I haven't been really feeling the stargate love lately. Now we're onto season 10 and though it's very cool – I loved the Atlantis crossover – I'm a bit wary of it.

Also life has been interesting. This guy from church that I like/d very much got married a couple of months ago. He's one of the best guys I know, and his wife is lovely and perfect for him… so I was having a bit of a Jack moment. (not so angsty though – just disappointment that I never got a chance with him). I'm getting over it, I've started going out with people. Namely one new brother-in-law of that guy. Ironically his name is Pete. How twisty, eh?! He invited me to his sister's birthday party as well, and took the liberty of showing me all the wedding photos. How nice of him! Lol Ah, well. Just a little bit of my plot creeping into my life. Next thing you know, I'll be going back in time to when I first met him at the start of last year and get him there :D

CHAPTER 21

After having keyed Daniel in with everything that had been going on, O'Neill took the liberty of contacting Jack via radio. 'Jack, are you there?' After about a minute he answered, slightly grumpy.

'You woke me up. What did you want?'

'Jacob came and did the operation. Osiris is out of him, but Shanahan is still out of it. I told Daniel pretty much everything. You've made quite a mess of things, you know.'

'Yeah, I know.' His voice was laced with regret. 'Is Sam okay?'

'I don't know really? She's been in the gym with her dad for a while. Just talking, I think. What are you going to do?'

'I'm going to talk to her myself, after Shanahan wakes up. If she asks or says anything about there being two of us, I'll tell her the truth. If not… then I will tell her in the future.'

O'Neill nodded, though Jack couldn't see it.

'What does Daniel think of it?'

'Well for one, he said "you're an idiot for not listening to him when Sam got engaged." Because he would obviously had something to say as he always does.'

Jack gave a small laugh.

'Hey, how about you nip to the future and see how things are going?'

'No', Jack said firmly. 'I'm not going to go back until this is all over, and I can stay for good.'

'Alright then. That's probably better anyway. If you went back to the future and everything was right you'd probably just stay there. And I'd be none the wiser.'

With nothing much else to say to each other, the conversation quickly ended with Jack making one more request of O'Neill. It probably wasn't necessary; O'Neill would have done it anyway.

'Take care of her.'

'I will.'

True to his word and himself, O'Neill had been joining Sam's vigil over Pete. He didn't do it for Pete of course; he did it to be close to her, to be able to comfort her. It seemed unlike Sam, but she had been constantly close to tears since the discussion with her father two days ago. General Hammond had suggested speaking to the SGC's counsellor, but she shook her head vehemently, claiming that she only needed her dad and her friend's support.

Normally she didn't like it when they "tiptoed through the eggshells' so to speak, but she did need their support; just as long as they didn't tell her to "take it easy."

O'Neill had been with her most of the day in the infirmary, only leaving her side to get them some lunch.

It was later in the afternoon when they were sitting with Pete, that he finally showed some movement. It wasn't enough for him to wake up, but it gave her some hope, and Janet predicted that it would only be a couple of days more that he would regain consciousness.

'It shouldn't have taken him this long to wake up, and I can't do any scans until he's been awake for at least 12 hours, but I think there may have been some damage caused that is preventing him from waking sooner.' she explained to the pair, then smiled sympathetically at Sam.

Sam nodded, but didn't make a single remark as she left the room, presumably to go to her lab.

Janet stared quizzically at O'Neill who just shrugged at her. 'She's handling it, I think. In her own special way.' He stood up and left the room to follow her.

Jacob walked into Sam's lab; his hear breaking as he saw his only daughter asleep at her desk with tear stains on her cheeks and on the paper under her face. She has been through much. Selmak commented. Jacob sighed, 'yes.'

He went to pick her up, but she was too heavy for him. He stroked her blonde hair. 'My little girl, I can't tuck you in anymore.' The wistful moment was broken by O'Neill walking in the room. He stopped when he saw Jacob, but Jacob turned around.

'Jack, can you help me take her to the infirmary. She needs to sleep properly and she can't get that sitting at her desk.'

Jack took a sharp breath and gathered her in his arms. Together the two men walked to the infirmary, Jacob making sure that her legs didn't hit into anything. He didn't do his job competently enough though, as her foot hit the elevator door and Sam woke. She looked up and saw his face. 'Jack?' His eyes widened at the term and gave a quick glance at Jacob who was watching his child intently. Jack turned to look at Sam again. She had gone back to sleep.

They stepped out of the elevator and reached the infirmary without another word. As Janet came over Jack placed her on an empty bed and drew the blanket over her, resisting following Jacob's example and stroking her hair. 'Colonel', Janet came up to them. 'Is she alright?'

'Jacob found her asleep in her lab; we thought she'd appreciate a proper sleep.'

Janet looked over her anxiously.

'Jacob Carter to the control room.' The PA called him and he gave Janet an apologetic smile and left. O'Neill turned back to face Janet.

'I'm really worried about her, Colonel. She didn't even tell me about Pete until the day before the stakeout. She's barely said two words to me at all during the last couple of days.' She sat down beside him. 'Sam's my best friend, and I haven't seen her like this in ages. Not since… you and Maybourne got stuck on that moon.'

Jack nodded. 'Me too. She's… she's stable though, I think. She's had a lot to process over the past couple of days and I don't suppose I've made things any easier. Probably more confusing actually.'

Janet felt a little weird asking him 'why'. She was closer to him and SG-1 then she was to her other patients, but even so, she wondered whether it was too personal or not. She was however, Sam's best friend, and wanted to know.

'I caught her humming in the lift and she told me about Pete. A couple of weeks ago it was. I thought it was a good thing for her so I acted happy for her.'

'I could have told you that wasn't what she wanted, Colonel.'

'I know. Someone else told me though. I went to my aunt and uncle's 50th anniversary party and Sam and Pete were there and we danced…

'Janet, does Sam ever say anything to you about me?'

'Well she's not really supposed to, is she? Sometimes she does though. When you got back from the moon, she came to me later and had another good cry. Said something about having dinner with you.'

'That's right. Teal'c and Jonas came later.'

'Jack' – she hardly ever called him that – 'I think, if you…' she searched for the right words to say. 'I think if you put aside the fact that there are regulations and everything, all this anguish and keeping feelings hidden, could easily be done away with and I could see you guys truly happy together as you both deserve to be.

'I like it best when you guys joke around together and let loose…you used to do that.'

Janet looked at him sadly and surprised both him and herself by enveloping him in a hug. 'Please, Jack', she said, her voice muffled in the sleeve of his shirt. 'Take care of her.'

Jack felt tears in his eyes as he hugged her tightly, only just realising that she did not have very much longer to live.

He knew he was walking a fine line by being there anyway, but to interfere with the death of someone, even someone he loved… it just seemed wrong. 'Janet, I will make things right with Sam. And even though I give you grief as a patient, I do care about you.' Close to crying, which he had done when she had died, he pulled back.

'Very much. And if not for me, I'll make things right for you. Soon.'

Janet smiled at him, a little unsettled. 'I should like to see it happen, Jack.'

He frowned…that would be in less than a month. He took a deep breath. And fought back his tears. 'You will, Janet.'