A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, etc. These belong to Marvel. This is set in some wonderful time where Bucky and Natasha are together and more or less getting their happily ever after (relationship-wise, anyway).

I am also uploading this on AO3.

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Bucky paused the game as he heard the door open. He leant back on the couch and checked the time on the oven. Just past five. He smiled, put down the controller and jumped to his feet as the door opened.

"I wasn't expecting you until the early hours," he said, as Natasha dragged herself inside.

"Yeah, got the earlier flight."

Bucky walked over and hugged her. Natasha dropped her bag in the doorway and leaned into him.

"You ok?"

"Just tired," Natasha mumbled.

"When did you last sleep?"

"What day did I leave?"

"You mean last week?"

"What?"

Bucky laughed. "Go shower. There's leftover chicken and rice in the fridge from last night. I was going to have that for dinner actually, as I wasn't expecting you back. Unless you feel like pasta? Plenty of that in the freezer. And I made lasagne the other day. So that's in the freezer too. Or I can get take-out if you really want."

"Let me shower," Natasha said, "I'm all sweaty and gross and oddly motion sick."

"Eggs on toast? Fruit? I'll cut you up an apple."

"James," Natasha chuckled, "Lemme shower, ok?"

"Ok. I'm just super glad to see you."

"Me too," Natasha said, dragging her feet on her way to the bathroom. "I'll kiss you once I'm cleaned up."

Bucky grinned, and went back to the couch. He picked up the controller, sat down and finished his Mario Cart race before turning off the console. Natasha still hadn't turned the shower on. Bucky listened. He couldn't hear her faffing about either. "You ok, Nat?" He waited, but there was no answer. "Crap," he said, and pushed himself to his feet. "Hey, Natasha?" Bucky called, tapping on the bathroom door. "Nat, I'm coming in."

Natasha stood in the bathroom, gripping the sink. Her shoes and jacket were dumped on the floor. Bucky kicked them aside.

"I said I was sweaty and gross."

"Natasha, you're drenched," Bucky said. He stood Natasha up straight and pulled off her t-shirt. It was wet with sweat, and he threw it onto the pile. "Are you ill?"

Natasha shrugged, while Bucky continued to help her undress. "I'm a bit nauseous."

"Maybe it's just the bathroom lights, but you look like shit."

"Gee, thanks Buck."

Bucky was going to laugh, then he saw her face. "You're ill."

"Just tired."

"Natasha, you're burning up."

"And maybe I drank the water?"

"Aww Nat," Bucky said, "That's such a Clint-mistake."

Bucky turned the water on in the shower. "I'm keeping the water pretty cool. You're hot enough. Ah, in a feverish, quite unwell kind of way. And the, er, other way too, but…" he smiled.

Natasha smiled in return, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She stepped into the shower, and Bucky turned on the fan. "Be back in a sec," he said.

He grabbed his phone off the kitchen bench and send a quick message.

To: Steve Rogers ; Clint Barton

Nat's home early, but a bit unwell ¯\_()_/¯ at least she's here :)

He pocketed his phone, not realising that he flicked the switch to silent. Bucky found clean underwear and pyjamas for Natasha and returned to the bathroom. Natasha stood in the shower with one hand against the wall to support herself.

"Where were you," Bucky asked. "Indonesia? Thailand?"

"What?" Natasha asked.

"Where were you that the water was unsafe? Didn't you have purifying tablets?"

"Umm…?"

Bucky pulled off his t-shirt, opened the shower door, pumped shampoo into his hands and began washing Natasha's hair. "Vietnam?"

"No, not…"

"South America somewhere? The Caribbean? Africa? I know you've got a stomach of steel, but you've still got to be careful. Lean your head back so I can rinse your hair."

Natasha did as she was told, and Bucky washed the shampoo from her hair, before pumping conditioner into his hands and starting the process again.

"Germany," Natasha said.

"What?"

"I - was in Germany."

Bucky massaged her head. "The water's safe in Germany."

Natasha looked up at him. Bucky felt his stomach drop. "Anywhere else?"

"Turin. Few days in Switzerland. Few days in… is Genova a place?"

"Genoa or Geneva?"

"No, it's different. The one in France…"

"Whatever," Bucky said.

"And then Germany."

"Rinse," Bucky said, and Natasha tipped her head back. He finished washing the conditioner out, and quickly washed her body with soap. Even in the lukewarm shower, she felt hot. "Why did you say you drank dirty water if you weren't even in a part of the world where that's an issue?" he asked.

"I don't know," Natasha mumbled, trying to focus her eyes and look at him. "I - don't feel well."

