A/N this one shot is based on something I mentioned in my story A – Z of Jamie whump! In chapter 'W is for winter storm'. In this Jamie is 17 and Nikki is 5.
The family had gathered for their weekly Sunday dinner, Jamie know looked forward to these every week because Joe, Erin and Danny had all moved out so he rarely got to see them. But this week Jamie was lying in bed with the flu, despite assuring his parents he was well enough to sit at the dinner table they had disagreed and told him he had to stay in bed.
So Jamie was lying in his bed looking up at the ceiling, in his room it was deadly quiet but he could hear the laughter from downstairs. Not that he would actually admit this to anyone, Jamie felt left out it felt like the family were preparing for when he would be at Harvard next year instead of being home. He quickly dismissed that thought, but still couldn't completely get rid of it. He quickly decided that thinking worsened his already present headache; he sighed and rested an arm over his eyes.
Half an hour later he heard the clattering of plates which told him someone was clearing the table. He opened his eyes and waited to hear the sound of someone coming up the stairs, but everything remained quiet. He sighed and closed his eyes accepting he wouldn't be seeing his siblings this week.
Nikki throughout dinner noted the absence of her Uncle Jamie and it bothered her that no one told her where he was. At Sunday dinner she always sat next to him on her right and Joe was sat to her left and Danny sat directly opposite her, she liked this arrangement because it allowed her to see all three of her Uncles. But it worried her that there had been no Jamie, if Jamie was going to miss a Sunday dinner he would call her mom and her mom would hand her the phone and Jamie would talk to her explaining he wouldn't see her on Sunday and he would spend half an hour on the phone talking to her. Throughout dinner she had tried to ask where Jamie was but no one heard her instead listening to the jokes Henry and Joe were telling or asking how she was. She had a bit of a cold and never understood why everyone was fussing; once she had asked her grandpa this and he said it was because when her Uncle Jamie was ill it could get serious quickly.
Sat on the living room floor Nikki realized that her Uncle Jamie must be sick which was why he wasn't at dinner, she was then angry at everyone for not telling her and for not going to see Jamie. She knew Jamie liked company so knew Jamie must be miserable upstairs in his room alone. She then made the decision that she would go up and see her Uncle Jamie. Everyone was busy going something else so Nikki slipped out of the room and clambered up the stairs. She wandered down the hallway to Jamie's room and opened the door to see Jamie lying on his bed with an arm draped over his eyes.
"Uncle Jamie?" said Nikki getting her Uncle's attention.
"Nikki? What are you doing?" rasped Jamie, removing his arm and leaning on one elbow to look at Nikki.
Nikki entered the room and shut the door before walking to the edge of the bed, "I wanted to see how you were. You weren't at dinner and no one told me why. You're always at dinner unless you call me" replied Nikki looking up at Jamie, "can I sit next to you Uncle Jamie?"
Jamie's face then broke out into a wide grin; "sure you can kiddo" so Jamie leaned over and helped Nikki clamber onto the bed.
Nikki pushed Jamie's shoulders until he was lying down then leaned over him slightly and asked seriously, "are you okay Uncle Jamie?"
"I'm fine Nikki don't worry" comforted Jamie in a hoarse voice.
"You sure?" demanded Nikki,
"Yeah I'm sure" chuckled Jamie, but his chuckles turned into coughs he sat up trying to bring them under control.
Nikki turned to the beside cabinet and carefully picked up the glass of water and stared unblinking at it hoping she wouldn't spill it. Once Jamie stopped coughing she handed the glass to him. Jamie then placed the glass back on the cabinet and smiled at Nikki, "thank you Nikki"
"It's okay Uncle Jamie" replied Nikki. Jamie then laid back down on the bed after discovering sitting up made him a little dizzy; maybe his parents were right after all. But a visit from his siblings would have been nice. Nikki then laid down as well and turned onto her side so she could snuggle into Jamie's side and then moved his arm until it was wrapped around her.
"Uncle Jamie, are you sad no one came up to see you?" asked Nikki angling her head the best she could so she could look at Jamie.
Jamie sighed and looking at Nikki he could see she wanted the truth, "I was a little, but they must have their reasons for not. But you've made me feel a lot better" whispered Jamie smiling despite his sore throat.
