Disclaimer: No one is mine except Michael and his mother, and I did a lot of research on Michael's illness.
SCID (Sever combined immune deficiency) is caused B- And T- lymphocyte Malfunction. In the absence of Adenosine Deaminess, Lymphocytes can not develop normally. ADA is Adenosine Deaminess defisency. In simple words that I understand, the victim has no immune system. The most effective treatment is a bone marrow transplant from a sibling. Even though in a few experimental cases of SCID involving ADA defisincy have been treated by inserting an active gene into lymphocytes taken from the patients bloodstream. The altered lymphocytes, which are than returned to the patients' body, particularly the rest of the immune system by changing it to produce ADA, it has to be done periodically though. That's what Michael's doing.
PS: I know all my other fanfictions need work, And I have been but to slowly to have enough to post anything up yet, sorry, I will have some parts up as soon as possible, but right now I just entered highschool and I need to pay attantion to that, plus I need some extra tutoring in spanish
Well adios and have a good read
Uh, there is little kid language in here and this has been changed from the last one I put up here but not a whole lot
WARNING WARNING MAY CONTAIN EXTREMLY ANGSTY PARTS.
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
RATING-PG-13 (just in case)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And so it begins~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave laid on his bed, listening to the quite, peaceful, breathing of his son, Michael. He had lost his job a week ago, none of the hospitals he had applied to had called him yet, and rent was due next week. Michael had another transfusion next week as well. He was going to have to get another job to support Cale, his nickname for Michael.
He couldn't believe he had gotten fired, he had done a lot worse, like when Greene accused him of beating up a patient. Why get fired of a little thing like that? He had asked himself over and over again. It was his fault he was fired of course, he knew that much. A couple of times he actually deserved to be fired, but not now he hadn't done anything most of the other doctors hadn't done.
He already knew that no other Hospital would hire him, not with what had happened with the rock kid, and anyways he didn't want to leave here, he had a good babysitter for Cale who understood that he needed special care. And he was pretty sure that no Daycare would take him in, not that he wanted to bring Cale to a Daycare.
Cale was already afraid of the hospital, always asked if he needed a shot when he was going to work. Dave made a quite laugh trying not to cry his son wasn't going to live long and he knew it. He was already three years old and, had already almost died from the flu. Every time he heard Cale say something smart or funny, his heart would break knowing that Cale could never live to be 20.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter looked around the ER, full as usual. Luka and Abby were still avoiding each other, and Weaver was still stomping around and taking cases from Jing-Mei. Greene was taking a few days off to bond with his daughter. Malucci hadn't been seen since Weaver had said he was fired, it was a good thing cuz she hadn't calmed down a bit since. Jing-Mei had told him about the conversation she had had with him. When Malucci had said he had a kid, Carter had to stop and think, Dave was right they knew nothing about him, for gods sakes they hadn't known he had a kid. That's got to be pretty hard to hide. What else didn't they know about him? "Abby I need to talk to you," He said walking toward her.
"Sure Carter," She said as they walked to the lounge, "What's Up?"
"You think Weaver's ever going to calm down?"
"She has to, there's no way anybody can stay mad for ever,"
"Think she'll let Malucci come back to work?"
"I don't know, Why do you ask?" She asked grabbing a cup of Coffee.
"Just thinking, he's right you know? We don't know anything about him,"
"What do you mean?"
"When he told Weaver she didn't anything about him, he was right. We didn't even know he had a kid."
"She was cold when she fired him, but then he made the mistake of calling her a Nazi Dyke."
"He was just letting off steam the same way she let steam off on him."
"I wish she'd hurry up and get all that steam out, she's killing Jing-Mei,"
"Where is Jing-Mei?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey stop splashing Cale, I'm not the one who's suppose to take the bath" Dave laughed as Cale splashed some bubbles on him.
"Now yoo don't needa take a bash, I give yoo one!" Cale yelled splashing some more.
Something hit the floor and they heard the old woman that lived under them yell to shut up and stop jumping around. Dave looked at Cale with a smile and held up three fingers, putting them down slowly. When he had no more fingers left standing up they yelled together, "NO!" And began laughing.
Dave heard a knock on the door, and stood up, " Hey Cale, dry off and get into your Jammies, I'll come and tuck you in in a few minutes, all right?"
