Chapter 6

The sound of birds and moving cars gently brought Isaac out of his deep sleep early next morning. He found himself twisted and tangled in a long hospital gown which untied at the back. He sat up with a start then, caught in vertigo, fell back into his pillow. The cold metal bars on either side of him gave him chills.

"Taylor?" He asked quietly, hoping this was a bad dream he could be shaken out of. That had happened many times before. He would find himself screaming out in a dream and would be awoken by one of his brothers.

Nothing happened. "Dad?" He rolled over, still feeling dizzy. "Mom?" He whimpered.

When his eyes came into focus, he saw his father peacefully asleep in the chair beside him.

"Dad." He reached out and poked him. Walker pushed his hand away, still sleeping.

The realization of his surroundings soon caught Isaac's attention. He recognized the cheap white curtains and sheets.

"Dad." He called again a little louder this time. A young woman dressed in white poked her head in the door way and smiled.

"Oh you're finally awake." She greeted him and brought in a tray. "I asked your mother what you like for breakfast and got it specially made. We've managed to keep the press in the dark so far."

Isaac looked at her blankly. "Who are you?"

She smiled warmly and placed the tray and a table over him. It contained two eggs a piece of toast, jam and orange juice. "My name is Mary. I'm your nurse." See watched him carefully as he poked at the eggs.

"Are they too hard?"

Isaac shook his head and began to cut them with the fork. The nurse watched closely. He stopped and looked at her.

"If you need anything just press this button." She pointed to a red circle beside the bed. "Would you like a muffin?"

Isaac shook his head. She watched him chew, very closely. "I'm fine thank you." He wished she would leave. After a moment she took the hint.

"Dad!" Isaac shook Walker once the woman had left.

"Humf . . .gaa . . . mmm." Walker grumbled as he was shook from his dreams. He had been up until the small hours of the morning wanting to be awake when Isaac woke up.

"Dad!" Walker finally opened his eyes and looked at his son's worried expression.

"Morning. How do you feel?" He asked.

Isaac thought for a moment. "Dizzy." Isaac answered.

Just then an older man and young woman entered the room. Booth looked like they had been up all night. They smiled at Isaac. "Good morning."

Isaac was about to ask why he had sat down for a rest and awaken in the hospital when the older one began talking.

"Mr. Hanson," Isaac looked at his father then realized he was Mr. Hanson. "Since you are now of adult age, we have to ask you. Would you prefer for you father to be here when we talk or should it jus be the three of us?" Isaac looked at them blankly I'm of adult age?

"I'll leave." Walker said standing up.

Isaac watched as his father closed the door.

~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~

Diana, in all her efforts, had not been able to restore any kind of normality in the house when they got home. She had kindly asked the kids not to invite friends over, so she could try to cope with the six she already had to worry over.

"Can I have another pancake?" Mackie asked standing at her feet with his plate stretched out. She looked at the other kids. It didn't seem they would be eating much more so she gave him another. Mackie hadn't been much trouble the day before, Isaac was sleeping, Isaac was sick and Isaac would be back at home in a few days, that was all it took to shut him up. That was the joy of five year olds. Diana had been hoping that Avery would be just as easy but the nine year old was very perceptive and knew just as much as the other kids.

"Where's Eyes?" Zoe had been repeating all morning. She had taken to calling Isaac, Eyes since she already knew what eyes were and Isaac never seemed to mind.

"Stop saying that Zoe. He's still with Daddy." Diana answered.

"I'll take her for a walk." Jessica offered and left the table.

"Where's Eyes?"

Jessica picked up the curly haired 22 month baby and headed for the coat closet.

"Where's Eyes?"

"With Daddy Zoe stop saying that!" Jessica snapped a little flushed.

"Where's Eyes?" Zoe giggled, thinking it was a game. "Where's Eyes? Where's Eyes?"

Seeing that Jessica might be forced to cause Zoe some injury Taylor quickly took the toddler from her. "I'll take her outside."

"Where's Eyes?"

The door closed behind them.

"I you aren't going to eat them Zac please just through them out." Diana begged, seeing that Zac was still just sloshing them around in the syrup. The phone rang, at was Walker.

Diana sighed with relief to hear that Isaac had indeed waken up that morning. It had seemed like he wasn't going to make it all of last night.

"So he's just dizzy?" Diana confirmed. She could hear a beep on the line, someone else was calling. She ignored it and tried to get more information out of Walker.

"It seems we only get to know what he wants us to know." Walker explained. "He 19 now"

~ ~ ~* * *~ ~ ~

"You've only eaten half that egg." The young doctor pointed.

Isaac looked at it. "I am aware of that."

They had been talking to him the past few minutes so that now he had lost his apatite.

The young doctor sighed. "This, I believe, would be a big part of the problem."

Isaac looked accusingly at the egg.

"Your mother says you were rollerblading before you came home and took a rest. Did you feel any discomfort then?"

"I always do. Rollerblading is tiresome." Isaac began to feel annoyed with the way the doctors were still beating around the bush. "Look I don't wanna go through this twice could we please go get my father?"

They found him just hanging up the phone. It seemed to Isaac that the doctors themselves really didn't seem to know what they were talking about.

"That's wrong." He shook his head annoyed by their diagnosis.

"Isaac I think we at least need to think about this." Walker reasoned.

"I'm fine I'm going home." Isaac stood up and began to look for his clothes. "We have to go to LA finish up with the CD and . . ."

"No." Walker stood up. "You are not going to LA. You need a break."

Isaac's face flushed red as he glared at his father, "What?"

"No more LA."

"That's where you're wrong." Isaac squared his father in the eyes. "I'm going to LA whether you like it or . . ."

"Whether he's working or not Mr. Hanson this problem won't go away. This has to do with him not . . ."

"I don't think you need to get involved in this." Isaac interrupted the doctor

"Isaac." His father warned.

"I'm going home." Isaac stormed into the bathroom and began to get changed.

The doctors took that time to speak with Walker quietly. "Taking away the music will only make things worse." The young doctor whispered.

"Then what should I do." Walker asked.

"Speak this over with you wife. And watch him closely. I don't think he's anywhere near the worse part of this disease yet."

Walker nodded.

"And as for the rest of your family." The older doctor handed Walker a piece of paper. "I highly recommend you all see this Family Psychologist."

Walker was offended. "There is nothing wrong with my family, sir."

"If you let your pride as a parent get in the way of getting help, Mr. Hanson." The doctor replied. "If you can't save this one." He paused. "You'll lose them all."

Chapter 7 coming soon