Chapter Eight
Dr. Lee was working on his laptop when Sam came limping into the lab late Monday morning. Although she had first decided to take Monday off, she finally came to the realization that staying home with nothing to do would only give her time to think about Jack. And Jack was a subject that had best be put out of her mind!
"Dr. Carter, I thought you'd be taking a few days off! Dr. Frasier told me about your accident," he said, looking down at her wrapped ankle.
"No, it's really not that bad, and anyway I've got some work I need to catch up on," she lied, before realizing he might know that wasn't the case at all.
Like everyone else who worked in the labs, Sam Carter was still eagerly awaiting some new find that would be brought back through the gate. But it was still too soon to have expected anything of the kind, since SG-1 had only gone to one planet.
Today, however, they were scheduled to go to another planet, and a second team had been formed, called SG-3. Apparently, the designation SG-2 was being set aside for some reason, although she had no idea why.
Sam tried not to think about SG-1 too much, however, as it would only lead to thinking about their leader, Jack O'Neill.
"What are you working on?"
'Oh, oh! Wouldn't you know Dr. Lee would have to ask that question,' she thought as she slipped onto her stool.
"Ah...actually...I'm writing a paper on wormholes for a journal I subscribe to," she lied again. God, all of a sudden it was becoming second nature for her to lie to people! And that was something she had never done before and something she hated!
"Have you read Demeter's latest garbage," Bill Lee asked scornfully, and Sam nodded.
"Yes, I just finished it yesterday. It's the main reason I thought of writing the article. He's such a moron! Can you believe him!"
'Well, at least that much was true! Gee, Sam, you're getting better at lying all the time,' she thought and hung her head sadly.
What had become of the honest, sensible person she once was? Was she going to lust after bad boys the rest of her life...letting them take whatever they wanted before dumping her alongside the road of life?
"He always was an idiot, even when he was in my college classes," Bill was saying, as he closed his laptop, and Sam was suddenly pulled back to their conversation.
"I didn't know you went to school with Demeter! So he was always outspoken and rash?"
"Yes, and worse! Even as an undergrad he was always questioning what the professors told us...in class no less! I guess he hasn't changed much," he said, turning to leave. "Well, I've got a date with this hot little assistant who works in the x-ray lab at the hospital. See you later!"
"Ya, see you!"
Sam was glad he hadn't asked for an outline of her paper or even her premise. Now she'd either have to write an article re-butting Demeter's, or make up some believable excuse for not writing it! And now she really felt awful.
Even Bill Lee had a date, while her only date had disappeared before the Chinese food had gotten cold!
Jack just couldn't stop thinking about sweet Sam and how much he loved her. Yep, he had finally admitted it to himself; he loved that young woman like he'd never loved anyone in his sorry life. But he knew that what Janet had probably told her was true; he was not the right kind of man for Sam. He'd been around the block way too many times, crushed too many hearts, and broken too many promises. He was not a nice person, and he'd probably just end up hurting her. Plainly and simply put, he wasn't good enough for Sam. He'd just have to try and forget her.
"So Jack, you ready to say 'hello' to P2X-102?"
Daniel was pulling on his camouflage vest, after loading the many pockets with his archaeological tools of the trade...brushes of various sizes and textures, utility knives, tiny shovels and rakes, a magnifying glass, a tape recorder, digital camera and two spare memory cards, and a myriad of other items. He had noticed Jack's sullen face during the pre-mission briefing, and wondered what was up with him.
"Yah, I guess. I just hope this fuckin planet is more interesting that PX2 whatever," Jack said sharply, as he began pulling on his black hi-topped boots.
He tied them tightly and then he watched Sanchez brushing her long black hair before tying it back in a ponytail. And of course that reminded him of Sam's hair and how he liked to twist his fingers in it while kissing her, or holding her still so he could suck her nipples into dark pink peaks.
Damn it! How was he ever gonna forget about those sweet lips, those startlingly blue eyes, those full, creamy breasts...or any of Sam's other one thousand and one magnificent attributes! And then there was that high-pitched whining sound she made as she tried to cover her scream when she came. ARRRGH! And now he wanted to scream!
"Let's get the fuck outta here," Jack exploded, and he grabbed his vest and headed for the armory. The other four members of SG-1 looked at each other, but they didn't say squat. Not one of them wanted any of what Jack O'Neill was obviously ready to dish out!
Everyone knew exactly what the loud blaring of the Klaxon meant when it sounded thirty-five minutes after SG-1 had left through the stargate. The SGC's first team was coming in under fire or worse, and a company of marines ran to the gate room, followed by medical personnel under the command of Dr. Major Janet Frasier.
Janet waited impatiently until the blast doors were opened, indicating that it was safe for her and her team to enter the gate room. What she saw on the other side made her heart leap into her throat, but she was all business as she yelled orders to her staff. She had done her tour in the Middle East, so casualties of war were nothing new to her.
She quickly ran up the ramp to check Sanchez' vitals as a nurse went to check on Col. O'Neill. Janet had seen Jack moving his legs, so she didn't think he was as seriously wounded as Sanchez, and she'd been correct. The Sergeant would not make it if she didn't get to surgery immediately.
Giving her people strict instructions to check for internal bleeding in the stomach and groin, Janet watched as they loaded Maria's still body onto a gurney and wheeled her out of the room.
Then Janet went over to Jack, who was sitting up and shouting obscenities at her nurse.
"Hey! Colonel, I don't care who you are, you will not be disrespectful to my nurses! Sally, I'll take it from here. You go look after Sgt. Kawalski over there. I think he's got a few lacerations that could use some stitches," she said, letting the poor woman off Jack's hook
"Now … you wanna tell me why you're in such a rotten mood today?" She would have offered to help him up, since his leg was bleeding, but she had a feeling he would have rejected her help. So she just watched as he slowly rose. And then she walked alongside him as he limped toward the infirmary under his own steam...which he apparently had an over-abundance of today!
