I do not own the Stargate characters
November 13, 1973
Daniel Jackson
(Cut to Daniel riding in the car with his social worker Jane Rider)
JR: Now don't you worry Daniel, the Gabriel's are a wonderful family and they are so excited about meeting you.
(Daniel just stared at her through tear filled eyes as they pulled into the driveway)
JR: Come along Daniel, we don't want to keep them waiting.
(Daniel grabbed his bag and walked behind her slowly to the front door as Jane rang the doorbell. It was only seconds before the door was opened)
JR: Hello, Joseph . . . Anna, it is good to see you again, (she firmly shook their hands before pushing Daniel in front of her) this is Daniel.
JG: (Joseph squatted down so that his eyes were even with Daniel's and firmly shook his hand) Hey Daniel, my name is Joseph and this is my wife Anna. We are both really excited about you coming to stay with us.
AG: It is getting kind of cold out, why don't you and Ms. Rider come inside Daniel and we'll show you around.
(Daniel walked wordlessly through the door, Jane following behind him as they took a tour of the house)
JG: This is the kitchen, we eat breakfast every morning at 6:30, and so make sure you are showered and dressed by this time. The living room is right through there; you can go in there at any time and hang out. My office is right down the hall, you may not go into that room at all, unless I give you permission. (Joseph then led the group up the stairs to the far end of the hall) This will be your room. So what do you think?
(Daniel looked around the room at the plain beige walls, from the bed with no sheets to the closet with no clothes, to the desk with no supplies and quietly shrugged his shoulder with indifference)
AG: Well, why don't you go on and get settled while we talk with Ms. Rider for a few minutes.
JR: Go along now Daniel, I will come up in a little bit to say goodbye.
(Daniel watched them go downstairs before slowly walking into the room and begin to unpack)
(Cut to the living room where the three adults are talking)
AG: He seems like a very quiet boy.
JR: He has not spoken a word since I met him. The police said that he witnessed his parent's death and hasn't spoken to anyone since. The psychologist on staff insisted that this behavior was normal and it would just take time for him to talk again. We just have to be patient. Now all you need to do is sign here, here, here, and initial here and you two are officially Daniel's foster parents. (They signed) I assume you already have him enrolled in school.
JG: The principal said that since he has been living out of the country for most of of his childhood that he would have to take a test to see how smart he is and they will enroll him accordingly.
JR: Alright, I think we're all set then. I'll just go up and say goodbye to Daniel and be on my way. (She walked to Daniel's room where he was slowly unpacking his small bag of belongings) I must be going now Daniel. I'll leave my number here in case you need to talk to me. You are going to be just fine her Daniel. I know it.
(She gave Daniel a long hug before walking back downstairs)
AG: Don't worry Ms. Rider. Daniel will soon come to love it here.
JR: I know he will. You have my number if anything happens?
JG: Yes.
JR: Alright, then I guess its time for me to leave. (She shook both of their hands before walking out the door towards her car)
(Cut to the Gabriel house at 7:00 p.m.)
AG: Daniel, its dinner time. (Anna called upstairs)
(Daniel came downstairs and sat at the only unoccupied seat at the table and started picking at his meal until he was startled by Joseph slamming his fists on the table)
JG: That's it! My wife made you a lovely meal so if all you're going to do is play with it then go back up to your room now and you won't get any dinner. (Daniel just sat there with his head down) Now!
(Daniel immediately rushed up from his chair and ran up to his room, closing his door behind him before he broke down into tears)
(Cut to 6:36 a.m. the next morning)
(Daniel comes downstairs showered, dressed and ready for breakfast. The Gabriels' were already eating by the time he got down. He went to get some of the breakfast when Joseph slapped his hand away)
JG: I told you yesterday that we eat breakfast at 6:30 sharp. Its 6:36, maybe tomorrow you'll actually get up on time and then you can have breakfast with us.
(Daniel stared at the food longingly before going into the living room to wait until it was time to go to school. It wasn't long before Anna walked in)
AG: Here's your lunch Daniel. Joseph will drop you off today and I will pick you up, just as it will be everyday. Now hurry out to the car, you don't want to be late. (Daniel hurried to the car)
(Cut to in the car with Joseph and Daniel)
JG: I know you think I was pretty hard on you this morning Daniel, but it really is for your own good. You really need to start learning how to follow the rules or you will get in a lot of trouble later in life.
(Daniel just continued to stare straight ahead)
(Cut to in the principal's office at Eastside elementary school)
MR: Hello, you must be Mr. Gabriel. I am Marie Rothman, the principal here at Eastside elementary.
JG: Yes I am. (He pushed Daniel in front of him) And this here is Daniel Jackson.
MR: Its good to meet you Daniel, why don't you both have a seat and we will figure out what grade you will need to be placed in. (They sat) Well lets start off with how old you are Daniel and what grade you were in before.
JG: Daniel is eight. His parents were archeologists and they home-schooled him on their dig site in Egypt. He hasn't talked since their deaths.
MR: Alright Daniel, why don't you fill out this paper and we will place you accordingly.
(Daniel finished the assignment in record time before handing it back to Mrs. Rothman but Joseph intercepted it)
JG: Is this some kind of joke? What does it say?
