A/N: Here is chapter four, written by the wonderful I hart Booth! Thanks for all the reviews, we really appreciate it!

---Six Weeks Earlier---

Brennan glanced at her phone vibrating softly on the table, and back at her laptop. She'd promised to have the next chapter of her book to her publisher by Friday and she really couldn't afford any interruptions. But the vibration continued and she sighed heavily. Moving her computer aside, she snatched the phone off the table and checked the Caller ID. Grinning, she flipped it open.

"Hey Handsome, wasn't expecting to hear from you today." She still found it amazing at how easily a single phone call from Booth could change her mood. She hadn't seen him since they woke together the day before because they didn't have any cases.

"Um, hi. Is this Bones?"

She frowned, it was a man's voice, but not Booth.

"Yes, who is this and why do you have Booth's phone?"

"My name is Robert Glienn. I'm the doorman at Mr. Booth's building. I've got him right here, but he doesn't look so great. I think he's sick and he was going out to get medicine or something, but didn't quite make it. He almost collapsed on his way out of the elevator. You are the first person in his speed dial so I thought you would be a good choice to call."

She felt her heartbeat start to speed up. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes, thank you." She told the man, shutting down her computer. "Could you put Booth on please?"

After a moment of shuffling and mumbled words and curses on the other end, Booth's quiet, tired sounding voice came over the line.

"Bones?"

"Booth, what were you thinking? If you're sick you should stay in bed." She chided, slipping on her shoes.

He coughed and replied weakly. "Yeah, I know…I just…I'm dying here and all the medicine I have is Parker's stuff."

She rolled her eyes at his lack of preparation. "Well that's not a great idea Booth, you get sick too you know."

"Believe me I noticed."

"Why didn't you call me?" she asked.
"I know you were busy with your book and…" he trailed off, violently coughing.

As she searched for her purse, she bit back a sigh of exasperation. Typical alpha male. She thought to herself.

"Okay, what do you need? What are your symptoms?"

He slowly rattled off a list of unpleasant sounding indicators that all pointed to one ultimately unpleasant answer.

"Booth you have the Stomach Flu."

He groaned in response. "I was afraid of that."

"I'm on my way over there now. I'll pick up the stuff you need, put the other guy back on the phone."

"Robert, Bones." He corrected automatically. More shuffling and the other voice was back.

"Yes?"

"Could you take him back to his apartment please? I have to stop and get him some things but I'm on my way over right now." She grabbed her car keys, and headed out the door, phone cradled between her shoulder and ear as she pulled on a red sweatshirt.

"Well, I'm really not supposed to leave the lobby ma'am."

"Please Mr...please Robert. He really should be upstairs. I'll pay you when I get there."

The man sighed. "That won't be necessary Ms. Bones, I'll get him back upstairs safely."

Brennan thanked him and shut the phone not bothering to correct him on her name as she sped off to the drugstore.

Booth collapsed onto his bed. His head felt like it was four times it's normal size and the nausea was so excruciating that he wanted to surgically remove his own stomach. He hadn't had the flu in a long time, but knew from experience that it wasn't going to be a fun night. His energy all but gone, he slowly moved down the hall to the refrigerator, pulled out a gallon of water from the refrigerator and lugged it back to his bedroom.

Climbing under the covers, he started to shiver as sweat soaked his back and he gulped a few glasses of water. He soon regretted drinking so fast though, when his stomach turned and he bolted to the bathroom to avoid throwing up whatever may have been in his stomach.

Half an hour later, Brennan pulled out her key and let herself into Booth's apartment.

"Booth?"

A soft response from the bedroom greeted her and she walked to the back of the apartment, bringing her bag of healing products with her.

Booth was lying stretched out on top of the covers in sweatpants and a t-shirt, staring at the TV screen blankly. She came and sat beside him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked gently, wincing as she touched his forehead. He was burning up.

"Like crap." His voice was hoarse and he was much paler than usual.

She nodded, slowly taking stock of him. His eyes were glazed over, his hair damp with sweat. His body, usually in constant motion as he paced, moved, bounced or tossed things into the air, was completely still. It was actually rather unnerving.

"Here." She reached into the bag and pulled out some cough medicine. Cough and congestion relievers, several immune boosters and a bottle of Nyquil.

"This stuff is a godsend, you'll sleep like a…like a…sleeping person." She poured him a couple tablespoons of the liquid and a handful of pills, trying to remember the correct idiom.

"Baby." He supplied, downing the medicine in one gulp with the water on his bed stand.

"What?"

"No, not you Baby. Sleep like a ba…never mind."

She smiled at his effort and squeezed his hand. Leaving the bottles on the table beside him, she got up.

