TITLE: Blind-Sighted
AUTHOR: Michelle Trahan
EMAIL: mtrahan2@yahoo.com
CATEGORY: Drama
SPOILERS: None (original story)
SEASON/SEQUEL INFO: -
RATING: G
CONTENT WARNINGS: -
SUMMARY: After visiting P3X 529, Daniel contracts a strange illness.
DISCLAIMER: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UZ, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.
This story is a work of fiction. Anything pertaining to real life situations (yeah right) is purely coincidental. Any views expressed in this story are my own and not reflections of the views held by anyone working with Stargate SG1 or anyone affiliated with the program.
Michelle Trahan 04/07/99

"Uh, Daniel? What exactly is that stuff?" O'Neill asked looking around at their unfamiliar surroundings. Everywhere his eyes could see lay a bluish substance that seemed to ooze from the ground. If they were to step off the Stargate platform, they would be in the midst of the ooze, and who knew how deep it was?

"Well, I...uh...I don't know Jack," Daniel admitted. "But we can't leave until I find out. It could be important..."

"Important to who?" Jack asked, cutting Daniel off in mid-sentence. "I haven't noticed a big market in the blue ooze department lately. Let's get out of here."

"But, Jack..." Daniel started.

"Daniel, no. I said we're going back. End of discussion." Turning to Sam, Jack said, "Captain Carter, dial us home please."

"Yes Colonel," Sam answered, heading for the DHD.

"Determined to find out what the ooze was, Daniel leaned over to collect a sample.

"Daniel! Let's go!" Jack ordered, losing his patience with the young anthropologist.

Scurrying along to the Stargate, Daniel didn't realize that he had collected an extra sample of the ooze...on his left boot.

"One of these days I'm going to leave you on a world far, far away...." Jack started as they walked through the Stargate.

After debriefing, Daniel couldn't get down to the lab quick enough. He was anxious to get started on analyzing the new sample.

"Sam?" Daniel asked when he reached the lab.

"Yeah, Daniel." Sam answered, placing a sample of the ooze on a microscopic slide.

"Have you been having any vision problems since coming back from P3X 529?"

"Vision problems? No, why, have you?"

"Well, not really problems, but things kind of black out every once and awhile."

"Maybe you should go see Janet, you know, get that checked out before it gets any worse," Sam suggested, beginning to worry about her friend.

"Yeah. I could be just tired though," Daniel answered, dismissing Sam's concern. "Maybe I'll just go get a good night's sleep."

"Don't just shrug it off, Daniel. It could be something serious," Sam pleaded, watching Daniel leave the lab.

Daniel waved goodbye and headed up to his quarters. He really was quite tired. Dreams of Sha'are had kept him up all night. Reaching his quarters, Daniel didn't even take the time to undress. Walking over to the bed, he fell on top of the mattress, clothes and all, and promptly fell asleep.

Back up in the lab, Sam is worrying about Daniel's condition.

"What's up, Carter?" Jack asks, sauntering into the lab.

"Uh, nothing sir," Sam answers, and then changes her mind. "Actually sir, its Daniel. He's been complaining of vision problems since returning from P3X 529. Honestly sir, I'm a little worried about him."

"Has he seen Janet yet?" Jack asks nonchalantly.

"No. I suggested it, but he just shrugged and said that his problems could have to do with a lack of sleep."

"Well, if Daniel's not worried, maybe it's not that bad," Jack answered. "He's a big boy, Carter. He can take care of himself."

"But sir," Sam started.

"Like I said, Carter. He can take care of himself."

Biting her tongue, Sam quipped, "Yes sir," and headed out of the lab.

Shaking his head, Jack left the lad and headed towards Daniel's quarters. Jack didn't want to alert Carter, but what she had said was worrying Jack more than he let on.

Meanwhile, back in Daniel's quarters, Daniel wasn't sleeping as sound as he thought he would. Whenever he would start to doze off, Sha'are's face would be there, with it's gold, flashing eyes.

"Dammit!"

Daniel gave up, rolled over, and opened his eyes.

Darkness.

Funny.... he didn't remember turning off the lights. He must have been more tired than he thought.

Suddenly, a bright flashing light and a searing pain in his head caused him to fall back on the bed. Clutching his head in his hands, he screamed. It felt like someone was tearing his head apart. What the hell was going on?

Turning the corner in the hallway, Jack heard Daniel's cry. Racing to Daniel's room, Jack crashed through the door. Seeing Daniel huddled up in a small ball on his bed, Jack yelled for one of the officers outside to find Janet.

