CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Thankfully, Danny didn't have a nightmare. Daniel had some good news for him when he woke up. Both Tommy and Captain Hardwick were going to be all right. Danny wanted to visit the boy in the hospital, and Daniel promised that they'd go there later, although he wasn't certain that the hospital would allow Danny into Tommy's room.
Danny got more than one hug when they got to the SGC. Everyone knew about the accident and were thankful that the little boy they all cared about was okay.
"How are you feeling today?" Janet asked him when they arrived at the infirmary.
"My arm hurt a lot. Daniel gave me some pain pills, and it feels better now."
Janet had him take off his shirt, and she examined the bruise. "Yes, that's quite a whopper you've got there. I'm afraid it's going to keep hurting for a while, but you were very lucky it wasn't worse." She looked at his cheek. "And you could easily have broken your cheekbone." She looked back and forth between the boy and Daniel. "So, anything else I should know about? Other aches or pains? Any other symptoms, like dizziness or nausea?"
They both shook their heads.
"That's good." Janet smiled down at Danny. "I'd say that you don't need my services anymore then, young man, although I'll want to check that arm again in a few days to see how it's doing."
"Danny, could you stay here a moment?" Daniel asked. Upon receiving a nod from the boy, he walked out of the room with Janet.
"So, how are you doing?" she asked.
"To be honest, still a little shaky. I think that was one of the worst moments I've ever gone through, and that's saying a lot considering the stuff that's happened in my life."
"Trust me, Daniel, I do understand. I'll never forget how scared I was when Cassie got sick, and I almost lost her because of Nirrti's experiments. Nothing is more terrifying to a parent than to almost lose their child."
"I wanted to tell you that I think we need to reschedule that appointment with Doctor Woods. I don't think Danny would be up to it, and I knowI wouldn't."
Janet nodded. "Yes, that's what I figured. I've already called her and told her what happened. She'll wait to hear back from us on what day would be good to reschedule it to. I'm thinking that a week would be good. That'll give Danny plenty of time to get over any nightmares he's having as a result of this."
"Actually, he didn't have a nightmare."
Janet looked at him closely. "But you did?"
"Oh, yeah."
Janet touched his arm. "If you'd like to talk about it, my door is always open."
"Thanks. Jack and I have already talked. He . . . knows how I feel."
Janet's expression saddened. "Yes, he does."
Daniel took Danny to see General Hammond. The man hugged the boy for a long while.
"I am so very glad that you're all right, Danny," he said, his voice soft and low. "We all love you very much."
"I love you, too, Grandpa George."
The general kissed the boy's brow, then looked up at Daniel. "How are you doing, Daniel?"
"All right, sir, very thankful that it wasn't worse. I was glad to hear that Captain Hardwick and his son are going to be okay."
"Yes, the captain was quite lucky. He has you to thank for his life. The doctors say that, if he'd been without help for much longer, he'd have bled to death internally." Hammond looked at Danny. "I do believe that Sergeant Harriman would like to see you, Danny, as would a couple other people in the control room. You should go down there and say hi."
Danny went off to the control room, and Hammond turned his attention back to Daniel. "I didn't know how much he knew about what happened last night. Major Carter told me about it, that you knew something was wrong and were able to go right to Danny."
"Yeah. I can't really explain it. Up till now, I've just picked up little flashes of his thoughts. That one time, I saw things through his eyes for a split second. But this time was different, maybe because it was so intense. Not only did I see what he saw for an instant, I also actually felt his fear. As for being able to find him, it's hard to describe. I just somehow knew which way to go. Sir, I'd rather this not become known to a lot of people. I don't know if it would attract attention we'd rather not have, but I think it would be better to keep it a secret."
"Say no more, Daniel. There is no reason for me to report this to anyone. It has nothing to do with the Stargate Program."
"Thank you, sir."
Daniel and Danny's next stop was Sam's lab. The astrophysicist gave Danny a big hug, asking how he was. Figuring that Jack and Teal'c would like to see the boy, Daniel called the Jaffa's room. Teal'c said that he'd come immediately. Daniel then called Jack's office. Not finding him there, the archeologist had him paged over the P.A.
