A/N: Many thanks and warm cookies to everyone who sent me their feedback! It's wonderful to hear you guys are enjoying my little tale:)

Daniel's Christmas Carol

3.

So, we're not on a Goa'uld mothership, as I would've expected. Instead, the mine vanished to be replaced by a quiet, dusty hall filled with ceiling-high shelves. I'd recognize this place anywhere. It's the University History Library, and I'm probably responsible for more than half of the unreturned books.

"You know this place?"

Oh, yes. His Goa'uld lordship is still here with me.

"Actually, I'm a little surprised that you know it." And a little bothered. "Why are we here?"

"You'll see."

I hate it when they're being cryptic. Especially when I really can't figure out where I am or how I got there. Or why evil incarnate is serving as my guide to the (?)afterlife. Well, evil discarnate, really, since he's supposed to have been dead for six years or so.

"You are so dead, Daniel Jackson."

Huh? Oh-oh, that doesn't bode well. Don't know where it came from, but I'm not sure I want to know, either.

"Get over here! Give that back!"

Someone comes running out from behind one of the shelves, and I brace myself for a possibly unfriendly encounter, but they just rush past me without as much as a glance in my direction.

"What's gotten into you, Jackson?" comes the high-pitched, angry voice again, and another running figure follows the first. This time, I get to see her face. I can't believe it. It's her!

Well then the other person must be—it must be me! But then, this must be that night in my freshman year when—ohhh. Oh, boy.

I turn to Apophis with a glare.

"What's the meaning of this? Why have you brought me here?"

"To remember."

"I don't need you to remember this!"

Seriously. It's not the kind of thing you, erm, forget easily. I can still hear her indignant ranting echo within the room, and there's another voice mixing with hers, and they're just fighting about Frachmann's theory of continuity in the Mesopotamian basin now. But I know what's coming.

"Ungrateful Tau'ri," Apophis's angry muttering draws my attention away from the two others in the room. "Nothing I do is enough. You don't need me?" he asks with a glare. "Then fine! Enlighten yourself!"

And with one last huff, he's gone. Just like that. And I'm alone again, in the dark library room, and the fighting is just starting to be punctuated by giggles. Oh, boy. I need to get out of here before my trip down memory lane becomes X-rated.

"Hey, wait!" I call out to the empty air. "Get back here! I, erm, apologize if I hurt your…feelings." Okay, I can't do this. Didn't Apophis read the job description? He's not supposed to bail on me!

God, I hope whoever designed this cosmic joke at my expense is having a good time. Because when I find them, I'll kill them.

"Come on, Daniel, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything! I just think—"

"Well, don't!"

Oh. I'd forgotten that exchange. Funnily enough, it would be the first, but not the last time I heard it.

"That's your problem, Daniel Jackson…you think too much."

I bang my head against the cold metal of one of the bookracks. What have I done to deserve this?

"Butthat'swhatpeopledo!We, uh, we think, okay? We have higher cognitive functions. That's what separates us from the ani—"

"Daniel."

"…uhm, yes?"

Shut up?

"What did Queen Menomya say to her consort when he accused her of indulging policies that hampered unification efforts in the larger Nile basin?"

Very funny, ha ha. She didn't say anything to him, she had his tongue cut out. Come to think of it, she was probably a Goa'uld. They're the type who'd take that route over a simple "zip it".

Talking of Goa'uld, I'm going to kill that snake Apophis. What the hell was he thinking, dragging me twenty years into the past and just dumping me here? Just what kind of higher purpose does this serve? Trying to tell me that I think too much? Hello—coming from the Ascended Ancients, that's rich!

Oh, no. Here goes the awkward giggling again. Did I actually ever sound like that? I fight an urge to cover my ears as I hurry towards the door, yank it open and rush through.

***

A/N: Incidentally, I've been doing pretty well on those updates, eh? *proud grin* Part of my early New Year's resolutions hehe.

Feedback is welcome:) Thank you for reading!

Myosotis