Sherlock: His Lover Called A [Sherlaide II]

Together in Sydney

The Next Day- Late Evening

Adelaide desperately tried ro pull the hospital blankets up over her and shivered as another chill attacked her system. It was a weak attempt to combat the cold she was feeling on an internal level, but it helped enough for her to decline asking the staff for another blanket. They were fussing over her enough already with how her symptoms had been developing. They had mostly disappeared the previous night but had come back with a vengeance late that morning.

She was still suffering from whole body joint pain and muscle aches, but the muscle spasms had returned as well as the nausea, plus chills. She had also started having difficulty swallowing and her heart rate was stubbornly refusing to slow down to a normal bpm. Those were what had the medical team on high alert and while she appreciated their care, She didn't like having people she didn't know crowding her.

The Zoologist exhaled and shivered again, turning to face the room's wall and the bedside stand on her left side. She curled up a bit and then sighed. I sent Sherlock a text but he hasn't responded. Must be on a case... She closed her eyes and tried to take her mind off of the pain she was feeling.

When she heard the door open, she suspected it was one of the nurses coming to check on her. She didn't feel like talking though, or rolling back over, but braced herself nonetheless for more bloodwork. When whomever it was didn't speak she wondered if it was one of her colleagues or even her ex coming to see how she was doing. She listened to the footsteps come around the side of the bed and then their voice nearly startled her off the gurney, "Are you awake, Adelaide..?"

She opened her eyes and blinked in confusion, "Sherlock?!"

Her fiancé smiled and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, "Hullo, Love."

"Wh-What are you doing here, Sherlock?"

"I'm here because my fianceé was bitten by a funnel web weaver and had no one close to stay with her," He stroked her cheek, "How are you feeling, Angel? Have your symptoms abated or persisted?"

"Unfortunately they've persisted," Adelaide replied and then asked, "Darling, why? Why did you come halfway across the globe? I told you I'd be fine."

"Because I love you and I don't want you to be alone while you're still battling the effects of neurotoxin," Sherlock answered, "And also because I missed you and perhaps didn't want to wait two more weeks to see you."

Adelaide giggled lightly, "Of course. I love you and missed you too, Darl." He leaned down again and they shared a kiss. Then he pulled up the provided chair to the side of the gurney and took a seat.

"How are your hand and arm?" She sighed and lifted it so he could see. He didn't dare touch the swollen limbs. The original bite had formed a blood blister on her wrist that he was certain was painful. Her hand was the most inflamed, with her arm a fiery shade, "Adelaide..."

"It's alright. I don't mind if you touch it."

He reached out and gently braced her arm with one hand, then traced from her elbow to her wrist with a feathery touch. When he reached the blister he frowned and placed an ultra light kiss over it, "I wish I could've come sooner, Love. I came straight from the airport, cases and all."

"Hey, you're here now and I'm glad you came. Thanks, Sherlock." He smiled warmly and Adelaide laid her arm back down. She asked about how his flight had been and he obliged, knowing it would help distract her. He held her left hand and stroked it in a rhythm while he talked to her.

About ten minutes into his retelling she started to shiver violently. He jumped up, "Lovey, what's going on? What do you need?"

"I-I-I'm having ch-ch-chills, Sherlock. One of the s-symptoms I have..." Adelaide chattered through her teeth. Without missing another beat he undid his scarf and whipped off his coat.

"Here, Angel," He tucked his coat over her and gave the scarf to her to hold, draping it over the pillows, "Is there anything else I can do to help, Lovey?"

"C-Cuddle... Please..."

Sherlock nodded and went to the other side, getting onto the bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her as best he could and pulled her close to him, clasping her left hand and nesting his head against her neck. It took a few minutes but eventually the shivering started to ebb. He left a few chaste kisses on her neck, "Is this helping, Adelaide?" She nodded and leaned into him, "Good."

"Mmm... You're always so warm, Sherlock..."

"I must keep you from freezing. It seems we balance each other out, because often you prevent me from overheating." They both chuckled and he kissed her again.

Before they knew it, both of them had fallen asleep. The nurse who came in for bloodwork smiled when she saw the sweet scene, as well as the monitor readings. Adelaide's heartbeat had finally relaxed into a healthy resting rate.

Thank you for reading!! 😘❤