Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the delay, it was finals week and I had papers to grade and packing to do. I'm headed home for the holidays, where I won't have access to internet so this will be my last posting for a few weeks. Anyway, here's the final part.

Warning: language (Danny's a wee bit upset with Jack)

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"Jack!" Daniel mumbled drowsily when he awoke hours later. He remembered being wheeled into surgery for his leg and he had drifted off to sleep, exhausted from the long painful treks he had made on the planet after he'd been injured. SG-1, -3 and -7 had managed to escape home through the Stargate and Jack…Jack had collapsed.

"Janet!" he called out for Dr. Fraiser this time, hoping she could tell him what was going on.

Within seconds the diminutive doctor was at his side, checking his condition. "Dr. Jackson, I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"What happened to Jack? I saw him collapse, is he okay?" He pushed her hands away as he sat up, his expression demanding that she answer him now, this instant, or he'd get up and find out on his own.

"He's okay, Daniel, he came out of surgery shortly after you did. He's on the other side of the curtain, sleeping, so try to keep your voice down." She stepped back and pulled the curtain aside, revealing Jack, shirtless but covered by a thin sheet.

Daniel propped himself up on his elbows to peer over at his team leader and friend, and frowned when he realized he wasn't wearing his glasses. He could see enough of a blur to know that it was Jack lying there though. "Was he hit coming through the 'Gate?"

Janet looked at him curiously as she came back to his side, handing him his glasses from the nearby stand. "He was treated for a knife wound. A pretty vicious blade by the looks of the wound, but fortunately there was no serious internal damage. He was lucky, Daniel. He had some blood loss, but it wasn't life threatening. He collapsed from exhaustion, for the most part, he'll be asleep for a least a few more hours. You should try to get some rest as well, Daniel. I'm going to want you to keep weight off that leg for a few days to let it heal, but other than that, you're in good condition, considering."

Daniel stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember when Jack could have been stabbed. Possibly when he went in to rescue Teal'c, but wouldn't Sam have said something about it? And the Jaffa weren't close enough at the 'Gate to…

He sprung up from the mattress with a loud, "Damn it, Jack, you son of a bitch!"

Janet tried to push him back, her calm composure instantly shattered. "Daniel! Calm down. What's wrong?"

"He was injured the whole time, wasn't he? He went hand-to-hand with some Jaffa when we were escaping from the 'Gate the first time. Before I was hit. That bastard carried me for miles and didn't bother telling me he had a hole in his gut. He let me complain and gripe about being hurt and there he is bleeding all over…His shirt! That's why he needed the extra bandages. I'm such an idiot." He fell back to the mattress and flung his arm over his face. "Stupid, stupid." He muttered into his elbow.

"Daniel." Janet touched his arm gently. "You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know," he nearly shouted at her. "He never told me, and I was so tired I kept drifting off to sleep. I heard him moving around but…I never thought he'd hide something like that from me. But he's okay?"

"Yes, Daniel. He'll make a full recovery in a couple weeks. Both of your injuries were treated before infection set in. Like I said, it was mostly due to exhaustion that he passed out. He'll be awake in a few hours, he'll tell you himself that he's fine."

"Good. I'd like to know he's alive before I kill him," he grumbled, casting a glare in Jack's direction.

"Daniel." Janet sighed. "Get some rest, and let the Colonel sleep for a while. Sam and Teal'c have been asking to see you, but I'm not going to let them in until you and Colonel O'Neill have had a little chat. But if you continue to disturb my other patient I'll have you moved to an isolation room."

"Fine." He looked up at the ceiling, then back at her. "Just make sure you've got one of your big needles on hand. I may need it."

"Are you in pain?"

"No, I meant for Jack. He is so going to get it."

Janet tried valiantly to hide her smile at Daniel's irritation and threats. She got the feeling he would be more than delighted to shove the needle in a tender part of the Colonel's anatomy. "I hope it doesn't come to that. Don't make me put you in separate rooms."

He growled as he settled back into the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll be good."

She patted his arm affectionately. "I'm glad you're okay, Dr. Jackson. The Colonel did what he had to do to get you and the others home. You couldn't have walked far on that leg on your own."

"Yeah, well. I'm still mad at him." He stated like a petulant child, folding his arms across his chest.

"And as his doctor, so am I. But that's my job. Just like he was doing his. If you'll excuse me, I have to go check on our two marines. My staff is going to be overworked dealing with two whiny colonels when they're both awake. If you ask me, we should be getting hazardous pay when those two are at it."

