Thank you all so much for your amazing response to this story. I hope you enjoy part 2!
Maya woke up about four hours after she fell asleep, almost crying at the pain that ran through her face as she struggled to open her swollen eyes. She finally got her eyes open, looking over and seeing Carina sound asleep next to her, her breathing still sounding a little rough, but nowhere near what it was earlier.
Maya got up, using the bathroom, frowning when she saw her face in the mirror. Her eyes were almost swollen shut, her face was slightly swollen, and her hair was a mess. She decided to shower, hoping that would help with the congestion and her eyes.
She got in, the warm water feeling good on her skin until it made her dizzy. She knew it was probably some combination of her ear infections, her fever, and dehydration, but it didn't matter because she couldn't do anything but sit on the floor and try not to pass out.
About five minutes later, she heard Carina get up and come into the bathroom.
"Bella?" the Italian woman said, coughing a little, "Are you in here?"
Maya tried to answer, but her voice was gone. Instead, she knocked on the shower wall, getting Carina's attention.
The brunette looked into the shower, panic filling her eyes when she saw Maya sitting on the floor.
"What happened?" she asked, turning off the shower.
"Dizzy," she said, barely audible. Carina nodded, grabbing a towel and handing it to Maya.
"Can you get up yet?" Carina asked and Maya reached for her hand, knowing that nodding her head would probably make the dizziness worse.
Carina helped her up, steadying her.
"Let's get you dressed and into bed," Carina said, guiding Maya back into the bedroom.
Once Maya was safely in bed, Carina left the room, coming back a minute later with a glass of water. Maya grabbed her phone, typing out a message before handing it to Carina.
"Thanks," it said, "I tried to take a shower to feel better, but then I almost passed out. You should be resting too, babe."
"Do you need anything before I get back in bed?" Carina asked. Maya typed out, "Can I have a hot washcloth for my eyes? You probably want one too, your eyes are starting to look almost as bad as mine."
"I'll be right back," Carina said, nodding.
A minute later, she returned with two hot wash clothes, one for each of them along with some Tylenol for Maya. Maya smiled, mouthing thank you to Carina.
"It's almost like a spa," Carina said as she laid down, putting the cloth on her eyes, "Except both of us feel terrible."
Maya grabbed Carina's hand, squeezing it a little. Within ten minutes, they had both fallen back to sleep.
Carina was the first one to wake up next, rolling over and seeing Maya still asleep next to her. The blonde looked miserable, even in her sleep.
Carina's cough was getting worse again and she felt the tightness in her chest from earlier. She got up, going into the living room and finding her purse, pulling out her inhaler, taking two puffs.
She then went into the kitchen, starting the tea kettle. She knew Maya hated tea most of the time, calling it dirty leaf water, but it was the only thing she wanted to drink when she was this sick. She made a pot of Maya's favorite sick tea, chamomile, before pouring herself a mug, bring the entire carafe into the bedroom, along with an extra mug for Maya when she woke up.
Carina was going to watch something on her phone, but her eyes were burning so she settled on listening to music while Maya slept next to her.
About an hour later, Maya moved, waking up.
"Hey Bella," Carina said, smiling as Maya's swollen eyes cracked open.
The blonde smiled, moving closer to her girlfriend.
"I have tea," Carina said, rubbing her back.
Maya sat up, nodding a little. She took a few long sips of the hot beverage. They just stayed curled up in bed all day, Carina ordering some food for them that neither of them really wanted, but both of them ate because they knew they needed it.
Maya's fever soared in the afternoon, making her more miserable than she had been before. Carina's cough started getting bad again as they got ready for bed, Maya getting her both her inhaler and steroid. It helped a little, although the OB still couldn't lay down without coughing. She slept sitting up slightly in order to actually be able to get any rest.
Maya woke up around 1 am because every part of her face and head was pounding and her fever had spiked again. She just wanted it to stop, tears pricking her eyes which only made her infection riddled eyes hurt more.
She got out of bed, stumbling into the bathroom and grabbing a warm washcloth before going into the living room, turning some music on low.
About an hour after she went out to the couch, she heard Carina coughing from the bedroom, and when it didn't stop, she went to check on her.
"Here," Maya said, grabbing the inhaler and handing it to Carina.
Once Carina got a little control over her lungs, she took the inhaler.
"Where were you?" Carina asked once she finished taking the medicine.
"Couldn't sleep," Maya rasped out, "Everything hurts."
"Did you take anything?" Carina asked as Maya climbed back into bed.
"I took something at 10," Maya said, "I can't take anything else yet."
