AN: Still the same evening here as the last chapter. Again, a thank you to everyone for the follows, favorites, and reviews to this story. I know it is not an easy storyline.
***SG1***SG1***
A knock on the door brought General Hammond's head up. "Doctor," he said waving her hand to indicate she should come in. "How are Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter?"
"Resting," Janet sighed, coming to a halt in front of his desk. "The Colonel is understandably showing signs of stress and suffering from lack of sleep. Major Carter's hormone levels are slowly returning to normal." Squaring her shoulders, she added, "Sir, I do not believe it is in her best interest to continue in the hearing."
"I agree," George said, his voice firm. "I've already informed Colonels French and Nelson."
"Thank you, sir."
"How are Captain Shelby and Major Hitch coming along?"
A frown crossed Janet's features. "Major Hitch is doing a little better. He asked to meet with Doctor MacKenzie. I'm sorry to say that Colonel MacKenzie and I agree that Captain Shelby needs to be transferred to the Academy Hospital. He's showing signs of severe depression and at times is almost catatonic. Doctor MacKenzie will oversee his treatment there." Shifting the folders in her hand, she held one out. "The transfer request, sir."
Nodding slowly, he took the folder. "I'm sorry to hear that." Looking at the other one he raised an eyebrow. "Something else?"
Pausing, Janet looked down. "You should know that on this one, Doctor MacKenzie and I do not agree." Seeing the General give an indication he understood the situation, she continued. "I am requesting that a specialist from Bethesda be brought in for Major Carter." Thrusting the folder out, she continued. "Tiffany Rogers, doctorate in psychology, retired Air Force.. She currently has level nine clearance and has fifteen years experience working with trauma survivors."
Glancing through the file, Hammond pursed his lips. "She's combat experienced," he noted, flipping a page.
"Yes sir," Janet replied. "She was also held hostage for awhile when her chopper was shot down during her first tour." An eyebrow raised at the implication of there being a second tour after the hostage situation. Nervously licking her lips, she slowly added. "It is possible she knows what Sam is dealing with in ways Doctor MacKenzie will never understand." Glancing away, Janet brought her gaze back to the General. "Sam needs to see that it's possible to move on with her life and that she can still be an effective soldier."
"I'll make the request tonight," Hammond said softly, closing the folder.
***SG1***SG1***
Leaning against the elevator wall, Janet ran a hand across the back of her neck. She knew things were beginning to catch up with her emotionally now that she no longer had to be so focused on the physical injuries. Hearing the ding of the elevator indicating it was stopping, she forced herself to stand straighter.
"Hey," Daniel called gently coming into the small space.
"Hey yourself," Janet replied, an answering small smile on her face. "You find Teal'c?"
Sobering, Daniel nodded. "Yeah. He's getting cleaned up." Looking down, he added, "Told him to take some time."
The dinging of the elevator told them they had reached their destination. Stepping aside, he gestured for Janet to proceed him. "They still out?"
"Should be," Janet breathed, a sigh escaping her lips. The sound brought Daniel's hand to her arm.
"You doing okay?" he asked gently.
Looking away, Janet fought the sudden tears that appeared in her eyes. Drawing a breath, she glanced back. "They don't teach you in medical school what to do when two of your closest friends are in so much pain and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it." The brittle levity of her tone did not hide the underlying tremor.
Frowning, Daniel slid his hand into hers and squeezed it. "You are helping them."
Nodding, Janet squeezed his hand back. "Some," she conceded.
"When have you slept last?" Daniel asked, noting the dark circles under her eyes.
A smirk pulled at Janet's lips. "You stealing my line?" she asked in jest.
Chuckling, Daniel turned them toward the infirmary. "Maybe," he conceded. "Still doesn't make the question any less valid."
Stopping at the doorway and noting that both her patients seemed to be resting quietly, she let her shoulders drop slightly. "If they stay quiet, I'll sleep tonight," she promised.
Nodding, Daniel tipped his head to indicate he was going to go over and sit with them. He was stopped by Janet's hand not letting his go.
"How are you really doing with all of this?" The form of her question told him she was not convinced by his appearance of calm acceptance.
A sad smile at being caught pulled on his lips as he looked down and shook his head. "Barely holding on," he said softly, before moving away.
Easing onto the stool beside Sam's bed, Daniel let his gaze travel to Jack. Assuring himself that he was actually asleep, he brought his attention back to her. He was surprised to see blue eyes watching him. "Hi," he said softly.
A frown crossed her features. "What happened?"
Shaking his head, Daniel said, "Nothing. Janet brought you back and sedated you." Nodding toward the other side of the room, he added, "Jack's here too."
Rolling over, she sat up to look. "Why? What's wrong?"
Hearing the concern in her voice, Daniel touched her arm. "Nothing. He just needs some sleep," he said gently, increasing the pressure of her arm to get her attention. "Really," he said, when she brought questioning eyes back towards him.
