Excuse me while I grab the tissues... I watched Interstellar again today and I cried at the end, obviously.

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Interstellar: Revivisco, Part II
Chapter 12: Tussis

Two weeks later

"Dr. Tilly messaged me earlier and told me that everything appears to be okay. We can go for a visit when you feel ready," Amelia said as she walked into their bedroom. "I suppose that we were just lucky, but the five I helped with never had any complications."

"Maybe the technology's faulty," Cooper suggested from where he stood in their closet.

"Or the egg might have not been 100%. It happens." Amelia walked into the bathroom and began to brush her teeth.

They hadn't talked about it much. Cooper, as depressed as he was about the situation, knew that Amelia felt the same way, and that meant that she didn't regret it. He began turning down the bed, listening to Amelia brush her teeth. Something about the sound of it was funny to him.

Amelia was suddenly back in their room and they finished with the bed. She pulled her nightstand drawer open, grabbing her hand lotion. "I guess we won't be sleeping through the night much, will we?"

He chuckled, getting into the bed himself. "Do we ever sleep through the night now?" She walked into the closet to change into pajamas.

"You've got a point," she said lightly. "It'll just be little cries waking us up."

Cooper watched as Amelia walked back into the room and she got into the bed, her tablet in her hands. She looked incredibly sweet just sitting there, and something about her was picturesque.

Come on, buddy, think, he told himself. What's going on here? He watched her yawn, enjoying that ridiculous face she made every time. Amelia placed the tablet face down onto her nightstand as Cooper turned off his bedside table light, implicitly urging Amelia to do the same.


Amelia walked through the snow, her radio on her hip. She needed a moment or two to herself.

She had stopped going outside to cry over the loss of the first egg. It had almost broken her down, but knowing that this one was doing well was reassuring. She wondered if she should ask Cooper to write about it, just for them to keep and to remember. Maybe later, she thought.

Their sun was trying to make an appearance from behind a cloud. "Hope," she whispered as a beam hit the ground. The wind picked up and Amelia felt it rush through her hair. She silently thanked Wolf for leading her here, although she had come to realize that she had been much more in love with him than he ever had been with her. That's what happens with your first love when you aren't their first priority, perhaps.

Then there was Cooper. She smiled to herself just thinking about him. He loves me just as much as I love him. She felt a snowflake land on her cheek.

"You're going to get sick!" she heard from behind her.

"You can't get sick from the weather. Just germs." What germs were floating around here anyway? That was something interesting she'd have to start researching.

"It's as cold as... well, it's cold," he replied. She watched as he walked toward her.

Amelia's large lips were a beautiful sight against her pale skin. The light bouncing up off the snow made her look angelic. Cooper wished he had a camera with him right then so he could remember her like that forever. "And it's snowing now. Jesus, you tryin' to get stuck? Get in the house. C'mon."

She smiled and turned back around. "I'm not going to get stuck," she replied playfully. "I like to come out here and think, and it's pretty, too. Also, why did you follow me out here?"

"A little worried 'bout ya, Amelia, not gonna lie." He frowned, squinting as he looked forward at the sheets of snow.

"I was a little worried about me too there for a while, but I think I'm okay now. What about you? Are you okay?" She noticed he had a thermos with him. He opened it up and drank from it before talking.

"It's not easy, you know... this," he said pointing around with his free hand. "It's kind of like a good book, I guess; it's a challenge. You get to the end and realize it was worth it, and we aren't anywhere near the end here." Amelia smiled to herself, feeling the wind shoot through her hair again. Cooper liked how it looked as if her hair was standing up on its own as the wind took control. "This is just another page in another chapter, Brand. Got a whole lot more book to fill."

"See, you say it with such poetry and I'm all, 'yep, it's rough. Kind of sucks.'" Cooper laughed at her remark. She stuffed her gloved hands into her coat pockets.

"You're better at it than that," Cooper assured her, knowing she really didn't care. "The science hasn't gotten to you that much, has it?"

"I take offense to that," she joked, walking the two steps over to him. "I'm not that technical about everything."

"Really?" She beamed up at him. "Give me an example."

"I'll have to think about that." They both chuckled as they began to walk back toward the house.


The next morning Cooper sniffled through the house, still in his robe and pajamas. "Hey, Amelia, where did you put the teas?"

"Oh, no; you're sick, aren't you?" He nodded as she walked over to him and gently put the back of her right hand on his forehead. "You've got a fever but it's not terrible. Is your back aching? Eyes hot?"

"Yeah," he said weakly, closing his eyes.

"Okay, you go back upstairs and get in bed. I'll bring you some tea." She walked away and went back to the kitchen.

"Amelia, I can make tea. I'm not that sick." He felt a chill wash over him.

"Just let me do this. Go upstairs, get out two ibuprofen pills and I'll bring your tea and some water." Cooper did as instructed and walked back up the stairs.

"Two pills," he whispered to himself as he walked through their room and into the bathroom. He remembered that Amelia had everything organized in ABC order, so it would be easy to get what he needed. He opened up the medicine cabinet and found the bottle, grabbing two pills. Cooper tiredly walked out of the bathroom, put the pills down, and began turning the bed down, which was simple enough.

