A/N: This is my Christmas present story for La-hija-de-Dios. A very fun story to write, I enjoy getting to write these stories for such wonderful people, I couldn't imagine how my life would've been without being friends with you LHDD Merry Christmas!
Jon and Ponch both sat in the break room silently. Jon wasn't feeling well, but Ponch didn't notice yet, he was looking at his Facebook newsfeed on his phone. Jon was doing the same thing. Ponch was looking at his phone screen when suddenly he heard Jon start to throw up.
"Jon?" Ponch asked looking up from his phone immediately.
Jon had rushed to the garbage can and began throwing up.
Ponch walked up to Jon when he was finished. "Are you ok?" he asked.
"I don't feel very good," Jon replied.
"What's wrong?" Ponch asked concerned having just now noticed how sick Jon looked. Absent mindedly he put the back of his hand against Jon's forehead feeling hot his skin was…kinda like what a mother would do when their child was sick…or what Jon would do if Ponch were sick. Jon's skin was very warm.
"I…" Jon started but then he began to fall over.
Ponch quickly caught him, then took him to a chair. "Try to relax for a few minutes, all right? Then tell me what's up," Ponch instructed.
Jon just nodded then sat there silently for a bit. Ponch was pacing back and forth thinking up a plan of what he needed to do to help his friend. He knew Jon would hate it, but the doctor was top of the list.
Ponch looked at his best friend, which he considered a brother, all he wanted to do more than ever was be able to have some magical power to heal him instantly. Finally after noticing Jon calm down enough talk he asked a few questions.
"So, what's going on?"
"I just feel sick," Jon replied honestly.
"Do you feel like you're gonna throw up again?" Ponch asked.
"Nah, that was just because I probably shouldn't have ate today. I wasn't hungry but I forced it," Jon replied.
Ponch looked at him. "Well you my friend are going to the doctor."
"Uh no thanks," Jon replied.
"Jonathan Baker you listen to me, there ain't no way I'm gonna let you stay sick without seeing a doctor. Especially not when you'd be dragging me to a doctor if it where me in your shoes," Ponch said raising his voice at Jon a bit.
Jon was shocked at that, at first. "Ok, ok I'll go to the doctor," Jon gave in.
Ponch smiled happy he'd won at least one argument of many so far. He knew when Jon was sick there were always arguments between the two.
Ponch got up, then grabbed Jon, he slung Jon's arm over his shoulder so he could support Jon's weight. He knew he'd have to help Jon, as soon as Jon got up, he wanted to collapse in that chair again.
"Come on, Baker," Ponch said leading him for the door.
Jon just came along with no complaints. Ponch led him to the car. "You stay here, I'm gonna go talk to Getraer," Ponch ordered.
Jon was about to protest. "I can talk to Getraer," he said.
"No, you are staying here," Ponch told him.
Jon didn't move.
"If I come back and you're gone…" Ponch started. "Let's just say you'll wish you stayed here," he finished then walked off.
"Oh brother," Jon said as he rested his head on the door frame inside the car.
Ponch was gone for a few minutes, and Jon took this time to just scan through the stations on the radio looking for music to listen to. He was bored, and very tired. He finally found a station that was playing a Tobymac song. He figured Ponch might like it when he came back, a few minutes later Ponch returned to the car.
"All right let's get you to the doctor," Ponch said then smiled and turned up the radio. "You can turn it down if it bothers your head," he said as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Jon just nodded as he was falling asleep in the passenger seat.
oOoOo
At the doctor Ponch was starting to feel anxious, Jon kept drifting in and out of dream land in the waiting room it wasn't all that busy, but they still hadn't called him back anyway. Ponch was annoyed, worried, anxious, he had many mixed emotions right now the top of it all was annoyed.
They'd been waiting almost forty minutes! Ponch got up and walked over to the lady at the desk. "Hey ma'am…I'm sorry but this is crazy! We've been here forever…there's like no one here, and my best friend over there is feeling really sick. That guy is like a brother to me, if there's something seriously wrong with him and he gets worse sitting here without any help I'm gonna be really ticked off at you guys."
"I'm sorry Officer Poncherello…but Dr. Handsome is on lunch break."
"Dr. Handsome?" Ponch asked trying not to laugh his mood suddenly changing for a second. Then it went right back to worried when he heard Jon cough. "Can't he see another doctor?"
"Well…" the lady started.
"Dr. Leo Rizzio isn't busy," said a sweet black lady at the desk as she smiled at Ponch. "I'll see if he'll take your friend."
