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Chapter 37: General George Hammond
All we can do is wait.
After too damn many years in the military, I know a lot about waiting...but I still hate doing it.
We'd all been working toward the goal of bringing our men home for so long...it's still a little hard to accept that we've done it. The silence in the gate room as we all just stared down at Colonel O'Neill and Daniel thundered in my ears. It took us time to register that the furious battle to get them back was over...the storm had passed. Then it hit me...as I'm sure it did so many others...we'd only weathered the first wave.
Now the second front is upon us...and we have to stand fast against it.
Dr. Fraiser finally came out to give us an update on Daniel. It is an abscess, but it's too big and pressing on some pretty vital parts of his brain. They're going to drain it, dose him up with the latest antibiotics and hope for the best. Dr. Fraiser told us the next twelve hours will tell the tale.
More waiting.
Daniel has been asleep since Dr. Fraiser broke up the floor show on the ramp, but she's going to let us in to see him one at a time. I'm trying not to think about why she's doing it...and I for one am not going to use my time to say any goodbyes. Too often in the past we've all given up on Daniel Jackson. No more. We aren't going to let him give up...I can see that determination on every face in this room. We'll hold on...and help him to do the same.
SG1 is doing that silent communication thing again. Fleeting looks, bare hand movements...promises made in silence, sworn on the blood and tears they've shared over three years together as a team. A team in the fullest, richest, most enduring sense of the word. They'll stand together with Daniel, regardless of the outcome...
And, God forbid, if the worst should happen they'll stand with Daniel every moment until the last...and beyond.
I've been watching Kasuf as he sits there holding his son. The man has an amazing capacity for caring...it pours off him in waves. Compassion, concern, strength. His entire body, so still as he embraces Skaara, seems to embrace us all. I'm glad he's here...that he's been here all along. I consider it the highest honor Kasuf calls us his friends, calls Daniel his son.
Son. I always dropped that time-honored term for any man younger than me like a cadet drops the word "sir." But it's more than that now. Just like Kasuf considers his tribe to be his children, the members of the SGC are mine to worry over, to care about, to put back in line when they mess up.
I guess this old Texan can learn a few new tricks.
As Teal'c goes in to visit Daniel, I reach out a hand to Kasuf's shoulder, lending support where I know it is needed and will never be asked for. His eyes smile at me...so wise. He understands what I'm feeling.
We'll see this one through together...one father to another