Hey Ya'll! Thanks for reviewin' already! :)

To Bean02: Yes, I find much pleasure in torturing Stephen, it is very entertaining....lol ;) We do need some more friendship pieces don't we. I like them a lot.

To TLC: Yes I am back!! I will fill this story with angsty goodness, don't worry! ;)

To I am not quiet sure who you are, sorry :): Yeah, you are my first reviewer you win!!!! Five months, I know that is very sad.

Enjoy

Stephen woke up damp from a cold sweat and trembling with fever. His eyes wouldn't focus, as the room seemed to be spinning. He carefully pulled himself out of his hammock and steadied himself before proceeding to a mirror. He frowned when he saw that he as paler by at least two shades and that his eyes had very unattractive circles under his eyes.

He groaned and fell back into a chair at his table. He looked over at his wounded arm and saw that the bandage that he had put on last night was coming off. He carefully unwrapped the covering to find a very ugly sight. Not only had the bite become a huge bump on his arm, but the flesh surrounding it was now a nasty shade of purple.

"Beautiful," Stephen muttered to himself, "just beautiful." He reached over and took some salve and fresh bandages and gently mended his wound. He sighed and looked to the ceiling where just above him the crew was rushing around to get their jobs complete and the boom of Jack's commanding voice could be heard yelling out for someone to do something. At this sound, Stephen put his better hand to his now throbbing head.

"Uhk," he moaned, "I don't feel my best today and Jack's voice isn't making it better." Stephen moved his hand to the other side of his face and caught a glimpse of his clothing that he had put out the night before. "I better get dressed and go up on deck or Jack will start to wonder."

Stephen put his shirt and vest on skillfully avoiding his puncture, slipped on his breaches, and looked once more into the mirror.

"Nothing to noticeable, only a trained eye could see that I am ill," Stephen thought aloud. He took out his handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat off of his face. 'I'll be fine if I just keep cleaning it, I'll be fine.'

Stephen walked out onto the deck to be met with the blinding light of the sun. He shaded his eyes to see that the men were scrambling around with different tasks to do, each saying good morning as they passed by. Stephen walked out a bit more, still covering his eyes from the light and looked around to see where Jack was.

"Good morning Stephen!" Jack's unmistakable voice bellowed from above. Stephen looked up and saw that Jack was climbing down a latter from on of the sails. Jack, with a mischievous smile, jumped down the rest of the steps, which was only about five, and landed with a loud thump. "I was beginning to think that you would never wake up."

Stephen smiled back at him and used the strongest voice he could muster, "Well it's good to see you being active this morning. I wonder has the breakfast been eaten completely or are there a few scraps left."

"I haven't eaten yet, my dear, I have been waiting for you." Jack looked Stephen up and down and asked, "Are you okay? You seem a bit paler than usual."

"Oh, soul," Stephen replied quickly, "I am fine, nothing to worry about." 'Am I that noticeable paler?' Stephen thought.

Jack gave Stephen a suspicious look and said, "Stephen, I have known you to lie about your well being. You said you fine after you were shot in the stomach. Come now, tell what ails you."

"Joy," Stephen chuckled nervously, "I am just fine, thank you." Jack was still baring that glare into Stephen. "Now as for breakfast," Stephen said, trying to change the subject.

Jack sighed, knowing that the doctor was going to be stubborn and not tell him, and took the closest of Stephen's arms as to escort him to his cabin. When he did this, he noticed that Stephen took in a sharp, painful breath and tensed up. Jack glimpsed over at Stephen to find that his friend was grimacing with pain. 'I'll just have to attend to this in the cabin,' Jack thought, 'I'll find out what's wrong with him there."

The two men walked into the cabin to find that breakfast was waiting for them. Stephen took a step forward, but was stopped by Jack's forceful grip.

"What is wrong with your arm?" Jack queried, "Don't deny it; I saw how you paled when I touched it."

Stephen looked panicked. "It is nothing Jack. I am taking care of it, don't worry."

Jack still didn't let go but instead tightened his grip. "I have to worry Stephen, you are my friend and if you are hurt, I must know about it. I don't need you to be limping around the ship now do I?"

Stephen sighed. "I was bitten by a bug. It is just a bug bite," Stephen muttered.

"That must have been some bug from the look of pain on your face." Jack let go of his arm and requested, "Let me see it. I want to see this bite of yours."

Stephen hesitantly rolled up his sleeve and showed the bandage. "Go on then," Jack urged. Stephen unraveled the bandage and held out his arm.

"Dear Lord Stephen!" Jack cried, "That looks horrible! Maybe you should get Higgins to take a look at that."

Stephen snorted. "What good would that do? He isn't even a doctor; he just pulls teeth, for Christ's sake! I can take care of myself Jack, don't worry."

Jack's face was still fixed with horror and continued, "I don't know Stephen that looks pretty nasty. What kind of bug was that...?"

Jack's voice was now but a distant rambling to Stephen. The room was now going in and out of his focus and he began to wobble. His head became heavy and he couldn't keep his eyes open. "Jack..." he murmured and with a loud thump, fainted onto the ground.

TBC