Alien Proliferation

what his motivations were and who’d caused them.
    “My father’s never going to forgive me.” He was crying again, quietly. “Jeff won’t, either. He won’t understand.”
    The door opened and Jeff came in. He didn’t say anything, just came to the bed and pulled Christopher into his arms and held him. Like me, he kissed Christopher’s head and stroked his hair.
    “Medical’s here,” he said softly to me after a few minutes.
    “He needs to be with you a little more first.” Christopher’s shoulders were shaking, and I knew he was crying again.
    “He blocked me.” Jeff sounded worried. “I didn’t get anything from him like this, until you exposed him.” He was still holding Christopher tightly. “Because if I had, I would have kicked his butt.”
    “I’m sorry. Jeff, I’m so sorry.” Christopher sounded close to hysterical. It had to be the room.
    “Yeah, well, we all make stupid mistakes.” Jeff rocked him some more. He was holding him so tightly I was surprised Christopher could breathe. “Remember when I drank the vodka? In a while, I’ll get to tease you about being an idiot, too. But before then, you’re going to get cleaned up, and you’re never shooting that poison into yourself again.”
    Christopher nodded and pulled away from Jeff. “I’ll understand if you don’t want me to be Jamie’s godfather after this.”
    “Are you high? I mean, yes, you are, but I’m asking more in the sense of saying you’re really an idiot.”
    “What Kitty’s so eloquently saying is that we both love you and will be hurt and insulted if you decide that your addiction is more important than being our daughter’s godfather.”
    “We really need to get Christopher a girl.”
    They both managed to laugh at that, though Christopher’s was still shaky. “Let’s clean him up first, baby.”
    “Oh, I agree. So, Christopher, you still supposedly like’em stupid?”
    He shook his head. “I don’t know what I like anymore.”
    White came in before I could ask a couple of pertinent dating questions. Oh, well, probably more important, that father-son reconciliation thing.
    White shook his head as he came to us and Christopher cringed. “Son, I’m so sorry.”
    “For what?” Christopher was shaking. I stroked his back.
    “For not seeing what you were doing, for not realizing you needed me. Can you forgive me?” White opened his arms.
    Christopher was crying again, but it was probably healthy. His father grabbed him and held him, kissed his head, stroked his hair. Christopher was going to need isolation just to calm down.
    “How did you know?” White asked me.
    I shrugged. “It’s a common theme in the comics. And real life, sadly.”
    “Mister Reynolds is running a check to ensure that none of his people were assisting Christopher in obtaining the drug.”
    “Good. Because if we have a dealer, we have a bigger problem than Christopher’s overinflated fear of losing his family.”
    “I hate how you’re always so damned blunt.” Christopher sounded almost like himself.
    “I’m also always right.”
    “Yeah, whatever.” He looked up at his father. “I’m so sorry.”
    White shook his head. “I just want what Jeffrey and Kitty want. For you to get better and never do this to yourself again. Do you think you can do that? With our help, of course?”
    Christopher nodded. “Yes, sir.”
    “Then we’ll be fine.” White hugged him again. “The medical team is ready and impatiently waiting. The drug replicates, if you recall. I have some very concerned doctors out there waiting for their patient.”
    Christopher came over to me, and I kissed his cheek. “Be a good boy and go into isolation so we get your old, snarky self back, okay?”
    He nodded and hugged me. “Thank you.”
    “This is what family’s for, Christopher. And you’re my family, now and forever.”

 
    CHAPTER 21
     
    C HRISTOPHER HUGGED ME AGAIN, then Jeff and White helped him up and to the door. “I’m going to take him down,” Jeff said to me as Mom and Reader came in with Jamie.
    “Sounds fine. I’ll be here.”
    He smiled. “Good.”
    Got my baby back. She opened her eyes, gurgled, and gave a little sigh. “I think she missed you,” Mom said. “She was a little fussy, though she’s sure happy with James.”
    Reader grinned. “Uncle James dances better than Grandma.”
    I laughed. “Good to know.”
    Mom sighed and sat on one side of the bed while Reader took the other. “How did you know,