A/N: There were a few moments that came to me while I watched his episode. Happy reading!

In the Line of Duty

He hated those damn snakeheads now more than ever. Interrogating Carter was one thing he never wanted to be in the position of doing. As he questioned her he felt sick, he wanted to walk up to the bars and beg for a sign of Sam, as well as hit something. Hit something hard. But he knew better. This snake was useless, claiming it could leave her- taunting him with that fact. But the fact is, with that thing inside her, he'll never let her go. He turned to leave.

"Oh God, he's telling you the truth! Please Jack- no Jack please! don't leave me- give me a chance! Don't leave me like this! Please!"

It took every ounce of him to walk out that door. He was furious. He was mad at Sam for giving some stranger mouth to mouth and putting herself in this mess. But he also knew she'd done that a dozen times before, and that it was, of course, not her fault. He was just so... mad. He was mad that thing could impersonate her. He was mad that it could have been her talking and he just walked out. He was mad that he couldn't stop thinking about it. He stopped walking, the pleading voice resonated with him "Jack please" "Don't leave me like this" he turned around and walked straight towards the cell door. Deluding himself that he'd walk in and be greeted with "oh hi sir". No. He thought, I'm not going to be played by that thing. He knew better. He also knew he couldn't go back in there. He went to report what he knew to Hammond and the team.

He was in Hammond's office, discussing what to do about the Carter situation and debating what they believed of what was said. Daniel rushed in, followed by Teal'c. Daniel had a look in his eye. Jack dreaded whatever he was about to say, he knew that look- it was his hopeful look. That look only came up around certain topics.

"It knows about Sha're."

And there it was.

"Oh Daniel come on-"

"Jack, I'm not an idiot. I know she can't bring her back. She's probably just accessing Sam's head. But, surely that means Sam is in there?" Daniel went on. He believed Jolinar would bring back Sam- so did Teal'c? Were they mad? Jack would never trust that thing, he couldn't understand them trying to justify the actions of this goa'uld rebel or whatever it was. It was a snake. No matter what or when it tried to take a host, it still took one. It took an important one. And that was not ok.

"Come on Sam." She couldn't die, not a chance in hell. He knew the Captain was a fighter, now all she had to do was fight that thing. Every second dragged as the chaos of Frasier and her team saving Sam went by. He observed everything, he could feel Teal'c's anticipation for her to make it. He glanced at Teal'c, who he could tell was counting every second too. "Come on Sam", he urges. He knew the assassin was somewhere on the base, yet he couldn't care less at this point. He was grateful that he and Teal'c were in cahoots on that. Jack would rather be outnumbered, shooting at a ton of jaffa any day than have to stand around helplessly still waiting for other people to do a job he wished he could do. Save Carter. Despite the disarray, his eyes were solely on her.

"Faint but stable." The words activated movement in his feet and without thinking, he found himself next to her.

"You did it Sam. You won."

"It wasn't me."

"Yes it was, you hung in there you did it." Utter relief ran rapidly through his veins. She did it. He could breathe again

SG1 stood guard as Sam laid there. She laughed at no jokes, corrected no errors and even when Cassie was there- she was still different. Empty?

SG1 had kept their distance as Janet had suggested giving Sam some space. Janet administered something into Sam's arm, the colonel raised his brow. She walked to where SG1 were stood, "I've given her something to help her get some rest. You guys should get some too."

"We're good here." Daniel says. Instinctively, Jack went to agree. But stopped. He would stay here until Sam was no longer here, but he wasn't going to tire the rest of the team out. One thing he'd learnt in his time as a CO is when one of your team is down, it's not just the one you look out for. The team is like a moving body, if the leg breaks (or in this case, the brain)- the rest of the body is affected too.

"Come on guys, let's leave Carter to rest." Appreciative, Janet smiles at him and the four of them walk out. As they're walking, Jack slows down and signals Janet to walk with him. In hushed voices they speak.

"Look doc, I don't know what Carter is going through. I don't get it at all. But when is she going to be okay?"

"Sir, I couldn't tell you that. She's had an alien symbiote take over her consciousness, and suppress her ability to- well do anything. Following the symbiote's invasion, it then decides to sacrifice itself for her to live. All this happens within her own body. An indescribable violation and the ultimate sacrifice any living thing can make. Honestly sir, they don't teach you about this in med school. The only thing I can prescribe is to be there for her and give her time. This is all new for all of us." Jack nods, he doesn't really know what answer he was looking for. All four of them pause at the elevator.

"Let's eat! Cake- to celebrate Carter's return." Jack says, enthusiastically.

"Yeah I could do with some food after today." Daniel surprisingly agrees.

"Indeed."

They would probably never know the full extent of the toll that this experience had on Sam. All they knew was that they would be sat at with her in the infirmary until she was well enough to tell them, or kick their asses out so hard that they'd be in there too.