"Thank you so much," Ponch said to the lady, then walked back to Jon. "Hey, Baker they are gonna see if Dr. Rizzio can get you in," he told him.
Jon just nodded and leaned his head back on the wall again starting to fall asleep, but then his name was called.
"Hey you can go back now," Ponch said nudging him.
"You coming?" Jon asked tiredly.
"I can," Ponch replied as he stood up with Jon and walked with him.
A few minutes passed, and now Jon was sitting in a treatment room waiting for Dr. Leo Rizzio.
"You feel any better?" Ponch asked him.
"I'm just tired," Jon said.
Ponch shook his head, pretty sure there was more to it than that.
Dr. Rizzio entered the room. "Hello, Officer Baker what seems to be the trouble today?" he asked.
"fatigue, sore throat, fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches…" Jon listed his symptoms.
The doctor nodded and took notes, he set his notepad aside then began to examine Jon.
Ponch was staying quiet, which made Jon wonder if he was ok. Ponch had been so talkative earlier. But then he remember Ponch probably was just staying quiet since the doctor was busy.
oOoOo
They were at the doctors office for what seemed like hours, when really it was just an hour and a half. Jon had a fever that had gotten worse, and he was just so tired, and his throat hurt. He wanted to go home. Dr. Leo came into the room and handed Jon and Ponch both the same sheet of paper, a paper that in big bold letters at the top it was title "Mononucleosis"
"Is that what Jon's sick with?" Ponch asked looking up after skimming through the page. "The Kissing Disease? Jon who were you kissing?" Ponch asked trying to hold in a laugh.
Jon made a face. "It could've happened from sharing a drink with someone," Jon said.
Dr. Leo looked at the two friends. "Yes this is what I believe he has, based on the signs and symptoms. Jon you need plenty of rest. There is no real cure for this besides rest…also it can last anywhere from ten days to three months."
"Dang that's a long time," Ponch said.
"I know you aren't involved in any sports or anything, but for the next four months no contact sports or anything of the sort. It can hurt you."
"What?" Jon asked.
"Mononucleosis symptoms start gradually four to six weeks after a person has been exposed to the virus. Sore throat symptoms are most painful about five to seven days into the illness and gradually get better over the next week or so. Swelling in lymph nodes goes away in about three weeks. People with mono should not play contact sports for four months. Physical contact can easily injure an enlarged spleen. Tiredness can last for months after other symptoms have gone away," Leo explains.
"Well that sucks…sorry, partner," Ponch said.
Jon was just silent.
"Come on let's get you home," Ponch said.
"Be careful, Poncherello don't share any drinks with him or anything…I don't think I have to warn you about kissing," Leo said with a laugh.
Ponch's eyes got wide and he looked at Jon. "Oh brother…I'd never kiss that guy…" he said then grabbed Jon. "Come on let's go."
Jon just laughed. "You don't think I'm cute?"
"Jon you're my best friend, and I don't like you that way. So don't even ask, ok…"
Jon laughed. "I know," he replied.
Ponch just rolled his eyes. Why did Jon even have to go there? He shook his head again then smiled as he got in the car. He knew he'd have to help take care of Jon for a bit, he was looking forward to being off the streets for a bit, he was gonna call Getraer, but he still wanted to know did Jon get this through kissing someone else with it?
He just smiled at Jon keeping those thoughts to himself and laughing. Jon rolled his eyes not wanting to know what was going on in that mind of his friends.
Ponch got Jon home, and when Jon was fast asleep in bed he called Getraer to tell him what was going on. He got a few days off to help take of Jon, but he wasn't allowed to stay the whole time.
Ponch just smiled then sat down and began to read the lengthy paper that Leo had given him about what Jon was sick with. "Sometimes I wonder why I even let myself get stuck with taking care of him," he said to himself as he reached for his drink to take a sip. Then his eyes widened in horror when he realized he mixed up his drink with Jon's. He couldn't tell the difference between the two. "Dang it…did I drink his or mine?"
Jon heard Ponch's confused question to himself and suddenly was concerned. "Which one did you drink?" Jon asked.
"Um this one," Ponch said.
"I think that was mine," Jon said.
"You think?"
"Or maybe mine was this one..that could've been yours…" Jon said.
Ponch slammed his head down on the table in frustration. "Dang it!" he said.
Jon just stared at him. "It's not that bad…um if you get sick now we can spend the four months of no sports and stuff together," Jon said.
Ponch once again slammed his head down.