Just a cute one-shot. Third person POV. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Richelle owns all.

Rose woke up shivering, but internally feeling an obnoxious heat.

Dimitri was peacefully sleeping next to her, and she refused to bother him.

She carefully got up, and tip toed to the kitchen of her and Dimitri's apartment, to get a glass of water. Her eyes stung and watered but she convinced herself it was because of her just waking up. She snuck a glance at the clock on the wall, it read 3:47 am.

She was exhausted, but her nose was stuffed up, so she made a quick stop at the box of tissues before climbing back in bed beside the man she loved.

"Achoo!"

Dimitri flinched in his sleep, and Rose covered her mouth with her hands.

Silently, she willed herself not to sneeze again. But her body didn't listen.

"Achooo!"

Dimitri's eye lids fluttered open at the sudden noise, "Roza?", he asked groggily.

"Sorry, Dimitri. Just go back to sleep, we still have a couple more hours befor- Achoo!" Rose didn't even get to finish her whispered sentence before her traitorous sinuses began acting up. "Roza, are you okay?" Dimitri put his arms around Rose, and was shocked to find her shivering like crazy. "I'm perfectly fine!"

Rose tried to say, but she wasn't fooling the man next to her.

"You're most definitely not fine! People who are 'fine' don't wake up shivering like this, Roza." Dimitri replied softly.

He reached over to turn on the lamp sitting on his nightstand.

"Achooo!" Rose sniffed, and Dimitri got a better look at her.

Her long hair was matted and stuck to her forehead. Her face was pale and dark bags hung under her eyes. The tip of her nose was pink and her eyes were glistening. She was just sitting there on the bed shaking in her warm pajamas, pretending everything was 'fine'.

Instantly Dimitri put a hand to her forehead. It was burning up.

"Roza!" Dimitri exclaimed, "You're shivering, sneezing, I'm betting you have a fever, and you're trying to tell me you feel perfectly normal?"

Rose looked down guiltily, "Yes?" Dimitri pulled her close to him again, despite the fact she was obviously sick.

She sniffed and buried her head in his t-shirt.

He on the other-hand, was shaking his head at her reply.

"Roza, I'm going to phone Lissa and Christian and cancel work tomorrow. You need to rest."

Rose's head snapped up at this, "No, they come first, it's my duty to guard Lissa. I-"

"Remember when I told you that sometimes you need to put yourself first?" Dimitri interrupted. Rose reluctantly nodded. "Now would be one of those times, you're sick Rose. You won't be able to properly protect her right now, anyways." Rose was about to protest, saying she could always protect Lissa. But she knew Dimitri was right.

It didn't mean she wouldn't try to fight it though, she was not weak, she could handle a cold. But when she looked into his eyes, so full of love and concern for the one he loved... Love and concern he had for her well- being... She knew he was going to get his way with this one.

Dimitri kissed her on the head and reached for the phone.

She sat in silence while he explained the situation to a sleepy Lissa, but ended the call with a satisfied expression. Rose knew he had gotten her the day off.

Dimitri stood up and returned moments later with a thermometer, and instructed Rose to open her mouth so he could take her temperature. A couple curse words flew out in his native tung, as the concerned Russian read the temperature. "103.2, Roza why didn't you wake me up sooner?" Rose knew that she had a fever, and she really didn't know what to say.

"Uh- you looked so peaceful and I just didn't want to bother you."

Dimitri cocked an eyebrow.

"Really, Roza?"

He began to stand up again, to grab a cold cloth. But Rose wasn't having any of it.

"Comrade, sit back down. It's really early, you're exhausted, I'm exhausted too. I'll just sleep this off and I'll be fine in the morning." Dimitri wasn't convinced though.

"At least let me get you an extra blanket." Rose shook her head.

"I'm Rose Hathaway, badass guardian, remember? I can handle a cold."

Dimitri gave her a half smile at this last statement.

She could use all the sleep she could get, and he was very tired.

"Fine," he agreed, he turned the light off and snuggled into bed, he pulled her to his chest. "I love you, Comrade." Rose breathed.

"I love you too, Roza. Get some sleep." Dimitri whispered.

But in the morning she was worse.

Dimitri woke up to her moaning in pain on the other side of the bed.

She was sweating now and had stopped shivering, but still wasn't awake.

His heart ached for her, he hated seeing his Roza in pain.

He got up and was about to finally get her a cold cloth when a knock sounded at the door.

He opened it to find Lissa and Christian and their mob of guardians at a respectful distance behind. He let in the royal couple but their guardians stood on guard outside.

"How is she?" Lissa asked kindly.

"She's got a fever, and she's sneezing, and she definitely had the chills last night."

Dimitri seemed exasperated. "She is so stubborn, she wanted to go to work this morning, and has been trying to refuse any sort of treatment. She wouldn't even let me get her a cold cloth."

Lissa nodded, "She's always been this way. Dhampirs don't get sick often, but it does happen. You know Rose hates showing any signs of weakness, so when she does get sick she practically tries to ignore it."

Dimitri sighed.

"I don't want to wake her up, but I should take her temperature again."

Lissa agreed. But Christian, who had stayed silent until now, had another idea.

"I can do it without waking her up, since I'm a fire user I can take people's temperatures"

Lissa kissed his cheek. "Would you?" He couldn't say no to Lissa.

They quietly entered the room, where Rose was still sweating and giving the odd whimper every few seconds. Christian walked up to her and placed a hand on her forehead.

"104.1" he mouthed back to Lissa and Dimitri.

When they got back to the kitchen, Dimitri immediately got a cloth out and began to wet it with cold water. He knew that soon he would have to go to work, "I'll be ready to go in ten minutes." He told Christian. Yes, he had been able to get Rose the day off, but not himself.

Lissa shook her head and she and Christian shared a look. "We'll talk to Hans, you stay here and look after her." Dimitri smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

They left soon after and Dimitri was just about to return to Rose, when he heard her shuffling out of bed. "Achoooooo!" Rose walked into the kitchen.

"Roza? What are you doing out of bed?"

Rose looked up, "I was hungry."

Dimitri chuckled, "Go lie down and I'll bring you something to eat."

Rose pouted but complied.

"Achoooo!"

Dimitri came back with a bowl of soup, and Rose took no time in making sure the bowl was empty when she was done with it. Her throat hurt but the soup soothed it.

"Your fever is higher than it was earlier." Dimitri told her, as he handed her the cloth.

Rose sighed, but brought the cloth to her forehead anyways , it dimmed some of the pain from her headache.

Dimitri noticed that even though she was sick, she still looked adorable. He kissed her head, and snuggled back in to bed with her, wrapping the blankets around them. He loved taking care of her and Rose loved him for it.

"Thanks for taking care of me." Rose whispered.

Dimitri smiled, "Anytime, Roza."