Tittle: Those Who Hear Well See Nothing
Author: KaraMeL
Email: Kristine_sci@hotmail.com
Summary: A freak accident causes Daniel to lose his hearing...
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story belongs to MGM and all the other companies/cooperations that own Stargate. So, initially the characters don't belong to me. Darn.
 
 

Daniel nervously ground his teeth together, the suspense was killing him. Beside him, Colonel Jack O’Neill narrowed his eyes against the growing glare of sunlight.

They had been enlisted by the Tok’ra a couple days ago, without warning, and thrust into battle. Apparently, the Goa’uld found this hot spot a great place to hide a universal stock hold of weapons of mass destruction.

Daniel narrowed his eyes, tugging the brim of his sand colored bucket hat over his eyes. The vast sand covered landscape left little to be desired.

A shrill whistle and a jab to his ribcage alerted him of the approaching troops. Daniel lowered himself further under the ridge that he had taken refuge near and unsnapped his gun from its place near his thigh, levering it up to a comfortable position.

“Alright Daniel, I give the signal, you cover me.” Jack nudged him again and Daniel nodded as watched his friend slide down the slope.

Piece of cake.

Point and shoot and they were home for dinner. No problem.

Another whistle pierced the silence and Daniel peeked over the edge of the hill as the troops stopped.

“Okay, now!” Daniel aimed and fired… not really sure if he was actually hitting anything, but he fired. The Jaffa below took cover in the ridges that dotted the area. Some even stacked up the bodies of dead soldiers for cover. Daniel grimaced, but kept firing. Every so often one or two Jaffa would venture out of cover and toss small grenade shaped objects.

Daniel winced as one landed a couple meters away, shattering the sandy scenery.

Daniel could see Sam and Teal’c, Teal’c was a little more noticeable because of the single energy blast coming from his direction. Sam with her bland hair nearly blended into the scenery.

“Keep firing… we almost have them!” Jack’s enthusiasm was boundless… already the Tok’ra were gathering the injured off the slopes and tending to them. He frowned as a fellow SGC member was taken away via stretcher, his face badly burned.

“Daniel, come on, go help with the wounded,” Daniel frowned further. Jack’s mother hen attitude was getting to him. As if he were totally incapable of taking care of him.

Then again, Jack was his superior officer.

Daniel fired off a couple more rounds before sliding down the hill to join his teammate.

Just then, a small, ball shaped object landed at his feet. Daniel tried to scramble away, but a loud shriek accompanied by a blast that threw him into oblivion told him that it was too late.

He was told to help with the causalities… not to be one

Colonel Jack O’Neill sifted through the wounded people that littered the sandy stretch of land. There must have been hundreds… in reality it was probably only sixty or so. He had met up with Sam, getting tended for a sprained wrist. Apparently, knife throwing was not her specialty. She hadn’t seen Daniel either.

The last time Jack had saw him wasn’t pretty.

He had turned away for just a second and then found himself staring at the crater formed by an explosion.

Then he was on his hands and knees, staring At Daniel’s charred face. It was like a nightmare relived. After finding the faint pulse and praying to god that his friend would live, he let the Tok’ra take care of his wounded friend.

That heart-wrenching image of his friend being carted off to the shaded area that served as their medical facility almost made Jack stumble to a stop.

And he did.

Jack smiled slightly. There he was, sitting up on a bench, back facing him. Jack’s smile widened. The perfect opportunity. He quietly approached his friend and grabbed him.

Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Geez it was only a joke…” Jack trailed off as Daniel turned, his eyes darting wildly in every direction.

“Daniel? Whoo hoo…” Daniel’s eyes finally rested on Jack.

“Uh…. Hi” There was a slight pinkish glow on Daniel’s skin, probably from the healing device. It helped regenerate the skin underneath the damaged flesh… apparently Carter had a little more on her then some star charts.

Daniel voice was a little louder than usual; Jack mistook it for an expression of surprise.

“Are you ready to go home yet? We have a case of beer with our names on it waiting at home.” Daniel squinted at his lips. Jack smiled uneasily.

A Tok’ra healer came behind Daniel and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Daniel turned quickly, relaxing when he saw her. She gestured with her hands in a flurry of motions and Daniel nodded. Jack stood aloof for a moment and then approached the twp uneasily.

