Chapter 4

It had been an entire week since Sam's accident and Cassie had left for school. Jack was doing his regular visits to Sam and was able to leave Maddie for a few hours with the Child Care Center at the Academy. Sam had left her there while she was working so everyone knew and loved her. Jack had even had several offers for after hour babysitting if he needed any help which he thanked them for. There was one thing about being in the service living among others just like you were that they all helped each other in times of need and with Sam injured Jack would often find meals ready to be microwaved dropped at Sam's house and offers for all different things. One of the neighbor kids mowed the lawn, it was a nice feeling. Something Jack missed being out in Washington, they were not living near each other and no one appreciated the other, cause they were all suits, he figured.

Monday morning Dr Smithers met with both Sam and Jack and explained how things appeared to be mending and that he was willing to transfer her to a nursing facility for at least the next 6 to 8 weeks until the casts come off her legs. Then there is physical therapy. You are not going to be bed ridden for two months and be able to just get up and walk away." Sam started tearing up, "6 to 8 weeks? Why can't she go home?" The doctor looked at Jack with questionable eyes, "she's going to need 24 hour care. I could set her up for a visiting nurse to come once a day but that won't be enough to toilet and feed her and she can't be alone for more than a minute."

Jack looked down at Sam, he knew she just wanted to be home in her own bed and with Maddie. "Doc, let's say I stay with her at the house and the nurses aide comes once daily. I can make her meals and may have a chance to get her to eat them, I can get her to take her meds, and up and down out of bed and the chair. Then the nurse can come get her washed and clothes changed, that kind of stuff." The doctor was weighing out the scenario, "then there is toileting."

Jack paused, was he ready for that type of care? He knew he would do it, it was whether it was too embarrassing for each of them. The two made eye contact as they always did in the past. "It's up to you baby. I'll do whatever we need to in order for you to be comfortable, you know that." She squeezed his hand as tight as she could, "Thank you sir but you can't stay out of work that long." Sam's body sunk, "But if I go to a facility, who's going to take Maddie?" Jack shook his head, "I will, cause I'm not going anywhere, regardless of what you decide! I'm here for the duration either to take care of Maddie or to take care of the both of you." Sam smiled up to him, "well if you don't mind taking care of two children, maybe we can try it." She knew she wasn't going to change his mind.

Jack looked at the doctor. He knew he was waaay overstepping the bounds of a General and a Colonel. "Doc, can I speak to you out in the hallway?" The doctor nodded and followed Jack far enough for Sam not to hear them. "Doc, Carter and I have been friends for a long time and I am not going to abandon her in a situation like this. Tell me honestly, I know you said about 8 weeks for the casts and ribs, etc, but how long are we talking rehab and to get her on her feet and able to be alone chasing a kid and going back to work?" The doctor looked up at him bobbing his head while guesstimating, "we could be talking 6 months, may be more, depends on whether we need to go back in to reset any of those little splintered bones in her legs." Jack gave the doctor a worried look, "Thanks doc."

He went back into the room and sat with Sam for a while before deciding he should head out to pick up Maddie and call into his office to make long term plans. Maddie was very happy to see him when he arrived so he packed her up and brought her home. He turned on the tv which was still the Disney Channel and it kept Maddie busy.

Once Maddie was content, Jack called into Colonel Davis to tell him what was happening and asked his 2IC to draw up retirement papers just in case. He told Davis that for now he would just take the four weeks of vacation that he had not yet used for the year and most likely retire from there. Davis tried to talk him out of it saying the president would surely be able to figure something out for them but he was tired. He had been in the Air Force since he was 18 years old with the exception of that year after the first Abydos Mission and is ready to have the life he missed out on with Charlie & Sara. Retiring would allow him to care for and hopefully stay with Sam and be there for Maddie now that her daddy was gone. He hung up with Davis who was off to get the paperwork the General needed.

Jack looked around the house and started moving things out of the way so Sam could get around in a wheel chair and finally opened the door to Sam's room. He had never been in there more than a minute and it felt weird, almost as if he was snooping but he knew he wasn't, he told himself he had to be sure it would be comfortable enough for Sam.

After dinner of chicken nuggets and some french fries, Jack cleaned up and changed Maddie so they could go see Sam. He was surprising Sam and Maddie both because tonight would be the first time they saw each other in a little over a week. He just hoped he would be able to control the kid with all Sam's broken bones but it's either tonight or when Sam comes home so he figured tonight would be best so there is no shock when she does come home.

When Jack walked through the door carrying her daughter, both very happy together, she started to cry. Only Jack would come to her rescue and take care of her daughter for her. But she kept remembering the times he told her he would 'Always' be there for her, he never let her down.

Jack moved a chair right up close to the bed, sat down and hoisted Maddie into his lap so she could touch her mom and not be on the bed. They kept telling the girl about mommy's boo boo's and that she had to be gentle. They were surprised that she understood and complied so well as she could be a little hellion when she wanted to be but Sam figured it was the shock value still working to their advantage.

The doctor came by again and told them Sam could be released around 11:00 in the morning so they discussed how they were going to handle getting her home. Jack decided he was going to pick her up in her Volvo which reminded him he was going to have to have someone come pick up the suv to return it to the base.

The doctor also gave him some prescriptions which would need to be filled and some other supplies he was going to need at home for personal care so he decided since it was 7:00pm, he should get moving before the pharmacies closed for the night. He also wanted to go grocery shopping in the morning to be sure they had plenty of food for a while as he wouldn't be able to get out long, only when the aide came for an hour a day. He kissed Sam on the forehead and gave her his sad eyes with his famous crooked smirk then held up Maddie so she could give her mom a kiss. "See you in the morning." She smiled back, "Are you sure you are ready for me to come home?" He nodded his head, "Yasureyabetcha" which made them both chuckle as he walked out the door with Maddie.