Supporting Rumors - Part 69
Jack slammed the receiver down, the absence of news sharpening the blade that lay in his stomach, its edges twisting and cutting. He rubbed his palms across his legs, wiping the sweat from them, grimacing as he felt the pressure on his right, but his left leg still stubbornly refusing to acknowledge his touch. Yes he was making progress - his rehab team were delighted with him, talking of him going home, but the one person he wanted to share it all with was absent. He could have been home the previous weekend, but that was a no no on his own.
Sam had been absent for almost three weeks – or four hundred and eighty seven hours to be precise. Three long weeks during which he worried himself sick over her. She served with the best, he knew that, and even if he could have been with her himself, there were no guarantees out there – he realized that as well.
SG 1 had been out of contact and overdue for almost a week. Jack checked the clock again - one hundred and fifty four hours and counting. He couldn't share his worry with anyone at the rehab unit, not even his counselor. As far as they were concerned his wife was away on business, not half way across the galaxy doing God alone knew what.
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Distraction – that was what he needed, and there was only one thing that happened around there for distraction…
It had been a fast game, but although Jack wasn't concentrating very well, he ignored the odd comments at first, determined to not let them upset him, at least not openly.
"Come on, Jack, good job we aren't playing for the real thing," jibed Pearson. Pearson was a long term patient, a double amputee who was adamant he was staying at the rehab centre as long as possible. It was the only way he could get a decent game in, he had commented, when he first introduced himself to Jack.
Jack lifted his head a little at the jibe and placed a bet.
"Yeah, otherwise you'd be bankrupt by now Pearson," cracked Phil Stockley. "You missing the little woman then, Jack?" he added. Stockley was a former marine captain, who had been injured overseas.
"Not so little huh," said Downey, an obnoxious semi-retired stockbroker who'd had a skiing accident, as he indicated his chest in an exaggerated manner. "Perhaps he's missing getting some action." The crude gesture he made left them no illusion as to what he meant.
Glaring at the man, Jack lifted his arm to throw his cards down, but a placating hand on his arm stalled him.
"Take no notice, he's just jealous," offered Pearson, "but it is a shame she couldn't just put off that trip … you could be home now, instead of here."
"Yeah, pretty hot woman Jackie-boy. Pity she isn't here instead of off enjoying herself. A woman's place is beside her man... But maybe she is missing something, got a little itch to scratch that you can't satisfy anymore, huh? She's a Colonel isn't she? ... All those men under her - know what I mean!" Downey elbowed the person sitting beside him, his expression leering.
There was deathly silence and even Downey must have realized he had gone too far. He pushed himself back from the table, ready to get out of the way.
Slamming his cards down, Jack pushed back at the same instant. He felt the tight wad of anger that threatened to explode... Crippled or not, he could take Downey out with one hand ... strike that, one finger!
The other men backed from the table, recognizing the signs as O'Neill's expression changed to granite, his eyes glinting dangerously. As the buzz rose in his ears, his anger thrumming wildly, Jack swallowed hard on his emotions. It took everything he had, but he stopped himself slamming his fist into the slime ball's face, and with a last threatening look at the man, he swung his chair away. He turned his back on the sympathetic glances from the others – pity was something he didn't want...
...They couldn't know Jack didn't have any idea if she was dead or alive, or even that his closest friends were lost with her. In one fell swoop he could lose not only the love of his life, but Daniel and Teal'c too.
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He called Landry everyday, twice a day, demanding news, what they were doing ... anything - even though he knew that Landry would have let him know the instant they knew anything and give the man his due, he had the utmost patience with Jack, even though he had the base to run as well as the current situation and Jack knew so well what that entailed. He doubted that he would have expressed the same patience himself in those circumstances – okay, yes, he outranked Landry, but Jack knew that wouldn't have bothered the man normally – it was one of the reasons Jack had picked him.
George flew down when the news of SG1's overdue status broke, and was staying in the Springs. Jack hadn't needed to tell him, hadn't asked him … it seemed that retired or not, the man still had his finger on the pulse. The old General visited him every day and Jack, much as he appreciated it, wanted nothing but his wife to be safe ... to be home and that didn't make him good company.
So far George had stayed calm and reassuring with him, trying to distract him and even wheeling him, protesting, out for a drive in the car.
"You've got your cell and I've got mine, Jack, Landry can reach us wherever we are," said George firmly.
"Take me home then please."
George drove Jack home without comment.
Jack wheeled himself around the empty house ... he couldn't call it home without Sam. He began touching things, her things.
"Don't give up on her, Jack."
Jack's face crumpled and he swung his chair away, hiding his face, his voice a mere whisper. "I can't do this without her."
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George stood more than a little stunned. He'd seen Jack O'Neill at his best and thought he'd seen him at his worse ... but whatever had gone on through the years they had served together, he had never seen Jack in this state.
He knew they were very worried about Jack's state of mind at the rehab and he had that morning, after much debate, reminded them that Sam was a serving member of the USAF and hinted that she was serving out of the country – knowing that they would instantly wrongly put two and two together given the current situation overseas. Hopefully when they returned Jack's counselor would have been able to prepare himself to talk to Jack and though the complete truth could never be told, at least they would understand that Jack was not merely missing his wife, but in fear of her life.
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TBC
