Oscar and his family were sitting around the living room watching TV. Danny had been coughing all day long. "That's quite a cough you have Dan.” Oscar got up and walked through the kitchen to Mary's room He knocked gently.

Mary answered it. "Yes Sir?" She asked.

"I hate to bother you, but Danny has a terrible cough. I mean it sounds like it's coming from deep in his chest. Would it be possible for you to listen to his lungs?"

"Of course." She grabbed her stethoscope and followed him to the living room.

"Dan come here a minute." Oscar called to him.

Dan put down his book and walked over to where Oscar stood with Mary.

"I just want Mary to listen to your chest. It sounds awful bad to me."

Mary listened. "Mr. Goldman. You better call the Doctor first thing in the morning. Danny's lungs are wheezing real bad."

"I'll call Rudy right now."

He picked up the phone and dialed Rudy's number.

"Rudy? It's Oscar. Listen Danny has this terrible cough. I had Mary listened to his chest. She says his lungs are wheezing. Can I bring him in tomorrow?"

"Yes bring him first thing. If he has any trouble breathing tonight, any trouble at all. You bring him straight to me."

"I'll do that. Rudy what is it?"

"I won't know until I see him, but it sounds like it could possibly be asthma."

"Rudy, he's never had it before."

"Always a first time for everything. Just watch him close tonight."

“I will. Thanks.”

"Don't mention it."

After the call Oscar got everyone ready for bed. When he stopped at Danny's room he said. "Dan I have to take you to the Dr. in the morning. Rudy wants to see you."

"Ok" I guess so."

"Don't worry, I've never known Rudy to bite."

Danny lay down and went to sleep.

"That looks inviting." Oscar went to his own bed and went to sleep.

It was about 3 in the morning. Oscar was woken up by a knock at the door. He got up. Danny was standing there. "I can't breathe" He managed to get out.

Oscar threw on a pair of jeans and left his pyjama top on. "Let's go."

Rudy Wells was in the middle of a wonderful dream when the doorbell woke him up. He went to the door.

"Oscar!" Then he saw Danny.

"He says he can't breathe.”

"Let’s get him to the hospital. He needs a nebulizer treatment and I don't have that kind of equipment here."

Rudy drove and Oscar held Danny all the way to the hospital.

When they got there they took Danny straight to Rudy's office. Rudy borrowed a nebulizer from the Emergency Room.

"We'll have you feeling better soon Dan"

"It doesn’t look like asthma. I give him a prescription for an inhaler. Keep him home from school tomorrow. I want to see him again. And show him how to use the inhaler.”

"Sounds fine Rudy. I'll do that."

On the drive home Oscar turned to Danny. "Feel better.”

"Yea, much better."

"Good, Rudy wants to see you later on. I'm going to keep you home from school today."

"NO! I want to go to school"

"But Rudy said."

"I need to go to school"

"Let's see what Rudy says later on."

"Ok."

Later that morning Oscar placed another call to Rudy. "He wants to go to school"

"Ok if he feels like it. Just bring him by as soon as school is out."

"I'll do that."

Oscar dropped Danny off. "I'll be here when you get out. If you have any trouble, tell the nurse.” Oscar handed him a note. "Just give her this."

"I will" He got out of the car and headed for the school.

Later that morning Oscar sat in his office at the OSI. He was reading his morning reports when Callahan buzzed him.

"Yes Callahan."

"Mr. Goldman, Joe Thompson is here. He says he needs to speak with you."

"Send him right in."

"Joe what's up?"

"Well first I was wondering how things are going with the kids?"

"It is really going great. They are having a lot of fun. I should probably have called your firm before this."

“Is she still giving you trouble?"

"Yes. The school I had found for Danny at the beginning said they didn't have room for him. So I enrolled him in a regular Jr. High. It didn't go very well. Anyway Rudy arranged for him to go to the Richmond School."

"That's a very good school."

