Conference Room Conversation

Teal'c walked down the ramp to a waiting Jack O'Neill. The look on the General's face made Teal'c speak, "what has transpired O'Neill?"

"Walk with me, T."

"What is our destination?"

"The infirmary."

With a nod of his head Teal'c followed Jack out of the gate room. Teal'c asked no more question while Jack offered no answers. Teal'c knew there was only one reason he would be asked to accompany Jack O'Neill to the infirmary. One of his team had been seriously injured on a mission. His gut feeling told him who was lying in the infirmary leaving Jack O'Neill visible distraught.

Upon entering the infirmary Teal'c quickly made eye contact with Cam and Daniel. His suspicions were confirmed as the men made there way over.

"How is she?" Jack asked.

"I can't get the doc to tell me anything substantial but she wants to talk to us in the conference room, Sir," Cam told him.

"Alright, we'll meet in the conference room in 15 minutes."

Daniel and Cam agreed silently leaving Jack and Teal'c a moment with Sam. The machines beeped and whooshed methodically sustaining her life. She was so pale and looked uncommonly fragile. She was still on a respirator with a tube in her mouth forcing air into her lungs. It was a disturbing sight for all of them to the see the unnatural rise and fall of her chest.

Teal'c watched as Jack moved to her bedside. He placed one hand on top of one of hers while at the same time brushing a strand of arrant blonde hair from her forehead.

Jack turned from her moving closer to Teal'c. He placed on hand on Teal'c forearm then said, "let's go see what Doctor Lam has to say." Teal'c gave him a slight nod of his head. It was the only indication he that he agreed. Never would he how eager was to find answers. Together they walked side by side out of the infirmary to meet the rest of the team and the doctor.

Teal'c and Jack were the last to arrive. Jack took the seat at the head of the table as Teal'c took his usually seat. All eyes turned Dr. Lam with each of the men barely able to contain themselves. They had the questions but more importantly she had the answers.

Jack was the first to speak, "how is she doctor?"

"Sir, she is in a coma."

"What…?" came from all the men at once.

Dr. Lam held up her hand to respectfully call for silence from the rumbling men surrounding her, "her body has gone through something extremely traumatic. This coma is part of the healing process. What happened on the planet caused Colonel Carter's system to…"

"Freak out," Jack and Cam both offered.

Daniel shook is head. Teal'c showed no emotion. The doctor slightly annoyed continued, "I was going to say all of her systems have overloaded. However, we have stabilized her. Her heart is beating normally and the respirator is only a precaution. As quickly as her temperature spiked to the limit, it came down just as quickly. As of yet I can not give you all the answers. But because Colonel Carter was the only member of the team affect I'd have to venture to guess it has something to do with her unusual blood chemistry."

"Will she recover?"

"I am hopeful but her recovery is going to take some time. All of her systems seem to have gone through some kind of self test and restart. Although it all happened at once meaning her heart stopped as she went into respiratory failure as well as her temperature spike everything more or less returned to normal before any permanent damage could be caused. We need some answers. Unfortunately they are on that planet."

"Do you think it's safe for a team to go back to the planet for another look?"

"Well, both Dr. Jackson and Colonel Mitchell were checked out thoroughly. What ever affected Colonel Carter did not affect them. Normally I would suggest not going back but it may be necessary if she can't come out of this on her own."

"SG1?"

"We're ready, Sir," Cam said anxious to get ready. The rest agreed.

"Well, then suit up. You have a go. Thank, Doc. Dismissed."

SG1 pushed there chairs back from the table while Jack hesitated. Daniel noticed, "Jack?"

Jack looked up meeting Daniel's eye, "I just need you guys to be okay."

"What happened to Sam…Jack it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known. None of could. Just believe she's going to fine."

'I know Daniel but I gave the order."

"I was with her, Jack. I couldn't stop what happened. I didn't even know she was in danger. Jack, she's on life support and I…we couldn't stop it," Daniel stopped talking taking off his glasses. He closed his eye wiping his face with his hands. "I don't want to loose her either."

Jack got up walked to his former teammate and friend then pulled him into the briefest of hugs.