A/N: AYE MYSTERIO-LADY YOU GOT YOUR WISH. It just so happens that because i'm such sq trash, this particular trope is one of my favs, so HERE YOU GO HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Thank you once again to all you guys that reviewed/faved/followed, it's wonderful and gives me feelings...love feelings :D jks, but like not completely jokes, aight? Anyway, here you all go, hope you like it :P
"Regina, please cancel this fundraiser and go lay down. You need to rest."
"Emma, I can't do that."
The blonde ran a hand through her hair, "Come on, you haven't felt good all week, and you've felt warm all day long."
"I have responsibilities," Regina sighed, her voice stuffy.
"Send someone else then," the blonde tried, tucking a strand of brunette hair behind Regina's ear, "That way you can relax."
"It would be highly unprofessional for me to up and cancel my attendance simply because I feel a little under the weather."
"It's highly unprofessional to infect members of Congress with the Black Plague, too."
Regina shoved Emma's shoulder and sat back down on the foot of her bed, "I don't have the Black Plague, you oaf. It's probably just a head cold."
"Alright, fine. How about this," Emma sat down next to the brunette, grabbing her hand and tracing patterns on it with her thumb, "If you're still stuffy and warm by the time we leave the briefing, will you at least take some medicine?"
"Will it make you feel better?"
"Because clearly I'm the one in need of aid," Emma smirked, "But yes, it will make me feel better."
"Okay, then. I'll let you know." Regina smirked.
"Promise you'll be honest?"
The brunette President held out her pinky, "Promise."
"You're the five year old here, I swear." the blonde laughed, linking her pinky with Regina's.
The woman shrugged, leaning her head on the agent's shoulder. Emma wrapped her arm around Regina, pulling the brunette into her. She laid a kiss to the top of Regina's head, a small smile forming on her face when she heard the President release a deep breath.
"What the hell am I going to wear tonight?"
The blonde outright laughed, "You only have like a million choices. At least I always know what I'm wearing to your events."
"Shut it, Emma." Regina giggled, tugging on her agent's tie, "I really don't know what I'm going to wear."
"You'll look stunning in anything, so I wouldn't worry about it too much."
"Aren't you charming, Agent Swan?" Regina stood up, pulling Emma with her.
The blonde smiled, setting her hands on Regina's waist as she gently trailed kisses along the woman's jaw and the column of her neck, "I do try my hardest, Madame President."
"Mhmm," the brunette hummed, leaning into Emma's touch, "As much as I enjoy your full efforts, I don't want you to get sick as well."
The blonde agent dipped her head, very slowly capturing Regina's lips with her own, "I'll risk it."
The President couldn't help but sigh happily as they broke apart, leaning her head on the blonde's shoulder. Never in her life had she felt so cared for, safe, and important. Her eyes fluttered shut and she turned her head into Emma's neck once more, briefly inhaling the scent of her lover before leaning back from the woman's embrace.
"We should go now, Emma," Regina reluctantly separated fully from her agent, "I have a meeting in ten minutes and Graham hounded me all morning about where you were."
"He could've just called me." the blonde laughed, grabbing her coat off of Regina's bed.
The brunette raised an eyebrow, "So it is true then? You two live to get on my last nerve."
"The world may never know." Emma shrugged, giving Regina one last kiss on the cheek before leaving her room.
The President shook her head, the small smile on her face never wavering as Emma continued to occupy her thoughts.
…
By the time the security brief rolled around, Regina had only gotten worse. Every fibre of her being wanted to put on a brave face and try to ignore her sickness, but she knew that Emma would undoubtedly see right through any facade she put up. Slipping on the nude heels she had selected to go with her dress (a beautiful sleeveless beige number with a black, lace overlay that she absolutely adored), Regina ran her hands through her hair one last time before applying the finishing touches to her makeup and beginning the walk to the Oval Office.
She made it to her office a little later than everyone else, fashionably late, of course. Leading the way into the room, Regina took her usual spot and stood in front of her desk, waiting for Emma and her team to begin.
"Alright, so," Emma began, her lips turning slightly upward when she met Regina's eyes, "We'll leave in twenty minutes. Graham and I have decided to take Grand street up to 21st, and then we'll take the bypass around the city and out to the hotel."
