Fall
Disclaimer Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.
I would like to thank my Beta reader Renee for all her hard work.
PX5 403
"Alrighty then campers, here we are!" Jack stated as the wormhole closed.
SG-1 spread out checking to see if the activation of the Stargate got anyone's attention. The MALP had reported that there appeared to be no signs of a civilization near the gate. However, based on the reports from the Tokra the planet showed signs of rich Naquada deposits.
"Carter you sure that doohickey can find what we are looking for?" Jack asked Carter who had already begun to scan the immediate area.
"Yes Sir, should lead us right to the spot." Carter replied
"Ok then Daniel and Teal'c you guys head out and see if you can find any signs of life and Carter and I will follow the doohickey. Make sure that you stay in radio contact. We will rendezvous back here in 5 hours." Jack ordered
"Very well O'Neill." Teal'c replied and then he and Daniel headed off east.
"Carter?" Jack questioned.
"That way Sir." Carter said point south of the gate.
"Well lead the Maj." Jack said cheerfully.
"Yes Sir" Carter replied as she continued to read the Naquada sensor.
4 hours passed with little excitement as Jack and Sam continued to follow the Naquada trail. Daniel and Teal'c reported in every hour and half. They had seen no signs of civilization as of yet.
Jack felt his stomach rumble. "Carter lets stop for lunch." Jack yelled to Sam who was 30 feet in front of him.
"Sir I think that we are close. The sensors are picking up strong readings." Jack could hear the excitement in Sam's voice.
"Of course you do!" He said under his breath. "Just when I want to eat."
"Sir why don't you go ahead and start a fire and I will just check this out, it can't be more than 80 yards." Sam suggested.
"Excellent idea Carter!" Jack replied as his stomach rumbled again. "Make sure that you stay close and radio if you find anything."
"Yes Sir." Sam replied as she headed off to the southwest.
Jack had got a fire going and had water boiling for the coffee. As he took a bite out of his MRE (Chicken Breast), he radioed to Daniel. "Daniel Teal'c come in."
"Teal'c here."
"You guys having any luck yet." Jack asked
"Daniel Jackson has found some rock carvings on a cliff that he is currently documenting." Teal'c replied
"So there was someone here once then?" Jack queried.
"It would appear so."
"Carter is onto something here. She is checking it out now. When you guys are finished there start heading back to the gate."
"Understood."
Jack looked at his watch and it had been 30 mins since Sam had headed off. "What is she doing?" He thought to himself.
"Carter come in." He called over the radio. Waiting about 20 sec without a response he tried again. "Carter come in." Still no reply. "Carter!" Jack yelled into the radio, still nothing.
"Jack what's going on?" Daniel broke the silence over the radio.
"Daniel I don't know but I can't get Carter on the radio. I want you guys to start back to the gate. I'm going to go check on Carter. I'll stay in touch. O'Neill out" He barked over the radio as he jumped up and started to run off in the direction that Sam had headed in.
"Carter!" He yelled as ran, weapon drawn. "Carter, damn it where are you?" He continued to yell, the panic in his voice becoming more evident. This was not like Sam. Something had to have happened he thought. He searched the ground for any sign of Sam or her kit.
Off to his left he noticed an indentation in the ground. When he reached it he noticed that the ground had given way leaving a hole about 4 feet in diameter. Backing up slowly and then stretching out on the ground to disperse his weight unsure of how much of the ground was loose. Pulling the flashlight from his vest he shone it in the hole.
The hole opened to a cavern about 40 feet down. Scanning the bottom with the light he spotted Sam off to the left. She was lying face down with her left leg and right arm at very unnatural angles. He was not able to tell if she was alive or not.
"Sam!" He yelled. "Sam its Jack. Can you hear me?" No response. Scanning the cavern to make sure that he was not in danger of the same plunge he realized that Sam had stepped on the edge of the cavern. It appeared that it was about 50 feet across with a 40 foot drop. Jack reached for his radio, "Daniel, Teal'c I found her! She fell about 40 feet into a cavern, she looks hurt pretty badly."
