I know, this took forever. If we were in medieval times you'd all throw stones and apples at me while I just sit there and take it, because I totally deserve it. But if we were in medieval times, you wouldn't be getting an update because computes don't exist! (see the loop hole I created there?) So I am extremely sorry that this took so long! Please don't hate me forever! My updates are going to be excessively crappy because school is ruthless. But holidays in two weeks, and I'm actually hoping to finish this story by then (or during) and start 'Big Time Sickness Part III' which will be featuring Kendall and set before they were famous. I have massive plans for it and am WAY excited, because Kendall sick is going to be so much fun to write, and its going to be a bit different because Carlos is pretty willing to accept help when he's sick, and while Logan didn't like help he still let them, but was just really embarrassed about it. I see Kendall being major tough and all like "I'm not sick, I'm Kendall Knight I don't get sick," and then when they try to help him he gets really annoyed and frustrated and eventually caves and gets very embarrassed.

See, I'm so excited for it! I want to start writing now! So I promise if you all stick with me through this story big things are going to happen. I don't want to start part III until I finish this, and I've only got a few more ideas for this story so I'm thinking after a few more chapters, I can start Kendall's story. Two weeks is the deadline I'm putting for myself (But, like, don't hold me to that. I'm lazy and unorganized) but either way be excited! :D

Now, on with this story. Hopefully this chapter will make up for my lame updates…

Chapter 9

When Carlos woke up next, he was very aware of his surroundings.

He was aware that he was wrapped tightly in a warm blanket.

He was aware spongebob was playing in the background.

He was aware he was not in the room alone.

And he was very aware of how his head was thumping inside his skull as if it was trying to escape. His throat felt like razor blades sliding slowly down him every time he swallowed, causing him maximum amount of pain every time. His stomach felt like it was used as a punching bag for a heavy weight champion and despite the excessive amount of blankets he was wrapped under he felt like he could easily be laying in an igloo.

He groaned partly in pain, but partly to let his presence be known to the room.

"Carlos?"

Someone was saying his name and stroking his hair lightly. He didn't know who it was, nor did he really care. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. All he really wanted right now was to go back to sleep and hopefully when he woke up next everything would stop hurting.

The hand stroking his hair and softly calling his name just made him want to go back into a deep dreamless sleep. And he was sure if they continued that would be easily granted.

However despite his better judgment, Carlos wanted to wake up. He wanted to find out what was going on and why he was experiencing so much pain. Why was everything to sore?

"Mmmmm?" He mumbled opening his eyes and turning to his side.

The images of Kendall and James came into vision and instantly he closed his eyes again.

From what he made out he was in his bed and James was stroking his hair. Kendall was on the other side of the room and he looked concern. That was never a good sigh.

"What happened?" Carlos asked, not bothering to open his eyes again.

"You don't remember?" James asked worried.

Carlos shook his head, "Remember what?"

Kendall and James shared a concerned look, "MOM!" Kendall yelled.

While it was second nature to call for Kendall when the three boys were in trouble, it was second nature for Kendall to call his mom when he was worried.

Kendall, was the leader. The all knowing, fearless Kendall who could make bullies tremble and people cower at the very sight of his eyebrows being pulled down in a glare.

But at the end of the day, he was still just a 16 year old guy. Sure, he had leadership skills and talent, but he was still a clueless teenager who sometimes needed the help of his mom.

Kelly, Logan and Katie quickly entered the room and suddenly the small shared bedroom was full.

"Carlos is awake and doesn't remember much," Kendall explained.

Mrs. Knight frowned and sat on his bed, putting her hand on his forehead, "Carlos honey, how do you feel?"

"Tired," Carlos said.

"You're pretty warm, " She stated concerned.

"Don't feel warm," Carlos muttered only to snuggle deeper into his comforter.

"Well maybe if you hadn't have wondered off in the middle of the night," Mrs. Knight trailed off. As much as she wanted to rip shreds through the boy for putting his heath in so much risk, she also wanted to hold him and coddle him until he was 100% better. She hated how sick he was, usually he was the one running around. Mucking around, doing something completely insane. Now he was cuddled up in bed clearly hurting and it was seriously breaking her heart.

She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to scold him and let him know just how frightened she had been when she woke up and he wasn't in bed. How she had automatically thought the worst and her heart had almost stopped.

Carlos was her son, just as much as Kendall. All the boys were her sons, she loved them all too much to think otherwise

Kendall was her (biological) fearless and strong leader. Logan was her intelligent, grounded, little genius. James her beautiful, caring young man and Carlos her endless ball of energy. She couldn't bear the thought of any of them ill or hurt. Was it really that wrong that as a mother all she wanted was to wrap them up in cotton wool? Have them safe in her arms where she knew they couldn't be hurt?

Despite the crippling need to yell at the young Latino, for being so stupid. So stupid as to sleep outside in the cold whilst he was sick, and then make her increasingly worry about his whereabouts. She still couldn't find it in her to be mad at him. Seeing him curled into himself under his blanket just made her want to cuddle him, she couldn't be mad at him. Not yet at least.

"I'll get you so medicine sweetheart," Mrs. Knight said sweetly and went to the kitchen. She sighed to herself, why was being a mother so hard? Why couldn't she just keep all her boys locked up making sure they stay healthy and happy? Well, locking them up probably would mean they weren't happy, but at least they'd be safe.

She hated how sick the smallest boy was and how she couldn't do anything to make the pain go away instantly. All she wanted to do was hug the poor boy who looked so helpless. Heck, she would have if everyone wasn't in the room. She had learnt all too well that while the boys may not mind the hugs when no one was around (although they'd never admit that aloud, but she knew), they blush a deep scarlet and get mad when she does it around people. Poor Carlos didn't need the embarrassment while he was so sick.

