The Price of Knowledge

 

Story Notes:

See Chapter One

 

Chapter Six

Hanging Out

 

             As O’Neill and Daniel Jackson emerged from the bedroom, Teal’c rose from the chair where he had been waiting.  There was nothing unusual in Daniel Jackson’s dreaming.  His nightmares had encroached into numerous missions, and his teammates had soon determined that he responded best to O’Neill when succor was needed.  Since Teal’c did not believe the change in Daniel Jackson’s size would alter his desire for O’Neill’s presence, he had remained in the living room when Daniel Jackson’s cries first became audible.  Still, it had been difficult to wait with patience.

             Teal’c studied the child.  “Daniel Jackson, are you well?”

             Daniel Jackson’s eyes were red and puffy, showing the signs of recent tears, but he didn’t seem upset.  He was tugging on O’Neill’s hand.  “I’m fine, Teal’c.”

             The prompt declaration didn’t reassure Teal’c at all.  As an adult, Daniel Jackson was often quick to dismiss his own feelings.  O’Neill also frowned at the standard response.

             “What?”  Daniel Jackson glanced back and forth, noticing their scrutiny.  “I’m fine.  Really.”

             O’Neill sat on the sofa and pulled Daniel Jackson closer until the child was standing between O’Neill’s knees. “Daniel, don’t be afraid to tell us how you’re feeling, okay?  You don’t have to pretend with us.  If something’s wrong, we want to know.”

             Daniel Jackson considered the two serious faces directed at him and nodded fervently.  When O’Neill continued to frown at the ready agreement, Daniel Jackson’s expression turned earnest.  “Jack?  I’m feeling real hungry.”

             O’Neill laughed, slapped his hands against his knees, and stood.  “Right.  Operation Feed the Kid.”

             As O’Neill headed to the kitchen, Daniel Jackson seized Teal’c’s hand.  Teal’c allowed himself to be towed in O’Neill’s wake.

             “See my Star Wars shirt?” Daniel Jackson chattered happily.  “It has Yoda on it.  I ’membered us watching Star Wars, so Jack said I could get it.  And guess what?  I got three shirts with Star Wars.  See, Teal’c?  Isn’t it cool?”

             Daniel Jackson released Teal’c long enough to display the shirt but claimed Teal’c’s hand again as soon as Teal’c had said, “It is indeed a cool garment, Daniel Jackson.”

             The child grinned up at him.  “I knowed you’d like it!  Hey, Jack, can me and Teal’c watch Star Wars?  And you and Sam?  Can we, please?”

             “After you eat, buddy.”  O’Neill found one of the sandwiches that Major Carter had prepared and set it and a glass of milk on the table.  Then he returned to the refrigerator, calling back, “You good, T?”

             “I am, thank you.  I consumed sufficient nourishment with Major Carter earlier.”

             Daniel Jackson halted beside the table and viewed the kitchen area with consternation.  “Where’s Sam?”

             O’Neill popped the lid of his beer.  “She went back to work.  Some experiment she had to check or something.”

             Daniel Jackson’s lower lip quivered.

             “She was most reluctant to leave,” Teal’c said.

             “We’ll see her tomorrow,” O’Neill added.  “And Teal’c’s hanging out with us this afternoon, so you could watch two Star Wars movies.”

             Daniel Jackson’s face brightened.  “Really?”

             “After you eat,” O’Neill reminded.

             Daniel Jackson scrambled onto a chair and started to shove a sandwich half into his mouth.  When a third of it was inside, he opened his mouth wider and tried to stuff in more.  He gagged.  O’Neill snatched the sandwich back.

             “You’re going to choke, Daniel.”

             “How come it won’t go down to here?”  Daniel Jackson frowned, pointing to his stomach.

             “You’re not supposed to eat it all at once.”

             “I’m not?  But you said I had to eat it before we can watch Star Wars.”

             O’Neill rolled his eyes.  “You do.  But one bite at a time, okay?”

             Daniel Jackson looked down at the crumpled sandwich.  His shoulders hunched.  “I’m not hungry anymore.”

