Chapter 1
Little toes attached to small feet dug into Jane's side, waking her up from a deep sleep. Yawning, she stretched her arms out and felt the empty space where Maura should have been. For a brief second, she wondered where her love had gone but then she remembered that Maura had kissed her goodbye before lugging a suitcase out the door earlier that morning on her way to the airport. As she took stock of the empty space, something struck her as odd. The little body that was curled up against her radiated an unfamiliar heat and the sudden realization that she wasn't alone caused her to push up onto her elbows. But something was different. This time something didn't feel quite right.
Since Valley had come to live with them, there had been many mornings when Jane had woken up with the same pressure of a little body pressed against her, but something was off this time. Her eyes surveyed the flushed face and sweaty bangs that stuck to Valley's forehead and her heart began to race.
"Mama…" Valley sighed as she looked up at Jane with glassy eyes. She shifted her body and looked up into concerned brown eyes and sighed again.
"Hey baby, what's wrong?" Jane asked as she pushed sweaty bangs away from Valley's unfocused eyes. Valley shook her head and reached up to touch Jane's hand. Her cheeks were rosy with a fever and sweat continued to bead along her forehead. "Tell me where it hurts." She continued to stroke the sticky hair, pushing it away so she could see Valley's eyes better.
Valley touched her head and then her stomach. "Here…" she whimpered and then squirmed slightly.
In an instant, the almost tranquil moment between them turned into something that Jane hadn't expected as vomit hit her in the middle of the chest and Valley began to cry.
"Shit…" Jane looked at the mess dripping down the front of her shirt.
"Sorry…mama…" Valley said between whimpers as tears started to roll down her pink cheeks.
"It's okay honey." Jane said as she scooped Valley up in her arms and rushed towards the bathroom. "Mama's got you. Shit…" she cursed under her breath again when she almost slipped on the tile's in the bathroom as vomit continued to drip off her shirt onto the floor. "Let's wash up." She tried to soothe as she carried Valley to the shower with her.
Turning on the shower, she waited until the water was lukewarm to step in, pajama's and all. She let the water wash over her head as she held Valley close. But even though the water was warm, Valley started to shiver in her arms, so she tried to wash off what was left of the sickness that coated the front of her shirt and covered Valley's small body. As quickly as she could, she peeled off the wet pajamas with the ninja turtles before stepping out of the shower to grab a warm fluffy towel to wrap the shivering toddler in.
Valley snuggled into the soft wrap, her eye's half open and slightly dazed. "Don't feel good…" she whispered as Jane carried her back to the bedroom, trying her best to dodge the droplets of vomit that still covered the floor.
"It's okay Alley-Roo." Jane sighed as she laid Valley down at the end of the bed, away from the mess that still coated the sheets and pillows. As quickly as she could, she stripped out of her wet clothes and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a clean t-shirt over her wet hair. Glancing over at Valley to make sure she was okay, she grabbed a rubber band and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. After running her fingers over her hair, she frowned at the realization she would need to take another shower when she had a chance. When she was done, she grabbed her cellphone from the bedside table and scooped Valley up again, leaving the mess behind to take care of later.
With Valley tucked against her chest, she went into the little girl's room to grab some clean pajamas, so she could put them on to stem the shivering that continued to come from the small body in her arms.
"Paw Patrol it is." She said as she grabbed the first pair of pajamas she could find from the miniature dresser with dinosaur handles on it. With Valley and the pajama's in hand, she turned to leave only to find Joe Friday dancing about in the doorway. The little bell on her collar seemed to sound more frantic than usual and even thought the little dog seemed concerned about what was happening with her favorite human, it was obvious she needed to be let out into the back yard to relieve herself.
"Maura should have let me put in that doggy door…" Jane grumbled as she shooed the pup towards the stairs. It was a thought she had dismissed recently since Maura was the one who usually let Joe Friday out in the mornings, but now she was regretting having not insisted she be allowed to put it in.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs with the small bundle of fur dancing around her feet, she let out a heavy sigh. "I'm gonna need help." She said aloud to herself as she carried the clean pajama's and Valley towards the couch and gently set them both down. Watching Joe Friday trot over towards the sliding glass doors, she shook her head and followed. "Okay girl, but I think I'm gonna need to call in the troops." She said as she opened the door and watched the dog take off towards a dark corner of the yard where the early morning sun hadn't reached yet. When Joe Friday was done, Jane waited patiently as the pup sniffed a few spots on the grass before making her way back inside the house. The expectant look she got from Joe Friday caused her to chuckle as she found Frankie's phone number and called him. "I'm on it." She said as she closed the sliding glass door and moved to sit next to Valley on the couch.
"This better be an emergency." Frankie groaned when he answered on the third ring.
"Valley's sick and Maura's away on business. I need help." Jane glanced at the clock and grimaced when she realized it was only seven o'clock in the morning. "Sorry I woke you up, but I don't know what to do."
"No, it's okay." Frankie's voice softened with concern. "What about Ma or Constance?"
Jane could her the rustling of the covers as Frankie sat up in bed to talk to her. "They're out of town this weekend. Finally decided to use that spa weekend retreat we gave them for Mother's Day."
"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can…give me about thirty minutes."
"Thanks." Jane sighed into the phone. "Hurry…"
"Do you need anything?" He asked as he climbed out of bed and stumbled around his room looking for his sweat pants.
"I don't think so. Maura has an emergency kit for times like these. I'm gonna take Valley's temperature and give her what she needs if she has a fever, which I'm pretty sure she does."
