Spike walked into SRU smiling looking forward to seeing his girlfriend, Winnie. He and Winnie hadn't seen each other last night because she had pulled some over-time and also had the early shift (the same as Spike) and she called saying she just wanted to go to sleep as she felt very tired. Spike had tried to persuade her to come over but Winnie could be stubborn.

"You sure you don't want to come over?" wheedled Spike,

"I already told you why I'm not" laughed Winnie,

"I've got some of your favourite Christmas cookies left over" baited Spike.

"Spike" sighed Winnie, those cookies sounded really good to Winnie but she was sure she was coming down with an illness of some sort and just wanted to sleep, she didn't tell Spike this because she knew he would insist she take it easy and maybe not come into work. She loved that he cared, really she did. But she also couldn't afford to take time off work.

"Well?" asked Spike, Winnie could hear the smile in his voice.

"Spike I'm tired-"

"And you can sleep round mine; it wouldn't be the first time we've shared a ride to work after you've stayed over"

"Spike I'm tired and you've still got left over energy from Christmas and even though it's the tenth of January you're still whipping out the mistletoe and-"

"Ok I can see… well hear you've made up your mind and have a compelling case against me" laughed Spike, "see you tomorrow nice and early for shift"

"See you tomorrow"

"Love you"

"Love you more"

"Love you most"

Spike walked towards the dispatcher's desk, he was ready to tell a joke to Winnie but it didn't come when he saw Winnie. She looked tired, worn out and when he heard her cough he winced in sympathy.

"You ok Win?"

"Hi Spike, yeah I'm fine" rasped Winnie.

"Need to go home?"

"No! I'm ok" insisted Winnie.

"If you're sure" replied Spike concerned as he walked to the locker room. He hoped today would be a quiet day so it would be easy on Winnie and also because Spike would be able to keep an eye on her. But today wasn't going to be an easy day with having two hot calls during their shift.

After returning to the SRU after the second hot call Spike wanted to head straight over to Winnie, but was needed to debrief because he had to defuse a bomb, it wasn't high tech or anything but as Ed pointed out he was the only one on the team who could talk about what it could have done to its intended target.

"I know you want to check on Winnie Spike, but once you've talked about the bomb and all questions have been asked and answered you can go check on her I promise" said Ed as he patted Spike on the shoulder. Spike nodded and let Ed guide him into the briefing room, on his way he caught a glimpse of Winnie and she looked worse, a lot worse.

Winnie watched Spike and Ed go into the briefing room five minutes ago; she tried to muffle her coughs but ended up hunched over in her chair unable to get enough breath into her lungs. Winnie looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder; she wasn't surprised to see Spike crouched next to her.

"I don't think you're feeling too good now are you?" he murmured.

"Not really" rasped Winnie,

"Come on its end of shift, I'm taking you to my place so I can look after you"

Winnie nodded; Spike helped her up from her chair. They passed Sid who gave Winnie a sympathetic glance as he signed in on the computer. Spike led Winnie to the women's locker room; Leah came over and helped Winnie to her locker while Spike went to the men's locker room to change.

Spike came out to see Leah and Winnie sat on a bench, Winnie looked up at him as she heard the locker room door shut. As she stood up she suddenly felt dizzy and swayed on her feet, if it wasn't for Spike's and Leah's quick reflexes she would have ended up sprawled on the floor.

"Winnie?" asked Leah as she and Spike helped Winnie to sit on the bench again,

"I'm ok" replied Winnie,

"You are not ok!" argued Spike as he shook his head. He felt Winnie's forehead and pulled his hand back, "you have a fever!"

Winnie tried to prove her point that she was fine by standing up, but felt dizzy again. Next thing she knew Spike crouched next to her and put an arm under her knees and behind her back and lifted her up.

"I can walk Spike" protested Winnie weakly,

"No you can't" replied Spike firmly. Leah followed them out to hold doors open for Spike; Leah opened the passenger's door on Spike's car and comfortingly squeezed Winnie's shoulder and nodded at Spike before leaving. Spike climbed into the driver's seat and looked at Winnie as another coughing fit took over; when it had past Winnie was left struggling for breath. She looked over at Spike who had a look of concern, Winnie was about to tell him she was fine but before she could Spike wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled Winnie until she was leaning on his shoulder and he said softly,

"You had better not try to say you're fine again, because you're not".

