Howdy folks,
I'm posting this week's installment a few days early since I won't have computer access for a few days. I'm moving (yeh?), so I have no idea when I'll get my computer back online. So, here's a slightly longer than usual piece to keep you happy. A bit of naughty tongue-in-cheek humor in this one. Nothing too risky, I don't think. Enjoy :)
Bander
The Fourth of July marked a day of celebration for the men and women that served at Stargate Command. Gatherings of all sizes were held as families and friends honored the day the nation gained its freedom and those who made it their duty to ensure that freedom remained. Even the teams off world held their own celebrations, some going so far as to bring sparklers and a traditional meal to share.
Perhaps one of the largest assemblies of base personnel was at the local city park. Clusters of soldiers with their families occupied much of the open space beneath the trees, their laughter and happy shouts echoing throughout the grounds. Barbeques, picnics, and sprawling buffet tables provided everyone with food, and live music poured out from the central stage.
Janet looked up at the slowly setting sun as she carefully weaved her way through the crowds. The fireworks would be starting soon, filling the night sky with a colorful array of bursts, pinwheels, and shimmering flares. It would be Cassie's first time seeing the spectacular display as they'd been rained out the year before. To say the young girl was excited would've been a vast understatement, especially when she learned that SG-1 would be joining them.
There was a hollow crack somewhere off to her left followed by clapping and cheering. A pickup softball game was underway, and it sounded like someone had just made a good hit. It was the perfect day for celebrating with seasonably warm temperatures and a nice breeze to keep the bugs away. It was also the day she had chosen to be Jack's first time out of the mountain since the accident.
Despite his initial frustrations, Jack had been doing well. He'd worked daily on standing up and had slowly begun to rebuild his balance and strength. In only a matter of days, he was able to make it to and from the bathroom with little assistance, and in less than a week he was to be able to take short walks down the hall. There had been some cynicism surrounding his progress – his pain and stiffness, the short amount of time it took him to get winded – but that was Jack. As long as he was doing what he was told, she allowed him to grouse and grumble all he wanted. It was when he became quiet that she would know something was wrong.
He'd been elated the night before when she told him about her plans to take him to the Fourth of July celebration. He'd balked a little when she'd told him he'd have to use a wheelchair, but there hadn't been much bite behind his argument. He knew as well as she did that he wasn't ready to make the trip topside on his own, let alone the long walk across the park. When Teal'c arrived that morning with the chair in tow, Jack had settled himself into it and allowed his friend to shuttle him around, complaining only when he didn't think they were going fast enough.
Janet arrived at the far corner of the park a few minutes later. It was quiet back here, with most of the traffic and noise concentrated around the central stage and food areas. Jack appeared to be sleeping, his tall form comfortably stretched out in a folding chair. He'd done some visiting with friends earlier in the day, but he'd spent most of his time right here simply enjoying the warmth of the sun. It was good to see him so relaxed, and the extra rest would give his body the energy it needed to heal.
Smiling, Janet set the two six-pack bottle holders she'd been carrying down in the grass. She could hear their dog barking and Cassie shouting for the Frisbee from somewhere nearby. The young girl loved playing with her surrogate family, and from the sound of things, the friendly game of catch she'd started with Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c had really taken off.
"Hey, you're blockin' my sun," a sleepy voice said from behind her.
The doctor jumped. "Colonel! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
He waved off her apology and adjusted his sunglasses.
"You holding up okay? Are you going to make it through the fireworks?" she asked, dropping into the chair beside him.
"Oh yeah. No problem." He stretched, wincing when his ribs pulled. "The sun just makes me tired. I'd forgotten how good it feels."
"We couldn't have asked for better weather."
"Good weather, good food, great people…all that's missing is a tall, cold…"
Janet reached behind her and removed a brown bottle from one of the beverage carriers. "One of these?" she asked, holding it up for him to see.
For a moment, all Jack could do was stare. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a cruel woman?"
"Yes, you actually on several occasions," she replied, using the arm of her chair to pop the top off the bottle. "But I don't think this qualifies as one of those times, do you?" She held the bottle out for him to take.
Jack looked at her warily. "That's a beer."
"Yup."
"And it's open."
"I know. I just opened it."
"You realize if I take that beer from you, I'm going to drink it."
"I know."
"All of it."
"I hope so. Waste not, want not as my grandmother used to say."
"I thought you said no alcohol."
"I did, and this will probably make you feel rather sleepy when combined with the medication you're on, but since you're under a doctor's direct supervision, I don't see the harm." Even with his dark sunglasses on, she could still tell Jack was sizing her up.
"You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
Suspicious to the end, Jack slowly reached out and took the bottle from her hand. "You going to join me?"
"You know, I think I just might," she said, and retrieved a beer for herself. Popping off the top, she held the bottle up for a toast. "To freedom?"
"To freedom," he echoed as they clinked their bottles together before taking a long drink. As the smooth, bitter, and slightly carbonated liquid filled his mouth, Jack felt a shiver of pleasure race up his spine. It was quite possibly the best tasting beer he'd ever had.
"Good?" Janet asked, seeing the delighted expression on his face.
"You might just get to see a grown man cry."
She laughed. "Well I'm glad you're enjoying it, because it's the only one you're going to get for awhile."
A comfortable silence fell over the two friends as they drank their beers and watched the sun slowly setting on the horizon. Situated so far from the bandstand, they could hear the crickets as they began to chirp; their familiar cadence signaling the change of day into night. While the exploration of alien worlds had given them some spectacular sights, experiencing twilight on Earth would never grow old.
"So I've been thinking…"
"I don't believe it."
Janet rolled her eyes. "I've been thinking that you might like to start some home visits."
"Visits? Why not just home? Carter's been doing it for a week now."
"Sam's injuries are a little different than yours, sir," she said. "Even when your cast comes off, your mobility is still going to be limited until your ribs heal completely. Simple things like getting up from a chair or picking up something off the floor are going to be difficult and painful. I can't in good conscience send you home alone knowing that one little slip or twist could set you back months or even cause permanent damage. And it's only a temporary restriction. As your strength returns, the amount of time you can spend off base will be increased. Hopefully in a couple of months, you'll be on your own and maybe even back to work."
"Months…" he uttered quietly. "You'd think I'd be used to hearing that by now, but I'm not."
"Patience, sir. And I know you have them because I've seen you work with my daughter." Janet saw a flicker of emotion cross his face, but his sunglasses prevented her from determining what it was. Honed and hardened by years in the military, Jack could be a blank slate when he wanted to. It was only when he became very interested in the peeling label on his beer bottle that she knew what was going through his mind.
