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"Play nice, Jack." Daniel looked over his glasses and watched Jack pulling on his boots. He smiled as Jack's eyes met his, the brown sparkling with mischief.
"Yeah, I will. No taking anyone's toys." Jack finished tying his boots and stood. He placed his hands on his back and stretched. Daniel was sure that move was for his benefit. "Remind me again why I get to go slosh through the swamp in the heat, and you get to stay here in the nice cool tent doing nothing more than putting little labels on rocks?"
"Because I'm the civilian?" Daniel figured if Jack got to stretch, he got to look innocent.
"Convenient how that comes up every now and again, isn't it?" Jack passed Daniel and gently cuffed him on the head before letting his hand slide to Daniel's nape.
Daniel gave an involuntary shiver as Jack's familiar callused fingers briefly caressed the exposed skin.
"Not here, Jack," he muttered.
"I know, Daniel. I know," Jack said in soft tones. "But soon." He pulled his hand abruptly away. "Gotta go. Have fun."
Daniel nodded absently, willing his mouth to begin producing saliva again. He turned his attention back to the pottery shards arranged on the table in front of him, soon losing himself in work.
"Here." A bottle of water appeared in front of his nose and Daniel squinted at it, noticing the hand holding it was feminine.
"Hey, Sam." He took the bottle and drained half of it in one swallow. "Jack was wrong you know." At Sam's cocked head, he continued. "He said we were lucky because we got to stay in the cool tents while he and SG-16 went out to play in the mud." Biting back a groan as he straightened, Daniel pulled off his glasses and placed them on the table.
"How's it going?" Sam gestured to the shards.
Daniel shrugged. "It's going. This can all be packed up and taken back for my department." He took another swig of the warmish water. "You?"
"All done with the samples. As soon Colonel O'Neill and the others get back, I'm ready to leave." Sam rubbed at her face, leaving a streak of dirt across one cheek.
"Whose idea was it to come here anyway?" Daniel slapped at an insect buzzing around his ear.
"That would have been yours, Daniel." Sam smiled. "But don't worry, I still love you anyway."
"Yeah, but I guess we can look on the bright side. We get to go home soon. SG-16 has to stay another few weeks."
"There is that." Sam gave him a grin which quickly faded as the sound of shouting reached them. She put a finger to her lips and motioned for Daniel to go to the other side of the tent.
Daniel watched her, still amazed how Sam could change from scientist to soldier so quickly. He placed his hand on his weapon, keeping his eyes on Sam.
"Colonel O'Neill," Lieutenant Warren gasped out as he came running into camp. The two remaining members of SG-16, Sam and Daniel gathered around the man.
"What's going on, Philip?" Daniel put his hands on him. "What happened?"
"Teal'c and the others are bringing him back." Phil Warren had recovered his breath and looked not at Sam, who was in command of the camp, but right at Daniel. "Some sort of thing pulled him into the bog." Daniel noted the tremors shaking the young soldier's frame. "They sent me ahead. Need to get a medical team."
"Go, Lieutenant," Sam ordered. She looked at the other members of SG-16. "Get the medical supplies ready. We might need to do field first-aid."
Warren took off at a run--the gate less than a klick away, while Daniel grabbed his pack. Sam snagged his arm as he walked past her.
"Where are you going?" she demanded.
"I'm going to meet Teal'c and Jack." The need to see Jack was overwhelming, Phil's shell-shocked look haunting Daniel.
"No, Daniel." When he pulled his arm out of her grasp, Sam shook her head. "Listen to me. We don't know what’s out there. The Colonel is going to need you here where it's safe. If something happens to you, it's time we lose for him."
She was right, he knew. Daniel took in a deep breath and nodded, dropping his pack. He and Sam joined the others, checking the medical supplies they had on hand, knowing the medical team might take a little longer to get to them and not knowing Jack's condition.
Teal'c, carrying Jack over one shoulder, and Captain Orris came into the camp at a jog.
"Over here," Daniel called, motioning for Teal'c to bring Jack to the emergency blankets they'd already laid on the ground. Teal'c said nothing as he lowered Jack to the ground, but Daniel took one look at the way Jack's limbs were totally limp, the way his head lolled in Teal'c's hand, and felt a chill go through him.
"Teal'c?" Sam sounded confused and Daniel watched as she placed her fingers on Jack's neck, searching for a pulse.
Daniel placed his fingers in Jack's slack mouth, pulling out mud that as far as he knew, might be packed all the way to Jack's lungs. He quickly realized the futility of the task, even though he continued. Sam began CPR, a desperate hope, Daniel supposed, although he found himself counting the compressions along with her.
"O'Neill was pulled into the bog by what appeared to be a snake," Teal'c reported. "CaptainOrris and LieutenantWarren assisted me in retrieving him."
"Was he breathing then?" Daniel asked, continuing to clean Jack's mouth of the never-ending mud.
"He was not, DanielJackson."
"How long, Teal'c?" Sam grunted as she continued the compressions, nodding as Captain Trent took over the CPR.
"I estimate that it took us at least six minutes to retrieve him and return to camp, MajorCarter."
