Interruptions

Chapter Six

While they were walking, Jonas decided to catch up on everything that had happened while he was gone.

"I notice Dr Frasier wasn't with the med team." He said.

Sam sighed. "She died."

"Oh. Oh no. When?"

"About a year after you left. She took a staff weapon blast to the chest."

"I'm sorry." Jonas replied.

"So were we." Sam answered.

There was a reflective silence, both remembering their friend. Carrisa was falling asleep in Sam's arms.

"You seem natural with children." Jonas commented. "Have any of your own yet?"

"No." Sam replied. "Maybe one day."

"Do you have a partner?" Jonas inquired.

Sam smiled slightly. "Sort of."

"Sort of? What about General O'Neill?"

Sam's smile broadened, but she said nothing.

Jonas grinned too. "Your 'sort of' partner is General O'Neill?"

Sam nodded. "Yesterday." She said quietly.

"Huh?"

"He told me yesterday. How he feels."

"Which is…?" Jonas prompted.

"He loves me." She replied.

"Huh! I knew it!"

"What?" Sam demanded.

"I'm not the only one who thought so." Jonas answered. "When I was here, there were all sorts of bets running. There probably still are."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

"It's true!"

"Here." Sam stopped outside a door. "I think you'll find it familiar enough." She smiled down at the sleeping girl in her arms.

"She's gorgeous. Just like her mother." Jonas said.

"Yeah." Sam replied. "But she has your eyes." She passed Carrisa back to Jonas.

"Thanks."

"Goodnight Jonas."

"Goodnight Sam."

Sam walked back to her quarters and quickly stripped off her BDUs. She jumped into bed wearing knickers and a tank top. Oh if Jack could see her now, she thought. She was so tired, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was wide awake. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was the death and destruction on Langara. Though she knew quite a bit about the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, nothing could have prepared her for what they saw in Kelowna. She looked over at her clock. 0458. Great. Almost dawn. Her mind wandered to Jack. She wondered if she'd be able to make dinner after all. If she did, she'd probably fall asleep. Sam shut her eyes, imagining Jack's face; his hands; his voice, she could almost hear it. Wait a minute, she could hear his voice.

"I believe I outrank you, airman. Therefore, you should be responding to my orders, should you not?"

"But sir, these are private quarters, I cannot allow you to enter without the permission of Colonel Carter."

"Oh, she'll be fine, she won't mind." Jack replied.

"I'm sorry sir, I need her permission."

"Then get it."

"She doesn't want to be disturbed. She's trying to get some sleep."

Sam hopped out of bed and walked over to the door. She swung it open as Jack was about to go off on another rampage.

"General." She said.

"Colon…" He trailed off as he turned around and saw her. "…el."

The airman was also staring, open mouthed at Sam. She rolled her eyes, leant forward and dragged Jack into the room, before shutting the door.

"Uh…" Jack managed to say.

Sam jumped back into bed. "What cha doin' here?"

"Well, I heard you brought back a visitor."

"Yeah, Jonas is here." Sam replied. "There was an atomic bomb dropped on Kelowna."

"What?!"

Sam yawned. "And now I can't sleep."

"You can't sleep? Why not?" Jack walked over and sat on the bed next to Sam.

"It was awful." She whispered. She gazed up at Jack through some hair that was sitting over her face. Jack brought up a hand to brush it away. Sam then reached out to hold his hand. "You've read Hiroshima, right?"

"John Hersey?"

"Yeah."
"Yes, I have." Jack replied.

"Well, you think that gives you an idea of the horror. It's nothing. Nothing in comparison to what it's actually like." She sighed. "Whenever I close my eyes all I can see is people with clothes burnt on to their skin; people who are so burnt and disfigured that they're unrecognisable. No buildings left standing. There's nothing left. It's just rubble, ash and people dying."

Jack pulled off his jacket, and kicked off his shoes. He pulled back the blanket covering Sam, and slipped in next to her. He held her close. "Don't think about it. Think about me, you, us."

Sam smiled. "Jonas is married."

"What?!"

"And he has a daughter, Carrisa. She's gorgeous."

"Jonas is married AND he has a kid?!"

"Yeah."

"Wow." Jack grinned into Sam's shoulder. His hand rested on Sam's stomach, hers lying lightly on top. Soon she was asleep, resting peacefully in Jack's arms.