Fever

By: Elizabeth Dunn

Disclaimer:  In a perfect world, they'd be mine.  Since it isn't, I just want everyone to know that I plan to make no money off of this, and that no infringement is intended.

Author's note: This one isn't a part of my series.  It's just an idea that came out of nowhere, demanding that I write it.  Lots of Dan-angst (the best kind).  I apologize profusely.  This hasn't been betaed, so readers beware.

**********

Fever

It was a dark and stormy night.

Dan Rydell drove through the streets of Manhattan, silently laughing to himself over the appropriateness of those words.  Had this been a movie, or a ghost story, Dan would have been sure that something interesting was about to happen, but that wasn't his luck.  Instead, he was merely driving through a fall storm to see Casey.  Casey had been feverish at work on Friday, and, knowing his best friend all too well, probably had done nothing but ignore it.  He was on his way to make damn sure Casey took care of himself.

Thirty-five minutes of city traffic later, Dan pulled up at Casey's building and walked right up to his apartment, the doorman knowing him well enough by this point to let Dan in.  Dan rang the bell, and was greeted by a very pale Casey.  "Dan? What are you doing here?  It's Friday night.  Surely you have better things to do."

"The social scene is overrated."

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you assuming anything's wrong."

"Because any time you show up here in the middle of the night, something's wrong."

"I'm just making sure you're all right.  You looked like shit today."

"Thanks for the self-esteem boost.  I'm fine.  You can go now, have some fun."  Casey tried to shut his door, but was stopped by Dan literally throwing himself into the apartment.  Casey glared at him.  "Did you really have to do that?"

"Yes I did.  I know you, Case.  You never take care of yourself.  I'm going to make sure you do."

"Fine, whatever.  Come in, stay, throw a party for all I care."

"Don't joke.  I just might take you up on that."

"Listen, Danny, you're right.  I'm not feeling so hot.  I *was* planning on going to bed, but-"

"That's right, you are going to bed.  I'm going to make sure you go, and stay there."

"I think I'm a little old to be tucked in."

"If you're good, I'll read you a bedtime story.  Now, go."

Casey went, heading toward his bedroom, then veered off into his bathroom and closed the door.

"Case?"

"I'm taking a shower, if that's all right with you."  Dan could hear the water running.

"Fine, but I'm coming in."

"Why?"  Casey's voice was muffled by the sound of pounding water.

"Gotta make sure you don't pass out and hit that hard head of yours."

"Whatever."  Dan walked into the room and leaned against the wall.  A couple minutes later, the water turned off and Casey's arm came around the curtain.  "Hand me a towel would you, Danny?"  Dan tossed a towel at Casey, but it fell short of the shower.  Casey, who was watching, shook his head in disgust and got out of the shower and got the towel himself.  "Anyone ever tell you that you throw like a girl?"

"No."

"Well, you do."  Casey wrapped the towel around his waist and brushed past Dan to leave the bathroom. Dan followed, having a hard time taking his eyes off Casey-and not just out of concern, either.  How come he had never noticed just how beautiful Casey was?  They entered his room, and Dan sat on Casey's bed, watching.  Casey just shook his head.  "Hey, Danny, this might come as a shock to you, but I can dress myself."

"I'm just concerned.  You look pale."

"Yeah, well, you look flushed.  You sure you feel okay?"

Dan flinched. "I'm fine, really."

Concerned, Casey came to Dan's side and placed a hand on Dan's forehead.  Dan pulled away, saying, "Like that's going to do any good.  How can you detect a fever if you're burning up yourself?"

"I just can."

"Special powers?"

"Nope, just the knowledge of a father who has cared for a son with the flu while having it himself."  He touched Dan's forehead and drew back with a slight frown on his face.  "No fever, but you do look hot," he mused.

"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself," Dan shot back, trying to steer the conversation from just why he was so warm by playing his trump card-annoying Casey.

Casey stood back and glared at Dan.  "I don't think now is the best time to be commenting on my looks-oh, shit."

Dan, who had been staring at the floor trying to hide his grin, started to raise his head to look at Casey.  Which wasn't necessary, since Casey fell into his current line of vision.  He crumpled on the floor and was very still.  Dan hastily threw himself down next to his friend, frantically praying to every god he could think of that Casey was all right, and not....  No, don't go there.  Too horrible to even contemplate.  Luckily, though, Casey was still breathing, and a quick search revealed that his pulse was steady and there was no visible lumps or blood to suggest that he had hit his head.  Dan surmised that Casey had simply gotten a bit dizzy and passed out.  He sat back to wait for him to wake up.

