Chapter 18 – His Yellow Brick Road
Disclaimer – Not mine, never will be etc. etc.
A/N – Once again – thanks to everyone who took the time to review. Your notes inspire me to keep writing and in some cases help me figure out where I'm going. I really hope you like this chapter, so without further ado …
Jack sat at his desk and glanced once again at the clock on the wall. Yep, it was two minutes after he'd looked the last time. 9:52. Time was officially dragging and he wished the minutes away. He'd finally made his decision a few minutes prior and he was determined to stick to it. Cool! It had only taken him three hours of contemplation, retrospection and procrastination to get to that point but he was proud of himself none the less.
In that time he had finally given in and walked, trying his best to hide his injured hand, to the infirmary. The pain had become steadily worse and he was worried that his anger had resulted in a broken hand. Luck was with him and Dr. Frasier was not on duty that evening. He smiled to himself thanking his stars that she was at home supervising Cassie and Teal'c's "dinner and a movie".
As such, Jack had his hand x-rayed in relative peace with no prying questions from the Doctor who was on call. As he sat on the gurney waiting for the results to come back, he had once again focused on the problem at hand. What was he to do about Sam? Should he simply call her now and tell her outright that he knew she was Dorothy? Go to her house and tell her face to face? Or should he make her suffer a little bit? Give her a taste of her own Instant Message medicine maybe?
He pondered these questions, playing out scenario after scenario in his head until the Doctor arrived at his bedside a couple of hours later. He was relieved to hear that his hand wasn't broken, simply heavily bruised. He knew that at his age it took longer for bones to knit back together and it was bad enough that he would need to explain swollen bruised knuckles let alone a cast.
After he'd been given a couple of pain killers, he hopped off the gurney and thanked the Doctor for his tact. With a spring in his step, Jack walked back to his office, rather than driving to his house. It would have been cutting it way too close to try to make it home in time. Which is why he found himself still watching the second hand slowly move around the clock with a rhythmic tick, tick, tick. His plan was ready to go and all he was waiting for was the small hand to reach the 10.
During the same three hours, Sam had tried to do anything but ponder the situation in which she now found herself. She had made her decision and was determined to stick to it. The less she thought about it the more chance she had that her will would hold. She was going to log on at the designated time that night, wish scarecrow well and tell him goodbye with as little fanfare as possible. Based upon what he had told her during one of their IM sessions in regards to his disdain for confrontation in his personal life, it should be pretty easy to do as long as her resolve held.
She needed a distraction and she knew just the person who could provide it. She picked up the phone and pressed number three on her speed dial. As she heard the ringing on the other end of the phone, she quickly glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall, noting it was a little before 7 o'clock. After three rings a female voice answered with what she could only describe as an exasperated "Hello!".
"Hi Janet", Sam said trying to hide the amusement in her voice.
"Don't make fun of me, Sam", Dr. Janet Frasier replied. "You try telling Cassie and Teal'c that it is possible to eat healthy when you're having a "dinner and a movie" night. All they want to have is hot dogs, popcorn and soda."
"You're kidding", Sam replied in feigned indignation. Janet missed the subtlety and continued with her rant.
"Yeah! Teal'c actually had the nerve to say "Dr. Frasier, we are attempting to recreate earth's movie going experience and you are spoiling our enjoyment" ", she continued doing her best imitation of the Jaffa. By that point Sam was laughing out loud but cut herself off when an idea struck her.
"So," she began, "how about we beat them at their own game and actually live the movie going experience … really".
"You want to catch a movie tonight? Is everything ok?"
"Sure, it's just been a long day, there's nothing on TV and the idea of a movie sounds really good".
"OK. But Teal'c has to return to the base tonight before 10:30."
"That works, we can catch the early show. Should I swing by now and pick you up?"
"Sure see you soon."
Sam hung up the phone and grabbed her coat and car keys, not thinking about Jack. This should be a very good distraction, she thought as she left the house, assuring herself that thinking that didn't count towards 'thinking about Jack'.
Within fifteen minutes, Sam was waiting on Janet's front doorstep while the Doctor gave last minute instructions to the two aliens she was leaving behind in her living room. Sam made a move to step inside the house but she was quickly shooed out the door by the petite woman with the iron will. If she had taken the time to reposition herself inside the door she would have heard the final strains of Judy Garland singing "Somewhere over the rainbow". However, the taller woman knew not to argue and simply walked to her car without hearing a note.
The two women drove to the movie theatre in relative silence until Janet broke the quiet by asking "What's wrong Sam?"
Sam quickly glanced at her before returning her eyes to the road.
"Nothing's wrong. Please let's just leave it at that".
"So there is something wrong. It's that damn man again, isn't it?", asked Janet trying to keep the irritation out of her voice and failing miserably.
"Jack has nothing to do with this!", Sam retorted.
