A/N: Again, I am not a medical doctor, so what I will write about in this story is either gathered from the internet or made up on my own.
A/N #2: I'm so sorry that this chapter was so long in coming. I had a few problems with the chapter but then I got my second wind and was able to finish it; I just hope that it's still as good as the ones before it. And hope you'll all forgive me!
A/N #3: A huge, huge thank you again to the many people who left me reviews: Moon's Tear, MIlover92, sugarsnap591, Nix707, 702 Steelo, moonshine44, Arnold Summers, tinkerbell123, Teyla Sheppard, suicideblondie, Dancing By Myself, Annabelle Crane, FriendsHolic, Steelo, RaeAnne, Ellie, Maggi, JJScottishGirl and ollie-xox
Chapter Five
When Stephen stepped back inside the resort's ballroom, he was immediately approached by Eva and Miles.
"Is she going to be okay?" Eva asked quickly before Miles could say a word.
"She'll be fine as long as she gets enough rest," Stephen said. Guiltily, he pushed away the thought of Natalie and turned to look at Miles. "Any allergic reactions to the metric 21?"
"None so far," Miles answered. "It looks like Claire, the one you said was the first, is getting better somewhat."
"Is she awake?" Stephen asked. When Miles nodded, he started to walk over to her cot but then paused. "Do either of you know how to speak French?"
Surprised by the question, Miles and Eva glanced at each other before turning back to the doctor and shaking their heads.
"Claire is French," Stephen explained. "She doesn't know any English. Natalie was able to speak with her." He swore under his breath and then looked around the room. "Dr. Richards," he called reluctantly.
"Dr. Connor," the man said, walking up to the three.
"Can you or any of the people helping us here speak French? I want to speak with Claire since it appears that she is getting better," Stephen asked briskly.
"I'm sorry Dr. Connor," Dr. Richards said, shaking his head. "There were three people here who spoke French… They're with the sick."
Closing his eyes briefly, Stephen got a handle on his temper before he nodded. "I'll try and speak with her then," he said before brushing past Dr. Richards. As he walked towards the cot where Claire was laying, he could tell that the metric 21 had taken affect in most of the people. They were no longer thrashing wildly in delirium, which was a good sign. When he got to the little girl, he saw that she was struggling with the sheets that held her wrists and ankles to the cot.
"S'il vous plaît monsieur, pouvoir je prends ceux-ci de," Claire asked in a begging tone of voice, motioning to the bed sheets.
"Easy Claire," Stephen said. He quickly untied the four knots and then threw the sheets to the floor. He sat on the edge of the cot and then helped her sit up before he listened to her breathing for a few minutes. "Claire, now, I know that you probably won't understand me, but I need to try and ask you some questions," he began, hoping that maybe she had learned some English. "What did you do the day before you were sick?"
The little girl stared up at Stephen with wide green eyes and she shook her head whispering. "Je ne comprends pas monsieur," she said in a rough voice.
"Damn it Nat," Stephen muttered under his breath. "Why didn't I see you were sick?" He smiled slightly at Claire and then patted her on the arm before he stood up and went over to where Miles was speaking with one of the sick that spoke English.
"Any luck?" Miles asked as Stephen walked to him.
"No, I need Natalie," Stephen said, frowning. "That girl has to be the key to all this. But there's no way for me to speak with her…" He looked around them and then sighed. "I can't get her, but I can work on the blood that we've got from Claire. I'll be in the kitchen." He brushed past Miles and then past Eva, both who stopped to look at the angry and worried look on his face. When he walked inside the kitchens, he saw the way Natalie had left it; clean and neat; and shook his head. He walked over to the stood that was in front of the vials of blood, and started running the normal tests that his partner usually did.
Two hours after she had fainted, Natalie opened her eyes and sat up straight in bed. Even though she had been exhausted from her blood loss, that hadn't prevented her from having numerous nightmares. Her hands shaking, she pushed herself to the edge of the mattress and placed her feet on the floor.
"Nat, what are you doing?" a voice said as the door to the suite opened.
"Eva, where's Stephen," Natalie said.
"You need to get some rest," Eva said, trying to get Natalie to lie back down.
"I can't, I have to see Stephen," Natalie said, her voice getting more panicked. "He was unconscious and he got hurt in that accident."
"So did you Natalie," Eva said. "You need to lie down or else you'll faint again."
"That doesn't matter," Natalie said, standing up slowly. "Stephen has to be well to find out what we're working with."
"Natalie, please," Eva said, trying not to get frustrated at the doctor's stubbornness. "Stephen's alright, he hasn't been tired or fainting like you did. He wants you to rest so you'll be able to help him soon."
