By the time Monday morning rolled around, Mason had been at the Peterson's house for almost 48 hours. Not that this is the first time it's happened. In fact, he's once spent a whole week here during the summer.

Mason had been so focused on taking care of Jamie that it didn't even register what day it was until Carrie poked her head into the room.

"Mason? It's Monday, which means you've got to get to school."

Mason groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. I won't let you miss classes because Jamie is sick. You can come back afterwards. I'd say to get homework for him, but I don't think he's in any state to do anything you bring for him. I already called the school so they know not to expect him."

"But, who will-"

"Me. The girls are going to be at daycare- could you bring them there on your way to school?- and I will take the time to properly look after my sick baby like a mother should. You've been absolutely wonderful, but I still need to help. I worry too much when I'm not."

Mason nodded dejectedly and got ready to leave, though he doubted he could focus on classes when Jamie was this bad.

"Yeah, of course. I can take them."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yep! I've been there many times with Jamie to pick them up. It won't be too long of a walk for them?"

"Oh, right. Jamie usually drives them when I don't take them. Okay, I'll drive all three of you."

"You don't-" Mason started to say, but was cut off when Carrie gave her Mom Look.

"I will, and that's final."

Throughout the day Mason tried to focus on his classes, but his mind kept to his best friend who was laying in bed at home.

At lunch, Brodie was already at their table when Mason arrived.

"Hey, man. Do you know where Jamie is? I didn't see him in class today."

"Home. He's sick. He's got a fever of 103.1, last time I checked."

Brodie's eyes widened. "Shit, dude. Is he still alive?"

Mason flinched. "Please don't say that. I'm already stressed out enough about it. His mom kicked me out this morning, wouldn't let me skip to help get him better. She said she'd update me, but I haven't gotten a text since first period."

There was a strange look in Brodie's eyes, but Mason wasn't sure how to interpret it.

"You were at Jamie's?"

"Yeah," Mason said, albeit confusedly. "I thought you knew. Didn't I text you?"

"Yeah, that you were heading over on Saturday. Not that you were staying until Monday morning when his mom kicked you out."

"Well, that wasn't intentional. He was pretty bad, and the girls were home, so I told Carrie that I'd take care of him for her. I mean, I always have before."

"Riiight." Brodie was still giving him that odd look.

Before Mason could ask about it, Kellen joined them and, after greeting Mason, started talking to Brodie.

There was no one else to talk to at this moment (he didn't really converse with anyone other than Brodie, Kellen, and, of course, Jamie. During lunch anyway), so he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Jamie asking how he was doing.

Rather than seeing how Jamie was doing, it would be a quick check to see what level of sick Jamie was at right now. If he was doing better, he could look at his phone and possibly answer, but if not, then he wouldn't check it at all. So if he didn't get a response, Jamie may or may not be feeling better. If he did, then Jamie was doing okay.

Mason waited a few seconds before rationalizing that no matter how Jamie was doing, he probably wouldn't get any response soon. Instead, he opened the chat with Jamie's mom and texted her.

How is he?

Mason set down his phone and took one bite of his pizza before his phone pinged.

Better. He's gone down to 102.8. I got some more soup into him, but he wasn't able to keep it down. He's sleeping now, so I hope his temperature goes down again by dinnertime.

He pursed his lips in concern. He never liked it when Jamie threw up; it always made him cry. But if his temperature went down, then at least there's that.

Suddenly, and finger poking his arm, broke him out of his train of thought.

"Hey," Kellen and Brodie were looking at him. "You got this look on your face. Is he doing okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, he's a bit better. His temperature is only at 102.8, but he wasn't able to keep his food down. He's sleeping now."

Their eyebrows shot up.

"Only 102.8?" Kellen blurted out, incredulously.

"Yeah, he was at 103.1 yesterday and this morning."

"Shit, man. I'm sorry." Why was he apologizing to Mason? "Let him know we hope he gets better soon, okay?"

"Yeah, of course. But he can't really check his phone, so…" Mason trailed off.