“Uh… so… what’s wrong with him?” The Tok’ra woman touched Daniel’s cheek briefly and looked up.

“He is unable to hear anything. The grenade that hit near him was also equipped with a sonic sound… one that has damaged his ears.” Jack shifted, looking at Daniel who was staring earnestly at the other side of the medical area. Sam and Teal’c were approaching.

“Nothing? At all?” The woman nodded and touched Daniel’s cheek again. He looked up and she resumed her previous activity of gesturing. Daniel smiled and she took out a device and began running it over Daniel’s head.

“Sir?” Jack turned, a faint remark of surprise coming from his lips. Already he was deep in thought.

“Is Daniel okay? I mean, I thought he was healed.” Martouf who had been By Sam’s side since she had been taken to the Medical area answered the question before Jack could.

“He had damaged his hearing. The grenade had done something to him Samantha.” Sam’s face registered surprise and she approached Daniel. After tapping him on the shoulder, she moved her hands in the same flurry of hand movements he had seen the Tok’ra woman do.

“Uh… not the one to sound idiotic… but what are you doing Carter? She made another couple gestures and then smiled at him. Daniel grinned slightly as she approached Jack. He felt like the butt of a practical joke for some reason.

“Sign language sir. I learned it in high school. I figured out of all the languages that Daniel knew, this had to be one of them.” Jack nodded slowly.

“And what was the last thing you… uh… said?” Carter smiled.

“That’s between Daniel and me” Daniel tugged on her shirt and ‘talked’ to Carter for a minute or so.

“He wants to go home sir. He said that the Tok’ra woman said that he may or may not regain his hearing. It would show in a couple days.” Jack nodded, a smile forming on his face, but not quite reaching his eyes.

Daniel hopped to his feet, stepping over the wounded and injured, quietly making his way to the Stargate. It was as if nothing had happened.

But it had.

Jack suppressed a shiver and followed his friend, not trying to think of him as a causality but as a person getting better. But still, the unbidden image of Daniel’s handicap kept coming to mind… was he loosing his friend?

The Stargate swirled outwards and snapped into its space. General George Hammond sighed. It never got old… not one.

“Its SG-1 remote code sir.” Hammond nodded to the technician and proceeded to the spiral staircase, as it was his custom, to see the SG team through. He wondered what surprise his lead team had brought him back this time, a bruised member… an alien disease… some sort of artifact that glowed…

The guns clattered into a firing position as the four members of SG-1, plus the Tok’ra Martouf. Hammond kept his face neutral until the four members of SG-1 plus one Tok'ra stepped off the ramp. Martouf bowed slightly, Carter smiled tightly, her eyes darting towards the weapons still pointed in their direction. Teal’c bowed as well, Colonel O’Neill smiled thinly, a tight grip on the resident archeologist told Hammond everything.

“Stand down defense team, SG-1, report to the infirmary… - there wasn’t even an explanation needed – I’ll accompany you. Sgt. Siler, Lock it up.”

The Stargate shrieked as the titanium metal closed over the gate and sealed them off from the rest of the world.

“Well,” Janet Fraiser sighed, putting the file away. “There is no reaction at all to sounds, voices, nothing.” She looked at the expectant faces of the team. Daniel had since donned his glasses and was scrutinizing carefully at her lips.

“Which means…” Janet looked at the haggard expression on the Colonel’s face; almost wishing she had some sort of good news.

“Which means that I don’t see a chance of recovery. The damage must have been too extensive to repair with the hand device. If that can’t to it, no earthly medicine can.”

Jack O’Neill’s face turned on the persona of a man who looked like he just lost his best friend… the reality of it was that his best friend was perched on a bed, sorely trying to read lips.

“If I can be excused sir?” Janet turned her eyes towards the Colonel, frowning. Something told her that this wasn’t settling well with the Colonel. She made a mental note to inform Dr. Mackenzie to schedule an appointment with the wayward Colonel.

The General nodded. Jack left the room, a look of bewilderment and shock crossing the stone set features briefly before his mouth was set in the usual grim line. Janet turned her attention to Daniel and the rest of the remaining visitors. She smiled briefly and nodded to the General, telling him silently to talk to the Colonel.

