First Impressions by LD
Danny Jackson shivered in the thin protection of his blue flannel pj's. His arm and head still hurt. He wished Trina, his social worker, would hurry up to come get him. He truly hated hospitals"Hey Danny" He jumped at the sudden intrusion. He hadn't heard Trina slip into his room. He smiled shyly at the diminutive redhead. "You ready to blow this joint?"
"A quick nod from Danny made her grin. He was one of her favorites and she let him know it. She helped him change into his jeans and a t-shirt. He looked at her trustingly and slipped his small hand into hers.
She kneeled in front of the solomn five year old and finger combed his hair.
"Ok Kiddo, I think I have a plan of action here,
but it's gonna be tricky." Blue eyes gazed at her questioningly, but as usual Danny didn't utter a word.
She sighed and held him close. "I'm gonna be straight with you Danny. You've been to four foster homes in six months. I don't want to see you hurt again, and to be honest, there aren't a whole lot of people I trust to take good care of you." She traced the bruise covering the right side of Danny's face."There is one place Danny, but it's gonna take some fancy footwork to get you in there. You're gonna have to help me out ok?"
Danny nodded.
"Can you do puppy dog eyes?"
Dark blond brows drew together questioningly. Trina grinned.
"Close enough. Now, if I can just keep her from killing me we'll have it made."
Somehow Danny wasn't at all sure he liked the sound of this new home.
Trina's Mustang roared along the long private drive. Danny looked up at the huge brick house in front of them. Trina saw the fear in his eyes.
"It'll be ok Danny. You'll like Kat, she'll like you. It's me she's gonna kill. Don't worry, her bark is tons worse than her bite. Just be yourself and everything will be ok."
Danny stood silently beside Trina as she rang the bell. There were a few moments of silence then the heavy oak door was flung open.
"What the hell do you want Katrina Walker?
Danny drew back fearfully, but Trina held him gently.
"Now Kat, is that any way to talk in front of a child?"
"Don't tell me you brought some kid here. I told you..."
"Knock it off Kat. Danny's been through enough. He doesn't need one of your temper tantrums.
Besides your getting a little old for them."
The angry face softened slightly as deep blue eyes gazed at Daniel. For just a moment Danny thought he saw a flash of pain on the classically beautiful face. Kat sighed and reached down to gently touch the bruised cheek."
"Aw hell Kid. Who did this to you? Are they in jail yet Trina, or did you just kill them and hide the bodies?"
Trina grinned knowingly. She'd caught her,
now she just had to reel her in. "I'm still working out the details on that one. But for right now I need a safe place for Danny."
"And you thought of me? I think you'd best go get your head checked. I quit the program. No more kids !Remember."
Danny looked up with tears trembling in his eyes.
Kat kneeled down in front of him and with tears of her own drew him to her.
"I'm sorry Kid. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just...I'm not mother material."
Danny's small hands clutched desperately at her shirt, his tears soaking her skin. She lifted him effortlessly and carried him into the house. " I hate you Trina Walker, and I'll never forgive you for this."
Danny heard her growl. He looked over Kat's shoulder at Trina's unrepentant grin.
"I know Sis, I know."
An hour later and exhausted five year old had cried himself to sleep in his new bed. His new foster mother unpacked a ragged bunch of clothes. She fingered the holes in the jeans she was holding.
"Shit kid." she murmured softly, "hasn't anyone bothered to take care of you? They must all have been idiots."
The tiny figure in the bed stirred slightly. Kat sighed and reached up to the top shelf of the closet to pull down a thick blanket. Gently she tucked it around the sleeping child.
"I guess you'll need some clothes and such.
We'll go shopping in the morning."
Danny awoke to a comfortable warmth. He looked down at the furry body surrounding his feet. A huge Siamese cat blinked back at him sleepily. He reached down and gathered the cat to him as he looked around the unfamiliar room. He was riveted by the large amounts of toys and was especially thrilled with the shelves of books lining the walls. He climbed out of bed and stared at the books longingly, but several months of foster care had taught him he had no rights to anything anymore. Still, he reached out his hand, near but not touching.
"It's OK Danny." He turned to find Kat in a recliner, a blanket drawn around her. "They're yours now. Enjoy."
