"I'm back." Sam said as she came through the door carrying a pizza and a
bag.
"Shush. He fell asleep about twenty minutes ago." Sara said walking out of the kitchen. "I made coffee do you want some?"
"That would be great."
"Should we wake Jack up?"
"Did he scratch?" Sam asked.
"I taped the oven mitts on about an hour ago."
"His fever?" Sam asked as she got plates at of the cupboard.
"101, I gave him the Tylenol around noon."
"Let him sleep, he can either eat the cold pizza or I'll order him one later, he has the number on speed dial."
"Jack managed to programme his speed dial?" Sara questioned.
"No I did it for him. His mom, Daniel, Janet, me, the base, General Hammond, the pizza place, the Chinese and Major Ferretti."
"Janet?" Sara questioned.
"Dr Fraiser. She adopted a little girl, Cassie, a few years ago. Janet doesn't have any family in the area so the team are honorary aunts and uncles. General Hammond and my Dad are honorary grandfathers. Cassie and her friends were the ones the Colonel took out. Zara was the one who gave him the chicken pox."
"So what exactly do you do for the Air Force? Jack said you had a doctorate."
"Yes. In theoretical astrophysics. I do a lot of computer programming and analysis of deep space radar telemetry."
"Jack was special ops. I really don't see him as the desk job type."
"He isn't, but his involvement beyond the fact that he is my CO is classified."
"Nothing against you or what you do but Jack has never been a big fan of scientists."
"He mentioned that the day we met. He still has a problem with most of my staff, but as long as I keep my scientific explanations to a minimum and fix all of the electrical equipment he has a tendency to break he's fine with the fact he's a scientist."
"He said you grew on him."
"I would have had too after the first impression I made."
"Why what happened?" Sara asked.
"When General Hammond told the Colonel that he was getting a new team member he wasn't happy, when he found out I was a woman and a scientist things got slightly hostile. I went into raging feminist mode, I think I even challenged him to an arm wrestle." Sara smiled. "But General Hammond put a stop to it before I got any closer to insubordination by telling the Colonel I was way smarter than him and me being on the team wasn't optional."
"I bet Jack loved that."
"Oh yeah. I learnt to appreciate him sarcasm very quickly, but my father has a similar sense of humour so it wasn't hard."
"It's his main defence mechanism."
"We all saw through him a long time ago, just like the fact that we all know he's a lot smarter than he'd ever give himself credit for."
"If you know both those things about Jack you're doing fine. So what made you join the Air Force?" Sara inquired.
"Lots of reasons. My Dad is a General so I was used to the lifestyle. They paid for my degree and my doctorate. They put me through flight school and at the time I wanted to join NASA."
"You don't anymore?"
"No, even thought my Dad was trying to use his influence, I like what I do and I like the people I work with."
"Was your Dad disappointed that you didn't join NASA?"
"He was a little at first then we found him a job, he's out of the country most of the time but he's proud of me and everything I've accomplished."
"I never understood why Jack had to be in the Air Force and in Special Ops but I learnt to accept it. Charlie was so proud of him, but he hated it when Jack went away."
"I hated it when my Dad went away too but my Mom always told me that he was thinking of me, and he hated missing my school plays but he was out making sure the world was a safe place for me to grow up in."
"I guess that makes sense. Does Jack ever talk about Charlie?"
"The Colonel doesn't talk about things like that. Well not to me at least if he'd talk to anyone it would be Daniel. We're good friends but he wouldn't feel comfortable talking about something that personal. The Colonel is my CO, basically my boss and I would ask because it would be intruding." Sam said trying to justify it.
"Don't worry about it, I still don't think he's forgiven himself yet."
"How are you dealing with it, if you don't mind me asking?"
"It got easier to get up everyday, to remember to breathe, I still love him and miss him and it still hurts everyday but I've learnt to cope."
"I don't know if I would have coped. It was hard enough when my Mom died."
"You have too. It was Jack I was worried about; at the time I could have sworn he was suicidal. When those two men from the Air Force came to recall him, I knew I couldn't sit back and wait for someone to tell me he was dead too or him to come back and letting eat away at him. I couldn't put myself through that so I left."
"It must have been a hard decision."
