-

The first thing he noticed were muted clicks. No, that wasn't right. Not clicks. Beeps. Coming from far away.

His head was touching something soft and there was a tightness around his arm. Something would close around it, then release. He felt an odd brush of air at his nose. It itched.

His eyes opened slowly and the world was one large blur of color. His stomach flip-flopped a second and he thought he might throw up.

"Daniel?"

Someone was calling his name, he realized. Was it Mrs. Parker? Had he overslept and missed the school bus?

No, not Mrs. Parker. Mrs. Parker had green eyes. The eyes staring down at him were brown.

"Daniel?" the voice repeated. It was male. Definitely male. A face started to settle into view and it was frowning.

A man, holding a grey binder of some kind in his hand.

"I want a record of his vitals for the past hour now."

The voice was worried. Daniel knew that voice. He concentrated very hard, trying to get his brain focus. A name finally came into play.

Dr. O'Neill. Doc Jack.

"'ack," he muttered, and the man turned back, brown eyes serious.

"Daniel?" he asked again.

"All over?" he replied and O'Neill's grinned.

"Yep, kiddo. All over. Told you that you could do it."

"I was brave," Daniel whispered.

"You were," O'Neill agreed. "I'm very proud of you. I haven't seen anyone else as brave as you were."

"Really?" He hadn't? Daniel was excited and it pushed past the fuzz. He tried to smile, but wasn't sure if his face was listening to his brain.

A nurse appeared next to O'Neill, another file in her hand.

"Vitals," she told him.

"I'm fuzzy," Daniel said, licking his lips. His stomach didn't hurt much anymore, which was very good, but it didn't feel right either. He was hot, yet cold, at the same time. And he noticed lots of beeping and wires that appeared to be attached to him. He was confused. "I don't really feel so well."

Dr. O'Neill scanned the opened chart in his hands before looking back at him.

"I know. Your appendix burst," he explained. "That means it leaked some not so great stuff into your tummy. But we're giving you the good stuff. Antibiotics. You'll feel pretty yucky, like I said, and it might be a little longer before I can get you down to the playroom, but you'll still be as good as new."

"Legos?" Daniel asked.

Dr. Jack nodded."Of course. A date's a date. I build a pretty mean airplane if I do say so myself."

"Airplane," Daniel muttered and yawned. "'leepy."

"I'll bet. Go to sleep." O'Neill patted his shoulder and Daniel melted into the touch. Mrs. Parker touched him now and then, but it wasn't the same. Mrs. Parker wasn't at his bedside. Mrs. Parker had other kids to take care of.

Dr. O'Neill probably had other kids to take care of, too, but Daniel didn't care. He was here now. Mrs. Parker wasn't. Nick wasn't.

He drifted off to sleep, dreaming of airplanes.

--

The next couple of days were a bit of a blur to Daniel. He didn't remember much. He remembered being hot. He remembered someone poking his arm with something sharp. There was something over his face and the smell of something metallic and crisp.

When his head finally cleared and he woke again, it was to a discussion in the far corner of his room.

"Peritonitis is very serious. I don't think you understand. I can't give you an exact date of discharge yet."

"I understand, Doctor. Perfectly well. But the state wants to fill Daniel's spot at the home. They have another boy we need to pull from a bad foster home. I need a timeline to work with here. I have to find Daniel another placement that can deal with his medical needs properly."

There was a heavy sigh."Of course. Does Daniel get moved often?"

"More than I'd like, I'm afraid. He's an older child with a few…issues. It's hard to find the right spot for him."

"Issues?"

"He witnessed his parent's death when he was six. It was tragic, really. They were archaeologists setting up an exhibit at the Museum of Natural History when a cornerstone crushed them."

"The Jacksons. I remember reading about them in the Times."

"Yes, well, Daniel hasn't exactly dealt well with that burden. And now I'll need to find someone who can help with his recovery…How long did you say it could be?"

"A couple of months, maybe. Kids bounce back quickly. He could be himself in a month. The most important thing is that the infection is finally under control."

The conversation paused and Daniel didn't stir, fearful that they'd realize he'd been listening. He'd be leaving the home for yet another set of foster parents who'd most likely return him because he was sick and not good enough. Too quiet, too serious. Too damaged. He'd heard it all before.

