Chapter 17: Aeroplane Lasagna And Red Faces

Grant's POV- Whereabouts: "Gramsy's house"

After breakfast, the day seemed to go quickly, he spent the morning catching Gramsy up on all the things he'd done since last time he rung her. Skye had taken the opportunity to escape the confines of the house, exploring outside, under Tommy's watchful eyes.

"So…I haven't been doing that much, Gramsy." He said, keeping an eye on both his brother and Skye through the lounge room window. Just protecting the girl I love and getting shot at. Yeah, nothing at all. He thought sarcastically.

"Right, Grant, because looking after your Rookie that's been turned into a three year old doesn't sound like much." Gramsy stated mockingly, rolling her eyes.

He huffed a little. "It's had its challenges." He acknowledged. "But I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if it meant Skye was safe." He told her, earnestly.

"I know you would. Though, I must admit that I'm surprised. I didn't think a family was something you wanted, but you seem so comfortable looking after Skye that I'm wondering if you were honest with yourself, or just telling yourself what you thought you needed to hear because you were worried..."

"Worried that I'd turn into my parent's." He finished her sentence in a bitter tone as she trailed off.

Gramsy sighed heavily. "I know it worries you Grant, but watching you interact with Skye…I don't think you have anything to worry about. You're a natural with her. You know what she needs before she does." She reassured him.

"It's always been like that with Skye. It's just second nature to look out for her." He tried to explain.

Gramsy raised an eye brow at him. "Is it second nature? Or instinct? Because it's your gut feeling. Feeling, Grant, not habit that's telling you to protect her." She insisted. "You feel responsible for her. It's not your fault she's vulnerable, Grant. I hope you realise that." She told him, insistently.

"This is my fault. I should have protected her from that 0-8-4. If I'd been supervising her like I should have been. I could have stopped her from grabbing it and she wouldn't be a kid. Skye wouldn't have been held hostage. She wouldn't have a price on her head. She wouldn't be on the run, in constant danger. She wouldn't need to hind. She'd be with the team, were she's save." He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.

He stood up agitatedly. "I should have kept her safe, Gramsy. That was my job and I failed like I did with Tommy." He sighed and turned to face the window, keeping an eye on Skye and Tommy. He didn't want to think about his past, it wasn't a happy time of his life. It was downright awful and bringing it up unsettled his nerves.

"Grant Douglas Ward, don't be so ridiculous!" Gramsy snapped, thoroughly frustrated with her grandson. "You haven't failed at anything with Skye or Thomas. You've barely taken your eyes off the two of them this whole time we've been talking. You're looking out for them, like you always do, like you always have because it's what family does. They love and protect each other." Gramsy insisted, leaving no room for argument.

He ran his hand through his hair, equally worked up.

"You've done all that and more for Skye and Thomas. So don't you dare stand there and tell me this is your fault, that you didn't protect them. What happened to them wasn't your fault. Somethings are out of our control. You can't protect them from everything. Sometimes they'll get hurt, but that doesn't make it your fault, not at all. And it certainly does not make you responsible." Her tone was firmly passionate, her angry glare boring into the side of his head.

He sighed. "I just feel like…I should have protected them better." He said, taking his eyes from the window to meet Gramsy's. "I know I can't protect them from everything, but that doesn't mean I can't try." He replied stubbornly, walking closer to the window.

Gramsy's POV

She watched Grant shift agitatedly on the spot. He'd barely taken his eyes off Skye and Thomas through the window since they disappeared outside for fresh air. He walked towards the window, peering out so he could see them better as they explored the side of the house. His shoulders were tense and his posture ridged with worry.

This was the Grant she remembered very clearly. "Grant, honey, sit down. Skye's fine outside with Thomas, relax. They'll come in when they get tired." She coaxed.

Grant's POV

He sighed, returning to the couch reluctantly. Tommy was no specialist but he would call for help if anything happened. "I don't like not being able to keep an eye on them." He told her honestly, running a hand over his face tiredly.

"I know, honey, but they're safe out there. Relax for a bit and let your brother bond with Skye. They seem to be over their little dispute from this morning." She said, shaking her head with a smile.

He was tired and didn't have the energy to argue. "Fine, I'll do my best to relax, but until Skye's back to her adult self, she'll never be safe." He argued, lying down on the couch. With his eyes closed, he could hear Skye and Tommy's laughter and it lulled him to much needed sleep.

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Gramsy's POV

The mid-morning news was finishing, when she heard Skye and Thomas come crashing through the door, laughing. Skye had her arms and legs wrapped around Thomas in a piggy back.

"Shh, you two. Grant's sleeping. You're going to have to be quiet for a little while." She informed them.

