Gary immediately reached for a water bottle on the nightstand, unscrewing the cap and offering it to Ash. "Here, small sips, Ashy-boy," he murmured.

Ash weakly took the bottle, his hand trembling as he lifted it to his lips. He barely managed two sips before another cough wracked his body, forcing him to turn his head away.

Rowan sighed, stroking his beard. "This doesn't look like a simple cold, Gary. How long has he been like this?"

Gary pressed the back of his hand against Ash's clammy forehead, frowning. "I dunno. He said he woke up like this, but he looks way worse than someone who just caught a bug overnight." His mind was racing, going over symptoms. Pale complexion. Weakness. Vomiting. Mucus buildup. Feverish but shivering.

Rowan walked to Ash's side, observing him carefully. "We'll need to keep him under observation," the professor said. "Do you have an idea of what this could be?"

Gary exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I have a few ideas, but I need to check more." He turned to Ash. "Buddy, I need to take your vitals. You okay with that?"

Ash gave a weak thumbs-up, his eyelids drooping. "Mmm-hmm..."

Gary grabbed his stethoscope, placing the cold metal against Ash's chest. "Breathe in for me, Ashy."

Ash inhaled shakily.

Gary's frown deepened. Crackling in the lungs. Not good. He moved the stethoscope to Ash's back. "Again."

Ash obeyed. His breathing was labored, and Gary could hear the slight rattle of fluid in his lungs.

Pneumonia? No... it didn't seem that extreme yet. But something was definitely messing with his respiratory system.

Next, Gary gently took Ash's wrist and checked his pulse. Too fast. His body was working overtime to fight whatever this was.

Rowan watched Gary work, his expression unreadable. "You're quite thorough," he remarked.

Gary didn't look up. "Someone's gotta take care of this idiot." He gently set Ash's wrist down, then checked his throat. Swollen. Red. Another bad sign.

"Alright, Ash," Gary said, brushing his knuckles against Ash's cheek. "I'm not gonna lie, you're looking pretty rough, bud. But don't worry, I'll get you back to normal."

Ash mumbled something incoherent, his eyes already fluttering closed.

Gary sighed and pulled the blanket up over Ash's shoulders. "Rest, Ashy-boy. I'll figure this out."

Rowan nodded approvingly. "I'll give you access to the lab's equipment if you need it."

Gary smirked slightly. "Good. 'Cause I plan on fixing this."

And with that, he pulled out his notebook and started piecing everything together.