An hour later Janet Frasier lay on her bed, close to her daughter. It had been a few years since Cassie had been with her in the same bed. Janet looked at her child and could barely suppress her own tears. It was unbearable for her to see her "little" girl like that. The realization that Jack was sick and there was no hope or help for him, had led to a breakdown in the child as expected. Janet lay for a while just beside Cassie, stroking her hair, tried to comfort her somehow. Cassie would scream again and again, seeming that nothing would calm her down.
When, after some time, no improvement came, the doctor decided to give the desperate child something to help her sleep. Cassandra was completely exhausted, and her mother was about to give her the tranquilizer when Cassie looked at her with her tearful eyes and sobbed:

"Mom, why didn't anyone help him, why didn't you help him before it was too late?"

There was a real stab in Janet's heart. Even her daughter could count one and one. Janet looked at her lovingly as she gave her the injection.

"We'll talk about that tomorrow's darling, now you'll sleep."

She whispered, brushing her hair from her forehead before giving her a soft kiss. Cassie's eyes slowly slid shut. Janet's soul hurt to see her child suffer so much and finally cried herself to sleep.


Sam was deep in thought. The image of Cassie's collapse would not leave her. She was so helpless when Cassandra had understood the full extent of Jack's fate. She felt useless, just sitting there and could do nothing. Cassie did not even want to let her mother take care of her, she had stood there screaming desperately that it could not be true.
Sam felt completely out of place at some point, leaving the two alone. She had to get out, get away from it all, at least for a moment. She walked around the garden, no purpose in mind. Hoping the fresh air would do her some good, she took a few deep breaths. Finally, she sat down in the damp grass, unaware of how long but just trying to calm herself. It was gorgeously quiet out here. Sam knew she could not go to Jack like this. She was hoping that he slept deeply and firmly, not aware of the outburst that had taken place in the house.
Samantha remembered that Janet had assumed that Jack would not wake up until tomorrow morning. She wondered what he was going to say when he heard that she had broken her word and told Janet everything he had entrusted to her. She had to admit that she was already afraid of his reaction. But she knew deep inside, it was right. A while later, she felt much better and decided to try to get some sleep at last.

The house had become strangely quiet now, and the young woman wondered what Cassandra and Janet had done. She slipped quietly to her bed. He seemed to sleep deeply, snored softly to himself. She wanted to cuddle very close to the man, as she longed so much for his closeness. But she was too much afraid to wake him and rob him of much needed sleep. Finally, not to disturb him by any means, she lay on the edge of the mattress on her side and tried to fall asleep. Restlessly, she rolled back and forth, drifting nevertheless into a restless sleep.


Jack's eyes shone in the dark when he awoke. At first, he was initially disorientated, taken a moment to realize where he was. The moon shone through the small window directly on the bed. A low moan escaped him, caused by piercing pain in his hand. Only then did he notice what had aroused him. Sam.
She lay beside him, tossing to and fro, and groaned softly in her sleep. Jack moved closer to her and woke her as gently he could. Sam was really frightened, shrugged. Jack pressed her tense body to his and held her lovingly in his arm. He ignored his painful hand.

"A bad dream?"

He whispered softly, his voice sounded sleepy. His lips were close to her ear. She could feel his breath clearly. Sam whimpered, her heart pounding hard in her chest. It took a few seconds to get back to reality.

"Sorry, I did not want to wake you up." She whispered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked cautiously.

She snuggled tightly against him and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

"I am fine." She whispered.

He could see her face clearly enough in the moonlight, to recognize, she lied to him.

"You're a bad liar." He said firmly and kissed her on the nasal tip.

"That coming from you!" She countered. "Would you like to talk? Janet told you what she found out?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" He murmured.

His voice sounded repulsive and cold. Sam knew him well enough to know that with that reaction, you should leave it at that. Jack moaned briefly, his injured hand again sending unpleasant cramps. He tried to get relief by waving his hand. He laid the injured hand over his tired eyes. A hearty yawn escaped. Sam looked at him worried.

"You should try to sleep again." She said in a loving tone and laid her head lightly on his chest.

His heartbeat seemed so soothing to her, she could listen to it for all eternity. Gently and with much dedication she stroked his breast hair. He enjoyed their touches, yawned again and again, and was gradually drifting to sleep. It was not long before Sam heard his soft snore. She was glad he could go back to sleep.

The officer was awakened again as a dawn approached. An unpleasant feeling in his stomach gave him no more rest. He already knew this and rose from the bed. In recent weeks, he had been aroused by this slight nausea. He hated it, could hardly bear the constant vomiting. He was on his way to the bathroom to get relief when he suddenly had double images in front of him and lost all orientation for a moment. Violent dizziness came over him.
Just in time, he found hold on the door frame, clinging to the wood and instinctively pinching his eyes tightly shut. Because he gripped the door frame so tightly with both hands, the injuries of his right hand burned like fire. He waited a moment before he attempted to open his eyes and the nausea intensified as he did so. His vision was still blurry, barely allowing him to see. He leaned his forehead against the frame of the door, closed his eyes, and again waited. He had to fight strongly against the emerging nausea, tried to breathe slowly and deeply. So, he stood for a few minutes until he felt better.
Slowly, he opened his eyes again, happily finding that his vision was restored. Just in time he reached the bathroom. When he came back, Sam lay on the side and looked at him almost compassionately. His trip to the bathroom had not escaped the young woman.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked worried.

