"Vince what…" her voice caught despite her timid tone, "what if Daniel is still infected with haggarium?"

"No," said Vince out loud, but inside his thoughts were racing. Of course that would explain everything. The weight loss, the sleeplessness, the sickness, and the increasingly frightening nightmares, it would make sense. Trying to keep his voice under control he said, "We'll ask him in the morning." Larmina nodded and stared to the door right before she left he said, "Larmina I seriously doubt it."Not

Breakline…..

In the morning Vince and Larmina walked downstairs to the med bay. With twisting stomach they looked through the glass on the door and saw Daniel sitting up on the end of his bed with his shirt off and the doctor holding a stethoscope to him.

Without the faint padding of the Daniel's shirt is was painfully obvious how skinny he had become. The doctor was saying something to Daniel but the door kept the sound stubbornly away. The young boy's face was pleading as the doctor spoke to him. The doctor turned slightly and the two at the window saw the look of astonishment and even panic on his face. Daniel was almost begging as his mouth moved and he said something else. He was asking the doctor to do something or not to do something. Was this about the supposed haggarium infection?

Daniel turned to see his friends' faces in the glass and his tired face split into a smile. After consent from the boy on the bed the doctor opened the door and let the worried teens in.

"Is Daniel ok?" both his friends asked immediately.

Chuckling the doctor said, "Your friend is a little tired but otherwise he'll be alright" not

This physician was lying through his teeth the same way Vince had lied about his worries last night. The doctor had run a few blood tests and found the haggarium. Daniel had told him the situation from top to bottom—from the beginning of the infection to the other night when he had found the seventy five percent sign on the screen.

Both teens rushed to the ebony haired teen's side disrupting the doctor's thoughts.

"Calm down," said Daniel his tone as smooth as butter, "you heard the doctor it's like he told you I'm just a little tired." Grinning he stood and walked over to the table that held his shirt. His grin faded as he turned from his friends. How could he keep lying to his friends?

From behind Vince and Larmina saw his shoulders slump slightly. "Doctor could we have a moment with Daniel?" Vince asked.

"Of course," was the reply and the adult left the room.

"Daniel," Larmina's tone was gentle and accusing at the same time. "What's really going on?"

"What are you talking about?" countered Daniel, not missing a beat. He pulled the shirt over his head.

"We know you're still infected," said Vince cutting to the chase.

"You're crazy," said Daniel. But for that moment he let his fear and worries shine bright in his eyes. When he turned back to his friends he let his face melt back into unconcern. "You're kidding. All the haggarium in my system died with Lotor."

"Daniel," Larmina's big sad blue eyes pleaded his words to be true.

Knowing he might never get the courage to do this if all his fears were coming true he lifted his hands to her face and held it. Looking into her eyes he wills his eyes to lie.

"I'm just fine," he said. And she bought the lie but he couldn't keep selling it much longer. Soon the secret would get out and Daniel would end up as the corpse that no one would know what happened to.

I know it's really short and I am really sorry but that's not the end of the bad news because I have lost the document that holds the rest of this story. I wish I had it but… I will look for it. Until then I hope you like the chapter

R&R!