D is for Dentist
“Just relax, Dr. Jackson,” the dentist smiled as he put on his facemask.
If it was meant to be reassuring, it wasn’t working. Daniel thought the gleam in his eye was sinister. The song ‘Son, be a dentist’ from Little shop of Horrors wouldn’t stop going round his head.
“Now, you’ll just feel a little prick,” warned the dentist.
Oh boy, am I glad Jack isn’t here, Daniel thought, I know exactly what he’d say to that!
“Open wide,” instructed the dentist.
Hang on; my mouth isn’t numb yet! Daniel started to panic. He hated the dentist. Always had. Always would. Which was why he’d put up with this godawful toothache for nearly three weeks.
In the end, Jack had complained about how short-tempered he was, and Sam had said she was worried about him and threatened to set Dr. Fraiser on him, and Teal’c had... well, Teal’c had given him that look. So he’d been forced to make an appointment.
And so here he was - in the clutches of Dr. Frankenstein.
Okay, so the name on the door was Dr. Frank Steinman, but Daniel wasn’t fooled.
Get a grip, Jackson. It’s just the anesthetic playing tricks with your mind. Think of something else. Take your mind off what’s happening. Go to your happy place.
Daniel closed his eyes and started daydreaming about days spent with Sha’re exploring Abydos. Learning the ways of her people, studying in the room he’d shown Jack, learning all about the gate network. For a while it worked. His mind took him to pleasant memories of happier times.
Then the noise of the drill distracted him. It didn’t sound right. He thought he heard....
Opening his eyes in alarm he saw that instead of a dentist’s drill, the figure looming large and threatening over him was holding a small larval goa’uld. Daniel’s mouth was fixed wide open with wires and clamps. He couldn’t move his head. His hands, which had been tightly gripping the arms of the dentist’s chair, were now held immobile by bindings at his wrists.
“Noooo. Don’t. Stop! Don’t put that thing in me!” Daniel tried to scream in protest, but all that came out was a gurgling, drooling, “Aaaghleeee”
“It’ll soon be over,” promised the glowing eyed dentist.
Daniel thought he was talking to the snake.
I wish Jack were here, thought Daniel desperately. He couldn’t see any way to help himself. The goa’uld larva was about to be shoved down his throat. He’d be taken as a host and then sent back to infiltrate the SGC. He couldn’t let it happen. But what could he do?
Help! Jack! Anybody! Help!
Daniel could feel the thing in his mouth now. He was gagging, choking. He struggled to free his arms, to fight back. He tried to clamp his teeth shut, to bite the foul creature in half, anything to prevent this nightmare from happening. If it killed him in the process, so be it. At least he wouldn’t betray his friends; his country; his world.
“That’s enough of that,” the dentist goa’uld snapped crossly. Daniel felt himself being put under.
“Noooooo!”
Everything went black.
0o0
“Hey there!” Jack’s cheery voice drifted through the fog. “Welcome back, Danny boy.”
“Jack?” Daniel’s head felt thick and heavy. His mouth felt swollen. His throat was sore. “Wha-?”
Memory started creeping back.
“Where am I?”
“Infirmary, SGC.” Dr. Fraiser moved into his field of vision.
Jack explained, “You went berserk and bit the dentist. He had to sedate you.”
“Bit the-“ Daniel frowned. “No. Jack, you have to restrain me.” Daniel was looking around wildly, speaking really fast. “Get a couple of SF’s in here, quick. That dentist - he was a... a goa’uld. He put a larva in me. I’ve been taken as a host. I’m a threat to-“
“Calm down, Daniel,” Jack was trying hard not to laugh. “You were mumbling about being possessed. Janet’s done all the tests. You’re clean. It was just the drugs and your over-active imagination.”
“No goa’uld?” Daniel wanted to believe him, but didn’t dare. “You’re sure?”
“No goa’uld, Danny.” Jack patted him on the arm.
“Some hero you turned out to be,” Jack teased, “You’ve faced down some of the worst the universe has to offer, but you’re terrified of the dentist!” Now, Jack did laugh.
Daniel threw his pillow at him.
Author's note: This little ficlet was written in under an hour following a conversation on twitter. It is therefore a little rough round the edges, but as it was 'of the moment' I have resisted the urge to polish it and give it a more satisfying ending.
