The next day Jack sulked down the hall in the SGC towards the briefing room, where the rest of his team was no doubtedly waiting for him. He wasn't in any hurry to see them, especially Sam.
He had woken up this morning to see her clothes still piled by his bathroom door, and realized that no matter how much he pretended, it really had happened. And surprisingly it hurt. No, not surprisingly. He knew if she ever flew out of his life it would hurt just as much as losing his son.
He hesitantly opened the door to the briefing room a crack to see if she was in her usual seat. She wasn't so he opened the door all the way.
"Jack, where's Sam?" Daniel asked him upon seeing him enter the room. "Wasn't she with you?"
"I don't know. She took off yesterday. I expected her to be here this morning. She never told me what was wrong." Jack took his seat by the head of the table preparing for the briefing on their mission later that day.
"You do realize you're an hour late, don't you?" Daniel hissed.
"What! No, I didn't. Hammond's gonna have my ass in a sling!" Jack flopped his head in his hands. The headache was coming back full-fledged this time. He rubbed his temples furiously, trying to mask any pain that was registering.
Hammond entered. "At ease people." He sat down at the head of the table, nothing but a single sheet of paper in his hand. "Colonel, at 0900 yesterday morning, this happened upon my desk." The General slid the paper over to his 2IC.
Jack gave it a cursory glance before handing it over to Daniel. "It's Major Carter's resignation, Sir?"
"Do you know anything about this, Colonel?" Hammond threw Jack an accusatory glance before receiving the letter back from Teal'c.
"I." Jack almost told the General he had no clue as to what was going on, but he was quickly reminded by his aching heart of the events that had transpired the day before. "General Hammond, Sir. I believe something is seriously wrong with Major Carter. I found her standing outside my house at 0430 yesterday morning, in the pouring rain, soaked to the skin. When I put her in the shower to warm her up, she never moved, just stood under the spray and sobbed. Something broke that woman. I came to the base only to be chastised by Daniel for leaving her there and I immediately left for home. Unfortunately, there was an accident ahead of me and I had to give my statement. I didn't arrive home until 1000, Sir. I found her again in the shower. I took her out and laid her on the bed. At about 1630, she bolted from my house and I haven't seen her since."
Jack sat back and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, willing the headache to go away.
"You just let her leave!" Daniel practically shouted at him.
"Well, I didn't really have a choice!" Jack stood and yelled in his face.
"Colonel O'Neill, that's enough!" By this time Hammond had pushed his chair out of the way and had joined the shouting match.
"Sorry, Sir." Jack turned to look straight at Daniel. "I was in the shower when I heard the bedroom door open. I threw a robe on and chased after her but by the time I ran out the front door, she was already at the end of the street. I didn't recognize the car."
He let himself fall back into the chair, feeling like an ass for letting her leave when he knew she needed him. "I thought she was just mad at me. I didn't give it a second thought at the time."
"Colonel, I suggest you go to the Major's house and try to find out what's going on. I've got a member of my best team turning in her resignation, with absolutely no clue given as to the reason why. Dismissed." Hammond stood and briskly walked out of the room.
"Alright, I'm heading over to Carter's to try and resolve this whole mess." Jack picked up his files and notepad to return them to his office.
"We'll go with you," Daniel said, concerned for what would happen to his best friends.
"NO! I mean, if she really is upset with me, you'd probably be best off not coming along."