"I just don't believe it," Janet sighed, pushing her file to one side. "What is wrong with that man?"

SG1 were gathered in the Doctor's office having just told her that Nick Ballard had refused to return to Earth.

"Well, at least we know where we stand now," Jack sighed, leaning back in his chair. "We're all that Daniel's got so we've gotta make sure he gets all the support he needs."

"Goes without saying," Sam mumbled.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

"General Hammond suggests that we don't even tell Daniel that we tried to contact Nick, there's no point upsetting him with another rejection," Jack said as he stretched. "So, we carry on doing what we doing. Make sure Daniel knows he's not alone."

"Absolutely." Sam and Janet agreed in unison.

The General had assured that there would be no more meetings, no more emergencies – SG1 had one priority now and that was their friend lying in the ICU.

Xxx

"So, that's it then?"

"It is."

"You want me to leave?

"Yes, Daniel. I want you to leave."

Daniel had done what he'd promised Sally. He'd made sure he kept in touch with Nick, even though at times it had been very difficult.

Nick had admitted himself into an institution after a mental breakdown caused by his studies into the Belize Skull. The whole of academic considered him mad as he tried to prove his studies.

Daniel had tried to understand, tried to be supportive as had Nick in Daniel's beliefs about the pyramids being landing pads for aliens.

In the end, it had caused so many rows and they now had come to the point when arguing just wasn't worth it any more.

"Just like that, you want me to leave? Just because I don't agree with your theories?"

"Yes, as I do not believe in your mumbo jumbo."

"My mumbo jumbo?"

"Yes, Daniel. You are the laughing stock of academia. You are more insane than I am."

"I...I...I just don't believe this! You're throwing me out of your life over this!"

"You have bought shame on the family."

"W-what?"

"Everyone is laughing at you."

"And...And...And, what about you? You honestly don't think that they are laughing at you too?"

"Ah, I am insane – remember? I have admitted that where as you are still intent on forcing your ideas on everyone. You are wrong and have to admit it."

"I'm not wrong and I will prove it one day."

"As I will prove that the Ballard Skull is a transportation device and that the giant aliens do exist."

"Nick, you know that..."

"Until that day, you will not be welcome in my life."

"Nick, please..."

"Go Daniel. Just go."

Nick Ballard turned his back on his grandson and Daniel finally got the message.

This really was the end of their relationship and he knew that nothing he said or did would change that.

They were too different and he was left with little choice other than to walk out of his grandfather's life forever.

"Good bye then," Daniel sighed and turned and left – for good.

Funnily enough though, as he walked out of the hospital, he almost felt relived, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

He didn't have to impress his grandfather anymore. He could be himself now.

The rest of his life started today and there was no looking back anymore.

xxx

Awareness came slowly back to Daniel and with awareness came a mixture of relief and sadness.

The world around him was still murky but there was finally clarity tugging at the edges. He had no idea how long he'd been lost in illness and pain, all he could remember were the snippets of memories he thought he'd buried long ago, memories of his childhood and they stirred his soul and broke his heart.

Slowly and with considerable effort, he managed to open his heavy eyes, eyes that then filled with tears when he realised he was alone – again.

Not wanting to face the reality of his loneliness, he allowed them to flutter close once more and prayed that he could retreat away from the truth of his life.

He always had been and always would be, on his own.

xxx

"Doctor Fraiser?"

Janet looked up when a nurse knocked at her door.

"Yes?"

"Doctor Jackson is awake."

Janet quickly stood and grabbed her stethoscope. Hopefully, they had some positive news.

"I'd rather you stayed here," she turned to the rest of SG1 who had immediately sprung to their feet at the news. "We'll need to run some tests. I'll call you when we've finished."

"But, this is good news, isn't it Janet?" Sam asked as she slowly sat down again.

"It's a good sign," Janet agreed with a smile. "Let's just wait and see though. Try not to get your hopes up too much."

After giving Sam's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, Janet hurried after the nurse.

Maybe, just maybe – a corner may have been turned at last.

Xxx

"Okay," Janet grinned as she read the readout on the thermometer. "That's so much better, Doctor Jackson." She placed the palm of her hand on Daniel's forehead just to confirm the drop in temperature. "How're you feeling?" She asked tenderly, happy to see such an improvement in her patient's condition.

