SICK FIC FOR NEW YEARS BECAUSE I WILL GO INSANE IF WE DON'T WRITE SOMETHING!

I've chosen Eleanor as the narrator, for reasons that will become a bit more obvious as you read. She's also got that cynical attitude that's fun to play with when you're feeling miserable.

This is NOT how I planned to spend New Year's! I wanna do the dang multi-chap fic! But, oh well.

PAGING DR. ELEANOR

Eleanor's POV

This was not shaping up to be an enjoyable New Year. The echoes of coughing and sneezing ricocheted off the walls. I stirred two pots of soup in the kitchen. One that was vegan friendly with no chicken broth and the other that had no green vegetables just a TON of carrots.

If you haven't already guessed, both of my sisters were sick. In addition to them, the boys and Dave were ALSO sick. Brittany's stupid idea to go to twelve different holiday parties during the height of flu and cold season was obviously to blame. I was so mad at her. Furious. Boiling.

Because I wasn't sick. Did I get to relax in bed and rest? No! Did I get soup delivered to me? Absolutely not. Do I get balloons and Get Well Soon cards from my fans? Ha! I wish.

I never get sick. There was a time I actually faked being sick once, that was before I learned my stealth powers have the side effect of bad germs not noticing me. But, because I'm never sick, I'm ALWAYS the one caring for EVERYONE ELSE when they're sick. And frankly, that makes me feel, well, SICK!

"Eleanoooor." Brittany let out a pained moan. "Where's my soup?"

"Can you turn the thermostat up?" Jeanette asked rather loudly. "I'm very chilled."

"Hold on!" I shouted up to them. "I'm one person! I can only do so much!"

My phone rang as I was pouring the soup into bowls. Brittany's bowl was a pale pink color with little hearts because when she's sick she refuses to eat from anything else. Jeanette's bowl was plain white with a blue stripe around it. She was much less picky.

I finished pouring the soup and then picked up the call. "Hello?"

"Hi….Ellie." Theodore wheezed. He sounded miserable. The poor little guy. "Dave….said….to call…you." His words ended with an abrupt coughing fit.

"I'll be right over." I promised him. "Give me five minutes."

"Thanks…." He coughed again. "And….sorry."

He felt bad that I had to be Dr. Eleanor. At least someone cared. It felt like everyone else just took me for granted.

I hung up the call and carried the two soup bowls upstairs on a tray table.

"Eleanor…" Jeanette had herself cocooned in blankets. Her nose was cherry red and her cheeks were flushed. "The….thermostat."

"The soup will warm you up, okay?" I brought it over to her. "No need to mess with the thermostat."

She nodded and temporarily shed a couple blankets. She leaned down and tried to lap the soup up like a cat.

I facepalmed. "Jeanette, use a spoon." I handed it to her.

"Oh…right." She carefully took a spoonful of soup. "Is very good."

"Uh hello! I'm still hungry!" Brittany angrily picked up a tiny bell from her nightstand and shook it relentlessly.

I wanted to smash that thing. She uses it every time she's sick.

I turned to face her with a phoney smile hiding my rage. "Coming right up." I said through gritted teeth.

Resisting my urge to pour the hot soup all over her selfish, entitled, little head, I set the bowl down on a tray table.

Brittany sat up for a few seconds and then layed back down. "I'm too dizzy to sit. You'll have to feed it to me."

"Brittany." I groaned. "You HAVE to sit up."

"I can't." She started sobbing. "It makes my head hurt too much."

I stuffed my rage again and arranged her pillows so she could lay down and still be propped up enough to eat the soup.

"There. Is that better?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Ew…there are too many carrots in this." The strawberry blonde Chipette wrinkled her nose.

I wanted to scream. But I held my tongue. "Yeah, well, unfortunately you don't like other veggies so…carrots it is."

She picked at a carrot with her spoon. "It's so mushy."

I sighed. "Yes, Brittany, that is the texture of cooked carrots."

"You…" Jeanette shivered again. "Can h…have some of m…m…my soup, Brittany." She offered.

"No." I declared forcefully. "Just eat your own dang soup. I made them special for you."

"Thank you, Eleanor." The girl in the purple striped PJs replied.

Brittany pouted. "Next time, I want less mushy carrots." At least Brittany was eating. She'll never get better if she doesn't eat.

I didn't bother to hear anything else they said. I was already out the door. I couldn't put up with this for too long.

I ran down the stairs, grabbed my first aid kit with everything from thermometers to bandages, and hurried out the door. Once I was outside, I let out an enormous growl of frustration.

Then, it was off to the boys' house, to have my patience tested AGAIN. I climbed through the doggy door and dragged my first aid kit up the stairs.

