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They continued to follow, spotting new tracks before others did. They realized they were heading towards a cave.

Be careful/, Rosha thought. /There might be wild animals.

I never would have thought about that.

Ha ha.

Jolinar wished she had more than a spear as she approached. Her sarcastic joke wasn't so amusing as she saw the tracks change from walking to being dragged. Blood. Lots of blood.

We need to go to him.

"Hunter!" She called out, feeling that she was walking into an ambush. "He's this way!"

She followed through, finding a large cat dragging Faron.

The hunter approached from behind.

"They hunt in pairs," the hunter warned.

Faron moaned as he was dropped. The cat growled.

Shit! /Rosha thought. /He's still alive. We have to help him.

"Hey!" Said the hunter, getting the cat's attention on him.

The cat turned to him.

"Grab Faron," he ordered, stomping his foot to keep the cat's focus on him.

Then the others came as Jolinar approached. The cat was startled by the crowd though. It grabbed Faron and lept on top of the cave. It kept running. Jolinar saw another cat follow.

"No!" The hunter called out.

The other cat…, Jolinar thought with dread. We would have walked under it without ever seeing it.

"We can try to follow," Jolinar offered.

"You are willing?"

"Yes."

"Thank you... Thank you! Thank you!"

They tracked for half a day before finding what was left of Faron's body.

The hunter fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry."

He was quiet.

"We can bring…him back."

He nodded.

Jolinar carefully gathered his bones. Nothing else was left.

"I don't know who you are," he said, "but you are a remarkable woman. I even lost the tracks at time, but you…" He stood. "Thank you. He was my friend."

~+~+~.

Rosha continued working for Bash, but she had to leave when she spotted the Ashrak.

She went to Nasya, for now, and she quickly found a job with the hunter.

I think he likes us/, Rosha thought. /That could be awkward.

I think he's married.

You aren't that naïve.

He wasn't married, and he did like her, but he was respectful.

/The Ashrak is near/, Jolinar thought.

I feel it too.

They couldn't feel him because of a drug he took, but they could almost feel a dread closing in on them.

The next time the Nasyans trade, we will go with them. Then we'll leave behind both planets.

~+~+~.

The chapa'ai activated. Jolinar and many others immediately went to investigate.

/Military/, Rosha thought.

I do not recognize those uniforms.

No, but you agree?

Yes, they are- A Jaffa! Jolinar moved away before she could be sensed. She went back to her home, pacing back and forth in rapid thought.

More Ashraks? More executers? Kronos is impatient. No. He held Apophis' symbol. Two system lords are after us! What to do. What to do.

Rosha was quiet. She knew Jolinar would calm in a few minutes.

Rosha… I am sorry. This is all because of me.

I would gladly die with you…though I would prefer if you found a new host if I had to die. Now relax.

Jolinar stopped pacing.

Take in air.

Jolinar took in a deep breath.

Breathe.

Jolinar let it out. /Thank you./

We’ll keep our distance and follow the plan.

~+~+~.

Jolinar kept her distance, but the Jaffa was always too near the stargate for her to pass undetected.

The hunter approached her, and she immediately realized something was wrong.

/No/, she realized in horror.

She ran, only to be knocked down by a thrown chair. He was on her quickly, and they fought. He twisted and broke her arm. She heard a woman screaming for help. Jolinar tripped him, only to have her leg broken.

"Primitive…" He gloated, referring to his method of attack. "…but effective." He stood up, carefully putting on the hara'kesh. "Cree-shack, Jolinar, by decree of the Goa'uld System Lords, you will die with dishonor by the power of the hara'kesh."

"Hear this," Jolinar demanded, fueled by Rosha's strength. "The days of the Goa'uld System Lords are numbered. Tell them that we died with hope. Our death only feeds the fire that burns strong in the Tok'ra."

A flash of light…

/I love you/, she and Rosha thought to each other.

Then agony…

Jolinar?

I'm sorry.

Was that a staff firing?

They passed out.

~+~+~.

We're not dead. Rosha slowly opened her eyes, and she saw Bash. "How?"

Jolinar curled tightly around her spine, still in a great deal of pain, before passing out.

