In Sickness and in Health

Disclaimer: I don't own Captain Planet or any of its characters and I'm not making any money from these fics.

Summary: Linka has been hiding her feelings for years but she can't ignore them forever. A light W/L comfort fic set sometime after the series ended.

A/N: Hi guys remember me? Sorry I have been absent, I'm still around but I don't have as much time for writing as I used to. I haven't given up on finishing my fics though! This one has been hanging around waiting to be published for some time, hopefully it will make you smile.

Chapter One

"Wheeler!" The beautiful blonds face was like thunder as she stalked across her friend's cabin to draw the curtains and let in the sunlight. "It is nearly lunchtime, and the conference is this evening, why are you not up yet?"

"Not so loud!" The American groaned in response and buried himself further under the covers. "I'm dying."

Linka crossed her arms in front of her and glared at the lump in the bed. "Nonsense. You were perfectly alright yesterday. Just because you do not like getting dressed up, does not mean you can spoil it for the rest of us, now stop being lazy and get up!"

"Okay, okay." His words degenerated into a coughing fit but he still managed to untangle himself from the covers. Unfortunately he stood up too fast and the room began to spin, causing him to fall back on the bed. "Whoa! Give me a minute, okay? I just need everything to stop moving."

One look at her companion's too pale face and reddened eyes and cheeks brought her rushing to his side, guilt reflected in her clear blue eyes. "Oh Yankee."

"I know, I know, I'm being a baby." He tried to push her hand away from his forehead. "Just leave me to it, I'll take an aspirin and a shower and I'll be fine."

Linka caught her friend's hands and held them away, testing his temperature with the soft brush of her lips instead... lingering just a little longer than necessary.

Not struggling anymore, the fire planeteer sighed and whispered, "That's nice."

"It is not nice, and you will not be fine if you do not take it easy." She looked down at him sadly. "You have a fever, Lyubov moy, you will not be going anywhere today."

Wheeler shook his head. "Don't exaggerate, I told you I'll take something... even one of Ma-Ti's disgusting plant things, no probl..."

The rest of the sentence was lost in another coughing fit and the Russian quickly offered him the glass of water from his nightstand.

"Thanks Babe." The hand holding the glass was shaking slightly, as if he couldn't stand the weight. When she retrieved the glass, he sank back against his pillows, all the energy having been drained from him. "I'm as weak as a kitten… oh Lin I'm sorry, I know you wanted us all there tonight."

"Hush." She replied soothingly, helping him lift his legs back into bed and pulling the covers up over him. "That is not important. I will ask Ma-Ti if he can make up something to take your temperature down, and bring you some breakfast too."

Wheeler took a laboured breath. "Thanks Babe, but I'm not hungry, I just want to sleep for a while."

Not unnaturally alarmed by this statement, considering her companion's usually large appetite, Linka automatically sat down beside him and began to stroke his hair soothingly.

"Are you going to sing to me?" He asked, a shadow of his normal self flitting across his eyes.

"Do not push it." She smiled back. "Let me get you that medicine."

As she rose, she again pressed her lips to his head, this time more for comfort than medical reasons. "As much as I like that Beautiful, I don't think it's a good idea, you don't want to get sick."

"Thank you Yankee, but I will be fine." She turned and left.

It was only a few minutes until Linka returned with the promised liquid, but the increased redness around Wheeler's eyes and the gruffness of his voice suggested he'd been crying. "I didn't think you were coming back."

The American was so rarely vulnerable – or at least he never showed it – that Linka's guilt doubled. She'd actually been discussing the possibility with the others, of their going to the conference anyway, and whether or not their fiery companion would remain behind. But she hadn't dawdled once the South American's concoction was ready, and she didn't hesitate now.

"Of course I was coming back, I said I was. You need to sit up." She put her arms around him to help him into a better position to take the medicine and found herself enveloped in a bear hug. Cuddling him back, Linka added softly. "I would not leave you alone, lyubov moy."

"I know." He released her. "It's just… you were gone so long."

Again her first instinct was to correct him, but she caught herself in time. Instead the lovely Russian brushed the backs of her fingers against his burning cheeks. "I will not go away so long again. Come now, drink your medicine."

Wheeler pulled a face but did as he was told and as he lay down again, spoke in a more normal tone. "That stuff really is foul."

"It is supposed to be, if it were pleasant you would not want to get better." Linka tucked the covers up around him.

"You mean he does it on purpose!" Wheeler's momentary agitation was soothed by his friend's laughter, and affectionate shake of her head.

Another moment's alarm came when she got up and headed towards the door, but she was back almost immediately with a cold compress. "There, how does that feel."

"Great." The fingers of his hand entwined with her free one. "You don't really have to do this though… no one's taken care of me when I'm sick since I was a small boy. You should be getting ready to go out, I don't want to spoil it for you."

Linka couldn't make eye contact with him, worried that she would upset him whichever she chose. "There is plenty of time yet. I will stay until you go to sleep."

Wheeler sighed, obviously relieved despite his assurances. "Thanks Babe, I'm not sure I can sleep though, I don't think I can relax."

He closed his eyes and after a while became aware of a pretty melody dancing gently about him, though the words were beyond his comprehension.

Linka stopped singing as one eye opened to watch her. "Hush, go to sleep."

"Sweet tune." He closed his eyes as she began to run her fingers through his hair. "What do the words mean?"

"My Grandmuska used to sing it to me, she said it was my mother's favourite when she was a child." The Russian girl smiled as she watched Wheeler begin to relax. "It does not translate very well into the tune but it means something like, 'Dearheart sleep sweetly for I am watching over you, and when you wake I will share your joy and your pain, and bring comfort to your ills… my love will be with you always.'"

By the time she was finished she was blushing, but Wheeler didn't seem to notice, though there was a smile on his lips. "Sing it again Babe? I want to fall asleep listening to your voice."

Smiling in response, Linka was happy to oblige.