"Mrs. Parker, what does it take to be a foster parent?"

"I don't know what you mean, Dr. O'Neill. It can be quite a process. Takes time."

"Well, Daniel is going to be here at least another week. Get me the paperwork. Send a social worker to my house, all that jazz."

Daniel almost stopped breathing.

"Doctor, are you serious?"

"You need someone that knows how to help him recover. Who better than a pediatrician? I have a spare room and a big backyard."

"Are you married?"

"Divorced. Is that a problem?"

Daniel could sense the frown on Mrs. Parker's face. "It makes things a little more difficult, but I think…..." she trailed off and paused a minute before continuing. "He likes you, Dr. O'Neill. I can tell. I don't know if this is such a good idea. When he's well again, we'll most likely move him."

"We'll deal with that when it happens. Like I said, you handle the paperwork. I'll handle getting the little guy better. I like to stick to what I know."

Daniel was sure he stopped breathing this time. Dr. Jack wanted him? At least for a little while? He swallowed thickly and it turned into a round of coughing. He heard footsteps approach him. He opened his eyes.

"Daniel?" O'Neill was faster and reached the bed first.

"All over?" Daniel asked the doctor.

"Yep, kiddo. All over. Again."

--

Dr. O'Neill promised Legos. But the playroom was far from Daniel's room and Daniel couldn't sit up yet without wincing. So he simply lay in bed, propped up and watched Cartoon Network, wishing he could be watching the Discovery Channel instead.

He must have been drifting, because his eyes popped open in surprise when he heard someone walk into his room and plop a plastic container on his bed.

"Dr. Jack," Daniel said and his lips curled into a smile. The gray-haired man was still in his lap coat, stethoscope around his neck, but his hands were sans the file he always seemed to be carrying whenever he entered Daniel's room.

"Hey, kiddo," he greeted. "How ya feeling?"

"Sore. Bored. There's nothing on TV."

O'Neill turned and glanced at the TV. Dexter's Lavatory was on. "Well, I suppose Dee can get pretty annoying after awhile." He used the remote to shut the TV off. "Doesn't matter. I've brought something better."

Daniel's eyes lit up. "You did?"

"Yep." Dr. Jack pulled the tray table over and lifted the container he'd brought on top of it. He opened the top with a flourish. "Since you're unable to go down to the Legos, I decided the Legos needed to come to you." He reached into the bucket and scooped up a handful of what appeared to be colored bricks and dumped them on the table.

"Legos?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah sure ya betchaya." Daniel looked at him, confused. O'Neill shook his head and grinned. "Legos," he said. "They click together like this." He picked up a red and a blue piece and pushed one on top of the other. Sure enough they clicked.

"But red and blue are two different colors," Daniel started. "Shouldn't red and red go together?" He reached for two red pieces.

"Nope. That's the great thing about Legos. There are no rules. You can build whatever you want and it can be whatever color you want. It can be several colors. In fact," Dr. Jack settled himself on a spot on the edge of the bed, "my airplanes tend to be yellows, blue, and red."

"Primary colors," Daniel told him.

"Huh. I guess so. Never really thought about that one. You're one smart kid, aren't you Daniel?"

Daniel blushed. "That's what my teacher at school says."

"Well, she's right. Bet you're the head of the class. You're eight, so...…third grade, right?"

Daniel picked up a blue piece and joined it with a green one. "Fifth," he said casually. It was no big deal for him.

O'Neill eyes grew wide. "Fifth? For crying out loud…You really are one smart kid, then."

"I guess." Daniel thought he'd build a pyramid. Legos were lots of fun he discovered. He surveyed the blocks in front of him. O'Neill was working on his own project.

"Dr. Jack, do have any kids?" Daniel asked suddenly.

"I have lots of kids, if you count all my patients," O'Neill replied.

"They don't count. Do you have any real kids?"

The doctor stopped building. "I had one once."

Daniel saw sadness in the brown eyes. He knew that sadness. "He died, didn't he?"

Dr. Jack sighed. "Several years ago."

"I'm sorry," Daniel told him. "It's sad when someone dies."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "It's especially sad when your parents die."

"Mrs. Parker told you about my parents." It wasn't a question and Daniel didn't intend it to be one. He'd overhead that conversation. Dr. Jack had yet to tell him about it; Daniel wondered if the paperwork wasn't working out after all or if maybe he had changed his mind about bringing a sick Daniel home.

