Author Notes: I wrote this many months ago and posted to ff.net and then kinda forgot about it until recently. This is a series of drabbles (each exactly 100 words). There are twenty drabbles to make the entire fic. This is very open-ended and done so on purpose to let readers determine for themselves what is going on. It was a lot of fun to do, so I hope you enjoy.

Title: A Mission Gone Wrong (aka: Broken) Author: Emry Wild
Email: emry_wild@yahoo.com
Pairings: Not really, but maybe, depends on your viewpoint. This is more likely a team fic. Rated: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: The usual and explained better by others. So I'm content in just being a happy fan. A/N: I wrote this many months ago and posted to ff.net and then kinda forgot about it until recently. This is a series of drabbles (each exactly 100 words). There are twenty drabbles to make the entire fic. This is very open-ended and done so on purpose to let readers determine for themselves what is going on. It was a lot of fun to do, so I hope you enjoy.

A Mission Gone Wrong

Broken (Jack)

Shattered pieces are all that remain, empty remnants of a day long ago.

The wood beneath his feet creaks and moans as he shifts his knee on the surface. A sudden gust of wind rattles the eaves and whirls leaves and dust across the steps and scattered pieces.

He rests his head on his knee his fingers lightly brush the glass and twisted frame. He winces as one sharp piece cuts the tip of one finger.

Blood trickles down, his breath catches as he inhales, his heart skips a beat - broken, torn, lost, like the image beneath the glass.

Misplaced (Daniel)

The pages fall aimlessly - torn in anger - one by one to the hard concrete floor.

He watches each page as it lands. He thinks there is purpose to what he is doing. He thinks it will drown out his frustration, his pain, his anger, the whole damn thing.

The last page falls from the ancient book he holds. It lands on a plant - a gift from her. It infuriates him and he attempts to swat it away only to slice his finger along the edge. He watches, fascinated, as his blood seeps into the page he sheds a single tear.

Shattered (Teal'c)

There was once a tree on the spot where he sits, large and unwavering. It was a place of comfort as a child. The day came when thunder roared and lightning struck and the tree shattered and burned. Somehow he felt empty, alone.

He feels that way now, staring into a cloudy sky as lightning flashes out. He still hears her screams and wonders. He still feels the struggle of the burden he carried that day.

His fingers begin to clench, pressing into his hands, nails draw blood and he watches the drip, drip, drip, to the cold earth floor.

Abandoned (Sam)

She sits atop a mountain; stars twinkle and shine reminding her that she is far from home.

She tries not to think about them, her team, it's too hard. The burden of yesterday is too much. She doesn't blame them, doesn't hold them accountable for her being here. It was a misunderstanding after all.

The sting of sharp rocks grates against the palm of her hand causing her to bleed. It feels good. It drowns out his voice as she watches her blood trail down the rock. The voice that whispers, `I'll always be there for you, no matter what.'

Denial

Restless (Daniel)

`Save him, Daniel! ... Save him!' Frantically he awakens from her screams, his breathing erratic and his heart beating fast, quickly forgotten with the screeching alarm.

He spends most nights reading and pouring through what little they brought back from the mission gone wrong - the one where they left her behind. He sips coffee, that seemingly never ends, and frantically writes down his thoughts and observations on torn and worn notebooks and scrapes of paper he always has lying around.

Determination to rectify his mistake is his drive - heal the wound, seek forgiveness - get her back before it is too late.

Agitation (Teal'c)

There's an appeal to staying off world, accepting every mission that comes along. The danger doesn't matter; the possibility of never going home again isn't his concern. He's already lost so much.

Nights pass slowly for him, however. He's come to despise the nights. He prefers the day time when he can train and fight and explore and just pretend the past month never happened.

He hates the nights for the dreams he now experiences. The dreams that send shivers down his spine, running but going nowhere as Carter screams, `Save him Daniel,' and O'Neill slowly dies in his arms.

Distraction (Sam)

It's been one month since it happened - one month since she gave up her freedom to save his life.

She works hard to make each day routine. Learning what she can, keeping busy, never stopping, never letting herself think to much. It's too dangerous to dwell on anything but the here and now - too dangerous to dwell on what she feels.

Rest only comes in the early morning hours, before the sun rises and exposes the new day. Her hand always remains outstretched to the empty space beside her. The dreams come, his presence felt, but only for a moment.

Reaction (Jack)

His wounds are healing, the physical ones, and he walks the hallways in angered silence. He waits impatiently for news - any news - that they can go back for her and bring her home.

The route he takes is always the same. There are things he must attend to, duties he must perform - duties to keep him sane.

He almost stops outside her lab, stiffening as someone passes. Before he reaches out to the empty space, before he sees her reflection, hears her laugh at his lame jokes, before he feels her presence, he continues to walk alone down the hall.

Acceptance

Sanity (Teal'c)

Sometimes death is an acceptable price to pay. He knows that the day will come when he will pay the price for freedom with his life.

But, as he watches and waits, his patience grows thin and for the first time since he was made a free man he feels righteous indignation that his friend, Sam, is being held prisoner for a crime she didn't commit. She stayed behind when O'Neill was injured, sacrificing her freedom, her life, to save his.