"Okay, just text me if you find out you need something. I'll be there as soon as I can." He said before hanging up the phone.
Jane hung up and then stared at her phone trying to decide if she should call Maura or not but then she remembered that Maura was probably somewhere over Colorado about now on her way to LA. Shaking her head, she pushed the urge away to call her mom, feeling determined that she could handle things, even if she did need Frankie's help.
Valley stretched and pushed the towel off, exposing her overheated skin to the cool air in the living room and whimpered. "Hot, mama…" she wiped at her sweaty forehead.
"It's okay baby." Jane ran her finger's through Valley's damp hair. "I'll get you some medicine to make you feel better. Will you be okay if Mama leaves for a minute to get you something?" She was hesitant even though Valley nodded. "I'm gonna leave Joe here to watch you, okay?"
"Okay…" Valley sighed when she felt the little dog snuggle alongside her.
As quickly as she could, Jane ran up stairs to the bathroom where Maura had put the emergency box with the thermometer and Tylenol among other things. And as quickly as she had gone up the stairs, she somehow managed to get down them quicker. She slid across the hardwood floor, coming to a stop next to the couch where Valley lay, running her fingers through Joe Friday's silky fur.
"Mommy said not to do that." Valley turned her head to watch Jane as she skidded to a stop. She tried to smile, but fatigue took over as she closed her eyes.
Setting the box down on the coffee table, Jane riffled through it to find the electronic thermometer. When she did, she pulled the cap off and pressed it against Valley's forehead. She held down the red button and waited for it beep. When it did, she frowned at the reading and immediately looked for the Tylenol. As she was searching through the box, she found a note written in Maura's neat script and looked it over. She was happy to see that it was instructions for what to do if Valley had a temperature over 100. It stated that she was to give Tylenol first and then give Motrin after three hours and then alternate every three hours. There was a small notebook and pen tucked in the box next to the Tylenol and Jane let out a sigh of relief. Maura really had thought of everything, as usual.
Carefully, Jane took out each bottle of Tylenol and Motrin and set them on the coffee table along with the small notebook. Noting the time, she wrote it out with a T next to it before taking the little spoon like cup and filling it with the amount that Maura had written down.
"Hey sweetheart, Mama's got some medicine to help you feel better." Jane said quietly as she helped to lift Valley's head so she could give her the Tylenol.
"Okay..." Valley opened her eyes and allowed Jane to help her sit up. After taking the Tylenol, she glanced down and noticed she wasn't wearing her pajamas. "Where my ninja turtles?" She asked.
"We had to take them off 'cause they got dirty. I brought down your Paw Patrol pajama's." Jane set the little spoon down next to the notebook before turning her attention to the wadded-up pile of pajamas on the couch.
"But I want ninja turtles…" Valley's eyes grew wide as tears pooled in them.
"I know, but they got dirty and wet, so we had to take them off." Jane tried to reason.
"I want ninja turtles…" the tears flowed freely as Valley started to cry. "I want Mommy." Her tears came stronger now, accompanied by the hiccups.
"I know, me too but Mommy is on a trip. How about if Uncle Frankie comes over to help?"
Valley took a deep breath and even though the tears continued to roll down her flushed cheeks, she nodded her head. "Okay, but I don't want Paw Patrol jammies."
"How about the dinosaur ones then." Jane laid Valley back down on the couch, but this time she placed a few pillows behind her so she could sit up slightly. "And I'll get your blankie and we can make a bed here on the couch like we're camping."
"Can Joe stay up here with me?" Valley snuggled back against the couch with the towel wrapped around her.
"As long we don't tell Mommy that Joe was on the couch. It'll be our little secret, okay?" Jane reached over and touched the tip of Valley's nose with her finger causing the toddler to giggle slightly.
"I'm firsty." Valley smacked her lips together to illustrate her thirst.
"You want some juice or chocolate milk?"
Dark brown eye's lit up at the mention of chocolate milk. "Chocolate milk!" Valley nodded emphatically. "Pease…"
"Okay, you gonna be alright while I go get your pajamas and then some milk?"
Valley nodded again as she ran her fingers through Joe Friday's fur. "I okay. Joe Friday will watch me."
"Then I'll be right back." Jane bent down and kissed Valley's forehead still radiating heat that burned her lips.
With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Valley was okay, Jane moved quickly towards the stairs and Valley's room. When she grabbed what she needed, she headed to the kitchen to get some milk. Opening the frig, she smiled at the carton of chocolate milk. She was grateful that her weakness for chocolate milk had prompted her to buy it already mixed instead of trying to get that awful powder to dissolve. A row of sippy cups lay in the drying rack next to the sink and she grabbed one. She filled the cup and then snapped a top on it before placing a finger over the opening and shaking it. "You okay, baby girl?" She called out as she put the carton back in the frig.
"I okay, Mama." Valley called back.
"Here ya go." Jane appeared in the living room with a sippy cup in her hand.
"Tank you." Valley reached out to take the cup before taking a big drink and smacking her lips. She nodded at the cup in her hand before taking another long drink.
Sitting on the coffee table across from the couch, Jane let out a sigh of relief as she watched Valley finish her drink. She knew how important it was to stay hydrated, so she was happy to see the empty cup when it was handed back to her. "You want more?" She asked.
Valley nodded, but then she frowned and shook her head. "I not feel good…" she continued to shake her head.
