AN: There is a point to this story and I am getting there! Bear with me - it won't be too much longer! Thanks for all the reviews!

Chapter Fourteen

Sam was, it turned out, the only one who found it hysterical when a group of SFs appeared a few moments later to escort the living members of SG-1 to the infirmary. She was also the only one who though their subsequent exams, the second one for Daniel in as many days, were funny aw well. Sam even thought it was particularly amusing to whisper various inappropriate things into Jack's ear while Dr. Fraiser tried to examine him without noticing the rapidly growing bulge in his pants.

At one point, Jack tried to turn around and yell at Sam, but she smiled and somberly told him that would be a very bad idea with their audience. Jack silently faced Janet, who was unable to hide her alarm at seeing Jack so obviously interacting with something that wasn't there.

Poor Janet was completely overwhelmed not only at the loss of her friend, but at the apparent mental collapse of her friends as well. She went through the motions of the exams and waiting for the results of the tests, but it was clear to everyone that she wasn't sure what to do with them r even what to suggest might be wrong with them. She spoke with them each in turn, trying to figure out if they were really all hallucinating or if two were only covering for the crazy one and, if that was the case, which one was the crazy one. During her time with Teal'c, he asked for a dictionary. Janet was so surprised that she actually got him one before she realized it was a strange request for him.

Janet was looking at her notes, struggling for something to explain the symptoms. Because she'd always considered them to be her friends and because she knew the damage that could be caused, she was leery of coming to a psychiatric diagnosis. Plus, she was hindered by the fact that psychiatric problems were usually individual disorders, which couldn't account for the shared nature of their hallucinations. She was desperate to find something else and she was rather hoping it would be obvious if she just looked long enough. And she was also operating under the additional stress of General Hammond's insistence that they be diagnosed and cured quickly so they could go on a mission, despite her personal qualms with sending the wounded unit into the field.

Teal'c broke the odd, uncomfortable silence by loudly closing the dictionary. "O'Neill, have you had sexual intercourse with the ghost of Samantha Carter?"

Janet stared in horror. Sam stared in horror. Daniel stared in horror.

Jack looked suitably embarrassed. "Teal'c, there are women present." It was one thing to boast about his conquests in the locker room with the guys when everyone else was doing it. It was something else to boast about his conquests with his latest conquest standing there. Especially since his latest conquest could probably kick the crap out of him since she did have one foot in the spirit world.

"There is one woman present, O'Neill, and one ghost." Teal'c nodded at Janet, who was still staring in horror. "As a member of the medical profession, Dr. Fraiser should not feel embarrassed by such a discussion."

Jack was afraid to look at Sam, even out of the corner of his eye. He suspected a great deal of her respect and affection for him was riding on his answer. "My relationship with Carter is not an appropriate topic of conversation."

Sam smiled proudly. "Good answer."

Teal'c frowned, his sharp mind picking up the fact that Jack didn't deny it. "I believe Daniel Jackson was correct. The presence of Samantha Carter may indeed be a succubus."

Janet's eyes widened further. As far as she could tell, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c all believed they were being molested in their sleep by a demon in the form of their friend. "I'm afraid this is out of my hands. I don't think I have any other choice than to call Dr. Mackenzie."

Teal'c looked at Janet. "That will not be necessary. Samantha Carter's ghost is not present."

Jack and Daniel and Sam all turned to stare. Janet didn't look convinced. "I'm not sure I believe you, Teal'c. Just a moment ago you indicated some interaction with her."

"You will not be able to force me to undergo a psychiatric evaluation for seeing something I claim to not have seen." Teal'c ignored the way Sam stuck her tongue out at him.

Janet looked at Jack. "He's been spending too much time with you, sir."

Jack smiled placatingly. "You know, doc, if you would just admit that you see her then none of us would look crazy." He didn't need to add that he was concerned about looking the craziest because Sam was leaning on his shoulder and he couldn't not put his arm around her.

"On the contrary, sir, we would all look crazy and I assure you, Sam is not here."

