Jack didn't exactly go straight back to the infirmary like he'd told the medic he would. He stopped off at a bathroom – Jaffer wasn't the only one with needs to take care of, after all, and he didn't like having that kind of thing so closely monitored like they were apt to do in the infirmary – and then the two of them headed for the commissary.
They didn't stick around long, though. Just long enough for the two of them to split a sandwich and to polish off a bowl of ice cream each. Just a snack before he had to endure the long evening hours, Jack told Jaffer. Jaffer didn't worry about Jack justifying his snack; he just wanted to eat it!
"Back so soon?" The lieutenant asked sarcastically.
Jack looked over at the clock, surprised that he'd been gone for an hour. It hadn't seemed like that long.
"Well... I ran into a guy who wanted to talk..."
That was true enough.
The lieutenant smiled.
"You have crumbs on your bandages, Sir."
Jack looked down at himself. Sure enough, there was plenty of evidence of the sandwich he'd had. Eating one-handed wasn't easy, after all.
"Um... yeah... he wanted to talk over a bite to eat..."
The smile never faded, and Jack knew he was lucky it hadn't been Janet who'd caught him.
"You'd better get back to bed, Colonel."
"On my way."
He walked down the aisle, noting that everyone had pretty much fallen asleep – even though it was still fairly early and if they hadn't been injured they would probably be at home wide awake. Stopping at Janet's bed, he pulled her blankets up a bit and tucked them around her gently – it wouldn't do to wake her up and let her find him out of bed, after all – and then he went over and sat down on his own bed. Jaffer jumped up beside him, and Jack leaned against him, putting his good arm around the lab, and pressing his cheek against the warm shoulder.
What a day.
OOOOOOOOOOO
"So..."
Sam looked over at Cassie, but turned her attention back to the road almost immediately. She didn't often drive Jack's truck – she was more comfortable driving a smaller car that she could see all the way around – and she needed to pay attention to traffic.
"So?"
That didn't mean she couldn't carry on a conversation.
"Mom's pretty serious about this Emmett guy, huh?"
"From what I've seen and heard, it looks like it." Sam said. "What do you think of it?"
"I'm glad she's finally starting to get out and date..." Cassie said. "And I like Emmett; he seems like a really nice guy, and he has a good sense of humor."
"Do I sense a 'but' coming?" Sam asked.
"Well... he's only here doing a documentary, right? How long will that last?"
"He should be in the SGC a week – maybe two, now that so many people were hurt and he'll have to wait for some interviews."
"Then what?" Cassie asked. "He leaves? And mom never sees him again?"
Sam shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure they'll figure something out, though, if they decide they want to pursue a lasting relationship."
"He could be good for mom."
"I agree."
"But I don't want her to get hurt when he leaves."
"Your mom's a grownup, Cassie. I'm sure she'll be okay."
"And if she isn't?"
"Then it'll be up to you and me and those who love her to make sure she doesn't have time to think about him too much." Sam told her. "But you might be asking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. If they love each other, they'll figure out a way."
"Like you and Jack?"
Sam smiled.
"Exactly."
"I hope I find someone as great as Jack when I'm ready to get married." Cassie said, smiling.
"You'll probably find someone better."
"Better than Jack?" She shook her head. Jack was the epitome of what a guy should be as far as Cassie was concerned. "I don't think so."
"He snores, you know?"
"No he doesn't."
"He does. And he leaves the seat up in the bathroom."
Cassie snickered, and Sam smiled.
"You know who's cute?" Cassie asked.
"Who?"
"That cameraman that came in with Emmett."
"Ben?"
"Is that his name?"
"Ben Crane." Sam confirmed, looking over again. "You don't think he's a little old?"
"He's young looking. I'll be he's not more than 25."
"I think 25 is too old." Sam said. "Besides, he's really high strung or something. He's always running away when I see him."
"He's cute." Cassie repeated. "Maybe I'll see if Emmett will introduce me to him. Just... to meet him."
Sam privately decided that she needed to have a talk with Jack about a certain cameraman, just to make sure the young man knew that Cassandra Fraiser was off-limits, even in the capacity of secret admirer.
"What do you want for dinner?" Sam asked, deciding that the topic needed to be changed.
"Tacos?"
"Sounds fine."
"I wonder if Ben likes tacos..." Cassie mused.
Sam sighed.