Daniel burst on to the radio, "Jack is she alive!"
"I'm not sure. We need to get her out of here." Jack ordered.
"What do you want us to do?" Daniel asked
"Daniel I want you to head back to the SGC and get help. Explain the situation and have them bring the need rescue equipment and personnel. Teal'c I want you to get to our location I need you to help me get to Sam. I have rope in my pack but there is nothing here that I can anchor to." Jack explained.
"O'Neill what is your exact location?" Teal'c asked over the radio.
"We are about 4 clicks south of the gate. Teal'c I need you to hurry." The urgency in his voice was quite clear.
"Understood O'Neill." Teal'c replied
Jack turned his attention back down to the cavern. "Sam listen Daniel is going for help and Teal'c will be here soon. You just hang in there." Jack heard a soft moan coming from the bottom. "Sam! Sam can you hear me? Jack yelled into the cavern.
With the light shining on Sam's body he saw slight movement as Sam was regaining conscious. She had barely moved when she let out a scream that shook Jack to this core. "Sam listen do not move. Just lie still. I will be down as soon as I can." Jack yelled.
"Ja..ck?" Sam managed to get out but her voice was very weak.
"Yeah Sam it's me. Just lie still don't try to move." Jack ordered.
"He..lp Meee." Was the last thing Sam was able to get out before the darkness overcame her and she lost consciousness again.
"I will Sam." Jack yelled. Jack knew that time was their greatest enemy right now. He had to get down to her and help her the best he could till a medical team arrived. Jack knew he had to go back to the camp to retrieve his pack that contained a rope that he could use to get down. "Sam listen I need to run back and grab my pack. I'll be right back" Jack jumped up and headed back to camp to retrieve his pack.
Daniel and Teal'c had made unbelievable time heading back to the gate. Teal'c had reached the gate before Daniel however. The Jaffa was incredibly fast but Daniel did an incredible job trying to keep up, he was only about 50 yards behind Teal'c. Teal'c had begun to dial the earth coordinates as Daniel approached.
"Teal'c take my rope and first aid kit." Daniel said as he ran up to the DHD taking off his pack and reaching for the supplies. "You are probably going to need them."
Taking the supplies offered by Daniel Teal'c replied. "Hurry back Daniel Jackson."
"Don't worry I will." Daniel replied as he punched in the iris code.
Daniel headed up the Stargate stairs and Teal'c took off running in the direction of Jack and Sam.
"Sir incoming wormhole.'
"Do we have anyone due back." General Hammond asked as walked over the gate controls.
"We are receiving SG-1's iris code." The Sergeant stated from the controls.
"Open the iris Son." Hammond ordered as he headed down to the gate room. He knew that SG-1 was not due back for several hours yet. There must have been problems.
Seconds after the iris peeled opened Daniel emerged through the event horizon still trying to catch his breath from the run to the gate. "Dr. Jackson, where is the rest of SG-1?" Hammond questioned as he walked into the gate room as the wormhole closed with only Daniel at the bottom of the ramp.
"General, Sam has been injured and Jack and Teal'c are trying to help her." Daniel explained still slightly hunched over trying to catch his breath.
"Injured?" Hammond questioned concern in his voice for the Major.
"Apparently she fell into a cavern. We need to send a rescue and medical team back to help get her out." Daniel explained.
"Come with me, Doctor Jackson, and we will get everything organized."
Jack had retrieved his pack and set about getting everything ready for Teal'c arrival. There was nothing to anchor a line to so Jack would have Teal'c lower him down into the cavern. Jack rigged a harness for himself and emptied his pack of everything but what he would need to help Sam, first aid kit, water and emergency blanket.
In the distance he could hear Teal'c calling his name. "Teal'c over here!" Jack yelled.
