Hello. I'm just putting up another chapter. So, we'll go into more detail regarding the circumstances behind Leo's illness and Elliot's reaction to it.

I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.

~Sucker Punch~

Chapter 2: Beneath The Surface

Leo awoke the next morning feeling worse than last night. First off, his head was hurting really bad, and the he was thankful for the silence, otherwise any loud noises might aggravate his headache and make it even more painful than it already was. Second, he had been pestered all night and hardly gotten any sleep due to his aching stomach, and, upon recalling the events from last night of when Elliot had woken him…well, he'd rather not think about them, seeing as how they were hazy in his mind and were making him queasy at the very thought.

Wearily glancing around the room, he saw that the curtains had been drawn in, no sun slipped past them. He also noticed that there was a quilt laid over him and extra pillows by his head.

'Elliot's doing probably.' He thought as he readjusted his position, only slightly though.

He looked over to the bed next to him, expecting to see his master, but Elliot wasn't there. The sheets of the bed were neatly set, and Leo didn't have to get up in order to figure that Elliot hadn't been here for a while.

He closed his eyes again and turned his head up to the ceiling. Normally, he wouldn't mind this, but with they way he was now, he missed Eliot's company and Leo was becoming lonely in this room filled with silence.

He didn't want to be alone.

Suddenly, he heard a door open and he turned to see Elliot come in, one hand carrying a tray.

"Elliot." He managed, a small smile on his lips. After setting the tray down on the empty bed, he looked up to meet Leo's gaze.

"Oh, Leo. You're awake." He said, walking over to his bedside. "How are you feeling? Are you comfortable enough?"

"In truth, I don't feel too good, but in response to your other question, yes, I'm fine."

Elliot looked at him with a confused look, possibly wondering how he could say 'I'm fine'. He was far from it, but then again, that had been the response to his second question.

"Okay." That was all Elliot could manage at the moment, not being able to stand his servant's calm expression anymore.

"What time is it?" The noirette asked as Elliot went to get a chair and pulled it up to Leo's bedside.

"Almost 11:30." He answered as he got the tray and sat down in the chair. "You sleep qiute a bit when you're sick, you know."

"Most people do, Elliot, considering I barely slept. Speaking of which, did you sleep well?"

Elliot froze, finding himself unable to answer that question, but, he knew he had to. "I managed."

"I see. At least you were able to sleep this time without waking from that dream."

"Yeah." It did surprise Elliot that he hadn't seen that dream last night, which was a relief to him, but he had still worried about Leo all the same. "Can you sit up?"

"I might be able to." Leo replied. "Just give me a minute."

At first the noirette struggled, but he was able to sit up after a minute. Elliot offered to help him, but Leo assured him that he didn't need his help. All the Nightray could do was watch the other as he managed to sit upright without falling over.

"I brought you breakfast." Elliot said, gesturing to the tray in his lap. "You think you can eat something?"

Leo looked over everything on the tray, realizing his master had put some effort into doing this, maybe Gilbert had helped too, what with him being an excellent cook and all. But still…

'Elliot did this for me?'

"I'll give it a shot. Hand me that plate of eggs." Elliot handed the requested dish over to him, then handing him a fork and knife.

"I've already called for a doctor." Elliot explained as Leo slowly cut into his food. "He should be here sometime around noon."

Leo sighed and stabbed his egg with the fork. "Elliot, I don't need a doctor."

"Yes you do." Leo grinned at seeing how infuriated the other was. "Do you even remember what happened last night?"

"Hardly." He replied and continued to eat.

"You don't even remember when you were in the bathroom for five minutes puking your guts out?"

Leo put his fork down. "I'd rather not remember, so don't bring it up."

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Point is, I'm not changing my mind."

"I guess there's no persuading you then."

His master relaxed in the chair, then looking down at the tea cup on the tray. "I brought some tea too."

Leo looked at him, then the tea cup. "Ah, good."

"So," Elliot started as he poured the tea. "Are you able to keep it down?"

"Stop that, Elliot, or you're going to wind up making me sick."

He growled at his servant, nearly overflowing the tea cup. "Answer my question already."

"Well, if I must, I think so." He then snickered upon thinking of another question. "It was quite good. Did you make it, or did Gilbert?"

"I did." Elliot nervously answered, trading the tea cup with the half eaten plate of eggs.

"Oh really?" Leo asked before he took a slip of his tea. "You asked him for help, right?"

