Sally Harrison poked her head round the curtains. "Hey, Daniel," she smiled warmly.

Daniel lowered his book. "Hi," he returned the smile.

"You ready to go?"

The Doctors had finally released him that morning and Daniel had been sat waiting, and wondering what was going to happen to him. He was very pleased to see Sally.

"I can go?"

"Yup," Sally grinned. "I've brought you some new clothes," she placed a holdall on his bed. "Your others ones had seen better days."

Daniel watched the social worker pull out a brand new jog suit, complete with the shop labels that she hadn't got round to removing. He'd never had new clothes before. It wasn't the fact that his parents couldn't buy new clothes; it was more that his mother loved to sew. After her death, he'd had to make do with hand me downs and charity handouts – the Cowan's weren't going to waste their money on him.

"Right, somewhere in here..."Sally continued, "...there is some underwear." She routed through the holdall and pulled out some boxer shorts and a pair of socks. "Right," she then perched on the end of the bed. "Let's get you changed."

Daniel held out his hand. "I can do it myself," he stated, slowly inching down the bed, biting his bottom lip to contain the pain in his ribs as he moved.

Sally sighed and shook her head. "Come on. You're moving like an old man – let me help you." She scooted closer and reached to undo the back of his gown.

Daniel lowered his head in defeat and allowed her to help, knowing that any movement at the moment was going to be painful for him. It didn't stop him being embarrassed though and he really, really was, especially when he heard Sally gasp when she saw the amount of bruises that covered his body.

Thankfully, she didn't comment and Daniel was grateful. He knew how bad they looked.

Sally let the gown fall into his lap, covering his groin and saving his blushes. She then tossed him the boxer shorts. "I think you can manage these yourself," she smiled. "Give me a call when you're done." She stood and pulled the curtains round the bed. "I'll be out here if you need me."

"Thank you," Daniel sighed gratefully and after Sally exited the cubicle, he slowly started to pull them on, trying his hardest to bite down groans of pain as he did.

"You doing okay?"

Obviously he hadn't been able to stop the groans from slipping out. "I-I'm f-fine," he stuttered as he managed to get his second leg in before wriggling to pull them up. "Finished," he called as he slumped back against his pillows and closed his eyes, feeling totally wiped out.

"I think," the cool hand on his forehead felt wonderful, "that you should just lie there and let me do the rest, hey?" Sally's voice was soft and reassuring as she then ran her fingers through his hair.

"Thanks." Daniel nodded and then, without even opening his eyes, he allowed the social worker help him, feeling too tired to be embarrassed about the fact he couldn't actually dress himself.

Sally gently eased him forward and slipped a T-shirt over his head. "Tell me if it hurts too much, okay?"

"I'm fine," Daniel mumbled.

"Oh, yes young Daniel," she chuckled sarcastically as she then reached for his socks, "you're fine. I think that's going to become your catch phrase. You are so not fine, Daniel." She gently pulled his socks up and then grabbed the jogging bottoms. "You're just gonna have to lift your tush up a bit for me," she told him and Daniel did as he was told. "How's that?" Sally asked as she pulled the waistband up.

"Fine," Daniel shrugged.

"There you go with the fine again," Sally sighed. "You cannot go through life telling everyone that you're fine when you are obviously not. How are people going to be able to help you if you fudge over how you honestly feel, honey?"

Daniel slowly opened his eyes. "It's easier this way."

Sally inched back on the bed. "Easier for whom?" She asked, searching his face for reason.

"For everyone," Daniel shrugged.

"And, how do you figure that, young man?"

"If I say I'm fine, no one gets hurt."

"O-okay. What does that mean, exactly?"

"Fine means no one asks any questions."

"Okay, so – if I ask how you're feeling you think that by saying fine I believe you."

"Yes."

"Well I don't believe you, you know that don't you."

"Uh huh."

"And, when I asked if you were fine after your parents died and you said you were you know I didn't believe you then don't you?."

"Uh huh."

"And, when you were fine after your grandfather left you..."

"Uh huh."

"And, after Mr Cowan did..."

"Uh huh."

"Oh, Daniel honey." Sally reached and tenderly brushed Daniel's long bangs out of his eyes. "If you keep on kidding yourself you're fine when you're so plainly not, you'll never let other people into your life. You're going to have to open up honey or you're going to be so lonely."

