"Oh, that did a number on my ass." He said, rubbing his backside. The one beside him plucked the foreign objects from the ground. His glasses.
"Jack, I don't understand you sometimes. You're the one that insists that the gate ride is fun." He brushed off some pine needles from his uniform. Taking off his helmet, he revealed his dark blond hair. "And besides, if you're going to be a baby about it, we'll leave you here." Daniel grinned mirthlessly. Beside his a female, Carter, winced as the harsh sunlight from above invaded her vision. Turning to the Jaffa beside her she began to question the planet's atmosphere, landmasses and visible inhabitants. Teal'c took the questions in stride. Jack and Daniel had stopped insulting each other and now Jack was surveying the land around and near him. Daniel had started to configure Earth's address. He finished, jotted it down and turned back to Jack.
"Okay, were done here." Jack shot a glance in his direction.
"Let's blow this joint," he said casually. He motioned to the Jaffa and Sam.
"Coming," she called out to the Colonel. She finished her questions and walked faster so that she would be in the middle of the team, beside Jack and in-between Jack and Daniel. Daniel had pulled out his notebook and barely noticed when Sam ran up ahead. He was studying the layout the MALP had given the SGC before crashing. General Hammond had sent SG1 to find the lost piece of equipment. Daniel was dismayed to find out he would have to leave his studies to the scientists. Jack had 'requested' his presence. Daniel thought he just wanted to get back at him, for the last planet they had been to Daniel had told Jack that some sort of drink on the table that had been laid out for a feast was 'harmless'. When Jack had drunk the coccasion that the natives had nicknamed 'fire water,' he had practically run out of the tent screaming. The natives had thought this very funny and were rolling on the floor in laughter when he came back. Unknown to them, the water of that world had some sort of a coloring agent. Now, not only was Jack's face red after tasting the 'fire water,' it was also a whole other multitude of colors. Jack hadn't noticed this until Jack finally was told by a laughing Carter. Jack had vowed revenge on Daniel ever since. He had tried a lot of things, whoopee cushions, watery coffee; he even had gone far enough to short sheet Daniel's bunk. Unfortunately it hadn't worked and Daniel was still worrying the outcome for the next couple of days. Behind his Teal'c stomped along, matching Daniel's walk so that he wouldn't trip over the archeologist. Jack, up ahead, shouted back to the lagging remains of the team.
"Hurry up! Jackson, we don't have all day!" Daniel had to smile at that. The MALP had reported the days on this planet were ninety-two hours long, almost four times the amount of a day on earth. There was twenty-nine hours of night and the rest was day. It was much like Abydos except that days there lasted thirty-six hours, and Daniel had not seen a single grain of sand anywhere.
"Daniel!" A voice from ahead startled him out of his musings. With a slightly irritated glance at the Jaffa who barely missed knocking him over, he ran towards the source of the sound. He could already feel sweat forming on his body. For a planet in far proximity to its sun it defiantly was extremely warm. He ran a bit more until he gave up and called back.
"What?"
"We found what looks like some sort of ancient tablet." The voice now was from his right. He stepped gingerly off the path, avoiding the pollen-drenched trees. Already his sinuses had started to clog. He parted away some long grass and almost gasped at the 'tablet'. It was the size of the granite memorial walls that were located in Washington D.C. He walked up the coarse stone and gently brushed the fine dust off the barely visibly letters. Mumbling to himself he waved his hand over the indented clefs. It was an ancient dialect of Celtic, Egyptian, and cuneiform. Turning back to his friends he started to read, as if he was giving a lecture to a classroom full of tiny children.
"From here it says 'long ago, when the Etins' reference to the word they used for the goa'uld on Cimmeria, 'banished the children'" Daniel pointed vaguely at the assembled figures on the bottom of the sentence. "' They left them on a dead planet with no way to destroy them and they used the travelers through the Chappi'ai as a form of life.'" Daniel looked confused. The sentence had barely any structure and rambled on about the children and visitors. Jack sighed to himself as Daniel started to mumble to himself.
"Daniel! Hello! I know you're having fun with your new toy but could you talk to us instead of the damn wall?" Daniel glanced towards the Colonel.
"It is the strangest thing. I can't even begin to explain whatever their saying." He once again gestured towards the wall. "I think this whole planet revolves around children." Daniel once again turned towards the wall, perturbed. Jack mouthed a silent 'okay' and turned towards his second in command.
"Captain, if you'll allow me the pleasure of a daylight stroll. He offered his hand. Sam smiled and behind him he could hear Daniel sniffle in disgust. He was finally getting to the kid. As he passed Teal'c, who had taken silent refuge in the shade of the surrounding trees, he spoke.
"Teal'c, don't let him out of your sight. Me and the Captain will be back in an hour. Don't let him get eye strain." Behind him he heard Daniel yell,
"I heard that Jack!" Jack chuckled and continued on his way. As soon as they had left, Daniel started to grasp the fine lines that held the delicate strings of the writing on this wall. He almost deciphered it, and frankly, Jack hadn't been making the situation better. He once again ran his hand along the length of the sentence indent. Shrugging off his backpack and coat he saw some sort of a button on one side of the panel. Frowning slightly, he reached over. Looking slightly in the direction of the watchful Jaffa, Daniel made a decision and grasped the obelisk and turned it like a doorknob. A bright light stole through the wall, and rays of light brighter than the tiny sun in the distance poured from the walls. Wherever the light touched, flowers would spring up as old seeds turned anew. Beside him, he was aware of a trunk rebuilding itself, first it was a tiny sapling then it grew until it reached his height and it still grew until it stretched out far above him. A stream started to flow from a vigorous path that was washed smooth in seconds. Teal'c had come to stand beside Daniel during the transformation. He was as enthralled about this as Daniel was. More bright lights twined above them, some creating clouds, rain and yet there was one part of the tablet that remained untouched by the wonderful change. It was dark. Daniel squinted and tried to read the letters. Blowing off the accumulated dust he read.
