A Single Man of Courage – part nineteen
Jack stirred again. His eyes felt heavy, his vision blurred when he eventually opened them, and his head was buzzing.
"Sam," he called.
"I'm here. It's okay, Jack, I'm here," she responded, softly holding on to him, shushing him gently.
The buzzing in his head receded and he fought to focus. Blearily he regarded her face, so close to his own.
"Where … we?" he whispered, he felt so confused … so many gaps in his memory.
"We're home. We're all safe, and you're in the infirmary."
He seemed to take in her words and once more fell unconscious.
xoxoxoxoxo
"He'll be like that a while yet even though his fever is coming down."
Janet replaced the cooling blanket and got fresh ice packs and slipped them into position under it.
Sam positioned herself in the chair, one hand firmly clasping Jack's, the other stroking his forehead and hair.
Janet watched her. She saw the love written clearly on Sam's face and she withdrew quietly, pulling the curtains around the bed to give them some privacy.
Just outside the room she encountered Teal'c.
"Is everything alright?" he asked.
Janet nodded. "Yes, for now. Sam's there."
"I am aware. I will remain here."
Janet had no doubt that the Jaffa had placed himself on guard to protect the privacy of his teammates.
"I'll let Daniel know what's happened. I won't be long."
She didn't have to search for Daniel. He was in his lab trying to carry on working.
"Hi Janet," he began absently and then his face changed. "Is ... Is everything okay?"
Steadily Janet gave him the latest news.
"I was wondering where you'd got to. You don't normally stay away for so long."
Daniel looked uncomfortable. "Well I did try and apologize to Jack, but I guess he wasn't in the mood."
Janet shook her head. "He probably wasn't feeling too good then."
"And I stormed out like a child and left him," announced Daniel, miserably looking down to his feet, his arms crossing his chest. "Oh God, I was pounding his head to get rid of my guilt and he must have felt like crap!"
"Daniel, you didn't know." Janet put a hand to his shoulder. "It was just a bit too soon, apart from this, he needs time. He went through a lot. Hey, you all did."
"We weren't tortured." said Daniel, his voice rising as he spoke. "And it's my fault Jack got hurt and captured."
"Daniel, it was nobody's fault. What happened, happened."
Daniel shrugged. "I know you mean well Janet. Look, I'll call in later and see Jack, I promise."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
He nodded slowly. "Me? I'm fine," he said bitterly. "Honestly, I'll see you later."
Janet left him, not totally satisfied, but her patient needed her more and she'd already been away too long.
xoxoxoxoxo
She hurried back and found Sam as she'd left her. She noted the slow, but continual drop of Jack's temperature and checked his other readings.
"He's not been awake yet," advised Sam.
Janet used her stethoscope to listen to his chest. Frowning as she straightened, she gave him another injection.
"What's up?" asked Sam.
"I'm not sure yet. The secondary infection I think is declining, but his chest – well, he's still very weak and …"
"Janet, please?"
"It's just taking too long to stabilize him really. It's happening but a little too slow for my liking …"
Sam sighed heavily. Her vision seemed to blur. She blinked back the tears that threatened and looked down into a pair of dark eyes, glazed with fever, but they were trying to focus on her.
"Hey," she whispered squeezing his hand. "How do you feel?" and holding on she gave him a smile.
He tried to smile back, a feeble effort, but still a glimmer of a smile. "Tired," he whispered, "so tired."
The words brought a flurry of coughing. Sam held him gently, waiting for the it to settle down, as Jack's chest was heaved for breath.
Janet placed her stethoscope on his chest again, her face schooled to show nothing as she listened. Finally as he settled a little, she passed Sam a glass of water with a straw for him to sip.
His breath came in short gasps, the pain evident.
"Just a little," urged Sam, helping him to drink.
Nodding his thanks he sank back down, his breathing still labored.
Janet prepared an oxygen cannula and put it on for him, knowing how much he hated a mask and that if she tried to make him wear one he'd remove it as soon as her back was turned. Gradually his eyes closed and he sank into oblivion once more.
"We can only wait now. I've changed the antibiotics to see if he responds any better."
The two women sat side by side, Sam holding the Colonel's hand. They both sat quietly, listening to him struggling to breathe.