"Daniel?" Jack said racing to his friends' side. "Daniel, it's me, Jack."

Not hearing Jack, Daniel continued to scream. There was so much pain! God, how he wished it would stop!

Then, as suddenly as the pain came, it was gone. In place of the white light, came a sheet of darkness. He could swear his eyes were open. What was going on?

"Daniel! Look at me!" Jack yelled, turning Daniel's face towards him. "Oh my God!"

Looking into Daniel's eyes was like looking into a sheet of ice, for there were two white pupils looking back at him from where Daniel's brilliant blue eyes had been only hours before.

"Jack? Where are you?" Daniel asked looking from left to right. "Turn the lights on, Jack. I can't see you."

Jack didn't know what to say. How could he tell Daniel that the lights were on? How did you tell your best friend that he was...blind?

"Jack? Are you still there?" Daniel asked, beginning to sound worried.

"Yeah, Daniel. I'm still here," Jack answered softly, afraid that his voice would give away his feelings.

"So," Daniel laughed. "What's taking you so long to turn on the lights?"

Sitting beside Daniel, Jack answered, "Danny, the lights are on."

"Yeah right. Good joke, Jack. Did Sam tell you about my fuzzy vision earlier? Is that what this is about? Is this your way of telling me to go see Janet?" Daniel asked laughing.

"Danny, this isn't a joke. The lights are on, and for some reason your eyes are completely void of any pigment," Jack answered, feeling it was best to just come out and say it.

"Void of pigment?" Daniel echoed, fear starting to creep in. "You mean, my eyes.... They're...."

"White, Daniel," Jack finished for him. "Your eyes are completely white."

"But, that's impossible! How could my eyes be white, it just doesn't make nay sense!" Daniel said, standing up.

No sooner did he stand up, the blinding white light was back, along with the searing pain. However, this time, images came with the pain. He could see Sam and Teal'c standing in the lab, looking at a sample of the ooze he had brought back with him from P3X 529. Why was he seeing this?

"Daniel!" Jack yelled, shaking the younger man.

Jack's voice brought Daniel back to his senses. What the hell was that all about?

"What the hell was that all about?" Jack asked, echoing Daniel's thoughts.

"I....I think I just had a vision," Daniel answered, in awe.

Raising his eyebrows, Jack asked, "A vision?"

"What's going on?" Janet asked, running into the room. "I was told it was an emergency."

"Should you tell her, or should I?" Jack asked Daniel.

Not needing to explain anything, Daniel simply raised his head and looked directly at Janet.

"Oh my God, Daniel," she said, raising her hands to her mouth. "You're blind!"

"Yeah, so it would seem," Daniel answered, scared, but in awe of his new abilities.

"What happened?" Janet asked Jack.

"With all due respect, Doctor," he started, "If we knew that, we wouldn't need you."

Nodding, Janet decided she would be better off ignoring Colonel O'Neill's last comment. She then proceeded to examine Daniel's eyes.

"Doctor?" Daniel said. "I believe that I had a vision of sorts a few moments ago."

Looking up at Jack and seeing him do the palms-up-shrug gesture, she looked back at Daniel.

"I may not be able to see you Jack, but I know you well enough to guess your gestures," Daniel said, shocking Jack into a smile.

"I think we spend too much time together, Danny," Jack laughed.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with his eyes, Colonel." Janet said upon finishing her examination. "There is no reason why he shouldn't be able to see. I just don't understand."

"What seems to be the problem here?" General Hammond asked upon entering Daniel's chambers.

"Daniel seems to have lost his sight, sir," Jack told Hammond.

Turning to Daniel, Hammond asked, "Is that true, son?"

"Yes General," Daniel answered, looking at Hammond as if in confirmation.

"My God." Turning to Janet, he asked, "What can you do for him, Doctor?"

Shrugging, Janet answered, "I don't know, sir. I've never seen anything like it. His eyes have no visible damage, yet he can't see a thing."

"Anything else Daniel?" Hammond asked, looking at the young man.

"Well, sir. I believe that I had a vision earlier."

"A vision?"

"Yes. Of Sam and Teal'c in the lab, looking at the sample I brought back from P3X 529."

"Colonel O'Neill," Hammond said turning to Jack. "Will you please have someone escort Daniel to the infirmary, and then check the lab to see if Captain Carter and Teal'c are in there?"

"Yes, sir," Jack answered. "I'll escort Daniel to the infirmary myself, sir."

"As you wish, Colonel."