Jane reached out to touch Valley's forehead but a light knock on the door caused her to look away. In that split second before she turned back, an eruption of hot liquid hit her in the chest. The smell of sour milk almost caused her to get sick herself but she somehow managed to stay calm as Valley began to cry again. "It's okay." She tried to reassure the crying toddler who just cried harder at the mess all over the place. "Uncle Frankie's here. He'll help."
As the tears continued to fall, Valley did her best to nod her understanding. The sound of the front door creaking open drew her attention away from the mess covering Jane's shirt. "I sick, Unca Frankie…" she sniffed back the tears and wiped her at her eyes. Pointing at Jane's shirt, she hiccupped a few times as Frankie approached them. "Look at Mama…"
Frankie set a bag down by the couch and shook his head. "You gave her milk? You can't give milk to someone with a fever. It will curdle…" his eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Now you tell me." Jane shrugged as the mess on her shirt dripped onto her sweat pants.
"I've got this. Go take a shower." He stepped aside so Jane could get up. "You've made a right mess, haven't you?"
"Are you here to help or criticize?" Jane mumbled as she pushed past him towards the stairs.
"How high is her temperature?" He asked, causing her to stop at the bottom step.
"It said 102 so I gave her the Tylenol. I wrote it down in the little notebook Maura left in the box." She pointed at the box.
"Do you think she threw it up before she could absorb it?" He frowned at the messy footprints on the hardwood floor that Jane had left.
"It's liquid so I think it will be okay." Jane turned around to face him. "How do you know so much about kids?"
"Steph has a five-year-old, so…I guess I picked up a few things along the way." He gave a sheepish grin as he waved her off.
Jane laughed and shook her head. "So that's still a thing, huh?" She asked just before another knock at the door startled her.
"I called Frost. I figured we could use reinforcements." Frankie shrugged his shoulders at the questioning look Jane gave him.
"I guess I'd better go get cleaned up. Um…" she paused and tried to give Valley a smile, whose face brightened up at the mention of Frost's arrival. "Her pj's are in the dresser. She wants the dinosaur ones, right Alley-Roo?"
"T-rex…" Valley nodded in the affirmative.
"You okay with her?" Jane asked.
"Yeah, just let Frost in before you go upstairs."
With a nod, Jane moved towards the front door to open it. When she did, Frost stood on the porch and stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "Don't ask, but thanks for coming. Frankie's in the living room with the munchkin. I'm heading up to take a shower. You guy's know where everything is." She said as she stepped back to allow him to enter. Shutting the door, she turned around and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks." She said again as she headed towards the stairs, leaving the quiet murmur of conversation behind.
As Jane made her way up the stairs, she could hear Frost and Frankie talking but she didn't care what they were saying, she was just thankful that she wasn't alone. Her heart ached for Maura's presence and she wanted nothing more than to call her, but she knew that it would still be several hours before Maura would land in LA. So, with a heavy sigh, she resigned herself to fact that she would have to rely on her brother and her best friend but at this point anything was better than nothing.
Grabbing a new set of sweat pants and a t-shirt, she headed towards the bathroom to get a proper shower and finally wash her hair with shampoo. There was a chill in the early morning air, so when she turned the water on, steam filled the room and fogged the mirror up, so she couldn't see her reflection. For that she was glad because she knew she must look a freight after Valley threw up on her, twice. She pulled her clothes off and dropped them into a pile on the floor before she stepped into the steaming hot shower to wash away the sickness that stuck to her.
When she stepped under the stream of hot water, the muscles in her body finally relaxed and she let out a sigh of relief. Taking a deep breath, she let the eucalyptus scented soap clear her sinuses. She had always thought that Maura was silly for buying those essential oil concoctions she called soap but at the moment, she was grateful. Anything smelled better than the sour milk that had coated her clothes and hair. But her zen moment was interrupted by the sound of Valley crying and a loud knock on the bathroom door.
"Hey, Janie…Valley wants you." The panic in Frankie's voice was evident in the high pitch that carried to her over the sound of the shower.
Turning off the water, she stepped out of the shower dripping wet and grabbed a towel to wrap around herself so she could open the door. The sound of Valley's crying caused her to move faster, so when she opened the door, Frankie looked at her with a surprised expression. "Come'ere baby…" she cooed as she opened her arms to receive the toddler.
"I want Mommy…" Valley cried as she buried her face against Jane's neck and wet hair.
"I know, me too." Jane sighed as she gave a nod to an anxious Frankie who was still standing in the doorway. "I got this…" she gave him a quick wink before shutting the door.
"Mommy rubs my belly when I'm sick." Valley hiccupped as she tried to stop crying.
"Okay." Jane set Valley down on the sink counter. "Let me get dressed and we can lay down on the couch together and watch a movie."
"Toy Story?" Valley perked up when Jane nodded. "And can I have a popsicle?"
"We'll see about the popsicle." Jane leaned over and kissed Valley's forehead which didn't feel as hot as before. "But we can definitely watch Toy Story."
"Okay." Valley sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I wait…"
Jane laughed as she opened the bathroom door to find the dirty sheets stripped from the bed and the room empty again. Riffling through her drawers in search of some clean sweats and a t-shirt, the thought of Maura crossed her mind again and she smiled.
"Why Mommy not home?" Valley called from the bathroom.
Shaking her head, Jane gathered her clothes and headed back into the bathroom to answer Valley's questions that seemed to be endless lately. "Mommy had to go on a plane. Remember?" Jane pulled her sweat pants on and then her t-shirt. "Mommy is in California, but she'll be home in a few days."
