by crash

***~***

Janet let out the breath that she'd been unaware of holding. The Colonel was doing his best to make her life hell the last couple of days. Letting herself fall back against the wall, she watched her nurses settle the Colonel back in bed.

"Ma'am." Janet opened her eyes to find that an airman had arrived latest chest x-ray films.

"Thank you airman." Janet accepted the envelope and walking over to the light board. She still had the earlier film and put it back up placing the new one next to it. Janet cursed. The bright area on the x-ray had spread now occupying most of the bases of both lung fields. She had expected something like this, O'Neill O2 sats were decreasing and his lips and nail beds were cyanotic.

"Lt. MacPhee,² Janet called turning the light board off. "Prepare Colonel O'Neill for a bronchoscopy. I want to see what's going on in his lungs."

***~***

The remaining members of SG-1 were milling around outside the double doors to the infirmary. Sam had gathered Daniel and Teal'c after she was pushed out of the way by Janet and her medical staff. She was had been sitting with the Colonel when his temperature had shot up suddenly sending him into convulsions.

Over two hours and a dozen cups of coffee later, Janet emerged from the infamous double doors.

"What's wrong?" "How's the Colonel?" "How does O'Neill fare?"

Janet raised her hand to stop the bombardment of questions from the worried teammates. Sitting down on one of the chairs she motioned for the others to join her before she started.

"Colonel O'Neill's not doing too well. The pneumonia has gotten worse and he's not responding to the antibiotics. He's being prepped for a bronchoscopy as we speak. I want to see what's going on."

"How long?" Daniel asked when he found his voice.

"Procedure takes about an hour. Sam, I'd like your help with any tissue samples taken."

"Sure Janet."

"I'll let you know as soon as it's done," Janet finished, standing up and returning to the infirmary to get ready.

***~***

"Alright Colonel, lets see what's giving you such a hard time," Janet commented as she looked to the anesthesiologist for his signal to begin. Carefully, Janet started to thread the scope down the tube. Her eyes flickering back and forth between her hands and the television monitor that displayed the images from the camera.

Janet steered the scope down yet another air passage hoping to see something.

"I can't see a damn thing," Janet muttered. The air ways were full of mucus. "Jerry, let's get some suction."

"Um Dr. Fraiser you might want to take a look at this." Jerry pointed to the suction container holding it so that Janet could see.

"Looks like nightcrawlers," the anesthesiologist said, turning a little green at the gills.

"Sandy, lets do a lavage," Janet told the second nurse in the room, no longer able to look at the container.

***~***

Janet rinsed her mouth out and leaned over the sink in the infirmary's locker room. She couldn't get the image out of her mind. She had never seen anything remotely like that in her career. Worms. There were worms in the Colonel's lungs. She had seen them with her own eyes as they crawled around in the air passage ways. Most disturbing though was when she saw more... 'hatch' for lack of a better word.

Janet had been fascinated and appalled at the same time. The scientific side of her wanted to know more about them, yet she was totally disgusted that the 'worms' were crawling around in her friend's lungs.

'Nightcrawlers' that's what the anesthesiologist had said upon viewing the suction container. The same thing the Colonel used for fishing bait. Unable to stand it any more Janet made a dash for the stalls again barely making it in time.

***~***

Janet emerged from the infirmary to meet the anxious team members. She tried to hide her grim feelings but she was sure that SG-1 would see through the mask. They had a sixth sense about one another.

"Janet what's wrong?" Daniel blurted out immediately when he saw her.

"It's definitely not pneumonia," Janet said, easing her self down into a chair.

Knowing that the team would not appreciate any sugar coating, Janet told it to them straight. "Parasites. There are parasites living in the Colonel's lungs. They have already done considerable damage to the tissues in the lungs. A cardiologist from the Academy Hospital will be here shortly to do a heart catheter. Odds are that if it's in his lungs it's affected his heart."

"What do you mean by parasites?" Daniel asked in shock.

Taking a deep breath Janet looked at Sam and Teal'c seeing the same question in their eyes as well. "Worms."

"Oh god." Sam gulped, trying to keep her stomach in check.