"Aw, Daddy, I wanna stay up and wash some TV"
"No Aw daddy me, you got to get some shots tomorrow and I want you to nice and rested when we go to McDonalds."
"Yeah," Cale yelled shaking his wet hair around!
"Hey you're not a dog, dry off with a towel," Dave said as he threw one at Cale and grabbing one for himself. He smiled walking off trying to dry off some.
He smiled as he reached the door, Mrs. Henry couldn't run all that fast could she? There was another knock so he opened the door and looked at Jing-Mei, shocked to see her there, "Hey Dave, How you doing?"
"Well as can be expected, Weaver calm down?" He said drying his hands.
"No . . . Um You got some bubbles on . . ." She said wiping them off.
"Oh sorry, just giving Michael a bath," He explained "wanna come in?"
"Uh, sure, so you have a son?" She asked looking around the small apartment.
"Yeah, let me go check on him and you can see him." Jing-mei looked around the apartment, it was kind of cozy.
Dave came back a few minutes later with a blond haired three-year-old jumping around his legs. "Hey Michael," She said smiling at the how much the kid looked like Dave.
"Hey Mishes, this is my Daddy, I'm glad yoor here, Now I geta stay up and wash some TV."
"Hey Mike, here's your vitamins and orange juice, and you can only stay up if you promise not to bother Jing-Mei"
"I promish," Michael promised, giving Jing-Mei a thumbs up. "I can Count ta ten, ya know, Daddy zays I'm very smart."
"Oh he does, can I hear you count?"
"One-Two Tree for FIVE Six Sheven EIGHT NINE TEN!" He yelled jumping up and down
"That's very good," she said clapping stopping when she looked at Dave's face.
"Hey Michael, I'm going to get your favorite movie, show Jing-Mei where the drinks are if she wants one . . ." He walked off, trying not to cry.
Jing-Mei looked at the pale little three-year-old, and then at the hallway Dave had gone down.
"He's going to cry now; he does zat every time I learn shomthin new" Michael says with a sad face.
"Why does he cry?" She asked sitting down on the couch with Michael.
"I dunno, he alwaz zays they're happy tears."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had been watching Pokemon: The Move when Dave had fallen asleep on the couch; Michael snuggled on his lap. "Hey, Michael where does your daddy keep the spare blankets?"
"I'll show yoo, come on" He whispered gently getting off of Dave's lap. They came up to a closet and she opened it and a spider popped out making her almost scream until she realized it was fake. "I zorry, Dat wuz ta scare Daddy, Did it scare yoo?"
"Yes, I almost thought it was real silly,"
"Goody, I'll hafta put it back up." Michael whispered with a smile.
Jing-Mei grabbed a few extra blankets and walked out back into the living room to see Dave crying in his sleep. "Does he do that a lot?" She asked as she covered Dave up.
"Yeah, he doze it every time I gots ta go ta da hoshpital, I think he'z afraid too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave moaned as he started to sit up, there was an elbow in his chest and a head full of blond hair blocking his mouth. "Cale come on no need to suffocate me," he mumbled carefully sitting up and laying Cale back down.
He was about to go get dressed when he saw Jing-Mei laying on one of the chairs. Jing-Mei had never left; he was glad she hadn't left Cale while he was sleeping. He silently made his way to the kitchen and began to make some eggs and bacon. Cale would smell the bacon soon and run up to him and ask him when breakfast would be done, then he would go get dressed and beg not to have to get the shots.
He finished putting the breakfast on the plates and walked over to Cale, who was still sleeping, and lightly shaking. "Hey Cale bacon and eggs." He smiled as Cale jumped up and ran to the table and sat down where his cup was.
Dave smiled than gently woke Jing-Mei up, and told her breakfast was ready. "Dave you didn't . . ."
"Don't worry about it, it was easy." He looked over at Cale and smiled, "Sorry I fell asleep, I hope he was good."
"He was very good."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave just reached the hospital when she slapped him. "I want my son!"
"You abandoned him on my doorstep, you're never getting him," He yelled putting Cale behind
him.
"Joshua come over here, honey, mommy loves you." She said motioning toward Cale.
"My NAMES Michael and you can't be MY mommy; my mommy's my guardian angel,"
"You changed his name and told him that I was dead!"
"He was 6 weeks old, I didn't know his name and you hadn't put one on his birth certificate yet, so I filled it all out."
"Liar you stole him from me, now give me back my son."
