FIVE DAYS LATER - ZEDD
I wake up slowly. For the first time in days, my stomach is stable, I don't hurt all over and I can breathe. I open my eyes and see that Dar is waking up too. I raise a questioning eyebrow and, after a moment's consideration, he nods. We turn our attention to Pina. She fell ill the day after Dar and I did, but her case seemed less severe. Of course, if we did get this from Jason, it makes sense as she was around him less than we were. Plus her Phaedosian genetics might have helped too. She too is slowly waking up. Exchanging looks between the three of us, we assess each other and are pleased that we're all recovering nicely despite my initial certainty that I would definitely die from this given how miserable a condition it put me in. I look around for Thomas.
For the last several days, he's attended our every need, always awake and alert when we've needed something, and I feel a bit badly to say we've actually needed a lot, sending him running between the bedroom, the kitchen, the infirmary, to bathroom, and back again. I find him, asleep in a chair in the corner, chin resting on his chest, dark circles under his eyes and unshaven. I smile softly at the sight, in spite of the fact that I know he'll be stiff and uncomfortable when he wakes.
Suddenly, Pina sneezes. As she shoots an apologetic look at me, Thomas snaps to attention. His gaze skims over each of us. "Sorry, Tommy," Pina apologizes. "I didn't mean to wake you."
He's on his feet in a moment and at her side in another, checking her for a fever. His voice is rough as he says, "It's all right. How are you feeling?"
"Much better."
He nods and crosses over to Dar and then me, checking us as well. With a sigh of relief, he informs us, "Well, all of your fevers have broken, so we're definitely past the worst of it. If your stomachs feel okay, we might be able to try some scrambled eggs or something else light."
We all nod and he heads out the door quickly. As much as I'd like to follow him, I am still tired and weak from the lack of food over the past week and this stupid illness seeming to sap every bit of strength and energy from me. Each of us sit up in our respective places and wait for him to return. Dar speaks first. "I don't know about you two, but I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've seen him sleep since we all fell ill."
Pina nods, but says, "I'm fairly certain he was getting some sleep when we were. I mean, there had to be times when we were all asleep."
I frown. Dar's correct in that I don't recall him sleeping either. I try to feel him out through the bond, only to find that he's still blocking me as he had days ago. I shake my head at their questioning looks. "I don't know. He still has me blocked. But I can't remember him sleeping either."
A few minutes later, Thomas returns with fresh drinks for all of us. "I'll be back in a few minutes with food. If you guys are feeling that much better, maybe everyone can sleep in their own beds tonight. I'll make sure that all the beds have clean sheets and if you guys get quick showers and fresh clothes, you'll sleep better."
Almost as soon as he finishes speaking, he's out the door again. "What do you think he meant by 'everyone can sleep in their own beds tonight'?" I ask the others.
Pina shakes her head. "I'm sure he means me and Dar - although I think I'd rather be with Dar than alone."
Dar nods his head firmly, but then he pauses. "Unless he's starting to get sick as well and he's concerned about getting you sick again."
"If he hasn't been sleeping much, it's definitely a possibility," Pina admits.
I frown again. "Well if he's getting ill, he doesn't need to sleep alone and have a nightmare."
"Unless he's so tired that he won't have nightmares," Dar points out. Now I'm more concerned about my mate's state of being than I was before.
"Maybe he just wants Dar out of your bed," Pina points out with a slight smile. "He wasn't exactly thrilled I think to have you sharing a bed with my mate, even if it was for the best."
Recalling the slight growl he'd given when she had first suggested the sleeping arrangements in the infirmary, I can't help but smile a bit. "You think he got jealous?"
"Maybe," Pina agrees with a slight shrug.
"That's nice." Nodding and drinking a bit of the juice he gave me, I think the matter over. "I miss him sleeping beside me." Looking to Dar, I continue calmly. "You're too heavy when you roll on me."
"You're too annoying when you move in your sleep" Dar counters back just as calmly.
"You hog the covers."
