Happy to keep you in suspense just for a little while longer – but don't fret too much, the explanation will be coming soon. So I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews. I was doubtful about getting any because I couldn't even see the story on the latest updates pages, but thanks to your comments I was able to relax again!
Crazy Mixed Up World.
by Lingren.
Previously:-
Sam lay curled up against him asleep, tucked under his arm with her head nestling in the hollow of his shoulder. There was an almost predatory smile on her lips, and it made her look smug, almost as if she knew something he didn't. She had fallen asleep quickly, spent, satisfied and sated. Everything which he should be feeling too, but how could he when he was still trying to figure out exactly when and where he had lost control of his body?
Chapter 7 – Dead Men Tell No Lies
It wasn't that Jack hadn't enjoyed the rush of having Sam right where he wanted at long last, because he really did; but maybe it was because the nagging voice at the back of his mind had kept him on edge, and so putting a dampener on his enjoyment of...things. He'd tried hard to push those thoughts away and go where he'd wanted to for a long time now, but it was harder than he'd imagined. The damn omnipresent headache wasn't helping either.
While Sam had slept like the dead, he'd paid a visit to the bathroom to answer the call of nature, and took out one of Janet's pills to take but then decided he just didn't like the way they made him feel, so he too a couple of Tylenol instead. Janet's pills may take the edge off the pain but his head always felt as if it was stuffed with cotton wool.
Still unable to sleep, he'd spent the next hour trying to sort out exactly how he really felt. He must have dozed at some point because the next thing he knew the room was in total darkness, but he was starving. Trying not to wake Sam he slipped one leg out from under the covers when Sam stirred and stretched languorously, as if she was a cat who was reluctant to leave a warm fire but needed to shift. He gazed down at her, enjoying the sight and the memory of being inside her.
"So much for taking things slow and steady," he whispered with wry amusement, leaning down to nuzzle her ear when she'd woken dreamily, making her part those long lashes to look up to him.
She giggled and purred as she remembered Jack's earlier disinclination to jump her bones, and snuggled up closer to him, relishing the contact when he wrapped his arms around her in response. She was home. This is where she wanted to be and it was everything she had dreamed about and so much more.
Jack stretched and yawned and reluctantly moved away, sliding his feet to the floor where he began to pull on his clothes.
Sam watched him lazily from the comfort of the sheets.
"Want something to eat?" he asked. "I don't know about you but I'm starving here."
Just to prove his point his stomach rumbled and Sam's joined in too.
"Well," he said with a wry grin, "guess that answers that question don't ya think?"
She giggled again and rose slowly, casting him meaningful glances across the bed. Her movements designed to get him aroused again.
Jack took one look and let out a deep sigh.
"Oh God…You're gonna be the death of me. I'm not so young any more Sam. Give me a break huh? Let's get something to eat first before I fade away from starvation."
Sam sniggered again and he laughed. She couldn't be happier than this.
Shaking his head Jack hurried from the room muttering about how he was sooo gonna feel like a hundred years old by the time they returned to work. He'd need another vacation – but without her around - just to get over this vacation.
By the time Sam had showered and dressed she could smell the sweet aroma of coffee and bacon which emanated from the kitchen area to fill the cabin.
She slid her arms around him and kissed his cheek before sitting at the table. He served the bacon and eggs; poured out the coffee and took the seat next to hers. They ate in near silence, each wrapped up in thoughts just enjoying each others company. They didn't need inane words; both were happier than ever before; their new and deeper companionship and abiding love was all that was needed to fill the room.
When they'd cleared away the dishes, Jack took her by the hand and lifted the rug from the back of the couch, then draped it across her shoulders, he then led her out onto the deck, sitting her down on the porch swing, and sat beside her wrapping his arm around her to pull her closer.
Together they sat and watched the moonlight as it filled the darkness of the area with a subtle brightness. A slight breeze sprang up and rippled the surface of the lake, shattering the reflections into a myriad of tiny sparkles.
Sam didn't think she'd seen anything so beautiful in all her life, but maybe that was because she was here and enveloped within Jack's arms and they could allow their once secret love free rein. She nestled closer to him as the coolness of the night reached into her clothing, leeching her warmth. Her desire to snuggle up was something he was quite happy to oblige her with, and drew her into him tighter. With the sky dark, they could study the stars until they it grew too cold to stay outside.
OoOoOoOoO
They fished; walked; chatted over their hopes and dreams.
They lazed around watching the clouds scudding past on the breeze.
They made gentle love every chance they had, like it was their first time ever.
And all too soon it was time to leave.
Sam had drifted through the few days like she was in a heavenly dream and didn't want to wake up.
Jack had never felt so relaxed and was actually saddened that it was time to return to the real world. All through the days though, he still had this nagging feeling that something was somehow amiss. It was all too good to be true, but he just couldn't put his finger on why he felt like that. He gave himself a mental shrug and put the sensation down to the fact that it was because they were together after so long. Things were bound to feel different.
The drive back to Colorado was a little sad and often silent, but at least they could take heart in their new togetherness, and Sam now wanted to move in with Jack as soon as possible, to which Jack was a little unsure, but wanted to see her happy, and that it would be a whole lot easier if they lived together.
