CHAPTER TWENTY
The following morning, Eliza was in Hammond's office when MacKenzie arrived. The man glanced at her, then handed his report to the general.
"That is my official report on my evaluation of Doctor Jackson. I believe that we have serious cause for concern, General. First of all, Doctor Jackson was rude, confrontational and disrespectful, which is a distinct difference in his personality from four and a half years ago. He is also exhibiting the first signs of megalomania. The frequent and excessive use of his power and the pleasure he derived from his treatment of Baal proves this. I would highly recommend that he be taken to the mental health facility for a more intense evaluation. It may be necessary to start him on drug therapy."
The way that Hammond and Eliza just stared at him made MacKenzie wonder what was going on. He found out a moment later when the general pulled out a file folder from his desk drawer and handed it to the psychiatrist.
"What's this?" MacKenzie asked.
"That's my evaluation," Eliza replied, "both of Doctor Jackson and of you."
"General Hammond, I protest this," MacKenzie said, outraged.
"Protest all you like. It isn't going to do you any good," Hammond said smugly. "Doctor White was given my approval to make her own evaluation of Doctor Jackson's mental state and, at the same time, observe your conduct and evaluate your fitness as a psychiatrist. Would you like to hear what she has to say?"
Not waiting for a reply, Eliza began. "From what I saw yesterday and by reading the reports of the times that Doctor Jackson has used his paranormal abilities, I determined that he is mentally stable and has done a remarkable job of psychologically handling the power he now has and adjusting to the ways that it has changed his life. I can't say that I would have handled it as well. The use of his abilities has not been excessive, as you claim. He has used the amount of force that was necessary to accomplish what he needed to. Lesser displays of power might not have had a large enough impact. And as for that little incident with Baal, he merely displayed a perfectly normal human response to what happened to Colonel O'Neill. If someone had tortured a person I cared deeply about like Baal tortured the colonel, I'd want revenge, too. The fact that Doctor Jackson chose to publically embarrass Baal instead of physically torturing him is a perfect example of how emotionally and mentally stable Doctor Jackson is, not to mention that it displayed an amazing level of morality and self-control. Of course he derived pleasure from what he did. So, did everyone else who was there. Are you ready to say that every one of the rebel Jaffa and SG team members who were there need psychological treatment as well? As for Doctor Jackson's attitude toward you, considering your history with him and the shameful way that you handled that evaluation, I thought he showed quite a bit of restraint. In my dealings with him, I found him to be very courteous and pleasant."
Eliza's expression hardened. "Which brings us to you, Doctor MacKenzie. I have never in my entire career met a more incompetent and unprofessional psychiatrist. Right from the start, you were accusatory, lacking in insight, insensitive and treated Doctor Jackson like a suspect that you were interrogating and had already decided was guilty. You deliberately twisted the meaning of statements he made to fit into the image that you had apparently already formed of him before you even came here. In my opinion, you are not fit to practice, Doctor."
"Your opinion holds no weight, Doctor White," MacKenzie declared arrogantly. "You are not a practicing psychologist. Your field of expertise is biofeedback therapy."
"Which is why we forwarded a copy of Doctor White's tape recording of the evaluation to someone who is a practicing psychologist," Hammond informed him, "the man who has been performing the psych evaluations on the SGC personnel for the past four and a half years. Doctor Carson agrees with Doctor White's assessment of both Doctor Jackson and you. He was appalled by your conduct and has already reported it to the proper authorities." Hammond leaned forward and glared at the psychiatrist. "Though I can't be certain that you'll lose your license over this, I can be certain that your job in the Stargate Program is at an end and that your career in the military is history."
"You can't do this," MacKenzie said, furious.
"Oh, yes, I can, Doctor." The general rose to his feet. "Now, get out of my office and off my base before I have you thrown out."
MacKenzie spun around and stalked out of the room. Hammond turned to Eliza.
