What Fate Decrees - Part Five

A long set of hours later a tired looking Doctor Fraiser emerged from the OR, just as General Hammond joined them.

The General looked at the Doctor inquiringly. "Doctor?"

"We've got him stabilised, sir, and we've successfully removed the spear. There doesn't appear to be any major organ damage, but he's got four very badly broken ribs, one of which had punctured a lung. Also he's had major blood loss and is very weak."

"Can we see him?" asked Sam.

Janet shook her head. "Not yet. He's still well out of it for now, and we're constantly monitoring him. I suggest you all get showered, have a meal and get some sleep. I promise you if there's any change I'll let you know." As soon as she finished speaking she turned back into the infirmary, not even waiting for Hammond's permission.

"You heard the Doctor SG1, clean up, eat and sleep, that's an order. We'll debrief tomorrow," said the General before taking his leave of them.

"I shall perform kel-no-reem and return," said Teal'c.

Sam nodded. "Shower, food and sleep it is then, or at least try."

Yeah, me too" sighed Daniel.

Sam took herself off to the showers almost in a trance. Her body's autopilot kicked in and took her mindlessly through the motions of undressing and showering. As she sat down with the towel wrapped around her, the sight of her bloodied bdu's snapped her out of the fog she was in and the tears she'd been fighting to hold inside finally made their bid for freedom.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there clutching her towel around herself, shivering lightly as the chill from the air and the cold within her seeped throughout her body. She wiped her eyes with the towel in a bid to stem the flow, but it didn't help much.

She'd seen casualties before, but the image of her CO lying there, hurt so badly and in so much pain, cut to her core.

Finally, still shivering, she forced herself to dress and made her way to her quarters where she reluctantly lay down; biding her time until she thought Janet might let her in to see the Colonel.

Less than four hours later however, Sam and Daniel had had all the rest they could take and joined Teal'c outside the infirmary.

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Unsurprisingly for the doctor, a nurse informed her that the rest of SG1 had returned way sooner than she would have liked, but just about as soon as she had expected them. Leaving the Colonel for a moment, she joined them in the corridor.

"Guess you need to see him," she uttered to no one in particular and with a sweep of her hand she admitted them into the room.

Several monitors surrounded the bed, emitting beeps intermittently punching the air, and an assortment of tubes and wires joined them to the unconscious Colonel. Jack's white face almost rivalled the whiteness of the hospital linen. It was the stillness of the man that was the most shocking. He was utterly and completely still.

"We had to intubate to stabilise him. It'll be some hours before we know much more."

Daniel swallowed hard. "Can we stay a little while?"

"Sure, you can even talk to him if you want. It may help him to know where he is and that he's safe."

Teal'c handed a chair to Sam and another to Daniel. Absently they nodded their thanks and sat side by side, with Teal'c taking up 'guard' position at the foot of the bed.

"Hey Jack, we're all here, just waiting for you to get your butt out of bed," called Daniel softly. He leaned over and grasped one of Jack's hands, giving it a light squeeze as if willing for some response. Janet frowned at the sight, knowing that the Colonel would not wake for several hours, but she said nothing, quietly leaving to return to the ever-present paperwork in her office.

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The day passed. Teal'c became the coffee boy, not understanding the Tauri's love of the beverage, but if it gave his friends some comfort, then he would provide it.

Janet entered on yet another check. "You all need to rest. He'll be unconscious for a long while. He'll need you when he's awake you know."

Teal'c inclined his head to Sam and Daniel "I have no need to rest some time yet. I shall wait for O'Neill to waken and come for you when he does." His voice was gentle and reassuring.

"We can take it in turns," said Sam protested.

"Fine, does anyone mind if I go first?" asked Daniel.

Teal'c and Sam both shook their heads and Sam rose, her reluctance to leave obvious. Janet gave her friend's arm a reassuring squeeze and led her out of the room, Teal'c close on the two women's heels.

Left alone with Jack, Daniel once more leaned in and grasped his friend's hand as though it were a lifeline.