"I came when I heard you were injured."

"We're really not dead? We're not dead!" /Jolinar, we aren't dead! Jolinar, wake up! /She then saw the Jaffa standing in the room with his three companions. She sighed as the Jaffa approached.

"You are…Tok'ra?" He seemed unsure.

Bash glared. "Don't scare my patients!"

"You don't understand what that thing is," the leader said.

"Quiet! You are here because I allow it." He turned back to Rosha. "Just relax. Is your symbiote awake?" He checked the back of her neck.

"No. She's…"

He rubbed her neck in a way that stirred Jolinar.

"You have her attention, but…" She closed her eyes. "She needs to wake. She needs to heal herself."

He kept rubbing until he felt a wiggle. "There she is." He pulled his hand away.

"You knew? How?"

"I'm not exactly a native to Yra." He gave her medicine to drink. "I was not sure at first. I never met one of you before, but I heard the stories."

Rosha drank the medicine. "The Ashrak will return for us. I'm not safe here."

"He is dead," the Jaffa replied.

"What is a Tok'ra?" Asked the leader.

"Those who oppose the system lords," the Jaffa replied. "I believe I have only met one before."

"You met a Tok'ra?" Rosha asked.

/This is getting very strange/, Jolinar thought as she went through Rosha's memories.

"A new Goa'uld began working under Apophis. I suspected he was not what he appeared to be."

"You didn't question him?" The leader asked.

The Jaffa looked a bit baffled by the question. "If my suspicion were correct, that would only put him in danger. If I was wrong, then I would be suspected."

"Right."

"Which Tok'ra?" Jolinar asked.

"I only knew him as Odeth. He never knew I suspected him."

/Cordesh/, Jolinar thought.

He bowed his head slightly, politely. "My apologies for his loss."

"He's…not dead."

His bewilderment scared her. He was that sure that he had died.

Sarcophagus…

He never reported getting caught.

/And that's what scares me/, Jolinar thought.

"I have to get home," Rosha said suddenly.

"You have a broken leg," Bash argued.

"My people might be in danger. I have to go home now. Toss me through the chapa'ai. They'll find me."

"We're not going to toss you through the stargate and just hope you don't die," Jack argued.

"We can't hold her prisoner," the blonde woman argued.

"If these Tok'ra exist, they could be allies," said the man with glasses.

Teal'c seemed to be the only one listening as he simply picked Rosha up and began walking to the stargate. The doctor followed, giving orders on being careful with her broken bones.

/This is the strangest thing I have ever encountered/, Jolinar thought.

"It's Teal'c, yes?"

"Indeed."

"Thank you, but I can't show you where I live, and you will be attacked if you walk in carrying me. They will think I'm a hostage."

Jack followed. "We're not just tossing you through."

"They will shoot to kill."

"…Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Yes." She grimaced.

What if they moved?

Rosha sighed. "I think."

"Oh, no. No 'I think.' We're going with you."

"Sir, I can go with her," the blonde offered. "I won't be seen as a threat. If they aren't there, we'll come back."

"I'm going with."

"The more people who go with her, the more she looks like a hostage."

"They are Goa'uld, Carter."

"I'm not a Goa'uld," Rosha argued.

"The symbiote wasn't even awake at first. That was the host talking," Sam argued.

"Fine. One person. I'm going." He approached Teal'c. "I take her."

"I do not-"

The stargate activated.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Jack asked the neared Nasyan.

"No."

Rosha saw her husband and several other Tok'ra, zatnik'atels already in hand. She saw horror turn to rage in Lantash's expression.

She and Teal'c were stunned before she could say anything.

~+~+~.

Martouf watched in worry as his beloveds were tended to. After stunning everyone, he grabbed Rosha and took her home.

/We should have killed the Jaffa/, Lantash thought.

The Ashrak is out there. We couldn't waste time.

"Jolinar has been attacked with the hara'kesh. She's still very weak," the healer informed.

Martouf gasped.

"Rosha has a broken arm and leg. They've both been tended to."

Martouf sat by her, holding her hand.

"Rosha."

Rosha smiled. "We told you we would be back."

