Events on the Horizon: A Stargate Sequel

Chapter 20

Sam

Two weeks after our return from Minnesota I saw Eleanor back in the office. Janet had put her on bed rest due to complications from the vaccine administered to counteract the effects of the virus injected into her bloodstream. After a passed psychiatric evaluation she was back and like us, pretending none of it had happened. From what Daniel had said she was stir crazy in the house, but Janet didn't want her passing any possible symptoms to anyone outside the office and with the rest of us not showing symptoms we were clear. She hadn't even taken her gray tweed pea coat off when I caught her in Jack's untouched office adjusting a small parcel just so on his desk.

"He's in the mess hall eating breakfast," I cleared my throat. "Glad to see you're feeling better."

"Is it bad I'm avoiding him?" She tucked a curl behind her ear and grimaced. "I ruined his safe place, the one spot he doesn't have to be Colonel O'Neill and he can just be Jack." She looked back at the wrapped box in brown paper and twine. "It's tainted now."

"That's not your fault." I tucked my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching out to hug her. She gave a sad half smile back and shrugged.

"He likes cake, maybe I can earn a little grace back." She nestled a small card under and walked back out into the hall with me.

"You look very autumnal," I motioned at her black turtleneck and matching gray tweed skirt as we went walking toward her office.

"I heard Rodney McKay is in the building now, I have to impress." She said straight faced and my eyes widened. A laugh poured from her and she grabbed onto my arm. "Oh god could you imagine? Is he as insufferable now as he was then?"

My face warned and I nodded in response, "try spending the entire week with him in the same lab."

"I did, I mean I used to. I had to play mommy and break up his fights with the science department constantly. I'd just sit at the table across from them all and let him just hurl insults at me. He works much faster that way you know, if he has someone to bully around and make him feel like a big tough guy." Her smile softened and she took in a deep breath. "He's not so bad once you get past the thick shell. Very, thick shell."

"I suppose," I shrugged doubtfully, "I'll see you at noon for the debriefing?"

She tensed and then readjusted her demeanor. "Yes, but I have some pastries I'm dropping by the science department next if you'll be there."

"You know I will be," I sighed, veering off to the left to get into the dreaded lab next. Even down the hall I could hear the bickering between them all. McKay, Felger, Coombs, Lee and myself were all working double time to decode the notebooks and figure out the inner workings of Daniel's original jump device. Knowing the rogue NID had intel regarding any of it set the flames of the need for finishing it into action.

"Ah, Carter, can you get me a fresh coffee?" McKay waved his cup in my direction and I sucked in the air from my teeth ignoring the obvious jab. I pulled my blue coverall top off and placed it onto the coat rack in the corner of the room. Bill Lee brought me up to date on what they had finished that night before as Eleanor walked in, a pile of small boxes in hand.

"And you are?" McKay gave her a look over and smirked while her lips turned tight already in annoyance.

"Eleanor Owens." Her response was clipped and she gave Bill a delicate look in return as he waved from across the room.

"So these are in your horrid handwriting then?" McKay grimaced down at the notebooks and back at Eleanor. "From your little time jump."

"I wouldn't call it little," Felger snorted.