Title: A beautiful mind
Author: Venom_69
E-mail: venom@scififan.com
Category: Romance, angst, hurt/comfort
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Rating: M- some sexual situations.
Summary: What could have happened if they couldn't get Sam back into her body at the end of Entity.
Spoilers: Entity, small one for 100 days, but hardly worth mentioning.
Season/sequel: Set during and after entity.
Archive: SJ, Heliopolis, my site. Anywhere else, sure, just let me know where so I can come visit.
Disclaimer: Don't own them, never will. Promise to put them back in the state I found them.
Author's notes: This came from watching 'Holiday' too much. I though that it would have been interesting to have Sam and Jack swap bodies, but since they didn't put it in the episode, it never happened. Then, when I saw 'entity', and got to thinking about the way the Tok'ra work, I figured that this was the best possible option. Hope it's semi-plausible.
Feedback: Hell yeah! Don't make me beg.
Dedication: As always, for LEW.
Date: 25-1-2003
~*+*~
A beautiful Mind.
~*+*~
'I AM HERE'
The words that everyone was glad to see appear on the screen, seemed to only bring more pain. Jack sighed heavily, they had established that Sam was inside of the base's mainframe, but Janet's attempts to get her back into her body had failed.
The doctor had hooked up wires between Sam's body and the computers in the MALP room, and electricity had flown between the two. Fearing that she would completely incinerate Sam's body, Janet had immediately severed the connection.
"It didn't work." She whispered brokenly, ignoring the tears that fell from her own cheeks and landed softly on the lifeless body of her friend.
"What do we do now?" General Hammond asked, although he seemed to be quite calm on the exterior, was as frantic with worry as was everyone else. Even the people on the base who didn't directly know or interact with Major Samantha Carter felt the apparent loss.
"I don't know sir. I provided the conduit for her to return to her own body, but she doesn't seem to understand that." Janet shook her head wearily. Admittedly, she didn't think that this plan would have worked anyway, but couldn't deny herself that small glimmer of hope.
"Explain it to her then." Jack shrugged.
"How do you suggest we do that Colonel O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, his Zat gun still clutched in his hand, armed and ready.
"The same way that Sam spoke to the entity. Through the interface that it provided when it wanted to communicate with Sam." Daniel's eyes were alight, and he walked over to the interface that was slightly in front of the rest of the equipment.
Waiting for a blank screen to come, Daniel saw what his friend internally typed on the screen and stepped back, allowing the rest to see.
One word.
Four letters.
But it had everyone else taking a step back to allow communication between Sam and the person that she requested.
'JACK'
=> Hey Carter.
He felt like an idiot greeting her like that. Like they had met on the street, or he'd come by her lab to see her. But he didn't known how else to communicate without breaking down and completely loosing it.
>JACK.
=>Um. . .Are you all right?
>AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED.
=>Right.
Jack turned back to the others, who were all trying their hardest not to look at any of the screens in the room, a small attempt to give the pair some privacy. "What should I say?" He asked, looking at each in turn.
"Colonel, I think that the best thing that you can do is talk to her and make sure that she's coping, while we try to figure out a way to get her back in her own body." Janet sighed, she had no idea what to do at the moment, but she needed some time to figure it out. And she needed Sam to remain calm otherwise god knew what would happen.
>I LOOK TERRIBLE
=>What do you mean Carter?
>THE ENTITY HOOKED UP THE SECURITY CAMERAS. I CAN SEE MY BODY AND THE NURSE WITH THE RESPIRATOR BAG TRYING TO KEEP ME ALIVE.
=>We'll have you out of there in no time.
He was lying. He knew it, she knew it and so did everyone else. But, even though she knew that he was lying, Sam was grateful the he was trying to keep her calm.
>I CAN'T SMILE
=>What?
>JACK, I CAN'T SMILE, I CAN'T MOVE MY BODY, I CAN'T SCREAM, I CAN'T CRY. I WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE! GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!
=>Sam, relax. We'll get you out. I promise.
>IT'S NOT THAT EASY
=>It can be. We work miracles on a daily basis, you're no different.
>WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SO MUCH TROUBLE?
=>What!?!?!?
>WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR ME? WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT EVERY PERSON IS EXPENDABLE. SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST RESET THE WHOLE SYSTEM?
=>I won't do that Sam, I can't.
>WHY NOT? I WOUDN'T FEEL A THING AND THE STARGATE WOULDN'T BE AFFECTED. YOU WOULDN'T LOOSE MUCH INFORMATION SINCE THE LAST SYSTEM RESET AND YOU COULD JUST DESTROY ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT DOWN HERE. ALTHOUGH YOU COULD SALVAGE SOME OF IT AND SILER COULD SORT IT OUT, BUT ESSENTIALLY YOU COULD GET RID OF EVERYTHING.
=>NO!
>WHY NOT JACK? WHY WON'T YOU JUST HONOUR MY WISHES AND RESET THE SYSTEM?
=>Because I can't kill you again.
>PLEASE JACK. NO EXTRODINARY MEANS REMEMBER? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THIS SEEMS VERY EXTRODINARY TO ME.
=>You could do it yourself, why ask me?
>BECAUSE MY BEST FRIEND COMMITED SUICIDE WHEN I WAS 15 AND I PROMISED MYSELF THAT I WOULD NEVER DO IT. I DON'T WANT MY HEADSTONE TO SAY THAT I KILLED MYSELF JACK. PLEASE DO IT.
=>No, we need you Sam.
>YOU DID IT BEFORE.
Jack shuddered, the memory of seeing her body slump to the ground after the second shot from the Zat gun had discharged would be another memory to haunt him everyday. He couldn't do that again, he wouldn't. He could hear everyone else around him chatting, trying to get her out of the computer, but he ignored the various conversations and returned to Sam.
=>That was different.
>HOW?
=>The entity could have destroyed the base, I couldn't let that happen.
>I COULD DESTROY THE BASE.
=>But you wouldn't.
>NO.
=>I promise you that we will get you out of there.
>HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?
=>Because you haven't been to my cabin yet, and I won't let you die until you've seen it.
>I CAN'T DO IT AT THE MOMENT, BUT IF I WASN'T IN HERE THEN I'D BE SMILING.
=>Keep that thought alive Sam.
Jack turned back to the other occupants in the room. "Any ideas?" He asked. Their expression said it all, no one had any idea how to get her back into her own body.
