You lie in bed shivering with the blankets pulled up around your ears. The cough started on Tuesday, along with the bathroom issues. You had only had a slight fever yesterday, with a stuffy nose but today, you had woken up sick to your stomach, with a fever of 102, and no matter how high you turned up the heat, or how many layers you added, you just couldn't stay warm. Your phone was laying next to your bed, and you knew you should call out of work but you couldn't find the energy to pull off the covers and walk over to you desk, so you just lay in bed. You had used up all your cough medicine the last time you were sick, and you hadn't gotten any food from the grocery store, all that remained in your fridge was some beer and lettuce, the situation in the cabinets was pretty much the same, with a can of frosting, and some stale bread, not exactly the ideal sick meal. You let yourself lie in bed, and soon you fell into a restless sleep. Your phone buzzed in the distance, but you remained unaware and uncaring as you slept on. You had missed three calls, and unbeknownst to you, your boyfriend was getting increasingly worried as you ignored the calls, and still hadn't shown up for work. You missed the key turning in your locks, and the door swinging quietly open and closed as he quietly walked in gun drawn in case you were in trouble he cleared the living room and kitchen, and slowly approached the door to your bedroom. The door turned and he walked in stunned to see you sleeping in bed. He quietly holstered the gun and walked over to the bed, and sat down and seeing you shiver gently put his good hand on your head. He frowned as he realized how unusually warm and sickly pale you were. "Y/n. Y/n, sweetie wake up." You groggily opened your eyes to see Bucky worriedly looking down on you. "Go away I'm sick and I look awful. You should be here." You made a lame attempt at tugging the covers over your head but Bucky gently caught your arm and placed it under the covers. "Did you take any meds? When did you last eat? Have you had anything to drink?" "No, dunno, and yesterday?" You responded weakly. He stood up to go look in the bathroom cabinet, and seeing it was empty pulled out his phone as he walked out to the kitchen to inspect what you had. "Steve? Hey, y/n is sick, she's pretty bad off I think it's flu, but I'm not sure. Can you let Director Coulson know she probably won't be in for a few days, and can you pick up some stuff and drop it off? I don't wanna leave her alone." He said quietly. "Leave Steve alone Buck and leave before you get sick, I'll be fine.." You broke off in a coughing fit. Bucky came in quickly to help you sit up and drink some water. "You can't even sit up on your own y/n." He said quietly. Damn him and damn your weak body. "I'll be ok, just go, what if I get sick? I don't want you to see me like this." You said struggling to keep down the water he had just given you. "Relax y/n, I've taken care of Stevie like this plenty of times, hell he's been way worse, besides I still think you look gorgeous." He said smiling as he brushed the hair out of your face. You faintly smiled back at him, and then you were overcome with the need to puke and you struggled out of bed and past him to get to the bathroom, trying to shut the door, but he was right behind you. He held your hair and gently rubbed your back as you leaned your head in the toilet and puked your guts out. He gently pulled you back to rest against him once you were done, giving you a few minutes just in case you were sick again. You were so embarrassed you let a few tears slide down your face, but Bucky just wiped them away humming and continuing to gently rub your back. "Hey, it's ok. Everybody gets sick, it's nothing to be embarrassed about y/n. Are you ok enough for me to help you back into bed?" You nodded your head yes. He stood up, and before you even realized, he was bending over and scooping you up into his arms. He carefully walked over to the bed and laid you down, taking care to tuck the cover in tightly around you. As he stood up the door bell rang, and he placed a kiss on your forehead and turning