The counselors were the only ones left in the camp, now, and they weren't
going to be there long. Gary had merely asked them to stay to fill out
evaluation forms of how they thought the camp experience had been, both for
them, and for their campers. Jack gave the entire camp high marks, and he
knew that the others were doing the same. Really, with the exception of
their injuries, the week had gone smoothly. They turned in their forms, and
the counselors that were from the other cabins said their own good-byes and
headed for their cabins to get their bags.
Sam walked up with Jean and Sally, and the six of them stood on the porch and talked while Jean waited for her ride to come get her. The UK men had offered to take her home, but she'd already made arrangements for her roommate to come get her, so she'd declined. The conversation was bright and cheerful, but Jack really didn't feel like joining in, so he mainly just listened. Sally and Jean just assumed he was sore and didn't feel like talking, and although the others knew better, they didn't say anything. They just gave him the time he needed to get over the loss of his boys. As long as he didn't start brooding, he could have all the time he needed.
Jean's ride showed up, and she gave Daniel and Teal'c hugs, then Sam and Sally, and finally she came to Jack. Mindful of his injuries, her touch was gentle, and as she put her arms around him, she leaned forward and for a moment Jack thought she was going to kiss him. She didn't, though. She just whispered something in his ear, and for the first time that afternoon, Jack smiled. Much to everyone's surprise.
"See you guys next year."
The car vanished around the bend, and the rest of them looked at each other.
"Well?" Jack said. "I guess we'd better get out stuff, huh? Teal'c? You mind helping me and Daniel load our bags into the truck?"
"Actually, Jack..." Daniel said, a little tensely, "Sally's offered to take me home. That way I don't have to get stuffed into the back of your cab."
"Oh." Jack wondered why Daniel looked so nervous about that, and realized he expected Jack to make some smart-assed comment about that. Which was an honest concern. Except that Jack would then be opened for a comment about Sam. "That's a great idea." He smiled at Sally, and she gave O'Neill a hug.
"It was wonderful to meet you, Jack. I hope we see each other soon."
"You, too, Sally. I'm sure we'll see more of you. I hope so, anyways."
Sally hugged Teal'c as well, then smiled and told Daniel she'd go get his bags.
"I will help you," Teal'c said, walking up the hill with her.
"So."
"Yup."
"See you tomorrow morning at briefing?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Okay."
"Okay."
Sam grinned as she watched the two, wondering how the two had ever communicated enough to become friends.
"Drive safe."
"You, too... ride safe, I mean."
"I will."
"Yup..."
"Yeah."
Sam shook her head, and was glad to see Teal'c and Sally coming back down the hill loaded with everyone's bags, including Daniel's and Jack's. These were separated; Daniel's were stuffed into Sally's trunk, and Teal'c and Jack's went into the back of his truck to join Sam's.
Sam gave Sally a quick hug, then she crawled in behind Jack's seat, and Teal'c got into the passenger seat. Jack was the last one in, and as he closed the door, he glanced at the rear view mirror, and saw a leather bracelet hanging from it. One that perfectly matched the leather necklace that held his arrowhead. Smiling broadly, Jack turned the key in the ignition and headed his truck for home.
Sam walked up with Jean and Sally, and the six of them stood on the porch and talked while Jean waited for her ride to come get her. The UK men had offered to take her home, but she'd already made arrangements for her roommate to come get her, so she'd declined. The conversation was bright and cheerful, but Jack really didn't feel like joining in, so he mainly just listened. Sally and Jean just assumed he was sore and didn't feel like talking, and although the others knew better, they didn't say anything. They just gave him the time he needed to get over the loss of his boys. As long as he didn't start brooding, he could have all the time he needed.
Jean's ride showed up, and she gave Daniel and Teal'c hugs, then Sam and Sally, and finally she came to Jack. Mindful of his injuries, her touch was gentle, and as she put her arms around him, she leaned forward and for a moment Jack thought she was going to kiss him. She didn't, though. She just whispered something in his ear, and for the first time that afternoon, Jack smiled. Much to everyone's surprise.
"See you guys next year."
The car vanished around the bend, and the rest of them looked at each other.
"Well?" Jack said. "I guess we'd better get out stuff, huh? Teal'c? You mind helping me and Daniel load our bags into the truck?"
"Actually, Jack..." Daniel said, a little tensely, "Sally's offered to take me home. That way I don't have to get stuffed into the back of your cab."
"Oh." Jack wondered why Daniel looked so nervous about that, and realized he expected Jack to make some smart-assed comment about that. Which was an honest concern. Except that Jack would then be opened for a comment about Sam. "That's a great idea." He smiled at Sally, and she gave O'Neill a hug.
"It was wonderful to meet you, Jack. I hope we see each other soon."
"You, too, Sally. I'm sure we'll see more of you. I hope so, anyways."
Sally hugged Teal'c as well, then smiled and told Daniel she'd go get his bags.
"I will help you," Teal'c said, walking up the hill with her.
"So."
"Yup."
"See you tomorrow morning at briefing?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Okay."
"Okay."
Sam grinned as she watched the two, wondering how the two had ever communicated enough to become friends.
"Drive safe."
"You, too... ride safe, I mean."
"I will."
"Yup..."
"Yeah."
Sam shook her head, and was glad to see Teal'c and Sally coming back down the hill loaded with everyone's bags, including Daniel's and Jack's. These were separated; Daniel's were stuffed into Sally's trunk, and Teal'c and Jack's went into the back of his truck to join Sam's.
Sam gave Sally a quick hug, then she crawled in behind Jack's seat, and Teal'c got into the passenger seat. Jack was the last one in, and as he closed the door, he glanced at the rear view mirror, and saw a leather bracelet hanging from it. One that perfectly matched the leather necklace that held his arrowhead. Smiling broadly, Jack turned the key in the ignition and headed his truck for home.