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Daniel shivered as another wave of mist flitted over his bent back, the damp permeating through his clothes and causing them to stick to clammy skin. He straightened and looked around the desolate landscape. Fog covered most of the swampy ground around him, the grey and barren land occasionally punctuated by remnants of moss-covered carcasses of what had once been trees.
Barely able to see his feet, Daniel made his careful way over to where Sam and Teal'c were kneeling, trying to gather a variety of samples to determine where the UAV had detected signs of rare minerals that the SGC was always on a lookout for. But the constant fog and mist had been hampering their efforts, and had dragged what should have been an easy twenty-four hour mission into what was going onto forty-eight.
As he packed his own efforts at sampling in the appropriate container, Daniel acknowledged that he was bored. Rooting through slimy, rotting vegetation wasn't his idea of fun, especially if there weren't any artefacts or ruins as a goal. But if he felt this way about the work, he couldn't imagine what poor Jack was going through. At the thought of his lover, Daniel turned around to look at him.
Jack had his back to the group, staring out into the unchanging scenery. Daniel and Jack had been lovers for two months, and although they'd been friends for years, Daniel still couldn't believe his luck that Jack actually loved him back. Their reluctance at admitting their feelings for one another had created a huge rift between them for a while, one that had been transmitted to the team dynamics itself. But thankfully they'd managed to talk one night, and both had been shocked to learn that each had been in love with the other.
As if feeling Daniel's eyes on him, though, Jack turned to look at him.
"Hey, come here a sec," Jack said, motioning with a twist of his head. Daniel wiped his damp hands on equally damp pants and made his way through knee-high mist. Jack handed Daniel a pair of field glasses and pointed off to his left.
"Wait for it," Jack advised as Daniel trained the binoculars in the direction Jack had indicated. After a minute, a small puff of wind cleared a space in the mist and Daniel saw what he was sure was a small obelisk. It was quickly hidden once more, but had been visible long enough for him to know for sure that it had been made by human hands.
Daniel lowered the field glasses and turned to Jack, a hopeful look on his face. Jack grinned.
"Feel like taking a walk?"
"Do you think it's safe?" Daniel asked. He turned back to look at his two teammates, their backs barely visible in the permeating mist. The Stargate was even less visible behind them, nearly a mile away on higher ground, a dark, round shadow ghosting in the vapours.
"Thing's due south from here," Jack said, taking his compass out and showing Daniel. "And it shouldn't be more than a ten minute walk, fifteen at most."
"Let me get my camera," Daniel said with a grin. They both made their way to their gear, and as Daniel reached for his backpack, he heard Jack talking to Sam.
"Carter, how much longer?"
"An hour, maybe less," she said with a sigh. "I can't wait to get home and change into some dry clothes."
Daniel silently agreed with her as he slipped the small digital camera into a pocket. The video camera was useless, the amount of humidity in the air was preventing it from working.
"We spotted something out there, some kind of rock," Jack said.
"An obelisk," Daniel corrected.
"We're gonna go out and take a look."
Sam stood up and looked in the direction Jack had indicated. Daniel turned to look also, and seeing nothing but a grey blur, hoped they hadn't imagined it.
"It's due south, not far. We'll be there and back before you and Teal'c finish here."
"We could finish faster if you two helped," she complained. But she winked at Daniel and he could have hugged her then and there. Not that Daniel had shirked any of the onerous duties, but he couldn't quite get excited about the mineral contents in the soil.
"We'll stay in radio contact, so keep your ears on," Jack advised as he turned his radio on. They all did the same, making sure they were all on the same frequency before Jack began walking away from their camp.
The going was slippery and treacherous, slimy growth and hidden twigs and roots catching them unawares. Everything from their knees down was cloaked in thick fog, and occasionally they'd hear wet slaps as they stepped into hidden puddles.
Thoughts of quicksand and deep unseen ponds flitted through Daniel's mind and he quickly pushed the alarming ideas away. He concentrated on Jack's ass before him, enjoying the view while making sure he kept up and didn't end up falling on his own.
A glance at his watch showed they'd been walking for nearly ten minutes, and there was no sign of the obelisk anywhere.
"Jack, are you sure we're going the right way?"
"Due south," Jack said, turning to show the compass in his hand. Daniel fished through his pockets for his own compass and opened it, stopping a moment to get his bearings. He couldn't believe what he saw."
"Jack, we're not going south, we're heading east."
"For crying out loud," Jack said, turning back to join Daniel, "we're going south."
"Not according to this," Daniel said, holding his compass towards his lover.
"Now that's downright weird," Jack said as he placed his own next to Daniel's, which clearly indicated south.
They both turned and stared in the direction they'd been walking, hoping to see the stone looming before them when the fog broke. After several minutes, they were rewarded with a fairly clear view. Only vegetation and an occasional tree were apparent, there was no obelisk anywhere in sight. Then the mist thickened, like a curtain closing on stage. Show's over, people. Go home.
Daniel looked at Jack, who looked back at him with a shrug. "Guess we turn back," he said. Daniel nodded, disappointed but anxious now to get out of the fog. It was rising, no longer up to their knees. As he looked down, the mist had risen almost to his waist.
"Carter," Jack said into his radio while his other hand tried to wave the mist away from his body. When she answered, he continued. "There's no sign of the obelisk, and we're turning back."
When Sam replied, Daniel pivoted, checked his compass and took the lead. Several steps later he glanced down and noted the instrument was reading east once more. He stopped, and Jack bumped into him, forcing Daniel to take two steps to the side to keep his balance.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked as he leaned against Daniel's back, his body heat permeating Daniel's chilled skin after a moment.
"Either we just went in a tight circle, or we're in very big trouble. We're going east again."
"Mine reads south. Damnit."
Daniel turned in a circle, watching the compass needle turning as he moved. When he faced the same direction as before, it still read east.
