Another short one, but I'll make it up to you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
This day was the easiest so far, as far as Sam was concerned. Not that it was easy on her; it wasn't. Jack was, under the best of situations, a difficult patient. And this wasn't the best of situations. He was moody, and quiet, and he was distant. But he was also very careful to keep a rein on his sharp tongue when he was telling her what he did and didn't want to do. He also tried very hard to keep things between the two of them from escalating into any kind of battle of wills. Which was a relief for Carter, who didn't think she could handle another day of threatening and bullying.
After she'd finished her breakfast, she and Jack had stayed in her bed for a while longer; neither of them inclined to get up right away. He hadn't spoken to her, and it was obvious that his mind was a million miles away – maybe more – but she was also certain that he wanted to be with her. Maybe needed her company? She wasn't sure, and couldn't ask. He dozed off while they were lounging in bed, and Sam covered him with a blanket and left him to sleep while she showered then took care of the breakfast dishes.
Jack's sleep was restless. His mind, which was far more agile than he usually led on, was continually blasting scenarios at him. Different scenarios in which Daniel died over and over again, each more horrifically the one before, until it finally ended with the actual last day of Daniel's life. All his fault, his mind reminded him. He'd been responsible for his team, and he'd failed to bring them all home safe. And because of his failure, his friend was dead. His Daniel, who'd always been able to look at all sides of a situation. Not at all like Jack, who saw everything as a conceived threat until it proved to him that it wasn't. Daniel, who'd managed to figure out the Stargate in the first place. Daniel, who'd even managed to keep Jack from driving away Carter. Had even managed to do it while being dead.
He woke with a start, sitting up and looking around. Carter was gone, and he was alone. Instant panic seized him, Where was she? Had she left him for good? Had his stupid plan worked? He practically dove off the bed, tangled in the blanket that Carter had covered him in and fell heavily, only to pull himself back to his feet again.
"Carter?!" He freed himself from the blanket and ran out into the hall. And damn near crashed into her as she came rushing up to see what was wrong. She put a hand up to avoid an impact, but Jack didn't even notice. She was still here! Relief washed through him and he wrapped her in a hard embrace, burying his face in the junction between her neck and shoulder.
"You were gone," he murmured raggedly. "I... I was..." She wasn't sure what he said next, since the words were muffled by her skin, but Sam held him closely, unsure what had happened to cause such a reaction. He was so agitated!
"Easy, Jack," She told him, stroking his hair. "I'm here. I'm here." She brushed a kiss against his cheek, but he turned his head and captured her lips with his own. It was a bruising, desperate kiss, but it was also more than lust. There was a deep desire and yearning in it that literally took Sam's breath away.
Sam melted into the kiss, but a moment later, he broke the contact and the one kiss became a dozen tender kisses along her cheek and neck.
"I thought you'd left," He whispered finally, burying his face once more against her neck.
"I'm not going anywhere, Jack," Sam told him, wondering if he were afraid she was going to give up on him. She put a hand on either side of his face and gently forced him to look at her. Trying her best to keep the agonized look in his eyes from breaking her heart, Sam kissed him softly, once, and then gave him the brightest smile she could force. "We're going to get you through this, Jack. I promise you."
He nodded, even though he didn't think it was possible, and Sam took his hand and led him out to the living room. The two settled on the sofa, where Sam made sure he was covered up, and Jack wordlessly cuddled against her side, his head resting on her shoulder. Sam was torn between remembrances of the heated kiss, which caused her to flush, and the feeling that now she knew what a teddy bear or a security blanket felt like.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
This day was the easiest so far, as far as Sam was concerned. Not that it was easy on her; it wasn't. Jack was, under the best of situations, a difficult patient. And this wasn't the best of situations. He was moody, and quiet, and he was distant. But he was also very careful to keep a rein on his sharp tongue when he was telling her what he did and didn't want to do. He also tried very hard to keep things between the two of them from escalating into any kind of battle of wills. Which was a relief for Carter, who didn't think she could handle another day of threatening and bullying.
After she'd finished her breakfast, she and Jack had stayed in her bed for a while longer; neither of them inclined to get up right away. He hadn't spoken to her, and it was obvious that his mind was a million miles away – maybe more – but she was also certain that he wanted to be with her. Maybe needed her company? She wasn't sure, and couldn't ask. He dozed off while they were lounging in bed, and Sam covered him with a blanket and left him to sleep while she showered then took care of the breakfast dishes.
Jack's sleep was restless. His mind, which was far more agile than he usually led on, was continually blasting scenarios at him. Different scenarios in which Daniel died over and over again, each more horrifically the one before, until it finally ended with the actual last day of Daniel's life. All his fault, his mind reminded him. He'd been responsible for his team, and he'd failed to bring them all home safe. And because of his failure, his friend was dead. His Daniel, who'd always been able to look at all sides of a situation. Not at all like Jack, who saw everything as a conceived threat until it proved to him that it wasn't. Daniel, who'd managed to figure out the Stargate in the first place. Daniel, who'd even managed to keep Jack from driving away Carter. Had even managed to do it while being dead.
He woke with a start, sitting up and looking around. Carter was gone, and he was alone. Instant panic seized him, Where was she? Had she left him for good? Had his stupid plan worked? He practically dove off the bed, tangled in the blanket that Carter had covered him in and fell heavily, only to pull himself back to his feet again.
"Carter?!" He freed himself from the blanket and ran out into the hall. And damn near crashed into her as she came rushing up to see what was wrong. She put a hand up to avoid an impact, but Jack didn't even notice. She was still here! Relief washed through him and he wrapped her in a hard embrace, burying his face in the junction between her neck and shoulder.
"You were gone," he murmured raggedly. "I... I was..." She wasn't sure what he said next, since the words were muffled by her skin, but Sam held him closely, unsure what had happened to cause such a reaction. He was so agitated!
"Easy, Jack," She told him, stroking his hair. "I'm here. I'm here." She brushed a kiss against his cheek, but he turned his head and captured her lips with his own. It was a bruising, desperate kiss, but it was also more than lust. There was a deep desire and yearning in it that literally took Sam's breath away.
Sam melted into the kiss, but a moment later, he broke the contact and the one kiss became a dozen tender kisses along her cheek and neck.
"I thought you'd left," He whispered finally, burying his face once more against her neck.
"I'm not going anywhere, Jack," Sam told him, wondering if he were afraid she was going to give up on him. She put a hand on either side of his face and gently forced him to look at her. Trying her best to keep the agonized look in his eyes from breaking her heart, Sam kissed him softly, once, and then gave him the brightest smile she could force. "We're going to get you through this, Jack. I promise you."
He nodded, even though he didn't think it was possible, and Sam took his hand and led him out to the living room. The two settled on the sofa, where Sam made sure he was covered up, and Jack wordlessly cuddled against her side, his head resting on her shoulder. Sam was torn between remembrances of the heated kiss, which caused her to flush, and the feeling that now she knew what a teddy bear or a security blanket felt like.
