DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions; all the powers that be, not me; This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement intended. The story is the property of the author and may not be posted without the author's consent.
SPOILERS: minor mentioning to events from Bloodlines
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am whumping Bra'tac! I can't believe what's happening…. But then again, you all *know* me, so keep on reading…..
My "Thank you" goes to Mary the Badger, Sandra G and last, but not least, Yoof, who managed to beta this for me without turning it into a Jack-Bra'tac DarkGate fic!

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Colonel Jack O'Neill stared at the gate for a brief moment, just after the wormhole disengaged, before turning his attention back to the situation at hand.

His team was through, sound and safe and probably pissed as well, he figured, since he hadn't followed them home.

What he was about to do was his decision, however, and his alone. Not to mention the fact that he'd had to make it in a split second, while it was already too late to stop them from stepping through.

Besides, there was no way he was about to endanger his whole team for a suicidal rescue mission and Master Bra'tac would kill him personally if he did.

The team had been exploring the planet when they'd stumbled across enemy troops. The troops marching through the fields and woods were a real threat, their numbers greater than SG-1 could realistically handle. They were lucky to have been able to mislead them and break through reaching the gate as they did. Maybe the fact the Jaffa were hunting for something else was proving to be in their favor, who knew, but their chances were slim and O'Neill had been relieved to reach the big honkin' circle which led his team to safety.

They didn't know why the troops had appeared on PX-something-something. They weren't planning to stay and find out either. Their mission, exploring some ruins north of the gate couldn't be that important that it justified risking four lives. When O'Neill realized what he was up against, his order had been simple. Retreat and gate home. Double ASAP. This meant as soon as possible, as safe as possible in O'Neill's rules book.

What Jack hadn't counted on, was what he spotted while waiting for the wormhole to engage. From the corner of his eye he watched Daniel step through first, his focus still on his surroundings, making sure nothing could endanger his team. Carter was next to go when he spotted movement on one of the hills. He registered Carter's disappearance, as he saw some troops, in pursuit of somebody, on top of that hill. Too late to call out for Teal'c he finally recognized the person trying to stay out of the hands of the troops.

It was Master Bra'tac.

What was he doing on this planet?

More importantly: how was he going to escape?

Bra'tac needed help, and without thinking any further Jack ducked behind the DHD, waiting for the wormhole to disengage. Knowing the General would send a probe through as soon as they realized O'Neill wasn't with the rest of SG-1, he quickly wrote a message explaining what had happened then added some instructions for the SGC and stuck it against the back of the DHD.

At least now they would know he was all right.

Ducking into the woods, O'Neill then left the gate area and moved west, the direction he saw Bra'tac heading.

He would have to be extremely careful.

Some of the troops must have spotted the wormhole engaging. They couldn't have missed the sound it made alone. Question was, had they watched four people approaching and only three stepping through? He might be lucky, with the enemy thinking he'd already left. That would be to his advantage. If they knew he hadn't left, though, they would probably try to lure him into a trap.

As grandmother O'Neill used to tell him, a warned person counted as two.

He was going to take lots of precautions. Plus some more.

----

The hiding place Bra'tac had chosen was good. It kept him safe from his pursuers.

O'Neill, however, was good, too. He'd tracked the Jaffa down through fields and forest, carefully staying out of sight. He'd followed them for two tiring days, pleased that the Jaffa Master at least had managed to stay out of the enemy's hands.

Then, the tracks of the troops went on.

They failed to notice what Jack did see.

Barely visible, a cavern, the entrance facing downhill. Yes, the tracks went on. So did the troops. O'Neill, however, was certain that Bra'tac must have spotted what he had, the perfect place to hide.

It was worth checking out.

It took Jack some effort to wade through the brush, all the while making sure he wouldn't slide down the hill, but in the end he made it to the entrance.

Prepared for a surprise attack from the 134-years-old Jaffa, O'Neill kept his distance as he softly called out. "Bra'tac!"

No answer was forthcoming.

This could mean only one of two things. Either Bra'tac wasn't there, or he was unable to answer.

That last thought sent a shiver down his spine.

"Bra'tac!" he tried again, before approaching the entrance.

