Micky awoke a while later and glanced around the room. His eyes landed on the window seat, but didn’t see Davy. He shot up in bed... and immediately regretted it. He groaned and slumped back down.

"Mick?" Davy entered the room and went over to the bed. "Wot ‘appened?"

Micky stared at him for a moment. "I woke up... and you weren’t here... I freaked out..."

"Sorry, mate. Nature called. I kinda ‘ad to answah," Davy explained, a sheepish smile appearing. "Feeling any bettah?"

"A little, I guess," Micky said, trying to sit up again.

"’Ere, lemme ‘elp ya," Davy said, then helped his friend sit up. He also got a good look at Micky’s eyes. "You ‘ad anothah nightmare, didn’t you?"

Micky’s eyes widened. "How--how did you know?"

"I could see it in your eyes, mate. Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," Micky replied, looking away.

"Mick..." Davy tried.

Micky looked back at Davy, sharply. "I don’t want to!"

"Okay, Mick, okay! I won’t force you!" Davy said, putting his hands up, showing he wanted to back off. He paused a moment. "Feeling ‘ungry yet?"

Micky slightly shook his head. "No... it’s probably cold by now anyway."

"I can ‘eat it up for you. Just give me the word," Davy said.

"Later," Micky replied. He closed his eyes for a moment, then groaned.

Davy’s eyes widened. "Mick?"

"I think... I’m gonna heave..." Micky said, cracking his eyes open.

"Want the pan or can ya make it to the bathroom?"

Micky swallowed hard. "Bathroom."

"Right." Davy helped Micky get out of bed and guided him to the bathroom. He motioned out the door. "I’ll be right out ‘ere, mate."

Micky’s eyes widened. "Stay..."

Davy made a slight face, but gave in. "Okay, I’ll stay." He sat on the side of the tub and tried to ignore Micky. He thought about all the times he went through this with his sisters when he was home. That’s when he realized that since he’d moved in with the fellas, he hadn’t had to do this as none of them had been sick like this. Mike never seemed to get sick. Peter did ocassionally, but he could usually still take care of himself. Davy himself usually didn’t get that bad, either. Micky didn’t usually, either, but...

That’s when Davy came to another realization: Micky’s fear of being alone had strengthened after their initial meeting with Zero. Ever since, Micky was very clingy, usually to Davy himself or Peter. On the seldom occasional, he’d turn to Mike, but then only briefly. He figured it was just because of Mike’s personality...

Davy’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Micky thumping his back against the side of the tub next to him. He looked down to see Micky looking up at him. Davy gave him a smile. Micky nodded. So, Davy stood and offered a hand to help Micky up, which he accepted.

On his feet, Micky swayed a little, but Davy hung on to him. Micky paused for a moment. "I haven’t felt this bad since I was seven and had mom taking care of me. Thank you, Davy." With that, he hugged his friend.

Davy wasn’t surprised and returned the hug, then helped Micky back into the bedroom..

Micky waved off getting back under the covers right away.

"Wot’s wrong, Mick?"

"I’m sweatin’ under there."

Davy pressed the back of his hand to Micky’s forehead. "You’re still warm." He paused, then snapped his fingers and smiled. "I know just wot you need!" He closed his eyes and concentrated, blue lighting an ice pack in his hand. He opened his eyes. "This should do the trick. Lie back down undah the covahs, but put this be’ind your neck."

Micky nodded and did as suggested. He almost shot back up upon initially touching the ice pack, but Davy put a hand on his chest. Slowly, Micky laid back again and this time settled against the ice pack.

Just then, Peter leaned in the doorway. "How’s it going in here? All of the ice just disappeared from the ice trays."

Davy smiled, turning to Peter. "That was me, Petah. I put an ice pack togethah for Micky. ‘E’s still got the fevah and felt too warm. I thought it’d ‘elp ‘im cool off a little."

Peter came into the room and offered Micky a smile. "I refill the trays just in case you need or want more.

Micky gave a slight nod as his eyes began to close again.

Peter turned to Davy. "Do you want me to stay a while and give you a break?"

