SUMMARY: A life threatening illness follows SG1 home, and others want to study it

Authors notes: I debated for some time about posting this one. I felt it was flawed, but couldn't figure out how or what to do to fix it. I figured if you came up with the reason, you'd let me know <G. I have no problem with updating it, but it was starting to cloud my thinking. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you do. My confidence took a real nose-dive during the writing of this. Hopefully the next effort (in progress) is okay. Many thanks to Chrisbod. There is a really bad pun in this dedicated to you with my thanks. Your comments give me the gumption to continue, and put a smile on my face. Also Yvonne who came up with some great ideas and more than a few giggles.

Jack O'Neill glanced at the team around him as he sat on the lush grass, a piece of hay dangling from between his lips. The others were busy collecting samples, as they had been for the past three days since they gated to the planet. He looked at the terrain around them. As the MALP had shown in it's readings, P39- 527 was a fertile world. It was also devoid of humans, and the only animals they had come across appeared to be harmless.

The team had been systematically covering survey blocks, working from the gate outwards. They were looking for any potential benefits of this planet, be they mineral, or organic. Thus far, they had collected several hundred samples which were ready to send back through the gate to Earth. This was their second to last full day, before they were due to return home. Once their findings were catalogued, decisions would be made about the viability of the planet, with regards to future consideration.

Jack was feeling a little bored at this point. He wasn't a scientist, nor did he pretend any interest in this kind of expedition. He was a military man, and while this mission was restful, he was finding himself itching for something more. He glanced over at two of his team-mates. Sam and Daniel were engaged in friendly banter. Jack smiled as he watched the animated friends. Who would have guessed that only scant years ago, he would be travelling to different worlds with an astrophysicist, an archaeologist/ linguist, and an alien. Jack turned his gaze on the Jaffa who stood watching over the site.

Teal'c was a man of great integrity and loyalty, and Jack counted himself lucky to have him on the team. It had been touch and go if the Jaffa would be allowed to remain with the SGC, let alone help defend it, which he had done on numerous occasions.

Jack stood abruptly. Undecided about what he really wanted to do, he allowed his legs to make the decision for him. He debated about informing the others of his decision to go walk-about, but the laxity of the planet seemed to have infected him as well. He consoled himself with limiting his walk to only a short distance. Turning away from the others, he quickly walked away. About twenty minutes later, he came to a small hill, which he scaled. As he crested the hill, Jack drew in a surprised breath, at the unexpected sight that greeted him. Looking below him, Jack was treated to an incredible view. A thick, seemingly endless carpet of blooms covered the ground at the bottom of the hill. Their perfume was subtle, as it wafted along with the breeze, and the flowers gently swayed on their stalks. Transfixed, Jack walked down the hill, and into their midst. There he stood, momentarily frozen.

For all his military bearing, Jack was a lover of beauty, whether that be the strings of a violin concerto, or the soulful sounds of the saxophone in a jazz piece. He enjoyed art, and he was enjoying this. Flowers licked at his body as he turned in a slow circle, taking in the sight. To his eye, they looked like orchids, which he mentally dubbed them. They were white, softened by touches of red. The hues ranged from soft pink, to fiery crimson. The stalks were thick, and long, moreso than Jack would have expected with such delicate blooms. The flowers rose to his waist, with some achieving even greater heights. The stamen in the centre of each bloom was covered in light yellow pollen. Jack noticed that some flowers contained significantly more pollen than others, and he subconsciously wondered if that was an indication of age.

Jack slowly walked through the field, when he noticed something odd. Not far ahead, were the remains of what appeared to be a building jutting out from the flowers. He started to move closer, when he tripped. He caught himself before he fell, then looked to see the cause. It was a building block, with another just past it. Slowly Jack moved around to investigate. All around him were the skeletons of buildings, broken and crumbled. As Jack continued to look, it occurred to him that they did not appeared to be that old. They showed no signs of the wear that was typically present on the ruins they had encountered. It was almost as though some force had recently pulled the stones apart. If he had to venture a guess, he would have said it seemed as though the flowers had performed the task. Jack shook his head at the mystery. This planet was uninhabited, yet here were signs of civilisation.

Deciding that he had left the others for too long, Jack started back across the field. As he walked, some of the flowers threw their pollen into the air, forming a cloud of the palest yellow. Thanking his lucky stars that he did not suffer the same allergies as Daniel, Jack walked unmindfully through it. He climbed back up the hill, turned and took another look at the strange field. An eerie feeling crept over him, as a cold chill ran up his spine. For a second, he thought he heard the ghostly echo of screams, carried on the breeze. The feeling passed quickly, and Jack shrugged it off.......almost. He decided to ask Hammond if they couldn't come back and investigate. Something had lived here, and he wanted to know who, or what, it was.

Short minutes later, Jack was back in sight of his team, who appeared not to have noticed his absence, or chose not to comment on it. As he walked up to the packing box where today's samples were being stowed, he became aware of some odd looks. "What?" he growled, uncomfortable with their gaze.

Daniel snickered. "What have you been doing Jack? You're yellow". He was glad that he had remembered to take his antihistamines that morning, or he would be sneezing by now, despite the distance still separating them.

Looking down at himself, Jack realised that he was indeed covered in fine yellow dust. "Oh man" he mumbled to himself as he brushed off the pollen.

"What have you been doing Colonel?" Sam grinned.

"I went for a walk over the hill, and found some flowers. I found something else as well". Jack looked at Daniel as he spoke.

Noticing the look, Daniel was quick to question "What?"

"Some buildings, or rather, what I guess were buildings. There was some rubble anyway". Jack watched for Daniel's expression, and grinned when it came as expected.

"Where are they? Can we go now? How far did you say they were? Did you find anything else. I thought this place was uninhabited........" Daniel stopped abruptly as Jack moved to cover his mouth.

"Sorry Daniel". Jack scanned the skyline. "We don't have long before sunset. Let's deal with the rest of this stuff". Jack indicated the boxes that still needed loading, and the remaining area to be sampled. "After we debrief with Hammond. I'll ask him if we can't have a little more time here to check things out. Okay".

Daniel knew that Jack was being as fair as possible, and grudgingly agreed.

The sun finally set a couple of hours later. By then, the team had everything accomplished that it needed to do for the day, and preparations were made for the next phase of their mission. They were seated around a cheery campfire. Having finished a dinner of MRE's, they were now enjoying an after dinner coffee, their one indulgence.

"So Colonel, what did the buildings look like?" Sam asked.

"It was hard to tell. They weren't standing any more. Most of the rubble was covered by the flowers". Jack paused for a moment, thinking. "I had such a strange feeling when I was there", he continued.

"Strange how?". Daniel was curious. Jack typically was not the one to pick up on moods and environments, unless weaponry was concerned.

Before Jack could answer, Teal'c spoke up. "O'Neill, it appears as though you have blood coming from your nose".

Jack moved his hand to his nose, and felt the trickle coming from it. "For crying out loud". He reached out and took the kleenex that Daniel pushed in his direction. "Thanks Danny". He pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand, while he used his right to wipe up the evidence.

"Don't mention it". Daniel suffered from a myriad of allergies, and sought to single-handedly keep the paper company in business. He never went anywhere without antihistamines and tissue. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just a nosebleed. Nothing to write home about". He removed his hand. "See, it's stopped already".

Sam and Daniel looked at each other, and shrugged. As Jack had just pointed out, it was only a nosebleed.

Continuing as though there had been no interruptions, Jack returned to the previous topic. "There didn't appear to be any signs of who might have lived there. It just seemed as though the whole place had been overtaken by the flowers".

"Colonel, can you describe the flowers to me?"

"Sure. I haven't seen them on this planet until now. They reminded me of orchids, but the stems had the height and thickness of hollyhocks". Jack glared at her as he caught sight of her rolling eyes. "Can't I know a little something about flowers?" he growled at her.

Sam giggled. "I'm sorry Sir. You just don't seem the type".

"And what type is that 'Major'?" Jack put a definite emphasis on her rank.

"Um, nothing Sir", she looked at the ground sheepishly.

Jack smothered a grin, then decided to take pity on her. "Actually, I keep a garden". While the team had actually been to his house on numerous occasions, they had never seen the back-side of the house where he grew his prize flowers.

