Barry Allen Whumptober 2020

Severe Illness

Pre lightning

**********

I woke up feeling under the weather. 

That's a major understatement.

I woke u feeling like shrap.

I wanted nothing more that to curl up under the covers and go back to sleep.

But I had work. And Singh was already on me about being late twice this week. So I begrudgingly got out of bed and moved around my apartment, going through the motions of getting ready.

I was about to grab breakfast and I glanced at the clock. My eyes bulged and any thoughts of breakfast went out the window as I threw on my shoes while racing out the door. 

Running sucked. But it had to be done. My chest hurt and I eventually had to just stop running. I was already late, at this point what was a few more minutes. I walked into work, but oddly enough, my heart was still beating pretty fast. Not like crazy fast, but above normal. 

I didn't want to be sick. I really hated being sick. 

Luckily, Singh didn't yell at me. He just looked at me a small frown and handed me some files. 

I made my way up to my lab and plopped in my chair, wincing a bit when it jostled my side a bit too much.

I had gotten mugged a few days ago, and the jerk had a knife. He sliced my side, nothing too bad, but it still hurt and it was a bit difficult to hide from Joe and the Captain. 

I shivered. It was cold in here. Why was it so cold? 

I started working on my case files, but it was kinda hard to focus. 

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. I was still breathing rather quickly and that was a bit concerning. It must just be because I'm sick. Stupid sickness. Stop distracting me from my work. 

It was really cold. I wish I had a jacket.

And I was really tired. I really wanted to just take a small nap...

No!

Focus Barry. No sleeping on the job. Are you trying to get fired?

I shook my head again and tapped my cheeks, trying to get myself more alert.

I went back to staring blankly at the files in front of me. 

I don't know how long it had been, but suddenly, someone was waving their hand in front of my face.

"Allen!" 

I snapped back to reality and looked at the Captain who was looking at me with... was that concern?

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Huh? Yeah." I said softly. 

Singh stared at me hard and then he put the back of his hand against my forehead. That was certainly surprising. 

Singh brought his hand back, "Allen, why the hell did you come to work if you're sick?"

I shrugged and tried to focus on my breathing which was not coming very easy.

"Allen." Singh said. It sounded far away.

I heard him call my name one more time before I slipped into unconsciousness. 

***** LINE BREAK *****

Allen was late again. Surprise surprise. 

I was fully prepared to yell at him when he walked into my office, then I saw that he looked like crap. 

So instead I just handed him some files and told him to go.

A few hours passed and I kept thinking about how horrible Allen looked. If he was sick, why the hell would he come to work. There is such a thing as a sick day. 

Eventually, I just gave up and headed upstairs to check on Allen. I knocked on his lab door, but he didn't acknowledge me. He seemed to be off in his own world. Well... not quite. More like he just wasn't mentally there. 

"Allen." I said.

He still didn't acknowledge me. I walked in and called again. After still not receiving any signal that he knew I was here, I waved my hand in front of his face.

"Allen!"

He snapped back to reality and looked at me with a bit of confusion. I noticed with a frown that he seemed to be sweating and having trouble breathing. That was not good.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Huh? Yeah." he said softly. Absently.

I stared at him hard and then, very out of character for me, put my hand against his forehead. It was really warm. 

I brought his hand back, "Allen, why the hell did you come to work if you're sick?"

He shrugged and I saw him trying to control his uneven breathing.

"Allen." I said.

I saw him start to slip into unconsciousness.

"Allen!" I said. 

My eyes widened as I watched his head roll to the side. 

I cursed and shot a quick text to Joe to tell him to get up here. 

I knelt down and checked Allen's pulse, which was elevated. I also noticed with a start that he had a bandage around his torso.

"Damn it Barry." I muttered. 

I lifted his shirt and paled when I saw the blotchy discolored skin around the bandage.

Please don't be what I think it is. Dear god please don't let it be that.

I took the bandage off his torso and cursed when my gaze fell on the gross yellow cut on his midsection. It was infected. Not good not good not good.

One word came to mind when I looked at the wound.

Sepsis.

Barry was unconscious, meaning that it was likely he had severe sepsis. And if we didn't get him to a hospital now, her would go into sepsis shock and  he might not survive.

"Damn it!" I yelled, pulling out my phone and calling an ambulance.

Joe chose that moment to appear.

"Captain, what's wrong?" Joe asked. Then he saw his kid and paled.

"Sepsis." Was all I could say.

Everything else passed in a blur. Joe's panicking. The ambulance. People dragging Barry away. 

Please be okay Barry.

***** LINE BREAK *****

Beep beep beep beep beep.

I sighed. I've had way to much experience in these places. It's really sad that I know what that sound is after the first two beeps. 

I opened my eyes to an empty hospital room. 

What happened? 

I faintly remember feeling sick, and then Captain Singh was there? 

Someone will explain it to me later.

For now, I'm going to go back to sleep.

**********

A/N- Almost caught up! 

Love y'all! :)