Brooke groaned. Her head was so stopped up she felt like might explode at any minute. The bed was littered with crumpled up tissues that she had been using to wipe a nose that was running faster than an Olympic gold medal contender. Even her stomach was doing flip flops, which was nothing compared to the freezing chills she felt throughout her entire body that burned with fever. The flu had been going around for weeks and Brooke had managed to contract the nasty bug. She was absolutely miserable.

"Knock, knock", Deb cheerfully sang. "Just coming in to check on my patient."

"Don't come in", Brooke warned.

"What's wrong?"

The brunette coughed loudly.

"I feel so awful. My head, my nose, my stomach…everything. I know I'm contagious and I don't want you to get sick. The last thing we need is for your Lupus to flare up again."

Deb smiled.

"Oh honey. That's so sweet of you. I really appreciate the thought but I've had my flu shot for this season. I went to the doctor last week and I feel great. My immune system is much stronger, my body is finally getting used to all the meds and all tests came back normal. I'll be okay", she said as she entered. "Are you any better?"

Brooke sat up and managed to shake her aching head.

"This sucks!"

Deb laughed.

"I can imagine. I just left my other patient. If it's any consolation, Lucas is just as miserable as you are."

Brooke wasn't the only one in the house that was sick.

"How is he?"

"Same as you."

"But I thought he was getting better."

"How can he, Brooke? How can either of you? Playing sucky face does transmit germs, you know", Deb winked.

"I can't help it", Brooke pouted. "He's just so darn cute and those lips are so kissable."

"Uh, I'll take your word for it. Now I'm off to work. Do you need anything else before I split?"

"I'm okay."

"Fresh squeezed orange juice is in the fridge, a couple cans of ginger ale are getting cold in the freezer and my famous homemade chicken broth is on the stove."

"Thanks, Deb."

"I'll call to check on you in a few hours and don't forget to take your temperature after your next nap."

Deb fluffed the pillows and brought up a new box of Kleenex. Brooke took a dose of cough syrup and settled back into bed. She was almost asleep when her door creaked open.

"Babe, are you awake?"

It was Lucas.

"Hey you", she sniffled.

He put a hand on her forehead.

"Your fever didn't break yet."

"You?"

"A little. I feel better. But I missed you though. I wanted to come check on you."

Brooke smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you did. Will you come lay with me? Hold me until I fall asleep?"

Lucas nodded and crawled into bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and they both fell fast asleep. The slumber was interrupted by the intrusive ringing of the telephone.

"Brooke", Lucas murmured.

"What?" she asked sleepily.

"Phone, babe."

Phone? Why couldn't he just answer it and why the need to announce it? Brooke put the pillow over her head. The sound was killing her poor ears.

"You get it", she whined.

Lucas huffed and puffed, picking up the receiver and handing it to his girlfriend.

"Here."

"Well, who is it?"

"I don't know."

Brooke rolled her eyes. He was lucky he was cute and so good in bed.

"Hello?"

"Whoa…you sound like the living dead."

"Hello to you too, Haley."

"Sorry. I heard you weren't feeling very well and I was calling to check in on you and also invite you and Lucas to this party downtown tonight."

"Party?"

"Yeah, one of my sisters, Taylor, is playing there with her new rock band."

"That sounds like fun. I'll talk to Lucas and maybe…"

"No, sweetie. No offense but you sound like crap. If you guys are too sick, then we completely understand."

"But it sounds so fun and we haven't hung out in forever and God, I'm going stir crazy stuck in this house in this room in this stupid bed!"

"I know, Brooke but the band will have other gigs and if you're looking to crash a good party then Taylor is Tree Hill's own version of Paris Hilton so that one shouldn't be a problem. There will be other nights, I promise."

"But…"

"No buts. You're not up to getting out of that bed and besides, you don't want to get anyone else sick. I love you to death but I really don't feel like catching that crud and I really don't feel like taking care of Nathan if he gets it. Men are such babies when they're sick."

