Wednesday

Jake reassuringly put his arm around Jade, looking into her teary eyes.

"There's no point in worrying, honey,"

"I can't help it, Papa," she was starting to whine a little.

"It'll be a hard day tomorrow, but I know that you're a brave girl. And don't forget that I'm going to take you and your friends to the waterpark on Friday because you deserve a reward for dealing with what you have to go through,"

"I love you," she buried her face into his chest.

"I love you, too," he squeezed her tight. "It shouldn't take too long. You're just going to get an examination and have some blood work done. It's only to be sure that your narcolepsy is the only thing that's making you go limp sometimes, okay?"

"I hate needles," her voice was muffled up against his chest.

"I know, baby, I know,"

Thursday

"Shit. This is not good," Dave walked up to the car, backpack over his shoulder. Dirk didn't need to see Dave's eyes to read on his face that something upset him.

"God dammit. I finally thought the bullying had stopped." Dave didn't say anything as he got into the car. Dirk didn't either. There was absolutely no reason to get Dave all worked up in semi-public. They'd talk when they got back to the apartment.

Dirk threw the keys on the counter and sat down on the couch.

"Okay, lil' man, tell me what happened at school today," Dave sat down next to him and Dirk put his arm around him.

"Some assholes attacked me,"

"Did they get caught?"

"No, they ran when they heard someone coming,"

"Did you fight back?"

"Not really…there were like 4 of those fuckers…I didn't think I knew how to fight well enough to take them, and I didn't want to make them mad, so I mostly just backed off…I only got hit once though before they heard someone getting close…" Dirk pulled Dave in close and kissed his forehead.

"Don't worry. We'll have another strife session on the roof next week. That'll help you learn how to fight back."

"Thanks, bro,"

"Where did you get hit?"

"My shoulder," Dirk lifted up Dave's shirt. Sure enough, he had a huge bruise on the side of his left shoulder.

"Want some ice?"

"No…this happened a few hours ago…it doesn't really matter much any more…I was just scared…" Dirk gave him a quick kiss on the lips and they hugged.

"Bro?"

"Need something lil' man?" Dirk was in his room sitting in his underwear, just watching TV. He'd put Dave to bed half an hour ago. He walked into the room in a pair of red boxers.

"Can I sleep in here with you?"

"Come here," Dirk turned off the TV, motioning towards Dave as he got in bed. He laid down right next to him and Dirk rolled on to his side. Dave cuddled up with their chests touching and put his arm around his guardian. Dirk stroked Dave's hair.

"Tomorrow's going to be fun. Get through school for me, and then I'll drive you and John to the waterpark, and we'll meet Jake with the girls,"

"Thank you," Dave mumbled.

"I love you, Dave,"

"I love you, too, Bro,"

Jade shifted around on the crinkly paper nervously while Jake talked to the doctor for her.

"Papa," her eyes filled up with tears as the doctor left to gather the equipment to draw blood. "I'm scared," Jake stood up and walked towards her. He knew that she wasn't saying this to make him feel even worse for her. She was just talking to relive some tension. The doctor came back in and Jake held her hand as she leaned back flat. She started to cry as the doctor held out her arm.