The General left.

“Well Daniel, looks like your going to be spending the night…” Sam shook her head.

“Janet. He can barely lip read. I don’t suppose you know sign language?” At Janet’s negative nod, she shrugged and turned to Daniel. With a flurry of hand movements she had nearly recopied the conversation that had gone on. Daniel nodded and despondently looked at the door where the Colonel and General had disappeared through.

“No Daniel, the Colonel needs to think for a while… it’s been a pretty rough day.” Sam smiled, her expression one of forced hope rather than a real smile. A flurry of choppy hand movements and a defensive posture told Janet that Daniel wasn’t very happy either.

“I know it was pretty tough for you two. I have to do some work…”

“I will stay Captain Carter.” Sam looked up gratefully at the massive Jaffa, then turned to Daniel, punctuating every work with fluent hand movements.

“Teal’c will be here. I’ll come back in an hour or so… Janet will be here. I’ll leave a pad of paper and pencil… Don’t get scared. Your safe.” More hand movements followed and Janet found her way to Daniel’s bedside, already hooking up machinery. Daniel slapped her hand away when she tried to insert a needle into his vein.

“Sam?” Sam gestured and Daniel exaggerated his motions by allowing her to put the needle in. Just as sarcastically Janet bowed. At least this was better than rudimentary communication. Sam patted Daniel on the shoulder, locking gazes with Teal’c before heading out of the room.  Teal’c bowed slightly and stood straighter. Where Sam had vacated her seat on the perch of Daniel bed lay a pad of paper and a pencil.

“Your awfully quiet,” Janet remarked, looking at the monitors. She winced and then took the pad of paper and pencil and scrawled down the question.

“I can’t hear myself talk” Daniel’s voice stumbled as he fought to pronounce word by word. Janet smiled.

‘Good thing… now you won’t bore us with your usual chatter… my nurses will finish their rounds in peace!’ Janet wrote the last letter and punctuated the last word with a flourish of pencil marks. Daniel smiled sadly, his eyes dropping. In almost a whisper Janet learned something nobody should.

“If I can’t hear… how can I do my job? Or go through the gate?” Janet froze and looked over Daniel’s head to Teal’c. He nodded silently and Janet took Daniel’s chin in her hands, tilting is tear glazed eyes in her direction.

“Don’t loose hope yet Daniel. There is a chance… you just have to pray for it.” Daniel nodded, a lone tear slipping down the side of his cheek and splashing silently down onto the crisp hospital sheets.

As Janet turned to leave a dagger or cold ice pierced her heart. There was not cure for this type of damage. So what would happen if he wasn’t able to get his hearing back? As a linguist, hearing was the most important tool… that and speaking… If he couldn’t do that… then what would happen?

Janet ducked into her office, studying the chart before her. ‘Acute damage to both eardrums… possibility of recovery: slim’ Janet grabbed pen off her desk, scratching the offending word away… if any one could pull off a miracle, it would be Daniel.

But as she looked out the door to the silent man on the bed, with the massive Jaffa standing beside him, no words passing the lips that overflowed with wisdom, Janet wondered what life would be like without Daniel… and didn’t even try again.

Sam Carter searched the corridors, trying to find any evidence of the elusive Colonel. She had met up with the General and promised to find him. She notified base security that she was to be notified if he was leaving. So far, no reports.

As she searched through the halls, systematically opening doors and lockers, she wondered at the crude behavior that the Colonel exhibited. Yes, he should feel shocked and despondent, but so did she, but she knew that Daniel needed the support of his friends, not to be left all by himself in the strange world of complete silence.

Sam finally came to a familiar door. The storage room where Colonel O’Neill and Daniel had had their confrontation during the time when Daniel with going through withdrawal after the sarcophagus incident.

She opened the door, peeking around the doorframe and into the darkened room. Nothing was misplaced or thrown onto the floor.

Nothing at all.

Sam was about to shut the door and continue her search until she heard a muffled sound coming from behind the shelves. Sam couldn’t contain her curiosity, shutting the door behind her; she approached the source of the sound, unsurprised that she had found the Colonel. Of course the man would go somewhere where Daniel’s spirit had left its trace.