The cat climbed into her lap, purring loudly.
Danny's hands trembled as he held one of the volumes. He flipped through the pages, but most of the words he hadn't learned yet. Kat smiled and held open the blanket. Danny climbed in wordlessly and handed her the book. Her voice was surprisingly soft as she read about a young dragon who saved the prince of the castle from the evil knights. Danny just closed his eyes and enjoyed the unexpected cuddle.
Danny frowned as he stood outside Kat's bedroom door. He had fallen asleep after their shopping trip and when he awoke his new guardian was nowhere to be found.
After searching most of the house, he had heard muffled sounds inside this room. Sounds he were sure were Kat crying.
He pushed open the door and saw Kat lying across a huge brass bed, a picture clutched to her chest.
She hadn't yet noticed him, but he saw the tears streaming down her face. He climbed into the bed and laid down next to her.
"Danny," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry Kiddo.
This just wasn't one of Trina's more brilliant ideas."
Danny patted her face gently. She sniffled a bit and held him close. He touched the picture and she allowed him to take it. In it, a blond haired boy smiled happily in Kat's arms. Danny smiled. Kat looked so happy in the picture.
"That was my Jimmy. He was about your age when that was taken."
Danny snuggled closer. He sensed the incredible sadness she had.
"He died Danny. Two years ago. We were at the park when a drunk driver jumped the curve." She sighed and laid the picture on the bedside table.
"It...it wasn't a bad idea," Danny murmured softly.
Kat arched an eyebrow at him. It was the only words Danny had spoken since arriving at her home. "Miss Trina, she knew."
"Knew what Danny?" Kat questioned as she drew him into a hug.
"Sh...she knew its time."
Kat bit her bottom lip gently as she realized Danny was right.
"Yeah Kiddo, I think you're on to something. It is time. We need each other huh?"
Danny nodded solemnly and Kat laughed. She gave him a tight squeeze.
"How does such a little boy know so much?" She smiled through her tears. Danny leaned into the cuddle.
This was so unlike all the other homes. He knew somehow that Kat would never hurt him.
"N...nooooo...Mommy...Daddy...no, please wake up...Mommy..."
Kat ran swiftly to Danny's room as she heard his screams. She scooped up the thrashing child as she rocked him gently. He'd been with her a little over a month and she'd been awakened many times by his nightmares.
"Shhh, its ok Danny.It'll be ok. It's all over."
She soothed as she gently rubbed his back. Danny sobbed out his pain to her. After awhile she felt him relax back into sleep. She continued to rock him though, tears of her own falling into his blond hair.
"I'm so sorry Danny. So sorry you had to see that.
I wish I knew how to help." After a little longer she too fell asleep, the child still held tightly in her arms.
Trina and Kat sat on a bench outside,
watching as Danny rode his new bike down the long driveway.
"He's talking" Trina marveled, smiling at the happy little boy.
"Oh yeah, he's talking. Sometimes in several different languages. He's brilliant Trina. I'm not sure I can keep up with him."
"I'm sure Kat. In fact I think you're the best thing that's happened to that boy in a very long time."
"Well, he's the best thing to happen to me,
that's for sure."
"John told me you're writing again. A sequel to the Princes Dragon book."
"Yeah, its Danny's favorite book.I thought he'd like a new one."
"Does he know you wrote it?"
"Nah, That would just take all the fun out of it.
He just likes it at bedtime for now. It's enough. I think I'll do a new series though. He's real into myths and such. It could be fun don't you think?"
"You never wrote for Jimmy."
"Jimmy was never much of a reader. Danny is." She smiled at Trina. "Thanks by the way."
"Thanks for what?"
"For the gift you've brought me. I don't think you know what Danny means to me."
Trina just grinned.
"Kat, I don't think you have any idea what you mean to Danny."
"Have you heard from his Grandfather?"
"Yeah, he's refusing to give him up. Danny will stay in the system for now." She looked at Kat with a smile. "Don't worry big sister, Hes all yours for now and I seriously doubt that will change. The new laws prefer long term placements to short term. And I'll be there to fight for you if anyone tries to get him. "
"Cool. What say we go get my son and go out for pizza?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
The end for now.
