Dog Heaven: Pack Mates - Part 5/5
Title: Dog Heaven: Pack Mates
Summary: Jack gets in touch with his animal side after accidently participating in a ritual off-world.
Timeframe: Mid-season two-ish
Characters/Pairing: Team, Sam/Jack, Janet
Genre: Humor, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, UST to RST
Rating: G
Part Five
Sam had been pacing back and forth in front of the isolated room where Janet had immediately taken Colonel O’Neill. Daniel and Teal’c had both been sitting much more calmly in the hard plastic chairs against the wall, but she just couldn’t be still.
When Janet finally opened the door and invited them in, Sam nearly knocked the poor woman over in her haste to see how the Colonel was doing. “Janet, is he okay?”
She smiled reassuringly at the rest of SG-1. “He will be.”
Looking at the Colonel lying there on the bed gave Sam pause. He was unconscious with an IV in his front leg, and an oxygen mask jury-rigged with tape, extra plastic pieces, and multiple elastic bands so it would stay on his muzzle. He looked so fragile, his furry chest heaving up and down with each breath. “What…what’s wrong with him?” She fought the panic that threatened to rise to the surface.
“We tested the veterinarian prescribed meds you brought in. It turns out he was having a bad reaction to the antibiotics, but I gave him something to counteract that and he should be fine. I just want to let him finish the saline drip and keep him on oxygen a little longer before you can take him home, okay?”
Home. Sam tried not to think too much about the way Janet had said it, like her home was Colonel O’Neill’s, too. She hadn’t meant it like that. Sam shook her head and sunk down in the chair beside the bed, trying to stop from reading too much into anything.
“Why is he still unconscious?” Daniel asked.
“Once the Colonel’s breathing was a bit better I gave him a mild sedative. He got a little agitated when one of my nurses tried to get a blood sample. It was just a precaution.”
Daniel nodded with understanding and looked at Teal’c, then Sam. He gestured toward the door, moving and waving Teal’c with him. “I’m gonna go…see if the General will let us go back to the planet one more time to get a bit more information. Maybe Teal’c and I can talk to the boy, get some answers to Jack’s questions now that I know what to ask. I’d also like another opportunity to hear their language spoken, which will hopefully help my understanding of it.”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” Sam nodded in agreement but didn’t make a move to get up from her perch at the Colonel’s bedside as the guys left. She turned her attention to Janet. “I’d like to stay with Colonel O’Neill if that’s alright?”
Janet laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. “Of course, Sam. In fact I think my nurses would feel better if you were here. He seems to respond better to you even when he’s gone over to the wolf side.”
Sam felt her cheeks flush and ducked her head bashfully. When Janet touched her shoulder and left the room, Sam shifted her chair closer to the Colonel’s bed and lightly began patting his head, gently scratching behind his ears. She was rather dismayed to find that she wasn’t getting anything from him, and wondered if it was simply because he was unconscious or if it was something else. Sam was half-expecting a stray thought or image; anything was better than this blankness of white noise.
Carter?
She nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden sound of Colonel O’Neill’s voice in her head. Her hand stopped scratching behind his ears to rest on his neck, knowing she had to keep in contact in order to ‘hear’ him. “Sir, how are you feeling?” she asked him softly.
His big brown eyes flicked open. Leg hurts.
Sam frowned with concern and began to get up. “I’ll go get Janet, sir. She’s got your medications.”
Wait, he thought before she completely lost contact with him.
Sam paused, her hand still on his furry neck, his head lifting slightly. “Sir?”
What’s this thing on my face? he wanted to know, dark eyes flicking toward her.
“Janet had to jury-rig an oxygen mask to fit on your…uh…muzzle, sir,” Sam explained reassuringly.
Oh. His head dropped back down on the bed tiredly.
She smiled down at him, warmly. “I’ll be back with Janet in a minute, Colonel.”
‘Kay, she heard before her hand slid away and they lost contact.
When she got back with Janet and the gel painkiller syringe from the vet’s office, Sam approached the Colonel first, calling his name as she moved to stand by his head. He didn’t respond right away, but when Janet went to check his leg, his head jerked up and he growled warningly.