You embarrassed him… she thought. Well good. He deserves to know he's being watched and that some of his lesser-known strengths are being noticed…
She wanted to say more, but a sudden commotion from behind a hedge of nearby bushes abruptly brought an end to their little chat.
"Get him! Get him!"
"There he is! Over there!"
"Corner him! Don't let him get away again!"
Both watched as Cassie's dog came tearing out from beneath a bush, a yellow Frisbee hanging out of the corner of his mouth. Cassie burst through a moment later, followed closely by Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c. The small dog bobbed and weaved around several trees before diving into the scrub again with the others hot on his heels.
"What was that all about?" Janet asked, totally bemused by what she had just seen.
"They were trying to teach Teal'c how to play Frisbee when JJ intercepted it and took off. They've been chasing him now for about twenty minutes," Jack replied.
The doctor chuckled at the pet name he'd given to Cassie's dog. Although she hadn't been overly impressed when he'd gotten her newly adopted daughter a dog without her permission, she was glad she'd decided to keep the small animal around. Sure he tracked mud across the floors and had chewed a pair of her best heels, but he'd also been an integral part of Cassie's introduction to life on Earth.
She recalled the time when Cassie asked what she should call her furry new friend. She had suggested naming him after someone or something special, and Cassie immediately came up with Jack. The colonel was honored when he found out that she'd named the dog after him, however he soon suggested the addition of 'Junior' to his name. When Cassie asked why, he'd replied: "Because I don't like the looks I get when your mother comes to work saying 'Jack peed on the carpet again.'" Since that day, the dog was known as 'Jack Junior' or 'JJ' for short.
When the group exited the bushes for a second time, it was clear to Janet that their pursuit was futile. Like his namesake, JJ had an iron will and a stubborn streak that ran a mile wide. Even if his pursuers managed to catch and confront him, he'd never give up the Frisbee without a fight.
Or at the very least a dog biscuit covered in peanut butter… she thought, recalling the effort it had taken to get back her shoe once he'd claimed it for himself.
"Daniel, you and Cassie head right. We can cut him off just beyond those trees," Sam called, easily taking charge of the group. With her energy burn finally healed, her soft splint had been replaced with a hard cast to finish healing her broken wrist. She'd been reluctant to make the change at first – saying the rigid cast would compromise her dexterity – but after hearing the implications of an improperly healed break she reconsidered. And now, jogging across the grass and using hand signals to guide the others into position, it hardly looked like she noticed the cast at all.
"Someone's going to sleep well tonight," Jack said, clearly amused by the antics of his teammates.
"Who? Cassie?"
"I was talking about Cater and Daniel."
The doctor grinned. "Well their plan's not going to work."
"Yeah, but it sure is fun to watch them try."
Following Sam's directions, Daniel and Cassie broke to the right while the others headed left. Pouring on a burst of speed, Sam and Teal'c darted out around a large tree and right into the path of the oncoming dog. Unaffected by the people in his way, JJ circled back around and nearly plowed into Cassie's legs.
"Drop it, JJ!" she ordered in her sternest voice.
Not one for following commands, JJ whined and looked around at the four people slowly advancing on him.
"Just drop the Frisbee, JJ," Daniel said, holding his hands out as if to show the dog he wasn't hiding anything. "Come on – be a good boy. Drop it."
JJ spotted the gap between Cassie and Teal'c the same instant as Sam. "Teal'c! To your left! Close the gap!"
The Jaffa made a heartfelt attempt to close the space, but the small dog was just a little faster. With a muffled bark of victory, JJ scurried back into the safety of the bushes.
"Damn it!"
"I am sorry, Major Carter."
"It's okay, Teal'c. It's not your fault. He's got to be starting to tire out by now."
Cassie blew her sweaty bangs off her forehead. "Don't count on it."
Back at the picnic site, Jack was chuckling at the expense of his friends. Smart dog… he thought, watching as the chase began anew. He allowed it to continue for several more minutes before finally taking pity on his team. Bringing two fingers to his mouth, he whistled sharply, the single note carrying clear across the park. A moment later the bushes rustled and JJ came trotting out, the Frisbee still clamped between his teeth.
"Get over here, you," Jack said, grabbing a hold of plastic disc as soon as the dog came within reach. "Drop it." JJ growled and pulled back, his tail wagging furiously behind him. "Ah! Drop it."
"Sir, you're never going to get…or maybe you are," Janet uttered, watching in amazement as JJ relinquished the Frisbee to Jack and sat down beside him. "He's um…I don't think he's ever done that before."
"I've never had any trouble with him," Jack replied, scratching the heavily panting dog behind the ears.
"You didn't just do that, sir," Sam said as she and the others trudged in from the field, exhaustion evident on their faces.
"Do what?"
She dropped down onto one of the blankets spread out on the grass. "Call him in with a whistle and then take the Frisbee away without a fight."
"He did," Daniel said, collapsing nearby. "He could have ended it before it started, but he didn't."
Cassie came over and glared down at her dog. "That wasn't very nice, JJ."
"Don't be so hard on him, Cass. He's just being a dog," Jack said. He motioned to the bowl they had set up under a tree. "Take him to get a drink. If his tongue gets any longer, someone's going to trip over it."
"This canine appears to respect your authority, O'Neill."
Jack gave a lopsided shrug. "It's all in how you talk to them, Teal'c." He flipped the Frisbee up to his friend and wiped the dog slobber off his hand on his shorts.
"I wish you had spoken to him sooner," Sam muttered, graciously accepting the drink Janet offered her. "It would have saved us a lot of running around."
"Hey, I need my entertainment too," he said, easily batting away the crumpled napkin Daniel sent flying in his direction.
Off in the distance, the music coming from the central stage changed from rock to a patriotic tune.
"Are the fireworks starting?" Cassie asked.
"They will be soon, sweetie," Janet replied, fishing some money from her pocket. "They're selling monster sized s'mores over at one of the drink tents. Any volunteers to help me go get some? My treat."
Daniel hauled himself up off the ground. "I will."
"Great. We'll be back in a few," the doctor said as they headed toward the center of the park. "Don't let the show start without us."
The last of the sun's rays faded from the sky as it slowly slid down behind the mountains. Tiny stars began to shine, and a full moon bathed the valley in a slivery light. Lightening bugs blinked and flashed in the tall grass, and a gentle breeze made the leaves on the trees whisper.
After making sure JJ had gotten his fill of water, Cassie returned to the group and sat down between Jack and Sam. "Are they really that neat?" she asked no one in particular. "The fireworks?"
"They are one of the most striking man-made spectacles I have seen on Earth," Teal'c replied, his First Prime tattoo glinting in the moonlight. "And elsewhere."
"They're beautiful, Cassie," Sam said, feeling her own excitement starting to build. "The different shapes, sounds, and colors – it's amazing what a handful of gunpowder, different metals, and a chemical reaction can do."