"So what if I did?" Elliot's voice was becoming more tense. "I'm not a cook, you know, and it's not like any of my other siblings care."

"I understand, Elliot. I thank you anyway."

He gave the tea cup back to Elliot, and he placed it on the nightstand in return. Leo then took to examining the quilt, noticing how soft its woven structure felt between his fingers. Meanwhile Elliot watched him, and yet, he couldn't help but notice certain aspects about him at this time. For example, his face was paler than usual, and Elliot knew right away he had a fever, his hand having brushed against the noirette's forehead when he was asleep and he was setting some more pillows behind and around Leo's head.

"Where did you get this, Elliot?" Leo suddenly asked.

"Oh, my mother gave it to me. She used to knit these all the time when I was younger."

"What a lovely gift that was then."

They both smiled, and Leo started chuckling for some reason. He was like that for a minute, but then abruptly stopped.

"Leo?" Elliot asked carefully. The other didn't move for a moment, but then turned his head to him.

"Elliot-"

He sighed. He knew what Leo was trying to say.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you." He quickly got out of bed and ran into the bathroom. Elliot closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose when he heard the sound of Leo coughing his food back up.

'Guess that didn't work.' He thought bitterly. Elliot then decided to put the tray back on his bed, seeing as he no longer needed it. He didn't like to see Leo sick, only because…they couldn't spend time together? No, that's too cheesy. Perhaps it was because it was to pitiful to see Leo's blank expression.

The moment Elliot sat back down in the chair, Leo came stumbling out of the bathroom, putting one hand to the doorframe for support.

"You alright?" He asked, turning his head to the noirette.

"No." His answer had been honest, and not the usual sarcastic remark that was expected, yet traced with worry. He slowly staggered over to his bed and lazily slipped under the covers.

"I probably should of seen this coming. I'll bring you soup next time."

"Right." Leo fell silent for a moment, but then spoke again. "What's wrong with me?"

"I'm not sure, Leo, but don't worry." Elliot rubbed his servant's back and he rolled over away from him. "We'll figure this out, just…rest is all."

"That's about all you've suggested." He muttered, his voice quieter and more strained.

"And I'm saying it again." He removed his hand ad adjusted the covers around Leo. "I'll wake you when the doctor gets here, alright?"

He didn't answer, but Elliot saw him nod in return. If he was so sick that he couldn't even answer his master, then something was definitely wrong.

"Leo, wake up." Someone's voice called. "Leo, I told you I'd be waking you up when he got here."

He groaned and shifted under the sheets + quilt that covered him, burring his head in the soft pillows.

"Go away, Elliot." His voice sounded awful.

"Wake up, that's an order."

He sighed inwardly and slowly opened his eyes, even though he still wanted to sleep. Lifting his face from the pillows, he turned his head slightly to see Elliot looking down at him. If he had taken the trouble of waking him when he was clearly asleep, then he figured it must be 12:00, because that's when Elliot said he would be waking him.

"Here, sit up." Elliot said, grabbing one of Leo's arms and sitting him upright on the bed, like he had been a half hour ago, or at least he had been until he returned to bed after his body had rejected the food he had been eating.

"Elliot, please don't talk so loud." Leo asked, his headache now returning.

Looking around now, he saw two other people here; a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, and a girl who looked to be about the same age as him. This girl in particular interested him; a thin figure with light chestnut hair and chocolate brown eyes.

"Leo, this is Doctor Hall and his assistant Ashley, but she prefers to be called Ash." Elliot explained. While him and Dr. Hall went on talking with one another, the girl, Ash, looked at Leo with a sense of confusion.

This made Leo laugh lightly. "It's okay, I'm used to people giving me a look like that when they see me."

"Hmm? What was that, Leo?" Elliot asked, thinking that he had been talking to him.

"Oh, not you. I was talking to miss Ash over there." Leo answered. "I could recognize the expression on her face."

"You…called me Ash…right away." The girl suddenly spoke, then lightly smiling. "Thank you."

"If you prefer to be called that, then I'll address you as such."

"You have such a calm tone for someone so ill."

"Well, this is just the way I- ah!" He was cut of by a cool hand being pressed against his forehead.

"Yeah, he still has a fever." Of course it was Elliot. Once his master removed his hand, Ash moved closer while Leo leaned back, not sitting up, but instead half sitting and half laying down, propping himself up on his elbows. Another wave of nausea passed through him at that moment, but it wasn't as strong as before.