"Not yet Colonel, but we're working on it." Janet replied.
"Will being in there hurt her?"
"I would have thought that it would kill her, to be perfectly honest, but this is unprecedented, so I honestly have no idea whatsoever." She didn't try to sugarcoat it for them, which he was thankful for. Straight between the eyes was how he wanted to be told about Sam's condition, and Janet seemed to recognize it.
>JACK?
=>I'm here.
>PLEASE DON'T LEAVE.
=>I won't Sam, I promise.
>WHAT DO I DO NOW?
=>Do you know what Janet was trying to do?
>GET ME BACK INTO MY OWN BODY.
=>Yeah, but you need to make your own way in. Can you do that?
>I DON'T KNOW
=>Want to try?
>YES.
=>Okay, Janet says that I have to step away from the control panel so that I don't get fried, but I'll be right next to you, okay?
>GOOD. JACK?
=>Yeah?
>IF THIS DOESN'T WORK. . .
=>Then we try another way Sam, I won't lose you.
Jack stepped back from the keyboard and turned to face the others. "She knows what we're trying to do and want's to try and get back into her body." He told them, relaying what Sam had said.
"I'll reconnect the power." Janet muttered, moving back over to Sam's body to do so.
The screen went blank, presumably as she tried to get back into her body, and Jack held his breath. Sam's body convulsed and shook, but no one could touch her for fear of getting electrocuted.
>JACK! IT HURTS! TELL THEM TO STOP! STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!
"Turn it off!" He cried.
"Colonel?" Hammond asked as Janet disconnected the wires from Sam's body, swearing lightly as she touched one of the wires that was a little too hot.
Jack didn't bother to give an explanation to his commander, he merely pointed to the screen which explained it all. Everyone in the room stared at the screen as Jack moved back towards it.
=>Sam?
>IT HURT JACK, IT FELT LIKE MY MIND WAS BEING RIPPED APART FROM THE INSIDE OUT, I CAN'T GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
=>I know Sammy, I won't let them put you through that again.
>WILL YOU STAY AND TALK TO ME? IT'S SO QUIET IN HERE.
=>I'll be here until we figure this out. Can you handle talking to Daniel for a few minutes?
>WHY?
=>I need to pee.
>I WISH I COULD LAUGH AT THAT
=>You will again.
>BE QUICK.
Jack handed the keyboard over to Daniel while he went to relive his full bladder and get a chair. He had a feeling that he'd be in that room for a while. He would not walk out of there until she could. He didn't care how long it took.
=>Hey Sam.
>DANIEL
=>Jack will be back soon.
>I KNOW, I CAN SEE HIM.
=>How?
>THE ENTITY HOOKED UP THE SECURITY CAMERA, REMEMBER? I'M TRYING, BUT I CAN'T GET THE SOUND TO WORK. I'LL HAVE TO HACK INTO THE MAIN CIRCUITRY SYSTEM.
=>Really? You'll have to teach me how to do that some day.
>AS SOON AS I GET OUT OF HERE.
=>You will Sam.
=>Sam?
=>SAM!
Daniel turned at the sound off footsteps behind him to see that Jack was at the door with a chair in font of him. Walking away to let him back at the keyboard, Jack wheeled the chair over and sat down. "If I keep Sam company, will you guys be able to figure out a way to get her out of there?" He asked.
"We will try O'Neill." Teal'c replied for all of them, and in an unspoken agreement, everyone left the room and Jack turned back to the console.
>JACK!?
=>I'm here Sammy.
>FEEL BETTER?
=>Yes.
>I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE SMILING.
=>I wish you could too. I miss your smile. It lights up my day, so you have to get out of here so that my day can be lightened again.
>THAT WAS SAPPY.
=>What? I say something romantic and you tell me that I'm being sappy?
>YES, BECAUSE IT ISN'T LIKE YOU. I DON'T LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE SAPPY OR ROMANTIC. IF I WANTED SAPPY AND ROMANTIC THEN I WOULD HAVE GONE AFTER LT. SIMMONS. SO DON'T BE SAPPYY ON ME, BE YOU.
=>If you insist.
>I DO.
=>Okay. What do you want to talk about?
>WHAT ARE YOU THINKING RIGHT AT THIS VERY MOMENT?
=>It's sappy.
>I DON'T CARE
=>I thought that you didn't want me to be sappy on you?
>TELL ME!
=>I was thinking about how you're dad would kill me if he ever got to see what it was like inside my head. If he knew some of my thoughts about his little girl.
>I FEEL HAPPY NOW. WELL, I DON'T ACTUALLY FEEL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
=>Yeah, I do. Can you wait here for a moment, I need to see the doc.
>WHY? JACK, ARE YOU SICK?
=>Just a headache. I'll get a pill and be back in a second.
>I'LL FOLLOW YOU THROUGH THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
=>Okay. Ready?
>YES.
Jack got out of the chair and walked down to the elevator, feeling the security cameras following him the whole way. Getting into the elevator he waited until it reached level 21 and stepped out, the cameras following him once again.
He raised hand and waved at the camera and it, in turn, moved from side to side in response. Shaking his head, Jack continued on the path to the infirmary and into Janet's office.
"Doc." He greeted, taking a seat opposite her.
Janet looked up and closed the folder containing their previous observations of the entity and turned her attention to the man in front of her. "How is she?"
"Pretty good, considering."
"Good." She nodded. "I'm worried about her mental health." Janet admitted, rubbing her hands over her face.
"Me too." He agreed.
"We have to get her out." Jack didn't argue.
"I was wondering, how long can she stay in there?" He asked.
"Not long, I don't know what kind of effect this is having on her, and I can only postulate. Unfortunately, everything that I postulate leads to the same conclusion, she won't last long in there."
"We have to get her out." He decided, mimicking the doctor's previous words.
"Yes.
"Why don't we put her into someone else?" He asked.
"Colonel, we can't hook anyone up to the mainframe because it would electrocute the person and more than likely wipe the memory and kill Sam."
"No, I mean, why don't we get her to come into someone through the keyboard. Like the entity did to her, she can go into someone else. Would that work?"
"Theoretically." She nodded and thought for a moment before continuing. "An average human only uses fifteen percent of their full brain capacity and the rest just kind of sits there, it all has a function but unless activated then it remains permanently dormant. We could transfer Sam's consciousness into someone else's body. They'd have to share for a few days to make sure that their brains didn't reject each other, and then we could reset the computer and use the Stargate to call the Asguard. I'm pretty sure that they can separate the consciousness' and put Sam back into her own body." Janet's eyes lit up with another glimmer of hope.
