Author's Note: Sorry you all, I've been buckled under a ton of work today, so I haven't been able to write much.
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"You do realize this is a top secret base, right?" Hammond said, scowling slightly. He was rather proud of the fact that his security was top-notch, and slightly stung that Dotty had managed to make it through that security without raising so much as a single alarm or alert.
"I know," Dotty said, watching as Fraiser went over to Jack's bed and gently took the now unnecessary breathing tube out of Jack's throat. The Colonel coughed, causing Sam to go over to his bed as well, but Dotty stayed where she was. "Your security is very good, General Hammond, but nothing you have could have kept me out."
That was a subtle reminder of what she really was, since she knew Hammond was aware that she wasn't human. She looked so ordinary, however, it was easy to forget.
"You didn't hurt any of my men, did you?" He asked.
She smiled and shook her head. "Of course not. They didn't even see me."
He left it at that, and watched as Sam took Jack's hand, even though O'Neill still hadn't woken up, yet.
"We're going to move him to a more comfortable bed, Sam," Janet said as Teal'c returned from putting Daniel to bed. She'd been waiting for him, and she waved him over when he entered the room.
"Will you carry Jaffer, Teal'c?" The black lab hadn't opened his eyes, and seemed weak. Janet didn't know what was wrong with him, but she was well aware that he wasn't going to be able to make it to Jack's new room on his own, and she thought that if the damned dog had fought so hard to stay with Jack when he thought he was dying, she might as well let him stay – this time – with him when she now knew he was going to be okay.
Teal'c nodded, and carefully scooped Jaffer up into his arms. Really, he was probably the only one who could easily carry the lab, and her medical personnel hadn't shown any desire to be anywhere near him just then, anyways. Probably still remembering exactly how dangerous he'd looked with those teeth flashing at them.
"He is covered in blood, Doctor Fraiser," Teal'c noted. It was dried blood, but it was matting his glossy black hide.
"We'll wash him up when he feels better," Janet told Teal'c, shrugging. She motioned for the medics to get Jack onto a rolling gurney and get him moving, and turned to Sam, who was hovering close by, still holding Jack's hand. "Let me get Colonel O'Neill cleaned up a bit and comfortable, Sam, then you can stay with him, okay?"
She wanted to argue, but she knew there was no point in it. Janet was being reasonable, and even though Jack would have complained and argued with her, Sam was too grateful he was alive to be able to protest anything just then. She nodded.
"Why don't you get cleaned up, yourself?" Janet suggested, looking pointedly at her uniform, which was smeared with blood from Daniel and Jack (the dog) where the yellow lab had nuzzled her.
She nodded again, feeling very tired even though it was still early in the day. She headed back to where Dotty and Hammond were still talking.
"I'm going to go clean up, Sir," She told Hammond.
The General nodded, looking at Sam's blood-stained uniform. "Good idea, Major." His gaze transferred to Dotty, who looked as though she'd regained her equilibrium a bit. "Would you like a tour of the base, Mrs. Adams?" As far as he knew, she'd never been there before.
"Actually, General Hammond," Dotty said, shaking her head. "I'd like a word with Sam. If you don't mind, I think I'll tag along with her?"
"If Major Carter doesn't mind, I don't." The two looked at Sam, who shrugged.
"Not at all."
With a last look over at the bed that the medics were easing Jack out of, Sam walked out of the room, with Dotty beside her.
Hammond watched them go, and then walked over to Janet, who was taking the last of the IV tubes out of O'Neill's arm before they moved him to the new room.
"He's going to be all right?" Hammond asked.
Janet smiled, and nodded. Hammond had never seen her looking so relieved.
"He'll be fine, Sir. I'll have to wait until he wakes up to see how he's doing for sure, but compared to the alternative, a couple day's rest is much preferable to what might have been."
"Agreed."
Hammond looked over at Jaffer, whose head was resting on Teal'c's powerful forearm. His snout and jowls still stained with blood.
"Call Monica Ray in, Doctor." Hammond ordered. "I don't know why Jaffer looks so exhausted, but I'm not going to take any chances. See if she'll come and take a look at Jaffer – and at Jack." Hammond looked down at the blood- smeared yellow lab, who was watching everything that was going on from his normal spot next to Teal'c.
"Yes, Sir." She agreed completely.
"I'll send up authorization to the gates and checkpoints for her."
"I'll let her know, Sir."
"Keep me informed."
Janet nodded, and Hammond left.
"He's ready," one of the medics told Fraiser. She looked down and saw they'd moved O'Neill over to the gurney and had covered him. Jack was no longer on any life support since it wasn't necessary, but Janet would hook him up to an EKG machine when they got him to his new room. Just to keep track of what was going on with him until he was awake and could tell her himself.
She and Teal'c walked side by side as they led the way out of the main room of the infirmary and to one of the small but private recovery rooms. Daniel was in the first room, and Janet gestured for Teal'c to go through the next door before her. She waited and watched as the gurney passed her, then joined them.
"Set Jaffer on the bed, Teal'c," Janet said. "Then go get yourself cleaned up and take care of Jack. I'll call you when Monica shows up."
The Jaffa nodded, and settled Jaffer on the bed, which was plenty big enough for O'Neill and the large lab, then left the room with Jack trotting at his side.
"Let's get him cleaned up," Fraiser told her medics as they transferred Jack into the bed. The Colonel was still wearing part of his uniform, since Jaffer had been sprawled on his legs and no one had been able to get close enough to him to strip him and put him in something better. With the black lab now sleeping, the medics swarmed over Jack and wiped off the last of the blood, took off the last of the tattered uniform and bandaged the mostly-healed wound before dressing him in a pair of pajama bottoms and covering him warmly.
Janet hooked him up to the EKG, then gave Jaffer a quick check of her own, running her hands over the black lab, looking and feeling for some injury that might explain why he was looking so off-kilter. She found a couple of very minor scratches, but nothing more. With a frown, she left the room and headed for her office and the phone.
As the door closed behind her, Jaffer roused himself just enough to move his head so it was resting on Jack's thigh, then with a sigh, he closed his eyes again, and was asleep in seconds.