Growing Pains; Brothers.

2

"Mom, we'll be fine." Mike Seaver rolled his eyes. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Maggie sighed, and her daughter Carol burst out laughing. "Be safe, we'll miss you, and if anything--"

"Maggie, come on, we're going to miss our plane." Jason laughed, and Maggie gave her kids another hug.

"Mike, wake Luke would you? I don't want him missing school."

"Sure thing, mom, have fun on your trip."

"Now, Carol, you're sure you have all the numbers you might need?" Maggie asked worriedly.

"Mom! I'm responsible," Carol tried to act cool and lean back against the stairwell, but stumbled into Mike.

Mike pushed her off, laughing. "We'll be fine, mom."

Finally, Jason got Maggie into the car, and the kids watched as the drove away. The moment the shut the door, Mike and Ben whooped, leaping into the air to high-five.

"Party time!" Mike yelled.

"I'll invite all the hot babes from school," Ben grinned, his eyes glinting. "We can make it a real party."

"No, no party." Carol folded her arms, her tone bossy. "I won't allow it."

"Aw, Carol, how did you know we weren't inviting you?" Mike asked, getting another high-five from his brother.

Carol rolled her eyes, "Go wake Luke."

"Geez, fine." Mike rolled his eyes and headed upstairs. "You must be adopted."

Mike entered Luke's bedroom to see him sprawled out, half covered in the blanket and drooling in his pillow.

"Alright, Lukinator, get up." He sighed, sitting down in the edge of the bed. Luke gave a small moan but stated snoring. "Luke, come on, you'll be late for school."

"No school," Luke mumbled thickly.

"What? I thought you liked it?" Mike shook Luke's shoulder as the younger boy began to snore again. "Luke, get up. Mom and dad left five minutes ago, I can't be in trouble already."

Luke swatted at him, missing by a mile.

"Luke, what's gotten into you?" Mike asked, surprised. He shook Luke again, this tme feeling a slight burning sensation coming from his skin. "Luke, you feel warm."

Luke kept his eyes closed. "I'm tired, Mike."

"Luke, are you sick?"

"Tired,"

"I know that, but--"

"Cold," he mumbled.

"You have a cold?"

"No, dummy, I'm cold. Get off my blanket." There was an annoyed edge creeping into Luke's voice now.

"Luke, look at me." Mike demanded, and Luke sighed. When he opened his eyes, they were bright, giving a more tired look to him. "Great, you've got a fever."

"Awesome, can I go to bed now?"

"What--Luke! This is serious, Luke, you're sick. I've never taken care of a sick kid before."

"Well you're not taking care of one now, either." Luke gave him a wary look, then nestled his head in his pillows. After a minute his eyes flew open, and Mike got concerned.

"Luke? What's wrong?" he asked.

"I think I'm going to be sick," the younger boy's voice was strained, as though he thought talking was a bad idea.

"Okay well sit up, come on, we'll get you to the bathroom." Mike said, effectively hiding the growing panic in his voice. Luke sat up slowly, his face pale.

"Did you ever get sick on the streets?" Mike asked as his foster brother stood up shakily.

"Yeah, once." Luke mumbled. "That was a bad day."

"Who helped you?"

"Nobod--" Luke ran out of the room, faster than Mike had ever seen him.

"Luke?" Mike knocked on the bathroom door hesitantly. "Luke, are you alright?"

He was met by the sounds of someone throwing up, and he turned the doorknob. Unlocked. He slowly opened the door, peering around it to see Luke on the floor with his head over the toilet.

"Aw, man, Lukie." he groaned sympathetically as Luke retched again. He knelt beside him and brushed his brother's hair off his forehead.

"Why are you in here?" Luke's body was shaking as he spoke. "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah but Luke, don't you get it? You don't have to anymore. I'll help you."

"It's too much work, sick people get on everyone's nerves." Luke looked like he wanted to say more, but he groaned and threw up again.

"Luke, you're family now. It doesn't bother me." Mike was surprised at the gentleness in his voice. "Trust me. Family takes care of each other, got it? You're family, so we're going to take care of you."

"You don't have to do that." Luke's tone was still a bit harsh.

"I want to." Mike assured him, and watching as Luke gave him a hesitant glance.

"Really?"

"Yeah really," Mike said. "Trust me, I can get out of anything I want to, if I didn't want to help you, I'd be long gone."

Luke laughed weakly, and Mike smiled at him.

"Are you done in here?" Mike asked softly, patting Luke's shoulder.

"Yeah," Luke swallowed. "I'm tired."

"Yeah, I bet you are." Mike nodded. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Mike had seen Luke homeless, angry, sad--he'd seen just about everything--but this was different. This was . . . the way Ben looked at him that one time Mike had helped him out, when Ben had broken his arm.

"No problem, kid."