Chapter 9

Cold

Amelia had thought it was a good idea.

She really, truly had.

The day before it had been raining as hard as it could be and she had decided to go horseback riding- wearing a heavier dress and cloak to stay warm.

Hero's did it all the time in books-

Why couldn't she?

She had gotten home late that night exhausted- greeted by an empty house, not noticing her older self watching intently, knowing full and well how this was going to turn out.

England and France were back in Europe and her brother must have been out getting something from the town last minute. He still hadn't grown out of his habit of being a tad forgetful.

Too tired to change she got into bed and covered up with all of her blankets- the physically 13 year old not even thinking of the ramifications of her actions.

Matthew walked into his sister's room the next morning, "Amelia? Time to wake up! I made breakfas-" noticing her shaking form and walking over to her- shocked to see her in soaking wet clothes. "Amelia? Amelia wake up! Oh lord… please tell me you didn't sleep in your wet clothes again…"

Stirring- feeling fevered and delirious, looking up at her brother through half lidded eyes, "Maybe… Hero's do it in books and they're fine… why can't I be…?" coughing into the crook of her elbow- she had caught another cold, a dreadful one at that. "I'll be fine… I'm the superhero remember…?"

Matthew sighed, "This is real life Amelia- not a book. Of course you'll get sick…" wondering what to do- should he go into town and get a doctor? Deciding against it. England always did that when she was sick and it always resulted in leeching. Something that scared Amelia witless. Wanting to do his best to avoid that (Sure the doctors said that leeching worked but he really could not see how effective putting blood sucking slugs on your body could be) "Go change into your nightshift and housecoat but dry off first. I'll take care of you today." Leaving the room and going into the kitchen- looking around and wondering vaguely what to do to care for her- trying to remember what their fathers had always done.

Grabbing a large bowl of water and a rag, bringing it upstairs and setting it on her nightstand- making her lay down and pressing the damp rag onto her forehead. Leaving once more and making some of her favorite tea and broth so she could get some sort of nourishment into her system. Pausing for a moment before going into the cabinet and getting some leftover medicine that would help restore the inner balance of her four biles- the things that he didn't quite understand but England always insisted that it was what made them sick. Putting some of the medicine in her tea and going upstairs, finding her shivering under several blankets.

Handing her the tea and telling her to drink it- getting even more so she could sweat out the fever. Wondering what he was doing wrong when she seemed to feel just as poorly after she had drunk the tea and the broth. Eventually grabbing her favorite book and sitting in bed next to her- sighing as he felt to heat radiating off of his sister. Reading to her until she fell asleep, resting her head on his shoulder.

Matthew smiled gently at the sight- continuing to read aloud and smiling even more as she heard her talking softly in her sleep- she was having a good dream about the story. Getting to the end and picking up another book, reading to her until the sun set- starting over on whatever book he was on when she awoke several times.

Kissing her forehead once it became quite late, the physically thirteen-year-old boy smiled down at her- she seemed to be getting better. She was still coughing a good bit but she wasn't as hot as before. Speaking quietly as to not wake her up "I love you Amelia, rest well please- I'll take care of you in the morrow. Walking out of the room and feeling his heart swell a bit when he heard her replying softly.

"I love you as well Mattie… get some sleep as well hero…"