Supporting Rumors - Part 20
Sam listened to the doctor, she remained dry eyed, her face pale, her skin almost translucent and if any of the men had mentioned the word fragile ... she would have shown them she was most certainly not. She requested that she be able to see Jack first, alone. No-one tried to talk her out of it - they quietly accompanied her to the room and waited outside.
The lone nurse in the room hurriedly repositioned a chair nearer the bed and Sam thankfully sank down, her legs almost ready to cave. For a few moments the sight that lay before her made her blood run cold. Jack was on his back, chest bare, a thin sheet the only covering up to his stomach. The chest drain was almost lost in the myriad of wires and sticky pads that held the electrodes in position, and bruises and abrasions were in abundance. There was another new dressing on the side of his head and his mouth and nose were covered with an oxygen mask. Tubes that carried blood and other fluids ran into various positions concealed by the sheet and also into his arms.
Sam held out a tremulous hand, her eyes seeking the steady rise and fall of Jack's chest as her fingers ghosted tenderly over his face. She heard the steady, quiet blip of the machines at the other side, and knew what they meant, but it was only actually seeing his chest move that reassured her - he was actually breathing.
"Has he moved?" she asked the nurse quietly.
They both knew what she was asking.
"He's still sedated, Mrs O'Neill."
Sam held his hand, somewhat delicately at first for fear of hurting him, then as she settled a little, she held it more firmly, tracing its back with her thumb. She hesitantly she began to talk to him.
After a few minutes, at Sam's request, the nurse brought in their friends.
The silence was a little unnerving at first, but soon the men began to talk softly, involving her and also including Jack in the conversation. Each of them knew from personal experience that while somebody may not be conscious, a friend nearby, and waiting, always felt comforting.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The day was long and the night longer still. Her friends faced a huge battle in getting Sam to rest and eat, but it was one battle they won, albeit briefly.
Time was their enemy and also their friend ... the longer Jack continued to hold his own and breathe on his own, the more positive the outlook became.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Doctor Hill had gradually become more enthusiastic in the updates of her patient's progress. Jack seemed to be on the upturn and the sedation was being decreased gradually.
Sam was hopeful that at last he might soon be waking. The only cloud on the horizon was just what disability he might be facing. It would make no difference to her, though she knew it would be hard - she bore no illusion about that. But it would make a big difference to Jack. The extent of his injury would determine his attitude to his future. She was sure though that he could, and would, make the adjustment to live a long and fulfilled life. He would need all the love and support from her and their friends that they could offer –and they would need the patience of saints. She knew the ride would be rough and the journey long ... but he was so worth it, in every way.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Doctor Hill entered the room and spared her a brief smile before getting down to business. She worked methodically, checking her patient and the equipment then updating the notes. Finally she made an adjustment to the drip.
"He should start coming around a little within a couple of hours, Mrs O'Neill," warned the Doctor.
"How soon before …"
"As soon as he's recognizant I can do a few basic tests, but it won't necessarily tell us much so early. We should expect the worse. He should have use of his arms at least though, but everything else from …" the doctor put a hand on her midriff, "… here down there will probably have no sensation. The important thing is that he is kept calm and reassured. He's still going to be in a lot of pain from the other injuries and very weak. We can be thankful he's not having breathing difficulties, aside from the damage caused by the fall."
Sam nodded, her throat aching as she tried to swallow her tears. She felt like she should be running on dry now ... she never knew she had so many left in her ... but he was alive – alive.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
It was several hours in fact, in the middle of the night, before Jack began to stir. Sam used the buzzer as he moved his head slightly, the increasing bleeps of the monitors accompanying the motion.
Doctor Hill was there within a few minutes, along with one of her nurses. She quickly began checking her patient's vitals, treating Sam to another one of her brief smiles.
"General O'Neill." The doctor spoke with a quiet firmness. She held onto one of his hands.
"General, come on now, can you give my fingers a squeeze?"
Sam watched intently, hardly daring to breathe.
"General O'Neill?" The fingers in her hand fluttered slightly, no strength in them, but at least there was movement.
"That's it, come on now, put a little more backbone into it," she encouraged.
His lashes fluttered slightly and he huffed his breath beneath the oxygen mask.
"Jack?" whispered Sam.
He turned his head just a little towards her and she squeezed his other hand tightly. "Hey Jack, come on, time to wake up."
He murmured and his lashes fluttered again, giving her just a peep of brown this time betraying something Sam had never seen before – a look of pure panic, before they slammed shut and his breathing began to speed up.
"Jack."
Doctor Hill was quick. She immediately injected something into his IV tube and gradually his breathing began to calm, his eyelids fluttering as he slid back into a drug induced sleep.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
It was dawn before Jack stirred again. Sam was dreadfully tired, but at the first signs of him wakening, her body galvanized itself into action and she buzzed for the doctor. Remembering the doctor's advice, she remained still, holding his hand and talking to him, keeping him calm.
Doctor Hill joined them within a few minutes. It seemed to Sam that woman never went home either …
Jack moved his head to follow the movement of the doctor as she neared the bed.
"Good morning, General O'Neill." She gave him a smile of encouragement.
He soon switched his focus back to Sam, although he was obviously battling to hold his attention on her, and she gave him a wide smile.
He gasped something behind the mask, his words unintelligible.
Doctor Hill loosened the mask down to his chin. "Just take it easy, General. Don't try and force anything, nice and easy."
"Sa a m," he slurred.
"I'm here. Just relax, shush."
Jack tried hard to focus on her and he managed to flutter his fingers in her hand before once more subsiding into unconsciousness.
Sam sat quite still. The only movement she made was her thumb circling on the back of his hand, that and the silent tears that tracked down her face.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