Teal'c did not hesitate to embrace Danny when he arrived. He had been filled in on everything by Sam and Jack. The colonel got there a few minutes later, and, like everyone else, hugged the boy. His eyes met Daniel's, silently asking how the younger man was doing. Daniel gave him a slight nod to let him know that he was all right.
"Danny, I've had the appointment with the psychologist rescheduled," Daniel said. "I figured that you wouldn't be up to doing that now. We'll be doing it next weekend instead, if that works out for the doctor."
"I think that's a good idea," Sam said.
Jack nodded. "I agree. And, since this means that we all have this weekend free, I'd say that a team dinner would be a great idea." He looked down at Danny, ruffling his hair. "We've got a lot to celebrate." The truth was that he felt a need to see Danny playing and laughing, being alive. This incident had disturbed Jack way more deeply than he'd let on even to Daniel. When he arrived at the scene of the crash and saw the car, it had almost been like those moments after he and Sara heard the gunshot, and he was running up the stairs to the bedroom, filled with that horrible, sick, all-consuming terror. When he got to the car and looked into Daniel's eyes, he saw the same black fear. Now, he wanted what he couldn't have with Charlie, the joy of seeing Danny alive and relatively well.
Daniel took Danny to see Tommy that afternoon. Fortunately, Danny was allowed to visit him. The injured boy's mother was with him.
"It's good to see that you're all right, Danny," she said with a warm smile. "I heard that you were just bruised up a bit." The woman looked up at Daniel.
"Hi, I'm Daniel Jackson."
She stood up. "Yes, I can clearly see the resemblance between you and your son." She held out her hand. "Jan Hardwick."
Daniel shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Danny went over to the bed. Tommy appeared to be asleep. There was a bandage on his forehead and a lot of bruising on the left side of his face. His left arm was in a cast.
"Is he okay?" Danny asked worriedly, alarmed by the way his friend looked.
"Yes, honey, he'll be fine," Jan assured him. "It will just take a while for him to heal. He sleeps a lot right now. The doctors believe that he'll be ready to go home tomorrow, but I'm afraid that he's not going to be up to playing for a while yet."
"How is your husband?" Daniel asked.
"He's going to be all right." Jan met Daniel's eyes. "The doctors say that, if he hadn't been found when he was, he may not have made it. I don't know how it is that you found them or why you were even looking, and I'm guessing that, if I asked, you wouldn't tell me, but, whatever the reason, I want to thank you. You saved my husband's life."
Daniel dipped his head slightly in answer to her thanks. He looked down at Danny, running fingers through the boy's hair. "I'm just glad that I did find them."
The team dinner on Saturday ended up starting at three o'clock. Not surprisingly, the main pastime was playing with Danny. Because of his bruised shoulder, rough playing was out of the question, so it was all quieter stuff, mostly games. Jack taught Danny how to play poker. The boy then turned right around and beat him in their first game together . . . with a wee bit of help from Sam. Jack grumbled good-naturedly about beginner's luck. Danny had been delighted to see the Hounds and Jackals game that Teal'c brought over. He and Daniel played against the Jaffa and beat him soundly. All five of them got together for a rather boisterous game of Monopoly.
Though it was a beautiful evening, they decided against a barbeque and ate what Danny had told them he wanted for dinner: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and peas with pearl onions. For dessert was chocolate cake.
During the course of the meal, Danny found out the full story of Daniel sensing the accident and somehow knowing where to go. The boy thought the whole thing was very cool.
They were now outside, enjoying the night air. Daniel, Sam and Danny were lying on the grass, the boy between the two adults. They were playing a game that Daniel's mother had created, where they'd make up their own constellations and named them.
It was past Danny's bedtime before everyone decided it was time to call it a night. The boy was put to bed, though he really didn't want to go, having had too much fun that day.
"Are you sure you don't want some help with those dishes?" Jack asked, looking at the pile in the sink.
"No, I'm just going to rinse them off and leave them for tomorrow," Daniel replied. "Thanks for today, guys. After what happened, Danny and I really needed to have some fun."
"We were happy to give it to you," Jack responded. He looked at his watch. "Well, I guess we should get going. Gotta get Teal'c back to the base so that he can get his beauty sleep. You heading off, too, Carter?"
"Yeah, in a few minutes, sir."
"Well, good night, then, you two. We'll see you on Monday."
