Unconventional Treatment Plan Kristen Fife Well, it's time for flu shots again. And that got me to thinking...and this story is the result. Usual disclaimers: I don't own them, I'm just giving them something to do. Permission given to archive at the FTP site, on the fanfic.com, fanfic2.com and if anyone else wants it, email me. ===================================== Unconventional Treatment Plan Nick stopped by the morgue to pick up a report for a high profile case he and Schanke were working on. Captain Cohen was breathing down their necks on this one, and he knew the pressure was coming from the Commissioner's office. As he walked down the long corridor, he tried to pick up Natalie's heartbeat. It was an unconscious habit he wasn't even aware of doing, until he got closer to the exam room and realized he didn't recognize the person inside. He walked through the doors and saw Stan Castleberry, one of the part-time coroners. "Hi Stan. Where's Natalie?" Stan looked up. "Oh, hi Detective Knight. She called in sick tonight. She has a case of the flu that seems to be going around. Apparently she has it pretty bad. Is there something I can help you with?" A frown appeared on Nick's face. "I was looking for the tox report on the Ferrault case. Captain Cohen's been getting a lot of flak from the higher-ups." Stan went over to Natalie's desk and looked at various folders, finally pulling one out. He opened it up and read it, then shut it and handed it to Nick. "Here you go. Positive results on the cocaine." He handed the report to Nick. "Thanks Stan. This is what we needed." Nick took the report and headed back to his car, worry for Natalie in his mind. He walked out of the coroner's office and looked at his watch. It was just about time for lunch. He decided to drop the report off with Schanke and then go check on Natalie. Fifteen minutes later he landed in the alley behind Natalie's apartment, having opted for the speed of flight. He walked around to the front and went inside, and walked up the steps to the second floor. He stopped outside her door and listened. He heard her heartbeat, a bit faster than normal, and he could also hear congestion in her lungs. He knocked on the door gently, and then waited. There was no answer, so he took his key out and let himself in. As he walked into the darkened living room, he could see a thin shaft of light spilling into the hallway from the partially open bedroom door. He called out softly. "Nat? It's Nick. Are you awake?" He heard the rustle of sheets and a moan. He walked back to Natalie's bedroom and pushed the door open a bit more. She was lying in bed, the covers in disarray. Her hair was a wild mass on the pillow. He saw that she was pale, as pale as any vampire, except for the bright spots of color on her cheeks and the sweat on her forehead. He frowned as he walked over. She opened her eyes, which were somewhat glassy with her fever. She smiled at him. "Hi Nick. Sorry I didn't call sooner. I'm really not feeling too great." Her voice was raspy and she started coughing as soon as she spoke. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his hand to her forehead. She was burning with a high fever. "Oh, Nick you feel so good. I'm so hot." Nick's cool flesh was soothing against her flushed skin. He frowned. "Nat, have you taken anything for this fever? Aspirin or Tylenol?" She shook her head. "I've got a sore throat and can't swallow any pills." Nick felt a growing sense of alarm. He thought for a few minutes, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Nat, I'll be back in a little bit. I'm going to go get you something for your fever." He got up and walked out. There was an all-night pharmacy a few blocks away. He flew there and landed on the roof of an empty parking garage across the street, then took the elevator to the first floor. He went inside and perused the aisles for children's liquid Advil. Finally finding what he was looking for he bought four bottles of it and left, taking to the air again and landing at Natalie's building. He went inside and let himself into Nat's apartment again. She was sleeping when he got back in, but she was tossing and turning. He put the bag with the bottles on the floor, trying not to let the paper bag rustle too much. He reached a finger up and stroked it tenderly along her cheek. She turned towards him and snuggled into the covers, a slight smile on her face as she immediately calmed down. Nick was touched that she seemed to relax when he was near her. He knew she needed sleep, but he was concerned about the fever. She was still extremely warm to his touch. He glanced at his watch and saw that his dinner break was almost over. Making a decision, he went into the living room and called his partner's cell phone. =============================== "Schanke, Metro Homicide". "Hi Schanke, it's Nick. Have you heard