Chapter 11: Coming Home
A couple of weeks later
Jack, having adopted the appearance of Pete Shanahan earlier in the day, quickly jogged around the back of the black SUV, eager to get to the other side before Sam decided to take matters into her own hands and exit the truck unassisted. Once he reached the passenger side door, he opened it and offered a helping hand to his wife. Sam presented him with a grateful smile as he wrapped his arm securely around her waist to support her as she struggled out of the truck and landed on solid ground.
As Jack reached into the truck to get her bag of belongings, Sam began carefully making her way down the path leading to her house, her casted arm tucked safely in a sling. Jack followed closely behind her, wanting to be protective and yet at the same time allow her space to do things on her own. While he knew his wife was a strong and able woman, he couldn't help but worry about her since the accident. But he also knew that he had to let her recover on her own terms, or he would quickly be facing the wrath of a very frustrated woman who had no desire to be coddled.
Once inside, Jack immediately removed his mimic watch, as was his usual habit while at home, and put it in his pocket. Looking like himself once more, he gently ushered Sam to the sofa in the living room and went to put her things away in the bedroom. He soon returned to her side with something cold for her to drink.
Sam was finally home after two weeks in the infirmary, and although she was far from all better, she was now able to move around with little difficulty. She was still healing – her arm was still in a cast, her ribs were still sore, and she still suffered with the aches and pains of someone who has recently gone through major surgery. Yet Jack was simply glad to have her with him once more and relieved that it looked as though she would eventually make a full recovery.
As they sat next to each other, Jack asked, "So…how is it being home again?"
Sam smiled at him contentedly as she leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa. "It feels like heaven. I was getting so tired of being stuck in that infirmary bed."
Jack sighed wearily, his escalating emotions making his voice shake slightly, "You know, Sam… when they came through the Gate and you were on that stretcher, I thought I had lost you. It would have destroyed me if I had lost you."
Sam's eyes began to glisten with unshed tears as she stared at her husband. It was a rare occurrence to see Jack so openly vulnerable and freely expressing his emotions.
"I know…" she noted in muted tones, "while I was buried under the rumble of the temple, I was conscious some of that time and all I could think of was how happy we were and how I didn't want to lose that. The thought of coming home to you, Jack, gave me the strength to hang on while they pulled me out of there."
Sam leaned her head on Jack's shoulder, glad to just be able to be close to him once more. As they sat there in silence for what felt like an eternity, a degree of tension began to fill the air. The silence was finally broken when Sam could hold her peace no longer.
"Jack…I'm not going to be there in the surveillance van today to watch your six." Her tone carried a great deal of worry and fear. "Every time you've met with him in the past, I've been there for you… just in case something went wrong."
Jack took her free hand in his and began to stroke his thumb soothingly over the back of it. He could sense her anxiety at having to leave him to face Jennings on his own. "Don't worry, Sam. I've got Daniel and Teal'c acting as backup. They won't let anything happen to me… you can count on it."
Sam looked up at him and nodded sadly, "I know… I just would feel better if I was there. If anything happened to you…"
"Nothing's gonna happen. Teal'c and Daniel will take care of me. They'll watch my six almost as good as you did," he added with a facetious wink. His answer seemed to satisfy her for the moment.
Jack then reluctantly rose from the sofa and moved toward the kitchen to tidy up before leaving. "Anything I can get you before I leave?" he asked.
Sam frowned slightly, her mood decidedly melancholy. "No… I just wish you didn't have to go, Jack."
"I do too. But Jennings set up this meeting over three weeks ago. It would be suspicious if I didn't show up. Don't worry, Sam… I'll be back as soon as the meeting's over," he reassured her.
He walked over to her seated form and leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You know I love you, don't you?" he whispered in her ear.
"I know…"
Jack then turned to leave and began walking down the hall, reaching in his pocket for his watch. Just as he was almost out of sight, Sam called out to him, partly serious, partly in jest, "Remember, Jack… you're the only husband I have… and I don't particularly want another."
Jack turned around to face her, a smug smirk on his face. "So you think you'll keep me then?"
Sam, however, did not return the smile. Her wide blue eyes conveyed the serious nature behind her next words. "For always, Jack… so please be careful…promise?"
"Promise. Get some rest, Sam. I'll be back soon." Jack put on the mimic device, transformed into Pete, and then walked down the hall and out the door, leaving his wife at home alone, awaiting his safe return.
They met in their usual spot – the picnic table at the far side of the park that was hidden beneath a group of trees. Jennings was waiting there when he arrived, dressed impeccably as usual in a dark suit. Meanwhile, Jack had once again donned the guise of Pete Shanahan.
As soon as Jack sat down, Jennings immediately asked, "How is Colonel Carter, Detective Shanahan? I heard she ran into a bit of trouble on a recent mission."
Jack frowned at the knowledge that this Trust agent knew so much about Sam and what had happened to her. "It was touch and go for a while there. But she's going to be fine in a couple of months. She broke her arm and some ribs. Those will heal in a few weeks. The doctors had to remove her spleen, but I've been told that her other organs will adapt and take over the functions that the spleen performs over time."