Cassie looked over at Jack, expecting him to add something as well, but his gaze was fixated on the sky above.
"Do you see something, O'Neill?"
Hearing his name, Jack snapped out of his trance. "Hmm? No. Sorry. I was…I just looking at the moon," he replied. "It's been awhile since I've seen it."
"One of the kids in my class at school said there's a man that lives on the moon," Cassie said.
"Well, there kind of is," Sam began. "Some people think the dark patches on its surface form a face."
Frowning, Cassie squinted up at the moon with a critical eye. "I don't see it."
"That's okay - not everyone does," Jack said. "But did you know all those dark spots and craters have names?"
"They do?"
"Yep." Jack pointed up at the sky, wishing he had thought to bring a pair of binoculars. "You see that really large dark patch up to the left? That's called the 'Sea of Rain.' And that white blotchy spot right below it? That's the 'Copernicus Crater.'"
"What about the smaller dark spot over there?" Cassie asked, pointing to the right side of the moon. "Does that have a name too?"
"Sure does. That's the 'Sea of Serenity' and the 'Sea of Tranquility' is right below it. Now if you look above that…"
Sam chuckled to herself. It was interesting to see how easily Jack slipped into exposition mode. Now how many times has he interrupted Daniel and I for doing the exact same thing? The thought of payback crossed her mind, but she just couldn't bring herself to disrupt him. He'd found an opportunity to do a little teaching, and from the barrage of questions he was getting, he had succeeded in captivating his audience.
And the ironic thing… she mused. Is that he probably doesn't even realize he's doing it…
Her thoughts of revenge fading, Sam gazed up at the sky. Most of the stars were difficult to see in the intense moonlight, but she could still make out some of the brighter ones. While Earth's nightscape wasn't as colorful or active as some of the ones they had seen off world, its simple yet familiar beauty would always make it her favorite.
"Why do they call that spot the 'Ocean of Storms' when there's no water on the moon?" Cassie asked.
"Because some people thought it caused bad weather when it appeared," Jack explained. "But those are the same people that thought the world was flat and the Sun revolved around the Earth."
Sam grinned when she saw the wonder in Cassie's eyes reflected in the silver light. The fireworks will be spectacular… she thought. …But I think this is the moment I'll remember the most… Making herself comfortable on the warm ground, she settled in to enjoy Jack's impromptu lesson on the moon.
"…Teal'c helped me clean out your fridge. You had some Chinese food in there with at least four different types of mold growing on it, so we wound up throwing away almost everything inside. Don't worry though, Sam went shopping and…"
Jack was barely listening as Daniel rambled on, oblivious that his target audience was ignoring him. He'd been talking nonstop since they'd left the base, and showed no signs of claming up anytime soon. His topics varied from work, to the weather, to the rubbery eggs and greasy bacon they'd served in the commissary that morning for breakfast.
"…And your mail is all sorted too. We had to open some of it to pay the bills – Liz at the bank says hi, by the way – but all of the receipts are there for…"
And he's still going… Jack knew he should at least be trying to pay attention since some of Daniel's chatter did pertain to him; he just wasn't in the mood. As it was, he'd found his teammates to be more excited about his homecoming than he was himself.
Homecoming… He thought with a frown. More like visiting hours… He was still sour over not being able to finish his recovery at home, but he wasn't about to make his displeasure widely known. Just as Janet had the authority to give him this little bit of freedom, she could also take it away. Jack knew it was best to keep his mouth shut, say thank you to the good doctor, and enjoy his brief time away from the base.
Jack smothered a yawn. He'd slept poorly the night before; bad pains in his shoulder and chest having kept him awake. Rather than alerting the evening nurse of his discomfort, he'd chosen to suffer through it on his own. Adding to his fatigue was the extra medication Janet had made him take, along with a stern lecture on when being stubborn crossed the line into being stupid.
I'm surprised she didn't revoke my visit and confine me to my room… he thought dismally. He knew Janet meant well and was only looking out for his best interests, but he hated being mothered. Scolded, sore, and groggy, Jack felt he had the right to be at least a little cranky.
The car slowed as Daniel turned down the road where Jack lived. He was still talking, having moved on from the topic of mail to lawn care. "I haven't had a chance to mow it since we went back to work," he was saying as he braked to allow a woman walking her dog to cross the street. "It looks a little rough, but I'm planning to take care of that today."
His friend's words hardly registered as Jack gazed out the window, silently watching as the houses slipped by. It was late morning, and there were few people to be seen. Most would either be at work or out running errands. A couple of yards had children playing in them, but the majority stood empty. It was a decent neighborhood, quiet and safe. Little had changed while he'd been away, and it was this sense of familiarity that he welcomed the most.
Sighing, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and wrapped his arm around his aching chest. You over did it yesterday…he told himself. Even without Janet's lecture, he knew he'd done too much when the pain from his ribs made him short of breath just walking back to his room. He'd spent most of the day in the MALP garage watching Sam and her team of mechanics and engineers work on the upgrade. It was tedious, boring work, but he enjoyed the time he got to spend with his teammate laughing, teasing, and generally just hanging out. The warning twinges from his ribs hardly registered until he went to stand up, and then the toll of hours seated in a straight-backed chair became painfully clear.
That's when you should have spoken up…asked for help instead of sucking it up and letting things swell. A dose of muscle relaxant and some ice would have probably taken care of the worst of it. You would have slept better, Doc wouldn't have chewed you a new…
"Oh, and I before I forget, one of your flying monkeys got out and destroyed your neighbor's garden again."
Flying monkeys? Jack swung around to look at his friend. "What?"
"So you are listening," Daniel said, an odd combination of concern and amusement on his face.
"Of course I'm listening," Jack replied. "Kind of."
"Well good. Then you must already know that we're here."
Here? Looking out the windshield, Jack abruptly realized they were parked in front of his house. "Huh."
"So is there something wrong, or were you ignoring me on purpose?"
"I'm sorry, Daniel, I'm just…" Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I had a long night…I'm tired…Doc made me take one of those damned pain pills before we left…"
"If you're not feeling well, then maybe I should take you back to the base."
"Nope. We're here. I'm okay, really. Just bare with me – I'm a little off today."
"Only a little?"
"Ah! And comments like that don't help."
The younger man chuckled as he opened his door and got out. "Okay, Jack. Whatever you say."
With a substantial amount of effort and cursing, Jack stubbornly managed to lever himself out of the car without help. With his feet on the ground, he headed up the driveway in long strides with Daniel close on his heels.
"Slow down, Jack. You're supposed to be taking it easy."
