Life's Problems – Part 9

Author Notes: Bold print - Indicates flash backs.

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Sam had gone in to check on her dad early the next morning. The nurses had informed her that Selmak's vital signs were improved to the point that she should wake up soon. As she entered her dad's room she heard him mumbling in his sleep. At first she couldn't make out what he was saying and then she realized he was reliving the torture he went through on PXR-277. She decided then she needed to wake him up. "Dad?" He didn't respond. She shook his shoulders and said louder "Dad. Come on wake up." He started to move around more and finally woke up.

"Hey." He said looking around a little disoriented. "SGC Infirmary?"

"Yeah." She was a little concerned he didn't know where he was. "Are you OK? Do you want me to get the doctor?"

"No. I'm OK. I just had a dream, it's nothing."

"What can you tell me about what you remember?" He looked at her as if he didn't know what she was talking about. "Don't even try to deny it Dad. I overheard you talking in your sleep?"

"I don't talk in my sleep." He protested with a smile hoping to change the subject. She gave him a look that stopped his protesting. "OK you win. You must have learned that look from your mother." He said smiling at her.

She couldn't help but smile. "Dad...what do you remember?"

"It mostly just dreams that I have been able to piece together. We had just been captured by an army of Jaffa and Olokun was 'questioning' us. He apparently wasn't getting the information he wanted. Selmak took control to heal us after each session and she was able to block out most of the pain. About a week or so later, I lost track of time, he got tired of our answers and decided on a different approach. He gave us a poison that would only affect Selmak, thinking I was weaker and would give information if I didn't have Selmak to protect me. He used the same methods of interrogation. He knew I carried Tok'ra and Tau'ri information ... but I surprised him ... I never folded." Jacob stopped talking and stared off into space remembering what he went through. He wasn't going to share all his nightmares with her.

Sam took the hint and didn't push any further. If he wanted to talk about it she would be here. They sat there in silence for a long time until Jacob spoke again. "I remember Selmak telling me the poison would kill her if she didn't slow her vital signs down. If she could slow her heart rate down enough to prevent the poison from attacking her, then she might survive. That's why she has been in a coma. The hand device has been destroying the poison that was lying dormant in my body waiting for an active symbiote to attack. That's why she is starting to wake up now. The hand device has destroyed the majority of the poison."

'I knew you would figure it out' Selmak said weakly to Jacob.

Jacob just smiled at the familiar voice. Sam gave him a questioned look and he responded "Selmak is awake."

"That's great Dad! Should I get the doctor or Ian?"

"No she's still weak, but I think she's going to be OK."

'You didn't think you were getting rid of me that easily did you, Jacob?' Selmak said as she fell into a light sleep.

Jacob sensed Selmak was asleep 'I certainly hoped not.'

Jacob and Sam continued to talk about everything that he had missed since he had been away. Jacob had a since of deja vu as she filled him in on the latest sports news and about Mark and the kids. He wasn't sure, but it was like she had already told him all of this, but he didn't remember them ever really talking until today. He dismissed it as a coincidence. He noticed she was smiling again and he decided to ask what or who was responsible for her good mood.

"You seem happier then usual. Care to tell me why?"

Sam wasn't sure how to answer that question. She stalled long enough for her dad to continue before she could respond. "Does it have anything to do with ... Pete?"

She frowned and he immediately wished he hadn't brought his name up. "No we broke up. Actually we had a big argument after we found you. It just wasn't meant to be."

Jacob remembered voices. One belongs to Sam and the other to angry man yelling at her demanding to know who "he" was. It was like a movie replaying in his head, there was no picture only sound.

"No! We're great together. I just bought us a house!" He yelled.

"Pete I never even saw the house ... Look I'm sorry, but I can't marry you." She raised her voice.

"He bought you a house that you had never seen." He stated remembering what he had overheard. "Were you engaged to him?"

Sam was shocked that he remembered her argument with Pete. "Dad you were in a coma. How could you know that?"

"I heard you. I didn't hear everything, but I think I heard enough, and I'm glad your not dating him anymore." The little Jacob had heard he knew he didn't like Pete.

Sam was embarrassed. She wasn't sure how much her father heard, or if he had heard every conversation that morning. "What do you remember?" she asked cautiously.

"Who is he?" He yelled.

"Pete you're hurting me. Let me go."

"It's your precious General isn't it?! I've seen the way the two of you look at each other."

"Pete you don't know what you're talking about. Now let go of me."

"He thought you were seeing someone ... a General." Jacob was trying to remember "What General was he talking about?" The only General he knew on base was George Hammond and he knew she wasn't seeing him.

Sam remained silent feeling like a teenager again who had gotten caught seeing a boy her father didn't approve of. She waited for the explosion as he continued to remember.

"I heard you! Now just admit it. You're in love with O'Neill!"

"I think it's time you left!"

"O'Neill?" Jacob said the name but didn't quite believe his own ears. "Jack O'Neill?" Jacob looked at Sam for the first time since he began to replay the events. "Is Jack a General?" He asked calmly

It was such an easy question to answer, but its consequences were huge. She straightened her shoulders and answered boldly "Yes. He is a General. He was promoted and is now in charge of the SGC. General Hammond is in Washington and is in charge of Homeworld Security. I was promoted to Lt. Colonel and took command of SG-1."

Jacob was in information overload. So much had changed. He didn't know how to react to all the information he just received. He knew by her fatigues she was a Lt Colonel now, but he hadn't gotten around to asking her about it. He was shocked, thrilled, and angry. He sat there processing everything, when he finally spoke. "You didn't deny it."

