(AN: Hello, friends from the insane asylum! I finally got around to writing the next chapter. It took me about a month. Okay, the actual writing of it took about two hours or so, if that, but… I don't know if I'll be able to update for awhile, and I'm sorry it's a cliffhanger, but I have guild, a piano recital, and a dance recital coming up. Oh yeah, and a band concert. And if I'm not practicing for that, something comes up for either Job's Daughters or church. But I got to finish it now because today is the last day of blessed spring break! If I don't update in the next four months or so, email me and yell at me. If I don't reply, then assume I'm dead. Okay, enjoy the chapter.)

Now, Dot was usually a very happy baby, considering her place in life. But soon after Wakko started talking, Dot became quieter and lazier. She would spend much of her days just sitting and watching people walk by. Her fever hadn't left. In fact, it had become worse.

Yakko's worst fears were confirmed-Dot was sick. He didn't even know how bad it was. All he could do was place his hand against her burning hot forehead and listen to her muffled moans.

Yakko didn't know what to do. He fed her as much as he could, and kept her as comfortable as possible, but Dot's condition continued to worsen. And as hers did, Yakko's did too, out of stress and worry.

Dot had been in a fitful sleep, but she woke up to the slow pain that was burning in her body. Yakko, who had been holding her, put his hand on her forehead for about the twentieth time that day.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked.

"Yes," lied Dot. She heard footsteps behind her, and saw her other brother with a grocery bag.

"Here you go," said Wakko, reaching into his sack and pulling out a box of Cheerios. "I know how much you like these, and there's enough for all of us to share." He opened the box and gave a handful to Dot. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," murmured Dot, eating some of the cereal.

Wakko sighed. "Don't lie to me."

Dot glared at him, but said nothing.

"Is she lying?" asked Yakko weakly.

"Just look at her," said Wakko. "I shouldn't be the only one to see. She certainly doesn't look any better."

"I just don't know what…" Yakko stopped in surprise. Wakko's hand was on Yakko's forehead.

~You've kinda got a fever too,~ thought Wakko. ~You could use a break.~

"Maybe I could, but I can't. Dot needs me."

~No, she only needs somebody. Who isn't necessarily you. Here,~ Wakko thought as he took Dot from Yakko, ~I'll take care of her. You just rest.~

"But…" protested Yakko.

"I can take care of her," said Wakko a little angrily. "I'm not a baby."

Yakko tried to argue some more, but his words were cut short with a huge yawn. Wakko laughed.

"See? You're tired. Just sleep. I've had a good night's sleep for the past few weeks. You haven't."

Wakko paused. He wasn't as good with words as Yakko was, and he wasn't sure if that was enough to convince him. He turned and looked at his older brother. He was already asleep.

"Hm. That was easy," he mused to himself, and sat down by a tree. That night, the siblings were staying in a small public park.

He sat Dot down next to him. She took in a raspy breath and leaned up against the tree, her dull eyes looking skyward.

Wakko sighed. "You should try to sleep."

"Not sleepy," said Dot with a yawn.

"Jeez, you're as bad of a liar as Yakko is!" laughed Wakko. He looked at Dot and grew serious again. "It's because you're in pain, isn't it?"

A tear trickled down Dot's face. "Yes," she whispered.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Dot sniffled. "Don't want Yakko know," she said, in her short fragmented sentences. "He… he sad enough…."

Wakko nodded. "I understand. But he should know. We just want you to feel better." He looked up at the stars and he had a funny feeling in his stomach.

More than one funny feeling, actually.

"Aahhh… Dot, I really have to go potty," said Wakko. "And I think I'd better take you with me."

Dot looked surprised, then giggled. Usually, during their bathroom breaks, her brothers would go in one at a time, so there was always one of them watching her. But since Yakko was asleep…

"Yeah… not in the actual stall though. But in the boys' bathroom."

"Not stall?" wondered Dot. "What if use urinal?"

Wakko stood up, grabbed Dot by the arm, and led her to the nearest McDonald's. "Who told you about urinals? I'm sure it wasn't me."

