Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed them with the back of her hand. Out of nowhere, her eyes felt like flaming balls of fire shoved into her skull. She pulled her eyes back open to check her watch. 4:30 pm. Ugh. She flipped through the files on the desk, trying to decide how much could wait until tomorrow.
She heard a soft knock on the door before Fin popped his head in. "Hey Cap, woah." His eyes widened.
"What?" She asked tersely.
"Um. You feeling okay?" He almost winced.
"Actually no. I think I'm going to go home." She stood up only to find herself so lightheaded that she needed to sit down.
"Liv, you're not driving home." Fin came all the way into the office and shut the door.
She waved him off. "I'm fine. I just need a minute."
"You aren't fine, and you aren't driving." Fin tried to hold the hard line, but she knew he couldn't stop her.
"Don't make a big deal. I'm fine." She could drive. If she could stand up first, She rubbed her temples in an attempt to get her headache to abate.
Another knock at the door. "What now?" She muttered without lifting her head. She heard Fin open the door and chuckle.
"Your timing is perfect, man. Talk some sense into her." It sounded like Fin left the room, but then she heard him say, "Don't let her drive."
"I'm Fine!" She growled, finally looking up to see who came in.
Elliot stood in front of her desk with a bag of bagels. He set the bagels on her desk and said, "I'm taking you home." He grabbed her coat off the hanger. "Where's your bag?"
"I don't need anyone to drive me!" She stubbornly insisted.
"Sure, Liv," he muttered angrily. "I'm not going to let you drive into head-on traffic because you can't open your eyes." He found her bag behind her desk and slung it over his shoulder. She glared at him, and he returned the glare. "Don't make me carry you out of here."
Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."
"Try me," he dared. Part of her knew he would haul her out of here. Easily.
"Fine." She huffed. The world started spinning the second she stood. She felt his hand shoot around her waist, steadying her teetering form.
She waited a second before opening her eyes. "Maybe you need to drive me home," she sheepishly admitted.
She heard him chuckle softly. He kept his arm around her waist as they walked to the office door. When he reached for the knob, she pushed his arm off of her waist.
"What?" His voice huffed with exasperation.
"I'm not walking through the squad room with you wrapped around me."
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. But if you fall over, I'm not responsible."
She felt his hand ghosting her lower back as she made her way across the squad room, and she knew he wouldn't let her topple. She felt all eyes on her, but she was too focused on walking to care.
They made it to the elevator, and once the doors shut, she grabbed his hand and pulled it back to its previous perch on her waist. "I think I might fall over," she admitted.
He tightened his grip on her and pulled her closer, providing additional support. "I got you," he whispered into her hair.
-000-
Elliot managed to get her to her apartment without having to outright carry her, but it was close. Once he got the door open, he scooped her up into his arms. She didn't protest. She felt weak and shaky, and didn't want to walk anymore.
"Couch or bed?" He asked.
She mumbled something incoherent, so he settled on her bed. He found her room easily enough, and gently laid her on her bed.
"I'm taking your boots off."
She replied with something incoherent again, so he decided to proceed. He unzipped the zipper and pulled off the first boot and then the second, before pulling her comforter back and tucking her underneath.
Her eyes flit open when he felt her forehead with the back of his palm. "Damn Liv, you're boiling."
"That's probably why my brain feels like it's melting." She muttered sarcastically.
"Where's your thermometer and Tylenol or something?"
She waved her hand in the direction of her bathroom. "Bathroom. Medicine cabinet, I think."
He followed her directions and opened the medicine cabinet. The first shelf had some miscellaneous toiletries, but on the second shelf, he found a forehead thermometer and a bottle of acetaminophen. He flipped the light off in the bathroom and returned to her bedside.
He turned the thermometer over in his hands.
"Hold the button down and move it across my forehead," she said with her eyes closed.
He laughed lightly. "They didn't have these when my kids were little." He admitted.
The temperature came back at 102.5. "Damn Liv, that's a pretty high fever."
"It's fine." She waved him off. "There are bottles of water in the fridge; grab me one, please."
He shuffled to the kitchen and easily found a water bottle. On the counter sat a clean stack of washcloths. He snagged one, ran it under cold water, and wrung out the excess liquid.
Back in her room, he cracked open the bottle of water and shook out two pills from the Tylenol bottle. He handed her the pills and the water bottle. She took a swig of the water after knocking back the Tylenol.
He pushed her hair away from her face before setting the cold towel on her forehead. He kept his hand on her head. She sighed.
"It should help with the brain melting," he smiled.
"Definitely," she agreed.
"Do I need to pick up Noah anywhere?" He looked at his watch. It was almost 6.
"No." She kept her eyes closed. "Thursdays he has dance, and Kenzie's mom brings him home."
"Good. I'll order us some food." She grabbed his hand as he turned to leave.
"Thanks El."
"It's no problem." He smiled. Part of him missed caring for someone. His house has sat empty most of the time.