"Thank you for your help, Doctor White. I haven't much cared for that man since his incompetence wrongfully put Doctor Jackson in a padded room. It was quite satisfying seeing him humbled."
"You're welcome, General. I did this for Daniel's sake, although, after seeing that man in action, I realized that I had to do what I could to have his license revoked in order to protect others as well. It may be necessary to review all of the case files of his patients over the last few years to make sure there were no other incidents of misdiagnosis."
"Well, if I have any say about it, that man will never treat another patient."
"I hope so, sir. I do have a question. What's going to be done about that report?" Eliza nodded at the file folder MacKenzie had given to Hammond.
"I assure you that it will be read by no one except the authorities who will determine Doctor MacKenzie's fate. It will never be entered into Doctor Jackson's record. Yours and Doctor Carson's reports will be the ones on file."
"Good." Eliza looked at her watch. "I have to get going, sir. I've got to get back to Denver. My daughter is in her school play tonight, and I promised that I'd be back in plenty of time to help her prepare."
General Hammond escorted Eliza to the door. "Thank you for coming, Doctor. If you ever decide to get out of biofeedback, you'll have a job waiting for you in the Stargate Program as a psychologist."
"Thank you, sir."
Wanting to say goodbye to Daniel, Eliza went to his office. She found that he was not alone. His three teammates were there with him. They all looked at her expectantly.
"You have nothing to worry about, Daniel," she said. "Both my report and Doctor Carson's state that your mental stability is without question."
"Really? You sure you didn't miss anything?" Jack asked, pretending surprise. He was subjected to a glare from Daniel.
The archeologist turned back to Eliza. "What about MacKenzie's report?"
"It was quite different, as we both suspected it would be. I'm not going to tell you what it said since it doesn't really matter. It's nothing but nonsense and will never be a part of your record."
"And what about the good doctor himself?" Jack wanted to know. "Is he going to walk away from this like he did the last time?"
"No, not this time, Colonel. His career as a military psychiatrist is over, and I'd guess that, by the time everything is over, he will no longer have a license."
"Yes! That's great news! I know that you and I didn't get along all that well when we were doing the biofeedback stuff, but you, my dear, deserve a hug for this."
Jack promptly gave the therapist the aforementioned hug. Daniel gave her another one, as well as a heartfelt thank you.
"Well, I have to say goodbye," she said. "I need to get home."
"It was great seeing you again, Eliza," Sam told her. "Please come and see us again sometime."
"I'll do that."
Everyone said goodbye to the woman and watched her leave.
"Well, this is what I call a good day," Jack said. "That pompous quack is finally going to get what's coming to him. So, Daniel. How does it feel to know that you've been declared completely sane?"
"Pretty good, Jack." Remembering Jack's earlier comment and deciding that turnabout was fair play, he added, "Of course, you probably wouldn't know how something like that feels."
It took a moment for Jack to realize what Daniel had meant by that remark. "Oh, that's just so funny, Daniel," he responded sarcastically. "No, really. I'm breaking up on the inside. You know, it's a good thing you're staying on SG-1. It'll make it easier for me to kill you without anyone knowing it was me."
Daniel smiled. "Well, you can try, Jack, but be careful. I don't think you want a bow wrapped around your waist."
By some miracle, the next few weeks passed without any major catastrophes, disturbing events, or the need for Daniel to use his abilities. He, Jack and Teal'c went on two missions without Sam, but both of them ended up being routine. The colonel teased Sam that she must be the jinxed member of the team, not Daniel, since every time they'd gone on a mission without Daniel, something still happened.
The one thing of note that happened during that time was a visit from Doctor Holt, the geneticist at Area 51. He apologized for the long delay in talking to Daniel, then told him that they'd learned some fascinating things from the archeologist's DNA but that, with Earth's present level of technology, there would be no way that scientists could tweak the DNA of a normal person so that it would possess the unique characteristics of Daniel's. Even so, they'd learned a lot of valuable information, and the doctor thanked Daniel for giving them the DNA.
