Chapter Text
This is anything but a typical Friday evening.
Audrey is lying between Alex’s legs on the sofa in the darkened living room. A couple pillows under Alex’s back keeps her sitting up at enough of an angle to support Audrey and prevent her from lying flat on Alex. They had learned earlier that lying flat made Audrey feel worse, it also didn’t help that she had a raging headache.
The steady beating of Alex’s heart and rise and fall of her chest as she breathes is comforting to Audrey who clings to Alex like the waves of sickness may sweep her away from her beloved. A few thick blankets are covering them because she can’t stop shivering.
Audrey’s favorite classic movie is playing softly on demand on the tv. There is a mix of half full and opened but untouched bottles of water and Gatorade strewn about the coffee table and side table, along with a thermometer; barely touched bowl of chicken soup; and untouched sleeves of plain soda crackers.
Alex has her arms wrapped around her fiancée’s excessively warm torso. Her hands are slipped just under the band of Audrey’s loose sweat pants, and she is lightly pressing her warm palms onto the soft skin of her belly in an effort to soothe the churning sea of stomach acid below the surface.
Both women have their eyes closed, Audrey sleeping lightly, Alex just resting her eyes, every now and then softly kissing Audrey’s forehead, whispering to her how much she loves her. She can feel the burning fever that has spread down the back of Audrey’s sweat drenched neck and throughout her body.
Alex can feel the pools of sweat collecting between them, her own clothes drenched from Audrey’s heat. She thought that the fever would have broke with all this sweating, but it hadn’t, and she actually felt hotter now than she had earlier in the day.
Noticing that Audrey was finally sleeping, Alex took her hands off her abdomen and slowly reached for the thermometer, trying to not wake her with her movements. The thermometer lights up as she turns it on and Alex positions it on Audrey’s forehead to get an updated reading. After a few seconds the alarm beeps quietly and flashes red lights. The small thermometer display reads 103° F (39.4° C).
Alex winces at the numbers on that tiny screen, Audrey’s temperature had risen from a few hours ago. Alex feels her muscles tense up under the heat of the fevered body on top of hers, fighting herself to not scoop Audrey up right then and drive her to the hospital. She had wanted to do exactly that when she first got sick, but was promptly told off for even making the suggestion.
Audrey had woken up sick in the middle of the night early Thursday morning, vomiting on their bed, which, of course, woke up Alex who was drenched in a cold sweat from her own disturbed sleep. After opening her eyes groggily and struggling to decipher between dreams and reality, she immediately jumped into action when she realized that what had happened was not actually in her nightmare.
She brought the trash can from the bathroom to Audrey’s bedside and helped her out of bed and to the bathroom to get cleaned up and changed. She carefully sat her in the chair by the bed and changed all the bedding. By the time Alex had helped Audrey get tucked back in bed, she had gotten sick two more times.
Alex had tried cold washcloths on Audrey’s forehead and the back of her neck to cool down her rapidly rising body temperature, but she couldn’t keep the washcloths cool for long enough. The raging fever was too hot for the coldest water. The aspirin she tried to get Audrey to swallow was immediately vomited back up.
Her poor Audrey was so sick she could barely keep her head up or her eyes open. Her cheeks were red and flushed, and her skin was so hot it felt as if it were on fire, but she shivered incessantly, insisting she was freezing cold, wanting only to be cuddled.
They had both stayed home these past two days. Alex had hoped Audrey would be getting better after a day and a half, but it didn’t seem that way.
She has just rested her head back when Audrey starts to make whimpering noises and writhing around on Alex, causing her to lift her head back up to check on her sick girl.
“Aud, baby, open your eyes, my love.” Alex whispers, lightly stroking her sweat covered face. “Its okay, you’re okay, come on, open your eyes. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Audrey’s eyes slowly open, except for the redness in her cheeks, her face is pallid and sweaty. Alex can see her swallowing as if she is trying to keep everything down, but she’s fighting a losing battle. Tears are starting to well up in her eyes.
“Nauseous, baby?”
Audrey nods her head slowly to not disturb her already upset stomach.
