AN: Sorry for the wait, got sidetracked with stuff. So here's the second chapter with a little take on the other side of this sick day story. Sorry it's a little long but I hope you like it. Bonus points to anyone who can name the references.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Will groaned. Reaching out and grabbing her phone, she turned off the alarm before throwing it to the floor.

She then sat up and moaned from the rush. Something was definitely wrong. Her head felt stuffed with cotton, and her throat was very dry. She licked her lips. They felt coated in thick slime that spread inside of her mouth. If that wasn't bad enough, her sinuses felt like they were backed up to her brain.

"Tissue. Need…tissue…"

Will forced herself from the warm cocoon she had been wrapped in. Mogwai shifted from the foot of the bed, not liking his mistress waking so early. Once she stood up, he stretched and turned in a small circle before he curled back in a ball to sleep. Will glared at him.

Furball should be lucky he can sleep, she thought bitterly. She stumbled her way from her room to the bathroom. She tried the light but quickly turned them off to spare her eyes, which seemed extra sensitive. She spotted the tissue box and quickly blew her nose.

"Ah crap! Of all the days to be sick…" She pinched the bridge of her nose. Staying home with a cold was not an option today. She had a midterm and there was an important lecture she needed to attend for her writing class. Looking at herself in the mirror, she knew she'd have to double up on cold medicine if she would have any chance of getting through her classes.

Opening up the mirror, she began to tear apart the medicine cabinet in a search for the DayQuil. Finding the box, she popped two pills into her mouth before reaching for the Afrin. She shut the mirror and then pulled a couple of tissues from the tissue box. Once she made her airway clear, Will readied the nasal spray.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Will quickly snorted the medicine before returning to her room. She retrieved her phone from the floor and answered it. "Hello?"

Will, is that you?

"Yes. Only Will would answer Will's phone." She didn't care who was on the phone at the moment, nor whether she sounded polite. It was early, she felt awful, and she hadn't had coffee yet. "Who's calling?"

It's Jack, Jack Skellington. Have I called at a bad time?

"Jack? Why would– OH!" Will mentally slapped herself. Last night, she and Sally had worked late into the night discussing the final details over the bridesmaids dresses. Will had been multitasking by trying to study for her test. Sally had commented about her burning the candle at both ends, to which Will remarked her friend looked about as worn out as she felt. It was then both she and Sally agreed to continue their meeting in morning.

"Oh gosh, sorry, I totally forgot," Will apologized. "I told Sally I'd stop by before class, but I didn't reset my alarm, and now I have to hurry to school because I have a huge test today, but-but I can come over after my last class. Maybe about, uh, three?"

That's actually what I'm calling about, Jack said. I'm afraid Sally is feeling under the weather, so she won't be able to get together today.

"Oh no! Is she okay?" Will asked. "Wait, can a rag doll even get sick?"

Well, not in the traditional way, he explained, at least, not to my knowledge. From what I can tell, she's got a slight fever and she has a cough. I don't think she was able to sleep at all last night either.

Will frowned. So far, everything Jack described sounded similar to her situation. She had tossed and turned, and while she didn't have the cough, she had been feeling off last night. Sally too. Perhaps they had caught the same thing, though when she couldn't think about. Right now she needed to calm down Jack while suppressing a massive headache.

She's completely miserable, Jack continued. She won't admit it, but I'm sure she's feeling completely out of it. She tried making breakfast this morning without ingredients or turning on the burning. What if–

"Jack, calm down," Will said. "I may not know about sick rag dolls, but from what you're telling me, this is a basic cold. Classic bed rest and chicken noodle soup case."

Are you sure?

"Yes, and relax, it's not as bad as you think," she teased. "Besides, she's in good hands with you. I bet a little extra TLC from Doctor Jack will perk her right up. I can guarantee if you're taking care of her, our Sally will be back to her sassy sweet self in no time."

Will could easily envision Jack's skull turning stark white as he fumbled over his words. Well, I-I'll do my best, though I'm not sure what all I can do. I don't get sick myself, so I've never had a situation like this before… And Sally is so exhausted… Perhaps I should call Doctor Finklestein?

"Jack, if it's just a cold, then all you gotta do is keep her warm, make sure she gets lots of fluids and plenty of rest, and maybe try Vitamin C every hour," Will suggested. "Always works for me. If she doesn't improve, then call the Doc. I gotta go. Big test in an hour and a barely studied last night."

