Chapter Fifteen:


The song is by Jimmy eat world, 'Hear you me'.


Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain

There's no one in town I know

You gave us some place to go.

I never said thank you for that.

I thought I might get one more chance.

John looked at Elizabeth. They were in the VIP quarters, John knew Elizabeth was awake, he could sense it, but as she lay in his arms, his nose pressed against the back of her neck, he knew she was awake for the same reason he was. Without ANY authority figures in Atlantis, what was going on up there? We Atlantis under attack yet?

Who was in control?

Sighing silently, he felt her move from his arms. He closed his eyes, leaving them open just a crack and watched as Elizabeth climbed from the bed, checking to make sure John was asleep and pulled on some BDU's. As she reached for the door handle, John coughed, watching as she jumped and turned back to him.

"Why didn't you tell me you were awake?" She hissed, a hand on her heart. John sniggered and sat up, pulling on his own clothes. She glared.

"Where are you going at this time of morning?" He indicated to the digital alarm clock, reading currently 3:25 in the morning. She sighed and sat back down, leaning her head onto his chest. He rubbed her back.

"I wanted to go see Sam." She revealed, "I feel so bad about her getting captured."

John nodded.

"There was nothing you could have done. If it wasn't her, it would have been Jack and Ford in her place."

Elizabeth nodded, but it was clear she didn't agree. John stood up and held out her hand.

She took it and stood up beside him, his arm wrapping around her shoulders as hers wrapped around his waist.

What would you think of me now,

so lucky, so strong, so proud?

I never said thank you for that,

now I'll never have a chance.

As John and Elizabeth walked toward the infirmary, as they looked through the window, they were surprised to see Jack, Sam's hand clamped in his.

"Sam, come back to me." He whispered as John and Elizabeth stood at the door, listening. "I need you back. I love you Sam. I love seeing your smile, I love hearing you voice as you ramble about something I pretend not to understand. Sam, I love the way your nose twitches cutely when you sleep, the way your feet always rub against mine when you sleep beside me, the way your eyes shine when your excited. I love the way you roll your eyes at my jokes, I love the way you can turn from being a soldier, into a sensitive human. I love you for you Sam.

Please come back to me."

May angels lead you in.

Hear you me my friends.

On sleepless roads the sleepless go.

May angels lead you in.

Elizabeth wiped the stray tears from her eyes. John's hand was biting into her shoulder and she knew he was upset, but even so, they opened the door slowly, and separating, Elizabeth went and stood next to Jack, who had become silent as they came in. She didn't tell him they had heard.

He turned slightly and watched John and Elizabeth. "Hi." He said emotionlessly. They both pretended not to see his red puffy eyes or croaky voice.

"Hi." He said, face falling, his eyes flicking back to the comatose colonel.

Elizabeth took pity.

"General…" She whispered, "There's nothing here you can do. Why don't you go get some sleep? We will stay here for a while…"

Jack sent her a 'thanks but no' look.

"I'll be okay…" He choked. "I want- I want to be here when she wakes up."

Elizabeth nodded, understanding.

"Okay." She walked over, away from the bed, and collected two chairs, dragging them back and placing them on the other side of the bed.

John and Elizabeth both sat down.

"Any news on when she'll wake?" John asked, his voice subdued. Jack shook his head, eyes on the floor.

So what would you think of me now,

so lucky, so strong, so proud?

I never said thank you for that,

now I'll never have a chance.

May angels lead you in.

Hear you me my friends.

Elizabeth looked sadly at John, clasping his hand.

There was an awkward silence.

"Any idea's how to get back?" Jack asked, voice scratchy.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"Rodney and some others are working on it. The machine burnt out I'm afraid. Apparently it was damaged somehow here, and after you brought us here, it stopped working."

Jack nodded, as the awkward silence once again filled the room.

John looked at the floor.

As they thought about what to say, John jumped slightly as the hand under the sheet in front of him jerked. Looking up cautiously, he noticed Elizabeth had noticed and her mouth had opened in shock. Not wanting to give Jack false hope, they waited a minute with baited breaths. The hand did not move again.

Disappointed, they shuffled slightly, before the hand jerked again, the fingers curling this time. Elizabeth and John jumped to their feet, quickly leaning over the bed. Jack jumped up too, looking at them, his eyes full of hope, as Elizabeth leaned over Sam's face. Her eyelids fluttered slightly.

On sleepless roads the sleepless go.

May angels lead you in.

May angels lead you in.

May angels lead you in.

Jack cheered as John ran to get a doctor.

"Come one Sam…" He whispered, resting his palm on her forehead. "Come on Sam…" Elizabeth watched on, now visible tears in her eyes.

Elizabeth watched as the doctor's rushed in, as they left one by one, and as they were told it would take a few days for Sam to awake fully. No one ever woke like in the romance stories, opening their eyes to see their lover hovering over them, and living happily ever after. No way. It took four days for Sam to just be able to open her eyes.

.:FLASHBACK:.

Jack looked at Sam a smile on his face, but inside his heart was breaking. Elizabeth knew it. John knew it. They all did. Elizabeth watched as Jack talked to Sam, knowing that she was awake, she could hear him, but she was stuck somewhere, her eyes glued shut, her mouth not working. She was a vegetable. Paralyzed in her own body. After the small hand clench, it went to nothing, the occasional eye flutter. Elizabeth would have thought she was still in coma if her brain waves hadn't have indicated she was fully awake.

