Chapter 3

General Hammond strode briskly into the briefing room and took his place at the head of the large table. Five grim faces watched him expectantly--to his right, Major Carter and Teal'c, to his left, Dr. Fraiser, Colonel Bruster and Bruster's 2IC, Captain Atkins. Though still reeling from the news of Sean Donovan's death, Hammond reined in his emotions and gestured for them to sit.

"At ease, people. I don't need to tell you all why we're here. We lost a good man today. I'll be damned if we're gonna lose two. Dr. Fraiser, would you please--"

The door opened and Jack O'Neill stepped inside. His eyes swept the room before focusing on Hammond.

"Sorry I'm late, sir."

Hammond took in the blue hospital scrubs, darkly circled eyes, and stubbled chin. "Have a seat, Colonel. Dr. Fraiser was just about to update us on what she's learned so far."

Fraiser waited until O'Neill was seated beside Teal'c before speaking. "We're dealing with an alien organism that appears viral in nature, which means our antibiotics are useless. And the incubation period is short--rats injected with the organism contracted the disease within 24 hours of exposure. The disease progresses in several stages. Initial symptoms include dizziness, muscle aches, and fatigue. Stage two is characterized by the development of fever and a flat, red rash on the arms, legs, and torso. In stage 3 the lungs fill with fluid..." her voice wavered and she took a deep breath before continuing, "which eventually leads to respiratory failure, and death."

Hammond leaned forward. "What is Dr. Jackson's condition?"

"Daniel is currently in stage 2. We're doing everything we can to bring down the fever and monitoring his breathing. So far, he's holding his own."

Bruster frowned. "I don't get it. Jackson started getting sick before Donovan. Why is he still alive when Sean's--" He clamped his mouth shut and darted an apologetic look at Jack.

Fraiser's voice was sympathetic. "I can only speculate, sir, but... Sean suffered from asthma when he was a small child. He seemed to have outgrown it, but his lungs may have been weaker than Daniel's."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "This is fascinating, Doc. But it doesn't really help Daniel, does it?"

"Colonel." Hammond uttered the name as a soft rebuke.

"It's all right, sir. Colonel O'Neill makes a valid point. Understanding how this disease progresses is only a small part of the equation. To help Daniel, we need to know how he contracted the virus. And more importantly, why only he and Lieutenant Donovan became sick."

She shuffled her notes, then met O'Neill's intense stare. "I'm afraid I still don't have the answer to either question. I've been consulting with a colleague who specializes in virology, but so far he's as stumped as I am."

Hammond was the first to break the silence. "The samples Major Carter and Teal'c brought back from the planet showed no sign of the virus?"

Fraiser shook her head. "I'm afraid not, sir. Extensive analysis has revealed a standard microbiological load--various benign organisms very similar to those found on Earth. Other than the purple hue of the water, I found nothing unusual. There was absolutely no trace of the organism in Daniel's blood."

"Red," Bruster murmured, studying his clasped hands.

"Excuse me?"

He looked up. "You said the water was purple. You meant red."

Fraiser shook her head. "No. No, I meant purple, sir. In fact, it looks amazingly like grape Kool-Aid."

Bruster turned to Carter. "Where exactly did you get this water?"

"From their city hall. And from the lake that serves as their main water supply."

Bruster and Atkins looked at each other with raised brows before Bruster spoke. "Look, I don't know what you've got in your test tubes. But the water we drank was red."

"Doc?" Jack drawled the word, eyebrows raised.

"It may mean nothing, Colonel, but it's worth pursuing."

"General? Request permission for Teal'c and I to return to the planet and sample this other water source." Carter's voice vibrated hope.

Hammond inclined his head. "Granted, Major. Gear up and collect what you need, you gate out in an hour. Take Dr. Thompkins with you to translate. Colonel Bruster, you--"

A high-pitched beep interrupted him, and Fraiser pulled her pager from her pocket. Her body tensed and she stood, almost bolting before remembering where she was.