"Hey, I'm on a time limit here. I intend to make good use of every second." Fishing his keys from his pocket, Jack opened the front door and stepped inside. Home… The place smelled fresh, not closed up and unlived in as he'd expected. Even from the limited view he had from the entryway, he could tell his team had been keeping the place up. The kitchen was clean, the houseplants were healthy, and the bag of trash he'd meant to put out after work the day of the accident was gone.
Home…my stuff, my space, my time. No nurses poking their heads in at all hours, no doctors scrutinizing my every move, no one to bother me when I'm trying to rest or telling me to slow down and take it easy…just me, myself, and…
"So…"
Crap. It had taken him less than thirty seconds to forget about Daniel. "Okay, I'll bite: so what?"
"So have you decided what you're going to do?"
"When?"
"Now."
"Right now?"
"Well, you're the one with the limited time, so, yeah…right now sounds pretty good."
Jack frowned. He'd been so wrapped up in being sore and miserable that he failed to give any foresight to what he actually wanted to do when he got home. What do I usually do when I get home from a mission? Shower, eat, watch TV, maybe fall asleep if there's nothing good on… He looked down at the heavy cast that still covered his right arm from neck to elbow. Can't shower, I'm not really hungry, so I guess that leaves… "Crashing in front of the TV sounds pretty good."
"Weren't you and Teal'c watching TV before we left?"
"Yep."
"And you want to watch more?"
"Sure, why not?"
"But…" Daniel didn't understand. The man had been away from home for nearly two months. Surely there was something more he wanted to do than watch TV. "You don't want to go through your mail or check your phone messages?"
"You said the bills were paid, right?"
"Yes, but…"
"Then the rest can wait until later." Tossing his keys on the table beside the door, Jack made his way into the living room.
"What about lunch? Aren't you hungry?"
"Nope." Jack snatched a few throw pillows from the couch and began to arrange them in his favorite chair. "Had a big breakfast, remember?"
"Well, what about…?"
"Daniel, don't you have a lawn to mow?"
"Janet told me to make sure you were settled and occupied before I went and did anything."
"Did she now?" Carefully, Jack settled himself into the chair, using the pillows to support his aching ribs. Ahh… he thought, his body immediately relaxing as the overstuffed cushions conformed to the shape of his body. "You want to keep me occupied – toss me the phone and remote. I'll be good for hours."
Daniel quickly collected the items his friend had requested. "Anything else? Something to read or drink or…"
"Nope. Besides, I'm kinda familiar with this place. If I need something, I know where to look."
"Jack…"
"Don't worry, Daniel. I won't get up unless it's something I really want." The other man gave him a doubtful look. "Okay, need. I won't get up unless it's something I really need."
"I have a better idea," Daniel began, certain his definition of 'need' was widely different than Jack's. "I have my cell phone. If you need something call and I'll come get it for you."
"I don't want to bother you."
Too late for that… "You won't. Just, stay put, okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay." Daniel edged toward the door. "I shouldn't be too long – assuming your mower starts that is."
"Take your time. No rush. Can you cut it like they do baseball fields? The kids in the neighborhood think that's cool."
"I'll see what I can do." Unable to stall any longer, the archeologist stepped outside, entrusting his friend to occupy himself.
"Finally," Jack breathed, letting his head fall against the back of the chair and shutting his eyes. He was alone in his own home for the first time in weeks. It felt good, damn good, and he could practically feel the stress, pain, and frustration leaving his body. If he could only convince Janet of the innate healing powers of beat up, over stuffed chairs, she'd be ordering up a dozen of them next time the supply budget came around.
The sound of a lawn mower engine trying to start drifted in from the backyard. He'd been meaning to fix the old walk behind since he'd traded it for the snow blower last fall, but he hadn't had the chance. It was a finicky machine, starting only when it was good and ready – usually when his arm was fixing to fall off from pulling on the ignition cord. He listened as the engine coughed and sputtered a few more times before finally catching and roaring reluctantly to life.
I should call him… Jack thought with a mischievous grin. He'll have to shut down the mower to come see what I need, and it's even harder to get going the second time… He reached for the phone, but stopped himself before he could dial. Daniel hadn't been assigned to be his keeper; he'd volunteered so Sam and Teal'c could continue their work at the base. He never asked him to sort his mail, pay his bills, water his plants, or mow his lawn. He'd just done it out of his own free will.
Jack put the phone back on the end table. Although the look on Daniel's face would be priceless when he realized he'd been called in on a ruse, it just didn't feel right. I practically ignored him the whole way here…I've been short, cranky, difficult…it's not his fault I'm a mess today. I should be thanking him, not antagonizing him…
He sighed and picked up the remote. He had little interest in the routine programming that was on during the late morning hours, but found a fishing show that looked marginally more engaging than the local news. The host was demonstrating casting techniques that he guaranteed would catch even the most difficult fish. Jack watched as the brash angler flailed his rod around, paying no attention to the path of the barbed lure at the end of his line. The only thing you're going to catch doing that is a chunk of your own hide…
After a few more lame attempts at casting, the show broke for a commercial. His eyelids starting to droop, Jack switched off the TV in favor of taking a nap. Looking out the window, he saw Daniel walking by with the mower. The younger man smiled and waved, unaware of how close he'd come to being the target of a joke. He returned the gesture with a nod.
Daniel's a good kid… he thought, carefully swinging his feet up onto the coffee table. He's sharp, dependable, honest…maybe a little naïve at times, but we all can't be perfect. He's a good friend and doesn't deserve to be antagonized…
Jack's impish grin returned as he settled down and closed his eyes. …Until the ride back to the base anyway…
Jack absently scratched at his arm as he walked down the hall. His cast had been off for a little over a week, but his skin was still dry and itchy from being encased in plaster. He'd long ago abandoned the sling Janet advised him to use to help support his weakened muscles, the angle it positioned his arm at putting too much pressure on his healing ribs. Except for the occasional bad day, his injuries were definitely on the mend. Thanks to his daily appointments with one of the base's physical therapists, he was slowly regaining the strength and mobility in his right arm and shoulder. His ribs and the damaged muscles of his chest wall would take more time, but his hopes for a full recovery were far more concrete than they'd been three months earlier.
With any luck, I'll be back in the field just in time for the holidays… Although he'd had no trouble keeping busy on Earth, he was glad to be seriously thinking about gate travel again. There'd been some concern early on that he might not regain the full use of his shoulder, but he'd slowly been working through the pain and stiffness in PT. The nature of his injuries still had Janet keeping him confined to the base at night, however she'd allowed him to move out of the infirmary and into his on base quarters. It wasn't the same as actually being home, but he welcomed the added privacy and comforts that came along with it.
Jack was nearly at the elevator bay when he heard a loud, resonating crash from further down the hall. Moving as fast as his body would allow, he hurried toward the source of the sound. About a third of the way down the corridor he stopped and poked his head through a familiar door.