Alright. I'll try your suggestions. I'll give you a call when Sally's feeling better to reschedule. Best wishes on your test.

"Thanks." Will hung up the phone. She sighed, rubbing her temple in thought.

Sally was feeling sick too. From the description, it sounded like Sally might be fairing worse. Will looked at her reflection in her vanity mirror. She wasn't looking any better. However, she wasn't too bad that she could miss school, and she knew her writing class was mostly graded on attendance. Plus, it was Friday and she wasn't scheduled to work that weekend. All she had to do was make it through class, and then she could come home for some well needed rest.

She could handle it.

XXX

Why she had thought she would be able to focus? Halfway through her test, she realized that she had been severely mislead. Now sitting in her writing class, Will didn't hear even half of what the professor was saying. Her eyelids felt like ten tone weights, and her conscious was slipping in and out. The DayQuil did nothing to help and she was exhausted. Whatever Sally had caught seemed to be just taking its toll on her.

When the professor finally released the class, Will stood and made her way out the door. She quickly sent an email to her third teacher, letting him know she would not be in class that afternoon. She didn't wait for a reply as she made her way back to the parking lot.

It took forty-five minutes before she pulled her truck into the driveway. She stumbled up the stairs and fumbled with her keys twice before she made it into the apartment. She felt ready to collapse. Will halfheartedly greeted the pets as she passed by the phone, pressing the button to listen to any messages. There were three for her:

Hey, guess who? Just wanted to let you know my family is thinking about visiting up North in the future. If it's decided, let's get together. I'll keep you posted!

Hi sweetie, it's Mom. Your dad and I just got off the plane, and we're waiting on your brother. Sorry you couldn't come with us. Maybe next time. I'll make sure to give SJ a kiss for you, and we'll see you when we get back. Love you!

Hey Princess! Snuck away from Matt and Casey to let you we made it to LA. Plane over was dull, and the hotel we got for the weekend is crappy, but the weather is amazing! Wish you were here. I'm counting the days. One down, three to go. Call me when you can, alright? Casey still thinks I don't have a girlfriend. Can you believe that? Didn't even believe the picture I showed him. Said a girl that cute wouldn't look twice at me.

The last message made her wince. She had forgotten Dean was in Los Angeles for a "guy's getaway" with his cousins. He told her about it a week ago and she had agreed to take send him her notes so he wouldn't fall behind. She would need to email him the assignments later. For now, she needed some rest.

After changing in a T-shirt, sweatpants and slipper socks, Will made her way to the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet and took another two Vitamin C. Then she found the NyQuil. Pouring herself a full cup, Will stared at the green liquid in disgust before downing it. It tasted horrible but it was a necessary evil.

As she waited for the drug to take affect, Will shuffled back into her room and gathered tissues, a pillow, and her warmest blanket. She carried her items to the living room where she made up a makeshift Al-style nest on the couch. After pulling the coffee table closer so she could reach the tissue box, Will settled herself on the couch and flipped on the TV. There was nothing on this time of day, but she knew listening would help her fall asleep faster.

It wasn't long before the pets gathered around her. Crepe took up her perch on the back of the couch, Whiskey curled up on the floor by her feet, and Mogwai plopped himself on Will's stomach. Will chuckled and gave each of the pets a thank-you pat before letting what was left of her mind be lulled by an infomercial.

Just as her eyes began to droop, she heard a knock at the door. She tried to ignore it but it was persistent. With a sigh, Will pushed Mogwai over and pulled herself from the couch. She shuffled over to the door. Without checking, she undid the locks and opened it only a crack. "…Hello?"

"Hi Will," said a familiar voice. "Sorry, is this a bad time?"

She moved the door a little and spotted Puck, or rather, Puck's chest. She slowly looked up until she met his gaze. He was smiling, so he clearly couldn't see how terrible she looked from her hiding place.

"Just trying to nap. What's up?"

"I was cleaning out some things in my apartment when I found this on my couch." Puck held out a copy of A Writer's Reference. "Zack left it at my place during our last study session. I noticed your name in the book and assumed that you probably wanted it back."

"Oh… Oh, yeah, th-thanks…" she mumbled and started reaching for the book.

