Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 or any of its characters (unfortunately sigh). I'm just a person who likes to write so the owners have no reason to sue me.
A/N: Sorry for taking so long to get this up. Lots of Jack angst in this one. Could be better written in my opinion but that's just me. I'll probably revise it later when I have the time. Anywho…on to the fic!
"Hey, Squirt? Catch any fish?"
Jack was in Danny's office, leaning back in the chair with the phone to his head. He listened intently to Katy's chatter.
"You bet I did!"
"Wait?! You mean to tell me there actually is fish in that lake?!" Of all of the times to miss out on going to Minnesota...
"You should of seen it! It was this big!"
He let a little laugh escape his lips. He could just imagine his daughter's antics at the other end of the line, holding her hands apart to show him how big even though he couldn't see. "That big, huh?" he teased, playing into his daughter's imagination.
"Yeah sure you betcha!"
Another laugh escaped his throat. "You really are your father's daughter, you know that?"
Musical laughter filled the other end of the phone. "Uncle Charlie couldn't believe it! He said he was surprised that the fish didn't drag me into the water with it."
"Really? Put up a good fight, did it?"
"Yeapers. I had to brace myself against the dock post. But um...I sorta lost your lucky hat in the water. I'm sorry."
Jack grinned. "Don't worry, Squirt. I have plenty more where that one came from. I'll just run home and grab another one from my stash of lucky hats."
Another giggled escaped his daughter. "When you going to get up here?"
Her father winced. "Um, it looks like I won't be up there for another couple of days. Something came up and--"
A long and over exaggerated whine interrupted him. "Dad! You said you'd be here tonight!"
"I know, Squirt, and I promise to make it up there as soon as I can."
"But Dad--"
"No buts."
Silence filled the other end of the line. He could tell she was pouting. She always got really quiet when she pouted. "You still there?" he asked.
A small sniffle. "Yeah..."
Jack heart nearly ripped in half and the sound of her voice. "Hey, don't cry. I'll be up there as soon as I can. It's just that...well...a friend of Daddy's was found and they're hurt pretty bad. I just want to stay here and make sure that she's okay--"
"She?"
A small smile spread across his face. Yeap, definitely her father's daughter. "Yes, that's what I said."
"Oh," she paused. "It wasn't Auntie Jan, was it?"
"No, Auntie Jan is okay. In fact, she's taking care of my friend right now," he reassured the five year old.
More silence filled the other line. "Oh...who's your friend?"
"Well," Jack started. A knock on the door interrupted him. He looked up to see Daniel standing in the door frame. He looked pretty weary. Probably been watching over Sam all this time, he thought to himself.
"Katy, Daddy has to go."
"But Dad!"
"No buts."
Daniel looked as if he were about to bolt down the hallway. Jack frowned and waved his friend inside as he finished his conversation with Katy.
The archeologist walked in warily, clearing some books off of an extra chair in his office. His friend held up one finger, gesturing that he would be finished momentarily. "Don't worry, Squirt. I'll be up there before you know it. In the mean time, just have fun and annoy Uncle Charlie for me, okay?"
"Okay," she said unwillingly. "But you better be up here by the weekend!"
Her father smiled. "I'll try, Squirt."
"Next Wednesday by the latest!"
"Okay, okay. Next Wednesday it is but I'll try to be there before then. Call you later?"
"Yeah sure you betcha!" Her voice was starting to sound more upbeat.
"That's my girl. I love you."
"I love you too!"
Jack hung up the phone with a sad smile. He really wanted to be up there with his daughter. He really did. How on earth am I going to explain to her that her mother has magically reappeared?
"Hey, how you doing?" Daniel asked.
"Um, pretty good. Doc finally sent me away to get some rest."
"You mean you actually left willingly?" The younger man didn't sound to convinced.
"Actually, Teal'c had to carry me out of there," came the sheepish reply.
Danny hung his head and laughed. "You'll never change, will you?"
