With Teal'c a level above them and Carter a level below them Jack and Jay were searching the corridors and offices of the SGC painstakingly. They would seal off each section as they cleared it and had just about reached the gate room when they saw the door open.

"Shit." Jay yelped and raced for the door before it shut and secured itself. Jack turned and leaped for the stairs to the control room, hoping to shut down the gate before invisible boy decided to do something stupid.

Using his TER Jay made out the form of the Jaffa, then used his zat to disable the guys' cloaking technology. The Jaffa in turn pointed a zat at him, and they were in a Mexican standoff.

The Jaffa stood defiantly in the middle of the gateroom, surrounded by a malp and boxes of things that were ready for SG-5 's next mission.

"So," Jay stood, his feet spread as he tried to anticipate the Jaffa's next move, "Who sent you here?"

The Jaffa laughed derisively, "It doesn't matter, I have already completed my mission."

"So then it won't matter if you tell us." Jay said reasonably.

As Jack watched in the control room, Teal'c and Daniel arrived, with Sam on their heels. As suddenly as they appeared Jack noticed the Jaffa push a button on his chest and a light started flashing, faster and faster.

"O'Neill." Teal'c said urgently.

"I know I know! Siler close the blast doors." As they were slowly closing Jack leaned over to the microphone, "Coburn, hit the deck!"

Jay half spun to see Jack's frantic face and the blast doors closing, then he did what he was told. He hit the deck, unfortunately not fast enough to avoid the blast and the debris that went flying everywhere. He felt the floor, and heard the blast, felt the heat and that was the last he knew.

The blast rattled the windows and the metal covering them, making the occupants of the room wince. Jack smacked the button for the blast doors, visibly impatient as they slowly uncovered the gateroom covered in debris, and the gate splattered with blood.

"I can't see the Colonel." Sam said, then realized she was speaking to the air. The men were already headed down to the gateroom.

Bursting into the gateroom Jack looked frantically around for his friend. "Jay?" he bellowed, kicking aside boxes and shoving debris around.

"Over here O'Neill." Teal'c said.

Jack and Daniel raced over and knelt down beside the trashed malp that was partially on top of Jay who was face down. Teal'c stood and lifted the offending machinery, moving it carefully. Daniel was about to roll Jay over when Jack stopped him, "Wait Danny. Let me check him over first." Daniel nodded and sat back as Jack began to check for broken bones. Jay twitched and moaned.

"Goddamn." He mumbled, trying to push up onto his shaky arms.

"Coburn?" Jack asked anxiously.

"Jack? Why are you shouting?" Jay complained and tried to get up. Jack and Teal'c stood quickly and helped him to his feet, feeling him sway slightly.

Daniel moved to stand in front of him, "How's the head?"

"Like a high school band is playing inside. Badly." He looked around blankly, "Did the blast take out the lights? It's fucking dark in here."

Daniel exchanged an alarmed glance with Jack, while Teal'c closed his own eyes for a moment.

"The lights are indeed on Colonel Coburn. You seem to have been rendered sightless by the blast."

Jack winced, "What the big guy said. Let's get you to the infirmary. I know that Doc Warner is on duty, he'll fix you up."

Jay was rocking in shock and didn't hear his friend for a second. "Jack?" to the others Jay's voice was shaky.

"Yeah."

"I didn't find out what the Jaffa wanted."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Doesn't matter. I'm pretty we can rule out the Ree'tu. Let's go."

Jay was laying on his bed, stripped down to his black t-shirt and boxers, his dog tags a visible bump underneath the shirt. His cuts had all been bandaged, and his eyes were covered in gauze. He was quietly freaking as the Doctor walked back and forth muttering under his breath. Would he ever see again?

Doctor Warner walked toward the bed and Jay's head moved towards the sound. "Well Colonel, you have a severe concussion and it looks like it's affecting your eyes."

"Well duh! How long is it going to last?" Jack asked, a bite in his voice.

Jay jumped, "Jack?"

A callused hand gripped his, "I'm still here buddy."

Doctor Warner looked at the men, "I can't tell you when. It could be tomorrow, next week, or quite frankly never."

Standing in the doorway Sam and Daniel sucked in a surprised breath.

Jack flared, "Listen here Doc. What do we need to do to make his sight does come back?"

"I'll need to send him to an Eye specialist at the Academy hospital, but with the storms…." He trailed off.

Nodding Jack said, "We'll do it. I'll get a humvee and you make sure that the specialist is there tomorrow." He turned to Daniel and Sam, "Danny, call Buffy and let her…."

"No! Absolutely not." Jay said.

"Oh Jay, that's not a good idea." Daniel protested.

"I don't care. I don't want her to hear about this. If my eyesight returns then there was no reason to worry her."

"Coburn." Jack began.

"Promise me Jack. You too guys." He moved his bandaged head in their direction.

Sam sighed, "Yes Sir."

"Just for the record, if Buffy were in your place wouldn't you want to know?" Daniel asked reproachfully.