"You are this warm with meds in you?" Carina frowned, putting a hand on Maya's forehead.
"I'm fine," Maya mumbled, "You know how my fevers get."
Carina nodded, knowing Maya always got high fevers that freaked her out, but would usually go down within. Carina coughed, chest burning as she did so.
"We are a mess," Maya mumbled, pulling the comforter up as chills set in.
Carina nodded, rubbing Maya's back. They eventually both fell asleep again.
The following day was much of the same. Carina's cough was still bad, and her breathing was wheezy. Maya's fever was high, and her face was even more swollen than it had been the day before.
"How did we get this sick?" Maya asked, blowing her bright red nose.
"Because our bodies hate us," Carina said grumpily, "Probably because both of us are always sleep deprived and overworked."
"That's stupid," Maya said, leaning her head on Carina's shoulder.
"That's how the body works," Carina said, laughing a little before she broke into a full-blown coughing fit that had her reaching for her inhaler.
The only time either of them got out of bed was to use the bathroom except for the one-time Maya got them fresh water and Carina got them some soup because they needed to eat. They were both sound asleep by 7 pm, sleep the only time they weren't in pain.
The next time Maya woke up, she finally didn't feel like she got punch in the face with a 50-pound weight, a 40-pound weight, sure, but progress was progress. She also didn't feel like her fever was quite as high either. She looked over at Carina, seeing her girlfriend was still sound asleep, her breathing a little bit better than it had been.
Maya got out of bed, debating if she should go for a run. It had been over three days since she had gone for a run, and she was starting to feel it mentally. She pulled on her workout clothes, deciding that her mental health needed a little attention now that her physical health was a little better.
Her run was slow, not at all what she was used to, but it helped. She made it home, grabbing a tissue as soon as she was in the door, her nose running so much. Once she had stretched, she went into the bedroom, finding Carina just waking up.
"Did you go for a run?" the brunette asked, almost rubbing her eyes, but stopping, remembering they were infected.
"Yeah," Maya said, nodding, her voice still barely above a whisper, "I needed it. I haven't run in almost four days, and my anxiety was starting to get crazy. I'm feeling a little better this morning. How are you feeling?"
"Better I think," Carina said, coughing a little, "I don't feel like sleeping all day. Maybe just half the day."
Maya smiled, going over to Caria and giving her a kiss.
"You need a shower," Carina said, wrinkling her nose.
"I'll take your word," Maya said, "I still can't really smell anything."
After her shower, she dressed in one of Carina's sweatshirts that she had stolen a long time ago and a pair of sweatpants, going into the kitchen to find Carina making breakfast.
"What are you making?" Maya asked, grabbing a tissue.
"Just some oatmeal," Carina said, stirring the pot, "It sounded so good."
"Oatmeal sounds great," Maya said, smiling.
They curled up on the couch with breakfast, both of them finally having somewhat of an appetite back after the past few days.
"Amelia offered to bring lunch by," Carina said, looking at her phone, "Is that alright?"
"Sure," Maya said, grabbing her third tissue just since they sat down to eat, "I mean, I'm not going to get dressed so as long as she's ok with my pajamas and slightly frightening looking face."
"You don't look that bad," Carina said, leaning over and giving Maya a kiss, "Your eyes and face are just very swollen, but at least your hair is finally looking like hair again."
"Shut up," Maya said, smiling as she shoved Carina a little.
They finished up breakfast before Maya went to clean the kitchen while Carina went to shower and put on something other than the pajamas she had lived in for the past two days.
Carina smiled a little when she saw Maya dozing on the couch. The blonde almost never napped, usually having too much energy for it. Carina loved to nap, and always wished that Maya would do it with her sometimes. Carina snapped a picture before pulling a blanket over Maya, leaving her to her rest.
The OB/GYN went into the bedroom, working on some charts that she was terribly behind on because of this illness.
About a half an hour into her charting, she heard Maya stir in the living room and a minute later, the blonde appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a blanket.
"I didn't mean to fall asleep," Maya rasped out, climbing into bed next to Carina.
"I'm glad you got some rest," Carina said, setting aside her laptop as Maya moved closer.
"Me too," Maya said, taking the tissue Carina handed her, "I really want to be able to go back to work this week, and I know rest is the best way to make that happen."
"Don't push yourself too hard," Carina said, kissing the top of Maya's head, "You are still feeling very warm. That run this morning was probably not your best idea."
"At least it helped me nap," Maya said, shrugging, "My body and mind enjoy conspiring against me."