"Dr. Fraiser, how would these 'worms' get into O'Neill's lungs?" Teal'c asked, seeing as the other two were unable to speak.

"Well dogs get heart worms from infected mosquitoes. I'm willing to bet the Colonel contracted it a similar way. It's definitely not from earth."

"C47-D26!" Sam almost shouted jerking her head up.

"What about it?"

"Colonel O'Neill was telling us a story when he slapped the back of his neck suddenly," Teal'c picked up.

"You think that was it? Well how come no one noticed on the post mission medical?" Daniel asked waving his arms about getting irate.

"Daniel, calm down," Janet placated. "Odds are that even the Colonel himself totally forgot he was bitten. And if the bite didn't leave a noticeable bump or red spot the physician who completed his post mission would not have noticed it."

"How come you let him come on the mission then? Don't tell me you let him fool you with the 'I had a bad night.' line." Daniel let it go. He was angry. Angry that his best friend was lying in there dying and there was nothing he could do to help.

"Daniel, I was not the one who did his pre mission medical. If I had, I hope that I would have picked up that he wasn't feeling up to par and it was more then just a 'bad night'," Janet bit back.

"Danieljackson you're anger is futile," Teal'c said in a calm tone despite his own emotions.

"Daniel, I know you're angry. But you need to remember that the Colonel is the best at hiding things. He'd have a PHD in it if there was one. And something like this wouldn't pop up in a blood culture."

"Well what good are all the pre- and post-mission exams anyway? If the best people the Air Force has to offer can't run a simple blood test-"

"We *are* the best. That's why he's still alive," Janet nearly hollered, staring Daniel down.

***~***

Hammond pulled up a chair to Colonel O'Neill's bedside and settled himself down. Once again his 2IC's life was hanging in the balance. It happened far too often for his liking. He had just spoken with Dr. Fraiser, who had explained to him what was going on. They had no way to stop or even slow down the 'worms' that had taken over O'Neill's lungs and had begun to invade his heart.

The General looked over the figure on the bed. O'Neill's head was tilted slightly to one side; a tube stuck out of his mouth was connected to the respirator that was forcing the oxygen into his lungs. His face was pale and drawn; his flushed cheeks the only colour. And a bright white bandage covered the small wound on his forehead.

The blankets were pulled up just above his waist leaving his chest bare. His right arm was immobilized once again to support the healing joint after another dislocation. Leads were attached to his chest to monitor his heart. His chest rose up and down in perfect timing with the swooshing of the respirator.

Hammond scrubbed a hand over his weary face. Why couldn't the Colonel get a break? Why did things always have to happen to him? Of course, if you asked O'Neill that, he would most likely say that it was better him than his team.

Leaning forward, Hammond lightly grasped O'Neill's left hand, cautious of the IV lines. He wasn't a very religious man but the General said a prayer to whatever God that might be listening.

***~***

Janet rubbed the back of her neck with her hand as she walked into the medical lab that Sam was working in. She was hoping that Sam would have something. The infirmary's own medical lab had not come up with anything major. There was a chemo therapy drug that slowed the 'worms' down slightly, but not enough to try it on the Colonel. The Colonel was on borrowed time.

"Anything Sam?" Janet asked leaning on the table top next to where Sam was seated.

"Well they aren't light sensitive I can tell you that much." Sam raked a hand through her hair in frustration. "How's the Colonel?"

"He's slipped into a coma," Janet replied dejectedly. "Daniel's refused to leave and Teal'c is standing watch over them both.

"How long does he have?" Sam looked up with pleading eyes.

"I don't know. He's the Colonel. He'll fight until he no longer can then try some more. I'm hoping that he will hang on long enough."

"We'll find something Janet. I'm sure we will. We have to."

"I'll let you go back to work. I need to check in with the lab and then call Cassie. She's got to be worried out of her mind."

"Get some sleep too!" Sam hollered after her friend, giving a small laugh when she heard it yelled back at her.

***~***

Sam entered the ICU room where the Colonel was. She wasn't at all surprised to see Daniel slumped forward in the chair at Jack's bedside. His arms were pushed forward, pillowing his head snoring softly.

