A/N: Thank you so much for the great response, hopefully you'll enjoy the next chapter...

Chapter 13 - Sometimes Love is only sleeping

It took Wheeler a few hours to get everything he wanted but the first thing he did when he got back was to check on Linka. She was still sleeping but she was restless, shifting about in the bed as if she couldn't get comfortable and there was perspiration on her brow.

How did I not see how sick she was? Getting a damp cloth he sat next to her and placed it on her forehead, trying to take her temperature down. He had to run it under the tap a couple more times before it seemed to do any good, and even then it was the tender kiss he placed on her head as he checked her temperature again, that seemed to finally make her settle down.

When he was confident that she was doing better, the American set about re-arranging his spare room so that he would have somewhere to sleep. He had no idea how it had got in a mess, but he'd been storing all his study materials in there, plus a few old designs, along with the things he'd retrieved from Hope Island. As evening approached he made up some tinned soup for his patient and went in to wake her.

Placing the tray on his desk for a minute, Wheeler gently stroked her cheek and spoke softly, "It's time to wake up Babe. Come on now, you need to eat something."

She groaned but gradually regained consciousness, blushing slightly as she realised her ex-boyfriend was still lovingly caressing her face. "Was I asleep long?"

"Most of the day." He grinned and stood up to fetch her dinner. "I'd have let you sleep but I think you should at least try eating something, you've got to keep your strength up. Plus I have some of the medicine the doctor recommended so you should probably take some of that too."

Linka sighed but forced herself to sit up and receive the tray, "Spasiba… I am sorry I am taking up so much of your time."

"I don't have anything better to do." Wheeler made haste to reassure her. He had sat back down beside her and continued to talk conversationally to keep her company. "I managed to get your luggage, though you wouldn't believe how many forms they had me fill out, and then they only gave it to me because I'd thought to take both our passports with me."

The Russian tried to hide her reaction to the mention of their special travel documents but he saw. "Yeah, but they come in handy. I don't even know what would happen if I tried to get a normal one, you know?"

She nodded and concentrated on her soup but she was forcing it down and Wheeler let her finish in silence. After following the instructions on the medicine he'd picked up, he asked her if there was anything he could get her.

"There is a book I was reading in one of my bags… if you do not mind." She told him. "It would be good to have it close by in case I cannot sleep later."

"Sure." He got up and crouched down beside the luggage he'd brought into the room on his return. "Do you know which one it's in?"

She shook her head, "My head was not very clear, just look through them, if you do not mind. It is all clean and I do not think you will be bothered by my underwear, da?"

Wheeler grinned at her, "Dunno Beautiful, I seem to remember getting hot and bothered by it on occasion."

Linka chuckled and lay back, surprised by how easy it was to joke with him. When he was behaving this way it was easy for her to pretend that nothing had ever gone wrong between them and in her present condition that was important as the flu had robbed her of all her emotional defences, she was completely at his mercy.

A soft exclamation drew her attention back to her belongings. "What is it?"

Wheeler stood up and turned towards her, holding a small cuddly tiger, "I can't believe you still have this."

Her cheeks burned and tears filled her eyes, "Should I not have?"

"I didn't say that!" he replied quickly, moving back to the bed and placing the soft toy beside her, though his own presence was what drew her attention as he sat next to her hip and leant on the bed on the other side of her legs, caging her in. "Don't get upset, I was just surprised that's all."

Linka couldn't meet his eyes. How could she tell him how much his gift, carelessly given so long ago, had meant to her during their years apart? How pathetic would she seem if he knew how many tears had been cried into the little tiger as she held him and wished for the 'real' Jason? …would he even believe her?

"I like it." She said at last, with a small shrug. "Perhaps I should have left him behind on Hope Island but it never occurred to me."

Wheeler's throat had closed up and he tried not to think about whether her continued affection for his present held any real significance. "I'm glad." It came out as a croak and he quickly returned to looking for her book, unable to tell her what he was glad about and not sure himself. He found the novel shortly afterwards but the cheerful mood they had started with had been ruined so he left her almost immediately to read or sleep.

Surrounded by Wheeler's belongings, the lovely Russian curled up into a ball, holding her tiger tightly against her chest and burying her head in its fur so that the tears wouldn't show. I am my own worst enemy… it was wrong of me to keep little Jason when the feelings that were given with him were gone. I am ashamed. This time, when I leave, I will not take him with me. I cannot keep clinging to the past.

The thought was like a knife in her heart and only made her cry harder, but she was determined to keep the resolution.

