"Guys! You're going to be late!" He yelled up the stairs at the boys as he cleaned up the breakfast dishes. His cell phone rang. He looked over and saw who it was. "Shit." He hit answer. "O'Neill." He barked.
"Jack? Jack, you need to get to base, Sam's been hurt."
"What happened Danny?"
"She's ok, Jack, but someone needs to be here and we have to go back to get Vala."
"Dammit. Where's Vala?"
"They took her, Jack. Sam got hurt trying to get her out. We got to Sam but…"
"Ok ok, I've got to get the kids to school but I'll be there soon."
"Thanks Jack. If we aren't here when you make it to base it's because we're, well, you know."
"Just, get Vala, Danny. Good luck."
"Thanks Jack." The phone went dead.
"Kids! Change of plans. Get down here now. I'm driving you to school." Jack shoved his wallet and phone in his pocket and was shoving on his shoes when the boys skidded down the stairs, the dog hot on their heels. "Go get in the car. I'll drop you off. Go to the office at the end of the day. If I don't pick you up, an airman will." He told the boys.
"Jack, what happened?"
"Don't know yet. I'll get you an update if I can. Your mom is ok, she got hurt but she's ok." He herded them into the SUV and took them to school.
He dropped by the office after he let them out at the door. "Jake, you usually come on the bus. I can't stay for outdoor lineup so I'll let the office know I drove you. Be good and get to class, buddy." He told the five year old.
"Ok Uncle Jack." He told him and gave him a sloppy kiss before going into school.
Georgie looked up at Jack. "Were you telling me the truth?"
Jack crouched down and put a hand on his cheek. "I won't say I'm not worried. I don't know how hurt she is. You guys will probably spend the night at the NORAD care facility if Aunt Carol doesn't release her from the infirmary so I can stay over night with your mom but I promise I will tell you if she's not going to be ok."
"Jack." The boy's eyes were worried. "I don't want to go back to Pete."
Jack glanced around quickly and seeing no one was in ear shot leaned in. "I will never let that happen son." He said fiercely.
Georgie hugged him tightly then left for class.
Jack strolled into the office and smiled at the receptionist. "Hi, I just wanted to let you guys know the Shanahan boys have been told to come here instead of going to their bus at the end of the day. I'm not sure if it's going to be me or an airman that picks them up.; Their mom was hurt at work this morning and I just got the call."
Something about his tone or expression must have given the impression he was, because the older blond woman behind the desk smiled at him kindly. "You their step-dad?"
"Um, no, not… no." He sighed. "I'm an old friend of their mom's."
"Huh, figured when she took her husband off and added you, she got remarried. Either way, she's sure happier without that cop."
Jack grinned a little. "We can all get behind that sentiment. I'll keep you in the loop if they stay on base after tonight. I'm not sure how badly she's hurt and one of her team members might be too so I might be there a while. I'll try to send one of the guys the kids know on sight if I can't get away."
"No problem, General." She told him with a smile.
Jack chuckled. "Jack is fine, Mrs. West." He said reading her tag.
"Say, didn't your niece Cassie go here?" She asked him.
Jack beamed. "Yes she did."
"How is she? Such a lovely girl. How's her mom?"
"We lost her mom in the line of duty. Sam and I have been her guardians since but she's grown up now."
"Oh poor thing. Tell her I said hi and that I was sorry to hear about her mom. Janet was delightful."
Jack nodded. "I will." He said and hurried out.
Jack got to base and didn't bother to change before heading for the infirmary. One of the nurses waved him to the room they had put Sam in after they patched her up. Jack strolled in casually. "Carter, I'm not going to let you play with your friends if you don't play nice." He told her affably when she blinked at him.
"Yer outta uniform, sur." She slurred but smiled a little.
"Ah, they gave you the good stuff I see." He said with a tight grin.
"We had to sedate her actually. She thought she was going back through the Gate in her condition to rescue Vala" Carolyn told him as she walked in.
Jack nodded. Unsurprised. "How bad?"
"Lacerations, a concussion, two broken fingers and a dislocated shoulder."
"Good job Carter. Your medical record is going to look like mine soon." He said but squeezed her wrist gently.
"Wherza kids?" she asked absently.
"School. Which reminds me…" He dug through his contact list and dialed the number he wanted. "Yah unconfirmed but the Shanahan boys might be joining after school." He nodded absently at whatever the other person said. "Yes, charge it to my hours not Carter's." He agreed. "Thanks."
"Sir… stop it." Sam told him, waving her hand.
"Carter, they wouldn't have to go to NDC if I wasn't here to make sure you stay put. Now if Dr. Lam lets you out then it's a non-issue but I doubt you're going to leave until SG-1 comes back anyway so we'll all just wait together, hm?"
"If she gives you trouble sir I can knock her the rest of the way out." Carolyn told him.
"She's pretty close already. Can you ask one of the airmen to bring my laptop from my office? She'll sleep if someone stays with her."
Carolyn smiled. 'She'll sleep if you're with her,' she thought fondly of the general.
"Qui.. talking bout me.. mm rihh heer…" Sam mumbled.
Carolyn and Jack exchanged an amused look. "Get some rest Sam." Carolyn told her and gave Jack a short nod.
Five hours later, SG-1 stumbled back into the Gate room, Vala was limping but under her own power. Cam seemed to be nursing an arm injury. Jack watched them in mild interest, noted Daniel hovering and chuckled as he was guilty of doing the same thing. Love makes you pretty stupid, he decided. Teal'c who was typically uninjured made his way over to Jack and Sam who was out cold either asleep or riding the gentle swells of drug induced sedation.
"Colonel Carter refused to remain behind in spite of her injuries." He told Jack.
"Yah, Carolyn told me. I should go let the kids know she's all right."
"I will remain here." Teal'c agreed. The team rule since Jolinar, was Sam didn't wake up alone and had been after the panicked reaction Sam had to waking up that way.
Jack nodded his thanks and left to go talk to the boys and let them know that their mom really was ok.
They were watching TV with one of the staff members when Jack walked in. Both pairs of eyes lit up at the sight of him. "Hey guys. Before you ask Georgie, your mom is fine, she got a little banged up and she's asleep right now. If she's up and around before bedtime I'll take you home, if not just go ahead and go to bed here and I'll make sure you get to school in the morning, all right?"
"I don't want to sleep here, Uncle Jack." Jake complained.
"I know buddy but there's no one at home right now and…" Jack didn't know how to explain he couldn't leave Sam here without explaining the complexities of adult relationships to a five year old.
"It's like when mom was sick and you stayed at the house and slept on the couch." He asked.
"That's right." Jack told him.
"Ok." Jake said with a shrug.
Georgie rolled his eyes. "I don't know why he asked. He already knew that."
Jack grinned. "Be good guys. Uncle T is with your mom but I should get back."
"Ok. Don't forget to eat Jack." Georgie told him.
Jack chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Now you sound like your granddad." He told him and left, waving at the boys who watched him go.
