Picking up the Pieces 9/? (WIP)
This story is my version of Daniel's life following the deaths of his parents. I tend to write as I go so I can't say how long this will be until it's done. What can I say?::shrugs:: Characters talk to me and when they've finished with what they need me to say for them, then it's usually time for the story to end. I'd be interested in hearing what you think if you feel so moved.
As far as I know this should remain under a PG-13 rating, if a chapter seems to break that rule I'll post it as such.
Insert standard ownership disclaimer here...cross-posted to stargate_fanfic
Picking up the Pieces
Chapter 9
By J.D.
The drive to the home of the couple that would become Daniel Jackson's temporary family was one made in silence but not for Margaret Hastings lack of trying to engage the young man with her in conversation. Daniel had refused a seat in the front of the stationwagon beside her and had instead taken up residence in the far corner of the back, with his head bowed to rest on his knees. Margaret was sure the boy wasn't crying and so she had allowed him his time alone to make peace with what was still to come for him.
Daniel's being an only child would make his placement difficult as those families with spaces all seemed to be those already housing 3 or more children in their care. It wouldn't be an ideal arrangement but it was far better then having him sit in a shelter and so for now it would have to do.
Pulling to the curb after close to an hour's drive the woman shut the engine off and turned to face the boy behind her.
"Daniel..we're here." Even though he had failed to respond she knew he had heard her and after a moment more of silence she released a sigh and turned away before climbing out of the car herself. Walking around the car she opened his door.
"Come on, Daniel...time to get out." She reached for his arm and was surprised to find none of his earlier aggression in his reaction. "Come on, you'll be fine." She coaxed gently and after a long minute he lifted his head to look at her.
"I don't want to be here." His words held no anger and in fact came with almost no emotion to them at all.
"I know you don't, but you have to stay somewhere while the authorities try and find your grandfather."
"Put me in jail." The words had an eerie hollow ring behind them.
"We don't put little boys in jail, especially when they've done nothing wrong." The Social Worker gave him a moment to absorb her words before trying again.
"You'll like the McDowell's, and they have 4 other boys so you'll have other kids to play with while you're here."
"I don't want anyone to play with...I just want to go to "my" home." His words held a finality to them, as if he hoped that by having put voice to his hope that would make it transpire. He dropped his head to his knees again, in his mind the conversation finished.
"Mrs. Hastings..welcome!" A booming voice stopped the woman before she could respond and she turned to the source of it with a smile.
"Colin, good evening." She wasn't surprised to find the rest of the boys in his care already piling out onto the porch followed closely by his wife. "I'm afraid Daniel isn't quite ready to come out yet." She offered the apology and resisted the urge to bodily drag the boy from the car.
"Tell you what, my wife just pulled some cookies out of the oven, why don't you go in and have some coffee while I get to know Daniel a little bit, we'll be in right behind you."
Experience in dealing with the man left no doubt in the worker's mind that he would be better able to get the boy from her car and she simply nodded before walking towards the porch.
"Good evening Mary, boys." She somehow resisted the urge to turn back and see what was happening at her car and instead greeted the rest of the family as she reached them.
"Hi, Daniel...my name's Colin, mind if I talk to you for a while?" Colin McDowell was a large man and while that often worked in his favor he also knew it could just as easily intimidate new arrivals, with that in mind he squatted by the open door.
"My wife just baked some chocolate chip cookies...how about you come inside and have a couple." He studied the bowed head in hopes that he might catch some small reaction to the offer, when none was forthcoming he decided to try again.
"I bet this is pretty scary for you..coming to somewhere you've never been before and being asked to stay with people you don't know. Daniel...all of the other boys here have been through the same feelings and it's okay that you have them, but you still have to come inside." Rising he placed his hand on the boy's arm, giving him a moment to register it as being there before he attempted again to coax him from the vehicle.
"Come on, Daniel..everyone is waiting to meet you." He pulled gently on the boy's arm to accentuate the request.
At the contact Daniel lifted his head and while he had not yet been crying it was clear it was a battle he was very close to losing. "I don't want to meet anybody."
"That's fine too...we can go inside and I can show you to your room, you can meet the others at dinner. Is that a deal?" When the boy nodded and started to slide toward him Colin found the smile surfacing easily, he'd been through this far too many times not to know how difficult it was for the boys and he would take his wins as they came.
