Hank, Miles, Alison, Saturday afternoon

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Hank is deteriorating fast, and he can't even read to Miles when he comes to visit. Instead they play with Lego, and talk about Alison, both trying to put on a brave front for the other. When Alison comes to pick Miles up, she joins in the Being Brave... at least until Hank can't see.



Hank was glad he'd gotten out the Lego. He'd realized, earlier, that he was
worse again today. He'd left his computer turned on and logged in to the
journal system, since he wasn't sure he'd remember passwords and so on
anymore. Reading was getting difficult... even the simplest books took work,
now. And he wasn't sure he could work the DVD player. So he was glad the
Lego was out... he and Miles always had fun with that.

He was putting out the box of little toy animals - mostly cows, horses, and
chickens, but a few from a Zoo set as well - when the door opened and a
little green face peeked around it. "Hi, Miles!" he said cheerfully. Miles
must NOT ever see that he was upset by this. "I got the Lego out again. Want
to play with me?"

"Hello, Hank!" Miles trotted into the room, focusing on Hank right
away, a smile lighting up his face. It was hard sometimes, when he
came to visit Hank, to see how fast things were changing - with each
passing day there were more of the usual things they would do that
would be set aside carefully, without a word. There hadn't been story
reading in a while now, for example.
But letting Hank decide what they were going to do was important - it
had been carefully explained to him why and Miles understood that very
well. So he made a beeline for the Legos, not in the least because
Legos were fun and plopped down without ceremony. "Miles would
like that, yes!"

"Good." Hank beamed. It was fun spending time with Miles... even more fun,
now, in a way, because he was having as much fun playing with the neat toys
as Miles was. "What'll we build? I can't decide." They'd done a castle last
time, and then dismantled it as the pirates attacked with catapults. That'd
been fun. Maybe today they could do something with the animals.

With a very serious expression, Miles observed the various
alternatives. The animals had already been taken out and it wasn't
hard to guess what might be the favored option. "Miles thinks we
should build the Farm today. With the tractors and all?" He added the
last hopefully, because well - tractors were fun.

"Can't leave the tractors out," Hank agreed seriously. "And we should put
the zoo animals in, too. Because the farm is more fun for them than the zoo,
don't you think?" He set out the big green lego-board that worked best for
the farm, on account of they could pretend it was grass. Then he brightened.
"Oh! And I have cupcakes. I almost forgot." He went to get them, and some
chocolate milk, because he and Miles agreed firmly on the goodness of
chocolate milk.

Miles sat back, a Lego in his hand, and watched without a word as Hank
went to fetch the cupcakes. His return was greeted with a brilliant
smile though, the virtues of chocolate milk extolled before both food
and drink were accepted with a very polite thank you. He took a bite
of the cupcake and set it nearby solemnly, and then a sip of the
chocolate milk. "Miles thinks that proper food means now we are set to
build the entire farm!"

"We are!" Hank beamed at him, sitting down again and taking a bite of his
own cupcake. He got started on putting in the little fences, for fields, and
they played quietly until it was almost the time when Miles would have to go
again. Then Hank set another tree at the corner of a field and sighed. "How's
your Mama doing?" he asked a little wistfully. "I know it's... hard for her,
now. And I can't help like I usually do."

Setting down a cow very carefully in the middle of a field, Miles then
looked up. "Mama is worried for Hank, but Mama also knows that Doctor
Madelyn and Moira are doing everything they can to help. And both Mama
and Miles know that they will find something to help Hank. Hank will
be all better soon." With that, MIles rose to his feet and skirted
around the Lego farm, flinging his arms around Hank's neck to give him
a hug. "Hank will be okay."

Hank hugged back, engulfing the little boy in his huge, furry arms. "Hank
will be okay," he agreed, more because he wanted Miles to believe it than
because he believed it himself. "But with me and Haroun not well, I worry
about your Mama being upset." He smiled down at Miles. "But I know you'll
look after her for us, right? Because you're good at looking after people."

