"What's going to happen to me, Nick?" Daniel pushed his waffles round his plate. The silence between himself and his grandfather was almost unending. Neither had spoken since they'd ordered their food, food that Daniel really wasn't interested in eating.

"Did your parents not teach you not to speak until you are spoken to?" Nick grouched as he glanced up in annoyance.

"No sir, I'm mean – yes sir," Daniel ducked his head to avoid eye contact.

"And, don't just mess with your food. Leave it if you don't want it."

Daniel quickly speared a triangle of waffle mopped up some syrup and stuffed it in his mouth. "It's good," he grinned, hoping to elevate the tension but Nick just scowled at him.

"Do not speak with your mouth full. I know your mother taught you that."

Daniel quickly swallowed and wiped the syrup off his mouth with his napkin while Nick continued with his meal. The young boy decided that silence was probably the best option at the moment as anything he said obviously antagonised his Grandfather. Not sure where to look, he glanced round the dinner and caught Mrs Harrison's eye. The kind lady gave him a smile and a little wave. Daniel, not sure that Nick would approve if he returned the gesture, just nodded in response and then sat on his hands and waited for his Grandfather.

Nick took his time with his meal but when he was finished, he pushed his plate to one side, wiped his mouth and then gave Daniel his full attention.

"How old are you Daniel?" He asked, sitting forward and clasping his hands in front of him.

"I'm eight, sir," Daniel looked up and answered.

"You are very small for your age."

"Yes, sir."

"And, tell me. What is your passion?"

"My passion?"

"Yes, what do you dream about doing?"

"I...um...I want to study, sir."

"Study what?"

"Archaeology, like my p-parent's sir," Daniel's voice broke with emotion as he spoke the last word and he searched his grandfather's face for any glimpse of compassion but Nick just stared unemotionally back at him.

"I see," the elderly man nodded slowly as he spoke. "And, did your parents know that?"

"Um...yes sir."

"Did they make any provision for your education?"

"I'm not sure."

"Not to worry, I'm sure Children's Services know."

"Yes, sir."

"Have you thought about what is going to happen to you now?"

Daniel sat stunned at his Grandfather's question. He'd assumed that he was going to answer that for him. "I t-thought," he stuttered, "I t-thought I would be g-going with you, sir."

"Goodness me, no," Nick chuckled. "What on Earth gave you that idea?"

"Y-you are my G-grandfather, sir," Daniel mumbled and ducked his head, hoping he wasn't going to be in trouble for being too forward.

"There is no place for you in my life, boy. My work is far too important. Very important people are depending on my research. You will just get in my way."

"But, I..."

"You seriously didn't think that I would take you in, did you?"

"I just thought..." Daniel shrugged.

"You will be much better off with Children's Services. They will find you a new home, a new family." Nick wiped his hands, stood, and removed his wallet from his pocket. After throwing a hand full of dollars onto the table, he held his hand out.

"Come on boy, it's time to go."

Daniel scooted out of the booth, grabbed his coat and took his grandfathers hand.

"It will be the best thing for you," Nick assured as he led Daniel over to Sally Harrison.

Sally looked up from her newspaper and smiled. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," Nick answered. "I've explained to Daniel why I'm not taking him..."

"What?" Sally snapped her newspaper shut and then folded it half. "What do you mean, you're not taking him?"

"My work always has and always will come first in my life. Daniel understands this."

Sally turned to Daniel. "Do you Daniel? Do you understand this?"

"Yes, m'am," Daniel stared at his feet and nodded.

"Well," Sally sighed heavily. "I'm glad you do because I sure as hell don't!"

"Daniel and I have agreed that he is much better off with a new family. This is not up for discussion Mrs Harrison. I will provide Daniel with fund for college and, of course, he will be well provided for in my will. I can be no fairer than that." Nick placed his hat on his head and then offered Daniel's hand over to the social worker.

"I will stop by your office and complete any paper work in the morning," he bowed curtly and then turned to Daniel. "Be good, Daniel. Do as you are told and keep up with your studies. Make your parents proud."

"Yes, Nick," Daniel looked up and managed to give his grandfather a slight smile.

"Well, I suppose," Nick pulled the young boy in for a quick hug, "this is goodbye then," he shrugged and, after tipping his hat at Sally, he walked away and out of Daniel's life.

Sally sat, jaw slack in shock and watched him go. "I don't, I just don't believe that," she mumbled as she shook her head in amazement and then, suddenly remembering Daniel who'd just stood quietly at her side, she quickly pulled herself together for his sake.

"Are you okay?" She asked, tipping Daniel's chin to get a better look at his face.

"Yes, m'am," Daniel replied with a sniff and Sally could see that he was trying so hard not to be upset.

"Are you sure, honey?"

"I'm fine," Daniel flashed her a smile but the tears brimming in his eyes made a liar out of him.

Sally sighed heavily and then took Daniel's coat. "Come on, let's get you into this." She helped the young boy put his coat on and then knelt to do up his zip. "Don't you worry about at thing; we'll soon find you a nice home, maybe with some brothers and sisters. You'd like that won't you?"

"Yes, ma'm."