Janet took a step back and lifted her hands in a non-threatening gesture. “Easy, now,” she said softly.
“I think he’s more wolf at the moment, Janet,” Sam said unnecessarily. “It’s probably because of his leg. I’ve noticed that the more controlled side of him tends to switch off when he’s in pain.”
Janet nodded in acknowledgment. “Well, I could help with that if he’ll let me give him his painkiller.” She looked doubtfully at O’Neill, his head up and alert, dark eyes drilling her cagily.
Sam moved around the bed and lightly touched his back when his head jerked as if suddenly realizing there was a strange object attached to his face. He bucked and began pawing frantically at the oxygen mask. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Sam hushed as calmly as she could, gently scratching his back in a soothing gesture as she received flashes of panic and fear.
“Sam, he’s going to hurt himself,” Janet warned her, standing with her hands out, poised to help but also keeping her distance from the frenzied wolf.
“I know,” Sam hissed. “I’m trying to calm him down.” She boldly moved back toward his head, one hand keeping contact at all times. When she reached the back of his neck she swiftly pulled the oxygen mask off him in one smooth movement and stepped back. Now that his muzzle was free he could more easily bite one of them, but Sam hoped that with the stressful equipment gone, he might relax.
“Be careful,” Janet cautioned as Sam gingerly stepped around the bed until she’d stopped in front of him.
“Pass me the medication?” Sam reached out slowly and the doctor did as she asked. She was no longer touching the Colonel, and he appeared tense, but wasn’t giving her the same wary look he’d been giving Janet earlier. He wasn’t looking at her like she was a threat. “It’s okay, Jack,” she tried, going for his given name. “I just want to help you.”
The Colonel’s head tilted, and as Sam cautiously moved her empty hand in front of his muzzle, palm up, he leaned forward and sniffed her.
“Sam,” Janet warned worriedly.
“Shh.” She smiled tenderly at the wolf on the bed, searching those familiar brown eyes for some recognition. “It’s okay, he trusts me,” she whispered confidently.
The Colonel licked her hand and then nudged her palm with his big head.
Sam sensed comfort and safety from him, and knowing that the wolf side was strongest at this point, it made her feel special. It meant a lot that she could get this wild part of him to trust in her.
“Good boy,” she whispered with a smile, raising the plastic syringe in her free hand, the other resting lightly on his muzzle. “Okay, I’m just going to give you some medicine now.” Sam doubted he understood her in his current mental state, but telling him what she was about to do made her feel better.
Gently peeling back his lip, the Colonel let her stick the plastic tube part of the syringe between his back teeth. She depressed the plunger quickly, squirting the gel into his mouth and eliciting a big shake of his wolfy head, his tongue moving all around from the taste.
Sam patted his head, scratching behind his ears before turning to Janet with an encouraging smile. “The Colonel should be more like himself once the meds kick in.”
Janet nodded with understanding. “I’ll come back in a while to check him out, then. Will you stay with him?”
“Yeah,” Sam assured her, sitting down beside the bed. She smiled with amusement when the Colonel’s tail thumped on the bed happily. Putting her complete confidence in him at the moment, Sam rose from her chair and moved to sit by him on the edge of the bed. It was much easier for her to keep contact with him this way instead of reaching up from the low chair. His head turned toward her slightly, then rested against the mattress again as she put her hand on his side and began gently scratching along his ribs.
Sam didn’t get much from him now, but when she did it was relieving to sense only the trust and calmness radiating from the Colonel in brief, gentle pulses. She stayed there, stroking his soft fur absently for a while as she waited for him to be himself again.
Not much later, the Colonel was back. His head lifted and Sam could see the clarity in the depths of his brown eyes. She stood up, her hand sliding down the length of a front leg to rest at his massive paw.
Can we get the hell outta here now, Carter? he asked pleadingly.
She smiled back at him with relief, and nodded. “Janet just wants to check you out one more time. I’ll go get her, okay? Be right back.” The Colonel nodded sharply as her hand slid away from him, and Sam swiftly left to go get the doctor.