"She did," Jack admitted.

"I thought so." Daniel went back to his pyramid.

"Daniel?"

Daniel didn't look up. "Yes?"

"How would like to come and live with me? For a little while, at least. After you get out of the hospital."

That statement made Daniel look up. The paperwork hadn't fallen through. And Dr. Jack did want him after all.

"Really? I wouldn't have to go back to the home?" Even if he had heard this conversation before, hearing it now, directly from Dr. Jack made it seem real. Better.

Dr. Jack shook his head. "Not for a while, at least."

Daniel noticed Dr. Jack kept hinting that things were temporary, but he was determined he could change that. He would be so good. The best kid ever. Dr. Jackl wouldn't want to give him back. He'd show him.

"Okay, Dr. O'Neill," he agreed.

The doctor smiled. "How about you call me Jack?"

"Okay, Jack." Daniel reached for another block.

He and Jack would work out. He'd make sure this time.

--

Slowly, Daniel started to feel better. The next morning, the nurse came in and announced that that he was going for a walk.

Getting out of the bed wasn't easy and wasn't fun. Moving pulled on his stitches and Daniel didn't like that. In fact, he didn't like the stitches much at all. Dr. O'Neil, Jack, told him he'd have a cool scar he could use to impress the girls. Daniel didn't want to impress the girls and he didn't think scars were very cool.

The nurse showed him how to grip the IV stand and walk with it. While Daniel didn't find his stitches very impressive, the mobile IV stand was pretty neat. And when it hurt too much, the nurse told him he could lean on it to take some of the weight off his right side.

He made his way out of his room and into the hallway. It was extremely busy, with what seems like dozens of white coats, gurneys, children, nurses, and other adults milling about.

"We'll just do a lap around the nurses' station, okay?" the nurse said to him.

Daniel looked over toward the nurses' station. There was even more hustle and bustle over there. He began to think this wasn't such a good idea.

"You can do it," the nurse coaxed. "It's not that far."

Yes, it was, Daniel thought. It was very far when you had a sore stomach. But he swallowed and took a step.

"Looks like someone's mobile."

Daniel peered up. Jack. The familiar man was standing at the nurses' station, signing something.

"He's doing very well," the nurse remarked and Daniel took another step. Jack wasn't that far away. He could do this.

"I can see," Jack said, putting his pen down and flashed Daniel a smile. "Pretty soon you won't need your little metal friend here."

Daniel finally reached the station and let go of the pole a minute. His stomach and his legs didn't think that was such a good idea and before he knew he was on the floor, the IV pole slammed down with him, clipping his head.

He was dazed a moment, then realized a small crowd of people were around him. Someone was shining a light in his eyes and he raised his arm to bat it away.

"Daniel?" Jack again. He was the one with the light.

"Stop," Daniel told him and raised a hand again. The second time…...that's when he saw red and got dizzy. He shut his eyes.

"Someone get me some gauze. He pulled out his IV."

Daniel felt someone push down on his hand.

"You want a wheelchair?"

"No. Pupils are clear and his room is just over there. He's my patient, anyhow."

That's when Daniel felt himself being lifted. He cracked his eyes open and found himself looking up at Jack's eyes again.

"Jack?" he whispered, wondering why a trip to the nurses' station would leave him feeling so strange.

"Yep, just me, kiddo. I guess you might need just a little more time with your friend after all."

They entered Daniel's room, where Jack laid him back on the bed. Daniel watched as he didn't lift his grip from Daniel's hand. There was a piece of white gauze across it.

The nurse – Maggie, Daniel thought she said her name was – walked in and deposited a few items on the tray table, pulling it over towards Jack.

"You want me to get another line in?"

"No thanks, Maggie. I'll do it. Though …his pupils are clear, so I'm pretty sure Daniel here doesn't have a concussion, but I'm thinking his stomach might be a different story. Hurting there, kiddo?"

Daniel started to shake his head, but stopped when the movement brought more dizziness. "I'm okay."

Jack stared at him. "Daniel…..."

He blinked. "Okay. It hurts."

"I thought so. I'm going to do another wound check to make sure none of my handiwork has been disturbed, but after that, Daniel here could use some MS. 2 milligrams."