The rest of the team looked at him, disbelief clear on their faces.

"I like to watch things grow", he said. No-one responded as they realised the deeper meaning in that comment. Jack had lost his son in a tragic shooting accident several years earlier. While he declined to talk about it with his friends, they knew the sadness of that incident carried through in everything the Colonel did. Jack's past was pretty much a closed subject with the group, in fact, the whole SGC. While the team knew about his son Charlie, and the subsequent break up with his wife, the information all but stopped there. They were aware of his time with Black Ops, but knew there was a lot more to the Colonel's history.

Daniel skilfully changed the subject. "Isn't it odd, how we didn't know that there had been a settlement here. I mean, we found no signs of agriculture, no other buildings, not even animals that might indicate farming".

Sam piped up. "You're assuming that it is was a settlement Daniel".

"True", Daniel mulled a though over. "If it was though, they probably weren't here for very long".

"Why would you say that Daniel?", Jack asked.

"Well, without actually seeing the site", Daniel looked pointedly at Jack, "I can't say for sure, but it seems to me that if they had been here for a while, we would have found something else".

Jack heaved a long suffering sigh. "Tell you what Daniel. When the job has been completed here, I'll show you where I found the field. You can look, but no touching until we get permission to come back. Fair enough?"

The look on Daniel's face spoke volumes, as his eyes lit up with the thought of new discovery. "Thanks Jack".

"Welcome". A weary feeling came over Jack, prompting his next comment. "Well gang, I'm ready to turn in. See you bright and early". Having found the planet to be safe, they had dispensed with guard duty at night. Jack got up and moved to the flap on his tent when he was stopped by a tentative question from behind.

"Sir, are you sure you're okay". Sam wasn't used to Jack volunteering to go to sleep. He was usually the night owl of the bunch. He always claimed it was due to his training, that he didn't need that much sleep. Sam always suspected that it was more that he didn't like to give himself time to dream, although she would never voice that thought to anyone else.

"I told you Carter, I'm fine". Before anyone else could say anything, Jack ducked into his tent. As he sat on the floor of his tent, he contemplated Sam's question. Was he okay? Jack gave himself a mental shake. Of course he was fine. A little nosebleed never hurt anyone. With that thought, he climbed in his sleeping bag, and fell unexpectedly into a sound sleep.

Jack woke up in the middle of the night, shivering. He took a minute to get his bearings. While he was accustomed to waking up to bad dreams, he didn't think that was the cause this time. This realisation proved correct as he felt something trickle from his nose. It was blood.

"What the hell?" Jack spoke aloud, he voice sounding foreign in the night. As he once again pinched off the flow of blood, he realised that he felt even more fatigued than earlier. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Jack lay his head back on his bed. The dizziness passed, and his nose stopped bleeding. Jack gave a deep sigh, then drifted off to sleep.

Morning greeted the team with a beautiful sunrise. Heads poked out of their perspective tents, and then finally emerged. Jack was uncharacteristically the last to be seen. As he joined the rest of the group, Teal'c handed him a coffee which he accepted gratefully. He sat down by the now re-lit campfire, set the cup on the ground at his feet, then rubbed both eyes which were reluctant to fully open.

Daniel, Sam and Teal'c looked on. Jack's actions caught their attention. His late rising was as odd as his early retiring. Daniel approached his friend. He took note of flecks of blood around the Colonel's nose, and some more on his partially exposed collar bone. He assumed it was the remnants from the previous evening, so he didn't comment.

"So, did you sleep okay last night?" he asked instead.

Jack moved his hands away from his face and looked at Daniel. Shadows darkened his eyes, and his appearance told Daniel that his night had not been restful.

Jack contemplated the question, and to his surprise, with the exception of the nosebleed, he had slept well. "Actually Daniel, I did". Jack downed the rest of his coffee then stood. "Well gang, we go home tomorrow, and there's still lots of work to do".

The team took the hint, and got back to work. Within hours, the last of the survey block had been depleted of soil and plant samples. Daniel and Sam sorted through bags of samples, catalogued them and packed them in crates for shipping home. Teal'c and Jack took on the chore of loading the heavy crates on to the skid they had on site. The sun was hot, and the work was tedious, and all four were grateful to finally stop and have a rest. Lunch was a simple affair, consisting of cold MRE's and canteen water. Nevertheless, the team all felt better for it.

Jack was feeling more than a little tired, although he was not quite sure why. The seedy feeling he had woken up to had not diminished as he had hoped. He glanced at the three members of his team. While they were certainly looking flushed from the warm day, they did not seem to suffering from anything else. Sam was leaning over towards Daniel as they shared a joke he had only peripherally heard. Even Teal'c had a slightly amused look on his face, although if Jack wanted to be totally honest, it could simply have been a shadow. Deciding that the fatigue was the result of too little activity over the last few days, Jack decided to stretch his legs. He figured the exercise would help to clear his head. As he moved to stand though, his body decided to disagree with him. It voiced it's protest in the form of a coughing fit. By the time it had passed, Jack's chest hurt and he struggled to catch his breath.

Sam, Daniel and Teal'c abruptly ended their conversation as they saw Jack. Sam moved to his side with a canteen which he gratefully took a sip from. She looked at him, concern clearly etched on her face.

His face was pale, and the shadows they had noticed under his eyes that morning seemed to have grown. As he noticed Sam's continued gaze however, Jack straightened his shoulders, and gave her his patent 'I'm a Colonel and I'm fine so stop asking' look.

Sam wasn't buying it. "What's going on here Colonel? First you get a nosebleed, then this? Are you coming down with something?"

Jack looked at his second. "I'm sure it's nothing Major. Probably just a cold". Getting embarrassed by all the attention, Jack changed the subject. "We leave tomorrow gang. What's say I take you to my discovery". Jack looked squarely at Daniel as he asked this. He was not disappointed by the reaction.

The archaeologist quickly forgot his worry, as he was presented with the opportunity to investigate a lost civilisation. He leaped to his feet in anticipation.

Jack realised he would have to reign in his friend right off the bat. "Daniel" he spoke in his best no-nonsense tone. "Just so we get this straight, you can look, but no touching this time. When we debrief, I'll ask Hammond to okay a return trip so you can investigate. Fair enough?"

Daniel was disappointed, but knew the alternative was to not go at all. Besides, he knew the General would most likely give permission. He usually did when Jack asked. He nodded his consent.

Jack indicated for the others to follow him. It was just a short walk to the hill, and an easy climb to the top. When the crested the slope, Jack turned to his team to get a look at their faces as they took in the view for the first time. He was not surprised by their reactions.

Sam was enthralled by the beauty of the scene, as she looked upon the living carpet below her. Jack had been right. They did look like orchids. Millions of them in shades of white. As she looked, a feeling of sadness came over her. She flashed back to the scene of her mother's funeral. Similar flowers had rested on the casket, flowers that she, herself had laid there. The memories were so strong, that tears sprung to the corners of her eyes. She was startled from her reverie by a strong hand on her shoulder. She looked up at a pair of brown eyes staring intently at her.

"Sorry Sir. What did you say?" Sam 's voice had a catch in it that Jack didn't miss.

"I asked if you were alright Carter. You seemed kind of out of it". Jack remembered the eerie feeling this place had given him, and worried that it might be having the same effect on Sam.

"No, I'm fine. I was just remembering........something. I'm fine", she reiterated as much to soothe herself as her commanding officer.

"You sure Carter? Want to talk about it?" Jack's voice was quiet, but concerned.

She flashed him a bright smile. "Really Sir. It was something that happened a long time ago. For some reason, this place just reminded me of it".

"Alright Major. If you say so". Jack was still not convinced that everything was okay, but could do no more about it for now. He turned his attention to Daniel who seemed to be chomping at the bit to get closer to the structure he had finally spotted in the distance. Teal'c had a gently restraining hand on his shoulder.

Jack grinned as he took in the scene. This was not unexpected, and he was grateful that Teal'c at least was taking him seriously about not approaching the field.

"So Danny-boy. What do you think?" Jack couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice as Daniel whirled on him, a pleading look on his face.

"Jack, this is fascinating. Look at this. Whatever it is down there, it looks as though it was just .....swallowed up by these flowers. Please, can't I just go down and take a few minutes of video?" Daniel held up his ever-present camera. "Please". He was so excited about the prospect of exploring, that he couldn't keep the pleading tone out of his voice.

