Strangers
Jack crashed onto the ramp and darted to the door with Teal'c and Daniel in hot pursuit. He didn't even notice the stunned looks of the defence team as they looked at SG-1. The way Colonel O'Neill was carrying Major Carter, with one arm under her knees and the other under her back, and her head leaning against his chest, would undoubtedly fuel the rumour mill between the two officers but at the moment they were more concerned with Major Carters pale skin and vacant expression.
"Get the medical team to meet us half way!" he shouted, as he tore out of the gate room towards the elevator. In record time he was standing inside, hammering the button, the rest of his team only just making it inside before the doors closed. Jack looked down at the pale, empty expression on his 2IC's face in despair as the elevator seemed to take twice as long to reach the end of its journey. The whole time Jack was looking into her closed eyes, watching the rapid movement that were his only indication of life; her breathing was now so shallow that it was almost un-detectable.
'Please be OK Carter, if I lost you...' His thoughts were interrupted by the chime of the elevator, signalling the end of its trip. As soon as the doors had opened wide enough Jack charged towards the waiting medical team and placed her on the gurney. As soon as he retreated out of the way the doctors and nurses pounced on her, placing a tube in her throat and an IV in her arm, all the time shouting instructions at each other while they wheeled her through the infirmary doors.
As SG-1 tried to follow, a nurse stopped them, "I'm sorry sirs, we can't have you in here while we're working."
At the looks of protest she received, the nurse pulled an expression that clearly showed she wasn't going to change her mind.
"She's been taking lessons from Janet," Jack mumbled to his team mates as he sat down in one of the chairs outside the emergency room.
"Yeah, well you have to admit that we would do little more than get in the way if we did go in".
He had no answer to Daniel's comment, so he just sat there with his head in his hands, trying to think of some reason for Carter's collapse. Over an hour later the nurse returned.
"You can go in but she's unconscious. She's stable, but we're not sure what's wrong with her. We're running more tests just to be sure but it looks like she's going to be OK." At this, the scientist in Daniel spoke up.
"If you don't know what's wrong with her, then how did you treat her?"
"We didn't really, she just seemed to stabilise on her own, she stopped shaking and her heart rate and blood pressure are returning to normal."
Jack of course didn't hear that, he walked straight past her and looked around the ward. There she was, lying on a bed in the corner with doctors cleaning up around her and several tubes going in and out of her. The long, blue dress that she had been wearing during the party lay ripped in a pile on the floor as she now wore a standard hospital gown. To anyone who didn't know her, she would have looked like she was resting peacefully, but Jack knew better, the slight twitch at the corner of her eye every few minutes showed that she was uncomfortable.
As he approached her bed she stirred briefly but didn't wake, he looked at the nurse by her bed who had also noticed.
"The sedatives should be wearing off, so she's probably dreaming". He nodded, sat down by her bed, then placed his hand over hers and let out a gasp. It was freezing.
"She probably won't wake for a few hours, maybe more; I can have a nurse call you when she wakes up if you want to get some rest?" This time it was Janet Frazier who spoke. Even so he gave her one of his special 'looks' that were usually reserved for whichever Jaffa happened to be stabbing them with pain sticks at the time. "Very well" she said as Daniel and Teal'c came in and settled down for the night, they all wanted to be there when she woke up.
Flashback
The sun was just setting as SG-1 walked through the streets of the Ardonian capital, there were many people outside celebrating but for the life of him Jack O'Neill couldn't figure out why. People were just dancing away to music, drinking the strange red concoction that the locals loved so much and talking. The people all seemed ecstatic. Their guide, Loh'ran, was leading them to the large hotel that they would be staying in during the party, but that wasn't until the next night so why was everyone partying?
Before Jack could ask Loh'ran what was going on Daniel spoke up, "What's going on? I thought the party was tomorrow?"
"This time of year also happens to be a special holiday for our people, it used to celebrate the harvest but now it is more of a tradition, it is also the time of year when our most of our people mate" At this Carters eyes widened, Daniel spat out whatever he had been drinking, Teal'c raised his eyebrows and Jack choked on the piece of fruit he had been eating. "What is wrong? Have I offended you?"
Carter spoke up this time because Daniel was helping Jack and, well, Teal'c just didn't speak up at this sort of thing in case he had missed some part of the Tau'ri customs. "No. It's just that we're a bit surprised, I mean, well..." she stuttered, obviously uncomfortable.
"Why all at this time of year?" Daniel said once he was sure Jack wouldn't choke to death.
"It is tradition; I suppose there is no real reason."
"Oh" Jack finally said.
"There is no such tradition on your world?"
"Ah, no."
"Ah, well, tomorrow people will begin actively seeking out mates, perhaps you would like to partake in the rituals while you are here?" This produced similar reactions to Loh'rans original comment except this time Jack and Daniel had reversed their roles. When everyone had recovered Daniel managed to cough out,
"Um, no I don't think that would be a good idea" he said, eyes flickering between Sam and Jack while he spoke. Loh'ran obviously got the hint and resumed his journey up to the hotel with SG-1 in tow.
End Flashback
AN: Ok guys, after much punishing of my brain I finally managed to write this ;) I hope you like it, please read and review, it's like everyone else says, reviews make me happy and motivate me to write more. Didn't like it? Say why and i'll see what I can do to make it better.