Fifteen minutes later, Dan wasn't feeling so sanguine.  Casey was still out cold and had shown no signs of returning to consciousness anytime soon.  Leaning over to check his pulse again, Dan froze.  The pulse that had been so strong and steady before was weaker, threadier.  Not horribly so, but enough to scare Dan into action.  Leaping for the phone, he called 911, knowing he sounded frantic.  He didn't care, though.  All he wanted was for Casey to be all right.  As soon as the call ended he lay down next to his friend's unmoving form and whispered over and over again, "Don't die, Casey.  I love you."

**********

When the paramedics finally did show, Dan was a nervous wreck.  He didn't exactly help matters along by getting in their way.  Finally, after a short tussle, he agreed to wait in the living room while the paramedics did their job.  Dan did the only thing he could do now-pacing.  He was beginning to become convinced that the carpet was going to wear out, when he heard someone clear his or her throat behind him.  He turned around to see a young woman watching him.  She chuckled and said, "Congratulations, it's a girl."

"WHAT!"  Dan couldn't believe what he was hearing.  Was she confused, or brain damaged?  "My friend is a *guy*!

"I know," she said.  "I was joking.  Mr. McCall is going to be fine.  He was having an allergic reaction to his over-the-counter medication.  We gave him something for it, and he's awake and fine now, just tired.  Make sure someone stays with him tonight, and that he sees his doctor in the morning."

"Will do.  Thank you," Dan said, relief evident in his eyes.  He watched as the paramedics filed out, then practically broke speed records rushing into Casey's room.  He skidded through the door to find him lying on the bed, pale but awake.  Alive.

"Hey Dan," Casey said weakly.  "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it."

"No, really.  You look scared."

"Well, I was, damn it.  My best friend passed out and wasn't waking up."

Casey looked down at the blanket and sighed.  "I owe you my life," he whispered.

Dan moved to sit beside him.  "Don't think about it like that," he began, but was interrupted by Casey.

"No, I do.  I might have *died* if I had been alone.  But you were there for me, like you always are."  A brief pause.  "Sometimes I feel so guilty," Casey said softly.

"Why do you feel guilty?"  Dan was truly puzzled."

"You're always *there.*  Whenever I need you, whenever my life is falling apart, who's there to pick up the pieces?  *You* are.  Sometimes I just feel...I don't know, like I'm holding you back or something.  That you have better things to do than look after me, but I'm too weak to be left on my own.  That I should be setting you free." Casey turned away, ashamed to meet Dan's eyes.

Dan turned to meet Casey's eyes.  When he tried to avoid the gaze, Dan reached out and grabbed Casey's chin, making them have eye contact.  "Case, you're my best friend.  There is *no reason* for you to *ever* feel guilty about anything.  Understand?  You're *not* holding me back, and you're not weak.  I have no desire to be set free, because I don't need to be.  God, Case, I-" Dan stopped, on the verge of blurting out his true feelings, then collected himself again.  "I care about you, Casey.  I'm here because I want to be, and if I ever leave, it'll be for some reason beyond my control."

Casey turned and hugged his friend.  "I don't deserve you," he mumbled.

"Damn right you don't.  But you're stuck with me.  Deal with it."

Casey chuckled at Dan's attempt to lighten the mood, not that he blamed him.  So many emotions....  "Yes sir," he mocked with a smile.  He yawned then, realizing that he was drained.  Dan noticed and lay down, pulling Casey with him.

"Come on, Case.  You need to sleep."

"Don't go."  Casey snuggled in closer to Dan, closing his eyes.

"Never, Case.  I'll never leave you."  He glanced down and noticed that Casey was asleep already.  Poor guy must've been exhausted.  Dan hesitated, fraught with indecision, then gave in to temptation.  He leaned over and kissed the top of Casey's head.  "I love you," he whispered, safe in the knowledge that Casey couldn't hear him.  Then he closed his eyes, preparing to sleep.  Nothing was going to pry him away from Casey's side tonight-ever.

****The End****