"Let. Me. Go. Eva," Natalie said in a low angry voice. She didn't even recognize her tone since she had never spoken that way before. She was surprised when Eva widened her eyes and then let go of her stepping away. "Eva, I-I-"
"I'll go get Stephen, that way you can see he's fine," Eva said calmly. "It'll take me a second." With that she quickly left the suite, slamming the door behind her.
Deeply exhaling, Natalie sat back down on the edge of the bed; feeling like her legs had turned to jelly. She hadn't meant to hurt Eva's feelings, but at the moment, Stephen was more important. Thinking about her partner, she forced herself to get back up and walked slowly over to a nearby box that was filled with various medical supplies. She wasn't sure if she needed them or not, but it was important to have them ready in case Stephen needed it for his wounds. As she pulled out some packets of gauze, she could feel her head spinning and she almost fell to the floor.
"Natalie!" Stephen said in surprise as he caught her under the arms and straightened her up. "Are you crazy? You're suffering from blood loss; you're supposed to be resting."
"Are you okay?" Natalie said, too weak to stop him from lifting her up in his arms and carrying her back over to the bed. "I haven't been able to change your bandages for a while and they need-"
"I can take care of that myself or have Miles do it," Stephen said quickly. "You need to rest and get better."
"I'm fine," Natalie said, only sitting on the bed when Stephen placed her there. "I did sleep for a while, now I'm ready to get back to help you and Miles."
"No," Stephen said sternly. "I'm not going to let you do that to yourself Nat. You need rest."
Natalie was quiet then and she watched as Stephen went back to the box that she had been looking through earlier. "Has anything happened since you brought me here?" she asked quietly.
"The French girl, Claire, is getting better it looks like," Stephen said, getting some gauze and then walking back to the bed. "Everyone else is still the same, except for a few here and there who are responding a little bit to the metric 21."
"How about Claire's mother?" Natalie asked anxiously. When Stephen frowned, her heart felt like it had dropped to her feet. "I hope to god she gets better. For Claire's sake."
"Nat, what does 'je ne comprends pas monsieur' mean?" Stephen asked quietly as he carefully took off the piece of gauze near her forehead, a cut on her temple was bleeding again.
"It means that I don't understand," Natalie said, wincing a little since the tape that held the gauze down was catching on some hairs. "Steve, did you try and speak with Claire?" He nodded, and she sighed, "See why I need to help?"
"I know Nat, but I can't have you fainting again," Stephen said. He tilted Natalie's head to the side slightly so he could study her cut. Gently, he used his fingers to push some her hair out of the way. As he began to clean up the scratch, he could feel Natalie shaking a little. "You okay?" he asked gently.
"Yeah, I was just thinking," Natalie said. "That poor little girl… I don't want her to have to go through what I did."
"I'll make sure that she doesn't," Stephen said gently. He put ointment on the wound and then started cutting some gauze to put on there again. "What happened to your parents Natalie, you never told me."
"My mother caught pneumonia and my father got it too," Natalie whispered. "I was about six when they died and my mom… I guess she hadn't known because eventually I found out that she had been pregnant when she died."
"Natalie… I'm so sorry," Stephen said, surprised. He had finished with the gauze so he place his hand on her cheek gently, moving her head so they could look at each other. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay," Natalie said softly, realizing how close their heads were as Stephen sat down next to her. "Just remember that we both share that same pain. Both of us want to do everything we can so no one else will have to go through what we did."
"Nat, I…" Stephen began to say. He trailed off though as he leaned forward slightly. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears and he had to keep himself from hurrying to press his lips to Natalie's.
Staring straight into Stephen's eyes, Natalie was a little taken aback by what was happening. She didn't think that Stephen had any feelings for her, but now she was confused. "St-Stephen…" she breathed as he got so close their lips were touching.
The door to the suite flew open at that point and Dr. Richards walked inside, oblivious to the fact that the two doctors were sitting so close together. "One of the people helping us has fallen ill with the sickness," he said abruptly. "Dr. McCabe asked me to come and get you so you can take a look at him."
As the resort doctor left, Stephen looked over at Natalie and then got up, forgetting that he had been very much prepared to kiss her. "Stay and rest, I'll come back and check on you later," he said as he started walking back to the door.
Frowning, Natalie got up and then followed him. "I'm better now," she said firmly as he turned to her and opened his mouth to stop her. "And you need me Steve; we need to talk to Claire."
