"Mr. Abbott," Ted looked up from his computer, surprised to see Billy approaching. "Did you …"

"Ted." Billy cut him off, standing in front of the desk in front of him with his arms crossed. "You can skip the Mr. Abbott stuff. You don't need to respect me. No one here does."

Ted shook his head, brushing off Billy's self-depreciating comment. "You got my message about Ms. Summers cancelling the meeting, right?"

"I did," he sighed in frustration. "That news reached me. I just thought I'd stop by and let her know that the cancellation doesn't really work for me. We have things to do and deadlines to meet and just because she doesn't feel like meeting on a Friday afternoon doesn't mean our customers won't be expecting the products we promised."

"I'm sure she understands that," Ted said softly, glancing back towards the closed office door and drawn blinds. "Ms. Summers just wasn't able to do the meeting today. Something came up."

"I'll bet." Billy glared at the closed office door. He could only imagine what had come up for Phyllis today. During his tenure as CEO, he'd made plenty of mistakes and it had been those mistakes that had led Phyllis to this position. He wasn't about to sit idly by and watch as she drove his family's business even further off the cliff.

"I'll be sure to tell her you were concerned about it and that you would like her to get in touch regarding the reschedule as soon as possible." Ted took his seat again behind his desk, obviously unwilling to leave until he was certain Billy wouldn't be problem.

"Thanks, Ted." He snapped. "You do that." He walked quickly off to the stairwell and pulled the door open. He waited there, his heartbeat echoing in his ear as he watched Ted sit still and wait. It only took a moment for him to turn off the computer and gather his things. It had been exactly as he had suspected. Ted had only been waiting to ensure he'd leave. Phyllis had herself a guard dog now. It figured.

He smiled to himself at his cunning ability as he heard the chime of the elevator. Quickly he made his way to her office door. He took a quick breath, bracing himself for what he might see as he pulled the door open. Seeing Nick and Phyllis out together in public was bad enough, seeing them in the throes of passion might burn his retinas clear out of his head.

The door opened easily and, to his surprise, there were no sounds coming from inside. His eyes immediately moved towards the desk, where Phyllis sat, leaning back in the chair, her fingertips lightly massaging her temples.

"Bad day?" He didn't take any real pleasure in her pain, but it did give him some bit of joy to know that she wasn't gliding through the position that had caused him such frustration.

"Billy?" Her eyes flew open as she heard his voice. "I didn't hear you come in. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see the how the mighty have fallen. Looks like the perfect job might not be quite so perfect, huh?"

"Ted was supposed to call you and let you know that we need to reschedule the meeting. I'm sorry if he missed you. Let me just go see if he …" She stood up, her hand instantly gripping the edge of the desk as she tried to move.

"Woah." He leapt forward, his hands grabbing for her and finding her arm before wrapping around her waist.

"I'm fine," she stammered. "I just stood up too fast and I've got this headache." She pulled away, attempting to step back from him before swaying again and grabbing for his hand to steady her.

"No. You're not. I've seen you fine and this isn't it." Now that he was closer to her, he could see the clear indication of deep set pain in her eyes. Every once in a great while when they'd lived together, she came home with headache like this and even though she'd swear it wasn't that bad, he could look at her and tell she was hurting. She was tough as nails, but even she had a breaking point. "Come over here and lie down," he said softly as he guided her towards the sofa.

"I don't need to lie down," she huffed. "I've got things to do. That's why I cancelled our meeting. I need to get some of this paperwork finished up and I've got a ton of stuff I need to take home with me and I've got calls to return and …" She clenched her eyes as the rays of the setting sun seemed to send daggers through her head.

"What you need to do is come over here and stop being so stubborn," he said as he again attempted to lead her towards the sofa. His hand touched her arm again and he stilled. "Phyllis?"

She blinked up at him as she felt his hand gently touch the side of her face. "I don't think this is a headache. You're burning up. I think you're coming down with something."

"I am not," she groaned. "I don't get sick. I can't get sick. I don't have time to get sick."

"Yeah, well, somebody might want to let your immune system in on that little plan because the last time I remember anyone having a headache like this and feeling this warm to the touch …" He caught the ever so slight glance she shot up at him.

"I didn't mean it like that," he smiled slightly. "Katie had the flu a couple weeks ago and her symptoms started just like that."

