"We call it the 'mind fever.' It sweeps through our population every few years, killing many before it can finally be contained. We cannot predict when it will strike, as we do not know what causes it."
Janet listened attentively to Brom's words, knowing that everything she learned about this illness could be crucial towards finding a cure. "You haven't noticed any kind of pattern at all? No common event that might set it off? A set amount of time between outbreaks?"
Brom shook his head in reply to each question.
Janet sighed in frustration. "How does it manifest itself?" she asked.
"Manifest...?" Brom repeated in confusion.
"The symptoms. What happens when a person contracts this... 'mind fever'?"
Brom nodded once in understanding. "Weakness at first... a feeling of exhaustion. This is why the first case seems to come upon us without warning. The victim is contagious before they know they are ill, as most believe they are only tired, or perhaps coming down with a mild virus.
"The mind fever itself comes on quickly, with no sign as to its approach. One moment the person seems fine, and the next... screaming. Then they fall to the ground as though they are dead. When they awaken, they talk of strange things - images no one else can see; sounds no one else can hear. They believe they are somewhere else, most often a frightening moment from their past. They talk as though they are there. Their mind goes out of control, throwing memories at them as though they are real." Brom hesitated, swallowing hard as if a lump had formed in his throat.
"Please, go on," Janet encouraged him.
"Then comes the fever. Their bodies become so hot, yet they shiver as with cold. Many die at this stage, but for those who live... the worst is yet to come. Painful sores, muscle spasms, severe pain, seizures... and through it all, their minds continue to feed them wrong information. They think those that are trying to help them are trying to do them harm. They describe seeing terrible things that I can hardly imagine. Those who die at this point do so with screams that haunt my dreams forever after."
Janet couldn't hold back a shudder at the thought of Daniel experiencing such things, but she managed to keep her voice steady as she asked, "Some survive beyond that point?"
Brom nodded slowly. "Some. But those who do are forever altered. Their minds never recover, though their bodies might. None who have experienced the 'mind fever' live longer than a year after. They do not know their own families... all they know is the fear and the invisible enemies they believe surround them at all times. None can live that way for long. In the end, they take their own lives."
Janet refused to believe that this was a no-win situation. "So, you have no idea what causes it, and you have no idea how to treat it," she mused aloud, staring absently down at her hands. She turned the information she'd been given over and over in her mind. "Hallucinations, high fever, sores, muscle pain, seizures... lies dormant for years and suddenly rears its ugly head again with no warning... causes permanent brain damage in those who survive..." She turned back to Brom, who was studying her curiously. "How contagious is it? Does it seem to be passed from one person to the next through the air, or does it require physical contact...?"
"We believe it is passed through close physical contact. Even then, not everyone who comes in contact with one who is ill contracts the disease."
"Really?" Janet sat up straighter in her chair at this word of hope.
Brom nodded emphatically. "Some, like myself, appear to be immune. Others may avoid contracting it one time, but succumb the next..."
Janet was almost bouncing in her seat by this time, and cut Brom off mid-sentence. "You're immune? You're sure?"
"Yes, I have worked as a healer for many years, come in contact with the 'mind fever' many times, but it does not affect me."
"Do you mind if I take a sample of your blood? I might be able to find the cure if I can find out what causes your immunity." She jumped up from her seat as she spoke, grabbing her med kit before Brom even had a chance to answer.
'Where there is immunity, there is hope,' she thought to herself. 'Just hang on, Daniel.'
Daniel glanced at his watch, surprised to see that he'd only been locked in this room for an hour. It felt more like a day. Or more.
There were only five people left in the room with him now. The rest had all been taken away, but only after uttering the most blood curdling screams he'd ever heard and then falling unconscious. He certainly wasn't looking forward to it being his turn.
He buried his face in his arms again, not wanting to watch his companions pacing back and forth, wringing their hands. Every now and then, one of them would give a choked cry or a moan of despair. They knew what lay ahead of them. This illness was not unknown to them. In fact, it seemed to be the biggest fear of these people as a whole, and it was coming true.
