Reflections Chapter 28 - Unwell, a castle fanfic

Chapter 28 – Unwell

Johanna McKenzie was sick. At least that was what everyone kept telling her. She vehemently denied it of course, brushing it off as nothing but a mild cold as she coughed and wheezed…and according to Sharon, looked like hell. She knew that she looked like hell but so did the majority of the office. It seemed like everyone had something; colds, flus, respiratory problems and any host of other ailments. The place was a germ factory. Jim had been watching her with an eagle eye for days, ever since that first sneeze and croupy cough met his ears. He begged her every day to surrender and stay home for a few days but she had a case in court and clients to see, so she merely smiled indulgently…three times a day…and assured him that she was fine and that she was treating herself with over the counter cold medication.

He claimed that she was getting worse…and while she denied it to him, she knew that her cough was indeed worse and that it now had the added annoyance of hurting her chest. Her head hurt, she was tired…and she was pretty sure that she was running a low grade fever. Johanna sighed as she rested her head on her desk. The case was finished and she'd asked Sharon to reschedule the meeting she had later that afternoon. Maybe she should admit defeat and let Jim take her home on his lunch break. Home sounded good. The thought of shedding her work attire and slipping into her pajamas was appealing as well. She was also certain that if she strained her ears enough, she'd hear her bed calling out to her. Bed…that sounded good…very, very good. Maybe if she just went to bed for awhile she'd feel better. She'd take tomorrow off and everything would be fine.

With that thought in mind, Johanna pressed the button on the intercom. "Sharon?"

"Yeah?" her secretary replied.

"Call Jim and tell him I surrender."

"It's about time," Sharon remarked. "I'll call his office now."

"Thank you."

An hour later, Jim was escorting her through the door of her apartment, concern written all over his face as she suffered through a sharp coughing spell. "Jo, let me take you to the doctor."

She shook her head as she dropped her briefcase by the door, and then after a split second of debate, dropped her purse there as well, feeling like the trek to the closet just wasn't worth the effort. Her keys landed on the stand as she headed toward the kitchen. "I just need to take more cold medicine," she said, knowing that he was following behind her.

"Sweetheart, I don't think it's helping much."

"I'll be fine," she assured; pouring herself a glass of water before measuring out a dose of the cough syrup.

Jim was finding that hard to believe. She had already been dealing with this for a week now and he wasn't seeing an improvement. He wasn't sure why she wanted to be stubborn, especially since she seemed to be upping the medication ante by swallowing two pain relievers as well.

"Why don't you go and get checked; maybe you need a prescription."

"I don't like doctors; you always come out worse than when you went in."

"And yet you dated a med student."

She eyed him. "I rest my case."

"You don't like doctors because of him?"

"No, I haven't liked doctors since I was a kid. I meant that in relation to Cade, I came out worse than I was before I went into the relationship which proves my theory."

Jim shook his head. "I don't think so. You're going to have to go eventually."

"Not if I get better on my own."

"Jo…"

"Jim," she sighed as she turned to walk away; "Don't argue with me right now."

He followed her to her bedroom, taking note that she had left her bed unmade which was highly unlike her. She moved to the chair and picked up a pair of pink silk pajamas. "Do you want me to get you some lunch?" he asked.

"No, I'm not hungry," she replied while stepping out of her shoes.

"Did you eat breakfast?"

"A few crackers."

"That's not enough."

"That's all I felt like," Johanna remarked, her fingers falling to the buttons on her blouse.

"You must be really sick if you're going to get undressed in front of me without even trying to get me out of the room."

"I figure you've seen me in a bikini so what's the difference…of course I could also make the argument that a gentleman would turn his back out of politeness."

"Who said I'm polite?" he teased.

A small smile graced her lips. "I do."

She was pale and tired, he shouldn't torment her, he thought to himself as he turned his back to her. "Thank you," she murmured as she heard the sounds of clothes being shed and the pajamas taking their place.

"No problem."

"I'm finished," she said after a few moments.

He turned back around to find her crawling into her bed and he moved toward it, pulling the covers up over her. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You can bring me a glass of water if you want. I meant to bring it with me and forgot."

"I'll get it."

When he returned to the room with her glass of water, he saw that she had clicked on the small TV that sat on the dresser. "Anything else?" he asked.

She squinted against the sunlight that was coming through the window. "Can you close the blind for me?"

He did as she asked and then returned to her side. "Are you going to be alright here alone?"

"Yes," Johanna replied with a soft laugh that morphed into a cough. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat."

"I'm positive."

"Alright, but you're going to eat dinner later."

Her brow rose. "Am I?"

"Yes," he said sternly; "Because I will be back to check on you. Now you get some rest and I'll make sure your door locks."

She murmured goodbye, her heavy eyelids sliding shut as she heard him closing the door of her apartment.

Jim returned after work as promised, worry setting in when he had to knock a third time before she opened the door. "You don't look any better," he stated when she appeared before him.

Johanna gave him a hint of a smirk. "Neither do you."

He smiled. "I guess I deserved that for not properly phrasing my remark."

"We'll call it even," she agreed as she stepped back and allowed him inside. "Where's your coat?"

"In the car."

"You're going to get sick."

"I never get sick," Jim remarked. "You're the one who's sick."

"I'm not sick," Johanna proclaimed. "I'm just unwell."

"And the difference is?"

"I don't feel like explaining it to you."

"Which has to be a sure sign of illness," he responded as she coughed. "I don't like these coughing spells of yours, Jo. You had a pretty bad one this morning in the break room."

"I'm not too crazy about them myself," she answered as she returned to the couch and laid back down, leaving him to take the chair. Her throat felt raw but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"I could take you to a doctor."

"No. It just takes time for the cough syrup to work…and I never take the full recommended dosage. Mom always says that they prescribe too much on the box. I cut the dose in half."

"Then it's no wonder you aren't getting any better."

"Mom says that the doses are too high. They might be fine for a man but not a woman. I trust her judgment."

"And where did Naomi get her medical degree?"

Johanna eyed him sharply. "She doesn't need a degree, she's a mother."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I trust my mother over any doctor or quack who writes the directions for over the counter medication. If she's in doubt, she asks Grandma, and being that she's made it to eighty, I'd say she knows what she's doing."

"Well my mother clamps your nose and shoves the full dose in your mouth when you open it to breathe and I don't think she would've done that if she thought it would do us harm."

She shrugged a shoulder. 'What's your point?"

"The point is that I trust my mother and she always gives and recommends the full dosage."

Johanna suffered through another round of coughing and was forced to take a drink before she could continue. "But you're a man, it's different. I'm built differently than you are."

He grinned. "Yes, I've noticed that."

She rolled her eyes. "What I meant is that a dose that's all right for your weight might be too much for mine and kill me. I'm not taking that chance."

"My mother takes the dosage listed on the box and she's fine."

"That's a matter of opinion," she replied wryly.

The corner of his mouth curved upwards. "She always gave my sister the recommended dose too."

"I don't care what Elizabeth Beckett does," Johanna declared. "My mother pushed me out of her birth canal and my grandmother caught me at the end of the journey; their word is law. If they say it's too much, it's too much."

"Okay," he replied; "Be stubborn. I guess you'll have to learn the hard way."

"Kind of like how you'll have to learn the hard way about wearing a coat."

"What do you mean your grandmother caught you at the end of the journey?" Jim asked; the remark finally sinking into his brain.

"I was a week overdue when my mother took Frankie and went to visit Grandma. While they were there a blizzard hit and she went into labor. They couldn't get her to the hospital and a doctor couldn't get to them and neither could Dad. Grandma ended up delivering me; I was born in the bed that my mother grew up sleeping in. Needless to say but they were unprepared for me, Grandma had to go borrow diapers from a neighbor and then she had to dig out the box of baby clothes she had kept. They dressed me in my mom's old baby gown and I had to sleep in a dresser drawer."

"Wow."

"Yeah, so you see, they went through a lot of trouble to get me into the world so I doubt they'd steer me wrong about health matters."

"With all due respect to your mother and grandmother, I think you'd be okay to take a full dose. I'll stay here with you if it worries you."

"I'm not going to do it."

"Sweetheart…"

She closed her eyes. "Don't try to guilt me. I don't like taking too much medicine."

"You should like being sick even less."

"I do."

