“Then I’ll get out of here for a little while.” He went into her office and closed the door.

Dani rubbed her temples. “Jenny?” she called.

Jenny came out of the storeroom, a set of scrubs in her hand. “They’ll be a little short on him. They’re mine.”

Deacon drew in a breath when he saw the clothing in Jenny’s hands. “Give me a minute. I’ve got a pair of Greg’s sweats in my trunk. He and Michael are about the same size. And they’re actually clean. His baseball practice got canceled yesterday and he left his gym bag in my car. Does Michael need anything else?”

“Thanks,” Dani told him. “Just the sweats will be fine. And if Michael asks, I had them in my car, okay?”

Deacon saluted as he headed out the door. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her office door opened and Diesel appeared, a sniffling Joshua riding on his hip, the little boy’s arms tight around Diesel’s neck. “He heard Michael crying,” Diesel murmured.

Dani rubbed Joshua’s back. “I’m taking care of him, okay?”

Joshua nodded, his face pressed to Diesel’s strong chest.

“I’ll see you and Coach Diesel in a little while.”

Joshua lifted his head, his face tearstained. “You won’t let him go to jail?”

“I’m going to fight my hardest,” Dani promised.

“That’s what Coach Diesel said.” Joshua studied her hair solemnly. “Are you an X-Man?”

Dani laughed. “I wish I were.” She touched the white streak in her hair. “But I wouldn’t be Rogue, because she hurts people with her touch. I’d hate to do that.”

“Yeah,” Joshua agreed. “That would suck. She has to wear gloves.” He pointedly glanced at the purple exam gloves she still clutched in one hand. “Like you do.”

Dani sighed. She did have to wear gloves when she administered exams. That was standard practice. But she sometimes wore them while simply talking to patients as well, usually at their request.

She knew the facts about HIV. She was a doctor, for God’s sake. She knew exactly how the disease was transmitted. She also knew that her levels were undetectable, that she was as unlikely to infect anyone as any other member of the population. But some of her patients weren’t so certain about her.

It wasn’t a secret that she was HIV positive. Patients at the free clinic couldn’t afford to boycott her services, but many still recoiled from her touch.

So I guess Rogue and I have something in common after all.

She chanced a glance up to see Diesel studying her through narrowed eyes, like he was trying to figure her out. Good luck with that, buddy.

She patted Joshua’s back. “You go with Coach Diesel, sweetheart. He’ll take care of you, and I’ll take care of Michael. I promise.”

Cincinnati, Ohio
Saturday, March 16, 5:00 p.m.