Chapter 1

            The sun had just rose in the Littrell house as all the occupants still remained asleep. Nick rolled over and gently snuggled closer to Brian, his blonde hair rubbing in the man’s face. Just as he was getting comfortable the baby monitor next to him went off. Both shot up in bed sleepy eyed looking at each other.

“It’s your turn Nick,” Brian groaned

“Brian I fed them 20 minutes ago,” Nick whined

“I changed their diaper 10 minutes ago,” he replied

“But I didn’t get any sleep!”

“Nick… we’re on a schedule baby”

“…fine…”

            Nick got up slowly as he slid his feet into his bunny slippers. He dragged his feet as he made his way to the twin’s bedroom. Groaning he approached Penelope’s bed as she sat there crying her heart out.

“What’s the matter Princess? Why aren’t you sleeping?” Nick asked as she continued to cry.

            He picked her up and tried to soothe her as she continued to cry. Making his way down stairs the sun reflecting off the white tiles of the kitchen floor nearly blinded him as he stepped into the room. He put the crying child on the counter as she started to quiet down.

“You want Baba?” he asked

            She nodded her head as she rubbed her eye. Nick handed her, her sippy cup as she took a sip of and the tossed it on the floor. He sighed as she continued to scream rubbing her eyes. Nick peered closer to his daughters face trying to remove her hands.

“Stop rubbing your eye and let daddy see!”

            Sniffling she removed her hand as he looked at her eye.

“Oh my god… BRIAN!” Nick screamed, “Brian get down here!”

            A thud sound was heard upstairs followed by the rushing of feet. Brian stood in the kitchen door way panting; eyes still closed with sleep in them.

“What’s the matter Nicky?”

“Come here and look at Pee Pee,” he cried

“What’s wrong with her,” he asked approaching the little girl.

“Look at her face!”

Groaning Brian cupped the child’s face, “Is that… is that what I think it is?”

“Pink eye! She has pink eye!”

“Calm down Nick, it’s not like its cancer, it can be-”

“Oh my god, we need to call the doctors and make an appointment right away!”

“Nick it’s not that-”

“Oh no…” he paused, “We need to check Dylan for pink eye as well,” he shouted darting up the stairs, “How could this have happened!”

            Brian shook his head as he rubbed the little girl’s head.

“Daddy is what we call a psycho. That means that his brain is broken and he needs to get glue to fix it”

She chuckled, “Broken brain!”

“Yeah, broken brain”

            Nick appeared downstairs again with a sleepy Dylan in his arms. The little boy fussed as Nick put him on the counter next to his sister.

“Daddy…” Dylan whined

“Hush, Daddy is making sure you’re not sick!”

“Nick I think he’s ok”

“You know nothing! NOTHING!!!”

“Daddy… I feel fine…”

“No you don’t, look at you, you look paler than usual”

“Nick you just woke him up-”

“Silence!”

            Pulling out the thermometer he unsuccessfully tried to place it in Dylan’s mouth.

“Don’t wanna!” he moaned

“Open your mouth or I’ll take away your bed!”

“Nicky you can’t take away his bed. Where is he going to sleep? That’s considered child abuse you know,”

Nick sighed, “Fine… I’ll take your toys away and dress you in Pee Pee’s clothes!”

Dylan’s eyes widened, “No!”

“Haha got cha!” he cheered

            Brian turned the facet on letting the cool water soak the rag in his hand. He approached Penelope again and placed the rag on her face. She squealed for a second but when calm down.

“Don’t take that off just yet,” Brian instructed

“Can I take it out now?” Dylan asked

“Fine,” Nick sighed, “8.89! Oh my god it’s worse than I thought!”

“What?” Brian asked

“He’s dying! Oh my god Bri our baby boy is dying!”

Brian took the thermometer out of Nick’s hands, “Nick you had it upside down”

“I don’t wanna die!” Dylan screamed

“Dill don’t die!” Penelope cried

Brian glared, “Nice Nick, now they’re both crying…”

“I don’t wanna die!” Dylan kept screaming

“No no baby, you’re not going to die,” Brian assured, “Daddy can’t read, it’s ok”

“I can too read!” Nick exclaimed

“Yeah ok, you just told a 5 year old he’s going to die”

“Don’t say die!” Penelope cried

Brian sighed, “No one is… no one is going to heaven ok? Dylan is staying right here with you”

“Really?” she asked with big bright blue eyes

“Really”

“Why daddy say I was?” Dylan asked

“Because daddy’s brain is broken,” Penelope stated giggling

“My what is broken?” Nick asked glaring in Brian’s direction

“Broken brain, daddy said you have one. When I go get fixed you get your brain fixed?”

“My brain is just fine, it’s daddy’s butt that is going to hurt later”

Brian smirked, “Oh really now?”

Nick rolled his eyes, “Shut up, now’s not the time for dirty talk!”

“Dirty talk?”

Nick winced, “It’s uh… it’s stuff grown ups talk about that little kids shouldn’t discuss”

“Like the time you said fuckery?” Dylan asked

“Nick!” Brian shouted

“Dill I told you not to repeat that!”

“Nick how could you say that in front of him!”

“I didn’t mean to Bri! I didn’t know he was in the room with me!”

“Oh my god, my son’s a potty mouth and hasn’t even started kindergarten yet”

“Can we please call the doctor now?” Nick groaned

“Fine, but don’t think you’re getting off the hook just yet!”