The 'gate room materialized around them in a haze of white. Not immediately recognizing SG1, the startled guards were already pulling their weapons up into position before Jack could order: "At ease." Turning to the rest of his team, he began, "Welcome home, cam--" but stopped abruptly as Carter collapsed against him.
Doctor Weir's voice sounded over the intercom even before he could lower the unconscious major to the cold metal grating of the ramp at their feet. "Medical Team to the 'gate room," rang through the base as the klaxons went off around them.
By the time the medics arrived, minutes later, Jack had ascertained Carter was still breathing and her pulse, though faint, was at least steady. "What happened?" the doctor, whose name he hadn't bothered to remember yet, asked as she knelt down beside him, taking over Carter's care.
"I dunno…," Jack admitted as he stood up and backed away to give the medical team more space to work. "Fifth - one of those human-form replicator things - had her for a couple of days. We have no idea…"
The doctor had clearly only been paying partial attention to his explanation. "Okay… that's fine…. We'll worry about that later." She turned to the nearest medic. "Shannons? Help me get her up onto the gurney…." She paused for a minute while the medic adjusted his position and got a grip on Carter's shoulder. "Okay. On my mark. One… two… three… Go."
They easily lifted Carter up and onto the gurney and within minutes, were wheeling her out. Doctor Weir, who had followed the medical team into the room, turned to Jack as the medics left. "Colonel O'Neill?"
"Yes?"
She motioned towards the departing medics. "Shouldn't you…?
He tried to look as confused as possible - a look he'd thought he'd gotten pretty good at. "What?"
"You were frozen down there in Antarctica for quite some time."
"And?" Because there was no way he was going down to that infirmary. To be stuck there on a bed next to her while the team…
"Shouldn't you…?
No. No way. "I thought you'd need me to brief…"
"Daniel and Teal'c can see to that. I want you in the infirmary. Now."
"But…"
"You can brief me yourself later, Colonel. After you've been checked out by the doctors."
Jack glared at Weir.
She stared impassively back.
Defeated, Jack let out the long slow breath he'd been holding in. "Yes, ma'am," he finally replied.
And he'd thought Hammond was tough.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
He was getting really tired of seeing her like this - lying unconscious in the infirmary, hooked up to a dozen monitors. At least, though, they had gotten her back. She hadn't actually been….
And it was a damn good thing he'd been there. Because even when the others had believed her gone… Even when Thor had been certain she'd....
Yeah. There'd been no way in hell he'd thought for one minute she'd actually blown up on that damn ship.
Not Carter.
And he'd been right.
The doctor approached the side of the bed he was perched on, cutting off his thoughts. "So, Colonel. Ready to get out of here?"
"I'm good to go?" he asked.
"Nothing wrong with you as far as we can see. Those Asgard really are good."
"Yup. Those little grey guys. Best docs in the galaxy--" he broke off, smiling sheepishly as he realized who he was talking to. "Uh… No offense."
The doctor returned his smile, "None taken, Colonel. I know when I'm beat." She paused then, growing more serious as she glanced over her shoulder in the direction of Jack's gaze. Jack tore his eyes away from his unconscious teammate and back to the doc. Too late. "You know, sir… You can stay down here with her if you'd like…?"
He tried to smile. "No. I can't." He slipped off the edge of the bed and gestured vaguely towards the infirmary's exit. "I should probably get back upstairs. Weir's gotta be wondering what's taking so long by now."
The doctor's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at him. "Okay. If you think so…" And then, "I'll let you know when she wakes up?"
But he was already halfway out the door and didn't have to answer.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
It was late that evening, while he was slowly working his way through the pile of papers, both personal and professional, which had mounted up during his absence, that his phone finally rang.
"O'Neill."
"Colonel, this is Airman Stephens in the infirmary."
"Yes?"
"Doctor Evans asked me to call you, sir. Major Carter's awake."
"How is she?"
"She seems to be doing fine, sir. The doc thinks it was just exhaustion from everything she'd been through. Her body simply needed time to recuperate."
"Good… I mean, thanks for letting me know."
"Should I tell her you'll be down to see her?"
"No… it's late. Let her rest. I'll try to stop by sometime tomorrow."
"Very good, sir. Have a good evening"
"You, too, airman."
Jack hung up the phone. Without even stopping to straighten the paperwork strewn across his desk, he stood up, grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, and finally headed home.
It had been a very long day.