Back to John.

John walked into the hospital and zeroed in on the pretty nurse at the front desk.

"Hi there, I'm here to see one Dave Bautista," John asked with a smooth smile. The nurse didn't even look up, she just nodded and started typing away at her computer.

"Big guy, I'm sure you can't miss him." John tried raising an eyebrow.

"I know who Dave is, you're not authorized to see him." The nurse finally answered looking him dead in the eyes.

"We're old friends, if you don't believe me go and ask him. Tell him his old commander is here." John said dropping his old rank trying to maybe sway her answer.

"Commander, General, and even president don't make a difference. Mister Bautista is on the no visitation list ... you ain't going in." Well, John knew a dismissal when he hears one so he turned back but not before giving the nurse a smirk indicating he would be back.

"Aliss, can you find a phone number for me?" John asked once outside.

"Of course, John!" Aliss replied eagerly.

"I don't need to tell you who, do I?" John pointed out knowing the Ai probably had already looked over anyone he could reach to help him out.

"Connecting!" Aliss said amusedly. It didn't take long before the line was picked up but John was surprised by a woman's voice instead of who he was expecting.

"General O'Neill's desk!" The voice answered.

"Hi, I'm trying to reach the General, John Shepard calling," John explained hoping not to run into any more overzealous secretaries today. The line went silent for only a few seconds before the woman came back.

"He will be with you in just a moment Mister Shepard!" She quipped before the line went silent again.

"Shepard?" A gruff voice came through after a little wait.

"The one and only, I see you moved up in the world, Jack, you got a secretary now?" John joked.

"She's called an aid ... if you ask me? She's here to keep me shackled to my desk and buried under enough paperwork to sink the Eisenhower!" The General answered with venom.

"You don't have to risk your life anymore? What a tragedy!" John answered sarcastically.

"Yea well, when you say it like that, I look like an asshole. But enough about my existential problems, why are you calling? If you want to re-enlist I can have the paper ready in a flash, I could use a dumb grunt like you to watch my back, it would be just like old times!" The General offered.

"I'm dumb ... but not that dumb." John was pretty sure his old CO was not really serious but then again ... Jack always liked to act aloof to test the waters.

"Worth a shot, can't blame me for wanting the guy who spent his last 2 years of services on a black-level top-secret assignment back. From what I heard, you were taking your orders from the man himself." John was surprised to find the General knowing a lot more than he should, then again, Jack had a way with soldiers under his command. They respected him so much that even after they left his purview they would still inform him of things that were noteworthy.

"Nobody is supposed to know about that." John deadpanned.

"Yea figured as much, don't mean I'm not curious tho, haha!" The General laughed. "So why do I get the feeling you're not calling to ask me out for coffee?" Jack asked knowingly.

"Actually, I wouldn't be against catching up if you're up for it but you are right, I have a favor to ask." John proposed. He felt a little bad about it but he hoped to ask the General to look into his new employer's history, not Madi but the organization itself. John never liked to be unprepared for what was to come and although he was pretty sure he had a good handle on the situation more information couldn't hurt.

"Whatever you need, I'll get it done!" Jack answered eagerly. The older man was hoping to have a chance to help John out in some way, after all, he wouldn't be where he was today without John. In fact, he was pretty sure he wouldn't be here at all.

"I'm trying to go see Dave, they won't let me, something about a no-visitation list or something. I was hoping you knew who has the authority to get me around that." John revealed.

"Yea, I know who can ... he's an asshole, I'm not sure anyone can get that old fart to do anything about ... well ... anything really." The General informed sadly. John, however, could tell something was amiss with Jack's tone and he was proved right before he could call the General up on it. "You might know him actually, he's a real hardass, grey hair, the body of a god, intelligent, charismatic, always swarmed by the ladies." The General teased.

"Right ... He wouldn't happen to also have a horrible sense of humor?" John fired back.

"Actually no, He's the funniest guy I ever met! Hahahaha!" The old man burst out laughing. "Seriously tho, I'm the one who ordered it, Dave has not been good lately. He's ... ... easily triggered and you know how much damage he can do." The General informed sadly.

"You think he's unfit for duty?" John probed.

"Hmm, normally I would say yes 100% ... but ... I know you and him go way back and that you guys have a special bond. I do not think it is a good idea to bring him into your line of work tho, clubs you know, loud noises, flashing lights, it's probably a recipe for disaster." The General warned cautiously.

"I actually have a new job, what do you think of bodyguard for a single individual? A woman, a business lady. Her place of work is a lot like a club tho, so if you think it too risky I'll forget about it." John asked a bit down about not being able to recruit his old brother.

"Well like I said, I would normally discourage it but to be honest I think his only chance at a somewhat normal life and maybe even recovery would be you. I don't know how you are able to calm him down and center him as you do but it kills me to see him waste away like that so if you have a place he might call home I say go for it. And we both know women are the big man's weakness, she has a better chance to calm him down if the worst happens. I would disclose the situation to this lady tho, that big fucker going off is a scary thing when you don't know it's coming ... actually scratch that, it's scary regardless but at least you know." The General said with empathy for the ex-soldier. "I'll give Samantha a call, she'll let you in," Jack promised.

"Thanks, Jack, I owe you one, and hit me up for that coffee, that new job is somewhat unique and I would love your advice ... your old so you know stuff!" John teased. Just before he hung up he could hear Jack go off "NOT OLD YOU LITTLE SHIT!".