Jack on the other hand was shaken by what Daniel had inadvertently said. The word 'swallowed' had struck a chord in him. It brought back the same feeling of unease that he had experienced here previously, and he was determined that his team would go no closer for now. "Sorry Daniel. Next time buddy. We'll bring lots of film, and you can explore to your heart's content. For now though, I think we should head back to camp and see about packing up for tomorrow".

While Daniel understood Jack's words, he really wasn't ready to leave just yet. Something about this place was drawing at him. He could almost feel the abundance of life stirring below him, although if he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he realised that there was more to it than that. Whatever it was he was feeling though, was fleeting. He was unable to get a real grasp on it. Still, he geared himself up to argue for a few more minutes, when he looked at Jack, whose nose had begun to bleed again. This time, the flow was heavier than before.

Teal'c had spotted the blood even sooner than Daniel and was already moving over beside Jack, who had lowered himself to a sitting position on the grassy slope.

"O'Neill, this is the second time that you have lost blood from your nose. What is the cause of this?"

Jack was beginning to wonder that himself. He had not told the others about the previous night. Coupled with the fatigue and cough, he realised that maybe he was coming down with something. It was not like him to get sick though, and as he looked at the scene below him, an uneasy feeling came over him and he began to wonder if it wasn't something more.

The team waited for the blood flow to cease. Moments later, Jack headed down the hill to their campsite, followed by the rest of the team. By the time they arrived back in camp, he was inordinately tired, and allowed himself to be led to a seat around the fire-pit. Without thinking, he accepted the drink that was placed in his hands. He realised that he was in fact very tired, and he closed his eyes and allowed his thoughts to drift while the other three moved around him. His awareness grew at the smell of dinner, being heated over a crackling fire. As he opened his eyes, he saw a pair of blue ones scrutinising him.

Daniel's face was a mask of concern. He had seldom seen Jack with so much as the sniffles, and he was finding this worrisome.

"Are you feeling better now?" he couldn't help but ask, knowing how annoyed Jack was getting with that particular question.

"Peachy Daniel". Jack knew it was unfair to use that tone on his friend. He could see the concern there, but dammit, he was feeling worse now than even just half an hour ago, and if the truth be told, it was worrying him as well. "Sorry Daniel. Actually, I'm still kind of tired".

That part Daniel didn't need to be told. Fatigue was etched firmly in Jack's face. He appeared pale to Daniel's eye as well.

Sam walked over with a plate full of dinner. "Here you go Sir. It's our last dinner on this planet, so I made it a special one. Macaroni and cheese".

Jack smiled. "I bet it tastes like chicken too, right?"

Seeing her CO joking eased her mind a little. Like Daniel and Teal'c, Sam was worried as well. Jack didn't look good, and the little incidents were starting to add up to a picture she was not comfortable with. If he had a cold, then it was like none that she had seen before.

Dinner went smoothly. The team all ate, albeit with somewhat less than relish. Teal'c and Carter began to discuss the transport of the skid. It was loaded rather heavily, and they wanted to ensure it didn't get stuck en route to the gate. Daniel set about cleaning the dishes, and Jack sat. As he stared at the mesmerising flames in front of him, he was unaware of the surreptitious looks being cast in his direction. Daniel was just approaching with some freshly brewed coffee, when another coughing attack hit him.

Jack was left sore and breathless when the spasms finally subsided. He was also aware that the hand he had covered his mouth with was wet. As he held the offending appendage in front of him, he realised that it was not the phlegm that he had expected, but blood.

Daniel grabbed Jack's hand before he had a chance to protest, and turned it so the others could see. "What the hell is going on here Jack?"

"You're asking me? What do I look like..... Janet?" Jack tried to make light of the situation, but his effort convinced no-one.

"Dammit Jack. You're sick. When were you going to say something". Daniel fought hard to keep the anger from his voice. He was well aware that Jack would fight for any of them, but not for himself.

"Daniel, I swear. I didn't know I was. I had a couple of nosebleeds yesterday, one today and then this. Other than that, I felt fine. I still feel fine, except for being rather tired". Jack's eyes conveyed the truth behind those words, and Daniel relaxed somewhat.

"You said you had two nosebleeds yesterday Sir? I only saw one. When was the second one". Sam was more worried than she cared to admit. She didn't know what was going on with her friend, but she had the feeling she wasn't going to like the answer.

"I woke up last night with one. It wasn't bad, and I fell right back asleep. I had almost forgotten about it until the last one". Jack was starting to feel a little light-headed, and his head was starting to hurt. With his elbows propped on his knees, he dropped his head into his hands.

"Jack?" Daniel spoke beside him. In place of an answer, Jack fell over to the ground, unconscious. His skin was ashen, and a line of blood trickled once again from his nostril.

"O'Neill!". Teal'c was beside the fallen Colonel in a heartbeat. He scooped him up effortlessly, and moved him inside his tent. Sam and Daniel followed.

"Does anyone know what we might be dealing with here?" Sam questioned the others as she took Jack's pulse. She found it steady, but to her it seemed a little weak. As she took in the negative shakes from the two men, she started to think aloud. "We need to get him back to the SGC. I think we should inform Janet that we may have encountered a possible contagion here. Whatever has affected the Colonel is no cold. We have to go under the assumption that something here is causing this. We need to try to figure out what, so we can isolate it and come up with a solution".

"What can we do to help Major Carter?" Teal'c was his usual steady self, and Sam smiled in appreciation.

"First of all, how are you two feeling? Have you noticed any of the symptoms the Colonel showed? Any fatigue, nosebleeds, coughs? No, okay. I'm fine as well. So has the Colonel done anything that the rest of us haven't? Touched something we didn't, eaten something........?"

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment, before blurting out "the flowers!"

Sam looked at him. "Daniel, we all went there".

Daniel looked at her impatiently. "Yes, but Jack walked in amongst them. Remember how he was covered with pollen when he came back".

Teal'c spoke up. "You are correct Daniel Jackson. I believed we all laughed when we saw him".

Sam looked at Jack for a moment, then at the other two, realisation crossing her face. "If whatever is causing this was contained in the pollen, then it's just a matter of time before we get sick too".

The team was quiet for a moment as they contemplated her words.

Sam broke the silence first. "Okay, let's contact Janet, notify her about what's going on, and tell her we will need to be quarantined until we can figure this out. We also need to get a sample of that flower for her to study".

Daniel hopped up. "I'll go send the message". As he left the tent, Teal'c spoke.

"I will obtain the sample Major Carter. Perhaps my symbiote will provide me with greater resistance".

Sam looked at him uncertainly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea Teal'c. The base can send a team back here with the right equipment to safely acquire a plant".

Teal'c looked levelly at her. "Major Carter, that will take time. If the plant is indeed responsible for O'Neill's condition, then it appears to be a fast acting contagion. If that is the case, then time will be of the essence in finding a cure".

Sam couldn't fault Teal'c's reasoning, as she happened to agree with it. She looked at the Jaffa, and nodded. Hoping she had done the right thing, she watched the huge man depart from the tent, then turned her attention to the Colonel.

The blood coming from his nose had stopped on it's own, leaving a red trail that ran down the side of his face, on to his neck, and out of view. Looking at the sight served only to remind her that they may be facing a dire situation.

Teal'c left the tent and went to the crate containing unused sample bags. He withdrew four and headed in the direction of the field, hoping that the diminishing light would hold out for a while longer. He realised that he should bring a flashlight, but didn't want to waste the time it would take to find one. Running in long, easy strides, he approached the hill quickly. Soon, he was up one side, down the other and at the edge of the flower field. Taking one sample bag, Teal'c reached over and plucked a flower, mindful to hold his breath to prevent inhaling the pollen. He repeated the procedure with the second bag. Once both were sealed, he took the added precaution of double bagging the blooms. That done, he turned in the waning light, and headed back for camp.

Daniel was already back, not needing much time given the near proximity to the gate. He looked up as Teal'c lifted the tent flap and entered. He nodded approval as Teal'c held up the bags for them to see. Sam wrinkled her nose in distaste as she viewed the potentially lethal bloom.

"Were you able to arrange for help Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c enquired.