on the tv as he went to answer it. "Hey Steve, thanks for doing this." "Hey Buck, not a problem, I owe you for all the times you took care of me. How's she holding up?" Steve asked " As to be expected, I think she'll be better once she gets some meds and fluids in her, and I'm gonna try to get her to eat." "M not hungry." You said under your breath from the bedroom. "Well were gonna try some crackers ok? For me?" Bucky called from the kitchen. Damn super solider hearing. You heard footsteps and looked up to see Steve smiling down at you from the doorway. "Weren't you making cracks at me a few months ago for not being able to take care of myself when I was all beat up?" "Shut up Rogers and go away I already know I look like hell." You muttered shivering. "Stevie don't agitate her or she'll try'n get out of bed." "Sorry y/n." Steve said smiling, and you glared back at him. "Can you give her some meds? I wanna try to get her fever down." Bucky called. "No." You growled eyes narrowing. "It tastes nasty I don't want it." "You have to take it y/n, your fevers too high we need it to go down." Steve tried to reason. "I said no." You said though chattering teeth, refusing to budge. "Steve watch the soup and I'll give her the medicine." Bucky said. Steve waked away from the door and you saw your chance. You slowly got out of bed and made your way over to the bedroom door and began to close it, but before you could fully close it, a metal hand grabbed the door, preventing you from closing it any further. "Y/n. Open the door now." Bucky said growing a little impatient. "I don't wanna have the medicine." You said quietly. He removed his hand and you let go of the door, thinking you had won, when the door flew open and Bucky picked you up by your waist and carried you like a football over to the bed. He gently sat you down, but jerked the covers up over you. "You wanna act like a stubborn little kid, fine, but I'm not leaving until your better so your going to have to deal. You helped me out after I got out of Hydra and I get you can take care of yourself, but the thing is you don't have to all the time. Please let me help you." Bucky said pleadingly with his big blue puppy dog eyes. "Ok." You sighed. And he helped you to sit up and unwrapped the bottle of night time medicine. He quickly read the label and dolled out the correct dosage and held it out to you. "But it tastes yucky." You pouted. "I know baby but it's gonna make you get better." He said not relenting. You carefully took the tiny cup and tried to slug it back as fast as you could. The bitter taste of medicine made you shiver, but Bucky held you close until you stopped some. He stood up to leave but you grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Can you lay with me? I can't get warm." You said shivering still. "Baby I would love to do that, but your sick." He whispered back. "No no just like cuddle because your warm." You explained quickly, blushing. "Let me walk Steve out and sure, I'll be right back." "Ok." You slurred. "I Love you." You said quietly as he walked out. He stopped and turned back around. "I Love you more." He said with a grin spreading across his face. He walked out into the kitchen and quietly closed the door behind him. "Hey, thanks for all your help Steve, I really appreciate it and I know she does too. Even though she's stubborn as hell and won't admit she needs help with anything." Steve smiled "Yeah I have never met anyone like that before ever." Bucky scoffed "Really you wanna go there? I used to have to tuck the bed sheets in tight to make sure you wouldn't get out of bed and follow me to work! You never listened to me or the doctor! " Steve laughed at the memory, "Hey I'm just glad that we don't have to go back to that time, I'm perfectly happy with the way things turned out, except for Peggy not being here and all the secrets there are now a days." He frowned. His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. Bucky watched
