Okay! I didn't realize three weeks had passed since I posted the first chapter! . Sorry about that...Anyway, no further delay. Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!

-Chapter Two: And So It Begins-

Hershel just couldn't believe that he had broken out into a rash. It was especially baffling, since he wasn't sure what had caused it. Instead, he could only rule out other possibilities; as of recent, he hadn't been near any poisonous plants, nor did any allergy he have cause rashes.

Actually, the more he looked at it, the more it looked like...Chickenpox, maybe? The typical characteristics were there: Itching, irritation, and small, fluid-filled bumps. Plus, he never did recall ever having them as a child. And it certainly explained his other symptoms. Except...If that were the case, then the rash would be breaking out all over his body, not just clustered in one spot! But what else could it have been? He shook his head before putting his PJ shirt back on, and making his way to the phone.

He was far from certain, but that was all the more reason to go find out!

"Classic case of the shingles, no doubt!" The lab coat clad doctor confirmed, after a thorough physical exam.

"Shingles?" Hershel inquired, as he buttoned his shirt.

"What exactly is that?" Emmy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Simply the chickenpox virus reactivated, after years of dormancy." the doctor explained. "No one is entirely sure why the virus sticks around, even after immunity against it is developed, although stress is one of many things believed to contribute."

"So...Is it contagious?" she questioned.

"Only if you never had chickenpox!" the doctor added, as he began writing out a prescription. "Now then, Hershel, I'm putting you on an antiviral medication since your rash is obviously causing you a great deal of pain!" he noted, observing the professor wincing as he clutched the affected area.

"Greatly appreciated, doctor." the professor replied. "Curious. How long will it be before I can go back to work?" he asked, not wanting to take too much time off.

"Well, I'd say just until your fever breaks, which shouldn't take more than a week." the doctor answered, as he finished writing the prescription, then gathered a few pages of information about the illness, and recommended treatment options. "Though the rash itself will take about a fortnight, maybe a month, to scab over and clear up."

"And to think, this is only the first day!" Emmy remarked.

To think, this is just the beginning. thought Hershel.

After the doctors visit, the pair stopped by Gressenheller on the way home, since the professor had forgotten his trunk in his office the day before, and reasonably so, wanted to retrieve it. He had to call in sick for the rest of the week, anyhow, so he may as well have knocked two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. Though Emmy ended up taking care of both tasks, upon noticing his fever started to catch up with him again, and insisted he should wait in the car.

"Alright, everything's settled!" she said, upon returning to the Laytonmobile, setting the trunk in the backseat before hopping in the drivers seat herself. "Dr. Glaive is filling in for your classes this week. Oh, and Dean Delmona says he hopes you feel better soon!"

No response. When she looked over at the passengers seat, she saw he had fallen asleep while she was away. She didn't want to wake him, but knew she would have to eventually; and 'eventually' may as well be now.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" she spoke softly, while gently shaking his shoulder. Once it was clear he had woken up, she repeated what she tried to tell him before. He simply nodded in response. He's so out of it! she thought, giving him a small sympathetic smile, before starting up the car.

The ride was quiet for awhile, even with the professor now awake. After stopping off at the pharmacy to get his prescribed medicine, along with a few other things, the two were soon back home for real. A good thing, too, as the professor's head started pounding, and dizziness seemed to be returning, even though he wasn't standing.

"You feeling alright?" Emmy asked, noticing him rubbing his forehead while his eyes were tightly squeezed shut. "Does your head hurt?"

"Dizzy..." he barely spoke above a whisper, while nodding to confirm.

"You're probably dehydrated!" she responded, knowing he was still running a fever. "Let's get you back to bed, and I'll get you some water, alright?"

Carrying the bag with the medicine at her shoulder, her arms were free for her to help him get up to his room. Once he was on his bed, she hung the bag on the bedpost before getting him a cup of water. She knew he'd probably rather have tea, even in his current (admittedly pitiful) state, but thankfully for her, he was quick to accept the drink. Almost too quick, since she had to tell him to drink more slowly!

"Better?" she asked, once the cup was empty.

"Yes, thank you." he answered, before wincing at a sudden burn from the rash.

"Right, let's take care of that now." she said, as she sat at the edge of the bed, and reached into the bag from the pharmacy for the bottle of calamine lotion, two tubes of ointment (one lidocaine, the other capsaicin), and some gauze, which were the non-stick pad type.

