That's a Childhood Disease...Right?

Please Tell Us There's a Light At the End of the Tunnel

Dr. Shannon called to say that there had been an emergency at the hospital and he had been called in to help. He reassured Dermott that he'd be there as soon as possible. So, when the doorbell rang at 4 am, Martin greeted the doctor with a hot cup of coffee.

"Just what I needed, Martin," he said with a weary smile. "Thanks. So, how has Declan been doing this evening?" Martin shrugged as he turned toward the stairs.

"Well...there's something new going on. I can't really explain it but...well...you just need to see it for yourself," he said with amusement very evident in his voice. Just as they entered the bedroom, the doctor could hear singing coming from the bathroom as well as the sounds of the shower going. He raised his eye brows and entered the bathroom then put his coffee cup down on the vanity, all the while taking in the sight of Ant cradling Dec, just as he had many, many hours ago...with just one exception. Rather than a limp, unresponsive Dec, there was a more active Dec, his legs draped over Ant's left leg, bouncing his heels on the shower floor, his body leaning against Ant's chest...and his hands in the air, mimicking falling rain. "Want...want...to sing...it...again...Anth," Dec said, his voice quiet. Ant looked up to see the doctor, then rolled his eyes while listening to Dec's attempts to sing the Winnie the Pooh classic, "The Rain Song."

"The...rain, rain...rain...came down...down...down, and...down and...down..." Dec frowned then looked up at Ant. "Anth...help...can't...remember...can't," he pleaded between sharp coughs. Dec grabbed at his chest and moaned while Ant pulled him in tighter.

"Shhh...okay, Deccy...I'll sing," he said quietly before slowly rocking his friend back and forth, the motion soothing for both of them, as he sang the song he was all too familiar with after watching the dvd innumerable times with his niece when she had been fairly young.

"The rain, rain, rain, came down, down, down in rushing rising riv'lets. Till the river crept out of its bed and crept right into Piglets...for Piglet he was frightened with quite a rightful fright..." he continued singing until Dec had lowered his hands into his lap and was quietly sleeping in his arms.

Dr. Shannon gripped Martin by the elbow. "How long has this been going on?"

"First time was at about 6 last night and Dermott's got that on his phone. Second time was about 11. It's been happening with each dose of medicine we give him. The only bright side is that he's been able to rest more and the coughing hasn't been quite as bad," Martin said, crossing his arms, watching as Dermott poured a beaker filled with cool water over Dec's head then another over Ant's, much to his relief. He was incredibly uncomfortable in the heat and starting to feel slightly nauseous but he pushed those thoughts to the side as he concentrated on his friend.

It wasn't too long before Dec was dried off, dressed and carried back into the bedroom while Ant, intent on cooling off, headed down the hallway to his bedroom. Not even bothering to strip out of his clothes, he stepped inside the large enclosure then leaned against the shower wall when a small wave of dizziness suddenly hit. He shook his head then carefully turned on the water and made it only slightly warm. He made a move toward the steady stream falling when his vision suddenly tunneled and he was out cold before he even hit the shower floor, his head bouncing off the tiles before landing under the falling water...a trickle of blood swirling down the drain.

Back in Dec's bedroom, Dr. Shannon was discovering that he had only got a small taste of the young man's odd behavior when he sat straight up in his bed with a very surprised expression on his face as he stared at the covers over his feet as he moved them. Dec shot a hand out and grabbed at Martin as he brought his gaze back to the bedcovers. "Marty...there's something under there...it's right by me," he said in a stage whisper. Martin and the others looked to see that Dec was indeed pointing at his feet and, each time he moved them, he'd jump as if startled. Dr. Shannon watched with a bit of a stunned expression on his face as Martin rolled his eyes and scrubbed his face with his free hand while Dermott just shook his head.