"Don't I know?" Brooke looked over.

"So get some rest, take the medication even if it tastes yucky and drink lots and lots of OJ."

"Okay", Brooke sighed heavily.

"Feel better soon, kid and tell Lucas to do the same."

"Thanks, Haley", she hung up.

Brooke pulled the covers over her head.

"Hales and Nate want to go out?"

"Yeah but we're too sick. We're to sick to do anything. It's so unfair. Man, I hate this! It sucks balls!"

Lucas laughed out loud.

"Sucks balls?"

"Don't make fun of me right now. I am so warning you."

"Okay, okay", he put his hands up. "Bad joke."

"Very bad."

She blew her nose and tried to get comfortable again.

"Brooke? Babe?"

"What now, Lucas?"

He yawned and shrugged.

"I'm bored."

Brooke rolled over in disbelief.

"What?"

"It's boring here."

"So? What am I supposed to do about it?"

Lucas sat up.

"You want to talk?"

"Not particularly. Actually I would prefer to sleep."

"Sleep is good…"

"No, sleep is great. We'll feel much better. Now close your eyes and be very, very quiet."

Lucas waited for a few minutes.

"I can't go back to sleep, Brooke. The phone woke me up."

"Try."

"I did but I can't."

Brooke sat up and shot him a mean look.

"You can't sleep so I guess that means that I don't sleep either."

He grinned.

"You're such a thoughtful girlfriend."

"Lucas Scott, you're lucky I don't have the strength to smother your annoying ass right now."

"Can we cut a deal?"

"What?"

"We chill in here. I hold you in my arms while we watch a movie. Sound good?"

"Like I have a choice. Fine. You win."

"Good. What's it going to be? You pick."

"I don't care, Luke."

Lucas popped in a DVD.

"Spiderman 2. I love this. This is way better than the first one."

Brooke groaned.

"I don't like this movie."

"Yes you do. You think the dude that plays Harry Osborn is so hot."

Brooke managed a little smile.

"Yeah he is but that's beside the point. The man with all those weird metal octopus arms or whatever really freaks me out."

"Okay. What do you want to watch?"

"Anything other than that is fine with me."

Looking in the plastic bag from Blockbuster, he loaded something else into the player.

"X Men 2", he said, getting back into bed.

"What is it today with you and sequels?"

"It's a good movie, Brooke. You'll like it."

"No, I won't."

"You haven't even seen it. Just give it a chance."

"But I didn't see the first one. How am I supposed to enjoy the sequel? I won't know what's going on."

Lucas sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, you will. Look, I'm still sick, too, you know. I don't feel like hopping up every five seconds to play veejay for you because you can't make up your mind on a movie you'll probably be zonked out on before the coming attractions finish."

Brooke ignored him and closed her eyes but they quickly opened again when she heard loud moans and groans mixed with cheesy 70's music.

"Is that…Lucas, is that porn?" she asked, sitting straight up.

The question was answered when the screen displayed a hairy naked man with two scantily clad women touching all over him, themselves and each other.

"Holy shit", he chuckled.

"Is this X men or triple X men? Babe…"

"What? I swear I had no idea. Blame it on Blockbuster. I rented X Men 2 and this was in the case."

Brooke made a face.

"Sick! He is totally gross and those girls…hel-lo, can we say bikini wax?"

"Hey", he shrugged. "Even bad porn is good porn."

"Wait…don't tell me you're actually going to watch this?"

"Watch it with me", he prodded, pulling Brooke close.

She giggled feeling the "big surprise" poking her in the back.

"No way, Lucas! I am a lady. I don't watch dirty movies."

"It could be fun…"

Her face turned redder than it was.

"Luke!"

"What?"

"We're sick, remember? We both have the flu. We both have temperatures over 101 degrees."

"So? We're sick, Brooke…not dead."

He licked his lips as he slowly untied the straps of her fuzzy pink robe and Brooke just smiled at him as they pulled the blankets over their heads.

"You are such a naughty influence", she giggled in between kisses.