And then his movements faded to a halt again and he stood motionless.
The quiet made his heart ache.
He ran a hand through his hair.
What would he do if she didn't come out of whatever state she was in?
The silence echoed back at him as the ache in his heart intensified.
- - -
- - -
Ch 42: INCREMENTAL
- - -
That second day passed without any signs of improvement from Sam. Jack stayed in the tent except when dealing with camp chores. He spent his time watching her or trying to play one-person card games. Eventually this devolved into trying to pitch the cards accurately into her upside-down baseball cap.
The hours passed slowly.
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He awoke and didn't open his eyes. In the warmth of the sleeping bags, with her lying cradled in his arms, he could almost pretend that she was just simply asleep.
He took a deep breath and just let himself feel her lying against him.
Her breaths still slow and soft.
He was scared.
Scared she was never going to wake up.
But then he felt her breaths, and each one was his lifeline.
He slowly opened his eyes and studied her peaceful face for the thousandth time in the past few days.
Once again, he moved his hand over her chest and felt for her heartbeat.
And it was there.
Faint, but softly beating.
He closed his eyes and relaxed.
Focusing on the gentle pulses from her heart.
Waiting and hoping for some tingling or itching in his hand.
Praying for that green glow.
But as with the several other times he'd tried it,
...nothing happened.
No itching, no tingling... no glowing.
He sighed again and lay there quietly with his hand on her heart.
Living for each soft pulse.
- - - - -
The brightness of the light in the tent told him that he'd slept well past dawn.
And that didn't bother him in the least.
There was no urgent or pressing camp business for him to attend to.
His main task was his vigil at her side.
And so he waited.
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A soft sound.
He froze.
He heard it again.
Just barely more than a sigh.
He moved over to her side.
Watching her intently.
And then he heard it again.
A very soft, airy moan.
"Sam?" and then he held his breath, straining for the faintest sounds.
Silence answered him.
The moments passed, but he didn't hear it again.
He slumped forward dejectedly.
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Movement in his peripheral vision.
His head snapped around and he stared at her intently.
And then she moved again.
Just a little.
But she moved.
He knelt by her side once more.
"Sam?" his voice almost cracked.
A groan.
Nothing could have been sweeter music to his ears.
"Yes!" he exclaimed loudly.
She moaned something unintelligible.
And he couldn't stop the face-splitting grin he was wearing.
"Sam?" he shook her shoulder gently.
"Mthhbk..," was the mumbled reply.
"Sa-a-am," he sing-songed while shaking her gently for a second time. "Come 'on, time to wake up. You've clocked enough sack time for a week or two..."
Her eyelids fluttered and she looked up at him blearily, "Wha-?" and she almost managed a complete word.
"Hey there," he sent back softly.
She blinked several times to bring his fuzzy image into focus, "Hi," she finally managed with a smile tickling the edges of her mouth.
"Hi," he returned happily.
She blinked a few more times and then started to speak again, "Wha-," but she coughed as the words tickled and irritated her dry throat.
Recognizing her problem immediately, Jack grabbed a canteen he had kept ready and she moved a hand feebly towards it, but her hand fell back, too weak.
"It's ok," he spoke soothingly, "You're going to have to take it slow," and he pulled over a stack of gear to lean against and then gently pulled her into a reclining position with her back propped against his chest. Reaching around her, he carefully tilted the canteen so that she could get some water without spilling it down her front.
After only a few sips, she relaxed against him limply and closed her eyes. He set the canteen down and wrapped his arms around her.
"Sam?" he broke the silence.
"Yeah," she returned without opening her eyes.
He leaned his head back and closed his own eyes. "I just needed to hear your voice," he explained.
"Mm...," and that turned into a soft sigh as she drifted off back to sleep.
- - - -
He held her like that for awhile and then gently laid her back down.
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Just a little over three hours later and she awoke again.
And stayed awake for ten minutes before drifting back to sleep.
He managed to get some more water into her.
And now, he was waiting with hot water simmering and some food ready to be warmed up. He intended to get some hot drink and food into her the next time she came around.
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An hour and half later and she moved and moaned softly.
He was by her side instantly.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," he greeted her.
"Hey," she returned, her voice thick with sleep.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Tired," she replied while still blinking the bleary sleep from her eyes.
He smiled at her, "I've got some tea and some hot food for you – I'll be right back," and he slipped outside to stoke the fire to quickly reheat everything.
Sticking his head back in the tent, "Don't fall back asleep on me," he ordered.
"Yes sir," came the response conditioned by so many years as his 2IC and he smiled.
A few minutes later, he returned to find her with her eyes closed. "Sam?" he asked.
"Yeah?" she replied softly and without opening her eyes.
"Dinner's ready," and he set the cups down.
She opened her eyes and looked at the food and drink. "I am pretty thirsty," she admitted.
He sat down against the piles of gear and gently pulled her up and into that reclining position against his chest.
She sagged against him, "Wow, I feel so... weak..."
"It's ok, we just need to get some food and water into you," he assured her and then carefully held the warm tea for her. As before, she took a couple of sips and then lay back, resting. He patiently waited and then he coaxed her to take a few more sips. This cycle repeated until she'd finally swallowed half of the liquid in the cup.
Gauging her exhaustion, he abandoned the rest of the liquid and turned to the hot food... which had cooled considerably, but was still warm. "Sam," and he gently shook her as he held a spoonful for her.
"Not hungry," she sighed.
"Sam, please? You haven't eaten in over three days," he pleaded with her.
"Three days?" came back thickly and he knew she was falling back asleep.
"Sam!" and he shook her more firmly and she blinked her eyes. "Sam, please, just eat a little – for me? Please?"
She blinked again and focused her eyes on the spoonful he was holding for her. Seeing that he had her attention, he moved the spoon forward and she allowed him to feed her. She didn't even try to argue that she could handle it herself.
As with the water, he coaxed her into eating a little more and then just a little more. All told, she only ate a few ounces, but it was a start.
When they were done, she fell asleep on his chest.
She'd been awake for over a half hour.
She'd eaten and drank.
Hope started to bloom in his chest.
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She woke again three and a half hours later.
And he again coaxed her into a half a cup of tea and a few ounces of solid food.
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He awoke when she moved in his arms.
"Hey," he smiled in the dark.
"Hi," her voice was soft and sleepy.
He checked his watch. 0315.
"How do you feel?" he asked her the same question he'd asked each time she woken up.
"Like I got run over by a platoon of Jaffa," she sent back through the dark.
He smiled – that was the longest answer she'd given him yet. "Good to hear you're feeling better," he sent as he groped above his head for his flashlight. Finding it, he snapped it on and she groaned and buried her face against his chest.
Reluctantly he pulled away from her, "Be back in a sec," he promised as he slipped out of their cocoon and pulled on some more clothes.
"Where are you going?" she asked muzzily.
"Just going to get a little food and drink, I'll be right back," he replied with a small smile of affection.
"You don't have to do that now, it's the middle of the night," she protested.
"Doesn't matter," he countered. "You're awake now, you're going to eat a little," he sent over his shoulder as he unzipped the tent.
She groaned, but didn't argue further.
- - - -
She weakly held her hand on the cup, and didn't protest his support or assistance. She looked like she wanted to try feeding herself too, but she was still too weak and didn't argue when he fed her again.
Afterwards, she lay back against him.
Weak and exhausted after having done so little.
"Jack?"
"Mmmhmmm?"
"Thank you," she sent him a drowsy thanks as she slipped back into sleep.
- - -
- - -
TBC
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