12 years ago
"You sure I can do this?" Len asked nervously.
"Yes I am sure. Your are old enough Len. You are in medical school for crying..."
"Chris..." Phil said in a warning.
Chris looked sheepish. "Sorry. What I meant to say. You are the best babysitter I can think off at this moment."
"And you are his brother. So everything should be fine." Phil said as he closed his bag.
"You don't even know me that long! It hasn't even been a year! How could you trust me? I never babysat a child. You don't know I am..."
"Len stop worrying. You can take care of yourself, can't you? So you know Jim already, so it should be easy. Do fun things. Don't destroy the house. And don't not leave any injuries on your bodies. Take care of each other. It should be fine." Phil said as he put on his coat.
"But... something could happen."
"Len please. Calm down. Just watch the kid. We should be back by dinner time. You can comm Archer if you need him but he has meetings all day so that's why you need to babysit. But you can comm him if you need him alright? Just have a fun time." Chris said as he also put his coat on.
Len sighs. "Alright. I can do this."
Both Phil and Chris smiled. "Yes you can." They both said.
"Jim! Come downstairs. We are leaving." Chris shouted to the stairs. Soon they heard footsteps and Jim was downstairs. He gave both Chris and Phil a hug immediately.
"You come back right?"
"Yes kiddo. We bring some take out for dinner alright. Now just be a good kid and be nice to Len while he watched you." Chris said.
"I could stay home on my own you know. I am a big boy."
Phil ruffled Jim's hair. "You sure are a big boy. But not a big boy enough to stay home alone. So be nice to him and you two have fun, okay. Remember if something is wrong call your grandpa."
"Yes I remembered." Len said as he put a hand on Jim's shoulder.
"Alright. Taxi is here. We see you both tonight." Chris said and they quickly said their goodbyes.
Len closed the door and looked at Jim. Jim looked at Bones and raised an eyebrow.
"So..." Len begins.
"So..." Jim imitated.
"Uhmm what do you want to do? Chris and Phil said to do something fun. So what do you want to do?"
"You don't have to do anything with me just because they said so. I could play on my own. I am sure you have something better to do." Jim said and turned around.
Len immediately went after him to stop him. "Ho ho wait a minute. I was not just saying that. I got nothing better to do than spending time with you today."
"I am sure you have some schoolwork or something. You want to be Doctor, don't you."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't do something else. There is a time for learning and there is time for family. You are my little brother remember?"
"Yes, so. You know I heard what you said before? You don't have to pretend. I can take care of myself Bones. Just because dad and papa think I need a babysitter doesn't mean you have to do it." Jim said and tried to step around Len.
"Hey stop. It wasn't that I don't want to babysit you. It was because I never looked after a kid before. I am afraid I will screw up. It's a big responsibility. I have no other siblings or cousins. I wanted to make sure Chris and Phil were making the right decision."
"I don't think you could screw up Bones. You're too much in control for that."
"I don't think I should take that as a compliment or as an insult."
"Well we never know." Jim said with a smile as he tried again to walk past him but Len took him by the arm and leads him to the door.
"What? You set me out of the house?" Jim asked confused and a little worried.
"What? No! Here take your coat. We are going to the park."
"The park? And do what?"
"Playing. Having fun. I heard there was something organized that could be fun. Kind of like a fair."
"A fair?" Jim asked as he put his coat on.
"Yes, so come on." Len said as he held the door open. Jim followed him outside and Len immediately took his hand. Jim looked confused and a little embarrassed by that.
"You know I am ten year old not four. I can walk on my own. Don't need to hold my hand." Jim said as Len held tight.
"You are still a kid. And most kids get lost outside. In a store or a park or a playground or like we are going, a fair. Too much distraction could get a child lost. So you are staying close so I can't lost you."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Okay you are readying way too much. I can stay close without holding your hand."
Len was silent for awhile until they were close to the fair. "It's busy. Maybe it wasn't a good idea. We could do..."
"Oh no. You said we would go. We are here. Come on Bones. You said you wanted to make fun."
