Off to work we go Part 9

Danny used the exact same method to escape from the base as he had used before. He worked his way down the hill to the nearest bus stop. He caught the one that went passed the house. He packed up his small bag, making sure he had a photo of him and Jack and his toy camel. He took the money he'd hidden under his mattress and set off to catch the bus to the centre of town. When he was on the bus he realized he hadn't left a note for Jack to tell him where he'd gone. Oh well serves him right he thought, he was working behind my back, let him worry for a change.

At the base Jack had gone looking for Danny. He was in none of the places he usually frequented. Teal'c had joined him but they still could find no trace of him. "You know Teal'c I still spend most of my searching for him. Nothing changes. Where on earth can he be?" Jack asked.

Jack went down to the archaeology department. Malone was still putting things back on his desk. "Have you seen Dr Jackson?"

He pointed to his desk, "Who do you think made this mess? I caught him accessing my computer and gave him a row. He lost his temper and threw everything off my desk. It's about time you did something about him. This is no place for a child." If General Hammond hadn't appeared just at that moment the department of archaeology would have been minus a member.

"Something wrong, Colonel? General Hammond asked.

"I can't find Daniel."

"Have you checked with security? They might have caught him on tape."

Jack went off. You know Teal'c I used to have brown hair before I met Danny."

"I used to have hair, O'Neill."

"That's funny Teal'c."

They searched through the tapes and there was Danny entering the escape hatch.

Danny was at the bus station waiting for the bus. He hadn't been able to get a ticket. He sat beside an old lady and helped her get a cup of coffee. Then he went over to another young woman," Excuse me, would you go and buy my ticket for me? My gran isn't really able and I don't want to leave her on her own. And the lady at the counter will want Gran to buy it. I have the money here."

The young woman bought it and gave it to Danny. "Are you sure you can manage onto the bus. I could help you."

"It'll be alright as long as we take our time."

He helped the lady onto the bus and sat beside her. "You should be getting back to your mum."

"Oh she didn't come onto the bus, she just gave me my ticket. I'm going to my grandparents and she can't take time off her work to take me there."

Danny sat back in the seat, everything had gone according to plan. He was so good at this. He'd sorted out where he was going to live, well if John and Rose agreed, and he'd get to see Jack. He could feel tears in his eyes, he didn't want to think about Jack. He pulled out his book and tried to read. When he fell asleep the lady took his book and put it in his bag. She smiled when she saw the picture and the stuffed toy. His parents must be so proud, he's a lovely little boy. She couldn't understand why he was travelling alone. She'd speak to the driver and get him to radio ahead.

Jack couldn't find anything to tell him what Danny was up to. Luckily one of the cleaners overheard him talking to an airman," Are you looking for that lovely wee blond haired boy?" she asked.

"Yes, have you seen him?"

"Yes, he caught the bus down beside the Daycare, I thought it was odd him being on his own."

Jack told General Hammond and he informed the police. They checked the bus route and found it went past Jack's house so Teal'c and Jack rushed over there. Sam tried to speak to him before he left but he told her he'd have to see her later or tell General Hammond.

They found he had taken his bag and some clothes. "I don't understand what's wrong Teal'c he seemed fine. Let's get back to the base and see if there's any more news." He was beginning to get very worried now. Danny was such a small boy.

Meanwhile Sam had spoken to General Hammond," I have some important news for Colonel O'Neill about Malone but he was in a hurry."

"Yes Dr Jackson's done his disappearing act again. I tell you when that boy comes back I'm going to put a tag on him so we'll always know where he is."

Danny's bus was just approaching his stop. The old lady woke him up and he went to the front of the bus and got off. He turned and waved to her and when he turned back there was a big police officer in front of him.

"Who are you with?" he asked.

"I'm eh.." He didn't know what to say. He knew the police officer wouldn't be fooled.

"What's your name?

"Daniel O'Neill. I'm here to see my grandparents."

"O'Neill? Are you John and Rose's grandson?"

"You know them?"

"Yes, I went to school with Jack, their son."

"Can you take me to them? I don't have any money to get a taxi."

"Do they know you're coming?"

"Well not exactly. Maybe we'd better phone them."

The police officer who said his name was Pete phoned John and Rose. They were so glad that Danny was found but astounded that he'd taken a bus on his own and arrived in town. Pete said he would bring him over.

They immediately phoned Jack. "Thank God, he said. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, Jack. He came by bus."

"He is in so much trouble when I get there. I'm leaving right now."

He told General Hammond that Danny was okay and then he got his truck and set off.

Pete drove Danny to John's house. As soon as they saw the car draw up they ran out and grabbed Danny. Rose gave him a hug and kissed him, John ruffled his hair. "I think you've got a lot of explaining to do, young man."

"I didn't mean to worry you," he said as Rose carried him into the house. She wouldn't let go of him. John got him a sandwich and a glass of milk.

After he'd finished eating John said," And what did you think you were doing running off like that, Jack is frantic with worry."

"I did it for him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Jack's a really busy man," he could feel tears forming in his eyes, it was so difficult thinking about Jack. "And he's got an important job. He can't do his job properly if I stay with him, he'd have to leave it and I don't want that to happen. And I don't want to go into foster care again." He couldn't stop the tears, he'd worked out what he was going to say and he'd rehearsed it in his head but it was much more difficult to actually say it. "I thought maybe I could come and stay with you, I wouldn't be any trouble, I'd do as I'm told and I'd help out and do chores and things. Jack showed me how to….." and then he couldn't stop the sobs from coming. Rose wrapped her arm around him.

