Standard disclaimers about not owning of these characters etc apply.
Tomorrow, I Will Open My Door Again.
The hospital corridor hummed with the white noise of machines and the night shift staff. Teal'c shifted in the room's only chair, the plastic squeaking as it reluctantly accepted his weight. It was a fluke that Cameron Mitchell had ended up in a civilian hospital after his car accident, but the paperwork to transfer him to Stargate Command was taking forever with Master Sergeant Harriman on his first vacation in years. Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter had returned to the Mountain to see if they could move things forward. Teal'c had volunteered to stay behind; the night nurse simply stared at the three of them then agreed to let him stay after visiting hours. So now he sat in the uncomfortable chair, the plot of Star Wars running through his head to keep him occupied. Every once in awhile, he would glance to take in the sleeping form of Colonel Mitchell, laced with drugs, his arm and leg set in plaster and stitches across his forehead.
A voice pierced the din of silence and there was a thread of familiarity in it that drew Teal'c into the hallway. A tiny grey-haired woman stood at the nurses' desk, fingers resting on the counter top as she spoke to the young man dressed in blue scrubs. "Young sir, I am perfectly aware of what the rules are; it is good that you have rules. However, I am simply an old woman asking you to bend them just this once."
"Ma'am, I understand that you are here to see your grandson, but the rules are rules and I am not in a position to break them, besides."
"Young man," the woman's voice, which had been pinched and rapid, suddenly slowed and became quieter as she enunciated each word carefully, "my grandson was in an accident and I am here to take care of him. Please kindly show me to his room now." The man look torn, his eyes darting to see who else was around to witness his fall to a woman half his size. But with more bravery than Teal'c would have expected, the nurse straightened his shoulders and began to once again explain the rules of no visitors at night. Teal'c stepped out of the room and made his presence known.
"Mrs. Mitchell, your grandchild lies in here." He assumed this woman was the Grandmother Colonel Mitchell spoke of so reverently; he recognized that way of speaking anywhere. Cameron Mitchell's ability to convey his anger and frustration in slow, modulated tones that were more potent than the rapid fire anger of General O'Neill and Daniel Jackson was one of the things about him Teal'c greatly admired. Now he understood where Colonel Mitchell had learned this technique. His belief was confirmed when the woman approached and stared up at him with the same eyes as the man asleep in the room. She took him in and Teal'c had the very uncomfortable feeling that he was being judged in a manner not unlike when he first joined the Tau'ri in the fight against the false gods. He stood there with arms folded behind in a respectful manner and inclined his head in greeting. "I am Murray, a teammate and friend of your grandchild. He is safe and well, and only requires sleep to heal."
Her shoulders relaxed a bit at his words and the skin around her eyes crinkled up like tissue paper as she smiled up at him.
"Thank you, son." Her hand was soft and dry on his arm as she brushed past him to walk into the room. He followed her and was close enough to hear her soft gasp and the half swallowed, "Oh my boy." She quickly reached the Colonel's side, her hands running up and down his limbs in a manner of pure love recognized across the galaxy. Teal'c slipped out into the hallway to allow them a few moments of peace. He headed towards the desk, where the nurse stared at the space Mrs. Mitchell had once occupied. Teal'c picked up the piece of luggage she had left there and addressed the man whose name badge said "Joe."
"Joe, I wish to use your phone to call the Air Force Base to contact Colonel Carter." Joe threw his hands up in a sign of frustrated submission and shoved the phone at Teal'c, who dialed the cellphone of Colonel Carter. She picked up after one ring.
"How's he doing, Teal'c?"
"He is well. The doctors said he may be discharged tomorrow morning. I believe if not, we can transfer him safely to the Mountain."
"Oh, good. Do you need me to bring you anything?"
"I am well. But I shall ask Mrs. Mitchell if she requires anything; Colonel Mitchell's grandmother has arrived." There was a pause on the other end before she responded.
"That's…that's good."
"Are you alright, Colonel Carter?"
"Fine, just tired, Teal'c. It's been a long time since I've seen Gran'ma Mitchell. Just wish it had been under better circumstances. Give her my love." She hung up and Teal'c returned the phone to its spot; Joe had disappeared when an alarm in another room had gone off. Teal'c had always wondered if the Colonels had known each other previously, but they had never mentioned it so he had never asked. This confirmed his theory and he walked back into the room pondering how best to pull bits of their history from the taciturn officers; Vala was his best path for this endeavor.
