Chapter 5 - Innocent Clarity

"Doctor, do you think Chris will be happy?"

Ducky looked up from the body he was dissecting, and took on a reflective expression. He cleared his throat, and put the scalpel down. "Well Jimmy, I think he already is happy. The two of you seem to be adjusting to things quite well, and it's really only been a few months. I have to say, I think Christopher is a delightful young man."

Jimmy grinned broadly, amusement apparent in his voice. "That's partly because he absolutely loves your stories, Dr. Mallard. And I know exactly what stories you tell him, too, because he repeats every single one of them to me verbatim when I get home."

Ducky grinned proudly. "As I said, he's a delightful lad. He's very intelligent, too," the old doctor said, with a mischievous smile and a wink.

Jimmy sighed, almost contentedly, and then said, "Really, Doctor, he looks up to you. Like he would a grandfather, I think." Ducky smiled bashfully, his blue eyes lighting up behind his glasses. "Well, Jimmy my boy… the affection is mutual. If I had a grandson, I believe I would like for him to be just like young Christopher. In fact, he rather does feel like a grandson. So you'll of course understand and forgive me, if I have a tendency at times spoil him somewhat."

Jimmy smiled briefly at this, nodding in permissive approval, then slowly, a darkness seemed to settle over his face, and his smile faded into a sad frown. "Doctor, Nicole is getting worse. I think her prognosis is more dire than she's told us."

Ducky sighed, then turned and leaned against the table, crossing his arms in front of him. "I suspected as much, Jimmy. I suppose… you suspected as well?" Jimmy looked down briefly, and then nodded grimly.

"Chris is going to be watching his mother die very shortly, I think. I don't know how to handle that. I'm still so new at this, Sir." For the first time since he'd known him, Ducky thought that Jimmy sounded absolutely exhausted. It seemed shocking, coming from the young man, who normally had energy to burn.

"Well, you won't be dealing with it all by yourself, Jimmy. You'll have me, and Jasmine, and Timothy, and Abigail… you'll have everyone." Ducky moved over to where Jimmy was standing, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't underestimate your boy's resiliency. He'll be devastated, to be sure… but the ability of a child to bounce back after such a loss never ceases to amaze me. Don't be surprised if he becomes the one to help you to cope with the loss."

"Sometimes I think he understands some things better than I do, Sir," Jimmy admitted, with a small sad smile. Ducky nodded, and sighed softly. "Yes. Children see things in black and white. Adults see only shades of grey."

Ducky smiled sadly at his young assistant, as Jimmy nodded. "You're right, Dr. Mallard. That's exactly it. Christopher sees things as they truly are. To be honest, it's a bit spooky sometimes. His insights can be incredibly thoughtful. I didn't know a nine year old could be so wise, until now." He allowed himself a small smile. "I guess, the younger you are, the less clogged up your brain is with knowledge and experience, and the less complicated things are seen as being." Ducky squeezed his shoulder briefly and reassuringly.

"Do you ever find yourself missing that innocent clarity, Doctor?" Jimmy asked suddenly, his brows crinkled in troubled contemplation over his green eyes.

Ducky smiled at this, and said, "Oh, my, yes. Black and white, Mr. Palmer. Black and white. Sometimes I miss it more than you could ever imagine," he nodded, and turned himself around to return to the body on his table. Jimmy sighed, sounding like a young man with big burdens on his shoulders. "So do I, Sir."

"Mr. Palmer, I really wouldn't worry so much. Cross the bridge when you come to it, my dear fellow. You don't want to waste what precious little time Nicole may have left on fretting about the future. She needs for all of you to live here, in the present, with her. Make her last days happy, and content ones."

Jimmy thought about this for a moment. "Doctor, I think, I mean, I hope I'm right, but… I think maybe she is content. I think she's feels like she's accomplished what she wanted to do. She wanted Christopher to have a family. His family. Me. Maybe that's why she doesn't seem to be fighting so hard anymore."

Ducky nodded. "Well, perhaps you're right, Jimmy. She's tired of fighting, and now she can go in peace, knowing that her son will be taken care of, and loved as he deserves to be."

Jimmy said nothing for a moment, his eyes reflecting some kind of acceptance. "We're going to be okay, aren't we, Dr. Mallard?" The words sounded more like a statement seeking affirmation, than a plea for reassurance.

Ducky reached out with both hands, resting them on the taller young man's shoulders. He gave them a fatherly squeeze, as he said, with utmost sincerity in his liquid blue eyes, "Yes, Jimmy. I believe you're all going to be just fine."