"Alright, Alright, Dr. Eleanor is in the building." I said, slightly out of breath. "What do you need?"

"I think I'm dying." Alvin's even raspier and scratchier than normal voice called out.

I sighed. "You have the flu. You're not dying."

"My brain feels like there's an electrical fire up there." He whined.

"That's a headache, Alvin." I folded my arms.

Theodore shivered in his bed and clung to his Talking Teddy plush. "Can you…. take….my temperature?" His words were slower and I could tell that the simple act of talking was taking all his energy.

"Sure thing." I opened the first aid kit and took out the thermometer. I placed it under Theo's tongue.

"Can you take my temperature too?" Alvin rasped. "And look in my throat? I don't wanna lose my voice again and I think it's almost that bad."

"You lose your voice EVERY time you get sick." I reminded him. "It comes back in a few weeks."

"But I was gonna sing tonight to ring in the New Year!" He sobbed.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, that's not happening. And if you try, you could permanently damage your voice."

"It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!" Alvin whined louder. Then, he gasped. "Oh no! My vision's blurry! I'm going blind from the fever just like the one girl in Jeanette's Little House On The Prairie Book!"

I picked up his red glasses that had slipped off his face without him realizing it. "You're a nutjob." I muttered under my breath.

He gasped. "I can see again! It's a miracle!"

Simon was lying in his bed with a calm grin on his face. He had a pair of noise cancelling headphones over his ears and a damp rag on his forehead.

I didn't think that he should be relaxing while I suffered, so I forced him to join me. I took his headphones off.

"Can you please talk some sense into your brother?" I begged. "Please?"

"I cannot." Simon grabbed the headphones and placed them back over his ears. "His rational brain completely turns off when he's sick."

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The sound of the thermometer going off caused me to rush back over to Theodore.

"Is….is….it….bad?" He asked.

"It's 100.2." I informed him. "Just a low grade fever. We'll keep an eye on it."

"My turn! My turn!" Alvin reached for the thermometer.

I sanitized it with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. "Hold on! Let me wipe Theo's germs off it first."

"Okay." Alvin got a blank look on his face and stared at the ceiling.

When I had finished sanitizing the thermometer, I stuck it in Alvin's mouth.

While I was waiting for the results, I climbed onto Simon's bed.

He seemed irritated, but he allowed me to do this.

The minutes ticked by. Finally, the thermometer beeped.

"103.3." I reported. "Concerning, but it'll come down with the medicine."

"I'm gonna diiiiie." Alvin wailed again. "It's never been that high before."

"You're under a lot of stress lately. It contributes." I wiped off the thermometer and poured him some cherry flavored medicine. "Drink this."

"It smells awful." He turned his nose up.

"Don't care." I replied sharply. "Drink it."

He made a disgusted face as he took the medicine.

I used the thermometer on Simon while Alvin started singing even though I warned him not to.

His voice sounded TERRIBLE but he was stubborn.

"I'm hot blooded! Check it and see! Got a fever of 103!"

"Alvin….no." Theodore wheezed. "Don't….wreck….your….voice."

Alvin immediately looked worried again and stopped. "Sorry! I'm just so bored! I can't think clearly enough to do anything and the understimulation is KILLING me!"

"Just….sleep." His youngest brother suggested.

I nodded. "Theo's right. "I'll make you all some soup, but you gotta rest too. Your body needs a lot of sleep to recover."

"But I'll have fever dreams! They're like ten times as crazy and mentally scarring as my normal dreams!" Alvin protested.

"Yeah. Sucks to be you." I shrugged. "We all have things about our special abilities that we don't like."

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

I popped the thermometer out of Simon's mouth. "99.6" I said. "Also low grade fever."

I took out the bottle of cherry flavored fever reducing medicine. "Either of you want any of this?"

"I'm good." Simon replied. "The sooner I feel better, the sooner I'll be tempted to get up and do things. I'm content using this as an excuse to just….exist. A mental reset, if you will."

Theodore coughed again. "I'd….like…some."

I gave him a spoonful of the medicine and, unlike Alvin, he didn't complain about it.

"Okay, well, since that's settled, I'm off to check on Dave and make you some soup." I told them sweetly. "You'll all be feeling better….eventually."

"Yeah." Alvin groaned bitterly. "Probably just in time to go back to school."

"Tough luck." I patted his cap.

"May I request some Ramen noodles?" Simon asked nicely.

Alvin laughed. "Dude could live on Ramen noodles."

"They're very good for situations like this." His brother in the blue bathrobe retorted.

"Good point. Can I have some too? Shrimp flavored ones?" Alvin batted his eyelashes.

Simon recoiled in horror. "You are disgusting."

"I'll see what I can do." I huffed. "Theo, what kind of soup would you like?"

