Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been back visiting my family in Canada and was too busy seeing people to write! Hope you enjoy and thanks for the reviews. I will get back to people now that I'm back home.
Tina and BJ both came by the next morning to say goodbye. They all gave Tina a big hug.
"If you ever want another job", Janet said to her, "Give me a call. I would love to have you come and work with me." In fact, Janet was going to speak with General Hammond to see if they could bring Tina to the SGC. She was just the kind of nurse they needed.
Try as hard as he could, Daniel couldn't convince BJ to leave the streets. He knew that if Jack were better he'd have more luck. BJ was leery of accepting help from anyone. In his experience, it usually came with strings attached. Daniel finally tried to give the man some money to help him but again, BJ refused.
"Someone will just rob me", he replied. "No sense having money on the street. It just makes you a target."
"Okay then, at least take this", he handed him a piece of paper. "It's got my phone number on it. If you ever need anything, have Joe give me a call, okay?"
BJ grinned and put the paper in his pocket. "Sure. I may call you to see how the General is doing." He looked over at the dozing man. The nurses had been in and had gotten him ready for transport but the whole ordeal had exhausted him. "Look after him."
"We will BJ, don't worry." Daniel shook the big man's hand.
Sam reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you", she said. "You know we're always here for you. We'll look after the Colonel – General", she smiled, "When he's better he'll come and see you."
BJ gave her a big hug and agreed, although his eyes gave away his doubts. He didn't think Jack would ever be that well.
They took Jack on a stretcher into the helicopter for the quick journey to Colorado. Janet monitored him carefully but she'd given him a sedative, so he slept the whole way.
By the time they reached the mountain it was growing dark. They quickly took him down in the elevator and straight to the Infirmary. Along the way a number of people lined the corridors, wanting to see the Colonel and assure themselves he was still alive. Janet gestured to them to be quiet since she knew he wasn't up to dealing with anyone other than his team.
Jack opened his eyes and looked around, although it took him a moment to figure out where he was. When he finally realized that he was 'home' he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.
"How are you feeling this morning Colonel", Janet's voice woke him from a semi-doze. He blinked his eyes to clear them from the sedative induced bleariness and looked up at the doctor's face. He blinked again, still trying to clear his mind and concentrate.
He knew he was starting to do better. His mind was becoming clearer, the terror dying down. But he knew he wasn't whole. There were still gaps, still parts of him that felt as though they were missing. He couldn't concentrate on anything for very long and still had flashbacks and moments of terror. He couldn't stop thinking about that little room – that room where he'd been taken and where he'd suffered such pain.
The only thing that helped was having his friends around him. They kept the horror at bay and grounded him. He knew, however, that he couldn't ask them to stay with him all the time. They had lives, they had work to do. They couldn't spend their lives looking after him.
"Jack", Janet's voice penetrated the blackness that started to encroach on his mind. He shook himself and looked at her.
"Mornin'" he said quietly.
"How are you Jack?" she asked – as a friend, not as a doctor.
He smiled slightly. "I'll be okay." He could tell by the look she gave him that she didn't believe that anymore than he did.
"You're doing a lot better Sir. Your pneumonia is all cleared up and the breaks are healing nicely. We just need to fatten you up and you'll be good."
"Yeah", he agreed. "I'll be good."
Jack grew stronger, physically, day by day but Janet worried about him nevertheless. Mentally he had gotten a bit better, but he still had a long way to go – and there, he didn't seem to be gaining ground after the initial improvement . He still suffered terrible nightmares and had frequent episodes where he didn't know where he was. He often had trouble recognizing people and grew frightened easily.
"I don't know Sir", Janet said in answer to the General's question. "Physically he's fine. But he's suffered severe psychological trauma and there's nothing more I can do. He needs another kind of help now."
"What are you saying Doctor", Hammond asked, a perturbed look on his face.
"I'm saying he needs psychiatric help."
The General sighed. "Dr. Mackenzie?"
"No Sir. I wouldn't recommend him. The Colonel doesn't like or trust Dr. Mackenzie, not after what happened to Daniel. Anyway, he needs someone who specializes in working with torture victims."
"Doctor, you should know that I've received word from the NID. They've heard that the Colonel is back. They also discovered that he spoke of the Stargate while at the hospital in Los Angeles. They're saying he's a security risk and want him taken to a secure hospital."
"You mean a prison, don't you? They'll lock him up and throw away the key."
The General sighed again. "I'm doing what I can to prevent that but you need to tell me whether or not you think the Colonel can come back to us."
"I – I don't know General. He's one of the strongest people I know but –this time – I think it may be too much." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I don't know if there's anything more we can do."
"What about our allies? Can they help?" The General sat down heavily, feeling the weight of his years and of his command. Jack was like a son to him and the thought of losing him – like this – was almost unbearable.
"I don't know. Walter has been sending messages to anyone he can think of. I don't know if they can help though – this isn't physical and I don't think the Tokra have anything to cure a wounded mind. The Asgard might be able to help – I don't know."