Daniel felt tears prick his eyes. "I can't let people in, Mrs Harrison," he sniffed. "They just leave m-me." He scrubbed angrily as the moisture that trickled down his cheeks. "I'm better off being fine on my own, it doesn't hurt so much."

"I'm not going to leave you, honey. I'm always just a call away, you know that."

"But you're not there all the time and I'm l-lonely a-all the t-time." Daniel sucked in a sob when the pain in his ribs escalated. "I really wanna c-cry," he admitted shakily, "b-but it h-hurts t-too m-much."

"Oh, sweetheart," Sally gently gathered him in her arms and he rested his head on her shoulder and quietly sobbed.

"It's going to be alright," Sally soothed as she gently rocked him. "We'll figure something out, I promise."

"I w-want m-my M-mommy, m-my D-daddy, N-nick..."

Xxx

"Nick..."

"Easy, easy," Janet tenderly mopped Daniel's brow when he called out for his grandfather again, her heart breaking for him.

She'd had word that Teal'c was on his way back to Earth and hoped to God that he was bringing Nick Ballard with him.

Sam and Jack had immediately left the ICU when the General had phoned, leaving Janet time to tend to her patient in peace.

After a consultation with Dave, they'd added another antibiotic to Daniel's cocktail and had upped his dose of Morphine, not enough to knock him out completely but enough to make him more comfortable.

He was, thankfully, pain free but his temperature was still high and Janet wasn't sure how long he'd be able to go on like this before his organs started to shut down.

Xxx

"Nicholas Ballard declined to return with me," Teal'c stated solemnly as he walked down the ramp.

"He did what!" Jack exclaimed.

"He chose to stay with the giant aliens."

"What? Why?" Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. His grandson could be dying for goodness sake!

"He informed me that his work was not yet done and that Daniel Jackson is strong."

"Did you explain everything?"

"I did, O'Neill."

"And, he chose to stay?"

"He did."

"I just don't believe this." Jack shook his head and turned to General Hammond who was waiting to one side. "Permission to go and drag his scrawny old ass back here, sir!"

"Permission denied, Colonel," the General sighed tiredly. "You know you can't do that Jack."

"The hell I can!"

"If you go back the radiation..."

"Yadda, yadda. I'll just suit up."

"No Jack. That is not going to happen. Professor Ballard made his choice."

"Which was the wrong one – again!"

"Be that it may, it's his choice Jack and we can't go against it."

"Fer crying out loud!" Jack tugged at his hair in frustration. "Doesn't that man have a heart?"

"Obviously not," the General mumbled before taking a deep breath. "Ours is not to reason why, Colonel. His decission has been made. It's up to us now."

"Daniel deserves better."

"Yes he does."

Jack threw his hands up in the air. "What the hell do we tell him?"

"I suggest we don't tell him we tried at all – what he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him."

"But..."

"I know it's not right, Jack, heck – nothing that's happening is right. We just have to deal with the situation. Doctor Jackson is not alone in all this, we're his family now."

Jack sighed heavily and then hung his head in defeat. "It's just a shit situation."

"It is that," The General agreed softly. "But, there is a very sick young man lying in the ICU who needs to be surrounded by family, real family who care for him so I suggest we go and make sure he gets our support."

Jack slowly looked up. "Yes, sir," he nodded.

"Good." The General smiled. "Why don't you fill Doctor Fraiser in about what's happened and then resume your vigil. Daniel needs you."

Jack nodded again and the General watched him slowly walk out of the gate room. He knew exactly how he felt and, given the chance, would be the one high tailing the coward of a man to his grandson's bedside himself!

As it was, Daniel would have to put up with sloppy seconds.

Sloppy seconds who genuinely cared for him.

xxx

"Daniel, you have a visitor."

Daniel looked up from his work. "Oh?"

"Hi, Daniel."

"Mrs Harrison," Daniel beamed and pushed away from his desk when Sally walked in. "It's wonderful to see you." He immediately enveloped his friend in a hug. "It's been too long."

"Yes it has," Sally agreed, returning his hug.

Sally had taken early retirement three years ago. Infact, her retirement had coincided with Daniel's final foster placement.

Finally, after years of searching, he had actually found a family that had truly cared and encouraged him and that was all thanks to Sally Harrisons dogged determination.

