Since at least a few people showed interest in this fic, here's the continuation. Thank you! :)

Disclaimer on chapter one.

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Chapter 2: Do You Have Mad Cow Too?

Denny frowned as he tried to figure his friend out. Alan had just failed to arrive at work the previous morning. There had been a note on his desk, which had not been found until several hours had already passed. It had simply said: “Had to go see a doctor. Hope to be back soon, unless I'm dead.” The note had not made anyone feel better about finding out where he was. Brad might have been alright with it.

Now Denny was standing next to Alan’s bed, watching him lie there, obviously uncomfortable.

“Why no telling?”

“There wasn’t much to tell, which is the exact reason for me being here.”

Denny squinted.

“Why are you doing that?”

“To see better. Maybe then I'll understand what you're going on about... I think you may have some democrat disease.”

Alan frowned. "I don't think there is such a thing as a 'democrat disease'," he said, not letting Denny’s comment slide. At least he hadn’t changed. Alan had anticipated Denny would find him sooner or later and did not particularly mind it. What friends are for and so forth.

“So, what’s wrong with you then? You’re not dead yet… Do you have mad cow too?” Denny asked, eyeing Alan suspiciously.

“They don’t know yet, but apparently Doctor House has put his white board to good use. Shouldn’t be long, they say.”

“They?”

“The lovely nurses.”

Denny squinted again. Alan was being his secretive self, but usually shared these sort of things with him.

“Is this because of Shirley? Because you can’t have her.”

Alan rolled his eyes in frustration and laughed.

“No, Denny… This isn’t about Shirley, although I’m not going to let the issue drop.”

"I'm not letting you have her, even if you're dying."

"Even if it was my last wish?"

"Even then," Denny concluded, "but I'd bring you Shirley Schmidtho."

With a raise of his eyebrows, Alan sighed.

“But you’re not telling me what’s wrong.”

“Because I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Fine, I’ll wait until you know,” Denny declared. “So, did you see the Dean of Medicine? Woman of authority… She’s right up your alley.”

“Somehow I don’t think that would be appropriate at the moment, but I won’t deny the thought has crossed my mind.”

"Well, whatever you have can't be that bad since you can still chase women... albeit in your mind," Denny muttered.

Alan steered his eyes off his friend and let his body go limp, his head sinking into the pillow.

"Let's hope that's the case."

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A bit short, I know, but the term is coming to an end and all the fuss (essays...) with it. Thanks for reading :)