"Everything okay in here, Car…?" His question petered out when he saw the floor was covered with random pieces of electronics, tools, and an assortment of nuts, bolts, and screws. "Oh."
Standing on the other side of the workbench, a rather red faced Sam was looking disgustedly down at the mess. "Hi, sir. Everything's fine."
"You sure?" he asked, trying not to step on anything as he entered the room. "'Cuz it sure looks like you've got a mess on your hands."
"Yeah, well, it's my hands that got me into this mess in the first place…" Grabbing a jar off the counter, Sam knelt and started scooping up handfuls of hardware.
Jack found an empty box beside the trashcan and carefully got down on his knees to help.
"You don't have to help, sir," she said, knowing it was still difficult for him to get up and down. "Really. I've got it. You shouldn't be…"
"I'm not going to break, Carter. I can help pick up a few loose screws. Who knows – maybe I'll find some to replace the ones I've lost over the years." He was hoping to make her smile, but Sam's frown held firm. "What happened anyway?"
"I was evaluating a glitch in one of the MALP motherboards when a spasm went through my damn hand. It made me rake my whole arm through the diagnostic equipment and toolkit. I'm lucky I wasn't using my laptop, or else it would be in pieces on the floor right now too."
"Are you all right?" Jack asked, obviously concerned.
"I'm fine. I'm just…"
"Just what?"
Sam shook her head. "Nothing."
The colonel frowned, but allowed the issue to slide for the moment. He could tell she wasn't herself, and was obviously trying to hide whatever was bothering her. He'd noticed a change in her attitude a couple of days after they'd both gotten their casts removed. While he'd been ecstatic just to be able to shower again, she'd been spending more and more time hidden away in her lab. They'd gone to PT together, and he'd overheard her coach telling her she needed to pace herself more. Even now as he watched her from the corner of his eye, she was trying to use her right hand as if it had never been injured, struggling with the little things and fumbling the larger ones.
She's frustrated…he thought, seeing some of the same emotions he'd been struggling with mirrored on her face. He knew his issues stemmed from inactivity, while hers came from the inability to work with her hands. She'd initially coped well when she was in charge of the MALP overhaul, but now that the project was nearing its completion, it was difficult for her to find things she could readily do. Most of her busywork around the base consisted of fine tuning thorny machinery or dissecting alien technology. With her right hand still healing from the accident, she was unable to do anything requiring fine dexterity.
Her jar filled to capacity, Sam went to place it on the counter when another muscle spasm knocked it from her hand. Cringing in anticipation of the crash, she was surprised when the sound of shattering glass didn't come. When she opened her eyes to see why, she found Jack holding the jar up for her to take.
"I think you dropped this."
"Thanks," she uttered, slightly embarrassed.
They finished cleaning up the mess in silence, Jack handing off the bigger items so she could put them in their proper place. He deliberately went slow, making sure she had time to get a good grip on whatever he gave her with both hands. He saved the largest item for last, not because of its size, but because of what it was. For as technologically challenged as he was, he still recognized the guts of a computer when he saw them, and this particular piece looked expensive.
"Is it all right?" he asked, passing her the piece of the MALP's computer.
Sam placed the heavy gauge box on her worktable and poked through its various components. "It looks okay," she said, sounding both surprised and relieved. "But I won't know for sure until I plug it back in. They're built to take a beating, so there's a chance it survived the fall."
Using a chair for support, Jack hauled himself to his feet and sat down. His ribs hurt from crawling around on the floor, but he did his best not to show it. "Well if it didn't, it's in capable hands."
"Not with me, it isn't." Sam shook her head. "I'm just surprised I didn't drop it sooner."
Jack swiped a pair of pliers from the table and began to fiddle with them. "It's okay to be frustrated, you know."
"I'm not even sure that describes how I feel." She sighed and looked over at the slowly growing pile of projects that were awaiting her attention. "I have a ton of stuff to do, but I can't trust my hand enough to do any of it. For some crazy reason I thought when the cast came off, I'd be ready to go. It never even crossed my mind that I'd still…" She looked up at her commanding officer. He hadn't said anything, but just by the way he was holding himself she could tell he was sore. "I'm sorry, sir. You're the last person I should be complaining to."
"Or maybe the first," Jack replied. "I know how you feel, Carter. Sometimes it's harder to be on the edge of recovery than it is when you first get hurt. You know where you want to be, you can see it and sense it, but you can't quite reach it."
"I just don't like sitting around and doing nothing. I feel like I'm not…I don't know…earning my keep or something."
Jack's eyebrows rose. "Earning your keep? You're a soldier, Carter, not an animal. However there have been situations where I could see getting the two confused." She gave him a meek smile, but he wanted more. "Seriously though, with all the stuff you've done for the Stargate program, you've more than earned your keep. Hell, just your work on the MALP project alone saved the base a bundle. If you hadn't been around to do it, Hammond would have put Siler in charge, and you know what happens when he gets around electricity."
Sam grinned in earnest as he mimed an explosion. She knew he was trying to make her lighten up and laugh – his preferred method of dealing with stress. She supposed she was being a little critical of herself, but her personal expectations were high. Downtime for her was modifying everyday equipment to sniff out alien materials or figuring out how to merge Earth technology with something found off world. She was happiest when her mind and body were both busy; anything less made her feel like she was wasting time.
"So if I can't do what I want to do, what should I do?" she asked, half expecting him to offer her the use of his Simpsons tapes again.
Jack was a little taken back by her question; Sam was usually the one he turned to for all the answers. "Er…well, there're lots of things. You could go for a walk, read a book, take in a movie, head to the gym to build up your cardio…just because you're at work, doesn't necessarily mean you have to work." She was frowning, but he could tell she was listening. "I know you love your job, but don't risk doing permanent damage to your hand because of a little impatience. We need you out there, Carter. SG-1 would be lost without you."
She turned to see if he was being serious, then gave him a 'where'd you pull that from?' look.
"I mean it!" Jack insisted when he saw her doubt. "So I borrowed some of it from what Teal'c said to me, but he's right. If I had given into my frustrations and impatience at being sidelined with injuries, I would've had to retire years ago. Now that's not to say I still don't occasionally push my luck – just ask Fraiser – but sometimes it helps to be reminded that there are other people waiting for you to recover just as anxiously as you are yourself."
Others…? He must mean Daniel and Teal'c… Although they didn't have injuries to contend with, the accident had turned their worlds upside down too. Sam knew they'd been concerned about her and Jack, but it was only natural given they were all teammates, friends, and essentially family. They'd been able to go back work by joining other SG teams, but going off world with a team other than your own could be difficult. The different people, tactics, and expectations led to an all around different, and sometimes complicated, team dynamic.