“Colonel?”

“Go away Carter. Leave me alone.”

Sam was taken aback by this shift of attitude. Never had the Colonel spoken that way to her, not even when Daniel was extremely sick or hurt.

“Sir, I’m not leaving until I talk with you, and don’t you interrupt me.” She could almost sense the Colonel snap his jaw shut, “I really need you to talk sir, I need you to tell me that you are able to take this.”

“Carter, you are off your rocker.” The Colonel’s sarcastic wit was still in place. That was a good sign.

“Really sir. Daniel isn’t dealing with it well. We need to be there for him. You’ve never let him down before sir.”

“Carter,” he began with a sigh, “bones and sprains mend, cuts and scratches heal. Withdrawal is over as soon as you can say the word and staff wounds aren’t even visible after a could weeks. But deafness? It’s a sense Carter… one you can’t really loose. Not when you’re Daniel. That guy can’t even hear himself anymore.”

Sam tilted her head, absorbing the fragile words like a delicate piece of art. Not ever had she heard words like these spill from the mouth of her CO.

“I think Daniel already knows that sir.”

Quietly, Sam got up and left the room, leaning on the frame of the door for support after she exited. She had made her point. It was up to the Colonel now.

Daniel blinked slowly, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dark room. He had long since awoken, his hearing still hadn’t improved….

But his smell sense had.

Coffee… Rich, Swiss Mocha Coffee… Double cream, two sugars…

Daniel rose from his position and crept towards the window. His favorite coffee… Must be a peace offering.

He drew the blinds slightly; watching the solitary figure make it’s way up the street and to the door of his apartment building. It was still too early to see who it was… Although it was a fair guess it was Sam. She had made it her duty to come over everyday; her arms piled high with get well cards from numerous SGC personal. They lay in a nice heap on one side of his bedroom… he wasn‘t in the mood for sympathies.

His hand on the wall felt a slight vibration resound through the hard surface. She was here.

At least he would get coffee…

Daniel padded to the door, skillfully avoiding obstacles in the darkened room. Considering there was three days worth of clutter on the floor, that was a feat.

He climbed the stairway and unlocked the door.

It was Jack.

Daniel was a hair away from slamming the door, unfortunately, Jack’s over-intrusive foot was in the way, and besides, he wouldn’t take the pleasure in hearing the sound of the door slamming in Jack’s face,

Daniel waved his hand foreword and Jack moved his foot and stepped inside.

‘YES?’ Daniel signed, knowing full well that Jack couldn’t understand him. Although it was cruel, Daniel enjoyed it somewhat.

‘HI FRIENDS’ Jack signed back clumsily. Daniel rose an eyebrow and turned away, leading his guest through the darkened hallway, stepping over the obstacles that had once been intrusive when he had hearing. A thump that vibrated the floor made him turn. Daniel was half expecting a torrent of swear words to ring through the room, but only his silent domain lay there.

“Jak?” Daniel called into the darkness. Without being able to hear his voice, it was useless if he even wanted to hear an answer.

The floor vibrated slightly and Daniel continued his way through the darkness, his vision sharper then before, every object as clear as day.

Daniel made a startling discovery then, he was able to see, smell, taste touch things better… he was on an emotion high…

A hand tapped his shoulder and Daniel jumped, his hands automatically swinging, lifting and dumping the owner of the hands…

…only to see it was Jack.

Daniel could still see the surprised expression on the man’s face, but choose to ignore it.

“You o-kay Jak? You half ta be a little mor carful wit deaf peple. We can’t here proporly lick you.” Although Daniel couldn’t hear his words, he knew he sounded awful.

“I’ll keep that in mind Daniel.” Daniel let go of Jack abruptly. For a second wondering if his hearing was coming back.

It hadn’t.

It was almost as if the words had traveled through Jack’s body and into his. He was able to sense them almost as if they were being spoken. A sudden image entered his head; something was going to happen, he needed to be there… he needed to do something very important.

He just didn’t know what.

“Jak, I no you can’t unnersand me proporly, but we half ta get bak to bace. I need to tak to Fraiser.” Daniel left moment and managed to struggle into a pair of jeans and a rumpled t-shirt before dragging the stunned Colonel with him.

