In The Dark

by Fyrie

Trapped by a landslide with an SG unit and some civilians, Janet Frasier finds that even stoic aliens can provide surprising support.

Author's Notes: I've never written pure-SG1 fic before. Not because I didn't want to, but because of a lack of inspiration and being painfully behind on episodes. However, thanks to a fellow-student *coughfellowgeekcough* I caught up.

I also got to see a DVD interview with various cast members, which inspired this, in particular a Christopher Judge (Teal'c) comment about the interaction between Doctor Frasier and Teal'c. Plus, hey, I love writing Teal'c anyway.

So, here it is: my first foray into the world of pure SG1 fic. I hope you like it!

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Raking blindly through her rucksack, muttering a string of words that she would never normally free from the gutter-mouthed quadrant of her mind, Janet Frasier could have sung with relief when her shaking fingers closed around the item she had been searching for.

Hitting the switch, the darkness which had engulfed her and God only knew how many others was abruptly sliced asunder, the beam from her torch was blinding in its brightness, cutting through the black.

Scanning the light around, she found several faces flinching away from it, most of them conscious, a few of them bloody.

She and a large group of the SG medics had been summoned to P4721 following an attack by the Gou'ald, when they had tried - once again - to wipe out the SG team, who had been on-planet. The casualty number had been terrifying.

Along with several of her group, her orders had been to aid those who had tried to seek sanctuary in the mountains, a contingent of wounded and terrified natives hiding themselves in the caves.

However, nature had often been said to have a sense of humour and on entry to the caves, Janet was convinced that good old Mother Nature was pissed about something and needed to have a giggle at the expense of a few humans.

So, an earthquake had struck with magnificent force.

At least one of her team had been buried in the downpour of rocks from in and outside of the cave. There wasn't a person in the caves who could have avoided being struck at any time, rock and shale raining down from above.

"Are you all right?" she demanded, trying to stumble to her feet. Her own head was throbbing and she was certain she could feel blood trickling down her cheek, plastering sandy-brown hair to her skin. Her right shoulder was also making its presence felt.

Running her fingers through her hair, she felt a wound above her right ear. Not deep, but messy. Nothing too serious. It could be taken care of later, she knew. There were bound to be people in greater peril.

Half a dozen voices came back with sounds of assent, most of the owners apparently just shaken and scared.

"Just peachy," a hoarse voice spoke from the shadow and she swung the torch around to find one of her fellow medics, a recent recruit by the name of Mathers, half-grinning weakly at her. "This wasn't mentioned in the job description."

There was something in the way he spoke that made her scan the torch down his body, a muttered curse slipping past her lips at the sight of a slab of rock lying across his left calf, his foot lying limply at the end of it.

Scrambling - unable to put weight on her own ankle - she made her way across to his side, where he was sprawled on a pile of rubble, half-covered by chips of gravel and splintered stone. Janet twisted the end of the torch, pulling it out into lantern-form to allow for more light, placing it on the floor beside her.

"Can you feel you anything in your leg, Mathers?" she asked, leaning over the young medic, watching his face intently to check for signs of shock or loss of consciousness.

Pained green-brown eyes squinted up at her from beneath sandy lashes, unfocused and glazed with pain, a weak half-grin, half-grimace on his lips. "Oh yeah... pain in a big way. I think I heard it crack... neat, huh?"

"You find the sound of a leg breaking neat?" she demanded, grateful that he was, at least, conscious. Her fingers tore on the rough edges of the stone as she tried to lift the rock, its sheer weight more than she could possibly lift. "Remind me, Mathers, why did you want to be a medic? It was to fix the damage, wasn't it?"

"Fix damage? I thought I was meant to break... uh..." A moan of pain overwrote the words, his head falling back with a rattle on the gravel beneath his head.

"May I be of assistance, Doctor Frasier?"

Jumping, startled by the nearness of the voice, she turned to find the face of the Jaffa, Teal'c, barely a foot from her own, fathomless dark eyes studying her raptly, the light casting eerie shadows up his face.

"Teal'c! I thought you were outside when the quake hit!"

"Evidently, I was not," he acknowledged, one side of his mouth twitching in as close as an insinuation of a smile that he would give anyone. "Do you require aid?"

