Chapter 6

A/N: Well, here it is…. as promised. I'm telling you, this fic is getting harder and harder to write. I get something down on paper, but when I come to typing it up and reading it through, it just seems too cheesy, and by that time, I'm too tired to change it. Sigh.

Anyway…. big thanks to IloveSG and Waddles52 for discussing the evils of season 9 with me. Also to Beth (you're a real pain in the ass when you want something updated, ya know? LOL). Bekki (for discussing though hilarious typos…god, they were embarrassing!). Amy, Cathain Nottingham and Su Frend for keeping me motivated.

And now…onto the fic…

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Previously on Stargate SG1….

Jack looked at the monitors. They were all a black- no signs of life. The bed sheets seemed undisturbed and too perfect to be harbouring a body, even one as lithe as Samantha's, beneath it. Jack felt a stab in his gut, and a feeling of dread flood through him as he ran forward to where Carter's body should have been. There was no one there.

The vacant sheets registered in his brain instantly.

"No… they would have told me…"

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Fanfiction Note: Just a quick note. The words in this chapter all imply more than they seem to. You need to try see it from all POV's for it to work as well as try to dissect things or looking at the bigger picture. If they seem confusing to you, it might be either you didn't read this note, and follow my instructions, or that you haven't visualised or thought about it as much as you need to.)

I tried to make everything a little bit more realistic by adding little actions that the characters always do on the show. I.e. Daniel's cute brow furrowing…. Whether it worked, that's for you to decide.

(Insert Teal'c voice) …And now…

Jack stormed down the halls of the infirmary, bulldozing anyone or anything what dared cross his path. Nurses scurried out of the way; patients found an interesting patch of concrete to look at, anywhere but in the direction of the base's 2IC.

Whoever had done whatever to upset the resident base volcano could have been one of only two things. Either incredibly brave and under direct orders, or immensely stupid with a dead wish.

Siler sat on the bed with his beloved, ever present and electricity conducting wrench in hand. He, along with the rest of the infirmary room watched as O'Neill's form flew by, heading to the end of the corridor.

It wasn't until after the Colonel had left skid-marks on the concrete and had swung around the corner, did any activity resume at all. The noise level steadily rose, buzzing with speculation as to what had just happened.

All they knew was that they pitied the poor soul O'Neill was after. God be with them whoever it was.

No one had a clue 'who' had done 'what' to piss the raging Colonel off, but they all knew without a doubt 'why'. Other than that, they only knew he was reaching critical breaking point.

This was extremely rare behaviour from the usually rash but controlled O'Neill. Normally, if he were upset or annoyed at someone, he'd either just blow him or her up or tell them to go jump in front of a 'kawoosh'.

No, this was different, and the reason clearly lay with one Samantha Carter. Every time something was afoot between them, O'Neill would react in an attempt to conceal his emotions. He could become extremely unpredictable and dangerous to be around. His sarcasm would go through the roof and he'd become extremely but not obviously vulnerable to further personal blows.

Before anyone could actually negotiate a bet, their answer came in the form of thundering bellow that echoed clearly throughout the halls and corridors of the level. Siler was sure that the Asgard had even heard it.

It seemed that Colonel O'Neill had come to stop in front of the base CMO's door, and was yelling at it, or rather, screaming at it's occupants, "Janet Fraiser! Daniel Jackson! Teal'c! Jacob Carter! Would ANY of you care to explain how the hell Carter can die, again, and I was NOT informed !"

Suddenly the temperature and noise level decrease significantly, as the door opened, and no one on the level dared make a sound. Jack must have noticed, as he made a visible effort to calm himself down before glaring down his so called 'friends'.

"Well?" he demanded, harshly.

"Look, Jack. You're making a big deal out of nothing. Calm down." Jacob said, getting out of his seat to drag the man in. They'd negotiated his way out of capture, but for the life of him, Jacob Carter nor his symbiote could think of way to diffuse the current situation. He'd never seen his friend so out of control.

"How the hell am I supposed to calm down?" Jack spat, his anger rising again, " Carter just died. Again!"