Despite himself, Daniel smiled. "Hey Janet? Why are all the nurses women?"

Janet smiled down at him. "Because we're smarter and prettier, honey. And don't you forget it."

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"Jack." He heard his name being called. "Ja-ack." Somebody was sure persistent. "Jack!"

"What?" Jack exclaimed in response before he was fully awake, and the word came out more like 'wha-um'. He opened his jaw and worked it, sliding his tongue around to wet his mouth with saliva, making a face at the cotton mouth he had going. "Dan'l?"

"Got something you forgot to tell me, hmm, Jack? Little something you think might be important to let your teammate in on?"

"Huh?" He tentatively opened his eyes and slammed them back shut at the harshness of the infirmary lights, even if they were at a low setting. Okay, good to know they were in the infirmary, that meant they were safe. So what was Daniel asking about? "Daniel? You okay?"

"I'm fine, Jack. How about you?"

"Oh, you know. About as well as can be after being stabbed. Any idea how long we're going to be here?" He opened his eyes and glanced around before shifting to make himself more comfortable against the thin pillow. He clumsily lifted the sheet up to look at his bandaged side.

"You are unbelievable, Jack. How could you not tell me?"

Jack looked over at Daniel, alarmed by the man's anger at him. "What?"

"What if something had happened to you because you were helping me? I wouldn't have had a clue what was wrong with you. I may not be military but haven't I proven myself enough for you? You can't hide something like that from me, Jack. It works both ways, you know."

"Daniel, what are you talking about? I didn't hide anything."

"Yes, you did."

"I did not."

"Did too."

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Daniel, for crying out loud, I have no idea what you're talking about and I never hid a thing from you on this mission. And would somebody please get me some water, before I have to drink my own eyeball fluid to get some moisture in my mouth."

Daniel cringed inwardly at the image. "I'm very upset with you, Jack." He stated as calmly as possible.

Jack looked over at him, his eyebrows raised. "I'm glad you're alive, too, Daniel, thanks for your concern. What did I do?"

"You didn't tell me you were hurt. You let me think you were okay helping me walk all that way. My God, Jack, you made a big deal about me being injured and then I find out that you were probably worse off than me the whole time."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there, tiger. Worse off than me? Daniel, I didn't even feel the knife in me until we'd already settled in. And believe me, I've had much worse. A leg injury like that is a greater impediment to speed and agility than what happened to me," he indicated Daniel's leg with a wave of his hand. Daniel didn't seem at all appeased by his argument. "I didn't hide it. You fell asleep. I was right there in front of you the whole time. And besides, if you'd known I was injured would you have let me help you so much? No, you wouldn't, and we'd probably still be back on that planet trying to catch up with Teal'c." He closed his eyes as he suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit, but he knew it would pass in a few seconds.

When it did, he glanced over at Daniel, who managed to look concerned through his disappointment and anger. Jack sighed as he continued his defense. "Just because we've never really been tortured by the Goa'uld right after we've been captured doesn't mean it won't happen someday. We couldn't wait. I couldn't let you slow me down unnecessarily."

Daniel's eyes widened at the quiet passion behind Jack's words. "You were worried the others might be tortured?"

"I'm always worried. They could have been put to death immediately, who knows. This is what I'm trained to do, Daniel. Focus on the mission. I'll admit, I may have…misled you, but that's only because I know you. You're a pain in the ass."

Daniel huffed, smirking over at Jack. "Gee thanks, Jack." Somehow it was oddly reassuring, that Jack wasn't going to get all hearts and flowers over this.

"Yeah, well. Serves you right, waking me up while I'm recovering from a very trying ordeal. How is everyone?"

He knew he couldn't stay mad at Jack for long, but this was ridiculous how fast Jack had turned the tables on him. He sighed, giving in to the friendship the two men had developed over the last two years. "They're all fine. Janet decided to keep you and Makepeace apart. Something about divide and conquer."

"I knew it!" Jack exclaimed tiredly, followed by a huge yawn as he burrowed comfortably into his pillow again and closed his eyes. "We ought to just unleash her on the Goa'uld. See how they handle the big needles." He tilted his head to face Daniel and lazily opened his eyes. "Hey, Daniel?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For caring what happens to me."

"I'm not sharing my cookies with you."

Jack smiled as he turned to look up at the ceiling. "Nuts."

The end