It was well known that Rachel didn't like Tom.
It was well known that Tom didn't like Rachel.
It was well known that Maddie didn't like either of their pettiness.
Yet, Maddie was all Rachel had, and Rachel was all Maddie had - so Rachel and Tom sucked it up and dealt with each other for the sake of Maddie. This is all-important. Rachel and Randell, after their honeymoon, decided to have a baby together - good for them, bad for the rest of the world, in Tom's eyes. When it was time for Rachel to have the baby, Maddie flew out to pick JoJo up and bring her back to Green Hills. Rachel and Randell wanted some time to get used to having a baby around, so Maddie offered to keep JoJo for two weeks.
The first week went incredibly well. Rachel had the baby (another daughter), and Tom got to spend time with his niece without seeing her mother. The second week started great, but then it all went to shit in the span of twelve hours. Maddie was called away for emergency surgery on a dog that was in labour, and Tom was called out on an emergency nine-one-one call just far enough south of Green Hills to barely count, but it was before the border of the next town - so he had to deal with it.
"JoJo, are you gonna be alright with Sonic?" He asked, dragging on his coat. JoJo looked up from the television. "Yeah, we'll be fine. Where are the other two?" She asked. Tom shrugged. "Knuckles is with Wade, and Tails is flying his jet. Tails will be back this evening, but Knuckles won't." He flashed a reassuring smile, lacing up his shoes. "So it's just you and Sonic today." JoJo grinned. "When can I get him up?" Tom clipped his badge on. "Give him till nine, then get him up."
JoJo laughed. "Okie dokie! See you later, Uncle Tom!" Tom ruffled her head as he strode past. "Maddie made you a PB&J in the fridge, and you can have the chicken pasta that I was gonna have for lunch. But Sonic can cook if you don't want any of that. One of us will be home for dinner." He opened the front door. "Any problems, ring Wade. His number's on the fridge, and he can get me, OK?" JoJo grinned. "Yup. Bye!"
And off Tom went.
As per the agreement, JoJo waited until exactly nine am before she rushed upstairs giggling. "Sonic!" She sang. "Wakey, wakey!" She giggled, pushing open the attic door. She walked across the room and gently shook the blue hedgehog's arm. Sonic groaned lightly. "Mm, five more minutes." JoJo giggled and shook his arm harder. "Come on, sleepy head! Uncle Tom said I could wake you up at nine!" Sonic opened his eyes into a squint. "Mmm, how about you let me have half an hour more, and I'll cook us some food?" JoJo hummed. "You have half an hour, then we play UNO, and you braid my hair." Sonic flapped his hand dismissively. "Sure. Come get me in thirty."
JoJo went back downstairs and snuck some of Tom's secret candy he kept hidden and watched an episode of some kid's show that was on. The thirty minutes went agonisingly slowly. But, true to her word, JoJo waited until nine-thirty to creep back upstairs and gently shake the blue hedgehog once more. "Sonic? Can we play now?" JoJo whispered. Sonic groaned slightly and lifted his heavy head. "Yeah... I guess so..." JoJo grinned and ran back down, probably to set UNO up in the living room, leaving Sonic to try and get his body going. Sonic could feel his head pounding like a clock. His vision was tilting slightly, and his body felt ridiculously heavy. His stomach was in knots but, at the same time, was churning dangerously. Sonic reached into his drawers and got out some aspirin tablets that he'd stolen from a CVS when he lived in his cave. He dry swallowed them and held his head as it thudded against his skull.
"SONIC!"
He sat up straighter with a yawn. "Coming, Joey!" He yelled back, wincing silently as his voice echoed in his skull. A few minutes later, Sonic sat in the front room with JoJo, playing UNO as promised. His headache had eased slightly, but the overall achiness of his body hadn't. They continued to play UNO for a good hour or so until JoJo put her cards down with a heavy sigh. "I'm bored now. Can you do my hair?" Sonic gratefully accepted the relaxing vibe of a movie and hair braiding over the thinking of UNO. Regardless of how much his head hurt, Sonic would never lose a game on purpose. JoJo shifted onto the ground in a cross-legged position and began scrolling through Tom's Netflix account.
