Johns POV

I stood leaning a hand against the wall, ear to the phone listening to, and given back, anger. "Just give me the damn number woman....... She is Sean's babysitter you can't just stop her looking after him...... oh, so she just can't come here, that's crap..... what am I supposed to do ..... yea well you can go and..." I stopped mid-sentence, Sean was peering at me over the back of the couch.

Turning the other way I stared out over the Dakotas playground.

The little family was there again today, running around and playing. Mum was asleep over in the corner again 'poor thing'.

"Don't bother with your pitiful excuses....... really? well sod it....I've got it sorted anyway" I slammed the phone down in the cradle "Come on Sean, let's go see Magic and the kids"

Wandering out onto the grass Stephen and Jasmine came over and said good morning Mr Lennon, they were really polite kids.

The last few weeks had been nice, Sean was happy, she, 'Magic', seemed to let her guard down a little and I opened up to her jovial conversations and musings. She was a breath of fresh air.

Taking Sean's hand, Jasmine led him away towards the swings. I continued across the lawn to the shady tree. Plonking down in a heap, kicking my sneakers off and wiggled my toes to garner attention.

"Oh, poo what is that God awful smell!?" Sam rolled over slightly and smiled, holding her nose in pretend disgust.

"Lovely, just because I forget to bring you a coffee I get lambasted! "I gave my full trademark, the flashiest Lennon grin, naughty and, previously informed, beguiling; That's what I've been told ok... I read articles on me. Look it up people!

Anyway I shot a foot up to near her nose. Her hand flew back up to cover her nostrils.

"You have brought me 2 coffees and a doughnut thank-you very much. Which, by the way, you didn't have to, and I don't mind missing out today. Just DON'T miss it again!" She giggled. She had a fantastic laugh, light and breathy.

"Anywayyyy....Sean and I have a massive favour to ask" I sat up and folded my legs, pretending to smell my foot again, I then faked a fainting fit. She giggled again. I admit it, I loved the girls laugh.

Settling down and staring at Sam I pressed on "I'm in a big bit of a jamb. You see I have an appointment I can't miss and the EX has stolen the babysitter, no doubt tied up in a dungeon somewhere." Sam just stared me down "Would you be able to look after Sean 'til  four-thirty-ish. I would be in your debt for ever of course. I could maybe help you out another day"

"Stop crawling- sure we will look after him. He's a great kid. But you need to be back by then, I have to leave... I have to go back to my place...." Sam sat up and stressed the last part of the sentence hoping I was paying attention.

Sam's POV

I decided that the day was fine so they would stay outside and play then go for a swim. Sean couldn't swim but John was ok with me taking him in the pool.

"Right I'm off. Bye lad. Be a good boy and listen at the pool, no going in without her!" John looked from Sean to me, Sean following his gaze.

"Bye daddy! I'll listen to Magic"

After playing a few hours we checked the time- two pm. I rounded up the children and started herding them to the pool.

"Sean what's wrong, huny?" Sean was going very slow and not looking up, totally downcast.

"I don't feel very well"

"Come here darling" I knelt and looked in his eyes they were tired and red, his face was flushed "maybe you just need a nap" but as I cupped his cheek I felt the heat in his face, feeling his forehead it was so hot, I felt again because this was way more than a little fever.

I immediately went into action, he needed medical attention fast.

"Kids lets go, Sean needs to hop into a tepid bath." The pool was too cold for his little body to handle, he might go into shock.

With Sean in my arms I went straight through to the lobby pressing the elevator button. John had given me crude directions. Only his suite was on the floor so it would not be hard to find.

Opening the door I was taken aback with the grandeur, the sheer size of the place, but I had to ignore that, stifle the curiosity and tend to Sean. Dashing to the phone I dialed for the doctor, thankfully his number was on the list in my pocket, then I tried several times to call John. After the third attempt, I handed the phone to Stephen.

"Ring this number and ask for John" I took the phone with its long cord through toward where I presumed the bath was. It reached nearly to the corner and I would be able to watch Sean and talk, through Stephen, to John at the same time.

"Jas, help Sean with his shirt while I run the bath and find a towel" Just as I had Sean settled in the bath Stephen called me to the now answered phone. Covering the handset I spoke to Stephen "Stephen go sit there beside Sean where I can see you both"

"John you need to come home" I paused a moment and checked the boys " Sean has a very high temperature.........yes, I've called the doctor he is on his way............... He's fine I've got him in a bath to cool him down....... Ok hurry"

As I placed the phone down and went back to Sean the doorbell rang. "Jas answer the door quick huny, bring the doctor through"

"Mr Lennon. Oh sorry" Doctor Lee stood behind me as I drizzled the water over Sean it wasn't cold nor hot.

"Pleaseeeee, he has a high fever, help him" I was upset but holding my tears. Upset that this was happening to the usually so happy and bright kid. I loved the little fella, wrong to become attached to a strangers' child but I don't care, a child needs as much love around them as they can get.

"Oh dear Sean let me have a look at you, Now let's take your temperature, good lad!" The doctor felt the bath water and nodded to me that I was correct with the bath remedy "Well done this water is perfect but I still want this lad down to the hospital- phone?!" I pointed behind him to Stephen. The doctor called for an ambulance. John still wasn't home.

"His father dear?"

"I have called him and fetched him home, he was at the studio" I continued to bath Sean and added a little more warm water to keep the temperature correct, stroking his face and back talking to him calmly.

The doctor re-approached the bathroom "Ambulance should be here any minute, leave him in there, keep up the good work and we will put him put him straight on the stretcher with a towel" The doctor wrote on Sean's chart noting the temperature and time and his current symptoms.

As the ambulance officers organised Sean's little body on the adult sized gurney John sweep through the door casting his eyes about furtively seeking out the doctor, he yelled the house down in worry.

"What's going on. Where are you taking him? Is he ok. I'm coming too" The questions tumbled out as he held Sean's little hand. The doctor answered all his questions and a few more then John remembered who he had left Sean in the care of.

"Did you do this?!?!" He pointed his finger, jutting it into my face, centimetres from my nose. The words came out in a harsh, nasty spit, snapped and terse. John seemed even taller and more intimidating, making me feel small and fragile in return. "What DID you do!? Bloody hell" He turned away running both hands through his hair  nervously.

As I quickly gathered Stephen and Jasmine up, John was grabbed by the doctor and taken out the door with Sean to the ambulance. All I heard was ringing in my ears. Stephen, closer to the doorway, heard the doctor berating John as they stood waiting to step into the elevator...

"Mr Lennon that woman very well might have saved your son's life. If his temp wasn't brought down in the manner in which she did it, he could have easily had a seizure at best, a heart attack at worse"

Stephen heard John mumble an apology to the doctor.

Dr. Lee replied "Don't apologise to me. Apologise to her. What is her name anyway- for my notes."

"Magic. No Samantha"

"Last name?
"I. I don't know" The doors silently closed and they were gone.

Although I was a teary mess from both Sean's illness and Johns berating, I busied myself clearing the bathroom of the towels and clothes that were strewn about; finding the laundry hamper I tossed the lot in. I gave both children a glass of water and went to make sure Sean's room was tidy. It was not that I wanted to sticky beck rather to clear my head and give John nothing to be upset about when he returned.

I rushed back into the kitchen, suddenly realising that the time was probably much later than I assumed, it was. My heart sunk. It was 5.45pm nowhere near enough time to make the curfew and the busy line that was most probably already out to the street.

We were now officially homeless.

"Lets go guys."