Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! And don't worry about the updates, they'll keep coming on a pretty regular basis 'till the storie's done. I've already finished so there's no chance of the fic getting hung up. Phew! I hate when I do that. Writer's block can be such a pain in the ass. XP
Chapter Two: Gall and Wormwood
Janet Fraiser solemnly made her way out of the closed-off room after nearly an hour. She looked tired and worn as she eyed the apprehensive Sam and Daniel with a weary smile. "Well," she sighed loudly, "I just finished filling out all the transfer papers. One of my medical staff is going to help transport him using one of the hospital's ambulances since the drivers here don't have the propper clearance. I had to fill out papers for that as well."
Standing, Sam fixed Janet with a pleading stare. "How's Jack?"
"We've certainly got more tests to do, but he's stable for the moment," Janet answered without explaining further.
Daniel was worried about the grim expression on Dr. Fraiser's face. What worried him even more was that she wasn't telling them what Jack's condition was. They didn't even get the usual, "He'll be fine," spiel. He was afraid their boundless leader hadn't gotten out this one scot-free. But still, he didn't ask Janet questions about Jack's health. Why? Because Daniel was afraid of the answers.
Apparently Sam felt the same way. At the moment anyhow. She was making herself sick with worry thinking about the possibilities. Staying quiet, she sat down once more while Janet left to help prepare Jack for the transfer.
-
Sam and Daniel met up with Teal'c at the base, making it just before the ambulance. They sat in the hall outside the infirmary just waiting for the Colonel to be brought in. Sam was quiet and sullen, leaning forward over her knees with her hands covering her face, Daniel was twiddling his thumbs and muttering the alphabet in several different languages to distract himself, and Teal'c stood against the wall impassively.
When Janet finally arrived with Jack, Sam stood up. She stared emotionlessly as he was wheeled through the infirmary doors on a gurney, Janet and several nursing staff hovering close by. At that moment she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. She could only stand and watch as if the moment was unreal. Jack's face was darkly bruised on his left side, tubes and wires all over, and there was a unit of blood and saline resting atop the blanket covering him. His grey pallor was alarming, and as soon as the gurney was wheeled out of sight, Sam sank back into her chair and cried.
Daniel did the same, but instead of crying, his expression was that of shock and apprehension. He managed to sneak a glance at Teal'c, noting the Jaffa's eyes revealed his concern, jaw clenching and unclenching.
For what seemed like hours, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c kept vigilant outside the infirmary, but they could only keep alert for so long at the late hour. Well, everyone except Teal'c anyhow. The Jaffa sat down and began meditating after awhile, and Daniel had started to fall asleep in his chair, head leaning back against the wall. Sam was mostly awake, too worried to sleep.
The sound of the infirmary door opening had Sam on alert, and she quickly stood to stare expectantly at a weary Dr. Fraiser. "Janet?"
Sighing heavily, the doc swept a hand across her brow. "He's gonna be alright," As Sam gave her a skeptical look, Janet smiled briefly. "Really, he is."
"What are his injuries?" Sam asked worriedly, her voice still cracking slightly.
Daniel woke from his light slumber, and Teal'c came out of meditation to hear the news.
"Jack's truck ended up flipped on the driver's side, so his injuries are mostly on his left. The entire left side of his face is badly bruised, but luckily there were no fractures to his skull, cheekbone, or jaw. He sustained a concussion, two broken ribs, and a fractured collarbone. Both his knees are pretty bruised up from hitting beneath the dashboard, and other than that he's got more bruises and a few abbrasions, but that's about it." Janet saw relief wash over Sam's face. "He was very lucky." She smiled sympathetically. The same look was on Daniel's face, and Teal'c looked atleast somewhat satisfied about O'Neill's condition.
"Can we see him?" Daniel asked, noticing Sam appeared too overjoyed and choked up to speak.
Janet nodded with a small smile. "He's asleep, and under some pretty heavy pain medication, but you can all sit with him if you like,"
"Thank you," Sam sent the doctor a grateful look before following Daniel into the infirmary and rubbing at her red-rimmed eyes.
Teal'c bowed toward Janet in a humble gesture, then went along with his two other teammates.
-
Swimming back toward consciousness, Jack felt a surge of pain along his left side. He wanted to fade back to the safe, unfeeling warmth of oblivion again, but he wouldn't, he'd fight. Deep down he knew that it would be just too easy to give up. He had to open his eyes. Despite the aching in nearly every muscle, Jack managed a faint twitch of his right hand. It was then that he realized the appendage was being held in a warm, soft hand. Forcing open his eyes as the hand holding his squeezed gently, partial sounds reached his ears before his sight had time to adjust.
