I DO NOT OWN LAB RATS.

Infections and Stomachaches

Donald was in his bed sleeping soundly in his room while everyone else was in the living room talking. "So, Mom, what happened yesterday at the doctors? Did they find out why Big D's ears hurt?"

"Yes. He has fluid in his ears. Dr. Nichols said that he's surprised that Donald can hear at all."

"Why?" asked Bree.

Chase said, "Because, Bree, when your ears are clogged, you can't hear very well. You can still hear, just not well."

"Yes, but the fluid is putting pressure on his inner ear and eardrum."

"So, what's gonna happen?" asked Leo.

"He got prescribed ear drops that are supposed to help him clear them out."

Chase asked, "Suppose to? What if it doesn't help?"

"The doctor said that if they don't work, to come back and see him and... talk about surgery."

Everyone was shocked when she said that. "Surgery? Why? To fix his hearing?"

Bree replied sarcastically, "No, Adam. To remove some of his teeth. Yes, to fix his hearing!" She loved her older brother, but he can be clueless sometimes.

"Well, I just wanted to be clear."

"Anyway, I put his drops in and he should be able to hear better. Well, hear somewhat better." All four teens had worried expressions. "He'll be fine, don't worry." They all breathed a sigh of relief.

She decided to check on him, so she went upstairs and to their room. She opened the door and quietly walked in so as not to disturb him. He was snoring softly and the way he was sleeping was that his arms were spread out on the blanket and his head was tilted back with his mouth hung open. She gently shook him. "Donald, sweetie." He quickly woke up and snorted as he did, making her giggle.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. How do you feel?" She put a hand on his forehead. "You still feel warm."

"I feel fine."

"Your forehead tells a different story."

He chuckled. "Oh, good news. My ears cleared up."

"That's great, Donald!"

"Yeah... well, not completely clear, but clear enough where I can hear a little."

"That's still great, though. Maybe you won't need surgery then."

"Surgery? What surgery?"

Tasha sat on the bed. "Well, before we exited the doctors, he pulled me aside and said that if they don't work..."

"Come back and see him. I know."

"Yes... and to talk about surgery to fix your hearing." All the blood and color drained from his face at hearing that.

"Surgery?! I don't want surgery. It gets me all freaked out!"

She embraced him into a hug, rubbing his back. "Relax, Donald. Don't worry. It's only if they don't work."

He let go and laid back down. "If?"

"Relax. I'm sure you'll be fine. Now, I'm gonna see how that fever's doing." He nodded and Tasha placed the thermometer in his ear until it beeped. "103.8. You still have a high fever. Do you wanna come out and lay on the couch?"

"Okay." He looked at his bear next to him, to Tasha, then back at his bear.

She took the hint and said, "Yes, you can bring your bear."

"Yes!" She giggled and led him out of their room.

"Okay, but first, you need to go take a shower because, no offense, but you're all sweaty and... blah."

He laughed and said, "Oh yeah. All right." He lifted his arms up. "I shall return." She rolled her eyes, and he headed towards the bathroom.

Adam, Bree, Chase, and Leo were in the lab. Chase and Leo were playing a game of Cyber Pong. Adam was laying on top of the control panel tossing a ball up and down. Bree was watching a show on Davenport's tablet, bowl of popcorn in lap. After Leo hit the cyber ball with his paddle and Chase returned it, a holographic scorecard showed up on Chase's side and said 'Chase Wins'. "Ha! I beat you! Who's awesome? I'm awesome! Me!" He danced and jumped around in victory. "Woo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo!"

Adam was the first to complain. "Ugh! I'm soooo bored!"

"Guys! Will you shut up?! I'm trying to watch Teen Proposals. Edward is about to propose to Bella at a fancy restaurant. Eeee!"

Everyone's attention was interrupted when the elevator opened, and Donald came running in. "Guys! Guys!"

Chase asked, "Mr. Davenport, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sick, Chase, not paralyzed. I can walk and come down here when I want. Besides, I own all this." He gestured to everything around them.

Bree mumbled, "Wow. Someone loves to brag."

Donald rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I came down here because I got an urgent mission alert on my phone. There's a gas leak at my space station and you guys will have to go fix it."