"Look He's got a doctor appointment and this is not the time or place to discuss this."
"He's my son and I want him!"
"I got full custody Ivy so shove it, Come on Michael," He said picking up Cale and bringing him into the hospital. Dave stomped into the hospital trying to not let his anger get the best of him.
"Daddy, waz that my mommy?" Michael asked Dave as they headed toward the 'Room' as Cale called it.
"I don't know Cale, I don't know," He said shaking his head and speeding up.
"Is she mean?"
"I don't know, I don't even know her,"
"Wha ya mean Daddy,"
"If that is your mommy, I wouldn't know anything about her, but I think she'd be nice since she was your guardian angel."
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, Hold that elevator please!"
"What is a liar?"
Dave froze; he should of known Cale would want to know what a Liar was. "I'll tell you later," He said starting again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weaver was stomping around the ER when it happened; the crazy woman burst in screaming to know where Dr. Dave Malucci was. "He doesn't work here anymore; I can give you his address, though."
"He's not a doctor anymore? Yeah, yeah, please" She said smiling inwardly.
"Uh, here it is, do you mind me asking what that was all about?"
"He stole my baby and changed his name."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave was walking up the stairs when he saw Mrs. Birningham. "Hey Mrs. Birningham! You doing all right?"
"Oh yes honey, How's little Michael?"
"Tired, I'll bring him over when he's feeling a little better, he wants to count to ten for you," Dave said smiling.
"Oh, he is such a smart little boy, be sure to bring him over than."
"Don't worry I will, Bye Mrs. Birningham."
Cale loved Mrs. Birningham; she was like his grandma. Again he smiled as he finished the 4 flights of stairs; all and all this time in his life was a good time. He was making some money, taking care of Michael, and able to tuck him into bed at night. He stopped on the foot of the stairs, a frown coming to his face, there standing by his door was Festus and Ivy. He quickly walked up to his door grabbing his keys out of his pocket. "Weaver, Ivy, I'm surprised to see you here, what brings the all mightys to this part of Malucci's hell hold?"
"I was showing her where you live, she says you kidnapped her baby then changed the name?"
"I got full custody, and I'm fired remember, my business doesn't concern you so you can just vaminos," He said turning around to Ivy, "and as for you, you can go to where ever to file custody whatever or I got 2 words for you: Shove off." He said as he unlocked his door and shifted Michael to the other arm. "Now if you'd excuse me, Michael's tired, as the both of you can obviously see, and I need to get him to his bed."
"His name's Joshua," Ivy said grabbing at Michael's shirt. "Now give him to me, I'm the one that carried him for 9 agonizing months . . ."
"And I've taken care of him for the past three years. I guess you didn't want to do the diapers so you waited until you thought he was puddy trained and decide to take him away from me, I don't think so. And if you don't take your hand of MY SON'S shirt I'm going to call the cops."
"Daddy I'm tired I wanna go lie down." He heard Michael mumble,
"All right Michael, I'll be right back in a minute just let me go put Michael down." Dave said as he shoved his way through Ivy and Weaver and into his apartment. He carefully laid Cale down on his bed and covered him up.
AS he walked back outside he silently closed the door, "Look he thinks you're his guardian Angel and your up in heaven watching over him, He's very sick and your confusing him. If you get custody of him, you'll need someone to be there 24/7, and he's not the kind of kid you can drop off at a Daycare"
"Well what do you do when you're working?"
"I have a babysitter who has memorized everything that needed to be learnt and how to treat anything that happens."
"Well then I'll just get her;" Dave looked at Weaver and then pulled Ivy away from her,
"He could die anytime; He's got SCID, which means he doesn't have an immune system."
"I don't care, I'm just doing this to ruin your life, cuz when you told my dad that I was pregnant with your kid and not Jacobs, you screwed my life up, it's revenge,"
"He's a three-year-old boy! He's not some tool to be used in revenge; He's your own son and your willing to sacrifice him to get back at me?"
"He's an un-wanted baby, neither of us wanted him and I still don't want him, I just need him to get back at you with."
"He's your son!"
"He's a whore's kid, and I don't care."
"You'd say that about your own kid,You really don't care about anything else other than yourself do you"?
She smiled and then the palm hit his face in a slap, "how dare you call me that!" She yelled starting to hit him with her purse.
Dave quickly grabbed her wrist, "quite it!" He said firmly
Smiling she said "Your just like your father you know that, Just like him."