"How many days?" Valley asked.
With a smile, Jane held up four fingers and Valley mirrored her. "Four days."
"Four…" Valley held her fingers up and counted. "One, too, fee, four…that too long Mama." She shook her head as if she could somehow change it.
"I know baby. I know…" Jane picked the toddler up and held her close. "How 'bout we find your dinosaur jammies, so we can go watch Toy Story."
"Okay." Valley nodded. "Unca Frankie and Unca Frost gonna stay to watch too?"
"I think we can talk them into it." Jane said as she carried Valley to her bedroom to find the pajama's.
When Valley was in her favorite pajama's, Jane gathered a handful of extra's to take downstairs just in case. With the toddler in her arms, she made her way downstairs to find Frost and Frankie lounging around the living room in their own sweats and she couldn't help but smile.
"What's up fella's?" She asked as she took her place on the couch, setting Valley down next to her.
"We figured we'd make ourselves comfortable." Frankie yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Since you woke me up at the butt crack of dawn." He smirked.
"I second that." Frost laughed.
"How about making some coffee so we can watch Toy Story." Jane leaned back into the couch to allow Joe Friday to jump up and snuggle alongside Valley.
"How 'bout I make some pancakes too?" Frost pushed himself up from the recliner.
"I'll help." Frankie chimed in as he jumped up from his seat. "What about the munchkin?" He asked as he ruffled Valley's hair.
"I want popsicles…" Valley said as she tried to duck away from Frankie's teasing.
"I don't think that will be a good idea." Jane sighed. At any other time she would allow it, but not today, not after the milk mishap. "Maybe a Mickey Mouse pancake. We can see how that works."
"I want a Woody pancake." Valley perked up.
Frost and Frankie started to laugh but stopped when Jane gave them a withering glance. "Enough you two." She admonished as she pointed to the kitchen.
"I sleepy…" Valley said as she snuggled down against Joe Friday.
Reaching over to run her finger's through Valley's honey blonde hair, she pushed bangs away from sleepy eyes. "Okay, sweet pea. Rest your eyes for a while." She said as she glanced at the clock to make note of the time. She could see that Valley's cheeks were starting to get rosy again and her forehead seemed warmer than before.
"You stay here with me." Valley grabbed one of Jane's fingers and pulled her hand down to hug it.
"I will." Jane smiled as she gave Valley's stomach a gentle rub. "Does it still hurt?" She asked
Valley nodded as she yawned. "A widdle…" she said with a heavy sigh. "I talk to mommy later?"
The question brought a smile to Jane's face. "Absolutely. We'll facetime, okay?"
Valley nodded again before her eyes fluttered shut and her grip on Jane's hand slackened. With a sigh of relief, Jane grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch and covered Valley with it. She tucked it around the sleeping toddler and then around Joe Friday who gave her a lick of appreciation before bowing her head back down.
"You better not tell Maura I let you on the couch." Jane laughed as she gave the pup a little scratch behind the ear. "You've got about an hour before I gotta wake her up to take her next dose of medicine." When Joe Friday didn't respond, Jane rolled her eyes. "Alright, I'll leave you be for a while…in fact, I might just rest my eyes too." She said as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing herself to surrender to the fatigue she had been fighting all morning.
It wasn't the friendly banter between Frost and Frankie that woke her up but twisting and turning of Valley next to her on the couch. Opening her eyes, she glanced over at the clock and realized it was past time to give Valley her medicine and this caused her to jump up in a panic.
"Whoa…" Frankie said as he caught her before she tumbled over the coffee table. "I already gave the munchkin her Motrin. She fell back to sleep almost immediately, so no worries sis."
Blinking at the bright light coming through the windows, it took a moment for her realize what he had said. "Um, yeah…okay." She said just as the aroma of bacon and maple syrup hit her. "Smells good. Breakfast ready?"
"More like brunch sleepy head." Frost said, carrying a tray with a plate full of pancakes and fresh coffee.
"How long was I out?" She yawned and stretched her arms over her head. "How's the fever?"
"It's been creeping up, but I think we caught it before it got too high. And you've only been out for a little over an hour." Frankie sat down in the recliner. "You feeling better?" He asked, a note of concern in his voice.
"Yeah, thanks for letting me sleep. Where's Joe?" She asked when she saw that pup was not longer sleeping next to Valley.
"She needed to go out and I think Valley's restlessness got to her." Frankie said as he hitched his thumb towards the backyard. "Oh, and Ma called to check in. And before you ask…not I didn't tell her Valley was sick or she'd be her before you could say Spa Weekend…"
"Did Maura call?" Jane asked.
"Not yet, but I don't think she's landed in LA yet." Frankie said with a frown. "But Frost and I got breakfast ready."
"Thanks. It smells great." Jane smiled when Frost set the tray of food down in front of her. She paused and looked over at Valley. "Do you think she'll be okay?"
"Yeah, she'll be okay." Frankie reached over to touch Jane on the arm. "Kids get sick all the time."
"I know, I just wish Maura was here." Jane pushed her hair away from her face.
"We've got this." Frost interjected as he took a seat next to Jane on the couch. "And Korsak said he'd stop by later, maybe bring some pizza and beer."
"I don't know what I'd do without you guys." Jane laughed as she picked up her coffee and sighed at the deep, rich flavor that tickled her throat. "Um…good." She closed her eyes and savored the dark liquid that warmed her chest.
