Cassie's prompt was : Rock the holiday AU, New Year's Eve. Thank you to skinnycat77 for the beta. As always. xx
"Aaaaatchoum!" sneezed Sybil for the umpteenth time before collapsing back on her pillow, looking miserable.
"You ok?" asked Tom from the doorstep, holding a tray with a giant smoking mug of chicken soup on it, looking at her sympathetically.
Sybil glared at him. "This is all your fault," she accused, her voice raspier than usual.
"My fault?" he exclaimed playing innocent. "How could it be my fault?" he added, placing the tray on the bedside table.
" Wasn't it you who had the puffy eyes, running nose and whined like a baby on Christmas Eve?" she said as he sat on the bed next to her.
"And should I remind YOU who practically begged me to let her play Nurse Crawley? I did warn you you would catch my cold. And I'm not even the medical one."
Sybil rolled her eyes and pulled the duvet tighter to her chest.
"If I remember correctly," she muttered, "my patient had wandering hands even in his state of 'supposedly' almost death."
Tom chuckled. "But…I can't remember my favorite nurse protesting too much." He put a hand on her forehead.
"At last, your fever seems to have gone down a bit."
She swatted his hand away.
"I hate you right now. Don't even think about touching me."
"You're beautiful when you're sick," joked Tom.
"Yes, yeah, make fun of me. But I'll tell you this- look at me as much as you want because you're not even close to touching me again anytime soon."
Tom chuckled again and rolled his eyes. He knew her and knew that there was no truth in her words.
"Really? It's a shame. I so wanted to kiss you madly at midnight."
"Well, I don't see it happening as I can barely breathe through my nose."
"Too bad. Then, maybe I'll need to go and knock at the neighbor's door to have my kiss," he said while lying next to her.
Sybil hit him in the chest with her elbow and Tom took her in his arms.
"That bad? Hum?"
Sybil nodded against him, her head hidden in his wool sweater.
"I'm sorry I'm spoiling New Year's Eve."
"Don't be, Love. I rather be stuck here having you all for myself than sharing you with your parents and sisters. Besides, I already spoiled Christmas Eve so now, we're even."
They fell silent for a while and Tom thought Sybil had dozed off. But he felt her move against him and smiled when he felt her frozen hand slide under his clothes.
"You're so warm," she sighed. "It's not fair. Why am I so cold when I'm the one with the fever?"
Tom chuckled.
"I don't know, Love."
"What time is it?"
"It's 11:50 pm. Do you still fancy watching the fireworks?"
"I'm not sure I have it in me to get up," she groaned.
"Not a problem," said Tom.
He slide from under her and, after rolling her in the duvet a little bit like a sushi, he took her in his arms and went to the window.
"Problem solved," he said, softly kissing her temple and depositing her on his lap while sitting in the rocking chair near their bedroom's French door.
Sybil cuddled into him.
"Hummmm, perfect," she hummed, appreciatively.
Tom smiled and reached for the TV remote that was lying on the dresser. He pressed the green button and cheers soon filled the room from a TV show where the host was excitedly leading people into the New Year's celebration.
"Now, we'll have the official count. We can't have us late to run into 2015, can we?"
"It would be a shame," Sybil said just before a sneeze shook her body.
Tom took the handkerchief she was holding and wiped her nose.
"Here," he said giving it back to her when he was done.
"Thank you," answered Sybil in a breathe.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6," came from the TV.
"Ready?" he asked, turning her slightly in his arms.
"Nope," she groaned.
"5, 4, 3, 2…1! Happy New Year!"
"Too bad, then," answered Tom before seizing her mouth in a passionate kiss as fireworks were starting to illuminate the black sky.
They kissed for a while pouring into each other their love, as the cheering on the TV continued loudly. But soon, Sybil couldn't breathe anymore and they reluctantly parted.
"Happy New year, Love" he said, kissing her forehead.
"Happy New year, darling," cawed Sybil before a round of coughing left her breathless.
"Ok," said Tom, securing her more tightly in his arms before rising from the chair. "No fireworks for you, Mrs. Branson. Time to go back to bed."
"Spoil sport," pouted Sybil but without fighting back, her head resting comfortably in the crook of his neck.
Tom put her on the bed then pulled the duvet back over her.
"Aren't you joining me?" she asked innocently, only her face from her nose to her hair peeking up from under the duvet.
"Of course, I am," confirmed Tom with a grin.
He switched off the TV and quickly got rid of his clothes, Sybil smiling at seeing his bare and broad chest despite how bad she was feeling.
"So now," sighed Tom once under the sheets, his body engulfing Sybil's to keep her warm. "What can Nurse Branson do for you?"
His husky voice didn't go unnoticed from Sybil who closed her eyes and snuggled even closer to him, breathing in his smell contently.
"If I ever let you have your way with me," she answered with a tired voice, "you'll catch my cold again and we'll never leave this bed because then, I'll have to nurse you back…"
"Should I go and sleep on the sofa, then?" he asked pulling away from her as if he was about to get up but with a hint of humor in his voice.
"Don't even think of leaving me here alone!" she shouted, gripping him back to her.
Tom chuckled.
"Ok, what then? Should I start the new year watching you sleep?" he pouted.
Sybil sighed. When he was this way, she knew how stubborn he could be and she also knew there only was one way to make him shut up.
"Alright," she sighed dramatically while rolling onto her back. "Let's just do it."
Tom rose on his elbows and looked down at her. He chuckled.
"Very romantic and sexy, thank you. You know how to speak to your husband, don't you?"
Sybil pouted and crossed her arms around her pajama clad body.
"You want to have sex or not? Because, I'm about to change my mind. Plus, just so you're aware of it, I'm so exhausted that I may even fall asleep during the whole thing anyway."
"THAT, Mrs. Branson," answered Tom with a sexy voice and rolling over her, "is something I can promise you won't happen."
He then disappeared under the duvet and, as he was slowly making his way down her body, a smile appeared on Sybil's face. Her husband was always up to any challenge. The year was definitely starting the best possible way ever, her cold forgotten for now.
The end