"You don't know crap about what my father was like so don't you dare say that I'm anything like him, I'm capable of caring unlike him."
"On the contrary, you use to mumble stuff in your sleep, and you told me about it remember?"
"Look I got work in the morning so just leave me alone, he is your son and he is a wanted kid, I've made sure he feels like that."
"I want to see him," She said loud enough for Weaver to hear,
"Now I get it, your trying to get custody of Michael, and you need a witness that says you did come to see him," Dave laughed slightly shaking his head.
"I want to see him," she said more firmly this time raising her voice a little more.
"I'll bring him to the park tomorrow,"
"I want to see him alone,"
"No way in hell,"
"I want some time alone with my son,"
"You're not getting any unless a judge orders it."
She shoved him into a wall and walked away, screaming "Screw you, Dave I'm going to get him!"
"Hey, Weaver you can go now, this is none of your business, okay"
"It is my business if you actually did kidnap that baby,"
"Not that it matters to you, but I did not Kidnap Michael she abandoned him on my doorstep so she wouldn't have to leave all her daddy's money"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave ran to the bathroom, puking. He was coming down with something, which meant that he'd have to send Michael somewhere. He hated to put him on Mrs. Birningham, but she realized that Michael's immune system was weak and the only reason he had one was because of the shots. Damn, great timing. Geez, what time was it? 3 AM, work was going to suck tomorrow if he was actually coming down with something. "Daddy are yoo okay?" Michael asked rubbing his eyes as he walked into the bathroom.
"Yeah-fine Cale, now go to sleep, I'll come in in a few minutes,"
"Am I going to hafta stay with Mrsh. Burningham"
"Yeah Cale, I'm sorry but I don't wanna get you sick,"
"I don't know yet,"
"Daddy, why da yoo only call me Cale when we're alone"
"Cuz that's my name for you, and I think I'd be jealous if other people started calling you that"
"Daddy how do yoo know if hets real love or fake?"
"You just have to let your heart tell you,"
"How do I lishen to et?"
"I don't know how to explain it Cale, just ignore everything around you and think, is what you want truly good for you, because your heart knows, the world would be a better place if people knew how to stop and think."
"Daddy my hearts tellin me hat yoor love is real,"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave twisted in his sheets; he was dreaming a dream he dreamt a lot.
***
He sat by the hospital bed, looking at the bed, his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and tears were streaming down his face. He could hear the beep from the monitors and the gentle sound of the respirator pumping air into the lungs of the person on the bed. He couldn't seem to stop crying and then he got a look at the person on the bed.
It was Cale, he could hear the respirator breathing for him and the steady beat of the monitor but there were no wires connected to him. His lips were blue and his skin pale. Cale was dead on the hospital bed and no one had been able to save him. His one son lay dead on the pale blue sheets. His lips matching the color making him look more pale. 'Oh god, my life is gone, why did you have to take him from me? Why did you have to make him sick? Why do you have to do this to me? You'd think that the life you handed my was bad enough, but you just keep making it worse,' he prayed silently as he held his son's pale, cold hand.
He needed his son, that was the only reason he had kept on living, the only reason he had wanted to stay on this damn planet. Looking at him made him mad at God, mad that he had taken his son away from him, pissed that he couldn't do anything to save his son, his life. The worst part was that he hadn't been able to say goodbye, and his son's dead eyes were open, like he was alive. Looking up at him, like he had always done but they were cold dead eyes with no expression, but when he looked into those dead eyes or tried to close them he always woke up.
***
He opened his eyes to see Michael standing by his bed. "Daddy I don't feel well,"
"What doesn't feel well Cale," He said sitting up and motioning for him to come lay down.
"Everything, Daddy its hard to breath, Why is it hard to breath."
"Come on lets get dressed I got to bring you to get checked out," He said standing up quickly and grabbing some pants and a Jacket for Michael and some pants for him.
"I can't stand up daddy, I'm too dizzy" Dave's mind was scrambling he didn't know what to do. "Daddy it hurts to breathe, why does it hurt"
"I don't know Cale; all right I'll get you dressed." He said picking up Cale's fevered body and quickly getting him dressed. He pulled on a pair of pants and slid on his shoes before picking up Cale freezing as he touched the cold body "Cale come on wake up" He mumbled searching for a pulse on his neck. Cale's chest was no longer moving up and down, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't find a pulse on his son's neck.
