I know I said on the last update that I wasn't going to keep you all waiting for so long before I updated again, but I sure as hell didn't expect the weather to drop a ton of hailstones on top of us the same afternoon I posted that last chapter. Needless to say, I'm sitting here in an almost empty room because we got flooded out and have lost nearly all our furniture etc.. We had the right idea though – we saved our computers and the TV and all before getting inundated with yucky murky brown water and whatever else it contained. So finally after almost three weeks I am back on-line, though I expect to have to dismantle everything again when the workmen turn up to take up the floor. Oiy!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on chapter 9, which I finally got to read at long last. And thank you for your patience while you waited for me to update this story, and for the fact that you had to wait for so long for this, the final chapter to arrive. I will warn you that it may be some time before I can start on the next one I have lined up for posting. Sorry! RL can sometimes be a right pain in the mikta!

The Devil Incarnate.

by Lingren.

Previously:-

Jack watched him leave, seeing his friend wasn't happy by a long shot. Something funny was going on, and it bugged him. He needed to get to the bottom of what was eating away at his team.

Chapter 10 – Regaining Trust.

"Sam!"

Sam looked up from her computer and sighed wearily. She wasn't really up to talking with anyone right now, him especially.

"Daniel."

"Um...Jack's awake." He stood there watching her closely to see if there was any adverse reaction to his words – he wasn't at all surprised to find her reluctant to face him.

As soon as the words were out, Sam quickly cast her eyes away from him, looking instead at the computer screen though seeing nothing of the work it displayed.

Unperturbed, Daniel continued when she remained stubbornly silent.

"He wants to see you."

"I don't..."

"Sam. He's asked me to tell you, that he, Colonel O'Neill, wants to see you."

She stiffened, angry that her CO had obviously demanded her attendance.

"Was it an official order?"

Daniel sighed, letting his shoulders droop with frustration.

"No...it wasn't. But if you don't go now, he could very well make it one – and we both know that's not what he'd want."

Sam nodded, slightly mollified by Daniel's explanation.

"Okay. I'll be there. Just give me a minute or two."

Daniel gave a satisfied nod and then went off to his lab deep in thought.

Jack looked up and smiled as Sam entered, but one look at her face and the pleasure at seeing her quickly evaporated. Something was definitely wrong.

"Carter?" he greeted her with concern, unsure of what was troubling her so much.

"Sir!" she replied absolutely rigid with military protocol and a coldness that unwillingly made his body give a little shiver.

He grimaced, thinking things must be bad for her demeanour to be like this.

"You wanted to see me...Sir?" she accused with a terseness that had Jack's concern deepen further than the ocean floor.

"I did, yeah," he answered warily, but still trying the friendly approach. "So what happened?"

"Sir?" She pleaded ignorance. "I'm not sure I understand your question, Colonel?"

"Oh fer cryin' out loud! Come on, Carter. Don't give me that dumb act. I may be slow on occasions but I'm not entirely stupid. Spill it!" He ended the weary speech with a long bout of coughing. He helped himself to a few sips of water before he felt able to continue.

In the meantime Sam looking anywhere but at those piercing dark eyes of his, and closed her ears to the harsh sounds coming from the man in the bed. She held back her very close and personal thoughts, but when she didn't answer, he only prodded her further.

"Sam, c'mon, tell me," he pleaded, hoping that by using her given name it would melt the ice clogging up her veins.

After a few moments in which he'd almost given up any hope of reaching her, she spoke, though it almost caused her resolve to falter and admit that there was a problem.

"I...I went against everything I'd been taught. I...I left you behind, Sir," she whispered past the lump firmly wedged in her throat.

Jack looked up into her face, trying to get a look at her eyes. He could see the moisture already lurking behind them waiting to fall at the slightest provocation. He coughed again, exasperated with the way he couldn't speak the way he wanted without having to stop and clear his lungs. It was annoying him like hell, but he pushed on, hoping to break through.

"I ordered you to return, Carter. You did not leave me behind. It was an order which I am glad that you obeyed."

"I'd already taken that option by then, Sir," she countered.

"Then you made the right call," was his response.

"You nearly died!"

"I could have. But I didn't. I didn't die because you came back for me. I don't know how you did it, but I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting here if you hadn't returned. Thanks for that, by the way!"

"Daniel believes I was wrong. He didn't trust me."

"Ah!" So this was the problem, he realised with sudden inspiration. "You made the right call, Major! I trusted you – Major Carter - to make that decision," he stated, then began coughing, finding himself unable to stop it for longer than he wanted. This time Sam offered him the glass and he took it gratefully.

"I don't know if I can do that again, Colonel."