"Can we call them now to see if they can do that?"
"From what Siler told me, activating the Stargate would effectively wipe the memory and kill Sam, so no." She shook her head.
"What if they can't separate the two mind's?"
"Then Sam, and whoever volunteer's. . ."
"Me." Jack interrupted, and Janet nodded, having already guessed that he would be the one to offer his body to her.
"You and Sam would share your body. But even if the Asguard can't do it, the Tok'ra or the Nox possibly could, or maybe even the Tollan."
"Do you think it would work?"
"If both parties were completely willing, then yes. I think it would. But if either of you had any doubts, then it would likely kill you both. Rejection of the two minds could cause the body to shut down completely."
"We should talk to Hammond." He announced and they both stood and headed towards Hammond's office.
After reaching Hammond's office, the pair explained the plan that they had formulated as the General listed patiently. Finally, once their explanation was complete, he looked at Jack. "Do you understand what it is you're doing?"
"Yes sir. Doctor Fraiser explained the risks involved and I'm prepared to do it." Jack replied without missing a beat.
"Are you certain that this will work Doctor?" Hammond asked, turning his attention to Janet.
"Not entirely sir. I believe that it will work, but I can't be certain. The only thing that I can be sure of is that Sam won't survive in the computer much longer. If the physical side of this ordeal doesn't kill her, then I believe that there is a big chance that being stuck in the mainframe with no noise around her, would send her insane when she gets back to her own body and hears things again. We need to get her out of there sir."
"Then we will do this, assuming Major Carter agrees." Hammond nodded, the shrill ringing of his phone interrupting anything else he had planned to say. Picking up the receiver, he answered. "Hammond. Yes, he's here. We'll be right there." He hung up the phone and directed his two companions out of the room, towards the elevator. "That was Doctor Jackson, Major Carter is panicking because you hadn't returned from getting a pill for your headache." He explained.
They stepped into the elevator and Janet looked at him sharply so Jack hurriedly defended himself. "I didn't want to get her hopes up in case you said that this wouldn't work."
"Good idea." She admitted.
As they stepped out of the elevator, Daniel came running towards them. "Sam is freaking out in there Jack, something about you walking away from her again. Where the hell were you?" He demanded as they stepped into the MALP room.
"I have a plan to get her out of there." He said simply and walked over to the keyboard. Sitting down, he began to type.
=>Sammy?
>JACK! I THOUGHT THAT YOU LEFT ME.
=>I promised that I'd come back, didn't I?
>YES, BUT YOU DIDN'T GET ANY PILLS OFF JANET AD THEN YOU WENT TO SEE HAMMOND.
=>I have a plan to get you out of there.
>REALLY!? HOW?
=>How would you feel about sharing my body?
>WHAT?
=>Well, you'd come into my body and we'd share it. Only for a few days, to make sure that our minds don't reject each other, and then we can use the Stargate to contact the Asguard who can separate us and put you back into your body.
>WOULD THAT HURT YOU?
=>As long as our minds don't reject each other, then no. But we both have to be completely willing otherwise it won't work.
>ARE YOU SURE THAT THE ASGUARD CAN SEPERATE US?
=>No.
>THEN WHY ARE YOU SO PREPARED TO DO IT, IF YOU AREN'T SURE THAT THE ASGUARD CAN FIX US?
=>Because the base needs you. And so does SG-1.
>AND YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE YOUR BODY?
=>It'll only be for a few days until we can use the Stargate again and we're sure that we won't reject each other.
>WHY CAN'T WE CALL THE ASGUARD FIRST AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SEPERATE US?
=>Siler says that if we use the Stargate it could kill you, something about wiping the memory, and I won't risk losing you.
>WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY CAN'T SEPERATE US?
=>We try the Tok'ra, Tollan and Nox.
>AND IF NONE OF THEM CAN DO IT?
=>Why are you being so pessimistic?
>BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT WE BOTH HAD TO BE COMPLETELY WILLING, RIGHT?
=>Yeah.
>UNLESS I KNOW EVERYTHING, THEN I CAN'T BE COMPLETELY WILLING.
=>Oh.
>SO, WHAT IF NO ONE CAN GET ME OUT OF YOUR BODY AND BACK INTO MY OWN?
=>Then you'll get the pleasure of my company until we die.
>WE STAY IN THE SAME BODY?
=>Yes.
>WOW.
=>Yeah, and just think, the regs won't apply anymore.
>WOUDN'T BE MUCH FUN IF WE WERE IN THE SAME BODY. SEX WOULDN'T BE THE SAME. ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.
=>I don't know about that, we could always think of something.
>JACK! I'M NOT IN YOUR MIND AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING! WIPE THAT GRIN OF YOUR FACE!
=>Sorry
>NO YOU AREN'T.
=>True.
>SO, ARE YOU ALWAYS GOING TO BE LIKE THAT?
=>Pretty much.
>OKAY.
=>Okay? Okay you'll do it?
>YES. WHAT DO I DO?
=>I'll leave my hands on the control board and then you
>THEN I WHAT?
>JACK?
>JACK!
=>Sorry, Janet will tell you.
>JANET?
=>Hey Sam.
>HI. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
=>Concentrate.
>THAT'S IT?
=>Sam, I won't lie to you. We have no idea what to do, the entity didn't tell us how it got out of the mainframe, and we didn't ask. I think you just have to trust your instincts.
>I CAN DO THAT.
=>Good, I'll put Jack on.
>THANKS JANET
=>She says you're welcome, Sammy.
>SHE DIDN'T CALL ME SAMMY!
=>No, she didn't. Okay, enough stalling, what do I do?
>PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE KEYBOARD LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO TYPE. THERE, THAT'S GOOD.
=>What else?
>TRUST ME.
=>I do. With my life, my brain and my body.
Jack stopped typing as her felt a small electrical current flow from the keyboard and up his fingers, the voltage getting slowly stronger. The waves got harder and more frequent, and they travelled up to his brain.
Everyone in the room watched in morbid fascination as the blue energy travelled over Jack's fingers and then disappeared into his skin. Janet had her nurses on standby with a gurney at the ready, not particularly interested in repeating the earlier actions of when Sam became infected.
