Thanks to Black Leather (ace name by the way) and Savin for reviewing. Only one chapter to go folks! Hang in there!
Daniel stepped through the Stargate, leaving the dappled sunlight of the forest for the harsh artificial lighting of the gateroom.
"Stand down." General Hammond's voice was followed by the clicks of safety catches. "Where's Teal'c?" He asked. "Are you ok son?"
"Teal'c is right behind me and apart from a little, shall we say, disagreement with the natives we're fine." Daniel noticed Sam standing by the side of the ramp, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other steadying herself against her crutches. Her face streaked with tears. He went to her and enveloped her in hug.
"It's alright Sam. Me and Teal'c are fine." He said into her hair.
"I'm so glad you're ok." She said weakly. "If you and Teal'c were gone too…"
The hidden meaning of these words hit Daniel like a kick to the stomach. His eyes opened wide. "What do you mean too?"
At that moment Teal'c came through the Stargate. "General Hammond." He said urgently. "I must return. I must obtain the antidote that can help O'Neill."
"I'm sorry Teal'c, I can't let anyone else go through there. One team has already been killed on that planet and you two only just managed to escape. I can't risk it." Hammond frowned.
The antidote! Daniel froze. How could he have not realised? He looked at Sam to say something but words failed him when he saw the expression on her face. Maybe this was it for SG1, maybe this was the end. Jack would die, Teal'c would return to Tulac, Sam would probably quit the SGC and Daniel would once again be lost, never really belonging. He supposed that they would all feel that way; incomplete. A long bleak future without his best friend stretched into the distance...
There was a clatter of steel grating as something hit the ramp and the Stargate disengaged. Daniel turned and saw a small tan-coloured drawstring bag lying on the metal lattice. In a trance his slowly walked up to it, every person in the gateroom watching him in total silence. He bent down and picked it up. It was made from some kind of animal skin and felt warm to the touch. He opened it with trembling fingers and brought it close to his face to look inside, it smelt of damp leaves. He tipped its contents out into his hand. It was a tiny glass bottle filled with a pale green cloudy liquid. There was note attached, he opened it.
Daniel stood up. Everyone stared at him and he held his hand out in front of him and uncurled his fist to show them the bottle.
"I think," he said. "I found what we were looking for."
He showed the note to Janet who looked at it sceptically. It showed a crude drawing of a man who had a crossbow bolt sticking out of his side. He was drinking out of a bottle.
"So you think that he should drink it?" She asked, glancing over at the bed. Daniel nodded. She inhaled deeply. "Alright, it's not as if I have much choice." She took the bottle and leaned over Jack. Taking out the cork, she parted his lips and dropped a little of the liquid between them. His eyelids flickered and he spluttered. Janet tipped the rest in and held one hand over his mouth and nose whilst massaging his throat with the other. After a few tense moments he swallowed.
She turned around the face the others and said, "That's all I can do. It will probably take a few hours to work but I'll send for you if we see any sign of recovery. Why don't you get some sleep Sam?"
Sam shook her head absently and went down to sit by Jack's bed.
"Thank you Doctor." Said General Hammond as he walked out. Janet smiled grimly and went into her office, leaving them alone.
For a few moments no one said anything, instead watching the prone figure in the bed in front of them. Then breaking the taunt silence, Daniel spoke.
"How have you been holding up Sam?" He asked.
"Oh I've been ok. Frustrated but ok." She gestured weakly to her crutches.
"I believe that Dr Fraiser is correct in saying that you should sleep Major Carter. You look most tired." Teal'c said solemnly.
"Thanks Teal'c" Said Sam, the hint of a smile about her lips. "But I'll stay here until Colonel O'Neill wakes up." Her faint smile disappeared and she gazed anxiously at him.
Daniel and Teal'c did the same. He seemed like another person; so utterly different from the Jack they knew. He was emotionless, not bored or angry or bemused or determined, which their Jack, inexplicably, was capable of being all at the same time. He wasn't in fight-or-flight soldier mode. He wasn't relaxed and ready to go fishing. He was… Neutral.
This disturbed Daniel. If Jack had looked as if he was in pain then at least Daniel would have know that his friend was still in there somewhere, still as stubborn and as obstinate as usual, still fighting. But this new expressionless Jack was disconcerting.
He inwardly shuddered and sat back in his chair; it was going to be a long day.
They had been silent for over an hour. Daniel could hear footsteps fading away as someone walked past the entrance to the infirmary in the corridor outside and as the hour hand on the clock that hung on the wall of the infirmary juddered to a halt on the eleven, Daniel could feel his hope fading too. He glanced at his companions; Teal'c was staring fixedly at Jack's bed and Sam had a despairing, vacant look on her face, a single tear trickling down her cheek. Daniel felt a rush of sympathy for her that briefly overpowered his depression…
Then in the stillness there was an intake of breath. The three were at the side of bed in a flash and Daniel's heart seemed to stop beating as they carefully leaned over Jack.
He opened his eyes.
"What…" Jack groaned, screwing up his eyes. "Uh… I feel like crap."
"Good to have you back Sir." Sam beamed.
"Hey Carter." He smiled and then looked blearily at Teal'c and Daniel. "Hey T! Space-monkey! I thought you were… well, dead."
"On the contrary O'Neill, myself and Daniel Jackson are well. We were merely imprisoned but we managed to escape our captors and obtain an antidote." Said Teal'c, the beginnings of a grin playing about his lips.
"Thanks guys…" Suddenly his eyes widened. "Er… Watch it. Napoleonic war-monger at six o'clock." He croaked.
Daniel span around to find Janet standing just behind them with her arms folded across her chest and an air of determination about her.
"Good morning Colonel." She said, as if waking up from a coma was something that happened everyday, and then she turned to Sam. "I though I told you to get some rest." Not waiting for a reply she went on. "Come on, you've hardly slept in the past seventy-two hours." Sam started to protest. "I can make it an order." Janet said warningly.
"I'll come and see you in a few hours." She said to Jack and then she hobbled out of the room, crutches clattering against the door. Janet then rounded on Daniel and Teal'c.
"What about you two? You haven't had your post-mission physical yet have you?" She said and Daniel leaned back slightly. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jack grinning weakly. "Come on. Out!" Daniel moved reluctantly towards the door.
"Now Colonel…" She said and Daniel saw Jack's grin turn abruptly to an expression of fear and he smiled; Colonel Jack O'Neill was back.