Ellis poked his head into the infirmary a while later after the staff received news that Carlisle was stable and everyone returned to bed. Though he went back to his own room, he didn’t stay for long. He was worried about his new employer and afraid of going back to sleep. Things were hectic, he didn’t want to risk sleepwalking again and causing more unnecessary issues for his coworkers.

He saw Grant in the armchair near the hospital bed, he was still draped in his robe and lounge pants with a half-asleep expression plastered on his face. He looked exhausted but he never let his eyes leave his sleeping husband at his side. Carlisle hadn’t moved since Ellis saw him last.

“Doctor Fontenot?” Ellis asked quietly.

Grant lifted his head and turned to look at Ellis, “Are you alright, Mr. Hughes?”

“Yes, I wanted to see if you or Mr. Hawthorne needed anything?”

Grant rubbed his eyes and let his hand move down to his lips and pondered for a moment. He pointed to the box of masks on the wall and requested Ellis wash his hands while he considered the proposition for a moment. Ellis dutifully did so.

“Would you mind terribly if I leave Lisle with you while I run to our room and get some warmer clothes on? I think he’s stable but I’d rather have someone close if he wakes up or if something happens, you can use the intercom if something happens and call for Masoud.”

“Of course, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Grant stood with a heavy exhale and rubbed his eyes again. He looked down at his husband, kissed his sweaty forehead and excused himself from the infirmary with a promise that he’d be back in about five minutes once he pulled himself together. Ellis walked into the room and sat in the chair the doctor had been occupying. He looked at Carlisle with worry.

The hotel proprietor was breathing shakily, the oxygen mask over his face fogged a bit. His lightly tousled curls were limp and stuck to his forehead, the sheet over his body clung to his flesh from the fever that wracked his system. He looked sickly, but he was resting soundly and the IV hooked to his hand was nearly empty.

A small fan on the nearby table oscillated in slow motions to cool down the room. Ellis was worried about Carlisle’s health, he was pale and trembling. He tried not to worry. If Doctor Fontenot felt that it was safe enough to leave him in his care for a while, he must have been stable enough to be out of danger even though his face was flush and dripping with sweat.

Ellis sat in contemplative silence for a while, tapping his foot softly in an attempt at keeping himself awake. He was sleepy, his body hurt and he really wanted to go back to bed. He wondered what the tasks for the day would be, what needed tending to in the hotel, what he could ask for for breakfast.

“Ellis?” Carlisle mumbled.

Ellis lifted his head, “Yes, Mr. Hawthorne? Are you well?”

“Where am I?”

“The infirmary,” Grant replied as he walked back into the room with Biscuit in his arms. The cat was deposited in the office, she happily trotted over to her backup food bowl that was left out for her during the day.

Ellis turned to look at the doctor. Grant had hastily thrown himself together, his hair was a bit of a mess and the sweater over his body was loose fitting and warm. It was all he could manage to do in the short time he allowed himself, he was in no condition to be at the top of his game after such a terrifying night. The smell of cologne lingered in an attempt to cover up the fact he hadn’t showered. Ellis didn’t think that any of the day’s patients would mind too terribly given the circumstances.

Carlisle lifted a weak hand for his husband to take, noticing through his bleary vision that he was distressed. Grant did so and kissed his knuckles as he set down a light stack of clothes atop the nearby side table.

“You scared me,” Grant whispered.

“I did?” Carlisle mumbled.

“Yes. I’m putting you on bedrest for the rest of the week, no arguments. Your fever is too high and your glucose levels are all over the place. We almost lost you, twice.”

“I’m in a lot of pain…”

Grant turned to look at Ellis, “Mr. Hughes, would you mind getting me a glass that’s three-fourths filled with ice and the rest with cold water from the kitchen?”

Ellis nodded, “Yes, do you need a coffee or anything?”

“A green tea would be helpful, thank you. Wash your hands again before you leave and drop your mask in the bio bin. I don’t think he’s contagious but I don’t want you to catch something with how weak your system is,” Grant said with a soft smile.

Poor Ellis was obviously uncomfortable and worried. The young man hurried out of the infirmary, stopping briefly to scratch Biscuit’s head as he went. Grant squatted beside the hospital bed and looked into his husband’s bloodshot eyes. His eyelids were pink and puffy. His fever was too high and Grant could only assume he had come down with an upper respiratory infection. It had been in his system too long to have been passed on from one of the new arrivals, but he didn’t want anyone to come down with something should Carlisle end up contagious. His weakened lungs were compromised beyond safety, he needed to be in a sterile environment.

