Caught in the monkey jar: Blackbeard Interludes

Cloudbusting ( Kate Bush)

A sunny, slightly breezy day in Minnesota and Jack was finally in shorts, t shirt and sandals along with the rest of them. Sara packed a picnic and Charlie's kite and they set off. They let Charlie run back and forth showing them things, and running after butterflies, hoping it would wear him out. And when his shorter legs tired, Jack hoisted him up onto his shoulders. They played with Charlie, until they all grew hungry. After a big lunch, Sara kept an eye on Charlie while Jack dozed off. A gust of wind blew a napkin off the edge of the rug and as Sara crawled around and grabbed for it, she noticed anew the marks on the soles of Jack's bare feet. Another remembrance of what had gone before. They had come such a long way. From now on they could only go forwards. Sara leaned over and kissed him.

"What was that for?" he said, opening one eye.

"Love you."

He smiled "Right back atcha," he said as he pulled her to him.

"Don't start anything we can't finish," she admonished as he nibbled one ear.

"Spoilsport." He sat up reaching for her hand. "Is that a breeze?"

"Uhuh. You know what that means don't you?"

"Oh, Yeah.Charlie, my boy?" Jack called as he slipped his sandals back on.

"What, daddy?"

"Want to fly your kite?"

"Yeah!" he yelled as he ran towards them, finally barrelling into Jack's legs. Sara watched them go off up the incline. At first Charlie had a go on his own, running down again, pulling the kite string behind him. It partially worked, but Charlie soon ran out of steam. He sat and watched Jack jog down the hill and up again, his nimble fingers working the string, making the kite dance.

"Come on, we'd best head back now guys." called Sara after even Jack had sat for a breather.

"Okay, last one kiddo." Jack hoisted his son onto his shoulders and holding the kite string firmly, ran down the hill to Sara and the picnic stuff, with Charlie screaming with glee all the while.

"We're flying daddy!"

Military hospital two months later

"I take it things have improved at home, Major."

"Yes. Things are in full working order, doc. Especially after the second results came back. We spent some time up at the family cabin in Minnesota. Fishing, walking, it's quiet up there."

"Sounds like a good plan."

"It was. Helped a lot."

"Good. So, anything you'd like to talk about?"

"Why? Has my superior officer said anything about my performance of duties?"

"No. I understand everything is going well there. You're still a little paranoid, Major…"

"Hey, just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me!"

"Not very original but I'll let it pass."

"So, is this it? I'm free to go?"

"You were always free to go."

"Nope, I had orders. Besides I knew it was mandatory .And you have to sign me off your books. So are you going to?"

"What, sign you off? Yes I am. You've come a very long way, Major. You are a credit to the service."

"You're making me blush here doc!"

"It's taken you a long time to get to this point. I know it was longer than you wanted, but given the circumstances- it was never going to be done in one or two sessions."

"What are you saying? That I'm not recovered!"

"You're pretty much recovered. There's still some settling down to go. And you know that you will still experience flashbacks for some time yet. But not as often and in time they'll fade. You've learnt some techniques on how to deal with that. But if you run into trouble…"

"Yes, doc I know where you live."

"Perhaps I shouldn't worry so much! Don't forget to take things easy, look after that wife and son of yours and don't forget what I said about life and chutes and ladders!"

"I won't forget. Thanks again doc."

"Did you know it's called "Snakes and Ladders" in England? Rather appropriate considering the behaviour of the enemy you faced out there."

"Slimy, two faced, poisonous…yeah. That works for me. I'll definitely keep an eye out for the snakes, doc."

The door shut and the doctor sat and wrote up the visit. He wasconvinced that O'Neill was recovered enough to go back to full normal duties. He was also sure the Major hadn't told him or the officers at his debriefings-'everything'. But they had managed to exorcise most of the demons and get the intelligence and data the DoD wanted. He'd done his best; it was all he had to offer, especially on men who had been trained to resist certain techniques and therapies. Even when it looked like they were 'under' they weren't .And O'Neill had been outstanding at his job.

He worried that O'Neill like some other men he'd treated would always hang onto their experiences like an albatross. It would always be there.

He was reminded of something he'd heard about Indian Hindu's and their method of catching monkeys. The catcher put bananas in a narrow necked bell jar and waited. Sooner or later the monkey reached into the jar for the bananas but then found it couldn't remove its hand without letting go of the banana-the reason for sticking its hand in the jar in the first place. The monkey was too consumed with not losing the banana to just let go of it and run off to safety before the net closes in over him. The Doctor wondered how long O'Neill would be trapped with his hand in the jar telling himself that he'd told them 'everything' and nothing was going to get him caught in the net.

END

tbc in part 4 "Lost in Translation" set in SG1 season 2, after Gamekeeper/Prisoners.