"I'm good with alphabet soup or chicken noodle." He managed to get out multiple words without wheezing. That was a good sign. "Thank you."

I was about to leave the room when Alvin called me back again.

"Paging Dr. Eleanor. Don't go yet. I have one more request for ya." He rasped.

I glared at him. "What is it?"

"Can I have a refill on my water? Please?" He held the cup out.

"Mine could use one too." Simon mentioned.

"And mine." Chimed Theodore.

"I gotya." I collected the germ covered sippy cups and threw out their straws.

Once I'd refilled their waters, I went over to Dave's bedroom to check on that big bump on a log. He gets very VERY lethargic when he's sick.

"Knock knock." I announced, opening the door. "How ya doin', Dave?"

"Miserable." The man replied with a frown.

"Yeah, it knocked you all pretty hard this time around." I got out the thermometer and medicine from my carrying case again. "But at least you're not puking."

"Yeah" he agreed with a sigh.

"We'll just postpone New Year's stuff until everyone feels better." I told him cheerfully. "At least we didn't get sick for Christmas."

Dave rolled over onto his side. "Is Officer Dangus okay? He didn't catch it too, did he?"

"I called him and he sounded fine." I told Dave happily. "Guess it's a good thing you didn't kiss under the mistletoe." I snickered playfully.

The boys' father looked even more unhappy. "You know we did have New Year's plans. He was going to take me to watch the fireworks."

"Urgh. That blows. I'm sorry." I held out the thermometer. "I'm sure you'll have fun together as soon as you're up to snuff again."

"Yeah." He put the thermometer in his mouth.

I sat on the bed and fluffed up his pillows as I waited for the temperature reading to be ready again. It seemed to take forever.

"101.6" I disinfected the thermometer again.

"That's high." He groaned.

"Not too high." I told him. "Theo's and Alvin's are both higher."

Truthfully, I was a little worried about Alvin's fever, but the medicine should help. There's no WAY I'm going to tell him I'm worried, because that'll just make him worry even more.

"Are the boys okay?" Dave trembled.

I rubbed his shoulder. "They're fine. They're gonna have some soup and then rest. And you should too. Sleep is good for ya."

He nodded in agreement and then accepted the spoonful of medicine.

"You want some chicken noodle or alphabet soup?" I asked, closing up the first aid kit once the medicine was back inside it.

"Alphabet soup." He replied. "Please."

"Comin' right up." I leapt down from the bed and then my phone rang again.

I hustled into the hallway to answer it. The caller ID was flashing a picture of Brittany's ungrateful and whiny face.

"What is it now?" I asked, my patience so thin that you couldn't slice off much more without causing me to lash out.

"I finished my soup." Brittany reported. "Now what?"

"Whatever you want. Go on your computer, play on your phone, do something to take your mind off the flu." I advised.

"When are you coming back?" She whined incessantly. "I miss you."

Yeah right. (Sarcasm) The only thing she misses is having me wait on her hand and foot.

"I have to make the boys soup too. You're not the only one sick, you know." I snapped.

"You care more about them than your own sister!?" The dramatic diva whined.

"I never said that." I was so ready to hang up the phone.

Brittany sobbed into the receiver. "I need someone to pay attention to me. I'm so bored!"

"Why don't you and Jeanette play a game together or something?" I suggested.

"She only likes nerdy games." The Chipette huffed.

"Try the color by number one. It's simple, easy, fun, and you can make your pictures as pink as you want in the freestyle mode." I should NOT have to walk her through making decisions like this. I don't care how much brain fog the girl has.

"Which one is that?" Brittany whimpered.

I rubbed my temple with my free hand. "It's an app on your phone that says Color By Number. If you have any other questions, ask Jeanette. I'm hanging up on you now." I warned her.

"Wait…Eleanor!" She cried out.

I ended the call before she could ask any more stupid questions and waste any more of my time.

A little while later, I had two bowls of alphabet soup and two bowls of Ramen noodles balancing carefully on a tray. I climbed the stairs with the grace and elegance of an Olympic gymnast. I didn't even spill a drop. Would I be recognized for my impressive feat? Of course not! Nobody was around to witness it except Theodore's puppy dog.

Lilly whined and scratched at the boys' bedroom door.

"You can't go in there, girl." I told her. "We don't want you getting sick too." I didn't know whether or not this flu going around could be transmitted to dogs. It's better safe than sorry.

I delivered Dave's soup and lightened my load a little. Then, I carefully set the tray down and opened the door to the boys' room. Lilly came bounding toward me. Quickly, I slid the tray into the room and then jumped up to close the door.

Phew. That was close.

The soup remained un-spilled and I remained the unsung hero of this improvised tale.