"Would you stop saying that?" Phyllis let her body fall back against the sofa. "I can't have the flu. Do you have any idea how much work I have to do this weekend? There is absolutely no way I can have the flu."

"Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but …. " He stopped. It was one thing to razz her when she was in fighting form, but it was another to go after her when she was like this, when she needed him, when he was forced to look into those eyes and realize he was still hopelessly and completely at her mercy. "Tell you what," he said quietly, "Why don't you just lie back for a bit and rest and I'm sure you'll feel better. At least if you have a bit of a rest, you'll feel up to staying later and finishing up some of the stuff you've got to do."

There was no doubt she was frustrated, but the simple fact that she was considering it made the depth of her exhaustion and sickness quite obvious. "I guess I could," she said hesitantly. "But why are you doing this? You gonna use this against me somehow? Take pictures of me sleeping on the job and publish it or something?"

"Phyllis," he sighed. "You really think I would do something like that?"

She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. Her words weren't needed. Her eyes said it all.

"I guess I deserved that," he muttered.

"I didn't say anything," she breathed.

"You didn't have to. The look did." He took a seat beside her for a moment. "Listen, I'm not looking to make your life miserable and despite what you might think, I don't get any real pleasure from watching this job steal your soul. Just do me a favor and let me do the decent thing here. Let me do this one decent thing. It can be my good deed for the month. I haven't done one yet and it's almost the end."

The comment earned him a small smile and he felt his heart leap a bit. He stood, hesitating for only a moment before handing her the throw from the back of the couch. "Just rest and you'll feel better when you wake up. It's always better when you wake up."


She took a breath, the throbbing in her head slightly better but still there. The aches and pains that had once been localized had now seemed to move throughout her body and, as much as she hated to admit it, she feared Billy might be right. This certainly felt like the flu or a semi truck. The sound of his voice now became even more clear and she kept her eyes closed as she focused more to listen to his words.

"Ms. Summers is absolutely one of the best. You'll be so pleased when you meet her. She's competent and confident and you'll absolutely love the new vision and energy she's bringing to the company. Honestly, I couldn't think of anyone that is better suited to lead our company in this new direction." There was a pause and she almost forced herself to sit up, concerned the fever had led to delusions, but she stopped as she heard his voice again. "Well, I'm certain that none of us would want our private lives broadcast and Ms. Summers is certainly no different. All I'll say on that matter is that I know, from personal experience, that she is a capable, passionate, creative, leader who wants only the best for this company and its employees. Nothing in her past or her personal life should have any bearing on what she's doing or what she will do for this company." She forced herself to stay completely still until she heard the sharp rap of the phone's receiver hitting the base.

"Asshole," Billy muttered.

She moved intentionally to signal to him that she was awake. In an instant he was close to her.

"Hey," he breathed. "How ya feeling?"

"Honestly?" She shrugged. "Like hell. And I'm setting a dangerous precedent here, but I think you're right. I think I've got the flu and I don't have a clue what I'm gonna do about it. I've got so much to do here and …"

"It's done." Billy gestured to the desk. "I made all the phone calls, rescheduled tonight's dinner meeting for next week and I've got all the information loaded onto a flash drive so that I can finish it up once I get you home."

She blinked, her words momentarily leaving her. "Why? Why would you do that?"

"Because it's my family's company and I want to it to succeed and because you're sick and you need my help."

"And that's what you're doing? You're helping me?"

"You're afraid I'm really trying to sabotage you somehow? You're worried that I've copied all the company files onto a flash drive that I'm going to sell to the highest bidder?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you've stolen from me, would it?" She felt horrible, both physically and emotionally.

"We don't have to get into all that right now, do we? You really need to get home and get some rest."

She nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Rehashing everything doesn't really do anyone any good anyway. You don't need to drive me home though. I can call a car."

"Don't be ridiculous. Besides, you didn't honestly think I was gonna let you go off to the club by yourself with the flu did you?"

Her eyes studied him suspiciously. "So what? You thought you'd use this as an opportunity to move in?"

He scoffed. "I'm certainly not moving in, but I thought I could be there to help you out and I figured you'd want me there so you could keep an eye on things while I work on the paperwork you don't really feel like doing." There was a flash of realization in her eyes. "Flashdrive, remember?"

