[A/N : I felt there needed to be more Nick-centered whump. Eat your hearts out!]

Nick heard the door to the medical room open and hastily yanked his shirt back down as he whirled around.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked as she and Clay walked into the room.

Nick shrugged nervously. "Nothing, I was just...what are you two doing?"

"Jeremy wanted us to check the supplies, make sure we aren't running low on anything," Elena explained. She opened the cupboards and began inspecting the vials and bandages while Clay stood nearby watching Nick closely.

"You alright?" Clay asked.

"I'm fine, just tired," Nick lied, hoping it would be enough to appease Clay's worry.

"Nice try," Clay said, walking over. "Where are you hurt?"

"Hurt?" Nick sputtered as Elena whirled around in surprise.

"Yah, you reek of blood and pain," Clay replied. "And you're shaking. Not exactly difficult to figure out."

"Nick?" Elena asked, coming to stand beside Clay as they both waited for Nick's explanation. Now that she was closer and paying more attention to the obvious signs she realized Clay was right.

"It's not that bad, I swear. Just...don't freak out okay? And don't tell Jeremy," Nick implored, stumbling over his words as they raced past his nervous lips. He slowly lifted his shirt to show a bullet wound on his right side above his hip. Clay stepped forward and hissed through gritted teeth as he examined the wound, glancing up at Nick who had turned his head away.

"Geez, why didn't you say anything last night?"

Nick shrugged stiffly. "I didn't think it was that important."

Clay straightened up. "You've been shot you idiot, of course it's important!" Nick lowered his shirt and tried to avoid eye contact.

"Why aren't you healing?" Elena asked.

"I think the bullet was laced with silver," Nick murmured. "It burnt my fingers when I pulled it out."

"Where is it?"

Nick nodded towards the table where a small silver bullet lay innocently covered in his blood. His fingers still ached slightly but nothing compared to his side.

Clay walked over to examine it while Elena grabbed peroxide and some cotton swabs. Nick tried to stifle the groan as she began dabbing at the wound.

"Sorry," she apologized as he drew in a sharp intake of breathe when her fingers ghosted over his side.

"M'fine," Nick said, trying to stay calm. Once Elena taped a bandage down he was rushing towards the door.

"Wait!"

"I'm just going to my room," Nick said, walking down the hall. He could hear Elena and Clay following but didn't care. He just wanted to sleep forever.

"It's definitely silver," said Clay as he watched Nick ease himself down onto his bed. He'd only heard of what silver poisoning would do to a wolf. The last time a hunter had shot anyone in the pack had been over thirty years ago.

"We have to tell Jeremy!" Elena argued.

"No!" Nick begged. "Promise me that you won't say anything to him. I'll be okay, I just need some sleep."

Elena crouched in front of him. "If you aren't starting to heal by dinner I'm telling him myself."

Nick speechlessly watched her stand up and leave the room, glancing at Clay who shrugged.

"I'm with her," he said before following, closing the door behind him. Nick wriggled out of his t-shirt, holding his hand over the bandage as he slowly laid back against the pillows. He stared at the ceiling and willed his body to heal itself.


"Is he okay?"

"It's the first wave of the change, he's caught in the pain."

"Easy, just breathe."

Nick tried to shake the memories that haunted him. He didn't want to remember anything from the night before. Struggling to maintain control as the change tried to rip him apart, or the fight at Delphi Institutes, or watching Paige leave as the new leader of her coven.

Paige. Gods, even her name hurt. Burning like acid as it raced through him. Or maybe that was just the gunshot wound. And try as hard as he might, her face was the last thing he thought of before sleep enveloped him.


"I don't like keeping secrets from Jeremy," Elena said as she and Clay walked up the stairs.

"I know, me neither," Clay agreed. "But Nick made us promise."

"He's so stubborn," grumbled Elena as she pushed open Nick's door. "Nick?"

