Grams and Gramps Enjoy Meddling

It's been about three weeks since the whole Christmas party and Lizzy befriending the delinquents. Or as Alex calls it "Lizzy's rehabilitation project". It's a cold Friday evening. Too cold to be messing with the animals. Lizzy already walked the barns for frozen waters and feed in feeders. Of course the Soleils were on top of it.

"Hey Lizzy." Gramps says as she walks into the office. Gramps stops working on his soldering project. 

"No Alex today?" Lizzy says looking at his empty desk.

"I guess he is sick. Or he is at least using his sick time before it expires." He wheels around in his office chair to their chatting table. Then gestures for her to sit in Alex's chair. "Bruta?"

"Already have the tea on." Bruta replies.

"She's good." Gramps chuckles.

Lizzy wheels Alex's chair over to the table and sets down their cookies. Gramps starts rummaging through them happy as can be.

"Oh I love it when you bring these. Don't tell my wife but I do enjoy our talks over cookies." He gives Lizzy a mischievous wink.

"You sly dog." She laughs. "I'm sure Alex fills her in."

"Oh I'm sure he does. Always a suck up to her." He ponders on that for a moment.

"He loves her. Be happy." Lizzy says finding a gingersnap cookie.

"Oh I am beyond thrilled he is my grandchild. We both love him dearly." Gramps eyes soften. Almost too much for a tear was thinking of forming.

They talk for awhile about Alex being a worry wart and his childhood of being dragged to the office on days Grams worked. Gramps was fascinated that Alex would sit and watch him for hours piecing things together. What really shocked him was one day Alex made a suggestion that was better than what Gramps was going to do. Once it was time to clock out Gramps hid the left over cookies in his desk. Lizzy then walks him to the tram station where they part for the evening.

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Saturday morning rolls around. Grams is pacing the floors around 9am.

"What are you doing?" Asks Gramps looking up from a puzzle Alex got him for Christmas. 

"I tried calling Alex. He didn't answer. Burta says he is home so now I'm worried."

"Calm down he will call you back once he wakes up. He was probably up late." Gramps tries to reassure her.

Grams sits with Gramps for an hour helping him with the puzzle. She tries to keep her mind from wondering. Their house security informs them Alex is calling.

"Hello?" Says Grams.

"Hey.... Grams.." Alex voice is rough on the other side of the call.

"Oh no you sound sick! Are you alright?" She is slightly panicked.

"I have a fever and it's hard to get up." Alex admits.

"Hold on we will be there in a little while. I will make your favorite soup when we get there alright? Get some rest." She reassures him.

"Thanks Grams. *cough cough cough*" Alex hangs up.

Grams is hurrying around gathering things.

"Hey sweetie?" Gramps asks her leaning back in his chair.

"What is it? I see you're not getting ready." Grams is a little upset with him.

"How does great grandchildren sound?" His smile is mischievous.

"What are you plotting?" Grams throws a hand on her hip.

"What if we send Lizzy over there?" Gramps strokes his little white beard.

"That would be rude to ask her to care for him." Grams keeps packing a bag.

"Well you know how humans are technically on the endangered species list. So sending her over could lead to us having great grandchildren one day." He continues to stroke his beard. "Think of it as us doing our due diligence for the human population."

"Your logic does make sense. And I would really love to hold a baby again." Grams reminiscing on holding baby Alex and her daughter many years ago.

"So let's give Lizzy a call. If she is busy we will head over?" Gramps asks Grams.

"Very well." Grams agrees.

They have Burta give Lizzy a call.

"Hello?" Lizzy answers.

"Hi Lizzy I am so sorry to call this early on a weekend." Gramps' acting is on point.

"You know I wake up earlier than this. Is everything alright?" She asks.

"Well you see Alex is really sick. And Grams... she hurt her hip so getting her over there to help him will be difficult. I was wondering if you could help us out and take care of Alex for a little while?" Gramps sprinkles the right amount of concern in his voice. "But we understand if you already had commitments today."

"Um I was just reading a book. I already checked on animals today and I don't think Stacy has anything planned."

"No, Stacy is going out with other friends today." Karen chimes in.

"Looks like I can go help him." Lizzy informs them.

"Great let me get you his address."

"That's alright I have been to his apartment already. So I know where it is. What about food for him or drinks?" Lizzy asks.

Gramps and Grams are a little taken back that she has been to his apartment already. Alex never told them about that.

"Oh if that's the case." Gramps tries to keep the ball rolling. "Grams is packing things for Burta to take over and if we are missing anything we will have it delivered. How's that sound?"

"Sounds good."

"Oh Lizzy?" Grams asks.

"Yup?"

"Would you be able to follow directions to make his favorite soup?"

"Yea that shouldn't be a problem." They could hear Lizzy getting ready to leave on the other end of the call.