"Okay, we just go in a straight line. We'll see the Stargate once we reach high enough ground."
Daniel had no other suggestions, so he kept walking. Ten minutes later he stopped. There was still no sign of the Stargate.
"Carter," Jack said into his radio. "We have a problem."
- - - - - -
Jack could hear Carter and Teal'c calling out to them, but the mist muffled their voices so it was hard to tell which direction their voices were coming from. By now he and Daniel were chest deep in the stuff. His clothes were soaked through, and he was getting more annoyed than worried.
Their compasses were useless. Carter suspected there was some kind of electromagnetic component to some rocks beneath the surface which were throwing the readings off. There were no landmarks of any kind in this fog; even the Stargate wasn't visible to her and Teal'c anymore.
A loud burst of sound and a bright light arcing through the sky to their right brought them both to a stop. Jack looked up as he followed the blazing trail into the sky, recognizing the blast of a staff weapon. Suddenly Daniel gasped and stumbled against him.
"Daniel?" Jack said, taking in the fact that Daniel quickly leaned down into the mist, his body almost invisible. He had a death grip on Jack's arm, and Jack used his free hand to try and pull Daniel back up.
His lover finally straightened, a grimace of pain evident on his face. Water dripped off his hair and face, his glasses fogged up and useless.
"Colonel," Carter's voice said through the radio. "Teal'c just shot his staff weapon into the air. Were you able to see it?"
"Daniel, what's wrong?" Jack asked as Daniel pulled away. Jack maintained a hold on Daniel's arm, but other than the slight strain around Daniel's mouth, he seemed fine.
"I stepped on something," Daniel said, leaning back down into the fog. "Gimme a sec, I'm stuck," his voice came back eerily from the mist.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked him worriedly. "Daniel," Jack repeated when Daniel didn't answer. Jack could feel him struggling with something as he kept a hand on Daniel's arm.
"Ow!" Daniel cursed in several languages as he straightened.
"Colonel, do you read?"
Daniel hopped around on one foot for a moment, then nodded at Jack. Daniel keyed the radio's mic and said, "Yeah, Sam, we saw. Thanks. We're heading towards you now."
Daniel took off his fog-dampened glasses and turned, walking in the direction of Teal'c's signal. Jack could see he was limping. "Daniel, what did you step on? What the hell happened?" he asked as he rushed to catch up with him.
"I don't know, just be careful, okay? There might be more, and whatever it was, it's pretty sharp."
"Daniel," Jack growled in frustration, then swore when he nearly tripping over some unseen vegetation. He finally reached Daniel and took his arm, pulling him to a stop. "Sharp? You mean it pierced your boot?"
"Yeah," Daniel replied after a second's hesitation.
"For crying out loud, let me see!" Jack scolded. Whatever was sharp enough to pierce the tough soles of their jungle boots had to have done some damage to Daniel's foot.
"The fog's too thick, you won't see anything. Let's just keep going, okay?"
"Are you bleeding?" Jack asked, knowing the answer just by the way Daniel was favouring his foot. "How bad?" he asked before Daniel could answer.
"I don't know."
Feeling helpless and cursing himself for having dragged Daniel out into this miasma, Jack followed closely behind Daniel, watching as his limp became more pronounced as they kept moving. They were going uphill, that much was evident. But the mist was following them, dogging them despite the higher ground. Visibility was limited to four hazy feet around them.
"Teal'c! Carter!" Jack yelled, then listened attentively for their answer.
"Colonel O'Neill!" Teal'c's strong voice came to them from their right. They turned and adjusted their direction.
"Carter, you and Teal'c watch your footing!" Jack warned as he walked blindly, hoping that neither he nor Daniel came into contact with whatever had hurt Daniel. "Daniel stepped on something and cut his foot."
"What was it?" Carter yelled back, her voice now to their left.
"Daniel, stop," Jack said. He placed a comforting hand on Daniel's shoulder, and yelled back.
"We don't know, Daniel couldn't see. Teal'c, how about giving us another marker?"
The noise from the shot seemed to come from everywhere, but the blast was directly in front of them. Ten more steps and their teammates' shadowy figures appeared. The fog was worse here than it had been down below, or had it just risen so quickly that he hadn't noticed?
"Sir." Carter rushed towards them, then put a hand out to Daniel. "How bad is it?"
"It's bleeding a lot," Daniel said, his teeth clenched. Teal'c led them a few feet to the right and Jack nearly tripped over something. He reached down and felt the plastic container holding the samples they'd been gathering.
"Here, sit," he told Daniel. As Daniel did as he was bid, he all but disappeared into the mist. Jack knelt down before him, seeing nothing but white. He blindly ran his hands down Daniel's right leg. When he reached his foot, he lifted it and cradled it on his thighs. He began untying the boot, the laces damp and refusing to come undone easily. He swore, then finally got the bow unknotted. Gently, he pulled off the boot, feeling Carter's fingers alongside his helping ease it away. Despite their care, Daniel gasped as the boot twisted and rubbed against his injury.
The socked foot in Jack's hands was soaked, either with perspiration, the mist or blood, he couldn't quite tell. He raised a hand to his nose and sniffed. It held the distinct coppery smell of blood.
Carter was pulling Daniel's sock off and he cradled the bare heel in his hands, secured against his thighs. He felt the warm stream of blood flow down onto his hands and onto his pants, and he knew this was more than a scratch. Daniel jerked as Carter tried to feel the damage; their eyes were useless in this soup.
"Sorry," she said, her disembodied voice near Jack's ear. "It's bleeding freely but I can't tell if there's anything inside the wound. As far as I can tell, it's a puncture wound about an inch wide in the arch of your foot, but I don't know how deep it is. I'll try and disinfect it the best I can, until we can get to the Stargate."
Carter poured water over the injury, which flowed over Jack's hands and onto his pants. Daniel grabbed onto Jack's jacket, pinching Jack's skin before he found purchase on the material. Jack flowing ignored the liquid; he was already soaked from the humidity in the air.