Steve out of the corner of his eye, busying himself with tidying up the sink. Steve hung up the phone with a frustrated sigh. "What is it?" Bucky asked concerned. "They need us on a mission, apparently a group of HYDRA agents have taken over a bank down town and are threatening to start killing off the hostages." "Why can't somebody else go? Y/n needs me Steve, I'm not gonna leave her by herself." "Bucky go I'll be ok." You say stumbling out of the bedroom. You tripped on your comforter and nearly fell flat on your face but you were able to brace yourself. Bucky and Steve were by you side and helping you carefully to your feet in 3 seconds flat. "Y/n, you cannot stay here alone. You are a danger to yourself currently, I'm staying with you." "Those people are gonna die Barnes, you can't let that happen." You said stubbornly as you struggled through another coughing fit. You missed the terrified look Bucky was making as he rubbed your back. He nervously said "Fine then Sam is going to get his butt over here to take care of you until I get back." "You better come back." You muttered. "You better be here when I get back." He whispered back. "Go on get out of here!" You swatted at him. "Go get into bed." He says. "But..." "Bed. Now. Or I don't leave." "Okay Bossy Barnes."You slurred wagging your finger. Steve doubled over laughing and exclaimed "Bossy Barnes! I shoulda thought of that!" "Yeah yeah your both hilarious lets go." With that Bucky carefully scooped you and your comforter up and carried you off to your bedroom. He carefully put you down again and tucked the comforter and sheets into place, finally tucking the blankets around you tightly. "Stay in bed until Sam comes ok? He's on his way and please don't give him a hard time?" Bucky asks smoothing the hair away from your face. "You're the only one I give a hard time, there Buddy." You say laughing a little. "Lucky me." He said with a dramatic sigh. "Please be careful. Steve you'd better bring him home in the same condition as when he left!" You called out. "I promise he'll come home the same way he left y/n." "Thanks Steve, Same goes for you! Same goes for him Barnes." You said seriously. "Love you." He said kissing you gently on the forehead and standing. "Love you too." You whisper to his retreating form. He smiles at you from the doorway and then is gone. You shivered at the realization that your now alone until Sam shows up, and you feel embarrassed that your friend is going to be taking care of you. Bucky was stubborn and you know that if you tried to leave he would stop what you were doing to come and find you. Two minutes later you heard the door open and Sam walk in. "Y/n?" "In here Sam." You fought your way through another coughing fit. Just then Sam walked in and he stood there in shock like he'd seen a ghost. "Hey I get I look bad you don't have to make me feel worse." You joked but Sam just stood there staring at you, and pulled out his phone. "Sam?" You ask beginning to get worried. "Hello? Yes I'm going to need an ambulance, I have a women here with a high fever and she's begun to cough up blood, she needs immediate medical attention." You were confused and rubbed your mouth, when you pulled your hand away, it came back crimson, with blood. Sam hung up the phone and walked quickly over to your closet and began to pull out clothes to wrap you in. First he helped you put on a sweater on over top of you long sleeve pajama top, then a sweatshirt and then a coat and you could barley put your arms down to your sides. You asked him to grab your purse and he tried to give you a hug but you pushed him away and he looked hurt. "We don't know what it is, it could be contagious." You explained and he nodded his head. The EMTs arrived wearing masks and a hazmat suit and had you and Sam put on masks yourselves. Sam had called Coulson to let him know what was happening, and he was about to call Bucky but you asked him not to as they wheeled you out on the gurney. Sam looked at you confused "He needs to worry about the hostages, if you call him he's going to stop what he's doing and come to the hospital, its not like he's going to be of any help there." Sam hesitantly closed his phone, both of you were thinking of how he was going to be pissed as hell when he found out what had happened.
