someone to believe in

"So, is there any blood involved in this?" Declan wanted to know.

"No, not really." Sage was counting her money up from a shoebox under her bed. "They want money though. Like a hundred dollars, when you do the test. Its a testing cost." She told him they'd swab the inside of his mouth.

"For a hundred dollars?" He looked at her wide eyed as if the fee was a bit to swallow.

"Its for a good cause." She looked at him.

He nodded. "OK." He kind of smiled not sure he knew what he was getting into. "Do you have a hundred dollars?" He looked at her as if maybe she didn't have any business doing this.

"I'm twenty dollars short." She frowned.

"Look, you keep your money. I'll pay for it." He was serious.

"Really?" She winced. Sage hung on to her money. "But Gage will need this." She wanted to make sure he saw this through.

"Its OK." Declan was quick to smile. He knew she'd wasted a good portion of the afternoon on her laptop, looking into what had to be done in order to help Gage's niece Angie, or She was on her cell with him. Here Declan was ready to go with her and Gage, who was upstairs watching game shows. He watched Sage bundle up in her black overcoat and slouch hat.

"We're ready?" Gage jumped up as soon as they climbed the stairs. He was at least in his shoes and jeans. He wore an old sweater as if he'd been trying to get warm.

"You're not getting sick are you?" Sage asked.

"No, no, just want to be ready, you know." He nodded as if this was going to be a fun trip so they loaded up in the cold and head down to the city's children hospital which took another good half hours to find a parking space in the parking garage.

It was easy to see, that would cost too, but not nearly much as the simple testing for bone marrow.  Declan slipped out his bank card and took care of it for all three of them.

"I'll have to cook you something, really special." Sage thanked him afterwards. "Whats your favorite dish?"

"I dunno." Declan felt as if he were a bit high now from all of Sage's cooing. "Chicken pot pie?" He could only think of the frozen dinner kind he'd grown up on, in the little pie tins. Yes, he had money, but he never spent it. His grandmother might have been a businesswoman with her Mary Kay, but in his family, no one really spent much money, unless they really needed to.

"Well, OK, chicken pot pie." Sage grinned as she placed her hand in his as they strolled along the hospital halls. Finally, they found Angie's room. She wasn't alone. Her father was there with her. Soon Sage, as well as Gage were making over the bald headed toddler with the intense blue eyes.

Declan only smiled. He liked watching Sage with the baby. She was good with Angie. He on the other hand, had never actually been this close to one, and he had no idea what to do.