"Samantha Carter is indeed alive, O'Neill." Teal'c spoke in that eerily calm manner, although Jack could clearly see the throbbing vein on his friend's bald head right next to the currently dormant eyebrow.

"You said that last time!"

"And was I not correct?"

Jack looked a bit befuddled for a moment, his mind still trying to figure out what Teal'c was saying to him. Everyone else was too preoccupied to notice that Daniel was about to explode…literally. First he turned a bit pink, then red, then blue, and then he tried to breathe again and returned to pink. That was when he finally unloaded his thoughts, "Jesus Jack! How could you?"

Daniel's words rang clearly through the room. They all looked him, except for Jack who was staring at one of Janet's diplomas. They all knew that Daniel understood that 'why Jack could', that was easy. Sam.

But yet he refused to even acknowledge 'how Jack could' until now. Daniel looked at his friend through sad eyes. He could see why his was reacting like this. But Daniel was hurting too; Sam was the sister he'd never had. What they were going through hurt them all, not just Jack and he wanted answers. And he was going to get them, Dammit!

He got up, closed the blinds and turned around to face Jack who was just lowering himself into the previously vacated chair.

"How could you think we wouldn't tell you?" Daniel accused, "After all we've been through. After, after these seven years, doesn't it mean anything to you? Even if we were ordered not to tell, we would have anyway. All of us would. We're a FAMILY!"

Fraiser, Teal'c and Jacob could only look on. They would have made a move to stop Daniel, but the man had a point, and they were all tired. Regardless of the way he was breaking this 'newsflash' to Jack, it was true.

All of them saw the truth in the young linguist's carefully selected words, and they had to agree. This had been draining for all of them. All of them privately wanted the others to see their pain too, so that just maybe the burden could be shared. The wanted the attention, even if it were just for that tiniest ounce of selfishness that was human nature.

It hurt all of them. They were all trained to take physical action to problems in the field. Even Daniel, who had only gleaned what military views he'd had through his interactions with said military, was frustrated at what little they could do. And even now, with all their journeys and discoveries of new worlds and technologies, they were helpless to do anything.

Apparently, even if a Sarcophagus had been available, it would kill her. The Asgard also did not understand the complexity of the strain of toxin, which was rarity in itself. The Tok'ra had offered to try using a Goa'uld healing device, but Janet warned that the introduction of any new technologies would make the current situation worse.

This time, they really were helpless. It wasn't like that time Sam had been taken over by that Computer 'Entity'. This time they couldn't even negotiate with anything.

"We've been a family when we all had none." Daniel said bitterly, suddenly feeling very weary, "But I guess you didn't learn anything?"

Evidently, the last comment hit home as they saw Jack stiffen up. Outsiders often said he put his country, or now, his planet first, but this was not true. If there was one thing that Jack valued above all else, it was his family.

Still, Daniel had no move to shut up or apologise, although it was clear he regretted what he said, "I just… I just want to know, why you didn't trust us to tell you, Jack?"

Silence once again settled upon the group. But this time, it seemed a lot calmer. Perhaps it was because things had been said, words exchanged. There wasn't anything crackling in the air anymore.

Jack looked up wearily. He looked at them all. Really looked. He saw how upset Daniel really was, just as much as himself. He cursed himself for not being able to see that before. As Daniel's eyes reluctantly met his, he thought he could see what was the beginning of tears or frustrations glaze his best friend's eyes. Eyes that were ringed by circles that just didn't belong.

He moved onto Janet who didn't look like she was fairing much better, in fact, she looked worse. Jack supposed that this was natural, she and Sam had been extremely close, but that didn't make it any easier or an excuse for not seeing it earlier. She had the right to be more upset.

Instead, the doctor had neglected her rights as a friend to Sam, and been the professional she would have been with anyone else. She had been a friend and taken care of Jack when she should have been caring for herself. Despite his frequent loud, bad-mouthing of the petite Doctor, he didn't trust anyone else to stick needles in his ass all day, and laugh at his discomfort, more than he did Janet.

