"I saided that I wanted juice but papi made me 'ave the water even though I told 'im I wanted juice and then I was nearly sick on Barney..."

Lilly sighed and turned to accept the thermometer from Ben. Finn was propped up on the sofa with this bear on his lap. He had almost calmed after the tearful greeting his mother received.

"Okay, my Finn," Lilly smiled reassuringly as she inserted the thermometer in his ear. "Let's see what your temperature is and then papi will bring you some medicine and you can have a nice sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better afterwards."

"It was so hot an' I wanted juice. That water made me sick," Finn scowled at his father as he hugged Barney.

"I'm sure it wasn't the water, buddy," Ben perched on the edge of the sofa and waited with his wife for the beep of the thermometer. He then returned the look of worry his wife showed him the digital readout of 102.4.

"I'll get the Tylenol," he mouthed and made his way to the kitchen leaving Lilly to continue her examination.

"Okay, Finn," she smiled, rubbing her hands together to warm them. "Scoot on down, I want to feel your tummy."

"It aint my tummy," Finn grouched as he wriggled down, "it were that water."

"Stay still, let me see." She gently placed her hands on his abdomen and watched for any reaction but when Finn continued to whinge she knew that he wasn't in any pain.

"I should 'av stayed wif you. You didn't tell me that Grandpi was gonna be here."

Lilly pulled his shirt down. "No I didn't," she nodded and reached for her stethoscope.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because," she shrugged, rubbing the bell of the stethoscope. She pulled his shirt down slightly and placed it on her son's chest.

"Because, why?" Finn persisted, shivering as his arms broke out in goose bumps.

"Hush Finn, I need to listen," Lilly urged moving the bell from side to side.

"I hates dis," Finn continued to moan. "All dis is papi's fault."

Lilly removed the stethoscope, happy with what she heard and then palpated Finn's neck. "Does your throat hurt?" She asked.

"Nope."

"Your ears?"

"Nope."

"Anything?" She sighed and placed her hand on his forehead.

"Nofink hurts. I'm just hot," Finn started to pull at his over sized shirt.

"Okay, little man," Lilly smiled. "Let's get you sitting up and out of this." She eased him into a sitting position. "There you go," she pulled the shirt over his head and Finn grabbed Barney again.

"Can I go see grandpi now?" He pleaded and tried his hardest to give an angelic smile.

"No you can't." Ben walked back into the lounge with a tray containing medication and a jug of juice. "You need to take some tablets and then you need to sleep."

"I don't wanna. I want grandpi," Finn's voice wavered as fresh tears sprang into his eyes.

"We'll send grandpi in to see you when you've taken your medication." Ben sat on the sofa and scoped up the Tylenol tablets he'd crushed. He then dipped the spoon in some preserves and held it out to his son. "Take this quickly and then have a drink," he smiled.

Finn shook his head and folded his arms. "Don't wanna, that's yucky," he grouched.

Lilly turned and poured him a glass of juice. "Look, I've got your juice all ready," she smiled, "and grandpi is waiting to see what a big boy you are."

Finn gave them both a pitiful look before capitulating.

"Good boy," Lilly praised as she quickly passed him the juice. "Papi is going to get grandpi now," she then plucked the empty glass out of his gasp. "You just lie back down again," she urged gently as she helped him.

"I'm sure he'll read you a story if you're a good boy," Ben added and covered him with the thin throw from the back of the sofa.

"'kay," Finn mumbled and started to suck his thumb again.

Lilly reached and brushed his hair off his too hot forehead. "Won't be a minute poppet," she smiled.

"'kay."

She then stood and watched as Finn sighed and turned onto his side. Despite her son's disputes to the contrary he wasn't well.

Xxx

"He's sleeping."

Lilly looked up from the dishes she was clearing and smiled at her father. "Thanks pa, I knew you would have the magic touch."

"Not sure it was anything to do with me," Sergi shrugged, passing Hanah her shawl. "I'd hardly finished the first page before he started snoring."