"Yes but..."
"No but. We are going." Jim said as he dragged Len with him.
"Alright it looks like fun."
"Thank you. So now that we are here can you please stop holding my hand it's embarrassing." Jim asked when he saw a peer.
Len looked uncomfortable with the request. But also understood that Jim wanted to be a big boy. Especially in the front of a peer. Len took a deep breath. "Okay, but you have to promise to stay close to me. No wandering off."
"I promise. Now can we go in that?" Jim asked excited as he saw an attraction.
Len looked at it and felt a little nauseous just by seeing it but he wanted to give Jim a good and a fun day. "Yeah, sure kid. Why not."
A couple of hours later they went in almost all the attractions and played a lot of games. They were kind of hungry but Jim wanted to go in one last attraction the cakewalk.
"Just this one and then we can eat something. You have to go in this one before you eat or you would be nauseous." Jim told him as they stood in the line.
"You don't have to eat to feel nauseous kid." Len said softly. The day went pretty good, Len thought. No accidents, no missing kid. No out of control behavior. No it was a good day.
And just as he thought those words. Those stupid words. It had to happen. They were almost through the cakewalk when a kid in the front of them fell, who of course took his friend with him, who of course had marbles in his pocket. That of course fell on the floor. The floor that was moving. And that stupid kid tried to get his marbles but grabbed Jim instead, who of course gets out of balance and fell hard against the railing before he fell to the floor.
"Shit. Jim you okay? Come let me look." Len said as he immediately grabbed Jim, just forgetting those other stupid kids. Jim was more important. He dragged Jim out of the cakewalk and sat him down so he had a better look. Shit blood. Head wound.
"Jim, you are bleeding. How you feeling. You dizzy? Nauseous? Are hurt anywhere else?" Len asked as he took the first aid kit the owner of the cakewalk gave him. He said a silent thank you before he focused again on Jim. He had to stop the bleeding.
"Bones. Stop it. I am fine." Jim said as he shook his head a little. He was probably dizzy.
"You are not. You hit your head." First time babysitting and this happend. Don't leave any injuries Phil told him and now Jim was injured. They should never leave him babysitting again. Look what happens, Len thought.
"Yes I know. I felt it." Jim said irritated as Len took control of his head wound.
"Good. You remembered that. Now answer the other questions and put your hands down so I can fix your wound."
Jim gave him a look. "I am fine. Just a wound. It happend."
Len shook his head as he had closed the wound. "Head wounds are tricky. Maybe we should go to the hospital so they could check you out. Yes that is what we will do." Len said as he took Jim's arm to get him up but he didn't move and starts to fight him.
"No way. No hospital. Look I said I was fine. Let's just go home okay?"
"Jim you need to see a doctor. You could have a bleeding in your head or worse..."
"You really need to stop reading. It's not doing you any good on your blood pressure." Jim said as he stood up on unsteady legs. Len was immediately by his side and helped him walk.
"Jim I know you are dizzy. Just tell me what you feel please." Len asked as they walked out of the fair and through the park. Jim was so silent it was uncomfortable.
"Jim?" Len asked as Jim stopped and closed his eyes. It wasn't a minute later before he turned around and went for a trash can. Len was immediately by his side. After he was finished Len sat Jim a bench.
"I am fine Bones. Don't worry. Maybe I did too much." Jim said softly.
"Maybe... maybe you did too much???? Jim you HIT your head. You need a doctor, a hospital, a scan."
"No. I will go home. You can go already if you want. I will be there in a couple of minutes."
Len laughed nervously. "Yeah right kid. As if I would leave you alone with a possible concussion. I would be the worse babysitter than I already am. First time and you got hurt."
"Not your fault Bones."
"Yes, no." He took a deep breath. "It is. You are my responsibility. So I need to take it. You are the kid. So we are going."
"What? Going where?" Jim asked confused as he opened his eyes again.
"Hospital. Not up for negotiations."
"I said no Bones. So it's no." Jim said dangerously.