Davy shook his head. "I’m fine, but thank you, Petah."

"Let me know if you want me to take over, okay?"

"I will," Davy replied.

Peter nodded and left the room.

"No offense to Pete..." Micky began quietly as he opened his eyes, "but I’m glad you’re staying."

"For as long as I need to, mate," Davy answered.

Micky nodded and closed his eyes again.

------------

Several hours passed and found Davy sprawled out asleep on Mike’s bed, on top of the blankets.

Meanwhile, Micky was having a fitful sleep again...

Micky shot up in bed, screaming... and shivering. He hugged his arms around himself and felt how damp his t-shirt was.

Davy was jolted from his sleep on the other bed and scrambled over to Micky’s bed. "Mick! Are you okay?" He gently placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder and felt him shiver.

Micky interrupted anything that Davy might’ve said with the look on his face. He was breathing heavily and noisily.

Davy hugged him, rubbing his back. He felt Micky shudder and knew what was coming.

"Another... nightmare... I was... alone and... you were... laughing... I was... pleading... but you... kept laughing... then finally... you appeared... and... and... aimed your... sword... to kill... me..." Micky sobbed, hiccupping between the words.

Davy knew Micky still had a fever... as Micky had pressed his forehead into the side of Davy’s neck. He’d hoped that his temperature had gone down after noticing that Micky had sweated through his t-shirt, but the fever hadn’t broken yet.

Davy hoped it would break soon for the sake of Micky’s sanity.

------------

Peter puttered around the main floor doing odd chores. Every few hours he could hear when Micky would wake up, but he hadn’t been ready to hear the scream that erupted and was followed by sobbing.

Peter’s heart ached. He knew Micky’s aura was shaky, as much as it had been all day. It wasn’t being helped at all by the constant nightmares plaguing Micky’s rest, either. If he didn’t get some rest, the fever would take longer to break, thus prolonging Micky’s illness and making it harder for him to get well again.

Peter decided he had to go talk to Mike. He headed out to the garage and found Mike leaning over the engine.

"Michael?"

"Yeah, Pete?"

"Can I talk to you... about Micky?" Peter asked, tentatively.

Mike straightened and closed the hood. "I heard him screamin’ just now."

Peter nodded. "He can’t get any rest because he keeps having nightmares. I... I’d like to try to use my Imagination Power to try to heal him enough to rest without the nightmares."

"Considerin’ how my puttin’ him to sleep didn’t work, I’m thinking that’s not a bad idea," Mike said, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned against the fender of the MonkeeMobile. "Dave’s gotta be worn out by now. I think you oughta try it now. Want me to come, too?"

"It might be helpful to have us all there, yes," Peter said.

Mike nodded and followed Peter out of the garage. They headed up to the second floor and found Davy still hugging Micky, who’d since quieted down, but was obviously still awake by the shuddering of his shoulders.

"Wot’s up, mates?" Davy asked.

Micky pushed away from Davy as quickly as he could, surprising Davy. His face and eyes were red from crying... and now embarrassment. "Guys...!"

Peter stepped forward. "Micky, I want to help you. I want to try using my powers to heal you enough so you can get some rest that isn’t plagued by nightmares."

"Heard me scream..." Micky said, quietly.

"Yes, we did," Peter said.

Micky looked up and saw Mike nod. They’d all heard him... "Okay. Do it."

Peter motioned for Davy to join him and Mike. "Davy..."

Davy got up and moved over to them, standing to the right of Peter, while Mike stood to the left.

"Everyone close your eyes. You, too, Micky," Peter said and did so. He then began to concentrate.

A blue light began to envelope Micky, who slowly maneuvered back to laying down. Within moments, he was snoring faintly.

Peter opened his eyes slowly and smiled. "I’m done." Mike and Davy opened their eyes. "This is the first time today I’ve heard him snore. I think it worked."

Davy rubbed the back of his hand over his forehead. "Good thing. I’m worn out, mates. I didn’t realize just ‘ow bad ‘e was feeling."