Danny Jackson shivered in the thin protection of his blue flannel pj's. His arm and head still hurt. He wished Trina, his social worker, would hurry up to come get him. He truly hated hospitals"Hey Danny" He jumped at the sudden intrusion. He hadn't heard Trina slip into his room. He smiled shyly at the diminutive redhead. "You ready to blow this joint?"
"A quick nod from Danny made her grin. He was one of her favorites and she let him know it. She helped him change into his jeans and a t-shirt. He looked at her trustingly and slipped his small hand into hers.
She kneeled in front of the solomn five year old and finger combed his hair.
"Ok Kiddo, I think I have a plan of action here,
but it's gonna be tricky." Blue eyes gazed at her questioningly, but as usual Danny didn't utter a word.
She sighed and held him close. "I'm gonna be straight with you Danny. You've been to four foster homes in six months. I don't want to see you hurt again, and to be honest, there aren't a whole lot of people I trust to take good care of you." She traced the bruise covering the right side of Danny's face."There is one place Danny, but it's gonna take some fancy footwork to get you in there. You're gonna have to help me out ok?"
Danny nodded.
"Can you do puppy dog eyes?"
Dark blond brows drew together questioningly. Trina grinned.
"Close enough. Now, if I can just keep her from killing me we'll have it made."
Somehow Danny wasn't at all sure he liked the sound of this new home.
Trina's Mustang roared along the long private drive. Danny looked up at the huge brick house in front of them. Trina saw the fear in his eyes.
"It'll be ok Danny. You'll like Kat, she'll like you. It's me she's gonna kill. Don't worry, her bark is tons worse than her bite. Just be yourself and everything will be ok."
Danny stood silently beside Trina as she rang the bell. There were a few moments of silence then the heavy oak door was flung open.
"What the hell do you want Katrina Walker?
Danny drew back fearfully, but Trina held him gently.
"Now Kat, is that any way to talk in front of a child?"
"Don't tell me you brought some kid here. I told you..."
"Knock it off Kat. Danny's been through enough. He doesn't need one of your temper tantrums.
Besides your getting a little old for them."
The angry face softened slightly as deep blue eyes gazed at Daniel. For just a moment Danny thought he saw a flash of pain on the classically beautiful face. Kat sighed and reached down to gently touch the bruised cheek."
"Aw hell Kid. Who did this to you? Are they in jail yet Trina, or did you just kill them and hide the bodies?"
Trina grinned knowingly. She'd caught her,
now she just had to reel her in. "I'm still working out the details on that one. But for right now I need a safe place for Danny."
"And you thought of me? I think you'd best go get your head checked. I quit the program. No more kids !Remember."
Danny looked up with tears trembling in his eyes.
Kat kneeled down in front of him and with tears of her own drew him to her.
"I'm sorry Kid. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just...I'm not mother material."
Danny's small hands clutched desperately at her shirt, his tears soaking her skin. She lifted him effortlessly and carried him into the house. " I hate you Trina Walker, and I'll never forgive you for this."
Danny heard her growl. He looked over Kat's shoulder at Trina's unrepentant grin.
"I know Sis, I know."
An hour later and exhausted five year old had cried himself to sleep in his new bed. His new foster mother unpacked a ragged bunch of clothes. She fingered the holes in the jeans she was holding.
"Shit kid." she murmured softly, "hasn't anyone bothered to take care of you? They must all have been idiots."
The tiny figure in the bed stirred slightly. Kat sighed and reached up to the top shelf of the closet to pull down a thick blanket. Gently she tucked it around the sleeping child.
"I guess you'll need some clothes and such.
We'll go shopping in the morning."
Danny awoke to a comfortable warmth. He looked down at the furry body surrounding his feet. A huge Siamese cat blinked back at him sleepily. He reached down and gathered the cat to him as he looked around the unfamiliar room. He was riveted by the large amounts of toys and was especially thrilled with the shelves of books lining the walls. He climbed out of bed and stared at the books longingly, but several months of foster care had taught him he had no rights to anything anymore. Still, he reached out his hand, near but not touching.
"It's OK Danny." He turned to find Kat in a recliner, a blanket drawn around her. "They're yours now. Enjoy."
