The next day, Sunday morning the kids were at the breakfast table. "Where's Alex?" Peter asked.

"She must be still asleep," replied Marcia.

"But it's not like her to miss breakfast," replied Peter.

"Well, she better hurry up, Bobby will eat all the pancakes," Greg joked.

A few minutes later Alex walked slowly into kitchen. She stopped at the counter and took a deep breath. "Good morning all," she said leaning her upper body over the countertop.

"Alex!" Marcia said getting up from the table. "You look horrible,"

Alex looked up at her. "Thanks," she replied sarcastically.

"Well, I mean-"

"I know what you mean, Marcia," Alex interrupted. She coughed hard a few times and rubbed her chest. "Wow, you need to check that cough out," said Greg.

"I'm fine Greg," Alex replied as she walked over to the table and sat down. "Really, Greg, I am," Alex then rested her head on the table.

"Well, you don't look fine," added Jan.

"Yeah," said Peter as he pulled her head up off the table. "Why don't you give us the truth?"

"I just have a cold is all," replied Alex.

"I don't think so," protested Greg. "I remember you having a bad cold when you were five, you didn't act like this,"

"Well, I've got the chills, and a bad cough," Alex began. She coughed hard again and rubbed her chest. "And my chest hurts, and I have a hard time breathing,"

"Sounds like a bad fever," said Greg. he felt her forehead. "Yeow, you're burning up, I'm gonna get mom and dad," he left the kitchen to find Mike or Carol.

Later on Carol gave Alex a thermometer to put in her mouth. Several minutes later Alex looked at the thermometer and her eyes widened. "103 degrees?!" she said with complete shock. She laid back on the couch. "My brain is gonna fry!"

"Did you have a brain in the first place?" chuckled Bobby as he walked into the living room.

"In this case, I hope not," replied Alex.

Peter came in a few moments later. "Do you have a fever, Alex?" asked Peter.

"I certainly do," replied Alex. "I've got a temperature of 103,"

"Yikes!" cried Peter.

"Don't give it to me!" said Bobby leaving the room. "I've got school tomorrow!" then he left. In that moment, it hit her.

"Oh no! School! First day of school is tomorrow!" said Alex as buried her face in the couch.

"Well, maybe if you get a lot of rest and pain killers, maybe you'll be better for tomorrow," said Peter keeping positive.

"Maybe," added Alex. "If I don't die first!"

Carol walked in. "Okay Alex, what's your temperature?" asked Carol.

"I've got a temperature of 103," Alex said to her, with disappointment in her voice.

"Wow that's pretty high, well I'll get you some juice and tylenol, for right now, go up to your bed room and rest,"

And Alex did so.

While Alex was upstairs Peter, Greg and Bobby was talking with their father while Carol and the girls help take care of Alex.

"So, do you think Alex can come to school with us tomorrow?" asked Peter.

"Well, 103 is a pretty high temperature, it could be days before she goes to school," replied Mike.

"Days?" asked Bobby. Mike nodded. "Wow,"

"I just hope it's not pneumonia," Mike mumbled under his breath.

"Pneumonia?!" Greg asked worryingly, over hearing Mike.

"Well, I hope not," Mike made clear.

"But there's a chance she has it?" asked Peter.

"Well, she has a lot of the symptoms. Weakness, pain in the chest, chills, high temperature, shortness of breath,"

"Wow, that does sound like pneumonia, but dad, can people die from that?" asked Greg. Mike paused, he didn't know what to say.

"Dad?" Peter asked from his silence. "Alex will be okay, will she?"

"Now, may I remind you she may not have it at all," Mike stated. "We'll take her to the doctor and have her checked out, then we'll see from there. Besides, very rarely people with pneumonia die,"

Later on Mike informed Carol on Alex maybe have pneumonia. "Oh, Mike," she said. "What's going to happen if she does have it?"

"Well, if she does, all we do is fallow doctor's orders, is all I can say," he replied.

"This is all too frightening,"

"Don't I know it," Mike began to laugh. "She always was climbing trees, running around everywhere, being a bit clumsy and all, she always had my brother nervous, this time she's not even trying," Carol couldn't help but to chuckle a bit.

"Mike," she said with a little bit of laughter and a little bit a fear in her voice. "Stop,"

"Okay, well, when she wakes up we'll take her to the doctor and whatever it is, we'll get through it together," said Mike pulling his wife closer to him to give her a comforting hug.

"I know I haven't known her for too long," Carol began as she lay her head on Mike's chest and let his arms wrap around her body. "But already Alex seems like, like, a daughter to me,"

Mike grinned, and was happy that Carol was so attached to Alex already, in past experiences some people can find Alex obnoxious or her dressing method was absurd, especially for a thirteen year old girl. What people don't understand is Alex is, unique. And Mike is glad that Carol can look past Alex's flaws and find the true, unique Alex that she really is.

But, Mike is scared for Alex as well. If she does have pneumonia, then things are going to get really serious and really tense for the kids.

A couple of hours later, Alex awoke from her nap, Mike had her drink a glass of orange juice and some pain killers to keep her temperature down. "Greg," called Mike.

"Yeah dad?" he asked.

"Look, we're going to take Alex to the hospital, I want you and Marcia to watch over the kids, but don't freak them out. You can notify Marcia but no one else okay?" Mike said in a hush tone.

"You have my word, dad,"

"Just tell them that we went out for a quick grocery run, and tell them that Alex is still asleep and to not go into her room,"

"Okay,"

"Just Marcia, tell her to say the same thing,"

"Right,"

"Well Mr. Brady," said the doctor. "She does have pneumonia, but luckily not too serious. So she'll need to drink plenty of fluids and lots of rest, we'll give you an antibiotic,"

"So can I go to school tomorrow?" Alex asked.

"I don't think you'll be able to go to school for a few days, you'll miss one at the least. Unless you make a tremendous recovery," the doctor replied.

"Okay," said Mike. "Thank you so much doctor," he shook his hand.

Mike, Carol and Alex walked into the front door, Greg and Marcia were sitting on the couch.

"Right to bed young lady," said Carol.

"Yeah, yeah," Alex said back as she walked up the stairs.

Greg laughed. "She sounds better already,"

"So how is she?" asked Marcia.

"She does of pneumonia," Mike began. Greg and Marcia looked at each other with worried facial expressions. "But, I believe she can make a quick recovery with the six of you kids helping out. That is making sure she takes her antibiotics bring her up glasses of juice so she doesn't have to go down and get it,"

"That's right, she needs all the rest she can get," Carol added.

"So, you think she'll be okay?" Greg asked.

"I'm sure she'll recover fast," Mike replied. "Carol and Alice can help in the mornings, I can help on Tuesday morning if she needs it,"

"And you kids can help in the afternoons," Carol added again.

"So, how long will she be sick for?" asked Marcia.

"For at least one day," replied Mike. "Could be longer, probably three days max, but probably not, since she doesn't have it too bad,"

"Yeah," Greg said with a smile. "She seemed like she was recovering already a minute ago,"

"So she should be in school by Tuesday," said Carol.

"Maybe we should wait till Wednesday, even if she is recovered on Tuesday, she should take it easy the next day, let her gain back her strength and appetite," Mike added.

"You're probably right, but she's so excited for school to start, she won't like it," Carol laughed.