Parenting

Jen's eyes shot open to the sound of her now six month old's cry. She sat up in the bed and lazily swung her feet over the side, then stumbled down the dark hall. Flipping on the light she went to the crib, leaning over and picking the crying infant up.

"Shhhh, it's okay. Awww, what wrong bubby? You got a tummy ache?" She gently rubbed his back and soon felt the warmth of his vomit on her neck and shoulder. Worried, she pressed her lips to his forehead, and found that it was very hot.

She ran down the hall with him, going into the closet and taking out the infant thermometer. She checked his temperature and nearly dropped it. 103°. "Oh God." She whispered.

Jen went into her room and gently shook Michael's shoulder. "Michael?" He didn't stir, just groaned and rolled over. "Michael you have to take him, something's wrong."

At this he perked slightly, sat up and turned on the light, reaching out his arms for the now screaming infant. He rocked him while she went across the room and picked up the phone. She dialed a number and waited patiently as it rang.

Loomis drowsy voice came onto the line. "Loomis."

"Dr. Loomis it's Jennifer Myers." She said softly, looking ack at her frustrated husband and crying son.

"What is it? What's the problem?"

"It's Michael, Little Michael, he's really sick."

"Does he have a temperature?"

"103."

"I'll have someone down there, right now just keep him cool, a cold cloth on his head perhaps. I'll be there."

"Thank you doctor." She hung up the phone and went into the conjoining bathroom, getting a rag and dampening it with cold water. She rung it out and returned, sitting next to Michael and setting it on his head. "They'll be here in a bit." She said softly.

He nodded softly and continued to try and soothe the baby, who was quieting a bit. She sighed and stroked his head with her hand gently. "My poor baby, aww it's ok, shh shh shh."

She watched as Michael leaned down and pressed his masked lips to the tiny head, then he looked up at her and she smiled, sharing a short kiss with him.

Around an hour later the three were shoved into the familiar white van and taken to the Sanitarium where they both waited in the room they were wed in, Michael behind the bars and Jenni right next to them, her hand in his. The door opened and they both stood simultaneously as a doctor entered with the baby in his arms, less fussy but red faced from crying.

Jen whimpered and reached out, receiving him. "He's ok?"

The doctor nodded. "Just a little ear infection, I have some prescriptions for you and as long as you follow the directions things shouldn't persist."

"Michael!" Jen giggled, camcorder in hand as she looked at her son, who curiously tilted his head at her call. "Go to Daddy!" He giggled loudly and ran to his father's open arms.

"My Daddy!" The year old proclaimed. Jen laughed and turned the camera off, sighing as she went into the kitchen to check on dinner. Giggles persisted from the other room, and she smiled, knowing Michael was tickling the life out of his son.

"Mommy! Save me!" The boy came running in, grabbing his mothers leg. Michael came in, pretending to not be able to see him. He eyed her and titled his head.

"I don't know where he is Daddy, maybe he hid in a cupboard!" The boy giggled quietly and screamed with joy as his father picked him up and spun him around. Jen laughed as he carried him out, kicking and screaming with delight.

She turned off the stove and put some mitts on, taking the food out. With a sigh she turned to set it on the counter and nearly dropped the dish in surprise as Michael stood on the other side of the room, watching her. She could hear a cartoon from the TV in the other room, and her son singing cheerily along.

She set the food down and pushed a curl from her face, shyly avoiding his gaze. She went to the fridge to get some juice for Little Michael when she gasped as his arms circled her and his lips pressed her neck. "Michael," she murmured. "Not now."

He seemed to chuckle and turned her, the air freezing her back but the minute his heated lips met hers she forgot entirely. The doorbell sounded and both exchanged concerned looks, and she nodded to the training cup. "Get that for him, I'll go look."

She went to the door, smiling at her son and opening the door. She smiled at the group of trick-or-treaters. "Out early, aren't we? I thought it started at six?"

"Oh it does, we were wondering if you had any tape?" An older boy, maybe 12 asked.

"Sure, just give me a minute." She went into a drawer and Michael eyes her. "They just want some tape." She went back to the door and with a smile handed it to them. "There you go."

"Thank you ma'am." And they left. She closed the door and shook her head.

"Mommy 'ook!" She went over to the TV and frowned, Michael came into the room unnoticed as she watched.

"Today is the two year anniversary of the deaths of Laurie and Jennifer Myers," a picture of the two shortly before their 'deaths' was flashed. "Police gave up looking for the teenager last Halloween, she would be 19 years old."

She felt Michael's hand on her shoulder, and her slid up to cover it, John appeared on the screen. "I'm starting a fund tonight, to help keep Haddonfield safe from that son of a bitch, the man who killed my whole family," he broke off in tears. "Money donated will go to the asylums and police forces there, so they can find people in time better than they could with Jen." And he walked off the podium.

She sniffled and looked at her son, who curiously asked. "Whose that?"

She smiled. "That's your uncle John. Come on, dinner's ready."