Colonel O’Neill remained in control when Janet came back to examine his leg as well as remove the IV and check his vitals. Janet then gave Sam some new antibiotic tablets that she’d had to get special ordered and cleared him to go home with her.
Remembering that they’d driven Daniel’s car to the mountain, and he was currently off-world, Sam was able to find an SF that was available to drive them back to her place. The poor young man was terribly confused about the large wolf-looking dog accompanying her, but Sam simply told him it was ‘need-to-know’ and the un-attempted question had died on his lips.
.
It was late when they got back to Carter’s house, and Jack was both very tired and very hungry. Not feeling very communicative, he dragged his exhausted carcass to his little area in front of the couch and sat down near the Tupperware food and water containers, pawing at them as Carter came over.
“I’m sorry Colonel, you haven’t eaten in a while,” Carter exclaimed with realization. She hurriedly grabbed the bowls and took off, presumably to get him food and fresh water.
While she was gone, Jack limped over to his soft pile of blankets and sat, but didn’t lie down all the way. He knew if he did that he’d probably fall asleep only to wake even hungrier and probably pretty cranky.
Carter brought him his food and water, telling him the new antibiotics were mixed in, so he needed to finish all of it. That hadn’t been a problem. He was so hungry he practically inhaled the soggy mixture of wet and dry dog food, then settled back on his blankets.
When Carter came back again, she had a bowl of macaroni and was wearing her pajamas. She sat down on the couch and turned on the television, flipping through the channels for several seconds before settling on a random movie.
Jack’s ears twitched, his nostrils flaring as he sat up. It wasn’t due to the heavenly smell of the food, though. All he was smelling was her. Her comforting, wonderful scent was calling him closer. He hopped up on the couch, surprising her judging by the short gasp, and forcing himself to ignore the protesting twinge from his leg. He watched her for a moment, wanting to be closer, but waiting for permission.
Carter misread his move and pulled her bowl of food closer to her chest, smiling slyly at him. “I don’t think so, sir. My mac n’ cheese will probably make you sick as a…” she shrugged helplessly and finished the comment, “dog…in your current state.”
He didn’t care about her food, however. He just wanted to be near her, wanted her to touch him. Jack shook his furry head and waited until she’d finished eating, setting the bowl on the table. Then, he made his move, crawling a little closer and then waiting again.
Taking the blanket from the back of the couch, Carter draped it over her legs and put her feet up on the coffee table before turning to him with a curious expression. “What?” she asked softly, tilting her head.
Jack would have smiled if he could. Still exhausted and feeling the effects of his painkillers, he huffed out a breath and laid down, his head barely brushing her thigh. A warmth spread through him at the minimal contact, and he knew Carter had probably felt it, too. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder, her fingers moving soothingly through his fur. Jack absently wiggled closer until his head rested in her lap. He sighed contently, letting his guard down as he fell asleep.
.
Sam was mildly surprised when the Colonel boldly put his head down on her lap, but she couldn’t help smiling at the waves of security and contentment she received when they touched. Part of her considered that he might be mostly wolf right now, but as she felt him falling asleep, Sam got an image from him that proved otherwise. The flash she received was a dream-like image of Colonel O’Neill, lying on her couch and holding her in his arms. It was brief, and things went black after that, but Sam couldn’t get the image out of her head.
She wasn’t shocked, but oddly happy at what she saw. Maybe it was time she and the Colonel discussed their mutual feelings for one another and stopped hiding behind Air Force regulations. Just maybe they could work things out. There was a reason she hadn’t put up much of a fight when it had been decided the Colonel was going home with her.
Lightly scratching the Colonel behind his ears while she watched the movie, Sam felt herself becoming drowsy. She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes during the commercial, keeping in contact with Colonel O’Neill and smiling as she occasionally received flashes from a very pleasant dream that she was a part of.
.
