DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions.  This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it.  Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended.  Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.  Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).

Chapter 16: Sam

For someone alien to the language (among other things), Teal'c sure has gotten the hang of it. That's three games of Scrabble so far and he's creamed me every time. I throw the tiles back into the bag in mock-disgust and challenge him to a rematch.

The sun is low off to our left, but still warm enough here on the deck to make us want to stay out a little longer.

The colonel---Jack---is taking another shot at catching a fish without me there to scare them off and Daniel is hobbling aimlessly around the lakeshore watching as the golden sun crowns this nearly perfect day.

Nearly perfect...

Daniel didn't come in for lunch and the sandwich Teal'c carried out to him in his deck chair is still sitting there, untouched and probably feeding an entire ant colony by now. It's like I told the colonel earlier, if he doesn't start eating soon, we'll have to call Janet. Daniel just can't keep on this way. The colonel had nodded agreement, but wants to give Daniel more time.

Daniel may not have 'time'. Daniel has always been lean, but now he actually looks gaunt; the cheekbones standing out starkly, the sensitive long-fingered hands bony and fragile. I look up sharply at he sound of splashing and see Daniel flailing around in the water and the colonel tearing off after him. Teal'c and I storm off the deck and arrive just a few seconds behind the colonel who is already diving in.

A Rocky Mountain lake in June at sunset still rates as water too cold for swimming and, seeing that the colonel and Teal'c have things well in hand, I run back to the house for towels and blankets.

By the time I get back, they've got Daniel out of the water. He's shivering and coughing, but trying to sit up. Teal'c helps him to his feet as I ask, "What the hell happened?" I wrap him in a blanket and hand the other to the colonel, as he shakes his head. "I dunno...leg must've given out..."

The colonel looks at Daniel sharply and then at us over his head. There's more to it than that...

Teal'c supports Daniel as they head back to the house and I lokk around for Daniel's crutch, if he fell it has to be around here somewhere...

The colonel stops me. "Don't bother, it's at the bottom of the lake by now."

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