Where The Sage Shrubs Grow,

Chapter 10

Third Person POV:
    It had been a few days since the astronomy test, Sage woke up with a terrible ace in her body, and her throat felt like it was closing up. She flopped back into her bed, the blankets and pillows swallowing her whole into a burning inferno, never to be seen again. She threw them off, and they landed on the floor limply like they hadn't just been trying to kill her. They also hadn't been shunned for more than five minutes before she began to shiver, pulling one blanket back onto the bed and having to leave half her body uncovered just to feel like a normal temperature. She couldn't get comfortable no matter what she did, she laid on her side, her back, her stomach, the fetal position, she even put her head at the end of the bed laying the opposite way of her original position. She could hear Hallie showering in the bathroom, she attempted to call out for her but her voice didn't come out, instead she broke out into a fit of coughing.

    The coughing seemed to grab Hallie's attention though, the water stopped and Sage could hear Hallie call her name but Sage couldn't find the energy to respond. A few moments later Hallie stepped out in a pair of shorts and a tank top, a concerned look on her face. Hallie approached the bedside and pulled back the blanket to examine her friend, her wild bed head curls getting more in the way than the blanket had been.
"Sage?" Hallie repeated, receiving only a pained groan in response.
"Sage, what's wrong? Are you sick? Having an allergic reaction? Are you having a panic attack?" Hallie questioned, growing more concerned by the second. Sage held up her first finger, to signify that the first possible problem Hallie had suggested was in fact the issue.
"Oh lord" Hallie exclaimed "Look at me." She commanded. Sage didn't move with her usual speed but eventually she managed to lift and turn her head enough to look at Hallie. Sage's eyes were bloodshot, her face was red and blotchy, it was obvious she had been sweating an excess amount, she was breathing through her mouth, her lips were cracked and bleeding, she was violently shaking, and sleep basically sealed one her eyes shut from it watering so much. She looked like a wreck, Hallie knew that Sage didn't get sick often. But when she did it was like she had a deadly illness it was so bad.
"Bloody hell! You really are sick!" Hallie exclaimed, Sage just lowered her head back into the covers.

    "You aren't going to like this," Hallie started "but your going to have to get up, so I can get you and your bed situated." Hallie stated grimly.
She heard Sage's quiet high pitched cry, aka her response and grimaced. She knew how bad Sage felt, she'd seen her get sick multiple times. The first few times she thought Sage was dying, until Apollo informed her that was just how she got sick. Sage attempted to get up on her own but didn't make it past sitting up before her arms gave up and she fell back into bed. Hallie rubbed Sage's back as soothingly as she could and came to the terms that she couldn't get Sage out of the bed and fix the bed on her own.
"Stay here, I'll be right back" Hallie exclaimed. where else am i going to go? Sage thought to herself as she merely gave a small nod to show Hallie she'd heard. After about 20 minutes Hallie returned, but this time she came back with Fred right behind her. Hallie had explained the extent of the situation to Fred and he was immediately willing to help. When they got back to the room they found Sage curled up into the fetal position in the corner of the bed, with the blanket entirely covering her. Hallie eased herself onto the bed and pulled back the covers slightly.
"I need you to help me, help you. Try to move towards the edge of the bed so we can get you up." Hallie pleaded, after a few moments Sage began to stir, managing to crawl to the edge of the bed. The blanket hung over her head like a hooded cloak concealing everything except her legs which Fred could clearly see were red, blotchy, and shaking.

    He couldn't even see the rest of Sage because of the blanket, which he suspected might've been on purpose so none could see her face. With Hallies nod of approval Fred stepped forward and scooped Sage up in his arms bridal style, seeing as there was no way she would be able to stand, with or without help.

