Ant was able to sleep a good bit of the day away and, after a good meal and hot shower, he was feeling much better and more than ready to help in taking care of Dec while the others rested. Before going to their bedrooms to rest, Martin had done a few things around the house while Dermott had scrambled an egg for his little brother that Ant was attempting to spoon feed him.

As he watched his friend slightly nod off between small bites, Ant was very easily reminded of the times that he would feed his fairly young niece and nephews when they were unable to keep their own eyes open. It was both endearing and highly amusing to watch them struggle to finish a meal only to end up with either their heads lying on the food tray or their bodies splayed out in some odd position in their high chairs.

He was witnessing something very similar in that the pull of the medications had Dec fighting to keep his eyes open and, more than once, he had fallen asleep as he was chewing. With a small smile, Ant would tap him gently on the knee to wake him, encourage him to finish chewing then swallow before offering another tiny morsel of the food. Dec finally turned his head to the side and slightly raised his hand...he was much too tired to go on and he leaned back against his pillows and was out like a light. Ant sighed and looked in the bowl to see that his friend hadn't even managed to eat half of what was there.

"You did good, Decs...real good," he said as he placed the bowl on the nightstand then stood up and went to the bathroom to get a wet flannel to wipe Dec's face. He stepped back into the bedroom and immediately returned to the bathroom to grab the itch creams since Dec was slowly rubbing at his belly and neck, even in his sleep.

"Let's get you cleaned up then I'll get you some relief," Ant said quietly as he set about carefully wiping his friend's face then his hands. He placed the flannel on the floor before spreading the cream over Dec's neck, belly and arms. "Anywhere else?" he asked, picking up the flannel to wipe his hands once he had finished the job. A small snore was his answer and he chuckled a bit. "You get some rest, Decs. I'll be right back...got to go to the kitchen for a few minutes." Ant stood up and walked out the door and headed down the stairs. He made himself a sandwich, grabbed two water bottles out of the refrigerator before heading back up to Dec's bedroom to keep watch over his friend.

It was nearing tea time when the doorbell rang at Dec's house. Martin, went to open the door and, as he swung it open, he heard a very distinctive voice...his wife Sharon's, along with that of his brother, Eamon.

"Sharon? What are you doing here?" he asked, very surprised but pleased to see her all the same.

"Eamms...Nolan...Seamus..." he said, giving hugs to each as they entered the house, before stepping out onto the front steps to stand before her.

"I heard there was a call to arms so I decided to join the troops," she said with a smile that slightly faltered as she took in how tired and stressed her husband looked. She reached up and gently cupped his left cheek in her hand. Seeing her smile fall, Martin smiled a bit tiredly himself in an effort to not cause her to worry any more than she obviously already was and he took her hand and give it a quick kiss. "I know...I look a little worse for wear but...nothing a kip can't solve and some of your good cooking," he said, all with a more genuine smile while holding out his arms for a much needed hug.

"I've already spoken with Lisa and I'm going to stop there. We've also worked it out so that you, Ant and Dermott can all have an opportunity to rest at her's too," she said, wrapping her arms around Martin. "I know you're tired so you need to let us help more. I'll take care of running the house while you, and the others, take care of Declan. Oh...and...I've missed you, dear," she added with a smile before giving him a quick kiss.

"And I missed you, too but I have one request that I don't want you to argue with, Sharon...please..." Martin said, in all seriousness. "I want you to stay downstairs, well away from Declan until we can get a handle on his fever. You just do what you do best down here...take care of us from down here, Sharon...please."

"Okay...yes, Mart," was her reply, knowing that he to be stressed enough already and she certainly didn't want to add to it. She gave him another kiss then stepped back.

"I'm going to go to the kitchen then to organize the meals and see what we have and if I need to nip down to the shops," she said with a smile and one last kiss before entering the house and heading into the kitchen.