Suddenly, the electricity stopped and Jack with, they hoped, Sam inside him, slumped to the ground, gasping. Janet instinctively stepped forward but the words that came out of Jack's mouth stopped any further movements. "Don't touch me!" He shouted.
"Doctor?" Hammond asked.
"I don't know sir, I think that they might be in shock from the transfusion, of maybe they're rejecting each other." She shook her head.
"No. . .still electric." Jack whispered.
Janet smiled, and let out a shaky breath. She looked around her and realised that everyone was looking at her strangely, not understanding what had just happened. "They aren't rejecting each other, there is still a small residual electrical current flowing though them and no matter how small it is, it would kill any third party instantly. Sam must have known that."
"You think Sam was speaking then?" Daniel asked.
"How much does the Colonel known about electrical currents and EM fields?" She deadpanned, still unable to wipe the smile from her face.
"More than ever now that he can hear Carter's thought's." Jack muttered, pulling himself into a sitting position.
"Is it safe to touch you?" Janet asked.
Jack was silent for a moment. "Cut to the chase Carter!" He sighed dramatically. "Yes, she says it's safe." Jack nodded.
And promptly burst into tears.
"Colonel?" Hammond asked, slightly unnerved to see his normally in control second in command crying his eyes out, and touching his own face.
"I'm sorry sir." He sniffled, the tears continuing to fall. "It's Sam sir, she's just so happy that she can feel something again." Everyone smiled.
Janet stepped forward. "Come on, I need to run some tests to make sure that everything is okay with you two." She smiled, helping them to their feet before leading them to the infirmary.
~*+*~
Janet ran the tests much like a post-mission physical. The blood work and semen sample were being sent to the lab for testing, but she was fairly certain that it would just be Colonel O'Neill's DNA.
"Hey Janet!" Jack called from behind the curtain, in a distinctly 'Sam' fashion, although the doctor couldn't be certain.
"Yes Colonel?"
"Actually, it's more Sam speaking here." He clarified.
"I want to ask you about that too. Are you both in control of the body? Or do you share it like the Tok'ra do and change drivers whenever it's deemed necessary? How does it work?" She asked, sitting next to the bed.
"Well, it's just me, Jack, in control but I hear all of Sam's thoughts and I feel her feelings, and some of them come through. Especially her tendency to giggle." He grinned.
"That would explain the giggling that I could hear when you were getting the semen sample." She smiled, knowing that hers and Sam's next night of gossiping over a bottle of wine would be very different after this experience.
"Can you go into each other's mind's and memories?"
"Not really. If we want to then we can put up a block on our memories, and the other can't get through, but we haven't used those yet. We haven't had a chance to even think about being in the same body together."
"Can she hear me at the moment?" Janet asked, continuing to take notes.
"Not really. She's having some fun exploring my mind. And she also said to tell you that she now has the answer to why guys are always touching themselves and she'll tell you when she's back in her own body."
Janet blushed slightly. Admittedly, most women wondered about what it was like to be a man, even thought they'd never admit it, but now Sam had the unique opportunity to find out. "Can she hear what we're saying?"
"No, she's busy at the moment." Jack replied.
"Busy?" Janet repeated.
"She's a little. . .depressed at the moment, so I gave her free access to my memories, only the happy one's so that she could take her mind off what's happened."
"I'm worried about her."
"Why?"
"Colonel, if she gets used to being in your mind, then how's she going to feel when she's alone and in her own mind. You'll be like a constant companion for her for the next three or four days, and being in her own mind might be more of a shock then being in the computer." She explained.
"Do you think I did the right thing, 'blending,' for lack of a better term, with her?" He asked, smiling as he felt Sam witnessing his wedding day in his own mind.
"I think that it was better than the alternative, but I need you to keep her thinking. Can you have conversations in your mind?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"Then do that a lot. Keep her talking. Even if it isn't about what happened, just so long as her brain remains stimulated. Can you do that?"
"Yes." He nodded, and fell silent.
*Please Jack.*
*I don't think that this is such a good idea.*
*I need to do this.*
*But Sam. . .*
*Jack, I have to. I need to learn to accept this so that I can concentrate on getting back in there.*
*I'll ask Janet.*
*Thank you Jack.*
"Janet, Sam want's to see her body." He told the doctor, watching as a mixture of emotions crossed Janet's features.
"What do you think?" Janet asked, studying the man before her. Or was that man and woman? Shim? She wasn't quite sure.
"I don't think it's a good idea." He replied honestly. "But, I do know that Sam feels very strong about this and feels that she needs to do it. So. . ." He shrugged.
Janet sighed. "Come this way."
They walked toward one of the private rooms, where Sam's body was being kept on life support for the next three or four days until they were sure that there was no chance of rejection and they could separate the two minds.
Janet waited outside of the room and Jack walked towards Sam's lifeless body, shaking slightly in his mind and body.
*Turn it off Jack!* Sam cried from inside his head.
*What?* He cried back.
*Turn the life support off, I don't want to go back in there. It will be empty, and I want to be in your head, with you. Please turn the machines off!* She begged.
"NO!" He cried, unaware that he had spoken the words out loud.
"Colonel?" Janet asked, walking over to look at him.
*Please Jack.*
*No.* He replied firmly.
"Janet, I recommend that you post guards outside of this room and do not let me enter again under any circumstances." He advised, stepping back from the gurney.
"Why?" The Doctor asked, concerned.
"Because Sam just asked me to turn the life support off. She doesn't want to go back and she wants me to kill her body." He explained quietly, trying to ignore the fact that Sam was sobbing inside his mind.
"Agreed Colonel. I suggest that you go and take a shower and then go and get some sleep. You've both been awake for almost 48 hours and you're exhausted." Janet instructed and Jack headed towards SG-1's locker room.
~*+*~
Jack was slightly concerned about Sam. She refused to communicate with him in any way, shape, or form, and she refused to try and understand why he wanted her back into her own body. It wasn't that he didn't like having her in his mind, quite the opposite, but he wanted them to be able to be together, and that required two separate bodies.
Turning the tap off, Jack shed his clothes and slipped into the hot, scented water, knowing how much Sam loved scented bath's. He hoped that this would get her to open up to him, or at the very least, talk to him.
Mentally, Sam had her arms folded, with very little chance of her talking to him again. She was mad that he wouldn't honor her request. She liked it in Jack's brain, it was comfortable and she felt safe.
