Post by FicWriter on Apr 25, 2009 14:30:19 GMT 10
Picking Up The Pieces
Chapter 16
by JD
It was Colin McDowell who would be accompanying Daniel to his parent's funeral. The discussion over whether to allow the boy to attend had been argued back and forth between the various adults interested in his welfare for several days prior to the final decision being made. The arrangements had all been taken care of by those at the museum who knew the Jacksons the best. From the very beginning Dr. Landry had been adamant about wanting Daniel present, in fact, it was the archaeologist's opinion that allowing the young boy to attend would give the boy a chance to find the closure he hadn't been able to find yet on his own.
His feelings differed from those of Margaret Hastings at Child Protective Services however, she held firmly to the belief that the child should be kept as far away as possible. As far as she was concerned, what "healing" might happen had already begun, and seeing his parents would only undo the progress he was making. In her mind, the boy had seen enough at the museum. He'd been through the trauma of having witnessed the accident that had taken his parent's lives, he certainly didn't need to be pulled out of his home for a fresh reminder of that day now.
Having come to know the quiet boy in their care better than Ms Hastings, his Foster Parents found themselves falling into agreement with those at the museum. It wasn't easy to get him to open up about how he was feeling, but there was no denying that the decisions that had been made to prevent him seeing his parents both at the time of the accident, and in the hospital afterward still haunted him. It was their opinion that letting Daniel say good-bye to his parents might be exactly what he needed to do in order to finally move on. On the day of the accident he had been dragged screaming from the display room while his parents were still alive. When he'd repeatedly asked about going to the hospital to see his parents he'd been told he needed only to be patient, and if he did as he was asked he would be able to see both of them. The McDowell's themselves didn't understand why those involved thought it best to lie to to the child, but they had, and so, when eventually the news of their deaths was broken to him it left him reeling. All of that had only been words though, and both of the McDowell's held onto the belief that until Daniel could see the truth for himself, he would never fully accept it as fact. Daniel was not a naive child, and though they hadn't had the boy in their home long, they were finding that he was not one of those children who would accept anything less than the complete truth, which was bringing them to their next problem.
In the initial letter that Child Protective Services had received from Nicholas Ballard, the man had expressed his shock over the news of his daughter and son-in-law's unexpected deaths. What surprised them all though was the man's decision not to attend the funeral. In the letter he claimed it was due to his hectic work schedule, but Colin wondered if there was more to it then that, this was his daughter after all. Even more outrageous, in Colin's eye though was the man's second decision, and that was to leave his grandson in foster-care rather then make arrangements to take him in himself. With everything that Daniel Jackson had gone through, and had yet to face, both the McDowells and Mrs. Hastings had decided that they would wait until after the funeral to break the news to the boy. It was not a conversation any of them were looking forward to. They knew that Daniel had been clinging to that thread of hope since the day he'd been placed into the system, once it was taken from him, what would he have left? In a way, it was that news that had changed the caseworker's mind on allowing the young boy to attend the day's ceremony. Maybe seeing the familiar faces of those his parents had worked with would show him he wasn't really as alone as he might think he was. Granted, they might not make up for his grandfather's absence, but, they would be friendly faces for him, and he needed that now more then ever. While she wasn't one hundred percent sold on her decision, once it was made Mrs. Hastings embraced it fully, she could only hope they wouldn't regret it once it came time to reveal the truth to the child.
"Daniel, you ready to go?" Colin McDowell finished pulling his jacket on then grabbed his foster-son's from the hook on the wall as he waited for the boy to join him.
"I'm ready." The thump of his shoes on the stairs announced his arrival before he appeared around the corner, and Colin held his jacket out to him as he did.
"Put this on, we've got to go, we're running late." Opening the door, he let the 8 year old scoot out under his arm before following him .
"Did the letter from my grandfather come yet? Is he going to be at the cemetery?" The questions were the same ones he'd been asking for days, and he couldn't quite hide the touch of fear that registered in his words. What if his grandfather didn't come? What if his grandfather didn't want him? As the questions flashed through his thoughts a sense of panic started to rise in him.
"No." The word was out before Daniel even realized he'd voiced it aloud and it prompted Colin McDowell to stop him, delaying his own response at the same time.
"No, what, Daniel?" He dropped to a squat so he was eye to eye with the boy as he reached over to put one hand on his shoulder.
"Nothing..."Dropping his eyes to the sidewalk, the young blond kicked at some loose gravel at his feet.
"You know you can talk to me about anything." As hard as it was, he held back on initiating any further physical contact, leaving that decision to Daniel himself.
"I know." Daniel rubbed at his eyes but refused to say anything more.
"All right, if you change your mind, just tell me." When he remained quiet, Colin gave him a brief smile, then released his hold on the boy and stood and before making his way to the car.
"Okay." The word was left hanging in the air as he trailed after the man. What if his grandfather didn't come to the funeral? What if his grandfather really didn't want him? Anything else his foster-father said to him was lost as the thoughts grabbed hold of him.