Nodding, she gestured to the block of stone lying across the unconscious Mathers' leg. "I need to get that off to see what the damage is and try and stem any bleeding that there may be."

Inclining his head again, Teal'c shifted to kneel over the rock. "I will do what I can."

Scrambling her way back over to her medi-pack, Janet glanced over to see Teal'c heave the slab of stone aside, baring Mathers' mangled leg, blood already soaking through the stone fragments beneath him.

"It appears that his leg is broken in at least one place."

"I guessed it would be," Janet agreed grimly with his assessment, returning to his side and opening up the medi-pack by the light of the torch. Withdrawing a pair of scissors, she held them out to Teal'c.

Dark brown eyes regarded her quizzically.

"I need you to cut the leg of his pants open, while I hook up a drip and make sure he doesn't lose too much fluid," she said briefly, reaching into the pack. Teal'c nodded in curt acknowledgement, taking the scissors. "Donahue! You out there?"

"Here, Doctor," A young woman materialised by her side, blood plastering her hair to her face. "What do you need?"

"We need to get him hooked up to a line keep his fluids level," she said, handing over several articles from the pack to the younger Doctor. "Can you prep him, while I see to his wound and see if I can stop the bleeding?"

"Sure."

Turning her attention back to the man's crushed limb, his trouser leg cut away by Teal'c, Janet opened a steri-pack, pulling the sterile gloves on as she parted the fabric around the wound.

Two shards of bone had torn through the skin of his calf, blood streaming copiously from both ragged rips. Grabbing a tourniquet, Janet rapidly looped it round the limb, above the wound, below the knee, pulling it tight enough to cut off the circulation.

"I do not believe that you will be able to save the limb, unless we receive aid immediately," Teal'c said gravely.

"Thank you for that astute observation," Janet snapped when blood continued to flow outwards from the wound, in spite of the tourniquet, staining her grey-lightened hands hazy crimson. "Donahue, pass me the clamps?"

Closing off what wounds and open arteries and veins she could, her lower lip caught between her teeth, her heart thundering against her sternum, she sagged with relief when the blood flow slowed to a trickle, then stopped.

"His blood pressure's dangerously low, Doctor," Donohue muttered grimly, wiping her blood and sweat-slicked face on the back of her sleeve, her hands shaking as she connected up the line to Mathers' bared arm.

"Not surprising," Janet acknowledged, shifting to kneel beside his torso and pulling out some of her medical instruments. Her hands bloodied, she cut away his shirt, placing the stethoscope against his chest. "He's breathing freely... pulse is slow, but regular... you got your watch, Donohue?"

After a few more nerve-jangling moments of checking the unfortunate Mathers over, both Frasier and Donohue were in agreement that he was as stable as they could get him and short of a miraculous rescue, there was nothing more to be done.

Stripping off her heavy outer-jacket, Janet tucked it over Mathers' scrawny torso, which was looked as pale as polished marble by the light of the dusty shaft of light from the torch. The only undamaged thermal wrap was closed carefully around his damaged legs.

Giving Donohue instructions to keep tabs on the young medic, Janet retrieved the other Doctor's torch, in order to make a brief round of the cave to check on the other casualties, some of whom were probably in a worse position than before.

"Teal'c, can you bring me my pack?"

"Of course, Doctor."

Making rounds of the cave, Janet counted seventeen people, five of whom were members of their team. Every one of them had at minor injuries at the very least, cuts and bruises, although a couple had broken limbs.

At least half a dozen people were missing, two of the SG1 unit, but there was no chance of being able to search for them.

The front of the cave was blocked completely by fallen rubble and huge blocks of stone. The back was in a similar condition, no way out of either side, unless they had access to some kind of machinery.

Patching up wounds as best she could as she went, Janet had to fight the dizziness that was circling closer and closer, blood from her scalp drying on her cheeks, her shoulder throbbing agonisingly beneath the heavy fabric of her jacket.

She had just finished stitching up the torn arm of one of the native children and was moving onto one of the adults with a minor scalp wound when her legs seemed to turn to water beneath her and she was vaguely aware of the floor approaching her face at a rapid rate.

