Supporting Rumors - Part 58

Sam didn't miss the exhaustion on her husband's face, or the tight lines of pain that accompanied it. The ambulance ride from the hospital had been moderately comfortable, but she was thankful that at long last they were they were on board the 747.

The staff who greeted them were quick and efficient and before long Jack was made comfortable in the President's own suite, much to their amazement.

The doctor that was accompanying them ensured that Jack was confined to the large bed once take off was complete, quelling the patient's objections that it wasn't even a four hour or so flight by stating in no uncertain terms that he needed a break from the wheelchair, and reminding him he had to face another ride by ambulance to the rehabilitation hospital.

And Jack gave in gracefully – uh, no ... just gave in, to Sam's relief.

Once they were alone she couldn't help walking around the suite and, much to Jack's amusement, stroking the hand crafted furniture.

"I can't believe we are actually in …" She broke off with a grin and shook her head. "Uh, on second thoughts, how on Earth can I get excited about this after what we do for a living?"

Jack smiled up at her. "You have a point there – but it's still pretty cool huh?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

When Jack finally succumbed to an exhausted sleep, Sam took the opportunity to explore the rest of the suite and then ventured out to see more of the aircraft, coming face to face with a General as she moved downstairs.

"Sir." Sam stiffened automatically, almost saluting before she remembered she was out of uniform.

The General smiled, not unkindly, and held out his hand. "Colonel Carter or should I say at this moment – Mrs O'Neill?"

Sam took in the middle aged man's features and his warm smile as she shook hands

"Sorry sir …"

"General John Finney at your service," said the officer, with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm your pilot."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"How's Jack?"

"He's sleeping at the moment ... you know him? Would you like to say hello?"

"I would like to see him, Jack and I go waaay back, but I don't want to disturb him."

Sam shook her head. "Oh, don't ... I mean if …" She cursed herself silently as she stumbled over her words. "Sorry, but if Jack knew he'd missed you he'd …"

Finney nodded. "Yes he would ... but I wasn't sure if ... I mean, well you know Jack – obviously. I wasn't sure if he would be up to seeing someone, given the circumstances. The news of the shooting was terrible. I can't believe after all the action Jack's seen over the years some nutter ... sorry I ... it's just so ironic. I am sorry, Mrs O'Neill."

The General sighed heavily and leaned against the stair rail, running a hand through his hair. "How is he?"

Sam began to give Finney the bare basics, but the man obviously knew Jack quite well as he shook his head to halt Sam in mid speech.

"Ah, no – I mean how is he really?"

"Jack's ... well it's not been easy but we're coping, we've got to."

"Jack never does anything by halves, he'd never give up ... what's the prognosis ... I don't want to put – well you know …"

"Jack's looking forward – he's determined that the prognosis is going to be good …" Sam began to fill the General in, feeling more comfortable with him as they talked.

Finney accompanied Sam back to the suite, chatting amicably on the way.

Sam finally let her curiosity get the better of her. "Did you serve together?"

"Not for very long, but when they commissioned the 747's for Air Force One in 1990 Jack and I were back together as part of the team who ran the attack scenarios, testing the capabilities of the crafts. I piloted the first 747 – this one actually, and Jack flew the attack. Needless to say, he wiped me out every run," Finney admitted, with a rueful laugh. "But nowadays ... here I am. We got along really well and had a great time. We kept in touch on and off, and when he moved to Washington we managed a get together."

Jack was still sleeping and rather than wake him John Finney sat and chatted quietly with Sam, entertaining her with quite a few anecdotes from when he served with Jack. "We used to get to some really wild parties I can tell you, and boy could he drink – lucky bas ... ahem, dog, didn't suffer from hangovers much, unlike some of us. I remember one particular night when Jack went missing after we got back from town and we found him curled up fast asleep – you won't believe where – on the …"

"Jeez, this is way noisier than trying to sleep on the runway." A sleepy voice interrupted them.

"Hey, wonder how long you'd be ... gotta desert you to put us down in another hour or so," said Finney, with a huge grin.

Jack peered out from the crumpled cover, still half asleep, but the grin that lit his face was unmistakable. "Fine Mess Finney, how the hell are you?"

"Huh, looks who's talking – if I hadn't hauled you in off that runway …"

"Yeah, I would have been in a fine mess huh?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Sam sat back quietly, unashamedly listening with a keen interest ... after all, it wasn't often Jack spoke of any of his past and she was rather enjoying the banter between the two men.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

All too soon the General rose and said his goodbyes, promising Jack that when his schedule permitted, he would certainly look them up in the Springs.

The plane landed smoothly and the next half hour or so was full of hustle and bustle while the doctor checked him over and their departure was prepared.

Thankfully, and much to Jack's relief, there wasn't much of a welcoming committee at Peterson. The CO had certainly kept everything as low key as possible, especially given that he hadn't had much notice of the landing. They were soon under way once more, this time in the back of a military ambulance.

Jack wasn't able to see much of the outside from his position in the back of the vehicle, but just the thought of being back in Colorado Springs, the one place he now felt at home, went some way towards easing the doubts that had been troubling him since leaving the hospital. As much as he had wanted to leave that place and put it behind him, he felt so vulnerable and exhausted that he wondered if he was indeed doing the right thing ... and now he was here, with Sam beside him, it all slid into place – he was coming home.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

TBC