"We would have destroyed each other. It was the right decision. He's back to being the Jack O'Neill I married. I think you have a lot to do with that, and Daniel, Janet, Cassie and I seem to remember a rather tall man."
"Murray." Sam supplied.
"And Murray. I should probably thank you."
"We didn't do anything, if he was that low it would have taken the Colonel wanting to get out of it, him realising that he had something to live for nothing we could have said would have changed that."
"Do you always call him Colonel or sir?"
"Yes, he keeps tell me I don't have to when we're on downtime and away from the base. But it's a sign of respect."
"But you're friends too." Sara pointed out.
"I tried that one, didn't work though. Carter, can you get these things off me I need to take a leak." Jack said entering the dining room.
"Come here sir." Jack stepped towards her and Sam started to unwind the tape."
"As polite as ever Jack." Sara teased.
"That's nothing." Sam said before Jack had a chance to comment. "He just has to yell 'Hey Carter' down the corridor and all my lab tech make a quick exit."
"Still scaring Airman Jack?"
"Most of them aren't Airmen." Sam commented.
"Carter, hurry up." Jack said wiggling.
"Be patient sir, I'm going as fast as I can."
"I've got to go." Sara said standing. "I've got an appointment with the florist."
"Florist?" Sam mouthed to Jack.
"Jack, you should bring Sam."
"It might not be appropriate." Jack commented.
"Bring Sam where?" Sam asked.
"I'm getting married in two weeks time."
"Congratulations Sara and thank you for the invitation but as soon as the Colonel is well enough to leave alone I have to get back to the base, I have a lot of work to catch up on."
"For cryin' out loud Carter hurry up." Jack exclaimed.
"Done." Sam said pulling off the last piece of tape.
"Ow. Sara send me the details but I really have to."
"Go Jack. I'll see you in a couple weeks."
"Carter, can you.."
"Yes sir." Jack ran for the bathroom. Sam smiled.
"If you can make it please come." Sara said. "I'd better go."]
"It was nice to meet you Sara." Sam said as she showed Sara to the door.
"It was nice to met you too. Watch out for him for me will you?"
"I'd do it even if I wasn't paid too."
"Bye Sam."
TBC
"Shush. He fell asleep about twenty minutes ago." Sara said walking out of the kitchen. "I made coffee do you want some?"
"That would be great."
"Should we wake Jack up?"
"Did he scratch?" Sam asked.
"I taped the oven mitts on about an hour ago."
"His fever?" Sam asked as she got plates at of the cupboard.
"101, I gave him the Tylenol around noon."
"Let him sleep, he can either eat the cold pizza or I'll order him one later, he has the number on speed dial."
"Jack managed to programme his speed dial?" Sara questioned.
"No I did it for him. His mom, Daniel, Janet, me, the base, General Hammond, the pizza place, the Chinese and Major Ferretti."
"Janet?" Sara questioned.
"Dr Fraiser. She adopted a little girl, Cassie, a few years ago. Janet doesn't have any family in the area so the team are honorary aunts and uncles. General Hammond and my Dad are honorary grandfathers. Cassie and her friends were the ones the Colonel took out. Zara was the one who gave him the chicken pox."
"So what exactly do you do for the Air Force? Jack said you had a doctorate."
"Yes. In theoretical astrophysics. I do a lot of computer programming and analysis of deep space radar telemetry."
"Jack was special ops. I really don't see him as the desk job type."
"He isn't, but his involvement beyond the fact that he is my CO is classified."
"Nothing against you or what you do but Jack has never been a big fan of scientists."
"He mentioned that the day we met. He still has a problem with most of my staff, but as long as I keep my scientific explanations to a minimum and fix all of the electrical equipment he has a tendency to break he's fine with the fact he's a scientist."
"He said you grew on him."
"I would have had too after the first impression I made."
"Why what happened?" Sara asked.
"When General Hammond told the Colonel that he was getting a new team member he wasn't happy, when he found out I was a woman and a scientist things got slightly hostile. I went into raging feminist mode, I think I even challenged him to an arm wrestle." Sara smiled. "But General Hammond put a stop to it before I got any closer to insubordination by telling the Colonel I was way smarter than him and me being on the team wasn't optional."
"I bet Jack loved that."