Arms looped around her before she could hit the floor and she folded in the middle, unable to make her body obey her mental commands, as she was drawn towards entire blackness, her fading vision blurred.

She felt arms lift her, then flat stone beneath her back and a back pack beneath her head. Her vision slowly came back into focus and she felt something cold pressing against a spot just above her right ear, which was pulsing painfully.

Soft conversations were being carried out nearby, all around, and she could hear the sound of fabric rustling on stone, the echo carrying to the high ceilings of the caves above them.

Occasionally, there was the rattle of stone falling, usually resulting in a sudden silence of the cave's captives, the soft conversations starting again, low and careful, lest they caused more damage.

Blinking, she squinted up at the hazy face above her, the figure seated on her right side. "Teal'c?"

The Jaffa inclined his head to her, his face half cast in shadow, half in the bright beam of the torch, the mark of Apophis on his forehead glittering eerily. Apparently, it was his left hand holding the compress to her head.

She tried to sit, only to be pushed back down by a hand on her left shoulder, her aching right one avoided. "Teal'c! I need to help." Dark eyes stared at her. "Teal'c, let me up. I need to help Donohue."

"That is unnecessary."

"Teal'c, help me up and let me do my job." The Jaffa maintained his steady gaze. "I need to help the people who are injured." One brow rose slowly, the cold compress pressing against her head again. "Yes, I know I'm hurt, but it's nothing."

"Doctor Donohue believes that you have sustained a serious head injury, Doctor Frasier," Teal'c said calmly. "You have been unconscious for several minutes. Doctor Donohue believes you should rest for a short time. However, I am not permitted to allow you to sleep."

Janet tried to raise herself on her arms, but her head felt like it pulsed in protest and she sank back with a wince. Her hand rose to touch her head, but Teal'c rough fingers curled around her wrist, strangely gentle for a hand so large and powerful, drawing her hand back down.

"You must not touch the wound further, Doctor Frasier," the Jaffa said, his voice as expressionless as always, although his tone was slightly different. "Doctor Donohue has ordered that it must be kept clean."

"I just wanted to check that it had stopped bleeding," she argued, but the grip on her wrist did not waver, until she reluctantly allowed him to place her hand down by her side once more.

"The wound has closed, Doctor Frasier," Teal'c said sternly. "Now, you must rest. Doctor Donohue does not believe that you have sufficient strength to perform any other task at present. She has finished attending to other injuries. You are not required at this moment."

Sighing in frustration, although mildly relieved for the respite, Janet dipped her chin in a nod. "All right, then," she agreed reluctantly. "I'll rest, but next time I tell you or O'Neill or anyone to rest, you do what I tell you the first time."

Perhaps it was a trick of the half-light flickering on his face, but Janet was certain she saw the faintest suggestion of a smile on the Jaffa's lips.

"I assure you it will be done at once, Doctor Frasier," he replied, inclining his head politely. There was a moment's pause. "It is a great comfort to see that your wound has not damaged your nature."

Janet was forced to smile at his tone, which was sounded a little uncertain. "Let me guess," she said, her eyes half-closed. "Donohue told you to make small talk to keep me conscious, huh?"

"That is correct for the most part, Doctor Frasier."

"For the most part?"

"Indeed," Teal'c acknowledged.

Janet studied him. "Do I get to know what the lesser part is?"

Implacable dark eyes gazed down at her steadily. It was the look that she was familiar with on the Jaffa's face, the look he directed at her when he was confined to and she was moving around the medical bay back at the base.

"I guess that would be a no," She grimaced as another sharp lance of pain dug into her skull, another wave of dizziness washing over her. "God..."

"You are in pain, Doctor Frasier?"

Gritting her teeth, she made a gesture with one hand. "Just a headache, Teal'c," she answered, closing her eyes and drawing a controlling breath. "Nothing less than you would expect with a head injury. I'll be all right."

"If you require some form of medical sustenance, I will summon Doctor Donohue, Doctor Frasier."

"Teal'c, I'll be all right," Janet repeated. "It's just a nasty cut. I'll be fine." There was a sound of indignation from the Jaffa, or at least she assumed that was what the snort meant. "And if you're to keep me conscious with small talk, call me Janet."