"O'Neill." Teal'c yelled back the voice now even closer.
Jack could see the larger figure of the Jaffa approaching at incredible speed. Within a minute Teal'c was running up to Jack's side.
"Teal'c, good to see you." Jack said patting Teal'c on the shoulder.
"How is Major Carter." He asked.
"Not good. I'm going to need you to lower me into the cavern." Jack explained handing Teal'c the rope.
"Very well O'Neill." Teal'c replied as he set down his own supplies and those offered by Daniel.
The two men set themselves for the lowering into the cavern. Teal'c began to ready himself some 15 feet from the opening of the cavern. Jack made his way to the opening and turned his back to the opening and laid out with his feet to the opening and started to wiggle backwards slowly putting himself into the hole. Teal'c seemed to strain very little as he took on O'Neill's full weight. He slowly lowered O'Neill to the bottom.
"That's it Teal'c I'm down." O'Neill yelled up.
O'Neill hurried to undo himself from the harness rope. Once untangled, he rushed to Sam's side, sliding on his knee's. He reached for her neck to check for a pulse fearing the worst. Temporary relief washed over him as felt a pulse however it was very weak and thready. "Teal'c she's alive." He yelled up to the Jaffa who was peering down the opening shining a flashlight to help light up the cavern. Jack noticed for the first time the trouble Sam was having breathing. It was very labored and wet sounding. Jack knew that she more than likely had a punctured lung.
"Sam can you hear me?" Jack asked softly lean close to Sam's ear. "Just hang in there we have help on the way."
Sam started to regain conciseness. "Jack it hurts." She said weakly.
"I know Sam, you're going to be ok. Just try not to move." Jack said as he started to do a quick survey for any other obvious signs of injury to Sam. Her leg and arm were definitely broken. Apart from the breaks and small superficial cuts to her hands and the left side of her face nothing else seemed injured. But Jack knew that a fall like that would do most of the damage to the inside. He was also not able to tell if she had any damage to the right side of head since it was facing the left side. He knew that some of her ribs had to be broken give the labored breathing. Even though she was lying on her stomach and she would probably have easier time breathing on her back he did not want to move her without her being in a c-collar.
"Colonel?" Sam whispered.
"Yeah Major I'm here."
"Pretty bad?" She questioned with labored breath.
"It's not that bad. I have seen worse." Jack replied trying to be optimistic but in truth he knew that Sam's life was in the balance. He took the pack off his back and retrieved the blanket and first aid kit. He placed the blanket over Sam and then started to bandage up the cuts best he could. He carefully clean wiped some of the blood from her forehead. It appeared that she had a rather long gash just inside her hairline. "Sam you still with me?" Jack questioned.
"Gett..ing har…der to brea..th." Sam struggled to get out.
"Jack!" Dainel's voice crackled over the radio. "Were on our way. Janet came through too. We also brought the rescue ATV's so we should be there soon."
"Daniel you guys need to hurry!" Jack replied back the urgency in this voice was quite clear. Jack jumped to his feet and moved under the opening above and yelled. "Teal'c I want you to go meet them. Make sure that they find the place."
"Understood." Teal'c replied and ran off towards the gate.
Jack ran back to Sam, kneeling down beside her. "Sam they are on their way. Daniel brought Doc Frasier back with him. She will have you fixed up in no time." Jack said as he softly stroked Sam's back.
"Don't think sooo Si..r" Sam replied almost gasping for air.
"Major you listen to me. You need to hold on till Doc gets here and we can get you out of here. You ARE going to be fine, that's an order Damn it!" Jack demanded in his military voice. Jack debated in his head whether or not to roll Sam to her back to help with her breathing. He knew that he would not be able to roll her without possibly causing more damage that could make her worst off.
"Sir….I'm…Soorry." Sam wheezed.
"Sorry? Major you have nothing to be sorry for." Jack replied caressing Sam's head.
