Chapter 4.

Kris, Bosley and Julie spent the day finishing up the last parts of the bookwork. Kris was working on one of the Hawaii-cases when the phone rang.

"I can take it." Kris offered, rising to her feet, sitting down in front of the desk.

"Townsend Agency."

"Hi sister!"

Kris smiled when she heard Jill's voice on the other end.

"Jill, hi, how are you, are you okay?"

"Slow down, don't worry. I'm fine, just a bit tired."

"What happened?"

"I got typhoid fever, but don't worry, the worst of it is gone and I've gotten medications. A few days rest and I'm fine. I knew that water was going to make me sick!"

"Yeah, it's not the cleanest. But you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, really. I did get a high fever, around 104, and real bad stomach cramps, so Andrea and Justin brought me to the hospital. But it only took an hour or so before it got better, and I feel fine. Please don't worry, and I'm sorry for not calling you, I haven't had a phone in my room."

"It's okay. I just got worried when I tried to call you and no one answered."

"I can understand that. But don't worry. I'm back in my apartment. And Justin just came into my room here with food… Oh. Kris, I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later, love you!"

And with that she hung up the phone. Kris knew that when food was being brought in, Jill had to concentrate on that. Kris smiled as she hung up the phone and turned to Bosley and Julie, who were looking confused, they only heard Kris' end of the conversation. Kris explained everything quickly to them.


After work, Kris drove her cobra to Kelly's place, parking outside. She knocked the door so she didn't wake Ella up in case she was asleep, and Kelly opened up a minute later.

"Hey." Kelly smiled, letting Kris into the house.

"Hi! I brought food… Oh gosh Kelly. Have you gotten any sleep?" Kris asked concerned as she watched her friend.

Kelly shook her head, trying to keep her eyes open.

"Please, Kelly, go to bed."

"But I don't want Ella to be alone when she's sick."

"Well, I'm here now. Go get a few hours of sleep. Please. You'll collapse soon."

Kelly agreed, she did feel very tired.

"Okay. But you wake me up the minute I'm needed, deal?"

"Deal. Now get to bed."

Kelly gave Kris a hug before disappearing into the bedroom. Kris looked into Ella's room, noticing she was still sound asleep. Kris noticed how pale the little girl was, but didn't find that weird considering she's been sick all day and night. Kris sighed and walked into the kitchen, putting the take away chicken she'd bought on the way into the refrigerator, and then made some tea for herself. Later she continued into the living room, pulling out a book from the shelf.



It was about four hours later, shortly after 9 pm, when Kris woke up by the sound of someone being sick. She put away the book, and hurried into Ella's room. Ella wasn't even leaning out of the bed, she was way too tired. Kris grabbed Ella, helping her to lean over the bucket, holding away her hair.

"Mum?" Ella whispered. Kris had never heard the little girl sound so vulnerable in her life.

"No, honey, it's Kris." Kris said, stroking Ella's hair.

"Turn… off… lights…"

Kris nodded, and went to turn off the lights before falling back to Ella's side. Kris could see how quickly Ella relaxed when the lights got turned off, the bright lights probably didn't help her headache much.

"Here, drink some water honey." Kris said, helping the girl to sit up and have a few sips from the water. Ella spit in the bucket, and Kris then helped her to lie down, facing away from the pillows that were not looking so nice anymore. Kris searched Ella's drawers and found a nightgown, and then helped Ella to change into it.

"Where's mum?" Ella asked tiredly.

"Sleeping for a little while. Do you want me to get her?"

Ella silently shook her head.

"No, you're… here." She said, making an effort to smile.

"So do you. Come here, let's get you to another bed." Kris said.

Ella reached out her hands, getting a hold around Kris neck as Kris carried her into the guestroom. She put Ella down in the bed, noticing the girl had fallen asleep on the way over there. She went back into the room to get the bucket, but cleaned it in the bathroom before putting it next to Ella. She then walked back into Ella's room, pulling away the sheets, taking them into Kelly's laundry-room. She then checked on the girl, who was still asleep, before she got back to her book.



Another hour later, Kris was in the most suspense part of the book when someone put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped up out of the couch, being prepared to meet her killer. Kelly looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh God. I thought it was the axe-murderer."

"Where's Ella?" Kelly just asked, worried.

"Guestroom." Kris smiled, trying to calm her breaths.

"Why?" Kelly asked, walking over to the guestroom and poked her head in. After making sure her daughter was still asleep she turned back to Kris for an answer.

"She got sick in the bed. The sheets are by the laundry machine."

"Oh. Thanks Kris."

"Not a problem. Are you hungry?" Kris asked, putting her head to her side.

Kelly nodded.

"Yeah, a little."

"Come on, I brought chicken."

Kelly smiled and followed Kris into the kitchen, and they grabbed the white boxes from the fridge.

"Did you get any sleep?" Kris asked, and Kelly nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"It's not a problem."



Around 11 pm, Kris and Kelly were still in the kitchen talking, and they suddenly heard Ella go to the bathroom. Kelly immediately rose to her feet and knocked the door.

"Ellie, are you alright?"

"I need to pee."

Kelly smiled.

"Call if you need me."

Kelly went back to Kris and sat back down in her chair. Almost ten minutes later Kelly stopped listening to Kris who was talking about something she'd read in the paper.

"Has Ella returned from the bathroom yet?" Kelly said, interrupting Kris in a sentence. Kris sat up straight.

"No…"

Kelly gave Kris a worried look, and hurried to the bathroom. She opened the door and panted. She stood still for a second, taking the scene in before she hurried into the bathroom. Kris followed Kelly, and she too froze in the door.

"Oh my God!"

"Kris, can you call an ambulance, please?" Kelly said as she knelt besides her girl, tears streaming from her eyes as she pulled Ella up in her lap.

Kris nodded without a word and ran out.

"Ella? Ella, honey, can you hear me? Mommy's here, it's gonna be okay."

There was no reaction from the unconscious girl. When Kelly had walked in, Ella had been lying on her back on the floor, shaking from seizures.

When Kris came back into the room, she knelt besides Kelly, who still had Ella in her arms. Ella had stopped shaking, and Kelly was rocking her back and forth, talking to her, without getting anything back.

"Kelly, she will be okay. The ambulance is on its way."

Kelly looked up at Kris, and Kris felt like the world was falling apart when she saw Kelly's eyes. The fear and panic in Kelly's eyes made Kris feel sick.

"Kris, it was just the flu! You don't get this sick from the flu!"

"Don't worry, they'll help her at the hospital. She will be okay."

Kelly didn't answer, she just buried her face in Ella's brown curls.