Chapter 71
By: MysticFantasy
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Just my luck to catch the flu on a three day weekend. So my way of coping is making the Avengers suffer with me. (insert fever enduced evil laugh)
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"I think we can agree that there shouldn't be anymore daring contests for a while." Bruce said.
"Agreed." the rest said.
"It was very hard to deal with trying to not get seriously injured." Clint said.
"Hard?" Steve repeated with a smirk. "It was hard taking care of all of you when the flu came around."
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"Captain Rogers, AgentBarton is asking for you in his quarters." Jarvis said.
"Tell him I'll be right there, please." Steve said as he folded a cool, wet wash cloth and placed it on Natasha's burning forehead.
The spy had been out on a mission when she caught the flu. It hadn't really hit her hard until the second day. Her body was racked with a fever, hot and cold flashes, light headedness and a cough.
"I'll be right back." he said to her.
"Please, be quick." she said.
"I will." he vowed and left to go to Clint's floor.
Thanks to his enhanced immune system, he was never able to get sick. It was great at times but then again...
"Clint?" he called as he entered the archer's floor.
"Agent Barton is in his bedroom, sir." Jarvis stated.
Steve went to Clint's bedroom and found the archer in a cocoon of blankets in his bed.
"Clint?"
"Cap." Clint slured. "I'm burning up like hell."
"Well, too many blankets will do that." Steve said as he removed all but three blankets from Clint's curled up body. "Are you sick?"
"I think I am." Clint easily admitted. "I hate being sick. Please, just put me out of my misery. It'll be quicker and less painful."
Steve lightly chuckled before heading into Clint's bathroom and to the small medicine cabnet they all had in their bathrooms.
He returned and made Clint take some aspirin and drink a glass of cold water.
"Rest all day." Steve advised. "If you need me for anything, get Jarvis to let me know. Keep drinking cold water and take your temperature at least every one or two hours. If it gets to one hundred three, then we'll call a doctor."
"I'm not gonna get a shot, am I?" Clint asked nervously.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Steve said. "Now try to sleep."
Clint nodded and tried to sleep. Steve quietly made his way out and began to make his way back to his floor to check on Natasha when Jarvis called him.
"Sir, I'm sorry to disturb you but Master Stark is requesting your presence in the lab."
"Oh boy. Sounds like a nasty bug." he said and hit the button for Tony's lab. He arrived quickly and found Tony lying across a couch he had placed in there.
"Capsicle." Tony muttered. "I feel funny."
Steve walked over and placed a hand on Tony's forehead. He easily felt the heat emitting from his friend.
"You have a fever. We better get you to bed."
"Cap, I had no idea." Tony said cheekily.
"I'm going to chalk that up to the fever talking." Steve said as he helped Tony stand and then make the trip to his floor. He repeated the same actions with Tony that he did with Clint.
The only problem was that Tony's fever enduced mind kept thinking that Steve was hitting on him. Thus making it harder for Steve to keep the genius in bed to go to sleep. He finally managed to keep Tony down with the promise of bringing him ice cream when his fever broke.
With Tony taken care of, Steve decided to make his way back to Natasha. He managed to get back to her side just as she had a coughing fit.
"Drink some water." he quickly advised as he helped her sit up and held a glass of water for her.
Natasha managed to get a few gulps down and her coughing stopped.
"What took so long?" she asked when she was done.
"Tony and Clint needed me." he answered, getting her to lie down again. "They got the same thing you have."
"I was around everyone when I got back from my mission. Not surprised they caught it too. You're so lucky that you can't get sick." she exclaimed weakly.
Steve lightly smiled at his wife. It was common knowledge that when any of the Avengers got sick, they turned into big crybabies. Something Steve was always entertained by since they always claimed they either didn't remember or completely denied it.
Although Steve could relate. He was the same way before becoming Captain America and his illness was on a daily basis. Plus, his was much worse.
They have the luxury of the flu lasting three days at most. Not twenty three years.
"Try to sleep. It'll make it go by quicker." he said.
"Stay here with me." she requested.
The soldier removed his shoes and climbed into the bed next to Natasha. The spy snuggled up next to him and absorbed his warmth. Her chills began to slowly fade away as she continued to lie next to him.
Steve kept his eyes on his wife as she slept. He hated seeing her sick and wished that he could take it upon himself so she wouldn't have to feel so bad.
Just as Steve himself was about to doze off, Jarvis called to him quietly.
"Excuse me, Captain Rogers. Doctor Danner is asking for assistance on his floor."
"Be right there." Steve replied.
He carefully moved away from Natasha and out of the bed. After giving her a kiss on the forehead, he quietly left and went to find the resident doctor.
"Doctor Banner?"
"In here, Steve." Bruce called from his bedroom.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked.
"I think I'm coming down with something." Bruce admitted. "Classic symptoms of the flu. This will not sit well with the Other Guy."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"I think I should be in the chamber until this is over." Bruce answered. "Best not to take chances."
"Alright. Let's go." Steve agreed and helped Bruce to his feet.
The two went into another room of the suite where a Hulk-proof chamber was inside of the chamber had a single bed and a little private bathroom. There was a side slot where things like food, clean clothes and other things could be placed in and given to Bruce.
Before allowing his friend to go into the chamber, Steve gave him some medicine and a light meal. Once he was inside, Steve sealed the chamber.
"Tell Jarvis to let me know if you need me." Steve said as Bruce sat on his bed.
"Thanks Steve." Bruce said before lying down.
With Bruce taken care of, Steve made quick trips to check on Clint and Tony. Both were sleeping with only a few coughs breaking out every now and then.
Feeling certain that they were getting their rest, Steve went back to Natasha who was still sleeping.
"Looking after all of you is a full time job." he whispered to himself as he settled back into the bed. "I'm just glad that Thor's not here. I don't know if he can get sick from the human flu and I don't want to find out."
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"I am glad that I was home when the flu was here." Thor said. "It sounds most unpleasant."
"Believe me, it is." Clint stated.
"It sucks having a bad fever." Tony added.
"Even worse when that fever makes you think someone else is hitting on you." Steve declared.
"How do you know it was the fever?" Tony said with a smirk.