Wheeler stomped around his kitchen, banging doors and slamming everything he picked up back down again on the counter. The young red head was furious.

It doesn't mean anything. So she liked a present I gave her, so what? She practically picked it out anyway, of course she liked it, she probably forgot I gave it to her … yeah that's it, she said it never occurred to her that she shouldn't have kept it, and why would it when she didn't remember where she got it from. And clearly she was embarrassed that I'd seen it… she was probably freaked out by the idea that I might think it meant something.

He forced aside the memories it conjured up and continued with the preparations for his dinner.

She's probably thinking I'm going to read too much into it and do or say something stupid, well I'll show her that that's all in the past. It doesn't mean a damn thing! It never meant anything to her anyway, other than it was like, cute or something, it never meant anything that it came from me. Nothing I did ever mattered to her!

The American had convinced himself of her indifference a long time ago and he didn't like that seeds of doubt kept creeping in.

Girls like cuddly toys, there's no way she sleeps with that thing because it reminds her of me… no way. I must be crazy to even consider that… but I'm not considering it because I know better. They told her to act like she missed me. They told her to tell me what I needed to hear. They told her to do whatever it took to get me to play along… they couldn't have told her to carry that thing around with her for four years.

"Damn it!" He slammed his hand on the counter and began serving up the food he'd prepared, which on close inspection was underdone in some places and a little too crispy in others, but he didn't notice.

Get a grip on yourself Wheeler! They wouldn't have told her to carry it around on her but who's to say they didn't tell her to bring it here? Why the hell shouldn't they still be playing games? She could have staged this whole thing just to get me to drop my guard!

He didn't taste a mouthful of his meal but afterwards felt vaguely sick. Of course Wheeler didn't really believe Linka was trying to deceive him, but he wanted to because the alternative was unthinkable.

I am not the bad guy in all this! It was her pride that was hurt, that's all! I wouldn't have walked out on her if she'd loved me… I couldn't have.

Looking at the clock, Wheeler began to turn everything off, going through the motions and using the main bathroom so that he didn't have to go in and see Linka again. He didn't need to check on her after all, she wasn't a child and she was quite capable of looking after herself.

She needed a place to stay and I've given her one, she can't expect more than that.

Alone in the spare room, Wheeler stared up at the ceiling. He kept thinking of the look on her face when he'd found the tiger and the way she wouldn't meet his eyes, and he couldn't lie to himself anymore.

She didn't want me to know. She'd forgotten it was in there… I know her too well, even now. She hasn't done anything in the past few months to make me think she regretted more than the loss of our friendship… but then I never gave her a chance, did I?

He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed.

She never liked anyone knowing when she was hurting, but I could always tell… until she hurt me so badly I didn't want to see anymore. She wasn't in love with me but she cared, we were a family and family means everything to her… and I ripped it apart.

The young man scrubbed away an errant tear, refusing to give in to the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm him as he forced himself to face what he'd done to his best friend.

It was her fault, she started it, but I was the one who ended it. If she didn't feel guilty she would've never let me get away with half the shit I've been dishing out. I didn't want her here and she knows it… and now it's too late to fix it. Maybe that's for the best though, all she wants is for me to not hate her, she's not capable of loving me the way I want her to and she wouldn't even understand the difference.

He ran his fingers through his hair as thoughts of what it would be like when she left flitted through his brain.

I'll give her what she wants. I'll make sure she thinks I don't hate her and that everything is ok between us again… then she'll leave happy and not give me a second thought. That's the way it would've been if our leaders hadn't stuck their noses in… that's the way it should be. I'm better off on my own anyway…

"YANKEE!"

Her scream brought him to his feet in one swift movement, his door banging loudly against the wall as he ripped it open, the handle leaving a dent in the plasterwork.

"Babe, what's wrong?" He threw open the door of the main bedroom with equal violence, only to find her thrashing about in the midst of a fever driven nightmare. Wheeler shook her gently, trying to bring her back to reality, his gut wrenching at the sight of her tears. "Linka? Baby, wake up, you're having a bad dream!"

Linka's eyes flew open but she looked about wildly, not seeing him and still struggling in his grasp. "Do not leave! Please, Jason, do not leave me!"

Her desperate pleas cut straight through to his heart and he gathered her up in his arms, rocking her gently, all thoughts of keeping his distance gone. "I'm here Babe, don't cry, sweetheart, I'm here, I've got you."