If the Jaffa was inside, he must have heard and hopefully recognized Jack's voice by now, so a surprise-attack was something that could be ruled out. O'Neill stepped inside the cave.

Gasping silently, Jack rushed forward and dropped to his knees beside the older man. Bra'tac was spread out on his back, grimacing, eyes closed, one hand pressed firmly over his midsection.

"Bra'tac..." O'Neill urged, his hands already moving.

"Hasshak," the older man grunted, his eyes still tightly shut. "You fool... You should have left with the others..."

Raising his brow at the unexpected response, O'Neill shrugged. "Haven't you guys heard of a simple 'thank you'?"

"Thank you?" Despite his injuries, the Jaffa managed to raise his voice. "Know your place, human. I lured the enemy away from you, to provide you with a safe escape."

"Ah." O'Neill pulled a face. "And you did a great job at it. Question is... how did YOU plan to escape?"

He'd taken off his backpack and gathered his med kit. Shortly after that he had a bandage, which he attempted to press to the wound in Bra'tac's side.

The injured man gasped, grasping at the gauze with one weak, trembling hand. "I can look after myself," he croaked. "Besides... it is a good day to die."

"Damnit!" O'Neill blurted out. "What is it with you people, huh? Dying is *never* a good plan!"

What started as a slightly annoyed roll of his eyes, ended when Bra’tac’s eyes rolled all the way up as he jerked and lost consciousness.

Jack sighed, partly offended, but mostly worried about Bra'tac's condition. With the symbiote it would take a freight train to take the stubborn man down like that, even with all of his one-hundred-thirty-something years.

----------

Bra'tac woke up, still feeling groggy and sore. His senses were running on full alert, however, and once he'd determined it safe, he opened his eyes.

The cavern he was lying in was empty, except for him.

He silently took stock of his injuries. The hole in his side was throbbing, but his symbiote was already working on the healing. The staff weapon burn on his shoulder felt hot and made his whole arm useless. The rest was minor. Still, it would take him at least a day or three to get his strength back.

With a grunt of dismay he found that he was lying on a makeshift bed of grass, covered by a blanket. A jacket served as a pillow, his wounds were neatly and professionally bound and there was a canteen waiting for him within reach.

"Weaklings," he muttered, realizing O'Neill was responsible for his treatment. It annoyed him, to be dependant, especially on the young and reckless.

Still, he got up to a sitting position, then moved to take the canteen, a movement proving more difficult than he thought, with his shoulder screaming from the abuse. He sipped slowly, drained and already exhausted. With his hand trembling, he lowered the canteen back to the ground and lay down again.

The soft scraping of leaves alerted him of somebody approaching, and Bra'tac reached for his weapon. A soft whistle reassured him, though, so he gave up and relaxed.

O'Neill came in, his clothes and every exposed area of skin including his face covered in mud.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing the man from Earth asked.

"What do you think you are doing, hasshak?" Bra'tac barked, one hand weakly motioning in O'Neill's direction. "Do you have any idea how many warriors are out there?"

His face grim, O'Neill nodded. "I kinda noticed that."

"You should have left with the others. You have no reason to be here," Bra'tac continued, although his voice was losing its force already.

"Well, I'm here, so you better get used to it," O'Neill shrugged. He sat down next to the Jaffa warrior, leaning with his back against the wall of the cave.

"You are in need of rest, human," the former First Prime of Apophis said, as he took in the other man's features.

"Look who's talking," O'Neill snapped. "And stop calling me human. I have a name, in case you have forgotten."

Noticing the other man's irritation brought a smile to Bra'tac's face. "I shall call you what I like. Now, great warrior of Earth, what is your plan to escape?"

The soldier threw a glare in the injured man's direction, then rolled his eyes. "We wait until you are well enough, then we head back to the gate."

Bra'tac's eyes widened. "That is your plan?"

"Yeah... I always prefer to keep it simple," O'Neill defended his strategy.

The Jaffa warrior shook his head in dismay. "How you humans have managed to defeat some system lords I do not understand. It must have been sheer luck..."

Trying not to respond, O'Neill let his eyes take in the way the man favored his injured side and how he was unable to hide the grimace after making certain moves. "So... How are you doing?" he asked again, his voice softer and filled with concern.

