Author's notes: I promised to get them home today, so here's the final part... they will get home... sound and safe. Sort of. Thank you all so much for reading, thanks to those who have reviewed but now: enjoy the final part!
Luckily his many years of experience had taught him lots of things, including some medicine. He hated leaving the human behind, but he had to get out and find some medicinal plants in order to treat the wound. Bra'tac placed a solid hand on the still man's shoulder. "I shall return shortly. You will remain quiet and rest."
The older man left in a hurry, knowing what he was looking for. Luckily it did not take him long to find the needed plants and he carefully picked them before returning to the small cave.
O'Neill was still lying where he had left him, mumbling incoherently due to the high fever that wracked his body. His head was moving restlessly from the left to the right and back while chills occasionally shook his tall frame.
Bra'tac regretted he could not make a fire, but that could not be helped. Taking out his knife, he carefully cut the plant's leaves in small pieces above a bowl from O'Neill's pack. Next, he started rubbing the material between thumb and forefinger, until the plant resin came out. Creating a thick, sticky pulp he was not satisfied until he had gathered quite a bit in the bowl.
Moving over to O'Neill, he sank down to his haunches and made sure everything he needed was within reach, his knife, the home-made medicine, water, a wooden branch he had picked up along the way, a piece of cloth and some fresh bandages from the earthling's backpack.
"This will not be pleasant," he warned. Bending forward, he picked up the branch and stuck it between the injured man's teeth. "Now, human... you bite."
Not hesitating any further he took the knife and sliced it through the stitches, opening up the infected area in one move. Grabbing the cloth, he started dabbing and wiping the pus away. Throwing a quick look at the human, Bra'tac noticed the face of O'Neill had turned white. Sweat was rolling down O'Neill's temples and the man's eyes were wide open. Deep groaning escaped O'Neill as he tried to crush the branch in his mouth. Then, O'Neill's body shuddered and jerked once, then fell motionless.
Bra'tac laid his hands a little from the edges of the deep gash and pushed down, forcing wound-liquid to come out along with the bleeding that now had started. He was only satisfied when the thick, dark fluid was gone and only fresh red blood flowed and rinsed the wound with fresh water.
Bra'tac glanced at the deathly pale face for a second and sighed, then concentrated on spreading out the plant pulp carefully and evenly over the whole injured area. Next, he took out some clean bandages, pressed them over the wound and applied pressure with both hands. He sat still like that, keeping his hands on the wound, silently examining the human's features.
The branch had slipped from the now slack mouth. The hair was sticky wet from sweating and the man was burning with fever, Bra'tac could feel that even from his position next to the unconscious man. As much as he wanted to reassure himself that the human was still alive by checking for a pulse, Bra'tac could not let go. Not yet, not until the bleeding had come to an end.
He sat there for a long time, silently debating whether to leave O'Neill to get help or take him along on the final trek back to the Stargate. The human's fever would come down some, now that he had taken care of the infection, but the Jaffa also knew it would come back with a vengeance if not treated any further.
Walking for another day was probably going to aggravate the injury, and he had no idea whether the human could make it to the gate in this condition.
On the other hand, the troops were coming and Bra'tac doubted they would miss their hiding place. More likely, they would find the injured man before he could return with help. That was a fate he could not let happen to the man who had saved his life without concern for his own.
Decision made, Bra'tac figured it was best to repeat O'Neill's line of thinking and once the bleeding had stopped, he settled for stitching the wound edges together again. He was glad the human was unconscious. He was able to finish the task without O'Neill being aware of what he was doing.
Next, Bra'tac covered up the wound as tightly as he could, and then wrapped bandages around the human's torso to keep it all solidly in place. One more day, he promised the still man, one more day and we will be safe.
Wetting another piece of cloth with water from the canteen, Bra'tac wiped the sweat from O'Neill's face, then left it lying on the human's forehead. Taking up a strategic position to cover the entrance of their hiding place, he tried to rest.
The night passed quietly.