"Hold onto this," Carter ordered, her fingers fumbling on his hands, then placing one of them over a bandage wrapped around Daniel's foot. It became saturated in seconds. He heard Carter fumbling beside him, the sounds of paper tearing as she removed pre-medicated wipes to disinfect their wounds.
"This is going to hurt," she warned as she took Jack's fingers away. Jack wrapped one hand around Daniel's calf, the other still holding his foot securely against his him.
"Shit!" Daniel yelled, his body tensing beneath Jack's hold. Jack could picture his lover's face, eyes tightly shut, furrowed lines marring his forehead, teeth clenched as he forced his breath through them.
"Carter…" Jack said as Daniel continued to tremble.
"Almost done. I'm sorry, I know. I can't see anything and it's taking longer than I'd like." He felt her brush his arm as she moved away. "There, all done. I just need to bandage it up."
Jack eased his hold on Daniel's calf and ran his fingers up his pant leg, rubbing the clammy skin. Daniel relaxed slightly, either because of Jack's touch or because Carter had finished her ministrations. Daniel let go of Jack's jacket, and Jack could hear him taking deep breaths.
When Carter finished and she had placed Daniel's foot onto a pack back for support, Jack stood up, ignoring the fact that his feet were nearly asleep from his kneeling position. He was surprised to see that the fog was now up to their shoulders, and everything around them had disappeared into the eerie grey landscape.
He couldn't see Carter or Daniel at all, and only Teal'c's shoulders and head were apparent. He looked all around, there was no sign of the Stargate.
"Crap."
"What?" Daniel's voice floated up to him.
"The Stargate's disappeared."
"I believe it is in this direction," Teal'c said, his disembodied hand seeming to float in the air as he pointed off to their left.
"Daniel, think you can walk?"
"I made it this far, didn't I?" He felt Daniel's hand on his leg, then move up to his waist. Jack grabbed onto it and pulled, helping Daniel stand.
"Stay off of your foot," Carter warned as Daniel hopped slightly to keep his balance.
"I will assist DanielJackson," Teal'c said as he placed his arm around Daniel's waist. Jack bent back down into the fog, feeling blindly for their rucksacks. He shouldered two of them while Carter picked up the others, and then he grabbed the sample case, tucking the awkward-sized container beneath his arm.
"Okay, everyone grab hold of someone. I don't want to lose anyone in this… stuff."
Carter grabbed Teal'c's belt and he grabbed Carter's. They began walking slowly, blindly, towards what Jack hoped was the Stargate. The going was hard; Daniel forced to hop along on one foot, and the fact that the fog hid all obstacles from them. Jack almost walked into a tree, seeing the dark shadow seconds before and having to twist his body in order to miss it.
They were moving uphill, but still the fog thickened. Soon all he could see was a vague shadow which he knew to be Carter. Daniel and Teal'c had all but disappeared and Jack knew that if he let go of her, there were good chances they'd never find one another again.
Jack wasn't sure how long they walked, he couldn't see his watch, and time seemed to have lost all meaning. But after a while, Teal'c called a halt.
"O'Neill, we should have arrived at the Stargate by now. We may have passed it, or I may have been mistaken and have led us astray."
"Hell, Teal'c," Jack said. "We could have walked right through the damned 'gate and we'd never know it." He put the container down, which had been growing heavier by the minute.
"We've got no choice but to camp out here," Jack said, rummaging through the packs. "There's no use walking around blind, chances are we'll just go in the wrong direction." He removed two blankets and began spreading them out on the ground between them. "We're not due to check in for another couple of hours, so we'll just sit tight until we're overdue and Hammond opens the 'gate. Hopefully we'll be able to see it from here."
"Here, Daniel, sit," Jack ordered.
- - - - - -
Daniel felt Jack's hand fumbling against his chest and his strong fingers latched onto his arm. He hopped forward, his injured foot throbbing painfully and with his friends' help, he was soon sitting down. Sam elevated his foot on one of the packs while Jack sat beside him. He could feel the heat of Jack's hip and leg against his own, and he shivered in the damp. Was it getting colder, or was it his imagination?
"You okay?" Jack said softly. Daniel nodded before he realized Jack couldn't see him.
Everything was gone, the fog having enveloped the world, with SG-1 along with it. Every time he inhaled, he imagined the damp, clingy mist entering his body and he hated the feel of it.
"I'm fine. Is the temperature dropping?" he asked as another shiver wracked him.
He felt Jack's hand touch his chest, then move to his chin, to finally alight on his cheek. His callused fingers remained there for a few seconds before they caressed his skin.
"No, but you've got a fever," Jack finally said. "Carter, can you find the antibiotics? Teal'c, can you get more blankets?"
He heard the sound of Sam rifling through the packs, then heard her mumbling to herself. He found himself leaning against Jack, looking for the heat generated from his body. Jack placed an around him and pulled him closer, then shifted so that Daniel was actually supported against Jack's chest. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the continuous throbbing in his foot and the now-increasing shivers.
"Here," Sam said. He felt her hand fumble against his leg, then like Jack did earlier, she followed his body up till she reached his chest. "Take these," she ordered, lightly tapping his chest with her knuckles. He raised his hand to hers and she tipped the medication into his open palm. "Antibiotics, Tylenol and Darvocet," she explained. As Daniel popped the pills into his mouth, she handed a canteen to him. He gratefully washed the medication down.
"I have blankets," Teal'c said, and soon he was wrapped with damp coverings. It didn't so much as warm him up as place a slight barrier against the clammy dampness. Jack's arm came around his chest, holding him close. Despite being injured, lost in the fog and thus unable to get home, Daniel felt safe with Jack's comforting body against him.
"I'm gonna look at your foot, Daniel," Sam warned as she moved her hands down his leg. He felt her fingers gently feel his injury, and a moment later, he felt her place another bandage around it, and he assumed he was still bleeding.