Bree asked, "You have a space station?"

"Yeah. Who doesn't have their own space station?"

Leo replied, "Anyone without a huge ego."

"All right, all right, time to suit up." They went to their capsules. He was about to press the button to change them into their suits when he felt a pain in his stomach and doubled over.

Chase asked, "Are you okay, Mr. Davenport?"

He stood up and regained his composure. "Yeah... I'm fine." He pressed a button, and the capsules changed them into their mission suits. They came out of their capsules and Donald said, "Okay," he tossed them each an earpiece intercom and continued, "you guys will be communicating with me through the intercoms, and I will be monitoring your progress from my computer. This will be the most important mission of your lives. If you don't fix that leak and the people there get exposed to the gas, it'll be a complete disaster."

Chase replied sarcastically, "Wow. Thanks for the support."

"Just go!"

Adam asked, "Will it kill you to say please?"

"GO!" They jumped onto Bree's back, and she sped off. He sat down in his chair.

Leo asked, "Do you think they can do it, Big D?" He didn't respond. "Big D?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry. Of course, they can." He placed his hands over his ears again and closed his eyes tightly. "My ears hurt again!"

"Want me to get Mom?"

"No. Just... please go get my drops."

"You got it. Where are they?"

"In the... medicine cabinet... in the upstairs bathroom."

"Got it. I'll be back." He went to the elevator, and it carried him up to the living room. When there, Leo got out and headed upstairs to the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and spotted Donald's eardrops in a white bottle with a purple label and black writing. He grabbed it and headed off towards the lab. "Hey, Big D. I've got your drops."

His hands were still clasped to his ears. "Thank... you."

"Okay, tilt your head and I'll put..." He realized something. "How many do I put in?" Donald held up two fingers and pointed to both ears. Leo nodded. Leo took Donald's earpiece off and tilted his head to the right so he could put the drops in. He carefully squeezed the bottle, and two drops came out. "There you go. Other side now." Donald tilted his head to the left and Leo squeezed two more drops out. "And there you go."

He lifted his head up. "Thanks, Leo."

"No problem."

Chase's voice could be heard from the earpiece. "Mr. Davenport. Mr. Davenport, can you hear me?"

Leo put it in his ear. "Mission Specialist Dooley here."

"Leo? What are you doing? Where's Mr. Davenport?"

"He's right here. I just put his ear drops in, so he should be better now. Wanna talk to him?"

"Yes! Put him on!"

"All right, all right." He took the comm set off and tried giving it to Donald, but he drifted off and soft snores were heard. Leo rolled his eyes and put the device back in his ear. "Unfortunately, that's not happening because he's asleep. I'll help you, though."

Bree asked, "What's going on? Where's Davenport?"

"He's here, but he's asleep."

Adam asked, "Asleep? Doesn't he realize we have a mission?"

Chase said, "Yes he realizes that, but he needs his sleep, so Leo's gonna help us." Bree just groaned.

"I heard that, Bree!"

"Anyway, Leo, we fixed the gas leak and everyone's safe. We're on our way back now."

"Awesome guys! You did a great job!" Leo took his piece off and set it down. He stood up, walked over, and shook Donald. "Big D. Big D, wake up."

Donald woke up. "Huh? Oh. Hey, Leo. What's up?"

"Adam, Bree, and Chase did it. They fixed the leak."

"They did?"

Leo nodded and Donald jumped up for joy. Donald felt a sharp pain in his stomach again and doubled over. "Big D? You all right?"

"No. I had a stomachache all day."

"All right." Leo let Donald put his head on his shoulder and he gripped Donald's side to support him. "I'll just take you upstairs and lie you on the couch and–"

"No, I want my bed."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll take you to your bed."

While they were heading to the elevator, Donald doubled over again. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Big D?!"

He fell while saying, "Ow!" He curled into a ball, holding his stomach.

"Big D!" Leo knelt down by him. "I'm gonna get Mom!" He ran to the elevator and yelled up the shaft. "MOOOM!"

Tasha was walking to the kitchen when she heard Leo calling her. The elevator was closed and was down in the lab, so Tasha ran to find the stairs. When the doors to the stairs opened in the lab, she ran in and was shocked at what she saw.