Occasionally, Bra'tac refreshed the wet cloth on O'Neill's brow after checking to see if the human was still breathing.
When dawn arrived, much to his satisfaction Bra'tac found O'Neill's fever had dropped. Making sure he had the canteen nearby, he waited for the man to wake up.
It did not take long. Soon, the human stirred, moaning softly.
"You are to remain still," the old warrior warned, one hand pressed on O'Neill's shoulder to keep him from moving.
Slowly, O'Neill's eyes fluttered open. His eyes were bright with fever and he looked confused but responded to the orders Bra'tac gave him. "What... happened?"
"We are one day's walk from the Stargate. We will proceed on our journey after consuming some nourishment. You are to conserve your strength and will only get up when I tell you so," Bra'tac explained simply.
O'Neill slowly nodded, taking stock of his condition and held out a weak, trembling hand to accept the canteen of water.
Bra'tac bent forward, pushed one arm behind the human's neck and lifted it a bit, assisting O'Neill with holding the canteen. "How is the pain?"
"S.. okay," O'Neill said sluggishly.
"Good. The plants I used to dress your wound have some numbing effects. I do not know how long it will last. You must inform me when you are in pain and I will give you additional herbs." Bra'tac handed O'Neill a ration bar from his own pack. "Eat. You will need strength."
The Jaffa made sure O'Neill finished his bar, despite his protests. "Are you ready?"
O'Neill gave a determined nod and allowed the older man to assist him in getting up.
Bra'tac immediately drew the human's arm around his shoulder, grabbing him around the waist in order to support him. When they stood steadily, O'Neill surprised the Jaffa by starting to move in the right direction. Sick or not, the warrior of earth had not let his guard down, Bra'tac concluded.
They moved, not as fast as the day before, but steadily nonetheless. O'Neill managed to carry most of his own weight, using the older man only for support as he occasionally stumbled, either by visual blurring or a bout of dizziness.
Bra'tac kept a careful eye on the man from Earth. He hoped they could make a great distance before the condition of the warrior would deteriorate, knowing it would be hard enough to achieve the final miles. For now, the face of the human was a grim mask, a mixture of pain, concentration, will-power and the signs of the still present fever.
After two hours of difficult traveling, Bra'tac made the human stop, allowing him a brief rest. They sipped some water, caught their breath and moved on.
When they reached their next rest point, the alien knew fatigue was setting in. O'Neill was now leaning more heavily on him and had more trouble staying upright. Again, sweat was rolling down O'Neill's face and his breathing was labored.
The troops were still behind them. Bra'tac heard them, but their advantage over their pursuers was still enough. The Stargate was in sight now, although they still had some way to go. Everything now depended on the strength of the human.
Although O'Neill had not complained at all, Bra'tac put some of the medicinal leaves in the human's mouth. "Chew," he instructed. "It will ease the pain."
Giving the injured man a little longer to rest this time, Bra'tac used the spare moments to set up another couple of false tracks, hoping they would slow the enemy down more. When he returned, he found the human barely able to keep himself upright despite the fact that he was sitting with his back against a tree.
"Are you giving up, human?" Bra'tac shot.
O'Neill stubbornly shook his head.
"Good. Today is not a good day to die." With that sharp comment, the old Jaffa dragged the sick man to his feet, supported him and off they went once more.
The Stargate loomed closer as they went on.
O'Neill stumbled.
Bra'tac snapped.
O'Neill staggered.
Bra'tac barked.
O'Neill collapsed.
Bra'tac picked him up.
O'Neill fought to keep going, and Bra'tac more and more carried the taller man's weight. Together, they stumbled on, neither willing to give up.
At their next pause, Bra'tac realized the human was nearing the end of his endurance. He was gasping for breath and sweating profusely, while shivering constantly from the fever that had obviously gone back up. First, the Jaffa made sure O'Neill drank from the canteen, then, with some of their last water, he rinsed the injured man's flushed face.
"How.... far?" O'Neill gasped.
