For disclaimer and warnings see part 0/1.

"Unscheduled incoming wormhole." The call came with the usual amount of activity at the SGC. Defense teams prepared in the unfortunate event an attack was starting as the iris closed to prevent such an attack. Gate technicians studied their monitors, valiantly watching for readings that would indicate a problem with the alien device. Medical teams tensed, waiting for the unfortunate but all too often call for help. Jonas rushed to the control room in the hope his newly found friends were returning. The wormhole connected, bathing the gateroom in a blue light.

"Are we receiving a signal?" General Hammond asked, making the quick journey from his office to the control room.

"Not yet Sir," Sergeant Harriman reported, studying his monitor intently. "Sir, we are receiving a radio signal."

"Let's hear it Sergeant," Hammond ordered. Walter typed a command into his keyboard and soon a voice was heard throughout the control room.

"Stargate Command, this is Teal'c. Do you copy?" Muffled cheers erupted at the sound of his voice.

"We copy, Teal'c," Hammond said just as Jonas skidded into the control room. "We were starting to get worried son. What's your status?"

"The Stargate is secure," Teal'c reported. "Major Carter is alive, however her situation is serious. Doctor Fraiser is with her. They both require medical attention. The dialing mechanism on the Stargate is malfunctioning. We require a naquadah generator to establish an outgoing wormhole."

"Copy Teal'c." He nodded to Major Holmes, who promptly left the control room to round up his team and the gear he would need. Both SG-3 and SG-7 had been on standby, waiting for this call. He nodded toward Jonas, who frantically scrambled after him. "We'll have the teams ready to go ASAP."

"Acknowledged," Teal'c said as the power finally failed and the Stargate shut down. Content to wait for the rescue party, he radioed Doctor Fraiser to tell her the news. "Doctor Fraiser." His heart sunk as there was no answer. "Doctor Fraiser," he tried again after a few minutes, "do you read?"

"Teal'c?" Her voice was weak, barely audible through the radio.

"I was successful. A group from the SGC will arrive shortly."

"Thank God." The relief was obvious in her voice, and he found he shared that emotion. He continued to reassure her until the Stargate flared to life again.

"Teal'c," Jonas said, emerging from the wormhole and flinging himself at his friend. "How are you doing? What happened here? Where's Sam?"

"There is little time," he told him, noticing SG-3 and SG-7 were also gathering around him. "We must hurry." SG-3 nodded and quickly followed Teal'c, leaving SG-7 to secure the Gate and hook up the generator. As they neared the cave, Jonas ran ahead.

"Sam?" he called as he entered. "Dr. Fraiser?"

"Teal'c?" Janet asked weakly. It took the men a few minutes for their eyes to adjust, and they were shocked by the sight that met them when they did. Teal'c brushed passed them, heading for a dying fire a few feet inside. SG-3 quickly pushed their hesitation aside and followed him. Sam and Janet were huddled beneath a blanket, the major's head resting in the doctor's lap. They started tending to the Major and were confused when Janet started fighting them.

"Doctor Fraiser," Teal'c said, kneeling next to the doctor and forcing her to look at him. SG-3 backed off, not sure how to deal with the situation. It took a few minutes for Janet to focus enough to see him.

"Teal'c," she mouthed.

"Indeed," he said quietly. "I was successful. We are rescued." She looked at SG-3, seeing them for the first time. Nodding, she relinquished her hold of the Major, allowing the medics to take Sam. While they were working on Sam, another came to her. She didn't resist as they inserted an IV. Her eyes closed involuntarily, and she found she no longer had the energy to fight to keep them open. She could hear the hushed tones of the men around her and could feel herself being lifted. As they began their trek back to the Gate she succumbed to unconsciousness.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

General Hammond was waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp as they came back. Jonas Quinn was the first through, followed by SG-3 carrying Major Carter and Dr. Fraiser. SG-7 and Teal'c came through last, just as the women were being handed over to the waiting medical teams. "Teal'c, what happened?" he asked as the two women were wheeled passed him.