“What hurts, mon chéri?” Grant asked as he set his chilled hand against Carlisle’s forehead.

“My chest,” Carlisle replied quietly.

“Do you have a headache, too?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll get you some pain killers once Ellis returns. I need you to tell me exactly how you feel, what you’re experiencing. Last night was terrifying, Lisle, I need to know everything.”

Carlisle nodded. He requested Grant’s help to roll over, so the doctor stood and helped him shift his body to get the pressure off of his hips and low back. The hotel proprietor felt stiff, his body ached and he could only assume the night had been a long one. He was on the verge of falling back asleep, and he knew Grant wanted him to, so he tried to keep himself from waking up too much.

“I feel dizzy, dehydrated… everything aches. My chest hurts… so bad, my lungs burn,” Carlisle whispered.

“Are you nauseous?” Grant asked.

“No.”

“I’m guessing you have an upper respiratory infection but the fever is worrying me, once we get some antibiotics in your system and some water you can go back to sleep, but I need you to stay awake until then. You’ll need to sleep it off, your ass isn’t leaving this bed. Understood?”

“Yes. I’m sorry…”

“This is why I tell you to rest, Lisle. Now you don’t have a choice.”

Grant shifted the small fan on the table a bit to position it where the breeze was pointed at Carlisle’s face now that he had rolled over. Carlisle lifted the sweat-soaked sheet a bit and looked at his body beneath the saturated linen.

“I’m naked,” he mumbled.

“I got some lounge pants for you. We need to switch out that sheet,” Grant replied as he picked up the stack of clothes he set down earlier. He helped dress his husband and pulled the soiled sheet away before Ellis returned to help save Carlisle’s dignity. He knew his partner would be embarrassed once his fever broke and he came to his senses, once the staff came to check on him, so he needed to protect him as much as he could.

Carlisle looked up at him wearily, hardly conscious and ready to fall back into a deep sleep. Grant sat on the edge of the bed after draping a new sheet over his body and set his hand on Carlisle’s head.

“Hang on, Lisle… once Ellis gets back and we get some medication into your system you can go back to bed. You need some antibiotics and water,” Grant promised.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, it’s alright. The biggest thing you need to do is rest. Let Masoud and Luisa handle the hotel for a while. You’re not Carlisle the hotel owner right now, you’re Carlisle the patient. An at risk one that shaved years off my life last night.”

Carlisle set his hand on Grant’s thigh, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Ellis returned. He set the cups on the doctor’s desk, washed his hands again and grabbed another mask before he stepped back into the room. Beverages in hand, he walked into the infirmary and handed the mug of tea to Grant.

“Thank you, Mr. Hughes. Did you go back to bed after we woke you up?” Grant asked.

“No, sir. I didn’t want to cause more issues if I started sleepwalking, especially if the guests woke up before I did,” Ellis replied.

“Good, Masoud is bringing a spare bed into the infirmary and I’m going to have you stay in here with Lisle for a while so I can keep an eye on you. Here, Lisle, drink this. We need to get you cooled down and get your meds.”

Ellis titled his head to the side, “Pardon?”

“I need to figure out why you’re sleepwalking, and I can’t leave Lisle’s side for a while but I have appointments today. I can’t miss them so it will be better if I can keep all of you in my line of sight. It will take him some time to wheel it in so if you’d like to shower and get breakfast first, please do, but you need sleep and I need data so we’ll have to make do.”

“Don’t I need to help Luisa?”

“Later, everyone is resting now—except Janine, I imagine she’s already in the kitchen—but the staff needs to rest after what happened last night. I’m sure things will be a bit hectic after lunch but it’s only 6am so we have time. You need sleep, just as much as we all do, and if you’re in here I can make sure you don’t go wandering off.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll go shower really quickly.”

“Please do, and dress warm, it can get a bit chilly in here since we’ll need to have the air on for Lisle’s fever.”

Ellis nodded and excused himself again. Grant smiled.

“He’s a good kid,” Grant whispered as he turned back to Carlisle who had fallen back into a deep sleep. He downed the water in the span of the short conversation. Even though he didn’t take his medication, it was enough to help Grant relax some knowing that he had at least woken up, had a semi-coherent conversation, and was on his way to hydration again. The doctor set his hands together and exhaled slowly. He was ready for a nap. This hotel season was going to wreck his health and he could only hope Carlisle would finally relent and let him take a vacation.

He shifted and kissed Carlisle’s temple, “I love you…”