Jack's Fangtastic Adventure - Part Seventeen
Jack slowly drifted into consciousness, the taste of anesthetic cloying in his mouth. His searching eyes met those of a nurse, and she stood, smiling.
"I've called Doctor Fraiser, sir."
He sipped gratefully at the water she held out to him.
Quick footsteps echoed in the corridor and the door was pushed open. "You're awake a little sooner than we expected, Colonel." The Doc looked down at him. "Don't try to talk just yet."
He nodded, feeling no desire to speak, and she continued.
"The operation went well. Doctor Warner was very pleased."
Jack tried to raise his head enough to see his left arm, and felt Janet's hand restraining him.
"Don't, sir. You have to stay quiet and let your body heal. I don't want you moving around at all, okay?"
She'd get no argument there. He was already feeling the tug of sleep as the medication kicked back in.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
There was no doubt in Teal'c's mind that O'Neill was improving. He stood silently, watching the sleeping man, noting the features that although still pale, had lost their translucence. In all his years he had never seen anything like it, never before watched a comrade fade away physically before his eyes until only the outline showed, hollow and bereft of soul.
One night, when alone with O'Neill, he actually felt the arm beneath his hand slip away, and he had, to his shame, panicked, shouting at the injured man to wake. By the time the duty nurse ran into the room, he had himself back under control, but when he reassured her and she reluctantly left, he found O'Neill's eyes on him, his face creased in a puzzled frown. For a moment he rejoiced, thinking his friend to be aware of his surroundings, that was until the other man's gaze shifted sideways and around. Moaning a low insistent plea, O'Neill held out his arm and Teal'c was hard pressed not to turn away, disgust warring with pity.
Even now, Teal'c was uncomfortable in O'Neill's presence, knowing the price that had been paid to live.
He allowed a small sigh to escape as he sat in the somewhat uncomfortable chair beside the bed.
O'Neill was still his commander, still the man he had pledged to follow in his war against the Goa'uld. Teal'c owed him his life many times over. He was a brave man - that had not changed. Doctor Fraiser had explained the effects of the chemical in O'Neill's blood. From her description it was much like yo'ghaju, a drug used by the lowest of Jaffa to control and enslave, to pretend they were their own masters and master of others, rather than slaves themselves.
Teal'c knew, deep in his heart, that O'Neill was not responsible for what happened, that the fact he had the strength of will to escape the creatures should be sufficient.
But he couldn't help wondering if that strength would be enough to see O'Neill through the trials ahead.
He settled more comfortably in the chair. This man was his friend, and Teal'c would be here to help if he was needed.
It could be that support from his friends and teammates would be sorely needed soon. The Doctor had told SG-1 of the result of the second operation on O'Neill's arm. The report had not been good, the damage perhaps too much for the Colonel to regain full use of the injured limb.
Teal'c sat, falling into a light state of kel'no'reem, while the Colonel slept.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
"Hey, Jack – how's it going?"
Daniel was pleased to see his friend finally out of bed, sitting in a chair, watching the small television.
"Good, Daniel, good." Jack smiled, not his wide happy grin, but a smile never the less, and the first Daniel had seen for weeks. "I'm getting all this…" he gestured at the heavy metal frame on his arm, "off tomorrow, and I'll be starting physio in a couple of days if the doctors give it the all clear."
"That's great!" Daniel hopped up onto the vacant bed, bouncing a little. "So you should be out of here soon?"
Jack kept his gaze fixed on the television. "Not sure. Depends."
"Uh huh." Daniel saw the slight tightening of the other man's lips as he spoke. "From what I hear the operations went well. Better than expected."
"Seems that way."
Daniel waited, but it was obvious the subject was unwelcome. He watched the images flickering on the screen for a moment. "What are you watching?"
"Sport."
"Yes, but what sport?"
Jack finally turned towards him, the tension in his face easing a little.
"Cricket."
"Cricket. You're watching cricket?"
"Do you have a problem with that?"
"Nope. Not at all. It just seems a little out of character."
Daniel watched as the small smile grew wider.
"It's relaxing. Makes me feel positively energetic. Why don't you stay a while and watch it with me?"
Daniel sat back, pulling a pillow out from underneath him to fluff it up, placing it behind his head. "Okay, but only for a while. I have a lot of work to catch up on."
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The first thing Sam saw when she entered the Colonel's room was him gesturing wildly, a finger up to his lips in a shushing motion. Then she spotted Daniel – sound asleep and snoring on the Colonel's bed.
"How long has he been here?" She advanced into the room, speaking softly.
"About forty minutes. He lay down and fell asleep right away. Mind you, we were watching cricket."
Sam smiled. "Cricket? That doesn't sound like your sort…" She was halted by another shushing movement.
"Don't start, Carter. It's sport, that all I need to know."
"Sure, sir." She grinned, then sobered, holding out the file she held. "I brought the report on the mission. General Hammond said you were expecting it."
The Colonel nodded, taking it. "Yes, he asked me to read it and see if I could add anything to the observations you and the others made, before it goes to Washington."
Sam smiled ruefully. "Well, I'd rather stay and keep you company, sir, but I have to help Doctor Lee with an experiment."
The Colonel nodded once more, already reading. "That's okay, Carter. I have Daniel's scintillating conversation."
A loud snore rent the air.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Daniel woke with a suddenness that had him sitting up, totally disorientated.
He looked around. He was in Jack's room in the infirmary.
Then he heard it, probably what had woken him – the awful retching coming from the small toilet.
"Jack?" He left the bed, knocking on the shut door. "Jack? Are you okay?" Which, he decided, was a pretty stupid question given the sound he was hearing. When he didn't get an answer he knocked again – harder. "Jack?"
"I'm fine." The answer was accompanied by the sound of the toilet flushing.
"You don't sound fine. Should I get Janet?"
"No!" The door was wrenched open and Jack appeared. "I said I was fine."
He was pale and the hand wiping his mouth was shaking. Daniel shook his head.
"I think I should call Janet."
"No, Daniel. No you shouldn't."
Daniel reached out to take his friend's arm. "Come on. Lie down and I'll call Janet. There's obviously something wrong."
His hand was shrugged off, and Jack's face turned a ghastly shade of green. He gulped, speaking through clenched teeth. "I don't need any help. What I want is for you to get the hell out of here and leave me alone."
With that pronouncement, Jack turned back to the toilet, slamming the door shut, and the sound of retching came again.
xoxoxoxoxoxo