"It's gonna be fine," Jack whispered against his ear. He felt Jack's lips brush against his temple and he stiffened. Never did they show signs of affection to one another when offworld, even though Teal'c and Sam knew about their relationship. "Relax," Jack said again, his fingers brushing through Daniel's hair, causing water to drip down his face. He raised a hand and wiped the drops away, and tried to do what Jack had suggested. He was tense from his exertions and the pain in his foot.
Darvocet always made him dizzy and sleepy, and soon he was feeling the effects of the pill. Despite the chills still wracking his body, he felt himself begin to loosen as the medication eased the worst of the pain. He hadn't realized he had a headache until the pressure around his temples eased also. He turned his head and snuggled his face against Jack's throat, hoping to chase away the scent of decomposing vegetation with that of Jack's more familiar smell. But the clamminess covered them with the alien bouquet, and Daniel felt that it would take several showers to rid himself of the clingy stuff.
He must have dozed off because he woke up coughing. His chest was heavy, and the air felt thick, harder to breathe. He cleared his throat, then shifted when he realized that his butt was asleep.
He turned onto his side, swearing once when his injured foot caught on something and the pain flared. He slid down onto the blanket, using Jack's lap as a pillow. He felt colder and he curled up into a ball. But he couldn't stay in the previous position, he was too uncomfortable.
Jack's hand moved to his nape, gently rubbing. Daniel dozed on and off, sitting up once to swallow more pills, time becoming distorted by fever, pain, drugs and the continuing miasma muddled his senses. Breathing was becoming more difficult, and he felt like he were trying to breathe underwater. It was as if the oxygen was being replaced with something else, something that was heavier and more difficult to inhale. For a while he thought it was a dream, until he realized that the others were also coughing occasionally.
"How much longer?" he asked, pushing himself into a sitting position. Jack didn't let go of him and he gratefully leaned back against his familiar bulk.
"It has been approximately seven hours," Teal'c answered from Daniel's right. "We are two hours overdue. General Hammond should be contacting us soon."
"We hope," Jack added. "How you doing?"
"Dizzy," Daniel replied, laying his head back against Jack. "Hard to breathe," he added reluctantly.
"I know," Jack said. "Me too. It won't be much longer. Hang in there."
Daniel nodded, his dripping hair rasping against the wet material of Jack's jacket at the movement. Right now he just wanted a warm, dry bed where he could stretch out his length and luxuriate in Jack's arms.
He was dozing again when a strange noise permeated his fever dream. Blinking into the grey fog, he forced away the visions of a Goa'uld in a tutu and turned towards the sound. A blue light shone through the whiteness, and a familiar voice came through their radios.
"SG1, do you read?"
- - - - - -
Damn, when had Daniel gotten so heavy? Jack was supporting one side of Daniel with Teal'c on the other, and both were holding onto Carter, who was slowly leading them to the bright glow that was the Stargate. All of them were breathing hard, and Jack could feel sweat pouring down his back along with the cloying humidity. There was a pressure in his chest, as if his lungs had to work around a lump in the center of each.
Daniel no longer had the strength to hop, and Jack knew he was walking on his injured foot by the way he lurched against him with every second step. God, Jack was so tired, he couldn't imagine how Daniel felt. What the hell was in this stuff anyways to make them feel this way?
He kept his eyes glued to the blue-lit fog before them, afraid that if he looked away, it would disappear and they'd be unable to find their way to the 'gate. It couldn't be that far, they'd clearly heard the chevrons turning as it had activated.
"Oomph."
Jack pulled up just in time to prevent Daniel from walking into Carter, who had obviously, painfully, found the DHD.
"General Hammond," Carter said into the radio. "You can shut the Stargate now. We're at the DHD."
"Major, how can you dial if you can't see the glyphs?"
Good question.
"By touch," Daniel wheezed in Jack's ear.
"I can feel them, Sir. It'll take longer, but since we know the symbols, we just take a little longer to dial."
"Very well. If you don't make contact within fifteen minutes, I'll dial the planet again."
"Understood."
The 'gate winked out, leaving them alone once more.
"Teal'c, I might need your help," Carter said.
Jack braced himself to take all of Daniel's weight as Teal'c gently disengaged the man's arms from around his neck. "I've got him," Jack said as he pulled Daniel against him. He encouraged the younger man to lean against him, feeling the tremors as his weakened muscles tried to hold him up.
He could hear Carter and Teal'c discussing the glyphs and the faint glow whenever they identified the correct one and pressed it. He tuned them out, listening instead to the gurgling sounds coming from Daniel's chest. Jack coughed, and realized he was producing part of the sounds himself. The sooner out of here, the better.
Daniel lowered his head onto Jack's chest, and for a moment Jack thought his lover was going to pass out. "You okay?"
Daniel simply nodded. Jack held Daniel securely and brought a hand up to Daniel's nape, caressing the soft hair that grew there but got trimmed every time he went to the barber. Jack thought to himself that Daniel needed a visit soon.
Another chevron got pressed and Jack realized he'd lost count. Was that five, or six? Come on, hurry up. He felt Daniel sag and he held on more tightly.
"Almost there, Danny," he whispered. "Hold on."
Daniel raised his head, his nose rubbing against Jack's neck. Both were panting now with the effort of breathing. He knew that as soon as they reached the Gateroom, Daniel would be whisked away from them, so he decided he had to remind Daniel now about how he felt.
He whispered the words in Daniel's ear. "Don't forget, Danny. I love you."
"…you too," Daniel managed to whisper back.
The vortex activated loudly at that moment, the backwash burning off the mist and exposing the surrounding area for a few seconds. Carter and Teal'c were already moving towards them, and by the time the wormhole stabilized, Daniel was already being supported by Teal'c's strong arms.
"Code sent," Carter informed him.
