A/N: Sorry bout the wait, i'll fill you in at the end of this chap!

Waking Up

Part I

Sam said she would be back soon. That was two days ago. Daniel and Teal'c had been by, General Hammond, too, but it didn't really help. Not that I didn't like them coming around, but they weren't Sam, my Major.

I miss her voice, her smell, her touch. What if Janet was wrong? What if… it wasn't really a coma? What if it was some sort of perverted, subconscious way to stay close to her?

Well, if that was the case, I should have woken up already. Dr. Napoleon said my knee is done for, I won't be going through the Gate anytime, well, most likely ever. I'm not in her chain of command anymore.

Why can't I wake up! I want to see her! Those beautiful blue eyes, that smile she saves just for me, the emotion playing on her face she thought she was hiding so well. I have to see her again.

I could hear someone approaching and by the sound of it, it was either Sam or Janet.

"Sam? Did you have a nice rest?" Yes! It was Sam! Finally!

"Not really, but I did sleep through the day."

"What have you got there?"

"I'm just going to sit here and do a little work. Would you mind if I played a little music?"

"No, go ahead."

I could hear Sam getting settled next to me. As much as I want to see her, I would much rather she was doing something productive instead of hanging around me. I mean, I'm not worth her time.

"Good morning, Jack." I could hear the smile in her voice. Ho, man, I wish I could smile back, just to see her eyes light up.

She gasped. Oh, shit, what happened now?

"Jack? Jack!" She started rubbing my cheek with her thumbs. I could feel the softness of her fingers.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

"I swear I just saw him smile." I did?

"Sam, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you."

"Yeah, I know."

She moved away from me and sat back down, I could hear her slump into the chair. She shifted a little and I could feel her getting close again, obviously the Doc had left.

"Listen, Jack." She chuckled at her own joke. "Sorry, no pun intended. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I haven't opened my envelope. I want to wait until you wake up. Also, this is sorta hard for me to say. I feel like I'm taking the coward's way out since I don't even know if you can hear me or not." She hesitated and I could tell she was thinking. Not like she ever stops. I think I'd be truly scared we ended up in the wrong reality if she did. "Jack, I love you. I'm finally allowed to say it, due to, well, your unfortunate predicament."

If my heart could race it would have. Wait, I think I can hear the beep of the monitor speeding up. Sam's actually telling me she reciprocates the feelings I've had since I met her, and I can't say a damn thing back! She's the one who wanted it kept in that room! Something wet just dripped on my hand.

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry. Now I'm crying all over you. I really should try to get some work done. I uh, made a little something for you when I got home the other night."

Most people would think this was so unlike my Major, but I've known her long enough to know that there's a woman under that tough soldier routine. Nobody thinks I notice her moods or the way she tries to prove just how tough she is, but I do. I've respected her as an officer since our first mission, but I've also been allowed to see her as she is. Like when we thought Daniel had died in our first year. I know she'd been trying to prove she was tough, but I wanted her to know that I understood if she needed to cry. I've never looked down on her for it.

I heard and felt her slink back and music filled the air. The first song was Beethoven's Fur Elise. It was quite calming. Ah, classical, truest form of music there is. It was very relaxing. Oh, I guess she knows me a little too well. Opera.

When we first realized we were a team, in it for the long haul, we had a team night, my house, to get to know each other. Daniel and I were pretty good, but we wanted Carter to know we trusted her. She was surprised when she saw the classical music and operas I had in my CD tower.

About halfway through that CD, it stopped and I felt her sit on the edge of the bed, her breath brushing by my forehead as she whispered, "Please, Jack, come home." I felt her back of, probably to get back to work and the music started again.

That did it, I had to wake up, now! It's so hard to move. I tried to raise my hand to her in comfort. I could tell she was crying again and it broke my heart. I just have to reach her!

Wait! She didn't back off all the way. There was still a weight on the edge of my bed.

I want to touch her so badly. If I could just move my hand over a little bit. Eh, what's the use? My body's not responding to anything I tell it, so why even bother.

No, there it was! Pressure on my fingers. I could feel. Nah, she must have just moved her hand over. But under mine?

"Janet!" Damn that woman can be loud when she wants to! I can't help but mentally wince at her shriek.

"What is it?" Those little heels came clicking and I could hear her checking my pulse and other vitals. That stethoscope was cold!

"Sam, he just shivered. What happened?"

"I was sitting on the chair, leaning on the edge of the bed. His hand moved over and covered mine. When I called for you, he winced."

"His brain waves have shown an increase in activity."