Inside the room, Simon had his headphones off and was talking to Theodore. They both seemed to be feeling at least a tiny bit better.

Alvin was sleeping soundly, conked out like a light. He needed that. We ALL needed that.

Judging from context clues and piecing together the conversation, Theodore was explaining the PBS kids show Martha Speaks to his blue-clad brother. I had a feeling this would be HILARIOUS, so I didn't announce my arrival just yet.

"…So then, when Martha ate alphabet soup, she started talking like a person." Theodore squeaked.

Simon shook his head. "That makes no sense."

"Yes It does." The dirty-blonde boy insisted. He was so cute with conviction. "The letters went into her brain."

"The letters from the soup?" The bespectacled boy asked, looking unimpressed.

"Uh huh." Theodore beamed a child-like smile.

Simon rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That is not remotely how learning works."

"It's not?" The younger boy whimpered.

"Nope." The boy in the blue bathrobe adjusted the pillows on his bed.

"But there's a scientist on the show and he explained it all scientifically." Theodore reasoned.

Alvin stirred and then sat upright. He was awake from his nap. (Sarcasm) Awesome.

"Hey guys! What're we talkin' 'bout?" He quipped. At least he wasn't babbling about dying anymore.

Simon sighed. I could tell he wasn't thrilled to see Alvin awake either. "The implausibility of the show Martha Speaks."

"You're a talking Chipmunk." Alvin 2.0 reasoned. "Do you really wanna be so….pedantic about a talkin' dog?" He's got ya there, Simon.

Theo smiled smugly. "See? Even Smart Alvin is on my side."

Simon folded his arms and looked even more annoyed. "But it makes no SENSE!"

"Suspend your disbelief." Alvin rambled on and on, as he tended to do often. "The alphabet soup was clearly made by a secret lab that was aiming to increase the vocabulary skills of the entire population. You eat the soup, and your vocabulary expands. A dog eats the soup, and her vocabulary expands. Makes perfect sense to me." He concluded with a smug grin that mimicked Theo's.

"Yeah!" The littlest Seville boy beamed. "It's like that formula that made Warbie talk!"

The brown haired boy was aggravated beyond belief now. "Theo, eating alphabet soup will not, I repeat, NOT increase your vocabulary." He stressed the words pointedly.

Theo still wasn't getting it, he hugged his plush toy tighter. "But maybe it can."

Alvin raised his pointer finger in the air. "We'll have to do some tests." He declared. "See if we can re-create the scientific formula."

Simon paused for quite a while after that, struggling to find a response. "…You're both nuts. Absolutely NUTS!"

"Hello, boys." I greeted them at last.

"Hi Eleanor." They chorused, three pairs of eyes turned directly on me. Two blue pairs hidden behind glasses and one pair of big, brown, wide, and innocent eyes.

"Eleanor, do you think that I can learn more words by eating alphabet soup?" Theodore wondered out loud.

I chuckled. "I dunno. Maybe."

"Why do you want to increase your vocabulary anyway, Theodore?" Simon asked.

"Well…sometimes I struggle to find words for describing stuff." The little boy confessed. "And it would be nice to….not struggle."

"Well, if that's the case, I can teach ya all the big words I know!" Alvin offered.

"Yeah." I rolled my eyes. "Then you can go around sounding pretentious and obnoxious too, Theo. Won't that be fun?" I snarked.

"On second thought….I'm good." Theodore decided. "My simple way of talking has a lotta charm to it. I'd hate to lose that."

"Well, I'm ready for another vocabulary boost." Alvin rubbed his hands together. "Can I have some alphabet soup?"

I just about lost my cool. "I thought you wanted the Shrimp Ramen noodles." I said, through a clenched jaw.

"I changed my mind." Alvin 2.0 shrugged, as if making me run downstairs to get him more alphabet soup was no big deal.

"Uh uh." I replied. "You eat what you asked for. No backsies. I don't play that game." I stood firmly.

Alvin surprisingly didn't argue anymore. He accepted the bowl of shrimp-flavored Ramen.

Simon dined upon his usual chicken-flavored Ramen. "Thank you, Eleanor." He said.

Theodore hungrily spooned the alphabet soup into his mouth. "You're the best, Eleanor." He gushed.

I waited for Alvin to say something similar. And waited…and waited some more.

Finally, I coughed.

"Oh…yeah. Thanks, Ells." The red capped boy added with an embarrassed frown.

"No problem." I fibbed, since it was definitely feeling like caring for six people suffering from the flu WAS a problem. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Nope." Theodore wiped some soup off his chin with a napkin.

"Not that I can think of." Simon replied, between slurps.

"Uhhhh…" Alvin tried to think of something and looked disappointed when he couldn't come up with anything. "No. There's nothin'."

