"Is he going to be…?"

The older woman looked at the young girl and felt sympathy in her heart. She had been expecting to battle some young hot-shot doctor that knew all the answers, not a daughter concerned about her father.

"Let me take you to him." The nurse replied, grabbing some paperwork.

The nurse explained that Jack had been found, unconscious on the ground, in front of his townhome. A neighbor walking her dog had found him. Apparently he had been on the roof and fell. Once his identity had been established, he had been brought here, into the restricted zone and two phone calls made. She referred back to the notes. One to his daughter, the doctor, and the other to…the nurse paused. One to the President. She looked at Cassie with sympathy as they arrived at the door.

"I am sorry, Doctor, I misconstrued…"

Cassie smiled. "It's okay. Just please don't tell his doctors I am a physician. I'm only here as his daughter. I don't want them thinking…" Cassie said as she removed her stethoscope from around her neck and stuffed it in her pocket.

"I understand. Honey, can I tell you something as a mother?"

Cassie nodded, wiping her eyes.

"I don't care what you kids learn in medical school, I have thirty years of nursing experience. Family, love, and faith will do more to help him than modern science, Dear."

Cassie nodded as she looked at the door apprehensively.

The nurse took pity on the young girl, probably not much older than her own daughter. "Honey, does your mother know?"

Cassie looked up in surprise. "She's deployed, but I called her. She will probably show up, despite what I said."

The nurse smiled in understanding, "What's her name, Honey? I will keep watch for her."

Cassie was looking at the door. "Colonel Samantha Carter."

If the nurse thought that was strange she didn't show it. "I will make sure she is put on the immediate cleared list."

Cassie nodded.

The nurse could see the young doctor was scared. To hell with her nurse's knowledge or her rank. This young woman was obviously terrified for her father. "Here, Honey, let me."

She opened the door and walked in and looked. She saw the general lying in the bed, and monitors beeping. She walked over, grabbed the chart and looked. She noted the highlights and walked back out.

She looked at Cassie. "He has a skull fracture, obviously sustained a very severe concussion and a several of rib fractures. His vitals are stable, but weak."

She noticed Cassie's eyes seem glazed. Her face set in hard determination; she reached out gently encapsulated Cassie's face with her hands. "Look at me Honey. Now I know that you are afraid, but you have to snap out of it. You are a doctor for God's sake. Your father is hurt, but not dead. He needs your strength. I want you to go in there and be the pillar of strength. You have doubts, you come find me. You come find me and let them out, cry on my shoulder, whatever, but in there, with him, you are strong. You got that?"

Cassie was shocked at the determination and steel in the older woman's face as she snapped back to reality. In deference to the woman's rank, Cassie stiffened and came to attention. "Yes ma'am."

The woman smiled. "Good girl. Now toughen up. Go in and see your father. Here. I am holding you to you word as and an officer, even if you are Air Force." She teased.

Cassie looked down as the nurse pressed a card into her hands. It was a business card with the woman's status and contact information on it.

The nurse grabbed it and wrote something on it and handed it back to her. "You use that until you mom shows up, okay, Honey?"

Cassie looked down and saw the nurse had written her personal cell phone number on it.

"Thank you ma'am."

"The name is Janice. And I expect to hear from you" The nurse said as she walked away.

Cassie nodded and entered the room.

Cassie had been a physician for almost a year now, and being in the SGC had meant she had seen some pretty bizarre injuries. She had never had any problems dealing with them, but the sight of Jack lying in the bed, head wrapped, bandages over his chest, attached to the breathing tube and monitoring equipment was almost more than she could bear. This was the man who had been her father for so long. Now he was lying here, helpless. She fought back tears and walked over to him and took his hand in hers.

"You had better get better Jack or there will be hell to pay." She said. She pulled the chair over and took up position by the bed.

She had no idea how long she had been there when the door opened and a man walked in. He looked at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware someone was in here." The man said.

Cassie stood up. "I was just sitting with him. Cassie Frasier." She said extending her hand.

The man looked suspiciously at her a moment. "Are you consulting?"

Cassie shook her head. "No." She looked down at Jack. "He's my father."