"I made Valley some Mickey Mouse pancakes for when she wakes up." Frost grinned as he picked his own cup of coffee up and took a sip.
"You're a good Uncle." Jane gave Frost a playful wink.
"I am, aren't I…" Frost mused as he took another sip of his coffee.
"I'm a good Uncle too." Frankie whined.
"Yes, you are." Jane tipped her head towards Frankie. "You both are." She said as she stabbed a pancake with her fork and put a chunk in her mouth, dripping syrup as she did. "Thesssse re soooo gooood…" Her words were muffled by the mouthful of food she was chewing on.
"Glad you like them." Frankie laughed.
"I want pancakes too…" Valley stretched, digging her toes into Jane's thigh. "Mickey Mouse…" she yawned and rubbed her eyes.
Jane swallowed her food and reached over to touch Valley's forehead. "How you feelin'?" She asked.
"I alright." Valley sat up and looked around. "Where's Joe Friday?"
"She had to go outside for a bit." Frankie said. "She'll probably come back in when she smells the bacon." He said swiping a piece of bacon off Jane's plate and waving it around before eating it. The sound of Joe Fridays bell announced her presence causing them all to laugh. "See…told ya." He said.
"Joe…come here." Valley patted the space next to her on the couch. "We having Mickey Mouse pancakes."
"I don't think it would be a good idea for Joe to have pancakes." Jane said, reaching over to tickle Valley on the stomach.
The giggle that came out of Valley made Jane smile. She was glad to see that Valley's cheeks weren't as flushed as before which meant that the Motrin was kicking in. "How long do we give her the Tylenol and Motrin?" She asked Frankie.
"I don't know. Until the fever goes down, I guess." He answered.
"How do we know when it goes down if we keep giving it to her?" Frost asked.
"Well, it was creeping up at the three-hour mark, so I suppose if it keeps doing that, we keep giving it to her." Frankie reasoned.
"I'll ask Maura to be sure." Jane glanced at her phone, willing it to ring but it didn't, not yet.
"I okay, Mama. Can I have pancakes…peeze…" Valley snuggled closer to Jane.
"Yeah, Uncle Frost made some for you."
Valley gave Frost a hopeful look that prompted him to stand up. "I gotcha Alley-Roo." He said as he headed towards the kitchen.
"Tank-you." Valley called after him. "Can we watch Toy Story now?" She asked Jane.
"Of course. We waited for you to wake up to start, didn't we Frankie."
"Yep." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "You want me to go ahead and start it up."
"Yes, peeze…Unca Frankie." Valley clapped her hand together.
"I'm glad the medicine is working. She seems to feel better." Jane said as she took another bite of her breakfast.
"Yeah, it always amazes me when Noah bounces back so quick from being sick. Kids are pretty resilient." Frankie said as he queued up the movie.
"Noah? Is that Steph's kid?" Jane asked around a mouthful of food. When he nodded she was quiet for a moment to allow herself the chance to swallow what was in her mouth. "You're pretty serious about this one, aren't you?"
"I'd say he is." Frost came back carrying a tray with Mickey Mouse pancakes for Valley. "For you Milady…" he gave a dramatic bow as he set the food down causing Valley to laugh.
Jane gave Frankie a questioning raised eyebrow as she finished her breakfast. For a moment, she allowed herself to study him while she chewed her last bite. He had a smile on his face, one that indicate he was happy, and it made her smile. "I'm glad, you deserve it bro." She reached over and gave his shoulder a light, playful push.
"Yeah?" He glanced at her then ducked his head in embarrassment. "I know you are." He grinned as he watched Valley attack her pancakes with gusto. "You probably don't want to let her eat all of that, ya know…after she got sick."
"Hey, slow down there slick." Jane turned her attention to Valley who had a mouthful of pancake. "Especially since you've gotten sick twice this morning."
"What?" Frost asked, a look of surprise on his face. "Twice?"
"Jane, you didn't tell me that she was sick more than once. I thought it was just the milk and the fever thing, but I think we may be dealing with something more nefarious." Frankie jumped up.
"I okay, Unca Fankie." Valley tried to dispel any fears they might have.
"I believe you munchkin, but let's try to slow down a little." He moved the pancakes away from her and got a frown in return. "I just want to take your time, that's all."
"What's up?" Jane asked as she stood up to take her plate and empty coffee cup to the kitchen.
"I don't know, but I think we need to be careful letting her eat too much if she's been sick."
"Mama don't leave." Valley panicked.
"How about if I sit next to you?" Frost took Jane's place on the couch next to Valley. For a moment, she looked like she was trying to decide if this was okay but then she nodded. "Thanks, kiddo." He laughed.
"I'll be right back." Jane gave Valley a quick wink as she disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. When she found herself alone, she leaned against the counter and let out a heavy sigh. She couldn't stop herself from wishing once again that Maura would call, but her phone remained silent as she poured herself another cup of coffee. A small smile creased her lips at the thought that Frost was getting good at using the machine she had yet to master.
"Hey…" Frankie said, carrying Valley's half empty plate. He watched her carefully as he put the plate in the sink next to hers before clearing his throat. "Um, Frost and I are on call today and tomorrow, so I called Tommy to see if he could come by if we got called in. I hope that's okay."
"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Jane asked as she sipped her coffee.
"Well, he wanted to know if he could bring Casey over." He shrugged his shoulders. Jane was quiet for a minute as she thought about what he had said. "I would have asked Carley or Ryan but with Ryan being pregnant and all…" he let his voice trail off.
