Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Enjoy.
Daniel knocked on the wall outside Skye's small room, "Hey."
"Hey, Danny," the young woman grinned at him.
Daniel grimaced slightly, "There is only one person who gets to call me Danny and he has earned that right."
Skye gave him an amused look, "And why does he get to do that?"
"Because he's saved my life," he held up his finger to stop her saying anything, "Repeatedly."
"So I save your life a few times I can call you Danny?" she asked cheekily.
Daniel chuckled, "More than few. I'll do a proper count some day and let you know so you can keep a tally."
She rolled her eyes before folding her arms, "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to make sure you were sure about this," Daniel said before clarifying, "Infiltrating Quinn's compound."
Skye shrugged slightly.
"You are allowed to be nervous, Skye," Daniel told her, "This is going to be dangerous. And you won't have any of us there to help if it goes badly."
She shrugged again, this time unable to completely hide her nerves, "I'm used to being on my own."
"But you're not alone anymore, that's the point," Daniel took a seat on her bunk, "Look, I have been in your shoes. I know how hard it is to suddenly accept help when you're so used to being self-sufficient. It took me a long time to learn that lesson."
Scepticism filled Skye's eyes, "And what helped you learn it?"
"I grew up in foster homes until I managed to get away to college," Daniel told her, "Then I got myself kicked out of academia."
"How?" Skye interrupted.
Daniel grimaced, "Look it up."
She chuckled softly at his wry reply but remained silent.
"Anyway," Daniel continued, "I met my wife after that."
Skye rolled her eyes sarcasm filling her voice, "And she helped you learn that lesson."
"Yes," Daniel replied softly, "Before she was abducted."
Skye stared at him but remained silent.
"I found myself having to work with people I didn't really know that I had to rely on," Daniel told her, "And I had no idea how to do it, especially since I had just lost the one person in my life I felt safe with to be myself."
"What happened to her?" Skye asked.
Daniel hesitated for a second before replying, "She died a few years after the abduction."
"I'm sorry," Skye whispered.
Daniel shook his head, "I'm not telling you this to get sympathy, I'm trying to make you understand that you're part of a team and you don't have to go into any situation on your own." He stood and handed her the phone sitting beside him, "Think about it."
"Daniel," Skye called after him, "How did you learn to trust others after losing your wife?"
He smiled slightly, "The guy who is allowed to call me Danny. He's my best friend and has always been there for me whenever I needed him. He's also the reason I now work for SHIELD."
Giving her another quick nod he headed back to the control room to familiarise himself with Quinn's compound so that he would be able to help.
Daniel found Skye sitting hidden in a corner of the lab with a look he knew all too well. Without saying a word he slid down the wall, wincing slightly at the protest from his tender ribs and sat beside her in silence simply waiting until she was ready.
"I thought I was going to die," Skye said softly, "They were going to shoot me and I had no way out until…until…"
"Until Ward came to save you," Daniel finished for her.
She gave a deep sigh, "You know I pride myself on being a strong capable person who has never really needed anyone to help me."
"Sucks, doesn't it," Daniel noted, "Suddenly depending on people and being depended on."
Skye chuckled, "Yeah."
"You get used to it," Daniel told her, "And after a while it becomes comfortable. Honestly Skye, I don't miss being on my own. I am extremely grateful for my friends."
"You're saying I'll get used to it?" she asked.
Daniel patted her hand before he stood, "I'm saying you'll look back one day and wonder how you managed to get by without them."
With a slight smile he headed out leaving her to ponder his words.
x
About an hour after he'd talked with Skye Daniel decided to head down to the lab to do some research, he had all the information on Centipede they had gathered so far and was going to look for a pattern.
Reaching the top of the stairs he smiled when he saw Skye and Ward in the middle of their training session. He nodded to Phil when the other man joined him.
"She's starting to get comfortable here," Phil noted, "Thanks to you."
Daniel shook his head, "I don't think so. I've only given her the benefit of my experience. You were the one who gave her the opportunity to be a part of something. She looks up to you."
Phil shrugged before handing him a note, "This came for you."
Daniel frowned slightly as he read the note, "Looks like I'm needed by the SGC. I'll get off when we drop off the Gravitonium. The Icarus is in orbit so they'll transport me and I'll meet you once I'm finished."
Phil nodded before catching his arm just as Daniel moved to leave, "Remind Jack that he is only allowed to steal you back a limited number of times per year."
Daniel chuckled at his new boss, "I'll let him call you with his answer to that."
