Title: Chase

Author: Secret Art

Date: 19^th May 2005

Category: angst, romance

Pairings: Sam/Jack

Spoilers: none

Summary: Daniel's being chased

Feedback: can only make me better

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.

Author’s note: Lilly gave me a line and an idea and this is what resulted.

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He paused behind a tree, his body complaining at the lack of oxygen. He wanted to collapse, curl up in a ball and sleep; but they'd find him, and he wasn't ready to die just yet.

He could feel them close behind him, the five minute head start they had given him steadily decreasing.

He pushed himself away from the tree, stumbling forward, his eyes darting between the ground and trees ahead, looking out for any dangers. He wanted to look behind, see just how close they were, but he didn't want to know, if he couldn't see them then he could pretend that he was outrunning them.

He froze as he reached a clearing, staring across the expanse of open space. He knew he couldn't turn back, but if they spotted him while he was out there…He knew he wouldn't have a chase. Taking a deep breath he ran forward, his feet pounding against the ground as he ran straight for the opposite tree line.

Just making it beyond the clearing he head voices at the other side, spurring him on faster. He changed direction every few minutes, trying hopelessly to lose them.

They were soldiers, had dedicated their lives to finding and killing their enemies. He had seen them in action; their skill, ruthlessness, the sheer joy on their faces when they watched those they despised breathe their last.

He was just an archaeologist, trained in book reading and digging up artefacts. He had learnt a lot as a member of SG-1, how to shoot a weapon, survive days of torture, but trying to hide your tracks while running for your life with no weapon and no backup hadn't been a situation they'd considered before. Especially when the hunters were people that knew him better than anyone.

He found himself running along a cliff edge and gazed out, desperately trying to spot something he recognised. He sighed, nothing that even resembled a Stargate, and he couldn't remember seeing a cliff when they arrived. He was moving in the wrong direction, they were chasing him away from his only escape route.

"It's a long way down."

Daniel stopped, turning to face the voice's owner. "Yes it is."

A second person strolled out of the tree line, placing his arm around his companion. "What do you think honey, shoot or fall?"

"Falling seems so…insignificant. He deserves more, he deserves us being the last thing he sees."

Daniel bit his lip, trying to stay calm. "Please don't do this. I'm your friend, I'd never hurt you."

"I believe you spacemonkey. But you would run home and tell people. And then we'd lose our kingdom." Jack cupped Sam's face in his hand, gently kissing her. "And we won't let that happen."

"You've already killed Teal'c, otherwise he'd be here. What did you do, shoot him in the back as he slept?"

Sam stepped forward, grinning as she remembered. "Teal'c died a warrior's death, full of honour. It was our gift to him, just as your death will be."

"When I said I wouldn't mind a few nice surprises now and then this wasn't what I had in mind." Daniel joked, his enemy ignoring him.

Jack moved beside her, linking his hand with hers. He lifted up the zat gun, aiming it straight at him. "I am sorry it had to end like this, but there is no other way."

Daniel nodded, staring straight at his friends, waiting to see their eyes glow, something, anything to show him what happened; but all he saw was their laughing faces as the energy consumed him.