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When she was ill, she also seemed to regress. He wasn’t sure why Immy was always so insistent that she wasn’t a Little. Maybe she was still learning things about herself. Like he was. Because he thought he might be a Daddy. Were there classes he could take? Would he be able to sneak to the club without anyone finding out?

Jenner carried her into her bedroom. Her bed was a mess. Abe was behind him, carrying more medication, Gatorade, and dry toast.

Not that she’d likely eat.

“Sit down on the armchair with her and I’ll change the sheets on her bed,” Abe said, setting everything down on the bedside table.

“Noo,” she moaned. “They’re all gross.”

“You did it for me the other day,” Abe said to her as he stripped the bed.

Isaiah walked in silently and started to help.

“That’s different,” Immy grumbled.

“Why?” Jenner asked her, sitting on the chair and settling her sideways on his lap.

Sampson stuck his head in and saw what they were doing before disappearing. Hopefully to get clean sheets.

“Because Abe was ill.”

“I was fine,” Abe told her, coming over to crouch in front of her. “And Imms, you’re the one who is sick now.”

“Noo,” she groaned. “I don’t wanna be. I’m so tired of being sick all the time.”

Jenner didn’t like the defeated note in her voice. Immy was never defeated. She usually met life head-on with a smile and more enthusiasm than the rest of them could muster.

Now, she sounded far too tired.

“I know you are, Imms,” Abe said carefully. “But we’re here. We’ll take care of you. We’ll get through this like we do everything.”

“There’s so much to get through, though,” she said as Sampson walked back in with clean sheets. “It feels like there’s something all the time. We get through one thing and something else happens. When do we just get a chance to live in peace?”

Jenner hugged her tight, rocking her back and forth as he glanced at the others. It was a fair question. It did feel like life kept trying to knock them around with one thing after another. And, no doubt, it felt worse for Immy who had to be careful of her health or she could get very ill.

“I promise there will be a time when we don’t feel like we’re always fighting for our freedom, for our peace,” he told her.

Although he knew he shouldn’t really make such promises.

He just wanted that for her.

Jenner kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent. Maybe there was a way for her to get some peace, though. Whenshe was in Little headspace, she wouldn’t have to spend time concerning herself with adult worries.

“I feel all gross,” she said before coughing. “And you guys shouldn’t be near me. You might catch the lurgy.”

“Don’t care about that, baby,” Jenner told her. “Do you want a bath?”

“Shower.”

“You can’t get into the shower on your own, you might get dizzy and fall over,” Jenner told her. He didn’t even like the idea of her in the bath. But he could bathe her with her underwear on.

“I can get her into the bath,” Abe said, frowning at him.

“I got this.” Jenner glared back at him. What did he think he was going to do? “I’ll bathe her wearing her top.”

Which was actually his top. He thought that he’d lost that T-shirt a long time ago. Hmm, seemed there was a thief in the house, stealing his things.

And he liked that.