I'm so pleased you are enjoying this story so far. Thanks to all of you who sent in reviews. I hope you like this chapter as much as the others. Just a little bit of fluff for you to counteract all the angst.

Censure.

By LetitiaRichards

Previously:-

Sam dialled up the SGC and waited until the wormhole stabilized before she sent the Iris code. After the all clear, they stepped through with a little ray of hope that they would find what they needed. And having done so, that it would also tell them how to reverse the damage.

Chapter 5

"Come!"

General Hammond sat back in his chair. He hadn't managed to get much work done at all, what with everyone interrupting him, but that was all part and parcel of the job. He looked up as the door opened to see the petite Chief Medical Officer standing in his doorway.

"Dr. Fraiser, what can I do for you?"

"I have the latest reports on Colonel O'Neill sir."

She moved forward to stand at the edge of his desk, looking down at her notes.

Hammond could see her expression wasn't exactly one of relief, in fact she looked positively troubled.

"Is there a problem Doctor?"

She chewed on her bottom lip and handed over the report.

"Yes sir, but I have to say, I'm no clearer on how to cure the problem, sir. I've never seen anything like it."

Hammond glanced up at her, and frowned. What the hell was wrong with Jack? he wondered. He quickly read through the report before sitting back sucking in a huge breath, holding it for a moment before letting it whoosh from his lungs again in a sigh. He rubbed a hand over his jaw in consternation.

"You're absolutely certain about this Doctor?" he queried.

"I've run the tests through three times now sir. It wasn't there the first time, but it's growing, and it's not organic sir. I magnified the images several times sir, just to see if it would reveal a problem, and that's when I discovered it. I just don't know what to make of it, General."

"I take it that this means it's nothing Earth based?"

"I'm afraid not sir. Colonel O'Neill most definitely must have picked it up on that planet sir."

"Do you think it could cause us problems ?" He was now worried that whatever it was could affect the Colonel, possessing him like an alien entity. "What about the others?"

"I really don't know what to believe sir. If that were the case, I would have to isolate him and put him in restraints. There's no signs of the others suffering this fate sir, they all checked out fine. None of them are showing any similar effects to the Colonel," she said, feeling positive about that fact, albeit a small detail, but she believed it was confined to the Colonel. "But, as soon as they return sir, I'll run the same tests on them too."

"You know they've returned to the planet?"

"Yes sir, Dr. Jackson informed me of their mission."

"Any chance of removing this, surgically?"

"None sir, not without causing more damage. It's in an extremely difficult location sir."

"What about a neurosurgeon? I can get the best one here in a matter of days."

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't think even they would be able to operate without leaving the Colonel mentally handicapped."

Hammond blew out another protracted breath. If there was nothing they could do, and it was all to do with something on that planet then perhaps Dr. Jackson was right. Maybe he would be able to find some way of reversing the effects.

He was interrupted by the klaxons and he stood, effectively dismissing the Doctor.

"That's probably SG-1 returning. Perhaps you had better stand by; just in case."

He wasn't a happy camper by any means. His best officer was incapacitated by some 'thing' that had somehow entered his head, and was damn nigh impossible to remove without causing him permanent brain damage.

Janet Fraiser nodded and followed the General to the control room, in time to see the iris spiral into place.

Moments later, it opened at the General's command when they'd received SG-1 remote code.

Janet hurried down the stairs to the gate-room just as the team clattered down the ramp burdened with their load.

On seeing Janet waiting there, not looking particularly happy, Sam was immediately worried. Thinking the worst.

"Janet?" Daniel said, voicing the team's fear.

"General?" Sam asked, her voice a little unsteady.

"It's not good news people, but this isn't the place to discuss it. Report to the infirmary for testing."

"What's wrong? Daniel just couldn't help himself.

"I'll tell you on the way there," Janet said with a weak smile, just to show them that things weren't as bad as they were thinking, though for what it was worth, it wasn't good news either.