To be Continued
SCID (Sever combined immune deficiency) is caused B- And T- lymphocyte Malfunction. In the absence of Adenosine Deaminess, Lymphocytes can not develop normally. ADA is Adenosine Deaminess defisency. In simple words that I understand, the victim has no immune system. The most effective treatment is a bone marrow transplant from a sibling. Even though in a few experimental cases of SCID involving ADA defisincy have been treated by inserting an active gene into lymphocytes taken from the patients bloodstream. The altered lymphocytes, which are than returned to the patients' body, particularly the rest of the immune system by changing it to produce ADA, it has to be done periodically though. That's what Michael's doing.
PS: I know all my other fanfictions need work, And I have been but to slowly to have enough to post anything up yet, sorry, I will have some parts up as soon as possible, but right now I just entered highschool and I need to pay attantion to that, plus I need some extra tutoring in spanish
Well adios and have a good read
Uh, there is little kid language in here and this has been changed from the last one I put up here but not a whole lot
WARNING WARNING MAY CONTAIN EXTREMLY ANGSTY PARTS.
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
RATING-PG-13 (just in case)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And so it begins~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave laid on his bed, listening to the quite, peaceful, breathing of his son, Michael. He had lost his job a week ago, none of the hospitals he had applied to had called him yet, and rent was due next week. Michael had another transfusion next week as well. He was going to have to get another job to support Cale, his nickname for Michael.
He couldn't believe he had gotten fired, he had done a lot worse, like when Greene accused him of beating up a patient. Why get fired of a little thing like that? He had asked himself over and over again. It was his fault he was fired of course, he knew that much. A couple of times he actually deserved to be fired, but not now he hadn't done anything most of the other doctors hadn't done.
He already knew that no other Hospital would hire him, not with what had happened with the rock kid, and anyways he didn't want to leave here, he had a good babysitter for Cale who understood that he needed special care. And he was pretty sure that no Daycare would take him in, not that he wanted to bring Cale to a Daycare.
Cale was already afraid of the hospital, always asked if he needed a shot when he was going to work. Dave made a quite laugh trying not to cry his son wasn't going to live long and he knew it. He was already three years old and, had already almost died from the flu. Every time he heard Cale say something smart or funny, his heart would break knowing that Cale could never live to be 20.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter looked around the ER, full as usual. Luka and Abby were still avoiding each other, and Weaver was still stomping around and taking cases from Jing-Mei. Greene was taking a few days off to bond with his daughter. Malucci hadn't been seen since Weaver had said he was fired, it was a good thing cuz she hadn't calmed down a bit since. Jing-Mei had told him about the conversation she had had with him. When Malucci had said he had a kid, Carter had to stop and think, Dave was right they knew nothing about him, for gods sakes they hadn't known he had a kid. That's got to be pretty hard to hide. What else didn't they know about him? "Abby I need to talk to you," He said walking toward her.
"Sure Carter," She said as they walked to the lounge, "What's Up?"
"You think Weaver's ever going to calm down?"
"She has to, there's no way anybody can stay mad for ever,"
"Think she'll let Malucci come back to work?"
"I don't know, Why do you ask?" She asked grabbing a cup of Coffee.
"Just thinking, he's right you know? We don't know anything about him,"
"What do you mean?"
"When he told Weaver she didn't anything about him, he was right. We didn't even know he had a kid."
"She was cold when she fired him, but then he made the mistake of calling her a Nazi Dyke."
"He was just letting off steam the same way she let steam off on him."
"I wish she'd hurry up and get all that steam out, she's killing Jing-Mei,"
"Where is Jing-Mei?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey stop splashing Cale, I'm not the one who's suppose to take the bath" Dave laughed as Cale splashed some bubbles on him.
"Now yoo don't needa take a bash, I give yoo one!" Cale yelled splashing some more.
Something hit the floor and they heard the old woman that lived under them yell to shut up and stop jumping around. Dave looked at Cale with a smile and held up three fingers, putting them down slowly. When he had no more fingers left standing up they yelled together, "NO!" And began laughing.
Dave heard a knock on the door, and stood up, " Hey Cale, dry off and get into your Jammies, I'll come and tuck you in in a few minutes, all right?"
"Aw, Daddy, I wanna stay up and wash some TV"
"No Aw daddy me, you got to get some shots tomorrow and I want you to nice and rested when we go to McDonalds."