"Daniel, come on wake up," Sam whispered, shaking his shoulder gently.

"Sam? What's wrong? Jack?" Daniel sprang awake.

"You've been here nearly all day, Daniel. Go get something to eat and take a shower. I'll sit with the Colonel."

"I'm fine, Sam. I can stay," Daniel told her, not taking his eyes off of his friend. "How come you're not in the lab?"

"I needed to get out of there. I haven't had any luck." Sam sighed as she plopped down into the chair on the opposite side of the bed from Daniel.

"Where did Teal'c go?" she asked, noticing that the Jaffa was nowhere to be seen in the small room.

"Probably kel-no-reem. He hasn't done enough in the last couple of days," Daniel guessed; Teal'c had been there when he'd fallen asleep. Teal'c had tried to convince him to leave and get some food and rest but Daniel refused.

Sam nodded and slouched down in her chair. She was tired and frustrated. Three days. Three days of trying, and neither she nor the regular medical lab came up with anything. Nothing that had been tried had worked. And now as she looked at her CO it hit home that this may be one battle they night not win.

Janet had told Sam that he had slipped into a coma, but it wasn't until she saw the pale unmoving form of her usually over active commander did it sink in. If that wasn't unnerving enough for her the respirator tube and the tape over his eyes was even more unsettling. God! Sam didn't think she had ever seen him that pale. Not since they'd had radiation sickness from P7X 377.

'Radiation'. The word repeated over and over in her mind like a mantra.

"Daniel, I'm going back to the Lab. I have an idea that I don't think has been tried," Sam explained as she hurriedly got up from her chair. Stealing one last look at the Colonel before leaving, she ran to the lab.

***~***

Sam was waiting impatiently in Janet's office. She had the answer that they had been waiting for. Radiation. The bloody worms couldn't take radiation. They shrivel up and die as the Colonel would put it. It had taken two days to kill of the small sample that they had in the lab.

Reaching forward Sam picked up a bright coloured object. A Triamid; a Rubik's cube only a pyramid instead. Janet had bought it after the Colonel had solved the Rubik's cube and the other little tinker mind teaser toys that littered the lip of the desk. She turned over in her hands. Twisting it every which way. She could never figure these things out. The Colonel always could though.

Sam's hands stopped suddenly as she bit her lip in effort to keep her emotions in check. Janet had to take the Colonel back into OR again to try and wash more of the mucus and worms out. If the Colonel was on borrowed time before he certainly was now.

Sam twisted the Triamid around in her hands. Trying to solve it without really trying She needed something to focus on. It didn't work. All she could think of was what was happening with the Colonel.

Sam slammed the toy down on the desk right as Janet walked in.

"Hey, be careful with that that," Janet chided closing her office door. "He hasn't solved that one again since Ferretti messed it up."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"How's Colonel O'Neill?" Sam asked looking up at Janet's eyes

"He's hanging in there. But I don't know for how much longer." Janet leaned forward on her desk resting on her forearms. "What can I do for you?"

"Radiation!" Sam's face lit up suddenly remembering why she was here. ³The worms, parasites whatever. They're sensitive to radiation. They shrivel up and die.²

Janet's face matched Sam's. They'd found it. Hopefully in time.

***~***

³Okay, what do you have Doctor?" General Hammond asked, taking his customary seat at the head of the heavy solid oak table in the briefing room. Janet and Sam were already seated and had been waiting for him to conclude his phone conversation.

"Sir, the parasites that are infesting Colonel O'Neill's lungs are radiation sensitive. Especially to Muon radiation. Upon exposure to the radiation they die almost instantly," Janet reported handing General Hammond a folder containing experiment findings.

"That's great news, Doctor," Hammond replied. "What is this about P5C 657?"

" P5C 657, LCol. Alicia Krones is in command of the research station there. Several caverns were found there during the initial survey. They were very similar to the one on P7X-377 the planet of the Crystal Skull . They act as a containment field for Muon radiation that is emitted from a still unknown source."

"With your permission sir, I would like to take Colonel O'Neill there. It's the Colonel's last hope sir." Janet pleaded looking her commander right in the eye, hoping he would agree.

