For notes, warnings and disclaimers, see chapter 1

Chapter 20: Common Ground
(Janet's POV)

"You wanted to speak to me, sir?"

"Yes, first of all, care to tell me what you are up to?" asks the general, point blank.

"Was it that obvious, sir?" I stall, wondering how am I supposed to handle this one. On the one hand there's a limit to what I should say, on the other I know that trying to hide behind doctor/patient confidentiality would probably be a mistake at a time when we are already vulnerable and a lot is riding on the general going along with us.

"No, but somehow I get the feeling that you are not exactly putting all your cards on the table here, doctor, so why don't you tell me what's really going on?" he insists.

"Well, sir, as Dr. Jackson said, I've been trying to get him to slow down a little for months now and..."

"And you figured that you could use Captain Carter to get him to comply?" he asks with a knowing smile.

"Not entirely, though I have to say that they are more alike than you think in that regard, sir... in fact that's one of the main reasons why I chose to 'prescribe' Dr. Jackson to Sam in the first place," I explain. "You see, when left to their own devices both of them have a tendency to lose themselves in their work and to forget about such trivial little things as eating and sleeping... and both of them have a tendency to live off coffee that is far from healthy. They don't do it on purpose and they are both extremely competent in their fields but as their doctor I've been trying to get them to take better care of themselves for a while. The thing is that Dr. Jackson may be reluctant to go home at the end of the day, he may think of it as a waste of time but he will do it for Sam's sake... and the same goes for making sure she eats three meals a day. It's the best way to make sure he eats regularly and doesn't subsist on his regular diet of coffee and snacks. Of course, it's not like Captain Carter doesn't need a babysitter at times."

"But that's not all, doctor, is it?" he prods.

"No, let's just say that what they have in common goes a lot deeper than their tendency to forget about their own needs. Have you ever heard them exchanging theories, sir?"

"A couple of times, it's usually enough to make my head spin," he admits.

"Not just yours, sir, believe me, but the thing is that those instances have turned out to be very enlightening. You see, she is an astrophysicist and he is an archeologist. Their fields are not supposed to work together, let alone work well together, and yet that's almost never been an obstacle for them in terms of their ability to communicate with each other. From what I've seen when Sam gets excited about wormhole theory, Daniel can actually come closer to following her than most of the other scientists around here and that is saying something. Sure, he gets lost when it comes to some of the technical terms but he can usually follow her basic reasoning and the same goes for Captain Carter following his. She may not be able to understand every single one of his obscure references but she can keep up with the logic of what he's saying and I suspect that for both of them that's the opposite of what they usually experience with their respective colleagues, who can keep up with the technical terms or the references but not the reasoning."

"What are you getting at, doctor?" asks the general.

"I'm getting at the fact that the basis for their ability to understand each other probably has a lot less to do with their respective educational backgrounds than it does with the way in which they actually think. That is what I suspect has enabled them to develop a very special bond, one that goes beyond the obvious differences in their respective fields, a bond that can't really be shared by anyone else regardless of their profession."

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me something, sir, have you ever had to try to get someone who is, to put it bluntly, severely retarded to understand even the simplest of concepts?" I ask, not quite knowing how to phrase this... after all, what we are dealing with here is one of those elephants in the room no one ever dares to mention.

"Once," he admits. "Back in 'Nam a man in my unit had suffered some pretty extensive brain damage as a result of a mission gone wrong. When I came back I went to visit him at the hospital. I remember trying to talk to him and, as much as I hate to admit it, I found the whole experience to be incredibly frustrating. Even though I knew it wasn't going to happen, I kept expecting him to be himself but he wasn't. In a way dealing with him was harder than trying to talk to a small child because I kept expecting him to understand... but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to that, and you have nothing to be ashamed of because you felt frustrated, sir," I reassure him. "That's perfectly understandable and a completely normal reaction under the circumstances... and that's precisely the point I'm trying to make here. The thing is that, going by what I've seen, I suspect that what you experienced that day is pretty much the norm for both Dr. Jackson and Captain Carter when dealing with the rest of the world. They are both used to it --so much so that they probably don't even notice it anymore, in fact for them experiencing that frustration is something they consider to be normal -- but the thing is that when they are together they actually have a chance to let go and be themselves. When they are together they don't have to worry about making sure that the other can keep up... and chances are that's not something either one of them has encountered all that often."

"I'm not sure I follow you, doctor," he says.