"Oh, I see." He said. His face then took on a confused look. "I was told you would be coming from Colorado. Uh, how did you get here so fast?"

"I actually was helping with an air evac to Andrews. I was there when I got the call." Cassie lied flawlessly.

"That worked out well then. I'm Jerry Martin." The man said as he shook her hand.

Cassie looked back at Jack. "So, how bad is it?"

Martin looked surprised. He reached down and pulled Jack's chart. "I would have thought you..."

"No. I didn't want to step on toes. I am here as his daughter." Cassie said quickly.

"Ah, well, I was told that the President himself said to give you full access," he said handing the chart over, "here you go. Go ahead and look that over, and then we can answer any specific questions you may have."

Cassie nodded and perused the chart. Jack had gained weight since moving to D.C. In fact, Sam had been on him about his diet with his inability to exercise as much with his knees, but he was still in great shape for a man his age. The injuries were serious though. His brain was swollen and if it kept swelling there was a good chance of severe complications if not worse. His ribs would heal and there did not seem to be any internal damage, so the test would be whether they could control the swelling in his brain.

She looked up to see Martin regarding her curiously. She raised her eyebrows.

"May I ask what your father does?" Martin asked.

"He oversees the Air Force's deep space telemetry program." Cassie replied, realizing she was going to have to stay on her toes about answering questions. "Why?" She asked, curiosity aroused.

"Just curious. He seems to have more than his fair share of previously healed injuries including a few gunshot wounds, two of which I would place at fairly recent." Martin said.

"He was a former operator in the Special Forces, but the two you mentioned being recent was a robbery attempt gone wrong here, in D.C. a couple of years ago now I think." Cassie explained, praying that sounded plausible. She had not thought about having to answer questions concerning Jack's past. "I can get the actual…"

Doctor Martin nodded. "No, they have healed fine." He moved and checked Jack's machines and then took out a pen light and held open Jack's eyes one at a time and checked his pupil reaction.

He did not notice Cassie grinning as she recalled her mother one time telling her long ago that once she found out Jack didn't like that, she often did that to him during exams to pay him back for his attitude in the infirmary.

Doctor Martin looked up. "He seems to be reacting well. We will be taking him in for a scan shortly to measure his brain swelling. You are welcome to come attend."

Cassie nodded. "Thanks."

The doctor left and Cassie walked to the window and looked out. She was startled by her phone ringing. She quickly reached in her pocket and pulled it out and activated without looking at the caller ID.

"Doctor Frasier."

"Cassie, it's Daniel. I just heard. How is he?"

Cassie almost broke down. "It's bad Daniel. He has a skull fracture, broken ribs and deep bruising."

Daniel was silent a moment. "He's pretty tough Cass, I am sure he will pull through."

Cassie sniffed she fought back tears. "I hope so Daniel."

Daniel must have heard her sniffling. "Cassie, I will uh, book a flight. I will be there as quick as I can."

"No, Daniel. I appreciate it, but you don't need to do that. Besides, I am sure you and Vala have your hands full with the baby." Cassie said.

Daniel sighed on the phone. "Okay, well, tell you what, I will talk to Vala when she gets in. She was helping out some travelers and should return shortly. I will call you back. Is there anything else I can do?"

"No at the moment Daniel, but thank you."

She looked back at the door to make sure it was closed. "I think I almost blew it by hitching a ride and getting here so fast. That and some of Jack's previous wounds have prompted some questions I had to come up with quick answers."

"I am sure it's fine. Just keep them simple, and based on how ever much little fact you can and you will do fine, but maybe we should transfer him here?" Daniel asked.

"I don't think we have the facilities needed there." She paused in thought a moment. "Maybe at the Academy. But he is in no shape to move. We will have to see. I will have to consult with Carolyn." Cassie said.

"Okay. I will let you go. Oh, does Sam know or do I need to call her?"

"I did call her. She knows, but now that you mention it, if I send you a text with an update on it, would you mind going to base and calling her with the information? I promised her I would let her know what I could." Cassie explained.

"You got it."

"Thanks Daniel."

"We love you Cass." Daniel stated.

"I love you too, Daniel. Give Vala and Sammy a hug for me."

"Will do. Bye."