With that, Hammond left. Jack helped Daniel up and mercifully, the blinding pain did not resurface.

After depositing Daniel in the Doctor's capable hands, he headed off to the lab to check on his other teammates. Sure enough, there they were, standing over the sample that Daniel had brought back with him from P3X 529.

"Holy cow," Jack said realizing that Daniel may indeed have had a vision.

"Sir?" Sam asked, seeing Jack standing in the doorway.

"O'Neill, are you not well?" Teal'c asked of his friend.

"I'm fine, but Daniel's in a bit of a bind," Jack answered.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, instantly concerned.

"It seems that Daniel has a bit of a vision problem," Jack answered.

"Sir, I was the one who brought that to your attention, remember?" Sam stated.

"Yes Carter, I remember. However, it's a bit more complicated now."

"How so sir?"

"He's blind."

"Does this mean that Daniel Jackson no longer has the ability to see?" Teal'c asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes, Teal'c," Jack acquiesced. "That's exactly what it means."

"Holy Hannah!" Sam exclaimed.

"There's more," Jack started walking around the room, rubbing his head.

"How much more?" Sam asked, leery.

"It seems that when Daniel lost his sight, he gained the ability to have vision."

"Sir?" Sam asked, unsure of what she had just heard.

"You heard me, Carter," Jack said, not wanting to repeat himself.

"I don't understand the context of that word. Please explain it to me," Teal'c said, looking at Jack.

Motioning to Sam, Jack said, "Carter? You want to do the honors?"

"Of course, sir," Sam answered. Turning to Teal'c, she said, "Visions are what we call it when a person has dreams of the future."

Nodding, Teal'c said, "I understand. Daniel Jackson has this then?"

"Yes, apparently so," Sam answered.

"Look, I'm going to see if Janet's found anything yet," Jack said heading for the door. As an afterthought, he turned to his team members and said, "Let's just keep this under our hats, okay?"

"We are not wearing hats, O'Neill," Teal'c answered, wondering if Jack's vision was also being affected.

"Under your...nevermind, Teal'c," Jack gave up and walked out the door.