"'Then come the children.'" Puzzled, he watched as the intertwined bright lights faded. Leaving an untouched beauty of land behind. The ground beneath him and the impassive Jaffa's started to rumble. Daniel backed away. Bright lights once again flooded his senses but this time it surrounded him and Teal'c. Daniel's eyes widened as he realized what the tablet had meant after all. His hollow cry was cut off abruptly and an invisible force knocked all the air from his lungs. Dizziness prevailed and he found himself spiraling into a darkness only hell would see as sane. Bright colors matched his descent and he finally came to an abrupt halt. The day silenced into a muted darkness.
Not far off Jack and Sam witnessed the same experience. Jack raised his gun, but it clattered uselessly to the ground as they were taken underground. Oddly enough, this reminded Jack of the twisting and same loss of gravity as the gate travel. Finally the mad ride ended and he was thrown to the ground, momentarily knocking the breath from his lungs. Behind him, he heard Carter's startled exclamation as she landed. Their place of entry was completely dark. No light shone anywhere and all he could hear was the ragged breathing of the captain next to him and another two people somewhere on his right. Trying to orient himself, he memorized sounds. On his left, the echoing of water filtered through the silence, unnaturally loud and noisy in the sudden silence. On his right the silence was broken.
"O'Neill?" It was Teal'c.
"Jeez Teal'c, what did Daniel touch now?" Jack could almost hear the Jaffa's eyebrow raise.
"He did not do anything to my knowledge." Jack rolled his eyes.
"He always touched something." He drawled.
"Thanks for the appraisal," A voice beside his mocked. Jack jumped, almost.
"Well, long time no see. So what exactly did you do?" He heard Daniel's soft breathing behind him, or was that Sam's. Reaching out he groped in the darkness. His hand hit something. But the wrong thing. Sam slapped his hand away.
"Sir." She said, almost laughing.
"Sorry Carter, just looking for a door knob."
"There usually a little lower Sir." She said. Beside him, Jack finally isolated where Daniel was. He was laughing softly.
"You still haven't answered my question Daniel." His voice seemingly menacing.
"I swear, all I touched was the wall and some sort of.. well.. doorknob thingy."
"Doorknob thingy?"
"Obelisk Jack." Daniel shot back.
"Mhmm," Jack mumbled. He felt like strangling his friend. Suddenly from his right there came a sound, and then an intense light shattered his field of vision. As he blinked he saw the silhouettes of two small bodies.
"They have come," one said.
"Yes, we shall start right away." The other intoned.
"What? What the hell do you mean?!?" Jack's protest was cut off as the beam of an energy blast caught him, lifted him then dropped his unconscious on the floor. Each of his teammates soon followed, and each of them were dragged away, their weapons and belongings left in the dark room.
Teal'c was aware of one thing when he woke. It was light. Gathering his senses Teal'c grasped the floor. It wasn't the same as the floor beneath the ground above. In fact it was the ground above. He opened his eyes. The corneas coming slowly into focus, his eyes still not used to the bright light from above. As he sat there waiting for his sight to return fully he heard something. It was soft whimpering of sorts. Teal'c thought this to be extremely strange, and after regaining partial sight he started in the direction where he had heard the sound. Her grew closer to the source and found himself looking at a bundle of cloth. Picking it up he realized it was an SGC uniform. A voice from that bundle startled him. Although it was quiet and childlike it reminded him of someone.
"Teal'c? Is that you? I can't see at all." It was Daniel. Sort of. The Daniel Teal'c had remembered was about six feet tall. The man he held cradled against him like a baby or small child was no less than a meter tall.
"Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c said, "Is that you? I am also blinded." The body he held started to answer but then grabbed for something and sneezed.
"*sniff* Yeah, it's me. What the hell happened?" Teal'c's eyesight began to return and now he could see Daniel fully. He was, and looked five years old. Teal'c seemed to take a moment to try and figure out if he had been changed somehow. He did not look, nor feel any younger than when he had been taken. Teal'c was amazed. He had never viewed Daniel Jackson as a child, not even in the earth term machine drawing called a photo. Daniel had told him his foster parents had never really had the time to take any; they were always so busy. Teal'c did not believe him and noted the wistful look Daniel gave to Jack. Holding his friend as if he were a baby Teal'c walked towards what he hoped was the direction of the Stargate. In his arms, Daniel had started to struggle.
"Teal'c I am not an invalid," he sniffed and when he was put down sighed, "but I look like one." He pulled the tails of his shirt up to avoid tripping over them. Teal'c thought this was slightly amusing. In his real body Daniel Jackson had been a little shorter than most of the team, but he exiled in knowledge. Now looking at the tiny archeologist that barely reached his waist he couldn't suppress his slight smile. As small as it was, Daniel noticed it. "I'm glad you think this is funny Teal'c," he looked over the Jaffa, or rather looked up, "How come you didn't change, morph or whatever happened to me?" Teal'c shrugged slightly, he was picking up earth signals and terms faster and fully understood some. Unfortunately Jack hadn't told him of one. When they had gone up to town to buy some supplies, Jack had barely missed a collision with another little car Jack had called the beetle. Teal'c had been confused but listened to the ensuing conversation of the male occupant in the other car and Jack. The other man had stuck up his middle finger and drove off with a screech of tires. Teal'c, thinking this was a placating gesture, repeated what he had seen to a couple of female shoppers. They had left; sneering in his direction and making little 'humph' noises in their throats. One had even come up to Teal'c and slapped him. Teal'c had told her that on his world no woman did that to a man. The woman had looked at him strangely and left. Jack, catching the tail end of the conversation asked Teal'c what the woman had done. Teal'c told him she had slapped him. Jack looked surprised and asked if Teal'c had done anything to provoke the 'attack'. Teal'c had repeated the gesture and for some strange reason Jack started to laugh. He later explained to Teal'c what it meant. Teal'c felt pretty embarrassed after that incident. He really didn't use earth terms that after that, but he had learned and remembered a select few. Teal'c felt oddly strange when the flood of memories he usually kept in check flooded through his mental gates. Maybe something did happen to him down in the underground. Following his tiny friend he tried to control his feelings, emotions and sensations.