"Yeah," Cale yelled shaking his wet hair around!
"Hey you're not a dog, dry off with a towel," Dave said as he threw one at Cale and grabbing one for himself. He smiled walking off trying to dry off some.
He smiled as he reached the door, Mrs. Henry couldn't run all that fast could she? There was another knock so he opened the door and looked at Jing-Mei, shocked to see her there, "Hey Dave, How you doing?"
"Well as can be expected, Weaver calm down?" He said drying his hands.
"No . . . Um You got some bubbles on . . ." She said wiping them off.
"Oh sorry, just giving Michael a bath," He explained "wanna come in?"
"Uh, sure, so you have a son?" She asked looking around the small apartment.
"Yeah, let me go check on him and you can see him." Jing-mei looked around the apartment, it was kind of cozy.
Dave came back a few minutes later with a blond haired three-year-old jumping around his legs. "Hey Michael," She said smiling at the how much the kid looked like Dave.
"Hey Mishes, this is my Daddy, I'm glad yoor here, Now I geta stay up and wash some TV."
"Hey Mike, here's your vitamins and orange juice, and you can only stay up if you promise not to bother Jing-Mei"
"I promish," Michael promised, giving Jing-Mei a thumbs up. "I can Count ta ten, ya know, Daddy zays I'm very smart."
"Oh he does, can I hear you count?"
"One-Two Tree for FIVE Six Sheven EIGHT NINE TEN!" He yelled jumping up and down
"That's very good," she said clapping stopping when she looked at Dave's face.
"Hey Michael, I'm going to get your favorite movie, show Jing-Mei where the drinks are if she wants one . . ." He walked off, trying not to cry.
Jing-Mei looked at the pale little three-year-old, and then at the hallway Dave had gone down.
"He's going to cry now; he does zat every time I learn shomthin new" Michael says with a sad face.
"Why does he cry?" She asked sitting down on the couch with Michael.
"I dunno, he alwaz zays they're happy tears."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had been watching Pokemon: The Move when Dave had fallen asleep on the couch; Michael snuggled on his lap. "Hey, Michael where does your daddy keep the spare blankets?"
"I'll show yoo, come on" He whispered gently getting off of Dave's lap. They came up to a closet and she opened it and a spider popped out making her almost scream until she realized it was fake. "I zorry, Dat wuz ta scare Daddy, Did it scare yoo?"
"Yes, I almost thought it was real silly,"
"Goody, I'll hafta put it back up." Michael whispered with a smile.
Jing-Mei grabbed a few extra blankets and walked out back into the living room to see Dave crying in his sleep. "Does he do that a lot?" She asked as she covered Dave up.
"Yeah, he doze it every time I gots ta go ta da hoshpital, I think he'z afraid too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave moaned as he started to sit up, there was an elbow in his chest and a head full of blond hair blocking his mouth. "Cale come on no need to suffocate me," he mumbled carefully sitting up and laying Cale back down.
He was about to go get dressed when he saw Jing-Mei laying on one of the chairs. Jing-Mei had never left; he was glad she hadn't left Cale while he was sleeping. He silently made his way to the kitchen and began to make some eggs and bacon. Cale would smell the bacon soon and run up to him and ask him when breakfast would be done, then he would go get dressed and beg not to have to get the shots.
He finished putting the breakfast on the plates and walked over to Cale, who was still sleeping, and lightly shaking. "Hey Cale bacon and eggs." He smiled as Cale jumped up and ran to the table and sat down where his cup was.
Dave smiled than gently woke Jing-Mei up, and told her breakfast was ready. "Dave you didn't . . ."
"Don't worry about it, it was easy." He looked over at Cale and smiled, "Sorry I fell asleep, I hope he was good."
"He was very good."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave just reached the hospital when she slapped him. "I want my son!"
"You abandoned him on my doorstep, you're never getting him," He yelled putting Cale behind
him.
"Joshua come over here, honey, mommy loves you." She said motioning toward Cale.
"My NAMES Michael and you can't be MY mommy; my mommy's my guardian angel,"
"You changed his name and told him that I was dead!"
"He was 6 weeks old, I didn't know his name and you hadn't put one on his birth certificate yet, so I filled it all out."
"Liar you stole him from me, now give me back my son."
"Look He's got a doctor appointment and this is not the time or place to discuss this."