Fred's POV:
She felt so fragile in my arms. She weighed nothing and I could feel her shaking violently. It made me sad to see her like this, it was so different from her usual grace and sarcasm. Now she seems vulnerable and weak, which has never been apart of her daily energy. Hallie worked quickly to change the sheets and pillows, she seemed calm which was the opposite of how I was feeling. I felt nervous and extremely concerned to see Sage in this state. Once Hallie had finished fixing the bed, I set Sage down as gently as I could, trying not to disturb her. Hallie and I discussed the best way to handle this, seeing as we both had classes today but Sage was also going to need a lot of care. In the end I decided to skip all my classes and just let George get all my work, he would understand and it wouldn't be abnormal for me to not be in class. Hallie gave me a rundown of the things Sage would need and what to get her, I actually listened for once not wanting to do something wrong and mess up. Hallie stated that she was going to madam Pomfrey to get some medicine and that she would be back.

    I sat with Sage for a while not really knowing what to do but also being nervous I would do something wrong. Eventually Hallie came back, gave Sage some medicine, and told me how much to give her and how often. She told me how often to get her up and trying to move, how often to make her eat, when to make her drink water, she told me how to make the hot tea that typically helped clear Sage's throat. It was a lot but I took it all in and I refused to let my brain forget, Hallie got dressed for class, grabbed her bag and headed out, leaving me and Sage on our own. After a few minutes Sage shifted in the bed to sit up, she rubbed her face for a while and then blinked up at me. Both her eyes were red and watery, her face was really red and blotchy, and her curls were a crazier than a madman. I felt a pang of sympathy upon realizing how horrible she must feel right now. After a new minutes of staring at me she started crying, like actually crying not eye watering. She pulled her knees up to her chest and lowered her head, and cried.

Sage's POV:
There I was, looking like a complete wreck and Fred just had to be there and see it. I couldn't help but start crying. I wanted to vanish, I couldn't handle him seeing me like this, he was probably repulsed by me now. Who looks looks uglier than Cinderella's stepsisters when they get sick? One of my eyes was swelling and they were both were probably bloodshot, my hair was insane, my face was cold but I knew it looked red disgusting, i have never wished more to be a grain of sand, destined to blow away and never be seen again. I curled up trying to make myself as small as possible, though I felt like I was the size of a full grown troll. Before I knew it Fred was wrapping me up in his arms and he smoothed my hair down, I didn't have the strength to roll away so I just slumped in his embrace and tried to breathe through my nose.
"I still think your cute" he confessed
I tilted my head to give him a confused and skeptical look.
"Well I do, besides everyone gets sick, and I'm sure you'll be fine"
From anyone else hearing that wouldn't have meant much but hearing it from Fred made me feel comforted. I simply nodded my throbbing head, being well aware that my voice would not work. He stood up and went to make the tea that Hallie had recommended to help my throat.

    I suddenly became well aware that my sweat soaked clothes were clinging to me and I wanted to change. I tried to get up but my vision turned into a tie dye picture and my limbs felt like lead, so I just sprawled out on the bed. I waited till Fred returned and managed to croak out that I wanted different clothes. He simply nodded and carried me to the bathroom and sat me down on the counter, I pointed out what clothes I wanted and he left me alone to change. I took the opportunity to clean up as well, I pulled back my hair into two low space buns, I washed my face, and brushed my teeth. Once I had finished I still looked very much sick but a little less atrocious. He came back and gave me a piggy back ride to the bed and I laid back down.

    All day Fred took care of me, Hallie stopped by occasionally but she was really busy and could never stay long, he got me literally whatever I wanted and more. Books, food, water, pillows, blankets, he even gave me his jumper when I started shivering despite the three blankets I was under. He checked my temperature every 30 minutes as recommended, and treated me like a breakable doll, which is exactly how I felt. Even the next day when I was still feeling under the weather, he showed up at my dorm with a teddy bear as a get well gift. I could've cried it made me so happy. He stayed with me as long as he could without leaving me for more than 10 minutes. He was better than any medicine anyone could've given me, if only I could just bottle him up and keep him with me, I felt nothing could've been better than that.

Yep, I'm in love with this man. Dang it Hallie, I hate it when your right.

1803 Words
5/5/22