"Yes. I was just telling Sam here, that Janet is preparing a team to send through, complete with Haz-mat suits for us. They should be here within the hour. She is also readying the isolation ward for us. She wants us all together in case we show the same symptoms as Jack.

Jack began to stir at the mention of his name. As the others watched, he tried to awaken, but his motions brought on another fit of coughing. When it had passed, Jack was once again unconscious, unaware of the blood he had brought up lying on the ground next to him, and the shocked look on the faces of his team-mates.

Before the promised hour was up, the Haz-mat team came through, bearing four extra suits. Once the team were securely ensconced in their perspective suits, Jack was placed on a litter, and Teal'c's samples were placed in a hazardous materials transportation case. Two of Janet's medics took one end of Jack's litter, Teal'c took the other, and the group made their way to the gate.

As usual, the trip through the stargate took no time at all. As the group entered the gateroom of the SGC, they were greeted by a team also clad in the protective suits. Quickly they were hustled out of the room, down the corridors, up the elevator two floors and into the isolation ward. As promised, Janet was waiting for them there, clad in a similar suit. She approached the litter and peered at the Colonel through a double layer of transparent mylar. While it obscured her vision somewhat, it was not enough to hide the fact that the Colonel did not look well. His face was drawn and pale, with dark shadows under his eyes, and traces of blood still flecked on his face. She looked up and signalled to the medics to go ahead and place him in the chamber. They moved him into the outer airlock and waited for the doors behind to seal. When the air had exchanged, the inner door opened. Once inside, he was lifted off the stretcher and placed on the nearest of the four beds that lay within. The medics then turned and left in the same manner. As they exited from the airlock, they left the room to de-contaminate. Daniel, Teal'c and Sam followed the same procedure of entering, then turned and watched as the doors sealed shut behind them.

The isolation chamber was well named. While it had windows on all four sides, it was indeed cut off. It had it's own complement of medical equipment, and life support system. The air was cleaned, filtered and returned without ever mixing with the rest of the building's. While it drew it's power from the main system, it had it's own back-up generator which kicked in automatically in the event of a power failure. An airlock quickly stole all the potentially contaminated air, then returned it with clean, filtered oxygen. An incineration chute was placed on the wall, unobtrusively in one corner. The three able team members shucked off their suits, then Jack's, and stuffed them down the chute were they fell into the incinerator. When all of that was accomplished, they sat down and turned to watch as Janet entered the room.

She smiled a quick greeting at them as she moved to Jack's bedside. As she took his vitals, she questioned them about the onset of his illness, nodding as she listened. With her hand so heavily encased in gloves, it was impossible to take a pulse, so she hooked him up to the EKG. It showed a weak heart-rate. He was hypotensive with a blood pressure of 80/50. As she started to record his readings, her frown was apparent. Her years of practice showed as she deftly inserted an IV, despite the heavy encumbrances that tried to hinder her motions, then took a blood sample from the crook of his arm and labelled the vials. She looked out the window at the nurse who stood waiting. "I want a chest x-ray done stat ". She rechecked his BP and was pleased to see that the addition of extra fluids had helped to raise the readings a margin higher. That done, she turned to the other members of the team. She approached them one at a time, and inquired about the presence of any symptoms, as she took blood from each of them. She put those vials in a tray alongside the Colonel's, then placed the tray in a smaller airlock to be accessed from the outside.

Sam waited until Janet was done with her work, before stopping her with a question. "So, how is he?"

Janet looked steadily at her as she replied. "He seems stable enough, although weak. At this point I have no clue as to the problem. I'll run some tests, and let you know as soon as we find anything. In the meantime, I suggest you get comfortable. You might be here for a while". With that, Janet left.

Jack groaned from his bed, and slowly woke up. He put his hands to his head as he shut his eyes against the bright overhead light. "Whoa. What a hangover", he croaked. The rest of the team moved swiftly to his side and helped him to sit up.

"How do you feel, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, concern apparent in his voice.

Jack groaned again, but this time it was in response to the question. He hated being asked that, as it tended to involve him being skewered, infected or shot. This time the word infected sprung to mind. As he took in the faces of those around him, he realised he was being selfish. They were worried, and he was indulging himself. He sat up straighter. "I'm okay Teal'c. Got a bit of a headache, and feel like I could sleep for a week, but that's about it."

His words might have soothed them if it was not for the fact that his nose chose that moment to bleed once again. Daniel silently handed him the box of tissue that sat on the table beside the bed. Jack nodded his thanks as he proceeded to tend to his now too frequent nose-bleed. He heaved a heavy sigh as he realised that this routine was getting old, fast. When the bleeding had finally stopped, although it seemed to take longer each time, he let his head fall back against his pillow. He felt tired, old and worn, and his head was starting to pound even more than before. He thought about asking Janet for a painkiller, but knowing how worried everyone already was, he thought that might just add to it. He decided to wait it out. Maybe the pain would ease off. He let his eyes fall shut, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Understanding the need to let Jack rest, the rest of the team moved to the bed furthest away, and sat down to wait for some word from Janet.

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Miles away, a phone rang, and an unknown voice answered. "I have something you might be interested in".

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"Doctor Fraiser, come and take a look at this" the tech called.

Janet moved quickly, and adjusted the viewer on the microscope, bringing the sample into focus. Her quickly inhaled breath told the technician that what he had seen wasn't his imagination. As Janet watched, Jack's blood was being slowly consumed in front of her. She looked up with an expression of shock, and disbelief, before turning back to the sample. She put the images on the videoscope, then digitised them into the computer. With a quick word to the technician to continue running tests, she left to see the General.

She was admitted to his office after only the briefest of waits.

"Doctor Fraiser. Have you found anything?" the General asked without preamble.

Janet nodded. She indicated his computer. "May I?" At his nod, she quickly called up the images she had recorded in the lab. "This is a sample of Colonel O'Neill's blood. I believe this", she indicated one of the oval shapes, "to be a spore from one of the flowers Teal'c took samples of. We are running comparisons right now to confirm this. What you are seeing General", she paused for effect "is the destruction of blood cells".

Hammond looked at, not quite understanding. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is......this spore.......seems to be eating the blood. From the increase in size it has shown, it appears as though it is converting the Colonel's blood into a food source." Janet realised the implications of what she had just said, as did the General.

"You mean that this spore is killing the Colonel in an effort to grow and maybe reproduce?"

"General, I'm not sure about much just yet. What we do know for sure is that there were signs of inhabitation on that planet, in the only spot this flower was shown to grow. There are no people there any more, and now it appears that the Colonel is affected. This is not exactly unprecedented in nature, as you know. While we don't have man eating plants, we do have carnivorous ones. Look at the Venus Fly Trap, and the Pitcher Plant. We have to go on the assumption right now that this organism is the cause". Jack was a friend of hers and she was as worried as anyone about what was happening to him.

A horrified look crossed Hammond's face as a thought came to him. "You mean that the field that the team described was a........a mass grave..........caused by those flowers?"

Janet's voice spoke of profound sadness. The same thought had occurred to her when she became aware of the nature of the contagion. "Yes Sir, I believe it is".

Shaking off the thought, Hammond turned his attention to something he hoped they still had control over. "What about the Colonel? Can you help him? Is there any way of killing this thing?" He was frustrated. His second in command was most likely dying, and he was unable to do more than supply his CMO with the resources that she needed, and hope it was enough.

Janet understood his frustration, as it mirrored her own. "The Colonel is weak Sir. His blood work indicates a significant reduction in his red blood cells. While this organism uses all components of blood, the red and white cells, as well as the platelets, it seems to prefer the red. I will set him up with a transfusion when I leave from here. As for killing this, we are trying several ideas. Since it is organic, it should be possible, It's just a matter of finding the means. Obviously chemicals are not an option without causing serious harm to the Colonel, and we cannot remove the food source".

"What's left then?"

"Well Sir, I think we will have to look at environmental means".

Hammond could see her thinking of different alternatives even as she spoke. Knowing the urgency of her task, he decided that further dialogue could wait. "Doctor Fraiser, I want you to go and figure this thing out. Use whatever, and whoever you need. Let me know if anything further develops".

"Yes Sir. Thank you". As Janet turned to leave the room, she was stopped by a final question.

"Doctor, are the rest of the team all right?"