For a moment, Martin watched his wife walk away...having her here lifted his spirits and he felt another smile crossing his face as he headed back up the stairs. Once in Dec's room, he could hear his little brother in the bathroom complaining quite loudly about a unicorn he could see, plain as day, in the shower laughing at him. Instead of trying to convince him otherwise, Ant could be heard asking what color it was and whether or not it was farting rainbows like last time. Martin happened to glance over at Eamon and had to laugh out loud at the stunned expression on his face, as well as Seamus's. Nolan didn't seem phased in the least. He looked at Martin's questioning gaze and shrugged his shoulders.  "I work at a children's hospital and we have farting unicorns and dancing hippos roaming our halls all the time in the surgical and recovery wings...even the occasional flying monkey." That earned an outright laugh from Martin and Dermott as well as a sheepish grin from Eamon and Seamus. The flushing of the toilet and the sounds of water in the sink had Martin and Dermott entering the bathroom and soon, Dec was tucked back into the bed.

"Hi, Eams...Seamus...Nolan," Ant greeted as he finished smoothing Dec's bedcovers then moved to the other side of the bed to give each a hug.

"I take it that Uncle Declan must be on some pretty good meds?" Nolan asked, before walking over to the end table that Ant pointed toward. Once there, he picked up the bottles of medications and nodded. "He's on the good stuff alright," he said waving the bottle of cough medicine. "He should be able to rest pretty well, too," he added.

"The pain medication's for the chest and back muscles he's pulled coughing. Combine it with the cough medicine and we have rainbow farting unicorns, among other things," Martin supplied as he sat down on the bed to watch his little brother's gaze travel aimlessly about the room while Dermott added, "He has to remain on the oxygen for a while longer, according to Dr. Shannon and we're still having to put him in a steam shower three times...maybe four times a day until all that congestion he has with the bronchitis breaks up." At that point,Dec let out a wet, barking cough as if he were trying to back up his brother's claims. Nolan frowned at his uncle's pained expression and how the coughing seemed to take his breath away as he clutched at his chest.

"When will he need to go back in the shower?" Nolan asked, thinking that right now nmight be not be a bad time to do it.

Martin checked his watch. "In about an hour. He had his last dose of medications 2 hours ago so we're good with that for a few more hours. Dr. Shannon should be here by 7 tonight and he can clue you in on what you might need to know."

It was at this point that Dec's gaze settled on his oldest brother and he squinted then a silly grin spread across his face. "Eams, Eams, Eams! I have wiggly fingers...do you?" he asked excitedly while raising his hands in the air.

"It's best to just go along with it, Eamon," Ant said with a smile, watching Dermott take a few steps back before whipping out his cell phone to record the fun while his older brother simply sat down on the bed and showed his baby brother his own wiggly fingers.

It was a few hours later when Dr. Shannon entered the house amid apologies for being late. A series of patients had come in all at once and they needed as many hands as possible. Everyone was very understanding and more than grateful for his coming out since he had been very generous in making the housecalls, even after having been on a 24+ hour shift.

"Looks like the troops have arrived," he said with a smile as he was introduced to the rest of the family. Both nephews easily towered over their father and would definitely be dwarfing poor Declan, if he were to be standing beside them. Apparently, they didn't inherit the Donnelly short of stature gene.

With a quick smile he reached out towards Nolan. "Martin tells me that you are a nurse in New Castle," he said as they shook hands. He then turned to Seamus, "I hear that you're the new up and comer at Martin's company." Both young men instantly smiled as they watched the doctor move on to shaking their dad's hand. "I know the lads will appreciate your help. It's been a very tiring week for them."

"Would you like some tea or coffee...maybe a bite to eat before you go upstair, Dr. Shannon?" Sharon asked as she came walking up to the group to stand beside her husband.

"This is the by far the better half, Kerry," Martin said with a smile as he put an arm around his wife's shoulders. "This is my wife Sharon and she's here to man the kitchen and to keep us in check."

"Sharon...call me Kerry and it's very nice to meet you," the doctor said with a smile. "I haven't had much more than a sandwich since this morning so I'll take you up on your offer but I'd like to see Declan first."

"Eat first...then Declan," Sharon said as she gently reached out to take him by the elbow then steered the doctor toward the kitchen.

