Malone woke up early the next morning. He had been asleep for over
twelve hours. He couldn't remember the last time he slept so well, or so
deeply. Over the last few months, he had learned to sleep on his guard
with his weapon positioned beside him. Apparently, all of those nights of
light slumber had finally caught up to him. He had been living off of his
instincts, much like Veronica always had. Veronica. Though the
circumstances left much to be desired, he loved waking up with her in his
arms. She was so beautiful, so wonderful. She was...she was burning up!!
"Oh my God," Malone said, as he sat up and turned Veronica onto her back. Her face was flushed, and her hair was slightly damp with perspiration. Malone bounded out of bed and out into the living room. "Challenger!" His shout startled Marguerite and Roxton, who had been asleep, nestled together on the couch and still in yesterday's clothes.
"Malone, what's wrong?" Marguerite asked, sitting up.
"It's Veronica. She has a fever. Where's Challenger?"
"He's in the lab," Roxton answered. Malone sprinted down to the first floor of the tree house, leaving the other two confused.
"A fever?" Marguerite said. "But last night she was ice cold."
"Yes, well, we'd best go check on her," Roxton replied, helping her to her feet.
"Challenger?"
"Malone, what is it?" Challenger asked, looking up from his work.
"Veronica. She has a fever. It's all my fault, Challenger. I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I should have stayed awake, and checked on her through the night."
"I expected this might happen."
"What do you mean you expected it? She could be dying up there!"
"Malone, calm down. First of all, this fever is not your fault. Being subjected to your body heat helped produce the fever, and believe it or not, probably saved Veronica's life. See Malone, fever is our body's best defense mechanism. It helps us fight off infections and regulate our body temperature. I did every test I could think of on the sample I took of Veronica's blood. It doesn't look like she has an infection. I think she went through a tremendous ordeal during that storm, and her body is trying to readjust to normal conditions. In the meantime, I sent Finn out to find some plants that will help keep her comfortable, and others that will help draw out the fever if that becomes necessary. Right now, my best advice is to try to keep her comfortable, and let the fever run its course. Come on, let's go and see what we can do. Finn should be back any minute.
"The poor thing, she's burning up," Marguerite said, with her hand on Veronica's forehead.
"Yes. Perhaps we should get some of these covers off of her," Roxton suggested.
"How's the patient," Challenger asked, as he and Malone joined them in Veronica's room.
"She has a very high temperature," Marguerite answered. "We were just going to get some of these covers off of her to make her more comfortable."
"That's a good idea," Challenger replied. "But keep them close at hand. As her fever runs its course, she may get a little chilled again from time to time, though not nearly as severe as she was last night."
"Challenger? Marguerite? Where is everyone," Finn called.
"In here, Finn," Challenger answered.
"We really need to fix that elevator soon. It's a hard climb up here, especially with a sack full of plants and herbs. How is she?" Finn asked.
"It's as I suspected. She's feverish now. Finn, if you would, please go down to the lab and get the rest of the supplies. Do you think you could handle making the poultice alone?"
"Sure, Challenger. I'll be fine."
"Good. Make the poultice, and put a small amount on a cloth on her forehead. Make sure she stays comfortable. I think it's time the rest of us talked about what went on here yesterday."
"No problem, Challenger. I'll take good care of Vee!"
Finn headed down to the lab, and Marguerite and Roxton went out to the living room. Challenger saw Malone's hesitation.
"I can assure you, Malone, Finn will take excellent care of Veronica. I know that you aren't aware of her story yet, something we will remedy once this has passed, but I can tell you that she thinks of Veronica as a sister."
Malone looked at Veronica, and then at Challenger. "Ok. But, as soon as we're done talking things over, I'm coming back here to take care of her."
"Duly noted," Challenger said as Malone followed him out of the room.
"Oh my God," Malone said, as he sat up and turned Veronica onto her back. Her face was flushed, and her hair was slightly damp with perspiration. Malone bounded out of bed and out into the living room. "Challenger!" His shout startled Marguerite and Roxton, who had been asleep, nestled together on the couch and still in yesterday's clothes.
"Malone, what's wrong?" Marguerite asked, sitting up.
"It's Veronica. She has a fever. Where's Challenger?"
"He's in the lab," Roxton answered. Malone sprinted down to the first floor of the tree house, leaving the other two confused.
"A fever?" Marguerite said. "But last night she was ice cold."
"Yes, well, we'd best go check on her," Roxton replied, helping her to her feet.
"Challenger?"
"Malone, what is it?" Challenger asked, looking up from his work.
"Veronica. She has a fever. It's all my fault, Challenger. I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I should have stayed awake, and checked on her through the night."
"I expected this might happen."
"What do you mean you expected it? She could be dying up there!"
"Malone, calm down. First of all, this fever is not your fault. Being subjected to your body heat helped produce the fever, and believe it or not, probably saved Veronica's life. See Malone, fever is our body's best defense mechanism. It helps us fight off infections and regulate our body temperature. I did every test I could think of on the sample I took of Veronica's blood. It doesn't look like she has an infection. I think she went through a tremendous ordeal during that storm, and her body is trying to readjust to normal conditions. In the meantime, I sent Finn out to find some plants that will help keep her comfortable, and others that will help draw out the fever if that becomes necessary. Right now, my best advice is to try to keep her comfortable, and let the fever run its course. Come on, let's go and see what we can do. Finn should be back any minute.
"The poor thing, she's burning up," Marguerite said, with her hand on Veronica's forehead.
"Yes. Perhaps we should get some of these covers off of her," Roxton suggested.
"How's the patient," Challenger asked, as he and Malone joined them in Veronica's room.
"She has a very high temperature," Marguerite answered. "We were just going to get some of these covers off of her to make her more comfortable."
"That's a good idea," Challenger replied. "But keep them close at hand. As her fever runs its course, she may get a little chilled again from time to time, though not nearly as severe as she was last night."
"Challenger? Marguerite? Where is everyone," Finn called.
"In here, Finn," Challenger answered.
"We really need to fix that elevator soon. It's a hard climb up here, especially with a sack full of plants and herbs. How is she?" Finn asked.
"It's as I suspected. She's feverish now. Finn, if you would, please go down to the lab and get the rest of the supplies. Do you think you could handle making the poultice alone?"
"Sure, Challenger. I'll be fine."
"Good. Make the poultice, and put a small amount on a cloth on her forehead. Make sure she stays comfortable. I think it's time the rest of us talked about what went on here yesterday."
"No problem, Challenger. I'll take good care of Vee!"
Finn headed down to the lab, and Marguerite and Roxton went out to the living room. Challenger saw Malone's hesitation.
"I can assure you, Malone, Finn will take excellent care of Veronica. I know that you aren't aware of her story yet, something we will remedy once this has passed, but I can tell you that she thinks of Veronica as a sister."
Malone looked at Veronica, and then at Challenger. "Ok. But, as soon as we're done talking things over, I'm coming back here to take care of her."
"Duly noted," Challenger said as Malone followed him out of the room.