Jack got up. Or he thought he was Jack. The body he knew was forty-eight. The body he was in was fifteen. Jack frowned, he swore he would kill Daniel as soon as he found him. Beside him another body swaddled in the seemingly large uniforms of the SGC stirred. Blinking furiously, a head emerged.
"Colonel?" It was Sam. Well it sounded like Sam any ways. The girl that was across from him was at least seven years of age. Long blond hair also spilt out of the little nest she had created for herself.
"Carter?" He had a questioning tone to his voice. His voice was extremely different though, it was a tad too high and as he skittered a hand over his face he felt the beginnings of a really bad acne problem. Sam sat up, rubbing a hand to her eyes.
"Colonel, somehow I don't feel quiet like myself." She pulled a hand through her blond hair and then flittered to her waist. "I'm a child?!?" Her startled realization caused her to bolt up.
"Easy. You can have a piece of him too when we find him." Sam looked confused.
"Who?"
"Daniel." Jack said. She smiled slightly at his teasing expression. Then she looked into the deep-set horizon. It would be dark soon.
"If," she said softly, "If."
Daniel had been in many ridiculous positions before, but none quite like this. He was a child, a man in a child's body. To make it worse Teal'c seemed to find it very funny. Reaching into his deep-set pocket he sneezed promptly into the Kleenex he had placed there. His enlarged glasses slid off the bridge of his nose and landed softly on the ground.
"Crap." He felt absurdly strange for swearing. His parents had died a few months after his fifth birthday; they had always told him that the evil medusa would turn him into stone if he ever swore. After they had died he stopped believing a lot of things. That was one of them. A rustle in the bushes next to him alerted him; stepping back hastily he tripped over the tails of his SGC issue shirt and fell back, his mouth working but not his lungs. Teal'c stood over him. The rustle had also alerted him and he now had something in his hand. A boy, no older than fifteen Daniel decided was being held by Teal'c an arm's length away from him. The teenager was kicking in the air.
"Dammit Teal'c, let me go." Daniel sat up. It sounded a lot like Jack. But somehow it wasn't Jack. The teen in front of him had a shock of slightly red-blond hair that was a little longer than he had had it before and also sported an impressive array of acne across the bridge of his nose, chin and forehead. Behind him, Daniel could see a blond child hiding behind the large grasses. She stepped out. Daniel could tell it was Carter. She looked extremely young; a mane of blond hair shook loose from the hat she had been wearing on entry to the planet. Daniel got up slowly; he was partially hidden in the dense overhanging of a nearby pine tree. Teal'c had barely let go of Jack before he let out a thunderous sneeze. Jack, who was beside Teal'c jumped.
"I know that sneeze from anywhere. Come on Jackson, come out." Jack could barely contain his fascination as his friend stepped out of the bushes. Longish hair offset the owlish glasses perched on his head and Jack wondered if anything else could have made the even younger archeologist younger. Jack reached out his hand when Daniel had a bit of difficulty passing through the bushes by the tree he had been nearly hidden under. Jack got down on one knee and looked his team member in the face. "Daniel, what happened to us?"
"How am I supposed to know," came the indignant reply.
"You got us into this mess."
"Thanks Jack, just what I needed, you're moral support." Daniel turned away. Jack felt terrible, somehow he had insulted his friend, it was particularly painful before but now it down right sucked because he couldn't ever insult little children. It made him feel bad.
"Daniel, stop being a baby..." Jack cut himself off, knowing that was exactly what his friend was, "and lets get going, maybe the Doc will have some answers." Daniel turned towards him, cool and calculating. For some insane reason Jack though he was about to throw a temper tantrum.
"Okay," Daniel waved to the assembled forest clustered around him, "lead on." Jack threw a sidelong glance at his friend. Suddenly he felt a rush of memories. He felt like he was in Boy scouts again. Looking on the ground he saw some barely visible footprints leading from the opposite direction. Hesitating at first he waved the group with him, for some reason he grabbed both Carter's and Daniel's hands. Although Daniel glared at him Jack held fast. He didn't want Daniel running into any more trouble.
"Warning, Incoming travelers" the loud speaker blared as the iris opened with a screech of metal and folded into the gate. General Hammond stood expectantly at the bottom of the ramp, awaiting his travelers. As soon as Slater had announced it was SG1, he had gone down to the gate room. He had gotten worried after Colonel O'Neill and the rest of the team had not reported in for their twenty-four hour check up. From the wormhole there came four figures, at fist the General doubted it was SG1. Teal'c was there, a teenage boy was also there along with two smaller children, one with large glasses set upon the bridge of his nose and the other with long blond hair and shy blue eyes. When the gate disengaged the teenager let go of the boy and girl's hand and gave the General a textbook perfect salute.
"Colonel Jack O'Neill reporting, and ready to debrief sir." The General just stood there in shock. The smaller boy tilted his head up towards the General.
"It's us sir. I'm Daniel, Carter and Jack." The General stood there. Sam also saluted.
"Ah, there's been a little incident General," she started "but I'm sure it's reversible." She shot a pointed look at Daniel. He glared back. Jack stood uneasily on his feet, shifting his weight.
"With your permission sir, may we report to the infirmary?" The General nodded. And Jack once again took Daniel and Sam's hand. The little boy shrugged and followed his team leader. Behind, Teal'c followed the ensemble and the gate room was empty once again.
Doctor Janet Frasier sighed and clicked her pen light off.
"Well, as far as I can see you're all perfectly healthy and I have no idea what has happened to you." She turned to the General who had joined the team in the infirmary after the gate room shock. She shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry sir, I don't know what to do." The General nodded.
"Alright people, the Doctor has recommended all of you to stay on base and in the infirmary." He sighed. "Until we can figure out what happened to you we can not allow you to have any outside contact with this base." Jack nodded, he was perched on a plastic chair, his legs crossed under him. Daniel was on the bed beside him, sound asleep. Sam was on Jack's lap, although he didn't seem to mind the Colonel seemed to enjoy the attention from the former Captain. The General nodded once again and left the room, taking Teal'c to explain their situation and offer any knowledge about the situation. As soon as they had left and Dr. Frasier had stopped poking and prodding them with needles Jack lay his head back onto the wall. Suddenly he felt angry. He shook Daniel's shoulder non-too gently.