She saw the concern on his face and hoped her answer would help. "So far they are showing no signs of being infected. I will take another series in an hour or so and compare the results". Seeing his dismissive nod, Janet left.

The General stared unseeing at the wall. When he had been assigned this command, he never expected events like this. He rubbed his temples wearily, then turned back to the report on his desk. The Defence Secretary had been notified of the possible contagion, and wanted to be kept constantly up to date.

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Janet was greeted by four sets of expectant eyes as she re-entered the Iso. Unit. She had taken the time to stop by the lab to check on any possible developments, before going to inform the team of her findings thus far. Jack had awakened some time earlier, and spent the last half hour reassuring his friends that he was fine. When he saw Janet, he lit up at the thought of some confirmation. It didn't take long to realise that she wasn't returning with good news.

As she started to set up the transfusion, which Jack bore with a look of utter distaste, Janet turned to look him squarely. "Colonel, it seems as though you have been infected by the spore from those plants that Teal'c brought back. You inhaled it, and it settled in your lungs. The x-rays came back, and showed a disintegration of the lining of your lungs. That's why the cough hit so hard". Before Jack could interrupt, she continued. "The organism has entered your blood stream is feeding on your blood and soft tissues. I'm giving you blood to replace some of the volume you've lost". She finished the transfusion and set about taking a fresh set of blood samples.

Jack was stunned by what he heard and was not sure how to respond, so he reverted to form. "Talk about consumption". It was lame, and he knew it, but it helped him to banish the visions of leaves sprouting from his body that had suddenly sprung to mind.

Janet did not appear amused.

When he saw her prepare his arm for more blood, he decided that a change of topic was in order and asked in a plaintive voice, "What's the point of putting blood in, if you're just going to take it right back out?"

Janet smiled in understanding. She pulled out some oxygen tubing, and placed a nasal canula on him. "This should help your lungs Colonel".

Sam called out. "Won't the extra oxygen just exacerbate the growth rate?"

"Not in the tests we've run so far. Nothing seems to effect it very much. We've tried different percentages of oxygen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide".

Sam thought for a moment. "What about light. Have you tried using different filters".

Janet nodded. "We've tried all different spectrums. While the growth rate is slowed somewhat, particularly when we filter the ultra violet, it is not significant enough to pursue as a cure at this point".

A thought occurred to Sam. Plants required photosynthesis to produce food. While these spores were using a different food source, they would most likely still need some light to grow, or at the very least, germinate. As they were in the blood stream, they would travel through the circulatory system to the layer under the epidermis, thereby exposing them to light. Perhaps if altering that source wasn't successful, maybe complete removal of it would be.

"Have you tried eliminating all light?" As Sam asked the question, she caught sight of Janet's suddenly shocked look and mistook it for recognition of a possible solution. Then she felt it. The slow trickle of blood coming from her own nose. Her hand shook as she raised it to touch the blood. "Oh my God," she whispered. She knew that the rest of them could be infected, but enough time had lapsed that she started to entertain the notion of being out of the woods. Now the reality hit that she might very well be condemned to a slow death. "Janet........"

A few quick strides took Janet to Sam's side. While Sam was military, and trained to contain her emotions, the strain of the last few days, and this new development had caught up with her. The three men looked on helplessly as Janet pulled her into a quick, although awkward given her suit, embrace. "It's going to be okay Sam", the brunette whispered into Sam's hair. "We'll find the cure". Janet gave Sam another quick, reassuring hug.

As Janet was about to leave, Jack started to cough again. She ran and grabbed a basin, and held it to his lips. The cough came, left and came again, violently. At each interval, he would spit out the blood before another fit seized him. Finally he quieted, and leaned back in exhaustion, his body shaking. Janet moved to the medicine cabinet, removed a syringe and a vial. She drew out a measure, returned to the Colonel and introduced the sedative into his drip to help him rest. She looked over to see Sam watching the terrifying scene, horror written clearly on her face, knowing she was watching her own fate. Sadly, Janet left the room, bloody basin in hand.

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The soldier was asked to repeat his orders, which he did with complete accuracy. Once dismissed, he left the base and started to drive.

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A tired looking Janet Fraiser checked the latest test results with trepidation. It had been several exhausting hours which she had spent between the isolation unit, and the lab. The tests had all produced discouraging results, and she didn't expect this batch to be any different. As she pulled the sample from the black box, a smile crossed her face for the first time in hours. She called the technician over to double check the results. He confirmed them. Three hours without any light source had slowed the take over of cells by fifty percent. Even if this was not the cure, at least it would at least buy the team some time. She raced off to inform the General of her findings.

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The soldier quietly entered the lab. The engrossed technician was poring over a microscope, and never even bothered to look up. The soldier moved over to the table where Janet had been working. By the time he left, only a minute had passed, and the table was minus one sample bag, a vial of the Colonel's blood, and the results from the black box.

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After speaking with Janet, General Hammond followed her down to the infirmary. He approached the glass of the isolation unit warily, unsure what he would see. Jack lay on the bed motionless, his eyes closed. During the past hours, his condition had deteriorated rapidly, in direct proportion to the growth of the spores. While their numbers did not appear to multiply, they were steadily increasing in size. Janet knew it was only a matter of time before they began to germinate, and she was desperate to find a cure before that happened.

Jack's pale face was now partially obscured by the intubation tube and tape holding it in place, as his ability to breathe unaided had become severely compromised. Twin bags of blood ran into the vein under his collarbone. Janet had to put in the subclavian line as his need for greater blood volume had increased. The spores were voracious, and showed no signs of ceasing their consumption rate. The heart monitor at his side beeped monotonously.

As the General looked on, he saw Teal'c and Daniel apparently talking to a very pale Sam Carter. She was now getting assisted with oxygen via a canula. While she did not yet need blood, she was on an IV, with orders for a transfusion if her blood count dropped any lower.

Hammond looked over at Janet. "Why are Teal'c and Doctor Jackson doing so well?"

"I'm not sure. We think Teal'c's symbiote is protecting him, and our best guess is that Daniel's antihistamines helped him. His blood is still not showing any signs of infection". Janet glanced down at the chart she was holding. "Major Carter is slowly losing ground, but not at the same rate as the Colonel. He has a much greater density of the spores in his blood. He was infected first, but he must have been exposed to a much higher dose than her, to be so much worse".

"Why can't you give those two some antihistamines?"

"We ran some tests with that in mind General. They appear to have worked prophylacticly in Daniel. Once exposed, they no longer help. In fact General, I would advise giving all personnel a dose as a precaution".

"See to it Doctor". Janet nodded at the nearby nurse. They had already planned a vaccination program when the benefits became apparent.

The General swung his gaze back to Jack. "What is his condition?"

"Not good Sir. The spores are devouring blood cells as fast as we can get them in. We had to intubate him to ease his lungs, but the damage is extensive. Even if we are successful in dealing with this infection, it will take some time for him to heal". Janet noticed the expression crossing the General's face. She was well aware of his paternal feelings towards Jack and the rest of SG1.

"With your permission Sir, I'd like to try something. We ran a test on the spores at Major Carter's suggestion. We deprived them of light for three hours. The growth of the spores slowed down considerably. I'd like to try the same thing on the team, although it would have to be for a longer period of time. I'm hoping that the spores will not only slow, but actually start to deteriorate".

"How long do you need Doctor?" Hammond was ready to try anything.

"I'd like at least twenty-four hours. We have a series of samples being tested right now. We plan to check them at various intervals. Hopefully we find the right amount of time to do the job. At the very least, it will buy us some more time to look into other options". Janet looked at the General with what she hoped was a confident expression.

Hammond nodded. "Go ahead and try Doctor. Let me know how things are going. In the meantime, I have to let the Secretary know where we're at. I don't think he will be too pleased. At least the problem appears to be contained". The General turned and slowly left the room, his shoulders drooping from the strain.

Janet put on her suit and entered the unit. She quickly checked on Jack. Despite assistance, his breathing was still strained, but thanks to the transfusions, his blood pressure was holding.

She moved to the group around Sam's bed. "We think we may have come up with something. We took your suggestion Sam. The spores don't do well in the complete absence of light. We haven't had enough time yet to find out if they can actually be destroyed that way, but it looks promising".