"Let's go home," Jack said. They moved towards the shimmering light, stumbling slightly as they walked up the rise, towards home.
- - - - - -
The warm, dry air of the Gateroom felt great against Jack's face. The 'gate winked out behind him, cutting off the few tendrils of mist that had come through along with them. He took a step forward, easing Daniel along the ramp. He took a deep breath, ready to call for a medic when his lungs suddenly filled with fluids. Unable to help himself, he began coughing. Helplessly he fought for breath as his body tried to expel the remnants of the planet's mist. Thick streams of phlegm ran out of his throat and mouth, hindering his ability to inhale. Spots danced before his eyes, he became lightheaded and stumbled to his knees.
Belatedly Jack realized he'd let go of Daniel when he'd been unable to draw a satisfying breath. Panicking, he reached forward, fighting off the hands that had suddenly appeared and who were trying to hold him back from his lover.
Someone placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and after a moment, his vision cleared. He noted that Carter, who was a little further ahead on the ramp, was having the same problems he was. She was lying on her side with a medic attending her. Daniel was lying on the Gateroom floor, also on his side, and Fraiser and two other medics were taking care of him. He saw Teal'c braced against the ramp, arms locked, head down, coughing but in much better shape than the rest of them were in.
His stomach suddenly rebelled and he pushed the mask aside just in time as his last meal splattered over the cement floor. He could hear Carter and Daniel retching, and he suddenly felt sorry for the maintenance crew who would have to come in and clean up their messes.
He closed his eyes once his stomach settled. His lungs were burning, but the pressure he'd felt on the planet was gone. His breathing, although noisy, was a little easier.
"Colonel?" A hand was pressed against his cheek and he opened his eyes to see Doctor Warner looking at him. "Do you think you can sit up now?"
Jack nodded, and Warner helped him sit up. He looked back down the ramp and realized that Daniel and Fraiser had left the Gateroom. Carter was still lying on her side, a gurney waiting nearby, Teal'c kneeling beside her.
He moved the oxygen mask aside and said, "Better."
"That's good. Do you think you can walk? At least down the ramp?"
Jack wasn't sure he could, his legs felt like rubber but with the doctor and the medic assisting, he made it down the ramp and onto another gurney which he hadn't seen, waiting beside the ramp. As they wheeled him out, the medics were lifting Carter onto hers.
He shut his eyes, wondering how Daniel was doing as he was pushed down the corridor. They stopped, waiting for an elevator.
"What happened?" he croaked as Warner joined him in the elevator.
"I don't know, Colonel," he answered. "But it's obvious you had some kind of poisoning on the planet."
"The fog," Jack said, needing to force his words between panting breaths. "Was getting hard to breathe."
"Don't try to talk," Warner cautioned.
Jack shook his head. "Daniel? Carter?"
"Doctor Jackson was breathing on his own, Colonel. I don't believe Doctor Fraiser needed to intubate him." The elevator stopped, and they pushed him out of the car. "Major Carter is right behind us."
As he was wheeled into the infirmary and moved onto a bed, Jack got a glimpse of the curtained off area where he knew Daniel to be. A moment later, Carter was transported and situated onto a bed beside him. Her eyes were closed and she looked to be unconscious. Teal'c, on the other hand, entered under his own power but he was obviously shaky and looked pale.
While the medical staff performed the usual exams, Jack lay back and tried to relax. His lungs continued to burn and when he spotted a nurse injecting something into his IV, he knew he'd been given something for the discomfort. True to form, he felt a fog of wellbeing surround him several minutes later. He wanted desperately to ask about Daniel, about Carter, but the effort to do anything more than mumble was too much and soon, even keeping his eyes open was impossible.
- - - - - -
Daniel stirred restlessly, mumbling something that Jack couldn't quite make out. He eased his chair closer to the bed, feeling the tug on his IV and pulled the IV stand closer to ease the pressure. He stroked Daniel's cheek with his untethered hand, feeling the heat of fever raging upon his lover.
Daniel's face was a chalky white; the pillowcase looked healthier than he did. He was breathing quickly, the puffs of air misting the clear plastic of the oxygen mask placed over his mouth and nose. His skin felt dry to Jack, all sensation of humidity gone, dried up by his high temperature.
At his touch, Daniel moaned, shifting restively once again. He raised a hand to bat at the oxygen mask on his face. Jack quickly grabbed the errant hand and pulled it down to the bed. He felt Daniel try to tug it away, then relaxed as Jack stroked his palm with his thumb.
He kept his gaze on Daniel's face and was rewarded with a sliver of blue.
"Hey," Jack said softly as he leaned over to make sure he was in Daniel's line of sight. Daniel tracked him and Jack smiled at his lover. He shifted his hold on Daniel's hand, and once again raised his IV-free hand to Daniel's face. He felt Daniel squeeze his hand.
"You don't look so hot," Jack said sympathetically.
"…n't feel 's hot," Daniel mumbled.
"You hurting? Want me to get a nurse?"
Daniel shook his head, his eyes closing once more. The slight pressure he'd kept on Jack's fingers lessened as Daniel slipped back into sleep.
Jack sighed, then stifled a cough. The effort hurt his head and chest, and he pushed his chair back, intending to go back to bed. As he stood, he glanced over at Carter, who was curled up on her side in a bed next to Daniel. He stood watching her a moment, then glanced over to Teal'c, who was on the other side of Jack's bed. The serene look on his face was indicative of a state of kel'no'reem, and Jack hoped that Junior was doing his best at helping Teal'c cope with whatever that fog had done to them back on the planet.
He shuffled tiredly back to his bed, but before he could sit, Fraiser was by his side.
"He's holding his own," she informed Jack without his asking as she helped settle him back under the covers. He glanced at Daniel once more as he lay there quietly, waiting as the doctor replaced the pulse oximiter onto his finger. She then put a hand on his wrist to time his pulse, then listened to his chest.
