I almost forgot: I unfornutely don't own Cal, Niko, Rob, Promise, or any other part of Rob Thurman's amazing Cal Leandros universe.

I pulled Niko towards the entrance of the building. "Come on. Don't tell me your wimping out on me, Cyrano."

He looked offended as he glanced back at me. "I'm not wimping out, I just don't see why I need a flu shot."

"Because your human, and there is no way I'm making you soup or cooking any you any of your stupid tea."

"Who says I'll get sick?"

"I do. Come on Nik, even I got sidelined by the flu, and I'm never sick."

"That's different. Suyolak caused that, and you know as well as I do that he's dead."

"Well maybe that just makes me that much more cautious," I said, my hand on his arm as I pulled him through the double doors of the hospital.

"Besides, we don't have any health insurance," Niko protested, looking as flustered as I had ever seen him.

"It's a shot clinic. That means it's free. And even if it wasn't, Robin would lend us the money."

Nik sighed. "You brought Rob into this too?"

"Hey, he agrees with me. The flu kills people."

He gave me a pointed look. "So do I."

I didn't bother to answer him as we reached the front desk. "Hi," I said to the pretty nurse behind the counter. "My brother needs a flu shot. Can you point us to the clinic?" I tried to look friendly and nonthreatening, and, surprisingly, it seemed to work.

"Sure hon," she replied with a hint of a southern accent. "What about you?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I already got mine. I'm just trying to keep my brother healthy."

"Go down the hall to the elevator, then up to the third floor," she told us, pointing the way. "Once you're there, a nurse will direct you to an exam room."

I herded Niko towards the elevators. "We are not going in there," he cried, dragging his heel. I agreed with him. Elevators were metal death traps.

"Of course not, Cyrano. We'll take the stairs." I located the stairwell, and we came out on the third floor to another nurse's station. We were then told to wait for a nurse to call Niko's name in small room with a few forlorn chairs and a small selection of magazines.

"Come on, no Playboy?" I moaned as I browsed through the old issues PEOPLE and National Geographic.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to actually learn something Cal," Niko said with a small smile as he picked up a magazine about the destruction of the rainforests. As for myself, I moaned some more until an older nurse with graying hair and a gap-toothed smile called for NIko.

I trailed behind my brother as he followed the nurse, taking away his option of sneaking away. I was rewarded when he stopped and turned around only to see me behind him. He swore under his breath, a rarity for him.

The nurse flirted with him before leaving the room to prepare the shot. Niko gave me a tortured look and tried a last ditch effort. "I don't think Promise would approve of you subjecting me to this."

"She agrees with me. Promise told me she'd rather have you healthy than bedridden for a week."

He sighed again, running a hand down his blond braid.

"Cyrano." Niko gave me his full attention from studying the asthma posters on the wall. "Do you remember The Stand?"

"Yeah, by Stephen King." He chuckled quietly. "Probably the longest book you've read in your life."

I looked at him, serious. "I don't want you to end up like one of the characters in that book. I don't want to lose my only brother."

He returned my look with one just as serious. "Okay, for you, Cal, I'll get the shot."

The nurse chose that moment to come back in. Good, awkward emotional moment over, I thought. "Okay sweet cheeks, this won't hurt a bit," she said as she swabbed his arm before flicking the syringe. As she jabbed the needle into his shoulder, I watched Niko's face for a reaction, but he was the stoic warrior as always.

I snorted as the nurse brought out a Dora band-aid. "Sorry, all I had left was kid themed bandages," she told him as she slapped it on the wound, ignoring my snorting. "Okay, you're all set. Do you want a lollipop before you go?"

Niko was about to reply when I cut in. "Of course he does," I said, smiling. I pointedly ignored the dirty look he gave me. After the nurse gave him the treat, he stared at it with a blank expression on his face until I stole it and ripped of the wrapper, shoving the candy in my mouth.

As we walked out of the hospital, Nik slapped me upside the head. "Ow," I said, rubbing the spot.

"Don't you ever do that again."

I tried to look innocent. "Do what? Make you get a shot? You're going to have to get one every flu season to keep healthy you know."

I grinned at him as he groaned, closing his eyes before looking up to the sky for guidance.

"You're lucky you're my brother Cal."

"I love you too, Niko," I said, punching his arm.

"Hey," he said. "That's tender."

"So the great super ninja has a weakness," I said, beating him to the driver's side of Niko's newest crapmobile and dodging the glare he aimed my way.

"Nuh-uh," he said. "You're riding shotgun."

I groaned, but walked to the passenger side and got in. He started the car and backed out of the lot as Journey's Don't Stop Believing started playing on the car's ancient radio. He'd never admit it, but I caught him mouthing the words as we drove off into the night, ready to face whatever monsters that came our way.

This is my first FanFic ever, so... please review. Does it make you want to laugh until milk runs up your nose, does it bore you to tears, do you want to take it out to IHop for pancakes? :)