"I've brought you breakfast, or should that be lunch," Janet smiled and placed a mug of coffee and a bagel in front of her college. She'd managed a good six hours sleep and, after grabbing a bite to eat with Cassie, she was ready to start her next shift.

"Thanks," Dave Warner looked up from his paper work and returned her smile. "I need this," he reached for the coffee and took a sip.

"Tough shift?"

"It had its moments."

"Ready for handover?"

Dave nodded, placed his coffee down and reached for his first file. "Right," he cleared his throat and opened the file. "Carson had a comfortable night and Alice is just going through his discharge arrangements. One week down time then staggered return to shifts." He picked up his pen, signed the paperwork and then handed over to Janet.

"He's done well," Janet agreed as she countersigned the order. "Next?"

"Morrison is down on my list this afternoon, he's prepped and ready."

"Okay, I'll check in on him before he goes down. I know he's nervous."

"Nothing to be concerned about, it should be routine."

"Good."

"Right," the surgeon reached for the next file. "Harrison had a tough few hours, he's cough was almost continual so I've popped him on oxygen and prescribed some steroids," he read for his notes. "I've also ordered a broncoscopy for later this afternoon."

"I was thinking the same thing," Janet agreed as she sipped her coffee. "We'll see what that turns up."

"Absolutely," Dave nodded in agreement and handed over Harrison's file. "His temp was up slightly but settled with Tylenol."

Janet read the notes. "Good," she smiled and then nodded towards the last and largest file, knowing immediately whose it was. "Doctor Jackson?"

"Mmm," Dave sighed and flicked it open. "His condition has deteriorated over the past few hours."

"Oh?" Janet frowned and sat forward, she didn't like the sound of this.

"Last temp was over 102. We have ice in situ and a cooling blanket on standby. He's very lethargic so I was going to stop the Morphine pump, let him come round a little more but he seems to be in a lot of pain the occasions he's awake."

"Are you thinking Peritonitis?"

"It was always a possibility due to the amount of infection present during the surgery. I have changed him onto Cipro, IV push and increased his fluids. If there is no improvement over the next twenty four hours, I'll contemplate going back in to do another wash out."

"Hopefully the change of antibiotics will do the trick."

"Hopefully," Dave agreed as he closed Daniel's file. "We need to keep a close eye on him."

"Absolutely," Janet agreed. "Who's with him at the moment?" She asked and downed the remainder of her coffee.

"Teal'c, although I understand Colonel O'Neill is on his way. Actually, I was just about to do his obs before the change of vigil personel."

"Okay," Janet stood and grabbed her lab coat off the hook on the back of the office door. "Let's check him out before his Mother Hen gets here, shall we?"

"We shall," Dave agreed.

The two Doctors hung their stethoscopes round their necks in unison. They had a small window of opportunity before Jack arrived to shatter the peace, which he normally did.

Xxx

"Hey, Teal'c," Janet greeted when they reached Daniel's bed. "How's he been?" She asked as she visually assessed her patient.

"He is restless," Teal'c bowed in response and as if on cue, Daniel tossed his head from side to side and whimpered.

"So I see," Janet sighed as she pulled Daniel's covers down and lifted his gown up slightly.

"Sorry, Daniel," she quickly apologised when Daniel then groaned as she pressed down on his abdomen. "I'll be as quick as I can." She palpated his stomach and was not happy about the rigidity she found. She glanced over at Dave. "Lot's of inflammation," she sighed and then gently removed the bandage that covered Daniel's incision slightly. "This is looking good though," she nodded as she checked the wound for infection.

"Wound drainage is cloudy," Dave held up the collection bag for Janet to see.

"That's not unexpected."

"No it's not," Dave agreed. "Close eye needed."

