Jeep goes click click click after power steering pump went out?

Alright, I have a 98 cherokee with 160k on the clock. I knew that I had a power steering pump going out, and it finally went the other day. So, i pulled over to check it out, and when I verified it was the pump and tried to start it back up, all i get is a click click click, like its a dead battery. So I assume that the power steering fluid got on the belt and allowed the belt to slip over the alternator, causing a dead battery. So after replacing the belt, power steering pump, and trying to start it, I still get the click click click. The windows barely roll up, the stereo wont turn on, dim dome lights. We had been charging the battery for a good hour, and it still does this. I checked the voltage on the battery, it reads 12.44 when not running. All pulleys spin freely, so no lockups of any sort. When we went to start it and got the click click click, it shot one of the anticorrosive pucks off of the top of my Optima yellow top. By the way, this yellow top is only a year and a half old, so theres no way it should be dying already. So, my question is, what the hell is going on? Is this a starter problem? Its kind of looking like that, but that doesnt explain the low battery symptoms like the windows rolling up really slow and the radio going out. Help me out guys!

At first glance this sounds like the classic sign of bad cables or bad terminals. The first thing you need to do is check all the cables for corrosion, and no matter how good they look, take the terminals off and clean both the battery posts and the clamps. Sometimes a thin coat of corrosion can build up without showing, enough to kill the conductivity. Put a little Vaseline on them when you reassemble. Check the starter end of the cable too. Sometimes this will corrode or rust or come loose. Finally, check the ground cables. Some of these things can look pretty good even when they've turned to dust internally.

The battery will need longer to charge up if it's been totally discharged so try it. In the meantime, you could try another battery and see if the symptoms disappear.
It definitely seems to me that the battery is discharged.

A fully charged led-acid battery (common "car" battery), will have a standing voltage of ~14 volts immediately after charging, if the charging system is adequate and the battery is in good condition. After setting 24 hours without use, a fully charged battery should measure between 12.65 (used battery) and 12.8volts (new battery). 12.44 volts indicates a battery at approximately 50% charge. Gel cell batteries measure slightly lower voltages. Example, a fully charged wet cell Gel cell battery should measure 12.7 volts after 24 hours at rest, and 12.2 volts would reflect a 50% charge. I'd suggest you follow Currie's advice with regard to checking/cleaning all connections. Then I'd use a booster to start your engine, which then will allow you to check out the charging system. Given your batteries' state of charge, your alternator should be pumping max amps, and the voltage going to the battery should be at 12.8.

Optima batteries have a high failure rate but a good warranty.
If they make it past the second year they last for 5 five more without a problem.

Got it figured out. Took the starter and battery in and bench tested them. Starter- FAILED Optima Yellow Top, 1.5 years old- FAILED, so a new power steering pump, belt, starter, and duralast battery got me on the road again. I'm gonna call up Optima and see what they can do for me. I know its one year free replacement, but what type of warranty is after that one year? Thanks for the help guys.

Yellow top is only 12/12 or 24 total, so you will have to pay about 75% of the cost of a new one.