"Even without the benefit of an IQ score, do you agree that both Sam and Daniel fall well within most people's definition of 'genius'?" I ask, going for the direct approach.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, sir, the problem is that we all define normal by our own standards. We instinctively define 'normal' based on our own experiences and base our expectations accordingly," I explain. "From that perspective, people who are smarter than we are are 'bright' or 'gifted' and those who are slower are, well, 'dumb' or 'slow'... or whatever politically correct euphemism you want to use instead of either of those words. That's the way we are wired to perceive the world and there is nothing we can do about it. The thing is that while most of us think of extremely intelligent people as being 'gifted', the truth is that that gift is a double-edged sword, one that in extreme cases can actually turn into a disability... and I suspect both Sam and Daniel are close to that point. For them it's natural to go from A to D without even slowing down for B and C. They have a tendency to dismiss those intermediate steps as obvious and they don't really understand why the rest of us have trouble keeping up because for them that's normal, because for them it really is obvious. That is one of the main reasons why it is not uncommon to find that people with high IQs have lower than average emotional and social 'IQs': simply put, their intelligence has a tendency to get in the way of their social interaction with 99.9 percent of the world. It's like a machine that is performing 50 percent above specs. That works wonders when that machine is intended to function by itself, but if it is part of an assembly line then that increased efficiency can cause some pretty serious problems.

"The thing is that even though it may be difficult for the rest of us to accept it, the fact remains that at times, from their perspective, the average person probably seems to operate at the same level as a moderately to severely retarded individual seems to operate as far as the rest of us are concerned and that in turn is what makes the friendship between the two of them so special. They can understand each other in a way they have rarely --if ever-- encountered before, though I seriously doubt that either one of them has ever thought of it in those terms. You said that dealing with a man who had suffered considerable brain damage was more than a little frustrating, can you imagine having to function in a world in which that is actually the norm, in a world in which you are the exception and where very few people can fully understand you?"

"No, I can't, but I don't imagine it would be much fun," he says.

"It isn't, sir. In fact I'd say that both Sam and Daniel are remarkably well adjusted under the circumstances but that doesn't mean it's easy for them."

"I understand what you are saying but aren't you exaggerating a little here, doctor? Do you really think it's that bad?"

"I hate to say it, sir, but if there's an element of exaggeration it is in the fact that you haven't lived your whole life having to cope with that difference and that would render it that much more noticeable, just like an amputee often has a harder time coping with his disability than someone who was born with an equivalent birth defect. The problems they face may be similar but someone born with a birth defect is often able to compensate for it better. The thing is that the experience you had with your friend probably comes close to mirroring their situation. Think of it this way: for a person with an IQ of 150 a person with a normal IQ of 100 comes across as a person with an IQ of 67 does to a person with an IQ of 100. Proportionally speaking the gap is the same, as is the difficulty in bridging that gap. The point is that both Dr. Jackson and Captain Carter have to constantly dumb themselves down if they want to be understood and they are used to it, they do it almost instinctively... except when they are together. When they are together they can really be themselves, even if it's only for a little while," I say before going on.

"I've seen the look in their eyes whenever they try to explain a 'simple' theory and Colonel O'Neill tells them to shut up because he can't follow... of course, I also understand the colonel's frustration. Tell me something, sir, how many times have you heard Dr. Jackson say something along the lines of 'so you see where I'm going with this', when you don't have the first clue as to where he is going, or how many times have you heard Captain Carter say 'so you can see what the obvious conclusion of this would be', when you can't even begin to figure out how she got to wherever she is in her reasoning in the first place?"

"Yes, of course... more times than I can count. I see, so that's why you decided to rely on Dr. Jackson for this, even though he is a man and that was one of your primary objections to both Dr. Warner and Dr. MacKenzie?" he asks.

"It was one of several reasons, yes, though it wasn't just one thing," I admit. "It's true that Daniel is in a better position to understand Sam than pretty much anyone else --not to mention that he is someone I'm fairly confident she would have a very hard time trying to fool-- but then there is also the fact that they already have a solid friendship that is built on a foundation of trust. The two of them have been fighting side by side for the past eight months or so and are used to having to rely on each other in order to survive. That is not a level of trust that anyone outside SG-1 can hope to achieve, regardless of what that person's background happens to be and how many professional credentials they may have. In the end I suspect that trust is going to matter a lot more than the fact that Dr. Jackson is a man.

"Of course, in addition to that, there's also the fact that our choices were fairly limited to begin with, especially considering that Dr. MacKenzie had already been ruled out and what I said about the fact that with Cassie I couldn't really handle this myself either was yet another factor. Besides, seeing how Sam's requested that the information about this incident be limited to as few people as possible, well, it was basically either Dr. Jackson or Dr. Jackson. Still, even though he was partly chosen by default, the truth is that he may turn out to be a far more effective help in dealing with this situation than any of the more traditional approaches would be because --unlike most people-- he can actually understand how Sam thinks. The fact is that she can be somewhat hyper-rational at times and..."

