* Infirmary – 2 days later *
Sam woke up to the beeping of machines and bright lights, and saw Daniel and Teal'c sitting next to the bed. Blinking away her blurry vision, she slowly pulled herself into a sitting position. "How long have I been out?"
"It has been two days Major Carter," informed Teal'c.
Sam put her hand to her head. "Wh….what happened?"
At that moment Dr. Fraiser walked in. "Well good morning Sam. Glad to see that you're awake. You lost a lot of blood from the wound on your leg, but you're going to be okay."
"What about Colonel O'Neill?"
Daniel let out a sigh and looked down at his feet. "He was seriously injured Sam," said Dr. Fraiser. "He's in rough shape."
Daniel walked over to Sam and picked up her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It doesn't look good Sam."
Sam's mind was still fuzzy from her injuries and the sedatives. She blinked a few times, taking a second to comprehend what she had just heard. She put her hands to her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "Is…..is he okay?"
Dr. Fraiser said that she had done everything she could, but that the Colonel's injuries were too severe and that he had slipped into a coma. "But I'm not giving up Sam. I'm just not sure what else I can do."
Sam stared down at her hands for a few minutes, taking it all in. Then she looked up at them, "can I see him?"
Dr. Fraiser nodded. "I think that can be arranged."
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As Sam walked into the small room, she prepared herself for what she was about to see. But all of her preparation didn't take away from the shock of just how fragile Jack looked. He was attached to countless machines and tubes. Her only comfort in the madness was the steady beeping of the EKG monitor.
Almost shyly, she pulled a chair close the bed and sat down tiredly. Her eyes scanned over his injured body: bruised legs, a broken arm, and his bandaged head. But it's what she couldn't see that worried her the most: Jack had lost a lot of blood and had massive internal injuries.
Again Sam ran her fingers through her hair, trying to hold back the tears. "Sir?" she said tentatively. With no response, Sam sighed and rested her head in her hands, silent minutes going by. Eventually Sam looked up. "I'm sorry sir," she said sadly. "It's all my fault." As small tears ran down her face, she explained to the comatose Jack how it was her fault that he was lying there. "Sir when Teal'c yelled 'ambush' I should've taken cover. But instead I stood in the direct line of fire so that I could finish dialing home. " Sniffing she continued with her story, "you shouldn't have had to risk your life to rescue me . And then I got hit again, and you had to come back for me. If I hadn't have fallen, and kept going then you……you….. you wouldn't have been hit. When I saw you on the ground like that I…..I…" She paused here to wipe away the tears that were steadily flowing down her face. She took a deep and shaky breath in and let it out. "To hell and back sir….to hell and back."
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Over the next few days Dr. Fraiser didn't let Sam to much, as he leg was still healing. But even with all of the spare time, she was unable to concentrate on her work, or even get a decent nights sleep. During the next couple days, Sam spend almost all of her time in the infirmary with Jack or on her computer, which she brought with her to the infirmary, researching something that could help him.
It was during one of these very rare times, when Sam wasn't doing any of the latter, that she was sitting in the meal hall staring blankly ahead, food forgotten, when Dr. Fraiser came rushing up to her. "Thank heavens that I've found you," she said catching her breath. "I've been looking all over for you. I think I've found a way to help Colonel O'Neill."
The last sentence pulled Sam out of her daze. "What?"
"There's a doctor in Seattle, whose done extensive research into the type of internal injuries that Colonel O'Neill is suffering from. Dr. Mackenzie has developed a method to help fix the internal damage and has had some success."
Sam quickly got up. "Has General Hammond approved it?"
Dr. Fraiser nodded. "Dr. Mackenzie is already on his way."
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The next day, Dr. Mackenzie was being escorted by Dr. Fraiser through Cheyenne Mountain into the heart of the SGC. Skipping all of the usual formalities, she escorted him straight to see Jack. While he was in the room examining Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c waited in the briefing room for the results of Dr. Mackenzie's diagnostic.
As they waited, Sam grew impatient and she began pacing. Daniel walked over to her, "Sam it's going to be okay." Sam looked at him with a worried look in her eyes. "Jack's been in tough scrapes before, and he always makes it out."
At that moment, Dr. Fraiser and Dr. Mackenzie rushed in, Dr Fraiser announcing that Dr. Mackenzie was willing to do the surgery. Hope fluttered in Sam's chest. "But he needs to operate now."
"It's risky surgery," admitted Dr. Mackenzie, "and more complicated than any of my other surgeries. But I'm willing to try."
The two doctors then rushed off to prepare for the surgery, while Sam, overwhelmed by everything, sat down. Daniel put his hands on her shoulders. "It'll be okay Sam, it'll be okay."
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While Jack was undergoing surgery, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c were watching from the glass viewing area. Sam's nerves were shot as she watched Dr. Mackenzie operate on Jack. "Major Carter, I believe that O'Neill will make it through the surgery."
Sam sighed. "How do you know Teal'c?"
"I do not know Major Carter."
Daniel patted Teal'c on the shoulder. "It's called a gut feeling Teal'c."
Suddenly machines started beeping rapidly, catching everyone's attention. Sam couldn't take her eyes off of the scene that was playing out before her. On the other side of the glass, Jack's heart rate was sky-rocketing. Dr. Mackenzie looked up, "there's more damage than we thought!" he said, his voice anxious.
Then all of a sudden the beeping stopped and the EKG flat-lined. "No!!!" Sam yelled as she threw herself at the window, banging her firsts on the glass panes. Her heart froze as she watched doctors and nurses rush around, gelling defibrillator paddles, repeatedly trying to shock Jack's heart back to life. After many stressful minutes, Jack's heart finally began beating again. The moment tha6t she heart the EKG monitor's steady beat, she let out the breath that she had been holding. "I need some air," she said.
"I'll come with you," said Daniel, wrapping an arm around her back and guiding her out of the room.
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* Briefing room*
Not thinking that she was strong enough to be able to handle going back, Sam stayed in the briefing room, Daniel by her side comforting her. Trying to calm her nerves, Sam again was pacing, taking deep and shaky breaths.
The sound of footsteps caused her to stop and turn around. Dr. Fraiser and Dr. Mackenzie walked into the briefing room with glum expressions. "How'd it go?" Daniel asked hesitantly.
Dr. Mackenzie should his head sadly. "I'm sorry, but the damage was to severe. There wasn't anything that I could do."
Sam's head shot up. "He's not…."
Dr. Fraiser said, "No he's not dead. But there may not be anything else that we can do." She gave them a sympathetic look and escorted Dr. Mackenzie out of the room.
Daniel ran his hands over his face and turned to find Sam staring out of the bay window, at the Stargate. "Are you okay?"
Sam's voice sounded hollow and heartbreaking. "I just need to be alone for bit."
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