"We'll hold the NID off as long as we can then. I think maybe the Colonel might suffer a bit of a relapse from his pneumonia, don't you Doctor?"
She looked at him in surprise, and then grinned slightly. "I think that's probable Sir."
"Okay then, you watch over the Colonel and I'll keep the wolves from the door. In the meantime, can we get someone to look at him? Someone who will keep it totally confidential?"
"Yes, I have an old friend – I went to med school with him. I'll ask him to come and speak with the Colonel."
"Okay, I'll arrange clearance for him – just keep it quiet. We certainly don't need to let the NID know anymore than we have to."
"Thank you Sir."
As Janet walked back towards the Infirmary, she wondered how in the world she was going to get the Colonel to agree to see a therapist. There was nothing he hated more than 'shrinks'. She sighed. She'd just have to get him to agree for his own sake.
When she arrived she saw that both Daniel and Sam were sitting and talking to the Colonel. They were laughing about something. She couldn't help but shake her head – it sounded like the old Sg1.
"Janet", Sam turned around and smiled at her friend. "We were just telling the Colonel about Siler's latest mishap."
"You mean getting his finger caught in the ketchup bottle?"
Jack's laughter was a wonderful thing, thought Sam. She'd despaired of ever hearing it again. It was the first time she felt any hope at all.
Unfortunately, that hope didn't last. Over the next few days Jack continued to fade in and out. She could tell that he was becoming despondent and that he'd given up hope of getting better. She no longer knew what to do.
"Janet, is there anything we can do?" she asked the Doctor as they sat in her office, drinking a cup of coffee.
"I don't know Sam. I wish I could say he was going to be okay – but I just don't know."
Surprisingly, the Colonel had agreed to see Dr. Reznick – or at least, he hadn't refused. Barry Reznick was an old friend of hers who worked with prisoners of war and people who had been tortured. He knew exactly what he was getting into with the Colonel – or at least he thought he did.
"I don't know if there's much I can do Janet", he finally said. "It's not just what he went through recently – this man has had multiple things happen to him over the past few years, beginning with the death of his son. I'd like to think I can still help, but he's broken in ways which a quick fix isn't going to work. I'll continue to work with him if that's what he wants – but I don't think he truly believes he can get better. If he doesn't believe it there's not a lot I can do."
He walked over to Janet and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry Janet, I know this is hard. I feel the same way I'm sure you do when you can't save a patient. I'm not going to stop trying, but you need to know the truth. Colonel O'Neill has suffered more than anyone should bear. I just don't think he wants to go on anymore."
Janet closed her door, after the Doctor had left, and laid her head on her desk and cried. That was the way that Sam found her a short while later.
"Janet, what's happened? What is it?" She hurried over to her friend's side and knelt down. "What's wrong", she asked again.
"Sam, you know – you know what's wrong. He's not getting any better – and I don't think he will. They want to put him away and I don't know how to stop them."
"What do you mean? Who wants to put him away?"
"The NID – the people in power. They're afraid that he's a security leak – that he'll say too much."
"No way! He'll get better, you'll see. It's just going to take some time. He's been through a lot and we'll be here. I'll – we'll look after him."
"Sam, you know he won't let you do that. If he – if he doesn't get better there's no way the General or I can stop them from taking him away. I'm sure Samuels is behind this."
"God damn it! Why can't we stop the man? We've tried everything but we haven't found any evidence that he was involved – even though we know it was him."
"Have they found the other man?"
"Abel? No, there's been no sign of him at all."
"Well, we'll have to just make sure they don't get the Colonel."
It was a lot easier said than done. The next couple of weeks saw the Colonel pretty much stay the same. In some ways, he even seemed to be getting worse. They'd caught him a few times cowering under his blankets and he'd tried to run away a couple of times. In desperation the General had stationed an SF outside his door.
Barry continued to come in and work with him, with limited success. Some days Jack tried to cooperate – other days he was angry and beligerant. He clearly had trust issues, with almost everyone except his immediate team. He'd even lashed out at Feretti at one point and Janet finally had to limit his visitors.
It was becoming harder and harder for General Hammond to hold off the people who wanted O'Neill taken away and put into a secure mental hospital. He knew if that happened that would probably be the last they'd see of the Colonel. He didn't expect Jack would survive long in such an environment and, if he did, he wouldn't be the man they all knew.
They continued to try and reach their allies to see if they could help. After almost 10 days Jacob had shown up, with Anise/Freya in tow. They'd spent some time with Jack, over his very vocal objections. Eventually they'd left his room – Jacob looking pale and exhausted. Anise showed no emotion, although Janet thought she saw some small hint of sadness on the Tokra's face.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do", Jacob said, mincing no words. He looked at the assembled people, all friends of Jack's. "This isn't something the Tokra are able to deal with. If it had been physical we could have helped."
"Do you know of anyone else who might help, Jacob?", Hammond asked.
With a sigh Jacob turned and looked at him. "The Asgard are the only ones I know of who might be able to do something. Have you spoken with Thor?"
