"Mens Mentis"
A/N: SORRY! I know, I do have lots of good excuses, and pathetic ones. But I was really stuck with this chapter, and some parts didn't come out how I wanted.
A few chapters ago someone posted about the Sound of Music song and that I should have the I feel pretty song which I believe is actually a West Side Story song, so I improvised a little ;-)
Also, I had a fair bit of doctor mumbo jumbo in the last one, sorry for any innacuracies, I am in no way a doctor, but a junior in high school :-D
Hopefully this chapter should clear up any confusion, if not, let me know and I'll explain.
Thanks everyone!
"I'm still confused," Sam said, sitting down on a log. "You're really here, but how? What's going on?"
Daniel sat down next to her. "It's a long story."
Spoilers: Meridian, Prophecy, Death Knell, and the Fifth Race
-Chapter 7-
"I think that the reason I'm able to be here, in your dreams, is because of the device, instead of hearing everyone else's thoughts when I'm awake, I'm hearing yours in my sleep." Daniel explained to Sam.
Sam shook her head. "But why just me? Why aren't you entering other people's dreams?"
"Perhaps it's your proximity, or it could be the device's separate effects on us, and it's somehow drawn us together."
"But you have no idea whether I'm going to get better, if I'm going to be stuck like this, or worse."
Daniel frowned and shook his head. "Hopefully, the effects will wear off after a while, just like it's supposed to with me."
Sam wasn't convinced. "You said that my body's reacting as if it's fighting a virus?" Daniel nodded. "Maybe the Tok'ra can help. A healing device may be able to get rid of the virus."
Daniel's frown deepened. "We've already tried contacting them a few times, Hammond's even thinking about sending SG-13 out looking for them."
"Look Sam, I may not be able to come around as much for the next little while."
Daniel spun around and found himself in the infirmary at the SGC. Standing beside his daughter's bedside was Jacob Carter.
Tears were threatening to escape Sam's eyes from where she lay in the bed. She wore a gown, and her face was bruised and scratched. He realized that this was after the incident with the super soldiers at the Alpha site.
She quickly sat up and wiped at her eyes. Jacob disappeared from the scene.
It wasn't often that Daniel say Samantha Carter so vulnerable and in tears. He closed the distance between himself and the bed, and took a seat next to her, taking her hand in his.
"You know, I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."
Sam smiled gratefully, "I know, and thanks." She climbed out of bed, and they both stood.
"What about the Asguard?"
"Tried them too. No reply yet though. They're probably busy with the replicators again."
Without warning, Daniel flickered right in front of her. "What was that?"
Everything was beginning to fade around him. "I think I'm waking up."
"Wait, not yet." An all too familiar memory jumped into her mind.
"Jacob stop"
Daniel and Sam turned around to face the bed. This time it was occupied by a bandaged up Daniel. The bed was surrounded by the remaining members of SG-1, General Hammond, Dr. Fraiser, and Jacob who was holding the healing device over Daniel's body.
"Are you serious?" Jacob looked at Jack in disbelief.
"It's what he wants."
"Sorry," Sam looked to Daniel apologetically, and he suddenly flickered again.
"I'll be back, I promise."
Daniel's eyes flew open, and Jack looked up from the other side of the room.
"What was that?" Jack asked.
"What?" Daniel sat up, shaking off the effects of sleep, and attempting to comprehend everything that had just happened.
"You said something."
"I did?"
"Yeah… sleep well?"
Daniel climbed out of bed, and walked over to Sam's bedside, looking down at her. "I was in Sam's dreams."
Jack simply looked blankly back at Daniel. "You what?"
"Somehow, when I sleep, I'm with Sam in her dreams. This isn't the first time it's happened. At first I thought I was just dreaming…"
"Well, is she ok?"
"She seems to be stuck in her own mind, reliving moments in her life, just going wherever her mind takes her." Daniel explained.
"But she's ok."
Daniel nodded. "As well as she can be during the circumstances. Have you heard anything from the Tok'ra?"