Suddenly Sam let out a frightening gasp and then fell silent.
"Sam?!" Jack yelled. "Sam come on don't so this." He pleaded as he checked for a pulse and respirations. Nothing! Jack had no choice now but to roll Sam to her back so he could begin CPR. As quickly and as gently as he could he rolled her.
"Damn it Sam, breath." He ordered as he started to do CPR starting with mouth to mouth. "Damn it Sam you can do this. Breathe." He pleaded as he started chest compressions. He continued the rotation of rescue breathing and chest compression for 5 cycles and then checked for vitals. Nothing! "Please Sam you have to fight." Jack pleaded and then resumed CPR. After the 3 rescue breaths he heard a soft gasp. "Sam?!" He questioned as he checked her neck for a pulse. Slow and thready but it was there. Her breathing was very shallow. "That's it Sam I knew you could."
"Jack!" Came a voice from above. It was Daniel. They had finally made it.
"Daniel I need Doc down here now." Jack yelled.
"Colonel, what's Sam's condition?" Janet yelled down.
"She had stopped breathing and I lost a pulse a few minutes ago. She responded to CPR but her breathing and pulse are both weak. I need you down here now." Jack explained.
"On my way Sir." Janet replied. She turned to Teal'c and asked. "How did you get Colonel O'Neill down there?"
"I lowered him by hand." Teal'c replied.
"I need you to do the same for me." Janet ordered. "I can't wait for the team to get setup."
Teal'c anchored the rope around himself as Janet got into her harness. "Capt Smith I want you guys to get yourselves set as quickly as you can. We are going to need that basket ready as soon as I get her stable."
"Right way Doctor." Capt Smith replied and then turned to his 3-man team and started to assemble the equipment.
Janet grabbed the free end of the rope and hooked herself in. "Ok Teal'c I'm ready. As soon as I'm down I'm going to need you to lower the medic bags." Janet instructed, Teal'c nodded as he set himself to lower the petite Doctor. Janet backed herself up to the opening and dropped to her knees and eased her self through the opening. Teal'c slowly began to lower the Doctor to the bottom.
"Good Teal'c I'm down." The doctor yelled up as she hurried to get herself unhooked. Once she was she raced to Sam's side. "Excuse me Sir." Janet said as she pushed Jack out of the way. "Teal'c is going to lower my kit please get it for me, Sir." Janet ordered Jack who had risen to his feet after the Doctor pushed her way past him.
"Got it." Jack replied as ran to the bottom of the opening and began to receive the kit Teal'c was lowering.
Janet had begun to check Sam's vitals and doing a quick visual exam. Her pulse was very weak and thready and her breathing labored, Janet noted to herself. Janet began to undo Sam's flack jacket and jacket. She pulled out her stethoscope from her jacket and check Sam's breathing. She did not like what she heard. There were no breath sounds on her left and her right was very wet.
"Here Doc I got all the kit." Jack said as put all the kit down beside Janet.
"Colonel tell them I need Lt. Resser down here right away." Janet ordered knowing that she was not going to be able to get Sam stabilized by herself. There were just too many injuries that need attention.
As Jack yelled up for Lt. Resser Janet pulled out her scissors from her belt and began to cut away the flack jacket as well as Sam's coat. For the first time Janet was able to see the extent of the damage to Sam's arm. Fortunately it was not broken but dislocated at the elbow. "Thank god for small miracles." Janet thought.
"Colonel I need your help here." Janet yelled.
"What do you need Doc?" Jack asked as he dropped on the other side of Sam.
"We need to stabilize her neck with this C-collar." Janet replied as she was taking the C-collar out of one of the kit bags.
"Doc, you should know that rolled her over from her stomach when she stopped breathing." Jack explained. "I was as careful as I could be but I probably moved her more than I should have.
"Don't worry Colonel you had no choice. But now we need to get this on. I need you to hold her head while I get this on." Janet replied.
