A/N: Hey, all, sooo sorry that this took so long. I'd planned on having this out sooner, but taking Anatomy and working at the same time have only increased my own procrastination complex. Well, since it's been so long, short recap: they went on a Reetou hunt. Dude, I said it was short. ;)
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Three hours later…
Jenna stood outside Wilcox's hospital room door and watched the gathering within. In typical SG-1 fashion, O'Neill had shown up in the nick of time. He killed the hybrid just before it could get off a shot, and had informed Jenna and Jonas that the rest of the base had been cleared, but not without a price. They'd suffered their own losses, one Tok'ra and his symbiote and three SFs.
It would have been seven if O'Neill hadn't shone up when he did. Wilcox had been pretty banged up. Relief had only begun to flow through Jenna and then settle when Dr. Fraiser proclaimed that Wilcox would be all right and had him moved to the Air Force Academy Hospital.
Now Jenna looked on, her relief turning to apprehension and doubt as she watched Wilcox propped up in his hospital bed surrounded by his family. Jenna hadn't realized how little she actually knew about the Colonel until that moment. He had a wife and a teenaged son and daughter.
She had planned to finally tell Wilcox the truth about who she was, yet the closeness she saw was quite evident and, if she were to throw her little wrench into the gears of their family unit, who knew if it would be repairable. Even if she told Wilcox and he kept the news to himself, Jenna felt it wouldn't be fair. It was enough for him to keep his work a secret; it wouldn't be right to have to keep another more personal one.
What will you do now? Emillynn asked.
I do nothing. Jenna turned from the door and walked toward the elevator. She cast her eyes down and crossed her arms, closing herself off and conveying a desire not to speak to anyone who may want to.
You've always wanted to know your father, how will doing nothing help?
It's no longer a choice, Emillynn. I can't intrude on what is obviously a close nit family. Even if I told him and became a part of their lives, how would I explain myself? 'Hello, Mrs. Wilcox, how are you? I'm the illegitimate daughter of your husband's alternate reality persona, but since I'm now here and my actual father is dead can I call your husband dad?'
Sarcasm really doesn't become you, Jenna?
But it comes so naturally, Jenna replied as she changed her mind about taking the elevator and headed for the stairwell entrance. Just working with Wilcox will have to do, she sighed as she pushed open the door and stepped onto the landing. It was too much to hope for anyway.
Jenna turned to go down the steps and nearly collided with Jack. He grabbed a hold of her arms in an effort to keep her from falling back and worked at steadying them both.
"Whoa there, Jenna, you should really look up when you walk. It helps with the not bumping into people aspect of walking." The Colonel let go of Jenna, taking a step back so he could meet her eyes. He was taken aback by the look of resignation he saw there. "Hey, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, just heading back to the base. What brings you here?" Jenna sought to change the subject as she attempted to reel in her emotions.
"I came to see how Wilcox was doing," Jack replied, eyeing his friend speculatively. "I assume you just came from there. How's he doing?"
"He looked fine," Jenna replied as she took the end of her braid and started messing with it. She couldn't seem to keep her hands still. "I didn't go in myself. His family was with him and I forgot to ask what the cover story was for his injuries."
"Ah. Well. For future reference he was hurt in an accident. Heavy boxes fell on him when he was overseeing the transfer of some equipment." Jack paused and cocked his head at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, Jack. Really," She said with a smile. "I think that I'll just head back to the base. I have a report to write and I need to talk to Selmak."
"Well, in that case how about I give you a ride. No sense in me intruding on the family gathering." Jack waved his arm toward the stair in an 'after you' gesture and proceeded to follow Jenna down the stairs. He didn't know what was going on with her but he was going to try and find out. Admittedly he was never good at the personal stuff, that had always been Daniel's thing, but he'd give it a shot.
Are you going to tell him?
Who? Jack?
Yes, Jack. He knows Col. Wilcox well, doesn't he? Maybe he could give you some insight as to what to do.
