The Price of Knowledge

 

Story Notes:

See Chapter One

 

Chapter Three

Briefing with Mister General

 

             Janet Frasier barely managed to restrain herself from skipping like a giddy schoolgirl.  Her heart felt as if it would burst from the effort.  She wanted to run and shout and dance.  Instead, she followed Colonel O’Neill at a sedate pace and hid her exuberance behind the calm facade everyone expected of their doctor.

             When they reached the briefing room, Jack sent the SF for Sam and Teal’c.  Once they were alone, he pulled the jacket off Daniel’s head and sighed at the sight of the boy’s disheveled hair.  Janet smiled.  Jack combed his fingers through the hair, and Daniel wiggled in protest.

             “Jack!  Stop it!”

             Janet almost laughed.  It was definitely Daniel’s voice but pitched an octave higher than she was used to.

             Jack griped, “If you’d kept the jacket on instead of popping your head out every five seconds to ask the doc a question, it wouldn’t have gotten messy.”

             “I like it messy.”

             General Hammond joined them from his office and quirked an eyebrow as he took in Jack’s civilian clothes and the orange-robed youngster balanced on one arm.  “Colonel?”

             “As usual, sir, we have a little situation,” Jack said.  “I tried to keep a jacket over him so no one would see him until we’d decided what to do.”

             He gave Daniel a glare.  Predictably, it didn’t faze Daniel a bit.  The boy stuck out his tongue.  Janet bit the inside of her lip and choked back the laugh trying to bubble its way out of her.

             “It was hot, and I wanted to talk to Doctor Janet.  Nobody seen me.”

             Jack sighed again.  “You are one stubborn pain in the mikta at any age, Daniel Jackson.”

             General Hammond’s jaw dropped.  Janet gave a self-satisfied grin.  At least she wasn’t the only one to suffer from the shock.  Really, they should all be used to it.  They’d encountered so many strange things in the past six years, it shouldn’t astonish them anymore when another one turned up on their doorstep.

             “My God.”

             Jack looked rather smug himself at the general’s reaction.  Janet thought he might be enjoying this a little too much.  “You see the situation, sir?”

             General Hammond recovered quickly, which didn’t surprise Janet at all.  He had long years of military training and diplomatic experience under his belt, not to mention the past six years of dealing with the unusual at the SGC.  He stepped forward with a smile.

             “Doctor Jackson.  Good to have you home.”  Janet knew the general’s sincerity was heartfelt.  Not only was Daniel a valued member of SG-1, he was probably the most well-liked and respected man on base.  Of course, getting Daniel to believe that had always been the challenge.

             Daniel fidgeted on Jack’s arm.  “I don’t know him either.  Why’d he call me Doctor?  Won’t Doctor Janet get mad?”

             Before anyone could explain, Sam and Teal’c walked in.  Sam’s “You wanted to see us, sir?” was drowned by Daniel’s shriek.

             “SAM!”

             Daniel squirmed and slid from Jack’s hold to the floor.  He streaked toward Sam and almost knocked her over when he flung his arms around her knees.  She cast a frantic, confused look toward Jack as Daniel squeezed her legs.  Jack smirked.  He was definitely enjoying this too much.

             “Well, Carter, aren’t you going to say hello to Daniel?”

             “Daniel?”

             Daniel stepped back and grinned up at her.  She sank to her knees, staring at him all the way.  When she was eye level with him, she lifted her hand.  It wavered next to Daniel’s cheek, not quite touching him.

             “Daniel?” she whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

             He catapulted into her arms.  She caught him with a quiet “oomph” and embraced him gently as if she thought he would break.  Daniel’s arms tightened around her neck.

             “Missed you,” he crooned.  “Missed you lots and lots and lots.”

Janet heard her stifle a sob, and then she was clutching Daniel closer.  When she finally let Daniel go, Janet wasn’t surprised to see tears sliding down her cheeks.  Although all of SG-1 had missed Daniel desperately, Sam had been the most willing to show how much.  Daniel rubbed his thumbs over the tears in a gesture that looked oddly mature in such a small body.  Sam leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Daniel’s forehead.  When she stood, she turned aside without looking at her superior officers and swiped at her cheeks with one hand.  The other hand was clasped around Daniel’s.

             Daniel looked past Sam, grinned again, and offered his free hand.  “Hi, Teal’c!”

             Teal’c took the small hand in his, and Janet could have sworn the Jaffa was as choked up as the rest of them when he uttered his, “DanielJackson, it is indeed good to see you.”

             “Come on, we’re gonna have a meeting!”  Daniel tugged Sam and Teal’c to the briefing room table.  “Jack says it’ll be boring, but we hafta do it anyway.  It’s a big people rule.”

 

 

Back to Chapter 2                                                                                                Chapter 3, cont.>>

Back to Little Danny Home 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  The Stargate characters all belong to Gekko Film Company, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions, MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Showtime, Sci Fi Channel, and Stargate SG-1 Prod. Ltd. Partnership.  This fanfic is not intended to infringe on any of those rights and is meant solely for the purpose of entertainment.  All other characters, the story idea, and the story itself are the sole property of the author.