So her and John decided to always have someone there with her. Talking to her. When Jack was drugged and taken to sleep of course. Jack spent every moment, talking to her gently. The doctors would come everyday he hadn't had sleep, inject something as he fought, before he became limp, and was dragged behind a permanent curtain for him only. So John and Elizabeth would take shifts. Him during the night, her during the day. John would read War and Peace to her, a copy taken from the SGC library. While she was there, she would tell Sam all the amazing stories of Atlantis and the ancients. And it not that, tell her how much Jack had been waiting for her to wake up.

The silent response was painful.

.:END FLASHBACK:.

After her eyes open, it was like nobody was actually home. Her eyes were constantly fixed on the ceiling. The doctor said she hadn't gained actual mobility yet. So it took another two days for her eyes to be able to work. She began breathing on her own, but yet, she still could not talk.

And if you were with me tonight,

I'd sing to you just one more time.

A song for a heart so big,

god wouldn't let it live.

.:FLASHBACK:.

John watched Jack, Elizabeth at his side. Jack had his hand over Sam's face, waving it around. Hoping for a response.

"Hey Sam," Jack said suddenly, "Why's the chicken cross the road?" With not even a blink, Jack sighed and fell back into his chair, head in his hands.

Elizabeth thought he had given up, until a few seconds later, he spoke again.

"I know you're in their Sam. And I know your fighting like hell to get outta there. But you have to. Fight with all you might Sam. Cause I'm waiting here, on the other side."

Elizabeth gripped John's hand in a crushing grip as once again, tears threatened to escape.

And that's when Sam's eyes moved, moving from their almost constant position and locking into Jack's. It was a miracle.

.:END FLASHBACK:.

After that it began to slowly click into place. Jack was asleep when Sam first spoke; Elizabeth was sitting with him, sitting in the chair, talking about Rodney and his investigation of the machine. Sam moved her eyes and locked onto Elizabeth's. Elizabeth suddenly stopped talking, stuttering to a halt.

.:FLASHBACK:.

Elizabeth watched Sam as she spoke, her eyes were fixed on the curtain where Jack was asleep, actually drugged would be a better term. Elizabeth talked about Rodney, about how he complained about the machine, as he investigated it. The entire story had come out, about how the 'Trust' (Elizabeth would never get used to saying that) had stolen the machine from the SGC and Daniel and Teal'c had gone to find it.

It was then when Sam's eyes suddenly snapped to hers. Elizabeth stuttered at the looked she was receiving. A look of pure desperation.

Sam opened her eyes slowly, as Elizabeth leaned forward. She could barely believe her ears.

"I – I Can't f-feel m-my legs…"

Elizabeth froze.

.:END FLASHBACK:.

Elizabeth had rushed out to get doctors, who rushed back in, but they gave Sam no more information. Jack had woken, furious as imagined, but ecstatic she had spoken. No one had told Sam she may never walk again.

May angels lead you in.

Hear you me my friends.

On sleepless roads the sleepless go.

.:FLASHBACK:.

The entire crew was there. Jack, John, Elizabeth, Ford, Teyla, Rodney, Daniel, Kate and Teal'c, all looking somber as Jack, on the seat beside Sam, rubbed the back of her hand, a sad smile on her face.

They were only going to tell her because Sam had been trying to see her legs, wonder why she had full mobility back, but couldn't feel them. She had been told they were hurt and anesthetized to keep the still. Suffice to say she didn't believe them.

Jack gave her a fake smile as she looked at him, confused at everyone's expressions. She had questions, wondering how they had come to Earth from Atlantis, all the usual, which she had been told the truth. Now she was about to be told the biggest truth of all.

"Sam…" Jack began, as Sam's eyes filled with tears, knowing the news was not good. In turn Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears and she leaned back onto John's chest. Ford shuffled uncomfortably, while Rodney blew into a tissue, as Kate, her eyes filling with tears too, rubbed his arm supportively. Teyla and Teal'c stood together, they both had striked up a friendship, both foreign to Earth. Teyla looked around confused and back to Teal'c, who behind his hand whispered 'Earth rituals'. Teyla nodded.

Jack glared at them before continuing, for once the SGC infirmary silent. Even the injured were being silent, watching the proceedings.

"Sam." He continued, "Sam, there's a reason you can't feel your legs."

Sam nodded.

"Your bones were almost all broken." He whispered, "The doc's say you need a lot of physical therapy…but…"

Sam sighed.

"I may never walk again."

Jack nodded, as Sam flipped over and lay on her side.

"I want to be alone now" She sniffed, her voice laced with hurt, pain and fear.

Everyone backed toward the door, but Jack rested his hand on Sam's shoulder.

She flipped over again. Viciously this time.

"I WANT TO BE ALONE!" She screamed, tears coursing from her eyes, Jack ignored her and pulled her into his embrace, which she accepted, breaking down on his shoulder.

As the door shut to the infirmary, the last thing they all heard was;

"Sam, It's going to be alright. It's going to be alright, I promise you."

.:END FLASHBACK:.

And so Sam had been restricted to a wheel chair. She was wheeled around rarely, her own stubborn pride refusing to let anyone help her. She wheeled herself to the infirmary, to the cafeteria, to her lab.

She would only occasionally allow help from Jack.

Her therapy was rough, especially for the instructor, who looked paler every lesson, as Sam worked tirelessly.

May angels lead you in.

May angels lead you in.

Hear you me my friends.

She was going to walk again.

She had to.

On sleepless roads the sleepless go.

May angels lead you in.

May angels lead you in.

TTFN!