Thank you so much to all who reviewed. (And thanks for reading ´Going Home´ too). I just love you guys. Enjoy this one!
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He should have known that some things were just not going to work like he had hoped for. A little sun shine, warm summer breeze, maybe a bird or two chirping happily, and even trees, lots of green trees everywhere would have been nice. He would have liked that. Really. Even the trees.
But the weather on the planet they landed their small, borrowed Asgard ship wasn´t anything like that. Not even close.
The lightning split the grey sky, followed by a crash of thunder. The hard rain fell from the sky with force. The birds were probably hiding somewhere, or drowned, and the trees had most likely died because of the lack of sun shine.
And Jack O´Neill decided that he didn´t like that planet either.
"For crying out loud, Jacob. You just couldn´t find a nicer planet to land, could you." He frowned, his words disappearing into the howling wind. He was no happy camper.
Jacob Carter pretended not to hear him over another loud crash of raging thunder.
"Dial us home, T." Jack sighed to the jaffa as they finally reached the gate.
Back at the SGC the gate swooshed open and the medical team´s code came through. "Open the iris." Hammond ordered before heading down to the gate room to greet what he hoped was Jacob and Janet with SG-1.
He wasn´t disappointed.
First came through Teal´c and Jacob, followed by Janet and Daniel, her arm wrapped around his waist, as much for a support than just the need to have him close to her. He looked tired, but he was smiling.
Jack and Sam stepped through and the gate closed behind them. Both smiling at the familiar surroundings and to the marines who had lowered their guns and were now smirking at them, amazed by the team´s ability to return home safely. Every time.
They were standing on the ramp, close to each other, shoulders touching, and for a split second, his fingers reached for hers before the medical team took over. They looked tired, but happy.
"Good to have you home, SG-1." Hammond said.
"Thank you, sir. It´s good to be back." Jack replied walking down the ramp, shooing a nurse who tried to approach him out of his way. "Thanks for not giving up on us."
"I almost did." The old general admitted.
"Colonel O´Neill." Janet´s voice made him hung his head and sigh "Yes, ma´am," before her orders to report in the infirmary reached his ears.
But he didn´t leave until his team was safely escorted out from the gate room by the medical team. He followed Carter out, walking right behind her, his hand finding a place on the small of her back.
Four beds were occupied soon as SG-1 was ordered to stay there over night and in some cases for longer. Teal´c stayed more to please Dr Fraiser than really needing the medical aid.
Jack watched Carter sitting on her bed next to his.
"You okay, Carter?" He asked.
"I´m fine." She replied smiling, like every time he asked her that question.
And he started to think that if he should start to rephrase that question in the future. "I bet you wouldn´t know how to answer if I´d ask that differently." He told her and earned a grin from her that he had hoped for.
She looked fine, he had to admit. Bruises and cuts on her face were slowly healing. A wave of hatred toward their torturers washed over him as he remembered what they had done to her.
He wanted to take her away from there. Away from everything. Away from SGC and just away of being colonel and major and just being simply Jack and Sam. He should have done that years ago. Not that he hadn´t tried, but things had always been so complicated. Regulations to follow, the Asgard to save, replicators to fight against. Too busy saving the world.
But not anymore. He would take her away.
"What?" Her soft question made him frown as he realized that he had probably spoken out loud. Again. He really needed to try to learn think quietly.
"What?" He echoed her words.
She smiled at his attempt. "You are taking me where?"
"My cabin." He sighed. "We really need a break from everything."
"We do." She agreed softly. "But dad´s going to stay here for a week. He says other wise, but he´s worried for me and wants to make sure I´m really fine."
He nodded his head. He understood. He would do the same for his son or daughter. No matter how they would insist they were fine.
"He likes fishing?"
And the surprised and happy look on her face made him realize that he could not ever love another woman. He had lost his heart to the one sitting on the bed of the infirmary. But no matter how much he loved her, there were so many things keeping them apart.
A memory of having her, even for a one night, would have been precious to him. But he did not have that. Not until later.
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Janet walked to Daniel´s side and reached to cup his now shaved cheek. He gave her a smile that made her heart melt and she pressed her lips against his. "I´m going to go home for a while, see Cassie and sleep for a few hours." She whispered softly. "I´ll be here when you wake up, and I´ll bring Cassie too. She´s been sick with worry."
"I´ve missed her too." He nodded and leaned up to kiss her again. "Go, take a long, hot bath, eat something and rest." He had been worried about her. She often forgot about herself when she had patients. "Tell Cass I said hi."
"I will." She smiled and placed one last kiss on his lips before pulling back. "I love you."
"I love you too." He whispered quietly.
He watched her to leave, stopping to talk with her nurses only for a moment, most likely asking them to page her if something happened. He would have wanted her to stay, to curl right next to him and hold her through the night, but he knew they both needed the rest. He would wait until he was released. Then he would take her home and make love to her all night. That thought in his mind he finally fell into sleep.
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I am going for a holiday for a couple of weeks, so just be patient with the next update. Surprise me with reviews. I mean, it´ll be nice to get back home and see something else than junk mail in my inbox.
-Lia