Title: Family Affair
Author: Falcon Horus
E-mail: thot_bastet@hotmail.com
Status: Finished
Category: Action/Adventure and Drama
Spoilers: (in order of appearance) CJ Fraiser, Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, Brief Candle, Legacy, Deathman Switch, In The Line Of Duty, Singularity
Sequel/Season info: none
Rating: PG-13
Content warnings: minor character death, a little bit of occasional swearing
Summary: Dr. Fraiser gets in trouble on a mission and it's up to SG-1 and CJ to save her.
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 (yup, they are mine...my own...my precioussss). This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author (just ask nicely...I won't bite).
Author's notes: It's a rewrite from the original and I like this one better than the first. I would like to thank Dena and Aset for supporting me and helping me out when I got stuck. I also would like to say that this is the unbeta'd version so any mistakes our my own!
How it all started.
General Hammond stood in the control room, looking down into the gate room, and smiled as he noticed the medical team standing there, nervously checking their gear. They were all in good spirits as they were going to go on a real mission. No, they were not going to rescue some wounded team off world. They were finally given the chance to go off world and explore a planet, which could hold some medicinal plants. When SG-6 had come back with a sample of some strange looking plants and Dr. Fraiser had gone all excited about the sample, they had immediately launched a UAV to get a better view on the surroundings of the Gate, hoping more such plants were growing in the near vicinity.
General Hammond wasn't going to let them go alone. Oh no! SG-1 was going to accompany them, just in case. He had promised the Colonel a mission where no Goa'ulds were involved, so his flag team had been picked to baby-sit the medical team. And more important, Hammond knew out of experience that, even if everything seemed to be safe at first, trouble could always rise and in such time it was always good to have an experienced team with you, and who is more than enough acquainted with trouble than SG-1.
SG-1 arrived about 5 minutes before take off, and CJ only came wandering in about the moment Sergeant Davis announced the seventh chevron being locked and the Stargate opened up. She wasn't in any way comfortable with the fact that she had been assigned to SG-1 just when they had to baby-sit the medical team, which contained her aunt. She had heard of the trip and had requested permission to join SG-5 on a trip to a planet millions of light- years away from the one they were going to now but Hammond had denied her request and here she was. CJ mumbled something that sounded like good morning to both teams and then followed her current CO up the ramp when Hammond had given them the go ahead.
********************
The ride through the wormhole had been a bumpy one and the two teams were spat out on the other side. They rolled down the stairs and ended up in one big pile of waving arms and legs, bumps and bruises appearing as soon as they had untangled themselves. The medical team felt sick and cold, as they weren't exactly used to the gate traveling as SG-1 was. Even CJ felt sick again and the ride they just had also reminded her an awful lot of her first trip through the Gate. When going home she had simply refused to step through the damn thing until they could assure her she was going to keep her snack inside. Which of course they hadn't been able to and as soon as they had arrived in the gate room she had passed out.
"You okay?" CJ jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up she found Major Carter standing next to her. She regretted she had looked up and judging from Sam's worried face she looked bad.
"I'm gonna be sick." CJ doubled over and threw up. She could soon feel a cool hand on her forehead and one in her neck.
"Take it easy!" 'No argument there!' CJ's day just couldn't get any worse than it already was. She wasn't only sick from gate traveling but now she also got stuck with an overprotective aunt. "Feeling better?" The kid nodded softly, afraid if she'd move her head to fast she would get sick again. "Just sit here for a minute and you'll feel a lot better!"
After a while they all looked better and O'Neill ushered them all to follow him so they could find a nice spot to set up camp. Soon they were discussing several great spots but SG-1 couldn't decide which one to take so Jack decided someone else should pick a spot.
"CJ, where do you think we can set up camp?" The Colonel started pointing out to several open spaces, while CJ silently debated why the man picked her to do this. She knew he was the expert and she knew he would pick his spot no matter what the rest of them would say. When she felt that a couple of eyes were staring at her, she looked again to all the spots she could choose from. An uncomfortable feeling started to crawl up her spine.
"How about the one Teal'c proposed?" Teal'c's spot had a great view on the Gate, was shielded from the rest of the grassy plane by a few trees that led to a dense forest and more than large enough to plant down some tents.
"Great choice, kiddo!" CJ looked surprised at her CO. He had agreed and hadn't discussed her choice, trying to get her to pick his choice for some bizarre reason. "Off we go!"
Teal'c's spot it was and soon SG-1 was setting up camp, while the medical team had eagerly gone off to search for more medicinal plants. CJ hadn't much luck as she was ordered around by almost everyone. When, at last, she managed to sneak away from the camp and found herself a nice spot to start reading her USAF manual, her aunt called her over the radio and into the forest. With no other choice then to follow orders she jogged off in search for her aunt.
It was only after ten minutes and three falls over some tree roots that CJ found Janet among some strange flowers, who looked somewhat like the one SG- 6 had brought back a few days ago. CJ limped over to her aunt and really hoped she hadn't sprained her ankle when meeting the ground a third time a few minutes earlier.
"Here I am! What is it you want me to do?" CJ kicked a pebble out of the way and immediately regretted that movement. She had really hurt her foot stumbling over that last root.
"Oh, are we in a friendly mood today!" Janet looked up at her niece, who was hopping around cursing the tree roots. CJ gave her a look back that could have crumbled the Sphinx. "You okay?" When CJ nodded in the confirmative way she placed a clipboard in the teenager's hands and started to dictate gibberish, or so it sounded to CJ.
"Uh ... what?" The pencil hovered over the paper for a few seconds while CJ's mouth dropped a few inches.
"Just write down what I dictate! I won't mind spelling mistakes!" Janet looked at her niece, who hesitated another second, sighed and then just started to write down what her aunt had just dictated to her.
The rest of the day was spent among strange flowers and plants that might have medical value in some way. CJ had never heard that much gibberish before as she had that afternoon. Her ankle had stopped hurting and after that her mood had improved as well. The occasional tree root that got in her way had caused some cursing from CJ's side but mainly everything went just fine.
While they were studying the local vegetation, SG-1 was securing the perimeter just to be on the safe side, and kept a watchful eye on the medical team. Whenever they lost one of them out of side for a minute they contacted them through the radios.
"Those guys really love this place, don't they!" O'Neill looked at Captain Peter James who came running by with a plant in his hands and a big grin on his face.
That evening they enjoyed their macaroni and cheese that tasted like chicken. While the rest of the team crawled into their tents, Jack took the first watch. They had made a schedule so that everybody had at least an hour watch. CJ was sharing her tent with Janet, Sam and Lt. Mary Eagles. Being tired from the afternoon, hearing gibberish and falling over tree roots, CJ was soon fast asleep until somewhere around the early morning Sam woke her up for her watch.
"Hey CJ!" Sam bent over the sleeping form and gently shook the youngster's shoulder. "It's your turn to keep watch." She could hear CJ's grumbling coming from within the sleeping bag. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'm up!" CJ sighed, clicked her weapons back on and walked out of the tent, into the cold night air.
It was a clear night and stars were shimmering brightly in the sky. CJ put some more wood on the fire to get warm because she was getting darn cold just sitting around. Even though she only had to sit out there for an hour she was bored after only ten minutes. With only the stars and the silence as her companion she started to clean her Beretta. When her watch beeped, indicating that her hour had passed, she was surprised how fast it had passed by. She hurried back to the tent and woke up Lt. Eagles.
********************
Whistling birds and Colonels woke up CJ from her oh so pleasant dream about riding with a red viper, attracting lots of attention from good- looking cuties. She grumbled loudly and when she noticed everybody was already up, she decided for the best to get up too. She didn't want to experience her last wake up-call again when O'Neill had splashed a whole can of water over her face, soaking her on an ice-cold planet.
"Good morning campers!" O'Neill greeted his team when they appeared around the fire to get breakfast. "CJ, you're awake? I already had my can ready for you." CJ looked annoyed at him and then just ignored him.
"So, what's on the program today?" Sam looked at the medical team and just knew what they'd be doing the rest of the morning, afternoon and night if they had the chance.
"This planet is heaven. There are so many species of plants, which are all extremely interesting to study. So, I guess we will be doing the same as yesterday." Dr. Fraiser looked at Sam and smiled when she saw how her friend had already figured out they would be enjoying more flora today.
"Okay, just stay in radio-contact and you'll have to miss CJ, as she is ours today." Colonel O'Neill stood up, stretched his legs and walked back to his tent to collect some stuff.
"Hey, I'm not a thing, you know!" CJ muttered angrily at Jack, tossing her empty cup at his back.
"Ready kids!" Sam and Daniel nodded and followed O'Neill into the open field in front of the Gate. Teal'c and CJ came jogging somewhat behind.
As soon as SG-1 was complete, they first contacted the SGC just to let them know everything was fine. General Hammond was pleased to hear that his medical team was having the time of their life and that no immediate danger was expected. They promised to contact the SGC back at 1900 hours that evening. Having done what Hammond had asked them to, report back, they walked back to their campsite and class could start.
"Okay kids, listen up!" O'Neill looked at his team members. "CJ knew about this trip and requested to be assigned to another team so she didn't have to come along with us on this happy little camping-trip." CJ's face fell as she realized it had been O'Neill who had requested her presence after hearing of her own request with the General. 'This can never be good!' "Okay Kiddo, you might not like this but Hammond denied your request so you could have some more field experience with us, and more important we need to work on your rescue skills, as I heard that your last mission with SG-4 was a tiny bit of a disaster." CJ gave the others a wry smile, as that was the first time they heard of a mission gone a bit wrong, as they knew CJ hadn't been aloud, for the time being, to go on possible dangerous missions anymore since her adventure on Roma.
"What happened?" Carter looked at the youngster, standing next to her and suddenly it dawned on her. She had heard of a mission gone a bit wrong, involving SG-4, but she hadn't a clue CJ had been with the team at the time. "It wasn't that mission to P4X-003, was it?" Again CJ gave her friend a wry smile and nodded. "You were with them?"
"Yeah, I ... I was."
"That's why Hammond wants her to know some skills to rescue injured team mates. I think he got a lecture from the Doc on CJ's poor rescue skills. And something about her safety off world was on the menu too, I think. So, here we go!" Daniel and Sam looked from CJ to their CO and knew at once that whatever Jack was going to do with CJ they had to play along with, and experience had proven that it wasn't always a good thing. He, on the other hand, was going to have a lot of fun the next few hours. "Okay CJ, keeping your mission with SG-4 in mind you have to know this one important rule that you forgot on P4X-003 ... never leave a team member behind ... no matter how bad the situation looks!"
"Okay, got that!" CJ knew that her behavior on P4X-003 had been quite selfish but in the end it had saved her life.
"Now, let's go back over that mission with SG-4, you were ambushed and Major Anderson was shot down. What did you do at that time?" Jack looked at CJ, waiting for the answer he already knew but wanted to hear anyway.
"Get the hell out of there, Sir!" CJ knew that she should have stayed and help the poor Major but fear had gripped her heart and she had run back to the Gate to safety.
"You left Major Anderson behind!" Jack gave CJ a disapproval look. "You should have helped Captain Martin carry her back to the Gate!" CJ felt like she was getting a lecture and in a way she was, but she had been in shock, diagnosed by Dr. Fraiser herself. "I know it was more or less your first time meeting angry Jaffa and therefore we're gonna teach you how to help an injured team member so that next time you join SG-4, or any other team for that matter, you can bring them all home safe in case something would happen. Okidoki?"
"Okay, I think you're right. I should have helped Captain Martin but I was too busy trying to not panic too much, Sir."
"Okay, first of all we start with..." Jack started his explanation, once in a while interrupted by his 2IC or Daniel. Teal'c just kept watch and made sure the medical team was still okay.