Puck frowned as she took it from him, keeping the door between them like a barrier. "Will, did I do something wrong?" he asked, now noting her voice sounded like she was stuffed up. "You won't open the door or even look at me."

Will groaned. "I'm sorry, Puck. It's just I really don't feel well," she said, opening the door a little wider. "I caught a cold last night and I don't want you to catch it."

"You're sick?" He hadn't see her well before, but now that he had a closer view, she didn't look like herself. Her skin was much paler and her poor nose looked as red as a strawberry.

"I'll be okay," she said, trying to pull the door closed. "Just a little rest, and…" Will felt herself falling. She managed to prevent herself from tumbling backwards by grabbing the doorknob, but as she pulled herself up, she yanked too hard on the door. The corner edge collided into her forehead with a loud, painful thunk!

"Oww." Normally, she wouldn't have been so monotone, but Will was too dazed to notice the pain.

"Will!"

"I-I'm…fine…" She started to sway. "…Maybe not…"

Panicked, Puck pushed his way inside, taking ahold of Will's arm before she could fall again. He pulled her close, noting that a small amount of blood had trickled down from a cut on her forehead. He carefully place his hand over her forehead.

"Will, I think you have a fever!"

"Oh… Really?" The NyQuil was starting to affect her. She couldn't focus and she was enjoying how cool Puck's hand felt on her forehead. Funny, she thought, I could've sworn he was warmer…

Puck drew his hand away and shut the door behind him. Then he took ahold of her shoulders to lead her back to the couch, making her sit down before running into the back of the house. When he returned, he had a thermometer in his hand.

"Puck, I told you, I'm…I'm f-fine…" she mumbled.

"No, you're not!" Puck argued. He placed the thermometer under her tongue and told her to wait. When he removed it, he gasped. "101.2° F! Will, you have the flu. I'd say you're far from fine."

Will didn't seemed concerned. She didn't even look up at him. "Oh… Okay…"

"Okay?! Will, this is serious!"

"No big deal," Will protested, her voice sounding deadpan. "I managed school and cut out early when the Afrin stopped working. I just gotta…gotta…"

Puck didn't let her finish. "What you need to do is get back into bed. I can't believe you went to school like this."

"Wasn't that bad this morning…" she muttered. "Besides, it only hit me today. Little more tired, and throat was scratchy last night, but nothing else."

"That's not the point. If you knew you were sick, you should've stayed home." Will didn't respond, most likely because the cold medicine was making her groggy. Puck sighed.

"Why didn't you tell someone?" he asked. "Al or Kat…"

"Not here," Will answered. She was fighting off sleep. It was making her head spin, but Puck deserved an honest answer. "Al had a family thing, and Kat's in New York on some business trip or something…"

"What about Dean? Surely he would be concerned about your health?"

Will shook her head, only to grab her forehead in pain. "Out of town."

"So you've been by yourself?"

Will groaned. "I'm twenty, I can handle a c-cold." She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. "Serious, I be fine. You, go home."

"No chance! I'm staying."

"Puck…"

"Don't argue, Willa." He bent down to her level. "I can clearly see you're not alright, and you have a high temperature. That's not good. Please, as your friend, let me help you? I can't stand to see you so miserable."

Normally, Will would've made him leave, but do to her illness, fighting was out of the question. Besides, she could tell he wouldn't take no for an answer. So, she settled back against the couch and got into her previous sleeping position.

"Do whatever…" she mumbled.

"Glad you're finally seeing reason, my stubborn little bat." Puck smiled and lifted Will into his arms. She grumbled a protest but he ignored her, and carried her off to her room.

He laid her on the bed and pulled the covers around her. The pets had followed and were watching the two curiously. Will had finally fallen asleep, softly snoring as she breathed through her mouth. Puck sighed and kneeled down at her bedside. He smoothed some hair out of her face.

"Arf!" Puck turned as Mogwai jumped up on the bed. The little dog growled before placing himself in front of his mistress. He knew how she felt about this young man, and while he seemed alright, the pup wasn't about to let him too close.

Puck chuckled. "Easy pup. I'm just making sure she's comfortable."