The SGC Christmas Party was held on the Saturday before Christmas. It was an especially festive time for everyone, who couldn't help but recall the last Christmas, the one they'd spent without Daniel.
That thought was especially prominent in the minds of his three teammates. They all decided unanimously that the team Christmas Eve dinner should be held at Daniel's house. Because of this, the archeologist found his new home decorated with all manner of Christmas decorations, the huge tree in the living room being the highlight.
Most of the decorating was done with a great deal of laughter and girlish giggles by Sam, Cassie and Janet, accompanied by the sound of Christmas carols coming from the stereo. Throughout most of it, Daniel just stood back and watched them with a smile on his face, enjoying the sight.
Jack and Teal'c were both outside, hanging the Christmas lights. Daniel didn't even want to think about what the two men would do with them. He was just hoping he didn't blow a fuse when the lights were plugged in.
It wasn't long after he had that thought that Jack and Teal'c came inside.
"Lights are all done, guys," the colonel announced with pride. "Wanna come see?"
"I'm almost afraid to," Daniel replied under his breath. He joined the others outside, where, with a big flourish, Jack turned on the Christmas lights. Daniel and the three girls gaped at the display.
"Welllll, it's certainly . . . colorful," Janet remarked.
"I think my electric bill's going to look like the national debt," Daniel stated.
"Oh, hardy har har," Jack said. "Come on, it looks fantastic. I think that Teal'c and I did a great job."
The others stared at the sight of the entire two stories of Daniel's house decked from top to bottom with multicolored lights. Santa and all eight tiny reindeer were glowing on top of the roof, while a great big star shone above them. Icicle lights, interspersed with various colored regular lights, trimmed the eaves. More lights were wound around the columns and railings of the porch. Every tree in the front yard was twinkling with tiny bulbs that winked on and off like fireflies. The walls of the house were decorated with stars, angels and other figures, each one giving off its own bright glow.
Sam leaned in toward Daniel. "We could charge admission," she murmured.
"I may have to to pay the electric bill," he whispered back.
"It's . . . very pretty, sir, Teal'c," Sam said in a louder voice.
"Well, thank you, Carter. I'm glad somebody likes it," Jack responded, grousing over the less than enthusiastic response to his and Teal'c's efforts.
Daniel looked at his house again. Yes, it was a bit on the garish side, but he could tell that the decorating had been done with a lot of care, and it warmed his heart that his friends did this for him.
"Thank you, guys," he said, the emotion of those thoughts in his voice. He looked at everyone. "Thanks to all of you for doing this. It means a lot to me."
Sam put an arm around his waist, giving him a little squeeze. "We're just glad that you're back with us, Daniel. Last Christmas was. . . ." She couldn't finish, her throat closing up.
"Last Christmas was a complete bust," Jack finished. "Nobody had any fun."
"We just kept wishing you were there," Cassie added, a little teary-eyed.
"Indeed," Teal'c intoned, that single word holding a wealth of meaning.
"And, now that you're back, we just want you to know how glad we are," Janet told him.
Daniel smiled, unable to speak.
"Come on, everyone," Jack said. "It's freezing out here, and I, for one, could really use a drop of Christmas cheer to warm me up."
The six friends went back into the house, the warmth of friendship giving them a glow deep inside.
Christmas Eve soon arrived. SG-1 was joined this year by Janet and Cassie. The six of them spent the evening eating, chatting, singing carols, and handing out gifts. As in years past, it was decided that one gift to each person would be opened that night. Jack opened the gift he got from Teal'c, which was a beautifully carved plaque showing a man fishing on a lake. Janet's gift to Sam was an old and very rare book on astronomy written back in 1902. Sam was fascinated by it and had to be dragged away from its pages. Jack's gift to Cassie was a pretty little leather handbag that he'd once seen her admiring. The gift from Cassie to her mother was a lovely dress that she knew Janet had been drooling over for weeks but hadn't justified to herself spending the money for. To Teal'c, Daniel had given a book on the history and codes of honor that warriors of Earth throughout history followed.
