Aloha!
So it was more then two weeks... sorry about that! This past month seems to be one thing after another… and then I got sick and I couldn't really write… Ah… this chapter was mostly a problem 'cause I dug myself into a hole with mentioning the baby in the other chapter. So, anyways…
I hope you enjoy it! (Or at least tolerate it.)
Stargate Command, the infirmary.
He studied the serene face of his second-in-command, half dreading the moment in which she'd open her eyes.
Thor had told what he had to do. He had to make Carter give up a memory. A false one at that.
Sounded easy, right?
He felt a hand cover his own and the person next to him whisper, "Jack."
Jack had a gut feeling that this might take a while.
Swallowing hard, he looked down at Carter. Her blue-gray eyes were slightly clouded from her drugged sleep, but her small smile was as bright as ever.
Now that he thought about it, only a few months ago she had woken up and whispered his name. His disbelieving 'Excuse me?' has brought her to her senses.
He wished he would do that now.
"Good evening, Carter," he said with all the cheerfulness he could muster. "Or"- he checked his watch- "more accurately, good morning."
"What time is it?" she asked.
Jack rubbed his eyes and settled back into his chair. "Two hundred hours."
She nodded. Covering a small yawn, she murmured, "You should get some sleep, Jack."
"We need to talk."
Unconsciously she rubbed her ring finger, toying with a non-existent ring. "What's wrong?"
'Break it to her gently,' Daniel had coached him. 'Don't drop a bombshell on her.' Or something like that.
"This… isn't real."
She pulled herself into a sitting position. "What isn't real?"
"This!" He waved around the room then stopped. "Okay, this is real, but whatever it is that you're thinking, isn't."
A bewildered look flashed across her face. "What?"
Jack sighed; he carefully perched on the end of her bed and began quietly, "Whatever it is that you think is real… isn't. There is no us. There is no baby. And you have never been to my cabin before. Ever."
If he hadn't been watching her closely, he would've missed the flash of understanding that flitted across her face for a second before denial hit.
"You're wrong."
Her calm, matter-of-fact voice worried him more then a panicked denial would have. "I've been wrong about a lot of things, Carter, but this isn't one of them." He cleared his throat. "Trust me. I'd know if we were… you know…"
"Married?"
He nodded. "You're holding on to a false… memory… thing. Thor says that Fifth planted some sort of fantasy-illusion thing in your head. That's what you're remembering."
She snorted. It was a distinctly un-Carter'ish thing to do. "Jack," she began patiently, "this is real!" Pushing back a strand of blond hair, she explained, "I left the Stargate program a year ago after I was captured and tortured by Fifth. For months afterwards I had nightmares. Every time I woke up, I was never sure of what was real and what wasn't… and then, one day, you showed up at my house, you drove me to your cabin, and then…" she trailed off, lost in thought. Jack was about to argue when she continued.
"You were there for me. Every night when I woke up, drenched in sweat, you were there. You helped keep me sane." Again she stopped. This time, she leaned forward and looked into his eyes as she whispered, "And we got married, Jack. Married. After eight long years, we finally did it." A shy smile graced her lips, making Jack wish even more that Fifth was alive… what he would've done to that son of a b-
A thought struck him.
"If this is real, why aren't you pregnant?"
Her eyes darted downwards. A look of horror and bewilderment spread across her face. For a brief moment, Jack was hopeful that Thor was wrong- that she would relinquish the memory.
'That didn't take too long…'
"Oh, god, this is another nightmare, isn't it?"
Okay. This could take a while.
Å
"What the hell am I going to do?"
"She didn't believe you?" Daniel asked, unsurprised. He hadn't expected his friend to believe them immediately, but one couldn't help hoping.
"She thinks that we're the 'illusion'. She's in denial!"
"It's understandable," Daniel said quietly. "She finally gets the life she wants- I'm not surprised that she wouldn't want to let it go."
Jack gave the archeologist a look of genuine astonishment. "What was wrong with her old life? She seemed happy enough… with Pete…"
"She was content, Jack, there's a differ- oh, my god."
"What?" the Colonel demanded.
"Pete."
"What about him?"
The archeologist blinked owlishly at him. "Well, we have to tell him about Sam."
"Why?"
"Jack, they're dating."
"So?"
Daniel removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. "So…" he answered, sliding the glasses back on, "He cares for her. He should know what's going on."
