Jaya had just gotten up, with Tyran still asleep in the bed. She walked to the kitchen and began pulling things out for breakfast. She then grabbed an update on the news throughout the quadrant. It was something she did every morning. As she read, all thoughts of breakfast were suspended as she sat down, reading the article in front of her. Pain welled up from deep inside her that she couldn't quell.
Tyran mumbled a few words in his sleep and felt that the bed was empty. He opened his eyes and saw that Jaya must have gotten up. He got out of bed and went to take a shower.
He got dressed and came out to find Jaya in front of the comm panel. "Anything in the news, honey?" He asked while kissing her.
She was quiet and reserved. "He struck again," she said softly. "A scientist and her family. All dead," she replied. "The kids were only 2 years and 5 years old."
Tyran put his arms around her. "Oh, honey," was all he said. He felt for the children.
"And I wasn't there," she said with a sigh. "My employers must not have known." Then she thought better of what she said and got up. "I need to get dressed," she said as she became aware that she was still in her nightgown while Tyran was fully clothed.
With that, she walked out of the room, leaving the article up. It was too vivid a reminder of what she was up against.
She immediately headed for the showers. Inside, with the water pounding around her, she cried...
Tyran sat there. If her employers had known? He wondered what she'd meant. And why was she so upset. After all, she was an assassin herself, wasn't she?
After twenty minutes Jaya got out of the shower, dried, dressed and headed into her training room. She was still sore from her injury, but punched and kicked the bag for awhile anyway. She wanted to work out the pain and the anger that coursed through her.
Once done with that, she went to the low table that held the candles and incense. From under it, she pulled out a picture that had been hidden there in a special compartment.
Tears misted her eyes again.
She didn't see Tyran watch her from the doorway. But after a few minutes, she put the picture back, composed herself and grabbed her towel. She then moved her left shoulder as if it still hurt. By that time Tyran had vanished from the doorway into another part of the house.
She then headed back downstairs. She'd take another shower later. Right now all she wanted was some iced tea and a chance to just sit and try to stop her mind from thinking too much.
Tyran waited in the front room, planning to find that picture later on. He wanted to get a look at it without her knowing. He began to ponder just how he could get to that photo without her finding out. But he knew he had to see that picture.
She grimaced as she got the iced tea and sat down on the couch in the front room. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and it was obvious she was still hot from the short, but intense workout.
"What did that punching bag do to you?" Tyran said as he walked up to her, with a large glass of ice tea himself.
She smirked. "It wanted to fight. I had to show it who the boss was," she smirked. "Though I think it might have won." She grimaced again with the soreness.
"I see... drink something." He nodded to her glass that had barely been touched as he sat down next to her. "I don't feel so great myself, to be honest."
"What's wrong?" she asked with sudden concern.
"I don't know." He sighed. "Pain in my stomach, nausea."
"I have something in the bathroom. Not the one in my room, the other one in the hall; should be in the cabinet. I always keep things like that on hand."
"I just feel sick, so anything's good." He groaned.
"Need me to get it?" she asked softly, gazing into his face, putting aside her own pain for the moment.
"Yeah." He stared at her, his eyes becoming glassy. It was obvious that something was wrong with him. That much was clear.
"Are you sure it's just an upset stomach?" she looked at him with concern. "Maybe you should lay down for awhile. I could always call Dominic for you."
"I'm fine, honest." He said flatly. But it was clear he wasn't fine.
"No. Come with me. You're going to lie back down and I'm going to get you some medicine and if that doesn't work, I'm calling Dominic," she replied, helping him to his feet, not taking no for an answer. She ignored the fire in her chest as she took him to her room and laid him on the bed. She then got the medication and had him take it. But she had a feeling she was dealing with an illness that was a little more complicated than a stomach ailment like upset stomach only.
He refused to say how bad he felt. He had no time for it. In fact, he was expected back at the bar at 16:00 hours. He couldn't be sick!
He took the medication and tried to pretend that it had helped. But he hadn't realized that he'd developed a pretty high fever and that he was only getting worse.
Jaya looked him over, assessing all his symptoms just like a doctor would. She then took his temperature. "You can forget about going to work and if I find you out of this bed, except to use the bathroom. Well, I'll strap you to the bed. Now, I'm calling Dominic, so be a good boy and rest for me, okay?" She caressed his face gently before she got up.
"There's nothing wrong with me. I am not sick and I have to leave soon." He sat up, planning to get out of bed.
She turned toward him again and pushed him back into the pillows. "I'm not joking, Tyran" Jaya replied. "I'll tie you down if I have to! You have Andorian flu. Without treatment it's going to get worse. Not better. Now rest," she said and she kissed his forehead.
