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Rodney decided to fire his new secretary the moment he caught her telling the phone, "--sorry, Dr. Jackson, but Mr. McKay is in an important meeting at the --"
"YOU!" he thundered, making her jump. "Transfer that call to my office and then take your lunch break."
"But I already --"
He wordlessly narrowed his eyes at her and she snapped her mouth shut, fingers flying to the buttons that would redirect the line. Rodney slammed his door shut on the sight of her collecting her purse and coat, and fired off a text message to his chief of security to make sure she left the building while he walked over to his desk.
"I'm guessing she's gone," Daniel Jackson observed as soon as he picked up the phone.
"As soon as I can get the paperwork done," Rodney agreed, massaging his right temple with two fingers. "Daniel, it has been twelve days. Where is my wife?" he asked, trying hard to keep his voice calm, but not actually succeeding.
"She's in the base infirmary," was the reply, and he let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. That was much better than 'I can't tell you', and vastly superiour to the 'we're not sure' he'd gotten that one time when Daniel was too tired to be careful.
It still wasn't good.
"Is she conscious?" Rodney probed. He much preferred getting this news from Daniel than from one of Sam's fellow soldiers, because the man was terrible at lying, and felt Rodney deserved to know more than was always officially allowed.
"She was before they sedated her."
"Does she need surgery?"
"I don't think so, but it will depend on the x-rays."
"So, broken bones. Anything else?"
"Not as far as I know, but I think we'll all be under medical supervision for a few days. I'll get her to call you when she's awake, Rodney."
"No matter the hour," Rodney ordered.
"Of course."
"Right. Just -- thanks."
After the call, Rodney leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed. His relief that Sam was alive was marred by the acid aftereffects of almost two weeks of worry.
He didn't know how much more of this he could take.