SG-1 spend the rest of the morning rescuing each other from various threats and treating each other's various wounds before being dragged off to the Gate in various ways, some more easier than others. Half the time they had ended on the ground doubled over in laughter and the other half of the time they had listened carefully to Jack's explanation or anecdote he told them from his time in black ops. In the middle of another rescue operation, set up by CJ and Sam this time, to save Daniel from an angry spider they were interrupted by loud screaming and gunshots. They looked up alerted and Sam noticed how CJ slightly tensed at the noise.
"Doc, come in!" While running back to the campsite and to the area where the medical team was playing, Jack called Fraiser over the radio, wanting to know what was going on. "Doc!"
"Sir, we're..." Janet had started but then there was nothing more than static.
"O'Neill ... look!" They all looked in the direction Teal'c was pointing and saw how Captain James and Lt. Eagles came running out of the forest, waving frantically for SG-1 to come to their side for help.
"What happened?" O'Neill looked at the two airmen. "And where are Jones and Fraiser?"
"We were attacked." Lt. Eagles quickly explained to them what had occurred. "They tried to take us prisoner but we scared them off with our guns."
"I thought there weren't any folks on this planet!" Jack turned to Carter, who just shrugged.
"Where's J?" CJ looked from Peter to Mary and back. "We had contact with her for just two seconds and then nothing. You know what happened to her?"
"I'm sorry, CJ. Dr. Fraiser and Airman Jones were working behind the hill. They were too far away from us but I guess they were probably caught by those ... Indians!"
"We have to find them! They might be in need of help." CJ ran into the forest but Jack ordered her to come back.
"Right!" Jack looked at Peter and Mary and then to his own kids. "You two, head back for the Gate and tell General Hammond we ran into some trouble after all. Stay there and secure that area. CJ, you stay with them!" How much he wanted to take the kid along she wasn't ready for this yet and he didn't want her to get hurt or anything.
"What? No, I'm going with you! No way, I'm gonna sit here and wait for you to come back." CJ looked at Jack, desperately trying to convince him to take her along. "Sir, I promise I won't make the same mistake as I did with SG-4. I promise! Please?"
"Oh alright! Let's move out people!" Jack waved to his kids to follow him out into the forest.
********************
SG-1 walked quietly to the place Lt. Eagles had pointed out to them where they would normally find Dr. Fraiser and Airman Jones. As they reached the hillside they took cover and quickly secured the area, hoping that none of the inhabitants was around to surprise them with another attack.
"Okay, now what?" Jack looked around but couldn't see anything that would lead them to where the two missing team members would be.
"O'Neill!" They all looked at Teal'c. "I think I have found a trail." Jack walked over to his Jaffa and looked at the broken twigs. The inhabitants had made their way back to wherever they came from through the bushes and thereby leaving a clear trail as if wanting the others to follow them.
"It looks as if they want us to follow them." CJ looked at it and felt like something was wrong. The trail didn't seem to be right.
"It's too obvious, Sir!" Sam looked from the trail to her CO and back.
"Well, this is all we have considering the UAV didn't show life signs in the first place." Jack quickly glanced sideways to Carter who just ignored the accusation. "We follow it and hope that these inhabitants are indeed as stupid as to leave a trail that obvious. Let us hope it's not a trap. Teal'c, you take point! Carter, close the line!"
As they slowly made their way through the bushes they looked around suspiciously. Every time a twig would break or someone would stumble over some root, they stopped to listen for movement. Most of the way they were just silently hoping the trail wouldn't suddenly end and leave them wandering around in the forest. Suddenly Teal'c raised his hand and at once they stopped walking, hoping bad guys didn't somehow surround them. The Jaffa began moving forward again after a few seconds but they stopped almost immediately as they heard a soft murmur coming from their left.
"Okay kids, be careful here!" Jack slowly moved forward and ordered Teal'c to follow him and the others to take a detour. What they were about to discover, was going to haunt some of them during their upcoming nights. They found Airmen Jones pinned to a tree, a spear going through his abdomen straight into the tree behind him. There was blood around the wound; his vest was soaked with it, while a trail of blood ran from his mouth down his chin into his neck. He was still alive, not wanting to give into the need for sleep because that was all he really wanted to do. "Oh God!" Jack turned away at first sight. He was used to a lot but some things even were too much for him to bear. Sam had rushed to his side as soon as she had been able to control her stomach a little, but she knew there wasn't much she could do to help. He was dying and all she could do for him was making it as comfortable as possible.
"Major Car..." His voice faded but he kept looking at her. "Doc's ... alive ... that ... way!" With one last effort he pointed to his right and than he gave into his need for sleep.
"He's dead, Sir." Sam turned to her CO and only then noticed CJ, looking paler than a sheet. "Daniel!" She glanced from him to CJ and he immediately dragged her away from the scene.
When CJ turned away the adrenaline wore off but the fear remained and she doubled over throwing up her breakfast. This was worse than her trip with SG-4. Major Anderson hadn't died but now she had actually seen someone die and the thought alone send her down for another round of throwing up and some dry heaves. After a while the fear subsided and with it the throwing up stopped. She was lying flat on her back, allowing herself to drift away on happy memories. She soon found herself in her grandparent's backyard, yelling of pure joy. She, only about 4 years old, running around, chasing the dog, and then cuddling up in her mother's lap, arms stretching out towards her aunt wanting her to play with her.
"Daniel, Jack wants you to help get Jones off that tree." Sam had met up with them, knowing that she had to talk to CJ about what had just happened. "How is she?" Daniel looked back at the youngster on the ground.
"She threw up so I guess she's not taking this all too well." Sam gave him a knowing smile and then turned her attention to the kid on the ground.
"CJ, you okay?" Sam sat herself down next to CJ and patiently waited for her to sit up and talk.
"I'm..." She sighed and looked up at Sam. "Michael was my guinea pig during my first aid classes. We always had so much fun. He..." CJ turned her gaze away and looked up to where the sun came through the treetops, tears were making their way down. Sam took the youngster in a hug and tried to find the words to sooth her but knew that the loss was a hard one to take in.
"It's going to be okay, I promise." Sam didn't know if it was actually going to be okay. If the inhabitants had killed Jones then they were more than capable of doing the same to her best friend.
"Carter, we have to move!" Sam jumped as she heard her CO's voice, finding him standing behind her leaning against the same tree they were leaning against. She didn't let go of CJ who was still sniffing in her embrace. He bent down so he was face to face with his young friend. "CJ, the sooner we move the sooner we might find the Doc." CJ looked back at him and nodded quietly. Brushing her tears away, she let go off Sam and got up.
They continued their way in silence, once in a while a breaking twig or a sniffle coming from the youngster broke that silence. After finding Jones the mood had gone down considerably and Jack had promised himself he would find the Doc and save her from the people that had killed a good man. After more than two hours of trying to find a way through the bushes and many trees they found themselves on top of a small hill with a small village at the bottom. A small valley stretched out in front of them where they could detect fields with crops which meant the people on this planet where more than likely farmers. But why had they killed Jones if they were just farmers? They duck down to the ground as soon as they saw a group of people leaving a church-like building and gathering in the center of the village. It was then that they noticed a smaller group standing a bit in the shadow of another large building. One of them was holding something in his arms and it didn't need much to figure out the 'something' the guy was holding was Fraiser.
"Sir?" Sam looked from the villagers to her CO and back.
"I know, Carter!" Jack took the binocular and took a closer look at the villagers down below. They had suddenly parted to let a seemingly more important person pass through. He looked at the group and suddenly started yelling at them, frantically waving with his arms to give his speech more force. It had effect as Jack noticed the little group backing away a little and humbly bowing their heads. When he was done yelling at them he took a closer look to what the men had brought back with them. He seemed to be pleased they at least had followed his orders and had brought him something of value, or so it seemed according to what Jack could make out from his nods and his more friendly approach towards the merry little group. "Well, it's not going to be easy to get the Doc out of there without unfortunate victims." Jack turned to his kids who had been watching the scene in the village as well.
"The guy seemed to be pleased with the 'gift' the group brought him." Daniel took off his glasses and promptly started to clean them. "From what I can see, I think that guy's in charge."
"Ya think?" Jack shook his head a little but knew they had to come up with a suitable plan if they ever wanted to rescue the Doc from whatever she had landed herself into. "Okay, in about four hours it will be dark on this planet, which means that in about six hours we will go in, find Fraiser and get the hell out of here. I want to be back at the Gate by morning." Jack shifted a little so he was lying somewhat better. He looked at CJ. "Get some rest! You're gonna need it!" CJ nodded, shifted a little and huddled herself up in a little ball. It didn't take her long to doze off in a peaceful sleep. She was just too tired to dream about what had happened with Jones.
********************
Around ten in the evening Jack ordered Sam to wake up CJ. He had figured a way into the village and really hoped they wouldn't notice them wandering around town because there were more guards than he liked there to be in the first place. Jack explained his plan over an energy-bar and a can of water.
"Okay, here's what we're gonna do." Jack took a twig and made a simple drawing of the village on the ground. "There are guards walking around at all sides of the village so we have to get in unseen not by one set of guards but four. Now, not to make it too obvious we're going in on two different sides. Carter, you're with Teal'c, and Daniel, you're with me." Jack then looked at CJ and smiled as he noticed how she started to form an objection of she being left out. "CJ, I want you to stay here and monitor the guards' movement. We stay in radio contact so you can tell us when we are in trouble and should get the hell out of there. Got it?" CJ's objection disappeared at once and she nodded eagerly. "Okay, right after mister I'm-in-charge-of-this-place disappeared they locked the Doc in this smaller house here, conveniently in the center of the village. As soon as we get her out of there, we meet back here and get the hell out of here." Jack checked his P90 and gave his binocular to CJ. "Okay kids, let's move! CJ, remember ... stay low, no matter what happens! And if we get caught, you get back to the Gate. It's south from our position, got it!" The kid nodded and then dropped flat on the ground spying on the guards and their movements.
Sam and Teal'c moved in from the east side, through the main entrance, while Jack and Daniel took the west side. They used the shadows of the houses to cover their tracks from the guards. Once in a while both couples were stopped by CJ as the guards closed in on their positions. Then when given the all clear again they ran to the small house as fast as they could.
"CJ, what's our status?" Jack looked around while Sam was picking the door's lock.
"They haven't detected your presence yet, Sir. You should be safe for a while! CJ out!"
"We're in, Sir!" Sam carefully opened the door and covered Jack as he slowly made his way inside. Once there they bumped into problem number one, one they hadn't really counted on. The villagers had left a guard inside and he was now wide-awake. Before he could scream for help he was out cold on the floor.
"Get movin' people!" Jack looked down to the man and knew they would be discovered if they didn't work any faster.
"Janet's over here!" Daniel had found the Doctor in the back, lying on a bed made of straw. "Oh my God, she's burning up!" Pearls of sweat were visible on her forehead and Daniel's cold hand immediately warmed up as he touched the Doctor's skin.
"Sir, I think it's time to move. I think they're on to you!" CJ's voice sounded over the radio, making Jack turn back to the door, just in time to hear a long blow on a horn.
"Daniel, pick her up! We have to move! NOW!" Daniel did as he was ordered and quickly scooped Fraiser in his arms. She mumbled some incoherent words before lapsing back into blissful unconsciousness. "CJ, which side?"
"West! The way you and Daniel came! I'll make sure they don't follow you! Just don't take the east side, Sir!"
"Okay, let's get out of here!" Jack didn't give it a second thought and ordered his kids out. As soon as they were out in the open they heard projectiles fly around their heads. While Sam and Daniel ran for it, Jack and Teal'c opened fire but it wasn't really necessary as they suddenly heard a big explosion somewhere in the neighborhood of the entrance, sending some of the guards flying ten feet in the air. SG-1 got away safely and went back to the point of rendezvous but CJ wasn't there. "CJ, where are you?" Jack's voice wasn't all too friendly. CJ had disobeyed a direct order, although he knew that if she hadn't then they would have been stuck in the village.