"Permission granted. I'll have contact P5C 657 right now and tell them what to expect. You can ship out when ever you are ready Doctor. Take whatever and who ever you need. Major Carter, you, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c have permission to go as well."

***~***

Two days later.

"Lt. Mcphee is Colonel O'Neill ready?" Janet asked as she sat down to pull on the protective suit.

"Yes Ma'am," Mcphee answered securing the last strap on the litter.

"How many more times, Janet?" Daniel queried.

"I don't know, Daniel. It's hard to say. It's a fine line between too much exposure and not enough," Janet explained fastening the belts around her boots before standing up to pull on the upper part of the suit. "I want to make sure all the parasites are dead before going back to the SGC."

Daniel nodded leaning back against the wall. He watched as Jack was carefully loaded on to the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU).

"You sure you don't want to come along?" Janet asked giving the signal to go and watching the MICU as it was maneuvered out the door.

"Yeah, I'll just stay here and wait for Sam to get back," Daniel replied his eyes never leaving his friend.

"Okay, we'll be back in about an hour or so." Janet gave Daniel's arm a squeeze before catching up with the MICU.

Daniel trailed after Janet out of the building and followed behind the group as they traveled across the compound to the path that led to one of the caverns. He kept up with them until they reached the last bend. He stopped there, knowing that Janet would get after him if he went closer without wearing a suit. Daniel slumped to the ground, resting his back against a tree. Solemnly, he watched as the MICU disappeared into the mouth of the cavern.

***~***

Sam walked through the infirmary towards the ICU. They had only been back for two days from P5C 657 where they had spent almost three weeks. It had taken eleven trips into the caverns before there was no sign of any living parasites in Colonel O'Neill's lungs. Janet wanted to be sure that there was no chance that the parasites would come back before coming back to earth.

Daniel and Teal'c were seated on either side of the bed, Teal'c reading aloud from a book. Jack was still comatose, and showed no signs of waking anytime soon. Janet said it was a blessing in disguise at the moment. It would be a while longer before she would be able to take out the respirator tube and with the Colonel comatose he wasn't fighting them. But it still worried them all.

It was eerie seeing her CO so still and frail looking, surrounded by a hoard of medical equipment. He'd lost a lot of weight; his cheeks and eyes were sunken.

"What are you reading, Teal'c?" she asked stopping at the foot of the bed, watching as Jack's chest rose up and down in time with the respirator.

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It is the third book in the series. To my knowledge Colonel O'Neill has only read the first two," Teal'c answered holding up the book so that Sam could see the cover. "I, myself, have greatly enjoyed the series so far."

"Hey Sam, take a seat." Daniel gestured to the empty chair at his side. "Anything new from Janet?"

"Not really. Just that there wasn't any sign of the parasites and that it would take a while for the damage done to his lungs to heal."

"I wish he would wake up," Daniel murmured. He reached forward and clasped his friend's hand, mindful of the IV lines.

"What chapter are you on Teal'c?" Sam asked, needing to change the subject.

"I had just begun to read chapter nine when you came in MajorCarter."

"Cool. I've only read up through chapter eight. Please continue."

Teal'c nodded his head and began to read again.

***~***

Jack was floating, drifting through the night sky. The faint sounds of one of his favorite Mozart pieces, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, could be heard. It was beautiful; the sky was so clear that Jack could make out every single constellation.

Draco, Orion, Scopius, Serpens, Phoenix, Eridanus- he could go on forever. The season or location didn't matter. It was unbelievably gorgeous.

Suddenly the sky started to get cloudy. The stars were dimmer and an incessant beeping was interrupting the music. A deep rumbling could be heard in the distance. Slowly the rumbling gave way to distinct familiar voices. The music fading away, to the point that it could barely be made out. The voices were calling him; pulling him away from nirvana.

Jack didn't want to go; didn't want to give up the wondrous place. He ignored the voices. Gradually the sky cleared, the incessant beeping fading away and Eine kleine Nachtmusik played softly once again. Folding his arms behind his head Jack drifted once again.

***~***

"Daniel, I'm not going to tell you again. Either you go get some sleep and something to eat or I'll have an SF escort you," Janet said forcefully, getting up close and personal with Daniel.