The colonel and the Jaffa left. Daniel headed into the kitchen and tossed the empty beer bottles on the counter into the recycling bin.
"How are you doing, Daniel?" Sam asked, joining him. "We haven't really had a chance to talk since the accident. I know how scared you were."
"I'm all right. It really shook me, though. It made me really see how I could suddenly lose him. If that car had slid the opposite way, and it had been the passenger side that hit the trees, it could be Danny lying in the hospital . . . or worse. Being a parent can be great, but it can also be terrifying and heartbreaking. I really understand now what it was like for Jack when he lost Charlie. In those minutes when I was going down to the car, I kept seeing Danny dead in my mind, and . . . and it was one of the worst feelings I've ever had. I don't ever want to go through anything like that again."
Sam rubbed his back. "I know. It was a pretty horrible moment for me, too. I felt so helpless. There wasn't anything I could do except call 911 and the colonel, then wait for help. I'm just so grateful that Danny is okay."
The next day, the entire team took Danny to the Denver Zoo, where they all had a great time – and spoiled Danny rotten by buying him everything he took a liking to in the gift shop.
By Tuesday, Danny's bruised arm was far less painful. So far, he'd suffered no nightmares as a result of the accident, though Daniel did have another one, thankfully not nearly as horrifying as the first one. Like the first time, after the nightmare, the archeologist went into Danny's room and watched him for a long while before going back to bed.
"Hey, I've got some good news for you, kiddo," Jack announced at breakfast in the commissary Tuesday morning. "Captain Hardwick was released from the hospital this morning. It's going to be quite a while before he's completely healed, but he's definitely on the mend."
"That's great news," Daniel responded. "We'll have to go visit him and Tommy one of these days."
"So, is that psychiatrist coming this weekend?"
"Psychologist, and, yes, she is. She'll be here on Friday to talk with me first. I'm betting that she'll want to talk to you guys as well."
"About me?" Danny asked.
"Um, yeah, so that we can tell her about stuff that's happened with you. She needs to know all about what's been going on."
"Does she know that I'm a clone?"
"Yes, she does. She was given clearance to know that. She would also have been told a bit about the Stargate Program, but I don't know how much, so you need to be careful about what you say. Don't tell her anything about the Goa'uld or our missions. And definitely don't say anything about my ascension. She wouldn't know that."
"Okay." The boy frowned.
"What's wrong, kiddo?" Jack asked.
"I don't want to talk to her."
"I don't blame you there, but I'm betting that she can make you feel better."
"And I'll be right there the whole time," Daniel told the boy. "You won't be alone with her. I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk to a stranger about how you're feeling, but this is her job. She's talked to a lot of children whose parents have died. She'll know what to do to make you feel better about everything and help get rid of those nightmares."
"I hate the nightmares."
"Me too."
On Friday afternoon, Daniel met with Doctor Meredith Woods in his office. Danny was with Teal'c.
Though he never said so, Daniel had been concerned about the therapy sessions, specifically about the doctor who would be performing them. He had worried that Doctor Woods would be the same as the child psychologist who came to see him after his parents' death.
It didn't take him long to see that Meredith Woods was wasn't anything like that woman. She greeted Daniel warmly, with a genuine smile. In her early thirties, she appeared to have Native American blood in her.
First, Meredith explained how much she already knew about the case. She had been filled in about the catatonia, the flashbacks, the panic attacks, the nightmares Danny woke up screaming from, the first few days when he wouldn't speak. Daniel clarified and confirmed a few things for her, going into more detail.
"In the beginning, he was acting a lot younger than normal," he told her. "He tended to cling to me a lot. Janet said that was common."
Meredith nodded. "Yes, it is. I've seen children Danny's age sucking their thumb after a severe emotional trauma. It's only if those behavioral changes last an extended length of time that you need to be concerned."