"Lisa brought over her famous lamb stew that our dear Declan loves. I think you'll like it, too." Martin just laughed at the doctor as he followed his wife into the kitchen with a few of the others following close behind. Ant looked at Seamus and Nolan then gestured toward the kitchen.

"Why don't you lads get something to eat and I'll send Dermott down. You can bring me up a sandwich...not really all that hungry right now." At that, Dr. Shannon turned to give the younger man a very scrutinizing once over. Ant raised an eyebrow then couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "I'm fine, Kerry. I woke up with a bit of a headahe and ate a sandwich while I sat with Dec before taking more paracetamol. Honestly...I'm okay." The doctor walked over to Ant and took him by the elbow and turned him into the lounge with Nolan following close behind. "What's going on, Ant?" he asked, his tone full of concern as he took in how tired his "uncle" looked. "Does this have to do with the black eye?" he asked pointing the the colorful bruise surrounding Ant's left eye. "How did that happen?"

"Dec has a mean right hook," Ant replied with a small smile.

"Your uncle's fever spiked a few days ago and he began hallucinating. Ant's face got in the way of a swinging fist," Dr. Shannon added with his own small smile. "What's going on now is the result of Ant collapsing during the wee hours of the morning in the shower and knocking himself out." Nolan's eyes grew and he instinctively stepped closer to look at Ant's eyes.

"No concussion and no need for stitches," Ant said, with a shake of his head, raising his hands as he stepped back. "I'm fine...really fine," he said while still shaking his head. He hated being mollycoddled...was much more comfortable being in the mollycoddling roll.

"Let's just stand under the light for a moment, Anthony and I'll check to make sure you're still okay," Dr. Shannon said, while guiding him to stand under one of the lights in the lounge. He pulled out a penlight from his shirt pocket as he cupped Ant's chin in his hand. He made quick work of checking for signs of a latent concussion but finding none.

"How's the headache?" Nolan asked, a bit concerned that Uncle Dec might not be the only person he'd be looking after.

"It was much more managable...until the light," Ant smiled, looking at the doctor, who gave him an apologetic look before speaking in a tone that didn't leave any room for argument..

"I want you to take full advantage of the extra help tonight...you need to get a full night's rest. I have some very mild sleep medications in my bag since we don't want a repeat of what happened the other night." Nolan raised an eyebrow but one look from Ant told him that he didn't need to ask any questions.

"Before you go upstairs, make Dermott and yourself bowls of the stew and take them up and eat."

"Aye, Kerry..." Ant replied knowing it was much better to just conceded. He squeezed the doctor's shoulder as he walked out of the room.

"You have more than one to look after, Nolan," Kerry said very quietly, watching as the young man nodded in agreement. "I'll explain more later."

It was about 20 minutes later when the doctor stood up from the table after having a bowl of delicious stew. "Well...why don't we head upstairs and check on my favorite patient," he said as the group made their way up the stairs. "Has he been in the shower lately?"

"No...it's only just time now," Martin answered, checking his watch while moving to the side allowing the doctor to enter the bedroom first before being followed by the others. Dermott was seated in the reading nook, writing notes for a sermon he was planning to deliver soon while Ant was seated on the bed, leaning against a stack of pillows, flipping through emails on his phone with one hand and holding Dec's right hand in his other.

Ant saw the questioning gazes and shrugged before looking down at his friend. "He wanted company and asked me to hold his hand while he slept," he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

A harsh, wet, barking cough tore through Dec's throat and he clinched his eyes shut as he moaned then rubbed at his chest with his free hand. "Hurts...Anth...hurts..."

"Shower time?" Ant asked the doctor as he gently squeezed his friend's hand.

"We're going to show the others how to do things. I know we encountered a few problems earlier in the day but..."

"I've rested, I've eaten, I'm hydrated and I'm going to sit with him in the shower, Kerry," Ant said with a smile as he bent over and whispered into Dec's ear while Dermott walked into the closet and came out with two pairs of shorts. Dr. Shannon and Nolan began to check Dec's vitals before Martin, with Eamon's help, changed him into his shorts for the shower while Ant went into the bathroom and turned on the shower before changing clothes.

"I guess there's a story behind that?" Eamon said, watching the bathroom door.

"He got overheated and collapsed in his bathroom this morning...right before I called you," Martin replied. "Cracked his head on the tile floor, landed with his head under the running shower and was out for several minutes...pretty scary."

"We'll let him do this one more time and then the others can take over," Dr. Shannon said, a bit uncomfortable with the situation but he knew there would be several more sets of eyes to watch over Ant while in the shower and once out. He also knew that Ant would fight him on the matter and would do what he wanted to no matter what.

Kerry bent over Dec and made quick work of finishing with checking his vitals as well as his temperature.

With a frown, Kerry stood up. "Looks like his temperature is going back up a bit. He's at 102.5. We'll need to keep him cool in there."

"When was the last time he had any of his medications?" Nolan asked. "Is there anything wrong with giving him some paracetamol for the fever if his last dose of vicodin was..."

"About 4 hours ago," Martin supplied.

"What do you think, Dr. Shannon?" Nolan asked. "We can hold off on the next dose of vicodin until it's time for him to sleep..." The doctor glanced at his watch to see that it was nearing 7 in the evening.

"If it's withheld until...let's say, midnight or 1 in the morning, he should be okay." He then looked through his medical bag and pulled out a small packet of soluable paracetamol before handing it to Dermott. "Mix this with 240 mL of water, please and we'll have him drink it. Not sure he's able to swallow pills at the moment." Dermott took the packet and headed out of the room to go to the kitchen.
"Let's get him sitting up for a moment," he said, glancing at Martin and Seamus. They both made quick work of carefully lifting and moving Dec into a seated position much to his discomfort and he slightly protested at the change in position. Sitting up was making him slightly dizzy and the room was beginning to spin. He looked up at the doctor with his blood shot eyes and his face was full of confusion. The older man's face was shifting and moving almost unnaturally. He squinted and could see the doctor's lips moving but the sounds coming out of his mouth made no sense and were disturbing...almost frightening. The words sounded as if they were being played on his parents old stereo record player...one moment the voices sounding as they were playing at 16 rpm then the next at 45, 33 1/3, or even 78 rpm. He closed his eyes in fear and turned away from the sound...it was just all too much to handle before coughing so harshly that he grabbed at his head with one hand and at his chest with the other.

"Okay...doesn't look like we can wait," he said, watching as Dec panted breathlessly and moaned in discomfort. "Okay...I'm going to have to give him an injection into his port." Moment's later, the doctor was injecting a small amount of pain medication into the port and almost instantly, Dec's eyes glazed over and he leaned back into his pillows...his eyes wandering aimlessly around the room before finally closing only to open again when Dr. Shannon once again checked his temperature...just under 103. The coughing probably caused it to rise but it needed to come down before any problems had a chance to start.

"Okay...change in plans...he's at 103," he said while turning to Ant. "Fill the tub, Ant...let us know when you're at about half full." He then sat down at Dec's side and began telling him what was going to happen but it didn't appear that the young man knew what was going. He looked up at Martin and instantly mistook him for his dad as he reached out to him.

"Da...Da...don't...don't feel...good...Da" he mumbled and immediately Martin sat down on the bed at his side and pulled his overwarm brother into his arms. "Tha mi an-seo, Declan...that mi ceart an seo agus tha mi airson do ghille." ("I'm right here, Declan...I'm right here and I've got you, son.")

At those familiar words, Eamon had to turn away. He hadn't heard that phrase in several years and missed it terribly. At the same time, Seamus put an arm around his dad, givng him a squeeze in understanding. Dermott, seeing his older brother's slightly shaking shoulders, walked over and gently took him by the elbow and they walked out into the hallway while the others set about in getting Dec ready for the tub. Dr. Shannon gave Nolan a questioning gaze. He knew that Martin was speaking in Gaelic but, having no idea what was being said, he could only watch the exchange. Nolan leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Declan thinks Martin is his da...he died in 2011. Dad said that Granda would comfort the kids in his native language. I imagine it was just like that." With that bit of information, Dr. Shannon felt as if he were intruding in on a very intimate moment that was tender and full of love and care. Instantly, his respect for the Donnelly family unit only increased.

