Van Diemen's Land: part octo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack stopped his pacing of Sam's front room to look at her. She was lying on the couch, and was in the
grips of the fever that Helena had warned them of. Sam shook uncontrollably, shaking and moaning
though still in a kind of coma. Jack was worried that she'd fall off the couch and hurt herself, but when
he tried to stop her from tossing and turning, it made no difference. It was as though she was delerious,
even though she was unconcious.
The fever came in fits. Sometimes she was peaceful, looking like she was asleep. Jack liked to sit and
watch her, she looked so relaxed, without the continual tense, alert look that graced her features
normally. She really did look beautiful. And then the fever took hold.
Sam began to moan, with no discernable sounds. Jack walked over to her and placed a hand on her
forehead. She was boiling hot, as if there was a fire raging beneath her skin. Her moaning became more
urgent, and Jack bent forward to hear what she said,
"Jack."
She was calling for him.
"Sam!" Jack said, kneeling by the couch, "Sam it's okay. Don't worry. I'm here." He tried to take her
hand, but she rolled away, as if in pain.
He looked at her with anguish because he couldn't help her. He felt so stupid, not knowing how to make
it better.
***
Over the next day, the fever got worse, so bad that Jack was afraid he'd have to hold Sam to stop her
from falling off the couch. She writhed beneath the thin sheet that covered her and the look on her face
was of such pain that Jack didn't think he could bare it. He spent his time reading to her, or half
watching T.V. while keeping an eye on her. Other times he just sat on the floor next to her in her
peaceful times and watched as she breathed. The only thing that could calm her when the fever took
hold was the song on the U2 C.D. that had been playing when they had almost kissed. It seemed that
when she listened to it, a calm fell over her face and she became quiet.
Jack started out of a fitful sleep as Sam began to mutter. He got up and went over to her, crouching
down by her head to check er temperature. No wonder she was shaking, she was freezing cold. Jack
understood now that the next stage of the fever had arrived, and that her shaking was shivering.
He took a blanket from her bed and wrapped it around her, hoping to make her warmer, but it made
no difference, and a blueish tinge began to creep onto her face. He didn't know how to make her any
warmer...did he?
He crouched beside her although his head was heavy from lack of sleep and looked at her face, damp
with cold sweat that the fever had brought. Carefully, he pulled back the blankets and crept under to lie
next to her without disturbing her. He pulled her closer to him and smiled slightly as she murmured and
tucked her head under his chin. He folded his arms round her and held her tight, trying to warm her
hands which were cold as ice.
They both fell into an easy sleep.
***
The next morning, light began to shine through the curtains, lighting up the couch where Jack lay on his
back with Sam curled along side him, her leg tucked over his and her hand resting on his chest.
Slowly, although Jack didn't know it because he was asleep, Sam began to wake up. She became
aware of a warm form next to her and wandered where she was. What the hell had happened to her?
Her head felt like someone had used it to smash several large plates.
Suddenly, Sam remembered what had happened. She had no idea how long she'd been unconcious.
She knew who it was lying next to her with his arms wrapped round her though. It's your C.O.! Her
head screamed, but she ignored it and snuggled closer to him. It was nice to know that he was asleep
and that he didn't know she knew that he was holding her.
Then Sam remembered why he was holding her. Fear gripped her. What if the treatment hadn't
worked? What if she was still blind and there was nothing else to try? She was scared that if she opened
her eyes, it'd all just be a dream and nothing would have changed, she'd still be stuck unseeing for the
rest of her life.
No, she told herself. If you don't try you'll never know.
Slowly, she began to open her eyes. Millimeter by millimeter she began to open them, heart in her
mouth as she inticipated what she would see. She gasped with shock and delight as colours swam
before her, forming themselves into shapes. She felt tears of joy spring to her eyes as Jack's face
appeared in front of her.
With a shock, she also noticed how they were lying, and quickly removed her hand and unfolded
herself from around him. Jack grunted and turned over so that his back was partly to her. She watched
with amusement as he opened his eyes, rubbed them, then turned round, expecting to see her asleep
against him. Instead, he saw her sitting up, grinning at him.
"Sam!" He exclaimed, "I mean, Carter!" He said, correcting himself, "But..."
"It worked!" She cried, bouncing up and down, "It worked! I can see!" She flung her arms round his
neck and he hugged her, amazed.
She drew away from him and looked into his eyes.
"Thank you for everything." She said.
"It was worth it." He replied, grinning wider than she was.
He took the incentive and leaned forward and kissed her. He felt her stiffen with shock, then relax and
return the kiss.
He pulled away and stood up, taking her hands and pulling her with him. He held her round her waist
and spun round. She laughed and wrapped her arms his kneck as he swung her round.
In that instant time seemed to stand still and Jack knew what he would do. He gently put Sam back
on the ground and smiled to himself inside. For once in his life, he was sure of something.