"Then you should…"

"If I let you come over here on the couch with me, will you just stop and watch TV with me?" she interrupted.

Jim gave her a knowing look as he held her gaze and she returned it with a semi-innocent look of her own. He sighed and she smiled, knowing that she had won as he moved toward the sofa. She sat up so that there would be room for him and then she sweetened the deal by lifting his arm and melting into his side. "You get away with far too much, Johanna," he commented as he adjusted his arm around her.

"You must not mind, you keep coming back for more."

He gave a soft short laugh and pressed a kiss against her hair. "Guilty as charged."

The following day after work, Jim once again made the trek to Johanna's door. He hadn't had time to stop and see her that morning, although he had called earlier to check on her. He had to knock a second time before he heard her footsteps padding toward the door.

"Hey," she said upon seeing him, her voice raspy from her illness.

"How are you feeling, Jo?" he asked as he stepped inside her apartment.

"I'm okay," she answered, forcing a small smile to her lips.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course," she said between coughs. "I just hope you don't catch it."

"I'm not worried," he remarked as he shrugged out of his jacket. "I tried to call you before I left the office but you didn't answer."

"I was asleep; you had already hung up by the time I grabbed the phone. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry," he replied. "I planned on stopping regardless of if you answered or not. You can tell me anything over the phone…and knowing you, you will."

She managed a soft smirk. "You worry too much."

"Stop giving me reason to and I won't. I don't think I've ever seen you sick before…"

Johanna shrugged. "It was bound to happen…but it doesn't happen too often if that eases your mind any."

"It'll ease my mind once I see that you're better. This has been hanging on for awhile, sweetheart."

She knew where this was going and decided to head it off as she didn't feel up to an argument. She didn't feel up to much of anything for that matter. "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure."

Johanna grabbed her cup from the stand and moved to the kitchen, feeling another breath stealing attack coming on and she hoped she could quell it but as she made it to the counter, she knew she wouldn't be able to.

Jim stood by, watching as she fought the severe coughing spell. She wasn't getting any better, regardless of what she tried to tell him. He knew that she hadn't been eating and it was starting to show as she looked a little thinner than she already had been. Her face was pale, her cheeks flushed in the obvious sign of a fever. Her breathing seemed labored and it worried him. He was positive that she sounded worse than when he had called her at lunch time. As her coughing spell diminished, he handed her a glass of water.

"Jo, please let me take you to a doctor."

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Treating yourself over the counter isn't working."

"It just takes time," she answered; but in all honesty she felt horrible.

"It's been over a week, you're not getting any better. You're getting worse."

Johanna was about to respond but before she could, another cough wracked her frame and she winced as it hurt her chest. She glanced up at Jim's face to see if he had seen the wince, and as her eyes locked on his she knew that he had.

"It hurts when you cough, doesn't it?" he asked.

She nodded; knowing it was futile to lie about it. "Johanna," he breathed, and the way he said her name made her want to bury herself in his arms...and for some reason, she gave in to that urge without thought or debate.

Jim wrapped his arms around her as she nestled against him. She was warm. Too warm, he thought. He had already assessed that she had a fever but now he feared that it was higher than he had thought. He pulled back from her and laid his hand against her forehead. "Johanna, you're burning up."

"I probably need more Advil," she answered; moving to grab the bottle from the counter but he grabbed her arm.

"Go get dressed," he told her firmly. "I'm taking you to the hospital and we're not going to argue about it."

"Jim..."

"I said you're going, Johanna. This isn't up for debate any longer. Now go, or I'll pick you up and carry you out in your pajamas."

She tried to glare at him but failed miserably and his no nonsense stare had her feet carrying her out of the kitchen and towards her bedroom.

While she changed, Jim gathered up her coat and purse and pocketed her keys. She finally re-emerged, dressed in jeans and a sweater. She slipped her arms into the coat he held out for her, not even bothering to comment when he reached for the buttons and fastened them himself.

He looked into her eyes, and gave her a small smile. "I'm only forcing you to go for your own good, sweetheart. If you won't take care of yourself, then as your friend, I have to step in and do it for you. I just want you to get better."

"I know," she whispered.

Jim pressed a kiss to her forehead and handed her purse to her. "It'll be okay," he promised.

Two and a half hours later, Jim wasn't all that certain that things were alright. He had been pacing a hole in the floor ever since Johanna had been taken back to see the doctor. He had wanted to go with her, but the nurse had stopped him and told him to wait outside. He could tell that Johanna had been upset by the command and it made him even more impatient to be reunited with her. He didn't know if there was a reason that she was reluctant to see a doctor, and if there was, then that was all the more reason for him to be with her. He dragged a hand through his hair. Why didn't someone come and tell him something? What if this was worse than he had thought? What if she was...no, he wouldn't go there, he told himself as his throat tightened. Johanna would be fine. She had to be and he'd make sure of it. He'd make sure she had the best care he could find.

Another ten laps up and down the corridor and finally a doctor called his name. He hurried towards him, panic filling him. "How is she?" he demanded to know.

The doctor told him that she had an infection in her lungs similar to bronchitis. As the doctor went on, explaining that she'd need to stay overnight and the medications that they were going to run through the I.V.'s, there were only two questions on Jim's mind.

"Is she going to be okay?" he questioned.

"She'll be fine," the doctor assured. "She's just lucky that she didn't wait much longer or it could've been a lot worse than it is."

"Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, she's asking for you. Follow me."

Jim followed the doctor down the hallway and then pushed open the door that he indicated.

"This must be your friend," the nurse said to Johanna as she glanced at the door.

"Jim," Johanna said as she turned her head in his direction.

"I'm here, Jo," he said as he sat down in the chair next to her bed and took her hand. Somehow she looked even paler against the crisp whiteness of the hospital sheets. It made his heart twist painfully.

"I told them that you were probably getting impatient," she said quietly.

He smiled. "More like worried; besides, everyone knows that you're the impatient one."

"You've had your moments," she replied and then tears filled her eyes as she looked at him. "They're making me stay here, Jim."

"I know," he replied as he rubbed her arm. "But it's just for the night. The doctor said they need to get some strong medicine into you to start fighting this infection, Sweetheart."

"I know, but I want to go home."

"I'll take you home in the morning," Jim promised.

She gave him a weary smile but it soon faded as a cough over took her.

"You'll get some relief from that cough as soon as this medicine starts getting into your system," the nurse said as she made final adjustments to the IV's.

"I hope so," Johanna murmured tiredly.

"You're going to be fine," Jim assured; although his worries weren't entirely eased. The dark shadows under her eyes told the story of the sleep she hadn't been getting due to her cough and he hoped that it hadn't left her too weak. The nurse gave instructions to call her if she was needed and then she left them alone.

"Do you want me to call your mother?" he asked as their gazes collided.

"No, don't do that," she answered; her tone somewhat pleading.

"Why not?"

"Because I'll be fine... there's no reason to worry her."

"What else?" he asked; sensing that she was holding something back.

Her eyes closed for a moment. "My father doesn't like illness."

"I don't think anyone enjoys it," Jim replied.

"No," Johanna said; "I mean he really dislikes it and doesn't want to be around it. He couldn't stand it when we'd get sick as kids, and being as I annoy him enough when I'm healthy...I try not to notify them when I'm sick unless I have to."

"If you want your mother, you should have her. Your father can get over it and I'll tell him that."

Johanna coughed again, wincing as she did so. "Don't call her."

"Okay," he relented. "What about your sister?"

"No, it's really not necessary to call anyone. If you'll just stay with me until I fall asleep, I'll be fine."

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "I'll be here when you wake up."

"You don't have to stay all night, Jim. There's no reason for you to be uncomfortable. I'll be fine."

"I'm staying right here," he stated. "I'm not leaving you alone."

She didn't offer any further argument which in his opinion only showed how sick she really was.

Her eyes were feeling heavy but she fought against the wave of sleepiness that was crashing over her. "I was in the hospital once when I was six...my Dad left me there alone," she said tiredly. "I was so afraid."

Anger filled him but he quelled it. "Why were you in the hospital?"

"Mom and us kids caught this virus that was going around. I had it pretty bad. The fever wouldn't break and I was dehydrating. Mom was too sick to take me to a doctor so she made Dad take me to the hospital. They said they'd have to keep me and after he filled out the papers and saw me put into my room; he patted my head and said he had to go home. I begged him not to leave me," she whispered as the memory of herself crying, 'Daddy, please don't leave me alone' filled her mind.