"David, you'll be riding point," Graham took over, "I'll be driving Regina along with August, and Emma will be in the back."
The blonde nodded, casting her glance around the room to make sure everyone was on the same page, "Once we're there, we'll unload in the underground and then wait for everyone to reconvene before we go in. You all know where your positions are tonight, and as for you, Regina-"
Emma paused looking from her team to the brunette woman in front of her. She frowned, Regina was seemingly looking right through her, the woman's hand clutching her stomach.
"Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Regina snapped back, locking her eyes with Emma's, though the blonde could see it took a lot of effort.
"Are you sure you're alright?" the agent asked again, concern flooding her senses.
She nodded, "Oh, yeah, I'm-"
No sooner than the words began to leave her mouth did the brunette's eyes flutter shut. Emma lunged forward, catching the smaller woman around her waist as she dropped to the floor. The blonde held the President to her chest, cradling Regina's head with one hand as she ran her other along the woman's cheek.
"Woah, what the hell?!" Graham was beside her in a second.
Emma gently touched her fingers to Regina's neck to check her pulse, "She just fainted."
Pressing her hand to the woman's forehead, the blonde pulled her hand back quickly, her eyes softening.
"What is it?"
"She's burning up," the agent explained, "Stubborn woman wouldn't even consider taking any medicine until after this meeting, but it looks like she's going to be staying home anyway."
"Should I call in Robin to go in her place?"
Emma nodded, "Yeah, that's gonna have to work. Use the same routes and everything we had for Regina, just make sure his thick headed self follows directions."
"And Regina?"
"I'll take her up to bed. Would you call down to the kitchen have Granny start some soup before you leave?" Emma asked, looking up to Graham.
"Of course. You gonna stay with her?"
The blonde nodded, "If her fever spikes too badly, I'll give you a call and we can coordinate a trip to the hospital."
"You're sure she doesn't need to go now?"
"Yeah," Emma looked over the woman in her arms, "When the physician came on Monday he said it was likely the flu bug that's going around."
Graham nodded his head in understanding, "Alright, then. Everyone else, on me. We're leaving in ten minutes. Good luck, Ems."
"Thanks, you too."
Emma watched as everyone filed out of the room before carefully wrapping an arm under Regina's knees and lifting the brunette into the quite familiar bridal style carry.
"You stubborn, stubborn woman," the blonde sighed, briefly looking down at Regina's face, "Why couldn't you just listen?"
She carried Regina all the way back to the President's room and laid the woman down on her bed. Though Regina probably had multiple sets of pajamas, Emma knew that the brunette frequented long pants and shirts, and that wouldn't do this time around. The agent ran back to the monitor room and grabbed her old training academy tee shirt for Regina before returning to the woman's bedroom.
"I need to get you changed," Emma said, even though the words fell on deaf ears, "So please don't think I'm being creepy or anything, because I promise that I'm not."
The blonde's soft voice served only to help Emma herself feel better, because though her and Regina were obviously close, there were boundaries that Emma chose not to cross simply because she wanted the brunette to choose to do so. Running a hand through her curls, Emma made her way over to the bed. First, she gently removed the President's heels, setting them on the ground at the foot of the bed. Next, came the dress. Emma took in a steadying breath before unzipping the side of the dress and tugging it down the woman's fevered skin.
"Jesus, Regina." the blonde breathed, folding the garment and setting it on one of the chairs.
The woman was still very hot, enough so that Emma started to worry. Averting her eyes from Regina's bare chest, Emma slid her shirt over the woman (it was a struggle with Regina's limp arms and unconscious self but the blonde managed, thank you very much) and opted to leave her in her underwear so that she'd be cooler. The blonde climbed off the bed and went into the en suite bathroom. She knew that Regina would need fluids when she woke up, so she filled a glass of water and grabbed some ibuprofen as well.
Returning to Regina's bed, Emma sat down the medicine and water on the nightstand before sliding into the bed next to the brunette. She pulled the covers over them and wrapped her arm around Regina, pulling the now shivering President to her body.
"I feel like death."
Emma jumped a little upon hearing the sudden groan from the woman in her arms, but she quickly recovered.
"Yeah, well, I don't usually like saying I told you so, but…"
"I know, I know, Emma," Regina kept her eyes closed but a smirk was still present on her features, "You were right."