"I'm afraid there's an emergency, General. I'm needed immediately."

Hammond frowned, suppressing the urge to question her. "Of course, Doctor. Dismissed."

O'Neill lurched to his feet, arms braced on the table. "Is it Daniel?"

Fraiser hesitated in the doorway before nodding. "He's having difficulty breathing." Then she was gone.

Jack snapped his head around to look at Hammond. "Sir?"

"Go."

He was across the room and out the door almost before Hammond uttered the word. With effort, the General directed his attention back to Bruster.

"Colonel, I'm going to be contacting Sean Donovan's family. Obviously you can't go into specifics, but... I'm sure, as his commanding officer, a letter from you would mean a great deal to them."

Bruster tipped up his chin. "It would be my pleasure, sir."

Hammond sighed. "That's all. You're dismissed, people."

He watched them file out of the room. Carter and Teal'c moved with an urgency born of fragile hope, Bruster and Atkins with resignation. He remained in his chair long after they'd gone, staring through the window at the silent stargate. Sometimes the price of discovery was too damn high.

With a heavy sigh Hammond stood and headed for his office. He had a letter to write.

*************************

Jack dashed into the isolation room on Fraiser's heels. Monitors shrieked while two nurses struggled to calm a thrashing Daniel.

"What are his vitals?" Fraiser barked as she joined them.

"BP's 200 over 110, Pulse 152, respiration 45. His SAT's down to 81." The nurse tried to adjust the oxygen mask, which had been knocked askew.

"Damn." Fraiser sidestepped her, pressing a palm to Daniel's sweaty brow. "Daniel, listen to me."

Daniel tossed his head, dislodging her hand. He panted, rapid, shallow gulps for air, while tugging frantically at the wrist restraints.

Fraiser caught hold of his chin and spoke more sharply. "Daniel, I need you to calm down."

"His lips are blue." Jack flinched under Fraiser's glare.

"Colonel, you shouldn't be here. Cooper, get a number 8 ET tube, 5 milligrams of Versed, and 50 micrograms of Fentanyl," she told the nurse over her shoulder, then scowled when she saw Jack hadn't moved. "Sir, Daniel's not getting enough oxygen. We've got to get him hooked up to a respirator ASAP. Now if you'd please wait outside--"

"I can help. Just what the doctor ordered, remember?"

"Not this time. You'll only be in the way, and I can't afford--"

"Nuh...no!" Daniel kicked out a leg, clipping the nurse's arm as she reached for his I.V. She stumbled into Fraiser and the syringes in her hand went flying.

"Mitchell, get over here and hold his legs, damn it!" Janet caught hold of the flailing limb.

"Aw, for cryin'..." Jack stepped in and took Daniel's face between his palms, using his best command voice. "Daniel, look at me. Look. At. Me."

Daniel's struggling lessened but his eyes were wild. "Jack...help...can't..."

"I know. Doc's got it covered. But you've got to stop fighting her."

Jack let go as Fraiser leaned into view. "Daniel, I need to put a tube down your throat so you can breathe. Do you understand?"

She got a jerky nod before Daniel's gaze once again locked onto Jack. He moved his fingers, scrabbling at the mattress. Understanding, Jack grabbed the restless hand, wincing when Daniel latched on with a bone-crushing grip.

"That's it; you're doing fine. Stay with me, Daniel."

"Okay, Daniel, here we go. Deb's going to give you something to help you relax."

Jack knew the moment the drugs hit Daniel's bloodstream. His friend's eyelids slid to half-mast and all the tension leaked out of his body. Still, he worked to focus on Jack's face.

"Jack." It was more a gasp than a name, hopelessly slurred.

Jack's throat closed up. He couldn't speak as Daniel shut his eyes and went limp. Backing into a corner, he turned away when Fraiser tipped Daniel's head and guided the long tube down his throat.