Sunlight shone brightly through the living room windows, waking Sam from a mostly-restful sleep. Her right hand was still resting on the Colonel’s head in her lap, but the soft fur she remembered from last night felt strange-different. Opening her eyes and looking down, Sam gasped slightly when she immediately noticed that the head resting in her lap was quite human, and attached to a very naked, (except for the dog tags) very male body curled up on the couch beside her.
“Oh…my…” she uttered softly, valiantly trying not to stare. Sam managed to wiggle slightly to get the blanket off her legs without waking him, then draped it over the Colonel’s naked form. She made an effort to squirm away again, this time getting his head off her lap and onto a throw pillow before she was able to escape. Stepping back from the couch, Sam took a moment to admire him lying there, his feet poking out the end of the blanket while the top of his shoulders and head peaked out on the other side.
Sam stood for a few seconds longer, listening to him snoring softly before smiling and turning on her heel to go make coffee. She had a feeling they were both going to need it.
.
Jack woke up confused and a bit groggy, seeing colors for the first time in days. Before he was able to give himself a chance to figure things out, Carter came striding around the couch with two mugs of coffee in hand. Brows furrowed in confusion, he just stared and blinked at her slowly. Why the hell was she bringing him coffee when he couldn’t even drink it?
“Sir?” she began tentatively, setting the mugs on the coffee table in front of the couch.
He was still lying on his side, but lifted his head and tilted it so that she wasn’t sideways when he looked at her.
“Colonel, are you alright?” She moved closer.
Jack grunted and leaned forward, stretching his neck out until his head bumped her hand. “I can see in colors, Carter.” His head jerked back and his eyes widened when he realized those words had come out of his mouth. He’d spoken them aloud. Wait-a-minute.
Carter laughed softly. “Sir… You’re human again. You’re back.” She smiled warmly.
“Oh.“ He sat up and flung his legs over the side of the couch, grunting at the small twinge of pain from his left thigh. Jack abruptly realized he was stark naked under the blanket that had been draped over him, and it was now barely covering his lap since he’d moved. “Shit.”
Carter pursed her lips in an attempt to smother her grin and then sat beside him.
Jack quickly and awkwardly arranged the blanket so it was mostly wrapped around his waist. He cleared his throat. “Um…morning.”
“Good morning.” Carter reached for the coffee on the table and handed him one, taking the other for herself. “How are you feeling?”
“Pretty…good…” he said slowly, surprised that he didn’t feel completely uncomfortable sitting naked next to Carter with just a blanket over his lap. He moved his left leg experimentally and winced. “Leg twinges a bit.”
She nodded at him. “You were shot…when you were a wolf.”
“Yeah.” He grimaced, then sipped at his coffee, his hands feeling strange as he gripped the mug. “I remember everything.”
Carter reached over and gently placed her hand on his forearm. “I think we need to talk…Jack.” Her voice was soft, open.
Looking in her deep blue eyes, Jack could see the emotions swirling. His heartbeat sped up, knowing just what she wanted to talk about. He remembered what Daniel had said about him turning back to normal once he’d found his soul mate and had the distinct feeling that Carter hadn’t forgotten it either. There was no denying that they’d made a special connection when he’d been a wolf. That connection didn’t feel like a fluke to him, and a big part of him felt it was still there-stronger. Maybe she couldn’t read his thoughts by touching him, but the link-the bond-was there. He was already hers.
Jack nodded, turning his hand over to grasp hers. “Okay…Sam.”
.
Daniel and Teal’c returned from the planet that afternoon, but by then they were too late to make a difference, not that it mattered. They were happy to learn that human Jack was back with them, and after having a talk with the boy and the village locals, fighting through the language barrier, it became no mystery to Daniel why it was that Jack had returned to them.
As they entered the infirmary they found Jack perched on a gurney with Sam sitting so close to him that their thighs were touching. Upon further inspection he noticed that their hands were even intertwined between them. Daniel paused in the doorway and turned to Teal’c with a smug, satisfied smile on his face as he whispered, “I think I know why Jack could only communicate with Sam.”
Teal’c tilted his head, a slow smile tugging at his cheeks as he nodded. “Indeed.”
.End.
