So I thought that it was time that I wrote another LXG story, and like the last one this was also inspired by and prompt and is only a one chapter long story. The prompt for this story is "cough" and yes, you guessed it, it's about our favourite spy, Tom Sawyer! As always I don't have the heart to kill off Allan (that and because I love the father/son relationship between him and Tom, it's just too fun to write!) so he will be in this story...I don't think that I'll ever write a story that he isn't in! Anyway, enough rambling from me and onto the story! I hope that you like it.

Rattle My Bones

As another ragged cough left his body, Tom grimaced, the pain reverberating through his entire body, making him feel like he had been hit by a train...twice. Rolling over onto his side, cloudy eyes searching out his watch on the messy dresser that sat beside his bed, Tom reached a shaking hand out and grasped it, the feeling of the cool metal against his skin uncomfortable. Through blurry vision, his head aching and demanding that he lie back down immediately, Tom just about made out that it was just after seven at night, and he was meant to have been having a shooting lesson with Allan at half past six. Dropping the watch by his side, not really caring at that moment where it landed, Tom turned over onto his side and began to push himself up, determined to go up and onto the deck for his shooting lesson with Allan.

If he sees me like this then I'll never hear the end of it! Tom sourly thought as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, a thin film of sweat along his brow, causing his blonde bangs to stick to his face, thus causing the feverish agent to feel even more uncomfortable. Pushing himself up Tom was forced to sit back down once again as another cough ripped from his already raw throat, his chest beginning to ache. Holding his hand to his chest, Tom lay back down on his side as he tried to breath slowly, hoping that maybe he would be able to stop the coughs...although that thought proved futile as he coughed again, closing his eyes against the increasing pain in his chest.

The next time that Allan tells me that I should bring a coat with me I will! Tom thought amidst his pain, recalling the day's earlier events.

XXXX

"It looks like cats and dogs will be coming down Tom lad, don't you think you should bring your coat with you?" Allan asked as he peered up at the sky, dark grey clouds looming overhead, subconsciously wrapping his own coat tighter around him.

Shaking his head, Tom sauntered down the walk way beside Allan, wearing his usual attire of black trousers, white shirt with unbuttoned waist coat on top and suspenders hanging ineffective around his backside. A boyish grin on his face as he said,

"I'll be fine Allan...and we should be back before any felines start falling from the sky"

Shaking his head at the obvious mock-statement from his surrogate son, Allan fixed Tom with a stern look as he said,

"I really insist that you do lad, you could catch your death out here!" God, I really am getting old, aren't I? Allan thought to himself as he realized that he was crooning over Tom like a mother hen.

Smile still firmly in place, Tom placed his hand on Allan's back and began to gently push him down the ramp as he said,

"Come on Allan, I'll be fine"

XXXXX

Of course Allan had been right and the heavens had opened, Tom soaked through and through by the time that he got back to the Nautilus, receiving a knowing look from Allan, although the concern was evident underneath, no matter how much Allan tried to hide it.

Of course that had been a few hours ago, but that was all it had took for Tom to feel like absolute hell. He was sweating but he was cold, his throat ached from all of the coughing and he wanted nothing more than to crawl under his blankets and sleep until he was better. Of course the rational part of his mind knew that he should probably go and see Henry, maybe get some painkillers to help him sleep, but he was too afraid of running into Allan in the hall. It's not that he wanted to prove Allan wrong...but instead he didn't want to give him anything to worry about. Ever since Mongolia Allan had been acting like a father to Tom more and more, and although it made his heart swell with affection for the man that he would proudly call his father, even if there was no blood relation, Tom was so used to caring for himself that he hated to have to be dependent on others.

A knocking on his door drew Tom's attention from his thoughts, the sound of a slightly worried Allan following,

"Tom, lad, are you in there?"

"Yeah...come in" Tom called back weakly, feeling to exhausted and in too much pain to care about his own feelings anymore. He didn't care if he was dependent on Allan now...he felt terrible and wanted nothing more than to be better again, so matter how much embarrassment it would cause him...or the ear ache he knew that he would get from Allan once he was better about listening to him in future. That he was not looking forward to.

The door opened almost instantly and Allan rushed in and over to Tom, immediately seeing the pallor of his skin and the sweat that covered him, an obvious fever coursing through his body.

"Son, why didn't you tell me you were sick?" Allan asked as he placed his hand on Tom's forehead, feeling the heat radiating off the younger man.

Tom half smiled, trying to lighten the situation as he said,

"I didn't wanna give ya the chance to say I told ya so"

Shaking his head slightly, Allan moved his hand to Tom's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze as he replied,

"Well I will be later when we get you all fixed up", a small smile on his face at Tom's attempt at humour.

"I'm going to get Henry, stay here" Allan said before turning on his heel and quickly making his way down the hall to fetch the doctor.

Not that I feel like I can go anywhere Tom thought as he shifted slightly, his muscles beginning to ache.

A few moments later and Allan and Henry both arrived at the room, the latter shutting the door behind him to give Tom some privacy. Walking over to the bed he placed his hand on Tom's forehead just as Allan had done as he asked,

"How do you feel Tom?"

Normally Tom would have came back with a smart ass quip, but as a overwhelming feeling of nausea washed over him he simply replied,

"Like crap", a cough following soon afterwards.

Nodding his head and giving Tom a sympathetic smile, Henry turned to his medical bag as he said to Allan,

"Would you help him sit up so I can listen to his chest, that cough concerns me"

Allan simply answered by moving over to the bed by Tom and placing one hand behind his shoulders and helping him to sit up in the bed, watching as Tom's face paled and he screwed his eyes shut, taking deep breaths.

"Son, are you alright?" Allan asked, worried that Tom was injured in some other way.

Opening his eyes, he looked at Allan as he replied,

"Yeah...just trying to keep my breakfast down is all", a weak smile following.

Turning his attention back to Tom after he had set out everything that he needed on the dressing table beside the bed, Henry placed his stethoscope over Tom's chest and instructed him to take a deep breath. This of course only served to make Tom cough again.

Running his hand over the back of his neck, Henry looked at Tom as he said,

"Based on your symptoms, the fever, coughing, nausea...I would say that you have a mild case of pneumonia. The best thing for you is a course of antibiotics and bed rest. A few days of plenty of both and you should be back to normal."

Sighing in relief, glad to hear that Tom would be O.K, Allan thanked Henry and closed the door behind the doctor before walking back over to Tom. Helping him change his shirt, the one he was currently wearing soaked by his feverish sweat; Allan then pulled the covers down as Tom crawled in, his eyes immediately closing.

"You get some rest now lad" Allan whispered, his hand on Toms head, needing to have some sort of physical contact with the young man after he had just given him such a shock. When he had first seen Tom he had immediately jumped to the worst case scenario that Tom was on deaths door, afraid that he was going to be saying goodbye to another son.

"Whatever you say dad" Tom mumbled, not even realizing what he was saying due to his fever.

Sitting in the chair beside the bed, Allan smiled his heart swelling with love and pride at hearing those words spoken to him once again.

Fin

I hope that you liked it and please let me know what you think!