Author's note: Hey guys here I am again. Just thought I would share this with you. Dreams of the Soul is still coming it is complete but it is still being betaed. I will be posting hopefully by the new year. Also Academy Daze: Year Four is close to being done as is Catch Me If I Fall, the sequel to Falling For You. My goal is to have all of these posted by the new year so cross your fingers and we'll see if that happens.

Thanks to Eilidh17 and Tigerlilly Brown for betaing this for me.

Walking into the infirmary, Jack spotted Nurse Rush sitting alone at the nurse's station, head down and busily scribbling away on charts, files, etc. For a moment, it seemed she hadn't noticed him, but without even lifting her head in acknowledgment of his arrival, Rush pointed to the curtained off area, and said, "She's in there, sir."

Jack nodded his thanks and continued on his way.

The infirmary was much calmer than when he'd followed an injured Carter from the gateroom just a few hours earlier. The wounded from the Alpha Site debacle were gone. According to Janet, who he had met in the commissary, they'd been transferred to the Academy Hospital or released.

~0OO0~

Pulling back the fabric, Jack slipped into the small room created by the curtain. He was surprised to find Sam sitting up in bed scribbling notes on her dinner napkin. Her exhaustion seemed to be gone and the only evidence of her madcap run from the Super Solider was her bandaged leg resting on top of the blankets and a few scratches on her face.

He took a moment to just look at her. Her face and hair were clean although dark smudges were still present underneath her eyes. He'd come so close to loosing her; if he and Teal'c had been just a minute or two slower....

Closing his eyes, he shut off that thought. Sam was alive and he didn't have to contemplate life without her. Give her a few weeks and she'd be back in fighting form ready to save the world once more.

Letting the curtain drop, he drawled, "Resting I see."

Startled, Sam drew and line across her paper and on to the table. "Sir?!"

A smile crossed his features seeing her speechless; it wasn't often Major Samantha Carter had nothing to say.

To show no harm done, he waved his hand vaguely. "At ease, Major. Just came to check on ya before I headed home. Saw the Doc and she mentioned you were out of surgery. I thought you'd be asleep." A few hours ago she'd hardly been able to keep her eyes open as she leaned on his shoulder in that gravel pit, and for a brief moment, he'd been able to hold her close…

She spoke, drawing his attention back to her. "It's funny, I was exhausted, but now I can't seem to sleep. My mind is racing and I can't get it to stop." She shrugged. "When I woke up from the anesthetic, I realized that I could improve the power output of the weapon and increase the-"

"Whoa there, Carter." Jack held up his hands to stall her impending rant. "That's enough. I just need to see the results, not how ya got there."

Smiling sheepishly, Sam said, "Yes, sir."

Jack dropped into the chair at her bedside, not wanting to leave just yet. He was content just to sit there knowing she was all right. A silence descended: Sam went back to her scribbling while Jack watched her… without trying to watching her.

When she finally caught him, he stumbled to ask, "So, how much longer ya stuck in here?"

"Just until tomorrow. Janet says I'm supposed to stay at home for the rest of the week, not working, and then on Monday I can come back to light duty for another two weeks." Sam turned back to her work as another thought came to her.

Jack waited until her pencil slowed. "So uh, will you need any help? At home? Help at home… you know what I mean. Someone to fetch and carry, clean up and such." He paused and then quickly added as an afterthought, "I'm sure Daniel would love to help."

Sam laughed, but it was stilted. "Ah no, I already have someone." She looked down at her fingers holding the pencil. "He's a friend."

Jack was somewhat hurt, but tried hard to hide it as he got to his feet. "All right then, Carter, I'll say goodnight. You'd better get some sleep tonight. That's an order."

The smile she offered him was wan and lifeless, nothing like the bright and cheery Sam he was used to seeing, and this saddened him.

"Will do. 'Night Sir." As though proving to Jack that she was obeying his order, Sam set down her pencil, lay back and rolled over pulling the blankets up to her chin.

He stood there for another minute trying to figure out just what had happened. With a shake of his head he continued towards the edge of the curtain wondering why he felt as though he'd lost something precious. "Bye Carter." His voice held a tone of finality to it.

It was hard, but he didn't look back. He just kept moving forward one step at a time.

He'd done it before and no doubt he'd have to do it again.

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