Supporting Rumors - Part 54
Sam's thoughts were brought abruptly into the present as she turned the corner on her way to her husband's room and walked smack into someone.
Not really seeing the person, she put her hands out to steady them, her brain registering who stood there a fraction later. "I'm sorry, I … Mrs … Sara?" she whispered, surprised to say the least.
The other blond woman's eyes widened and she took a step back. "Oh, you're ... Jack's wife?"
Sam nodded, still surprised at seeing Sara O'Neill there. "What ..."
"They won't ..."
They both started to speak at the same time then stopped.
Sam gathered her wits and took a deep breath. "You saw the news?"
Sara nodded. "They've been hounding me. I went to stay with Dad just after the phone calls started and they camped out on my front lawn. I didn't ... it's not true! It was at Dad's that I ... I saw that Jack ... I hadn't even seen anything about the shooting until the calls started. How is he?"
Sam felt sympathy for the woman. "Not here, come on."
Sara nodded. "I thought ..."
Sam shook her head and gently led her back towards the corridor that led to Jack's and the relatives' rooms. The guards on the main door stood more upright, fully aware now of whom Sam was and her rank. The guard who spoke actually looked apologetic. "I'm sorry ma'am, this lady doesn't have clearance."
"She's with me. Do you have to clear every relative that comes visiting?"
The guards exchanged a quick look with each other. "We were not made aware of any relatives likely to call ma'am, excepting yourself of course."
"Well, you are being made aware now." Sam clasped Sara's arm and stepped forward. As she did so the guard nearest to her grabbed the door and held it open.
Sam ushered Sara into the relatives' room and sat her down.
It was so weird to be facing Jack's ex-wife like this. She knew Jack had let her know he was remarrying and that he had kept in touch once in a while with her, the odd call and Christmas card, but he wasn't very forthcoming on a lot in that episode of his life. She knew Jack had loved Sara very much, but the terrible tragedy of Charlie's death had been too much for their marriage - as such dreadful events so often were, even in the most stable of relationships.
Sam took a breath, not sure where to start. "His condition ..." Oh, God, when had she started to sound like his doctor? "You know the shooting left him paralyzed?" That didn't come out right either …
Sara's face whitened and she gripped her hands together. "I've ... Is it permanent?"
Sam didn't know which way to go. "Jack isn't accepting that it is."
Sara nodded. "He wouldn't. I am so sorry Sam. The news said he'd gotten sicker - pneumonia?"
"Yes, but thankfully he's doing okay now."
"You must be going through hell."
Sam found herself surprised at the genuine sympathy she felt from the woman. "It's certainly been hard and there's a long haul ahead for both of us." Sam stood and paced a little. "Would you like to see him?"
"Only if ..."
"He's been worried about you," responded Sam bluntly. "Please, let him know you're okay?"
Sara nodded. "If you think it'll be okay?"
"I'm sure of it."
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Teal'c turned as he heard the sound of the door opening and greeted Samantha O'Neill with a smile and bow of his head. The blond woman that followed her into the room also received the same, with the addition of a slightly quizzical look.
His team mate's attention was instantly focused on her husband.
"He is resting much easier now," said Teal'c quietly as he moved forward, away from the bed, to make room for the two women.
"Teal'c, this is Mrs O'Neill."
"Sara, please," interrupted the woman and she held out a polite hand to him.
Teal'c clasped it gently, acknowledging her greeting with a slight bow of his head. He remembered the woman from their first meeting, but clearly she did not, which, given the circumstances of that time, wasn't surprising.
Colonel Carter leaned closer to Jack, obviously debating whether to disturb his sleep.
"I would think that O'Neill would be more than disappointed to miss a visitor," offered Teal'c by way of support.
She smiled and gently put a hand to the sleeping man's shoulder. "Jack," she called out in a slightly hushed tone. "Come on, sleepy head."
Teal'c could see that the first wife of O'Neill was obviously a little nervous, and certainly looked quite exhausted. He pressed her gently into the chair beside the bed and she murmured a grateful thank you.
He debated whether or not to leave, until his team mate smiled at him and shook her head, before returning her attention to O'Neill, who was beginning to stir.
"Jack?"
"Mmmph," he murmured softly, his eyelids fluttering as he began to become cognizant.
"Jack, come on honey, you've got a visitor," urged Sam.
His eyelids flickered open slightly, revealing just a slit of brown. "Sleeping," he complained. The depth of his complaint was belied by the smile that lit his face as he gazed upon his wife's face.
Sam cocked her head, a wide smile on her face, obviously sharing something with her husband ... but Teal'c could not tell just what. Jack reached up a hand and Sam clenched it tightly, still smiling at him.
It was with an effort that Sam broke her gaze and she straightened a little, obviously remembering Sara as she gave the woman a smile of apology.