Sam was asking more questions but Daniel tuned her out, concentrating on his task. Jack's eyes were half way open, but all Daniel could see was black pupil. Daniel rested a hand on Jack's forehead, noting, in a detached way, how cool Jack's body seemed.
The wait for the medical team and the journey back to the Stargate took less than thirty minutes, but to Daniel, it seemed a lifetime. He sat through the short debriefing with Teal'c, Sam and the others, listening in a daze. He was unable to keep his eyes from drifting to the phone and tensing in anticipation of its ringing, with Janet telling them Jack was dead. He took the shower he'd been ordered to take and changed into another set of fatigues, and found himself outside the infirmary doors with no idea how or when he'd arrived there. Sam and Teal'c arrived not long after he did.
"Any news?" Sam asked, her eyes flicking to the closed doors and then back to her friend.
Daniel shook his head. He started to speak and realized he needed to swallow to ease the dryness. "Six minutes. Teal'c, you estimated it was six minutes right?" He didn't wait for an answer, just kept speaking as if by doing that he could keep reality from crashing down around them. "He's dead. And if he didn't go six minutes without breathing, then how long did he go? Five? Four? How long did we do CPR? If he is alive, then how much brain damage is there going to be? I'm not stupid, Sam." Daniel stopped, taking in Sam's pale features. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to hold himself together. If he closed his eyes, it was the small bit of Jack's pupil that he saw, so he kept them open, focusing on the cloudy gray of the far wall, on the sunshine color of Sam's hair, on the warm earth brown of Teal'c's skin, anything to keep the image of Jack's dead eyes from his mind.
"Let's sit down, Daniel." Sam urged him, tugging on his arm.
He shook his head but then felt the trembling of her fingers against his forearm. He covered her hand with his and led Sam to one of the chairs against the wall.
"Here, sit." Daniel waited until she was seated. "I'll go get us some water or something."
"DanielJackson, perhaps you should remain with MajorCarter," Teal'c said. "I will bring you both some refreshment."
Daniel knew when he was outnumbered. Teal'c could be worse than Jack for mother-henning, but he sat obediently, knowing that Teal'c was blaming himself for what had happened and he probably felt the need to do something, anything as much as the rest of them.
It was some time around the second hour of waiting that Daniel felt the first beginning flutter of hope. Surely if Jack was dead, Janet or someone would have come out and told them. They wouldn't be spending nearly three hours on someone who was dead.
"Daniel?" Sam's fingers dug into his forearm as the infirmary doors opened.
He looked up, trying to gauge the situation from Janet's expression, frustrated when he was unable to.
"DoctorFraiser," Teal'c acknowledged, breaking the silence.
"He's alive," Janet told them as she pulled a chair in front of them and sat down. Daniel felt the pain in his chest ease as he took a deep breath.
"We've sent the substance that we found in Colonel O'Neill's mouth, trachea, esophagus and lungs for analysis, but right now we believe it possesses some sort of substance that puts the victim into stasis."
"Are you saying the Colonel is in stasis?" Sam leaned forward and Daniel almost hated the clinical detachment in her voice.
"No. Not any longer. But whatever was in that mud, it slowed his autonomic responses down so that he was able to survive longer than normal without oxygen."
"So how is he?" Daniel asked. "If he's not in stasis."
"He's on a ventilator at the moment. We suctioned out his lungs as best we could, but we don't know yet how much damage there will be, if any. He's unresponsive to any stimuli at this point in time. I've called in a pulmonary specialist and also a neurologist for consults."
"So..." Daniel waited for her to continue. Wasn't Janet supposed to be able to give them answers?
"So now we wait." Her gaze didn't waver from his. "We're dealing with a lot of unknowns here. I wish I could tell you more, but this is all I have at the moment."
"I want to see him." Daniel started to stand up.
"Just for a few minutes, Daniel. But yes, I'll let you all in as long as you don't disturb him."
The area that had been set up for Jack's care was hushed, with only the beeps of medical equipment to remind them that the limp figure lying in the bed was alive. Daniel noticed that Jack's eyes had been taped closed and felt strangely relieved.
"Hey, Jack. Made it home safe and sound," Daniel whispered. He placed his hand on Jack's forearm, noticing Sam standing further down the bed with her hand on her CO's knee and Teal'c with one hand resting on Jack's ankle. "You're gonna be fine, Janet said. She's chasing us out already, but we'll be back soon. You just need to rest." Daniel straightened from his hunched position and noticed Jack’s torn and dirty fingernails. The horror of what Jack had experienced hit him then and Daniel whirled around, leaving the infirmary to find the closest bathroom and lose the small amount of food he'd eaten today.
He looked up from washing his hands to see Teal'c entering the bathroom.
"MajorCarter was concerned that you might need my assistance." Teal'c stood with his hands behind his back.
"Huh? Oh no, no. I'm fine, Teal'c. It was just...seeing Jack...it," Daniel braced his arms on the sink and looked at Teal'c's reflection in the mirror. "I can't believe he's alive."
"I was not as alert as I should have been, DanielJackson." Teal'c bowed his head.
Daniel turned to face him. "I don't think what happened was something you could have anticipated, Teal'c."