Fraiser's words in the briefing room echoing through his thoughts. *"In stage 3 the lungs fill with fluid, which eventually leads to respiratory failure, and death."* Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed his forehead to the wall. Daniel was dying, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Again.

"Colonel?"

He jerked at the feel of her hand on his arm. His eyes flying open, he staggered backward a step before regaining his equilibrium. Looking down, he was struck anew by how small she was--a fact her intelligence and the sheer force of her personality tended to overshadow.

Jack rubbed a hand over his face. "How is he?"

"He's stable, for now." She paused. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Jack clenched his jaw. "For now."

"You don't look fine. You look like you need sleep--preferably at least eight hours, uninterrupted."

"What I *need*..." Jack's gaze strayed past Fraiser's concerned face to Daniel's limp form and suddenly he couldn't speak.

"Colonel, I'm going to tell you what I told Sam. We both know how tenacious Daniel can be."

"Doc, look at him." Daniel's skin was ashen, bruised circles visible beneath his closed eyes. His chest rose and fell with the mechanical precision of the ventilator. Jack's voice turned rough. "What we both know is that he's dying."

"We've been here before, sir. How many times does he have to prove us wrong before we put our faith in him? I'm not about to give up on him. And neither should you." She accepted Daniel's chart from one of the nurses and began making notations.

"Now, I'd order you to get some sleep in your quarters. But since I know I've got a snowball's chance in hell of making that happen, I'll permit you to sit with him. On two conditions."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Listening."

"First, you stay out of my nurses' way."

"And second?"

She softened her stern expression. "Talk to him. We'll be keeping him lightly sedated as long as he's on the vent. But that doesn't mean he can't hear you, at least on some level. Keep him with us, sir. Keep him fighting."

Jack sighed. "In case you hadn't noticed, Daniel rarely does what I tell him to do." He looked over at his friend. "Maybe pissing him off will do the trick. I'm good at that."

Reclaiming his chair beside Daniel's bed, he scooted close enough to prop an arm on the mattress. He stared at his friend, mesmerized, until he realized his own breathing had automatically fallen in sync with Daniel's. Typical, he thought ruefully. Daniel was a fundamental force of nature. He'd influenced Jack's life from the day they'd met, exerting an irresistible pull like the moon on the tides.

Casting a furtive glance at the nurses across the room, he curled his fingers around Daniel's wrist. "So, Daniel. It's me. Jack. 'Course, you probably already knew that, right? I mean, you're drugged, not stupid, and..." He grimaced. "Yeah, well... Doc says I'm supposed to talk to you, so...here we are."

The heart monitor beeped, the respirator hissed, and Daniel continued to do a damn fine impression of a rag doll. Jack scrubbed a hand over his face and blew out a long breath.

"I'm not any good at this. As a matter of fact, I suck. Major suckage. It drove Sara out of my life. And I think maybe it cost me my best friend. Once."

Picking at the frayed edge of the sheet, Jack cleared his dry throat. "Not this time, Daniel. I may be a coward, but I learn from my mistakes, eventually. So I'm gonna tell you what I should have told you last time, before you got all glowy on us and floated off to look for that 'meaning of life' crap."

Jack leaned in close, tightening his fingers and lowering his voice. "Don't go. Do you hear me, Daniel? I'm order--asking you. As your friend. As family. Fight with every ounce of stubborn, pigheadedness you've got--and we both know that's a lot.

"We just got used to having you back, you realize that, don't you? Do you have any idea what losing you again will do to Carter? And Teal'c? Hell, they moped around most of the year you were gone. Carter even..." He caught himself, dropping his forehead onto the mattress with a sigh. "All right. *I* just got used to having you back. And I...it's been good, Daniel. Real good. So...don't go, okay? Just...don't."

The beeping sped up and Daniel twitched his fingers. Jack lifted his head. "Daniel?" He glimpsed a sliver of blue from beneath Daniel's eyelids. "It's okay. The machine is helping you breathe, remember?"

