Taemin felt his friend’s forehead with his hand gently as Key mumbled and whimpered in his sleep.

“His fever’s gone up..” Taemin thought worryingly. He looked around to see if there were any other nurses around; there were none. Frowning, the younger went over to the sink in the corner and ran the water on cold. After running his cloth under the faucet, Taemin squeezed the fabric until the dripping stopped and replaced it on Key’s burning forehead. The rapper whimpered and fidgeted under the white covers. It wasn’t long after until a slight tear appeared in the corners of his feline eyes and slowly ran down Key’s slender face. Taemin held his umma’s hand in response, and gently squeezed it, hoping it would provide some comfort.

“I’m sorry.. I’m sorry..” Key whimpered quietly.

Taemin wiped his tears away, “It’s okay, Key. You don’t need to be sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong,” he replied confidently.

“I’m sorry! I can’t do this anymore! I can’t stand it,” Key whispered weakly, “I just can’t.” More tears escaped from his closed eyes and left their trail down his face.

“It’s okay, umma! Please stop crying, please wake up and tell me what’s wrong!” Taemin worryingly brushed his tears away as his hyungs returned from the break room. Taemin turned his head to Onew with worry in his eyes, “He started whimpering in his sleep and I can’t get him to stop crying! What do I do?”

Onew frowned with worry and sat down next to the younger. Key’s eyes brimmed with tears and frightened whimpers could be heard. Jonghyun came to Onew’s side and felt his best friend’s wrapped forehead.

The idol’s eyes furrowed, “His fever’s getting worse.”

Taemin looked at Minho sadly, “I think he’s having a nightmare, I wish Key would wake up.” Minho squeezed the dancer’s shoulder in comfort and handed him a small bottle of banana milk and a bag of graham crackers.

"Thanks, hyung. But I'm not hungry anymore.." Taemin mumbled.

Minho frowned and opened the crackers.

"Taemin, look at me." Minho said sternly. Taemin sadly lifted his head to look at the rapper and Minho quickly stuck a cracker in the younger's mouth.

"Key would want you to eat, Taeminnie."

Taemin nodded, chewing the snack and hung his head, his bangs covering his eyes.

"Hey.. Taemin-ah..." Minho knelt by his chair and tilted his head to see the dancer's face. It hurt to see his shoulders tremble and tears fell onto Taemin's lap.

"I k-know he would, it's j-just.." Taemin struggled to keep his voice from cracking but he soon broke down into quiet sobs. Minho stood up and pulled the younger out of his chair and into an embrace, letting him cry into his shoulder.

Onew looked up from Key's wet face and met Minho's worried eyes. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He then turned his eyes to Jonghyun holding Key's hand, having the idol's full attention.

Standing up, Onew announced that he was going to find a nurse and quickly ventured out into the hallway, most likely an excuse to get out of the heavy atmosphere. Jonghyun took an empty chair and continued to stare worryingly at Key's grief stricken face.

"What are you dreaming about that's hurting you so much? " he wondered sadly. Suddenly, he felt a sudden vibration from his pocket. Pulling his phone from the tight space, Jonghyun flipped it open to see 11 messages from Se Kyung. Skimming through each one, she basically wanted to know where he was and why he wasn't answering his phone.

He quickly texted her back that he was in the hospital with a friend and that he would call later. Jonghyun then turned off his phone as Onew returned with a nurse.

Taking out a thermometer, she rested it in Key's slight open mouth and checked the reading.

"His fever has slightly gotten worse.. I'm afraid Kibum can't leave tonight until his fever breaks. I'll go get some ibuprofen and hook him up to an IV so he doesn’t dehydrate. Excuse me, please.” The nurse took her leave and quietly shut the door.

Minho, still holding Taemin, turned the younger to sit on the couch. Once situating himself, the rapper sat the maknae onto the cushion next him and pulled him into a side hug. Taemin sniffled and leaned on his hyung’s shoulder. Onew walked over to the two and ruffled the dancer’s head.

“Get some rest, Taemin-ah. Key will be better in the morning, you’ll see.” Onew smiled his usual goofy smile making him smile a little.

“Okay.” Taemin closed his eyes and slumped his head down on Minho’s lap, using his sweatshirt as a pillow. He then turned his head to look up at him and timidly asked, “Is it okay?”

Minho smiled, “Of course, Taeminnie.” The younger smiled shyly and snuggled into the rolled-up sweatshirt and closed his eyes.

Walking to and opening the closet in the far right side of the room, Onew pulled out some extra blankets from the top shelf. The nurse had told him about them earlier before she left for the medication. Onew turned around to look at Jonghyun at Key’s bedside, fixing the wet cloth on the unconscious rapper’s wrapped forehead.

“Oi, Jonghyun.”

Looking over at Onew holding the blankets, he raised his arm with an open hand and Onew tossed a folded blanket to him. After draping one over Minho and sleeping Taemin, Onew meandered over to a small cushioned chair and swung his legs over the arm, leaning his head on the cushion with a blanket over his lap. Jonghyun soon stood up as well and dragged a similar cushioned chair next to Key’s bed before replacing it with the folding chair he sat on earlier.

Snuggling up with his knees close to his chest, Jonghyun covered himself with the blanket as the nurse returned with a box in hand and an IV bag hanging from a rack with a tube dangling from it.

“We’ll put the chairs back in the morning,” Jonghyun promised. The nurse smiled gratefully and set up the IV on the opposite side of Key’s bed. After wrapping a Velcro tourniquet below Key’s elbow and rubbing an area on the inside of his arm, she took a needle out of her box and flicked it a few time with her finger before inserting it into Key’s main artery vein. Jonghyun looked away as she did this and only looked back when he heard the clang of the needle hitting the bottom of the metal trash bin. The nurse then gently covered the IV insert with a piece of transparent adhesive dressing before hooking the tube to Key’s arm and packing up her “needle box.”

“Goodnight, sir,” she smiled and quietly clicked the door behind her.

Jonghyun shivered, “I hate needles,” he thought. Looking over at Key, the idol smiled a bit. Key’s face was no longer wet with tears or trembling in fear. He slept soundly with his chest rising and falling slowly and peacefully. Snuggling up on the chair, Jonghyun was exhausted and ready for the day to be over. Just when he was ready to fall asleep, he heard a mumble across from him on the bed.

“Jonghyun..”

Peeking one eye open at his best friend, Jonghyun let out a small chuckle.

“Goodnight, Key. Sleep well.”

~~~~

Ohh the chapter was so hard to write! >_< I hate needles! I've have a phobia and I had to look up how they hook an IV so I can be accurate but UGH! I had a nauseated feeling since the version I found had pictures ... X( *shivers* ucky. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it! Comments are love :) <3 <3 <3