"Right," she breathed. "You're right. It is probably better that I'm around to supervise. I guess it would be okay if you were there. There's a couch and I can get them to send in a rollaway or …"

"The couch'll be fine," he smiled. "I've spent many a night on a couch."

"I don't doubt that for a second." She couldn't help but smile at his brazen admission of his own shortcomings.

"Let's just get your stuff together and get you home."


"Was that your boyfriend?" The question was meant to be a joke, but the expression on her face made him immediately regret his words. "Sorry," he breathed. "I was just kidding. I …"

She shook her head as she shuffled back into the room. "It was Nick," she said quietly. "We had talked about having dinner this weekend and he was calling to sure up the plans."

"Did you tell him I was here?"

"I didn't see why he needed to know that," she answered brusquely. "I mean it's about Jabot and that's it, right?"

"Right, yeah. That's it. That's why I was wondering if you told him. Since it's not anything, I didn't think he'd care and I figured he'd be happy to know you weren't here by yourself while you were sick and all."

"I didn't tell him I was sick." She saw the look of interest on his face and she wished the words could somehow be sucked back into her mouth.

"You didn't tell him? Why not? And how did he not know? I mean I can tell just by your voice that there's something wrong … and he …"

"I'm sure he just figured it had been a long day."

"Right and you wouldn't have wanted him to feel like he needed to come and take care of you or anything because then you would have had to explain that someone was already here to take care of you and that would have been all awkward and stilted and …"

"Can you not make everything about …"

The sound of the knock on the door stopped them both and Billy stood and walked quickly over to it. "Thank you," he smiled as he walked into the room cradling the bag in his arm.

"Pastina," he smiled, "It's supposed to cure anything and then when you're feeling better, you can share some pizza with me."

"Pastina," she whispered. "How in the world did you know I liked pastina?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess you mentioned it once. Or maybe Jack said something about it when you were sick once. I can't remember exactly … I just remember filing it away."

"The fact that you would remember something like that …"

"I don't forget anything," he said with a smile as he looked into her eyes. Even sick, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

It would be so easy to just forget everything, to fall back into the arms she knew so well, but she couldn't. "Neither do I," she said, her words bringing back the harsh reality to the moment. For a moment she hated herself for ruining the moment so much so that she had to stop and think about it before she added, "Earlier, what you said on the phone …"

He stopped, his hands freezing on top of the small container of broth and noodles. "The phone?"

"I heard you. I know you thought I was sleeping, but I heard what you said. You were talking about me to someone and I just wondered why you would say something like that. You don't want me to be the CEO of Jabot. You've made that perfectly clear but yet you told that person that I was the best person for the job. Why would you say something that you clearly don't believe?"

"I wasn't going to trash you to a perfect stranger. I want Jabot to do well and right now, you're at the helm. I have to try and respect that and that's what I'm doing."

"Right now I'm at the helm? What does that mean?"

"Phyllis," Billy sighed as he pushed the container of broth towards her. "Now's really not the time to be getting into this. You're not up for it and there's plenty for me to do to keep myself busy. Why don't we just eat and try to get alone so that this whole endeavor is as painless as possible."

And just like the mood was gone, ever glimmer of hope that something could be salvaged from the day was gone. "Fine," she said curtly. "Thanks for getting the food. I guess we don't have to talk about this or anything."

He could see the pain all over her face and it killed him to know that he'd put it there. He leaned back against the sofa, his eyes focusing on the slice of pizza that sat on the plate in front of him. The sound of her slightly shaky breathing weighed heavily on him as they chewed in silence.

"You can go." Her words surprised him as she stood up quickly. "I appreciate everything you've done, but if I can't power through this then maybe I shouldn't even be the CEO. I can't rely on you to help me here. I have to do this on my own because I am on my own here and …"

Her skin was still warm to the touch as he reached out towards her, standing up next to her and gently catching her arm before she turned away. "What I said to the man on the phone …" He waited until she let her shoulders drop and her eyes turned back to look at him. "I meant it. All of it …" He stood, still and quiet as he waited to see what she'd do.

After a moment, she lowered her body back to the couch and looked up at him, clearly waiting for him to do the same. She didn't speak until he'd sat down and her body slid closer to him, breathing in deep as he gingerly slid his arm around her. "Unless you're afraid of the germs," she smiled.

He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against her forehead. "Not as long as they're your germs," he smiled.