Author's Note: This is AU, remember, so Jack hasn't had the symbiote he had in the TV show (just so you all don't ask later)

OOOOOOOOOOO

Despite Carson's best precautions – although it didn't surprise him a bit – Melony developed an infection within 24 hours. He'd known it was going to happen, he'd simply hoped to stave it off as long as possible. Of course, even what little immune system she had to work with was affected by the shock she was in, rendering it as useless as if she had none – and the antibiotics weren't much help. The infection started in her swollen ankle and spread slowly but surely through her bloodstream to her organs; most noticeably her lungs, which caused her breathing to become ragged and hoarse.

The medical staff did what they could to keep her warm, kept her hydrated, and used all the tricks they could to keep her comfortable, but it was a difficult battle from the beginning, and one they could visibly see she was losing.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Sam asked Carson as the two of them watched Mitchell's monitors through the lone window of the room. She didn't dare go in – and neither did any of the others, but they all were keeping track of her progress. Like everyone else, Sam had been keeping almost constant vigil. Unlike the others, though, she had a far more personal interest in what was happening. So much so that she understood just how hard this was for Carson Beckett. It was just as hard on her. "Can't you at least put her under, like you did General O'Neill? At least then she wont be in so much pain…"

Beckett shook his head.

"If I do that she could die. Her system's not strong enough to handle any sedative."

Sam looked into the room again, and wrapped her arms around herself. It didn't look like she was going to survive this anyways.

"And Jack?"

She couldn't stand calling him General O'Neill… It seemed too impersonal.

"Talon's doing the trick. The damaged organs are healing well, and there are signs of healing in the broken bones. I took him off the medications that kept him in his coma – Talon's doing all that, now."

"When will he wake up?"

Carson nodded.

"It's up to Talon."

"Hopefully it'll be soon enough to help Colonel Mitchell…"

"It'll have to be soon…"

Sam sighed, and looked back towards the door that led to the room Jack was in. She'd go and check on him soon, but she needed a chance to stretch her legs – and had wanted to see how Melony was doing.

OOOOOOOOO

A gentle touch against his mind alerted him that he wasn't alone. An instant later, a voice – one that was inside his mind, which was a very odd feeling – reinforced that.

Relax, General…

Jack knew who it was immediately, even though he'd never heard the voice sound quite so clear.

Talon?

Yes

What's going on?

You were seriously injured

Am I dying?

No

Jack could feel what the symbiote was thinking – which was odd, too. There was a lot of worry, and not all of it was for him. While he didn't know the specifics – and if his bond to Talon was stronger, he would have been able to figure it out for himself – he did know who it was centered around.

Melony?

And yourself

What?

I can't stay long where I am, General. If-

Call me Jack.

Jesus, the thing was inside him, after all. They might as well be on first name basis, right?

Jack. If I stay too long in you your immune system will become dependent on my help. Like Melony's has. I need to get back to her

You left her?

He felt his own very real fear, now, and not for himself. He wasn't the genius that most of those around him were, but he knew what that meant for Melony. It was the same way as it was with Teal'c, after all. If Teal'c lost Junior, he'd die. And if Talon was inside him, then Melony was-

I had to, Talon told him, firmly, sharing with Jack a few of the memories he held of Melony's. The ones that were centered around her own very real love for Jack. She's lost too much already, Jack. I couldn't allow her to lose you, too

She's in danger.

Yes. Which is why I needed to be able to check on your progress – and to do that I needed you more awake

How am I doing?

Now that he knew what was going on, Jack was anxious to get Talon back where he belonged. Not to mention he wasn't all that certain he enjoyed having someone so intimate with his own thoughts.

You're going to live

That's not much of a prognosis.

It's better than the alternative

Had Jack been awake he would have chuckled at that – and Talon's amusement was a match for his own.

True. How long have I been out?

A couple of days

How much-

I'm trying to concentrate, Jack. Hush

He felt a moment of irritation; getting hushed in his own mind just wasn't right, but he didn't say anything, more concerned with letting the symbiote do whatever he was doing.

Thanks

As he lay still, Jack found that he could actually hear Talon's own thoughts – not just his feeling – and was able to figure out for himself just what was going on. Talon had already managed to heal the injuries that would have killed him, and was now making sure that when he left him, Jack was going to be able to survive the shock of losing the extra help. That was a good sign, because it meant that he was almost done. There was a note of urgency, telling Jack that Talon believed he was taking a bit too long in the healing, and Melony was suffering because of it.

As Talon worked, he could feel O'Neill sifting through his thoughts, and while he didn't mind – he, himself had already learned far more about Jack than Jack knew – he did carefully shield away any of Melony's memories. It was one thing to share of himself – that couldn't be helped when you were so closely blended, even temporarily – but it was another to share Melony's thoughts.

Eventually, Talon had what he needed, though, and the symbiote could work a lot more efficiently without the distraction of the host. So he put Jack back to sleep without warning, knowing already that it'd be easier to do it without asking permission.

He was getting close to reuniting with Melony, and he was anxious to get back.