"Was Yakko, DUH," said Dot in a sassy manner. She laughed and drew in another painful-sounding breath. "Said pee standing up. No walls."

"When did he tell you this?" muttered Wakko. "Oh, never mind. I am not going to use a urinal!"

Wakko opened the door, led Dot to the men's bathroom, and did his business. As they were leaving, Wakko looked at some kids who were obviously having a birthday party.

"Here you go kids!" said Ronald McDonald, giving each kid a balloon.

Dot looked disgusted. "What that?"

Wakko pulled Dot a little closer to him. "I don't know, but I don't like it. Come on, let's get outta here."

Ronald was still smiling crazily. "And you can also get… THIS!" He whipped out a gun started firing it at the kids.

"Gun!" screamed Dot.

"Aaahhhh!" screamed Wakko in pure terror. "We hafta get outta here fast!"

All the other kids were, of course, screaming too. Ronald laughed, a mixture between crazy and evil. "You can run, but you can't hide!"

Unfortunately, he was standing right by the door that Wakko wanted to exit from. Ronald snarled at Wakko. "You can't get out of here that easily, puppy dog!"

He fired his gun.

"Aaaaahhhhh! Owwwwww!" cried Wakko (don't worry, Ronald only got his leg, but Wakko was still in a lot of pain). The deranged clown was still staring at him with blood-shot eyes. Then he turned his attention to Dot. The toddler was still halfway in Wakko's arms, but of course, she had fallen when he had.

Wakko pulled her tighter to him. "Don't hurt my sister!" he cried. All the birthday party kids screamed. They were all about six or seven years old, and they felt somewhat maternal instincts over the three-year-old and toddler that were in danger.

Terrified, Dot's head slumped back, and her eyes rolled back in her skull.

"Put your hands up, you crazy clown!"

The police had arrived. Ronald surrendered, and the police led him away. The ambulance soon followed.

As the paramedics picked Wakko up, he was crying out in pain, and also that, "My sister… I think she's dead!"

The paramedics checked her breathing. "Did she get shot?" they asked Wakko.

"No…"

"She just lost consciousness," said one. He placed his hand against her forehead. "Yee-ouch!" he cried, pulling his hand away in pain. "Your sister has the highest fever I've ever seen! We'd better give her CPR!"

As he gave her the form of CPR administrated to infants, another medic asked Wakko. "Do you know your phone number? So we can call your parents?"

"I don't have parents," whimpered Wakko, the pain in his leg dulling his senses.

"Oh, come now," said the medic. Since Wakko was only three, the medic assumed that he wasn't telling the truth. Wakko sensed this, and felt cold fury rise up in him. "Surely you must have parents."

"My name's not Shirley, and I already told you--wait!" he cried. "My brother! He's in the park down there--he's probably still asleep--you need to get him!"

"Okay," said the medic, assuming that this brother must be much older than his two toddler siblings. "What does he look like?"

"Like me," said Wakko. "You know, dog-like." Wakko hated to call himself a dog, because he knew he wasn't one. Dogs didn't have red noses or fingers on their hands, nor did they walk upright. But he also knew that most people thought he was a dog. The second medic left.

The third was much more helpful, and helped Wakko ease the pain in his leg as they waited for the second to find Yakko.
"Hey kid!"

Yakko rubbed his eyes and tried to sit up. It hadn't seemed like he had been asleep that long. And who the heck was THAT guy?

As his eyes adjusted, he could see flashing red and blue lights everywhere and sirens were blaring. "What? What happened?"

The medic looked annoyed. "It was crazy. The guy in the Ronald McDonald suit went psycho and took out a gun. Didn't kill anybody--yet."

"What does this have to do with me?" asked Yakko crossly. "That was going to be the best night's sleep I'd had in awhile."

"Look around," said the medic. "Aren't you missing something?"

Yakko sighed. "I don't know what you're trying to prove, but sure, I'll look…" His voice broke suddenly. "Oh no," he moaned, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Where are my siblings?"

"Your brother got shot in the leg, and your sister--well, she didn't get shot, but she's extremely sick and unconscious. They're in the ambulance there. You'd better follow me."