"Tired," Daniel mumbled softly, his eyes still closed.

"That's to be expected." Janet gently placed her hands on his abdomen and carefully palpated. "Is this painful?" She asked as she monitored Daniel's face for any discomfort.

"Some," Daniel grimaced.

"Well, it's much better than it was," Janet confirmed. "I think we can tapper off your Morphine for a while.

"'kay."

After pulling a sheet up over her patient, Janet grabbed his chart. "I think we'll give you a quick bed bath and then you can go back to sleep," she told him as she jotted down her findings. "And, after that, we'll let you teammates back in."

Daniel turned his head and managed to open his eyes. "They're here?" He frowned.

"They've barely left your bedside," Janet looked up and smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Oh," Daniel sighed and let his eyes slide closed again.

Janet hooked his chart on the end of his bed, crossed to his side and picked up his hand. "Where else did you think they'd have been, Daniel?" She asked tenderly.

"Thought I was alone," Daniel sighed and turned his head away.

"Oh, Daniel." Janet reached and ran her fingers through his hair. "You're never alone," she sighed. "Don't ever forget that."

Daniel relaxed under Janet's touch, feeling a sense of contentment he'd rarely felt before.

Xxx

Although Daniel's condition continued to gradually improve over the next few days, Janet was concerned about how down the archaeologist seemed to be.

His team had been a constant at his side, taking shifts to make sure he was rarely on his own but Daniel was withdrawn bordering on depressed.

Janet was eager to discharge out of the ICU but wouldn't until she saw an improvement in his mood.

She'd had a word with Jack about things and the Colonel was making it his priority to get Daniel to open up today.

"Okay," he placed his magazine on the floor and inched closer to Daniel's bed. "What's going on with you?" He asked as he watched his friend poke at his oats rather than eat them.

"Nothing," Daniel shrugged, pushed his breakfast away and rested his head back against his pillows. "Just tired."

"Well, you've been sleeping nonstop for days now."

"Recovery from emergency surgery and life threatening infection would do that to someone."

"There is that," Jack sighed. "But, this isn't like you."

"What's not like me?"

"This," Jack gestured towards his friend.

"What?"

"This. Wallowing."

"Recovering," Daniel corrected.

"Yes, yes – recovering yet wallowing," Jack shrugged.

"I'm not wallowing."

"Are too."

"Are not," Daniel crossed his arms defiantly.

"See," Jack pointed towards Daniel's posture. "That's you being pissy because I've called you on your wallowingness."

"Not a word," Daniel mumbled as he closed his eyes.

"Well, it should be." Jack pulled his chair closer and then took a deep breath. Whether Daniel was happy or not, they were going to talk. "Listen," he began, "when you were delirious, you were calling out for your parents, for Nick."

"Was I?" Daniel's response was non-committal. Jack knew he was avoiding things but pressed on anyway.

"Yeah, you were."

"If you say so."

"Daniel," Jack sighed, getting increasingly impatient with his friend. "I know you don't wanna talk about it, buddy but..."

"You're right. I don't want to talk about it Jack," Daniel opened his eyes and shrugged. "There's nothing about my past that I want to talk about."

"It might help if..."

"Won't help Jack, believe me my past is best where it is – in the past."

Jack sighed impatiently. "You're not really making any sense."

"It's the drugs," Daniel flippantly replied.

Jack sat back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "I know your childhood sucked Daniel, I've read your file."

"It had its moments," Daniel shrugged. "Not all of it sucked."

Jack eagerly sat forward again, happy that Daniel had given him an inroad. "Tell me what didn't suck, Daniel?"

Daniel fidgeted until he was more comfortable and then closed his eyes. "Alice and Drew didn't suck."

"Who were Alice and Drew?"

"They were my final placement. They made sure I went to college."

"That's great."

"They were kind and for a while I felt as if I had a family."

"Do you keep in touch?" Jack continued, glad that Daniel seemed to be relaxing into the conversation.

"Birthdays, Christmases – you know things like that."

"Uh huh."

"Oh yes, Alice and Drew made a nice change."

"Change from what?"