"I am a warrior. It is my duty to anticipate such occurrences."
"Jack's alive, and he's going to get better. That's what we need to concentrate on," Daniel said, trying to force hope into his words so that maybe he'd be able to believe them too.
"Colonel, I know it's painful, but you need to do this. Let's try it again." Daniel could hear the low voice of Captain Indris, the respiratory therapist drifting from behind the curtains pulled around Jack's bed. The ventilator had been removed after two days and now the painful process of recovery needed to begin. Jack gave a shallow cough and Daniel winced at the sound at the weakness of it. The captain urged Jack to cough again, to make it deeper, and the next effort was a little better. But Daniel could imagine the pain Jack was in, his chest still bruised from the CPR.
"Good morning, Daniel." He turned to look down at Janet. She gave him a tight smile.
"He's having a lot of trouble." Daniel jerked a thumb in the direction of the hidden bed.
"Yes," Janet said. The professional demeanor she was using suddenly had Daniel very concerned.
"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, alarm bells ringing in his head.
"There’s an anomaly in his blood, Daniel. Something that we haven't found an explanation for yet. Combined with the infection." Janet said. "I need to see the Colonel now. After I finish my exam, I've arranged for Doctors Kerry and Johnson to meet with SG-1, General Hammond and me."
"May I see him?" Daniel asked. "I won't stay long."
"Go ahead." Janet nodded. "I can wait a few minutes longer."
Daniel ducked inside the curtain as Captain Indris left. She gave him a kind smile and whispered, "The Colonel is pretty tired after his session, Doctor Jackson."
"Thanks," he whispered back before going to his partner's side. "Hey, Jack." He laid his hand on Jack's cheek, feeling the fever from the infection Janet said was caused by the water he'd breathed in.
"Daniel." Jack opened his eyes for a second but then closed them as if keeping them open would take more energy than he could spare.
"I wanted to check in on you before Janet comes in to give you an exam." Daniel brushed his index finger on the short stubble of Jack's beard. "If she lets me back here a little later, I'll come to see you then." He leaned in closer to place a soft kiss on Jack's temple. "Rest, okay?"
A small nod was his only reply and he suspected Jack was already half asleep.
He straightened as Janet entered and turned to face her.
"I'll see you at the briefing," Daniel said. He looked back at Jack once more. "Janet?"
"We're doing everything we can, Daniel," she reassured him. "And the Colonel has always been a fighter."
Daniel gave her a grim smile. "Yeah he is, isn't he?" He leaned in close to Jack one more time. "Hey, I have to go, Jack. I'll be back as soon as they let me. You just rest and take it easy." In deference to Janet being a witness, Daniel patted Jack's hand once before nodding to the doctor and leaving.
"I don't believe there is any permanent damage to Colonel O'Neill's lungs. We will continue with the respiratory therapy, of course, and also continue to treat the infection. He's very sick, but I have no reason to believe our treatments will not be effective." Doctor Wright, the pulmonary specialist, looked around the table, waiting for questions.
Daniel took a sip of his water and felt Sam touch his knee. He glanced at her and returned her small smile with one of his own. The neurologist's report had also been positive.
"Thank you." Hammond nodded to the specialist and then turned to their CMO. "Doctor Fraiser?"
She glanced at the file in front of her before looking up. "We've discovered a micro-organism in the Colonel's blood. It's nothing we've ever seen before and we’re still analyzing it."
"What's this micro-organism doing to Jack?" Daniel tapped a pencil on the table.
"It appears to be absorbing all the nutrients we’re giving Colonel O'Neill." Janet looked at all of them. "When we withheld nutrients in our lab tests, the micro-organism began feeding on the cells themselves."
"So you're saying Jack is going to starve to death?" Daniel asked. "Because this...micro-organism...is eating all the food you're giving him?"
"I'm saying we don't know what this is, Daniel. We're still analyzing it. We're starting dialysis today to try to cleanse the Colonel's blood and my people are working on some medication trials."
"Can't you just stop giving Colonel O'Neill food?" Sam asked. "Let it starve to death?"
Janet shook her head. "It appears that the micro-organism would began to feed on Colonel O'Neill himself."
"What can we do to assist you, DoctorFraiser?" Teal'c asked.
"I'd like to send a team to the planet to retrieve some more samples." Janet looked around the table.
General Hammond nodded. "Yes, Doctor. Major Carter and Teal'c will be in charge of the mission along with any one else you choose to send. Doctor Jackson, I think it will be best if you remain here."
"Understood, Sir." Daniel nodded. "We'll reanalyze the photos and videos we brought back. Preliminary analysis indicated there was no human life on the planet for many centuries. We'll work on trying to figure out why, Sir." Hopefully the task ahead of him would keep his mind off of the possibility that Jack could die if they didn't figure out how to stop the bug that was currently inhabiting his body. He barely heard General Hammond's dismissal and only knew to get up because he saw Sam and Teal'c moving away. Janet was already deep in conversation with them, probably going over the objectives for the mission.
"Son?" Daniel turned at General Hammond's call.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Colonel O'Neill, Jack, needs you here," the General said, as if he knew Daniel's worry about his two healthy teammates going back to the planet.
