"What's up?" Sam asked sleepily as Jack turned on the lamp by his side of the bed and started rifling through the drawer of the stand.
"I'm not sure, yet," he told her, moving his Beretta out of the way and pulling out a stack of papers. "I don't suppose you know the number to the lodge?"
"Where Ian is?"
"Yeah. I know I have it somewhere…"
"They called from there, right?" Sam said, propping herself up on an elbow and looking at him. "Check the caller ID on the phone."
Jack picked up the phone. Sure enough it was the second number on the list – right behind Janet's.
"You're a genius."
"I know. What's going on?"
"Apparently Andrew called Fraiser, asking about bear attacks or something and told her-"
"Bear attacks?"
"That's what she said."
"What on Earth would they-"
"Ian was attacked by a bear – I think. It's not bad, Andrew said."
"Attacked by a…"
Sam trailed off as Jack started dialing, scooting closer and pressing up against his back so she could get her ear close to the phone, too.
OOOOOOO
"You called Fraiser?"
"She's a doctor. She'd know if-"
"She's going to go nuts, Andrew," Ian told him, scowling.
"You're still bleeding," Andrew pointed out, gesturing to the blood-splattered towel Ian had wrapped around his hand.
"It's starting to ease up."
He sat down, still scowling.
"Shit. She's going to call Jack, and then he's going to tell Sam and they're going to worry and-"
"It's not like they're not going to find out," Andrew told him. "You're not going to be able to hide it, and I wanted to see if we had to worry about some kind of diseases…"
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"What did she say about it?"
"I hung up when you came back into the room."
"Shit."
"Sorry."
Ian sighed and leaned back, holding his hand tenderly. It was really throbbing, and he hadn't been able to get it cleaned out at all, because it hurt like a motherfucker when he'd tried to run water over it.
"Don't be." How could he be mad that the guy was worried about him, after all? "Thanks for shooting the thing and getting it away from me."
"I didn't shoot it. I shot up into the air."
If he'd shot at the bear, chances were he'd have hit Ian.
"Yeah, well… thanks."
Andrew smiled, slightly.
"You're welcome. How does it feel?"
"It's killing me. Not really killing me," Ian added before Andrew could worry. "It just hurts like a sonofabitch."
"What can I do?"
"You've already done it."
"What do you mean?"
"Janet's going to call Jack. Jack will either call here and check on us, or immediately get a hold of someone – probably Thor – to beam us back to the SGC where I will be met by Fraiser, who will do all sorts of awful things to me – in the name of medicine, of course – and will have to leave my car here. Probably until the spring thaw, since she'll probably keep me in the infirmary until July."
"Your car isn't going to be damaged up here, Ian. There's no one to vandalize it or anything like-"
"Two bear cubs just scratched the shit out of it, Andrew," Ian said, scowling. "If it stays up here, it's going to get eaten by a moose or something – I just know it."
"You might be wrong, you know. There's no reason to think the first person she calls will be-"
He was interrupted by the phone ringing, and Ian smirked – despite his annoyance.
"I'm never wrong."
Not when it came to these things.
Andrew shook his head, smiling in disbelief, and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Andrew?"
He looked over at Ian.
"Hi, Jack."
Ian rolled his eyes.
"Is Ian all right?"
"His hand is pretty messed up, Jack."
"Let me talk to him…"
Andrew handed the phone over to Ian.
"He wants to talk to you."
With his good hand, Ian took the phone.
"Hello?"
"How the hell do you get attacked by a bear?"
"I'm great, Jack, thanks for asking."
"How's the hand?"
"Bleeding. It could have been a lot worse, though. I'm fine."
"Yeah? Why don't I believe you?"
"I don't know…"
"Tell Andrew to get hold of Thor and have him beam both of you back to the SGC immediately."
Ian scowled, looking over at Andrew.
"He wants you to contact Thor."
"I can't. I left my communication device at home."
"He can't," Ian repeated. "He left his communication device at home."
Jack swore.
"Fine. I'll get hold of him. You two sit tight – and keep pressure on the cut."
"Okay."
"Stay inside. And don't even go near the stuffed deer head…"
Ian scowled, but he could hear a gentle giggle in the background, and knew it was Sam's. At least she wasn't worried about him, he supposed. That was something.
"Okay, Jack."
The line went dead, and Ian dropped the phone on the couch beside him.
"Stupid fucking bears."
OOOOOOO
Sam lifted her head off Jack's shoulder as he hung up the phone.
"You're going to get Thor?"
"Yeah."
Besides Shawn and Andrew, he was the only one with instant access to the Asgard. He rifled through the drawer again, and pulled out the signaling device that told Thor he needed him.
"You'll be okay for a while?" He asked Sam.
She nodded.
"I'll be fine."
Jake was sleeping through the night, now. More or less.
"I'll be back as soon as I-"
There was a soft growl from Jaffer, a flash of light, and then the lab and Jack were both gone.