The colonel and I just want to get back to work; Daniel and Teal'c just want to get back to normal. And here I am trying to do things I'm not ready to do, possibly delaying the process even more…
Looking at it from this new perspective, Sam found herself feeling less frustrated and more selfish. She wasn't just recovering for herself, but for her teammates as well. Should one of them become unable to fight and have to leave SG-1, things would never be the same. The team dynamic would be changed and the synergy that allowed them to perform so well would be destroyed. She knew she couldn't be responsible for something like that.
"That's some good advice," she said at last.
"Well, you know Teal'c – he's full of it."
"You are too, sir."
"Full of it? Yeah, I know. My mother used to say that all the time, especially when I used to track mud through the house and blame it on one of the dogs. It worked the first couple of times, but then she…"
"No, no!" she laughed, cutting him off before he launched headlong into a tangent. "I mean you have some good advice of your own to offer."
Jack gave a lopsided shrug, his right shoulder still too sore to complete the gesture. "Like I said, I've been here before. I know what to expect and how things go. But even an old pro like me sometimes needs to be reminded of the big picture."
Sam nodded. Although much of his past was still classified, she knew he'd sustained several serious injuries throughout his career. It wasn't something he spoke of readily, but his scars were evidence enough. If there was anyone she could trust when it came to coping with the difficulties of recovery, it was him.
Feeling better for having aired her frustrations, she started to ask how his morning session with Cassie had gone when she noticed the small pile of red shavings on the top of the workbench. "Ah, colonel…" she said, realizing he'd been occupying his ever busy hands by picking the plastic coating off her good pair of pliers.
Jack followed her gaze down to the mess on the table and then back up to the pliers in his hand. "Aw, crap…" he muttered, seeing what he'd done. He quickly brushed the pieces of plastic onto the floor. "Sorry, Carter…"
"It's okay, sir," she chuckled. "But do you think you could put those down before you strip all the plastic off the handles?"
"Where do you want them?"
"Top drawer right in front of you is fine."
He plucked a final fraying piece of plastic from the pliers before reaching for the drawer. As he pulled it open, a familiar object caught his eye. "Hey, where'd you find this?" he asked, holding up the yellow yo-yo with a smiley face.
"In your backpack the day of the accident. We stopped at the campsite to give Daniel and Teal'c a chance to clear a path. Janet needed to stay with you, so I went through our gear and pulled out the necessities."
"And you considered this a necessity?"
"No…well…soft of. We didn't know when – if ever – we'd be able to go back for the rest of our stuff. I knew Teal'c had given it to you as a gift, and I didn't think it was something you'd want left behind."
"You're right – it isn't. Thanks, Carter."
Sam watched in silent amusement as he slipped the string loop over his finger and began to play. Down, up, catch. Down, up, catch. It was amazing how easy he made it look, moving effortlessly between tricks. I just hope he doesn't try to do an 'Around the World' in here… she thought, imagining the amount of damage he could do if he swung the yo-yo over his head. She breathed a small sigh of relief when the toy bumped the leg of the table and spun out while he was 'Walking the Dog.'
"Damn…" he muttered, retrieving the yo-yo and rewinding the string. "Interference."
"You make it look so easy, sir," Sam said. "My brother Mark had one when we were growing up. I could never seem to get the hang of it."
Jack looked up, surprised. "Really? A physics genius like you couldn't figure out a yo-yo?"
She shrugged. "I guess I was never coordinated enough."
"I bet you are now. Here, give it a shot," he said, tossing the toy across the table.
Sam caught it against her chest with both hands, the smiley face grinning up at her when she brought it forward. "I don't know…"
"Come on. Give it a try."
Doubtful, she slipped the loop over her finger and allowed the yo-yo to fall towards to floor. Rather than returning to her when she moved her hand upward, the yo-yo lost all vertical momentum and started to spin wildly on the end of its string. "See," she said, pulling it up to rewind it. "I told you I wouldn't be able to do it."
"Come on, Carter. It was a good try. Your timing is off that's all," Jack said, coming around the table so he could see her better. "Put it on and try again, only this time pull up just before it reaches the end of the string, not after."
"But sir…"
"Ah! Try it again. That's an order."
Sighing, Sam put her finger through the loop and did as Jack suggested. To her astonishment, the yo-yo fell, paused for an instant, and retraced its path up the string and into her waiting hand.
"There ya go!" Jack exclaimed, clapping her on the back. "I knew you would get it once you knew the secret."
Still convinced it was just a fluke, she tried it a few more times. Down, up, catch. Down, up, catch. A pleased smile slowly spread across her lips. I'm doing it… she thought, dismissing the feeling of foolishness that kept trying to creep into her mind. Just wait until I see Mark again…he won't believe it…
Jack's grin widened as he watched his teammate's confidence with the yo-yo grow. "I thought you said you couldn't do it?"
"I guess I was wrong."
"Does it hurt?"
Sam brought the yo-yo to a stop. "No – why would it?" She looked down at the hand that was holding it in. It was her right one.
"You didn't realize you were using your right hand?" he asked.
"No…I guess I just used that hand out of habit."
"And it didn't hurt?"
"Not really – no more than those things I got in PT," she said, nodding toward the cluster of three hand strengthening balls on the counter. "It felt kind of good actually. A different way of stretching my wrist." She looked at the smiley face painted on the toy again before holding it out for him to take. "Thanks for showing me how to use this, sir. I appreciate it."
"Why don't you hang on to it for a while," he suggested. "Use it to get your hand back into shape."
"I can't…"
"Sure you can. And once you've practiced enough, I'll show you some tricks. There's 'Walk the Dog', 'Rock the Baby', 'Skin the Cat', 'Around the World'…all kinds."
Sam smiled. "Thanks. I'll take good care of it."
"I know you will."
Tucking the yo-yo into the safety of her pocket, Sam looked at the MALP hard drive sitting on the table. "I suppose I should hook this up and see if it still works."
"Or you could come with me. I was on my way to meet Daniel and Teal'c for lunch when I came to investigate the crash. You're more than welcome to join us if you want."
"I should get this done."
"Okay," Jack said, starting toward the door. "But I heard from a reliable source that the kitchen made these huge whoopie pies for dessert today."
This caught her interest. "How huge?"
"Honkin' huge. Come on," he said, motioning her to follow him. "You can't miss this."
"You're right. I can't." Abandoning her work, she joined him at the door. "I really meant what I said about you teaching me how to use the yo-yo. I know at my age it sounds foolish, but…"
"Not at all, Carter. I enjoy educating people in the fine art of yo-yoing," he said as they stepped out into the hall. "I can juggle too."
"Juggle? Really?"
