Through the Eyes/Legacy of the Serpent, by Eos (R)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Daniel Jackson

Pairing: none
Category:  Daniel Jackson, gen, team, friendship, drama, angst, hurt/comfort
Warnings: lots of language, violence, torture, attempted murder/suicide
Author on LJ: unknown
Author's Website: Eos at Alpha Gate
Link to Story: Through the Eyes of the Serpent / Legacy of the Serpent

Why This Must Be Read:  Here's another fic that I was surprised to discover hadn't yet been recced in the Daniel Jackson category. Taking place sometime in late S4 or early S5, these two stories relate the tale of Daniel's ultimate nightmare: being taken by a Goa'uld.

 Told in first-person POV with the immediacy of present tense, Through the Eyes of the Serpent is a riveting account of Daniel's frantic struggle for control of his body and the desperation of his friends to save him from his personal horror. There's wonderful team support, particularly the image of Jack waving a machete in the Goa'uld's face and promising to cut him out of Daniel if need be. The first story ends with the successful extraction of the symbiote and SG-1's hope that the nightmare is over….

 But Legacy of the Serpent continues the story, and it's painfully clear that all isn't well in Daniel-land. The Goa'uld left him a little going-away present: not only the memory of all the atrocities it had committed in former hosts, but all-too-vivid visions of how it planned to kill Sam, Jack, and Teal'c in Daniel's body. With the visions increasing in frequency to overwhelm not only his dreams but also his waking hours, Daniel tries to seek out a way to stop them. But are those memories and visions really the only things the snake left behind?

 These two fics combine to form a first-rate drama of Daniel's determination to never give up and his teammates' staunch support for him, every step of the way.

 

My body flops back down on the bed, drawing air in ragged breaths, as I listen to Sam telling Jack why he shouldn't part my head from my body.

"No," I moan. I feel Sam grip my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Daniel," Sam says with what she believes is reassurance. Come on, Sam. I doubt I have the time and I know I don't have the energy to explain.

"Jack. Please."

"We're going to give the Tok'ra a shot at removing it," Jack responds, his voice tight.

How much longer do I have to wait? Because I'm telling you right now--it's gonna get ugly. The snake has this unpleasant knee-jerk response every time I get 'uppity'. And I don't seem to have the good sense to stop getting uppity despite the fact that I really think I've had enough for one day…or lifetime.

Janet and her minions bustle around fastening even more restraints on me. I know it's intended to protect me as well as everyone else but damn it! I can't even reach up to wipe away the tears I can't seem to stop from leaking through my closed eyelids. All my worst nightmares about being a host don't even come close to the reality. I hate what it's doing to me. I hate having these god-awful images in my head and I hate being helpless.

Jack grumbles something and everyone but Jack, Sam and Teal'c backs off. Teal'c and Jack finish fastening a restraint around my waist and Jack reaches up to put one around my neck. I'm not only a prisoner in my own body but my body is a prisoner of the SGC.

"It's to keep the snake from hurting you," Jack says softly. "Speaking of which…where is the scaly little asshole?"

"He…it thinks you won't kill me if it's really me you're talking to."

"It ought to know better from your memories alone," Jack says grimly, drying my eyes with brusque gentleness. "I swear nothing pisses me off more than a stupid snake." Jack forces himself to look me in the eye. "I promise, Daniel. I won't…. The Tok'ra get a shot but I won't let this go on."

"And if O'Neill should falter I will end it," Teal'c vows. I strain to catch Sam's eye.

Please, Sam. If Jack really has to do this he's going to need to know that you're with him. Sam tries to force a smile.

"Guess I'll be batting clean-up," she jokes miserably. Jack almost cracks a smile. The knowledge that my friends are willing to kill me if necessary is paradoxically reassuring. Ah…damn it! The Goa'uld takes over again. Well, of course he does. He doesn't want to allow me even one moment of relative peace.