Bartok sighed as he allowed his head to rest on the pillow once more. He made an attempt to get up but found that the room began to spin around him and it became clear that he would have a difficult time. A harsh coughing fit amplified the pain in his throat and made his body ache. He moaned softly and threw off his blanket.

"Good, you're awake, I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all day" Zozi commented.

"No, gotta get up an' get goin."

"You can't be serious. The only time you stay in bed this long is when you're not feeling well and judging by the sound of your coughing, you feel pretty sick right now, don't you?"

"Doesn't matter I-"

"It does to me. I'm not about to send you out there like this." Zozi walked over to stand by the bed.

"We need the money, I can't just-"

"Have you looked outside, snow as far as the eye can see, suppose something happens, if for whatever reason you end up in it, not only will you freeze but you are not exactly-"

"I'll be fine."

"I know, because you're staying right there. We have enough saved for you to rest if you need to." Zozi placed a finger on the small bat's head. Bartok pulled away.

"Don't. I need to know if you have a fever, don't hide it from me, you always do that." The bear was clearly frustrated.

"That's cause you panic. I hate when you do that."

"I only panicked because you had no idea what you were doing, you didn't know who I was or where we were. That isn't like you. Not to mention the fact that I almost lost you. I just can't let you get that sick again."

"I won't. I said I was sorry." Bartok pointed out.

"'Sorry would not have given you back to me. Anyway, there's no point in being sorry, you couldn't help it. It's not as if you intended to scare me half to death. It was my fault. If I had managed to get that job, we could have gotten you to a doctor and given you medicine before you got that way." The bear said remorsefully.

"Come on Zozi, ya can't really blame yourself for that. Sometimes money just isn't easy to get." Another harsh coughing fit made the tiny bat gasp for air.

"It's okay, I-I'll be okay in a second." Bartok said quickly noticing the worried expression on his friend's face.

"You always take care of everything. Even now as you lie in front of me, you tell me It's okay, let me worry about things for a while, you're always such a brave little bat. You need to rest, I don't want this illness progressing into something that would be too much for you."

"I think you're worryin' too much. I'm not dyin'"

"You had better not." Zozi warned he attempted to check once more for a fever. This time bartok allowed it. He sighed knowing what would happen next.

"You were hiding it from me, your little head is on fire!" Zozi exclaimed in a mixture of anger and concern.

"How long have you had this fever?"

"It started last night." Bartok admitted.

"And you didn't bother telling me this."

"Well no, look at ya. I was tryin' to keep this from happening. I'm not gonna sit here and argue over this." Bartok threw the blanket off of his tiny body and stood up on the bed.

"What, pray tell do you think you're doing now?"

"Goin' out. I'm not doin' this today. I know you're worried, but I can't-" The dizziness increased and he found he couldn't stand. Slowly, he sat down.

"Bartok, what's wrong?" Zozi asked now kneeling on the floor to get a better look.

" I think I'm just gonna lie down a little longer." Zozi picked him up and placed him back under the cover.

"I'm going to get the doctor, I can't let this go on." The bear announced anxiously.

"No. We don't have money for that. I'll be fine." Zozi shook his head.

"Where's Alyx when you need him?"

"Relax, I just need to sleep."

"As far as you know that's all. What if you end up with pneumonia?"

"Well, if that happens, I'll need a lot more sleep. Usually doctor says rest is most important."

"Will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Rest"

"If you'll let me." Bartok said closing his eyes.

"You'll tell me if you need anything?"

"Yeah."

" I'll bring you something for the fever." Zozi promised.

"Thank you." The bat replied simply. He closed his eyes."This is gonna be the longest few days of my life."