*Talking to me yet?* He asked, slipping into the water.
Involuntarily, Sam moaned as she felt the hot water caress his skin, and thus, her skin. *No.*
*You're talking now.* He pointed out.
*Only because you put us in a bath with my favourite oil in it.*
*Why did you want me to kill your body Sam?*
*Because I spent nearly three days without being able to feel or hear anything, and then I spent two days in a computer. I don't want to go back in there and be on my own again.*
*I'll never leave you Sam.*
*You can't be with me 24/7 Jack, and you wouldn't want to be. Why do you want me back in my body so badly? Why?*
*There are things that you and I can't do in the same body.*
*Like what?* She demanded, angry.
Suddenly, Sam's mind was filled with images, like watching a movie on television. Jack holding her hands, bending down lightly to kiss her. His tongue slipping past her lips as she moans and wraps her arms around his shoulders. Jack kissing her neck, undoing the buttons on her shirt. His hands caressing her breasts, making her skin tingle anew of what he'll do. Her pants falling to the ground, only to be kicked off and quickly forgotten as his fingers find her center, making her cry out. Their bodies coming together in an age old dance. Jack holding her hands as she cries out in ecstasy, his cry following only moments later.
Then the image changed, it became a picture of her walking down the aisle in a large church, her father on her arm, Jack waiting at the altar. From that, it changed to her throwing up in the bathroom, with Jack rubbing her back and holding her hair out of her face. Then, images of Jack rubbing her protruding stomach. Jack holding her hand through false labour. Jack holding her hand through real labour, then shedding tears of happiness as they were passed their little girl.
Jack holding her hand as their little girl took her first steps, said her first word and Jack holding her as she said goodbye to her daughter, who was attending her first day of kindergarten. Him yelling at the referee as he announced their daughter out, when Jack obviously thought she was safe. Sam smiling as she rubbed her protruding stomach yet again, watching her husband and daughter arguing with the referee some more.
*That's why you have to get back into you own body, Sam.*
*Is that really what you want?*
*You in your own body?*
*No, everything that you just showed me, is that really what you want? Children with me, getting married?*
*Yes.* He admitted.
Waiting to hear her reply, it shocked him when she repeated something that she had typed to him the previous day from inside the computer. *That was sappy.*
Unable to resist, Jack laughed aloud, and felt Sam laughing within him. *That was true* He replied, a smile still touching his lips.
*We should get out of the bath now.*
*I know.*
*Jack, will you do something for me?*
*Anything.*
*Get out of the bath.* He did as she asked, reaching for a towel. *Leave the towel, and walk over to the mirror.* Unsure as to her intentions, Jack walked over and stood in front of the full length mirror naked, and dripping wet.
*Is there a purpose to this?* He asked.
*I know what you feel like on the inside, and I want to know what you look like on the outside.* She smiled.
*Carter!* He cried, feigning shock.
*You can get dressed now, we should get some sleep.*
*Hey, can you sleep in my mind while I'm awake?* He asked, pulling on his BDU's.
*No, I tried earlier but I could hear your thoughts and then couldn't find the mute button.*
*Smart ass.* He laughed aloud again, causing a few people to look at him oddly. Obviously the base grapevine hadn't reached some people yet. He had no doubts that it wouldn't take long.
*Your quarters or mine?* Sam asked as they reached the elevator.
*You know, I've always wanted to hear you say that. But we'll take mine.*
*Okay. Hey, I think that the guy who just passed us greeted you.* She pointed out.
*I'll have you know that I'm having a very intriguing discussion with a beautiful mind.*
Sam couldn't help but laugh at the way he was treating this situation. Most people would have run screaming long go, but not Jack. Never Jack. *Really? What's her name?*
*Samantha.* Jack felt her shiver as he used her full name. *Does people calling you Samantha always make you shiver?* He asked, opening the door to his quarters.
Lying down on the bed in a comfortable position, Jack closed his eyes and began to fall asleep, Sam not far behind him. And then he heard her reply. *Only when you say it Jack, only you.*
~*+*~
Jack screamed again, the pain completely encompassing him. He struggled on the bed, the restraints only allowing him to move so far. He felt the padded material binding his hand and feet beginning to rip into his skin, but that pain was bearable compared to what he was feeling inside.
"What's going on?" Daniel asked, pacing through the observation room above his friends.
"I think that their minds are rejecting each other." Janet shook her head.
She couldn't understand it. This was the second day that they had been together and until the previous night, they hadn't had any problems. An airman guarding the halls had heard Jack screaming and gone to investigate. He'd found him screaming and twisting around on the bed and called security.
After they'd brought Jack to the infirmary, they'd sedated him and tied him down when the sedatives hadn't worked.
"Can't you give him more sedative before he hurts himself?" Daniel asked, watching as his friend tried to rip the bonds from the bed.
"I've given him twice the recommended dose. Any more and I can't even begin to think about the effects or permanent damage." Janet saw Jack mutter something and turned up the lab's microphone.
"Charlie. . .Mum. . .Jolinar. . .Iraq . . Martouf. . .Zaytarc. . ." He trailed off in a scream and both Janet and Daniel simultaneously covered their ears and muted the lab's mike.
"They aren't rejecting each other!" Daniel exclaimed suddenly, causing Janet to stare at him, waiting for an explanation. "They've both got so much pain bottled up inside themselves that together, they're expressing all of that suppressed pain."
"In the form of an ear piercing howl?"
"Hey, whatever works." Daniel shrugged, and they turned to watch and wait for their friend's to snap out of whatever it was that they were thinking about.
~*+*~
Jack sat on the porch with Sara, kissing her soundly before moving onto her neck. "How was you day?" He asked, smiling against the smooth skin of her neck as she moaned.
"Mmm. . .fine!" She grinned. "Oh, look what came home from school today!" Sara beamed, holding out the school picture of their son.
Jack looked around for his son. "Where's Charlie?" He asked.
*Fight this Jack!* He heard a familiar voice cry. *You know how this memory ends, and I know that you don't want to go through it again. Fight it Jack! Say goodbye and get out of here!*
~*+*~
Daniel and Teal'c sat beside Jack's bed, listening to his incoherent mumbles that occurred every now and then. But, clear as a bell, they both heard Jack's next statement. "Goodbye Sara."