Janet then placed her stethoscope in her ears, pulled Daniel's gown down a little and listened to his chest. She smiled at Daniel when he blinked slowly back at her. "That sounds good," she reassured him after listening to his chest sounds for a while. "I think," she reached up and removed Daniel's oxygen mask, "we can upgrade you to a nasal cannular, Doctor Jackson." She grabbed the cannular, tucked it round his ears and then placed the prongs up his nose, chuckling when Daniel pulled a face at the action. "I know it's uncomfortable Daniel but it won't be forever."

"Right," she then attached a pulse ox on his index finger and waited for the readout. "That's good," she grinned when the readout was in the normal range.

After noting her findings on his chart, she perched on the edge of his bed. "How are you feeling?" She asked as she placed her hand on his forehead.

"T-thirsty," Daniel mumbled.

"We can do something about that," she grabbed the ice chips off his roll away table. "You're not ready for water just yet," she told him as she spooned a few into his mouth, "but this should help some."

Daniel nodded slowly in reply, his eyes then fluttering closed after one spoonful.

Knowing that he would be soon sleeping again, Janet quickly continued her questioning. "How's the pain, Daniel – scale of 1 to 10?"

Daniel shifted slightly and then groaned. "'Bout a six," he told her.

"We'll make that an eight or nine then shall we," Dave altered as he placed a thermometer in Daniel's ear. "Temp is," he waited for the bleep. "102 exactly. That's a slight improvement."

"I'm cold," Daniel complained as he held his hand up slightly, obviously trying to reach one of the ice packs that were in situ.

Janet grabbed his hand and tucked it under the sheet she then gently pulled up to his waist. "You need those, Daniel," she gave him a sad smile. "Just a little while longer."

Daniel slowly nodded again as he managed to open his eyes. "I feel awful," he admitted with a heavy sigh.

"I know you do," Janet sympathized, reaching to run her fingers through his hair, hoping that her touch was soothing. "We're just going to give you some more pain relief and then you can sleep, okay."

"'kay," Daniel mumbled softly and closed his eyes again. "Thank you."

"No problem." Janet pressed his Morphine pump. "Just rest now." She hopped off the bed, altered it slightly so Daniel was upright and then followed Dave out of the cubicle, giving Teal'cs shoulder a comforting squeeze on the way out.

The Doctors wandered over to the nurses' station where Alice was waiting for them.

"Keep up the 15 minute obs," Dave told the young nurse. "He's just had a dose of Morphine so should sleep again. If his temperature goes anywhere but down, page Doctor Fraiser. Bloods repeated in an hour and we'll review after that." He signed off Daniel's file and then placed his pen in his pocket. "Right," he turned to Janet. "I'll leave you to it then," he smiled.

"Yes – thanks," Janet replied and then grabbed her pile of files. "I'll just do my rounds, Alice," she told her college as Dave made his way out of the ICU. "I'll be as quick as I can. Page me if you need me."

"Yes, Doctor Fraiser," Alice nodded as she took a seat at the station, making sure she could see her patient at all times.

After another glance at Daniel who was now obviously sleeping, Janet left to start her patient checks. As much as she wanted to stay and look after Daniel herself, she had a job to do.

xxx

"Okay, Daniel." Sally Harrison, senior social worker with Children's Services, knelt down and zipped up the young boy's coat. It was time. "Are you ready?" She asked, glancing up at Daniels frightened face. She knew this was going to be hard for him; heck nothing about this situation was easy.

"Uh huh," Daniel managed to nod in response.

Sally straightened and then took his hand. "Your Grandfather is waiting for you in the diner," she told him as they then walked down the street, Daniel's head hung watching his feet as he put one foot in front of the other, avoiding eye contact at all time. Sally could feel the tiny tremors that shook his body and held his hand tighter. Although she wasn't supposed to allow herself to get involved with the children in her care, she couldn't help but be drawn to the eight year old. His tragic story had touched everyone in the office and she just hoped his rather aloof Grandfather would do the right thing and give Daniel the secure home he so deserved. She wasn't holding her breath mind you as Nicolas Ballard had shown little to no interest in his Grandson at the funeral, preferring to stand in the shadows and watch from a far. Daniel had been so strong though everything, too strong perhaps. The medical experts had said that he was probably still in shock – watching your parents die would do that but, Sally had her own theory. To her, the young boy holding her hand was older and wiser than his years and a credit to his parents.

