Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author's Note: Long time, no see everyone! Sorry this took so long to get too, I've mostly moved over to AO3 at this point. Enjoy!

XxXxXxX

It was Daniel that ended up giving Jack an even better talk than Fraiser said. Of course it was. Somehow, that man knew exactly what needed to be said and done, even if he was usually clumsy in the execution.

He and Daniel were sitting in his living room, drinking beer. Teal'c was absent, but that was okay Jack felt that it needed to be just him and Daniel right now.

Jack stared into his beer bottle, contemplating what Daniel had said.

He heaved a deep sigh.

"Sam is still there, Jack."

"I know she is. It's just..." Jack blew out a breath.

Everything that Daniel had said, Jack confessing how seeing Carter like that made him feel... It had taken a lot out of him. Now they were fiddling with what was left of the conversation because they didn't feel satisfied with it.

There was no way to feel satisfied with this.

"You saw her, Daniel. It was like when that damn alien was in her body."

"Jack." Daniel chided. "It's not like that at all. Sam is there."

Jack dragged a hand over his face. They had just talked about this. But he needed to hear it again.

"Do you think she knows?"

Daniel paused.

"What?"

"Do you think that she knows how she is?"

Jack had no idea why that was what he said. He didn't think that was what he had intended to say. But he had seen Carter's reaction to not being normal. If she was still in there somewhere, did she know that? The idea that she didn't made Jack's heart twist.

"I don't know, Jack." Daniel's voice was quiet.

That was what Jack had thought and they lapsed into silence. Jack sipped his beer. He wondered if he should go by the hospital again. A part of him didn't want to. He felt horrible for that, but it was true. A part of him didn't wan to see Carter that way. A part of him didn't want to deal with her that way.

That made Jack feel more like a monster than any Goa'uld they had ever faced.

He didn't say that to Daniel. He didn't want to hear all the things that Daniel would say to him. About how he wasn't a monster. About how it was probably normal to be feeling tha way and that Jack needed to talk about it instead of being ashamed of it.

Jack didn't want to hear any of that. He felt that he was entitled to his emotions.

"If she'd just listened to me, we wouldn't be in this mess." he said bitterly.

Daniel looked stunned.

"Jack- "

"If Carter had listened to me, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have gotten shot. She wouldn't have ended up in the coma. She wouldn't be like this now."

Jack stared into the empty fireplace, broodingly.

"Sam was doing what you would have done, Jack, if the situation had been reversed, if it had been any of us that was injured." Daniel said, shifting and setting his beer down.

"I'm her commander. She should have listened to me. If she had-"

"You and Teal'c could be dead right now, Jack."

"But she wouldn't be in that hospital trying to learn how to freaking count, Daniel! If she had just listened to me, she would be normal right now!"

"Don't do that, Jack. Don't you dare do that!" Daniel shot to his feet and stalked to stand in front of Jack. Jack had never seen him so angry. "If you go on like that, that means that what she did means nothing to you! That her sacrifice means nothing. Don't do that to her, Jack."

Daniel's eyes were blazing. Jack stared at him. He hadn't meant for it come across like that. He hadn't meant it that way at all.

"Daniel- " he started, but it turned out that Daniel wasn't done.

"No, Jack. Sam saved you. She gave her life for you. Don't go around hating her for her decision or talking about what's happened like that, because that's not fair to her. Sam wouldn't do that if it were you. Don't do it to her."

Jack stared at Daniel.

"I'm not trying to lessen what she did, Daniel. But I can not like what happened to her because of it."

They stared at each other. Daniel looked more upset than Jack had really been expecting him too off of what he had said.

Daniel's shoulders suddenly slumped and he turned away, running his hands over his face and his fingers under his glasses. He was upset. More upset than just getting angry with Jack.

Jack, feeling bad, got up and put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. His bitterness ebbed out and the pain of the situation returned. Daniel shrugged him off, but Jack wouldn't let him. Jack felt like he had been selfish with this. He knew that everyone else had been going through things too, of course, when it came to Sam, but they hadn't really talked about it.

Jack hadn't been thinking about what Daniel was going through now that Sam had woken up. Now he had to face that he wasn't the only one.

"Daniel." Jack said, a little belatedly. "You can talk about it."

Daniel shook his head. He didn't say anything at first and Jack went to pick up the box of kleenex that was sitting on the table. He always kept extra around because of Daniel and he had a feeling that Daniel really needed them right now.

He proffered the box. Daniel pulled a tissue from it, blotting his eyes with it.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. Carter...Carter is your friend too. I know that this is hard. That it hurts."

Those words were incredibly inadequate for what was going on and what Daniel was feeling, but they were the only things that Jack could think to say. There weren't any good words for how any of them were feeling. Not in this language, anyway. Daniel probably knew a few in some other language.

"No kidding." Daniel muttered.

Somehow that broke the tension. And that was what they needed.

Once Daniel had steadied himself, they sat together on the couch. They weren't really talking, because even now sitting down and delving deep into their emotions together wasn't something either of them were really into.

But they understood what they were feeling and Jack felt like Daniel had, in just a few words, managed to screw his head on straight.

