Baby groaned and slammed his head on the desk. The varnished oak made a satisfying hollow sound as his head thunked down. He huffed and laid his cheek on the cool surface, eyes scanning the gloom of his room. It wasn't too late, about half eight but it was autumn and the sun went down early. Already his room was cloaked in shadow. His furniture loomed in dark shapes around him. The black colour mixing with the gothicness of the room. His brain was mush and his head hurt. There was school tomorrow and he hadn't been able to sleep all weekend, not since the motel California incident. Nightmares plagued his mind and he was honestly sick of them.

Defeated, he rose back up and flopped over the back of his chair. One hand absentmindedly pulled out his phone and dialled a number. It took three rings for Danny to pick up. "Baby", Danny sighed in audible frustration. "I am on a date with Ethan. It's was just getting good".

"Nice", Baby grinned. "Where are you?"

Danny exhaled loudly down the line, but it was tinged with fondness. "In a truck outside my house".

"Oooo", baby cooed. "It's that type of date then? Did I interrupt your snogging?"

"Yes. Yes you did. What is it?"

Baby deflated but it seemed that Danny had picked it up over the phone. They had known each other long enough for subtle messages like that. "What is it?" Danny repeated, voice softer.

"Nightmares", Baby exhaled. "I haven't slept in a while".

"Not even during the day?" Danny asked. Vampires could sleep at night or day, but they were more prone to being nocturnal.

"No. I get about half an hour before I'm awake again".

Danny sighed again. "Come on then baby. Come over. I know you want to".

Baby smiled. "Be there in five".

It took him less than five minutes to arrive at Danny's house. True to his word, he could see Danny's and Ethan's forms through the windscreen of a large shiny black truck. The suburban houses around them lit from the inside and calling in the evening dark. He tapped on the glass and grinned. Danny jumped and Ethan scowled at him. Baby three the door open and climbed up into the spare seat. "Budge up". Danny immediately shuffled over.

"Thank you for ruining my date", Ethan grumbled. Danny swatted him on the thigh.

"Baby", he grinned. "Did you need company?" He knew how, despite how much Baby loved his solitude, occasionally it all got too much and he needed to be in the presence of warm blooded people.

"Danny", Baby smirked. "You look ravished. Ethan doing his job then?" Danny's tshirt was crumpled and his lips were swollen with a red flush decorating his cheeks.

"He's doing a perfect job", Danny beamed. Then he paused. His face fell and he winced, one hand reaching up to his chest. "My chest hurts", he muttered in surprise.

"Is something wrong?" Ethan shifted at the sudden change. Danny coughed.

"No. It's gone, I think". He rubbed one hand on his chest. Baby frowned and leaned in closer to him. He inhaled deeply. The scent of fading arousal, sweat and Danny's usual musk was there. But there was something else too. A sour note mixed in with something sickly sweet.

Danny doubled over, coughs making him shake. The smell grew stronger and Baby recoiled against the car door as Danny began breathing heavily. "Danny?"

"Something is wrong", Danny wheezed. "It hurts. Oh god, it really hurts. I don't know what is happening".

"Danny?" Ethan was practically holding Danny up. "We need to go to the hospital". The truck rumbled to life and he pulled out of the parking spot.

"Can't you smell it?" Baby gasped, one hand on his friend's shoulder. "We need to hurry up".

Danny's house wasn't far from the hospital, only about fifteen minutes. But there was some sort of accident on the road and the traffic was terrible. Danny's breathing was getting worse. He was heaving now. Baby holding him up to try and keep his airway clear. Ethan growled and smacked his hand on the dashboard. "Fuck. This is too slow".

"Pull over", Baby ordered. "We'll carry him". The truck lurched into a empty parking spot. As soon as it was stationary, Baby was jumping out and pulling Danny's shaking form after him. Panic filling his veins as his best friend's breathing noticeably grew more laboured. Ethan scrambled round the truck and they both pulled Danny's arms round their shoulders before starting to run.

By the time they had gotten close enough to the hospital to see the emergency doors, Danny was like and his breathing had shallowed. They burst through the doors, ignoring the chaos surrounding them. Baby's eye prickled with unsheathed tears. "Help! Help him please".

"Someone!"

He dimly recognised Scott McCall before a woman in green scrubs and with messy dark hair ran over. Scott at their side as she directed him and Ethan to lower Danny into a chair. She began checking him over with practised hands. Baby refused to removed his hand from Danny's shoulder. His inability to help making him nervous and panicky. Ethan was practically vibrating next to them. His alpha scent strong with anxiety.

"What happened?" Scott asked.

"We were on a date and Baby interrupted", Ethan began, his voice faltering as Danny shuddered. The nurse, Scott's mother (baby could tell by their similar scent and facial features), was checking his breathing. Scott waved at him and Ethan continued. "At first it was just chest pains, then his breathing got worse".

"It came on suddenly", Baby flinched when Danny let out a cry of pain.

"His larynx has shifted to the side", Ms McCall announced. "I think it's a"- she said something medical but was interrupted by Danny suddenly lurching forwards. He fell out of the chair, Baby catching him as he vomited all over the floor. White berries and small green leaves littering Baby's shoes. The smell hitting him like a truck and he almost wanted to throw up himself.

"Mistletoe", Ethan stated.

"Help me get him on to a bed", Ms McCall called. Together, she and Baby lifted Danny up as Scott wheeled over a er bed. She pushed him through a set of double doors into a ward room that was already half full of beds and patients. There was a spare corner and Scott pulled the curtains around them. "Can you three please go back to the waiting room?" Ms McCall asked.

"Where's all the doctors and nurses? Where is anyone?" Ethan was too panicked to listen.

"It's a full house, they're attending to other patients".

Baby didn't care about other patients. He just wanted Danny to be better. His friend was wheezing on the bed, consciousness hazy as he struggled to breath. "Is there anything we can do to help?" He pleaded.

"You can't. His lung has collapsed and his heart is being pushed against his chest cavity". Danny shook, eyes opening wide as he gasped.

"He's going to die isn't he", Scott muttered. Ethan gripped Danny's hand between his, eyes fixed on his boyfriend.

"No", Ms McCall snapped. "No, he's not. Scott, you grab the tape, you grab those scissors and cut his shirt open". Ethan, Scott and Ms McCall began rummaging through drawers. Baby remaining at Danny's side.

"Don't you fucking die on me Danny Mahealani", he swore. "Cause if you do, I will bring you back as a vampire to kill you myself". Danny wheezed, eyes meeting Baby's for a second. Even in this state, Danny's eyes conveyed sarcasm. Baby choked on a smile.

"Otta the way", Ethan barked, shoving Baby back to slice Danny's shirt open. Ms McCall returned, a large metal needle in her hand.

"Mom. He's not breathing".

"I know. Just be quiet for a second". She felt along Danny's chest, fingers pressing into the flesh above his collar bones. In a sudden movement, she raised the needle and stabbed it into the skin. She pulled out a syringe and attached it to the end of the needle. Clear liquid filled the plastic and Danny drew a deep breath. They all exhaled in relief. Ms McCall twisted the needle and pulled it out, leaving a breathing tube in it's place. Danny blinked at them. "Thank you".

Ms McCall smiled. "Mom", that was amazing", Scott breathed.

Danny took another breath and his eyes swivelled to Baby. "No turning me into a vampire", he groaned. Baby laughed in relief. One sleeve wiping at the tears in his eyes.

"Okay Danny. You can stay warm blooded".

Unedited