Once Sam had acknowledged the General's orders, she walked along side Janet to the elevator. Once inside, the questions came bubbling out.

"What's wrong with Jack?" Daniel was practically begging.

"I found a small anomaly lodged inside the Colonel's brain," the doctor informed them, knowing it would be a bitter blow to them. "It's probably the reason for the blackouts, which are getting worse by the way."

"And...? Janet, what aren't you telling us?" Sam demanded.

Janet looked up at each of her friends, because that's what these people were to her. They weren't just one of the SGC teams. Over the years they had all become firm friends.

"I can't do anything to help him Sam. It's impractical to operate. It could just cause more damage to the surrounding tissue. I'm sorry," Janet gasped, holding back her own tears of frustration.

Sam felt the tears prickle behind her eyes and she sniffed them back, tilting her head up to look at the ceiling, so no-one would see how hard it was for her to hold back, whilst she bit hard onto her bottom lip to stop it from trembling.

Daniel felt stunned. It was as if he had been drained of life. His camaraderie with Jack went against the grain, they were complete opposites; yet their friendship was as solid as any foundation. They argued, they yelled, but they'd remained firm friends. He had lost so many companions in the past, along with his parents; was he to lose Jack now too? Jack was family to him; the only family he had were his friends here at the SGC. SG-1 was his family. Jack had taken him in when he had nothing and nowhere to go, befriended him when he had no-one else.

With a new resolve, he was determined to help find a solution. There had to be something among all the discs they had collected, and he was going to find the answer.

The doors opened and Janet led them into the infirmary, indicating that they should prepare themselves for several tests.

"Can we see Jack first?" Sam had begged tearfully. She wiped the gathering moisture away and stuffed her heartache away. She couldn't let Jack see that she was upset; it would only make him feel worse.

Janet nodded.

"Okay, but only for a few moments. He's supposed to be resting."

All three team-mates entered the little private room quietly, seeing that Jack looked to be asleep, but he stirred at their entrance.

"Home already?" Jack said with a patented sarcastic grin.

"Yeah, we just needed to collect a few things. So, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've had the... Ack, just don't ask! Whadda you think Daniel?" he sighed, tiredly. He just couldn't raise the energy to explain how he felt.

Sam wasn't happy. Just looking at him she could tell he was ill. His face had lost the deep tan he always had; his dark eyes, shadowed with black smudges and held none of their usual sparkle; his voice was tired and flat, and lacked his normal sarcastic lilt. It wasn't like him at all, and she hated what this was doing to him.

Sam and Daniel exchanged worried glances, both determined to study those discs as soon as Janet had released them.

The door opened and a nurse poked her head round it.

"Dr. Fraiser's ready for you now," she said.

Daniel nodded and she left them to follow. He gave Teal'c a meaningful glance and they left the room, allowing Sam a few moments alone with Jack.

Sam waited for the door to close, before taking Jack's hand in hers.

He gripped her fingers and brought them up to his lips as she sniffed back her tears.

"Hey," he said softly, "don't waste your tears over an old warhorse like me. I'm not worth it."

Her lip trembled, but she smiled bravely, bringing the other hand up to cup his cheek.

"I love you Jack, you know that, and despite what you think, you are worth it."

"I know. I love you too Sam, but…"

"No! Don't say it Jack. Daniel and I are gonna find the answer. It's here somewhere and we won't rest until we do."

"Sam..."

She silenced him with a kiss that made him melt.

"I won't hear you say anything about dying. I don't want to hear it. You are going to live Jack. That's a promise!"

"You shouldn't make promises that you don't have a hope of keeping!"

"I don't, so just hang in there because I need you to Jack. Promise me!"

Jack sighed but nodded.

"I'll be right here Sam. But, promise me you will eat and rest too, because there's no sense in me being cured if you drop dead from exhaustion or whatever!"

She giggled, giving him a brief kiss before joining the others for whatever Janet had planned for them.

Their eyes locked onto each other, a silent pledge of love between them before the door closed behind her.

TBC