Dylan was once again home before Sam, despite the fact their shifts began at the same time- she would often be caught up with patients or get a last minute call out which more often than not resulted in her arriving home late. Being medical professionals in a pandemic was quite a lonely task, even though they had multiple colleagues around them and their own support systems - the sights and scenes they had seen , the suffering they had witnessed was something many felt they had to keep under lock and key in the deepest corner of their brains. However , this peculiar time had the opposite effect on Sam and Dylan they had begun to communicate with each other, something that in the past was definitley not a strong point in their relationship.
Dylan had often found himself being able to read his partners mood, he knew that if she was biting her lip she was anxious , if she had her shoulders slumped she was upset , if was fiddling with her hair that meant she was tired and if she was stood upright with her head ever so slightly tilted to the left that meant she was in a good mood.
The lock of the door turned as Sam twisted her key and entered the flat , her face was pale and her eyes tired. Dylan sensed she wasn't in a good mood but he couldn't figure how she was actually feeling.
"Hey you. Good day?" he reached out an olive branch for her to vent or get whatever she needed off her chest. However he only received a worrying shrug in return before she went off for a shower.
Dylan was left bemused, Sam never ignored him when she got in- even if it was just small talk she would carry a short conversation with him. The shower ran for approximately 15 minutes before stopping , he left her for another ten and then ventured into the bedroom to see her.
He was expecting to find her drying her hair or reading a medical journal but to his surprise he found her laid under the thick duvet, with Dervla curled up at the foot of the bed. Worry creeped in , Sam never went to bed this early - his mind was racing at 100 mph. Gently he reached down to feel her forehead - she did feel a little warm but not feverish.
The soft touch of Dylans fingertips woke Sam ; her eyelids fluttered as she focused her gaze on the stern figure hovering over her , " Mmm , what are you doing?" she questioned, confusion etched on her face.
" I came to check on you, you're never this quiet. Thought you might appreciate a friendly face," he admitted.
" Oh right, when is that friendly face getting here then," she joked cheekily, even if she was exhausted and feeling under the weather- sheb always somehow found the energy to tease him.
Dylan chuckled , "Seriously though, everything okay?" he was managing to conceal his worry well , not wanting to annoy by fussing over her.
A small sigh escaped the petite medics lips, "It's just a headache, don't you worry your pretty little head over it," she responded trying to ensure he did make a fuss over her.
Panic erupted in Dylans brain , although it was not a listed Covid-19 symptom he had heard from multiple patients and even colleagues that had suffered the terrible virus -the first thing they noticed was having a headache before the onset of any other symptoms. On the inside he was panicking, majorly concerned for his acquaintances health; however on the outside he presented as a calm, medical professional that had seen it all before.
The truth was that he had seen it all before and that caused him to worry more, he had seen what this virus was capable of doing to perfectly healthy adults.
"I think we ought to book you a Covid test, just to be on the safe side," he sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed and arranged for two Covid - 19 PCR testing kits to be sent to their address.
Was it Covid -19 causing Sams' headache? Was their Covid free streak over?