When the sunlight warmed the balcony the next morning, Daniel woke up. Still a little depressed, but able to face the day, he got ready to go back to the SGC. Then he remembered that his car was still in the shop.

Great." He muttered unhappily. So, he opened the door and trudged downstairs. Much to his surprise and delight, there was his car waiting for him! A note on the windshield read, "Did some fancy talking and got this here. Hope it helps. – O'Neill"

That raised his mood a little. Sha're used to do little unexpected things like that. Just a month ago, he had hope of saving her, but now…

He was in his car and five minutes later he realized he hadn't even started it yet. He figured if he was going to be this absent minded before even starting the car, it'd be better for him to walk to work. The base really wasn't that far, only about a half hour walk. Since he would get a late start, he figured it'd be best for him to call ahead and inform them he'd be late.

Daniel got out of his car and made his way back up to his apartment. Suddenly, something caught his ears. Someone was crying. He looked in a narrow ally between two apartment buildings and saw a boy about thirteen years old. His light-brown hair was all matted with dirt and his spirits looked just as good.

"Hey there." Daniel kneeled down in front of the kid, "What's wrong?" He pushed all thoughts of Sha're out of his head as he tried to help the boy.

The kid was shy at first, not knowing if he could trust this stranger or not. But, after he saw the genuine concern in his eyes, he said, "I'm just scared."

"Where are your parents?"

"Dead, they died about two weeks ago."

Memories of his parents' death flooded Daniel's mind. The helplessness he felt when he died, how alone he felt when he hopped from foster home to foster home. "I'm sorry. My name's Daniel Jackson."

"Nick, my name's Nick."

"Well, Nick, how about we get you some food?" Daniel invited. He had to find some better was to help him, but this was a start.

While Daniel cooked breakfast for Nick, Nick sat on the couch and watched the Cartoon Channel. The archeologist would have preferred the History Channel, but he gave it up this time for his guest. Before he started cooking, Daniel started a pot of coffee so that it'd be ready when Nick's breakfast was ready.

When the food was served, Nick quickly inhaled the scrambled eggs and toast. When offered some coffee, Nick declined. Daniel was exactly the opposite; he needed his coffee almost daily.

"Thank you for breakfast, Mr. Jackson."

"Call me Daniel."

"Okay."

After breakfast, Daniel took Nick shopping for a set of new clothes. The entire trip only took about twenty minutes. When they got back to the apartment, Nick cleaned up while Daniel called the SGC.

"Hey, Teal'c, have you seen Daniel anywhere?" Asked Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"I have not." Teal'c answered.

"That's weird. Even if he was sick, he'd have at least called." Observed Jack.

"This is indeed out of Daniel Jackson's character."

General Hammond walked up and asked, "Do either of you know where Dr.

Jackson is?"

"We were just talking about that." Jack stated.

"So you don't know either." Restated General Hammond. Suddenly, the phone rang, surprising them a little. Hammond quickly picked it up, "Jackson? Oh good. Where…? Oh…You could bring him here… No… Very well, we'll be expecting you. Good bye."

"What was that all about?" Jack asked.

"Dr. Jackson took in an orphan he found outside his apartment building." Hammond summarized.

"He couldn't save Sha're so he's trying to make up for it?" Jack guessed.

After getting cleaned up, Nick found Daniel waiting for him watching the History Channel and sipping a cup of coffee.

"Thank you again, Daniel." Nick repeated sitting next to him on the couch.

"You're welcome." Daniel briefly glanced behind Nick where a picture of Sha're still had its place.

Nick turned around to see what Daniel so briefly looked at and saw the picture too, "She's pretty. Who is she?"

"Her name was Sha're and she was my wife." Daniel Answered.

"Was?"

"She died about a month ago." Daniel's eyes filled with sadness as he remembered the last look she gave him. It was in the last instant she was alive that the Goa'uld gave way and she looked at him with such love and at the same time telling him to forgive Teal'c. That memory had burned itself into his mind until the world's end.

"Oh. I guess we have something in common then, don't we?"

"More than you know." Daniel paused for a moment, "My parents died when I was eight."

"Is that why you helped me, be cause you know how I feel?" Nick asked.

Daniel avoided the question. "Nick, I was put in foster home after foster home. I don't want anyone else to have to go through that. I'm going to find you a permanent home."

Nick half smiled, "At least a home for a little while."

Daniel frowned a little at what he took as pessimism. Then he said, "Well, I've got to get to work."

"But… where will I stay?" Nick asked suddenly becoming worried.

Daniel smiled. "You're coming with me."

Nick smiled too. "Awesome!" As they were making their way to the car, Nick asked, "What is it exactly you do?"

"Well, I'm an archaeologist, a linguist, and an anthropologist."

"But what exactly do you do?" Nick clarified.

Daniel laughed, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Danny! What took you so long?" Jack greeted. "Oh, and who's your guest?"

"This is…" Daniel started.

"My name's Nick. Wow, this is an awesome place!" Nicked looked at his surroundings, "I've always wanted to be someone who worked on a top secret mission for the government." He looked around again. "This place would be perfect for it!"

Both Jack and Daniel looked at each other holding back a laugh.

"Well Kiddo, I'm sure that'd be the best job in the… galaxy." Jack spoke the truth, he loved his job.

"Do you want to take a short tour?" Daniel asked Nick who was starting to look pale. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." As Nick spoke, a piercing pain shot through his body, causing him to double over,

"Jack, get a medical teem here right now!" Daniel demanded as he went to help Nick.

Jack was shocked by the order. Very rarely did Daniel bark out orders like that. Nevertheless, Jack got a med teem as fast as he could and Nick was rushed to the infirmary.

Jack and Daniel followed, but when they went to go in the room, Janet shooed them out. "You boys have to stay outside. If this is what I think it is, this may not be good. She cast a very worried look at Daniel, but it really was more of a worried look because of Daniel. "Now shoo."

Daniel and Jack obeyed the doctor and went out to the hall. Samantha and Teal'c had heard the news and were waiting for them out side of the infirmary. Daniel said nothing to them; he just sat down on a chair by the door, completely and utterly helpless to do anything.

"Is the kid going to be okay?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, but it isn't looking good." Jack answered.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Sam looked sadly at Daniel then turned back to Jack. "Teal'c and I have to 'gate out in a little bit with SG-6. We should be back in a couple of days." They left to get ready for their trip.

"Thanks for stopping by!" Jack called after them as they walked away.

Daniel was still sitting by the door, "I'll be in my lab if anything happens." He announced as he got up to leave.

"Daniel, wait!" Jack called after Daniel had walked a few steps.

Reluctantly, Daniel retraced his steps and stood facing away from Jack.

"Danny, that kid is just about as stubborn as you. When he doubled over like that, I could tell that wasn't the first time that's happened to him, but he expected it to be one of the last.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Daniel asked bluntly. "I'll be in my lab."

This time Jack let his friend pass. Jack knew that Daniel had to deal with everything that had been happening sooner or later; Jack just hoped for Daniel's sake it would be sooner.


I hope i didn't take too long to get this out, and I really hope you like it! please review!