*Thank you Sammy.*
*It's all right. You pulled me out of one or two bad memories throughout the night.* He heard her sigh. *And I'm sorry about all of this.*
*What do you mean?*
*The only reason that you're tied to the bed is because your body couldn't handle both of our pain. It's my fault.*
*No it's not. We both have stuff that we never dealt with and I guess that it all just came out last night.*
*But. . .*
*No buts Carter. You're gettin' sappy.* He teased.
*You should talk to Daniel and Teal'c, they look worried.*
"Hey guys." Jack greeted.
"Jack! Are you and Sam okay?" Daniel asked frantically.
*Yes.*
"We're fine, Sam agrees. Sorry if we scared you." He muttered, closing his eyes.
"It was Daniel Jackson who came to understand what was happening. He informed us so we did not worry so much." Teal'c explained.
*They must have thought that our minds were rejecting each other.* Sam realised.
*I'd never reject you Sammy.*
"Nice save Daniel."
"I'm just glad that you guys are okay. " He smiled, and stood. "We'll let you guys get some rest." He told them.
"Doctor Fraiser, would it be safe for us to remove these restraints?" Teal'c asked, looking up into the observation window.
"Yes, it should be fine." She replied, and walked out of view, heading for Jack's room.
Teal'c and Daniel worked together to unbind their friends, before wishing them a good night's sleep and leaving the room just as Janet entered. "You gave us all quite a scare there guys." She smiled tenderly, pulling out her penlight.
Opening his eyes so that the Doctor could shine her penlight into his eyes, Jack smiled. "Sorry, we weren't really expecting anything like that to happen."
"It's alright, we understand." Clearly, they didn't, but both Sam and Jack were grateful at her attempts to make them feel better.
"When will we be able to use the Stargate again to contact the Asguard?" Jack asked, pulling his body into a sitting position.
"Tomorrow, so until then I suggest that you and Sam get some rest." She smiled. "I'll come back and check on you later."
"Thanks Janet."
"Your welcome."
*You feeling okay Sammy?*
*Yeah. I never realised how much stuff I had bottled up inside of me.*
*Me neither.*
*It's probably a good thing that we got it all out of the way now.*
*Probably.*
*We should get some sleep.*
*Night Sammy.*
*Night Jack.*
~*+*~
Watching as her friends fell into a, hopefully, peaceful sleep, Janet let out a shaky breath. She was relieved that their minds hadn't rejected each other, but now she was worried.
"Want to talk about it?" Daniel asked, coming to sit by her.
"I'm alright." She lied.
"You look worried."
"I think that there is still a large possibility that they'll reject each others minds." She admitted, turning off the lab microphone.
"Why?" Daniel asked, confused. He had been as worried about his friends as the rest of them, but it looked like things would be all right.
"I know that they dealt with a lot of things last night, but combined, they have almost seventy years of memories to live with, I don't think that they would survive another episode like last night."
"How do we make sure that it doesn't happen again?" He asked.
"That's just it Daniel, I don't know. I honestly don't know." Janet sighed, and rubbed her neck, trying to work the tension out of her stiff muscles.
"So. . .what do we do now?"
"Now, we wait."
~*+*~
The Stargate spun to life as the chevrons were locked in. Jack and Teal'c stood beside their friends. "Are you sure you don't want us to go with?" Daniel offered.
Jack shook his head. "I think that this is something we need to do on our own." He replied. The matter stream shot out of the Stargate and then rippled back. Sam and Jack stepped onto the ramp and walked up, stopping before they stepped in. "Keep the lights on!"
And Daniel, Teal'c Janet, Hammond and various other people in the vicinity of the Gate room all stood and watched the combined people step into the event horizon, all wondering the same thing.
Would they be back?
~*+*~
The Asguard that had been near the vicinity of the Stargate all looked stunned to see a human, much less Jack O'Neill, step through the active wormhole.
Upon exiting, he looked around at the aliens surrounding him. They weren't afraid like they had been last time, no doubt all well informed as to who he and his team were. "Is Thor around?" He asked.
"Commander Thor is currently in a meeting with the High council, may we be of assistance?"
"Na, I think we'll just wait for Thor." He nodded and looked around. "Got a spare pew handy we can use?"
The Asguard spoke to one another in a language that neither Jack nor Sam understood, obviously confused over his terminology.
*They don't have churches Jack, they don't know what a pew is.* Sam reminded him gently.
"Sorry. A chair. I meant did you have a chair around here." He amended.
"Follow us." One of them instructed and the two humans followed obediently. "We will announce your arrival to Commander Thor and he will be here momentarily. You may wait here."
Jack nodded and sat down on the 'chair.' He chewed his bottom lip in concentration as he looked at his surroundings, obviously a habit he had picked up from Sam.
*These people seriously need to get a decorator in here.* Jack commented absently, looking around at the interior of the building.
*Jack, do you really think that's the biggest thing we have to worry about at the moment?*
*I know we've got bigger things to think about, but, seriously, this color scheme is just....wrong.*
*Wrong?*
*Well, look at it Sammy. When we decorate a house together, if I even suggest these colors then I want you to Zat me.*
*With pleasure.*
A white light filled the room and Thor stood before them, bowing his head slightly in greeting.
"Hey Thor." Jack waved.
"O'Neill, you requested my presence?."
"Yeah, Carter and I need your help." Jack proceeded to explain the situation in as much detail as he could, Sam throwing in comments inside his head when she deemed it appropriate.
"You wish to be separate minds once more?" He asked.
"Yes." He nodded.
"I believe that I may be able to be of assistance. We should return to Earth to perform the procedure."
"Okay." Jack shrugged.
~*+*~
The Stargate spun to life and defence teams were immediately alert, running into the Gate room with their weapons aimed at any aggressors that should happen to come through.
"We aren't receiving a signal sir." Harriman announced, studying the monitor in front of him.
"Keep the iris closed." Hammond ordered.
The room fell into dark as everything went off-line, the Stargate's event horizon the only illumination in the complex.
"That was quick." Daniel muttered as he saw his friends and Thor step through the Stargate.
The other half of SG-1, Hammond and Janet all went down into the Gate room to see what the verdict was. "Well?" Daniel asked, impatient.
"They can help."
"Where is Major Carter's body?" Thor asked.
"This way." Janet pointed towards the exit and everyone followed her. The Stargate disengaged and all of the power came back, as well as their control over the computer systems.
