Title: Unity.
Author: LetitiaRichards.
Previously:
Janet led General Hammond from the room. Teal'c followed behind, ready to take on his official duty.
Chapter 21
General Hammond waited until Janet shut the door behind her, leaving only him alone in the room with Jack. The Colonel was sleeping, his wrists strapped up in swathes of white gauze and tape, covering the ugly scars that would be there; forever a reminder of this days near tragic consequences.
The silence filled the room as the General stared down at his friend. Uninhibited by the lack of an audience and by Jack's sleeping status, Hammond grasped the lax fingers in his hand and squeezed them gently.
"Jack..." he began softly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I swear to you, no matter what happens, that I won't put you through this again. You had every right to refuse, but you're too good an officer to outright defy orders. You didn't deserve all this crap Jack. I don't know if you can hear me or not, but please, Jack...come through this in you're right mind. We all miss you. Major Carter especially. I'm not blind Jack, neither am I deaf or oblivious as to what goes on inside that mountain. I understand. I'm going to have a word with the President about it just as soon as you get yourself over this. Please don't make me regret any of it. I may lose my command over it, but don't let that stop you son. She's worth your career and mine if you truly love her. We'll think of some way round it; just get yourself together for her sake Jack. She loves you, you lucky sonofabitch. Hell," he snorted with irony, "if only I was younger, I give you a run for your money."
Hammond paused, sucking in a deep breath to steady his emotions that were running close to the surface now. He really hated the men and women under his command getting injured, but seeing Jack like this was hard. So damn hard. He released the fingers, laying them back onto the bed covers before he turned and walked sorrowfully back towards the door. He stopped and looked back for a second. Jack hadn't moved.
"God speed Colonel. Wherever you are - come back to us." With those words, he left the room, allowing Teal'c to take his place next to the bed to sit vigil over his team-leader.
OoOoOoOoO
The first thing Sam did was to open her lap-top and log onto the internet whilst she was sitting with Daniel in his room. She sent an e-mail to General Kelly first, asking him to send any and all possible information on the young Lieutenant, and any notes that Jack had written on his conversations with him.
That done, she logged onto the Marines personnel files by using the SGC passwords. Normally they were used for seeking out Marines that might prove suitable for work at the SGC. There she searched the files but came up blank. According to the files, Lieutenant Sanchez didn't exist, so she didn't hold out much hope of getting much if any information from Kelly. So it was obvious to her and Daniel that Sanchez was definitely a plant.
"Where do we look now?" Daniel asked, feeling that they were getting nowhere fast.
"I still have a few contacts at the Pentagon, so I'm gonna try them first. You know what the Colonel says Daniel, 'There's always an 'or'."
Daniel smirked. Yes that was Jack alright. He wouldn't have given up and neither would they. They were all determined to get to the bottom of this and help Jack recover. That part wasn't an option; he would get over it.
Sam punched in a few more commands and waited for a few moments, chewing on her bottom lip while Daniel sat impatiently for an explanation. Guilt suffused him once more and he got out of bed, and paced, his face a mask of anguish.
"You're supposed to be resting Daniel."
"I...cant. I feel such an idiot. I pushed Jack over the edge Sam. I keep repeating that damn word over and over, and I can't stop feeling as if..." he stopped and turned abruptly to the window, staring at nothing. "If only I'd known what it would do," he sighed sadly. "I'd never have done it."
Sam laid the computer on the bed and stood beside her friend. She looked up at him, but he refused to look round at her, so she laid her hand on his arm.
"Daniel. If you hadn't said that word over and over, then we would know nothing about the brainwashing. He may have been discharged from the hospital and then they might have phoned him. Being on his own at home, we wouldn't..." she broke off, her voice caught in her throat when she thought about what might have happened. She swallowed the lump and the threatening tears before continuing. "He might have died without anyone around and we wouldn't have been there to prevent it. I for one am grateful that you did thrash this out into the open. At least he was here where Janet and the other staff could keep him alive. There is no need to feel guilty. When he's over this, I am sure he will thank you for saving his life."
Daniel looked shocked , he hadn't thought of it like that. She was right. Jack might have been at home on his own when they triggered his mind. They would never have known about the key, Sanchez, either. How many other victims did the terrorists brainwash into committing suicide? He wondered. He pulled her into his arms and they both took comfort from each other.
Janet walked in on them and they broke apart to face her.
"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked a little sharply, looking at Daniel.
"Ah. No...um...it's nothing," Daniel stammered, blushing wildly.
"Janet," Sam sighed, giving her friend an exasperated look.
Janet smirked.
"It's okay Sam. Your secret's safe with me!" she laughed.
Now Sam blushed too, but Janet knew full well that her heart lay with the man in the next room.
"How's Jack?" Daniel asked, hoping to take some of the heat out of his face and besides, he really wanted to know.
"Still sleeping at the moment. I don't expect him to wake up just yet. How's the research going?"
Sam sighed with frustration, waving a hand at her lap-top.
"I'm waiting for the low down on Sanchez to arrive, but it doesn't look as if I'll get much. According to the personnel files, he doesn't exist."
"Did you really expect him to, after what he's done?"
Sam sighed again, slumping down onto her chair.
"I guess not."
"Don't give up..."
"I'm not!" she denied vehemently. "I wouldn't. It's just gonna take time though and it's frustrating."
Janet nodded and patted her friend's shoulder before turning to Daniel.
"I need to check those wounds Daniel."
"Oh...okay."
"It's alright," Sam smiled, taking the hint. "I'll go get some coffee."
Sam exited the room and Daniel climbed back onto his bed.
Janet carefully peeled off his bandages and checked on his injuries, smiling with satisfaction when they looked good.
"They're healing nicely Daniel. I should really discharge you but I get the impression you wouldn't leave the hospital."
"I...'need' to be near Jack, Janet. I know I goofed up before..."
"No Daniel," Janet cried, nipping his thoughts in the bud. "What you did was to bring it to a head, quicker than was intended. I'm glad you did it while he was still here where we could get him medical aid fast. If he was at home he'd be dead by now; so there's no need to feel guilty. Okay?"
Daniel bit his lip and sighed, nodded and waved a hand, showing how frustrated he was with the whole thing.
"I know. That's what Sam said, but I can't help feeling I've pushed him over the edge."
"He'll get over it Daniel. With lots of help from all of us, he will make it through this. He's a strong person Daniel. This is just a little glitch along the way. He just needs a little time to work things through. Be patient with him."
"We don't have any choice do we?"
"Not if we want him back again. No."
"What do we have to do then?"
"Find out who was responsible for one, and get him to accept his ordeal is over. I'm no psychiatrist Daniel, so whether he likes it or not, he will have to talk to Dr. MacKenzie."
"He'll just love that."
"The thing you can do most Daniel, is to be there, even if he tries to push you away. Be as stubborn as he is. Show him you're determined to be his friend despite his arguments that he doesn't need anyone. And Sam too. I will tell you it's gonna be hard, and difficult and at times downright hurtful, but it's the only way."
"Don't worry. I'll be there for him Janet. I won't let him down this time."
TBC
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