"The panic attacks always had to do with me," Daniel continued, "fearing that something bad had happened to me. There was an . . . incident very shortly after we found Danny. My arm got cut up a bit, and there was quite a bit of blood. Danny saw the blood, and he had a severe panic attack. It took quite a bit to snap him out of it. He's been getting a lot better, though. He hasn't had a panic attack or flashback in weeks, and he isn't clinging to me anymore. He's still not quite as independent and confident as a normal child his age, but he is . . . stretching his wings a bit more. Of course, I was never what you'd call an average kid, not even before Mom and Dad's death. Growing up on digs, with all the fragile artifacts around, I learned not to be too rambunctious, not to play rough. I was a lot quieter. Mom and Dad taught me how to treat the things around me with respect and care, that to destroy or damage something for the fun of it was wrong, regardless of whether or not it belonged to me. I don't think I ever broke a toy, except by accident." He smiled. "I remember Dad bought me a toy airplane once. I tripped and fell on it, breaking its wing, and I felt so bad because I hadn't been careful enough. Mom told me that accidents happen while Dad glued the wing back on." Daniel chuckled. "Then they warned me never to run while holding an artifact. There has been more than one occasion on missions when I had no choice but to do that, like when being chased by angry natives." 'Or Jaffa,' he added silently. "Poor Mom and Dad would be horrified."
Meredith smiled at the tale. "And Danny's nightmares? How are things going with those?"
"They're not happening as often, but he's still getting them, sometimes bad enough to wake up crying. Not all of them are about Mom and Dad. He's having nightmares about things happening to me as well. At least once, he dreamed that I died with them. I, um . . . I recently found out that Danny has been keeping some things from me, that he's been hiding from us how sad he is sometimes and hasn't been telling me about all his nightmares."
"Do you know why that is?"
"He didn't want me to be sad or upset. He hates seeing me feeling sad. It really bothers him." Daniel told the woman what he had said to Danny when he discovered the boy's deception.
"He sounds like a very empathetic child, which is rare at that age."
"Yes, he is. Um . . . I should probably tell you something about the two of us. There is a telepathic connection between us, and I'm beginning to believe that it may also be empathic, to a certain degree. Danny has picked up thoughts from my mind and vice versa. Very briefly, we have each seen through the eyes of the other. When I had an accident a while ago, Danny was aware that I was hurt even though he was miles away, and when he was in that car accident last week, I knew something terrible had happened. I felt his fear."
"That is extraordinary," Meredith said. "Do you believe it is because he is your clone?"
Daniel nodded. "That's what we figure. There's no doubt that there is a connection between us, and I think it subconsciously influences Danny's emotions and attitude regarding me. Sometimes, I swear that he can sense my mood, especially when I'm upset." Daniel paused. "Fortunately, it doesn't work all the time, and the mind-reading thing happens very rarely."
Meredith laughed softly. "Yes, the thought of an eight-year-old reading my mind would not be very comforting."
"You've got that right. Some people in the military were not so pleased about it either, concerned about the classified information Danny might pick out of my mind."
They talked some more about Danny's mental and emotional state. From everything she learned, Meredith formed a picture of a deeply traumatized boy who, largely due to the love and support he'd gotten from Daniel and others at the SGC, was well on the road to recovery but still needed a lot of help. She began asking about Danny's personality and interests, telling Daniel to be completely honest about the child's character.
"Well, not surprisingly, he's a lot like me in many ways," he said. "He's a lot more interested in gaining knowledge than the average child. He loves books, like I always did. Even when I was very young, I usually preferred a book over playing with other kids. Like me, Danny loves learning new things, especially if it has to do with archeology or languages. That comes from our parents."
"What about his play times? Does he prefer solitary play or activities with other people?"
"He likes both, actually. We got him a computer, and he loves playing games on it, both educational and non-educational. But he also loves playing with adults and other kids. He had a ball at the Fourth of July party, where there were quite a few kids for him to play with." Daniel smiled and told her about the play times that he and his teammates had shared with Danny, as well as the 'western shootout' that went on in the commissary, which made Meredith laugh.
"It sounds like he is well-balanced in that regard. It's healthy for a child to enjoy playing with others, yet also be able to amuse himself, and it's very good that Danny enjoys playing with adults as well. Unfortunately, many children today get too much into video games and spend less time interacting with other kids and their parents."
Daniel nodded, agreeing. "Of course, when I was his age, there were no video games. TV was the babysitter many parents used. I watched some TV, but a good book was much more appealing to me. Danny's that way, too."
"Does he draw?"
"Yes, quite a bit, actually."
"Do you have any of his drawings here? I'd like to see them."
Daniel opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of drawn pictures, which he handed to her. The psychologist looked at each drawing closely. She paused when she came to one in particular.
