Semi (but not really) prompt mini-fic that basically stemmed from a question answered on the "Ask Mad Swan" Tumblr page. A few weeks into Emma and Jefferson's relationship, Emma comes down with a virus so Jefferson decides to take care of her but to keep Grace from getting sick he has her stay with Henry, Snow, and Charming in the apartment. This is will end up being four instances (chapters) from Emma's short stay in the mansion. Enjoy (and pardon the terribly uncreative name)! :D P.S. For those of you who read "Our Wonderland" do not fret, I have certainly not forgotten it; I have simply been working on this and been overly consumed with twenty bajillion other Mad Swan plot bunnies. I have started the next chapter for it and I promise I will never completely abandon that story! ;D

Chapter 1: When Emma Was Stubborn

"Do you want some tea?" Jefferson asked from beside Emma.

"Yeah, I guess." Emma replied grimly, coughing in between each word and closing her tired eyes.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Jefferson swung his legs off the bed before brushing back a clump of Emma's knotted hair and kissing her forehead.

Emma groaned and slid further under the covers as Jefferson hurriedly made his way out of the guest room on the first floor, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. He swiftly pulled a clean teacup out of the cupboard and poured some water from the steaming kettle into a teapot. As soon as the tea was properly mixed in the pot he poured a sufficient amount in the teacup and speedily walked back to his room, all the while staying wary of the drink in his hands. Jefferson approached the door and began to slowly push it open; his eyes widened in surprise at the sight that was now in front of him.

Emma lay on her back, on the floor, two or so feet from the bed she had previously been lying soundly in. Her hands were clasped, the backs of them pressed to her forehead and elbows falling lazily to the sides of her face. Her legs were bent, her eyes closed tight, and her breathing heavy and labored. She didn't seem to be in any more stress or pain then she had been when he left her, so he was not too worried, and simply asked with raised eyebrows, "Emma, what in the world are you doing?"

Emma took a deep breath in and much to her dismay, a small coughing fit overcame her as she breathed it back out. "I was doing an experiment…"

Jefferson gestured for her continue as she took a dramatic pause and sniffled, asking, "And… you were testing whether or not the floor was more comfortable then the bed?"

"And I was seeing if I could actually make it all the way across the room without passing out… Obviously, it was a failed test."

"Well hold on just a second," Jefferson rushed to the bedside table to set the teacup down, "I'll help you get back up on the bed."

Jefferson now was just about to reach down to help Emma when she slowly replied, "No, no. I'm fine. I'll get back up in a minute."

"You don't look like you're feeling all that 'fine'." Jefferson kneeled beside her and placed his palm on her clasped hands. "Please, just let me help you up. I'm just walking you a few feet, it's nothing."

"No. I said-I'm fine…" Emma sighed heavily, her breath raspy. "I just need a moment; that's it."

"Are you really too stubborn to let me walk you back to the bed? It's right there."

"I told you, I'm fine. Just give me a sec."

Jefferson heaved a sigh at his fruitless attempt to get his incredibly stubborn and too-proud girlfriend up off the floor. "Well fine, then I'll just wait down here with you until you get up, since you're 'fine' and all." He sat his back against the sheets hanging from the bed and stretched his legs out in front of him, within an inch of Emma. He crossed his arms and stared her down, incredulously.

Emma still felt way too dizzy for her liking and her legs were for sure going to give out on her if she tried standing again so she stayed sitting. Well not so much sitting as, lying down. She could feel Jefferson's gaze on her and knew he would sit there until she gave in and let him help her up but she held out anyways. She blinked her eyes open, hands still resting on her increasingly over heated forehead, and lazily let her head fall to the side to gaze back at Jefferson. "You don't have to stay sitting there; it isn't doing anything."

"But I thought you were fine and just needed a minute…?"

"I do… I'm just say—" A cough interrupted her argument and she brought one hand over her mouth. The one seemingly innocent cough led to yet another fit and she groaned angrily at this damn sickness that would not give her a break.

Jefferson sighed and the corners of his mouth turned down from his smug grin into a worried frown. "Emma come here; at least sit up some so you'll stop coughing so much." He uncrossed his arms to push himself across the floor towards Emma and stopped just past her head. He gingerly picked up the top half of her fragile form and placed it on his crossed legs.

Emma kept her eyes closed and sighed; she hated being treated like she was some sort of weak damsel. But she couldn't deny the feeling about being with Jefferson, having him take care of her, and just being right next to him, felt right. She settled into him and gave up, letting her arms fall to her sides.

Jefferson now felt the extreme heat of her fever radiating off of her neck and onto his legs. "Gods Emma, you are burning up!"