O'Neill followed her gaze and his eyes widened as he took in who was sitting there.
"Sara?" he whispered, the anxious expression on his face clear to read.
"Jack." Sara smiled, although it was a little tremulous.
"We'll leave you two alone for a while, huh?" Samantha O'Neill spoke lightly and gave her husband a peck on his lips quickly.
"You don't ..."
Teal'c placed a gentle hand on O'Neill's first wife's shoulder to shush her and went to open the door, holding it open while waiting for his team mate, who beat a hasty retreat, not giving anyone a chance to object further.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sara swallowed harshly. She could see how ill Jack looked and how much weight he seemed to have lost since she saw him last. If this was getting better …?
"You okay?" he asked, his dark eyes boring into hers.
"I'm doing okay – how about you?"
Jack smiled. Sara knew that smile. That was the one that said, well my arm might be hanging off, but hey, I'm okay.
"Liar."
Jack shrugged slightly. "I was worried about you. The press ..."
Sara squirmed a little. The press conference had hurt. The questions and false accusations that had been made about her had also hurt, but she got by. She knew she had fared far better than Jack with regard to the wounds over their son's death, though when he had told her of his re-marriage and the new woman in his life, she knew it was a different man who had faced her, a new Jack who was embracing his life.
Sara moved closer to the bed. She knew that they needed to talk . . .
"Ham ... the police were supposed to get in touch with you..." began Jack.
Sara shrugged, "I moved out pretty quickly when the press took up camp on the front lawn. I went to stay with Dad."
Jack winced. "Sorry."
Sara shook her head. "It's not your fault, Jack. None of this is your fault."
Jack just nodded, but she could read the guilt on his face.
"Sam seems very nice."
Jack's whole expression changed. She saw the lift just the mention of his wife's name gave him. She could be feeling just a tad of jealousy here, remembering when his face used to light like that when he saw her ... but that was so many years ago now and so much had happened and the distance between them had grown. He still held a place in her heart, but just not that kind of place now... "Why did the press link me with your attacker? You know ... just what happened, Jack? I know you can't tell me much, but is this because of your job?"
Jack hesitated, obviously wavering about just what to say. "Kind of ... but the whole mess is because a ... someone didn't know when they crossed the line of reality ..."
Jack explained how he had come to be involved with Minucos, and what conclusions the man had come to that resulted in the shooting, leaving out the finer details ... "The rest is the press just digging into my ... our lives and putting two and two ..."
"And getting five," said Sara. She knew Jack was giving her the abbreviated version and that perhaps she would never have all of it explained, but she felt happier knowing Jack didn't believe her to be connected in anyway.
"Jack, about Charlie, you know I never blamed …"
Jack reached out, taking her hand and holding it firmly. "I know."
"It's so unfair. You meet someone like Sam and then this happens ..." Sara sniffed back the tears that were building. Life could be so cruel at times.
"Hey, it's only a temporary setback. There is no way this is permanent ..."
"Jack, it ..."
"No. I have a brand new chance Sara, a new life, a future and I am not going to let anything screw that."
Sara leaned closer. She could see he truly believed in what he was saying. "I wish you well, you know that, but whatever happens, please don't shut Sam out. Don't make the same mistake you did with me."
"I'm learning, Sara, maybe not the fastest student, I admit that, but I am trying ... I don't want to lose her."
"I think you'll do okay," said Sara with a smile. She had to admit that even at this moment, she could see the difference in the way he was speaking to her, his face wearing his emotions – oh not like a book, but compared to the old Jack, this was easy reading. "Just be happy."
Jack squeezed her hand and gave her an open smile. "Youbetchya."
Sara nodded, feeling at long last some contentment, the last vestige of the nagging worry about him lifting.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
There was a quiet tap and Sam broke off her conversation with Teal'c as he moved to answer the door. He stepped back, holding the door wide to show Sam the visitor.
Sara O'Neill stood there, her face pale and her eyes a little red, but it was a genuine smile, albeit a small one, that lit her face.
"Thank you," she said simply.
Sam smiled in return and signaled her to step in, but Sara shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'm good, going to get back to the hotel – Dad's waiting there for me. I just wanted to say thanks for letting me see him ... he's ... I must admit I was a bit, well, scared at how he would be taking all this about ... about Charlie ... but perhaps I didn't think of him having you. Take care of each other, okay?"
"Are you sure you're all right?" queried Sam.
Sara smiled again, a gentle smile, and she nodded. "Yes. I'm going to take an extended vacation with Dad, and hopefully by the time we get back the press will have moved on to something else. I'll be in touch, to see how he's doing, if that's okay?"
"That'll be fine. Are you sure ..."
"Positive."
Sam watched the back of the woman as she walked down the corridor until she exited out of sight through the doors. She checked her watch, mentally noting the time – just so she could let her husband have a little longer to himself.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