Sam turned tired eyes on her friend. "So you want to put us in a completely light deprived environment?"

Daniel looked shocked. "You're kidding right?" The thought of being in a black-out shook him. Daniel had never needed to disclose his dislike of the dark, as the situation had never come up. There was always a light on in the SGC, and in his apartment was the aquarium he left lit, day and night. Thinking about it, he realised that even when he stayed at Jack's, something was always giving off light. Funny how he had never realised that before. As the others turned to him in surprise at his reaction, he tried to come up with an argument that would satisfy them. "What about Jack. How do you plan to tend to him in the dark?"

Janet had not considered that. She looked across the room at the supine man, as she thought about it. " I guess I'll have to stay in here with you. We have all the supplies we need, and if I have to, I'll risk a flashlight".

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" Unwilling to admit how much the plan scared him, Daniel sought to find holes in it.

Janet sighed. "Yes Daniel, it probably does. But I don't have any other ideas. I think we can keep the use of the flashlight down to a minimum so it shouldn't have too much of an effect. I can't think of anything else right now, and time's running out". Janet took in a shaking breath. She was tired, worried and more than a little frustrated. Blood eating spores were a little out of her league. As Daniel looked quizzically at her, she realised that more elaboration was required. "From what little we have learned so far, we have made a few deductions about these things".

"Such as?" Sam asked, always the scientist.

"It appears that these spores are quite unlike those that we are familiar with. Typical spores only live about 24hours. These appear to survive much longer. Now that they have a food source, we have to assume that germination will occur soon. What we don't know is if germination is determined by the growth of the spore, or by the chemical make-up of the host.

"I do not understand Doctor". Teal'c was listening intently to the conversation, but biology was not his strong suit.

"Well Teal'c. The body undergoes certain biochemical changes when depleted of blood. The spores had already attacked the Colonel's lungs and soft tissues before we were able to transfuse him. We think that our intervention is why the damage had not progressed beyond that. My guess is that if untreated, the spores kill the host by decimating it's blood supply thus triggering these changes. Germination then occurs, with the host's body providing the necessary nutrition for growth. By providing the Colonel with new blood, we seem to be keeping germination at bay, although the spores continue to grow. We can't keep transfusing him indefinitely though. That carries severe risks as well. These things keep eating up everything we give him anyway". Janet paused and looked over at the sleeping Colonel before resuming.

"Of course, this is all supposition. These things are alien and behave unlike anything we've seen before. Our task now is to figure out how to destroy these things, and Sam's suggestion is the only thing showing any promise so far, without risking the host. In this case, Jack."

With Janet's comments bringing them full circle, Daniel quashed his feelings of anxiety with an effort. He knew he would have to deal with his fears if he wanted Jack saved, which he desperately did. He gave Janet a slow nod of approval.

Janet breathed a sigh of relief then continued. "I'm going to give each of you a mild sedative. That will help you rest. Hopefully if you can get some sleep, you won't notice the time so much. I also want to start a nutrient drip on you, since room service is probably not going to happen. Any questions?"

No one bothered to ask anything, as they knew there really wasn't much choice but to go with the plan. Janet settled each person on their bed. She started IV's on Daniel and Teal'c, as the other two already had them. She then added a nutrient bag to each line, including Sam and Jack's. Next she administered the sedative.

Teal'c looked at her. "What about you Doctor Fraiser. Will you not suffer from hunger?"

She grinned at him. "It's okay Teal'c. Once I discussed this plan with the General, I stopped by the commissary. I had them make me up a sandwich". She pat the small cooler she had previously set by the medicine cabinet. "Okay everybody, all set?"

Three yeahs were heard with varying degrees of enthusiasm. She nodded to the nurse who stood in the doorway. He hit the light switch and the room plunged into darkness, with the exception of the light coming in from the doorway. That lasted only seconds, as the same nurse left the room and closed the door behind him.

Once the darkness descended, and no-one could see, Janet silently slipped out of her suit. She knew the risks she was taking, and that she could be severely reprimanded when the General found out, but she was confident that the cure would be found, and in the meantime, the suit was compromising her ability to treat her patients. She hoped that the General would see her decision in the same light.

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Miles away, on another base, a smug looking officer accepted a package from the soldier. He dismissed the man. As he retreated to his office, a voice spoke to him from the shadows. "Do you have it?"

"Safe and sound. It appears we may have the makings of a potent weapon!"

The voice sounded pleased. "Good. I was told you were the right man for the job".

The officer couldn't keep the pleasure from his voice as he responded. "You were informed correctly. We may also have an unexpected bonus".

"How so?" the voice asked.

"It appears as though O"Neill may be the first casualty". This time the officer didn't even try to hide his smile.

"That was not part of the plan".

"No, but it sure is a nice fringe benefit, don't you think?" The officer found himself alone.

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A voice over the intercom startled the dosing group. "Doctor Fraiser. We checked the next set of samples. At twelve hours, the smallest of the spores showed signs of shrinking, while the larger ones did not appear to be affected."

Janet accepted the news gratefully, but declined to reply in the hopes that her charges might go back to sleep.

The sedatives that Janet had given the team had been effective. Daniel, Teal'c and Sam had joined Jack in sleep. That had been eight hours ago. Janet had only needed to use the filtered flashlight minimally to check on the team. Sam's condition had not worsened, much to her Doctor's relief. Jack had suffered another nosebleed early on. It was a bad one that took Janet some time to stop. His blood pressure had dropped accordingly, but was slowly showing signs of improvement to her great relief.

Daniel spoke up, his voice raspy from the drug induced sleep. "So, did we miss anything?"

Janet grinned. It seemed as though Daniel was picking up some of Jack's sarcasm without even being aware of it.

"Well Daniel", she replied, "we have some promising news. The last samples were showing the beginnings of deterioration".

"How long did that take?" Hearing Janet's disembodied voice was more disturbing than Daniel cared to admit.

"About eight hours. How are you doing?"

"Fine"

Janet waited a while to see if any more information was forthcoming as something in Daniel's voice told her that was probably the opposite of what he was feeling. The silence hung heavily in the air disturbed only by the rhythmic breathing of her patients, and the soft beeping of Jack's EKG. She began to think that Daniel had indeed dosed off.

A subdued voice broke the silence. "Janet?" It was Daniel.

"Daniel. Are you okay? You're not feeling any symptoms are you?"

"No". His voice sounded small.

"What's going on Daniel?" she asked in a soft, quiet voice.

In the complete darkness, it was easy for Daniel to picture that he and Janet were alone, or maybe he just wanted to. It made it easier that way. "I was just remembering when I was nine".

Janet knew something about Daniel's early life. He had been orphaned at a young age. His parents dying tragically in front of him. After that, it was a matter of being bounced from one foster home to another, a life that would have been hard enough at the best of times, but couple that with an overly bright, misunderstood child and you had the recipe for disaster.

"What happened when you were nine?" She deliberately kept her voice quiet and soothing.

"I was moved in to my new foster parent's house. They were an older couple. They had two children. Boys. Both were older than me".

Janet prompted him to continue, knowing there was something about this that he needed to purge himself of.

Daniel sat in silence for a moment, unaware of other sets of ears listening quietly. Sam and Teal'c had both woken up to the intercom. Neither had spoken while they shrugged off the effects of the sedatives. By the time they felt better, Janet and Daniel had begun. Sensing the delicacy of the moment, they remained silent.

Unknown to the rest of them, one more member of the team was awake. Jack had pulled himself from the depths of his subconscious hours before. He woke to a world of hurt and confusion. He had been asleep when the team was apprised of Janet's plan, and waking to absolute darkness, had thrown him. He wondered briefly if he had gone blind, until he was caught sight of the faint glow from the EKG machine alongside his bed. Somewhat reassured, he lay there, taking stock of the situation. His chest and head hurt. As he moved his arms cautiously, he became aware of the tubes running into him. There seemed to be a number of them. He realised from previous experiences that the foreign object in his throat was an intubation tube. He heard the quiet, steady beeping at his side and knew that he was in an infirmary. He assumed from his hazy memories that he was in the SGC, but couldn't be sure. Realising that he seemed to be in one piece, he lost that particular distraction, which left him to stare blindly out in space, lost in his thoughts.