"C'mon let's get you under the covers."

He shivered and complied willingly, letting her tuck him in with numerous layers of blankets.

"Where are you going?" He looked at her worriedly as she turned to leave. She kissed his forehead, trying not to think of how maternal taking care of him felt.

"My parents always made me soup when I was sick. Would you like some? Think you can keep it down?"

He shrugged. "I'll try."

And he did, for about forty-five minutes, then he tossed it.

Brennan's evening consisted of zero writing and trying her best to keep scientific explanations for everything to a minimum, knowing it only irritated him when he was like this. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she attempted to keep her temper in check every time he spoke in that whiny tone.

"I'm too hot." "I'm cold." "Can I have s'more soup?" "Come sit with me." "I'm thirsty."

Brennan drew him a warm bath around ten which calmed him for a while, and he managed to joke with her a bit, though his brain was obviously functioning slower than usual.

He got out of the water and rolled his shoulders as he changed into different clothes and got back into bed. His muscles ached and he couldn't get comfortable, despite the various positions he tried. He hated being sick.

Later that night Brennan grew slightly more concerned when he stopped talking at all. He was even quieter than before and sat, staring unseeingly at the TV with a glazed expression that made her uneasy.

"I think you should try and sleep Booth." She told him, smoothing his hair and noticing that his fever seemed to be spiking again. Booth only nodded and scooted over on the large bed so she could sit down.

She climbed under the covers with him and he rested his head on her shoulder, his large arms engulfing her waist.

She sighed, she liked having him near her, but not because he didn't feel well and wanted comfort. For all her complaining, she really didn't mind taking care of him, she just wanted him to feel good again. It surprised her really, the sudden change in their relationship. It was only twelve days ago that they were just partners and now she was here in his apartment, taking care of him. She wasn't as scared as she thought she would be. Somehow, being here with him just felt right.

Her hand had been stroking from his hairline down his cheek to the bottom of his jaw absently for almost fifteen minutes before she heard him snoring beside her. She smiled and flicked off the light, turning to wrap her arms around him as she too drifted to sleep, convinced he would feel better in the morning.

Around 2am a soft sound began working it's way into Brennan's brain, slowly bringing her back to the world of the conscious.

"Booth?" She said softly, rolling over to find him jerking in his sleep, pushing the covers away. "Booth wake up." She reached out and found his arms slick with sweat, his body warm to the touch. Realizing he was much warmer than before, she jumped out of bed and ran to get a bowl of water and a washcloth.

"Booth, Booth wake up, c'mon Babe please." She called from the bathroom, glancing out at him several times, not even realizing her slip with the affectionate pet name. He was still tossing and turning, a frown on his face, no doubt in a fever induced nightmare.

She returned to his side as quickly as she could and began dabbing his brow with the cloth.

"Booth…Booth wake up please."

Suddenly his eyes popped open and he sat up. She didn't even have a chance to ask what was happening and he was off the bed, quickly and clumsily moving down the hall to the bathroom. Realizing what he was doing, Brennan got up and went after him.

He was bent over the toilet throwing up whatever might be left of his medicine and chicken soup when she got to him. Brennan came to stand beside him, realizing he really didn't need his hair held out of his face, she instead rubbed small circles on his back and spoke soothingly.

"Hey, hey. You're okay…take a deep breath Booth you're fine."

Finally it was over and wiping his mouth, he sat on the edge of the tub. His breathing ragged and loud.

"You okay?" She asked after a moment. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"I hate doing that."

She agreed and waited while he rinsed his mouth before helping him back to bed, his fever still prevalent.

Booth hadn't felt this horrible in a long time, and he'd rarely been so grateful for Brennan's presence. While he wasn't thrilled she got to see him in one of his less flattering moments, he was glad she came. His muscles ached and his head hurt and his stomach was not agreeing with anything, but if Bones was around it wasn't so bad.

Well, it was, but at least it was tolerable.

Brennan held out a glass of water to him after he got into the bed and he glared at it.

"You need to stay hydrated." She told him matter-of-factly. After a few moments he grudgingly took it and gulped it down.

"Slowly Booth, or you'll just throw it right back up."

When he was finished she got into bed beside him.

"Turn on your side." He started to move, too tired to argue or even ask why. "Other side. Lying on your left aids in settling your stomach." He turned so he was facing away from her and she propped herself up on an elbow so she could continue rubbing circles on his back until he fell asleep again.

Ten minutes later she took a deep breath as his breathing evened out and she lay down. She watched him breathing for a few moments in the dark. Satisfied that he was calm, she leaned down and kissed his cheek gently before wrapping her arms around him, hoping the rest of the night would be less eventful.