Chapter Text
Fire.
Fire burned in his dreams, flames licking at his flesh, searing away hair and skin to roar along his bones, sinking into his marrow and-
He couldn't open his eyes. Faintly, he could hear the sound of the TV, of Shepherd coming back downstairs.
But he couldn't open his eyes... and the world spun dizzying back into darkness.
-----
"Justice. C'mon, don't bug 'im. Let 'im sleep."
The dog looked up, whining softly, before nudging the unmoving Sarnax again. Once again, he didn't stir, even though it had been quite a hard nudge. Shepherd frowned, leaning forward to shake his friend gently.
"...hey 'Nax? Are ya... WOAH." He snatched his hand back from the heat radiating from Sarnax.
One hazy eye opened just a crack. "I... have upset..g. I apologi..." His head drooped again as his ramblings drifted into silence.
"...fuck. Hey, Doc? Do we have, like...a -people- thermometer?"
---------
There was a quiet beep from the thermometer. Thomas pulled it up to the light, whistling softly. "...one oh one point eight. Damn, ya don't do anythin' by halves, do ya, boy?"
"Mmm."
"I'm guessin' ya don't wanna go to any clinics or anythin'."
"Mmnmm."
Sitting back, Thomas blew out a noisy breath. "And 'm guessin ya didn't feel this awful beforehand else ya wouldn'ta come over. Which... thinkin' about it, not sure if that's any better, bein' home alone with this kinda fever."
Sarnax managed to open both eyes, only barely focusing. He pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders, trying to stop his teeth from chattering. "...I was... tired and cold this morning, but that is not... surprising."
"...were bein' real quiet today, more n usual. An' ya didn't wanna eat. But... nothing really stood out a lot." Shepherd sighed, running his hands through his hair, stopping himself mid-pace. "Sorry, Doc. I... think something might be goin' round the campus again... Vicki got taken out last week. Don't....think she gotta fever, though...."
"Well... it ain't really -dangerous- yet. If it goes any higher, ya got no choice but to head to a clinic, but right now... ya ain't going home tonight, that's for sure." Thomas glanced up at the hovering Shepherd overhead. "...Silas, go make yerself useful, 'stead of jus' standin' there. Make up the spare room an' bring 'im there. S'close enough that ya can hear anything. I'll, uh... head inta town an' mebbe grab some stuff from the drugstore. Sound good?"
------------
"What... in the ever-lovin' -fuck- are ya doin' up?"
"I was...merely wanting a drink, and I-"
"Need t' ask me t'get ya one, cuz ya shouldn't be up."
"I am...capable....of getting my-"
A wave of dizziness swept over him, and he felt himself slowly sliding down the wall he was leaning against.
"Yup. Annnnd that's why you ask for anything right now, to stop shit like that from happening. C'mon, up ya get."
"This is... humiliating." Sarnax grumbled as he was lifted off the ground, an arm looping around his waist. Slowly, they made their way back to the spare room and the rumpled bed, where Shepherd gently deposited the shivering Sarnax.
"Ain't humiliating when ya -literally- shouldn't be up, you're burnin' up. I'll getcha a drink, now. Lie. Down."
Curling up in the middle of the bed, Sarnax grumbled in discontent. But by the time his friend returned with a cup, he was dozing again.
Shaking his head, Shepherd tapped his shoulder as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Drink up. Ya ain't gonna get away with-not- drinkin' this now that I got it. And..."
He paused as Sarnax made a face at the blue fluid in the cup.
"Yeah, it ain't water, you're not replenishin' stuff, so ya get the electrolyte stuff. C'mon."
One arm helped prop up the swaying figure, letting him lean against him.
Slowly, with some reluctance, the entire cup was drained."You are... a cruel man, Shepherd Morgan."
"Ain't the first time I've heard that. Lie back down 'fore ya fall over, buddy."
His expression softened as Sarnax curled up again. Without thinking, he reached over to brush some sweat-soaked curls out of his friends face.
"...this don't happen to ya very often, does it? Gettin' sick, I mean."
One eye opened to glance up at him before Saranx gave the tiniest shake of his head.
"....not for... many, many years. I was very young... the last time. And I... believe this is... much worse. This time... I think I prefer this period of... illness."
"Prefer?"
"...at least... this time, I have people who... care about me, looking after me."
His voice trailed off as he drifted back into a feverish sleep.
Shepherd was grateful for the sudden unconscious state of his friend; he was unable to stop the pained look that crossed his face as it felt like a stab went through his heart.
"...yeah. Yeah, we're.... we're gonna look after ya, 'Nax."