Author Notes: Sorry to give you guys such short parts. I hope there will be only one more after this. Again, sorry, and hope you like it. Don't hesitate to e-mail me, if you feel like doing it!

Soon, we reached the Temple. I didn't fail to notice the sparkle in Daniel's eyes. He was always like that when he was among ruins or pouring over translations. One in, he said:

`Ok... according to these translations, the secret room is right in the middle of the Temple... and to find it, we must speak the name of the builder.'

`What builder?' asked Mitchell.

`I think this one is really easy, given the fact that we know what we are looking for... The name is MERLIN!' Daniel answered, almost shouting the last word.

After that, a set of Transport Rings took us in the secret room. Teal'c was right. Awful things did reside in it. A multitude of disgusting insects (didn't really take the time to figure out what they were) crept at high speed towards us.

`What the hell are these?!' asked Cameron, emptying his P-90, trying to kill as many of them as he could. Teal'c and I zatted as many as fell in our range and Sam, Daniel and Jack shot continuously, until all of them were dead.

`I didn't know those were here...' Daniel said somewhat disappointed, looking towards me angrily. I think it was because I told him not to tell anyone about what Teal'c said to me.

`I need to make a confession, Daniel Jackson', Teal'c said, looking at everyone in the room. Then I noticed the depository behind him. He began to tell the story of his previous visit to that room. Jack looked intensely at him, and Daniel looked ashamed. Sam was scared and ready to wrestle with him for concealing something so big. I did not know what to do and I looked down. Cameron was shocked.

`Teal'c... I thought we were buddies...' Jack said disappointed. Teal'c couldn't speak. He looked down. I felt sorry for the poor guy. After a while he said:

`I understand if you wish never to see me again, O'Neill. I made a mistake when I concealed all this from you, but I was certain that because you have not been a Goa'uld host, you would succeed. I thought that if I had told you about it, you would have desisted, and not be willing to help look for Merlin's weapon. I understand if you will never wish to see me or do what you came here to do. I cannot but apologize. To you, and to your friends. Please, accept my apologies.'

Teal'c certainly softened up. If I hadn't known him better, I'd say he was about to cry. After a while, Daniel said:

`Guys... I have to apologize as well... Uhmm... Teal'c told Vala, and she told me... We wanted to tell you, but we decided it is best to let Teal'c do it...'

"WE"?? Wait a minute, what is Daniel talking about? He wanted to tell them, I was the one who... I smiled. Daniel was covering for me. Well, that means he does trust me, although he hates to admit it. Jack spoke then:

`Teal'c, are you sure that thing won't kill me? Are you a hundred percent sure?'

`I believe so, O'Neill. I do not think the device will harm those who have the Ancient Gene', Teal'c said.

`Ok... We'll go further with the plan, then', Jack said.

`But sir, - ` Sam wanted to say, but Jack cut her off:

`It's ok, Carter. I trust Teal'c... I really do... I understand why he didn't want to tell me...'

`I trust him as well, sir, but what if -` Sam began again, but as before, she was interrupted by Jack:

`Carter, I'll be fine. The guy that came here last time had a snake inside. I don't, so it's not going to kill me.'

`Yes, sir, but I was thinking that maybe Aphopis was right, and after all, it had been malfunctioning... In that case, you may suffer permanent damage or even...' she broke off, unable to continue.

`Carter, as a friend, I tell you, STOP THINKING SO MUCH. Take a break... relax... go fishing...' Jack said. Sam was unable to retain a smile. Teal'c told me all about fishing with Jack. The man was having the time of his life doing it, while Teal'c never understood the purpose of trying to fish from a fishless pond.

`Umm... Guys?' Daniel asked, confused.

`Do we follow Jackson, or we just sit here?' Cameron asked.

`Follow Daniel kids... we have a mission to carry out here', Jack said, smiling and patting Teal'c on the shoulder. However, Teal'c said:

`O'Neill, you do not have to do this...'

`Nonsense, T, I gave up a great fishing day to come here, and besides, bad guys out there won't wait... So, after Daniel...' Jack replied.

