Janet and her team were waiting at the SGC when Jack's jeep screamed into the parking lot, dust rising from the tyres, breaks squealing. Hardly waiting for the vehicle to stop, Jack threw open the back doors and then stood back to allow Janet access to the patient.Daniel lay on the floor between the seats. His hair, face and shirt were slick with sweat, his eyes were closed and the skin beneath them was heavily bruised. Janet jumped up beside him and began her assessment.
"Pupils are fixed and dilated, pulse rate is down, resps rapid."
She helped them push the stretcher under Daniel and then as they began to wheel him down to the infirmary she began giving the orders that would mean life or death for the man in her care.
"I want CBC, FBC, U's and E's, chem 20, haemocrit. Lets get ready to intubate if necessary and get a line in. Start him on 4 units O neg. Cross and match for eight more. Let's move people."
Then they disappeared into the mountain leaving Jack watching in the parking lot. Teal'c joined him.
"Daniel Jackson will live." Jack nodded. The man had nine lives. Of course he'd live. Jack was just worried about who would come out of that infirmary. He'd attacked Sam and who knew how many other women. What if Daniel was never the same again? Jack suppressed a shudder. Of course he would be. Aware that he was standing in the parking lot, Jack headed for the infirmary to check on his friend. All they could do was wait for Janet to work her stuff.
"What's his status?" Janet asked looking at the results that had come back on Daniel.
"Crit's 33. He's stable on 80% oxygen. BP is 110 over 65, pulse is 110 and steady. We're running through one unit of O neg and he's as good as he's going to get at the minute."
"Right, Daisy. Draw another lot of bloods and send them to the microlabs. Now he's stable I want to know what the hell we're dealing with. I'm gonna talk to Jack and the General. Let me know if there's any change."
Daisy nodded and went back to her charge. Janet went to talk to Jack.
Jack and Teal'c were waiting outside the infirmary, waiting for news on Daniel. Jack hated it. The last time he'd sat outside waiting, his son had been inside, dying. Jack pushed the thought away. Daniel was NOT going to die. He was stopped from thinking anymore by the arrival of Sam.
"Are you okay, Sam?" he asked rising from the hard plastic chair. "What about the girl?"
"I'm fine, Colonel. The girl's at County. She doesn't seem to recall much really. Probaby in shock. Other than that, everything's fine. How's Daniel?"
"Still no news. The doc's looking at him now." Jack didn't tell her about the seizure yet. She'd find out soon enough and it wouldn't help any to tell her now. He was about to continue talking when the General rounded the corner. He looked fit to burst.
"What the hell happened, Colonel?" General Hammond asked as soon as he was with them.
Jack took a deep breath. "I'm not really sure, sir. The doc was concerned over the results of some of Daniel's tests so I went to get him. We arrived to find him, well, attacking Captain Carter, Sir."
The General looked at Sam. "Care to expand, Captain?"
"I don't know that I can, Sir. Its pretty much as the Colonel said. Daniel and I were going to a bookstore. I arrived and he, he, made a pass at me, Sir. And then he..." her voice tailed off. "I'm sorry, Sir but this is a little difficult for me to get my head around."
Just then, Janet walked out through the doors of the infirmary. Four heads turned in her direction.
Prempting the questions she knew were coming, the doctor filled them in on their friend's condition.
"Well, you'll be pleased to know that he's stable. Right now, that's all I can tell you. I've sent off some blood for analysis but I won't know anything for a couple of hours. Until then, your guess is as good as mine."
She turned her attention to Sam. Noticed the pale, drawn face, and unshed tears.
"Sam, I want to give you the once over. Come with me. Gentlemen, I'll let you know the instant I have any more news." And with that the two women disappeared into the infirmary leaving the General and two remaining members of SG-1 standing in the corridor.
Sam in tow, Janet poked her head around the door to the room where Daniel lay.
"How is he?" she asked
Daisy looked up from the charts
"He's still stable. I'll tell you the instant anything changes." Janet nodded and went to tend to her friend.