Janet just raised her eyebrows at her, the look speaking volumes.
"I never mentioned Jack, but it obviously does have something to do with him. And since when has he become Jack and not the Colonel?"
Sam stopped at the red light and took the opportunity to look directly at her friend.
"Look, right now I need to not talk about Colonel Jack O'Neill nor think about him for that matter. If and when I want to talk, if there is ever something to talk about, you know that you will be the one I go to, ok?"
"Ok. But if he hurts you the needle I find to stick in his butt will …", she paused trying to think of the correct adjective to use, shook her head and simply finished with, " … well it will hurt, that I promise you".
Sam smiled warmly at her friend. "Thanks".
And true to her word Janet didn't mention it again that night. She knew that something was bothering her friend about her Commanding Officer and just as she knew that she had feelings for him. So she steered them away from the more romantic "chick flicks" and instead insisted that they buy tickets to the latest action movie which she vehemently claimed she'd been "dying to see".
And so Sam got caught up in the plot (what plot!) and special effects and stuffed herself with two hotdogs, ketchup only, a tub of popcorn, extra butter, and a giant sized diet Pepsi. Janet knew that Sam would regret eating all that junk later but if it gave her comfort she would focus on being her friend, rather than her Doctor, for the night.
As they drove back to Janet's house, they were animated in their discussion which was less about the implausibility of the story and more about which of the two male actors was better looking. They laughed as they bantered with each other and Sam counted her blessings that she had such a good friend in her life. She pulled up outside the house and was invited to come in "to tuck Cassie in". Sam hesitated and for the first time since the movie began, she looked at the time. She flinched as she saw that the neon numbers on the dashboard blinked 9:52.
She smiled as her friend got out of the car and called after her.
"Thanks but I'm kind of tired. It's been a long day and I'm just going to head home and go to bed".
By the end of her sentence she couldn't look the other woman in the eye but her friend let the lie go.
"Ok, sleep well. And Sam …", she paused, "give me a call if you want to talk".
"I will", Sam replied quietly and as soon as the door closed, she began the short drive back to her house prepared to follow through on her plan.
Scarecrow – Hi Dorothy!
Dorothy – Hi.
Scarecrow – So, whatcha wearing?
Dorothy – Excuse me?
Scarecrow – Whatcha wearing?
Dorothy – Are you serious?
Scarecrow – Yep. You used to ask me and I answered so now it's your turn.
Dorothy – Silk pajama bottoms and a camisole.
Scarecrow – Hmm – interesting. I hope you're telling me the truth.
Dorothy – Why?
Scarecrow – Cos I'm about to come over to your house.
Dorothy – What are you talking about? You don't know where I live!
Scarecrow – I believe I do and just in case I'm right, I need to tell you something now. I've never been very good with words in situations like this and I don't want to leave anything to chance.
Scarecrow – So just in case I can't find the words to describe how I feel tomorrow, I borrowed someone else's. I need you to listen to a song that you'll find at the end of a link that I'll send you. A young friend of mine sent it to me and now I need to send it to you.
Scarecrow – Will you do that for me?
Dorothy – Yes
Scarecrow – Ok. Now I'm going to log off and come to your house. I'll be there in about 5 mins. Ok?
Dorothy – K
Sam stared incredulously at the URL that Scarecrow had sent, waiting, in blue underlined font, in the message box on her screen. A message popped up telling her that Scarecrow was no longer online and she shook her head telling herself that he couldn't be coming to her house since he didn't know who she was. Never the less, something made her click on the link, her heart pounding while she waited for the music file to download.
It opened automatically once the download was completer and she listened closely to the words of the female singer as tears welled up in her eyes.
She's his yellow brick road
Leading him on
And letting him go as far
as she lets him go
Going down to nowhere
She puts on her make-up
The same way she did yesterday
Hoping everything's the same
But everything has changed
In my mind
Everything we did was right
Open your eyes, I'll still be by your side
How could I ever have been so blind?
You give me something to sleep to
at night
He wakes up to the sound
So scared that she's leaving
He wishes she were still
asleep next to him
Hoping she will change
In my mind
Everything we did was right
Open your eyes, I'll still be by your side
How could I ever have been so blind?
You give me something to sleep to
at night
You give me something to sleep to
And all I know is
You give me something to dream to when I'm all alone and blue
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
Don't leave me now
In my mind
Everything we did was right
Open your eyes, I'll still be by your side
How could I ever have been so blind?
You give me something to sleep to
Something to sleep to
Something to sleep to at night
Sam stared at the screen even after the song finished trying to comprehend the words that she had just heard. She was wrenched from her thoughts when she heard her doorbell ring. She walked to the front door and with one hand to her mouth, she placed the other on the door handle and began to turn it.
A/N - The song is "Something to Sleep to" by Michelle Branch. No copyright infringement was intended by the use of her lyrics in this fic.