`This means you have forgiven me, O'Neill?'

`Sure thing, T... No problem... Besides, Vala and Daniel knew too, and they didn't tell me... And I am not upset with them either', O'Neill answered. I knew the guy blindly left his life in the hands of his friends. He had good reasons to do it too. He trusted and loved every one of them. I was quite touched when he said he wasn't upset with me either. He could easily blame me for the whole thing... like convincing Daniel not to tell him or something... And yet he didn't... People from Earth were much more than I ever hoped for. Just seeing how they care about each other and how they knew they could trust each other in all situations moved me, and made me want to be one of them even more.

Daniel led us to the back of the room where was the wall where I saw the depository. Jack carefully approached it, and looked through it. The thing closed itself around Jack's head, and for a couple of moments, no one said anything, waiting for the device to release Jack's head. When it did, Jack made a step backwards and wiped his eyes...

`Crap... One more of these, and I'll need glasses...' I heard him say.

`And now?' I asked, not knowing what would follow.

`Now we go back to the SGC and wait for the information to be assimilated into Jacks' brain. Then, he'll tell us where to go...' Daniel said.

We got back to the main room in the Temple and made then our way back to the Gate. Daniel dialed and we went through. Back at the SGC, doctor Lam had us all checked out, and then we went to our quarters... Well, at least I did. I kept thinking about O'Neill's easiness around all of them. I thought about how good it must have felt to be trusted in such a way, so much as to know there is someone whose life depends on you. Later on, I went to the gym, to practice some more of that silly game they play, Basketball or something like that... As I arrived, I found Cameron throwing the ball through the basket.

`Care for a game?' I asked, startling him.

`Sure... Catch!' he replied, throwing the ball at me. We played for about half an hour, when a voice through the intercom called Mitchell to the Infirmary. He went away, letting me alone for a while, when Daniel came. He didn't see me standing on the mattress in the other corner. He began running around and throwing the ball from all angles, when I asked:

`Don't you think you need a partner to actually play this game?' I startled him as well.

`Are you nuts? Why didn't you say you were here?' he asked angrily.

`In case you haven't noticed, Daniel, I just made my presence known... How was I supposed to know you get startled that easy?' I said.

`Well next time, make sure you do it in a more civilized manner...' he said.

`How's Jack?' I asked, not really in the mood for a conflict with the archaeologist.

`He's fine now... in a day or two, he'll not be able to speak English anymore... But other than that, he's fine...' he said.

We played a game (I won, of course) and headed to the showers. Then we went to have supper. Mitchell wasn't there.

`Where's Cameron?' Sam asked, looking around in the mess hall.

`Colonel Mitchell has been summoned to the Infirmary', Teal'c answered.

`Why? He was fine...' Sam asked.

`I do not know, Colonel Carter. I have seen him on his way there. However, he did not say why he went', Teal'c retorted, taking a spun-full of Jell-O (what is it with them and Jell-O? I don't even like the stuff... Red, green, blue or whatever...).

`How's it going, Jack?' Daniel asked.

`Don't know... You still understand everything I say, right?' Jack asked.

`Yes, I do', said Daniel, but Jack rolled his eyes and turned towards him:

`I wasn't referring to you, I was referring to the others...'

`Yes.'

`Yes.'

`Yes.' All three of us said at once.

`So... I guess you'll have to wait a while...' Jack said, spinning absent-mindedly the teaspoon in his teacup. `So what's wrong with Mitchell?' he asked then.

`He seemed fine, when we came. I think we should go see him', said Sam, putting her plate and cup on the tray and getting up.

`Sure thing...' Jack said, as we all followed her to the Infirmary. I noticed Jack was less enthusiastic then usually. I thought it might be because he missed all the adventure, all the noise of busy people at the SGC, Walter's voice when he dials the Gate, the sensation Gate-traveling gives you, sensation to which he was more than used, a sensation to which he was addicted. I knew that right from the start, when I saw the look on his face when he actually went through. I think he even missed the early wake-up call.

