Supporting Rumors - Part 7
Doctor Hill's eventual appearance stilled Jack and he ceased his monologue of complaints. He gripped Sam's hand tighter and she heard the hitch in his breathing as it stepped up a notch.
Doctor Hill brought a chair to the bedside opposite Sam and George, lining herself up to face her patient.
"General O'Neill." She began to speak, then paused.
Sam squeezed Jack's hand as a warning as he opened his mouth. She could guess only too well what might come out of it. Thankfully he shut it and she turned her attention back to the doctor.
Doctor Hill resumed. "I know you are a plain speaking man General, so I will be blunt. If you have any questions, please ask." She cleared her throat before continuing. "The remaining bullet is not removable without the high probability of causing permanent damage to your spine. Its current position is fairly stable and there is no reason good enough at the moment to risk an operation."
"At the moment?" asked Jack.
"Should the bullet move then it would certainly cause complete paralysis from that point down."
"And movement could be caused by…what?"
"Any number of things actually, time even."
"Let's get this straight doc, as in a sneeze or cough and I lose?" He swept his hand from his chest down.
The doctor gave him a brief smile. "No, in all likelihood it could be a heavy fall or a motor accident. The chances are that if you're very careful . . ."
Jack's face paled even further. "Chances? You don't know for sure? Legs today – gone tomorrow?"
"You are suffering from spinal shock at the moment, General and it is dissipating slowly. The pain will increase unfortunately, but we can start a medication program with you and…
"Get it out!" barked Jack.
"General O'Neill, there is no good reason for me to risk your life. The chances of you surviving such an operation, certainly at the moment, are not good."
"So we wait a bit."
"The length of time means scar tissue is building up inside around the bullet and that would increase the chances of you being paralyzed, even if you survived."
"Get the damn thing out now!"
"Jack, please…" beseeched Sam, holding tightly onto his hand.
"Look I know this is all difficult to accept. You're very lucky to be alive and at least you will have mobility. I'll leave you to talk it over and when you have more questions I'll be ready to answer them when you've had time to take it in."
The doctor wasted no time in leaving them and for a few minutes you could have heard a pin drop in the room.
George looked from Sam's pale face to Jack's. He could already see the shutters being put into place…he just hoped that he wouldn't shut out his wife.
Sam took a deep breath and leaned in closer still to her husband.
"Jack?" she said softly.
It took a few seconds for Jack to respond to his wife's voice. His eyes lit momentarily on George's, before flicking to Sam.
"It'll be okay, Jack."
"What? Waiting? Don't do waiting." His voice was deceptively soft and George knew from experience that volcano O'Neill was building.
"I know you will have to retire. I'm sorry Jack, but at least we can have a life together."
Jack's face tightened slightly. "Get the doc in here. I want it out. I am not going to sit around waiting for the day when I piss myself and then fall over."
"It might not happen. There's a good chance it will all be okay."
"Oh yeah, sit around doing nothing – hell, even the track to the cabin could cripple me!"
George rose. He knew that everything had to come out, be discussed and dismissed, he was however, uncomfortably aware that Sam was holding back on his account.
"I'm not running out on you. I'm just going to make myself scarce for a short while. You need the space."
Sam nodded, giving the General a tight smile, looking like she might burst into tears at any moment, and the General wavered before stiffening his resolve. Jack, however, found the sheets suddenly very interesting and ignored George's departure.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
As the door almost closed behind George he heard Jack's voice ringing out loud and clear.
"You wanna give up your career and take care of a cripple?"
George winced and straightened…he just hoped that Sam would be ready for the fight of her life!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
"Okay…you have the operation and die on me? As in dead! What then Jack…I would have you any way I can rather than dead!" yelled back Sam.
"Hell, a couple of years taking care of a cripple would kill what we had!"
Sam stood up glaring at him. "Had? You've got a nerve Jack O'Neill! I married you for better or worse, in sickness and in health!"
"Sickness followed by divorce. I would drive you mad and you'd end up hating me and I would end up…"
"You are not a cripple. It might never happen…"
Jack's face pale face whitened further and he gripped at the sheets covering him.
Sam bit back what she had been going to say and grabbed one of his hands.
"Jack?"
His eyes slammed shut and he gritted his teeth in a desperate attempt to stay silent. The beads of sweat on his forehead trickled down his face as it contorted in pain.
"Oh God, I'm sorry," whispered Sam as she frantically buzzed for help.
"Can't even…" he panted, "argue…"
He jerked suddenly and cried out as another spasm overtook him and tears from his screwed shut eyes joined the sweat that tracked on his skin.
The nurse that entered quickly injected him. It took several minutes for the sedative to take effect and Sam held onto his hand and he gradually relaxed before opening his eyes to regard her blearily.
"Tell…get it out."
His voice was barely a whisper, but Sam heard him and as he finally succumbed to the medication, she put her head down and wept.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
