Thank you so much for all your lovely comments. I hope you like this chapter just as much. I have to warn you though that the mystery will continue for a few more chapters yet before I explain what was going on. Hope you stay with me until then, because then it will all make so much more sense.

Crazy Mixed Up world.

by Lingren.

Previously:-

"Night…" he whispered and fell into a deep sleep, wondering if Janet had something to do with the fact that he was so tired because he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

Chapter 4 – Stranger Things Happen at Sea

Jack knew full well that the grapevine inside the mountain was a thriving living monstrous organism, but his apparent 'resurrection' had surpassed everything he'd ever heard or expected from it.

Dressed now in his olive green BDU's he was making his way to the commissary for some breakfast as soon as Janet had dismissed him from her infirmary - when every few yards he'd been accosted by all manner of SGC personnel, and enthusiastically welcomed back. He shrugged off the nagging feeling that he was walking over his own grave, deciding to concentrate on getting some food. Maybe he was just hungry; but then, maybe he had done some really serious damage when he'd fallen down that damn hole.

Only time would tell of course; Doc had found nothing physically wrong with him now. His brain, like anybody else's would only take so many concussions, he knew, before the damage altered normal memory and brain functions. A clear example of this would be those who boxed for a living, he thought; a few of them have developed some serious problems after so many punches and knockouts. Wouldn't he be just as vulnerable too with all the times he'd been rendered unconscious by a blow to his head? He was sure something like this was affecting him now, but how many more times could he put himself at risk if this was so?

He continued on his way, sighing in frustration after many more greetings of a similar surprising nature, and he was relieved when he reached the dining hall and joined his colleagues at their table, ready to fall on his oatmeal like a starving man.

"Hi Jack. You wouldn't be hungry by any chance would you?" Daniel greeted him with a wide grin, making Sam giggle.

Jack looked up from the spoonful of food and saw Daniel's smile. His eyes drifted towards Sam, who was also still laughing. So too was...Teal'c?

He dropped his spoon back into the bowl noisily, and sat back releasing a sigh, and sagging in frustration.

"Actually...no! Not any more at any rate," he grouched, pushing the bowl away with a grimace.

"Why? What's wrong sir?" Sam's expression changed in a heartbeat to one of concern.

"Everything!" Jack said snidely. "You kids for a start. Will you just quit grinning at me like a bunch of...of hyenas! As I said, it's not like I've been resurrected from the dead or something. I'm getting... those 'creepy' smiles from just about everyone around here. What the hell's goin' on?" He was growing more and more irritable at the way people were looking at him as if he'd grown another head or something. It was like he'd been away for months instead of just unconscious for a week or so.

Maybe that was the answer, he suddenly wondered. Perhaps he had died after all. Then, if that was so, why were they trying to hide that fact from him? Had he been in one of those comas for months, weeks, instead of days? But, then why hadn't Doc Frasier told him the truth? The hairs on the back of neck prickled and he lifted his hand to rub the suspicious feelings away.

He stood up and glared down at his friends' faces. All of them looked...afraid? Or maybe it was because he was the one who was acting weird and freaking them out? Whatever it was, he was determined to find out what had been going on around here while he'd been out of it.

"Ill see ya later kids. I have...things to do!" he growled, unaccountably annoyed with them over it. With that, he left them to talk amongst themselves, striding angrily from the room.

"Do you think we pushed him too far?" Daniel asked, watching his friend retreat through the doors, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam and Teal'c reluctantly had to agree, and vowed not to let their delight in having him back again show too much in future. They could tell it was seriously scaring the man.

OoOoOoOoO

"Come!"

On that order Jack opened the door to General Hammond's office and stuck his head round it.

"General," he greeted his superior. "Got a minute sir?"

"For you Jack, sure," Hammond beamed, obviously delighted to see him too.

Jack felt his irritation rise ever higher at the radiant smile on the General's face. It was exactly the same one he'd seen on his team and everyone else he'd happened to meet this morning. What the hell was wrong with everyone? He didn't garner this much happiness on a good day normally; not even when he and Teal'c had survived that one way trip into the cold of space in that retro-death glider.

"Take a seat Jack!" Hammond said still smiling. "It's good to see you looking well again son. How's the wrist?"

