A new story - and a short one! It will only be about 4 chapters, so hopefully you won't have to wait forever for it to be done!

This story takes place in season 5 and, although there are some S/J undertones, it will mostly be a team fic. Please let me know what you think!

The Day When Nobody Died

Jack O'Neill eased his battle weary body into the hard plastic chair and sighed. He gazed at the two recumbent figures lying in the beds on either side of him and his brow creased with a mixture of frustration and worry. As far as missions went, this one had been a complete bust. The five people now residing in the infirmary in various stages of recovery probably felt the same way, he guessed wryly as he looked around. Or would once they regained consciousness.

His gaze returned to the two members of his team who lay before him and he sighed once again. Damn. If he could go back in time…just a few hours…he'd do it in a heartbeat. A soft voice behind him startled Jack, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Colonel, you really should go back to your quarters and rest. Sam and Daniel aren't likely to wake up until morning."

Jack craned his neck and looked at the diminutive doctor standing behind him. Her eyes were filled with the same concern as his, but her concern included the weary man before her. "I can rest just fine here, doc," was his curt reply.

Janet sighed and walked around him, coming to stand in front of him and effectively blocking his view of Sam and Daniel. "Colonel," this time, her voice was a little more commanding. "You won't do either of them any good by wearing yourself out. Go and lay down. I'll let you know the minute anything changes, but I assure you, neither one of them will wake up before morning." Their gazes clashed for several long moments before Janet sighed and turned her head to look at the two figures on the bed. Her expression changed from one of severity to that of compassion. When she turned back to him, Jack could read the tiredness in her own eyes.

She tried once more to convince him that he didn't need to stand watch over his two friends. "Colonel, Sam's surgery went well, but I have her on strong pain killers to help her sleep. Daniel took a pretty good blow to the head out there. He'll sleep for another 6 hours or so…at least. He's going to have a severe headache when he does wake up," she added with a slight wince. "And neither one of them will be fully cognizant for quite some time after that."

Jack nodded his head. He had heard all of this as he was getting his own cuts and bruises attended to, but he had no intention of leaving his teammates' sides until he saw for himself that they were going to be OK. "I know that, Doc. And thanks just the same, but I'd prefer to stay here." His quietly spoken words were belied by the stubborn set of his jaw as he leant back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Janet sighed, knowing that, unless she directly ordered him to for medical reasons, he wouldn't budge. And she wasn't going to do that; not after what they all had been through today. "Fine," she replied with a slight edge to her voice. "But so help me, Colonel, if you even so much as look as if…" she left the rest unsaid, and Jack offered up a small smile of understanding.

"Gotcha," he replied. Again, their gazes clashed. But this time with an understanding that each would do what they needed to in order to pull Sam and Daniel through this.

"O'Neill." Teal'c's deep voice made Jack turn his attention away from Janet and his unconscious teammates.

"T. How ya feeling?" Jack's gaze roved up and down the large man, noting the absence of any serious injuries with a feeling of relief.

"I am well, O'Neill. My symbiote has healed my most pressing injuries. I but need a few hours to Kel'no'reem before I once again will be ready for battle."

Jack's gaze moved back to his other two teammates. Janet had moved to take Sam's vitals, so he had a clear view of them once more. "I don't think we'll be engaging in any battles anytime soon, big guy," he replied with a tone of regret. He'd be back on that planet in a minute if he thought they had a hope in hell of making the power hungry Goa'uld who did this pay.

Teal'c's gaze followed that of his friend and his eyes saddened as he looked at his two fallen friends.. "Indeed." He too would be back on P5X-991 to avenge this injustice if General Hammond agreed. Alas, the General felt that, at this time, a return would be ill-advised. Teal'c glanced across the infirmary to three other beds that were filled with members from their recent mission. "What of SG-7? Have they sustained serious injuries?"

Janet answered his questions. "Michaels has a minor staff burn on his leg. Other than that, they have a few sprains, and slight burns. They'll be fine in a day or two." She looked down at Sam and her voice quieted. "Sam appears to have taken the brunt of the injuries." Then she shivered slightly. "I'll never get used to seeing the damage those staff weapons can do."

"Me either," Jack replied quietly as he stared at Carter's too still form. Teal'c and Janet shared a look of concern that Jack didn't notice.

There were several long moments of quiet as Janet finished taking readings for both Sam and Daniel. Then she turned, nodded to both men standing watch, and went to check on SG-7.

Teal'c moved to Daniel's bedside and stood quietly, hands clasped behind his back. "I regret that I was unable to pull Daniel Jackson from harm's way."

His quiet statement, loaded with self recrimination, pulled Jack's attention to him. "You did everything you could, T." He looked back at Sam, and his own eyes filled with regret. "We all did," he added softly.

Teal'c studied his leader for several long, quiet moments. Bruises covered the other man's face and he could read the weariness in his eyes even from six feet away. "I am most willing to remain beside Daniel Jackson and Major Carter while you rest, O'Neill. They shall not awaken alone." His intentions were clear in the simple statement and Jack felt an immense sense of gratitude toward his friend. But still, he shook his head resolutely and winced at the pain the movement caused.

"Thanks T. I appreciate it. But I think I'll just stay right here for now." Their gazes met, understanding passing between the two men. Neither one would leave, for they were bound to their friends and each other from years of shared battles.

Teal'c bowed slightly toward Jack, then pulled a matching chair next to Daniel's bed and sat down. Fifteen minutes later, Jack glanced over at the man and saw him resting quietly, eyes closed. He knew that Teal'c had entered a light state of Kel'no'reem; a way to restore and heal both his body and his mind. Jack fervently wished he could do the same.

He looked at his two friends again. Sam's soft blond hair was matted to her forehead and she was deathly pale. Daniel's head was wrapped in bandages and, though not as pale as Sam, his face held an unnatural pallor. Both had a variety of tubes and wires connected to various machines, and the beeps and hums they made were unusually soothing in the quiet, sterile environment of the infirmary.

Jack stood and took the few steps necessary that placed him directly between their beds. He turned slightly so that he was looking down at Sam. With his left hand, he slowly reached out and brushed the plastered hair from Sam's forehead. His fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary before slowly drawing it back. Leaning down, he spoke softly to her. "Ya scared the hell out of me today, Carter. You ever do that to me again…" His voice faltered for a moment before he cleared his throat and continued. "I want to see those eyes open come 0800, you hear me?" The quietly whispered order went unanswered and Jack fervently wished to hear a whispered, "Yes, Sir." Closing his eyes briefly, Jack placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and squeezed it gently before turning to Daniel.

"You too, Danny. I'll give you tonight to lay there and be lazy, but come morning, you'd damned well better be annoying the hell out of me with your chatter. Got it?" Jack squeezed the prone man's shoulder as gently as he had Sam's before turning and making his way back to his chair. Teal'c's eyes opened briefly as he watched Jack return to his seat, then he closed his eyes once again.

Jack back sat down. He watched for several long minutes, making sure their chests were still rising and falling, before he leaned back in his chair and closed his own eyes in complete exhaustion. But sleep wouldn't come to the leader of SG – 1. Only the sounds and images of the battle that had brought them here reverberated through his mind. And Jack knew that the sight of Carter falling would haunt him for the rest of his life.