"Sir, I really don't need you to stay." Sam Carter said from her spot on the couch.
"Yes you do, Carter." He stood up, walked to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water and two pills. He handed them to her and watched as she took the medication. "It was the only way the doc would let you come home, remember?"
"I know, but we don't have to tell her."
O'Neill smiled and shook his head.
"First Daniel, now you. I don't need a babysitter."
"Daniel told me you were a difficult patient."
"Did he?"
"Actually he told me you were a pain in the ass and that he was glad he had to get on a plane to Egypt."
"Really?" She asked with an annoyed look on her face.
O'Neill just shrugged and smiled.
"It's just a shoulder. I can take care of myself."
"Carter, you have staff burns and reconstructed shoulder. You should still be in a hospital bed." He looked at her bandaged shoulder and the harness immobilizing her arm. "I'm going to follow Dr Lee's instructions." The conviction in his voice was unmistakable. When he looked into her eyes, she was startled by the emotion she saw there.
She smiled. "Thanks for looking out for me. Even if it is unnecessary."
As the days passed, Carter stopped resisting O'Neill's help. In fact they settled into a strange domestic existence which was very comfortable. He knew how she took her coffee and her favorite snacks. They started enjoying the same shows on television. O'Neill had an uncanny knack for knowing when she had overdone it and needed to rest, even when she denied it.
"Come on, Carter." He said as he arose off the couch. "You need to go to bed." He held his hand out to her. She hesitantly reached for it and allowed him to help her to her feet.
"I'm fine, Sir."
"You're pale, like you get when you're pretending you're not hurting."
She smiled weakly and allowed him to steer her to the bedroom. She sat on the bed and he knelt down to remove her slippers.
"You lie down and I am going to get the ice pack." He said in a soft voice. "Do you need help?" He smiled up at her.
"I can handle getting changed." She laughed. "Can you just loosen the sling for me?"
"You bet." He replied, gently wrapping his arms around her to unfasten the Velcro holding her arm in place.
She couldn't be positive, but she could have sworn he had paused to smell her hair. "Thanks." She said very softly.
"Your wish is my command." His eyes held hers for just a split second longer than he would normally allow. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"I mean it, Sir. Thanks."
Sam managed to clumsily change into sleep pants and a t-shirt and got under the covers of her bed. She heard Jack O'Neill moving around in her kitchen. She smiled at the thought of him brewing her some herbal tea to help her sleep. She had never asked even once, but every night as she settled in before he headed home, he had brought her the tea along with her medication and often an ice pack. It had quickly become her favorite part of the day. She heard a soft knock on the door.
"Come in, Sir."
He handed her the pain medication and antibiotics and a glass of water. He watched her swallow the medications and he set her tea on the nightstand.
"Colonel, I know tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'll be fine if there is somewhere you need to be." Sam volunteered.
"SG-1 is inactive until my members are healed or back in the country and… there is nobody else in the world I would rather be with." It was such a simple statement, but containing so much meaning. "I can honestly say that there is nowhere else in the universe I would rather be." They were silent for a moment. "Now lie back and let me get this ice where it can do you some good."
She rested her head against the pillow, wincing as he placed the pack over the bandage.
"I'm sorry." He walked to the bathroom and brought a small towel back to the bed. "This should help." He lifted the ice and spread the towel gently over the surface of the bandage, then placing the ice back where it belonged. "Better?" He asked as he leaned over to pull the covers over top of the ice.
Impulsively, Carter reached her good hand up, placing her palm against the back of his neck and she pressed her lips to his. She expected him to pull back in surprise, but instead he kissed her back, clasping his hands in her hair.
"Stay here with me." She whispered against his mouth.
"I shouldn't." His tongue brushed hers as he claimed her mouth again.
"I know." Her teeth grazing his bottom lip. "Does that mean you won't."
He looked into her eyes and kissed her forehead. He shook his head and kissed her softly. He climbed onto the bed and spooned up next to her, his lips brushing her ear. "All you ever had to do was ask."
"As simple as that?" She asked as she soaked in the warmth radiating from him.
"As simple as that." He kissed the top of her head. "Why don't you get some rest?"
She met his eyes. "Because I am a little worried that if I go to sleep, you'll be gone when I wake up." She smiled. "It wouldn't be the first time."
"I know I'm old and I have my moments, but I'm pretty sure I would have remembered sleeping next to you." He gently stroked her cheek.
She laughed. "There have been… dreams."
"Really?"
She nodded.
"Girls do that?"
She smiled and nestled herself closer to him.