Chapter 2: Bronchitis
Wally groggily blinked into awareness, hand swinging in the direction of his alarm clock. Rubbing his eyes, Wally sat up.
Usually Barry would have woken him up already to go on their morning run. His eyebrows lowered in confusion. Shaking his head he told himself that his uncle had probably just slept in.
After getting dressed, Wally walked down stairs to the kitchen to get breakfast. Iris was in the process of preparing a meal, which for a speedster wasn't an easy task.
Wally's eyebrows lowered in concern. His uncle would usually be sitting at the kitchen table reading about what was going on in the city while drinking a cup of orange juice.
"Where's Uncle Barry?"
Iris turned to him in surprise. "Oh. You're up. Good morning! Barry isn't feeling too good this morning so he's sleeping in today." She gestured towards the table, "Take a seat. This is pretty much done."
Wally took his usual spot at the table. Iris placed different breakfast foods on the table. "Barry! Breakfast is ready. If you want some you need to hurry before Wally eats it all."
They heard a thump coming from upstairs. Wally and Iris turned to look at each other in alarm. A few minutes later, Barry Allen, looking pale and weak, walked into the kitchen. "Good-mornin'."
He let out a round of wheezing coughs before sitting in his seat. Iris laid a hand on his forehead. "You're a little too warm. Probably running a slight fever if I had to guess."
Barry rubbed his aching forehead. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. I've probably managed to get a virus of some kind." Speedsters don't get sick often but when it happened it would hit hard.
Iris ran a comforting hand through the sick speedsters hair. "Sorry, honey. I'll have Dr. Leslie come over to look at you."
The rest of breakfast went smoothly and Iris left to take Wally to school. Barry, feeling completely drained, stood and walked into the living room to get upstairs.
He looked between the couch and the stairs and quickly made a decision. Barry slumped down on the couch with a grunt. Rearranging the pillows, Barry paused to cough. Rubbing his chest, he finally got comfortable and was instantly asleep when his head hit the pillow.
….
Iris and Dr. Leslie walked up to the front door of Barry and Iris's modest home.
sighed, adjusting her bag of medical supplies. "This is becoming a regular thing as of recently."
Iris nodded, "Yeah. I mean he's still healing from the surgery he had on his appendix."
"Well, my guess is that his fast metabolism didn't immediately recover, which left him open to getting sick. Hopefully we can help him to feel comfortable while his body fights this off."
Iris unlocked the front door and let walk in before her.
When Iris walked into the living room she was surprised to see her husband had laid himself on the couch. Recovering quickly, she put her purse on the table next to the couch and watched the good doctor do her job.
"Barry." She shook him to gain his attention. "I need to know how you're feeling. I'm going to ask you some questions. Is that alright with you? Can you do that for me?"
Barry sluggishly nodded. smiled slightly at her patient. "Are you experiencing a shortness of breath?"
"Yea." He winced. His voice sounded hoarse.
"Don't talk if it hurts, Barry just nod 'yes' or 'no'. Okay?"
Barry nodded, in agreement.
"Is your chest feeling tight?"
Barry nodded the affirmative. Dr. Leisle took a thermometer and placed it in Barry's mouth. "Are you experiencing any coughing episodes?"
Barry nodded, confirming it with a round of rough sounding coughs.
"Are you spitting up anything? Like mucus?"
Barry shook his head in the negative. The thermometer beeped signaling that it was ready. Taking it she glanced at the number and frowned slightly. "Alright. You have a slight fever. Nothing serious but it's enough to be noticeable."
Dr. Leisle turned to Iris with the verdict. "Barry has an acute case of Bronchitis. The only thing that can be given for this is cough medicine." She pulled a bottle out of her supple bag and handed it to Iris. At Iris's look, she explained. "Bruce told me about how speedsters have a fast metabolism. Which means that medicines don't usually have any effect on them. So I met with a trusted friend of mine who is a biochemist and He's created some medicine that can handle a speester's metabolism. This should work."
Iris took the bottle, smiling gratefully at the Doctor. "Thank you. I'm sure Barry will appreciate this."
Smiling, closed her bag and stood. "Alright, Barry. Get better soon. And I better not see you again anytime soon."
Barry gave her a lopsided smile. "I hope not, Dr. Leslie. Thank ya." He waved at her sloppily before turning back over to sleep.
The two women laughed goodnaturedly at him, while walking to the front door.
…
Wally bounded up the front steps to his Aunt and Uncle's house, eager to see how his Uncle was feeling. It had been a couple days since he'd seen him. Wally had been busy with school and the team and hadn't been to see them in a while.
Rushing through the front door, Wally found Iris in the living room reading a book.
"Where's Uncle Barry?"
She looked up at him, smiling warmly. "He's in the kitchen. Finishing up with cooking dinner."
Wally rushed off at superspeed. Iris laughed at her nephew's antics, half-heartedly calling "No Superspeed in the house!" Before going back to reading her book with a smile.
Wally found his uncle taking out something from the oven. Looking up, Barry smiled at Wally warmly.
Wally took a minute to look at him. He looked like his normal self again. He wasn't pale or sickly. In fact he looked ready to take on the world. Coming out of his thoughts, he saw that Barry had put the food down on the table and moved to stand in front of him. He was looking at Wally with concern.
"-ally. You okay?"
Wally blinked at him for a second before throwing his arms around his uncle in an embrace.
Startled, Barry didn't immedly hug back. Raising his eyebrows in confusion, he quickly hugged the boy back. "What's wrong, Kid?"
"I'm just glad you're okay. I was worried when you came down and had breakfast the other day."
Barry closed his eyes in understanding. "Don't worry, Kid. It's going to take a lot more than Bronchitis to take me down for good."
Wally nodded, "Oh, I know. Just. Scared me. I'd never seen you look so sick since I've met you."
Barry nodded. "I understand and I'm sorry I scared you like that, Kiddo. Trust me I don't plan on being sick again anytime soon."
"Good."
The two turned to see Iris standing at the door to the kitchen. She smiled at them. "Are you ready to eat?"
Wally jumped into his seat ready to eat, Barry and Iris laughing at his eagerness.
…
End of chapter