"That would be disrespectful, Doctor Frasier."

"Teal'c," Opening her eyes, she gave him a pointed look. "I'm the patient here, okay? Don't make me cranky. If I give you permission to use my forename, then you had better use it or I'll show you just how painful a check-up can be when we get back to the base." She drew a breath between her teeth. "You know all those real sharp instruments that I usually have to keep Colonel O'Neill away from? I'll show you what they are for."

Teal'c nodded once. "I understand, Doctor Janet Frasier."

Unable to smother a faint laugh, she raised her eyebrows. "Is my title so important?"

"I believe so," Teal'c stated bluntly. "Your title is a sign of your intelligence and your abilities, which I do not doubt. To ignore your title is to ignore your skills as a physician. I would view this as a sign of disrespect."

"You have an unusual perspective," she was forced to admit, a half-smile reaching her lips. "But I promise I won't take it as a sign of disrespect if you use my forename. After all, friends do use one another's names."

An odd look filtered into Teal'c's eyes, which were glittering by the broad caress of the torch's light. "We are... friends, Doctor Janet Frasier?" He almost seemed to be surprised by the concept.

A quiet laugh escaped her. "Well, we certainly aren't enemies, Teal'c. I would be privileged if you counted me as a friend." An uncertain look marred his features, so Janet pressed on, her hand moving to seek out his, squeezing his fingers. "I would also take it as a sign of respect if you did me the honour of using my name."

"In the time I have known you, you have proved to be correct in many things. If you believe it to be so, then I will honour your request," He still hesitated before saying her name, tilting his head, uncertainty reflected in his eyes. "Janet Frasier."

"You see," She squeezed his fingers again, half-smiling at the surprise on his face at his daring. "You weren't struck down by a lightening bolt from above for missing out my title."

"I do not believe a lightening bolt would be capable of penetrating this mountainside to strike me specifically... Janet Frasier."

"It was a joke..." Her eyes narrowed as Teal'c pressed his lips together. "Wait a second..." Raising her hand, she pointed at him, the subtle lift of the corners of his lips the equivalent to Jack O'Neill's smirk. "You really have been spending too much time with Colonel O'Neill."

"I do not know what you are implying," Teal'c replied, inclining his head.

Snorting, then wincing as her head throbbed, she exhaled a breath. "I'm sure," she retorted.

Tilting her head, she looked past him, aware of Donohue and the other members of the SG team moving around the other occupants of the caves, a couple examining the blockage at the entrance.

In the darkness, despite the torches they carried, they were barely distinguishable from the shadowed wall of rock and shale, both of them poking around, a few rocks skittering down from above, but doing nothing significant to open the cave up.

"The entrance is sealed," Teal'c answered the question before she could voice it. "If we perhaps had machinery, we might break free. I do not believe my weapon will be of aid. It may cause further damage."

"Oh."

"I have attempted to contact O'Neill to inform him of our location but received no response. I believe the signal to be disrupted by the content of the rock."

Janet closed her eyes. "Great. We don't even know if they're all right."

"O'Neill will be well," Teal'c's voice was calm, confident.

"How can you be sure?"

"He said only last week that he will not die before defeating me in a bout of boxing."

Half-opening her eyes, the Doctor glanced up at the Jaffa, who was gazing around the cave, a pensive look on his face. "That's your assurance for Colonel O'Neill surviving the quake?"

"It is sufficient," Teal'c replied, turning to look back down at her. "Colonel O'Neill is obstinate about such things."

Janet had to agree to that. There was no one quite as stubborn as Colonel Jack O'Neill in any of the SG units and he was hardly the kind of man to be killed in an unexpected earthquake.

"Teal'c?"

"Yes, Janet Frasier?"

"Could you help me sit up?" The intimidating eyebrow rose. "Just to sit, I promise. I will be resting and I won't go anywhere. I would feel better if I could see what was going on."

Teal'c pursed his lips, but he still shifted, placing the compress to one side, sliding an arm beneath her shoulders and drawing her into an upright position, his arm lingering on her shoulders until she gave him a nod that she was all right.

"You are comfortable, Janet Frasier?"