Her eyes opened, revealing their glassy, watery appearance. "You don't have to stay. I'm sure you have other things to do."
He almost felt offended. Obviously, he wouldn't leave her here by herself to care for Noah. She couldn't walk, for heaven's sake, but he knew this was her way of giving him an unnecessary out. He squeezed her hand. "I want to be here."
She nodded and closed her eyes. Her grip on his hand released, and she walked to her bedroom door, leaving it cracked behind him.
The door knob jiggled and opened, and Elliot smiled at the sound of Noah dumping his stuff right in front of the door. It used to make him crazy when his kids left crap everywhere, but he realized he missed it.
"Mom!" Noah called.
"Hey Noah," Elliot called back.
Noah bound around the corner into the kitchen. "Elliot!" He exclaimed, and bounced over to give him a hug. It had been a few weeks since Elliot had been there last.
"Hey!" Elliot greeted him. "Your mom is pretty sick, so I think I'm going to stay here and help out tonight. That okay?"
"Yeah!" Noah answered like it was a no-brainer.
"Chinese or pizza for dinner, buddy?"
"We had Chinese a couple days ago; let's get pizza."
"Pizza it is." Elliot agreed.
-000-
Elliot made sure Noah finished his homework before shuttling him off to bed. He peeked in on Olivia periodically, but she remained asleep the entire evening.
Once Noah settled in, he wandered around the apartment, picking up all the miscellaneous things scattered about. He laughed a little when he realized Olivia's stuff was no more organized than that of her eleven-year-old son.
He straightened up the apartment and cleaned the kitchen. Liv still slept soundly, so he snuck the laundry basket out of Noah's room and threw a load in. He checked the time and realized Liv probably needed more meds.
He pulled open her door quietly and padded over to the bedside. Her complexion was flushed, and she shuddered periodically from the chills. He placed a hand on her cheek. It felt cold and clammy. She had finished the first water bottle, so he grabbed another from the fridge before kneeling by her bed. He ran his fingers up and down her arm softly, but she didn't wake.
"Liv," he whispered. "Hey, Liv," he said a little louder.
She winced before her eyes opened. A smile crossed her face when she recognized him. "Hey," she said sleepily.
"How're you feeling?" He felt her forehead, noting she still felt very hot.
"Like I got hit by a bus," she admitted.
He laughed lightly. "I'm sure." He reached over for the water bottle and Tylenol on her nightstand. "Take a couple more of these." She took the pills from his hand and swallowed them with some water.
"Let me grab a temp real quick." He ran the thermometer over her forehead. "Damn." 102.7. "Still really high, Liv."
"It's fine." She waved him off, ignoring his worried expression.
He felt her forehead and face again, cupping her cheek affectionately. "It's not fine. We definitely need to keep an eye on you tonight."
"I'll be fine." She insisted, burrowing deeper into her covers.
He kneeled there uncomfortably for a minute before asking. "Do you have a sleeping bag or something? I'd sleep on the couch, but I'd rather be in here in case you need anything."
She chuckled, "Elliot. Do we look like the kind of family who owns sleeping bags?"
He laughed, "Probably not."
She laid quietly for a minute, and Elliot thought she might have fallen asleep. Just before he stood up, she whispered, "Just sleep up here by me."
"You sure?" he asked somewhat incredulously.
"There's room, and I'm not going to make you sleep on the floor."
He cupped her face with his hand. "Thanks."
She smiled sleepily. "There are some random NYPD police sweats in my bottom drawer. I don't remember where they even came from."
Her bottom drawer was mostly empty, so he easily found the sweats in the drawer. As he lifted them to see if they'd fit, he laughed out loud.
"What?" Her voice was groggy.
"Damn Liv, where did you get these? I have been looking for these for years!"
"They're yours?" She laughed, but winced from her body aches.
"Yeah. I lost them forever ago, but apparently someone stole them." He eyed her pointedly through the darkness.
She chuckled lightly. "Sorry."
"You don't sound sorry," he said again.
"Yeah. I'm not."
He chuckled again, and quickly swapped his jeans for the sweats. He climbed onto the bed from the opposite side. He hesitated before slipping under the comforter, wondering if she would be okay with it. She seemed asleep again, so he rolled over to face her and find a comfortable position.
"El, just take off your shirt." She hadn't even turned to look at him. He laid there awkwardly for a minute. She clarified, "You sleep shirtless. I slept in an opposite bunk from you for years."
"I don't want to make you feel..."
She cut him off. "Doesn't bother me. Plus, I know you're a heater, and right now, that's the last thing I need."
He still hesitated, but decided to go ahead and unbutton his shirt and toss it on the floor.
