Chapter 5
A few days later, Jack was moved to a rehabilitation center next to the hospital.
Daniel had gone by Jack's house, gathered some of his clothes and brought them to him.
Jack told Sam, Daniel and Teal'c that they didn't need to spend the night with him any longer and they could see that he was getting better. He didn't get tired as easily and when he spoke, his words weren't slurred as much as they had been.
Two weeks later, Dr. Swenson had just arrived to talk with Jack and had been about to explain to him the results of his latest MRI when Sam, Daniel and Teal'c came to visit.
Dr. Swenson sat down on the bed beside Jack. "The MRI shows that the area of your brain that processes memories and words quickly is getting better but the part that processes speech is about the same. In other words, you know what you want to say but getting the words out is difficult. Does that make sense?"
"You mean . . . I can't speak . . . as fast as . . . I used to?" Jack asked.
Dr. Swenson nodded his head. "That's exactly right and I'm going to be honest with you, General, you may be like this for the rest of your life or it could improve. I just don't know."
"What about . . . my left side?"
"Physical therapy is helping and I think you'll get back full use of your arm but since you were having problems with your knees before the stroke, your left side will always be weaker than your right but using a cane will help."
That afternoon after Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had left, Jack placed a call to George and told him that he wanted to retire.
A few days later, George found Jack sitting outside in the sunshine and they shook hands as George sat down beside him. George was holding a folder in his hands.
"I've been getting updates about you from Sam and Dr. Jackson. It's good to see for myself that you're doing so well."
"Thanks."
"I brought your resignation and retirement papers that I need you to sign so I can give them to the President and Joint Chiefs. I'm sorry your career has to end this way, Jack."
"Me too but . . . I can't do my job . . . anymore. Reynolds should . . . take over."
"I'll push the paperwork through to get him promoted and to take your place. So, what about you? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going . . . home."
"To Minnesota?"
"Yes."
"Have you told Sam, Daniel and Teal'c?"
"No. I can . . . take care of myself. They need . . . to get on . . . with their lives . . . instead of . . . babysitting me."
"What about Sam?"
"What . . . about her?"
"Jack, why do you think Sam has been here with you all this time? She took a leave of absence from her job just to stay with you. Does that not tell you something?"
"It tells me . . . that she needs . . . to get a . . . life . . . without me."
"I'm certain that she would disagree. She loves you."
Jack looked down at the ground. "She doesn't . . . need to be . . . stuck with me. It's best . . . this way."
~oOo~
Sam watched Susan work with Jack to do his exercises and she could see that he was pushing himself to get stronger and it was paying off. He had gained back some of the weight he had lost when he had been in the hospital and he wasn't as pale as he had been. His hair was growing back and the scar on his head wasn't as visible.
After he and Sam had eaten dinner together and she had left to stay with Daniel, he lay in bed and remembered the flight home from Houston, and that he had intended to call Sam and tell her he loved her and wanted to give them another chance.
He turned over on his side as tears stung his eyes. He didn't want Sam to be tied down with him since he felt he would never be well again. He felt that she deserved more than he could give her. She needed to find someone else, someone that she wouldn't feel sorry for. Someone she could marry and grow old with . . . someone that wasn't him.
~oOo~
A few days later, Dr. Swenson sat across from Jack in his room.
"You're doing really well, General. Physical therapy has helped."
"When can I . . . go home?"
"I'll dismiss you today but I want you to keep exercising. Walking will help strengthen your leg. I'll sign the dismissal papers and have a nurse bring them to you. Can your friends take you home and stay with you for a few days?"
"Yes. I'll . . . call them" Jack lied.
After Dr. Swenson left the room, Jack called Daniel and told him that he was tired and was going to bed early so he didn't need them to come by and check on him. Daniel said that he would pass the message along to Sam and Teal'c.
After Jack packed his suitcase, he watched television as he waited for the nurse to bring his dismissal papers. Almost an hour later, she finally showed up. Jack told her that he would stay in his room until his friends came.
After the nurse left, Jack got a phone book out of the drawer of the bedside table and phoned for a taxi to come get him. He sat on the bed for a few minutes to give the taxi enough time to arrive.
Picking up his suitcase in one hand and his cane in the other, he went to the door and glanced up and down the hallway, hoping he wouldn't run into someone who would question where he was going by himself. Walking as fast as he could, he pushed open the front door and came outside. Just as he started toward a bench to wait for the taxi, he heard a very familiar voice.
"Going somewhere, Jack?"
Jack turned around to see Daniel leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
Jack sat down on the bench and Daniel sat down beside him.