"A change from all the other shitty families I was placed in," Daniel admitted. "Oh, don't get me wrong, some did try their hardest with me and I'm sure I wasn't the easiest child to deal with but..." Daniel ended the statement with another shrug but Jack wasn't going to let him stop there.

"But..." he encouraged him to continue.

"But," Daniel sighed tiredly. "But, they had their lives to live. I'm sure they enjoyed the cheque at the end of the months but in regards to actually investing any time or effort in bringing me up – they pretty much sucked."

"Which was your worst placement?"

"You've read my file."

"Yeah but, I'd like you to tell me."

"Well," Daniel shifted in bed slightly, biting back a groan of pain until he was more comfortable. "The Jefferson's were pretty sucky," he continued with a sigh. "They had a handful of children of their own, can't remember how many, so I just sort of tagged along and got lost in the melly. Luckily Sally got me out of that particular mess."

"Sally?"

"Yeah, she was the social worker in charge of my case. In fact, she was the only constant in my life as I grew up. She was the one I could turn to when things went wrong or got out of hand."

"Out of hand?"

"You know," Daniel turned his head to face Jack. "You said you read my file. The Cowans."

"Ah, yes. The Cowan's," Jack nodded slowly, treading as carefully as he could as Daniel was so close to opening up.

"Frank Cowan was a particularly nasty man," Daniel continued. "He took great pleasure in showing me he was in charge," he chuckled dryly. "He was a man of few words and let his fist's do his talking."

"I know."

"If I hadn't been able to contact Sally, I'm not sure what would have happened."

"She helped you?"

"Yeah, I ended up in hospital after a particularly brutal assault and she dropped everything for me."

"Go on."

"She made sure it was the last time I saw them and then prosecuted the hell outta Frank. Think he got a prison sentence. Sally Harrison made sure they didn't have any contact with children for the rest of their lives."

"What happened to you then?"

"Well, I ended up in Sally's care for a while before she found me a new placement. Those were the happiest days I can remember."

"Where was the new placement?"

"Well, after Nick turned me down – again," Daniel sighed.

"He turned you down again?" Jack frowned.

"Oh, yes – my dear grandfather was begged to give me a home for a second time but he was far too busy travelling."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm not. I'm not sure it would have been the right move. He was a stranger to me and I knew he didn't really want me."

"So, where did you go?"

Daniel thought for a moment. "I was taken in by Alison and Clive Davies – a nice elderly couple. Although I was never close to them, they were kind enough and gave me space. I stayed there until Alison passed away and then Sally moved me to the Davey's."

"Your final placement?"

"Yup."

"And, you were happy there?"

"Yup."

"And, what about Nick?"

Daniel yawned and inched down in bed. "What about Nick?" he asked drowsily and Jack could see his friend was running out of steam.

"Did you see much of him?"

"Some. Sally said I should keep in touch and I tried," he yawned again. "Not that he wanted anything to do with me. I was an embarrassment in his eyes."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he thought I was as mental as he was. He pushed me away and I didn't stop him. It was easier that way. Didn't miss what I didn't know..." Daniel turned his head away with a sigh. "Sorry. Tired," he mumbled softly and Jack reached up and covered him with his blankets.

"Go to sleep then," he urged softly. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Daniel just grunted in reply and Jack took a moment to card his fingers gently through his friend's hair as he finally dropped off to sleep.

He knew there was little he could do to make up for Daniel's tragic childhood but he could make sure his future was the best it could be.

xxx

ONE MONTH LATER.

Daniel lay cocooned in his quilt drowsily watching his teammates as they played cards round the coffee table.

It had been a tough few weeks.

After Janet had finally discharged him from the ICU and onto the main ward, everything had gone wrong.

His team, his family had left him behind again, not that it was anyones fault though. Thor had needed them.

The stress of the following events had then lead to Daniel's relapse though and he now found himself grounded until Janet deemed him fit enough to hold a pen let alone sit at a computer.

Daniel wasn't going to argue with her. He knew he'd been pushing himself but there was no way he was going to lie around in bed while his team put themselves in another perilous situation. It wasn't until everyone had safely returned to base that he actually gave into his exhaustion, actually passing out at the mission de brief. Janet had immediately stuck his ass back in an infirmary bed overnight, read him the riot act and then sent him home with strict orders to do nothing but rest and recover.

