Archive of Our Own ^beta

The farmer was in the barn and had just finishing milking the cow when her phone rang.  Therefore, she held the bucket with one hand while the other one fished the device out of the particular pocket in her overalls where she always kept it as she also made her way to the door. 

Once she saw the name on the screen, though, she paused briefly and just shook her head in confusion.   

What could he want this early in the morning? she wondered.   

After all, it was not even seven o’clock, yet.  

In fact, her usual schedule was to wake up at six and take care of her animals first. Then she moved on to her machines and crops before she headed out.  Whether that was to town, the caverns, or the mervillage, however, all depended on what was on her list to accomplish that day. 

The decision could also be as simple as who she needed to see or even just who she wanted to hang out with, instead. 

Still, even though he was not on her “To See/Hang Out” list for that particular day, the caller replied cheerfully to her simple greeting when she answered.   

“How’s my favorite farmer doing this morning?” he asked.  

“I’m fine, but what do you need, Scott?” she replied in a tone that was perhaps a bit more curt than she meant for it to be.   

After all, even though they got along very well, shared a mutual best friend in Charles, and hung out often together as a group, too - the archaeologist almost never called himself unless he wanted something. 

Plus, even though both of her hands were full, as she talked she was also trying to wrestle the heavy barn door open to let the bigger animals out to graze with their chicken friends from the adjacent coop. 

Therefore, she was a bit preoccupied at the moment – especially since she was pretty sure that he was just going to ask her for some more jam or something food-related like that. 

“What?” the man went on to ask in a tone full of mock hurt.  “Can’t your boyfriend’s favorite roommate call you for no reason whatsoever?”  

“You’re his only roommate, Scott,” she pointed out in what she considered to be a very reasonable tone, “and the answer to that question is no.  You never have before, at least.” 

“Semantics!” he responded playfully before his tone turned a little more serious as he continued. “But you may be right,” he added.  “Sorry about that.  I’ll try to do better.  This time, however, I don’t need anything for myself.  Nevertheless, if you’re not too busy this morning, you may want to come over to the house, anyway, and check in on your significant other.” 

“Why?  What’s wrong with Charles?  Is he alright?”  she asked, and she stopped in her tracks as a bit of worry crept into her tone.   

“He’s fine, I think...or he will be,” Scott reassured her.   “However, I’m no doctor...well...I do have a doctorate, but not the medical kind.  You know what I mean.  At any rate, I honestly think he has some late season flu – despite dragging us all into the clinic to personally give us our vaccines.  He has all the symptoms, and is obviously feeling miserable, but he is still planning to go to work.  I would force him to stay home myself and make him rest...even if I had to sit on him to hold him in place...but it’s Eleanor’s day off and she took Oliver to the mainland.  I promised her I would finish cataloguing those latest awesome fossils and artifacts you donated before she got back, so...”  His explanation trailed off.   

“Understood,” the woman agreed without any hesitation whatsoever as she turned and immediately headed back towards the house.  Since the animals had been taken care of, the rest of her farm chores could wait. 

Charles needed her more.   

After all, he had a history of putting everyone else first and letting his own health fall to the wayside sometimes.  Therefore, occasionally, he needed a role reversal and for somebody to look after him, instead.  Today seemed to be one of those days.  The sweet man deserved that...and so much more, too!  Therefore, she would step in and make sure he was cared for the way he would do so for others. 

“I just finished in the barn,” she continued, “so let me quickly clean up and change into a different outfit.  I can probably be there in about thirty minutes.  You can wait that long, right?  Does Charles need anything? Medicine? Food?” 

“Well...” Scott dithered.  “I’m not going to mention any names.  However, this morning, somebody might have been tired of his usual boring breakfast protein bar and ate the last of that delicious homemade blueberry jam you brought over, instead.  Therefore, if you have any more of it to spare, I’m sure Charles would really appreciate it.  Maybe we could even switch it up a bit if you have any other fun flavors like...say...cranberry or...Oooh!...What about dragonfruit?  You grow both of them, too, don’t you?” 

I knew there would be something jam-related, the farmer sighed to herself.   

Scott was a notoriously bad cook and, consequently, was always eating the food that Charles made...or the stuff that she brought over from the farm.  However, to his credit, the man did try to make up for it in other ways. He really was a good friend, after all...to both of them...as proven by the fact that he had called her this morning because he knew that Charles would probably be stubborn about the whole situation and not do so himself. 

That did not mean she wanted to immediately reward his questionable food-based behavior, however. 

“We’ll see,” she therefore replied in a noncommittal tone.  “In the meantime, please just call Yuri and let her know that...no matter what he plans...you and I have made the executive decision that Charles won’t be in today.” Then, right before she disconnected the call, she caved and added a note of gratitude.  “Thanks, though, Scott!  I really do appreciate the heads up.  See you soon.” 

Consequently, despite the situation, a smile still graced her face as she decided that after she visited her vegetable bin to collect ingredients to make Charles a healthy pot of soup for his lunch, she would indeed then stop by the farm’s artisan products storeroom and see what sweet jam treats she could pick up for the guys in question – both her darling sick one and the loyal, but still sometimes annoying, “eat everything in sight” healthy one.   