"I'm on my way, Sir!" They heard some gunshots at their right and then silence.
"There she is, Sir!" Sam had seen a black figure running their way, but the figure didn't get all too far as she suddenly sank to the ground with a soft cry. "CJ!" Sam and Jack ran over to the youngster, which as they got a closer look had been target practice for one of the guards down below. An arrow was sticking out her right thigh.
"I'm ... sorry!" CJ gritted her teeth as the pain flared through her leg. "But ... I had to do ... something!"
"We have to get out of here!" Jack helped CJ up and with support from both Carter and O'Neill she managed to stumble down the hillside, biting the pain. They soon found a place where they could hide for a while before making their way back to the Gate.
"Jack, how long will we be stuck here?" Daniel looked at his friend and down to Fraiser, still in place in his arms. He knew they had to move, not only for Janet's sake but also for CJ's sake, as he heard her stifle a cry.
"Sir, we have to remove that arrow." Sam was holding CJ and prevented her from crying out loud every time a sting of pain went through her system, which was all too frequently.
"If we remove it, she'll loose more blood. And ... we can't just pull it back out, we'd have to push it through. The only thing we can do for her is make sure it doesn't move too much, trying to keep the wound as small as possible, controlling the blood loss." Jack looked at CJ's pale face and saw tears making their way down. "You'll be fine, kiddo!"
They had waited another two hours before continuing their way back to the Gate. CJ had passed out and Teal'c had offered to carry her back, as he was the strongest of the four. It was only the next morning that they arrived back at camp. A rather odd sight greeted them, as they saw General Hammond, no less, wearing a hole in the ground in front of the Stargate. As soon as Captain James and Lieutenant Eagles caught them in sight the rest of the camp got in action as well.
"Colonel O'Neill?" Peter looked from the Colonel to his commanding officer in Daniel's arms and then to unconscious CJ in Teal'c's arms. "What happened? Where's Jones?"
"Doctor Fraiser and CJ need medical attention ASAP. Jones is dead. I'm sorry. You'll hear the rest in the debriefing." Jack looked at the young man in front of him and smiled as he started to order the other medical team around. He had sure been paying attention to his CO. "General, took a trip through the Gate, I see!" General Hammond nodded. He started to form a question but his 2IC interrupted him before he could even ask it properly. "We'll tell you that when we're back on Earth, Sir!"
********************
As soon as they had returned to Earth SG-1 had taken a long hot shower before heading to their debriefing. Warner, except for the two Fraisers stuck in the infirmary, had cleared them all. CJ had been taken into the OR the moment they had stepped onto the ramp and Janet was pumped with antibiotics and had gone through more tests than they could ever hold possible. It was only too bad she wasn't conscious when Warner was sticking her with her own needles.
As SG-1 walked into the briefing room they noticed Lieutenant Eagles and Captain James standing at the window staring at the Stargate. They nodded as soon as they acknowledged SG-1's presence.
"Okay people, have a seat!" General Hammond appeared out of his office and motioned them to take a seat at the oval table. "Now, what happened?"
"Well Sir, we were cataloguing more plants this morning. We were paired off; Mary and I were working together and Dr. Fraiser and Michael. Around 1200 we heard strange noises coming from deeper in the forest. It sounded like chanting. Suddenly these well-muscled men with spears attacked us and arrows were flying overhead. We scared them away when we started firing our guns. They fled over the hill. We ran back to the camp where we had alerted SG-1." Captain James suddenly felt like he had better followed the barbarians and in doing so he might have been able to safe Jones and Fraiser from being killed and captured. "Colonel O'Neill told us to contact you and stay at the Gate to secure the area while they went in search for the Doc and Jones."
"We went to the place Captain James had appointed where he thought Janet and Michael would be. We found only a trail made by the inhabitants. We were weary to follow it but it was our only hope on finding the two missing members. We followed the trail for a while until we found Airman Jones pinned to a tree. He pointed the way they had taken Fraiser before he died." Jack looked at his 2IC as she explained their little adventure and noticed how much she was troubled by the image of seeing Michael Jones pinned to a tree, probably killed as a warning. "Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel removed him from the tree and then we headed for the village we encountered after another two hour walk. We waited until it was dark before setting out a rescue mission to safe Janet from whatever fate that had come onto her. Everything went according plan until we were discovered. CJ warned us they had found out about our presence in the village and she told us to run for it. She guided us to the west side while apparently she made a diversion at the eastside, at the entrance. Upon her return she was shot down. They didn't follow us but we stayed low anyway, just to be on the safe side. In the early morning we headed back to the Gate and met up with you, Sir."
"I thought there weren't any inhabitants on this planet?" Hammond looked at Carter, who dropped her head in defeat.
"I don't know how the UAV could have missed them, Sir." She re ally didn't know why they hadn't gotten that kind of feedback from the UAV.
A young unknown Doctor came walking in the briefing room, startling the ones sitting there. He was holding two folders, no doubt CJ's and Janet's. He nodded to General Hammond and then took a seat on the only free chair next to Lieutenant Eagles.
"Let me introduce you to Dr. Michael Evans!" The man looked up from the folders. "Doctor, the people on my left are Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Sam Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c of SG-1. And these are Captain Peter James and Lieutenant Mary Eagles of the medical team." Dr. Evans nodded to them as some kind of greeting.
"Doctor Evans, no doubt you want to discuss the two Fraisers?" O'Neill looked from the General to the new Doctor, who was intently studying his files.
"As a matter of fact..." The new guy shifted some of his papers and then he finally looked up at them. "...I do."
"And?" Sam looked at him intently, making him feel very uncomfortable.
"Well, it doesn't look too good, I must say. We have found some kind of foreign drug in Dr. Fraiser's system, which seems to cause her to have this dangerously high fever. But we're not sure yet. We're pumping her with antibiotics, hoping it will make her fever go down but so far it's not working too well. She's slipping in and out of consciousness and most of the time she seems to be conscious she's delirious." Evans looked at the faces and saw that these people really cared about the woman lying in the infirmary. They had a band with her that had been established a long time ago. Maybe one day he'd have a similar band with these people too.
"What about CJ?"
"I was getting to that, Sir." Evans took the second file and flipped it open. "Dr. Warner successfully removed the arrow. There wasn't any major damage but it will take her a while to get back on her feet. She'll have to do some rehabilitation. In other words she will be just fine."
"Does Cassandra know what is going on?" Daniel looked from Dr. Evans to the General. He heard Carter sigh deeply next to him and knew if she hadn't been military she would have been letting her emotions run freely. It was, after all, her best friend who was lying in the infirmary.
"No, I wanted to wait for the first results. Maybe you should get her here?" Hammond looked at his flag team, who just nodded. "You are all on stand down until further notice. Dismissed!" Hammond got up and returned to his office, while the two members of the medical team left as well to check up on their CO.
"Carter, why don't you go check up on CJ and the Doc? We will occupy ourselves with Cassie." Jack looked at his 2IC and just knew she needed to be in that chair next to Janet's bedside.
"Yes Sir." She nodded slowly and left the briefing room not even noticing Teal'c followed her out.
"Come on, Daniel! Let's get this over with!" Jack dropped his hand on the younger man's shoulder and pulled him along with him. He wondered how on earth they were going to explain to the girl what had happened to her mother. Jack knew he would have that figured out when they got there.
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Teal'c had positioned himself at the end of CJ's bed, while Sam had taken the seat next to Janet's bed. She was holding one of Janet's cold hands in hers, trying hard to keep the tears from falling. She looked up as she suddenly heard a light grumble coming from CJ. Sam got up, reluctantly letting go of her best friend she walked over to the youngster's bed. Teal'c had turned to look at his young friend and noticed how she stirred a little.
"CJ?" The girl's eyes fluttered open but closed again when met with too much bright light. It took her a while to remember what had happened or where she was. After a while she acknowledged Sam and Teal'c at her bedside, groaning as she suddenly remembered the arrow and the pain in her thigh. "CJ, you okay?"
"Where..." CJ's voice sounded harsh and she tried to voice some coherent words but she just felt too tired.
"It's okay. You're in the infirmary." Sam looked down to the youngster and noticed how she suddenly tensed and gritted her teeth, trying not to cry out in pain. "CJ?" Sam panicked a little. Maybe Dr. Evans was wrong about CJ being okay and something worse was wrong. "Teal'c, get Warner in here!" The Jaffa nodded and left to find Dr. Warner.
Not much later Warner came into the infirmary, followed closely by Teal'c and Evans. He quickly checked up on Janet before turning his attention to the youngster. He looked at her chart, controlled the wound and then he ordered Evans to get something for the pain.
"Okay CJ, this is going to make you drowsy and the pain will soon go away." Warner injected the painkiller into the IV-line and seconds later CJ's eyes closed and her grip on Sam's hand relaxed.
"She'll be okay, right?" Carter looked up to the Doctor standing next to her.
"Don't worry, Major Carter! If there's one thing I know about this girl then it's the fact that she will be just fine. She's a fighter." Warner sighed. "I only hope she inherited that from her father's side." Sam looked at him when she heard him sigh and noticed he was staring at his CMO, and realized what he just had said. Was he implying that it didn't look too good for Janet? 'No Sam, don't think about that! You know fighting is a part of the Fraiser-family.'
Jack and Daniel returned later that afternoon, accompanied by Cassandra. Her eyes were reddish when she entered the infirmary and promptly fled into Sam's arms. Carter enveloped the youngster and hugged her tightly feeling the tears finally making their way down. When they parted, they were both crying.
"I'm so sorry, Cassie." Sam looked from the girl to the woman in the bed and back. "I..."
"It's okay, Sam. It's going to be okay, right?" Cassie looked at her guardian angel and all Carter could do was nod.
"Guys, I think someone is waking up here!" Daniel was looking at a stirring and grumbling CJ. Sam immediately made her way over to the youngster's side, remembering what had happened a few hours before.
"CJ?" The girl's eyes fluttered open and it seemed that the tiredness she had felt the first time she woke up was somewhat gone. "You feeling okay?"
"Morphine ... bloody lovely!" CJ swallowed a few times but her throat just stayed dry. "Water..." Carter gave her some ice chips, which she happily accepted. When she was finally settled she could have a better look on her surroundings, noticing Cassie at her mother's bedside. "J?"
"Not good!" Jack looked at the youngster, who had probably saved their lives almost at her own cost, and slowly shook his head. "She has an alien drug in her system which causes her to have this really high fever." He sighed, wishing there was something he could do to make his kids feel better.
"Well, how's my patient doing?" They looked up startled as they heard an all too cheerful Dr. Evans coming into the infirmary. "Feeling any better?" Evans grabbed CJ's chart and checked some of her vitals. When he wanted to take a look at her leg she stopped him.
"Hold it ... right there, buddy!" Jack softly chuckled. "Who ... are you?" CJ frowned at him and wasn't going to give up without a fight. What was that man thinking?
"I'm your doctor ... Dr. Michael Evans. And I need to see if the nurse has to give you a new bandage." Evans tried to continue his job but CJ refused to let him.
"Oh no, no way!" CJ looked around for some back up but all she got were some amused looks. "Nobody touches me ... except for J."
"Who?" Evans soon realized it was better to have an unconscious CJ than a conscious one.
"It seems CJ Fraiser only wants to be treated by Doctor Fraiser." Teal'c looked at the young Doctor. Jack again chuckled softly.
"Well, then that's too bad for you, kiddo, as she isn't available right now. You'll have to settle with me." Evans pulled a big needle out of his pocket and promptly emptied it in CJ's IV.
"Hey, what's th..." As the sedative kicked in CJ slipped into unconsciousness. Jack stopped chuckling as he saw what the Doctor just did to one of his kids.
"Hey, what was that for?" He looked at the now sleeping kid and realized that the new guy wasn't someone to have a misunderstanding with.
