"He just sounded so depressed, that's all. I worry about him. I worry about both you kids. Running around with guns, flying all over the place, patching the world up. I fear for that one call..." she said, pausing. I could see her on the porch gazing over the field. "He sounded rattled I guess."
"Seeing your buddy die is not easy."
"No I am not saying it is. Then he said he had to go off to rescue a friend. I think he regrets not being there to see his friend pass."
"We all regret not being there when that happens," I said, fingering Cam's picture.
"Yes I suppose its human nature," she sighed. She fell into silence and I knew she was deep in her own world.
"Ma, I'm gonna call him while I am in town," I said, now looking at my picture of Earth. "I'll talk to you later."
"As long as you are here for a holiday - that's all I ask. I want to see you kids while you are in the States."
I smiled. "I'll see what I can do."
I called Cam next and left a message on his work number, left a message on his email and then just for kicks, called his apartment.
"Mitchell."
"Cam? Is that you?"
"Yes it is, darlin'. How may I be of Earthly assistance today?"
"Mom is worried."
"She does that sometimes."
"I'm worried too."
"Oh, well that's one I don't hear nearly enough," Cam said, giving a chuckle. I heard a glass clink.
"What's along side the ice cubes, bud," I asked.
"Water, doc. If you need a second opinion, Doc Lam is here, Doc Jackson and then ColonelDoc Carter is here. Enough docs for you to trust me?"
"It eases it a bit. How's Teal'c?"
"News travels fast." I heard him sigh. "Ok. It's odd to be seeing Baal so many times, and then being tortured. Bay, he maybe a Jaffa and an alien, but surely you all have to understand he can suffer from some amount of trauma here."
"I trust Dr. Lam. I made sure she had all out notes on Teal"c and Jaffa psychology. I know it"s not where it should be - it's not as good as human psych - but it's a start. And your trauma?"
"No trauma here," Cam said in a falsely giddy voice.
"Drop it lil bro. How was Ferguson when you left him?"
"Oh he was... doing fine."
I closed my eyes. "What did you do?"
"Look, mom, why is it always something I did?"
"Cam, because it usually is."
"I had permission, for the record."
"To do what?"
"Let him... understand what he was missing. I hoped it could perk him up a bit."
"And how did he understand?"
"With the Galarians memory device."
I nodded, tipping my chair back slightly and heard one of the nurses' laughing with one of the attendants. "I'm still here," I said as Cam asked if I was still on the line. "I think that was what I would have done too."
"No lecture?"
"I promised mom we would try to come home for a holiday."
"The delayed lecture. Nice," Cam laughed. "I hate that this is so close to home."
"Ya, well, nothing is easy. You had to make a decision in trying to help the Major, and helping Teal'c. I know it was not easy, but I'm sure the Major had helped push you in the decision. You have always had close friends who had a fierce sense of loyalty."
"Maybe that's why you stick around."
I gave a small laugh. "That and I have your endless supply of bandages, iodine and the best darn hot cocoa West of the Mississippi."
"That you do, Bay. That you do." He fell silent for a moment and cleared his throat. "Hey not to sound all sappy and sentimental, but I'm glad I found you again. It's made the transition... interesting."
"The bond of blood and family is a stronghold in our lives, bro."
"For sure. I better get back to my Docs, and my water is getting low... refills and all," Cam said after another moment.
I hung up and went to help with two new patients coming into to my infirmary, wondering what the next adventure would bring and what mom and Billy would say if they could know that her children's jobs also included saving the world.
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