A/N:

Chapter two! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, please tell me what you thought of this chapter too!

Charlie was still fast asleep when Jack returned from selling that evening, his face flushed pink with fever.

"He's a little hotter than he was this mornin', but not much," Race told Jack as he pocketed the coins Jack handed him. "I don' think it's too serious, but he probably ain't gonna be able ta sell tomorrow."

Jack sighed heavily, nodding in understanding. "Okay. Thanks for stayin' with him today, Race."

Race nodded, standing and smiling reassuringly at Jack. "He'll be okay. Try not ta worry too much, else you'll get sick too."

Jack smiled softly at Race, taking his place next to Charlie's bunk. "I'll try. Thanks again, Race."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Jack must have dozed off at some point while he sat at Charlie's bedside because the next thing he knew he was being rudely awakened by the sound of someone retching.

Jack quickly shook himself fully awake, looking over at Charlie with concern. The boy was leaning away from Jack, vomiting onto the floor next to his bed.

"Kid?" Jack asked hesitantly, wanting to help in some way but being unsure of what exactly Charlie needed.

Charlie took a deep breath, wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he turned to look at Jack with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Hey, there's no need to be sorry," Jack soothed, reaching over and wiping away the tears which fell from Charlie's eyes. "You'se just got the flu or somethin', it ain't your fault."

Charlie nodded, sniffing loudly as he offered Jack a small smile. Jack smiled back, then stood and made his way over to the nearby bathroom to grab a towel to clean the mess up with. Charlie watched him, looking more than a little embarrassed.

By the time Jack had cleaned the floor up completely Charlie had fallen asleep once again, his chest rising and falling evenly as he slept peacefully. Jack considered the sleeping boy for a minute, then decided it would be alright if he slept in his own bed for the rest of the night. After all, he needed to be well rested if he wanted to be able to make enough money to pay for both him and Charlie to stay at the lodging house the next day.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Jack! Jack, wake up!"

Jack was startled awake to see Race leaning over him, his face twisted with worry. "What's wrong?" he asked, his speech slurred slightly after being woken suddenly for the second time that night.

"It's Charlie. Somethin's wrong, he's cryin' and says he can't move his leg."

Jack was up and awake in an instant, following Race over to Charlie's bed. Upon approaching Jack could see that Charlie was indeed crying, tears streaming down his face as he took in labored breaths and tried to suppress his sobs.

"Hey, Charlie. What's wrong?" Jack spoke quietly and gently so as to not wake the other boys, as well as mask his own fear and uncertainty.

"I hurt, Jack," Charlie hiccupped, his lower lip quivering.

Jack's heart clenched but he swallowed the lump in his throat and continued talking. "Where does it hurt, kid?"

"My head, my neck, my legs, everywhere!" Charlie cried, dissolving into a fresh bout of tears.

At Charlie's mention of his legs, Jack remembered what Race had told him. "What's this about you not bein' able ta move your leg?"

"It won't work, Jack! I try an' it won't work!" Charlie declared, looking understandably scared and distraught.

"Hey, it's okay. Take a deep breath an' try ta calm down, alright? Bein' upset won't help anythin'," Jack said softly, smiling gently at Charlie. "Me an' Race'll go wake up Kloppman, an' he'll send for the doctor. You'll be right as rain in no time, I promise."

"Okay," Charlie said, his breathing slowing down as he calmed down.

Jack ruffled Charlie's hair affectionately, wincing internally as he felt the heat coming off of the younger boy's forehead. He then stood and began walking towards Kloppman's room, Race following close behind him. "Ya really think he'll be okay, Jack?"

Jack shrugged, his expression blank and emotionless. "I dunno, Race. I dunno."

A/N: Please note that I am not a doctor or any other type of trained medical professional, and my knowledge of the symptoms of polio comes from the internet and a memoir I read a few years ago in school (it was called Small Steps, The Year I Got Polio if I'm remembering correctly and I highly recommend it) so please take everything I have written here with a grain of salt.