This would have been posted earlier today when I got in from school but I manage to turn my nap into a three and a half hour sleep, I really don't like being ill, it makes me tired all the time.
The next morning Daniel and Teal'c were hanging around the gate room, waiting for Jack to arrive, while Vala and cam stayed with Sam.
John and Elizabeth were both sat in her office working and stealing glances out of the glass every so often.
On Earth Jack had spent the night in Sam's spare room, she had insisted on it since she knew how much he didn't like the V.I.P. rooms at the SGC. Because Sam had known she wouldn't have been home for a week, they had been meant to spend five days on Atlantis and gone to the halfway station yesterday and then returned to Earth once their twenty four hour quarantine was over, there was no fresh food in the house although there was coffee. Jack had ordered pizza the night before and stopped off at a bakery on his way in to buy some pasties to eat as he drove for breakfast.
It hadn't taken him long to get through security, they knew he was coming and a lot of them knew him anyway, and once he was through he had changed into BDU's, which would be a lot more comfortable for his trip to Atlantis than his dress blues, before he headed to the infirmary for a quick check up before he headed through the gate once more. Once Carolyn had finished with him he headed towards Landry's office.
"Hello Walter," he said as he passed through the control room.
"Hello General O'Neill," Walter replied, "General Landry is just finishing up a briefing, go on up."
Jack smiled at Walter before he headed up the steps, moving his duffle bag higher up his shoulder as he did so.
Without Walter Jack was sure that the SGC wouldn't run half as smoothly as it did, the man seemed to know what people needed before they knew themselves.
He arrived at the top of the stairs just as Landry dismissed the team he was briefing. They all snapped to attention when they saw him. He saluted back and then waved his hand and said, "Carry on."
The group left and Jack moved to shake hands with Landry. The man then led them into his office. Once the door was shut and the two of them were seated Landry said, "You seem remarkably calm for someone with a close friend in a coma."
Jack shrugged, "I know she's doing to wake up today. Besides," he continued, tapping the side of his head, "I can hear her up here." Landry nodded before Jack spoke again, saying, "We both owe you our thanks Hank."
The General waved him away, "Think nothing of it Jack. The both of you deserve to be happy and anyway, I very rarely need any input from a higher up when it comes to Colonel Carter, as you well know."
Jack nodded. General Landry looked at his watch and said, "We're ready when you are Jack." He pulled open a draw and handed Jack a bundle of envelopes.
Jack took them and asked, "What are these for?"
"It's just a few things that need to get to Atlantis, a few personnel request from some of the expedition members as well as some letters from family. Mainly just photos and the such."
Jack nodded, unzipping his bag and putting the bundle in on top before rezipping the bag once more. "I'll give them to Doctor Weir once I reach Atlantis."
Landry nodded, "Can you also inform SG1 that they are to return to Earth with you. I know they probably will anyway but they are needed back."
Jack nodded once more before standing and saying, "While I'll always enjoy your company Hank I think it's about time for Carter to stop lying down on the job."
Landry smiled, "Of course Jack. We'll dial the midway station for you now."
He also stood and the two of them exited his office went through the briefing room and down the stairs into the control room. Jack continued on his way while Landry stayed and ordered Walter to start dialling the midway. Jack entered the gate room, at a leisurely pace, just as Walter called out, "Chevron six encoded."
He watched as the gate continued to spin and then the seventh chevron engaged accompanied by Walter saying, "Chevron seven locked."
Jack felt the familiar thrill as the wormhole engaged and the wave, which had had years ago dubbed as the karwoosh, appeared.
He waited for a moment, looking at the control room, until Landry nodded his head and he began up the ramp towards the gate. Just before he walked through the event horizon he exhaled. The next thing he knew he was standing in the midway station of the Carter-McKay Intergalactical Bridge. He waited as the Pegasus gate dialled, watching the gate light up. As he watched he thought about how much he preferred the gates in the galaxy he had just left, their dialling sequence was, in his opinion, a lot cooler. The worm hole engaged and he nodded to Doctor Lee before carrying on on his way.
On Atlantis Chuck called out, "Receiving midway IDC. Lowering force field."
Daniel and Teal'c both moved forward as John and Elizabeth stepped out of her office and walked down the stairs, all four waiting for the man they knew was arriving.
There have been a few people wondering when everything is going to go down the toilet but this story was always just going to be light hearted and about love, nothing more.