Something was wrong with Sam, Jack decided conclusively as she managed to avoid him again skilfully nipping into the girls toilets upon seeing him come down the corridor, leaving Jack three options to wait outside, go in and risk being reported or let it go and for now he wasn't desperate enough to go with the other tow options just yet. In fact ever since he'd come back from fishing there had been a distinctly frosty reception from her. The only time he had managed to catch her she had looked horrible, pale with big bags under her eyes, before he could say anything Sam had excused herself explaining she was late for an appointment, Jack had been shocked so hadn't said anything before she was gone, he had followed her wondering what was so important discovering she had gone into the new Counsellors door.
He knew Sam was struggling to come to terms with Thera, like he was with Jonah that's why they had been 3 weeks leave to come to terms with it and get their memories straight, as soon as he had remember he liked fishing he'd gone but she wouldn't be annoyed with him because of that, would she? Was she even annoyed with him or was she avoiding him because she still felt awkward with so many unknowns it was hard to where to start,
He walked down the corridor to go the food hall to get cake finding from early on in life all his best thinking was done over cake, maybe that was because he ate so much thus increasing the chances an idea would hit him when eating it, as he reached the food hall he looked inside spotting Janet Frasier aka Sam's best friend, and a second theory came to him, maybe cake was good as a way of starting a conversation so Janet would tell him what was wrong with Sam, well it was a decent plan A anyway.
Taking 2 pieces of cake and balancing 2 coffees he sat next to her
"Colonel" She remarked surprised pulling together the notes she had been studying rapidly
"You looked stressed Doc" Jack said sliding the cake and coffee over, Janet took them silently
"You know cake isn't good for you" she told him, "In fact with your cholesterol…." She began but Jack cut her off waving his fork
"I'll work it off; I'm meeting with Teal'c in the gym tomorrow"
"I'll warn the nurses and prepare the infirmary" Janet remarked more to herself than to him, Jack looked up
"We don't always get hurt" he said defensively, Janet just glared at him
"Name one time you haven't come after boxing" Janet pointed out, Jack desperately racked his mind for one such occasion nothing coming to mind, Janet took his silence as agreement, Jack decided now was a good time to use the old O'Neill subtlety to wheedle out of her why Sam's was avoiding him
"Anyway what is up with Sam? She is avoiding me at every opportunity if I try to talk to her she denies anything is wrong, you're her best friend right, what have I done" he asked sarcastically congratulating himself for being subtle and sounding desperate, he watched Janet carefully the flinch that passed her face then the carefully placed professional mask
"As a doctor Sam will be fine physically and emotionally, as a friend she is going through some personal issues and needs space" She replied carefully,
"From me?" Jack asked, Janet's silence confirmed it
"Why? She still getting over Thera" Jack asked, Janet shrugged
"I've said enough Sir, just give her space" She warned gathering the paperwork together and leaving, Jack sat contemplating what she had said trying to read through the lines of what Janet had said only now realising Janet hadn't said Sam was fine only that she would be as he tried to work out what that could mean after a while of running through options whether to challenge Janet again or to try and get Sam to talk or ask Hammond.
Deciding to go and talk to Hammond who was the least likely to bite his head off, plus he had been on base so should know what had happened. As he walked to Hammond's office he wished Daniel or Teal'c were back at least then he'd have back up. 2 others to offer there opinion on why Sam was acting so funny, Daniel to tell him he'd been an ass or Teal'c to subtly imply something was wrong. Knocking on Hammond's door he heard an enter and walked in
"Colonel I had heard you were back, how was the fishing?" Hammond asked signalling Jack to sit down
"Well you know Sir the fish weren't biting bugs were, same old same old what's been happening here" he asked
"We checked in on Daniel and the Abydoians he will be returning tomorrow, Teal'c will be back from the land of light late tomorrow" Hammond informed him, Jack nodded
"Good did Carter leave base while I was gone" he asked causally but noticed Hammond's blue eyes narrowing slightly and he seemed to tense,
"Major Carter was instructed not to leave base for the duration of her leave" Hammond told him as Jack went to ask why the red phone rang,
"Excuse me Colonel" Hammond said Jack reluctantly left wondering what had happened to Sam and why nobody would tell him.
As he retreated to his quarters to look at the situation and to come up with an action plan he reviewed what he knew. Sam wasn't physically or emotionally fit at the moment and had been ordered to stay on base for the 3 weeks leave, either there had been a serious technical problem or she'd been ill. Mentally going back over the brief glances he had seen her he realised she had looked pale, tired, thin, and ill that seemed worse than when he had left after 5 weeks of hard labour on the planet.
Realising Sam was or had been ill Jack's heart fell, like someone was grabbed it and was slowly squeezing it, he needed to know what was wrong with her and if Janet, Hammond and Sam wouldn't tell him he was going to have to utilize all his black op skills to find out. With that thought he set about planning the incursion into the infirmary, the night shift was always the quietest however with nothing to do some nurse sat at the nurse's station while others patrolled the corridor but compared to the day shift when everyone milled around it was his best chance to go in, logging onto the computer he checked for any possible team returns that may distract the infirmary staff. Bingo Sg7 were due to return from an off world trade site at 0230 meaning any staff in the infirmary would be tied up with them leaving him free access to Janet's office where SG1's medical files were kept. With a satisfied grim he planned everything down to the last detail setting his alarm for 0130.
Will be updated soon