"What? Didn't deny what?" She asked confused.

"When Pete accused you of being in love with Jack. You never denied it." Jacob said replay their argument. He looked at her again as he spoke. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Are you in love with Jack?" Sam wasn't going to lie to him, but she couldn't verbalize a response. Jacob took her silence as an admission of guilt.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sam flinched at his sudden outburst. She saw the anger in his eyes. "Sam you're throwing away your career. You're the leader of the flag ship team. You know how many people would kill for that job, or how many women would love the opportunity you have right now. Do you know what you're risking? Is it really worth throwing away everything you have worked so hard for?"

"Dad ..." She said calmly interrupting him.

"I'm serious Sam. If anyone ..."

"Dad! It's not what you think." She said more forcefully, getting him to listen to her. "We aren't seeing each other. There is nothing going on that wouldn't stand up to a board of inquiry. We talked and as long as the regulations are in place, that's all we will do."

"Are you thinking of removing the regulations?" He was shocked that she would even consider it.

"Yes we are." Jacob started to protest when she stopped him. "I don't know what's going to happen or how we are going to do that, but we are looking at our options."

"I hope you know what you're doing, and I hope he's worth it." Jacob was trying to remember he was talking to his grown daughter who could make up her own mind, and not a little girl that needed him to shield her from the world.

"He is dad. Now trust me to do what is best for me. My career doesn't keep me warm at night and Pete showed me what it was like to be loved. Unfortunately, for Pete I also learned I couldn't settle for anything less than real love, that last a life time. You just admitted that I seem happier. He's good for me. I'm not naïve, he's not perfect, but I do love him."

Jacob could see she meant every word. That's what he had always wanted for her to find, a love that could stand the test of time. He would be thrilled under different circumstances, but he was worried about her. Why did it have to be Jack O'Neill, her CO that captured his daughter's heart? "You know it's not that I dislike Jack. I just want you to be happy, and not give up everything to be with him."

"I know dad. Trust us." Jacob gave her a look indicating it wasn't her he didn't trust. She smiled. "OK ... at least trust me."

"Alright."

"Are you going to be OK for a while? I need to go check on things in my lab."

"Sure I'll be fine. Go ahead. The doctor said I may be able to go home today."

"Great. I'll come by at lunch to see if they will discharge you."

"I'll be here."

General Hammond had been on base all morning talking to Jack and basically just making sure he was adjusting to his new job. Even though he had spoken with Jack almost daily on the phone it was still nice to see everything was OK with his on eyes. It still felt strange seeing Jack behind his desk, but Jack seemed to be adjusting well. He had never seen him in such a good mood behind a mountain of paper work.

General Hammond left Jack's office and decided to pay Jacob a visit before lunch. He walked in to the infirmary and noticed his old friend was awake, and appeared deep in thought. "Good Morning, Jacob. How are you feeling?"

"George. Hi. I heard you're a big wig in Washington now. What are you doing here?"

"I decided to see how the SGC was doing and also, check up on an old friend that got himself into some trouble."

"I'm doing better. Selmak is going to be fine, she woke up earlier. They're letting me out of here soon. "

"Good. I'm glad to hear it."

"So ... a lot has changed in the past few months." Jacob had calmed down a lot since he and Sam talked earlier this morning. He had a chance to think about what she said.

"Yes it has, but Jack is doing a great job. Sam is a natural leader of SG-1. You would be very proud. I'm keeping Washington off of SGC as much as possible, although the President is doing a good job of that too. President Hayes is a good man. Do you remember Henry Hayes?"

"Vaguely. He's the president? Wow."

"Yes and Senator Kinsey was Vice President for a while before the President fired him. That made my job easier."

Jacob still couldn't get over how much things had changed. It was like he stepped through the quantum mirror to a different reality. "Do you really think Jack and Sam are doing a good job?"

"Absolutely. I wouldn't have put in for the promotions if I didn't believe in their abilities."

"What would you do if you lost one or both of them?"

"That's not going to happen, Jacob. I won't allow it."

"Well, you better do something soon, because that's exactly what's going to happen. They're tired of waiting."

General Hammond didn't like where this conversation was going. "Jacob. I follow the 'don't ask don't tell policy'. I don't want to know anything. I can't know anything."

"I understand. Let's say ... hypothetically speaking." General Hammond knew this was a thin line, but he nodded his head in approval. "There is a junior officer that has decided to pursue a relationship with her Commanding Officer. The feelings are mutual. The regulations are the only thing standing in their way, and they have decided to eliminate that problem. Now you and I know there is only one way to do that, and it requires one of them to leave their current base assignment, either by transfer or retirement. I don't think that would be good for their base or the individuals."

General Hammond closed his eyes at the implications this would bring for 'their base'. He always hoped they would find someone else, or at least wait until after the war was over. He knew that was selfish and unrealistic. As much as the two of them had sacrificed over the years, this shouldn't be one of them if that's really what they wanted. He just hated that he was going to lose one or both of them in process.

"There has to be something we can do to prevent them from destroying their careers."

"Are you saying the junior officer's father is supporting their decision?"

"I heard he tried to talk her out of it, but she had already made up her mind. Once her mind is made up, no one can change it, but her. He knows he can't win that battle, he can either help her or watch her throw everything away."

"What would you suggest in a situation like this?"

"I don't believe they have figured out a way to get around the regs yet. They will probably both try to sacrifice their careers for the other one. I think they could use a little help from a couple of Generals, some that would have both of their best interests at heart."

Jacob and General Hammond began to brain storm over this 'hypothetical situation'.

So ... what do you think?

Up next: Sam tells Jack that her father knows.