A fervent nod was lost against Hank's shoulder - the week had not been
an easy one, watching everyone around him worry while trying to
conceal it as best as possible. "Kitty asked Miles to sneak in muffins
for Mama so she would eat breakfast." There had been plenty of other
thing as well. And Miles played Lego with Hank too and always made
sure to let him chose the day's activities, just to make sure it was
easier on him. That was left unsaid.

Hank hugged him, rubbing the little back gently. "I know this is scary," he
said softly. "Not being able to help. I feel like that too, this time. But
it'll be okay." He sighed, resting his cheek against the top of Miles' head.
"It's helped having you to play with," he said softly. "I can still do stuff
with you. Can't do much other stuff, but I can do that."

"Miles will be back again later today." When he'd asked Alison if he
could spend more time with Hank, she'd just smiled and nodded at him -
the lurking sadness hidden well enough, though not completely.

A soft knock at the door broke through the silence that followed,
Alison opening the door and peeking inside after being called in.

"Hey... what're you two up to?" She smiled at them both.

Hank gave her a slightly wobbly smile. "We're having a hug. It's kind of
scary sometimes, knowing so many things are bad and not being able to help
fix them," he said softly. "But hugs help. Want one?" He untangled an arm
from around Miles and reached out to her.

She didn't hesitate in the least, stepping in closer to hug both of
them and in the doing mercifully hid the look of ill-concealed worry
and fear in her eyes. Taking a slow breath she wiped every trace of
that off her face, managing only a calm expression as she pulled back
- Hank knew her well enough to read all the signs though, including
when she was trying to hide how badly she felt. "Hugs help," Alison
agreed quietly, offering Miles a reassuring smile as well.

Hank touched her cheek gently. "It'll be okay," he said softly. "Miles and I
say so. So it has to be. Because we are mighty and can't be argued with." He
smiled, tickling Miles with his free hand. "Aren't we?"

Miles beamed brightly at that, hugging Hank again that much more
before finally reluctantly letting go. "Miles has to go now, but Miles
will be back later, okay?" He looked up at Alison and reached up to
take her hand.

"Sorry to steal him from you like that, but he'll be back later."
Alison smiled softly at Hank. "You can even leave the Legos out.
Shouldn't be more than a few hours, at the most. And I'll be by later
in the evening. Movie sound good?"

"It sounds great." Hank smiled a little wistfully. "And thank you for coming
back later, Miles." It was getting a little lonely.... although his friends
did make time to visit, they were all busy right now, so they couldn't stay
long. And fewer of the students were visiting him now, and they weren't
staying as long. Seeing him this way was upsetting them, he guessed. "I'll
get the snacks for the movie, okay?" That, at least, he could still do.

"Yes. And your pick too. If it's not too late, we can even go for
broke and watch two, mm?" Miles looked up at her pleadingly and she
chuckled. "And Miles can up maybe a bit later than usual tonight,
while we're at it. She leaned forward to hug Hank one last time, and
patted his cheek lightly with her free hand. "Won't be long." With
that final reassurance she and Miles headed for the door, the little
boy looking back to wave a bit, smiling at Hank.

Hank waved back, holding the smile until they were gone.

~*~

The door closing behind them, both Alison and Miles remained silent as
they walked towards her room. But the hand holding Alison's tightened
with each step of the way and halfway to their destination, Alison
bent down to pick the little boy up, biting her lip at the heavy sigh
he made while leaning his head on her shoulder. He'll be too big to
pick up like this soon. She remembered how Hank had first
explained to her how his growth had been affected by the malnutrition
and the abuse Miles had undergone most of his life. And how gentle and
kind he'd been with the wide eyed little boy, explaining every test
he was doing in the last detail.

Closing the door to her room behind them, she walked to the couch and
sat down slowly, still holding Miles as tightly as he was holding on
to her.

"He's going to be all right, baby," she murmured, a muffled sob
greeting her words, even as Miles nodded in agreement. Tears were
running down her own cheeks as well as she looked out the window,
rocking the small boy she was holding gently until he fell asleep.

"He'll be all right."