"Sorry, but you've gotta lose the blanket burrito until your fever breaks."
"Come in!"
Liz hears the muffled call through the hotel room door and frowns. She turns the handle experimentally and finds the door unlocked.
That's odd.
She pushes it open and cautiously enters.
"Red?" She calls tentatively.
"In the living room, Lizzie!"
She follows the sound of his voice and moves forward into the suite, passing the kitchenette to find him curled in the corner of a very large couch in the living area, swathed in at least six, different colored blankets.
Oh.
"Red? Where's Dembe? Are you alright?"
The first question rapidly becomes the less important one as she gets a good look at him. He is pale and drawn, looking strangely small under all his blankets, and sniffing pathetically, eyes watering.
He peers wearily at her from under the blankets, blinking slowly.
"Of course, Lizzie, I'm fine. Just picked up a little bug in Europe last week. Dembe is out picking up medicine for me. You should keep your distance for now, I'm not sure if this is contagious or not."
But Lizzie is striding forward as soon as she hears the words "bug in Europe", not completely aware she is moving until Red is cautioning her, but she's never been good at listening to him anyway, has she?
"Well, what's wrong? Is there anything I can do?"
Red stares at her in surprise but slowly shakes his head.
"No, thank you, Lizzie, I'll be fine. You should go on home. I'm not up to discussing the case today."
"Oh, don't be ridiculous," mutters Liz, spying an empty glass on the small table next to him. "I'm at least staying until Dembe gets back with your medicine. What were you drinking?"
"Uh, Gatorade, but, Lizzie –"
But Liz doesn't wait for him to finish, just throws her bag onto a chair, sheds her jacket, and marches off to the kitchen to get him a refill. Something about him looking so pale and small bothers her.
She's not exactly sure why.
She doesn't want to stop to figure it out.
Before she leaves the small kitchen, she grabs a pack of peanut butter crackers she spies in the cabinet, just in case. What's that old saying? Starve a cold, feed a fever?
Hm.
Does Red have a fever?
She hurries back to the main room and sets the drink and crackers down on the table.
"Lizzie, really –"
But she quickly reaches out a hand and places it gently on his forehead, effectively stunning him into silence. She feels for a moment and sighs.
He's burning up.
"Sorry, but you've gotta lose the blanket burrito until your fever breaks."
Red gapes at her and she crosses her arms.
"Come on, Red, you've got a fever. It's not good for your body temperature to be this high, I'm sure you know that. So, take the blankets off."
When he doesn't do anything, she impatiently reaches for the green one draped around his shoulders but he leans away from her, clutching his blankets protectively.
"But Lizzie, I'm cold." He whines.
Red is whining.
Oh Red.
"How about I sit next to you until Dembe gets back? That will keep you warm without overheating you."
He seems to perk up a little at this but tries not to show it. And Liz smiles at that but tries not to show it. He quickly sheds all the blankets, suppressing a shiver, to reveal a soft cotton t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms.
(Liz smothers the fluttery, warm feelings in her chest at the sight.)
She remembers to grab the crackers as she sits down close to him.
Feed a fever.
"Here." She says shortly and watches as Red takes the crackers and opens the package.
He offers her one silently and she takes it with a nod of thanks. And that's how they sit, leaning into each other, sides pressing together on the couch, munching contemplatively on their respective crackers.
"How was your day?" Red murmurs to her after a quiet, peaceful moment.
Liz smiles. Even when he is sick, Red still cares enough to ask about her day.
She sinks a little further into the couch and tugs the edge of the blue blanket over her lap, subtly laying her head on his shoulder as she tells him of the team's latest antics, making him smile and laugh.
She can't help but hope that Dembe will take his time.