Jack didn't like the dark. He didn't like the feelings it brought out in him. Even at home he always kept a light of some sort on. He had ever since Iraq. He learned to dislike the dark when he was there. 'Who are you kidding,' he mentally lectured himself. He was downright afraid if the truth be told. He had learned the hard way that the dark could be a frightening place. He spent the next couple of hours counting the beeps from the EKG, and listening to the sound of his own breathing, albeit assisted. Anything to distract himself from the memories the situation was dredging forth. The voice from the intercom had taken him completely by surprise. Until then, it had just been him and his heartbeat. When he heard Daniel and Janet start to talk, he debated about making some noise to alert them that he too was awake, that is, until he heard Daniel's voice. Like Janet, he knew there was a problem. Unable to go to his friend, or even talk to him, Jack resolved to at least be there for him by trying to understand.

Daniel tried to struggle through his feelings. He was embarrassed to be seen as a coward. A grown man who was afraid of the dark was laughable, yet here he was........afraid. He knew that Janet would understand, as she always seemed to, and he would never have a better opportunity to unburden himself. With the others apparently still under the effects of the sedatives, it was just the two of them. He also knew that they had a long time left to go, and he didn't know if he would be able to stand much more without doing something. Already his heart was pounding, and his palms were sweaty, all classic sign of an impending panic attack.

Janet moved surely, even in the total blackness. This was her territory, and she knew it like the back of her hand. Quickly she gained the foot of Daniel's bed. Feeling along the right hand side-rails, she moved to the head and sat in the chair that was waiting there. Silently, she reached out in the darkness and found Daniel's hand. Taking it in hers, she waited for him.

That sure, gentle touch meant the world to Daniel. As a child, he had learned to let go of the hope of a mother's loving touch, or a father's sure grip. Foster parents, or at least the ones he had, didn't seem to go for that kind of stuff. Not that they couldn't be physical, just not necessarily gentle. He learned quickly what he could, and could not do. For all of Jack's gentle joking with him that he needed to learn to duck, he actually had, years ago. Now it was to avoid being shot with some sort of weapon, back then a fist was the weapon, or whatever else was handy to hit with.

Daniel took a deep breath as he wondered how to start. "I used to run away a lot. I kept hoping that if I could just get away, things would be better". His voice was so childlike that Janet felt her heart clench in response. She squeezed his hand in encouragement.

"I would get so mad when my case worker would show up and chew me out for being disruptive, and difficult". Anger was seeping into his words. "I mean, if Cassie ran away, wouldn't you question why?"

Janet could feel his eyes bore into her, even in the dark. Knowing he couldn't see her nod, she gave a soft yes in reply.

Across the room, Sam and Teal'c listened on. Already the picture was becoming clear, and it wasn't pretty.

Daniel continued. "My dad would find me sometimes, other times it was the police, or a concerned neighbour". He laughed harshly at that. "Isn't it ironic. They were concerned, so they would take me back there".

Janet could feel a shudder run through him. She brought her second hand up and wrapped it around their already joined ones. The tension that was pouring off him in waves, subsided a little.

"They had a closet for me. It was my punishment closet. They used to laugh about that. They'd even show it to their friends. 'Oh look, that's Daniel's closet' they'd say and everyone would think it was so funny........everyone except me. I would sit in there for hours, contemplating my sins". He spat those last words out, as if they left a bad taste in his mouth.

He gripped Janet's hand tighter. "It was so dark, and I would get so scared. I never wanted to go in there. I would do anything not to go in there.........." Daniel's broken voice trailed off.

Janet stood up, reached over and pulled the man into a hug. He gripped her with all his strength. She felt his tears run onto her shoulders, and her heart wept with him. This man who was so kind and gentle, had been through so much. She held him until he finally began to relax. She took the flashlight from her coat pocket and pressed it into his hands.

"Take this, and use it if you need to. It will bring the light back".

Daniel handed it back, and spoke equally gently. "I think it already has. Thank you".

Janet wasn't the only one who smiled.

She moved to check on Jack, using the flashlight to see him, and was surprised to find him awake. Before she could speak, he moved his head from side to side, and took her hand in one of his own. He didn't need to speak. She understood the look in his eyes perfectly. Standing up straight, she made a point of checking his vitals. They hadn't changed which she counted as a blessing at this point. She changed the saline bag on his IV, and hung a new unit of blood. She moved to make some notations on his chart. When she was done, she gave him a last look, then moved to check on the others.

Teal'c feigned sleep as she approached. She only needed a moment to reassure herself that he still appeared to be fine. When she moved away, he opened his eyes to follow her retreating form in the dim light that travelled with her as she walked over to Sam's bed.

This time Janet wasn't surprised to find another patient awake. Sam was wiping away the last traces of tears as her friend approached. Knowing that Sam had overheard her conversation with Daniel, she realised that they all sought to protect his privacy. She smiled her acknowledgement and gratitude at the sick woman. As she checked Sam's pulse, the Major noticed her attire. Sam knew that Daniel still thought she was asleep, but as she couldn't speak in that state, she decided it was time to wake up.

"Janet?" she called in what she hoped was a sleepy voice.

Janet played along. "Sorry Sam, I didn't mean to wake you up. How are you feeling?"

Sam thought about that for a moment. "Actually, I think I feel better".

"Well, your vitals are somewhat stronger. I'm still going to leave you on oxygen though. Even if these spores are being affected by the darkness, you still have sustained some damage to your lungs. I believe they will heal, but it will take time". Janet was feeling a little encouraged by Sam's condition. She did seem stronger, although without being able to do some more elaborate testing, it was just a hunch, backed with little data.

Sam looked at her critically. "Janet, where is your suit?"

"Oh, that. I took it off. I can't be expected to treat you effectively when I'm all wrapped up now can I?"

"Janet!" Sam was shocked. It was one thing to be exposed to something like this accidentally, but to deliberately take a chance on exposure was something else.

"Listen. I took a healthy dose of antihistamines before I took the suit off. Now Daniel appears to be symptom free, and I believe that's why. He had the same drug in his system. I also believe that we are on the right track with this. So, the way I see it, there really isn't much risk, and the benefits far outweigh those. Now, I want you to try to get some sleep. You still look tired".

Sam couldn't argue with that. She was tired. She flashed Janet an appreciative smile, and closed her eyes.

Janet was feeling a little weary herself. It had been a while since she had really rested. Between trying to find a cure, treating the team, and now this talk with Daniel, she was starting to feel frayed. Leaning her head back to rest against the wall, she closed her eyes.

Jack's head was hurting. To distract himself, he thought about what he had heard between Daniel and Janet. He was grateful to the Doctor who was once again there to patch them up, physically, and it appeared mentally. Jack had known some of what Daniel had gone through, but not all of it. His nails had dug deep crescent shaped cuts into both palms as his fists had tightened more and more throughout the conversation. Suddenly, the pain in his head flared, and his eyes rolled back in his head. He was unaware of the blood flowing violently from his nose and ears.

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The officer picked up his phone. The unknown voice on the other end answered. "What is our status?"

The officer smiled. "We have isolated the spores, and are now in the process of growing them".

The voice replied "Did you find a satisfactory repository?"

"Eminently". With that the officer hung the phone gently up on it's cradle.

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Jack woke with a start. The pain in his head was excruciating. He tried to see where he was, but there was no light. He realised that they had probably put him in the pit again, although he couldn't remember what he had done this time. His body ached from what he assumed were the blows they so enjoyed raining on him. As he moved his hands to his face, he felt something hindering his movements. He touched one hand to the other, and felt the offending needles that pierced his skin. Frantically he grabbed them and tore them out, painfully, ignoring the blood that flowed from the wounds. He tried to yell a protest, but realised that something was in his mouth, preventing his words. Panicking, he grabbed for the object, assuming it was a gag. His hands encountered the plastic tubing, but his mind was to deeply ensconced in the nightmare to register what he was doing.

Janet barely heard the Colonel stir. She was so sleepy. It wasn't until she heard him thrashing that she fully awoke. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the flashlight at her side. She ran over to the Colonel's bed, unsure of what was going on. He was grabbing at his intubation tube, and appeared to be trying to pull it out.

"Colonel", she yelled, unintentionally loud, her cry alerting the others to the problem. She tried to grab his hands, but they were slick with blood, and she couldn't hold them. Teal'c appeared beside her, and grabbed them for her.

