samandjack.net

Story Notes: Songs used: Thank You For Loving Me by Bon Jovi (Thanks JEZ).

Thanks: To Sarah for editing it. :)


"Janet!"

Poking her head around the curtain that separated the beds, Janet answered Sam. "Yes?"

"Why am I here? What happen to my room?"

"Take it easy, Sam," Janet started. "An injured airmen needed it."

"Well you can have this bed too, if you let me go," Sam snapped. She had, had enough of the infirmary. She wanted to go home.

"Sam..."

"Janet, let me go home. I've had enough of this place," Sam interrupted as she crossed her arms. "No offense."

Watching Sam flinch but try to hid it, Janet gave it a quick thought. "You can go home but you can't do any heavy lifting. I want you to relax."

"Fine, I will."

"And one other thing."

"What?"

"I'm having an airmen drive you home."

"No way!"

Putting a hand up, Janet silenced Sam. "If not, you stay."

"Fine."

"Good."



*****



"Sorry sir for being late,"Janet apologized as she entered the briefing room.

"That's all right, Doctor. I know you have your hands full," General Hammond replied as Janet sat down. "First of all, how is SG-8 doing?"

"Airmen Duva took the worse of the explosion, but he should make a full recovery, sir," Janet reported. As she was going to continued, she looked up to see SG-1 enter the room.

"I called for them, Doctor," Hammond informed. "Colonel, Doctor, Teal'c."

Nodding his head, Teal'c took his seat. That was his greeting, a nod of his head.

"General," Daniel said as he sank into the chair beside Teal'c.

Quietly sitting down in a chair a few seats away from Janet, Jack wanted to ask how Sam was but remained quiet.

Picking up on the Colonel's mood, General Hammond asked instead. "How is Major Carter, Doctor?"

"She's doing fine, sir. Even though she tells me her shoulder is fine, I can tell she's still in pain," Janet explained. "I prescribed her bed rest."

"So, she's still in the infirmary?" Daniel asked basically for both him and Jack.

"No, she isn't," Janet answered as she looked at everyone. Stopping on Jack, she was about to continue, but thought differently. Instead she looked away, she didn't want to get the General suspicious.

"Doctor, where is the Major?" Hammond interrupted.

"Sorry sir," Janet apologized. "I sent Major Carter home."

"Home?" Jack finally asked.

"Yes. We made a deal."

"Deal, Doctor?" Hammond questioned.

"She could go home only if an airmen drove. She agreed."

"So then Colonel, SG-1 is on downtime till Major Carter is returned to active duty," Hammond directed to Jack.

"That's fine, sir. I rather have Major Carter back on board before we go out again," Jack answered truthfully as Daniel and Teal'c both watched him. He knew they knew exactly what he meant.

"All right," Hammond replied. "Doctor, when Major Carter is given the okay to return to duty, report to me."

"Will do, sir."

"Dismissed, then," Hammond announced as he got up and walked to his office.

Getting up, Jack watched the General leave then turned to Janet, who just happened to be waiting for him. "How is she doing?"

Knowing exactly what his question meant, Janet answered him. What she was about to tell him was the truth. But how Jack would react to it, she didn't know. "Physically she's healing. She still flinches from time to time. But emotionally, that will take longer. Unfortunately that's not my department and she won't open up to me."

Taking it all in, Jack never said a word. He understood she was healing on the outside, but the inside, he knew was his mess.

"Go see her, Jack."

Looking up, Jack saw Daniel standing beside Janet.

"If you two talk, you'll both heal."

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Jack looked at his friends. "Maybe." And with that, he left the room.

Watching Jack leave, Janet spoke up. "I hope they talk."

"We do too," Teal'c finally answered as Daniel nodded his head in agreement.

"Oh ya," Daniel added for good measure.



*****



Sinking down into her couch, Sam pulled a blanket up and over her. She was happy she was home but she was frustrated that she couldn't turn her thoughts off. Everytime she closed her eyes, everything that happened on Edora and at SGC would replay in her mind. So the end result, sleep wasn't an opinion.



*****



Jack wasn't sure where he was headed. He walked straight out of the briefing room and kept going. After all, it was a big mountain.



