Work Text:
By all appearances, Carmen was hard at work on a legal brief for her boss. She had the document up on her laptop screen, and she was revising it and making good progress. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she was watching ADA Rafael Barba as he sat at his desk trying his best to get some work done.
Detective Sonny Carisi, Barba’s domestic partner, had called her that morning before the attorney had even arrived at the office. He had warned her that Rafael was clearly sick – coughing, aching, sore throat – and asked her to keep an eye on him through the day and let Carisi know if he got any worse. The detective had tried his best to convince her boss to take a sick day, but his “stubborn Cuban ass” had refused. Carmen had smiled wryly to herself and agreed, being familiar with the more headstrong side of Mr. Barba herself.
Hours later, he still sat at his desk tenaciously trying to get some work done around bouts of coughing. When another round met her ears, she shook her head. He had traded his usual coffee for tea with honey and lemon that day, but it didn’t seem to be helping. He was pale, cheeks flushed, and his eyes looked tired and a little glassy. Though he would never hear her out if she told him, she was worried about him. Rafael Barba would catch the occasional cold, but never anything more serious than that.
And never, ever anything that would prompt him to forgo coffee.
The phone on Carmen’s desk rang, and she picked it up. “ADA Barba’s office,” she greeted politely.
“Hey, Carmen, it’s Detective Carisi.”
“Hello, sir, nice to hear from you,” she said neutrally, as though she and Sonny hadn’t been texting back and forth all day. “What can I do for you?”
“He still in his office?”
“He is,” she replied, pretending to check Rafael’s calendar.
“How is he doing?”
Carmen glanced in the office, saw that Rafael was distracted with yet another round of coughing, and dropped her voice. “He looks awful, Detective,” she said. “Pale, glassy-eyed...”
“Carmen?” Rafael called. “Can we turn up the heat? It’s freezing in here.”
“…and I think he’s running a fever,” she added with a roll of her eyes.
Carisi sighed. “But he’s just fine. Ask him, he’ll tell you.” She could hear the detective tapping something on his desk over the line. “Look, things are quiet here for once. I’m gonna take some personal time, come get him, and take him home and dump him in bed whether he likes it or not.”
“I think that’s probably for the best,” she agreed. “Even if he won’t admit it, he’s miserable.”
“Okay, I’m heading out now. Be there in a few minutes.”
Carisi smiled at Carmen and rolled his eyes heavenward as he approached her desk. “He still in there?”
She nodded. “He has moved from the desk to the couch, but insists he just needs a break.”
“Stubborn ass,” Sonny muttered, and quietly opened the door to his partner’s office.
Rafael was stretched out on the leather sofa, arms folded over his chest. His eyes were closed, lashes resting against flushed cheeks. His breathing was deep and even, but even from the door Sonny could hear the slight rattle in his chest. Heaving a sigh, Sonny stepped over and crouched next to the sofa.
“Rafi,” he said softly, touching his cheek. Worry filled his chest when he felt just how hot his partner was. “Hey, babe.”
Rafael’s eyes fluttered open, and he grimaced. “Sonny?” He glanced around, bewildered. “What time is it? I was just resting a minute.”
“It’s time for you to go home,” he replied, gently. “Rafael, you’re feverish and miserable. Let me take you and put you to bed.”
“I’m fine,” Barba insisted. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his face. “I just needed a minute.”
“You are not fine. You’ve been hacking and coughing all day.”
As though to prove Sonny’s point, he coughed into his shoulder. “I told you I’m–wait. How do you know?”
Sonny feigned innocence. “I was just guessing.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed as he studied the detective. “Traitor,” he called out to his assistant.
“It’s for your own good,” Carmen shot back.
“I’m telling you both, I’m fine,” he insisted. “I just need to—” As though to prove his point, Rafael stood to return to his desk. Fortunately, Sonny was there to catch him as he swayed and nearly hit the floor.
“You just need to get your ass home and in bed,” Carisi said, firmly. “Rafael, you are burning up.”
“But I never—”
“Clearly you do sometimes get sick, because you damn well are now!” Sonny’s voice was filled with a mix of exasperation and worry. “Now, I am under orders from my lieutenant to take you home and get you into bed. If you make me disobey a direct order, I’m going to have to pull out the big guns.”
Barba’s eyes narrowed. “What big guns?”
“Your choices are let me take you home and take care of you…” He paused, a slow grin spreading over his face. “…or I’m calling your ma.”
Rafael’s already pale face went even whiter. “You wouldn’t.”
“If he doesn’t, I will,” Carmen interjected from the doorway. She had left her desk and stood with arms folded over her chest, leaning against the frame.
Admitting defeat, Barba’s shoulders sagged. “Fine,” he said. “You wi—” The admission was cut off by another fit of coughing that had Sonny shaking his head.
Sonny smiled tenderly. “Come on, babe,” he said, draping Rafael’s coat over his shoulders. “Let’s get you home, comfortable, and in bed.”
As he drove them both home, Sonny watched his partner out of the corner of his eye. Rafael had rested his head against the window, eyes closed. Periodically, another bout of coughing would rouse him. The rattle in his chest worried Sonny, and he briefly wondered if he should take Rafael by an urgent care center before going home.
