Disclaimer: I don't own em.
Author Notes: This one ties into TGP, Silent, He Screams, and Help (Duh, like almost all my stories lol they all tie in, but rather loosely) I'm bringing in a few other TDI characters this time around. This one I wouldn't consider to angst-y, at least not as bad as TGP or He Screams. Enjoy!
Buddy AKA Ugly Nursemaid
Geoff had thought he missed the bug that had swept through his household. As often happens with sicknesses like this, it starts off as one thing, and morphs into something much worse by the end. It began when Eli had come home with the sniffles and a slightly sore throat. When he passed it on to Toby, the sniffles and sore throat also added bought of coughing. Cory caught it soon after, and a fever and chills developed along with the sniffling, sore throat and coughing. He had told Geoff he felt like a walking ad to NyQuil. A week had passed since Cory had gotten better, and Geoff thought that maybe by some miracle, even after tending to the other three, he'd been spared.
Nothing ever went Geoff's way. He woke up on Sunday morning feeling like he'd been run over a couple times. His stomach rolled and he clenched his eyes shut breathing between his teeth to try and settle his unruly stomach. How long he was like that, he didn't know. The next thing he was fully aware of, DJ was sitting on the edge of the bed, the phone by his ear and trying to coax Geoff to open his mouth so he could stick the thermometer in. Geoff vaguely wondered what DJ was doing there, dimly he realized they were suppose to have lunch today. He must have laid in bed longer than he thought. DJ was stilling trying to get him to open his mouth, so he took the thermometer from his friend was shaking hands, popping it into his mouth. He tuned into the conversation DJ was having.
"No, it's being taken now." DJ said. There was a long pause, and he glanced over at Geoff, studying him for a moment. "Awful, really bad. Worse than his brothers did." There was another pause, and Geoff wondered if he should be insulted by what his friend said. The beeping of the thermometer cut DJ off, and Geoff obediently let DJ pull it from his mouth. He watched as his friend frowned.
"Hundred and two point five." DJ reported. "Yeah, I'll stay with him. Thanks girl, your the best." He hung up the phone and faced Geoff properly.
"Who was that?" Geoff rasped out, frowning at how bad his voice sounded.
"Bridgette," DJ explained. "She's visiting her grandmother who lives nearby. She's going to come over and take your brothers out for a while." Seeing that Geoff was about to protest he quickly continued. "Your in no shape to do so, and Bridgette is bored. Her grandma is doing a knitting circle or something today. She's going to take them to the beach, and I'm gonna hang here with you."
"You guys don't have to." Geoff said attempting to breath through his nose, and failing. He wasn't sure how he felt about Bridgette being around. The two had at least started talking again. DJ had let a little bit more information than he should have slip, and Bridgette had brow beaten him to get the story out of him. When she found out about all the strain Geoff had been under, she made herself available to him to talk at any time.
"You don't have to see her if you don't want to man." DJ said gently, as if reading Geoff's unease. The blond shook his head briefly before changing the subject.
"I don't want to get you sick." Geoff pointed out and DJ waved him off.
"Remember, I had something like this already. Around the same time Toby did." In a few short weeks DJ had become a fairly constant figure around Geoff's home. His brothers liked him well enough, and DJ liked feeling useful. He was a pretty good nursemaid if he did say so himself.
"Oh." Geoff cleared his throat before turning a little green around the edges.
"Buddy you ok?" DJ asked in concern. Geoff didn't answer, he quickly detangled himself from the sheets and stumbled noisily down the hall and into the bathroom. DJ heard Geoff's heavy frame hit the floor before the retching started.
"Ick, add barfing to the list." Cory said wrinkling his nose, drawn out of his room by the noise.
"Yeah. Bridgette will be here soon, think you can wrangle your brothers?" DJ asked. Cory nodded before heading down the hall to try and wrangle to youngest two, who were playing a noisy game. DJ headed downstairs to dig up a soda and some saltines in hopes of settling Geoff's stomach. The doorbell rang just Cory, Toby, and Eli were coming down the stairs. DJ answered the door and smiled. Bridgette had cut her hair a little shorter since the last time he had seen her. She glanced around curiously and DJ sighed.
"He's not up to a visit at the moment. Maybe when you come back later this afternoon." He said softly. Bridgette nodded in understanding. She really did understand, she and Geoff were on tentative terms at best, he probably wouldn't be up to seeing her today. She quickly gathering the other three and heading out with promises of a surf lesson, ice cream, and sandcastles. DJ headed back up the stairs frowning that Geoff had not emerged from the bathroom.
"Geoff?" He called knocking on the door. There was no answer, and DJ was a little alarmed. He knocked on the door harder. Geoff for his part, could tell DJ was worried, but could not seem to find the energy or willpower to make his vocal cords work. His whole body hurt, he had somehow wedged himself between the wall and toilet the rank smell of vomit wafting from the bowl. The room was spinning and Geoff clenched his eyes shut, in a desperate attempt at some kind of relief.
"I'm coming in." DJ announced swinging the door open. He took in the scene and frowned. Geoff looked awful. He was pale and sweating, his eyes were slightly red rimmed, and he looked so tired. With a shaking hand, Geoff managed to flush the toilet, before pushing himself up to his knees and attempting to stand so he could rinse the taste of bile out of his mouth. DJ resisted the urge to reach out of Geoff knowing he would be batted away. After Geoff had rinsed his mouth out and brushed his teeth, he stumbled back to his room, DJ trailed along behind him.
"Think you could handle some saltines and soda?" DJ asked setting them down on the nightstand. Geoff gave a groan and rolled away from it. "Think you might puke again?"
"Probably." Geoff said miserably, and DJ left the room, returning a few moments later with a bucket.
"Here ya go."
"You don't have to stay." Geoff mumbled. "I'll be ok."
"Face it buddy, your in no shape to be left alone." DJ said making himself comfortable in Geoff's computer chair. "You just go to sleep, I'm going to watch your TV and eat your food." DJ said. Geoff found he was oddly touched, but couldn't quite figure out how to express it.
"Your an ugly nursemaid." He said finally, rolling over and shoving his head as deep as they would go into the pillows. DJ laughed before shaking his head.
"Go to sleep Geoff." DJ said. The blond mumbled something that sounded like a thank you before his breathing evened out. DJ really didn't mind just hanging out for the day. They were buddies, Geoff had been there for him when Bunny, who he brought from the Island had finally died. He was going to be there for him while he was sick.
It's what they did.