"No…I mean…yeah, it's fine." She nodded thoughtfully. The thought of having to put up with Tommy's over the top, hippie girlfriend made her cringe though. "Valley really likes it when they visit."
"I'm sorry, he insisted though." Frankie said. "I figured you needed the help though. But look on the bright side…we might not get called into work."
"Yeah, not likely. It's the weekend and we're having a heat wave on top of it." She laughed, and he nodded his agreement. "Well, Korsak said he would help too."
Reaching out, she put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Look, I appreciate all of your help and knowledge about kids. I'm still learning as we go, but without Maura here, I'm kinda rudderless. So, thanks."
"I'm just glad I could help and rub it in your face that I know more about kids." He smirked, getting a shoulder bum in response.
For a minute, they were both quiet as they each thought about how much things had changed and how much they had stayed the same. But before either of them could say anything, the sound of Valley crying interrupted their quiet contemplation. And then Frost appeared in the doorway covered in half digested pancakes with a look of sheer terror on his face at the same time as Jane's phone started to ring.
"Um, guys…I think I need some help." He said, his arms out in front of him in an effort to keep most of the mess away from his already dirty t-shirt.
"Shit…" Jane dropped her half empty coffee cup in the sink and pushing away from the counter.
"You get the phone, I'm sure it's Maura. I'll take care of Valley…" Frankie said and looked at Frost with concern. "And him too." He said.
"You sure?" Jane asked as a formality while heading straight towards her phone. She already knew it was Maura by the ring tone, "Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders. Maura had discovered it in her vinyl collection and put it her phone because she liked it so much. Changing her ring tone was something Maura did regularly because she said that Jane needed to be kept on her toes, whatever that meant. She glanced at Frankie one more time before picking her phone up and got a wave, indicating he was okay and would take care of Valley…and Frost.
For a second, Jane froze. The sound of her phone ringing, and the sound of Valley crying gave her a moment of pause. She wasn't sure who she wanted to attend to most, but in the end, Maura won. She needed Maura's help at the moment, so she hit the accept button and did her best to sound casual.
"Hey, Beautiful…" Jane said.
"Hey yourself." Maura sighed tiredly.
"You sound tired." A heavy sigh that mimics Maura's escaped from Jane before she could stop it.
"I am. It was a long flight." Maura said and then paused as the sound of Valley crying carried to her. "Is everything okay?"
Jane cringed as the sound of crying got closer and closer. There wasn't much she could do but admit defeat as Frankie came around the corner holding Valley wrapped in a clean towel. "Um…" Jane hesitated as she reached out for the crying toddler.
"I want Mommy." Valley cried in Janes arms.
"Hold on Sweet Pea, Mommy's on the phone." Jane moved Valley around to her left hip for better balance. She gave Frankie and understanding smile in response to his apologetic one.
"I sick, Mommy…" Valley hiccupped into the phone as Jane held it up to her ear.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry I'm not there." Maura tried to speak around the lump that had formed in her throat. "I bet Mama is taking good care of you though."
Valley was quiet as she listened to Maura and nodded when she was asked a question. Even though Maura couldn't see her, Jane watched with an amused smile on her face.
"You have to answer Mommy, she can't see you." Jane couldn't help but chuckle.
"I want to see Mommy." Valley said as Jane used the sleeve of her sweatshirt to wipe at the steady flow of tears rolling down Valley's cheeks. "Peezzee…"
"Okay. Will you let Uncle Frankie take you and get some clean jammies on while I set up the tablet so we can skype?" Jane posed the question and waited for the answer that came in the form of an emphatic nod. "Okay. I'm gonna get Uncle Frost some clean clothes while you get dressed too and then we'll talk to Mommy. Deal?"
"Deal." Valley stopped crying and reached for Frankie. "I want Unicorn jammies this time." She said as he took her from Jane.
"Does she any left?" The sarcasm wasn't missed in his tone, but Valley gave him a look that indicated she wasn't in the mood for anything funny.
"Hurry, Unca Frankie. I wanna see Mommy." Valley pointed at the doorway leading away from the kitchen.
Jane watched as Frankie rolled his eyes. "She is definitely your daughter." He chuckled as he carried her away.
"Hey, I'm back." Jane said into the phone.
"I can come home." Maura said breathlessly as she tried to control her anxiety.
"I've got this." Jane tried to reassure. "We've had a few mishaps but, really…I've got this."
"What is her temperature?"
"It was 102 when I took it earlier but I've been giving her the Tylenol and Motrin per your instructions in the emergency kit." Jane leaned against the counter in the kitchen and let out a heavy breath.
"Okay…and what are her symptoms?"
"Fever, lethargic, headache, and she threw up three times. Once because I gave her milk while her temperature was 102. Frankie filled me in why not to do that."
"She may be dehydrated. I have some Pedialyte in the refrigerator in the garage. There's also Gatorade in there. Make sure she drinks. Don't worry about food so much right now. She might just throw it up." Maura tried not to sound worried. She trusted Jane and knew things would be okay, even if she wanted to jump on a plane.
"Okay." Jane was glad that she was already doing everything that Maura had suggested. "What a weekend for Ma and Constance to go away." She couldn't help but wish they were there.
"It'll be okay, sweet heart. Kids get sick, it's just part of being a parent. And it sounds like you've got some help."
"Yeah, Frankie and Frost are here. In fact, Valley threw up on Frost right before you called. I got hit twice already, so…" Janes voice trailed off. "I guess I should get him some clean clothes, so he can shower."