Teal'c was leaning against a wall, almost slouching, which was unusual for the man. Normally he was either standing straight as a board, or flat on his back. Those were his two stances. Jack had never know anyone who boar themselves with such dignity or purpose, but it seemed that Teal'c stoic frame was sagging under the dark demise of his friend.

The Jaffa looked like he'd tried to Kel'nor'reem, but hadn't succeeded. While it was no longer life threatening whether he did or not, the fact that his friend had not reached it, concerned Jack.

Then his eyes came to Jacob, who looked years beyond what he really was. The poor man was taking his daughter's condition very seriously indeed. While Jacob was a military man and he's seen and experienced difficult situations, Jack was sure the man had never ever felt as helpless than he did about now. Perhaps, not even when his wife was killed in a car accident.

Jack was sure that Selmak would have helped Jacob a bit, but he had a feeling that the snake was pretty frustrated too. As Martouf had once told Sam, who had later told Jack. When I grieve, my symbiote also grieves. It is a truly symbiotic relation. And although he would never have otherwise admitted it, Selmak was the only one he would have trusted out of the Tok'ra.

"You're right Daniel." Jack finally spoke.

"Jack…"

"No. I'm sorry." Jack said firmly, but in a strange tone, completely devoid of any combative or insincerity, "We're a family, and we've stuck by each other before. I shouldn't have even thought that at all. I'm sorry guys."

"And" he sighed, "I'm sorry for not realising you guys were upset as well. I was too busy…."

"Wallowing?" Daniel offered, the beginnings of a smile starting to form.

"I do not wallow!" Jack said hotly, his voice rising. Instantly the tension was lifted, and rising to stand, he continued sincerely, "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm sorry I was too busy thinking of other things than to ask how you guys were."

Teal'c was the first to respond as he spoke for all of them, "You are forgiven, O'Neill."

Daniel got caught up in the whole situation and said impishly, "Group hug!" He and Janet jumped on Jack.

Jacob and Teal'c wisely stood back as they watched Jack get asphyxiated, but laughed. Both were only too happy everything was fine, other than Sam.

Jack squirmed under the grasp of his friends, "Doc, Danny, I love you guys. Really I do. But I'd really, really like to breath now…Ow! Daniel get your fingers the hell out of my ear!"

Daniel quickly removed the aforementioned appendages out of Jack's ear and untangled himself. He grinned sheepishly "Sorry, got a little carried away."

"You think?" The grin slowly faded, "So, um. Where's Sam?"

"She's was moved. This way." Janet said as she led the way through the hallways. The five of them all glared at anyone who looked more than a little curious. Luckily, base personnel got the message, not that anyone wanted to get in the bad books of any of the group.

Teal'c and Jacob were both aliens with considerable experience and weapons, that was enough said. Jack was Special Ops, and on Earth that's something. Daniel Jackson was known to be a little trigger happy around things he was vexed, and Janet Fraiser was well armed with a large armoury of sizable needles and sharp scalpels. No, it was probably better to find out later than never.

As they neared their destination, Jack must have sensed which room she was in because his face grew grim. They watched as they hesitated when they stopped in front of a door.

He peeked in, scared that Carter might not be there, and so he received a not so gentle shove from Daniel which almost sent him to the floor. While regaining his balance, he felt relief course through his body like hot water would on a cold day. Then it faded, to be replaced with numbness of said water being tuned off, as he took in all the equipment she was still wired to.

"How's she doing?"

"Not good." Janet reported quietly, "Her condition is not improving. Her temperature is going fluctuating. Her organs are starting to deteriorate, and we still don't know exactly what is in the toxin."

"How long does she have?"

"I can't say for sure, sir. But every four hours she stays the same, her chances of ever regaining consciousness fall half a percent. We're already on borrowed time here. I don't know how or why, but Joliniar's protein marker which we always thought was just a dormant marking is screening and neutralizing some of it, but it also causes a build up which isn't good."