*****



Now curled up in a ball on her couch under the blanket, Sam channelled surfed. Nothing good was on.



*****



Jack eventually stopped walking.



*****



Sam eventually stopped channel surfing and landed on a talk show.



*****



Standing before him was the elevator. Staring at it, he knew what he had to do.



*****



Lifting his hand, Jack hesitated at first but then knocked. He didn't want to disturb her but needed too.

Lifting her head, Sam peered in the direction of her front door. Hearing the knocking, she wanted to see who it was but didn't want to move.

Jack knocked again.

Flipping the blanket off of her, Sam slowly sat up. She still didn't want to put much pressure on her shoulder. It still hurt. Getting up off the couch, finally, she padded to the front door.

Watching the door open, Jack held his breath.

"Jack!" Sam gasped as soon as she saw him.

"Hi," Jack started off with as he let his breath out.

"Why are you here?" Sam asked. She knew should of asked 'What are you doing here?' but the anger she had for him, resurfaced.

"I heard Janet released you."

"Ya think?"

Shaking his head, Jack continued on. "Can we talk?"

"No," Sam started as she tried to slam her door shut.

Stopping her, Jack placed his hands on the door and kept it open. "Sam, I know you don't want to be around me, but I still believe we need to talk."

Sighing deeply, Sam stared at Jack. "If we do, will you leave then?"

"Yes."

"Fine," Sam said as she left the door and returned to her couch.

As for Jack, who remained where he was, he took that as a follow me, talk then leave cue. Walking into her house, he closed the door and walked into the living room.

Curling up into a ball, like she had been before, Sam kept her eyes on the tv. "Talk now or leave."

Standing at the other end of the couch, Jack stared at her. He knew stalling would make her mad, so he started. "Janet told me that physically you're healing but emotionally you're all messed up because of me. Emotionally, it will take you longer to heal."

"Is that so?" Sam snapped. She knew Jack was exactly right and it scared her.

"Ya, that's so," Jack replied. "I know you're mad at me Sam, but I've always been told that talking helps."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Fine, then," Jack said as he sat down on the couch. He planned on going nowhere.

Peering over the blanket, for she had felt the couch move, Sam felt her anger flare. "Get out of here, Jack!"

"No."

"Jack!"

"I'm not leaving. We talk first, then I go."

Sitting up, Sam threw the blanket off of her. As she stood up, she spoke. "I'm going to bed. When I get up, you better be gone."

Watching her walk around the couch, just to avoid him, Jack never said a word. He wasn't leaving and telling her just that would make her even more angrier. He remained silent.

Leaving the living room, Sam climbed the stairs to the second floor, and on to her room. All the way there, she kept mumbling to herself. "Go away, Jack!"



*****



Sitting up, Sam took a deep breath. She had to calm herself down. It was only a dream. Maybe a nightmare.

She kept dreaming that Laira and Jack had left her on the planet. That they didn't care and she had died. Okay, plain and simple, it was a nightmare.

As she thought about her nightmare, she hadn't realized that she had gotten up and was making her way down the stairs. Although that all changed when she entered her living room.

"What the..." Sam begun as she noticed a human figure sprawled out on her couch. Of course this person was the same one she had told to leave earlier.

Avoiding the confrontation, Sam moved in the direction of her kitchen. Looking at the clock on the microwave, she saw that it was nine at night. She had been asleep for about four to five hours. Taking the kettle, she filled it up with water, placed back where she had taken it, off the counter top and plugged it in. She decided tea would help her sleep. Not a stiff drink.



*****



After making her tea, Sam returned to her living room. Frankly, she didn't know what to do. Should she wake him or let him sleep. She was unsure.

Sensing some one was in the room with him, Jack was just starting to wake up, he opened his eyelids and spoke out. "Sam?"

Surprised for he was awake, Sam jumped and answered him. "Why are you still here?"

"We need to talk."

"No, we don't. I have nothing to say to you."

"Well I have things to say to you."

"Well I won't listen."

Swinging his legs over the edge of the couch, Jack sat up. "I'm not leaving till you hear me out."

Shaking her head, Sam gave up and sank down into her big wicker chair and held her tea in her hands.

