Vision Quest

Summary: With his vision deteriorating from multiple exposures to the Goa'uld hand device, Daniel has to reluctantly rely on his team in order to save the lives of SG-2 and bring SG-1 home safely.

Authors Note: I would sincerely appreciate any reviews. I'd like to know if the characters sound 'true' and what you think of the story. (Please)

Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Chapter 2

Jack was already in the gateroom with Sam and Teal'c when Daniel entered. Quickly, he busied himself arranging his books and supplies on the FRED. He had a lot of nervous energy lately. He didn't even notice as a shadow fell across his back.

"You ready for this?" Daniel looked up to see O'Neill looking down at him.

Daniel nodded.

Jack bent over to speak directly to him, "If you have any problems, you let me know immediately." He paused to make sure the instruction was registering. "That's an order, Daniel."

"I understand, Jack. I let you know if I need any …ah … help."

Jack grabbed his shoulder gently. "And not just if you need help, Daniel. I need to know if there are any changes in your sight. It could affect all of us, understood?"

Daniel nodded again.

"So, on a scale of say, one to ten, ten being your normal vision, and five meaning you can't see clearly enough to protect yourself, and 1 being … well, … nada, where are you at now?

Daniel sat back on his heels and looked around the room. If he was going to be honest with Jack, he better be honest with himself. He'd been ready to insist that he was a ten, but those annoying sparkling spots were appearing off and on over small segments of the wall, and now one was on Teal'c's head. He turned back to look at Jack, as the sparkles moved over to his cheek and forehead. "A nine, I guess, … and a half."

Jack stared at Daniel for a few seconds trying to reassure himself that Dr. Jackson was leveling with him. "Can you tell me what time it says on that clock?" He gestured to the far wall."

"It's 1410, Jack," Daniel replied as he raised his eyebrows and added pointedly, "That is when we're supposed to leave, right?"

Jack looked back at the man and as much as admitted defeat. "Well then, let's get a move on. SG-2 awaits. General…"

Up in the control room General Hammond gave the signal to begin the gate sequence. "You have five days to return, Colonel. We expect to see you all back by then. Godspeed SG-1"

Daniel looked around to drink in his surroundings, closed his eyes, and wished very hard for a smooth ride this time as he stepped into the event horizon.

As Daniel came through, he felt someone grab his arm to slow him down. That helped. He resisted the urge to keep his eyes closed and carefully blinked, then opened his eyes completely. Thank God, he could see the DHD, the trees, the sky, and as he released the breath he'd been holding, Jack … in close-up.

"Well?"

Daniel quickly reassessed his vision. A few more black spots, but he could definitely see all around him. "The same," he quietly reported, and moved off to join Sam and Teal'c.

Jack nodded as a quick smile played across his features. "Well, alright! Let's move out."

It was definitely colder, no tropical vegetation here. Enormous conifers towered over the team like turrets in a castle. A good brisk pace would keep them warm and get them to their rendezvous point before the sun began to set and the temp dropped to the uncomfortable range. Jack looked back at his team. Sam followed, keeping her eyes on the surrounding trees, clearly on the lookout for anything unusual. Teal'c, bringing up the rear, was likewise on his guard, staff weapon held at the ready. Daniel was doing his job as well. When O'Neill saw him easily sidestep a series of broken branches in the middle of their path, he turned to continue. Obviously, Jackson was able to see well enough for now. Maybe this would work out after all.

After about an hour and a half of keeping up a quick pace, Jack turned once again to check on his team. Carter and of course Teal'c looked comfortable and were keeping an easy pace. Daniel, well, surprisingly, he looked more relaxed as well. No sense taking any chances though. He looked around for a safe, open area, and called for his team to take a five-minute break.

Teal'c and Carter checked the perimeter and sat down facing outward. Jack could see them checking on the archeologist as well. They hadn't said anything to Daniel about his situation yet, assuming correctly that he would bring it up if he cared to discuss it.

Daniel stretched his muscles and strode over to talk with the others. "When are we supposed to ..", but he suddenly stopped talking. His world had spun around once. He just managed to maneuver a seat on the ground and was trying to recover his equilibrium. When he heard Jack call his name, he quickly glanced upward and with that motion, his vision disappeared.

"Daniel?…Daniel!"

One – two – three … there it was, it was back! … at least about 80 of it. He forced his eyes to look at Jack. "Yes?"

"What?"

"I .. um … I couldn't see for a second there," and he hurried to add, "but it's fine now." He looked right at Jack as if to prove it.

