Neave's face was blood red as she launched herself around her crib. She flexed and writhed about whilst shrieking hysterically. Her deafening screams made Alex and Mason's head pound so much they felt as if their brains were going to explode from out of their heads as they clutched them tightly and felt the throbs and pulsations coming from within. Alex sat on the white rocking chair squeezing her head in frustration, she managed to force herself in to a complete trance in a desperate attempted to block out Neave's endless wails. But it failed miserably. Now and again Alex was able to grab back her attention and draw it back to Neave's crib only to see Mason stood at the side of it looking down at her helplessly.

Every so often he would attempt to reach out to Neave, gently rubbing her back in comfort or to try and persuade her to go to him. But instantly Neave would either bat his hand away or completely turn her back to him before she carried on letting out a horrifically loud scream.

"What is wrong with her?" Mason asked, "I thought you said the shot the doctor give her would help?"

"Yeah but he said she could still get sick from it."

"Not this much!" Mason yelled over Neave's cries.

"It's just one of those things," Alex began to explain, "it's gonna get worse before it gets better."

"Alex love, it can't get any worse! I'm sorry but I cant stand to see her like this."

Alex rose from her seat and walked over to Mason, who was now aggressively running his fingers through his hair whilst staring at Neave in complete sadness. "Me neither, but it won't last forever."

"Good because I can't deal with this anymore." He told her, "there's something wrong, seriously wrong."

"Mason if it was serious Dr. Butcher would have noticed. Just try to calm down, she can probably sense you're worried."

"That's because I am!"

"Me too, but honestly she's fine!"

Mason looked back down at his daughter who was lay in her crib pounding her tiny feet against the mattress. Her reddened face was stained with endless trails of tears, Neave coughed and breathed harshly while she tugged at her hair and tried to massage her own head. Her eyes were closed, she looked as if she was ready to relax and drift off in to sleep but whenever her eyes began to close they would snap back open and Neave would give out another wail in pain.

"Alex, she is not okay," Mason insisted, "I'm going to call him now. She needs a doctor."

"And then what?" Asked Alex bitterly, "he'll tell us what he told me earlier, that she just needed her next shot and her body needs time to adjust to it. Mason, he's a doctor, just trust what he says."

"Well I'm sorry but I don't. If I'm being honest Alex, I don't want to risk anything with her it's not worth it."

"We're not risking anything!"

"How do you know? We have no idea whats happening to her Alex and I don't think this is normal for a little girl who just missed her flu shot!"

"Fine, how about this, let's see how she goes the rest of the night and then if you still want to take her to see a doctor in the morning you can. But I seriously think it just might be a side affect from her shot."

Mason nodded, "okay, but she's sleeping with us tonight. Im not leaving her alone in here."

Alex stayed silent, knowing not to disagree with Mason any more in fear of causing an argument. She watched as he carefully lifted Neave fom her crib. Neave's body was rigid, her fingers and toes curled in as she winced in pain. She instantly wrapped herself around Mason's neck and let out quiet sobs as she rubbed her head against her dad's shoulder.

Mason delicately patted Neave's back and shushed her soothingly in an attempt to calm her down. "Why don't you go bed?" He suggested to Alex, "its nearly half three in the morning and you've got work again tomorrow."

Alex shook her head, "no I want to help. It's not fair if I leave you alone with her while she's like this."

Neave whimpered loudly and tried to nestle down in to Mason chest. Alex and Mason both stood wtching her quietly as she became frustrated and unstettled.

"Listen," Mason began in a whisper, "lets put her in bed with us, she might go to sleep if she can get comfy."

Alex nodded in agreement, "yeah then maybe we can get some sleep too."

Mason snickered noisily, "yeah right! But if you can get a some sleep then that would be a bonus. I'd hate for you too be tired in work."

"Nah, I'll be fine," yawned Alex. "Come on, we best see if we can get her to sleep."

Mason lay awake staring at the blank ceiling above him. He remained completely still whilst he held on tightly to Neave who was sleeping soundly on top of his torso. She had curled up in a ball and cuddled in to her fathers embrace, making her feel warm and safe in his arms. Now and again she let out a quiet snivel, causing Mason to freeze in fright encase she woke up, but she very quickly reurned to a peaceful sleep.

