They were sitting in the audience; Stella, Mac, Darla, and Lindsay, looking up at the kids singing on the stage. Lindsay grinned, and tapped her dad on the arm.

"I can see Donnie and Sheldon! Look Daddy, there they are!" She exclaimed.

Mac smiled.

"I can see them too, Lindsay." Mac said.

Lindsay smiled up at him and looked back up at the stage, waving at Don. She waved and waved, but Don wouldn't wave back. Pouting, Lindsay tugged on Mac's sleeve.

"Daddy, why won't he wave at me?" She asked.

Mac sighed. He picked her up into his arms.

"He can't wave at you, Lindsay because he's singing. They're not allowed to wave when they sing." Mac explained.

Lindsay nodded.

"Okay. When can I sing at the Christmas concerts?" She asked.

"As soon as you go to school." Mac told him.

Lindsay smiled.

"I don't have too much longer to wait then." She said.

Mac grinned and ran his hands through Lindsay's hair, looking back up on the stage. Stella sat beside Mac, smiling and singing along with the kids. Mac snickered and shook his head. He should have known Stella would be one of those parents who would sing and do the actions along with the kids performing.

*

"Dad! Did you see me up there?" Aiden exclaimed, running towards him.

Mac picked her up and set her on one hip.

"I did, sweetheart. You were wonderful."

Aiden smiled up at him and wiggled out of his arms, going to Stella and asking her the same question. He smiled when he saw Don and Sheldon walking toward him. Sheldon wasn't the type of kid who liked singing, so he didn't exactly look the happiest, but Don was very happy.

"You guys were really great tonight." Mac said.

Don grinned, hugging Mac around the middle.

"Thanks, Dad. Danny wasn't too upset about not being able to sing with us this year?"

Mac sighed.

"He was a little upset that he got sick, but I explained everything to his teacher. She said she was going to get the kids to make a get better soon card for us to bring home to him tonight." Mac told Don.

"I can go get it. I'll be right back!" He said, running off to Danny's classroom.

Mac shook his head, smiling. He pulled Sheldon close to his side and looked over at Stella and Darla who were dealing with Lindsay and Aiden.

"How sick is Danny, anyway?" Sheldon asked.

"I called Gampa Sid during the intermission. He said that Danny had a bit of a temperature and that he was scratching at his chickenpox." Mac told Sheldon.

"I think I wanna be a doctor when I grow up." Sheldon said.

Mac laughed.

"I don't have a doubt in my mind, Sheldon. No doubt in my mind."

*

When they got home, Stella and Mac put the toddlers to bed, as well as Lindsay and Aiden.

"Are you boys going to go to bed?" Stella asked Don and Sheldon.

"Yeah, I'm pretty pooped. G'night mom, g'night dad." Don said.

"Good night, Donnie." Mac said.

Sheldon followed him soon after that, and Mac looked over at Stella, kissing her gently.

"I'm going to check on Danny."

"Okay. Oh, can you put some more lotion on him? Or give him a bath or something. Make sure he doesn't scratch at them." She said.

Mac nodded and went upstairs to Danny's room. Peeking his head in around the door, he saw Danny was sitting up in his bed and scratching wildly at the chicken pox on his arm.

"Danny, don't scratch." Mac tsked, going into the room.

"But, Daddy it itches too much!" Danny whined.

Mac smiled.

"How about a bath then?"

Danny grinned and held his arms out to Mac. He picked him up and carried him into the bathroom, drawing a bath for him. When the tub was half full, he helped Danny into the tub.

"Daddy, it still itches." Danny said.

"Lean forward, baby. Mommy bought some special soap that will make it stop itching." Mac said.

Danny leaned forward and Mac poured some of the soap onto his hands. He rubbed it gently into Danny's back.

"Any better baby boy?" Mac asked.

"It smells funny." He said, making a face.

Mac laughed.

"I know it does, but it's going to help." Mac told him.

Danny looked at him and smiled.

"It smells girly." He giggled.

Mac smiled at him and rubbed the soap into the rest of his skin. Pretty well all of his kids had gotten the chicken pox, except for Don, which is why he was staying as far away from Danny as he could.

"All done, Daddy?"

"All done, baby. Let's get you dried and dressed." Mac said.

He pulled the plug and got Danny all set in his PJ's. Sitting Danny on the counter, he grabbed a Q-tip and the Calamine lotion, putting dabs of it on the pox's on his face.

"How longer am I gonna be polka-dotted?" Danny asked him.

"I don't know, Danny. It depends on how long it'll take you to get better." Mac said.

Danny held his arms out to Mac again, and he picked him up, resting him on one hip. Danny rested his head on Mac's shoulder, and he was carried downstairs into the living room. Stella looked up and smiled.

"How're you feeling, Danny?" She asked.

"A little less itchy. The smelly stuff really worked." Danny grinned.

She chuckled, and reached for Danny. Mac lowered the boy into her arms and he snuggled in close to his mom. Mac sat beside them and flipped through the channels on the TV.

"Mommy, how much longer until Santa comes?" Danny asked quietly.

"Fourteen more sleeps, Danny. It'll come before you know it." She said.

"We still have to go shopping." Mac reminded them.

"Maybe we could do that when I get better." Danny yawned.

Mac ran his hand through Danny's hair, and kissed his forehead.

"Okay, baby. We'll do that." He promised.

Danny grinned at him and closed his eyes, settling in for sleep. Stella rocked him back and forth and before long the three of them were asleep on the couch.

END