What Fate Decrees - Part Twenty-six

Cassie was kneeling beside Janet and she gasped at the sight of the ugly wound, tears springing to her eyes.

When Cassie gasped, Janet realised the girl was beside her and tried to get her away. "Cassie, go help tidy up," she urged, but Cassie just shook her head, crying. Janet was busy with the Colonel and was pleased when Daniel came over and scooped her daughter up into his arms. He moved away a little before sitting down on a dry patch of grass, his arm around the sobbing girl's shoulders

"This is going to hurt sir." Janet announced as she began to feel her patient's ribs.

"No shit," he groaned and then bit back a cry as Janet found the injured area.

"Breath as deeply as you can for me," she requested, supporting the area with her hand as he did his best to follow her orders. "I think you've cracked two, but I'll need to x-ray you to make sure." She filled a syringe. "Just a little. It'll help," she added as she saw his grimace.

Sam looked aghast at the news. "God, I'm so sorry Colonel. I didn't mean to …" She stalled, her voice wobbling slightly.

Jack gave her a sickly grin. "It's funny really, but we can't report how it happened you know. It wouldn't look good jumped by my 2IC," he joked.

Janet laughed but Sam only looked more miserable.

Cassie had stopped crying and was hiccoughing, trying to speak. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to hurt Jack."

"Sssh, its okay," soothed Daniel "It was an accident."

"Mm...mmmy fault." The sobs began again "I didn't mean to."

Jack asked Teal'c to help Jack up, which he did so carefully, and soon the Colonel was standing, swaying slightly and still breathless. "I need to get you to the infirmary," said Janet, watching him carefully.

"Looking like this?" Jack gestured at his clothes, drawing her attention to the state of them. He was trying hard to keep the pain from showing and Janet knew that.

Janet sighed. "Good point - there's enough gossip about as it is."

"Look, Daniel's got clothes here and Teal'c's okay. What say you and Carter and Cassie go clean up at home then Cassie can wait here while I go with you to the SGC."

Janet was doubtful - she knew Jack was in a lot of pain and she wanted to make sure there was no other damage.

"Colonel's orders," added Jack for good measure.

"I suppose …" She gave in. "But I'm going to tape those ribs first."

The Colonel shook his head emphatically. "No way. I'm going to take the chance to have a proper shower. I'll be careful, I promise."

Despite Janet's protest, Jack was adamant, so they helped him back to the house and while Daniel helped Jack to the shower, Teal'c began to tidy up. Janet could feel the chill of her damp clothes and, after a few last minute instructions, left with Sam and Cassie to go home and get changed.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Jack stripped and stepped carefully into the shower. "God that is sooo good - just to get those damn bandages off," he called out.

"You're supposed to heal first though, not break more," Daniel shouted back as he threw all the soiled clothes into the laundry basket.

"I know, how unlucky can a guy get? I was enjoying it until the ribs broke."

"Enjoying the fight?" queried Daniel.

"Nope, getting jumped by Carter," replied Jack quietly.

"What?" shouted Daniel, not quite catching the words over the noise of the water.

Jack chose not to repeat it and, turning the shower off, he asked for a towel. "Your turn," he announced as he made his way slowly into his bedroom.

Daniel grabbed a towel for himself and hurried into the bathroom. "Thanks. I'll be as fast as I can. Don't try and do anything you shouldn't until I'm out."

"So when you're out of the shower I can do stuff I shouldn't?"

Daniel laughed as he shut the door. "Oh, very funny."

The women were back surprisingly quickly. "Hey, must be a record," joked Jack. He was starting to feel a little better as the medication began to take effect.

"Be thankful you're injured, Colonel," said Janet in a mock threatening tone. She began to delve into her medical bag.

Cassie moved slowly toward Jack "I'm really sorry," she mumbled tearfully.

Jack looked down to her face, seeing the red eyes and damp cheeks and gathered her into his arms, giving her a gentle hug. "Aw honey, it wasn't your fault."

Cassie threw her arms around his neck and began to cry even harder. Jack was a little uncomfortable with the tears, but held her gently.

"No Cassie, honestly, it wasn't your fault. It was that dessert." She looked up at him in surprise and he continued. "If Carter hadn't eaten it and then fallen on me weighing so much, I'd have been okay."