Jim's hand tightened around hers. Now he understood why she had been reluctant to go to the doctor. That experience had left a scar and she had feared being put into the hospital and left alone.

"I guess he didn't have much choice," Johanna remarked quietly as she pushed the memory away. "The others were sick too but back then all I knew was that I was scared"

"Couldn't your father have called someone to go and be with your mother? Or someone to be with you? Weren't your grandparents around or something?" he asked.

"I don't know if Grandpa McKenzie would've came or not, I kind of doubt it. There were my mom's parents though. My mom made us memorize our grandmother's name, address and phone number in case of emergencies. The nurse that stayed with me that night asked me if I had a grandmother. I gave her the information and when my Dad called instead of coming back to check on me the next day, they called my grandmother."

"Did she come?" Jim asked.

Johanna nodded. "She was furious with my father. She couldn't believe that he hadn't called her. She stayed with me until I was released and then she took me home with her until the rest of the family was over it."

"What did your father think of that?"

"He didn't give a damn. He packed me a bag and my grandfather stopped and got it on his way to pick up me and Grandma."

Someone should've wrung her father's neck, Jim thought to himself. He could understand that the man had three other people to think of, but to leave his little girl alone like that when he clearly could've called Naomi's mother to be with her, was unforgivable.

"Do you want me to call your grandmother?"

She smiled. "No. I'm not going to drag my grandmother out into the cold and all the way from Brooklyn just to hold my hand, although I'm sure she'd come if I needed her to. I don't expect you to sit here all night either. "

"I know you don't, but I'm not leaving you," he replied; especially after what he had just learned. "You rest now. I'll be right here. Everything's going to be okay."

She nodded; her eyes beginning to flutter rapidly as she clutched his hand. His thumb caressed the skin of her wrist and finally she gave in to the sleep that was waiting to claim her.

A few hours later, Jim was still sitting at her side; his face conveying his concern as he watched over her. She looked so small and fragile lying there and all he wanted to do was gather her up in his arms and make everything better for her. Why had he let her wait so long to seek care? He should've picked her up and dragged her to a doctor kicking and screaming two days ago when she had that terrible coughing spell at the office. He should've taken better care of her. He rubbed a hand over his face. He wouldn't make that mistake again. If she didn't want or felt like she couldn't contact her family, then he would be her family and he would see to it that she got well.

His fingers traced the lines of her hand, smiling slightly as he trailed across the glossy red polish of her nails. He glanced to her face, even as sick as she was, she was still beautiful, he thought to himself. He felt that familiar jolt in his heart, the one that everyone kept insisting was love...and maybe it was. Maybe he had fallen for her, it was a thought he had entertained on numerous occasions but he always brushed it aside. It was, however, a thought that was getting harder to ignore. In fact, he hadn't ignored it all that much while they were on vacation, had he? He had freely allowed his thoughts to float in that direction…even if he did try to remind himself once in awhile that it was perfectly fine to love a friend. But it wasn't love for a friend, was it? It was something deeper and stronger, wasn't it?

The door of the room opened, jerking him from his train of thought. The nurse, a kindly older woman, gave him a smile as she moved to the opposite side of the bed to check on Johanna.

"Don't look so worried," she said quietly, but with warmth. "She's going to be just fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded. "Her temperature is almost normal now, and she's responding well to the medication."

"She just looks so fragile."

The nurse smiled. "She's just worn out from this illness but once she gets rested and gets a little nourishment, she'll be back to herself."

"I hope so," Jim said. "She worries me when she's not being sassy."

"How long have the two of you been together?"

"We're not...together," he stammered. "We're just friends."

"Are you sure about that?" she questioned as she eyed him with amusement.

Jim nodded. "I'm sure."

"Your eyes say otherwise," the nurse told him.

"So I've been told," he commented.

"Maybe you should listen."

He smirked at her. "By any chance would you know my friend Jeff Campbell?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Why do you ask?"

"You just sounded a lot like him."

The older woman chuckled. "Trying to knock sense into you is he? Maybe you should think about it. I bet she'd be receptive," she said with a nod towards Johanna.

"What makes you say that?"

"I saw the two of you when you came in. It was easy to tell that you should be a couple."

He laughed quietly. "Maybe one day."

She shook her head at him, a smile on her face. "Men, they're always putting things off. I'll be back in a little while to check on her."

"Thank you," he told her as she glided towards the door.

He returned to his vigil, and a half hour later Johanna stirred. "Jim," she whispered sleepily.

"I'm right here, Sweetheart," he answered as he squeezed her hand.

"Cold," she murmured.

"You're cold?" he asked.

She nodded and Jim shrugged out of his suit jacket and laid it over her, tucking it around her and then he laid his coat over her as well.

"Is that better?" he asked as he smoothed back her hair.

"Yes," she whispered as she snuggled into the pillow, sleep pulling her under once again.

He settled back into his chair, his hand seeking hers once again. He'd take care of her; he'd make her well again…no matter what it took.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked the next morning as Johanna sat on the hospital bed.

"I just want to go back to sleep," she replied as he pulled her coat around her and held it so that she could slip her arms into the sleeves.

"You can go back to sleep as soon as I get you home," he promised. "I'll drop you off and then I'll go get your medicine."

She bobbed her head sleepily and the thought came to mind that this might be as docile as he had ever seen her. It was somewhat disconcerting. "You ready?" he asked as he handed her her purse.

"Mhmm."

"You have to move if you want to leave, sweetheart," Jim stated as he waited for her to slip down from her perch.

Johanna scrubbed a hand over face and then pushed herself off the bed. "You need to find out what they drugged me with…I think it numbed my brain cells…we might have to sue."

"If you're thinking lawsuits than you're probably okay," he answered as he took her arm and led her from the room.

She dozed on the ride back to her apartment and he had to shake her awake to make the walk inside. Jim knew that her illness had her worn down and that she was exhausted; the medication only added to that but it still worried him.

Jim kept hold of her until she was safely inside her apartment and sitting on her bed. Johanna opened her purse and dug out her wallet and handed him some money to pay for her prescriptions.

"Are you going to be alright here while I get your medicine?" he asked as he took her purse and set it on her vanity.

"I'll be fine…I'm going to bed."

"Do you want me to wait until you've changed your clothes?"

She raked her hand through her hair, maybe he should stay until she was settled; she did feel pretty groggy from the amount of medication they had pumped into her at the hospital. "Yeah, maybe you should wait."

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"Like when you wanted to help me with my Halloween costume?" she inquired; infusing some lightness into her scratchy tone.

He grinned. "No; I swear it was entirely innocent this time."

"I appreciate the offer but I think I can manage."

"Alright, I'll just wait while you do what you need to do."

Johanna rose from her bed and snatched up her pajamas and retreated to the bathroom. When she returned to her bedroom, she found that Jim had pulled down the covers for her and turned on the TV. He had also closed the blinds against the early morning sunlight. "Thank you," she murmured as she slipped into her bed and he pulled the covers up over her.

"I'll be back," he said, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"Wait, hand me my purse."

He did as she asked and stood by as she rummaged through it. "Here," she said as she held up a key. "Take this and let yourself in if I don't hear you."

Jim accepted her key and put her purse back on the vanity. "Go to sleep, I'll be back soon."

She nodded in agreement and was asleep before he had even pulled away from her building.

"Don't you have to be at work?" Johanna asked tiredly awhile later when Jim appeared in her bedroom with the bag from the pharmacy.

"I'll get there," Jim replied. "I called Sally from the hospital and told her I'd be late. She wasn't thrilled with being woke up so early but she'll get over it. After I picked up your medicine, I stopped at my place and changed and grabbed what I need for work so I'll be ready to go when I leave here."

"Sorry," she murmured; feeling like she had caused him a lot of inconvenience.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" he asked. "You need taken care of and that's what I'm going to do. I think you probably still have enough medication in you that we can wait until I come at lunch time to start you on these pills, that way we can get you on a schedule. That's how my mother has always done it…and I know you don't care what Elizabeth Beckett does but I do and you'll do what I say now that I have you where I want you."

"That's not a very nice attitude…or beside manner," she jested.

