TITLE: Stop the World
CHAPTER/TITLE: Chapter Six/ Fever To Tell
RATING: T (violence/language)
A/N: Thanks for the reviews and follows! You are all awesome, lovely human beings.
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Chapter Six: Fever To Tell
Life at the Mercer household seemed to shut down and slumber while Jack slept. Jerry neglected to accompany his wife on their weekly evening out. Angel cancelled his dinner plans with Sofi. Bobby called in at Johnny's where he was picking up shifts while home. Evelyn sat in an armchair opposite Jack, needle and yarn in hand, but fingers stilled.
"Shouldn't he have woken up by now?" Jerry finally spoke from behind the sports and parenting magazines he was pretending to read at the dining table.
"Quit your worryin', Jer'," Bobby deflected the comment with a wave of his hand.
"Bobby," Evelyn chimed in, "your brother might be right. Concussions can be nasty business."
"'Course Bobby'd know all about those from givin' 'em to 'nough people on the rink," Angel snickered as he pulled a Sports Illustrated from his brother's pile.
Bobby was about to bark back a brutal verbal beating when something distracted him. He immediately stood from his seat and was at Jack's side in a matter of seconds. The teen tossed and turned and twitched underneath Evelyn's quilt. His lips parted and sounds that were desperately trying to be words rolled scratchily out of his throat.
"Jack?" Bobby asked hesitantly.
"Bobby, don't," Evelyn warned as she stood, but was too late as Bobby had already brought a hand down against Jack's head.
Instantly, Jack shrieked and shied away as if Bobby's hand scalded his skin. The writhing worsened, Jack's legs beginning to bend and kick with more force Bobby knew he possessed. His arms reached and grabbed and punched frantically. Jack's scream ripped through the house again as the family gathered around the scary scene.
Jack had screamed upon waking from his nightmares before and flinched at touch, but he had never reacted like this. This was the Jack that fought against going to a doctor. This was the Jack that terrified even tough Bobby Mercer.
"Maybe it's the fever," Jerry considered, voicing everyone's unspoken questions and concern.
"Or the withdrawal," Angel added with a shrug and note of personal experience.
"Or both," Bobby bit off. "Who the fuck cares?"
"Bobby, language," Evelyn chided before kneeling next to a twisting and trembling Jack. "Jack, listen to me. Be calm and listen to my voice. This is Evelyn. Jack, this is your mother. I am right here. So are your brothers. We are all here. You are safe. You hear me, Jack? You are safe."
The more Evelyn talked, the more Jack seemed to settle, still occasionally sounding a stifled sob or turning his head. Eventually, the youngest member of the Mercer home went limp, muttering into the back of the couch as he rolled. It was only when he did this, that his shirt rolled up the back of his spine, and the entire room partook in a collective gasp and then silence, staring down at the discolored skin. The rash spread over the lower half of the boy's back and no one wished to venture a guess as to how extensive it had become.
Breathing deeply and markedly evenly, Evelyn made to stand, Bobby instinctively helping her to her feet.
"I'm going to call work," she announced in that tone that left no room for argument. "I won't be going in tomorrow. Bobby, neither will you."
"What about us?" Jerry bent his brow.
"Angel, why you don't you stay at your brother's house tonight?" She suggested. "Would that be alright with Camille, Jerry? You can take your brother to work in the morning. It's going to be difficult enough as it is. I think that having all of you there might just make things, more complicated," she strayed from using the word 'worse' - Evelyn always avoided saying anything negative in the same sentence as her sons. "But I'll need Bobby in case things, well, just in case."
"Where are you going?" Angel glanced from Evelyn to Jack, already knowing the answer.
"Tomorrow," Evelyn sighed, "we're taking Jack to the doctor."