Waiting as she scanned his features looking for any sign he was keeping something from her, Daniel felt her let the breath she was holding escape. Nodding, she laid back down. "Hungry?" he asked.
A grimace met his question.
"Soup?"
Seeing her acquiescence, he smiled. "Be right back. You okay?"
"I'm fine," she said, turning her head to watch the Colonel.
***SG1***SG1***
Coming to awareness, Jack paused a moment listening to the subtle sounds around him. Remembering he was in the infirmary, he opened his eyes to confirm it. Frowning at the muted lighting and minimal personnel, he flipped open his watch cover to check the time. 'So much for supper,' he thought swinging his legs over the side of the bed to sit up. Catching the rise of the duty nurse across the room at his action, he waved to her. When she neared, he gestured over his shoulder. "Bathroom," he said, before sliding to his feet.
Pausing to regain his balance, he ran his eyes across the covered form on the bed near his. "She been asleep the entire time?" he asked, jutting his chin toward Carter.
"No, sir," the Lieutenant answered lowly. "She has been awake several times since she was brought in. Nightmares."
"She tell you that?"
Shaking her head, the nurse smiled tightly. "Not hard to tell sometimes."
Acknowledging the comment, Jack headed for the bathroom. When he came back, he heard the low murmur of voices from Sam's bed and saw that the lamp above the bed had been turned on. Angling over there, he stopped a few steps away. Waiting until the nurse looked his way, he asked, "She okay?"
Sam rolled from her side and began to push herself up in the bed to a sitting position. "Colonel," she said softly in greeting.
Running his eyes over her pale face, he watched as she brushed fingers across her cheeks. Moving, he nodded in reply to the nurses' silent invitation toward the stool sitting beside Sam's bed.
"You okay?" he asked sitting down. Seeing her nod in response, he did not miss that her eyes didn't quite meet his. Looking around he asked, "Where's Daniel or Teal'c?"
"I told them to get some sleep," she murmured. "At least one of them have been with me since we came back in." A frown passed over her face. "They have to be tired." Flickering a glance down the room, she added, "You and Janet are here."
Following her line of sight, he spotted another body on a bed on the other end of the room. "Doc?" he asked, cantering his head in direction of the bed.
Sam nodded.
Looking around, he noted the absence of any other patients or of SFs. As if reading his mind, he glanced back toward Sam when she said, "Janet ordered them into the hallway."
"Ah," Jack said softly, dropping his gaze to his hands. The silence around them lingered, broken only by the low hum of the machinery in the room.
Laying back down, Sam rolled on her side to face the Colonel. "You okay?" she asked softly. Getting a slight nod and half smile in response, Sam let her gaze trace the features of his downturned face.
"I'm sorry, Carter," Jack said after a few minutes. "For earlier," he winced. "Didn't want you to have to do that."
"Will it help you?" The quiet hoarse question broke the silence that had settled again.
A slight shrug answered her. "You're not going back in." There was finality in Jack's tone. Jack's fingers reached out to Sam's hand gripping the side of the bed. Trailing them across her knuckles before tapping them to encourage her to release it, he added, "Hammond's decision, not mine."
Forcing her fingers to relax, she flexed them so they brushed against his. "Not sure what else I can say anyway." A frown crossed her forehead. "I don't remember anything else until," her breath hitched, "here," she finally finished. Flickering her eyes up briefly, she saw an answering frown on Jack's face. "Janet called it disassociation."
Nodding slowly, Jack tried to remember what he knew about it. "Not uncommon with what you went through, and that it could," Jack stopped himself from finishing his original thought. The sudden stillness of her fingers told him she knew what he had meant. Shifting, he changed what he was going to say. "We weren't safe." A flicker of relief went through Jack's mind that she did not remember all that had happened.
Dropping his hand from the bed, O'Neill raised his eyes to Sam's. "Fraiser's bringing in somebody to help you. You need to let them, talk to them." Seeing a flicker of panic cross her face, he pushed on. "You've got to deal with this, Carter. Find a way to live with what happened. You can't let them win."
Struggling to keep the tears away, Sam whispered, "So do you."
Jack fought back the urge to argue with her, he flipped the cover on his watch again. "It's only oh-two-ten. Go back to sleep," he said, his voice even. "I'll be there," he said gesturing towards his bed.
When he started to rise, a hand snagged his arm. "You have to promise me you'll fight this."
The choked, whispered plea caused Jack to close his eyes against the pain coursing through him at the memory of another promise she had pulled from him days earlier. The pressure on his arm tightened. "Please."
Opening his eyes, they trailed over the fingers clenching his arm until they were white. Reaching up, he forced his fingers under hers, pulling them away from his arm and wrapping them in his own. Squeezing them slightly, he released her hand and moved away.
***SG1***SG1***
AN2: Now you really didn't think I was going to miss an opportunity for Jack and Sam to interact after I went to so much trouble to get them in the infirmary together, did you? Besides, Jack needed a kick in the rear. He was being a little too passive. We are heading back into the hearing next week for those of you waiting to find out more of what happened not he planet.