Sharp chips of stone digging into her posterior, a feeling of implosion creeping in on her skull and an arm that felt like it had been wrenched from its socket and spun like a propeller before being shoved back into the socket did not add up to comfortable in any way, shape or form.

"Yes, Teal'c, thank you." There was no sound from the Jaffa, but she couldn't help feel his eyes on her. Glancing at him, she saw both brows rise and sighed. "All right, yes, I'm in pain, but complaining isn't about to help."

"You have great courage and strength, Janet Frasier," he commented, turning his dark eyes from her back to the cave. "It is I who should be honoured that you would consider someone such as I a friend."

Her right forearm crossed over her stomach, Janet rubbed her right shoulder with her left hand, watching the Jaffa curiously. His features were caught sharply in profile, his heavily-lidded eyes taking in everything before him.

"You find something of interest, Janet Frasier?"

"I'm curious," she admitted. "You find honour in friendship?"

Teal'c's dark eyes turned to her, his face still directed ahead. "In regards to those who have earned my respect, a shared friendship is a great honour. I regard you with respect. To be granted your friendship is to be considered honourable."

Shifting her right arm with her left, Janet had to smile in spite of the pain that lanced through her from her shoulder. "I appreciate that you feel so strongly about it," she said, shivering a little from the chill of the dark caves. "But I haven't really done anything worth respecting, though."

A rattling from the back of the cave made her jump, her eyes scanning around.

"I disagree," Teal'c said from beside her, a heartbeat before something warm and heavy descended on her shoulders. Looking back around in surprise, Janet stared at Teal'c as he adjusted his jacket around her shoulders, his lingering body heat spreading from the fabric to her. "You have done much."

"Teal'c, I don't need..."

"You are cold, Janet Frasier."

"Yes, but if I take your jacket, then you'll be cold instead of me."

He gazed at her in the fathomless expression that told her that she would get more response arguing with a brick wall. "You need it more than I. My symbiont will maintain my health."

"Teal'c," she started to protest again, but the Jaffa turned back towards the cave, making it clear he would ignore any further argument from her. "You're as stubborn as O'Neill."

"Thank you, Janet Frasier, but I believe that to be an exaggeration." He didn't even look at her as he replied, but she could see the slight darkening at the corner of his mouth where it dimpled in the tiniest suggestion of a smile.

"If you get a cold, don't expect sympathy from me," she added with unnecessary vehemence, trying to inject a little irritation over the gratitude in her voice, while struggling to pull the front of the jacket closed around her with one hand.

"I would do no such thing," Two large hands reached over, closing the jacket around her. They lingered briefly, adjusting the collar, and Janet raised her eyes to Teal'c as he drew back. He continued to gaze at her for a long moment, then looked away. "You are sufficiently warm?"

"Yes," she replied, a little uncertainly. It was the first time he had held her gaze that long, most often simply glancing at her. To be under the intense scrutiny of the Jaffa was new and she could readily admit it was unnerving. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, Janet Frasier."

A silence fell between them, both of them keeping watch on the others around the caves. Donohue returned to briefly check on Janet, then took her position beside Mathers again, keeping watch over him.

The natives, armed with their surviving supplies and blankets, huddled together for warmth, some of them managing to seek the refuge of sleep, the voices in the caves descending to quiet.

"It is a good thing that they are sleeping," Teal'c said in a low voice after several long minutes. "I do not believe that they are aware of the danger that we are in."

"What do you mean?"

He glanced at her, then straight ahead again. "The entrance of the cave is completely sealed. There is only sufficient oxygen to last for several more hours at most. Should these people panic, that oxygen would be greatly depleted."

Turning to look out at the grim cave, her head spinning from the implications, Janet clutched the jacket around her even tighter. "If we don't get out of here as soon as possible, everyone here will die?"

Teal'c acknowledged her words with a grave incline of his head. "It is entirely possible, Janet Frasier."

"How do you know how long we have?"

"My symbiont has registered a significant decrease of oxygen in the air. It is upon its assessment that I have based my estimates."

"Try the radio again!"

"Do you believe the situation will have changed, Janet Frasier?"

"Teal'c! Just do it!"