"If you're feeling dizzy or week again you'll tell me okay?" Stephen asked sternly while he and Natalie walked back to the main building. "I need your help Nat." He stopped her on the porch of the building and then helped her put on her scrubs and mask before he put on his own.
Walking close behind Stephen, Natalie looked around the ballroom until she saw the cot that Claire was sitting up on. She was tempted to go over and ask the little girl the questions she knew Stephen needed answers to, but she held back. For a few minutes she and Stephen helped the newest patient, a twenty five year old woman, onto a mattress and then check her over to be entirely sure that she had what the others did. Once she had withdrawn a vial of the woman's blood for testing, she was going to head over to the kitchens when Stephen stopped her.
"I was working on the other blood samples earlier when you fainted," he said. "But they're still going through the machines. Right now you should talk with Claire."
"Alright," Natalie said. She handed the vial to Miles, who had helped them as well, and then asked, "What do you want me to ask her?"
"I'll come with you," Stephen said. "I'm anxious to hear her answers."
Natalie nodded, and together the two of them made their way over to Claire. When they reached her, she smiled brightly at the girl and asked gently in French, 'I see that you are much better Claire. Do you think you might be able to answer a few questions we have for you?"
'Yes, but please, may I go and see my mother after?' Claire asked, tears filling her eyes.
For a moment, Natalie didn't say anything, but finally she looked over at Stephen and said softly, "She wants to see her mother Steve. I think we should take her near where she is at least."
"She won't be able to walk though," Stephen said slowly. He didn't want to say no though, so he then spoke again quickly. "But I can carry her over, just to look though."
'Claire, as soon as we're done then Stephen will carry you over to your mother,' Natalie said, turning her attention back to the little girl. 'But you can only look at her. She's still sick.' When the little girl nodded slightly, she smiled and then took her hand before she asked, 'Can you tell us about the day before you were sick? We're you doing anything that was different or new to you?'
Thinking for a long time, Claire bit down on her lower lip and then suddenly said, 'I remember that my mother and I went to the resort dinner. Before we had been eating the food in our room or in the village.'
"She said they ate at the resort dinner for the first time," Natalie relayed to Stephen.
"Ask her if the food tasted strange," Stephen said quickly.
When Natalie translated the question to Claire, she shook her head quickly. 'The food was very good, and I remember the people we were sitting with said the chef was the best in this part of the country,' she told the doctor.
"We should still test the food," Stephen said when he heard the answer. "There's still a risk it's salmonella or something like that." He thought for a moment and then suddenly remembered something. Standing up, from the edge of the cot where he was sitting, he was going to leave when he was stopped.
"Steve, we need to take her to see her mom," Natalie reminded him gently.
"Okay, but this needs to be quick," Stephen said. He leaned over and picked Claire up in his arms. "We'll let you look at her for a few minutes, but that's all I can let you do." After Natalie translated, he started walking, back through the cots and mattresses.
Natalie watched as Stephen shifted Claire around so she could see her mother lying out on her cot. The expression on the little girl's face made her heart ache; remembering her own pain when her own mother had gotten very sick.
"Maman?" Claire whispered softly after a few minutes of watching her motionless mother. The tears that were in her eyes spilled over and she sobbed into Stephen's shoulder.
As they walked back to Claire's cot, both Natalie and Stephen were somber and more determined then ever to find out what they were dealing with. When the little girl was back on the cot, Stephen took Natalie's arm and led her back towards the kitchens.
"I'm thinking that maybe the head chef has something to do with all this," Stephen said. "The malaria symptoms may be attributed to him and if that's the case, he could be the first to die from this."
"Or else he's in a big city somewhere, infecting others," Natalie said ominously.
"Let's hope it hasn't gotten that bad," Stephen said with a slight frown. While Natalie went inside to her 'lab,' he called to Dr. Richards and once the man was standing next to him, asked him, "You told me that the head chef was missing. Where does he live?"
"Not on the grounds like the others here," Dr. Richards said. "I believe that he lived in the forest outside of the village; the other end of course. Let me ask and make sure." While Stephen watched, he went to the last of the few workers who were sick. He spoke rapidly with the man in Thai and then turned back to the doctor. "I was right; he lives about a half mile outside the village. He hasn't been seen since our last resort dinner."
"I need to go to his home," Stephen said. "And I'm taking Dr. Durant with me. Miles," he called. When the young doctor had reached him he said quickly, "Natalie and I are going to check and see if we can eliminate the head chef from this. In twenty minutes, I want you to get these people started on some zyban."
"Will that help with the fevers?" Miles asked.
"No, that will take care of the nausea," Stephen said. "And if we're not back in an hour, then add q-profen for the coughing the patients are displaying."