"Daniel, get up." Daniel stirred but did not wake. Sam looked at Jack.
"Oh leave him alone. Let's do something." She hopped off Jack's lap and reached into a cabinet on the far side of the drawers. She drew out a pack of cards. "What will it be? Crazy eight's? Fourteen? Go Fish?"
"Poker." Jack said.
"I don't know how to play."
"I'll teach you." Sam nodded. She tossed him the pack of cards. Jack caught them and started to shuffle. He suddenly felt strange. He could not remember how to play. Putting down the cards he slumped back in thought.
"What's wrong Jack?" Sam's voice filtered through his consciousness.
"I can't remember how to play."
"So?"
"So we're in big trouble."
"You're imagining things." Sam scoffed. She took the borrowed scrunchy from her wrist and neatly swirled her hair into a loose bun. She yawned slightly and blinked sleepily. "Suddenly I'm really tired. Go get some sleep Colonel." She grabbed the bed beside Daniel and dived under the covers. Soon her breath slowed and like Daniel she was out like a light. Dr. Frasier, seeing that the two others =had fallen asleep dimmed the lights and Jack stole a look at the doctor. She was staring at the group perturbed. Jack shook it off and also buried himself in the covers, hoping it was all a terrible dream.
Jack awoke to silent whimpering. As always he woke without moving, listening to the source of the sobs. He located the source on the bed beside him. It was Daniel. The little boy was asleep but seemed to be embroiled in a terrible dream. Across from the beds a worried Dr. Janet Frasier entered the room. Seeing that Daniel was in good hands he opted for watching as she tried to sooth the distraught boy. Janet, as Jack preferred to call her, rocked with Daniel until he once again fell into a fitful sleep. Janet put him down. She checked if he had a fever and laid a hand on his forehead. Noticing there was no warmth; Janet proceeded to go back to the nurse's station. Jack decided to speak up.
"We're not going to get through this one are we Janet?" She turned slightly; not the least bit surprised that he had somehow been watching. She sighed and walked over to his bed.
"No, as far as I can tell you will all eventually lose your memories to the point of your current age now. Like you, I was watching when you forgot to play poker. Soon this place will cease to exist for all of you." She turned sadly to Daniel. "The problem is he suffered severe physiological trauma for a child his age. He watched his parents die, he was bumped from foster home to foster home. He never really found stability Jack." Janet stared at a spot on the floor and finally faced Jack again. "I don't think he could survive to be ripped from his family again."
"Family?"
"You guys. You are the only family he has ever known, ever wanted to know. With the loss of his, your and Sam's memory we will loose valuable information." She gestured to Daniel, "The Abydonian and Goa'uld language, and all other languages he has been able to decipher." She nodded towards Sam. "A brilliant physicist and amazing woman who paved to way for her own to lead instead of watch." And last of all Janet pointed to him. "And a great soldier that is willing to risk it all to follow orders or save his friends." Jack was speechless. He had never thought of them as that valuable, and now that he knew he would be unable to continue his work, and now, he was a teenager, a goddamn teenager. He liked his job, he liked working with the people he worked with, hell he would rather be listening to one of Daniel's boring lectures then watch his brilliant mind crumble and dissolve all because of one mistake. Janet took his shock as a cue and walked away. Her shoulders were visibly slumped. It wasn't fair. Nobody deserved this. He had never thought about Daniel in that way. To think of it, Jack had never heard Daniel talk about his past, never once had he had a framed photograph of him and his parents, not once did he ever reveal the darkest part of his life. And Jack suddenly felt angry. Once again they would be ripped apart, once again would Daniel have to suffer and once again they would learn, but this time they wouldn't do it together. Daniel would remember him, and it would be when hell froze over before he let some idiotic psychiatrists tear his friend apart. Jack was also angry that Daniel hadn't ever shared his life with him. He had trusted Daniel with the secret of his son's death, or the rather personal thoughts, The messy divorce afterwards, and even his want to commit suicide. And all through it Daniel was there. He never said he had his own problems, but he just took it, trying to help his friend and himself. Jack felt worthless. He blamed this for Daniel, and now he felt guilty and that would remain imprinted in his mind for the rest of his life. And it was his entire fault. Closing his eyes, Jack tried to rid himself of guilt and rid himself of all other thought.
Daniel glanced over at his friend... Jack. For some reason he needed to remind himself that the person beside him was his friend. On his right, eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes was Sam. She was more fun than Jack was. Jack preferred to stare while they had a mini food fight. Daniel wished he would play too. It had been a long time since he had had real friends. His parents had always changed; he had lots of parents. He wished he had his real parents back, but he remembered his first foster parents telling him it was okay to cry because they were gone. Daniel knew they weren't gone, they were hiding. Daniel wanted to play outside but Aunt Janet had told him it was icky up there. Daniel thought she was lying. His third parents always told him lies. It wasn't as if he was stupid. Sam finished off her bowl of food and shoved the tray aside.
"Let's play doctor." She suggested. Daniel agreed reluctantly. He didn't like playing doctor, not after the men in the white coats had taken him to a strange place because he was misbehaving. He didn't like their tests.
"I'll be the assistant," Daniel offered weakly, his hands were starting to get wet and he had to rub them against the front of his pants to dry them.
"No. You're the patient and I'm the doctor." She said it with such authority he didn't dare question her. He sat on the edge of the bed. Sternly she told him to lie down. He was very sick. She started to take notes on the clipboard she had borrowed from the nurse's station, with a crayon she made some disturbing noises. "I'm sorry Mr. Danny but you are going to die." This was too much for the poor boy, with a shout he jumped off the bed.
"No, I'm not! I'm not going to play this stupid game anymore, leave me alone!" But Sam wouldn't she stepped closer, rising herself to her full height.
"I'm the doctor. And you are going to die." Daniel clapped his hands over his ears and tears streamed down his fine features.