Daniel flopped back on his bed and flung his arm over his face. "I am so tired of having this conversation. Forget it. Sam's not here." He peeked out from under his arm and shrugged at Sam. "Sorry."

Janet looked at Jack. "Sir? You've got two traitors on your team unless you suddenly change your mind as well." At least an idea of which one was crazy was finally starting to form.

"Um." He glanced at Sam whose face revealed the hurt and anger she was feeling for her friends turning on her. "I'd really rather not get committed to a psych hospital just yet."

Sam sat up and Jack's arm fell from her shoulders. "Don't you dare." She could take Daniel going with the crowd. She hadn't honestly expected that Teal'c would ever admit to having seen her, so his change of heart wasn't that shocking. But Jack, now that was different. If he denied seeing her, it would hurt far too much - considering that she had come back from the dead for him and all.

Janet was looking at Jack hopefully. Sam was looking at Jack hopefully.

Jack looked down at his hands. "Janet, you all thought we were nuts when Urgo was here, right? So maybe you just tell yourself that it's the same thing."

"There's nothing on any of your scans, sir."

"No errant pixels?"

"None, sir."

Sam watched as Jack's eyes darted over to her. She knew he was weighing the options. She decided to play hardball. Leaning over, she gently bit down on his earlobe. "Me or Janet, Jack. You can only make one of us happy."

Jack took a long moment to gather his thoughts back from the vicinity of his groin where they had relocated. "Janet, let's just say Sam isn't-" He raised his hands to indication quotes. "Here. How's that?"

Janet put her files aside and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sir, do you see Major Carter or not?"

Sam ran her hand along Jack's chest, letting it come to rest on his leg. Jack winced when her hand brushed a little too close to his zipper. "Damn it, will you stop that?"

"Fine. Forget it." Crushed, Sam jumped up off the bed and headed for the door. "If none of you want me here, then I'll leave." She was halfway there before Jack realized she was really hurt.

"Carter, wait!" He forgot entirely about pretending she wasn't there. He forgot entirely about fooling Janet. He forgot entirely about the fact that the men at the door were there to keep him from leaving. He could only see Sam's back as she brushed between them. "Stop!"

Janet's hopes fell. Jack's retraction was the only hope she had for giving General Hammond the news he wanted. But it was more than that. Jack was obviously terrified and he obviously believed that Sam was there - or he wouldn't be so scared of her leaving.

Daniel sat up, realizing that since he'd been the one to help Jack understand that Sam was there he would somehow be responsible if Jack lost her again. Teal'c looked concerned as well, recognizing that his teammates had followed his lead. Sam kept walking, too hurt to hear the despair and fear in Jack's voice. She hadn't minded being put up to parlor tricks, not so long as her friends weren't denying her. She wasn't even really planning on leaving; she figured her continued presence, under the circumstances, was only causing trouble.

"Carter, come back!" Jack tried to surge past the SFs at the door, but they stopped him. "Sam! Please!"

Sam stopped and turned. He'd used her first name. It made her realize how desperate he was. When she looked, she saw the panic and pain in his face. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt her. But she couldn't make her feet move.

"Please, Sam, I'll do anything. They can call Mackenzie." He looked at Janet, unconcerned about appearances anymore. "Have me committed, Janet. I don't care." He looked back at Sam. "Please, god, just don't leave me again, Sam!"

Suddenly her feet were running, propelling her along the floor faster than they ever had. She barely registered the dismay on the faces of the SFs at the door when she shoved them aside and threw herself at Jack. Her impact sent him flying backwards. Jack's arms were around her, holding on for dear life as they hit the floor. Had she looked up, she would have seen the two startled SFs, staring at her like they'd seen a ghost. But she didn't look up. She was looking at Jack, the man she loved more than life, or death, itself. The man who was crying in front of a lot of people he normally would be embarrassed to cry in front of over the idea that she would leave him. She tightened her hold on him as she started to cry as well.

"I'll never leave you, Jack. Never. I promise." She sobbed against his chest, hating herself for hurting him.

All Jack could do was hold her and try to recover from the terrifying moments when he'd thought she wasn't coming back.