It didn't take long to plait her hair, given that JoJo had about as much patience for sitting as still as he did. Once he'd finished with the four braids, as per request, he went and fetched out the chicken pasta that Tom had left for them both, but he gave it all to JoJo. Sonic wasn't fully convinced that it'd stay in his stomach if he ate it now. They ate the pasta on the couch in silence, watching an old Disney film of Maddie's.
Sonic dozed away while the film was on, not asleep but not paying attention either. JoJo didn't seem to notice, too engrossed with the film to care otherwise. Once the credits rolled, she asked if Sonic would run a bath for her - meaning, could she steal some of his bath bombs. Usually, Sonic would've said no, but his head was hurting way too much to refuse - so he trudged to Tom and Maddie's en suite, drew the bath, and laid out some bath bombs from his drawer.
Satisfied when the bath was done, Sonic trudged back to the couch. "The bath's ready for ya. I've put some of my bath bombs on the side for you." JoJo smiled. "Thanks!" Sonic flopped back onto the couch with a half-hearted groan. "Sonic, you don't look very well." JoJo frowned lightly by the door. "I'm OK Joey. It's just a headache. I'll catch some Zees while you're in the bath, and I should be right as rain when you get out." He smiled reassuringly. JoJo smiled lightly back, but Sonic could tell that it wasn't in full confidence.
Despite that, she still retreated up the stairs.
Despite that despite that, Sonic's eyes slid shut, sending him into restless slumber once more.
When JoJo finished in the bath and came downstairs, she immediately felt worried and unsure as to what to do. The news was playing on the TV, and Sonic was asleep on the sofa, his eyebrows drawn together with a trail of drool staining the pillow below. JoJo didn't want to put the TV on again or watch her films because she knew Sonic was in pain, so she went and got his phone. It was embarrassing to admit, but she took way too many attempts to unlock it.
"Hey Sonic, what's up, buddy? Can it wait till later?" JoJo sighed a little at the familiar voice. "Uncle Tom… it's JoJo." Tom hesitated on the other end. "Joey? Why do you have Sonic's phone? Is he ok?" JoJo glanced at the sofa again, gnawing on her lip. "Not really. I think he's got that thing that mom gets - um… migraines?" Tom sighed through the phone. "Yeah, he does get those. He's usually down for the day when he gets one… do you want me to come over and help?" JoJo gnawed on her lip harder. "Are you allowed to?" She asked. Tom shuffled on the phone. "Should be. Most of it's been sorted. Wade and Kendra can take over the rest. I'll come back home and sort you guys out. Did you try Maddie first?" JoJo shook her head but then realised that Tom couldn't see her. "No, she's in surgery. Her phone is off. There'd be no point." Tom sighed through the phone. "Give me half an hour, and I'll be there."
True to his word, thirty minutes later, Tom walked through the doors. He dropped his bag by the door and kicked off his trainers. His eyes landed on Sonic, still asleep with a crease on his brow, and he turned to JoJo. "Joey, I'm just gonna sort Sonic out quickly, and then I'll come and sit with you, OK?" JoJo nodded. "Is he gonna be OK? Mom usually sends me to the neighbours, or Randall helps her." Tom nodded and mused her head. "Yeah, of course he will. He's only got a migraine, Joey. He'll probably be fine in the morning, to be honest - but above all," Tom pulled her up to face his eyes, "he's Sonic. Nothing takes him down." JoJo giggled. "OK." She looked at him once more. "Are you OK if I play on your Xbox? I brought Minecraft with me." Tom chuckled. "Sure. Just don't TNT my houses, or I'll kill you."
JoJo mimicked his mouth with her hand and took off running to his bedroom, where the Xbox sat, unused for a few days. Tom turned to the blue hedgehog on the couch with a quiet sigh. He crouched by his head and gently shook his shoulder. Sonic winced. "Dad? What're you doing here...?" Tom smiled softly, "You're having a migraine episode. Joey called me for help." Sonic groaned softly and inched up on the sofa. Tom helped pull him up off the couch. "Come on. Bedtime for the baby."
Sonic huffed. "If I wasn't in so much pain, I'd say something clever and witty." He drawled, shuffling towards the stairs. "Uh huh, because you're always clever and witty," Tom smirked. Sonic harumphed petulantly. "You're mean. I'm sick, and you're mean." Tom gave his shoulder a gentle shove. "Exactly. You're sick, not dying. My being mean keeps you humble."