"You said earlier that you'd listen to what I had to say but you never did. So I didn't leave," Jack tried as he looked over at her.

"Tell me Jack, what's left to say. You're going back to Edora to be with Laira. If that's the case, you sure don't need my permission. So go already!"

"No Sam, that isn't it," Jack started. "I'm not going anywhere. After what Laira did, I will and don't want to see her again. What I want, which I have is to be is the commanding officer of SG-1 but I want you at my side."

"Oh sure, sweet talk me into staying. The minute I agree, your gone, running back into Laira's arms. Not likely!"

"That won't happen."

"As if it won't."

"You have to believe me."

"Ha! That's a little too hard to do at the moment. You were going to leave me die on that planet and play house with Laira."

"Damn it! I wasn't going to do any of that. If I had known you were hurt, I would of gotten you help or returned to SGC."

"Tell the truth here Jack. You mean you would of shipped me off, back to SGC either alone or with someone but you would of stayed with Laira."

"No way! Sam we're a team. We all would of gone."

"You wanna know something Jack. There's no 'I' in team," Sam said flat out. She hadn't given Jack time to respond, she had just continued on talking.

Baffled, Jack questioned her. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing, never mind."

Getting up from the couch, Jack moved to her. Sitting down on the edge of the coffee table, Jack sat before her. "I want to know what you meant by that. Tell me."

"I said, never mind."

"And I said no."

Placing her tea on the small end table beside the chair, Sam got up. Moving away from the chair, she also moved away from Jack. "You were going to blame me for that surprise attack. I saw the look in your eyes. But you would of been blaming the wrong person. Your talking to Laira in your own eyes, was a-okay. So you should realized that there is no 'I' in teamwork. I was doing my job, frankly, you weren't."

Having watched her, Jack looked back to the empty chair before him. Rubbing his forehead, Jack thought back to the surprise attack that had been sprung on them. Sam was right, if he hadn't been talking to Laira and were closer to Sam, he would of noticed the rebels. "I know you were," he finally told her.

About to pace, Sam stopped in her tracks and turned towards Jack. "Excuse me? Did I hear that right? Did Colonel Jonathan Charles O'Neill just admit I was right and he was wrong?"

A little amazed that Sam had used his full name, he was also aware of the sarcasm in her voice. Getting up, Jack turned and faced her. "Ya, you heard right. But I wasn't the one with the chip on her shoulder."

"Me! Have a chip? No way, I was the one with a hole through my shoulder. Of course, you may not remember," Sam snapped. "The instant she walked through the stargate, you forgot about everyone else and focussed only on her."

Looking down and away from her, Jack remained silent.

"Cat got your tongue?" Sam asked when Jack went silent.

"No."

"Ya right! You can't even face me," Sam started. There was no stopping her now. "You never even realized that I was the one who gave up 3 months of my life to get you off that planet."

"I never knew," Jack snapped back.

"You could of asked."

"You could of told me."

"You were to involved with yourself. You missed Laira too much."

"I was not. I was tired."

"Tired my ass," Sam snapped, yet once again. "We all know the real reason. You were homesick for Laira."

"I was not."

"Ya right."

About to say something else, Jack looked up at her. He really looked at her. Right then and there, something clicked. "You're jealous."

"What? No, I'm not," Sam answered, in some confusion.

"Yes you are. It makes total sense now. Here I thought Laira was jealous of you, which she probably was but I finally realized you were too."

"Jealous of what?" Sam asked.

"Me."

"Now you're dreaming. Grab a life, Colonel. The only person jealous of you is you."

"Like that makes sense, Major."

"It does to me."

Staring straight at Sam, Jack backed off. He decided to gather his thoughts and try reasoning with her from a different direction. No yelling.

Watching him closely, Sam spoke. "Leaving Colonel?"

"Nope."

"Damn!"

Ignoring her comment, Jack continued on. "Okay, maybe I was wrong in my actions."

"Ya think?"

Getting frustrated with her, Sam, for taking and using all his favourite sayings, Jack snapped. "Stop saying that!"

"Whatever," Sam mumbled as she moved back to the couch. Forgetting all about her tea.

