Summary: Cassie attempts to get through to Jack when he's having a bad day.
Timeframe: Before "Changes," some time after "Sleepover."
Characters/Pairing: Jack, Cassie, Janet
Genre: Family, Friendship, Drama, Hurt/Comfort
Rating: G.
Touchy
It was all her fault. She knew she should have reported that ignorant sonofabitch on the spot. Sergeant Marsters had never achieved approval in her eyes. He was short with patients as well as the rest of her staff, and this had been the last straw. Ever since the new orderly's last encounter with Jack, Janet had been just looking for reasons to get rid of him. And boy, did she find them.
She'd been disturbed to find a very distraught Jack waiting in her office after his physical therapy session with Dr. Elaine Jessup. The therapist, a taller, rounder woman around Janet's age, had been waiting with him to report to her.
Dr. Jessup had reported witnessing Sergeant Marsters getting out of line with the former Colonel when Jack hesitated in allowing the orderly to take him to his base quarters.
She told Janet that the Sergeant had roughly grabbed Jack by the arm, and tried to physically drag him down the corridor. Jack had flailed and screamed, alerting Jessup to the situation. Shocked and outraged at Marsters' behavior, the doctor had quickly rescued an obviously upset Jack, and called for an SF to take the Sergeant to holding quarters for the time being.
Now that the unruly Sergeant Marsters' fate was in General Hammond's capable hands, and the incident had been officially reported, Janet was left to deal with the aftermath, namely, Jack.
He'd tucked himself into the corner of her office, and refused any attempts of hers or Dr. Jessup's to get him out of there. Janet dismissed the therapist, grateful for the women's help, and assured the other doctor that she would take care of things now.
"Jack?" Janet slowly crouched down in front of him and reached out a soothing hand, only to have him swat it away, flinching back and covering his head with his arms. Uneasy with his obvious distress, Janet stood and took a step away, giving him some space. "Jack, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. It's Janet."
One hand above his head flapped frantically in a type of shooing motion, clearly stating the intended, yet unvoiced, "Go away!"
Sighing, Janet stepped back again and sunk into her desk chair, regarding him carefully as she planned her next move.
"Mom, Jack wasn't in his quarters, so I figured you still had him-" Janet looked up immediately at the sound of her daughter's voice. Cassie had cut herself off as she stopped in the doorway. The teen's eyes zoned in on the six-foot-two Colonel crammed into the corner of her office.
Janet had nearly forgotten that Cassie had been dropped off at the base after school to keep Jack company for a while so that she, Daniel, and Teal'c could finish whatever work needed to be done.
"What's up with Jack?" Cassie asked softly, concern in her voice as she studied him.
Janet sighed. "Now's not really a good time, Cass."
Jack suddenly lowered his arms from around his head and peered at the teen in the doorway, making Janet have second thoughts about sending her daughter away. Jack was often more responsive when Cassandra was around, and she figured he appreciated the young woman's company on some level, as much as he ever showed it anyway.
"On second thought . . ." Seeing how he was reacting, Janet waved Cassie in. "I'm going to step out for a few minutes," she told her daughter, edging slowly toward the door and gesturing toward Jack. "If you need anything, give a holler, okay?"
-
Cassie nodded and slowly approached Jack as her mother left the office.
He dropped his arms from around his head to hug his knees to his chest, then stared at the floor by Cassie's feet, rocking back and forth slowly.
She reached out to touch his hand, but as soon as her fingers made contact, he jerked away. There was a loud clunk as his elbows hit the wall behind him from the sharp movement. Cassie just reacted by dropping her hand away and taking a step back. Furrowing her brows, she realized she'd have to try something else to get him to come out of the corner.
Her mother hadn't told her anything, and Cassie was confused as to why Jack was acting this way. Apparently, he wouldn't let anyone near. Still concerned about what could have happened to him, Cassie got an idea. In a light, cheerful voice, she said, "Hey Jack, I could use a snack. Wanna come to the commissary with me?"