"Jack, I know you'd probably rather not talk about it..."
"You're right, so don't start, Janet," he said, his face set in a grimace of disgust.
"I didn't tell her everything, Jack. If that's what you're upset about."
"No, it's not that, Janet. Let's just say that I realized in time what a mistake it was, and let it go at that."
"A mistake? You mean you don't care about her?" If he'd said those things to Sam without meaning them, she really WAS going to lay into him, the bastard!
"No, I mean it would have been a mistake FOR HER. She deserves way better than me, Jan. No one knows that more than you."
Janet stopped dead in her tracks and stared at his back, as Jack limped into the infirmary. 'Maybe he IS a changed man,' she thought. She watched as he went over and sat on one of the beds. A nurse came over and began to cut away his pant leg. He kept his mouth shut and did whatever was asked of him. So Janet decided she was free to go check on the surgeon's progress with Sanchez.
By the time Janet came back, Jack had checked himself out of the infirmary. Janet wasn't at all surprised. He often did whatever he chose to do.
Just then General Hammond came storming in looking for Jack.
"Dr. Frasier, is it true that Colonel O'Neill left the base?"
"That could be true, Sir. He checked himself out of the infirmary. But I don't know where he went, General. Sorry."
"I was afraid of that. Well, I knew he was a hot head, but I never pegged him for an insubordinate too! How's Sanchez?"
"She's in surgery. I think Dr. Randall found the bleeder. I should have more news for you in a few minutes, but I'm sure I'll have to pull her from active duty for at least a month, maybe longer."
"That's bad news for her and for the SGC. I guess I'll need to look through that list of candidates again," he said sadly, obviously not looking forward to conducting more interviews.
With the program still so new, Janet realized that attracting applicants was presenting the President and the Joint Chiefs with a sort of dilemma. They couldn't very well advertise the openings at the SGC!
"Sir, about Col. O'Neill, I happen to know that the mission is not the reason he was so upset. It's something personal. And I'm sure he never intended..."
"I don't care what his reason for leaving was; he's still in for an ass chewing," Hammond interrupted her, before stalking out of the infirmary.
Janet had tried his home phone several times and his cell phone too. Then she got on the phone and called Daniel, hoping he'd be able to find Jack before Hammond did. Maybe if they could convince him to come back and apologize, the General might take pity on him. After all, Daniel had filled Hammond in on the events on P2X-102, so it wasn't like Hammond didn't know exactly what had happened.
"Daniel, you've got to find Jack. Hammond's really pissed at him!"
"Yes, I gathered as much. But Janet, even if I find him, what can I do? I don't think he'll listen to me," he said, and Janet knew he was right; while Jack liked Daniel most days, they really weren't close friends. In fact, Jack didn't really seem to have any close friends.
Then Janet thought of the one person who Jack respected, and who just might be able to convince him to come back and face the music...before the fat lady sang her tune, and Jack got booted out of the SGC and maybe even the Air Force!
When Janet showed up in the lab, Sam had been surprised...especially since she'd heard about SG-1 coming in hot. 'Poor Maria Sanchez,' Sam thought, 'I wonder how she is.'
"Janet, how's Maria? Will she be okay?"
"Yes, she'll be fine in a few weeks. Sam, do you know where Jack might have gone? I can't reach him at home, and he's not answering his cell."
"No, why would I know." Sam looked down at her computer keyboard, wishing she didn't feel like bursting into tears each time she thought about Jack.
"Because you love him? And because I'm sure he loves you. I'm sorry, Sam. I never should have doubted he could change. I think you're the best thing that's ever happened to Jack, and I wish you two could work things out," she admitted, and Sam looked up at her, tears glistening in her cornflower blue eyes.
"You really mean that?" Janet simply nodded and smiled.
"But all those things you said..."
"That was the hurt me...the one who is still having trouble forgiving him for one thing that he did...a long time ago. But it's water under the bridge, and he's definitely changed for the better. Sam, if you love the guy, you need to go find him and tell him!"
"What did he do to you, Janet?" For some reason Sam just had to know. She needed to hear it all...every horrible thing he had done, or else how could she forgive him?
"It wasn't me exactly. When I said I wouldn't trust him with my best friend, well that's exactly what I DID do, and it was Sara that got hurt. They were married for a while, but Jack just couldn't keep it in his pants. Sara found out, and she left him. And there was a child involved, Sam. A little girl named Jennifer. She'll be turning six this summer."
"Jack has a daughter?!"
"Yes. And she looks like him, or so I'm told. She and her mom live in California now. Sara re-married...a nice man named Dan. Jennifer doesn't know Dan's not her real father."
"Is Jack okay with that?"
"I don't know; we've never really talked about that aspect of his life. But I guess he figures he has no choice in the matter; he didn't raise her, and the only father she's really known is Dan."
Tear were streaming down Sam's face by now, and Janet patted her on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I thought you had a right to know. But don't tell Jack that I told you about Sara and Jennifer. I don't think he'd appreciate it. Anyway, if you talk to him, tell him he should come back to base and get down on his knees, before Hammond blows a fuse!"
"I doubt I'll see him, Janet. But if I do, I'll tell him," Sam assured her, and then she waved to Janet and gave her a small smile.
So Jack has a daughter! This was one thing she had never even imagined about him. And now she wondered if he thought about the child, and she worried how much it hurt him knowing he could never be a father to the girl. And Sam put her head down on the counter and cried for Jack and the daughter he would never know.
TBC