"When Laira walked out of the stargate, I was drawn to her, obvious to the world around me."

"Wow, were you?" Sam asked as she put her hand on her chest. And opened her mouth is a surprise manner.

Shaking his head, Jack continued. "I should of never snapped at you in the briefing room. What I should of done is ask if you were okay."

"Sure is a lot of should of's," Sam commented on as she brought her hand to her lap.

"Let me continue."

"You have the floor," Sam replied as she got a little more comfy.

"Instead of being so eager to help Laira, I should of asked for the team's opinion. And once we got to Edora, I should of acted like a Colonel."

"Not a schoolboy with a crush," Sam got in.

"Ya," Jack agreed. "If we hadn't been talking, we would of seen the rebels or have been able to fight the ambush."

"Again, that's a lot of should of's."

"Sam."

"All right, continue," Sam backed off.

"I should of realized something was wrong with you when you started wearing your jacket. Especially on such a warm day. Those things are thick."

"Yup, that they are."

Moving to where she was, Jack sat on the edge of the coffee table, again. "I guess what I'm really trying to say is I'm sorry. I should of paid more attention. I'll be the first to admit, Laira can put me into a trance."

"That's an understatement."

"Sam."

Crossing her arms, Sam looked straight at him. "What Jack? What am I suppose to say? Or do for that matter? Here you come to my house, we argue and then you admit you were wrong. Which the end result is you apologize. Although, I should be the one who is sorry. And before you ask why, I'll tell you. I think apologizing to me is a little to late," she begun as he stared back at him. Answering his unspoken question, she continued. "Why? Well when you came home from Edora after spending those 100 days there, you should of asked Daniel or Teal'c or someone how you got home. And after an ambush, you should ask everyone in your team if they are all right."

"Hey I did!" Jack objected.

"Ya but Laira answered, not me. I was sitting on the ground, bleeding from my shoulder. You took her word."

Sighing deeply, Jack spoke. "I know. That was my biggest mistake. But once I learned of the truth, that you were hurt, I raced out of that house. Teal'c had volunteered to go but I refused. I had to go."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why did you have to go?"

"I was the one who put you in that situation. I felt as if I was the one who had to go get you. No wait, I needed to go get you," Jack said from his heart.

Thinking about it, Sam agreed to a point. "That's true. But you left Laira."

"I was mad at her. I even yelled at her. How could she do what she did is beyond me. I don't understand her and will probably never understand her."

"So, you'll go see her again?" Sam just had to ask.

"No! Never!" Jack answered. "People who do things such as she did, don't have the right to be my friends. Sam, I almost lost you."

"And you figured that out now?"

"No. I figured that out when I ran to find you. And when I found you, picked you up and carried you home. You mean so much to me. If I would of lost you, my whole world would of crumbled. I would of been lost."

Staring straight at Jack, Sam could see the truth in his eyes. But right at the very moment, she wasn't willing to accept it. "You can go. I've heard what you've had to say."

A little amazed at her answer, Jack understood any ways. He had spoken, she had listened and now it was time for him to go. Getting up, he stepped back from the couch. "See you at the base, when you're ready."

Not answering him, Sam just watched him give her one last look and walk out of her living room. When she heard the front door open then shut, she fell onto her side on the couch, closed her eyes tightly and tried her best to hold her tears back. But it didn't work. She cried.



*****



A week passed before Sam reported back to the base. First she went to Janet, who gave her a clean bill of health and onto General Hammond. He returned her to duty, which she was happy to hear. Then she decided to tackle her lab. Which was going to be quite interesting.

As she walked into the lab, she thought back to the week that had just passed. Everything that Jack had said was still floating around in her brain. He had truly apologized and yes, she had forgiven him to a point. But she didn't know how far she could trust him. Only time would tell.

Staring at the mounds of paper work that covered her desk, she turned when she heard her name.

"Sam?"

Looking to her door, she spotted Daniel. "Daniel, hi!"

"Hey, I heard you were back," Daniel announced as he walked into her lab. "How are you doing?"

"Good, you?"

"About the same," Daniel replied as he saw the mess in her lab. "Problems?"

"Not really. I've been away for a little too long."

"Ya, I see. Anything I can do for you?"

