A/N I am a on a roll now, I have been DIEING having to wait to write these coming chapters. So you will get them pretty fast. I hope people are not bored with this story now!
Shanks-Away!
Captain-Doctor
Sam felt a familiar sensation, pain, definitely pain. She let out a small groan as she opened her eyes. She recognized her surroundings when she saw the familiar items of the infirmary.
Moving her head to the side, she saw Daniel fast asleep in the bed next to her. She was about to say something when a voice spoke form her other side.
"Good morning Colonel. Nice to see you." Dr Brightman said.
"Hi. Could I have some water?" Sam asked with a croaky voice.
"Sure." She said handing her a cup and helping her take a sip.
"What happened?" Sam asked.
"Well you passed out on Monday morning, General O'Neill rushed you in here." Dr Brightman said making some notes on her chart and placing something in the IV which Sam felt the smooth effect of right away.
"What day is it now? Sam asked.
"It's just gone 06:00 Friday. You've been asleep for a while now."
"How long has he been here?" Sam asked pointing to Daniel.
"He came in just after midnight. Teal'c should be here any minute." Dr Brightman said with a grin. "I have not had that bed since Monday."
"Wow." Sam was about to say something else when the door opened to reveal Teal'c coming in with a book and chocolate bar in his hand.
"Hey Teal'c." Sam said softly. Teal'c looked as surprised as Teal'c could.
"Colonel Carter, it is good to see you awake."
"Thanks. A little early for candy isn't it?" Sam asked smiling.
"This bar is designed to help you work rest and play, I do believe it is a good choice for a morning meal." Sam let out a soft laugh, which must have woken Daniel.
"Sam your up!" He said almost jumping out of the bed.
"Yeah, good to see you." Sam said. "I hear you two have been watching me all week. You didn't need to do that." Sam said reaching out to clasp Daniel's hand.
"Oh it wasn't just us. Jack was here too. Oh speak of the devil." Daniel said turning to the door as it opened and Jack stepped in.
"Don't speak about Kinsey on my base Daniel." Jack said patting his arm as he walked by. "Brightman just called, said you decided to wake up." He said looking at Sam. He moved to her side and almost hesitantly touched her forearm, scared to show any affection now she was awake, when he had been touching her hands almost constantly for a week when she was asleep.
"Can't sleep forever." She said taking his hand in her own.
"Oh I think I could try." Jack replied with a grin. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I don't want to see what happened to my lab with a week of free for all access." Sam said closing her eyes.
"No one touched it Carter, I thought you might get a little antsy if you got back and something was broken or missing." Jack said.
"Thank you Sir." Sam said.
"Well I have some things to do, Sam, I'll stop by in a bit and sneak you in some jello." Daniel said. He and Teal'c turned to leave.
"And a snickers if Teal'c has a spare one." Sam called out.
"Indeed." He said with a bow of his head.
Jack pulled up a near by stool and sat down. Sam looked as he made himself comfortable; he obviously had done this a lot in the last week.
"So, how are things on base Sir, I was going to do an overhaul of the dialing program..." Jack cut her off.
"Carter you have been unconscious for a week and been in surgery twice and you're acting like you just woke up from a good nights sleep. Relax!" Jack said.
"Good thing about a morphine drip Sir, and I feel surprisingly good considering." Sam said.
"So Brightman will fill you in on what's going on. But I think you should know, you are going to be fine." Jack said.
"I know, I had a feeling everything was ok. Waking up was a good indication of that." Sam said.
"You responded well to treatment, better than they thought, but you still may be a little shaky for a few days. Pete's on his way. I called him before I came down." Jack said.
"Thank you."
"Ah Sam, listen I just want you to know that I...I guess what I'm trying to tell you is..." Jack never got to finish his ramblings, Dr Brightman came into view and he could not speak.
"General Sir, security called, Mr. Shanahan is waiting to come down."
"Thank you." Jack said. He turned back to Sam. "I'll go get someone to escort him here. I'll come by later." Jack said and was half way to the door before Sam could speak.
"Sir wait..." Whether he heard or not, Jack had no intention of stopping,
Sam lay for five minutes before Pete got there. When he came in, she could see something was wrong. He seemed distant, cold almost. He sat down without even touching her.
"Hi." She said.
"Hi." He replied. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Fine, how are you?" Sam asked.
"Good."
"How's the house?" Sam asked trying to get him to open up.
"Daniel's been looking in on it with your neighbor."
"Oh, did you get called back?" Sam asked. The realizing he could not have got here so fast if he had been in Denver.
"No, I've been staying at the Bursway." Pete said.
"Oh, you know you could have stayed in the house, it's ok." What is wrong with him, Sam thought to herself. "Pete, is everything ok?" She asked.
"I don't know Sam, is it?" He asked.
"I've been in a coma for a week Pete, how would I know?" Sam was shocked at how he was acting.
"I was staying in the house. I found the letters Sam." Pete said.
"What letters?" Sam asked confused.
"The letters you wrote to your loved ones, the letters you wrote to Casie, Daniel, Teal'c, your dad, and Jack."
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Sam said trying to figure out what he meant; a cold feeling washed over her as she realised what he was talking about. "Did you read them?" She asked.
"Look, I wrote them when I was feeling down ok. I needed to get a lot off my chest. And things were going so well with us, I couldn't think about us that way, it was too painful." Sam said.
"What? Too painful to tell me sorry I didn't love you?" Pete spat.
"You did read them." Sam said.
"Only one. I thought the line about wanting to wake up in his arms was the best part." Pete was almost growling his words.
"Pete I meant nothing by it. It doesn't mean I don't love you; I just had to make sure he knew. I could never tell him to his face but he had a right to know."
"Well the fact that you basically are praying for a way for you two to get together kind of contradicts that Sam." Pete was breathing heavily now, Sam was not sure if he was going to scream or cry, either way she knew she had to be careful with what she said.
"Then why am I wearing your r..." Sam held up her hand, and visible paled when she realised she was not wearing her ring. Pete pulled it out of his pocket slowly.
"Teal'c gave it to me. Look Sam, you know how I feel, but I am giving you the chance, just tell me and I will walk out. I won't be responsible for you living a big 'what if'. We deserve more than that."
Sam looked at him for a long time unable to speak. Images of everything she had seen rushed back to her, as she sorted through them all, one thing became clear.
"Pete I'm so sorry..." He stood up and silenced her with his hand.
"I just want you to be happy Sam, keep safe ok, and don't avoid me if you see me on the street." Pete said leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.
"Pete, you are a wonderful man, I don't deserve you, but someone does." Sam said kissing him back. Pete let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, but Sam, don't dance around any more, talk to him." He said nothing else as he got up to leave.
Sam lay crying softly feeling sorry for herself and for him, she wished she could have loved him, but something inside her was telling her she had done the right thing.