             “Daniel.”

             At O’Neill’s warning tone, the child hugged his arms over his chest.  O’Neill shot a frustrated look toward Teal’c, obviously not understanding the reason for Daniel Jackson’s distress.

             “Come on, Daniel.  You were starving a minute ago.  What’s the problem here?”

             When Daniel Jackson didn’t answer, Teal’c said, “I believe Daniel Jackson is uncertain how the act of eating is performed, O’Neill.”

             O’Neill’s face flushed, and Teal’c knew O’Neill was angry with himself for not perceiving the difficulty.  In the past, before Daniel Jackson’s ascension, O’Neill would sometimes permit anger toward himself to bleed into disagreements with Daniel Jackson, and Teal’c worried that he might have to step in and protect the child, who would not know to push back the way the adult had.  But O’Neill closed his eyes and exhaled heavily.  When he opened his eyes again, the anger was gone.

             O’Neill rubbed Daniel Jackson’s hunched shoulder.  “I’m sorry, kiddo.  I didn’t think.  Here, let me show you how, okay?  You watching?  One bite about this size, chew, then swallow.  Like this.”

             Gnawing on his lower lip, Daniel Jackson watched the demonstration.  When O’Neill asked if he had any questions, he shook his head.  His tense posture hadn’t relaxed.  O’Neill moved his hand to Daniel Jackson’s cheek and held it there until Daniel Jackson focused on him.

             “Tell me what you’re feeling, Daniel.  Please?”

             Daniel Jackson ducked his head and whispered, “I’m sorry I’m such a headcase.”

             Teal’c felt the surge of guilt as he recalled Daniel Jackson huddled in a padded white room, murmuring those same words in a broken voice.  From O’Neill’s reaction, he remembered as well.  He blanched and gritted his teeth, but his hand didn’t falter from Daniel Jackson’s cheek, and his voice was steady.

             “Not a headcase, Daniel.  Never have been.  So you forgot some things.  Big deal.  I told you, we’ll work with it.  But you gotta talk to me, okay?  Tell me when you can’t remember something.”

             Daniel Jackson gave a tiny nod.  “Jack?”

             “Yeah?”

             The child pointed to the glass of milk.  “What’s that, and how do I eat it?”

             O’Neill demonstrated the concept of drinking.  Daniel Jackson’s first attempts spilled milk down the front of his T-shirt and over the table, but O’Neill coached the child through his embarrassment.  Teal’c was privately amused.  He had always suspected O’Neill hid a patient, nurturing heart beneath the brash exterior he presented to the world.  Faced with Daniel Jackson’s vulnerability, it seemed that gentle core had slipped out into the open.

             Unsurprisingly, Daniel Jackson proved a quick pupil.  He was soon eating and drinking as if the incident had never occurred.  In characteristic Daniel Jackson style, he tried to talk while he was eating until O’Neill explained the safety hazard behind such an action.  Again, in typical fashion, Daniel Jackson ignored the advice until O’Neill accompanied it with a threat of no Star Wars movies if Daniel Jackson couldn’t behave.  Daniel Jackson shut up and finished his lunch in record time.

             “Done!”  The child swiped the back of his hand across his mouth so quickly that Teal’c, seated beside him, was sprayed with a shower of bread crumbs and milk droplets.

             “You go ahead with Teal’c.  I’ll wash up in here and get you a clean shirt.”  O’Neill waved them toward the living room.  “Start without me.  I’ll be there soon.”

             But Daniel Jackson lingered in the doorway, watching O’Neill wipe off the table.  Then he followed O’Neill to the bedroom.  When Daniel Jackson dashed back out to show off his new T-shirt and “help” Teal’c set up the movie, Teal’c noticed how Daniel Jackson kept part of his attention tuned to O’Neill’s movements.  As soon as O’Neill wandered back to the kitchen to retrieve his beer, Daniel Jackson abandoned Teal’c and hurried after O’Neill.  

 

 

Back to Chapter 5                                                                                                Chapter 6 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.