Jack grinned. "Nope, guess not. You look pretty tired yourself there, Space Monkey."
The younger man took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, letting out a sigh. "Yeah. Haven't slept in quite awhile. I was working on a translation nonstop two nights before they brought Sam back and haven't slept since before then."
"How she doing?"
"Well, her vitals are getting better but she's still asleep. Jacob is with her right now. Janet thinks it may help if we talk to her a bit. Jack?" Jack was lost within his own thoughts. "Jack?" he asked more persistently. "Penny for your thoughts."
"I saw her die, Danny. Right in front of me. It's just...hard to have her back. See that she's okay..."
Daniel just kept quiet. I had a feeling that it would lead to this. He waited for his friend to continue.
"When that staff blast hit her I--" A choked sob escaped his throat. "I--I knew that I had lost her. Just seeing her, unmoving on the ground...but still I ran over to her and tried to wake her up. The blood, oh the blood! It pooled beneath her..."
"It's okay, Jack."
"No it's not!" he shouted as he jumped out of his chair. "It's not okay! Seeing her like this! It's...it's the same!" Tears were streaming down his eyes.
Daniel got up slowly and made his way over to the brooding man. He started to say something but closed his mouth. He had nothing to say.
"I can't wake her up, Danny. She won't wake up. No matter what I do or say, she just lies there, motionless, like some sort of doll! I talk to her, rub her hand, tell her all about Katy but nothing seems to get through. I'm sick of waiting! I want my Sam back, Danny. I want my life back..."
Daniel watched as his friend slid down the wall to the floor, sobs escaping his throat. It hurt him to see Jack this way. He could understand what he was going through. He had lost Sha're to the Goa'uld and when they were reunited back on Abados, it had felt strange to him. He wanted to hug her, kiss her, and have everything back to normal. But unfortunately, the Goa'uld inside of her was only asleep for the sake of the baby...Apophis' baby. It still angered him that Apophis had had his wife, using her in his sick and twisted plans.
"Don't worry, Jack. I'm sure things will be back to normal. You have Sam again and she is getting better. It's just going to take time, alright? You can't rush these things. She has to heal on her own. Just take Janet's advice and keep on doing what you're doing. Hell, go to Minnesota if it will help calm your nerves. She'll be here when you get back."
"NO!" The older man was on his feet in an instant.
Guess I said the wrong thing, Danny sulked.
"I am not, I repeat, am NOT going to leave her! I want to be there when she wakes up. Hell! I need to be there when she wakes up. How do you think it will look if she comes to and I'm not there, by her side waiting for her? Huh?"
The archeologist just hung his head. Yeap, definitely said the wrong thing. Maybe that's why he always yells at me in these types of situations. "I don't know what to think, Jack. All I know is that...well, everything will be okay in the end."
Jack stopped his screaming. He looked his friend in the eyes and instantly felt guilty. He knew that Daniel was only trying to help but he just felt so...tired. He let out an agitated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, Danny boy."
The younger man just held up a hand. "Hey, no problem. I know you're stressed." He plopped down in his chair. "Hell, we're all pretty stressed right now."
"Yeah." Jack yawned. "I think I'm going to go and take a nap."
"That would be a good idea. Sam needs her husband, and not a zombie, when she wakes up."
A small grin crossed his friend's face. "Yeah yeah. Wake me up if there's any change. And I mean any change."
"Okay. Go get some sleep."
"Yes, mother."
"Jack!"
"Alright! Alright! I'm going. Just going to go check on Sam one more time."
The ex-colonel walked out the door slowly, his friend watching him as he left. Daniel couldn't help but smile to himself. "Things are going to be okay," he whispered to himself.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter but don't worry! Lots of Sam in the next chapter though you guys are going to hate me for the next bit of news…it's gong to be awhile before I can get it up. Graduation is Friday for me and I'm soooooo busy! Lots of things to get done with so little time but don't worry! Have the chapter planned out. It's only a matter of writing it out now. Hopefully it will be up within the next two weeks.