The light was off and the curtains were drawn like when they'd left. Nick was lying on his back in bed, one hand resting on his chest.

"Nick?" Elena shook his shoulder, her worry skyrocketing when she felt the heat radiating off his skin. His face was flushed and cheeks a rosy pink.

"Nicky?" Clay asked as he leaned forward, shaking Nick forcefully.

Elena placed her hand against Nick's forehead. "He's burning up."

"Get Jeremy," Clay said as he scooped Nick into his arms, grunting from the effort as he hoisted him up into the air.

"Jeremy!" Elena screamed as she ran from the room. Clay rushed down the hall cradling Nick to his chest, trying to quash the clenching fear as he deposited his best friend on one of the beds. Nick was always the most energetic, even when they were kids. Constantly fidgeting or moving. Seeing him so still was unnerving.

"What happened?" Jeremy demanded as he and Elena ran into the room.

"He was shot last night at Delphi and he isn't healing. I can't wake him up," Clay replied, gripping his arms to keep himself grounded. Jeremy peeled back the bandage to inspect the wound, immediately snapping into crisis mode.

"I need thistle ground up and mixed with some peroxide," Jeremy ordered Elena, who quickly got to work.

"Nick can you hear me?" Jeremy asked as he rubbed Nick's sternum with his knuckles. "Come on Nick I need you to wake up now."

Nick groaned, eyebrows scrunching together in pain and confusion. Slowly he blinked open his eyes, surprised to find himself in the medical room. Everything was hazy and out of focus. Especially the blurry figures of Jeremy and Clay leaning over him.

"Jeremy?" He croaked.

Jeremy smiled. "Hey buddy, how are you feeling?"

"I'm hot," Nick replied, glancing around. "How did I get here?"

"I carried you," replied Clay.

Nick groaned, eyes closing. "I don't feel so good."

"I know, but you have to stay awake," Jeremy said as Elena handed him a bowl. "This is going to hurt."

Nick opened his eyes to watch Jeremy take the poultice Elena had made and spread it over his bullet wound. Nick cried out, his back arching and muscles straining as the fire in his side erupted. He thought he heard Clay call his name but everything was darkness.

"This will help draw out the silver. Hopefully we've caught it in time," Jeremy explained as he finished taping down a fresh bandage over Nick's side and covered him with a blanket.

"What if this doesn't work?" Elena asked.

Jeremy sighed heavily. "Then we try something else. But I don't want anyone to start panicking yet, we just have to give the herbs time to do their work. I want you two to stay with him. Let me know when he wakes up."

Clay nodded. Jeremy quickly left, his face pinched in that nervous look he reserved for occasions when he was really worried. Which did nothing to soothe Clay's nerves.

Elena pulled a chair over beside Nick's bed and sat down.

"We can't lose him too," she whispered.

"We won't," Clay stubbornly promised.


Nick could faintly hear people talking, then the cooling sensation of a wet cloth rubbing across his face and down his neck and chest. It felt amazing even if the cold lasted mere seconds.

"His fever's spiking."

Nick would recognize that voice anywhere. Paige.

"Clay's getting the bath ready," Elena replied, her voice close.

"I hope Jeremy's able to find the ingredients I told him," Paige said as she wiped the cloth across Nick's forehead.

"I'm sure he will," Elena said.

There was the sound of a door opening, then heavy footsteps. "The bath's ready," said Clay.

A squeak as Paige stood up from the edge of Nick's bed where she'd been perched. More footsteps, then someone was sliding their hands under his knees and behind his back. Before he even had a chance to fully regain consciousness he was floating, resting against someone's chest.

"He's too skinny," Clay rumbled, his voice echoing through Nick's ear. So Clay was carrying him yet again. Twice in one day. He'd never live it down.

"Just ease him in," Elena said as Clay set Nick down on the edge of what felt like a bathtub, his feet and legs suddenly immersed in ice cold water. The shock startled him awake and he jerked forward nearly flailing out of Clay's grasp. He saw the bright white of a bathroom, the ice water swirling below him.