"Switch labs?"

"Nope. Mine is just as bad," Daniel answered as Sam gave him a confused look. "I tried taking most of your work load, but it didn't always work."

"Ah, so I guess I have no choice but to tackle all of this on my own."

"Yup. And I'll leave you to do just that," Daniel said as he started to leave. Stopping at the door, he turned back. "It's good to have you back, Sam."

"Thanks Daniel."

"Teal'c will be by later."

"Okay," Sam said as she watched Daniel walk out of her lab. Returning to her mess, she sighed deeply.



*****



About fifteen minutes later, Sam finally stood up. She had accidentally knocked a pile of folders to the floor. As she stood up, she had her back to the door but sensed something or someone was there. "Your forgiven, Jack."

Amazed, Jack did a 360. "How'd you do that? How'd you know I was there?"

Putting her hand atop the pile she had just picked up, Sam turned to him. "I just did. Trust me."

"All right," Jack agreed. He wasn't about to doubt her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "Looks like your swamped."

"I am."

Walking into her lab, Jack stopped beside her. "Want help?"

"Ya, that would be great."

"Okay, where would you like me to start?"

"Pick a pile. Anything with an orange tag is new, everything else can be filed."

"Okay," Jack said as he wandered to the other side of the desk.

Taking her hand of her pile, Sam took the top files off and walked over to her filing cabinet. About to strike up a conversation with Jack, she was interrupted before she could.

"Sam?"

Backing away from the cabinet, Sam spotted Janet. "Over here."

Looking around Sam's lab, Janet spotted Jack first. "Sir."

"Hey Doc," Jack said as he caught a pile of folders as they fell.

Dropping her stack of files on a table, Sam walked over to her friend. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Janet replied a little baffled about why Jack was in her, Sam's lab. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Sam agreed as she followed Janet out and into the hallway.

When they were on the other side of the hallway, Janet questioned Sam. "Why is Jack in your lab?"

"He's helping me."

"Oh."

"Janet, after everything he said to me, I forgive him. I know he truly meant all he said," Sam explained.

"Well that's good because that's what Cassie was hoping for."

"Cassie?"

"Yes."

"Ah, why?"

Slipping her hand into her lab coat pocket, Janet pulled something out. "She wanted me to give this to you. I forgot earlier."

Taking the plastic case, Sam looked it over. "May I ask why?"

"That I don't know. But when you figure it out, tell me."

"Sure."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to the infirmary."

"Sure, thanks Janet," Sam replied as Janet walked off and she walked back into her lab. Finding her chair, Sam sat down in it and opened the piece of paper that was attached to the case. Unfolding it, she read what was written.



"Dear Sam, Mom told me what happened to you. Sorry I couldn't get over to see you. But I thought about you, a whole lot. Any ways, mom also told me about Jack. He had a hand in all that happened to you. But if you're reading this, you're probably at work and have made up with Jack. So if I'm right, find your CD player, stick this CD in and put it on number 3. Oh and don't forget to slow dance with Jack. And oh ya, I want all the juicy details. Love Cassie"



Smiling, Sam folded the letter up and stuck it in her pocket.

Having watched Sam from across the lab, Jack finally spoke up. "Sam?"

Getting up, Sam was about to answer Jack when she saw something. On the back of the CD case was a P.S. "Dim the lights, it's more romantic." Laughing, she moved to her stereo. That was about the only thing in her office, she knew of it's location.

"Sam?" Jack asked, again.

"Sorry."

"No problem."

Opening the CD case, Sam pulled the CD out. "Cassie is a cute girl."

"Cassie?" Jack questioned as he left the pile of folders and moved to Sam. "Why do you say that?"

Placing the CD into her CD player, Sam turned to Jack. But she wasn't expecting him to be so close. "Jack."

"Sorry Sam," Jack said as he started to move back. To give her space.

Grabbing a hold of his jacket, Sam pulled him back to her.

"Sam?"

Taking Cassie's letter out of her pocket, she gave it to Jack. "This is why."

As soon as Sam let him go, let go of his jacket, Jack opened the letter and read it. A minute later, he spoke. "Cute girl."

