Sam looked up when Jack entered the waiting room again. He walked over and sat down beside her with a heavy sigh.

"Did you get hold of Dotty?"

He shook his head, and Sam put her arm around his waist squeezing it in between him and the chair he was sitting in, and Jack reacted by leaning into her side.

"She's on her way here."

"I thought you didn't get hold of her?"

"I didn't. She was on her way when I called – I got hold of James. Dotty had already left with Shawn and River."

"How did she know-"

"Who knows?" Jack asked. "Maybe some Ancient thing or the other…" He didn't care, either, really. As long as she got here in case Ian needed that healing ability of hers.

Sam nodded.

"Did you call the base?"

"Yeah. They're going to try and get a message to Nathan – although who knows where he and Maggie are in Barbados? And I called the Academy to let them know what's happening as well – they're going to inform the Commandant."

She nodded.

"What-"

She was interrupted by the arrival of Emmett and Cassie, who came into the waiting room just then, Emmett looking rumpled and Cassie looking scared and pale. She went straight to Jack – no shock there – and he stood up and folded her into his arms.

"What happened, Jack?" Cassie asked, even more scared now that she'd had a look at Jack. He looked worried – which he usually hid so well – and Sam was pale, too. "Emmett said mom told him Ian was hurt…"

"We're not sure exactly what happened, Cass," Jack told her, holding her close. "Ian-"

"There was an accident, honey," Sam said.

"It wasn't an accident, Sam," Jack snapped, his fear and worry and helplessness all turning into anger and lashing out at the one person he loved more than any, and was the last he'd ever hurt. Who was also the one person who'd never be hurt by the outburst. She knew what he was going through, and understood. "He was shot."

"Shot?"

Cassie drew back, looking at Sam to see if it was true.

Sam nodded.

"Your mom's with him, so we know he's in the best of hands…"

"Yeah"-small comfort, but that was true. Cassie knew her mom was the best. "Have you… heard anything?"

"Who would shoot him?" Emmett asked, curiously. "And why?"

"The police are looking into it," Sam told him, not at all surprised by the question, since Bregman was a journalist, after all. "They think it might have something to do with the-"

She was interrupted by a couple coming in – a blonde woman in her mid twenties was supporting a very mangled looking man who was leaning heavily against her, obviously favoring his knee – which had a splint of sorts immobilizing it. They were in the middle of what was apparently an argument, and the others couldn't help but overhear it.

"…need to get that looked at, because it looks broken to me, and I-"

"I'm telling you, I can't be-"

"If you don't get it looked at it could be dangerous. Besides, your face looks awful – like you got into a fight, and I can't believe you had-"

"I told you, we got into a car wreck."

"Well, whatever… you sit down and I'll go get a doctor to look at you." She helped him into a chair on the other side of the room, and Cassie realized that under the bruises, the guy looked familiar. He was too old to be from her school – he looked to be in his mid twenties, as well – but she could have sworn she'd seen him somewhere before.

With Jack's arm still around her she turned to get a closer look, and the guy scowled – apparently not enjoying being the center of attention from a group of people. Before he could say anything though, he paled, and she recognized the look. He recognized her as well. And that frightened him for some reason.

Jack noticed the exchanged looks as well, of course. He didn't miss much that went on around him, even in such a circumstance.

"Who's that, Cass?" He asked quietly, wondering why Cassie seemed to know someone that was way to old for her to be hanging around. He didn't like the sudden tension in the room that was practically emanating from the guy, either.

"I'm not sure…" she said, frowning, and turning to Jack while she answered the question. "He looks familiar, but-" Then she realized where she knew him from. "He's one of the guys from the Dairy Queen, I think…" She said. "You know – when Ian and I-"

She didn't get any further than that. Jack let her go, his face suddenly hard and his eyes cold – so cold that Cassie wondered if there was something wrong with him.

"You're sure?"

"I think so," she said, nodding, curious as to why he was so interested. That was history, after all. "Why?"

"Stay here…"

Jack walked over to stand in front of the chair the man was sitting in, and the guy looked up at him, pale and wary.

"What happened to you?" Jack asked, in a tone that was so devoid of emotion that the guy wasn't sure what to think.

"I got in an accident…"

"Yeah?"

While he was talking to him, he was studying him. The guy's face was bruised and bloody – it looked like he'd been in an accident, all right. But he might have been in a fight, too, huh? He looked at the knee that was held out in front of the guy.

"Car accident?"

"Yeah…"

"Where?"

"What?"

"Where was the wreck?"

"What do you care?"

"Let's just say I'm writing a book."

"I don't have to answer any-"

They were interrupted by the return of the woman – although she was alone. She looked at Jack curiously, and sat down beside the guy.

"A nurse said she'd be here in a second, Bob."

"What happened to your knee, Bob?" Jack asked.

"Who are you?" The woman asked.

"Jack." Jack said, still looking at Bob. "O'Neill. Colonel Jack O'Neill…"

"I don't know what you want, buddy," Bob said, his voice just a little higher than it had been when he'd been talking to the woman upon his arrival. "But I was in a car accident, and I'm not-"

"Where's the car?"

"He said it was a hit and run," the woman said, a little scared by Jack's reaction – although she couldn't understand why Bob was being so defensive all of the sudden. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I don't believe him," Jack said, waving Sam over to him. He kept his eyes on Bob.

Sam came over, along with Emmett and Cassie.

"Sam. There's a police officer in the lobby – I saw him there when I wa on the phone. Go get him."

"Hey! I don't-" Bob was trying to get to his feet, obviously ready to lave as quickly as he could, but Jack stepped close to stop him.

"Cassie? Did you see my truck when you guys came in?"

"Yes."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys.

"Go get Jaffer. His leash is in the glove box."