"Just something to keep her quiet!" Now it was Sam's turn to chuckle softly as no other doctor had tried that on the kid before and she knew he could bring them to ideas to use the method on whiny Colonels.
SG-1 stayed in the infirmary all night through. Once in a while someone would leave to get some steamy coffee or would doze off in some restless sleep, haunted by the image of Jones pinned to a tree. In the morning they left for breakfast only to return about a half hour later to retake their seats next to CJ's and Janet's bedsides. Soon Dr. Evans came in, checking in on his patients getting a loud grumble as he passed by CJ.
"Good morning Miss Fraiser! How are we feeling today? Any more pain?" He beamed her a big smile, one she returned with a death stare.
"I'm fine!" She repositioned herself so she was able to look across the infirmary. "How's J?"
"Not doing too well." Evans sighed and placed CJ's chart down. "Her fever hasn't come down and I don't know what to do to get it down. Antibiotics aren't working! ... I'll send a nurse over with your breakfast."
"Thanks!" CJ nodded and kept staring at her aunt, laying some three beds further down the row. Cassie had seen her awake and moved, albeit reluctantly, to her side.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" CJ looked at her and smiled a little.
"Morphine is great. I'll be up in no time..." CJ looked at Evans who gave her a look that told her she was going to be stuck in the infirmary for at least a week. "...I think!"
"Sam told me what happened on the planet and that it was thanks to you they got out."
"Yeah, but to what cost?" They smiled at each other, not really knowing what they should talk about. CJ got her breakfast and offered her cousin one of her sandwiches. They started nibbling until SG-1 returned. After that they all took turns, staying with CJ and Janet, and CJ even managed to get Evans so far to give her a wheelchair so she could be at her aunt's bedside.
During the afternoon they got the scare of their lives. CJ had been ordered back into her own bed as she had been yawning since lunch. At first she had tried to hide it but Evans was a very perceptive person and had suddenly appeared behind her, had grabbed her wheelchair and had rolled her back to her own bed. CJ had protested but there had been nothing she could do if she didn't want to end up sedated again. Trying to cheer the youngster up a little, and waiting for sleep to overtake her, Jack had gotten a deck of cards. After a while he, Teal'c and CJ were engrossed in a game of Go Fish.
"Okay ... Teal'c, got any queens?" CJ looked at the Jaffa.
"Go fish!" CJ grumbled and stretched her hand out to pick a card from the deck but something stopped her mid-air.
"CJ, something wrong?" Jack looked up from his cards and sensed something was amiss. What happened next seemed to go in slow motion. Something in the steady beep, that had been heard during the past hours, suddenly changed, quickly turning into a continuous beep.
"Mom! No!" Cassie jumped up panicked.
"Oh my God!" Daniel took a hold on Cassie's shoulders and pulled her away from the bed, giving the nurses and Dr. Evans and Dr. Warner room to work on getting Janet back to the world of the living.
"No Daniel ... I want to stay!" Cassie struggled against Daniel's grip but he wouldn't let go off her.
"Let the doctors do their work, Cassie! Come on!" Daniel pulled her along to the other side of the infirmary and set her down on CJ's bed. Sam was staring at the scene in front of her and didn't feel the hand that pulled her along to the other side. Jack was now full blown worried. If they weren't going to be able to bring the Doc back he knew his kids wouldn't survive.
"No ... not again!" CJ's stare was fixed on the other side of the infirmary. She had seen this happen before. History repeated itself, as she had been there when her mother had flat lined and when Doctors had tried to revive her. It had all happened in front of her and at that time nobody had seen her standing in the hospital room. The memory flashed by and tears started to make their way down.
"She'll make it!" Daniel had dropped a hand on CJ's shoulder and gave it a little reassuring squeeze. "She'll make it!" He knew she wasn't the only one who needed to hear that now, as he knew that his friends needed to hear it too. Janet wouldn't give up that easily, would she?
It seemed to be an eternity before Doctors Evans and Warner managed to bring Janet back to the world of the living. As soon as the audience heard the rhythmic beep again a collective sigh of relief could be heard. When the two Doctors were totally sure their patient would be okay, they went to the family and friends to have a little chat with them. As soon as they saw him coming towards them, they all straightened a little bracing themselves for whatever news was going to come.
"Is she going to be okay?" CJ's eyes darted from one Doctor to the other and back. They both had a wary expression on their faces and didn't immediately answer the question. "She is going to be alright, right?"
"Well, she seems to be stable and the fever seems to be down too but..." Evans looked directly at Colonel O'Neill and pleaded silently with him to send the youngsters away.
"But..." If this was any serious than Jack knew his kids and the youngsters were better off hearing it directly from him. Dr. Evans took the hint and slowly eyed the two young women and the team in front of him.
"She was gone for a pretty long time. We don't know yet for certain, but..." One last glance to Colonel O'Neill and one look at the older Doctor, standing at his side, separated Evans from the bad news. "...There is a chance that she suffered some minor brain damage."
"Oh my God." Sam gasped slightly and felt a trembling hand searching hers. Tears were running freely again and she felt Cassie squeeze her hand. Daniel's hand was still on CJ's shoulder and Jack felt the need to kick some Goa'uld's ass. Of all the people it had to happen to the Doc. Teal'c looked at his friends and knew they were in a great deal of pain, which he would try to heal. They knew they could count on him, no matter what happened, he would always be there for them, all of them.
"Is it ... is it okay if we see her ... just for a second?" CJ had finally found her speech again.
"Uhm ... maybe that's..." Dr. Warner started but CJ interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.
"Please, you got to let us be with her right now!" CJ was getting angry with Warner and was ready to practice some combat skills on him although her thigh was killing her again.
"Relax CJ, I was going to say that that was probably a good idea, because the more voices she hears the sooner she'll wake up." The teenager's faces immediately lit up and dragging Sam with them they ran and wheeled over to Janet's bedside.
Cassie took a seat next to her mother's bed and took one of Janet's cold hands in her own. CJ had to maneuver her wheelchair in between the bed and some monitors, without unplugging something important.
"Hi Mom, you scared me!" Cassie swallowed a heavy lump down her throat.
"Hey J, you hang in there ... somewhere!" Sam remained somewhat in the background to give the girls some privacy with their beloved one. Softly the nurses and the two doctors made their way out of the infirmary in order to give them some space.
"Major Carter?" Sam jumped as she heard General Hammond's voice behind her.
"General ... Sir!" Apparently Hammond had come down to the infirmary as soon as he had heard the news about Janet's cardiac arrest.
"I came down as soon as I heard. Is Doctor Fraiser going to be okay?" Sam nodded her head curtly but didn't look so confident.
"Doctor Evans said she was gone for a pretty long time and she might be suffering some minor brain damage."
"Keep me informed!" He nodded and then returned to the men, still standing near CJ's bed. He silently spoke to them for a little while and then left to fill out some paperwork.
"Hey Carter!" Jack appeared at her side. He sensed she was in some serious need for some comfort. "She'll make it, she's tough."
"I don't know..."
"She has to! Who will chase us with big needles if she won't survive this?" Jack grinned and mentally kicked himself for not being able to do more. "I'm confident that she's gonna be just peachy. Why don't I take care of the girls so that you can have your chat with the Doc?"
"Sounds great." Jack walked over to the bed and spoke some soft words with Cassie and CJ.
"WE WILL NOT LEAVE!!" Jack came back disappointedly.
"I presume that it didn't go well?" For the first time in two days Jack saw a smile appear on Sam's face.
"Just peachy! Although I don't think CJ will be sitting there for much longer cause I had the idea her thigh is killing her again."
"Thanks for trying anyway, but I had a pretty good idea that you were gonna talk to some hard walls."
"Could at least given me a warning, Major!" Jack grinned and stuffed his hands back into his pockets.
"Oops, should have seen that one coming." She gave him a wry smile and then started staring into space again.
"Well, I'm off doing some much needed paperwork. Big pile from last month, General Hammond so not happy about this. Let me know when something changes." Jack walked to the exit and ordered Teal'c and Daniel to follow him, leaving their friends alone for a while. They would be okay for now.
Dr. Evans silently came walking back into the infirmary, checked some of Janet's monitors and then walked over to CJ. He had seen her grit her teeth once in a while, showing her thigh was bugging her again.
"Miss Fraiser, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to take you back to your bed, you still need some rest and I'm pretty sure your thigh is killing you again." He grabbed hold on the wheelchair but CJ grabbed a hold on the bed with no intention on letting go.
"Not gonna happen pal! I'm fi...argh...ne!" CJ squeezed her eyes shut and cursed the arrow that had caused her current situation.
"Watch your mouth, kid!" Sam watched the whole scene with some amusement, but decided to give the guy a break. He had, after all, saved Janet's life.
"Catherine-Jane, get your butt into that bed or I'll have the General personally tuck you in, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am!" She reluctantly let go and aloud a nurse to wheel her back to her bed on the other end of the infirmary. Once there she almost collapsed to the floor, trying to get into her bed on her own. The nurse and Sam were just in time to prevent her from getting more injuries.
"Take it easy, CJ!" Once settled under her sheets she got a painkiller and as soon as it kicked in she gave into her need for some more sleep. Seeing the youngster was settled properly, Sam slowly approached Cassie and saw that she too was more asleep then awake. She took a blanket from the bed next to Janet's and placed it over her shoulders in order to keep her warm. Now that the girls were out of the way, Sam could have some quiet time with her best friend. She took the seat, which CJ had kicked aside previously, and started some small talk. "You sure do know when to pick the right time to fall ill, Janet. You do realize that you're leaving me behind with two teenagers, don't you? I wonder where you still find the energy to get up in the morning and even get to work bright and early?" Suddenly Sam felt a small movement in her hand that quickly grew into a good handshake. "Janet, can you hear me?" Her eyes fluttered open and closed again when she was met with too much bright light. Sam quickly called Evans back and then woke up Cassie.
Dr. Evans rushed back into the infirmary, shooed Sam and Cassie out of the area and then checked Janet over. He was surprised to find her fever completely gone and after all she had been through she looked pretty healthy to him.
"Dr. Fraiser, I'm going to take that tube out now. I presume you know the drill ... so what do you say we go on three?" Janet gave him a short nod that she was ready. Dr. Evans pulled the tube out and gave her another check-up before he gave her some water to drink. When she was all settled again, he aloud Sam and Cassie to be with her again. Cassie ran directly into her mother's open arms.
"Oh Mom, I was so scared!" Again tears made their way down on the young girl's face.
"I know, sweetie, but I'm okay now." Janet looked around the infirmary to see where CJ was, when she spotted another familiar face. "Sam!"
"Hi there!" Sam walked over to the bed and gave her friend a hug.
"Just give them food on a regular base, always say they are right and you'll live." At first Sam didn't understand Janet's comment but then she remembered her earlier question and started laughing.
"Thanks for the advice. I'm actually gonna have to remember that one next time you wanna have some fun."
"Haha, real funny. Say, where's CJ?" Only then she saw the youngster hooked up to an IV-line lying on the other side of the infirmary. "What happened to her?"
"She got injured while we tried to rescue you. If she hadn't done what she did we would have been stuck on that damn planet and you would have been... But I'll tell you that on some other time, when you can leave your own infirmary. Anyway, Dr. Evans, a new guy, has been taking real good care of her." Sam winked and Janet just knew her niece had given the poor guy a hard time.
"She's been giving him a hard time, isn't she?"
"Kinda!" Sam gave her a knowing glance and then started laughing at the memory of Dr. Evans sedating CJ just to keep her quiet and a little more cooperative.
"What?" There was more to the story than her best friend was letting on and she just needed to know what CJ had done and what the poor guy had done to solve the problem.
"Nothing! Now get some rest and that is an order, Major Fraiser!" Sam took Janet's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Come on Cassie, let's give your mom some rest!" The youngster got up from the bed and followed her aunt out.
