"Com'on baby, eat something for Mommy please," she begged as she held the spoon up to the baby's mouth. The little girl only turned her head away from her so she could not put the tiny spoon in her mouth. Lisa let out an exasperated sigh. The child hadn't eaten anything all day. The people at the nursery had said she wouldn't take anything, and the little she did take at the beginning of the day, she threw it all up. She could tell that she wasn't feeling very well, but she wanted her to at least eat something.

"What's wrong with her?" Greg asked as he brought the last of the groceries into the kitchen. He had talked to her earlier on the phone and heard the little girl crying. He figured something was up when she told him the only reason she was crying was because she sat her down.

"She doesn't feel well and I can't get her to eat anything," she told him.

He studied the baby as she laid her head on the top of the high chair. "Does she have a fever?"

"A small one," Lisa said as she gave up and sat the bowl aside. She stood and picked up the little girl who only cuddled up against her. "Did you take her out without her coat?"

"No," he said a little offended. "Why is it every time something happens it's my fault? She probably picked it up from one of those little petri dishes at the nursery."

She sighed and laid her head lightly against Hayden's. She was getting warmer. She grabbed an empty bottle from the counter and went to the refrigerator. She filled it with pedialyte and put it to the baby's mouth. She usually didn't like it and she figured that the fact that it was cold and she was hot was the only reason she took it. She was happy she did. She sat down on the sofa and began rubbing the child's back.

"Hey Lise, you want some pasta?" Greg yelled from the kitchen.

"Yes please," she told him. It was her night to cook dinner, but she was happy that he had taken into account that she had been busy with Hayden all evening since she picked her up from the nursery. She was happy that she hadn't had too many notes that day to study because it didn't look like she was going to get anything done that night.

She reached over and grabbed the thermometer by its handle. She tried to place the metal tip in the baby's ear, but the little girl only let out a small cry before turning her head. "Let mommy take your temperature baby," she pleaded.

Either the little girl felt sympathy for her after hearing the tiredness in her voice or she was just too weak herself to fight back because she let her take the temperature without anymore fuss. She pressed the button after sticking the nozzle in the baby's ear and a few seconds later it beeped. "One-o-one point one," she said out loud to herself. The baby's temperature had risen .5 degrees in the last couple of hours.

She put the thermometer down and picked up the cordless phone and dialed Dr. Johannsen's number. She wanted him to be on alert just incase her temperature spiked too high and she had to bring her into the emergency room. She told him what was going on and he told her just to keep giving her pedialyte and keep tabs on her temperature. She was told to keep trying to feed her just to see if she would take something even if she didn't keep it down. He said it was probably a little virus and that she should give her some Motrin for the fever, but if her temperature rose above 102 degrees to call him and bring her into the ER.

"Okay, thank you Dr. Johanssen." She hung up the phone and looked down to see that Hayden had fallen asleep. 'Well at least she's getting some rest,' she thought to herself. She had fallen asleep on the way home, but had woken up, and never went back to sleep. She knew she was tired though. She started to rub small, soothing circles in the baby's back as she let out another sigh. She could tell it was going to be a long night. This was what her mother had warned her about. She was tired, she needed to study, but she didn't want to put the baby down for fear she would wake up. If she wouldn't eat, she at least wanted her to get a little rest. A sympathetic look came to her face and she kissed the baby on the forehead. She just wanted her to feel better. She had never been this sick and she hated seeing her suffer. Even though she was asleep she could tell the baby was still a little uncomfortable.

"Food's finished," Greg said walking into the living room. He reached for the baby and Lisa handed her to him, but the little girl woke up during the transition and began crying and reaching for her mother again.

"Hayden it's daddy," he tried, figuring the little girl was just disoriented after being waken and didn't know who's arms she was in. But to know avail, her cries only grew louder as she continued to reach for Lisa.

"Just give her to me," she said taking the baby back. She already wasn't feeling well, there was no reason to make her cry.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I can take her."

"I'm sure," she said as she got up from the couch to go into the kitchen to get her food. He had already fixed it and she stood up next to the counter and began eating. After eating a few forkfuls herself she held the fork to the baby's mouth.