"The mission was successful, however the Stargate was damaged. Doctor Fraiser was able to keep Major Carter alive until we were able to contact the SGC."

"How did Dr. Fraiser get injured?" he asked, worried he made a mistake letting the doctor go into a combat situation.

"Major Carter had a high fever. The only way to bring it down was to expose her to the elements. Dr. Fraiser became ill while doing this. The illness has since increased in severity." Hammond nodded in understanding.

"Very well. Go get cleared by medical. We'll debrief as soon as there is any information on Dr. Fraiser and Major Carter." Teal'c nodded to Hammond before heading to the infirmary. Jonas quickly followed with the rest of the teams following at a much more dignified pace. Hammond sighed and returned to his office. After doing paperwork for an hour, he decided he gave the medical staff enough time and went to check on his officers. Upon entering the infirmary, he immediately spotted a bed occupied by Dr. Fraiser. Dr. Warner, seeing him enter, joined him at her bedside.

"I was just on my way to see you, General."

"I thought I would come see for myself," he said solemnly. "How are they doing?"

"Dr. Fraiser's got a small case of pneumonia. It probably started out as a small cold, but without proper rest and medical care her condition was able to deteriorate. She's responding well to antibiotics and, with proper rest, she should be fine. I expect she should be up and about within a couple days."

"And Major Carter?" he asked, preparing for the worst.

"She wasn't so lucky," he said softly. "She was severely dehydrated before we arrived, and I believe her wounds were already infected. She has several wounds to her back and a deep laceration on her thigh from the arrow. Her right arm is broken, as well as dislocations to both shoulders. Dr. Fraiser was able to clean and bind all her wounds, as well as start IV treatment. The medicine worked initially, but she either ran out or another complication arose."

"SG-3 reported there was nothing but pain killers left in her pack." Warner nodded thoughtfully.

"Once the medicine ran out there was nothing she could do. Honestly, I don't know how she was able to keep Major Carter alive."

"Where is Major Carter?"

"She's in Intensive Care Sir. Like Dr. Fraiser, her exposure to the elements have left her with a case of pneumonia, although much more severe. She is also showing signs of blood poisoning. Her body was already weakened from her earlier injuries and she isn't responding as well as we had hoped to any of the treatments." He glanced at the General, "Teal'c is with her Sir, if you want to talk to him."

"Thank you Doctor. Keep me informed." Dr. Warner nodded as he returned to his duties. General Hammond walked down to the ICU ward. Looking through the window he could see Teal'c sitting next to a bed. The small form in the bed nearly broke his heart. She was as white as the sheets, with too many tubes and wires coming out from under the blanket, a respirator tube taped to her mouth. He could see the bulk of bandages on her right thigh. Her arms were immobilized and he could see a cast on her wrist. If it wasn't for the heart monitor beeping slowly, he would have thought she was dead. He took a long breath before opening the door. Teal'c looked up at him as he entered.

"General Hammond," he acknowledged his presence.

"Teal'c. Are you going to stay here all night?"

"No," he replied, turning back to his teammate. "I am going to remain until Major Carter regains consciousness."

"It could be days," he told the Jaffa. Teal'c merely nodded his understanding. He was confused by Teal'c stubborn refusal to leave. Teal'c normally was the voice of reason in the team, ensuring the other members ate and slept during their own bedside vigils. But then, he thought to himself, there was no one else to keep the vigil. But this was still highly unusual for the Jaffa. "You need to sleep too," he reminded him, trying to figure out why Teal'c was acting so differently.

"I can perform Kelno'reem here, General Hammond."

"Teal'c," he started but was interrupted.

"General Hammond, while we were on the planet Major Carter was delirious. She believed we were abandoning her. Whether it was her fever or a subconscious fear, I am uncertain. However, I intend to reassure her when she awakens." He turned to look at his adopted leader. "I will be here when she awakens." Hammond can only nod his approval, finally understanding Teal'c's intentions and knowing nothing short of a Goa'uld invasion would move him from her side. He left the room, having a small talk with the nurses before returning to his office. Passing the infirmary, he noticed Jonas had taken up vigil at the doctor's side. Locking eyes with the man, he nodded his approval before resuming his journey.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

The first thing Janet recognized was the smell. She could no longer smell the musty, damp Earth smell that permeated the cave. "Teal'c?" she asked weakly.

