Author's Note: I've never ended a story on a sad note, and never will... (Not
that I'm going to ruin the ending for you guys, but I like Jack and Sam too
much to make them forever unhappy)
~*~
Hammond was in his office, as Jack had known he'd be. He'd want to be by a phone and someplace that Frasier could find him. He was a good commander, who would sit close to a phone and wait to hear the condition of one of his own. Jack knocked on the door, and waited to be told to enter. Permission came immediately.
"Jack! What are you doing here?"
Hammond had assumed that O'Neill would be at the hospital all night. For that matter, he assumed O'Neill would be there more or less until Carter was released. But here he was, looking stressed and worn, and upset.
"Is Major Carter awake, yet?"
Jack nodded, "She was, Sir. For a little while."
"Did Doctor Frasier find out what was wrong?"
"Yes, Sir. That's why I'm here."
"I don't understand, Colonel. I could have waited for the Doctor's report."
"Yes, Sir, I know." O'Neill looked a little uncomfortable, but there was a resolute set to his jaw that belied that discomfort. "I told her I'd come and report to you."
"Why would you do that?" Hammond asked, truly confused and feeling like he was missing something. "What business is it of yours?"
"Funny you should ask that," Jack said, sitting down. The expression on his face and the tone of his voice said it was actually anything but funny, though, and Hammond leaned forward, waiting for him to continue.
Jack was silent for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin, and decided to just start at the beginning, when they'd been sent off to Camp. He started there, telling Hammond pretty much everything that had happened that had a bearing on his relationship with Carter. How it'd started as a ruse to avoid the unwanted advances of another counselor and had grown from there. He didn't need to remind Hammond that he'd had feelings for Carter long before that, though. Everyone knew that. But he did tell him how easily they'd slipped into the role of doting couple at camp, and told him how it'd changed from a subterfuge into a true relationship. One that didn't end when they got back.
He didn't spare anything. As long as he was telling the story, there was absolutely no reason told back. Hammond, for his part, just sat and listened, without interrupting. He didn't know why O'Neill was telling him all this, but he knew there had to be a reason. He'd wait and hear it all before responding.
Then Jack moved the story to the hospital, and what was wrong with Carter. His voice broke when he mentioned the pregnancy, and he had trouble explaining the medical terms that Frasier had used with him. Not because he didn't understand them, but because he again started thinking about the baby that he didn't know about, and would never see. Luckily, he was close to done by then, and he just allowed it to trail off. Hammond had the jist of what was going on, and the reason behind it, and that was what Jack had intended.
"Is she going to be all right, Colonel?" Hammond asked when he was finished.
"Physically she'll be fine in a few days, according to Frasier. Mentally, she's a wreck, and she's going to need to be with the people she loves." He visibly braced himself for his next words. "That means me, General. I can't hide my feelings for her, and I won't. Not from you, or anyone."
"Colonel, regulations-"
"I know, Sir. Don't worry, I've already thought about that. I'm going to retire."
"Retire?"
"I've done it before, I can do it again." Jack said. He loved the SGC, but he loved Sam more. "I need to be with her, anyways."
Hammond stared, and Jack sighed and rose to his feet.
"I need to get back to her. I just thought it would be best if you heard it from me, first."
He didn't wait for a response; he just turned and left before he bit through his lip in an effort to keep from breaking down. Hammond stared at the door as Jack closed it behind him, wondering how he'd managed to lose control of that situation so quickly, and already trying to figure out how to make things better. He wasn't about to lose O'Neill – or Carter, for that matter.
Jack walked down the corridor towards Teal'c's quarters. He hoped the rest of SG-1 was there. He wanted to talk to Daniel and Teal'c next. They needed to hear what was going on. It wouldn't be as complicated to tell them since they were already aware of the relationship between him and Carter. They'd have to hear about his impending retirement, too.
It turned out that they weren't around, though, and a call to the guard shack at the main gate told Jack that they weren't on base. It was fairly late by then, so he shouldn't have been surprised, but he was a little disappointed. He didn't want the rumors to fly and find the two before he did.
