AN: Well, hello again! Thanks so much for the amazing reviews, Kats and Kittens. They're very encouraging. :) And to the reviewer who asked if I was reposting this, yes, this is a repost of a story I put up a while back. I guess I just didn't like the way I posted it the first time. It was in one long chunk, and I find it easier to read a story online if it's posted in chapters. Plus, I find that the feedback is a little more progressive. I can have my reviewers center on one part of the story rather than have to recall certain parts from a long story, such as this one. :) Hope you're still interested in reading it again, eh? No worries if you're not. I won't be offended. Although I may cry myself to sleep tonight. /Sniffle/ Later, Gators!! Enjoy.

Chapter Five:

"How was the hospital, Sir?" Sam asks as she enters her CO's office. Jack mumbles something incoherent, causing the major to strain her ears.

"Sir?" she questions.

"It was . . . " Jack starts angrily and, suddenly, sighs with exasperation. "It was good, Carter. Hell, it was great. The place was . . . great."

"That's . . . good, isn't it, Sir?"

"That's the problem, Carter," Jack replies in frustration. "It's good. It's great. Terrific. Peachy . . . But that means he's leaving."

"Oh," Sam says in sad understanding. "I-I'm sure he's in good hands, Sir . . . And before you know it, we'll find something that can help him."

"Give it a rest, would you?" Jack snaps. "He's not going to get better, Carter. He's gone . . . and this time it's for good."

0 o 0 o 0

Kaara takes a deep breath and releases it slowly as she waits outside of her new patient's room. The paramedics had brought him in not half an hour ago and are just finishing getting him settled in. She had not gotten a good look at him yet, but she is anxious to do so once the panic dies down.

Suddenly, the door opens, and she stands a little straighter, smiling as the swarm passes her without a glance. Last to exit is Doctor Fraiser, who greets her with an exhausted grin of her own.

"Good afternoon, Miss Whitten," she breathes airily. "Quite a day, huh?"

"It sure is," Kaara relaxes slightly.

"Well, he's all yours," Janet pats her arm. "I have more patients elsewhere. Colonel O'Neill and some friends will be staying with Mr. Jackson for a while, but they won't get in your way. They just want to make sure he'll be all right."

"I understand," Kaara nods. "Have a good day, doctor."

"I'll certainly try," Janet sighs, walking off down the hall. Slowly, Kaara draws in a breath and enters the room. Three people stand around the hospital bed, only one of whom she recognizes.

"Colonel," she says softly, causing the older man and his friends to turn. "It's nice to see you again." She glances nervously at the other two. One is a woman with short blonde hair, also clad in dress blues. The other is a tall, dark-skinned man with an expressionless face.

"Miss Whitten," Jack smiles as widely as he can muster. "Long time, no see." Kaara smiles and looks to the ground shyly.

"Oh, this is Major Samantha Carter and . . . Murray," Jack introduces absently.

"How do you do?" Kaara nods to each of them with a small smile. "My name is Kaara Whitten, and I'll be Mr. Jackson's caretaker."

"It's nice to meet you," Sam says, instantly liking the young woman. Teal'c merely bows his head in return.

"Doctor Fraiser says you'll be staying for a while?" Kaara questions, turning back to the colonel.

"Yes," Jack responds, "if that's all right with you, of course."

"Oh, absolutely," the nurse says with relief. "In fact, it might make me a little less . . . nervous." Jack smiles warmly.

"Well, Ernest here is a great guy. There's nothin' to be nervous about when you're with him. Plus, at the moment, he makes a pretty good listener."

Kaara cannot help but giggle, blushing as she stops herself. She clears her throat and hesitantly starts towards the bed, clutching the chart tightly in her arms. At first she does not look at the man lying in the bed. Instead, she hurriedly looks over his charts, jotting down a number here and there. Finally, she can stand the suspense no longer and ventures a glance in his direction.

"Oh," she says quietly, almost in a gasp.

"Something wrong?" Jack asks quickly.

"No, no! Nothing . . . just," the young woman trails off slightly, her eyes glued to the man lying motionless before her. "I . . . He seems so . . ."

'Familiar,' she thinks.

"Young," the nurse finishes.

"Yeah," Jack sighs dazedly. "He is, isn't he?"

Kaara says no more as she watches the colonel's features turn grim. Quickly and quietly, she finishes her check and exits the room, leaving the three with 'Ernest' Jackson.

"Carter, I think it's time we headed back," Jack says softly, standing from the soft armchair next to the hospital bed and shaking the sleeping woman's shoulder lightly.

Sam lifts her head from the archaeologist's chest, where she had soundly dozed off to the steady beat of Daniel's heart. She glances at her watch, finding that they had already been there most of the night.

"Yes, Sir," she sighs tiredly. She stands and stares at the young man, who has been like a younger brother to her for the past several years. Leaning down, she places a kiss on his forehead.

"We'll be back as soon as we can, Daniel," she whispers with a weak smile.

"See you soon, buddy," Jack taps Daniel's foot.

"We shall return, DanielJackson," Teal'c bows his head once and turns to follow the two out of the room.

AN: Questions? Comments? Vague disregard for any or all words written and established in the mind of one who has no sanity?

Yes? No? Maybe?