Chapter 9 - Nightmares

A few days later, Daniel woke up screaming. He was soaked in sweat, the bedding twisted around his legs and he felt weak as a baby and couldn't stop shaking. He looked around the room, bewildered. 'Okay, what kind of trouble did I get myself into this time?' He didn't have his eyeglasses but he could still see that this wasn't his bedroom, a VIP room, or the infirmary.

Angelique entered the room with a basin of warm soapy water and a sponge and set it on the night table. The chair along the wall held a pile of folded sheets and blankets and on the dresser there were wash cloths, towels, and assorted powders, ointments and medicines. There was also an oxygen tank with clear plastic tubing near the wall.

She noticed he was awake but coughing and was as white as a sheet and covered with a fine sheen of sweat. She put her hand on his forehead, noticing that he was still warm but his temperature seemed to be lower.

'Okay, this is really strange... Who is she and how did I end up in this bed?'

"Vous êtes éveillé ! Bon. "Good! You are awake."

"Où suis-je ?" "Where am I?"

"Vous ne savez pas?" "You do not know?"

"Non."

"Une petite ville près de Rue-Jean-Sur-Richelieu."

a small town near St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu

"La France ?" 'I'm in France?' What in the world and I doing in France? Kinsey must have flown me here!'

She smiled. "Non, Québec méridional. Près de la frontière des Etats-Unis."

"No, southern most Quebec. Close to the border of the United States."

"I'm in Quebec?"

"Oui. Monsieur, courez-vous loin des autorités ?"

"Yes, Sir, are you running from the authorities?"

"Non, Madame. Vous parlez anglais?"

"Oui, I do speak english. If you prefer."

"My name is Daniel. Daniel Jackson."

"My name is Angelique Trudeau. Monsieur, if you are not running from the authorities, who are you running from?"

"That's a long story."

"Well, Monsieur You are a very sick man. Your fever has been very high and you have pneumonia. You are not out of the woods yet, and it will be a while before you are well again. So, you will have time to tell me your story, oui?"

"Please, call me Daniel." He barely spoke above a whisper. Talking was wearing him out and he was wheezing with the effort.

She smiled, "As you wish, Daniel. I was a nurse for many years. Do not concern yourself, I know what to do.

He was embarrassed as she gave him a sponge bath and then changed the bedding under him. She noticed him blushing and said, "Daniel, I see that you are uncomfortable with my helping you, but please, do not be so. I have seen many men in your condition. Many of my patients could not take care of themselves. This is nothing."

She placed the oxygen tube on his face and noticed that he looked concerned. "Don't worry. This will help you." She covered him up with a fresh sheet and blanket, just as they heard a knock at the door. Her granddaughter Elise came in bearing a tray with homemade chicken broth.

She set the tray on the table and gave him a quick, shy smile.

He smiled, noticing how pretty she was and then thought, 'I better be really careful, here. The last time I woke up in a strange place, Leda took care of me and it ended up being awkward for both of us. I'm not about to let that happen again.'

He felt too weak to get out of bed without help and he wanted to get into the bathroom but he couldn't. Angelique noticed his pained look and immediately understood, getting him a urinal to use and suggesting that she and Elise check on the laundry. If Angelique hadn't been a nurse before... well, thankfully, she could read body language!

When she returned, she took care of the urinal and then returned, drying her hands with a towel. She propped him up with some pillows so that she could feed him. Soon, the soup came back up and he felt miserable all over again. The pain in his muscles kept him from moving very much and his fever was climbing again. Angelique was able to help him sip cool water through a straw but he couldn't keep that down, either. She wiped his face with a cool wet cloth and tried to make him more comfortable but he was coughing a bit more.

His eyes started to droop and she knew it was time to let him have his rest so she removed a couple of pillows from behind his shoulders and helped him settle back and get comfortable. She quietly put the lunch things on the tray and made ready to leave. One last glance showed that she was right. He was sound asleep.

0 0 0 0

Doctor Martins arrived soon after Daniel fell asleep and went in to check on him. He unwrapped Daniel's ankle and looked it over. The swelling was down a bit and the pulse in the foot was good and strong and the skin didn't feel cold. He wrapped it up again and covered Daniel with the blanket. Angelique told the doctor of Daniel's condition. Daniel's symptoms concerned him. This sounded like more than just pneumonia. With the intense pains, hallucinations and the shakes, he would guess that this man was going through drug withdrawal. He mentioned it to Angelique. She had to agree. They had seen that in the hospital numerous times and it did fit. Henri gave him some anti-nausea medication to help him stop vomiting and then went to the kitchen to get some coffee.

Angelique thought that Daniel looked peaceful, almost boyish as he laid there in deep slumber. Why in the world would anyone wish to hurt this man? Of course, she didn't really know anything about him but why would someone want to hurt him so badly? It was beyond her understanding. She left to go fix the noon meal and left Elise to sit with him.

