Duncan called the school to excuse Chloe from class for Friday.  All Thursday afternoon Chloe couldn't sit still.  She'd been looking forward to this trip forever it seemed.  Tessa called earlier that morning to talk to Duncan before they left.  She was happy to know that they were getting along well.  Sometimes Chloe tended to throw tantrums when Duncan didn't do things the way that Tessa would if she was there.

          "Chloe you packed?" said Duncan knocking on her bedroom door.  When he walked into the room he found that not only had she thought that she was packed, but she'd packed too much.  He room looked like a tornado walked in, but he knew how happy she was to be going so he couldn't yell at her for thinking that she needed to take her entire room. 

          "I'm ready," said Chloe smiling at him.

          "Wait a second little typhoon," said Duncan smiling at her trying to carry the suitcase.

          "Dad lets go," said Chloe pulling on his arm.

          "Sweetheart, we can't go leaving your room like this," said Duncan trying to pick up all the toys and clothes.

          "I packed though?"

          "I know and you did a wonderful job, but you only need enough for a couple of days." he said picking up her suitcase and opening it to find more toys then clothes in it. The clothes that she had packed were all of her good dresses.  He smiled at her as he took things out and put back in a pair of jeans, sweater, some warm socks, and her jacket.  Chloe though still insisted that she take all her toys.  Duncan told her that she could take two toys.   She chose her favorite stuffed animal and a doll. 

          Once Duncan had packed the bags into the car and was about to lock up when that phone rang.  He contemplating just letting it ring, but when he heard the person on the other line he had to answer it there was a mistake in a delivery. Chloe was not happy that they'd run into another snag. 

          "Chloe it'll just take a minute," said Duncan hanging up his coat and going to his office.

          "We are not going."

          "I promise, sweetie, one minute. I'll be right back," said Duncan cringing at the look of hurt in her eyes

          Finally, twenty minutes later they were on the road.  Chloe was still not happy with Duncan, but he made it up to her by stopping at MacDonald's for a kid's meal.   She finally smiled at him after they got on the road.  They sang songs and Duncan quizzed her on her school work.  They played the highway alphabet game and of course Chloe won.  They reached the place where they had to get in the boat to get to the island.  He put in the bags and helped Chloe into the canoe telling her to put on the life jacket.  She started to ask questions about the cabin and Duncan happily answered them.  When they'd docked the canoe on shore Chloe was taking off up the hill to the cabin, but Duncan stopped her.

          "Chloe, hang on, wait for me."

          "Dad, it's huge."

          "Well, it's not that big.  Come on."

          They got inside and unpacked and Duncan lit the fireplace.  He dusted the furniture and he opened the skylight in the kitchen. Chloe was off exploring all the rooms, which wasn't much but to her it seemed like a lot.   She loved her room because it was larger than the one at home.

          "Chloe?" called Duncan from the living room

          "Dad this is so cool."

          "Yeah, well what do you want to so first?" said Duncan sitting down on the couch.

          "I want to go outside!"

          "Alright go get you coat."

          They went exploring on the island and Duncan made sure that Chloe didn't run too far ahead.  He knew the island like the back of his head, but he still worried that there might be something there that he didn't know.  Even though they were on holy ground it didn't mean that an immortal isn't possible.  Duncan showed her a couple of his favorite things before it go t dark and headed back to make dinner.  He looked at what they had picked up in town and saw hot dogs and Macaroni.  Chloe loved it just about as much as she loved pizza.  They ate dinner and then roasted marshmallows and Duncan told Chloe stories.  After about the fifth one Chloe lay on his lap fast asleep. He brushed back her hair gave her a kiss, picked her up carried her to her bed and tucked her in. 

          Duncan sat in front of the fire thinking, reading and listening to his music. He fell asleep and soon Chloe was by his side whispering in his ear.  Duncan woke up opening one eye at a time.  He looked to see Chloe with tears flowing down her cheeks.  He was confused about what had brought this on.  He couldn't imagine that she'd had a bad dream not after her being so excited about what he planned for tomorrow.

          "Baby what's wrong?" Duncan said sitting up and wiping away some tears

          "I don't feel good."

          "Come here," he said pulling her into his lap.  Chloe laid her head against his chest her body shaking.  Duncan did his best to soothe her.  He rocked with her for a few minutes before he placed a hand on her check and found her hot.  He couldn't figure out though what had made her sick so suddenly. He went to get the thermometer from the bathroom.  Chloe didn't want to let him get up so he carried her into the bathroom and grabbed the thermometer.  He set her on the counter and that's when he saw the small red dots on her arms, neck, and face. Duncan couldn't believe it and he didn't want to.  Chloe had the chicken Pox.  He thought back to the previous nights and he could have hit himself for sending her to school.  Probably every kid in her class was infected.  Duncan had handled the flu and the colds, but the chicken pox?

          "Sweetheart, come on, why don't you go lay down?" said Duncan picking her up.  He's only thought was did he have the chicken pox when he was small?  That didn't matter though right now he only cared that Chloe was comfortable.  He wished that Tessa were there she knew how to make Chloe feel not so scared.  Duncan tended to give off this panic look and usually he just scared Chloe more.  Chloe was giving him that what's wrong look on her face. 

          "I'm going to go make a phone call alright?" said Duncan gently touching her face

          "Dad, don't leave me," she cried reaching for him

          "Chloe I'm just going to get the phone.  I'll be right back."

          As he walked out the door she started howling.  He sighed knowing that she was going to do that all weekend.  He loved her to death but she knew how to get to him.  Duncan knew that he wasn't Tessa so if he could get Tessa on the phone that maybe it would help.  He grabbed the phone and before he walked back in the room he counted to ten.  When he got back in Chloe stopped crying hard and Duncan gritted his teeth cause he'd let her get away with it for too long.  He'd have to remember to start putting his foot down on some of her habits. 

          "Want to talk to mom?"

          "Yeah I want mom."

          "Can you be good?"

          "Yes."

          "Alright I'll call her."

          Duncan dialed the hotel room and luckily Tessa answered the phone.  He talked to her about her work before he dropped the bomb on her about Chloe's chicken pox.  Tessa wanted to talk to Chloe immediately and Duncan handed her the phone.

          "Mom I want you here.  Yeah he is, but I want you.  I love you mom.  Yeah, red dots all over me.  No they don't itch yet.  I'll be good when are you coming home?  Yeah I love you mom." she said handing her dad the phone

          "Yeah Tessa I can handle her.  Yeah I'll look and go to the store tomorrow if I need to.  I don't want to infect the entire city.  I'll have the doctor come look at her tomorrow, too.  I know that you want to be here, but this just has to run its course.  Tessa don't come home early.  I know that they would understand, but you'd regret it.  Yes I love you, too, sweetheart."

          Duncan hung up the phone and found Chloe asleep.  He covered her up, hung up the phone and went to check the bathroom for some aspirin.  He knew that this was going to be the hardest and worst weekend that he'd have.  He wished in the back of his mind he'd told Tessa to come save him, but he knew that he could take care of Chloe.  He only hoped that Chloe would try and make this easy for him.  He knew though that all the stops were going out the window without mom there.