Daniel moved his fingers again, clumsily plucking at Jack's sleeve. Jack patted them, then left his hand over his friend's. "I'm not going anywhere either."

Daniel stilled and his eyes slid shut. Jack told himself it was coincidence, that Daniel was too loopy from the sedation to understand. But logic and rationalization didn't silence the little voice in his head that said he'd maybe, finally, gotten it right.

*************************

"No, thank you. I'm fine. Really." Sam showed her teeth as she declined the proffered tray, wondering if her smile looked as phony as it felt. "I'm giving him five more minutes," she muttered to Teal'c, waving away yet another offer of food, "and then I'm pulling my gun."

Teal'c followed her gaze to where Thompkins was conversing with several Samposian council members. Well, trying anyway. His stumbling version of the flowing, melodic dialect had the men exchanging bemused, and often confused, glances.

"I'm afraid I could not allow you to take such action." Teal'c waited a beat, then added, "It is clear to me that a staff weapon would achieve much more satisfactory results."

She snorted a startled laugh. "It occurs to me, Teal'c, that we've both been around the Colonel too long."

Teal'c inclined his head, the barest hint of a smile in his eyes. "That is certain."

Five minutes and two trays later, Sam stood and dusted off her pants. "Okay, that's it." She strode over to Thompkins, one hand meaningfully cupping her P90. "Report, Thompkins. You've been at this nearly thirty minutes and--"

"Shhh!" Thompkins tossed a quick look over his shoulder, flipping his hand as if she were a particularly irritating fly, then directed a garbled question to the councilmen.

Sam's jaw dropped, then snapped shut as she struggled to control her anger. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.

"Tompkins."

The linguist turned, hearing danger in the low, measured tone. Really seeing them this time, his eyes widened and a flush crept up his neck. "Oh! M-major Carter, I'm so s-sorry. Kanari was just telling me something very important, and--I mean, not that *you* aren't important, because you are, of course you are--but he was explaining, and then you--"

"Thompkins?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Have you learned anything that will help Daniel?"

Thompkins stared at her for a moment, then lit up with excitement. "That's what I was about to tell you. Yes! I finally got them to explain the discrepancy in the color of the water."

"And?"

"The water is the same. It's the environment that changes."

Sam sighed. "Thompkins, spell it out. What exactly are you saying?"

"If I understand correctly, it's called the 'estus cruento'--blood tide. A phenomenon that occurs only under specific weather conditions."

"Describe these conditions," Teal'c said.

"Well, that part is a little sketchy, but from what I can tell, it's when the ambient temperature rises above 100 degrees. The water gradually changes color, from purple to red. The people here don't give it a second thought. For them, it's no more unusual than a fog bank or a thunderstorm."

Sam bit her lip. "Wait a minute. If the color indicates a chemical change--say, increased or decreased acidity--it could affect the number and type of microorganisms present. An organism that's dormant under cooler conditions might proliferate when the water warms up."

"That would indeed explain why Dr. Fraiser has been unable to detect the virus in the water samples we collected."

Sam looked at Teal'c. "Exactly! It's there, we just can't see it. But raise the temperature a few degrees..."

Teal'c frowned. "It does not, however, explain why Daniel Jackson and Lieutenant Donovan became ill after drinking the water, but Colonel Bruster and Captain Atkins did not."

Sam's shoulders slumped. "Or any of these people, for that matter."

"Kanari said there are legends of a plague that decimated this planet's population hundreds of years ago. He thinks there could be historical texts that might give me the details."

Thompkins bright eyes and eager smile reminded Sam of her sick teammate. Her gut twisted, and she spoke more harshly than she intended. "I can't afford to waste time on what could be or might be. It's imperative that Dr. Fraiser gets this information as soon as possible. Using what we've learned, we can simulate the conditions necessary to grow the organism."

