Disclaimer: I do not own the secret of NIMH, Mrs. Brisby, Jonathan Brisby or any other related characters. I own this story.
"But Jonathan …" Joanna tried.
"No 'but Jonathan', Joanna." Jonathan said, slowly sitting up from his bed, grunting at his aching wounds. "Timothy's getting worse and the only one who can possibly know what's wrong with him is …."
"Mr. Ages, I know." Joanna said. "But I don't want to leave him …or you alone."
"The kids are here, I am in the neighborhood to boss them around and Aunt Shrew is a yell away." Jonathan said with a smile. "We'll be fine."
Joanna smiled. "I know."
Jonathan grinned and slowly stood up. "I'd be more fine IF I could sit in my favorite chair in the living room, so I could watch the kids and …"
Joanna gently pushed him back in bed. "YOU are NOT going anywhere, Mr. Brisby." She said sternly, with a smile.
"I know …but you can't blame a guy for trying, can't you, Mrs. Brisby?" Jonathan answered back with a smile.
Joanna kissed him on the cheek. "I know you're been feeling better lately, but it has only been a week since you barely survived the near-death encounter with Dragon."
"And you're point is …?" Jonathan asked playful.
"The point is …" Joanna said. "That if I'll get back and I notice that you have been out of bed, you'll be in big trouble."
"I like trouble." Jonathan joked as his wife left the room. "Keeps life interesting."
"As long as it keeps us ALIVE …" Joanna said. "I'll be back soon, Jonathan."
"Please do." Jonathan smiled.
Jonathan, with the necessary painful grunts, got up and peeped through a crack of the door, to see if his kids were not around. He lifted his bandages up a little and looked at the claw shaped wound that Dragon left behind.
"They are healing too quickly." He said to himself. "Damn you, NIMH."
The wounds were indeed healing faster than with an ordinary mouse, but the process was still slow. It would take a few more weeks before the skin would've healed completely, but the scars would barely be visibly, he suspected. And considering the damage that Dragon has caused that would be suspicious.
"Nicodemus…" Jonathan said. "What should I do?"
"Not talking to yourself, for starters." A voice from the window said.
Jonathan turned around and was pleasantly surprised to see his friend Justin, leaning on the window. The joy quickly turned to anger.
"Are. You. Crazy?" Jonathan whispered angrily at the rat. He walked to the door and closed it. "What the NIMH are you doing here?"
"Checking up on my wounded friend, that's what." Justin said with a smirk.
"Does Nicodemus know you're here?" Jonathan asked.
"Well, I didn't TELL him, but I doubt he doesn't know I'm here." Justin said. "Heck, I think he knew that I would come before I even did. He DID ordered me to patrol the western path, although nothing ever happens there AND it is closest to your house."
"Well, you checked up on me, now go." Jonathan said through his teeth. "What if my kids, or Joanna see you. …Joanna didn't see you, right? You know how fragile she is."
"Calm down, my friend." Justin soothed. "She didn't see me and I'll be gone a second. I also came to tell you that the Plan will be executed soon."
"The Plan?" Jonathan asked, his anger melting away. "You sure?"
"Well, Mr. Ages and the others say it can't be done so soon, but Nicodemus is convinced that the moment is near." Justin said. "There is only one problem …"
"Jenner." Jonathan said. He didn't need to ask if it was him, he knew it. "He still against it, even after all the trouble I went through to get it?"
"You know Jenner …" Justin said.
Jonathan sighed. "How is the Stone?"
"Still sleeping, I guess." Justin said. "Still waiting for his rightful master to return to it."
"I'm not the master of the stone, Justin." Jonathan said. "Everyone with a courageous heart can ignite it."
"But so far, you're the only one." Justin smiled.
"How can you know?" Jonathan said. "Ever tried to put it on?"
"Two weeks ago." Justin snickered. "Nicodemus wanted to test my heart."
"And?" Jonathan asked curiously.
"It …flickered, but didn't glow." Justin said a bit sadly.
"Don't let it bother you." Jonathan said to his friend. "You are the most courageous rat I know."
"Kind words, my friend, but I doubt than anyone who has as much Courage of the Heart as you." Justin said. "Well, I need to be going. I need to report to Nicodemus."
"Take care, Justin." Jonathan said. "And watch your back."
Joanna ducked in fear as the Tractor that Mr. Ages lived in make a loud bang. Smoke came out of it. She gulped and went inside.
"Mr. Ages!" she said as she walked around in the machine. "Mr. Ages is there anybody home?"
"GO AWAY!" Mr. Ages voice said in the distance.
"Mr. Ages!" she yelled again.
