Raising Anti

20

"How are you feeling, kiddo?" Chase spoke softly as he watched Anti cuddle with his cat closer, smiling as he sat down beside him. Chase felt the kids forehead and smile back as he felt it much cooler than before. "Your fever's going down. That's a good thing."

"Happy?" Chase's eyes flashed as Anti poked his hand lightly. "Feel better?"

"What?" Anti hummed softly as he pushed himself up as poked Chase hand again. 

"Feel better?"

"Are you asking if I feel better?" Anti nodded hugging his cat close as Chase just smiled. He pushed himself back against his headboard and pulled Anti in. His bed was very big after all. It was a queen where the others were mostly twins. Anti just snuggled into him as Chase stared off at nothing. "Yeah, kid. I'm feeling better. You had me worried for a bit. I don't... I don't do good when those I care for are sick." Anti mumbled under his breath making Chase frown as he didn't quite hear it. "What?"

"Sammy?" Chase gulped as his heart dropped but Anti just smiled. "Pretty girl... sweet... Sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Anti's eyes darkened as he looked away and just crashed.

"Sorry, I c-couldn't-t p-protect her. I supposed to... Suppost to p-protect them all. I failed. Couldn't... not... not from that." Chase was frozen under the weight of those words when Anti pushed his cat into Chase's lap. "There. Feel better. Hug Cat."

"I'm ok, Sam. I promise." Anti just frowned as he gave Chase a small pout.

"Hug Cat... Feel better." Chase chuckled as he did what he was told and hugged the stuffed cat tightly. Anti smiled this incredibly soft smile that just made the room light up and honestly... Chase couldn't help the smile that began to form. Honestly, he did feel better. "Smile!"

"You're really adorable, do you know that?" Anti froze up as Chase handed him the cat back. "Most kid's are in their own rite but... I don't know."

"Dad?" Chase frowned as he saw Anti fidget a bit. "D-Do you... Do you miss them?"

"Miss who?" Anti's eyes fell as he shrugged. "Sam, miss who?"

"Sons." Chase sighed as Anti glanced over at the door. "Do you miss your sons?"

"Yeah, I do. But with Stacy letting me see them again... SHIT, STACE!" Chase jumped up off the bed stumbling a bit as he ran out of the room leaving a very confused Anti behind. "Jack, I forgot to call Stace!"

"What?" Chase ran through the office searching for the card he had been given before freezing up at the knock from the front door. Jack frowned from his office computer as Chase visibly sagged. "What happened?"

"I forgot to call, Stacy. I forgot to tell her about Sam being sick." Jack's eyes went wide as the sound of another knock rang through. "I forgot to tell her not to bring the kids. Shit... I was just so focused on him... I..."

"It's ok, Chase. I can handle it if you..." Chase just shook his head as he Jack smiled from his seat. "Ok. Remember though... Whatever happens, things are ok."

"Stacy, I..." Chase froze up seeing that beautiful blonde he was still so in love with after two years. He frowned as his thoughts seemed to shut down. "Hey."

"Hey there, Ace." Chase's heart swelled at the nickname as he glanced over to see his sons standing there. Trey had a slight smirk but Gray looked to be on the verge of tears. 

"Oh, shit... ok... I feel really bad about this but..." Stacy frowned as Chase gestured behind him with a sad look.

"Sam's sick. I meant to call but I've been so out of it I didn't even notice how late it was." 

"Sam's sick?" Trey looked genuinely worried as he shot his mother a weird look that for some reason was understood and returned. Chase just stood there confused. "But he can't get sick."

"Yeah, he is." Stacy frowned as she reached out and gently held Chase's arm shocking the man who melted under the gesture. 

"How bad?" Chase just shrugged as he let out a shaky breath.

"Right now? Low-grade fever, it's getting better though... a cough... fatigue and chills... a headache. He hasn't had much of an appetite either and I can't seem to get him to drink anything. I'm a bit worried he's going to get dehydrated but there really isn't much I can do."

"Have you spoken to Henrik?" Chase shook his head making Stacy frown a bit in concern. "Chase..."

"It nothing too worrying right now. As I said before, his fever has gone down a bit and he's more... awake than he was before. I even got him out earlier to take a bath but... I just didn't think it was a good idea to have the boys here when he's ill." 

"Oh, no. I am staying." Trey called out making Chase tense with worry only to frown as Stacy laughed a bit. "If Sam is sick then I'm not going anywhere."

"Trey..."

"No, Dad. You don't understand." Trey crossed his arms giving the man a fresh look in a mirror as his own 'warning' look was giving to him by his own son. Stacy shifted awkwardly as shook her head. "I'm staying. If he's sick then I have to be here. For him..."

"Stace help me out he-..." Chase could see the concern on his ex's face and he sighed. "Are you ok with them staying considering Sam is sick. I don't want them getting sick either but if you're ok with it..."

"It's fine Chase." Stacy smiled as he gave Grayson a small kiss on his forehead before moving over to whisper in Trey's ear and give him a kiss too. "You two be good for your father ok? No pushing Sam too much either, he needs his rest."

"Ok, Mom!" Gray beamed as Chase moved just enough to let him run in no doubt to find the sickly boy. Trey just frowned as he nodded to his mom, a response to both the outward statement and the whisper she had given him alone.

"You take care of him, ok Trey?" Trey just chuckled as he started in to follow Gray. "Have fun!" Stacy called out on last time watching them disappear inside the house. Her eyes met with Chase's she smiled. "You too Chase." 

"What?" Stacy leaned in a small bit brushing his blonde hair back a bit to reveal his tired eyes. 

"Take care of them... and have fun. Have a goodnight, Ace." Chase's heart skipped a beat as Stacy waved goodby vanishing into the dark of night.

"Goodnight, Stace."