"No, nnnooo." He whispered shakily. Sam's voice kept ringing through his head, I'm the doctor and you're going to die.. The awful words kept repeating themselves and He ran away, hiding in a tiny crevice in the space between two shelves. He wedged himself in tightly and started to rock himself. He couldn't get that awful phrase out of his head. He didn't want to die. Fresh tears ran anew as he remembered his parents and everybody who had died. In between the space he had wedged himself in he heard Janet question his whereabouts. Sam told him where he was, and soon her concerned face appeared.
"What's wrong Honey?" She asked, concern writing her features.
"I don't want to die." She looked surprised.
"Why do you think your going to die?"
"Sam said I was."
"Sam?" He voice held a slight unwavering tone like when his fourth parents had gotten angry because he had accidentally broke a window. He never wanted to hear a voice like that again. Janet tried to reach into the space to pull him back. He just scrabbled back some more. Janet sighed, irritation clearly etched over her face. "Honey, you aren't going to die, no one is going to die..." The last word was cut off as a siren of sorts started to blare. Janet let out a short explicit and ran from the room, ushering the remaining children into the arms of a nearby nurse to take them elsewhere. The infirmary was silent except for the blaring of the alarm then he heard the roll of wheels rush into the once empty room. On top of the stretcher, Aunt Janet compressed a man's heart. Daniel vaguely remembered the man's name. Forester or something. Janet swore and jumped off the man. She pulled on rubber latex gloves and ripped the man's shirt. Daniel scooted closer to watch. Janet had forgotten all about him. He watched as dark red blood started to trickle down the man's mouth. He watched, half-terrified and half-amazed at the turn of events. Janet grabbed two paddles from a machine nearby and flicked a switch. She started to bark orders to the people assembled. But Daniel wasn't listening. He watched and the man seemed to focus on a far off point, then suddenly the whites in his eyes rolled and Daniel found himself staring at the man. His breath leapt up in his throat and he backed away. The man's eyes relaxed and he heard two words.
"Cardiac Arrest!" Daniel watched as they tried to feed life back into the man. His body jerked as the paddles release a bolt of electricity in to the man. Finally the team admitted defeat. Janet looked at the clock.
"Time of death approximately 16:09. Let the record show he died with honor and serving his country." She pulled up a sheet over his body and Daniel's eyes widened in horror. The gunnery was taken out of the room and Janet was left alone. She peeled off the gloves and tossed them into the wastebasket on her right. Daniel felt betrayed. Janet said no one was going to die. Yet Forester did. Daniel crawled to the back of his alcove. And kept whispering to himself. He tried to figure out why everybody he knew was dying. He shook with silent sobs and hot tears marked paths down his cheeks. Finally he couldn't hold it in anymore. He let out a loud sob. Janet's head raised. Then she realized that Daniel had never come out from the corner. She got down on her hands and knees and watched silently as the little boy rocked slowly trying not to capture anybody's attention. Janet felt like crying herself. She had said, no she had promised that nobody would die. Yet somebody did, and now Daniel would probably never trust her again. She watched, knowing the boy would not want to talk. She hoped that somehow she would be able to restore him, create a safe environment or all would be lost. This boy had been subject to the cruelest of scenarios' and now it was the final blow.
It had been three days since the incident. Daniel had refused to come out. Janet felt at her wits end. She had tried everything from stuffed toys to Daniel's favorite chocolate bar. He still downright refused to move. Sam had tried to talk to him with little success, and Daniel was turning more child-like by the hour. He hadn't eaten, slept or come out in those three days. He did little but cry and repeat it wasn't fair. Jack had just watched the proceedings. Not once did he try to help, he just watched. It unnerved Janet to see him in this state. As a grown up he was deadly, a human weapon the military created to serve it's own purposes. He could kill with a flick of his hand and shut out all the emotions that made a person human. But now his emotions shone through, like the sun's light on the cloudy days in Colorado. He was suffering. In some way they all were. Janet couldn't bear see her friends suffer like this. Soon they would completely lose the ability to remember and think like the adults they actually were. She turned away from the space that she had trying to coax Daniel from.
"Jack, why don't you try? He's always listened to you before," then silently she added to herself, "sometimes." Jack shrugged and scooted over to the wall.
"Hey Daniel." He said. He turned to Janet for something to say. She encouraged him with a look. "What's wrong?"
"Go away." The subtle exclamation startles Jack slightly.
"Why?" He asked.
"I don't want to see another person get hurt." This startled Jack more than the subtlety. He looked towards Janet again. He had absolutely no idea to handle this child, his friend.
"No ones going to get hurt."
"Aunt Janet said that too, but that man died." Daniel said, his voice cracking again. He started to sob again.
"But this is the truth."
"There's no such thing. My mommy said people lie."
"Sometimes they do."
"So you could be."
"Maybe I am." Daniel looked up, the tears on his face shining.
"Why?" A typical child's question.
"Because I can't tell the future. Let me tell you, everybody dies eventually." Jack tried. He was running out of ideas fast.
"Why?"
"I don't know." Daniel gave him a calculating look. Jack shivered slightly. This kid was extremely smart. His intelligence was held in his large blue eyes. Jack looked at him, his face unwavering.
"I'm tired."
"I know." Jack did something that even surprised Janet. He held out his hands. The little child crept forward slowly and embraced Jack. He wrapped his little arms around Jack's neck and was soon fast asleep. Jack was at a loss for words. This little child believed in him. Nobody had ever done that before. He slowly got up and put Daniel on the bed beside him. Daniel stirred, his face churned again and then set. Jack pried the boy's hands from his neck and covered him with a blanket. Janet was back beside him after leaving to get a sedative. She took the needle and gave Daniel the drug. She looked sad that she had to give the child this. It wasn't fair. It was never fair. She turned to Jack.
"Thank you." Jack nodded.
"So what's going to happen to us now?" He asked, his piercing brown eyes meeting hers.
"After this I bet they'll do some physiological tests, General Hammond arranged that they will take place tomorrow. You'll be with us for another couple days, then.." She shrugged. Jack read between the lines. They would be pulled apart. The U.S. Military protecting whatever secret they were hiding. On one side of the chair he was in Sam came up to them.
