Smoke and Mirrors

Well, Shit (updated)

When they arrived home, they locked the doors and ignored the repeated knocking and requests from Clara and Miguel to open up.

On the third day, Clara and Miguel had enough of being ignored and let themselves in to find the boys sick in bed with a fever. They looked to have done their best to look after Nero, but not themselves. There was half eaten food on a plate in the bedroom, and no evidence of any other food having been prepared in the kitchen.

Clara put a call through to Melissa. They'd received a call from her to let them know about the attack and asked to be kept informed about their condition.

Clara hung up. 'Melissa said there's been a flu going around the base. She thinks because they've been in space and away from this type of illness, it could make them sicker than normal. She's on her way over.'

'Look at what those men did to them,' Miguel murmured.

Dark bruises covered their faces and arms, and they dread to think what the rest of them looked like.

While they waited, they cleaned up and tried to get the boys to eat and drink something, but they refused and seemed to be bordering on being delirious. They were glad when Melissa arrived with another nurse.

'This is Nadia,' Melissa said as they entered the bedroom.

They nodded a greeting to her and stood back to let them check the boys over.

'Lance's temperature is 40.1,' Nadia said.

'Hmm, Keith's is 40.9,' said Melissa. 'We need to get these wet clothes off and get them into dry ones.'

'I'll find something,' Clara said.

Melissa pulled the blankets back so she could check Akira, and the boy immediately protested.

'Keith, can you open your eyes for me,' said Melissa. Keith frowned and did what she said. 'I need you to lay on your back so I can check the baby. You and Lance are running high fevers.' Keith uncurled himself and moved onto his back with Melissa's help. 'Can you tell me your symptoms.'

'Um, headache, hot, aching,' he mumbled.

Lance stirred awake.

'When did the fever start?' asked Melissa.

When Keith shrugged, Lance said, 'Yesterday.'

Clara brought clean clothes to the bed.

Pulling the front of Keith's t-shirt up, Melissa moved the stethoscope over his abdomen.

'Akira's heart rate is a little high which means he could be in a little distress,' said Melissa. ' I know you don't feel like it, but I want you to go and have a tepid shower, then you need to eat and drink. You need to avoid getting dehydrated.'

Keith shook his head.

They watched Lance struggle to his feet with Nadia's help and come around the other side of the bed.

'Come on, sweetheart,' he said. Keith protested as Lance got him into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. That seemed to take a lot out of them, and they paused for a moment. 'Right, we can do this.' He got Keith to his feet, grabbed the clean clothes, and went into the bathroom.

By the time they came back, the sheets had been changed, and there was food and drink on the bed.

'Here, take these, it will help with the aches and fever.' Melissa handed them medication, which they took. 'You both need to keep up your fluids, and if your fever gets worse or doesn't start easing by tomorrow, I want you to call me.'

'Here's a bottle of medication,' said Nadia, placing it on the bedside table next to Lance. 'Take two every four hours.'

They nodded tiredly and started to slowly eat and drink. Melissa and Nadia left them to it, and Miguel let them out and thanked them.