"He's my son and I want him!"
"I got full custody Ivy so shove it, Come on Michael," He said picking up Cale and bringing him into the hospital. Dave stomped into the hospital trying to not let his anger get the best of him.
"Daddy, waz that my mommy?" Michael asked Dave as they headed toward the 'Room' as Cale called it.
"I don't know Cale, I don't know," He said shaking his head and speeding up.
"Is she mean?"
"I don't know, I don't even know her,"
"Wha ya mean Daddy,"
"If that is your mommy, I wouldn't know anything about her, but I think she'd be nice since she was your guardian angel."
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, Hold that elevator please!"
"What is a liar?"
Dave froze; he should of known Cale would want to know what a Liar was. "I'll tell you later," He said starting again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weaver was stomping around the ER when it happened; the crazy woman burst in screaming to know where Dr. Dave Malucci was. "He doesn't work here anymore; I can give you his address, though."
"He's not a doctor anymore? Yeah, yeah, please" She said smiling inwardly.
"Uh, here it is, do you mind me asking what that was all about?"
"He stole my baby and changed his name."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave was walking up the stairs when he saw Mrs. Birningham. "Hey Mrs. Birningham! You doing all right?"
"Oh yes honey, How's little Michael?"
"Tired, I'll bring him over when he's feeling a little better, he wants to count to ten for you," Dave said smiling.
"Oh, he is such a smart little boy, be sure to bring him over than."
"Don't worry I will, Bye Mrs. Birningham."
Cale loved Mrs. Birningham; she was like his grandma. Again he smiled as he finished the 4 flights of stairs; all and all this time in his life was a good time. He was making some money, taking care of Michael, and able to tuck him into bed at night. He stopped on the foot of the stairs, a frown coming to his face, there standing by his door was Festus and Ivy. He quickly walked up to his door grabbing his keys out of his pocket. "Weaver, Ivy, I'm surprised to see you here, what brings the all mightys to this part of Malucci's hell hold?"
"I was showing her where you live, she says you kidnapped her baby then changed the name?"
"I got full custody, and I'm fired remember, my business doesn't concern you so you can just vaminos," He said turning around to Ivy, "and as for you, you can go to where ever to file custody whatever or I got 2 words for you: Shove off." He said as he unlocked his door and shifted Michael to the other arm. "Now if you'd excuse me, Michael's tired, as the both of you can obviously see, and I need to get him to his bed."
"His name's Joshua," Ivy said grabbing at Michael's shirt. "Now give him to me, I'm the one that carried him for 9 agonizing months . . ."
"And I've taken care of him for the past three years. I guess you didn't want to do the diapers so you waited until you thought he was puddy trained and decide to take him away from me, I don't think so. And if you don't take your hand of MY SON'S shirt I'm going to call the cops."
"Daddy I'm tired I wanna go lie down." He heard Michael mumble,
"All right Michael, I'll be right back in a minute just let me go put Michael down." Dave said as he shoved his way through Ivy and Weaver and into his apartment. He carefully laid Cale down on his bed and covered him up.
AS he walked back outside he silently closed the door, "Look he thinks you're his guardian Angel and your up in heaven watching over him, He's very sick and your confusing him. If you get custody of him, you'll need someone to be there 24/7, and he's not the kind of kid you can drop off at a Daycare"
"Well what do you do when you're working?"
"I have a babysitter who has memorized everything that needed to be learnt and how to treat anything that happens."
"Well then I'll just get her;" Dave looked at Weaver and then pulled Ivy away from her,
"He could die anytime; He's got SCID, which means he doesn't have an immune system."
"I don't care, I'm just doing this to ruin your life, cuz when you told my dad that I was pregnant with your kid and not Jacobs, you screwed my life up, it's revenge,"
"He's a three-year-old boy! He's not some tool to be used in revenge; He's your own son and your willing to sacrifice him to get back at me?"
"He's an un-wanted baby, neither of us wanted him and I still don't want him, I just need him to get back at you with."
"He's your son!"
"He's a whore's kid, and I don't care."
"You'd say that about your own kid,You really don't care about anything else other than yourself do you"?
She smiled and then the palm hit his face in a slap, "how dare you call me that!" She yelled starting to hit him with her purse.
Dave quickly grabbed her wrist, "quite it!" He said firmly
Smiling she said "Your just like your father you know that, Just like him."