"Colonel, can you hear me?" It was obvious to Janet that Jack wasn't anywhere near. His eyes were wild, and showed no signs of recognition. "Can you hold him?" she questioned Teal'c, who nodded. She leaned over him. "Jack, it's Janet". Beside her the EKG was beeping crazily in time with Jack's heart.

She sensed movement beside her, and looked to see Daniel and Sam moving to her side. Both of them heard the commotion, and fearing the worst for Jack, they left their beds and moved into the faint light cast by Janet's flashlight.

Jack turned to look at her, but didn't understand what he was seeing. His head was pounding, and his captor was holding him down. He tried to break free, but couldn't. He wanted to yell, but was prevented from doing so. His body and mind rebelled at the situation. His breathing was coming faster, but the respirator wasn't keeping up. He began struggling to simply gain a breath.

Janet realised what was going on. She decided to remove the tube, feeling that she could always put it back in later. Right now though, Jack was in danger of suffocating. She tried to grab Jack's head to hold it still, but he wouldn't co-operate. He fought like a man possessed, and even Teal'c was having a hard time trying to restrain him. Daniel moved up to the side of the bed and grabbed Jack's flailing legs. When she saw the two men had Jack somewhat immobilised, she took the light and ran to the medicine cabinet where she prepared a fast acting sedative . As she returned to the bed, she realised Jack had pulled his IV's out. She handed the flashlight to Sam to hold, and injected the substance directly into his bicep. Jack's struggles were weakening as his oxygen was depleted, and the sedative began working, allowing her to finally pull out the tube. He gasped painfully as he tried to pull air into his damaged lungs. Such was his desperation though, that he still managed to find the breath to gasp out "I'm not telling you anything!" His energy depleted, he lay back on the bed silently, chest heaving, eyes uncomprehending.

Now that he was somewhat more calm, Janet was able to take a good look at him. His nose was bleeding copiously, and she caught sight of blood trickling from his ear. She cursed about not having the equipment necessary to fully determine what was going on. His breathing was still harsh, but the wild look was leaving his eyes as the sedative continued to work. She nodded at Teal'c, who released Jack's arms, then stepped back into the shadows. Daniel did likewise, although somewhat reluctantly. What he had seen shook him more than he cared to admit.

"Janet?" Jack croaked, as he started to calm down and regain his senses. "Is that you?" He appeared unaware of the presence of the others, as they blended in with the dark backdrop.

"Yes Jack. You gave me quite a scare. Are you all right?"

Jack mumbled so softly she could scarcely make out his words. "Sorry, thought you were someone else".

"What was that Jack, I couldn't hear you". She hoped he might elaborate, which he didn't.

"My head really hurts Janet". The pain was obvious in his voice.

"I know. Listen, you pulled out your IV lines. I'm going to put them back in, then I'll give you something for the pain, okay?"

Jack nodded wearily, scrubbing his bloody hands across his face.

When Janet had finished reinserting the lines, she made sure she taped them securely. She checked to make sure the subclavian was undisturbed, and gave a silent thanks that Jack had left it alone. She gave him a dose of morphine, then set about trying to stop the bleeding from his nose. It took some time, but eventually it stopped. She elected to use the nasal canula once again, as it was apparent that he was under some emotional duress, and the breathing tube had exacerbated things. She would have preferred to use a mask, but decided to forego that until he was ready. It was obvious how much of a toll the episode had taken on him though. His head drooped with fatigue, and he was weak from blood loss. Still, he managed to look up and give her a weak grin, although she could see in his eyes that he was still not completely with her. His body shook spasmodically as suppressed memories vied for attention.

Not sure what had just happened, Janet decided to take things slow. "How's the head?"

"It's been better."

Janet was surprised. Jack never let her know how bad anything was. It was part of his makeup, as much as his one-liners and flippant attitude. Whatever had triggered his actions, it still had not completely released it's grip. Janet was unsure if this was a bad thing or not. Part of her wondered if she would be able to get him to open up and talk, while the other part argued it would be taking advantage of his present condition.

Cautiously she ventured a question. "Who did you think I was Jack?"

At first she didn't think he would answer, as he leaned his head into the pillows and closed his eyes. "Someone from another time, another place", he whispered.

Daniel and Sam moved closer to one another. Both had been frightened for Jack. When it seemed like he would be okay, they had moved to leave, but were held in place by the scene being played out. For the first time, it sounded as though Jack might actually reveal something of himself.

"Where Jack?"

Jack was so tired. He was still confused. One minute he was in the pit, the next he was somewhere else, still in pain, still in the dark. Images of friends and enemies flashed across the lids of his eyes. He felt caught somewhere between the past and present. In both places he was hurting, confused, and being questioned in the dark. One phrase came to mind. One that he had said over and over, time and again. "I'm not telling you anything". He flinched as though waiting for the blow.

Janet didn't know what to make of that. It was the second time in minutes that he had used that phrase. She sat gently on the side of the bed, and took his hand as she had earlier with Daniel. Beside her, the EKG monitor continued to slow it's pattern as the patient continued to relax.

"Jack, it's Janet. If you want to talk, I'm here. If you don't want to, that's fine too. Would you like me to leave?"

There was no response.

A thought crossed Janet's mind. "Jack?" she questioned softly, "do you know where you are?"

Still waiting to for the punishment, Jack replied without thinking. "The pit".

Sam and Daniel looked at each other in the pale light. Daniel mouthed the words 'the pit' at Sam, hoping she knew what they meant. She shrugged her shoulders.

"What pit Jack?"

Again Jack answered before thinking. This time his voice was fainter. "The one they put me in when I don't answer their questions". His eyes opened, although his gaze appeared to be seeing something other than the scene in front of him.

Janet felt sick. Her friend would never open up like this if he weren't hurting and drugged, his confusion obvious, and she was pumping him for information. Still, she felt compelled to see what more he would tell her.

"Did they hurt you?"

Jack's voice was flat, emotionless. "Yes". His lack of elaboration was chilling.

"How long were you there Jack?" Janet's voice was softer still.

Jack closed his against the memory. "Four months", his whisper barely audible. A kaleidoscope of images presented itself in his mind. Leering faces, torturous devices, the mouth of the pit and the sounds of suffering all flashed by, leaving Jack shaking. His heart beat was starting to race, and his eyes snapped open, the wild look returning.

Janet realised that she had pushed too hard. She lay her hand on Jack's pale cheek, and whispered soothing words. Slowly he started to calm down, until finally, he closed his eyes again and fell into a drug assisted sleep.

Janet and the others, each pushing their IV poles, moved to the other end of the room, to Sam's bed. Absently she placed the nasal canula back on Sam, and checked her IV. Sam glanced over at the other woman's face, and immediately took Janet's arm and guided the Doctor to sit on the bed beside her.

Janet looked like a shock victim, and in effect, she was. She looked at the three friends around her. As she spoke, her voice shook. "I didn't know. I mean, I knew there were some medical records in his file from Iraq, but they were sealed. I guess now I know why".

The quartet looked across the darkness at their silent friend, each trying to absorb what they had heard, and each knowing they could never mention it again once they left this room. They were all shaken by the incident. Their fear for their friend had only increased, knowing he was battling not only the spores which threatened to quite literally, consume him, but his memories as well. Memories that were of a terrifying nature, and which he had deliberately kept from them.

Daniel spoke up, his voice slow, remembering. "So that's what Jack meant on Hudante, when he said he'd been to prison". Now things in Jack's home made more sense. The constant presence of light meant as much to Jack, as it did to him. He too was taken back by what he had heard. He knew there had to be much more to the story, but realised that they had all heard about as much as they ever would.

Beside him, Sam yawned hugely, her body still weak from the infection, and worn from worry. They all took the hint. Teal'c and Daniel went back to their beds, and Janet hopped off of Sam's. Rechecking that the other woman seemed all right, Janet left her to sleep.

Knowing that she had too many emotions running through her, Janet decided not to try to regain her interrupted rest. Instead, she moved to sit in the chair by the Colonel's bed. She wanted to be nearby if he needed her. She lay one arm on his mattress, and rested her head on it. Without planning it, she fell asleep, the flashlight in her hand casting a soft glow about the bed.

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