"Want some?" The little girl didn't respond at first so she passed the fork gently on her lips leaving some of the sauce. Hayden usually had to get a taste of a lot of things before she decided she was going to eat it. She licked the sauce off and after her mouth continued to move long after the sauce was gone, Lisa chopped up a few pieces of the pasta and placed the fork to the girl's mouth again. This time she opened her mouth to receive the contents. A small smile came to her face after she realized the baby was at least going to attempt to eat something. "You like pasta?" It was a new food for her.

"Hmmm," Greg said as he walked into the kitchen. "So she just wouldn't eat your food. Either your food's really bad or mines really good. Since I haven't died from food poisoning, I'll go with the latter."

She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "Well you know what they say, if you don't die from one thing, you die in your sleep."

His mouth fell open and she started laughing. "I knew you were trying to get rid of me. "

"I'm not. I would never," she said as she grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her so their faces were only inches apart. "I love you too much." She pressed her lips to his giving him a tender kiss before pulling away. She smiled up at him and he pressed his lips to hers, invading her mouth with his tounge as his hands went to her hips pinning her against the counter. She felt him begin to lean into her and before she could say anything Hayden started to fuss in her arms as she held her arm out to try to create space between her parents. Lisa managed to push him off a little.

"Greg, you're squishing her."

"Well you started it."

"It's okay baby," she said ignoring him.

The baby didn't cry long before she babbled a few short words in a fussy tone and hit Greg in the chest. Lisa burst into laughter and Greg smiled.

"Sorry smurf," he said before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Lisa managed to feed her a little bit more food before she began turning her head and knocking it away.

"Hey babe," Lisa said walking into the living room. She went and stood next to the television with Hayden resting against her chest. "I know you're watching the game, but do you mind running to the store to get a bottle of Motrin?"

He looked away from her and back towards the television. He looked back to them. One of them had just threatened his life, and the other had just fussed at and physically abused him.

"Do I have a choice?"

Her face fell. "Are you kidding me?"

"I'm just joking," he said getting up from the couch and grabbing his wallet.

"You better be," she said as she headed towards the stairs.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he called to her as he left house.

"Why is this crap so high?" he said to himself as he looked at the different flavors of all the different medicines down the isle. "This should be in alphabetical order."

He finally found the motrin and was about to head to the counter when his cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Get some vapor rub. She's stopped up" he heard Lisa's voice come over the speaker.

"What? You can't put that stuff on a baby."

"That's why I'm not going to put it on her. I'm going to put it on you."

"But I'm not…,"

"Greg just get the vapor rub," she told him impatiently. "And hurry back. She's starting to whine again."

"Okay, I'll take her when I get home and you can get some sleep."

"No it's fine," she said. "I'm tired, but I'm not going to class tomorrow."

"Why aren't you going to class?"

"My baby's sick," she told him as if it was the stupidest question that could be asked. "I'm not leaving her at the nursery. I called Lori, I'll get the notes from her."

"You're such a good mommy?"

She was quiet for a little while and he knew she was smiling. "Hurry home," she said sweetly.

He hung up and walked to the towards the checkout counters. He had gotten in the shortest line he could find when his phone rung again. He figured it was Lisa.

"Yes mistress," he said sarcastically, "what else can I get for you this fine evening."

"If you could come over that would be great," he heard a female voice say from the other end of the phone.

"Mel," he said.

"The one and only," she said before her voice turned serious. "Greg, I really need someone to talk to. I wish you would just come over."

"You can talk to me over the phone."

"It's too personal," she reasoned. "I just figured we were friends since we talked that night. I thought I could call you if I needed someone to talk to."

He was quiet. She had been a friend to him, albeit an almost deadly friend, but he saved himself from that and she accepted that. He just didn't trust himself being alone with her though.

"I'm not trying to pull anything," she said. "I promise."

"Mel, I wish I could," he said. "I really do, but my baby's sick and I can't leave. I have to be home tonight."

It was her turn to be silent. "Okay, maybe some other time. I hope she feels better soon."

Before he could reply, she hung up. He took a deep breath and let it out. He checked out and headed back home. When he got there he found Lisa upstairs putting Hayden's all in one pajamas on her. She was crying and he was politely informed that she had cried the whole time Lisa was bathing her. She finished buttoning the white pajamas with the pink and lilac flowers and handed her to him.

"Geesh, pipe down kid," he said as the girls cries grew louder.

He followed Lisa downstairs and she went into the kitchen and returned with a medicine drop and the motrin.