Mogwai continued to growl and was soon joined by Crepe. The cross-eyed cat gave him a glare. The yellow-haired one was close to her own mistress, so if this odd creature pretending to be a boy posed a threat, the kitten was prepared to defend. Now both feline and canine were acting as guards. Meanwhile, Whiskey trotted over and laid his large head on top of Puck's leg. He looked up with large pleading eyes and whined, wagging his tail. The vampire smiled and scratched the pup's ears.

"Well, at least one of you trusts me." Puck patted Whiskey's head once more before standing up. He figured Will would sleep for a while, and she might be hungry when she woke, so he made his way into the kitchen.

XXX

About an hour passed before Will's phone began to play "Opposites Attract." She slowly pulled herself from the drug-induced sleep to answer it, knowing who was calling her.

"Hi Dean."

Hey! How'd you know?

"Because you're the only guy I know who likes MC Skat Kat."

Ha ha, very funny. Dean chuckled. Say Princess, how come you didn't call me back? Class let out late or something?

"No, sorry." Will glanced at her phone and noticed it was almost seven o'clock. "Actually, I had to skip my last class. I caught a cold so been sleeping it off.

Oh! That sucks. Hope you feel better.

"Thanks. You're-You're-ACHOO!" The phone dropped from her hand. When she opened her eyes, Will found herself in her bat form. She quickly changed back, ignoring the pain in her head, and grabbed her phone off the floor. "Sorry, dropped my phone," she apologized.

I heard. Sounds like a nasty cold, Dean said, his tone sounding more worried than joking. Hey, you gonna be okay? I know you said your friends would be gone this weekend. If you want, I can come back early and check in on you.

Will blew her nose before replying, "No, I'm good. Go have fun with the guys. Don't worry bout me."

You sure? I can be back late tonight or tomorrow morning. It's no trouble.

Will smiled. "Have fun," she told him. "I'll just feel worse if you're worrying."

Okay, if you're sure. There was some commotion in the background. Whoops, got to go. Hey, I'll check in later to see how you're feeling, and I'm gonna bring back two souvenirs for you.

"You don't have–" The line cut out. "–to…"

Will sighed and put her phone aside. She started rubbing her forehead when her fingers brushed something. She grabbed her phone again, and turned on the camera. Sure enough, there was a small Band-Aid just about the center of her forehead. Not remembering putting it there, Will ignored it and started dialing a number. She waited for the other line to pick up, but she got the voicemail instead.

"Hey Ally, it's Will. Just giving you a pre-warning that I caught a nasty bug." As if on cue, she started another coughing fit. "Sorry. Anywho, just letting you know in case you want to extend your stay with your family instead of dealing with my sickness. I'll try to disinfect the apartment before you and Kat get back."

Will hung up the phone, flopping back onto her bed. Her head felt ready to split and her throat was dry. Grabbing her blanket, she wrapped it around her and went to the bathroom. She took Advil for the headache before walking into the kitchen to search for a cup and salt. She hated the idea but her dad's saltwater gargle always worked in soothing an irritated throat.

She shuffled into the kitchen but stopped. The counter was littered with traces of carrots, leaks and onions, as well as salt and parsley. Puck stood front of the stove stirring a large metal pot. His back was to her and his long hair tied back in a braid.

Puck looked up and she saw he was also wearing her apron and a surgical mask. His eyes told her that he smiling. "Evening. How's the patient feeling?

"Like an extra on The Walking Dead, and I don't even watch that show." Will moved around him to get the salt. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Making you soup," he replied. "I hope you don't mind that I took over your kitchen. I also noticed your stock was low, so went out and bought some ingredients."

Will grabbed a cup from the cupboard and filled the bottom part with a thin layer of salt before walking to the sink. She filled her glass with warm water, and then took a spoon from the drawer and gave the contents of good stir. "Wow, that's…really nice. I'll pay you back for the groceries," Will said before taking a sip. She grimaced at the taste.

"Don't. Consider it my treat."

Will gargled and spit into the sink, coughing. "What?! No way, that's too much."

"Don't worry about it." He turned off the burner and moved the pot to the side. "Your only obligation is to get better," he said. "Now, go sit down at the table and I'll bring you some soup."

Too stunned to argue, Will complied. She sat down at the table and waited while Puck carried in a tray. When he placed a bowl in front of her, she glanced down at the contents. He made her homemade chicken noodle soup with some saltine crackers, and a cup of tea. She could see large chunks of chicken and thick egg noodles. She lifted a spoonful of broth and chicken from the bowl and tried some.

