We pulled up to Mr. Fuller's house. Mr. Fuller sat in the backseat of his car, still asleep.

"Can you get the keys out of his coat pocket?" Alan asked me.

"Why me?"

"Because I asked you to." He laughed as he shut the drivers side door of the car and started walking around to get Mr. Fuller out of the back.

"Fine, fine."

"I'll get him out first." He took him out of the car and closed the door.

"Which pocket?"

"Normally it's the big one on the right."

I felt my face blush as I reached into Mr. Fuller's pocket. Luckily it was still dark out so Alan couldn't see my face and thankfully the keys were in that pocket. I didn't want to have to go through other pockets. "Got them."

"Unlock the door then."

"You better lock his car. He'll kill you."

"I know." He smiled and pushed the lock button on the car keys a few times.

I unlocked the front door of the house and let Alan and Mr. Fuller in first. Alan brought him to his room and put him on his bed.

"You might want to take his jacket off." I laughed.

"Why?"

"Because it's hot in here."

"Fine but you take his shoes off."

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes and walked over to the foot of the bed.

"Feels like I'm stripping a rag doll."

"You're just taking his jacket off, not taking his clothes off."

"No I'll have to take his shirt off too. He'd kill us if he woke up in it."

"True. Better you instead of me."

"No you should take his shirt off."

"Nope. You're his boyfriend you do it." By now I had both his shoes off and headed to put them away.

"Finally done." Alan said. "Should I cover him too?" He joked.

"Yes." I laughed. He pulled the covers up over Mr. Fuller and started walking towards the door. I followed him out to the front door.

"I'll call tomorrow to see how everything is."

"You're leaving?"

"I'm going home. I'm tired."

"So am I." I laughed. "You mean I have to stay here with him?"

"Yup." He nodded.

"That's mean."

"No. Think of it as babysitting Teddy."

"Yeah if Teddy was older than me, drunk and passed out on his bed."

"Exactly." He laughed. "See you around." With that he left, so I locked the door.

From the window in the living room I saw him get into his car and drive off. After looking at the time I decided it was time I went to bed myself. I walked down the hall and opened Mr. Fuller's door, quietly I walked in and headed for his closet and grabbed a blanket. On my way out I grabbed an unused pillow off his bed. I closed his door and made my way to the living room.

The couch wasn't really that comfortable but it would do for a few hours.

* * * * * * * * * *

I woke up to the smell of coffee. Quickly I sat up.

"Whoa, you'll get yourself sick if you do that." Mr. Fuller's voice made me jump. "Sorry I scared you."

"Yeah I'm sure. I though you would sleep in a bit."

"Me? Never." He smiled. "Why you on the couch?"

"Where else would I go to sleep?"

"My bed." He looked down instantly. "I mean I could have taken the couch."

"Alan put you in your bed."

"Or you could have climbed in with me." He said while his head stayed down.

I laughed. "You took over the bed, completely!"

He looked up and laughed. "Want something to eat?"

"I'll just get myself a bowl of cereal."

"That's fine with me." He stood up. I watched as he walked away toward the kitchen. He was in nothing but a pair of boxers, and his hair was slightly messy. I got up and joined him in the kitchen.

I got a bowl of cereal and sat down. "How much coffee have you had?" I asked him as he sat down at the table across from me.

"My third cup." He pointed.

"Coffee aholic."

"Shut up."

"That wasn't very nice. You hurt my feelings." I fake pouted, got up and walked over to the sink and grabbed a clean spoon.

"Awe don't be sad." He said, his voice closer then it should have been with him sitting at the table. I turned and there he was. I ignored him and started walking back towards the table. I felt a hand on my hip then I was being turned to face him.

"That was evil." I told him. "I'd like to eat." I laughed.

"I'd like a lot of things."

"So would I, but right now I want to eat."

"And I'd like for you to just graduate already."

"That sounded mean."

"Maybe I meant for it to be mean." He winked.

I sighed. "What if after I graduate I leave for college and you lose a babysitter for Teddy?"

"There's always more babysitters."

"Hurtful!"

"Besides I can't see you leaving this town."

"You're right. If I did Teddy would be coming with me."

"What about me?"

"You can stay here and be by yourself. Because you're a meanie." I laughed.

"Teddy and I are a package deal."

"That's one package I wouldn't want to open."

"Now who's being mean?"

"You started it."

We both laughed, then it hit me, he was still holding me. He must have realized it too because he looked down at the hand he had on my hip. Slowly he looked up and leaned closer toward me. "Your cereal is getting soggy." He smirked and let me go. I quickly went to my bowl of cereal.

