HENCE THE HAIR
Disclaimer: I do not own the Stargate, the SGC or SG-1, or the characters in this story. They are the property of MGM. Not Me.
A/N In the first ep of season 8, O'Neill asks Teal'c "What's with the hair?" I was most disappointed when Teal'c did not reply. This is my take on why our Jaffa friend grew his hair.
This is set between "The Lost City" part 2 (Season 7) and "New Order" (Season 8).
Major Samantha Carter and Doctor Daniel Jackson sat in the Commissary, both nursing mugs of coffee, and both looking rather dejected. Their shoulders were slumped, and Sam had dark circles under her eyes. Daniel's face was unshaven and haggard. Neither one looked as if they had slept properly in days.
Surprising when you've just had a stunning victory over an alien armada intent on wiping out your entire planet. Not so surprising when the price of that victory was the fact your friend and CO is currently locked in stasis down in Antarctica, possibly dying.
Teal'c entered the Commissary, and spotting the other members of SG-1, joined them at their table once he had collected his breakfast. "Have you already dined today, Daniel Jackson and Major Carter?" he asked, after inclining his head in greeting. He suspected that Daniel Jackson had only been drinking coffee and that Major Carter had been following his bad example. His suspicions were confirmed, as the two looked rather guilty. Obviously, they had not partaken of appropriate sustenance. He had prepared for this eventuality. He began to unload his tray. Major Carter glanced down, looking mildly surprised as Teal'c placed a plate with fruit salad in front of her. Teal'c turned to hand Daniel Jackson a plate with waffles, and then handed him the syrup before the archaeologist could say anything. He then turned to the rest of the contents of his tray, obviously his own breakfast. The two other members of SG-1, looking like children who had been scolded (despite the fact Teal'c hadn't said a word) obediently began to eat the food that had been provided for them.
Teal'c congratulated himself on a plan well executed – food seemed to be having the desired affect, as his team mates perked up during the meal. How ever, they were still acting in an odd fashion – when Major Carter talked to Teal'c, she was looking at his head, not his eyes.
When Teal'c got up to get some salt for his eggs, and was detained for several seconds by a question from one of the SG-3 Marines, Sam leaned across the table. "Hey, Daniel, you notice something odd about Teal'c?"
"Yeah, but I can't quite put my finger on it…" the archaeologist said around a mouthful of waffles.
"He's growing hair, Daniel!"
Daniel paused with his fork half way to his mouth and blinked. Glancing over to where Teal'c was, he noticed faint black fuzz on top of his friend's head.
Sam continued "Teal'c has NEVER grown his hair before – even when we were stranded on deserted planets for weeks, he managed to shave his head! And when his consciousness was transferred to the Colonel's body by Ma'chello, he was going to shave his head! The Colonel nearly had a fit at the very thought…" Sam's voice trailed off as Teal'c approached. He regarded the two scientists huddling together over the tomato sauce.
"Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, you seem to be discussing a subject very earnestly. May I ask what the topic is so I may contribute?"
"Hair." Daniel replied absently, as he stared at Teal'c head, fascinated, and failing to notice the fact he was drizzling syrup all over his BDU's. At a kick under the table from Sam, he added hastily "Uh, Sam was wondering if she should get a hair cut… I'm not sure, I think it looks fine as it is, but Sam says she wants a bit of a change… What do you think?"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, certain he was not getting the whole story, but nonetheless, turned to scrutinise the blonde Major.
"Major Carter's hair seems to be before the length she usually gets it cut" Teal'c observed. He paused a moment, and Sam said "Oh, but its getting to that annoyingly shaggy length, so I was thinking about getting it cut anyway…" she trailed off, certain the Jaffa wasn't buying their shoddy cover story.
Teal'c remembered reading somewhere that females of the Tau'ri often cut their hair after the break up of a relationship, an emotionally turbulent time. Teal'c assumed that having O'Neill frozen down in Antarctica may fall into a similar category. He surprised Sam by adding "However, a change may be a pleasant experience. I liked your last hair cut better than the one before, Major Carter" before resuming his seat and returning his attention to his eggs. As a result, he missed Sam's amazingly accurate impression of a goldfish.
Daniel was alerted to the fact he had gotten syrup all over the place when the piece of waffle gave up clinging to the fork and fell into his lap. Swearing in one of the many languages he was fluent in, he tried (without much success) to repair the damage.