If it was meant to be reassuring, it wasn’t working. Daniel thought the gleam in his eye was sinister. The song ‘Son, be a dentist’ from Little shop of Horrors wouldn’t stop going round his head.
“Now, you’ll just feel a little prick,” warned the dentist.
Oh boy, am I glad Jack isn’t here, Daniel thought, I know exactly what he’d say to that!
“Open wide,” instructed the dentist.
Hang on; my mouth isn’t numb yet! Daniel started to panic. He hated the dentist. Always had. Always would. Which was why he’d put up with this godawful toothache for nearly three weeks.
In the end, Jack had complained about how short-tempered he was, and Sam had said she was worried about him and threatened to set Dr. Fraiser on him, and Teal’c had... well, Teal’c had given him that look. So he’d been forced to make an appointment.
And so here he was - in the clutches of Dr. Frankenstein.
Okay, so the name on the door was Dr. Frank Steinman, but Daniel wasn’t fooled.
Get a grip, Jackson. It’s just the anesthetic playing tricks with your mind. Think of something else. Take your mind off what’s happening. Go to your happy place.
Daniel closed his eyes and started daydreaming about days spent with Sha’re exploring Abydos. Learning the ways of her people, studying in the room he’d shown Jack, learning all about the gate network. For a while it worked. His mind took him to pleasant memories of happier times.
Then the noise of the drill distracted him. It didn’t sound right. He thought he heard....
Opening his eyes in alarm he saw that instead of a dentist’s drill, the figure looming large and threatening over him was holding a small larval goa’uld. Daniel’s mouth was fixed wide open with wires and clamps. He couldn’t move his head. His hands, which had been tightly gripping the arms of the dentist’s chair, were now held immobile by bindings at his wrists.
“Noooo. Don’t. Stop! Don’t put that thing in me!” Daniel tried to scream in protest, but all that came out was a gurgling, drooling, “Aaaghleeee”
“It’ll soon be over,” promised the glowing eyed dentist.
Daniel thought he was talking to the snake.
I wish Jack were here, thought Daniel desperately. He couldn’t see any way to help himself. The goa’uld larva was about to be shoved down his throat. He’d be taken as a host and then sent back to infiltrate the SGC. He couldn’t let it happen. But what could he do?
Help! Jack! Anybody! Help!
Daniel could feel the thing in his mouth now. He was gagging, choking. He struggled to free his arms, to fight back. He tried to clamp his teeth shut, to bite the foul creature in half, anything to prevent this nightmare from happening. If it killed him in the process, so be it. At least he wouldn’t betray his friends; his country; his world.
“That’s enough of that,” the dentist goa’uld snapped crossly. Daniel felt himself being put under.
“Noooooo!”
Everything went black.
0o0
“Hey there!” Jack’s cheery voice drifted through the fog. “Welcome back, Danny boy.”
“Jack?” Daniel’s head felt thick and heavy. His mouth felt swollen. His throat was sore. “Wha-?”
Memory started creeping back.
“Where am I?”
“Infirmary, SGC.” Dr. Fraiser moved into his field of vision.
Jack explained, “You went berserk and bit the dentist. He had to sedate you.”
“Bit the-“ Daniel frowned. “No. Jack, you have to restrain me.” Daniel was looking around wildly, speaking really fast. “Get a couple of SF’s in here, quick. That dentist - he was a... a goa’uld. He put a larva in me. I’ve been taken as a host. I’m a threat to-“
“Calm down, Daniel,” Jack was trying hard not to laugh. “You were mumbling about being possessed. Janet’s done all the tests. You’re clean. It was just the drugs and your over-active imagination.”
“No goa’uld?” Daniel wanted to believe him, but didn’t dare. “You’re sure?”
“No goa’uld, Danny.” Jack patted him on the arm.
“Some hero you turned out to be,” Jack teased, “You’ve faced down some of the worst the universe has to offer, but you’re terrified of the dentist!” Now, Jack did laugh.
Daniel threw his pillow at him.
Author's note: This little ficlet was written in under an hour following a conversation on twitter. It is therefore a little rough round the edges, but as it was 'of the moment' I have resisted the urge to polish it and give it a more satisfying ending.