"Yep."
"Wow. I didn't realize you were so talented, sir."
Jack shook his head. "I hardly call that talent. It's just one of those things I keep up my sleeve. They're good for entertaining kids or livening up a boring briefing. Although the brass usually doesn't see the humor behind it…"
Sam grinned. At first she couldn't picture an Air Force colonel and former Special Forces officer as an avid juggler, but then she remembered who'd loaned her the grinning yo-yo. Despite his career and training, Jack O'Neill was really just a big, playful kid at heart.
Arriving at the elevator bay, she slid her ID card to call for a lift. "So when did you acquire that unique ability?"
"High school. Next time you're over at the house, I'll let you see my balls." As soon as words left his mouth, Jack knew he'd messed up. "My juggling balls."
"I knew what you meant, sir," Sam replied. She was trying her hardest to keep a straight face, but she could feel her cheeks starting to glow red. "Daniel and Teal'c should probably be there too."
"Really? You think they'd be interested?" He was relieved and a little impressed by his second's ability to keep composed despite his potentially risqué mistake. Had their roles been reversed, he wasn't so sure he could have kept his so easily. Granted Carter wouldn't be offering to show me her balls. She'd probably have me down to her lab to see her junk… Cringing, Jack mentally kicked himself. Hard.
"Maybe," she began noticing that his face had suddenly gone as red as hers felt. "But I was thinking we might want witnesses. If anyone overheard what you just said, the rumors around here might get ugly."
The elevator car arrived and the doors slid open. "It could have been worse," Jack said, following her inside. "I could have offered to let you play with them too."
His last comment proved to be too much for Sam, and she began to laugh. He joined in, clutching at his side to support his ribs. He knew he'd be sore later on, but he didn't care. The hard laughter felt good.
Feeling the elevator begin to slow a few floors before their own, the two teammates fought to compose themselves in a hurry. The last thing they wanted was for someone to catch them in hysterics and have to explain what was so funny. With a monumental effort, they managed to sober up just as the doors opened and a young officer stepped inside.
"Colonel. Major."
"Airman," Jack greeted. If the kid sensed anything questionable had been going on just moments before, he gave no indication as he slid his badge and punched in his destination. If anything, he seemed to be a little intimidated by their presence. Good boy. Keep your eyes low and mouth shut and you might just see lieutenant someday…
The elevator resumed its slow climb up the mountain. Jack settled back against the wall and watched as the floor numbers ticked by. Sam slid over beside him and sighed. Both knew that eye contact at this point would be dangerous, but they were helpless not to look at one another. It was only through sheer determination that they managed to keep from cracking up and looking like complete fools in front of the young officer.
God I wish I knew what she was thinking… he thought, seeing the playful twinkle of laughter in her eyes. As if reading his thoughts, Sam winked and moved her hands up and down as if she were juggling. Jack grinned. Then again, sometimes it's better not to…
Jack grimaced as he tried to flex his shoulder. Even with the medication he'd taken with breakfast, the joint had taken a beating during PT. His recovering chest muscles hadn't fared much better, each step jarring them just enough to remind him he was far from being healed. He knew lying down for a while was the only remedy, and he'd headed off to do so as soon as he'd been freed from the torment of physical therapy.
He arrived at his room to discover a manila envelope with his name on it taped to the door. Curious, he pulled it down and carried it inside. His base quarters were nothing spectacular, which was how he chose to keep them. The large room contained a bed, a footlocker, a table, an assortment of chairs, and a small chest of drawers. Except for the TV on top of the dresser, it had none of what he considered to be the creature comforts of home. It was a private place to sleep when he needed to stay close to the base and nothing more. Home, after all, was where he preferred to be.
Jack carried the envelope over to the bed and sat down. Bracing himself for the pain he knew was coming, he swung his legs up and settled back against the mound of pillows he'd arranged earlier. "Ow…ow…crap…" he grumbled as his abused shoulder and ribs began to throb in time to his beating heart. These daily occurrences of post PT pain were becoming an annoyance, however he'd refused Janet's offer of stronger medication. It wasn't that he couldn't handle the pain; he'd just been hoping for more of an improvement in his condition by now.
As the throbbing came down to a more tolerable level, Jack turned his attention to the envelope. His name was written across the front of it in long, flowing script that was decisively female. Turning it over, he undid the catch and opened it. Inside he found an unsealed legal sized envelope that was addressed to Janet Fraiser, with the local school department listed as the sender.
Already…? He thought, not having expected it to arrive so soon.
Several weeks earlier, Cassie had gone back to school. She'd been understandably nervous about starting her new classes, but the confidence he'd given her over the summer was obvious. After the initial few days of introductions and reviews, she had quickly and comfortably settled in to the new routine. Keeping with his promise, Jack made himself as available as possible to help with homework, but the resourceful young girl often worked through the difficulties on her own.
At his suggestion and Cassie's approval, Janet had requested that the school issue a retest to see if her scores had improved. In his hands were the results of this test, and he was almost afraid to look. She'd shown a vast improvement while working with him, but would their summer of equations, word problems, and drills show up on paper too?
He steeled himself for the possibility of disappointment and opened the envelope. Inside were several sheets of folded paper. He opened them, scanning hastily through the formal cover letter that explained what the test was and its purpose. He turned the page. Staring up at him in black and white were Cassie's latest results printed alongside her scores from May and the averages of her peers. Her reading, writing, and social studies scores had remained relatively unchanged from the initial test, putting her academically right in line with where she should be according to the school. Her science score increased from a low C average to a B, and her math score…
That can't be right… It was circled several times in red ink with an arrow pointing to a single word written in the margin: amazing. Jack rubbed his eyes and blinked hard a couple of times before looking at it again. The numbers hadn't changed. That's impossible. It has to be a mistake. There's no way she could go from a low D average to a…
A knock at the door nearly had Jack launching out of bed. He swore and gripped his ribs. "What?" he barked.
The door slowly opened and a rather guilty looking Sam stuck her head in. "I'm sorry, sir. Is this a bad time?"
"Carter! No, now's fine. You just startled me, that's all."
Still looking guilty, Sam stepped into his room and closed the door.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Not much," she replied. "We just got out of a briefing and General Hammond thought you might like to look at the mission details." She produced a blue folder from under her arm and held it out for him to take.
"Definitely." He accepted the folder and flipped it open. "Is this your command?"
"Yeah. It's been awhile, so I'm a little nervous, but it'll just be me, Daniel, and Teal'c." Her weeks of taking proper care of her right hand had finally paid off. She'd been cleared for active duty several days ago, and this would be her first time through the gate since the accident.
"You'll be fine," Jack assured her, scanning down through the notes. "It's a supply run."