anything else on the Ferrault case?" "Not a peep. Perkins hasn't shown up at the motel yet, so it's a waiting game at this point." "Do you mind if I take a longer lunch hour? I'm at Nat's place. She's got a nasty case of the flu and I got some medication for her, but she's asleep and I don't want to wake her up. I've got a few calls to make on the Taggart investigation, and I can make them from here." "No, go for it. Nothing's going on here. I'll give you a shout if anything comes up. Poor Natalie. Jenny was sick with that flu last week. She was running a high fever for almost two days. Just be careful you don't catch it." Nick smiled. "No worries. I'll be fine. Call me on my cell if anything comes up." He hung up then wandered back to check on Natalie. She was still sleeping, and he could hear the congestion in her lungs. He frowned before going back into the living room to make some more calls. He had just gotten off the phone when he heard Natalie stir. He started to get up just as she swayed into the corridor. He jumped up to go to her. "Nat! You shouldn't be out of bed." He put his arm around her and helped her back to her bed. "Nick? I didn’t know you were still here. I'm so thirsty!" He tucked her back into bed, smoothing her hair and kissing her on the forehead. "Hang on, I'll go get you some water." He went into the kitchen and poured her a glass of water from the water cooler she kept. He returned to her, and sat down next to her, helping her into a sitting position so she could drink. She finished half the glass then sighed. He put the glass on her nightstand, then reached down for one of the bottles of children's Advil. He opened the box and took out the bottle. Natalie was watching him. "Children's Advil? What's that for?" "You said earlier that you couldn't swallow any pills because your throat is sore, so I figured I'd get you some liquid." She smiled. "Not a bad idea. I'd love to kill these aches and pains. And this fever is driving me nuts! I keep falling in and out of sleep and having the weirdest dreams." He grinned as he poured out a dosage cup for her. She drank it, grimacing as she swallowed. "Yuck. That's so SWEET!" He poured her a second dosage cup and she gulped it down, then grabbed the water and chased the syrup. She laid back down, and Nick took her glass to go fill with more water. When he returned she was drowsing again. He put the water on the nightstand, then went back into the living room to make a few more calls. An hour later, her heard Natalie call his name. He immediately got up and strode into her room. She was standing up, leaning on the wall for support. "Nat!" He went over to her and grabbed her just before she pitched forward. "Nick, can you help me to the restroom?" He supported her down the hallway and waited for her outside. Shortly, the door opened and she staggered back, almost falling in his arms. He helped her back to bed, worry on his face. She was still flushed and feverish. He had hoped that the ibuprofen would have kicked in. He put his hand to her cheek and she was still burning up. She got back in the bed and started shivering, although sweat beaded her forehead. "Nat, where's your thermometer?" "It's in the medicine chest in the bathroom." Nick got up and retrieved it, putting it under her tongue. He pulled it out, and read it. Her temperature was elevated, but not dangerously so. He put it next to the bed and smoothed her hair. She was falling back asleep. It was almost four in the morning, and he knew he needed to head back to work. He thought for a few moments, then decided to go to the loft to pack an overnight bag and come back to Natalie's apartment for the day. He hated to leave her alone when she was so ill, but he had to finish up some reports and put an appearance in at work. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, whispering "Sleep well...I'll be back in a while." He got up and headed out the door. Almost two hours later, Nick rushed into Natalie's apartment, racing against the early morning sun. He parked the Caddy out front and grabbed the bag he had stowed in the front seat, along with a couple of bottles from his refrigerator. He climbed the steps to the second floor, then let himself back into her apartment. He dropped his gym bag just inside the door, taking the bottles to the kitchen to stow in the fridge. He started back to Natalie's room to check on her, just as he noticed a form on the floor. He rushed forward. "Nat!" She was unconscious, lying on the floor outside her room. It looked as if she had tried to go to the bathroom but hadn't made it. He picked her up and took her back to her bed. Her skin was hot and dry to his touch. She moaned when his cool hand cupped her cheek. "Nick...so hot..." He held her to him, gently rocking her. Fear started to creep into his heart. She was extremely ill, and the