Title: When All Else Fails.
Chapter: One
Summary: When all else fails ... ascend.
Sam is forced to ascend to save her life. Where does it leave Jack, where does it leave Pete, and what happens when she comes back?
Spoilers: Everything I guess.
Disclaimer: Oh, come on. Is this really a necessity? I mean, not many people are dumb enough to assume that since I'm writing about them on 'fanfiction' they're mine, and those who are, are just sad. They don't belong to me, for cryin' out loud!
XXXX
"NO!" He yelled out as the bullet ripped through her stomach, sending flows of crimson liquid everywhere, drenching her in its stickiness. She stood for only a few painful, her hands finding their way to the wound, before faltering, and crumpling to the ground. He could hear her short, panicked breaths from his position nearly 30 feet away, and he wanted nothing more than to rush to her side. But, he couldn't, he was in chains, and had to crane his neck to even look at her.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, tears streaming down the faces of both, a thousand words passing between them in the course of less than 5 seconds. Daniel was closer to her, chained down like he was. He saw an oily mass of blonde hair as she turned her head away from him and towards the young archeologist. They spoke, what about he couldn't hear, but Daniel's face was twisted and tears were flowing freely. He nodded and said something to her, trying to scoot closer, failing miserably.
He could hear her voice; she was choking back tears as she spoke with raspy, uneven breaths. She was in so much pain, he could tell just by the way that she talked. What she was saying he couldn't make out, but he could tell the difference from when she spoke and when Daniel did.
The sound of a gun being reloaded filled his ears; he looked in horror at the direction where the first shot came from. Where did he get an earth-weapon? Who the hell brought a gun like that along with them anyhow? The conversation between Carter and Daniel became rushed, their voices now a dull whisper barely detectable by his ears. Just as the man had his gun trained back on the female warrior a blinding white light flashed, and he knew immediately what was going on.
"Damn it, Sam!" He yelled out, hoping she would hear, "Not you! Not now! Not again!" But it was too late now, and this was the only possible way to save her. These things he knew, but that knowledge didn't make him feel any better. "Don't you do this to me!" He said to himself in a quieter voice, the tears audible.
The last thing he remembered before feeling the pain of a bullet passing though his own stomach was a beautiful, glowing figure before him, smiling sadly, and the words "I love you, Jack," filling his ears as he gave way to the darkness.
XXXX
9 Days Later:
He awoke with a forward jolt, causing what he could only assume were stitches in his side to pull in a painful matter. Crying out in pain he fell back to whatever bed he was lying in. Looking around through squinted eyes he recognized the familiar white sheets and sterile smell. He was back at the SGC, in the infirmary. But how? The last thing he could remember was being shot by a madman, on P8Q-375, and Carter ... Carter!
"General O'Neill?" Came a worried voice from the foot of his bed, he opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness of the room, and the petite nurse who stood with a clipboard not 10 feet from him.
"Carter?" He questioned, his voice hoarse, and his throat burning as he spoke, "Where's Carter?"
The nurse tensed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously. She ignored his question, "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," he mumbled. "What happened to Carter?"
She opened her mouth to answer him but when Daniel walked in changed her mind. "I'll let you two talk," she said hurriedly before rushing out of the room. Daniel walked slowly over to Jack's bedside, limping as he did so. Pulling up a chair and sitting in it he took a deep breath and began the conversation.
"Do you remember anything about what happened?"
"I got an idea, but I could be wrong. Would you just tell me where Carter is and get over with it."
"Jack, she ascended."
"Damn it," he swore. "I knew that's what you two were talking about so secretively!"
"I'm sorry Jack," he said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "I wouldn't have helped her do it if I thought that there was another way, it was her only hope. And who knows, maybe she'll do some good."
"Maybe," he said quietly. Then, needing a subject changed he asked, "Uh, Daniel. How did we get here?"
"Teal'c. He, ah, saw Sam and she told him about what had happened, and that we needed help. He came to the rescue." He smiled awkwardly, "I believe that he's got a message from Sam for you."
Jack nodded, "I think I got it before I passed out."
"Oh?" He questioned.
"Yeah. Um, Daniel. Not that I'm happy you're ok and everything, seeing as we were help captive by a deranged serial killer, but I'd kinda like to be alone right now." His eyes pleaded with him not to ask any questions, just to leave. He would be fine; he just needed some time.