"I can't get much past you can I?" smiled Winnie,

"No you can't"

They stayed like that for a few moments before Spike gently pushed Winnie back into her seat and started the car. The whole way back to his apartment he kept shooting glances at Winnie, who by the time they reached his apartment had fallen into a light sleep. Spike smiled at how peaceful she looked, but he knew to get the proper rest she needed he had to get her inside. He walked over to Winnie's side and opened the door and unbuckled her seatbelt, Spike smiled when in her sleep Winnie shifted so she was leaning against him, he picked her up and closed the door with his leg. He carried Winnie upstairs and laid her on the bed and rushed back to the car to get their bags.

Spike got a glass of water and made his way back to the bedroom, there he found Winnie getting back into the bed after getting changed.

"You're supposed to be resting" he said as he placed the glass on the bedside cabinet next to her.

Winnie looked up at him smiling "I needed to get changed"

Spike shook his head as he went back out to the kitchen; he made sandwiches for both of them and carried them back to the bedroom, he placed Winnie's sandwich next to her glass of water.

"I'm not hungry" she said,

"I made it just in case you did get hungry and it wouldn't matter if it got cold"

"You think of everything don't you?"

"Yes I do" he replied in a serious tone before they both burst out laughing. Despite the time only being eight o'clock Spike got changed and put the T.V on and he climbed into bed beside Winnie and wrapped an arm around her, after five minutes he felt Winnie slump against him and he looked down to see she had fallen asleep. Smiling he turned the T.V off and fell asleep with Winnie securely in his arms.

Spike was jolted awake, Winnie had moved and he looked over to see her munching on her sandwich. She seemed to know she was being watched and looked over at him and mumbled "I got hungry"

Spike laughed "I can see that!" while checking the alarm clock which read 2:52 am.

Winnie gulped down the rest of her water and then snuggled up to Spike; he brought a hand up to her forehead, and said "well at least your fever seems to have gone down a little. Feeling better?"

"I'm fine"

"Sure" said Spike sceptically,

"Really I'm fine, so can we go ice skating as planned?" replied Winnie angling her head to look up at Spike,

"You've not long gotten over the flu Win"

"And this will teach me to walk around with wet hair after washing it in the winter, but really I'm feeling better"

"Well we'll see how you are in the morning"

"Thank you" smiled Winnie kissing Spike,

"I haven't said we're going yet"

"I'm sure you will"

"It's like dealing with a child" sighed Spike good humouredly.

"Now you know how I feel on a daily basis" smirked Winnie.

"Hey! Now that was uncalled for!"

"Still true"

"Right that's it!" and Spike began mercilessly tickling Winnie, but he stopped suddenly when Winnie had another coughing fit.

"Winnie I'm sorry!"

"Spike-"

"Are you alright?"

"Spike-"

"Let's sit you up it'll help with your breathing"

"Spike!"

"What?"

"It's not your fault" at Spike's unconvincing look Winnie sighed and said "fine as you are determined to take blame for this, even though it isn't your fault, I will forgive you if we go ice skating tomorrow"

"We'll see, love you"

"Love you more" murmured Winnie as she felt sleep closing in on her,

"Love you most" whispered Spike, and he settled down beside Winnie.

Spike woke up at nine and looked over to see Winnie still sleeping, but her breathing seemed laboured. Spike knew she was a deep sleeper so he gently raised her more on her pillows and her breathing improved. Spike kissed her forehead and got out of bed to make himself some breakfast and a coffee.

Half an hour later while Spike was reading a book he couldn't see the words in front of him because Winnie had snuck up behind him and covered his eyes.

"So we going ice skating?" she asked in a sing-song voice,

Spike laughed and felt her forehead "well you don't seem to have a temperature"

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then let's go!" squealed Winnie as she made to dash to the bedroom, but Spike grabbed hold of her and said,"

"But you have to have a really warm coat on, with a hat, gloves and scarf. Also however long we are there you will have a hot chocolate every hour. Got it?"

"Yeah I got it" smiled Winnie, "so let's go!" and she pushed a laughing Spike towards the bedroom to get ready.