Note: Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! It's been a fun ride, and although this is sadly the end, I do have a sequel in the works with more SJness to come! :)
Summary: Jack gets in touch with his animal side after accidently participating in a ritual off-world.
Timeframe: Mid-season two-ish
Characters/Pairing: Team, Sam/Jack, Janet
Genre: Humor, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, UST to RST
Rating: G
Part Five
Sam had been pacing back and forth in front of the isolated room where Janet had immediately taken Colonel O’Neill. Daniel and Teal’c had both been sitting much more calmly in the hard plastic chairs against the wall, but she just couldn’t be still.
When Janet finally opened the door and invited them in, Sam nearly knocked the poor woman over in her haste to see how the Colonel was doing. “Janet, is he okay?”
She smiled reassuringly at the rest of SG-1. “He will be.”
Looking at the Colonel lying there on the bed gave Sam pause. He was unconscious with an IV in his front leg, and an oxygen mask jury-rigged with tape, extra plastic pieces, and multiple elastic bands so it would stay on his muzzle. He looked so fragile, his furry chest heaving up and down with each breath. “What…what’s wrong with him?” She fought the panic that threatened to rise to the surface.
“We tested the veterinarian prescribed meds you brought in. It turns out he was having a bad reaction to the antibiotics, but I gave him something to counteract that and he should be fine. I just want to let him finish the saline drip and keep him on oxygen a little longer before you can take him home, okay?”
Home. Sam tried not to think too much about the way Janet had said it, like her home was Colonel O’Neill’s, too. She hadn’t meant it like that. Sam shook her head and sunk down in the chair beside the bed, trying to stop from reading too much into anything.
“Why is he still unconscious?” Daniel asked.
“Once the Colonel’s breathing was a bit better I gave him a mild sedative. He got a little agitated when one of my nurses tried to get a blood sample. It was just a precaution.”
Daniel nodded with understanding and looked at Teal’c, then Sam. He gestured toward the door, moving and waving Teal’c with him. “I’m gonna go…see if the General will let us go back to the planet one more time to get a bit more information. Maybe Teal’c and I can talk to the boy, get some answers to Jack’s questions now that I know what to ask. I’d also like another opportunity to hear their language spoken, which will hopefully help my understanding of it.”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” Sam nodded in agreement but didn’t make a move to get up from her perch at the Colonel’s bedside as the guys left. She turned her attention to Janet. “I’d like to stay with Colonel O’Neill if that’s alright?”
Janet laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. “Of course, Sam. In fact I think my nurses would feel better if you were here. He seems to respond better to you even when he’s gone over to the wolf side.”
Sam felt her cheeks flush and ducked her head bashfully. When Janet touched her shoulder and left the room, Sam shifted her chair closer to the Colonel’s bed and lightly began patting his head, gently scratching behind his ears. She was rather dismayed to find that she wasn’t getting anything from him, and wondered if it was simply because he was unconscious or if it was something else. Sam was half-expecting a stray thought or image; anything was better than this blankness of white noise.
Carter?
She nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden sound of Colonel O’Neill’s voice in her head. Her hand stopped scratching behind his ears to rest on his neck, knowing she had to keep in contact in order to ‘hear’ him. “Sir, how are you feeling?” she asked him softly.
His big brown eyes flicked open. Leg hurts.
Sam frowned with concern and began to get up. “I’ll go get Janet, sir. She’s got your medications.”
Wait, he thought before she completely lost contact with him.
Sam paused, her hand still on his furry neck, his head lifting slightly. “Sir?”
What’s this thing on my face? he wanted to know, dark eyes flicking toward her.
“Janet had to jury-rig an oxygen mask to fit on your…uh…muzzle, sir,” Sam explained reassuringly.
Oh. His head dropped back down on the bed tiredly.
She smiled down at him, warmly. “I’ll be back with Janet in a minute, Colonel.”
‘Kay, she heard before her hand slid away and they lost contact.
When she got back with Janet and the gel painkiller syringe from the vet’s office, Sam approached the Colonel first, calling his name as she moved to stand by his head. He didn’t respond right away, but when Janet went to check his leg, his head jerked up and he growled warningly.