Mrs. Mitchell was seated in the chair he had once occupied, only now it was pulled closer to the sleeping man's bed, her hands folded in her lap. He pulled a chair in from the hallway and placed it next to hers. She turned and softly smiled a welcome then they both returned to their vigil. Minutes passed before either spoke, and it was she who broke the comfortable silence. "I don't even have any cookies." Teal'c turned to her, an eyebrow raised at the rather bizarre statement. "Forgive an old woman, Mr. Murray, it's an old family tradition that when in pain, cookies are served, macaroons mostly. But I was in Vegas when General O'Neill called about my boy."
There was simply no way for Teal'c's eyebrows to disappear any further under the baseball cap he wore. He wasn't sure if he was more surprised that General O'Neill had been the one to call her or that this coiffed woman had been to the ostentatious city of decadence and depravity. She must have guessed his surprise for she snuck him a look that was pure Mitchell with its combined humor and wickedness. "Oh don't be all stuffy, young man. A gal is allowed a little play time with her girls. My dearest friend Lorraine's finally rid of that good for nuthin' husband of hers and we decided to celebrate in style. I knew that Herbert was troubled the first time I laid eyes on him, but Lorraine was a silly little thing and said yes to the first man that would have her. But the past is the past. So we all packed it up and flew to Vegas to see the sights and the sinners, and sin a bit ourselves. I spent $200 on a pair of shoes! Can you imagine! I will wear them to church as penance for my vanity. So when the good General called me about my grandson --and good thing I let those children of mine talk me into one of those cellular phones-- I told the ladies that he needed me and here I am. But I am without cookies and my Cameron will be disappointed."
Her voice trailed off a bit at the end and she looked rather frail suddenly. Teal'c asked her, "Are you tired, Mrs. Mitchell? Shall I have a cot brought in for you?"
"Yes, I'm tired, Mr. Murray." She shifted in the chair a bit, before continuing on, "Sometimes I think I've spent half of my life sitting in hospitals, witnessing the pain of the people I hold most dear. My husband, God rest his soul, was injured in the War, then my baby Frank lost his legs and we all thought Cameron had lost his life a few years ago. Now, here he is again and when he wakes up and can't move his leg due to the plaster, I reckon he'll be fearful and a man needs his Gran'ma for that. So, yes, I'm tired. But I'll be fine." Her fingers tightened on the arms of the chair as she spoke, but there was a sense of resolve Teal'c could sense under the exhaustion she wore with grace. He filled a glass of water from the pink pitcher for her. She took it with a polite nod and they once again sat in silence.
"Do you believe in God, Mr. Murray?"
The question took Teal'c completely by surprise as no one had asked him that question since the first time he had declared out loud that Apophis was not a god. He was aware of the major religions found on Earth, he had questioned his team members at length, read the various holy books, and spent time in services of worship at various houses of Faith. In a way, he was ashamed to admit that despite his battle against the Gau'old, a part of him craved the peaceful rituals that all religions seem to share. But could he place his full faith in a god again? Teal'c had never even contemplated it as he went around killing finite immortals.
He realized she was watching him in a calm manner when she spoke again, "I do apologize, Mr. Murray, I meant no offense. A simple question from a simple woman."
"I do not believe such a question is ever simple, nor do I believe that you, Mrs. Mitchell, are a simple woman. Your grandson loves you very much and we have all heard much about your wisdom. I am unsure I can answer your question for I have no faith in religion."
A chuckle escaped her lips. "It is only a fool that places faith in religion. I am sure God himself throws things when he sees what fools do for religion." Her voice was laced with disdain as she rolled her eyes, but she became more contemplative as her fingers tapped out a restless rhythm on the arm of the chair. "I was just wonder'n about your thoughts on God. I admit I sometimes wonder as I watch my kin suffer. Or I see the faces of children suffering on TV. Oh, I know they say that there is a plan and a reason for everything, but I'm not always sure I'd want to know a god who has a plan that includes children dying for no good reason. Not sure I have much to say to a god like that."
Teal'c looked at her for a moment before asking, "What would you say to your God if you could?" He thought of all the times he had stood before his false god and bit back any questions of "why me?" or "why them?" He knew that sometimes there were never answers. Mrs. Mitchell returned his gaze, a thoughtful look on her face.