"Eww! It's all your fault."

"Is it because I'm fat?"

"What?" I questioned.

"You hate me because I'm fat."

"No, I hate you because you're mean. Besides you are not fat."

"Are you jealous because I'm not fat?"

"No."

"Am I annoying you?"

"No more than usual."

"Eat."

"I was planning to!" I told him and he just laughed.

* * * * * * * * * *

About an hour after I had eaten breakfast I made myself comfortable, by laying down, on the couch.

"Might be less boring if you turn the tv on." Mr. Fuller said coming into the room.

"I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Never anything good on."

"Well I don't care I'm turning it on and watching something."

"Whatever."

He sat down by my feet and pulled them in his lap. "Good don't argue with me. I know what's best." I snorted a laugh. "Well I do."

"Sure, sure." I waved him off.

A few minutes later he sighed heavily.

"What?" I asked him.

"This is boring."

"Told you."

"There is nothing on."

"Told you."

"I'm bored."

"Go do some teacher thing."

"No."

"Alright then be bored."

"What are you doing?" He asked after a second.

"Relaxing."

"Can I relax with you?"

"Whatever."

"This is boring. I need to do something." He said after a minute or so.

"Then do something."

"Okay."

I felt him move on the couch but I didn't look over. Instead I just kept looking out the window. I felt him touch my foot and I jumped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm bored." He stated. "So I'm going to give you a foot massage."

"Why?"

"Because I like your feet."

"Wow you are strange."

"So." He laughed. "I'm doing it so shut up and enjoy."

"Mean!"

"What's your point?" He smiled.

"No point. Just stating the facts."

"Dork."

"Whatever." I huffed and looked out the window again.

"Awe babe, don't be like that." He said as he massaged my left foot.

I tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach when he said babe. I didn't want it to show in my voice when I talked.

"I'm not." I said clearly, only my voice went up slightly.

He stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You sound about ready to cry. What's the matter? I'm sorry if I made you upset."

"I'm not about to cry."

"Your voice keeps squeaking. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Okay." He went back to rubbing my foot.

"I miss Teddy."

"Me too." He nodded.

"When are you going to pick him up?"

"In a few hours. Your mom never spends time with him so I thought he could stay there a little longer. Since she's the closest thing he has to a grandmother"

"I see. But what if I want to go home?"

"Too bad." He laughed.

We were silent for a minute. The only sound was his hand running my right foot and the clock ticking on the wall.

"Still not talking to your mom?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Nope."

"You only have one mother, you know."

"Yeah, so?"

"I'm just saying."

"Not everyone has a good relationship with their mother like you do." His voice was hard and I knew he was getting upset. His mother always was a touchy subject.

"It's not always like that."

"Oh yeah I'm sure." He scowled and rolled his eyes.

"We fight. We fight about the stupidest things. But at the end of the day she's still my mother and I love her." I snapped.

"I refuse to carry on this conversation with someone who has no idea what it's like." He stood up.

"Whatever."

"You don't understand." He started walking away.

"I understand more than you think."

"Yet you don't see how I...never mind"

Just then my stomach lurched, and I stood up and ran to the bathroom. Accidentally bumping into him on my way by. I made it to the toilet just in time and emptied the contents of my stomach.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Fuller's concerned voice asked from the doorway. I could respond, I was getting sick again. I felt a hand rubbing my back and another one pulling my hair away from the toilet. "It's okay." He cooed. "Let it all out. You'll feel better."

When I was done, I wiped my mouth with toilet paper then flushed the toilet, and stayed sitting by it. I turned away from Mr. Fuller. "Sorry." I said embarrassed.

"That's quite alright. When you're sick, you're sick. Besides I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"That's fine. I'm use to making people mad."

"You have got to be the only person I hate being mad at."

"What about Alan?"

"Our fights can last weeks."

"I feel special."

"You are." He paused. "Are you alright?" Again his voice dripping with concern.

"I'm fine." I lied.

"Are you sure?" I could only nod my head, because right after my head went back into the toilet. "You're not fine." He stated as he rubbed my back again and held my hair.

When I was done I wiped my mouth and flushed the toilet. My stomach began to hurt and I started to cry.

"Shhhhh, shhhhh, it's okay." His arms wrapped around me and pulled me to him. With one hand he touched my forehead and quickly took his hand away. "You're burning up." I could hear the frown in his voice.

"Sorry."

He grabbed my face with both his hands. "Stop apologizing for being sick. It happens."