His dark, shadowed eyes shifted slowly to her face, though their gazes never locked. Jack stopped rocking back and forth, his head tilted.
Cassie sent him a bright smile. She knew she could get him moving with that suggestion. "Come on, let's go see what kind of cake they have for today." She waved him up with her hand, but didn't try to reach out for him this time.
Still staring at the floor, Jack leaned back against the corner wall and pushed himself to his feet slowly. He stiffly shoved his hands in his pockets and took a tense step forward.
Pleased that she'd been able to get Jack to crawl out of the corner, Cassie walked toward the door, glancing back to make sure he was still following her. Her mom was waiting outside the door.
-
Janet was relieved when Cassie came out of her office with Jack in tow. He was still keeping his distance, it seemed, and she felt a swell of anger at the ignorant Sergeant Marsters, and at herself, for allowing the incident to happen.
Jack was shuffling along behind Cassie, his eyes riveted to the floor, and his hands stuffed into his pockets.
Stopping herself from going to him, Janet crossed her arms and gave her daughter a questioning look.
"I'm taking him to the commissary for a snack," Cassie told her.
Janet frowned with disapproval. "He hasn't eaten dinner yet, and, might I add, neither have you." She eyed her daughter pointedly.
"Mom." Cassie looked at her entreatingly, gesturing behind her at Jack. Apparently, the suggestion of getting that snack had been the thing to get him in motion.
"Okay," Janet acquiesced softly with a nod, then watched them go. Her daughter may have been young, but Cassie was wise, and she was very good with Jack.
-
The commissary was quiet, and Cassie led Jack over to a corner table that was farthest from any of the SGC personnel within the room. He was flinchy and tense, even as she pulled out a chair and kept from touching him as she told him to sit down.
Cassie hated when Jack had bad days like this. At these times she wished Sam could be back to help, thinking that if anyone could get through to Jack, Sam could. She didn't even know why she thought that. All Cassie did know, was that even before his accident, after Sam left with the Tok'ra, Jack hadn't been the same.
She brought him a piece of cake, and subconsciously, she realized afterwards, had picked a glass of blue Jell-O for herself, as though in honor of Sam.
When Jack froze with his fork halfway to his mouth, and his eyes tracked toward the Jell-O, Cassie studied him with interest. "Do you want some?" She slid the dish toward him.
Jack jerked his head to the side and quickly averted his gaze, completing the journey of fork to mouth, and chewing robotically.
"Guess not." Cassie sighed, giving up on the Jell-O, and resting her cheek in her hand as she watched Jack, waiting for him to finish his snack.
Jack's eyelids were fluttering by the time he was done with his treat. His hands were splayed on the table, fingers spread wide, and he was staring down at the empty space where his plate had been. It was clear to Cassie that he was ready to zonk out. She wasn't surprised. He normally napped for a little while after therapy, but hadn't this time.
Clapping her hands together without thinking, Cassie grimaced as Jack cringed. She slid her chair back and stood, slowly walking to his side. "Come on, Jack. Let's go back to your quarters."
He got up and shuffled steadily alongside her as they left, his gaze riveted to the floor once more, as though doing so would mean the other people around them didn't exist.
-
Jack seemed to relax a little as they left the populated commissary to travel along the rather empty corridors. He was doing well, walking alongside her with his head down, his feet shuffling steadily along.
As they strode toward Jack's VIP quarters, a speeding Dr. Lee, intently focused on a clipboard, rounded the corner. Cassie noticed the man too late, and he careened straight into Jack.
Having not been so sure on his feet since the accident, Jack stumbled backward and almost fell, when Dr. Lee instinctively reached out and grasped his shoulders to steady him. "Sorry, sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going."
Cassie made a face. The scientist couldn't have known that grabbing Jack was just about the worst thing he could have done at that moment.
"Nyaaaaahhh!" Jack flailed and yelled as soon as Dr. Lee grasped his shoulders, one hand flinging out to catch the other man across the face, accidently knocking his glasses off.