"Danny what on earth has caused you to think Jack doesn't want you. He loves you."

"You don't want me?" his voice quivered.

"Of course we want you but I think Jack will want you more."

"No, I heard him talking to General Hammond. He said he was going to have to do something about me and Jack would have to talk to me. You see I cause lots of trouble even when I don't mean to. If you don't take me, I don't know what I'll do. At least I'll get to see Jack sometimes if I stay here."

Rose could see she wasn't going to be able to convince Danny about anything, he had got himself all worked up. "Let's get you to bed, everything will look different in the morning. And don't you worry, this is your home for as long as you need it." He relaxed into her arms. He fell asleep. John lifted him up and got him ready for bed. They tucked him in and waited for Jack to arrive.

Jack arrived about an hour later," Did he tell you why he did this?"

"He told us some of it but he was so upset it didn't make a lot of sense. He's worked himself into a terrible state. I don't want to see him like that. If you can't keep him, he'll stay with us."

"I've never said he can't stay with me. I've made arrangements for when I have to go on a mission, there are plenty of people who'll look after him for a couple of days if I need them. I don't know where he got that idea."

"He said that you were going to lose your job because of him. He said he'd heard you talking to General Hammond about doing something about him."

"I never said that." Then Jack realized where Danny had heard that. "He must have been listening in when I was talking to General Hammond. We weren't talking about him. I was talking about someone else. The only thing I said was I was going to talk to Danny about something but it wasn't about my job. It was actually about me adopting him. I don't want him living anywhere else. He belongs with me. I love him."

"Well maybe he needs you to tell him that."

He looked in on Danny, he was sound asleep with his camel tucked under his arm. He looked so at peace. This must have something to do with Malone, that man was poison. Ever since he'd arrived everything was going wrong. Well it was going to stop. SG1 was going to have to be a 3 man team. He was not going to replace Daniel. He kissed Danny's head and went into his own room.

The next morning Rose, John and Jack were up early. They were on their second cup of coffee when Danny came down stairs carrying his camel. He saw Jack. Normally he would run over and hug him but he just said, "Morning."

"No hug for me," Jack asked. Danny couldn't do this, he turned and made to run. He knew it wouldn't work. He couldn't just see Jack some of the time. It hurt too much.

Jack caught him. He struggled but Jack held him tight. He started to cry. "Let me go. I'm sorry. I don't want you to lose your job. It's all my fault for being so stupid. If I hadn't tripped."

Jack hugged him. "Danny, it's alright. I'm not giving up my job and no one's making me. And if they said I had to choose, I'd choose you. I love you son."

This just made Danny cry even more. "But he said…"

"Malone?"

"Yes, he said they were going to put me into foster care and I heard you tell General Hammond you were going to have to talk to me."

"Yes and if you'd waited and asked what we were talking about we'd have told you it's about me adopting you officially."

"Adopting?"

"Yes. If that's what you want?" Then Jack looked straight into his eyes. "You mean all this running away is because you believed Malone and then you eaves dropped on General Hammond and me and then ran away from the base. Couldn't you have come and talked to me?"

"I thought it was better if I left and …" it sounded very silly now. He could have avoided all this.

"This running away has got to stop. I know people have let you down before but I WANT YOU and it doesn't matter if you have to grow up all over again or if you grow up tomorrow. You're my son."

"I got it all wrong didn't I?"

"You sure did, squirt." He cuddled into Jack. "I love you."

"And I love you, no matter what trouble you cause. And we'll deal with this together."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Oh yep. That you can be sure of. There's the listening in to other people's conversations, running away. And where did you get the money. There better not be another ATM card around."

"There isn't." Danny was quick to say that. Jack had been very unhappy when he'd acquired an ATM card. "I had some money left after last time and I kept it hidden for emergencies. Sorry."

"You will be by the time I'm finished with you. And you've still to see Sam, Teal'c and General Hammond. They weren't too happy with you either." Danny was recovering fast, he was trying to think of excuses he could make to get himself out of trouble but he couldn't think of any. This was all his fault. He'd allowed Malone to get to him.

Later that afternoon Jack was sitting on the deck having a beer with his father, Rose was in the kitchen preparing lunch and Danny was sitting at the table writing.

"Do I have to do 100? My hand's sore now and I've only done 20."

"You've got a week to do everything. 100 I must not run away. 100 I must not endanger my life."

"You know I'll be no use to the SGC if my hand drops off," Danny said. John and Rose giggled.

"You'd be no use to anyone if you'd gotten yourself killed. The lines are not a choice. I thought I made that clear earlier. And you'll have extra chores to do, for me, Sam, Teal'c and General Hammond. That should keep you out of mischief for a while."

Danny groaned.

"There's always the other option I offered you," Jack said. "You just say the word."

"No, I'll do the lines and the chores." There was no way he was going to agree to that option. He'd rather have a sore hand than a sore backside. He was going to have to work on Jack. He could write him an essay giving all the reasons why that sort of punishment should not be allowed. He was sure he could convince him. He got back to writing I must not run away.

TBC Part 10