"I will be fine," Bra'tac said.

"Is Senior taking care of things?" O'Neill asked, making a faint motioning movement with his hand.

Bra'tac frowned. "Senior?" he demanded.

"Yeah," Jack pulled a face, pointing at the Jaffa's midsection. "I meant..."

"My symbiote..." Master Bra'tac understood now. "The healing will take another day perhaps two." With that, the subject was closed to the older man as he sank back down and closed his eyes. "Rest."

"Yes, Sir," O'Neill responded dryly.

-----

Despite Bra'tac's protests, Jack made sure the stubborn warrior rested, drank and ate for the next two days. O'Neill knew the injuries had been severe, even for a Jaffa with a little snake-helper, and he wasn't fooled by Bra'tac's attempts to play it down. It was clear to both of them that the Jaffa needed time to heal, whether he liked it or not.

While Bra'tac was sleeping, O'Neill would leave the cavern, gather food and drinking water, search the perimeter and make sure that they couldn't be found by the enemy.

Each time the older man tried to warn him about the troops, O'Neill shrugged it off, telling Bra'tac not to worry until he was better.

Bra'tac muttered.

O'Neill smiled.

Bra'tac snapped.

O'Neill shrugged.

Bra'tac got annoyed.

O'Neill sighed.

Gradually, Bra'tac accepted his fate and concentrated on the healing.

----

It was early in the morning, the third day after O'Neill had found him. Bra'tac woke from his slumber which was a strange mixture of Kel'noreem and what the humans called sleep. For the first time since he had been hit he felt better.

His arm was still stiff and sore, but at least he could use it.

His side was still throbbing, but it felt much better.

Now his biggest concern was how to get back to the gate, with a lesser experienced human in tow. True the humans had proven themselves worthy, back on Chulak, when Teal'c had come to try and stop the priests from performing the Prim'ta on his son. Still, Bra'tac himself had been leading them, with Teal'c as his back-up. He trusted no one, except his former student.

Bra'tac knew the enemy. He knew them well. He had trained many of them himself, quite some years ago.

He knew he had to be extremely careful. They would be looking for him, and he could not allow them to capture him, as that would mean the capture of the human as well. The human was his responsibility now.

Which left the question: where on Chulak was the human?

Slowly, Bra'tac pushed himself to a sitting position, closing his eyes tightly as a wave of dizziness hit him. He concentrated on drawing slow breaths and waited until the unpleasant feeling faded before opening his eyes again.

Then, a man stepped inside the cavern.

Bra'tac moved, in a futile attempt to grab the staff weapon.

"Wow!" a voice that sounded a lot like O'Neill called out. "Easy there, Master Bra'tac."

One arm pressed to his side, Bra'tac stopped. His face showed the agony the too sudden movement had caused him. "Do not sneak up on me like that again, human," he hissed.

"I did NOT sneak up on you," the other man protested slightly. "Didn't you hear my whistle?"

"I did not," grunted the Jaffa. He raised his head, and examined the man in front of him. "What were you doing?"

"I did some scouting..." O'Neill informed him. "There's more troops coming from that way," he motioned east with his hand. "If you're up to it, we've got to go and head west, bending to the south after a few miles. We'll lead them a little way in that direction before heading back to the gate."

Bra'tac carefully studied the serious expression on the human's face. "How great are the numbers coming in?"

"Great," was the short reply.

"And that way?" Bra'tac pointed in the direction O'Neill suggested they were going.

"Much less."

"How do you know?"

"I know." Sounding impatient now, the earthling continued. "Are you good to go?"

"I am. You are injured." Bra'tac had noticed something amiss in the human's movements.

"Just a scratch," grimaced O'Neill, as he started to pack his belongings together.

Glaring at the man, Bra'tac decided now was not the time to question any further. They would have to make some progress before the new troops came too close or they wouldn't stand a chance to escape.

They left the cave, O'Neill first, moving slowly, then motioning for Bra'tac that it was safe to follow.

They moved, Bra'tac reluctantly following O'Neill's lead. He did not fail to notice the human not only knew were he was going, he also knew how to avoid making any noise in the forest. He also seemed to know where the enemy was located as he carefully led them around.