She straightened up and smiled at Jack, wrapping the stethoscope around her neck. "You're doing better, but I'd like to keep an eye on your oxygen levels for a little while longer. We're treating you all with steroids and you might need another couple of nebulizer treatments if your airways clog up again."
"Daniel?" he asked.
"His foot's infected, but that's no surprise. We've also identified an alien micro organism in his blood stream, we're giving him antibiotics and we're hopeful that it'll do the trick. Of course, whatever it was on that planet doing a number on his lungs didn't help. He's weak enough as it is."
"What exactly did happen to us?" he asked tiredly.
"Again, we're not sure. There was something contained in the fog that settled in your lungs. But when you came back, exposure to the oxygen content in the Gateroom killed it. There's no permanent damage to lung tissue, but the residual effects are asthma-like and you're all going to feel a little tired for several days. So what did happen to Daniel's foot? Did he step on something?"
"Yeah, but we have no idea what. We couldn't see the ground. Damned fog. Will his foot be okay?" Jack cleared his throat, the pressure seeming to build in his lungs.
"Whatever it was he stepped on appeared to be very sharp. There was some minor ligament damage, which I've fixed. He should be fine, with a bit of time. But the wound is deep and it's infected, so I haven't sutured it. It'll heal in a few weeks, but I don't foresee any problems."
She smiled down at Jack, and he relaxed. He was tired, his muscles ached, he had a headache and it was a bit of an effort to breathe. He knew he shouldn't have gotten out of bed the moment he'd woken up but he just had to go check on Daniel.
"Sam's doing about the same as you, and Teal'c… well, his symbiote's taking care of everything, as usual."
"Go Junior," Jack said softly, then turned onto his side as his chest seized and he began coughing. He waved Fraiser away after a moment, the pressure easing. He cleared his throat and forced a few coughs, feeling better except for his headache.
"Try to sleep," she suggested.
Jack nodded, wishing his bed had been situated beside Daniel's so he could have kept an eye on him. When Fraiser left the room, Jack raised the bed's head a little higher, settling for being able to see his lover over Carter's form. This way, he could see both of his ailing team members. He kept watch until his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.
- - - - - -
"So the officer manages to stop Paddy's car and walks up to him," Jack said as he brought the joke to a close. He kept a watch on Daniel, who was staring expressionlessly at the wall before him. "An' jes what do ye think ye're doin', laddie?" Jack continued with an Irish brogue. "Officer, there's a forrest out there on the road," Jack said, slurring his words as if he were drunk. "Oh fer the luv of God, Paddy. That's yer Pine air freshner."
Carter snorted, then averted her face as if she was ashamed to be caught laughing at one of his jokes. She was sitting at the foot of Daniel's bed, legs crossed in a manner that Jack knew would cause his joints to seize up if he sat that way for too long. Jack grinned; it felt good to hear her laugh. He waited for Daniel's reaction, but all he got was a wan smile.
"It's the accent, isn't it?" Jack complained. "I always lay it on too thick."
"It was quite believable, O'Neill. But I believe this Paddy should have been immediately arrested due to driving under the influence."
"That's not the point, Teal'c. Everyone knows Irish jokes have to do with drinking. You see…"
Daniel turned away again, and Jack sighed, letting the subject drop. His lover had been depressed for the last day, and Jack knew it was due to the fact that everyone but him was being released from the infirmary today.
"Hey," Jack said, "you'll be home in no time."
"I feel fine now." He waved towards his bandaged foot. "My lungs are just as clear as yours, and I've been home with worse injuries than this," he complained.
"But Janet's reluctant to release you while you still have a fever," Carter said.
"I don't have a fever."
Jack bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Daniel had so sounded like Charlie with that comment.
"No, not at the moment," Carter continued. "But you've had one for the past three nights, and you know that she's worried about the germs you picked up on the planet."
"Don't sweat it." Jack leaned over and punched Daniel lightly on the shoulder. "I'll come and keep you company."
"Not unless you plan on staying here on base, Colonel." Jack jumped at Fraiser's words. How did she manage to sneak up behind him, the little…
"Come on, doc," he whined. "It's only a short drive."
"And I told you that I'd release you and Sam on the proviso that you get plenty of rest for the next three days. Rest, meaning no driving, no riding in cars, and no coming to the mountain."
"Three days?" Daniel looked up at Fraiser, then slid his feet off the bed and reached for the crutches that were leaning against the wall.
Jack recognized that look, all right. The one where Daniel closed himself off from everyone and told himself he was fine all alone. Damn.
Daniel hobbled several steps, the rubber tipped crutches nearly slipping on the linoleum floor in his rush to get away from them.
"Daniel, where are you going?" Carter asked, straightening her legs and shifting to the edge of the bed as if she were going to go after him.
Daniel stopped in the middle of the infirmary, right leg bent, bandaged foot held a few inches off the ground. He turned to look at his friends, who were still sitting around his bed. "Just going to the bathroom, or do I have to wait three days for permission to do that, too?"
He continued on his way, his speed slowing considerably as his body told him he wasn't as well as he wanted them to believe he was. Jack knew how weak Daniel still was; the nightly fevers were taking a toll, keeping him from sleeping deeply and stopping him from gaining his strength as quickly as the rest of them had.
"Come on, doc," Jack whined as Daniel disappeared into the nearest bathroom. "You so much as said his fever wasn't due to an infection. His blood tests looked good this morning, why can't you let him come home?"
"Because of the alien organism still in his blood. I couldn't in good conscience let him leave until we've cleared that up." She sat down beside Carter, sighing wearily. "I know he's anxious to get out of here, but I can't take the chance that something could happen…"
"I understand. Daniel understands. But he's gonna be here alone, without any of us except Teal'c to keep him company. And Teal'c's slated to go back to that fog planet tomorrow with SG-7 to pick up the soil samples that we had to leave behind. Daniel's feeling better, he's looking a lot better. You said he was better. Don't you think he'd sleep better in his own bed? Eating something other than commissary food?"