Nikki smiled widely, she looked at the bedroom door hoping someone would come upstairs to see Jamie, but no one did. She turned back to Jamie to see Jamie had fallen asleep, she snuggled closer to him muttering, "I don't like their reasons, you like company. You shouldn't be alone when you're sick". She then closed her eye and dozed not wanting to fall asleep in case Jamie needed help with something. Jamie was always helping her so she wanted to help her Uncle.
A little while later Nikki opened her eyes to the sound of the bedroom door opening and heard a group of people talking. She slowly turned in Jamie's so she didn't wake him and saw her grandparents, mom and her Uncles Danny and Joe stood just inside the room.
"Nikki sweetheart what are you doing up here?" asked Erin,
"I wanted to see Uncle Jamie" whispered Nikki,
"He's sick Nikki" said Erin,
"I know. That's why I came up here. And shhh don't wake him up" whispered Nikki annoyed that no one else seemed concerned that Jamie was trying to sleep.
"Nikki honey maybe you should come back downstairs so Uncle Jamie can have some rest" Erin gently ordered.
"No" retorted Nikki surprising everyone, she stubbornly met their shocked gazes and added, "even though he didn't want to Uncle Jamie admitted that he was sad no one had come up to see him. And I know he likes Sunday's because it means can get to see you, and he tried defending you but I'm upset that you'd leave him alone when you know he likes people around". Nikki then slowly turned back onto her other side effectively ending the conversation. The others in the room then tried to justify why they hadn't come upstairs but they all knew Nikki was right, they had simply forgotten to check on Jamie.
Jamie then groaned and began to stir; Nikki quickly sat up and spun around to face her family again and harshly whispered "now you've woken him up!"
Before the others could say anything Jamie interrupted as he blinked open his eyes, "it's okay Nikki and you shouldn't talk to your mom like that"
"But you're sad because they didn't come see you!" argued Nikki turning to face Jamie.
Jamie groaned lightly as he sat up, "I told Nikki they have their reasons"
"If I hadn't come up here they wouldn't have!" Jamie looked up at his family to see their guilty looks. He then tried to supress his hurt look; he thought he had succeeded until Nikki burst out "see you are sad they didn't come up!"
Jamie opened his mouth to reply but instead began having a coughing fit; he leaned forward with a hand pressed against his chest in a feeble attempt to ease the hacking coughs. He was barely aware of Nikki exclaiming "I can look after Uncle Jamie!" The coughing fit ended and Nikki was holding out the glass of water for him again. He took a few sips and Nikki took it back off him. "You should lie down Uncle Jamie" urged Nikki. Jamie nodded and did what his niece advised.
After Jamie had closed his eyes Nikki turned back to the others and said "I'm staying to look after Uncle Jamie" and then she lay down beside Jamie again. Everyone else left the room, Erin, Joe and Danny cast a glance at their younger brother feeling immense guilt for not coming upstairs to see and check on him.
~ One week later ~
Jamie, now over his case of the flu, stood in the living room chuckling to himself as Nikki (also over her cold) begged her mom to be allowed to go to the park with her Uncle Jamie.
"Please mom!" begged Nikki,
Jamie saw Erin needed more persuasion and so walked over to stand beside Nikki and took one of Nikki's hands in his own and pleaded "please Erin! I'll have her back in time for dinner"
Erin unable to withstand her daughter and youngest brother smiled and nodded giving her permission. Her smiled widened when Nikki exclaimed a loud "yes!" and high fived Jamie.
"Quick Nikki before she changes her mind!" urged Jamie jogging for the door still holding Nikki's hand.
They were walking down the drive when Jamie stopped and looked down at Nikki with a smile, "want a piggyback?" he offered.
"Yeah!" enthused Nikki. Jamie laughed as he bent down and Nikki scrambled onto his back, as Jamie straightened up Nikki hugged herself closer to him and asked "we're always gonna stick together right Uncle Jamie?"
"You got it kiddo" replied Jamie smiling.
As Jamie walked them to the park the whole time they were laughing just enjoying the time they spent together. If there was one thing Jamie regretted about planning on going to Law School was that he wasn't going to be able to spend much time with Nikki, but he pushed that thought out of his mind to instead listen to Nikki describe her week.
The End.
A/N I think I got their ages wrong but please just roll with it and I'm guessing five year olds don't talk like what I've had Nikki do, but again please just ignore. Thanks for reading! And I hope you enjoyed it!