"Nope, nothing from Thor either. Hammond just sent SG-13 out to the old Tok'ra homeworld. Maybe they'll have someone still watching the old place or something."
"Colonel O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Dr. Fraiser requests you presence in the Infirmary." They both turned to see Teal'c standing in the doorway.
"What's going on?" Jack asked, walking with Daniel and Teal'c out of the room.
"Dr. Fraiser has Daniel Jackson's test results."
General Hammond was already standing with Janet when they arrived.
"Dr. Jackson's blood work showed up fine, as did most of the other tests." Janet began instantly.
"Most?" Daniel raised his eyebrows.
"Your EEG scan however, wasn't." Janet turned on the X-ray viewing unit, and placed a brain scan on it. "When I saw this, it reminded me of Colonel O'Neill's results after he had the Ancient database downloaded into his brain." She placed another scan next to Daniel's. The red shows what parts of the brain are active.
Compared to Daniel's, Jack's brain scan was obviously more active.
"But what does that mean?" General Hammond voiced the question that was plaguing all four of the men's minds.
"Only a tiny percentage of the human brain is ever used, and in these scans, parts of the brain which usually lie dormant are being activated. Those are parts that have been theorized to have precognitive abilities, similar to what Jonas had a year ago. The brains just not meant to function at such a capacity."
"So Daniel's going to start going Ancient on us?"
Janet looked at Jack and shook her head. "I don't think so. Only a small part of his brain has been activated compared to you, when your whole brain was being overwhelmed with knowledge."
"But it's supposed to go way; the journal said that it's not permanent." Said Daniel.
"I'm not so sure; you have a different physiology than the ancients. We'll have to keep a watch on you for a while, and see if your brain activity remains constant or begins to decrease."
Daniel sighed. "Ok, but do I have to stay in the Infirmary?"
"I'd prefer it if you did. How are the headaches going?"
"It's not so bad, I'm getting used to it."
Janet nodded, "I'll put you on a regular dose."
"Is that all Doctor?" Hammond asked. Janet nodded. "Oh, Dr. Mackenzie got wind of the situation, and he's expressed and interest in speaking with you, Dr. Jackson."
"Oh? Well Sir, I think my headache is too bad right now. He looked hopefully at the General.
The corner of Hammond's lips quirked slightly. "Ok, I'll inform him that you're not feeling up to it."
"Thank you Sir." Daniel smiled thankfully, and Hammond turned to leave.
"There was one more thing." Daniel stopped him, and everyone looked at him. "I um… I can talk to Sam when I'm sleeping." He proceeded to explain everything that he'd told Jack.
"Is she in any pain?" Janet asked.
"No, in fact, she had no idea what was even going on until I told her."
"Be sure to let her know that we'll figure this out." Hammond said.
Daniel nodded. "I will." Hammond left the room.
"If you'll wait a minute, I'll give you some more medication, and then you can return to the Isolation Room."
"So," Jack began as Janet walked away. "This whole hearing people's thoughts thing, could really come in handy."
"On the contrary O'Neill, people's thoughts are private." Teal'c objected.
"I wasn't thinking like that, although, we would have some nice black mail material on our hands. I was thinking more of the tactical advantages."
"Well, none of that matters." Daniel replied "Because I won't have it much longer, and there's no way Hammond will even let me offworld until it's gone."
"So, you're just going to lie in there for the next however many days, and wait for this thing to wear off?"
Teal'c replied, "Doctor Fraiser did order Daniel Jackson to remain in her care."
"Jack looked at Teal'c. "Of course I'm not planning an Infirmary break here, or in this case Isolation break, but she doesn't really expect him to stay cooped up in there. Maybe we spring Daniel out and get…" Jack looked at his watch, "…lunch in the Commissary."
"Why are you so eager to go all of a sudden? Yesterday we had to practically drag you from the Isolation room."
"What? Can't a man be hungry?" Jack said defensively.
He was shutting down again. Daniel heard his thoughts. He thought that he was showing too much emotion, and he had to hide behind the walls again. It was like he was trying to prove something to himself; forcing himself to believe that he was feeling something other than the truth.