The professor simply nodded and unbuttoned his shirt. While this was going on, the pair heard the front door open, then close, followed by Luke announcing he was home from school. This made Hershel reach two different conclusions: either school got out earlier than usual, or he had slept in that late. As embarrassing as it was for him to admit, he had a feeling he would have to believe the latter scenario more likely!

"Where is everyone?" Luke called out, as he climbed up the stairs, though it didn't take the boy long to figure out the adults were in the professor's room. He poked his head in before entering. "How are you feeling, Prof-Whoa..." he was about to ask when he noticed the shingles rash. "Professor, you got the chickenpox?"

"Not quite, my boy." Hershel corrected him. "Doctor says it's actually Shingles."

"'Shingles'?" Luke inquired. "Does it hurt at all?" he added as he very gently poked at a blister, which prompted a pained yelp from the professor. Luke immediately apologized profusely, saying 'sorry' at least six times in a row.

"Does that answer your question?" Emmy asked the apprentice. "Why did you do that, anyway?"

"I didn't mean to hurt him!" cried Luke. "But yes, it does. I won't do it again."

"Well, good. Now, go wash your hands! Even if you might be immune, some of your schoolmates might not be." she replied, before turning her attention back to Hershel. And with that, it was just the two of them once more. She opened one of the tubes, which read 'lidocaine', squeezing a small amount onto her fingertips.

"Okay, this shouldn't sting..." she said, knowing by now how painful the rash was for him. She gently applied the ointment, which was greeted with another, this time not so loud, yelp from the professor.

"Ow..." he breathed out. He didn't think it was that sensitive, either, but even he could be surprised once in awhile. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it!" she assured him with a sympathetic smile. "You can't help it right now." She then repeated the steps (minus the yelping) with the tube of capsaicin, then the calamine lotion, and finally covered it all with one of the gauze pads.

"There we go, all done." she said, as she stood to go wash her hands. She then came back to put the items up. "Now then, since you can't take your medicine on an empty stomach, I'll get you something to eat, okay?" A pause. "In the meantime, you get into something more comfortable!" she added with a wink, and a poke to his nose.

Before the professor could say anything in response, she was already on her way downstairs; though he heard her talking to Luke, all he picked up on was that Luke wanted to help out. Though if Hershel has to be honest, he didn't feel hungry at all. Then again, loss of appetite is common with illness, so he should expect as much.

Although...It really wouldn't hurt to get something in my stomach. he thought, while he changed back into his PJs. Sure enough, by the time he sat back down, he did start to look forward to eating, especially when he heard Emmy coming back up, tray in tow.

"Alright, who's ready to eat?" she asked, upon setting the tray onto his lap.

He could only pretend to not notice the bottles of medicine sitting in one corner, as he started on his lunch. Even when it's 'sick people food', or in this case beef & vegetable soup, and a cup of hibiscus tea, Emmy proved to be a really good cook! Once he had finished, it came time to take the pills; according to the labels on the prescribed antiviral medication, and the ibuprofen, he would have to take one of each every six hours. Great!

Well, how am I going to get better otherwise? he thought, as he put the pills in his mouth, then took a sip of tea, which was just enough to make it easier to swallow. The tray was soon taken up afterwards so Hershel could lay back down and get some much needed rest. He wouldn't admit this out loud either, but he had been looking forward to going back to sleep all day! Especially now since he was nice and warmed up; though he still found himself getting as far under his bedcovers as possible.

"We'll check up on you in a little while, alright?" Emmy said to him rather softly. She received a slow nod from the professor as he drifted off to sleep.

"Sweet dreams, Professor!" Luke whispered, before he and Emmy left the room, turning the light off on their way out.

And there's chapter two! Again, sorry it took so long! I only finished the rough draft for this chapter just the other day.

But anyway! Yes, poor professor is dealing with Shingles, which is the Varicella-Zoster virus (the same one that causes chickenpox) reactivated. Adults age 65+ are most susceptible, but anyone of any age who has had chickenpox is also at risk. Besides a rash, some also experience fever, headache, and fatigue.

As for treatment, antiviral medication is usually prescribed for patients age 65+, but also for patients of any age experiencing moderate to severe pain. Capsaicin is used to help reduce the risk of PHN (a complication of Shingles).

If you ever have Shingles, keep the rash covered, as it is very contagious to anyone who has never had chickenpox. I alluded to this in a previous fanfiction, and ultimately decided to write a fanfiction about it. This AN is getting long now, so honest reviews, please! c: