Xander's POV:

A long sigh passed my lips as I opened my door, returning from a very lonely breakfast.

For the first time in a while, for some reason, Nico wasn't there.

And usually, that wouldn't be as much as an issue since I still had doe, but this time she was...

I turned towards the couch I had set her on last night, seeing how she still wasn't awake.

She hadn't even moved.

It had been nearly 14 hours since she passed out and she hadn't budged.

The worry that spun in the back of my head pushed itself forward just slightly as I shut the door.

She was an incredibly light sleeper, and always woke up whenever I started getting ready.

Yet there was no inclination whatsoever that she'd woken up at all.

I don't think she's ever slept for this long, and even listening in to her body confirmed that she was fast asleep.

Although last night's... fiasco had never really happened either.

That mixed with the fever that seemed to come out of nowhere.

After she passed out and ended up falling onto me, I didn't know what to do.

Nico wouldn't help, but even if he would, bloodloss wasn't exactly the problem.

I looked her over as I carefully approached.

The couple of blankets I set over her were still tucked exactly how I put them last night.

I didn't exactly have the maneuverability to set her in the cage, so I did the next best thing and put her here.

With closer inspection, I spotted the way her hair clung to her forehead due to sweat, and the occasional discomforting twitch in her eyebrows.

Her breaths were coming slow yet heavy from her mouth, trembling ever so slightly.

This definitely wasn't normal.

My head turned away, wincing as soon as my eyes fell upon her neck.

The neck that was now sporting a very specifically shaped bruise.

My hands balled tight as a pain stung my chest for just barely a second.

God, what the hell was Doe doing last night?

She knew that things were dire now and yet she decided the best thing to do was to square up a vampire.

Not only that, but she smirked.

I don't even think she noticed the look that was on her face but seeing it made my stomach drop.

Was she insane or something?

She had to have known... Both of us know how Layla reacts to some sort of thing.

Did she have a death wish?

The look on her face last night didn't even come close to matching the emotions I could smell on her.

She was terrified, immensely so.

More so than usual, and honestly so was I.

Yet she goes and does that, the scent of her fear mixing with the unmistakable, burning scent of her hatred once Layla had her.

God, what was she thinking?

She HAD to have known what Layla's reaction would be.

And I feel like it could have been one-hundred times worse if I didn't stop her.

I shook my head, running my hands through my hair.

No, everything's fine.

Everythings good last night was just... an off night.

Yeah...

Off nights happen... and you just have to clean it up and move on...

Right?

I forced myself to face her again, just in time to hear the small whimper that came with her next breath and the unmistakable sight of discomfort from her face.

That worry pushed itself up further.

Well, my worry for her was always there. I think this one just stemmed from the fact that what was happening to her right now wasn't normal.

That this was a problem that I wasn't going to want to try to avoid.

I took a single step closer, just close enough to extend my hand to her forehead.

Even with her being asleep, I hesitated, knowing she didn't like being touched.

I pushed forward the last few inches before my hand made contact, almost immediately drawing my hand back.

Oh my god, she was burning.

But why? How could she have caught something?

Unless it was something Layla brought from her trip, but even if that was the case, it acted so quickly.

I hurriedly debated taking one of the blankets off of her, my mind now racing and fully giving in to the panic.

Oh god did I even have anything to help her?

I turned my head towards the bathroom despite already knowing that the answer was a fat 'no'.

I had basic over the counter pills, but this felt different.

It felt serious.

Whatever this was mixed with her lack of blood...

My head then very slowly turned towards the phone.

Nico...

If it wasn't blood-loss related then maybe he would help.

My nervousness spiked for a different reason this time.

Looking back at Doe, My brain tried to rationalize the pros and cons of asking Nico for help.

He's my brother, and the worst thing he can say is no, but he's also grown this new image of me over the past couple of years.

Not that it wasn't completely my fault.

One that causes him to look at me with nothing but annoyance and disappointment.

Which admittedly killed something inside of me, but what was I doing to fix it?

I know that as I've tried to seek out Layla I've made his life harder.

The constant pleas to help Doe, the blood-crazed maniac I've had to front myself as, the fear I force into his pets.

I knew I deserved every piercing glare he sent my way.

I guess it was times like this where I realized it most.

The times that I truly needed his help but didn't want to ask.

I didn't want to see that look he gives me, or hear the annoyance that seemed to effortlessly coat every word he said to me.

I didn't want to further the new picture he painted of me in his head during a time when I genuinely needed his help.

Those same trusty words began echoing in my head.

It'll all be worth it once this is over.

I can fix this.

I live a long life. I'll have plenty of time to make up for all of this once I get what I've worked so hard for...

I gave in, walking towards my desk and lifting the phone.

My finger trembled a bit above the keys before I typed them in at an agonizingly slow pace.

I took in a deep breath as I brought it to my ear, hearing it ring.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

I almost just hung up altogether at that before I heard him pick up.

"What," he practically bit out.

I felt my stomach turn at just that alone.

He already was having a bad day it would seem.

Clearing my throat, I attempted to swallow my prior thoughts and speak to him the way I usually did at this point.

"Ayeee Nico how's it goin'?!"

There was a silence from the other end.

A long one.

Followed then by the sigh I had heard so many times before.

"Xander I really don't have time for this right now so it better be important."

My eyes flickered over to Doe.

"It is," I stated as confidently as I could muster.

"What," He said again, almost exactly like the first time.

as much as my brain wanted to, I didn't let it hesitate before speaking.

"Can I bring my pet over so you can look at h-"

"No," He cut me off, "I told you I was done with that."

"It's not blood related!" I practically spewed out. Partially fearing that he was going to hang up on me right then, "She's sick" I eventually settled with.

"Sick?" He questioned with a tone that told me loud and clear that he didn't believe me.

Oh this wasn't going well.

"Yes. Look, I swear it's not blood related and I'll be in and out in like 10 minutes tops. I just want to make sure she's okay."

Again a silence.

A silence that was already leaving me to prepare for another no.

"Fine."

I caught myself from making an audible sigh of relief.

"Bring her over at eleven. I have something to deal with until then."

He hung up before I could respond further.

And this time my sigh of relief was very audible.

I leaned forward, setting both of my hands on the desk as my hair fell in front of my face.

Okay... that could have gone better but it definitely could have gone worse.

At least he said yes.

In his own 'Nico way'.

I lifted myself, reaching my arms above me in a stretch.

Eleven was about an hour and a half away.

I looked over at the girl who still hadn't moved.

Maybe I should get her something to eat.

Or maybe something to drink instead... something warm.

I can't imagine her throat feels too good either, so hopefully, that will at least soothe it

That same pain stabbed itself into my chest, longer this time.

And like every other time before, I tried my best to ignore it.

Yeah... I'll try to wake her up with that.