Daniel knew what it was like to go crazy, and he knew what it was like to die a slow and painful death. Neither experience was one he wanted to relive.
Suddenly feeling a hand grasp his arm, Daniel just about jumped out of his socks. He looked up to find one of his frightened companions squatting beside him, his eyes wide with near panic.
"You and your friends... you will save us?" the man asked desperately.
"I...I don't know," Daniel stammered, wishing he could honestly give the man the answer he wanted. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
The man gave a piteous groan. "My wife... she is dying, and I cannot go to her!"
"I'm sorry."
He seemed to sense that Daniel was earnest in his apology, and gave him an appreciative half-smile. "Still, it may be alright in the end," he said, obviously trying to make himself believe it. "We will soon be together again... won't we?"
Daniel's heart ached at the wistful look in the other man's eyes. "Yes," he said gently. "I believe you will."
The man seemed content with that thought. He stood up and crossed to the other side of the room, where he then sat down to wait.
His words had struck a chord with Daniel. How often had he consoled himself over the years since Sha're's death with the thought that he would see her again someday? How often had he faced death with no fear, believing that she would be waiting for him on the other side?
Why was that thought not comforting him now?
He knew the answer to that question before he even thought it. He had often heard it said that he who does not fear death has nothing to live for. He knew now that it was true - he didn't want to die because he didn't want to leave Janet. He didn't want her to go through the grief he had experienced at the loss of Sha're. And, on a more selfish note, he didn't want to go anywhere that he couldn't see her face or hear her voice every single day.
He did not want to die!
Daniel could feel a sob rising in his throat and he fought to hold it back. He couldn't break down - not yet. He knew it would come eventually, whether he liked it or not. Until then, he had to be strong. Janet was here, in this building. He had seen her at the observation window minutes earlier, and he knew she was already working hard at finding a cure. He also knew, however, that even if she did find a cure, it would be too late to do him any good. He didn't want her to remember him as a blubbering mess. He wanted whatever moments they might still have together to be as pain free for her as possible.
He didn't even look up this time as a piercing shriek burst forth from one of his companions. He kept his head down as he heard the door opening, the rustle of people wearing protective gear rushing in, and the anxious questions each of his four remaining roommates rattled off at whoever had come to take the infected person away. He'd seen it play out a dozen times already. He didn't need to see it again.
To his surprise, after he heard the door close he again felt a hand on his arm, although this time the touch was soft and light, not a panicked grasp. He looked up, hoping but not daring to believe it was who he thought it was.
It was.
"Janet?"
"Hey, Daniel. How are you holding up?"
Her voice was muffled through the hazmat mask, but it was still the most welcome sound he had ever heard. "I'm..." He was about to say that he was fine, but then he realized how stupid that would sound given his situation. "I'm hanging in there," he finished, forcing a tiny smile.
He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw tears fill her eyes at his statement. "Good," she said, returning the smile and squeezing his arm. "That's all I ask of you right now, Daniel. Just keep on hanging in there, okay? We're working on finding a cure for this thing, but it's going to take time."
Despite his feeling that he wouldn't be getting out of this situation alive, just knowing that Janet was here and that she seemed confident that she could find a cure filled him with a sense of comfort and peace. For the first time since he had seen that poor little girl pass out hours earlier, he felt able to relax and let go of the heavy weight that had formed around his heart. He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, his smile still in place. "I will. I promise."
A look of fear passed across Janet's face momentarily as his eyes began to droop. "Daniel? Are you feeling alright?"
Daniel suddenly remembered that the first symptom of the illness was exhaustion, and he realized how it must look that he had suddenly relaxed and come close to drifting off to sleep. He quickly lifted his head and said, "Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry, I haven't shown any symptoms yet."
Janet gave a heavy sigh of relief. "That's good, because I just found out that not everyone who comes in contact with the afflicted catches this illness. In fact, Brom told me that he and a few others are immune."
"That's great."