Sam sat on the edge of one of the beds, swinging her legs, and waiting for Janet. She was thinking about what had happened in the apartment. She couldn't believe that she'd had that much trouble fighting off Daniel. She was an Air Force Captain, for hell's sake. No offence to the archaeologist but she should have been able to take him. Instead she'd been pinned by him and totally helpless. If Jack and Teal'c hadn't shown up when they did...
"Wanna talk about it?" Janet asked. She could see that Sam was upset and could only guess at what had taken place in the apartment before Jack's arrival. He'd filled her in a bit when he'd called in the emergency with Daniel but who knew how far it had gone before the two men had arrived. Or what would have happened if they hadn't arrived when they did.
Sam looked up, eyes bright.
"I can't believe that was Daniel in that room. If I do then, I don't think I could face him. Do you have any idea why he..." She took deep breath and tried again. At least Jack wasn't here.
"Do you know why he tried to attack me, Janet. He was so out of control. I just can't believe it was him."
Neither could Janet. The sooner she got those test results back the better. She checked Sam over. Bruises were appearing on her arms and neck, where Daniel had held her down. Other than that, Janet could find nothing else wrong. But Sam was still upset.
"Look, why don't you get some rest here and I'll let you know when I hear anything." Janet promised.
Sam shook her head. "No, its okay. I'm fine. I'll go and see if I can find Jack." She stood up off the bed. Suddenly alarms went off in the infirmary. Janet ran for the door to Daniel's room leaving Sam bewildered.
"What happened?" Janet asked as she entered the room.
"Suddenly everthing just fell off the scale. Pulse and BP dropped through the floor. I can't find a vein and he's in VF." Daisy filled Janet in quickly. Other staff had dropped the head of the bed, laying Daniel out flat. Janet took control.
"Right let's intubate. Someone get me the CRASH cart."
Quickly she tipped his head back, took the tube and eased it down past Daniel's vocal cords into his chest and began pumping the bag. His airway was totally unresisting. Janet frowned. This was not going well. She heard a buzzing sound and the nurse as she charged the defibrillator.
"Clear!"
Everyone stepped away as the nurse placed the paddles firmly on Daniel's chest and discharged them. HIs body arched for a second then relaxed again, his head threatening to roll sideways. Janet caught it and pressed her fingers to his throat, watching the lines on the monitor.
"No output. Charge to 300. Get the epi ready. How's that line coming?"
"Got it," came the reply. Daniel's arm resembled a pin cushion where the nurses had tried to find a vein to insert the catheter.
On the cardiac monitor the lines barely moved, a small squiggly line at the bottom of the screen. The defibrillator charged again.
"Clear".
Again Daniel arched and slumped onto the bed. Janet watched as a small line jumped on the screen, more blips following it. It was still erratic and Janet wasn't happy.
"Ready with the epi. Check electrolytes. Is there any news back from the labs yet?"
"No. Crit is falling though. Could explain the sudden crash," postulated another of the doctors who'd arrived at the scene.
"Right lets get some more red cells into him ASAP. Try for a closer match." She watched again as the squiggles evened out. He was stabilising.
"Let's increase obs and bloods and we'll give respiratory assistance as required. Until we know what the hell's going on, Doctor Warner, you're in charge."
And with that Janet left the immediate emergency and went to phone the lab herself. The sooner she knew what she was dealing with, the sooner she could save Daniel. And at the moment the odds weren't looking so good. She went into the main infirmary and found herself confronted by Jack, Teal'c and Sam. She might have guessed that Sam would have told them.
"What the hell happened?" Jack was practically yelling. Sam looked even closer to tears than before and even Teal'c's stoic expression appeared to be slipping.
"He crashed, Jack."
Jack's face paled.
"Is he..?"
Janet shook her head. "No, he's stable although I'm not sure for how long. He's not out of the woods yet. As soon as I hear anything I promise I will let you know. Now if you'll excuse me I have people to phone." She walked past them, and picked up the reciever.
SG-1 stood looking around. Finally Jack had enough. Turning on his heel, he stalked from the room. Uncertain, Teal'c and Sam followed him. Janet watched them go. She hoped for all their sake's that Daniel pulled through, otherwise SG-1 would probably fall apart. Just then someone on the other end of the phone answered the ringing.