"Now, sweetheart, you know you love my bedside manner. You get some more sleep and I'll call in a little while to check on you. I'll come back on my lunch break too. I'll bring you something to eat."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know but I am and you're going to eat what I bring."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll shove it down your throat," he replied.

Johanna arched a brow at him. "Is that what your mother would say?"

"Yes."

"My mother wouldn't say that. She'd coax my appetite with things I like…like cake."

"Cake isn't going to make you better."

"That's what you think," she responded as she slid back down in her bed and curled into a ball, her eyes feeling heavy again.

"I'm not your mother. You're playing by Beckett rules now, sweetheart…and they are no nonsense when it comes to illness."

"You've should've told me the rules before we started the game."

"There's no fun in that," Jim quipped. "I'm going to get you a glass of water and put it on your stand. My mom always says that you have to stay hydrated when you're sick."

"I think that's for when you have the flu."

He shook his head. "Mom makes that a rule for every illness; she says liquids will flush out the germs."

"I don't think water is going to flush an infection out of my lungs."

"Well it won't hurt anything if it doesn't," he retorted.

Johanna gave a wave of her hand, sending him off to fetch the water if it made him happy. She'd didn't have the energy to argue and it would save her a trip if she got thirsty. As she coughed, wincing at the ache in her chest, she wondered if Beckett rules had any provisions for coddling and nurturing like the Calabrese-McKenzie rules did. If not, she was in serious trouble.

On the second evening after her hospital stay, Jim sat on Johanna's sofa wondering how it was that he had ended up with her pillow and her head on his lap as she watched an I Love Lucy rerun. It always seemed like these things happened without his notice, he thought to himself as his fingers threaded through her hair. He didn't mind of course, it was sort of cozy and a special brand of comfortable happiness even if she wasn't feeling well…and all he had to do was look at her to know that she still wasn't feeling anywhere near better yet. She also wasn't talking as much as she usually did, which was disconcerting to say the least. He was still worried but he knew that he had to give the medication time to work and given her close proximity, he could tell that she wasn't wheezing nearly as much as she had been so she had to be improving some.

Johanna laughed softly as she watched Lucy walk the ledge of her apartment building, dressed up as Superman to keep from breaking the promise she had made to Little Ricky about having the superstar at his birthday party. Jim's quiet laugh joined hers as they watched the woman battle pigeons and a loose drain pipe as she eased along the ledge. "My mom would've done that," she commented, breaking the silence between them.

"You think so?"

"Yes; she would've done anything to make us happy. Would your mom have done it?"

Jim laughed at the thought of Elizabeth Beckett in a leotard and cape, walking on a high ledge. "Hell no; she would've never promised such entertainment for a birthday party. Dad would've done it though. He wouldn't have hesitated."

She smiled. "I believe that; he seems like the type that would go that extra mile."

"He'll go ten extra miles if you need him to," Jim replied. "What about you? Would you do what Lucy's doing?"

"Yes; I would do it."

"But you're afraid of heights."

"For my baby, I'd do anything…even something that terrified me," Johanna remarked. "That's what mothers do…and fathers too. Wouldn't you scale a ledge for your child?"

"If it was really important, yes, I would."

"But not for a birthday party?"

Jim was quiet for a moment as he pondered it. "I don't know, I guess it would depend on the circumstances."

"I would do it," Johanna said once again. "I might make a fool out of myself but I'd do it."

"I believe you would," he said, his tone gentle but strong in his belief in her words. "I don't doubt for a second that you'd do anything you could for your child…hell, I think you'd do it for Greg if you had to."

"I would…but I'd make Frankie feel guilty for not doing it himself."

"That would be the right thing to do in that case."

"I think so too," she remarked before coughing. He saw her wince a little and it was like a knife sticking him every time he saw that flicker of discomfort on her face.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

As the episode ended and the next began, he could tell that her eyes were beginning to droop. "You need to go to bed, Jo; you're sleepy."

"No," she whispered. "I want to watch Lucy…I always feel better when I watch Lucy."

He wasn't about to question the healing powers that she believed watching an old black and white comedy could give her, and maybe watching the show did make her feel better somehow but he had a feeling that she just didn't want to move. He also couldn't help but wonder if maybe she didn't want to be alone…and having her head resting on his lap meant that he wasn't going anywhere if she didn't move.

"You could turn it on in your bedroom, then if you fall asleep you'll already be in bed."

"A few more minutes and then I'll get up," she murmured.

Jim continued to drag his fingers through her hair. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep if you want," he said quietly.

"Would you?" she asked softly.

"You know I will…is it what you want?"

Johanna nodded and he untangled his fingers from her hair and gave her hip a pat. "Come on then, let's go get settled while the commercial is on."

She removed herself from his lap and picked up her pillow as he clicked off the television and took her hand. She followed him sleepily and settled into her bed while he found the channel they had been watching in the living room. He took up residence in the vacant space beside her, allowing her to curl up against him as the commercial break ended and the show reappeared on the screen.

Johanna was asleep before the show ended but Jim lingered for awhile, making sure that she was settled before he carefully got up from her bed and tucked the covers more securely around her. He thought about staying…she always seemed so small when she was asleep and it always gave the urge to keep her tucked close to him so that she'd be warm and safe as she dreamed…but he shouldn't, he thought to himself. He had to work in the morning and it was best if he went home. He left the television on, knowing that she seemed to be under the impression that she slept better that way and then he moved through her apartment and turned off the lights and made sure that her door locked behind him as he left himself out.

After making it through the first few days, things seemed to fall into a pattern. Jim got up earlier than usual to get ready for work and then he headed to Johanna's and coerced her into eating a piece of toast while handing her the medication she needed to take. He went to work, making time in his schedule to call every so often to check on her. If he couldn't make it back to her place for lunch, he called and made her take her medicine while she was on the phone with him. He'd then nag her to eat a sandwich. If he was in court, he had Sharon call her. After work he'd head to her place, inquire about her late afternoon dose of medication, update her on work, watch TV with her and order something for dinner. He stayed until she was tucked back into her bed for the night.

Overall he felt like he had the semantics of his schedule down pat. Johanna, however, wasn't the world's best patient. She resented being woke up, she didn't want to eat and she wasn't overly concerned with being on schedule in regard to her medication if it got in the way of her nap. She was cranky. She whined. She glared. There were moments when she tried his patience…but there were also moments when she'd cuddle up next to him on the sofa, her head on his shoulder. There were soft looks and indulgent smiles. He smiled to himself as he thought of those moments as he once again made the early morning trek to her door. He needed to keep those moments in mind, he thought to himself as he shoved the key into the lock and opened the door, because Johanna McKenzie was not a morning person…and wake up calls were not always greeted kindly.

Jim moved quietly down the hallway and peeked into her bedroom. She was snuggled down under the covers, sound asleep, the TV playing in the background as it had been when he had left the night before. He moved back down the hallway, letting her have a little longer to sleep as he went into her kitchen and began fixing her something to eat and getting her medication ready. When he finished, he carried the items back to her room and sat them on her nightstand.

"Jo," Jim said as he shook her gently. "Get up; you need to take your medicine and eat something."

"Go away," Johanna muttered as she rolled away from him and pressed her face into the other pillow.

"You know I can't," he replied as he reached out and rolled her back over. "Come on now; get up and take your medicine. I made you some toast and I brought you some juice. I want to see all of it disappear before I have to go to work."

"I feel like I joined the army," she mumbled. "What time do you get up that you're here at the crack of dawn to be mean to me?"

"It's not the crack of dawn and I'm not being mean to you."

There was a sleepy mumble that he couldn't decipher and he reached out and shook her again. "Johanna," he said more sternly.

She huffed in annoyance but the gesture only served to bring on a coughing spell that wracked her slender frame. "See, that's why you need to take your medicine," Jim remarked as he handed her the glass of juice to sip before handing her the pills she needed to swallow.

"There, I took it," she replied when she was finished. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"No; eat your breakfast," he replied as he reached out to fix her pillows.

"Can I go to the bathroom first? You don't even give a girl time to get awake."

Jim smiled. "Of course you can. I don't want it to be said that I kept a lady from her morning routines."

"Smart ass," she muttered as she climbed out of her bed.

"Don't think you can hide in there and that I'll leave," he called after her. "I'm not going anywhere until you eat."

