Well folks here's another of my earlier stories for you to read once again. I've tweaked it hopefully in the right direction, so all you have to do is sit back, read, enjoy and click on that little review button to let me know what you think of it.

Thanks as always to my loyal readers, and reviewers from my last story. I luv you guys!

Crazy Mixed Up world.

by Lingren.

Category: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance.

Pairings: Sam/Jack.

Warnings: Confusion and a small glimpse of something sexual, but nothing too graphic. Character Death.

Season: Set in season 4, a few weeks after 'The Curse'.

Spoilers: Minor ones for Fire & Water, Serpent's Lair, Need, Divide & Conquer, Point of No Return, Tangent and The Curse.

Summary: Jack's seemingly minor injury causes him much confusion and leads him into a desperate fight against those he once trusted and called his friends.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1. No copyright infringements are intended. Just borrowing the characters for a little fun and imagination.

Crazy Mixed Up World.

by Lingren.

Chapter 1 – The Mother of all Headaches!

"Unscheduled Off-world Activation!"

The blare of the alarms that went with that sudden announcement prompted a hive of activity throughout Stargate Command known to those who worked on the top secret military base as the SGC. Several SF's hurried into the gate-room to take up their protective positions ready for action in case any hostiles managed to get through the Trinium Iris; their first line of defence.

Major General George Hammond hurried down the metal staircase that led from the briefing room to the control room and took his place behind the technician's chair; watching and waiting for confirmation if the incoming travellers were friend or foe.

Master Sergeant Walter Davis swivelled round and looked up at the General, showing a slight relief in knowing it was the SGC's premier team that were returning.

"It's SG-1's IDC sir."

"Open the Iris!" Hammond commanded, and muttered an, "And about time too!" then sighed with relief.

SG-1 were overdue by several hours, and despite the fact that he showed no favouritism at all between the SG teams, SG-1 had evolved into something very unique and now held a special place in his heart; each of its members being more like friends than mere nameless subordinates.

The Trinium leaves of the Iris swirled back to reveal the blue shimmering wormhole; the connection to another world now just a step away. Hammond hurried down the few steps to the gate-room, impatient to hear the reason why his best team were overdue. He knew SG-1 well of course, being late was practically the norm for them with each and every mission, but he couldn't help being worried sick for them too; so many things could have gone wrong out there it didn't bear thinking about. As far as this team were concerned it was more often the case in point.

They usually came in hot, running through the gate, and today it was Major Sam Carter who was the first person through, yelling for a medical team as she did so.

Walter knew the procedure off pat now and hailed the emergency medical team to the gate-room even before Dr. Daniel Jackson, following on Sam's heels, had stumbled through the event horizon limping slightly.

Daniel soon caught his balance and turned, stepping back out of the way in time to see Teal'c arrive. Though Daniel's and now everyone in the gate-room and up in the control rooms' eyes were now firmly fixed on the figure of SG-1's team commander, slumped unconscious but secure in the Jaffa's strong arms.

Daniel and Sam helped Teal'c to lay their CO onto the metal grating, checking his pulse to make sure that he had survived the freezing cold ride home through the artificial wormhole.

General Hammond swallowed the sudden lump of concern stuck in the back of his throat and hurried up the ramp to find out just why his 2IC was obviously out for the count.

Sam pressed a fresh dressing to the bleeding wound on Colonel Jack O'Neill's head, while Daniel ran a quick check on the other minor injuries that his friend had suffered.

Hammond paused for a moment as he took in the damage done to his Second in Command.

The emergency medical team then swept into the room, two of them pushing a gurney in readiness to receive the wounded warrior. Doctor Janet Frasier, the base's Chief Medical Officer hurried over to the little tableau and took command of the situation straight away. The petite fire-ball that had become the terror of the infirmary, quickly but gently pushed both Sam and Daniel away while she assessed the downed officer's condition.

"What happened Major?" Hammond asked, looking directly at Major Sam Carter, needing to know what had caused the Colonel's injuries.