Cassie laughed. "But Sam's not fat."

"She certainly isn't, but that dessert tipped the balance," said Jack with a smile, not even risking a look at his 2IC.

"Well, I'll just have to make sure she doesn't land on you again," said Cassie, making Jack smile even more. "At least not straight after eating," she added.

Jack laughed, forgetting his ribs and clutched a hand to his chest at the pain.

Cassie had stopped sobbing and was now smiling happily. "Oh yes, she'll have to wait till you're better."

At the girl's words, Jack laughed harder, his shoulders shaking with the effort to hold still.

Janet smirked over at them. "Cassie, I think you should let me tape his ribs before he does any further damage."

Jack nodded, grinning as he caught sight of Daniel sitting on the sofa, helpless with laughter. Cassie gave him another hug and let him go. Jack risked a look at his 2IC, and found her standing, arms folded, casting looks at him that would have killed him on the spot if he'd been any nearer.

"Oops." He started to laugh again, but it was quickly cut off as Janet began to tape his ribs. "Jeez, go easy Doc. You'll break more." He groaned as she tugged even harder.

"There - that'll hold you until later," she said, before turning to Teal'c. "Would you like to come back to the base with us now?" she asked.

Teal'c inclined his head. "That would be most agreeable."

Janet helped Jack put a shirt on. The drive back to the SGC didn't take long, but Jack felt every bump and pothole in the road. By the time they reached the infirmary he was glad of Teal'c's steadying hand.

"Was this afternoon a food fight?" Teal'c asked Jack as they sat in Janet's office waiting for the x-rays.

Jack grinned. "Food fight? Yeah, guess it was."

"The Major said she would explain it sometime, but she did say that it was fun O'Neill. She did not mention that anyone would get hurt."

"Well, Teal'c, normally they are fun. I was just unlucky."

"Indeed."

They stopped talking as Janet brought the x-rays through. She put them up on the viewer to check them and Teal'c stared at them, fascinated. Jack just sighed as he waited for the Doc's confirmation of what he saw. It wasn't long in coming.

"Well, Colonel, two ribs broken. In the same spot unfortunately as they were knitting."

Jack sighed again, more deeply this time, and then grimaced as the pain hit him. Janet filled a syringe and before he could object she'd done the deed.

"That'll help. Hopefully they'll be okay for the medical, but you're going to have to take it easy. You'll need to rest and give them a chance to heal."

"Yeah, I figured I'd have to quit running for a while." He cringed as he realised what he'd let slip.

"Running!" shouted Janet, making him jump and then wince with the pain. "Colonel O'Neill, are you telling me that you've been running?"

Jack looked down for something to fiddle with "Erm, well…," he hedged, hearing her heel tapping with impatience.

"I'm waiting Colonel." Her carefully controlled voice made him look up.

"Well … not running exactly," he stalled.

"What exactly?"

"Err… a paced jog?" His face begged her to believe the lie, as he gave her his best little boy look.

Janet's lips twitched, but she caught the smile before it could properly show. "Colonel, you shouldn't be even doing half of what you're doing - what I know about that is." She paused for a second, wondering if that made sense. "You know about the extended deadline - is there a need to push so hard?"

Jack nodded, any humour he may have felt draining from his body. "I've got to push, Doc. You know as well as I do they're going to make me sweat. Even without the accident they're hard to please lately, and I won't give them the satisfaction of getting rid of me that way. If I buy it out there doing my job that's okay, but I won't let them fail me Janet. I'm not going to give in to them." Jack heaved for breath, the long speech taking its toll.

Jack looked down self-consciously at the completion of his speech. He wasn't normally one to discuss his private affairs with anyone – even his friends. He'd always driven himself hard, but now circumstances were making it such that he needed to drive harder still.

Janet smiled. "You won't fail, I promise you. I know what you're capable of. But you need to rest these breaks for a week or so and then start again slowly. You'll get there, but definitely no jogging."

"I wish I had your faith, Doc."

"You need to show yourself the same faith you have in your team, O'Neill," said Teal'c quietly.

Janet sighed. "Amen to that."

Jack gave the Jaffa a 'look' but didn't speak. He didn't have any answer.

xoxoxoxoxoxo