*clears throat* I planned this chapter last year. Now, it's March 2020 as I'm typing it to be published on October 21st. Presently, as in when I'm typing this author's note, this chapter may be considered as insensitive for topical reasons. I even cut something out that might've taken it too far. I don't mean for anything to be offensive. We're just here to have a good time.

In other news, Happy Birthday to this story! It's been an amazing year for it. I have about 54 banked chapters as I'm publishing this one and I can tell you that this will be wild.

Year Two: Call The Nurse!

Two Years Ago - Banner House

A text message was sent out in the Stark's Angels group chat. Daniel was sick. The girls acted upon it. They brought what was needed for dealing with a sick person, especially since Daniel was lying on the couch unable to take care of himself.

Except for Britney who argued that her nurse costume was the perfect remedy.

Britney laughs loudly as the magic disappears from her fingertips. Angela, Emily, and Merida look down at themselves and they're all wearing the same skimpy nurse costume like her. Surely, they don't pull it off like her. They weren't blessed with the holy trinity of big breasts, curves, and long and slender legs. But Britney's Asgardian so she doesn't count.

"Quarantine has nothing over this quartet!" Britney exclaims excitedly.

Angela, Merida, and Emily look over at her with narrowed eyes. Daniel pulls the blanket over his head. This is a fever dream come true yet completely insane.

-o-

Present Day - Atlantic Residence - 10:51 AM

People have been coughing, sneezing, and sniffling left and right. Everywhere Merida would turn, someone and their roommate were taking medicine in shot glasses. Well, everywhere but her dorm (which now has a quarantine sign on the door, written on a whiteboard in capital letters. It wasn't because there was a disease in there. She wanted that safe space to remain virus-free). It's times like this where Merida's grateful that Angela Samantha super-soldier-spawn Rogers is her roommate. Where she goes, diseases head the other way. There was no use attempting to infect that body with their antibodies.

Might as well get the weak ones, right? Like that one person she saw who ran out of tissues so they had a roll of toilet paper in the empty box. That was just sad. Why couldn't they just carry the roll on its own? Why have the empty box?

Merida's stayed safe by wearing a plague doctor mask. Was it insensitive? A little. But did sick people avoid her like the plague because she looked freaky? Definitely. She even filled it with some lavender oil she got from Brody. Apparently, according to him, it works wonders. And she has to believe him since she isn't sick.

"You look stupid," Angela says.

Merida looks over at her friend. The beak of the mask points at her face. "Not all of us have impenetrable immune systems."

"You will offend people."

"I don't give a shit. They'll get me sick."

"Where did you even get that mask?"

"When in Jersey."

Angela isn't surprised.

-o-

Academy's Commando's Lounge - 12:38 PM

Xavier, Ashton, and Orchid walk through the lounge where lots of their peers are coughing into their arms or tissues, or even the blankets they're wrapped in. Some are even wearing their pyjamas. A lot of them are working on assignments because they have no choice. Deadlines were deadlines, regardless if you were going to be dead. Any other institution would be kinder if they were sick, but SHIELD Academy wasn't. As future agents, missions won't delay themselves because they had a small cough. This was their preparation, according to the guidelines.

"At least our class was cancelled," Orchid states optimistically. Their professor, along with a few others, got sick and couldn't teach or run drills. No students complained, healthy or not.

"But look at this," Xavier says, gesturing to everyone around them.

It's like a zombie apocalypse and they're the only survivors.

"Thank god my roommate isn't sick," Ashton says gratefully, looking upwards to thank whoever's up there.

Xavier nods. "Thank god for the same thing."

"I wasn't blessed with a perfect immune system. I'm lucky."

"No, I meant I'm glad you're not sick. I wouldn't be able to sleep with all your hacking and sniffling."

Ashton scoffs. "Wow, Rogers, okay. I see you."

Xavier laughs. It'll just be everyone else on their floor keeping them awake.

Orchid coos at them. "Your bromance is a remedy all on its own."

"What about your roommate?" Xavier asks her.

Orchid holds back a laugh but the boys know she wants to let it out. "She got so scared that she went home. I think she's from Maryland and I'm not complaining about her absence. This girl gets Brody over more often."

Orchid winks at them as she walks out of the lounge ahead of them. Ashton and Xavier glance at each other, both wearing smiles. Damn, girl. And good on Brody for not getting sick as well.

-o-

Cafeteria - 20:21 PM

Daniel never thought he would be in this situation. James never thought he would get to witness it.

Not everyone on campus caught the bug. Aside from the two boys, Brody remained in top condition. He didn't realize there was a bug going around until he noticed everyone with a tissue box. He thought it was a cultural thing when it's more seasonal. He must've missed it last year as well.

But he had something special on his side. A beautiful set of essential oils.

James was amazed by their powers, especially since it got Daniel and Brody in a heated debate. There were the pro-arguments that involved antibacterial and antiviral properties versus Daniel's cons were that they were oils, nothing more and nothing less. Oils.

But Daniel had to give Brody credit, some of his points were valid. He really couldn't argue them.

"They won't cure you," Daniel reaffirms. "They'll relieve you at best."

"Same thing," Brody says, shrugging it off.

Daniel stares at him. " … no."

"But they have to be working. I'm not sick."

"You eat healthy, exercise, and have a healthy schedule."

James nods. "And use kumquat oils."

He has no idea what a kumquat is. Maybe they're the miracle fruit.

"Dude!" Daniel exclaims. So much for his arguments. Also, did he just say dude? He's been in this conversation for too long.

"Dude!" Brody exclaims excitedly. Someone was on his side.

He grabs James in the biggest bro hug ever, shaking him around like a rag doll. James's head bounces around, feeling like it will snap off and roll away. No kumquat oil will save him from this.

"Did not see this coming," James says. His voice is strained. "You're crushing me."

Halfway through writing that chapter, I realized that this was a flu season chapter and none of my main characters had the flu. Oh well. Stay safe, everyone.

I reread the counterpart chapter for inspiration and I cried laughing. I miss Emily Stark.

Until further notice, we will be having bi-weekly updates for this story (Wednesdays and Sundays).

Emily's Counterpart - Chapter 250: Did Someone Call a Nurse?