Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I really like getting feedback and also don't mind if it's negative! Thanks for reading.

Abby drifted in and out of sleep for the remaining hours of the day. Around five o'clock that evening, Luka came in to see if she was still alive.

"Hey sleepyhead," Luka pushed on her shoulder gently, noting that her face was still very hot, "time to get up and take some yummy Tylenol."

Abby stirred and moaned as she sat up. "Jeez, what time is it?" She felt very disoriented, the sky was dark outside the window and Luka was home. Wasn't he supposed to work tonight? Abby shook her head, attempting to clear the cobwebs.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?" She gratefully took the Tylenol and glass of water from him.

"I took the day off, I figured you may need a little company." Luka smiled and kissed her sweaty forehead. "Besides, I'm getting tired of the hypochondriacs who waste my time, I'd rather take care of an actual sick person."

Abby smiled. Luka was being so sweet and helpful, something she wasn't used to. Whenever she was sick as a child, she had to fend for herself and still make sure her mother took her medications on schedule. It was very comforting to know she was cared for now.

"Thank you Luka. I'm sorry I haven't been the best company for you today, I think I slept all afternoon."

"That's okay Abby, I found my own stuff to do. Actually I went out and got you a present!" Luka smiled mischievously and presented a brown paper bag he had hidden under the bed.

Abby laughed. "Really? If I would have known puking in your bed would have qualified me for a present, I would have done it much sooner!"

"Ha, ha. No, that was actually kind of gross, but I figured that I should justify my afternoon rendezvous by getting you a gift." He laughed, happy that despite how sick she was Abby still had a sense of humour.

"Ooh, a rendezvous. So, what did you do? Rob a bank?"

Luka smiled, "Nope. I went out and bought some more Tylenol and stopped by the hospital to get this." He pulled a swab kit and a pair of latex gloves out of the paper bag.

Abby chuckled, "Are you serious? My present is you sticking a big Q-tip down my throat and some grape flavoured Tylenol?"

"Yep. I figured that you would like to get to the bottom of this fever and I'm sorry to say, its not flavoured Tylenol, but rather some super cool tablets!" Luka gave her a wink and pulled on the gloves.

Abby rolled her eyes, "Luka, its just the flu. No throat swab is going to tell you that!"

"Okay whatever Abby. If I'm right, the culture will come back as strep and within twenty-four hours of penicillin you will feel better, and if I'm wrong, well, you have about three more days of the flu." He pulled out the swab, "Now open up and tilt your head back a little."

Abby decided to oblige and opened her mouth.

Luka grimaced as he saw the state her throat was in. Thick, yellow pus caked her tonsils and throat and her tongue was white and swollen. Most frighteningly however, were the streaks of blood that stained the sides of her throat. As gently as he could, Luka took a scrape of the pus off her right tonsil and placed the entire swab stick in the lab vial. "There, I'll take these to the hospital tonight so they can plant the sample. It should be ready by the morning."

Abby nodded. "Okay sounds good. But can't you just take the sample in tomorrow morning? You shouldn't have to go out again tonight, its really cold out there." She already felt guilty he had barely slept last night and now he was running all around town for her.

"I'll be fine Abby," Luka assured her. "Your throat is very infected and I want to get this planted in the lab as soon as we can. I would actually encourage you to start on the penicillin tonight, even without the results. I'm very sure it is strep and it won't get better without the antibiotics."

Abby shook her head firmly; "I'm not taking anything until I know for sure that it is strep. I do not doubt you Luka, but I refuse to add to the already heaping number of antibiotics prescribed unnecessarily every year in this country."

Luka shrugged, "Fair enough. But I am taking this swab in right now. Will you be okay here for an hour?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I actually just feel like going back to sleep now and I have your cell number." She tried to reassure Luka, who looked like he didn't want to leave her alone.

"Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can." Luka kissed her on the cheek, "I love you Abby." He started to rise but Abby pulled him back down and kissed him, "I love you too."