"Yes; I have a fever. And your point is?..." Emma opened her eyes now and tiredly looked up at him, from a rather odd angle in his lap. The new perspective made her head start to spin again causing her to groan and clasp her hands over her eyes as quickly as her fully drained of energy limbs allowed.

"Emma, come on. Let me get you back into bed."

"Well gee, you're a bit optimistic." Emma knew full well he had no intention of meaning it that way but she had spent the last two days sleeping, not talking or joking with anyone, and couldn't resist mocking his poor choice of words.

Jefferson's face scrunched questioningly at Emma, forgetting her fragile state for a moment to process what Emma meant by her remark. Once he realized what the quip implied he had meant he gulped and his eyes shot open in realization. He hurried to reply and correct his mistaken word choice. "No, no-I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you'd probably be more comfortable if you were—"

"Chill, I know." Emma brought her left hand up, to cover his mouth and quiet his embarrassed rambling, leaving her right hand still resting over her eyes and laughed, "I was just kidding."

Jefferson smiled against her palm then pursed his lips against it, kissing it. He brought up his right hand and slowly removed her clasp around his mouth by slipping his fingers between hers. As he brought their interlaced hands away from his face he kissed the back of her hand tenderly then brought their connected hands to rest on her stomach.

Emma let out a contented sigh just before she felt Jefferson shift to the left and start to snake his left arm around her legs and right arm behind her back, never letting their intertwined fingers unfold. She began to stir, taking her hand away from her closed eyes, twitched her tired legs, and began to open her eyes, ready to protest furiously, but he was too quick and had already gotten her off the ground and quieted her, "Sh, keep your eyes closed. You'll just get dizzy again."

Emma let out a frustrated growl which led into a flurry of coughs, seemingly not affecting Jefferson carrying her in the slightest. It only took a second for him to reach the bed and he slowly placed her tired form on top of the crumpled sheets. She relaxed into the bed and he began to untangle his fingers from her and pull away until her grip tightened. He smiled at her silent reluctance to let him go then pushed himself onto the bed and pulled her into his side.

He stared down at her, her eyes still shut and breathing labored. "You know, you can open your eyes now."

"I think it's probably best if I don't." Emma sniffled and took in a heavy breath before continuing, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Taking care of me? Treating me like I'm so weak and dependent?

"Normally, you are far from either of those things but you're sick."

As if on cue, a cough caught in her throat causing Jefferson to bring her closer and start running his free hand up and down her arm. She groaned after it ceased, relaxing into the Jefferson's side and leaving her eyes closed. "I've been sick before and I'm still here today, aren't I?"

"Emma, let me get this straight… You're saying you don't want to be here, having me taking care of you?"

"The first part, I love; the second part, not so much."

"I really don't understand why it is such a bad thing to have someone take care of you…"

"It's not, necessarily, for some people… But I've always been fine on my own. I've been doing it myself for 28 years and…"

"And you're not used to it, I know. But you need to start getting used to it because I am going to take care of you. I would do anything for you. This-this right here; bringing you tea, carrying you to the bed, being with you, is the least I can do. I'm not just going to sit around and let you cough up a lung, not be able to walk or stand, suffer from a fever, or suffer at all for that matter if there's anything I can do about it. If I could cure you with some sort of magic or spell I would, but I can't so I'm doing what I can and you are just going to have to deal with it because I'm not going to let you suffer whether you think you are or not."

Jefferson's speech was met with silence and when he looked down to Emma he found she had now opened her eyes and was simply staring at him. Her expression was curious and her eyes looked to him filled with compassion, fear, trust, anticipation, surprise, and what was that? Love? No, it couldn't be! Jefferson processed her expression for a moment in the silence. "Too much?"

Emma stared a moment longer then shook her head, half to respond to his question and half to form at least a semblance of a decent response. "No, no." She blinked as Jefferson eyed her, waiting anxiously for a response. "It's just—thank you."

Jefferson let out a small breath he didn't know he had been holding in and smiled down at Emma endearingly. He figured any attempt to argue that no thanks were needed would only end in another dispute so replied simply. "You're welcome princess. Now, do you still want that tea? It's probably cold by now but I can get you some fresh if you'd like."

"No-" A cough interrupted her before she continued, "I'm not really thirsty anymore."

"Well in that case I think you should try to get some more sleep." Jefferson began to pull away in an attempt to be gentlemanly but Emma took her free hand and brought it to Jefferson's chest, stopping him and causing him to look to her questioningly.

"Please; stay." She smiled lightly causing him to smile warmly back and shift into his place next to her.

"Anything for you princess." He leaned down and kissed her chastely before pulling one of the disheveled sheets towards Emma and smoothing it over her as she closed her eyes. He happily watched her drift to sleep, perfectly content with just being there beside this glorious woman whom he knew he could not live without.