Luke showed up at Garcia's apartment at 7pm on the dot. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Garcia in sweats and crumpled tissues in her hand.
"I-I-I'm sorry", she stammered. "I got up to get dressed, and then this happened." Luke looked at her and smiled. Even sick, she was adorable. He tried to hide the flowers he had for her behind his back but she noticed.
"And you got me flowers!" she exclaimed. She took the flowers from him and sniffed, then sneezed immediately.
"Sorry!" he said, taking the flowers.
"It's ok", she mused. "I guess we should reschedule. I was looking forward to this too", she said.
"Me too", Luke said. He reached the door. "Another time then."
Garcia closed the door and sighed. She really was looking forward to the date. She didn't mean to get sick.
Luke stood outside of Garcia's apartment and sighed. He pulled out his cell phone and cancelled the dinner reservations. Even though he was disappointed, he felt even worse for Garcia. She wasn't feeling the best and looked so disappointed. He started walking slowly to his car when a huge smile played across his face.
He drove to the supermarket on the corner and practically ran in. He grabbed more Kleenex, cough syrup and cough drops, apple juice and tea, and everything he'd need to make his Abuela's famous chicken and vegetable soup. Minus the chicken of course.
He drove back to Garcia's apartment and knocked. Groggily, she answered the door. She looked up, nodded and went back to the sofa, and proceeded to go back to sleep.
Luke chuckled and went to work. He put the meds and Kleenex away, and put the juices in the fridge. He found the pot and started making the soup. As the soup's aroma started filling the apartment, he heard Garcia cough loudly and stir on the sofa, her body wafting over toward the kitchen area.
"What is all of this?" she said, genuinely surprised. "Didn't you leave?"
"Yes", he said, pulling up a chair for her. "Sit." He said. He went to fridge and got the apple juice and poured a small glass. He got the cough medicine and set it in front of her.
"You didn't have to, Newbie", Garcia said, measuring out the medicine.
"Luke", Luke said. "If we're going to date, shouldn't we be on a first name basis?"
"You still call me Garcia", she said, sipping her juice.
"Point taken", Luke said, chuckling. "Can we try Alvez?"
"Al—Vezzz" Garcia said slowly. She sipped some more juice. "Nope, It just doesn't sound right."
Luke laughed. "Alright, Newbie for a little while longer."
Garcia sat silently and watched him stir what had to be one of the best smelling things she'd ever smelled in her life.
"Thank you", she said quietly.
Luke stopped stirring and walked over to her chair. He cupped her chin and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Nowhere else I'd rather be", he said. "Your fever broke."
He fixed her a good sized bowl of soup and when she got ready for bed, settled her on the sofa. And when Garcia woke up in the middle of the night, Luke was asleep in her easy chair holding a box of tissue.
"Socks completely knocked off, Newb." Garcia said, covering him with her blanket.