"Yes she is," Sam agreed as Jack gave her the letter back and she put in back in her pocket.

"So, what's the song?"

"I'm not sure."

"Okay, what CD is it?"

"Bon Jovi."

"They still around?"

"By the looks of it, yup."

Taking the case from Sam, Jack looked it over. But he smiled when he read the P.S. on the back. "Dim the lights, it's more romantic."

"Oh ya, she added that too."

"So, maybe we shouldn't disappoint her," Jack said as he moved away from her and walked to the door.

Looking up, Sam saw the lights go dim. "Jack, we aren't alone, you know." She was referring to the mountain full of people.

"We are now," Jack said as he moved back to her. "Let loose, Sam. Just this once."

Shaking her head, Sam smiled. "Sure, as long as you don't forget about this."

"I won't, promise," Jack said as he moved in front of her. "May I have this dance?"

Pressing play, Sam jumped the CD to song three. As she stood up, she had to bend down to see what she was doing, she found Jack to be very close to her. Feeling Jack wrap his arms around her waist, she placed her arms around his neck.



"It's hard for me to say the things I want to say sometimes There's no one here but you and me And that broken old street light Lock the doors We'll leave the world outside All I've got to give to you Are these five words when I Thank you for loving me For being my eyes When I couldn't see For parting my lips When I couldn't breath Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me..."



When the next verse started, Jack pulled Sam closer to him. Almost in a hug but still managed to slow dance with her. As he held her, he felt tears from his own eyes roll down his cheeks. If he had stayed with Laira, none of what was going on now, would be happening. Instead he'd be explaining to Jacob Carter how he failed his daughter and that she was no longer with them.



"I never knew I had a dream Until that dream was you When I look into your eyes The sky's a different blue Cross my heart I wear no disguise If I tried, you'd make believe That you believed my lies Thank you for loving me For being my eyes When I couldn't see For parting my lips When I couldn't breath Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me..."



Sam was shedding her own tears. She had thought back to when she was laying in her sleeping bag waiting to die. If Jack hadn't snapped out of Laira's trance, none of this, them slow dancing together, would be happening.



"You pick me up when I fall down You ring the bell before they count me out If I was drowning you would part the sea And risk your own life to rescue me Lock the doors We'll leave the world outside All I've got to give to you Are these five words when I Thank you for loving me For being my eyes When I couldn't see For parting my lips When I couldn't breath Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me..."



Neither of them knew the other was crying until they pulled back from each other.

"Hey, why the tears?" Jack asked he wiped them away with his thumb. He had brought one hand up from her waist to her face.

"I'm just happy," Sam answered as she noticed he too, was crying. "You?"

"The same," Jack admitted. Trying to lighten up the mood, Jack continued. "I think we should buy Cassie something."

"Oh ya," Sam agreed, wholeheartedly. "Flowers?"

"Sure," Jack agreed as Sam pulled him into a hug.

"If you ever do what you did, I'll never forgive you a second time."

"I've learned my lesson, Sam. I'll never do that again, I promise. You're too important to me to lose," Jack told her as he wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"When I couldn't fly Oh, you have me wings You parted my lips When I couldn't breath Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me For loving me..."



*****



"Teal'c?"

Looking down the hallway, Teal'c spotted the person who was calling him. "Doctor Fraiser."

"What are you doing outside Sam's lab?" Janet asked as she stopped beside him.

"I am standing guard," Teal'c said as he never moved from the front of the door.

"Why?"

"I see it as my duty," Teal'c answered, making little sense.

"Move Teal'c," Janet ordered as she watched Teal'c. "I'm ordering you," she added when he didn't move.

Nodding his head on a slant, Teal'c finally moved, well stepped aside. "As you wish."

"Thank you," Janet said as she moved to the door. Looking through the window, she quickly understood why Teal'c was guarding the door. Watching Sam and Jack slow dance, Janet smiled brightly. Stepping back, Janet changed her mind. "Actually, come to think of it, you're doing a good job."

Nodding his head, he, Teal'c returned to his spot and continued to guard the door.

"I'll talk to Sam later," Janet told Teal'c as she turned around and walked back down the hall.

Teal'c only reply was a nod of his head.



**************

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