Brian's POV
In California, I got back to work with the guys. Penny kept up with her treatment and I completed physical therapy. I made sure that even though I was busy with the band that I didn't neglect her. I tried to be home with her or she went to the studio as much as possible. Since she wasn't supposed to go out in crowded places, it was good for her to go where she could. She wasn't as sick right after her treatments as she had been at first. We were getting back to normal.

About a month after we got back, Gwyn came to visit while on business. Of course Penny invited her to stay with us and Gwyn accepted the invitation. I hoped my earlier concerns were just my imagination. Penny had a treatment the day after Gwyn arrived. Gwyn offered to take her to the appointment since I was busy at the studio. Penny was feeling worse afterward than I had seen since she was in the hospital having daily treatments. I wanted to just stay with her in our bedroom and take care of her but she insisted that I entertain Gwyn.
"She's our guest, we can't just ignore her because I'm sick."
"I'm sure she'll understand." I tried to tell her.
"Please Bri, for me? You know I will feel terrible if you don't." I knew there was no way to say no.
"Okay Penelope, but I am not going out. If you need me, I will be right here."
"Thank you." She said.
I made sure she had everything she needed and tucked her in.
"I'll be back soon; I don't plan to stay up late."
When I went downstairs, Gwyn was there waiting for me. She was dressed to kill with a very sexy dress on. She saw my t-shirt, shorts and sandals.
"I feel overdressed." She said.
"I hope it's okay if we just hang out here tonight. I just don't want to leave Penny all alone."
"Of course, I understand. I love your house, don't tell Penny but I like it better than hers." She was trying to disguise her disappointment and flatter me. She failed on both counts.
"Well, they are both OUR houses and I actually picked out the house in Ohio."
"I didn't mean for it to come out that way." She was stumbling over her words.
"Maybe we should have dinner." I suggested.
"Okay if I go change into something more comfortable?" She said.
"Of course." We decided to order Chinese and have it delivered. I ordered while she changed. She came back wearing a sheer cover-up over one of the skimpiest bikinis I had ever seen.
"You must be planning to swim later?" I asked.
"I would like to. I was hoping you would join me." She smiled coyly. Luckily the food arrived just then. "Let's eat outside, by the pool." She added.
We ate and she told me about her travels and I told her about mine.
"It must have been really weird for Penny, having never flown to get used to touring and all the travel. She's always been such a home body."
"She's adjusted to it very well and her ability to make a house a home is part of what I love about her." I said with mild irritation.
"Yes, Penny is quite the little homemaker." She smiled at me. “June Cleaver and all that.”
I decided to change the subject before she attempted more passive aggressive comments about Penny.
"So how long will you be staying?" I asked.
"Not sure, a few days, possibly a week or more. It depends on how things go." She said, looking at me in a way that made me very uncomfortable.
"Well, I hope it all goes quickly for you." I knew it could have been taken as rude, but I didn't care.
The rest of the dinner was really quiet.
"Ready for a swim?" She said when we were done eating.
"I really I need to be with Penny. I hope you don't mind. You can make yourself at home, it is a great night for a swim."
"You could check on Penny and swim too. I hate to swim alone." She said.
"I really would not be great company; I would just be worried about Penny."
"You are so sweet to always be taking care of her. It must be hard on you, your career and the band. You have had to go through a lot." She actually smiled after saying that.
"We take care of each other and there is nothing that any one of us would not do for the other." I had enough of this conversation. "Well Gwyn, have a good night and make yourself at home."
"Goodnight. Penny said you might take me to see the recording studio tomorrow?"
"Actually she said we would both take you to the recording studio tomorrow." I said
"That's what I meant, hopefully she feels up to it." She said.
"Goodnight Gwyn." I walked upstairs quickly. Penny seemed better and I held her as she slept. I don't know what the deal was with Gwyn, but she was making me very uncomfortable.

Penny's POV
I woke up the next morning feeling better, but it felt more like I had a hangover than a treatment. I got up and got ready early so that I could make breakfast for the three of us before we left to take Gwyn to the studio. I was surprised that Gwyn was up and had already made breakfast for us.
"Good Morning! You look better today." She said.
"I'm feeling much better. I'm pretty used to it, but yesterday was worse than most."
"How much longer do you have to keep having the treatments?" She asked, handing me a glass of orange juice.
"Hopefully just two to four months. Once the test results come back and I get the all clear. Hopefully sooner than later so I can travel out of the country with Brian on tour."
"When is that?" Gwyn asked.
"The beginning of June."
Brian came down just then and we ate breakfast and chatted. As the meal progressed I started to feel sick again.
"Penny, are you okay?" Brian asked.
Not wanting to miss out on the day out, I lied and said "I'm fine, I just..."
Before I could finish the sentence, I was running to the bathroom to throw up.
Brian knocked on the door and came in. "Penz are you okay?"
"Not really, maybe I have a stomach bug and that's why the treatment bothered me so much."
"I'll go tell Gwyn the two of you can try to go to the studio tomorrow."
"No Bri, will you take her? I feel terrible that I have been sick most of the time she has been here."
"I'm sure she'd rather wait until you can go too. I really don't want to go and leave you here all alone, I should stay home too.”
"I'm feeling really tired now, I will probably sleep the whole time. Please, I also don't want you to not go and let everyone down. I know you're already behind schedule thanks to me."
"Okay. Let's get you tucked in first. If you don't start feeling better, I'm calling the Doctor." He said.
"I promise I'll call or text you if it gets worse."
I barely remember him helping me get to bed, I must have been out of it.