medication he had brought didn't seem to be helping. He also suspected that she was getting dehydrated, despite drinking the water he had given her. He tucked her in bed, then went to her desk to get her Rolodex, hoping that her doctor's number was in it. He found it, and tried calling. Then he realized that it was only six in the morning and that the office probably didn't open until eight at the very earliest. He stifled a curse and debated calling an ambulance. Finally, he compromised and called the emergency room at St. Joseph's hospital. "St. Joseph's ER, Terry speaking." "Hi Terry. I'm with a friend that has the flu. She has a high fever, some lung congestion, a severe sore throat, and she's lapsing in and out of consciousness. I tried giving her some liquid ibuprofen but it didn't seem to help. She's been drinking water, but I'm worried that she might become dehydrated. Should I bring her in?" "What's her temperature?" "The last time I checked it was at thirty eight point six." "Hmmm. You said she IS drinking water?" "Yes." "Give her some more ibuprofen. The fever is her body's way of trying to fight the infection, and it isn't dangerously high. Make sure she continues to drink plenty of fluids. If her fever goes up or hasn't gone down by tonight, bring her in. There's really nothing we can do for her here that you aren't. As long as she is still drinking water and fluids, she should be fine. Just monitor her every few hours." "Thanks. I'll do that." Nick hung up the phone feeling a bit of relief. He went into the kitchen and checked to see if she had any fruit juice. He saw some apple juice and pulled it out, pouring some into a glass. He went back into her bedroom and set it down next to the empty water glass. He watched her as she slept, a wave of tenderness sweeping over him. She looked so fragile as she slept. He hated the fact that she was suffering from her illness. It was one of the few things about his condition that he was grateful for. Nick went into the living room and pulled the drapes tightly, making sure no light penetrated the blinds and curtains. He went into the kitchen and poured himself some of the bovine he had brought, distracted enough that he didn't even taste the flat bitterness of it. He drank two glasses then put the bottle away. He grabbed his overnight bag and went into the bathroom to change and brush his teeth. When he came out, dressed in black silk pajamas, he went to the linen closet to pull out clean sheets, blanket and a pillow. He was carrying them to the living room to make up the couch when he heard Natalie stir. He dropped the linens on the sofa and hurried to her. She was groggy but awake, looking around her. "Nick? What time is it?" He knelt next to her bed. "It's about seven. How do you feel?" She frowned. "I'm thirsty and hot." She noticed his attire and smiled. "You're going to stay here?" He nodded. "Thank you." Nick reached up a hand and brushed his thumb across her cheek. "You're welcome." He got up and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching for the apple juice. "Here, you should drink this and I'll get you some more water. Do you think you can choke down some more of the Advil?" She took the juice, finished it, and grimaced when he mentioned the Advil but nodded her head. He smiled at her as he reached for the bottle and opened it. He measured out a dosage cup and handed it to her, then another after she downed the first one. He had to stifle a laugh at the expression on her face. He got up and refilled her water glass with cool water, and she gratefully drank it. Finally settling under the covers, she looked up at him. "Nick, you can sleep in here if you want...I'd like the company if you think you'd be okay with it." He looked at her and listened to the wistful tone of her voice. He considered it; she did seem to sleep more peacefully when he was near her. He smiled and nodded. He could always leave the room if it became too difficult for his appetites. He went to the living room and grabbed a pillow, and also the unopened bottle from the fridge. He put it on the floor on the far side of the bed, then slid under the covers next to Natalie. She cuddled up to him, her head on his shoulder. ======================= "Mmmmm. You're nice and cool. It feels good." Nick chuckled. "What's so funny?" "I've never had someone cuddle up to me because I'm COLD before." