Shadu: This is a very serious story with a very real threat/disease. I'm in sort of a sadistic/depressed mood. NO idea why, but I am. Enjoy the fruits of my mood.

Serenity laid in bed at Mai's house, listening to her brother snore loudly. They had been invited to stay there for a while. She didn't mind that Joey was so close and loud, she was happy that he was there. She liked having him around. She liked being around him. She kind of liked hearing him snore; it was like her reassurence. She liked listening to the rhythmic sound of his raspy breathing.

She stood up to go to the bathroom and her path just happened to pass by Joey's room. She stopped suddenly when his snoring ceased. He didn't mumble, or toss, or anything. He just laid there, soundless. Serenity froze. Was she just imagining her brother not breathing? She counted the seconds. One, two, three, four, five; but nothing, not a sound was emitted from Joey's throat. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten; still, Joey laid silent. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen; she was about to go in and give him CPR when a strangled breath was suddenly sucked painfully into his lungs and his labored breathing returned to him. His labored breathing soon turned into its normal snoring. Serenity lingered a little longer before continuing.

She was almost fearful to leave Joey; fearful that he might stop breathing again, and this time, won't start back in on his own. However, when she passed back by, he was snoring normally, as if it had never happened. She laid there, listening to her brother again. Ten minutes passed, and nothing happened. But then, his snoring stopped again. Serenity shot out of bed, counting the seconds again, as she raced to his bed. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Then, another painful gasp of air rushed into his lungs and his breathing returned to him.

She couldn't stand this. She brought her pillow and a sleeping bag into Joey's room and laid down by his bed. She listened to his steady snoring. Right now, after what she had just experienced, that was very comforting. She kept an ear out for him, and she was almost asleep when it happened again. Joey's snoring stopped. She jumped up and put her ear on Joey's chest. She could hear his heart, but no air coming into his lungs at all. He had stopped breathing all together. She put her fingers on Joey's nose to clamp it closed and forced a breath into Joey's lungs. Joey sat up suddenly, tossing Serenity back a little. He took a couple heaving gulps of air before his breathlessness had subsided. Joey looked at Serenity as though she were crazy.

"What are you doin' in here?" Joey asked.

"You weren't breathing," Serenity stated.

"Wha? Wha'd ya mean?" Joey rose an eyebrow.

"You-you mean you don't remember?" Serenity asked, stunned.

"Remember, remember what?" Joey asked.

"Just a second ago, you stopped breathing," Serenity told him.

"What are you talking about?" Joey demanded, obviously confused. "I was sleeping just fine until I feel you forcing air into my lungs, which was very painful by the way."

"But Joey, I know what I heard and saw," Serenity protested.

"Listen sis, nothing's wrong wit me, but if it makes you feel better, you can sleep in here tonight," Joey told her. "Just don't do dat again unless it's absolutely nessicary."

Serenity nodded. She laid down as Joey laid back down himself. She wanted to go to sleep, but her fear wouldn't let her without a fight. Her brother fell asleep quickly and his snoring soon filled the room. She listened. Joey slept on, unaware of his sister's uneasiness. Then, his snoring stopped again. Serenity counted the seconds yet again. Thriteen this time. She didn't know when it happened, but she finally fell asleep sometime, but still kept an ear out for Joey's snoring.

It was late morning when Serenity woke up. Joey was just waking as well.

"Morning Joey," Serenity greeted happily.

"Yeah, mornin' sis," Joey greeted back sleepily.

THERE'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH HIM, Serenity thought.

The two had breakfast. But Joey wasn't hungry, for once. He barely touched his food. Now Serenity knew something was wrong. He was always hungry. But for him to not be wasn't natural.

"Joey, what's the matter?" Serenity inquired.

"Gotta major headache," Joey stated.

"Want me to get some asprin?" Serenity asked.

"No, it'll pass in a little, they always do," Joey told her.

"You mean this isn't the first one?" Serenity nearly choked.

"Yeah, I've been having them in the morning pretty regularly for as long as I can remember," Joey told her.

SINCE WHEN? Serenity's mind asked.

"I just remembered, I needed to call a friend of mine," Serenity lied as she stood up from the table.

Joey didn't say anything as he watched her go. However, confusion was plastered all over his face. Who was she going to call?

Serenity went to her room to call. Luckily, she had a phone in her room. She picked it up and dialed.