A/N: A talkie chapter. Some of the conversation is a bit rushed, try to follow it. Oh and I don't own Signs or Kleenex (in case there's someone who thinks I am the rich billionare who owns Kleenex). Maybe I should put one of these things ® Nyeah too lazy.

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"Nnyyggg…Leave me alone. Im sleeping"

"Ahh, the wonderful sound of Graham in the morning. It brings me such joy," Merrill said sarcasticly as he shook Graham awake.

"Come on, Bo's awake. The doctors say that she can go home in a few hours," Merrill shifted uncomfortably in the hard hospital chair. They had been there overnight, waiting for the doctors to bring Bo's fever down.

"I feel like I have sawdust in my mouth. Is there a water fountain around here somewhere?" Merrill pointed down the hall and Graham shuffled toward it. Merrill looked over at Morgan, half on- half off two chairs that he was sleeping on. Merrill lifted him back onto the chair.

Graham came back down the hall, looking more awake. "What time is it?"

Merrill consulted his watch. "9:11.The doctors said we can see Bo in a few minutes,"

"And what day is it?"

"Saturday," Graham nodded. A doctor came out of the room infront of them and signalled them to come in. They both left Morgan to sleep on the chairs.

They came into the small hospital and sat on chairs beside the bed.

"Hi Daddy," said Bo in a small little voice.

"Hi Baby, how are you feeling?" He said as he stroked her hair.

"My skin hurts." Graham shot Merrill a worried look.

"Your skin hurts?" He asked quizzicly.

"Sure Dad," said Morgan as he came into the room. "You know when your feeling really sick and you kind of hurt all over and everything rubs you the wrong way. Your skin hurts."

"Hi Morgan."

"Hi Bo, did you get to eat any Popsicles?"

"Only one. They said that they'd bring some more later, and that you can have one."

"Alright! Did you get a pink one?"

"N'uh-uh. They said they were all out of pink, but they had rainbow. I guess there are a lot of people in the hospital that like pink," Another worried look was extanged between Graham and Merrill. There were probably many people in the hospital due to the invasion.

The doctor cut in. "We've gotten her teperature down, but she'll need to rest for a few more days before any strenuess activity. She can go home now, just remember what I said," Graham could see the tired look on the doctor's young face.

"Have you been really busy lately?"

"What a question. It has been an exausting lat couple of days. This town wasn't hit hard but the surrounding hospitals have been sending us extra patients. Mostly children. We've fortuanatly maneged to save most of them, but the others…" Her voice broke and it took her a couple seconds before she could speak again.

"They really must have been monsters, to just kill so willingly kill little children," Her eyes filled with tears, and Merrill offered her a Kleenex from the table beside the bed. She wiped her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I'll be right back. She rushed out of the room. They were all silent for a moment.

"Well honey, how do you feel about going home now?"

"Home to Bucks County?" She asked hopefully.

"No, not yet. But were going to go back to the cottage, and in a few days you can go swimming."

Bo thought about it. "Okay, but only if Morgan promises not to dunk or splash me."

"I promise," Morgan said

"Good. Now, let's get you changed and go home. Hey, wheres Merrill?"Graham looked around

"I think he went after that doctor," Said Morgan.

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"Hey! Wait up. Merrill chased the doctor down the hall. She turned and looked at him curiously.

"Oh, hi. Um…sorry about that back there. I guess I tend to get a little to emotional sometimes," She wiped her eyes again.

"That's okay. It's been an emotional time for all of us," She smiled "Why did you decide to work at a hospital than? Kind of a hard place to work for you isn't it?" Merrill asked, hoping he didn't offend her. "I mean if you get emotional a lot."

"Actually, I have my own clinic in the town. I was called in as a replacement after the invasions," she replied. She didn't seem offended by his question, so Merrill took the next step and asked her to sit on one of the chairs lining the hall. She accepted.

"Did you lose any family in the invasion?" He asked. At this, she started sobbing. Merrill looked around and found another box of Kleenex on a table. Man, he thought, they have it all over this place. He handed her a handful and she buried her face in them. He patted her back awkwardly.

She finally lifted her head. "I—I'm sorry about that,"

"God, don't appozigize. It was my fault. I shouldn't have asked that question."

She smiled, and it brightened her whole face. "No, it's okay. But let me ask you the same question," she said.

"Fair enough. No, I didn't lose any of my family that I know of. The only family I've stayed in contact with is Graham and the kids. Ever since I stopped playing in the minor league, people have stoped trying to market being related to me," He looked at her to see her reaction.

"Huh, I thought I recognized you. Why did you stop playing?" Merrill was surprised that she hadn't added, "Weren't they paying you enough money" at the end of the sentence like most people did.

"I guess, after awile, you just start to suck more and more," he said, without bitterness.

He noticed her studying his face, and he said defensivly,"What?" She looked down at the ground, and there were a few seconds of awakward silence.

"It was my nephew Jason," She said quitly, still looking at the ground.

"Pardon? Oh! Oh I'm so sorry. How old was he?"

"Seven. Only seven. I've been looking after him ever since his father, my brother died of cancer three years ago."

"How did they get him? If you don't mind me asking?"

"The gas. I guess I should be thankful. Others were killed much more bruttaly. How did you escape?"

"We stayed in the basement. Where wre you?"

"We were in the bathroom. One of them broke in and grabbed him. After the gas, I saw him go limp…Oh it was so horrible I can't even describe it. Then it just…took him away. It didn't even try to get me. Just walked out, and they all left. I was in such shock I just fainted onto the floor," She was crying again.

"Merrill? Were going now…oh what's wrong? Are you all right?" Graham walked over to them, Bo in his arms.

"Nothing. I'm okay now. I'd better get back to work. Thanks for talking to me Merrill," she wiped her eyes and stood up. She ruffeled Bo's hair. "No running around for a few days, okay sweetie?"

Bo nodded her head. "Okay. Thanks for the Popscicle."

"Your welcome honey. Well I'll see you guys later. Here's my buissness card, if you have any questions or the fever goes up again," She said, and started walking down the hall.

Merrill glanced at the card. "Wow. That's weird," He said as they waited for the elevator. He stuck the card in his pocket.

"What's weird?" asked Graham.

'Huh? Oh, nothing she just…went to the same university as a friend of mine," Graham didn't ask why her university was named on her buissness card.

They reached the car and the kids got in the back. Merrill was silent the rest of the way back to the cottage. He was thinking about what the buisness card had said.

Dr. Colleen Amie Leblanc M.D.

General Practictioner

Rocky Stream Family Clinic

Home Phone: 555-2759

Clinic Phone: 555-1632

Fax: 555-0149

A/N I love athours notes! Has anyone here heard Norah Jones song, Seven years? This is weird but it kind of reminded me of Bo. I guess that shows how obsesed I am. J