The Jaffa inclined his head again, rising and approaching the blockage at the front of the cave, speaking into the radio. He held it to his ear, then spoke into it again. A few moments later, he returned to her side.

"I am uncertain," he said gravely, sitting down beside her again and meeting her expectant look with hooded eyes. "The signal has improved, but I do not know if my words reached another radio."

Drawing several calming breaths, Janet hoped her face would not betray the sudden panic she was feeling. "Are you sure there's no way we could dig through the block or something?" she asked.

"The stone fragments are too large and should we risk it, there is a chance we may cause a further collapse."

"And what are the chances of someone else being able to dig through it from the outside in time? Is it possible?"

Teal'c implacable face turned to her, studying her. "It is possible that they will access the cave in time, Janet Frasier," he said. "I apologise if my observations have caused you distress."

"Distress? No... no, I'm fine," she smiled, amazed by how convincing she sounded in her own ears. Teal'c arched a brow. "Teal'c, I'm all right." Even saying it, though, she had to look away, her eyes prickling.

This was what all of her hard work had lead to? Dying in a cave on a far off planet without anything to show for her life?

Yes, she had attained high ranks in the SG project, but what else? Nothing! Her family, an odd scattering of a few distant friends and an opening for a new chief medical officer were the only things she would leave behind.

What kind of legacy was that?

She started when a hand touched her shoulder, cautious, gentle. "I have caused you unnecessary fear and distress, Janet Frasier," he said, a concerned tone in his voice. "My apologies."

Her hand peeped out from the depths of his weighty jacket and she wiped her eyes hastily, sniffing hard. "I must have bumped my head harder than I thought," she tried to joke, her voice cracking. "I wouldn't normally be this emotional."

Teal'c leaned forward, his expression turning to one of concern and confusion at the sight of tears on her cheeks. "You are weeping, Janet Frasier," he said uncertainly. "I did not intend to cause you such pain."

"It's not you, Teal'c," she protested, scrubbing her brown eyes savagely with the heel of one hand for betraying her in such an overtly emotional fashion. "It's this... it's everything about this situation. I'm sorry you had to see it."

"You do not wish to die. It is an understandable reaction."

She tried to laugh, to acknowledge that as the truth, but only succeeded in letting more hot tears spill down her cheeks, pressing her face into her hands. "Oh God, I must look pathetic," she choked out, half-laughing, half-sobbing.

"Not at all, Janet Frasier," Janet felt Teal'c's hand on her shoulder once more, a slight touch of gentle, reassuring pressure. "Had you not reacted thus, it would have been against the nature of your species. You have no need to fear. You will not be lost in these caves."

"Would anyone even notice if I was?" she murmured, half to herself.

"You would be greatly missed, Janet Frasier."

Brown eyes lifted to the Jaffa. "By who, Teal'c?" she asked, her voice shaking. "I don't exactly have a vast social circle. The SG teams? They just see me as a doctor. My family? They hardly see me as it is. My friends?" She laughed, a tight sound. "I'm hardly a central feature in many people's lives."

"You underestimate yourself," Teal'c replied firmly, his gaze fully on her. "You are held dear by many, yet you care so much for others that you do not have a chance to see how greatly others care for you. You are a good and skilled physician." He paused, his chin lifting slightly. "And a remarkable woman."

Janet made an indistinct sound of disbelief, turning away from the Jaffa, but warm fingertips beneath her chin slowly turned her face back to his and his glittering dark eyes studied her.

"You do not believe me?"

"I know that you're flattering me," she replied quietly, very much aware of the rough tips of his fingers against her jawline. "I'm a doctor. I do whatever I can to help the people who need it. That doesn't make me wise or skilful."

"You are incorrect."

"Oh really?"

"Indeed."

"And what makes you think so?"

Teal'c's eyes never left hers. "I have known many physicians, Janet Frasier. Most were given respect because their title demanded it. You are given respect because you are honourable and wise. You are the only physician I have known to be worthy of your title."

"You must be joking!"

An eyebrow arched. "I do not joke about such matters."

A faint smile crossed Janet's lips. "Well, you know what to say to reassure people, then," she said, drawing his heavy jacket around her again. Yet, she didn't pull away from the hand beneath her chin. "You really believe we'll get out of here?"

