Silenced Screams

Chapter Three







It wasn’t unusual with SG-1, when one was hurt it was almost impossible to keep the other’s away. With both Daniel and Teal’c off-world visiting Bra’tac and Rya’c during their week-long downtime the vigil naturally fell to the Colonel. Even had they been around, it would have been nearly impossible to move Jack from Sam’s side, at least until she’d regained consciousness. But given the grave reason for her current stay in the infirmary, and that Jack was fighting his own powerful demons from his past, moving him from Sam’s side would take more than an act of Congress.







Janet had tried several times during the day as she came and went checking on Sam, between the various other things that occupied her very busy day. With two teams returning with wounded and the emergency surgeries required for them, her day had been more than full. But not all of her patients occupied beds in her infirmary. Colonel Jack O’Neill was currently the patient she was most worried about right now. After finally chasing him out nearly an hour ago with orders to go home and rest, she’d been informed he hadn’t left the mountain. Checking his quarters and finding them empty she was starting to worry. Sam’s attack had stirred some old demons best left buried in the past.







Enlisting the help of Colonel Dixon, she had sent him on the hunt to locate the Colonel and keep an eye on him. She knew Dixon would understand the situation. Not for the first time realizing they were the last of their family from long ago. A family who’s tires were stretched and tested under these same circumstances nearly thirty years ago. Dixon would find the Colonel and he would also understand what he was going through. He would probably be the only one beside her who could help the Colonel.







Janet felt pretty sure Jack had never shared that part of his past with his team. So even if Daniel and Teal’c were available they might not be the best choice in this case. All any of them could do now was wait. Wait for Sam to regain consciousness…wait for the identity of Sam’s abductor…wait for a reason why this nightmare had hit them again. And though it was true it had been hardest for Jack, it had hit the whole family hard. Jack might have been Sahara’s only blood family, but no blood could be stronger than the family they had formed. Her lost was felt by all. Then and Now.







There was little else Janet could do for Sam now. For now sleep was best for Sam. Tomorrow when she woke up they would have some of their questions answered and Sam could start the long road to recovery. Until then everyone waited. For now rest was the best answer. Rest and prepare for tomorrow. And that was not only what she prescribed for the Colonel, it’s also what she prescribed for herself. After one final round, having checked on her full infirmary and one final check on Sam, she gave her night staff instructions and headed home for her first sleep in nearly 48 hours. ‘I’m getting too old for these kinda hours.’ A little time with Cassie, a hot bath and a full night’s sleep and she’d be ready to take on the world…well, her little corner of it anyway.







It hadn’t really taken Dixon that long to find Jack. After discovering he hadn’t left the mountain there were only a few places he like to go to be alone. Just Dixon’s luck he had chosen the pond at the end of the trail up from the front gate. ‘Damn if it wasn’t the coldest day of the freaking year. Of course he’d pick this place. And me without even my jacket. God I’m gonna be a damn Popsicle soon. I’ll get Doc for this. Just my luck I’ll end up with Pneumonia. Boy the things you do for friends.’







“You couldn’t pick a warmer place now could ya? A guy could freeze up here. What is it ten degrees here?” Dixon complained.







Jack continues skipping stones across the frozen pond.







“You do know that pond is frozen, kinda hard to skip stones on a lake when it’s froze…like I’m gonna be in another few minutes.







“So go.”







“Can’t Doc sent me…thought I’d be the best suited to keep an eye on you…her words not mine.” Came Dixon reply.







“Since when do we have to take orders from her?” Jack complained.







“Since she got the big needles.” Dixon commented without skipping a beat.







“Who made her everybody’s mother?” Jack all but whining at this point.







“I think she did. Why you wanna challenge her on it?”







“Hell no. You got any idea what she does when you don’t mind her?” Came Jack’s quick response.







“Ya I remember.” Dixon agreed wholeheartedly.







“Scared to death of her too huh?” Questioned Jack.







“Damn straight. She may be small, but don’t let that size fool ya.” Dixon admitted and Jack nodded his agreement.