The trash can was ready on the floor next to them. Alex reached down for it and held it up for her to use, her other hand helped Audrey lift her head and held her hair away from her face. She immediately vomits and then is struck by a bout of dry heaving so violent that the convulsions are felt by both of them and looks so painful to Alex it brings tears to her eyes.
Alex, with her sad tears filling her eyes, strokes Audrey’s hair while she heaves, trying to figure out how she could possibly have any more in her system, wondering how she herself had not gotten sick yet.
“Fine, if you won’t go to the hospital, I’m calling for backup.” Alex’s tone is whispered but stern.
She attempts to hand Audrey a water bottle, but Audrey refuses to take a sip, instead she just whimpers in pain, tears rolling down her face.
“Please at least take a sip. I won’t call anyone if you just have some water. Please.”
Alex holds the bottle for Audrey and tips it just a little so she only takes a small sip, which she manages to swallow and keep down.
“One more tiny sip, baby, come on,” Alex gently whispers.
Audrey takes another sip and manages to swallow it, but her whole face goes even paler than it was. Alex quickly puts down the water and lifts the trash can in anticipation, but this time Audrey shakes her head and pushes the can away. Her head collapsing back onto Alex’s chest in exhaustion. She mumbles something that Alex can barely hear, let alone interpret.
“I’m sorry.” Tears continue to flow down Audrey’s face wetting Alex’s shirt.
“Don’t be sorry, baby. You’re sick, it’s okay. I’m here for you.” Alex continues to gently stroke her hair.
“B-but, I’m a mess. And now I have to go to the bathroom.” Audrey’s voice is shaky and she is almost fully whining. She knows Alex hates when she whines, and she feels even worse from the sound of her own pathetic voice.
“That’s okay, that’s okay, I can help you. You need to go now?” Alex continues to lovingly whisper.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Okay, here we go.” Alex says as she helps Audrey to slowly sit up and gets her legs out from around her. Audrey shuts her eyes tightly and sways on the couch.
“Whoa, whoa, babe, you’re swaying, are you lightheaded? Dizzy?” She grabs the trash can to be ready, and puts a hand on her shoulder to steady her.
Audrey can’t speak to respond, she just pulls the trash can closer and vomits again. Alex holds her hair back and soothes her.
“Aw, baby, it’s okay, you’re okay.”
Alex waits as Audrey sits back on the couch. Her energy spent from the heaving.
“Take your time, just let me know when you’re ready to go to the bathroom.” Alex sits down next to her to wait.
“I don’t wanna move from here. It’s so cold.” Audrey is shivering again. Alex wraps the blankets around her. She then stands up and pulls her phone out to make the call she should have made hours ago.
“Hey, sorry, I should have called you sooner. It’s Audrey. She has a really high fever and she’s been throwing up for the last two days. She won’t let me take her to the hospital. Can you please come over and help me?”
…
“Okay, thanks, see you soon. Uh, you have your key, right?”
…
“Okay, see you soon.”
“Who did you just call?” Audrey’s eyes are closed and her head is laying back on the sofa, she still sounds whiny and pathetic.
“Don’t worry, it’s just the help I should’ve called for yesterday. You ready to go to the bathroom? Maybe we can take a warm shower, put on clean pajamas?”
“No, fuck you, who did you just call?” Audrey doesn’t realize she is now fully whining.
“Look, babe, don’t fucking worry about it. Let’s go get you cleaned up. I need a shower too, you’ve been sweating all over me today. When you’re ready, before they get here, let’s get cleaned the fuck up.” Alex is annoyed, and the whining from Audrey is not helping.
“Ugh… fine.” The whining is getting worse, Alex’s patience is wearing thin.
Audrey turns her head slightly and looks at Alex.
“I’m sorry.” Still whining, but this breaks Alex.
“Don’t be, Aud. I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at myself for not taking better care of you and getting you to the hospital already.” Alex has calmed herself, and her voice is almost back to that caring whispered tone she was using before.
“I don’t need to go to the hospital. I’m the doctor here, I tell you when I need to go to the hospital.” Audrey’s words are starting to slur from illness and exhaustion.
