Sick Day (Matt Webb of Marianas Trench Short)

this is just a little short story, a cute little piece

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"Phoenix." Matt called softly pushing open the bedroom door.

He had just arrived home, after being on the road for almost a month with his band, now he wanted to see her and fast. Matt had hoped to come into the apartment and find her waiting for him at the door, instead he came in to an empty kitchen the only sound was the clock on the wall and the humming of the fridge.

"Hmm..." he heard a groan coming from under the covers on the king sized bed. "Matt?" Phoenix squeaked his name.

The bedroom was dark, the usual cream coloured blinds were covered with a heavy blanket and all lights were off. The only light was the light coming in through the door where Matt stood. Something wasn't right, Phoenix was in the middle of the bed, blankets pulled clean up to her neck and pillows surrounded her like a protective wall. Dropping his bag inside the door, Matt closed the door and slowly moved across the room.

Phoenix shivered, even under the mass of blankets that covered her body; she had practically every blanket they owned on the bed. Her usual bright blue eyes were dull as she peeked out from her blanket cave; her face was exceptionally pale, except for the red around her eyes and nose.

"Are you okay?" he asked sitting on the side of the bed.

Opening her mouth to answer, Phoenix was stopped by a shattering cough. Matt rubbed her back as the couch continued to shake her body. He stroked a hand through the dark hair that had escaped her pony tail and placed his hand on her forehead. Phoenix was slightly warm, obviously from a fever due to the shaking and the teeth chattering.

"I don't feel so...good." she whimpered. "I've been sick all week." Phoenix confessed.

"I can see that. Why don't you stay here, I'll be right back. We'll make you better." Matt gave her a small smile before scooting out of the bedroom.

Down the hall, Matt could hear Phoenix coughing again; he had no idea how long she had been sick. The last time they had spoke was close to three days ago, over the phone, being on the road kept him busy and he didn't get much time to call Phoenix understood that of course. The couple had been together about a year, she was used to Matt being gone for weeks at a time.

Opening the fridge to see if there was any sign of food, seeing the bare cupboards, Matt was relieved to find a bowl of homemade soup. This told him Phoenix had been sick and in bed for a few days, she never let the cupboards go bare, grocery shopping was like a drug to that woman! The container of soup was clearly brought in by someone else; Matt decided as he scooped some into a bowl and put it in the microwave.

Carefully, he walked back to the bedroom carrying a tray of food for Phoenix; along with her favourite dvd tucked under his arm and some cough medicine to help her out.

"Here is your soup, my lady." Matt smiled handing her the tray of soup, a glass of water and her favourite crackers. "While you eat we can watch a movie, and then take a nap." He said putting the dvd into the player and taking a seat on the bed.

"Don't get too close to me." Phoenix warned. "I don't want you to get sick too. Maybe I should eat and then just sleep? I don't want to push you out, but what if you slept in the other room? The boys can't have you sick."

"Don't you worry about me; you just eat, enjoy the movie and feel better." Matt instructed, swinging his feet up onto the bed so that he too was stretched out and propped up against some pillows.

The movie started, Phoenix did her best to eat something, she didn't feel like eating and everything tasted the same anyway. Although she would give Matt's mom credit, she could make a mean turkey and rice soup. Sitting the bowl down, she could feel Matt glaring at her, silently telling her that she had to eat. Sighing, Phoenix took a few more spoonfuls of the soup, when she had finished off a few crackers and the medicine he had placed on the tray for her; she glanced sideways to make sure Matt had been watching.

"Happy?" Phoenix asked him, moving the tray and lying back on her pillows.

Matt only nodded.

The two were quiet as they watched the movie play out before them; the only time they spoke was to quote their favourite parts, a very common practice with the couple especially when it came to this particular movie.

"Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum." Matt hummed along to Noah's character on the movie

"You're a terrible singer." Phoenix squeaked out Allie's lines

"I know. " Matt recited along with the movie

"But I like this song" Phoenix continued out.

"I thought you were sick." Matt teased, moving so that his arm rested behind Phoenix

"You're never too sick to quote The Notebook." Phoenix smiled weakly. "I love this movie."

"I know, that's why I picked this one." Matt replied with a small smile. "But I must know, is it the story you love...or Ryan Gosling?" he joked

"Um...both?" Phoenix shrugged.

The Notebook had been one of Phoenix's favourite love stories since she had read the book, when the movie came out it had delighted her to no end. On their third date, she had invited Matt over to her apartment to watch movies; he had been in charge of bringing the movie, while Phoenix had been enlisted to supply the snacks. The only movie Matt had been able to think of taking, was that one, his buddies had promised him it would be an epic win on his part in wooing the girl. They had laid on bean bag chairs in the middle of the small living room, both in tears by the end of the dvd.

That had been their best date, or so Phoenix had declared. She'd loved the simplicity that staying at home and eating a ton of junk in front of the television had brought, at the same time due to the nature of the movie; there had been that romantic feel which was nice also. Every time they watched that dvd, it ended the same, the two of them wrapped up in one another crying like babies.

"Matt." Her voice was quiet as she rested her head on his arm as the credits played and he turned the tv off with the help of the remote.

"Hmm?" Matt lifted his head to look at her.

"Do you think a love like Allie and Noah's can exist, or is that just fictional Hollywood at best?" Phoenix questioned him.

"Of course, a love like that can exist anytime you want."

"Good because I want us to be like that, but minus all the really bad stuff." Phoenix smiled at him.

"Me too." Matt smiled, kissing her forehead. "Want to nap now?"

Phoenix nodded, rolling over she wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes.

"Matt." Phoenix whispered, her head resting against his chest

"Yeah, baby girl?" Matt asked, placing his hands over top of hers as they rested around his waist.

"I love you, Matt Webb." She kissed the back of his shoulder and snuggled into him. "You're just what the doctor ordered."