Being There: Cloaked
CHAPTER: Cloaked, Chapter 17
SERIES: Stargate
WORDS: 744
DESCRIPTION: S/J. Jack goes to see Sam in the infirmary.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The bright afternoon sunlight streamed through his office window. Even after nearly a year, he still hadn't gotten used to having a window that actually looked outside… Though there were days he'd have given anything to be able to look out and see the strangely comforting circle of the Stargate instead of the D.C. skyline.
He'd somehow felt a lot safer out there with his team by his side than sitting alone here behind a desk.
His phone rang. Which was never good, but maybe this time it wouldn't be too bad. He picked it up. He'd learned pretty quickly that if he didn't, they'd just figure out another way to get him anyway.
"General O'Neill."
"Jack, it's Hank."
First names, spoken quietly and without preamble. He'd gotten enough of these calls lately it was getting hard not to recognize them.
He made himself continue to breathe despite the cold knot settling in the pit of his stomach.
Only… SG-1 wasn't out in the field. Sam had called him just last night from the SGC where she'd spent the better part of a week working on that Arthur thing they'd recovered from England. And what trouble could she get into there…?
The knot twisted.
"Hank…?"
It must have been in his voice, because the other man said, "Yeah… Jack. It's Sam."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
She was sitting with her back to the infirmary door, speaking with Dr. Lam. The doctor nodded at something she said, made a note on her clipboard, and moved away.
"So… lost again, I hear," he said from his place at the entrance.
She turned to look over her shoulder at him. Her expression remained impassive, only the sparkle dancing in her eyes betraying her as she calmly answered, "Well… not exactly lost. More like temporarily misplaced. Or, more accurately, temporally misphased."
He couldn't quite contain the smile tugging at the corner of his lip at her play on words. Even though it hadn't really been funny, at least she was trying. And, besides, she was there. "Not bad," he offered.
"Ya think?" she asked, her own smile breaking free. As he crossed to stand next to her, she added, "You know, sir, if you keep showing up like this, people are going to start to wonder."
He shrugged. "And I care…?"
They'd discussed this often enough that he didn't have to remind her of the fact they weren't actually doing anything wrong. Defeated, she smiled at him. "Thank you," she said.
He returned her smile and winked. "Always. Now, you cleared to get out of here?"
"Yup. Dr. Lam's checked us all out and there don't seem to be any residual effects from the device. I'm good to go." She slipped off the edge of the bed to stand next to him.
"Where are the others?" he asked as they headed out the door and into the hall.
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Where do you think?"
"Is it dinner time already?"
She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Always. Have you met them?"
They had reached the elevators and he paused, his finger poised over the button. "They're not expecting you, are they?"
"Nyah. I told them I was headed home. Things to do… ."
He punched the 'up' button. "People to call?"
"Person," she corrected, smiling up at him. Her smile warmed him like a physical touch. "Only, not anymore," she added as the elevator doors opened before them and they stepped inside.
"I hate phone calls, anyway," he observed… and immediately regretted it.
His tone had been casual, but she hadn't been fooled. She glanced sharply up at him; her smile wavered and broke. The fear and exhaustion she'd kept hidden for so long finally washed across her features. In a voice suddenly far too quiet, she agreed, "Me too."
He let his own mask slip completely, let her see his own desperate fears in the hours when she'd been missing.
She was in his arms even before the elevator doors were fully closed.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
continued in Chapter 18: Better than Dreams
SERIES: Stargate
WORDS: 744
DESCRIPTION: S/J. Jack goes to see Sam in the infirmary.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The bright afternoon sunlight streamed through his office window. Even after nearly a year, he still hadn't gotten used to having a window that actually looked outside… Though there were days he'd have given anything to be able to look out and see the strangely comforting circle of the Stargate instead of the D.C. skyline.
He'd somehow felt a lot safer out there with his team by his side than sitting alone here behind a desk.
His phone rang. Which was never good, but maybe this time it wouldn't be too bad. He picked it up. He'd learned pretty quickly that if he didn't, they'd just figure out another way to get him anyway.
"General O'Neill."
"Jack, it's Hank."
First names, spoken quietly and without preamble. He'd gotten enough of these calls lately it was getting hard not to recognize them.
He made himself continue to breathe despite the cold knot settling in the pit of his stomach.
Only… SG-1 wasn't out in the field. Sam had called him just last night from the SGC where she'd spent the better part of a week working on that Arthur thing they'd recovered from England. And what trouble could she get into there…?
The knot twisted.
"Hank…?"
It must have been in his voice, because the other man said, "Yeah… Jack. It's Sam."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
She was sitting with her back to the infirmary door, speaking with Dr. Lam. The doctor nodded at something she said, made a note on her clipboard, and moved away.
"So… lost again, I hear," he said from his place at the entrance.
She turned to look over her shoulder at him. Her expression remained impassive, only the sparkle dancing in her eyes betraying her as she calmly answered, "Well… not exactly lost. More like temporarily misplaced. Or, more accurately, temporally misphased."
He couldn't quite contain the smile tugging at the corner of his lip at her play on words. Even though it hadn't really been funny, at least she was trying. And, besides, she was there. "Not bad," he offered.
"Ya think?" she asked, her own smile breaking free. As he crossed to stand next to her, she added, "You know, sir, if you keep showing up like this, people are going to start to wonder."
He shrugged. "And I care…?"
They'd discussed this often enough that he didn't have to remind her of the fact they weren't actually doing anything wrong. Defeated, she smiled at him. "Thank you," she said.
He returned her smile and winked. "Always. Now, you cleared to get out of here?"
"Yup. Dr. Lam's checked us all out and there don't seem to be any residual effects from the device. I'm good to go." She slipped off the edge of the bed to stand next to him.
"Where are the others?" he asked as they headed out the door and into the hall.
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Where do you think?"
"Is it dinner time already?"
She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Always. Have you met them?"
They had reached the elevators and he paused, his finger poised over the button. "They're not expecting you, are they?"
"Nyah. I told them I was headed home. Things to do… ."
He punched the 'up' button. "People to call?"
"Person," she corrected, smiling up at him. Her smile warmed him like a physical touch. "Only, not anymore," she added as the elevator doors opened before them and they stepped inside.
"I hate phone calls, anyway," he observed… and immediately regretted it.
His tone had been casual, but she hadn't been fooled. She glanced sharply up at him; her smile wavered and broke. The fear and exhaustion she'd kept hidden for so long finally washed across her features. In a voice suddenly far too quiet, she agreed, "Me too."
He let his own mask slip completely, let her see his own desperate fears in the hours when she'd been missing.
She was in his arms even before the elevator doors were fully closed.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
continued in Chapter 18: Better than Dreams