Part 10

A/N: Kinda left ya'll hangin' there, didn't I? Sorry – just had a really busy couple weeks! So, I had a couple people ask about the title. Obviously, the "yellow" is yellow fever, "green" I used as looking sickly, and in fact, Divya actually said back in Part 4, I think, that Evan looked a little green around the gills. As for the "blue," that generally does mean sad as Meatball42 correctly assumed. However, I like the use of colors in story so I'm sure if you pay attention, you'll find more references throughout that mention the titled colors…

"Please, Evan!" Hank cries as his brother slowly slumps forward in his arms. He tightens his grip around Evan's chest to prevent him crumpling over further when suddenly Evan's whole body goes rigid. Another second later, more black vomit comes spewing from his mouth to soak the bedding on his lap. Snapped back into consciousness, he sucks in a sputtering breath before heaving up even more bloody bile. Relieved, Hank continues to brace Evan with one arm and gently lays his free hand on Evan's back.

"That's it, let it all out," he coaxes as Evan begins to regain control over his gag reflex and his breathing. A nurse taps Hank on the shoulder.

"Sir, if we could get in-"

"No!" Evan chokes out, then more calmly, "Please. Just, let him stay."

"But, Mr. Lawson, we need to check you over, and clean your bedding," the nurse protests.

Hank, still with one hand on Evan's back, steps away just a little. "You can do that with me standing here."

Evan and Hank both look at the nurse, the same pleading gaze in their eyes, and the nurse finally gives in. "Oh, fine – keep an eye on his vitals while you're at it, Dr. Hank."

"Way ahead of you," he says before turning his attention back to Evan. He grabs a wet wipe off the table by the bed and carefully cleans the blood off of Evan's face. "Looks like your nose stopped bleeding. Here, let's get your oxygen tube back in…" He reaches for the tube and begins to move it back towards Evan's nose.

Evan weakly pushes Hank's hands away. "I'm okay, I don't need it."

"Your face was turning blue - you need it. And you're not okay. I can feel you shaking." He fits the tube back into Evan's nostrils, who doesn't bother putting up any more of a fight.

"I'm not shaky because I'm scared or anything, you know," he mumbles, "My body's just tired from all the choking and the puking. Can I lay back down, now?" He flicks his eyes back up at Hank, who is still bracing him up in a sitting position. Hank nods, easing Evan back down against the pillows as he raises the angle of the bed up a little steeper.

"This isn't going to be as comfortable, but it should help keep you from choking again," he explains.

"It's fine - I'm so tired right now I could fall asleep on a rock," Evan mutters, letting his eyes fall shut. He lets out a shaky breath as the nurses finish replacing his blankets and, satisfied that he's out of danger, leave him in Hank's care. As Hank steps back to push the chairs back against the bedside, Evan's eyes snap back open, his body only relaxing again when he sees what Hank is doing. "You are planning on sticking around, right? I mean, just in case…" He can't seem to find the words to finish the sentence, and looks away sheepishly.

Hank settles back into his chair and pats Evan's arm. "I'll be right here keeping an eye on you. Just get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Evan nods, breathing out a wavering sigh as he allows himself to relax into sleep, once again.

"Knock, knock," Charlie says as he raps lightly on the doorframe.

Hank sleepily looks up, eyes a little bloodshot.

"Ooh," Charlie cringes, "Didn't sleep, huh? I heard you had a little trouble with the patient last night?"

Hank wipes a hand over his face. "It was stupid - I should have thought about the possibility of choking sooner. If I hadn't been here…"

"The machines would have alerted the staff and someone would have still come running in to take care of it," Charlie reminds him. "Besides, I shouldn't have to tell you how quickly the body tends to expel liquids from the lungs…barring being submersed under water for long periods of time, of course."

"He was losing consciousness," Hank points out.

"But you didn't have to administer CPR. He threw it up, right?"

Hank looks away, nodding his head, "Yes, he threw it up."

Charlie slaps him on the back. "Then there you go – nothing to go blaming yourself for."

Evan stirs in the bed, and eyes still closed, asks quietly, "Blame yourself for what?"

Hank smiles a tiny bit. "Nothing. How do you feel?"

"Why do people even bother asking that question? I mean, I could say better, but I think you'd know I would just be telling you that to make you feel better." He opens his eyes and looks at Hank. "Or is that the point?"

Hank's smile suddenly falls away as he looks at Evan, then back up at Charlie. "Am I seeing that right?" he asks.

"What? What's wrong?" Evan asks.

Charlie moves around the other side of the bed and pulls out his pen light. "Way to be subtle, Doctor," he smarts off at Hank as he leans forward. "Evan, why don't you look over here for a sec."

"Who are you?" Evan asks, looking skeptically at Charlie.