"Daniel, let me look at you," Sam softly moved to his side.

"I'm okay, Sam, .. I … I just …," he trailed off.

Sam carefully examined his eyes. She brought out her flashlight, and though it was rather cumbersome, it still served the purpose to confirm that both his pupils were reactive to light.

"How fine?"

"What?"

"How fine is your vision, Daniel?"

"I guess I would say it is now an …an 8."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, right now it means I can see everything around me, but I have some missing spots here and there. I guess if I'm looking at Sam, I'm missing her chin… and her, um, left eye. But, if I look directly at her chin I can see it, but her left cheek and part of her … uh … chest is missing. In any case, it'll get better shortly."

"How can you be certain of this, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel tightened his lips for a second, and raised his eyebrows. "Well, Teal'c, so far it always has."

"That does not mean that it will not continue to do so, especially if you continue to exert yourself."

"Yes, well, I'm not exerting myself."

Jack looked at Daniel. He seemed to be fine except for the set of his lips and the lines on his forehead that showed that the stress of worrying about it was getting to him. It would probably be best to get started again and try to get his mind off it. Maybe they could walk a little slower and still get there in time. "OK, Daniel, if you're ready we'll get moving. Just," he gestured to the path ahead, "watch where you're walking, and let us handle the look-out." When he saw Daniel stand he added, "Let's go folks, we have people waiting for us."

Grateful to be moving again, Daniel rubbed his hands together to warm them up. They walked for some time, getting closer to the site where they were to meet their contacts. The sun had started to set, and was now even with the taller trees. Daniel saw Carter blowing into her hands, and he started to rub his hands together as well. He remembered the gloves he'd stored in his outer pockets and pulled them out. One dropped to the ground and he automatically bent down to pick it up. As his head dipped below his waist, a stabbing pain went through his head. God, -- it felt like a searing knife had exploded behind his right eye. His hand flew to cover it and he fell to his knees in pain.

"Colonel O'Neill, Daniel Jackson is in difficulty."

Sam and Jack spun around. "Dammit." Jack saw Teal'c, still on guard. He ran over to Daniel.

"Daniel?" Sam was already at his side. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

The pain was too intense, he couldn't move. He actually wanted to claw out his right eye, but any movement was too much. Make it stop … he grabbed the arm reaching out to him and held on for his life. "Don't …touch," he hissed.

Sam tried to pull his hand away from his eye, but Daniel was showing amazing strength in keeping her from doing so. "Daniel, I need you to move your hand so I can take a look at your eye."

Daniel just clutched tighter to her arm to fend it away, meanwhile keeping the palm of his hand covering his right eye.

"Colonel, I need some help here."

"Daniel, move your hand so Carter can look at it." His linguist just tried to move further away. "Daniel!"

When this received no response, Jack kneeled behind Daniel, and spoke into his ear. "We need to check your eye now. I'm going to help Carter take a look at it."

He couldn't help it, it just hurt too much. Daniel twisted backwards to try to avoid him, but Jack was already there. He placed one arm around Daniel's chest and with his other hand forced his palm away from his eye."

"Quick Carter, check him out."

Sam shone the flashlight into his eye. The pupil did not react. Streaks of red were coloring areas where previously there had only been white. She looked closer, but could see no foreign object. She quickly signaled the colonel to let go. Daniel quickly put his palm back up to his eye.

With a strained voice, Daniel looked out of his other eye at Sam. "There's nothing in it, is there?"

"No, … but it does look like something ruptured. There is a lot of blood spreading through your eye right now. Your pupil isn't reacting to light."

Daniel groaned as he hit the ground with a fist.

"Colonel, we have to get Daniel home right away."

"No!" Daniel ground out. "I … it's not as bad now. I have to keep … going, … or this is all for nothing."

"I concur. Daniel Jackson will not be able to assist us in his condition, and he needs medical attention now."

Daniel's breathing was starting to even out a bit now, and he tentatively removed his hand from his eye, but it shot right back. Jack," he added plaintively, "…you know that I have to finish this. Who else … can do it? Besides, they aren't likely to let me leave now anyway."

Jack was upset. He didn't like surprises, especially when they involved the welfare of his team. "So you're telling me you can't see anything out of your right eye at all? And why does it sound to me that you aren't all that surprised?" he added suspiciously.

"I …arrgh," he grimaced as he attempted to open the offending eye once again. "I knew that there was a …minor …risk … of something like this happening,… but only a little earlier than it would have happened anyway.

