In trouble

His heart still beating fast, he runs his thumb along Camryn’s cheek. He cared. He really cared. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to admit it or recognize it before…perhaps he had been too scared. But…his relationship with Camryn had deepened in an instant…and he liked it.

Camryn moves her hand to slide down the side of Jason’s face, careful to maneuver around his cuts. “I think I like you, Jason.”

Jason can’t help his grin as he searches her eyes. “I think I like you too.” Suddenly a sharp pain courses through his head and he winces, broken away from the moment.

Camryn looks at him with worry. “You okay?”

“Yeah…” Jason nods and rubs his forehead. “Headache.” He grimaces. “I got knocked on the noggin pretty good…all this excitement must just be a little much.”

Camryn grins slyly. “Excitement, huh?”

Jason eyes her suspiciously, but with humor. “As if you think it’s boring.”

“Oh, I never said that.”

Jason rolls his eyes and is about to banter back, but his headache seems to want to get the best of him. “Have a good night, Camryn…”

“Call me tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

Camryn leans over to give his forehead a kiss before sliding off the bed. “Goodnight, Hotshot.”

“Hey, Camryn?”

“Yeah?”

Jason gestures to the counter. “Would you mind grabbing those painkillers and a glass of water? This headache is a doozy.”

“Sure.” Camryn does as asked and returns with the water and pills, the concern still on her face. “Do you need Rick?”

“Nah.” Jason shrugs it off. “I’m just tired.”

Once Phil returns for the guitar, he bids Jason farewell, and Camryn leaves with him for a ride home. Though Trooper is still present, the infirmary seems even more quiet than before with everyone gone.

Jason scoots down in bed so he’s lying down, his head still throbbing. Maybe it had been just a little too much activity tonight. Sleeping it off would probably do the trick…he hadn’t felt all that tired, but as he rests, his eyes grow heavy.



One a.m. Trooper sits up by Jason’s bed as he hears the rapid breathing and wheezing. He lays his head next to Jason’s arm, nuzzling him slightly. Getting no response, he tries again.

Jason’s eyes fly open as he continues to gasp for air. He felt as though he had a cinderblock resting on his chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. His head felt as though it would split open any moment.

Finally after another nudge from Trooper, he gets sense enough to roll over, fumbling on the bedside stand for the phone. Something was wrong. Really wrong.



Rick wakes with a start at his ringing phone on his nightstand. Shifting his arm that had been wrapped around Janet, he rolls over to answer it. Who would be calling him at this hour? “Hello?” he mumbles sleepily.

Jason gasps for another breath. “Rick…I need…I don’t know what’s…”

Rick is immediately awake. “Jason? Is that you? What’s wrong?”

“It hurts…I can’t…breathe…”

Rick is already sitting up, throwing off his bed sheets. “Are you still in the infirmary?”

“Yes….I..”

“Alright, alright, just sit tight, Hotshot. You in bed?”

Jason doubles over, gasping, trying to talk. “Yeah…”

“I’m on my way. Don’t move.” Rick hangs up the phone and picks up his pants from the floor, standing to pull them on quickly. Turning around, he leans over the bed to give Janet a kiss. “Sorry, Hun, Jason needs me. I’ll call you later.”

Grabbing the rest of his clothing, he’s quick to dress and head out the door, jogging to his car in the driveway. Arriving at TJY, he fumbles for his entry key and rushes inside. A few lights were on…Hal and Ty were probably on the lower level cleaning.

Reaching the infirmary, Rick goes to Jason quickly, seeing him sitting up though bent over, gasping for air. “Where does it hurt, Jase?”

“Head…chest…”

Acting quickly, Rick tries to get Jason to lie back down. “Just take it easy. Breathe nice and slow, nice and slow.”

Jason leans back into his pillows, wincing with every forced breath. He felt as though any moment he would suffocate.

Rick begins an examination, checking Jason’s airway, lungs and chest. There was no swelling…no blockage. Nothing. Giving Jason a shot to relax did nothing. Giving him oxygen only seemed to worsen the symptoms.

After forty-five minutes have gone by, Rick is almost in a panic. He wants to take Jason to the hospital, but he knows good and well that he’s checked everything possible. Looking to the phone, he lets out a frustrated sigh. “Misty, where are you, when I need you?”

Jason groans a little, rolling onto his side, almost not catching his breath this time. His eyes start to roll back into his head and Rick rushes back to him.

“Jason, stay with me,” he orders sternly. “Don’t black out. Just try to relax.”

Everything was blurry, and Jason blinks, his hand putting Rick’s fingers in a vice grip. “Rick…” He sucks in another shallow breath, his voice barely above a whisper. “What…what is…”

“Shh. Just lie still.” Rick tried to subside his worry. What was happening here? He could find nothing wrong with Jason, bad enough to cause these symptoms. Infection in his knee had set in, but there was nothing that should lead to this hyperventilating. Again, Rick considers taking Jason to the hospital. One more risk of Jason blacking out, and he would.