"......" Jaden was silent for a moment, before sighing.

"Right." he said.

"Jordan's sick." he told them. "VERY sick." he said further.

"...and how sick is VERY sick?" Nico asked.

Jaden was silent again, before sitting down and properly facing the two of them.

"..." he was silent again, biting his lip slightly.

"...diphtheria sick." he said.

"Considering we don't know what the prognosis will be until 48 hours from now?" Jaden asked.

"...as well as can be expected." he said.

"I'm holding it together. So is Desiree." he continued.

"For Darrell's sake." Nico commented.

"For Darrell's sake." Jaden confirmed with a nod.

"We need to be strong for him. He's probably with Desiree, crying his eyes out." he reasoned.

"I don't blame him." Nico sighed.

"....we might take you up on that." Jaden admitted.

"I'll let you know in a bit." he said.

"Kalin said she's on call as well, if need be." he continued.

"And Rene's going to be at the hospital to help with Jordan." he added.

"...I'm so grateful for the network of friends and family I have." he then said quietly.

"I only wish there were more I could do to help." Nico commented.

Jaden nodded.

"That would be appreciated" he said.

"I'll take any help I can get." he told her.

"Understandably so." Nico commented.

"But yeah, I figured I'd stop by and let you know what's going on." Jaden told them.

"I can't stick around for long." he continued.

"I should consider getting back home ASAP."

"Thanks." Jaden replied.

"See you guys." he said, before they exchanged goodbyes and he used a portal to leave.

Once he did, Nico sighed.

"Damn it..."he muttered, cursing his uselessness at this moment.

Jaden then appeared back in his home, and looked around.

I'm home. he texted Desiree.

Where are you and Darrell? he asked.

Jaden read the text, and sighed.

He thought for a moment, before grabbing some bottles of lemonade from the fridge, and making his way to the backyard.

Sure enough, it looked like Darrell had been crying.

A lot.

Jaden made his way over, and sat down close to them.

"So. Mom, Dad, and Kalin know." he told Desiree.

"Kalin said she'd babysit for us if there's an emergency." he went on.

"And Darrell? If you want to spend some time with grandma and grandpa, they said you're welcome any time." he told their son.

Darrell just nodded in response.

Immediately, he was alert.

"Yes?" he responded.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked.

"Is there further development?" he asked further.

"Good or bad?" he continued.

'Please be good, please be good, please be good...' he then pleaded internally.

He was also making note to tell Desiree this... ASAP... whatever was said.

Jaden paused for a moment, before collapsing into a nearby chair.

He was silent, before letting out a chuckle... which then turned into a full-blown laugh.

"That sounds like her, all right!" he exclaimed.

"I'll stop by within the hour with some things for her." he told them.

"Thank you very much." he continued, before the conversation was ended and he hung up.

"...heh." he chuckled again.

Desiree, news on Jordan. he then sent to his wife.

Jaden just smiled.

Well, the hospital called to tell us that our daughter "will do the dishes for a week" if we bring her her phone or tablet, to stop her from "not being bored to tears". he then sent her.

He laughed again, before getting up to grab both items.

I'm going to get them now. he continued.

He knew Desiree would be happy to read the first text.

And he knew she'd want to tell Darrell as well.

Darrell immediately perked up when he heard that.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed.

"That means she's feeling better!" he continued.

"Let's go!" he said, started to run for the house, but tripping over his own feet and landing on his front.

"...owwww..." he groaned.

"Maybe I should just walk..." he said, slowly getting to his feet again.