What Fate Decrees - Part Three
"Jesus, Jack, you know how to pack it tight," Daniel exclaimed. "I wondered why your pack is always so heavy." He reached in again to withdraw yet more items, the concentration on his face giving no indication of how nervous and sick he really felt. 'Please let the blades be here, please God,' he prayed inside his head.
There was utter silence in the pit, except for the noise of Daniel's movements and the coarse breathing of the injured man.
Daniel was almost to where the spear pierced through the pack when he felt something he couldn't recognise. It didn't want to move. As his fingers tugged at it gently he felt a shudder of pain from Jack and realised whatever it was, was pinned by the spear. Jack's hands and jaw clenched convulsively, and Daniel gave Janet a quick look, receiving a nod to go on as she continued to mop Jack's face and monitor the readings.
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The pain seemed to be a constant pressure - granted there were bouts of severe waves, just to break up the monotony of general hell. It was getting harder to stay conscious and Jack's vision blurred constantly. Another wave of nausea hit and he tried to swallow it back. 'It'll pass, it'll pass, focus, gotta focus, come on you can do it, box it down' he told himself. He pushed past the pain, holding on once more. More pressure on the spear and the pain increased. He reached out blindly with his hand and made contact with Janet's smaller ones and held them tightly.
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Both of Janet's small hands were enveloped in one of Jack's and she had to bite down a retort of pain as his grip increased its pressure.
"Come on, Jack, hold on," she urged in the voice of a friend now, more than a doctor.
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Daniel froze for a moment sensing how much he'd hurt Jack. Resuming his 'feeling' after taking a breath, he proceeded to prod at the object. As his fingers moved up he found what he'd been searching for.
"The blades are open in here," he sighed with relief. "They're pinned into something, I …" puzzlement formed in a frown on his features as he continued to feel around the object. "Jack, what on earth have you got in here? Its hard, padded I guess."
Jack's eyes closed for a moment and as Daniel watched he saw a flicker of emotion on his features, but when he opened his eyes it was gone.
"It's a glove," he managed to whisper.
"A glove?" echoed Daniel. He thought for a second or two. "A glove – a baseball glove?" he asked. Jack just managed a nod.
'A baseball glove, what on earth does Jack have a baseball glove in his pack for?' Daniel thought to himself, and then the light dawned, he'd seen Jack with a glove recently. Charlie's glove?
No one else asked and Daniel didn't explain further. He knew how much Jack valued his privacy and knew he'd rather people assume he was nuts than explain anything to anyone.
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"Right, can we now get that thing outta me?" whispered Jack.
"I don't think it's a good idea to move you with this in you, especially through the Stargate," responded Janet.
"Sweet, pull it, plug it, let's go," he answered weakly.
"I wish it were that simple," said Janet, shaking her head.
"I can remove it, Doctor Fraiser," said Teal'c.
"Thanks T, you pull, Doc plugs, we go." The words came out quickly before the Colonel lost his breath again.
"We need a way to keep you level getting you out of this pit," said Janet, side stepping the issue of removal.
"We can sort that, Janet," said Sam. "Daniel, you wait here. Teal'c and I will go get some help and report to the General." With one last look at her Colonel, she almost ran to the wall of the pit, quickly accepting a helping hand to climb up, her eagerness to leave showing. Janet knew her friend would be anxious to bring help back to the stricken man, but that she also was finding the sight of his suffering hard to cope with.
As soon as Sam was out of sight Janet turned her attention back to Jack. "Any other instructions, Doctor. O'Neill?" she asked lightly.
"Yeah, hurry, hockey finals tomorrow." His voice was barely a whisper now, his breathing getting much worse.
"One more complaint Colonel, and I'll have all the TV's removed" As Janet moved closer to his face, his colour seemed to drain even whiter and around his mouth and nose a feint blue tinge appeared to spread.
She instantly became more alert and put her stethoscope to his chest. "Colonel, take a breath for me, as best you can."
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Jack did his best to comply with the Doc's orders, but a shudder of pain racked through his body and a sharp metallic coppery taste filled his mouth making him heave and gasp. He felt himself struggling for breath.
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A slow trickle of blood appeared from the Colonel's mouth and nose and what Janet had been dreading, happened.
She galvanised her staff into action and a large needle and tubing were passed to her. "Colonel, I need to get a drain in, just hold on. I know it's going to hurt, just hold on."
Working quickly, she found her target and inserted the long needle through his ribs and into the punctured lung. His body shuddered and a low cry of pain was forced from his lips. The needle was finally in position and Janet removed the air, watching as his lung finally began to drain of blood.
The staff meanwhile began to cut the pack off the Colonel's back, revealing the glove embedded tightly against his back.
Daniel paled even further whilst this was going on and Janet found herself wishing that Sam would hurry. She wondered what Sam was bringing back that could take so long.
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After filling Teal'c in on what they needed, Sam reported to the General.
"How long before you bring him home, Major?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"I'm not sure sir, but Doctor Fraiser seems anxious to get him back. He's only just holding on." Her voice went quieter as she spoke and the General put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Colonel O'Neill's a fighter Major, he'll make it."
She nodded at the General, unable to form a reply. Just then Teal'c entered the gate room with two volunteers all carrying assorted poles, bags and planks. Sam stiffened slightly.
Obviously seeing her need to be gone the General dismissed her, "Go bring him home, Major."
"Yes, sir" was the only response Sam trusted herself to say as she hurried down the steps, entering the gate room just as the gate activated.
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