This is just a short one shot I thought of while I was sick in bed.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
WARNINGS: ASTHMA ATTACK? (That isn't really a warning, but oh, well)
Daniel hadn't had an asthma attack since he was five. Sure, it acted up from time to time, but a full blown attack? Not in eight years.
That changed, and of course, it had to happen in front of his friends, who were already mad at him for 'borrowing their powers', even though that wasn't his fault.
"I think we all need to establish a hands off policy when I'm around," Daniel was saying.
"Agreed," Eric stated before continuing, but it all sounded like meaningless buzzing to Daniel.
His chest felt so tight, like someone was squeezing his lungs; his eyes were watering; he was quietly gasping for air that wasn't there.
He recognized these feelings. An asthma attack.
But Daniel hadn't had one in eight years! He only got them rarely between ages one and five, but when he got them, he got them bad.
Not even a minute into the attack, he discovered that this attack would be no different.
When Daniel forced himself to breathe in, a small weeze sounded, but luckily, no one seemed to notice.
Except for Rohan...
Rohan looked up at the tiny noise and immediately noticed the symptoms. Heaving chest, weezing, panicked expression.
He cursed.
Louisa was scandalized. "Rohan, Rose!"
But Rohan either didn't notice her exclamation or didn't care.
"You idiot!" He said to Daniel. "Why didn't you tell us that you had asthma?"
The Supers whirled around and noticed Daniel's watery eyes and gasping breaths for the first time.
"Oh, gosh," Louisa muttered.
"Do you have an inhaler?" Mollie demanded, speaking for the first time the entire meeting.
Daniel coughed. "Not... with me. I... haven't... attack in eight... years."
It was getting worse.
"Eric, fly Daniel to the nearest hospital," Rohan barked.
"But... powers?" Daniel choked.
"Daniel, you can't breathe. My powers are the least of your worries," Eric responded, scooping Daniel up in a bridal carry.
Then, they were off, flying almost as fast as Mollie through the sky.
Daniel wheezed again, his fist clenching Eric's shirt in panic.
He couldn't breathe. He was going to die.
"Daniel, it'll be okay," Eric said, trying to be comforting, but fear crept into his usually calm voice.
Daniel leaned his head against Eric's chest, attempting to fill his lungs with oxygen and failing miserably.
"Daniel!" Eric's voice sounded distant and far away. "It's okay, Daniel. We're almost there."
Daniel couldn't comprehend his words; he felt as if there was no oxygen entering his lungs at all at this point.
"Help him!"
What? When did they land?
Eric was no longer holding him; he was lying on something soft. A stretcher.
The last thing Daniel saw was a fairly young man leaning over him, shining a light into his eyes.
Then, the world went black.
*FLASHBACK*
Daniel was five years old the last time he had an asthma attack.
Daniel couldn't breathe. His chest hurt; he was coughing up a storm; wheezes were sounding from his mouth.
"Momma!" He called. "Momma," he repeated, but it came out as a raspy whisper this time.
The door burst open, and Mommy was leaning over him.
Daniel reached out for her, and she grabbed him, holding him close.
"Momma," he murmured, his voice hoarse.
"It's okay, Daniel. Deep breath in," she instructed. "Martin, find his inhaler!"
Daniel's father nodded before running from the room in search of Daniel's inhaler.
"Daniel, it's okay," his mom whispered to him, brushing aside his hair. "You need to calm down, Daniel. Panicking will only make it worse."
Daniel tried, but it was hard to do so when he couldn't breathe.
He was dying.
The door slammed open, and Daniel's inhaler was inserted into his mouth. A puff of medicine filled his mouth, and he inhaled it, but his breathing didn't get any easier.
"It's not working!" His father shouted.
"Martin, go start the car. We need to take him to the hospital," Mom said a she lifted him into her arms.
Daniel started going in and out of consciousness; dark spots danced in his vision. He vaguely heard his mother murmur soothing words in his ear, and red lights glared at him from the sign at the emergency room.
He felt the oxygen mask over his face...
He saw doctors running in and out of his vision...
He saw his parents crying, even though he'd never seen his daddy cry...
Then, everything went black.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"Daniel? I think he's waking up," a familiar voice said.
"Daniel?" Another voice spoke.
Daniel felt the familiar sensation of an oxygen mask covering his face, and he inhaled pure oxygen. His lungs relished the feeling of being filled with air.
Daniel slowly opened his eyes, and for a moment, the world was blurry, and he blinked several times.
The world around him finally came into focus, revealing his friends standing around his bed.
"Guys?" Daniel muttered, wincing at his raspy voice.
"Thank goodness," Louisa murmured.
"You're alive!" Rose cheered, hugging him.
"Careful with the oxygen mask," Mollie instructed.
After Rose finally released him from the embrace, somebody let all of their emotions out. Surprisingly, it was not Mollie.
"Why didn't you tell us you had asthma?" Eric demanded.
"I haven't had an attack since I was five. It didn't seem relevant," Daniel explained.
"Didn't seem relevant? Daniel, you turned blue," Eric sobbed.
Daniel frowned. "What?"
"Daniel, your face and your lips turned blue. You couldn't breathe; you were dying in my arms. Do you know what we would've done if you died? You're our friend, Daniel. You saved us last year."
"And then, I turned around and stole your powers," Daniel pointed out.
"We don't care!" Mollie shouted. "It was an accident. Daniel, if you had died..." she trailed off, unable to continue.
"Daniel, asthma is a chronic condition. It can't be cured," Rohan said. "Attacks strike at random times. Promise me you'll carry your inhaler from now on."
"I promise," Daniel agreed.
Daniel heard the door knob turn and saw his parents standing outside, ready to come in.
"Someone hide me!" He hissed.
His friends laughed, and the door opened to reveal his worried parents on the other side.
His mother practically tackled Daniel in a hug, crying softly into his shoulder.
"Mom, I'm okay," he assured her.
This only made her sob harder, and his father joined the embrace.
"This is great and everything, but you're kind of cutting off the oxygen," Daniel chuckled.
"Oh, right," his dad said, standing up.
His mom wiped her eyes, and she straightened back up, but she grabbed ahold of his hand and didn't let go.
"Daniel!" Georgie cheered, scrambling onto the bed with help from Eric. "Daniel not hurt?"
Daniel shook his head. "Nope. I'm going to be just fine."
His mom reached into her purse and pulled out a small object.
"Only if you start carrying this," she said.
Daniel excepted his inhaler from her, the concept of using it both foreign and yet so familiar to him.
"Thanks," he told her. "Now when do I get out of here?"
His family and friends laughed; his dad ruffled his hair and Georgie hugged him so tightly, Daniel couldn't breathe for a few seconds.
Daniel was never happier.
Daniel didn't have another asthma attack for a few weeks, and of course, the one time he didn't have his inhaler, he had one.
What do you think? There is a spin off called Mercy.
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