Connecting

Chapter 12

It's a very cold day. Melissa's fever is gone but she's still coughing and having a hard time breathing from time to time, which still causes Chris to be worried. He insisted on taking her to the doctor for today and added that the director doesn't want her to work in her condition, Melissa wasn't able to argue. Once they entered the doctor's office, the doctor attended to her.

"Good morning," the doctor started. "Miss.. Benoist. How are you feeling today?"

Melissa looked at Chris who is currently sitting in front of her. "I have a cough. It's hard to breathe at times and there are some whistles. I had a fever yesterday until last night but it's gone now."

The doctor nodded, writing on a paper. "I just need to check your medical history. Do you have asthma?"

Melissa looked at him, nodding. "I did, actually. I never thought of that, but is it possible to stop for several years then go back?"

The doctor nodded, writing it on the paper once again. "You said this started yesterday, right?" Melissa nodded. "Have you experiences these symptoms: difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and pain in the chest?"

Melissa nodded slowly.

"Alright. Those symptoms are symptoms of asthma," the doctor looked at Melissa. "I guess it came back. But I need to do some tests – it's a three-stage process to diagnose if you have asthma because it can also be severe asthma or a regular asthma. I will also give some treatments to see which will work for you."

Melissa nodded. She doesn't know how or what to feel. "When will we do the tests? Can we do it today?"

"We'll try to," said the doctor. "If you can do it. The first one is already done, I asked about your medical history but I'll ask again in detailed later on. Are you sure you want to do the tests today?"

Melissa nodded. The doctor asked more about her medical history. She said she had asthma when she was still a baby and was gone since she was a teen but came back just now. Next, the doctor performed a physical exam; he checked her ears, nose, throat, eyes, etc. and listened to her lungs for wheezing and/or whistling–which in her case, there is. Lastly, he conducted a breathing function test to confirm asthma. During the test, she was instructed to breathe into a mouthpiece connected to a device called spirometer, this measures the amount of air she's able to breathe in and out and its rate of flow.

After the tests, the doctor sighed and wrote something on his pad. "Now that we've confirmed that your diagnosis is indeed asthma, all we need to do is to determine whether it's severe. From what I see, it seems severe but we still need to figure it out by observing yourself and your breathing – if there's any pain or shortness. Severe asthma does not respond well to some treatments unlike asthma and the symptoms are prolonged, and according to some sufferers, it is harder to control as it goes. Let's just hope that it's not severe asthma."

Chris looked at Melissa who's currently looking at her hands. She whispered something that neither the doctor nor Chris heard. He just shrugged it off and thanked the doctor before they leave. Inside the car, neither of them talked. Until Chris broke the silence.

"Hey," started Chris. "I know you don't know how you feel but I want you to know that I'll always be here for you. You don't have your family by your side while you fight for this plus the mission we have to solve, but I won't leave you. I'll never leave you, Mel."

Melissa looked at him. Chris looked at her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes. Comets, he thought. "Thank you, Chris. I really appreciate it. It's really hard, even for you, I know. I feel like a burden to you because of everything that's been happening. I thought it was all the fever and the stress turns out it's way bigger than that. But let's not forget about the case, the mission, we need to solve it."

"Of course. Of course, we do. And we will. We will finish the case and you'll get better. For now, let's buy your medicines and your nebulizer."

Chris insisted on buying and going out of the car even though Melissa said she'll do it.

They went home and went straight to the secret room.

"How am I supposed to be qualified to fight? Secret agents are expected to fight as well. With something severe, especially it's in the lungs, I don't think director will let me fight anymore," Melissa suddenly said while looking at her computer. "What do I do?"

Chris looked at her, he held her hands. "Whether you can fight or not, even if they don't allow you to fight, I know that you'll still be the best agent. Agents don't need to fight with arms and guns, you are the example of that. I observed you once. The first thing you'll do is investigate, when you're sure, you don't attack. You talk to whoever is behind the crime and talk to them, using your smarts and wits. You always find the good in every people, Mel. You use your fighting skills, which are very good too by the way, when you don't have a choice."

Melissa chuckled, she's actually feeling a lot better now. "I didn't know you have some logical advice that I might take. Also it's just sad if they won't allow me to fight anymore because I'll miss those. It'll be boring sitting behind a computer, searching, investigating then giving instructions."

"If that happens, it's for the better." Chris replied, looking at her intently. Melissa brought her attention back on her computer screen to look for more leads and track their current suspects. Chris whispered, "I love you." Unfortunately, it was too soft and Melissa didn't hear it. She thought he just whispered something random and didn't ask what was it.

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References (about asthma, tests, etc.) - links:
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325427#diagnosis
• https://www.aafa.org/lung-function-tests-diagnose-asthma.aspx
• https://gaapp.org/severe-asthma/

- I am not a doctor so it's understandable that some of these aren't facts. Just a reminder that this is a fanfiction and there's a lot can be written in here that isn't real in the real world. Thank you.