"Dammit, Daniel. You know I would never have allowed you here if I thought that it would cause you to lose your sight!"

"Yes, Jack, I know that. But it hasn't happened yet, and I have to see this mission through long before that becomes an issue."

"Great. For crying out loud, Jackson." Jack turned and stormed away.

Teal'c shook his head and began to patrol the area. Sam walked over to Colonel O'Neill and Daniel could hear them arguing. At least the pain was beginning to subside. It only felt like a knife wound now with the knife removed. He knew he would have to be extremely careful from now on. No sudden movements or bending below his waist. Man, he could really screw this up. He listened carefully, but couldn't make out the gist of the discussion.

Sam came back over then and began to rummage through the first aid kit. She handed him two strong painkillers that he gratefully accepted, and then she picked up a large square bandage and pulled his hand away from his eye. This time he didn't even protest. She washed it out with the eyewash, and began to gently cover his eye.

"I believe that this will help you avoid straining your eye any further. You need to protect it and …"

"Does this mean that Jack is allowing me to stay?"

"This means that night is falling soon, and we won't be able to return now anyway. I'm sure the colonel will have made his decision by morning. Meanwhile, we have to either set camp or go a little over an hour to get to the city."

"Sam – we have to keep going! I can't stop now. If you'll give me a hand up …" He wrapped his hand around hers and she gently helped to raise him to a standing position. When this failed to increase the pain, he took a few hesitant steps forward before turning to her. "I'm ready."

Jack was steaming. He'd believed Jackson. He'd said that it if he did have any problems with his vision, it would only be temporary. He said that he could wait a couple of weeks for treatment. He did not for one minute explain that this could become a permanent condition. What the hell was he thinking? Jack took a breath. He knew what he was thinking of, and it certainly wasn't his own safety. He was just too damn indispensable on this mission. Now they may just have to find out how indispensable he really was. Jack took one look back at Carter and Daniel, who was looking straight at the ground, but moving forward under his own steam. He grabbed up his pack and headed out.

After they had walked in silence for another thirty minutes, Jack had started to cool down in more ways than one. He had been so angry at his teammate for lying to him. Well, maybe he hadn't out and out lied, but concealing the truth was just as bad. But when he looked back at Daniel, trudging behind Carter with his head focused on the ground right in front of him, with this hand occasionally sneaking up to press against his eye, he had a hard time staying angry. If he were upset, it still couldn't come close to what Daniel was feeling right now.

Jack turned around and closed one eye and tried to walk at his usual pace. Wow, that was unnerving. Half his world was cut off. They would have to find a way to restore Daniel's vision, they would have to. Meanwhile all he could do for his friend was insure that he got back home with at least the remaining vision he had now. He called for another break.

Daniel walked up to the nearest tree, put his back against it, and slid very carefully to the ground. Sam went over immediately to check on him. Teal'c stepped over to O'Neill.

"Daniel Jackson will not be able to protect or defend himself now."

"Ya think?"

"He also appears to still be in some considerable pain."

"Yes, I can see that. Carter's given him some meds to help him with that. We're just going to have to be his eyes for this mission."

"Indeed, I will endeavor to do so." Teal'c turned to look at his friend where he sat dejected by the tree. "O'Neill, do your doctors have the ability to return sight to his injured eye?"

"I just don't know, Teal'c. I don't know if they can reverse the damage now. And if they can't," he paused to swipe his hand through his hair and replace his hat, "I can't imagine what life would be like for him if he loses his sight."

"I am certain that Daniel Jackson would find a way to adapt and remain a part of the program."

"You're damn right. I can't think of anyone who could handle it with greater determination than Daniel. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." Jack looked around for a moment. "Check out the perimeter, I'm going to go check on him."

Sam replaced the patch over Daniel's eye as Jack stepped up next to them. "Well, it doesn't look any worse, sir. Daniel says that it's feeling better now."

"I'm fine, Jack. It doesn't hurt nearly as much anymore."

"Well, at least that's a start." Jack moved to stand in front of the eye Daniel was tilting his way. "When Carter had the patch off, could you … you know … see anything?"

Daniel just sighed. "No, but I'm not entirely surprised. Jack, I … I guess I should have told you this morning that this could … could happen. I just …didn't think it could happen this soon, at least not without some kind of injury to my head. That's what the doctor warned me against." He pressed his hand to his eye again, took a tight breath and continued. "I didn't mean to deceive you, I just knew that SG-2's lives were more important than my having …" he gestured at his eye. "Admit it, Jack. You'd have done the same thing."