"So, Daniel...we usually make a special dinner for our boys when they first come to us, what would you like to have?"
As far as I know this should remain under a PG-13 rating, if a chapter seems to break that rule I'll post it as such.
Insert standard ownership disclaimer here...cross-posted to stargate_fanfic
Picking up the Pieces
Chapter 9
By J.D.
The drive to the home of the couple that would become Daniel Jackson's temporary family was one made in silence but not for Margaret Hastings lack of trying to engage the young man with her in conversation. Daniel had refused a seat in the front of the stationwagon beside her and had instead taken up residence in the far corner of the back, with his head bowed to rest on his knees. Margaret was sure the boy wasn't crying and so she had allowed him his time alone to make peace with what was still to come for him.
Daniel's being an only child would make his placement difficult as those families with spaces all seemed to be those already housing 3 or more children in their care. It wouldn't be an ideal arrangement but it was far better then having him sit in a shelter and so for now it would have to do.
Pulling to the curb after close to an hour's drive the woman shut the engine off and turned to face the boy behind her.
"Daniel..we're here." Even though he had failed to respond she knew he had heard her and after a moment more of silence she released a sigh and turned away before climbing out of the car herself. Walking around the car she opened his door.
"Come on, Daniel...time to get out." She reached for his arm and was surprised to find none of his earlier aggression in his reaction. "Come on, you'll be fine." She coaxed gently and after a long minute he lifted his head to look at her.
"I don't want to be here." His words held no anger and in fact came with almost no emotion to them at all.
"I know you don't, but you have to stay somewhere while the authorities try and find your grandfather."
"Put me in jail." The words had an eerie hollow ring behind them.
"We don't put little boys in jail, especially when they've done nothing wrong." The Social Worker gave him a moment to absorb her words before trying again.
"You'll like the McDowell's, and they have 4 other boys so you'll have other kids to play with while you're here."
"I don't want anyone to play with...I just want to go to "my" home." His words held a finality to them, as if he hoped that by having put voice to his hope that would make it transpire. He dropped his head to his knees again, in his mind the conversation finished.
"Mrs. Hastings..welcome!" A booming voice stopped the woman before she could respond and she turned to the source of it with a smile.
"Colin, good evening." She wasn't surprised to find the rest of the boys in his care already piling out onto the porch followed closely by his wife. "I'm afraid Daniel isn't quite ready to come out yet." She offered the apology and resisted the urge to bodily drag the boy from the car.
"Tell you what, my wife just pulled some cookies out of the oven, why don't you go in and have some coffee while I get to know Daniel a little bit, we'll be in right behind you."
Experience in dealing with the man left no doubt in the worker's mind that he would be better able to get the boy from her car and she simply nodded before walking towards the porch.
"Good evening Mary, boys." She somehow resisted the urge to turn back and see what was happening at her car and instead greeted the rest of the family as she reached them.
"Hi, Daniel...my name's Colin, mind if I talk to you for a while?" Colin McDowell was a large man and while that often worked in his favor he also knew it could just as easily intimidate new arrivals, with that in mind he squatted by the open door.
"My wife just baked some chocolate chip cookies...how about you come inside and have a couple." He studied the bowed head in hopes that he might catch some small reaction to the offer, when none was forthcoming he decided to try again.
"I bet this is pretty scary for you..coming to somewhere you've never been before and being asked to stay with people you don't know. Daniel...all of the other boys here have been through the same feelings and it's okay that you have them, but you still have to come inside." Rising he placed his hand on the boy's arm, giving him a moment to register it as being there before he attempted again to coax him from the vehicle.
"Come on, Daniel..everyone is waiting to meet you." He pulled gently on the boy's arm to accentuate the request.
At the contact Daniel lifted his head and while he had not yet been crying it was clear it was a battle he was very close to losing. "I don't want to meet anybody."
"That's fine too...we can go inside and I can show you to your room, you can meet the others at dinner. Is that a deal?" When the boy nodded and started to slide toward him Colin found the smile surfacing easily, he'd been through this far too many times not to know how difficult it was for the boys and he would take his wins as they came.
"So, Daniel...we usually make a special dinner for our boys when they first come to us, what would you like to have?"