True to his word, Jim was still standing in her bedroom when Johanna returned but at least she had her teeth brushed. She had thought about running a comb through her hair but that required more effort than she felt like giving at the moment. She just wanted to go back to bed.

"You ready for your breakfast now?" he asked once she was propped against her pillows.

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't care," he stated as he handed her the small plate containing two slices of toast that he had smeared with her preferred strawberry jelly. "Eat it anyway."

Johanna managed a glare and a smile played across his lips. "Your glares are looking better, Jo. We might have you on the path to wellness."

"Apparently they're not effective enough," she responded as she picked up a piece of toast and nibbled on it.

"If they were effective you'd be well and I'd be driving you to work."

"Are you going to stand there and watch me eat?"

"I can sit down if you'd prefer."

"I wish you would…having you tower over me and issue demands really does give my bedroom a military feel."

Jim smirked at her as he perched on the edge of her bed. "Better?"

"Yes," she replied; her gaze flicking towards the clock on her nightstand. "Tell me the truth, are you sleeping on my couch and just pretending to go home at night? Because you're up, ready for work, here making a light breakfast and barking orders and it's barely seven thirty."

"No! I go home."

"I wasn't going to be mad," she replied after chewing up another bite of toast. "I was just going to say that you could've slept in here and been more comfortable. I'm not contagious and I've gotten a few glimpses of myself in the mirror so I know that in my current state I'm extremely unattractive and unappealing so I'm sure you wouldn't be thinking about straying from your own side of the bed…and even if you did, I don't have enough energy to make it worth it so I think I'm pretty safe."

"Hey; don't go saying things like that. You're beautiful," Jim stated; his hand moving to rest against her knee which was concealed beneath the covers.

Johanna looked at him. "You're going to look a sick woman in the face and lie to her like that?"

He reached out and brushed back a strand of her tousled hair. "I'm not lying…you're beautiful."

"How can you say that? I'm a mess."

"Not to me," he replied sincerely.

A small smile touched her lips. "Okay, since you can say that with a straight face and actually sound like you mean it…I'll forgive you for waking me up so early again."

"I only do it for your own good; now eat some more of that."

She coughed a few times; wincing at the soreness in her chest and it made his heart ache as he handed her the glass of juice once again. "Do you feel any better, sweetheart? Do I need to take you back to the doctor?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm feeling a little better; I can tell the cough is different now; like the infection is breaking up. I just figure it's going to hurt for awhile. I can handle that though; what I hate is being so tired."

"That's to be expected when you're sick. You need to rest so your body can heal."

"I'm going to be so far behind at work."

"Don't worry about work right now," he replied.

"That's easy for you to say."

"You're cranky, Jo."

"That's what happens when you get woke up around the clock when you're trying to sleep."

"You just said you forgave me; you can't take it back," he quipped lightly. "Besides; you put yourself in my care. I was going to turn you over to your mother but you didn't want that."

She frowned. "You don't have to take care of me. I can take care of myself. I can set the alarm to wake me up when I need to take my medicine and I can make myself choke down some toast once in awhile. I'll be fine on my own."

"Hey; what's that all about? I didn't say that I didn't want to take care of you."

"I don't need taken care of. I'm not a little girl."

"Well I'm taking care of you anyway and I don't want to hear another word about it," Jim remarked firmly. "Now you eat that last piece of toast and I mean it."

She didn't want it but she picked it up and nibbled at it anyway. She was tired and irritable and she wanted to go back to sleep…even worse, she wanted to curl up in the circle of his arms and let him baby her for awhile but that wasn't an option…and besides, she looked like hell, regardless of what he said.

"I think that's all I can manage," Johanna stated once she had nibbled away half of the second piece of toast.

Jim frowned slightly. "Okay…maybe you'll do better at lunch. Drink your juice."

She drank down the rest of her orange juice and then handed him the empty glass. "Have your orders been satisfied now, Captain?" she teased lightly.

"I suppose so," he replied with a grin; "But I expect you to eat more at lunch Miss McKenzie or I might have to bring you up on charges."

"Oh yeah? What kind of charges?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that at this time."

She nodded. "Uh huh; which really means you haven't thought up the charges."

"No comment."

"That's what I thought."

Jim rose from the edge of the bed. "Do you need anything before I go? Do you want me to get you some more juice?"

"No," she replied as she threw back the covers. "I'll get it. I need to get up and move around a little."

"Relocating to the couch?"

"Maybe…but I should try to do some things first."

"Like what?"

Johanna shrugged. "I don't know…wash dishes, wash my hair…do some light cleaning. Maybe do some paperwork before the medication knocks me out again."

"Jo, why don't you just take it easy for another day or two? Work can wait and so can the housekeeping. Just rest like you want to. There's no shame in it and you need it."

She didn't really feel like doing much to be honest; even though she felt like she should be…but maybe he was right. She certainly couldn't afford any set backs if she tried to rush herself. "Okay; I'll just get a shower and then I'll go back to bed for a little while."

"Good girl," Jim replied as he came near and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I have to get going but I'll call in a little while and check on you."

"I know."

"I'll bring you lunch too."

She nodded. "I know."

"Don't forget to drink plenty; you don't want to dehydrate."

"I know that too."

"Call if you need me."

"I know," Johanna exclaimed.

Jim chuckled lightly as he looked at her; a small spark of her attitude flickering in her sleepy eyes, her hair tossled, and a hand resting on her satin clad hip. "You're adorable."

She eyed him. "If you really think I look good like this, then I think maybe I need to take you to a doctor because you're clearly coming down with something."

He brushed a kiss against her pale cheek. "I'm perfectly fine, sweetheart…but if I do get sick, I fully expect you to be my nurse."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Deal; but if you complain about my bedside manner…"

"I can't imagine ever having complaints against you in that area," he replied as he headed for the door. "Lock up; I'll see you later."

"Have a good day," she replied; moving into place to lock the door behind him. Johanna smiled slightly once he was gone…he was a firm caretaker, serious about his duty…but he was also warm and nurturing…which meant that the Beckett rules weren't as fearsome as she had thought they might be…at least not so far.

After work the next day, Jim used his key and let himself into Johanna's apartment. She had relocated to the sofa, her gaze flicking away from the TV screen to his face.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he moved toward the sofa.

"The same I guess," she answered, although she was tempted to say that she was growing weary of answering that question. She kept the comment to herself though, knowing that it stemmed from that place of crankiness that she had been living in all day. It wasn't his fault and she'd try to curb it the best she could.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get back here at lunch time like I had planned on. Something came up at the office."

"It's okay, don't worry about it," she replied. "I'm fine."

"Did you take your medicine?"

"No."

"Why not?" he demanded.

"Because when I took it at lunch time, it made me sick."

Jim sighed. "I told you that you have to eat with the medicine, Jo. There's even a sticker on the bottle that says take with food. Why do you think I keep shoving crackers at you?"

Johanna shrugged. "Because you worry that I might lose an ounce."

"No, I do it because you have to eat with the damn medicine! Now where is it?"

"On the kitchen counter."

Jim stalked off to the kitchen, muttering something that she couldn't discern. He returned moments later with the bottle of pills and a handful of crackers. He laid the crackers on the coffee table and then uncapped the bottle and handed her a pill.

"Don't you want me to eat the crackers first?" she asked.

"Johanna, I've had a long day. I'm not in mood to play games."

"I'm not playing games, I asked a legitimate question."

"Take the pill and then eat the crackers."

She took the pill from his hand and picked up her cup of tea, grimacing as she swallowed the tablet with the cold liquid. She then picked up a cracker and munched on it. "Don't be a smart ass," Jim remarked.

Her eyes widened as she swallowed her cracker. "How am I being a smart ass?"

"You know how. You ate that cracker in a smart ass way."

"Oh my God, you've lost your marbles and you're slipping on them."

"Is that the thanks I get?" Jim asked. "I didn't have to come over, you know."

"Well go," she replied. "I didn't say you had to come here."

"If I didn't come here, you wouldn't take your medicine."

"That's my problem, not yours," Johanna retorted. "Take your bad attitude and get the hell out."

"Like you're a ray of sunshine."

Her brow rose. "You know where the door is."