"Carter?"

"I hated myself for leaving you there. I couldn't bear watching...you suffer, so I took the chance to escape."

"Don't put yourself down, Carter. There was no other option. So okay, it was tough, but those people didn't deserve our wrath because of their beliefs. That's the reason I ordered you to return to base and possibly come back later. I trusted you then, and I still do. That's all that matters."

He watched as one tear, quickly followed by another trickled down her cheek. It was hastily brushed aside, while she sniffed back several more.

He coughed once again, but took another sip of water to stifle it.

"How can you still trust me when I left you there to die?" she snapped, angry with herself more than him and turning the conversation more personal when she omitted his rank.

"Because I have the greatest confidence in your abilities, not only as my 2IC, but also as my friend," he stated, then as she looked right at him for the first time, her blue eyes awash with tears, he added softly, "And because I happen to love you, Sam!"

He watched, satisfied, when the barrier finally crumbled and the tears flowed faster until she hiccoughed between gulps.

"C'm'ere!" he beckoned, pulling her gently to his chest when she melted into his arms.

He sat patiently waiting for the sobs to subside while his fingers caressed her hair. He pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. It felt so good to hold her again.

Once the tears had abated she pulled away from his embrace, suddenly embarrassed, and then rubbed and stretched her back, smiling weakly at him.

"Sorry," she murmured, "Awkward position."

He took her hand instead and squeezed it.

"You okay now?"

She nodded, slightly embarrassed at having broken down in front of him. All her former resolve having flown out of the window.

"Yes, Sir...Jack. I think I am, thanks."

Jack couldn't help the sudden yawn that cracked his jaw, or the cough that followed it. He winced and so did Sam.

She grew concerned as it seemed reluctant to stop. Now she looked at him properly she could see that he was exhausted by the constant coughing.

"Are you okay?" she asked, offering him the glass of water.

After downing another few sips, he shrugged.

"Damn infection. Just...tired," he mumbled, settling back into the pillows. It had been a long hard slog getting to the bottom of things, but it had been well worth it. Now all he wanted to do was sleep. "Sooo...are we okay?"

Sam smiled and it was the first time he'd seen her whole face light up since before the mission.

"Yes, Sir!"

"You did good Carter. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

His eyes closed, but he blinked hard to keep them open.

"I swear Doc only gives these damn drugs so she doesn't have to listen to me complaining so much!"

Sam giggled, and he relaxed knowing things would be okay from now on.

"I should leave you to rest, Sir."

He grunted an affirmation and allowed his heavy eyelids to droop.

"That would be the correct assumption, Carter," he slurred sleepily; both unable and unwilling, to drag his eyes open again.

Sam watched and waited until his breathing had evened out then whispered the words she couldn't say earlier.

"I love you too, Jack!" She placed a warm hand on top of his for a moment, then she quietly left him to sleep.

Turning away from him she never saw the smile that diminished the lines of worry on his face as he drifted away.

"Daniel!"

Sam entered the lab, having been too late to see him last night, she was determined to patch things up the first chance she had.

"Sam!" Daniel looked up thoughtfully, wondering what she would have to say. Her tone of voice did sound encouraging though, he admitted to himself.

"Look, I'm sorry if you thought..."

"Sam!" he interrupted. "Actually it's me that should be sorry. I the one to owe you an apology. I didn't realise that Jack had ordered you to pull out. You know, you should have said at the time..."

"No Daniel. I shouldn't have needed to. I was in command during the Colonel's incapacity as leader. I should not have had to resort to those type of tactics," she felt the anger in her rise again. She'd gone in there, trying to put things right, only for Daniel to twist things.

After a few moments which neither spoke, it was a long minute before Daniel broke the stalemate.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I should have taken your word. It's just that...I felt so helpless. I couldn't see that coming back here was going to help Jack at all...only that it would delay things further, and that he might have died if we'd left it too late."

"It was the only way, Daniel. The Colonel knew that. He wouldn't condemn them because of their beliefs. He didn't want them harmed in any way, that's why we took Zats. That's exactly the way you would have wanted things to go, isn't it? We did what we believed was the right thing to do. And as it turned out, everything is going to be fine."

"Yet it could have gone the other way, Sam. Jack could have died..."

"But he didn't die, Daniel. That's the whole point. We got there in time. Ifs or maybes, doesn't count. I learned that from him. He was right, and we have to put this behind us if we want to go on as a team. I can't carry on if you can't trust me to do my job."

Daniel saw her determination, and sighed. He knew she was right. The fact that Jack was willing to back her up was just the persuasion he needed.