"Anyway to continue, no sooner had I taken him out of the JR. High School that she came back. She wondered why I had taken Danny out of school. Then she informed me that she had found a group home for Joey. Joe. She just won't quit."

"I'll call my firm in DC. They will take care of her. We also have another problem."

"Now what?

"There is a family in NY that claims that Danny is their son."

"What?"

"They say that their son Bobby and Danny were switched when they were born."

"You have got to be kidding?"

"I wish I were."

"So what do we do?"

"They want Danny to come back to NY for a blood test."

"He can have one here just as easy here than in NY. If they want it done so bad they can come down here."

"Oscar you don't need to worry. My firm will handle this case for you. Although I don't know who has jurisdiction. You see the boys were born in NY. So I don't know if the case will be heard in NY or DC."

“If they want to waste my time with a trial, they can come down here."

"I will keep you informed."

"So if this is true, which I doubt, what happens? Their kid comes to live with me and Danny goes with them?"

"It's not that simple Oscar. You see the son they claim to be your sister and brother in law’s is dead. He died during brain surgery to remove a tumor just two months ago."

"So they get Danny and we get nothing. Is that what you are saying?"

"In not so many words. Yes."

"How do they know?"

"Well when Bobby had to have surgery they did all the blood tests and it proved that neither one of them was the parent.”

"That doesn't prove Danny is theirs."

"No but right now Danny is the likely candidate."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you see the night they were born there were only four Caucasian boys born. Danny, Bobby and two others, one of which was put up for adoption. Those records are of course sealed. The fourth died in infancy. So you see we need the tests to rule out Danny."

"I just don't like the idea."

"I don't either. I know for a fact that Danny is not their son. But the blood tests will prove it."

"I guess so then. I don't know how I'm going to tell Danny. He has an aversion to needles. Can't his doctor just tell them what Danny's blood type is?"

"I wish it were that simple."

"Why isn't it?"

"They want it done by a court appointed doctor."

"Ok but I'm not taking him to NY."

"Ok I'll see what I can arrange. Now for your other problem tell me more about this social worker.”

"Well the twins got into a little trouble around Halloween. They went to explore a haunted house, which wasn't haunted. Counterfeiters were using it. They took the boys hostage it was quite a deal but still in all the boys were rescued without incident. Anyway she said her supervisor was going to talk to me, but because of conflicting schedules we haven't been able to connect."

"Good when they do contact you don't say a word except 'call my attorney'. Then hand them my card."

"I'll do that."

"In the meantime, do you have her card?"

"Yes right here. Why?"

"I'll give her a call myself and tell her to leave you alone.”

"I think that would be a good idea."

"I'll call you later on in the week to set up a time for Danny to have the blood test. In the meantime they want to see Danny. I'll tell them it is only supervised visits, and only in DC."

"I don't know Joe, I don't know if I want them to have anything to do with Danny. I mean I know, and you know that Danny is not their son. Why should I allow perfect strangers?"

"Because they have a court order. That's why."

"Ok but if they want to see him, they come here, and it has to fit into our schedule."

"OK I'll tell their attorney that. Again I'll call and let you know when a time is arranged."

"I'll be waiting with bated breath " Oscar said his voice full of sarcasm.

At 11:15 Oscar left the OSI building for his meeting with the twin's teachers.

"Good morning Mr. Goldman. I'm Miss Rich. This is Mrs. Redkin. I am Marc's teacher. Mrs. Redkin spoke and I'm Matthew's teacher."

"You said it was important. What is the problem?"

"Well Miss Rich began. For the past week Marc goes around kissing all the girls.”

"Matt does the same thing in my class." Mrs. Redkin offered.

"I see and this is a problem?"

"Yes," both teachers said. Then added "The girls don't want to be kissed. I We need you to talk to them"

"I'll do that."

"Thank you"

Oscar picked Danny up at school, and took him to see Rudy.

"Did you get the prescription filled?” Rudy asked.

"Yes it's right here."