"I'll do it Connor," Miles said with a nod.
Stephen walked into the kitchen then and took a moment to watch Natalie working before he cleared his throat.
"What is it?" Natalie asked, not looking up from the machine she was working at.
"We need to go out into the jungle," Stephen said. "And see if the head chef is a source."
"You don't want to take Miles?" Natalie asked, looking over at him.
"No, I need your help Natalie," Stephen said. "And besides, Miles knows how to do blood tests too. Come on."
Hurrying, Natalie was glad that her dizziness hadn't returned at all. She was anxious to get to the bottom of the disease and help Claire and everyone else. As soon as she and Stephen were outside the building, she pulled off the scrubs and mask before they left; with some equipment; walking towards the now deserted village of Clohet.
It took twenty minutes for Stephen and Natalie to get to the jungle outside the village. They had been extremely quiet during the entire walk, the houses and buildings they had past eerily silent and menacing. As soon as they were on the path in the jungle though, they finally spoke.
"If it's the head chef, what will we do?" Natalie asked.
"It depends if he's dead or not," Stephen said. "If he's not then we can try and speak with him. If he is… we'll have to turn to the blood samples."
Natalie was quiet after that, watching Stephen walk next to her. She studied him and then smiled slightly before she caught herself and looked off to the side. "Oh," she said in surprise.
"What is it?" Stephen asked hurriedly. He looked to where she was looking and saw a small building. "Damn it, Richards said it was further," he swore, knowing already that it was the home of the resort's head chef.
"Never mind," Natalie said. "Let's go and see what we can find." She started walking through the trees, pushing the branches and vines in her way aside with one arm. It took a while, but finally she stepped over a rotting log and into the clearing that surrounded the little shack.
Stephen was the first to get to the door, and he took a moment to knock, wondering if there would be any answer. There wasn't, so carefully, he tried the door and found it was unlocked, opening it wide, he tried to look inside.
"Here," Natalie said quickly as they stared into the darkness. She gave him a flashlight from her box and then took the one that was in his.
After the two slipped on gloves and masks, they stepped into the shack, cautiously, waiting for something to happen.
Back at the resort, Miles had just finished giving all the sick doses of zyban. Since he had a moment, he walked out of the building and onto the porch. "Eva?" he asked, seeing her sitting on a wood bench.
"I needed some time," Eva replied, not looking at him. "I don't know how you can stand seeing all those people sick, in pain."
"You learn to be official about it," Miles said quietly. He sat down next to her and then reached over with his hand to touch hers lightly. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just wish there were more of us," Eva said softly.
"Stephen told me to call NIH, but there isn't anyone to spare," Miles said. He paused for a moment and then took her hand into his entwining their fingers together. "We'll figure this out though; I know Connor won't rest until he does."
"Unless Durant makes him rest," Eva said, sounding bitter.
"What's wrong?" Miles asked, knowing that something was wrong since she and Natalie were on a first name basis.
"When I went to check on her earlier, she snapped at me," Eva said, her cheeks flushing at the memory.
"Oh, well, she was weak," Miles said. "Probably like Connor, can't stand to be weak and out of control of things. I'm sure she didn't mean it." He put his arm around Eva to comfort her and then placed his hand on her cheek.
Looking up into Miles' eyes, Eva tried to speak. Before she could get any words out of her mouth, she felt his lips on her own. She was surprised for a moment, but then let her tense body relax and return the kiss.
Carefully, Miles deepened the kiss and soon he was clutching at Eva, holding her close. After several minutes he realized that they both needed to breathe and he pulled away gently. "I… I, um…" he started to say.
Eva closed her eyes and leaned her cheek on Miles shoulder. She wished that the moment could go on forever, but her wish was soon denied.
"Dr. McCabe! DR. MCCABE!" the yell came.
Looking at each other, Miles and Eva bolted from the bench and ran back to the building.
"There's no mold anywhere," Natalie murmured, shining her flashlight underneath the tiny cot that was in the chef's shack. "This place is absolutely spotless. I mean, the only thing here is dust."
"And no sign of the chef," Stephen said with a sigh. "Well, there's nothing here, wait a second…"
Natalie looked up and saw Stephen pointing his light at a door. "A room?" she asked.
"No, I think it's like a lean-to or something like that," Stephen said. All of a sudden the light of his flashlight began to flicker. Swearing under his breath, he hit it but was soon plunged into darkness.
"There should be another light in your box," Natalie said, pointing her light at it. She waited until Stephen reached the box before walking over to the door herself.