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Author: Falcon Horus
E-mail: thot_bastet@hotmail.com
Status: Finished
Category: Action/Adventure and Drama
Spoilers: (in order of appearance) CJ Fraiser, Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, Brief Candle, Legacy, Deathman Switch, In The Line Of Duty, Singularity
Sequel/Season info: none
Rating: PG-13
Content warnings: minor character death, a little bit of occasional swearing
Summary: Dr. Fraiser gets in trouble on a mission and it's up to SG-1 and CJ to save her.
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 (yup, they are mine...my own...my precioussss). This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author (just ask nicely...I won't bite).
Author's notes: It's a rewrite from the original and I like this one better than the first. I would like to thank Dena and Aset for supporting me and helping me out when I got stuck. I also would like to say that this is the unbeta'd version so any mistakes our my own!
How it all started.
General Hammond stood in the control room, looking down into the gate room, and smiled as he noticed the medical team standing there, nervously checking their gear. They were all in good spirits as they were going to go on a real mission. No, they were not going to rescue some wounded team off world. They were finally given the chance to go off world and explore a planet, which could hold some medicinal plants. When SG-6 had come back with a sample of some strange looking plants and Dr. Fraiser had gone all excited about the sample, they had immediately launched a UAV to get a better view on the surroundings of the Gate, hoping more such plants were growing in the near vicinity.
General Hammond wasn't going to let them go alone. Oh no! SG-1 was going to accompany them, just in case. He had promised the Colonel a mission where no Goa'ulds were involved, so his flag team had been picked to baby-sit the medical team. And more important, Hammond knew out of experience that, even if everything seemed to be safe at first, trouble could always rise and in such time it was always good to have an experienced team with you, and who is more than enough acquainted with trouble than SG-1.
SG-1 arrived about 5 minutes before take off, and CJ only came wandering in about the moment Sergeant Davis announced the seventh chevron being locked and the Stargate opened up. She wasn't in any way comfortable with the fact that she had been assigned to SG-1 just when they had to baby-sit the medical team, which contained her aunt. She had heard of the trip and had requested permission to join SG-5 on a trip to a planet millions of light- years away from the one they were going to now but Hammond had denied her request and here she was. CJ mumbled something that sounded like good morning to both teams and then followed her current CO up the ramp when Hammond had given them the go ahead.
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The ride through the wormhole had been a bumpy one and the two teams were spat out on the other side. They rolled down the stairs and ended up in one big pile of waving arms and legs, bumps and bruises appearing as soon as they had untangled themselves. The medical team felt sick and cold, as they weren't exactly used to the gate traveling as SG-1 was. Even CJ felt sick again and the ride they just had also reminded her an awful lot of her first trip through the Gate. When going home she had simply refused to step through the damn thing until they could assure her she was going to keep her snack inside. Which of course they hadn't been able to and as soon as they had arrived in the gate room she had passed out.
"You okay?" CJ jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up she found Major Carter standing next to her. She regretted she had looked up and judging from Sam's worried face she looked bad.
"I'm gonna be sick." CJ doubled over and threw up. She could soon feel a cool hand on her forehead and one in her neck.
"Take it easy!" 'No argument there!' CJ's day just couldn't get any worse than it already was. She wasn't only sick from gate traveling but now she also got stuck with an overprotective aunt. "Feeling better?" The kid nodded softly, afraid if she'd move her head to fast she would get sick again. "Just sit here for a minute and you'll feel a lot better!"
After a while they all looked better and O'Neill ushered them all to follow him so they could find a nice spot to set up camp. Soon they were discussing several great spots but SG-1 couldn't decide which one to take so Jack decided someone else should pick a spot.
"CJ, where do you think we can set up camp?" The Colonel started pointing out to several open spaces, while CJ silently debated why the man picked her to do this. She knew he was the expert and she knew he would pick his spot no matter what the rest of them would say. When she felt that a couple of eyes were staring at her, she looked again to all the spots she could choose from. An uncomfortable feeling started to crawl up her spine.
"How about the one Teal'c proposed?" Teal'c's spot had a great view on the Gate, was shielded from the rest of the grassy plane by a few trees that led to a dense forest and more than large enough to plant down some tents.
"Great choice, kiddo!" CJ looked surprised at her CO. He had agreed and hadn't discussed her choice, trying to get her to pick his choice for some bizarre reason. "Off we go!"
Teal'c's spot it was and soon SG-1 was setting up camp, while the medical team had eagerly gone off to search for more medicinal plants. CJ hadn't much luck as she was ordered around by almost everyone. When, at last, she managed to sneak away from the camp and found herself a nice spot to start reading her USAF manual, her aunt called her over the radio and into the forest. With no other choice then to follow orders she jogged off in search for her aunt.
It was only after ten minutes and three falls over some tree roots that CJ found Janet among some strange flowers, who looked somewhat like the one SG- 6 had brought back a few days ago. CJ limped over to her aunt and really hoped she hadn't sprained her ankle when meeting the ground a third time a few minutes earlier.
"Here I am! What is it you want me to do?" CJ kicked a pebble out of the way and immediately regretted that movement. She had really hurt her foot stumbling over that last root.
"Oh, are we in a friendly mood today!" Janet looked up at her niece, who was hopping around cursing the tree roots. CJ gave her a look back that could have crumbled the Sphinx. "You okay?" When CJ nodded in the confirmative way she placed a clipboard in the teenager's hands and started to dictate gibberish, or so it sounded to CJ.
"Uh ... what?" The pencil hovered over the paper for a few seconds while CJ's mouth dropped a few inches.
"Just write down what I dictate! I won't mind spelling mistakes!" Janet looked at her niece, who hesitated another second, sighed and then just started to write down what her aunt had just dictated to her.
The rest of the day was spent among strange flowers and plants that might have medical value in some way. CJ had never heard that much gibberish before as she had that afternoon. Her ankle had stopped hurting and after that her mood had improved as well. The occasional tree root that got in her way had caused some cursing from CJ's side but mainly everything went just fine.
While they were studying the local vegetation, SG-1 was securing the perimeter just to be on the safe side, and kept a watchful eye on the medical team. Whenever they lost one of them out of side for a minute they contacted them through the radios.
"Those guys really love this place, don't they!" O'Neill looked at Captain Peter James who came running by with a plant in his hands and a big grin on his face.
That evening they enjoyed their macaroni and cheese that tasted like chicken. While the rest of the team crawled into their tents, Jack took the first watch. They had made a schedule so that everybody had at least an hour watch. CJ was sharing her tent with Janet, Sam and Lt. Mary Eagles. Being tired from the afternoon, hearing gibberish and falling over tree roots, CJ was soon fast asleep until somewhere around the early morning Sam woke her up for her watch.
"Hey CJ!" Sam bent over the sleeping form and gently shook the youngster's shoulder. "It's your turn to keep watch." She could hear CJ's grumbling coming from within the sleeping bag. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'm up!" CJ sighed, clicked her weapons back on and walked out of the tent, into the cold night air.
It was a clear night and stars were shimmering brightly in the sky. CJ put some more wood on the fire to get warm because she was getting darn cold just sitting around. Even though she only had to sit out there for an hour she was bored after only ten minutes. With only the stars and the silence as her companion she started to clean her Beretta. When her watch beeped, indicating that her hour had passed, she was surprised how fast it had passed by. She hurried back to the tent and woke up Lt. Eagles.
********************
Whistling birds and Colonels woke up CJ from her oh so pleasant dream about riding with a red viper, attracting lots of attention from good- looking cuties. She grumbled loudly and when she noticed everybody was already up, she decided for the best to get up too. She didn't want to experience her last wake up-call again when O'Neill had splashed a whole can of water over her face, soaking her on an ice-cold planet.
"Good morning campers!" O'Neill greeted his team when they appeared around the fire to get breakfast. "CJ, you're awake? I already had my can ready for you." CJ looked annoyed at him and then just ignored him.
"So, what's on the program today?" Sam looked at the medical team and just knew what they'd be doing the rest of the morning, afternoon and night if they had the chance.
"This planet is heaven. There are so many species of plants, which are all extremely interesting to study. So, I guess we will be doing the same as yesterday." Dr. Fraiser looked at Sam and smiled when she saw how her friend had already figured out they would be enjoying more flora today.
"Okay, just stay in radio-contact and you'll have to miss CJ, as she is ours today." Colonel O'Neill stood up, stretched his legs and walked back to his tent to collect some stuff.
"Hey, I'm not a thing, you know!" CJ muttered angrily at Jack, tossing her empty cup at his back.
"Ready kids!" Sam and Daniel nodded and followed O'Neill into the open field in front of the Gate. Teal'c and CJ came jogging somewhat behind.
As soon as SG-1 was complete, they first contacted the SGC just to let them know everything was fine. General Hammond was pleased to hear that his medical team was having the time of their life and that no immediate danger was expected. They promised to contact the SGC back at 1900 hours that evening. Having done what Hammond had asked them to, report back, they walked back to their campsite and class could start.
"Okay kids, listen up!" O'Neill looked at his team members. "CJ knew about this trip and requested to be assigned to another team so she didn't have to come along with us on this happy little camping-trip." CJ's face fell as she realized it had been O'Neill who had requested her presence after hearing of her own request with the General. 'This can never be good!' "Okay Kiddo, you might not like this but Hammond denied your request so you could have some more field experience with us, and more important we need to work on your rescue skills, as I heard that your last mission with SG-4 was a tiny bit of a disaster." CJ gave the others a wry smile, as that was the first time they heard of a mission gone a bit wrong, as they knew CJ hadn't been aloud, for the time being, to go on possible dangerous missions anymore since her adventure on Roma.
"What happened?" Carter looked at the youngster, standing next to her and suddenly it dawned on her. She had heard of a mission gone a bit wrong, involving SG-4, but she hadn't a clue CJ had been with the team at the time. "It wasn't that mission to P4X-003, was it?" Again CJ gave her friend a wry smile and nodded. "You were with them?"
"Yeah, I ... I was."
"That's why Hammond wants her to know some skills to rescue injured team mates. I think he got a lecture from the Doc on CJ's poor rescue skills. And something about her safety off world was on the menu too, I think. So, here we go!" Daniel and Sam looked from CJ to their CO and knew at once that whatever Jack was going to do with CJ they had to play along with, and experience had proven that it wasn't always a good thing. He, on the other hand, was going to have a lot of fun the next few hours. "Okay CJ, keeping your mission with SG-4 in mind you have to know this one important rule that you forgot on P4X-003 ... never leave a team member behind ... no matter how bad the situation looks!"
"Okay, got that!" CJ knew that her behavior on P4X-003 had been quite selfish but in the end it had saved her life.
"Now, let's go back over that mission with SG-4, you were ambushed and Major Anderson was shot down. What did you do at that time?" Jack looked at CJ, waiting for the answer he already knew but wanted to hear anyway.
"Get the hell out of there, Sir!" CJ knew that she should have stayed and help the poor Major but fear had gripped her heart and she had run back to the Gate to safety.
"You left Major Anderson behind!" Jack gave CJ a disapproval look. "You should have helped Captain Martin carry her back to the Gate!" CJ felt like she was getting a lecture and in a way she was, but she had been in shock, diagnosed by Dr. Fraiser herself. "I know it was more or less your first time meeting angry Jaffa and therefore we're gonna teach you how to help an injured team member so that next time you join SG-4, or any other team for that matter, you can bring them all home safe in case something would happen. Okidoki?"
"Okay, I think you're right. I should have helped Captain Martin but I was too busy trying to not panic too much, Sir."
"Okay, first of all we start with..." Jack started his explanation, once in a while interrupted by his 2IC or Daniel. Teal'c just kept watch and made sure the medical team was still okay.
