Nikki couldn't help but worry when one of her babies was under the weather, especially since Donovan's illness where they had almost lost him, the deafness being a small price to pay for having him still with them. The twins had been ill a few times since they had been born and Nikki understood that babies were very susceptible to illness, breast fed babies less than others, but it still worried her when they were ill like it did all mothers.

She cradled Gabriel to her as she felt her son's forehead again and felt him burning up, the baby shivering slightly against her as she kissed his forehead where her hand had been. Nikki wondered if it was a mother thing that made her always fear the worst when her sons had even the smallest temperature but Gabriel's was higher than he'd ever had and it reminded Nikki very much of when Donovan had been ill. Despite herself Nikki carefully pulled up his t-shirt just to check his body for any sign of a rash, letting out a relived sigh when she saw that his skin was clear. Gabriel then let out a small whine and attempted to push Nikki away, wrapping his two small hands around her own and closing his eyes, making the movement to push her hand away even though the six month old had no strength to do so.

"Hey" Nikki cooed quietly and kissed his hot forehead, her son looking up at her with tear filled eyes that made Nikki want to cry as well "After daddy has seen the planes we will take you home okay Gabriel" she murmured and saw Gabriel's eyelids begin to droop.


A few minutes later he was asleep against her, still shivering and warm, and Nikki kissed him again, looking up just as Harry walked into the cool hanger with Donovan in the buggy. He made his way over to her and Nikki stood up, Gabriel in her arms.

"I want to get him home"

"I know, we'll go home" Harry agreed with her when he saw how ill Gabriel was looking and the way he whimpered in his sleep, his cheeks flushed red.

"I'll carry him" Nikki shook her head when Harry went to take him from her and put Gabriel in the buggy. Harry nodded in understanding and they then made their way towards the exit, Nikki worrying about the warm baby in her arms.


"Harry his temperature is thirty eight degrees" Nikki told Harry quickly as he walked into the bedroom where his lover had placed Gabriel on their bed, the thermometer in her hand as she looked at the result and then at their quietly crying son who was surrounded by blankets.

"I think he's got flu" Harry explained as he saw Gabriel shivering and he reached over to pick the baby up, Nikki seeing him push up Henry's t-shirt to check his torso.

"I checked"

Harry smiled slightly as he cradled Gabriel to him and Nikki stood up.

"Where the hell did he get flu from?" Nikki then asked in confusion and Harry looked away from where he was talking quietly to Gabriel.

"William wasn't feeling too good a few days ago, you were out when he came around a few days ago but he didn't stay for long, he didn't want to infect the boys" Harry explained and Nikki sighed, running one hand through her hair as she looked at the baby who was looking even worse.

"He needs fluid" Nikki told her lover suddenly, remembering reading it in one of the baby health books that they had. "Give him here"

Harry gave their son to Nikki and she sat down on the bed, drawing her legs up to her chest as she undid her blouse and let Harry undo her bra for her. She pushed it off and offered Gabriel one of her breasts, the young baby refusing for a few seconds before latching on and beginning to feed from her, his skin burning against hers. Harry placed a pillow under him to relieve Nikki's arms slightly and his lover smiled at him. While the babies were eating soft foods already to help them to get extra vitamins that the milk didn't give them they were still feeding from Nikki, mainly during the night or in between soft foods.

"I hate it when they're ill"

"I know" Harry nodded and kissed her forehead "Do you want me to call the on call doctor?"

"Please" Nikki replied and leant her head against the headboard, she had just been about to tell him to call the doctor to come and check on Gabriel.


"Young Gabriel does have the flu" Dr Jenkins confirmed as he finished checking the baby who was in Nikki's arms and trying to hide his face from the new man that had only seen him when he had been younger and couldn't recognise him. Harry and Nikki however had so they were comfortable with him diagnosing their son. "I can give him some liquid antibiotics to stop a secondary infection; you can give it to him when you feed him"

"I breast feed" Nikki told the doctor who nodded and gave her a smile as he pulled out a prescription sheet and began to write on it "But we give them soft foods as well"

"It's in drops so you can just slip it into his mouth as he's feeding from you, two drops every six hours when he feeds" Dr Jenkins continued and Nikki nodded, stroking Henry's hand gently as the baby started to fall asleep. "I suggest not letting him play for a few days until the fever breaks, just let him rest and sleep in his cot without any distractions. It's amazing how babies recover when they're just left to sleep. I know it's harsh and will be hard to do but it will help him, as much as he cries and protests you have to leave him"

"Okay" Harry nodded from where he was perched on the arm on the armchair that Nikki was sitting on, reaching down to gently stroke Gabriel's hair as his son fell asleep. "What about Donny?"

