Summary: Daniel's memories come back to haunt him courtesy of a mad scientist.
Author's Note: Written for the prompt, Flashback, for Stargate LAS.

Total Recall

It was getting harder and harder to distinguish between reality and his memories. They melded together from one second to the next, leaving him panting as he fought against the waves of nausea that accompanied the dizzying flashes of scenes real and imagined.

He wanted it all to stop.

"Daniel?"

He turned his head to the side, unwilling to move too much for fear of throwing up. "Yeah?"

"Are you with me again?" Sam's voice seemed hesitant, almost fearful. Daniel nodded, all the while wondering when the next "episode" would happen. He leaned back, grateful that the nausea was fading away.

"I hate this Sam," he said, voicing his thoughts without really thinking about them.

"I know," Sam said quietly. They sat for a moment, back to back with only the bars of the cell between them. Their captors had chosen Daniel as their victim, but it was a matter of time before they tired of his anguish and moved on to Sam.

"Why are they doing this," he asked.

"I don't know," Sam said. "It doesn't make sense."

"The human mind is a fascinating thing."

Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of that voice. Oh God, he thought with rising panic. Not again. He turned toward the door of his cell, fighting off another wave of memories, knowing that it was a useless effort. The very real and vivid memory of a needle plunging into his arm had him shuddering with fear.

"What's this all about," Sam was saying when Daniel finally found himself in the here and now. "Why are you doing this to him?"

The man smiled at her, then walked over to her door as he spoke. "I've been researching the brain patterns of various species for many years." He held up a small vial to show them his methods. "Humans are by far the most fascinating."

"You're experimenting on humans?" Sam asked, then pointed at the vial. "What's in that?"

"It's a drug that magnifies the intensity of episodic memory." He waved a hand in Daniel's direction. "The patient relives each memory as if it were happening at this very moment in time."

Daniel groaned at the reminder. He knew all too well what that meant. So far he had relived the death of his wife, his tenth birthday party, and the time he spent in Sokar's prison. Each emotion felt so real to him, especially the pain and anguish.

"But why?" Sam wanted to know. "What do you hope to gain?"

"My work will have great impact on our society. The people of this world will benefit in that we will finally be able to control mind over matter." He smiled at the thought, while Daniel secretly believed the man was a nutcase. "Now that I have alien subjects, my work will be renowned worldwide.

"We're humans just as you are," Sam said, still trying to reason with him. "You won't gain much from us."

"Oh I will," the man said, his eyes lighting up. "You came here with two others, one of them a Jaffa." He walked back over to Daniel's cell, "That one will be the key to a breakthrough in my research. Tell me where to find him."

Daniel stared at the man, while the memory of SG-1's arrival on this planet flashed through his mind. He couldn't stop it and was extremely grateful that the man couldn't see the memory as Daniel saw it.

"Daniel?" Jack said with impatience. "There's nothing here. We're heading back."

"Let's give it another few minutes," Daniel insisted. "I'm sure that was an Unas we saw through the MALP." Jack shook his head, but Daniel needed to make sure. "Two minutes."

"One more look, Daniel. That's all. Carter, go with him."

"Daniel," Sam shouted. "Fight it, Daniel, please."

Daniel was confused. Fight what? He turned to where Sam was standing only to see the bars of his cell with the mad scientist standing on the other side, grinning at him with what can only be described as evil intent.

"Tell me where I can find the Jaffa and there will be no more injections." Daniel glared at the man, knowing deep down that he would never give in, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Where is the Jaffa?"

Daniel kept his silence then pulled back as far as the bars would let him when the man held up a needle. No, he thought as he shook his head.

"Where is he?"

Daniel didn't even look at Sam. He knew as well as she did that neither one would volunteer the information. He was going to have to go through another "treatment". A guard stepped out from the shadows behind the stranger, his weapon trained on Daniel as the door of the cell opened.

"Tell me," the man said when he stooped down to Daniel's level. Daniel couldn't take his eyes off of the syringe. The man grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head up. "Where is the Jaffa?"

Daniel didn't answer and winced when the needle pierced his skin. He had no choice, he thought, as he stared into the gaze of the madman.

"Happy thoughts," Sam said, trying to be helpful. He tried, and even succeeded when he remembered the day he got his first bike. But the memory turned dark. His parents were no longer there. Angry tears spilled from his eyes as he stood next to Nick in the rain. They had no right to leave him.

"Daniel," Jack said, shaking him out of the memory. "Come on. We need to get you out of here."

"Jack?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

Daniel nodded, grabbed Jack's hand, then saw Teal'c standing over the unconscious guard. Fear for his friend and excitement at the thought of rescue raced through, mixed in with flashes of other rescues. Nausea threatened again, but Daniel ignored it.

"What took you so long?"

"Come on, Daniel," Jack said with a grin. "Let's get you out of here."