His team made sure he did just that and Daniel was very grateful for their help as he felt too wiped out to do much of anything himself.

So, he'd slept, he'd eaten everything prepared for him and just let the others care for him.

Actually, there had been so much going on that he'd completely forgotten what time of year it was. It was only when Sam turned up on his doorstep with a Christmas tree that the penny dropped.

Christmas day was to be spent at Daniel's this year and, knowing that he was nowhere near fit enough to do anything, Christmas came to him.

The apartment had been decorated while he slept, the meal prepared by Jack who had moved in to keep an eye on his friend and gifts had been hurriedly sorted with the help of a queue of shopping volunteers from the base.

The day had been for family, Daniel's new family and now, as per the O'Neill tradition, a poker game was in full swing.

"I believe you call this a walk, O'Neill." Teal'c placed his cards down with what could almost be construed to be a Jaffa smirk on his face.

Jack reached and fanned the cards out. "A run, Teal'c – a run," he sighed and threw his hand down.

"I have triumphed again?"

"Yes you have, Teal'c," Sam giggled as she gathered in the cards. "Another hand?"

"Nah," Jack sat back, "I'm out. You carry on."

Sam shuffled the cards. "Right, Teal'c – I'm going to teach you how to play chase the lady..."

Jack pushed up off the floor and stretched out the kinks in his back.

"Getting too old to sit on the floor?"

He turned and smiled at Daniel, not realising his friend was awake. "Nah," he shrugged. "I'm still in my prime, Danny boy." He crossed to the sofa, picked Daniel's legs up, sat down and lowered his friend's feet onto his lap. "How you doing?"

"I'm good," Daniel smiled and slowly turned onto his back.

"Nice sleep?"

"Uh huh."

"You didn't miss much. I've given the kids another master class in poker."

"I see," Daniel nodded slowly, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "So, that's why Teal'c has the big pile of chips in front of him then?"

"Well, you know what he gets like. I had to let him win a few hands."

"Ah, you let him."

"Didn't want him to get all huffy. A huffy Jaffa is not a happy Jaffa."

"If you say so," Daniel chuckled softly as he sat up. "What time is it?" He yawned.

Jack looked at his watch. "It's nearly eight," he told him and then turned to Sam. "Carter – it's nearly eight."

Daniel frowned as he watched Sam check her own watch. "You don't have to go, do you? I thought you were all staying the night."

"We are," Sam turned and smiled. "We're just waiting for something."

And, right on cue, the phone rang.

"I've got it." Sam was immediately on her feet.

"Hey, this is my house," Daniel called after her as she jogged into the kitchen to answer the phone. "My phone..."

"Yes, yes of course, he's right here." Sam walked back into the room and handed Daniel the phone with a grin.

"It's for you," she whispered and perched on the arm of the sofa.

"Hello?" Daniel frowned as he spoke. Who on Earth would be calling him at this time on Christmas day?

"Daniel?"

"Yes."

"It's Sally. Sally Harrison."

"Gosh," Daniel sat upright. "Sally. How wonderful to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm very well. I just thought I'd wish you a Merry Christmas."

"And, to you too. How are things in Florida?"

"Everything is great. How about you? How are you doing? And, don't tell me you're fine young man."

"I'm good," Daniel chuckled. "I'm really good."

"Are you happy?"

Daniel glanced at Jack and grabbed Sam's hand with his free hand. "I've never been happier," he admitted sincerely as he gave Sam's hand a squeeze. "I am where I belong."

"I'm so very pleased for you. You deserve to be happy, Daniel Jackson."

"Well, it's taken me a few years but I finally have a family, Sally, one that never leaves me behind."

"I knew it would happen one day, you're a very special young man. Now, tell me, when are you coming out for a visit?"

Daniel relaxed as he continued the call, the people he loved the most in the world and loved him back surrounding him.

In a way, he felt sorry for Nick, he was missing out on so much.

"Well, I'm just waiting for an invite..."

Everybody hopes
That maybe somewhere down this road
We'd finally find that place where we belong

That place where we're complete
The one that occupies our dreams
That place we're lucky to call our home

Well, I've arrived...

THE END

Sorry about the long chapter to finish on, I wanted to end it as well as I could.

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I really hope you enjoyed it.

Right, anyone got any ideas for the next one?