"I don't want Jack to be alone." Daniel's eyes drifted over to the pale gaunt face of his friend. ³You said that he could wake up at any time."

"Yes, I did say that. Colonel O'Neill won't be alone. You know he won't. Sydnea or one of the others is always in here... You're not doing yourself or the Colonel any good by getting sick." Janet gestured to Sydnea who was sitting in the corner writing patient notes.

"ButŠ" Daniel tried to contest.

"No buts! Out! I don't want to see your face for eight hours. And yes, if anything happens I'll contact you right away." Janet was forcefully pushing Daniel out the door.

***~***

Jack was floating again. The same majestic sky looming overhead. The Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar crooned, taking the place of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The stars had given way to a breathtaking meteor shower. A myriad of colours streaking across the jet-black sky.

Clouds started to move in, blocking Jack's view of the sky. The annoying insidious beeping was coming back, worming its way into the music. The clouds began to clear and for a brief moment Jack thought that he was going back to his careless drifting. But as the music faded and the beeping became louder, the clouds gave way to a soft white light and Jack knew that he wasn't.

Jack was scared. How come everything was changing? Why was he being pulled away? How come he couldn't stay?

As the seconds and minutes ticked by the light was getting brighter, the beeping more insistent. Gradually he could pick out voices. Familiar ones that that quelled his fears from the sudden change in scenery.

***~***

"Colonel, come on now. Enough playing opossum," General Hammond groused at his second-in-command.

"You need to wake up take back command of your team. Lord knows, you're the only one that can make them listen. Poor Doc Fraiser had to call the SF's in to get them to leave."

Hammond stood up and scooted his chair closer to the bed, wincing as it scraped sharply against the floor. Sitting back down, he leaned forward on one arm, and draped the other over the railing to hold onto O'Neill's hand.

"I'm too old for this son. Sitting in one of these plastic torture chairs, waiting for friends to wake up.² Hammond studied the still figure. The sling that had been sporting the healing right shoulder had been removed shortly after the return from P5C-6. The stitches in cut on his forehead had also been removed leaving a neat pink line of new tissue. Wires and tubes snaked out from under the blankets and gown.

"Kayla and Tessa have been asking after you. You guys had a date the other weekend with them. They were disappointed that you couldn't make it. I told them you were sick. Kayla drew you some pictures. I have them in my office. I'll be sure to bring them by when you wake up." Hammond looked at Jack's face wishing to see the fierce brown eyes staring back at him only to be greeted with closed eye lids held down by white medical tape.

"Damn it Jack! I don't want to loose another friend!" Hammond suddenly burst out before resting his forehead against the railing of the bed.

He gave Jack's hand a gentle yet powerful squeeze nearly jumping out of his skin when the gesture was returned, albeit on a smaller scale.

"Jaaack," The general drawled out after regaining his composure. "Do that again. Tell me my mind isn't playing tricks on me."

Once again the General felt the weak tug on his hand, bringing a huge grin to the Texan's face. Hammond reached over and pressed the call button clipped to the railing. He didn't have to wait long for the sound of clicking heels.

***~***

Jack was in a void. An empty, colourless, silent place. The only sound was that of size 11 1/2 regulation boots hitting the pristine white floor. Jack looked up turning around in circles trying to find a way out. There was nothing. No window, no door, not even a crack in the floor or wall.

The echoing of his boots was somewhat disturbing as Jack continued to walk. It seemed like he could walk on forever and never reach the end.

'Well nothing better to do.' Jack shrugged and begun to hum the 1812 Overture.

***~***

Jack was tired. He had no idea how long he had been walking or how far. Jack looked around hoping that just maybe there would be a place to sit and rest his weary bones. Much to Jack's surprise there was a bench off to his left. It was plain and white just like everything else.

Jack walked over and sat down, letting out a sigh. It was nice to sit down for once. Leaning forward, Jack rested his elbows on his knees and let his head hang.

"Damn it Jack!"

Jack jumped to his feet and looked around for the source of the sound. The tone was familiar too. Jack heard that voice whenever he was in trouble.

