In Sickness

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost." ~Charles Caleb Colton

Garcia felt absolutely awful. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so sick. Her fever was raging and her head was already pounding enough that even the lightest of knocks at her door made it feel like her skull was on the verge of imploding. It was with the goal of keeping that from happening that she made her faltering way to the door and opened it.

Several possibilities had flitted in and out of her mind as to who might be at her door, but none of those matched who she actually found on her doorstep. Spencer Reid. Not only standing there, but standing there with a box in hand. As she stood standing with her mouth slightly open, he smoothly maneuvered past her, shut the door behind himself and then headed for her kitchen counter to lay down the box.

Her mouth was still open when Reid came back to her side and steered her, gently but firmly, into her recliner. He rested the back of his hand briefly against her forehead and then began to softly pepper her with questions. Would she like to see a doctor? When was the last time she'd taken anything for fever and what had she taken? Was she feeling nauseous? When was the last time she'd eaten? When was the last time she drank something?

Still feeling somewhat stunned, Garcia found herself automatically answering his questions as he tucked a blanket around her. It seemed just a few seconds later that he was handing her a cup of some sort of herbal tea. Once she accepted the cup into her hands, the whirlwind that was Reid finally slowed down enough for her to catch her breath.

"Reid, what are you doing here?"

He had been heading back toward the box he'd brought, but at her question, Reid turned around and gave her a puzzled look.

"I thought it was pretty obvious what I'm doing here. I'm here to take care of you."

He didn't say the word, but she could practically hear a 'd'uh' tacked on at the end.

"Sweetie, while I appreciate the thought -"

Taking a step closer to her, Reid interrupted quickly.

"Garcia - please don't make me leave. Being sick is bad enough, but being sick when you're alone is plain awful. I want to help. Please let me?"

The pleading tone was something that she discovered she didn't currently have the energy or will to fight, so she simply evaded the question by sipping the tea. It was sweeter than she'd expected and the flavor was one that she couldn't quite place.

"What is this?"

"Ginger tea with rose hip syrup. It's pretty good once you get used to the flavor."

"You know, I never really pegged you as an herbal tea sort, Doctor Reid."

A lopsided smile appeared on his face.

"Good. I hate being able to be pegged."

Sipping again on the tea, she did find that the tea was warming and watched Reid as he began to unpack the box.

"Uhm - don't you have to be at work?"

"No. I took a few personal days. With the understanding that if a case comes up, I'll get called in, but hopefully that won't happen."

After making use of the sink, he soon had a warm mist humidifier running, then came over to check her. He seemed rather pleased that the tea was almost gone.

"Your choice. More tea, chicken soup or juice? I have apple, orange and grape."

"Chicken soup sounds so bland."

"Hey, if you can truthfully tell me that you think this chicken soup is bland, I'll give you your money back."

She just blinked at him with her red eyes.

"I'm not paying anything - am I?"

"Nope. Double back then."

Breathing in the steam from the tea was already helping her head some and Garcia managed a smile. He was trying so hard to cheer her up that she hated to disappoint him.

"Fine then. Let's try this wonder soup."

Reid rummaged in her cabinets until he found a good sized mug, then he pulled out a thermos and poured it a little over half-full of the steaming broth. She hadn't even gotten hold of the mug before a smell managed to make its way past her stuffy nose.

"Garlic?"

"Lots of garlic and a little cayenne pepper. Where will I find a washer and dryer?"

"Uhm - I have my own. There's a little utility room right next to the bathroom. Why?"

He didn't answer that, just holding out his free hand for the now-empty mug the tea had been in. As soon as she gave it to him, he replaced it with the soup one. Then Reid headed into her bedroom and she found her mouth hanging open again, but she couldn't think of what to say. In just a couple of minutes, she saw him bundling out her sheets and putting them into the wash.

"Where do you keep the other sheets?"

"They're in my closet - Reid, what are you doing?"

"You keep asking that. I'm taking care of you. Just settle back and drink your soup. I've got this covered, okay?"

The fiercely independent side of Garcia was warring with the achy, feverish side. The achy side won and she allowed herself to sink further into the recliner.

"Okay."