Apparently, the human had made good use of his time while Bra'tac was recuperating. Slowly, the Jaffa relaxed, realizing the young weren't all necessarily reckless.

When they passed another narrow path, Bra'tac spotted three Jaffa lying face down, in spite of the fact that they were hidden under a bush. His eyes were trained to notice these kinds of details and he threw a questioning look at the back of the man in front of him.

O'Neill moved on as if the Jaffa were not there, telling Bra'tac he knew they were no longer a threat. It was another sign that this human proved himself worthy since he was the only one who could possibly be responsible for out taking those Jaffa.

They hiked, scouted and crawled for another couple of hours, with O'Neill giving the directions. Bra'tac was aware of some more Jaffa, lying hidden along their way and his respect for his temporary partner grew with each step. Only a warrior with great skill was capable of taking on an army of Jaffa by himself. That, plus the ease in the way the human picked their trail, knowing exactly where he was going and where the more dangerous spots were made Bra'tac realize with shame that he had underestimated the human.

"The troops are not directly behind us," the Jaffa noticed.

Without stopping, O'Neill responded softly. "I've set up some things to keep them distracted for a while. Are you still good to move on?"

"Do not concern yourself with me," Bra'tac responded simply, as he thought about what the human must have set up to mislead a troop of Jaffa for that amount of time. "We must proceed."

It had taken a while, as he did not trust easily but at this point Bra'tac was no longer uncomfortable following instead of leading. The warrior of Earth was more than capable of leading, and Bra'tac silently praised Teal'c for having chosen to fight at this human's side.

O'Neill did not stop, even for a breather. Bra'tac figured he wanted to gain as much ground as possible on the Jaffa, and was glad he could keep up. It made him wonder how the human managed without a symbiote, but then he had said it was just a scratch.

Their progress was good. They had gained much distance and the enemy was not on their trail yet. Whatever the distraction was the human had used, it must have been good.

They reached a stream sometime in the afternoon.

Stopping for a moment to sip from their canteens and take a bite from some energy bars, Bra'tac narrowed his gaze. O'Neill's face was shining, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. His lips formed a tight line and he stood, awkwardly bent forward favoring his left side.

Barely finished eating his bar, O'Neill's hand moved to point out the direction. He glanced at the Jaffa. "Here, we need to head south. The ground is hard here, we won't leave tracks." The human prepared to walk away. "Wait here, while I set up a distraction further in that direction."

Bra'tac grabbed the man's arm. "Wait."

O'Neill stopped, turning slowly to face the older man.

Bra'tac's eyes studied the dark ones of the warrior of Earth. "I shall set up a diversion. You are in need of rest." His tone had been firm and the Jaffa nodded in satisfaction as O'Neill slowly sat down, reclining against a tree. "I shall return shortly."

True to his word, Bra'tac's expertly set up a false trail to keep their pursuers busy for some time. He was glad his injuries were healed enough to allow him to move without too much hindrance. His symbiote was of course to thank for that. The human however did not have that luxury, and his appearance had worried the Jaffa greatly. He had no idea how badly O'Neill was injured, but he knew now it was more than a scratch. He only hoped they would be able to make it back to the Stargate before the man's condition deteriorated further. Having finished his job, Bra'tac headed back to where he had left the human. Approaching the spot, he found O'Neill apparently sleeping, as the man's head was lolled sideways.

"Human," Bra'tac softly called out, to announce his arrival.

"I heard you," came the soft reply, although the eyes remained closed.

Then, when Bra'tac was almost beside the man, O'Neill's eyes opened as he lifted his head. "Let's go."

"Allow me to check your side," Bra'tac motioned.

"Nothing you can do about it now," O'Neill shrugged him off. "We need to gain some more distance before finding a place to spend the night."

"How far is it back to the Stargate?" Bra'tac questioned.

"We should get there sometime tomorrow afternoon," O'Neill guessed, "if we can keep up this pace."

The underlying statement clear, Bra'tac nodded. Leaning forward, he held out a hand for O'Neill to assist him in getting back to his feet.

The man from Earth swayed a little, shook his head as if to clear it then moved into the right direction without looking back.