Shocked by the unexpected swat, Dr. Lee immediately released Jack, and the flailing man fell to the floor on his butt, curling on his side and holding out his arms in a protective gesture.
"Jack! It's okay, take it easy," Cassie said quickly, kneeling near enough without touching him.
Regaining his senses, and having found his glasses, Dr. Lee looked like he'd just realized exactly who he'd bumped into. "Oh jeeze, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I-" The scientist was flabbergasted. Not seeing that the physical contact had upset Jack more than the fall, Dr. Lee lurched forward, about to help Jack to his feet.
"Don't touch him!" Cassie snapped, feeling very guilty at the outburst when Dr. Lee shrunk back with a deflated frown. She sighed with an apologetic grimace. "Sorry, Dr. Lee. He's just not having a very good day. It might be best if you just go."
"I understand," the scientist responded, getting to his feet and stepping back. He sent Cassie a bashful smile after collecting his clipboard from the floor. "I'm really sorry."
"It's alright." Cassie turned her attention on Jack as the doctor quickly went on his way. It was hard to get his attention without touching him and making things worse. "Jack, c'mon, let's get in your room, okay?"
When he lowered his arms, but didn't respond, Cassie realized she was going to have to be a little tough on him. Steeling her resolve, and using her mother's best assertive tone, she said, "Jack, you need to get up. Right now."
He must have been surprised at her tone, because his head tilted slightly, and he pushed himself into a sitting position. Still tensed, he stiffly got to his feet, his jaw clenched as he stared down at his boots.
"Good, now come with me." Cassie sent him a proud smile, waving him after her as she made a beeline for his room.
-
Cassie quickly ushered Jack inside and to the little couch in the corner lounge area of the room. He was shaky and agitated, futilely tugging at the buttons on his BDU shirt in a nervous gesture. His clumsy fingers weren't quite dexterous enough to undo the thick buttons.
"Jack, stop," Cassie said in a soft, yet stern tone. She sat next to him and brushed his hands away from his shirt without thinking, relieved when he didn't start yelling and flailing because she'd touched him.
Jack grunted and dropped his hands in his lap, staring out across the room at nothing.
Cassie wondered if he now recognized that she'd been trying to help him, and wasn't bothered by her touch now. On Jack's normal and good days, he didn't mind when those closest to him made physical contact in any way, and sometimes wasn't even bothered by an accidental brush up or a pat on the shoulder by others that he knew on base. However, something had happened today, and until just now, Jack wasn't letting anyone get near him.
Cassie reached out again, and began to undo the buttons on Jack's shirt. He didn't fight her, and after she got it off, leaving just the black t-shirt beneath, she knelt down and started on his boots. She spoke to him absently as she undid the laces. "So, I guess you're not having a very good day today, huh Jack?" She tugged off his right boot and moved on to the left one. "I wish you could tell me what happened."
She looked up at Jack, seeing that he was now staring down at her, his expression surprisingly open. Cassie was confident that he could understand what she was saying, but he just couldn't find a way to really communicate. At least that's how it seemed most days. Sometimes she supposed he communicated in his own way, and that his reactions were just all screwed up. He could be overemotional or under emotional, and Cassie knew he didn't have control over it.
Tugging off his remaining boot, Cassie tossed it aside and then plopped down on the couch beside him. She reached for the remote on the side table and turned on the little TV. "Let's find something that you can sleep to, huh?"
She flipped through the channels until she found an old John Wayne western. When Cassie told Jack to go to sleep, he leaned sideways until his head was resting on her shoulder. Her eyes started to water as his weight settled against her much smaller form. She could feel him still shaking with small tremors, and her heart was gripped in a vice of compassion.
She smiled and took in a wavering breath, letting it out slow. "You feel a little better now, Jack?"
His soft sigh was answer enough, and Cassie was just glad she could help him out in any small way. Jack was part of her family, and family looked out for each other.
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