TITLE: "The Comfort of Recovery" Part II
AUTHOR: Verb
RATING: PG, I would think
CATEGORY: Humour, some Daniel/Janet, slight Jack/Sam pre-relationship
SUMMARY: Sometimes, you just needed a place to crash and wait it all out. Part 2 of 3.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable Stargate SG-1 characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment only and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. This story and other publicly unrecognized events therein are copyrighted to the author.
DEDICATION: Again to Dessert Blossom-by-the-Sea, for encouragement and beta'ing; and to krysalys, because apparently obsessed minds think alike.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you to everyone who left a review – You guys all made my day and my week, which is much appreciated! Glad that the 'humour' aspect was not just in my mind. :) I also think that I forgot to mention that this story is a semi-sequel to the first story I wrote, "Unconscious Pursuit". This story will still make sense if you don't read that one first, but it might help sort out a few comments in the last part.
Jack was bored. When he and Sam had reached the commissary floor, Sam had dragged him with her to Dr. Swanson's office, swearing up and down that she would be all of five minutes. An hour later, he knew he was in trouble. As much as he enjoyed being with Carter – near Carter, not with – his mind quickly corrected him, there was pie to be had not 20 feet below.
" . . . so if we can change the primary frequency, I think the problem with the inducer should clear right up. What do you think sir?"
"Huh?" Nice, O'Neill. At least pretend you were paying attention.
Carter spoke again. "I was just telling Alex that all we have to do is-"
Jack held up his hands in a silent protest to stop whatever avalanche of techno-babble that was about to pour from Sam's mouth. "Whatever it is, Carter, I agree with you. Now, can we please go and get some pie?"
Sam took a quick glance at her watch. "Whoops. Sorry, sir. We can go now," she said as she stepped towards the door. "I'll send you the report when I'm through, Doctor."
"Ok, thanks." Dr. Swanson's reply was barely heard by Sam, who was being propelled through the hall at a speed she was sure could rival sublight engines by a very determined colonel. "Sir, slow down!"
Jack loosened his grip on her arm, but continued to walk down the hall towards the elevators as if chased by replicators. "Can't. Commissary is waiting. And do you know what is in the commissary, Carter?"
Sam smiled as she answered his gruff question. "Pie, sir."
"Always knew you were bright, Carter."
Upon finally entering the mess, Jack steered Sam towards the desserts, grabbing a tray, a container of blue Jell-O for her, and the largest piece of pie he could find for himself. Adding two glasses of water to the tray, he then led her to an empty table in the corner of the room, dead set on enjoying his pie in peace.
Sitting down, Jack picked up his fork and spent the next few minutes dedicated to noting but the pie in front of him. It was perfect.
"So, sir, how are you?" Sam's careful voice broke through his pie-centered thoughts.
"Fine, Carter. You?"
Sam's lips turned up into a small smile. "No, I meant, how are you? I know it's been rough with Daniel back in the infirmary again and you barely left his side in six hours."
"Well, you know Daniel. He probably did it in purpose so he could spend more time with the Doc," Jack offered up half-heartedly, knowing that Sam would see right through him.
He wasn't disappointed.
"Sir, you know that's not true." Sam placed her spoon on the table beside her almost empty glass. "Granted, he does seem to have some unconscious ability to end up as close to Janet as possible, but it's more than that."
Jack started down at his empty plate, unsure of exactly what to say. He had been worried about Daniel – how could he not be? As a commanding officer, it was his responsibility to see that his team was safe, a task that often proved nearly impossible when Daniel was involved.
"It wasn't your fault."
The softness of her voice made Jack look up to meet her gaze. The blue eyes staring back at him seems to tell him all of the things he knew she couldn't say out loud. How did she always know what to say? Jack allowed a small smile to touch his lips. "Yeah, well, at the very least, Daniel got what he wanted. He's confined to the infirmary for the next three days. Fraiser's orders."
Sam smiled wistfully. "She's as much a part of the problem as Daniel is." She picked up her spoon and resumed attacking the wiggly dessert. "At least now he has his very own bed, reserved just for him and his frequent injuries."
"Reserved by the President, no less." Jack leaned back in his chair, content now that he had finished his pie. "You've gotta have some kind of clout for the Big Man himself to dedicate something to you."
"Clout, sir?"
"Yes, Carter. Clout. It's a word," Jack defended himself, knowing full well that Sam was just trying to cheer him up. He kinda liked when she did that. "I mean, you don't see the President dedicating anything to me, do you?"
Carter stared at her C.O. "Uh, no sir. Is that the time?" She pushed herself away from the table, moving as if to get out of her chair.
"Whoa, Carter, what's your hurry?" Jack asked. "Was it something I said?"
"Uh, no, it's nothing, sir. I just remembered that I left a scan running in my lab. I should probably get back to it." She stood up, taking her empty glass with her. "What are your plans for the rest of the day, sir?"
Jack blinked at her, trying to figure out what had brought on this strange behaviour. "Well, I have some wonderful paperwork to complete, then General Hammond has called a debriefing that should last until at least 1900."
Sam nodded at him. "Good. I was wondering if you could give me a hand with something before you left the mountain, sir. I had something shipped from Area 51 and I was-"
"Hoping that I could throw my authority around to get it here faster?" He interrupted.
"Exactly, sir. Would you mind?"
"Not at all, Carter. I'll see you at about 1900."
"Great. See you then." Sam walked away as quickly as she could without alarming Jack, her feet not stopping until she reached the corridor outside of the commissary. The only thought running through her mind was I really hope he hasn't figured it out.
