A/N: Okay! I discovered that the way to get more reviews is to whump on poor little Danny! LOL! So I guess his life won't be looking up for quite some time…
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Life improved a bit for Daniel after that. He could talk now and communication opened up a whole world of learning for him. The doctors finally decided that his vision had improved all it was going to and he was fitted with reading glasses that allowed him to read if the book was within six inches of his face. Anything beyond that distance was only shadows and movements.
He still saw Dr. Tanzi once a week, to deal with the loss of his parents and his feelings about losing his sight. Secretly he knew he was being punished for not being able to save his parents, but he never told Dr. Tanzi that.
Time passed and his friendship with Amy grew. They were always together at school and occasionally on the weekend their families got together. Now that he could speak again, he began to teach her how to speak Arabic and tell her stories of the Egyptian gods.
He began going back to Aunt Barbara's a couple of times a month, as her schedule of teaching and parenting allowed. He memorized the stories she told him in ancient Greek and Latin. She wondered what was going to happen when he'd learned all the stories she knew. It wasn't like anyone was creating new myths for Daniel to learn.
Life wasn't perfect, it would never be with his parents gone, but Daniel was learning to cope and occasionally experienced short periods of contentment. He still hadn't made any good friends other than Amy, but with her outgoing personality he was kind of dragged along with her and so developed some casual friendships. At home, the kids on the block had gotten used to him and generally just ignored him, but one or two still teased him when he went out to play.
On a Friday, a week before the school year ended, Dr. Tanzi called George and Ruby in for a meeting with Daniel.
After everyone was seated, Dr. Tanzi began, "As you well know, I've been working very closely with Daniel this year and I'm extremely pleased with the progress he's made. He's speaking again, several languages from what I hear, and most importantly, he's accepting his parents' death, something that's never easy for anyone, no matter what their age."
George's deep, Texas drawl broke into the doctor's spiel. "We're glad to hear that, doctor. But why have you called us in. We already knew about Daniel's progress."
"I was just getting to that. We have always known that Daniel is very bright but I've been testing him lately…and…well, he's a lot brighter than I originally thought. It's not as easy to do an accurate IQ evaluation on someone who's blind, but…well."
"Just spit it out." George was becoming impatient with the doctor's beating around the bush.
"Average IQ is between ninety and one hundred nine; about half the US population falls into this area. Then, from one hundred ten to one hundred nineteen, is high average, about sixteen percent of people. From one hundred twenty to one hundred twenty-nine is superior, roughly seven percent of people and finally, one hundred thirty and above, two percent of the population, is considered very superior. Some people use the word genius."
George clenched his mouth with impatience. If the man had been under his command, he would have ordered him to get to the point. "Doctor."
Dr. Tanzi a hand over his face. "I think Daniel's IQ is somewhere above 180. Only about one in three and a half million people or so test at that level. God! Even Einstein wasn't thought to have an IQ that high! He's in a league with Goethe, Newton and Shakespeare! If he was able to see he could do anything in the world he wanted to! I've never, in fifteen years of counseling children, come across anyone with ability like Daniel's." He sank back into his chair and appeared to George to be exhausted.
"Okay. So what does this mean for Daniel?"
"Well, next year, instead of putting him in the fifth grade class we should move him up to high school. He could probably finish that in a couple of years."
George and Ruby looked at each other over the top of Daniel's head. George turned back to the school counselor. "No."
Dr. Tanzi sat up straight. "What do you mean, no?"
George finally lost his patience. "I mean, no. It's not going to happen. Daniel has enough to deal with without being five or six years younger than the other students. There are things more important than his academic advancement. Ruby and I will discuss this with Daniel and we'll let you know what we decide will be best for him."
George stood up, clearly dismissing the doctor in his own office, and took Ruby's hand to help her up out of the chair. Ruby placed Daniel's hand on her arm and the three of them left a very flustered doctor in his chair.
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That night after the girls were in bed, George, Ruby and Daniel sat down together for their first discussion about Daniel's future.
"Son, do you understand what Dr. Tanzi told us today?" George opened the discussion.
"Yes, sir, I think I do. He thinks I should be in a class with teenagers. But that would separate me from Amy!" Daniel licked his lips. "She's the only friend I have besides your family."
Ruby picked up on "your family," and, mildly offended, interrupted. "Daniel, I know we're not you birth family. No one can ever replace them. But, we are your family. We love you."
Daniel hung his head, folded his arms and nodded. "I know," came from his lips softly, "it's just that most of the time I feel misplaced. Like my whole life is just about waiting for my real life to start."
George and Ruby exchanged startled glances. "Honey, we had no idea you felt that way." Ruby pulled Daniel into her lap, not quite as easy a feat as it had been almost a year ago. Daniel had grown and wasn't quite as thin as he had been. "We love you as much as we love the girls. You are our child and even though I didn't carry you inside me for nine months, I have carried you in my heart for the past eleven months."
Daniel accepted Ruby's hug and snuggled in closer. "I know in my head, it's just that sometimes my heart forgets."
"Daniel, we wanted to talk to you about what you want to do next year for school. Do you want to skip up to high school?" George, ever the focused military mind, got them back on track.
"No! I don't want to leave Amy or Mr. Addison. Dr. Tanzi told me the reason they keep one teacher with the same group of kids from kindergarten through eighth grade is so the kids and the teacher can bond." Daniel drew his eyebrows together in thought. "They become a family, especially the ones who stay at the school during the week, like me. Please, don't make me leave them."
"Ruby and I talked about this while you were taking your bath and we think we've come up with a way to keep you in Mr. Addison's class and still let you learn as much as you can." George patted Daniel on the leg. "How about if you stay with your class most of the time, but go to another class for math and science? Maybe you can do special assignments for English and history. Aunt Barbara might be able to think of some fun history projects for you. That way you could be with your friends all the way though eighth grade and still do high school level work."
Daniel pressed his lips together and wrinkled his forehead in thought for a moment. "Sounds good to me."
Ruby smiled and hugged him tighter. "Great, then when I take you back to school on Monday, I'll stop in and talk to Dr. Tanzi and see if he can set that up. I think with my sister, 'The College Professor,' helping, he might see that this can work."
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Monday morning, Ruby dropped Daniel off in his classroom and headed for Dr. Tanzi's office. She rapped on his door and was ushered in.
"Mrs. Hammond! I wasn't expecting you." Dr. Tanzi waved her toward a chair across the desk from his.
"Dr. Tanzi. George, Daniel and I had a family meeting and I think we've come up with something that will allow Daniel to advance in his education and still remain with his class." She briefly outlined their plan, putting great emphasis on her sister's involvement.
Dr. Tanzi leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers together in thought. "If Mr. Addison agrees – and I think he will – that should work out." He leaned forward again. "You know that we all just want what's best for the boy. I think he's very lucky to have been placed in your home. Especially with your sister as an example of what he can achieve."
He stood and reached over the desk to shake her hand. "I'll speak to Mr. Addison and the high school teachers involved and let you know what they say."
Ruby was somewhat surprised. She and George had been expecting much more resistance from the man. "Thank you very much, Dr. Tanzi. I know Daniel will be much happier being able to stay with his teacher and friends. He may be incredibly intelligent, but he's still only nine years old. We'd like him to be able to be a kid as long as possible."