Title: Never
Category: Stargate: SG-1
Genre: Romance/Angst
Censor: PG-13 for language
Summary: On a mission gone wrong, Jack doesn't make it back to the SGC, what's Carter to do? S/J (I swear it's not Edora)
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate yadda yadda yadda
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Carter stumbled through the 'Gate, supported on either side by Teal'c and Daniel, barely registering Teal'c roaring 'Close the Iris!' She hardly even noticed when she was lain on a stretcher. One thought was circling though her mind, Jack. Where was Jack?
"Jack?" she asked, though it sounded more like a moan to her.
She saw a woman who she thought was Dr. Fraiser exchange a look with the bald man beside her, General Hammond, her confused mind told her. "You need to rest Sam, Teal'c says you took a nasty blow to the head."
"Wh're's Jack?" she slurred, embarrassed by her inability to speak clearly, but needing to ask the question anyway.
Dr. Fraiser looked again at General Hammond, that blow must have really knocked Sam's brains aroung for her to be calling Colonel O'Neill 'Jack' aloud. Her own thoughts nearly made Janet laugh, she knew of Sam's love for Colonel Jack O'Neill, you would have to be blind not to. But oh how they denied it. Sam was either very worried about the Colonel, or her brains were rather addled. "He'd fine Sam," Janet said, lying and hating herself for it even as she said it. She needed Sam to calm down so she could look after her properly.
Carter collapsed back onto the stretcher, limp. She'd been so worried Jack wasn't going to make it...
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Carter came to again to find herself staring at the ceiling of the infirmary of the SGC. "Janet!" Daniel called, before leaning into her field of vision, "How're you doing?" he asked.
Carter merely grunted in response, looking around her little partition of space. There was Teal'c in the corner, looking over what was the equivalent to his smile. Daniel sat beside her, there was Janet pushing aside the curtain and entering.
Carter opened her mouth to speak, and found that only a squeak came out. Swallowing, she managed to rasp out, "Where's Jack?" Daniel looked uncomfortable, dropping his gaze to his lap, before looking up at Janet, who was staring down at her clipboard as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. Teal'c's smile had disappeared and he looked almost distressed. Carter realized in a flash of insight what was going on, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, searching for something, anything to grasp onto that wasn't Jack… "You lied to me," she croaked out.
All three of her guests looked at her, surprised. "You said he made it," she said, looking straight into Janet's eyes.
The doctor held her eyes for a moment, then looked away, and Carter realized that her face was tearstained, "I needed you to stop moving. I'm so sorry Sam; I never wanted to lie to you. You were just so worried…"
Carter frowned, "But you lied." Carter frowned, turning away from the woman who was supposed to be her best friend, to face the wall. The truth was so important to Carter, one of the most important things in her life. She hated being lied to.
"I'm sorry," whispered Janet, and Carter could hear the quiver in her voice that said she was about to cry. She listened as Daniel's chair scraped back and the archeologist took the doctor out of the room.
She listened to Teal'c breathe for a few moments before she said, "Aren't you going to berate me, for yelling at Janet?"
She heard the rustle of clothes and suddenly Teal'c's face was in her field of view again, "No, Major Carter, I believe you were completely within your rightst to be upset with Doctor Fraiser. I know how much you dislike being lied to." Carter grunted. "Though, I do have to ask you; Would you have allowed Doctor Fraiser to bring you back to the infirmary if you knew that O'Neill had not made it back?"
Carter looked at Teal'c, "No…" she said slowly.
"Doctor Fraiser only had your best interests in mind," Teal'c said.
Sam sighed, "I know… It's just… I need someone to be mad at, and it's easier to be mad at Janet then try to figure out who's fault it is that Jack's not here."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, "It is no one's fault that O'Neill is not here."
Sam sighed again and closed her eyes, "Teal'c…"
Teal'c was about to respond when a nurse told him that it was time he left because Carter needed her rest.
Carter lay awake for a long time.
She never cried a tear.
TBC
A/N: Read & Review. I don't have a beta, so forgive the bad grammer/spelling etc. (If anyone wants to volunteer for the position, I won't object). Also, feel free to add me to MSN kendarath_darkwind@hotmail.com, just make sure you let me know in a review/e-mail that you're from ff.net! ^_^ 'Till next chapter!