Eventually Janet broke the silence.
"Sam, what happened between you? Did you and Jack do …"
"Nothing happened, Janet," interrupted Sam in a fierce whisper.
"Sam, honey, as a friend, I can see something's changed."
"Nothing happened. It could have … I wanted it to … but nothing happened." Sam wouldn't look at Janet as she spoke. "Did you see Daniel?"
Janet blinked at Sam's change of tact.
"Yes I did. He's feeling pretty lousy about what happened on the planet."
Sam shrugged. "He thought Jack's instincts were doing overtime. I've got to admit I didn't see most of it coming." She still felt guilty over that. She'd let Daniel's words sway her against someone she'd believed in, someone that had never let her down – Jack.
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Teal'c's voice could be heard in the corridor and Daniel's voice in response to him. A moment of two later Daniel appeared from behind the curtain.
He took in Jack's still form, his eyes wide and anxious.
"Is it okay for me to stay?"
Janet motioned him down to her seat as she stood.
"I'll get some coffee. Here," she pushed him down gently.
Daniel sat beside Sam as she quietly told him the latest developments. He didn't answer, he just sat staring at Jack.
Jack began to wake. He shifted uneasily, his free arm moving across his chest protectively as he grimaced with pain. He fought to open his eyes, and when he managed it, his vision wavered and danced.
"Sam?" he muttered, squeezing her hand, seeking the comfort it gave. His eyes were still bright with fever.
"I'm here." Sam moved closer, trying to smile brightly at him.
Jack regarded her seriously, trying desperately to focus on her face, her smile, almost as if to imprint her upon his memory.
"Jack," another voice spoke to him, hesitantly almost.
He shifted his gaze, trying to put the other voice to a face and into focus.
"Daniel?" he whispered
"Yes Jack, it's me."
"Daniel you … okay?"
Daniel looked surprised at Jack's query.
Sam answered for the surprised man.
"Daniel's okay, so's Teal'c. We're all okay."
"Good … glad."
Sam expected him to drift off again, but he fought to stay with them.
"Hot," he huffed out, his breath rasping.
"Shush, it's okay. I know, try and lie still," soothed Sam and reached for the nearby cloth to bathe his face.
Jack fought, but he couldn't stay awake any longer. His eyes closed slowly.
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Janet moved from where she'd been watching quietly at the foot of the. She checked the readings. "Still coming down, he should be starting to rest a bit easier soon."
Janet hauled Sam out despite her protests. "Eat and rest," she ordered, "Daniel will stay. Go or I'll have the General make that an order."
Sam gave in reluctantly and left. Daniel settled in closer to the bed. He used the cloth to gently mop his friend's face, the coldness of it giving some ease to the restless Colonel.
xoxoxoxoxo
Jack swam between sleep and wakefulness, not always sure of the difference - everything was so blurred.
"Daniel?" he murmured.
"I'm here Jack" Daniel grasped Jack's hand, half expecting rejection, but the older man held on to it.
"It's late. You should be sleeping." Daniel tried to put normality into his voice.
"So should you," responded Jack.
"Ah well, a certain Major wouldn't rest if I left you alone," said Daniel with a rueful smile.
"Huh?"
"Sam."
"Oh."
Jack closed his eyes. "Crap … it's hot," he murmured.
Daniel placed the cold cloth across Jack's face.
"Good," he managed to whisper.
Janet came in; she'd been standing in the doorway listening for a moment.
"Hey, good to see you awake Colonel."
"Jeez, is everyone awake?" groused Jack, opening his eyes. He started to cough again, his lungs rattling their protest, his ribs screaming in agony.
The coughing left him extremely breathless and in severe pain and Janet quickly gave him an injection.
"Don't try and talk," she advised him as she helped him to sip some water when the coughing abated.
"Sam?" he murmured.
"She'll be back in a little while. I made her rest, as I'm telling you to."
They watched as Jack drifted restlessly away once more.
"He looks terrible," whispered Daniel.
"Believe it or not, he's on the up. The fever is taking its time, but it is coming down. Just needs time and careful nursing now."
"God, I hope so!"
xoxoxoxoxo