responsible for something that happens…or starts, while you’re asleep. I think we all know now that you guys were drugged. I’m not happy about the thought of some woman touching you, or you touching her, but I’ll deal with it.’ 

Yeah, she would deal with pain that he had caused, again. How would this wound affect her? How long would this haunt her? ‘Love you, Angel.’ He only wished the simple words could convey what he felt in his heart, in his soul, for her.

‘Love you, Sweetheart. I’m going to try and help Sam. Let me know the minute you land, see if you can figure out where you are.’

‘I will, babe. Be careful.’

‘You, too. I really do love you, Daniel.’

‘I know, babe. I love you more than you’ll ever know.’ He closed his eyes. He loved her more than anyone could comprehend, more than he could express.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey stood beside Sam, listened to her explain that there was nothing wrong with the engines that they could find. The engines just…didn’t work.

"So now what?" Casey asked. She would not cry, she told herself, she would not cry!

Sam sighed, tears filled her eyes. "I don’t know, Case. I really don’t. I can’t fix something that isn’t broken!"

Casey put her back against the wall and slid to the floor, pulling her legs tight against her chest. "Ever get the feeling that the Universe, or Fate, or some such damned thing is out to get you?"

"Yeah, like right now. There is no logical explanation for these engines not to work. But for some reason beyond our understanding, they don’t," Sam replied.

"Too bad Daniel isn’t here. He could ‘think’ them on!" Casey said. She had meant the comment lightheartedly. Something began to poke at her brain, again.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Jack had been as disheartened to hear the news as he had been. They were fed breakfast, the same thing as the night before; bread, a piece of fruit and water. Daniel choked down the food, knowing that he would need his strength if a chance for escape should arise. He reached out, could feel her, just knowing that she was there was a comfort. He didn’t ‘talk’ to her, didn’t want to distract her if she was helping Sam with those engines. Something was starting to bother him about the entire thing. Not consciously, not yet, but it was there, in the back of his mind.

All of the men were on their feet when a group of Jaffa approached the cell. Two of the armored men entered the cell, began dividing the prisoners into groups. The three Tau’ri were separated, whether intentionally, or by some other reasoning, they weren’t sure. The groups were put into separate cells, and Tony’s group was led away, it looked as if they were headed to the transporter rings.

"Daniel?" Jack called.

"Yeah?"

"You keep looking for a way out, hear me?"

"I hear you. Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"We’re going to get out of this, right?"

The older man could sense his friend’s need for reassurance. "Damned straight we are!"

"Yeah, that’s what I thought." He pressed his back to the wall, slid down and wrapped his arms around his legs. SG-1 had always managed to get out of tight jams. Always. He searched again for Casey, felt her, took comfort from her presence. He sent his love, hoping that she could feel it. Smiled when he felt her reach out to him, when her love flowed into his mind softly, gently. He debated on whether or not to tell her that the three of them had been separated. Probably should, so that they would know that their search had just become even more complicated. ‘Angel?’

‘Yes, my heart?’

He closed his eyes as her words wrapped around him, caressed him. ‘They’ve separated us. I’m not sure why. Jack is in a cell down the corridor. Tony was taken, I think to the transporter rings.’

‘Well that’s just friggin’ lovely. Seems to fit with our current streak of luck!’ He could feel her frustration.

‘Babe, I’m really sorry.’

‘About what? It’s not your fault they did this!’

He shook his head. ‘It’s my fault we’re even in this mess,’ he replied.

‘How do you figure that?’

‘I didn’t listen to you. You sensed trouble. Case, you were scared to death and I ignored that. I shouldn’t have.’

‘My heart, you didn’t make the final call. Duncan did. He knew I sensed trouble, I told him about it. He knew I was scared, because I told him about that, too. I also told him that the three of you would ignore me. That was the only thing I knew for sure. I was hoping that he would…’

He waited for her to finish. ‘Hoping he would what, babe?’ he asked, when she remained silent.

‘Hoping he would feel guilty enough about…that he would listen to me!’