Thompkin's face fell. "But if the plague was caused by the same virus that's infected Dr. Jackson--"

"I will remain with Carl Thompkins."

Sam looked at her teammate. Teal'c's expression appeared serene, but she knew how much the offer cost him. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Yes!" Thompkins stopped just short of punching the air, daunted by the Jaffa's stern demeanor. "Uh...I mean...thank you, Teal'c. I really appreciate it."

Teal'c inclined his head. "You may repay me by finding the answers that will help save Daniel Jackson's life."

Thompkins nodded, his smile fading. "I'll do my best. I promise."

************************

In the dream, Jack was always right there when it happened.

He'd sprint up the stairs and into the bedroom, careening off the doorframe, Charlie's name on his lips...just as the gunshot exploded and blood sprayed the walls, the floor, his face.

He'd failed, and Charlie died.

Jack sucked in a sharp breath and bolted upright, taking a nosedive toward the linoleum before regaining his balance. He'd evidently fallen asleep folded over with his head resting on Daniel's bed. Blinking, he swiped a shaky hand over his face and found himself looking into General Hammond's concerned eyes.

"Sir." His mouth felt papery dry and the stickiness in one corner suggested he'd been drooling at some point.

Hammond quelled Jack's attempt to stand with a firm hand on his shoulder. "At ease, Colonel. I didn't mean to wake you. I just dropped by to check on Dr. Jackson."

Jack looked at his friend. "Doc says he's getting weaker. She had to turn up the ventilator. It's doing all his breathing for him now."

"I know. She told me." Hammond's gaze pierced Jack. "You're listed as Dr. Jackson's next of kin."

Jack's stomach did a slow roll. He stood and folded his arms across his chest. "I know." Hearing the edge of insubordination, he softened his tone. "He asked me soon after he returned from Abydos. He was still reeling from seeing Sha're and Kawalski taken as hosts. He wanted to be sure if the same happened to him..."

"I understand." Hammond frowned. "Jack--"

"Don't say it, sir."

"I don't want to talk about this any more than you do."

"Then don't." Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and paced over to the observation window. "I'm not giving up on him."

"I'm not asking you to. I just think you might want to prepare yourself, son. The time may come when you'll be called upon to make some tough decisions."

Jack stiffened. "Did Fraiser tell you that? A few hours ago she was urging me not to give up. Guess she doesn't believe her own press."

"*Doctor* Fraiser is doing everything she can to keep Daniel alive. She doesn't want to face the possibility of his death any more than you do. But as his physician, she has to consider any and all possible outcomes to this illness. She doesn't have the luxury of burying her head in the sand." Hammond gentled his voice. "I don't think she's slept since this nightmare began."

Jack slouched against the wall, his shoulders slumping. "I know. I never meant to suggest..." He drew in a calming breath. "When Daniel asked me to be his next of kin, I didn't take that request lightly. I promised to take care of him, sir. And I will."

Hammond placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then he's in good hands."

A nurse came to the doorway. "General Hammond? You're wanted in the 'gateroom, sir. Major Carter just returned."

Hammond locked eyes with Jack for a moment before nodding briskly. "On my way."

Jack wandered back over to his chair--yeah, he was now thinking of it as "his" chair--and folded himself into it. Leaning his elbows on the mattress, he pressed his clasped hands to his forehead. Praying to a God he wasn't sure he believed in that Carter had good news.

*************************

"Bingo." Janet stepped aside and gestured for Sam to take her place at the electron microscope.

Sam squinted through the eyepiece. "That's it?"

"Doesn't look like much, does it? Amazing that something so small can wreak such havoc on the human body. And to think it was there, in the water, all along. Just waiting for the right conditions."

Sam lifted her head and propped her hip against the counter. "All right, so we know how Daniel and Donovan picked up the disease. But we still don't know why they were the only ones to become ill. Or how to cure it."

"I've sent virus and blood samples to that colleague I mentioned during the briefing. The Samposians seem to possess some sort of natural immunity to the disease. We're hopeful he can isolate the factor from their blood and create a serum."