Jack nodded mutely, and reached for Sam's limp hand. He had no secrets from the people in this room, they all knew, they were all family, and no one was going to report him, "I don't care. I'm going to get you back Carter."

He turned and disappeared through the door, and they all assumed he went to Sam's lab.

"Has he slept at all?" Dr. Fraiser asked as they all either pulled chairs around or stood around Sam's bed.

"I do not believe so, Dr. Fraiser. O'Neill is most anxious and intent on finding a means to save Major Carter." Teal'c said, studying the monitors that Sam was hooked to.

"I'm worried about him."

"You're referring to the aftershock?" Jacob asked the doctor.

"Yes. I guess even if it weren't in his file, you of all people would have expected that he's been through it before." Janet replied seriously.

"Excuse me for interrupting but what's this 'aftershock'?" Daniel asked, feeling a little in the dark.

"Look at it this way. We all know how hard Sam worked to get Jack back from Edora. And then we all saw how hard she crashed after that, although she tried to hide it."

"And you think O'Neill is also suffering the same conditions?" Teal'c said with what could only be described as a questioning expression.

"He probably will." Janet nodded.

"How?" Daniel asked, wrinkling his forehead a little bit.

The doctor began to explain, "Jack has come out of the first stage alarm reaction. Shock. That's followed almost immediately by countershock, which is a quick adrenocortical hormone."

Daniel looked confused, as did Jacob, so Teal'c explained. "They are Steroid hormones. O'Neill will be most, as you say, 'pumped'."

"But that's good isn't it? At least he's not crashing yet, and he's helping to look for a solution."

"Not really. After countershock, a resistance phase settles in, and the Colonel will try to recuperate emotionally, which we've already seen several times. He's going to want to vent and explode."

Jacob clarified as a mental image dawned on him, "Which means that if Jack's never been diplomatic or predictable in the past, then he's going to be an unguided missile soon."

"Let me guess, there's more?" Daniel asked, hesitantly. He didn't really want to know anymore, but he wanted to know what to do, in the case that Jack actually did explode.

"From personal experience, it gets worse." Jacob told him, "If Sam dies, then Jack is going to feel very guilty and very responsible, whether it's his fault or not. Right now, he's not sleeping, he's not eating, and he's living off coffee. It's impossible to maintain these countershock and resistance levels for long."

"What's wrong with living off coffee?" Daniel looked offended, then, at the strange looks from his outburst, he cleared his throat to change the subject. "So how long is 'long'?"

"For Colonel O'Neill. Six days, but only because he's been through it before and his physiology. Then he'll probably be so exhausted he'll have a mental and physical breakdown. A big one."

"Well, what can we do?"

"Get some food and fluid into him, and get him to sleep. And make him take these." She with drew something from her pockets and handed them to Teal'c.

"Give him two. It's a new drug we've been working on for especially tough missions. It's a little bit like a sedative, but he'll still be able to dream, which is a downside in this case. It seems to have side affects a bit like Tok'ra memory recall device, except on a much deeper level. Early studies indicate it might be able to recover erased memories. It also has a time-release pokénaq formula in it, which will hopefully sustain him for longer than normal once he regains consciousness."

Teal'c bowed and started for the door, and Jacob followed suit. Daniel rose to leave, but before he reached the door, he turned to Fraiser, "Why don't you go take a few minutes off or something. You've been up as long as Jack. Probably longer."

"If I sleep, I guarantee something is going to happen. It always does."

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Ah the fun of it all! Thanks heaps to Susie for her wonderful beta-ing! I had SO much fun writing this chappie… probably why it took so long, other than the obvious. (I was referring to my laziness)

Oh by the way. I'm expecting extra reviews this time, cause this is extra long and I pulled like a week of all-nighters! The things I do for you guys! And please don't flame me for writing it slightly OC and 'hard to understand'…it's supposed to be like that.

NB: We've never had an episode where we've actually seen enough to see the personal conflicts between the team mates. I think it was about time we got to see the rest of the families' point of view, even if it was a bit over the top! So that's why Daniel blew up. He has feelings too. Please don't flame me for that either.