The doctor followed them out, but before Ian could close his eyes and try to will away the aches that seemed to be getting worse and worse the door opened and Cassandra Fraiser came sneaking in. She smiled when she saw he was awake, and Ian watched as she closed the door and came over and sat on his bed, looking down at him. She looked a lot more composed now than she had before, and he was glad. Kisses aside, she was way too nice a girl to be worrying so much about him.

"Are you supposed to be in here?"

She shrugged, putting her hand on his.

"No one told me I couldn't be."

"Isn't there a guard?"

"He's talking to your dad – giving him directions to McDonald's."

Ian smiled and closed his fingers around her hand.

"Where's your mom?"

"Sleeping."

"Where's Jack?"

"He left to take Shawn and River back to school. Sam's downstairs somewhere, and everyone else is gone – except your mom and dad – so no one will know if I do this…"

She leaned over and kissed him lightly.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" Ian asked her a moment later, squeezing her hand gently so she'd know he wasn't completely serious. "Do you know what Jack would do if he caught me kissing you again? And God only knows what your mom would do."

"She'd probably kill me," Cassie said, smiling. "I'm too young to even look at guys like that, as far as she's concerned."

"Yeah, mom's are like that…"

She nodded, and then looked him over, critically.

"You look a little better," she told him. "Your eye's not quite so swollen, anyways."

He hadn't taken a look at himself in a mirror and really had no intention of doing so, but he was sure he still looked pretty bad. He felt pretty bad, and his face felt tight and swollen and it just plain hurt – like the rest of him.

"Picture perfect?" He asked her.

She made a face.

"Maybe… if you're going for the Rocky 2 look alike contest…"

He smiled and squeezed her hand, closing his eyes. Even though he was enjoying her company, he was finding that the doctor had been right; he was tired and could feel himself falling asleep – even in the middle of the conversation. And Cassie, of course, noticed right away.

"Are you going to sleep?"

"I can't keep my eyes open."

"That's normal." She told him. "Your body's using a lot of energy to heal, and you are on a lot of medication."

He smiled, wryly, opening his eyes a little – although he couldn't force them all the way open.

"Trust a doctor's kid to know those things…"

She nodded.

"I've picked up a lot from her." He felt her lips brush his again, and then her hand disengage from his. "You go to sleep. I'm going to have to go home soon – since I have school tomorrow and mom won't let me stay home – but I'll come visit you once they've taken you to the SGC and settled you in mom's infirmary…"

Before he could even ask her if they'd even let her into the SGC – before he could even wonder if they would, really – he gave up trying to stay awake, and fell asleep.

Cassie watched him sleep for a minute, and then touched his cheek – something she wouldn't really dare do when he was awake. It seemed even more intimate a touch than a kiss, really – especially since their kisses, while very nice, had been fairly chaste. She felt the soft beginnings of stubble on his cheek and upper lip and ran her fingers lightly over his chin while she had the opportunity. Then, realizing that she was being dumb, and if her mother walked in and caught her feeling up her patient, she'd definitely have to do some explaining, she leaned over and brushed one more kiss against his cheek and headed for the door.

OOOOOOOOO

Sam met her in the hallway, and Cassie realized the Major had been on her way to Ian's room. She colored slightly; if Ian hadn't fallen asleep, Sam might have walked in on them kissing like jack had. Cassie wondered what her friend's reaction would have been – Jack had taken it far better than Cassie had expected him to.

"I was just coming to look for you," Sam told her, smiling.

"I was checking on Ian…" Cass said, almost guiltily. Especially since she wasn't exactly supposed to be in there just then.

"How's he doing?"

"He fell asleep, but he was talking and didn't seem too doped up. You could go look for yourself."

She shook her head.

"If he's sleeping than he's not going to be much fun to watch. I'll wait until he's awake. I told your mom I'd take you home – and Emmett's going to stay with you tonight, just so you're not alone, okay?"

Cassie nodded – Janet had already told her she was going to stay at the hospital to make sure there were no complications with her patient. Not that they really expected any, but you never knew, and that was one of the things that made her mom a good doctor – being ready for anything that might come up.

"Sounds good."

"He's expecting us. Are you ready?"

She nodded again, and the two of them headed for the elevators, passing a Marine who was coming off a different one – apparently ready to take the place of the one guarding Ian's room.

"What a day, huh?" Cassie asked as the elevator door opened and they got in.

Sam nodded her agreement. It could have been a whole lot worse, though, and she knew it.

"You holding up okay?"

"Yeah, Sam. I had a chance to talk to him, you know? And he's going to be fine…"

Sam smiled, slyly, giving Cassie a look out of the corner of her eye.

"From what I hear, you two have been doing more than talking…"

Cassie blushed a brilliant red – and with her coloring, it showed brilliant red.

"What did you hear?"

Sam laughed, and gave her a hug, well aware that she'd embarrassed her and enjoying every second of it. That was the best thing about being an adult, right? Getting to embarrass the young people around you – especially the teenagers.

"Jack told me he caught the two of you in a liplock that would have sent your mother through the roof."

"It wasn't that bad…"

"Really?"

"But it was nice…"

"Oh, I bet…" Sam laughed and the elevator door opened, spilling them out onto the main floor.

"It was… He's great…"

"I know, sweetheart," Sam assured her. "If I were twenty years younger and hadn't met Jack, you and I would be wrestling in the jello for him."

Cassie smiled, and they headed for Sam's car.