~*+*~
The screams that punctuated the air were worse than the ones that they had heard the previous night. The door had been shut, but it did little to blunt the piercing noise coming from the other side. The first time that a scream could be heard, Janet had wanted to run straight into the room, but Teal'c had so graciously held her back.
Thor had told them to wait outside, in case of any radiation coming from the machine that he was using that could be harmful to them. Reluctantly they had left, trusting Thor, but needing to be in close proximity to their friends.
It seemed like hours, although it was just under one, when Thor exited the room, his small hand closing the door behind him. "The procedure was completely successful however we must leave them." He announced.
Fraiser's eyes darted between General Hammond and Thor. "I need to examine them, make sure that the process hasn't harmed either of them." She protested.
"There may be some residual radiation from the procedure, it would be unwise for you to enter this room." Thor replied, unfazed by the urgency in her tone.
"Sir....?" She pleaded, looking towards Hammond desperately.
"I'm afraid that in this case we are just going to have to trust Thor." The General shook his head.
Fraiser sighed. "When will we be able to see them?"
Thor thought for a moment before replying. "I believe that any radiation will dissipate after an hour of your time. I must return to my people."
Hammond gestured for one of the guards to step forwards. "Escort Thor to the Gate room and tell Harriman to dial up the Asguard home world." He ordered.
~*+*~
Jack opened his eyes, slightly disorientated. He was in the SGC, the familiar drab gray walls told him that much, but as to which room.....he had no idea.
Despite the annoying throb in his head, Jack managed to turn so that he could see his surroundings. Sam was to his left.....at least, her body was. Whether or not her mind was in there was another matter. She wasn't hooked up to a respirator, which had to be a good sign. She was still pale, but if she really was in there then that was to be expected. He guessed that the procedure that Thor tried had worked, which begged the question, why wasn't Doctor Fraiser in here. Or at the very least, one of her nurses?
Surely they wouldn't want to leave Sam alone after everything that he had been through in the last week?
He watched in silence as she slowly opened her eyes, then closed them quickly as the bright light from the ceiling invaded her retinas and threatened to burn them after so long in darkness.
"Sammy?" He called in nothing more than a harsh whisper, reaching across to her gurney to take her hand.
Sam flinched as she felt the now unfamiliar touch of a hand holding her own. But eventually her senses began to relax. She opened her mouth to speak, let Jack know that she heard him, but all that came out was something of a sob and her lips did a good impression of a fish out of water.
"It's alright Sammy, you're safe." He whispered, his own voice hoarse.
Janet walked into the room, despite Thor's warning. The doctor in her wouldn't let her stay outside when anything could be happening to her friends.
"Doc." Jack acknowledged, not bothering to let go of Sam's hand.
"How are you feeling Colonel?" She asked, scrutinizing him.
"Normal.....I think. This is kind of a unique situation. How am I supposed to be feeling?" He asked, stifling a yawn.
"Tired, slightly disorientated, run down, you'll find a dislike of bright light and generally exhausted, according to Thor." She replied.
"Then I'm normal." He nodded, satisfied.
Janet nodded and walked around him to stand by Sam, looking at the seemingly still body of her friend. The only indication that she was alive was her rising and falling chest. "Is Sam alright?" Janet asked, looking back to Jack who was watching the blonde carefully.
"I don't know." He shrugged, worry clearly evident in his eyes.
Sam opened her mouth to speak again, but once more all that escaped her lips was a strangled half sob, half moan. Instead she opted for gently squeezing Jack's hand, with all of the strength that she had.....which wasn't much.
"Sam, squeeze my hand again if you're in any pain." Jack told her, and he felt nothing. He looked at Janet, "I don't think she's in any pain."
"Think you can get up Sir?" She asked.
Jack nodded and dropped Sam's hand to pull himself in a sitting position, using his arms to hold him upright.
Sam felt the loss of Jack's hand and tried to call out to him, frustrated when nothing but a pathetic whimper escaped from her lips. Forcing her limbs to comply, she tried to life her arm and signal that she wanted Jack's hand back, but it felt too heavy for her to move. 'Start small Sam, start small." She told herself, forcing her eyes open, despite the bright light. She saw Janet standing over her, smiling reassuringly and as she looked around the room, she saw Jack sitting up on a gurney next to her, also smiling.
"How are you feeling?" Janet asked, clearly concerned.
Once again Sam tried, and failed, to answer her verbally.
Janet clearly understood the frustrated look in Sam's eyes and smiled. "How about we try this another way. One blink for yes, two blinks for no. how does that sound?" She asked.
Sam blinked once.
"Are you in any pain at all?" One blink. "Do you know where you are at the moment?" Two blinks. "You're in the SGC. Do you remember what happened?"
Sam thought for a moment and let the memories wash over her. The entity invading the computer system, her becoming possessed by it, the entity transferring her consciousness into the computer system. Being stuck in there for days, Jack offering to let her use his body for a while, the dreams she and Jack shared, going to the Asguard home world to get Thor's help.
She blinked once.
"Can you talk?" Two blinks. "I think that having your body essentially.....empty for the past week has damaged some of it's systems. Your voice box must have been one of them, either that or you've damaged your easophagus. We'll get some speech therapy organised for you. It won't be easy, but you'll get there. Do you want me to organise it?" One blink. "Don't worry Sam, we'll have you back on track in no time."
Janet smiled, but couldn't help feeling like she was making empty promises.
~*+*~
Sam sighed quietly to herself. She had been in the infirmary for over a week, and it was getting boring. Jack spent most of the time in the bed beside her, but had been given constant sedatives to make him sleep off the effects of the past few weeks.
The speech therapist that they had brought in, Tracy Anderson, was a very patient lady in Sam's opinion. She'd had a three-hour session with her every day since she woke up and still couldn't say anything. Tracy was optimistic, and said that her first word was likely to be something like 'wormhole' or 'Stargate.'
A hand held white board had temporarily been brought in for Sam to use to communicate with people, although her writing was somewhat childlike since she regained control of her arms. Jack had named it 'chicken scrawl' and said that it looked like his handwriting on a good day.
"Major Carter?" A nurse called, walking behind the privacy curtain that Janet had put up for her.
Sam scribbled on her white board and turned it to face the nurse. 'Yes?'
"Doctor Anderson is here to see you ma'am."
Sam nodded her thanks and the Nurse left, and Tracy entered. "Hey Sam, how are you feeling today?" She asked and then frowned as Sam began to write her reply on the board. "I've told you not to use that thing with me." Tracy scowled gently. "How are we ever going to get you talking again if you get comfy with that?" She smiled.
