Rainstorm - Part 2

They slept on the bed, the small child between them. Sam stirred and stretched out her legs and toes and arched her back, feeling cramped from the tight fetal position she had been sleeping in. The child shifted position as if annoyed to be disturbed from her sleep. Everything ached yet Sam felt deliciously warm and safe. He slept not an arms length away exhausted as she.

Somewhat to her embarrassment she remembered the Colonel undressing her. And when he had stripped her bare wrapped her in warmth.

The best thing about a memory, a good memory, is you could recall it again and again, you could live in it forever.

He had wrapped her in warmth and scooped her up in his arms.

The last thing she remembered of that night was the Colonel sitting in a chair with the child dozing in his arms. The child was now nestled between them in the narrow bed. Sam was sure this would be recalled from time to time when she needed comfort and hope for her future.

She drifted back to sleep.

The next time Sam opened her eyes the Colonel was dressed in his uniform busy restocking the firewood supply. The little child was skipping between him and her bed. The Colonel looked over at the child and smiled then noticed Sam was awake and his smile broadened.

"Breakfast?" he asked.

Sam started to sit up and winced. His smile faded immediately. The child stopped in her tracks.

"Carter?"

"It's nothing, Sir." She smiled at him to reassure him.

He brought her a cup of steaming coffee and the child carried a bowl.

Sam took the offering gratefully while the child climbed up on the bed causing O'Neill to steady the bowl.

"I wanted to thank you Sir."

Jack looked at the meager meal and said "It's really not much."

"No, I mean, I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I..."

He brushed off any further words of gratitude that might follow and simply replied "You'd do it for me."

She looked him in the eye, a man she trusted with her life and had not been disappointed. This man who trusted her with his life and she needed to affirm it. "Yes Sir."