A/N: I am completely overwhelmed by your response to this story. Thank you.

Chapter 3

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After a hurried conference, Daniel and Teal'c decided that it would be Daniel who would return to the SGC to get help. He'd promised Teal'c that he'd return with either advanced medical gear and a doctor or some means by which they could get Jack and Sam back quickly. The trip to the stargate seemed to take twice as long as it had yesterday, despite the fact that he was moving a great deal faster than had the team the day before. Daniel dutifully checked in with Teal'c every hour until he was out of range, then simply poured all of his energy into maintaining a steady pace back to the gate. All the while he puzzled over what it was that could have stricken both officers so quickly. So intent was he on his thoughts that he was surprised to top a small rise and see the stargate in the open meadow before him. In no time at all he was at the DHD, quickly dialing the coordinates for home. He quickly entered the proper sequence into his GDO and, after receiving the confirmation signal, stepped through. Seconds later the gate closed down with a snap, leaving an empty meadow filled once again with the only the sounds of animals and the wind chasing through the tall grass.

SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ• SJ

Sam slowly came awake, blinking to try to remove the layer of gunk that seemed to want to hold her eyelids closed. She lifted one had free of her sleeping bag to rub her eyes then paused as her elbow encountered something firmer, and warmer, than the expected fabric. She turned her head and found herself nose-to-nose with Colonel O'Neill. A softly snoring, rumpled with sleep, and ridiculously adorable Colonel O'Neill. Looking down she saw that she was zipped tightly inside of his sleeping bag and had been using his upper arm as a pillow.

Wha?...Oh.

Flashes of memory whipped through her brain as she tried to piece together just how she'd come to be snuggled with her CO. She laid her hand gently on his flushed forehead and discovered that not only was he adorable when he slept, but also warm. Very, very warm. She left her hand there, absently noting that his hair was just as soft as she'd always imagined it to be, while she thought things through. Or tried to.

Despite the...she glanced at her watch and her eyes widened in suprise...nearly eighteen hours of sleep she'd apparently had, Sam didn't feel a whole lot better than when she'd collapsed against the tree yesterday evening. Or, was it just yesterday? Without both hands Sam couldn't turn the on the backlight of her watch to read the tiny date. She hoped it had only been yesterday that she'd gotten sick. Taking a slow inventory of her body she realized it couldn't have been any longer than that, as she had to do something about her bladder. She frowned as another flash of memory raced by. Had she done this once already?

Sam carefully eased out of her doubled-up sleeping bag, moving slowly so as not to disturb O'Neill. The minute she was out, however, he became restless. She laid a gentle hand on his arm and whispered to him. "Shh, Sir. It's okay. I'm right..." What are you saying, Sam? God, get a grip. "Easy, Colonel. Just...rest."

He shivered once, then burrowed deeper into his bag. "'Kay. C'min' b'ck?"

Sam smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, Sir. I'll be back. I just need to..." His soft snore cut her off and her smile softened. It occurred to her that she could probably just open her sleeping bag and cover him, but that seemed like far too much effort. Maybe she could get Daniel to do it. Or Teal'c.

She looked around for her boots, finally spotting them on the far side of the tent. Sam shook her head, she simply didn't have the energy to go and get them. Looking around she saw the Colonel's boots resting just inside the door. She glanced down at her snoring CO and shrugged. He wasn't using them right now. Sam completely ignored how very right it felt to simply appropriate his things for her use. With her eyes still half-closed she slipped her feet into his much larger footwear and then lifted the tent flap. She felt a bit stronger than she had yesterday, but had no way of knowing if she could safely get up to walk. "Daniel? Teal'c?"

Teal'c's voice came from the far side of the tent he shared with Daniel. "I am here, Major Carter." He strode around the side of the tent, his arms full of kindling. Spotting Sam on her hands and knees outside of her tent he dropped the wood and hurried to her side. "Are you well, Major Carter?"

Sam shook her head, then instantly regretted the move as it made the entire planet tilt sideways. "Whoa. No. Not really." She sat back and bent her head down, trying to regain her balance. "Wow, I haven't been this sick in...forever." Memories of the last time she'd been really ill swamped her and she swallowed, fighting the sudden wave of tears. She'd been twelve and had gotten an incredible case of the mumps. Most kids got them as toddlers, but Sam had managed to miss that wave. So when she got them as a teen she'd been hit doubly hard. Ever the overachiever, her mother had joked, she'd gotten them on both cheeks at once. She remembered that even her tears had hurt as they'd rolled down her cheeks. She also remembered her dad's helpless look as he'd taken her to the hospital while her mom had stayed home to care for Mark.