And that, Jack thought as he sipped his beer, was a very good thing.

XxXxXxX

The next day, Jack was feeling extremely anxious as he stood at the end of the ramp in the gateroom with Hammond as Jacob came through the gate.

The man hadn't been here since Carter had woken up and they hadn't included details other than she had woken up in their message to the Tok'ra. There was no way that they could tell him about through a message like that. There was just no way.

Jack had a feeling that it was really going to be up to him to talk to Jacob about how Carter was right now. Hammond hadn't been to see her and only had Fraiser's report on it. Jack was the one that had been there the most other than Fraiser. He was the one that should do it. He was the one that needed to do it.

Being in Hammond's office as they both explained, was not something that Jack had ever wished to experience. Jacob knew about things like this, but hearing that it had happened to his daughter was much different.

Jack drove him to the hospital as soon as he had changed into civilian clothes.

They were silent the first few minutes of the drive, but the further they got from Cheyenne Mountain, the more restless Jacob became.

"Did she do that to you?" Jacob asked eventually.

"Do what to me?" Jack asked, blanking, and a little startled because that wasn't the question he was expecting.

"That shiner on your eye." Jacob answered, looking at him.

Jack nearly reached up to touch the black eye that he had nearly forgotten about. There was no point in lying.

"Yeah. She did."

"What is it like?" Jacob asked bluntly. "George gave me the rundown, but you were mostly quiet. George hasn't been to see Sam. You have."

"She's..." Jack drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, trying to think of a way to put it. "She doesn't remember any of us. She doesn't know...things. Fraiser's been having to teach her how to do things."

"And she gets violent?"

"No." Jack said immediately. "Only the once. I tried to stop her from throwing things and she hit me. She...freaked out about it after that."

"Why was she throwing things, Jack?"

"Because she couldn't count properly."

Jack wanted to close his eyes at this, but he was driving and he couldn't. Jacob was silent as Jack, a little haltingly, told Jacob everything that he had seen when he had visited Carter.

"What does Mark think about this?"

If there was any way that he could do this differently, Jack would have. He knew that Jacob and Mark had repaired things at least a little bit, but this was going to drive another wedge. And probably reinforce to the bastard that Jacob favored Carter over him.

"He went back to San Diego pretty fast. Daniel is legally responsible for Carter's medical decisions, so he didn't have to stick around. He..." Jack hesitated, then plowed ahead. "Took one look at her and left."

"Of course he did." Jacob sighed heavily.

They were silent the rest of the way to the hospital. Jacob was probably communicating with Selmak, who had stayed silent. That was mostly okay with Jack, but the silence gave him too much time to think. Too much time for things to crowd into his mind and he hated that.

When they got to the hospital, Fraiser was there to meet them once they had signed in and gotten their visitor stickers. She had been here more than she really should have, being the primary doctor of the SGC, but Hammond had allowed it and Jack understood it.

"Can we see her, Doctor?" Jacob asked.

He didn't know Fraiser that well and Jack wondered if he even knew just how close Carter and Fraiser were.

"Of course, General." Fraiser said.

"You can just call me Jacob. Not really a general anymore." Jacob was clearly antsy and Fraiser nodded before he continued. "How is she?"

"She's been calm today. Daniel and Teal'c were by to see her earlier and she was calm with them."

Jacob nodded and Jack could see the muscle popping in his jaw.

"You know, Jacob, I could just stay out here if you want to see her alone." he said, a little awkward, because he just been following routine to sign in to visit Carter.

Jacob shook his head tightly and didn't elaborate. Jack accepted that. If the man needed moral support, then he needed moral support.

The three of them walked down the hall together. Fraiser opened the door to Carter's room and knocked lightly on it, Jacob and Jack bunching up behind her.

"Sam. You have some visitors." she said, then glanced back at them. "I'll stay out in the hall. I don't want to overwhelm her. Call if you need me."

She moved back and Jack trailed a few steps behind Jacob as the older man entered the room.

Carter was sitting on the bed, holding something in her lap. She looked up at them, seeming puzzled and curious. Her eyes skipped over Jacob, landed on Jack in recognition, then went back to Jacob. She frowned slightly.

"Sam." Jacob said, clearing his throat. "Hey, kiddo. How...how are you doing?"

Jack felt a twist in his chest at the fact it was clear that Jacob didn't know what to do or how to start out in this situation. Which was fair, because none of them, not even Fraiser, had known what to do. The world had been a very confusing and scary place to Carter when she had woken up-it still was-and they hadn't made it any better.

Carter just stared at her father, blinking and seeming puzzled.

Jacob let out a shuddering breath.

Carter pointed at Jacob, the gesture demanding. Jack could tell that the only reason she wasn't reacting badly to a 'stranger' was because Fraiser had come in first and Jack had accompanied Jacob, thus making it obvious that people she was familiar with were comfortable with him.

He nudged Jacob a little closer to the bed, leaning closer so that Carter wouldn't hear what he said, because he didn't want her to hear, but he knew what she wanted.

"Tell her who you are, Jacob."

Jacob nodded, letting out a deep breath.

"I'm your dad, Sam. Do...do you remember?"