"He fell sir," Sam explained with difficulty. She didn't want to take her eyes off the Colonel but knew she had to keep her personal feelings of distress and worry about her CO hidden away. "Sir, Daniel... On our way back to the gate, the ground underneath Daniel suddenly gave way and he fell down into a hole about six feet deep. The Colonel turned back when he heard Daniel's yelp, ready to rescue him when the ground under his feet opened up too. The hole was much deeper though, and he fell about 15 feet down sir. By then, Daniel had managed to climb out of his hole but the Colonel must have hit his head on the rocky ground below him sir. We checked him over, and got him back here as soon as we could sir."

Hammond had manoeuvred Sam off the ramp and out of the way of the medical team as they lifted the limp form of the Colonel and moved him onto the waiting gurney, ready to take him to the infirmary for a full medical examination to determine the extent of his injuries.

"Doctor Frasier?" Hammond asked, not needing to voice the rest of the question. She understood his need to know how Jack was doing.

"Concussion is most likely the cause of his continued loss of consciousness sir rather than from anything else. I can't feel any fractures to his skull. There's a lot of bruising as well as several other minor cuts and scrapes. But I'll know more when we have some test results in sir."

Hammond nodded.

"Very well Doctor, I'll be waiting for your report."

Janet nodded, acknowledging her duty and hurried after her team, ordering a CAT scan among others for the injured officer as she went.

Seeing blood caked on the hands of both Daniel and the Major, Hammond dismissed them to the showers and ordered a standard medical exam and then the debriefing in two hours, and to make sure Dr. Jackson had his leg seen by Dr. Frasier or one of her staff too.

Hammond watched them leave, Teal'c walking sedately behind them, still protecting their sixes. Hammond's smile was more of a grimace at the turn of events, knowing that Teal'c took his position seriously and despite his outward appearance was just as concerned about the disastrous outcome of this mission as were his team-mates.

Hammond mentally shook himself and walked back to his office, his thought's staying focused on Jack, hoping that the rather irreverent and often frustrating Colonel would be okay. Jack O'Neill may frequently be a pain in the ass, but he was a well respected officer and one of the best and most loyal 2IC's he'd ever had the privilege to work with.

OoOoOoOoO

When Sam, Daniel and Teal'c entered the infirmary after the de-briefing they saw that Jack was either still unconscious or sleeping. Worry immediately furrowed their brows with deep lines.

Janet, sitting in her office adding yet another injury to the growing list on Jack O'Neill's notes, spotted them before they could approach the bed and headed them off to a quiet corner just outside the room.

"He's sleeping, and I don't want him woken up just yet."

"Is he okay?" Sam demanded anxiously, chewing on her bottom lip from concern.

"He'll be just fine in a few days. He woke up a little disoriented earlier, and right now he's complained about having the mother of all headaches, which is hardly surprising. I've just managed to get him to rest at last. His knees are sore and his ribs are hurting too, and take it from me, he is so not at all a happy camper."

Daniel and Sam couldn't help but grin with a well understood empathy, knowing full well how annoyed Jack would have been when he'd woken up and found himself in the infirmary yet again. Which all meant, that he was most definitely okay and that there couldn't be anything drastically wrong with him if he'd been grouching already.

Sam glanced over at the bed, not particularly liking the pasty colour of the Colonel's face. A stark white dressing now covered the deep gash on the left side of his head and his left arm was encased in heavy strapping.

"He broke his arm?" Sam gasped when realising the implications. Why hadn't she noticed this when she'd assessed his injuries straight after the fall?

"No, it's not broken, but he does have a badly sprained his wrist. It was quite swollen by the time we'd reached here, so I've strapped it up for now. You couldn't have known Sam. Other than that he has quite a severe concussion, though, surprisingly, nothing appears to be broken. He was plenty of cuts and bruises too. Don't worry guys! He'll be just fine in about a week or two," Janet assured them.

Sam wanted so much to go and sit with him, but Janet had forbidden anyone entry to her domain for the time being, so there was nothing left for her to do, than to go and grab a bite to eat – not that she really felt hungry – and then go to bed and try to get some sleep, but she also doubted that would happen either.

TBC