There was a tray filled with food sitting on the corner of her desk. Will had noted it the several times he'd been in her office that day. The tea that was also on the tray, remained completely untouched and most definitely cold by that point. Her voice was deep and low when she spoke and her nose stuffed. He could hear it, even if she wouldn't admit it. She was getting frustrated with the work that was in front of her. She had probably read the same file six times and it still didn't make a lick of sense to her brain.
Will caught her in a moment of overwhelming panic when she threw the file on the desk and two tear spilled over her cheeks. "This is ridiculous." It was muttered under her breath and not meant for him to hear.
"I'll say." He took the file and immediately put it back down when he realized it was in Norwegian which they had already established was not his forte. He sat on the edge of her desk and looked her over. Helen merely watched back in anticipation of his next move. "You haven't eaten anything in two days."
"It has not been two days." He raised an eyebrow and she had to tilt her head to regain her balance that had suddenly been taken away from her even though she was sitting upright in a chair at her desk.
He saw the subtle shiver run up her arms and her try to contain the shake it had on her body. He ignored her and reached from pressing a hand to her forehead. "Jesus Magnus, you're burning up."
"I'm fine." She huffed and turned back to her desk. Will cupped her fiery cheeks and turned her to face him.
"No, you're not. Come on." He tugged her up and she gave little resistance which was sure sign that he was right. He wrapped an arm around her waist and started to move toward the door. She was leaning heavily on him and spoke nothing as he led her to her room. He sat her on the bed and held her cheek again. "Want something more comfortable?"
She nodded and vaguely wanted him move to her set of drawers. "Second one." She called out so he wouldn't have to search hours to find what she wanted. She was voluntarily letting her body shiver violently now. By the time he returned she was almost in tears again, she hated being sick and there was no way she could deny that some virus was raging through her body any longer. "Thank you." She was listing from side to side.
"You good to change on your own?" She nodded and began to unbutton her blouse ignoring his trepidation. "I'm going to get a thermometer." He left for the bathroom and took his sweet time finding the piece of medical equipment. She had refused to strip in front of him when they were stuck in the oil rig in the middle of the gulf so he very much thought she wouldn't want to undress in front of him in her own room. He finally found what he was looking for and some Tylenol that she had stashed in the back of a drawer, he doubted she had ever used it and looking at the expiration and the fact that it was still sealed when he opened it, his thoughts were confirmed.
He moved back into the room and saw her half-dressed at least. She had her loose dark blue sweatpants pulled up and her tops off. The tank she was currently wrestling with and tangled with her hair. He moved quickly over and tugged her hair gently until it was free and pulled her tank down until it covered her stomach. "Lay back." She began to move and crawled, he pulled the blankets out of her way so he could cover her once she was comfy. "Mouth." She opened her mouth and he slipped the older style thermometer under her tongue. He saw the empty glass sitting on her night stand and decided to fill it while she was waiting. When he returned it was time to check. He slid the glass from her lips and looked at it, his eyes almost going cross-eyed in the process.
"You need to take something." She nodded and held out her hand for the two pills that he slipped into it. He handed her the water and watched carefully as she swallowed. "Try and get some sleep. I'm going to start the fire."
"Will," her voice was hoarse and low. She licked her lips and started again. "You don't need to stay, I'm fine."
"I know." He was already rummaging with the logs and kindle. Luckily she had added in a gas line and it was easy to start otherwise he could have been working at that for a while. He turned off the gas and watched the flames lick the logs and crackle. It was a soothing sound. When he turned back around she was already sleeping. Will slipped out of the room and grabbed some work bringing it back to sit in the chairs she had in front of the mantel. There were pictures of Ashley, each of the five with the woman and one with all of them together, and one with her and her father lining the worn wood. He smiled to himself and began reading.
There were two files down and three to go when he heard her moan lightly. He moved over to the bed to check on his patient and saw the sweat riddling the pillow and blankets surrounding her. He brushed fingers over her bangs and pushed them back, they were soaked through. Her skin felt like it was on fire and almost burned his fingertips. "Magnus wake up." He shook her until her eyes opened lightly. "I need to take your temp again, alright?" She nodded and he slid the cold glass between her lips. She was reveling in the feel of it until the glass became warm. Then she was focused solely on the chills that were still raging through her from her toes to her head and then back down. When he pulled it back out he clicked his tongue. "Your choice: meds or shower?"
"Shower." Her teeth were chattering when she answered.
"Bath?"