"Hello, this is Doctor Frasier, in the Infirmary. I sent some samples down an hour ago. I was wondering..."
Sam and Jack found themselves in the debriefing room. Sam sat staring out of the window at the Stargate below. Then, restless she stood up and moved to get a closer look, her arms wrapped around her waist. Jack watched her for a moment and came and stood behind her, then decided to break the silence.
"How ya doing, Captain?" he asked.
She stared back at his reflection in the glass, her blue eyes locking onto his brown ones. She took her time before answering.
"I’m fine Sir, thank you." She turned away from him, not wanting him to see the doubt and pain in her eyes.
"You know that’s not really Daniel, don’t you Sam. He’s, I don’t know where but that isn’t him."
"I know sir and that’s not the problem. Look, I really don’t want to talk about this, Colonel, so if you’ll excuse me." She made to move past him. Jack caught her arm.
"I am here if you need me Sam. Remember that. I’m here if you need me," he whispered.
He let go of her arm and she left the room. Jack took a deep breath. Whatever the outcome of this, he knew that Sam would have to talk sooner or later about what was upsetting her. He just hoped it was sooner.
Sam left the room and headed down the corridor. She wasn’t sure where she was going but she soon found herself outside Daniel’s office. Gingerly she pushed open the door. Perhaps she could hide here for a while, gain control. She looked about her and saw one of Daniel’s journals on the desk. Maybe it would give her an insight into the doctor’s behaviour. Sitting in the seat she began to read.
Janet sat at her desk in the lab and read again the reports from haematology and looked at the scans. She couldn’t believe it. Daniel's whole chemistry was completely changing, quicker than she, or his body, could adapt. Picking up the phone, she rang through to the General’s office. She had to let SG-1 know what was going on.
"Hello, Sir. Yes I have some news but its not good Sir. Five minutes General. I’ll be there." She replaced the receiver and gathered her notes. This was going to be hard, but it had to be done. She began to make her way to the debriefing room.
General Hammond strode into the debriefing room, having sent people to find
SG-1, only to find Jack already there, staring at the Stargate. He turned quickly when he heard the General enter."I have news Colonel. The Doctor will be here shortly."
"Thank you Sir." Jack sat at his usual seat and waited. Silence descended on the room. Teal’c and Janet arrived followed by an airman who spoke quietly to the General.
"Apparently Captain Carter is missing. Doctor I suggest we postpone this until we find her."
"That’s not necessary Sir," Heads turned to face Jack.
"I’ll let her know, Sir. I think she wants time alone."
"That may not be such a good idea Sir." Janet hated to say it but her test results unnerved her. "Doctor Jackson appears to be suffering from some kind of virus. It’s attacking every major system in his body. It’s altered his blood chemistry and appears to be amplifying his immune systems response to that change. I also believe that the attack on Captain Carter could be another side effect. I found that his testosterone and serotonin levels have increased threefold compared with the sample he gave on his return."
"What are you saying Doctor?" Jack practically leapt from his chair. He was like a cat walking on hot coals, ready to jump at everything. "Are you saying that Daniel was trying to, to.."
"No Sir, I’m not. What I am saying though is that I believe Doctor Jackson to be a danger both to himself and others. As a result, I would like an armed guard posted outside the infirmary General. I will stay and care for Doctor Jackson until such time as the danger is eliminated."
"Doctor, I don’t know that I can authorise that. Exactly when will the danger be eliminated?"
"Unfortunately sir, in about twenty-four hours. If I can’t find a cure by then, then I’m afraid Doctor Jackson will more than likely die."
"I’ll stay with you Doctor." Jack’s voice was so soft that the General barely heard him.
"Colonel..."
"He’s a member of my team sir." //and one of my best friends// "I should be there sir."
"As will I." Teal’c’s voice added quiet reassurance to Jack’s. The General looked at the two men.
"Very well, gentlemen. You will assist the doctor as needed. Dismissed"
The three people stood and headed for the door. Just then Janet’s pager sounded. Without another word the three took off at a run for the infirmary.