"You are ten years old! I am a medical student. I think I know what I am talking about. I am sorry Jim but I don't care if you say no." Len said as he took Jim's arm but this time Jim immediately took his arm back out of Len's grip.
"Touch me again and I will scream you are kidnapping me."
"What?" Len said softly. Confused at how Jim behavior just changed. "Okay. I... We... you just sit. I know what to do." Len said and Jim looked confused as Len tried to comm someone but decided to let him. He wanted to close his eyes and be with his own mind. Len stood up and walk away some what, out of Jim's hearing area.
"Leonard? I didn't expected you to comm me. Everything alright?" Archer asked.
"John? I need your help. No not everything is alright. I screw up. I am the worse babysitter. They never should let me. And now Jim is hurt and is angry at me and doesn't talk but he needs help..."
"Wow wow slow down. What you mean Jim is hurt? Where are you?" Archer asked slowly but worried now.
"In the park. We went to the fair and Jim hit his head hard on a railing. He got a head wound that I already closed but I think he should go to the hospital. He is unstable on his feet and just threw up. But Jim refused and is now angry at me and I can't touch him anymore...I ...I don't..."
Archer took a deep breath. "Okay Leonard calm down. I am on my way now. I am coming to get you both. Just wait with Jim. Just keep an eye on him. You are a medical student you know what to do."
"Yes I know what he needs! A hospital. But..."
"Len. No hospital. Just you and Jim right now. No hospital."
"What." Len asked confused. They were all crazy. For sure.
"You heard me. Now stay with him until I got there." Archer said as he hang up.
I wasn't long before Archer was with them. "Hey kiddo I heard you hit your head." Archer said as he crouched in the front of him and turned Jim's head. Len stood nervously behind him.
"Grandpa, Bones didn't need to call you. I am fine."
"Yeah? You know I know you longer that just today. I know you are in pain."
"He is in pain? Why didn't you say anything? I got a hypo you could take." Len held it out to see but was immediately shouted with...
"NO!" Archer and Jim said at the same time.
"Uhm okay? Why? You said you were in pain."
"Allergic to a lot. We don't want to risk that. Put it away Leonard and help me get Jim in the car." Archer said and Len lifted Jim up in his arms. If Chris and Phil could do it then so could he. Jim was lighter than he expected.
They quickly drove to their home and Len put Jim on the couch while Archer was on the comm with Phil.
"Is he responsive?" Phil asked through the comm. they were already on their way home. Archer had comm them apparently when he left to get them from the park. Len sighs and sat besides Jim on the couch.
"What do you think if he kept repeating no hospital and I am fine?" Archer said sarcastically.
"Yeah well. He also said those things half asleep so?"
"Yes he is responsive just very tired but knows what is happening around him."
Phil nodded. "Is Len still with you?"
"Yes."
"Well put him on then."
Archer indicated for Len to take the comm as they switched places. Here it comes Len thought.
"Phil I wanted to say how sorry..."
"Stop right there Len. Accidents happend. Nothing you could do. He had a fun time before right?" Len nodded. "Well that is important. Now we fix this. You already closed the wound I heard." Len nodded again. "Now I want you to go to our office. My bag is in there."
"Your bag but I am..." Len asked confused.
"The closest thing we got to someone with medical knowledge. Look, we are on our way. With 40 minutes we are home." Phil said calmly. Len nodded and got the bags. Phil explained how the tricorder worked and to scan Jim. With the help from Archer they got the results.
"Small concussion it says." Len told Phil.
"Well you already suspected a concussion. You know the drill?" Phil asked Len.
"Yes. Not let him sleep. Keep him awake. But when he sleeps wake him every two hour and ask questions to make sure there is no bleeding in his head." Len told him.
"Good. But you can let him sleep now. He was awake for a good while from the moment it happend. He can sleep. I will check him over when I got home."
"That's it? No other things I need to do? Isn't it better to take him to the hospital and we meet you there?"