Jack had moved so that his knees were on either side of Sam's head and the braced her head with his hands as Janet placed the collar around Sam's neck. Just as they finished securing it in place Lt. Resser made her way to Sam's side.
"What do you need Doctor?" She questioned.
"I need you to get a BP and then start two large bore IV's while I hook up the EKG." Janet ordered.
"Colonel I need you to start bagging her to help her breath." Janet instructed as she handed him the ambo bag. "Bag her every three counts."
"BP 80/60." Lt. Resser said as she unwrapped the BP cuff from Sam's arm.
"I want those IV's wide open Lt. We need to get her pressure up." Janet ordered as she turned her attention to Sam's leg. She began to cut the pant leg open. Sam's leg was fractured below the knee the bruising has already turned deep black and purple around the break. Janet reached for on of her bags and retrieved an air splint to splint Sam's leg till they could get back the SGC to set it properly.
"Doctor what are we going to do with her arm?" Lt. Resser asked.
"It appears to only be partially separated so we can set it here. It will be more comfortable for the trip back to the gate." Janet replied. "You hold the bicep and I will set it. Janet ordered. The two women moved into place with Lt. Resser grasping Sam's bicep and Janet setting herself to pop the joint back into place. With a swift twist and pull Janet popped the joint back into its natural position. Jack cringed when he heard the joint pop.
"Lt. Resser I need another set of vitals, please." Janet ordered.
"Doctor we are ready for extraction when you are." Teal'c yelled down from the surface.
"Thank you Teal'c. Please send down the back board and the litter and we will get her loaded." Janet instructed. "Sir are you ok there?" Janet asked the Colonel who continued to force air into his friend.
"Don't worry about me Doc lets just get her out of here." Jack said the fear of losing his friend was quite clear on his face. Janet knew that Jack and Sam shared a bond more than just comrades in arms. So seeing Sam like this was certainly crushing him.
"Doctor, pulse 100 weak and thready, BP 100/60, and resps 12 by bag." Lt. Resser informed.
"Alright I think that we can move her now. Lt. Please get the back board." Janet said pointing to the litter that had been sent down. "Sir I'm going to need you to brace her head and neck on the roll." Janet instructed.
Lt. Resser moved the backboard into position beside Sam. "Ready when you are Doctor."
"Ok I will take her feet. Colonel on three we roll her to the left and Lt you slide the board in." Janet instructed the two of them. "Ready. One, two, three." On three the rolled Sam to her side and the backboard was slid into place. "And down" Janet ordered. 'Ok Lt. Lets get her strapped to the board and then get her into the litter."
Jack had resumed bagging Sam as the two women quickly strapped Sam to the board. Janet set the two head pieces on either side of Sam's head to further stabilize her neck and then strapped them in place. She leaned into Sam and said. "Sam you hang in there we are going to get you out of here, just hang in there." Sam had been out since she had stopped breathing earlier but stirred slightly at the sound of her friend.
"Ok lets get her in the litter." Janet ordered to the crew. Lt. Resser and Janet each stood opposite sides of the backboard and Jack placed the ambo bag on Sam's chest and then grabbed the head of the board. "Ready. On Three." Janet readied the team. "One, two, three." On three the team lifted in unison and moved Sam over to the awaiting litter. "Ok down." Janet ordered. They placed Sam into the litter and Jack began to bag Sam again as Lt. Resser and Janet securely fastened Sam into the litter.
"Ok I'll go up first. Colonel I need you to keep bagging till they start to hoist her up." Janet instructed as she reattached herself to the second rope. "Ok guys pull me up." Janet yelled up to the rest of the team on the surface.
Janet was hoisted up as Jack continued to force the air into Sam. "Almost got you out of here Sam. Just a little longer." Jack whispered into Sam's ear.
When Janet reached the surface she yelled down. "Colonel we are ready to start to bring her up. Tuck the bag on the side of the litter."