"Oh thank you so much!" They both say.

"You're welcome! I will be at his place soon. I will call you if I have any problems. I hope your hip feels better soon Grams!" Lizzy sounds cheerful.

"Thank you sweetie! Alright bye!" Gramps says hanging up.

"You're acting is rusty dear." Grams tells him while placing a delivery order.

"Ehh I got the job done. Once you place that order how about I help you with your hip?" Gramps' smile is mischievous as always.

"Oh you!" She says a little flustered.

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Lizzy makes it to Alex's place. The door opens up for her necklace. Burta is arranging things in the fridge.

"Hi Burta." Lizzy says.

"Hello Lizzy. I have some of his favorite drinks and such. I will send the recipe over to Karen so I can get back to Shoko and Tenyou."

"Alright. Have you checked on him?"

"No I was trying to take care of things." They both look around the messy kitchen.

"Very well I will go do that." Lizzy says and goes to Alex's bedroom door. She gently knocks and pushes it open a little. "Hey Alex, Grams and Gramps sent me over since Grams is hurt."

Alex is sleeping in his bed. The room is dark. Clothes and blankets were thrown everywhere. She quietly walks over to the side of his bed. Using her wrist she checks his temp. Of course he is burning up.

Lizzy follows Burta's instructions on how Grams usually cares for him. She sets a drink on his headboard and then wipes the sweat from his face with a cool rag. His eyes barely open then close to fall into a deep sleep.

Lizzy gets up to start the soup Grams asked her to make. After a while she pokes her head into his room to see he did drink some and has rolled to his stomach to sleep. Then heads back to the kitchen. 

"You're cutting those ingredients a little big aren't you?" Asks Karen.

"I never said I was the best cook. Just that I can." Lizzy comments.

Lizzy does her best and still nearly burns the soup. She starts doing the dishes while the soup simmers. Lizzy hears Alex make his way to the bathroom then back to his room.

She knocks gently on his door again. "Hey just seeing if you want some soup or not."

"I would love some Grams thank you." Alex mumbles while in a ball on his side facing away from her. He is trying to warm up under his blanket.

"Uh huh." Lizzy says and goes to the kitchen. "He is delusional. Should we give him something for his fever?"

"It's best to try to ride it out. I will go check his temp though." Karen says hoovering to his room.

Lizzy filled the bowl then heads for his room. Karen comes out.

"It's a touch high so we will have to watch him closely." Karen informs her.

"Alright." Lizzy walks into his room and sets the bowl on the night stand. "I brought your soup Alex." She says gently.

He rolls over and looks at her. He continues to stare for awhile.

"You alright?" Lizzy questions his behavior.

Alex grabs her wrist and pulls her into his bed.

"Woah!" She lightly cries out as she lands on her back in the bed. Alex is propped up and is leaning over her.

"I know I'm sick but you seem so real." He says caressing her cheek. He goes in for a kiss.

Just to collapse on Lizzy's side into a deep sleep.

"Karen?" Lizzy quietly asks.

"Yes?" She says hoovering close by.

"You recorded that right?" Lizzy looks over to her.

"Yes I did. Why do you ask?"

"Good. We may be blackmailing him later."

"That's just cruel." Karen states. "I like it."

Lizzy shoves Alex off of her and goes to clean the kitchen more. She keeps poking her head in to check his temp and bringing him more food or drink. Soon enough evening rolls around.

"Karen, let's give Grams and Gramps a call." Lizzy says sitting on the couch.

"Can I ask what for?" 

"I don't want him to be left alone tonight. His fever is still borderline too high." Lizzy states.

"Alright." Karen agrees. And dials their number.

"Hello?" Says Grams.

"Hi Grams. Alex still isn't doing the best and I was wondering if you guys are coming tonight or if you would rather me spend the night?" Lizzy asks.

Grams and Gramps may or may not be dancing on the other end of the call.

"Oh I don't want to ask too much from you! You have helped us out so much today already." Grams pulls on the heart strings.

"I would feel better if someone was here. I don't have plans so I can stay. I just don't know where to get a blanket from." Lizzy comments.

"Oh you're so kind! Spare bedding is in his closet. He usually gets it since it's such a tall shelf." Grams is trying to hid her joy.

"Alright I will call you if his condition worsens. Hopefully his fever breaks by morning." Lizzy says.

"Oh thank you so much dear!"

They say their good byes and hang up. Lizzy had Karen order her take out since she felt bad if she ate the soup or anything in Alex's kitchen. 

Lizzy uses a cool wet rag again to cool Alex's brow. He sorta wakes up and watches her while she works. The sun is down so it's even more dark in his room.

"I should probably take a fever reducer." Alex whispers.

"You will be fine with a little more rest." Lizzy whispers back.

"But I'm seeing things." 