His voice must have got through to her because she stopped trying to get away and collapsed against him, sobs wracking her body. Wheeler didn't know if her fevered imagination was dredging up old memories or creating new ones out of the current situation, but it didn't matter, he had no intention of ever letting her go again.

"You're burning up Babe," He told her when she had calmed a little, "I'm gonna need you to take some medicine."

"Do not go!" She grasped at the t-shirt he'd been wearing over his boxers and he hugged her close in response.

Kissing her temple he tried to reassure her, "I'm not going anywhere Babe, I promise you. I just need you to drink something for me, I'll be right here the whole time, I'm not leaving."

At last she let him hold the medicine to her lips, followed by some water, and finally subsided into his arms. She murmured something in Russian that he couldn't make out but he made comforting noises in return, stroking her hair and placing a kiss or two on the top of her head.

Wheeler felt exhausted, both from effort and worry, and the lingering effects of his earlier anger. All he wanted was to curl up with Linka in his arms so that he could sleep knowing that she was safe, but he knew that would be a step too far and he couldn't risk having her push him away while she still needed him. In the end he settled her back against her pillows and tucked her in, before laying down next to her on top of the covers.

"Yankee?" She was half asleep but her voice was tremulous as if she was afraid he'd already gone.

"Right here, Babe." He turned on his side and put his arm over her so she'd know where he was, and had the satisfaction of feeling her relax.

A slight smile graced her lips, "Ya tebyA lyublyU."

"Sweet dreams." He didn't know what she'd said but he recognised the phrase, it was something she had always said as she fell asleep, usually after they'd been intimate, but he'd heard it at least once before they were together.

He'd woken her up after she'd fallen asleep on the geo-cruiser on their way home from a particularly arduous mission, and before she'd opened her eyes she'd smiled and said that phrase coupled with her nickname for him. When he'd asked her what it meant she told him that he'd pronounced it so badly she had no idea, but he figured it was something like 'I'm tired' or 'go to sleep'.

Linka's head felt as if it was stuffed with cotton wool and the rest of her ached, and as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position she found herself weighted down.

Forcing her eyes open she was met with a shock of red hair resting on her chest. Jason?! An arm and leg were also curled over her torso, holding her firmly in place. "Jason?" Her mouth was dry and her voice barely above a croak but it was enough.

Wheeler's head shot up and his eyes started to search hers, though she wasn't sure what he was looking for. Then he raised his hand to gently feel her forehead, followed by scooting up the bed so that he could repeat the gesture with his lips.

Apparently satisfied, the American offered his friend a wide grin. "Your fever's gone."

"What are you doing in here?" she asked, clearly embarrassed at waking up next to him, and if truth be told, a little worried about anything she might have said in her sleep.

"You were in a pretty bad way Babe, thrashing about and stuff. You called out and I heard you." he shrugged, "I couldn't leave you like that."

"I am sorry." Her cheeks flushed deeply and she couldn't meet his eyes. "I would not have burdened you if..."

"It's not a burden!" Wheeler replied quickly, and he moved them both so that he could put his arms around her properly, pulling her head down against his shoulder. "Linka, please Babe, don't beat yourself up over it, I wanted to be here for you. I chose to take care of you... Just go with it, ok?"

Linka's answer was lost in a coughing fit but she accepted the water he held for her and settled back against him afterwards, so he took that to be agreement.

"I feel horrible," she said after a while.

Wheeler hesitated, "Could you be more specific? ...I got cough mixture, nasal spray, chest rub... Few other things they said was good for colds."

Linka gave him a weak smile, "I probably should try all of it but I meant my body... I ache all over and I am uncomfortable... And the bed is..." She sighed and shook her head, exhausted by the effort of speaking.

Wheeler kissed her temple comfortingly, "Ok, so how about I run you a bath? I can change the bed while you're soaking and then dose you up?"

"I do not think I have the energy," She replied sadly.

The American gently disengaged from her and stood up. "I'll help you."

"That… that would not be… appropriate." She blushed.

He paused on his way to the bathroom to grin back at her, "Nothing I haven't seen before Beautiful."

Unable to resist the cheeky look in his eyes, Linka couldn't prevent a smile but shook her head, "I thought we were going to forget about that?"

"Only the bad bits." He winked and continued on.

Linka's smile grew wider, the young man she had fallen in love with was still in there and she had no defence against him. Their history might be what had kept them apart but it also gave them a closeness no one else would ever match.

If he wants to live in that world for a few days, I can pretend, she thought, snuggling into his pillow. It is not as bad as I thought it would be. It is almost a relief to be with him again like this… respite, however brief.