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She giggled, then after a few minutes her heartbeat and breathing slowed down, indicating she had fallen asleep. He rested, finally falling into a light sleep of his own. Natalie awoke around noon, still feverish and disoriented. She tried to get up to use the facilities, but was too dizzy. Nick woke up and hurried around the side of the bed to help her, giving her support. He helped her into the lavatory, and waited politely until she was finished. She stumbled out, and finally he picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom. He took her temperature again before giving her a glass of water. Her fever was the same; no decrease, but no increase either. He held her upright and put a glass of water in her hands, cupping his own over hers to help steady her. She drank all the water, and wanted more. He got up, got her some apple juice and came back. She was drowsing, but he got her up to drink the juice. She didn't speak, just drank the liquids and started falling back asleep. Nick crawled back into bed, falling instantly asleep. Around four in the afternoon, Nick slowly woke up to an unexpected and pleasant warmth against his back. He opened his eyes and suffered a moment of disorientation until he remembered he was at Natalie's apartment. He realized that the warmth against him was probably Natalie, and tried to turn over, but her arm was around his waist. He considered waking her up, but didn't have the heart to. He tried to will himself back to sleep, but the distraction of Natalie's warmth against him and the sound of her heart in his ears made him decide to stay put. He put his hand over hers where it rested on his abdomen, and started to think. He realized that there had been no sign of the vampire emerging since he had slid into her bed. That was unusual in his experience. He had shared a bed with mortal women before, but usually only after he had fed heavily on a human vintage. But, then again, he had never cared about them as he did for Nat. He smiled. Natalie had been allowing him to see more and more of her personality, letting her guard down. After the horrible debacle with Roger Jameson last year she had started spending more free time with Nick. Videos, shopping, even the precinct picnic. They had started to depend even more on one another. He had never had a friend like her, and wasn’t sure if he ever would again. She was so good for him. He wished some days that he could do something for her, give something to her that would make her life better. Suddenly he stiffened. He had a thought, something he could do for Natalie that would make her life immeasurably more comfortable. But how would she feel about it, given what they were trying to accomplish, his return to mortality? Could he, should he, offer it to her? He ruminated on it for the next hour until Natalie rolled away from him onto her back. Her warmth suddenly gone, he turned to look at her. She looked pale and wan. He rolled onto his other side and just watched this incredible woman. He lifted his finger to grasp a curl, feeling its silky softness wind around his finger. She started groaning, and soon she was coming awake from her exhausted sleep. Nick pulled his hand back as she opened her eyes. “Nick? What…ohhh, my throat.” Her voice was even more raspy than before. Nick looked at her, concern even more evident in his eyes. “Nat, it’s almost five thirty. Let me take your temperature.” He sat up and reached over her prone form to get the thermometer. He shook the mercury down then put it in her mouth. Her eyes were still closed. Nick put her hand to her cheek and she reached a hot, dry hand up to hold it to her. His cool vampire skin felt soothing to her. She waited for the interminable three minutes for the thermometer to register. Nick took it out of her mouth and looked at it. No change. “Nat, I’m really worried. I called a nurse this morning and she said if you fever hadn’t broken by tonight that I should take you to the ER. How do you feel? Honestly?” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Honestly? I feel like crap. Every muscle in my body aches, I’m hot and thirsty, and my throat hurts. I’m dizzy from the fever and lack of food, and all I want to do is sleep. But other than that, life is just grand.” She reached up to touch his face. “I’m sorry, Nick, but you asked me to be honest. And I really DO appreciate having you here.” He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips, then pulled back to look at her. “Nat, I think I can do something to help you feel better, but you may not like the method.