1400

"Jack told him this was voluntary, right?"

"Yes."

"I mean, actually voluntary," Sam pressed. "No threats or coercion or-"

"He's not in the mob, you know," Daniel interrupted. The fast beeping of her heart monitor along with the commotion from outside her little partition couldn't possibly be good for her. "Take a breath."

"I know he's not. But I know how he gets. When it's me."

Yes, his best friend did tend to lose his cool more often when a member of his team – especially Sam – was in danger. "This is best for Airman Stolz, too," he said. "The village is his best shot."

"If he lives through the wormhole," she pointed out.

"He's not nearly as sick as the rest of you. We have every reason to believe he'll make it," he soothed.

"And we had every reason to believe Major Rathbone would survive his transfusion, or Doctor Lam wouldn't have tried it in the first place. And it killed him. And she still thinks this is a good idea?"

Actually, no, the doctor was entirely against it. So he had no response to that except, "You really need to take some breaths, Sam. It's not good for you to be upset."

She shook her head. "We need to call this off."

"It was your idea!" he insisted. Maybe the clatter was for the best – the young man they were transporting definitely didn't need to hear her misgivings.

"I know that. You know what I don't know? His first name," she said. "How old he is. What his plans are. He's a kid, Daniel. I don't think I want him taking this sort of risk for me."

The archaeologist sighed. "His name is Jerry. And it's not just for you, Sam. Captain Menard and Sergeant James are far sicker than you are, and there are five more people right there with you."

Her eyes slipped shut, and Daniel was a tiny bit grateful not to have to ignore the horrid looking red one for a minute. "I know that," she said after a bit. "I just..."

"Don't want to lose someone else. I understand." If only because another death just made hers loom larger. "Tell me something, Sam: if you were in his position – the only one who could make the trip and potentially save a lot of lives – would you?"

"You know I would."

"That's exactly what he's doing. So let him, okay?"

A sigh puffed out as she tried to relax against the pillows, but the noise of Airman Stolz being prepped for transport rang through the thin curtain as though it wasn't even there. She managed to still everything but her big toe, which waved a bit as though tapping a vertical floor.

"Now, how are you doing?" Daniel asked, trying to change the subject.

She shrugged. "I'm starting to feel it."

"Starting to?"

"I'm starting to feel it more than I'd like," she edited. "My back is black and blue just from the pressure of laying here, and this – this is from nothing at all." One thin arm lifted to display a grid of purple dots – tiny spontaneous hemorrhages, he knew, and it absolutely terrified him. "It's been five days, Daniel."

"I know." And none of the dead soldiers had survived six. "You weren't exposed as long as they were. You're not as sick yet."

"Yeah." Her smile was fake. "Yet. Any news from the planet?"

"Not yet. SG-7 just arrived with the full radiation gear."

So it would be slow going. She nodded. "I understand."

He let his hand hover over her smaller one for a moment in exchange for real contact. "Well, I suppose I should go gear up."

"Gear up? For where?"

"I'm headed back with Airman Stolz. I mean, I've already been exposed, so..."

"So more radiation probably isn't a good idea," she pressed. "And I – I mean, when would you be back?"

"Well, it's four hours to the village. Five, probably, with an injured man. And then however long it takes to find an answer."

He had to hold back the impulse to tell her not to bite her lip as she said simply, "Right."

"What's wrong?"

"Four hours," she said with a shrug. "If something happens..."

"If something happens, I'll come back."

"Yeah. In four hours."

She had a point – Major Rathbone had gone from nearly fine to bleeding out in seconds. "Sam, you'll be-"

He stopped as the curtain pulled back and Jack stuck his head in. "Hey. Stolz is all set. I thought I'd see him off. You mind?"

She shook her head, and when she answered, Daniel was pretty sure his friend didn't hear the fear and resignation in her voice. "No."

"Okay. I'll be back. Let's go, Daniel – no time to lose." And he was gone.

"Be safe out there," Sam said quietly, staring at her hands. "I'll see you when you get back."

But she didn't believe that; he could tell. She just couldn't bring herself to say goodbye. More, if he left her, she'd be truly alone – Cam was napping, Teal'c was in the cafeteria, and Jack had gone to the Gate Room. With a sigh, he grabbed for the phone near her bed. "Hey, Walter? It's Daniel. Would you, uh... Would you tell the general I think I'll stay here? Thanks."

The receiver wasn't even back on the hook before she said, "You don't have to do that."

"Yeah," he answered softly. "Yeah, I think I do."