Martin continued to hold his brother, rocking him gently while speaking quietly since he could feel how tense his feverish brother was growing. "Bidh thu gu math, Declan. Fagail, mac...socair. Tha mi an seo...shhhhh...tha e ceart gu leor." ("You're going to be fine, Declan. Relax, son...relax. I'm right here...shhhhh...it's okay.")

Ant called out from the bathroom, "The tub is ready."

"Declan, bidh Seamus a 'dol gad ghiulan chun an t-seomar-bidh. Bdh mi ceart comhla ribh a mhac." (Declan, Seamus is going to carry you to the bathroom. I'll be right with you, son.")

Martin then turned to his nephew. "Seamus...he's not going to know you..."

"I'll handle it, Uncle Mart,"  Seamus replied as he stood over his feverish uncle then carefully lifted his pliant body into his arms, seemingly without any effort. He held him close, wincing at the heat radiating off his body while speaking in very quiet tones to reassure him. Moments later, Ant was seated in the tub and, when Dec was lowered into his arms, there was very little protest. The rapidly rising fever had left Dec with little energy to do much more than moan in discomfort before his eyes slid closed as he felt a famliar arm encircle his chest and a hand gently cupping his chin, pulling his head back until it rest against a shoulder.

From that moment on, for the next 24 hours, or so, Dec slept deeply with very brief moments where he would climb up out of the darkness to be semi aware of what was going aroud him before retreating into the darkness once again.

His eyes fluttered open to Seamus carrying him into the shower before lowering him into Ant's arms. His gaze sluggishly took in Eamon placing a wet flannel on Ant's head before watching Nolan coming toward him, talking to him then his eyes slid closed.

He woke to feel pressure on his right hand he summoned enough strength to turn his head just enough to see that Martin was sleeping beside him while holding his hand. He smiled slightly, feeling safe as he closed his eyes.

He next opens his eyes to Eamon gently wiping away tears with his thumbs while cupping his brother's face in his hands. His voice was calming but the only words Dec could discern were..."just....dream...titch...sleep..." as he fell back asleep.

Ant's voice is what he became aware of next and he turned his head and leaned into his friend's touch, feeling a cool, damp flannel being wiped over his face, chest and arms. He tried to open his eyes but the struggle was too great and he fell back asleep.

The cycle continued with his waking to see Dr. Shannon smiling down at him as he removed his b/p cuff from his arm...Dermott sitting on the bed with him, holding his hand, the sound from the tv a gentle hum in the background...Seamus holding him in his lap in the reading nook while the bedding was changed...Ant holding him gently against his chest in the shower with Nolan kneeling by him, wiping his face with a cool flannel. He moaned then closed is eyes one last time.

"He's been asleep for more than a whole day," Ant said, his voice full of worry as he sat at the kitchen table with Lisa at this side. Dec's fever had finally broken the previous day and had yet to return, prompting Dr. Shannon to give the all clear. Sharon had been able to sit with her brother in law while the others rested and Lisa had even been able to spend some time with Dec, much to her relief.

"He's in a state of deep healing sleep, Ant," Nolan reassured him as he rinsed off his plate and put it in the dishwasher. "Dr. Shannon seems to think that he'll be waking sometime in the next 12 hours. He'll be a different person when he does wake up." Ant nodded, trying to agree with the younger man but the week had been quite long and he felt as if he needed to remain on high alert. The feel of his wife's hand resting on his knee had him turning to look at her as she mouthed the words, "He's going to be just fine...please stop worrying." Ant nodded then glanced down at his plate before standing up and going over to the trashcan to scrape it clean. Just as he was putting his plate in the dishwasher, Martin walked into the kitchen with the biggest smile possible on his face.

"Looks like someone has decided to join the land of the living," he said, his smile somehow growing even more, if that could even be possible. With tears glistening in his eyes, he said, "He's awake. Our Declan is finally awake."