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English
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Published:
2022-10-01
Completed:
2022-10-04
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2,418
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4/4
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It's Just A Cold

Summary:

It's time to test Sam and Jack's relationship by weathering a bit of illness. This idea popped into my foggy brain while I had COVID after Gatecon.

Thanks to TriStarRebel09 for the beta.

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Jack leaned over as he sat down on the sofa, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I like having you home."

"It's only for a few days."

"I know, I know. It’s just until you get the hyperdrive engine fixed." He stretched out his arm and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. "You're warm."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I'm fine." She snuggled against him and went back to scrolling on her laptop as he surfed for something to watch on television. The quiet was fouled when she sneezed. His eyebrows rose.

She raised her hands as she gave him a sheepish grin. "I swear I'm fine." Her placating grin didn't make him feel better. "You know how it goes. After weeks of being in the super filtered air of the Hammond it isn't unusual to get a little sniffle back on Earth."

"Are you saying I need to dust more?" His lips twitched.

She used her shoulder to nudge him. "I'd never say such a thing." She grinned. "Because if I did you might make me dust." Another sneeze interrupted her giggle. She sighed at his look of concern as she grabbed a tissue. "I'm fine." She blew her nose.

As the evening progressed her throat got scratchy. She refused to acknowledge another symptom, because denial would of course make it go away. It was the first night since coming home three days ago that they didn’t make love before going to sleep. He didn't ask, out of fear she was sick, and she didn't offer, because she didn't want to give him whatever she was coming down with.

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Sam woke the next morning her throat was raw. She heard the shower running and was glad she had a couple minutes to assess her health before facing Jack. She rolled over and winced as every muscle ached. She hated being sick. Sam stretched, hoping to work out some of the soreness, but found moving just wasn't worth the discomfort. She laid there zoning in and out until she heard the water turn off. She rolled towards the bathroom door as he opened it, releasing a wave of steam.

"Morning, beautiful. How’re you feeling?" Jack had a tan towel wrapped around his waist and water was dripping off his short hair onto his shoulders. It was a sight that would normally rev her engines but this morning it was lost in her misery.

"Ugh." The short sound hurt and reminded her that talking was to be avoided.

Jack placed a damp hand on her head. "You definitely have a fever." Sam pulled the covers up to her chin and closed her eyes in defeat. "I'll notify the SGC." They both knew the protocol. Teams who had served off world and got sick within two weeks of returning to Earth were required to notify the SGC of their illnesses. Sam, along with various members of the Hammond, had visited eight planets over the last three months.

Jack sat at the end of the bed and spoke to the SGC while she suffered through chills that left her shaking. He agreed to something and then disappeared from her view. When he stepped back up beside the bed he was dressed in khakis and a black t-shirt.

"We're going to be beamed into the SGC in a few minutes. Would you like help getting dressed?"

Sam shook her head no. She didn't want to leave the bed but she also didn't want to appear in the infirmary in pale pink pajamas. Jack tossed a pair of yoga pants towards her as she threw back the covers. She put on what he gave her without even checking if it clashed. It wasn't like Jack was known for his sense of style but she was too sick to care much about how she looked. She dragged herself to the bathroom, taking a few minutes to pee and brush her teeth. She had barely finished spitting her toothpaste into the sink when they were enveloped by the asgard beam and deposited in the infirmary.

Jack sat with her as she was being examined. He was disappointed, but not surprised, to discover he had to undergo an exam as well, since he'd been exposed to whatever Sam had. Two members of her crew, thankfully still on the Hammond, had reported to the infirmary with similar symptoms, leading the medical team to suspect they might have brought an infectious agent to Earth. The Hammond was put on immediate lockdown, with no crew allowed to leave. Those who had been granted leave were immediately called back and their family members and close acquaintances were brought to the Air Force Academy.

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Jack tried to get them beamed to the hospital but his request was denied. Most of the people now being transported to the Academy were not aware of the program's real mission so a bright light and two officers suddenly appearing out of nowhere would require explanations that could not be given. Sam curled up in a fetal position on the gurney, gripping the blanket tightly under her chin, for the ride. Jack sat in the back of the ambulance with her. He felt like the medics with them being required to wear hazmat suits was a bit of overkill, but that too was out of his control.

A floor of the academy hospital had been turned into a quarantine ward with Sam and Jack being given a room down the hall from everyone else, since Sam had symptoms and none of the others now under quarantine had shown any yet.

Sam was miserable for the first six days, running a fever, congested, achy, and suffering with a sore throat that was only tolerable for a few minutes immediately after eating a popsicle. Jack did his best to provide her with as much comfort as possible. The doctors and nurses caring for them were wearing hazmat suits so Jack was the only person whose touch she could feel. He laid cool wet cloths on her forehead and neck when her fever was high and he helped her change when the fever sweats soaked her clothes. He moved the box of tissues closer when she sniffed or sneezed and reminded her to sip water, worried she would get dehydrated. He tried to speak for her when the doctors and nurses asked her questions, because he knew it hurt for her to talk. He hated seeing her so miserable.

They started her on a cocktail of antibiotics and antivirals, since they had not yet determined a causative agent. Sadly just as her throat moved from being on fire to a mild sunburn the friendly bacteria in her gut succumbed to the medications she was taking. The only upside of having been so sick was she hadn't eaten much lately so there wasn't too much in her digestive system to be quickly lost. After a few unpleasant trips to the toilet she was curled up in bed hoping her guts would calm down soon.

"Didn't they give you your own room?" She hated that he was seeing her like this. It had been at least two days since she'd had a shower and she didn't have the strength to get one now, even though she knew she looked bad and smelled worse.