The last present to be opened that evening was the one that Sam got for Daniel. As he opened the box and pulled back the wrapping, a little gasp escaped his throat.
"What is it?" Cassie asked with eager curiosity.
Very carefully, Daniel lifted the object from the box. It was an exquisite vase, obviously Egyptian, depicting what Daniel realized was the rebellion against the Goa'uld on Earth. "Where did you get this?" he asked Sam in a hushed voice, knowing that it was not an imitation.
"SG-13 found it on the mission to P7M-662 a couple of weeks ago," she replied.
"So, why wasn't it given to the Archeology Department?"
"Because I saw it first. Well, sort of. Doctor Balinsky was the one who found it and the other artifacts that were brought back. I happened to be passing by the Archeology Department, and the second I saw that vase, I knew that you'd love it. You guys were gone on a mission, so I asked General Hammond if there was any way that the vase could be left off the list of artifacts found and be given to you as a gift. The general didn't see any harm in it since it was just a vase. All the guys in the Archeology Department liked the idea of you having it, so they agreed to keep their mouths shut. The general said that, since anyone who didn't know about the rebellion wouldn't realize what the images were depicting, it would be okay for you to have it at home, though he'd prefer it remain at the SGC. He did suggest, that, if you choose to keep it here at home, you put it in your bedroom so that fewer people will see it."
Daniel caressed the vase with gentle fingers, his eyes taking in the magnificently detailed artwork. It was the most beautiful Egyptian vase he'd ever seen, utterly unique and absolutely priceless.
Drawing in a deep breath, he very carefully placed it back in the box, then set the box on the coffee table. He turned to the woman who had given it to him.
"Thank you, Sam. It's the most beautiful gift I've ever gotten." He then pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned with equal emotion.
"Well you're definitely gonna have to get that alarm system now," Jack stated. "You've gotta protect that vase, that is if you decide to keep it here." He'd been bugging Daniel to get the alarm system for weeks.
Daniel smiled and laughed a little. "Yes, I guess I do."
Cassie jumped up and grabbed her camera. "Come on, everyone. Picture time!"
There were several groans and sighs, but everybody got to their feet obediently. The teenager guided them over to the staircase and arranged them with Jack, Janet and Teal'c on one step and Daniel and Sam on the next step down. She then set the timer on the camera and quickly jumped into position on the other side of Sam.
"Everybody smile!" she said. A moment later, the flash went off.
As everyone began moving off the stairs, Cassie stopped them. "Ah, ah, ah!" she said, wagging her finger. Then she pointed that finger upwards. The gaze of the five other people lifted to see sprigs of mistletoe above their heads.
"Kissie, kissie," Cassie said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Cassandra Fraiser," Janet said scoldingly. "Just what do you have in your mind?"
"Why nothing, Mom. I just wanted to see all of you suck face. Now, come on. Jack, Teal'c, give each other a big smooch."
The two men looked at each other with a sour expression.
"I would rather be tortured with a pain stick," the Jaffa stated.
"While stark naked," Jack added.
"Aw. Too bad," Cassie said with an exaggerated pout. "Well, okay, no same sex kisses. All the boys just kiss all the girls."
"Well then, you have to come over here, too, young lady," Cassie's mother said.
"That's right. You were also under the mistletoe for a while," Sam agreed.
The teen looked at the three handsome men and sighed dramatically. "Well, if I must."
She bounced over to them and was given the first three kisses, all on the cheek, of course. What followed were more kisses on the cheek amongst everyone else. Daniel felt very sympathetic toward Teal'c, who was obviously pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing.
The party came to an end shortly after that. Though Jack, Sam and Teal'c were going to be spending the night at Daniel's for Christmas breakfast and the unwrapping of the rest of the presents, Janet and Cassie needed to go home. Each of them gave the archeologist a hug before they left.
