Part 12

In the morning Jack went in to speak to Daniel. Daniel was lying across his bed reading a book. "Is it alright if I come downstairs?" he asked.

"Yes, but I want to talk to you before you go down. I think we need to think up some rules," he put his hand up to stop Daniel from interrupting," just so that we all know where we stand. It'll make it easier for Sean if he knows what our rules are."

"Our rules? Does that mean I get a say? I'm not really a kid, you know?"

"Well I think that you are. My mistake has been thinking you're still the same and you're not. You're as intelligent as you were before but emotionally you're a child. And from now on until you grow up that's how I'm going to treat you. I expect you to listen to me when I tell you to do something, I do not want to have to keep repeating myself. I do not expect you to endanger your life either here or at the Base. I'm letting you work there but you are not to go near the Gateroom unless I say."

"And where do I get a say in all this?" Daniel asked. "It sounds as if you talk and I listen."

"It'll be a change for you to do that."

"This is not funny Jack. It's bad enough looking like a kid without everyone treating me like one."

"And there will be consequences if you break the rules."

"Fine," Daniel huffed. "Feel better now you can tell me what to do."

"Actually no. I wish you were back to being your age but we have to live with it. I want you on my team but there's nothing I can do to change this. Now get dressed and come down for breakfast."

He was very quiet as they were eating breakfast. "Danny, are you alright?" Sean asked.

"Ask Jack he seems to know what's best for me these days. Can I go clean out Fury or is that not allowed?" He glared at Jack.

Jack stared at Daniel," Cut out the attitude, what I'm doing is for the best and if you can't see that then I'm sorry but that's how it is going to be. And yes you can look after Fury. He's your horse."

Daniel ran to the barn. He brushed Fury and cleaned out his stall. He talked to him the whole time. "Last time I was this age, no one wanted me. I tried so hard to do everything right but it was never good enough. Now Jack's getting fed up with me as well. He wants the old Daniel back and there's nothing I can do. This is all my fault. If I hadn't got so drunk this would never have happened. Maybe it would be best if General Hammond found someone else to care for me." The horse whinnied into his hand as he gave it an apple.

When he'd finished he went back to the house. Sean was sitting reading the paper. "Is there anything else you want done?"

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'd like to help."

"I was going to cut the grass."

"I'll do it. Where's the mower?"

"In the shed." Daniel ran out.

This went on for the next two days. Daniel kept himself busy doing chores for Sean. He barely spoke to Jack.

"He's a lovely boy," Mrs. Strachan said to Sean. "He helped me bake lots of things for the fair on Saturday. He also helped make this meal."

That night Jack went to tuck him in. Daniel was reading a book. Jack hated the strained atmosphere between them. He wanted to make amends but he didn't know how. He wasn't going to change his mind about the rules, Daniel was going to have to learn to live with them. "Ready to sleep?"

"Yes." He put his book down and made to turn out the light.

"I'll take your clothes down to the laundry room," Jack said. He bent to pick up the clothes sitting on a chair by the door.

"No, I can do it in the morning."

"Danny it doesn't have to be like this."

"What's wrong? I'm doing as I'm told aren't I? I can look after myself Jack. I've done it for years. Just leave the washing."

Jack left. He didn't know what to say. He looked back at Daniel as he closed the door. He hated the fact that Daniel had had to grow up so quickly. Was he wrong to lay down rules? Should he let Daniel have a more carefree time? He came back later and checked Daniel. He was sprawled across the bed. Most of the bed clothes were in a heap on the floor. Jack picked them up and covered him again.

In the middle of the night Jack was woken by a piercing scream. He dove out of bed into the corridor, his gun was in his hand. The noise had come from Daniel's room. He opened the door. Daniel was sitting in the middle of the bed crying.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked going forward. He put the gun down on the cabinet.

"I'm sorry, so sorry. I'll clean it up." Jack could see what he meant. He had wet the bed. He was crying so hard he could barely breathe. "I'll strip the bed and clean it," he managed to say between sobs.

"It's alright. Calm down," Jack tried to put his arm round Daniel's shoulders but he shrank back onto the pillow. Jack wasn't even sure that Daniel was actually awake. Sean came to the door. "Go back to bed dad, it's okay." Sean left. "Danny I need to get you out of the wet pyjamas. You need a bath."

"I said I'd do it," Daniel said.

"Let me run you a bath, we'll worry about the sheets later. Come on." He led him to the bathroom and ran a bath. Daniel just sat on the side of the bath. Jack put bubble bath in. He stripped him of the wet clothes and lifted him into the bath. Jack didn't like seeing him so unresponsive. "I put bubbles in it."

"Why?"

"I always liked bubbles I thought you might too."

He helped Daniel wash and then dried him and put him in his clean pyjamas.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Daniel tried to pull away from Jack. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I get nightmares as well. Remember?"

"I remember but I bet you don't wet the bed." Jack almost smiled but remembered how embarrassing it could be. "I haven't done it since I've grown up but at your age I did."

"I am grown up."

"In your head but your body is ten. It doesn't know."

"Don't tell anyone."

"I won't. I'll put the sheets in the washing machine."

"Thanks d..Jack. What about the bed?"

"You can come in with me. I'll make sure the bed's okay."

Daniel was lying on Jack's bed when he got back. "You don't look very comfortable."

"I don't want to be a nuisance."

"You're not a nuisance." Jack got in and put his arm round Daniel and pulled him towards him. "I hope you don't have cold feet," Jack said jokingly.

Jack rubbed his back and felt him relax. Daniel felt his eyes closing. Jack wished he could get his hands on the people who had done this to Daniel. A child shouldn't be afraid of wetting the bed. He felt Daniel snuggle into him. He could remember Charlie creeping into his and Sarah's bed. He wished he'd known about Daniel, he and Sarah could have looked after him. Charlie would have loved to have an older brother and he was sure Daniel would have been a good one. Gradually he drifted off to sleep.

TBC