Kowalski's blue eyes locked on the clock, bleary even though he was wearing his glasses. A throbbing persisted in his temple, a drum hammering in his head. In fact everywere ached, mixing with Kowalski's nausea making him feel awful.
'Please let Skipper forget training...' he pleaded in his mind, curling up. Skipper never forgot traing- Kowalski knew that- but was too ill to care. Maybe Skipper would give him the day off...? That seemed more likely- Kowalski, ever the responsible member of the team, rarely had time off, working on inventions for the team in his free time. Ten more minuites... Skipper would understand, right? Kowalski nodded to himself, wincing at the action, and fell back asleep.

Not for long. He felt someone shaking his arm to wake him up- it kinda felt like being stampeded on. He opened his eyes to see Skipper giving him a dissaproving scowl.
"Hmm?" Kowalski asked. Great- it even hurt to speak.
"Get up," Skipper said, nudging his shoulder again. "You already missed breakfast and you're late for training."
"Can I have today off?" the scientist pleaded, tiredly. "I feel really ill."
"Nice try. No," Skipper replied.
"But-" he began to protest.
"But nothing!" Skipper snapped, his rising voice intensifying the headache. "We're all tired, Kowalski, and we're dealing with it. Cut this bullshit, you have ten minuites to be outside."

Skipper stormed out, turning the light out behind him, causing shooting pain behind the scientist's eyes. He pushed himself out of bed, trying to ignore the aching feeling in his joints and made his way to his wardrobe. He pulled out a white shirt and charcoal grey trousers, slipping them over his slender build. His stomach lurched and he sprinted to the bathroom, arm curled around his stomach as he threw up, the taste vile, making him cough violently.

He splashed cold water on his face, brushing his teeth to get rid of the taste. For a few moments his vision swayed- thankfully he didn't collapse.

Irritation bit at him. OK, yes, Skipper had a point- they were all tired. There had been an excess of missions lately. Still, he was slightly stung that Skipper didn't believe him.

He got outside, shivering despite the warm weather, the light making his head feel like someone was squeezing a clamp over his head.

"Ok, three laps," Skipper ordered. Kowalski sighed. "Make that five." Both Rico and Private both glowered at the scientist.
"You know what Skipper is like at the moment," Rico hissed to him. "Why'd you go and sigh?"
"When you feel ill, you don't really want to do running," Kowalski replied, tiredly.
"Riiiiight," Rico said, Private nodding in agreement. The team brainiac hadn't expected that, he thought that they would believe him.

Apparently not.

After the fifth lap Kowalski, yet again, was fighting off a wave of dizziness, relieved when Skipper eventually told them to stop.
"Lunchtime!" he declared. The group went in, heated up a pizza, then put it on the table. Kowalski just sipped on water,not wanting to risk eating.
"Eat," Skipper instructed, staring at his lieutenant.
"I feel sick tho-" he protested before Skipper cut in.
"Stop making excuses and eat," he muttered. The scientist sighed and ate, the food swirling in his stomach.

When they were back to training Kowalski felt even worse. Breathing was difficult, heart pounding in his chest, black spots dancing on his vision. He figured that it would fade like before so he tried to ignore it. Instead darkness overtook his vision and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

----------------------

Skipper's eyes widened as Kowalski crumpled to the ground, landing with a thud, eyes closed.

He sprinted to his side, shaking his arm.
"Kowalski! Wake up! This isn't funny!"he said, worry filling him. He brushed the scientist's fringe from his eyes, fingertips touching his forehead. He swore under his breath- Kowalski's skin was definitely burning up, his pallour deathly white. "Is he OK?" Private asked, worridly.
"Ill," Skipper replied, shortly, wishing he'd believed him. Forcing Kowalski to overwork when he was so ill had caused this...

"Hold the door open," he instructed, picking up the lighter male who remained unresponsive. He carried Kowalski to his room, placing him on the bed- rolling his eyes at how neat it was kept. He wrapped a blanket around the shivering form and waited for him to wake up.

He was out until the next morning- Skipper breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the blue eyes flutter open.
"Here..." he said, passing him a glass of water. "I'm sorry, Kowalski."
"It's fine," Kowalski replied- Skipper winced at how weak he sounded.
"No. It's not," Skipper replied. "I should've listened to you. Because I didn't you collapsed. So you're having the week off- no it's or buts." The scientist nodded in gratitude, falling back asleep.

Skipper smiled and walked off.