Carter just stared. She didn't say anything. Jack knew that she could, but she didn't even try. She just stared and said nothing.

Jacob's shoulders slumped.

A part of Jack wondered if Carter even remembered what a dad was.

"How are you feeling?" Jacob tried.

Carter shrugged, still seeming wary. That response seemed normal, but Jack knew that it also had to do with her verbal communication problems. That Broca's Aphasia thing or whatever it was.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, Sam. And I'm sorry that your brother..." Jacob trailed off, shakng his head.

Carter narrowed her eyes and Jack wondered if she was still trying to figure out who Jacob was. It was clear that she still hadn't figured it out.

"Bbbrrrr...rrrotth...thher."

Jack had no idea why that was what she latched on to instead of dad, but maybe brother was something that made more sense to her.

Jacob winced a little, but Jack thought that was a normal reaction to hearing Carter's messed-up speech for the first time, even if he had known it was coming.

"Yes, Sam. Your brother. Mark."

Jacob said.

"Sssss...aaa...aad."

"You're sad about Mark?" Jacob asked, seeming perplexed.

Carter shook her head a little, brows lowering in a glare. Jack recognized her frustration setting in and he wanted to avoid her having another...well, he supposed the word was tantrum, really, even though he didn't want to apply that to a grown woman, let alone Carter.

But he also recognized what she was trying to communitcate by saying sad, so he butted into the conversation again.

"Mark was 'sad' when he saw her." Jack told Jacob, looking at the older man before shooting a look to Carter. "You're being way too generous, Carter. He was being a selfish bastard."

"Bbbaaa...sssttt...aarrrddd." Carter perked up when she said this. "Mmm...arrrk."

"That's right, Carter." Jack said approvingly, though his tone made him feel like he was talking to a child. That was an uncomfortable realization.

But Carter's repeating of his words broke Jacob's tension a little. He chuckled and moved closer to Carter.

"Yeah, he can be. We've talked about that before. But things were better for a while." Jacob said. "After Netu."

Jack knew that Jacob mentioned Netu to hopefully jog Carter's memory, but she looked blank. At the entire thing, but that was to be expected.

Jacob moved closer, drawing up the chair that Jack had occupied so much since Carter had been here. He sat down and faced Carter.

"What have got there, kiddo?" he asked, indicating whatever it was that Carter was holding in her lap.

Carter looked down and then held it up. It was a small stuffed dog and Jack recognized it as one that Carter had gifted Cassie soon after she had come to Earth. Fraiser must have brought it to Carter at Cassie's request. That was almost heartbreakingly sweet to Jack.

"That's...um..." Jacob seemed a bit at a loss for words on what to say about that.

Carter squeezed the dog and settled it back in her lap. She might not have remembered where it came from, but the look on her face told Jack she felt it was important. She frowned down at it for a few moments.

Jack stayed back slightly as Jacob tried to engage Carter more. It seemed that Carter had decided that she was done talking for today, but she did seem to be listening to Jacob. That was something. Jack interjected things here and there, though a part of him thought that he was intruding on a private moment.

But it would probably be much worse if he wasn't there, because it was clear that Carter didn't know who Jacob was and only felt secure because Fraiser had come in and Jack had stayed.

It was a horrible thought, but Jack was also glad that she hadn't freaked out. He had to have hope that something her mind remembered this, even if she couldn't scrounge it up herself. There had to be something in there.

Or maybe Jack was just fooling himself.

He found himself keeping an eye out for Selmak, wondering if she would make an appearance today. Jack didn't know if it would help the situation. There was a very good chance that Carter would freak out even more if she saw Jacob's eyes glow or heard a different voice come out of his mouth.

He knew that neither of them wanted that to happen, but there was also the fact that Selmak was much more direct with emotions and such things than either he or Jacob was. He had no idea if it was because Selmak was old and had seen a lot of stuff or if it was simply because she was female.

It wasn't like he could ask.

Well.

He could ask.

He just probably shouldn't.

Carter went from listening to Jacob talk to plain out ignoring him. Jack had no idea if it was intentional or not. He understood that her attention span was limited now, but he also knew that she had just been ignoring them when she didn't want to listen to them anymore. It was just hard to tell which one was going right now.

"Sam, honey..." Jacob said and Jack shifted forward, thinking that maybe he could get her attention back.

"Carter. Don't you want to talk to you dad?"

Carter looked at him for a moment, then shook her head firmly.

Jack nearly cringed at the look on Jacob's face before he managed to hide it.

"It's all right, kiddo. I'll come back tomorrow."

Jacob rose, hesitated for a moment and Jack knew that he had been about to kiss Sam on the forehead or something, then walked out of the room.

Carter waved her fingers after him, seeming content that Jacob was gone now, and went back to whatever it was that she had been thinking about or imagining or whatever.

Jack stood, giving Jacob a moment to collect himself, to talk to Fraiser.

"See you tomorrow, Carter."

Without waiting to see if she would respond or not, Jack turned and followed Jacob out of the room.

Author's Note: There we have it, another chapter.

If you liked it, please leave a review, they are greatly appreciated and really keep authors going!