"What about my mommy?" She had lost most of her adult memory and wasn't that clear on anything that as happening. Jack put an arm around his younger female teammate.
"We're not going to our parents. We don't have anywhere to go." Sam blinked. Jack could see the tears. She looked ready to cry.
"So we're alone?" She sniffed. She rubbed a hand over her eyes, wiping the moisture away from her eyes.
"Yeah." Jack said. He couldn't explain what was happening. They were slowly fading. Soon he would have no recollection of himself. He too would be alone. Hugging Carter when she began to cry he tried to keep his own tears at bay.
Two more days had past. It was had even remembering what he had done when he was seventeen. Slowly he was also losing it. Not a singly memory of Carter's past or future remained. Daniel was also fading. He couldn't recollect when he had graduated from college. Jack remembered Janet saying something to him before when he did inquire about it. She said he had had finished at the age seventeen. Jack thought that was a pretty good feat for the little shrimp playing listlessly with the blocks on the hard concrete floor. Janet said the men in white were going to come and test them within the hour. She said Daniel would be first.
"Daniel? Jack? Sam? They're here." Janet voice rang from the semi open doorway. After the incident they had been moved to a private room to stay for a while. It wasn't that bad. They provided them with some toys. They gave Sam a doll, and Daniel some blocks and Lego. They brought something called N64 for him. He thought it was great. He had gotten the hang of it quickly. When he did check on Daniel, he found the little boy had built a structure with the Lego resembling the Sphinx. Jack was surprised that such a small boy could build something like that with such great accuracy. He was gifted. That was for sure. Janet entered the room. Behind her she was trailed by three men in long white coats and impeccably neat suits. Jack looked up from his game of Mario Cart. He looked back when he saw it was them. He was in no hurry to see them. Daniel took one look at the strangers then ran to Jack. He hid behind him. Jack paused his game and then glanced at Daniel who was shaking like a leaf. Janet noticed his expression, and ushered the men from the room. She approached Daniel who was cowering in Jack's arms now. She crouched down on her knees.
"What's wrong Daniel?"
"I don't want to go away."
"You're not going away." She tried to reassure him.
"Then why are they here?"
"They want to do some tests. It will only be for a couple of hours." Daniel glanced at Jack who nodded. Slowly Daniel untangled himself from Jack's embrace and Janet took his hand. Janet left the room. Jack tried to look uninterested, but inside he felt worried. Somehow he felt it was more then some simple testing. Seeing that this General Hammond was the big cheese around the base he decide to ask him a couple of questions. Telling Sam not to tell Janet where he was going he left the room. The corridors were empty. Good. Jack tried to look as casual as possible in over-sized fatigues and bare feet. Trying to navigate through the confusing halls he looked down at the floor, he saw colored stripes. Deciding blue was an imperial color, he followed it, He came to a corridor and at the end he saw a room with a large table and a whole multitude of chairs. Beside the room there was an office. In bright bold letters Jack saw 'General Hammond' written in capital letters. Knocking softly Jack opened the door. The General had not noticed. Jack was ready to speak up, but before he could hear speak another word he heard a very weasel, rat-like voice. General appeared to have his full attention on the man.
"General Hammond," The oily man's voice spoke. "I have become aware of a something happening. My people say there has been a transformation of sorts. If I have not heard correctly SG1 has permanently become children." The General's face turned a slightly redder shade. Jack watched as the man pulled out a sheet of paper. "I have full authorization to take the team back to Area 51 with me."
"The president will not allow my people to be turned into guinea pigs." The general's face contorted. He looked extremely angry.
"I have his full cooperation." The man said. The General peered at the document. Turning his eyes towards the man he hissed through his teeth.
"If they are hurt in any way Colonel Maybourne, I will have your head on a platter!" The General ended the last sentence with a roar. Jack quickly stepped back as Maybourne stalked out of the room. Jack knew something was wrong. Following the weasel-like man the General had identified as Maybourne he tried to find out what the two men were talking about. Stepping lightly he followed the man through the shadows. They came to a room. From inside he heard screams.
"No! No! Jaaack! Don't let them take me." It was Daniel. Now Jack realized the General was talking about them. The sounds inside were suddenly cut off. Maybourne took the moment to knock on the door. The room opened and Jack peered into the open doorway and watched silently. All he could see was Maybourne's back. Jack strained but knew it was crucial that he did not reveal himself. He heard Maybourne talk in hushed whispers with the so-called 'doctors'. He stepped back into the shadows as the group exited. Jack's eyes widened like silver dollars. One of the men was carrying a limp Daniel, a large discoloring bruise spreading from his temple to his jaw where he must have been hit. Maybourne looked down the corridors and making sure it was safe pulled out a hypodermic needle. Testing the syringe for air bubbles he stuck it into Daniel's arm.
"That should keep him unconscious for a couple of hours until we can get him back to Area 51." He leaned over slightly, patting Daniel on the cheek. He smiled as if victorious. He motioned the doctor's with him and went in the direction of the room the three of them had been given. Jack followed, his eyes still trained on the inert body of his friend. He wondered what they were doing. Following them once more, he stopped a distance until he also heard muffled screams from within the room. Soon Carter joined the unconscious Daniel. The Colonel also gave Sam the sleep-inducing drug and she slumped. Colonel Maybourne narrowed his small eyes.
"Where's Jack O'Neill?" He questioned the doctor who was empty-handed.
"I have no idea sir. He wasn't in the room." Colonel Maybourne frowned. He ordered the doctor to tell the SGC to keep a constant look out for the teenager. Jack slid back into the deep shadows and easily passed the man, after all his father did teach him the tricks of stealth. He slipped past the man and tried to catch up with the two 'doctors' and Maybourne. They went into the elevator. Cursing he realized that he wouldn't be able to get to the surface without being seen. Thinking to himself he looked at the numbers flicking by. Then beside that he saw a grate. Ventilation shaft. Smiling Jack opened it and climbed in, preparing to climb the twenty-eight floors necessary to get to the surface.