"I know, Sir." Daniel ducked his head. "I, uh, I'd like to know when Sam and Teal'c are ready to leave."
"So noted, Doctor Jackson." Hammond nodded a dismissal. Daniel paused at the doorway, his last glimpse one of General Hammond standing at the huge window overlooking the Gate room with his hands clasped behind his back. Daniel wondered if Hammond was yet again thinking of how many good people the Stargate had cost them, and praying that his second-in-command wasn't to be another statistic. He took a step towards the man, and then stopped. The General had given him a job to do--one that might help save Jack's life. Hammond didn't need Daniel's worry piled on top of his own.
One hour later, he stood in the Gate room with Sam and Teal'c. The fear that Jack wouldn't be alive when they came back was reflected in the somber looks Daniel received. Daniel glanced at the medical staff standing ready at the base of the ramp.
"Be careful." Daniel looked at his two healthy teammates, unable to put into words all the love and concern he felt for them.
"Daniel, we're going to be okay," Sam said. She touched his shoulder. "We're aware of the danger."
"I know, Sam." Daniel smiled. He held out his hand to Teal'c and they grasped forearms in a warrior's handclasp.
"We will find the samples DoctorFraiser requires, DanielJackson. We will not fail O'Neill."
"Yes, Teal'c." He took a deep breath. "I'm sure Jack knows we're doing everything we can." Daniel stepped back, watching Sam and Teal'c disappear into the Gate, quickly followed by Janet's staff.
Sighing, Daniel turned and started for his lab, his mind racing to find some type of clue to save his lover.
"Hey." Jack's voice was hoarse and Daniel snatched the cup of ice chips on the rolling table.
He held a spoonful to Jack's mouth, glad there was something he could do to help.
Jack closed his eyes as he let the chips melt in his mouth. "Good. That's good." He turned his head towards Daniel and opened his eyes. "You look tired."
Daniel shrugged. "I'm okay."
"You haven't been off base since we came..." Jack had to stop to cough. Daniel handed Jack one of the hard pillows the respiratory therapists had provided, pulling Jack's arms around it and helping him hold the pillow in place.
"Easy." Daniel rubbed his partner's tense shoulders and upper back. It had been a week since they came through the ‘Gate and Jack was losing ground. "Just take it easy."
The coughing bout left Jack exhausted and Daniel helped him lie back on the bed. The medicines prescribed to help fight the infection seemed to only be holding it at bay; Jack's face was pale while his eyes appeared glazed with the fever that wouldn't abate.
"You should go home, get some rest," Jack said, his voice slightly breathless.
"I've been sleeping on base." Daniel caught Jack's hand as he raised it towards his nose and the nasal cannula.
Jack nodded. "Don't want you to get sick."
"I'm fine." Daniel rubbed his thumb over the back of Jack's knuckles, keeping up the soothing motion until his lover fell back asleep. Jack's hands were cold despite his low grade fever, and looking at the beloved face, Daniel could see Jack had lost weight.
"Good evening, Doctor Jackson." Captain Indris came to Jack's cubicle. "I'm here to give the Colonel a treatment." She indicated her equipment.
Getting out of the chair, Daniel stretched. "I'll go get a cup of coffee." He paused. "Do you know if Doctor Fraiser is here?"
"I think she’s in the lab, Sir," Captain Indris reported before turning to her patient.
"Thanks. Um..."
"Is there something else?"
"Huh? No, sorry. Just, um, take good care of him." Daniel met her eyes.
"I will, Sir." She smiled at him and Daniel nodded once. He walked briskly out of the infirmary, going in search of Janet.
He found her hunched over a microscope in one of the labs. As he watched, she pushed her chair back, rubbing at her eyes.
"Janet?" Daniel hooked the chair next to her with his foot and sat down.
"Daniel." That alone was enough of a warning. He'd hoped she'd have some sort of answer for Jack.
"No...?" Daniel finished by gesturing at the microscope.
Janet shook her head. "No. This, whatever it is, has been reproducing in the Colonel's system at an incredible rate. It's begun to feed on a cellular level."
"It's consuming more than the nutrients you're supplying him with?" Daniel looked in the microscope when Janet pointed to it, unsure of what he was seeing.
"I'm afraid so." Janet sighed. She twisted in her chair. "All this equipment at my disposal and I can't figure out how to kill it off."
"What happens if you can't?" Daniel asked the question. He needed the answer no matter what it was.
"Colonel O'Neill will waste away. It's one of the reasons he's unable to fight the lung infection. He doesn't have any energy to spare. If this doesn't kill him, the infection will eventually." Janet faced him, her brown eyes tired and bloodshot.
"The planet appeared to have a healthy eco-system."
"We believe the micro-organism is vital to the life cycle of the bog. But Colonel O'Neill is not native." She pulled her clipboard to her lap, tapping her pencil. "What have you found out?"
Daniel sighed. "Nothing. It appears to have been a planet even the Goa'uld avoided. There are no indications there were ever permanent settlements." He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, rubbing his forehead to get rid of the headache blossoming there. "I was going to get a cup of coffee. Want to join me?"
