AN: Hey! Thank you so much for all of the feedback on my last chapter! Sorry for the delay, I wanted to be done with this much earlier but things were hectic. So this is chapter 46, enjoy!
Chapter 46
Episode 4x12- Soul Mates
"Breathe, Jenna, just breath" I whispered with my head clenched between my two hands. I had woken up at exactly 3:38am drenched in sweat, trembling, and suffering from stomach flipping dizziness. Sections of my sandy hair plastered to my pale skin, which at that point was virtually translucent. I eased myself out of bed with my eyes shut, not wanting to aggravate the level of wooziness. I grabbed onto every piece of furniture in my reach as I made my way to the kitchen. I grabbed the nearest glass with my quaking fist and held it under the faucet, half of the descending water missing the cup entirely. I chugged what was caught with a quick pace, then set the empty glass down on the counter with more force than intended. I leaned my arms on the granite slab and shifted my weight so my elbows supported the rest of my body.
I would have been worried about waking Spencer, but he and the team had been away on a case for the past couple of days so the apartment was all mine.
"This is not what I need right now" I grumbled, my voice escalating in volume. It was the first day of winter break for the holidays, which I never really celebrated and apparently neither did Spencer so we decided not to make a huge deal out of the whole Christmas shebang. I had been planning on getting him a gift, which I was supposed to do that afternoon but my immune system had other plans.
I knew I wouldn't be getting any additional sleep, and in an attempt to lower my body temperature, I threw myself into a cold shower. The icy beads pounded on my aching skin, soothing me yet causing all the more pain as I sat at the bottom of the tub. I weakly washed myself, feeling like even picking up my shampoo bottle was like trying to move a bolder. After my skin was pruned and even paler than before, I cautiously climbed through the glass door and wrapped myself in a dark blue towel, then rubbing off the condensation that clung onto the mirror cover of the medicine cabinet.
"Christ..." I mumbled, examining my drooping features. My face seemed to sag, my eyes hidden within outer rings of pinkish-purple hue accompanied by large bags beneath my lids. To avoid analyzing my flaws further, I departed from the bathroom entirely and headed back into my bedroom. I checked the time just before brushing out my sopping wet hair, and the clock read only 4:45am, still too early to call Spencer.
I pulled on a simple thick strapped white tank top and a pair of navy blue cotton shorts, exposing my boney chest and scar filled arms. I was then thankful that Spencer was absent from the situation, that way I didn't have to worry about constant concerned look or suffer and sweat through bulky clothing.
To my dismay, my shower only cooled me down enough for my sweat glands to hold off for about ten minutes or so. I hauled myself around the apartment and opened the windows in the kitchen and living room, something Spencer would probably have a fit over if he knew, even though we lived on the seventh floor. He was constantly on my back about what safety precautions to take when he was away, including keeping all windows and doors locked at all times.
I traveled into the kitchen and filled a ziplock bag with ice, moving onto the towel I had spread out on the sofa and flopping on top of it. The combination of sweat and suede was not exactly my idea of comfortable, so the towel served as a median between the two. I pressed the cubes to separate parts of my body for minutes at a time until I covered the perimeter. I flipped on the television, settling on a marathon of Friends. I dozed in and out for hours, not catching any decent sleep. Around mid morning, the vibration of my cell phone produced a rather displeasing noise against the glass coffee table.
"Hello?" I answered without even looking at the caller ID.
"Hey, we still on for Christmas shopping today?" A voice that I recognized as Matthew replied. I was so focused on my ailment I had forgotten to call and cancel our plans.
"Shit, can we reschedule? I think I caught a bug at school or something and I'm sick as a dog" I choked out, my scratchy throat becoming more and more strained.
"Oh, yeah yeah of course. Is Spencer back yet?" Matthew asked.
"Nope, still in Atlanta" I coughed intensely, leaving me a mildly lightheaded.
"Jeez, you sound terrible" Matthew started. "And you're all alone, with no one to take care of you?" He continued, growing a bit of a protective tone.
"Yeah, but I think maybe I'll call Garcia or something-" I began, but was interrupted by another coughing fit. I wasn't really going to call Garcia, I didn't want to get in the way of the case, but I wanted Matthew to think that I was in good hands.
"Don't bother, I'm coming over. I'll see you in a half hour" Matthew announced, not giving me the chance to respond before hanging up. I felt badly for taking up his time and potentially infecting him as well, but I was too sick to over think it. I unlocked the door ahead of time, knowing I wouldn't want to get up later.
Soon enough, Matthew flew through the door.
"I am here to your rescue" He declared, setting down a canvas bag on the coffee table and sitting down on the empty side of the couch.