Shaking his head, Bra'tac followed, now one eye on their surroundings but the other one on the human to make sure he was all right.

They continued their walk. O'Neill picked the direction, although Bra'tac knew the route now as well. The further they went, the more the human started to stumble, but he didn't yet slow down. To Bra'tac, it was all a matter of time and without saying anything, the old Jaffa took some longer strides until he was walking beside the human and simply grabbed the man's arm. Draping the arm over his shoulder, Bra'tac now moved his own arm around O'Neill's waist for additional support.

The man did not resist and gave a thankful nod.

At first, Bra'tac's aid was just to prevent the man from stumbling now and then but after a few more miles of traveling, the human was leaning on him in order to stay upright. A quick glance sideways told Bra'tac that O'Neill was sweating profusely and fighting to keep going.

Although the stubborn man probably would not admit it, the Jaffa knew they needed to rest. He was grateful for the distance they had managed to put between themselves and their pursuers and he simply refused to think about the guards that would have been left behind to secure the Stargate. For now, all that mattered was to find some place to hide before the human collapsed at his feet.

Moving on, Bra'tac's eyes were now searching for possible hiding places as well. More and more heavily the human leaned on him and Bra'tac sometimes felt him shiver violently.

"It is late. We must search for a place to take shelter," the Jaffa stated matter of factly.

A slight nod was his response.

"I am in need of rest and so are you," Bra'tac added, in order to make the human feel better by letting on he was not the only one in need of rest.

They stumbled on for a while longer, then Bra'tac decided enough was enough. Without warning, he led the trembling man behind a boulder and simply sat him down. "Wait here. I will seek a place where we may take shelter for the night. I shall return."

He threw one last worried glance at the human, who now had his eyes closed. Although he had not complained, Bra'tac could tell the man was in a great amount of pain by the way he bit on his lip and sucked in short, shallow breaths.

The Jaffa left, hoping he would find a good place to hide soon and not too far away. Searching the area, he found one a while later, a shallow cave that would protect them from the elements and keep them out of sight. As the human had done for him, the Jaffa now prepared a similar makeshift bed before hiking back to where he'd left O'Neill.

This time, the man from earth did not respond to his approach. Kneeling beside him, Bra'tac pressed two fingers against the human's neck, noticing the heat first before he felt the rapid pulse.

"Human," he called softly, slightly shaking O'Neill's shoulder.

A soft moan escaped the tight lips and the man fought to open his eyes.

"Come, we must take shelter," Bra'tac urged, his hands already reaching to support the trembling man as he struggled to get up. "I have found a suitable place but you must help me to get there."

It was hard to keep O'Neill on his feet. The man had given all he had during their trek until now, but it seemed as if he had given too much. His body was shaking and burning with fever, and he now barely managed to keep his eyes open, much less place one foot in front of the other. Bra'tac needed to check him out and see what was wrong, but had to get him to their hiding place first.

"You should have left when you had the chance," the Jaffa snapped. "We will be captured with the pace you are going."

The harsh words appeared to have the wanted effect. Drawing on his final reserves, O'Neill moved, one foot in front of the other, slowly, but steadily, in the direction the Jaffa Master was leading him.

Bra'tac supported the weakening man and finally got him to the hiding place before gently lowering the human onto the prepared bed.

"...eav..."

Bra'tac frowned. The human was mumbling something, but he could not make out what he was saying. He leaned over the supine man.

"..eav.. me..."

"Leave you?" Bra'tac guessed. "I should. Maybe I will, human. After I have made sure you will live. So I can kill you myself next time you make such a foolish choice."

The Jaffa first unzipped O'Neill's jacket. Pushing it to the sides he noticed the area drenched with blood across the man's midsection. Next, he started pulling O'Neill's shirt from his pants in order to reveal the injury.

O'Neill moved his hands, in a weak attempt to protect the painful area.

Pushing the hands down, Bra'tac softly spoke to him. "Do not move, human. I shall see what is damaged."

The shirt rolled up gave Bra'tac a clear view of the injury and he shook his head. "Hasshak. You should have informed me of this." He was looking at a long gash, from the man's ribcage all the way to his hip. The injury was probably caused by a knife or spear and must have been deep. There were dark threads, neatly in a row, keeping the edges together, telling the Jaffa that O'Neill must have stitched his own wound together in order to stop the bleeding.