"We really had a good time," Janet told him. She looked at him more closely, her voice dropping. "Those three people over there missed you an awful lot, Daniel. I have never seen three sadder faces at Christmas time than what I saw on them a year ago."
Daniel glanced over at his teammates, who were in a conversation at the moment. "I'm really sorry I put them through that pain, but. . . ."
"But it feels good to know they care about you that much."
Daniel smiled slightly. "Yeah."
Janet gave him a pat on the arm. "Just don't forget it, and don't forget that we all care about you a great deal."
"I won't, Janet. I promise."
Christmas morning dawned crystal clear, the sunlight sparkling off the snow that had fallen the previous night.
Like last night's dinner, Christmas breakfast was a team effort, Sam cooking the eggs as Jack fried the bacon, Daniel made the toast and served the juice, and Teal'c set the table.
Once the meal had been eaten and the dishes rinsed, they all went into the living room for the unwrapping of the gifts. Everyone loved the presents that they'd gotten from their teammates and those given to them by others. It seemed that Daniel had given extra special thought to the gifts he gave this year. Sam in particular was surprised and awed by her gift, a golden Egyptian amulet delicately inlayed with amethyst, lapis lazuli, emeralds, garnets, and tiny beads of silver, the figure of a leaping cat was on either side.
"Daniel, this is beautiful. Where did you get it?"
"Actually, I had it made for you."
"What?" she said, shocked.
"I still have some connections in Egypt, a few friends in the community. One of them is a jeweler who specializes in custom orders. I just thought that you might like to have something Egyptian since most of the artifacts of mine that you kept for yourself were from Egypt. I had noticed that two of them had cats on them, and I remembered Schrodinger, so I decided on a cat motif."
Sam gazed at the beautiful piece of jewelry, thinking of the time, money and effort Daniel had put into having it crafted for her. "Daniel, I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say a word, Sam, except maybe 'thank you'."
Sam suddenly threw her arms around Daniel's neck. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, holding him tightly. "This is one of the most wonderful gifts I've ever been given," she added as they drew apart.
Daniel smiled at her. "I just wanted to say thank you, Sam, for being here for me, for being a good friend." He looked at the other members of his team. "That goes for all of you. These months since all this began haven't been easy for me, and, well . . . thanks for standing by me."
"Where else would we be, Daniel?" Jack asked.
"Indeed, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added. "We are your friends, and friends stand at each other's side regardless of what transpires."
Daniel smiled and swallowed tightly, grateful that he had friends like them.
Normally, if it was possible, Sam would have gone to spend some time with her brother and his family, but she had decided not to this year, partly because she hadn't wanted to make up a story about her broken arm and partly because she wanted to spend all of this Christmas in Daniel's company. She had missed him desperately last Christmas, so much so that she hadn't wanted to go to the party at the SGC. She finally decided to go because she'd been hoping that it would cheer her up, which it didn't. When General Hammond stepped up and gave a toast to all the men and women who were no longer with them, it had been necessary for Sam to excuse herself and seek privacy in the bathroom, where she'd sat and cried for the next ten minutes until Janet came in and they shared a few tears together.
As for the team dinner, there hadn't been one. Jack hadn't even suggested it. Each of them ended up spending that night alone, and, in Sam's case, doing nothing but think about Daniel. She didn't know about Jack and Teal'c, though she suspected that the archeologist had been on their minds, too. Judging by Jack's manner the day after Christmas, Sam suspected that he spent most of the holiday inside a bottle of beer. This Christmas was so very different, and Sam had never felt happier.
The four teammates decided to spend the rest of the day together, watching old Christmas movies on TV, chatting and eating leftovers. As Jack, Sam and Teal'c left that evening, there were joyful looks on their faces, all of them happy that they had been able to spend this Christmas with their friend.
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