"Janet thought it might be a good idea to ease me back into things. She said my hand is ready to go, but she's requested a few day missions just to work out any remaining twinges before we potentially head into battle."
"Makes sense," he agreed, silently relieved. Although he wouldn't admit it aloud, he'd grown increasingly nervous about his team going off world without him. He hadn't been so concerned when Daniel and Teal'c were joining up with other teams, as there was always plenty of firepower around if things went bad. Now that Sam was better, they would be going off on their own, and he couldn't help fearing what would happen if they ran into trouble. His sensible side knew they could take care of themselves, but his protective side wouldn't stop broadcasting worst-case scenarios through his mind. It wasn't to say he could always keep them from harm, he just knew he'd feel awful if he hadn't at least been there to try.
"I guess SG-11 has been waiting for these supplies for a few days now, but bad weather on their end has prevented a team from going out."
"Just don't forget the good coffee. Major Hawkins tends to get cranky without it."
She smiled and took the folder back. "What about you, sir? You look kind of tired."
"I'm doing all right. I got beat up in PT, but Lieutenant Ports says I'm making progress."
"That's good to know," Sam approved. "I'm sorry I startled you earlier. You weren't sleeping, I hope."
"No, I was reading this actually." Jack passed her the report from the school.
"What is it?"
"The results from Cassie's retest."
"Really?" Sam read down through the information, her eyebrows slowly rising as she went. "Colonel, this is incredible."
"I thought it was a mistake."
"No, sir, I don't think so, and according to this letter, neither does the school. All of Cassie's scores show improvement, but her math one is amazing. To go from a low D average to a high B in just two and a half months – that's just…wow."
"She's a smart kid."
"She also had a smart teacher."
Jack made a dismissive motion with his hand. "She did all the hard work," he said modestly. "I just occasionally pointed her in the right direction."
"Well you both should be proud of yourselves. My god, Janet must be ecstatic."
"I haven't talked to her personally yet. The letter was taped to my door when I got back from PT."
"She's going to be happy, there's no doubt about that." She took a quick glance at the third page, smiled, and passed it back to Jack. "Very happy." She watched as he looked over the scores again. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but there was definitely something going on behind those dark eyes.
"I'll let you get some rest, sir. I just stopped by to let you know we got a mission and to see how you were doing. Thanks for showing me the results of Cassie's retest. Again, it's amazing." As she turned to leave, she recalled another reason she had come. "I almost forgot. I also wanted to give this back." She reached into her pocket and withdrew the yo-yo he had loaned her.
He held up his hand and she tossed it, the wooden toy coming to rest against his palm. "Did you use it?"
"I sure did. I shaved almost a full week of recovery time because of that thing. My physical therapist was so impressed, he's considered using it for some of his other patients."
"Well he can't have this one." Jack looked down at the prized toy in his hand and frowned. "What…?" One of the yo-yo's goofy grins now sported girlie eyelashes and rosy red cheeks.
"I thought it needed a little more personality." The colonel was clearly amused by her additions. "Do you want me to make the other side match…?"
"No! No, this is good," he said, clutching it protectively to his chest. "If anyone asks, I can say it has a split personality."
Sam snickered. Only he would look at it from that perspective.
"But seriously – I'm glad your hand is better and that you're going back to work. For real work, I mean. Not the stuck on base stuff you've been suffering through. And don't worry about being in command – you'll do fine."
"Thanks, colonel. I'm sure we'll be all right. It just won't be the same without you out there with us." She saw a flicker of emotion cross Jack's face, but it was gone again before she could identify it. "You'll be with us again soon though, and I'll do my best to keep Daniel and Teal'c in line until then."
He gave an amused snort. "Hell, Carter, if you can keep Daniel in line, you can have the job."
She smiled and headed for the door. He was back to being modest again. "I'll see you at lunch, sir. And congratulations again for your success with Cassie."
"Thanks." Jack watched her go, sighing deeply when the door finally shut. Sam had touched on a nerve when she'd mentioned him not going off world with the team, but he understood what she was trying to say. It would be odd for him too not having anyone from SG-1 around for company. They'd been on missions without him before, but watching them go through the gate alone just never seemed to get any easier.
He picked up the papers from the school and looked over Cassie's scores again, his eyes drawn to the math score Janet had circled in red. It was true; she had gone from a low D average in math to a high B with less than three months of tutoring. He suspected she'd possessed the knowledge and ability all along; it was her lack of confidence and fears that made her fall behind. Now she's sitting two points higher than her class average…and they wanted to keep her back…
Jack started to toss the papers onto the nightstand when he realized he'd missed the last page. He turned to it and found another letter. Like the page before, some of the text was underlined in red with an arrow leading up to a large exclamation point drawn in the margin. He scanned down through the letter, which was congratulatory in nature. The guidance department was pleased to see that Cassie's test scores had improved, and they now felt confident that she was inline with the rest of her classmates. To Jack, it all seemed to be quite pretentious, at least until he got to part that Janet had highlighted.
'…We are pleased to see you chose to invest in professional tutoring for Cassandra. The results are overwhelming, and the effects will be far reaching into her future…'
Jack stopped and reread the last part over again. …You chose to invest in professional tutoring…Professional tutoring?
"Ha!" A bark of laughter escaped him when he realized what was being said. Based on Cassie's performance, the school actually believed Janet had hired a professional tutor over the summer. Little did they know it had been a grizzled Air Force colonel that was grounded by injury. Jack shook his head and began to chuckle. Wouldn't I like to be the one to burst their bubble… he thought, imagining the look on their faces when they discovered whom their "professional tutor" really was. But, then again, maybe things would be more interesting if they didn't know.
Still chuckling to himself, Jack folded up the papers and put them aside. Even without the guidance department's assumption, he couldn't have asked for a better outcome for his work with Cassie. He was proud of her, Janet was proud of her, and she even seemed to be proud of herself. And with the improvements she made, she certainly had reason to be…
Jack adjusted some of the pillows and settled back with a sigh. He wanted to find Janet and congratulate her on her daughter's success, but Sam's observations had been correct: he was tired. He also knew moving around too much so soon after PT would leave him sore and irritable for the rest of the day. Finding Janet could wait until later; right now he needed a nap and some recovery time from his session of prescribed torture.
Yawning, Jack tucked his good arm behind his head and closed his eyes. He thought back over the summer and the work he'd done with Cassie. She'd been so unsure of herself during those first few lessons, but had responded well to his easygoing teaching style. He recalled the look she'd get on her face whenever she grasped a new concept, and how happy she'd been when she finally conquered her fear of the blackboard. Now she was sitting at the top of her class where she both belonged and deserved to be.
As Jack drifted off to sleep, a single word came to mind when he thought about Cassie's achievements: A-mazing…