"I brought over a few things that always make me feel better when I'm sick" Matthew stated, reaching into the tote.
"I got you a five bottles of Gatorade, I wasn't sure which flavors you liked best, but you strike me as an Orange/Cool Blue/Lemon-Lime type of person, so I hope those are okay" He said, pulling out the bottles and placing them on the glass slab.
"I also brought throat lozenges, Tums in case you're nauseous, and I was going to bring you chicken soup but I remembered you tend to stay away from meat so I picked up some miso soup instead" He said while continuing to unload the bag. I grinned at the amount of thought he put into his choices, and how he nailed everything from my favorite drink flavor to soup preference, without me having to say anything.
"Wow, you really went all out" I let out, reading the label on an orange bottle of Gatorade and twisting the cap off.
"Well, you're sick and I want you better again" He replied, opening up the container of soup and dipping a spoon into it, handing it over to me. I accepted it without hesitation, both to my surprise and Matthews.
"Thank you, Matthew. It means a lot" I smiled, taking a spoonful of soup into my dry mouth.
"It's my pleasure, really" he replied. There was a comfortable moment of silence between the two of us, with the exception of the television. I ate the soup to my stomachs content, feeling slightly better since I had something in my system.
"Oh, I almost forgot" Matthew stood up and walked out of the room, returning with forehead thermometer in his hand. It hadn't even occurred to me to take my temperature, I was sure I had a high fever. I pushed the few strands of hair that fell from my pony tail out of the way, some of which stuck to my face due to excessive perspiration.
"Bleh, sorry I'm disgusting right now" I moaned, trying to wipe off as much sweat as I could.
"Nonsense, you're beautiful" Matthew said casually, making my let out a slight chuckle. He pressed the thermometer to my temple and dragged it across to the middle of my forehead.
"102.3, as I expected"
"Fabulous" I huffed sarcastically.
Matthew and I spent the entire day on the sofa, flipping from channel to channel as we got bored of the various television programs. He catered to my needs, even though I tried to convince him I could fend for myself. The two of us were equally as stubborn, creating some rather comical arguments. I could see the glances he casted at my arms from time to time, but neither of us said a word. He was the only one I was entirely comfortable around when in such a bare state, so I didn't see the point in covering up. He accepted me the way I was.
Young Jenna Reid was peacefully sleeping in the same spot she had claimed at the beginning of the exhausting day. Her fever had finally broken, and Matthew had covered her frail body with a light fleece blanket. He brushed back the small strands of hair from her face, taking in her raw features. He cared deeply for the girl, and risking the possibility of catching an illness seemed like a small price to pay for taking her under his wing.
He began to tidy up the apartment, putting Jenna's drinks and such in the refrigerator, wiping down the coffee table that endured a few spills throughout the day. He proceeded to wash the dirty dishes the two of them had produced, making sure he did so quietly so he didn't wake the sleeping teen.
Spencer Reid was just getting home from a long case late that night, turning his key in the door and calmly entering the apartment. Upon his arrival, he saw his younger half-sister passed out on the couch, and the kitchen sink running. His instincts kicking in, he drew his gun and crept around the short wall separating the living room form the kitchen. He quickly turned the corner and pointed his gun the boy standing opposite him at the sink, scaring the teen and making him jump and throw his hands in the air.
The agent realized who it was, and lowered his weapon.
"Matthew? What are you doing here?" Spencer asked skeptically.
"J-Jenna called me this morning and told me she was sick, so I came over to make sure she was okay. I hope that's alright" Matthew replied, still frazzled with his arms in the air.
"D-do you mind putting that away?" he asked, gesturing to Spencer's gun still in hand. The doctor tucked the weapon into his holster and Matthew relaxed.
"How sick is she? Why did she call me?" Spencer asked quietly with a bit of a frenzied tone.
"She didn't want to distract you from the case. She had a wicked fever, but it broke around a half an hour ago. She's shaky, complaining of muscle pains, nausea, and has a terrible cough. I brought over a few harmless remedies that always help me when I'm sick, and they seemed to have worked for her too" The dark haired boy recited to the lanky older brother of his best friend. Spencer gulped and gazed at Jenna from a far.
"Um, I guess since you're back I best be getting home" Matthew said, starting toward the kitchen exit.
"Thank you, Matthew, for taking care of Jenna. I'm glad she has a friend like you" Spencer spoke with his hands in his pockets and eyes directed to the ground. As much as he hated to idea of his younger sister having any involvement with a boy, just friends or anything more, he couldn't deny that Matthew was good for her.
"Anytime" the teenage boy grinned, picking up his bag and heading out the door.