"We both know I'm not going anywhere." He understood what she meant and knew if he was in her position he'd be just as displeased with company. If they'd been at home he would have drawn her a bath by now, but hospital rooms didn't offer such comforts. He'd helped her change clothes a few times but he knew she wasn't really comfortable letting him help her shower while they were in an Air Force facility. Their relationship was sanctioned but there were still limits that needed to be observed and showering together on an Air Force base went well past those limits.

Chapter 3

Chapter Text

After her health began to improve they both got bored, very bored. They were allowed to work remotely and Jack had his gameboy but since they were under constant observation they couldn't do what they usually spent a decent amount of time doing when in the same zip code. Not being allowed much in the way of affection, but also being trapped together all day every day for three weeks, was leaving them both very frustrated.

They were the last two still in quarantine. Sam and three of her crew had gotten sick. All four of them had visited M3X-689 ten days before showing symptoms. The medical team had determined they had been exposed to a novel virus that had finally been isolated. None of the quarantined family members or acquaintances had grown ill so after fourteen days they were released from quarantine. The powers that be had decided Sam and Jack, or more specifically Jack, had to stay in quarantine until fourteen days after Sam's symptoms had resolved. The Hammond was also still on lockdown until fourteen days after the sick crew were well.

Sam and Jack had one day left and they were each trying to not drive the other one insane, which was driving them nuts. Sam was typing, working on a book she would probably never publish. The sound of her nails hitting the keys was grating on Jack's nerves. Jack's leg was bouncing under the table while he played with his gameboy. The slight shaking of the floor was beginning to make her feel like she was riding out an earthquake. They were each trying to keep their annoyance to themselves but that was only making it grow, like kudzu in the South.

Sam closed her laptop, a little more forcefully than necessary. "I'm going to get a shower."

"K." He never took his eyes off his screen. Eight minutes later the bang in the bathroom made him drop his game and rush to the door. "Sam!"

"I'm ok."

Her declaration wasn't enough to satisfy him. He cracked open the door and was shocked to find her sitting on the floor of the shower looking a little dazed. "Sam?" He stepped inside the bathroom pulling the door closed behind him. "What happened?"

"I must have slipped."

"Slipped?" He reached in and turned off the water before handing her a towel. She took his hand when he offered it. He helped her up and settled her on the toilet. "Were you lightheaded before you slipped?"

Her sheepish look was the only answer he needed. "Right. Can you get dressed or would you like some help?"

"I'm fine."

"Right." He backed out of the bathroom but kept his ears open as he went to the phone to alert the medical team that Sam had passed out but seemed fine now. By the time she came out, dressed and toweling her hair, two nurses were in the room ready to run a battery of tests. Sam was annoyed, mostly with herself, but relented to the exam. Jack was worried about Sam but also concerned this might mean they'd be locked in this tiny room even longer. He'd been counting on getting out the next morning.

Jack kept a close eye on her all day, which was making her even more irritable. She knew if their stay was extended it was her fault, so she was mad at herself as well as worried he would be annoyed with her. She knew it was illogical, since this illness was outside of her control, but she couldn't shake her internal self-abuse.

They both went to sleep with a feeling of doom hanging over them, worried about an extended stay and her test results. The next morning when the doctor walked in without a mask on, let alone the usual hazmat suit, they both knew the news must be good.

"Doc?"

Jack's cautious optimism made her smile. "Well, I have good news and great news." She opened her folder. "We've determined the 689 virus has a protein similar to the H1 protein on the influenza virus so it can get into human cells but it isn't able to get out of our cells. Successful influenza viruses can get in, with the H protein, and get out, with the N protein. This virus can only get in, which is why you and the crew that went to the planet with you were the only ones to get sick. I'm sure the virus is capable of getting out of the cells of the inhabitants of 689 but not us."

Sam gave the doctor a warm hopeful smile. "So it's run its course in me and I wasn't able to pass it on?"

"Correct."

Sam looked over at Jack. "So we've kept you trapped here for no reason."

"Of course you did." He looked from Sam to the doctor. "If Sam's fine, what was with yesterday's shower nosedive?"

"Well, that's my other news." She pulled a sheet of paper from the folder she was holding against her chest. "You do have one test result that is abnormal." She handed the paper to Sam. Jack looked over her shoulder. Sam scanned the paper twice. Jack saw the line in bold that said high before he saw Sam's jaw trembling. She leaned back against him and her eyes had trouble focusing through the water collecting on her lower lids.

"You're sure?" Sam kept her eyes focused on the paper.

The doctor nodded before stepping back towards the door. "You've both been approved to leave. Congratulations."

Chapter 4

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Jack looked from the retreating figure of the doctor back to Sam.

"An abnormal test result gets you a congratulation?"

Sam turned in his arms and looked up at him, batting her eyes to clear the tears threatening to fall. "In this case, yes." She gave him an exceptionally wide grin. "I'm pregnant."

The color drained from his face. Her smile wavered as he failed to respond immediately.

"What?"

Sam reached up, gently caressing his jaw. "I'm with child, your child. You knocked me up." She saw the moment her words registered and gave him a warm smile as he hugged her closer.

"A baby."

Sam nodded. "Yep."

He bent his head down, capturing her lips in a soft, slow kiss. When he lifted his head he was smiling. "Our baby." His eyes softened as they roamed her face. "I love you."

"I love you too." Sam giggled at his slightly awed expression. "Now how about we get out of here."

"Yes, ma'am."

Notes:

Had to have a happy ending!