Family is Everything - Linstead Fanfic

Chapter 15 - Halstead Plague

Within a few days, Landon was released from the hospital. He couldn't, however, return to school or his usual activities for awhile. That meant he was stuck at home with 'babysitters' to look after him. Each day there was a different person staying with him.

On this day, Antonio was staying with him as the other kids went to school and Jay and Erin worked.

Jay and Erin had gotten called out to a scene before the other kids got up, but luckily Antonio was there early. So, he sat in the living room and watched some tv. However, when Emily walked into the living room and sat down on Antonio, he knew something was wrong.

"Em, what's going on? Are you sick or something?" Antonio asked, feeling her forehead. She never played around in the mornings before school and definitely wouldn't normally be chilling on the couch to watch a movie 10 minutes before the bus came.

"I feel like crap." Emily informed him, closing her eyes.

"What's wrong? Stomach ache? Sore throat?" Antonio questioned.

"Stomach ache. I've thrown up twice this morning already."

"Okay, I'll call you off school. Go back to bed."

"Okay."

Once Emily went upstairs, Cody stumbled downstairs.

"Let me guess: your stomach hurts?" Antonio asked Cody.

"Hell yes, how'd you know?" Cody wondered as he clutched his stomach.

"Lucky guess. Go back to bed, I'll call you off."

Finally, Andrew walked in.

"Sick?" Antonio asked him.

Andrew simply nodded.

"Whatsa matter, cat got your tongue?" Antonio asked him.

"Throat hurts." Andrew mumbled, going to the freezer and getting a popsicle.

"That's a new one. Okay, go back to bed."

Antonio spent his entire day caring for the ill kids as Landon laid on the couch. Landon spent the day watching tv and using the internet. He was confused, however, when Jay and Erin walked in a few hours earlier than usual.

"What're you guys doing home?" Landon asked from his spot on the couch.

"We finished the case early and we also got some news." Erin said.

"What?" Landon asked.

"Eric Matthews walked in and confessed to stabbing the 'Halstead kid' in the alley. We beat the shit outta him and then we came home." Jay reported with a slight smile.

"Wow, wish I could've saw that. Anyway, your other 3 kids are, like, dying upstairs."

"What?" Erin asked.

"Antonio didn't tell you guys? Emily and Cody are down with a stomach bug and Andrew possibly has strep."

"Outstanding." Jay said with a sigh. "Let's go see how they're doing."

Upstairs, Erin checked on Emily and Andrew and Jay checked on Cody.

"Mom, I feel awful." Emily told her before Erin could ask. "Uncle Toni said my fever is steady, but Andrew's just went up a little bit ago. But Cody is who he's been with the whole day, basically."

In Cody's room, Antonio was seated beside him and was keeping an eye on him as he slept restlessly.

"Hey, Antonio, how's Cody?" Jay asked quietly when he entered.

Antonio sighed. "He's got me worried. He hasn't kept a single thing down, he keeps throwing up every half hour, like clockwork. His fever spiked an hour ago to 103.7 and it hasn't gone down since."

"Where's the thermometer?" Jay asked, looking around and answering his own question when he found it on Cody's desk. Jay picked it up and ran it along Cody's forehead. When it was done he looked at the temperature.

"Call an ambulance, he needs to go to a hospital." Jay decided, going and telling Erin what was going on.

"Wait, what?" Antonio asked, confused.

Jay came back from telling Erin and found Antonio still confused.

"His temperature is 105.6 and, combined with his symptoms, I'm pretty sure its appendicitis."