"Oh, I meant when you go over after school. I mean, you are going over aren't you? I kinda assumed-"

"Oh! Oh, yes I am. Yeah, okay. I just thought you meant- nevermind."

"Would we stop by when it's not as bad? Do you know how this happened?" Brodie asked, and Mason was grateful for the (somewhat) change in subject.

"Yeah, I'll talk to Carrie about when that would be. And I have no idea, actually," Mason said shamefully. "It really worries me, cause how'd he get so bad so quickly? I have no idea, and I'm not sure how to help, and I don't know how to prevent this from happening again, and I just-"

"Whoa, dude," Kellen cut him off. "I'm sure he's fine and that this was a one-time fluke accident, but stressing yourself out this much isn't going to help him any. Being calm and collected helps you focus and will help you get more done in the long run."

Mason was grateful for the support, but before he could voice this, Brodie laughed and said; "Dude, have you been reading those inspirational books again?"

Kellen, always the mature one, stuck out his tongue and said; "Fuck you."

Brodie just laughed again and said; "Love you too, man."

Mason loved his friends, but some days they were just a bit much. So he simply rolled his eyes and went back to texting Carrie for the rest of lunch.

The second half of his day went much like the first. He was able to focus a bit more on his classes, now that he knew that Jamie's temperature went down some.

Before he knew it, the day was done, he had all of Jamie's homework and was outside, ready for Carrie to pick him up to bring him home again.

Soon enough, her car was pulling into the school parking lot, and Mason rushed over and climbed in the passenger seat.

"Mayn!" Came a shriek from the backseat. (A/N pronounced 'May-n'. Two syllables, not 'main'. She's trying to say his name. She's got the first part and needs to get the 'so' in there.)

Mason turned around and grinned at the two young girls in the back. "Hey, Elisabeth! Hi, Anne Marie! Don't you two look lovely today?"

They laughed and swung their arms around, and Mason reached back and gave both of them some kind of messed up high five/fist bump before turning back around to face the front.

"How was school?"

Mason felt a tightness in his chest. It was so very domestic and he wished his own family was like this. A mom picking him up from school and siblings being happy to see him. Instead, he got a family that seemed kind of distant to each other. Sometimes he felt like no one in his family really cared about how he was feeling.

"It was okay. Wasn't able to focus much, though. I got Jamie's homework. Also, Brodie and Kellen would like to come over when Jamie's feeling better, if that's alright."

"As long as Jamie's up for it, it's fine."

Mason helped get the girls inside, and as he's about to go upstairs to Jamie, a hand grabs onto his sleeve. Anne Marie.

She doesn't say anything, rather points at the table where their mother is spreading out the artwork they made during the day.

They mostly consist of flowers, hearts and sloppily drawn stick figures, but Mason can see that bigger of the three is also drawn in a bed. Jamie and the two of them.

"Are those get well cards for Jamie?"

She nodded with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh, Anne Marie, that is so sweet! I'm sure he'll love them!"

She tried to grab the pile, knocking the papers all over the floor.

"Oops! Let's get this cleaned up, girls!" Carrie said as she swooped down to pick up the scattered papers.

Anne Marie, not really listening to her mother, grabbed one page in particular and handed it to Mason.

It was upside down, so he turned it around to see that it was another drawing of Jamie in bed, but this one also had another tall person next to the bed. The person had wild, curly hair and glasses.

"Oh," Mason whispered. He knelt down so that he was at eyes level with her. "Is this supposed to be me?"

She nodded again, with a shy smile now.

"Thank you. I love it so much." He held out his arms and she threw herself into his chest. He squeezed her tight for a second before letting go, looking up to see Carrie watching them with a huge smile, tears filling her eyes. He sent her a watery smile in return before helping to pick up the remaining pictures.

"They love you, you know. You're like a brother to them. And you look after and take care and love their big brother."

"I-" He didn't know what to say. "I… I should probably get up to Jamie now. See if he's awake."

He bolted out of the kitchen and up the stairs before she could see him cry. Their words and actions were so sweet and made Mason's heart swell and he had to press the heel of his palm against his eyes.