The whole area around the wound was swollen, red and felt hot to the touch. The stitches appeared to be holding for now, but an infection had clearly set in and pus was building up underneath, threatening to burst out. "When has this occurred?"

An answer was not forthcoming, as the human was obviously in distress. His face sweaty, he sucked in shallow breaths. Groaning, he tried to roll over to his side and started heaving.

Bra'tac steadied the man until O'Neill was finished, and then quietly helped him back down. The injury must have happened at least two days ago, he figured, to be infected like that. The Jaffa knew he had to do something for the human, to control the infection and to reduce the fever. Only then they would be able to travel further the next day.

Luckily his many years of experience had taught him lots of things, including some medicine. He hated leaving the human behind, but he had to get out and find some medicinal plants in order to treat the wound. Bra'tac placed a solid hand on the still man's shoulder. "I shall return shortly. You will remain quiet and rest."

The older man left in a hurry, knowing what he was looking for. Luckily it did not take him long to find the needed plants and he carefully picked them before returning to the small cave.

O'Neill was still lying where he had left him, mumbling incoherently due to the high fever that wracked his body. His head was moving restlessly from the left to the right and back while chills occasionally shook his tall frame.

Bra'tac regretted he could not make a fire, but that could not be helped. Taking out his knife, he carefully cut the plant's leaves in small pieces above a bowl from O'Neill's pack. Next, he started rubbing the material between thumb and forefinger, until the plant resin came out. Creating a thick, sticky pulp he was not satisfied until he had gathered quite a bit in the bowl.

Moving over to O'Neill, he sank down to his haunches and made sure everything he needed was within reach, his knife, the home-made medicine, water, a wooden branch he had picked up along the way, a piece of cloth and some fresh bandages from the earthling's backpack.

"This will not be pleasant," he warned. Bending forward, he picked up the branch and stuck it between the injured man's teeth. "Now, human... you bite."

Not hesitating any further he took the knife and sliced it through the stitches, opening up the infected area in one move. Grabbing the cloth, he started dabbing and wiping the pus away. Throwing a quick look at the human, Bra'tac noticed the face of O'Neill had turned white. Sweat was rolling down O'Neill's temples and the man's eyes were wide open. Deep groaning escaped O'Neill as he tried to crush the branch in his mouth. Then, O'Neill's body shuddered and jerked once, then fell motionless.

Bra'tac laid his hands a little from the edges of the deep gash and pushed down, forcing wound-liquid to come out along with the bleeding that now had started. He was only satisfied when the thick, dark fluid was gone and only fresh red blood flowed and rinsed the wound with fresh water.

Bra'tac glanced at the deathly pale face for a second and sighed, then concentrated on spreading out the plant pulp carefully and evenly over the whole injured area. Next, he took out some clean bandages, pressed them over the wound and applied pressure with both hands. He sat still like that, keeping his hands on the wound, silently examining the human's features.

The branch had slipped from the now slack mouth. The hair was sticky wet from sweating and the man was burning with fever, Bra'tac could feel that even from his position next to the unconscious man. As much as he wanted to reassure himself that the human was still alive by checking for a pulse, Bra'tac could not let go. Not yet, not until the bleeding had come to an end.

He sat there for a long time, silently debating whether to leave O'Neill to get help or take him along on the final trek back to the Stargate. The human's fever would come down some, now that he had taken care of the infection, but the Jaffa also knew it would come back with a vengeance if not treated any further.

Walking for another day was probably going to aggravate the injury, and he had no idea whether the human could make it to the gate in this condition.

On the other hand, the troops were coming and Bra'tac doubted they would miss their hiding place. More likely, they would find the injured man before he could return with help. That was a fate he could not let happen to the man who had saved his life without concern for his own.

Decision made, Bra'tac figured it was best to repeat O'Neill's line of thinking and once the bleeding had stopped, he settled for stitching the wound edges together again. He was glad the human was unconscious. He was able to finish the task without O'Neill being aware of what he was doing.

