"God, I feel awful." Baz moaned, and Tony rushed to the side of the bed. Bucky woke up underneath his girlfriend and immediately put his wrist up against her forehead.
"Well, you may feel like shit, but your fever has broken."
Tony collapsed into a chair. "Thank God."
He poked Steve, who was sleeping in the chair next to his.
"Hey. Wake Gia up. Baz is coherent."
Steve groaned and twisted over in his seat. "Babe. Wake up. Baz is awake."
Gia blinked up at Steve, confused. She wasn't good at waking up suddenly.
"Gia. I said Baz is awake."
Gia nearly teleported to the side of Baz's bed, putting her hands on Baz's cheeks to feel for herself if the fever was gone.
"How are you feeling, Baz? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
Baz waved Gia's questions away, only answering the last. "I woke up last night and the nurse gave me some ice chips. I'd kill for some of those."
As Gia pressed the call button, she realized the full extent of what Baz had said. "You woke up last night? When?"
"You guys were asleep and I didn't want to bother anyone since you all looked so soft and peaceful. So, I hit the call button and a very nice, very quiet nurse came down and gave me a whole cup of ice chips. I think the chicks here like me."
"Why didn't I wake up?" Bucky took his role of cold/warm compress very seriously and didn't want to be caught unprepared, i.e. sleeping.
"I know how not to wake you, Buck. How do you think I made you breakfast on Valentine's Day?"
Bucky was about to sarcastically reply, but an older-looking nurse walked in with a 4 oz. styrofoam cup of ice chips.
She drifted to the side of the bed that Tony and Gia weren't on and smiled at Baz. "One cup of ice chips for the young lady."
Baz took the cup and the spoon and handed them to Bucky. She shifted so she could sit up and hug the woman. "Thanks, Euphemia. Means a lot."
Euphemia grinned at Bucky. "You got lucky, young man. This is a fine young woman you've got yourself here." Bucky grinned back at her, looking far too charming for someone who spent the night in a hospital bed. Baz blew a kiss to Euphemia as she left.
Tony was very amused by the whole scene. "Well sis, aren't you a lady's...lady."
Baz nodded and took the ice chips back from Bucky. She started to crunch away at them and was about halfway through when a doctor knocked on the door.
"Come on in!"
The man's name tag said Dr. Scott Fletcher and it reflected the hospital lights as he looked apologetically at Bucky.
"Mr. Barnes? I'm afraid you'll have to get out of the bed so I can check this young lady's vitals." He noticed the cup in Baz's hands. "Miss Stark, I thought you were told not to ask for any more ice chips."
Baz shrugged. "Not my fault the nurses like me. Euphemia's my favorite. She stayed up with me when I woke up in the middle of the night."
Dr. Fletcher smiled. "C'mon, Baz. I need your hand."
"Will this involve needles, Doc?"
"Two of them, unfortunately. An IV because you weren't able to keep any solid food down and a blood sample because we need to do some tests."
"Well. Shit. Gia?" Baz held her hand out.
Gia, still standing by the side of the bed, accepted Baz's hand and held it securely. Tony grabbed Bucky's arm and sat him down in a chair, then fell into the chair next to him.
Baz took a deep breath and screwed up her eyes. "Okay. I'm ready."
"Oh, I'm not doing them right at this moment. Just thought you should know. I need your hand to take your pulse and blood pressure." Dr. Fletcher held up a black clip that looked about the right size to fit around a finger.
Baz rolled her eyes. "Of course." She stuck out her finger and he clipped it over the tip.
"Now it's time for those needles."
"Fuck, okay." Baz provided her arm for the doctor and he cleaned a spot with an alcohol wipe.
"Already found a vein. Considering how much you seem to dislike this process, it should be relatively easy."
Gia rushed back over to hold Baz's hand. Baz gripped it tightly and closed her eyes. "Go ahead, Doc."
"Okay. Count of five: one, two, three, four-"
Baz yelped as she felt the needle slide under her skin. "You said on the count of five!"
"Oops." Baz opened her eyes just long enough to glare at him.
"Hey, Baz?"
"Yeah, Gia?"
"I know we're already in a hospital, but it would be great if you could try not to break my hand."
Baz loosened her grip. "Better?"
"Still feels like I'm helping you through labor, but I don't think I'm in danger of shattered bones anymore."
Baz smiled weakly.
"Okay, the blood sample is done." Dr. Fletcher removed the needle from Baz's arm as Baz opened her eyes.
"Thank goodness," Gia joked. "I don't think I could have survived much longer."
Baz made a face at her. "Don't go just yet. Now it's time for the needle that stays in."
Baz held out her right hand and Dr. Fletcher slowly pushed a needle into the back of it. He took the applicator away and taped the IV down. Baz looked a little sick.
"Okay, this is officially the worst."
Tony rolled his eyes as the door shut behind the doctor. "You're kidding, right? You say that in every hospital. And it's always after the needle."
Baz tried to glare at Tony, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. He was right, after all.
"Don't forget your phobia of hospitals in general, big bro. I know you hate recovering here."
Tony gently nudged his sister in retaliation. She was making a good effort to seem nonchalant, but he could see how small and cold she looked in the bed and how she was bunching up and smoothing out the blanket with her left hand.
"Want me to sit with you for a while so Bucky can go get something to eat? Maybe a shower?"
Baz nodded, but Bucky protested irritably.
"Buck. You're hangry. Go home and take care of yourself. Have a Snickers or something."
Bucky grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "You can stick a Snickers right up your ass," and stalked out the door.
Baz patted Gia's hand. "You two should leave too. Go home and get some proper sleep. They'll release me soon, I'm sure." Baz's voice cracked. She really wanted them gone.
Steve jolted awake from his dozing position at the mention of proper sleep. "I very much agree with Baz. Plus Gia and I have to go home and finish something."
Gia giggled and winked at her husband before returning her attention to Baz, who raised an eyebrow so much her eye started twitching. Gia just giggled again and Baz made a face at her.
"I don't need to hear about your sex life. Get outta here."
Gia checked Baz's temperature one more time, then left with promises to rescue Baz from the hospital food once she got back. Then she and Steve left (with possibly too much hand-to-ass contact on the way out), and the Stark siblings were left alone.