Janet took a step back and lifted her hands in a non-threatening gesture. “Easy, now,” she said softly.
“I think he’s more wolf at the moment, Janet,” Sam said unnecessarily. “It’s probably because of his leg. I’ve noticed that the more controlled side of him tends to switch off when he’s in pain.”
Janet nodded in acknowledgment. “Well, I could help with that if he’ll let me give him his painkiller.” She looked doubtfully at O’Neill, his head up and alert, dark eyes drilling her cagily.
Sam moved around the bed and lightly touched his back when his head jerked as if suddenly realizing there was a strange object attached to his face. He bucked and began pawing frantically at the oxygen mask. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Sam hushed as calmly as she could, gently scratching his back in a soothing gesture as she received flashes of panic and fear.
“Sam, he’s going to hurt himself,” Janet warned her, standing with her hands out, poised to help but also keeping her distance from the frenzied wolf.
“I know,” Sam hissed. “I’m trying to calm him down.” She boldly moved back toward his head, one hand keeping contact at all times. When she reached the back of his neck she swiftly pulled the oxygen mask off him in one smooth movement and stepped back. Now that his muzzle was free he could more easily bite one of them, but Sam hoped that with the stressful equipment gone, he might relax.
“Be careful,” Janet cautioned as Sam gingerly stepped around the bed until she’d stopped in front of him.
“Pass me the medication?” Sam reached out slowly and the doctor did as she asked. She was no longer touching the Colonel, and he appeared tense, but wasn’t giving her the same wary look he’d been giving Janet earlier. He wasn’t looking at her like she was a threat. “It’s okay, Jack,” she tried, going for his given name. “I just want to help you.”
The Colonel’s head tilted, and as Sam cautiously moved her empty hand in front of his muzzle, palm up, he leaned forward and sniffed her.
“Sam,” Janet warned worriedly.
“Shh.” She smiled tenderly at the wolf on the bed, searching those familiar brown eyes for some recognition. “It’s okay, he trusts me,” she whispered confidently.
The Colonel licked her hand and then nudged her palm with his big head.
Sam sensed comfort and safety from him, and knowing that the wolf side was strongest at this point, it made her feel special. It meant a lot that she could get this wild part of him to trust in her.
“Good boy,” she whispered with a smile, raising the plastic syringe in her free hand, the other resting lightly on his muzzle. “Okay, I’m just going to give you some medicine now.” Sam doubted he understood her in his current mental state, but telling him what she was about to do made her feel better.
Gently peeling back his lip, the Colonel let her stick the plastic tube part of the syringe between his back teeth. She depressed the plunger quickly, squirting the gel into his mouth and eliciting a big shake of his wolfy head, his tongue moving all around from the taste.
Sam patted his head, scratching behind his ears before turning to Janet with an encouraging smile. “The Colonel should be more like himself once the meds kick in.”
Janet nodded with understanding. “I’ll come back in a while to check him out, then. Will you stay with him?”
“Yeah,” Sam assured her, sitting down beside the bed. She smiled with amusement when the Colonel’s tail thumped on the bed happily. Putting her complete confidence in him at the moment, Sam rose from her chair and moved to sit by him on the edge of the bed. It was much easier for her to keep contact with him this way instead of reaching up from the low chair. His head turned toward her slightly, then rested against the mattress again as she put her hand on his side and began gently scratching along his ribs.
Sam didn’t get much from him now, but when she did it was relieving to sense only the trust and calmness radiating from the Colonel in brief, gentle pulses. She stayed there, stroking his soft fur absently for a while as she waited for him to be himself again.
Not much later, the Colonel was back. His head lifted and Sam could see the clarity in the depths of his brown eyes. She stood up, her hand sliding down the length of a front leg to rest at his massive paw.
Can we get the hell outta here now, Carter? he asked pleadingly.
She smiled back at him with relief, and nodded. “Janet just wants to check you out one more time. I’ll go get her, okay? Be right back.” The Colonel nodded sharply as her hand slid away from him, and Sam swiftly left to go get the doctor.
