The Fire Still Burns – Part 8
They stood looking down at their sleeping teammate. Teal'c knew he could only remain absent from his duties for a short while longer, but rather than take nourishment or kel'no'reem, he chose to visit O'Neill. Finding the rest of SG-1 at O'Neill's bedside already, he stood with them, not wanting to disturb their leader, but hoping he would wake long enough – to do what he was not sure – reassure them perhaps? They had come close to losing him to the Goa'uld on P3X-254 and now it was inconceivable that they should still do so here on Earth.
Tired eyes opened and O'Neill seemed a little disoriented, staring at them as if trying to see something that wasn't there. "Who died?" His voice was hoarse, but strong despite the tube feeding oxygen into his nose.
Puzzled at the question, Teal'c glanced at his teammates to see if they understood what O'Neill meant. To his surprise, instead of answering, Daniel Jackson ignored it completely.
"How are you feeling?"
"Rotten, which is understandable, considering. Can you believe I had a bit of dead snake meat rotting in me – it's just so eww!"
"Well, it isn't there now, Colonel." Teal'c had heard Doctor Fraiser approaching, but his companions appeared startled by her sudden appearance. The doctor began adjusting the equipment attached to O'Neill, even though it seemed to Teal'c to be functioning correctly. She paused as she looked at one of the readings. "Your temperature is still elevated."
"Do I really need all this –" O'Neill waved the hand not tethered to the IV at the tubes leading under the covers, his face expressing his discomfort.
"Yes, sir, you do. We need to monitor your renal function along with other things."
Moving forward a little, Captain Carter came up beside the doctor. "Other things?"
"Colonel O'Neill's blood pressure is very low, which is why he was experiencing the dizzy spells – it's a classic sign of toxic shock." She placed her hand on O'Neill's forehead. "Now, he needs to rest, so…"
"Can I stay, Janet? I need to talk to Jack – just for a minute."
The doctor shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Daniel, I'll let you know when you can come see the colonel again, okay?" She was already ushering them out the door of the infirmary.
Teal'c halted, allowing his two teammates to exit ahead of him. "I shall await your call, Doctor Fraiser." He did not need to elaborate – it was clear he expected to be told as soon as he could return, and he knew by the doctor's expression that she understood.
"I wish Janet had let me talk to Jack," Daniel Jackson said, as they began the short walk to the elevator. "I wanted to apologize for what I said to him."
Teal'c allowed Captain Carter to precede him into the waiting elevator car before he spoke. "I do not think O'Neill would accept your apology."
"Maybe you're right. I went too far and…"
He interrupted. "You misunderstand me. I think O'Neill will not accept your apology because he will feel you have nothing to apologize for. From the description I have heard of the argument, although you could have worded what you said more carefully, O'Neill reacted badly – probably due to his illness."
Hopefully his teammate would see the wisdom of his words and not continue to pursue the matter. Teal'c did not think O'Neill would thank him for it if he did. If he knew their commander, the man would rather forget the incident occurred.
"Teal'c's right, Daniel." Captain Carter nodded in agreement. "The colonel did over react, but I don't think he was thinking clearly. Janet said he was more than likely feeling dizzy and confused…"
"He didn't sound confused. And his aim wasn't off, I can attest to that." Daniel Jackson rubbed his chest and gave a rueful smile. "But you don't have to convince me – I understand. I'll wait for Jack to make the first move – when he's better."
"Yes, when he's better." Captain Carter nodded. "I'll be with Colonel Makepeace if anything changes."
"And I'll be in my office."
They parted, each going their own way, and as Teal'c reluctantly returned to his duties, a feeling of unease washed over him.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
"To be honest I'm surprised the colonel's responding so well to the antibiotics."
Captain Duarte finished tucking the sheet under the end of Colonel O'Neill's mattress before turning to Doctor Fraiser. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Doctor. We could do with a break after the last few days." She looked pointedly around the busy infirmary. "Even with Major Mansfield and Sergeant Baker transferred we still have a full-house. At least Captain Kearney's bed will be empty soon." She threw a quick smile at the handsome officer, hoping he hadn't forgotten his promise to take her out to dinner now he was being released.
"Remember, Ann, he should keep off that leg as much as possible." Doctor Fraiser's tone was quite serious but the joking twinkle in her eyes and twist of her lips had the nurse blushing.
The doctor's hand reached up to brush a stray strand of the colonel's hair back into place. She lingered, her palm resting on his forehead for a few moments. "If it was anyone other than Colonel O'Neill I'd just be thankful he was getting better, but with his track record…" She swallowed and stopped, as if reluctant to say what she was thinking. Then, with a slightly embarrassed smile, she turned away from her patient. "I'm being stupid. We caught it in time and he'll be back to his old self in a few days – heaven help us all. I'll let his team know they can come visit, but make sure they only stay for a short time – say fifteen minutes – and one at a time. He needs his rest. I'll be in my office."
Ann could see the weariness in her steps as the doctor walked away. The woman had barely left the infirmary for days and was obviously bone-tired, but the nurse knew better than suggest she go home. Hopefully she would take the time to get a little sleep on the cot in her office.
Returning to the nurse's desk in the corner of the large room, Ann took a moment to think about what Doctor Fraiser had said. It was true that Colonel O'Neill seemed to somehow attract trouble. Nothing was ever simple with him, but that was because he put himself in the line of fire so much more than anyone else on base. Whenever there was a crisis he was there, making sure everyone knew what job they had to do and taking the worst ones on himself. And the other members of SG-1 were usually right there alongside him.
She had barely finished the thought when one of the people she was just thinking of walked in. Doctor Jackson came straight over to her.
"Hey, Ann. Janet called and said we could visit with Jack. I'm first up."
"He's asleep at the moment. Do you want to come back later? I can call you when he wakes."
It was with no surprise that she saw Doctor Jackson shake his head. "No, I'll sit with him now if that's okay?"
She stood and walked with him to the colonel's bed.
"Janet said he was getting better."
"Yes, his temperature is down a little so it looks like the antibiotics are kicking in." After straightening the top sheet and blanket a little, she checked the tubes weren't tangled. Her last words to the colonel's teammate before returning to her station were a reminder not to stay longer than the permitted fifteen minutes.
Two hours later, at the end of her shift, Teal'c was sitting in the same chair Doctor Jackson had been in. The members of SG-1 had each taken their turn beside their commanding officer's bedside and he had woken for brief periods – long enough for them to have a short conversation before he drifted back to sleep.
"Nurse." Teal'c's voice carried clearly in the quiet ward.
Ann put the files she had just collected from the desk back down again.
"I'll go. You get on home," Pauline Frampton said, nodding toward the exit.
For a second, she hesitated, but then she shook her head. "No, it's fine."
They both approached the colonel's bed. Ann was surprised to see an obvious look of concern on the Jaffa's face.
"O'Neill is complaining that his chest hurts."
As Teal'c spoke the colonel opened his eyes and Ann bent over him. "Sir?" Her eyes flickered to the heart monitor beside the bed. "Pauline, go get Doctor Fraiser."
"It's – hurts – a lot." Colonel O'Neill's face was scrunched up in pain, his eyes tightly closed again. "Crap!" He twisted his torso, his hands balled into fists and his knuckles white. "Oh, crap!"
Then he just flopped down, the tension falling away from his body with a horrifying suddenness.
Alarms screamed.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
Author's Note: Thanks for all the great reviews and your kind words. I do appreciate them and I'm just sorry I haven't had the time to reply to each of them.