Janet looked at the microscope.
"Maybe getting away from it for awhile will put things in perspective," Daniel urged. "We can get Sam and Teal'c to join us. Find out if they've made any progress." He stood, holding a hand out to the doctor. She took it and let him pull her up.
Sitting at a table in the commissary, Daniel listened to Sam and Janet talking in hushed tones while he curled his hands around his coffee mug, trying to warm them.
"DanielJackson."
Daniel looked up from studying the depths of his mug at Teal'c's mentioning his name. "Teal'c?"
"You will come back to my quarters with me and we shall kel-no-reem together."
Looking at his friend, Daniel frowned. "Jack needs me, Teal'c."
"O'Neill needs to know that you are resting. His worry for you depletes his energy." Teal'c pushed a bowl of cereal towards Daniel. "You should eat, my friend."
It was no use arguing, Daniel knew. Teal'c was right. He couldn't think any longer, the hours spent studying the writings they discovered and then the hours by Jack's bedside were wearing on him. He picked up his spoon and began to eat the cereal. He looked at the others; Janet looked worn down, Sam frowning in concern.
"Janet?" Sam shifted forward in her chair. "What's wrong?"
"I'm going back to the lab." Janet pushed her chair back. "I want to check the Colonel's latest blood results."
Daniel stood to follow her, ignoring the wobbly feeling in his knees. Teal'c gripped his arm.
"I'll go, Daniel." Sam patted his arm. "Go with Teal'c. Get some rest." He wanted to tell her she needed rest, too, but Daniel only nodded and watched her leave.
"Sit, DanielJackson. Finish your food and then we will meditate for the return of O'Neill's health."
"You're worse than Jack," Daniel mumbled as he sat back down and pulled the cereal bowl close. "I’m a grown man."
"Indeed you are," Teal'c agreed and settled back, waiting for Daniel to finish his long overdue meal.
He didn't know why he woke so abruptly, but Daniel sat up with his heart pounding. Unsure of where he was, he let out a breath when he noticed the guttering candles and Teal'c sitting in the middle of the circle they'd made earlier.
"Teal'c?" he whispered.
"I am here." Teal'c rose from his seated position, Daniel amazed at the grace such a large man could have. "We will visit O'Neill together."
Daniel rubbed at his face, looking around the small room, touching the top of his head. He couldn't even remember falling asleep, much less where he'd put his glasses. Teal'c took his hand and placed his glasses in it.
"Thanks." Daniel ducked his head, putting them on. He hoped Teal'c realized it was for more than the glasses.
"You are welcome." Teal'c bowed his head and motioned towards the door.
The curtains were pulled around Jack's bed. Daniel could hear the quiet talking of staff behind them and some coughing. Wrapping his arms around his chest, Daniel paced, waiting for someone to come out and tell him what was going on. He spied Sam curled up on a nearby bed, sound asleep, and walked towards her, wanting to make sure that she was okay.
Behind him he heard the snick of the curtains being slid back. Jack was propped up on pillows and the head of his bed had been raised. One of the nurses was checking the IV lines. He noticed a bag of what looked like blood and pointed at it when Janet came to stand by him.
"The Colonel's red blood cell count is dropping. I'm hoping the blood transfusion and the iron supplements will help," she explained. "He's very tired, Daniel, but I'm sure he'll want to see you."
"I won't disturb him." He felt an overwhelming need to be at Jack's side, to reassure Jack they would find a cure for him.
"I know you won't." Janet smiled at him. She looked exhausted and he wanted to tell her to go home and rest, but Daniel knew she wouldn't, not when the life of one of her patients was on the line. She made a shooing motion. "Go. Spend some time with him."
"Hey, Jack." Daniel reached out and touched Jack's fingers, smiling when Jack turned his head in Daniel's direction.
"Hey...there..." The breathlessness from yesterday seemed to have increased ten-fold overnight. Daniel could see the heaving of Jack's chest as he spoke.
"Take it easy," Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed. They sat quietly for a few moments, the only sound Jack's raspy breathing.
"Vam...pire." Jack gave Daniel a lopsided grin as he rolled his eyes towards the bag of blood hanging from the IV stand.
"Yeah, guess I'll have to make sure you don't bite me anytime soon." Daniel rubbed Jack's knuckles, noting the bluish tint of the nailbeds.
"Danny?" Jack was watching him, his eyes locking with Daniel's. "Sc..." He began to cough, and Daniel called for help when he realized Jack wasn't able to catch his breath. Janet came running along with two of the nurses. Daniel stood out of the way, listening to Janet's orders and the sound of his lover struggling to take in air, and failing. The curtains were pulled around the bed, cutting off his view of the proceedings.
"Daniel?" Sam came to stand by his side, snaking an arm around his waist. Teal'c appeared, too, and Daniel realized he hadn't even been aware they had remained in the infirmary.
Daniel shook his head. "I don't know, Sam. I don't know." He knew not much time had passed, but it seemed an eternity until Janet emerged from the curtains, motioning for Daniel to follow her to a more secluded spot.
"Janet, what's wrong? He's not..." Daniel searched her face to find an answer.