"Here take this," she tried to give it to the baby but she shook her head and began reaching for her mother again.

Without saying anything, Greg laid the little girl down in his arms and held her flailing little hands as Lisa squirted the medicine into the corner of her mouth. Her cries dampened a little as the medicine trickled down her throat and Greg handed her to Lisa as he took the bottle of Motrin. She began bouncing the baby up and down and shushing her.

"This should so be going in a completely different direction right now," he said as he put his hands on Lisa's thighs, beginning to rub them. She smiled down at him and rubbed the last of the vapor rub into his chest as she straddled him.

"Not tonight buddy," she said playfully as she pulled his shirt down.

Just then Hayden took a deep breath and they could hear the congestion. To her own surprise, she had managed to get the little girl to go to sleep long enough to take her bath and even longer since she was still asleep.

"Aww baby," she said as she reached over and picked the sleeping child up. "I hope you feel better." She kissed the little girl's nose and continued watching her. The motrin had helped the fever, and she was ecstatic that it didn't look like the little girl would be warranting a trip to the ER that night.

"She'll be fine," Greg said, beginning to rub Lisa's thighs again after seeing the worried look on her face.

She placed the sleeping baby on his chest so the left over vapors could open up the congestion a little and he placed his arm around her to keep her there safely. She climbed off of him and reached over to the night stand to turn off the lamp.

"Goodnight," she said.

Goodnight," he said. She immediately began giggling as she felt a firm hand against her backside making a loud smacking sound.

They both closed their eyes and drifted into a fatigue induced sleep. That didn't last long however as they were awaken by an antsy cry, only a couple of hours later.

Lisa opened her eyes and sighed when she saw the clock read '3:18'. She rolled over to face Greg who was coming out of his sleep also. She saw that Hayden had pushed herself up on her father's chest and had begun to wail non-stop.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know," was his reply as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, resting against the headboard.

She felt the baby's forehead before getting up and leaving the room. Greg began trying to soothe the baby, and her cries quieted a little, only to get even louder. Lisa returned soon with the thermometer and the bottle of Motrin.

"Hold her head," she said climbing back into the bed.

He held the baby's head against his chest which only served to make her cry louder. Her little hand began to flail and he caught it between his forefinger and his thumb. Lisa stuck the nozzle in her ear. "One-o-one point six," she said turning the thermometer so he could read it. She grabbed the bottle of Motrin and he continued to hold the baby's head and hand as she continued wailing, allowing her mother to squirt more medicine down her throat.

She sat and just stared at the baby. She was starting to get worried again. "Do you think her temperature is too high? Do you think I should call Dr. Johannsen?"

"He said one-o-two right?"

"Yeah, but it's pretty close."

"Give the medicine a chance to work again," he reassured her. "If it continues to climb we'll take her in. Okay?"

She nodded and wiped some sleep from her eyes before taking the baby from him. She climbed out of the bed and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Down stairs," she said yawning, "so you can get some sleep." Hayden was still crying rather loudly.

"You don't want me to stay up with you?"

"No, tomorrow's Friday. I'm not going to class, and it's the weekend. I'll be fine. Get some sleep, you have to go to work."

"Lise, if you want me to stay up with you I can."

"No it's fine."

"It woul…,"

"Greg, I said it's fine," she said sounding a little irritated now.

He studied her. He didn't know what she meant anymore. She said one thing and meant something entirely different.

"You aren't going to kill me in my sleep are you?"

"No," she told him, "but I will kill you while you're awake."

"Good enough for me," he said as he began to lay back down.

She took the crying baby and went down stairs. The cries became distant and he slipped back into a peaceful sleep, appreciative to the fact that she hadn't made him stay up with her.

She managed to quiet the baby down a little, but she was still crying on and off. When the Motrin kicked in and blunted the fever a little, she managed to get the baby back to sleep. She too had fallen asleep, when the phone rang. She looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 6:45, which meant Greg had already left for work.

"Lisa?" her mother's confused voice answered to her hello. "Are you okay sweetie? You sound sick."

"I'm fine Mom, I'm just tired."

"Well," her mother's voice changed to one of excitement, "I just wanted you to know that Jen had the baby."

"Really? What did she have?" She said getting as excited as her energy would allow her. She was still a little outdone with her sister since she failed to tell anyone that she was three months pregnant when she came to the hospital for Hayden's birth.