OoOoOoOoO
He'd been back at work for a couple of days, and although he still suffered from headaches, he still refused to take Janet's damn pills, preferring to rely on the Tylenol. They were helping to keep it at bay, but at least he found he could think clearer now than he had been able to. He was working in his office when the alarms rang throughout the base, and he leapt up in response, heading towards the control room, wondering who was knocking on the door.
His headache spiked again as the klaxons rang through the hallways as he ran, but Jack ignored the pain and continued to hurry to the control room, meeting up with the rest of his team there. General Hammond joined them a moment later.
"It's the Tok'ra sir," Master Sergeant Davis said as he spied his CO entering the room.
"Open the Iris!" Hammond barked as Jack passed a derogatory comment about Earth's so called allies.
Hammond glared at him, but refrained from commenting on the Colonel's remark. Jack felt suitably chastised under the General's somewhat peeved scrutiny, and winced involuntary when the pain made him feel like his head was about to explode.
Janet had given him some different tablets, when he'd admitted he didn't like the way they affected him, he was to try them out for a few days and he really should try to take one any time soon.
They filed out into the gate-room in time to see two Tok'ra exit the wormhole. Jack had never seen them before, and wondered vaguely where Jacob Carter, alias Selmak, was. It would have been nice for Sam to have seen him again.
Hammond stepped up on the ramp to greet the aliens.
"For'ath, Kalen, it is good to see you again!"
"Likewise General Hammond," the taller of the two replied.
Jack glanced at Sam who was watching the Tok'ra. Feeling his eyes on her and seeing the puzzled frown on Jack's face, she smiled slightly, turning her attention towards him.
In an aside, he asked who the hell they were and how the General knew them.
Her eyes widened a little when she gasped in surprise at his question, denying any knowledge of them, then she bit her lip before answering rather hesitantly.
"It was while you were on Edora Jack!"
"Ah." He understood now, at least he thought he did. His headache was getting worse by the minute and it was difficult to think round it. "You sure? I guess I didn't get that memo either huh?" he commented with a shrug and a smile.
She smiled back, nodding, but Jack's suspicions were roused once again. There was something odd lurking behind her smile but he couldn't work out quite what it was. Her eyes told him that she was lying to him, and he wondered why she would do that to him of all people?
"Probably not," she replied in hushed tones.
"So why didn't Dad come through?" he asked a little louder now, needing more evidence to work on his assumptions that something wasn't adding up.
"Dad?" she asked, looking at him as if he had suddenly grown another head. Her blue eyes filled with sadness and he felt the nagging doubts more than double in strength.
"What?" he asked feeling like he'd just put his foot into it. Whatever 'it' was.
"My Dad died last year Jack. Don't you remember?"
Jack was stunned. Surely he'd seen him not so long ago, so how could he be dead? It had been only a couple of months since Jacob had rescued him and Teal'c from the cold of deep space. Surely it hadn't been a whole year gone from his memory? If that was the case, then why had they lied to him?
No...it couldn't be! Could it? He didn't want to believe what his mind was telling him.
His head really felt as if it was about to burst now, and he felt himself waver on his feet, staggering to the side.
"Jack?" Daniel called out to him.
"Jack?" Sam pleaded unhappily. "What is it?"
"Colonel? What's wrong?"
"O'Neill?"
Sam had a hand on his arm as he felt the world tilt sickeningly. Suddenly Teal'c and Daniel were there, and several hands were gently lowering him to the floor while the room kept on spinning round him. He swallowed against the nausea that suddenly rose up in his throat, unwilling to revisit his breakfast.
His head really hurt. This was wrong. He just knew it.
He could vaguely hear people shouting as the room spun away from him, then there was an eerie silence until darkness blotted out everything.
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"Doc?"
"Ah, so, you've decided to rejoin the living again Colonel. How do you feel?"
Jack groaned. He felt like he'd literally been dropped from a great height...right onto his head.
"Like crap!" he muttered miserably, not sure if he really wanted to join the living just yet. Right now, all he wanted to do was curl up and die.
"That's to be expected sir. I gave you strict instructions to keep taking those tablets Colonel. I don't give out medication for you to ignore my instructions. As a result of your neglect, you had another blackout.
Huh? What? Jack frowned, unable to comprehend her words.
"An...another blackout?" He couldn't think straight...he didn't recall having a blackout before this incident. He just been plagued by the usual nagging headaches.
"Well, you obviously don't remember having them sir. If you continue to have these memory lapses and blackouts Colonel, I'm going to have to call in a specialist. This is beyond my field of expertise."
Jack tried to focus on her face but failed. His eyes shut of their own volition and she patted his arm in response.
"Get some rest sir. I'll be back in a while. Buzz if you need anything." She dimmed the lights on the way out while Jack lay with his eyes closed, silent and brooding, trying to work out just what was happening to him.
Finally before he gave into a much needed sleep, he reached a decision. Once he was released from Janet's care he would need to do some serious investigating; things around here were screwing with his head and he desperately needed to get to the bottom of it.
TBC