XXXXXXX
That is one shiny forehead. Probably not the best though to be having about your C.O. while he's in the room, but Jack couldn't help it. After forcing himself to sit in his office and finish his mission reports, he had spent the past hour listening to Dr. Rodney McKay drone on in his excruciatingly annoying superior voice about the dangers of Stargate travel. Why isn't Carter here? It's not really like I have a clue what's going on. Carter. Probably the second least best thought for Jack to be having while near his C.O.
"Colonel."
Jack's head snapped up. "What?"
McKay sighed, obviously exhausted. "Well, I've been trying to get you people to understand these problems that directly linking the dialing computer to complete the sequence on the Stargate can create and you're not even listening any more, are you?"
Jack strained to focus on the scientist's face, after having his eyes immediately glazed over once the man had started talking again. He smirked, staring down the scientist. "Sorry."
"Jack, I would appreciate it if you could at least try to stay alert during this briefing," General Hammond broke the silence. "Although, you may not think that it is relevant to your missions-"
"This information is vital to the continued success of the Stargate mission and the survival of its members," Jack interrupted in an attempt to cut off what was sure to be another lecture in the importance of scientific knowledge. "I understand, sir, it's just that I believe Carter would be more suited for this." Jack waved his hands in the direction of the mountain of technical briefs covering the conference table in front of him.
"Finally!" McKay exclaimed. "I was seriously starting to doubt military competence when I was told it would be you sitting in. Speaking of Sam, where is she?"
Jack's eyes flashed at Rodney's eager question. "Last time I checked, she was in her lab. And no, to answer your next question, she won't be joining us."
"Oh." McKay's face fell. "I guess I will have to go and stop by on my way out."
"That's really not a good idea, McKay. Remember what happened last time you stopped by her lab unannounced?"
"Yeah, I still have the scar," McKay recalled fondly
Moron. Jack couldn't explain it, but the idea of McKay being anywhere near his astrophysicist did not sit well. When did she become my astrophysicist? "Well, McKay, Carter and I have plans at 1900, so it would probably be a good idea to just stay away."
"Plans?" General Hammond asked?
"Yes sir. She's got some toys coming in from Area 51, and the boys out there need a little encouragement to speed up the process."
General Hammond nodded his head. "Well, then I guess we should end this meeting now, since it's already 1920."
"General, I haven't yet gone through the ways in which 'gate travel can have numerous consequences when dealing with-"
General Hammond cut him off "Well, Doctor, I suppose we'll just have to read it for ourselves. Dismissed." With that, he left the room.
McKay looked over at O'Neill, who was pushing his chair away from the conference table and making his way over to the door. "Where do you think you're going?"
Jack paused and slowly turned to face the arrogant scientist. "Rodney, let me say this really simply and slowly so you'll understand. I'm. Going. To. See. Carter." He glanced down at his watch. "I'm already late and I don't have time for your technobabble."
"Why don't I tag along?" McKay approached the door. "I'm sure Major Carter would love to see me again."
"Yeah, see you in a coma," Jack muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry, who's in a coma?"
Jack sighed. "No one, McKay. It's probably best if you just saw yourself out. Shouldn't be that hard, even for you - just take the elevator all the way up."
Walking out the door, Jack threw one last comment at the arrogant man. "And stay the hell away from Carter."
McKay couldn't help but smile at Jack's last comment. This place never changes.
XXXXXXX
By 1930, Major Samantha Carter had started to worry. I know I asked the General to keep Jack occupied, but I think he may have taken me too seriously.
The sound of footsteps in the hall alerted her to the approach of her C.O. She instinctively knew it was him, the same way she could tell if Daniel or Teal'c were to drop by for a visit. Her team had become her family, something she was very grateful to have, even if it did have her analyzing the sound of footsteps on a regular basis.
"Ok Carter, where's the Area 51 butt I have to kick?" Jack asked while entering her lab, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of said butt kicking.
"Well, sir, I need to make a quick stop in the infirmary. I promised Daniel we would visit before we both left for the night." Sam smiled at the disappointed look that washed over Jack's face. "And then you can kick Area 51 butt, sir."
"Sweet. Let's get this party on the road, then. I'd like to visit Daniel while he's still conscious."
They made their way to the infirmary, choosing to pass the time with Jack recounting his briefing with General Hammond and McKay.
"I can't believe he proposed sending through 'test hamsters' to gauge the effects of 'gate travel on mammals," Sam laughed as she and Jack reached the doors to the infirmary.
"Yeah, well, I always told people that McKay's wheel was spinning, but there was no hamster. Now we know why," he joked back.
Sam laughed again. "Well, thank you for keeping him away from my lab." Sam shuddered at the thought of what had happened last time Rodney had been in the mountain. "I don't think I could keep myself from braining him with a naquadah generator."
"At least he's gone for the day." Jack paused. "Although I wonder why I was called into the briefing and not you. It's not like I fully understood a word that came out of that man's mouth."
Sam realised that Jack had figured that something was definitly going on. She watched as his features contorted into a long of deep consentration. She sent a small thank you in the direction of any number of human and alien dieties for helping keep Jack out of the loop for the entire day. "What is it, sir?"
Jack stared at his 2IC, as if by reading her eyes he could finally figure out what was going on right under his nose. "Carter, why are we here?"
"Visiting Daniel."
"No, Carter . . . why are we really here?"
Jack's breath caught in his throat as he watched the slow but brilliant smile sweep over Sam's face.
"Why don't you go in and take a look."
Shooting her a questioning look, Jack turned and pushed his way through the doors to the imfirmary. Almost immediatley, he stoped short, causing Sam to crash into his back.
"Oh, for cryin' out loud . . ."