"A girl," her mother answered.

"That's great," she said as she began to rub the baby's back. "Now Hayden will have a girl cousin her age."

"How is my little angel?" her mother asked.

"Not too good. She's sick."

"Aww really?"

"Yeah, I was up all night with her." She looked at the now sleeping baby. She felt sorry for her sister. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. It was hard taking care of a baby, but then a smile came to her face as she realized that it was all worth it.

"Poor baby," her mother said. "I hope she feels better."

"Is Daddy still mad at me?" she asked a little more quietly. Her dad had gotten very upset with her when she told him that she wouldn't be able to make it when Jen had the baby. Between school and Hayden, she just couldn't get away. She had already felt guilty, but he made her feel even guiltier when he pointed out that Jen had dropped everything to come to her side when she went into labor. But Jen was a homemaker, and the only person inside that home at the time besides her was Ben and he could take care of himself for a few days. And of course he would never pass up the chance to tell her that if she forgot about school and got her priorities straight that she would have time to be there for her family, which she knew included Hayden. Jen had told her not to worry about it and she understood, but she still felt a little bad about it. She knew that her sister would still rather have her there by her side. She knew she felt better that Jen was with her when Hayden was born.

"Don't worry about him," her mother told her. "He'll get over it."

She knew that meant that he was still mad with her. She sighed and managed to perk up her voice a little.

"Well tell Jen and Benjamin congratulations and I hope to see the baby as soon as I can get away," she said.

"I sure will," her mother said. "And get some rest baby."

"Easier said than done."

"I warned you," her mother said.

"Bye mom," she said with a smile. She hung up the phone and passed back out within a matter of seconds.

She was up a few hours later when Hayden began fussing again. She wasn't really crying, just really fussy and wanted to be held. She called Dr. Johannsen's office and he told her to bring her in, he would squeeze her into the schedule. He confirmed both their suspicions that it was just a really bad cold. There wasn't really much she could do, but try and keep the fever down and keep her comfortable and hydrated. He also told her to continue to try and get her to eat something. He assured her that she would be fine and she went back home, pleased that the baby had decided not to cry all day like she had done the night before.

Lisa's eyes fluttered open when she heard the soft babbling coming from the baby next to her. The last two days had been hell to say the least and she didn't know how much more she could take. It was Sunday and she was hoping that she wouldn't have to miss another day of class. She smiled when she saw Hayden talking quietly to her little monkey.

"Hey sweetie, you feeling better?"

"Yeah, since I actually got a fulls night rest in forever," Greg said rolling over to face them. The babbling had woke them too.

"Shut up, I wasn't talking to you," she said giggling.

Hayden, hearing her daddy's voice turned and started to play in his face.

"Com'ere," he said picking her up and placing her on his chest. Lisa took the opportunity to scoot closer to him. "You feeling better?"

She only held the monkey to his lips so he could kiss it. "Gross, I don't wanna kiss that thing kid. You've puked on it more times than I can count."

"Kiss it Greg," Lisa said bringing Hayden's hand closer to his mouth so the monkey was pressed against his lips. He shook his head to get it off.

Hayden only giggled at the silliness of her parents.

"I'm so happy you feel better sweetie," Lisa said grabbing Hayden as she climbed out of bed. "Are you hungry?"

He smiled, knowing that she was still worried about the little girl not having eaten much over the last few days.

His cell phone rang and he grabbed it off of the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Greg?"

"Mel?"

"Yeah, how's your baby doing?"

"She's better," he said sitting up in bed and peeping out of the door to make sure Lisa hadn't come back upstairs.

"Great. Does that mean you'll be able to make it over tonight?"

"Mel," he said taking a hesitant breathe, "I don't think that's suck a good idea."

"Why not?" she asked sounding disappointed.

"Because I'm with Lisa. I have a family. She already knows about what happened before and she'd be pissed if she knew that I was still talking to you let alone if I came to your apartment."

"Well I don't see what the big deal is," she started with an attitude now. "We're friends. You can't have friends now Greg."

"Mel, I'm not coming over to your apartment. I can talk to you at work and that's it, if you can't accept that, please stop calling my phone."

He heard a click on the other end of the phone. He let out a deep breath and headed down stairs.

A/N: I hope you guys like it and Merry Christmas... It would be a wonderful present to me if you could leave a review :)