What Fate Decrees - Part Seven

The days passed slowly. One of the team always remained at Jack's side; but he was only awake for very short periods, his energies used up with healing rather than talking.

One morning Daniel was sitting quietly reading, taking his turn at watching his friend. He looked up as Janet entered the room. She checked the Colonel, making sure that he was asleep before she spoke.

"You okay, Daniel? Have you thought any more about resigning?"

He put the book down on the bed, and frowned up at her. "I've thought of nothing else."

"And?"

"And until Jack's on his feet I'm going to be here for him."

"Good."

"Nothing good about it, it's the least I owe him."

Janet didn't like the defeated tone in Daniel's voice. She tried once more to reason with him. "You don't owe the Colonel anything but your continued friendship. Have you spoken to Sam about this?"

"No, she's been too upset about Jack. I don't want to add any more problems to the load she already has to cope with." He paused before continuing. "And you're wrong. I do owe him an awful lot."

"He wouldn't want you to repay him like that, and he'd be angry if he knew that's what you thought."

"I owe Jack a lot," Daniel repeated, the emotion evident on his face. "I owe him my life countless times over and one day the price will be his life. Hopefully not this time, but the law of averages is bound to catch up - he's not invincible. It's funny you know, sometimes I think he is, so when he gets hurts it's a shock, I suppose. It really hits hard, and I don't want him throwing his life away on me."

Janet eyed Daniel steadily. She could see the guilt within him and there was only one person who could lift it, but that wasn't going to happen soon - the Colonel was a good healer, but not that good.

"I don't think the Colonel - no in fact, I know he doesn't think of you like that, a burden to risk his life on. You still won't do anything until you talk to him, will you?"

Daniel nodded reluctantly. "No, I won't. I promise."

Satisfied for the time being, but still worried, Janet left Daniel to his vigil.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

It was much later that Jack started to stir once more, trying to focus his bleary eyes.

Daniel leaned forward "Hey Jack," he called softly.

'Voices again, no a voice,' he corrected himself as he struggled, fighting to control his eyes. He finally managed to wrench them open, finding a pair of blue eyes staring down into his, not Sam's though.

"Daniel," he muttered wearily.

"In the flesh," responded the other man, his voice light and quiet.

Jack tried a slight movement, but it released a wave of burning pain. The heart rate monitor beeped faster and faster until a low alarm sounded. Janet was beside him in seconds.

"Lie still, sir. I've got you." She held his shoulder and one of his hands while she continued to monitor the readings.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Daniel watched in horror as Jack's face became impossibly white, his eyes closed, and his face contorted with pain.

"Take it slowly Colonel, nice and easy." Janet was holding Jack's hand tightly. She spoke without turning, her gaze fixed on the monitors. "I can't give him anything stronger for the pain. His blood pressure is dropping rapidly."

Daniel sat watching helplessly. His friend was barely moving, but the pain he was suffering was clear.

A sudden spasm tore through Jack's body; and the monitors began to shrill alarms.

"He's crashing," called Janet urgently, pressing the emergency button. "Code Blue,"

Jack's body convulsed and then stilled. The heart monitor flat-lined, emitting an obscene tone that Daniel knew he would hear in his nightmares.

The next events unfolded too fast for Daniel to properly take them in. The medical staff entered the room and someone quickly pulled Daniel away from the bed. Clenching his fists tightly he backed away to near the door, his back against the wall. He stood there, muttering prayers as he watched.

"Prepare to shock, we're losing him," ordered Janet. The epinephrine and then the lidocaine had failed. "Clear," she called and applied the paddles to the Colonel's chest. The shock hit and his body jerked in response. The nurse checked his stats and then shook her head. "Clear," called Janet again and shocked the body with a higher charge.

"Come on Colonel, damn you," shouted Janet as she once more hit the paddles.

"Sinus tachycardia," called one of the staff.

A blip appeared on the monitor, followed slowly by more blips.

Janet gave a sigh of relief. "Thank God there are some orders you do follow Colonel."

Daniel stood, stunned, unable to move. He registered a presence at his side and realised Sam was standing next to him, He immediately grabbed her into a hug. "Oh Sam, we nearly lost him again."

"What?" stuttered Sam, looking over to where the staff were gathered around Jack. "Is he…?"

Janet turned away from the bed.. "Back in the land of the living, at the moment. You need to wait outside for now." She gestured towards the door and Daniel knew there was no point arguing. He gently guided Sam out as a nurse closed the door behind them.

xoxoxoxoxoxo