Deciding he'd been away from Sam too long, Jack headed back to the hospital.
~*~
Hammond was in his office, as Jack had known he'd be. He'd want to be by a phone and someplace that Frasier could find him. He was a good commander, who would sit close to a phone and wait to hear the condition of one of his own. Jack knocked on the door, and waited to be told to enter. Permission came immediately.
"Jack! What are you doing here?"
Hammond had assumed that O'Neill would be at the hospital all night. For that matter, he assumed O'Neill would be there more or less until Carter was released. But here he was, looking stressed and worn, and upset.
"Is Major Carter awake, yet?"
Jack nodded, "She was, Sir. For a little while."
"Did Doctor Frasier find out what was wrong?"
"Yes, Sir. That's why I'm here."
"I don't understand, Colonel. I could have waited for the Doctor's report."
"Yes, Sir, I know." O'Neill looked a little uncomfortable, but there was a resolute set to his jaw that belied that discomfort. "I told her I'd come and report to you."
"Why would you do that?" Hammond asked, truly confused and feeling like he was missing something. "What business is it of yours?"
"Funny you should ask that," Jack said, sitting down. The expression on his face and the tone of his voice said it was actually anything but funny, though, and Hammond leaned forward, waiting for him to continue.
Jack was silent for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin, and decided to just start at the beginning, when they'd been sent off to Camp. He started there, telling Hammond pretty much everything that had happened that had a bearing on his relationship with Carter. How it'd started as a ruse to avoid the unwanted advances of another counselor and had grown from there. He didn't need to remind Hammond that he'd had feelings for Carter long before that, though. Everyone knew that. But he did tell him how easily they'd slipped into the role of doting couple at camp, and told him how it'd changed from a subterfuge into a true relationship. One that didn't end when they got back.
He didn't spare anything. As long as he was telling the story, there was absolutely no reason told back. Hammond, for his part, just sat and listened, without interrupting. He didn't know why O'Neill was telling him all this, but he knew there had to be a reason. He'd wait and hear it all before responding.
Then Jack moved the story to the hospital, and what was wrong with Carter. His voice broke when he mentioned the pregnancy, and he had trouble explaining the medical terms that Frasier had used with him. Not because he didn't understand them, but because he again started thinking about the baby that he didn't know about, and would never see. Luckily, he was close to done by then, and he just allowed it to trail off. Hammond had the jist of what was going on, and the reason behind it, and that was what Jack had intended.
"Is she going to be all right, Colonel?" Hammond asked when he was finished.
"Physically she'll be fine in a few days, according to Frasier. Mentally, she's a wreck, and she's going to need to be with the people she loves." He visibly braced himself for his next words. "That means me, General. I can't hide my feelings for her, and I won't. Not from you, or anyone."
"Colonel, regulations-"
"I know, Sir. Don't worry, I've already thought about that. I'm going to retire."
"Retire?"
"I've done it before, I can do it again." Jack said. He loved the SGC, but he loved Sam more. "I need to be with her, anyways."
Hammond stared, and Jack sighed and rose to his feet.
"I need to get back to her. I just thought it would be best if you heard it from me, first."
He didn't wait for a response; he just turned and left before he bit through his lip in an effort to keep from breaking down. Hammond stared at the door as Jack closed it behind him, wondering how he'd managed to lose control of that situation so quickly, and already trying to figure out how to make things better. He wasn't about to lose O'Neill – or Carter, for that matter.
Jack walked down the corridor towards Teal'c's quarters. He hoped the rest of SG-1 was there. He wanted to talk to Daniel and Teal'c next. They needed to hear what was going on. It wouldn't be as complicated to tell them since they were already aware of the relationship between him and Carter. They'd have to hear about his impending retirement, too.
It turned out that they weren't around, though, and a call to the guard shack at the main gate told Jack that they weren't on base. It was fairly late by then, so he shouldn't have been surprised, but he was a little disappointed. He didn't want the rumors to fly and find the two before he did.
Deciding he'd been away from Sam too long, Jack headed back to the hospital.