Johanna was somewhat surprised that Jim turned and walked to the door, jerking it open and slamming it shut behind him. She sighed as she munched on another cracker. That went well. She supposed she should've tried to figure out what was bothering him but he hadn't given her much of a chance. She could give him time to get home and then call him but she had a feeling that wouldn't want to talk to her. In all truthfulness, she wasn't sure she was up to picking through his bad mood anyway, especially when her own left a lot to be desired.

A harsh bout of coughing kept her from reaching for another cracker and she had to take another swallow of cold tea. She pushed herself off the couch and padded into the kitchen to make a fresh cup of tea. It was time to suck it up and take care of herself anyway. She'd get her tea and quit slacking and dig into her briefcase and do some work. She was doing better than she had been, she didn't need a babysitter.

A few hours later, Jim was once again making the trek to Johanna's door. He had cooled off and got a hold of his attitude; he had taken his bad day out on her and he wouldn't feel right until he apologized for it…which was why he was carrying a rose with him. He knocked at the door, figuring it would be best not to let himself in this time but when his third knock went unanswered, he grew concerned and fished out his key and unlocked her door.

He was greeted by the sight of her slumped over her files which were spread across the top of the coffee table. "Jo," he said as he approached her, laying the rose aside on the stand. She didn't budge or acknowledge him so he stooped down beside her and gently shook her. "Johanna."

"Hmm?" she mumbled.

"What are you doing, sweetheart?"

"Working," Johanna answered sleepily, her heavy eyelids struggling to open. "I'm going to work tomorrow."

"No you're not," he stated. "You're still too sick to go to work."

"You're not the boss of me," she remarked as she half heartedly tried to push him away as he slipped his arms around her to lift her from the floor.

"We agreed that I'm the boss until you're feeling better."

"That's going to be hard to prove; I didn't sign anything."

"How do you know you didn't? You were pretty out of it when I brought you home from the hospital."

"It's against the law to have me sign papers while under the influence of medication. I could sue you if you made me sign a paper…or get you for forgery."

"You're thinking in legal terms, that's a good sign," he replied.

"I'm going to work tomorrow."

"No, you're not," he said firmly as he finally managed to pull her up off of the floor and forced her onto the couch. "You have the time off and you're going to use it and rest so you'll get well."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll drive over to your mother's and tell on you and you can put up with her coming over here and fussing over you."

"You're a cold hearted man."

"Don't you forget it. Now what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Staying home."

"Good girl; now that you've accepted my command, things should go more smoothly."

"I hate you a little."

Jim smirked. "All great leaders are hated by those serving under him."

Her brow rose. "So now I'm beneath you?"

When he grinned she knew that he was going to twist her words. "Only if you want to be, sweetheart. We could try other…"

"Just stop right there," Johanna interrupted. "There's no sense in getting you excited. What are you doing back here anyway?"

Jim picked up the rose that he had laid aside and handed it to her. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was having a bad day and I took it out on you."

She gave him a soft smile as she stroked a petal of her red rose. "It's okay…I'm sorry too. I'm not the world's best patient."

"That's okay; it's really not a surprise. I never pegged you as being overly docile…unless heavily medicated."

Johanna gave a soft laugh as she gestured for him to sit down with her. "What happened today?"

"Work was a disaster," he remarked. "Did I tell you about the Macklesfield case?"

"Yeah, I remember you mentioning that name. He's suing a pharmacy chain, right?"

"Yes, that's the one. I got a call yesterday afternoon from the attorney that represents the pharmacy. They wanted to offer a settlement to avoid taking this to court. The settlement is generous, Jo; frankly it's more than I think the case is worth but I guess they figure it's worth it to get rid of this guy. I had Sally call him and tell him to come in this morning to discuss it. He comes in and I tell him the offer and that I think it would be best if he accepted it."

"I'm getting the feeling that he didn't like that idea," she commented.

"That's an understatement. He blew his stack and said that he wasn't paying me to make deals. He was paying me to get him what he wanted and he wants more than $15,000."

"How much does he want?" she asked; "Because if I recall correctly, he was suing them primarily because he was injured on their property during some sort of altercation."

"Right; he's suing for that and discrimination because they wouldn't hire him and a few other petty things. In regard to the altercation, he started it when the manager asked him to leave. Apparently things got so out of hand that an employee ended up pushing him out the door. Macklesfield fell in the process…and was subsequently run over by a bike."

Johanna couldn't help but laugh at the image it painted in her mind and Jim chuckled as well. "This morning I was thinking that it was too bad it wasn't a cab," he stated.

"Jim!"

"You would've thought the same thing if you had been there."

"How much does he want?"

"He wants $150,000."

Her eyes widened. "He must be crazy! He wasn't injured that badly was he?"

"No; he sustained superficial injuries to his face, scrapes and cuts and he chipped a tooth. The bike bruised his ribs and he twisted his ankle when he fell. The pharmacy has already paid the bill for the dentist and the hospital…because he demanded to be taken by ambulance. That's not enough though; he wants money for pain and suffering. He wants money for slander, because during the altercation, they apparently called him crazy…among other things…all well deserved in my opinion."

"He wants $150,000 for that?"

Jim nodded. "Yeah; and we both know that a judge isn't going to give him that, especially for minor injuries that the bills have already been paid for. As for the discrimination, the only thing I could make a case for was that there's the possibility that they won't hire him because he has a criminal record."

"And depending on what that record is, the judge can rule that the pharmacy had the right to deny him employment because of it," she stated.

"Right; and I've seen his record; I say it's a very safe bet that a judge would see it that way."

"Sounds like he just has an axe to grind."

"Yeah, that became very clear while I was looking into things and found out that the person they hired for the position is Macklesfield's rival…at all things in life."

"Lovely."

"If I thought there was a chance in hell for this case to be successful, I wouldn't have suggested that he take the offer. A judge isn't going to be as generous, he could very well end up with nothing but he doesn't get that. He wants a battle."

"So he won't even consider the offer?"

"No; he was furious that I even suggested it. He said since I wasn't inclined to do my job and fight for him, he'd take his case to someone else. He then went upstairs and complained to Roche…so then I had to hear that 'your client is always right' lecture among other things. The case now belongs to Charles Patterson…and I'm sure you can imagine how that went."

"Oh God," she muttered.

"Yeah…I wish I was representing the pharmacy. He'd be paying them when I was done with him. I called their attorney back to tell them that he didn't want the deal and that I was now off the case. I think the guy felt sorry for me."

Johanna patted his hand. "Some cases are damned from the beginning, honey."

"I know…and I hate it. It seems to be a trend this week. Macklesfield was the worst of it but I have a couple of cases in court too and it's just been one of those weeks where everything that could go wrong work wise has gone wrong."

She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. "You shouldn't have to drag yourself over here a few times a day either with all of that going on. I can take care of myself, you know…I don't expect you to do it for me and you don't have to when you have so much to concentrate on."

"But I want to do it," he replied. "I like being here with you…how else would my day get better? I kind of depend on you for that, sweetheart."

"I'm sorry I've been lousy at it today," she replied as she pulled back from him.

"You haven't been; that was my fault. Have you had your medicine since I gave it to you earlier? You should've had another dose by now."

"No…I fell asleep."

"I'll get it for you," he stated. "Did you eat anything beside the crackers?"

She shook her head and felt somewhat ashamed as he eyed her with disappointment. "Am I going to have to force feed you?"

"No; I'll open up a can of soup and eat it."

"I'll take care of it, you stay put," Jim commanded as he got up from the couch. "We'll get you fed and medicated and then I'm sending you to bed."

Johanna smirked at him. "You might be enjoying this boss thing a little too much."

'I might be," he agreed with a grin; "But the bright side is that you're still too weak to do much about it."

"It won't be that way forever, honey…and then I'll get you."

"I'm looking forward to that," he quipped as he headed for her kitchen.

"You won't be when I'm done with you."

"Sounds exciting," he laughed from the kitchen.

"You just go ahead and think that," Johanna replied as she padded into the kitchen after him. "And don't think that I haven't noticed that you're not wearing a coat again."

"It's in the car," Jim answered as he opened up her cupboard and took out a can of soup.

"It should be on your body…you're already playing with fire by being around my germs and the germs at the office."

"I don't get sick," he remarked. "Germs fear me."

"Uh huh; well when one gets you that doesn't fear you, I'm going to say I told you so as I drag you off to the doctor."

"If that day should come, I give you permission to do so," he said. "Now sit down while I get us something to eat."

