Too Strong Part 9 of 11
Disclaimer: See Original Post
Jack sat in the chair beside Sam's bed, hunched forward with his fingers laced and his elbows on his knees. He bounced his right leg off the ball of his foot, his gut twisting and turning.
He knew what he had to do. Anise and the Doc had told him last night. It was all up to him. The ball was in his court . . . yada yada yada.
It sucked.
He raised his head and looked at Sam. She was asleep at the moment, restless and on the verge of waking again. Almost time to get this started.
Damn, this sucked
He waited until she rolled onto her back and blinked her eyes. When he knew she was awake enough to know where he was and what he was doing, Jack stood and headed for the door.
"Jack?" she called after him.
He stopped at the foot of the bed, his hand resting on the footboard. He didn't want to look at her, because if he did, he didn't know if he could do it. But he turned his head and met her unsteady gaze. "I'm leaving, Carter."
"No!" She sat up and rolled onto her knees, coming to the end of the bed and Jack had to step back to escape the reach of her hands. "No, you can't."
With purpose and strength he was amazed he still possessed, Jack reached into his pocket and took out his security badge as he walked to the door. "Unless you tell me right now how and when I'm gonna die – I'm outta here, Carter. I can't stay in here babysitting you forever."
Damn, this sucked!
His mouth tasted like crap, like the words themselves left an aftertaste.
She scrambled off the bed and managed to push between him and the security lock before he could insert his pass, pressing her hands against his chest.
"No, Jack! Please!"
He focused for a moment on the hinge of the door. The gray paint had chipped away to reveal the black metal beneath. Drawing a slow breath in through his nose, he turned his head and looked down at her. Jack spoke in a low, even tone.
"Tell me."
"I can't."
"Tell me or I'm leaving."
"Jack "
"Tell me, Carter!"
She suddenly clutched her head, a scream tearing from her throat, and then she shoved him back with strength that surprised him after three days of barely eating. But Jack kept his balance and twisted them around until he sandwiched her between him and the wall. Their huffed breaths mingled in the space between them.
"Tell me, Carter. NOW! That's an order!"
She screamed again, her hands flailing and her head rolling from side to side. Jack's heart pounded in his own chest, and he fought the urge to just wrap her in his arms and ease the torment. But he knew he had to do the opposite. Push her until it was unbearable. She was strong, she would break through.
She was Sam.
His Sam.
Jack clenched his teeth and pushed her aside, striding again to the door. Sam scurried on her hands and knees after him, her fists curling into his pant legs as he set his passkey to the lock.
"Jack, please!" she sobbed.
His own eyes burned hot, and he slid the plastic card down the slot. The lock disengaged and he pushed down on the door handle. This isn't working, damn it! It isn't working!
"Explosion!" Sam screamed as he pulled open the door.
He let go of the door and dropped to his knees beside her, pulling her upright with his hands on her upper arms. "An explosion? Sam, say it again . . . "
She nodded, her face slick with tears and her body shaking violently. "E-explosion. A b-bomb."
"Where . . ."
Sam shook her head, slamming her fists against her skull. "Shut up! Shut up!"
"Sam, where is the explosion? You can do this! You are stronger than the voices. You are louder, Sam."
She was sobbing and fighting to breathe, her body supported only by his hold. "I'm not, Jack. I did what they told me to."
"No, Sam. You didn't. You didn't let me die. But if you don't tell me, right now, I'm going to leave and I'm going to die. Don't fail me, Sam. Don't fail me!"
She shook her head slowly, her eyes closed. "I can't fail you."
"You will, Sam. You will fail me if you don't tell me. This time I will go, and I won't come back. Keeping me here is killing me, Sam. Do you hear me? Keeping me here is killing me!"
"No! You'll die if you leave!"
"I'll die if I stay!"
She slumped back against the wall, and Jack released her arms. He pushed his hand against the floor to stand, but she lunged forward and wrapped her hands around his arm, pulling at his shirt and shoulders until he came back down with her.
He saw in her eyes, the pain that twisted her features, that she fought to push the words forward. She wanted desperately to tell him. Jack held his breath, waiting.
"Ele-elevator," she finally hissed through clenched teeth.
"An explosion in the elevator?"
She nodded and released a huff of air.
"How? How is it set for just me?"
Sam dug at his hands until she pulled the security tag free of his fingers.
Jack knew they were being watched, and he figured that right about then Siler had a team heading for the main elevator to take care of the problem. But Sam wasn't Sam yet . . . not by a long shot.
"Sam, who did this to you?"
Her eyes rounded, as if she had suddenly seen the most frightening thing in the world, and she pushed back against the wall. Jack tried to turn her to face him, but she fought against his hold.
"Sam, look at me. Who did this to you!"
"Can't."
"Yes, you can! You told me what you did, you can tell me this! Who did this to you?" So I can blow up his sorry ass!
Jack scooted closer to her, sitting on the floor so he could be as near to her as possible, and took her face in his hands as he had done so many times in the last few days to bring her back to reality.
"Sam, tell me his name and you'll be free . . . I promise."
Her breath hitched and her hands came up to rest on his chest. Jack imagined she had to feel the intense pounding of his own heart beneath her fingers. He was going to hunt the bastard down and teach him about pain and suffering . . . slowly . . . very, very slowly.
"Promise?"
"Yes, Sam. I promise." He swallowed against the lump in his throat.
Her relaxed touch turned into tight fists, bunching his tee shirt between her fingers. Sam tried to bang her head back against the wall, but Jack held her firm.
"Tell me, Sam."
The muscles along her jaw jumped, her lips whitened with the strain as her body and mind fought with each other to speak. "Camulus."
As soon as the name passed her lips, her entire body relaxed. The grip on his shirt eased, and her head fell heavy in his hands. Her eyes fluttered closed, and Jack's heart stopped.
"Sam? Sam!"
She blinked, her blue gaze focusing on him. "Sir?"
He smiled. "Yeah."
"The voices are gone . . . "
Jack blinked hard against the hot moisture in his eyes, because he'd be damned if he'd call them tears, and leaned forward to press his lips against her damp forehead. Her fingers wrapped around his wrists, her thumbs rubbing over his skin.
"Thank God," he whispered.
