At least that's what James seemed to have heard. Emily had just brought news that Tristan was running a fever. James began pacing the room, raking his fingers through his rat's nest of hair. Mary was sure he'd break a knuckle soon.

Mary: "James, it's just a fever. So clearly I was wrong about the tumor. It's probably just a virus. Hell, I think I have a fever. There's all kinds of stuff going around."

James crossed the room in three swooping steps. He put a hand to Mary's forehead.

Mary: "Hey! What's the big idea!"

She shoved him away, rather forcefully.

James frowned at her, then looked at her empty glass.

James: "You don't have a fever, you're just drunk."
Mary: "Oh. Well, good."
James: "I need to talk to Markus."

Markus: "I didn't think vampires ever got sick."
James: "They don't. At least not that I'm aware of- 125 plus years and neither one of us has had so much as a cold."

Markus: "So this is bad."
James: "Fuck."
Markus: "James, you've got to keep it together. It doesn't do Tristan any good if you fall apart."

James: "How did this even happen? I don't understand it at all, Markus."
Markus: "I wish I had an answer for you."

James suddenly felt as though the walls were closing in around him, coming in closer to smother him where he stood. He had to fight the urge to run screaming out of the room- things like this just weren't supposed to happen.

James: "God damn it."
Markus: "I know, I know. Why don't you go back downstairs for a bit, maybe get some fresh air. I'll let you know right away if there's any change, ok?"
Tristan: "...Ok class, let's start over from the top- you've almost got it. 4/4 time, key of B natural..."

There was that crushing feeling again, like a house had just been set down on his chest. What the hell was going on? Why was this even happening? There were so many thoughts and feelings swimming through James' head he felt as though his brain were trying to fight it's way out of his skull.

James: "Yeah... ok."

Emily: "12:13am- temperature still elevated."
Tristan: "Here's $600- it should be enough to get you back to your family... No- it's a gift, not a loan."

Emily: "Markus, how long has he been talking like that?"
Markus: "About an hour now, off and on."
Emily: "Any seizures?"
Markus: "No..."
Emily: "Good. The change in consciousness is worrisome, but the lack of seizures is a plus. It seems like a pretty bad strain of the flu or something- once the fever breaks, he should be fine."

Emily: "I need to go check on Mary- before I came up here she seemed a bit... wobbly."

Markus was quiet as Emily left the room. He wasn't sure how much the girls knew about Tristan and James, but he was fairly certain they didn't know the two of them were vampires. One thing was clear- whatever was wrong with Tristan wasn't the flu.