"Janet, correct me if I'm wrong, but that could take quite a bit of time. Time we don't have." Sam bit her lip. "Time Daniel doesn't have."

Janet came to stand beside her, leaning against the lab bench with a weary sigh. "I don't know what to tell you, Sam. At this point it's the best chance Daniel has."

"I can't believe this is happening. It's the worst kind of déjà vu, watching him in that bed, fighting for his life. Like..."

"Like reliving Kelowna." Janet rubbed her eyes. "I know. I feel just as helpless."

Sam dropped her voice to a whisper. "We just got him back."

They stood in silence until Fraiser's pager interrupted. She pulled it from her pocket, and her lips tightened. "It's Daniel."

When they reached the isolation room, they found the two on duty nurses clustered around Daniel, who was jerking and twisting beneath their hands.

"Damn. Seizure." Janet raised her voice and entered the fray. "Get me 10 mg of diazepam and watch that I.V. line, he's going to pull it out!"

Unable to tear her gaze from her thrashing teammate, Sam moved over to the Colonel. He stood off to the side, with his hands in his pockets and his jaw clenched.

"Sir? What happened?"

"Pretty self-evident, isn't it?" When she flinched at his snarl, he sighed. "Sorry. I was sleeping, and then all of the monitors started going nuts. By the time I realized it was a seizure, the nurses had already called for the doc."

The beeps from Daniel's heart monitor abruptly became uneven. Janet's head snapped up. "He's in T-tach. Get the crash cart! Move!"

The Colonel immediately strode toward the bed, dodging a nurse.

"Sir--" Sam tried to catch his arm, but he shrugged her off.

Janet grabbed the paddles off the cart. "Charge to 300. Sir, you need to step back." She spoke without taking her eyes from her patient. "Clear!"

Daniel arched, then collapsed bonelessly onto the bed, one arm dangling limply off the mattress. But the monitor continued to stutter. Sam turned and fled the room.

She didn't know how long she waited alone in the hallway, her forehead pressed against the cool cinderblock wall. When she closed her eyes all she could see was Daniel's white face, and that outstretched, lifeless hand. Her throat tightened and hot tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and trickled down her cheeks.

Oh, Daniel.

"Hey, hey."

Colonel O'Neill's voice broke through her misery. Grasping her shoulder, he turned her around. His face drawn and haggard, his eyes bloodshot, he looked as if he'd aged ten years. But one corner of his mouth turned up in a weak, lopsided smile.

"It's okay. Fraiser got him back."

She choked out a sob and, horrified by her own lack of control, pressed the back of one hand against her mouth. The Colonel didn't bat an eye, just pulled her into a brief, hard hug.

"I know, Carter. Believe me, I know."

Janet walked out of the isolation room, stripping off a pair of gloves. "I think we have him stabilized. But I won't lie to you--his heart is weakening and it's looking like his kidneys are beginning to shut down. If we don't turn this around soon..."

Jack pinned Sam with an intense glare. "You're back from the planet. What did you learn?"

"Not enough. The organism that causes this disease proliferates in their water supply once the ambient temperature reaches 100 degrees. Colonel Bruster says there was a hot spell a couple days after they arrived. They were all drinking lots of water."

"So why didn't Bruster and Atkins get sick?" Jack looked from Sam to Janet, his face twisting in frustration. "Damn it, there's got to be a reason! Something we're missing."

Sam tucked her chin to her chest, resisting the still-threatening tears. The Colonel was right, they were missing something, running in circles without making any headway. And Daniel was paying the price.

"We're all doing our best, Colonel." Janet touched Sam's arm as if sensing her thoughts. "We'll keep testing--"

The klaxons sounded and Sam raised her head, hope kindling. "Teal'c and Thompkins are the only ones off-world right now."

They were all moving before she'd finished speaking.

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Continued in chapter 4