And Jack had to admit he was begging here not only for Daniel's sake, but for his own. Somehow the idea of catering to Daniel, bringing him food, cuddling up with him on the couch in front of the TV, sleeping with him in his arms, was something that he desperately wanted to do. He remembered a few times when Sara had been sick and it had pleased him to no end to take care of her. Hell, he'd taken care of Daniel before, but that had been before they'd been lovers. He was anxious now to be able to do that for Daniel now.
Fraiser rubbed her face with her palms and Jack realized she was tired. He knew she'd been spending a lot of time in the lab, trying to figure out exactly what this bug was that Daniel had picked up. She had ascertained it came from the cut on his foot, probably something in the vegetation, or even the stagnant water they'd stepped in. Teal'c would be getting several more specific samples tomorrow on his trip back to the planet, and they all hoped that something fruitful would come of it.
"I know, Colonel. I know," she said softly. "I'm sorry about this, I know how hard it is on Daniel, and on you." She tried to smile, and Jack sighed. "In any case, I'm here to tell you I've done the paperwork; both you and Sam are free to leave. I've arranged for a car to take you both home in an hour's time."
They were all sitting quietly when Daniel returned. Fraiser got up off the bed and took the crutches from him once he was settled. Jack could see the sweat beading on his face, evidence of the effort the short trek across the room had taken him.
"Sorry about that," he said, using the action of sliding back under the covers to avoid meeting their eyes.
- - - - - -
The doorbell startled Jack, waking him where he'd been dozing in front of the TV. Damn, he hadn't meant to fall asleep, he knew Cassie wouldn't take long running the errands she'd offered to do for him.
He got up and made his way to the front door, staggering slightly up the stairs as sleep-stiffened muscles protested. He opened the door, and stood there confused as Fraiser grinned up at him.
"Colonel, feel like a bit of company?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," he said, stepping back to allow her entry into the house. But instead of going in, she stepped back and Jack's jaw nearly dropped to the ground when Daniel appeared before him.
"Hi Jack," Daniel said, giving Jack a somewhat shy look as he made his unsteady way inside.
"Daniel," Jack managed to say as he reached to touch Daniel's arm, careful not to overbalance him. He looked over at Fraiser, who came in behind Daniel and shut the door. "When? How? Why?"
She laughed, and he realized it wasn't often that he was relegated to single word questions.
"Let's get Daniel comfortable and I'll fill you in," Fraiser said.
"Right. Danny, bed or couch?" Either way, Daniel would have to manoeuvre some stairs, he just wanted Daniel comfortable and settled.
"Couch, I'm tired of beds right now."
They helped Daniel down the few stairs and onto the couch. Fraiser grabbed a pillow and elevated Daniel's foot while Jack took the crutches and set them nearby. A couple more pillows behind Daniel's back for good measure, and Jack grinned down at his lover.
Daniel looked tired, but as he sighed in contentment, Jack knew he was glad to be home.
"I can't stay long, I have to get back to the infirmary," Fraiser said as she handed Jack a small plastic bag. He peeked inside and saw three containers of pills. "Instructions are inside. Pain killers, steroids, and antibiotics. Daniel's next dose is at 12:30. And someone, either a nurse or myself, will stop by in the mornings to change the packing in Daniel's foot and take a blood sample. And I want Daniel to do nothing but rest and eat. Same goes for you, Colonel."
"Hey, I've been good," Jack protested.
"I know, Cassie told me," she replied with a smile.
Cassie, bless her heart, and stopped by earlier that day, asking if Jack needed any groceries or other supplies. She'd stopped by earlier to visit with Carter and had realized the poor woman hadn't any fresh food in the house. So after doing the good Samaritan thing with Carter, she'd come by to Jack's to see if he needed anything.
Mostly Jack was fine food wise, he usually had lots stuff in the freezer to tide him over. But fresh fruits and vegetables were always nice to have, and he'd sent her off to the grocery store with a list.
"There's just one more thing," Fraiser said, giving Jack a serious look. "As you know, this organism causes Daniel to experience a recurring fever each night. I want you to keep an eye on it, if it goes above 101, I want you to get him into the infirmary or the Academy hospital right away. Or if it doesn't break in the morning, same thing."
Jack nodded. He knew they'd been worried with the fever, which was the main reason Daniel hadn't been allowed home two days ago.
"Teal'c brought back samples from the planet, and we found traces of the organism in puddle water." Fraiser smiled at Daniel, then began walking out of the room. "We've ascertained that the antibiotics are keeping the organism in check, and they're slowly killing it off. But a high fever might be an indication that the antibiotics stopped working, so that's why I need you to keep a careful watch on that."
"Sure, no problem," Jack said as they reached the door.
"He'll sleep for most of the day," Fraiser warned in a low voice. "The painkillers I prescribed pack quite a punch. I'll give him something a little less strong in a few more days. Also, the drive here wore him out and he didn't get much sleep last night, he kept having fever dreams."
"I'll make sure he gets some quality sleep," Jack said.
"Bye Daniel," Fraiser yelled. "Be good."
"Bye Janet. I will."
Jack shut the door behind the doc, and made his way back to his lover. He sat on the coffee table and looked down at the man lying comfortably before him.
"Welcome home," Jack said, leaning over to give Daniel a welcoming kiss.
"Mmmm," Daniel murmured into Jack's mouth. He reached a hand up to caress Jack's cheek, when suddenly the doorbell rang.
"Damn," Jack said as he reluctantly pulled away. "Hope she didn't change her mind," he teased as he went back up the stairs to open the door.
"Cassie." For a moment Jack couldn't remember why the teenager was standing there with plastic bags hanging from her hands, when he suddenly recalled she'd done his groceries. He stepped aside, letting her inside.
