Ben took his shower. Annie's shower had excellent pressure. Very few people really appreciate showers, especially ones with good pressure. Ben Linus was one of those few. He stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Ben put on his fresh khakis and buttoned his clean blue striped shirts. Clean clothes were another thing Benjamin Linus appreciated greatly.

He walked into Annie's room to drop his clothes in her laundry hamper. Annie walked in behind him. "Hey." She kissed him. "I'm going grocery shopping now. Are you okay staying with Benji?"

"Sure."

Annie hoped some time alone might get the two of them talking. She knew it was tough to get Benji talking; he was almost as quiet as his father was at age twelve. Some days Annie had found it difficult to get even two words out of Ben, and he had talked more with Annie than anyone else back then.

Annie went to find her son.

"Benji?" She asked, opening the door of his room. Benji was lying down on his bed, wearing khaki shorts and a black t-shirt, and reading a small paperback book. Frank the rabbit sat next to him, nibbling a carrot.

"Yes?" He asked, his bespectacled blue eyes peering at her from over the top of his book.

"I'm going to the grocery store soon and I wanted to make sure you were okay staying here with your father."

Benji nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back in an hour."

After Annie left, Ben wasn't sure of what to do. He almost always had something that needed doing. Today he had nothing. He walked past Benji's room, where Benji was reading. Ben never liked being interrupted while he was reading, so he just walked by.

Ben wondered if this was the right move. Maybe Benji felt ignored by Ben just walking by. If Benji wanted his father, would he come and talk to him, or wait for his father to come to him? Ben decided to take a chance.

Ben walked back to Benji's room and stood at the doorway. "Hey," he said.

"Hi," Benji replied, looking up at his father.

"What book are you reading?" Ben asked.

"The Perks of being a Wallflower." Benji paused. His father probably wanted to do something with him, and Benji knew just what to suggest. "I was just about to clean Frank's cage. If you want to help, I'd be more than happy to let you."

Ben smiled at him. "Trying to hand off all your work to me?" He joked.

Benji smiled back.

When Annie got back an hour later, she saw her plan had worked. Ben and Benji were sitting in the living room, with Frank hopping around on the floor. She brought in the bags full of groceries and set them on the table, smiling.

At dinner that night, you would've thought that they were a family that had lived with each other their whole lives. The kind of family that doesn't fight, though.

After dessert, which was lemon bars that Annie had made that afternoon, the small family sat down in the living room to watch Donnie Darko, Annie on one side, Ben on the other, Benji in the middle. After the first five minutes, Annie decided she needed popcorn, and returned three minutes later with a bowl full.

"Popcorn?" She asked Ben, as he was so fixated on the movie that the smell didn't get his attention.

"Mom, shhhh! He's never seen it before!" Benji scolded his mother. Ben smiled, thinking of all the times Annie had probably seen this movie.

About an hour through, Benji was struggling to stay awake. He gave into his battle of consciousness. He fell asleep, leaning against his father.

"He looks so cute, so innocent when he's asleep. Kind of like you," Annie said at the end of the movie.

"Should we wake him up?"

"I bet you could carry him up," Annie said. "He's pretty light."

So Ben picked up Benji, and carried him upstairs, followed by Annie. Luckily, Benji was already in pajamas, so Ben just lay him on the bed, and pulled the blankets over him.

Ben took Benji's glasses off and set them on his bedside table.

"Goodnight, Benji," He said.

Annie smiled at him from the doorway. "Come on. Let's go back downstairs," She said, a smile playing on her lips.

"Mom?" A soft voice cried out. As a second thought, it added, "Dad?"

It was one o'clock in the morning. Ben and Annie were still awake, as they had just gone up to bed. Since Benji's room was across the hall, the heard him easily. The two parents jumped out bed and walked quickly into Benji's room.

"What's wrong?" Annie asked.

"He's warm," said Ben, his hand on Benji's forehead.

"I'll go get the thermometer," Annie said.

"My ears hurt, and my throat hurts, and my head…" Benji's voice wavered. "And I feel really, really warm."

Annie came back with a thermometer, the kind you stick in your ear, not the kind that makes your tongue hurt. She stuck the thermometer in Benji's ear. He winced. It only took a few seconds before it beeped.

"One hundred three point four. Aw, poor baby," Annie said. "Well, how about you come downstairs to the couch, then we can get you some juice and medicine. Tomorrow morning I'll call and see if I can get you a doctor appointment." In their household the living room was always the central sick area, mainly because of the TV.

Benji slowly got out of bed and put his feet in his slippers. Ben grabbed Benji's pillow, and the three of them made their way downstairs to the living room.

Benji lay down on the sofa, while Annie got him a cup of juice. Ben went back upstairs, and quickly returned with a wet washcloth and an assortment of medicine.

"Liquid or pills?" Ben asked, smoothing the cold washcloth over Benji's forehead.

"Pills," Benji replied. Ben studied a box, then handed Benji two small orange capsules, which Benji washed down with a mouthful of juice.

Annie yawned. "You should go up to bed. Don't worry, I'll stay with Benji. You go get some sleep so you can take him to the doctor tomorrow," Ben urged Annie.

"Okay, you're right." Annie kissed Ben goodnight. "Nighty night, Benji, my little sick bunny," She said, kissing the top of his head.

Next chapter: Ben tells Benji his life story. Please review!