1210 Thursday
Jack tucked his cell phone safely between his shoulder and his ear as he dug through his wallet for cash, then took the hot dog the vendor offered and slathered it with ketchup. "Look, I want her home, I do, but are we rushing this?" he asked, squirting on some mustard and topping that with sliced onions. "Three days ago, these people were staring down the reaper."
In Washington, in uniform, that kind of talk didn't even bat an eye. He nodded to the guy behind the cart and switched the phone back to his hand.
"They're doing really well, Jack," Daniel answered. "The first round of transfusions made a huge difference, and they'll get another tomorrow. Airman Stolz is all but fine. Doctor Lam's been using him to test some dialysis filters."
Jack took a bite of his lunch and said around it, "Isn't that for your kidneys?"
"No, it's blood. They're trying to filter out the organisms. Nobody really wants a dozen people roaming the galaxy with those hitching a ride, active or not."
"Good plan."
"She said that'll take awhile. But they're not going back into the field for a few weeks, anyway."
Right. "She'll love that."
The other man laughed. "She's dying to get out of here. But she's gonna need someone, Jack. She keeps saying she wants a shower to wash her hair, but she's not very steady on her feet."
"Do me a favor and don't try to help," he drawled. "I'll handle the naked stuff."
"Mental pictures, Jack, geez," Daniel complained.
The general grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow."
~/~
1845 Friday
Cold air rushed into Sam Carter's house with the last two guests to join the party. Cam ran into them first, on his way back from the kitchen, and offered up the beer he held as they hung up their coats. "General."
"Thanks, but... in a minute." Stepping deftly past the other two men, he headed for the living room – and his purpose. There she sat, leaning heavily against the arm of the couch, staring expectantly at the doorway. The smile that lit up her face surely echoed on his. "No, don't get up."
"I'm fine," she insisted, and for the first time in over a week, he believed her. The angry purples and blues had almost entirely faded to a dirty brown in the time he'd been away, now all but invisible in the dim light. Her face glowed again. And best of all, the hemorrhages in her eyes had healed, leaving behind the bright, lively blue he loved so very much.
His large hands tenderly framed her face. "You look so much better."
"It'll be a few weeks yet," she shrugged. She was still weak, exhausted, fragile as her red blood cells slowly repopulated.
"Yeah, I heard."
The blue eyes glinted at him. "Are you checking up on me?"
"You'd do the same."
She admitted the truth with a smile, and he took the opportunity to kiss her – long, but gentle and sweet. Only when he was thoroughly finished with her did he step back and acknowledge the others. "I'll take that beer now."
Daniel had already grabbed him another from the fridge, and handed it over before claiming his spot at one end of the couch. "Star Wars again, Teal'c?"
"Indeed. The newest episode has just been released for home viewing." Sam's television had gotten quite the upgrade when she'd started dating a hockey fan, so it took him a moment to find the right remote control and settle into his own chair. "Though I still do not understand the term prequel."
"That's because they made it up," Sam said. Her attempt at 'settling down' was more of a wilt. "There're leftovers in the kitchen, if you're hungry."
"I ate on the plane." Plopping down on the other end of the couch, he set the beer on the end table and held out his other arm for her. She took the invitation gladly and burrowed into his chest, her face in his neck. No one expected her to stay awake through the movie, anyway.
Jack waited a long time, until Cam had flipped off the lights and the previews were rolling, to whisper, "Sam?"
He'd leaned forward enough that their noses touched when she looked up. "Hmm?"
"I'm really happy with you, too."
Her grin went ear-to-ear in the darkness, visible only to him.
"No more death for awhile, huh?"
"I promise." She pressed her lips to his once, softly, then settled back into her lover's arms and let herself drift away.
