"Finally," said Sam, pushing herself up in the bed, "You got the test results?"
Janet sat on the edge of the bed, "Yup."
"Well?" asked Sam, "Are you gonna tell me the results?"
"Rather impatient aren't we?" asked Janet, opening the file.
"Yeah, well, you try being poked and prodded for an hour and then sitting here in bed waiting for the results and let me know how patient you are." Her voice was tinged with frustration.
Janet stared at her, "Sam, c'mon. It wasn't that long."
Sam blew out a breath, "I'm sorry, Janet. I know you're doing your job. I know you only want me to get better. It's just so damned frustrating to not be able to have control of my own progress." She looked down at her hands, "I'm used to being in control of the situation."
Janet smiled at her friend, "Ya think?" She reached over and held Sam's hand, "Look, no one said this was going to be easy, right?" Sam nodded, "Why don't we talk about the results and then we'll talk about starting your rehab."
Sam's head shot up, a huge smile on her face, "I'm going to rehab? When?"
"What about talking about the test results?" She said.
"Everything's healing fine?" asked Sam. Janet nodded, "Ok then, now we've talked about the results. Let's talk rehab."
Janet smiled, "Ok, I've checked with the rehab center here and you can start with Lt. Donna Simms day after tomorrow."
"Yes," said Sam, hugging Janet, "Thank you so much. Are we done? Cause I want to tell Jack the news, and I'm starving."
Janet laughed, "Yes we're done. Get dressed and I'll get you a time and room # for the rehab center." She got up and handed Sam the pile of clothes on the bed. "I'll be back soon."
"Thanks Janet," said Sam, grinning from ear to ear. "I just wanted you to know I'm so grateful that you take such good care of me."
Janet smiled back, "What're friends for? Besides might as well benefit from being the best friend of a doctor right?" She closed the curtain and left the room.
Sam slowly got dressed,. As she got to her shoes, she noticed there was an extra piece of clothing on the bed. She reached down to get it and smiled. It was Jack's coat. He must have left it when he brought her in. As she held it in her hands she had the sudden urge to smell it. As she brought it to her nose she closed her eyes. It smelled like Jack. She hugged the jacket close to her and breathed in his scent again. 'Wait til he hears about rehab.' She thought to herself, 'maybe we can celebrate by going out to dinner.' Sam's hand ran down the jacket. It was totally Jack. It was a little rough around the edges, just like him, with all these little pockets for his keys and wallet. And a place in the front for his almighty sunglasses. Pretty smart for a rough and tumble jacket, just like Jack. He always put on the air of not understanding anything she was talking about. But she knew better. While he didn't understand astrophysics, he was smart, very smart. And he would pick and choose when to let that secret out. But she knew, practically from the beginning, that there was this wonderfully generous, smart man tucked underneath all that "armor".
And she had seen more of that wonderful man in the last week than she had seen in the 10 years they'd known each other. She wasn't too sure of the living arrangement when he'd first suggested it. Hell, she pretty much agreed just so she could go home. But now, in this short time, she'd come to love it. She looked forward to not having the house be so quiet. She found herself watching the clock, waiting for him to come home. She was beginning to see another side of this man she had known so long and was so dear to her. She would hear him sing in the shower, burying her face in a pillow to hide her laughter. And she loved having him around, as just Jack, and not "General". In that instant, her father's voice echoed in her head, " you can have everything you want..." In that instant she realized what her father's dying words had meant. He was talking about her...and Jack. His talk about the rules and regulations was directed at her and Jack. And now that Jack was with her, in her house, could she really ever go back? Did she even want to?
"Hey Sam you done?" asked Janet from the other side of the curtain.
"Yeah, Janet," said Sam, putting Jack's coat on her lap.
"Hey there," said Janet, "I've checked with Lt. Simms and she can take you at 9:30 in room 16, level 10.."She noticed Sam staring down at a coat in her lap, "Sam? Helloo?"
Sam looked up, the bright and cheery smiled wiped off her face.
"Sam? What's wrong?" asked Janet, growing concerned, "When I left you were all excited about rehab."
"I am," said Sam, still staring at the coat on her lap.
"Ok," said Janet, "Then why are you staring at General O'Neill's jacket with a long face?"
Sam looked at her friend, "I was just thinking."
Janet sat on the bed next to Sam, "About what? Or should I say about whom?"
"About Jack," said Sam, "I was thinking about Jack, and my dad."
Janet turned to her friend, "What about them?"
"I just..." she started, then stopped, "I've just gotten used to Jack being around."
"Are you two getting along? I mean you seem like you are." Said Janet.
"We are. We are getting along famously. That's the problem." Said Sam.
"Oh," said Janet, seeing where Sam was going, "It's going so well that you don't want it to end right?" Sam nodded, "Sam," said Janet, "Things haven't really changed you know. You are both still in the Air Force. There are still those regs to consider."
"I know, I know," said Sam, "It's not like we're sleeping together..."
"Yet?" asked Janet. Sam slapped her arm. "Hey!"
"Where did that come from?" asked Sam, blushing.
"C'mon Sam, you think you're the only one on this base wondering if you two will ever get together?" Said Janet, putting her file down on the bed.
"What!" said Sam, totally taken aback by the question, "I...well...I mean...how many people are 'wondering'?"
"Enough," said Janet getting off the bed.
"How many is enough?" asked Sam, suddenly wishing she had kept her mouth shut.
"Enough for a pool." Said Janet.
"A pool!" said Sam loudly, looking around to see if anyone had heard her.
"A pool?" she whispered. She put her hands over her face and lay back on the bed, "Great, just great."
next...rehab begins...and sam bites off more than she can chew...(i promised now didn't I)