"At times, doctor?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, she is hyper-rational almost all the time," I agree. "The point is that that is a side of her that could easily have become a problem with a more traditional approach. I just can't imagine her trying to work with someone who insists that she should get in touch with her feelings, with someone who would almost certainly perceive her rationalizations as 'an unhealthy defense mechanism' or some other such nonsense. Daniel can understand her in that regard, he knows that's part of who she is and he knows how to handle it. That's likely to prove a determining factor here."

"That sounds good doctor, now why don't you fill me in on what you are really planning and exactly what you are up to? Somehow I get the feeling that there's a lot more to this than making sure they eat and sleep and have someone who doesn't get frustrated when they start bouncing ideas off each other," points out General Hammond and I realize that I'm going to have no choice but to explain the part of this whole thing that I had been hoping to keep to myself.

"Well, sir, remember what I said when I first got here about the fact that the traditional approach could not be used in Sam's case due to the classified nature of the SGC?" I ask.

"Yes, you mentioned that group therapy wasn't an option because... I see. You said conventional group therapy wasn't an option but you also mentioned that Captain Carter wasn't the only member of an SG team to have been raped in the line of duty. You maneuvered them so that they'd be in a position to try and help each other, didn't you?"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say I maneuvered them, sir, the pieces were already there when I found them, but yes, I figured it was something I could use, especially considering the fact that using the word 'rape' around Dr. Jackson is not exactly an option," I explain. "He may be ready to acknowledge what happened to him but I don't think he is ready for the label... or for the connotations that label carries for a man."

"Remind me never to play chess with you," says the general, shaking his head.

"What can I say? I'm used to having to deal with difficult patients who insist that they don't need my help in the first place... if I've learned anything in all my years of fighting stubborn military personnel is that the direct approach is not always the best. As a result one of the things I try to do is get to know my patients as well as I can... especially those who seem to be convinced that the infirmary has some sort of frequent flyer miles program, as is the case with Dr. Jackson and the rest of SG-1. I'd like to think that I know that particular lot pretty well and that knowledge has come in handy more than once."

"Care to share some of those observations, doctor?" he pushes.

"Well, sir, when it comes to Captain Carter and Dr. Jackson, the way I see it there are a number of other similarities between the two of them that make them unusually well suited to help one another, like the fact that they are both incredibly sensitive individuals who, for one reason or another, found themselves growing up in environments in which that sensitivity was seen more as a liability than as an asset," I explain. "Captain Carter was born to a military family and, in a way, she was groomed to be a soldier from the day she was born, a situation that got worse after her mother's death. Dr. Jackson lost his parents at an early age and then found himself trying to cope with the harsh realities of the foster care system as best he could. They both managed to make it out but, especially in Sam's case, I think the conflict is just below the surface... and Daniel is one of only a handful of people around here she is willing to allow close enough to see that side of her."

"What do you mean, doctor?"

"She's going to kill me for saying this, but have you ever watched Captain Carter when someone she cares about is hurt... especially when that someone is Dr. Jackson?" I ask.

"I can't say that I have."

"Well, sir, I have," I say. "It's like it's almost painful for her to stay away, like she wants to get close and offer some physical comfort but refuses to allow herself that 'weakness'. She behaves like the perfect soldier but that is clearly more by nurture than by nature... and Daniel isn't all that different in that regard when she's the one who's been hurt, though I think a lot of that may have to do with the fact that he is actually taking his cue from her. The point is that I'm hoping that, with a little luck --and a little nudge-- we'll be able to get them both to drop their defenses for the other's sake. It's not going to be easy but I figure it's worth a shot. Besides, I have to say that Dr. Jackson's situation may well be far more complicated than it seems."

"Why do you say that, doctor?" asks the general, sounding more than a little worried.

"There are a number of things, sir, but basically because when I talked to him earlier today he said something that caught my attention. He mentioned that last night he asked Sam to stay with him because he knew what it was like to wake up from a nightmare only to find himself alone with his fears. That's what gave me the idea to have Sam stay with him for a while in the first place. If what he said is anything to go by, then Captain Carter is not the only one who is having more than her fair share of trouble sleeping, which is only natural considering what Dr. Jackson's been through recently. In the past few months not only has he had to deal with what Hathor did to him but also with the fact that his wife was taken over as the host of a Goa'uld. That means that not only is he facing the fact that he may never see her again but also there is the very real possibility that he may end up having to fight against her. That can't be easy for him but the thing is that he too has been trying to cope with that situation on his own and I'm afraid it may prove to be a bit much for him."

"So what you are saying is that you are basically putting them in a position to help each other out but you have to be sneaky about it because you can't let Dr. Jackson know that you think he may be in trouble in the first place?" asks General Hammond.