Reluctantly nodding, Sam put the board and her marker on the table beside her bed, looking slightly sheepish.
"Better." Tracy nodded with a smile. "Now, where were we yesterday?" She asked, flipping through her notes.
Sam opened her mouth to answer, but as usual nothing came out. Her mind could form the word, she could hear it in her head but no matter how hard she tried, her brain and her mouth didn't seem to want to operate together to form the word.
"Ah, the alphabet, right?"
Sam nodded.
"Okay, why don't we leave the more complicated letters for now and just start with the letter 'E.' Most children learn to say that one first, so we should have some luck. Do you want to try it?" She asked, needing to know that her patient was willing.
Sam nodded again, and forced her brain to work. Clearing her throat, and taking a deep breath, she attempted to follow Tracy's lead.
Tracy smiled as Sam was able to pronounce the consonant, with limited difficulty.
"See," she grinned. "Now we're making progress! Let's try 'K' this time."
~*+*~
Trying to sleep was difficult, nightmares plagued her dreams and Sam hated waking in a cold sweat without being able to tell anyone what was troubling her. She couldn't even see Mackenzie, her hand would get too tired from writing so much.
She knew what she needed.....wanted, but she couldn't get to him. There were two options, she could press the buzzer and have a nurse come and hope that he or she understood what she was talking about. Or, she could start throwing things at the curtain that separated her and Jack and hope that he woke up.
Figuring that the former would be a better option than the latter, Sam reached over to the nightstand and pressed the buzzer, waiting until the nurse came through the curtain.
"Can I help you ma'am?" She asked.
Sam pointed daftly towards the dividing curtain, but her arm seemed to have gone to sleep and she could barely move her finger.
"I'm sorry major, I don't know what you want, you have to tell me." The nurse shook her head and concentrated.
Groaning she looked towards the curtain, hoping that the young woman would take the hint and follow the direction of her eyes.
"Major, you have to *tell* me what you need!" She begged.
"Jack....." The word came out in a rush, and Sam blushed at the horrid way her voice sounded. "Jack." She repeated, clearly and more confidently.
"You want Colonel O'Neill?" The nurse asked.
Sam had to resist the urge to slap the woman. She had gone in leaps and bounds just to be able to say his name, and this girl wanted more conformation. Unable to reply verbally, Sam nodded.
"I'm sorry ma'am, Colonel O'Neill is sleeping, I don't think that Doctor Fraiser would like it if I woke....."
"Jack." Sam demanded more firmly.
Despite the distorted sound of Major Carter's voice, Jenny couldn't miss the demand and slightly pleading tone to her voice. She nodded and walked into O'Neill's sleeping space and shook him slightly on the shoulder.
"What?" He grumbled, annoyed at having his rather......pleasant dream interrupted before it could properly end.
"Major Carter is asking for you sir, she's quite insistent." Jenny told him.
Jack nodded and rose from the bed, walking barefoot into Sam's 'room' to see her wide awake and looking at him. "Sammy?" He asked, passing her the white board and marker so that they could talk.
"Jack." She smiled at the stunned expression on his face.
"Did.....did you just say.....?" He stuttered.
Sam grinned. "Jack." She repeated.
"When did this come about?" He asked, still shocked.
Sam shrugged, not really sure herself.
"Well, this is just the first step!' He grinned proudly and laid down with her when she pulled back the covers and patted the bed beside her invitingly.
All insomnia forgotten, Sam fell asleep instantly.
~*+*~
Sam grinned happily when Tracy came into her room. The two women had been working together for almost a month now, and they were working on a special project together, which they were hoping to finish today.
The basic words, yes, no, please and thank you had come easy to her, but some of the more complicated words, the ones Sam was used to saying, had turned out to be a bigger problem. Her voice was still not normal, but Tracy had told her that the more time she spent talking, the better it would get. Apparently her voice box was 'simply out of practice' and would fix itself over time.
She and Jack had spent most of their days together, neither being allowed out of the infirmary yet. Sam suspected that the only reason she was keeping Jack in was so that she wasn't bored.
They had spent a lot of time talking, and as Sam's newly improved vocabulary grew, so did the amount of time she spent talking as opposed to writing on the whiteboard, which she was planning to get rid of.
"Ready to get started?" Tracy asked, pulling up her chair to sit by Sam.
"Yes." Sam nodded.
"Okay, so....we have the first and last word sorted out, but you wanted to work on the middle one, is that right?"
"Yes."
"Were you always a perfectionist, or is this a new development?" Tracy asked with a smile.
Sam couldn't help but grin. "Always." She nodded.
"Let's work on this word so we can shock the hell outta' that man of yours!" She laughed.
The two women set to work in hushed voices.
~*+*~
Jack walked back into the brightly lit infirmary, feeling refreshed after a nice, long hot shower. Even though Janet had 'quietly' told him that he was fit and healthy, with no after effects from the blending, she recognized Sam's need to have him around, and had told General Hammond that she wanted to keep Jack in for observation a little longer. Although, Jack suspected that Hammond knew the real reason for his extended stay in the infirmary.
He and Sam were sharing her bed now, although nothing had happened, given their surroundings, he had, according to Daniel, said that he loved her while he was asleep. And, also according to Daniel, she had been awake and had heard him.
She hadn't said anything to him yet, and he was kind of hoping that she wouldn't, but he figured that he'd just have to wait and see.
Walking behind his and Sam's curtain, Jack saw her sitting up in bed, reading the paper. "Hey Sammy." He greeted, dropping a kiss on her head.
"Jack, how was your sh.....showa......shower." She finally got out, pleased that the word hadn't eluded her.
"Good. You're doing really well Sam, I'm proud of you." He smiled.
"I learnt a new saying today." She told him, looking at him with wide blue eyes, shining with pride.
"What is it?" He asked, sitting cross-legged on the bed opposite her.
Sam took a deep breath and cleared her throat, trying to find the courage. "I love you." She grinned.
"What?" Jack asked, eyes wide.
"Am I not speaking English?" She asked, laughing at his expression.
He couldn't help but laugh too. "I love you too Sammy."
"Good, now what do you say we get out of this place and celebrate properly?" She grinned mischievously.
"Sammy, you have a beautiful mind." He smiled, grabbing her hand as the two went in search of an empty room.
~*+*~
*End*