"No, no, but I've placed Colonel O'Neill on a ventilator. He's still breathing on his own, but he needs the help the vent can give him."
"How bad is it?" Daniel decided he needed to know the truth, needed to hear what Janet had to say.
"It's not good." Janet looked up at him. "His red blood cells are being destroyed and he needs them to carry oxygen. That combined with the infection…well...needless to say, he's in trouble. Right now, all we can do is wait and see. We're working on finding an answer, but he's losing ground."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Daniel took a few deep breaths before looking at the doctor. "May I sit with him?"
"We have him lightly sedated so don't be alarmed if you don't get any responses from him." She gestured towards Jack's bed. "But I think he'd like to know you're there."
"Excuse me, Doctor Jackson," one of the nurses whispered as she brushed against his chair.
"Okay. It's okay." Daniel bent his head from side to side, trying to get the crick out of his neck. He laced his fingers behind his neck and leaned back in the chair. "Any change?" He leaned forward, studying Jack's slack face. The whoosh of the respirator provided background noise along with the beeps of the monitors. He watched as the nurse took a few tubes of blood from Jack's arm.
"He's resting comfortably." She kept her voice low and marked a chart with Jack's vitals. "I need to get these to the lab. Doctor Warner is on duty now, Sir."
"He finally persuaded Janet to rest?" Daniel asked.
"General Hammond made it an order." The nurse smiled. "Doctor Warner backed him up. I'll be back in a little bit." She took the tubes and left as quietly as she'd arrived.
Daniel stood after she left, stretching out muscles cramped from spending long hours in the chair by Jack's bed.
"Jack, we're going to get you through this." Daniel placed his hand on Jack's forehead, noticing that his partner's eyes were half open and watching him. "You need to hold on." He found Jack's hand and squeezed it, noticing his hands were still cold. He didn't expect any response, but Jack blinked his eyes a few times. "You can rest. I'll stay here through the night." He stroked Jack's palm with his thumb, watching as his eyes finally closed. Daniel heard someone approaching the bed and looked up to see General Hammond standing there.
"Sir. Please, sit down." Daniel stood, offering his chair.
"I'm fine, son. Sit back down." Hammond glanced at the equipment surrounding Jack's bed before turning his gaze on his second-in-command.
"Uh, General Hammond?" Daniel held up his coffee mug in question. It was plain to see Hammond had something to say to Jack. "I'll, um, I'm going to go refill this. Would you like some?"
"You go on, Doctor Jackson. Colonel O'Neill and I will get along just fine."
Daniel nodded and as he walked away, heard General Hammond's soft drawl. "Jack, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"
He took his time walking to the commissary to get some coffee, took his time returning to the infirmary. Daniel hated feeling helpless. Hated being unable to do and only wait. Entering the infirmary, he could still hear General Hammond speaking in low tones to Jack. Daniel waited, not wanting to approach the General. He was stunned when Janet came barrelling through the doors, heading straight for Jack's bed. He followed her in alarm.
"What's going on?" he demanded as he stepped to Jack's side. "What's happening?"
"The micro-organism appears to be binding to the red blood cells." Janet was studying the monitors and nodding to herself.
"Binding? Binding is good?" Daniel asked, looking to the General when Janet didn't answer immediately.
"Doctor Fraiser?" Hammond asked.
"Binding is very good, Sir, Daniel. We've been giving Colonel O'Neill higher doses of iron over the past few days. The lab has just run some tests. The iron appears to cause the micro-organism to bind to the red blood cells. We can totally replace the Colonel's blood, flush the micro-organism out of his system, so to speak." Janet looked to both of them.
"Replace his blood?" Daniel held his index finger in the air. "In his condition, isn't that, uh, dangerous?"
"There are risks, of course, but I believe it's one we have to take. We'll compensate for the increased risk of bleeding by providing fresh frozen plasma and Vitamin K. If we don't, the micro-organism will continue to invade his system."
"Do what you must, Doctor Fraiser," Hammond said.
She gave a quick nod. "We'll prepare him now. Doctor Warner and I would like to start the process as soon as possible. We're going to move him to an iso room."
Daniel walked beside Jack's bed as the orderlies moved it to the iso room. Jack thankfully remained asleep. Janet stopped Daniel at the door.
"You can wait with Sam, Teal'c and General Hammond in the observation room. We're going to take good care of him, Daniel."
"I know you will, Janet." Daniel met her eyes. "I know."
Daniel had seen plenty of blood since his time on SG1; he'd even managed to watch the medical operations Jack would sometimes watch on the TV for some reason Daniel had never been able to fathom. But the reality of his lover about to have his blood pulled out of his body and replaced with transfusions had his stomach twisting. Janet had provided a running commentary, including a thorough description of the process. Jack looked small and frail from their vantage point in the observation room. A warm hand slid up his back and across his shoulders, and Daniel turned to look at Sam. Her eyes were fixed on the scene below, and he could see her almost analyzing the equipment. He raised his hand to hers when she rested it on his shoulder and squeezed her fingers.
"We've inserted the shunt and have Colonel O'Neill hooked up. We're going to start replacing his blood volume now." Janet looked up at them and then turned back to Doctor Warner, giving him a nod.