"Perhaps they'll have a dog too," Sally kept her chatter light-hearted for Daniel's sake. "I love dogs, don't you?"

Daniel didn't answer, he just placed his hand on Sally's bowed head. "Mrs Harrison?"

Sally slowly looked up. "Yes, Daniel?"

"Why didn't my Grandfather want me?"

"Oh, honey," Sally reached up and tenderly brushed Daniel's long bangs away from his face. "I don't know sweetheart, I really don't know."

Her heart was breaking for him.

He deserved so my better.

Xxx

"Why don't you want me? No...No – please don't leave me."

Sam was instantly on her feet when Daniel cried out. "Shh, shh," she soothed as she took his hand. "It's okay, it's only a dream."

It was late afternoon and she was sitting with Daniel having taken over from Jack when he was called to a meeting. SG1 would much prefer to be with their stricken teammate but, life around the base went on and there were always pressing, important meetings to attend, even though they were supposed to be on stand down.

Daniel had continued to sleep thanks to the drugs being pumped into his body but his restlessness had started a few minutes ago. Sam had presumed that he would settle down again but Daniel seemed to be caught up in a particularly upsetting nightmare.

"Don't leave me," Daniel continued to sob and Sam sat on the edge of his bed and reached to card her fingers through his hair. "Come on, Daniel. Wake up, sweetie."

Eventually, and after much coaxing, Daniel's eyes fluttered open. "Sam?"

"Hi," Sam smiled at him tenderly. "You were dreaming."

Daniel's eyes closed again. "He didn't want me," he mumbled.

Sam didn't know how to respond. What on Earth could he say to make things better? "I know," she just sighed.

Daniel turned his head and managed to look at her with tear-filled eyes. "Why didn't he want me, Sam?"

"I don't know, I honestly don't know."

"I was only eight."

"I know you were."

"I was so s-scared but he was only worried about his work. He d-didn't w-want me." A single tear trickled down Daniel's flushed face.

"Oh, Daniel," Sam's heart was breaking for him. "I just don't know what to say," she reached and wiped the tear away.

Daniel's face crumpled at her touch. "Why d-didn't h-he w-want m-me," he began to sob and Sam gently pulled him into her arms. It was then that she realised how hot he was and she called Alice over.

"He's so hot," she told the young nurse as she gently rocked her friend who was now openly weeping in her arms.

Alice quickly placed a thermometer in Daniel's ear and waited for the readout to appear. "I'll page Doctor Fraiser," she stated softly and then moved back to the nurses' station.

Sam held Daniel in her arms until his sobs turned into hiccups and he went limp.

Janet walked into the room as Sam gently eased him back onto the bed. "Hey, Sam," Janet smiled sadly and then took Daniel's temperature for herself, causing the sick man to whimper in response. "I know, I know," she sympathised as she place the thermometer back onto the roll away table. "You must be feeling awful."

Daniel just rolled his head from side to side in response and Janet started to pull the curtain round his bed.

"Could you step out for a minute or two, Sam?" She turned and asked her friend. "We just need to run some more tests."

"Yes, yes of course," Sam nodded and, after giving Daniel's hand what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze, she left the medical experts to do what they did best.

Xxx

Janet quickly listened to her patient's heart and then called Alice over. "Can you fetch Mark? We need to get the cooling blanket in situ and a heart monitor set up."

"Yes, Doctor," Alice nodded and then hurried out of the room.

Janet crossed to the wash up area, filled a bowl with tepid water and grabbed a cloth. On her way back to the bed, she collected a heart monitor and wheeled it over.

Daniel was still restlessly mumbling as he tossed his head from side to side. "Don't leave me, please come back..."

"Shh, shh, it's okay," Janet soothed as she dipped her cloth in the water. "It's all going to be okay." After wringing out the cloth, she gently dabbed Daniel's forehead. Her patient's temperature was soaring, despite the antibiotics and there was little she could do other than make him comfortable and pray it came down. After wiping down his neck and chest, she dipped the cloth back in the water, folded it in two and placed it on Daniel's forehead. She then moved to the heart monitor and started to untangle the leads. Daniel's heart was racing and she needed to keep a close eye on it.

As she plugged it in Mark and Alice hurried in. "Right," Janet sighed, tucking a piece of errant hair behind her ear. "We need the cooling blanket in situ. Mark, if you'll help me turn him, Alice can you get it in place."

"Yes, Doctor," Mark nodded and joined her at the bedside while Alice grabbed the cooling blanket.

"On three," Janet ordered and she and Mark gently eased Daniel on to his side, causing the sick man to groan in pain. "It's okay, Daniel. We've nearly done," she promised and, after Alice tucked the blanket in half way, she and Mark crossed to the other side of the bed and repeated the action. "Let's remove his gown while we're at it, I want to get a trace of his heart," she then ordered and Mark made quick work of her request.

After placing electrodes on Daniel's heaving chest, Janet attached the leads to the heart monitor, altered the settings and then popped Daniel back on oxygen. Soon the racing beat of a heart struggling and the hiss of oxygen sounded round the room.

She quickly up graded her patient's condition to critical.