"Can you tell me about this one?"
Daniel looked at it. "Oh. Yeah. Um, that was after a little fun Jack, Colonel O'Neill, had with Danny. It was before Danny started talking again. They were playing together, and Jack managed to make him laugh. Afterwards, Danny felt guilty. He thought it wasn't right for him to laugh, that it would make Mom and Dad believe that he didn't love them."
"What did you tell him?"
"That it was okay to laugh and be happy sometimes after losing someone you loved. I told him that his parents would be happy to see him laughing, that they'd want him to laugh and play."
Meredith nodded. "Good. That was the right thing to say."
The woman continued studying the drawings, seeing some hints of the emotional trauma Danny had been experiencing. She also asked to see some samples of the boy's handwriting. She saw that, in early samples, his writing was very small and close together, but that, in later ones, the letters grew slightly larger and spaced farther apart. This was a barometer of the progress Danny had been making. The small letters bunched closely together indicated shyness and doubt in the child. Seeing the writing grow larger and more widely spaced indicated that Danny was gradually getting past those feelings.
She asked some more probing questions, inquiring about events that had taken place and Danny's reaction to them. Daniel told her more about his accident and the nightmare that Danny had as a result. It didn't surprise the psychologist that the boy would have such a dream. He also told her about his decision to leave SG-1 for Danny's sake and how the boy responded. The incident was a big clue into the psyche of the little boy she'd soon be treating, as well as a peek into the psyche of the man who was the adult version of that child.
"Most children Danny's age are beginning to realize that death is a final thing and that all living things die," Meredith explained, "but they tend not to see death as personal, something that can happen to them. From what you've told me and what I already knew, Danny's intelligence is far above that of the average eight-year-old. Because of this, even before the accident, he was probably more aware that he and his parents were not immune to death. Do you recall how you viewed death before your parents died?"
"I knew that everyone died eventually," Daniel replied. "In archeology and anthropology, death and what happens afterwards is something that you're exposed to a lot, particularly in Egyptology since so much of the culture of the ancient Egyptians revolved around death and preparing for the afterlife. I'd seen mummies and skeletons. Also, in some of the various cultures we lived among while on digs, death is not an issue that people avoid talking about. It is a greater part of their lives because of disease and famine. I knew from an early age that children can die."
Meredith nodded, having guessed this was the case. "Children tend to grieve differently from adults. It's often more sporadic. They appear to be fine for days, even weeks, then, suddenly suffer a bout of grief. With Danny, because he has the memory of witnessing his parents' deaths, which adds to the emotional trauma, his pattern of grieving may not follow the usual course. And then there is his personality to consider. From what you've told me, Danny is a very loving, compassionate child. Children more often tend to be self-centered, focused on what they want and need, but he is clearly one of the exceptions. In this type of situation, that can be both a good thing and a bad thing, a bad thing in that, as he has revealed to you, his concern over making you sad has kept him from showing and expressing his grief. Your response to that was the right one, Daniel. Danny needs to understand that it's important that you know the truth about his feelings."
They talked for a while longer, then Meredith left, saying that she'd arrive at Daniel's house at one o'clock tomorrow. She then went to talk to a few other people about the boy, including Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter and General Hammond. She had already spoken with Janet Fraiser, who was the one that initially filled her in on the boy's physical and psychological condition.
Talking with the other people who had a close relationship with the boy gave her a more well-rounded picture of his psychological state, as well as his personality. Meredith recognized that her approach would have to be somewhat different from the way she'd treat an ordinary child his age.
Danny was shy around the psychologist when they met the next day, but she soon broke through that. She had noticed a Navajo woven basket on Daniel's mantle and revealed that her grandfather was pure Lakota Sioux. This interested Danny, and he started asking questions about her grandfather and his people. Meredith answered the boy's questions, and the two chatted for the next twenty minutes.
At last, the woman got down to business.
"Danny, I've been told all about you, and I have to say that I'm pretty amazed," she said.
"Daniel said that you know I'm a clone."
"Yes, I do, which I think is pretty cool." Meredith became serious. "I also know about the memories you have of your parents' death." Danny's gaze dropped, but the woman continued. "I would like to talk to you about that, if I could. Do you think you could talk to me about it? I know it will be hard, but I'm a really good listener."