“Dr. Jackson? What are you doing here?” General Hammond shifted uncomfortable as the grip on his arm tightened. Daniel looked up blinking and smiling.

“You just said ‘dr. Jakson wat are you doin here’” The General couldn’t contain the surprised expression on his face from showing.

“How on earth were you able to do that?”

“I can answer that General.” Hammond shifted his surprised expression to an one of interest and curiosity to Dr. Fraiser, who entered the room, a large file in her hand.

“The body is used to having five senses… especially Daniel’s in this case. Hearing, seeing, touch, taste and smell. When a human being has been deprived of one suddenly it takes it a while to divert energy of a sort to the other senses to compensate for the for the loss. In Daniel’s case a large amount of energy was transferred. He is able to ‘hear’ by touching people by sensing vibrations, he smelled coffee from a parking lot… which by the way wasn’t a surprise, and he no longer needs the use of his glasses. I haven’t seen any evidence of taste… but considering the effect Urgo had on the Colonel, we’d better lock away the desserts in the Cafeteria.”

Sam smiled.

Daniel bared his teeth in a sarcastic fashion.

Jack looked up from studying the patchy carpet with surprise. “Huh? Someone mention my name?”

“Never mind Colonel.” Sam retorted. She went up to Daniel and scrutinized carefully.

“No glasses? Wow, I’d say that’s a huge benefit. There is a small request from my side though, now that we’ve established some of his capabilities… sir, do you remember the message we received via Stargate? I don’t suppose we could attempt a mission… Daniel is our best linguist. He is able to ‘hear’ per say…”

The General stared at Daniel for a moment. Meeting the equally demanding gaze that had been centered on him. It seemed that Daniel already knew that the General would give in. Hammond made a mental note to see if mind reason was a plus with this injury of his.

“Alright SG-1. You have a go. Get geared up and ready to go. You leave at 0900 hours.”

Daniel smiled slightly and exited the room, followed by his small entourage. The General sighed and walked slowly towards his office, looking out the vast windows to the two-story Naquada gate and shook his head. However did he get into these things?

The Gate dialed out, the rumbling vibrating through the floor and into Daniel’s body. IT was an interesting experience. He could hear the gate but he couldn’t hear at all… it was interesting… Daniel wondered how it would be if he had lost some other type of sense as well… maybe vision… would he have increases hearing… maybe hear what the guards that were pointing at him were saying.

He could lip read though… and frankly, when his name was worded, Daniel felt less compelled to read it. Instead, he locked gazes with Jack who was looking at him with a hard expression.

“Daniel?” He mouthed. “You sure you want to come?” Jack’s eyes spoke of hardship and want for Daniel’s well being.

Daniel knew he had to do it.

He nodded.

Jack’s eyes said that he understood, but Daniel knew his heart was against the entire idea of letting Daniel go at all… Daniel knew if he stayed locked up like Jack wanted that he would become a vegetable. But he wasn’t. He had proved to General Hammond that he was still able to do his job, regardless if he could hear or not.

He may not be able to hear, but Daniel knew there was another purpose to this sudden change of fate and this trip to a wayward planet to rescue SG-5 from the clutches of a political overthrow.

Daniel knew that something was going to happen that would change his life dramatically.

Three alien warriors stood at the base of the Stargate, unfazed by the backwash of water that exploded outwards. The four figures stepped through, containing their stumbles to normal walks across the promenade that the Stargate was raised upon.

“You will come with us.” Jack nodded, his expression wrinkling against the strong sunlight filtering through the evergreen trees that surrounded the Stargate. He put on his sunglasses and waved at the rest of his team to follow. He tapped Daniel’s shoulder as he went past, his eyes never wavering from the deadly looking energy staffs that the warriors bore.

Nothing to mess around with.

Sam scrutinized at the foliage, her scientific mind already distinguishing the greens and differences from earth.

Typical.

Jack could see the outcropping of a town, obviously in some sort of turmoil. There were pieces of rubble all over the cobblestone streets, houses with thatch roofs had holes in them and there were people that stared fearfully out the windows of nearly destroyed houses. Jack could see a small child hiding in the shade of a nearby house, her clothing in tatters, the grime on her face marred by tear tracks that lay out in stark contrast to the rest of her body.