“Hey, babe?” he eventually said, reaching a hand over to run over his partner’s thigh. “We’re almost home.”
One green eye peered over at him. “I think maybe you were right to manhandle me out of there,” Barba admitted. “I feel worse.”
Sonny smiled gently and shook his head. “Stubborn ass,” he said with affection. “You should have stayed home today.”
“Probably,” he agreed with a sigh.
At their building, Sonny pulled his truck into the space they rented in the garage, hopped out, and hurried over to help Rafael out of the car. His partner was unsteady on his feet as they made their way inside and to the elevator.
“Sonny?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I—” Rafael cut himself off, resting a hand on his stomach. “I really don’t feel great.”
Shit. Sonny silently urged the elevator up faster. “We’re almost upstairs,” he murmured, pressing his lips to his partner’s feverish forehead. “Just hang on another minute or so.”
When they reached their floor, Sonny hustled Barba down the corridor as quickly as possible. The moment they hit the door, Rafael took off for the bathroom in the hall, tossing his coat in a heap on the floor as he went. Carisi winced as he paused outside of the bathroom door, picking up the coat and hanging it up on the rack they kept in entryway. Wordlessly, he retrieved a damp washcloth from the master bath and returned, easing in with Rafael and draping the cloth over the back of his neck as he finished retching.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, rubbing a soothing hand over the attorney’s back. “I got you.”
Sonny helped Rafael rinse his mouth and wipe his face, and then herded him down the hall to their bedroom. He retrieved his partner’s ratty, worn Harvard sweats from the dresser and helped him into them, and then into the bed.
“I’m sorry,” Rafael managed, teeth chattering.
“Sweetheart,” Sonny said, using a seldom-used endearment, “you can’t help being sick.” He pressed a soft kiss to his temple. “I’ll be right back.”
Carisi retrieved a thermometer from the bathroom and re-entered the room. He popped it under a surprisingly cooperative Barba’s tongue, waited for the small beep, and checked it. His stomach sank. “Rafi, you have a fever over a hundred and three.” He gently rubbed his partner’s arm. “I need to get some medicine in you.”
Eyes closed, Barba whimpered and shook his head. “No,” he murmured drowsily. “Won’t stay down.”
Sonny smoothed the hair off of Rafael’s forehead, a worried expression on his face. “Okay, we’ll try it your way for now,” he whispered.
It was a long, sleepless night with Rafael tossing and turning in feverish dreams. Sonny sat up with him, wiping his face and chest with cool cloths, trying to encourage him to drink some ginger ale or broth, and doing his best to slip something into him that would bring the fever down. By morning, though, his fever had risen even higher with no sign of coming back down. The rattle in his chest was now alarming, and the detective was at his wits end.
At five in the morning, he had his phone in his hand and was staring at it in contemplation. He was completely out of his element, and felt helpless to do something to soothe his partner and bring the fever down.
Finally he sighed, and dialed a number he knew Rafael would be angry with him for calling.
After several rings, a surprisingly chipper voice answered. “Sonny? Do you know what time it is?”
Despite the situation, he smiled. “Yeah, Mrs. Barba, I do. I’m sorry if I woke you—”
“No, no,” she assured him. “I was up, starting my day. What’s going on?” She paused. “Is Rafi okay?”
“Actually, that’s why I’m calling.” Sonny reached over to methodically rub Rafael’s scorching chest while he spoke. “This is probably a stupid question, but if Rafael is running a fever…what’s the best way to get it down?”
“He’s sick?”
“Yeah, the flu is going around at the courthouse and I’m pretty sure he caught it,” Sonny said. “His fever is high, and I’ve been trying all night to get it back down.”
“When he runs a fever, it’s like it competes with him for who is more stubborn.” Lucia’s voice held a note of fondness.
Carisi chuckled. “I think the fever needs to accept that it will lose,” he said. “Nothing and no one is more stubborn.”
“Can he keep anything down?”
“A few sips here and there,” Sonny replied. “Ginger ale has been the most effective.”
“Mint tea, lukewarm,” Lucia said. “Get him to sip it every five minutes until he downs the whole cup. He responds better to Tylenol for a fever than ibuprofen. Try that, and if it doesn’t work…” she hesitated. “He’ll come up with creative curses for you, but stick him in a cool–not cold–shower.”
“I’ll try that,” he said, wincing when Rafael coughed again. “And honestly, if it’s not any better after that, I may have to get him in to a doctor.”
“Try the tea and Tylenol first,” she said. “Rafi doesn’t get sick often, but when he does, he makes up for all the rest of the time that he doesn’t.” Lucia paused. “Call me and let me know how he’s doing in a while. I have work today, but I can step away and take your call.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Barba,” Sonny said. “And I’m sorry for calling you so early. I guess…” He sighed. “I don’t know.”
“You’re worried, and you needed help. And no matter how old his stubborn ass is, he’s still my kid.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” Sonny said. “And thanks.”
Rafael felt like he had an elephant sitting on his chest. His head hurt, his throat was on fire, and every joint in his body ached. He tried to sit up, but quickly determined maybe staying in the bed was a smarter idea.