"Doctor Fraiser." The voice was familiar, though she couldn't quite place it. Forcing her eyes open, she blinked in the harsh infirmary lights. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, she was finally able to focus on the face of Jonas Quinn.

"Jonas?" she whispered, licking her lips to make her voice stronger. "What happened?"

"Teal'c managed to get the Gate working long enough to get a message to the SGC," he told her, pouring a cup of water from the bedside table and holding it out to her. Janet gratefully sipped the offered liquid.

"Sam," she said suddenly, frantically looking around the infirmary. "Where's Sam?"

"She's still hanging in there," Jonas told her. She quieted down immediately, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I wanted to apologize," Jonas said suddenly, his shuffling feet the only sign of his discomfort.

"What?" Janet asked, not sure what Jonas did that needed an apology.

"Back in the briefing, when you were arguing to go instead of me," Jonas said. Janet nodded, his words bringing back memories of a time that seemed long ago. "I thought you were arguing to take my place because it was me. I thought you didn't trust me enough to go on the mission because I'm…"

"New?" Janet supplied.

"An alien," Jonas finished. "Anyway, my behavior at the end of the briefing was impolite and I just wanted to apologize to you."

"Jonas," she said, raising the end of the bed so she could look him in the eye. "I want to apologize also. I didn't mean to imply you weren't capable of completing the mission."

"But you were right," he interrupted. "Teal'c told us what happened and you were right. If I went instead of you, we would be bringing back her body."

"Regardless, I shouldn't have questioned your abilities in front of everybody. It was unprofessional and rude and I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course," he said quickly. Janet nodded tiredly, suddenly exhausted from their little chat. Jonas helped her lower the bed back down and she immediately closed her eyes. "Teal'c told us what happened," he said absently, sure she was already asleep. "I wish someday I'll have a friend that would go to that length to save me."

"You already do," she answered. She didn't need to open her eyes to see his face change from shock to a smile. She wasn't surprised when his hand enclosed hers, and she finally felt safe as she fell into a healing sleep.

SG1SG1SG1SG1

"Teal'c." Teal'c glanced up from his seat next to his teammate, expecting to see a nurse asking him to step aside. It had been several days since their return from the planet. The medical staff, thanks to a few words from General Hammond, had stopped asking him to leave and had started working around him. Every so often, though, a nurse would need him to step back to check on his friend.

"Dr. Fraiser," he said, surprised to see her walking toward him. Jonas Quinn had kept him informed of the doctor's progress and he knew she was not allowed to leave the infirmary.

"I had to see for myself," she said. She stopped at the foot of the bed, checking Sam's chart and taking a much needed break. Teal'c nodded, helping the sick woman to the chair he just vacated.

"You are recovering well?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. "Dr. Warner is going to release me tomorrow morning."

"That is good news," he told her, happy one of his friends was recovering well. The happiness was soon replaced with helplessness as his gaze shifted back to his teammate. "Major Carter has not regained consciousness."

"I know," Janet said softly. "Her fever is going down. It looks like the antibiotics are starting to work." Teal'c nodded his understanding before resuming his vigil. They waited in silence for a few minutes before Teal'c noticed Doctor Fraiser started to tire.

"Should you not return to the infirmary?" he asked her softly. She nodded, unsurprised when Jonas appeared to help her. Teal'c watched her leave as he resumed his vigil. A few hours later he was interrupted again. He stood up as General Hammond approached.

"Have you had any sleep Teal'c?" he asked after a long silence.

"I have performed my required amount of Kelno'reem," he responded.

"Have you eaten anything? Showered?" Hammond sighed heavily before continuing. "You have to take care of yourself Teal'c. Sam would want it."

"Major Carter's condition is improving. She may awaken at any time. I will be here when she does."