Teal'c looked quizzically at Samantha Carter's grin, and turned back to the sample.

~~~~~"No! Don't touch it!"~~~~~

"Daniel! Wake up!"

"What? Uh...huh?" He could feel himself being shaken. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with darkness.

"Daniel, are you okay?"

He recognized the voice as Janet's and calmed down. "Yeah. I'm alright, Janet."

"You were having a dream.... Or was it a vision?"

"Vision," Daniel stated. "I know what happened to me."

Shocked, Janet stopped and readied herself for an explanation. She had exhausted all avenues, and she was anxious to hear what Daniel had to offer.

"It's the ooze," Daniel stated.

"The what?"

"The ooze. The blue ooze that I brought back from P3X 529. I think I must have touched it and it caused my current 'condition'."

"Well, it's an idea," Janet said, wondering if Daniel had gone mad.

"Sam and Teal'c are in the lab right now, and if they touch it, the same thing is going to happen to them."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw it, Dammit!" Daniel yelled, getting frustrated.

"Hey, hey! What's going on in here?" Jack exclaimed upon entering the room and hearing Daniel shouting.

"Daniel thinks his condition was caused by this 'blue ooze' that he brought back from your last mission," Janet explained.

"Okay...so.... That doesn't explain why you were yelling," Jack said.

"I was yelling because no one believes me! I'm telling you Jack, if Sam and Teal'c touch that stuff, they're going to end up just like me! You have to stop them!"

"Ok, okay," Jack said, trying to calm Daniel down. "I'll go tell them right now."

"Thank you, Daniel said sighing.

Jack left the infirmary and ran for the lab. He reached it just before Sam touched the sample.

"Stop!" He yelled, running for Sam.

"Sir? What is it?" Sam exclaimed as Jack took the sample from her and placed it on the table, gently.

"Daniel saw you touch the sample, then go blind," Jack explained.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sam said, "I guess a thank-you is in order, sir."

"Don't thank me, thank Daniel," Jack said. "Now that we know what the problem is, we can start working on a solution."

"Sounds good to me sir," Sam agreed and the three team members headed for the infirmary.

"Well, Daniel," Sam said. "What do you say to a strip search?"

"Do I have much choice?" Daniel answered, with a sly grin on his face.

"Not if you expect us to find where you were infected," Sam answered, apologetically.

"Ok campers, let's start at the bottom and work our way up!" Jack said cheerfully.

"You're enjoying this entirely too much," Daniel stated.

"Anything that makes you uncomfortable, I want to be a part of," Jack said grinning.

"Thanks a lot, Jack."

"Anytime, Danny."

Fortunately for Daniel, the boots were the first and last place that they had to look. Directly underneath the toed of Daniel's boot, they found a dark blue mark.

Gloving up, Janet removed Daniel's boot to find that his sock had the same mark. Removing his sock next, Janet was dismayed to find the same blue mark on Daniel's foot.

"It's in his skin, which means that it's probably in his blood stream," Janet explained to Jack.

"Alright. So, are there any suggestions?" Jack asked looking around the room at his team members and doctors. "Anybody?"

"I think we have to wait it out," Daniel said, sitting up and trying to see his foot. "If there isn't a lot there, it would stand to reason that when it is absorbed into my body, I just have to wait for it to take its course. Then the effects will wear off...I hope."

"You hope?" Jack asked. "And if it doesn't just go away? Then what, Daniel?"

"Then I remain blind."

"That's unacceptable," Jack answered, and stalked out of the infirmary.

"Doctor, please see what you can do about possibly getting that ooze off Daniel's foot, will you" Sam asked, taking charge of the situation.

"I'll do my best, Captain," Janet answered and started to work on Daniel's foot.

"I'm going to talk to Hammond and let him know that we've found the cause," Sam said, and left the room.

Sam headed towards Hammond's office, and upon turning the corner, ran right into Jack.

"I'm sorry sir. I wasn't watching where I was going," Sam explained.

"Forget it, Carter. No big deal. Heading to Hammond's office?" Jack asked.

"Yes sir. I figured he should be apprised of the new developments."

"Good idea," Jack said, turning to leave.

"Sir?" Sam called.

Turning towards Sam, Jack asked, "Yes Captain?"

"What happened in there?" Sam asked motioning towards the infirmary.

"What do you mean?"

"When Daniel said he might stay blind, you got irate and stalked out. Why?"

"Why? Because Daniel is a part of this team, Captain. Without him, it won't be the same. Maybe I'm being selfish here, but if he remains blind, he can't possibly stay on SG-1. Not to mention the fact that being blind would probably drive him insane."

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize you had such strong feelings on the matter."

"Yeah, well Daniel's a friend. Nobody likes to see things like this happen to friends. Look, I gotta go Captain." He turned and walked down the hall.

Sam quietly watched him go. She never realized what a caring man jack could be. Not that she should be thinking these things about her superior officer. She gave her head a shake, and continued on to Hammond's office.

Back in the infirmary, Daniel is beginning to make out shapes. The ooze, or whatever it was, had been cut away from his foot, leaving a neat hole near the ball of his foot about the size of a quarter. Janet had then pumped him full of antibiotics, and it seemed to be killing whatever was in the ooze.

Daniel's eyes had also begun to show some color again. It would be awhile yet until they returned to their brilliant blue, but they would in time.

"Does Jack know?" Daniel asked Janet.

"I don't think so. Nobody knows except Teal'c," Janet answered.

"Where is Teal'c?"

"I am beside you, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered, grabbing a hold of Daniel's hand.

Turning his head, Daniel could just make out the shape of his Jaffa friend.

"Hey, you've looked better," Daniel said.

"Looked better? My sight is fine, Daniel Jackson."

"Never mind Teal'c," Daniel laughed.

"Hey!" Jack exclaimed walking into the room. "Did I hear Daniel laugh?"

"Yes, Daniel can laugh," Daniel joked.

Looking closely at Daniel's eyes, Jack said, "The irises are starting to gain color again. How's your sight?"

"You're a bit hazy, but the vision's coming back slowly. My other kind of sight has gone completely though. My visions have stopped."

"Maybe that's for the best," Jack answered, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, maybe," Daniel answered, grinning.

"So doc, what's the verdict?" Jack asked Janet.

"It looks like he'll make a complete recovery, Colonel," Janet answered.

"Well, that's good to hear!" Sam exclaimed as she walked in on the conversation. Hugging Daniel, she said, "Welcome back!"

His sight clearing just enough to see his team members, he thought of the last vision he had before he lost it: one of Sam and Jack walking hand in hand. Grinning, he decided to keep that vision to himself.

"What's so funny?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Daniel answered. "I'm just thinking what the future holds."

Looking suspiciously at Daniel, Jack shook his head and smiled, thinking that it would be a cold day in hell before he ever understood his friend. That is just the way he liked it.

"Did I mention that I wanted to leave you on a planet far, far away..."

THE END

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