"Ja...k...an...ou...ear...m..e?"
He blinked, squinting slightly as the voice sounded again, an angelic face coming into focus. Bright, caring blue eyes were staring at him searchingly, hopeful and red-rimmed as they were. The question was repeated, but it was much clearer now.
"Jack, can you hear me?" Sam was now holding his hand inbetween both of her own, desperately. "Please Jack," she begged, seeing that he was struggling to comprehend. When he blinked again, recognition in his dark brown eyes, Sam found herself smiling warmly.
"Hey," he rasped, head aching from his own voice bouncing around in his skull. "What..happened?" Jack murmured groggily with confusion, peering beyond Sam to the dull grey walls of the SGC infirmary.
Sam's face fell, her expression turning somber. She reached up a gentle hand and lightly touched the uninjured side of his face. "Jack, you were in an accident," Her gut clenched in fear, afraid that he may be suffering from a bit of amnesia.
Jack blinked again as previous events flashed before his eyes. Snow. Lot's of snow. Darkness. Icy rain coming down in sheets. Flash of lights. Oncoming car. Tires squeeling. Truck spinning out of control. Falling. Everything else was a blur. He jerked his head suddenly before clenching his eyes shut and regretting the pain it all caused.
"Jack?" Sam squeezed his hand again.
He focused on her again, slowly opening his eyes, brows slightly furrowed. The hazyness was threatening to come back, darkness quickly greying his vision. A solemn, heartbroken look momentarily crossed Jack's face while his consciousness faded. "'m I..too late?" He whispered, words faintly slurred.
"Too late?" Sam repeated, her brows quivering with concern. Her hand moved to rest on his arm. She could tell he was drifting. "Too late for what?" she pressed on curiously.
Jack was unconscious before Sam had even finished the question. He laid still in sleep, chest rising and falling rhythmically with each breath.
Hanging her head, Sam leaned back in the chair where she sat watching over him. Sighing, she rubbed at her eyes wearily before glancing at her watch and realizing it was nearly 0100 hrs.
"Hey," Daniel greeted softly from the doorway, making his way into the dimly lit infirmary. He gave a tight smile when Sam looked over at him, then crossed his arms and jerked his chin toward Jack. "How's he doing?"
"I'm not sure," Sam whispered honestly with a sigh. "He was awake though, seemed to know what had happened," she spoke quietly, trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice. Turning to Daniel, she eyed him quizically. "He wanted to know if he was too late," Sam shrugged. "I don't know what he meant by that though." By the look in her friend's eyes, Daniel did.
He shifted uncomfortably under Sam's expectant stare. "Uh, I dunno either," The archaeologist refused to meet her eyes.
"Daniel," Sam spoke his name sternly. "Come on Daniel," her tone softened. "You were never a good liar. What's going on?"
Sighing, he sat heavily on the nearby vacant bed and folded his hands in his lap. "There's no way you could've known Sam,"
"Know what?" Sam's heart raced anxiously as she shifted in the chair to face Daniel.
Chewing his lower lip, Daniel grimaced somewhat bashfully and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'm not sure I should be the one telling you this, but..." He took in a deep breath, then released it slowly. "Jack was going after you Sam," the archaeologist forced himself to speak in a quiet, gentle tone. "He told me he - he couldn't let Pete propose to you... He needed to tell you.." Daniel paused briefly for another deep breath. "Sam, Jack needed to let you know how he feels about you," Slowly he hung his head, the words finally out.
Sam's mouth was agape with shock. Her eyes were watery, tears threatening to spill as realization struck her. "Jack got in that wreck...because he was coming after me?" Overwhelming guilt suddenly washed over her, and she couldn't bear it any longer. Rising to her feet, Sam strode quickly out of the infirmary, an arm shielding her eyes as the tears began to fall.
Daniel clenched his eyes shut, feeling terrible. He hadn't meant for it to come out like that, didn't want Sam feeling responcible for Jack's accident.
-
Jack pulled his head back into the pillow while Janet flashed the familiar pen-light in his eyes. "Ach," he groaned, flinching.
"I'm sorry Colonel," Janet apologized with a brief smile, tucking the light away in her pocket once she was done. "Your pupils reaction is still a bit sluggish, and I'm worried about other effects from the concussion you received." She frowned slightly.
He sighed, the action tugging at his broken ribs. Jack blinked blearily. "'m fine, Doc," he murmured unconvincingly, speech a bit slurred.
