A/N: Set during A Hundred Days, shortly after the 'Is this a problem?' scene between Sam and Janet. As this hasn't been beta read, any mistakes are mine.

Chapter 1

"So," Janet started as she pulled the curtain around the bed Sam was currently occupying. "This looks like it could be a problem."

Sam met the doctor's concerned stare. "There's no problem. I'm fine."

Janet set the clipboard on the end of the bed and crossed her arms. "You're fine?"

"Yes."

"Then do you want to tell me why Daniel found you unconscious on the floor of your lab?"

She had the decency to look sheepish at Janet's accusatory look. "I just... I need to get back to work."

"I don't think so."

"But, I –"

"I don't want to hear it, Sam," she interrupted. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to her friend. "We're all worried about you. You've been pushing yourself to the limit for weeks now. You have to rest."

"I have to get back to work," she ground out.

"Sam, stop. Please," Janet added softly when Sam started to kick off the thin military-standard blanket covering her body. "I don't want to have to make it an order."

When Sam hesitated, Janet continued. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

She looked at her friend incredulously. "What's going on?"

"I didn't mean –" Janet sighed. "Look, Sam, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just... I know you're missing the colonel - we all are - but..."

"I'm the only one who can bring him home, Janet," Sam eventually whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Janet moved to her side and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "No-one is doubting you. You will bring him home."

"He's already had to wait too long. What if he's given up on us? What if he isn't even alive? What if..."

And it was then, in that moment, that Sam realized the truth. Two hours ago, when Janet has asked if the colonel's disappearance was a problem, she'd said no, because it wasn't. But it turned out it was a problem. It was a problem of monumental proportions.

A shudder ran through Sam's body at the discovery and Janet tightened her grip. "Hey, shush," she whispered. "I need you to calm down, Sam."

How the hell could she calm down when she was hit with the realization that she was missing her commanding officer a lot more than she was supposed to? Yes, she would be lying if she said she didn't get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever the colonel was near, but until now, that's all she thought it was. A passing infatuation. But now that she was faced with reality... Ever since the colonel had been stranded on Edora, Sam's every thought, movement and breath had revolved around him and how she could bring him home.

Her single-mindedness was irrational and wholly inappropriate and just a little frightening, and it took her a few moments to realize that Janet was still speaking.

"Sam? Did you hear what I said?"

"Uh..."

"Daniel and Teal'c are waiting outside. Do you want them to sit with you for a while?"

Through the haze, Sam shook her head. A part of her did want her teammates around her, but she also wanted to get back to the particle accelerator that was lying in her lab.

"When can I get out of here?"

To her credit, the doctor resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the question. Instead, she picked up the clipboard and started to read the results. "I need you to rest today and then we'll see."

"But –"

"Ah! Doctor's orders."

The two women stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Eventually, Sam sighed. "You don't understand, Janet."

"Then help me to, Sam."

"I can't."

Janet heard the plea in her friend's voice; she knew what wasn't being said – what couldn't be said. She should have been surprised at Sam's confession of sorts, but truthfully, she wasn't. Over the years, SG-1 had spent more time than any other team in her infirmary. Despite the injuries, the near-death experiences, the alien threats they had faced, Janet had gotten to know them all well. Too well.

She had watched the way they all looked out for each other and took turns to keep vigil at a bedside. She had found, on more than one occasion, the way the colonel had fallen asleep by his teammates' side – even when he knew they would pull through and were on the road to recovery. She had noticed the way he would check on Daniel, or Teal'c, his concern evident underneath his blasé manner, but when it was Sam lying before him, he was different. It was nothing serious, just the way he would stare at the major for a second too long, or the way he'd brush his hand against hers when he thought they were alone, or the way he'd murmur 'look after her, doc' around the door to her office as he finished his watch for the night.

Janet sighed. She had already told Sam to rest, which was fine, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop her disobeying the order for long because she wouldn't stop until she had delivered on her promise to bring Colonel O'Neill home.

"Okay, I'll make you a deal," she acquiesced. "I'll give you an hour and if you don't pass out again, then I'll release you from the infirmary – on the condition that you return to your quarters for the rest of the evening."

Sam closed her eyes at the compromise. It wasn't ideal, but at least this way she had a better chance of sneaking back to her lab, so she decided to accept the offer. "Thank you, Janet."

"Hmm," she replied. "I haven't finished."

Sam held her breath. "I'm sending Daniel and Teal'c too. If you so much as talk about anything related to your project, you'll be straight back here. Is that understood?"

When Sam didn't answer, Janet folded her arms across her chest. "Sam?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"Promise me?"

"Yeah," she answered, giving the doctor a smile. "I promise."

Janet studied her for a moment longer before she nodded. "Okay, stay there. I'm going to inform the guys and then you can go."

With that, she turned and left Sam alone. She knew Daniel and Teal'c would follow through with the doctor's orders, but she also knew that they desperately wanted the colonel home too. Pushing the blanket back with a renewed focus on what she needed to do, Sam reached for her BDU jacket. Tomorrow would mark 100 days since they'd left Jack behind, and Sam would be damned if she let him stay there one day longer.

TBC...