Alice and Drew Davey had made sure that Daniel's dreams of going to college came true and he was now in his second year. Fitting in had been hard, as usual but he was really enjoying submerging himself in his studies, finding an inner peace that he'd never felt before.

He would always be grateful to Sally Harrison for her support and was surprised that she'd tracked him down.

"Have a seat." He quickly cleared his files of a chair.

"Thank you, "Sally smiled and took a seat.

Daniel sat next to her. "Not that it's not great to see you but, for what do I deserve such an honour?"

Sally chuckled at his cheekiness. "Well, I thought I'd check in with you one last time," she smiled.

"One last time?" Daniel frown, immediately sitting closer. "Is everything okay? I mean," he cleared his throat. "You're not sick are you?"

Sally quickly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "No, of course not," she smiled. "Im just fine and looking forward to the next chapter of my life, Daniel."

"Which is?"

"I'm moving to Florida to set up a wildlife sanctuary."

"Really? That's great," Daniel grinned. "I suppose saving waif and strays will always be in your blood."

"I suppose it will be."

"I'm thrilled for you, you deserve a happy retirement."

"Well, it is a big move but the challenge will keep me young."

"You don't look a day older than when I first met you," Daniel stated truthfully. To him, Sally hadn't aged at all.

"Thank you for that," Sally grinned. "Not totally accurate but thank you any way." She patted his hand and Daniel grabbed it and gave it a quick squeeze.

"I should be the one thanking you."

"Oh," Sally frowned. "For what?"

"For looking out for me, for always caring about what happened to me."

"Ah, young Daniel – that was my job."

"A job you did very well."

"I'm not so sure about that." Sally ducked her head at the memory of so many failed placements for the young boy.

"Hey," Daniel reached and tipped her chin. "I got there in the end, thanks to you."

"But, you went through so much..."

"All that is history. I am where I should be."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"And, are you happy?"

"My studies make me very happy."

"That's not what I asked. Are you happy, Daniel Jackson? Have you found your place in the world?"

Daniel thought for a moment or two. "I'm working on it," he admitted.

"You've been working on it ever since I met you."

"I'm fine, Mrs Harrison, I promise you."

"Fine does not cut the mustard with me, young man. As you very well know."

"Fine will do for now and, as I said – I'm..."

"You're working on it," Sally finished the statement for him and Daniel chuckled.

"And, I'll continue to work on it until I've discovered what it is I'm looking for."

"And, do you know what it is you're looking for?"

"Absolutely no idea," Daniel laughed. "But, it's fun looking."

Sally reached up and cupped his cheek. "It's nice to hear you laugh, Daniel," she told him sincerely.

Daniel rested a hand on hers. "It's nice to be able to," he told her equally as sincerely.

After taking a moment, Sally removed her hand. "So," she straightened. "Have you heard from Nick?"

"Ah," Daniel leant back in his chair, "my wonderful Grandfather is submerged in his studies still."

"Nothing changes there then," Sally sighed.

"Yes, well – at least we're on speaking terms so that's an improvement. I don't always agree with his ideas but then again he doesn't always agree with mine," Daniel shrugged.

"But, the main thing is that you talk."

"I suppose it is," Daniel agreed. "And that is all down to you. If you hadn't contacted Nick after the...," Daniel paused. "...after the Cowan's," he ducked his head at the memory of his abusive foster father. "Well," he sighed before lifting his head again. "Well, we'd have never been reunited."

"I'm just sorry he didn't take you in for the second time."

"Not your fault. I don't think that Nick was ever in a situation to take a child in. As time has gone on, I do actually understand – sort of. I'm not sure he and I would have been a good match, anyway. We're very different, Mrs Harrison."

"Please, Daniel. Call me Sally," Sally urged. "You're a grown man now."

"Okay, Sally," Daniel grinned. "Nick and my theories are worlds apart. I'm sure we'd have spent our time arguing."

"Don't ever forget, he is your grandfather – your flesh and blood. And, no matter how hard things get, you mustn't lose sight of the bond you share."

"I'll try my hardest," Daniel nodded and took Sally's hand again. "I promise," he vowed and strangely enough, he meant it.

Yes, he and Nick had little in common; he found him annoying and was sure his grandfather thought the same thing about him but, the elderly man was his only link to his past, to his parents.

He would try his hardest not to lose touch with that fact.