Fanboy (boyxboy)

"That's like a modern day fairytale."

"Hey big guy, do you want to go on an adventure?" Clay asked Lincoln when the baby held his arms up for Clay to pick him up. "Your daddy said we can go see your cousin today."

Clay loaded up Lincoln and his diaper bag in the car and prayed he hadn't forgotten anything. He'd waited as long as he could stand it to go see Chloe. That day he'd thought he might have to beg Wes to let him take Linc but Wes agreed right away. Of course it helped that Clay had taken Linc to the park a few hundred times with no trouble, though he always seemed to forget to pack something in the diaper bag.

As soon as they got to the hospital, Clay prepared himself for the looks he knew he would get from everyone they passed. Lincoln still looked a lot like him, enough that most people could tell they were related, and it was obvious everyone was looking at him trying to decide if they were father and son or just brothers. It happened every time they went somewhere together.

Fortunately they only got a few smiles as they walked through the hospital and no weird stares. Clay found Chloe's room without any trouble and prepared himself to go inside.

"Come on, let's be real quiet," Clay whispered as they walked in. "Don't drool too loud now."

"What?" Chloe was facing the other way. She rolled onto her back and made a face as she raised the head of the bed.

"Hey," Clay raised his eyebrows. She looked exhausted and pale, so much weaker than he expected. This didn't seem at all like the Chloe he'd once loved and it felt so strange.

"What are you doing with him?" Chloe reached for her water.

"Wes and Luke let me babysit this summer," Clay grinned at Lincoln. "It's a pretty good deal, I get paid to play and take naps."

"Pretty sure you're supposed to clean up while he's napping," Chloe sounded like herself even if she didn't look it.

"I mean, I can but Aunt Kylie comes over so much I barely even have a job to do," Clay shrugged. "Are you contagious?"

"No, you can put him down," Chloe moved her feet and Clay set Lincoln on her bed. Lincoln sat and stared at her.

"So where is everyone?" Clay looked around.

"Dad's premiere is tonight," Chloe sighed. "Avery just went to get snacks. He likes one of the nurses here so he's probably checking to see if she works today."

"He hangs out here all day?"

"Yeah, just like I do," Chloe pointed out. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to come see you. Hannah said you were bored," Clay moved Lincoln back to the middle of the bed.

"When did you talk to Hannah?" Chloe yawned.

"We talk all the time," Clay grinned. "You're so cute when you're sleepy."

"Don't make me throw you out."

"Okay, sorry," Clay slipped his backpack off. "Are you trying to sleep? I can take him to the playground."

"He's not old enough for that, is he?" Chloe looked at Lincoln, who kept trying to crawl back to Clay.

"I put him in the baby swing," Clay explained. "We did the slide once but he didn't seem like he got it."

"Hm. Well I'm not trying to sleep, it's just kind of what happens," Chloe looked disappointed. "I feel like a zombie these days."

"Do you feel sick? Or just tired?"

"I don't feel sick, just off," Chloe frowned. "Last week I felt like I was going crazy, honestly, but this week I just feel lazy. And trapped in this room."