Supporting Rumors - Part 47
"Come on General O'Neill, please." Doctor Hill sighed. She'd been trying for a while to get her patient's attention. "Open your eyes, come on, I know you can hear me."
Jack had rewarded the demands aptly, or so he thought. He opened his eyes when they commanded and gave them his best smile, or at least his next best ... the best was for Sam. So, why were they still demanding stuff?
"G'way," he mumbled, his eyes closing.
"No, come on now, I want you to just follow my finger."
"F'llowturelf," he muttered. Why the hell couldn't they let him sleep? Jeez, it had been a long time since he'd had a good sleep.
The snort of laughter to his left piqued his curiosity and he turned slightly and squinted one eye open, glaring belatedly in that direction, before drifting again.
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Daniel shrugged apologetically as Doctor Hill gave him a glare when he snorted with laughter. He couldn't help it. He'd witnessed Jack foiling the medical staff so many times over the years in the infirmary, it seemed like old times.
Jack had sparred with the best - there was no way Doctor Hill was going to get him to respond as she wanted and when she wanted. She was no match for a semi unconscious Jack O'Neill. When the doctors wanted him to sleep, he woke, when they wanted a response, they didn't get it – and when they wanted him to be quiet ... god help them!
Hill sighed and stood upright. "Okay, General, I give up – for now. But you only win this battle. The war isn't over." She smiled grimly down at the sleeping man.
"Anything we can do?" asked Daniel.
"Try and keep him talking when he wakes more, and call me. I know he's exhausted and his body is still craving sleep. Given how high and prolonged his fever was, I just want to double check everything is as it should be - reactions etc."
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The buzzing of voices were annoying. They called Jack from his sleep and wouldn't go away, though the words didn't register and make any sense at all in his mind.
He could hear George. At least he thought it was George, but his voice sounded far away, real funny ... tinny almost.
Who the hell was he talking to? Was there a party going on? The voices slowly began to penetrate enough for the words to begin to make sense.
"… is recovering from a set back. Yes it was pneumonia. There was no further attempt made on the General's life."
Pneumonia? Who the hell had had pneumonia? Jeez that could be nasty. He strained to listen, his eyes still closed.
"There was no positive evidence to tie Minucos to the shooting. Is the investigation still on going?"
Now, who the hell was that? Don't know that voice.
"Minucos has been charged with the attempted murder of General O'Neill. A full confession has been recorded and also since then, a full statement has been signed by Minucos."
"Was the shooting in any way connected to the tragic death of the General's son by his own weapon?"
Jack's heart missed a painful beat. The thudding that resumed seemed to pound through his head. He felt the tears slide helplessly down his face and he had no strength to raise his hand to swipe them away.
"The attempted murder was not in any way connected to the General's personal life. Minucos's state of mind was very much a factor in the shooting and ..."
"Has anyone investigated any connection between the General's recent marriage and his relationship with his ex wife?"
"Gentlemen, General O'Neill's personal life is not open for debate. I repeat, it is NOT in any way connected with the shooting."
Sara? What the hell were they playing at?
"It's been rumored that Minucos was hired by the General's ex wife and that the whole alien deal is a cover up for the real reason."
"Leave her alone," he whispered helplessly, his eyes screwed shut.
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Daniel jumped, the soft plead from Jack's lips taking him completely by surprise.
"Oh Christ," he moaned and snatched up the remote control. He'd been so engrossed with watching Hammond giving the press conference he'd been coaxed into on behalf of Jack, that it had escaped his attention completely that there could be a chance of Jack waking in the middle of it.
The anger at his stupidity increased as he saw the tears that tracked down Jack's white face, his eyes tightly closed.
Jack had obviously heard some of it, how much he couldn't tell, but he was pretty damn sure it wasn't just the last question that had sparked such grief in his friend.
"Jack, Jack," he pleaded softly, taking his friend's hand in his and squeezing gently, trying to reassure the man. He felt the trembling as he took hold. "Jack, please, come on, talk to me."
Jack's head merely shook slightly in disagreement, his breathing speeding up and the wheezing worsening with each breath.
Daniel used the buzzer to call for assistance, praying that Sam would get back quickly, sure that her presence would help calm Jack down ...
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TBC
