He had woken up in the middle of the night with the feeling that something was not right. He opened his eyes to see his main girl wrapped securely in his arms still sound asleep. He immediately knew that wasn't the cause of his unease. Carefully so not to disturb her he sat up to check on his other girl and knew he had found the source of his tension.
The three year old was sitting up in her bed, something that was unusual. If she woke up from a bad dream or simply had trouble sleeping she had no problem waking her parents up or just worming her way into their bed. He immediately knew something was not right with the way she was silently sitting.
"Are you okay Lydia?" He whispered loud enough so she could hear, but not wake her mother.
The small child shook her head no.
"Do you want to come into bed with us?" He asked.
This time she shook her head and after a moment she pushed herself off the toddler bed and crossed the short distance to him. He easily picked her up and placed her in the middle tucking her right in between him and her mother. Something still did not feel right though and she snuggled down farther into the sheets. After a moment he realized his daughter was shaking beside him.
"Are you cold bug?" He asked.
Once again she nodded her head. The bunker was always cold, especially in the winter, but they always made sure to dress her in clothes that would keep her comfortable. His paternal instincts were in over drive now as he placed the back of his hand to her forehead. He shouldn't have been surprised when he felt the heat radiating off of her.
"Lucy wake up." He said urgently shaking her shoulder.
He turned on the light on the night side table to get a better look. This time he wasn't surprised to see the pale face and bright red cheeks looking up at him.
"What?" His partner groaned.
"Feel Lydia's head, I think she has a fever."
That instantly had the mother awake. She rolled over in bed and placed her lips to her daughter's forehead.
"She's burning up." She gasped looking worriedly at him. "She wasn't sick when we put her to bed was she?"
He thought back for a moment trying to remember. "No she was fine. Causing mass chaos as usual up until we told her it was time. Then refusing to go to bed until Rufus and Jiya and Flynn told her Christmas stories."
The mother nodded her head in agreement. "I'm going to get the thermometer and children's Tylenol."
She gave their daughter one final kiss on the head before jumping out of bed and running to their closet. He sat up straighter and pulled the child into his chest.
"No Mommy." The three year old said speaking for the first time upon seeing what was in store for her.
"I'm afraid so baby." She sighed and sat back down on the bed. "Open."
He held her close as she slid the thermometer into the tiny mouth.
After the beep she pulled it out and read, "100.3"
"No Mommy." Their daughter repeated again knowing what was coming next.
She didn't listen though and took the medicine out of the box. She carefully read the directions and poured the correct amount in.
"This is the last of it." She commented.
"We'll find a way to pick more up tomorrow if the fever doesn't go away." He responded.
He hoped that it was a one night thing, but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple.
"Open up Lydia." She said in her most soothing voice to the child.
"No!" She cried and tried to squirm away from her parents.
He held her down tight though so she could not escape the bed.
"Come on bug the sooner you take this the sooner you can go back to sleep." He tried to reason.
"No!" She screamed again the tears starting to form in her eyes.
The parents shared a look and quickly took action. As gently as possible he forced their daughter's mouth open while she quickly poured the liquid into her mouth.
"Swallow it." He ordered in his well practiced dad voice.
She did follow through and instantly burst into real tears.
"You did it baby that's it." She comforted and handed the three year old her water bottle.
"Yucky." She shuddered between sips of water.
"I know baby, but it will help you feel better." She soothed again gently rubbing her back.
Once the child had enough water she passed it back to her mother and let out a big yawn. He helped adjust her so that when they both lied down her head was resting in his chest and tucked the blankets up around her chin. It didn't take long from there for her to fall back asleep. His partner curled in close as well resting her head upon his pillow.
To no ones surprise when the adults fully woke up that morning their daughter still had a fever. Thankfully it hadn't gone up, but it hadn't gone down either. She's instantly texted her boss explaining the situation and after a quick change of clothes and shoving something edible into her mouth she was ready to go.
"We'll be fine." He promised her, their child still sound asleep on his chest.
She nodded her head in agreement and placed a kiss on his lips and their daughter's head. Her phone buzzed in her back pocket and she instantly knew who it was.
"Christopher is here. If she gets worse…"
"I promise to call and you and Christopher will be right back." He repeated back the directions she had given to him multiple times since they woke up.
"Right. I promise to be as fast as possible. Bye."
She picked the baseball cap off of one of the many wall cubbies and quickly ran out of the room.
When she arrived back only an hour later she was greeted with the cutest sight, or it would have been if she didn't know that her baby was sick. The child must have woken up at some point while she was out because she was now sitting up and wrapped in a blanket. Father and daughter were still curled close together watching something on his laptop.