SG-1 spend the rest of the morning rescuing each other from various threats and treating each other's various wounds before being dragged off to the Gate in various ways, some more easier than others. Half the time they had ended on the ground doubled over in laughter and the other half of the time they had listened carefully to Jack's explanation or anecdote he told them from his time in black ops. In the middle of another rescue operation, set up by CJ and Sam this time, to save Daniel from an angry spider they were interrupted by loud screaming and gunshots. They looked up alerted and Sam noticed how CJ slightly tensed at the noise.
"Doc, come in!" While running back to the campsite and to the area where the medical team was playing, Jack called Fraiser over the radio, wanting to know what was going on. "Doc!"
"Sir, we're..." Janet had started but then there was nothing more than static.
"O'Neill ... look!" They all looked in the direction Teal'c was pointing and saw how Captain James and Lt. Eagles came running out of the forest, waving frantically for SG-1 to come to their side for help.
"What happened?" O'Neill looked at the two airmen. "And where are Jones and Fraiser?"
"We were attacked." Lt. Eagles quickly explained to them what had occurred. "They tried to take us prisoner but we scared them off with our guns."
"I thought there weren't any folks on this planet!" Jack turned to Carter, who just shrugged.
"Where's J?" CJ looked from Peter to Mary and back. "We had contact with her for just two seconds and then nothing. You know what happened to her?"
"I'm sorry, CJ. Dr. Fraiser and Airman Jones were working behind the hill. They were too far away from us but I guess they were probably caught by those ... Indians!"
"We have to find them! They might be in need of help." CJ ran into the forest but Jack ordered her to come back.
"Right!" Jack looked at Peter and Mary and then to his own kids. "You two, head back for the Gate and tell General Hammond we ran into some trouble after all. Stay there and secure that area. CJ, you stay with them!" How much he wanted to take the kid along she wasn't ready for this yet and he didn't want her to get hurt or anything.
"What? No, I'm going with you! No way, I'm gonna sit here and wait for you to come back." CJ looked at Jack, desperately trying to convince him to take her along. "Sir, I promise I won't make the same mistake as I did with SG-4. I promise! Please?"
"Oh alright! Let's move out people!" Jack waved to his kids to follow him out into the forest.
********************
SG-1 walked quietly to the place Lt. Eagles had pointed out to them where they would normally find Dr. Fraiser and Airman Jones. As they reached the hillside they took cover and quickly secured the area, hoping that none of the inhabitants was around to surprise them with another attack.
"Okay, now what?" Jack looked around but couldn't see anything that would lead them to where the two missing team members would be.
"O'Neill!" They all looked at Teal'c. "I think I have found a trail." Jack walked over to his Jaffa and looked at the broken twigs. The inhabitants had made their way back to wherever they came from through the bushes and thereby leaving a clear trail as if wanting the others to follow them.
"It looks as if they want us to follow them." CJ looked at it and felt like something was wrong. The trail didn't seem to be right.
"It's too obvious, Sir!" Sam looked from the trail to her CO and back.
"Well, this is all we have considering the UAV didn't show life signs in the first place." Jack quickly glanced sideways to Carter who just ignored the accusation. "We follow it and hope that these inhabitants are indeed as stupid as to leave a trail that obvious. Let us hope it's not a trap. Teal'c, you take point! Carter, close the line!"
As they slowly made their way through the bushes they looked around suspiciously. Every time a twig would break or someone would stumble over some root, they stopped to listen for movement. Most of the way they were just silently hoping the trail wouldn't suddenly end and leave them wandering around in the forest. Suddenly Teal'c raised his hand and at once they stopped walking, hoping bad guys didn't somehow surround them. The Jaffa began moving forward again after a few seconds but they stopped almost immediately as they heard a soft murmur coming from their left.
"Okay kids, be careful here!" Jack slowly moved forward and ordered Teal'c to follow him and the others to take a detour. What they were about to discover, was going to haunt some of them during their upcoming nights. They found Airmen Jones pinned to a tree, a spear going through his abdomen straight into the tree behind him. There was blood around the wound; his vest was soaked with it, while a trail of blood ran from his mouth down his chin into his neck. He was still alive, not wanting to give into the need for sleep because that was all he really wanted to do. "Oh God!" Jack turned away at first sight. He was used to a lot but some things even were too much for him to bear. Sam had rushed to his side as soon as she had been able to control her stomach a little, but she knew there wasn't much she could do to help. He was dying and all she could do for him was making it as comfortable as possible.
"Major Car..." His voice faded but he kept looking at her. "Doc's ... alive ... that ... way!" With one last effort he pointed to his right and than he gave into his need for sleep.
"He's dead, Sir." Sam turned to her CO and only then noticed CJ, looking paler than a sheet. "Daniel!" She glanced from him to CJ and he immediately dragged her away from the scene.
When CJ turned away the adrenaline wore off but the fear remained and she doubled over throwing up her breakfast. This was worse than her trip with SG-4. Major Anderson hadn't died but now she had actually seen someone die and the thought alone send her down for another round of throwing up and some dry heaves. After a while the fear subsided and with it the throwing up stopped. She was lying flat on her back, allowing herself to drift away on happy memories. She soon found herself in her grandparent's backyard, yelling of pure joy. She, only about 4 years old, running around, chasing the dog, and then cuddling up in her mother's lap, arms stretching out towards her aunt wanting her to play with her.
"Daniel, Jack wants you to help get Jones off that tree." Sam had met up with them, knowing that she had to talk to CJ about what had just happened. "How is she?" Daniel looked back at the youngster on the ground.
"She threw up so I guess she's not taking this all too well." Sam gave him a knowing smile and then turned her attention to the kid on the ground.
"CJ, you okay?" Sam sat herself down next to CJ and patiently waited for her to sit up and talk.
"I'm..." She sighed and looked up at Sam. "Michael was my guinea pig during my first aid classes. We always had so much fun. He..." CJ turned her gaze away and looked up to where the sun came through the treetops, tears were making their way down. Sam took the youngster in a hug and tried to find the words to sooth her but knew that the loss was a hard one to take in.
"It's going to be okay, I promise." Sam didn't know if it was actually going to be okay. If the inhabitants had killed Jones then they were more than capable of doing the same to her best friend.
"Carter, we have to move!" Sam jumped as she heard her CO's voice, finding him standing behind her leaning against the same tree they were leaning against. She didn't let go of CJ who was still sniffing in her embrace. He bent down so he was face to face with his young friend. "CJ, the sooner we move the sooner we might find the Doc." CJ looked back at him and nodded quietly. Brushing her tears away, she let go off Sam and got up.
They continued their way in silence, once in a while a breaking twig or a sniffle coming from the youngster broke that silence. After finding Jones the mood had gone down considerably and Jack had promised himself he would find the Doc and save her from the people that had killed a good man. After more than two hours of trying to find a way through the bushes and many trees they found themselves on top of a small hill with a small village at the bottom. A small valley stretched out in front of them where they could detect fields with crops which meant the people on this planet where more than likely farmers. But why had they killed Jones if they were just farmers? They duck down to the ground as soon as they saw a group of people leaving a church-like building and gathering in the center of the village. It was then that they noticed a smaller group standing a bit in the shadow of another large building. One of them was holding something in his arms and it didn't need much to figure out the 'something' the guy was holding was Fraiser.
"Sir?" Sam looked from the villagers to her CO and back.
"I know, Carter!" Jack took the binocular and took a closer look at the villagers down below. They had suddenly parted to let a seemingly more important person pass through. He looked at the group and suddenly started yelling at them, frantically waving with his arms to give his speech more force. It had effect as Jack noticed the little group backing away a little and humbly bowing their heads. When he was done yelling at them he took a closer look to what the men had brought back with them. He seemed to be pleased they at least had followed his orders and had brought him something of value, or so it seemed according to what Jack could make out from his nods and his more friendly approach towards the merry little group. "Well, it's not going to be easy to get the Doc out of there without unfortunate victims." Jack turned to his kids who had been watching the scene in the village as well.
"The guy seemed to be pleased with the 'gift' the group brought him." Daniel took off his glasses and promptly started to clean them. "From what I can see, I think that guy's in charge."
"Ya think?" Jack shook his head a little but knew they had to come up with a suitable plan if they ever wanted to rescue the Doc from whatever she had landed herself into. "Okay, in about four hours it will be dark on this planet, which means that in about six hours we will go in, find Fraiser and get the hell out of here. I want to be back at the Gate by morning." Jack shifted a little so he was lying somewhat better. He looked at CJ. "Get some rest! You're gonna need it!" CJ nodded, shifted a little and huddled herself up in a little ball. It didn't take her long to doze off in a peaceful sleep. She was just too tired to dream about what had happened with Jones.
********************
Around ten in the evening Jack ordered Sam to wake up CJ. He had figured a way into the village and really hoped they wouldn't notice them wandering around town because there were more guards than he liked there to be in the first place. Jack explained his plan over an energy-bar and a can of water.
"Okay, here's what we're gonna do." Jack took a twig and made a simple drawing of the village on the ground. "There are guards walking around at all sides of the village so we have to get in unseen not by one set of guards but four. Now, not to make it too obvious we're going in on two different sides. Carter, you're with Teal'c, and Daniel, you're with me." Jack then looked at CJ and smiled as he noticed how she started to form an objection of she being left out. "CJ, I want you to stay here and monitor the guards' movement. We stay in radio contact so you can tell us when we are in trouble and should get the hell out of there. Got it?" CJ's objection disappeared at once and she nodded eagerly. "Okay, right after mister I'm-in-charge-of-this-place disappeared they locked the Doc in this smaller house here, conveniently in the center of the village. As soon as we get her out of there, we meet back here and get the hell out of here." Jack checked his P90 and gave his binocular to CJ. "Okay kids, let's move! CJ, remember ... stay low, no matter what happens! And if we get caught, you get back to the Gate. It's south from our position, got it!" The kid nodded and then dropped flat on the ground spying on the guards and their movements.
Sam and Teal'c moved in from the east side, through the main entrance, while Jack and Daniel took the west side. They used the shadows of the houses to cover their tracks from the guards. Once in a while both couples were stopped by CJ as the guards closed in on their positions. Then when given the all clear again they ran to the small house as fast as they could.
"CJ, what's our status?" Jack looked around while Sam was picking the door's lock.
"They haven't detected your presence yet, Sir. You should be safe for a while! CJ out!"
"We're in, Sir!" Sam carefully opened the door and covered Jack as he slowly made his way inside. Once there they bumped into problem number one, one they hadn't really counted on. The villagers had left a guard inside and he was now wide-awake. Before he could scream for help he was out cold on the floor.
"Get movin' people!" Jack looked down to the man and knew they would be discovered if they didn't work any faster.
"Janet's over here!" Daniel had found the Doctor in the back, lying on a bed made of straw. "Oh my God, she's burning up!" Pearls of sweat were visible on her forehead and Daniel's cold hand immediately warmed up as he touched the Doctor's skin.
"Sir, I think it's time to move. I think they're on to you!" CJ's voice sounded over the radio, making Jack turn back to the door, just in time to hear a long blow on a horn.
"Daniel, pick her up! We have to move! NOW!" Daniel did as he was ordered and quickly scooped Fraiser in his arms. She mumbled some incoherent words before lapsing back into blissful unconsciousness. "CJ, which side?"
"West! The way you and Daniel came! I'll make sure they don't follow you! Just don't take the east side, Sir!"
"Okay, let's get out of here!" Jack didn't give it a second thought and ordered his kids out. As soon as they were out in the open they heard projectiles fly around their heads. While Sam and Daniel ran for it, Jack and Teal'c opened fire but it wasn't really necessary as they suddenly heard a big explosion somewhere in the neighborhood of the entrance, sending some of the guards flying ten feet in the air. SG-1 got away safely and went back to the point of rendezvous but CJ wasn't there. "CJ, where are you?" Jack's voice wasn't all too friendly. CJ had disobeyed a direct order, although he knew that if she hadn't then they would have been stuck in the village.