0 0 0 0

His body was on fire, it had to be to hurt this badly. His skin burned and his blood felt like it boiled just under the surface, causing him to catch his breath. 'Am I awake or am I dreaming?' He could feel cool hands gently washing his sore, aching body. Laying there with his eyes closed, he tried to recognize the sounds around him but he was too confused to make sense of anything. Everything hurt. Even his scalp was protesting. Suddenly, needles were stabbing him all over and all he could do was groan aloud. Then he heard the sound of someone whispering to him, 'All will be well,' - a woman's voice. He opened his eyes and Elise smiled at him but he was very confused.

"At last. I was very concerned for you, Monsieur Daniel. Welcome back to the land of the living. We found you in the barn a few days ago. You came very close to dying." She reached for his forehead and smiled, brushing his hair away. "Your fever is going down again. We thought we were going to lose you."

He took a sip of water as she held out the glass with the straw. Oh, that was good. She indicated that he should drink a little more and he did, through dry, chapped lips. Then she spread an ointment on his lips and told him he was slowly getting better.

She excused herself momentarily, humming to herself as she went down the hall. Then, she brought back the razor, a cup with shaving soap and a brush. He looked embarrassed but she insisted, saying that after her grandfather had his stroke, she shaved him every day. She assured him that she would be very careful as she set the oxygen tubes aside.

What could he do? It wasn't like he even had the strength to fight her off. So, he allowed her to lather his face and she gently removed the growth that had put in an appearance during his ordeal. He watched her as she gently held his face and shaved off his whiskers. Her eyes were blue and very pretty and when she noticed the close scrutiny, she blushed. 'Careful there, Jackson. You just might have a reaction that will leave you both embarrassed.' And then he quickly looked away, feeling his skin go beet red. 'Damn!'

When she was finished, she asked him if that felt better and he had to admit it did. As she place the oxygen tube back on his face he smiled up at her, making eye contact and it was her turn to blush as she quickly stood up and gathered the shaving kit together.

Dr. Martins came in and said hello. He was impressed with Daniel's improvement but was still concerned. He checked Daniel's pulse and blood pressure. The blood pressure was fine but his pulse was a little fast. He looked at Daniel and then at Elise, taking in the shaving kit and putting two and two together. He grinned and said it was time for Daniel's pain medication. Daniel was asleep almost instantly as it made it's way through the IV line, soothing the terrible pain in his bones and muscles. Dr. Martins smiled and thought, 'He's doing better.'

0 0 0 0

Daniel woke up and noticed an open window, the warm gentle breeze making the ruffled lace drapery flutter back and forth in the sunlight. The air smelled like springtime, that odd mixture of rain, mud and lilacs. It was wonderful. He was too tired to move his head so he didn't try. He smiled as he drifted off to sleep. He thought he could hear someone in the distance, singing in French and then he was out.

0 0 0 0

It was night time. A small lamp was lit on the table by his pillow but the glow barely lit the room. Elise was sitting in a chair by another lamp, reading a book. She looked like an angel. She turned to see that he was watching her and blushed, wondering how long this handsome stranger had been awake. "You are better, non? I will tell Grandmama. She will be glad to see that you are awake." She smiled and quickly left the room.

Angelique came bustling in and smiled like sunshine at him. "It is so good to see you are getting better, Daniel." After checking his pulse, she helped him sit up in bed a bit.

He was confused. He remembered Angelique and Elise but how did he get here? How long had he been here? Suddenly, it all came back to him. All the horrors he had been subject to under the cruel hand of Kinsey rushed back and nearly strangled him with fear. Daniel tried to remain calm but found it very difficult to do so. All he really knew was that he wanted to go home. He needed to get back to the SGC and tell Jack what had happened. Hopefully, they hadn't really given up on him.

Angelique saw the panic on Daniel's face and tried to calm him. "Please, Daniel, do not be afraid. What is wrong? You are recovering from your illness and you have nothing to worry about."

He ripped off the oxygen tube and started pleading, "No, you don't understand. I have to get out of here. He's coming! I have to get back home. Please, you have to help me!" He started coughing and gasping for air.

Elise ran for the doctor and they both returned quickly to find that Daniel had tried to get out of bed and before Angelique could stop him, he had fallen onto the floor. After they got him back into bed, Dr. Martins checked Daniel's blood pressure and found that it was dangerously high, as was his pulse. "Monsieur, you must remain in your bed and stay calm. You might harm yourself if you do not."

Daniel was extremely agitated and finding it hard to breathe. Dr. Martins prepared a sedative and when Daniel saw it he begged, "No. Please, don't do that. I have to make a phone call. I have to call Jack. Please..." but he soon found himself falling into a black hole and then he knew nothing.

"Who is this 'Jack' he referred to?" Dr. Martins asked, as he placed the oxygen tube back on Daniel's face.

"I'm not sure. A brother or a friend, maybe. He's been calling for him in his sleep but I have no clue how to contact him." Angelique looked very concerned.

"Well, he should sleep until morning. Maybe then he can tell you more but try to keep him calm. I'm going to go home now. If you need me, call. But, I don't think you'll have to worry about anything else for the rest of the night."

He left quietly and Angelique sat down by the side of the bed and wondered how they were going to help this man. They didn't even know where he was from. Maybe Henri was right. Tomorrow would tell soon enough.