Next, Bra'tac covered up the wound as tightly as he could, and then wrapped bandages around the human's torso to keep it all solidly in place. One more day, he promised the still man, one more day and we will be safe.

Wetting another piece of cloth with water from the canteen, Bra'tac wiped the sweat from O'Neill's face, then left it lying on the human's forehead. Taking up a strategic position to cover the entrance of their hiding place, he tried to rest.

The night passed quietly.

Occasionally, Bra'tac refreshed the wet cloth on O'Neill's brow after checking to see if the human was still breathing.

When dawn arrived, much to his satisfaction Bra'tac found O'Neill's fever had dropped. Making sure he had the canteen nearby, he waited for the man to wake up.

It did not take long. Soon, the human stirred, moaning softly.

"You are to remain still," the old warrior warned, one hand pressed on O'Neill's shoulder to keep him from moving.

Slowly, O'Neill's eyes fluttered open. His eyes were bright with fever and he looked confused but responded to the orders Bra'tac gave him. "What... happened?"

"We are one day's walk from the Stargate. We will proceed on our journey after consuming some nourishment. You are to conserve your strength and will only get up when I tell you so," Bra'tac explained simply.

O'Neill slowly nodded, taking stock of his condition and held out a weak, trembling hand to accept the canteen of water.

Bra'tac bent forward, pushed one arm behind the human's neck and lifted it a bit, assisting O'Neill with holding the canteen. "How is the pain?"

"S.. okay," O'Neill said sluggishly.

"Good. The plants I used to dress your wound have some numbing effects. I do not know how long it will last. You must inform me when you are in pain and I will give you additional herbs." Bra'tac handed O'Neill a ration bar from his own pack. "Eat. You will need strength."

The Jaffa made sure O'Neill finished his bar, despite his protests. "Are you ready?"

O'Neill gave a determined nod and allowed the older man to assist him in getting up.

Bra'tac immediately drew the human's arm around his shoulder, grabbing him around the waist in order to support him. When they stood steadily, O'Neill surprised the Jaffa by starting to move in the right direction. Sick or not, the warrior of earth had not let his guard down, Bra'tac concluded.

They moved, not as fast as the day before, but steadily nonetheless. O'Neill managed to carry most of his own weight, using the older man only for support as he occasionally stumbled, either by visual blurring or a bout of dizziness.

Bra'tac kept a careful eye on the man from Earth. He hoped they could make a great distance before the condition of the warrior would deteriorate, knowing it would be hard enough to achieve the final miles. For now, the face of the human was a grim mask, a mixture of pain, concentration, will-power and the signs of the still present fever.

After two hours of difficult traveling, Bra'tac made the human stop, allowing him a brief rest. They sipped some water, caught their breath and moved on.

When they reached their next rest point, the alien knew fatigue was setting in. O'Neill was now leaning more heavily on him and had more trouble staying upright. Again, sweat was rolling down O'Neill's face and his breathing was labored.

The troops were still behind them. Bra'tac heard them, but their advantage over their pursuers was still enough. The Stargate was in sight now, although they still had some way to go. Everything now depended on the strength of the human.

Although O'Neill had not complained at all, Bra'tac put some of the medicinal leaves in the human's mouth. "Chew," he instructed. "It will ease the pain."

Giving the injured man a little longer to rest this time, Bra'tac used the spare moments to set up another couple of false tracks, hoping they would slow the enemy down more. When he returned, he found the human barely able to keep himself upright despite the fact that he was sitting with his back against a tree.

"Are you giving up, human?" Bra'tac shot.

O'Neill stubbornly shook his head.

"Good. Today is *not* a good day to die." With that sharp comment, the old Jaffa dragged the sick man to his feet, supported him and off they went once more.

The Stargate loomed closer as they went on.

O'Neill stumbled.

Bra'tac snapped.

O'Neill staggered.

Bra'tac barked.

O'Neill collapsed.

Bra'tac picked him up.

O'Neill fought to keep going, and Bra'tac more and more carried the taller man's weight. Together, they stumbled on, neither willing to give up.