"Whoa easy, I've got you," Clay said, hands gripping Nick's shoulders. Nick slumped back against him, all his fight disappearing as he blinked sluggishly up at his best friend.

"You okay buddy?" Clay asked.

"M'tired," he mumbled.

"I know, we'll let you rest real soon I promise. But right now we have to get your fever down," explained Clay. "Think you're ready?"

Nick nodded half heartedly. Clay eased him into the tub until he was stretched out and the water reached midway up his chest. He looked down, glad to see he was still clothed in the black gym shorts he'd been wearing earlier.

"Here drink this," Elena said, holding out a cup to him. She held the bottom as he weakly gripped the cup with both hands. Once she was satisfied he'd had enough she stood up, giving him clear line of sight to Paige who stood in the corner of the room.

"Hey you," she said, stepping forward.

"Hey," croaked Nick. He never thought their reunion would be involving a medical emergency but he couldn't lie; he was overjoyed to see her.

"You promised to stay out of trouble," Paige admonished, kneeling beside the tub.

Nick shrugged. "I made that promise after I'd already been shot."

Paige smiled, the light not touching her dark eyes. She was scared.

"Where's Jeremy?" Nick asked.

"He went to get some ingredients for a cure," she replied, taking his hand in hers.

"A cure?"

"The silver is in your system. If we don't get it out you could die," explained Elena.

"Oh." Nick closed his eyes. He didn't want them to see how panicked and utterly exhausted he was. It wouldn't help the situation at all.

"You feel cooler already," Paige murmured, her hand resting gently against his forehead.

Nick shivered, the tremors beginning to shake his whole body. "I'm cold."

"Alright let's get you back in bed," Clay said, stepping forward. Paige moved out of the way so Clay could help Nick climb out of the tub. His legs were weak and if Clay hadn't been there he would've fallen flat on his face.

"This sucks," Nick grumbled as Clay wrapped him in a towel.

"I know bud," Clay sympathized. He looped an arm around Nick's waist and helped him walk down the hall to the medical room then eased him down onto the bed.

"Do you need help getting changed or think you can manage it on your own?" Clay asked, handing him a fresh pair of boxers and gray sweats. Nick tried to ignore Elena and Paige hovering near the doorway. Being this weak in front of everyone was difficult.

"I can handle it," he replied. Clay left the room, closing the door behind him. Nick struggled out of his shorts and boxers without toppling over. Once he had successfully gotten changed he crawled back into bed, curling up on his uninjured side. He was trying to pull the blanket over himself when Clay peeked in.

"You decent?"

"Yah," Nick replied. Clay, Elena and Paige walked in.

"You don't have to look so worried, I'll be fine," Nick said as he looked up at the three of them with their concerned expressions.

Elena shook her head. "Silver poisoning acts fast."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," he murmured, blinking slowly. He was exhausted.

The door slammed open as Jeremy rushed into the room, a bottle clenched tightly in his hand.

"Did you find it?" Paige asked.

"Nick, this is gonna hurt," Jeremy warned. Nick nodded weakly. It was now or never.

"Hold him." Nick tried to stay calm as Clay stepped forward, holding down his shoulders while Elena and Paige held his legs. The faint burning emanating from his side skyrocketed to a whole new level as Jeremy poured lava directly onto the frazzled nerves and damaged skin. He cried out and bucked, trying to get loose.

"Hold him!" Jeremy shouted. Nick could barely hear him above his own ragged breathing.

"My chest...hard...to breathe..." Nick gasped. The room was becoming shiny and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. He wondered vaguely if he was drowning.

"I'm almost done," Jeremy said.

"He's going into shock!"

Suddenly Clay was there, face swimming above him. "Nicky! Come on, breathe!"

Nick tried to do as he was told, his chest aching from lack of oxygen. Everything began to flicker in and out as his vision went dark.

"Breathe!"