Numbers were called out and Daniel focused on them, trying to ignore what he knew was going on. One of the lab techs in the room with them said something to Janet, and he could see her posture change. He leaned forward, not knowing if she had received good news or bad.
"The presence of the micro-organism is decreasing, although still present. We're going to replace again."
Daniel let out a deep breath and looked at his watch. Had it really only been thirty minutes since they'd hooked Jack up to that machine? He didn't want to watch but found himself unable to look away. He saw Janet nod once again and give the orders for the process to be repeated. Twenty minutes this time, Daniel noted as Doctor Warner gave a sample of blood to one of the technicians.
"What's happening?" Daniel tightened his grip on Sam's hand as the activity in the room picked up.
Sam shook her head, not even looking at Daniel. Another hand was placed on top of his and Sam's, the solid strength of Teal'c a reminder that he and Jack were part of a team.
"Colonel O'Neill's blood pressure is dropping a little," Janet announced, although she didn't turn to them as she had before. "I want to do another round. But we're going to have to wait until he's stabilized."
"Is it working, Janet?" Sam asked.
"The last replacement should do it." Janet's voice was calm, assured. She moved away, speaking quietly to Doctor Warner.
Daniel closed his eyes, resting them and trying to ignore the tension headache pounding in his temples. The calling out of numbers--blood pressure, pulse, other things Daniel didn't understand--began again, but this time he kept his eyes closed, imagining Jack's fingers across his nape, the slow deep voice Jack used when he was serious.
"...moving the Colonel back to the infirmary." Janet's words intruded on his daydream and Daniel straightened in his seat. He ducked his head before looking at Sam, who was grinning.
There was a whispered 'yeehaw’, behind him. He met Sam's grin with one of his own at that.
He didn't know what to expect, but as they entered the infirmary, they were met by Janet. Looking over her head, Daniel could see Jack's bed back in position and a nurse suctioning the ventilator. Grimacing, Daniel looked down at Janet.
"The ventilator?"
"Colonel O'Neill is still a sick man. I want to get him off the vent as soon as possible, but we're dealing with a nasty case of pneumonia. He wasn't able to fight the infection before but with the micro-organism gone..." She covered her mouth as she yawned. "Excuse me."
"I'm ordering all of you to get some sleep." General Hammond spoke in his full command voice. When Daniel opened his mouth, it was met with an upheld hand. "No arguments from anyone. You people have all worked your tails off since this started and I'm sure Doctor Warner can hold down the fort while you all catch forty winks."
"With all due respect, Sir, we..." Sam began and Daniel shook his head.
"I'm not making anyone go home, Major Carter, but I will personally be coming around to quarters in fifteen minutes and I expect to see lights out."
They gave in to the inevitable and Daniel swore he caught a glimmer of mischief in General Hammond's eye when he was answered by four, 'yes, Sirs’.
The adrenaline that had kept Daniel going over the past nine days seemed to leave as Hammond dismissed them. He remembered following Sam and Teal'c down the hall and into the elevator. He remembered walking into one of the bunk rooms and sitting down, knowing that his teammates were there by some unspoken need they all had. And then there was a soft pillow under his head and he just didn't feel like keeping his eyes open any longer.
What a difference two days made, Daniel thought as he walked towards Jack's bed in the infirmary. Sometime during the night, the ventilator had been removed and Jack was breathing on his own once again and although pale, his color had improved immensely.
Jack looked at him with sleepy brown eyes. "Hey."
"Hey, Jack." Daniel smiled at him, touching his fingertips to Jack's forehead, noticing the fever appeared to be gone. "How are you feeling?"
"Gonna run a marathon later today." Jack's grin was lopsided with fatigue and he closed his eyes again. He swallowed and grimaced.
"Want some ice chips?" Daniel grabbed the cup on the bedside table and slid a spoonful into his partner's mouth when he nodded. Jack lifted his hand a fraction a few minutes later, and Daniel dutifully placed another spoonful to his lips.
"Good," Jack mumbled after he swallowed. "Hungry, and Doc says no solid food yet."
"It's been a while since you ate. I guess she doesn't want you getting sick," Daniel said. That remark got him a baleful glance with one opened eye. "Or," he added, "she's just being mean and making your life miserable."
"That's better," Jack sighed. "Mean and tor..."
"Hi Janet," Daniel said loudly when he saw the doctor approaching. He stood up and stepped aside from the bed.
"Good morning, Daniel. Colonel." She glanced at the monitors and Daniel saw a smile grace her lips.
"Uh, I'm going to go, Jack. I have a briefing for SG-16." He patted Jack's shoulder but doubted his lover felt it. It appeared he was asleep once again.
"He's going to sleep a lot, Daniel," Janet whispered. "It's going to take time for the Colonel to recover."
"He's going to be okay, though?" Daniel kept his eyes on Jack.
"Colonel O'Neill will make a full recovery. I'm sure he's not going to be happy with the pace of things though."
"He said he was hungry."
Janet sighed. "He probably is. We're going to try some rice and broth a little bit later." She pointed to the IVs. "However, he'll be receiving extra nutrition intravenously also." She smiled at Daniel. "You have a briefing. I think the Colonel's going to be sleeping most of the day. Why don't you wait to visit about supper time?"
