Chapter 34

"How is he doing?" Sam asked Kate later that night in the infirmary.

"Physically, he's fine. We're just keeping him here until he's out of withdrawal from the sarcophagus," Kate answered leaning back in her chair.

"How about you? Any side effects from….?" Sam asked cautiously.

"None we've noticed. I have to stay in this chair a while and do some physio, but only because I was in that bed for so long and apparently a lot of my muscle mass was burned up during the……transfer….or whatever it was."

"It's hard to believe you've been here over two months already. Settling in okay?"

"Time flies when you havin' fun. And yeah, everyone's been real nice. Especially since I punched that Anise. Who taught Tok'ra Barbie how to dress by the way?"

Sam giggled, "Well that's a mystery no one knows the answer too. I'm not sure if anyone really wants to know the answer or not."

"I'm sure. Isn't there some rule about no giggling?"

"That's the Colonel's rule. Remind me to tell you the story behind it later."

"Definitely. Blackmail material is always good. Trust me, I've got a few stories for you too," Kate said, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"Around here blackmail material and gossip material make the slow days get by."

"You have slow days?"

"A few. Once or twice a year. Depends on how many Goa'uld are trying to kill us."

"Oh, well that makes sense. Speaking of gossip, Dad talked to Hammond earlier."

"He had his debriefing, or at least the preliminary debriefing earlier."

"He talked to Hammond alone, in his office. Sgt. Davis said Dad came out grinning and Hammond was grinning as well. Something's up," Kate glanced slyly up at Sam's face.

"Really? Wonder what that's about," years of beating Marines at poker had given Sam a great poker face, and she gave nothing away.

"Guess we'll find out later. G'night Major," Kate said as she maneuvered her chair towards the door.

"It's Sam."

"Better call me Kate then. Don't stay up too long, I don't want to have to admit you again," Kate smiled at the older woman.

"Don't worry, I won't." Sam sat down in a chair beside Jack's bed and settled back for a long night. He was home, home and safe. Nothing was going to prevent her from telling him how she felt, not anymore. Some things were more important than careers and she'd been saving the world too long for other people to have lives while she lived in limbo. She couldn't stand to lose him again, she'd almost lost him too many times to count and nothing was going to stop her now.

Leaning down, she whispered softly," I love you." As she leaned back in her chair, she saw him smile slightly and shift in his sleep. He'd heard her.