"Yeah, it is. So, I'd like to take a sample of your blood to see if you've contracted the virus or not. Is that okay?"
"Of course." Daniel slipped his arm out of the sleeve of his jacket while Janet fished in her med kit for a needle. He was wearing a t-shirt, which certainly made things like this easier.
He held his arm out and watched as Janet tied the rubber band around his bicep, rubbed an alcohol wipe over the crook of his elbow, located a vein, and inserted the needle. He watched her face as his blood began to fill the tube. She was so intent on her work that she didn't even seem to notice his attention. He was glad of that - it was so much nicer to admire her without her knowledge.
And admire her he did. Ever since they had first met, he had been impressed by her grace in the most harrowing situations, and he had never been able to ignore the beauty of her dark eyes and trim, petite figure. It was at times like these - when she was caring for the sick and dying, and basically doing what she did best - that her inner beauty shone through more than ever, and transformed her into the closest thing to his idea of an angel that Daniel had ever seen.
His love for her was overwhelming, and he hated the thought that this might be the last time he would see her before he lost his mind and died. There was so much he needed to say to her first. Too many words had been left unspoken, and there was so much they had never had a chance to do together.
Once the blood was drawn, a bandage placed over the puncture mark, and Janet was putting everything back into her kit, he reached out a hand and touched her arm.
She looked up from what she was doing and turned her full attention onto him. His love for her must have been written all over his face, because her expression changed in an instant from one of duty-driven detachment to one of heartbroken love and empathy.
"Janet," he began quietly, not wanting to be overheard by the others in the room, "this might be the last chance I get to say some things to you, so..."
"No, Daniel, it's not..."
"Please." He raised a finger, motioning for her to stop talking. "Please, just... let me say this, okay?"
She nodded, so he took a deep breath and continued.
"Janet, no matter what happens... I want you to know that I don't regret coming here, and I don't regret helping that little girl. I don't want you to regret it, either. I know you'll find some way to help these people, but if it doesn't come in time to save me, it's alright." He hesitated for a moment, but at Janet's nod he continued. "I also... I don't regret... our time together."
He felt a tremor pass through Janet's body through the hand that still rested on her arm. "I don't either," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
A sad smile flickered across his face, but he then turned serious again. "I only regret that we'll be separated so soon. I don't want you to have to watch me die. Not again."
Janet shook her head firmly. "It doesn't have to come to that, Daniel. These people don't have the technology or medicines we have. I'm positive we can be of help to them, if only to make the sick more comfortable throughout the illness so that they'll be strong enough to fight through it. You are not going to die."
Daniel smiled fondly at her passionate response. "I thought you might say something like that."
"It's the truth, Daniel. I won't let it happen." Her voice caught on the last word as she tried to rein in her emotions.
Daniel simply gazed at her for a long moment, and when he finally spoke the words came straight from his heart.
"I love you, Janet."
There was so much more that he wanted to say, but he found himself unable to say any more than that. It was, however, enough.
Janet laid her gloved hand on his cheek. "I love you, too. Just keep your promise to me, okay? Hang in there."
Daniel was about to reply when a voice from behind Janet reminded them that they were not alone.
"Dr. Fraiser? We're done collecting the blood samples. Where do you want us to take them?"
Janet stood up at the sound of her name and turned her attention onto the medics standing expectantly by the door. "Brom is setting up a lab in a room at the end of the hall," she replied. "Take the samples down there. I'll be with you in a moment."
The medics nodded and signaled to the people in the observation room that they were ready to leave. Once they were gone, Janet turned back to Daniel.
"I'll let you know the results of the tests once I get them," she promised. "And if you're going to be in here a while, I'll see what I can do about bringing in cots for everyone."
Daniel glanced at his watch and grimaced. "I don't think you really need to worry about that, Janet," he said, giving her a meaningful look.
Janet either didn't hear the comment, or refused to acknowledge it. "See you later," she said as she signaled to be let out of the room.
Daniel watched her leave, feeling as though his soul was leaving with her. "Goodbye."
To be continued...