Jack followed her instructions and then yelled "Good to go. Start her up."
The next few minutes seemed to take hours. Jack knew that they needed to get Sam back to the SGC; she had no time to waste. Once Sam was finally through the opening the rope was dropped down to the remaining two. Lt. Resser was next to be hauled up followed by Jack. By the time Jack had reached the surface Sam was already securely fastened to the rescue ATV litter and was being bagged by one of the field medics that was part of the rescue team.
"We need to go now!" Janet ordered.
"Doctor you go ahead and we will finish up here." Capt Reynolds replied.
Lt. Resser took the drivers seat of the medic ATV with Janet sitting with her back to her bagging Sam. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c jumped on the second ATV leaving one for the remaining 2 rescue members to use to get back to the gate. The two vehicles headed off towards the gate.
"Sir in coming wormhole." The Sergeant said to Hammond who had been staring at the gate for sometime now waiting for this.
"IDC?" Hammond questioned.
"SG-1's, Sir" He replied.
"Open the Iris." And then turning to the mic ordered. "Medical team to the gate room." He had had the medical team on stand by since the rescue team departed.
Moments after the Iris opened revealing the brilliant shimmering event horizon, Teal'c emerged carrying the foot end of the litter followed by Jack carrying the head and Lt. Resser bagging Sam, finally Janet and Daniel emerged and the wormhole disengaged. As the group got to the bottom of the ramp the medical team that was dispatched entered the gate room followed by General Hammond.
"Lets go. Get her on the gurney." Janet ordered.
The two men hoisted the litter up to the gurney. With Sam on the gurney Janet barked out orders to her staff as they head to the door. "Colonel?" Hammond questioned as he watched the medical team fly out of the gate room.
"Not good Sir." Jack replied as they followed the team to the infirmary.
As the team arrived in the infirmary they unfastened Sam from the litter and lifted the backboard on to the exam table. "I need vitals right away." Janet ordered. "I also want a full CBC, C-spine and chest series, and let's do an ultra sound of the belly." Janet continued. The medical staff flew around the trauma room fulfilling Doctor Frasier's orders. Janet pulled out her stethoscope and checked Sam's breathing. "I'm going to have to intubate her." As Janet moved to the head of the bed one of her nurses handed her a laryngoscope and intubating tube. Janet was able to get the tube in quickly and easily. "Ok, Colin I need you bagging her." Janet ordered. The nurse quickly attached the ambo bag and began forcing the much need oxygen into Sam.
Janet pulled again listened to her breathing. "That's a little better." Janet said under her breath. "I'm still not getting anything on the left, prep for a chest tube."
"Doc?" Jack piped up from the door.
"I'm sorry gentleman I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside." Janet instructed as her team assembled her instruments for the chest tube.
"Give us something Doc? Jack pleaded.
"I honestly don't know." Janet replied. "Please leave and I will give you an update as soon as I can." Janet turned her attention back to her friend.
The group of four men left the trauma room as instructed. "Colonel, I'll let you get cleaned up and then we will debrief in an hour." Hammond said as they walked out of the infirmary.
"Understood Sir." Jack simply replied. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c headed of to the locker room to clean-up. It was a very somber quiet walk as the men's thoughts were with that of their friend, Sam.
After a quick shower they returned to the infirmary to await any word from Janet. Jack peaked into the window in the door and was able to catch a glimpse of the activity that was still moving in and out of the trauma room. Jack had to fight the urge try and get an update. He knew that Janet's attention had to be totally with Sam.
"O'Neill, Major Carter is strong. I have full confidence that she will fight." Teal'c said breaking the silence.
"I know Teal'c, I just hope she wins." Jack replied still peeking through the window.
"Jack, Teal'c is right you know Sam. She won't let a little fall….I mean she has survived much worst than this." Daniel said trying not to use the "d" word.
"This should not have happened. I should have not let her go off on her own!" Jack said angrily.