"General Hammond?" Jack asked aloud.

Again, the scenery shifted at a dizzying speed, leaving him in the dark and disoriented.

An all too familiar fuzzy feeling crept up on Jack as the steady beep beep and hissing in the background grew louder. Jack thought for a moment trying to place the sounds. He knew them rather well but the thinking process was slow going.

'Infirmary.' The word popped up and immediately Jack grabbed it.

Carefully, Jack began to take stock, checking to make sure everything was where it should be. It was a difficult task since his body wasn't exactly following orders. He began to relax, finding everything was still attached.

Jack was almost gone from awareness when he felt a squeeze on his hand and instinctively squeezed back.

"Jaaack. Do that again. Tell me my mind isn't playing tricks on me."

Oh no! The General was back. He had a vague recollection of getting yelled at by the same man earlier. Not wanting to anger him further, Jack did as he was told and squeezed his hand.

***~***

Janet was lying on the couch in her office trying to fall asleep. It wasn't often that she got a break and she wanted to use the most of this one. She was relieved to see the Sydnea was on duty. Janet trusted the older woman and had practically left her in charge of the infirmary during the trip to P5C 657.

Chief Master Sergeant Sydnea Irvine had been in the Air Force a long time. Longer then anyone in the mountain, sans General Hammond. Janet had had the privilege of working with her before, and had personally requested her for her staff. Unbeknownst to her at the time, the Colonel and Sydnea had crossed paths before, on more then one occasion.

Janet jumped when the shrill noise of her pager penetrated the deep silence of her office... Bring the offending item to eye level, Janet immediately recognizing the code. In no time at all, she was out the door of her office and on her way to ICU.

When Janet got there Sydnea was already at work and the General had backed away from the bed to stand closer to the door.

"Come on, Colonel. You squeezed the General's hand. Why not mine?" Sydnea cajoled and was rewarded with a squeeze from Jack.

"Sydnea?" Janet asked moving to the opposite side of the bed.

"Looks like sleeping beauty is waking up," Sydnea beamed, gently removing the tape holding Jack's eyes shut talking to him as she did.

"Is that so?" Janet grinned.

***~***

Jack was listening to the noise around him. First the General was there. But he was gone now and had been replaced by two nagging people called Doc Fraiser and Sydnea. Being a good little soldier for once he did as he was told. He squeezed his fingers closed when they ordered him to squeeze. He was happy they were easily pleased. Jack didn't think he was capable of much else at the moment.

"So Colonel, are you going to let me see those brown eyes of your anytime soon?"

He could hear Sydnea coaxing him. Trying to persuade him to open his eyes. He tried earlier but they were stuck. His eyelids wouldn't budge a centimeter. Of course that was before he remembered Sydnea telling him that she was taking the tape away. Why was there tape on his eyes anyway? Was this some new fad that he had missed? He should really talk to General Hammond about this memo situation.

"Come on, Colonel. Please just for a few seconds. Open your eyes."

Jack mulled over it for a few seconds before deciding to give in. It wouldn't do any good to make them made at him now.

After a short struggle Jack managed to pry his eyelids open. Not much. Enough to make out three blurred shapes and comforting gray walls.

"There they are." He heard Janet and Sydnea say.

Good, that meant they were happy. Which that meant he could close them, and maybe take a nap. Jack wasn't tired any more. He was exhausted. A nap sounded good. Yeah that's just what the doctor ordered. Or Colonel in this case.

***~***

Teal'c, Sam, and Daniel trooped into the infirmary. They had been anxiously waiting for Janet's time limit to elapse. And less than two minutes ago, the clock had passed its mark. Walking in, they were greeted by an empty nurse's station and their attention was drawn to the organized chaos in the ICU.

"General Hammond what has transpired?" Teal'c inquired when they reached the ICU

"Colonel O'Neill has decided to wake up." The General responded a broad grin spreading across his face.

"When?" Sam and Daniel asked simultaneously.

"Calm down," Hammond chuckled shaking his head. "Just a few minutes ago. You didn't miss anything."

"He does not appear to be conscious," rumbled Teal'c, raising an eyebrow at Hammond.

