Title: Oh So Wrong, but Oh So Worth It
Author: Britt & Syd
Rating: PG-13 for some subject matter
Paring: Nathen
Disclaimer: They aren't mine, or Sydney's, we both hate it too.
Summary: Nat's sick. Stephen decides to take care of her, and her shopping. Jack gets stuck in the middle.
A/N: Syd and I wrote this about two months ago, but up until now I forgot about it. I thought that everyone would enjoy it so there are very few new Nathen stories around.
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This was wrong, very wrong. When Stephen had agreed to take care of Nat while she had the flu he didn't know that she would send him and his thirteen year old son on a tampon run. Again, it was just oh so wrong. They had walked into the grocery store and searched around until they found it. Once they did Stephen and Jack stood at the end of the aisle for a good ten minutes, both to scared to go down it.
"You go first Dad."
"No, you."
"You were married."
"Yes, but..."
"See." Jack put his hands on his hips. "Go."
Stephen stared at Jack before opening his phone and pressing a few buttons. "I need a favor Eva."
"Dad! Come on, I wanna go home."
Stephen glared at him and turned back to the phone. He stood there for 5 minutes before actaully telling Eva what he needed, who in return, laughed. He was about ready to beg when Jack throw something in the basket and walked past him, "Let's go Dad." He looked down, and sure enough the box of tampons was on top.
"Nevermind Eva." He hung-up the phone and followed Jack, a proud smile on his face.
When they got back to Nat's apartment Stephen dropped the bags on the kitchen and table and went back to Nat's room. "We're back."
"I noticed." She coughed a little before standing and moving towards the bedroom door. "Did you get everything?"
"Yes."
"Everything?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow at him and smiled.
"Look for yourself."
She spilled the contents of the plastic bags all over the table and smiled. "Aww Stephen, you really are as brave as I thought." She said holding up the pink box. "Thanks." She pressed a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room.
"You're not gonna tell her that your wimp are you?" Jack asked smugly.
"I won't if you won't." Stephen started putting the rest of the items away while Jack stood there and gawked at him.
"That's not fair!"
"So?"
"I'm telling Nat!"
"You wouldn't?"
"Who wouldn't tell me what?" Nat asked as she came back out of the bedroom, hands on her hips.
"Dad's a wimp!"
"Hey!"
"I had to go get the tampons while he tried to convince Eva that he was too "busy" to get them." Jack said with a smile.
Nat turned to look at Stephen and smiled. "You can't honestly tell me that you made your 13 year old son get them."
"He did it on his own." Stephen was blushing and Nat couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Thank you Jack." She walked over and kissed the boys head. "It's good to know that there's a real man around here."
Jack's smile grew even larger, if it was possible. "No problem Nat."
Stephen stuck his tongue out and Jack did the same.
"Now, which one of you is going to wash my underwear?" She asked from the hallway.
They both froze and started for the door, neither wanting to have to go through that.
"Joke, guys!" She called out when she heard them both running down the stairs and to the door.
The sound stopped, Natalie smiled, "But, Stephen, I could use some Asprin... or Midol..." She raised her eyebrow, wondering what would happen next.
Stephen, from his perch on the stairs looked at Jack, "You're getting it."
Jack shook his head, "She's your friend. Not mine."
Stephen groaned, "That's what I am afraid of."
"Can a sick woman get any appreciation around here?" Natalie asked from the top of the stairs, looking down at them, "Or do I have to force it out of you."
Jack looked at the floor and muttered, "Welcome to the house of hell, ruler: Dictator Durant."
Stephen choked down a laugh.
They both receive a razor sharp glare, Stephen turned to look at his son and spoke softly, "Never, never make a woman angry when it is the wrong time of the month."
"Heard that, Connor!"
Jack looked at his dad, "You know what makes it worse for you... you can't ask for special favores until the end of the week."
"And I heard THAT TOO!"
Stephen gave Jack a dark look before turning around to walk up the stairs, "Nat, I'm going to get you some medicine."
Natalie began coughing...
Stephen frowned, "And some coughdrops.
:As she continued hacking out her lungs, Stephen made a note to get the whole bag of them.
After grabbing the medicine and the cough drops from the cabinet in the downstairs bathroom Stephen made his way upstairs to check on Nat. He found laying face down on her bed, hair falling out of her ponytail, eyes closed.
"I brought your medicine, and some water." He placed the items on her nightstand and pressed his hand to her forehead. "Have you taken your temperature lately?"
"No." She mumbled as she buried her face into the pillow. He walked into her bathroom and looked through her drawers until finding the thermometer. After doing so he headed back into her room and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Stick this under your tongue."
"I know what to do." She sat up slowly, resting her chin on his shoulder from behind before putting the thermometer in her mouth. They sat this way for a few seconds before the thing beeped, letting them know that it was done. Stephen gently pulled it out and held it up to the light.