"Here's the tea," Amelia said cheerily as she walked into their room. "It's hot, so be careful. And here's the water." She put down the mug and glass on his bedside table. "Let me finish this."

"I can turn down the bed," he smiled, as he finished up. "You're doing enough." She rolled her eyes and walked into their bathroom.

"Don't take those pills just yet. I want to check your temperature." She opened up the medicine cabinet and looked for the thermometer, easily finding it. "I like having things organized."

"Really? I didn't know," he replied, getting giggle out of Amelia as she walked back into the room.

"These things haven't changed a bit," she muttered as she turned it on, handing it to him before walking back to the bathroom. Cooper put the thermometer under his tongue and gently climbed into the bed.

As if she was reading his mind, she told him she was getting him a cold washcloth for his head. She ran a washcloth under cold water and made sure that no water was dripping from it. The thermometer went off, and Cooper pulled it from his mouth. "One hundred point nine," he told her as she folded up the washcloth longways.

"Better than it could be," she replied as she handed him the pills and glass of water, watching as he quickly swallowed the medicine. "And here's the washcloth." He laid back onto the pillow stack and closed his eyes as he felt the pleasantly cool rag on his forehead.

"I've taken care of myself with temperatures like this before, you know." He felt the bed shift as she sat down next to him.

"Do you think I'd let you just take care of yourself while I could be helping?" Cooper shook his head gently. "Sit up a little bit so you can drink some of your tea. It'll make you feel better." She handed him the mug. "Besides, this is a whole lot easier than stitching you up from head to toe."

"You would've made a great doctor; I know you've got that title in front of your name but you know what I mean." She smiled at Cooper's remark.

"I doubt it, there aren't many people that I have patience with," she replied, laughing at her own pun.

"But you've got patience with me, huh?" He was an amazing flirt and he knew it. Smiling again, Amelia ran a hand through her hair.

"Just barely," she joked as she stood up. "You should nap."

"I'm not tired, though. Just stay here with me." Cooper pulled the covers down on Amelia's side, urging her to join him. "I can't imagine you're that busy right now, and I don't really want to sit here all by myself."

"Okay," she obliged, taking off her shoes. "Just so you don't get lonely." She got into the bed and sat her pillows up.

He smirked as she settled in. "Better," he said hoarsely. "See how nice things can be when you just relax?" Cooper turned to look at her, her lips in a smirk.

Amelia laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "I don't want to get sick, too."

Cooper coughed into his palm as Amelia moved back to her spot. "What if I'm not contagious?"

"It's likely that you are, though. I'll message Pates later and ask if anyone back at headquarters has been sick." Amelia looked out the window, the snow still falling. "We've got at least a seven inches out there now."

"You remember the salt trucks?" Cooper remembered being in elementary school and watching the salt trucks go by, dreading seeing them because that meant that he still had to go to school.

"Of course. You're talking about a girl who used to get cabin fever after a day in the house," she explained, smiling at the memory of her childhood home.

"One day?" Cooper liked staying at home, and he guessed that Amelia had a different opinion on it now.

"One day. I needed to walk around, see people... it's just in my nature, or it was," Amelia replied. "Didn't have much of a choice once my mom was gone and dad moved us."

"Being here would have to break you of that." She nodded in agreement. "Heck, being at the old NASA headquarters would have to break you of that. Changing the subject, but Amelia," he paused to sneeze.

"Bless you," Amelia said, pulling tissues from a box that he hadn't even realized was there.

"Anyway, I was wondering if maybe when the snow melts you wanted to go lookin' for the coast. It's close, neither of us has seen it yet. Might be a fun day trip."

"I would love that."


"I'm starting up the fire if you want to come down," Amelia yelled up the stairs.

Cooper got up from the bed slowly and began to go downstairs.

"I'm making you some more tea," he heard from behind him. "The kettle's on the stove."

He watched as she walked toward him with her hands in her pockets. "Thanks for everything today," he breathed.

"You don't need to thank me. I want to take care of you. I'm not happy that you're sick but I like taking care of you." Cooper pulled her into a hug and Amelia let her arms wrap around him. Looking up at him, her eyes landing on his lips. "I want to kiss you so bad right now."

Cooper laughed and began to lightly massage her lower back. "I'll make it up to you when I'm no longer under," he paused, "the weather."

Amelia giggled in response. "Really now?" Cooper smiled.

"You're gonna get sick, too if you keep this up." The kettle whistled, bringing them both out of their 'haze'.

"Saved by the bell," she joked as she walked back into the kitchen.

Cooper slowly entered the sitting room, seeing the fire Amelia had started up. He took the blanket from the end of the couch and unfolded it before sitting down.

"Here's some more tea. It's caffeine free, by the way," she explained as she handed him the mug.

"I'm gonna need melatonin anyway; caffeine wouldn't be a good idea." Cooper felt his feet being lifted, the blanket tucked under them. "Well, thank you."