Daniel nodded, "I understand. If you need to talk you know where to find me."
"All right."
Daniel stood, pushing the chair back as he did and gave him one last sad smile before leaving the room. Jack heard hushed voices in the hallway, one belonging to Daniel the other belonging to the Doc, no doubt the nurse had informed her of his consciousness and she had come to check on him, Daniel would be telling her to give it some time, let it all sink in. He sighed to himself, falling back gently on the hospital bed, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
"This isn't happening," he said to himself quietly, "this can't be happening."
"It's happening, Jack."
It was her voice, he knew immediately. Jolting forward, ignoring the searing pain that the movement caused, he scanned the room. It was empty. But it couldn't be empty; he had heard her voice. She had to be there.
"You can't see me Jack." She said as if she knew his thoughts. "I just wanted you to know that I'm ok."
His eyes searched the room once more, hoping to catch a glimpse, even by accident. "I want to see you," he said so softly he barely even heard it himself. "Please, Sam. One last time."
There was a recognizable, audible sigh and then suddenly she was there, standing right next to his bed, smiling sadly. "Hey, Jack."
"Hi," he breathed, his voice shaky. "How's it going?"
She laughed at his attempt to loosen things up, "I can't stay long, Jack."
"I know," he replied nodding. "Remember I've had to go through this before."
She frowned, "I didn't want to go like this, Jack, but it was the only way."
"You don't have to explain it to me, Sam. I'm just glad that you're alive ... well, sort of."
She nodded and stepped, or rather floated closer to the bed. "Could you do something for me? Could you tell Pete that I'm sorry and tell Cassie that I love her, and I'll have my eye on her? Do you know if they know yet?"
He shook his head, "I'm sorry. I just woke up."
"All right, ok. Even if they do already know, could you please tell them that for me?"
"Of course, Sam."
"Right," she said, "I have to go now, then." A familiar white light started to fill the room.
"Wait!" He called out, a little more loudly than he had meant to. The light stopped and he could once again see only her. "I love you, Sam. I want you to know that."
She smiled, "I know." And as the white light illuminated the room once again he heard her voice, soft and secretive, whisper in his ear. "I love you, too."
And then she was gone again, he was alone in the room, and he suddenly felt cold. Wrapping his blanket tighter around his body he laid back down on the bed, and painfully fell into a dreamless slumber.
XXXX
One week later:
"CARTER!" He screamed, jolting forward and out of his nightmare. Only, it wasn't a nightmare. It was real, it had happened. She was gone.
He slid out of the sweat-soaked hospital bed and his bare feet hit the cool, glassy floor. He padded across the infirmary and into its private bathroom, where he splashed cold water on his face, which was burning and sticky from sweat. Looking at himself in the mirror he cursed, watching separate droplets of water race down his cheeks towards freedom, mixed with silent tears.
The dream had been a reoccurring one, they haunted him to the point where every time he shut his eyes the only thing he saw was the bullet tearing through her stomach, and hear her scream out in pain. Mackenzie had tried to talk with him about it, but he brushed him off. He didn't need a shrink, he would be just fine, there was nothing wrong with him. Nothing at all.
Who was he kidding? He was falling apart, piece by piece, day by day. It had only been a week since he had waken up, and only a little over two weeks since she had ascended, he was a wreck. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get better again.
He dried his face of with a towel and went back into the infirmary, the doctor was there by then, writing something down on that godforsaken clipboard she always held. What was in that thing?, he mused. It must have been something damn important, he never saw her without it.
She looked up at him as he walked by and frowned. "General, you shouldn't be out of bed."
"The hell I shouldn't. I want to go home."
"I would strongly advise ag-"
"I don't think you understood me, doctor. I'm going home, whether I have your blessing or not."
"General..."
"Doctor." He said, sternly. "I'm well enough to walk on my own now, I can stay at home and heal just as fast as I would if I stayed here and healed. It's not like I'm the one running the base at the moment, I've got a temporary replacement who I'd say is more than capable of running things, wouldn't you."
She sighed, "If you do I'll have to send a nurse to check up on you, every other hour."
"Now, that's unnecessary."
"Fine, once a day then. And, you have to call me if there is even the slightest chance of anything wrong happening. And absolutely no leaving the house."
"Fine," he said, "I'll leave in a hour."