Yes, yes. C'mon eyes, open Dammit! I wanted to say something back to them. To let them know I was here. Maybe I can! No, something's choking me.

"He's trying to breathe on his own. Nurse!" Someone else came running into the room. "Help me remove the respirator!"

"Janet, he's not even awake yet!"

"I know, which means he doesn't know any better. He's just going to fight it. He could end up choking himself."

A huge pressure was lifted off my throat and chest. I coughed heavily, feeling nothing blocking my airway anymore.

I tried squeezing my hands into fists to see if I really had control over my body, or if I was just imagining things. I felt my fingertips touch the palms of my hands.

Okay, time to test the eyelids.

I blinked them open, very slowly. Doc was looking down at me, her evil pen light ready to check my pupils. For once, I didn't struggle. The sooner she was done, the sooner I'd be alone with Sam.

"Gener – ah, Colonel, I'm going to check your vitals and let you rest before I run my full barrage of tests."

I tried to nod in response but only managed to throw myself into extreme pain. I quickly discovered I could only open one eye completely. What the Hell had happened to me? I could feel the bandages on my face. I didn't get shot there, too, did I?

The doc finished up and flashed a sad smile at Sam and me. I reached up and took Carter's hand in mine.

"Hey," I just barely managed to squeak out. Okay, I have to do this before I lose my cool. Never mind, I've already lost it with that little squeak, but I have to let her know I could hear her.

"I," I coughed deeply, still feeling like there was something lodged in my throat. "I love you, too… Sam," I whispered. I just have to smile at the shock in her eyes.

"You could hear me?" Okay, ow, my hand's not a stress ball.

I nodded slightly. "And I don't think you're a coward either. You're one of the best soldiers I've ever served with." Man, who knew talking could be so tiresome.

"Get some rest, Jack. We'll talk again when you wake up."

I couldn't argue with that, I was already falling asleep on her.

Part II

Oh… My… GOD! He could hear me! The entire time! I don't know whether I should be mortified or elated. I mean, he knows what I said, and he told me he loved me too, but what if it's just hospital talk. You know, when people are doped up and don't know what they're saying? I have to inform the General he's awake.

I found Janet already there, giving Hammond her report.

"He's sleeping," I said, walking into the briefing room. "He, uh, could hear everything we said around him. I don't know when it started, though."

"So, we have no clue how much he knows about his condition," Hammond replied, looking between Janet and myself.

"No, Sir," Janet answered when she saw my eyes drop.

"How should we tell him, then, medically speaking?" he asked her. I had never thought of that. I was so happy that he was awake, I hadn't thought of how he would react to the thought that he wouldn't be going through the Gate anymore. Personally, I thought letting him know his career was over just as he reached Brigadier General wasn't really a smart move, but, Hey, I just know Astrophysics.

"I think we'll let him run the course of the conversation. He's going to want to know the extent of the damage and I accidentally started to call him General."

Hammond nodded. "Keep me posted on his condition."

Janet and I left the briefing room and headed towards the commissary. Coffee. We need coffee.

"Janet," I started once we had sat down. "Let me tell him, please." I figured he would take it a little easier coming from me.

"I'll cover any medical questions he has. Other than that, I'll leave it to you."

A/N: Okay, so my laptop is totally fried at the moment. Some wires got crossed in the power adapter and sparks were literally flying everywhere. I can't actually retrieve anything else i've written off of my laptop until we can figure out if it actually fried the hard drive or if the battery just ran out, so i have to work on the computers i find when i come across them. the only reason you're even getting this chapter is because my best friend and her parents are in the City for Thanksgiving, so i get the computer all to myself, for now.

oh, and you know what else i just found out? They totally jipped us on the Season Eight DVD's. i haven't actually gotten around to watching all of them and i just was finally able to get onto Gatworld, so if you already know this, i'm sorry i'm just ranting. Threads was cut down from a 90 min. episode for sindication, but they also did it on the DVD! it's a DVD for cryin' out loud, ( i actually picked that phrase up from my GGma), i mean why couldn't they put the WHOLE episode on the disc! GRRRRR! sorry it just torques my noodle!

okay happy thanksgiving to all who celebrate it here in the US, and have a wonderful day to everyone else! thanks for reading and please leave a review. sorry if some of it seems out of character, but it's just the way i imagined them after so long w/ Jack in a coma.

oh yes, and tell me if you want to know what was left for Sam and Jack in those envelopes. i originally didn't put it in the story, i don't know why, but now i'm thinking i might add it. let me know what you think!