As SG-1 placed their trays in the washing up area, Sam turned to Daniel "So, Daniel, about that thing you needed help with? Do you want to deal with it now?" she asked casually, hoping Daniel would take the hint. She really wanted to get him alone and discuss the possible reasons for Teal'c's new fashion statement. Daniel gave her an strange look, but caught on and said "Oh, thanks! It's really been holding me up… if we could sort it out now it would be a great help!" trying to add the proper amount of enthusiasm to his voice. The two scientists left the Commissary after bidding Teal'c farewell, and made for Daniel's office.
Teal'c watched his team mates' departure thoughtfully. They were no longer sunk in depression, but their behaviour remained…odd. He decided to follow them.
Once in the relative safety of his office, Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Could you have been any more obvious, Sam?" he asked wryly. "Whatever." Sam said crossly, as she slid onto one of the stools facing the desk. Placing her elbows on the table, she leaned forward and asked eagerly "So, why do you think Teal'c has grown his hair all of a sudden?" Daniel sighed. "I have no idea." He admitted.
"But you're the anthropologist here! Well, the closest thing to an anthropologist here… maybe an expert in off world cultures is a better term" Sam amended.
Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well… I don't know why Teal'c had no hair to begin with. However, the Jaffa rebellion is gathering strength and momentum, and Teal'c is one of the driving forces behind it. Perhaps growing his hair is one more symbol, divorcing him from his past service to the Goa'uld. This could be a more… personal form of rebellion against the restraints or cultural taboos that encouraged him to shave his head during his service as First Prime of Apophis" Daniel speculated. Sam nodded thoughtfully, saying "So, basically, he's exercising his freedom to choose?"
"That or he's forgotten to shave" the archaeologist sniggered. Sam laughed but shook her head. "Well, then Sam, what's you theory?" Daniel asked playfully. Sam sobered up instantly. She looked down at her hands. "Well, I'm not sure…" she said quietly. Daniel waited, letting her take her time. He sensed this was the reason she wanted to discuss the issue in the first place. "Do you think… maybe it has something to do with Colonel O'Neill?" she burst out. "I mean, it only happened after the last mission…after the Colonel…well, you know, put himself in stasis." She took a breath and rushed on "I was wondering if it was some sort of tribute – Teal'c considered the Colonel to be a brother, a brother-in-arms. I know Teal'c considers all of SG-1 as family, but those two had some sort of special warrior bond thing going on". Daniel was considering what she was saying, and had to admit, she might have something there "There are some cultures where if a father or close male family member died, the surviving males would shave their heads; maybe in Jaffa culture, it's the opposite…" he said, thinking aloud.
"The Colonel is NOT dead!" Sam all but yelled. Daniel winced "I know, but maybe this is Teal'c way of honouring his sacrifice" he amended quickly.
"Or maybe Teal'c just came up with this as his own form of tribute. Maybe it's not linked to Jaffa culture, but to Teal'c's own set of beliefs" Sam suggested. The two contemplated this for a moment.
Sam broke the silence by saying innocently "Or perhaps Ishta likes non-bald men!" The look on Daniel's face was priceless – she dissolved into a fit of giggles.
Out in the corridor, Teal'c raised an eyebrow. While he was pleased to hear his team mates so animated, he wasn't so sure he appreciated the subject matter. The laughter from the office got louder as the two continued to trade wilder theories as to the reason for his hair – Daniel Jackson was now hypothesising that it had something to do with phases of the moon and astrology, while Major Carter was insisting it was Teal'c's way of coping with something called a 'mid-life crisis'. This theory was apparently based on his hair, his relationship with Ishta, and involved a prediction that Teal'c would be purchasing a red mode of transport called a 'Ferrari'.
At least he'd found out why Major Carter and Daniel Jackson had been acting so strangely.
Teal'c smiled to himself as he walked away from Daniel's lab. He had not grown his hair on some whim, nor to amuse his team mates – even if that had been an added bonus. The real reason he had grown hair was due to the simple fact it is cold down in Antarctica. Very cold indeed. His head and ears had been freezing in Antarctica. He had borne it with typical Jaffa stoicism, but that didn't mean he'd enjoyed it. Plus, O'Neill was still down there. And retrieving and reviving his friend would mean another trip to that icy continent. And Teal'c intended to be there when his friend woke up. He did NOT intend to get frostbite.
Hence the hair.