"Coolio. Dr. Eleanor is out. If you think of something, give me a ring. But…only if it's something you absolutely need!" I told them.

At last, I could maybe sneak in some time to put my feet up and just veg out.

I left the boys' house and ventured back to my own. I climbed the treehouse steps slowly, breathing in the fresh air. It was nice out here. Really nice. I decided to sit at the patio table and chill for a while.

That lasted all of maybe five minutes, tops. My phone rang again.

I answered it and put on a fake, obviously fake, cheerful demeanor. "You've reached Dr. Eleanor. What can I do for you?"

"You forgot to check our temperature." Brittany coughed.

"I just checked it like an hour ago, Britt. You're not even running a fever. Jeanette is. But you're not." I said, continuing my dumb attempt to mask my irritation.

"I'm running a fever now." My oldest sister complained. "My head's all hot and sweaty."

"Yeah…because you've been laying under eight blankets." I snapped. "You don't have a fever, you're just hot."

"Well, you should still check my temperature and see." The diva insisted.

"Fine." I hung up the phone and lugged my first aid kit up the stairs and to our shared bedroom.

Jeanette was asleep, both hands wrapped tightly around a blue kitty cat plush and a pink bunny plush. She was still shivering. If anyone needed their temperature checked again, it was her.

Brittany sat up in her bed, playing the color by number game on her phone. Her hair was a mess and her eyes had dark circles, her nose was a bit red and she sounded congested as heck, but other than that, she was fairly normal.

"Open wide." I instructed poking her with my finger and wiggling the thermometer in my hand.

"Can I finish this picture first?" She asked.

"No." I ripped the phone from her hands. I'd had ENOUGH! "Now, open wide."

I shined the flashlight in her throat first. "Looks good to me." I reported. "Not red at all."

Before she could reply with more complaints, I shoved the thermometer in her mouth.

We waited in awkward silence for a bit, then I decided that since Brittany couldn't talk, maybe I should take this opportunity to tell her what I was thinking.

"You know, sis. I get it. You're miserable. But that doesn't give you the right to be demanding and rude and treat me like your personal servant, kay?" I folded my arms. "My New Year's plans were wrecked too, just like yours. And I'm not even sick. Ya think that's fair? Well, do ya?" I went on. "You know how I wanted to start the New Year off? I wanted to eat pizza and drink sparkling cider while watching the ball drop on TV. I was gonna invite Derek and everything." I sighed. "Instead, I have to spend the whole day taking care of a bunch of snotty, sneezing, coughing, wheezing and COMPLAINING people. And some of them don't even bother to thank me!"

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

I pulled the thermometer out of Brittany's mouth and checked the temp. "98.6. Typical average body temp."

The girl in pink gripped her bedsheets and held back tears. "I'm sorry…..I'm sorry….I forgot to thank you." She whimpered. "And I'm sorry I'm so awful when I don't feel well."

"You can be demanding even when you do feel well." I added. Then, I brightened up a tiny bit. "But thanks for the apology."

"I wish you could still celebrate New Year's." She blew her nose forcefully into a tissue.

"Me too." I sighed.

"I wish I had someone to complain to besides you." Brittany grabbed her phone from the nightstand.

Suddenly, I had the perfect solution.

"Can I see that?" I asked, motioning for her to hand me the phone.

She nodded and set it in my hand.

I called Alvin and put him on facetime. "Hey, Alvin, you're feeling like crap and you want someone to complain to, right?" I asked with a devilishly wicked grin.

"Yeah, sure." He yawned, looking bored.

I handed the phone back to Brittany. "You're welcome!" I said.

"Wait, no, I didn't mean…." He chuckled nervously. "Heh heh, hey, Brittany."

While I checked Jeanette's temperature, I listened to Brittany and Alvin find solace in telling each other how absolutely unfair life is. This was my best idea ever.

"I'm so sweaty! I feel like a slippery eel!" Brittany fumed. "And my nose is full of gunk! I can't even taste anything!"

"That stinks. I can't even read a book right now because my brain can't concentrate on it. I'm trapped in this bed with a whirlwind of ruminating thoughts and none of them are good." Alvin replied.

My sister's lips turned up in the faintest smile. "So what you're telling me is I don't have to hear you ramble about physics until you feel better?"

"You love hearing me ramble. Admit it." He teased.

"Do not." Brittany flipped her messy ponytail as she sat up in bed.

"Do so." Alvin argued.

"I have such a headache." My sister went on.

"I've got that too. And a 103 degree fever to boot." The oldest Seville brother tried to outdo her.

"Omg! Are you okay?" Brittany gasped.