"I'm sorry Bella," Carina said, pulling Maya close.
Maya shrugged, just enjoying her girlfriend's embrace until Carina started in on another coughing fit. Maya moved to help her, rubbing her back.
"Ugg," Carina said as the cough tapered, "My chest hurts so much."
"I'm sorry Babe," Maya said, frowning, "Let me go get you some tea."
"I can get it," Carina said.
"No," Maya said, already out of bed, "Let me get it. You just rest."
Carina followed her out into the living room, sitting down on the couch. They two of them spent the rest of the morning curled up on the couch, both of them trying to get through some of their work. However, with the eye infections they were both dealing with, they could only work in about twenty-minute sessions before they needed to take a break.
"I just need to be able to get through one file without my eyes watering over," Maya complained, wiping her eyes with a tissue.
"I know," Carina said, coughing into her elbow, "I have only gotten through five charts. At this rate, I won't be done with my outstanding charts until next week."
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"It's open," Carina called, neither of them wanting to get up.
"Hey sickos," Amelia said, coming in, "How are you feeling today?"
"Hey Amelia," Maya rasped out as the neurosurgeon walked over to where they were curled up on the couch.
"We are doing a little better," Carina said, smiling as Amelia set the bag of food down on the table.
"You both still look terrible," Amelia said, shaking her head, "No offense."
"Some taken," Maya said, cracking a smile, "I put on my good pajamas for you."
"But you're both feeling a little better?" Amelia asked, clearly worried about her friends, "Carina, you're still breathing ok?"
"Si," Carina said, nodding, "Sleeping is still not the easiest, but my chest feels a little less tight."
"Good," Amelia said, "I was a little worried about you two the other night. You both looked so sick."
"We were," Maya said, "I didn't even know it was possible to get this many infections in your head at once."
"You are always an overachiever Bella," Carina said, leaning over and kissing her cheek.
"Do you guys need anything?" Amelia asked, "I have soup and bread here and hot chocolate."
"Thank you so much Amelia," Carina said.
"Yeah, thank you," Maya said, "I think we are good. You probably don't want to stay too long. I'm sure we're both contagious."
"Alright," Amelia said, "Well, just let me know if you guys need anything else. And please rest."
"We will," Carina said, nodding, "I would hug you, but you do not want what we have."
"Yeah," Amelia said, "I'll pass on the hug. Text me if you guys need anything else."
"Thanks Amelia," Maya said. Amelia left and Carina grabbed the bag, opening it.
"She got food from Nonna's," Carina said, eyes wide.
"Wait, minestrone and zuppa Toscana?" Maya asked.
"Si," Carina said, "And brioche."
"Amelia is the best," Maya said as they got up, going into the kitchen and grabbing bowls and spoons before going back to the couch.
"If Amelia's going to being us Nonna's, I might get sick more often," Maya said as she dipped a piece of bread in her soup.
"I will bring you Nonna's whenever you want if we don't have to get this sick again," Carina said, shaking her head as she coughed.
"Deal," Maya said, laughing a little, "That sounds better anyway."
After lunch, they both napped, giving up on getting work done both because their eyes were so painful and because they were both exhausted.
Much to Maya's dismay, it took another five days before either of them was in any shape to go to work. Maya's fever held on a lot longer than she was hoping, and both of their eyes got worse before they got better, Maya spending an entire day without even being able to open them more than a tiny slit, and Carina's were so itchy, Maya almost held her hands the whole day to keep them off her eyes.
"I can't believe we are finally going back to work," Maya said as she made coffee for them both.
"I know," Carina said, "It's been over a week."
"I have never been that sick that long, ever," Maya said shaking her head.
"I had mono when I was in university," Carina said, "And that is probably the only time I was ever sick longer than this."
"Can we agree to never do that again," Maya said, handing Carina her travel mug of coffee as they headed out the door.
"I don't think we have much control over that, Bella," Carina said, laughing before she started coughing, that one symptom still hanging on, "And if we both keep working like we do, I don't know we will be able to avoid it."
"Fine," Maya said, "I guess I shouldn't complain too much. We did get 8 uninterrupted days off together, even if most of it was spent sleeping and feeling miserable, although next time, we take this much time off work, we should try to go on vacation instead."
"Agreed," Carina nodded as they walked toward the hospital, there place just two blocks from the hospital and five from the fire house, "Sick days are fine, but I do not want any more sick weeks."
So there it was! As always, any Marina prompts happily accepted! I got a few on part one of this that I am excited to dig into, but I am always looking for more.