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�Jet fuel and crumbs from those god-awful homemade cookies that Archer�s girl kept sending him,� John laughed, nodding. �Not exactly my finest hour,� he admitted.
�No, not really, but from what I hear you�ve had more than your fair share of those in the past year,� Sam said. �You�ve got some pretty hardcore enemies on your hands, John.�
�That�s quite the understatement,� John said, his good humour fading. �Got any advice? From what I hear you�re a seasoned veteran at dealing with big time larger-than-life evil enemies.�
Sam smiled softly. �It�s all about trial and error. You try something, and if it works, great, but if it doesn�t you try the next thing. One mission we went through plans A through T before we found a tactic that worked,� Sam said. John smiled at that, though he was sure it was true. �Don�t let a failed plan throw you. There�s a certain amount of a glass-half-full mentality that you�ve got to adapt. Otherwise you�ll burn out, or worse.�
�Anything else? Other than back up our back up plans, I mean,� John said.
�Yeah. Trust your team,� Sam said.
John looked down at his coffee, thinking about Ford.
�What is it?� Sam asked.
�I forgot how impossible it is for me to hide things from you,� he said, smiling softly. �Nearly twenty years and you can still read me like a book,� Sheppard said.
Sam cringed. �Don�t say it like that. It makes me feel old,� she said. John smiled softly. �So� you gonna tell me what�s eating you or do I have to force it out of you?� Sam asked, only half teasing.
�Lieutenant Ford, one of my people, he was drugged by the enzyme the Wraith use to immobilize their victims while they feed. He� I guess you would have to say he got addicted to it. He stole a Puddle Jumper and took off through the Stargate.�
�I�m sorry,� Sam said softly. �Did you know him well?�
Shrugging, John leaned back in his chair. �Better than I know a lot of people there. He was kinda like a little brother, annoying but you don�t have the heart to get rid of him.�
�There�s still hope, right? You might be able to find him, bring him home,� Sam said. �If he�s addicted to the Wraith enzyme� he�ll need a supply. You find the supply, you find your man. Bring him home, detox him, and go from there.�
�That�s the glass half full thing talking, right?�
�That was me being supportive. Now here is me being completely honest,� Sam said. �Lieutenant Ford will be looking for a supply of this enzyme, and as I understand it, the only way to get it is directly from the source. That means he has to actively search out the Wraith. He might survive a few days, a few weeks, hell, he could make it a few months, I don�t know, it depends on how resourceful and how lucky he is. But you say he�s addicted, and addictions all work the same way, no matter if they�re terrestrial or alien. Over time the same dose won�t have the same effect. He�ll need to increase the amount of the enzyme he takes. He�ll begin to grow reckless, he�ll take risks, he�ll get cocky, he�ll think he�s freaking invincible. And if you do see him again the things he says won�t be things that the person you know would say, they won�t be things that the person you know would even think. It�s going to break your heart. But you�re going to have to ignore that because all you have to be able to focus on getting him better.�
Sam took a slow breath, and John could see her actually shaking.
�Hey, Samantha, talk to me,� he said, reaching across the table and putting his hand on her quivering hand. �Someone you love� dealt with an addiction,� he said. Sam nodded shakily. �Who?� John asked, tangling his fingers with hers and not letting go, offering what comfort he could, knowing that it would never be enough.