"I wish I was there." Maura's voice was soft with regret.
"Me too." Jane whispered back. "But it'll be okay."
"I know." Maura let out a heavy, tired sigh. "I guess I'll let you take care of things. I'll set up my laptop and wait for you to call me on Skype."
"What about the conference? Don't you need to get down there?"
"I'll get down there. It's only Thursday so there isn't much going on today. Tomorrow and Saturday are the busiest, but I will drop everything to talk to you and Valley if I need to."
"Alright. I'll get Frost taken care of while Frankie get's Valley changed. We'll call you in about twenty minutes." Jane smiled into the phone. "Hey…" she paused before saying goodbye. "I love you."
"I love you too." Maura could sense the smile in Jane's voice and it caused her smile back. "Talk to you soon."
"Okay. Bye…" Jane murmured before hanging up.
"I throwed up this many times." Valley said as she held three fingers up to the screen so Maura could see.
"Wow…" Maura tried to sound surprised even though Jane had already filled her in. "How do you feel now?"
"I okay." Valley gave a definitive nod. "Mama rubbed my belly like you do and I feel better."
"I'm glad to hear that. But I think we need to slow down on eating pancakes for a while." Maura's eyes traveled from Valley to Jane who sat quietly next to the little body snuggled up against her side. "I think you should stick to the liquids, at least until tomorrow."
"Can I have goldfish?" Valley asked as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, trying to chase away the fatigue that was catching up with her again.
"I think that will be okay, sweet heart. But take it slow, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy. When you coming home?" Valley asked before yawning. "I miss you."
"I miss you to, and Mama. But I'll be home Sunday." Maura said then held up four fingers when Valley looked uncertain. "This many days. Okay?"
"Four days." Valley said to show Maura she could count.
"That's right." Maua grinned. "You're getting good at that."
"Tank you Mommy. I gonna lay down now." Valley said as she laid back on her pillow on the couch.
Jane picked up the tablet and moved it so Maura could see Valley settle against her pillow and blanket, but then she cringed when she realized that Maura could see Joe Friday curled up where she wasn't supposed to be. "Um, sorry…Alley-Roo wanted Joe with her."
"It's alright." Maura sighed heavily. "But don't let it go on for too long. She'll think she can do it anytime."
Jane nodded as she watched Valley pop back up from her reclined position, causing Joe Friday to huff indignantly. "What's up?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I wanna give Mommy a kiss." She said as she grabbed the tablet and brought it to her lips, placing a wet and sloppy kiss with a loud smack. "I wove you Mommy." And with those last words, she flung herself back down on her pillow causing Joe Friday to get up and look at her. The little pup waited patiently for Valley to get comfortable before spinning around in a circle several times and dropping down next to the toddler. Valley giggled and then wrapped an arm around Joe Friday's middle, running her fingers through the silky fur.
All the while, Maura watched and smiled. "They both look comfortable." She said and laughed when Joe Friday's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. "But remember, don't let her get used to being on the couch.
"I know." Jane moved the tablet away from Valley and centered it on herself. She smiled at Maura's tired, disheveled appearance because it made her look sexy. "You ready for your speech?" She asked with a smirk.
"I would be if someone had actually let me practice." Maura returned the smirk.
"Can I help it if you look like a sexy librarian when you wear your glasses? Oh, and by the way, I had a huge crush on the librarian when I was a kid."
"Yeah, I gathered that much when you asked me to do the speech with nothing but my glasses on."
Jane laughed and pushed her hair away from her face revealing a playful twinkle in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to do it though. Can't blame me for not being able to concentrate, can you?"
"No, my dear, I can't." Maura reached for her glasses sitting next to her laptop on the hotel room desk she was sitting at. She watched Jane carefully as she brought them up to her mouth and gently rubbed her bottom lip with the ear piece. Jane's eyes lit up and she bit her lip and shook her head causing Maura to laugh. "I'll just leave you with the memory of what we did last night, until I get home Sunday." She said with a saucy wink.
"You are so evil." Jane let out a heavy sigh of longing. When Frankie cleared his throat and reminded her that she wasn't alone, she smiled at Maura. "We have an audience."
"Oh?" The flush that moved over Maura's cheeks caused Jane to groan and shake her head. "Hey guys…" she said when Jane lifted the tablet over her head and turned it towards Frankie and Frost who were both rolling their eyes dramatically. "Sorry…"
"No worries Maura. We get it." Frost said, only raising his voice loud enough for Maura to hear because he didn't want to wake Valley up.
"I don't get it." Frankie huffed. "She's a hot mess." He said as he waved his hand towards Jane.
"But she's my not mess." Maura laughed just before a knock at her door interrupted them. "I'll be right there." She said to the invisible entity vying for her attention.
"It that Kelly?" Jane asked even though she knew the answer. Who else other than Maura's assistant would be knocking at her door. "I still don't know why you had to take her…" her voice trailed off when she realized she was sounding petulant. "I mean…I understand…but…"
"Hey, is that the new blonde bombshell Maura's got working in the office?" Frost asked, perking up and turning his attention from another Pixar movie that Valley had picked.
"Yeah…" Jane groused, giving him a dirty look.
"She's straight Jane." Maura deadpanned. "And no one could turn my head like you do."
"I know. I just miss you. We haven't spent a night apart since we got married." Jane said with a shrug.
"I've got to go now and register for the conference, but I'll call you tonight…okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Love you." Jane brought the tablet up to her lips and placed a big, sloppy kiss to the screen just as Valley had done earlier. "Talk to you later."