"Yeah. Ells made sure of it. The chills have gone away so I assume the fever's down now." I heard the boy groan again. "Whyyyyy, Britt? Why did you have to do this to us!? On New Year's Eve!"

"I didn't know I'd get sick!" The strawberry blonde girl grumbled.

"Yes but WE did. I warned you those parties weren't a good idea." Alvin spoke in a more serious tone than before.

"And yet, you agreed to come to two of them." Brittany retorted, holding the phone up closer to her face.

"Yeah TWO not TWELVE!" Her best friend snapped.

"But it was the Twelve Parties Of Christmas." Brittany adjusted her position again, leaning back onto her pillows. "What was I supposed to do? Not show up?! I'm expected at these things, Alvie."

"At least now you know to be more cautious next time." He responded. Then, he flipped back to sounding less serious again. "Urgh, I can't wait until my voice is back! I'm itchin' to do some karaoke!"

"And I can't wait until my nose stops being drippy and then clogged and then drippy again. It's like PICK ONE!"

The thermometer beeped and I checked Jeanette's temperature. The reading was 102.8. Verging on 103 like Alvin's. Not good.

"Jeanette, sis, come on, you gotta wake up. It's time for another dose of your medicine." I spoke tenderly to my sister.

She blinked her midnight eyes open and shivered again. "Already?"

"It's been 4 hours, so, yes." I told her.

"Hi, Netta!" Alvin shouted.

Brittany held the phone up so that Alvin could see his girlfriend.

"Hope ya get well soon!" He added with a smile.

Jeanette smiled weakly back as I fed her the medicine.

Then, she crawled back under her covers and was back to sleep in seconds. That poor girl's had a rough end to her year. Between the environmental proposal going belly up, the sudden descent into extreme sadness, and now this. I hope Jeanette's luck turns around for the New Year. I hope all of ours does.

"I feel so bad for Eleanor." I heard Brittany say to Alvin. "I wish she didn't have to miss her New Year's plans."

"Who says she has to?" Alvin reasoned. "She's not sick."

"I wish I was." I mumbled walking past Brittany's bed to pick up the tissues scattered around it. "Hey, do you think eating one of these will get me sick?" I joked.

"I mean, hmmm, that's a good question actually." Alvin rubbed his chin and I saw him on the screen.

Brittany immediately felt disgusted. "Eleanor, no! You are not eating my tissues! That is SO GROSS! Why do you wanna be sick? It's miserable." My sister blotted her watery eyes with another tissue.

"Because it would be nice to have someone at my beck and call for a change." I told them honestly.

"Oh…" Both Brittany and Alvin looked guilty.

Then, Alvin pointed his finger at me from the screen. "You know what, Ells? Go! Live it up! Spend your New Year's the way you want! We'll be alright for a few hours. We've got food, we've had medicine, we're all set. So GO PARTY!"

I put my hands behind my back. "I'd feel bad leaving you though. What if there's an emergency?"

"So then….uh…well….have your New Year's celebration here!" He suggested. "You can watch Dave's super big TV!"

"Yeah, but then whoever I invite will get sick." I reminded him. "No offense, but your house is CRAWLING with germs."

"Uhhh…" Alvin tapped his head, annoyed that his good ideas seemed to have run out.

Thankfully, Brittany had some ideas of her own to offer. "What if Miss. Miller came to check on us?"

"She's old. The flu could be really dangerous for her." I reasoned.

"What if she came wearing a hazmat suit?" Alvin proposed.

I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Miss. Miller in a hazmat suit. Not just my usual chuckle, a full on girlish giggle. "You know, that might actually work. Has she got one?"

"Yeah! Theo made her one back when he had his germaphobe phase." The red capped boy spoke quickly.

I guess I didn't have any other excuses. "Okay then." I agreed. "I'mma head out and enjoy what's left of New Year's Eve. And if there's any emergencies, call Miss. Miller."

"Have fun, Eleanor!" Brittany cheered.

"Yeah! Party like it's 1999!" The boy on the video screen added.

"1999?" The Chipette in pink scoffed. "We're WAY past 1999! Do you even hear yourself?"

"It's a song reference." Alvin facepalmed.

I waved goodbye to the duo and checked one more time on Jeanette before leaving the room. She was sleeping soundly and shivering a lot less now. Her fever was slowly coming down.

I ran out onto the balcony and danced my way down the stairs. I didn't have to cancel my New Year's plans! WHOOOO! This was going to be the BEST NIGHT EVER! Well, maybe second best. Halloween this year was pretty unforgettable.

I called up Derek and told him my plans for the night. "Yo, Derek. How about we get some pizza, watch the ball drop, and shoot off some fireworks in your backyard? Whattya say?"

"Let's do it!" My friend answered excitedly.

