CPOV

My alarm going off stirs me awake at 7. I quickly smack it off and reach over to cuddle with Ana, but she's not in the bed. My eyes pop open and I begin to think she returned to her room last night when I hear something coming from the bathroom. It sounds like she's vomiting and the toilet flushing. I quickly get out of bed and run to the bathroom door just as she comes out. She's so pale and tired looking, you'd think she's on Death's doorstep.

"Ana are you okay? Have you been sick all night?" I feel her forehead and it's burning up, but she's shivering like she's cold. I pick her up bridal style and place her back in the bed, covering her with the blankets. I grab a trashcan and place it near her head. "Stay in bed while I go get something. If you need to vomit again, do it in the trash can, because I don't want you to get up okay?"

"Okay," she whispers. I grab my phone, dial the number, and look in the first aid kit.

"Hello Christian how are you this morning," Mom happily asks.

"Mom I need you to come over and have a look at Ana please." I grab the thermometer and run back into the room.

"Who's Ana," she asks more concerned.

"She's my friend, hang on a second." I take Ana's temperature: 100.7°F. "Her temperature is 100.7, she's been vomiting and feels hot but she's shivering."

"Okay she probably has a really bad cold or the flu. I'm heading over now. Give her some aspirins and plenty of water to drink."

"Thanks Mom see you soon." Just as soon as I hang up, Ana vomits in the trashcan. I hold back her hair and I see tears streaming down her face. Once she finishes, I grab a washcloth from the bathroom and rinse her face. She leans into my touch and all I want is for her to get better now. I've never been more concerned for another person than I have been now. After I wash her face, I grab a glass of water, some aspirins and return to her side. "Ana baby, I need you to lean up just a little so you can take these aspirins and drink some water. Can you do that for me?" She lifts her head up, takes the medicine from my hand and puts them in her mouth, and puts her lips on the rim. I cradle her head as she drinks. She lays her head back on the pillows as I hear the elevator arrive. Mom comes bolting into my room, already dressed for her shift at Seattle General Hospital to begin.

"How is she Christian?" She comes over, taking her stethoscope from around her neck and puts her earpieces in.

"I just got her to take two aspirins and drink about a half glass of water. She threw up about two minutes ago." I walk around to the other side of the bed and hold Ana's hand so Mom can examine her.

"Hi Ana I'm Grace, Christian's mom. I'm going to listen to your heart really quickly, alright?" Ana can only nod and squeeze my hand gently. After a minute, Mom removes her earpieces and takes out a portable Otoscope. "Okay honey, I'm going to check your ears and throat now." She looks in both her ears and down her throat. "Okay Ana, I just need to check your eyes. Can you open them please?" And when she does it scares me. Her eyes are ice blue, nearly white. To see her once ocean blue eyes go to almost white, it nearly makes my heart stop. Now I'm terrified for her life. "Ana can you tell me what you've done in the past 24 hours."

"I went for a jog yesterday morning with Christian. I got rained on. We had breakfast and I punched a guy." Mom chuckles as she looks at Ana with loving, motherly concern. "Then we came home and I felt bad. Am I going to die?"

"No honey far from it. You have the flu. When you got soaked yesterday, it just hit your immune system kind of hard. So today, take it easy and drink plenty of fluids like water or Sprite. If you want to, by lunch time, try chicken broth and maybe a cracker or two."

"Okay. Thank you Grace."

"You're welcome honey. Christian, may I see you for one minute?"

"Sure Mom." I go around and squat by Ana, looking into her tired eyes. "I'll be right back, okay baby?" Her glorious smile spreads across her ghostly pale face.

"Okay," she whispers. I kiss her forehead and meet Mom in the hallway.

"Thanks again for coming here Mom. I just didn't know what to do."

"You're welcome sweetie. Who is this Ana, Christian?"

"She's Gail's fill-in."

"But you don't see her like that do you?" I'm really startled that my attraction to Ana could be so obvious.

"I don't know what to do Mom. She doesn't want to date me because I'm her boss. But our attraction isn't a secret. I've never felt like this about anyone, not even Leila."

"My sweet son, I wish I knew what the answer is, but I'm sure you'll figure out something. Bring her by the house sometime, your father, Elliot, and Mia will love her." We hug as I see her off. I pull out my phone again and call Andrea and tell her I won't be coming in today I go back into my room and see Ana starting to get up from bed.

"Where are you going baby?"

"My room, so you can get ready for work."

"Oh no baby, I'm all yours today. You're sick and I'm here to take care of you."

"But what about your work?"

"Baby, I own GEH. I employee enough people to run my company smoothly without me. Unless the whole building catches fire, I'm not leaving your side." Some color is returning to her eyes as she looks at me in awe.

"Thank you Christian." She crawls back into bed and I cover her up.

"Don't thank me Ana. I care about you and I want you to get better."

"I care about you too Christian. If I didn't feel so gross and hadn't thrown up all night, I'd kiss you." I love it when she's so honest. I wonder if she's this honest when she's drunk?

"We can always come back to that idea," I smirk at her and she lets out a giggle. "Now since I'm here to serve you, what can I get you mistress?" She lets out a hoarse belly laugh and it goes straight to my heart, but since she's so hoarse, I won't make her laugh that much today.

"Well, I was going to read today. Could you read to me?"

"Certainly Ms. Steele. Jane Eyre?"

"Yes please." I run into her room, find the book, and crawl into bed with her. She snuggles against my chest and I spend the morning reading to her. I stop at the part where Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane when I notice Ana's asleep. I quietly slip away, call Barry, my IT guy and see how the investigation is coming along, check some emails, and go back into my room. This is the most I've ever hung around my house and I enjoy it. I wish Ana wasn't sick so we could enjoy my day off together. This time when I go back in, she's sitting up and looking much better.

"Feeling better?"

"Much better thank you. I'm actually kind of hungry." She blushes and I know it's because I'm still shirtless.

"Broth coming right up. Crackers?"

"Yes please." I make quick work of making her lunch and place the meal on a tray. Before I deliver it to her, I grab the pillows from her room, and place them behind her back. I bring in the tray and she lights up like it's Christmas morning. She eats while I just make sure she's comfortable. When she's done I take away the tray, make myself a quick sandwich and return to her side. We curl back up and continue reading well into the evening. I make her more broth while she takes a shower. While she eats, I shower and beat off thinking of her. God I don't know how I've managed not to get hard around her while we're in bed. But I know one thing for sure: I'll make sure she gets another job soon. We join back up in bed after I eat and I just stare into her wonderful blue eyes as we talk, laugh, and cuddle. "Thank you so much Christian for taking care of me today." She reaches out and kisses my nose.

"You're more than welcome Ana." I kiss her forehead and we drift off into sleep.