"Love you too. Give Valley a hug for me, and the peanut gallery as well." Maura said before blowing a kiss and signing off.
"You are so whipped." Frankie laughed and threw a pillow at Jane.
"You're just lucky she's asleep." Jane glanced at Valley to make sure she was. "Or I'd have to pound you." She said as she threw the pillow back at him.
"Yeah, yeah…whatever. Admit it, you've gone soft since you started teaching at the academy." He pointed at her and grinned.
"We'll see." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "'We'll just have to shoot it out on the court later."
"Deal." Frankie nodded his head. "Can we watch something else until she wakes up? I have a feeling we're gonna be watching Pixar movies all-night."
"Yeah, I think the Red Sox game starts soon. We can watch the pregame." Jane settled back against her arm of the couch as she tried to give Valley room to spread out. She let out a tired sigh, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. "I'll just rest them for a minute…" she said to herself as she drifted off to sleep.
Jane laid in bed and shivered even though she was covered by the blanket that almost always stayed at the end of the bed. Everything in her body hurt, from her head to her toes and she let out a low moan as she twisted around to find a cool spot on her pillow for her overheated checks. She blinked her eyes open and squinted at the late afternoon light that slipped in through the blinds that Maura kept promising to replace with blackout curtains. A dark shadow passed over those same blinds and then suddenly, to her relief, the light disappeared. It took her a moment to realized that the tiny toes and elbows she had become accustomed to over the last few days were no longer digging into her side. Panic washed over as she pushed herself up on her elbows and looked around for Valley. And then everything over the past few days came back to in a sudden rush, so she dropped back down onto the pillow and let out a heavy sigh of relief. Angela and Constance had taken Valley when they got home from their trip that afternoon. And even though Jane loved Valley with all of her heart, she was grateful for a break.
The weekend has passed in a blur as she thought back to the hours she had spent entertaining a sick toddler. Frankie and Frost had, indeed been called in to work over the weekend and Tommy had come to replace them. He didn't bring Casey with him, but she had come by a few hours later with pizza and beer for the adults and juice pops for Valley. Of course, the pizza was vegan and Maura would have approved, but she couldn't help but scrunch her nose when she was handed a piece covered in vegetables she couldn't quite identify. And don't get her started on the fake cheese. But her and Tommy had laughed it off even though she could tell he was doing everything he could to not choke on it. At least the beer was good.
Her stomach gurgled at the thought of the pizza they'd eaten the night before and she felt queasy. She closed her eyes and concentrated on staying completely still because at the moment, she was feeling like she was on a three-hour tour with Gilligan. While she lay as still as could be, she thought about Carly and the care package of oyster crackers and the famous homemade Rizzoli chicken noodle soup, a cure all for whatever ails you. It had been a great help for Valley who was finally able to eat something yesterday, so she didn't have to suffer through the vegan pizza too. But it had been good to see Carly, however brief it had been and to hear an update on Ryan.
The feeling of soft lips pressing against her forehead caused her to let out a sigh of contentment. There were only two people in this world that would do that to her, so she knew immediately who was in the room with her.
"Maura?" Jane's eye's fluttered open to find Maura looking down at her with a look of concern.
"How are you feeling?" Maura asked as she placed the back of her hand against Jane's cheek.
"Like I got hit by a mac truck." Jane closed her eyes again and turned towards Maura's touch.
"I think you got the same thing Valley had. It must be some kind of virus, but short lived I hope. She bounced back pretty quickly."
"She's with Ma and Constance."
"I've already been filled in. Did you feel sick when your mother came over earlier?" Maura inquired, as her doctor's mind took over.
"I had a bit of a headache but thought it was just from being tired." Jane opened her eyes and tried to smile at Maura who continued to watch her with concern.
"Do you think you can drink some water? I'd like for you take this 800mg Motrin." Maura held up a pill so Jane could see.
"I think so, but my stomach is feeling kinda wonky." Jane pushed herself up onto her elbows again.
"Here." Maura said handing Jane the pill and a glass of water. "Just drink a little." She pushed Jane's sweaty hair away from her face.
Jane nodded and did as Maura asked. Swallowing the tepid water, she grimaced as the pill moved down her throat. She handed the glass back to Maura and laid back down. "I can't remember the last time I felt this bad."
"It's been awhile." Maura set the glass on the night stand and sat down on the bed next to Jane.
"Hey, I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow." Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura's waist.
"I decided to come home early, and it's a good thing I did."
"I'm alright." Jane tried to smile but frowned instead.
"While I'm sure you'll live, I'm glad I came home so I could take care of you." Maura traced a finger down Jane's cheek. "And now that Valley is better and is being taken care by our mom's…I can concentrate on you." She smiled.
"Valley's in good hands and so am I." Jane let out a tired sigh. "Thanks for coming home early. I missed you."
"I missed you too." Maura leaned down and placed a quick kiss to Jane's forehead.
"Did you learn anything new at the conference?"
"Nope, nothing I didn't already know."
"And what is it that you already know?" Jane shifted to her side and cuddled up to Maura.
"That I don't like being away from you and Valley." Maura laid back against a pillow, so Jane could get comfortable. "Do you need anything right now?"
"Nope, just you. Will you lay here with me and hold me?" Jane closed her eyes as fatigue began to overtake her.
"I can't think of anything else I'd like to do more." Maura wrapped an arm Jane and held her close and just like that, all was right with the word.