"You don't know crap about what my father was like so don't you dare say that I'm anything like him, I'm capable of caring unlike him."
"On the contrary, you use to mumble stuff in your sleep, and you told me about it remember?"
"Look I got work in the morning so just leave me alone, he is your son and he is a wanted kid, I've made sure he feels like that."
"I want to see him," She said loud enough for Weaver to hear,
"Now I get it, your trying to get custody of Michael, and you need a witness that says you did come to see him," Dave laughed slightly shaking his head.
"I want to see him," she said more firmly this time raising her voice a little more.
"I'll bring him to the park tomorrow,"
"I want to see him alone,"
"No way in hell,"
"I want some time alone with my son,"
"You're not getting any unless a judge orders it."
She shoved him into a wall and walked away, screaming "Screw you, Dave I'm going to get him!"
"Hey, Weaver you can go now, this is none of your business, okay"
"It is my business if you actually did kidnap that baby,"
"Not that it matters to you, but I did not Kidnap Michael she abandoned him on my doorstep so she wouldn't have to leave all her daddy's money"
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Dave ran to the bathroom, puking. He was coming down with something, which meant that he'd have to send Michael somewhere. He hated to put him on Mrs. Birningham, but she realized that Michael's immune system was weak and the only reason he had one was because of the shots. Damn, great timing. Geez, what time was it? 3 AM, work was going to suck tomorrow if he was actually coming down with something. "Daddy are yoo okay?" Michael asked rubbing his eyes as he walked into the bathroom.
"Yeah-fine Cale, now go to sleep, I'll come in in a few minutes,"
"Am I going to hafta stay with Mrsh. Burningham"
"Yeah Cale, I'm sorry but I don't wanna get you sick,"
"I don't know yet,"
"Daddy, why da yoo only call me Cale when we're alone"
"Cuz that's my name for you, and I think I'd be jealous if other people started calling you that"
"Daddy how do yoo know if hets real love or fake?"
"You just have to let your heart tell you,"
"How do I lishen to et?"
"I don't know how to explain it Cale, just ignore everything around you and think, is what you want truly good for you, because your heart knows, the world would be a better place if people knew how to stop and think."
"Daddy my hearts tellin me hat yoor love is real,"
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Dave twisted in his sheets; he was dreaming a dream he dreamt a lot.
***
He sat by the hospital bed, looking at the bed, his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and tears were streaming down his face. He could hear the beep from the monitors and the gentle sound of the respirator pumping air into the lungs of the person on the bed. He couldn't seem to stop crying and then he got a look at the person on the bed.
It was Cale, he could hear the respirator breathing for him and the steady beat of the monitor but there were no wires connected to him. His lips were blue and his skin pale. Cale was dead on the hospital bed and no one had been able to save him. His one son lay dead on the pale blue sheets. His lips matching the color making him look more pale. 'Oh god, my life is gone, why did you have to take him from me? Why did you have to make him sick? Why do you have to do this to me? You'd think that the life you handed my was bad enough, but you just keep making it worse,' he prayed silently as he held his son's pale, cold hand.
He needed his son, that was the only reason he had kept on living, the only reason he had wanted to stay on this damn planet. Looking at him made him mad at God, mad that he had taken his son away from him, pissed that he couldn't do anything to save his son, his life. The worst part was that he hadn't been able to say goodbye, and his son's dead eyes were open, like he was alive. Looking up at him, like he had always done but they were cold dead eyes with no expression, but when he looked into those dead eyes or tried to close them he always woke up.
***
He opened his eyes to see Michael standing by his bed. "Daddy I don't feel well,"
"What doesn't feel well Cale," He said sitting up and motioning for him to come lay down.
"Everything, Daddy its hard to breath, Why is it hard to breath."
"Come on lets get dressed I got to bring you to get checked out," He said standing up quickly and grabbing some pants and a Jacket for Michael and some pants for him.
"I can't stand up daddy, I'm too dizzy" Dave's mind was scrambling he didn't know what to do. "Daddy it hurts to breathe, why does it hurt"
"I don't know Cale; all right I'll get you dressed." He said picking up Cale's fevered body and quickly getting him dressed. He pulled on a pair of pants and slid on his shoes before picking up Cale freezing as he touched the cold body "Cale come on wake up" He mumbled searching for a pulse on his neck. Cale's chest was no longer moving up and down, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't find a pulse on his son's neck.
To be Continued