"I'm on my way, Sir!" They heard some gunshots at their right and then silence.
"There she is, Sir!" Sam had seen a black figure running their way, but the figure didn't get all too far as she suddenly sank to the ground with a soft cry. "CJ!" Sam and Jack ran over to the youngster, which as they got a closer look had been target practice for one of the guards down below. An arrow was sticking out her right thigh.
"I'm ... sorry!" CJ gritted her teeth as the pain flared through her leg. "But ... I had to do ... something!"
"We have to get out of here!" Jack helped CJ up and with support from both Carter and O'Neill she managed to stumble down the hillside, biting the pain. They soon found a place where they could hide for a while before making their way back to the Gate.
"Jack, how long will we be stuck here?" Daniel looked at his friend and down to Fraiser, still in place in his arms. He knew they had to move, not only for Janet's sake but also for CJ's sake, as he heard her stifle a cry.
"Sir, we have to remove that arrow." Sam was holding CJ and prevented her from crying out loud every time a sting of pain went through her system, which was all too frequently.
"If we remove it, she'll loose more blood. And ... we can't just pull it back out, we'd have to push it through. The only thing we can do for her is make sure it doesn't move too much, trying to keep the wound as small as possible, controlling the blood loss." Jack looked at CJ's pale face and saw tears making their way down. "You'll be fine, kiddo!"
They had waited another two hours before continuing their way back to the Gate. CJ had passed out and Teal'c had offered to carry her back, as he was the strongest of the four. It was only the next morning that they arrived back at camp. A rather odd sight greeted them, as they saw General Hammond, no less, wearing a hole in the ground in front of the Stargate. As soon as Captain James and Lieutenant Eagles caught them in sight the rest of the camp got in action as well.
"Colonel O'Neill?" Peter looked from the Colonel to his commanding officer in Daniel's arms and then to unconscious CJ in Teal'c's arms. "What happened? Where's Jones?"
"Doctor Fraiser and CJ need medical attention ASAP. Jones is dead. I'm sorry. You'll hear the rest in the debriefing." Jack looked at the young man in front of him and smiled as he started to order the other medical team around. He had sure been paying attention to his CO. "General, took a trip through the Gate, I see!" General Hammond nodded. He started to form a question but his 2IC interrupted him before he could even ask it properly. "We'll tell you that when we're back on Earth, Sir!"
********************
As soon as they had returned to Earth SG-1 had taken a long hot shower before heading to their debriefing. Warner, except for the two Fraisers stuck in the infirmary, had cleared them all. CJ had been taken into the OR the moment they had stepped onto the ramp and Janet was pumped with antibiotics and had gone through more tests than they could ever hold possible. It was only too bad she wasn't conscious when Warner was sticking her with her own needles.
As SG-1 walked into the briefing room they noticed Lieutenant Eagles and Captain James standing at the window staring at the Stargate. They nodded as soon as they acknowledged SG-1's presence.
"Okay people, have a seat!" General Hammond appeared out of his office and motioned them to take a seat at the oval table. "Now, what happened?"
"Well Sir, we were cataloguing more plants this morning. We were paired off; Mary and I were working together and Dr. Fraiser and Michael. Around 1200 we heard strange noises coming from deeper in the forest. It sounded like chanting. Suddenly these well-muscled men with spears attacked us and arrows were flying overhead. We scared them away when we started firing our guns. They fled over the hill. We ran back to the camp where we had alerted SG-1." Captain James suddenly felt like he had better followed the barbarians and in doing so he might have been able to safe Jones and Fraiser from being killed and captured. "Colonel O'Neill told us to contact you and stay at the Gate to secure the area while they went in search for the Doc and Jones."
"We went to the place Captain James had appointed where he thought Janet and Michael would be. We found only a trail made by the inhabitants. We were weary to follow it but it was our only hope on finding the two missing members. We followed the trail for a while until we found Airman Jones pinned to a tree. He pointed the way they had taken Fraiser before he died." Jack looked at his 2IC as she explained their little adventure and noticed how much she was troubled by the image of seeing Michael Jones pinned to a tree, probably killed as a warning. "Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel removed him from the tree and then we headed for the village we encountered after another two hour walk. We waited until it was dark before setting out a rescue mission to safe Janet from whatever fate that had come onto her. Everything went according plan until we were discovered. CJ warned us they had found out about our presence in the village and she told us to run for it. She guided us to the west side while apparently she made a diversion at the eastside, at the entrance. Upon her return she was shot down. They didn't follow us but we stayed low anyway, just to be on the safe side. In the early morning we headed back to the Gate and met up with you, Sir."
"I thought there weren't any inhabitants on this planet?" Hammond looked at Carter, who dropped her head in defeat.
"I don't know how the UAV could have missed them, Sir." She re ally didn't know why they hadn't gotten that kind of feedback from the UAV.
A young unknown Doctor came walking in the briefing room, startling the ones sitting there. He was holding two folders, no doubt CJ's and Janet's. He nodded to General Hammond and then took a seat on the only free chair next to Lieutenant Eagles.
"Let me introduce you to Dr. Michael Evans!" The man looked up from the folders. "Doctor, the people on my left are Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Sam Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c of SG-1. And these are Captain Peter James and Lieutenant Mary Eagles of the medical team." Dr. Evans nodded to them as some kind of greeting.
"Doctor Evans, no doubt you want to discuss the two Fraisers?" O'Neill looked from the General to the new Doctor, who was intently studying his files.
"As a matter of fact..." The new guy shifted some of his papers and then he finally looked up at them. "...I do."
"And?" Sam looked at him intently, making him feel very uncomfortable.
"Well, it doesn't look too good, I must say. We have found some kind of foreign drug in Dr. Fraiser's system, which seems to cause her to have this dangerously high fever. But we're not sure yet. We're pumping her with antibiotics, hoping it will make her fever go down but so far it's not working too well. She's slipping in and out of consciousness and most of the time she seems to be conscious she's delirious." Evans looked at the faces and saw that these people really cared about the woman lying in the infirmary. They had a band with her that had been established a long time ago. Maybe one day he'd have a similar band with these people too.
"What about CJ?"
"I was getting to that, Sir." Evans took the second file and flipped it open. "Dr. Warner successfully removed the arrow. There wasn't any major damage but it will take her a while to get back on her feet. She'll have to do some rehabilitation. In other words she will be just fine."
"Does Cassandra know what is going on?" Daniel looked from Dr. Evans to the General. He heard Carter sigh deeply next to him and knew if she hadn't been military she would have been letting her emotions run freely. It was, after all, her best friend who was lying in the infirmary.
"No, I wanted to wait for the first results. Maybe you should get her here?" Hammond looked at his flag team, who just nodded. "You are all on stand down until further notice. Dismissed!" Hammond got up and returned to his office, while the two members of the medical team left as well to check up on their CO.
"Carter, why don't you go check up on CJ and the Doc? We will occupy ourselves with Cassie." Jack looked at his 2IC and just knew she needed to be in that chair next to Janet's bedside.
"Yes Sir." She nodded slowly and left the briefing room not even noticing Teal'c followed her out.
"Come on, Daniel! Let's get this over with!" Jack dropped his hand on the younger man's shoulder and pulled him along with him. He wondered how on earth they were going to explain to the girl what had happened to her mother. Jack knew he would have that figured out when they got there.
********************
Teal'c had positioned himself at the end of CJ's bed, while Sam had taken the seat next to Janet's bed. She was holding one of Janet's cold hands in hers, trying hard to keep the tears from falling. She looked up as she suddenly heard a light grumble coming from CJ. Sam got up, reluctantly letting go of her best friend she walked over to the youngster's bed. Teal'c had turned to look at his young friend and noticed how she stirred a little.
"CJ?" The girl's eyes fluttered open but closed again when met with too much bright light. It took her a while to remember what had happened or where she was. After a while she acknowledged Sam and Teal'c at her bedside, groaning as she suddenly remembered the arrow and the pain in her thigh. "CJ, you okay?"
"Where..." CJ's voice sounded harsh and she tried to voice some coherent words but she just felt too tired.
"It's okay. You're in the infirmary." Sam looked down to the youngster and noticed how she suddenly tensed and gritted her teeth, trying not to cry out in pain. "CJ?" Sam panicked a little. Maybe Dr. Evans was wrong about CJ being okay and something worse was wrong. "Teal'c, get Warner in here!" The Jaffa nodded and left to find Dr. Warner.
Not much later Warner came into the infirmary, followed closely by Teal'c and Evans. He quickly checked up on Janet before turning his attention to the youngster. He looked at her chart, controlled the wound and then he ordered Evans to get something for the pain.
"Okay CJ, this is going to make you drowsy and the pain will soon go away." Warner injected the painkiller into the IV-line and seconds later CJ's eyes closed and her grip on Sam's hand relaxed.
"She'll be okay, right?" Carter looked up to the Doctor standing next to her.
"Don't worry, Major Carter! If there's one thing I know about this girl then it's the fact that she will be just fine. She's a fighter." Warner sighed. "I only hope she inherited that from her father's side." Sam looked at him when she heard him sigh and noticed he was staring at his CMO, and realized what he just had said. Was he implying that it didn't look too good for Janet? 'No Sam, don't think about that! You know fighting is a part of the Fraiser-family.'
Jack and Daniel returned later that afternoon, accompanied by Cassandra. Her eyes were reddish when she entered the infirmary and promptly fled into Sam's arms. Carter enveloped the youngster and hugged her tightly feeling the tears finally making their way down. When they parted, they were both crying.
"I'm so sorry, Cassie." Sam looked from the girl to the woman in the bed and back. "I..."
"It's okay, Sam. It's going to be okay, right?" Cassie looked at her guardian angel and all Carter could do was nod.
"Guys, I think someone is waking up here!" Daniel was looking at a stirring and grumbling CJ. Sam immediately made her way over to the youngster's side, remembering what had happened a few hours before.
"CJ?" The girl's eyes fluttered open and it seemed that the tiredness she had felt the first time she woke up was somewhat gone. "You feeling okay?"
"Morphine ... bloody lovely!" CJ swallowed a few times but her throat just stayed dry. "Water..." Carter gave her some ice chips, which she happily accepted. When she was finally settled she could have a better look on her surroundings, noticing Cassie at her mother's bedside. "J?"
"Not good!" Jack looked at the youngster, who had probably saved their lives almost at her own cost, and slowly shook his head. "She has an alien drug in her system which causes her to have this really high fever." He sighed, wishing there was something he could do to make his kids feel better.
"Well, how's my patient doing?" They looked up startled as they heard an all too cheerful Dr. Evans coming into the infirmary. "Feeling any better?" Evans grabbed CJ's chart and checked some of her vitals. When he wanted to take a look at her leg she stopped him.
"Hold it ... right there, buddy!" Jack softly chuckled. "Who ... are you?" CJ frowned at him and wasn't going to give up without a fight. What was that man thinking?
"I'm your doctor ... Dr. Michael Evans. And I need to see if the nurse has to give you a new bandage." Evans tried to continue his job but CJ refused to let him.
"Oh no, no way!" CJ looked around for some back up but all she got were some amused looks. "Nobody touches me ... except for J."
"Who?" Evans soon realized it was better to have an unconscious CJ than a conscious one.
"It seems CJ Fraiser only wants to be treated by Doctor Fraiser." Teal'c looked at the young Doctor. Jack again chuckled softly.
"Well, then that's too bad for you, kiddo, as she isn't available right now. You'll have to settle with me." Evans pulled a big needle out of his pocket and promptly emptied it in CJ's IV.
"Hey, what's th..." As the sedative kicked in CJ slipped into unconsciousness. Jack stopped chuckling as he saw what the Doctor just did to one of his kids.
"Hey, what was that for?" He looked at the now sleeping kid and realized that the new guy wasn't someone to have a misunderstanding with.