Skye tightened her grip around Thomas' neck, clinging to him. "What's wrong with him?" She asked distressed.

Before Gramsy could answer, Thomas interrupted. "Skye, you're strangling me." Skye loosened her grip and slide down his back, landing on her feet.

"Nothing's wrong with Grant, sweetie, he's just tired. He'll wake up soon. He's been asleep most of the afternoon. I'm surprised you two didn't wake him with your entrance." She laughed quietly.

Skye still looked worried, she was fidgeting almost identically to Grant. The little girl shifted on the spot from one foot to the other and played with her fingers.

Gramsy watched as Skye walked right up to Grant's sleeping form on the couch. She pulled the blanket back and scrambled up on top of his chest, pressing her ear to his heart. Grant didn't even stir. Her heart swelled and she smiled.

Skye caught her watching. "He doesn't sleep when the skies shining." She explained in a worried voice.

"Perhaps, he figured that because the Skye was shining that he could sleep." She hinted, cryptically.

Skye frowned and just snuggled up to Grant. Reflexively Grant's arm came to rest on the little girl's back, holding her close. Within two minutes, Skye was out too. Gramsy walked over to the sleeping pair and shifted the blanket back over them both.

Thomas' POV

He fully expected Grant to jerk awake like he used to whenever he'd get scared and crawl into his bed after a nightmare, but Grant didn't wake. He only wrapped his arms around Skye tightly, continuing to sleep peacefully.

"If I didn't know better. I'd wonder if that was really my brother, there fast sleep with a three year old on his chest. He actually looks relaxed."

Gramsy's POV

She sat back down in her chair and Thomas took a seat opposite her. "He worries about you two. You should have seen him earlier when he couldn't see you through the window."

"I can take care of myself. I don't need him to protect me. I was looking after Skye. I wouldn't have let anything happen to her." He insisted.

"I know, but he's always going to try and protect you. It's what a big brother does." She smiled.

Thomas' POV

He looked up, catching his grandmother's eyes. "Gramsy, Skye's right. He never sleeps during the day, so he must be relaxed enough to let his guard down. He's changed so much. It's like…I need to get to know my brother again." Thomas explained, worriedly.

Gramsy smiled at him reassuringly. "Grant's still your big brother, Thomas. He's just letting his guard down a bit. I think Skye's carefree, bubbly spirit has rubbed off on him. She's like his polar opposite." She laughed.

"I suppose you're right. Anyway, I like this new Grant. He's happy and that's all I care about. Skye's going to make family Christmas' hilarious in the future, when Grant gets her back to an adult and tells her how he feels." He chuckled, glancing at the pair.

"I'm sure you're right." She chuckled in agreement.

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Grant's POV

He gradually returned to consciousness. Straining his senses, he noticed two things: the first was he couldn't hear Skye or Thomas anymore. The second was a familiar weight on his chest that he'd come to associate with Skye. He relaxed, tightened his grip and kept his eyes closed.

"You can relax, Grant. Skye hasn't moved since she came inside. She actually checked whether you were still breathing." Gramsy explained, breaking the silence.

His eyes flew open. "She what? Checked I was still breathing?" He asked, confused.

"Well, I think she thought something was wrong with you because you fell asleep during the day. Skye was worried. I think she's as bad as you." She clarified.

He brushed Skye's messy hair back, trying to see her face. His hand touching her skin caused him to frown. "She feels hot. Was she feeling alright when she came inside?" He asked, worry seeping into his voice.

"I think so…I didn't really get much out of her once I told her you were sleeping. She got off Thomas' back and snuggled up with you. She was asleep in two minutes." Gramsy answered

"Well, her forehead seems hot to me. I'll just have to see when she wakes up." He sighed. Skye did feel hot to his touch but he couldn't see her face; she was snuggled down too far to get a good look.

"Dinners ready." He heard Thomas call from the kitchen.

"You'd better wake Skye up or she won't sleep tonight." Gramsy informed him, headed for the kitchen to help Tommy serve up dinner.

He tightened his arms around Skye and sat up with her still held to his chest. She only made a disgruntled sound and continued sleeping.

He swung his legs off the couch, sitting properly. "Baby, it's time to wake up." He murmured, trying to rouse her.

Skye's eyes fluttered a few times then stayed half open. "Don't feel good." She whimpered into his shirt.

"What's hurting, baby?" He asked worriedly, shifting her a little so he could stand up.

"Hot." She mumbled, tears shining in her eyes as she blinked blearily up at him.

"It's ok, baby, we'll see if Gramsy's got a thermometer." He told her, heading for the kitchen to find Gramsy. She'd know what to do.

Walking into the kitchen, he squinted at the brightness; it took him a minute to adjust.

"I see the problem now, Grant. No wonder Skye felt hot." Gramsy exclaimed.

