A/N: DID Noah recognize Viper from briefly having seen a black and white photo? No. No he did not, his attention was focused on the twins and Chelsea didn't give him time to try. There may be some random bowling fun at some point, but it will not be this set.
Week 11 - UDC 4
51. Bite the Bullet
Around 6:30 that morning, Nick entered the kitchen after having gotten dressed only to pause at something very odd... that being Pete, asleep on a textbook at the table, and not in his uniform for Uniform Day. "Ma?"
"I know," Helen said as she stood at the stove, frying up breakfast. "I know he went to bed last night, and he's far too warm now. Not going to school today."
Nick frowned at her and went to check for himself. Sure enough, Pete's forehead was far too warm. "Want me to wake him?" At her nod, he gently shook Pete's shoulder. "Up and at 'em, big guy."
"Don't wanna, Dad. Tired."
Either he was having the best dream for him, or Pete really did think it was five or so years ago. "Ma, I think you're right about keeping him home today..."
"Oh, I'm taking him with us to our follow up for TB testing," Helen mused as she plated the eggs. "Warm, tired, and flashbacks. That's not good."
Gently, Nick pulled the textbook away and Pete scrabbled for it in a panic. "Hey, I'm just putting it aside. It's not going very far."
52. Break the Ice
At the doctor's office, the receptionist took one look at them and called them back to be put in a room quickly. She quickly took the information that Helen did know and then called Social Services for the rest of what they needed. She smiled as she jotted things down and then hung up. "New to having a Foster?"
Helen nodded. "And illness doesn't run on a timetable."
"No, it doesn't." The receptionist watched as Walt got Pete to stand unsteadily on the scale, noting how pale the young man was. Was it her imagination, or did he seem to want to both bolt out of here AND throw up? "Eunice? Keep a bowl ready."
"Was noticing that," Eunice said as she quickly also got Pete's height. "Did you eat this morning, Peter?"
"Not hungry."
"All right. First room on the left, Mr. Bradshaw."
Helen sighed. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, on top of what looks like a busy morning."
"Don't worry about it. This is what we do. Sometimes with a side of pre-teen who can't decide if he wants to run or..."
53. Knock on Wood
In the exam room, Eunice got Pete to sit on the exam bed and finished taking his vitals. She studied him, noticing how he was eying the door tiredly, and wasn't at all surprised that his temperature was 100.2 or that his blood pressure was slightly elevated for his age. "Don't like doctors, huh?"
Pete blinked, startled. "It's not that."
"No?"
He shook his head and looked at Helen, then at Walt. "Three years, always had to hide being sick. And... hospitals. And before..."
Helen nodded slowly. "His grandfather was hospital sick in '68, Ma'am. And... Pete, was your mother sick right after that, if I understand right?"
"Yeah."
"Oh," Eunice said as she picked up the chart and wrote those details down for family history. "Well, you don't have to hide being sick with us. Lay down while you wait, even. If you don't mind my asking, was your father also sick?"
Pete shook his head and looked away. "Don't know. MIA."
54. Off the Hook
After she got Pete to lay down on his side, Eunice turned and got both Helen and Walt's charts and did their vitals, and then noted the lack of reaction to the PPD tests where the injection bubbles had been placed on their arms. "I didn't mean to upset him by asking."
Walt shook his head. "I don't think you did, Eunice."
She took a deep breath, nodded, and gathered up the two charts and the clipboard. "We'll get Dr. Salvatici in here as soon as we can."
"Thank you," Helen told her with a smile.
55. Back Seat Driver
Walt stood and moved his chair closer to the exam bed, then sat down again in Pete's eye line. "Three years, huh?" Pete just looked at him tiredly. "Ah, so it may have been longer, but you're tired right now. Did you feel sick yesterday?"
"No," Pete told him. "Woke up about Four and couldn't go back to sleep. Didn't want to wake anyone and I wasn't thirsty, just had chills and decided to read for a while."
"And then you started to feel worse and fell asleep at the table," Helen finished.
"Uh-huh." He blinked when Walt laughed softly. "What?"
"You're you, kiddo," Walt told him with a smile. "Helen, do we have any lime soda at the house?"
"No, that slipped my mind. We'll get some on the way home." She watched Pete's eyes fall shut, only for him to startle awake and Walt to catch him. "Pete, it's okay to sleep a little while we wait."
"Don't like it in here."
Walt glanced at the playful wallpaper. "Is it the cheerful you don't like? I think it's cute."