It was going to be a long drive.
To be continued...
Chapter 16
by JD
It was Colin McDowell who would be accompanying Daniel to his parent's funeral. The discussion over whether to allow the boy to attend had been argued back and forth between the various adults interested in his welfare for several days prior to the final decision being made. The arrangements had all been taken care of by those at the museum who knew the Jacksons the best. From the very beginning Dr. Landry had been adamant about wanting Daniel present, in fact, it was the archaeologist's opinion that allowing the young boy to attend would give the boy a chance to find the closure he hadn't been able to find yet on his own.
His feelings differed from those of Margaret Hastings at Child Protective Services however, she held firmly to the belief that the child should be kept as far away as possible. As far as she was concerned, what "healing" might happen had already begun, and seeing his parents would only undo the progress he was making. In her mind, the boy had seen enough at the museum. He'd been through the trauma of having witnessed the accident that had taken his parent's lives, he certainly didn't need to be pulled out of his home for a fresh reminder of that day now.
Having come to know the quiet boy in their care better than Ms Hastings, his Foster Parents found themselves falling into agreement with those at the museum. It wasn't easy to get him to open up about how he was feeling, but there was no denying that the decisions that had been made to prevent him seeing his parents both at the time of the accident, and in the hospital afterward still haunted him. It was their opinion that letting Daniel say good-bye to his parents might be exactly what he needed to do in order to finally move on. On the day of the accident he had been dragged screaming from the display room while his parents were still alive. When he'd repeatedly asked about going to the hospital to see his parents he'd been told he needed only to be patient, and if he did as he was asked he would be able to see both of them. The McDowell's themselves didn't understand why those involved thought it best to lie to to the child, but they had, and so, when eventually the news of their deaths was broken to him it left him reeling. All of that had only been words though, and both of the McDowell's held onto the belief that until Daniel could see the truth for himself, he would never fully accept it as fact. Daniel was not a naive child, and though they hadn't had the boy in their home long, they were finding that he was not one of those children who would accept anything less than the complete truth, which was bringing them to their next problem.
In the initial letter that Child Protective Services had received from Nicholas Ballard, the man had expressed his shock over the news of his daughter and son-in-law's unexpected deaths. What surprised them all though was the man's decision not to attend the funeral. In the letter he claimed it was due to his hectic work schedule, but Colin wondered if there was more to it then that, this was his daughter after all. Even more outrageous, in Colin's eye though was the man's second decision, and that was to leave his grandson in foster-care rather then make arrangements to take him in himself. With everything that Daniel Jackson had gone through, and had yet to face, both the McDowells and Mrs. Hastings had decided that they would wait until after the funeral to break the news to the boy. It was not a conversation any of them were looking forward to. They knew that Daniel had been clinging to that thread of hope since the day he'd been placed into the system, once it was taken from him, what would he have left? In a way, it was that news that had changed the caseworker's mind on allowing the young boy to attend the day's ceremony. Maybe seeing the familiar faces of those his parents had worked with would show him he wasn't really as alone as he might think he was. Granted, they might not make up for his grandfather's absence, but, they would be friendly faces for him, and he needed that now more then ever. While she wasn't one hundred percent sold on her decision, once it was made Mrs. Hastings embraced it fully, she could only hope they wouldn't regret it once it came time to reveal the truth to the child.
"Daniel, you ready to go?" Colin McDowell finished pulling his jacket on then grabbed his foster-son's from the hook on the wall as he waited for the boy to join him.
"I'm ready." The thump of his shoes on the stairs announced his arrival before he appeared around the corner, and Colin held his jacket out to him as he did.
"Put this on, we've got to go, we're running late." Opening the door, he let the 8 year old scoot out under his arm before following him .
"Did the letter from my grandfather come yet? Is he going to be at the cemetery?" The questions were the same ones he'd been asking for days, and he couldn't quite hide the touch of fear that registered in his words. What if his grandfather didn't come? What if his grandfather didn't want him? As the questions flashed through his thoughts a sense of panic started to rise in him.
"No." The word was out before Daniel even realized he'd voiced it aloud and it prompted Colin McDowell to stop him, delaying his own response at the same time.
"No, what, Daniel?" He dropped to a squat so he was eye to eye with the boy as he reached over to put one hand on his shoulder.
"Nothing..."Dropping his eyes to the sidewalk, the young blond kicked at some loose gravel at his feet.
"You know you can talk to me about anything." As hard as it was, he held back on initiating any further physical contact, leaving that decision to Daniel himself.
"I know." Daniel rubbed at his eyes but refused to say anything more.
"All right, if you change your mind, just tell me." When he remained quiet, Colin gave him a brief smile, then released his hold on the boy and stood and before making his way to the car.
"Okay." The word was left hanging in the air as he trailed after the man. What if his grandfather didn't come to the funeral? What if his grandfather really didn't want him? Anything else his foster-father said to him was lost as the thoughts grabbed hold of him.
It was going to be a long drive.
To be continued...