"How are we doing?" She asked walking all the way into the room.
"The same I think." He instantly answered. "She wouldn't eat anything, but I did get her to drink some orange juice and water."
"What are you watching?" She asked the three year old.
"Charlie Brown Christmas." She responded not taking her eyes off of the screen.
"Who picked that movie out?"
"I did! It's Christmas!"
She couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's innocence. Even when sick she was all about the holiday that was only a few short days away. Unfortunately she had to pause the movie which caused whines of protests from the small child.
"You need to take more medicine." She explained holding up the new bottle.
"No Mommy that's yucky!" She answered back.
She looked around the room trying to find an escape, but once again her father had a firm grasp on her.
"Don't you want to feel better Lydia?" He asked.
She thought hard for a moment taking the question vey seriously. The two parents had to bite their lips to stop themselves from laughing at the serious pout that appeared across her face.
"I got you a treat." She continued.
Instantly the serious face dropped and her eyes shone at the word treat. From behind her back she pulled out the signature red and white holiday Starbuck's cup. He made sure to show extra large excitement to keep up the momentum.
"I got you hot chocolate, but you can only have it if you take your medicine."
The three year old let out a very dramatic sigh, "fine."
"You're such a good girl." Her father praised her as the pair watched the dreaded Tylenol be poured into the plastic cup.
Without being asked she opened her mouth up wide and allowed her mother to pour the liquid in. She swallows quickly, a disgusted look on her face, and held out her hands for the cup.
"Water first." He instructed and handed her the water bottle.
She eagerly took that and swallowed the liquid. "It nasty."
"Where did you learn that word from?" The mother asked unable to control her laugh.
"Hot chocolate please?" She ignored as she pushed the water bottle into her father's hands and held out her own for the red cup.
"Of course baby. I'm so proud of you!"
She eagerly took a sip, "it yummy!"
"I bet it is. Hopefully that and the medicine will help you feel better." He smiled and pushed as the unruly curls that were sticking to her brow.
"Play please." She said pointing to the laptop.
"Of course since you asked so nicely."
With her cup of hot chocolate and movie playing she snuggled back into her father's side, her eyes once again glued to the Christmas movie. He couldn't help but smile at how cute their daughter was kissed the top of her head once again. When he looked up though he caught the eyes of a very worried mother.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"She's sick." Was all she said still sitting in front of the pair on the bed.
"Yeah, but at least she's in good spirits. Besides I thought we wanted her exposed to germs to build up her immune system."
"I know we do, but…"she let out a long sigh. "I feel awful, she's sick so close to Christmas."
He quickly took her hands into his, "hey it's going to be okay. I'm sure this is some childhood thing and will blow over quickly. We have all of today to get her good and rested for Christmas."
"And what if she isn't better by tomorrow?"
"Then we'll take her to the doctor and maybe they can give her something to help."
"No doctor!" The little girl shouted not taking her eyes off her screen.
"Hopefully not, you want to be all better for Santa right?" She asked trying not to laugh. Of course that was what she picked up on.
She finally picked her head up to look directly at her other, "Santa's coming?"
"Not yet. Remember we have two more days to go. Just like on our advent calendar."
The small child nodded her head, though neither adult knew how much of that she actually got, and went back to the movie. Her attention was long gone after she heard no Santa.
"See she's going to be fine." He smiled bringing her attention back to their conversation. "Whatever her body is fighting off will pass and she will be able to fully enjoy the holiday."
She let out a sigh again, "I know you're probably right, but…"
"You just want Lydia to have good and normal memories." He finished for her. "And she will. Even if she's still sick we'll improvise to make sure the day is special. Okay?"
"Okay." She replied, but he could tell she still wasn't convinced.
He leaned forward, careful of the child and her drink to give her a kiss on the lips.
"Relax and believe in the magic of Christmas." He smiled as he pulled away.
She gave him a skeptical look, "that sounds like something I would say."
"Well after four years of working together, three years of raising a child together and being an actual couple, you were bound to rub off on me at some point." He teased.
"Mommy sit here and watch Christmas Snoopy!" Their daughter demanded bringing them back down.
While still holding her cup of hot chocolate and eyes still on the laptop she patted the spot beside her on the bed where she wanted her mother to sit. At that look both parents lost it.
"Yes Ma'am." She said and quickly followed her daughter's instructions.
"Hey that's my line." He said in fake anger.
She shrugged her shoulders, "What can I say, you've rubbed off on me too."