"You hog the bed."
"You sweat too much."
"You breathe too much."
"You smell."
"You smell."
"You're both horrible, now shut up, you're giving me such a headache" Pina states firmly and dramatically, before suddenly blushing as she realizes the same time we do just who she suddenly sounded like with her complaint. "I did not say that, and neither of you say one damn word or I will kill you."
Both of us deciding that comparing her to my ex-wife is not a smart thing right now as she is still a bit healthier than we are, we quietly finish our drinks waiting on Thomas to venture back, hopefully with something we can keep down.
Several minutes later, Thomas returns with a laden tray of food. The smell of food makes my stomach growl and he shoots a grin at me. "Little hungry?"
"Maybe a little." Quickly, he loads plates and hands them around. Nothing fancy, eggs and toast, but somehow very satisfying after the broth and soup we've been living on. We all dig in with relish, Thomas only taking a small amount for himself. "Thomas, you need to eat more than that."
"Don't worry, Zedd. When you guys finish eating, I'll put a movie in for you. Odds are, you'll catch a nap. I'll deal with the dishes and then grab a sandwich. I'm not going to starve in the next half an hour." Well, I can't argue with that I suppose, though I would feel better if I was certain he would indeed make himself a sandwich and not forget while busy with everything else.
"You promise you'll get a sandwich."
Rolling his eyes, he gives a nod. "I promise, now stop worrying and eat before you fall back asleep."
"I'm not going to fall asleep, I've been sleeping for five days when not almost dying. I'm good and awake now" I assure him, only to get a snort and head shake in return.
"Uh huh, we'll see about that. I'd wager as soon as you finish eating it takes you all of five minutes to pass back out. Not that that's a bad thing, since the more you sleep the faster you'll recover, but still."
"I assure you, Thomas, I won't fall back asleep for a while" I say in certainty again only getting a doubtful noise in response.
"Okay, whatever you say Zedd."
As it turns out, his prediction is right on and the next thing I'm aware of is waking up late in the afternoon. Pina and Dar are gone. Thomas bustles in, strips the covers off the cot and folds it up. He glances over, sees that I'm awake and smiles. "How are you doing?"
I shrug. He hurries over to my side and checks me once more for fever, anxiety on his face. "You don't have a fever. Is it your stomach? Your throat?"
"Actually, I'm worried about you."
He sighs. "Zedd, I'm fine. A little tired, but fine. I'm going to haul the cot down to the infirmary and then I'll change the covers on the bed. Why don't you get your shower? Dinner will be ready soon and I'll bring it up for everyone, okay?"
He turns away, but I catch his hand. "Thomas-" With his free hand, he caresses my hair and down my cheek as he smiles at me.
"I'll be back, Zedd." Gently, he pulls his hand free of mine. He gifts me with another smile before he picks the cot up and heads out of the room. Why is he still blocking me?
As directed, I get my shower and, he's right - I do feel a little better. When I finally leave the shower and bathroom, I see that he's already changed the sheets. Glad to feel up to being out of bed, I sit in the chair that Thomas had occupied when I woke up this morning.
I want to talk to him, but I have the feeling that he's going to brush me off, claiming that I need more rest. The subject of my thoughts comes in, bearing another tray that he sets in front of me. "I know it's not fancy and certainly not up to Dar's standards, but-"
"Thomas, I'm sure it'll be fine." He turns back for the door. "Won't you sit with me?"
"I can't, Zedd. There's no way I'm going to let Dar find his kitchen in the morning looking the way it does now. I need to get that done, gather the trays and deal with those and get all you guys settled in before I settle in myself."
I can't help the question. "In here with me, right?"
"Don't worry, Zedd. Just eat and I'll be back in a while." And that's not an answer. Before I can challenge it, he's gone again. If I didn't know better, I'd think that he was dodging me.
Later, I try and stay awake as long as I can, but I'm still a bit run down from being so sick and the full stomach. I think I hear Thomas come in as I drift off.