"Yes... no," I hesitate before going on. "As I said, they were already in a position to help each other, that was certainly not my doing, I'm just doing my best to close the loopholes they could have used to avoid it."

"But you think they will be fine?"

"In time," I say. "The problem is that while their natures should theoretically make it easy for the two of them to connect and help each other out, their upbringings are bound to get in their way so that's likely to be a struggle. They are both stubborn, independent and they refuse to rely on anyone else as a self-defense mechanism, and that is not something that will be easy for either one of them to overcome. Still, I'm all but certain that each one of them is the best shot the other has right now. The thing is that they are both my friends and I'm having a hard time using them as guinea pigs. As I said, this is definitely not my field.

"What we are doing here, I can't be sure it's going to work, I can't promise it's not going to backfire but at the same time I really don't feel we have a choice... not with the resources currently available at the SGC. That's another reason why I think having someone who specializes on these situations around here on a semi-permanent basis may be a good idea... of course, I am also aware that there's probably no one with experience on 'these situations' to begin with. I mean, we are talking about a job that includes counseling people who travel to other planets via a controlled wormhole, helping them cope with the fallout of whatever those planets throw at them, not to mention helping people who have seen their friends and loved ones being taken over by parasitic aliens... and that is just the tip of the iceberg. There's also the occasional group of aliens who are here for a short period of time before being relocated after having survived the destruction of everything they had ever known, or children who have..." I trail off.

"You are thinking about Cassandra, aren't you, doctor?"

"Well, yes, she is a perfect example of the kind of thing any 'specialist' would have to deal with, isn't she? I mean, I'm doing everything I can to help her but the fact remains that she is a little girl who saw the entire population of her own world being annihilated and who had a bomb implanted in her chest. She is a girl who was almost abandoned to die alone in a bunker and is now trying to cope with life on what is literally an alien world while trying to keep those around her from noticing that she doesn't belong, while trying to convince people she is from Toronto. Let's face it, she may have had the small comfort that Sam refused to leave her alone in that bunker but still, that had to be a pretty traumatic experience... and after all that she has to deal with the aftermath alone because there is no one with the qualifications and the clearance to help her. What are we supposed to do, send her to Dr. MacKenzie?" I ask.

"You really don't like him much, do you, doctor?" asks the general.

"To be perfectly honest, sir, I think he is competent in his field but he is way out of his depth here," I admit. "The problem is that he is too by the book and that means he is not well fitted to deal with the kinds of things we are bound to encounter out there, simply because there can be no book to guide him. His first reaction when confronted with a new problem is to approach it 'the usual way' and I'm afraid it is only a matter of time before 'the usual way' gets us in some real trouble. The truth is that around here we must deal with situations that cause us to have to improvise constantly and that is not something he handles gracefully. What we need here is someone who can think on his feet and Dr. MacKenzie isn't it... and, to make matters worse, most of the personnel know it. I know there is a certain reluctance that is to be expected from military personnel when it comes to dealing with psychologists and so on but around here the man is basically dreaded and, even though he is competent, that is bound to lessen his effectiveness even in the best of cases. The thing is that even though I can order someone to see him, that is of no use if that someone doesn't trust him... and that's one of my main problems right now with Captain Carter. I could order her to talk to him but that would do more harm than good and that is frustrating... not to mention unnecessary.

"The thing is that while I understand that there is no manual for most of the things we are dealing with here and I'm more than willing to improvise whenever necessary, sometimes I find myself having to improvise when I shouldn't have to... and Dr. MacKenzie has a role to play in quite a few of those instances. This situation with Sam is a perfect example of that fact because, even though there are a number of classified aspects that make it all but impossible for her to get help elsewhere, the bottom line is that her experience is not nearly as unique as most of the things we deal with around here. Unfortunately rape is a common enough problem and there is a well established course of action, but in this instance the thing that stands in the way of that course of action is the captain's mistrust of Dr. MacKenzie... that and the man's inability to understand the concept of human emotions as anything but neurochemical reactions. That's why I want to have a specialist brought in, because the sad fact is that Captain Carter is unlikely to be the only member of an SG team that is going to require some sort of support at one point or another. As far as I'm concerned, this incident's just been our wake up call and I'm afraid this is not going to be the last time we are going to have to get creative in order to get someone some sort of help. There are no textbooks for what we are dealing with and, to be perfectly honest, I have no real use for a 'by the book' doctor here."

"Well, doctor, welcome to my world," says the general.

"What do you mean, sir?" I ask, caught slightly off-guard by his comment.

"Do you have any idea of how many times I've found myself trying to strike some sort of balance between established procedures that were written to deal with situations that are native to this world and the reality of the things we find out there?" he asks with a resigned smile.

Author's note: Okay guys not much of a note this time around, just me saying thank you for your reviews. I really appreciate them!

Alec