"You're telling me," Bucky said, turning off the shower. He helped Natasha out, and stood her on the bathmat while he dried her as best her could and dressed her as gently as possible. There was nothing romantic or sexy about it. Natasha could hardly stand and was burning up. "Come on," he said, and led her to the bedroom. Natasha collapsed on the bed. Bucky pulled back the blankets and lifted up Natasha's feet.

"I'm gunna call… someone. You're not well, and I don't know what to do."

Natasha curled up and closed her eyes. Bucky pulled his phone out of his pocket.

9 Missed Calls: Clint Barton

4 Unread Messages:

Clint Barton: CALL ME DAMMIT (17:26)

Clint Barton: BARNES PICK UP YOUR PHONE (17:24)

Clint Barton: Why aren't you answering? You just mes… (17:20)

Clint Barton: I'm not leaving a voicemail. Call me. You… (17:18)

"What the hell," Bucky mumbled, unlocking his phone and calling Clint. "Clint, what - "

"NATASHA DOES NOT GET SICK!" Clint yelled. "SHE'S LIKE YOU AND STEVE. SHE DOES NOT GET SICK."

"Clint, shit man, you don't have to…"

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"In bed, and - "

"SHE DOESN'T GET SICK. SHE - "

"That Clint?" Natasha mumbled.

"Yeah," Bucky said, as Clint continued raving.

"I - think he's right…" Natasha breathed.

Bucky swallowed. "Me too."

"Buck? It - it's kinda hard to breath in…"

"Yeah. Yeah, you're not well. Hey Clint?"

"YOU SHOULD KNOW - "

"Stop shouting," Bucky said, putting on his Captain America voice. "Nat can't breath. What do I do?"

"Take. Her. To. The damned. Hospital."

"Do I call an ambulance, or - "

"What?"

"It's peak hour in New York City."

"Aww Bucky," Clint sighed, his anger disappearing. "It is too. Damn. I'm in LA. Ok. Umm. Wait there. Keep her alive."

"What are you doing?"

"Making a call. Maybe two. Hopefully only one and he actually answers."

"Sorry about that…"

"Whatever. Keep her alive." Clint hung up.

Bucky flicked the volume back on, and put his phone back into his pocket. He knelt down beside Natasha. He took her hand, which was all sweaty. Natasha squeezed his hand as she fought to breathe. "Hang in there, honey," Bucky said. "Clint - oh god, Clint Barton is the one working this for us. Natasha please, please hold on," Bucky knew he was rambling, but couldn't stop himself. "I - Clint said he's got this. I have no idea what that means. This is actually possibly very poor on my behalf, putting any trust in Clint. Not sure I've done this before this - "

"Sergeant Barnes?"

Bucky swore and sprung to his feet. "Who the hell - " He raced out to the living room and came face-to-face with an unexpected, though not entirely unwelcome visitor. "Strange."

"Barnes. Barton called. Said it was urgent. Believe me, I understand NYC traffic."

"Oh god. Clint actually came through."

"Where's the patient?"

"In here," Bucky said, showing Doctor Strange into the bedroom. "Can you help her?"

"No," Strange said, taking Natasha's arm and feeling for her pulse.

Bucky's eyes widened and his stomach turned.

"I mean I can't help her because I don't know what's causing this," Strange explained. He placed a hand on Natasha's forehead. "Besides, I'm a surgeon. I'd say her temperature is close to 104. Heart rate elevated, breathing laboured. Get a shirt, it's time to go."

"Get a - what?"

"Shirt," Strange said, "I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason as to why you're not wearing one, but in public they're generally required."

"Oh, yeah, of course," Bucky said, grabbing a hoody off the chair in the corner of the bedroom which doubled as a sort of wardrobe. He was going to clean it up later that evening, before Natasha was due home. She hated him leaving his clothes lying around. Despite the situation, he found himself wondering what she'd make of the mess in the bathroom.

"Pick her up, will you?" Strange said. "I need both hands for this next part."

Bucky raced around to the side of the bed and scooped Natasha up. She was and tense and held so tightly onto Bucky's hoodie that her knocks went white. Strange held his arms out and created a portal straight into the Emergency Room.

The hospital staff were undoubtedly startled at their sudden appearance, but Strange began giving orders and the staff responded. Natasha was peeled from Bucky's arms and placed on a bed. Everyone was speaking fast and Bucky only understood parts of the medical jargon.

"Hey, Strange, what - "

"Wait here," Strange said.

"No, but what - "

An orderly wheeled the bed away.

"Wait, Natasha…"

"Stay here," Strange ordered.

"What's going on? Hey! What? Tell me what - Get off - "

Doctor Strange's cloak wrapped itself around Bucky and held him back as the Doctor and medical team took Natasha through a set of doors and out of sight.