"102.4, you definately have more than a cold."
"Duh Stephen, I am a doctor too." She coughed again, causing the whole bed to shake.
"Why don't you take a shower and put on some pajamas." He turned to face her and she shook her head 'no'. "Jack and I will make you some dinner, you'll feel better, I promise." He smiled at her, hoping it would help.
"Fine, but don't make me any food, I don't think I can keep anything down." She whispered.
"All right." He rubbed her arms gently before standing. "Go ahead and take a shower. I'll tuck you in when you get out."
"M'kay." She gently stood up, swaying slightly. "Advil?" She stuck her hand out and he placed two in her hand, handing the bottle of water to her aswell.
After she swallowed them she closed her eyes before walking over and grabbing her pajama's out of the top dresser drawer. "I'll only be a few minutes."
"I'm not going anywhere." He smiled as she shut the door, and headed into the hallway. "Jack!"
"What?" The boys head appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm staying, do you want me to run you to your mothers?"
"Please no! She'll do nothing but interogate me the whole time." He gave a sideways smile and took a sip of his drink.
"All right, but you have to behave."
"I know." He moved back into the livingroom and the sound of the TV became audible. Stephen smiled to himself before
Stephen smiled to himself before yelling after him again. "Can you at least get our bags?"
"Already did."
"Ok." Stephen shook his head and moved back into Nat's room just as she came out, dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank-top.
He looked her over and frowned, "Are you sure you should be wearing that. Something more warm, maybe."
Natalie moved over to her dresser, and pulled out a sweatshirt, pulling it over her head, "Happy."
"Legs," He pointed out.
Natalie gave him a dreary look, "Are fine.
He gave her a stern look and motioned for her to turn around and get pants out of her dresser as well. Natalie groaned and dug out a pair of sweatpants out as well, "Doctors, think they know everything," She muttered.
Stephen laughed, and lead her to the bed, "Are you forgetting your profession, Natalie."
She gazed up at him, her eyes glazed with her sickness, "I'm trying to."
Stephen pulled the blankets back and helped her get on the bed. Looking at him, she sighed, "Do I have to get under the blankets?"
"You know you do," He said lightly, tucking them in around her.
"It's hot," She whimpered.
"Only because you are." Stephen realized what he said and shook his head.
Natalie laughed, "Thanks."
Making sure she was fully covered, Stephen squeezed her shoulder, "No problem. Get some sleep okay?'
Stephen started to walk away when he felt Nat grab his hand. He turned to look at her and his heart melted when he saw the look on her face. "Yes?"
"Stay?" She didn't demand it, she asked, and he didn't have the heart to say 'no'.
"I'll be right back, okay?"
"You'll stay?"
"I promise." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before heading downstairs. He found Jack laying on the couch watching TV, half aslseep. "We're going to bed."
"Okay." He yawned and waved. "Night."
"Night." Stephen pressed a kiss to his head before grabbing his bag and heading back up the stairs.
When he got to Nat's room she had rolled over and was staring at the wall, her sweatpants and sweatshirt laying on the floor in front of him. "I thought I told you to keep those on." He moved over to the other side of the room so he could face her.
"Not comfy." She whispered.
"Okay." He smiled at her before pulling a pair of sweatpants out of his bag. "I'm gonna take a quick shower."
"Very quick." She said with a smile, right before she started coughing again.
"Yes, very quick."
Ten minutes was not quick enough. Natalie climbed slowly out of the bed, her limbs slow and pulsing. Walking over to her bathroom door she knocked on it
"Hurry up," her voice was hoarse, and she wondered if he could even hear it through the door.
"Don't worry, I'm coming," He said it as he opened the door slowly.
Natalie smiled, "And you got mad at me for wearing a tank top... look what you're not wearing."
Stephen raised a brow, "I didn't know I would be staying..."
Grabbing his arm, she led him towards the bed, "Good point."
"I'm guessing that you don't have a shirt big enough to fit me," He said, pulling the blankets back again.
Natalie shook her head and pushed him against the edge of the bed, he fell over backwards, "Thanks."
Climbing up next to him she smiled, "Not a problem."
Once she was settled he pulled the covers up over them and rolled over onto his side. "Get some sleep." He whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her head.
"I will." She curled up against him and pressed her face into his shoulder as she coughed. He ran his hand up and down her back before pressing another kiss to her head.
"You okay?"
"No." She whispered, rolling over and pressing herself into him.
He just wrapped his arms around her, not to sure what to do. "Night Nat."
"Night." She mumbled into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him as well.
They fell asleep like this, curled into one another, both holding on tightly. Jack smiled from the doorway, whispering, "Mission complete." Into Stephen's cell phone before closing the door and heading downstairs to sleep himself.
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