Supporting Rumors - Part 28
Daniel, Teal'c and General Hammond received the bad news firsthand. Sam had asked that they be told, and Doctor Hill had given them the results of the tests herself, knowing how close they were to the O'Neills.
Daniel shook his head as the doctor left the room. "Is there no news from any of our allies?"
General Hammond sighed heavily. "Nothing. It could be months before we get any contact and then ..."
"Thor could!" Daniel spat out and stood abruptly, coming to a halt against the far wall and raising his fist. The blow didn't connect. Daniel spun around, his fist still in mid air. "He doesn't deserve this ..." Daniel's voice faded.
"The SGC are aware of our needs, Doctor Jackson. Everyone is doing what they can, but meanwhile we have to make the best of ..."
"No, it's Jack's life we are talking about here, not a situation we have to make the best of. This could finish him."
"He'll have to be medically retired, but the President is keeping his position open for him to return to …"
"I'm not talking about his job. I'm talking about his career. The Air Force is Jack's life. You'll take his reason to ..."
"He has something else to continue for now, Daniel Jackson," stated Teal'c calmly.
"Sam."
Teal'c nodded. "You do O'Neill a great disservice if you think he is not capable of rising past this obstacle fate has placed in his path."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Teal'c, Jack isn't indestructible. He's human. Okay we've had our share of … death experiences – I'll give you that, but to take Jack out from our life and force him to become ..."
"Become what? Ordinary? Is that not what we all are? Our lives have been taken from us and we have been forced to endure. Now perhaps it is O'Neill's second chance for his own life and a family."
Both Hammond and Daniel's mouths literally hung open at Teal'c's words.
Neither man had an answer to that revelation. Neither man could dispute their friend's words and neither man really wanted to.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
It was late. No-one had left the hospital. No-one wanted to.
The men sat and waited. Eventually Sam came to see them and they all rose as one. She seemed strangely calm considering the latest news.
"You've been told?" she asked, her voice betraying her fatigue and yet …
General Hammond nodded. "Doctor Hill came to see us." He gestured for her to sit, before sitting back down himself. Daniel sat as well, but Teal'c remained standing.
"How's Jack?"
Sam gave Daniel a brief smile. "He's … he's, well, he's not being Jack about it."
"Oh." Daniel's face lit with concern. "That's bad."
"He's still full of tranquilizers."
"That's erm, good."
"He's too calm though."
"That's not so good."
Sam nodded. "You guys should go get some rest."
"Should you not be resting as well?" enquired Teal'c.
"Yes, but I'm going to crash here while Jack's sleeping." Sam gestured to the couch.
"Then we shall return in the morning." Teal'c quite firmly took hold of Daniel and withdrew, leaving Sam alone with General Hammond.
"How are you holding up?" asked Hammond, moving closer to her.
Sam leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, picking at the tissue she had scrunched in her hands.
"I'm not exactly sure." Her voice was low, the misery in it ringing clear to Hammond.
George Hammond sighed. "I know you think you've got to be strong all the time for him, but ..."
Sam screwed the tissue and threw it in the trash bin. "That's just it though, isn't it … he's always had that faith in me. More faith that I ever had – ever will have. He's been my rock for over eight years. It's Jack the Colonel that made me what I am, Jack the man that's completed me. Without him … He's watched my six, trained me for success since the day I met him, and you know what?"
The tears were falling thick and fast, her voice thick. She gave Hammond such a desolate look that his heart ached for her.
"I'm terrified that I'll let him down. If I fail him now ..."
George Hammond pulled the sobbing woman into his arms, his large hand patting her back softly, rubbing soothingly, just like he would for his daughter …
"You won't Sam, you won't. There's going to be times when it'll be bad, I won't lie to you, times you'll hurt each other, but no matter how bad the earthquake is, if the foundations are strong they'll still be there and you can re-build."
Sam giggled in his arms and leaned back, swiping at the wet trails on her face. "Are you saying I've got good foundations, General?" she quipped.
George Hammond's ear tips blushed slightly and he returned her smile.
"Don't tell Jack I said that," he groused, reaching for some tissues.
Sam giggled again and accepted the proffered tissues gladly. "I think I'll save that one."
xoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
Author and her helper's note (this is from us both) - Jackie has had several reviews both here and privately, suggesting the healing device be used by Sam or that the Asgard heal Jack. Here is our answer –
The healing device does not come out at every opportunity. There are several reasons, but the main one is that Sam's use of it was never certain. She couldn't use it properly with Daniel in Meridian, in fact it seemed to be making him worse. Apart from that - Jack is in a public hospital as a high profile patient. It would be very difficult to explain how he was miraculously cured. There have been several occasions where they haven't used the healing device on the show, including the S9 plague episode. In fact nothing has been said about it for many seasons - since Meridian, I think. Jackie and I have decided that we can safely assume it was taken to Area 51 to backward engine and they broke it!
Also, the SGC are trying to get in touch with allies, especially the Asgard. So far there is no success and Jack cannot just wait around with the attitude that Thor will fix it. We've seen many characters, and a certain special one, that Thor wasn't around to fix!
The healing device is much used in fics, but maybe it's a little too easy a way out of a difficult situation. Like the Asgard and sarcophaguses, it shouldn't be used just because you can't think of any other way to save the character. I admit that we have both used all these methods over our many Jack whumping fics, but, like the show, we can't do it all the time.
Jackie & Flatkatsi