I don't know, Emillynn. I don't know if I should put him in that kind of position.
"Whatcha' thinkin'?" Jack asked. They were already in the parking lot and headed toward the jeep that Jack had checked out of the impound at the mountain and Jenna hadn't said a word.
"I was just thinking to myself."
"Would that be thinking or 'thinking'?" Jack asked holding up his fingers to make the double quote sign.
"The second one," a slight smile playing on her lips.
"And how is your new head mate?"
"I am doing well, Colonel. As a matter of fact I was suggesting to Jenna that she discuss something of a personal matter with you."
Emillynn!
"It's nothing, Jack," Jenna said, getting into the jeep.
"It can't be nothing if you're talking to yourself about it." Jack sat on the driver's side and turned the ignition, then placing the jeep in gear, pulled out of the spot and headed toward Cheyenne Mountain. Getting to the bottom of this was going to be easier than he thought now that it was 'two' against one. "Spit it out, Jenna. I'm all ears."
"It's not a big deal. Nothing I want to bother you with."
"Hey. Give me a chance. Maybe I can help."
"She wants to know if she should tell Col. Wilcox she's his daughter."
"What?" Jack exclaimed, surprise evident on his face as he took a quick glance at the person sitting next to him. "You call that nothing? How can that not be a big deal?"
"Actually, Jenna called it nothing and not a big deal. I think that it is very important that she resolve how she feels about the whole situation before she makes a mistake and does something she may regret."
"For crying out loud. Jenna, listen…" Jack takes a quick glance at his friend before returning his attention to the road. "Jenna?"
"Yeah?"
"Just checking. Listen, before you do anything… I know you said you went looking for your father and all, and sort of…found him, but are you sure it's Wilcox, because I don't see it. I'm not saying that I doubt you, Jenna, but I honestly don't see a bit of resemblance with him or his kids."
"It's what I was told, Jack."
"What do you mean it's what you were told?" Jack asked wanting to take a logical approach to this whole situation. He really didn't doubt Jenna, but he wanted her to be absolutely sure before she went calling Wilcox 'Pop.' After all, she came from an alternate reality and could conceivably have the wrong John Wilcox.
"Why are you asking me these questions? Do you think I would make this up?" Jenna was beginning to get irritated. She hadn't known what to expect when Jack found out, surprise or something, but not doubt.
"Look, Jenna," he pulled the jeep to the side of the road so that he could face her and make sure that she didn't misinterpret his sincerity. "It's just that you come from an alternate reality. A reality that even you have said is significantly different from this one. And, the way Carter explains it; it's different enough that some people, even though they're basically the same people here, may look a little different or go by a different name.
What? Is there something on my face?"
Jenna had been looking at Jack with an odd look on her face. "Its just…wow. You seem to have a decent grasp on the whole alternate reality thing."
"Believe it or not, I do listen to what Carter says on occasion and understand it at the same time."
"I'm sorry, Jack. Go on." Jenna said, a serious look placed upon her face.
"Anyway," Jack looks up and squints his eyes in thought, "there was a point in there somewhere…oh, yeah. What I'm trying to say, Jenna, is can you be one hundred percent sure that Wilcox is the one?"
"I only had his name," Jenna replied, a hint of doubt working its way in.
"No photo?"
"No, just his first name."
"Just his first name?"
"Yeah. That and the time he was stationed in Malaysia when he meet my mom."
"How did you accomplish anything tracking him down with that little bit of information?"
"I was very persistent," she said, the gleam in her eye indicating just how persistent she had been to the chagrin of whoever had to deal with her. "Besides I was told he was the only Jonathan stationed there in the time frame I provided. It made sense."
"You know there's only one way to be certain, don't you? We can have the Doc do a paternity test."
"No other way, huh?"
"Not if you want to be sure."
"I guess it's off to see the Wizard."
"Finally watched the movie, huh?"
"Yeah, sure, ya betcha."