“Hey,” a soft voice spoke next to him. “About time you woke up.”
Rafael opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. Though the blinds were drawn, sunlight peeked in around the edges, hit his eyes, and made his head hurt even more. “Sonny?” he managed.
He felt a cool hand on his cheek. “Who else?” Sonny was sitting in on the bed next to him, smiling gently. “You scared the crap out of me.”
Barba blinked several times, trying to clear the fog over his mind. “What did I do?”
“Your fever hit over a hundred four, and I couldn’t get it back down.” Sonny gently took his hand. “You were really out of it for a few hours.”
He groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. “I guess I really am sick this time,” he admitted, and curled onto his side when a fresh round of coughing hit him.
“Shhh,” Sonny soothed, reaching over to rub his back. “Try not to talk more than you need to. You’ll aggravate your throat and start hacking again.”
“What finally brought it down?” Barba finally asked.
“I got some mint tea in you, and once I did that, I was able to get you to take some Tylenol and keep it down,” he explained. “But I was contemplatin’ stickin’ you in a cool shower.”
Rafael frowned and glared up at him accusingly. “You called my mother.”
Sonny offered an innocent smile. “It was that or the ER.”
Sighing, he rested his head on Sonny’s thigh and closed his eyes. “Thanks for taking care of me,” he murmured. “Though I still feel like shit.”
“I think you will for a few more days.” Barba sighed with pleasure when Sonny began threading his fingers through his hair. “But I’ve got you.”
Hours later, Sonny retreated to their shared home office to catch up on some paperwork, leaving Rafael to stretch out on the sofa and watch TV. He had helped his partner take a shower without falling on his ass, as Rafael was feeling better enough to complain he felt grungy. Once he was settled comfortably with a movie, Sonny had changed the sheets on their bed for good measure.
Paperwork finished, Sonny padded down the hall and found that Rafael had fallen asleep on the sofa, his face half-buried in his pillow. Smiling affectionately, Sonny pulled the blanket that covered him up higher and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Still warm, but not alarmingly so.
It would appear the worst was behind them.
Sonny was just heading towards the kitchen when the doorman buzzed from downstairs. Rafael jerked, eyes flying open. “What the hell?” he rasped.
“I got it,” Sonny said. “Just stay there.” He strode over to the intercom and buzzed back down. “Yeah?”
“There’s a Lucia Barba here to see you, sir,” the doorman said cheerfully.
Bemused, Sonny glanced over his shoulder in time to see his partner roll his eyes heavenward. “Thanks. Send her on up.”
“What is she doing here?” Barba asked, exasperated.
“Based on my extensive experience with mothers,” Sonny said, “I would guess she’s fussin’.”
Their doorbell rang and Sonny opened it with a smile. “Hey, Lucia,” he greeted. “Good to see ya.”
“Hi Sonny,” she said, patting his cheek as she entered. She handed him a large container that felt warm to the touch. “Sopa de pollo,” she explained. “Cures everything.”
“Mami,” Rafael interjected from the sofa. He had sat up, blanket still around his waist, and hair sticking up in random places. “What are you doing here? You’re going to get sick.”
“I bring you soup and you complain.” She clucked her tongue and stepped over, her hand immediately on his forehead. He rolled his eyes, and she cupped his chin. “You may be almost fifty, Rafael, but you are still my only kid. And you’re still running a fever.” She held out a small paper bag she had brought with her. “I brought Vapo Rub.”
“Of course you did,” he muttered, but took the bag. “I have the flu, Mami,” he retorted. “I probably will still have a fever for a few days.” He peered around his mother and glared at Sonny. “This is your fault for calling her.”
Before he could reply, Lucia shot her son a piercing look. “Don’t fuss at him. He was worried about you.”
Deciding it was wiser not to get in the middle of the two squabbling Barbas, Sonny opened the corner of the container and peered inside. It smelled amazing. “This looks great, Mrs. Barba,” he said. “It’s usually my ma feeding us.”
Lucia shrugged out of her coat and dumped it in a chair. “Oh, I called your mother.”
Behind her, Rafael began chuckling – which quickly dissolved into coughing.
Sonny just stared. “You did what?”
“I called your mother,” she repeated. She took the container from Sonny and patted his cheek as she headed towards the kitchen. “She’s bringing minestrone tomorrow.”
“I—” Sonny stood, dumbfounded. “How did she even get my ma’s number?” he sputtered. “What the hell is happenin’?”
“Like you said,” Rafael said around a chuckle and cough. “Fussing.”
Carisi opened his mouth to retort, but instead let out two impressive sneezes. He groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Well, crap.”
Wordlessly, Lucia came in and handed him two Tylenol. “Soup will be ready in a minute,” she said, patted his arm, and returned to the kitchen.
“But I’m fi—” He caught sight of his partner’s pointed look and sighed. “Okay,” he said, as Rafael wordlessly flipped the blanket back beside him and patted the empty spot in invitation. “I guess it’s my turn.” He settled down next to Rafael and rested his head on the older man’s shoulder. “I think I feel warm. Feel my forehead.”
Rafael chuckled. “I’m not feeling your forehead.”