Consequences
Consequences
by Demon Faith
Author: Demon Faith
E-mail: rosabeth@hotmail.com
Category: Slight S/D, Angst, Drama, Missing Scene/Epilogue: The First Ones
Spoilers: The First Ones (obv), Crossroads, Children of the Gods, Divide and Conquer, First Commandment and Forever in a Day.
Season/Sequel: Season 4
Rating: PG
Content Warnings: Illness, delirium and implications
Summary: Daniel gets poisoned...
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Shame, isn't it? Someone should make these producers S/D!
Author's Notes: can't resist a plotline. And, I was watching the First Ones again and again. Always concerned with Danny's health. Didn't think the blue blood thing looked too healthy...
As the Unas' shadow disappeared, Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. Jack touched his arm gently and Daniel turned, trying not to let his exhaustion show.
"You alright?"
"Here let me take this off."
Daniel raised his arms weakly, as Sam sliced through the rope with her knife. The bonds fell away and the raw, bloody rope burns were brutally obvious.
"Oh, Daniel!"
Sam drew him into a hug, holding him tight. Daniel rubbed her back slowly, glad the ordeal was over. Sam squeezed her eyes shut, letting repressed tears filter through her lashes.
Jack watched the pair in silence, not wishing to think of how they had almost lost Daniel again. Sam drew comfort from his solid form, while Jack was just glad of the presence.
"We were so worried, Daniel."
"Indeed, Daniel Jackson. It is relieving to see you well."
"Okay, Danny boy. Time to head back."
Sam broke away from Daniel, blinking away the last few tears even as she saw fresh ones forming in Daniel's eyes. She looped her arm around his back, as they left the cave. He settled his arm around her shoulder, revelling in the comfort of a friend nearby.
Teal'c and Jack followed behind, glad that Daniel was with them again.
Suddenly, Daniel faltered, tripping to the floor.
"Daniel!"
Sam knelt down beside him, as his breathing became slow and laboured. Jack and Teal'c crashed on the floor beside them, as the archaeologist held a hand to his chest.
"Can't...breathe...Sam..."
Sam swore and fished through her pockets, trying to find something to help. Jack braced the young man's shoulders, wondering what had happened when he had hadn't been there. There to protect Daniel.
"It's okay, Daniel. You're gonna be okay."
Daniel gave a short nod, before coughing overtook him. His chest was wracked with vibrations, while Sam desperately searched.
"There's nothing, sir!"
"I don't want to hear that, Major!"
"We have to get him back, sir."
The coughing petered out, and Daniel's abnormally bright eyes fixed on Sam before closing.
"Daniel! Wake up, you can't bail out! WAKE UP!"
"Go 'way, Sam."
Sam took his shoulders tightly, and Daniel's eyes flickered open.
"Stay with us, Daniel. Just until we get you to Janet."
He nodded again, and Sam motioned to Teal'c to pick him up. The Jaffa stooped solemnly but Daniel bashed his arms away.
"I'll walk it. It's nothing to worry about, really."
Daniel staggered unsteadily to his feet, and nearly toppled back down again. Sam and Jack took his arms but he didn't protest.
"Stubborn fool," muttered Jack.
They set off towards the Stargate, Jack radioing SG2.
"Major Coburn, do you read?"
A crackly voice rang out, riddled with static.
#Yes sir. Have you retrieved Doctor Jackson?#
"He's here, Major. Listen; Daniel's injured. We need you to call through the Gate for Doctor Frasier. Have her prepare for a..."
Jack turned to Sam, who took over."
"Major? I think it may some kind of poisoning, possibly..."
"Oh shit," Daniel said, quietly. Everyone turned to him and he swallowed hard.
"I think its blood poisoning."
Sam gasped, but still radioed in.
"To prepare for possible septicaemia or toxaemia. Carter out."
Daniel sat down on a rock, feeling exhausted and very hot. He also had the beginnings of a killer headache, comparable to a 'Jack's place' hangover. Despite the heat, shivers racked his tired, hungry body and he swept the wet, sticky bandana off his head, revealing a mass of bruises, bumps and cuts.
Sam glanced over at Daniel and shrieked. She ran over and crouched down, tilting his head to the light.
"What happened?"
Daniel tried to reply but his lips shook with the effort. Sam examined the bumps with concern before motioning to Jack, who was scouting the terrain.
"Daniel, I need to know something: what makes you think its blood poisoning?"
"The...Unas killed a...Goa'uld and...s...smeared the blood...on my...face."
Sam and Jack exchanged looks, while Teal'c merely looked concerned. Sam pulled Daniel to his feet, and helped him on, while Jack pulled Teal'c to one side.
"Will it kill him?"