Turning on the extra flashlight, Stephen turned around and saw that Natalie was swinging the wooden door open. His flashlight caught a glint metal and then started running. "Nat, look out!" he yelled as a warning.
As Stephen knocked Natalie to the floor there was a small explosion and then darkness as the flashlights went out.
"What is it?" Miles asked hurriedly, adjusting his mask over his mouth again.
"I do not know, she just started to shake," one of the helpers said shakily. "A-and then she breath funny."
"She's having a heart attack," Dr. Richards said quickly.
"Eva, help me get the paddles," Miles said. He started running and with Eva's help pulled the small crash cart over to the stricken woman. He turned it on and then said, "Set it at 200." Once it was charged, he placed the paddles on the woman's chest.
There was a pause after the woman's body had settled, but no change on the monitor she had been hooked up to.
"300 now!" Miles yelled, starting to get worried. He put the paddles on again and when there was no response again, he said, "350!"
Once more, no response from the woman.
A heavy silence descended on the group around her and finally Miles spoke. "Time of death 4 pm," he said slowly. He turned off the machine and picked it up, walking slowly back to the box it had come in.
"You did the best you could," Eva said softly, following him.
"Not good enough," Miles said.
"MAMAN!" a child's voice shrieked suddenly.
Eva and Miles looked over to the other end of the ballroom, and saw that the French girl was trying to walk over to the mattress where the deceased woman was.
"Oh god," Eva gasped, realizing that the girl had just lost her mother. She started running towards her with Miles so they could calm her.
"MAMAN! MAMAN!" Claire shrieked again and again until Miles had picked her up. "MAMAN!"
"Natalie! Nat! Are you okay?" Stephen asked worriedly. He quickly got up off of her and then carried her out of the shack, into the light.
"My arm!" Natalie moaned. She was holding her left upper arm and could feel intense pain their.
"Here, let me see," Stephen said calmly. He carefully pushed up the sleeve of her shirt and then saw the wound. "It's not bad, just a nick."
"What was that?" Natalie asked as Stephen placed some gauze on the cut. She winced as he applied pressure on it.
"A gun," Stephen said. Gritting his teeth, he then said, "The man had his shed booby-trapped."
"Why?" Natalie asked. She looked down at her arm and then sighed since she could see that it wasn't too serious.
"I'll take a look right now," Stephen said. "I'll get the stuff and get some more gauze for you." He walked over to the shack and grabbing his flashlight, went to the doorway of the lean-to. Peering inside, he quickly caught sight of a shelf and when he saw what was on it, he knew why there had been a rifle attached to the door with a string.
Leaning against the side of the shack, Natalie kept pressure on her arm until Stephen came out. "Anything?" she asked.
"No, but the reason you nearly got shot was because it looks like the chef was an opium dealer," Stephen said angrily.
"Opium," Natalie repeated. She hissed lightly in pain as Stephen used rubbing alcohol on her wound. "We still don't have an answer to the illness."
"You'll need to work your magic with the blood samples it looks like," Stephen said, smiling slightly at her. "Okay, you're done. Think you can walk?"
"I'm fine," Natalie said. "But we should go back." She let Stephen help her up and started walking; with him still holding her arm. "I'm okay, you can let me walk," she said, with a slightly amused tone of voice.
"Sorry," Stephen said. As they walked back to the path of the jungle, he couldn't stop looking over at Natalie.
"What's wrong?" she finally asked once they were closer to the village. When he didn't answer her, she made him stop and look down into her eyes.
"I was worried Nat," Stephen said after a moment's pause. "I thought that you had been shot."
"Well I wasn't and now I can get to work on the blood samples," Natalie said, trying not to look disappointed. She had been right in thinking that Stephen only wanted her to be well to work.
"What do the blood samples have to do with anything?" Stephen asked, confused. "I was thought that you had been seriously hurt."
"Oh…" Natalie said, trailing off. She looked at him and then started to walk down the path again.
"Wait," Stephen said. "Nat, you know that I care about you. I'd never want to see you hurt."
Staring into his blue eyes, Natalie could see that he was serious and she felt her cheeks heat up a little. "I… Thank you," she finally managed to say. She quickly kissed him on the cheek before he could say anything. "You saved my life."
Looking serious, Stephen nodded and then followed Natalie as they walked together again. He was pleased though, and had a brief thought; that maybe his partner returned his feelings; before he pushed it aside. He didn't want to set his hopes too high, in case he was wrong.
As they walked back to the resort together, Natalie and Stephen were silent, keeping their minds on their upcoming tasks. But they both decided; unbeknownst to each other; that as soon as things had been settled, they would confront the other about their feelings.