"Stop looking at me like that." Jack ordered.
"Well stop thinking."
"Then stop listening."
"I can't exactly help it."
"I'm sure you can, you manage to ignore me just fine when I'm talking to you." Jack retorted.
"Is that the pot calling the kettle black?"
Somebody behind them cleared their throat, and they turned around to look at Janet.
"Doc!" Jack quickly stepped toward her. "What do you say T' and I take Daniel out of here fore a while and get some food into his system?"
"I suppose so, but he has to come right back as soon as you're done."
"We'll have him back before dark," Jack smiled.
"'He's' standing right here." Daniel sighed.
"Yes, well… let's go." Jack headed for the door with Daniel and Teal'c preceding him.
"Come on, you don't hear anything interesting?" Jack looked around the packed commissary.
'I am sixteen going on seventeen; I know that I'm naïve. Fellows I meet, they tell me I'm sweet and willingly I believe!'
Daniel looked over at the airman sitting at a table behind Jack's shoulder. "Interesting, no. Disturbing however…"
"Disturbing could be interesting." Jack prodded.
"Believe me, it's not."
'Ok, I fed the cat, made sure she had water, turned all the lights off. Did I lock the doors?... why is he looking at me like that?'
Daniel quickly looked away from the lieutenant, and back at Jack who he realized was walking to him. "Sorry, what?"
Jack sighed. "Never mind, are you even going to eat anything?" He looked down at the full plate in front of Daniel who shrugged.
'I'm so sick of Siler thinking he's so great, walking around the halls with his giant wrench. I swear, one day I hope that he goes offworld so I can forget to open the-'
'Great, there's Walter again. He thinks he's so great just because he opens and closes the iris. Big deal, anybody could do that menial job…'
"Daniel Jackson?"
Daniel looked at Teal'c and realized that he'd missed something again. "What?"
"Are you feeling alright? You seem distracted." Teal'c looked at him in concern.
"I'm fine." Daniel rubbed absent-mindly at his temples.
"Well, Dr. Lee's been begging to take a look at that Mans Praying-mantis thing." Jack said.
"It's 'Mens Mentis'," Daniel corrected him. "And I don't think anybody should touch it."
"Hammond said the same thing. It's still sitting amongst the junk on your desk. Meanwhile, Dr. Ryan's been translating the rest of the books."
"Has she found anything?"
"No idea," Jack shrugged. "I'm sure she'll let you know if she does. Should I tell her to come visit you if I see her?" Jack smiled.
"No, that's fine."
"You two seem to get along well."
"She's a very nice young woman, and has a great knowledge of the… why are you smiling like that?"
"No reason." Jack bit back a laugh.
"Well, I'm glad she was hired. She's a great addition to the SGC."
Jack's grin grew. "She's fairly attractive too, don't you think?"
Daniel coughed. "Is she? I didn't' notice."
"Right, of course you didn't."
Daniel was about to reply when the Star Wars theme suddenly entered his mind in a deep hum. His eyes turned to Teal'c.
"Teal'c?"
"Yes, Daniel Jackson?"
"Watched Star Wars recently?" the humming instantly stopped, and if it were possible, the Jaffa's face turned a slight shade of pink.
"Huh?" Jack looked at them in confusion.
"Never m-" A sudden pain exploded in his brain, and he brought both hands to his head.
"Daniel!" Jack jumped as the archaeologist let out a yell of pain and stood up, his hands held tightly to his head.
Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to shut out the pain. He couldn't breathe, the pain was so intense. His whole body seemed to disappear, and all he could think about was the excruciating pain.
"Daniel?"
He felt a hand on his arm, and suddenly the pain had disappeared and he was breathing steadily again. He opened his eyes to find Sam's bright blue eyes staring down at him in concern.
"Are you ok?"
A/N: I'm really open for any ideas... I've messed up a few things, hoepfully it's not noticeable, but I'd appreciate anything that anybody has to say, so please leave me some feedback! Thanks a lot!