"You have to take care of yourself now so you can take care of her later," Hammond told him gently. "Take a few hours. Get something to eat. Get some real sleep. Do something, anything. She won't be alone," he said, stopping Teal'c's argument before it started. Teal'c remained motionless at her bedside so Hammond tried another way. "Consider it an order, Teal'c. I'll stay with her, but I don't want to see you around for at least four hours. Understood?" Teal'c bowed his head, relinquishing his seat to the General. Hammond watched him go, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Looking down at the unconscious woman he prayed the SGC medical team could pull off another miracle, for more than just one life was at stake here. "Come on Sam," he said quietly, taking her limp hand in his, "you need to fight this. Your team needs you to beat this."

Teal'c silently fumed as he walked out of Major Carter's room. He stopped at the door to the infirmary, intending to discover the condition of Doctor Fraiser. He took two steps inside and stopped, eyes scanning the beds for his friend. His anger dissipated as he saw her small form, only to erupt again at the second form next to her. Jonas Quinn's sleeping form was in a chair next to the sleeping doctor, obviously reading another of Daniel Jackson's journals before he too fell into a deep slumber.

Furious, Teal'c stormed from the infirmary. He walked down the halls absently, with no destination in mind. As he walked, he couldn't help but think of the unfairness of the situation. How dare they censure his behavior while encouraging the identical actions from another? How dare they make him leave when his last friend needed him the most? How dare they send O'Neill to the Tok'ra without his friends to help him through his ordeal? How dare they replace Daniel Jackson so easily?

He looked around, surprised to find himself in the gymnasium. He often found his teammates here after distasteful missions. He could remember finding Major Carter here after missions with a patriarchal society who would not acknowledge her simply because she was female. Daniel Jackson would often come here if an incorrect translation endangered the lives of SG-1. O'Neill could often be found here, releasing frustration from both offworld and onworld encounters.

He looked around, finally spotting the punching bag he would often find O'Neill hitting. An uncontrollable urge overtook him, and he raced across the room and punched the bag, throwing all his anger, sadness, sense of uselessness, and sense of unfairness into the one punch. He nearly broke the chain holding the bag up, but he did feel marginally better. He began pummeling the bag, allowing all his feelings to leave him. He allowed himself to mourn for Daniel Jackson, and rage for O'Neill, and despair for Major Carter. He continued to pound the bag until he was once again able to put these feelings in the back of his mind and again concentrate on helping Major Carter. He looked at the clock and was surprised to find several hours had passed. He reached out a hand to steady the bag, amazed it was still in one piece after the abuse he inflicted upon it, when a sharp pain made him look down. His hands were covered in blood, his knuckles bruised and bleeding in places. Small drops of blood stained the floor, while a large red streak covered the bag. He quickly grabbed some towels and cleaned up the area before heading to the showers to clean himself.

After a quick shower, he headed to the mess hall, finding himself ravenously hungry. As he ate, he came to a few realizations. He realized General Hammond was doing what he must when he forced O'Neill to replace Daniel Jackson. He also realized General Hammond would need to replace both O'Neill and Major Carter if they were not able to recover. As much as Teal'c respected General Hammond, he could not stay here if that were to happen. He would join Bra'tac and help the fledging Jaffa rebellion unite against the Goa'uld.

He returned to the infirmary after the mandatory four hours were over, grateful when he saw the General still in the chair. He nodded to the General as he stood. "Feeling better Teal'c?"

"Indeed," he told him, surprising himself by the truth of the statement. "Has Major Carter's condition changed?" Hammond shook his head. "I shall resume my vigil," he stated.

"I have to get back to my office," Hammond said as he moved to the end of the room. He stopped in front of Teal'c. "Remember son, you don't have to do this alone." Teal'c simply nodded. "Keep me informed," he said as he left the room.

It was late in the fourth day that Sam regained consciousness. She blinked wearily, trying to bring the room into focus. She was finally able to focus on the concerned face leaning over her. "Teal'c," she whispered.

"Major Carter," he replied.

"Safe?" she asked, but before he could reply she again closed her eyes. He sat back in the chair, suddenly feeling alive again. Major Carter would be fine. O'Neill would be fine. SG-1 would regroup and come back stronger than before.