The cat climbed into her lap, purring loudly.
Danny's hands trembled as he held one of the volumes. He flipped through the pages, but most of the words he hadn't learned yet. Kat smiled and held open the blanket. Danny climbed in wordlessly and handed her the book. Her voice was surprisingly soft as she read about a young dragon who saved the prince of the castle from the evil knights. Danny just closed his eyes and enjoyed the unexpected cuddle.
Danny frowned as he stood outside Kat's bedroom door. He had fallen asleep after their shopping trip and when he awoke his new guardian was nowhere to be found.
After searching most of the house, he had heard muffled sounds inside this room. Sounds he were sure were Kat crying.
He pushed open the door and saw Kat lying across a huge brass bed, a picture clutched to her chest.
She hadn't yet noticed him, but he saw the tears streaming down her face. He climbed into the bed and laid down next to her.
"Danny," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry Kiddo.
This just wasn't one of Trina's more brilliant ideas."
Danny patted her face gently. She sniffled a bit and held him close. He touched the picture and she allowed him to take it. In it, a blond haired boy smiled happily in Kat's arms. Danny smiled. Kat looked so happy in the picture.
"That was my Jimmy. He was about your age when that was taken."
Danny snuggled closer. He sensed the incredible sadness she had.
"He died Danny. Two years ago. We were at the park when a drunk driver jumped the curve." She sighed and laid the picture on the bedside table.
"It...it wasn't a bad idea," Danny murmured softly.
Kat arched an eyebrow at him. It was the only words Danny had spoken since arriving at her home. "Miss Trina, she knew."
"Knew what Danny?" Kat questioned as she drew him into a hug.
"Sh...she knew its time."
Kat bit her bottom lip gently as she realized Danny was right.
"Yeah Kiddo, I think you're on to something. It is time. We need each other huh?"
Danny nodded solemnly and Kat laughed. She gave him a tight squeeze.
"How does such a little boy know so much?" She smiled through her tears. Danny leaned into the cuddle.
This was so unlike all the other homes. He knew somehow that Kat would never hurt him.
"N...nooooo...Mommy...Daddy...no, please wake up...Mommy..."
Kat ran swiftly to Danny's room as she heard his screams. She scooped up the thrashing child as she rocked him gently. He'd been with her a little over a month and she'd been awakened many times by his nightmares.
"Shhh, its ok Danny.It'll be ok. It's all over."
She soothed as she gently rubbed his back. Danny sobbed out his pain to her. After awhile she felt him relax back into sleep. She continued to rock him though, tears of her own falling into his blond hair.
"I'm so sorry Danny. So sorry you had to see that.
I wish I knew how to help." After a little longer she too fell asleep, the child still held tightly in her arms.
Trina and Kat sat on a bench outside,
watching as Danny rode his new bike down the long driveway.
"He's talking" Trina marveled, smiling at the happy little boy.
"Oh yeah, he's talking. Sometimes in several different languages. He's brilliant Trina. I'm not sure I can keep up with him."
"I'm sure Kat. In fact I think you're the best thing that's happened to that boy in a very long time."
"Well, he's the best thing to happen to me,
that's for sure."
"John told me you're writing again. A sequel to the Princes Dragon book."
"Yeah, its Danny's favorite book.I thought he'd like a new one."
"Does he know you wrote it?"
"Nah, That would just take all the fun out of it.
He just likes it at bedtime for now. It's enough. I think I'll do a new series though. He's real into myths and such. It could be fun don't you think?"
"You never wrote for Jimmy."
"Jimmy was never much of a reader. Danny is." She smiled at Trina. "Thanks by the way."
"Thanks for what?"
"For the gift you've brought me. I don't think you know what Danny means to me."
Trina just grinned.
"Kat, I don't think you have any idea what you mean to Danny."
"Have you heard from his Grandfather?"
"Yeah, he's refusing to give him up. Danny will stay in the system for now." She looked at Kat with a smile. "Don't worry big sister, Hes all yours for now and I seriously doubt that will change. The new laws prefer long term placements to short term. And I'll be there to fight for you if anyone tries to get him. "
"Cool. What say we go get my son and go out for pizza?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
The end for now.