MR: (Marie took the paper from Joseph and scanned it quickly before turning to look at Daniel who had his head down) Well, his math skills are very advanced, but this looks like some form of Egyptian. It looks like we may have to put him in the kindergarten class until he is able to communicate with his classmates.
JG: But he obviously understands English. He does what we tell him to.
MR: I don't understand it either Mr. Gabriel but I am afraid that if we put him with kids his age he will soon fall behind.
JG: Alright. Are we done here, I need to head to work.
MR: Yes we are. I will have someone escort him to his class shortly; but you are free to go. (Joseph left) Mrs. Anderson, can you please escort Daniel down to Ms. Lofflin's classroom?
(Ms. Anderson walked out leaving Daniel to follow her to the far end of the building where the kindergarten classes were)
(Cut to Ms. Lofflin's classroom)
AL: Hello Daniel, my name is Ms. Amy Lofflin and I am going to get you all caught up so that you will be able to move up to the second grade with the rest of the kids your age. Ms. Anderson has told me a little about you and she says that you don't talk, together; I think we can get around that so you will be able to participate in class without talking, what do you say? (Daniel nodded and led him over to a table in the corner where three other children were sitting) Daniel, this will be your seat while you are with us, whenever we work in groups, Allison will be your partner alright?
(Daniel nodded, even as she was already walking away)
A: Hi, my name is Allison Parker, what's yours? (Daniel took the paper near her and wrote his full name out for her) Dan-i-yel Ja-k-sun, (she tried to sound it out) you already know how to write your name? You must be really smart. Why do you look so much older than us? (Daniel just shrugged as she turned back to her work)
(Cut to the lunch room at noon)
(Daniel is sitting in a table in the corner by himself, eating his lunch when a young girl walks up to him and sits down)
TA: Hi, my name is Tessa Andrews. Are you new here? (Daniel nodded) What's your name? (Daniel wrote his name out on his napkin and handed it to her) Daniel? Cool. I'm eight, how old are you? (He nodded again and Tessa understood that meant he was eight too) I was new last year so I know what its like. I still haven't made any friends. Do you want to be my friend? (Daniel smiled and nodded to her)
(Cut to the playground after lunch)
TA: Come on Daniel; let's go swing on the swings. It's really fun. (They walked over and started to swing when a shy, nerdy-looking boy walked over to them)
DM: Hey Tessa.
TA: Hey David. Daniel this is David Martin, he plays with me sometimes. David this is Daniel Jackson. He's new here.
DM: Hi Daniel. Do you mind if I swing with you guys?
TA: Not at all.
(David climbed on the swing next to Daniel and they swung until the bell rang)
(Cut to Ms. Lofflin's classroom)
AL: Alright everyone, its time to practice the alphabet, everybody say it with me.
Class: A, B, C, D, E, F, G . . .
(Daniel just listened as the class recited the alphabet, bored out of his mind)
AL: Very good everybody, now its story time.
(Daniel started to zone once the story started. He took out a piece of paper and started to write in ancient language of the Mayans)
AP: That was a good story Ms. L, can you read another one?
AL: Maybe tomorrow Allison. Right now it is about time for your parents to be picking you up, so you should start packing up your stuff and getting your coats on. (As all of the other children went about packing, Ms. Lofflin headed over to Daniel, who quickly hid what he was working on) I hope today wasn't too boring for you Daniel: but it should only be for a little longer. At the end of next week I will give you a test. If you pass you move up a grade and if you don't I will give you the test at the end of every week until you do pass. (Daniel nodded) Well you should probably be getting ready to go. It was nice meeting you Daniel.
(Daniel packed up his backpack and headed out to the circle drive where Anna was waiting for him)
(Cut to Mrs. Gabriel's car)
AG: How was your day Daniel? Did you have fun? (Daniel just shrugged) Joseph tells me that you will have to be in the kindergarten class for awhile. (Daniel nodded) Well don't you worry, you will be caught up soon enough and then you will be able to be with kids your own age.
(Cut to the kitchen at the Gabriel home as Anna prepares dinner while talking to Joseph)
JG: Kindergarten, can you believe that? I mean the kid filled out the entire paper in some form of Egyptian. The idiot knows English just fine. He can understand everything we say to him. His parents were even American, and yet he is too stupid to figure out how to write the answers, to simple questions, in English.
AG: Don't be so hard on him Joseph. He had to move away from his home, his friends, his parents are dead, and everything that this little boy has known has been yanked out from under him. You need to give him a little time to adjust.
JG: You are such a softy.
AG: (She smiled as she put dinner on the table) I know. Now go call Daniel down for supper.
JG: (Joseph walked to the bottom of the stairs and shouted) Daniel, dinners ready!
(Daniel came down the stairs and sat in his spot at the table and just stared at the food in front of him)
AG: You better start eating or its going to get cold.
(Daniel picked up his fork and started picking at his food, when a hand came across the table slamming his food and plate to the floor, breaking it and startling Daniel)
JG: I told you not to play with your food! Anna spent a lot of time making a good dinner for you and all you do is show her disrespect for not eating it. You live with us, this is your life now and you better start following the rules and doing what we say or you will be a very hungry little boy. Now, go up to your room and be on time for breakfast tomorrow or you wont get any.
(Daniel ran upstairs, into his room and took out a picture of his parents. Holding it, he proceeded to cry himself to sleep)