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Short of draining me dry or bringing me across, I’m up for almost anything.” “Are you sure?” She nodded. “Nick, what is it?” “Well, you know that vampires are immune to illnesses, and that our metabolism provides us with superior healing properties. In the past, we’ve found that if we give a human a very small amount of our blood, on the order of a drop or two, that we can give the mortal some of those benefits. The down side is that the person will be forever linked to us, very weakly.” “What do you mean ‘linked’ to you? It sounds like a fair trade off to me if it isn’t too invasive!” He hesitated then picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. “Linked in that you’ll be able to tell when I’m nearby, and possibly feel any extremely strong emotions if you are in the same room with me. It really requires close proximity for it to make any difference. But it also has the added benefit of giving you a trace of my resonance so that any vampire that meets you knows that you are off limits.” “Nick, why haven’t you ever mentioned this before?” “Well, I thought you’d be totally against it since it is something inherent to the nature of the vampire.” “How do I get this blood into me? Do I have to drink from you?” “No, I can just drip one or two drops into some water or juice. You wouldn’t even be able to tell it was there. But the effects should become apparent pretty rapidly and you’ll feel a dramatic improvement. And it IS permanent. Your immune system will always be stronger than it was.” “Nick! That sounds like a great trade off to me. Let’s do it.” “Are you SURE Nat? Once it’s done there’s no turning back.” “Those are all the effects, right?” He nodded. “Well, I’m willing to take advantage of it. Your condition may as well be good for SOMETHING!” He smiled and leaned over to kiss her nose. “OK, I’ll be right back.” He got out of the bed and went into the kitchen. He poured her a glass of apple juice, then allowed his fangs to extend. He punctured his index finger on his fang, watching as a drop of blood welled up. He moved his finger over the glass, and allowed one, then a second drop to fall into the water. His finger was already healing as he pulled it away from the glass. He watched the swirl of his blood as it diffused into the juice, imagining the vampire components in his blood spreading out in search of a human host to devour. He chuckled at his own morbid imagery, then picked the glass up to carry into the bedroom. Natalie was sitting up in bed, and watched as he approached the bed. Her eyes were lit with curiosity, ever the scientist. She scrutinized the glass, disappointed when all she saw was the cool golden liquid. She got a slightly disappointed look on her face and Nick had to hide a smile. “Here you go, Nat. Drink up.” He handed her the glass. She glanced at him, shrugged, then drank the juice down. ”So, how long should this take?” She decided to lie back down. “That depends. Not more than a couple of hours. In the meantime, however, I’m going to call in sick for both of us.” “Nick, you don’t have to do that.” “Nat, I want to. I never take a sick day; I never get sick.” He grinned at her. “No arguments. If you start to feel better, I’ll take you out to dinner. Deal?” She sighed. “OK, fine. But I hope those little vampire germs of yours start clobbering the nasty flu bug really soon!” He laughed and kissed her, then got up to go make a couple of phone calls. He took the cowardly way out and left messages for Cohen and Schanke. His partner would just assume he had caught Nat’s flu bug and harass him for it later. He was willing to put up with the ribbing he’d get from Schanke if it meant making sure Natalie was cared for. He got Natalie’s director just before he left, and told him that Natalie was still really under the weather. Luckily, they had already planned on having Stan stay on board. He stretched and went back into the bedroom, smiling when he saw that Natalie had fallen back asleep. He was still tired as well so he got back into the bed and cuddled up behind her and quickly fell asleep again. Natalie woke up slowly and leisurely. She stretched and smiled in hedonistic pleasure. Sitting up, she suddenly remembered she had been sick. Her mouth opened in an O. Her aches and pains were gone and her sore throat and headache had disappeared. She felt better than she had in months, if not years. Until her stomach growled in hunger. At that moment Nick walked back in the door to the bedroom and looked at her. “How do you feel?” “I feel great! Wow! Too bad we can’t patent that, we’d make a MINT!” He laughed and came over to sit on the edge of the bed, raising his hand to stroke her cheek. “Who knows. Maybe someday your research for me will yield a cure for the common cold. So, are you ready to go out for a bite to eat?” “Absolutely! I want a big juicy burger!” Nick laughed at her enthusiasm. “Yes, well you should take a shower first.” She punched him playfully in the arm but got out of bed to do just that. She had a fleeting thought that if Nick’s unconventional treatment really worked as promised, she’d rack up as many unused sick days as he had. =========================== This is an original piece of fiction, all rights reserved. ===== Kristen Fife http://www.fkvoyage.com/fkfanfic/fife_kristen/ "When a half-breed vampire becomes the object of Mafia revenge, the ensuing power struggle pits immortal and mortal families against one another." -THICKER THAN WATER "The strength of the vampire is that people will not believe in him."