"Jack it was an accident." Daniel replied trying to ease Jack's mind of the guilt he was feeling.
"I know it's just…Doc's coming" Jack said jumping back from the door as Janet walked to the door.
"Doc?" Jack questioned before Janet had even finished coming through the door.
"Gentleman, its not good." Janet replied taking a deep breath. "Sam's injuries are very extensive, six fractured ribs, collapsed lung, fractured leg, dislocated elbow and there is some internal bleeding." Janet listed off the injuries.
"Internal bleeding?" Daniel questioned
"We are prepping her for surgery now. I'm not totally sure where the bleeding is coming from." Janet replied. "We have inserted a chest tube to reinflate her lung and we had set her arm in the field but she is going to also need surgery to properly set her leg, we will do this at the same time." Janet explained.
"Bottom line Doc?" Jack asked.
"Surgery and the next 24-48 hours are going to be critical. If she can make it through that it looks good." Janet informed them. "You will have to excuse me. I'm going to brief the General while Sam is being prepped."
Janet started to head towards General Hammond's office. Jack called out; "Doc." as he jogged to catch up to her and then reached out grabbed her hand.
"Colonel?" Janet questioned a little startled.
"Janet.." Jack started but Janet could see exactly what he wanted to say in his eyes.
"I will do everything I can Sir." Janet said as placed her other hand on top of his.
"I know you will." Jack replied as Janet turned to continue to the General's office.
Several hours had passed since Sam had been taken into surgery. The remaining members of SG1 had their debrief with General Hammond and informed him that Sam had indeed found Naquada but that returning teams needed to exercise extreme caution. Chances were that the cavern that Sam fell into was not the only one in the area. General Hammond informed the team that he would take them off the active duty list until further notice. Upon leaving the debriefing they immediately returned to the infirmary to await word from Janet.
The team sat without speaking a word for what seem like forever when Daniel finally broke the silence. "I'm going to go grab a coffee, did either of you need anything?"
"I am fine Daniel Jackson, thank you." Teal'c replied
Jack did not reply, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts; "Jack?" Daniel spoke up.
"What?" Jack replied as he was brought back from his thoughts.
"I'm going to get a coffee, did you need anything." Daniel repeated.
"Uh yeah a coffee would be great, thanks Daniel." Jack replied as he seemed to drift back into his thoughts. "Damn it Jack! How could you have let this happen to her?!" Jack yelled to his inner-self. "You had to let your stomach cloud your judgment? Sam has always been there for you but when she needed you, where were you? Eating!"
"O'Neill why do you blame yourself for this accident?" Teal'c asked interrupting Jack's inner tongue lashing.
"Who says I am? Jack questioned.
"You have been banging your head against the wall O'Neill" Teal'c replied.
Knowing that Teal'c meant literally since he realized that he had a headache he replied, "I was in charge that's why."
"You are not able to control everything that happens on a mission." Teal'c stated.
"I know that but this different." Jack replied
"How so, O'Neill?"
"It just is." Jack replied wishing Teal'c would just drop it. "You don't understand."
"I believe I do." Teal'c replied knowing that there was a special bond that Jack and Sam shared that was more than that of team members. He also knew enough to end this conversation.
Just then the doors coming from the surgical ward swung open revealing Janet still in her scrubs and looking quite tired.
"Doc, how did it go?" Jack questioned as he jumped from his chair.
"All things considered it went well." Janet replied. "We found the internal bleeding; it was coming from her spleen. It was too badly damaged so we had to remove it. We also had to place a pin in her leg to repair the fracture. Her lung is reinflated and she is breathing much easier."
"Janet?!" Daniel said as he came running up, coffee in hand. "Is she ok?"
"As I said before the next 24 – 48 hours will be critical. But barring any complications I think that I can safely say that she should make a full recovery." Janet explained.
"That's great Doc!" Jack exclaimed.