"I am unsure, O'Neill. The contamination has been small and I have only witnessed the effect on Jaffa, who have no immune system. However, I think it likely...he will die."
Jack nodded gravely and moved forward to help Daniel.
"Teal'c, take point!"
"Jack...please...don't shout," whispered Daniel.
The Colonel turned to him, wanting to punch something. Sam was already pale from lack of sleep and this whole situation was pushing her to her limits. Jack could feel the hours wearing him away too, and was all too aware of Daniel's increasing struggle to keep on walking.
"Need...to stop, Jack."
Jack nodded and lowered Daniel gently onto a nearby tree stump. The archaeologist wrapped his arms around himself, trying to stop himself shaking. Jack wandered off, to let Sam do what she could. He just didn't know how to cope.
Sam knelt down beside Daniel, taking out a few battered MREs. It was getting darker, and the sky was hinted with subtle hues of red and orange as the sun set. Teal'c began to make a fire and Jack started finding large branches to make a shelter for the night. SG2 had all the packs and they hadn't bothered to bring camping equipment anyway. Sam took Daniel's temperature, chewing on her lip when it was way above 37 degrees C. She drew the thermometer away and rubbed Daniel's arm gently.
"You okay?"
He tried to smile at her, but the shivers were becoming too much. Sam nodded in understanding and gently eased him off the log, and up against it. She sat beside him, letting him rest on her shoulder.
"Y...You're a g...good friend, Sam. I'll m...miss you..."
"No, Daniel! Don't talk like that; we're gonna get through this, okay?"
"Don't kn...know, Sam. Can't...really..."
Daniel winced slightly, and Sam took his face in her hands.
"You are not gonna die, Daniel. I'm not gonna let you. Hear that? I'm not gonna let you die."
Daniel looked at her once more, before settling into her shoulder. Sam blinked back tears and absently began to stroke his hair. Teal'c and Jack had finished their chores and started to come over, but stopped themselves. They just sat down around the fire, heating up the last few MREs. Daniel stirred suddenly and Sam quickly stopped her ministrations.
"You feeling better, Daniel?"
"A l...little, Sam."
Liar.
"That's good, Daniel. You want something to eat?"
He gave her a slight nod and she called to Jack softly.
"Sir? Can you pass an MRE, please?"
Jack got up and walked over, clutching one of the precious packets.
"Here ya go, Doctor Carter. I think you should prescribe one Macaroni and Cheese MRE, that tastes exactly like chicken."
Daniel smiled weakly, the shivers appearing to go into remission. Sam opened the steaming packet, took in Daniel's shaking hands and held up the spoon.
"Want some help?"
Daniel looked dead embarrassed and extremely guilty, but nodded. Sam smiled and spooned some of the runny mess into his mouth. It took a while, but the MRE was soon finished. Sam heaved Daniel to his feet, looped his arm around her shoulder and somehow got him into the shelter. Gently removing his boots, she eased the exhausted and frail archaeologist into his 'sleeping bag', a combination of the team's jackets.
"You're an a...angel, S...Sam. E...ever been t...told that?"
"No, Daniel. Go to sleep now. We have a long day tomorrow."
Daniel tried to nod, but his eyes just drifted shut. Sam smiled and placed a hand to his abnormally warm cheek. She crawled out of the tent and sat around the fire with her other teammates.
"How's he doing, Carter?"
"It's not good, sir. We need to get him back tomorrow. Hell, we need to get him back now!"
"It's okay, Sam. He's gonna make it."
Sam brushed at the streams of tears running down her cheeks, but they wouldn't stop. The two military men ignored the display, letting Sam have her privacy.
Whatever happened to emotional detachment, thought Sam.
Daniel's what happened.
Daniel woke up gradually, to find the 'camp' had disappeared around him. Sam smiled down at him, and called over to Jack.
"He's awake, sir. We're ready to go."
"S...Sam? I d...don't think I c...c...can walk."
Sam nodded, trying to keep her smile bright and her eyes dry.
"That's fine, Daniel. I'll get Teal'c to carry you. Okay?"
Daniel nodded, teeth chattering as he did. Sam smiled again and motioned to Teal'c. The Jaffa picked up Daniel in the bundle of cloth, setting off at a tremendous pace. Sam and Jack scurried behind, trying not to worry too much but knowing the stakes better than anyone. And also knowing that if anyone could pull through this it would be Daniel.
They made good time over the next few hours, but Daniel was getting steadily worse. With about three miles to go, Jack insisted they rest. Teal'c set Daniel down on the ground and Sam crashed on her knees beside him, putting her hand on his shoulder. He grabbed it violently, eyes darting wildly about.
"Sha're? Where are you? Skarra? Need to get to them..."
Sam bit down on her lip, as Jack and Teal'c glanced over. Daniel tried to get up, getting increasingly frustrated when his body wouldn't let him.