"He doesn't have high enough clearance. Besides, what are you going to tell him? That Carter's currently under the impression that I'm married to her?"
Daniel winced. He couldn't imagine that'd go over well. "Well, we have to tell him something."
Jack clapped him on the back. "You'll think of something."
The two sat in silence before Jack announced, "I'm hungry. Want something?"
Daniel shook his head. "No. I think I'll go sit with Sam for a bit."
Jack nodded. "Okay then." He ambled over to the doorway then paused. "You never said what I should do about this whole mess."
"I don't know, Jack. I honestly have no idea what to do."
"Right." Jack disappeared down the hall. Daniel looked down; his eyes fell on a picture sitting on the corner of his desk. Picking it up, he studied it.
It was one of SG-1, taken off-world by a member of SG-7, a few months after his return from 'Ascendee Land' (as Jack persisted in calling it). The photo showed them all grouped around a pillar; Teal'c was gazing impassively at it, while he, Daniel, was busy trying to convince a skeptical Jack that the pillar was worth staying a little longer. The Colonel was looking at Sam, a small smile of amusement on his face as she similarly tried to talk him into staying; her face animated by the discovery of certain energy readings.
They had ended up staying if he remembered correctly.
With a soft sigh, he set it down and left the room.
Å
"Colonel O'Neill? A word?"
Jack looked up from his half-eaten tuna sandwich. Dr. Brightman stood there, a wary look on her face. "I… guess…" he gestured to the chair across from him.
"In Dr. Weir's office?" she asked.
With a shrug, he picked up his sandwich and followed her out of the room. On the way there, she questioned him about his interview with Carter and how it went. When he had finished she remained lost in thought until they were outside of Elizabeth Weir's office. She knocked.
"Come in!"
Jack pushed open the door then stepped aside, allowing the doctor to pass. Weir didn't look surprised to see them; she mouthed an apology and gestured to the phone tucked under her chin. "Yes, Mr. President, but-" she was quiet for a few seconds, "Mr. President, I understand, but he is currently-" A frustrated look came over her face. "Yes, Mr. President. Good-bye."
She dropped the phone back into its receiver and sighed. Planting her hands on her desk, she asked, "Colonel, doctor, what can I do for you?"
"What'd the President want?" Jack asked curiously.
Weir sighed again. "President Hayes would like Dr. Jackson to be transferred to the Antarctic base."
"He won't go. Not with Carter like this."
"I am aware of that, Colonel." She gestured for them to take a seat. "Does this have something to do with Major Carter?"
Dr. Brightman inclined her head. Jack shrugged. "Brightman asked me to come with her."
"Yes, ma'am, this has to do with Major Carter. We have a situation on our hands."
"I guessed that."
"Major Carter believes that she is married to you, Colonel. Nothing we say shakes that belief."
"Yeah, well, she also believes she's pregnant," Jack muttered. "What are we going to do about that?"
"It appears that the more we try to convince her that the memory isn't real, the more she believes it."
"So, what- we just… leave her alone until she remembers?" Jack looked skeptically at the doctor, not thinking much of the plan. "We just started doing this! It's going to take time."
"No," Brightman answered, referring to the first part, "I think that you, Colonel, need to play along."
It took Jack a few moments to realize she was serious. "What?"
Dr. Brightman rose to her feet, obviously already prepared for his objections. "I've consulted with another doctor, one who specializes in this type of thing, and he has put forth the possibility that if we play along with the fantasy. If we recreate it- Major Carter at his cabin-"
"No."
"-Perhaps the inconsistencies between reality and the illusion will cause her to question the memory, which will, hopefully, eventually lead to her relinquishing the fantasy-"
"I said-"
"Earlier you said that she seem to briefly question it when you pointed out her lack of child-"
"You want me to lie to Carter?"
Brightman squirmed a bit. "Not lie, Colonel. Just… play along for a bit."
"I can't-"
Dr. Weir did the 'time out' signal and both fell silent. "Who did you consult, Dr. Brightman?"
"Dr. Anthony Williams, ma'am."
She nodded, recognizing the name. "Colonel? Dr. Williams is known for his peculiar methods, but he has had a high success rate. I understand your reluctance but I think you need to seriously consider this."
Jack remained silent.
"As of today you, Colonel Jack O'Neill, will be playing Major Carter's husband."
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