"Promise me Daniel."

Daniel looked at Jack who shrugged helplessly, "Fine." And he spun on his heel and left.

"You're an ass. Sir." And Sam left as well.

Jack sighed, "Cripes Coburn. Get some rest."

Jay heard the curtain being pulled around his bed, the noise absurdly loud. Another noise made him jump. "Jack?"

"I'm stayin'. Now sleep."

"Mother henning me Jack?"

"Shut up and sleep." His friend growled. Feeling obscurely better Jay settled down to sleep.

Buffy woke up with a start, her dreams filled with explosions and pain. Shaking her head she tried to get a feel on what the dream was about but couldn't. She looked at her clock and decided it was too early to call Jay, so she settled back to sleep, still feeling uneasy and not knowing why.

Jack drove through the quiet streets of Colorado Springs to the Air Force Academy, a silent Jay by his side. After a thorough eye exam, a cat scan and a pet scan, the Doctor came into his office and sat down across from the two men.

"Well Colonel, I think that your prognosis is excellent. We've ruled out opthamological problems such as brain hemorrhage or detached retina etc. I'm of the opinion that your loss of sight is due to your concussion and subsequent swelling that is pressing against the optic nerves."

Jack nodded, "And?"

The Doctor looked at Jay, "With complete bedrest, painkillers and diuretics I fully expect your sight to return in 24 to 48 hours."

Jay took a shaky breath, "You're sure?"

The gray haired man rolled his eyes at Jack who wryly smiled back, "I've treated hundreds of battle injuries similar to this in the 30 years I've served. Trust me son."

The next morning Janet walked into her sleeping daughter's bedroom and shook her shoulder. "Cassie? I've been called in to the mountain, do you want to come with? They're sending a humvee to pick me up."

Cassie sat up and covered a big yawn, "Yeah, give me 10 minutes would you Mom?"

"You bet."

"Sweet."

And Janet watched her daughter disappear into the bathroom. Shaking her head she headed into her own room to get dressed, "I'd like to kick the Colonel's ass sometimes." She muttered.

Janet and Cassie entered the mountain, both of them noticing how quiet it was with most of the city shut down in the aftermath of the weeks storms. As they walked into the infirmary Janet stopped short in surprise. Colonel Coburn was asleep in one of her beds, with Colonel O'Neill asleep in the chair beside him. Cassie bumped into her and was about to say something when Janet turned to her and held a finger to her lips. She motioned Cassie to head into her own office and went to the end of the bed to read the injured man's chart.

The flipping of paper made Jack jerk awake. He rubbed his eyes and smiled to see Janet. "Hey Doc."
"Hello Colonel, what happened?" she whispered and he stood, his knees cracking then he motioned her into the hallway. She followed slowly, flipping through Jay's chart as she walked.

"Well?" she asked quietly.

Jack scrubbed his unshaven face, "A Jaffa blew himself up in the gateroom, Jay was in there with him and caught some of the blast."

Janet sighed and looked over at the sleeping man, "He got off lucky I suppose."

They both looked in the door when they heard Jay moan, then gasp, sitting up.

"Jack?"

Jack strode in and touched his friends shoulder, "Still here Coburn. Just was chatting up Doc Frasier."

"Hello Colonel." Janet said. She walked over to him and started checking his various bandages. "You're healing well Colonel, now let's check your eyes."

"Colonel O'Neill, could you turn down the lights?" she asked as she began to peel back the tape holding the gauze on.

Jay was trembling, scared as the bandages came off.

"Open your eyes colonel." She ordered gently.

Jay did as she said, blinking rapidly. "My eyes feel sandy."

"Open wide and I'll flush them out." She took a bottle of saline and washed them out gently. She watched as he blinked but knew right away that he didn't see anything.

"Jay?" Jack asked but he knew as well.

Jay's shoulders slumped, "Nothing."

"Now can I call Buffy?" Jack asked tartly.

Janet looked at him sharply, "You haven't told Buffy?" her voice rose making the men wince.

"No, and promise me you won't either."

"And why should I do that?" She demanded.

"Because of Doctor patient confidentiality."

Janet sighed and began to rebandage his eyes, "As your friend I'm saying that this is wrong. As your Doctor I'll respect your wishes. Under protest." She looked at Jack who grimaced and shrugged.

10 minutes later Janet walked into her office and flopped into the chair across from her daughter.

"What's the matter?" Cassie asked, looking up from her reading assignment.

"Men!" Janet snarled.

"All? Or one in general."

"Your friend and matchmaker Colonel Coburn. He's lying in there, blind, and made me promise not to call Buffy and tell her." Janet huffed.

"Is it permanent?" Cassie asked shocked.

"No, it should return in the next couple of days."

Cassie sat back and looked at her Mom, then smiled, "I didn't promise."

Janet sat up, then smiled, "You'll have to call from in here. He'll hear you walk by."

"Bye Mom, the less you know the better." Cassie said, making shooing motions.