Chapter 9: A Valuable Member
As Jonas stood in the path, he turned his head for a split second, and when he turned back, Jack was yet again gone from sight. He sighed loudly to himself and continued down the path.
Ten minutes later he stopped to the sound of Colonel O'Neill's voice. And when he turned to the direction it was coming from, he was once again met by the flickering image of his team leader, seated next to his bed.
"Damn it Jonas, you couldn't stay out of trouble could you? It figures that your monitors would go all wacky when I'm trying to tell ya something." Jack replied, frustration eminent in his tone. He saw the Colonel look around the infirmary and sigh.
"Well, as I was saying. You're a valuable member of my team, and I wouldn't want to lose you, so hang in there, and hope to see ya back in the waking world soon. I've gotta go now. I hear Fraser coming to shoo me off." O'Neill replied, sneaking a look over his shoulder.
Jonas heard Fraser's foot falls, and saw her petite form come into view.
"Okay Colonel, visiting hours are over. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Replied the doctor.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going." Jack said and pushed himself from his chair.
With that, the flitting image sizzled out of existence. Once again, left alone in his subconscious, he heaved a desperate sigh and felt a presence next to him.
"Jonas? Are you all right?" Mollie questioned.
"I'll be better once I can get out of here, but so far all I've hit are dead ends."
"I know, it's hard, but if I know you as well as I think I do, you'll find your way, it's just going to take a little bit longer." Mollie stated reassuringly.
Jonas continued to walk ahead and was stopped with the sound of something dropping. He looked down and saw a book laying face down on the ground, open and gathering dust.
He knelt to pick it up and looked at the text on its pages. He sat down, softly, amazed at what he was holding. It was an old school book, then he was bombarded by another bout of memories.
He'd always been a quick study, even as a child. If you were looking for Jonas, he'd likely be in his room with his nose stuffed in a book, studying something that intrigued him. He was excited about learning and that was why he studied constantly. Anything new intrigued him, he wanted to find everything out that he could.
Schoolwork had always come easy to him, it was something he enjoyed. He couldn't remember ever struggling with school and studying, to him, it had been fun, a way to feed his mind and learn all he could about the world around him, he was curious by nature, so it seemed only natural that he'd be curious about learning.
He tossed the book aside, and got to his feet to walk on, yet again coming to a dead end, having encountered a few more hard memories along the way, memories that he preferred to forget, and not mention.
He'd left the path, gone by the fork in the road and came once again to the clearing. Now he stood, motionless, feeling a cool draft pass over him. He was wondering where to go next when there was yet another image that flickered, projecting the happenings taking place on the outside world.
This time, however, he was surprised to see Sam sitting next to him, he'd seen her get shot, and found it hard to believe Fraser would let her out of bed. His questions were answered however, when he saw that she was in hospital wear and that Dr. Fraser stood nearby, watching her carefully.
"Is he going to wake up?" Sam questioned the doctor near her.
"As I've been telling everyone else, it's up to him if he's going to pull through, there's not much else that I can do for him." Stated Janet.
"Can he hear me?" Carter asked.
"I don't doubt he can, most comatose patients are still aware of what goes on around them and may even respond to it. He still shows signs of brain activity, so he may be perceiving us right at this moment."
"Jonas?" Sam questioned softly, she reached a hand out to grasp his, and although Jonas couldn't feel the grasp, he knew it was there.
"I know you've probably been told this by everyone that's been in, but just hang in there, we need you. You're too important to be lost to us."
Jonas listened to the Major's words, as she continued speaking with him, and he felt his heart jump a bit, knowing that he was an important member to the team that he'd tried so hard to fit in with the past few months.
Sam finished speaking, and the image ceased to exist.
"Wow." Was all Jonas could come up with.
"I've got to get out of here." He vowed, locking eyes with Mollie, who nodded in agreement.