Brian's POV
I actually had to pick Penny up to get her into the bedroom and she was sound asleep the second I put her in the bed. I'm not sure what this bug is that she has, but it couldn't come at a worse time. It was bad for two reasons, if she is sick it could delay her treatment or set her back and it also meant I had to entertain Gwyn.

I went downstairs and let Gwyn know it was just the two of us going to the studio. She tried to feign disappointment.
"Oh Poor Penny, I hate to go without her." She said.
"She is disappointed. If you don't want to go you don't have to." I said.
"I'm sure Penny would be upset if I didn't." I couldn't argue with her on that.
I checked on Penny just before we left, she was still out.
"How is she?" Gwyn asked as we left.
"She is sound asleep."
"She sleeps a lot, doesn't she?" She said in a tone I didn't really care for.
"Only since she has been sick, it's good and what she needs right now." Then I realized "She has had to sleep more and felt worse while you've been here."
"Maybe she just wants to give us a chance to get to know each other better." She smiled at me.
"She would like us to be friends, but she would never fake being sick."
"I don't know, she said her Doctor here is pretty handsome, maybe she wants to get to see him more."
I had to look at her in disbelief of what she just said. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying she told me he is very hot and what better way to get to see him than to be sick while you're out with me?"
"I am the one who brought up calling the Doctor and she didn't want me to."
Very coyly she said. "She knows you so well." She looked in her purse. "I forgot my lipstick, do you mind if I run and get it really quick?"
"Knock yourself out, I'll be waiting in the car." I was glad that was the end to the conversation.

Luckily at the studio all the guys took over showing her around. She was beautiful and was definitely trying to show off her "assets" with what she was wearing. Sometimes I felt like she was trying to flirt with the others to make me jealous. I was feeling pangs of jealousy, but not about her. What she told me that Penny had said about her Doctor did bug me. Penny and I have never had a problem telling each other that we found someone else attractive, we even joked about it. I don't remember her saying anything about Dr. Gabriel. I had to let it go, I'm sure it was just Gwyn trying to get to me.

Penny's POV
I woke up twice, the first time my head hurt a little and my mouth was dry. I drank a glass of water and went back to sleep. The second time, my head was killing me and I was drenched in sweat. I started getting very sick again, almost violently so. I tried to call Brian, but it went right to voice mail. I figured they were recording. I called the Doctor's office and asked if I should go to the hospital. Dr. Gabriel was out of the office so they called him. He said he was very close by and would come to the house and check on me.
Dr. Gabriel was probably the best physician I have ever had. He really cares about his patients and pays attention to them. Of course he has a very rare specialty and gets paid quite well, so I guess that makes it easier. I was hoping I could introduce him to Gwyn while she is here, they are both single successful beautiful people. Gwyn didn't seem too interested when I told her about him, he is older than her. Of course, it's about the same difference as Brian and I are. I wanted to introduce them in a social setting, not while I was puking my guts out.

Dr. Gabriel was there in 15 minutes. He examined me and said he thought it might be food poisoning or some kind of stomach bug. He sent in for a prescription to be delivered to help with the nausea. He said I may have to have IV fluids if I wasn't able to at least hold down water soon.
"I'll keep trying to drink water, Brian always puts some by the bed for me to drink when I'm not feeling well." I motioned to the pitcher of water on the nightstand next to the bed.
"Getting too dehydrated would be very bad for you. I'll get you fresh water, since this has been sitting here for a while." He said. "Have you been following the diet I gave you?"
"Sort of" I mumbled.
"Penny, that diet is important. You have to keep your immunity up. You are one of the most willful patients I have ever had."
"I'm sorry Dr. Gabriel, I'll do better. I'm sorry to drag you here." I said.
"Please call me Adam and I know you'll try. Penny, you are also one of my favorite patients." He sat on the side of the bed. "You can call me anytime, here is my direct cell phone number." He wrote his cell number on the back of his business card. "I'll be here as soon as I can if you need me."
"You know Dr. I mean Adam, I can come to the office." I said.
"Today that would've been rough. I am surprised your husband left you here all alone when you were that sick. Where is 'Syn' today?"
Just then Brian and Gwyn came into the room.
"I'm right here" Brian said in an annoyed voice. "and my name is Brian."

Notes