2 hours later:
Bucky stormed into the hospital with Steve rushing to catch up to him, Bucky hadn't even waited for Steve to park, just jumped out of the car and started walking. He walked up to the main desk. "Infectious disease ward." He barked. "Third floor." A timid nurse replied eyes wide. "Thank you!" Steve called to her with a smile as he slid into the elevator just as the doors slid shut. Sam was on the next floor waiting nervously for Bucky and Steve to arrive, they had just finished with the mission when Coulson had called then to let them know what was happening. Sam had been tested for ebola, the same disease you had, but had come back negative, so he currently was kept in a small room where he would quickly talk to Bucky and then be sent home to be isolated for 21 days. The door flew open and Bucky stormed in. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING WILSON?" He ask shaking Sam. "I SAID CALL ME IF SHE GETS WORSE. ME. NOT COULSON. ITS MY CALL IF I DECIDE TO LEAVE A MISSION. THERE ARE SEVEN OTHER QUALIFIED PEOPLE ON THE TEAM TO CALL, AND ONLY ONE OF HER." Bucky yelled. Steve pulled him off and pushed him against the wall. "Snap out of it Buck! It's not Sam's fault so stop yelling at him!" "Tell me you'd be different if that was Peggy." Bucky stared angrily at Steve, and Steve wouldn't look back at him. "That's what I thought." Bucky pushed Steve off and jerked the door open. "She... She said not to call." Sam said quietly behind him. Bucky turned around quickly,"What? Why? It wasn't Coulson who ordered you not to call?" "No, y/n didn't want you to leave because of her, she said that you needed to be there where people were in danger and that she didn't want you to come here and just worry and not be able to do anything. I'm sorry I should've called." Sam said. "Of course she did. I'm very sorry Wilson I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, and sorry for shaking you. Thank you for taking care of her." Bucky said walking out the door. "He really didn't mean it, I'm sorry he did that to you Sam. Are you alright?" Steve said. "Yeah I'll be fine, and hey I get it, I'll be praying for them." "How bad is she?" Steve asks nervously. "She's really bad off Steve. They aren't going to let him in to see we because she's contagious." Sam warned. "I don't think that's gonna fly." Steve said with a sigh. "I DONT FUCKING GIVE A DAMN THAT IM NOT A FAMILY MEMBER WHERE IS SHE?!" "I gotta go." Steve said running out of the room. You woke up heard yelling from down the hall, yup, you thought, Bucky's here. Two nurses and Steve were chasing after him, "Sir that is a restricted area, she has ebola, highly infectious disease. " A nurse said gripping his metal arm. Bucky turned and hissed something back at them that you couldn't hear. "I go where she goes." "Buck please listen!" Steve pleaded. "Like hell." He muttered and then Bucky pulled himself from the nurses grasp and pushed through the doors, causing an alarm to go off and your heart rate to spike. "Your not" wheeze "supposed to" wheeze "be in here." "Neither are you Princess." He forces a smile and fights back tears as he takes in your condition. Your face is whiter than the sheets your laying on, your lips are chapped and dry, and blood stains the corner of your mouth. He walks over and gently sits down next to you on the bed. He brushes the hair out of your face and reaches around you to cradle your neck pulling you towards him, he studies you for a moment. He carefully wipes away the blood that is left on your mouth with his sleeve and you quietly ask "Bucky?" Before you can react, his lips are crashing into yours and he is kissing you long and hard. Your heart monitor is going off the charts, showing everyone exactly what your boyfriend does to you. He gently pulls back and smiles at you in that heart wrenching grin of his. Your fighting for air as you ask, "What the hell did you just do?" Horrified and insanely happy at the same time. "There's a saying, something I was taught when I was very young. You only say it to someone that you care very much about, someone you would die for. There is only one other person I've ever said this to, Steve, and now I'm going to say it to you. You mean the world to me, I've found my better half in you, you brought me back from the edge, and now it's my turn. I'm not letting you go that easy y/n, cause I Love you more than anything and I'm with you till the end of the line." Tears began running down your face as you realized that Bucky was determined to be wherever you were, come hell or high water. His tears mirrored you own as he was sad and incredibly happy at the same time. "But what if you get sick?" You asked coughing again. Bucky helped you to sit up and take a drink of water. "Listen to me, I'm not gonna get sick because I'm not as strong as you are so I wouldn't be able to fight it like you. Also the super solider serum doesn't allow me the luxury of being sick." "In that case, do you think maybe we can kiss again? I think it's helping me better." You said smiling for the first time all day. He gave you a huge shit eating grin and carefully pulled you toward him again. He broke off the kiss as soon as he sensed you were having trouble breathing, and hopped up on the bed next to you, carefully wrapping his arms around you being careful that he didn't hurt you in anyway. He kissed you one last time on your temple, and you began to slowly fell asleep in the arms of the person you cared about the most. "Love you." You murmured, not caring who was observing the two of you because after all, you were with him till the end of the line.