Breathing heavily, Jack finally heaved himself out of the vent on the surface of the military installation. Thankfully it was loose. He was here. Looking around he saw a whole array of Military vehicles and he hid behind a couple of bushes, trying to figure out where the two doctors and Maybourne could be with Daniel and Sam. He squinted and saw them. It was a military style ambulance. In the back he could see Daniel and Sam, their bodies tightly strapped to the gunneries they were on. On their faces, Jack could see Oxygen masks engulfing their faces. Jack thought it was some sort of anesthesia. One doctor climbed into the back and unrolled the covering. Maybourne finished his conversation with a nearby soldier and flicked some ask off his cigarette. The second doctor climbed into the driver's seat. Jack realized it was now or never. Taking a run for it he reached the passenger side of the truck and rolled underneath it. Swearing softly he unraveled his belt and hooked it to two solid looking bars. Taking a length of Nintendo cord he had managed to stuff into his pocket, he tied himself to the underside of the truck. Jack hoisted himself up and secured himself well. With a backfire from the tailpipe of the truck it rumbled off onto the road yonder the base. Jack kept his eyes closed and prayed the ride would be over soon.
With a final chug, the over heated truck ran past the security points and stopped. The end of the line. Jack untied himself, savoring the feeling of hot pavement on the ground beneath him after the extremely cold trip up. Jack was tired but knew he couldn't let his guard down yet. Rolling away again he found himself by the exit doors. Praying that they were open he undid the catch. He was half-expecting a screech of an alarm to blare through the whole facility. He stepped through the doorway into the darkened sterile hallways of the supposed Area 51. Jack was speechless. He had heard myths about this place existing, but his father had told him it was wishful thinking. Jack ducked into the nearest room when he heard the rolling of gunnery wheels. He could see a whole hoard of people coming in his direction. Seeing it was an open room, Jack quickly skipped into an open closet. One set of wheels stopped. The door opened and Jack peered through the crack in the door. They had bought Daniel in. Jack watched as they lifted him and put him in the bed. It wasn't the bed that unnerved him it was the array of needles and sharp objects that seemed to be in every inch of the room. Attendants started to strap Daniel into the bed. Jack winced as he heard the Velcro. Daniel was still unconscious. His mouth was slightly open and Jack could see the furrows of pain etch don his forehead. Jack suddenly felt anger at the Maybourne guy. Who did he think he was trying to tear him, Daniel and Sam apart? The attendants finally left, having completely strapped Daniel down. Jack left from his hiding place. He heard Maybourne outside and he quelled the urge to go out there and beat him to the pulp he was. The door closed and Jack walked to the bed. His friend was starting to stir. It looked like they were trying to torture him. They strapped him down when he would barely be able to move. He wasn't going to be unconscious for long. Jack tried to undo the straps but realized he wouldn't be able to unless he caught the attention of the men outside. Giving up, he decided to wait and give all the moral support he would be able to. He noticed that somehow he didn't have his glasses anymore. Jack thought they must have been knocked off when they hit him. Just the thought made him angry. He felt the need to hit something but prevailed. Suddenly Daniel's eyes popped open. With his limited vision, all he could see was blurry shapes. He realized that he couldn't move and remembered the fight. Taking a deep breath he started to yell.
"Jack! Get me out of here! Jaack!!!!" Jack was startled and heard the sounds of approaching feet. Cursing, he hid back in the closet. He grabbed the knob and swung the door shut before the doctors or whatever they were burst into the room. Daniel kept yelling Jack's name.
"Keep him quiet, do you want the whole country to know?" One doctor said to another. The other doctor nodded and took a syringe off one of the shiny, polished tables. Flicking it like Maybourne had, Jack watched, as Daniel was once again subdued. The doctors left, Daniel's limbs relaxing after straining from trying to escape his bonds. Knowing he couldn't stay here without being caught, Jack vowed he would come back and rescue his friend. Jack suddenly heard the sounds of a muffled thump then the dragging of a body somewhere. Jack hid back into the closet. The door opened and at first Jack couldn't see who had opened the door. He opened the door wider and found himself looking into the Face of an absurdly dressed Black man. The man had green fatigues with black spots and a hat covered a barely concealed tattoo. It was solid gold. The black man seemed just about as surprised to see him, as Jack was to see him. The large man put a finger to his lips indicating for him to be quiet. Jack nodded, creeping from the closet. The massive man had a hypodermic needle in one hand. Jack looked at it fearfully and backed away. He looked ready to yell. The man noticed this and grabbed Jack, putting a hand over his mouth. Jack wondered how he could have been so stupid. Now he was caught and he and Daniel and Sam would never escape this terrible place. The large man shifted, as if listening for any sounds of life other than his, Jack's or Daniel's. Finally the man focused his attention on him.
"I am Teal'c." He whispered. "In order to save Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson, you must trust me." Jack, seeing his only other alternative was screaming for help to that slug nodded. Teal'c released Jack and the teenager sat on a chair, wearily watching Teal'c.
"How am I supposed to know if you are a good guy?" Teal'c looked confused.
"I am."
"I need more then your word." Jack said, getting doubtful that he was as smart as he seemed. He didn't even grasp the English slang that well.
"I was sent by Dr. Frasier and General Hammond with an experimental drug. I went back to the planet that changed you and they offered an antidote. It has never been used and may be highly dangerous." Jack nodded, his eyes narrowing.
"And I'm supposed to believe you."
"Yes." The subtle answer startled Jack. He didn't expect that. He wanted the strange man to explain more.
"So this experimental drug is supposed to change us back into adults."
"Yes." Jack rolled his eyes.
"Can this save Daniel and Sam?"
"Maybe. Will you be willing to try it first O'Neill?"
"Jack, please."
"Jack." The alien muddled his name so badly Jack winced.
"I take it back, keep calling me O'Neill." Teal'c nodded. He stuck out his hand, which held the hypodermic needle.
"Shall I do the honors or shall you." Jack glared at the alien. If he weren't nuts he'd think the man was trying to make a joke. Taking a deep breath he sucked in a breath and nodded. Teal'c plunged the needle into his arm. It was an amazing feeling. Unlike anything he had felt before.