Janet reached the infirmary before the two men and was already gloved by the time they got there. Daniel lay on the bed, his wrists restrained against the bed, his body arching backwards, his teeth clenched and legs shaking. As Jack watched, Daniel’s head relaxed against the bed and he began to shake violently. Janet’s voice was the only thing Jack was conscious of as Daniel’s eyes rolled into his head.
"Okay lets get these restraints off. Someone hold him. Get me 25mgs of Phenobarbital. Watch that cardiac output. Its okay, Daniel. Take it easy. Someone get me bloods. Check how he’s doing."
Jack stood transfixed.
He suddenly found himself in his upstairs bedroom, Charlie in his arms, his unseeing eyes staring back at him. He lifted his blood stained hands. Oh God. Charlie. No.
Suddenly Jack felt sick. He turned and ran. Teal’c watched him go. A nurse followed him. As Teal’c watched, Daniel’s shaking subsided and he dropped limp onto the bed, his face and upper chest soaked with sweat. Janet looked up, her eyes glued to the monitor. A steady beep filled the room. Everyone breathed again. They’d won this time, but how much longer till they lost?
"Keep an eye on him, make sure he’s stabilised then prepare to move him to a side room. No-one goes in without my express say so. I’ll be back in two minutes. Teal’c watch him for me. Take one nurse." Teal’c nodded and moved to Daniel’s bedside. Janet disappeared outside.
She found Jack sitting on a chair near the infirmary. His pale face showed that he’d lost his battle with his stomach. His head was in his hands and Janet thought his shoulders were shaking. She reached out gently and he jerked away then lifted a tear stained face to meet hers.
"Charlie?" she asked.
Jack nodded and wiped away the signs of his grief. He was angry. Angry at the world that his son was dead and angry that his friend was dying, in pain and there was nothing he could do.
"I’m doing everything I can Jack, but he needs you. So does Sam. She’s suffering just as much as you and she doesn’t even know yet."
"I’ll find her." He looked at her, his brown eyes deadly serious.
"It’s okay, Colonel. I’m not letting him go without a fight. And I won’t say anything to anyone," she added softly.
"Thanks." He stood up and disappeared down the corridor. Janet watched his retreating back, composed herself and then went back to resume the battle to keep Daniel in this world.
Jack paced the corridors of the SGC. He had no idea where Sam could be. It had to be somewhere she didn’t think anyone would look. He knew that because he’d already tried all the usual places such as her quarters and the Astrophysics Lab. No luck. She also wasn’t in any of the storage cupboards where Daniel liked to hide when he wanted to be alone. Where could she be?
He stood in the corridor for a moment trying to put himself in Sam’s mind. She was hurt, and didn’t want to be found. Where would be the last place anyone would look? The thought hit him. Could she really have chosen there? After everything that had happened? It was the last place he could try.
Turning back the way he had come he headed back the way he had come till he reached the door of the room.
"Who's behind door Number One?" he asked and pushed it open.
Sam began to read Daniel’s journal. It was the one from the last planet. He must have left it there before...she pushed the thought away. Like Jack said, whoever they bought back wasn’t Daniel. She clung to that thought and read on.
Descriptions of the planet, the temple and inscriptions covered the pages of the leather bound book, in Daniel’s neat handwriting. All he had read on the planet was neatly copied out, with his annotations and observations all neatly scribbled in the margins.
Before she knew it, several hours had passed. She felt calmer than when she had started. She moved to pour herself a cup of coffee when a sound outside disturbed her. Sam froze. No-one knew she was here and it was doubtful that anyone would be looking for her. Her heart began to pound and a cold sweat broke out across her forehead and her back. The doorknob turned. Sam pulled on the trigger of the handgun she didn’t even realise she was holding and fired.
Jack grasped the doorknob, and pushed it open. If Sam was in here good, if not then he’d just have to keep looking. The door opened and he saw Sam aiming her handgun straight at his head. He had enough time to duck before the bullet struck the wall behind him.
