Disclaimer - MGM/Gekko/Double Secret own them.
A 'Prophecy' episode addition, set just after Jack, Teal'c and SG-15 return from the planet. Feedback would be appreciated. Okay, let's just imagine one of Jonas' visions was a leeeeettle bit shorter so this could be squeezed into the episode...
This is dedicated to Ann, for all her help {g}.
*
He waited until Teal'c and Hammond were far enough ahead before he spoke. He'd wanted to say something as soon as he saw the sling, but there was always a fine line - sometimes he cautiously backed away; other times he'd veer recklessly over the edge.
Cautious, this time.
"You all right?" He asked as he caught up with her in the corridor, gesturing towards her arm with his left hand, and clutching his cap with the right.
She smiled, definitely *seeming* all right - but then Carter could seem like a lot of things. "Fine. Gate capacitor overloaded; I got in the way," She grinned, automatically knowing he'd want an explanation. "Bit crispy around the edges but I'll be okay."
Jack nodded, relieved...and then paused - walking and all - when he remembered something.
It took her a while to realise he'd stopped, and when she did she turned back around to face him. "Sir?"
He stared at her. "Crispy? As in...what a staff blast hit might look like?"
No doubt realising his implication, she walked towards him. "He had no way of knowing-"
Jack cut her off. "He said it was a staff blast, Carter. He told me you'd get hurt on the mission." The anger curled inside his stomach. "Dammit, the only reason you didn't come with us was so nothing would happen to you!"
Oops. That was probably more emphatic than it should have been.
"He had no way of knowing," She re-iterated, stepping closer. "He doesn't choose what he sees; it just happens. It's not Jonas' fault he only saw the aftermath of the accident, and not what caused it."
He wasn't about to let up. "No, he just presumed that it was a staff-"
"What would you have done?" She interrupted. "If your positions were reversed; if you'd been the one having these visions...what would you have done?"
Damn. He hated it when she made a good point. And those questioning eyebrows were *not* backing down. Jack sighed, relenting. "Probably the same damn thing," And he had to admit, he probably wouldn't be handling it as well as Jonas.
She nodded. "With the limited information he had at the time, he did the best he could."
Jack knew that; he really did. "Yeah." And the fact of the matter was, Jonas wasn't bugging him half as much as he used to. Jack just...didn't like it when Carter got hurt.
"And for the record," Carter paused, smiling gently. "Though I understand the need to be cautious, I don't need to be protected."
Hell, he knew that. It wasn't really for her that he'd insisted she stay behind.
He didn't have time to make any kind of reply, however, because she continued talking.
"At least, not from the Goa'uld."
And with one last, vague, hypnotic smile, she walked away.
Picking his jaw up from the floor, Jack followed.
~FINIS