TITLE: Watching and Waiting
AUTHOR: SelDear
SUMMARY: It was easier to act than to wait.
CATEGORY: Episode Epilogue, Vignette
SPOILERS: Grace
NOTES: A scene from the infirmary, before Sam wakes up.

Watching and Waiting

Jack watched and waited.

It used to be that the women waited at home while the men went off to war.

He wondered at the cruelty of such a requirement. To force someone else's inaction, insisting that they needn't worry about it; to require someone you loved to endure the uncertainty of your fate day in and day out.

And it had only been a week since he glanced her over and told her, "See ya in a few, Carter."

He'd never imagined that the planned two days would stretch to three, the three to four, and the four to five. He'd never imagined that they'd carry her through the Stargate, comatose after her ordeal. He'd never imagined that he'd spend the better part of several days sitting on the bed beside hers waiting for her to wake up as men and women came and went through the infirmary.

It helped that he wasn't the only one waiting for her to wake.

Daniel came around, glad to have Carter back among them, full of unabashed relief that Jack was no longer terse and grumpy. Teal'c stood beside her bed, watching the proceedings of the infirmary around them with impassive features. General Hammond came up to see her at least twice a day, and would ask with hesitant concern, "Any change?"

Janet would sweep by, imperious as a monarch in her domain – which, Jack supposed, the infirmary was. Her eyes would snap-flicker to Jack's as she went to Carter's bedside, as if she asked permission to approach. She would check the monitors, inspect Carter's hands and feet, and occasionally ask for help in turning her over so Carter wouldn't get bedsores.

Even Cassie came in one afternoon, dumping her bag on the chair and hopping up to sit on the bed beside Jack. "Mom says she's gonna be okay."

Jack couldn't quite help a smile. Old enough to be an independent woman at college, young enough to still hold some measure of trust absolute in her mother's opinion in medical things. "I know."

"Daniel says you've been grumpy as." She glanced slyly at him through a curtain of fawn-coloured hair.

"Has he?" Jack knew Daniel's thoughts on the matter.

She rolled her eyes in pleased exasperation. "Yup, you've been grumpy as." Cassie laughed as he elbowed her. She'd come a long way from the child she'd been seven years ago, a young woman who saw her future in the Stargate program which had brought her to Earth. "She'll be fine, Jack. Sam's tough as old boots." The affection and pride in her voice was unmistakeable. If Janet was the mother who could set anything to rights, Sam was the hero who could leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Jack kinda knew how Cassie felt.

They carried a conversation about Jack-the-dog, about her college studies, about her latest boyfriend, Kevin. He listened to her complaints about Janet's overprotectiveness and tried not to take sides. When Janet bustled in to take Cassie home, he declined the invitation to come around for dinner tonight and extended the invite for the party Daniel and Teal'c had planned once Sam woke up.

"So," Cassie asked, cheerfully, "If there are all these responsible adults around at this party, can I drink?"

Janet snorted, a most unladylike noise. "I *don't* think so."

Cassie rolled her eyes, and leaned over to peck Jack on the cheek. "Say hi to Sam for me when she wakes, okay, Jack?"

He promised, and Janet gave him a weary smile and pushed Cassie out the door. Mother and daughter continued to argue Cassie's right to consume alcohol at the party as they went down the corridor to the elevator.

They were no sooner gone, than one of the nurses approached, hesitantly. "Sir, there's a call for you."

Jack frowned. "A call?"

"From a Colonel Ronson, sir."

Jack took the call, "O'Neill."

"Ah, Colonel. William Ronson of the Prometheus here."

Jack pre-empted the question he knew was coming. "She's not awake yet." He didn't mean to be terse, but the waiting was grating on his nerves.

"Sorry to hear that, Colonel." There was both apology and regret in Ronson's voice. "Well, when she does wake up, please let her know that the crew of the Prometheus are extremely grateful to her for everything she did."

Jack bet they were. He and the Colonel exchanged a few more pleasantries, mostly about Carter and her job prospects, then the Colonel was called away to a post-space checkup and Jack hung up the phone.

He returned to his bedside vigil.

He watched and waited.

It wasn't as if there was much else for him to do.

*Come on, Carter*, he thought. *Even the Prometheus is back, and, from the sound of it, Ronson's just about willing to offer you any berth on the ship – including his position.* He stared at her expression, sleep-relaxed and serene. *You've got another fan club in the crew of the Prometheus, Carter – although what you'll do with this one, I don't know. Do you get tired of collecting them? Do you even realise you're collecting them?*

He shook his head at her unconscious form. *Your lab has more bouquets in it than the florist at the Springs Mall. That's probably Felger's fault. He was the one who rallied the science department. You should have seen his face when Janet prohibited flowers in the infirmary. He looked like a kid who'd just been told there's no Santa Claus. Even Teal'c had a hard time keeping a straight face.*

*Someone sent chocolates, although I think Daniel's already eaten them – he said he was only going to have one. He might have had help from Teal'c, though. The big guy has a sweet tooth. You're not going to let them hog all the chocolate, are you, Carter?*

Jack scrubbed his hands through his hair. He couldn't stay here all night. He'd done that last night. And there were appearances to maintain, however belatedly.

But he couldn't leave. Not yet. Not until she woke.

The infirmary was quiet, but for the steady beep-beep-beep of the regulator echoed in his brain, boring deep into his skull.

It was easier to act than to wait.

But he had no choice – just as the women who'd seen husbands, brothers, sons, and sweethearts leave for war had no choice. They would wait until their loved ones came home to them, and they would keep watch because not to do so was unthinkable.

And Jack watched and waited.

*