"Why were you so long then?"

Niall had picked Cara up an hour ago but her parents stayed to help with the clearing away and to placate their grandson who wouldn't settle until his grandpi read him his new Thomas the Tank Engine book.

"Thomas was stuck in the tunnel," Sergi shrugged again. "I couldn't go without making sure he got out," he grinned, leaning in and kissing his daughter's cheek.

Lilly chuckled and shook her head. "Finn is going to be cross when he finds out you know the ending before he does grandpi."

"Well, he won't find out, will he?" Sergi winked and then turned to his wife. "Time to go, ma," he said motioning to the door. "It's time to get out of their way."

"I'll stop by in the morning to see how Finn is," Hanah pulled Lilly in for a hug. "I hope you get a good night's sleep."

"I am not hopeful of that," Lilly sighed.

"If there are any problems, you know where we are."

"Thanks ma."

Lilly followed her parents out of the door. "Take care," she called as she watched them climb into their buggy.

"Give Finn a big hug from us," Hanah waved.

"I will," she promised and then Lilly took a deep breath before returning into the house to start on supper.

Even though she and Ben were Platon's they were parents first and she knew how stressful it was to look after a sick child.

Xxx

"How is he?" Lilly passed Ben a cup of tea.

"Restless," Ben sighed as he turned and watched Finn toss and turn on the sofa.

Supper was done, pots washed and yet their sick boy continued to sleep. Ben had kept an eye on him as he completed the paperwork he'd brought home from the hospital.

Lilly placed her tea on the table and sat at Finn's side. "His temperature is climbing again," she placed her hand on his forehead and sighed.

Ben started to pack his work away. "I'll fetch some Tylenol," he smiled and patted his wife's shoulder on his way out of the room.

Lilly reached for the comforter and started to unravel her son. Finn's restlessness had him wrapped up like a mummy. "Oh Finn," she sighed as she removed the blanket and discovered the blotchy rash on his torso and arms.

She recognised the rash immediately. Youth-spot was a common childhood malady on Mandana and although it was rarely serious, it was very uncomfortable. The high fever and dry cough could be miserable but there was little that could be done other than making sure the child rested and drank plenty of fluids. Sometimes hospitalisation was necessary if the fever and vomiting resulted in dehydration, but most children recovered at home.

"Finny, sweetie," Lilly gently carded her fingers through her son's hair. "Wake up poppet. You need to take some medication."

She watched as Finn screwed up his face and smacked his lips. "That's a good boy," she smiled as he then slowly managed to open his eyes.

"Mami?"

"Hey, Finny."

Finn knuckled his eyes and then reached out his arms. "I don't feel good, mami."

Lilly gently picked him up and placed him on her lap. "I know you don't poppet," she soothed as she rocked him.

"My head hurts," Finn groaned, burying his face in her blouse.

"I know."

"And I'm real hot."

Lilly glanced up and flashed Ben a sad smile as he walked back in the room. "Look, here's papi and he's got some medicine to make you feel better," she told her little boy.

Ben knelt at his wife's side after placing a tray of medication and a jug of water on the table. "Hey, Finny," he greeted, squeezing his son's knee. "Think you can be a big boy again?"

Finn shook his head and then groaned. "I don't wanna be a big boy but me head hurt's," he sniffed and turned to face his father. "Will that yuck tablet stuff make my head not hurt anymore?"

"Of course," Ben smiled, reaching up and stroking his blotchy face. He then turned to his wife and sighed. "Youth-spots?" He too knew what the rash was after treated many Mandanan children for the illness.

"Yes," Lilly nodded sadly.

Ben turned to his tray and removed the thermometer. "We will see how hot you are and then I want you to take some tablets."

"'kay, papi," Finn sighed, cuddled in closer to his mother and started to suck his thumb.

Ben inserted the thermometer and waited...

