The night was long and rough as Penhall opened his eyes only a few hours after closing them, the sun shone in hard through the window above his head as he let his eyes adjust to his surroundings. Looking over at the clock he squinted to read the numbers. "9:30..." he mumbled getting up and popping his joints back into place.

Glancing down he noticed Tom still fast asleep on the sofa and reached down to fix the blankets over him before heading into the kitchen to work on breakfast for the two of them.

Tom's stomach flipped uncontrolably as he sucked in a sharp breath of air about to let out a scream as his eyes flew open and his apartment came into view dropping the scream down to a startled yelp. He pulled the blankets tighter around himself and closed his eyes. His entire body was freezing, he could feel the sweat pouring from his forehead the smell of the eggs Doug was cooking in the kitchen throwing his already exsisting nasuia into overdrive.

He fought to sit up his eyes watering at how dizzy and disoriented everything was, his limbs felt as though they wieghed 50 pounds a piece, except his head which he was sure was somewhere around a hundred pounds at least. Slidding his tongue out of his mouth he wet his chapped lips and cleared his throat lightly. "Doug..."

Doug's eyebrows furrowed as he stopped singing or rather butchering the latest Bon Jovi hit and put the fork he was using to beat the eggs down into the bowl. His eyes lifted slightly as he noticed Hanson's body now slumped to a sitting position his head rested down against his chest.

"Doug..."

"What is it man? I'm right here..." Penhall hurriedly went over to the couch and frowned heavily sliding down next to his quivering friend. "Tommy?"

"I'm...I'm freezing, and-and I feel like I'm gonna be sick man." Hanson mumbled his hand instinctively going over his stomach as he glanced toward his best friend.

Taking a closer look penhall drew his bottom lip into his mouth studying Hanson's face. His skin was white as bed sheets, his eyes black underneath, red and sunkin in, his lips nearly blue, and everything was shadowed by a slight tremble in his body, which was bathed in sweat. "Alright buddy... just- just lay backdown alright? I'm gonna go get you a cold washcloth..."

"I-I'm freezing, what the hell do I need a cold washcloth for?"

"Your sick man..." Doug placed the back of his hand to Tom's forehead. "Burning up..."

"Can this get any worse?"

"Don't you knoe never to say that?"

"What are you worried about, you got Penhall the great here to take care of you!"

"That IS what I'm worried about."

"HEY!"... Doug chuckled and headed into the kitchen getting a washcloth and returning a minute later..."Well its good to see your sense of humor was in no way effected." He squatted down next to the couch folding the washcloth and putting it on Tom's forehead grunting when the smaller man's hand came up to shoe it off. "That has to stay there..."

"Fr-freaking cold."

"I know." Doug pulled the blanket tight. "Just- just try not to think about it alright?"

"Easy... easy for you to say..." Tom lunged forward and threw his head over the side of the couch every muscle in his body tightening as he began to dry heave.

"Woaaaah..." the larger man frowned and jumped up sliding on to the couch next to his friend rubbing his back and holding his body up.

"Wh-whats happening to me?"

"I don't know..." Penhall eased him back to the sofa once he was done..."Just rest, I'll get a towel and clean this up, try to sleep..."

"mmmhmmm"

"Captain it's Doug."

"Penhall?" Captain Fuller turned off his ignition as he had just pulled into the parking lot of the precinct... "What's the matter is it Hanson"

"This, this is real bad, I'm not to sure I know how to handle this..." Doug leaned back against the side of the apartment building as he now stood outside on the balcony the back door open just incase Tom should scream for him.

"Doug..Talk to me..."

"I think you need to see this one for yourself cap."

"Is this serious?"

"You saw him for yourself last night, and well he looks about ten times worse this morning..." Doug scratched the stubble on his chin, "Remeber that uh, that time when he got shot in the arm?"

"Yeah?"

"This is worse..."

"Alright. I get the point, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Captain..."

"Yes Penhall?"

"Hurry."

"I'll do my best."

Stepping back into the house and remembering the breakfast he was cooking in the kitchen Doug shut the door behind him and went to clean up his mess, throwing everything in the trash can suddenly having lost his appitite and knowing Hanson absolutely felt the same.

He hadjust finished putting the last dish in the drain board when he heard a soft knock at the door and running a hand through his hair he went to answer it giving his captain a small greeting smile. "Hey captain."

Captain Fuller stepped into Hanson's apartment and handed the man before him a cup of coffee. "I thought you could use this Judy had just made a fresh pot..."

"You know what they say about Judy's coffee captain."

"The best diesel fuel in town." Both men said in unison with a small snicker.

"So... where is he?" Adam asked setting his car keys and sunglasses down on theend table by the front door.

"He's on the sofa... he looks pretty bad captain..."

Without responding to Penhall's comment Fuller followed him into the living room to find Tom resting obviously uncomfortably on the sofa...

"I told you it was bad..." Doug whispered taking note of the solemn look on his bosses face.