She nodded, "Better." He unraveled her body from the blankets and picked her up almost effortlessly. He set her on the toilet and started to run the water in her rather large tub. Very slowly Helen began to undress herself while he checked the water making sure it was warm but not hot. He didn't even wait for her to finish before stripping the rest of her tank off and her pants. He gladly left her panties on giving her some dignity. He helped her stand by her arms and walked her over to the tub. "Get in." She gingerly took a step forward and into the cold water. It felt heavenly against her body.
Leaning back she closed her eyes and tried to control the violent shivering of her body. Will sat on the toilet looking anywhere but at her. He wasn't planning on leaving her, but that didn't mean he had to watch. She dipped her head down and back so that her locks became drenched with the water further warming her. Sitting back up she finally spoke, "My old friend, he should have some herbs."
"Will you be ok by yourself?" She nodded and he waited for a few seconds to pass by tediously before standing. He pulled his radio off his waist and set it on the floor where she could reach it. "If you need me while I'm gone." He waited for her acknowledgment before departing.
The big guy had loaded him with a wealth of herbs and many instructions on how to make each one. He had grunted at him when Will quickly implied that he was able to take care of the woman. He knew now that if he didn't do a good job Biggie would kill him and hide his body somewhere where no one would find it. Or just eat him. Will had left all the herbs on her dresser and moved into the bathroom where she obviously still was. He hadn't been gone long, but when he returned she was fast asleep in the tub; the water was very much cooled and her body shivers had greatly diminished. He pulled two towels from the cabinet that he had found earlier. Setting them on the counter he set about waking her.
"Magnus," he shook her arm lightly and her head lulled to the side so she could look at him. "Time to get out." She nodded and started to move on her own but quickly gave up and rested back again.
"I think I might need some help." Her eyelids fluttered shut with embarrassment.
He smirked, "Yeah I thought so." He brought his arms under hers and lifted her out of the tub. She rested against him while he wrapped a towel around her still heated body. She was fully shivering now and he couldn't help himself. Will slipped his arms around her shoulders and held her close moving his hands in circles along her back to help warm her even more now. Her damp hair soaked into his shoulder but he ignored it.
They stood there for some time, and he didn't move until she made to move. "Let's get you changed into new clothes, I'll whip up whatever the Big Guy gave me and you can go back to sleep." She nodded, her face still buried in his neck. "Come along then." He started to move her back to the bed leaving her to sit on the mattress edge while he rummaged around for some more clothing. She kept the towel wound tightly about her body until he returned.
"I don't think I can move."
"That's alright I got it." He released her hands and the town. Rolling the shirt between his fingers he pulled it over her head. Her hair was still plastered to her back in wet locks, but he would deal with that later. He prompted her to stand. Slowly he slid the wet panties down her legs; he averted his eyes but didn't miss the sigh she released. He slid the towel down and dried the rest of her body before tapping her leg to step into her new dry underwear. He made sure not to snap the elastic when he reached her hips. Bending down again he followed the same lines with the pair of shorts he had chosen. Not exactly a matching outfit, but it would do. "Come on, back in bed." He pulled back the covers and she slid into them.
He took the second cottony towel that he had retrieved earlier and set about hand drying her hair. "Don't fall asleep on me now, you still have to drink that nasty stuff." Her lips did upturn slightly at the comment but that was all the reaction that he got out of her. When he decided her hair was dry enough he left and began to mix the herbs precisely as told. He brushed her hair back again when he was finished to gain her attention. "Come on you have to drink this. The entire thing." Magnus sat up and leaned against the headboard after he slid pillows behind her back. He slid the glass into her hand and she took a very small, if anything at all, sip. "All of it, Magnus. I'm serious, he said you have to drink one cup ever five hours."
"I know the drill, Will." She took another, longer sip and took her time swallowing. When she was finished she handed him the glass and watched as he cleaned it and prepared the next drink. He came back over and sat on the side of the bed, the mattress depressing by her legs from his weight. He rubbed her leg through the blankets for a time while they didn't talk and she rested her eyes.
That was the last thing she remembered until she woke with an additional two blankets wrapped tightly around her body and William Zimmerman tucked up behind her. His body was curved into hers and his arms snuggly forming to her body. She sighed, he must have woken her because the dirty glass was on her bedside table but she didn't remember drinking the concoction. Her head was dizzy, her eyes tired and her body achy. She was shivering again, but she really didn't want to move. Deciding it wouldn't be horrible to let him sleep a little longer, or her for that matter, she didn't move and slipped back into slumber. He was taking good care of her after all.