"It's fine now thank you sir. I think!" Jack replied dubiously. Yeah, the wrist is okay, just not so sure I am, he muttered under his breath, as he settled into the chair.

"So, what can I do for you son?"

Jack pulled himself upright in the chair and commenced battle, jumping in with both feet.

"For a start you could clue me in on the truth of what's going on here General."

"I beg your pardon?" Hammond looked taken aback to say the least.

"Sir." Jack paused, trying to put his thoughts into as few words as possible, and in a way that Hammond would understand. "I like to think that after all these years of working together that we can be perfectly honest with each other. I know I can be a royal pain in the ass sometimes, but I do try to do my best for the good of the USAF, my country and the Earth as it comes to that. But…!"

"But?" Hammond waited when Jack put up a hand to stall his question.

"I can't help but feel that something is seriously amiss here. I'm...missing something here, I'm sure, but nobody is telling me just what that is. Is there something going on that you really should share with me General?"

"Jack. Jack. There is nothing wrong here; everything is just fine and dandy. Nobody is trying to hide anything from you at all, believe me, I would be the first one to notice if things were amiss. What exactly is it that makes you think that something is wrong?"

"Well, for a start, it's the way everyone has gone all out to welcome me back as if I've been away for months...years maybe; they're all grinning at me like Cheshire cats. Like they know something I don't! It's almost as if I'd died and have been raised from the dead again! I didn't get this much attention even when I returned from Edora after three months, for cryin' out loud! I've only been out of it for what...a coupla weeks! Haven't I? I was kinda hoping that you could at least clue me in sir."

By now Jack was getting antsy and had risen from his chair to stalk around the room, waving his hands about to emphasise his anxiety over everything since that damn fall. He quietened down, pressing his lips together into a tight line and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, turning to look at the General; desperate to see if there was any guilt lurking behind those grey eyes of his.

"Please General. I need to know. I want to know if I've seriously lost it here? There's no way I could go back out there with this hanging over me."

Hammond sighed with exaggerated forbearance and looked Jack straight in the eye.

"Jack. There is nothing behind any of this. People here admire and look up to you, and everyone of us were genuinely worried about you this time round. Edora was totally different. We all believed you were just stranded; and nobody wanted to believe you could be dead back then. We got used to you being 'away' at that time. This however; this was far too close to home. We honestly didn't know if you'd come out of this little mishap with your brain intact. And as far as we were concerned if the worst had come to pass this world would have been a choice picking for any enemy waiting out there. The people here Jack look upon you as a hero figure. You've come so close to giving your life to save this world on numerous occasions. They're just more than happy to see you alive and well, and will be even happier once you're back in the saddle again."

Hammond paused to get up from his chair and came round the desk towards Jack who had slumped back into the chair, feeling every bit guilty, and somewhat uncomfortable from hearing such acclaim from the General. Hammond laid a hand on his 2IC's shoulder and patted him reassuringly.

"We're not hiding anything from you Jack, honestly. Look, why don't I arrange a little session with Dr. MacKenzie..."

"Ack! No sir." Jack backed away as far as he could from his position, hands up as if to physically push Hammond's idea away. "It's okay, General. If it's all the same with you sir I'd rather not thank you. I don't need any of that psycho stuff. Not in that way. I'll do this my way and on my own terms, thank you."

"You sure?" Hammond asked worriedly. "There's no shame in admitting you need psychological help son."

"Yes sir, I know that, but if it's all the same to you. No way." Jack sighed, wondering if he was doing the right thing. "I'll get through this."

"Don't worry about all of this Jack. Just accept that people here are genuinely pleased to see you're okay. They'll soon get lost in their own work after a while and things will get back to normal."

"Yes sir," Jack answered with a deep sigh. He wasn't altogether enamoured with the idea of people ogling him with creepy smiles for however long it took. "Thank you General, for at least being honest with me."

"Jack. We've worked together for all this time. Surely you don't doubt the trust we've built up over that time, do you?"

"No sir," Jack grimaced, feeling bad for harbouring any suspicions in the first place. Perhaps he was just being paranoid? Maybe he'd hit his head on that rock a little harder than he thought? "Sorry sir."

"Do us a favour Jack. Go home. Take a few days to get over this and I can guarantee that by the time you return here next week everything will be feeling pretty much normal again. Doctor Frasier says she won't sign you fit for light duty until Monday. Tell you what...why don't you go fishing up at that little cabin of yours?"

