The day progressed with Top moving between his team members, dispensing medication, forcing fluids, and occasionally having to use his command authority to make them follow medical orders. He found himself grateful for years of mission planning. It translated surprisingly well to managing four sick operators and one clingy dog.

By afternoon, Top had established a seamless routine, keeping track of four different medication schedules, symptom progressions, and specific needs was challenging, especially when his patients were getting more demanding by the hour.

Evening finally brought some improvement. Amir's fever had broken, and Preach was no longer singing about dolphins. McG's fever had dropped too, though he was still coughing. But Jaz's temperature remained stubborn, just like her.

Top was checking on her when McG appeared in the doorway, looking marginally better but still exhausted.

"How's she doing?" McG asked, moving to Jaz's side despite his own unsteady gait.

"Fever's still up but holding," Top reported. "Everyone else is improving."

McG frowned. "I need to check something." He approached Jaz's blanket fortress, but Patton gave him a warning look, clearly unwilling to let anyone disturb her.

"Stand down, furball. I need to check her ears," McG told the dog, who responded by settling more firmly against Jaz's side.

"Jaz, I need to look in your ears," McG said more gently.

"G'way. Sleeping," Jaz mumbled without opening her eyes.

"Not a request," McG insisted, pulling out his otoscope.

"Why my ears? My whole body hurts," Jaz protested, cracking one eye open.

"Because when everyone else is getting better and you're not, that usually means you got something else brewing to complicate my life," McG explained with exasperation. "Your symptoms are lasting longer than anyone else's when means we're dealing with more than just the initial virus."

Patton growled softly as McG tried to move closer, placing his body protectively between the medic and Jaz. The dog's eyes, usually friendly, were now locked on McG's every movement with intense suspicion.

"Come on, Patton, buddy. We're on the same team here," McG coaxed, trying to maneuver around the canine guardian.

Jaz buried herself deeper into her blanket pile. "If Patton says no, it's no."

"Jaz," Top interjected firmly, "McG needs to check you out. Patton, stand down."

The dog looked between Top and Jaz, clearly conflicted about his loyalties. Jaz sighed dramatically.

"Fine," she conceded weakly. "Patton, it's okay."

The dog still didn't budge, his body tense and watchful.

"Here," Top suggested, grabbing a treat from the jar they kept for Patton. He distracted the dog just enough for McG to carefully slide in beside Jaz.

McG worked quickly, examining first one ear and then the other while Patton watched his every move with narrowed eyes.

"Yep, she's got an ear infection," McG announced after his examination. "I'm going to get the good decongestants for her and antibiotics." He turned to Top. "She needs to be propped up because laying flat is only going to make it worse."

Together, they adjusted Jaz's position, propping her up with pillows despite her grumbled protests.

"If this isn't better by morning, you're getting a steroid shot," he warned Jaz.

Patton actually growled at this.

"What the dog said," Jaz mumbled, pulling her blankets tighter.

After covering Jaz back up and basically tucking her in making sure she was settled, McG insisted on checking his other patients before allowing himself to rest.

"I need to listen to Amir's lungs again," he said, swaying slightly as he gathered his stethoscope.

Top steadied him. "I can bring him to you."

"No," McG insisted. "Better to keep everyone in their clean environments. Less cross contamination."

Top accompanied McG as he checked Amir's lungs, relieved to hear the improvement in his breathing.

"Much clearer," McG confirmed. "The antibiotics are working."

Next, they visited Preach, whose fever had broken completely. The big man was sleeping peacefully, his breathing no longer labored.

"He's on the mend," McG said with satisfaction. "Now let's go check on you."

"Me?" Top asked, surprised.

"I need to make sure you're not coming down with this too," McG explained.

McG insisted on checking Top's temperature and listening to his lungs before finally being satisfied his team leader was still healthy.

"No fever. Lungs clear. You're disgustingly healthy," McG confirmed. "Now go get some actual rest. I'm feeling well enough to keep an ear out for Jaz."

"I will after I Lysol bomb the hut one more time," Top promised. "Wake me if you need anything."

As McG laid back on his bed he quietly said "Will do. And Top? Thanks for stepping up and playing nurse."

"Part of my job description, Patricia says it cuts down on the medical expenses considering anything and everything the team gets into" Top laughed, though McG's appreciation meant more than he'd admit.

As he made his final rounds for the night, armed with disinfectant spray, Top reflected on the day. His team was slowly healing, Jaz had a proper diagnosis, and even Patton seemed less worried now that she was getting appropriate care.

In the middle of the night, Top was awakened by a mournful howling. He bolted upright, instantly alert. That was Patton and the dog never made noise without good reason.

Top rushed down the hall to find Patton standing guard over Jaz, who was curled into a fetal position, her hands pressed against her right ear.

"Jaz?" Top called softly, approaching cautiously.

"Hurts," she managed through gritted teeth. "My ear... it's killing me."

Without hesitation, Top sprinted to McG's room. "McG! It's Jaz!"

The medic startled awake, disoriented for only a moment before his training kicked in. "What is it?"

"She's in pain. The ear."

McG was on his feet instantly, grabbing his medical bag. "Damn it, I was afraid of this."

They rushed back to Jaz's room, where Patton had positioned himself across her legs, whining softly.

"Hey, Jazzy," McG said gently, kneeling beside her. "Need to check that ear again."

Jaz nodded weakly, her face contorted with pain.

McG carefully examined her ear, his expression growing more concerned. "The infection's gotten worse. We need to hit this hard and fast."

He rummaged through his bag, pulling out syringes and medication vials. "I'm going to give you a combined steroid and antibiotic shot. It'll help with both the inflammation and infection."

"Whatever," Jaz groaned. "Just make it stop."

McG knew it was bad if she was being cooperative and prepared the injection, then looked at Patton, who was still draped protectively across Jaz. "Top, keep him there. He's not budging anyway, and he's keeping her still."

Top placed a steadying hand on Patton's back while McG gently pulled down the side of Jaz's pajama pants.

"This is going to burn a bit," McG warned before quickly administering the injection.

Jaz yelped and instinctively swung her arm back to slap at McG.

"Don't hit the guy with a needle in your butt!" McG protested, deftly avoiding her swing.

"Sorry," Jaz mumbled, wincing. "Burns like hell."

"I know it burns, but you should get some relief here in a little bit," McG assured her. He gestured to Top. "Did you bring that hot pack?"

Top handed him the heated compress he'd grabbed on the way.

"Good," McG said, helping Jaz roll to her side. "Here, lay on this. The heat will help with the pain and improve blood flow to fight the infection."

Together, they settled Jaz back down helping her get comfortable with McG checking her fever one last time. Patton immediately repositioned himself, curling against her back to keep her warm and steady.

"Try to rest," McG instructed. "I'll check on you again in an hour."

As they left the room, Top glanced back at his teammate and her canine protector. "She going to be okay?"

McG nodded. "The shot will kick in soon. By morning, she should feel significantly better." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I didn't realize I fell asleep, but thanks for getting me. Ear infections can get nasty fast."

"Getting you was the easy part," Top replied. "Convincing Patton to let you treat her was the real challenge."

McG chuckled weakly. "That dog takes his protection duties seriously but I can't blame him, Jaz feeds him the most treats." He swayed slightly, the brief burst of medical adrenaline wearing off.

"Back to bed, doc," Top ordered gently. "I'll keep watch on Jaz for the next hour."

"Wake me if—"

"If anything changes," Top finished for him. "I know the drill."