Mwahaha, I've devised yet another way to torture the poor guys! (laughs maniacally and claps) I'm so evil... Enjoy bunnies, and please remember to review!

Disclaimer: Hey, if they were mine, Bobby and Mike would be feeding chocolate covered strawberries to Alex and Carolyn... (sighs) But they're not, so they're not mine...

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Rach and Runner for their help with this. Thanks, girls! Areeba!

They were exhausted. Not that they were complaining, because there was nowhere else they'd rather be. But they were utterly exhausted. Both of "their" boys were sick with the flu, and after a strong effort on both of their parts, were sleeping soundly in Alex's apartment. Someone (she wasn't exactly sure who) had pointed out that, if left alone, Bobby and Mike would raise all kinds of hell, and most likely return to the precinct and infect half of the squad with their disease.

So, somehow, they had all wound up in Alex's apartment, which had two bedrooms and a comfortable couch that was big enough to accommodate someone of her partner's stature. And right now, Mike was sleeping fitfully in the spare bedroom, while Bobby was bundled up in her own queen sized bed.

"I haven't seen this movie in years," Carolyn commented as Patrick Swayze attempted to teach Jennifer Gray how do "dirty dance." Alex nodded absently, her gaze occasionally drifting back to her bedroom door. Carolyn caught her looking, and she said, "They'll be fine, Alex. It's just the flu. They'll be begging for attention before you know it."

"I know," Alex sighed, twisting her hands in her lap. "But Bobby is hardly ever sick. And when he is, it's really bad. Trust me, I've seen it." And then she told Carolyn about the time Bobby had caught a cold. She finished with, "I almost wound up taking him to the hospital, but he convinced me not to. I spent almost a week bringing him soup on my lunch break and spending nights on his couch."

"You're a good partner, Alex," Carolyn stated as she patted the other woman's hand, and Alex smiled a little.

"So, have you ever dealt with a sick Mike?" Alex laughed, and Carolyn laughed and shook her head.

"Closest I've ever come is dealing with a very drunk, then hungover Mike," she stated with a laugh. "He showed up at my apartment at three in the morning, babbling something about flying cats. I couldn't let him leave, so he spent half the night on my couch, and the other half praying to the porcelain gods." They both shared a good laugh over this.

In the midst of their laughter, Alex heard Bobby moan softly, and she listened intently. But he settled back down, and she decided not to go in there and interrupt his much needed sleep. But as soon as she relaxed again, Mike called out Carolyn's name groggily, and she sighed and went to his room.

Alex watched her go, and she decided to go briefly check on Bobby again. She rose to her feet and padded across the carpet, standing silently in the doorway of her bedroom. He was buried under several blankets, and as she looked at him, she couldn't help but think that he didn't look completely unlike a little boy.

With a soft smile, she eased back out of the bedroom and walked over to the bedroom that Mike occupied. In the dim light, she could see Carolyn sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand running through Mike's hair. Their eyes met, and Carolyn carefully slipped off of the bed and walked over to the door, where Alex was standing. They walked back into the living room, and as they sat down on the couch, Alex asked, "How is he doing?"

"He's still running a fever, but at least he's not throwing up again," she muttered as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the couch. A few minutes later, they both heard movement, and Alex turned around to see Bobby shuffle out of the bedroom.

"Bobby, you know you're not supposed to be up," she scolded him gently, but he walked around the couch and plopped down beside her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I don't want to be alone," he offered in his pitiful, congested voice. Alex sighed and wrapped her arm around him, drawing him into her side. He snuggled into the warmth she provided and sighed contentedly, his eyes slowly drifting shut.

A few more minutes of peace passed before the girls both stiffened at the sound of Mike groaning. Carolyn immediately rose off of the couch and disappeared into the bedroom, and Alex took the time to slide out from under Bobby and walk into her room. Once she had grabbed several large and thick quilts and a few pillows, she dragged them out into the living room, then began arranging them on the floor in front of the couch.

Bobby watched her through half opened eyes, and when she motioned for him to come down, he slowly made his way down onto the soft and comfortable pallet, stretching his limbs fully. Alex sat cross legged on the floor with her back to the couch, and she gently tugged Bobby's head into her lap, murmuring softly to him.

Carolyn reappeared in the living room, looking very aggravated as she plopped down onto the couch with a sigh.

"What'd he do now?" Alex asked, tilting her head backwards so she could see the other woman. Carolyn just ran her hand over her face and shook her head.

"He's just… being Mike. Noisy, complaining…" She sighed again and looked down at the pallet, where Bobby was laying quietly with his head in Alex's lap. "You lucked out," Carolyn pointed out as she motioned to Bobby. "You got the quiet one."

Alex let out a soft laugh. "I'll bet that if you do this for Mike, it'll shut him up," she said, half joking, half serious. A thoughtful look appeared on Carolyn's face.

"Maybe," she said softly, sinking back into the couch.

Alex wondered what she meant, but a soft moan from Bobby distracted her thoughts, and she ran her hand over his side, rubbing it gently. "It's okay, Bobby," she murmured, her other hand snaking out to grab an empty trash can. She held it in front of him just as he emptied the meager contents of his stomach, and she continued to stroke his hair.

"Maybe you should bring Mike out here," Alex suggested quietly once Bobby had settled back down into her lap. Carolyn raised her eyebrow. "I mean, so we don't keep having to go back and forth, and we can keep our eyes on them in case they start getting dehydrated or anything," Alex explained.

Carolyn nodded in understanding. "Maybe it could give us a chance to get some sleep," she yawned, motioning to the couch. "One of us could sleep on the couch, while the other can sleep in one of the beds."

Alex eyed her exhausted friend, and she said, "Car, let's go ahead and get Mike out here, then you can take the first shift." Carolyn nodded and walked into the bedroom, reappearing a few minutes later with a pitiful looking Mike. She guided him down onto the pallet a few feet from Bobby, settling him in before she rose to her feet and stretched.

"You sure it's okay, Alex?" Carolyn asked, and Alex waved her off.

"Go, Carolyn. You're exhausted. I'll keep an eye on the kids," Alex assured her, and Carolyn nodded before disappearing into the bedroom where Mike had been sleeping. Once she heard the door shut, Alex slowly eased out from under Bobby, then lifted herself onto the couch and picked up the remote.

TBC...

A/N: Mwhahaha, I'm absolutely wicked, I know. Review bunnies, and I'll update faster!