"Don't be so sure, Daniel." He paused. "We know how important your vision is to you … and to us. We're going to get you back as soon as possible."

"But not until I translate the Saishu , Jack! Don't make this trip pointless. Please…"

Jack knew he should argue, he knew he should order him back as soon as it was light, but he also knew that Daniel was right, and that they would have to stay to get SG-2 home."

"Alright, Daniel .."

"Sir?"

"Carter, you and I both know we can't go home without Ferretti and SG-2. As soon as Daniel can read their damn book, I'll be the first to throw him back through the gate."

"Thank you, Jack"

Jack turned on Daniel who was able to show a quick grin before his hand went to the side of his head again. "Let's get going, Jack. I'm rested and ready to go."

"Daniel," Sam pressed two different pills into his hand, "take these now. It'll help keep the pain more manageable."

Daniel nodded but placed the pills in his pocket. He knew that he'd have to balance the pain against the effect the pills had on his concentration. He'd wait for now.

"Colonel O'Neill, we have company."

Jack turned around to see their welcoming committee off in the distance. He turned back to see Daniel sliding back up the tree with a hand from Carter.

"Let's see how quickly we can meet, greet, and leave. Come on."

The three men approaching them all wore long brown cloaks that reminded Jack of monks. The three bowed deeply to them when they arrived. Jack turned quickly to insure that Daniel wasn't following suit. Carter already had her hand on Daniel's arm as a reminder. Great minds do think alike. Well, one great mind, and one experienced colonel.

Daniel made do with a gentle nod.

"Which of you is your Kayahani?" At the blank stares he received, the young man rephrased his question, "The one of you who can read the Saishu, … he is your holy Kayahani."

Jack paused for a moment before he, with a wide gesture to his friend, indicated Daniel. "This would be Dr. Daniel Jackson, our holiest man."

Daniel grimaced at Jack and stepped forward. "Yes, … well … I am here to read the Saishu."

He bowed deeply again. "We welcome you. My name is Kahamu. This is Sumanas, our Eminent Kayahani of the Temple of Mayarta … and this is Tylom, our most Revered Kayahani. We are honored to meet you." The two older men looked highly unimpressed with the team, and kept a healthy distance.

"Well that's just great," Jack jumped in, "Nice to meet you, too. And not to waste your time, could you show us to the rest of our men now?"

Kahamu bowed deeply once again, "You may follow me." The other two monks had already begun to head back to the village. "Our Kayahni are here to insure that the correct procedure is followed," he explained. "They, of course, cannot speak with you until you are found to be pious." He gestured in the direction of Sumanas and Tylom. "They will not meet with you again until your journey is successful. Come, I will be pleased to show you the way to the gates so that you may greet your friends."

Jack shrugged and indicated for his team to follow. Sam tried to catch Daniel's attention, but he was already on his way.

After a while, Kahamu dropped back to walk on Daniel's left side, the opposite side from where Sam stood ready to help him if needed. Something seemed to be on the young man's mind. He kept glancing over at Daniel.

Daniel was sure he was checking his eye patch. It must look strange to him. "It's just a covering for my eye. I … ah, injured it on the trip out here."

"I am sorry to hear that Doctor-Daniel Jackson. I did not mean to stare. I was actually looking at your, … your robes. Why are they so strange, and why do you not wear the robes of your temple?"

"It's Daniel," if he didn't put a stop to that, he'd be worse than Teal'c. "You can just call me Daniel."

"Daniel, … why do you wear the same clothes as the others in your group?"

"Kahamu, our holy men,…and women…our Kayahni , do not all dress the same."

"Women?"

"Yes, in our world, women can also be Kayahni."

Kahamu glanced ahead to where Sumanas was leading the group and said quietly. "I would not mention that to anyone else here. They may look in disfavor on your piety." He looked around to see if anyone else could hear him. "I, however, would be interested to hear more…"

Daniel smiled in spite of himself. He immediately liked the younger man.

It wasn't much longer before Daniel felt himself growing weaker. He couldn't stop now, the city gate was in sight. Jack walked up while Daniel was trying to decide what to do. His pale face and pinched features alerted Jack that he was in trouble.

"Easy…," Jack patted Daniel's arm. "We'll get there in no time." Jack could see Daniel pushing himself harder. They walked in silence the last few meters to the gate. Jack never thought he'd be glad to see this city. He knew Daniel was spent, the painkillers were probably kicking in, and he needed to sleep …now.