Then, as now, she'd been truly and utterly exhausted, and in more pain that she'd believed could exist. Now she knew better, and she knew there were different kinds of pain. She also knew she couldn't have gotten the mumps again, so that left her trying to figure out what it was that had suddenly gotten her­–and apparently her CO–so sick.

"How may I help you?"

"Oh. Sorry, I guess I spaced out there. I, um..." Sam blushed deeply. "Is Daniel around? I need to find the latrine, Teal'c."

"Daniel Jackson has gone for help. I can assist you as I did earlier."

"Um...earlier?"

"Indeed. Do you not recall needing assistance for this very same need early this morning?"

"Oh...no." Sam frowned, trying hard to clear her head enough to concentrate. She started to shake her head and found she couldn't. Teal'c had stopped her movement, his big hand holding her chin.

"That motion makes you ill, Major Carter. Perhaps you should not move your head in that manner."

"Oh, yeah. Good idea." Sam looked up as they stopped and she realized they were outside of the campsite. "Are we here?"

"We are. I shall leave you here. Please call me when you wish to return." Teal'c helped Sam seat herself on a low rock, then bent low to catch her eye. "Major Carter. Promise me that you will call for me if you require any assistance. There is no shame in requiring help."

Sam ducked her head to hide the flush that ran up her cheeks. "I know, Teal'c. It's just...sometimes I wish we had another woman on the team, you know?"

"I understand." With a solemn bow Teal'c turned and strode off. Sam watched him go, realizing he was deliberately moving far enough away to give her privacy but remaining close enough that he could respond should she call. For the next few minutes she was too busy trying to remain conscious to worry about where her teammate was or what he could hear. Once she was finished she collapsed back onto the rock on which he'd left her and weakly called his name.

When Teal'c returned she gratefully took the small wet wipe he handed her, rubbing it first across her face and neck before using it on her hands. "Thanks, Teal'c." As he helped her back across the clearing she asked him, "D' you have any water? I'm really thirsty."

"I do. Let me get you back to your bed and then I shall bring some to you."

"Thanks. D' you think we could use Dan'l's sleepin' bag? We...um, I was cold last night." Sam frowned as she her exhaustion came creeping back, stealing her ability to clearly form complete thoughts and words.

Teal'c nodded, then helped her back into the tent. Sam slowly pulled off the boots she'd borrowed from the Colonel, fighting wave of shakes that swamped her. Without a second thought she crawled back into the sleeping bag they were now sharing. She stretched herself along the deliciously warm body of her CO, grateful that he was there to stave off the chills that once again swamped her body.

By the time Teal'c returned with the freshly filled canteen and extra bag, both officers were once again sound asleep. Teal'c quietly set the canteen inside the tent, making sure it was securely closed. He then bent low and gently covered them both with Daniel's opened sleeping bag. Until Daniel returned with help there was little he could do for his friends but monitor their health, assist when he could, and keep watch over their rest.

With one last look down at his sleeping teammates, Teal'c rose smoothly and retrieved the first aid kit from where Daniel Jackson had left it. He returned to the tent and laid the thermometer strips across each officer's forehead. After a long moment he removed them and carefully noted the temperature on both. Neither O'Neill nor Major Carter stirred while he checked them, and Teal'c was concerned. Daniel Jackson had warned him that it might be necessary to cool one or both officers off in the stream that bubbled merrily on the south side of their clearing. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, but he noted that both of their body temperatures had risen since the last time he'd recorded them.

Closing the tent but choosing to leave the ties undone, Teal'c rose and stared into the early afternoon sky. Daniel Jackson should arrive at the gate soon and would then be returning shortly with help. It couldn't come too soon as far as Teal'c was concerned.

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Short author's note in response to a review. Someone reviewed and mentioned that Sam's having mumps as a teenager and her contemporaries having them as toddlers is unrealistic. I'm exactly the same age as Sam Carter and I had the mumps at age five, which was in 1972. Yep, we're vaccinated against them with the MMR, but...oh well, I got 'em. Both cheeks, same time, double-barreled pain. So...sorry if that's unrealistic to some of you, but nope...happened to me.