He could feel a cold spear of fear hit his heart. Beside him, Daniel shivered and Jack released his hold on his weapon slightly to put up a warning hand when they came to a square filled with thousands of rioting villagers.

Jack cold see in the middle, on a raised platform, was SG-5, their clothing was intact, but their faces were marred with scratches and their hair soaked with perspiration. Jack could see the beginnings of a horrible sunburn starting on their sweat soaked temples.

They were completely tied up. No room to move at all. Jack felt a wince of anger tug at his heart and he automatically positioned his hand protectively on the trigger of his weapon.

“Ney, ney, Krear und fewad” A wizened alien stepped onto the platform clothed in a plain brown robe and crisp white shirt, followed by a scowling younger alien dressed in royal blue robes. Jack could almost feel the aura of hatefulness and ugliness surrounding the younger man.

Daniel was past him in an instant, displaced air replacing where he had been before. He strode through the crowd, oblivious to the staring villagers and angered faces. He went up to the older alien, clasped his arm and asked him to repeat what he had said.

Bewildered, the older alien did as he told and Daniel repeated what he heard.

“He said, ‘no, no, you do not solve a probem by bringin’ mor.’” Daniel struggled a bit and smiled as he let the alien continue. Jack winced as the members of SG-5 gave Daniel odd looks, wondering why his speech was slurred.

“Jayun kren myna” Daniel nodded and tightened his grip on the older alien.

“He wants us to unnersand that he is willin’ to explain their dilemma and he would lik us to stay as his honored gests.” At Jack’s nod, Daniel turned back to the old man and said a couple words. The alien nodded and stepped off the dais. Jack threw a look towards the members of SG-5 and indicated that Teal’c and Sam that they should stay and help them. Jack followed Daniel, the young alien and the older alien through the crowd and into a marble encrusted building.

“Jak… Jak!” Jack startled to wakefulness, grabbing his weapon and met Daniel’s half surprised expression.

“Sorry Daniel.” Daniel reached over his seat and grabbed Jack’s arm, locking gazes with the older man. Jack winced and repeated what he said. Sometimes he swore that Daniel had never been ‘injured’ in the first place.

“That’s ok. I think you shod apolagise to them.” Daniel gestures to the two aliens who scowled… actually only the young alien did. Jack scowled back. Something didn’t sit right with the young alien. He seemed not to be compassionate… not to be human… in the human kind of way in some fashion.

“Sorry guys.” He looked at Daniel, arching his eyebrow. Over the years he and Daniel had shared a communicative relationship. Over the past year they had learned to read each other’s minds.

“It’s political warfair Jak. They are two parties the town is divided into two sections they aren’t lik us. They don’t vote. They fite it out.” Jack nodded. Obviously, Daniel was struggling to do his best talking. There really wasn’t any sense in pushing him.

Daniel swallowed, continuing.

“They are doing speeches today, the number of peple on sides will detarman who wins.” Jack nodded and got up, resisting the urge to stretch and yawn. The young alien scowled again and Jack walked out the door. Daniel followed, bowing to the assembled figures.

As soon as Jack stepped outside he winced, the sunny sky had just about worn out it’s welcome. SG-5 and the other half of his team were on the dais, Carter had spread out a tarp to shield the members of SG-5, seeing that the locals wouldn’t let them go anytime soon.

Carter waved them over, her face already starting to turn red. There was some serious UV ray stuff going on, on this world.

“So, what did they say?” Daniel repeated what he had said to Sam, she nodded and turned to the Colonel.

“From what Daniel’s told me, I think it would be wise for us to stand up from the elderly alien… what’s his name again? Faynum?”

At Daniel’s nod, she continued.

“Any ways, he seems peaceable and sympathizes for our plight. The other guy… I think if he wins we all better get ready to shoot our way out.” Jack shielded his eyes against the sun’s glare, his eyes roaming the crowd. Suddenly he stopped; his eyes tore from the lone figure in the bush with an energy staff to the old man who was directly in the alien’s sight

Jack turned to Daniel who looked up, the light blue in his eyes registering the fact that Jack was worried. He nudged Sam. Sam looked up and found the point where Jack was pointing. She gestured to Teal’c and then followed him into the crowd to get after the renegade alien. Daniel whirled around as the young alien smiled slightly.