Danny glanced at Daniel, then returned his eyes to his lap.
Daniel stroked the boy's hair. "It's okay, Danny. You don't have to be afraid to talk about it to her. That's what she's here for."
When another moment of silence had passed, Meredith spoke. "I understand how you must feel about it, Danny. I really do. I know how terrible and frightening it must have been, but it is safe to talk about it. Daniel's right there beside you, and, if it gets too hard to talk, you can just stop, at any time. I won't push."
Danny abruptly sought shelter against Daniel. The archeologist put an arm about him.
"Hey. It's okay, Danny," he said soothingly. He met Meredith's eyes. She looked back at him with sympathy and understanding.
The psychologist studied the man who was an adult version of the child she was here to help. The memories that haunted the child were from his mind. When she was filled in on the case, she learned the history of what happened to Daniel Jackson thirty years ago when the event really took place. She'd looked up the old medical records, the report filed by the psychologist that was assigned to him. She knew about the catatonia that lasted for hours, the months of complete silence, the foster homes, the lack of a stable family life after that day Daniel watched his parents get crushed to death.
Meredith knew the statistics. Most children who experienced something like that and then grew up in the foster care system would reach adulthood with a great deal of emotional problems. The rate of homelessness, joblessness, incarceration, welfare dependency, illness, and teen pregnancy were all much higher than normal among individuals who "aged out" of foster care, stayed in the system until adulthood. Daniel had been declared an emancipated adult at fifteen. From that day on, he didn't even have foster parents for support. Yet this man before her had three doctorates and a job that required a lot of mental and emotional stability. This told Meredith that he must have a great deal of inner strength. Because Danny was Daniel genetically, and his memories of the first eight years of his life were the same, years that were the most formative in the development of an individual's personality, she had every reason to believe that same inner strength was within the boy. She just needed to gain his trust.
When Meredith talked to Colonel Jack O'Neill, he had dropped a lot of hints that, while she was treating Danny, she might perhaps get Daniel talking as well. She had refused to covertly treat the adult Daniel, considering it to be unethical. Besides, that wasn't her job. Now, however, she was thinking that the quickest way to get Danny to open up to her might be to get Daniel to share just a little bit of his own feelings regarding the death of the people who were both his parents and, in a way, Danny's.
"Daniel, you're free to refuse, of course, but perhaps Danny will feel more at ease if you talk a little about your mother and father."
"What?" Daniel instantly tensed. "Um, no. That, uh . . . that wouldn't be a good idea."
Meredith had seen the instant and dramatic increase in his tension level. He'd been fairly calm before. Now, he was most assuredly not. A door had abruptly slammed shut so hard that she could have sworn she heard it. Her instincts were telling her that there was something in Daniel's past that accounted for this.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
That made Danny looked up at Daniel, concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked, seeing that Daniel's face looked kind of . . . hard. All the emotions that were usually in his eyes were gone, like little shutters had been closed over them, hiding all the feelings inside.
Daniel looked down at him. "Nothing, Danny. I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"We're just not here to talk about me and my feelings."
Meredith saw that Daniel was trying to relax, but the tension was still there. The psychologist had a suspicion about the reason for this.
"I'm sorry, Daniel," she said. "You've had a bad experience with someone in my profession, haven't you." The man's reaction told her that she'd hit the nail right on the head. He'd drawn even further behind his walls.
Danny saw it, too, and started getting upset. "Did something bad happen to you?" he asked.
"Danny, I don't want to talk about it. This isn't why we're here."
The words were not spoken in anger, but Danny reacted by ducking his head. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
Daniel sighed and pulled him close. "Don't be sorry, Danny. I'm sorry for saying that." He was silent for several seconds. "Yes, something bad happened," he finally admitted. "There was a psychiatrist who made a big mistake and did something very wrong, and I got . . . hurt because of it. It was a very bad experience in my life, and I don't like to talk about it."
Whatever this incident had been, Meredith could clearly see that the scars ran deep. They had obviously created in him a major aversion to talking to someone in the psychiatric profession about his own feelings. Whomever the psychiatrist was that had scarred him so deeply, she cursed them. She knew that there were a lot of people in her profession who had no business being there.