Ash noticed and put a hand on the bed. Leo was amazed by how slender they were, now wondering if she possibly plays piano. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm just thinking."

"About what?" She asked, quieter this time.

"What's really going on with me."

"How long have you known Leo-kun?" Ash asked Elliot, looking back at the noirette.

"About a year or so." He replied.

"I see. I think it's sweet you're doing all you can to help Leo-kun." With that, she went back to Leo, sitting down on the bed next to him.

At the moment, Dr. Hall was examining Leo's breathing for some reason. His nightshirt was now off, exposing his chest. Dr. Hall used a stethoscope for this and to examine his heartbeat, meanwhile, Leo was silent the whole time, only nodding at a few questions asked by both Dr. Hall and Ash. The girl on the other hand, had already taken his temperature and said it was 102.

When they were both done with their examinations, Dr. Hall said that he wanted to talk to Elliot, and he left Ash to look after him.

Once they were outside the room, Elliot closed the door behind him, all the while praying, 'I hope it's nothing serious.'

"So," Elliot began. "Do you know what's wrong with him?"

Dr. Hall drew in a breath and Elliot prepared himself for the worst. "It seems your servant was poisoned."

"He was what?" He exclaimed, then lowering his voice so Leo couldn't hear him shout, although, he probably did anyway. "Who would do such a thing? Are you certain of this?"

"I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure, and Ash confirmed it with me." Elliot felt his world breaking down around him, if Leo had been poisoned, then…then he was…

"However," He had been on the verge of tears, but now a small spark of hope had been set aflame inside him. "He doesn't show any signs that his condition is deteriorating. He must of gotten it out of his system in time."

'Wait, last night…when he left the dining hall!' That's when it became clear, Leo hadn't gone off to mark his place in a book. If he had been poisoned sometime yesterday, around the time when they were having supper, that would explain why Leo had suddenly left. He had indeed gotten the poison out of him in time, and maybe he was still feeling some side effects from it.

He'd have to figure out who targeted Leo later, but all that mattered right now was the fact that he was okay; Leo would be fine.

"He'll be fine then?" Dr. Hall nodded in response. "Thank God." Elliot felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.

"Just make sure he gets plenty of rest and eats at least anything he can keep down."

"Okay, thanks so much, Dr. Hall."

"I'll see you again Ash-kun." Ash nodded her head at Leo and walked out, Elliot walking past her.

"Hey." He said. Leo titled his head at hearing the tone in his master's voice.

"So…?" Leo started, waiting patiently for Elliot to answer.

"He said you just have a bad case of the flu." A soft smile graced Elliot's lips, and automatically, Leo assumed that he was lying, but now, seeing this smile, he wasn't sure if he was lying or not.

"Then what were you shouting for?"

"Uh, just the pay is all."

"Are you sure about that?" Elliot only nodded in response. "You shouldn't be near me then."

"Nonsense, Leo." He sat down next to Leo, ruffling his hair. "No one else wants to bother with you, so I'll take care of you instead."

Leo smirked. "Elliot is so kind."

This comment made Elliot blush. "S-shut up!"

Elliot hadn't been sure whether he had made the right choice or not in lying to Leo and not telling him he had been poisoned, but he was out of danger though, so what harm could come from it? Elliot would tell him later, but he would wait till he was better.

"Elliot, how is your servant?" Elliot looked next to him to see Gilbert sitting beside him. He was one of the few who showed a tiny bit of concern, maybe the only one. "I heard he wasn't feeling well."

"Oh, he's fine. He'll just have to stay in bed for a while."

"I see. Well, it's good to know he'll be fine. I know how much he means to you." Obviously his adoptive brother meant it in a brotherly friendship, and Elliot knew that too. No way he would go any further than that.

"Elliot." He looked up from his music sheet that he was working on and saw his sister, Vanessa, standing a few feet away from him.

"What is it, Vanessa?" He asked his sister.

"This girl here says she knows you."

When Vanessa stepped aside, he was confused, as well as shocked to see Ash standing there, rain dripping from her figure and a towel around her shoulders.

"Uh, yeah, that's Ash." Elliot explained. "She came by earlier today with Dr. Hall."

"Right, well she told me she had to find you."

Elliot lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Ash?"

Her lips parted and she spoke. "Elliot-kun, I have to talk to you."

Cliffhanger...! And yes...I went that far! Anyway, seems like things aren't over yet. Ash will play an important roll in the story later on too.

Like always, feel free to leave a reveiw.