She'd just wait until she could get him alone. And then she'd corner the other three later. Just because she was a mother and she could.

Carlos groaned and curled on his side, waiting for Mama Knight to come back with something to make him feel the slightest bit better.

James smirked, "How are you buddy?"

Carlos frowned, "Bad,"

"Well maybe you shouldn't have slept outside," Logan said sarcastically. While Mama Knight may not be ready to yell at him, Logan had no issues about scolding the young boy for worrying him so much.

"Shut up,"

"Tell me exactly what was going through your mind when you decided to sleep next to the pool?" Logan asked.

Carlos just groaned something unresponsive and James laughed while stroking his hair, "Leave him alone Logan," James felt kind of bad for his young friend. Sure he had been stupid when he decided outside was a good place to sleep. But clearly he was in a lot of pain, there was no need to aggravate that. Not yet at least.

"Leave him alone? He had us all in a fret, do you not remember barging into our room this morning frantically?" Logan reminded him.

James cringed, "I wasn't that frantic,"

Kendall laughed, "I remember it being very frantic,"

"And girly," Logan smirked.

James rolled his eyes, some friends.

A few hours later after Carlos had taken his medicine and fallen back to sleep, the Latino was woken up by his phone ringing.

Groggily he sat up and reached for the device. He was feeling a bit better then the last time he'd woken up, but still not great.

His heart leaped however when he saw the caller ID read, Mama.

"Hello?" Carlos answered, he cringed when his voice was so hoarse.

"Carlos baby?" His mother said from the other end.

"Hey Mom," Instantly his mother's voice made him feel comforted. He could easily sink into the sweet rhythm of her voice, and he already felt more at ease.

"Oh baby did I wake you?"

"No mama," He lied.

"Okay," Carlos could hear the skeptic tone of her voice, she could always tell when he was lying "How are you feeling sweetie?"

"Alright," He answered.

"You don't sound alright," She said concerned.

"I'm getter better," Carlos said. He didn't like to worry his mom, especially when he knew just how guilty she must be feeling right now. He knew she wanted to be here just as much as he wanted to be there.

"Kelly rang me and told me what happened, what were you thinking sleeping outside baby?" She lightly scowled but he could tell she was slightly amused.

"I don't know," Carlos admitted. Now, he honestly had no idea what he was thinking going outside while he was sick. He shouldn't have been that stupid, and he was regretting every moment of it. And he was lucky enough to have everybody reminding him just how stupid it was.

"You could have gotten so sick," She exclaimed.

Meaning he could be sicker then he felt?

"I'm okay Mama," He assured her.

She sighed for a long time into the phone before saying, "I know baby. I just miss you, I hate not being there with you, I'm so sorry,"

"It's not your fault!" Carlos said, "It's okay,"

The silence Carlos was greeted with indicated that his mother didn't think it was okay, "Well get some sleep baby, okay?"

"Okay Mom,"

"I love you, I'll call again tomorrow okay?"

"Okay Mom, I love you too,"

He hung up the phone and set it on the table. He sighed and decided he'd just get back into his comforter. He missed his mom, but having her call him made him feel better. Just hearing her voice made him feel better. He'd wouldn't admit it, but back home he was a bit of a 'mama's boy'. What? So he loved his mother, it's not like he was ashamed of that. It's just not the most manly thing in the world, and he knew the guys would give him shit for it. They gave Kendall shit all the time. It was all good-natured of course, but he got enough for being the smallest. Being a 'mama's boy' didn't need to be added to the list.

Despite feeling better than a few hours ago, he still felt shitty. When would this flu end? What had he done that was so horrible that he must be punished for it?

Oh yea, you slept outside in the cold. That was the action, this was the consequence. Carlos was starting to hate karma right now.

He was dreading the next week. It would be full of headaches, stomach aches, tremendous amounts of coddling and more phone calls then he received in a normal year. He knew his friends were worried.

Worried was putting it lightly. He'd be lucky if they let him out of their sights for the next month. He hated freaking them out like that, he didn't mean to. He'd even take it back if he could. He'd certainly take it back if he could.

While he wasn't looking forward to the expected coddling that was without a doubt going to happen, he knew why his three best friends would turn into mother hens for a while. They'd done it before. Heck, even he'd admit that more than once he had watched their every move, unnecessarily afraid that they would break within the second.

He'd done it when James has broken his leg and was put in a cast for two weeks. By the end of it James was ready to rip his hair out (something James would never even joke about usually) if Carlos asked him one more time if he needed anything. When Kendall came down with the chicken pox Carlos was pretty sure he didn't appreciate the way they had practically forced him into bed. And Carlos couldn't even bother counting the amount of times he had turned 'mother hen' for Logan. While Logan was the smartest, he was the most prone to injury and illness. Carlos was sure it has something to do with his small frame and lack of proper affection, not that he'd ever voice that theory.

For him to be this sick was obviously going to set off the switch in his best friend's heads. It was text book. No matter how much he would try to fight it, he knew that they'd eventually win and he'd be forced to sit with them to make sure he didn't suddenly combust or something. He loved his friends, he really does. But sometimes they can be just plain weird.

So should it worry him, that if anyone of them were in his position, he'd do the exact same thing?

Very odd chapter in my opinion, but I hope you didn't hate it.

Please review :P

Excited for everything coming up! (All except school, year 12 in like 5 or 6 weeks. I cant be bothered working out the finer details, its kind of depressing lol)

I'm actually mega proud I got this up today! :D

Fun Fact: 'Shitty' is recognized as a word by Microsoft. When I typed it in I was sure a red line was going to appear under it. That seemed weird to me.