"Just something to keep her quiet!" Now it was Sam's turn to chuckle softly as no other doctor had tried that on the kid before and she knew he could bring them to ideas to use the method on whiny Colonels.
SG-1 stayed in the infirmary all night through. Once in a while someone would leave to get some steamy coffee or would doze off in some restless sleep, haunted by the image of Jones pinned to a tree. In the morning they left for breakfast only to return about a half hour later to retake their seats next to CJ's and Janet's bedsides. Soon Dr. Evans came in, checking in on his patients getting a loud grumble as he passed by CJ.
"Good morning Miss Fraiser! How are we feeling today? Any more pain?" He beamed her a big smile, one she returned with a death stare.
"I'm fine!" She repositioned herself so she was able to look across the infirmary. "How's J?"
"Not doing too well." Evans sighed and placed CJ's chart down. "Her fever hasn't come down and I don't know what to do to get it down. Antibiotics aren't working! ... I'll send a nurse over with your breakfast."
"Thanks!" CJ nodded and kept staring at her aunt, laying some three beds further down the row. Cassie had seen her awake and moved, albeit reluctantly, to her side.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" CJ looked at her and smiled a little.
"Morphine is great. I'll be up in no time..." CJ looked at Evans who gave her a look that told her she was going to be stuck in the infirmary for at least a week. "...I think!"
"Sam told me what happened on the planet and that it was thanks to you they got out."
"Yeah, but to what cost?" They smiled at each other, not really knowing what they should talk about. CJ got her breakfast and offered her cousin one of her sandwiches. They started nibbling until SG-1 returned. After that they all took turns, staying with CJ and Janet, and CJ even managed to get Evans so far to give her a wheelchair so she could be at her aunt's bedside.
During the afternoon they got the scare of their lives. CJ had been ordered back into her own bed as she had been yawning since lunch. At first she had tried to hide it but Evans was a very perceptive person and had suddenly appeared behind her, had grabbed her wheelchair and had rolled her back to her own bed. CJ had protested but there had been nothing she could do if she didn't want to end up sedated again. Trying to cheer the youngster up a little, and waiting for sleep to overtake her, Jack had gotten a deck of cards. After a while he, Teal'c and CJ were engrossed in a game of Go Fish.
"Okay ... Teal'c, got any queens?" CJ looked at the Jaffa.
"Go fish!" CJ grumbled and stretched her hand out to pick a card from the deck but something stopped her mid-air.
"CJ, something wrong?" Jack looked up from his cards and sensed something was amiss. What happened next seemed to go in slow motion. Something in the steady beep, that had been heard during the past hours, suddenly changed, quickly turning into a continuous beep.
"Mom! No!" Cassie jumped up panicked.
"Oh my God!" Daniel took a hold on Cassie's shoulders and pulled her away from the bed, giving the nurses and Dr. Evans and Dr. Warner room to work on getting Janet back to the world of the living.
"No Daniel ... I want to stay!" Cassie struggled against Daniel's grip but he wouldn't let go off her.
"Let the doctors do their work, Cassie! Come on!" Daniel pulled her along to the other side of the infirmary and set her down on CJ's bed. Sam was staring at the scene in front of her and didn't feel the hand that pulled her along to the other side. Jack was now full blown worried. If they weren't going to be able to bring the Doc back he knew his kids wouldn't survive.
"No ... not again!" CJ's stare was fixed on the other side of the infirmary. She had seen this happen before. History repeated itself, as she had been there when her mother had flat lined and when Doctors had tried to revive her. It had all happened in front of her and at that time nobody had seen her standing in the hospital room. The memory flashed by and tears started to make their way down.
"She'll make it!" Daniel had dropped a hand on CJ's shoulder and gave it a little reassuring squeeze. "She'll make it!" He knew she wasn't the only one who needed to hear that now, as he knew that his friends needed to hear it too. Janet wouldn't give up that easily, would she?
It seemed to be an eternity before Doctors Evans and Warner managed to bring Janet back to the world of the living. As soon as the audience heard the rhythmic beep again a collective sigh of relief could be heard. When the two Doctors were totally sure their patient would be okay, they went to the family and friends to have a little chat with them. As soon as they saw him coming towards them, they all straightened a little bracing themselves for whatever news was going to come.
"Is she going to be okay?" CJ's eyes darted from one Doctor to the other and back. They both had a wary expression on their faces and didn't immediately answer the question. "She is going to be alright, right?"
"Well, she seems to be stable and the fever seems to be down too but..." Evans looked directly at Colonel O'Neill and pleaded silently with him to send the youngsters away.
"But..." If this was any serious than Jack knew his kids and the youngsters were better off hearing it directly from him. Dr. Evans took the hint and slowly eyed the two young women and the team in front of him.
"She was gone for a pretty long time. We don't know yet for certain, but..." One last glance to Colonel O'Neill and one look at the older Doctor, standing at his side, separated Evans from the bad news. "...There is a chance that she suffered some minor brain damage."
"Oh my God." Sam gasped slightly and felt a trembling hand searching hers. Tears were running freely again and she felt Cassie squeeze her hand. Daniel's hand was still on CJ's shoulder and Jack felt the need to kick some Goa'uld's ass. Of all the people it had to happen to the Doc. Teal'c looked at his friends and knew they were in a great deal of pain, which he would try to heal. They knew they could count on him, no matter what happened, he would always be there for them, all of them.
"Is it ... is it okay if we see her ... just for a second?" CJ had finally found her speech again.
"Uhm ... maybe that's..." Dr. Warner started but CJ interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.
"Please, you got to let us be with her right now!" CJ was getting angry with Warner and was ready to practice some combat skills on him although her thigh was killing her again.
"Relax CJ, I was going to say that that was probably a good idea, because the more voices she hears the sooner she'll wake up." The teenager's faces immediately lit up and dragging Sam with them they ran and wheeled over to Janet's bedside.
Cassie took a seat next to her mother's bed and took one of Janet's cold hands in her own. CJ had to maneuver her wheelchair in between the bed and some monitors, without unplugging something important.
"Hi Mom, you scared me!" Cassie swallowed a heavy lump down her throat.
"Hey J, you hang in there ... somewhere!" Sam remained somewhat in the background to give the girls some privacy with their beloved one. Softly the nurses and the two doctors made their way out of the infirmary in order to give them some space.
"Major Carter?" Sam jumped as she heard General Hammond's voice behind her.
"General ... Sir!" Apparently Hammond had come down to the infirmary as soon as he had heard the news about Janet's cardiac arrest.
"I came down as soon as I heard. Is Doctor Fraiser going to be okay?" Sam nodded her head curtly but didn't look so confident.
"Doctor Evans said she was gone for a pretty long time and she might be suffering some minor brain damage."
"Keep me informed!" He nodded and then returned to the men, still standing near CJ's bed. He silently spoke to them for a little while and then left to fill out some paperwork.
"Hey Carter!" Jack appeared at her side. He sensed she was in some serious need for some comfort. "She'll make it, she's tough."
"I don't know..."
"She has to! Who will chase us with big needles if she won't survive this?" Jack grinned and mentally kicked himself for not being able to do more. "I'm confident that she's gonna be just peachy. Why don't I take care of the girls so that you can have your chat with the Doc?"
"Sounds great." Jack walked over to the bed and spoke some soft words with Cassie and CJ.
"WE WILL NOT LEAVE!!" Jack came back disappointedly.
"I presume that it didn't go well?" For the first time in two days Jack saw a smile appear on Sam's face.
"Just peachy! Although I don't think CJ will be sitting there for much longer cause I had the idea her thigh is killing her again."
"Thanks for trying anyway, but I had a pretty good idea that you were gonna talk to some hard walls."
"Could at least given me a warning, Major!" Jack grinned and stuffed his hands back into his pockets.
"Oops, should have seen that one coming." She gave him a wry smile and then started staring into space again.
"Well, I'm off doing some much needed paperwork. Big pile from last month, General Hammond so not happy about this. Let me know when something changes." Jack walked to the exit and ordered Teal'c and Daniel to follow him, leaving their friends alone for a while. They would be okay for now.
Dr. Evans silently came walking back into the infirmary, checked some of Janet's monitors and then walked over to CJ. He had seen her grit her teeth once in a while, showing her thigh was bugging her again.
"Miss Fraiser, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to take you back to your bed, you still need some rest and I'm pretty sure your thigh is killing you again." He grabbed hold on the wheelchair but CJ grabbed a hold on the bed with no intention on letting go.
"Not gonna happen pal! I'm fi...argh...ne!" CJ squeezed her eyes shut and cursed the arrow that had caused her current situation.
"Watch your mouth, kid!" Sam watched the whole scene with some amusement, but decided to give the guy a break. He had, after all, saved Janet's life.
"Catherine-Jane, get your butt into that bed or I'll have the General personally tuck you in, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am!" She reluctantly let go and aloud a nurse to wheel her back to her bed on the other end of the infirmary. Once there she almost collapsed to the floor, trying to get into her bed on her own. The nurse and Sam were just in time to prevent her from getting more injuries.
"Take it easy, CJ!" Once settled under her sheets she got a painkiller and as soon as it kicked in she gave into her need for some more sleep. Seeing the youngster was settled properly, Sam slowly approached Cassie and saw that she too was more asleep then awake. She took a blanket from the bed next to Janet's and placed it over her shoulders in order to keep her warm. Now that the girls were out of the way, Sam could have some quiet time with her best friend. She took the seat, which CJ had kicked aside previously, and started some small talk. "You sure do know when to pick the right time to fall ill, Janet. You do realize that you're leaving me behind with two teenagers, don't you? I wonder where you still find the energy to get up in the morning and even get to work bright and early?" Suddenly Sam felt a small movement in her hand that quickly grew into a good handshake. "Janet, can you hear me?" Her eyes fluttered open and closed again when she was met with too much bright light. Sam quickly called Evans back and then woke up Cassie.
Dr. Evans rushed back into the infirmary, shooed Sam and Cassie out of the area and then checked Janet over. He was surprised to find her fever completely gone and after all she had been through she looked pretty healthy to him.
"Dr. Fraiser, I'm going to take that tube out now. I presume you know the drill ... so what do you say we go on three?" Janet gave him a short nod that she was ready. Dr. Evans pulled the tube out and gave her another check-up before he gave her some water to drink. When she was all settled again, he aloud Sam and Cassie to be with her again. Cassie ran directly into her mother's open arms.
"Oh Mom, I was so scared!" Again tears made their way down on the young girl's face.
"I know, sweetie, but I'm okay now." Janet looked around the infirmary to see where CJ was, when she spotted another familiar face. "Sam!"
"Hi there!" Sam walked over to the bed and gave her friend a hug.
"Just give them food on a regular base, always say they are right and you'll live." At first Sam didn't understand Janet's comment but then she remembered her earlier question and started laughing.
"Thanks for the advice. I'm actually gonna have to remember that one next time you wanna have some fun."
"Haha, real funny. Say, where's CJ?" Only then she saw the youngster hooked up to an IV-line lying on the other side of the infirmary. "What happened to her?"
"She got injured while we tried to rescue you. If she hadn't done what she did we would have been stuck on that damn planet and you would have been... But I'll tell you that on some other time, when you can leave your own infirmary. Anyway, Dr. Evans, a new guy, has been taking real good care of her." Sam winked and Janet just knew her niece had given the poor guy a hard time.
"She's been giving him a hard time, isn't she?"
"Kinda!" Sam gave her a knowing glance and then started laughing at the memory of Dr. Evans sedating CJ just to keep her quiet and a little more cooperative.
"What?" There was more to the story than her best friend was letting on and she just needed to know what CJ had done and what the poor guy had done to solve the problem.
"Nothing! Now get some rest and that is an order, Major Fraiser!" Sam took Janet's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Come on Cassie, let's give your mom some rest!" The youngster got up from the bed and followed her aunt out.
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