Nate rarely ever visited, but now that Charlie was starting to get older and it was easier to travel with him, he was coming to Miami more and more often, much to Madeline's happiness. Granted, the reason why he visited this time was because one of his friends needed help, but she was still happy to see them. Because of the mission he and Michael were on, Sam happened to be spending the night. Madeline had protested, but Sam offered to help with her grandchild if she needed it, which she had taken him up on.
After putting Charlie to sleep, Madeline decided to turn in because she knew that three-year-olds often woke up early. Unfortunately, a half hour after she fell asleep, a just turned three-year-old Charlie walked out of Michael's room and into the living room, looking for his grandmother. When he couldn't find her, he turned to Sam, a little cautiously.
"I can't go to sleep," he said softly, grabbing Sam's attention. He hadn't realized that Charlie had walked out of his room because he was so enthralled with the football game he was watching.
"What was that?" Sam asked. "You can't fall asleep?" he asked. Sam had always wanted kids and he thought of himself as good with them, so he instinctively patted the couch next to him. "Come watch some football with me." Charlie obliged, albeit a little cautiously. He pulled himself up onto the couch and sat down, looking at the TV. He had no idea what was going on, but he watched the game as if he did. Charlie and Sam sat silently for a few minutes before Charlie relaxed into Sam's body, the heat radiating from the older man pulling him closer to sleep. Sam looked down at the boy, who's head was resting against his upper arm. He felt warmer then a three-year-old should so he moved the opposite arm across his body and placed his hand against Charlie's forehead. He was burning up. The reason why he couldn't fall asleep was because he was showing signs of a cold.
"Do you feel okay, Charlie?" Sam asked, a little worried for the boy.
"My throat kind of hurts," Charlie responded sleepily. That's when Sam started to slightly panic. What was he suppose to do with a sick child? He didn't want to wake Madeline up, but he knew that he couldn't deal with a sick child and if he didn't tell her, he would never live it down. Besides, Madeline knew better then he did about what to do with a sick child. That's when he stood up and picked Charlie up, resting his best friend's nephew on his hip and walking to the master bedroom. When he got there, he softly knocked on the door and then let himself in.
"Maddie," he said. That's when Madeline gave a soft groan and moved around in the bed so she was facing away from the door.
"Go away, Sam," she said. "You can do it tomorrow," she added before Sam could mention the fact that her grandson was sick.
"I think Charlie has a fever," Sam replied. The sleepiness that Madeline was feeling immediately left her body when she heard that Charlie had a fever. She sat up in bed, covering her body with the comforter and looked at the man holding her grandson.
"Bring him here," she said as she patted the empty bed. Sam walked into the room and when he reached the bed, he passed Madeline the boy in his arms. When Charlie was in her arms, Madeline set him in her lap and placed a small hand against her grandson's head, much like Sam had done.
"I don't feel good, Grandma," Charlie said softly.
"You have a fever, baby," Madeline said just as softly. She wrapped her arms around Charlie and pulled him in close, which Charlie didn't protest against. He moved around in her embrace so he was lying on his side, his shoulder resting against her body and he was facing towards Sam, who was standing next to them.
"What can I do, Maddie?" Sam asked, a little worried. Madeline didn't look too worried about Charlie being sick, but she also wasn't new to having a sick child.
"I have a can of chicken noodle soup in the pantry, if you don't mind heating that up," she said as she moved around on the bed so she was resting against the headboard.
"Sure," he said as he walked out of the room and into the kitchen so he could make Charlie his chicken noodle soup. In the meantime, Madeline softly whispered things to Charlie as he cuddled even closer to his grandmother for the heat. In turn, Madeline moved the comforter and pulled it over Charlie's small body. Within minutes, Sam was walking back into the room, slowly, with a warm bowl of soup on top of a kid's lap tray that Nate had brought. He walked to the side of the bed Madeline and Charlie were sitting on and placed it on the bed so Charlie could eat it. Charlie moved around on Madeline's lap so he was sitting properly to eat the soup.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Madeline said as she grabbed Sam's hand and comfortingly squeezed it. Sam smiled at Madeline in response. "What do you say, Charlie?" she asked as she looked down at Charlie, who had picked up the spoon and was about to start eating his soup.
"Thank you," Charlie said as he looked up at Sam and smiled.
"No problem, kiddo," Sam said as he ruffled Charlie's hair and then started to walk out of the room. When Charlie noticed that Sam was about to leave, he turned around slightly and looked at Madeline.
"Where's he going?" he asked as Sam exited the room.
"Do you want him to stay?" Madeline asked, unsure of why Charlie was wondering where Sam was going. Charlie nodded his head.
"Sam, honey," Madeline called out to the man she considered one of her own. Sam walked back into the room immediately. "Charlie wants you to stay." A big grin appeared on Sam's face as he walked further into the room. Sam was about to sit on the chair in front of Madeline's vanity when Charlie stopped him.
"Right here," Charlie said as he pointed to the empty space next to Madeline. Charlie was the kind of kid that was comfortable with anyone, but he was even more comfortable with someone if he knew them and since Sam had been the one that had been in the living room when he first walked out of Michael's room, he was fairly comfortable with the older man. Sam looked at Madeline for her approval. Madeline shook her head approvingly and Sam walked around the bed and sat down. Madeline shrugged her shoulders when Sam looked at her questioningly. Three-year-olds did the darnedest things. That's when Charlie started eating his soup. Silence fell over everyone as Charlie slurped his soup. A few minutes passed when he finished it and then laid back against Madeline. Noting the change of position in Charlie and the empty bowl, Sam picked up the kid's tray from Madeline's lap and carefully moved it so it was on the ground. Madeline rubbed Sam's arm in thanks and she smiled at the man sitting next to her. Charlie moved again like he had been before Sam brought the soup. He was lying on his side against Madeline, his shoulder resting against her body, and he was looking at Sam. Madeline draped her arms around Charlie's body comfortingly as he rested his head in the crook of Madeline's neck. Sam couldn't help but to smile at Madeline with her grandchild. He never got to see this side of her, so it was a nice change.
"Is she comfortable, kiddo?" he asked. Charlie nodded his head at the older man as he continued to watch him, a sleepy smile pulling at the edges of his mouth. Madeline started rubbing Charlie's back when she noticed his eyes drooping from sleep. She smiled at the exchange between the two of them.
"Get some sleep, sweetheart," Madeline said softly to Charlie. "I love you," she said, just as softly, as she kissed her grandson's head. Charlie's breathing slowed down, pulling him closer and closer to sleep, at the closeness to his grandmother and the heat that radiated from her body. Now it was Sam's turn to smile at the exchange between the two of them.
"I think we have a grandma's boy," Sam said. Madeline couldn't help but to laugh.
"He's sick, Sam," she said. "All kids are clingy when they're sick," she added.
"Well, either way, you two are adorable together," Sam noted. "Anyway, I'm going to leave you two alone and go watch the end of that football game." That's when he started to get out of the bed.
"Thank you, baby," Madeline said as she smiled appreciatively at Sam. "Hold on," she said before Sam could get too far. She then pointed to her cheek. Sam stopped before doing as Madeline said, planting a kiss on her