To be continued.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack stopped his pacing of Sam's front room to look at her. She was lying on the couch, and was in the
grips of the fever that Helena had warned them of. Sam shook uncontrollably, shaking and moaning
though still in a kind of coma. Jack was worried that she'd fall off the couch and hurt herself, but when
he tried to stop her from tossing and turning, it made no difference. It was as though she was delerious,
even though she was unconcious.
The fever came in fits. Sometimes she was peaceful, looking like she was asleep. Jack liked to sit and
watch her, she looked so relaxed, without the continual tense, alert look that graced her features
normally. She really did look beautiful. And then the fever took hold.
Sam began to moan, with no discernable sounds. Jack walked over to her and placed a hand on her
forehead. She was boiling hot, as if there was a fire raging beneath her skin. Her moaning became more
urgent, and Jack bent forward to hear what she said,
"Jack."
She was calling for him.
"Sam!" Jack said, kneeling by the couch, "Sam it's okay. Don't worry. I'm here." He tried to take her
hand, but she rolled away, as if in pain.
He looked at her with anguish because he couldn't help her. He felt so stupid, not knowing how to make
it better.
***
Over the next day, the fever got worse, so bad that Jack was afraid he'd have to hold Sam to stop her
from falling off the couch. She writhed beneath the thin sheet that covered her and the look on her face
was of such pain that Jack didn't think he could bare it. He spent his time reading to her, or half
watching T.V. while keeping an eye on her. Other times he just sat on the floor next to her in her
peaceful times and watched as she breathed. The only thing that could calm her when the fever took
hold was the song on the U2 C.D. that had been playing when they had almost kissed. It seemed that
when she listened to it, a calm fell over her face and she became quiet.
Jack started out of a fitful sleep as Sam began to mutter. He got up and went over to her, crouching
down by her head to check er temperature. No wonder she was shaking, she was freezing cold. Jack
understood now that the next stage of the fever had arrived, and that her shaking was shivering.
He took a blanket from her bed and wrapped it around her, hoping to make her warmer, but it made
no difference, and a blueish tinge began to creep onto her face. He didn't know how to make her any
warmer...did he?
He crouched beside her although his head was heavy from lack of sleep and looked at her face, damp
with cold sweat that the fever had brought. Carefully, he pulled back the blankets and crept under to lie
next to her without disturbing her. He pulled her closer to him and smiled slightly as she murmured and
tucked her head under his chin. He folded his arms round her and held her tight, trying to warm her
hands which were cold as ice.
They both fell into an easy sleep.
***
The next morning, light began to shine through the curtains, lighting up the couch where Jack lay on his
back with Sam curled along side him, her leg tucked over his and her hand resting on his chest.
Slowly, although Jack didn't know it because he was asleep, Sam began to wake up. She became
aware of a warm form next to her and wandered where she was. What the hell had happened to her?
Her head felt like someone had used it to smash several large plates.
Suddenly, Sam remembered what had happened. She had no idea how long she'd been unconcious.
She knew who it was lying next to her with his arms wrapped round her though. It's your C.O.! Her
head screamed, but she ignored it and snuggled closer to him. It was nice to know that he was asleep
and that he didn't know she knew that he was holding her.
Then Sam remembered why he was holding her. Fear gripped her. What if the treatment hadn't
worked? What if she was still blind and there was nothing else to try? She was scared that if she opened
her eyes, it'd all just be a dream and nothing would have changed, she'd still be stuck unseeing for the
rest of her life.
No, she told herself. If you don't try you'll never know.
Slowly, she began to open her eyes. Millimeter by millimeter she began to open them, heart in her
mouth as she inticipated what she would see. She gasped with shock and delight as colours swam
before her, forming themselves into shapes. She felt tears of joy spring to her eyes as Jack's face
appeared in front of her.
With a shock, she also noticed how they were lying, and quickly removed her hand and unfolded
herself from around him. Jack grunted and turned over so that his back was partly to her. She watched
with amusement as he opened his eyes, rubbed them, then turned round, expecting to see her asleep
against him. Instead, he saw her sitting up, grinning at him.
"Sam!" He exclaimed, "I mean, Carter!" He said, correcting himself, "But..."
"It worked!" She cried, bouncing up and down, "It worked! I can see!" She flung her arms round his
neck and he hugged her, amazed.
She drew away from him and looked into his eyes.
"Thank you for everything." She said.
"It was worth it." He replied, grinning wider than she was.
He took the incentive and leaned forward and kissed her. He felt her stiffen with shock, then relax and
return the kiss.
He pulled away and stood up, taking her hands and pulling her with him. He held her round her waist
and spun round. She laughed and wrapped her arms his kneck as he swung her round.
In that instant time seemed to stand still and Jack knew what he would do. He gently put Sam back
on the ground and smiled to himself inside. For once in his life, he was sure of something.
To be continued.....
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