"Whoa! This is good."

"Glad you approve."

"Hey, what's this?" She spooned out a white chunk. "Garlic?"

He nodded. "I thought they'd be easier to eat in soup than trying to get you to eat that in raw chunks."

"Well, that explains the mask." They both laughed. Will had a few more spoonfuls of the soup and then a sip of the tea. "I mean it, this is really good," she added, "and so is this tea. Wish my nose was working. It probably smells fantastic."

"I thought you'd like it," he said. "It's a Spanish tea minha avó used to make. Also uses garlic, and some lemon and honey for flavor."

"Aren't you supposed to be allergic?" Will asked.

"It's supposed to have antibiotic properties and have a decongestant effect. At least, that's what minha avó would say. She was a bit of a health nut."

"Huh? A-vaw?"

"Sorry, my grandmother. Didn't mean to, you know…" Puck scratched the back of his head. "Vovó used garlic in all her dishes to prevent our family from getting sick, though like the flu shot, it was not always successful."

Will took another sip of tea. "But, why use garlic? Isn't that kind of an avoid-at-all-cost thing when you're a vampire?"

"Oh no, this was my father's mother," he explained, a little bashful. "That side of the family is immune to traditional vampiric weakness, such as garlic and sunlight."

"That explains why you can go out in the daylight."

"Yes. Anyway, vovó used garlic in everything, but she would have to improvise with my mother and me," Puck continued. "When I was little, she used to make me eat raw honey and put some on my lips before I went to sleep whenever I was sick."

"Yikes! I think I'd get sick if I had that much honey."

"She meant well. I just felt bad that she always had to do extra cooking for my sake. I asked her to teach me to cook so I could lighten her burden."

"I'm sure she didn't mind, though I bet she enjoyed cooking with her favorite grandson."

Puck smiled. "Still, I wished I could've tasted her original recipes. The smell from her kitchen was tantalizing. You know, before the garlic made me would make me nauseous."

"Well, if you're cooking is anything like hers, then she was fantastic," Will encouraged, taking another spoonful. "And I'm only getting half the flavor here."

Puck laughed. After Will ate her soup, he cleared the table before joining her back at the table. He noted how tired she still looked and suggested she go to bed early. Agreeing, she went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, downing another cup of NyQuil before returning to her room. She bid Puck goodnight and closed the door.

XXX

Puck whistled as he prepared lunch. He had let Will sleep in and spent the day tending to a few things. He had cleaned up the house a little and taken care of the pets, earning a little more trust from Mogwai and Crepe.

While he put the finishing touches, Puck cracked his spine, rubbing one of his shoulders. He had woken with a stiff back after falling asleep on the couch in an awkward position. He would need to stretch his wings, though that could wait until after he gave Will her lunch. He considered bringing her breakfast in bed, but thought better of it.

Once the table was set, Puck walked to the bedroom and knocked on the door. "Will, are you up yet?" No response.

"It's the middle of the afternoon. Don't want to sleep the whole day away," he joked.

Still no reply.

"Will?" Puck eased open the door. A barely audible moan met his ears. Puck chuckled. "Will, I know you're tired, but you still need to eat– WILL!"

Puck's eyes widened to find Will slumped over her bed. Her breathing was coming in short, raspy gasps and her whole body was flushed and shaking. Puck was at her side in a flash. He gathered her in his arms, and tried to get her attention.

"Will! Will, talk to me!" he cried. He placed his hand on her cheek and turned her towards him. "Please Will, answer me."

Her only answer was a ragged cough. Her body shivered despite her head feeling hot. Puck picked her up and placed her back in the bed. It looked like she was about to reply but a sneeze interrupted her. As quick as it come, another followed.

"Will…" Puck reached out to feel her forehead when suddenly she vanished. "Will?!" A tiny squeak came from the blanket. Moving them aside, Puck found a small bat looking up at him with dazed blue eyes. Before he could say anything, the bat sneezed and Will reappeared.

"What the?!"

Will sneezed again, transforming three more times before collapsing in her human form on the bed. She moaned, "…I don't feel so good…"

"I should say. Stay still a moment." He managed to wrap her in the blanket and then picked her up in a bridal hold. He carried her into the bathroom. He took out the thermometer and sat on the side of the bathtub to check her temperature. When he pulled it out from her mouth, Puck nearly had a heart attack.

