I woke extra early to pack. I don't know why. I wasn't going any where that was official business.

I just needed out. But it was nothing personal. It was business in some sort of way. I had lunch with potential clients. I had a date tonight with Cordie.

I checked on Cody when I got up and was slightly startled that he wasn't in bed. It was five thirty and slightly worried that he was up already, I went to check it out.

Until a gut feeling told me to go to Monty's room. I very quietly opened the door and sneaked a look. Wrapped up in her blankets was Monty. Then just under her head I saw the familiar brown mop of hair.

They both looked peaceful. I wanted to scold Cody for climbing in to bed with his nanny. But they were both sound asleep. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I silently shut the door, but not enough for it to latch as I went down stairs. Monty will be awake soon any way.

I was dressed for the day and made my way to the study. I finished up the paperwork to take with me and kept myself busy.

I've been living in this study deliberately. I was avoiding everyone. I didn't mean to for Cody and I told myself that I will spend some time with him on Friday night.

Monty however. She was worth avoiding.

I looked at my watch. It was nearly seven thirty. I got up from my chair and went to the kitchen for breakfast and a coffee. Monty should be up and I was expecting her and Cody in there, chatting away.

I am thrilled that Cody has taking a liking to Monty. She has kept him occupied for me while I worked.

But the kitchen was empty when I stepped in. No sign of Cody or Monty. Frowning I left the room and made my way to the stairs. That's when I saw Cody, slowly coming down.

He was rubbing his eyes and sniffling. He better not be getting sick from Monty taking him out in the snow.

I looked at him, his big eyes looked back at me, full of tears.

We met half way and I knelt down to him.

"What's wrong, buddy? Did you have a bad dream?"

Cody sniffed again. "Monty..."

I raised my eyebrows. Monty what? Monty kicked you out of her room? Monty needed to get dressed? Monty will be down in a minute. I practised the sentences in my head, waiting for the boy to talk again.

"Monty won't wake up." He cried.

I frowned even more. "I'm sure she will." I assured the boy but he cried as he shook his head. She looked very exhausted last night. She even sounded like it. When I saw her, she was the walking dead, ready to pass out at any minute.

I wiped the tears from Cody's face. "I'll go wake her." I assured him as I stood up and took his hand.

"She burnt me. She hot."

I looked down at Cody. Burnt him? I doubt that. "Where?" I asked.

Cody pointed to his cheek. "She burnt me."

I scowled at Cody. Monty wouldn't have burnt him. "Monty wouldn't have done it deliberately. Come on, let's go find out what's going on." I pulled him with me to Monty's room.

I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.

Monty won't wake up.

Cody's words went back through my head. I opened her door and she was still in bed asleep.

I looked down at my nephew. "You made her super tired." I teased him as I tickled his ribs. But in all seriousness, she was now technically sleeping on the job. It wouldn't be the first time either. A small smile lifted from the corners of my mouth.

"How can she burn you if she is still asleep?" I asked Cody as he took a step forward.

He pointed to Monty. "Her face hot."

My head snapped to Monty and I automatically placed the back of my hand on her forehead.

She's burning up. I instantly threw my hand back.

"Cody, Monty is sick. When you're sick, your body gets really hot. She didn't mean to burn you."

"She hot."

I knelt down to Cody and took his hands. "Well, if you stayed in your bed, it wouldn't have happened!"

Cody looked away bashfully. "I had bad dream." I raised an eyebrow. "I needed hug."

"My room is right there." I pointed to my door.

Cody shook his head. But he didn't saw anything. He really likes Monty.

"Okay. I have to call a doctor. How about we go downstairs and have breakfast? I did buy some yummy chocolate coco pops."

Cody nodded in excitement and went to the stairs. I looked back at Monty. Now I saw how red her cheeks were. I stepped back to her bed and pulled away the hair in her face.

I left the door slightly open as I followed Cody to the kitchen. Making simple food that involves food coming from a box to a bowl was easy. I can do that.

I made a coffee and sat next to Cody as I rang for a doctor.

I cancelled my lunch and waited for the doctor. Cody wanted to sit with Monty on her bed, but I told him no as I sent him to his room to get dressed.

He came back down holding his trousers in one hand and half way through his shirt and his crayons in another hand.

I smiled at his goofiness and it brought back memories of Conner and me when we were children.

Our nanny always had us dressed by colour since we were identical. I was red, Conner green. Several times we fooled the nanny and even our parents. Other times we got caught in the act.

I helped Cody get dressed and he sat at the coffee table in my office and drew on the paper I gave him.

"What can I draw?" He asked me as I looked over my laptop.

"Anything you want buddy." I answered as I looked at my paperwork.

"But what?"

I thought it over. "How about a get well card?"

"What?" I saw Cody next to me. I got up and we walked to his drawing station.

"A get well card. For Monty."

He stared at me blankly.

I sighed. His nanny back home really did dull him a bit.

I sat next to him on the floor and picked up a crayon. "A get well card. Where you wish for Monty to fell better."

"But what if she never wake up." Cody asked me innocently.

"She will. She just needs a few days sleep." I wrote on the paper. "Now you draw what makes you happy. I'll write the words for you. You draw the pictures."

Cody was happy with that and I left him to it while I answered the door.

The doctor was finally here. I walked him to where Monty was and left him to examine his patient. I waited impatiently outside of her room.

It was a good twenty minutes before I saw the doctor again and Cody joined me with his drawings and a crayon.