"Len, remember what happend when you first showed your medical bag at home." Len nodded and closed his eyes at the memory. "Good. Then you also know he can't go to the hospital. He got me. 15 minutes we will be home." Phil said and ended the comm.
They were indeed home soon and Phil and Archer took Jim to his room. Phil examined Jim further while Archer gave Jim comfort. Soon Phil was finished and ran his hand through Jim's hair and gave him a painkiller he could get. Archer sat besides Jim as he lay down and decided to stay with his grandson as he read him a story. Phil smiled before he stood up and went downstairs. He had an other son he also needed to attend to.
"I don't understand you. I screw up. Why are you not mad? Why can I still stay here?" Len asked frustrated as he walked up and down in the living room. Phil shared a look with Chris as Phil came downstairs.
"Just like Phil and Archer said before, it was an accident and accidents happened. Nothing you could do. You took care of him afterwards didn't you? You didn't leave him?" Chris asked Len.
"No but..."
"Then you did what a good babysitter would do. You had fun together. An accident happend. You stayed with him. You called for help when you needed it. So what exactly did you do wrong?" Chris asked as he drank a cup of coffee and gave one to Phil as he stood next to him.
Len sighs and sat finally down at the kitchen table. Phil and Chris joined him. "We didn't started that well. You just left and Jim told me he didn't need me to entertain him. I could do my homework. That was more important. Of course I talked him out of it immediately and took him to the fair. Then that happend. Jim sat on the bench and I missed the signals. I grabbed his arm to bring him to the hospital and ... I never heard that voice of Jim before. It was dangerous and I couldn't touch him anymore. Then John was there and he saw Jim was in pain. Something I also missed and then I wanted to give him a hypo but if Archer and Jim didn't shouted at me not to do it...I could have killed Jim. That was when I realized that we left the house and I didn't bring an EPI with me. If the accident didn't happen then we would have ate something on the fair. He could have got an allergic reaction and I didn't even got an EPI with me. It didn't matter what or how. Jim would have gotten hurt because of me." Len said and put his head in his hands.
"Len you are way too hard for yourself. Nothing what you said could have been prevented. And I don't understand why Jim didn't tell you but he always got an epi with him. One in his coat, one in his bag and one in his shoe. We made the last one special. You know where they are in the house, don't you?" Phil asked just to be sure. Len nodded.
"Good. See nothing to worry about. This happend now, next time it's something else. If we could we already put the kid in bubble-wrap and locked him up so he was safe. But we all know we can't do that and the kid always needs to move. Can't sit still. So yes those things happend and we just have to accept them. It's the risk we take." Chris told him.
"How can you just..."
"Except that? Simple. It about knowing your son. If we keep him too close and on a too short cord, he would only fight us and we would lose him. You have to let him know he can always come to you but also know when to call him on his bullshit." Phil explained.
"So I lost this one? Doesn't he trust me..."
"Ho Ho Len. Don't think about winning and losing. You know about his past so you don't always know how he will react. Now you have seen it and you will know for next time. We are still learning too you know. Just like Jim is learning about us. No winning or losing. Just being a family and understanding each other and love them for who they are." Chris told him.
"What you mean next time? Does that mean you still trust me and want me..." Phil stopped Len from speaking more.
"What part of family didn't you understand? You are family. Big brother remember? Jim needs a big brother he needs to look up to and learn him things only a brother can do. Besides you are also our son. We would never send our sons out of the house. They always welcome, no matter what."
Len smiled at that. "Thank you. Sorry about..."
"No need to say you are sorry. It's done. Why don't you take the next watch over Jim. I am sure grandpa can use a break. Besides I have a feeling Jim feels as guilty about what happend as you just did. Talk it out and leave it behind. What happened, happened. Come we just take one coffee then I walk with you to check up on him and get grandpa to go downstairs. How does that sound".
Len smiled. "That sounds good."
A while later Phil, Chris and Archer were making dinner while Len and Jim talked about before. Everything was alright again and were telling each other silly stories as if nothing happend. They were brothers alright. And Len realized that he was indeed part of the family and they would not send him away.