"104°F!" He almost dropped the thermometer. He read it over and over but the result was the same. "Shit! Will, you're temperature's way too high. We need to get you to a doctor!"

"P-Puck…"

"I'm not budging on this," he stated, placing the thermometer back on the sick counter. "I mean it, you need to see a doctor."

"Puck."

"What is it?"

"Move."

"Huh?"

"Move!" Will covered her mouth and pushed herself from his arms. She threw back the toilet seat and bent over. Her hair fanned around her as she emptied her stomach into the bowl.

Puck grimaced as her body heaved. He knelt at her side and her hair back out of the way, rubbing her back. When she was done, Puck helped her up to the sink so she could rinse out her mouth. Puck then picked her up in his arms and carried her back to bed. He settled her on her side and pushed her wastebasket close in case she vomited again.

Puck grabbed his cell phone and began dialing for an ambulance when he stopped. Taking her to a hospital might not be such a good idea. A human doctor wouldn't know how to help and if she transformed again, there could be serious repercussions. Plus, he didn't think he should move her like this.

Panicked, Puck knew he needed help but who could he trust? Then it hit him! He went over to Will's vanity where she kept her jewelry box. He open the top drawer and took out her skeleton key. He then walked over to the bedroom door. He quickly made sure the pets were nowhere around before shutting the door. He inserted the key into the lock, giving it a turn before opening the door.

No longer was there a hallway into the apartment, but instead the other side was now a pitch black room. Puck stepped into the darkness, careful to keep the door cracked open so he could hear Will if she needed him. When he crossed the threshold, he was standing in a macabre living room. The windows were covered by blackout curtains. The walls and furniture were very shades of gray and black, and there were four notable pieces of furniture: a bed, a couch, a dresser, and an old grandfather clock.

Puck ran over to the bed and rapped his knuckles on the headboard. "Uncle? Uncle! Wake up!" he called. "Please, this is an emergency! Wake up!"

There was a notable rattling. Puck stepped back as all four coffins opened in turn, revealing the Vampire Brothers. Each yawned and stretched, fangs elongated. When they spotted Puck, John was the first to speak.

"Puck, my boy. What a pleasant and unexpected surprise."

"What brings you at this hour?" Lon asked. "The sun is still out."

"Forgive me but I needed to speak with you. It's an emergency!"

"What has happened?" Max asked, hearing his godson's distressed tone.

"It's Willa. She's come down with the flu," he explained. "I was taking care of her but now she's getting worse!"

Max shook his head. "My boy, if that is the case, then take her to one of the human physicians…"

"I cannot!" he explained. " I wanted to, but she had a sneezing fit and she began transforming. If I took her to a human doctor, she might do the same."

"How could we have forgotten," Bela exclaimed. "Willa is no longer human. Of course human medicine would not cure her new blood."

"But what can I do! The more I wait, the worse she'll get!"

"Calm yourself, …" Max said. He had risen from his coffin and stood before his godson. "Panic will not help. Now, from what you've told us, I believe Willa is having more difficulty with this illness due to her new powers. It may be that her human half is fighting with her new hybrid blood."

"You think so?"

"This I cannot be certain of, but it seems most likely."

"But then what can I do?" Puck demanded. His fists clenched at his side as his fangs and claws sharpened from anger. "Will doesn't have time!"

"Ferdinando, we know your feelings for the girl, but anger is not the answer," Lon stated. "The truth of it is that we may not be able to help."

"I think I may know something," Bela said. He had been deep in thought when an idea struck. "There is said to medicinal properties in elderberries. The extract can be used to reduce fevers. Doctor Finklestein used it to cure one of our pets when it came down with white-nose syndrome."

"Perhaps it would be best to consult the Doctor on the matter." Max quickly retrieved his umbrella. "I will accompany you if you like."

"Thank you, Uncle. We should leave right now!" Puck was almost out the door when he turned around. "Would you look after Will?"

Bela nodded. "She'll be fine with us. Now go, hurry."

XXX

It was late into the night when Puck returned. He had gone all over town in search of a cure when it turned out Doctor Finklestein had not been home. Luckily, the Pumpkin King's fiancé had a remedy that Max confirmed could cured her illness. He had just spent the last hours gathering ingredients.