At their next pause, Bra'tac realized the human was nearing the end of his endurance. He was gasping for breath and sweating profusely, while shivering constantly from the fever that had obviously gone back up. First, the Jaffa made sure O'Neill drank from the canteen, then, with some of their last water, he rinsed the injured man's flushed face.

"How.... far?" O'Neill gasped.

"We are in close proximity to the Stargate now. We must proceed."

Dragging the reserves from his reserves to the surface, O'Neill struggled to his feet. "What... are we... waiting for?"

Bra'tac snorted, resumed his supporting position and they moved on. He was afraid they were not going to make it by the way the human was swaying unsteadily on his feet. It would not be long before the man would fall unconscious. Bra'tac recognized the smell of fresh blood and knew that O'Neill's wound was bleeding again, but was helpless to do anything about it now. They were either going to reach the Stargate or be captured by the troops. If the human was unable to go any further, Bra'tac fully intended to carry him over his shoulder to the Stargate.

Then, after having stumbled on for a while longer, from the corner of his eye, the Jaffa warrior spotted some movement in front of them. "Remain quiet," he alerted the barely conscious man, as he quickly moved him behind some trees.

Already planning on how to take the enemy out, the older Jaffa prepared to sit O'Neill down, then Bra'tac recognized the approaching figure and a smile of relief formed on his face.

It was Teal'c. "Master Bra'tac," the younger Jaffa called out, when he was at close distance.

"Teal'c!" Bra'tac called back. "Troops are approaching," he informed his former student once he was nearby.

"We are aware of that. We have secured the area around the Stargate. I shall assist you." Teal'c quickly moved forward, grabbed his swaying CO on the other side.

Between them, the Jaffa managed to drag the human along as they finished the last mile towards the Stargate. A worried looking Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson were waiting for them and without wasting time, Daniel dialed up.

Carter stood near the wormhole, weapon at the ready, motioning for the trio to step through before Daniel and she followed.

-----

Master Bra'tac walked through the infirmary of the SGC. He had attended his first briefing, where he had explained to Hammond from Texas what had transpired during the last several days.

It was during the briefing that he had learned that SG-1 had returned to the planet after reading O'Neill's message when a new detachment of Jaffa had stepped through the gate. The warriors from earth had been hiding out as O'Neill had instructed them in his message, waiting for the troops to leave the area near the Stargate and had taken out the ones remaining.

The team had spotted their errant team leader and the Jaffa warrior through their binoculars that morning and had watched their progress. When it became obvious to them that O'Neill had been injured, they had decided to send Teal'c ahead to lend a hand.

After refusing to be examined, Bra'tac had been waiting anxiously along with the humans and his former pupil for news about O'Neill, who had been taken to the operating room immediately after their arrival.

He had sighed in relief with the others, when the small, female doctor had come and told them that O'Neill would survive.

Now, it was two days later.

He planned to go back to Chulak, but wanted to bid farewell to O'Neill before he left. The human had barely been lucid the previous day and the Jaffa warrior had delayed his departure.

Stepping inside O'Neill's room, this time he found the human awake in bed. Although he still appeared too pale, the man had begun to regain some color in his face. His eyes were bright with the fever but the human managed to give his visitor a weak smile.

"I am pleased that you are still alive, hasshak," Bra'tac said. "You are a stubborn fool, but I think I have started to like you."

O'Neill grinned. "You okay?"

"I am faring well. I will return to Chulak today. There are many battles remaining to be fought."

"Be careful out there," O'Neill answered, somewhat out of breath.

"What, are you not willing to come to my aid the next time?" Bra'tac questioned with a gleam in his eyes.

"Let's hope there won't be the need for a next time," O'Neill responded.

"Teal'c," the old Jaffa called out to the younger one standing silently at the foot of the bed. "I trust you will watch over this one," he made a slight gesture at the man lying in bed, "because he does look out for others but appears to forget himself in battle."

Teal'c nodded in agreement.

O'Neill rolled his eyes, then sighed upon hearing the footsteps of a certain female doctor approaching which meant prodding, poking, tests, needles and whatever else she could think of that day.

"Now I must return to my world," Bra'tac announced and turned around, stepping towards the door. He threw one last look over his shoulder before leaving the room. "O'Neill..." he used the human's name for the first time, "…thank you."

><>< THE END ><><