Colonel O’Neill remained in control when Janet came back to examine his leg as well as remove the IV and check his vitals. Janet then gave Sam some new antibiotic tablets that she’d had to get special ordered and cleared him to go home with her.
Remembering that they’d driven Daniel’s car to the mountain, and he was currently off-world, Sam was able to find an SF that was available to drive them back to her place. The poor young man was terribly confused about the large wolf-looking dog accompanying her, but Sam simply told him it was ‘need-to-know’ and the un-attempted question had died on his lips.
.
It was late when they got back to Carter’s house, and Jack was both very tired and very hungry. Not feeling very communicative, he dragged his exhausted carcass to his little area in front of the couch and sat down near the Tupperware food and water containers, pawing at them as Carter came over.
“I’m sorry Colonel, you haven’t eaten in a while,” Carter exclaimed with realization. She hurriedly grabbed the bowls and took off, presumably to get him food and fresh water.
While she was gone, Jack limped over to his soft pile of blankets and sat, but didn’t lie down all the way. He knew if he did that he’d probably fall asleep only to wake even hungrier and probably pretty cranky.
Carter brought him his food and water, telling him the new antibiotics were mixed in, so he needed to finish all of it. That hadn’t been a problem. He was so hungry he practically inhaled the soggy mixture of wet and dry dog food, then settled back on his blankets.
When Carter came back again, she had a bowl of macaroni and was wearing her pajamas. She sat down on the couch and turned on the television, flipping through the channels for several seconds before settling on a random movie.
Jack’s ears twitched, his nostrils flaring as he sat up. It wasn’t due to the heavenly smell of the food, though. All he was smelling was her. Her comforting, wonderful scent was calling him closer. He hopped up on the couch, surprising her judging by the short gasp, and forcing himself to ignore the protesting twinge from his leg. He watched her for a moment, wanting to be closer, but waiting for permission.
Carter misread his move and pulled her bowl of food closer to her chest, smiling slyly at him. “I don’t think so, sir. My mac n’ cheese will probably make you sick as a…” she shrugged helplessly and finished the comment, “dog…in your current state.”
He didn’t care about her food, however. He just wanted to be near her, wanted her to touch him. Jack shook his furry head and waited until she’d finished eating, setting the bowl on the table. Then, he made his move, crawling a little closer and then waiting again.
Taking the blanket from the back of the couch, Carter draped it over her legs and put her feet up on the coffee table before turning to him with a curious expression. “What?” she asked softly, tilting her head.
Jack would have smiled if he could. Still exhausted and feeling the effects of his painkillers, he huffed out a breath and laid down, his head barely brushing her thigh. A warmth spread through him at the minimal contact, and he knew Carter had probably felt it, too. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder, her fingers moving soothingly through his fur. Jack absently wiggled closer until his head rested in her lap. He sighed contently, letting his guard down as he fell asleep.
.
Sam was mildly surprised when the Colonel boldly put his head down on her lap, but she couldn’t help smiling at the waves of security and contentment she received when they touched. Part of her considered that he might be mostly wolf right now, but as she felt him falling asleep, Sam got an image from him that proved otherwise. The flash she received was a dream-like image of Colonel O’Neill, lying on her couch and holding her in his arms. It was brief, and things went black after that, but Sam couldn’t get the image out of her head.
She wasn’t shocked, but oddly happy at what she saw. Maybe it was time she and the Colonel discussed their mutual feelings for one another and stopped hiding behind Air Force regulations. Just maybe they could work things out. There was a reason she hadn’t put up much of a fight when it had been decided the Colonel was going home with her.
Lightly scratching the Colonel behind his ears while she watched the movie, Sam felt herself becoming drowsy. She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes during the commercial, keeping in contact with Colonel O’Neill and smiling as she occasionally received flashes from a very pleasant dream that she was a part of.
.
Sunlight shone brightly through the living room windows, waking Sam from a mostly-restful sleep. Her right hand was still resting on the Colonel’s head in her lap, but the soft fur she remembered from last night felt strange-different. Opening her eyes and looking down, Sam gasped slightly when she immediately noticed that the head resting in her lap was quite human, and attached to a very naked, (except for the dog tags) very male body curled up on the couch beside her.