Alex rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and tries to let that comment go. There’s no point in fighting her now, not when she’s this sick.
“Don’t you have to go to the bathroom or something? Then we’re gonna take a shower and get cleaned up.” Alex is trying to not sound annoyed, but stays seated waiting for Audrey to let her know she’s ready to go.
When she’s ready, Alex pulls Audrey to her feet. She leads her to their bathroom. On their way, Alex hears a key sliding into the front door lock, and the door swinging open.
“Alex! Audrey! I’m here. Where are you?”
Audrey’s eyes widen and she turns her head slowly to stare in shock at Alex.
“You called my mother?! What is wrong with you?”
“I did what I had to do.” She whispers furiously, then turns her head to call out to Kathy in a more pleasant tone, “We’re in the bathroom.”
Kathy comes into the bedroom to join them in the ensuite bathroom.
“Honey, let’s get you cleaned up and then we are heading straight to the hospital.”
“No, mo-om, please, no hospital, I’m fine.” The whining has returned at the sight of her mother’s scowling face.
“Aw, sweetheart, no, you’re not fine, look at you, you’re a mess.” Alex rolls her eyes at Kathy’s comment, but doesn’t dare speak up, it’s not the right time for that.
Audrey looks at Alex and whispers as angrily as she can, “why didn’t you just call Ava?”
“Because Ava is working right now.” Alex hisses back at her.
“Mom, let Alex help me please. I don’t need you to see this.”
“Aud, honey, I gave birth to you, I’ve already seen everything.”
Audrey was too weak to keep fighting. Alex helps her in the bathroom and they shower and get dressed. Audrey’s high fever still persists and she barely made it to the bed even with Alex and her mom helping her.
Alex, having the experience and knowledge of the last forty eight hours, ran to get the trash can from the living room, and brought it in just in time as all the movement and energy spent caused the nausea to rear its ugly head yet again.
It was Kathy’s turn to put her foot down.
“You, young lady, are going to the hospital. There is no excuse. You are severely dehydrated. Alex, get me the thermometer, please.”
Alex ran back to the living room and retrieved the thermometer. She brought it back to Kathy who took Audrey’s temperature again. The little screen flashes the new reading 103.6° F (39.7° C).
“Her temperature’s gone up again. ” Alex tells Kathy.
“This temperature is dangerously high, Audrey. I see you’ve been vomiting, any other symptoms? Do you have a headache?”
“Yeah”
“She also was slurring her words slightly before you got here, and.”
“Al-ex, stop.”
“She needs to know what’s been happening.”
“Honey, the things that could be wrong just from this short list of symptoms, is scary. Please understand I’m not asking your permission, we are going to the hospital. Alex go bring your car closer and then come back to help.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alex takes off on the quest Kathy has given her.
“Audrey, this is irresponsible, you should have gone straight to the hospital when you first got sick.” Kathy’s berating tone is evoking strong waves of nausea.
“Mom…” Audrey is starting to visibly gag again. Kathy pushes the trash can close and helps her angle herself so she doesn’t choke.
After the vomiting stops, it’s Kathy’s turn to kiss Audrey on the forehead.
“My sweet Auddie, baby, I’m so sorry you are so sick. Please let us take you to the hospital. You need help. Alex can’t do this on her own. It would break her heart if something happened to you on her watch.” Kathy spoke softly and stroked Audrey’s hair.
Kathy found the washcloths and rinses one in cold water to wipe off Audrey’s brow. After, she cleans out the trash can and leaves it by the bed again. Alex comes running in.
“We ready? I have the car right upfront.” Alex is already gently and slowly lifting Audrey, who is still so hot, to her feet, deciding not to carry her to not jostle her more than necessary. Kathy and Alex stand on either side of her and get her to the car.
A few hours and a few tests later and Audrey is in her bed in the hospital. IV fluids, anti-nausea medication, and antiviral medication all administered to treat a bad bout of food poisoning and dehydration. She’ll stay overnight for observation. Alex is lying in bed next to her holding her close, and for the first time in forty eight hours, she is knocked out, sleeping peacefully with Audrey in the darkened room on that narrow hospital bed.