"I knew you'd do this. After you called I drove here and waited for you to try to sneak out. You shouldn't be alone yet."
"Dr. Swenson . . . says I'm okay and he . . . dismissed me . . . I'm . . . going to my cabin."
"So, you're going to walk four miles to your house, pack all your things by yourself and drive to Minnesota?"
Jack ignored the question as a taxi drove up in front of the building.
"There's . . . my ride."
Jack pushed himself up from the bench and grabbed his cane as Daniel stood up.
"Jack, you can't do this!"
Jack turned quickly and Daniel could see the anger in his eyes. "I'm a . . . grown man, Daniel! I can . . . do whatever . . . I please so . . . leave me alone!"
Jack headed to the taxi but Daniel came toward him. "Jack, what about Sam?"
Jack stopped abruptly, turned around and glared at Daniel. "She deserves . . . better! She's better off . . . without me! She should . . . go back to Houston."
Before Daniel could react, Jack opened the taxi door, threw his suitcase on the seat and got inside.
Daniel sighed as he watched the taxi drive away.
~oOo~
Daniel came up the front steps of his house and stopped. He dreaded having to break the news to Sam.
Opening the door, he came into the house and heard her in the kitchen.
Sam smiled as Daniel came into the room. "Hi."
Daniel didn't say anything so Sam turned to face him. "What's wrong?"
Daniel pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. "You know when I told you this afternoon that Jack didn't want us to come see him because he was going to bed early?"
Sam sat down across from Daniel. "Yes."
"Dr. Swenson dismissed him today. I had a feeling that was why he didn't want us to come by to visit. I knew he'd probably try to sneak out without telling us."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he didn't want you to know that he's going to his cabin."
Sam's eyes grew wide. "He's not well enough yet to be by himself."
"That's what I thought, so I went to the rehab center and waited outside just to see if he would try to sneak out and he did. I tried to tell him he shouldn't be by himself just yet but he said he's a grown man and he can do as he pleases. I asked him 'what about Sam' and he . . ."
"He what, Daniel?"
"He said that you deserve better and you should go back to Houston."
Sam sat back in the chair as tears filled her eyes.
Daniel put his hand on Sam's. "He's still trying to adjust to having the stroke and he knows his health isn't going to be as good as it was before it happened. Let's give him a little time to adjust."
Sam wiped her eyes. "Time is something that Jack and I have wasted too much of already."
"I know but let's let him come to terms with this. We've been with him every day since he's been in the hospital. Let's give him some breathing room for just a little while."
"I'll give him one week and then I'm going to see him whether he wants me to or not. We have to settle this once and for all."
"I agree."
Three days later, Daniel, Sam nor Teal'c had heard from Jack so wanting to see if he was okay, or if he had already left for Minnesota, Daniel came by his house and drove up the driveway. Jack's truck was gone. What surprised him most was that there was a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. Getting out of his car, he walked around to the back. He climbed the steps to the deck and looked around, remembering the good times that he, Sam and Teal'c had spent here with Jack. The two chairs that were usually on the deck were missing and the picnic table and benches were covered with heavy plastic. The grill had recently been cleaned and the curtains inside the house were closed.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed Jack's number.
The phone began to ring and Jack finally answered. "What?"
"Hi Jack."
"Daniel."
"I'm here in the back yard of your house. You certainly put it on the market quickly."
"Why . . . shouldn't I? I'm not . . . going back."
"I just wanted to check and see if you're okay."
"I'm fine."
"Okay, but please do me one favor."
"What?"
"If you need us, forget your pride for once, and let me, Sam or Teal'c know. We care about you and we just want to be sure you're all right. There's no need for you to cut us out of your life completely."
Jack didn't say anything for a minute. "Okay. Thanks for . . . for everything . . . you did for me . . . for all . . . your help."
"You're welcome, Jack. Please stay in touch."
"Okay . . . bye."
~oOo~
It was now four days later.
When Daniel returned home that evening, he came into the house and looked around.
"Sam."
"In here" she called from the bedroom.
Daniel came into the room to see her packing a suitcase.
"Are you leaving?"
"I'm going to see Jack" she answered as she folded a sweater and laid it in the suitcase.
"I thought you were going to give him a week."
Sam stopped and looked at him. "Four days, seven days, what does it matter? I'm not going to wait any longer."
Daniel grinned. "Atta girl! Go get him!"
Sam closed her suitcase. "I plan to do just that. And if he thinks he's going to push me away or run me off, he's got another thing coming. We're going to finally resolve this, Daniel, one way or another."
TBC