"Oh yeah. I learnt to appreciate him sarcasm very quickly, but my father has a similar sense of humour so it wasn't hard."
"It's his main defence mechanism."
"We all saw through him a long time ago, just like the fact that we all know he's a lot smarter than he'd ever give himself credit for."
"If you know both those things about Jack you're doing fine. So what made you join the Air Force?" Sara inquired.
"Lots of reasons. My Dad is a General so I was used to the lifestyle. They paid for my degree and my doctorate. They put me through flight school and at the time I wanted to join NASA."
"You don't anymore?"
"No, even thought my Dad was trying to use his influence, I like what I do and I like the people I work with."
"Was your Dad disappointed that you didn't join NASA?"
"He was a little at first then we found him a job, he's out of the country most of the time but he's proud of me and everything I've accomplished."
"I never understood why Jack had to be in the Air Force and in Special Ops but I learnt to accept it. Charlie was so proud of him, but he hated it when Jack went away."
"I hated it when my Dad went away too but my Mom always told me that he was thinking of me, and he hated missing my school plays but he was out making sure the world was a safe place for me to grow up in."
"I guess that makes sense. Does Jack ever talk about Charlie?"
"The Colonel doesn't talk about things like that. Well not to me at least if he'd talk to anyone it would be Daniel. We're good friends but he wouldn't feel comfortable talking about something that personal. The Colonel is my CO, basically my boss and I would ask because it would be intruding." Sam said trying to justify it.
"Don't worry about it, I still don't think he's forgiven himself yet."
"How are you dealing with it, if you don't mind me asking?"
"It got easier to get up everyday, to remember to breathe, I still love him and miss him and it still hurts everyday but I've learnt to cope."
"I don't know if I would have coped. It was hard enough when my Mom died."
"You have too. It was Jack I was worried about; at the time I could have sworn he was suicidal. When those two men from the Air Force came to recall him, I knew I couldn't sit back and wait for someone to tell me he was dead too or him to come back and letting eat away at him. I couldn't put myself through that so I left."
"It must have been a hard decision."
"We would have destroyed each other. It was the right decision. He's back to being the Jack O'Neill I married. I think you have a lot to do with that, and Daniel, Janet, Cassie and I seem to remember a rather tall man."
"Murray." Sam supplied.
"And Murray. I should probably thank you."
"We didn't do anything, if he was that low it would have taken the Colonel wanting to get out of it, him realising that he had something to live for nothing we could have said would have changed that."
"Do you always call him Colonel or sir?"
"Yes, he keeps tell me I don't have to when we're on downtime and away from the base. But it's a sign of respect."
"But you're friends too." Sara pointed out.
"I tried that one, didn't work though. Carter, can you get these things off me I need to take a leak." Jack said entering the dining room.
"Come here sir." Jack stepped towards her and Sam started to unwind the tape."
"As polite as ever Jack." Sara teased.
"That's nothing." Sam said before Jack had a chance to comment. "He just has to yell 'Hey Carter' down the corridor and all my lab tech make a quick exit."
"Still scaring Airman Jack?"
"Most of them aren't Airmen." Sam commented.
"Carter, hurry up." Jack said wiggling.
"Be patient sir, I'm going as fast as I can."
"I've got to go." Sara said standing. "I've got an appointment with the florist."
"Florist?" Sam mouthed to Jack.
"Jack, you should bring Sam."
"It might not be appropriate." Jack commented.
"Bring Sam where?" Sam asked.
"I'm getting married in two weeks time."
"Congratulations Sara and thank you for the invitation but as soon as the Colonel is well enough to leave alone I have to get back to the base, I have a lot of work to catch up on."
"For cryin' out loud Carter hurry up." Jack exclaimed.
"Done." Sam said pulling off the last piece of tape.
"Ow. Sara send me the details but I really have to."
"Go Jack. I'll see you in a couple weeks."
"Carter, can you.."
"Yes sir." Jack ran for the bathroom. Sam smiled.
"If you can make it please come." Sara said. "I'd better go."]
"It was nice to meet you Sara." Sam said as she showed Sara to the door.
"It was nice to met you too. Watch out for him for me will you?"
"I'd do it even if I wasn't paid too."
"Bye Sam."
TBC