"This again, why must you fight me?"

"You don't seem to understand, if you do that, we don't have money for things we need." Bartok said in frustration.

"I told you to stop worrying. As long as you have what you need, it will be fine."

"No Zozi, it really won't."

"I'm a bear, I can always try fishing, it would certainly cut back on the food, I eat most of it anyway." Bartok chuckled.

"I'd like to see that, you won't even go swimming and you're gonna fish, bears usually go in the water for that don't they?"

"I'm sure I could make a fishing pole,"

"Yeah, cause it worked so well last time."

"You're not going to let that go are you?" Zozi crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You brought up fishing, I didn't."

"I'm glad you found it amusing." Zozi replied sarcastically. Bartok coughed.

"Are you al-"

"Yeah, we talked about that didn't we?"

"That was before your fever spiked."

"It came back down."

"Don't do that." Zozi said slowly becoming irritated.

"Don't do what?"

"Make it seem like It's nothing."

"It is nothing."

"Stop it. If it was nothing, we wouldn't be here right now."

"I'm only in here cause you-"

"You're in here because you need to be. I won't spend another second arguing about this."

"Good, cause I'm tired of hearin' about it." Bartok said sipping some water.

"Every time you're ill we go through this-"

"So stop it."

"How is it my fault?" Zozi asked incredulously.

"I'm not the one who gets upset when I move or cough."

"You know why i-"

"Yeah, I do, doesn't change the fact that you do it and then I get angry and you get upset cause I get upset, It's a big mess. All I'm askin' for is a little break from the fighting, you can yell at me all ya want later, right now, I'm tired, I don't feel real good and I've had enough."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"For argument's sake, let's say you're right, I'm sicker than I realize, if I'm gonna die, what can you do about it?"

"Get a doctor for one-"

"We don't have money for that. Even if we did, what good would it do if I need medicine?"

"I-I would think of something." Bartok shook his head and sat up.

"Zozi, sometimes things happen and you can't stop it. The point I'm trying to make is this, there's no use worryin' about something you can't change. It's a painful truth but It's a fact."

"You better not die." Zozi said angrily. Bartok looked at his friend for a long moment.

"You didn't understand a word I said did you?"

"Of course I did."

"No, ya know what your problem is Zozi, you have selective hearing. The only words you picked out of this whole conversation were 'I'm gonna die.' Tell the truth."

"So what, it doesn't-"

"Look at me." Bartok said calmly.

"What?"

"Look at me, what am I doin' right now?" Zozi, though obviously confused looked at the small bat.

"Sitting." He answered simply.

"Right. Would I be sitting up if I was that sick?"

"For all I know you're just trying to make me feel better by using some sort of..."

"You're reachin' now. You don't even know what you're sayin' admit it, this time you went too far and couldn't even finish the argument." Bartok coughed harshly feeling pain in his ribs as he tried to catch his breath. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Lie down, you need to rest."

"If you say that one more time, I'm gonna be irritated."

"I only want to help you. You are very precious to me."

"Ya really wanna help?"

"Yes."

"Then relax. Everything's gonna be fine, alright?" Zozi nodded. Bartok laid back down and closed his eyes.

"Are you going to rest?"

"I'm tryin' to. If you give me the chance. Maybe you should go read or somethin' take your mind off things, it'll help both of us."

"When Alyx comes back, will you see him?" Bartok sighed.

"Zozi, you worry too much."

"Please?"

"If I say yes will ya stop?"

"I'll try."

"Fine."

"Good. I'm happy that we came to this agreement."

"Zozi, your my best friend and I love ya like a brother but some days ya drve me up a wall." Zozi smiled faintly.

"Well that is what brothers are for." The bear chuckled.

"I only do it because I consider you to be family too, I want you to be alright."

"I will be."

"Do you want me to make you some tea?"

"If you want to, I wouldn't say no."

"Good, it be back in a few minutes." Zozi said turning to leave the room.

"Yeah,I can have some peace an quiet, I'll enjoy it while I can." The small bat pulled the covers close around his body.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that last comment." The bear exited the room leaving his friend to enjoy a short nap.