"And how do you know that I'm sick? And how do you know what the illness is? You're not a doctor!"
"Let's just say I've had experience with this before," she smiled gently. "Now I'll be gone just for a minute to call Dominic."
She stepped away to the comm and contacted Dominic immediately.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Dominic, it's Jaya," she said.
"Is everything all right, dear?" he asked with concern.
"Well, I'm doing fine," she replied, though she wasn't about to admit the pain she was still having. "Actually, it's Tyran. He's got Andorian Flu. Will you come treat him?" she asked.
"I'm on my way," he said. "But how do you know it's Andorian Flu?"
She was quiet for a moment. "I just know," she replied not wanting to get into it further.
As soon as she cut the channel she returned to Tyran.
"Dominic's on his way. You'll be doing better by tonight," she smiled.
"I can't be sick; I have to go to working soon." He'd had Andorian flu before and he knew he'd be too sick to work for at least two days.
She pushed him back down onto the pillows again. "I'm going to let Danayal know what's going on. You're going to rest and get better. That's ALL you're going to do. Worse comes to worse I can fill in for you at the bar. I may not be the greatest bartender, but I'm sure I'll have lots of help. Either way, you're only to rest until you're well again."
"But, Jaya..." He protested but there was not much force behind it. He gave in. He realized he had no choice. He could see it in her eyes.
She smiled and caressed his face. Suddenly the sensor rang for the door.
"That's Dominic," she said as she went to get the door.
A few minutes later Dominic entered. "So you're sick again. What's it been? Five years? I suppose you were due," he smiled as he pulled out his medical scanner.
"Funny, Dom. I'm not sick. She says I am, but I'm not." He still tried to get out of it, but almost knew it wasn't going to work.
"Well, I hate to burst your bubble, my good man, but Jaya's right. You're quite ill. Andorian Fever." He looked to Jaya as if questioning her silently how she could have known. She merely looked at him and at Tyran.
"You can treat him, right?" she asked.
"Of course," Dominic smiled. "I have the medication right here." He held up a prepared hypo spray, though when he had gotten it ready he was sure she'd been mistaken. After all, she was no doctor. But she'd managed to figure it out. It shocked him.
He administered the medication to Tyran. "You should start feeling better by this evening and sleep will do your body good, giving it time to rid itself of the virus."
"But I have to work tonight!" He looked panicked.
"I said I'd go there in your place," Jaya replied. "Believe me, I think people will understand."
"But you don't know anything about running a bar, and Danayal is on the space station visiting his uncle."
"Well, then I'll make due. I'm sure I can figure things out if need be. Or I can just close the place for the night. I mean, people do get sick, Tyran."
"No. I can't afford to get sick." He sat up again, delirious because of the fever.
Jaya pushed him back onto the pillows. "Can you give him something to help him sleep? I'm going to go close the bar for the night and make sure everything's okay. I should be back in maybe an hour or two."
"I can do that. In fact, I might stay just to make sure the medication does its job."
She smiled and nodded. "Thanks," she replied.
"Nothing's too good for friends," he replied.
With that, she grabbed some fresh clothes and headed for the shower once more. By the time she was out and dressed in some fresh clothes, she noted that Tyran was asleep. She took a relieved breath and found Dominic sitting on the couch in the front room.
"Thanks again. I'll be back as soon as I can," she said.
"Don't worry; he should be fine now."
She embraced Dominic warmly before heading out the door.
Sarah was at the bar helping the first customers. She waited for Tyran, but knew he was late. It wasn't like him at all. And she was just a waitress, after all; though Tyran was training her to help behind the counter as well.
Suddenly Jaya entered. "Hey, Sarah. I have some bad news. Tyran's sick. I think it's best if we close the bar tonight," she said.
"He's sick? What's wrong with him?" She asked with surprise. "Do I have to call Danayal back from the station?"
"He's got Andorian flu," Jaya replied. "He should be back to himself in about 48 hours. But there's no way he can make it in tonight. In fact, when I left him he was sleeping. I'll tell you, that man is hard to treat! He didn't want to admit he was sick." She sighed.
"I know. Last time he was sick he also had Andorian flu, and the time before that one - 15 years ago he fainted here in the bar because of it. That's how he met Dominic."
Jaya smiled. "So he gets sick about once every 5 years and he's particularly susceptible to Andorian Flu... I'll have to remember that. Anyway, I think we should close up shop and then see how tomorrow goes."
"Danayal will come back tomorrow. I'll message him to get here, because Tyran won't be better by then. That I know."
Jaya nodded. "Probably not completely, no. Is there anything I can help with to get the place closed down for the night?"
"Well can you get those customers out while I clean up the place?" She asked.
"Sure!" Jaya replied as she headed to the few customers in the bar still drinking.
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