a/n: Short chapter, but hey, better than nothing? Right?

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"Bye, dad!" Jake yelled at the door after Julie's mom pulled in the driveway and honked.

"Bye, sport," Jack replied, hurrying to the door to see his son off for school. "Remember, you're playing at Julie's today until I get back from the mountain. I don't know how long I'll be there today."

Jake nodded and turned to give his dad a serious look. ""You're going to go find out what happened to mom, aren't you?"

Jack dropped his head towards his son. "That's the plan," he said in a soft voice.

Jake just nodded and walked out the door. He was beginning to trust the man who claimed to be his father, and even as smart as Daniel was, and as strong as Teal'c was, something told Jake that it was Jack O'Neill who could bring his mom back to him.

Jake briskly walked down the path and hopped into the backseat of Miss Carol's car. After he was all buckled in, Carol backed out of the driveway, meeting Jake's eyes briefly as she turned to look out the back window as she reversed. "You seem to be getting along better with your dad, Jake."

"Yup," was Jake's only reply, his eyes intently gazing out the side window at his father, standing at the front door waving. Everyone had given up on his mom. Everyone but him. He was going to go find her. Together, they would get Jake's mom back.

No, his dad hadn't said this to him. He hadn't promised to find his mom. He hadn't even told Jake that he thought she might still be alive. But, he didn't have to. Jake saw the way his father looked at the photos of his mom. He saw the look of hope in his eyes. His dad hadn't given up on his mom. He was the only one who didn't look at Jake in defeat.

Cassie had given up. Daniel, Teal'c, Janet, even General George had given up on his mom.

But, not his dad. And not Jake.

The two of them had to stick together.

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After Carol's car turned the corner at the end of the block, Jack shut the front door and headed back to the kitchen to finish cleaning it before leaving for the mountain. He had just finished getting all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and turning the machine on when he heard the doorbell ring.

Cosmo barked, and then growled lightly at the door when Jack entered the front room. "Back!" Jack ordered, and with a low growl, Cosmo backed up behind Jack, ready to pounce if need be on whoever was on the other side of the door.

Jack opened the door and stood there staring at a man close to his age, looking remarkably similar to him. They both had gray hair and brown eyes, similar tanned skin, and were almost the same height. Jack was just about half an inch taller. "Can I help you?" Jack finally asked the man, who was looking over him just the same.

"You're Jack O'Neill, aren't you?" the man asked in surprise.

Jack cocked his head in surprise and stood up a little taller. "Whose askin',"

The man gave Jack a confused look before his words registered, and then he fumbled for several seconds over his own tongue. "Oh, er, uh, I'm sorry. I'm Tom. Uh, Tom Jenkins. Colonel Tom Jenkins. I work at Peterson. Special Forces. You're kind of a legend over there. I saw a few photos of you, people seem to think we look a lot alike."

Jack raised both eyebrows, but refused to comment. They did look awfully similar. However, this man had a smoother, more pretty face than Jack. Jack's was much more weathered, slightly more worn. Something Jack was quite proud of. His face was that of an accomplished soldier.

"What can I do for you, colonel?" Jack asked, his tone taking on the familiar military authority at its own accord.

"I came to see Jake," the colonel replied quickly, no longer tripping over his words.

Jack shot up an eyebrow again. "Jake? Why?"

"I wanted to see how he was doing after his mom……you know."

"You knew Carter?" Jack asked, his arms crossing his chest, and his body leaning against the doorframe.

"Yes, we used to date. I was shocked when I heard she was KIA. She works under a damned mountain, for Christ's sake. Ever since I heard, I've been thinking of Jake. He doesn't even have a father, poor kid."

"Actually," Jack said, his voice dropping to a more venomous tone. "He does have a father, you're looking at him."

The look of surprise that crossed the officer's face was almost comical, and if Jack wasn't severely pissed that this guy dated Carter and was buddy-buddy with his son, he may have laughed. But, as it was, he was severely pissed. Whether he had any right to be or not.

"Oh," the man finally managed to get out. "Sam never said, uh, she mentioned working with you a few times, but she never……. Wow! I had no idea."

"Now you do," Jack replied, still making himself seem every bit as threatening as he truly could be.

"So then, how is Jake? I really was concerned for him."

Jack couldn't fault the guy. He obviously didn't come here to try and hook up with Carter, he already said he heard she was KIA, and he really did seem to care for Jake. "He's getting better. We're taking it one day at a time here."

Tom let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. Could you tell him I stopped by to see him?"

Jack nodded, his steely gaze never leaving the officer's face. "I will," he told him. "He's at school right now."

"Would it be alright if I stopped by and saw him sometime? If it's awkward for you or anything…" Jack cut him off.

"That would be fine. I'm sure Jake would be happy to see you."

The man nodded somberly at Jack and then bid him good-bye. Jack shut the door, still fuming, yet somewhat grounded over the fact that Sam had found a relationship with someone so much like him. They really did look a lot alike, and the guy was in special forces, just like Jack had been before the SGC.

He shook the thought out of his head and took the steps two at a time. First a shower, then to the SGC.

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Jack clenched the reports in his tight-fisted hands, his rage taking over every inch of his body to the point where he had to wonder if his insides really were on fire. How could they?

They left her.

They fucking left her!

She was hit, she went down, but they never confirmed her death.

Those sons of bitches.

They left her.

Jack's eyes flashed heatedly, showing the internal fire that was raging within him. If anyone had seen him, they surely would have shit their pants. This was not Jack O'Neill. Jack O'Neill was gone the moment he read the first report confirming they left Carter behind.

The shell that remained was not even human. An animal? Possibly a machine? Whatever was left, was definitely not a warm-blooded, loving human. No, that man was gone. What was left was a fuming, teeth gnashing, sadistic, shell of a man, running on pure hate-induced adrenalin. He could kill. Right this second, one word from anyone, and he would surely snap their neck.

He had trusted them.

And they left her behind.

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Laira wiped the major's forehead again with the wet cloth. She had not awakened since the split-second she had opened her eyes the day before. She had looked at Laira in confusion, but then Laira saw recognition flash across her face and her body relaxed, knowing she was safe. She had closed her eyes, her soft facial features proving to Laira that the major trusted her completely.

She still had a long way until recovery. It was a miracle the earth woman was still alive as it was. But, now that she had already awakened once, Laira was sure she would awaken again, and was most positive, that she would heal enough to find a way to get her home.

For Jack's sake.

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