"No, we've sent word but haven't heard back."
"They're probably busy with the replicators. I'd wait and see if they can do anything."
"We may not have time, Dad", Sam said softly. She looked like she was holding on by the skin of her teeth. "The NID want him."
"The NID? What the hell for?"
"Samuels is behind it. We believe he was the one who had the Colonel kidnapped in the first place."
"Damn, can't someone do something?"
"Not really. We have no proof."
"Well, I wish I could say the Tokra would help with that. We'd be pleased to zat him into oblivion but it might harm earth/Tokra relations."
Once Jacob left – after a quick hug of his daughter and some reassuring words, the team got back to discussing what to do to help O'Neill.
The problem was that O'Neill didn't seem to want help. He'd finally just shut down and had shut everyone out. Even his team could no longer get through to him. He spent his days staring off into space, just like when he'd first been found.
Janet figured it was a combination of PTSD and severe depression. "I think he's given up", she said softly. "I just don't know what to do. Even Barry can't get through to him. If he doesn't want help there's not a lot we can do."
It was later that same day that they finally heard from the Asgard.
"My apologies General Hammond", Thor said, his holographic image standing in the General's office. "We received your message but we have been unable to respond until now. Is there something we can help you with?"
General Hammond spent the next few minutes telling Thor what had happened to O'Neill. Unlike Jack, he found it almost impossible to read the expressions on the Asgard's face – but he was pretty sure the little alien was quite upset.
"With your permission General, I'd like to examine Colonel O'Neill on our ship."
"I'll check with Janet. It may be difficult to move the Colonel."
It took a while to convince him, but finally Jack agreed to go, with a small nod. Other than that he didn't react. Even when he arrived on the Asgard ship he didn't acknowledge Thor or any of the other aliens. He was placed in a pod and Thor's monitors quickly checked him out.
Jack started to feel panicked. He began to lose awareness of where he was and all he knew was that he was in a confined space. He could feel his heart rate increase and found it difficult to breath. He opened his mouth, to let out a scream, when he felt a strange buzzing feeling and the next thing he knew he was back in his room in the Infirmary. He pulled the sheets over his head and shook in terror. He didn't understand what was happening.
"Is there something you can do?" the General asked Thor when he reappeared in his office. The examination had only taken a few minutes which made him feel hopeful that the Asgard had an answer.
"I am sorry General Hammond. I do not believe we have anything that will be of assistance."
"What! Nothing? Surely there must be something you can do with all your technology."
"We are familiar with the human body, after studying it for so many years. We have less understanding of the mind. We also believe that O'Neill does not understand how to heal himself – and that is the only thing that will help him."
"So, there's nothing you can do?"
"O'Neill is very important to the Asgard people", Thor stopped and then lifted his head and looked directly at Hammond. "He is more than that – he is my friend. I will continue to see if there is something I can do."
"Thank you Thor. Just please, make it as quick as you can."
Sam continued to sit by Jack, as did Teal'c and Daniel – but there was no interaction. He refused to even look at his friends.
"Anything?" Daniel asked softly as he entered the room.
"No, nothing. He won't even look at me."
"Damn it Jack!" Daniel said in frustration. "Jack, you have to snap out of this. Come on, we're all here for you. We want to help you but you have to talk to us." When nothing happened both Daniel and Sam sat back in despair.
"You can't go in there!" Janet was heard shouting. There were further sounds of struggle and then the door burst open and Colonel Samuels stood there with two guards.
"You can stand down Major", Samuels said to Frasier. "I have orders to collect Colonel O'Neill." He waved a paper in her face. "These men will take him into custody." He gestured with his head towards two plain clothed security people. "I suggest you back off unless you'd like to be arrested."
"This is MY infirmary and I'm the one who says when a patient is ready to leave", she answered, furiously.
"Not this time, Doctor. You've had him in your care for weeks now. It's been determined that he's physically able to leave. There is nothing you can do for him here so we're taking him somewhere where he can get the help he needs."
"Where you can continue to torture him you mean." Daniel stood up and spoke angrily to the NID man they knew was responsible for what had happened to O'Neill.
"Torture him? Why would we do that? No, we want to take him to a hospital that specializes in mental health cases." He walked over to O'Neill's bed and looked down at him. Both Daniel and Sam moved so he couldn't get too close.
"Hello Colonel. You want to come with me, don't you? We'll help you, you know."
Jack whimpered and pulled back. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew he didn't want to go with this man. There was something – something in the back of his mind that told him he wouldn't survive if the man took him away.
"Sam?" he said, "Help me."
"You're not taking the Colonel", she said, reaching down and taking his hand. "You'll have to shoot both of us to get to him."
"You'll have to shoot me too", Janet said, walking towards the bed. One of the guards reached out to grab her but she pulled away sharply.
"Don't tempt me people", Samuels hissed. "I have orders here that say the Colonel is coming with me. I suggest you move NOW!".
None of them knew what would have happened at that point because, just as the guards stepped forward, guns drawn, a shimmer of light appeared and O'Neill disappeared.