Tegan Chronicles

Intuition and Lies 21

"Hey?" Dana walked over and put a bowl on the adjustable table and moved it over in front of Tegan. "It's time to eat lunch."

"I know they didn't have that in the cafeteria today." Colonel O'Neill peered into the bowl and rubbed his stomach. "Speaking of which, I should probably go see what they are having. Take care Kiser."

Tegan sighed and looked in the bowl.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Water's fine." She picked up a spoon and stirred the steamy thick off white soup. "Where'd this come from?"

"My mom made it for you. It's her baked potato soup, she usually serves it with sour cream, chives and cheese. She also made you a small loaf of banana bread."

"Thanks." Tegan filled up her spoon and blew on it.

"By the way, she told me to tell you it's supposed to have the potato skins in it."

Tegan nodded and put the spoon in her mouth.

Dana walked away and came back a few minutes later with a fresh glass of ice water. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thanks."

Thirty minutes later when Dana came back she found Tegan back in bed. "How'd you get there?"

Tegan looked at her like she'd just asked the world's stupidest question.

"I thought I asked you not to get up on your own yet?"

"Marcus gave me a hand."

"Sorry." She gave her an apologetic smile.

"Tell your mom I appreciated the soup."

Dana picked up the empty bowl and nodded. "Want some of that banana nut bread?"

"No." Tegan yawned.

"Alright." She pressed her lips together for a second. "It's in Janet's office if you change your mind."

Tegan moved her sheets around.

"Anything else I can do?"

Tegan thought she was worse than a hovering nurse with too much time on her hands. "Yeah can you let Daniel know I want to see him when he has a few minutes?"

"Sure."

"You wanted to see me?" Daniel straightened his glasses, a nervous twitch.

By her guesstimate it couldn't have been more than ten minutes since she'd requested his presence.

"Look, I'm..."

"Daniel, shut up." She interrupted him before he could go on another tirade about how sorry he was. He looked like she'd just run over his puppy. "I can't listen to you saying you're sorry one more time. It's not your fault. Every time we step through that gate we know what the consequences might be. I know every time I cross that event horizon I might not be coming back. This is just one of those things."

"If I hadn't wanted to bring that recording device back."

"If the Stargate had never been discovered, if I'd never joined the military in the first place. The world is full of ifs. Don't dwell on it. I don't blame you, so stop blaming yourself."

"Are you sure?"

Tegan nodded. "How's your leg doing?"

"Janet wants me to stay on the crutches another week, but I think it's fine."

"Well we both know Janet's always right, or so she thinks." She wasn't about to let Janet over hear her saying she was right.

"How's the arm?" Daniel pointed.

"It's a stump." She forced a smile. "And it hurts like there's still an arm attached."

He inhaled sharply.

"Yeah." She reached for the PCA button. "So, now that we've got that all cleared up, I think I'm going to indulge in some Demerol."

"If you need anything..."

"Yeah." She pressed the button.

"Morning." Janet plopped a small paper bag on Tegan's over the bed table along with a bottle of orange juice.

Tegan pushed the bag back. "I'm not hungry."

"You didn't eat dinner last night." She pushed it back a little. "You don't even know what it is."

"It's a bacon egg and cheese bagel."

"What kind of bagel?"

"Sesame."

"Damn she's good." Jack walked up.

Tegan picked up the bag and held it out to Jack.

"You need to eat Major."

"I don't want it."

"Then what do you want?" Janet raised an impatient eyebrow.

"I want to go home."

"Really?"

Tegan nodded.

"Alright, but you need to eat and you can't go home while you're still on IV pain meds."

"What are my options?"

"Vicodin, or Tylox?"

"Vicodin."

"Ok, you eat and we'll see how well the Vicodin covers your pain over night and I'll discharge you tomorrow afternoon." Janet offered.

Jack grinned from his position to the right of Janet.

Tegan unrolled the top of the bag and dumped the waxpaper wrapped breakfast bagel on the table.

"Do you need help?" Jack picked up the orange juice bottle and shook it slightly before twisting the top off.

Tegan shook her head. She struggled for a minute before finally getting the wrapper open. She looked at Janet as she took a large bite out of it.

"Happy?" She spoke around a mouth full of half chewed food.

"I've got work to do. Excuse me." Janet chose not to engage in what could turn into a full blown argument.

"I understand you talked to Daniel yesterday."

"I don't want to talk about it sir."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Like I told Daniel, we know every time we step through that event horizon we might not make it back. Things like this happen, it's not anyone's fault."

"Except that bitch who did it." Jack grumbled.

"And she's dead." Tegan reminded.

"Hey Janet." Sam stuck her head in Janet's office. "How's Tegan today?"

"She's Tegan." Janet rubbed her right temple.

"You ok?"

"Fine." She let her hand fall away. "Just finished the usual you need to eat routine with her."

"I thought she was eating?"

"Lunch yesterday, that's the only solid food she's had since..."

"Since we left."

"Yeah." Janet nodded.

"Oh!" Sam had almost forgotten her main intention of stopping by Janet's office. "General Hammond asked to see you when you have a minute."

"Thanks."

"Come in Doctor." General Hammond pointed to the empty chair facing his desk. "I understand you're thinking of discharging Major Kiser tomorrow."

She thought news traveled fast on base but this was ridiculous. "Thinking about it sir. There are a couple of factors that will influence my decision. I was about to call Peterson to see if I could get a nurse to stay with her while I'm working, at least for a couple weeks."

"That won't be necessary Dr. Fraiser. I'm prepared to give you the time you need to take care of her yourself, that is if it's agreeable with you. I still want you to take care of your administrative duties, staffing and such, from home, which would keep you from having to use leave."

Janet nodded. She just hoped she and Tegan wouldn't end up killing each other before all was said and done.