"Dammit, Sam. What the hell are you trying to pull?" he demanded as he stood up brushing coffee grounds off his uniform. Wide blue eyes stared back at him.
"Oh God! Jack!" Then her eyes rolled up into her head.
Jack caught her just before she hit the floor. Great, he thought. He picked Sam up and carried her over to the bed that stood in the corner of Daniel’s room, then waited for her to come around. Shame Daniel didn’t have any smelling salts in among all the artifacts and rocks that he seemed to accumulate. He wandered around a bit until he heard Sam stirring. She sat up in the bed.
"Where am I? Jack?" Then realisation struck her. "Oh, God Jack. I’m sorry. I guess I panicked." She looked at him. "I didn’t...?"
"No Captain. Luckily you missed." He drew up a chair beside the bed. "Mind telling me though why you felt the need to try and kill me though? Are my jokes really that bad?"
Sam smiled wanly. "I’m sorry. I guess this thing with Daniel has me more shaken than I realised. When I saw the door, I thought it was him come to finish the job. I suppose you’ll want me off SG-1."
She hung her head, looking at her fingernails as though they were the most interesting things in the world.
"Sam, look at me. I don’t want you off the team. Like I said, you should talk. Try me. I may be quite good a good listener."
"I was scared Sir. I’ve faced Goa’uld, been shot at, died, yet when Daniel attacked me, I was terrified. He could have done anything and I couldn’t stop him. And I should have been able to. And that’s not right." She looked at him. "I think I should leave SG-1, sir. Stay planet side in future."
Jack looked at her. Her face was drawn, making her eyes look bigger than usual. She looked vulnerable and had situations been different perhaps something could have come from it. But, much as he would like that he was her commanding officer and her friend first.
"Sam, listen to me. You are not quitting SG-1. You are as good as the rest of us. We can discuss this later though. Right now, I need your help. Daniel’s dying. We need to find some way to help him."
"Dying?" Sam’s face drained of even more colour, if that was possible and for a moment Jack thought she was going to faint again. Then she composed herself, the scientist emerging past the frightened woman.
"How?"
"Janet says it's some kind of a virus. Apparently it’s killing him. Changing his chemistry or something. Doc can fill you in." Jack stood to leave.
"How long has he got, Jack?" The use of his first name made him turn back. Sam’s eyes held his, concern and fear warring for dominance. Jack suppressed the urge to take her in his arms. This wasn’t the time or the place. She wouldn’t want him to anyway, he told himself sternly.
"Doc reckons about twenty four hours tops"
Sam picked up the journal she had been reading. Jack looked at her, puzzled. Sam explained.
"This is from the planet. I thought there might be something useful in Daniel’s translations."
Then the two left for Daniel’s bedside.
Janet looked again at the readings from Daniel’s chart. Since the seizure, his readings had deteriorated severely. He was conscious but only just. The latest set of results showed that his major organs were beginning to fail, and there was nothing she could do. She turned to leave, when Daniel caught her arm. Even in his weakened state his grip was strong. He smiled weakly.
"Hiya Doc. How am I doing?"
"Hi Daniel. I see you’re awake. How do you feel?" She brushed back the hair from his face, looking again at the drawn features and sunken eyes.
"It hurts Doc. All over. And it’s kinda dark."
"I know Daniel. It’ll be over soon. I promise."
//One way or another it would soon be over// "Thanks Doc." His eyes flickered closed again and he slept.
Gently Janet extricated his hand from hers and left the room. She found herself staring at Jack and Sam.
"How is he?"
"Not good. Major organs are showing signs of failing. It’s only a matter of time now. I’m doing everything I can but I’m losing. I’m sorry."
"What exactly is wrong with him?" Sam asked. "Jack said it was a virus but how can that be responsible so quickly. Why aren't the rest of us affected?"
"Well from what I’ve seen the virus is infecting his blood cells, causing them to present abnormal proteins. His immune system is then attacking them, resulting in the condition he’s in at the minute. Its similar to haemolytic anaemia in babies. The mother's blood begins attacking that of the foetus. Its amazing how quickly this has struck though."
"But that doesn’t explain why he attacked me or those other women."