"O'Neill would be most displeased should we die without his permission."

She laughed softly. "Yes, he would, wouldn't he?" Teal'c inclined his head, the deepening shadows at the corners of his lips indicating that a smile was present. "I'm glad you're one of the people here, Teal'c."

"You would have not remained at rest had I not been present," the Jaffa said dryly.

Half-laughing, she nodded. "That's probably true and I would probably have done more damage."

"Then it is well that I am here," he agreed, his hand shifting and tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, his eyes holding hers. His voice deepened, softer than usual. "If you were to damage yourself, I would be most displeased."

Catching her lower lip between her teeth at the tone of his deep voice, the light touch of his fingers on the curve of her ear sending a tremor through her, she blinked up at him. "Why?" she finally asked, wondering if she truly wanted to know.

The expression in his eyes was that same one she knew well, the one he always directed at her from beneath half-closed lids, the one that said everything and nothing and always made her feel like she was the most important person present.

"There are many reasons."

"And you aren't going to tell me any of them, are you?"

"That is correct."

She shifted beneath the jacket, which slipped from her left shoulder, her right hand unable to stabilise it. Teal'c reached across her body, bringing his face close to hers, as he drew it back onto her shoulder.

Watching his hands pull the jacket closed in front of her chest, she raised her eyes to him, aware of the slight warming touch of the Jaffa's breath on her skin. "Thank you, Teal'c," she said quietly.

He dipped his chin, closing his eyes briefly as he did so. "It is my privilege to aid you, Janet Frasier," he said, the reverent tone in his voice lingering on her name. "You are comfortable?"

She nodded, unable to look away from the dark eyes, which were holding hers. "Yes, thank you."

How fragile and forced the three simple words sounded. She tried to smile, to look away, to do anything that meant she wasn't staring at the Jaffa as intently as he was gazing back at her.

His fingertips stroked back some more loose curls, the touch of his fingers on her skin making her shiver again.

"You are cold?"

Shaking her head, she tried to draw away. "No," she replied honestly, her voice oddly tremulous. "No, I'm fine." Teal'c exhaled, as if sighing with relief, which only served to send a warm ripple of his breath across her cool cheeks.

A line furrowed the Jaffa's brow. "You are shaking."

"I am?"

"Do you require medical aid?"

Shaking her head, wincing at a shooting pain from her scalp, she forced a smile. "I think I'm just tired," she said. Yes, just tired. That had to be it. Tiredness that was making her think about Teal'c implying...

No!

Don't even go there!

She licked her lips nervously, knowing she should turn away. She jumped in fright when the radio between them crackled, both of them looking sharply down at it and drawing back from one another.

Her heart drumming wildly against her sternum, Janet looked down at her hand that was holding Teal'c's jacket closed around her body, drawing shaking breaths. What had just happened?

"It is O'Neill."

"Wh-what?" Turning back to Teal'c, she winced as her head throbbed.

He held up the radio. "Colonel O'Neill has informed me that he has booked the gym for a bout of boxing tomorrow. He also wishes to inform us that he is well and that Hammond has sent aid to liberate us. They will break through temporarily."

Smiling wanly, Janet nodded tightly. "That's good news."

"Indeed," Teal'c acknowledged, handing her the radio. "I must move those who are closer to the opening. You will be well?"

Making a gesture with one hand, she nodded. "I promise I won't do anything," she said, as he strode off towards the small knots of people nearer the opening. The radio crackled again. "Colonel O'Neill?"

"Frasier! Good to hear your voice! You okay?" The words were fuzzy with static, but clear enough for her to recognise them.

"We're all right, Colonel," she said quickly, speaking as quickly and clearly as she could. "We have several casualties, one serious, and will need transport back to earth for at least one of them."

"We'll have it ready, Frasier."

"Thank you, Colonel."

There was a rush of static, cutting off her words and she lowered the radio, glancing across the cave, where Teal'c was aiding the injured parties, a half-asleep child passed from its mother to him, to carry to the safer end of the cave.

Watching the care of the Jaffa, it still struck her as astounding that he was known as one of Apophis' prime warriors. In spite of his size and reputation, she had seen evidence of his gentleness as well, which amazed her.