"Okay then. You're right, and I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to judge you without knowing all the facts. If things had ended differently...only then should I have cause to doubt your decision. I'm sorry, really!"

Sam looked round to see if anyone was nearby before she closed the door and walked over to stand on the opposite side of the desk, now facing her team-mate.

"God, Daniel...don't you think it tore me up inside to do what I did. I hated myself for leaving him. I had to be hard on myself; otherwise I could have ended up getting all three of us in trouble, too. I'm sorry if it was hard on you guys as well. I never meant to hurt anyone. You know how much I love Jack, and I would willingly have killed anyone who stopped me from rescuing him, but that's not what happened. We did what we had to, and as it was we all came out of this alive."

Daniel felt the weight lift from his shoulders, but at the same time, he realised she was carrying all of the responsibility of Jack's punishment as well as their welfare. He watched as she surreptitiously wiped away a tear. He stepped round the desk and closed on her in two steps, wrapping his arms around her, while she wept in relief.

"Sam, I'm sorry. I've been a real pain in the ass. Forgive me?"

She pulled away and raised her swimming eyes up to his, smiling at his words.

"There's nothing to forgive Daniel. I was just as bad."

"So we're okay?"

"Yeah Daniel. We're fine."

They shared another hug before they both went off to see Janet's less than favourite patient.

Teal'c was standing at the foot of Jack's bed, listening to Jack spout forth on the latest deplorable results of their favourite hockey teams when they entered the room. He nodded to them, and smiled slightly, seeing them both together had finally put his mind at ease. He'd hated to see them falling apart.

"Hi kids!" Jack greeted them, pushing away his half finished breakfast tray.

Daniel spied the toast still sitting forlornly on the plate.

"Don't you want that?"

Jack shook his head.

"Nah! Not really hungry."

Without further ado, Daniel picked it up and started to devour it.

"Help yourself Daniel by all means!"

"Hmm! Thanks," mumbled Daniel through his mouthful."

Jack rolled his eyes, and sighed.

"And you can keep your eyes off my coffee!" Jack added, seeing Daniel look longingly at it. He sought to distract his friend.

"So, are you two okay with everything now?" he asked.

They both looked at each other and nodded.

"Yeah sure we are. We chatted it over last night. We're fine, Sir, really," Sam assured him, while Daniel merely nodded; his mouth still full of toast when he muttered something which no-one could recognize.

Jack sighed, looking at the others.

"This is what I survived for? Daniel, for a linguist you sure are difficult to understand sometimes."

Daniel spluttered, spraying Jack with toast crumbs.

"Jack!" Daniel managed to utter after swallowing the rest with difficulty.

"Daniel!" Jack countered, wiping the soggy crumbs from his pale green scrubs.

"Sorry!" Daniel apologised, full of remorse, stuffing yet more toast into his mouth.

Jack smiled tightly, casting his friend a disparaging glare.

"I'd already said I didn't want the damn toast. There was really no need to share it with me! Especially after you'd chewed on it."

The comment only made Daniel choke on the remaining mouthful, almost spraying Jack again.

"Oh fer cryin' out loud, Daniel. Finish already will ya!"

Several thumps on his back later, Daniel had regained his equilibrium and colour, and glared down at his friend, sitting so innocently in the bed.

"What?" Jack asked, mystified but with an impish grin across his face, which belied his feigned naivety.

"I was right, I said it before the mission and I'll say it again; even the folks on PZ4 792 correctly confirmed the fact..." Daniel paused for effect.

"And what would that be, oh wise one, Daniel?" Jack asked, though he was beginning to worry about what the young man was going to say.

Sam and Teal'c threw their archaeologist puzzled looks, too.

He looked at each of them, a sly smile turning the corners of his mouth up as he finished his reflections.

"That you, Jack O'Neill, really are a devil."

"Takes one to recognise another, Daniel."

Jack studied his friend, his head on one side, then waggled his eyebrows and smiled crookedly at him, he then grinned at Sam before she dissolved into laughter at the look on Daniel's stunned face. Teal'c however, merely raised an eyebrow at their antics.

"Jeez; Thanks Jack!" Daniel managed to splutter at last. He tried to sound disgruntled, but knew he'd failed when he could no longer hold back a snigger.

Jack surveyed his team from where he lay back against the pillows, content to watch them.

Yes, Jack pondered, he might be the devil - but if that's what it took. He'd fight like the very devil himself to protect his team. He'd act like the devil just to see his team happy. And he'd willingly trade places with the devil, too, should they ever find themselves captured - if it meant that his team could go free.

It would be worth his very own soul for the sake of these people - his kids. His family.

The End.

Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story. Thanks!