I own it not.

Johnny was in a huge room. There were no windows and only one barred door. His entire body was aching. The room was vaguely familiar.

There was a screen on one wall. A man was on the screen, talking to him in a low, soothing voice. He knew that the man was Reed, but he couldn't open his mouth to talk. It took all his self-control to keep the screams from coming out of his mouth.

His entire body was on fire. He wanted to just die, if dying would bring release from the pain. He wanted it to end…

"I'm here, Johnny!"

He was being lifted up, and the room was slowly dissolving to be replaced with the worried rock-like face of Ben. Johnny's sister and Reed hovered behind him, anxiety evident on both their faces. But the pain stayed.

"Ben!" Johnny clawed at Ben's body, his back arching in pain as he let out a low hiss. His insides were on fire…his lungs were burning…he couldn't breathe.

Amazingly, Ben didn't drop Johnny's writing, squirming mass. Instead, he held hi friend closer, cradling him like a baby. He made sure not to drop the blanket, even though Johnny was hot…so hot. They needed the fever to break.

Susan smoothed back her brother's hair, surprised and hurt when her brother flinched away from her, his fingers curling around Ben's neck.

Reed shook his head and walked away, mumbling sets of numbers and strings of words. His back to Johnny, he coulnd't see the hurt look on the younger man's face when his sister ran after him.

Ben still held Johnny on a tight imbrace, waiting for him to fully come back from the nightmare. Eventually, his breathing slowed and his chest stopped heaving. Every once in a while a hiccup would escape his lips. His body was still shaking when Ben placed him down on the cold tile of the bathroom.

He turned on the shower so that it was hot enough to produce steam. Ben shut the door and sat down next to Johnny, hoping that the old remedy would work. According to his mother, years and years ago, steam would help Johnny's breathing and eventually break the fever.

So all there was to do was wait.

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