“Oh…my…” she uttered softly, valiantly trying not to stare. Sam managed to wiggle slightly to get the blanket off her legs without waking him, then draped it over the Colonel’s naked form. She made an effort to squirm away again, this time getting his head off her lap and onto a throw pillow before she was able to escape. Stepping back from the couch, Sam took a moment to admire him lying there, his feet poking out the end of the blanket while the top of his shoulders and head peaked out on the other side.
Sam stood for a few seconds longer, listening to him snoring softly before smiling and turning on her heel to go make coffee. She had a feeling they were both going to need it.
.
Jack woke up confused and a bit groggy, seeing colors for the first time in days. Before he was able to give himself a chance to figure things out, Carter came striding around the couch with two mugs of coffee in hand. Brows furrowed in confusion, he just stared and blinked at her slowly. Why the hell was she bringing him coffee when he couldn’t even drink it?
“Sir?” she began tentatively, setting the mugs on the coffee table in front of the couch.
He was still lying on his side, but lifted his head and tilted it so that she wasn’t sideways when he looked at her.
“Colonel, are you alright?” She moved closer.
Jack grunted and leaned forward, stretching his neck out until his head bumped her hand. “I can see in colors, Carter.” His head jerked back and his eyes widened when he realized those words had come out of his mouth. He’d spoken them aloud. Wait-a-minute.
Carter laughed softly. “Sir… You’re human again. You’re back.” She smiled warmly.
“Oh.“ He sat up and flung his legs over the side of the couch, grunting at the small twinge of pain from his left thigh. Jack abruptly realized he was stark naked under the blanket that had been draped over him, and it was now barely covering his lap since he’d moved. “Shit.”
Carter pursed her lips in an attempt to smother her grin and then sat beside him.
Jack quickly and awkwardly arranged the blanket so it was mostly wrapped around his waist. He cleared his throat. “Um…morning.”
“Good morning.” Carter reached for the coffee on the table and handed him one, taking the other for herself. “How are you feeling?”
“Pretty…good…” he said slowly, surprised that he didn’t feel completely uncomfortable sitting naked next to Carter with just a blanket over his lap. He moved his left leg experimentally and winced. “Leg twinges a bit.”
She nodded at him. “You were shot…when you were a wolf.”
“Yeah.” He grimaced, then sipped at his coffee, his hands feeling strange as he gripped the mug. “I remember everything.”
Carter reached over and gently placed her hand on his forearm. “I think we need to talk…Jack.” Her voice was soft, open.
Looking in her deep blue eyes, Jack could see the emotions swirling. His heartbeat sped up, knowing just what she wanted to talk about. He remembered what Daniel had said about him turning back to normal once he’d found his soul mate and had the distinct feeling that Carter hadn’t forgotten it either. There was no denying that they’d made a special connection when he’d been a wolf. That connection didn’t feel like a fluke to him, and a big part of him felt it was still there-stronger. Maybe she couldn’t read his thoughts by touching him, but the link-the bond-was there. He was already hers.
Jack nodded, turning his hand over to grasp hers. “Okay…Sam.”
.
Daniel and Teal’c returned from the planet that afternoon, but by then they were too late to make a difference, not that it mattered. They were happy to learn that human Jack was back with them, and after having a talk with the boy and the village locals, fighting through the language barrier, it became no mystery to Daniel why it was that Jack had returned to them.
As they entered the infirmary they found Jack perched on a gurney with Sam sitting so close to him that their thighs were touching. Upon further inspection he noticed that their hands were even intertwined between them. Daniel paused in the doorway and turned to Teal’c with a smug, satisfied smile on his face as he whispered, “I think I know why Jack could only communicate with Sam.”
Teal’c tilted his head, a slow smile tugging at his cheeks as he nodded. “Indeed.”
.End.
Note: Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! It's been a fun ride, and although this is sadly the end, I do have a sequel in the works with more SJness to come! :)