And so, that's exactly what we did.

"5….4…..3….2….1…." I blew into a party favor I'd picked up at the dollar store on the way over. "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Startin' the New Year right!" Derek agreed as the TV blared loudly.

"I should visit Times Square sometime." I told him, kicking back on the sofa with a can of Sprite in my hand. "I've always wanted to see the ball in person."

"You guys could do a New Year's show there." My friend suggested. He chugged his Pepsi and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"As long as everyone doesn't get sick next year." I grumbled.

Derek nodded. "Hey, wait a sec, are you contagious?"

I laughed. "Nope. I physically can't get sick. It's a superpower." And a curse, but I'll leave that part out.

"Whoah!" He took another sip of Pepsi. "The longer I hang out with ya, the more cool stuff I learn. You're really somethin', Eleanor."

"Thanks." I grinned from ear to ear.

Derek's aunt Cynthia came into the living room. She was a messy brown haired woman with big square glasses and an apron with a bunch of flowers all over it.

"I hope you both haven't filled up on pizza." The kind lady said. "I made a batch of special New Year's cupcakes."

CUPCAKES!? SOMEONE ACTUALLY MADE CUPCAKES FOR ME!? Usually, Theo and I were the duo handing out the cupcakes. It felt REALLY swell to get to enjoy a treat without having to be the one to bake it myself.

"Heck yeah!" Derek cheered.

I jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen. "Whooohooo!"

The cupcakes were decorated with a midnight blue frosting and lighter colored bursts that resembled fireworks. They were almost neon colored. I've gotta get Cynthia to show me her tricks.

"Thank you so much." I said with my mouth full. "Also, your decorating is so good. You should totally enter a contest."

"She's right. You'd win first place." Derek said, swallowing a mouthful of cupcake.

"Oh, I don't fancy myself much of a contest person." His aunt winked. "I prefer to let my work speak for itself."

We finished the cupcakes and then Derek grabbed a backpack full of ammunition to start off the New Year with a BANG!

"Do be careful." Cynthia cautioned. "Those things can be terrifying."

"That's what makes 'em cool." Derek and I responded at the same time.

"Plus, don't worry about it. I've done this a dozen times." I bragged. "I'm practically a professional."

"If you….say so." She let us both run outside into the backyard.

"Which one should we set off first? The little guys? Or this big whopper?" I asked, holding up a firework that was the size of my head. Granted, I'm a chipmunk and my head's small, but it was still pretty big by firework standards.

"Big whopper! Big whopper!" Derek cheered.

We activated the firecracker and stood back to watch it zoom into the sky and explode into a million colors.

Then, we did the same with all the little ones. The dazzling display reflected in our eyes like starlight. Oh geez, I'm sounding as cheesy as Jeanette right now.

"Who knew explosions could look so…pretty?" Derek said, mesmerized.

"Yeah." My tone matched his as I stared in awe. "There's something about fireworks that lets you know everything's gonna be okay."

We went back inside for more pizza and cupcakes. It was a decision we'd probably both regret by morning. But it gave me an idea. Sure, I couldn't get sick the usual way, but I COULD give myself a stomachache from eating too many cupcakes. And then, well, MWAHAHAHAHAHA!

I arrived back home with a container of cupcakes that Cynthia had so generously supplied. They'd come in handy soon. I checked up on Brittany, who was asleep, and Jeanette, who was awake and typing up a journal entry on her phone.

"Feeling better?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Much."

"Almost due for another dose of medicine." I checked the clock. "If you need it."

"I think I am okay." Jeanette adjusted her glasses and scrunched herself into the fetal position with her fingers still tapping on the phone.

I walked over to Brittany's bed and almost laughed at how ridiculous she looked. She was sprawled out on her back with her limbs flung every direction. Her hair was even more messy and her mouth was hanging open. The phone was in her hand with facetime still up. The low battery warning flashed across the screen.

I looked at the phone screen to see that Alvin was also fast asleep, with a peaceful smile on his face.

With my sisters accounted for, I hustled over to check on the Sevilles. I clutched the first aid kit tightly.

Dave was sleeping soundly when I checked. On his back again, instead of his side. I entered the boys' room to find Theo curled up next to his plush, his little eyelashes would flutter now and then, but he didn't wake. Alvin 2.0 was just as peaceful as he'd looked on the screen. I lifted the covers to see that he was clutching a Classic Alvin doll. Haha. He used to give Theo so much flack about his plushies. Now look at him.

I went to check on Simon and found that he was not asleep, despite appearing to be. And this wasn't just him talking in his sleep either.

"Geetings, Eleanor. Did you enjoy your New Year's festivities?" He removed the eyemask with constellation designs on it from his eyes.