He settled back in, feeling much more comfortable. Liv's breathing deepened, and he knew she had fallen back to sleep. He set an alarm on his watch so he could check on her in a few hours. Even with the comfort of her bed, sleep evaded him. Liv slept only a matter of inches from him, and it took every modicum of willpower he had not to reach out and touch her. He rolled to face away from her, hoping it would quell the temptation. His 'heater' self would probably make the fever worse if he got too close. After what felt like an eternity, he drifted off to sleep.
-000-
Elliot's watch buzzed, and he tapped it off. He started to get up, only to find a feverish Olivia snuggled against his bare chest. He wrapped his arms around her, relishing the closeness and the feeling of her breath on his chest. He kissed the top of her head before peeling himself away.
He rolled off the bed in search of the thermometer. Her fever came down to 101.9 which made him sigh in relief. He slipped back under the comforter, again maintaining some space to keep her cool. He set another alarm, this time to get up and start getting Noah ready. This time, he dropped off to sleep quickly, feeling more reassured by her improvement.
-000-
Elliot hadn't been asleep long before he felt Olivia roll over to him. "El," she mumbled. Her voice sounded groggy, and he wasn't sure if she was actually awake. Then she said his name again, this time more clearly, "Elliot?"
He rolled towards her and reached his arm out for her to grab. "I'm here."
She clasped his forearm and pulled him closer, scooting herself into his chest. His breath caught at her obvious desire to have him close. "Liv," he warned, "I don't want you to get too hot."
"I don't care." She snuggled impossibly closer.
He knew he should insist she move, he should worry more about her fever than his desire to feel her in his arms, her hot breath beating against his chest. His arms tightened around her, savoring the intimacy she allowed in this moment. He knew she was probably somewhat delirious, but how could he refuse this opportunity to hold her close?
She sighed, and her breathing evened out, and he knew she fell back asleep. He placed a kiss on her hair and tucked her head beneath his chin, sighing as he drifted back to sleep.
-000-
The morning went smoother than he anticipated. He got up before Noah, so he had time to gather up his things and make sure he had breakfast. Before he took Noah to school, he checked in on a still sleeping Liv. Her temperature came down to 101.1 so he felt comfortable leaving the apartment for a bit.
After dropping Noah off at school, he gave Ayanna a quick call to let her know he had a family thing and would be doing some background research for their case at home. He swung by his apartment to take a quick shower and change his clothes before dropping by the bodega near Liv's apartment for some gatorade, tylenol, and a COVID test. He worried the high fever was COVID-related, so he figured they could test. Better safe than sorry.
His errands took a couple hours, and he was anxious to get back to the apartment to check on Liv. Noah lent him his key so Elliot could come and go as needed throughout the day.
The quiet apartment indicated Liv was still sleeping. He stuffed the gatorades in the fridge and left the tylenol and COVID tests on the counter. He turned around to grab his computer from his bag but found Liv standing at the edge of the kitchen.
He smiled. She was an adorable mess, with her bed head, yesterday's clothes, and a fluffy blanket hanging from her shoulders. "Hey," he greeted, "How ya feeling?"
"Better, I think."
He closed the distance between them, placing his hand on her forehead, and then her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "Much better," he murmured. She felt much cooler than last night.
She surprised him when she impulsively wrapped her arms around his torso. He encompassed her in a firm embrace, relieved that she seemed to be feeling better. Her weight dropped on him, and he realized she was probably pretty weak. "Hey," he whispered into her hair. "Why don't you lay back down, and I'll get you some food and more medicine?"
Her cheek pressed into his chest, and she seemed to be savoring his closeness. The thought made his heart quicken. "One more minute." Her voice was low and mildly hoarse.
He kept his arms around her, and after a minute, she pulled her head away from his chest. He missed the warmth of her cheek there, but the look in her eyes distracted him from his disappointment. Her warm brown eyes, brimming with affection, took his breath away. She never looked at him that way. She tippy-toed up, bringing her lips impossibly close to his. He suddenly couldn't breathe, or think, for that matter. He waited for her next move, and his heart leapt when she closed the distance between them, pressing her soft lips against his.
The kiss was slow and tender, radiating deep affection. He tightened his arms around her, determined to savor this moment. Her lips moved away, and he instinctively chased them back, kissing her a little harder with more passion. She responded in kind, and he knew he would probably get sick after this, but it would be totally worth it. One hand pressed into her lower back, and his other hand threaded up into her hair, pushing her mouth harder against his. He finally released her lips to place a row of soft kisses along her jaw, causing her to sigh with contentment.
She seemed exhausted, barely able to keep herself standing. "Let's get you back to bed," he whispered against her lips.
"Only if you come with me." He pulled back from her to study her face. Obviously, they weren't doing that today, but the idea started a fire in his belly. She took his hand and led him back to her room. She pulled him down with her and pulled his arms around her as she settled back into his chest.
He settled into her, but his mind was racing, trying to figure out what this all meant, if it meant anything at all.
"Elliot?"
"Yeah Liv."
"I love you."
His arms tightened around her, "I love you too."