"He's just gone to sleep guys there's nothing to worry about right now," Janet answered joining them outside Jack's room.

"The Colonel's going to be okay then?" Sam asked, watching as Sydnea finished adjusting things.

"It will take some time. He'll be on the respirator until his lungs are stronger," Janet explained.

"Can we go in?" Daniel asked bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Yes you can go in. Let him sleep though. Colonel O'Neill is terribly exhausted." Janet smiled as Daniel rushed to his friend's side.

***~***

"Morning, Colonel," Janet whispered brightly as she finished her morning checks. She had come in to find Sam and Daniel slumped in their chairs sleeping, and Teal'c meditating in the corner.

Jack blinked up at her squeezing the two fingers that she had placed in his hand.

"Don't try to talk. You got a tube in your throat."

Jack crinkled his face slightly in disgust.

"I know you don't like it. But it's going to have to be there for a little while longer." Janet leaned on the rail brushing the hair off his forehead. "I promise I'll take it out as soon as possible"

Jack's eyes traveled around the room trying to find a member of his team. He couldn't see them. There was no way that he would be left alone unlessŠ Jack's heart rate started to increase and panic shined in his eyes.

"Hey. Hey calm down okay," Janet soothed, trying to figure out what had upset him; and then the proverbial light bulb clicked on. "Your team's fine. Sam and Daniel are slouched in their chairs. And Teal'c is performing Kelnoreem."

Jack's heart rate settled back down, the panic leaving his eyes which suddenly turned heavy and began sliding shut.

"Go back to sleep, Colonel. Your team will be here when you wake up next." Janet squeezed his hand again.

Janet stayed there running her fingers through his hair until she was sure he was all the way asleep. Once sure she tucked the blankets in around him before grabbing two extra ones from a cupboard and covering his two sleeping teammates

***~***

"Come on, Jack. Wakey, wakey," Daniel teased as he noticed Jack's eyes fluttering open again.

"G way anyel ierrd," Jack croaked his voice still raspy. Janet had finally taken the respirator tube out the day before, replacing it with a canula.

"Oh come on, Jack. All you've done is sleep. Don't you think you should wake up for awhile?" Daniel prodded.

"I believe Dr. Fraiser appreciates the fact that he is asleep Danieljackson. O'Neill has yet to, I believe the term is 'harass', the nursing staff," Teal'c spoke, causing Sam who had been silently sitting off to the side to giggle.

"Oo id u on 'eal'c?" Jack asked, perking up. Then added, "No iggling ajor!"

"I was merely stating fact O'Neill," Teal'c replied, a small smile gracing his face.

"A well known fact at that," Janet commented, coming in to check on her only patient. "And how are we this morning, Colonel?"

"'en I go 'ome?" Jack asked without a second thought.

"That feeling that good eh?" Janet laughed. "Not for a while yet I'm afraid."

"um on 'oc!" Jack whined, setting off a coughing painful fit.

"Teal'c, hand me that basin." Janet asked slipping an arm behind Jack as Daniel did the same from the opposite side. She held the basin in place until Jack finished spitting out the mucus he'd coughed up.

Jack gratefully sipped from the straw that was placed in his mouth. Swishing it around some he spit it into the basin that Janet still held. Taking another sip he let it slide down his throat putting out the fire that seemed to burn there.

"ut the el' iz at?" Jack asked, once he was settled back down.

"That, Colonel, is why you have been so sick the last month," Janet explained disposing of the basin. "You've had equivalent of heart/lung worms."

Jack's eyes went wide, unsure of whether or not Janet was pulling his leg.

"Sam found out that they were radiation sensitive. More specifically Muon radiation," Daniel piped in.

"en'endo suff," Jack muttered, worn out by the coughing fit.

"Yes sir," Sam spoke up seeing the connection he was making. "The same radiation that was on the Crystal Skull planet."

"We took you to P5C 657. It has caverns similar to the one on the Crystal Skull planet," Teal'c added.

Jack's eyes traveled back and forth between his teammates and Janet. He yawned setting off another coughing fit.

"I think you should go back to sleep, Colonel," Janet said as she and Daniel settled him back against the raised head of the bed.

