Enjoy!

M.

Thirty-four

He couldn't quite place why he woke up, but he did, with his eyes closed he rubbed his face and sighed. He turned around and patted the table to find his cellphone and with it the time. He groaned when the thing wouldn't turn on by sheer will closed one eye when it finally showed the glowing numbers.

03:15 AM

He glared at the numbers before it changed to show the passage of just another minute that he was supposed to be sleeping on. And then as if all those nights alone were clouding his mind and the few he had shared had managed to shine through the fog currently taking over his brain, he remembered she was there with him. With a smile threatening to escape him, he turned around to snuggle against the warm body of his wife to find it gone.

He sat quickly and listened to the sounds of almost empty house. Nothing. He frowned and mussed his hair with tired hands.

"Sam?" he called over with a whisper and waited. No answer. "It's 3:20 AM, Jack. She's probably peeing with all that tea and water she takes now," he muttered to himself as he cracked while standing. He walked towards the dressing room and washroom but lights were off, and nothing was pointing to someone being there. "Sam?" he tried again with no luck.

He opened the washroom door, and it was in fact completely empty, he frowned and sighed taking time to wash his face to try and get rid of some of the tiredness he was feeling

"Naysa," he left out and walked towards their girl room. He opened the door slowly only to find his daughter in exactly the same position he had placed her hours ago. "At least one of us can sleep through the night," he smiled.

It wasn't Sam's fault that he was awake, nor he expects his wife to be able to sleep through all the nights. She never did before, nor did he. And Naysa had managed to survive with Sam coming and going out of consciousness on a tel'tak, sleeping with a full stomach and a comfortable bed didn't sound like something impossible if you were her.

He wasted a few moments there, just watching her sleep and waiting to see if Sam was hiding somewhere in there, but nothing happened again. So, he closed the door and walked to what they deemed as Sam's office but a place she had never had a chance to finish.

Jack expected to find her there, scanning through piles of paper or playing around with computers. Yet she wasn't. He sighed. The last room up there was empty, since they never decided what to do with it and was currently a storage of sorts for all the things they never got enough time to sort out.

He groaned, and his knees complained as he walked downstairs. First, to the kitchen, that was empty and then room by room he discarded them as places where she would be. Until he reached his office, and saw the light under the washroom door on and then he listened. He closed his eyes wondering why she had come all the way to his office to be able to throw up.

"Sam?" he called. Yet the only answer he got was the sounds of retching. He opened the door slowly and found her doubled over the toilet. Her hair tied up in a messy ponytail and her face pale. Her expression had contorted into one of pain and disgust before she left the contents of her stomach to go.

He saw the jug with water and an empty glass seating beside her, and he figured she was down there for a long time. So, he grabbed a towel and moistened it, and he sat behind her surrounding her with his warmth until she collapsed back against him. Jack caressed her with the towel, and she sighed happily.

"What happened?" He asked as she closed her eyes. "Dumb question. Want me to bring you something?" She shook her head no.

"I just shouldn't have eaten that piece of cake."

"It was just a bite."

"And now, I'm paying the consequences," she sighed tiredly. "What are you doing here?"

"I woke up, and you weren't there, I've been searching you for a while," he explained, and she blushed.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he kissed her temple. "What are you doing down here anyways?"

"I didn't want to wake you, not like this," she added feeling embarrassed with her inability to keep food down. "What time is it?" she inquired trying to change subjects.

"It was around 3:20 when I started my quest. I'll say around 4. And you don't have to come all the way here, Sam. Who cares if I wake up because you feel bad. I mean, I should wake up. I'm your husband, and I'm here to take care of you when you are down. Remember? In sickness and health?" He smiled but somehow managed to make her feel even guiltier.

"I'm sorry, Jack!" she pouted.

"Oh, no. I, please don't cry. You never cry."

"You'll see, I'm not feeling quite myself," she added holding herself barely at bay.

"I know, Sam," he caressed her cheek. "Nor I expect you to do it. I mean, I don't feel quite myself, and I'm healthier than when you were here."

"Are you saying that you were unhealthy because of me?"

"No! I… should I keep my mouth shut?" He asked, and she shook her head no.

"Talk to me, Jack. It's the only way," another wave hit her, and he held her until she finished.

"We should get you to a Doctor, Sam." She shook her head trying to control her breathing. "They should put you an IV to keep you hydrated and give you something to settle your stomach."

"I have something for it; I just need to get rid of the food first," she grimaced. "It won't work if I end up here after taking it."

"More reason to get you to a Doc."

"There's no need. It's not the first time, and sadly, it won't be the last time. Not until I finally discover what makes me ill and what not. Chocolate cake is a no apparently."

"Are you sure it was the cake?" She nodded.

"There was nothing else I ate that I haven't had before. And yes, I was nervous through the day, and it might have added to it. I was silly to try it; it's not only chocolate, but it's also milk and flour… plenty of things I could be allergic to now."

"Then, it's a good thing our crowd devoured it. I won't buy it anymore, I promise."

"Oh, Jack! There's no need to go to such extremes. I'm the one who needs to figure it out; you shouldn't have to cut yourself out," she added.

"No, I don't. But I want to, you'll see, we are in this together Sam. And I want to be here for you, whatever happens. Now, if you feel a bit better, do you mind if we try to get to our bathroom. Maybe you even manage to get some sleep."

"I guess we can try; I don't think I have anything left."

"Okay, let's move then Colonel."

"As you order General."

He stood up, helping himself with the wall, and then he extended his hand to help her up. Sam took it, and he pulled her until she was tightly wrapped in his arms, her head comfortably sideways over his chest. She sighed happily.

"I missed this," she confessed. "I missed you and your heartbeat. And the way you make me feel secure even in the direst situations."

"I missed you, I missed us," he gave her a tight squeeze before letting her go. Then he let her go, and they started walking up. Once they arrived at their room, Sam strolled to the place in where she had put all the meds and antiallergics the Doctor had given her and took a pill. She then walked towards the washroom and brushed her teeth several times on an ill attempt of getting rid of the bitter flavor in her mouth. She inhaled deeply when she felt his eyes on her.

"I'm okay… well, for now."

"Then, come. Let's get back to bed. I'm pretty sure our daughter will be awake soon, and I'm not that young anymore to move around with so few shuteye hours."

"If I recall correctly, you were never a fan of not enough sleep hours."

"Well, let's say that time doesn't change some things." He said before settling on the bed. She accommodated on her side, and he soon spooned her and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Wake me, even if you only need to throw up. I'll rather be there to hold your hair than knowing that you went alone trough something I could have helped you."

"I will," she answered placing his hand next to her heart. "I love you," she whispered, and her breath evened out before he could answer her. It made sense, the tension of the day plus the emotions and then the food poisoning, she should be utterly tired. He observed the blackness of their room and listened to the sounds of their shared breath until his lids were too heavy to keep them open anymore.