"Again, I apologize, Daniel," she said. "I didn't mean to upset you."
Daniel met her eyes. "I know. Sorry for reacting like that. It's just a sore spot."
The woman nodded, smiling. "Okay." She looked back and forth between adult and child. "All right, how about if we talk about the happy stuff? From what I understand, you went on archeological digs with your parents, going to Egypt and other foreign countries. That sounds fascinating."
It didn't take long for Danny to warm up to the subject, and Meredith got an education in life on a dig. She also learned quite a bit about the culture of Egypt, both past and present. Daniel interjected some things from time to time, but let the boy do most of the talking.
Meredith had already known that Danny's intelligence was well above normal, but she hadn't quite been prepared for the true extend of that intelligence. He clearly had a very high I.Q. and an amazing memory, perhaps close to eidetic. His linguistic skills alone were awe-inspiring.
"Wow. Six languages?" Meredith said.
"I'm learning Italian, too," Danny told her. He grinned. "Daniel knows a whole thirty languages!"
Eyes widened, Meredith turned to the man, who appeared to be embarrassed.
He shrugged. "After Mom and Dad died, I spent a lot of time studying. I spent all of my allowance on history books and language tapes and borrowed a lot of the same from teachers."
That admission gave Meredith another window into Daniel's soul. So, that's how he coped with his parents' death, by burying himself in the pursuit of knowledge. It had certainly been a more constructive and productive response than what a lot of kids would have had.
"Well, I think we've rambled on enough for one day," Meredith said, deciding that it would be best not to try digging into anything emotionally sensitive today. She looked at her watch. "And I've got a long drive back to Denver to make. I'd like to return tomorrow, if I may."
"Don't you have things of your own to do?" Daniel asked.
"Not really. My husband's on a business trip out of town. I'd rather be working than bouncing around the house alone for the rest of the weekend. I usually put in extra hours at work when he's gone."
They all stood. Daniel accompanied the woman out to her car.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he said. "You didn't deserve that."
Meredith nodded. "Apology accepted." Hesitating, she then said, "Would you be willing to tell me what happened? I truly hope it was not a childhood experience."
Daniel didn't reply for a while. "No, it happened a few years ago." When Meredith just looked at him patiently, he sighed. If she really wanted to know, she could find out on her own, though he suspected that she wouldn't do that. "I was wrongfully diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to Mental Health," he said bluntly. "I was locked in a padded cell for three days and shot up with antipsychotic drugs, which only made things worse."
Meredith gasped. Okay, this was way worse than she thought it was. Dear God. No wonder the man had a problem talking with psychiatrists.
"If it hadn't been for something that could very easily not have happened, no one would have known the truth, and I'd have been in there for the rest of my life," Daniel finished.
"I . . . I am so sorry that happened to you, Daniel. It must have been a terrible experience."
"Definitely not on my list of top ten favorite moments."
"Well, I certainly understand your reaction now. If I had known this, I would have gone about things differently. When I asked you to talk about your feelings regarding your parents, I honestly did do it for Danny's sake. I believed that hearing you open up about it would encourage him to do the same."
Daniel frowned, eyes turned to the ground. "Do you think that's the only way?"
"No, it's not the only way. We made good progress today in building trust between us. Once he feels completely at ease with me, I'm hoping that he'll be more willing to talk. It'll take a bit if time, but we'll get there. It didn't take long for me to see that Danny has bonded with you quite strongly because you were there for him when he was suffering from an extreme emotional trauma. After something like that happens to a child, it's very important that they have someone to hold on to, someone to make them feel safe and loved. It makes all the difference in the world to how quickly and fully they heal." Though she was tempted to do so, she did not add that she knew Daniel did not have that. "It's quite clear that he adores you," Meredith smiled, "and is even a bit protective of you. I'm betting that if he ever thought that someone was threatening you in some way, he'd go at them tooth and nail."
Daniel smiled, remembering Danny's reaction to Ferretti's "geek" comment. "I'm afraid you're right about that."
"So, what would be a good time for me to come over tomorrow?" Meredith asked.
"After lunch would be best."
"Okay. We'll see you then."
Daniel watched the psychologist leave, some of the words she'd spoken rising back into his mind. With a thoughtful and slightly troubled frown, he headed back to the house.
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