"Ok Dan I'm going to show you how to use this. They call it an inhaler for a reason Ok?”

He showed Danny how to use it and then he and his uncle left.

That night for the first time since they had come to live with him Oscar had Mary feed the twins first.

While the twins ate he went to talk to them. "Guys why are you kissing the girls at school?

"We like them."

"Well your teachers want you to stop so please do so, ok?

"We will."

"See that you do."

Later Danny sat at the kitchen table. "What's wrong uncle Oscar?"

"What makes you say that Dan?"

"Well first you have Mary feed the twins and Joey first, then you haven't said anything all through dinner."

"Well, you're right there is something we need to talk about. I don't know where to start."

"The beginning is always a good place."

"I had a visitor today."

"Don't tell me Ms. Winter."

"No in fact it was Joe Thompson. Before I go on I need to know something. Why is your brother named after Joe, or is he?"

"Well when Joey was born Mr. Thompson was at the house doing some legal work. Mom went into labor and Mr. Thompson took her to the hospital. So out of gratitude they named him Joey."

"Good explanation."

“Anyway, what did Mr. Thompson want?"

"Well he says that you and another baby were switched when you were born.”

“This family in NY claims you are their son."

"That is without a doubt one the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

"I know. Anyway they want you to go for a blood test, they also want to see you."

"And if I don't want to see them?"

"You don't have a choice. They have a court order."

"I'll court order them."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see. Uncle Oscar if I promise not to get into anything top secret could I please use Rudy's computer tomorrow?”

"I don't know."

"Please I promise."

"I'll speak to Rudy about it in the morning."

"Thanks. I better get ready for bed. I have some studying to do before I go to bed."

"Don't you want dessert? Cherry pie."

"I'll have some later. I really need to hit the books."

"Ok see you in the morning."

Danny left the kitchen. 'Sometimes I worry about that boy' Oscar thought to himself.

Oscar called Rudy the next morning. "Rudy is it ok if Danny uses your computer this morning? I think he has some schoolwork to do. He assures us he won't go into areas he's not supposed to."

"I guess it would be al right. Bring him by after school. I usually take a break about that time, and it should be free. You seem a bit troubled I can hear it in your voice."

"It's Danny. There is a family in NY who claim Danny is their son. I know he isn't. It just seems like no one want me to raise these kids."

"Do you know who they are? Oscar they might just be trying to get Danny away from you."

"I thought of that myself."

“Anyway, the computer will be free at about 3:00. I have Jaime coming in for her tests, but we can work around that."

"Thanks Rudy. He didn't really say what he needed it for but we were talking about homework. So I just figured that is what he needed it for."

"See you then."

"Yea see you then." Oscar hung the phone up.

"Danny, Rudy says it's ok as long as you don't go into areas you’re not supposed to."

"I promise uncle Oscar I won't"

"Remember what happened last time you had information you weren't supposed to have?"

"Do I ever."

At 3:00 after picking him up from school. Oscar drove Danny over to the OSI. They walked up to Rudy's lab together. Jaime was there for her tests.

"Let's take a little break Jaime." Rudy told her. "I promised Danny he could use the computer for a while."

"Ok Dan it's all yours." Rudy and Jaime left the room.

"What does he want to look up anyway, Oscar?"

"I have no idea I thought it had something to do with school work"

In Rudy's office Danny got to work on the computer. He first tapped into the computer at Joe Thompson's firm. He found Joe's case regarding his situation. From there he was able to find out the firm representing the family. Then he tapped into their computer system.

Pay dirt. He got the information he was searching for. Clarkson, that was their name. Then he really found the icing on top of the cake. The Clarksons had been awarded 10 million dollars in damages for the mix-up regarding their son.

'Now I've got something to bargain with' he said to himself.

He found every one in his uncle's office "I'm done, Thanks Dr. Wells I appreciate it."

"Did you get your homework done?" Oscar asked.

"Huh Oh yea homework. Yes I got it done."

...Continued