February Night

Chapter 35

Surrounded by tissues, nasal spray, tea, soup and a disgusting hot drink that should fight the symptoms of the flu, Lucy was sitting on the couch. She felt only a bit better and was already tired of this whole sickness. She hated being sick. She hated to just lay around feeling poorly and not having enough energy to do something. But she didn't have a choice, she'd have to stay here getting some rest until her fever would finally go down and disappear again.

Lucy had been asleep for hours; laying on the couch, covered with the unicorn blanket, when Spencer slowly opened the front door and sneaked into her apartment. He had sent Lucy a message that he'd be home soon but hadn't heard anything from her. So, he'd assumed that she was sleeping. And he had been right. When he saw her laying on the couch, he let his messenger bag sink to the floor and went over to her. He gently stroked her cheek and found that she felt very hot. He sighed. Seeing the one he loved being sick was something he hated.

"Hey, babe", he quietly said as he continued stroking Lucy's cheek. She murmured something and it took her some time to finally open her eyes. But when she saw Spencer sitting there on the couch, a little smile creeped on her face.

"Spence...you're back."

He nodded while his brown eyes examined Lucy. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy frowned and slowly sat up. "Well...like crap", she then confessed when she felt her head hurt, her throat was still as if it was on fire and she started to shiver again. "You probably shouldn't be here. I might infect you." But Spencer didn't let her kick him out. If he would get sick, well then. And that was some new thought for him. He didn't even shake hands most of the time because of all the bacteria. But he couldn't help it, he wanted to be there for Lucy and didn't want to leave her alone when she felt so terrible.

"Come on, let's bring you to bed and then I'll make you some tea. It'll help you sleep better", he explained as he got up and pulled away Lucy's blanket. She tried to hold back a new wave of shivers, but was barely able to do so. Her limbs were hurting and it was as if her body was weighing tons.

"This damn flu sucks", she murmured as she snuggled into Spencer's embrace.

"Do you want to take a hot bath?", Spencer asked but Lucy shook her head. All she wanted was to lay down again. She couldn't remember having such a bad flu ever. Lucy buried her body under the duvet and closed her eyes while Spencer went to make her some tea. She forced herself to drink it – Spencer just wanted to take care of her and she hoped the tea would really help in some way.

After taking a shower, Spencer joined her in bed and pulled her into his arms. He gently kissed her hot forehead. "You alright?"

"Mhm. You're here now", Lucy murmured with closed eyes, snuggling closer. She was feeling cold again. But it wasn't as bad as it had been the last days. Spencer was back again and she always felt better when he was here.

~

When Lucy woke up the next time, it was already bright outside. She couldn't believe she had been able to sleep through the whole night. And that she finally didn't feel like death anymore. The other side of the bed was empty. Lucy slowly got up and scuffled into the living room, where she sank down on the couch again. It was as if she was currently living just between bed and couch.

"Hey, sweetheart." With a smile, Spencer came from the kitchen, two steaming cups in his hands. "Are you feeling better?"

Lucy nodded and took one of the cups from him. It wasn't coffee or tea. It was a hot chocolate, with little white marshmallows in it. If her voice wouldn't still be shit and if she wouldn't still have a sore throat, she would have squealed. Instead, Lucy pressed a kiss on Spencer's cheek. "Thank you", she quietly said. She grabbed the unicorn blanket again to pull it over herself and Spencer. He was still in his pajamas and he didn't seem to change that any time soon. Lucy smirked at him. "Don't you have to go somewhere today?"

Spencer shook his head. "Nope. I'm off today and tomorrow at least and if I'm lucky, even one day longer. And I intend to spend those days with you, no matter if you're sick or not."

"I'm not useful in this state", Lucy chocked out before she took a sip of the delicious hot chocolate.

"I don't care. We can just watch movies or TV shows if you want."

Lucy just smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Oh, and I'll bring you medicine and I'll make you take it", Spencer chuckled.

"Okay, but then I decide what we watch. I'm the sick one", she said and when Spencer nodded, Lucy grinned. She went over to the shelf where she'd put all her DVD's and books, and her eyes wandered around until she finally found what she was looking for.

"Vampire Diaries? Seriously?" Spencer rolled his eyes but Lucy just chuckled.

"I told you I would pick something to watch." She snuggled back on the couch and let Spencer put the first DVD into the player. She loved that TV Show and could re-watch it repeatedly. She cuddled up to her boyfriend as he pressed play.

Spencer and Lucy spent the day that way: watching TV and him just holding her and forcing her to take her medicine. Although it was disgusting, she felt that it started to finally help her. The cough was getting better, her sore throat didn't hurt that much anymore. And the fever was going down. From time to time, Lucy dozed off in Spencer's arms. She needed sleep and it felt so much better with Spencer by her side.

"Could you read something to me?", Lucy asked one evening, when she and Spencer were laying in her bed. The fever was gone but she still felt a bit weak and she hated it. She hadn't been at her bookstore in over a week and it annoyed her more than she would have thought. She couldn't sell books and earn money if she couldn't open it!

So, she needed some distraction. "Sure", Spencer said and sat up in bed. "What do you want me to read?"

Lucy couldn't believe how lucky she was to have a boyfriend who was so cute and would even read books to her. Sometimes she asked herself how she even deserved a man like Spencer. "Harry Potter", she simply said with a little smile. When Spencer asked, from which book, she immediately decided for The Order of the Phoenix. Next to The Deathly Hollows it was her favorite Harry Potter book and she wouldn't get tired rereading it occasionally.

Smirking, Spencer went to grab the book and came back with it. Lucy immediately snuggled into his arms again and when he started reading, she closed her eyes and listened to his low, soft voice. It wasn't the first time he was reading to her. He had done this several times and mostly from the Harry Potter books and Lucy just loved it.

Spencer was in the middle of chapter two, when Lucy's phone started to ring. Sighing, she grabbed it. It was Luke. So, she would have to answer that call. "Hey, Luke."

"Hey, sis. How are you feeling? I haven't heard from you in days." He sounded worried but Lucy calmed him down.

"I'm doing better. Spencer's here and he's taking care of me. I should be alright again in a few days. Did Penelope give Roxy back to you already?" She suddenly remembered, that Spencer's and Luke's co-worker had come to take Roxy with her so Lucy could get some rest. And Lucy had a feeling as if Penelope would have wanted to keep Roxy for a little longer. She just loved animals.

"Oh, she would have loved if she could have kept Roxy", Luke laughed and Lucy smiled. Of course, her friend would have wanted to keep the German shepherd. "Let's go get dinner somewhere as soon as you're fit again, okay?"

Lucy liked the idea of finally meeting with her brother again and agreed. She would meet him as soon as she had gotten over that flu. Luke wished her and Spencer a good night and then hung up when Roxy started to bark and wanted his attention. Lucy put her phone away and turned back to Spencer. He had been laying there, reading the rest of the Harry Potter book. She smirked when she saw his eyes fly over the words faster than she had ever imagined before she met him.

"I'm tired", she eventually murmured and buried her head in his chest. He wrapped her up in his arms and turned out the lights. Lucy was asleep before Spencer could have wished her a good night. Smiling, he brushed her dark hair out of her pretty face and gently kissed her forehead. Her smooth skin finally felt like it had a normal temperature again, he noticed with relief.