"What kind of things?" Lizzy whispers hoping he isn't hallucinating cats or insects crawling over everything.

"I'm seeing Lizzy taking care of me." He whispers.

"Is that a bad thing?" Lizzy asks.

"No. I really like it." He slowly falls asleep. 

The corner of Lizzy's mouth pulls up and her eyes soften. She gets up and goes to Alex's closet to get a blanket. Grams wasn't lying his shelf was high. Lizzy carefully stands on a crate to grab a blanket. A magazine falls on the floor. The cover was blacked out. Curiosity killed the cat. Lizzy gave it a healthy flip through so the pages could be seen quickly. Lizzy soon regrets her decision.

Her face, ears and neck become bright red. She tries to give it a toss back onto the shelf only to be smacked in the face by it.

"Karen?" Lizzy asks. She is sitting bow legged on the floor trying not to look at it.

"Already got it." Karen replies. Her bot sets it back on the shelf for Lizzy.

Lizzy curls up on the couch with the blanket and romance Manga in the glass book she brought. Eventually Lizzy physically can't stay up any later and falls asleep on the couch.

Lizzy has alarms set for her to wake up through out the night to check on his fever and keep fluids by his bed. His fever breaks around 2am so Lizzy could rest a little easier. Lizzy regrets not shutting off her 6am alarm.

"Karen shut it off." Lizzy says trying to get up to use the bathroom.

"Hpmh!"

Hpmh? Lizzy looks at her feet. There is Alex curled up on the floor by the couch.

"Why are you on the floor?" She asks him.

"I woke up and smelled bad. I showered and didn't have the energy to change my sheets. So I thought I would sleep on my couch. But apparently you broke into my place." He says sitting up. 

Lizzy wants to know why he is shirtless again. She looks away while she explains Grams hurt hip and his grandparents asking if she could help him.

Alex silently questions if Grams hip is truly hurt. He could only sigh.

"So you took care of me yesterday?"

"Yep. Even after you tried seducing me in your bed." Lizzy says flatly.

"W-w-what?" Alex stutters.

"I thought she would have ran after seeing that magazine." Karen adds.

It takes a second but then Alex realizes what blanket Lizzy has. The man's face, ears and neck turned as red as his hair.

"I'm so sorry you saw that." He hits his head to the ground in a bow.

"You're a guy... And guys are gross." Lizzy says getting up to use the bathroom.

She comes back. Alex has no idea what to say or do. He looks over and Lizzy leans toward him. He jerks back.

"Hold still. I'm checking your temp." She places her wrist on his forehead. "You're not warm but that doesn't mean it won't come back. You're spending the day resting right?"

"Yea. I don't have a lot of energy to move."

"What some food?"

"Yea, I can g-"

"Stay. I will get it." Lizzy says getting up. "You need a drink?"

"Thank you. I still have water in my cup." Alex let's her know. "So we're you the one to make the soup?"

"Yea. Hopefully it tasted alright."

"It tasted fine but the veggies were cut a little large." Alex said. "I was wondering if Grams hands were hurting that bad."

"Told you you cut them too big." Karen whispers.

"Oh shush." Lizzy tells Karen.

"I don't have a lot of experience cooking. So I'm sorry about that." Lizzy says.

"Don't be. You went out of your way to help me. Thank you for that." The tips of Alex's ears get a little red.

"Ehh. Just helping someone in need." Lizzy tells him.

Lizzy ends up sticking around for the day to help Alex out. She did throw a shirt at him at one point in time. They played the farming video game for a long while. It gave them something to do and let Alex's body rest. He refused her offer to change his sheets, telling her he felt good enough to do that. 

Evening rolls around. Alex orders for take out to be delivered for the two of them. They sit on opposite ends of the couch while eating out of their containers.

"You have school tomorrow right?" Asks Alex. Using his chopsticks, he looks for a piece of beef in his beef and broccoli container.

"Yea I do. I feel like I was supposed to do homework over the weekend." Lizzy says picking some chicken out of her chicken lo mien. She has yet to figure out chopsticks.

"You were." Karen states from the kitchen counter.

"And you didn't remind her?" Alex looks over his shoulder to Karen.

"She never asked me to set a reminder and she needs to learn to be a responsible adult." Karen informs them.

"It's fine. It was some math homework. I can do that in the morning." Lizzy says. She finally grabs some chicken with her chopsticks just for it to fall back into her container. "Almost had it."

"Don't pinch it so hard. That way it won't flip on you." Alex comments. 

Lizzy tries his suggestion and was able to eat a bit.

"Hey it works." Lizzy smiles.

"Helps you're a fast learner." He smiles back.

After Lizzy has dinner with Alex she heads home.

"Why are you smirking?" Karen says following Lizzy through the streets.

"I have an idea of how we will use the blackmail." Lizzy giggles mischievously.