XXXX
The SF dropped him off in front of his house with warnings from the doctor. As he opened his door to enter the house a blast of hot, stuffy air hit him in the face. He turned on the AC and lay down on his couch, flipping the TV on with his remote. The nurse would be by to check on him in an hour and a half; he would stay and indulge her while she checked to make sure he was all right. But, he decided, as soon as she left so would he. He had a promise to fulfill.
The nurse who came was young, maybe late 20's early 30's, but that wasn't what he noticed about her first. She smiled politely and asked him if he needed anything, and how was he feeling? He told her that he was probably feeling much better compared to her.
"How far along are you?" He asked as she checked his temperature.
"7 months, 2 weeks."
"And you're still working?"
"I go on maternity leave as soon as I hit 8 months. You're stuck with me for the next two weeks, sir. I'll be by at the same time everyday just to see you."
He smiled, "Well, I must be a special man. Is this your first?"
She shook her head, "3rd actually. But, only my second pregnancy. I had twins almost three years ago, when I was 27. A boy and a girl."
"What are their names?"
She told him to lift his arms so she could take off his shirt and check his wound, he did as ordered. "Rebecca Diane and Noah Riley."
"Is this one a boy or a girl?"
"Boy."
"Lucky Rebecca." He smiled, "What about this one? What's his name going to be?"
"Jonah William."
"That's a good name."
She helped him back into his shirt, "Thank you, sir. We're all done now."
"All right."
"Remember, no leaving the house."
"Got'cha. Thank you, Nurse..."
"Richards. But, since we're off-base you can call me Bethany."
"Ok, Bethany. Thanks for checking up on me."
"No problem." She grabbed her things and smiled at him before walking out the door. He waited ten minutes after she left to get his keys and jump into his truck. It was going to take a little while before he reached his destination, and it wasn't going to be the easiest trip he'd ever taken, either. For more reasons than the obvious.
XXXX
He knocked on the apartment door twice before a rough looking man, clad in sweatpants and an old t-shit answered it. "Jack?"
He nodded.
"What are you doing at my apartment?"
He took a deep breath; "We need to talk, Pete."
XXXX
A/N: All right, there's the first chapter. I hope that you liked it! Please let me know, either way. I've got the first couple chapter written out, so who knows the next chapter may be out fairly soon. That depends on the reviews!
Chapter: One
Summary: When all else fails ... ascend.
Sam is forced to ascend to save her life. Where does it leave Jack, where does it leave Pete, and what happens when she comes back?
Spoilers: Everything I guess.
Disclaimer: Oh, come on. Is this really a necessity? I mean, not many people are dumb enough to assume that since I'm writing about them on 'fanfiction' they're mine, and those who are, are just sad. They don't belong to me, for cryin' out loud!
XXXX
"NO!" He yelled out as the bullet ripped through her stomach, sending flows of crimson liquid everywhere, drenching her in its stickiness. She stood for only a few painful, her hands finding their way to the wound, before faltering, and crumpling to the ground. He could hear her short, panicked breaths from his position nearly 30 feet away, and he wanted nothing more than to rush to her side. But, he couldn't, he was in chains, and had to crane his neck to even look at her.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, tears streaming down the faces of both, a thousand words passing between them in the course of less than 5 seconds. Daniel was closer to her, chained down like he was. He saw an oily mass of blonde hair as she turned her head away from him and towards the young archeologist. They spoke, what about he couldn't hear, but Daniel's face was twisted and tears were flowing freely. He nodded and said something to her, trying to scoot closer, failing miserably.
He could hear her voice; she was choking back tears as she spoke with raspy, uneven breaths. She was in so much pain, he could tell just by the way that she talked. What she was saying he couldn't make out, but he could tell the difference from when she spoke and when Daniel did.
The sound of a gun being reloaded filled his ears; he looked in horror at the direction where the first shot came from. Where did he get an earth-weapon? Who the hell brought a gun like that along with them anyhow? The conversation between Carter and Daniel became rushed, their voices now a dull whisper barely detectable by his ears. Just as the man had his gun trained back on the female warrior a blinding white light flashed, and he knew immediately what was going on.
"Damn it, Sam!" He yelled out, hoping she would hear, "Not you! Not now! Not again!" But it was too late now, and this was the only possible way to save her. These things he knew, but that knowledge didn't make him feel any better. "Don't you do this to me!" He said to himself in a quieter voice, the tears audible.
