Under any normal circumstances, Rose Tyler was a heavy sleeper.
However, at the sound of noisy retching coming from the nearby bathroom, she sat bolt upright. "Doctor! You all right in there?" She called. The only response she received was another horrid bout of gagging. She flung the duvet aside and padded barefoot to the bathroom door, slowly pushing it ajar and peering inside.
He was curled up into a fetal position next to the toilet, his pale cheek pressed up against the cool linoleum floor. He weakly cracked an eye open as she entered and let out a low sigh. "Rose… go back to bed," He rasped. "I don't want you to see me like this."
She shook her head exasperatedly. For a former Time Lord, he could be pretty daft at times. "You think I would just leave my sick fiancée on the bathroom floor?" She asked, kneeling down beside him. "How heartless do you think I am?"
The corner of his mouth twitched upward into what she thought was a faint smile, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had come. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and let out a pained moan, struggling to lean back over the porcelain bowl. Before Rose had the time to react, he was sick again. She crawled over to him and gently rubbed her hand in small circles across his back, hoping to offer him a small bit of comfort. He had only been growing accustomed to his new Metacrisis body for a few months now, and this was the first time he'd ever experienced something as horribly human as the stomach flu.
Finally, when he'd expelled the last of his stomach's contents, he sank down onto his knees and hung his head exhaustedly, trying to regain himself. Rose moved nearer to him and tenderly laid his head across her lap, flinching as she felt his hot, feverish skin. "Just rest for a minute now," She suggested, stroking her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair. "We'll get you back to bed once you've had a chance to catch your breath."
He did as he was told, taking deep, steady breaths until he was no longer lightheaded and dizzy. "I miss my Gallifreyan immune system," He murmured with a soft chuckle.
Rose smiled down at him, glad to hear the sound of his laugh, no matter how faint. "As long as you're here with me, I don't mind it a bit. I'll take care of you," She insisted. "Do you think you can walk?"
He gave her a slight nod in reply and slowly stood to his feet. He managed to stay upright, albeit a little wobbly, and he began to trek alongside Rose back to their bed. He flopped down on top of the covers, letting his body sink lazily into the mattress. Rose sat beside him and gently rolled him over into a more comfortably position on his side. "Okay, Doctor, what hurts?" She asked softly. "And don't cut any corners! Just tell me everything."
He was reluctant at first. She knew he didn't like to appear weak to others. It was almost second nature to him to keep his problems to himself and deal with them on his own. It was his curse as the Oncoming Storm to be alone in the universe. However, he didn't last long under her concerned gaze and finally gave in with a sigh. "My stomach's killing me, my throat's sore, my head hurts like hell… well, all of me hurts like hell, to be honest."
Rose shook her head sympathetically and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Just close your eyes and try to relax," She told him, brushing a few damp strands of hair from his face. "I'll be back in just a tick."
Once he was properly settled, she made her way to the kitchen, filling a cup with water to keep him hydrated, and hopefully, it would help wash the horrid taste from his mouth as well. Setting the cold drink on the table, she grabbed a washcloth for his forehead and soaked it in cool water to bring down his fever. She also hoped it might help soothe his headache, considering his remaining Time Lord DNA would still render him allergic to any form of aspirin. The effects of any pain medication could be potentially fatal to him, and frankly, she didn't want to take any chances. Last but not least, she grabbed a basin from under the sink, just in case he had to get sick again later in the night.
Once she had gathered everything, she hurried back up the stairs to their room. The Doctor was resting in the same position she'd left him in, but she could easily tell that he was still awake. She didn't need his Time Lord telepathy to figure that out. After living with him for almost two years aboard the TARDIS and half a year in the parallel world so far, she already knew how to read him like a book!
"Doctor, can you sit up and drink this?" She asked softly, setting her hand on his shoulder, in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. He groaned quietly, but he obeyed, pushing himself up to lean against the bed post. He took the glass of water gratefully and began to gulp it down feverishly. Rose set her hand atop his and lowered it from his lips. "Slow down, Doctor! Take small sips, or you'll make yourself sick again!" She chastised him lightly, setting the drink on the nightstand. "You can lay back down now."
As he settled himself onto his back, she wrapped the wet washcloth around his burning forehead. "Now just keep that on there for a bit. It'll help with the fever," She assured him with a small smile. She set the basin at his bedside where he could see it before laying back down beside him.
The Doctor stared at her skeptically. "Maybe I should sleep on the couch," He contemplated, his voice shallow and devoid of its usual vigor. "You know, I could be contagious."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly," She insisted.
"But what if you get sick?" He asked, guilt shining in his eyes.
Rose smiled at her soon-to-be husband. Sometimes, he just cared too much. "Then we'll deal with it when it comes," She replied. "Right now, just let me take care of you."
The Doctor smiled genuinely. If there was any one person he'd ever want to be stuck in a parallel universe with, it was definitely Rose Marion Tyler. How had he gotten so lucky? "Thank you, Rose," He whispered, resting his head against her shoulder.
"No need to thank me, Doctor. I'll always be here whenever you need me," She assured him, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Just focus on getting well."
He nodded his agreement with a slight yawn and let his eyelids fall closed. "I love you," He whispered, slowly drifting into unconsciousness soon afterward.
Rose couldn't help but smile at the sight of his sleeping face. She'd seen him in times of happiness and sorrow, she'd shared both his joy and his sadness, and she was always at his side whenever he needed a hand to hold. But when he was asleep, his face lost all signs of ever being hurt in the past. After everything he had seen in his lifetime, all the pain and misery he'd experienced, it warmed her heart to see him at peace. He looked so innocent as he rested, almost childlike. Even when he was sick, she never thought he was more beautiful. The Doctor was the most beautiful person she'd ever known, inside and out.
She leaned over him and pressed one last kiss to the top of his head. "I love you too," She replied softly. "Sweet dreams, my beautiful Doctor."