The Reason
Part Five: The Awakening

-

"Hi," Jen smiled. "Oh, hi. Hey!" She sniffed, tears streaming down her cheeks and landing on his bruised face.

"Dream," he whispered, sadly looking up at his old friend.

"No, no, you're here Steven. I'm real, this is real," Hailey assured him, squeezing his hand even tighter. "You're back home now. Everything is okay."

"This isn't real," he said again, silently crying. And then he shut his eyes. "Not real," he whispered again.

"Doctor?" Jen said, looking up at Janet.

"Jennifer, he's been through a lot. Give it time. He's confused...they probably tortured him endlessly...images and scenes of home...Sam can explain it better, but they can get in to your memories, pose as people..." She explained, putting a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "As you...as O'Neill...his father...anyone. He may have seen your face through all of that, he may have imagined you...who knows. But it's likely that he saw your face at some point back there, dreaming you had come to rescue him. So is it suprising he thinks it's another dream?"

"Oh god," She cried, "No. No it isn't. How do I convince him it's real?"

Janet smiled, "you need to stay with him. Talk with him. Be there."

"I can do that," the Lieutenant nodded.

"Yes, I think you can. Don't worry too much about him. He's been through a lot, but I remember going through this with several other patients. They have a hard time, but they do get better. Look at Sarah Gardener, she was host to Osiris for three years. She is now leading a...not exactly normal...but she's leading her life. After all she went through, she's living."

"That's different, but, yeah. You're right," Jen smiled, taking a tissue from the pack in her pocket, and wiping her eyes. "Have his parents been informed yet?"

"I don't believe so, no," Janet replied.

"I see. I think I will go and see if I can be the one to do it," She decided. "I knew his family, we were good friends, Steven and I. I want to be the one to explain all of this."

"Okay," The Doctor agreed. "I'll take care of Elliott, don't worry about him. You should get something to eat, while you're gone. You must be starved."

"Thanks," Jen nodded, taking a tissue from her pocket and wiping her eyes. "I won't be long."

--

Determined to speak to General Hammond, Jennifer marched in to the Briefing Room, expecting it to be empty, and for him to be in his office as usual. Instead, she found she had walked straight in to a Mission Briefing.

Hammond frowned and looked at her, but then sat back is his chair. "Is there something I can do for you, Lieutenant?" He asked.

"My apologies sir," she began, but trailed off when O'Neill raised his hand in a casual wave. She took his smile as a sign to continue. "Well, I wanted to inform you that Lieutenant Elliott woke up earlier today. He is asleep again. He believed he was dreaming, that he isn't really here..."

"I expected as much," O'Neill said to Hammond.

"I was wondering if you had informed his parents yet?" She asked, hoping that he hadn't.

"No, I have not informed Lieutenant Elliott's parents," Hammond replied. "And I do not intend to until they can visit him."

"I think that's best, sir," Hailey nodded. "However, I was hoping that you might let me inform them, when the time comes."

"I'll consider it," He replied. "Was there anything else I can do for you? SG-1 have a meeting Off World in less than an hour, and they need to prepare."

"Well..." She began, wondering if she should continue. She couldn't control it any longer, and she turned red. "What happened to no one gets left behind? He was left. You left him to that awful fate. You didn't think he could survive, and he did. You should have known sir," she turned to O'Neill now, "you should have known he had a chance of survival. Found a way to get him back. He rotted in some Goa'uld prison for over a year because you decided to leave him behind! God knows what he's been through because of you! You left him!"

"Lieutenant, I understand that you are under a lot of stress, but this is not appropriate," Hammond warned her. "What happened to Steven Elliott was not Colonel O'Neill's fault. A decision was made, and having read the mission files, I agree that it was the right decision. I am sorry for the Lieutenant, and I wish things could have turned out differently. But I stand by Colonel O'Neill. I am extremely pleased to have found Elliott alive, I really am. I'm warning you, though, you do not speak to myself or Colonel O'Neill like that again. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir," Hailey nodded, regretting most of what she had said. She snapped a salute, aimed at all three of the officers, and turned around. She then marched out of the room as fast as humanly possible.

--

After the briefing had finished, O'Neill went in search of Hailey. He found her on his first try. She was sat beside Elliott, holding his hand. He stood in the doorway for a minute, and then coughed. As she saw him, she dropped his hand and stood to attention.

"Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to express..." She began, but O'Neill cut her off.

"It's okay," He told her, walking over and sitting down. "It's okay. You caught Hammond in a bad mood. And, as for what you said to me, I agree. I've been thinking exactly the same myself, since we found him. But, what happened happened, and I can't change that. I'm sorry he got left behind, but sometimes a mission is more important than a man. He knew that. He told us to leave him, and by doing so, he saved our butts."

"I don't blame you, sir," Hailey said, after a long silent pause. "Since you found him, I've been thinking, God how can he be alive? How could he possibly have survived, all this time? How could he keep going? When for 2 years, he's been dead to me? I gave up on him and moved on. I feel bad for me. I feel guilty. I'm thinking of me more than Steve. That's so awful."

"No, it isn't." He smiled, as he stood up. He patted her on the shoulder. "No, it isn't."

--

To Be Continued. Sorry that chapter let the fic down a little...but I got a bit stuck on this bit.