Jack wanted to do nothing better, but wondered if Janet would let him go that far away. He liked the idea of getting away, relaxing by his pond with a fishing pole and a cool box full of beer, though Janet would most definitely veto that idea straight away. His thoughts conjured up a certain scene, and wondered if Carter would care to join him this time? Though he doubted that too; so far she'd resisted all his invitations.

Hammond sat back down in his chair and picked up the phone.

"Will you have Major Carter come to my office...Yes...right away."

Jack wondered what Hammond was up to – he certainly didn't need a nursemaid, but then having Sam around might be nice if a little awkward too.

Several minutes passed in quiet until Sam knocked on the door and entered the room, taking the proffered seat next to Jack. She smiled broadly at him before they both turned round to face the General.

Hammond had that wide grin, that told Jack that he was about to say something that could only spell disaster for him and for Carter's reputation.

"Now that we have that sorted, I'd like to ask you Colonel if there is something you should be telling me?"

Jack sucked in a sudden breath from shock, wondering how the General had discovered his secret? Had he talked in his sleep during that coma?

"Concerning what sir?" he held his voice steady despite the feeling of doom gnawing at his gut.

"Concerning the two of you, Colonel."

Jack almost choked and shot a look at Sam before clearing his throat.

"Can I take that as a yes? That there is some truth in what I've heard?"

Sam had ducked her head, but she turned her head sideways to look at him and smiled shyly.

"Yes sir." Hammond's smile widened and he nodded, much to Jack's bewilderment. His head twisted round to Sam so fast he heard the bones in his neck crunch and he winced. He stared wide eyed at her unable to believe she'd freely admitted to their undeclared mutual attraction for each other. "I love Jack," she finished boldly, making Jack feel faint.

"That's what I thought." Hammond continued. "Colonel? Do you share these feelings for Major Carter?"

There was nothing left for him to do now than to get it all out in the open. He coughed to clear his sticky throat, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yes sir I do. I would like to add that I take full responsibility for not reporting my attraction before now and for not splitting us up as I should have done. For what it worth sir, I'm sorry, but I have nothing to hide. Carter and I have never crossed that line sir; nothing...intimate happened between us. I will therefore be submitting my resignation forthwith. Major Carter is needed far more than I am in this command, so I'm willing to step down to save her reputation.

Jack fell silent, his eyes dropping to the floor in shame for his behaviour, but was suddenly shaken from his gloomy thoughts when he was jumped on.

Sam practically threw herself at him, enveloping him in a huge hug while Hammond sat by watching the open display with something akin to a doting parent.

"Jack, while you were in that coma, Major Carter approached me and explained the whole situation between you. I had suspected it, but I knew, being the consummate officers that you are, that neither of you would act on impulse and that both of you have respectively upheld those regulations. So, I had a quiet word or two with the President. In fact he was all for you two getting together, mostly because you and your team have saved this world from so many dangers in the past, it was decided to waver that regulation as a personal reward to you both. So, this is your chance to make whatever you wish for to happen."

Jack was rendered absolutely speechless, and sat there, mouth agape, staring in disbelief at his CO, breathless, feeling like a fish out of water.

"Really?" he managed to croak out through a dry throat.

Jack swallowed harshly; his mouth sandpaper dry. So, who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? Even if things did seem strange; he guessed everything would slip back into place at some point in time. Right now though, time he was a wasting.

"Jack!" Hammond chastised when Jack still sat there unmoving. "Would I lead you on about something as important as this?"

"Em...No sir. Thank you sir!" Wow! he gasped inwardly, more than stunned but more than pleased to comply with this order. He smiled back at Sam and raised his eyebrows which made her giggle. They both rose and left the room, Jack still reeling while Sam chattered away nineteen to the dozen about her plans for their future.

Although Jack left the office so much happier than he could remember being - and there was a definite spring in his step that wasn't there before - even those spooky smiles weren't bothering him so much anymore. There was still that little niggling doubt in his mind about how odd things were, and he was no clearer now about what was going on than he was when he'd entered that office.

Was it him or did things just not add up properly? Concussions did do funny things to the mind, that he knew for a fact, so he pushed the doubts to the back of his mind and headed for the elevator, eager to plan his future with Major Samantha Carter.

TBC