Chapter 8: Seeking Approval
Jonas reached the fork in the road, and made a turn to go to the path that looked to be less treacherous. He began down the path and was yet again swept into another of his memories.
The rescue mission for Lieutenant Gray of SG-8. He'd been captured as well, and thrown into a cell. It was one of the most powerful, yet fearful memories that he possessed. He recalled how the Goa'uld leader of the planet had tried to use him and Lieutenant Gray to get Earth's gate address and an iris code to get through. To do this, she'd forced them to relive their most terrible memories.
At the time his was the fear of the dark that he had accumulated on the mission where he met Coris. The power that this certain Goa'uld had over him was frightening. True enough, since then, his fear of the dark had dissipated into near nothingness, yet he occasionally still had a nightmare about that awful mission of darkness.
"I used to be afraid of the dark." Mollie replied quietly.
"All children are at one point, I think." Jonas answered.
"I never was." Came another voice, not belonging to Mollie or himself. He turned to see Colonel O'Neill sitting cross-legged on the ground, grinning like he'd just won first prize.
"Oh come on, you had to have been, you just don't remember it." Mollie argued.
"Nope, not me, and it never occurred to me that a man of your age could have that fear either, Jonas." Jack stated.
Jonas's face blushed at O'Neill's words. Jack pushed himself off of the ground and sauntered over to where Jonas stood.
"So, you still scared of the dark? Afraid the bogeyman might getcha?" O'Neill teased. Jonas didn't much like this conversation, or where it was heading.
"No sir, that's in the past." Jonas replied.
"We're in your brain, and you're still calling me sir?" The Colonel said.
"What should I call you?" Jonas questioned.
"Call me what you wish, but its not going to change anything."
"What do you mean by anything?"
"Oh you know . . . anything. You still looking for a way out of here?"
"Yes sir."
"How're you gonna find it standing around talking to me?"
"Colonel, I know I've asked you this before, but why are you here?"
"Not a clue, your brain's a scary place Jonas, full of dark secrets. It's definitely not a place I'd recommend for a vacation." O'Neill scoffed, looking absently around.
Jonas sighed, the Colonel wasn't being much of a help to him at the moment.
"Jonas let me ask you something." Jack replied then.
"Yes sir?" Jonas asked.
"Why are you always looking for approval? Especially my approval, I wouldn't think it'd be of much good to you." Jack said simply.
Jonas though about that for a moment, he didn't exactly understand Jack's words, but he tried his best.
"Sir?"
"Oh come on, you know what I mean, always eager to please, worried that someone might think poorly of you, you know, paranoia like that."
"I didn't believe I did that sir."
"Stop calling me sir! We're in your brain for cryin' out loud!"
Jonas was slightly taken aback at the statement that had just been made to him, but he quickly shrugged it off.
"Sorry Colonel." Jonas replied, not knowing what else to say.
"Look, there ya go again, apologizing and seeking my approval. Well, you've got my approval, you can stop trying to gain it now." O'Neill seemed to be acting completely out of character at the moment.
"Colonel, I don't understand." Jonas replied truthfully, he didn't see what any of this had to do with him finding a way out.
"Of course ya don't. How about you just forget about it and try to get yourself out of this place, huh?" Jack replied.
"Yes sir, that's what I'm trying to do." Jonas answered.