She did as she was told; all the while thinking that he had probably just jinxed himself. He'd end up sick; she could feel it in her bones. That would teach him to be smug…and to go running around in November without a coat.

Jim used his key and let himself into Johanna's apartment at the end of the work week. He gave her a hint of a smile, pushing away the stress of a long day. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he glanced to Johanna, who was lying on the couch.

"What, no hi honey, I'm home?" she quipped as he bypassed the chair and approached the other end of the sofa; slipping a hand under her ankles and raising them so he could sit down and then he deposited her feet on his lap.

His smile was more genuine this time. "I don't want to give you a cliché line like that. You deserve something original...and eventually I'll think of something," he said with amusement. "Now how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Johanna answered; her voice sounding a little less hoarse than the day before. "How was work?"

"Well court was a pain in the ass, and the office is very unappealing without you around to be the sunshine of our lives."

She smirked. "Jeff did call me this afternoon to tell me that he was lonely."

Jim laughed. "I'm not surprised. Maggie's out of town, I was in court and you and half of the office is out sick."

"What happened in court?"

"Jackson wants to drag the damn thing out," he said in irritation; referencing the opposing attorney. "I guess he thinks if it goes on long enough it'll somehow improve his case. Every time I tried to object, the judge overruled me. I swear I think he's in Jackson's pocket."

Her green eyes were sympathetic as she looked at him, her foot shifting angles to rub against his thigh. "Don't worry, you'll get him. He'll be sorry."

Jim smiled, his hand falling against the top of her bare foot, caressing the smooth skin he found there. She always knew what to say and just how to say it to make it all feel better. Somehow, she was always able to make him believe that he was capable of anything just because she said it was so. He gave a small nod. "I'll get him."

Her lips curved upwards with the hint of a mischievous smile. "You think you have problems, I have this mean, bossy man calling me several times a day barking orders about medication, eating and resting."

A grin spread across his face. "Well the next time he calls you, you get his name and I'll take care of him for you."

Johanna gave a short laugh that turned into a bit of a cough. "What are you going to do, stand in front of the mirror and give yourself a good talking to? If so, I want to watch," she said, her laughter spawning another cough.

"You okay?"

She nodded, sitting up long enough to reach for her mug of tea. She took a long sip and then set it back on the stand and placed her feet back in his lap.

"No, I'm not going to give myself a talking to," Jim answered once he was sure her cough was settled. "You have to take your medicine and you do need to eat more. You put yourself in my care, you play by my rules," he said teasingly.

"That's harsh, but I guess our problems are nothing compared to Miss Kitty's," she stated dramatically with a nod towards the television where a rerun of Gunsmoke was playing.

"And what's wrong with Miss Kitty today?" Jim asked. He had learned that the show was apparently her after work rerun of choice.

"Same thing as always," Johanna answered. "That damn Matt Dillon just led her on for all those years. He never married her, never proposed. He's always breaking their dates. He doesn't even kiss her goodbye...the bastard."

He laughed. "Jo, you need to quit watching Gunsmoke, it just gets you all riled up. You've been cussing that man all week."

"He deserves it! What more did the woman have to do for him to earn a ring? She's always there for him, she cooks for him, and he drinks free at her bar. The criminals know she's important to him and always try to use her against him. Just yesterday she got shot!"

"I know," Jim laughed. "I was here, you cried on my shoulder when it happened."

She shot him a playful glare. "And you hardly laughed at me for it."

"It's not polite to laugh too much when you're comforting your damsel."

"Damsel," she scoffed. "One day I'll show you what all I'm capable of being."

"That sounds interesting," he said and then after a beat he added, "What will you be wearing when you show me?"

She rolled her eyes and gave his leg a shove with her foot. "Men. You're just as bad as the one on TV."

He chuckled lightly. "I always did admire him."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Johanna remarked as his hand went back to caressing her foot. "I'll tell you one thing; I think Kitty should've just slapped him for leading her on like that."

"I'm sure she'd appreciate that you're in her corner, but I think Matt always made it clear to her that he wasn't going to marry her while he was a lawman."

"Yeah, well, I still think she should've smacked him and told him to get with the program. I'll be damned if I let a man lead me on for years."

"What would you do about it?" Jim asked.

"I'd sit him down and tell him how it was going to be," Johanna answered. "You're either with me or you aren't."

Why did this suddenly feel like dangerous territory? Jim wondered. Maybe he better change the subject. "We need to get you back to work. You're getting too emotionally involved in the lives of fictional people."

"You're supposed to be emotionally involved," she replied, "And if you think this is bad, you should've been here while I was watching Temptation Lane and All My Children."

"Let me guess," he laughed; "You're all for Erica Kane."

"How can you not be for Erica Kane?" she asked.

Jim shrugged. "I'm not even going to attempt to answer that as I'd clearly know nothing about it."

"That's probably true."

"And it's probably best if I don't get you started about your soaps. I don't want to get you too excited when you aren't fully well yet."

"I'm going back to work Monday," Johanna informed him.

He held her gaze. "Is that right?"

"That's right."

"We'll see how you're doing on Sunday before we make that decision."

"We?" she asked; her brow raised as she held his stare. "I said I'm going and that's all there is to it."

"We'll see," he stated.

"I guess we will," Johanna remarked determinedly.

He grinned at her. "It's nice to see you being feisty again, Sassy."

A slow smile graced her lips; that fiery spark that he loved so much still present in her green eyes. "See I'm getting better," she told him.

"I'm glad...and I'm going to be sure to kiss you goodnight so you don't call me a bastard when I leave, like you do to poor Matt Dillon," he teased.

She gave a soft laugh but then her eyes met his once again. "But you're not leaving yet, are you?" she asked; her eyes betraying the fact that she didn't want him to go.

"No," Jim answered; his tone warm and quiet as his hand trailed from her foot and up her leg a bit. "I'm not going anywhere for awhile yet. I thought I would order us something to eat and then I'd hang around and tease you some more about your emotional involvement with television shows."

"That sounds nice," Johanna said as she sat up and scooted down the couch to nestle against his side. Her heart gave that familiar flip as his arm settled around her. Something seemed to have changed in the last several days. It felt like there had been some sort of shift...like their relationship had some sort of new added depth to it. Whatever it was, it felt good and she wanted to cling to it for as long as possible.

"I had a feeling this would happen," Johanna said a week and a half later as she perched at the edge of Jim's bed.

"What?" he coughed.

"I knew you were going to get sick," she stated as she handed him a glass of juice and his medicine. "In fact, I think you did it on purpose."

"What makes you say that?" he asked after swallowing his pills.

"Because you wanted me to return the favor of nursing," she replied, taking the juice glass from his hand and giving him the small plate that held two slices of toast. "Eat that."

"If you really wanted to return the favor, you would've dressed up as a nurse."

"You didn't wear something special for me."

"That's why you're supposed to dress up; you're supposed to show me that you're the better person."

She smirked at him. "Sorry, honey; but I'm not going to indulge your nurse fantasy."

"Some friend you are," he replied; "Denying a dying man one of his last wishes."

Johanna laughed. "You're not dying."

"Are you sure? Check my forehead; I think I have a fever again."

She rolled her eyes as she laid a hand against his forehead. "You're a little warm but I don't think it's anything to worry about. I'm sure that you're temperature will come down once you stop thinking about slutty nurse costumes."

"Do you want a prissy nurse costume?"

"What is with men and costumes?"

Jim shrugged. "It keeps things interesting."

"Well you'll have to settle for my lawyer look."

"I love your lawyer look but you'd look cute as a nurse."

"Forget it and eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat it anyway, isn't that what you always tell me?"

"I would've rather had bacon."

"I didn't think bacon was wise when you haven't been feeling well. You're supposed to stick with a bland diet."

"Why?"

"It's supposed to be better for you when you're sick and don't have much of an appetite. You don't want a lot of grease hitting an empty medicated stomach."

"I think that's dumb and whoever thought it up must have been a woman."

Her brow rose. "Why do you say that?"

"Because a man knows that men can't live on toast. How are we supposed to regain strength to survive?"

"I apologize, I didn't realize that you were so frail and weak," Johanna commented. "If your survival is in question, maybe we should get you to the hospital and get you hooked up to some IV's."

