Hey! This is a short little ficlet of nothing but some self-indulgent hurt/comfort that I wrote over the summer, and sat on until now, debating whether to post it.

It's a short moment in time in my post-s5 canon divergent universe where Jane survived, and instead of starting to foster kids, Jeller went to become private investigators with Tasha. Thank you Heather, for your suggestions and proofreading again.

Still don't own any of these, all rights belong to Martin Gero et co.

Please let me know what you think.

Consequences

Jane collapsed on the bed, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to quell another wave of nausea. Her stomach roiled menacingly again, although she had just come from the bathroom, her muscles feeling like Jell-O after what must have been the fourth or fifth bout of dry heaving since the morning. A quiet moan escaped her in the dark solitude of the bedroom, nearly morphing into a sob when the sensation of needles stabbing at the back of her eyeballs intensified.

Patterson's antidote had saved Jane's life after her second exposure to ZIP, but it had not come without consequence. The renewed exposure to ZIP had triggered a tendency for debilitating migraines that often hit without warning. Today was one of those days, and of course it happened when Kurt was out of town. They had recently moved back to Colorado to be closer to Bethany and, having been banned from working for the federal government, they took up Tasha's offer to start a private investigator business together. But Kurt had spent the last couple of days in New York, finalizing the rental of their former apartment and wasn't due back until later that afternoon.

Jane tried opening her eyes, only to shut them again against the assault of vertigo that overtook her.

She breathed out a long breath, swallowing almost convulsively. "God, this hurts."

She didn't know how many hours had passed when the sound of the closing door made her wince. The neurologist's words about sensitivity to sounds and light flashed through her mind briefly.

As if through a mute setting of some kind, she heard Kurt moving around, taking off his jacket, and throwing his keys on the kitchen table.

"Jane?" His tone carried a note of concern, he was no doubt wondering where she was, since she usually came to greet him.

"In here." Jane tried to call out to him, but regretted it the moment the words left her mouth. The loud noise made her head feel like a church steeple with the bells ringing. She groaned and curled in on herself, burying her head into the softness of the pillow.

"Hey."

Hearing his quiet greeting and feeling his presence, Jane forced herself to turn and looked up to see a concerned-looking Kurt next to the bed.

"Hey," she croaked. Putting together sentences seemed too hard right now. "Migraine."

He sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair gently. "Oh, Jane."

They stayed like that for a while, neither of them speaking. Although pain filled her head, the sensation now feeling like a hot metal rod pressing against her skull, Kurt's touch soothed it. His fingers' light, repetitive motion helped her breathe slightly easier.

"Can I get you anything?"

The thought of ingesting something made her stomach nearly somersault again. She swallowed thickly and answered in a tired whisper. "No."

His hand moved to her temple, rubbing it gently. Keeping his voice low, he continued: "Did you take the medication?"

Jane would have laughed if she could. He knew her too well, knew how much she hated taking any kind of medicine. But she had quickly learned that these migraines were too crippling to fight off without medication, even for Jane Doe.

She screwed her eyes shut tighter as the pounding in her head flared. Her answer came haltingly. "Morning…didn't help."

Kurt let out a breath at her words, his fingers caressing her cheek.

The mattress dipped as he climbed onto the bed, and a moment later Jane found herself engulfed in his embrace as he carefully pulled her in his arms, leaning against the headboard.

"If I can't get you anything, at least I can hold you until you feel better," he whispered to her tenderly.

She let out an appreciative sound when his fingers found her temple again and started massaging it lightly. She found the worst pain easing as he kept up his ministrations.

His presence always grounded her, comforted her when she seemed to need it most. Now, in the darkened bedroom, Jane snuggled closer and lay her cheek against Kurt's chest, trying to distract herself from the pounding in her head as she listened to the soothing beat of his heart.

Still, she couldn't help but whimper as the pain peaked again. Kurt didn't say anything, but his lips pressed into her hair, letting her know he was still there.

After a while the worst pain subsided and she could think again. For a moment anyway.

"Kurt?"

"Mmh?" She could see the inquisitive eyebrow raise in her mind at his soft tone.

"I know we agreed with Allie that we'd go to dinner at their house tonight. I don't think I can make it." She stated the obvious against his chest. "But you go."

Kurt kissed her hair again, his arm tightening around her. "No. I'll call Allie and ask for a raincheck. " He nuzzled her carefully, his voice a soft rumble in her ear. "I'm not leaving you when you're feeling like this."

Despite the agony pounding in her temples, her stomach tightened with guilt and she gave him a contrite look. "I'm sorry. I know you were looking forward to spending time with Bethany again."

"Shhh, shhh." Taking her hand into his, he gave it a light squeeze." It doesn't matter. We can go see her tomorrow or when you feel up to it." He pulled back slightly, the tenderness in his gaze making her heart flutter as he placed her palm against his chest. "Right now, getting better is all you need to worry about."

The familiar caress of Kurt's touch up and down her back was reassuring. Despite how she was feeling, at least she wasn't alone anymore. He was her touchstone again, keeping away the demons that in a past life would have heckled her for being weak. He had won her trust and her heart, showing her that letting her guard down did not automatically mean she would be vulnerable to attack. He'd had his walls too, maybe that was why she trusted him to see her like this.

Jane tried to suppress another groan, but failed as colorful lightning bolts danced behind her eyelids. She swallowed thickly, something that Kurt noticed.

"Are you going to be sick?" He asked gently.

"No, it's just the pain."

His tone was worried, laced with sympathy. "Can't you take another dose?" He asked, referring to the medicine.

"No." She gritted her teeth. "No...it has to be 12 hours between them. Two left."

He was silent for a moment before she felt him move.

"Mmmhh…don't go," she pleaded with him as maneuvered her gingerly until her head rested on a pillow.

"Shh," he shushed her, kissing her forehead. "I thought of something that might help. I'll be right back, just lie still."

Jane did just that, trying desperately to distract herself from the ever-present agony. She heard him return a couple of minutes later but had no strength to open her eyes.

"Here, lift your head." He helped her and, as she lay back down, she flinched at the cold sensation.

"What..?" She had no energy to come up with a sentence, but she forced her eyes open to find him gazing at her.

He smiled, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's a cold pack. I remember your neurologist mentioning it might help with a migraine, but we haven't needed it before. It's worth a try."

"Yeah." She gave a weak smile. "Thank you."

He didn't speak, only took her hand again and brought it to his lips in silent acknowledgement.

Jane felt miserable, but the affectionate way her husband gazed at her spread a familiar warmth in her chest. Sometimes she still wondered if she deserved him after all of the things she had done.

"Are you sure you don't want anything? Water?"

She could sense his restlessness. And she couldn't blame him, she'd be exactly the same if their roles were reversed.

Jane gave his hand a small tug. "Lie down with me. Please?"

She didn't think it was possible, but Kurt's expression grew softer still.

The mattress dipped again as he climbed back on the bed and carefully maneuvered himself behind her.

"Come here." He wrapped his arms around her, pillowing her head on his chest and adjusting the cold pack against her neck.

The cold numbed the worst pounding in her head, and Jane let out an appreciative moan at the realization.

"Better?" Kurt queried quietly.

She murmured her assent.

"Try to get some rest, Jane. I'll stay here with you."

Jane snuggled deeper into his arms. "Thank you for taking care of me."

He nuzzled her softly. "Always."