"Colonel, understand that a full recovery is not going to be a quick process. Sam is going to need extensive rehabilitation on her leg and also her elbow. And her ribs are going to take at least 6 weeks to heal. This is going to be a long road for Sam, she is going to need your guys support now more than ever." Janet cautioned. "I would suspect that it would be at least 4-6 months before she is back on active duty, perhaps even longer."
"As long as she is going to make it, that's all that matters." Daniel replied.
"When can we see her Doc?" Jack asked.
"If you come back in an hour she should be out of recovery." Janet informed the men. "Now if you will excuse me I have a couple patients to check on." Janet said as she turned and headed towards her office.
"Doc!" Jack spoke up.
"Yes Colonel?"
"Good work!" Jack said smiling.
"Thank you Sir."
Jack had watched his watch closely waiting for the long hour to pass. He had timed the walk from his quarters to the infirmary so that we would arrive exactly one hour after talking to Janet. He approached the door to the private room that Sam had been set up in. Generally she would have been placed on the main ward but since Sam was going to be there awhile she had received a private room. Jack noticed that Janet was by Sam's bedside making notes in a chart.
"Doc?" Jack called softly from the door.
Janet turned to him with a smirk and said, "I thought you would be here any minute." She knew that Jack had probably been watching the clock.
"You said an hour." Jack replied the smirk.
"That I did." Janet laughed.
Jack walked over to Janet's side taking in the site before him. Sam had been taken off the respirator and only needed oxygen by nasal tube. Her leg was elevated using a pulley system to reduce the swelling from the break and the subsequent surgery to repair it. Also her arm was in a sling to support her elbow. Overall she looked quite good for all that she had been through, Jack thought.
"How's she doing Doc?" Jack asked.
Finishing her last notes Janet closed the chart and replied, "Pretty good." All her vitals are holding stable and there is no sign of infection."
"That's good!" Jack replied with a big smile.
"Don't stay to long, Sam needs her rest." Janet insisted.
"Scouts honor!'
Janet smiled and headed to the door. Jack took a seat in the chair next to Sam's bed. He took a deep breath as he scanned his 2IC lying in the bed. Sam was one of the strongest people that he knew but at this moment she seemed so small and vulnerable. Jack took Sam's hand in his giving it a soft gentle kiss. "I'm sorry Sam." He said softly stroking the back of her hand and then laying his head on top of their interlaced hands.
Jack had drifted off to sleep but was aroused with a gentle squeeze on his hand. He lifted his head to see a very drowsy Carter staring down towards him.
"Sir?" Sam questioned her voice very soft and hoarse.
"Hey there Carter." Jack smiled as he sat up in the chair. "How you feeling?"
"Tired." Sam replied as she started to scan the room realizing she was in the infirmary back at the SGC. "What happen?" Sam asked
"Do you remember the planet?" Jack asked.
Sam looked up towards the ceiling trying to focus on the last thing that she could remember. "I remember taking some Naquada scans, but that's about it."
"Well you managed to find a rather big hole."
"Hole?" Sam questioned then tried to shift her position but was overcome with a wave of pain shooting throughout her body causing her to gasp.
"Hey take it easy." Jack said as he stroked Sam's arm trying to comfort her till the pain past. "It would probably be best to try and not move for awhile."
"What's wrong with me?" Sam asked as the pain subsided.
"Ah well you have some broken bones, cuts and bruises. Doc had you in surgery for a few hours fixing you up. But don't worry she said that you are going to be fine. You just need some rest." Jack explained.
"I'm tired." Sam said as her eyes got heavy.
"You just get some rest Major, that's an order." Jack ordered with a smile.
"Right away sir." Sam replied as she drifted off to sleep.
Jack sat watching Sam for a few minutes after she drifted off. Then when he was sure that she was asleep he softly kissed her hand and then stood up placing a kiss on her forehead. Jack knew that Sam was going to have a tough road ahead of her but he would be there to help her though it.