By the time she finished the soup, she was getting drowsy. Reid took her mug again and rechecked her forehead. The feel of his hand on her forehead amused her.

"That's not up to your usual scientific standards, is it?"

"I have backup."

Lowering his hand, he opened it and showed her a small device.

"Infrared thermometer. Come on. Time for a little something for the fever and I've got your bed ready."

She knew she was tired when she didn't even feel like giving him the slightest argument. She just swallowed the pills followed by apple juice and let him herd her into the freshly made up bed. Much as she hated the thought of all the trouble he was going to, she had to admit that the clean, non-sweated on sheets felt heavenly. A humming noise drew her eye over to another humidifier that he'd set up in the bedroom. When had he done all of that? She was puzzling about that as he adjusted the comforter over her, but was asleep before an answer came to mind.

After that, time got a little hazy for awhile. Drink was offered, food was offered, medicine was given. Garcia didn't question any of it until she finally woke, drenched in sweat and weak as a kitten, but feeling so much better.

Hearing her move, Reid was quickly over by her bedside, giving a sigh of relief after checking her temperature. He looked happy, but exhausted.

"Hi. Feel up to a bath? You'd probably feel a lot better after one. I don't think you're up to a shower yet."

"That sounds wonderful."

"Stay wrapped up. I'll have one run for you in a minute."

He made sure she was steady on her feet before leaving her alone to undress and sink into the warm water. She added a bit more hot water, then relaxed. How long had Reid been here? Surely he hadn't been with her all this time. But he had to have been. She had lost track of some things, but she was fairly certain she would have remembered if she'd been letting him in and out.

By the time she came back out, fully enveloped in a fuzzy robe, Reid had already stripped and remade the bed again. She gave him as large of a smile as she could muster and even then it got a little bigger when she saw the way that his eyes lit up.

"You make a very good nurse, sweetcheeks. I know I was all grumpy with you, but thank you."

"Everyone's entitled to be grumpy when they're sick. I'm just glad you're starting to feel better now."

"Where did you learn all of that stuff? I mean, the ginger tea, the soup?"

"Trial and error."

He looked away as he said that and she thought about what Reid had said when he first came in. About how awful it was to be sick when you were alone. Then she thought about Reid's mother. As bad as her mental condition was, had she even noticed when her son was sick? Or had Reid taken care of his mother when she was sick and taken care of himself as well? She had a sad feeling that had been the case.

"I'll head out after I finish the laundry and let you get some real rest. You'll be okay now, won't you?"

Garcia moved back over to her recliner and sat down.

"I'll be fine now, sweetheart. I feel like I've taken advantage of you."

"Hey, I sort of imposed on you. It isn't like you asked me over. I'm sorry if I was pushy."

"You didn't have to do all of this, you know."

"I know. I wanted to. After everything you've done for me, seemed like the very least I could do."

"What have I done for you? Beyond being the awesome tech-goddess that I am."

The dryer made a noise just then and he went to unload it without answering her.

"Okay - I think that's everything. I'll leave the humidifiers here a little longer for you. There's juice left."

"Reid? You never answered my question."

The two sets of brown eyes met and the smile Reid gave her seemed just a touch shy as he came over to where she was sitting and started to spread a light blanket over her again.

"I thought it was pretty obvious. You're my friend."

Without thinking, she found herself trapping the young doctor in a hug and sniffling. A sniffle that had nothing at all to do with her having been sick.

"Hey - you're exhausted. Why don't you grab a pillow and a blanket and take a nap? I've got a really comfy couch."

His face was slightly flushed from embarrassment, but she could tell he was debating as he glanced over toward the couch. She pressed her argument at that wavering.

"Please? I'd feel a lot better knowing that you weren't falling asleep at the wheel heading home. You don't want me sitting here worrying about you instead of resting, do you?"

That got the lop-sided grin to return.

"You fight dirty."

"I fight to win. As long as you've already been here, what's a nap?"

Reid conceded the argument and settled down onto the couch that was thankfully long enough that he could stretch out on it. Garcia watched until he drifted off, then got up just long enough to make sure the blanket was covering him before settling back down for a nap herself. The warmth she was feeling inside had nothing to do with the blanket.

"You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing." ~E.B. White