However, once we arrived at the Infirmary, we found a surprise waiting for us.

`Hi guys!' Mitchell said, from under the covers of a nearby bed.

`What happened to you?' Daniel asked, walking over to him, followed by the rest of us.

`I swear I didn't do anything to him, we just played basketball', I said to them. Daniel frowned at me. I didn't care. I didn't want to give up my habit of making jokes, just because Daniel didn't like them.

`Lam says she can't let me out, because my blood tests show that I have some kind of toxin in my blood stream that will... What was it again?' He asked Dr. Lam when he saw her approach him as she came out of her office.

`I have found a toxin in his blood stream that might soon affect his abilities of hearing, seeing, tasting, sensing touch and smelling', Lam said, throwing worried looks at each of us.

`So, as you can see, I will go blind, deaf, I won't be able to sense a touch or feel the taste of my favorite coffee with vanilla and also unable to smell anything...' Mitchell said sarcastically.

`What happened? I was supposed to act all weird and stuff...' Jack asked.

`He has been bitten by one of the insects you found in the Temple. They were poisonous. Unless I find an antidote in less than 24 hours, Colonel Mitchell will... be beyond any hope...' Lam said. All of us were scared. They asked why he didn't tell anyone anything about the insect bite. He told us he didn't think it was that important, since he didn't even feel pain. Sam volunteered to help Lam find a cure, in spite of the fact she wasn't a medical doctor. Lam accepted her help and Daniel, Teal'c and Jack remained with Mitchell to cheer him up. I could be of no use to them, so I walked towards the exit, when I heard Cameron calling:

`Hey, Vala... Where are you going?'

I stopped, shocked. I turned to him:

`You called?'

`Yeah, where're you off to?'

`Well, I thought...' I began, but he asked:

`Do you think I want to go blind and deaf without all my team members, official and unofficial ones?' He was smiling. I smiled back and drew a chair next to Jack.

Later on, around midnight, when everyone slept in their chairs and Cameron in his bed, Lam came in and woke everyone up.

`How are you feeling?' she asked. Mitchell shifted nervously and in a panicked voice, he answered:

`I think I just went blind and partially deaf too...'

`No other symptoms of any other kind?' Lam asked him. Cameron answered angrily:

`Except for increased panic, I don't think I feel anything else, thank you.'

Lam looked concerned. She put her hand over his forehead, to see if he had any fever. Then she said:

`Don't worry, Colonel, we're working on a cure.'

Then she left. Then Jack spoke:

`I think he needs kwooshlan.'

`I'm sorry, what?' Daniel asked.

`I think I said he needs kwooshlan,' Jack replied.

`What's that?' I asked, partly fascinated by the new status of General O'Neill.

`Nettle soup', Daniel translated, raising from his chair and running into Lam's office. He, Lam and Sam came out a few minutes later, after Daniel explained to them what Jack said. Sam ran to the mess hall to order nettle soup, Daniel returned in his chair and doctor Lam approached Mitchell and said:

`Colonel, I think we found a cure.'

Mitchell stood with his blind eyes to the ceiling and didn't move.

`Can you hear me, Colonel?' Lam asked, as Daniel silently whispered:

`Don't think so... must be deaf...'

`But so fast? I only just been here ten minutes ago, and he could hear me...' Lam wondered, concerned for the state of things. She took Mitchell's hand in hers, thinking that this way she might at least assure him that all will be soon ok, hoping he could still sense a touch. Mitchell started, and turned towards her.

`What?' he asked, probably not knowing he wasn't going to hear the answer.

In half an hour, Sam returned with a steaming bowl of nettle soup. Daniel and Teal'c lifted Mitchell up, in a comfortable position, so that he could eat. Mitchell narrowed his eyes from the first spoon. Obviously, he didn't like the taste of it. After he finished, there was nothing left for anyone to do than wait and, of course, sleep. In the morning, Lam threw us all out, and began her tests on him, while we headed for the briefing room where the General was waiting for us. Thank God he ordered some snacks, none of us had time to have breakfast that morning.

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