"Ok Colonel, open up" Janet instructed as she picked up her pen light, ready to begin examining Jack as she'd done Daniel. Jack didn't resist, he opened his mouth obediently and waited patiently as Janet began the examination.
Neither said anything during the entire exam baring gestured instructions and directions. This alone should have set alarms off inside Janet's mind.
When did Jack ever co-operate.
Janet had been distracted. She had found she'd been distracted ever since Sam had confessed what she had. But Jack seemed more distant then she. About midway through the examination, Janet decided she'd ask.
"Has General Hammond told you that you need to part take in a psych evaluation?" She asked in a seemingly casual tone of voice as she removed a needle from Jacks arm.
"Yeah" he sighed as he applied pressure to the little cotton ball that replaced the needle.
"No wise cracks?" she asked with a small smile as she sorted through some vials amongst her kit.
"Hmm" was all he said in response, looking down at the cotton pressed beneath his finger and then looking back up at her. Janet new he was studying her briefly and just ignored it.
"How're you coping Doc?" he asked as she changed the cotton ball and taped the fresh ball down over the pin prick of a cut.
"I cope" she stated jokingly with a slight smile.
Sam's head dropped in a sigh. She sat in the observation room above the isolation room where the examination was taking place. Janet had decided to examine each of the men in separate areas. Sam wasn't sure why, but concluded that it was purely a precaution. Under normal circumstances, both men would have been examined at the same time in the infirmary by one of Janet's nurses and herself.
But this wasn't a normal circumstance.
Sam lifted her head up to watch again, she hadn't seen Daniel's exam for respect of his privacy and a simple lack of motivation. Technically she shouldn't be seeing Jacks either. She felt compelled to watch out of curiosity.
Janet was handing Jack a specimen jar when she looked up again. He accepted it and left without hesitation. Once Jack left the room, Janet seemingly turned to write notes.
"Still there?" Janet's voice crackled through the speaker and Sam looked down at her surprised. She hesitated a moment, hoping Janet wasn't talking to her and just thinking out loud. A moment later and Janet looked over her shoulder and up at the glass, she had a reassuring smile as she looked up. For a second Sam had thought that the glass wasn't two way and that Janet was actually looking at her, but soon realized that Janet's line of site was a fraction off target. She sighed and reluctantly pressed her finger against the speaker button.
"How'd you know?" she asked and then sat back in her chair awaiting the reply. Janet grinned and tapped her nose but then turned from the glass as she heard Jack approach. He'd come in a fraction too early and had caught her look. He glanced up at the glass briefly and then back at Janet.
"Lipstick on straight, Doc" he smiled as he placed the jar on the tray.
"Thank you Colonel, that'll be all" she smiled in reply gesturing for him to go. He nodded as he moved towards the door, glancing up at the glass once more before disappearing.
Sam sat completely still as she thought over the complications that might arise from this but shook her head before standing up and moving towards the exit. Just as she neared the door, the handle turned. It was only a fraction, probably a hand resting on the handle in hesitation.
She was frozen in place, a chill flooding though her. She looked into the isolation room to see Janet still writing on a chart. She hesitated no longer and ducked under the desk in panic. It was a pathetic hiding place but it was all she had.
The door opened.
She sat with her legs balled up against her as she hugged her knees trying to take up as little space as possible. It was rather pointless as all he needed to do was glance down under and she would be seen.
She could hear his heavy boots as she took his first step into the room. She had become acutely aware that her pulse was racing, her palms sweating and her breath quickening.
"Carter" he spoke and she jumped at the sound of his voice. This was so ridiculous, she felt like a child again, hiding from her angry father after setting a bicarb and vinegar film canister rocket off in the kitchen.
"Major, I know you're…"she froze knowing he was kneeling down and could see her. She knew she was shaking, her limbs trembling uncontrollably as she held her breath.
Jack saw her hugging herself in utter trepidation and stopped.
There was a long silence and then he walked out, she flinched at the force of the door slamming behind him and then closed her eyes dropping her head down to her knees as she felt tears flooding her eyes.
"Doesn't mean I can't handle anything you can" a murmur escaped her.