Daniel smiled. He knew for a fact that Duncan felt considerable guilt for what Casey had gone through during…that…mission. The Scot took full responsibility for her collapse, it had been his lie about the drug that countered the Fire that had caused her the most pain; created the mindset in which she could believe the lies she was being told. ‘Babe, I should have stood up and said no to the mission. If I had, Duncan and Jack would have gone along with me.’

‘Not true, Daniel. They would have kept at you until you agreed. I know both of them well.’

He had to admit she had a point. Jack had been anxious…determined…to go. ‘Guess the three of us should take equal blame, huh?’

‘Sounds about right.’ He could hear the smile in her words.

‘Love you, Angel.’ He would never be able to say that often enough. Never be able to put into words how much he loved her, wanted her…needed her.

‘Love you, Sweetheart.’ He could feel her love, pulled it close, held it tightly.

The clanking sounds of Jaffa filled the corridor. ‘Babe, something’s going on. I’ll let you know what’s happening in-’ He fell to the floor, unconscious, as the Jaffa used zat'nik'tel on the prisoners in both cells.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey gasped, then smiled. She could feel his ‘touch’, feel his love. She reached out in return, taking comfort, sending comfort. She closed her eyes, grateful that they were able to communicate.

‘Angel?’

‘Yes, my heart?’ She had wanted to ‘talk’ to him, but didn’t want to wake him again if he were sleeping. She knew he would need all the rest he could get.

‘They’ve separated us. I’m not sure why. Jack is in a cell down the corridor. Tony was taken, I think to the transporter rings.’

Her heart plummeted. If they were separating them, it meant that they had probably arrived at their destination, or were very close. It would make sense to keep them apart, making it more difficult for them to work together toward escape. Damn! As if things weren’t already screwed up enough! ‘Well that’s just friggin’ lovely. Seems to fit with our current streak of luck!’

‘Babe, I’m really sorry.’

‘About what? It’s not your fault they did this!’

‘It’s my fault we’re even in this mess.’

She frowned. ‘How do you figure that?’

‘I didn’t listen to you. You sensed trouble. Case, you were scared to death and I ignored that. I shouldn’t have.’

‘My heart, you didn’t make the final call. Duncan did. He knew I sensed trouble, I told him about it. He knew I was scared, because I told him about that, too. I also told him that the three of you would ignore me. That was the only thing I knew for sure. I was hoping that he would…’ She backed away from the feelings that were flooding her. She was still angry with Duncan, deep down, for lying to her about…that…mission. For him to blatantly ignore her warnings only added to that anger, the hurt caused by his lack of trust. She had a feeling that she needed to sit down with the dark haired Highlander and have a heart-to-heart about the entire…mess.

‘Hoping he would what, babe?’

She sighed, admitted to herself that she had been trying to use Duncan’s own feelings of guilt to persuade him, manipulate him, into doing what she wanted him to do. ‘Hoping he would feel guilty enough about…that he would listen to me!’

‘Babe, I should have stood up and said no to the mission. If I had, Duncan and Jack would have gone along with me.’

Now she smiled. Daniel could be very persuasive. He had demonstrated that ability time and again when dealing with aliens, and even politicians and corporate leaders on Earth. But this was one time when he would not have succeeded. She was positive of that. ‘Not true, Daniel. They would have kept at you until you agreed. I know both of them well.’

‘Guess the three of us should take equal blame, huh?’

Her smile widened. ‘Sounds about right.’

‘Love you, Angel.’ 

She hugged herself; let the words, and the love he was sending with them, wrap around her being like a warm blanket. She tried to convey with her words, her thoughts, what she felt in her heart, her very soul. 'Love you, Sweetheart.’ 

‘Babe, something’s going on. I’ll let you know what’s happening in-’

"Daniel? Daniel!" she cried out loud. Panic gripped her. Something bad was happening, she could sense it. She turned to Sam. "They separated the guys, and something just happened, Daniel’s unconscious, I can feel it."

"Oh, hell," Sam whispered.

"Yeah," she replied. She looked at Thor. "Now what do we do?"

<< Previous | Story Intro | Return to Stories | Next >>