He feels helpless, not being able to do anything but watch and wait and become the force behind sanity.

Holding On (Sam)

She's not ready to give up - they will come - it's just a matter of time.

When the negotiations went bad they took her from the mountain where she was living and threw her into a tiny black cell. There's a small window just above her reach, not that she can move with out feeling throbbing, searing pain. But when the last guard leaves, when the threats cease and the beatings stop, she comes to stand before the window to look out towards the stars.

She sees the light of a star twinkle and shine and she silently repeats his name.

Forward (Jack)

There comes a moment of peace right before every mission. He can feel it run through his entire body and it's as if nothing else exists. In that moment he experiences complete clarity, purpose and thought. During that moment there is no doubt.

He closes his eyes gripping his weapon to his chest. He breaths deeply and watches the wormhole engage as the loud speaker announces, "Colonel, you have a go."

His eyes, his face, his body, become emotionless and steeled and he takes one more deep breath. He pauses only for a moment before stepping through the event horizon.

Driven (Daniel)

The negotiations failed. He knew they eventually would, but it never stopped him from trying one more thing. He was driven to find one more possible solution, before the inevitable would happen.

When word came down that he was to return home he finally blew. He had never failed - not like this. Determined, knowing how bad this could still get, he made one last stop before returning home.

Standing, disheartened yet relieved he watched the iris close - he wasn't going on this mission. It would never even be recorded in any official document. The powers that be would never know.

Bring Her Home

Silenced (Sam)

She never heard the gate activate. Never heard the sounds of advancing troops, she just knew they were there.

When the first guard fell, silently slumping to the floor she closed her eyes and held her breath, knowing she would feel him long before she actually saw him. She never heard a sound from the remaining guards; they were silenced before they ever saw their companions fall.

When a single staff blast shook the foundation of her small cell and shattered the wood of the door frame, she let herself fall into unconsciousness.

He was here, she was going home.

Advance (Jack)

As much as he wants to rush in and just take her, he knows it will end badly. As much as he wants to end this without someone dieing, he knows that will never happen.

When he hears the faltering cry of a woman, he knows. His insides cringe and each breath is shear pain. He knows what they have done.

Without thought to consequence or action, he steadies his finger and watches as the last guard exits the cell. He motions to Teal'c on his right to advance swiftly forward. His finger squeezes the trigger. The second man falls.

Waiting (Daniel)

He's heard the gate activate at least a dozen times since they left. He sincerely believes that patience is a virtue - clich, yes, but he still believes.

It seems odd to him that staring at a wall, waiting for something to happen, seems to make time stop. He listens to the tick, tick, tick, of the clock on the wall. He watches the long hand pause between each second. He thinks about the call he placed and the hand he shook as deals where made. He paid the price to get her free.

Now, all he can do is, wait.

Movement (Teal'c)

The forest is filled with eerie sounds - he hears none of them. Instead he listens to the sounds the guards make as they hover near the small cell.

He can hear a muffled scream and he flinches, dropping closer to the ground, waiting.

A brief memory flashes of the last time they were here on this planet. And then he remembers the waiting afterwards, slow torture for a warrior, before his mind comes back to the present.

The hand signal comes suddenly from his left. He moves stealthily out of the cover of darkness as the third guard falls dead.

Aftermath

Hopeful (Jack)

He silently waits for her to come - she will come. She'll want to know where he was when she woke up.

The day is sunny when her car pulls into his driveway. He waits near the window and watches her move slowly up the path. He's relieved that she came, and fearful that things haven't changed.

He fingers the picture that remained in his left breast pocket since he broke the frame on his porch. He places his hand against the window and silently prays that she will forgive him. He silently pleads repeating her name over and over again.

Forgiven (Daniel)

He doesn't leave her side until he knows she is safe and resting and the lights are turned down. He doesn't turn to leave until she whispers, "Daniel. Thank you for saving his life." Only after she closes her eyes does he walk away.

The lights flicker in his lab as he walks in. He looks up, wondering. Sitting down he makes a note to himself, `Call maintenance to change the lights.' Only after does he close his eyes, letting himself stop thinking about the mission gone wrong. Only then does he forgive himself for the things he didn't do.

Peace (Teal'c)

The candles flicker softly as he sits Indian style on the floor. He begins the meditation that he learned as a child and feels the contentment and peace that he always seeks each night before he rests.

His friends are safe and after two months he feels he can now sleep in his own quarters. He's never been agitated over a situation like this before. The mission is complete, however, and she is safe and tomorrow is another day.

Without further thought, he closes his eyes, breaths deeply, evenly, and he listens to the sound of his heart slowly beat.

Reflection (Sam)

Standing on his porch rapping softly on the door, she suddenly becomes afraid that he will answer and terrified that he won't. She had argued with him the last time she was here.

A sudden gust blows leaves and dust into the air and she ducks her head to avoid the debris. Reflection of sun on glass appears from the shadows by the edge of the door. She bends down, her breath catches ...

As he stands in the doorway, she picks up the frame, fixed and no longer broken. She whispers, "thank you," as a tear falls down her cheek.

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