traumatized minds, luke hemmings

luke's fever and australia.

The next few days during Charlie's sickness was hell, mind you.

Luke took the next 3 days off to fight her fever – ending up running a fever himself. He had made soup 4 times a day, insisting she let some hot steam into her respiratory system.

Ashton had rolled his eyes at Luke's constant running around the house until the moment he ordered Luke to bed, saying that he would take care of it. He was now stuck taking care of Charlie's fever breaking and Luke's fever rising.

Calum and Michael just laughed – high fiving and reciting the words of – "We have a good immune system!"

Only to get sick a few days later.

"This is hell," Charlie complained, holding a rag to her forehead that Ashton had brought up. "Can't you just bring me to the hospital and force me to sleep?"

Ashton chuckled and shook his head. "No, I can't."

"It would make me feel loads better." Charlie smiled cheekily through the grogginess.

Ashton, once again, shook his head. Ashton had continued to throw the used tissues Charlie had scattered around her room into a trash can – not seemingly bothered, he was a doctor after all.

"How is Luke?" Charlie asked, opening one eye to see Ashton peering up at her. "I feel bad, I got him sick."

Ashton laughed sympathetically. "Don't worry about it, dear. Luke can handle it – he's a grown man."

Charlie had gotten better the day after that one, and was finally back at school.

She didn't feel 100% better, and Ashton had insisted she stay home, but she had protested back and went to school.

Charlie had spoken to Monroe – telling her the fever epidemic in her house, which made Monroe laugh. Theo had seen Charlie, telling her about his concerns that she was out for 4 days – wondering if she was alright.

Back at home, Luke Hemmings was groaning into his pillow. His nose was stuffed, making it difficult to breathe, forcing him to sleep with his mouth open, and the fever up in the highs.

"Is Charlie okay?" Luke asked, watching as Ashton prepared coffee downstairs.

"She seemed fine," Ashton said, taking a sip of his coffee. "She insisted on going back. I told her that if she wanted to come home, to call us."

Luke was worried. He wondered if she was okay, because a fever was not to be messed around with. Even if she did feel better, how better was she actually?

Luke had begun to feel better that night after he had taken a very hot shower – clearing his sinuses.

While Luke was downstairs, watching reruns of The Grinch, he had remembered how soon Christmas was and began to wonder the events of what they would do.

He wanted to take Charlie to Australia, to introduce her to his family, but he also remembered how nervous she was around their doctor friends.

Luke pulled his phone out and searched up the prices for a flight straight to Sydney, Australia. As his eyes scanned the phone screen, trying to find the best prices, he also thought about how Charlie would take it.

Would she want to go to Australia? If so, how would she react to meeting her 'grandparents' and 'uncles'?