The men remained a short time longer in silence, not feeling a need to fill the time with words, just enjoying the silence and peace their surrounding afforded them. It had helped to have someone around who understand him and didn’t require him to be anything other than himself. Feeling relaxed and finally able to get that much needed rest ‘Doc’ seemed to think he needed, Jack decided he’d make one final check on Carter before heading home for the night.







Jack and Dixon stepped off the elevator to total pandemonium. Recognizing the screaming immediately Jack broke into a run, airmen and nurses making a mad dash to clear his path. He entered the Iso Room in chaos. Sam was huddled in the far corner swinging her IV stand at anyone who dared come within striking distance. You could see the blood pouring from the places the IV had been in her arm. She was a wild woman, looking disoriented, scared and obviously still in a great deal of pain. The nurses and aides weren’t helping matters. There were too many people all trying to get her attention and reason with her. A sea of ‘Major Carter this’ and ‘Major Carter that’ assaulted her from every direction, and she was becoming more distraught with each passing second.







Jack knew he shouldn’t have left her, she needed a familiar face to wake up to. This was too much to process in her drugged state of mind. Dashing in with no real plan he took charge of the room.







“Okay, everybody clear the room. Give her a little room to breath. Come on, out.” He ordered in his best Commander voice. The others lacking any better plan melted in behind him and slowly filed out of the room leaving Dixon just out of Carter’s line of sight, but still ready to help if he was needed.







He could hear Jack’s quiet words as he tried to reason with her and assure her that she was safe and would be alright. It was the same voice he remembered Jack using to calm Sahara went the nightmares followed her into her waking hours. Talking to her as through she were a frighten child.







“Sam, come on baby, everything gonna be alright. You’re safe now. Nothing else bad can happen to you here. Look at me. You know who I am. I’ve got ya. I won’t let anybody hurt you anymore. Come on baby just look at me. You can do it. See, there’s no one around to hurt you anymore. You’re safe now. It’s just you and me.”







He continued on with his soothing words as he slowly approached her, hands held opened and out in front of him. Janet had arrived while he was slowly coaching Sam out of the corner and into his arms.







Holding back so she wouldn’t startle her she quietly observed from just out outside of the door. He had finally gained her trust enough to surrender her weapon and allowed Jack to approach, just as her body crumbled to the floor. He scooped her up and moved back to deposit her in her bed as Janet and Dixon came to his aid.







Janet and several of her nurses worked on re-inserting Sam’s IV’s and connecting her to the various machines set to monitor her condition. Through it all Janet kept a steady stream of calming chatter going, reassuring Sam that everything would be alright and that she was not going to be harmed anymore. Her voice had a soothing effect and she began to relax and allow the pain medicines to flow through her body, easing some of the pains away.







Jack and Dixon had been waiting outside for Janet to finish her physical examination, making sure Sam hadn’t reopened any wounds and caused new damage to her abused body. Almost before Janet could exit the Iso room Jack was pouncing with a thousand questions and accusations. Not wanting to have a scene in the halls Janet allowed him to blow off the steam he would need to after the ordeal they had just witness. When he had finally finished she explained in a much more controlled voiced what had happened.







She had gotten the call before she had even cleared the front gate and had returned as soon as possible. Because of the Naquadah in Sam’s blood the sedative she’d been given had worn off sooner that expected. She had be frighten and disoriented and did exactly as training had prepared her. She defended. Now there would be a nurse posted in her room at all times and her medication had been adjusted to prevent a repeat of her earlier performance. They had been lucky, she had been too weak to do herself any real damage and the Colonel’s quick response had saved her when her strength finally failed her.







The one thing that was not negotiable...Jack wanted to see for himself what condition Sam was in before he would leave. Feeling it was easier to give in on this one point than to fight, Janet agreed. A few minutes wouldn’t hurt and would set his mind at ease. She followed him back into Sam’s room.






To Be Continued






~~Please take a moment to tell me what you think. Reviews are very much appreicated.~~ Zhaan