JJ lay awake for a long time, wondering how to handle the situation. Blake had fallen asleep so fast it seemed more like passing out, and if she hadn't been snoring loudly, with occasional bouts of coughing that shook her body, JJ might have taken her for dead, she was that motionless.

Exhausted and allergic, or in the early stage of the flu? That was the question. JJ was certain it was the latter, but if Blake refused to admit it, what could she do?

Call Hotch in the morning and tell him.

Yes, of course. He would send Blake back to the hotel the moment he saw her misery anyway, but JJ didn't want the poor woman to get out of bed at all if she could help it. Finally reaching a conclusion, JJ drifted off into slumber.

She awoke a split second before the alarm sounded and turned it off before it could cut through the silence. She rolled over and reached out a hand to gently touch Blake's shoulder, but upon contact she nearly hissed in surprise and sympathy; the other woman was practically burning with fever. She had to steel herself to repeat the touch, not only because of the heat, but also because she didn't want to frighten Blake who was as off guard as anyone could be.

"Alex," she murmured. There was no response. "Alex!" she tried again, a little bit louder. Blake groaned, coughed, and rolled over on her side, away from JJ. JJ was torn between letting her sleep, and waking her to see just how sick she was and how much care she needed. Would JJ have to call a doctor? Or just let her be?

JJ got out of bed, flipped her phone open and called Hotch. He answered on first signal, sounding completely awake. In spite of her worry, JJ chuckled a little.

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"Not if I can help it. What's up?"

JJ's eyes wandered across the room and rested on the sleeping woman in the bed. She looked so small, so defenceless, it made JJ's heart ache.

"JJ? Are you still there?" Hotch asked, and JJ mentally shook herself.

"Yes. Listen, Blake is sick. She won't admit it, but she's coughing up her lungs and she's running a fever. I think it's the flu."

"Didn't she get the flu shot?"

JJ tried to remember. The whole BAU team had gotten their flu shots in orderly fashion… but Blake hadn't been in that day.

"No, I don't think she did."

"Did you?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. I can come in, but I don't wanna wake her, she's not fit to come in to work anyway, and she'd pass it on to everyone who's not had their shot, so…"

"Don't worry. Stay there and keep an eye on her. If she gets worse, call the hospital. We'll handle the case."

JJ was so grateful she was close to tears. Hotch was by far the most understanding and fair boss she had ever had.

"Thank you," she said, and wondered if he could detect all the layers in those two words. Perhaps he knew how she felt about Blake, even before she knew it herself. She wouldn't put it past him; he was the sharpest profiler she had ever met.

"I'll call you later," he said and finished the call. JJ looked back at Blake, whose usually shiny, well-groomed hair stuck to her face in sweaty, limp tresses. How she would hate to be seen in such a helpless condition; less than perfectly in control. And yet to JJ, she had never looked more endearing, more, okay, fine, loveable, than she did right now.

She was unaware of the soft, affectionate smile that had crept upon her face as she watched the older woman, but she was aware of the warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach, spreading upward and enveloping her heart.

My Alex, she thought. My little Alex.

Blake woke up to a delirious fever-distorted reality, where the only thing that seemed completely real was the raw pain in her throat and the fact that her head was pounding.

"Alex?" a voice spoke from somewhere near her, and JJ's face came into sight. "How are you honey?"

The term of endearment had slipped out of her with no warning, but Blake didn't register. She was only half awake, convinced that this was some sort of fever hallucination.

"Angel," she said. JJ frowned.

"Who?"

"You. You're like an angel," Blake tried to explain, but her voice was so hoarse she could barely make herself heard at all. JJ seemed to understand at least, and she smiled. She knew it was the fever speaking, but she found it sweet nevertheless.

"Aw, Alex," she cooed and stroke her hair. Blake felt so pathetic, so ashamed of herself, that she began to cry. If her fever hadn't been so high she never would have shown such loss of pride, but as things were, she didn't really have much pride left. And perhaps it didn't matter. Perhaps even the ever-in-control Alex Blake was allowed to be small and frail this one time.

JJ crawled up next to her and put an arm around her. "Poor little Alex," she whispered. "I'll take care of you. I promise."

A sudden thought dawned on Blake and for a moment she was her old distant self,

"You should go before you get sick too."

She tried to pull loose but lacked the strength, and JJ easily pulled her back into her arms, where Blake surrendered. It felt much better to be weak if there was someone there to hold you.

"I've had the flu shot. Which you obviously did not," JJ said.

"I don't like needles," Blake said, with just a touch of defiance in her faltering voice.

"I figured," JJ said. "But, well. Even if I should catch it too, it doesn't matter. I'm not abandoning you when you're sick. Sorry, but you're stuck with me."

"I could think of worse things," Blake said, trying to smile.

JJ almost kissed her, but managed to keep herself in reins. It would be taking advantage, and she never wanted to do that. Instead she wiped a hot tear off the older woman's face with the back of her hand, and smiled.

"I'm just going to pick up some things, and I'll be back to check on you again within an hour or so. If you need anything or if you get worse, call me, okay?"

Blake nodded, but her eyes wandered.

"Promise me."

"Okay, I promise."

"Good. Just lie down and rest, okay?"

Blake nodded again and closed her eyes. She needed to sneeze but her head ached so badly she feared it would split if she did. She hadn't felt so pitiful since… she had never felt so pitiful. The insight made her want to cry again, and fighting the tears made her cough so hard she nearly retched. If there was a Hell on Earth, it was being trapped in a sick body.

A/N

Poor little Alex, indeed. The flu sucks. I feel pretty bad for her, actually, and I'm the one making this up…! I would put some more romance in it right away if I didn't know how very little in the mood you are for romance when you're that sick. But… it will pass, eventually. ^^

Review if you like. I like reviews. ;)