Daniel nodded, leaving the infirmary and focusing on the day ahead. He needed to get back to his translations of the tablets SG-3 found on P1A-227 and have a meeting with his department. Jack was going to be fine, Daniel smiled at the thought and ran to catch the elevator when he saw the doors closing.
Grumbling reached his ears as soon as he stepped into the infirmary.
"Carter, I told you. No blue jello. There's something wrong about blue food."
"And that would make blueberries an aberration of nature, Sir?" He could hear the exasperation in Sam's voice.
As Janet had predicted and Daniel had known, Jack was not happy about remaining tethered to the IVs. Not even after he'd nearly taken a header when the nurses got him up and walking for the first time since his off-world mishap. Not even when Jack really noticed all the weight he'd lost during his ordeal. Janet's patient explanation that he couldn't begin to eat enough calories to build up his body again was met with a sulk. Daniel knew Jack wasn't about to admit he didn't really have his appetite back yet, despite the hunger that was a frequent complaint.
"You will eat, O'Neill." Teal'c added his opinion to the mix.
"Here's Daniel. We'll ask him." Jack raised a hand in greeting. "Tell them." He pointed to his tray.
"Tell them what?" Daniel ducked his head so Jack couldn't see the smile lurking there.
"Tell Carter that blue jello is just plain weird. And tell Teal'c that I will eat as soon as I get some decent food around here."
Daniel looked at the tray which held the remains of some chicken and rice and some pudding along with the blue jello.
"It looks like you did eat, Jack." Daniel said. "It looks like you ate very well."
"I want a burrito," Jack complained. "Burrito and Chinese."
"I'm sure Janet will approve that combination soon." Daniel swung the rolling table away from the bed and sat down on the edge. He bumped Jack's leg with his knee and got a smile in return.
"So, Carter, did you ever find what it was that pulled me under?" Jack turned his head to face her.
"I'm afraid we didn't, Sir. We saw no signs of any indigenous wildlife when we returned to get the samples." Sam shook her head.
"Janet believes there may have been some sort of paralyzing agent on its skin. She said that combined with the properties of the mud, it’s what kept you alive," Daniel continued. He pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat, a vision of Jack lying helpless and not breathing coming back to him.
"Do you remember it, Sir?" Sam's curiosity got the better of her. Daniel felt Jack's hand contract against his thigh.
"Teal'c and I were walking." Jack's voice was almost flat. "I heard a splash and turned. I remember it grabbing me and trying to do something, anything to make it let go, but I couldn't move. And then I woke up here."
It was the first time any of them had heard Jack's version of events. Looking at the paleness of his partner's face after the brief accounting he'd just given, Daniel had the feeling there were a few month's worth of nightmares in the future. He covered Jack's hand with his own, sensing the comfort was needed more than the possible embarrassment it could cause either of them. A brief smile from Jack was his reward.
Searching about for a possible new topic, Daniel decided to focus on recovery. "Has Janet said anything to you about when she's going to release you?"
Jack nodded and closed his eyes. "She said I have another week on this," he thrust his chin in the direction of the IV, "and then if she thinks I'm strong enough, she'll think about let..." He stopped to yawn. Daniel glanced at Sam and Teal'c, who stood patiently waiting to hear Jack continue his sentence.
"Um, guys, he's asleep," Daniel whispered and pointed to Jack.
"He was speaking to us, DanielJackson." Teal'c leaned forward a bit, studying his friend.
"Yeah, but he has a habit of doing this now. Janet said it's to be expected." Daniel was calm about it now, but when it had happened a few days ago and Jack had simply stopped talking between one word and then next, he'd yelled for a nurse, sure Jack had died.
"He seems a lot better," Sam finally said. She moved closer to the bed and looked down on her sleeping CO. "Night, Sir," she whispered before touching a hand to his shoulder and stepping aside. Teal'c said nothing, only watched Jack breathe for a few minutes.
"Daniel? Are you coming?"
He nodded at Sam's question. They'd decided to go out for dinner later on, to celebrate Jack's recovery, to spend some time releasing some of the stress. "I'll be there in a minute, Sam." He sat quietly, Jack's fingers warm under his own.
"We'll meet you in my office," Sam said and Daniel gave her another absent-minded nod, remaining focused on Jack, who was most likely going to sleep through the rest of the night.
He watched Jack's chest rising and falling in an easy rhythm. Jack shifted in the bed, frowning in his sleep. He opened his eyes, although Daniel suspected he was more asleep than awake.
"Home?"
"Not yet, Jack." Daniel leaned in close to whisper in Jack's ear, letting his lips just brush against the beard stubble on his partner's cheek. "Not yet, but soon. I promise you. Soon."
"Good," Jack breathed and closed his eyes, turning his head away and drifting back into a deeper sleep.
"Yes, it is." Daniel smiled, giving a final squeeze to his hand and standing. "It's very good." He stood by the bed a few minutes longer watching. Then he turned to go meet his team-mates. Jack was right. Things were very good indeed.
FINIS
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