Title: Mama said

Author: Cynical

Feedback: Onlist or to Gen, angst, h/c

Pairing: none

Rating: PG-13

Date: April 18, 2005

Status: Complete

Series: N/A

Season/Spoilers: none

Synopsis: Why Daniel thinks he has to be fine.

Notes: I've read a few fics telling how annoyed Jack gets when Daniel says he's 'fine' this is my explanation of why Daniel says that..

Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I can play well with others if they'll share. :D

Warnings:

A

R

N

I

N

G

S

P

A

C

E

Possible tissue warning,

Mama Said

CynicAl

"Mama, it's important." said Danny, tugging on his mother's shirt. Claire smiled at her impatient son.

"So is this son." she said pointing to her work spread across the hotel room table.

"But I need you to help me with something."

"Okay," said Claire scooping the seven year old on to her lap. "what is it?"

Danny scooted up on her lap and pointed to his shoes. "They came un-done," he said.

"Danny," said Claire reprovingly, "you know how to tie your laces."

"I know, but I like the way you do it." said the boy petulantly.

"Danny, you know your father and I want you to learn to be able to do stuff for yourself. You have to be a strong independent person to survive in America."

"I know," the boy sulked, "but what if it's something I don't know how to do?"

"Then do your best and learn from your mistakes."

"But:-"

"I'll tell you what Danny, you go to school and live and do things as best as you can." she said looking him straight in the face. "And if you ever need help, if there is something your father and I don't think you can deal with, we will be there to help you."

Danny regarded his mother skeptically, "but what if you're not there and I need help."

"Well, then you can take that as a sign that you don't need our help, that we believe you can handle it for yourself."

Danny thought about this for a minute, and then hopped down off Claire's lap and knelt down to tie his shoes. Then he stopped and looked up at her with a very serious look on his face.

"What happens when I can handle anything?"

"Then we'll just be there to watch you and be proud of you."

"How do you know that you'll be proud of me?"

Claire smiled and ruffled his hair, "Because you are very special, and you are my son. I will be proud of you and I will love you always because I know that you could never do anything to disappoint me or your father." Danny grinned at his mother and then left her to do her work. He took her words to heart and knew without a doubt that if there was anything he couldn't deal with his parents would be there to help him through. He was wrong.

A year later, Daniel sat alone in the curator's office waiting. He knew, he knew he couldn't handle this he needed someone to help, he needed Claire to come in and tell him she was okay and her and Melbourne were going to come and help him be with him show him how to cope with the accident, but no one came. Not for hours and hours, when the curator came back with a tall plump lady who said she was going to take him somewhere to sleep.

"Où est ma mère?" he asked the woman, he was tired and forgot he was meant to speak English with strangers and not the French and Arabic spoken on the digs with his parents. The woman gave him funny look and he corrected himself, "Where is mama?" he asked again.

"Daniel," she said softly, sadly he thought later, "your mommy and daddy are dead. Do you understand what that means?" she asked.

Daniel nodded, he understood dead, like the mummies and other remains his parents excavated on digs. Dead was when the Ka left a person and went on to the next life.

Daniel didn't speak again for a year, he was waiting for Claire to come and help him tell him it was okay that he needed help but she was gone and it was too soon, they shouldn't be sitting up there watching when other kids had parents who were still helping them. But his mother had told him, if they thought he could handle it they would let him figure it out. So he did, Daniel decided if his mom thought he could handle it then he would, he would do fine on his own. He would make her proud and continue her work and his father's work too. He would just have to remember that from now on, nothing was so big he couldn't handle it by himself. If his world was shattered then he alone would be able to pick up the pieces he didn't need anybody else he was fine, because his mother had told him so.

"I'm fine." said Daniel for what felt like the millionth time that visit. Scowling at the nurse administering his medication.

Jack regarded him skeptically, "Why do you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" asked Daniel irritated, he was tired and hurting and he just wanted to be alone.

"Tell me you're fine, when everyone and their brother can tell that you are most definitely not."

"I don't know, saves time?" Daniel shrugged, and winced. "It's a pleasantry, how are you? Fine."

Jack frowned. "Daniel you're lying in the infirmary connected to more machines than you have teeth, white as a ghost, with your wrist in traction, and a fever of a hundred and two. A blind man can see you are not, fine."

Daniel's eyes glazed as the medication took effect.

"I'm not a baby, Jack. I'm a...a archaeologist and a ...a big" he frowned, "person." he decided, "I don't need your mothering...me." Daniel rolled his tongue around the words. "I will be fine, cos Mama said if I wasn't fine, she'd be there to make it fine." Daniel sighed with tears in his unfocused eyes. "and Mama hasn't come back for a...long...long time." He smiled blinking at Jack. "So I have to be fine for myself...by myself." he nodded resolute and promptly fell into a deep drugged sleep.

"Well," said Jack, wiping the tears from his friend's face. "That's explains a lot."

Fin.