"And her head injury? I believe it was quite serious, wasn't it?"
Jack nodded, wary of how Jennings could know so much about his wife's injuries. "Yeah… it didn't require surgery but she still gets headaches and is dizzy if she moves around too much. The doctors will continue to keep an eye on it for the time being."
Jennings could not conceal a slight sneer as he asked his next question. "Does this mean the end of her illustrious military career?"
"I don't think so…" Jack answered. "It will be up to the military doctors, or so I'm told. But so far, they are hopeful that she will make a full recovery and will be back at work in a couple of months… at least in the labs at the SGC. It will probably be a little longer before she is able to go back out on missions."
Jennings looked out over the playground, deep in thought. "This may be a good thing, Detective Shanahan. Perhaps it will allow you more access to the SGC. Already, you have been able to spend much more time inside Cheyenne Mountain, I understand."
Jack shot a suspicious glare in Jennings direction. "You seem to know a lot about what's going on in my life, Jennings. Do you have another mole working with you from inside the SGC?"
An evil grin spread across Jennings' face. "Perhaps… but you need not concern yourself with that. Your job is to get us access to Colonel Carter. And my superiors believe the time has come to implement phase two of our plan for her."
Jack made an educated guess about what phase two entailed. "You want me to take Colonel Carter away on a romantic getaway so you can scan her, create a mimic device, and replace her with a Trust agent?"
Jennings' grin widened as he informed Jack, "The plans regarding Colonel Carter have changed somewhat in recent weeks. Your part in the plan, however, has not. How soon do you think it will be before Colonel Carter can travel?"
Jack frowned, unhappy that he was once again being kept in the dark. "She won't be able to go anywhere for a few more weeks… I would estimate about a month at least. If I may ask, how have the plans changed?"
Jennings thought for a moment, debating how much he should tell Jack about the new plan. In the end, he offered only one enticing morsel of information. "We no longer seek to create a mimic of Colonel Carter and replace her. However…we still will need you to draw her away from the SGC and Colorado Springs."
"If you're not going to scan her to create a mimic device, what are you going to do with her?"
Jennings shot Jack a stern look. "That's need to know right now…and you do not need to know."
Jack acted appropriately chastised and nodded compliantly. "Okay… so I'll get the ball rolling for phase two then.
At this, the scowl on Jennings' face lifted and he once again plastered on a malicious smile. "Good. We will plan for phase two to take place in a month then. Your assignment in the next few weeks is to take care of your lovely bride and make the suggestion of a belated honeymoon to her when she feels up to it. I will then be in touch with you regarding the date and place for your trip. Once you have taken Colonel Carter away on your honeymoon, I will meet up with you to provide further instructions. Good luck, Detective. I need not tell you how important this assignment is. It would not be wise to fail us at this time."
After Jennings had left, Jack walked to his SUV and drove off to meet up with Daniel and Teal'c at the rendezvous point. Once he was certain he was not being followed, he pulled into the parking lot of a busy grocery store. He got out of his truck and moved stealthily to an awaiting white cargo van parked nearby.
After knocking quietly on the back door, the door opened and Jack hopped in. Daniel closed the door behind him and then turned around, a strange expression on his face.
"You know, Jack… it's really hard to get used to you looking like Pete. I get confused every time I see you this way."
Jack took off the mimic watch and transformed back into his own natural image. "Imagine how it was for Carter, Daniel. Half of the time we were dating, she was going out on the town with a man who looked exactly like the person who tried to strangle her."
"That indeed must have been difficult for Colonel Carter. Her ability to endure and persevere demonstrates her fortitude and strength of will."
"That it does, Teal'c," Jack concurred.
"So… the meeting seemed to go well," Daniel began. "No need for Teal'c and me to charge in and save your ass at least. Sam will be happy about that."
Jack turned to Daniel, a troubled look on his face. "Yeah… Jennings isn't onto us just yet. But there was something strange about him today…"
"How so, O'Neill?"
Jack shook his head, unable to explain what he had sensed about the Trust agent. "I don't know, Teal'c. If you ask me, the guy has always been creepy. But he also has always been completely professional and reserved in the past – he never lets emotion interfere with his mission. This time, Jennings was still professional… but it almost seemed like he was enjoying all this a little too much. It was as though he was happy about what happened to Carter and looking forward to whatever he has in store for her."
"And we still don't know what that is," Daniel pointed out.
"Well, they're definitely up to something," Jack added. "And whatever it is… their plans for Sam play a pivotal role in it. Unfortunately, we're going to have to go along with them for now if we want to find out what those plans are."
"What about Sam, Jack? She's in no shape to be taking part in the rest of this operation," Daniel noted with concern.
"I know, Daniel," Jack agreed. "But you know Carter… once she finds out about what's going on, she's going to want to be part of the action. And to tell you the truth, we need her."
"There is no need to worry about Colonel Carter, O'Neill. We will endeavor to keep her safe until she is no longer a target of the Trust."
Jack put his hand on Teal'c's shoulder, an anxious expression in his eyes. "I know we all will, Teal'c. But I have to tell you, I've got a bad feeling about all this."