She knew of his partner and child, but not much else of his affairs since the mother of his son had died. Why, though, had she started wondering about him now? Yes, he had treated her with courtesy, but surely that didn't mean...

Running her left hand over her face wearily, she glanced towards the rock face at the front of the cave, staring at it as if her gaze might force the stone to simply fall away and let daylight in.

"Janet Frasier?"

Looking up, she smiled faintly. "Finished?"

"Indeed," Teal'c acknowledged, sitting back down beside her. "You look fatigued."

"I am, a little."

He nodded gravely. "You will be free in a short while and I am sure you will be in capable hands."

"You don't need to sound so sceptical about my colleagues abilities."

"I did not."

She gave him a look. "But you were thinking it, weren't you?" Teal'c arched a brow, which only succeeded in making her half-grin at him. "You know, I think I can sense when you're being sarcastic."

"A gift indeed."

Shaking her head, she rubbed her forehead again. "And people think you are serious, Teal'c. How very wrong they are."

"Is your head causing you pain, Janet Frasier?"

"Nothing serious," she said dismissively, then gasped as a bolt of white heat bored through her temple, making her hiss with pain, her hand against her brow. "All right, maybe I shouldn't have moved my head so fast..."

"Perhaps you should lie down."

"No, I'm..." Blackness blurred the edge of her vision and she nodded once. "I think that might be a good idea."

She felt hands on her shoulders, felt them gently negotiate her back, something warm and solid beneath the back of her head to keep it raised from the gravel and shale that covered the floor.

Squinting over her, she found Teal'c still looming over her, his position telling her that her makeshift pillow was, in fact, the Jaffa's forearm, the heat of his skin spreading down the back of her cold neck.

"You must attempt to remain conscious, Janet Frasier," his voice murmured, blurring in her ears. "Help will be here soon."

It was the last thing she recalled hearing before unconsciousness took her.

How long she was out, she didn't know.

When her consciousness slowly started to return to her, the first thing she noticed was that it was no longer bitterly cold nor dark, bright light gleaming red through her closed eyelids.

The second thing to catch her attention was the lack of an arm beneath her neck.

Her mouth and throat dry, she winced as she forced her eyes open, the light making her head ache unbearably. Squinting by the brightness, she tilted her head to find an array of machines beside her, then beyond them, the medical bay she knew well.

"She's awake, Sir!" a voice called out, vaguely familiar, but beyond her recognition, her head throbbing as she turned her head in the other direction to see Hammond moving briskly down the ward towards her.

"General," she tried to voice the words, her lips cracking.

"Good to see you back in the land of the living, Doctor Frasier," Hammond said warmly, the relief in his blue eyes palpable. "Doctor," He looked at someone across the bed. "Is it serious?"

A male voice reached her ears, still unfamiliar. "Nothing to serious. She has a concussion, but with rest, she should be fine."

"Good to hear," Hammond acknowledged, then smiled down at her. "You have Teal'c to thank for keeping you together as long as he did," he said. "Donohue told us that he was a great asset."

Janet felt her lips lift weakly. "Yes," she agreed. "Yes, he was." There was a brief moment of silence, then she recalled something else that had happened in the caves and demanded, "Mathers - is he all right?"

"His leg is badly damaged, but with surgery, they do believe they might be able to save it."

Sighing, Janet nodded once. "Good."

Hammond patted her on the arm gently. "You get some rest and recover, Doctor. I'll see to it that Teal'c is made aware of your condition. He was very concerned for your well-being."

Closing her eyes again, Janet took several slow, steady breaths. Teal'c had provided her with support and comfort she had needed in a way that few other people had and it scared her a little.

He was so very different, yet he seemed to understand humanity so very well. Part of her admired it, yet part of her was afraid that she had allowed too much of her careful control to slip in front of him in a moment of emotional weakness.

It was unlikely, though, that Teal'c would mention it to anyone, something for which she was grateful.

"General," her voice rasping, dry, she grated out the words. "Tell him thanks."

Hammond nodded at once. "Of course. Rest well, Doctor."

That said, he left her alone with her contemplations of Teal'c and a raging headache.