Lifetime Part 13

Warnings: None just now.

Jack woke up later that morning. Daniel was curled into his side. He tried to move off the bed but every time Daniel's fist grabbed hold of his t shirt tighter. Eventually he had to wake him up. Daniel rubbed his eyes and looked up at Jack in disgust. "You woke me up."

" I need to go to the toilet, Danny."

"Then go I'm not stopping you." He turned round and went back to sleep. Brat Jack thought smiling.

By the time Daniel got up Jack had finished his breakfast and was sitting out on his porch drinking a cup of coffee. Daniel sniffed deeply. "You can have 1 cup of milky coffee and that's your limit for today."

"Ah Jack," Daniel looked ready to argue. Jack held up his finger in front of Daniel's nose. "It's not you that'll get his head bitten off by a certain doctor. You'll just put on that innocent big blue eyed look and the ton of bricks will fall on my head."

"If you don't tell her I won't."

"One cup," Jack emphasised. "If Catherine decides to let you have one that's her problem." Daniel smiled trust jack to beat Fraiser's rules.

After breakfast they took Freya out for a short walk. She was getting better at walking on her leash except when she decided to chase something. Daniel loved it when she pounced on a leaf or tried to catch an insect flying by.

They put Freya in her basket and put her in the truck. Then they set off for Catherine and Ernest's. Daniel hadn't seen them for a month or two. Jack had already called them and told them about his transformation. Jack let him ring the bell on the house. He'd never noticed before the fun there was in ringing a bell. He kept it pressed down until Catherine answered.

She came to the door pulling off her apron. "Oh my god, it's true," she said. She took Daniel into her arms and kissed his head.

"But I phoned and told you," Jack said puzzled.

"I thought it was one of your weird jokes," Catherine said. "Well you can't blame me, can you?" Daniel snorted.

"It's okay Catherine it's tempry." He tried to say the word again but he just couldn't get it right. She smiled at him. "I'm still me just a little smaller."

"When will you grow up again?"

"He grows a year a day."

"My goodness. How did that happen? Jack are you not taking care of him properly," she accused.

"What? I wasn't with him. I left him in Sam's care. And anyway he agreed to this."

"I didn't really understand what was going to happen," Daniel said.

"Hopefully you've learnt a lesson from this, both of you." Why can I never win, Jack thought. He saw Daniel smirk.

"Come in," Ernest called from the living room.

They walked in, Ernest had brought through a tray of sandwiches, cake and coffee. "I'll need to get some juice for the boy," Ernest said. "Is Daniel not coming?" Jack made to answer but Catherine stopped him.

"He still gets a bit confused. I'll tell him this is a nephew of yours called Danny. It'll be easier for him to understand."

Daniel kept looking longingly at the coffee but it seemed Janet was not the only person who thought children shouldn't have coffee. Catherine asked what they had been doing and Jack told her about all the planets they'd visited.

"Can I take Freya out to the garden?" Daniel asked.

"Of course. Off you go."

Daniel put her leash on and lead her out. Once he made sure the garden was secure he let her off. "Hey," a voice called from the top of the fence. "Who are you?"

Daniel looked round. A boy of about his age was looking over at him. "I'm Danny. I'm visiting Catherine and Ernest."

"Haven't seen you before."

"No. What's your name?"

"Davey. Can I come over and play with your dog?"

"Sure." The boy jumped down.

"What kind of dog is she?"

"A spaniel," Daniel said. "Jack bought her for me."

"You call your dad, Jack?"

"He's not my dad, he just looks after me."

"Lucky you. My dad's always moaning about something. You'd think I got in trouble deliberately."

"What's your Jack like?"

"He's okay."

"Want to go to the park.? Bring the dog."

"I'll have to ..."

"Don't tell me you've got to ask first. What a wimp."

"I don't. It's just he worries."

"It's just down the road. Come on. Your dog'll like it."

Daniel took a look back at the house and said," Okay." After all he was an adult and Jack hadn't said he had to stay in the garden.

Davey climbed onto the back fence and leaned down to get Freya. Then he helped Daniel get up. They jumped off the other side. This was like being on a mission, Daniel thought. If he could handle going to another planet he could go to a park. Davey lead him down a dirt path. "There's the swings, come on." They ran towards them. Daniel tied Freya to the seat and went on the swings.

Then Davey took him to the pond. It was quite large and there were lots of ducks on it. Freya barked. Davey lead him to some bushes and they hid. "Why are we doing this?" Daniel asked.

"Look, see those girls, they go to my school. They're horrible." He picked up a big stone.

"You can't hurt them," Daniel said.

"Here." He handed Daniel another one. "Do what I do." He threw the stone up in the air and it landed in the water just beside them. A splash of water hit them. Daniel's stone did the same thing. They hid behind the bush trying not to laugh as the girls looked round trying to see who had thrown the stones. They kept hidden until the girls left.

"Good shot," Davey said. "Come on."

They went towards the exit of the park. "Where are we going?" Daniel asked.

"Going to show you another trick. It's called ring the bell and run. Ever played it?"

"No." Daniel knew playing the tricks was wrong but he couldn't help enjoying himself and he had a new friend.

"This way." He lead Daniel back to the front of the street where Catherine lived. Hide there and watch, then it's your turn."

Davey went up to a house rang the bell and then ran and hid behind a tree. A woman came to the door and looked all around. Davey made his way back to Daniel. "Your turn."

Daniel wasn't sure but he didn't want to let his new friend think he was too scared to do it. He handed Freya's leash to Davey and then made his way to another house. He pressed his finger to the bell and when he heard feet coming towards the door he ran. His heart was pounding as he just made it to the tree as the door opened. This time it was an old man. "I know it's you kids. Just wait till I get my hands on you. I'm calling the police," he shouted. He banged the door shut.

Daniel made his way back to Davey. "We'd better go before the police arrive," he said.

"He never calls them. Don't worry." They made their way to the front of Catherine's house. "Dare you," Davey said.

Well what could Daniel do? He gave Freya to Davey and went to the door. He rang the bell and ran. Jack was at the door very quickly. He looked all round. Daniel heard Catherine say, "The kids do that all the time. Just shut the door. Dinner's nearly ready." Jack took another look round and went inside.

Daniel ran to Davey, "I'd best go. Catherine said dinner's ready. Can you help me get back?"

"Sure. Come on. We can go through my garden."

He was just helping Daniel over the fence when Jack appeared at the back door. "Where have you been?"

"Playing with Davey, Jack." Jack smiled. He was glad Daniel had a friend to play with. It was a shame he was growing so quickly he couldn't make new friends and keep them.

"Want to come eat with us, Davey?"

"Great."

"Best ask your mum first."

"She won't mind," Davey said. "She's watching TV."

"Ask first."

He came round to the front door five minutes later," Mum says it's alright."

"Good come in."

After eating Jack took the two boys to the park. They had a soccer ball and he played kick about with them. Freya loved chasing the ball. Daniel had a great time. After Davey went home Daniel said," I never had a friend at that age. We moved so much. And when I was in foster care no one wanted to be your friend because you were never in the same place for very long."

"I'm sorry Danny, it must have been hard." Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

"It was all I knew and some places weren't too bad. I stayed with a teacher and his wife, they were really nice, wanted to adopt me but Nick wouldn't let them and then Mr. Carson became ill and I had to move."

Jack put his arm round Daniel's shoulders. "Well you've got family now. You know that don't you?"

"Yes." He snuggled into Jack's arms and fell asleep.

"He's really happy with you Jack. I'm glad," Catherine said.

"He's an easy kid to love."

TBC