After a quick stop by the clinic to pick up some medicine from the other doctor, the woman arrived at the house that the two men shared.  Since she and Charles had already exchanged keys, she simply let herself in.  Scott was apparently waiting for her in the living room, however, because he nodded towards the bedroom door that belonged to the other man as soon as she came into sight. 

“Once I called Yuri, she asked to speak to him and told him...in no uncertain terms...that he better stay home today and not to put himself or their patients at risk.  Therefore, I think he might be a bit upset with all of us.  Well, maybe not with you so much, but definitely with me.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Scott.  I’ll handle it.” She handed him the bag full of food that she had brought from the farm.  “Before you head out to the museum, though, please put these in the kitchen and I’ll go talk to him.” 

Scott took the bag and, of course, checked its contents as he walked away – just as she knew he would.    

“Yes!  Dragonfruit jam! Now, that’s what I’m talking about!” he exclaimed happily as he disappeared into the doorway that led into the kitchen and dining room area. 

The woman just shook her head in his direction with a mixture of both fondness and exasperation before she turned and knocked on the bedroom door. 

“May I come in, Sweetie?” she asked. 

“Of course! You can, but don’t bring the traitor with you,” the voice on the other side answered before his words devolved into a coughing fit. 

“Don’t be like that, Love.  By the sound of things, Scott definitely made the right call by letting me...and Yuri...know that you weren’t feeling well,” she replied soothingly as she entered the room and immediately poured out a glass of water from the carafe on the bedside table.  Apparently, Scott had put it there earlier.   

I guess the man has actually earned his jam for today, after all, she thought approvingly as she also opened the medication that Yuri had given her.  

Once Charles managed to stop coughing and sit up, she first helped to arrange the pillows behind his back to make him more comfortable, then she handed him both the water and the pills. 

His complete trust in her was proven when he, even as a doctor, automatically took what she had given to him without question.  That made her smile at him affectionately as she sat on the edge of his bed and faced him so she could run her fingers gently through his vibrant red hair in order to move it off his brow.  Then, she checked for a fever.   

His skin was definitely warm to the touch...both to her hand and to her lips when she leaned in to give him a tender kiss on the forehead. 

“I’m sorry I’m so grumpy, Darling.  I’m happy to see you.  I really am.  It’s just that I knew you were busy on the farm.  Therefore, I didn’t want to bother you with any of it.  I would’ve been alright on my own.  There’s never been anyone who wanted to stay with me when I was sick before, anyway,” Charles muttered sheepishly as he took her hand to hold it in his own warmer-than-normal one and looked at her with eyes that were obviously bleary with both fever and fatigue. 

At his obvious disbelief that she would want to be with him...even at such a time when he really needed her...the woman took a moment to silently curse Brooke.  After all, she...the sweet man’s no-good cheating ex...had obviously done so much damage to his self esteem that it still made him question his own worth - even after all the time that had passed since their breakup and all the progress he had made in the meanwhile. 

Therefore, she had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm her anger at the other woman before she allowed herself to respond. 

“Charles, when are you going to realize that you are never a bother to me – no matter how busy I am?  After all, this is what adults are supposed to do in a real and committed relationship.  We take care of each other!  Wouldn’t you do the same for me?” 

“Of course, I would.  I just guess I’m still not used to being with someone who cares as much about me in return.” 

“Well, get used to it...and fast...because you need to get it through that handsome redhead of yours that I’m not going anywhere.  You’re stuck with me, you know.  We’re both in it forever, now – especially since I'm afraid that’s how long it’s going to take you to pay off this bill.”  She paused to grin at him in good humor and affection.  “After all, you won’t believe it when you see how much I charge for house calls.  It might even take you the rest of our lives to settle such a debt.” 

“A lifetime with you...what a terrible fate!” he muttered in a similar facetious tone to her own as his tired eyes lit up and his lips twisted up affectionately a bit at her unique style of reassurance. 

Nevertheless, it was clear that Yuri must have sent him the kind of medicine that would make him drowsy...and that it was already beginning to kick in, as well.  Therefore, as his eyes began to close and his head started to droop against his will, his girlfriend helped him to lay back down in a more comfortable position. 

“Now, you rest.  Don’t worry about anything.  I’ve got it and I’ve got you,” she reassured him.  “I’m not going far, either – just to the bathroom to get a cold washcloth for your forehead, first - then to the kitchen to make some soup.  That will give it plenty of time to simmer until you wake up and are ready to eat some for lunch.  I’ll even make sure to cook a big enough pot so that your bottomless pit of a roommate can have some for dinner, as well.” 

“That sounds good,” the man murmured tiredly.  “Thank you!” he added as his hand reached up to gently touch her face.  “I love you, my Farmer.” 

“And I love you, too, my Doctor,” she replied with complete sincerity as she held his hand against her cheek for a moment before she kissed it and laid it back down on the blanket again. 

She then stood up to go and fetch the cold wet cloth she had promised him.  Before she even made it to the attached bathroom, however, the sounds of his gentle snores behind her assured the woman that he had already fallen into exactly the kind of deep healing sleep that he needed.