"Well Jack, I didn't listen to you again," he began softly; all his guilt and anxiety came to the surface once more. "I'm so sorry. You've taken another fall for me. This time will be the last Jack, I promise. What I need is for you to wake up and yell at me or something and then I know you're going to be alright. I won't leave I promise until I know you're going to be okay." His eyesight became distinctly misty; his vision blurred with unshed tears. "I won't leave until … but I won't put you through this again, too many times you've laid your life on the line for me." Not knowing what else to add to someone who couldn't possibly hear him, his voice subsided.

"Hey Daniel, you okay?" He started at the sound of a soft voice from the direction of the doorway.

"Uh Janet, sorry" Daniel quickly rubbed at his eyes beneath his glasses, "Sorry. I was just lost in thought."

Janet bustled in checking drips, tubes and changing some of the fluids.

"Respiration is picking up, pulse a lot stronger," she commented out loud for Daniel's benefit.

He looked at her hopefully. "Janet, will he be okay, really I mean?"

Janet looked at Daniel, frowning slightly before sitting in the spare chair beside him. "It's hard to be precise, Daniel, with injuries like this, but the Colonel has pulled through much worse. We've not yet lost a battle. He's strong and has plenty of will, and is as stubborn as hell. A lot of people wouldn't have made it out of that pit, let alone been conscious through it, so don't count him out yet."

"I won't, it's just, it's, I mean …I hope I haven't killed him this time."

"Daniel, it was an accident. It could have been any one of you."

"No. Jack told me not to touch. He's told me the same thing a thousand times. That spear would have hit me if he hadn't put himself between me and it. I didn't listen, yet again." By this time Daniel was standing, all his fears and guilt written on his face. He clutched at his own arms, hugging himself. "Jack almost died - could die, because of me. He's going through this because of me."

Janet stood up, reaching out to guide him away from the bed. "Daniel, the Colonel did what he had to do. It's what he's paid to do, to serve and protect. Don't belittle his life Daniel. The Colonel always puts his team first, or anyone other than himself. He'd never think, he'd just act."

Daniel looked up at the Doctor and answered, his tone angry. "Well maybe he should think." He stopped, surprised at his own words. He thought for moment, then spoke again, this time quietly. "No that's wrong, he shouldn't have to wander around after idiots like me, picking me up, shielding me like he's a bodyguard or something."

"Daniel, that's his job, he doesn't want it any other way, believe me. He's one of life's protectors and he gets the job done."

"No matter what the price?"

"Not where one of his team is concerned."

"Perhaps the price is too high this time."

"Not for the Colonel. No matter the pain, he'd do it again, believe me."

"I know he'd do it again, that's the problem… I'm going to hand in my resignation," Daniel sniffed, removing his glasses. He rubbed at his eyes - he could almost hear Jack saying, "Don't rub Daniel, blink."

He felt Janet's hand on his arm and looked down into her anxious eyes. "Don't do anything yet Daniel. Please let's get him on the mend then talk it over," she pleaded.

Daniel nodded, reluctantly. "I won't do anything yet. I do need to speak to him. I owe him that."

"Good, now, first things first, the Colonel" She lead him back Jack's side, and Daniel sat once more, taking his friend's hand again.

A few hours later Sam arrived to take her turn at the vigil. Daniel took in the tired look on her face, and knew she had had very little rest. She looked at the quiet man in the bed beside them for a few moments, before speaking.

"Teal'c got the glove free from the blades. He's trying to find someone to repair it."

"Does he need help?" offered Daniel.

"Nope, I did offer, but he said he was okay and knows a saddler or words to that effect."

Daniel nodded. "A saddler?" His eyebrows went up.

"Yes," said Sam, her lips turned up in a small smile. "Apparently our Colonel introduced him to horses and a ranch owner not too far away."

Daniel couldn't help an answering smile. "Oh, sometimes I do wonder what he's learning from Jack."

"Apart from hockey and God knows what?" Sam grimaced, before grinning.

Daniel nodded, returning her grin. "They do spend a lot of downtime together. I should check it out someday" 'Yeah after I've left,' he added, mentally kicking himself.

"Get some rest Daniel."

Daniel stood, his muscles tight from sitting for so long. Sam gave him a quick hug, and had already settled into the chair he had vacated before he had left the room. He hesitated for a second at the doorway, before dragging himself away, knowing he had to get some sleep.

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