"Hey, I just saw mom driving down the street. Is everything okay?" she asked as she whizzed inside, heading for the kitchen.
"Hi Cassie," Daniel called from the living room.
"Daniel!" she shrieked. She ran back down the hall, thrusting the bags at Jack, then rushed into the living room. Jack shook his head as he tried to hold onto the bags without spilling their contents onto the floor. He went to the kitchen and began putting the fruits and vegetables away, listening to the soft conversation coming from his living room.
He'd finished unpacking when suddenly Cassie's footsteps warned him of her approach.
"Damn, I'm sorry," she said as she swept by him, grabbing the bunch of bananas from him and looking for a place to put them. "I should have done this for you."
Jack took the fruits from her hand and placed them on the countertop. "That's okay, sweetie, I'm sure Daniel was happy to see you."
"Is there anything else you want me to do? Maybe make a salad? It's almost lunchtime?"
"Sure, if you want to." He smiled, the conscientious young lady standing in his kitchen was a bundle of energy, needing to be useful. "You wanna join us?" he asked as she went to the fridge and began removing the vegetables he'd just put away a few minutes ago.
"I'd love to, but I'm going to the movies with Dominic." She straightened, arms full of greens. "You don't mind, do you? There wasn't anything else you needed?"
"Of course not," Jack said, catching a package of celery as it slipped from her arms. "We'll be fine, and if I need anything, I'll give you a call."
Her smile lit up her face and she nodded. Quickly and efficiently, Jack watched as she put a small salad together, then placed it in the fridge, ready for their consumption later.
"I gotta go," she said as she wiped the kitchen countertop clean. Actually, his kitchen hadn't been this clean and orderly in quite a while. Cassie had done his dishes for him earlier, teasingly calling him a slob. "And I think Daniel's sleeping," she whispered, looking through the halfwall into the living room. Jack moved aside and stood beside her. Yep, Daniel was sleeping, totally out for the count.
Jack walked Cassie to the door and stood watching as she got into Jack's old Ford truck and carefully pulled away. He shut the door and made his way to the living room, taking a seat in the LaZBoy by Daniel's head. He reached out and rested his hand on Daniel's upper chest, curling his palm around Daniel's chin. He gently stroked the edge of Daniel's jaw a few times, then relaxing his hand enough just to keep in contact, he put his head back and closed his eyes.
His contact with Daniel over the past two days had been solely through a few telephone calls, and even then, Daniel's end of the conversation had been stilted, as there had always been someone around within hearing distance.
God, he'd missed Daniel. Never mind he'd been worried like hell about him. But Fraiser had entrusted Daniel to him now, so that meant he had to be getting better, or he'd been so miserable in the infirmary she'd taken pity on him.
Either way, Jack was thankful that he was home now. And now Jack would get a chance to show Daniel how well he could care for him.
Jack sat there, content and comfortable, until his stomach reminded him it was lunchtime. He got up reluctantly and went to the kitchen, prepared two sandwiches with the roast chicken Cassie had bought and took out the salad. He put their meals on trays and brought Daniel's to the living room and placed it on the coffee table. He went back for the second tray, added two glasses of orange juice, and doled out their meds.
He squeezed the edge of his butt onto the bit of space left on the couch by Daniel's thighs, and leaned over to gently shake him awake. The younger man shifted, coughed, then opened his eyes. Jack saw Daniel look at him, then close his eyes again. A moment later Daniel's eyes flew open, and he looked up at Jack like he was a ghost.
Then he smiled and his face lit up with pleasure.
Jack smiled back. "You hungry? I've got lunch."
Daniel nodded, and sat up, wincing slightly as he moved his leg over the edge of the couch. Jack traded the pillow with one of the trays on the coffee table. While Daniel repositioned his foot on the pillow, Jack placed the tray on Daniel's lap.
"Here, this first," he ordered, handing Daniel his medication. Jack took his own pill, swallowing half the orange juice in the process.
"It's good to be home," Daniel said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"It didn't feel like home until a short while ago," Jack said softly. Daniel glanced at him, smiled, then picked up a sandwich half and bit into it.
They ate in comfortable silence, and although Daniel didn't finish the sandwich or salad, he'd at least eaten more than half of it. When they were through, Jack dumped everything in the kitchen sink, silently apologizing to Cassie.
"Wanna go sit out on the deck and catch some rays?" Jack suggested. It was a warm late spring day, the sky was blue and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Knowing that Daniel had been underground in the infirmary for days, and prior to that they'd been offworld working in the fog, he figured Daniel would appreciate the sunshine. He heard Daniel moving around, and hurried to the stairs to help him up.
As Daniel made his way to the deck, Jack grabbed a couple of pillows and a blanket. His lover was already sitting on one of the deck chairs, his injured foot stretched out before him.
"Here," Jack said, placing another pillow beneath his foot. Jack then straddled the space behind Daniel on the chair, and eased down carefully so as not to jar him. He picked up the blanket and spread it over both of them, then relaxed into the chair with his legs splayed on either side as Daniel leaned back against his chest.
It was one of their favourite positions together. Jack wrapped his arms around Daniel's chest, hooking his hands together.
"Foot hurt much?" Jack asked sympathetically.
"Throbbing right now, but the pill should kick in soon."
"You gonna sleep?" Jack asked, knowing without a doubt that Daniel would be sleeping in less than ten minutes.
"Mmm hmmm," Daniel murmured.
"Would you rather go sleep in our bed?"
"No, this feels nice," Daniel sighed. "I missed the sun."
"I know."
Daniel yawned and shifted slightly so that his weight was on his left hip and he could turn his shoulder and snuggle his face into Jack's shoulder. Jack raised a hand and played with the short whorls of hair at the back of Daniel's head. He felt Daniel slip into sleep, his breathing heavy and slow. Jack held the man he loved more than life itself in his arms, thanking whatever force out there in the universe that Daniel loved him back.
ON TO PART TWO >>
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