I jumped and clutched my heart. "Wow. I did not expect you to be up. Great job scaring me though." I congratulated him. "I had a lot of fun tonight. I'm glad I didn't have to miss out."

"We appreciate you a lot, Eleanor. I know some of us…" He gestured to Alvin's bed. "…Forget to show it, but you really are a rock that keeps this family strong and healthy."

"I totally rock." I proclaimed. "Ya need anything, or are ya good?"

"I'm good." He grabbed his eyemask again. "Enjoying the peace and quiet."

"Glad to hear it." I patted his head. "Night, Simon."

"Night, Eleanor." He rested his head on the pillow.

A few days later, everyone was better! Which meant it was time for me to get SICK! I stuffed myself full of cupcakes and clutched my stomach in misery.

"Ooooh ohhhh ahhhh." I let out a pained gasp.

"Something the matter, Eleanor?" Simon asked, looking away from the rom com movie he was watching with Brittany.

"My stomach hurts." I groaned. "I think I might actually be sick this time, guys."

"Oh no!" Brittany gasped. "What do we do?"

"Just….let me have the bell." I moaned.

Simon and Brittany exchanged confused glances.

"Eleanor, are you sure you need…" My sister began.

"The BELL." I repeated forcefully.

By this time, Theodore, Jeanette, and Alvin had stopped fooling around with sticker books at the table. They were here to help too.

"Ya heard her, Britt. Get her the dang bell." Alvin exclaimed.

"We'll take extra good care of you, Eleanor." Theodore promised. "Extra super good care! Just like you took care of us!"

"Absolutely!" Jeanette chimed in cheerfully.

They helped me upstairs and Theo and Jeanette tucked me into bed. Alvin fetched me the bell from Brittany's nightstand. Simon watched the scene with skepticism in his eyes. Brittany looked very worried, since I'd never been sick before.

I pulled the covers up to my chin and tried to look like an innocent and unassuming creature. No devious smile appeared on my face, only inside my head.

"Can I get you more blankets, Eleanor?" Jeanette offered.

"How about some music?" Alvin squeaked, his voice having returned to its usual amount of slight rasp.

"Do you want any soup?" Theodore asked.

Soup? Ha! After all those cupcakes? No way.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Brittany's neatly tidied ponytail flipped from side to side as she walked toward my bed.

I put my hands behind my head and sunk deeper into the mattress. "Nah, it's not super serious. Just a stomach ache."

"Oh okay." Brittany raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Simon ushered everyone toward the door. "Let's just let her relax. She'll ring if she needs us."

Right on cue, I grabbed the bell and gave it a ring. "I could use a few more pillows." I requested. "And bring me my laptop, please. Oh, and a glass of water would be nice."

As I watched them scramble around like confused field mice, there was only one thought on my mind.

LIFE IS SWEET!

Besides, they need to know this stuff. I can't always be the one everyone counts on. Dr. Eleanor is tired and she needs a vacation. Who can fault me for that?

Let this be a lesson to you, even the most dependable and productive person has a breaking point. You can't just take advantage of people or, well, they might get some well deserved revenge. Honestly though, this wasn't even revenge. It was more like…fairness. I was leveling the playing field. Maybe then, next time, I won't be the only one willing to care for sick people. Maybe I'll have a team. And if they're worried about catching something, then they can put on hazmat suits. Haha.

WOW THIS ACTUALLY MAKES ME FEEL A LOT BETTER! I'm sick with the sickness that shall not be named because people are pretending it doesn't exist.

I can't tell if it's giving me some brain damage or if my anxiety is just that bad. It's probably the anxiety, but I hear horror stories all the time.

I have been vaccinated so hopefully that helps. And Eleanor's been caring for me as well as she can when she mainly has to exist in my head and there's currently an anxiety spiral crashing through there.

I'm annoyed that I'm probably not going to be well again until it's time for work, but writing while sick has made me feel like I might survive and so will my memory and my personality/personalities.

Anyway, it was nice giving Eleanor the spotlight once again and yes this plot is very similar to Sick As A Chipmunk and most other character gets sick episodes. That was unavoidable. At least the New Year's angle gave it a little variety!

Anyway, you can tell that my favorite scene was The Chipmunks arguing about Martha Speaks because of how long I let that scene go on before I allowed Eleanor to interrupt it.

ELEANOR: Too long, if ya ask me.

Also, Brittany gets some development here too! Realizing how much Eleanor sacrifices for her and the others…without anything in return.

It's good stuff.

Anyway, my nose is puffy and my head is all clogged again and the munks and I have to return to waiting this out.

Hopefully, we'll start the multi-fic next. Happy New Year! Kicking off the New Year with a multi-fic sounds like it was meant to be, actually.