"Sha're? I need you! Come back!"
Jack pulled Sam to one side, whispering in her ear.
"We need to do something to calm him down."
"Like what?"
"Anything!"
Sam nodded, an idea forming in her mind. She shuffled back towards Daniel, took a deep breathe and...
"Dan-yel? I'm here."
Jack nodded to himself, impressed with Sam's Abydonian accent.
"Sha're? Sha're? Is that you?"
"Yes, Dan-yel. You are safe now."
Daniel smiled to himself, and started to talk Abydonian. Sam looked back at Jack in panic and he mouthed a translation. Sam nodded and turned back.
"I love you too. Now, you must rest, my Dan-yel. We have a long day tomorrow."
Daniel closed his eyes sleepily and brought Sam's hand to his lips.
"Don't go, Sha're."
"I won't, Dan-yel."
Sam bent down and kissed him deeply. She tried to think of it as duty but sweetness and security drifted into her mind. She fought them back. He drifted asleep and Sam motioned to Teal'c. The surly Jaffa picked Daniel up and they started off again. Sam walked beside Teal'c, just in case Daniel woke up again. Jack watched her ministrations carefully, wondering if Daniel would survive the walk.
Janet was like a cat on hot bricks. SG2 had come back about 36 hours ago, telling her that Daniel was in trouble. The archaeologist just couldn't seem to catch a break. He was ending up in some trouble, whether it was on Earth or off-world.
Now, the Stargate was dialling, and SG1 were overdue. The wormhole burst open and there was a shout from the Control Room.
"SG1 GDO!"
Janet clutched her medical bag, all ready to assess the situation. She waited impatiently, with a little trepidation. As long as there's no death certificate...
SG1 stepped through the wormhole, Daniel unconscious in Teal'c's arms. Sam looked washed out and Jack wasn't much better.
"Get them to the infirmary now!"
Janet pushed through the infirmary's swing doors, exhausted but happy. Sam was immediately on her feet, closely followed by Jack.
"How is he?"
"He's going to be alright, isn't it?"
Janet nodded steadily and Sam relaxed against the door, letting tears of relief filter down her cheeks.
"We're pumping him full of antibiotics, but he's gonna pull through. I never doubted it."
"Can we see him?"
"One at a time, five minutes only. He just woke up, but no exciting or angering him."
Janet looked pointedly at Jack, who shrugged. He automatically charged through. He came out a good twenty minutes later, Janet pushing him out. Sam motioned to Teal'c.
"You can go next."
The Jaffa looked slightly puzzled but went anyway. Sam didn't want to face Daniel until she had got her feelings straight in her mind. When they had kissed...no! He had thought it was Sha're. It meant nothing. Did it? Did she want to?
Sam just resisted banging her head against the wall. It was all so confusing. The next five minutes flew by and Teal'c was soon out. Janet looked at her expectantly.
"Your turn, Sam."
Sam nodded and got up. She took a deep breath and stepped through the doors. Daniel looked at her sheepishly, grinning like a little kid. Sam smiled back and sat next to the bed.
"How are you feeling, Daniel?"
Guilty. Daniel thought over what had happened, or what he could remember of it. He thought Sha're had kissed him. Well, she was dead and Jack and Teal'c certainly wouldn't have kissed him. Which left Sam...
Daniel wasn't sure how he felt about that. Sam was his best friend, but did she think of him any other way? He did, even though he knew he shouldn't. It was clearly marked as 'Jack's territory', though it was rumoured the Colonel was also marked 'Janet's territory'. And no one knew if Sam had feeling for Jack or not. Martouf's death had hit her very hard but was she in love? Or, had she been in love and had he missed his chance? Daniel threw those thoughts out, and smiled at Sam instead.
"Fine, thanks. Janet said your first aid was great."
Is he teasing me? Sam wondered only for a minute before dismissing it. He wouldn't do that. Would he?
"What do you...remember?"
Daniel knew this was heading and he liked the line of conversation.
"Um...only one thing sticks out."
"Oh?"
Sam tried to remain calm, but her heart was almost jumping out of her chest.
"Yeah. One certain kiss..."
Sam's eyes widened, as Daniel's closed trustingly. Sam leaned slowly forward and she knew what was going to happen...
"Five minutes...up."
Janet stopped short, as Sam and Daniel jerked away from each other. Sam held up her hand, licking her lips.
"Well, glad you're better Daniel."
She got up and left quickly, and Janet felt hollow. She had been waiting moths for them to get together, and she had stopped it. She walked out quickly, not wanting to disturb anything else.
Daniel lay back on the pillows, thinking of what could've been.
THE END
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Demon Faith
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Consequences
by Demon FaithSite Navigation
Support Heliopolis