Shaking her head, Janet leaned over him to briefly examine the cut above his left eyebrow. The dark bruising along the side of his face had yellowed around the edges, and it was obviously still painful for him. Janet moved to lift the blanket and check the Colonel's knees, but once she did so he flinched and squirmed with a groan. "Okay, okay, I'm done," she soothed, replacing the blanket and gently touching Jack's shoulder. Smiling sympathetically, she moved from the bed. "I'll get some icepacks I want you to use for your knees and collarbone,"
"You're the Doc...Doc," Jack mumbled, relaxing slightly. His head hurt, but he didn't feel it was worth mentioning since that was a give-in with a concussion. Letting his mind wander, he blearily remembered seeing Sam when he first woke, and silently wondered where she was now. Was it morning already? He didn't know, but Dr. Fraiser seemed too well-rested for it to still be late at night.
Returning to her patient's side, Janet gently placed an icepack over each of his knees. She adjusted the sling for Jack's left arm, causing him to wince slightly before she settled a smaller icepack over his collarbone. "I want you to leave the ice on it for a little while," she instructed in that doctorly way of hers.
Jack nodded automatically, his mind still adrift. He kept getting this nagging feeling in his gut that there was something important he'd been trying to do before the accident, but it just wouldn't come to him. Feeling suddenly very tired and weak, Jack paid no attention to Dr. Fraiser checking his vitals and allowed his consciousness to fade once more.
-
"Sam, please, don't do this," Daniel pleaded soothingly once he'd found her in the gear-up room that morning, trying to hide from everyone and everything. He sidled up to the bench where she sat and settled down beside her. He hadn't seen her since she dashed out of the infirmary the other night.
"Don't do what Daniel?" She rose her head from where it was buried in her arms, red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks being revealed to her concerned friend. Sam was still upset about what Daniel had told her the previous night, and she'd been avoiding going to see Jack all morning.
He put a hand to her shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up over this Sam. You can't be blamed for what happened. It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was blaming you." Sighing softly as Sam shook her head with a sniffle, he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Don't stay away from Jack because of this either. He won't want you to feel guilty, and besides..." Daniel paused with a brief, almost-saddened smile, "He doesn't even know I told you Sam. But Jack needs to be the one to finish what he started."
"What if he doesn't remember?" Sam's voice wavered slightly, and she sounded afraid. Her eyes began glassing over with tears, though they didn't fall. "Or what if he does, and what he was trying to say wasn't what you think?" Strength returned to her voice, and she almost sounded angry.
Daniel sighed and dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Trust me Sam. By the way Jack was acting when he left to go after you..." he allowed himself to trail off quietly.
Sam dropped her head in her hands again and released a frustrated sigh. "God, Daniel, what am I supposed to do?" she cried, shaking her head with exasperation. "Pete was going to ask me to marry him!"
Eyes shifting thoughtfully, Daniel lowered his voice. "But do you love him? Do you really love Pete?" All he wanted was for his two friends to be happy, and in his heart he felt as though neither would be happy unless they were together. It had been a long time in coming and they both deserved it.
Looking up, Sam's mouth hung open, but no words came out. Her bright blue eyes were wide and stunned. She didn't know how to answer that. That alone scared her. I thought I'd gotten over this! She mentally berated herself. No Sam, another part of her argued, You never have, and you never wanted to. You care too much for Jack.
Unaware of the inner dialogue going on, Daniel still sensed there were things Sam needed to work out on her own. He stood slowly, quietly, then walked away without a word, his final question giving her enough to think about.
-
"How's he doing Doctor?" General Hammond stood with his arms crossed in front of his desk, the small figure of Dr. Janet Fraiser standing before him with a clipboard tucked under one arm.
She heaved a slight sigh. "Well Sir, he's still suffering effects from the concussion. The Colonel's speech is occasionally slurred, he's a bit confused and drowsy, and he's still pretty sensitive to light and sounds as well."
"And now?" Hammond pressed, a slight furrow of worry for his 2IC forming between his brows.
"Colonel O'Neill's been slipping in and out of consciousness since last night, General. He's managed to stay awake for increased periods of time, but he's easily exhausted. Hasn't been able to sleep for more than two hours straight either, Sir." Janet frowned a bit.
"Is this a cause for concern, Doctor?" Despite the usual professionalism in his tone, it was obvious that George Hammond was concerned for Jack, a man he would proudly call a friend.
Janet shook her head. "No, Sir. These symptoms can be fairly common after a head injury. I've just got to make sure to keep a close eye on him." She smiled disarmingly.
"Very well," the General nodded unemotionally. "Keep me apprised."
"Yes Sir," Janet gave a slight nod in return before leaving Hammond's office.
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