Lantash kissed her. "Rosha. My love. What did the Jaffa do to you?"

She sat up in worry. "You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No?" He frowned, confused that she didn't seem to want him dead.

Rosha sighed in relief. "I don't understand why, but he was helping me."

"He appeared to be kidnapping you."

"An Ashrak was after us."

"We heard."

"He found us. He's the one who broke my limbs. We…we lost."

"You escaped."

She shook her head. "Teal'c shot him."

Lantash squeezed her hand gently.

"He seems to be working against the Goa'uld."

"Most unusual." Fine. You were right not to kill him.

"Lantash," she whispered.

"Yes?" He whispered back.

"He knew Odeth was Tok'ra. He says he died."

Lantash frowned.

"Why didn't Cordesh tell us that he died?"

"I'll inform Garshaw immediately." He kissed her.

Rosha waited as he left. Saroosh approached her.

"Rosha. We were so worried about you."

"How are you feeling?"

"Not well," she admitted. "Seeing you alive though…" She smiled. "I feel 180 again."

Rosha laughed.

Lantash rushed back to her.

"How did you find me?" Rosha asked.

"It took a while, but we realized the Ashrak was focusing on Nasya." He kissed her again. "We missed you greatly. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Selmak took control, taking Rosha's hand briefly. "It's good to see you. Lantash, let her have some rest."

He grinned as she left.

"She is right, unfortunately. Jolinar is still weak."

He touched the back of her neck before giving Martouf control.

"I love you," he said softly. He then laid next to her, holding her close.

She wiped his tears.

"We've been terrified for you. Why didn't you come home?"

"I would have delivered the Tok'ra right to him."

He held her closer.

"I love you too."

Rosha…

Why do I suspect you are going to tell me something that hurts?

If I cannot recover-

No.

-I want you to reblend.

No.

I'm weak. Please. The idea of killing you…

You will recover, but not with that attitude. I will not give up on you.

~+~+~.

Jolinar struggled to walk as Martouf helped her.

"You are getting strong again," he said with love.

This would be easier if you could…

You need this.

"I…I can't…" Jolinar leaned on him. "I've never felt this weak before."

He held her firmly in his arms. "The hara'kesh attacks the symbiote. You just need time to regain your motor skills."

She tried to retreat, but Rosha wouldn't let her.

Stop hiding behind me.

Lantash took control. "Putting Rosha in control won't help you to walk. She can walk. You are the one that needs to…"

"I'm weak."

"You know better than that."

"I feel weak." She held him. "I need help, and I hate needing help."

"We aren't helping you. We are being loving, overprotective husbands."

Jolinar smiled.

"I won't let you fall. I promise."

She kept walking.

~+~+~.

"Your suspicions about Cordesh were correct."

"His host?"

Per'sus glanced away. "It appears he was also guilty."

~+~+~.

"You did it!"

Jolinar smiled. She had walked from their quarters to the mess hall on her own. Martouf was so proud of her.

"My love." She kissed him. "Thank you."

Martouf kissed her.

"Martouf…"

He looked to her with complete love.

"I…can't get my food."

He laughed, then kissed her again. "I'll get it for you."

Jolinar smiled. She never really told him how close she was to dying. All the close calls. She didn't like thinking about it herself.

Lantash was in control when they returned, and he smiled as he gave her her food. He sat down.

"Your food?"

"We are not hungry.

"Lantash."

"We love you. We almost lost you. I know that. Martouf knows that. Let us enjoy…you."

Jolinar smiled.

He kissed her. "Tell me."

"I love you. We love you.

~~~Years later~~~

"150 years together." Jolinar smiled.

Martouf smiled. "This is most wonderful." He held her close as they watched the sun disappear behind the horizon.

Jolinar retreated to give Rosha control. She leaned into her husbands. After a few minutes, she felt Lantash take control. The subtle change in the way he held her.

"My loves." Rosha smiled as the sun disappeared. The air was cold, but her husbands kept her warm. Jolinar had long since healed. After the Ashrak, she was no longer sent out. Martouf, at this point, was too well known to be sent out as well. She knew in her heart that they would live their years.

"I love you," Lantash whispered.

"I love you too."

The End