Peter sighed. "I wished he’d said something when he first got here this morning."

Mike shook his head. "I think he didn’t want to admit it on top of everything else that’s happened to us over the past week."

"’E’s bloody stressed out, too, over building the ‘ouse for Lauren," Davy added.

"Problems?" Mike asked.

Davy nodded. "Several. ‘E said they’ll be lucky to ‘ave it done before Lauren ‘as the babies."

Mike rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "I wonder if there’s anythin’ we could do to help out..."

"There has to be something that we could handle," Peter agreed, smiling.

"But," Davy began, "at least for the rest of today, lets not mention it to Mick until we know ‘e’s feeling bettah."

"Right," Mike said.

Peter nodded. "He should sleep for a while. It would be safe for you to step out for a bit, Davy."

"Well..." Davy said, glancing at Micky. "’E freaked out earliah because I wasn’t in ‘ere when ‘e woke up." He shrugged. "I ‘ad to use the bathroom."

"I’ll stay, then," Mike offered.

"You will?" Davy said, a little surprised.

Mike gave a grin. "Sure. You guys don’t call me Papa Nez behind my back for no reason."

"Busted," Davy said, smiling. He and Peter left the room as Mike took up a seat on his own bed.

He watched Micky from across the room. Mike sighed. It was already a long day and would only get longer.

------------

Mike opened his eyes and realized that he’d fallen asleep. He sat up and stretched, glancing over at Micky, who still snored faintly. Mike looked at the clock and found two hours had passed. He got up and went over to Micky and felt his forehead.

He sighed. "Still warm." He felt around on the pillow and made a face. "Soaked." Mike got up and went back over to his bed and grabbed the pillow, then returned to Micky. Carefully, he lifted Micky’s head and pulled out the drenched pillow and replaced it with his.

Mike sighed again. If the pillow felt like that, the sheets must be soaked, too... He made a mental note to make sure they were changed the next time Micky woke up. He wouldn’t have to keep it in mind long as Micky’s snoring stopped.

Micky’s eyes opened and appeared a bit confused for a moment until he blinked and recognition seemed to settle in. He gave a faint smile. "Hi, Mike. Forgot where I was for a moment..."

"S’okay. How’d you sleep?" Mike asked, kneeling down so they were about eye to eye.

"Better. No nightmare this time," Micky replied.

"That’s good, Mick." Mike paused a moment. "Think you can do me favor?"

Micky gave him a questioning look. "What...?"

"Think you can get up long enough for me to change your sheets? I’m willin’ to bet they’re as soaked as your pillow was."

Micky nodded against the pillow. "Need to use the bathroom anyway."

"In that case," Mike went over to a dresser and grabbed a t-shirt and shorts. He went back over to find Micky sitting up. "Might wanna change these, too. Make ya feel more comfortable."

Micky accepted the change of clothes, then stood up slowly with Mike spotting him.

"Okay to make it to the bathroom?" Mike asked.

"Think so," Micky said, then began to head slowly out of the room.

Mike set about changing the bedding. He set the pillow aside and yanked off the blankets, then pulled the fitted sheet off the mattress. He ran a hand over the mattress and frowned, finding that it, too, was damp. Mike grabbed one end and flipped the mattress over for a dry side. He went to the closet and pulled out a new set of sheets, then started to make the bed.

Micky got to the doorway of the bedroom to find Mike replacing the pillow on the newly-made bed. He frowned, leaning against the door frame. "I’m sorry, Mike."

Mike turned. "For what, Mick?"

"Puttin’ you out and making you guys take care of me--"

"Mick," Mike interrupted, going over to him, "we’re family. Family takes care of family, alright? Now, lets get you back into bed."

Micky nodded and let Mike guide him back to the bed. He curled up under the covers.

"Want me to stay?" Mike asked. "I’ll have someone come in when I need to get to work."

"Please," Micky replied.

"You got it, Mick." With that, Mike went over to the window and took a seat. He picked up some sheet music he’d been working on. Every so often, he’d glance over at Micky... and grin when he’d pretend to already be asleep.

------------