"Flu is contagious as you know so if Donovan has any of the signs then give me a call and I'll come and check him over"

"Thank you" Harry smiled and glanced down at Nikki who was looking more than relieved that it was just flu "See, only flu"

"I know" Nikki nodded and kissed Gabriel's head gently "It's just after Donny I..I worry"

"That's in the nature of a mother" Dr Jenkins told Nikki kindly and she smiled and nodded, Harry chuckling and kissing his lover on the head. "If he starts to get a blocked nose just use one of those decongestant plug ins that you can get"

"They're safe for babies?"

"Very" Dr Jenkins nodded and Harry made a mental note to buy one for now and for any later dates as well "You can get the refillable ones as well; they're your best bet. Just don't put any of the Olbas Oil on his clothes or cot, it can be overpowering for a child his age"

"Thank you" Nikki replied as the doctor handed Harry the prescription request.

"You're very welcome" the doctor smiled and then looked at Gabriel who was still in a fitful sleep, his face slightly red and sweaty "You get well soon" he told the baby even though he was asleep and Nikki giggled.

"I'm sure he will" Harry chuckled and stole a quick kiss from Nikki before standing up to show the doctor out of the house, thanking him as they went.


"I know, it's not very nice being ill is it?" Nikki sighed as she put Gabriel in his cot to sleep, the baby clinging to her and crying loudly, his nose starting to stream. She picked him up and carried him over to the chest of drawers, plucking a soft tissue from the box on top and gently wiping his nose even though Gabriel protested and turned his head away from her. "You have to sleep now though, sleep will make you all better"

Gabriel just coughed and buried his face in Nikki's shoulder, his small hand gripping at her pyjama top as he continued to cry quietly.

"He's not going down" Nikki told Harry as he walked into the nursery carrying Donovan who was already starting to fall asleep, she was glad that Gabriel's cries and sobs weren't able to disturb the other twin.

"Give him here" Harry sighed and Nikki allowed her lover to take their son from her, kissing him on the forehead as Gabriel began to cry even louder, reaching for Nikki as tears fell down his face "Hey you" Harry addressed the boy as he cradled him against his shoulder and rubbed his back, Nikki wiping Gabriel's nose again as he did so "You have to leave mummy alone so we can all get some sleep, you need to get better so you can play with your brother again"

He then motioned to Nikki and she gave Gabriel another kiss, her eyes filling with tears when she saw the state that her little boy was in. The last time one of them had been this ill was when Donovan had been in hospital at one month old and Nikki felt useless as her baby suffered. She felt just as useless now, knowing that she couldn't do anything to stop Gabriel's suffering except give him the medicine and hope it worked.

"Come on, calm down son" Harry murmured as he sat down on the rocking chair near the window, cradling the crying baby to him as Nikki wandered over and leant against the chair, running one hand absentmindedly through her lover's hair. "I took him so you could sleep"

"I'm fine"

"You look exhausted Nikki, go and get some sleep. It's no good to anyone if you get ill from lack of sleep"

"But..look at him Harry" Nikki whispered, never taking her eyes away from their sobbing son "I can't just leave him, it would feel like I'm abandoning him when he needs me"

"Nikki you're only in the next room, you're not abandoning him you're just being human and sleeping" Harry shook his head "Now please, go and sleep. He's my son as well"

"I know, I'm sorry" Nikki sighed and shook her head as well, running one hand through her hair as she did so. She then smiled slightly and leant down to press her lips to Harry's "I love you"

"I love you"

"Mummy loves you as well" Nikki told Gabriel, leaning down and kissing his warm forehead before standing up and walking over to Donovan's cot to do the same thing to him.


Ten minutes later and Gabriel had cried and sobbed himself into exhaustion and he had quickly begun to fall asleep in Harry's arms, his father talking quietly to him all the time and telling him stories of himself and Nikki and also of things that they were going to do as their lives progressed.

"Now let's put you to bed and you can sleep" Harry told Gabriel as he stood carried the baby over to his cot, kissing him gently but firmly to make sure the baby knew that his father loved him and then he placed Gabriel in the cot, drawing up the side "Daddy loves you very much" he murmured, stroking Gabriel's soft hair "You get better soon, mummy and daddy don't like it when you're poorly"

He then straightened up and turned to Donovan's cot, leaning over and gently kissing him on the forehead as well.

"Daddy loves you, stay strong little one"