"I'm.." He gave me a look, as if to say 'don't say it', so I looked down.

"Are you going to get sick again?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oh well. They invented showers. Besides I'm a father I've been puked on so many times it doesn't bother me." He stood up off the floor. It was then I realized he was still only wearing boxers and I started blushing. "Either you like what you see or you're really sick. He bent down and picked me up.

"I can walk."

"And puke all over my hallway. I don't think so. Just close your eyes and enjoy the ride." After a second I did as he said, because I was dizzy. I felt myself being out down on a comfortable surface. I opened my eyes.

"Why am I in your room?" I ask confused.

He laughed. "To get some rest, silly."

"I'll rest when I get home."

"No you're staying here."

"I don't want to get you or Teddy sick."

"Teddy can stay at your moms for another night. I'll give her a call."

"I can't take your bed."

"You can and you will." He went to his dresser and pulled out some clothes. Then threw them at me. "Change."

"What about you?"

He smirked as if about to reply something sexual, but thought about it. "I'll stay on the couch."

"I couldn't let you do that. It's really uncomfortable."

"It's worth it. Now stay put and change, I'll be right back." He walked to the door. "Use the garbage can if you need to, you know."

I nodded as he left the room. Very slowly, trying not to move fast so I wouldn't get sick, I stripped, naked. My bra was bothering me and I knew Mr. Fuller would wash my clothes, and I'd prefer clean underwear.

I put on the boxers he threw at me, then the shorts. After staring at the shirt for a minute I started to put it on when...

"Your mom said you could stay. " Mr. Fuller entered the room and quickly covered his eyes and turned my back towards him, embarrassed. "Sorry. I should have knocked." I put the shirt on quickly and turned to face him. Even with his hand over his face I could see his red cheeks.

"I'm done." I said sitting down on the bed. Slowly he took his hand away from face and looked at me.

"Your mom said."

"I heard."

He walked over and sat on the bed. "Need anything?"

"No, I'm all set." I couldn't look at him, not after what just happened.

"Well I'm going to go shower. If you think of something let me know." He got up and walked away.

I decided to make myself comfortable by laying down. So i unmade some of the bed and got in. I was hot, but then I was cold. Blanket on and blanket off. I was getting annoyed. As a last resort I pulled the blankets over my middle and called it good. I closed my eyes for a second.

Twenty minutes later I heard walking so I opened my eyes to see Mr. Fuller, in nothing but a towel, standing by his dresser looking through it.

"Sorry if I woke you." He said.

"I wasn't sleeping."

"You should. You'll feel better." He turned around with clothes in his hand.

"I'm thirsty."

"I'll get you something." He smiled and left the room again.

When he returned he was fully dressed and had a glass in one hand and something else in the other.

"Here you go." He handed me the glass, I say up and happily drank it, slowly.

"What's that?" I asked curiously pointing to the object in his hand.

"A thermometer. I want to see your temperature."

"Okay." I held the glass in my hands as he sat down on front of me and stuck the thermometer in my mouth and under my tongue. In minutes it beeped.

"Get some rest."

"I can't."

"You will. If you need me just yell." He stood up.

"Wait." I grabbed his hand. "Could you stay until I fall asleep?"

He chuckled, "Sure." He laid down on the still made side of the bed. I fell asleep within minutes.

* * * * * * * * * *

I was woken up by the urge to use the bathroom. The clock read 11:30. The house was quiet and it was dark outside. Slowly I walked to the bathroom, trying not to wake Mr. Fuller up in the living room.

I closed the bathroom door and did what I had to do. I then washed my hands and brushed my teeth. When I was finished I opened the door and there was Mr. Fuller. I jumped.

"Sorry. I heard you walking so I came to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine. Sorry to have woken you."

"I wasn't sleeping. Just thinking." He smiled.

"Okay, well I still don't feel well so in going back to sleep." I started walking back towards the room. "You can join me if you'd like." I didn't wait for an answer I walked away and shut the door behind me and made myself comfortable in the bed once again.

I wasn't sure why I said that, I guess I'm really not feeling good. This fever must me messing with my head. I closed my eyes, but then opened them once I heard the door open. I jumped when Mr. Fuller crawled into bed.

"Hey you offered." He held his hands up in surrender. I could only nod, afraid to speak. My heart was beating a thousand mikes a minute. I didn't think he would come. "Night, Desiree."

"Night." I responded. And with that he pulled me towards him with one arm.

I didn't think my heart could beat any faster or harder, but it did.