Daniel watched the nurse nod and leave. Jack was busy taping the white down on his hand.

"Sorry, Daniel, I know I promised you no more needle sticks, but I'm afraid there's going to be just one more."

"It's going to hurt isn't it?" Daniel wasn't looking forward to this at all. But he was still slightly dizzy and despite the fact that the sensation wasn't fun, it was distracting.

"Two seconds. Little 'ow' like before. You've conquered way worse than that in the last few days, right?"

"Right," Daniel agreed meekly. His stomach was starting to hurt again as well.

Something cold was rubbed against his right hand and Daniel closed his eyes, anticipating a pinch. Sure enough, it came, but faded quickly and when he opened his eyes again Jack was putting clear tape across his hand.

"All done," he said, securing the last piece of tape. He then pieced up a small board and positioned it under Daniel's hand and part of his forearm.

"What's that?" Daniel asked.

"This is a splint," Jack explained. "I had to put the IV in your right hand, and that's the hand you use a lot. This reminds you that you have to be careful. We don't want the needle coming out, because then I'd just need to stick you again."

"No. No more needles."

Jack finished the splint. "See? That's what I thought. Now I'm just going to take a look at your belly and make sure everything's still okay. Then I'll give you some more pain medication. I bet you're hurting."

"It's not so bad," Daniel lied.

"Uh huh," Jack said, his tone disbelieving as he lifted Daniel's pj top and pulled down the bottoms a little. Daniel felt Jack carefully pull the tape covering the incision and he couldn't hold back a gasp.

"I know. Sorry, kiddo. Almost done." Jack appeared to study the stitches. Daniel tried not to look down, but he couldn't help myself. He immediately looked up towards the ceiling. The stitches were ugly and not cool at all.

"Looks good," Jack commented and soon another bandage was loosely in place. Daniel's pajamas were settled back down and Maggie returned, another needle in hand.

"In the IV, I promise." Daniel was glad Jack got the message. This time he actually managed to watch Jack dump the contents of the syringe into the IV port.

"Feels warm," Daniel said softly.

"That's normal. You'll be feeling much better in a few minutes. Probably even a little sleepy, so a nap's a pretty good idea." Jack withdrew the needle and dumped into it into the sharps' container on the wall.

"I'm too old for naps," Daniel insisted, but a yawn contradicted his statement.

"Too old? No way. No one is too old for naps," Jack insisted. "In fact, the on call room's looking pretty nice to me right now. I think I might need a nap. I was up all night."

Daniel tried to reply, but managed only a sleepy smile instead. Jack grinned.

"Get some sleep, Daniel. You and I can go for a walk later."

--

The next time Daniel ventured out into the hallway it wasn't so bad. Jack took him out this time and held one hand on the IV pole, steadying the stand as it moved. There was no falling this run and Daniel managed to make it around the nurse's station and down the hall into the playroom.

Jack had told him all about the playroom. The hospital had lots of great toys for kids of all ages and many more Legos than the small bucket Jack had brought him. There were lots of kids, too. Many totting their own IV lines, some in wheelchairs. More than a handful of kids recognized Jack right away and he flashed everyone a friendly smile and gave out lots of pats on the head.

Daniel felt like such a baby, frowning when Jack did this. Jack liked him. These other kids had their own mothers and fathers to pay attention to them. They didn't need Jack. Jack just made them better.

The feeling put a damper on his visit to the playroom and he was more than a little blue when he and Jack made their way slowly back towards Daniel's room.

They were just outside the door when Jack stopped and turned to him. "Daniel?" Jack stopped and turned to him. He crouched down and winced as his knee creaked. "Old knee injury," he explained, then his expression grew serious. "I have lots of patients, you know."

"I know." He did, really. Jack was a good doctor. Of course he made lots of kids better.

Jack shook his head. "I don't think you do. Daniel, you're not just my patient. I don't make a habit of taking patients home. You're special."

"I am?" Daniel blinked, the feeling lifted a but. Not since his parents' death had anyone call him special.

"You are. And no matter what happens, don't forget that, okay?"

"Okay," Daniel whispered. Jack thought he was special. He couldn't mess this up. He wouldn't.

Jack stood, gripped the pole and they reentered Daniel's room.