500 Words

Jennifer barely managed to keep the tears at bay as she watched Rodney sleep peacefully in the bed. Ordinarily she would enjoy watching him in such a serene state, but the fact that his current peace was medically induced took the edge off any joy or happiness she would have otherwise felt.

As it was, the only thing that kept her from breaking down completely was the knowledge that he would eventually be okay.

"You had to do it, didn't you?" she whispered as her right hand caressed his. It was virtually the only part of him that had managed to escape injury. "You just had to be the hero."

She could just imagine the 'Has she lost her mind' looks she would have received from most people. Funny how they still couldn't imagine Rodney being the hero, even after all this time and all he'd done.

Jennifer looked up to his closed eyes. She could imagine the bright blue orbs underneath the closed lids looking at her as she'd seen many times before, and for a moment she could feel herself getting lost in them.

She shook herself out of that sensation and let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in. She winced when it came out in a pitiful shudder.

They were supposed to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary in two days, and in all likelihood she would be the only one of them conscious and definitely not in the mood to celebrate because her husband had gone and almost gotten himself killed.

Again.

"You need to stop, Rodney," she said as she tightened her hold on his hand. "We made a pact to be with each other until…" Her voice failed as she remembered their vows and how they ended with '…til death do you part.' She sniffed back the tears and thought back to the first time they'd physically become one. They had still been basking in the afterglow when she commented that she could have stayed like that forever. Rodney, having found a foothold into the realm of romanticism immediately replied that he'd agreed wholeheartedly and promised to do all that he could to make it happen.

Jennifer cleared her throat and leaned in closer to Rodney. "We're in this together, Rodney. I need you and every time you go through the gate I… I don't know if you'll be coming back." She sighed and blinked causing the tears that had been constantly building up to finally spill onto her cheeks. She leaned down and cuddled her cheek against the back of his hand. "You need to promise me you'll be careful." It was the best she could hope for. He was the brightest of them all and needed in the field, and he loved doing what he did. She just couldn't ask him to stop going. "Just…promise me."

If she had been looking at his face at that moment, she would have seen Rodney silently mouth, "I promise."

A/N: "We Made a Pact" was written by Tim Baker and released by his band Hey Rosetta! on their 2008 album Into Your Lungs.