"I don't want to be fed through my veins! And I'm not frail and weak…yet. I will be though if you keep feeding me like this."

"Hey, I made you a very nice vegetable soup last night," she reminded him.

Jim nodded. "That was good, bring me some of that."

"For breakfast?"

"Yeah, it's better than two slices of toast."

"There isn't anymore. I only made enough for last night."

"Make some more."

"I don't have time to make more right now. I have to go to work soon."

"The least you could do is make me an egg to go with the toast."

She sighed. "You're going to get an egg alright, the question is, will you like how it's delivered?"

"Is that your way of asking if I want it scrambled or fried? Or are you implying that you're going to shove a raw egg down a sick man's throat?"

"If I shove it down your throat, the shell will be included."

He grinned. "That could be hard to swallow."

Johanna laughed despite herself and allowed her fingers to sink into his hair, combing it back into its proper place. "It's always so nice when the medicine makes you loopy, honey."

"Is that a turn on for you, sweetheart?"

She smiled and allowed her fingertips to trail along his face. "It might be…if you shave first."

"You don't like a thin beard?"

Johanna shook her head. "No; I'd rather see your handsome face."

"If I promised to make the effort to shave later, would you feed me better?"

She took the plate from his hand. "Fine, I'll make you an egg."

"Fried," he remarked.

"It'll be scrambled; less greasy that way."

"The patient should get what he wants."

"Not in my hospital," she quipped. "We'll see how you feel tomorrow before we start thinking about moving up to other foods."

"Fine," he sighed; "But you're going to have to redo the toast. It's cold now and I don't like cold toast. I like it to have some warmth to it."

"What am I, your waitress?"

Jim looked up at her. "I thought you were being my pretend wife again. I mean you did clean the place up last night."

"I had to, it was starting to bother me," she replied. "I'll be back with your breakfast…again."

He smiled as she left the room. He hated being sick…but he'd be lying if he said he didn't like having her fuss over him the last few days.

Johanna returned several minutes later and she handed him his plate. "I said a fried egg," Jim remarked.

"And I said it would be scrambled. You get what I give you when you place yourself in my care," she replied as she moved around the room and began to straighten things up, throwing his discarded clothes into a clothes basket she found in the corner of the room. "Now you eat all of that or I'm going to be mad…and you don't want that, do you?"

"Hell no."

"That's what I thought."

"You'd think you'd be more lenient after I took such good care of you," Jim commented between bites.

"I don't think you were all that lenient with me," she replied; "And besides, I know what's best for you. Just like I keep telling you to wear your damn coat so you won't get sick…but do you listen? No."

"I wear my coat most of the time."

"You need to wear it all the time in the winter."

"Yes, mother."

"Insulting me won't get you a good dinner tonight."

"Dinner? What about lunch?" he asked. "You're coming back at lunch time, aren't you?"

"No, I can't come at lunch time today. I made you a sandwich and put it in the fridge."

"Why can't you come back like you have been?"

"Because I'm meeting with Antonio for lunch."

His fork fell from his fingers and clattered against his plate. "What?"

"I'm having lunch with Antonio."

"What the hell for?" he demanded to know.

Johanna looked at him oddly as she moved to sit at the edge of the bed once again. "I'm meeting with him to discuss the case that you and I are supposed to work on with him. We need to get things started. I'll meet with him and then update you on everything tonight when I come after work."

Jim shook his head. "No…you wait for me to go to the meeting with you."

"You can meet with him when you're feeling better."

"That's not the point. You don't need to have lunch with him; we have plenty of time to discuss things. I need you here. I'm feeling worse."

She eyed him. "You are, huh?"

He nodded. "I can't even finish my egg. I don't think you should leave me unattended for so long. You call it off and come back here at lunch time. I might be even worse by then."

"I think you'll be fine. I can handle this meeting on my own, Jim."

"I don't like him."

"It'll be fine. I'll tell you everything that happens."

Jim wasn't worried about the case and its details. He was worried about Don Juan trying to sweep her off her feet with his Latin charm. He frowned and put his plate on the nightstand and slid back down into his bed. "Try not to giggle yourself to death with him," he remarked tartly.

"Excuse me?" she laughed.

"There's no excusing necessary, you know how you get with him. You giggle like a twelve year old with her first crush. You all do. It's disgusting."

"Is someone jealous?" Johanna asked.

"No; just disgusted. The last time he cornered you with his attentions I thought you might faint from the excitement of the ordeal. Don't go getting overheated at lunch, you might have a relapse…and don't worry about me laying here possibly needing an ambulance because I really do feel worse."

"You're not going to need an ambulance, Jim."

"You don't know that. You'll be too busy at lunch with Don Juan, giggling over his accent and having him kiss your hand off…which reminds me, wash your hands before you do come back here. God only knows where his lips have been."

"Jim Beckett!"

"Well you don't know. I really think you should call it off…for the sake of all of us."

"I am not calling it off and you'll be fine," she stated; "And I do not act like a silly school girl."

"You do…it's terrible. I cringe for you."

"You're going to be cringing for yourself when I slap you."

"You'd hit a dying man?"

"The only way you're dying is if I kill you."

"Who says you aren't killing me already?"

"Believe me, when I kill you, you'll know it."

"Don't go to lunch with that lothario," he said firmly.

"It's business and I'm going. There's no call for this jealousy."

"I'm not jealous."

"You are too."

Jim shook his head. "Just concerned for your welfare. I'd hate for you to get your heart broken."

"Oh my God," Johanna exclaimed. "It's a business lunch, not elicit sex in a motel room."

"How do you know that he won't try to talk you into elicit sex in a motel room? Not everyone respects you the way I do, Johanna. You should wait until I can go with you."

"Well who knows when that could be since you're apparently relapsing before my very eyes this morning."

"That's why you should stay close today…who knows what might happen."

"You'll be fine," she said as she rose from the bed; "And I promise not to have any elicit affairs on my lunch break."

"No giggling either."

"I'll do my best."

"And you tell him to keep his lips to himself…or I'll rip them off for him."

"Jim!"

"Well he needs to go back to Brazil."

"He's from Argentina."

Jim's brow rose. "Oh so you know his whole story too?"

"No more than anyone else, not stop being jealous."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Take my car and drive yourself to work," he told her.

"That's okay, I can get a cab."

"No, take my car; I don't need it…and if I…expire before you get back, you keep it to remember me by, sweetheart."

"Oh my God," Johanna said with a roll of her eyes as she moved to the dresser and picked his keys up.

"I just hope you can explain to my mother how you let me die here alone when you knew how bad off I was."

"Would you like me to call your mother now so that she can come over and sit with you?" Johanna asked.

"Why? So you can feel less guilty while you're dining with Don Juan?"

"His name is Antonio."

"I'll call him what I want."

"Jim," she said moving back to his side; "I'll be back after work."

He nodded. "We'll see."

She caressed his stubbly cheek. "You know there's nothing going on between me and Antonio."

"Maybe you'll hit it off on your lunch date."

"I'm going to over look this attitude since you don't feel well."

"I don't care if you over look it or not."

Johanna nodded. "Okay, be cranky if it'll make you feel better."

"I'd feel better if you'd just stay here with me."

"You know I have to go to work."

"I'll be lonely at lunch time…if I make it."

"You'll make it."

"Are you at least going to call me?"

"Yes, honey; I'll call you every chance I get," she remarked, trying not to laugh at the petulant look on his face. "It's so terrible when illness reduces a man to being a little boy again."

"Maybe I should just let Antonio have you…you probably wouldn't mind."

Johanna smacked his arm, her smile fading. "I resent that."

"Sorry."

"Try acting like it."

"I could try to do better at lunch time."

"That discussion is closed; I'll be here after work. Now I have to go."

"You're not even going to kiss me goodbye?" Jim asked.

Johanna gave him an indulgent smile before brushing her lips against his. "You take it easy and rest and I'll see you later…and don't worry…you know I prefer blue eyes."

That may be, he thought to himself as she swept away, leaving behind only the scent of her perfume, but he took no comfort in it. He had to go back to work tomorrow…he didn't like the thought of Antonio taking charge of this case…or trying his luck with Johanna either. He was definitely going back to work tomorrow; regardless of how bad he might feel. He no longer had the option of letting his illness run its course under her gentle but firm nursing skills. He had to be healed. He had to get out there and protect what was his.