#1

Episode Tags for 2.22 Out of Mind & 3.01 Into the Fire (Notes: The scene where Jack saves Sam from Hathor always gives me shivers. Here's my take on what was going on in Jack's head, and an idea of what happened after the camera cut away).

Jack had never been this cold in his entire life. Cold wasn't even the right word. Frozen. Frigid. Arctic. He could hear people talking behind him, but he could barely wiggle his fingers, let alone open his eyes; his joints seemed frozen stiff.

Movement, the sounds of someone struggling made him force his ears to focus. A feminine grunt pierced the icy slowness of his brain as his subconscious whispered Sam.

Finding the willpower, his eyelids parted and he saw the one thing in the world that could push the coldness into the background. His second-in-command, the woman he was developing way too many feeling for, was being slowly killed by Hathor's ribbon device. "S-am," his vocal cords tried to vibrate, fighting against the frost in his throat.

Closing his eyes, he forced his muscles to break through the glacier that was his skin; Sam's whimper of pain driving him into immediate action. Launching himself up and forward, he latched onto Hathor's back, allowing her to take most of his weight.

"We will destroy you for this!" Hathor roared.

"We would just like you to go away!" Jack tensed his thighs and shoved, throwing the Goa'uld over the railing and into the cryogenic pit.

Feeling his legs collapsing, Jack used his last bit of strength to propel himself toward Sam's body.

"Carter!" His voice coming a little easier. Pulling her upright, he waited until her eyes focused and met his. Relief swarmed through him as he realized she was dazed, but unharmed. Jerking her into his arms, he buried his head against her neck and allowed her living warmth to soothe his body and soul.

"What happened?" Sam returned his embrace, holding him as tightly as he was holding her.

"Hathor's…gone," he didn't want to think what could have happened if he'd been able to summon the energy to move.

"What about you," her voice concerned, but relieved.

"Cold, a little chilly," he hugged her tighter, "but I'm me." Allowing his lips to brush against the silky skin of her neck, he said it again, "I'm me."

"Thank god," her body shuddered—from his lips or just the knowledge they were safe, he didn't know. "Sir," she started, but stopped as a single sob escaped.

"I know," his voice was shaking as he started shivering more. "I almost lost you."

"We almost lost each other," she whispered and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

As his body started to tremble more, the pain increasing as his extremities warmed up, she pulled back to shrug out of her tack vest and BDU jacket. With just her t-shirt on, she wrapped her arms around his body. Jack felt her skin jump at the icy touch of his skin, but she refused to let go.

"Hold on, sir," she breathed against his ear. "I'll have you warmed up in no time."

Looking back, he'd probably try to blame it on the lingering cold slowing his thinking or maybe the Goa'uld that had almost taken him as a host. No matter what he ended up telling himself, the truth was Jack knew better than to put a voice to his thoughts, but at this moment his brain didn't care. Just once, he wanted to tell her exactly what he was thinking. "Trust me Carter, holding you this close, I have no doubt I'll be burning hot in no time."