"103.3," he informed Lilly sadly. "Okay, buddy," he then reached for the crushed tablets. "You know the routine..."

Xxx

Lilly poured the last container of warm water in the bathtub. Finn's temperature had risen rather than fallen after the dose of Tylenol and he was now wrapped in a towel and shivering in Ben's arms.

She tested the water with her elbow and then turned and held her hands out for her son. "Come on poppet, you'll feel much better if you have a quick bath."

Finn wrapped his legs tighter round his father and shook his head. "I d-don't w-wanna b-bath," he stuttered as his teeth chattered. "I'm c-ccold."

"I know you are buddy," Ben tried to prize his legs off but Finn reached up and grabbed him round his neck.

"N-no b-bath," he sobbed.

"How about..." Lilly stood and stroked his back. "...mami gets in with you and we play the 'I Spy' game while papi puts your mattress into our room?"

Finn turned his head and looked at her with fever bright eyes. "You m-mean I can s-sleep in y-your b-bedroom?" He sniffed and wiped his nose on the towel.

"Just for tonight, because you're ill," Lilly smiled. "If that's alright with you, papi?"

Ben nodded as he wiped Finn's tears. "Just for tonight," he agreed. "Okay?"

Finn leaned his head on his father's shoulder and nodded. "'kay," he yawned sleepily and Lilly knew they'd better get the bath done before the little boy fell asleep.

"You can start the 'I Spy' game," she grinned as she quickly removed her clothes and then gingerly lowered herself into the tepid bath. "Come on in, the water's warm," she held her hands out for Finn and Ben slowly unwrapped the blanket and handed him over.

"It's c-cold!" Finn wailed when the tepid water hit his burning skin.

"Just relax, Finn," Lilly held him close and gently splashed water on his back. "There you go," she calmly said as Finn slowly stopped wriggling and began to relax in her arms.

Ben knelt at the side of the tub and stroked his hair. "Good boy," he praised. "Papi is gonna fetch your things while you have fun with mami," he smiled. "Do you want your Mickey or Thomas pyjamas?"

"T-thomas," Finn hiccupped and rested his head against his mother's chest.

"Thomas it is," Ben leaned in and kissed his hot forehead before giving Lilly a wan smile as he left to get everything organised.

"Okay, my Finn," Lilly jostled the sleepy boy. "You chose. I spy..."

She held her son close, tipping water on his chest as he began to mumble round his thumb.

"I spy wif my ickle eye..."

He felt so hot and she knew it was going to be a long, long night.

Xxx

Ben sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his wife's curls. Dawn was breaking after a long night of illness and tears. Finn lay curled up at his mother's side finally sleeping but still hiccupping in reaction to his last crying episode.

"I'm going to see to the animals, Lils," he whispered.

"Okay," Lilly whispered back as she stroked Finn's hair off his face.

"Why don't you try and sleep while Finn does?" Ben smiled softly. "I know you didn't get much last night, sweetheart.

Finn had insisted that his mami looked after him all night. He still blamed his papi for being so ill so Ben had tried to grab as much sleep as he could. He knew he had a long day ahead of him at the hospital and he trusted that his wife would nap with Finn as much as she could during the day.

Lilly yawned and nodded. "I think I will," she agreed.

Ben tenderly kissed her forehead. "Good girl," he smiled and ruffled her hair. "I'll bring up some more medication and water before I go to work."

"'kay," Lilly mumbled and pulled her son closer.

Ben pulled a thin sheet up to her shoulders, and placed his hand on the nape of Finn's neck, happy to discover it felt cooler than it had earlier.

"Sleep well," he whispered as he turned to the window. It was going to be another hot day so he opened the shutters as wide as he could, allowing the early morning breeze to billow the curtains, and hoping it would cool the stifling room.

He glanced at his, now sleeping, wife and son and sighed. They looked absolutely adorable.

He turned and picked the tray up and left them to, what he hoped would be, a healing sleep for his son and a refreshing nap for his wife.