"Oh, what was that?" the blonde giggled, squeezing Regina's shoulders.
"You heard me," the President grumbled, "I said that you were right."
Emma grinned, "How do those words taste coming out of your mouth?"
"I'd rather chew glass."
The blonde laughed, kissing Regina's forehead.
"Think you can swallow down some ibuprofen before you sleep?"
Regina nodded, holding on to her agent as she sat up. Emma dutifully made sure that the woman had taken her medicine and polished off the glass of water before once again laying down with the brunette. Regina gravitated towards the blonde, snuggling into the woman while she tangled their legs.
"Who would've thought that our feisty Commander in Chief is actually a cuddle bug?"
"Shut it, Agent Swan," Regina snarked playfully, "It's probably because of my fever induced haze."
"Mhmm," Emma smiled, closing her own eyes, "I see."
…
When Emma blinked herself awake a few hours later, it had darkened considerably in the room.
The first thing she registered was not that, however, it was the violent shaking of the woman still engulfed in her arms. Emma wiggled her hand free to feel the brunette's forehead and winced. Regina was still burning up, her clammy skin hot to the touch and strands of her hair were sticking to her face.
"Regina?"
Emma lightly shook the President, but received only a moan in response.
"Regina, I need to take you to your bathroom. I've gotta do something to get your fever down."
"No water."
"It's that or the hospital," Emma whispered, "I'm sorry, sweetheart."
"Okay, water." Regina mumbled weakly, pulling herself closer to the blonde.
"Alright, give me a second."
The brunette fisted her hand in Emma's shirt, "Don't go."
"I'll be right back, Gina." Emma kissed the woman's cheek softly.
Emma walked back into the en suite bathroom and turned the bathtub on, making sure the water was cool enough to help but not freezing. Returning to the bedroom, Emma peeled the covers off of Regina and scooped the trembling brunette back into her arms.
"I need to take your shirt and underwear off," Emma told the woman once they were in the bathroom, "Can you help me?"
Regina nodded, standing when the blonde had put her down and peeling the shirt off of her body. Her underwear followed shortly thereafter, and she stood in front of Emma, arms crossed, feeling quite exposed. To the blonde's credit, and endless appreciation of the brunette, Emma made sure to keep eye contact with the President in an effort to minimize the ill woman's embarrassment.
"Just so you know, I still think you're breathtaking," Emma whispered, carefully lowering Regina into the water, "Even if you don't feel like it."
"Stop making me blush, Emma Swan."
The blonde smiled, "Is the water okay?"
"Yeah, it feels good."
"I'm gonna go try and find you more pajamas," Emma got up, "Hopefully I'll find some that aren't dressier than a tux."
"You're hilarious."
Emma cast one last look at the brunette before leaving the bathroom. She lucked out, finding an old white tank top and (though she felt awfully intrusive, she knew that Regina wouldn't truly be upset) grabbed another set of underwear for the President. For the most part, Emma sat in silence after she brought the clothes back. Regina didn't say much, just sat and allowed the water to cool her. After about half an hour, Emma grabbed a towel and returned to the side of the tub. She felt Regina's forehead briefly, pleased to find that she was considerably cooler.
"Alright, let's get you out of here."
Regina wordlessly complied, slowly standing while Emma wrapped the towel around her shoulders and front. The brunette stepped out onto the bath mat and leaned onto Emma, allowing the blonde to easily dry her. They slipped on the tank top together, and the agent turned to allow Regina privacy while she put on her underwear.
"Better?"
Regina nodded, watching as Emma hung up the towel, "Yes, thank you."
"Here," the blonde handed Regina two more ibuprofen and another glass of water, "This'll help even more. I'll have some soup brought up in an hour or so, okay?"
"Thank you, Emma."
The blonde agent only smiled a little before she was hugging the brunette to her chest once more.
"You're more than welcome, sweetheart."
They walked back to the bed, Regina climbing in first while Emma held the covers up, the blonde joining in soon after. Once again, Regina cuddled herself up to Emma, twining their legs together and nuzzling into the blonde's neck.
"Rest, Gina." Emma commanded softly, dropping a few more kisses behind Regina's ear and down the woman's jaw.
So, Regina did, the brunette President falling asleep with an ease that she had never been able to when she had been sick before.