"We are in close proximity to the Stargate now. We must proceed."
Dragging the reserves from his reserves to the surface, O'Neill struggled to his feet. "What... are we... waiting for?"
Bra'tac snorted, resumed his supporting position and they moved on. He was afraid they were not going to make it by the way the human was swaying unsteadily on his feet. It would not be long before the man would fall unconscious. Bra'tac recognized the smell of fresh blood and knew that O'Neill's wound was bleeding again, but was helpless to do anything about it now. They were either going to reach the Stargate or be captured by the troops. If the human was unable to go any further, Bra'tac fully intended to carry him over his shoulder to the Stargate.
Then, after having stumbled on for a while longer, from the corner of his eye, the Jaffa warrior spotted some movement in front of them. "Remain quiet," he alerted the barely conscious man, as he quickly moved him behind some trees.
Already planning on how to take the enemy out, the older Jaffa prepared to sit O'Neill down, then Bra'tac recognized the approaching figure and a smile of relief formed on his face.
It was Teal'c. "Master Bra'tac," the younger Jaffa called out, when he was at close distance.
"Teal'c!" Bra'tac called back. "Troops are approaching," he informed his former student once he was nearby.
"We are aware of that. We have secured the area around the Stargate. I shall assist you." Teal'c quickly moved forward, grabbed his swaying CO on the other side.
Between them, the Jaffa managed to drag the human along as they finished the last mile towards the Stargate. A worried looking Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson were waiting for them and without wasting time, Daniel dialed up.
Carter stood near the wormhole, weapon at the ready, motioning for the trio to step through before Daniel and she followed.
Master Bra'tac walked through the infirmary of the SGC. He had attended his first briefing, where he had explained to Hammond from Texas what had transpired during the last several days.
It was during the briefing that he had learned that SG-1 had returned to the planet after reading O'Neill's message when a new detachment of Jaffa had stepped through the gate. The warriors from earth had been hiding out as O'Neill had instructed them in his message, waiting for the troops to leave the area near the Stargate and had taken out the ones remaining.
The team had spotted their errant team leader and the Jaffa warrior through their binoculars that morning and had watched their progress. When it became obvious to them that O'Neill had been injured, they had decided to send Teal'c ahead to lend a hand.
After refusing to be examined, Bra'tac had been waiting anxiously along with the humans and his former pupil for news about O'Neill, who had been taken to the operating room immediately after their arrival.
He had sighed in relief with the others, when the small, female doctor had come and told them that O'Neill would survive.
Now, it was two days later.
He planned to go back to Chulak, but wanted to bid farewell to O'Neill before he left. The human had barely been lucid the previous day and the Jaffa warrior had delayed his departure.
Stepping inside O'Neill's room, this time he found the human awake in bed. Although he still appeared too pale, the man had begun to regain some color in his face. His eyes were bright with the fever but the human managed to give his visitor a weak smile.
"I am pleased that you are still alive, hasshak," Bra'tac said. "You are a stubborn fool, but I think I have started to like you."
O'Neill grinned. "You okay?"
"I am faring well. I will return to Chulak today. There are many battles remaining to be fought."
"Be careful out there," O'Neill answered, somewhat out of breath.
"What, are you not willing to come to my aid the next time?" Bra'tac questioned with a gleam in his eyes.
"Let's hope there won't be the need for a next time," O'Neill responded.
"Teal'c," the old Jaffa called out to the younger one standing silently at the foot of the bed. "I trust you will watch over this one," he made a slight gesture at the man lying in bed, "because he does look out for others but appears to forget himself in battle."
Teal'c nodded in agreement.
O'Neill rolled his eyes, then sighed upon hearing the footsteps of a certain female doctor approaching which meant prodding, poking, tests, needles and whatever else she could think of that day.
"Now I must return to my world," Bra'tac announced and turned around, stepping towards the door. He threw one last look over his shoulder before leaving the room. "O'Neill..." he used the human's name for the first time, "…thank you."
THE END