Chapter 11: Awakening

Jonas was slowly becoming aware of things as he slipped out of unconsciousness and back into the real world. The sun hit his face, and he felt the soft ground beneath him. He also felt a light breeze sweeping over him while the sound of water echoed from nearby.

He forced his leaden eyelids open and looked around him, taking everything in. Realization finally dawned on him, slicing through the haze that quilted his mind, he shot to a sitting position and immediately regretted doing so as the world swam around him and pain coursed through his body.

He moaned to himself and fell back to the green beneath him, sinking beneath his mind to block everything out. However, all that he was trying to block out kept coming back, at a force, double the time before and he couldn't shut it out.

Finally lifting his eyelids once again, he was relieved to find that the land had settled around him. He sighed silently, and cautiously pushed himself to sit, closing his eyes as he made his way up. He remained sitting with his eyes closed for a few moments so he'd be sure that everything would stay in place and finally opened them to cautiously peer around.

It was light again, and he was sitting on grass. Looking up, he realized that the same purple sky loomed above him, stretching into infinity, clouds of a lighter purple wandered aimlessly amongst the dark backdrop they were present in. The lilac smell was drifting around again and it was most pleasant.

He switched his gaze to forward, and saw a laughing stream of crystal waters, dancing happily down a creek-bed. The wind sifted through his hair as the sun warmed him and he didn't want to leave. He was comfortable just as he was.

Again, realization struck him as he thought of the misfortune that Colonel O'Neill had gotten caught up in and he stumbled to his feet, shutting out the spinning sensation that made his stomach churn. He looked wildly around for any sign of the Colonel. He found none and he cursed under his breath to voice his distress.

"Jonas, how are you feeling?" Came the familiar childish voice Jonas had come to know.

He thought of how to respond for a moment to explain exactly how it was he was feeling and could find no words that wouldn't confuse the young girl.

"I'm, fine. Mostly." He decided upon and closed his eyes once again as the world around him lurched sickeningly.

Pain continued to flood through him and he attempted to ignore it.

The girl regarded him suspiciously and finally nodded. "If you say so." She concluded.
Jonas smiled weakly at her and immediately came up with hundreds of questions to ask the child to give him some type of explanation to help him understand his situation.

"What'd you do to Colonel O'Neill, and...and to me?" He wondered.

"You weren't going to come with me unless Colonel O'Neill came, and I couldn't let you bring him, he wouldn't understand. He hasn't had the same experiences that you have which would allow him to understand this." The girl motioned around her.

"Actually, I don't know if I quite understand it myself. It all seems so..." He searched for a word. "Strange." He concluded.

"Don't worry, you'll understand. I promise." The child told him.

"If you insist."

"I do."

The child began to walk off, motioning for Jonas to follow. He did so reluctantly, and cautiously to avoid any ungraceful tumbles that threatened to be bestowed upon him.

OOO

"Colonel!" Came a voice from far off.

O'Neill became aware of the real world, and pushed himself back to the surface of his consciousness to answer the call that beckoned him. He reached the top of his consciousness and pushed that final inch further to force his eyes open.

Upon opening his eyes, he closed them instantly as piercing pain thudded through his head and made him nauseous. He groaned in annoyance and brought his hand up to rub at his aching head. His fingers brushed a warm sticky part and he drew them away. The blow he had taken caused damage, and although it wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before, it still irked him every time it happened.

He lifted his lids again and saw the faces of Major Carter and Teal'c both looking concerned for their CO's well-being staring back at him.

"Good morning?" He tried.

"If you insist O'Neill, although in all actuality it appears to be late afternoon." Teal'c told him seriously, stating a true point.

"Thanks for the heads up Teal'c." Jack told him.
"You are welcome O'Neill."

Jack closed his eyes again as the faces of his team began shifting in and out of focus and waited for the feeling of vertigo to pass before he once again opened them to peer into the faces of his team.

"Sir, what happened?" Sam asked.

"I hit a rock with my head Carter, what's it look like?" Jack stated.

"Well that much is obvious, but how did it happen exactly?" Sam inquired, ignoring the tone she had been on the receiving end of.

"Well y'see Major, I don't really know how to explain it, it just happened."

"Uh huh. How hard did you hit sir?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"Not as hard as you're thinking Carter."

"I wasn't thinking anything Sir, I just asked." Samantha stated simply.

"I hit hard enough to do some damage and knock me cold, but I don't know how it happened. That's the thing, it just happened."

"Uh huh, let's see if we can get you back to camp and try to dial through so we can have Janet give you a personal opinion, granted we won't be able to gate to Earth, but she can at least transmit a radio signal."

"How can she do that without examining me Carter?"

"I know how to check for a concussion Sir, we just have to have her opinion."

"Apparently you know what you're talking about more than I do, Major."

"Let's just get you back to camp, huh Sir?" Sam stated.

Jack nodded blindly and allowed Teal'c to help him to stand, despite his protesting body.

"Wait, where's Jonas?" Jack questioned, as he finally clued into what was happening.

"We thought he was with you, but apparently he isn't." Sam said.

"No, he was I'm sure of that at least, but I'm not sure where he is exactly. I remember seeing him fall over there before blacking out." O'Neill stated, pointing to a place about fifteen feet away.

Teal'c went over to check, but came up empty.
"He does not appear to be there, O'Neill." Teal'c replied.

"Great, we have a missing team member, just what we need." Jack sighed.

"He can't be that far, but right now, we have to get you back to camp We'll pick up a search later." Sam told him, getting on one side to drape his arm over her shoulder to keep him upright.

They began to walk toward camp. Colonel O'Neill stumbled and would've fallen if it hadn't been for Carter and Teal'c on either side of him to keep him up.

"Oh boy, this might take a while." Jack replied shakily, regaining his balance and trying to keep from falling once again.