"You're up for more ibuprofen in an hour, so you're going to start chilling again soon," she replied, her hand still on his now-covered feet. "Is there anything you need right now? Tissues?"

"No, I'm good." Cooper smiled weakly as he watched her. She didn't seem to know what to do next. "You look bored."

"I'm not bored," Amelia said softly, putting her hands in her lap, "I just have nothing to do right now." Cooper chuckled and leaned forward. "But I guess it's the same thing. Once the snow's gone and it warms up again, I won't have a free moment." The plants would all need to be heavily analyzed. Suddenly, Amelia jumped - they had both heard the sound. "The shield's not up..."

Cooper watched her jump up from the sofa. "I forgot since we haven't gone out today."

"It's not your fault, it's mine," she said from the window, dusk about over. "Oh God, no." She put down the blinds

"We're in the house, we're safe," Cooper reminded her. "Just come back and sit here and talk to me. Distract yourself."

Amelia reluctantly walked back to the sofa, arms crossed. She settled into the couch, laying down, her chest against his side.


They were woken up by the howling early into the morning. "Fuck," Amelia said out loud, and she felt a hand land on her shoulder, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin.

"Come here," she heard Cooper whisper groggily. She silently scooted over to him and laid back down; she felt his left arm wrap around her, looping underneath her own.

"There we go," he said. "You're safe. Nothing to worry about." Amelia sighed, desperately wanting to drown out the noise from outside.

She put her arm on top of Cooper's, her fingers lacing to his. "I know that they can't get us, but I don't like them."

Amelia felt Cooper nod behind her. "You saved me from those things once, you know."

"I did what I had to do," she stated flatly, the idea of it causing her to unconsciously grasp his hands tighter.

Cooper lightly chuckled as he felt her grip his hands. "Just go back to sleep. I don't hear them anymore, and if they come back and I don't wake up, just wake me up anyway. I don't want you to be scared all by yourself, alright?"

"Okay." Her grip on his hands loosened and she closed her eyes, hoping that maybe she would go back to sleep.


Amelia woke up the next morning with Cooper's cold. "I don't like this," she whispered, laying back down, putting a damp cloth to her head.

"We both sound like we've been yelling at a football game for hours," Cooper replied with a smile.

"Great." Amelia sneezed into a tissue. "Make it stop."

"That's what the medicine is for, Amelia. I'm not a miracle worker." Amelia disagreed with that slightly, but kept her opinion to herself. "Hey, at least I can't get you sick now."

"Yeah, because I'm already there," she laughed as she looked straight up at the ceiling. She took the rag off of her forehead and rolled onto her stomach. "Much better."

Cooper thought back to that first night they spent together - she'd come into his room after a bad dream, stayed the night, and he woke up to find her on her stomach, with half of her body on him, as if she hadn't even realized he was there.

Amelia sighed as she felt Cooper's fingers slip under her shirt and begin to graze up and down her back. "Thank you," she said softly. "You're so good at that."

"It's not exactly rocket science." His reply caused Amelia to smile.

"Well, we have a fairly good knowledge of that, so if you say it's not rocket science, I believe you." She was happy to have this time with him, even if they did both feel miserable. Amelia enjoyed the silence, and she knew that if Cooper kept it up, she would be asleep in no time. "That doesn't take away from how amazing it feels."

"I've got an idea." Cooper sat up and expertly pulled his t-shirt off, turning around to lay on his stomach. "Might as well try this out," he said.

"Okay," Amelia whispered, her hand moving to his back. "Mutual back scratches, hm?"

"Why not?" He smiled at her weakly as he felt her nails run up his spine. "I should get you to do this more often. The nails make it."

"You're doing a pretty good job without the nails, by the way," she managed to get out with a slight giggle.

"I don't think long nails would be a good look on me, Dr. Brand." Amelia laughed again.

"They do get in the way a lot, and mine aren't even really that long... just obviously longer than yours." She settled down again, trying not to go to sleep. "Move a little higher if you can, please."

"Demanding, now, aren't we?" Amelia fake-huffed, and closed her eyes.

"No, I just think I'm going numb at my lumbar curve." Cooper moved his hand up. "Much better."

"That's my favorite part of your back, though," he said as he watched her.

"You have a favorite part of my back? Why?" It was a weird compliment, but she was sure there was a reason for it.

"I just do." Okay, she thought. That's cute, I can live with it.

"I guess I just like how toned your back is, the whole thing," she replied embarrassingly, her face going red.

"Uh oh, there it is," Cooper observed, a grin appearing on his face.

"It's just the fever." Amelia knew he'd see right through that.

"You sure?" She felt his hand leave her back.

"Hey! What do you think you'r- ow!" She exaggerated her reaction as his hand lightly smacked her behind.

"Now that didn't hurt that bad," he responded, his hand still resting there.

"It didn't," Amelia whispered, reaching behind her and pick up his hand, moving it up to her back. "Back to my back scratch, though, please."

"As I said earlier, demanding, aren't we?" Amelia laughed again, burying her head under her pillow.