"WHAT IS IT?" Mr. Ages voice asked again.
"Mr. Ages, may I please speak to you?" she said, her voice trembling a bit at the end.
"What?" the old mouse's voice sounded again.
"I said, can I please speak …" she began, not noticing the old mouse popping up from the machine behind her. She gasped as he coughed because of the smoke. "…with you."
"Oh, thank goodness, I'm so glad you're home." Joanna said.
"Confounded machine!" Mr. Ages coughed, knocking his fist on the floor. "You never know when it's going to up and blow!"
"Yes." Mrs. Brisby said, not really knowing what to say to that. "I don't suppose you would remember me.."
"Yes, you're Mrs. Brisby." Mr. Ages interrupted her, cleaning his glasses. "And I'm sorry to hear about your husband's injury. Now if you'll excuse me..." He disappeared back into the depths of the tractor.
"Mr. Ages!" Joanna yelled, running over to the place where he disappeared and looked over the edge.
Mr. Ages popped up at the other end. "Great Jupiter woman, what do you want?" he asked, really annoyed by this visitor.
"Mr. Ages, I know you don't like visitors, but this is an emergency! Please!" Joanna tried.
The machine roared and made another loud bang. The shocking of the machine made Mr. ages fall of the piece of machinery that he was standing on, making him bump down his stairs, right into his basket elevator. Joanna hurried to the place, to make sure he was alright.
Mr. Ages, still really annoyed, fixed his glasses and pulled the rope to make him go up. "Ma –ahem - Madam, that is an emergency."
"Oh Mr. Ages, my son Timothy is so sick!" Joanna begged.
"Timmy? The one with the spider bite?" He asked, a tone of worry in his voice. Joanna knew he had a soft spot for children. "Oh, just give him some pepsissiwa root and..."
"No! No, he's sick with a fever!" Joanna said, grabbing Mr. Ages by the collar and giving him a good shake.
"Well... " Mr. ages said, recovering from the shaking. "I suppose I could fix up something..."
"Oh thank you!" Joanna said.
"Follow me, but don't touch anything!" He said sternly. "Understand?"
"I do appreciate it..." Joanna began, climbing into the basket.
"Just how high is his fever?" Mr. Ages asked as the basket glided down into the tractor.
He's burning hot to the touch." Joanna said, summing up all the weird symptoms her youngest son has. "He's soaking wet with perspiration, and there's a raspy sound when he breathes."
"A raspy sound you say?" Mr. Ages asked. He started to suspect what could be wrong with Timothy Brisby.
"Does he have a chill?" He asked after the basket had touched the ground.
"Yes, he does." Joanna said.
"Have you wrapped him in a blanket?" He asked.
"Yes." She answered again as they arrived at the house of Mr. Ages.
"Now step inside, but keep your hands to yourself!" He said to Joanna. "I'm right in the middle of... " He paused for a second. "…something very important."
"I understand." Joanna said, looking around at the strange things housed into the mysterious workshop of the as mysterious mouse.
"Oh, do you?" Mr. Ages asked skeptically.
Mr. Ages walked to his table, mumbling about the mess and the small bugs that were on it. He cleared his throat. "Your son has pneumonia." He said, reaching out
"Pneumonia?" Joanna asked. She had never heard something like that before.
"It's not uncommon, but you can die from it."
"Oh please dear God, no." Joanna prayed.
"Your son must stay in bed. Bundle him up." Mr. Ages said. "Not to go outside..."
"But how long must...?" Joanna wanted to ask.
"Three weeks." Mr. ages said. He paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. He poured some ingredients together. "He cannot be moved for at least three weeks."
"But Moving Day is nearly here!" Joanna said, looking at a caterpillar that crawled next to her.
"You asked my advice, and I gave it to you!" Mr. Ages said, really getting frustrated now.
"I'm sorry."
"He must stay in bed." Mr. Ages said. He poured the powder he made in a small envelope. "Now, mix this... this powder in a broth and make him drink it. It'll bring down the fever."
He reached over to one of the shelves and grabbed something from it. "And This is something that I made for your husband. It will help him heal the wounds a bit quicker." He pushed the two envelopes in Joanna's hand.
"Oh, bless you sir!" Joanna said.
"And bless yourself, you'll need it." Mr. Ages said, starting to guide Joanna to the door. "Now, you must excuse me... You know the way out."
"Oh, of course." Joanna said, a bit confused. "Thank you once again..."
"Shoo shoo shoo. Go on now. Go on." Mr. ages said, gently shoving her out the door.
"Thank you so..." Joanna began, as Mr. Ages shut the door in front of her face. "...much. Goodbye."
She turned around and left the tractor.
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