THEME FIC: Fever

["Pat Kelly"]

Small fic below. Buffy's got a fever. Simple enough. Hope you enjoy.

FEVER

Willow hadn't planned on spending her weekend doing what she was going to be doing, but she never really had any plans to begin with, so it wasn't that big of a deal. In fact she was kind of looking forward to it. Playing the mother and caretaker to her friend who was always the invincible one.

Buffy had a fever. A high one. She might've had healing abilities, but when she got sick, she got sick. She hasn't been feeling that well lately, but she had insisted on patrolling. And as a result, she was now lying in her bed in their dorm room, incapacitated.

"Somebody's been attacked by the flu demon." Willow said.

Buffy sat up quickly. "Flu demon? Where? I'll kick.I'll kick its ass." She grabbed her head and fell back down on the bed. Willow went over to her, and put a damp wash cloth on her forehead. "I would, you know. I'd -"

"Yes, Buffy. I know. You need to relax now, okay?"

"Okay." She was quiet for a second. "Willow?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. But I'm supposed to do this kinda stuff. It's what friends do, right?"

"Do they?"

"Course they -"

"Love you."

"I love you too, Buffy."

Buffy smiled and shut her eyes.

'Whoo boy. She's delirious all right.'

There was a soft knock on the door. Willow turned around to see that Buffy had fallen asleep, and went to answer it. It was Giles.

"I brought some chicken soup."

"Thanks."

"How is she?"

"Sleeping. In a couple days she should fight it off."

"If you need anything."

"I'll call."

"Tell her I said to feel better?"

"Will do."

They said goodbye, and she shut the door.

***


Later, Buffy was sitting up eating the chicken soup, drinking ginger ale, and watching TV. Actually, she wasn't having much success with her coordination, so Willow had to help her guide the spoon. She wasn't happy about it.

"I'm the Slayer.I can eat chicken soup.and.and.stake three vampires all at the same time. I'm not a baby. Besides, I'm not even hungry."

"I know you think food's a bad idea right now, but it'll help you get better. You need to eat something. And considering most of the broth has ended up on the sheets."

"Fine. Feed me." She sighed. Actually, she was enjoying it, but she was so out of it, she didn't realize it one way or the other. She focused on the TV. It was a soap opera. "That guy's a jerk. A big, mean, evil jerk."

"Well, guys who sabotage their wives planes, go to the wreckage to get rid of the body, and then marry the evil twin sister usually are." Willow smirked.

"And you know who else is a jerk? A big meany. Angel. Leaving, and then coming, and going.no.no.he's nice. Really nice. Nicer than most vampires."

Willow had to hold back her laughter. "First you didn't like him, now you do?"

"Yeah.cause he's far away. Far, far away. I have options."

"Options?"

"Silly." She slapped her arm. "Dating options."

"Oh."

"I can right? Date? People have told me I'm pretty. That guys would line up, if I let them."

"They would, Buffy."

"I don't know. Do you think I'm pretty?"

There was uncertainty in her friend's voice. How could she not know she was pretty?

"Of.course you are. Beautiful even."

"Really?" She poked Willow in the chest. "You are too."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. And smart, and funny.that's why I."

Willow felt her heart almost stop. Delirious or not, she could see that there was truth in Buffy's words. Once she got better, she'd probably regret all that she was saying. But Willow had to know, because Buffy was right. Most friends wouldn't waste their entire weekend by someone's bedside taking care of them.

So did that mean she was something other than a friend?

"That's why you what?"

Buffy seemed to think about it, and then grabbed her head. "I feel dizzy."

"Then you should lie down."

"Only.only if you lay with me."

"Okay." Willow laid down beside her. If she got sick.well.they'd be sick together. She did, and Buffy put her arm around Willow.

"My protector. My Willow."

'My Willow? She's acting really possessive. So why don't I mind?'

"What were you going to say?"

"Huh?"

"Say. A second ago."

"I dunno.not sure.cause you don't.don't feel..."

"I don't feel what?"

But Buffy was already asleep.

***




In the middle of the night, Buffy started moaning. Willow was up instantly, and started to try and get her friend to wake up. She felt her forehead. Her fever was breaking. Buffy came awake, sweating.

"These sheets are gonna need to spend some quality time with the washer." Willow commented.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's your bed."

"Oh. And you're in it." Buffy said, trying to get a grip on what was going on. Her fever broke, and so apparently, had her delirious state.

'She's returning to Normal Buffy again.'

"You asked me to, remember?"

"Vaguely. And you didn't mind?"

"Why would I mind?"

"I don't know.I.what did I say in my crazy state?"

"Nothing really. Except that.you said you loved me, though." Buffy paled. "In a purely platonic way."

"That's how you took it?"

"Isn't that what you meant?"

Willow wasn't sure what to think now. She could brush off what Buffy said before as dealing with the sickness, but now, for the moment at least, she was fully aware.

'The damage is done, Buffy. What could you do? Just confirm what she already knows. Then run away.' "I do.love you."

"We covered this. I love you too."

"Not the way I do."

"Oh." 'Get over your fear, Willow. You know the truth.' "Are you sure?"

"Pretty positive. Forget it."

Buffy turned away from her, and Willow made her face her. "I. Love. You. Too. Would I be next to you, in your bed, watching over you, and." She kissed Buffy softly. "Kissing you, if I didn't?"

"Probably not." Buffy smiled.

"Now that that's settled, you still need to sleep. Just cause your fever's gone doesn't mean it won't come -" Willow sneezed.

"Now who's sick?"

"It's your fault."

"Let me help you get better then." Buffy leaned in to kiss her.

"No.germs."

"Will? Think about that."

"Oh. Yeah. Continue."

They wouldn't be doing much of anything for the next forty-eight hours. But they didn't mind. Fevers weren't so bad. Not if you had someone to take care of you.



"When I held that gun, I felt an incredible surge of power. Like God must feel when he's holding a gun.." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You've been fighting evil here for three years, and I've helped some, and now we're supposed to decide what we want to do with our lives. And I just realized that that's what I want to do. Fight evil, help people. I mean, I think it's worth doing. And I don't think you do it because you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."

"I kind of love you."
(Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers, BTVS)

"Don't.."
"What? Don't love you? I didn't know I got a choice in that."
(Angel, Buffy Summers, BTVS)