"Well, it seems that as well as presenting on the red blood cells, the virus is increasing his testosterone levels, and also his serotonin. The virus is effectively increasing his sex drive and his hunger and thirst. I think its almost trying to make him pass it on. I found high levels of the virus in his saliva and blood, what’s left of it."
"Any ideas how he contracted it?"
"I’d probably go for a bite of some kind. I have managed to isolate some of the viral particles and I think there is something else you should know. It looks like the virus has been genetically modified. It shows some of the sequences that Teal’c's symbiote has."
"So it might be some kind of Goa’uld weapon?" Sam was almost incredulous. "Specifically designed to attack the host and therefore kill the Goa’uld?"
"Yes, something like that. I think that in Daniel’s case though, his hypersensitivity is making the situation worse. His immune system is already overactive and the virus is amplifying that response against him."
"So what do we do?"
"The only treatment really would be to eliminate the virus. I don't know how to do that though. So I’m afraid the answer is that we keep him comfortable and treat the symptoms as much as possible. Unfortunately he doesn’t have much longer."
"Could we not try antibodies or something to help him fight the virus, destroy it at source?"
"We could except that it would take forever. It would involve infecting an animal and then extracting the antibodies, then injecting them into Daniel. The only other problem with that is that Daniel would probably suffer a reaction to the antibodies as they would need to be raised in another species and that reaction would probably kill him. So no I don't think there's much other than keeping him comfortable."
"Can I see him?" Sam asked.
Janet nodded. "He’s just through there. He’s sleeping at the moment but he should know you’re there."
"Thanks."
"How’s she doing Jack?" Janet asked when Sam had left.
"She’ll be fine, eventually. I just wish I could say the same for Daniel."
Sam slipped into the room with Daniel and eased herself onto the chair beside the bed. Teal'c stood in one corner, watching her, guarding, although Sam wasn't sure if it was for her benifit or Daniel's. She turned to face the bed. Daniel lay there, his face pale, machinery of all kinds beeping quietly to show that he was still alive.
"Hi Daniel," she whispered, almost afraid to wake him. "Doc says you're doing okay. Hang in there. We're doing everything we can. I've borrowed one of your journals. I hope you don't mind. I was kinda hoping you could translate some of this for me, but I guess not." Her voice faltered and her vision blurred. At least this time she got to say goodbye, she thought as an image of her mother appeared in her mind. She swallowed hard against the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Daniel was not going to die. He'd survived to much for it to end here.
She leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his forehead then stood to leave.
"Sam?" Daniel's voice was so weak that she nearly didn't hear him over the beeping machines. She came back to the bed and leaned closer.
"Try...the...Its the alt...Phaan. A God of theirs. Find..." His voice was fading, drifting into sleep.
"Shhh! Daniel, its okay. Go to sleep. Shhh!" Sam soothed. HE seemed to drift off and she turned again to go.
His arm grabbed her, his fingers digging in. She turned and saw his eyes were wide open, holding hers.
"Help me Sam. I don't wanna die" Tears began to roll down his face, and he slumped back onto the pillows, his hand dropping limply onto the bed.
"Help me Sam. Please" his voice was weaker again now, his eyes closing, "please?" Then he collapsed totally his arm hanging limply over the side of the bed.
Sam approached the bed slowly. Teal'c moved from his corner towards her.
"Daniel?" She shook him gently. Something didn't feel right. He was like a rag doll. His breath seemed to be slowing and the lines skipped across the screen of the monitor.
"Teal'c watch him. I'm going to get Janet" She left the room and re-entered with the airforce Doctor. Janet checked him quickly then turned to Sam and Teal'c.
"I think we should talk outside"
Jack hovered nervously and when he saw Janet's face his heart fell. She looked exactly like the doctor had when he'd told him that Charlie had died.
"What is it?" he asked wishing 100% that he was elsewhere. Anywhere but here.
Janet took a deep breath. This was the part she hated most about being a doctor. She looked at the faces gathered around her. They all knew something was wrong.
"I'm sorry. Daniel's just slipped into a coma. There's nothing more we can do for him."