The last thing he remembered before feeling the pain of a bullet passing though his own stomach was a beautiful, glowing figure before him, smiling sadly, and the words "I love you, Jack," filling his ears as he gave way to the darkness.
XXXX
9 Days Later:
He awoke with a forward jolt, causing what he could only assume were stitches in his side to pull in a painful matter. Crying out in pain he fell back to whatever bed he was lying in. Looking around through squinted eyes he recognized the familiar white sheets and sterile smell. He was back at the SGC, in the infirmary. But how? The last thing he could remember was being shot by a madman, on P8Q-375, and Carter ... Carter!
"General O'Neill?" Came a worried voice from the foot of his bed, he opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness of the room, and the petite nurse who stood with a clipboard not 10 feet from him.
"Carter?" He questioned, his voice hoarse, and his throat burning as he spoke, "Where's Carter?"
The nurse tensed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously. She ignored his question, "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," he mumbled. "What happened to Carter?"
She opened her mouth to answer him but when Daniel walked in changed her mind. "I'll let you two talk," she said hurriedly before rushing out of the room. Daniel walked slowly over to Jack's bedside, limping as he did so. Pulling up a chair and sitting in it he took a deep breath and began the conversation.
"Do you remember anything about what happened?"
"I got an idea, but I could be wrong. Would you just tell me where Carter is and get over with it."
"Jack, she ascended."
"Damn it," he swore. "I knew that's what you two were talking about so secretively!"
"I'm sorry Jack," he said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "I wouldn't have helped her do it if I thought that there was another way, it was her only hope. And who knows, maybe she'll do some good."
"Maybe," he said quietly. Then, needing a subject changed he asked, "Uh, Daniel. How did we get here?"
"Teal'c. He, ah, saw Sam and she told him about what had happened, and that we needed help. He came to the rescue." He smiled awkwardly, "I believe that he's got a message from Sam for you."
Jack nodded, "I think I got it before I passed out."
"Oh?" He questioned.
"Yeah. Um, Daniel. Not that I'm happy you're ok and everything, seeing as we were help captive by a deranged serial killer, but I'd kinda like to be alone right now." His eyes pleaded with him not to ask any questions, just to leave. He would be fine; he just needed some time.
Daniel nodded, "I understand. If you need to talk you know where to find me."
"All right."
Daniel stood, pushing the chair back as he did and gave him one last sad smile before leaving the room. Jack heard hushed voices in the hallway, one belonging to Daniel the other belonging to the Doc, no doubt the nurse had informed her of his consciousness and she had come to check on him, Daniel would be telling her to give it some time, let it all sink in. He sighed to himself, falling back gently on the hospital bed, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
"This isn't happening," he said to himself quietly, "this can't be happening."
"It's happening, Jack."
It was her voice, he knew immediately. Jolting forward, ignoring the searing pain that the movement caused, he scanned the room. It was empty. But it couldn't be empty; he had heard her voice. She had to be there.
"You can't see me Jack." She said as if she knew his thoughts. "I just wanted you to know that I'm ok."
His eyes searched the room once more, hoping to catch a glimpse, even by accident. "I want to see you," he said so softly he barely even heard it himself. "Please, Sam. One last time."
There was a recognizable, audible sigh and then suddenly she was there, standing right next to his bed, smiling sadly. "Hey, Jack."
"Hi," he breathed, his voice shaky. "How's it going?"
She laughed at his attempt to loosen things up, "I can't stay long, Jack."
"I know," he replied nodding. "Remember I've had to go through this before."
She frowned, "I didn't want to go like this, Jack, but it was the only way."
"You don't have to explain it to me, Sam. I'm just glad that you're alive ... well, sort of."
She nodded and stepped, or rather floated closer to the bed. "Could you do something for me? Could you tell Pete that I'm sorry and tell Cassie that I love her, and I'll have my eye on her? Do you know if they know yet?"
He shook his head, "I'm sorry. I just woke up."
"All right, ok. Even if they do already know, could you please tell them that for me?"
"Of course, Sam."
"Right," she said, "I have to go now, then." A familiar white light started to fill the room.
"Wait!" He called out, a little more loudly than he had meant to. The light stopped and he could once again see only her. "I love you, Sam. I want you to know that."
She smiled, "I know." And as the white light illuminated the room once again he heard her voice, soft and secretive, whisper in his ear. "I love you, too."