"Boar liver, carp liver, chicken liver, and medicinal roots and herbs." He checked them all off, double checking on the herbs and roots, and then looked at his other load. Since he decided to get fresh ingredients, he would need to store the meat before it spoiled. Luckily, his uncles had a rather large storage freezer.

Grabbing the burlap sacks, he carried his haul inside. "I'm back!" he called out. Lon, John, and Max suddenly appeared before him. "How's Will?"

"We moved her to the upstairs guest room after you left," Lon explained. "She seemed calmer once out of the sunlight. We've also managed to bring her fever down."

"Bela is with her now," John added.

"Did you get the ingredients?" Max inquired. Puck held up the sacks. "Wonderful! It calls for dried, but fresh liver blood will be a much quicker cure."

"Than we better get started."

Puck handed the sacks to Lon and John as he headed for the kitchen when Max stopped him. He tried to protest, but Max pushed his nephew upstairs. "You are far too concerned to focus on preparing this medicine, my boy," he said. "We shall take care of it. You go on and sit with Will."

Puck nodded and flew up the stairs. He entered the room and found Bela standing at the bedside. When he saw Will, his heart sank. She was still breathing heavily and her skin was soaked with perspiration.

"Oh Will…" Puck walked to Bela's side. "How is she, Uncle?"

"Her fever has come down. We tried to give her nourishment, but she became nauseous and could not keep anything down," Bela replied. "We gave her some bananas that were about to turn. They seem to be the only thing she can handle."

"Perhaps she'll eat after taking the medicine."

"Perhaps…" The elder vampire noticed how Puck looked at his sick friend. "Would you care to sit with her?"

Puck nodded. Bela removed himself from the room as Puck came and knelt at her side. He took ahold of her hand, cold and clammy, and brushed his hand over her forehead.

"Uhhh…the sea monkeys have my money…" she moaned. "Yes, I'm a natural blue…"

"Will, d-did you say something?"

She rolled over and coughed, her eyelids fluttering. She spoke again. "It..It's sandwich day."

"Will?" Puck looked up and saw Will had now opened her eyes. Clouded blue orbs gazed at him. She appeared confused, not quite sure of her surroundings. "Please, meu amor, talk to me," he asked. "Tell me what you need?"

"I'm not great on advice," she replied with a slur. "Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?"

"Will, what are you talking about?" Puck asked. He took ahold of her hand.

"WHOA! No touchy! Nooo touchy! No touch!" She pulled back and then pointed at him. "DISHONOR ON YOUR WHOLE FAMILY!" Will blinked and her expression changed. Now she looked tired, sinking back into the pillow as she muttered, "…Well, use the forget-me stick…"

Puck was confused. Why was she saying such random things? Had the fever made her delirious? He pressed his hand to her forehead and noted it was still warm, and stroked Will's hair, causing her to stir. He held his breath as she opened her eyes again.

"Hey, how you doin'" she asked, giving him a flirty smile.

"Will, snap out of it! It's me, Puck. Remember?"

"Oh! I remember…" She suddenly launched herself up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "BIIIIIG HUG!"

Puck stumbled back but kept his footing, for fear of falling with her. He gently eased her arms from his neck and coaxed her to sit back on the bed. She was laughing hysterically, making herself cough. "Will, stop it! You're acting irrational and it's starting to get annoying."

She stopped laughing and looked at him with an annoyed glare. She then jumped up and shook her fist in his face. "Preed, I'll kill you! Okay? I will kill you!"

"Will, please!" Puck begged. He tried to coax her back intro the bed but she moved away from him. "Will, you need to lie down. You're going to make yourself worse moving around like that. Now, get back into bed before you hurt yourself. I'm already concerned by how little sense you're making."

Will cackled madly, coughing as she did. "Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?" She jumped up and turned into a bat, flying over his head to land behind him. She turned back and began walking her fingers up his spine, stopping to tease between his wings. "I can do whatever I want, whenever I want."

"What?" Puck growled and grit his teeth, his fangs elongating in frustration. "Will, I'm not playing around here. Get back there and lie down, or I'll take you to bed myself!"

Will stared blankly for a moment, then she blew him a kiss and shouted, "Goodnight everybody!"