"So," she decided to keep up light conversation as they rounded the corner towards the diner. "Are you close to your Grandfather?"

"Nick," a small voice quickly corrected.

"Sorry?"

"Nick," Daniel repeated. "My Grandfather's name is Nick." Daniel continued to stare at his feet as he quietly spoke.

"Yes, his name is Nick," Sally nodded, "but surely you call him Grandfather?"

"Nope."

"Granddad?"

"Nope."

"Grandpa?"

"No, I call him Nick – that's what he told me to call him."

"Oh, that's um...that's strange," Sally shrugged.

"My mother calls, I mean, called him Nick too."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

Sally was confused. Why on Earth would someone insist on being known by his first name to the people who loved him the most – his family? Oh well, each to their own, she mused as they paused outside the door to the dinner.

"Here we are," she smiled down at Daniel. "I can see your Grandfa – I mean Nick," she quickly corrected, holding her hand up to acknowledge the professor when he gave her a curt wave. "Deep breath, Daniel," she soothed when she felt Daniel begin to tremble. "I'll find a table at the back and will only a call away if you need me."

Daniel lifted his head and gave her a pain filled look. "'kay," he mumbled and she reached down and ruffled his silky blond hair.

"Come on, let's go in then." She quickly opened the door, a bell sounding alerting their presence as they entered.

When Nick looked up from his menu, Sally smiled confidently and strode over.

"Good afternoon, Professor Ballard," she greeted.

"Good afternoon," Nicolas Ballard bowed slightly. "Daniel."

"Good afternoon, Nick," Daniel mumbled in reply and Nick nodded to the opposite seat in the booth.

"Come, sit down," he all but ordered and Daniel let Sally's hand go and clambered in as he was told.

Nick smiled at Sally. "Thank you, Mrs Harrison. I'll take it from here."

"Yes, of course," Sally smiled back and then turned to Daniel. "Don't forget – I'm only over there if you need me," she told time, pointing to the back of the dinner.

"Okay," Daniel nodded shyly as he started to nervously shred the paper napkin in front of him.

Sally stood and watched him for a moment of two, surprised to see how uncomfortable he seemed in his Grandfather's presence.

"Thank you, Mrs Harrison," Nick repeated, breaking the silence that had descended.

"What – oh, yes – sorry," Sally stuttered before taking her leave, giving Daniel a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder on her way.

Xxxx

"How is he?" Sam stood at the bedside and watched Daniel as he restlessly tossed his head from side to side.

Jack closed his magazine and shifted in his seat, hours of sitting and watching his friend as he slept causing his hips to ache. "About the same," he sighed. "Doc says he's no better but no worse and that's as good as it gets I suppose."

Sam leant in and carded her fingers through her friends sweat soaked hair. "He looks like he's having one humdinger of a dream," she observed as Daniel moaned softly and tossed his head to one side again.

"He's been calling out for his parents a lot. The Doc put it down to his fever and the Morphine."

"Shh, shh," Sam soothed as Daniel's face crumpled and the moaning increased in volume. Daniel immediately reacted to her touch and seemed to lean into the comfort. Sam had to swallow down the emotion his action caused. "It's okay, it's going to be okay," she promised as she grabbed his hand. "We're right here, you're not alone."

Jack watched the touching exchange between the two friends and wished there was more he could do to lessen the pain for them both. All he could do was be there so, he quickly grabbed a chair and pulled it up to his.

"Here you go, Carter. Take a load off. We could be here for a while."

Sam glanced over her shoulder, flashed him a grateful smile and slowly lowered herself into the chair, her hand firmly planted in Daniel's as she joined in the vigil.