"Get used to it, morning sickness ... as if I were pregnant." He joked, crawling cautiously back to bed.

She noticed he was eerily pale as he closed his eyes and moaned briefly. Sam leaned over him, gently stroking his cheek. He moaned again.

"Should not I get Janet?"

"No, it's all over again."

Why couldn't she just believe him? Jack's eyes were tightly closed as he thought this, deep wrinkles on his forehead.

"Can I help you?"

Nobody can help me he thought. All he wanted was just a moment for himself alone, he simply did not feel like talking. But he loved this woman so much, and did not want to upset her. Finally, Jack opened his dark eyes and tried to smile.

"Water, would be really great." He whispered.

She stroked him lovingly over his cheek. His skin was clammy and cold. He brought forth another moan, could not stand the touch at the moment. Even her soft hand felt like a hundred-pound weight on his exhausted body.

"Okay, I'll be right back." She whispered and gently kissed his forehead.

He took a deep breath, turned to the side and tried to find a suitable position to help ease his pain and help him relax.


Meanwhile, Samantha was working quietly in the kitchen so she would not wake anyone. But when she was about to put the tea kettle on, her friend suddenly stood in the doorway. Janet rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"I'd rather have a coffee." She said, looking at the clock.

"Janet" Sam noticed surprised. "I've woken you up, I'm really sorry, I just wanted to put on tea, and Jack is sick again."

"How bad is it Sam?" She asked immediately.

"I do not know, not as bad as last night, by no means. You know him, he prefers suffering quietly to himself." Janet could feel Sam's anxiety.

She stroked her tousled hair, tightened the belt of her bathrobe, and rummaged in one of the cabinets. Finally, she took out a pack of dry cookies and threw them at Sam. She was completely surprised and could just catch the parcel.

"Brain food." She grinned and sat down at the table.

"Good idea." Sam replied, and she opened the pack.

Both sat together for a moment and enjoyed the chocolate biscuits until Sam broke through the silence.

"How is Cassie?" The blonde suddenly asked.

"Not so good." Janet whispered.

Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought of the past evening and what Cassie had been like.

"I had to give her something to calm her down, so she could sleep, I honestly do not know what to do. In her present condition, I cannot send her to school and I do not want to leave her alone. But I promised Jack I would be there to help him talk to Daniel and Teal'c. Then the Colonel and I have an appointment at the hospital."

"I can stay with Cassie, since I already know the situation with Jack and Cassie, and if you tell the General about what happened yesterday, he'll understand why I am not there."

Janet nodded gratefully, wiped the tears from her eyes and rose from the chair.

"Then I shall see to our patient."

When the two women entered the small room, the officer moaned to himself. Janet approached her patient carefully and put her bag next to him on the bed.

"Colonel?" She said softly to him.

He grumbled incomprehensibly to himself. Why did not they just leave him alone? He was not looking for company, why did not anyone understand? He turned heavily on his back, opened his eyes a little and muttered:

"What?" He asked, not really caring how sharp his tone was.

The doctor did not let herself be bothered by his sharp manner, and opened her doctor's satchel.

"I want to check your vital signs, Sir."

He moaned loudly, letting the doctor know he was not at all in agreement with her doing this. The thought of the tight pressure of the cuff was enough to make him want to jerk away from her. Janet, on the other hand, would not allow him to belittle her. She took his wrist, and began without hesitation with her work. As she took his blood pressure, she realized immediately, he had to fight against a wave of nausea. Cold sweat stood on his forehead. His blood pressure and pulse were not worrying, at least that was good news, he thought to himself.

"Jack, I can prescribe something to help fight the nausea. You do not have to suffer."

With these words, she took no package from her pocket. The man opened his eyes and noticed the package she held. What would he give to get rid of this stupid nausea once and for all? he thought to himself.

"The medicine will help with the nausea and vomiting, it will not stop it completely. It cannot fight the cause, but gives you relief. You can always take it as soon as you notice the nausea. There is, however, a trifle problem ... "

He looked at her questioningly. She held the drug in his view.

"A suppository! No, never, are there no drops?" His face spoke volumes.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, there is not. If you take the medication orally and vomit, it would not have time to work in your system. This is the best effect, believe me." She said gravely, waving the pack.

"I'd rather suffer." He grumbled, and at once regretted having said this when a new wave of nausea came upon him.

"Jack don't be silly!" Sam scolded when she saw him turning paler.

The man considered briefly, sat up carefully and then practically ripped the medicine from the doctor's hand. Falteringly, he went into the bathroom.

"Ah, um ... ..and Colonel, if you have any problems with the application, I'll be happy to help you." Janet shouted after him, while she slipped her rubber gloves deliberately.

His gaze was invaluable.