"That's it!" Puck grabbed Will by her wrists and flipped her onto the mattress. She was now lying on her back with Puck straddling her hips while holding her arms over her head. "Now, listen to me, Willa. I'm not trying to be forceful but you're not leaving me much choice," he tried to reason. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I really need to you rest or you won't get well."

"Wise man say: Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."

"That doesn't make any sense! Please Will, I'm not trying to be the bad guy, but… OOH!" Puck sat up and grabbed his nose. Something akin to overcooked tripe marinated in rotten kimchi assaulted his sensitive sense of smell. "Damn, what stinks!"

"Stench? Of what speaketh thou?"

"Seriously?" Puck looked down at her incredulously. "Even you should have enough of a heightened sense to smell that!"

"I smell nothing," Will quoted, attempting to take a deep inhale through her nose. "Aaah… The air is sweet, and fragrant, and none may pass without my permission!"

"Okay, now I know you're sick."

There was a soft knock on the door. Puck turned and caught sight of Max opening the door. He quickly scrambled off Will before they were caught in a rather compromising position, though he remained close to ensure she didn't try to get up again. When Max entered the room, Puck noticed in his left hand was a goblet. The stem coming from it, plus the increased intensity of the order revealed the source of the stench.

"Ah good, she's awake. We heard the commotion from downstairs and thought Willa was struck with fevered night terrors."

"No but she is highly delusional." He glared at the giggling girl. "She keeps stating random things, and she's acting completely irrational! I'm going out of my mind!"

"Well, that's to be expected. Some tend to become delirious with a fever." Max held out the goblet. "Here. Make her drink this."

"There's no way! That stuff smells rank."

"The pungency is apart of the cure," he insisted. "This shall help Willa overcome her cold, and improve her appetite. Remember, she has not eaten and we've barely managed to give her water. If she continues to refuse nourishment, her condition will only worsen."

Will moaned, turning on her side. "Malfunction. Need input." She wrapped her arms around her stomach, her pale face starting to look green. "No disassemble…"

Puck sighed, knowing what needed to be done. He held his breath and took the goblet. Carefully, he propped Will's head up so her mouth opened. He then set the goblet on her lips and tipped the foul liquid into her mouth. She instinctively drank, though her nose wrinkled from the smell. She tried to turn her head but Puck was insistent.

"Please Will," he begged, "if you don't, you won't get any better?"

She looked at the goblet in disgust before giving a sigh of deaf. "Boy, what I soft-shell I'm turning out to be." She guided the goblet back to her lips and drank. Once the goblet was emptied, Puck set it aside and watched for any change.

Nothing happened until sometime around midnight. Puck had fallen asleep in his chair and was propping his head on his arm. He never heard the soft sound of a yawn.

Will slowly opened her eyes to look about her surroundings. She wasn't in her bedroom, and from the view of the oversized haunting moon outside her window, she wasn't in her world either. She sat up from the bed, placing a hand on her forehead. She no longer felt warm and her nose wasn't stuffed. In fact, she could breath clearly. She still felt sick but whatever was in that noxious muck she drank was working to help her feel better.

"Wait, muck?" she said aloud. "Oh, right… Puck gave me something to drink." She remembered how the sludge slid over her tongue, but before that she couldn't recall much else. She remembered laughing, and falling and feeling so sick to her stomach that she was surprised she didn't throw up her organs; and Puck. Puck had been beside her that whole time. Speaking of which, where was the her vampire friend?

Her eyes finally spotted Puck. The sight of him curled up asleep in a chair that was too small for his tall frame made her blush. Even though she didn't remember much, she knew that she had done something embarrassing. The last time she had the flu, Will recalled her mother had told her she had been delirious and spent two days thinking she was a part of her favorite TV shows. She could only imagine what Puck had to endure while she was spouting nonsense and making a complete idiot out of herself. And yet here he was, sitting at her bedside, close by in case she needed him.

He really is a great friend, she thought, knowing how lucky she was to have Puck looking out for her.

She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and slid off the bed. She padded over to the chair. Staring down at him, Will smiled. "You know, you may have annoyed me after we first met, I never wanted to see you again," she said, "but I'm glad you stuck around."

She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for taking care of me," she whispered into his ear before returning to bed. She made herself comfortable. The last thing she saw before falling asleep was the sweet smile on Puck's sleeping face.