Let's go!!! Chapter 8 awaits!!

Jack shot up with a start, falling out of Sam's bed with a startled cry. Sam's scream had shattered his reverie. Hastily, Jack wiped his eyes, erasing his inner feelings and becoming her icy commanding officer once again.

His head rose slowly beside her bed as Jack untangled himself and stood, warily, eyeing the bed with a cautious eye. Sam looked up at him, her pale face flushing as she realized what he had been doing.

"Sir? What were you doing?"

Sam cleared her throat, her voice raw and hoarse from screaming and looked at her CO, who was awkwardly standing with his hands in his pockets, staring at everything in the room except for her.

Before he would answer, Jack was shoved aside by the medical team, led by Doctor Frasier, stethoscopes at the ready as they rushed to Sam's bedside.

(Later……..mucccccccch later. Sam's office)

Jack looked up from Sam's desk as Daniel strode into the room.

"They're letting Sam have visitors now. Janet's got her all patched up."

"Alrighty."

"Weren't you in the Infirmary already? What happened?"

"What happened? I was mobbed by an army of stethoscope-waving medics right as Carter woke up. They attacked me!"

Daniel stared at Jack.

"Right."

(Infirmary. Sam sees Jack again. YAY!)

Jack and Daniel entered the medical bay, joining the presence of General Hammond, Doctor Frasier, and Teal'c.

Jack waved.

"Hey Carter. How ya feeling?"

Sam was propped up on pillows, no longer attached to a respirator, but still bandaged around her chest.

"Better Sir. Thank you," she replied stiffly.

Jack noted her awkwardness with a frown, but decided to ignore it. If she wanted to talk, she would tell him later.

Janet cleared her throat.

"Sam got pretty beat up back there. She has three broken ribs, a punctured left lung, blood loss, dehydration and she's suffering from a mild case of hypothermia. However, I think that most of her damage is psychological. She's been through a lot in the last few days."

Janet directed this statement towards the newly arrived group rather than at Sam.

Jack raised his eyebrows.

"So, is she crazy or something? She's gonna get better, right?"

"I can still hear you."

Jack turned to face Sam, who was staring at him reproachfully with a look of mild annoyance about her.

Janet smiled awkwardly.

"I expect her to make a full recovery in a few weeks. She may, after she regains more strength, be able to use the Goa'uld healing device on herself."

Sam nodded. "I'll give it a try.

(Later, after much visiting in which shippers are crossing their fingers waiting for Daniel to leave so Sam and Jack can be alone together, Daniel and crew depart.)

Jack leaned back in his chair with a restless sigh. Carter lay sleeping on her bed and it was Jack's intention to remain planted in this stiff-backed chair until she spilled her guts to him. He might be here a while.

"I know you're not sleeping Carter. Stop faking," Jack said, staring at Sam as she groggily opened her eyes.

"What makes you say that? You've never seen me sleep."

"Oh...yeah. About that..."

"Sir what do you want?"

"I want you to tell me what happened on that planet. After you were captured."

Sam smiled bitterly, contorting her beautiful features.

"Not much to tell, is there? You left me."

Jack straightened in his chair.

"Carter, it was an accident. We didn't know you hadn't made it through until the Gate was shut down."

Sam snorted and rolled her eyes, looking away from him.

"I was alone there, Jack. I didn't have a weapon and they-"

Her voice broke off.

"They...?" Jack prompted.

Sam's head snapped towards him, hatred suddenly filling her eyes.

"They tortured me."

Jack's breath flew from his body and he sighed, burying his head in his hands.

"Oh God Sam. . .I am so sorry."

Why should you be? What could you have done?" Sam cried, her voice rising.

Jack shook his head at Doctor Frasier, who had come to see why her patient was yelling. She retreated back into her office, eyes filled with understanding.

"You left me there, Jack! The whole time I was there I kept seeing you! It was you torturing me! It was you hurting me! You've always hurt me.

"I had nothing there, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be back here with you and Daniel and Teal'c and I couldn't! All this time I was hurting and I was waiting for you to rescue me and you never came! Why, Jack, why didn't you come for me?" She shouted, rising in her bed despite her obvious injury.

Jack was stunned. He had wanted her to spill her guts, but he had no idea that he had hurt her so badly. He rose from his chair and moved towards her bedside.

"I'm sorry," he stated sadly.

Instead of calming Sam, his words had the opposite effect.

"Well you should be! All that time alone and I couldn't move, couldn't cry because it hurt too damn much! You said you'd always protect me and you abandoned me! I hate you!"

"Well, that's too bad. I love you."

Jack leaned in and kissed Sam square on the lips, muffling her cries as he enveloped her in his arms, finally opening his heart to her through the passionate kiss.

-End Chapter Eight-

Sorry!!!!!!!! I hate to do that to you guys, but I have a crapload of homework tonight. Please let me know what you thought. It's hard work making Sam so bitchy. Lol. . .

Chapter nine up soon, I promise!