Jack raced towards the older alien, grabbing him and leading him away from the dais. The young alien snarled in rage, yelling out some words he walked up to the two figures and struck them, yelling incomprehensible words at the sniper.

Daniel took a look at the man, aiming to shoot, then at Jack and the old alien that lay sprawled on the floor. Daniel ran towards the young alien and punched him, running towards the two sprawled figures.

“Jack look out!” A silent scream was issued from Daniel’s mouth but it seemed to resound through his mind, a mental picture of himself lying on the field, surrounded by Daniel and Sam and Teal’c made him hold his head in an anguish that didn’t belong there. Jack dropped to his knees, his eyes tearing as the words continued to bounce through the confines of his mind.

The energy weapon discharged and Jack braced himself for the inevitable.

Instead, a brief second passed where Jack felt a shove in his chest that made him sprawl to the side. There was the smell of ozone and a thump.

Jack opened his eyes, catching a falling Daniel.

Sam yelled, Teal’c fired one bolt from his staff weapon.

That was enough, the alien fell, a gaping hole in its chest.

“Daniel? Daniel? Come on man, get up, Daniel, I swear I’ll buy you three dozen cups of coffee if you wake up and tell me you’re alright.” Jack shook his unresponsive friend, carefully avoiding the searing burns that the energy weapon had made. Right over his ears.

“I’m al-right Jak… Don’t yell.“ Jack felt an enormous relief wash through his system. He grabbed his coat of the dais that he had discarded it on and rolled it up under Daniel’s head.

“I owe you a lot of coffee…” Jack stood up, waving over Teal’c and Sam who were searching through the crowd. By now, many had realized that the assassin alien was dead and their leader was safe. Many clustered around him and he threw a look at the barely conscious archeologist… Muttering a thank you prayer to the gods.

“Jak?” Jack knelt beside his friend, taking the med kit out of his backpack.

“Yeah?” Ho took out gauze and wrapped it around his friend’s head, slightly concerned about the blood starting to trickle down his friend’s ears.

“I can hear.” Jack froze.

“Uh… what?” Daniel struggled against gravity again as he tried to get up, failing miserably. Jack placed a hand on his chest and forcefully pushed him down.

“What do you mean?” Daniel focused his eyes on Jack’s bewildered expression.

“Well, there was a pop or something and then I could hear… I can hear all the people and I can hear Sam who’s yelling at you.” Jack finally noticed his second in command who was waving at the edge of the crowd.

“Sir! Is Daniel okay?” Jack looked down at Daniel who was starting to nod off and then back at Teal’c and Carter who were pushing their way through the crowd, mistaking Jack’s silence for a negative.

“I would guess….” By this time, Sam and Teal’c had joined the small know of people that had surrounded Daniel, offering their thanks for saving their leader… the old alien.

Jack smiled slightly as he watched the young alien carted off in the opposite direction, his fate obviously one that would not be welcomed.

“Hey Sam… Teal’c… I can hear…” Daniel blinked up at them, shifting his gaze towards the knot of people, including the grateful member of SG-5 he had just freed. Daniel’s heavy eyelids started to close against the effort of staying conscious. Sam had an open mouth expression of astonishment. Teal’c raised an eyebrow and headed off towards the gate without a word. Jack silently thanked Teal’c as the Jaffa lumbered off… one less explanation to fend off… As for Carter…

“Sir?” She asked, her eyes registering something  past belief.

“Not a word Carter… This is regular stuff for us… this is a miracle we needed. Not a word.” She wisely didn’t say a word and reached over to smooth a lock of hair on Daniel’s forehead off.

If there was something SG-1 was famous for, it was miracles.
 
 
 

KaraMeL
 

Note: When writing this story I was stuck by an illness, which left me unable to hear properly for a couple weeks. I have a new understanding for people who do not have the ability to hear properly like I did at that time. This is dedicated to them and Elizabeth who started me writing again. Thanx a lot. Lots of love, and thanx to everyone who writes to me to tell me how much you guys enjoy my writing. It means a lot!