Blinking, he looked from his grandmother down to Skye. "Oh, yeah, that would explain it. Guess I don't need the thermometer." In the light of the kitchen, Skye's face and shoulders were red while her legs were slightly pink. "Skye, you're sunburnt." He explained, seeing the confusion in her eyes.

Tommy spun around. "What! Skye can't be sunburnt! We put sunscreen on her this morning and played in the shade." He cried, horrified, as he examined her.

"Tommy, Skye will be ok. We'll cool her down. She's just going to be a bit red and itchy when she starts peeling." Grant soothed his little brother's panic. He didn't want Tommy feeling guilty. He felt bad enough; he'd fallen asleep when he should have made her put more sunscreen on.

"But now she's miserable, and it's all my fault. She's going to hate me now." Tommy moped.

"You weren't to know, Tommy. It's not your fault, it's mine, and I should have checked she had enough sunscreen on. I know Skye's not used to these conditions, her baby skin burns easily. She's not going to hate you." Tommy didn't look convinced.

Gramsy sighed. "Once you boys have decided whose fault it is, perhaps we can sort Skye out and have some dinner. I'll get a wet cloth to cool her down and after dinner you can put some Aloe Vera spray on her sunburn. That should help." She told them in an exasperated tone, walking out of the kitchen. What am I going to do with those boys? She thought, shaking her head.

Grant sat at the table with Skye still cradled to him.

"Sorry, Skye, I should have put more sunscreen on you." Tommy apologised, smoothing her curls down as he crouched to the side of Grant's chair.

"S'ok, choo choo." Skye mumbled, causing both boys to frown.

"Choo choo?" Tommy questioned, looking at his brother, but Grant just shrugged.

"Thomas the Tank Engine." Skye murmured, tiredly.

Grant laughed hearing Skye's nickname for his brother. "I'm not sure which is better. Robot or Thomas the Tank Engine." He snickered.

Tommy finally cracked a smile. "Choo choo is horrible, Skye. Can't I be something cooler?" He asked, hopefully.

Skye shook her head. "Tommy tank." She told him, firmly.

Gramsy re-entered the room, and pressed the wet cloth to Skye's burning skin. Skye whimpered and shrank away, Gramsy let Grant take over.

"Cold, don't want it. She whined.

"Baby, it'll make you feel better." He insisted. Skye stopped fidgeting so the cool cloth must have helped a little.

"Here's your lasagna. Gramsy and I are going to eat in the lounge. She wants to watch the news." Tommy said, placing their plates down.

"Thanks." He said, shifting Skye so he could eat his dinner. Skye didn't even open her eyes let alone touch her dinner.

"Skye, are you ready for some lasagna?" He question, half way through his own piece.

"No." She murmured, half asleep.

"You've gotta eat a little bit. I don't want you being hungry later." He insisted.

Skye shook her head no, nuzzling into his chest.

He sighed, putting his fork down. "Baby, you've gotta eat something. Please, just a tiny bit." He pleaded. "How about I show you a trick I learnt when Tommy was a baby?" That got Skye's attention. She shifted her head up to meet his eyes, intrigued. "Well…it's called the aeroplane." He told her, picking up her fork.

"Like The Bus?" She questioned, curiously.

"That's right, baby. Here comes The Bus." He told her in an exaggerated voice, moving her fork full of lasagna like it was flying. He felt ridiculous but it worked. Skye opened her mouth and took the mouthful.

Half her lasagna was eaten and that was more than he'd expected. So when Skye didn't open her mouth for his aeroplane, he put her fork down and picked up him own, finishing it before it was cold.

Done with their dinner he headed for the lounge. "I'm going to put her to bed. See you in the morning." He told Gramsy and Thomas, heading for the stairs.

Skye was nearly asleep by the time he reached his room. Placing Skye down on his bed, he searched for her pyjamas. "Baby, you awake?" He asked softly, getting no reply.

He only had a small amount of trouble getting Skye's limbs into her Pyjamas and under the covers. Feeling her forehead, he noticed that it was a little bit cooler than it had been but she was still radiating heat.

Before getting into bed, he got the after sun spray and wet the cloth again. He ran the cloth over her hot skin, and then put it on her forehead.

He felt exhausted. He might have had an afternoon nap but he was still tired. It had been a very long few weeks. Lying down and closing his eyes, he smiled thinking about her funny nickname for his brother. He wondered if they'd get along this great when she was an adult again.

Only one way to find out. He thought as he fell asleep.

Notes- Thank you to EmmaJMcGhee for taking time out of your busy day to beta this chapter. I know it's such a busy time of year for everyone. I have an exhibition opening Friday that I'm so excited about so I apologise for the delay putting this chapter up.