Married Life

Author's Note: I know the last chapter switch was confusing, but I hope that this chapter will end all the previous confusion. I hope you still like it! Enjoy! I know I'm a little late…but I was traveling all day. But, I brought my laptop so I could get more writing done. Just for you all!

Chapter 20: I'm A Wreck, You're a Disaster

Bailey: age 4. Max: age 2.

Chase's POV

"Daddy!" I heard, pulling me out of my deep sleep that I'd fallen into on the couch some time ago. I yanked my tired body up, and went off blindly in the direction I'd heard a little voice calling my name. Cameron had been called away for a conference, and I had to stay here to help the boys get to and from school and daycare. She'd been gone for 2 days when Max started running a light fever.

She freaked out when we had a phone call that night, and almost canceled her whole trip. Then, I promised her I'd take care of it. That was another 2 days ago. Now, Max's fever was gone…and it had passed on to Bailey. God, I hated working in the clinic. Now, I had to work the clinic in my own home. But it was different, these were my kids. I had to take care of them. Not because I wanted to get paid, but because I was their father and didn't like seeing them sick or hurt.

Max was feeling much better, except for a runny nose and cough now. Bailey's fever is very low-grade and has the same symptoms as Max. Except for one…Bailey's sneezing. And although we tried to make sure we engrained in him proper hygiene with the whole "cover your coughs and sneezes" speech..it had never really stuck. So, unless we reminded him, he sprayed his germs everywhere. I entered Bailey's room where I saw my miserable looking son. I placed a hand on his forehead and he was hotter than before.

I lifted him like I did when he was a baby and ran fevers like this, taking him into the bathroom. To cool him down. Unlike most people who complained about ice-water baths, he loved them. He thought they were the gentlest things in the world. As I lifted his pajama top over his small head, he sneezed wetly on my arm. I tried to hide my grimace as he wiped his nose with his sleeve and apologized. I brushed it off, telling him it happened all the time. Which…was true, but even for a doctor, I'm a big germ-freak. I buy all the disinfectant stuff, and make sure we have tissues on hand at all times because they're quick to get rid of.

After the bath, I quickly dried him off, and helped him into different pajamas; these were the Spiderman ones that House had gotten him as a present once. House spoiled our sons, said it was because he had no sons of his own. And in turn we spoiled his daughters, because we had no daughters of our own. By the way, I scrubbed my arm like 10 times between all this. I put him back to bed, and checked in on a still asleep Max.

Max was like a Mini-Cameron, and Bailey was a Mini-Me. But, they both had the strangest hint of an Australian accent. They hadn't even been to Australia before. They'd only heard me and a few others talk before.

I fell back on the couch, exhausted and promptly passed out.

Cameron's POV

I checked my messages as my flight landed. I had two sick kids at home that needed me, so I got the hell out of there as soon as my meetings were done. I gave my speech, and accepted my award on behalf of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Then, I got the first flight home. Being in LA was fun, but I needed to see my 3 boys. I was so worried about them. While I knew they were in very capable hands, I also knew that I had never left them when they were sick enough to have fevers before. Sure, I'd left them once when they had a little stuffy nose once..but that was it. They had no coughs, fevers, sore throats or runny noses.

I drove home like a bat out of hell, and immediately went to check on the kids. They were both asleep. The cough syrup cup was beside Max's bed, but the bottle was gone. I checked Bailey's room, because according to the last voicemail, he was now the sicker of the two. It wasn't there either. I went into the living room, now worried about where my husband was. I found him on our couch, and the cough medicine was on the coffee table. I frowned, feeling bad that taking care of the kids had made him sick in the process.

I felt his forehead, and sure enough, there was a little fever on his brow. His throat was bobbing strangely, that meant his throat must have been killing him. His asthma wouldn't like that one bit…this will be a long night to say the least.

A few hours later, and about a thousand paces later I heard a little cough and the opening of a door. I sat up straighter, and saw Max. I smiled, and held out my arms for him. He broke into a wide grin, and walked faster into my arms. "Mommy!" Robert jumped in his sleep, shaking himself awake. He fell off the couch in surprise. We both laughed, and I helped him up. "Relax, Rob. I cut out as early as I could." I said as he looked guilty, like he'd been caught. "Honey, it's okay. You took care of the boys perfectly. Now let me take care of you all. It's my turn."

He finally relented, and relaxed. I shook my head. "Dr. Chase, you should know better than anyone that you won't get the proper rest you need on the couch. You go on to bed, and I'll be up in a minute with some fluids and medicine." he went up, pouting. Max smiled at me, "Are we gonna take care of Daddy?" I nodded, standing. He lifted his arms out for me. I smirked, and swung him on my hip like I had countless times before.

He helped me put together everything, and I sent him back to bed while I went to care for my husband. When I got upstairs, he was flipping through the channels. "I thought you were supposed to be resting." He shrugged, and quickly got under the covers. I put a hand on my hip, tapping my heel-encased foot against the hardwood floor. He sighed, and flipped the TV off. I smiled, and walked over. I presented him with a thermometer. "Here you are. So we know what we're dealing with, of course." He nodded sarcastically. He stuck it in, his mouth twisted in a frustrated expression. When it beeped, I took it out and muttered, "Ouch." It was a nice 101 degrees. "Nice cold you've got there, Robert." "What cold?" He said innocently. I rolled my eyes. "Robert Stephen Timothy Chase, you're a mess." I laughed, as I handed him some cold medicine. "This should knock you out. I'd give you Nyquil but I really don't trust it."

He quickly relaxed and fell asleep. I kissed his forehead. "You don't have to be so strong all the time, you know." "Neither do you." he muttered in a sleepy breath.