Desperate feelings

Feelings and missing scenes for 'Desperate Measure'

He's got it under control. Ever since he shot her, he's got it under control. The past six months passed uneventfully. At least when it came to him and her. Neither of them almost died or was seriously hurt or disappeared. They had managed to go back to being Colonel and Major. No doubt, it had been hard work and strong willpower. But the flirts stopped. The smiles subsided. The glances died out. Yes, he misses it. But oh yes, it makes work so much easier. Before they were sitting on a powder keg, ready to blow up any smile of hers or incident that put her in danger. So they had made a decision. That work was more important. That they had to win a war. Maybe one day they would allow themselves to entertain their feelings for each other again. But not now.

Sure, Jack had felt a slight sting of jealousy when this ambassador was all over Carter with white teeth smiles and big puppy eyes. But well, she left him behind on a hostile alien planet—so he couldn't have left such an impression. Without wanting to sound arrogant, Jack's pretty sure Carter would have never left Daniel, Teal'c, or himself behind.

Other than this slight caprice, Jack had managed to elbow his feelings back into the room, closed the door, locked it twice, and up until now, he thought he had lost the keys. Well, how wrong he was. Because now that Carter has disappeared, the feelings are back.

Jack's heart stops beating when Maybourne says, "I know. I'm sorry. I really am. You know how this game is played and the kind of people who play it. You gotta prepare yourself for the possibility that she may not be coming back." Jack can't prepare himself for this event—he has tried. On multiple occasions. When he got lost on Edora. When she was trapped behind the force shield. When he was about to die in space. When he zatted her twice. All attempts without success, and fortunately, it was never needed. Just like this time. He would find her. No matter what.

Days later, they finally manage to pinpoint a location where she might be. It's a fragile net of theories, and now it will prove if it holds up. Something tells Jack that it's a race against time. One, he is about to lose it. He has no justification for it. No data, no intel, only a gut feeling, and that is wrenching. As Jack's methodically scouring the abandoned hospital, the feeling becomes more urgent. Another floor is empty, and he lets out a frustrated sigh. Harry turns around, and it takes Jack everything to compose himself. Harry lookings knowingly, and is lucky that he cuts the comment because Jack isn't sure he could have stopped himself from shooting that traitor.

They push through yet another room into yet another hallway, and suddenly hear voices.

"You're going to kill me!" Jack hears Carter say from the other side of the door. He has never heard her voice sound like this. A puzzling realization that this is her end. It causes a hiccup in his chest. One exchange with Harry and they break through the door.

"Hold it, doc. Drop it right now. Don't even fool around. Put it down," Jack says with a strong voice and soft knees.

Carter is tied up to a gurney her face a mix of fear and unbelief. The doctors raise their arms and look like frightened rabbits in front of that furious snake Jack is. Without resistance, they follow Maybourne's command and move away from Carter and give Jack space to step closer. The commotion and almost routine like situation give him time to collect his heartbeat before he looks at her. Carter is not quite back yet at being the Major. Her impending death to fresh. But he knows it will only take a minute before she will recover.

"You all right?"

It's the only thing that matters. Mechanically his eyes scan her body. She moves effortlessly, and besides some bruises around her wrists, which he assumes come from straps, she seems unhurt. He doesn't know what they shot her up with, but she will tell him.

"Yes. Very dramatic. Thank you."

Okay, she's fine.

"You bet."

"Keys for the cuffs are in his pocket." Carter nods towards one of the doctors. Harry frisks the coat and throws the keys to Jack. He can't help but let his fingers touch her hand when he opens the cuffs. While he radios to Daniel, his hand seems to have it's own mind and wanders onto Carter's tight and gives it a gentle squeeze.

Only a second later, but he stops himself right there.

Hammond has left the infirmary, and only Carter lingers around. She taps on the foot of his bed and looks down at her hands. Just a moment earlier, she was the strong Major all buttoned up, nothing showing from what happened to her. Now she seems nervous and small.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Carter mumbles, and he tries to understand what she is sorry for. Jack can't come up with any good reason why she thinks she needs to apologize, so he squints his eyes and looks at her with the glance that usually calms her down. It doesn't seem to work today.

"I got you into all this trouble because I let myself get captured. I should have…"

"Argh, Carter."

"I'm trained in…"
"Carter, stop it. It was three against one. No matter your combat skills, they would have gotten you," Jack says and can't believe that he really needs to make her understand that this was not a weak moment.

"It's just," Carter pauses and looks at him with her big blue eyes. There's uncertainty in them. Something that she doesn't show often. "You'd expect it to happen off-world...," she continues and keeps her eyes locked to his sheets.

"Carter." Jack doesn't know how to answer. Her self-doubt has nothing to do with her skills but with the gravity of getting attacked at home. Swiftly Jack looks around—the infirmary is empty. With a groan, he peels himself out of his blanket, swings the legs out of bed, and gets up. For a moment, they look at each other, and then he lifts his arm and nudges his head.

"C' mere," he says.

When Sam looks around, it's a painful reminder that giving her comfort is out of line. But she doesn't seem to care because she steps closer and sinks into his arms. Her nose dugs into his shoulder and he feels her warm breath through the fabric of his shirt.

Fuck.

He almost jumps backward, only now realizing that he's only wearing the flimsy hospital gown.

"Uh, ah… I'd better go back…" Jack motions to his bed.

He's definitely not blushing. Nope.

"Thank you, Sir," Carter says and smiles at him.

"Always, Carter."

As she walks out, she quickly glances over her shoulder with a teasing smile on her lips and a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

Did she just check him out?