And then she was gone again, he was alone in the room, and he suddenly felt cold. Wrapping his blanket tighter around his body he laid back down on the bed, and painfully fell into a dreamless slumber.
XXXX
One week later:
"CARTER!" He screamed, jolting forward and out of his nightmare. Only, it wasn't a nightmare. It was real, it had happened. She was gone.
He slid out of the sweat-soaked hospital bed and his bare feet hit the cool, glassy floor. He padded across the infirmary and into its private bathroom, where he splashed cold water on his face, which was burning and sticky from sweat. Looking at himself in the mirror he cursed, watching separate droplets of water race down his cheeks towards freedom, mixed with silent tears.
The dream had been a reoccurring one, they haunted him to the point where every time he shut his eyes the only thing he saw was the bullet tearing through her stomach, and hear her scream out in pain. Mackenzie had tried to talk with him about it, but he brushed him off. He didn't need a shrink, he would be just fine, there was nothing wrong with him. Nothing at all.
Who was he kidding? He was falling apart, piece by piece, day by day. It had only been a week since he had waken up, and only a little over two weeks since she had ascended, he was a wreck. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get better again.
He dried his face of with a towel and went back into the infirmary, the doctor was there by then, writing something down on that godforsaken clipboard she always held. What was in that thing?, he mused. It must have been something damn important, he never saw her without it.
She looked up at him as he walked by and frowned. "General, you shouldn't be out of bed."
"The hell I shouldn't. I want to go home."
"I would strongly advise ag-"
"I don't think you understood me, doctor. I'm going home, whether I have your blessing or not."
"General..."
"Doctor." He said, sternly. "I'm well enough to walk on my own now, I can stay at home and heal just as fast as I would if I stayed here and healed. It's not like I'm the one running the base at the moment, I've got a temporary replacement who I'd say is more than capable of running things, wouldn't you."
She sighed, "If you do I'll have to send a nurse to check up on you, every other hour."
"Now, that's unnecessary."
"Fine, once a day then. And, you have to call me if there is even the slightest chance of anything wrong happening. And absolutely no leaving the house."
"Fine," he said, "I'll leave in a hour."
XXXX
The SF dropped him off in front of his house with warnings from the doctor. As he opened his door to enter the house a blast of hot, stuffy air hit him in the face. He turned on the AC and lay down on his couch, flipping the TV on with his remote. The nurse would be by to check on him in an hour and a half; he would stay and indulge her while she checked to make sure he was all right. But, he decided, as soon as she left so would he. He had a promise to fulfill.
The nurse who came was young, maybe late 20's early 30's, but that wasn't what he noticed about her first. She smiled politely and asked him if he needed anything, and how was he feeling? He told her that he was probably feeling much better compared to her.
"How far along are you?" He asked as she checked his temperature.
"7 months, 2 weeks."
"And you're still working?"
"I go on maternity leave as soon as I hit 8 months. You're stuck with me for the next two weeks, sir. I'll be by at the same time everyday just to see you."
He smiled, "Well, I must be a special man. Is this your first?"
She shook her head, "3rd actually. But, only my second pregnancy. I had twins almost three years ago, when I was 27. A boy and a girl."
"What are their names?"
She told him to lift his arms so she could take off his shirt and check his wound, he did as ordered. "Rebecca Diane and Noah Riley."
"Is this one a boy or a girl?"
"Boy."
"Lucky Rebecca." He smiled, "What about this one? What's his name going to be?"
"Jonah William."
"That's a good name."
She helped him back into his shirt, "Thank you, sir. We're all done now."
"All right."
"Remember, no leaving the house."
"Got'cha. Thank you, Nurse..."
"Richards. But, since we're off-base you can call me Bethany."
"Ok, Bethany. Thanks for checking up on me."
"No problem." She grabbed her things and smiled at him before walking out the door. He waited ten minutes after she left to get his keys and jump into his truck. It was going to take a little while before he reached his destination, and it wasn't going to be the easiest trip he'd ever taken, either. For more reasons than the obvious.
XXXX
He knocked on the apartment door twice before a rough looking man, clad in sweatpants and an old t-shit answered it. "Jack?"
He nodded.
"What are you doing at my apartment?"
He took a deep breath; "We need to talk, Pete."
XXXX
A/N: All right, there's the first chapter. I hope that you liked it! Please let me know, either way. I've got the first couple chapter written out, so who knows the next chapter may be out fairly soon. That depends on the reviews!