Jack didn't argue as his eyes slipped closed.

***~***

"Good Afternoon, Sunshine!" Sydnea called softly place a hand on Jack's shoulder. He was still asleep, curled up on his side, blankets pulled up to his chin, spiky silver hair peeking out.. He had come out of a month long coma almost two weeks ago. Jack had only been off the respirator for about a week.

"It's time you woke up today."

"You know, the only reason you get away with that is because you're older," Jack groused opening his eyes a crack.

"I know and I enjoy every minute of it, Colonel." Sydnea grinned, her green eyes glittering in amusement.

"Now come on sit up. You need to eat. It's lunch time." She pulled the cover off the tray and positioned the try table in front of Jack. "Lt. McPhee says you didn't eat any breakfast. What am I to do with you?"

Jack shrugged, reaching up to adjust the nasal cannula somewhat. It was rubbing painfully behind his ears.

"It looks worse then it smells!" Jack looked questioningly at the bowl in front of him, prodding the substance with his spoon. "I'm supposed to eat this?"

"Watch it young man or I'll mark you down for a sponge bath later!"

Sydnea watched as Jack swallowed his next comment before slowly raising a spoon full of the 'soup' to his mouth. She made him suffer through a mouthful before caving in a replacing the bowl of what the commissary called soup for a container of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Jack's face lit up and he downed the container as fast as he could.

***~***

Sam was seated; legs crossed, on the end of the Colonel's bed; the tray table between them held the chess board. She had been there since lunch, playing chess and desperately trying to win. Every time she thought she got close victory was snatched from her grasp.

"Your move," Sam said adjusting her feet so they wouldn't fall asleep.

"Checkmate," Jack announced proudly, knocking over Sam's queen.

"Damn it!" Sam cursed looking down at her defeat. Four times! Four times in a row he had beaten her at chess.

Daniel whistled at a high pitch, walking over to survey the chessboard. "He beat you too?"

"Yes, four times!" Sam answered crossing her arms across her chest in disgust. Jack eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Quit pouting, Major." Jack turned his attention from one teammate to the other. "What's in the bag, Daniel?"

"Movies. It's Saturday night after all," Daniel said, just as Teal'c entered pulling a cart with a TV and VCR on it.

"What's for dinner?" Sam asked collecting the chess pieces.

"Italian Delight! Sal's wife asked how come you hadn't come to see her lately." Daniel picked up the thermal cooler that he had set on the floor inside the door. "I told Marta you've been sick and she sent TWO quarts of Minestrone soup for you."

"Did you get any breadsticks?" Sam asked opening the packet of cheese and sprinkling some of the soup Daniel had poured out for the Colonel.

"Yes, I got breadsticks. Jack, Gianni made cannolies but Janet said you couldn't have them so I stuck them in your freezer along with the second quart of the Minestrone soup." Daniel set the bowl down on the tray in front of Jack.

"Mmmmmmm." Jack took a bite of soup. "Remind me to say thank you to Marta. This is great."

"Danieljackson what movies did you procure for tonight's entertainment?" Teal'c asked preparing his own plate from the selection of food Daniel set out.

"The Sum of All Fears, The Dangerous Lives of Altar BoysŠ"

"I was one of them once. An altar boy," Jack interrupted between spoonfuls of soup.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill was an altar boy?" Sam looked at him incredulously her fork full of ravioli hovering in mid air. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."

Jack shrugged, snagging a breadstick from Sam's plate and going back to his soup.

"The other two are Spiderman and Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones"

"Ack! Not a Star Wars Movie" Jack groaned slamming his spoon down on the tray.

The room erupted with laughter. Sydnea and Janet had been standing outside the door way watching the ruckus going on inside, hands pressed against their mouths in effort not to laugh. They both had a hard time believing that the Colonel was ever an altar boy. But then again that was in the past and many things had happened since then.

Turning away, Janet went to her office to gather her things. She planned on spending the rest of the weekend with Cassandra. Sydnea lingered a while longer before returning to the nurses station.

All was right in the world. SG-1 had survived another crisis. The bond between them strengthened even more.

Finis