"I'd ask why I couldn't have had one more breath with my beloved Henry. Or why my baby had to lose his legs. And where in the world do all those socks go when the dryer gets them." A small grin graced her lips; Colonel Mitchell also seemed to share the trait of using humor to hide pain with his grandmother. "Look at me, I'm a deaconess in my church and here I am questioning the existence of the Almighty with a stranger. Lordy, the good Reverend would ban me from church suppers for a year if he knew!"
"I believe you always ask questions, Mrs. Mitchell. Have you ever found your answers?"
"Aren't you a cheeky little thing? Questioning an old woman like that. Tell me, Mr. Murray, what do you believe in then?"
"I believe in the people of this planet to overcome those who promote oppression and hatred." Mrs. Mitchell stared at him intensely for a long time, long enough that Teal'c began to wish Bra'tac was there with him.
"That is a mighty powerful belief, Mr. Murray. And I must say, it makes me glad to you hear you say it. There is a lot of ugly in the world isn't there?"
"Indeed."
"A whole lot of ugly. Do you know what I hold on to when I doubt, Mr. Murray? Because it is in my nature to doubt and question--I think Cameron here gets that from me too. But I hold to my family and my friends, I hold to the love that binds us together. I hold onto the sound of my great grandbabies laughing. Nothing in this whole universe like the laugh of a new soul." She paused for a moment, closing her eyes to dwell on a happy memory. With her eyes still closed she continued, "I hold onto the faith that humanity can be good when it only seems to be evil. Have you ever heard of the Ten Boom family from Holland, Mr. Murray? No? I'll find you the book their daughter wrote. Would you believe that they almost all perished in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany for hiding Jews in their house? They knew they would die, but no matter – they were called to do what was right, not what was correct. Now that is humanity at its best. That is what I have faith in."
Mrs. Mitchell eased into the back of the chair, her meditation having drained the last of her energy reserve. Teal'c reached across to lightly touch her wrist to see if she was fine. She smiled at him and slipped her hand through his, her skin as pale as fine linen. "Forgive an old woman for idle musings, Mr. Murray. I tend to get a bit maudlin when tired. Cindy would probably just say I've been sipping from the fun flask too many times."
"It is no matter, Mrs. Mitchell. I do believe we are, as I have heard said, kindred spirits. You have given me a great deal to think about."
"Teal'c, stop flirting with my Gran'ma, man. I will defend her honor."
"Colonel Mitchell, you are awake."
"Yeah."
"Good morning, sunshine," said Mrs. Mitchell as she placed a kiss gently on his forehead. "Your friend and I were just having a lovely discussion while you got your beauty sleep."
"Did it help, Gran'ma?"
"Lordy, child, women will swoon at the sight of you." She turned her attention back to Teal'c. "Teal'c is it, then? Can I call you Teal'c? Are you from around here? If not, I insist you join us for Christmas. Doubts or no doubts, there is something magical about Christmas. Now I need to go see about you getting you checked out and into your own bed where Gran'ma can take care of you. You are skin and bones! You too, Teal'c. And I would bet your Aunt Ellen's glass eye that Samantha Carter is all skin and bones too." Her energy had returned as soon as Cameron had opened his eyes and she practically leapt on her way out of the room, bent on her mission to feed the team, but first she turned to look once more at Teal'c, "And you, young man, can call me Miss Frances."
"My god, T, I think she likes you."
"I enjoyed her company greatly, Colonel Mitchell." A slow smile crossed his lips as he added, "I believe I will invite Master Bra'tac to Christmas dinner as well."
If he could have, Mitchell would have paled even further. "There goes the universe," he mumbled.
"I believe he would be interested in hearing her impression of Las Vegas."
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph."
A voice drifted in from the hallway, "Cameron Mitchell, don't you take the Lord's name in vain!" Cameron buried his head under his pillow while Teal'c silently chuckled. Yes, kindred spirits indeed.
A/N: The title is from when Casper Ten Boom, father of Corrie and oh about 80ish, was told by Nazi interrogators that if he agreed to stop causing trouble, they'd send him home. His reply was, "If you send me home today, tomorrow I will open my door to any man in need." He was sent to a concentration camp and died there shortly after.