Soon a flood of memories came back to him and an excruciating pain centered from his lungs to the rest of his body, he saw friends die and Daniel, but somehow it wasn't Daniel, He saw A ship, bright lights exploded and a friend fell. Sam, she had short hair and her eyes.. They glowed. Then it was he, or was it?? He was looking into a mirror but it was Teal'c's face instead. The floodgates closed and sealed themselves. The pain, which had begun as a muted throb, increased. Bones expanded and crackled as they took on a new shape, his face contorted and he felt like he was about to break into a million pieces. He felt a scream well in his throat and a clamped hand over his mouth gave him the sense to not. Finally after what seemed like hours but lasted at least two minutes, the transformation stopped. Jack felt so tired, but he dragged his consciousness from the depths of his mind and blinked. He was himself again. His vision split into four as bright lights shined through his lids. Teal'c was above him. He groaned, his vision coalescing into one. Every bone in his body ached but dulled. He finally gathered the strength to sit up. He breathed in a few breaths and tried to remember all what had happened. It was the most interesting experience he ad every back, and personally he didn't want to repeat it. He gathered the strength to mouth two words.
"Thanks Teal'c." The Jaffa nodded.
"It is glad to have you back." Jack couldn't help but laugh.
"It's good to have you back." After he stopped laughing he gathered his strength. He felt energized now, ready to kick that weasel's ass. Turning back to the bed he undid the Velcro straps that held the little Daniel to the bed. Gathering the little boy in his arms he turned to Teal'c.
"I take it you didn't take another couple of syringes."
"No."
"Yeah, I guessed as much." Teal'c looked confused again. Jack sighed. "Teal'c, let's get Carter. She should be around here somewhere." The Jaffa nodded. After a couple seconds of fruitless searching they find her. She had never woken up so it hadn't been necessary to dope her up again. Teal'c took her in his arms and then he turned tom Jack.
"What shall we do now? The entrances are surly guarded." Jack shrugged.
"We'll just walk out. Come on Teal'c this'll be fun." Jack walked out of the wing, followed by Teal'c. They left the security wing and continued down the hallway, oblivious to the guards yelling at them to stop. Jack grinned as their radio's crackled to life calling Maybourne. They neared the main entrance. A whole multitude of people were waiting, armed guards, security soldiers, doctor's and Maybourne. Jack straightened his face. Maybourne stopped them with a glare.
"I have my orders to keep Dr. Jackson and Samantha Carter here." He punctuated the last mark. Jack stepped up to him, still holding his tiny friend.
"Over my dead body." Jack's voice was cold and virtually uncaring. He stepped past a surprised Maybourne, who backed away when Teal'c past him, glaring. The Security guards stood at an absolute loss of words. They never knew the secret project were two children. To those who had small children of their own they thought it was inhumane. The backed away, clearing a path for Jack and Teal'c. Maybourne followed them, shouting threats and obscenities. Jack was glad the two children were fast asleep. Maybourne ran up to him, his face red and spluttering.
"They have to stay here, there is absolutely no cure for what they have. They could infect the whole earth. I have assurances from the president that they would stay here."
"So what? So you could play with their minds, manipulate their heads, in essence brain wash them?" Maybourne spluttered and stood there, red-faced. The two men holding their child companions shouldered past the stuttering Colonel and exited the building. Teal'c got into a truck he had driven to the gates and handed Jack Sam. She had started to stir. Jack held her close, Daniel in his other arm. Jack couldn't say how relieved he was to see the familiar outline of the Mt. Cheyenne complex. When the gates came into view Teal'c pulled out his ID and Jack felt as if he was home. Sam was now fully awake. Her mind registering she was not with Jack. Jack must have realized this because he bent over and told her he was Jack, just the older Jack. Sam nodded, still not quiet understanding, but she must have sensed she was with friends. Once Teal'c deposited the truck into the able hands of the soldiers he and Jack went to the elevator. It would only be a short time until they would be able change Daniel and Sam into their former selves. The elevator stopped on level twenty-eight. Soldiers who had wanted to go to the surface and were waiting for the elevator, stopped and gawked and the unconscious child in Jack's arms and Sam who was walking in between Jack and Teal'c. They finally came to the infirmary and Janet Frasier jumped from the work she had been doing. Looking critically at the Colonel she decided it was he physically and smiled warmly when she saw Sam.
"Sam!" She opened her arms and Sam squealed in delight and gave Janet a large hug. Jack looked sourly at the two.
"What? No hug for me?" Janet smiled but it seemed to freeze when she saw Daniel.
"Is he.."
"Yeah." Jack said. "Maybourne's goons kinda got rough on him but I'll feel a lot better when he's back to his old boring self." Jack put Daniel on the bad and Janet motioned for Sam to hop on too. Giving Teal'c a needle, he held her arm and put the needle into her vien. Janet did the same for Daniel. Jack realized how painful it must have been. A teenager is pretty close to an adult, but watching Daniel and Sam change back into their selves was like watching paper unfold itself. Finally the process was done. The two of them were themselves again. Teal'c watched over Daniel as he slowly came back to awareness. Along with the 'resetting' of Daniel, the drug also healed the bruise Daniel had received from the 'doctors'. Daniel finally opened is eyes. Jack smiled.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Daniel looked up. Noticing for the first time his glassed were missing. Daniel blinked. He had no recollection what had actually happened after being put in that room with the doctors. He had a thousand questions on his tongue, but absolutely no way to word them. Jack grinned and slapped Daniel's shoulder.
"Don't worry Danny-boy. We'll talk about it over a beer at my place tonight." Daniel nodded, slightly taken back. Jack wondered if he was actually registering what he was saying. He seriously doubted. But against all odds the team had been transferred from little children to the adults they should be. Jack vowed he would never ever wish to be a teenager again. As he listened to Daniel ask questions he thought to himself, Bah! Second childhood indeed. Jack grinned, not at Daniel but to the unbidden voice in his head and hoped this would never happen again.
KaraMeL
Well, I hoped you enjoyed this one all you readers. It definitely was a toughie. I dedicate this to all the hard working fic writers who donate their time to write for others for the benefit of joy, not chore. I raise my glass to you guys and I thank all who enjoy my story and tell me about it..!!