Mason turned his head to the side to look at Alex, who was also now asleep. He gave a heavy sigh, he'd become so bored just lying there unable to move for the past two hours. As much as he loved his family he'd give anything just to have one normal night's sleep again. Between Neave disturbing in the night and Alex's constant snoring Mason was surprised he wasn't suffering from exhaustion. Mason vigilantly shifted under Neave's weight, careful not to wake her, and turned to Alex whose face was completely covered in her dark tatty hair. She shielded her body with the thick fluffy bed quilt, holding it tightly to her chest. And through the thick strands of hair Mason could see Alex's nose poking out above her wide mouth, which her loud snores boomed from.

Mason reached his arm out and poked Alex on the forehead causing it to bob backwards rapidly. "Alex," he whispered as he poked her in the head again, "Alex! You're snoring again."

Alex continued to snort loudly in her sleep until a sharp beeping came from the alarm clock. Mason's eyes widened in panic as he briskly put his hands over Neave's ears. But it was too late, Neave's low groans turn in to a howling wail that caused Alex to nearly jump out her skin. She leapt up from her deep sleep and tossed out of her bed, taking the bed covers with her. They shrouded her as she landed with a smack in to a lump on the hard floor.

"What's going on!" She cried over the racket coming from her alarm clock and Neave's cries.

"You've woke her up with your silly alarm!" Mason sat up and began to cradle Neave, rocking her gently in his arms. "Why are you getting up this early? We've not long got to bed!"

Alex tried to claw her way back up on the bed with her red manicured nails, "I have to be in work early! We've still got a lot to go over at the meeting so we're starting it earlier and hopefully we can leave earlier too!"

Alex leant half on and off the bed, unable to climb up on to the mattress. Alex grunted in annoyance as she began to bat her hand at the ringing alarm clock in a desperate attempt to turn it off. Mason glared at her angrily the entire time, watching fail over and over again to turn off the alarm. He continually rocked Neave who was crying in to his chest whilst he watched Alex. Eventually, she manged to send the clock flying off of the bedside cabinet and on to the floor causing the high-pitched ringing to come to a sudden stop. Alex sighed in relief and then pulled herself up on to the bed, she lay exhausted next to Mason who looked down at her in disbelief as she closed her eyes to return to sleep.

"Umm, Alex?" said Mason, "don't you need to be somewhere?"

"I'm too tired!" Alex groaned loudly.

Mason's teeth began to grit tgether as Neave's now quieter cries once again begam to screech through the apartment. "Alex! Would please stop waking up the baby!" Mason yelled jumping up from the bed and rocking her whilst he circled the room shushing her soothingly.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispered, "I'm just so so tired!"

"Me too love but I'd rather she gets more sleep than us."

Alex whimpered, "I can't believe I have to be in work in an hour! Mason, you go for me?"

Mason shook his head, "sorry, it's officially daddy daughter day. Not like either of us will actually have the energy to do anything."

"Do you have any plans?"

"No," yawned Mason, "I might take her to see my mum, I'm not sure yet. I would like to get some sleep first." Mason swayed Neave tenderly in his arms and soon enough her cries became quieter. "Hey," he whispered to Alex, "is she awake?"

Alex walked over to Mason and peered over his shoulder only to see Neave burying her tear stained face into Mason's neck. Her eyes were closed and she breathed softly as she drifted further in to a calming sleep. Alex smiled down at her daughter and gave light sigh in relief.

"She's a sleep," she told Mason, "put her back in our bed then you can both get some rest."

Mason returned to his and Alex's bed and carefully placed Neave in the center of it before climbing in next to her, pulling the bed sheets over to cover them both up. Mason cuddled up to Neave and softly stroked her hair. He smiled sweetly at her as she edged closer in to his embrace.

"I'm going to get ready for work, you too have a nice day," said Alex before kissing Mason on the cheek. Now get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"I will thanks love," Mason yawned. He listened as Alex left the room and shut the door behind her, Mason pulled Neave right up to him and kissed her on her forehead. As his lips touched her head, he felt the blazing heat radiating from her. He instantly pulled back and gulped nervously as Neave began hitting her forehead whilst wincing in pain. Mason quickly began to sooth her, he watched on as the pain seemed to vanish from her face and she returned to a peaceful sleep.