"Well, since I hear you fired your last doctor, I'm his replacement. You can call me Charlie," he explains, shining the light briefly in Evan's eyes before looking back across the bed at Hank. "Just a little bit, but it's there," he confirms.

Evan looks back and forth from Hank to Charlie, and finally settles on Hank. "What's there?" he asks.

"There's a yellow pigment in your eyes," Hank explains slowly. "It's jaundice – a sign that the virus has reached your liver."

"Oh," is all Evan says for a second, then shrugs at Hank. "Well, I mean, it's not like we didn't see this coming, right? And your eyes look like crap, too, by the way."

Charlie smiles, "He's got a point there – you do kinda look like crap."

Evan frowns up at Charlie and pushes himself up a little more to a sitting position. "Whoa, now listen, Dr. – what was your name again?"

"Just call me Charlie."

"Right, Charlie, well when it comes to insulting my brother, I'm the only one who-" he cuts himself off and cocks his head a little to the side, "Wait, you're not Jill's Charlie are you?"

"Uh, yeah, that would be me," Charlie nods.

Evan glances over at Hank. "Oh no, nope, not happenin'. You gotta find me someone else."

"Evan, there is no one else," Hank explains, "He's the only doctor here who's treated yellow fever cases before. We're lucky to have him."

Evan leans towards Hank and drops his voice down to a low whisper, "But, Hank, what about-"

"Don't argue with me on this, Evan. I personally asked him for his help, and you will cooperate with him, understand?"

"Hank-"

"Do you understand?" Hank asks again, a little more firm.

Evan nods, a little reluctantly, but the appreciative grin on Hank's face signals his satisfaction.

"…Okay..." Charlie says a bit awkwardly, "If you boys are done, I'd like to go ahead and conduct my examination, with your permission, of course."

"Sure, go ahead," Evan mumbles, "It'll at least give Hank a chance to grab some coffee or, better yet, take a nap or something."

"I'm not leaving," Hank shakes his head.

This time it's Evan turn to give Hank a hard look. "You're not gonna do me any good if you make yourself sick. Take a break – you said yourself I'm in the best hands, after all."

"I'll look after him, Hank" Charlie assures him.

Hank thinks for a second, then nods his head before slowly standing up. "I'll be back in a little bit," he tells Evan, "Behave yourself."

"Don't I always?" Evan says with an innocent grin, and Hank playfully rolls his eyes as he heads out of the room.

Hank stares at the black liquid in his cup with disgust.

"Fly in your coffee?" Divya asks, suddenly appearing at his side out of nowhere. Not expecting her, Hank jumps just a little and laughs.

"No, no fly. It's just, it's so dark…and black…and thick…"

Divya nods. "Ah, I see where this is going. I don't suppose I'd be able to drink it, either, after last night's incident." She crosses her arms and glares at Hank. "Which I didn't find out about until I got here ten minutes ago. Why, exactly, didn't anyone call me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Divya. It all just happened so fast, and when it was all over, it didn't really seem necessary to call you since he was out of the danger zone. I thought you could use some sleep."

Her tone softens. "You're the one who could use some sleep, Hank. You look like crap."

"Yeah, I keep hearing that…"

"And you're going to keep hearing it until you rest. He's only in his second day out of what could be two weeks. You can't expect to continue like this for that long. The last thing Evan needs is for you to get sick, too."

Hank squints his eyes at her. "He said that to me, too, right after telling me I looked like crap."

"Evan and I having the exact same conversation with you? The world must be coming to an end."

Hank laughs. "Or it's the universe sending me a sign. Maybe I should listen and take that nap, after all."

"I think that'd be a good idea. I find the concept of me absently mimicking your brother to be rather disturbing."

They both laugh as Hank pours out his coffee.

Jill sits at her desk, phone pressed to her ear. She sighs when she hears an answering machine pick up. She waits for the beep before continuing.

"Hi, Mr. Wellham, this is Dr. Jill Casey from-"

A male voice cuts her off. "Sorry, sorry, I'm here. This is Frank Wellham. What can I do you for, doc?"

"Oh, hi, Mr. Wellham-"

"Frank."

"Right. Frank. Anyway, this may seem like an odd question, but-"

"Did the post office tell you to call me? I told them not to bother, told 'em I was fine."

Jill sits up in her chair. "Fine? Frank, have you been sick?"

"Yeah, just got me a little bit of a flu bug, is all. I'm just about over it now, though, so I don't need no doctor, thank you."

"Frank, I need you to listen me, and don't interrupt. You need to come down to Hampton's Heritage right away…"

A/N: And the plot thickens…Oh, and don't worry, I'm not planning on having a new chapter per each day Evan's sick – that'd take too long! The pacing will pick up here very soon…