fever
Firehouse 51 had been full of chaos lately. With the heat, came fires. More fires, meant more people to save. Which meant that they never really got more than thirty minutes to rest. No sleep, meant illness.
That illness just happened to choose Shay. She knew something was wrong, she had felt really cold and really hot all day. Of course, Shay being Shay, she decided she was going to power through it and try to ignore the shakes and the nausea. If she could focus on not being sick, maybe she could will the chills and shakes away. If this persisted, and the meds didn’t help, she would ask Boden for a day off.
So while Shay was in the kitchen thinking if she could keep food down, her favorite person spoke. “Hey baby you feeling okay?” Gabby asked seeing her girlfriends pale complexion.
Deciding to go for the truth as she was feeling that crappy, Shay was honest with Gabby. “Yeah, I’m just not feeling too hot today, I just need a nap and I’ll be good.” She responded getting some water out of the fridge. “You sure?” Gabby frowned not believing her completely.
“Yeah. I’m good baby.” Shay smiled forcefully. Gabby walked closer to her investigating for herself but eventually settled for kissing Shays sweaty forehead.
“You’re hot.”
Shay’s eyes fluttered. “Thank you baby, but we’re at work”
Gabby smiled and stroked Shay’s cheek. “No sweetie, you’re not as in you have a fever. Come with me.”
With that Gabby dragged Shay to the first aid kit with her to take her temperature leaving no room for protest. “Gab I’m fine, I just need to sleep it off.”
“Shut up and open your mouth.” Gabby ordered ignoring her girlfriend.
Frowning, Shay did what she was told. “100 even. Fever. Come on, let’s go sit on the couch.”
Shay nodded and followed Gabby to the benches. Gabby sat first, patting the space next to her. “Since we’re still on shift, you can lay in my lap until we get a call okay?”
“Okay” she yawned. She got settled with her sweatshirt being used as a blanket and slowly drifted off. Sensing her girlfriend needed the sleep, Gabby felt her forehead. She knew the fever was rising but they were paramedics, it would be okay.
Carefully taking her hair out of the ponytail , Gabby began to run her fingers through Shays sweaty blonde hair. “I’m gonna marry you one day Leslie Shay. And you’re still gonna be this stubborn girl who hates being sick. But I’m never going to stop taking care of you. Never”
They sat like that for a while, before noises were heard from the other room as they were coming closer. Luckily, Gabby was facing them and was able to shush them before they woke up her sick girlfriend.
“Shhh, she’s sleeping.” Gabby whispered pointing to Shay who was smiling in her sleep clearly having a nice dream.
“Oh my bad. I’ll go tell everyone to stay out of here.” Otis smiled. Gabby nodded her thanks and looked back at Shay before eventually closing her eyes as well. She woke up an hour later to Shay’s moans of discomfort. “Shay? Sweetie what’s wrong.”
“I don’t feel good.” She whined.
“Okay, what’s hurting?”
“I’m dizzy, I feel sick.”
“Alright hang on baby. Someone get me a trash can!”
Nearby, Mouch pushed over the trash bin next to his chair before leaving the room as fast as he could. “Okay baby breathe it’s okay, let it out.” Gabby coaxed as Shay panted heavily. And just like that Shay threw up into the trash can.
“Feel better?” Gabby asked once Shay had wiped her mouth and leaned back. “Yeah.” She whispered.
“Good girl, come on let’s get you home, think you can get up?”
“No. I don’t wanna be sick again.” She moaned.
“Okay sweetie, we can stay here until you feel a little bit better. Can you take a sip of water for me?”
Shay eyed the water but consented. Gabby brought the water to her lips and helped Shay take a small sip to keep her hydrated but not upset her stomach. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do that. You don’t need to apologize for being sick. I love you and I always want to take care of you.”